At the start of the session the party levels up, and the tree successfully removes water from the 3rd floor. The dead owlbears are thrown down the hole to the gelatinous cubes. The party finds that someone is living in Gurt’s old room, which they deduce by realizing books are missing. They’re able to track the person to the forest, where they locate a small camp outside of the rift leading to green glory. It’s Gurt: he’s been staying in the keep, and recently moved out to the camp.

Gurt

Gurt constructed a makeshift shelter from the remains of the keep and discarded items from the ildera workers. He says he’s unable to leave because he’s drawn to this place, and it calls to him. He returned in the hopes of finding Valor once again. He says he would die for the rift, and refuses to go back to the swamp and stay with the other lizardfolk.

Among his books is a book about the rift. It is known as the Everlasting, and how it was created or first found is a mystery, but it was used by Gwen to prolong her life. A small notebook found among Gurt’s possessions seems to be written by Gwen – and within it she claims that there are underlying presences in the area that are tied to the Vibrant. The waters of Green Glory create a healing draught, which was used with zodi’ite to bring Maverick back to life during his first Kurzen’s Beckoning. Bathing in the water will make one slow their aging and live longer. Long-term consumption of the waters or visiting the rift often will corrupt an individual and compel them to return. Gwen’s children were not affected by her long-term use of the water – she only told her most trusted confidants of its whereabouts. Gwen speaks of being visited by little people, Vibrant creatures, who would sign to Gwen and taught her Old Isril. The book is blank to everyone else due to a privacy spell. Only Violet can read it.

Into the Rift

The party then decides to venture into the rift. They feel Vibrant energies wash over them, but it feels somewhat muted. A little water is still in the pool, and Raziel wants to climb in, but the party tells him not to. Gurt is riled, and says that the party knows nothing about the sword, and that the sword often spoke to him after he proved himself a mighty leader. Raziel, with disregard to everything and everyone around him, jumps into the pool. The party sees him in the pool with Vibrant energies snaking towards him. Raziel sees nothing but darkness, and he is standing on water – he seems the sword about thirty feet away, and it appears to be stuck in something.

With Valor

From all directions Raziel hears a  voice say, “It’s been a long time Raziel. I’m surprised it took you this long.” The voice continues by asking Raziel to stay away from wraiths, and from the outside the party can see that Raziel is smiling. Violet is able to retain her telepathic link with Raziel while he’s in the pool. A man with elven features walks towards Raziel. He is wearing traveling gear. He appears large, but as he approaches Raziel he becomes smaller until he shrinks to the size of an average elf. Valor explains that the Vibrant is a part of him, and he has elven features because it’s close to the fae. Valor has been stuck here a long time – it would be generations to Raziel, but to him it is nothing more than the blink of an eye. The pool is a link to Valor, who is the elf, who is the sword. He mentions that Maverick was another blink of an eye to him, and that Maverick wielded him as a sword against Kurzen’s Beckoning. Valor is here because this area is a part of him, and he cannot escape. The sword is a physical manifestation of him, and the water is his lifestream. He wishes to experience things. Valor shows Raziel a series of events: flashes of Gurt meeting Evara for the first time, Gurt killing his old chieftain as he was calling him weak, Raziel killing the owlbears, a warrior killing his enemies, battles of supremacy, and lastly, a large demonic entity piercing the chest of a warrior.  Valor continues showing Raziel flashbacks. He shows him a town, where Gwen is standing and talking to her amari friend, Jiviel (Violet’s grandmother!) Valor is never seen directly talking with Jiviel or Gwen only Maverick. He is experiencing the material plane, and he picked this location as one would pick the moment of his death. He shows Raziel him dropping his sword, and it turned red as it ended up here. Valor lets Raziel know that he has a long life ahead of him. He also lets him know that he can’t control Gurt’s wants and needs, and can’t do anything about Gurt trying to return here over and over. Valor tries to keep communication with only one person at a time. He has brothers who can do similar things, but Isild is an unknown land to most of them. He has countless brothers that rarely interfere with the material plane. Valor tells Raziel that he wants to impart his power on Raziel through the sword. Valor is considered a god in the Vibrant. He prefers blood to souls. Raziel’s thoughts come to Valor frequently, and he felt like they needed to meet properly like this. Valor does not pray to the deities, and he says this with disdain: he thinks that following Naugrix is beneath him. He thinks the Zodiacs are to be respected, however. Lastly, he shows Raziel sweeping Vibrant territory as a bird would see it, and he tells Raziel to come spend time with him sometime. Raziel’s body then disappears.

Loot

• No more Raziel…
• Gained a Gurt in manacles
• Gained a secret book from Gwen