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After the defeat of Branstone, the party made it’s way into the Golden Wastes, where the next stone. After dealing with a massive sand storm, that cost the party one of their wagons, and the supplies with the wagon; the party managed to move forward and arrive in the town of Arena Del’sol, a town whose people wore vibrant colors, with rich, thick tans, long beards, elegantly shaped buildings, and vibrant joyful, music. However, they spoke a very different language than the Common Tongue; none of which the party members could understand until Omen used his own magic to be able to understand and speak their language.

Through Omen, the party was able to find an affordable place to stay, recover, and rest for the evening, as well as get some delightful food and entertainment for the evening. After Adriana prayed to her goddess for some insight; she was given a vision of a symbol of some kind, and then shadows, and darkness; and four beams of light, drowning in the darkness. She shared her vision with the rest of the party, before they continued on their way heading for a massive temple in the Golden Wastes.

After several days in the hot, arid sands, the party arrived at the temple and immediately found it was riddled with an endless assortment of traps; some of which caused great harm, as they moved through the temple, to various members. Along the way, they fought an assortment of animated armor and undead before reach a room, unnaturally clouded in darkness.

The party soon discovered a Arabian Lich was absorbing the life force – and magic – from four captured pegsus. The party fought the Lich, and eventually defeated him, discovering that his crown had an ego of great evil. The party freed the pegasus, who spoke with Luna, about repaying their kindness. The party returned to Arean Del’sol for several nights, to recover from their wounds, before returning to the edge of the city and called upon the pegaus to take them up to the castle in the sky.

Up in the clouds, they discovered a massive castle; the home of a Cloud Giant, of reputed evil. The party was unable to open the door, so Bodrag and Tenjii squeezed beneath the giant door frame and ventured inside, where they found everything to be giant sized. They located a window and used a rope to lower down and allow the others to climb into the giant home. Once inside, they discovered human slaves – all people that once lived in Arena Del’sol. Omen used his magic to communicate with them; and they explained, if they helped them find The Orb of Eternal Water, that they would help guide the party to where the stone they sought. The party hid under the massive tray that the slaves pulled to the dining room, where the party moved out and looked around, triggering two guardian Gargoyles. One swooped down and barely missed Tenjii, as the other party members came out from under the dining cart, one swooped down and touched Luna, turning her flesh to stone, after she had single-handedly destroyed one of the gargoyles with her rune bow. The party managed to destroy that Gargoyle as well. They asked “Free” (the slave they had rescued) if he knew a way to reverse; having once been a mage himself (before his mind was ripped apart). He scribbled some runes on the tray, and explained there was a consequence. Omen tried to cast the runes; and failed – freeing Luna, but turning himself to stone. After trying several times, exchanging the casting between Luna, Omen and Adriana; eventually all three were free of the stone.

The party investigated the massive painting of the woods that the two gargoyles seemed to be protecting and discovered it was a portal. Argo was the first to enter; and those who watched suddenly saw Argo become a part of the painting. They rest of the party ventured inside and found that the beautiful painting that had been of a forest and a winding path, was an illusion cast by a Hag. The party defeated the Hag and found her cabin, where they found human remains – as well as the Orb of Eternal Water. The party learned that the Cloud Giant placed the Orb he had stolen from the humans, and placed it in the enchanted painting to be guarded by the Hag; and also when the Cloud Giant was displeased with the performance of slaves, he would throw them into the painting to please the Hag, who would then devour them.

With the Orb, the party escaped the painting and returned through the passage back into the sky castle, where they returned to the Kitchen and as agreed, the slaves showed the party to where the other stone was kept; in the Cloud Giant’s bedroom, within the chest of another Gargoyle. The party engaged in combat with the Gargoyle, and this time Argo was turned to stone; but the party managed to defeat the Gargoyle and recover the stone. Using the same rune magic that Free had shown them before; they reversed the Stone curse from Argo. As they were leaving, the Cloud Giant, drawn by the sound of combat engaged with the party. Argo’s rune blade, triggered, allowing him to deal immense amounts of damage to the Cloud Giant. With the help of the others, the Cloud Giant was slain.

However, with his death came another consequence. The Sky Castle began to plummet towards the Earth. Racing out of the Sky Castle, they called upon the pegasus to return and pick them up, just moments before the Sky Castle crashed into the Earth. The party returned to Arean Del’sol for some much deserved rest.