The Moon’s Destruction#
The session opens with the catastrophic destruction of the real moon by Eldora’s artificial satellite. The party witnesses Luminar, the moon goddess, falling to earth as a brilliant streak of light after her celestial body explodes. The impact creates massive shockwaves and a golden glow on the eastern horizon, fundamentally altering the cosmic balance.
The party realizes this represents Eldora’s systematic campaign to eliminate rival gods from the pantheon, making herself the sole divine power. Red becomes particularly concerned about Tyr’s safety, fearing he may lose his divine powers if his god is killed.
Questioning Father Jacob#
After the cranky Father Jacob finally finishes his morning coffee, the party extracts crucial information about Red’s origins:
- The Skyhammer Massacre: When Red was an infant, Eldoran Knights attacked his village, killing most warriors and taking the scientists and technological knowledge
- The Skyhammer Program: Red’s clan has been working on building starships to reach space and potentially destroy Eldora’s fake moon
- Red’s Importance: His bloodline is somehow essential to powering their spacecraft, though the exact mechanism remains mysterious
- The Rescue: The Crosses (Red’s adoptive parents) were Tyr followers who helped hide Red from the Eldoran forces
Consulting the Prophecy Sheep#
Olivia and Elspeth hike to consult the reborn oracle sheep, learning disturbing prophecies:
- More gods will die in the coming conflict
- Jeremy (the shepherd) will die prematurely if they don’t intervene to save the world
- The moon goddess could potentially be revived, but it would require asking another god for help
- The sheep mentions a mysterious figure called “Tony” - possibly a mechanical or builder god
Meanwhile, Bru attempts unsuccessfully to recruit the prophetic sheep for his “army.”
The Journey to the Skyhammers#
The party begins their ascent up Grimvar’s Spine mountain, with George providing enthusiastic (if verbose) exposition about Project Purple Patch and his research into the Goliath clans. The two-and-a-half-day journey tests their mountaineering skills, but their magical cold-resistant cloaks and Bob the goat help them navigate the treacherous terrain.
During evening camps, the party engages in character development:
- Red performs augury rituals, receiving divine confirmation they’re on the right path
- Silas begins teaching George lockpicking and other “Twilight Company skills”
- Olivia has stern conversations with George about the moral implications of criminal associations
Discovering the Skyhammer Village#
Upon reaching the mountain’s summit, the party encounters Goliath sentries and is escorted into a remarkable settlement:
Village Features#
- Advanced Technology: Solar panels, electric lights, aluminum and steel construction
- The Rocket Platform: A massive partially-constructed spacecraft dominates the village center
- Solarpunk Aesthetic: Technology integrated harmoniously with the mountain environment
- Crystal-Powered Equipment: White crystal technology similar to but distinct from Eldoran violaceous crystals
- Defensive Preparations: Guards equipped with railguns and crystal-embedded weapons
Meeting Elder Ragar#
The party is brought before Ragar, an ancient Goliath elder who serves as the clan’s leader. During their formal meeting:
Red’s Recognition#
- Red’s tattoo style matches the clan’s artistic traditions
- His knowledge of his birth name (Thurnok Skyhammer) helps establish his identity
- The revelation of Marion and Robert Cross’s murder saddens the clan, as they had lost contact
The Bloodline Mystery#
- Only someone of the Skyhammer bloodline can power their spacecraft
- The knowledge of how this works was lost when Red’s birth parents died
- The clan believes the trials will either unlock this knowledge or kill Red in the attempt
The Trials Ahead#
Ragar explains that Red must enter the “Worms Tunnel” - a mystical passage carved by an ancient serpent that created reality-warping trials. Only the main Skyhammer bloodline can survive these tests, which are necessary to prove Red’s heritage and unlock the secrets of powering their starship.
Party Dynamics and Rewards#
Silas immediately begins negotiating for rewards, delighting when Ragar indicates they will indeed compensate the party for returning their lost prince. This represents a rare instance of the party receiving recognition for their heroic efforts.
George enthusiasts himself by planning to catalog valuable technologies while the others undergo trials, much to Silas’s approval and Olivia’s moral concern.
The Approach to Trials#
The session concludes as Ragar leads the party to an enormous circular cave entrance marked with runic symbols and buffeted by mysterious winds. Silas establishes psychic communication links with Red, Olivia, and Elspeth before they enter.
The party faces the prospect of Red either proving his royal bloodline and unlocking the power to fuel their cosmic rebellion against Eldora, or dying in the attempt.
Key Revelations#
- Eldora’s Divine Genocide: The systematic elimination of competing gods
- Skyhammer Technology: Advanced crystal-powered spacecraft construction
- Red’s Cosmic Destiny: His bloodline’s connection to powering interstellar travel
- The Worms Tunnel: Ancient trials that will determine Red’s fate and abilities
- George’s Development: Growing from naive enthusiasm into potential competence
Ongoing Threats#
- The destruction of traditional divine powers
- The challenge of proving Red’s lineage through deadly trials
- The need to develop technology capable of challenging Eldora’s space-based power
- The moral education of George within criminal organizations
The session masterfully balances cosmic-scale threats with intimate character development, setting up a crucial trial sequence that will determine both Red’s identity and the party’s ability to challenge divine tyranny on a celestial scale.