(Previous Session Notes) (Voyager #70 Session) (Next Session Notes)
The party emerges from the fog onto a well-used dirt road in the jungles of the hinterlands of Teleme. It is January, 1086 – roughly one month after the Goblin invasion.
Ahead on the road, they meet Father Daniel, a priest to Imhotep. He is out here on the edge of the goblin-occupied lands following a divination. He has healed a man named Waran – whom he just left at a small shrine to Imhotep about a mile ahead on the trail. Waran was seeking news of his brother and his brother's family when he encountered the goblins. He managed to escape with his life, but made it only as far as the Imhotep shrine before collapsing. At that point, Daniel believes, Imhotep sent him to heal the man. Daniel cared for Waran with his magics and tended his wounds through the night and learned much of Waran's story.
Daniel will recognize Roderick – however the Roderick he knows is 22 years younger. This will cause him much confusion and he will ask if Roderick is “related to Roderick”. Daniel is a smart man and will catch on that things are not as they seem if he hears anybody in the party call Rodrick by name.
The shrine to Imhotep is a small, roadside shrine set on the edge of the road in a dense area of the jungle. It is made of stone that has been stone shaped into a step pyramid. (This was done by Daniel just the day before, so it appears quite new).
On the pyramid is a slogan made of small colored stones set in the stone of the pyramid. It says (in Telemi), “He who comes in peace” – which is the literal translation of the name “Imhotep”. This slogan is *identical* to the one over Perdel's fireplace in Aramil's trial (see Voyager #67).
If Roderick touches the shrine, he will enter a trance and gain the following spells (in addition to the ones he has already memorized): Detect Secret Doors, True Seeing, Mass Cure Serious Wounds, and Discern Location. In addition, he may pick an additional 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level domain spells.
Waran's blood can be found near the shrine if someone searches the area. Waran himself, however, is nowhere to be found (and cannot be found as he is not part of this trial).
Soon after arriving at the shrine, the party will spot a *much* larger pyramid about 200 yards off the road – hidden in the jungle. See “C” below.
(see map)
This vast, ancient-looking pyramid rises out of the swamp amidst a dense jungle. It rises to a height of about 210 feet with a ground plan measuring 390 by 360 feet – which is roughly equivalent in scale to the step pyramid of Djoser. See: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/dsteppyramid2.htm There are six steps and each is roughly 35 feet tall and 30 feet deep.
This pyramid is in better shape than Djoser's, but it still worn around the edges as if it has sat in the jungle for decades (if not centuries). Roderick, of course, never heard of any such monument – and he *would* have known about it!
Under the surface of the mucky water of the bogs can be seen several corpses. However, before the party can spend much time studying them, a Deathshrieker (p32 MM3) and 6 Advanced Spectres (see below) will rise from the swamp and attack. They will be spaced evenly around the field of combat, but will converge on the party quickly. Since they are incorporeal, they are not impeded by the jungle. However, the party will be unable to move at full speed. See DMG p88 for marsh terrain. Flight is impossible in the green squares – where fliers will get tangled in the trees. Above all squares, there is a canopy that prevents flight and visibility above about 50 feet.
Remember the Deathshrieker has paralyzing fear on sight!
The map is marked as follows:
Advanced Spectres:
(“Tomb of Queen Peregrine” map from “Fane of the Drow”)
The entrance to the pyramid is on the far side (as viewed from the road) and consists of a well-concealed stone door on the first step level. To climb to the first step is relatively easy, though it is still DC 10. To locate the door requires magic or a Search check at DC 20.
To open the door requires magic or a DC 28 Strength check. As per DMG p61, it is a “Stone” door (4“ thick, Hardness 8, 60 hp). It is also sealed and when opened, there will be a hot and dry breeze “burp” out from the tomb within for several seconds. The door and the passage it opens to are only about three feet across. The door is only five feet tall, but the interior passage is a shade above six feet.
The passage extends in a straight line and slopes gently up for about 100 feet before opening into area 22 (the upper, right corner) of the “Tomb of Queen Peregrine” map from the “Fane of the Drow” supplement. The entire area is well-lit by Continual Flame spells – most of which are behind walls on the east side (where the “Sacred Circles” are marked on the map). There are also a couple of flames at the base of the massive crypt in area 23 (on the west side of the map). Note that this light will be the first thing the party sees on entering the tomb – and their eyes may take some adjusting.
