Garuda has risen – and fallen. The Grim joined with Gridania’s Adders to interrupt an attempted summoning of the Primal, and marched on the Howling Eye. Unfortunately, a flanking maneuver by the Ixal cut the Grim off from the main Gridanian force, and they were left to interrupt the ritual on their own – only to arrive just in time to watch the mighty Garuda descend from the skies. Trapped between the goddess and the regrouping Ixal, the Grim had no choice but to face Garuda themselves. The battle was brutal, but in the end Garuda was defeated, and the Ixal retreated. It’s only a matter of time before the Ixal try again, however, and now O’Ghomoro echoes with the chanting and clapping of the Kobolds’ own summoning.
M’wanthala has returned with the results of her investigation into the strange data in the chart table. The peculiar formulas seem to be a combination of alchemy and arcanistry – the purpose is hard to discern, but it may be related to transmuting things into metal. Likewise, Haru’s archaeological dig at the Burning Wall revealed a disturbing project the Allagan Empire may have been pursuing: transforming living beings into metallic constructs. What purpose lay behind this project, and whether the Allagan were ever successful, remains to be seen – so far all we know is that the results were grisly and short-lived combinations of flesh and steel. It seems likely that both of these discoveries are related, and more lie ahead.
Meanwhile, the Grim agents investigating the Imperial weapon in the Sea of Ash were ambushed by two Imperial units and a Magitech walker. The Grim slaughtered the Imperial troops, leaving the battlefield with only a few wounds, and the dead certainty that they are on the right track. Although the soldiers seemed to have been given orders to capture one of them alive – why the sudden interest in taking prisoners?
Amdapor still awaits. Erik began making preparations for a sealing ritual to be completed at the Lost City, but required ritual items from his library – Sindl went to retrieve them, but ran into trouble when he somehow angered the library’s guardians. Wounded, he managed to stumble out of the library with the ritual components – only to have some of them stolen by bandits after he emerged. The hunt now begins to find the stolen artifacts in time to perform the ritual – and before they fall into the wrong hands.
And finally, the Grim welcomed a new member: Harper Brand; mercenary, warrior, and engineer.
