Gates to the Inferno

“Gates to the Inferno”

Adventurers ascended to the upper tier of Sevadhi’s tower. There, they found the stone slab that once adorned the square. Now it rested in the center of the room, surrounded by glowing arcane symbols arranged in a pentagram. From each point of the pentagram, runes stretched toward the walls of the tower, seemingly integrated into its magical structure.

On one of the shelves lay a familiar item — a cryptex, containing the sealed ring of Ptaris.

Sevadhi explained that the slab was crucial for completing a surprise he was preparing for the 500th anniversary of Lux Astra. After the celebration, the slab would allow anyone to witness a unique vision, one Sevadhi had already observed multiple times.

Maeltir Osirion, mentioned in the letter, turned out to be Sevadhi’s father. According to Sevadhi, Maeltir was still alive but led a reclusive life, rarely appearing in public. He suggested that the adventurers visit Maeltir after the celebration.

Sevadhi also gave the heroes an ancient book about the city of Eol. It recounted the tale of its princess, who had been transformed into an icy statue and now sat in a fountain.

After the conversation, the adventurers returned home. There, Bro managed to speak with the house’s spirit butler, who revealed how to locate any room within the house. Later, Bro discovered his ancestor’s study and a note addressed to his son:

“I’m leaving to explore the dungeons of Litar. I hope the mad druid wasn’t mistaken, and that we truly have another way out.”

The next day, the adventurers, together with Aelina, performed at the celebration. Tari summoned the spirit of a dragon once again, ensuring the performance’s incredible success.

After the concert, Sevadhi announced to everyone that Lux Astra now resided in the astral plane, where time flowed differently. Residents of the city would no longer age or die, though those who wished to return to Terragon could still do so.

Shortly after his announcement, Sevadhi summoned the adventurers to his tower with a magical voice in their minds. Upon reaching the upper level, they found five portals emitting infernal flames. Next to the slab sat Maeltir, who explained the ritual called “Eternal Slumber,” which he had performed to buy time for the fight against the Dragon Cult. However, something went wrong: people began dying in their dreams and resurrecting with their memories intact.

The conversation was interrupted when an infernal demon-dragon emerged from one of the portals. It claimed that, according to its pact with Maeltir, infernal beings were bound to serve him until his death. However, Maeltir’s decision to postpone his death was not part of the deal. The battle began.