The tomb area has a ceiling height that starts at about 12 feet in the corners and curves to a maximum height of about 30 feet at the center. At the centers of the four sides, the ceiling is about 20 feet.
Sitting on the edge of the large tomb on the west side of the map is a Iabi, a Planetar (MM p11-12) who serves Imhotep. However, this poor fellow has been enthralled by a Jahi (MM2 p130). While he is not himself evil (and his attacks are still considered Good-aligned), his mind is so addled, that he sincerely believes any intruders are evil and will attack ferociously.
In addition to Iabi, the Jahi has 9 Salt Mummies (MM3 p146) under his influence. These creatures are all lying prone near the center of the room and when combat starts, they will have to take an action to get up.
Iabi's preference will be to stay back and cast spells while the mummies do the brunt of the work. His spells will likely be as follows:
If someone makes it past the Blade Barrier, he will cast Prismatic Sphere, Go Invisible, then fly up and out of the sphere to assess the situation.
| Spell-like abilities (Caster level 17th, Save DCs are Charisma-based): | |
|---|---|
| (Note: Since Iabi's CHA is now 18, DC's are 2 lower than in the book) | |
| continual flame | At will |
| dispel magic | At will |
| holy smite (DC 18) | At will |
| invisibility (self only) | At will |
| lesser restoration (DC 16) | At will |
| remove curse (DC 17) | At will |
| remove disease (DC 17) | At will |
| remove fear (DC 15) | At will |
| speak with dead (DC 17) | At will |
| blade barrier (DC 20) | 3/day |
| flame strike (DC 19) | 3/day |
| polymorph (self only) | 3/day |
| power word stun | 3/day |
| raise dead | 3/day |
| waves of fatigue | 3/day |
| earthquake (DC 22) | 1/day |
| greater restoration (DC 21) | 1/day |
| mass charm monster (DC 22) | 1/day |
| waves of exhaustion | 1/day |
| detect evil | Always active – reversed! |
| detect snares and pits | Always active |
| discern lies (DC 18) | Always active – not reliable |
| see invisibility | Always active |
| true seeing | Always active |
| Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/8/7/7/6/6/4/3/2; save DC 16 + spell level) | |
| 0) Create Water | 4) Death Ward |
| 0) Detect Magic | 4) Dismissal |
| 0) Guidance | 4) Neutralize Poison (2) |
| 0) Resistance (2) | 4) Summon Monster IV |
| 0) Virtue | 4) *Minor Creation (Artifice) |
| 1) Bless (2) | 5) Break Enchantment |
| 1) Cause Fear | 5) Dispel Evil |
| 1) Divine Favor (2) | 5) Mark Of Justice |
| 1) Entropic Shield | 5) Plane Shift |
| 1) Shield Of Faith | 5) Righteous Might |
| 1) *Animate Rope (Artifice) | 5) *Fabricate (Artifice) |
| 2) Align Weapon | 6) Banishment |
| 2) Bear's Endurance | 6) Greater Dispel Magic |
| 2) Bull's Strength (2) | 6) Heal |
| 2) Consecrate | 6) Heroes' Feast |
| 2) Eagle's Splendor | 6) Mass Cure Moderate Wounds |
| 2) Hold Person | 6) *Major Creation (Artifice) |
| 2) *Detect Thoughts (Knowledge) | 7) Fortunate Fate (Spell Compendium) |
| 3) Daylight | 7) Holy Word |
| 3) Invisibility Purge | 7) Regenerate |
| 3) Prayer (2) | 7) *Dictum (Knowledge) |
| 3) Summon Monster III | 8) Mass Cure Critical Wounds |
| 3) Wind Wall | 8) Shield Of Law |
| 3) *Stone Shape (Artifice) | 8) *True Creation (Artifice) |
| 9) Implosion | |
| 9) *Prismatic Sphere (Artifice) | |
| (*)Domain spell. Domains: Artifice, Knowledge | |
If Iabi is released from his domination, he will erase Roderick's psychic mark and a fog will appear at the top of the tomb room. If, however, he is killed, then the fog will appear when the undead are defeated.
In either case, the fog is inaccessible from the ground and the party will have to fly to get to it – a challenge in and of itself.
