The Shrine

We were those who died so that others might be free, we were those whose sacrifice you promised not forget. No greater love is there than this, than to die for those you love. This is our sacrifice, this is our legacy. Remember, Remember. Do not forget.

- Ikendri is now an epic level artifact (+3, superior cold 3d6, superior holy 3d6, cold iron intelligent greatsword with immunity to fire and the special mission of defeating evil outsiders, at another +3 and 3d6 superior bane ability. that's a +12 sword, by my calculations worth over 1 million GP. Yep.)

- You are all now level 17. You'll need to make a plan for where to go next. The enemy is approaching, and time is compressing. You had two years. You don't have that much time now. You don't know how much time there is left at all...

The Quest of the Fey Queen (pre christmas special)

The emissary from the Sultancy is elated, “you did it! Not one of a dozen diplomatic missions to the Fey Queen was able to secure her allegiance in the upcoming war! They all returned insulted, defeated, or covered in confetti. But you! You are the true hero’s. You must tell me what happened?”


A thousand thoughts no doubt run though you mind. What do you tell him? About the finding of the needle in the haystack? About the Menagerie markets and their puzzle ridden store keep? Perhaps you can tell him about your heroic defeat of the dark wizard Grugamel, thus setting free the diminutive blue gnomes of the forest (even before he could say ‘hey, did someone just stab me in the back?”) Perhaps you can explain the particular qualities of the demiplane of levity, and how it almost trapped you there forever? (Scooby seemed lively today, didn’t he?) Perhaps you should tell him of your heroic defense of the toymaker, demigod of gifts, or of your brief but tasty stay in the paraelemental plane of candy? Perhaps you can tell him how you did all this just to acquire a hairpin from the Fey Queen, so that she can use the needle in the haystack: as a hairpin!

Was it really such a waste of time? Or was there some message in the adventure that will help you unravel the mystery of the Great Enemy?

Then again, perhaps it all seemed too unreal. Perhaps you should tell him it was just a dream…

Pirates, girlfriends, the the divinity sphere...

(the following was probably scried from Gerries spoon)


The pirates were on their second drink before the conversation became interesting.

“’ave ye ‘erd who the new Pirate Lady is?” Bootleg asked his companion, Ropelathe.

“Oo ‘asn’t!” He replied. “Everyone knows ‘bout that Ebon Lady! Comes out of nowhere and now she’s the first Lady since Wendelania! Apparently she’s with them heroes of Lauresnia, or something.”

“Yeah, so rumour has it. Strange bunch that lot. Eh! Heard what that Lady Gerry called her Bosun! Bobo! Musta hated him something right!”

“Yeah,” but Bootleg whisperers, “but heard what happens to him, I hear he tried to cross lady Gerry and he finds himself locked up in Cressellia’s cells. Reckon it’s only a matter of time before someone tries to poison him.”

“Man Luck too!” Ropelathe agrees. “You can bet if Great Lady Ebon’s with that Lauresia crew they won’t be missing him much. If not by their hand, by those that seek their favour.”

“Eye!” Bootleg agrees.

“So what you ‘ear about Ebon? She any good? Whose her bosun?”

“I know nothing” Bootleg protests. A single gold coin exchanges hands so quickly it cannot be seen.

“I ‘ear she’s pretty good,” Bootleg states, “there’s talk that she doesn’t have a bosun, runs it all herself. Say she’s quick, smart. Kinda pretty too, if humans are you style.”

They pause to look at each other.

“Naaa!” They both agree.

“So what ‘ave you ‘eard about them Lauresnian sorts?” Bootleg asks.

“I know nothing” Ropelathe argues.

Again the gold coin crosses the table.

“Everyone knows they’re trying to start a war.” Ropelathe begins,

“I ‘ear the wars going to start with or without us.” Bootleg argues, “there’s talk of some mad deity invading the sphere. They say not even the wizards can get out of the sphere any more. They say… not two years…”

“I ‘ear the same things.” Ropelathe agrees, and reluctantly slides the coin back. “Least it explains all the random aberrations turning up. Just last week uncle caught a pair of Gnarks sneaking around his deck. Now don’t go spreading rumours, but I reckon it’s those Laurensians who brought Enemy along with them. They say he’s after them, not us, but now we’re all caught up in it.”

