New Friends and Titan slaying

Warmest salutations most honored matriarch,

  It is with an abundance of joy I write you, as you might surmise by the existence of this letter the situation with the Titan Persus has resolved in a way to allow me to write you. In fact, the entire crew has by grant of the gods, survived, nay triumphed in this encounter. We didn’t manage this alone, so allow me to impart to you the tale of how we arrived at this happy end.

  When last I wrote we had just dived into the ancient temple in the complex, the sole building left unmolested by Persus and his demonic minions. Once the most grievous of wounds were tended, the others led by our kobold companions moved to explore the depths of the temple. Unfortunately, Lady Alexandra was still suffering from the demonic toxins. She was moving, weak but moving, a series of tremors passed through her making it obvious what was going on. Our new companion Thisbe started to mix something from her stores of powders and liquids. Just as Thisbe was finishing, Lady Alexandra seemed to seize and slowly collapse to the floor. Thisbe seized her and administered some alchemical mixture which seemed to neutralize the remaining toxin. Easing Alexandra to the ground Thisbe then applied some poultices and bandages to staunch the toxin’s harm, leaving Alexandra breathing easier and barely conscious. Lady Thalia stepped closer, a warm glow cascading from her fingers, and into the ravaged flesh of Alexandra, mend the harm done by the demonic toxin. 

The building has a massive undercroft, which the two remaining kobolds, Alu and Gox, escorted us. Lady Alexandra politely knocked on the locked door leading to the rest of the undercroft. As our escorts were saying something about knowing the password, Ouroboros utilized his universal key by kicking the door and shattering the bonds holding it closed. The rest of us looked on, I with a degree of incredulity as I tucked my tools back into my waist pouch. As the door sunders and Ouroboros steps forward, the sound of many small blade being drawn greets us as we meet many of the clan that Alu and Gox were riven from.  Nothing like putting our best foot forward I suppose. The anxiety was palpable. Fortunately, Alu and Gox immediately vouched for our presence and indicated we had come to see their Lady.  Its evident that was sufficient as warm drinks and clothes are presented to us. One of the drinks was quite interesting. It was like warm milk, but with a very sweet and alluring flavor. I’ve not had its like despite the many ports of call I’ve visited. It was truly a beverage fit for royalty. With some prompting by Ladies Thalia and Alexandra we’re moved toward meeting with some sort of leader named Alga. Some of the clan depart to see if Alga approves of our visit, others with great anxiety try and make us welcome. Lady Thalia put them somewhat to ease, in fact I think by the moon eyed look in at least one of the kobold’s faces she’s perhaps enchanted them. The kobold Kern seemed to take an exceptional shine to Thalia.

 In moments after a solemn promise not to do the Lady harm we are escorted through the undercroft to a cavern space. We passed through several rooms filled with supplies, living spaces, a scriptorium of some sort, an alter space and eventually into an amazing space. The roof of the cavern seemed to hold wispy visions of the night sky. This vista was reflected onto the massive body of water filling most of the cavern, except the level of detail was vastly magnified. The moon, planets and constellations in exacting detail shimmered at the water’s mirror like surface. At the back of the cavern space are six statues of cloaked figures, each holding something before their chests, a violet glow suffusing their forms. The rest of the clan gathers around, weapons at the ready surround a singular creature. This kobold is an aquamarine color with scales highly polished and a faint hint of ozone to the surrounding air. Clearly this is must be Alga.

Alga is highly critical of us; she eyes us up and down carefully weighing our worthiness. As this happens the water behind roils, the kobolds drop to their knees faces to the floor. Alga inhales deeply and bows low as the shimmering dragon emerges from the water’s surface. The head is larger than even the great bulk of Ouroboros. As the body emerges wounds become visible, the left wing has been rent. Clearly it can’t fly. I can’t do the description justice, honored mother. This is the most noble being I’ve ever had the opportunity to see. The majesty is comparable to the most amazing sunset, but more inspiring as it is animate and very much alive. Injured to be sure, but so vibrant in its presence. Her voice, as it was most majestically a female, was rich and melodic. Motes of fog rolled from her jaws as she spoke with us. She asked to be called Ozen. Alga launched into a rendition of various titles and superlatives, but I was too taken to have followed any of it honestly. Ouroboros introduced us as children of Olympus, Lady Thalia however introduced us as the Demithots. It is by that moniker that our adventures have preceded us.

