Leaving
Aebrynis, the nautilis takes the party to a huge crystal sphere known as
“Truespace” and to Penumbra - an artificial world (a colossal disk shape that
surrounds a central sun), constructed by the Illithids at the height of their
power. Penumbra is largely inhabited by “Forerunners” the stock race from which
the Githzerai and Githyaki evolved.
Landing, the
party make contact with a local tribe
who know nothing of mind-flayers or the civilisation that once thrived here.
The only person who might know such history is their shaman Hollerith.
Hollerith has unfortunately been captured by the tribe’s great enemy - the
Unliving King, who resides in a ruined city to the north. The party trekked off
to rescue the shaman and discovered the
Unliving King was in fact an illithilich. After a fearsome battle they managed
to slay the illithilich and his undead servants and rescue Hollerith who in
gratitude leads them to the entrance of an even older lost city buried far
beneath the surface of Penumbra.
Heading down
into the darkness, the party find themselves in the lost Mind-flayer city of
Capital Terrene. The city is now infested by
grammites (huge insectoid hook-horror like creatures) and inhabited by
Grimlock tribesmen.
Dog was killed
by grammites and the party was joined by Zane, a Forerunner adventurer. Descending to the lower level the party
discovered that the city was also full of ancient psionic devices and traps.
Falling foul of one of them, the Tumerogenesis Tanks, Goraval lost an arm and
gained the ability to mind blast and Alberto was genetically modified to subsist
on blood! Making friends with one of the tribes the party hear tell of Arack a great hero who came before and
opened the way below
Following in the
footsteps of Arack, they descended to
the lowermost level of the ancient city, there the party discovered the
location of the object of their quest – the Annulus, a powerful psionic
artefact hidden there uncounted millennia ago. On discovering the Annulus, the
psionic seal delivers a message from Strom, who informs them that when ready it
will open a portal to his currently location where he needs the Annulus (and
the party) to help stop a huge mind-flayer plot.
The portal
created by the psionic seal takes the party to the Overmind, a huge mind-flayer
construct located deep in the Ethereal Plane. The party meet Strom, who is
trapped in the body of a mind-flayer, who reveals the depth of the
mind-flayer’s plot. The Illithids have discovered an ether gap wherin
lies an alternate multiverse where their ancient empire never fell. They hope
to use the Overmind to reverse the polarity of the ether gap, turning it
“inside out” creating a new reality where they still rule. To power the
Overmind they are draining energy from a multitude of suns across the Prime
Material. Stom told them also that the Githyanki have discovered the Illithid
plot and are currently attacking the Overmind with their red dragon allies. Now
would be a perfect time to strike inside the Overmind at the heart of its
power. By using the Annulus the party should be able to shut down the Engine
Consummate - the huge psionic power source at the heart of the Overmind. To add
to the confusion Strom will commence a campaign of assassination of the
Illithid leaders.
The party make
their way through the huge Overmind construct to the Engine Consumate. There
they confronted and managed to slay Lugribosk (a proxy of Ilsensine – the
Illithid God) and use the power of the Annulus to destroy the Overmind. They
fled back to meet with Strom who arranged
portal home to Aebrynis.
Some weeks
later, at Ghoried Manor, a Githyanki delegation arrives, causing much
consternation, not least because of the presence of red dragons. The Githyanki
seers have determined the party’s actions and they give to each party member a
gift. Goraval’s arm is restored and
Alberto’s thirst for blood removed via Wish spells, and the other party
members receive various magic items as reward for their efforts.