Session 9: The Oasis

Tags: #session

In short: Blackjack becomes the Shepherd beneath the sea; the party finds Ouraeus's oasis burned and ends Tlincalli for good.

Summary

In the crushing depths of the midnight ocean, Jack was reborn. Rescued by the sea elves Vespera and Kaelen and brought to a bioluminescent sanctuary, the truth of his burden was revealed: the obsidian amulet — the Shard of the Great Devourer — had begun to beat in synchronicity with his heart. Where others rotted into necrotic husks, Jack became a vessel. Kaelen spoke it into the currents: if their brother Valyrian is the Sovereign Prophet of the beast, then Jack is the Shepherd. After days of training, Jack dreamt he inhabited the gargantuan body of The Great Devourer itself, forcing his will upon a titan to save his friends. Before departing he attempted, catastrophically, to woo the regal Vespera — emerging from the depths with new powers, a new title, and a tall tale about a "sea girlfriend" who is definitely, totally real.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party followed Ouraeus home to find a waking nightmare: the oasis a blackened scar, the work of the Itju-Sha. The sand erupted in ambush, led by the chitinous terror Tlincalli. Bagpipes screamed, a fireball roared — but the turning point came from the water. Aided by Koa and a runic nautilus shell, Jack took a "Fathomless Plunge" and emerged from the oasis pool, impaling Tlincalli with a spectral tentacle and ending the ambush.

Reunited and battle-worn, the party salvaged carapace armor and fallen steel, then traveled north through the dunes until the horizon gave up its secret: "There it is, the Tomb of Tzentak."

Key Developments

• Blackjack revealed as the Shepherd of The Great Devourer; the Sovereign Prophet is named: Valyrian, brother of Kaelen.
• Tlincalli slain; the party reunited.
• Ouraeus's oasis home destroyed by the Itju-Sha.
• Arrival at the Tomb of Tzentak.