Chapter 41 - Dire Revelations

Moonstairs rejoices at the defeat of Lord Raven. The joy is mixed with pain, since the Red Priest is dead. Mayor Kelana Dhoram informs the party that, upon request of Gyllenn herself, the funeral will be performed in one week time. In the meanwhile, the party tries to tie sme loose ends.

Daedrie travels to the World Tree, in the Forest Realm of Thanadiel. There she meets the High Council of the Circle, and Old Treebark, the shifter leader of the Circle. Old Treebark explains to Daedrie the aims of the Circle, and hopes she will one day join, since now her importance for all Tyrrah, as Disciple of the Great Serpent, and Guardian of the World Tree, has grown tenfold.

Daedrie, not willing to join any hierarchy, confers with the World Tree. She finds an opening in the gigantic roots of the Platinum Tree, and then receives visions.

She sees the birth of the great obelisk of the Dark Elves, that created the dark clouds covering Tyrrah. She sees humans and fey performing great rituals to elevate their kingdom above the clouds, and she feels the pain of Tyrrah as hge chunks of earth are ripped from her.

She sees the Emperor of Aduria hitting the ground of his island with the Hammer of Athun, and destroying the ley lines keeping the island floating. She feels the world crumbling beneath her, and then she feels as she's taking roots in the ground, giving strength to the dying land.

Then she awakes. Still thoughtful for the visions, Old Barktree invites her to stay with the Circle of awhile, before leaving.

Once reunited with the party, Daedrie decides to consult the spirits of the ancient Troll Kings in the Great Warren. She interrogates the spirits to learn about Sunburst (the sword of the Desert Wind discipline), and to know more about the Weapon and its connection with the Emperor. The Troll Kings show her the broken remains of Sunburst, lying in pieces in the catacombs of the Great Cathedral of Athun in Hammerborg. They show her the Emperor shattering the grounds of the Temple of the Sublime Way with his Hammer of Athun. Finally, they show her the Emperor ruling supreme on every lands, while a Shadow of Orcus reigning on a world of undeath hovers about him.

Rudd, Ruby and Waylander travel to the Temple of the Sublime Way, to deliver Unfettered (the sword of the Stone Dragon discipline), and to inform the Master about the latest news. The Master seems discouraged by learning that Sunburst, one of the Nine, is lost and destroyed.

The party then travels to Hammerborg, to deliver a letter given to them by Gully, for prince Adhemar. The prince decides to follow them to Moonstairs to attend the funeral of the Red Priest, and remains with Zakonik tribe, willing to learn of the primal roots of his barbaric father. Adhemar also reveals he knows of Druss, since he is the one that delivered Sunburst to the Emperor, and he is now the Captain of the Palace Guards.

With heavy hearts, they attend the funeral of the Red Priest. Waylander, thanks to his deeper connection to the Shadowfell, sees her spirit lingering shortly in the Realm of the Raven Queen, when Valkiries of Athun come to claim her, and bring her to the Valhalla of the God of Victory.