Twilight of the Abyss, Session 11.3

<WindStrike> *LAST TIME ON ZURPG! You..... where's my last recap
<WindStrike>  *You got blackmailed by Zant and held half-hostage by some Twilightrobes to go yoink Midna's half of the Fused Shadow. Instead, you somehow convinced the Twilightrobes to avoid the elevator AT ALL COSTS, and instead went to library. There, you found a Corsava, a Medlora, and a backstabbing Zant! Also, Raine was there for some reason. Zant had Zuph's Golden Armor and was teleporting around like a zippy longstocking douchebag. He also suffered spontaneous Madness damage, though you didn't see Mask Man around. There was also some Interloper whispers, but you couldn't confirm the origin of that one either.
<WindStrike> Via the power of darkness, you take down the Twilightrobes, and then after roughly 50 Zant teleports later, you find out a way to predict his location, stab him with Darte-sword, and then proceed to one-shot him via Darte-reverse transforming and appearing in an explosion of blood. Everyone is happy, Darte has a new armor, Zant is dead- oh wait, he Twilight Fairy'd his way out to a victory, that sinner. And somehow, amidst that chaos, Raine lost her dark powers entirely, and she is not well. You rushed over to Midna to get her aid, but thanks to Bethesda's bullcrap, you got stopped by a loading screen.
<DM> -=SESSION START=-
<DM> *Hal, when you re-entered the Council Room, thanks to your Spirit Vision, you saw something different this time.
<DM> *You saw what appeared to be a suffering Goron warrior spirit, binded by spectral chains to the door that leads to the mysterious Mirror Room. After Midna appeared from said room, you decided to sneak in and check it out while the rest of the party talks out Raine-related fairy problems with Midna.
<DM> *As you pass by the Goron spirit, he mutters to you...
<DM> [Goron]: Please. No more suffering. End it.
<DM> *The door closes, with the Goron locked on the other side of it. You are now inside what appears to be an elevator. Whether it's cursed or not, you're not sure yet. GUESS YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO TRY IT.
<DM> (kay, auto-movement now disabled, free will is no longer a myth, have fun!)
* Hal looks around the elevator
<DM> *Looking around, where the controls are, they appear to be fully functional... save for a Gerudo warrior bound to the controls.
<DM> *She's not... in the way, but... it might be slightly awkward to just go pushing buttons, knowing she's there.
<Hal> O.o
<DM> *She looks towards you, about to speak, then turns away, face-palming slightly.
<DM> [Gerudo]: *muttering* Of course, it's not like he can see me, what I am thinking...
<DM> *So, would thou like to attempt social interaction, or press buttons wildly, because clearly, you can't see her. Well, according to her...*
* Hal looked towards the Gerudo warrior bound up on the control panel
<DM> *She continues looking to the side, not aware you can see (and hear) her.
* Hal uttered "Who might you be?"
<DM> *She freezes, then slowly turns towards you, a little wide eyed.
<DM> [Gerudo]: You... you can see me?
<Hal> "Yes I can."
<DM> [Gerudo]: I'm... uhh...
<DM> *She coughs to the side. Wait, spirits have to cough?
<DM> [Gerudo]: I'm Destra Vaasq. Elite Warrior of the Gerudo.
<DM> [Gerudo]: ... well... was. I don't know how long it's been. Is... my- ..... is m'lord Ganondorf still ruler of Gerudo Fortress? Has he brought prosperity to the Gerudo people?
<DM> *It would appear someone missed a war somewhere in-between.
<DM> [Gerudo]: ... well?
<Hal> "You've been here for a long time. Ganondorf is no longer the ruler of the Gerudo."
<DM> [Gerudo]: W-what? But... he was the true King the Gerudo needed!
<DM> [Gerudo]: What could have possibly happened?
<DM> (I should note, you're welcome to chat it up with this Gerudo. Though, the longer you stay and chat about history, the less you find out about why Midna's keeping the Spirits of the Warriors of the Light here.
<DM> (You do have a soft time limit, of sorts.)
* Hal racks his brain for history
<DM> *Racking your brain for history, you recall Ganondorf led the Gerudo to their golden age, but shortly followed up by killing King Hylia and thus starting his reign of terror on Hyrule for 7 long years, before Link came and saved the day. Do you want to tell this to her or spare some details?
<Hal> "Ganondorf had led the Gerudo to a great golden age. But shortly afterwards he sparked a great war, tearing up the all of Hyrule for years. He was finally defeated, and to this day remains sealed away by the Seven Sages"
<DM> *She stares wide eyed at you, trembling a bit, then staring down at the floor in solemn defeat.