Through the fog in the ceiling of the pyramid tomb, the party will emerge out of a round, shallow well made of bricks. The well is about 15 feet in diameter and is filled to the brim with fog. It sits in the center of a large natural cavern. …
The three fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) are present here. When the party arrives, the women are singing. This song has an effect similar to a Harpy's song. In this case, it acts to increase the DC of their “Divine Aura” to 40 (it is normally 30). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the Divine Aura for 24 hours.
They are at work weaving a vast, magical tapestry out of glowing, colored threads. The web of threads extends up above them into a dark, never-ending abyss. Each thread represents a person – and the path their thread takes represents their lives. Threads cross each other, intertwine, and split.
Nearby, there is a vast, open book whose pages are made of brass and its bindings made of iron. On the open page, an animated crystal stylus is carving words into the brass in an unknown language (similar to Greek). This is the history book of the worlds and the words being written are the life events of everybody who lives in the twenty worlds. The fates will discourage anybody from studying the book with magic.
After the party has finished arriving, they will stop their singing and weaving and address the party. They speak as one – each speaking a portion of the complete sentence, but do so in such a way that the pace and timing of their speech sounds “normal”.
The fates will tell the party the following things of consequence:
Note: The subtle meaning of the “true recreations” tidbit is that people they did NOT see during their trials may actually be alive. This is mostly significant for Bigby and Vincent (since their fathers were not present). However, it is not always significant. For example, Aramil's parents were not present in his (or anyone else's) trials – yet they are very much dead.
If asked about the webs, they will explain that each thread represents and controls the fate of a single sentient being. They will not offer more information and will not point out whose thread is where. However, they will not prevent people from examining the web – even with magic.
An Analyze Dweomer spell will reveal WHAT the threads are, but not specifics about who they represent. Lower level spells (such as Detect Magic and Arcane Sight) are essentially useless because the power level of the web is too high.
True Seeing can be used to decode individual threads. However, there are so many that finding a specific person is nearly impossible. A Discern Location spell can be used to locate a specific thread. For each round of study, the viewer must make a Concentration check against DC 20 to understand what a thread represents. If he fails, he can try again the next round.
Here are some random people visible in the thread to use as needed:
As for the PC's threads, each “ends” in a loose thread – which represents “free will” and their divine destiny.
There is much more…
When the party emerges from Roderick's trial, they will come out of the underworld caverns and see the overcast skies of Godsland. They will still be unable to plane shift home, but will be visited by Matchitisiw in a more direct form than ever before. Don't forget that she's pregnant (about six months in – conception was on the morning of May 6th, if anyone cares).
Poplar tree nearby – otherwise green fields on gently sloping hills.
Bigby must fill his “water” vial with the rainwater, and then combine the contents (including the vials) to summon Apenimon, the Janni that Roderick summoned back in Etenai. He will tell of Shadow's attempt to contain the elemental lords. The party may deduce that Shadow is learning from Prison Plane 121 about how to imprison “gods”. The Janni may also reassure Rod about Matchitisiw and explain that it is the Lord of Chaos who came to him in the desert.
This roundabout method to summon Apenimon is required because Shadow discovered his spying – and discorporated him. He was gathered in secrecy by Matchitisiw and “smuggled” onto Godsland in pieces to avoid detection.
Matchitisiw will appear out of the rain – which does not seem to touch Kir.
She discusses the endgame and explains who her sisters are.
She restores life to Flint so he may return to the world. He has a role to play in this saga.
She restores Rod's mace (?)
Some of the Oceanids were seduced by the gods or married to mortals, bearing sons who were heroes or princes.
There is much more…
| Challenges Overcome: | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Deathshrieker, CR 15 |
| 6 | Spectres, CR 10 |
| 1 | Planetar, CR 16 |
| 1 | Jahi, CR 16 |
| 9 | Salt Mummies, CR 8 |
| 6 | Story Bonus, CR 9 |
The sound of women singing rouses you from what feels like a deep slumber. Their voices are sweet and intensely beautiful – and even though the language is one you do not understand, they invoke deep emotions of pain and sadness.
As your mind tries feebly to understand the words (or at least the emotions), you realize you are lying on your back in what you sense to be some kind of natural cavern. The ground is hard, but smooth, and high above you a field of fuzzy stars light what should be the ceiling. Though the singing echoes as if you are indoors, the visual above you makes it seem as if you had made camp in an open field.