Discussions quickly turn to Persus and his reason for coming. Ozen feels as if she might be the reason for Persus’s arrival. She indicates that her injuries were from her first bout with Persus. She also indicated that if she could fly again, she’d wager her strength with ours versus Persus. Ouroboros’s runic symbol glowed softly as he discussed the possibility of taking some of the metal from the fire giants, and craft an artificial section of wing. Ozen encouraged both Ouroboros and Nicolos to speak with her inventor Gebla about the use of tools and materials to craft such an artifice. Kobolds are assigned to each of us as guides and minders. Silenos presents his scale shield from the fire giant lair. Ozen confirms that it is indeed hers. As Ouroboros, Nicolos, and Thisbe heads towards the inventor Gebla. Thalia goes to break the news of Gecky’s death to the other kobolds. Lady Alexandra remains as well to talk with Ozen. I examine some of the books and drawings which seem to be mostly prayer books. The prayer is open to Hestia.  It is quite a beautiful prayer.  I head back to the temple entrance to keep a weather eye on Persus and his minions. The minion creatures seem to be bickering over how they are going to tear us apart and kill us. Persus refers to them as dragolth. Persus and I have a brief conversation about the future, each of us striving to sow doubts. Persus is entirely creepy in his manic rage. I return to the undercroft as there’s nothing worthwhile to be had from further conversations.

Our artifice team spends some time and produce an amazing facsimile of dragon wing to bond to Ozen’s wounded wing. It was interesting to see Kern escorting Lady Thalia through the undercroft. Silenos comes and finds me to help with some fine manipulations of the metallic pour. The crew seemed quite concerned over the task, but it was amazingly easy.  It was impressive to see what they’ve created. Its not long until the crew mesh the artifice to Ozen’s wing.  After some flexing and motion, Ozen seems to feel like it would work. Ouroboros collapses to a knee in exhaustion as Ozen takes flight from a massive strong beat of her wings.  Ozen is very impressed with the outcome. The crew has a need for a long rest, Lady Alexandra created her arcane shelter so we can rest with a degree of safety.  What follows I’m not sure counts as rest as eventually Persus decided to wail against the temple building itself, the sanctification did hold the blows in abeyance, but only just; dust, rocks, and other debris fall from the ceiling as we rest within the shelter. The noise is stunningly loud, I eventually must fill my ears with water to be able to catch a little sleep. Once we’re more rested, the companions and Ozen prepare for the confrontation. Lady Alexandra shares with me an arcane shard she says will banish one of the demonic creatures, it might work on Persus but it seems a long shot. Lady Thalia also blesses several of the companions with a stauncher spirit, emboldening some of us.

In brief moments later the companions rush up the stairs and out of the temple proper to see a gloating, angry titan happy that we’ve finished cowering in our hole.  With that statement, a wintery pall of fog rolls up behind the companions, obscuring vision for a moment as it rises into the air. As it dissipates the majestic form of Ozen once again flying appears above the temple. Persus seems filled with both surprise and glee in equal measure. Both Ozen and Persus roar defiance at each other. The battle is joined.