“That’s good information….” Bootleg agrees. Ropelathe holds out his hand, and the coin moves back again. “Hey, wouldn’t it be weird if it was one of those temporial paladoxies, where they hadn’t turned up, there would be no enemy, but there’d be no us either!”

“Shut up!” Ropelathe scowls.

“Still,” Bootleg continues, “I hears those heroes’ of Lauresia were all over each others throats last week, that they found some sort of Divinity Sphere and went all nuts over it’s power. They say it almost turned violent.”

“Where you get your information!” Ropelathe scowls, “that’s rubbish.”

“Naw, way I reckons it, we pirates need to look after ourselves. And when that enemy comes, I’m running the other way.”

“And risk not fighting with Lady Ebon? I’d risk my mother for that chance. They say she’s rich…”

“Rich?”

“Rich, powerful.”

“How rich?”

“Why, her wealth would be… well, more wealth than you can imagine!” Rolling the coin along the table.

“I dunno,” Bootleg continues, watching its slow rolling, “I can imagine quite a …”

But his voice trailed off as a shadow crossed the tavern where they were drinking. A huge tower of stone, torn from the ground and held aloft by a sentient earthen crystal. While they were distracted, a small boy snatched up the coin before it could roll to its destination.

“I ‘ear he’s dating an abolyth.” Bootleg whispered.

“What!?” Ropelathe swore. “no ones going to take you seriously!”

“Just what I ‘eard.” Bootleg muttered. “Boats I get, but floating stone? That ain’t right.”

“Nothin’ right about all this. War. No one needs war...”

The Oracle...

Again, an old wizard watches his scrying bowl.


“So! There really is an oracle in the Eversea! And what an informative and engaging experience it was to observe its liaison with Methos first hand. Excellent!” He admitted to the little fairy dragon that kept him company. “I must admit, I envy them. They have all surpassed me and my companions for power! And now they seek the weapons to slay a god? How brave they are, and how unaware of the dangers. Let me see if I’ve got this list correct.” He muttered to himself, ticking off items on his fingers.

1. First, they must find the Divinity sphere which has been hidden in this dimension from the prime material world of Jinix. It contains the essence of a deity that can be used to defeat the enemy. Sounds simple enough.

2. The next item must be forged in the sun pillar, and left for 1000 years. Gerry hopes to give Ikendri the power of an artefact this way, I hope it will suffice.

3. Lukat has been told she does not need to seek out her artefact, it will seek her out. however, I suspect some work will be required on her part.

4. Methos must seek the blessing of the six great tribes that inhabit this sphere in order to create a great staff of the Magi. That will do the trick!

5. What Oma wants is a bit of a mystery, but he may be seeking to merge with a powerful life form. The oracle told him his answers lie in the outer planar dimension of Elysium.

6. Their turned spy Ebon should be able to take on her former deity with the One Knife from the “hall of evil”. This may or may not be a good thing.

7. Finally, the last artefact is in the hands of the “God who remained”. They must divine further answers from this.”

Again the wizard smiled. “That’s quite a list. I hope they’re up to it.” The he laughed, “Well, they defeated the Nightmare of the Leviathan, and an aspect of its dreams. They chased off a flock of abyssal dolphins, and prevented defeat from a narwhale. They are doing so very well, perhaps they are up to this as well? And what about the wish sword! What an amazing work! pity none can wield it yet, perhaps when they are of sufficient power? well, the oracle might not have answered many of their questions, but she has told them a lot about how to defeat a God...”

“Less than two years now. Two years, after 10,000 years of running. And yet it seems so little time…”

Submerging boats and a pirate lord

(written with the help of Imogen - enjoy!)

Bobo looks at you seriously, concern written all over his face.


“Of course I understand, my Dread Lady Gerry, but the cause of the Pirates must take precedence! Many are dying under this great civil war, and unless you take a strong stand…”
Gerry nodded thoughtfully and stared up at the low wooden beams of the ceiling. “Were you always a bloodthirsty pirate Bobo? No! Many years ago you probably had a childhood, a mother perhaps, and I'm sure you dreamed of being a fireman or a physician. You know I dreamed of being a cake decorator once. And for a short while, a fungi farmer. Well, there are sweet little children all over the Eversea who dream of being something when they grow up Bobo, but there won't be a future for them if we don't defeat the Enemy! And that means a trip to that nub-bitten Oracle ” Gerry said resolutely.