You have no idea how you got here.
Slowly, your mind begins to fill in the gaps. The stars above you are not so much “fuzzy” as they are long – as if they have been stretched into strings by the gods.
Then you remember the pyramid and the insane celestial. You remember the sounds of his spell and the way the resonance of his magic words filled your ears, your head, then your entire body.
You turn your head to the right. To the left. There should be the facets of the soul gem. You should still see the battle field beyond the indistinct walls of the magic gem. Had it failed? Are you truly dead? And if so, is your life finally over?
As these thoughts worm their way into your mind, the singing abruptly stops.
You pull yourself to a sitting position and see three women looking at you. The first is young and she is pulling a long thread from what looks like a skein of glowing yarn. She hands the thread to the second woman – who is perhaps close to your age – who uses a pair of long needles to weave it into a large, but diaphanous tapestry that floats next to her. The third woman is old, wrinkled, and hunched over the tapestry with a small pair of scissors. She is carefully and expertly snipping threads as they wriggle from the second woman's needles.
Visual Aid: http://thelostleaf.com/image.asp?imgName=4.jpg&folder=13&artID=560 or: http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/MOERAE.html
“The Rivers expected more death from your trials. We did not see the need to correct their misconceptions.”
The three speak in a strange unison. One starts the sentence, which is continued by the second, and finished by the third. There is no gap in their speech and, while the whole is disconcerting, if you closed your eyes, you'd be hard pressed to tell that more than one person was speaking.
“As you are more resilient than they expected, it should be no surprise that you have passed your trials.”
Your memory is clear now. It certainly doesn't *feel* like you passed any trials.
The True Seeing spell you cast earlier appears to still be active and as you look around, the significance of the women and their tapestry becomes clearer. The three women must be what the Lowlanders call “The Fates”. They are (in order by age) Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos and their role is to weave the threads of life. Clotho spins the thread, Lachesis weaves it, and Atropos cuts it. Each thread represents a single life and the way the threads meander through the larger tapestry determines the fate of that life – who they interact with and when they die.
The tapestry floats in pieces around the three women – but then stretches above them and arches over you in a never-ending weave. The threads glow with different colors and intensities. Those nearest to you on the ground can be seen as part of the whole – while those father up fade into darkness, leaving only the brightest visible as point sources of light.
As you scan the tapestry nearest you, you spot a single thread. At first, you see it as a light green thread – but then your sight shows you more. It is Thomas, a blacksmith who lives in a small village near the city of Restenford on Lendore Island. Your eyes scan the length of the thread and his life unfolds before you. A light yellow thread intersects his and the two begin a tight, spiraling dance around each other. A third thread splits off from the two. Then a fourth. And a fifth. Then, an unaffiliated thread crosses harshly and Thomas ends. The yellow thread stretches a short distance farther before fading into darkness.
“Imhotep has granted the sight to you, Roderick. But be wary of where you look. The future is the most dangerous knowledge of all.”
Their voices draw you away from the tapestry and you notice to your left a stone pedestal with a large book. Its pages appear to be made of bronze and its covers and binding of iron. Above the open page, a marble stylus hovers magically, etching words at a furious pace. When it reaches the end of the page, it floats to the side and the metal page flips to the next. The stylus returns to the top of the new page and begins again.
You take a moment to stand before asking, “Where am I?”. But as soon as you ask the question, you realize the answer is not relevant. You struggle for a better question, you mind still somewhat overwhelmed by the inrush of data from the tapestry.
The women smile, but do not answer your question – as if they already know you don't care about the answer.
Then, in a flash, the questions flow. “Why am I here? Who controls these 'trials'? How do we get home?”
As you speak, you feel a slight embarrassment for asking so much at once, but the women begin their answers almost before you finish the last question.
“You are here because your soul left your body while within one of our true recreations – what your guide, Kir Ganin, calls your 'Trials'.
“We were tasked with building these trials. Hades would only allow safe passage from his realm if the journey was difficult. The Rivers wanted you to the surface in safety, so a compromise was needed. In the end, it was agreed that we who weave the threads of life would control the difficulty of your trials, while The Rivers were allowed to watch from within – though they could not assist you. Eurynome chose this task – which was difficult for her since she was very close to her sister, Leuce, and still hates Hades for what he did to her.
