Fort Aralan: #85: Cairn Oruna

Session Summary: Arrival at the Astral Archipelago

Zhaerin of Limnark guided the party deeper into the Astral Sea, explaining that their destination lay ahead—his home city of Cairn Oruna, a place that stood at the threshold between worlds. At first, the Astra Archipelago appeared only as a faint blue dot in the distance. Over several days of travel through the void, that dot grew into something vast and impossible: a pale blue ring in space, like a colossal donut of sky and cloud.

As they drew closer, Zhaerin explained what little he knew of the phenomenon. At the center of the ring lay a massive vortex, spiraling endlessly inward, and within it existed a mysterious construct known as the Seal. Even Zhaerin’s understanding was vague—only that the Seal was ancient, powerful, and dangerous.

While departing the region near the vortex and setting course for Cairn Oruna, the party became aware that they were being followed. The pursuing vessel soon made contact, first speaking telepathically to Tsk, the Thri-Kreen druid, and then to the entire group. Its commander revealed himself as an Aurumach, a being tasked with observing and preserving cosmic balance. He spoke at length about the folly of attempting to destroy evil outright, hinting that such actions inevitably give rise to other evils in response.

Upon arrival in Cairn Oruna, the party met the Aurumach face to face. He was accompanied by a polite but unsettling assistant named Mr. Thorn and several heavily armed, dwarf-like guards. After settling into a large inn near the port, the Aurumach elaborated further on the origins of the Seal, the vortex, and the Veil that divided astral space from the breathable sky of the Archipelago.

The Aurumach revealed that the source of the Eye of Igurze lay somewhere deep within the Veil, at a place called the Whispering Temple. While he lacked specific knowledge of the Temple itself, he did know of a local mage named Virex, whose activities were connected to it and whose presence had brought no small amount of trouble to Cairn Oruna. In his characteristically passive-aggressive manner, the Aurumach suggested that defeating Virex would be “helpful to the balance,” and might also provide clues leading toward the Whispering Temple.

Zhaerin, who overheard this exchange, confirmed that he had heard of Virex—a reclusive mage rumored to operate from a fortified temple. Whispers around the city spoke of smuggling and slaving tied to the site, though its occupants were rarely, if ever, seen.

Seeking further guidance, the party visited a temple dedicated to the dragon god Bahamut, to whom Perra is devoted. In exchange for a generous donation, the temple’s priests cast Greater Restoration on Samm, restoring the intelligence he had lost in the previous session. When asked how else they might serve, the priests independently named Virex as a source of great evil in the city, stating that his defeat would earn the party the favor of Bahamut.

With confirmation from multiple sources, the party moved to gather intelligence. Tsk summoned invisible sprites to scout Virex’s temple. The sprites discovered a prison holding several enslaved captives, Virex’s inner chambers guarded by massive scorpion-like constructs, and an unsettling number of snakes throughout the complex.

The party then approached Virex’s stronghold. While Perra attempted to engage the outer guards in conversation, the rest of the group tried to infiltrate quietly under the cover of Pass without Trace. The attempt faltered when Engie stumbled, alerting the guards. Surprisingly, rather than attacking, the guards welcomed the party inside, claiming that Virex was willing to treat with them. Perra stated—somewhat truthfully—that they sought a powerful artifact known as the Eye of Igurze. The guards, openly arrogant, insisted that Virex had nothing to fear from them.

Negotiations quickly collapsed into violence. Virex revealed himself as a powerful mage protected by two massive scorpion constructs. The “human” guards proved to be anything but—snakes throughout the chamber transformed into Yuan-ti defenders, including three broodguards, a Malison with serpents for arms, and another with a serpentine lower body. Virex shielded himself with a Globe of Invulnerability, frustrating several of the party’s attacks, particularly Engie’s.

Despite this, the battle swiftly turned in the party’s favor. Under heavy pressure—much of it from Tsk’s relentless archery—Virex was brought to the brink of defeat. At that moment, rather than fall, the mage vanished from the battlefield, escaping an otherwise decisive end.

The confrontation left the party victorious, but with new questions: where had Virex gone, what secrets still lay within his temple, and how directly his actions tied into the Whispering Temple waiting deep within the Veil.

Image of Cairn Oruna, outside the veil.