Divinations. Huarwar at the Nether Oak.
In the observatory of the Tower of Divination the party came across a dying Azgul. Though delirious, he told news of Avarice's proximity and Vellynne's potential madness. While the party pondered whether he was the true Azgul or his clone, after his death Oona nevertheless took a memento of the fallen warrior: a lock of hair. In search of High Diviner Apius's line of the Rite of the Octad, the party was pulled into a trap laid by her corpse where the spirit of the diviner guarded her tower and challenged their collective psyche. Pulling free, Fern used the diviner's telescope to pinpoint Apius's spellbook. It was in the hands of Huarwar and the Black Swords, heading towards Ythryn's arboretum. There the party was drawn into a chaotic three party melee against the Levistus cultists and the tree. While Huarwar initially tried to reason, he died cursing the party's names. Two Black Sword cultists fled while the Nether Oak fell to Tetro's flame. As the heroes gathered the ingredients for the Rite of the Octad, a chill crept over them. A presence. Huarwar was rising with the glow of a coldlight walker.

Tower of Divination

• On the top floor of the Tower of Divination the party took in the arcane brass telescope of the observatory near a sphere full of eyes and viscera, the desiccated corpse of the High Diviner Apius, and the dying body of Azgul torn open from the swarm of nothics. Applying pressure, Oona kept Azgul alive somewhat longer in for the party to investigate. When pressed on why he left, he admitted that he thought he was better able to pursue the treasures of Ythryn alone. When pressed about the Arcane Brotherhood, he noted that Avarice was present in Ythryn and Vellynne had evidently lost her mind. They noted his eye was missing, but the wound appeared old. When asked if he lost it using the telescope, he said he didn't get the chance due to the nothic mob. When asked about his famed eyes of the eagle goggles, he laughed and coughed up blood. As the party talked over what may or may not have occurred, Azgul went into and out of consciousness. His dying words were "THAT BASTARD TOOK IT ON THE ISLAND!" Oona took a lock of his hair as a memento.
• Investigating High Diviner Apius's scattered texts, the party had difficulty understanding the language, but noted a repeated footnote referencing Apius's spellbook. This book, however, appeared to be missing. Gadget's deduction about the telescope, the diviner's corpse, and the vat of eyes told her that Apius had burnt her eyes out in the use of the device, which appeared to be drenched in divination magic to act as a stronger version of the scry spell. It could locate most anything, most anywhere at a risk to one's own vision. The diviner's corpse, however, had a pristine cloak on: a cloak of eyes that she presumably used to counter this lost of sight. Moving towards the scope, Fern went to peer into the apparatus, when the diviner's dead hand reached out to grasp her. All were pulled into an intensely powerful trap, a pocket dimension of sorts where Apius fought against the intruders again and again, redefining THIS FUTURE to a new state. It was a battle of attrition, as the party fought back to resurface from the spell. Fern was then finally able to use the telescope, scouring Ythryn for Apius's spellbook. She saw it in the hands of Huarwar Mulphoon, walking towards the arboretum with a cadre of Black Swords. Fern managed to keep her own eyes intact.

Arboretum

• The party headed Ythryn's Arboretum to find Apius's spellbook. They spied on Huarwar and the Black Swords from outside the area's glass dome. The cult members were quietly attempting to carve bark from the Nether Oak that rested dormant in the center. The heroes decided to take advantage of stealth with Fern sneaking through some brush to mage hand the spellbook of High Diviner Apius out of Huarwar's pack and Tetro crawling up the dome as a spider. The Black Swords were unable to carve the Nether Oak's bark without awakening the treant, who decided to toy with them and attack. This soon turned into a three way battle as Crank ambushed a Knight of Levistus. While Huarwar tried to compel the party to team up against the oak, the party realized they had the initiative to take both opponents down. Oona ended Huarwar's arc with an axe to the back. Two Black Swords cultists were able to flee, while the heroes put an end to the evil treant, igniting it in flame.
• Standing amongst the chaos of the burning tree, it was difficult to sort out what would happen next. How would Avarice react? What happened to Vellynne? One thing was clear: they were nearly ready to perform the Rite of the Octad now. As they left the arboretum to return to the Magnificent Mansion to translate Apius's words, cold enveloped them. A presence was felt, raising even the hackles of Tetro and Gadget, whose eyes shone with the maiden's blessing. Looking behind them, they saw Huarwar rising as a coldlight walker.

Achievements

• LEVEL 10 ~ All Towers of the Arcane COMPLETE

Loot

• Robe of Eyes ~ Tower of Divination ~ Fern
• Bark of the Nether Oak ~ Arboretum ~ Party

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