“Because the recreations existed in Hades' realm, we were limited in what we could use. The buildings, the land, and other non-sentients could be used as needed for these things straddle the lands of the living and the dead. However, only sentients who had already died could live again within the setting. To set the level of the challenge, in some cases we brought in opponents that had not existed in the original setting.
“When you reach the surface, you will be out of Hades' realm and your magic will allow a return to your world.”
The answers seem complete, but soon the next round of questions begins to fill your mind. You are determined not to blurt them out all at once again, so you hesitate – trying to decide which is the most important.
“Who are the Rivers? Why do they protect us?” you ask.
“The Rivers are the daughters of the Ocean. There are thousands of them and each inhabits and draws its power from one of the rivers on the twenty worlds. It is not our place to reveal the answer to the rest of your question.”
The questions jumble through your mind. For some reason, you sense that you have limited time and will be unable to ask them all.
“Who was Leuce and what did Hades do to her?” The question interests you, but seems less important than others that bounce through your mind. Why it came to the surface makes you doubt that you are even in control of this conversation.
“Leuce was one of the Rivers. Hades coveted her beauty and wanted her for his bride – but, like most goddesses, she refused him. This angered him, so he took her by force. To keep her from leaving him, he turned her into a white Poplar, a tree that stands to this day on the edge of the Elysian Fields, marking the end of Hades realm.
“But this is all in the past – and the past cannot be undone. Only the future remains open.”
The invisible sense of urgency rises. You glance around, trying to clear your mind and conceal the rising tension. The tapestry seems to beckon. The true sight remains and a thread stands out.
Like the undeniable attraction of a horror, your eyes follow the length of the thread. It is Mosal of Resh – a farmer. His thread meanders aimlessly and intersects dozens of others, but never entwines like Thomas of Restenford did. And then, it stops suddenly. Its glow is not cut off like that of Thomas, nor fades like Thomas' wife's. Instead, it ends without warning – without reason. And you sense an invisible thread. A great, menacing force. You pull your gaze back and see a pattern. Something vast and evil murdered thousands in an instant – and you remember the fate of Resh. The entire kingdom fell in a day, just over four years ago. Many stories have been put forth about what happened, but none seemed believable.
While the horror of Resh startles you, the draw of the tapestry remains. You move your gaze elsewhere to find perhaps a happier thread. You see Kaliss, a Goblin prostitute working among the Orcs who now live in the abandoned Elven kingdom of Pleven. Her life is full of misery and you can bear only the briefest of looks.
Next is a young man named Syl. His thread crosses that of a great wizard named Pelham and changes color. Where before, you sensed joy and adventure, after you see only more misery.
You move away again. Somewhere in all these threads, there must be redemption. Some lives that are not cut short by evil or altered beyond repair.
A spell tickles your mind. A gift from Imhotep that remains uncast. “Discern Location”. Normally, it is meant to find a person or object. But now, you realize, it can be used to find a thread. It is a long and complex spell. Would the Fates allow it to be cast?
You glance at the three women – who are watching you with an almost maternal grin on their faces.
“Imhotep's sight will last only a short time – and even now, your friends are preparing your return. You may cast your spell and find one life in the tapestry. Whom do you seek?”
You think for just a moment and then speak. “The only life I have the right to delve into is my own.”
The women smile and share a quiet glance with each other. “You demonstrate why the gods have chosen you, Roderick. You need not cast your spell.”
And then, out of the corner of your eye, a light turns your head. A thread stands out from the others, its glow oddly familiar. It weaves a slow spiral along with several other threads – though not as tight as Thomas and his wife. You follow it and see familiar events: The dead city of Myagmarsuren, The tower amid serpents whose top stretched into chaos, The rubble at the resort that buried the only way home.
You marvel at the threads that cross yours. At first, you see only the ones that intersect and end. So many lives cut short.
But then, you trace a few of those back and see the path of destruction they themselves had made.
And you begin to notice the other things. Faint threads that cross yours and bloom into a bright line, spinning off light in all directions.
Back to your own thread, you begin to see events from Teleme and realize you are following the thread into the past. You hesitate at the realization, but then begin scanning the other direction. Your heart races. Should you keep looking? Is the future knowable? And if you know, can you change it?
These thoughts crowd out your reason for a moment, but the curiosity overrules them all. You keep going.