<DM> [Gerudo]: I knew it... it was that Dark Magic he was using, during the war. It was corrupting his mind. If only... if only I was still around, after it all ended... maybe, as his sister, I could have... I could have done something.
<DM> *She falls to the ground, trying to cover her tears.
<DM> [Gerudo]: Please. If you can... end my spirit. End this suffering. I have no need for this world or... this pain... any longer.
<Hal> "Understood. How might one end your spirit?"
<Hal> "Does it have anything to do with the great Broken Bow?"
<DM> [Gerudo]: A Spirit Siphon. My Light Spirit, Faron... he was capable of passing that ability on.
<DM> [Gerudo]: Yes. You'll need a Light Spirit and a Golden Artifact, like the Broken Bow.
<DM> [Gerudo]: Do you... know where it is?
<Hal> (When did Corsava get the Broken Bow?)
<DM> (I should note, at this time, it was not revealed Corsava actually had it. Though, you may have noticed a strange pair of scimitars that he ended up using.)
<DM> (Oh, a little persuasion with Zant.)
<Hal> "I have no idea of where the Broken Bow is. Do you know of a fellow Gerudo by the name of Corsava?"
<DM> *She shakes her head.
<DM> [Gerudo]: No idea. If I've been here as long as Gorbus has said.... she may not have been even born when I was around.
<Hal> "I wonder if she has any idea of where it is"
<Hal> "I will go check on her when I can"
<DM> [Gerudo]: If you can... send her my way. I would like to know... just what happened to my brother, during all that time. As a Gerudo, she may know.
<DM> [Gerudo]: I'll hold out until then, and you can release my spirit then.
<DM> [Gerudo]: Actually....... who are you?
<Hal> "I am Hal Hunter. I have gotten trapped inside the Twilight Realm and I have chosen to investigate the Twili Palace while I am here."
<DM> [Gerudo]: I see. Do you know about the Light Spirits, then? What happened to them? I've only been with Lanayru, along with the other warrior spirits trapped with me, Gorbus and Taru.
<DM> *You recall Lanayru is the one Medlora mentioned, and then quickly dropped the topic on.
<Hal> (Is Eldin in Hyrule)?
<DM> (Yes, Eldin escaped with Lord Gustaf)
<DM> (The other two, Ordona and Faron, are stuck in the Twilight Realm. You've met Faron in the prison, and all you know about Ordona is he's at the Sol Fountain.
<Hal> "Yes, I know about the Light Spirits. Eldin escaped with Lord Gustaf, Faron has been locked in the Twili Palace, while Ordona had been sent to the Sol Fountain. I have no idea where Lanayru is."
<DM> [Gerudo]: So, they survived? I thought we were all goners when the Twilight Realm exploded. Well... I guess that includes me. *coughs*
<DM> [Gerudo]: Lanayru is just up ahead. I can take you there. But... are you looking to free the Spirits of Light?
<Hal> "I wish to free the spirits of Light and reuinite them with their Golden Artifacts."
<DM> *She turns away, then presses the button on the console. The elevator starts to move upwards.
<DM> [Gerudo]: ... you may not like what you find. Good luck.
<DM> *The elevator reaches the top, and a door opens on the other side. The Gerudo, Destra, returns to playing with the spectral chain that's keeping her tied to the control console.
* Hal enters the door, wary of what he might find.
<DM> *You fuse with the door, instantly dying- okay I'm kidding.
<Hal> (You would totally do that if I was Darte)
<DM> (YUP)
<DM> *You exit the elevator, and before you is a vast room, with faint teal lines glowing from the far walls. In the center of the room appears to be a mirror of some sort, but what really draws your eyes is, hovering above it, a snake-like Spirit of Light, spiraling around a large, ethereal orb. Arcs of energy shoot outwards from the orb and towards the ceiling. You also see another spirit, a Zora on the ceiling, moving to where the arcs are, stabbing at certain
<DM> ones with a spectral spears.
<Hal> O.o
<DM> *The great Spirit of Light, upon you entering the room, stops and slithers through the air towards you.
* Hal looks up to the light spirit, staring intently at what appears to be its head.
<DM> *Its head is half snake, half dragon. It stares back at you, tilting its head from side to side, still moving part of its body to interact with the orb behind it.
<DM> *Despite her rather vicious appearance, her voice is smooth and calm.
<Hal> "You must be... Lanayru?"
<DM> [Lanayru]: You must be the Lightworlders that Midna has been ranting about lately. Indeed I am.
