76 - Eye spy the Fane of the Yuan-ti

======== Setting the scene and 8th level advancement ========

Party finishes level 8 advancement.

During the night Lindal seems to be having nightmares until Eddie rolls over and rests his arm on Lindal's chest. Freya thinks it is kinda cute. Seraph keeps almost noticing something but is never able to see what it was. Freya warns Kylorin that something invisible might be nearby and goes to sleep. Celadon wakes and is totally not into sweating the small stuff so Kylorin keeps watch mostly herself while Lindal and Eddie occasionally toss and turn.

======== Lindal's Nightmare Vision ========

Lindal - Dreams again of Omu's fall seeing Acererak much closer. This time Acererak calls out, "Twice I have caught you peering through time where you should not. Let me see if I can't dissuade you more permanently.

* * * * *

With a wave of his staff he curses Lindal with the death curse.

* * * * *

At this point Eddie is also sleeping and has a chance to alter fate. Choosing to do so he rolls over and hits Lindal and his croc figurine with his arm right as the curse is cast and in a burst of unfocused divination energies both are pulled into a much older dreamscape. Lindal views this one in first person while Eddie as just a floating observer of the dream.

* * * * *

Lindal is just a wisp with barely a thought. Still you twist and turn and wiggle your way through the town to the great cathedral. Warded against spirits like you but also so immense that there are some small cracks in the warding. Thousands of spirits are pressed up against the wards bu as tiny as you are you can wriggle through the seams between spells that a less minuscule spirit never could manage. Yet the wards fold in on themselves that trap many of your brethren but somehow you find your way through the layered defenses into the cathedral itself. Sometimes there are benefits to being thought below notice. Very few spirits can pierce the wards and being one of the few fills you with pride. You remember this day was important somehow - something important was supposed to happen on this day. Something monumental if the mutterings of the oracle were right - what ever they saw left them a drooling idiot and it was just luck you were in the right place at the right time to hear. This great cathedral is far greater than any either of you have ever seen - fitting thousands in its colossal stands and a man of such stature and power is speaking that he glows with radiance as he stands upon a platform speaking words in a rich tenor - in a language, you do not grasp. You worked so hard to gain access but the words are still beyond your grasp. All that work meaningless but the people are all leaning forward excitedly as the great man cries out and a being far greater than he manifests in the flesh before him and the audience all fall prostrate. You find yourself crushed by the presence of this being and are being squeezed out of the temple.

Lindal manages to stay beneath notice but the great being smiles benevolently at all the people and at the myriad other wisps that snuck through the wards with him. Clearly bemused he whispering words that seem understandable for once. (Bestows blessing of speech) "Ah you all found your way through the maze of enchantments guarding my temple - little beings. I guess you deserve a blessing of sorts for making me smile. Anyone who makes it through my maze gets a boon..."

But as the god waves his hand to grant the boon as time stands still. Locked in place by magic greater than you can comprehend understanding of words and concepts flood your being even as you see the human arch-prelate stand from the place he was kneeling while time remains stopped and draws forth a holy sword glowing with brilliant radiance.

Ubtau distracted mummers over his shoulder at the radiance, "ah so you wish to add you blessings as well?"

You catch the great man striking true with tears pouting down his face. An expression of surprise, horror, and amazement flash on the great gods face even as a vortex of utter destruction springs forth from its chest sucking everything into it the blade of the weapon. Frozen moment of time has been shattered fleeing as hard as you can the essence of the gods blessing pouring into you lets you pull away having never reached its final form. You feel the great vacuum growing behind you. The black sphere of destruction is still expanding - you are barely keeping ahead of it. Most of the other sprites have perished you push on out of the city and passing over a river see a crocodile diving beneath the waters to get away from the disturbance above. You wish you could hide from the destruction raging behind you and find yourself falling into the new identity as you merge with the diving crocodile and become something else in the dream of Crocodiles birth.

* * * * *

Now in another time and place once again little more than a wisp of a thought - this time hardly present in this reality at all. You flicker in and out as you try to make yourself manifest.

A knight in fine plate holds a brilliantly glowing sword up to a fallen angels throat. "Begone foul spirit, trouble our realm no more" But the being begs for mercy. They repent - they offer information of great value even to such a mighty knight. (You see shadowy figures - three wisened crones walking around in and out of the etherial plane whispering and plotting. Occasionally one stoops by the fallen angel's ear and whispers.) The knight hesitates and the angel calls out, "I have seen of a great desolation coming - one which will threaten the very world. You must have had visions as well - your god gives the sight does he not? You can not prevent the destruction by any but the most foul means but if you are at the serpent's mouth when the one comes seeking wisdom you can stop it all then and there. I swear this is true by my very essence. Ask your god. He can tell you it is true..."