“Of course! But… well... this oracle isn’t going anywhere in a while is she? Surely you can delay your visit for at least a year till that Leviathan thing is asleep again? Or if not, the combined resources of the Pirate nation will surely allow you to travel unimpeded through this dark water?"

Gerry glared at him, thinking darkly about his probable illiterical upbringing, his fondness for strong ale and bouts of senseless brawling, and struggling not to point out to Bobo how all three combined did no favours for the working of his brain.
“At least this truce with Man Luck has bought us some time, and the war is somewhat abated." he continued nervously. "My Dread Lady, please, go to Cressellia, put an end to this insult. You must realize… there is talk among the crews…if you do not put on a show of force within the day they may begin to question your leadership.”
“None of them are sober enough to remember my name anyway” Gerry muttered. "But you speak truly Bobo! I need to stir them up. Need to whip those pink-bellied wusses into a respectable fighting force. No time for fancy cheeses and hardcover books! We need to be ready for war Bobo, but with the Enemy, not Man Luck. He will just have to wait."
At first surprised, Bobo then calmed down. “Of course, as my dread lady wishes. So much has changed, in such a short time, and with this enemy bearing down on us, if it is true and I have no doubt it is because you’ve told us, than perhaps that really should be our priority. Very well then, we will keep them waiting – who is Man Luck to summon you at his whim? None can hurry the decisions of the most honored pirate Lord in a thousand years! I mean, just look at what you’ve achieved! You slew a lich and took his secrets of the boat that can fly underwater, and none before you could do this. You added the Ming Wun Fu banner to your own, now you almost equal Man Lucks incredible success. What you lack in fortresses, you make up for in space – none control more of the Eversea than you now! Anyone can see that!”
He smiled, but he could not hide the concern in his eyes.
“Oh, and another thing, not that I would complain my dread lady, but the code name you’ve given me, Bobo… some of the men find it a bit… demeaning to be following a leader named after a childs’ toy. Not me, of course! I quite like it! But for the morale of the troops…”
"How about B... Wet Bobo? Bobo the Heartless? El Grande Bobo? Mr Bobo?"

The Seathern Oracle, part 1

The Eversea is an unusual site, a great ball of water, as though someone had sucked up the entire oceans of a planet and plastered them together in space. Unending sea stretches out in all direction… You spot a small black dot on the miles and miles of endless sea. It is well hidden, almost no light shines up from it. But as you approach you see it is not a dot at all, but a floating city, and fairly sizeable one at that. it appears to be made out of hundreds, if not thousands, of vessles stitched together.

Then it strikes you, you have found Wendholm, the secret hideout of Char Blackthroat, one of the most successful pirate lords to date. Wendholm is rumoured to be a place of extreme violence and debauchery, a veritable pirates paradise. But it is also the only place to go for rare and exotic spell components. Few know of its whereabouts, few trade here, even fewer ever leave.

Much has been achieved today:

- Gerry managed to slay another pirate lord, adding another banner to her own. New has now reached your new base of opperations, Wendholm, that Hok the barbaric has fallen to Barrum Steelhammer, dwarven pirate Lord. The civil war is intensifying, but Lady Gerry's forces are better secured with the addition of Blackthroats pirates. Bobo (a code name, we assume) is administring the details of the takeover, relaying your wishes to the sixteen new pirate vessels Gerry now owns, including an unusal and inexplicable desire among the populace of Wendholm for exotic cheeses.

- You saved the whales from an undead menage, helped Billy fix his aparatus of Kwalsh, captured Blackthroats diving bell. However, you haven't wrested the book of underwater flying from the Lich's undead fingers just yet.  And you even asked nicely! now you have three ways to get to the oracle, congratulations


- next step: the oracle. the Leviathan is supposed to sleep once a year, and in two days time is the optimal time to descend to the unfathomable depths of the Endless Ocean.
 