<DM> [Lanayru]: What brings you here, to the Mirror Room?
<Hal> "I am here to enquire about the spirits of light and the souls of the great warriors."
<DM> [Lanayru]: I'm afraid I know little about the other Spirits of Light. I know Faron is nearby, but I haven't felt Ordona or Eldin since the Great Destruction. As for me... I...
<DM> *She nods her head towards the great orb she's spiraling.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Midna has been using my power to protect the Twilight Palace. This orb, and my power, generates a great barrier. Do you know about it?
<Hal> "No... I don't have much idea of what this barrier is."
<DM> [Lanayru]: That is surprising. For it is this barrier than keeps Interlopers out. Anyone can teleport out... but none can teleport in.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Not even telepathy from outside can enter. Only through the Communication Stones, will it work.
<DM> [Lanayru]: You've not once questioned why you've never seen Interlopers here until now?
<DM> (ack, poor wording, she's not implying Interlopers are suddenly here now)
<Hal> "I have questioned why there is an absence of interlopers here. I thought it would have something to do with the Sols being everywhere, but it doesn't quite explain everything."
<Hal> "Now I know this barrier keeps them out, and why any attempts of communicating besides using Communication Stones failed in the palace"
<DM> [Lanayru]: That is... part of it. Sols severely dampen the powers of Interlopers. However, without this barrier, they would be able to freely teleport here, at any location, any time. We also have the barrier so that even if an Interloper steals Abyss Rings, they can't teleport in.
<DM> [Lanayru]: And the Gravity Bridge, from what I hear, prevents Interlopers from crossing in. It is a very effective system.
<DM> [Lanayru]: And for the Great Destruction that we, the Spirits of Light caused... I am more than willing to spend my life in redemption. But...
<DM> *She nods towards the Zora on the ceiling.
<DM> [Lanayru]: The warriors... they did nothing wrong. The decision to destroy the Twilight Realm to end the Interlopers.... it was us. Their lives, Gorbus, Destra, and Taru... they shouldn't continue to suffer in servitude.
<Hal> "I can imagine the interlopers would all go splat against the walls of the palace if they tried to cross the bridge."
<DM> [Lanayru]: More like fall into the singularity that holds the Twilight Realm together.
<Hal> "What is the Singularity? I've seen it many times, but I have no idea of what it actually does."
<DM> [Lanayru]: That.....
<DM> *She gives a heavy sigh.
<DM> [Lanayru]: .... that is a result of our actions. It was not always there. But 20 years ago, when we decided to end the Interlopers.... the Great Destruction should have destroyed this realm outright. Instead, some force, one greater than us... it contained the destruction, prevented it from spreading into complete annihilation.
<DM> [Lanayru]: That singularity is a continuation of the destruction. It's distorted gravity throughout the realm as a cost... but it continues to bring light and life to this broken realm. It forever spirals inwards, destroying more and more, while acting as the core to the Twilight Realm itself.
* Hal gave a heavy sigh.
<Hal> "Understood."
<DM> [Lanayru]: As long as whoever created that singularity lives, it will continue to thrive, keeping this realm alive. But... should that being fall.... the Great Destruction may finish its work... and there's no way to stop it. Even with all four of us Light Spirits, if we were to combine our powers, it's nowhere near what we had when the Goddesses sent us in.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Is there anything else you wish to know, while you're here?
<Hal> "So the four of you created the Singularity. Out of you, what would cause the Great Destruction to finish its work?"
<Hal> "Are any of the individual spirits tied to it?"
<DM> [Lanayru]: None of us. The power that's containing the Great Destruction is on par with the power of the Goddesses. That of a deity. I am unfamiliar with it, though...
<Hal> "Anyway, Eldin escaped with Lord Gustaf and Ordona has been sent to the Sol Fountain."
<DM> [Lanayru]: Eldin... escaped? That is... good to know. I hope Lord Gustaf isn't still suffering from what happened that day.
<DM> [Lanayru]: The Sol Fountain? I've... heard Midna mention it, but I don't know what it is.
<Hal> "I don't have much idea of where it is either."
<DM> [Lanayru]: Medlora has mentioned it, too. I've asked her about it, but she says it's best to stay away from the Sol Fountain. That's where the Interlopers keep attacking.
<Hal> "So, do you know which of the four warriors are connected with which spirits?"
<DM> *She points to Taru above.
<DM> *Err, with the tendrils sticking out of her head.
<DM> *No hands, derp.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Taru, my container, was the Zora Warrior of Light.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Faron, the one that... I've noticed your soul is slightly attuned to, his container was Destra, the Gerudo Warrior of Light.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Eldin, as you know, was with Gustaf, Hylian Warrior of Light.