The knight pauses for a moment longer but then plunges the flaming sword into the angel destroying them utterly. the crones just sit by and watch but as the knight stands there over the ashes and thinks they chortle and cavort.

* * * * *

The same figure praying a shadowy figure of a great and complex being echoing the supreme being seen earlier appear in the essence around the praying knight.

Great figure: "what is it my child?"

Knight: "I am troubled, the words of that angel ring true but i know they mean to deceive."

Great figure: "put these thoughts out of you mind there is much time before the destruction they foresee. And there are more than one doom facing us even now. I may find a path through - it just takes time. And I find that doom hard to foresee right now"

Knight: "But there is a way I can be at the place to prevent it all, I know you are troubled if it is escaping your eyes maybe one of the foreign gods can help me figure it out."

Great god: (pauses) "It is true I am having more trouble divining as of late, I give you permission to speak to one of the other oracles but be careful while they must speak truth there are more than one truth."

* * * * *

Same knight no longer armored but now dressed in arch-prelate garb waiting in a church of a stark and yet stately appearance. A statue of a tall onyx figure adorns the wall behind him. A pair of priests lead in a woman bound head to toe in robes restraining her arms as her eyes roll in her head. There are echos of her and something massive yet terrible - shapeless yet greater than even the great god earlier - moving behind and through her. As the oracle reaches the chair before the fellow her eyes darken to jet black and a regal voice booms forth from the frail woman's body.

Oracle: "Ras-Nsi what brings you to my temple? Your need must be dire indeed!"

Ras-Nsi: "It is said you see clearly and can tell no lie assuming the listener is clever enough to hear what is really said. I come to ask how to prevent the great calamity my god and I have foreseen. I will see this path through I swear it upon my honor.

Oracle: "Your God could see this path if he wished, but he doesn't wish to look too deeply at this future. Some thing are too painful to consider."

Ras-Nsi: then I will spare him this pain and seek knowledge myself. That is why I came to you. First off is what the fiend said true?"

Oracle: "yes, if you were at the serpent's mouth when the one comes cloaked by magics even I can not pierce. Yes if you were at the right place then you would have a chance to end it all before it begins."

Ras-Nsi: Then I will join the ranks of the snake-man if that's what it takes to be the mouth of the serpent.

Oracle: Are you sure that is the path you will take?

Ras-Nsi: I would spare my god

Oracle: You may not. Joining the snake men will do nothing of the sort, You will never be able to do that while your god lives. He keeps Dendar trapped and the snakemen will never forget or forgive that. The only way you could possibly ever gain their trust is to turn all others against you. Hated by all they can be your refuge. That is why your god cannot see - he is blind to his own oblivion.

Ras-Nsi: Then that is the path I must take. Ubtau would chose hie people over himself. For he is great and I strive to emulate his greatness.

Oracle: if you destroyed all those near you you could also prevent the disaster you see.

Ras-Nsi: You speak in riddles but I am steadfast. This is more important than me or my soul

Oracle: I fear you misunderstand - a foreseeing this strong is very hard to derail once seen, Your very knowledge of its existence makes your plans likely to fulfill this destiny. Only a path born through darkness could possibly succeed and while I sense a possibility here I feel you can not do this.

Ras-Nsi: I have faced worse odds Goddess - what does it take to slay a god?

Oracle: If you take this path, you will find yourself betrayed several times. You will debase yourself in foul acts and leave a trail of such annihilation as many would quail at the thought. But it could easy be for naught f you do not reach the focal point in time.

Ras-Nsi: Leave your warnings for those weak of heart. I am a steadfast as the sun and none shall question me.

Oracle: Then bring your sword here - I will bestow a cyclic curse upon it. The blessings like none he has ever seen and it will strike him down if you but get him in the flesh and strike him with all of your might from behind. For he loves you and will never see it coming. You are his blind spot.

Ras Nsi: (crying) they say you speak not but truth

Oracle: and yet only the wisest may hear the truth while fools hear what they are ready to.

Ras Nsi: I am no one's fool

Besmiran Oracle: Yes though note divination always deceives and that is my mantle. The words I say now are naught but true. I speak now the one who must act a great disaster with many many souls at peril - a call to me at a moment of need - at a moment of seeming the greatest triumph. Only then I can lend the help to those who who need it most. But Ras Nsi you will never make that call because your arrogance blinds you and already those outside our realm seek to lead you astray.

Ras Nsi: Ubtau has taught me how to find my way through tangled weaves. I will not fail in this.

Besmiran Oracle waves her hand dismissively as the dream ends. Only Eddie Lindal and Besmira remain.