What was this adventure like for your PC's, and what will they do now?
Also, please jot down any questions for the Oracle, so i can be prepared!
 

Visit to the City of Light

Much has been achieved today


- You visited Methos’ treasure trove and learnt it had been plundered by adventurers. Then you managed to breach the inner chamber to find the real treasure trove (I will give out treasure just before next game, but if you want to send me five percentile rolls I can let you in on your big prize for the haul!) minus a staff of the psion. Will Methos hunt it down and wrest it from the hands of the God who thought it would better serve him? Perhaps he will invest in better defence and concealment of his cult artefacts… or perhaps… he did… perhaps… there is more in Methos tower than has currently been revealed…

- You visited the time shine and saved it from the assassin. Then you used the time chamber to get a vision of the arrival of the Tris (scholars for millennia will debate your account of this): a bright light like a shattering crystal streaks across a deserted land, and thousands of Tris arrive, battling aberrations. They quickly are victorious and set about building a civilisation. They have advanced crystallomancy (Methos was taking heavy notes here)

- You slew the assassin. Twice. But he’s not going to give up yet, and he seems to have a near endless supply of abyssal umberhulks, doesn’t he…

- You sent an embassy off to the beastmen, skylings and warlords to warn them off the future events, but have not yet had the chance to see them in person.

- Gerry finds out her pirates are bunkering down while the rest of the pirate lords begin a giant civil war. Things could get very much out of hand in a matter of only weeks.

- You met three of Lukats ‘daughters’ who offered her the first of seven pieces of a powerful artefact of the Mystic theurge. She may like to hunt it down or focus her attention on other options, it is up to her - such as a device to force the enemy to waste his attacks so you have a chance to cut him up. On the other hand, she may like to research the headband of the mystic theurge to see what it can do. ON the other hand, it may do just that…

- You, the first of your people EVER, have travelled and survived in the realm of light and seen the great City of Light when it once stood. Now you are legend.

- You met the current Emperor of the Tris as a young boy of extraordinary sorcerer talents.

- You learnt that if you can get a shrine of light set up somewhere in the time of the Tris, you can probably get Ikendri powered up to artefact level and pick him up 1000 years later in the present.

- You all receive one time smite attack (+cha to hit, +level to damage) as a blessing from being in the realm of light.

- There you met a being revered as a hero God – the mind flayer sorcerer Ka Sha Kahaknah. He blessed you with certain powers: Oma learnt how to speak with mind flayer larva, Methos gained the ability to imbdue weapons with psion bane ability (+2 hit, 2d6 extra damage) for a number of rounds equal to his charisma (these weapons can be taken from Methos and used against him). Others have yet to announce whether they have accepted the his gift – Ebon to have +2d6 v’s aberrations, Lukat to gain limited telepathy (can eavesdrop telepathic conversations, but cannot send or receive messages), and Gerry to become immune to mind blast. Karuch was not given any options, neither was the tiger or Scooby or C’ari. She’s still around.

- In three years time, Ka Sha Kahaknah will rise to lesser divinity by slaying the gods (and still no one tells you their names!) Yet he seems like a pretty good guy for now. (of course, that’s three years time in the far past, to you, it all happened a little under 10,000 years ago from your present time).

- Did I miss anything… what will you do now?



The place you enter in is perfectly bright, and yet your eyes can take in every detail with comfort. It seems you are in some kind of platform, surrounded by blue Sodalite pillars perfect for welcoming plane shifting travellers.


The majestic towers of gold and white light seem to stretch off infinitely into the distance. But at the centre of the city a pure while column of light pieces the city and extends unending above and below the city of light. It is the veil, through which only Gods may pass, and to pass though is to become a God - as did Great Enemy once, and may perhaps do again. The veil is as gossamer as a thin sheet of fabric, and feels just the same. Within, beings appear to be moving softly about, and occasionally their voices can be heard. It is a sacred place, an eternal place where all the past, present, and future is present as one eternal now. To dwell there would be to be able to travel to any moment in time in the universe, and thus to hold unimaginable power…


All around you in the City of light an overwhelming presence of peace, majesty and love overwhelms you. Never before have you felt more like you are in a place you belong – you are home. Whatever else happens to you, you know you will never be the same again…