  Lady Alexandra tried weaving a complex arcane warding that would see Persus banished back to his primordial prison. Unfortunately, Persus seemed prepared for such bindings and literally waved the spell away as if it were nothing. Ouroboros charges down the temple steps making two lunging strides at the end and hurls a javelin up into the air at Persus. The javelin strikes the titan but seems to skip off his thick enchanted flesh, leaving him uninjured. In the instant that the javelin strikes three spectral giants step away from the point of contact boxing Persus in. Thisbe not to be out done also charges headlong down the stairs ending in a discus style throw, landing an alchemical compound of some sort against the mid-section of Persus, small motes of smoke and blistering skin evident. Persus vanishes from his former location, appearing much closer to Ouroboros, leaving the giant specters behind. Lady Thalia moves out cautiously a silver radiant shard leaping from her forehead as her fingers contort, but again Persus seems to shrug it off as it was nothing. With that Thalia withdraws slightly and raises a ward against evil, of which we are surrounded by that in plenty. Persus lets loose a roar as he strikes at Ouroboros with his flanged mace, landing a significant blow, but Ouroboros remains while the stone tiles crack from the impact. Nicolos also moves down the temple stairs, his body being surrounded by the cyclopean forge spirits that is his calling card.  Silenos moves also from the temple mouth, sideways down the upper stairs, his companion eagle streaking toward Persus’s mid-section. Silenos puts a yard long shaft into one of the demonic forces of Persus and his companion pulls two talon full gobbets of titanic flesh from the titan himself. The accompanying roar of pain draws the demons to attack. They all seem to be capable of different arcane assaults, some of the companions momentarily appear to be confused as they shake off the enchantment, others suddenly begin to glow with an eerie green light out lining them entirely. Others of their ilk move into places where they can physically assault various companions. Persus makes room for his minions by disappearing and reappearing a few feet away but nearly two hundred feet in the air.  I take a moment and ensorcell my own blades as I use father’s gift of winged boots to streak upwards toward the now distant Persus. With a mighty beat of her healed wings Ozen rushes forth gaining height as she also closes in on the Titan. Ouroboros can be seen looking up at his handy work smiling gleefully with pride.  Persus once again vanishes and reappears someone distant from where he was only moments ago. A blue crackling nimbus forms around his upraised hand as a bolt of lightning leaps toward myself and Ozen who are still flying to reach him. I’m able to twist aside thanks to my mother granted agility, Ozen while nimble is also a big as a barn and still is his by some of the stroke. Persus looks on annoyed but glares of Ouroboros as if taunting him with the thunderbolt. Steeling herself, Ozen’s mighty wings settle as her head turns to face Persus. Her great maw opens, and spicules of ice and snow rush forth on a cloud of pearlescent vapor. The cloud encompasses Persus who in turn inhales and laughingly exhales unaffected by her draconic attack.

  Looking back over my shoulder I can see Lady Alexandra finishing some sort of arcane incantation, as her arms are wreathed in black and green bands of energy and a look of hardened resignation affixes her face. Ouroboros dashes briefly and leaps from the temple’s foredeck, he sails through the air and drives his fists into one of the demonic minions, wounding it severely. It turns out that in his athletic spectacle Ouroboros leapt over Thisbe who was in the lee of the forecastle. She joins Ouroboros shoulder to shoulder, striking at another of the demonic forces with her spear. She pivots and splashes the one Ouroboros if fighting with one of her alchemical concoctions. I’m too far away to see what it has done, but the look of pain on the demon’s face tells me plenty. Lady Thalia moves around one of the pillars and down the remaining stairs onto the forecastle. Two golden lances of light leap from her fingers streaking toward Persus and one of his minions. With a twisting wave from Persus both bolts miss their targets, however with her free hand, Thalia beckons and a celestial chime is heard. The demon injured by Ouroboros seems to share with the purity of the note, his wounds expanding.  Nicolos also moves to the temple’s forecastle, gathering the same force of banishment that Alexandra wrought moments before. As the spell coalesces, the sash Lady Thalia wears flares a deep purple as two of demonic minions vanish from the temple ruins. With a snarled threat Persus vanishes and appears over the forecastle his ire directed at Nicolos. Silenos nimbly moves calling forth some sort of magical mark on the chest of Persus. In nearly the same breath two shafts leap up from his bow, one strikes true as the other flies wide. Persus alights on the stairs from the forecastle to the temple, cracking the blocks under his immense weight. Ozen beats her wings rolling in midair, only to be flying once again right at Persus.  The demonic minions swarm, several surrounding Ouroboros and Thisbe, another closing on Silenos. The demons engaged with Ouroboros strike fang and claw opening great bloody wounds his arm and shoulders. Thisbe is equally beset, but a spectral giant hand interposes itself slowing the demon weakening its strikes. On my flight up from the temple I spy that Persus is male and equipped with significant pride. I dive toward Persus streaking between his tree trunk like legs and strike him a telling blow. His pride has been injured. I then change direction and move further, hoping to draw his ire. In the moment I strike, I hear the titans howl of pain and rage in my head and am I hate to admit it, panicked. In moments I am successful in my attempt to draw his ire, as Person his me with his great mace and nearly smashes me from the air with a crack of his massive tail. Persus also rakes at Thalia with his claws and fetid bite. The scimitar like claws slash the good lady, but thankfully the evil maw misses. Diving down from above Ozen’s back claws latch onto the titanic flesh as her jaws gouge Persus’s hide. Persus raises one hand grabbing a foreclaw for a moment before Ozen wrenches it free and then slashes a Titanic eye. We are all close enough to see the rent eye heal and knit before us, almost good as new.