<Hal> "The Great Warrior Destra mentioned something about a Spirit Siphon; required for them to pass fully. This requires the soul to be reuinted with their spirit and their Golden Artifact."
<DM> [Lanayru]: And Ordona, although she wasn't fond of the aggression of the Gorons, she was with Gorbus, Goron Warrior of Light.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Yes. It is... a powerful ability. In the wrong hands, it can grow one's soul and taint it. But you.... you are one I can trust. I can... feel it.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Reunite me with the Golden Armor, and I can end Taru's suffering.
<DM> [Lanayru]: By chance, do you have any of the Golden Artifacts?
<Hal> "No, I don't have any on me right now. But Darte Fellshard, who is in the party of Lightworlders I came in with, has the Golden Armor."
<DM> [Lanayru]: Fellshard? I've heard that name. He's a Zora, yes?
<Hal> "Yes, he is a Zora"
<DM> *She gives a light chuckle.
<DM> [Lanayru]: Fitting, that he should wear the Golden Armor...
<DM> [Lanayru]: Nevermind me, I'm just... reminiscing, slightly.
<Hal> "I should bring him here when I can. And HOPEFULLY in one piece"
<DM> [Lanayru]: That.... doesn't sound hopeful. Speaking of which... neither does that.
<DM> *She points behind you.
* Hal looks behind
<DM> *Behind you, the door opens, and Midna appears. She spots you, Hal, and squints a vicious stare at you.
<DM> [Midna]: What are YOU doing here?
<Hal> Uhh... I was chatting it up with the spirits.
<DM> *She shifts her glare up towards Lanayru.
<Hal> I tend to get rather... carried away sometimes.
<DM> [Midna]: And you. What are you doing? You have a barrier to uphold. Get to it. Now.
<DM> *Lanayru nods towards you, Hal, then turns around to swirling around the orb.
<Hal> Apologies for entering the mirror room.
<DM> *She moves towards you, looking down at you as if you're a lower being that doesn't belong here.
<DM> [Midna]: So you know where you are?
<DM> [Midna]: This place is reserved for myself and Medlora only. You are not to be here. ...... wait.
<DM> [Midna]: Did you just say chatting it up with the spirits? How is this possible?
<Hal> Faron granted me the ability to look into the spirits of others.
<DM> [Midna]: What.
<DM> *She snaps her fingers, and spectral chains appear around you, spinning around, looking to bind you.
<DM> [Midna]: I did not give permission for Faron to escape his punishment.
<Hal> (What did Faron do to grant me the power to see spirits?)
<DM> (He granted you Spirit Affinity, along with Spirit Vision)
<DM> (Using the power from reuniting with the Golden Armor briefly, back when Zuph had it)
<Hal> He briefly reuinited with the Golden Armor back before we went out to look for crystals with Zuph. It was through this power he granted me the ability; through a simple touch.
<DM> [Midna]: Wait, Zuph did what?! I'm going to...... *sighs* ...... right, Zant has him. Dangit.
<DM> *She scrunches a fist, the chains moving inwards towards you. Though, right as they're about to compress you....
<DM> *The palace shakes.
<DM> [Midna]: ...... what was that?
<DM> *Lanayru suddenly recoils in pain.
<DM> [Lanayru]: The barrier.... something is hitting the barrier.
<Hal> We should go and investigate the barrier.
<DM> [Midna]: It's probably just a big floating rock. Now, furry one, back to you-
<Hal> *the source of the impacts
<DM> *The palace shakes again, this time rumbling you off the floor for an instant, and causing Lanayru to nearly fall to the ground.
<DM> [Lanayru]: No, it's... something much worse! A Shadow Kargarok- no..... an Argarok!
<DM> *Midna immediately drops her chains.
<Hal> Oh bother.
<DM> [Midna]: Zant.
* Hal picks himself back up and looks over to the door.
<DM> [Midna]: So he's back to play.... I guess I'll go greet him.
<DM> *She starts gathering thorny shadow chains along in her wake.
<DM> *The door to the elevator is open. Speaking of doors, there's actually another one on the opposite side of the room, buuuuut it would appear you don't have time for that.
* Hal walks into the elevator.
<DM> *You head down the elevator, annnnd after some time, eventually reunite with Darte, and the rest is history, cause it already happened. You downed an Argarok, and up next, you face off with Zant, The Betrayer!
<DM> -=LOADING=-
<DM> -=LOADING=-
<DM> -=SESSION END=-