Mount Ascension
As we headed up the mountain towards the crashed Aerie of Summer, we entered a cloud of darkness centered on the mountain. Within the darkness were a multitude of spirit forms. These forms appear to be the husks that remain of other spirits.
It is unclear when these spirits appeared after the fall.
As we progressed up the mountain, we encountered undead who were equipped and dressed in a way consistent with the undead army that sent us to Furlough in the first place. We dispatched these undead and eventually reached the site of the crashed Aerie near the temple at the top of the mountain.
Baern began to have a strong desire to plant his giant acorn in the temple. While I wished to search the Aerie, it did seem desirable to first secure our surroundings. Therefore, we made our way to the temple. Here we encountered an undead warrior guarding a skeleton in a circle. The skeleton had the Sword of Summer inserted into her skull. It was within this circle that Baern wished to plant the acorn.
Once we defeated the warrior, I studied the circle. It was similar in design to the circle we recovered the Grotius Cube from (though still active). Designed to focus energies into the circle and then into the outer planes. I now believe that this circle was designed to allow the Lich Queen to potentially ascend into a quasi-deity.
I constructed a secondary circle around the other to keep the spirit forms away from the Queen when I suppressed the circle. I was concerned that these spirits would be able reanimate the Queen if they were able to infuse her body.
Seconds after I suppressed the circle, the Lich Queen came back into action. What power! She dropped her own circle and was barely slowed by my own (I have made notes that I believe will strengthen my future efforts). She recovered two swords before departing.
In retrospect, this is what I believe happened: The two swords represented the phylactery of the Lich Queen and her hand matron (the guard we defeated). The circle had blocked the Lich Queen from her phylactery until it was suppressed. Once this occurred, she was able to restore herself and depart.
Planting the acorn had an immediate effect. An oak tree began to sprout from the spot and the darkness was quickly suppressed. Though in retrospect, in may have been the departure of the Lich Queen that caused the dissipation.
Baern’s instructions did not include any warning or consideration about freeing the Lich Queen. I think this may be an indication that while the Mother remains, she has been altered on a behavioral level. It is as if she has become more animalistic, more feral. I suspect that this change may be caused by the Primal worship of the Mother that we encountered to the north.
It is now time to leave Ascension and see as to the fate of the other Aeries.
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