S3: By a Show of Hands... Who Has a Boat?
As our group of adventurers reacclimate to a not-in-a-dank-tomb setting they begin to determine how...
For just murdering a 14 year old boy, the BOP slumber rather soundly. Alora helps to clean up Torin's moist mistake as Torin tries to shake off a Fey-induced morning hangover while Nom tries to add insult to injury with a little hair-of-a-slightly-different-dog-that-bit-you. Dorus fends off her attempts and mentions he had a vision of the Eldath druid grove of which he was very familiar and suggested that a visit be on the group’s things-to-do list. Outside they hear the patter of falling rain. Upon closer examination, Dorus realizes the rain is of a much more acidic nature. Mokon, wondering if this was an isolated area event, disrobes and ventures into the painful downpour. 10 minutes later he returns with more knowledge of the extent of the storm as well as lobster-colored skin. Mokon is then healed by Alora with some reluctance.
After some deliberation, Alora creates a large canopy to stave off any rain burns and the group ventures forward. Mokon and Nom take time to collect large rain-averting leaves as they move forward.
A few hours later and one re-creation of a tarp the crew finds themselves in a deep gorge. Proceeding forward the gorge begins to give way to even deeper chasms. Tucked off to one side, a small shack. Beside the shack, under its eve, a frail old man whimpering in pain -- one arm bright red from a spattering of acid rain. Getting closer and talking to the man the group realizes the man is not only frail, but delusional and racked with arthritis. They also notice a sign on the door that reads. “Do not touch. You have been warned.” Nom reaches toward the door (of course) as an arrow finds purchase in the ground close by.
They help the man under the tarp. A short pillar of stone stands before them and beside the pillar a small chest. The post reads.
PillarCrag pass protected by SPS.
Pay tribute or leave.
Do not stray from the path
Do not run
Do not look up
Do not touch the crates
You have been warned.
On the chest yet another sign.
Tribute or Pass Required: 50 Gold per person and beast.
You have been warned.
Fey runs forward attempting to forgo payment. A second arrow finds purchase at her feet. She sneakily scans the horizon, but is unable to see their assailant.
“Pass only with proper payment or an invitation,” the group hears from above.
Nom, annoyed at this entire engagement, aggressively throws the middle finger toward their unseen foe. In turn, their foe aggressively sends an arrow into Nom’s leg.
The group… regroups a few hundred feet back.
Nom and Fey are of the mindset this old man is some sort of trap -- or perhaps Milbin himself. The two also think they should just leave him be and let him figure out his future on his own. After more deliberation, they opt to throw him in the portable hole and figure it out later. Against the man’s wants they begin to place him in a much dryer albeit darker place. Before doing so, Mokon decides to try to help with Johas mental state. With divine help Mokon takes on the dementia of the old man. With Mokon’s help the man is much more fluent and clear. They begin to ask him many questions. He doesn’t remember much of the previous few years, but does remember he is from Therack. Dorus does have a loose memory of seeing him before today.
Low on funds the group decides to put their animal companions as well as a delusional Mokon and arthritic Johas into Alora’s hole -- remembering to stave off suffocation every 10-15 minutes. (Even though Axel has a sweet one-of-a-kind leaf poncho made by Mokon)
The comrades move forward once more paying tribute to the unseen protector of the chasm. With thanks SPS allows the group to move forward. They notice signs along the way that say.
Rules guide us
Rules provide structure
Rules keep us on our path
Rules are what we live or die by
They pass without incident, following the rules… more or less.
The road splits with a path north and one south. To the north, the group sees a forgotten tower. They conclude this must be Mibin’s home. Venturing down the long stairs they walk into a much less ruined room. A blue flame on a pedestal flickers then it forms into a short-statured illusion of a large-goggled gnome with intensely frazzled hair along with two voices -- one of a spastic rambling man, the other of a calm woman.
“If you do not have an appointment, leave. I do not have time…”
“Milbin… less rud…e”
“Erm… If you do not have an appointment PLEASE leave.”
“Better… barely”
“If you do have an appointment. Wait here. My time is far more valuable than yours.”
“Seriously Mil…”
“Oh… do not try to breach my laboratory… the traps within are not as kind as… grumble… I…”
“Milbin!”
“I for one do not want to clean them off the walls… Do you?”
“You have a point.”
The warning then repeats.
Dorus checks for traps and finds there are many. He believes he knows the precise location of every trap on the floor, wall, and ceiling and that they are of magical means. Leading the group through the maze of pressure plates was easy and handled without incident to a dead end. (Except Nom who tempts fate -- fate responds with a magic missile to the head). Fey and Dorus then begin to search for a door. But then… Dorus head snaps upward as he fends off the daydream focusing once again on their reality.
The group begins to search the many crates and candles that litter the area finding only one questionable sconce that looks different than the rest. Upon lighting the candle they realize it gives off darkness instead of light… handy… maybe. Fey also finds a hidden passage on the west side of the room. A long hallway follows. “It must be the way they bring in guests.” The group eagerly walks forward -- throwing caution to the wind. Two hallway filling walls of force appear before and after the group and move slowly toward one another. The crew believes they may only have 5 minutes or so before the walls crush together. Very quickly Fey has the brilliant idea of putting their portable hole on the floor allowing the wall to pass over their location and avoiding the alternate ending. It works perfectly. The group exits without a scratch.
