After defeating the Wispmother and the wisps, the group continues through the tunnels deep within the cave system beneath the island of Vvardenfell. They pass through a dark tunnel, Sal noticing a pendulum trap. Everyone but Ra'Giin and Vredik are able to bypass the plate in the ground. They take slashing damage from the swinging blades. Continuing forward, they come to a room that is seemingly different that what they have come across so far in the caves. This room appears to be constructed, rather than formed naturally. A doorway, 75 feet up with no stairs or way to reach, a relief on the wall of a keep with dragons and a man ascending towards the creature. Investigating the room further, Ephrya and Ra'Giin find small pedistals that can be depressed and locked into place. They notice notches on the stone next to each pedestal, which Ephyra suggests that it is similar to a lock system and the notches indicate where each pedestal needs to be. They place each one where the notches indicate, activating a stone pillar in the middle of the room to rise up. Ra'Giin and Sal both run and jump onto the pedestal, reaching and entering through the doorway. They both lower ropes for the rest of the group to climb up to the doorway. Having to go through small corridors, tunnels and now caves with increasing pools of lava.
They come to vast cavern, sunlight pouring in from a large opening up in the ceiling of the opening. Ash falls like snow from the sky. Plants, trees, flowers and mushrooms fill the space, but the party is astonished at the sight of dragons. A large stone keep in the distance, the group has finally arrived at The Spire. They make their way towards the keep, which they discover is surrounded by a moat of lava, with a large stone bridge going from the entrance of the keep to the clearing. They see a group of men appear on the rooftop, men in robes and they assume these are the Knights. The door opens and Drathis and Ylora walk out to greet the Keepers of the Oath. Drathis tells the Knights to "kindly remove themselves" and the Knights all in tandem, step off of the roof, plummeting into the lava. Drathis and the group speak of the work that Drathis is working towards. He tells them that his goal is peace for all of Tamriel. He is sick of the abuse and mistreatment of the mer people and only wants to see it put to an end. He thanks the group for doing most of the work in seeking out the crown, of which he assumes they have it since they are here at the Spire. The group opposes him, to which Drathis is visibly irritated over. While the party is speaking with him, Ra'Giin steps behind Ephyra, removes the crown from his bag of holding and gives it to Fira who then begins to walk behind Ra'Giin, towards the lava. Ra'Giin expresses his discontent over Svaela being kept prisoner by Drathis. Drathis explains that Svaela is safe and that she understands the part she had to play for the greater good. Sal asks about those who had no choice over being under his control, to which Nirius agrees and mentions his old friend. Drathis then tells them to "be so kind and bring him the crown." Everyone but Ra'Giin and Ephyra are able to withstand his mind control. The two are overwhelmed with the urge to take the crown to Drathis. They get the crown back from Fira and begin to take the crown towards Drathis. Members of the group attempt to reach for the crown as they pass, they attempt to trip the two and do everything they can to stop Ra'Giin and Ephyra. Rynly casts a spell that causes the ground to tremor, causing Ra'Giin to fall and drop the crown. Sal releases an arrow at Ylora, striking her. They see Drathis begin to rise as two large draconic wings are conjured from his back. Sal runs towards the crown, managing to grab it and runs it to Nirius as the group begins a fight with Drathis and Ylora.
A huge battle of magic rages around everyone. Drathis, flying in the air, concentrating lightning and fireballs at the group. Nirius takes the crown and using his blade of wishing, expends a wish spell. He tells Drathis "I wish to have all the orbs." Nirius now, with orbs in hand, is knocked down to a strength score of 3 from the stress of the spell. Weakened and exhausted, he places each orb into the crown as he feels the power of the Dragon Orbs surge through. He then uses the Orb of Dragon Summoning to call for Thaarnvursos and within moments, their dragon ally appears just before the group and begins fighting alongside the group. Drathis then summons a beholder, who then uses one of his eye stalks to cast telekinesis upon the crown, bringing it further towards Drathis.Ylora is knocked unconscious as is Vredic. At one point, the beholder uses his gaze to create an anti magic cone, causing everyone to be unable to cast any attack spells, including Drathis, who becomes irritated and sends the beholder away. Nirius uses Thu'um to call one more dragon, who is summoned behind Drathis and releases fire breath, accidentally hitting Thaarnvursos.
With everyone nearly out of spell slots, and damage taken, Nirius throws his witchblade at Drathis and teleports 30 feet into the air, grabbing a hold of Drathis as he hovers above the destruction. Nirius uses another wish spell saying, "Drathis, I wish for you die by my blade" as he pierces his blade into Drathis's back. The blade pushes through his heart, blood pouring and Nirius and he fall from the sky, wrapped in leathery wings plummeting towards the ground. As they hit the ground, Nirius is severely affected by the stress from casting another wish spell so soon. His strength is reduced to 0 as his heart begins to fail. Ra'Giin runs up to the two, throws Drathis's wings aside and kneels down to Nirius as he speaks his last words "your death has been avenged."
Sal tells Thaarvursos to save him. The dragon lowers his head and nudges Nirius's lifeless body and tells Sal that there is nothing he can do. Sal wraps Nirius's body in his cloak with his weapons and the group goes into the keep. There they meet just a handful of remaining Knights, those who were able to withstand the mind control of Drathis. They explain to the group that Drathis had been there for three weeks, Ylora bringing him here, and thus being a traitor to the oath and to the treaty. They tell them that the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, Rhys'Von, who was disturbingly like a dead creature still living, was with them as well, but had left days ago. The group asks about Svaela, to which the Knights seem to be protective of. They take them to an upstairs room where they meet Ridel, a Knight who had been caring for Svaela and is seemingly quite protective and territorial over her and her wellbeing.
Svaela tells them of Drathis using another mage to cast reviviy on her, and the reason she was so eager to return is because he had told her that Ra'Giin, Nirius, Ephyra and the others had sought him out to bring her back. However when she awoke, he saw Drathis. She tells them that she is angry and confused. Drathis loved her, and thought he was doing right. They heal her and take her downstairs to see Nirius's body, to which she collapses and cries. Ridel takes her back to her room so that she can rest. The Knights give each member of the Keepers of the Oath their own room for the night and the group rests.
The next morning they decide to take Nirius's body to Valenwood for his resting place. Svaela wants to go to see her friend buried and Ridel expresses that he will be going wherever Svaela goes. Not wanting to traverse through the dangerous underground any longer, Svaela suggests that Ridel, ask a few of the dragons to take the group to the shores of Vvardenfell. The group climbs upon the backs of a blue and green dragon and are whisked away in a euphoric flight out of the Spire. In mere moments, the dragons have the group back safely near their boat. Ephyra, so excited over having ridden a dragon, is taken back up into the air for a few more minutes by the blue dragon before the group departs.
Acquiring their mounts from Blacklight and purchasing two more horses for Ridel and Svaela, the group begins their journey back over Dunmeth pass. During their first two days of travel, Ridel finds a small locked metal box, Vredik and Rynly speak about Jarl Kelan need
ing a wife and how maybe she could be that for him. Ephyra finally tells Ra'Giin about the book she has been studying, the nightmares and the strange pages that continue to make sense to her. He tells her to maybe not think logically next time she studies the book as it was obviously written by a madman. The next day during their journey, she discovers a page that she knows was not there previously, it seems to have appeared out of nowhere...covered in symbols and strange and disturbing imagery of faces....
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