Threads leave the bundle. New threads arrive. More and more intersections are cut short. There are demons and dragons and death everywhere. And then nothing.
The thread vanishes. Soon. Too soon. The entire bundle of threads vanishes into nothing.
But there is a difference. While other threads either fade slowly or end at the crossing with another life, the bundle you know as “Voyager” dangles into an abyss. You have seen this kind of end on many other threads and the assumption you made was that it was some kind of natural, but early, death. If a man falls from a cliff, his bright thread stops suddenly without intersecting another. But how could the entire party end in the same manner? Surely, an accident could not take you all!
You scan the area trying to make sense of it. And as your pull your vision back, you begin to understand a larger picture.
There is a shadow across the tapestry.
Before you even think to ask a question, the women speak. “When Shadow conquered Limbo, he took on the aspect of Chaos. Now, his fate is beyond our control. And so, those who interact with him are beyond us, as well. If he is not stopped, his gloom will cover the tapestry and there will be no plan.”
You try to study the shadow, but see no detail. Nothing for your true sight to connect with. After a minute or so, you realize you have become transfixed. As there is nothing to learn from your future thread, you force yourself to look elsewhere. Partly from nostalgia, and partly from fear of the coming shadow, you trace it back again into the past. Perhaps there is comfort in your youth.
You see Daniel again. It was good to meet him on the road yesterday. For a moment, you wonder why he is in Hades' realm instead of living in the eternal peace of the offering fields. Could he have failed Anubis's judgement? No. You shake that thought from your mind as soon as it appears.
Daniel's thread follows your own for several years, with frequent excursions out and back. His thread bolstered many and cut short none. A tinge of shame returns. Your thread has cut short many – and even though those who fell by your hand deserved little else, it is still beyond Imhotep's teaching.
And then, you recognize a thread.
Of the many threads that Daniel bolstered, one became far brighter than the average. It is Waran, the man Daniel healed on the road just … yesterday. No … 22 years ago.
Shortly after his encounter with Daniel, his thread spirals loosely around a woman named Velova and then branches away in one direction just before Vincent springs from Velova in the other direction.
Your curiosity battles with your desire to be discreet. Then, you hear the women's voices from earlier: “The past cannot be undone.” Surely, this is acceptable. You are merely delving into the past. Unlocking secrets just as Imhotep demands.
You follow Waran back. Who was he? Why was he fighting the goblins?
His thread fades as you follow it back in time until finally, it merges with what appears to be a family unit. His brother, Areno. Areno's wife, Nysriss. The couple's two children: the baby Teir, and the child … Aramil.
You stop looking toward the past and shift your view toward the future. A sea of red threads swarm across the family. Areno dead. Nysriss dead. Teir dead. But Aramil's thread meanders erratically in one direction as Waran's drifts off in another.
Aramil's thread merges with a coupled pair named Laryn and Delkin. Laryn's thread wanders away from Delkin often and then shuts off suddenly. Delkin and Aramil continue on until the child becomes an adult.
The pieces of the puzzle begin to connect.
Aramil and Vincent are cousins. Bigby's father, Dellpol, sold a potion of forgetfulness to Laryn. Your own priest, Daniel, brought Vincent's father back from near death.
The threads of your lives were entwined long before you ever met at the resort.
The gods have a plan for all of you.
Praise be to Imhotep!
And then you hear a word of power echo through the cavern. It is Bigby speaking the command word for your soul gem.
The world shifts and sharp, intense pains stab deep into your chest and abdomen. You are back in the tomb where the Angel of Imhotep crushed the life from you. Your body, however, has not been sufficiently repaired. You cannot see out of one eye, cannot move your legs, and cannot breathe.
In a few seconds, you will be dead again.
per emails: Flint casts “Cure Serious Wounds” on Roderick. Roderick then casts “Regeneration” on himself.
After Flint casts his healing spell, Roderick regains consciousness. As he is still badly damaged (and in no small amount of pain), he immediately casts a spell on himself – which brings him to a state of some comfort (or at least stability), though he is still in need of additional healing.
Before any of you can offer assistance, he declares that he has an urgent need to cast another spell – but he requires prayer time before he can ready it.
As tradition dictates a certain compassion for the dead and recently dead, the group decides it would be best to leave Roderick in peace while he prepares whatever spell he requires.