Persus draws a massive breath, the air around him crackles with static charge. Small bolts of lightning dance along his skin and from talon to talon.  In another moment he explosively exhales and swings his arm wide as a storm of lightning crackles away from his body striking all that are nearby. The entire temple forecastle and stairs are wreathed in lightning. Nearly every companion and Ozen are struck by the bolts. The bolts nearly bring Nicolos to his knees, and sadly his focus slips allowing the pair of demonic entities to return to the battlefield from the prison Nicolos had consigned them to. Ozen lashes her own massive tail at Persus landing a solid blow to his upraised arms. Fortunately, Persus has also landed within reach of Lady Alexandra. She reaches out with her still ensorcelled hand, drawing the titans life force into herself before moving back behind one of the temple pillars. Ouroboros reaches back casually and grasps one of the demons by his dog like maw jerking it forward. He then punches the demon engaged with Thisbe twice, the first blow lands across the creature’s abdomen, while the other lands solidly under its chin. The bad news is that as that blow to the body landed, the gauntlets which are granted by Zeus himself, begin to glow as the second blow lands. The demon is lifted by that second blow, flying backward and upward. It eventually strikes high up on the cliff wall partly surrounding the temple. The bad news is it also couldn’t avoid the plummeting fall as its back was clearly shattered by the colossal impact. The crumpled body eventually came to rest of the ground moving no longer.

Ozen is still lashing Persus with her tail, the blows striking like the dark notes on a rower’s cadence. Persus seems to have had enough as he again vanishes, reappearing over the gates to the temple entrance. Thisbe moves to provide a tactical advantage to Ouroboros, drawing demonic ire as she is savaged by teeth and claws. Another alchemical concoction answers the assault, the demonic flesh blistering and raw. Lady Thalia breaths in a moment and a pair of magnificent wings appear around her shoulders as she raises a hand and another golden bolt streaks forth, only to be waved away again by Persus. With that she dashes into the temple taking cover behind the door. Nicolos seems to draw some calm from his symbol of Hephaestus and his bronze plate seems to glow. With that he turns, looking to one of the pillars nearest the temple, he chants and the spectral form of a cyclops with a mighty forge hammer appears atop the pillar standing silent sentinel. Once completed, he too moves to stand within the temple. Silenos clambers up onto the plinth of the temple, whistling for his companion as he takes careful aim at Persus. Two shafts leap true from his goddess blessed bow, striking grievous wounds. So much so that Persus roars ordering his minions to kill Silenos. The recently returned demons and their kin surge toward Silenos. The only demons not moving that way are literally being held in position by Ouroboros and Thisbe. The demons being held try mightily to strike Ouroboros and leap free. More massive wounds are opened on Ouroboros’s arms the wounds looking sickly from this vantage. I quickly move behind the one being actively restrained and plunge my blade into him, instantly making him regret his lack of freedom. Turning his head to regard Ouroboros, Persus partly leans close before saying “I think you should kill the satyr.”, with the force of arcane will. Fortunately, Ozen is close and can ground the spell to nothing.

