Winter in Hieron 20: Pulling You Further Down

From fattwiki

Episode description[edit | edit source]

Prelate Springe,

Thank you for the hospitality on my visit. Thus far, it has been the only trustworthy thing in this gnarled subterrane.

This place confounds me, brother. On my trip to our Lord, I saw things I know have never been true: A vision of the Fallow Traitor’s cold city spread far and wide thru the continent whole, except it bore a symbol akin to our Warm Sun’s. In another, the sky had been covered, or… no, it was if it had fallen in, as if pieces of the heavens had collapsed and crowded the world. I saw the ruined college, rebuilt, or, no, it wasn’t destroyed in the first place.

But then I saw Him there, at the bottom, and I felt His heat and I knew my path again. As expected, the ring carries heretical light. He told me it was from “the third stratum,” which I suspect you understand better than I do.

I fear that He could see my bewilderment as He said it, yet I didn’t mind that He saw me like this. We are His in ignorance and power, both. He blessed me for my faith: “Even in ignorance,” he said, “You walk with the Confidence of the First Prince.”

Perhaps this is how you stand this place, Springe. The surface is so far from His fire; it is barren His glow. Even with these twisted environs of impossible pasts, I envy you this closeness. Perhaps I will stay longer.

Yours in Faith,

Ex. Braeven

This week on Friends at the Table: Pulling You Further Down

Good Exarch,

I’ve sent three of my Devout—Rinse, Bringlight, and Lockgood—to retrieve the ring. They know His way and have spilled the blood to prove it.

I am honored that you would share His words with me, and would be grateful to have you remain present at the Cathedral. Our parishioners would be lucky to rest in your reflection of His strength.

But if you stay, you must learn quickly: There are no false pasts here. Only mistakes. Mistakes our Lord rights by fire, faith, and forceful whim.

Pr. Springe

Contents[edit | edit source]

Plot[edit | edit source]

After Hadrian drops his ring chain, the party sees to their immediate East there is a city with Marielda-like architecture. They cross the bridge which leads to a cave. Each room or section they enter seems to form as they enter it, and is invisible to those still outside. When they get to the cave, Throndir hears voices ahead and investigates. There is a melee going on between a group of dwarves. Three robed figures with the symbol of Samothes are fighting two dwarf warriors who seem to be protecting two others. As Hella, Adaire, and Hadrian move to follow Throndir, they leave behind bits of paper to form a trail back to where they entered this strange space.

Throndir lines up a shot on a disguised sniper that he spots and shoots them in the arm. Hadrian calls out to try to stop the combatants, which causes them to retreat from one another a bit. One calls out to Hadrian, "What is your lack?" One of the robed figures says that the two unarmed dwarves are heretics against Samothes, and that they represent the Solarch. They all agree to a brief parley. The two unarmed dwarves introduce themselves as Miko and Sebastian, and say they're trying to get to the Buoy to find a home. Adaire clarifies that the Buoy is a large dwarf settlement which people find their way to without a map. The church of Samothes are after them because of the strange metallic ring they have, that looks like the original of Hadrian's.

There is some brief confusion when the dwarves ask the party what "lamina" they are from. Throndir remembers via Kindrali that it's something to do with layers underground. When the dwarves find out the party is from the surface, the mercenaries immediately turn and kill one of the soldiers of Samothes. Hadrian steps in to try to defend and deescalate things again. Hella also jumps in to do the same. Adaire and Throndir help Miko and Sebastian get away from the fighting, where the dispatch another solider trying to shoot them with a crossbow. Meanwhile, Hadrian is able to stop the fighting after the quarry has escaped anyways. The soldiers of Samothes off him their thanks and look forward to future collaboration.

At some point the door back to where they came has disappeared and become solid rock. The mercenaries explain that they are in strata 1, lamina 1, and there are many more strata below. They confusingly explain the basics of travel between strata, and how things have been very weird here lately, including the disappearance of the sun. Hadrian, looking for guidance from Samothes sees a vision of himself breaking Sebastian's ring. He grabs the ring suddenly, but as soon as it comes off Sebastian's hand, the sun rises into the sky. Hadrian drops the ring and goes to stomp it. But Hella interferes and gets her hand on the ring. Hadrian pulls back from stomping her hand, feeling that Hella has been there for him when Samothes hasn't.

They take another set of stairs down and see The Buoy, a cramped city on a large rock. They can see many variations of Hieron on the horizon. Hella cuts the wall with her blade to see if it's magic, but accidently falls through the resulting hole. She finds herself near Nacre, facing a statue of another version of herself. Hadrian and Throndir jump in after Hella, while Adaire stays and throws a rope in after them. They climb up the rope back to Adaire and head into The Buoy.

Cast[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]