Fifteen minutes later, he is ready…
He gets up, strides over to the dead Planetar and begins a spell. It's an unusually long one, but after a minute, he finishes and the creature stirs to life.
<Bigby: “Revive Outsider”>
The Planetar begins to stand up – its great size would normally tower over Roderick – but it stops short, remains on one knee and bows his head. “Forgive me, hem-netjer, I have fallen. I have forsaken Imhotep and deserve nothing but to have my heart eaten by Ammit.”
Roderick reaches out a hand and places it on the Planetar's head (which, even though bowed, is still above Roderick's shoulder). “It was not of your doing. The creature within you was responsible. He has been destroyed …”
At this, Roderick pauses, turns back to the rest of the party and says, “It is gone, right?”
When he sees a couple of heads nod, he turns back to the Planetar. “Rise up, friend. Serve our master again and Imhotep alone will decide your fate.”
The creature lifts his head slowly, then after a moment's pause, he stands to his full nine feet. He flexes his shoulders and his grey, mottled wings snap out to their full extent at a blinding speed. The dirt and grime that appear to have accumulated over time are shaken loose and the pure, white color of the feathers is restored. The room seems to become brighter.
He brings his wings back to a folded position and reaches toward Roderick.
“You have the mark of Hades on you. Let me rid you of that curse.”
He casts a spell and touches Roderick's forehead.
<Roderick: “Heal”>
Then, he closes his eyes for a moment and cups his hands together. A bright white light emerges from his palms, leaking through his fingers and rising in intensity until it is too bright to watch directly. Then, the light subsides and he pulls his hands apart to reveal a small bead. He leans close to Roderick, hands him the bead, and whispers something that the rest of you cannot hear.
About this time, Kir Ganin, your blind Lomasi Guide, raises his head to the ceiling and says quietly, ”Godsland awaits.”
Above you, at the apex of the tomb chamber, a fog has appeared. It floats just a few feet below the ceiling – roughly 20 feet above your heads.
As you rise up through the fog, you emerge into a steep-walled natural cavern. From above, daylight spills in through a small hole about twenty feet farther up the rocky slope. A crisp, cool humidity permeates the air and lines of water trickle down the rock. Outside, you hear rain.
The sound and smell of the rain – even from this far away – erases the fatigue and despair that had so permeated your being that you could not remember their absence – until now.
After settling on the floor of the cavern, your guide, Kir, points his blind eyes to the hole above and says simply, “She is here.”
The rock walls are steep and wet, but Kir begins to navigate them with ease. He seems driven by a purpose you have not seen since he hurried you out of Hades' waiting room four … or was it five? days ago.
As there is no other exit, it seems natural to follow him. After all, he claims to be your guide.
By a combination of climbing and magic, you emerge from the hole onto a green, grassy field. Behind you, a snow-capped mountain looms larger and more awesome than any you have seen so far in your lives. (And this is true even for Pavo). Ahead, rolling grassy hills descend into a long, lush valley. Aside from the grass, there are no other plants other than a lone white poplar tree about one hundred yards to your left.
Above you, a dark, heavy rain cloud hovers. Farther down the valley, and up the slope of the mountain, you see sunlight and blue sky. But here, the rain is steady, hard, and warm. Unlike a normal shower, it does not vary in strength. No matter where you stand, large drops pelt you incessantly. While at first, some of you have an instinct to shield yourself from it, this feeling passes almost as soon as you are directly exposed to it.
It feels … wonderful.
Some of you are reminded of the look Roget got when the rains came. While the rest of you would scamper to cover, he would stop, tilt his head back and close his eyes – as if the rain were a religious experience. Of course, in a way, it was.
You notice the scrapes and wounds from the past few days begin to fade. The ache of the climb, the despair of near-constant fear, and the stress of an unknown future melt with each new drop.
After a minute of silence, Bigby notices Kir. He emerged ahead of you and stands some distance from the hole. But instead of the serenity that you feel, he stands with shoulders slumped and head bowed. You approach slowly to see that his clothes remain dry, his hair still dusty from passing through the tomb. The only moisture on him is a tear etching a line through the dust on one cheek.
“This does not seem to touch you,” Bigby observes. He points to the rain.
Kir turns, shaken from his reverie. “My penance is not yet complete.”