The group easily finds a secondary secret door that opens into another room. Dorus checks for traps again sensing general fire with absolutely zero details. Fey, believing that there was no need to use her brain a second time, sprints toward the stairs at the end of the room. As she does so she is engulfed in flame and her charred body goes unconscious. Dorus drags her to safety. A series of tests involving mage hands and now-destroyed bedrolls. The group is at a loss. Until they opt to try their newly found candle of darkness which works like a charm. Nom opens the hole and hears Mokon sniffling back tears as Johas reassures him everything will be alright. Nom quickly shuts the hole.
They follow more stairs downward into the depths of the mountain. As they descend they begin to hear a low humming noise. Further they begin to hear what sound like small explosions and fiery chaos. The walls rattle. They also begin to hear three voices. Two of which they remember from the blue flame at the entrance, the third is new -- a much more jovial flamboyant sort. The three voices are intense. As the group reaches the bottom of the stairs they see a huge orb of fire and shadow. A large purple crystal cracked and broken sits close-by. An ethereal woman stands beside the crystal phasing in and out of sight while an older disgruntled gnome holds his hands high and appears to be attempting to push something together. Close-by a taller well kept wizard in green robes with a long white beard focuses directly on Milbin. Around them, in an otherwise barren stone room, are dead trees and moving darkness. Scattered throughout are highly colorful mushrooms and the smell of fresh earth.
“Tighten the dilation field”
“What do you think I’m trying to do?”
“It’s not working”
“Don’t you think I can see that.. Lush a little help.”
“On it…. ”
“Did that work”
“ Yes, yes… that seemed to do it.”
Milbin slumps to the ground, exhausted. The taller wizard approaches the group. A flat blue light emanates from his outstretched hand. “Who are you, why are you here?” Dorus steps forward as Lushous’ let his hands rest. “Dorus is that you?”
As Milbin, Lush, and Banli attempt to contain and correct the giant undulating orb they explain the orb is a mistake Milbin is trying to clean up. There was a thinning of the walls to the Shadowfell that Milbin had found, and was drawn to in hopes of expanding his understanding of Chronomancy -- the magic of time. His experiment didn’t go according to plan and this this time dilation bubble that he is using to try to control the destruction of the entire continent, if not, the entire realm. They continue on to explain that the purple crystal was being used as a catalyst to enhance Milbin’s powers to keep the world-ending cataclysm at bay. At least, until an alternative solution was found. They have yet to find a solution. The group then explains that Torin could be used to help. At first, Milbin has no idea how that can be true as the child cannot be intelligent enough to do so… children after all are notoriously unintelligent. When the group explains he has power that he can’t control, Milbin’s gnomish ears perk up. Wild magic may be what we need for a temporary solution although it could kill Torin in the process. Alora and Dorus do not believe that is the best of ideas even though the one person sacrifice could save thousands of lives. Lush alleviates fears saying it will be OK. Alora and Dorus step back as Lush has Torin rest his hands on the purple shard. Torin winces in pain for only a second before stating. “It feels like heat is being pushed and pulled from my body. It doesn’t hurt anymore. Weird.” Within moments the angry time dilation orb loses all color and rests still.
“I believe it is working,” Milbin smiles for the first time, then continues to explain what is needed temporarily and long term.
“A new riftstone is needed for long term success. Preferably one larger than the one here. It doesn’t need to be a stone, mind you, but anything that has a vast amount of Shadowfell “energy” infused. Temporarily we need to mend the stone which is next to impossible, or we could get a red diamond from the mines below the AlterSpire, of which could be difficult if Ud’resh minions are still active, or Jarnigol holding might have a large enough diamond to work, but I doubt it. For now, Torin can be used as an energy conduit, although eventually it will kill him. Any questions?”
The group asks if they could travel to the Shadowfell through the bubble. Milbin explains they could if they wanted to be ripped apart in the process. He also tells them there are safer ways to travel to the Shadowfell -- planar travel can be conducted by some wizards, although he is not one of them, finding other areas that have a thinning veil, or through the realm of mirrors which is a realm that lives in parallel to the Shadowfell. A realm of bended time, a sort of shortcut -- if you can find your way in. (Just then a dim light begins to well up in the party's collective mind as the DM drops a breadcrumb the size of a small town.)
As he finishes the orb begins to glow red once more. This time, with Torin’s help, it seems to be controlled with much more ease.
From the opposite side of the now-clear orb, the group hears a high-pitched muffled whine. Nom moves to investigate finding a clump of what appears to be light brown flesh. She pokes at it with her sword (of course). The fleshy mass rises and turns toward Nom revealing two hollow eye sockets, a gaping maw of teeth, and four arms ending in foot-long singular claws. The whine becomes a scream as it lunges toward Nom sinking its four long pincers into her body.
