Cycle of Millennia 2022 Session 55: Temple of Wylf
Here is week 55 of my 2022 Dungeons and Dragons Campaign Cycle of Millennia, Temple of Wylf. Some secrets, long hidden will soon be revealed.
Don’t forget that this campaign has been ongoing for over four years. There is a lot of story to cover and I’m writing a book series to document it all. I am adapting this adventure into a book series. The first three are on Amazon.
!!!Trigger Warnings Abound!!!
This campaign takes place in an incredibly unpleasant setting. The party has dealt with Human Traffickers, Sex Slavery, Child Sacrifice, The Apocalypse, Genocide, Wicked Cults, and other related topics.
There is a God of Madness that is fond of causing auditory and visual hallucinations, makes use of psychic gaslighting, commands the literal legions of hell, and all around causes untold suffering in the setting.
Essentially, nothing is off the table in this campaign. If the above ideas are not ones you want to think about, I do not think this blog series is for you. That is not a problem and does not indicate any failings on your part. I am a storyteller that does not shy away from the darkest topics. It would be horrible for me to not warn my audiences of this in advance.
!!!Final Trigger Warning. Past this point there be dark topics!!!
Without delay, the party entered the Temple of Wylf. Lucky for them it wasn’t pitch black in here. Instead, they entered a large chamber with a wolf head statue in the middle. When Jay motioned them into this room, he explained that the group would learn more about Wylf. Much of this information had been lost to time.
Heroic Gods:
First, the Wylf Head spoke of Exscutchon and how the God’s crusades sometimes came into conflict with the God of Freedom. At times these conflicts would come to blows. Blows that became real when a group of Angels materialized in the same room.
These Angels not only represented Exscutchon, but they attacked the party as if seen as enemies. But by this point, the party had fought plenty of angels. Hadron didn’t fear their holy attacks, and the rest of the group fought cautiously.
Belwyn stayed back. She felt increasingly out of place in these clashes. She might have been a Dragon, but her power was nowhere near the rest of the group. And she still didn’t feel like she belonged here. Naturally she had nowhere else to go, but still.
Once the angels were dealt with, Jay added a bit more about the Lawful Good God and how Wylf desired freedom more than order. This seemed like common sense considering what the God of Law had most recently done to most of the world.
Next the group entered a room about Charice. The Wylf Head in this room explained that Charice is not a Goddess known for violence. Instead her followers use other means to bring peace.
Naturally the party had reservations given what had happened in Innovia City ten years ago. But Jay mentioned that even with Nihilinn using the Charice Faithful for horrible ends recently, their methods had managed to create an era of peace for Innovia. Even Spatia before this current chain of events could compare to that.
Wicked Gods:
Next up was a room about Orabaras. The party knew plenty about her by now. But the Wylf Head added some information about the God of Freedom’s views on her. The Goddess of Domination would never be welcomed in Wylf’s land. Her methods caused cruelty to all those in her path. And she enslaved countless people. In a way she was the antithesis to Wylf.
Naturally monsters appeared in this room. And the party took out another group of Pit Fiends. They had plenty of practice fighting such creatures. But still between the Angels earlier and now high ranking Devils, the group was starting to grow tired. And they had plenty more of the Temple of Wylf to go. Especially if each God had a room dedicated to them.
Next up was Nihilinn’s room. Freedom could not coexist with a being that desired the death of all things. Nothing else needed to be said by the Wylf Head. Unfortunately, the monsters summoned in this room were not ones the party had fought before.
Rather than normal Liches or even Witches, the room filled with Demi Liches. Ancient creatures that only appeared when the Dark Gods held sway for hundreds of years.
Unfortunately, due to their earlier battles, the party entered this one in a weakened state. And against such powerful enemies, the group tasted true defeat. All four of them fell in battle against the Demi Liches. Had Nihilinn won? Were they all dead?
Defeat?:
No. They were not. This was the Temple of Wylf. The party didn’t lose their lives. Only time. Of course time was vital since the world above was breaking apart.
Unfortunately, Jay told them that since the had failed the trial, they would have to wait an entire day before they could enter again. Both Hadron and Grez demanded that an exception be made. But Jay pointed out that things didn’t work that way. To think that anyone could have such a favor was childish.
During their day of rest, Belwyn told them that she would remain in the village when they returned to the Temple of Wylf. She had a lot on her mind and needed some time to work through her thoughts.
That same free day at long last allowed Velkoara to finish a project she had started 10 years ago. She crafted a ring with the deadliest toxins she could muster. Giving that item to Grez would allow him to mimic the fatal strikes that Hadron used in battle.
Their free day came to an end and the party once more entered the Temple of Wylf. This time they were determined to defeat the Demi Liches.
Another Chance:
This time, the party wasted no time in eradicating their enemy. As if by mercy, the few that they had already defeated did not come back. This challenge was winnable, they just couldn’t afford to waste more time while reaching for victory.
After clearing out Nihilinn’s room, Jay had a few more words about how causing death and crushing the hope to live out of people also was against what Wylf believed. The God of Freedom believed that people should live life on their terms and accept the mistakes and victories that life brought.
The Kranaak room was next. The Wylf Head said little that the party cared about. They were all too worried about what might happen since the God of Madness, arguable the greatest source of problems for this group, was in this room.
But nothing like what they expected happened. No illusions or tricks this time. Just a straightforward fight against a couple Balors. While their death explosion’s hurt, and this room prevented anyone from fleeing the blast, the party had fought plenty of these Demons and had healing countermeasures ready.
Jay had little to add about Kranaak. The God of Madness and lord of Demons was the greatest enemy of Wylf of all the Gods. And by a long shot. Seemed the Chaotic Evil Deity was skilled at making enemies.
Neutrality:
Next they listened to the Wylf Head talk about Poten, God of true Neutrality. This Deity ruled over all beasts of the land and sea.
So it wasn’t surprising when giant beasts appeared and attacked the group next. At least it wasn’t a Tarrasque like the last time they dealt with Poten.
Wrap Up:
There are still a few rooms to go. And Jay has promised that all their questions shall be answered. But all that the Temple of Wylf is doing is telling the party things they knew, or adding more questions.