  Lady Alexandra slides toward the temple entrance, but not before calling again on her father and calling into existence a mighty column of radiance surrounding Persus from the knee upward. Persus writhes in pain as the light seems to neutralize some critical part of him. Ouroboros lashes out with his free hand, first striking the demon and then grabbing it too by the scruff of the neck. Flexing his massive shoulders, Ouroboros drags the mad fiends toward the column of light. Thisbe takes advantage of this situation to cast a flask at one of the demonic minions and stabbing the weakened flesh with her spear. Up in the temple, Lady Thalia reaches into her enchanted satchel, drawing out a potion of golden glowing ichor. I’m not sure what the potion did, but a moment later two spears of light lashed out as the glow from within the temple fades. Two of the demonic minions were struck by these forks of light. One demon was cleft in twain, another mortally wounded, such was the force. Persus himself want to see what that was, and teleports to peer into the entrance of the temple.  Nicolos not wanting to pass up an opportunity casts a radiant bolt narrowly missing Persus’s wide eye. Silenos over draws his massive bow and fires a shaft. His aim was bothered by the lingering brightness of the two lances, and he nearly strikes me instead. Silenos then breaks before his is overtaken, leaping over one demon, and making his way to an outbuilding they had recently vacated. Once under cover, Silenos places an arrow into the back of a demonic skull, ending that minion’s assault.  The demons that had been closing on Silenos hiss in rage as one turns and calls a black globe of darkness about Silenos. Another washes the entrance to the temple in the green and black light used earlier, Lady Thalia begins to glow as this aura latches onto her. On the far side of the temple stairs, yet another demon assaults the mind of Ouroboros, leaving him blinking in confusion.  Persus manifests his ability to vanish, reappearing several yards outside the glowing pillar of radiance. I moved behind the demon that had Ouroboros’s mind entangled, driving my sword into its spine seemed to release my companion from its mental grasp.

  With a wave of his left hand, claws closing in a grasp Persus draws a wall of fire across the entrance to the temple before flying and landing on the roof of the temple itself.  Lady Alexandra makes a broad sweep with her staff and extinguishes the wall of fire completely.  She also beckons her pillar of light causing it to strike one of the demons before the temple. Persus attempts to grapple with Ozen and for a moment seems to be gaining the upper hand. The signet ring on Ouroboros’s hand glows briefly and then quiets, an answering glow seems to slide along the muscles and tendons on Ozen’s body, letting her slide from Persus’s grasp. Moments after that signet flair, Ouroboros heaves mightily throwing one of the pair of demons he is grappling into the air toward the glowing pillar of radiance. I lend a small aid by giving the demon a solid kick to help him on his way. A heartbeat later the second grappled demon follows the first, it too is scalded by radiance. Sadly, for its compatriot it smashed head first into its belly fatally goring it with its demonic horns. Ouroboros yells at Persus about needing more minions, Persus doesn’t even spare Ouroboros a glance with Ozen so close. Thisbe charges the remaining demon on the temple stairs, drenching it with one of her alchemical flasks, before she stabs home repeatedly with her massive spear.  Stepping to the lintel of the temple Nicolos summons a healing gift from Hephaestus and I could feel and see the wounds and injuries abate amongst the companions. Silenos emerges from the demon wrought darkness letting fly with two arrows, striking and killing one of the demons. Persus grapples again with Ozen, managing to get his taloned claws on the dragon’s neck and wing, wounding Ozen, but the wing remains intact. I move closer to the embattled titan, I try and force him away from Ozen, but the movement fails. Persus slams Ozen into the frozen stone of the temple, ghostly giants appear under Ozen, breaking her fall. With a wave of his hand Persus attempts to dispel the pillar of sunlight lady Alexandra has summoned, her strength of will wins the contest, the pillar remains.

Ozen lifts herself from the frozen stone, looks to the remaining demonic minion and in a caustic dialect suggests it attack Persus. The demon’s glare shifts up to where Persus flies. Ozen leaps to the air sailing out of the dawn’s pillar with a roar and moves toward Persus. Persus reaches out and wraps a mightly fist around Ouroboros as a bolt of silvery light strikes Persus and skips back to Alexandra. The bolt made no difference as the fist closes tightly on Ouroboros. Lady Alexandra allows the dawn pillar to fade as she brings forth a now familiar arcane fist, and pummels Persus. The constant battering is taking its toll on the titan, ichor and sweat drip from his body in equal measure. Just after being struck by the arcane fists, Persus with Ouroboros in his grasp teleports directly up pausing to glance down and gloat. I’m not sure what Ouroboros did, but in a short span of moments, he’s enhanced his size to nearly rival Persus in size, certainly at least as big as one of the fire giants we’ve faced in recent days.  This catches Persus by surprise as he just drops Ouroboros, who cracks the temple square stones as he strikes like a fallen boulder, but still he stands. Thalia slips from the temple and casts a spell allowing me to move even quicker so I can close on Persus. At that moment Nicolos steps forward from the temple, looking up high and lauches a golden bolt of radiance. The bolt strikes Persus in the side of the head. I wish mother I could have seen the look on Persus’s face as the realization of his defeat struck him. In moments his massive body plummeted to the stones of the temple courtyard. The last demon stares at the limp body confused, it becomes more so confused as two yard long shafts appear from its chest, compliments of Silenos.

