Session 20 - Welcome back, Harbinger

The Ritual at Cloudwatch

The party regrouped near the entrance of Caelbruck Hold after finishing their movements through the camp. Their conversation was brief before the world around them began to distort. Time slowed unnaturally, and without warning Rollo's began to sink into the ground beneath him. The rest of the group attempted to pull him free, but black ichor spread across all of them, forcing its way into their mouths and eyes, stripping them of sight and breath.

They were pulled elsewhere.

They emerged at the summit of Cloudwatch.

The moment they arrived, they found Ulrich Lamora already locked in combat with Velmirra and Nexxira. At the center of the battlefield stood Sarevok, performing a ritual with visible intent.

The party joined the fight immediately.

The battle was intense and costly. Velmirra and Nexxira held the line while Sarevok completed his work. As the fight progressed, the pressure increased, and the tear above the altar grew more unstable. Once the ritual reached completion, Sarevok stepped into the fight himself. His focus was clear. He moved directly toward Rollo and Ulrich, attempting to force them toward the tear.

At the height of the conflict, Persephone manifested on the battlefield. Her presence shifted the encounter immediately. She engaged Sarevok directly, and with the combined effort of the party, he was forced back and ultimately banished from the plane.

Before his banishment, Persephone dealt severe damage to him. That damage carried through to Rollo. He collapsed without warning. In his final moment, he reached toward Mr. Slinkless and managed to touch him before dying.

Scarlet reacted immediately. She drew the Ferryman coin, flipped it, and it landed on heads. The coin burned intensely as she pressed it against Rollo's body.

He came back. His first reaction was brief, a simple expression of pain, but he was alive.

Persephone observed the moment and spoke:

“Only an Imperator can kill an Imperator.”

Aftermath

With the battle over, the summit fell into silence. The party spoke with Persephone and were formally introduced to Ulrich. He presented himself simply as a businessman from Ravenhold, speaking of his family, his work, and how he had ended up at Cloudwatch while attempting to leave.

Persephone revealed her identity as the wife of Mortarion. She explained that he had abandoned his role due to the toll it took on him, and that she had remained behind, waiting for his return for centuries. She confirmed that the tear opened by Sarevok led to Mortarion’s domain. Entry was possible, but leaving required permission from its master. She had once been granted that permission, but since his disappearance, she had been unable to return.

She also revealed that she was the creator of the Cryptex. It had originally been used to track Mortarion’s reincarnations, but became useless as the boundaries between worlds began to collapse. At that point, she gave it to his brothers. Scarlet asked about Zoe.

Persephone answered that Zoe’s soul remained with her, under her care, awaiting transcendence.

Descent and Camp

The party descended from the ruined summit of Cloudwatch. On one of the lower levels, they discovered a metallic construct depicting the world of Arkanthys, with two moons orbiting it. Nearby stood a single intact mirror, while the rest of the mirrors in the chamber were shattered. They did not investigate further.

They continued to the ground floor and established camp using their heat pylon. Ulrich spent time with the group, speaking more openly. He offered tarot readings, initially for payment, then freely. Each member of the party received a reading. He also used a crystal ball containing an entity named Kristijan, who proved hostile and refused to answer questions.

Zoe’s Farewell

Scarlet stepped away from the group and used the Ferryman coin once more. The coin landed on heads, allowing Zoe’s soul to appear briefly.

She asked three questions.

Zoe did not wish to leave.

She did not know what awaited her.

Her final message was that she loved her family, that she would remain with them, and that she would always be close to them.

After that, her soul departed.

Scarlet was left with a deep sense of emptiness.

The Transformation

Shortly after, a faint ticking sound began. It grew steadily louder.

Ulrich Lamora reacted first, visibly distressed. Within moments, his body transformed, collapsing into a golden pocket watch.

Winry picked it up and opened it. Inside, one side displayed a functioning clock.

The other held a portrait of a young woman.

Seryna.