He shambles back to the cave opening and begins to climb back in. As he does so, his hand touches the wet rock near the entrance and he recoils in shock. His fingers are wet. He brings them to his lips to taste the rain and his tears begin to flow.
“Thank you, my queen,” he whispers to the sky, and then turns and descends back into the darkness.
After he is gone, you begin to look to each other. “What next?” you think. But just as you start to voice your question, you hear a voice.
“Well done, voyagers.” A woman's voice comes from nowhere and when you turn to locate it, the rain fills an empty shell in the air and as suddenly as she appears, the rain stops.
“I am Matchitisiw.”
She is young – perhaps in her twenties, with a slight, almost elven, build. Her hair is a deep black and her skin is gold. She wears a flimsy, sheer white robe with nothing underneath, that clings to her skin as if she has just come from a bath. A black belt is emblazoned in silver with the same stylized rain cloud that Kir has on his belt. On her left hand is a plain, gold wedding ring. And she is visibly pregnant.
Those of you with a preference for females (of any race) become immediately (and almost uncomfortably) aroused. All of you are struck by her divine beauty and find that all you want to do right now is listen to her.
<“Divine Aura”: Will save DC 33 – you all failed and are “dazed” – You can defend yourselves normally, but take no other actions>
She steps toward Roderick. “Hello, Roderick,” she begins. Her voice has a background hiss like the sound of falling rain. “We have never met in person – despite what you may believe.” She reaches up and strokes her fingers across Roderick's cheek. “I am sorry to say that many challenges remain ahead for you – and bringing light to the shadow is not the only one. But Imhotep will help you when you need him and you will help him when he needs you.”
Then, she steps to Bria. As she does, some of you spot a look of surprise cross Roderick's face as he staggers back a half-step. He grabs for the mace at his belt – a seemingly instinctive move – but then steadies himself as a calm returns to him. He gives a knowing nod to those who noticed him. A silent gesture that everything is fine.
To Bria, she says, “You have much to know, Bria. But I understand and accept your decision if you choose not to join Roderick's quest into shadow.” She gently touches Bria's neck.
Next, she turns to Lashmere. “Your role here is complete. It is time you learn what it is to be a man, and not a pawn in a game beyond your control. I release you from the shadow.” She touches his cheek and he, too, staggers back as if shocked.
Next, Bigby. “My sister gave you part of a gift. I will give you the rest when I leave. Keep it secret and safe until you are home.” She brushes a finger across his chin.
Throughout all of this, the Planetar has stood stoically. When she steps to him, he drops to a knee and bows his head. “You are one of the rivers, are you not?” he asks – his face pointed to her feet.
She reaches up to place her hand on the top of his head, however because or her size, he is obliged to lower himself a few more inches so she can reach. “Yes, Iabi, I am a daughter of the ocean. I grant you leave to return to your master. It is not my place to decide your fate.” With her right hand still on his head, she gestures with her left and the great winged man vanishes.
She walks across to Pavo. “My sister, Leuce, waits for you across the field with a gift.” She gestures toward the poplar tree with one hand, while touching two fingers to his face with the other.
Next is the Githzerai. “Limbo is still in shadow, Ust'olda. You have a role to play, but it does not involve the crystals. You must not speak of them – even to your allies. Do you understand?” She touches both sides of his face with her hands and stares intently into his eyes for a few seconds, before moving on to the next person.
”Aramil, your strength has served you and your companions well. And it will be needed again in the coming months. But, as you learn from the beast, do not lose the man.” She touches Aramil's forehead.
Next is Flint. She reaches a hand to his forehead and speaks some words in an ancient language. “I grant you life so that you may return to the world anew, Manth!nar'h.” (She pronounces the name flawlessly). “You have been granted a second chance. Use it wisely and you can yet protect your people from the coming gloom.”
<Flint: “True Resurrection” (or more accurately, “Divine Ability: Gift of Life”) – something you did not know you were in need of>
Finally, she comes to Vincent. “You alone have seen shadow, Vincent. You know, perhaps more than the others, his uncaring malice toward the twenty worlds. Remember this always. It is your greatest weapon.” She touches his face.
<To All: You have been granted a permanent “Resistance” spell. You may choose one of the following effects: Either the standard spell (+1 to all saves) or a specialized version (+2 vs. fear effects). Note: This can only be dispelled by a being with a Divine Rank higher than 8>
Any questions?
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