Besmira: "Do you see more now? You bear the curse already? I see... The one behind those fiends seeks you in dreams and will do so until he has captured your soul. Lets give him a little goose chase. Let me see your necklace little one.

(she touches it turning two beads shiny black)

You will no longer dream. At least not in a way he can find you in the dreaming anymore. This i can do without touching the waking world. Also to spite him your pearls may remove the curse if you use both restorations together - this much I can do for you. But you must never speak of how you came by this power or oblivion will claim you both. This i say as true. Do you both understand? If so then go. Your allies need you but speak not or I may withdraw my blessings to hide my tracks from those who would act if they knew I violate the pact. None should know so to darkness I bind you to keep this in your memories alone - hidden in darkness where no others can know the truth.

========= Kylorin's foray with spirits =========

Celadon wakes and Ijin is ascendant. So while Kylorin keeps watch dutifully Celadon just flits around doing hi sown thing. Eventually Kylorin notices her shield has spotted one of the little nature spirits - Chwinga. Outside the globe - flapping leaves and then breaking them. This scene repeats a few times. Kylorin checks with Celadon who tells her to go ahead and do whatever.

Kylorin carefully follows the spirit out but is so loud the spirit decides to cloak her in shadows (Pass without trace).

As she edges around after the Chwinga she uses her sight and detects undead but not in the direction of the Chwinga's path. The Chwinga leads Kylorin to an illusion covering a small wounded dragon. Kylorin can see it through shield that a group of Chwinga are making a protective dome over a tiny wounded dragon with butterfly wings. The dragon has been hit by a poison arrow and is delirious. Kylorin cures the poison and heals the dragon a bit and the Chwinga disperse there mission accomplished. The dragon wakes and Kylorin recognizes it as Sully from Firefinger.

Sully: Hey didn't think I's gonna see youse guys again. Howzit been goingz? Howz ya like de city? So I was prepping to drop a bucket full of mud over this fancy pant's Yuan Ti when one of those watchers thought it would be funny to take a pot shot at the bucket I was sitting on. See I put it down for a minute to rest and as I was resting my wings I guess he saw the bucket. And next thing I know I had a poison arrow through my wing cuz the guy was like a terrible shot.

Next thing you know I'm tripping on that poison and I think I hallucinate these little guys all over the place. Think I'm hyperventilating and getting too much of my own breath. Think ya ken de rest

========= Strange topography of the palace =========

After some negotiating with the dragon it offers to show the group a lovers gate to sneak in. The inner palace is an odd place where structures look organically grown or shaped. Here and there Crystalline growths out of the same material the chamberpot was made out of. Eddie finds that the Inner city have a draining effect on magic as it tries to suck his magical energy out to power the city grid back up.

Not ready to enter the inner city in person Eddie unveils his new magical masterwork - the unseen spy. Since he can not make Lindal both invisible and flying he instead makes the unseen servant serve as a mobile eye to scout the city. At first seeming to be exposed by the draining magic - the eye is able to float high enough above the ground to avoid the localized draining effect.

Floating invisibly through the city he finds some Yuan-Ti parties here and there. He also finds a large rift from which new groups appear to emerge. Floating down into the rift he notices the draining effect immediately lessens upon getting beneath the city surface.

========= Eyeing the enemy stronghold =========

Hundreds of feet beneath the earth there is a veritable fortress. Heavy doors, pits, snakes, guards, basilisks, and even pet dinosaurs. The front gate is a nightmare to storm. But scouting the fortress Eddie sees a few things of note. Ras-Nsi is suffering from the death curse and has a decent group of people with him. There are an assortment of magic looking sigils in various places around the fortress. Also Eddie finds his Uncle in the Haram cheating at cards and having the time of his life apparently. But most importantly Eddie finds a back entrance to the throne room along a river guarded by a Hydra. This way in is accessible from a hidden and lightly guarded outpost MUCH more assailable than the front entrance. Plans are made to storm the hidden outpost and slip in the back door. Ras-Nsi's escape route becoming their main entrance.

Inspiration

• • None

Experience (challenge based) 2000 Individual => 37231 cumulative

• Nightmare visitation - 800

• Save Dying Dragon - 600

• Safely Scout Yuan-Ti stronghold - 600

Allies

• • Seraph - still grumpy about Sully's jibe about not being able to speak

  • Sully - Irreverent Faerie dragon

Treasure

• -25 gp to buy information on secret way into city not watched by Yuan-Ti

• Lindal's prayer beads have been supercharged

  • 2 restoration charges can counter the death curse - this is the only magic that can do so.

  • The bearer of the black beads does not dream and is immune to dream/nightmare based magic.