Several things happen in quick succession. Ouroboros is still massive and in a state of rage, he grabs Persus’s huge head and begins to twist and turn it, trying to rend the head from the body.  I drag the flanged mace into the temple and present it to Athena’s shrine.  The bodies of the demons begin to change as whisps of black vile seep from the bodies; leaving behind twisted elves the other companions called Drow. Several of the others attend to wounds, it is in these moments that it happens. Suddenly the sounds about the temple stop as a frisson of dread passes through all of us. As I come to the temple door I see him, a tall man in black and purple robes walking calmly through the remains of the temple gate. He is pale like ice covered snow, his black hair and beard striking in contrast. Dark tattoos of arcane geometry make his arms, fingers, and neck. The coldest eyes of pure sapphire regard the titan’s body, and the rest of us without blinking. Hades has come.

Ouroboros stops wrenching on Persus’s head as his raging ire is suddenly quelled. Nicolos takes a knee in respect. Stepping toward the body of Persus, Hades manifests a coal black bident which appears like a solidifying mist. With a wave of the tines over Persus’s body, black tendrils crawl up the massive form. With that Hades speaks. He congratulates us on a herioic feat. Ouroboros ever brave asks how the titans could have escaped, to which Hades replies that its being investigated. After explaining the sequestering of Persus would take an hour or more, others begin to ask questions. Ouroboros asked what was stopping them from getting out again? A somewhat terse reply of “Me” is his only answer from Hades.  Alexandra asks after the other titans such as Atlas. Hades gives us news. Atlas has indeed escaped, several of the other gods are working in concert to keep the world stable. Oceanus is in a fight with Poseidon over the rule of the seas, that fight is making sea travel less reliable. Tethus remains neutral in this conflict. Hyperion and Apollo are engaged in a similar battle with Thea remaining neutral. Coyus is the one responsible for the capture of the Oracle. Ipitus is in a similar confrontation with Hades over the realms of the dead.  Several others are also free, Atlas, Menteaus, Pelos and of course Kronos who is free, but not yet whole. As the black tendrils of void start to overtake the final third of Persus’s body, another wave of the bident pulls the wispy demonic essences from around the temple to Hades. Once gathered he issues them back to the depths where they belonged. Nicolos asks if it would be possible to send a message to someone named Jace. Hades has the look of someone long patient and makes it clear that any message can be delivered in person in due course. Everyone dies, Jace resides among the Elysium fields, which is where any titan slayer will find respite.  Ouroboros asks about Hades’ responsibilities, to which Hades replies again with long patient sufferance, that he is busy. He has responsibility over all the things that die, everything must have its place and it is his responsibility to make sure the dead are justly treated. As the last of the void encompasses Persus’s form, it seems to sink into the temple stones as if it were a shadow at noon. As I glance from the shadow to Hades, I see him turn and calmly walk back out of the temple gate, the sounds of chill wind returning filling the still void Hades is leaving behind. As if descending invisible stairs Hades fades from view out the temple gate.

Ozen who has been most quiet finally speaks and invites us all into the temple. Its then I notice that Lady Thalia sits somewhat slumped in fatigue just inside the temple, two vials at her feet, both have the barest remains of some golden ichor. Alexandra helps Thalia to her feet, and we move into the temple undercroft. Warm fires and that rich milky drink are to be had.  The excitement of the Kobolds is frenetic, but many of us are exhausted and overwhelmed. Lady Thalia has enough presence of mind to ask for some help from the other kobolds to find the body of poor Gecky. After some time searching his frozen charred body is found and brought into the temple. Lady Thalia with the more somber kobolds, including Alu and Gox put the brave Gecky to his final rest. After the ceremony we all find places to sleep to let the crush of responsibility for this task to settle in our minds and spirits. Before I drift off, I needed to let you know that I love and miss you, my mother.  I hope all is quiet with you and that the troubles of these Grecian shores have not found their way to you. 

Yours always - Gyasi