DARKSUN: RUINS TO DESTRUCTION

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 013
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

20th DAY OF 5TH MONTH

Torruk spits out sand. “Alive” is all he can say.

Turkulkhan rolls over. He hurts from beak to claw. Inspecting his wings, he finds several important pin feathers are missing.

Tanis pushes up to get out from under a dead body of a guard. “Crap”

Delphia sits up and finds there is sand in every part and joint of her body. Not very comfortable.

“We’re alive.” Whispers Torruk.

“Define ‘we’” Dephia says looking around. Except for a few arms or legs of other guards and possibly a crodlu.

“What happened to the caravan? The mekillot…. Nado?”

“Gone” whispers Delphia as she looks to her water. “Oh no…”

Tanis quickly checks his supplies also. The sand, wind and possible impact has burst water skins and destroyed food rations. Turkulkhan looks to the cleric. He knows she creates water every morning. Twenty-four hours until she can do so again. Its going to be a long day.

“I have heard of Cerelum Storms of create savagery…. Was that one?”

“No. But it was magical in nature.” Says the elf as she tries to shake the sand and dust out of her clothes with as much dignity as she can.

Searching for anything that can be used from the bodies around them, they survey the goods. Then they try to decide which way to Urik.

They begin to walk in the staggering heat and the relentless light of the Darksun.

They walk towards what they believe is the road. It was not long before they realized the road was not there anymore. They walk for twenty minutes before they see something coming behind them. They immediately fear the Cursed Black Water undead.

“Wait. If they are the undead, we cannot outrun them….. especially without supplies.” Offers Tanis.

Though uncomfortable with the idea they wait. Soon they can indeed see it is about thirty to forty people walking their way. An old man with a staff leads what looks like farmers and gathers. Strange.

The large group stops at a comfortable fifty feet away. “We saw the storm. Do you need assistance?” asks the old man.

Delphia instantly dislikes the man. She fears he is a druid and will want something from her. Something selfless and heroic.

“We are okay. But where are we?” the elf asks.

“A few miles north of the trade road. We have limited food and water if you require it. We are willing to share.”

Hesitation.

“I am sorry. How rude of myself- I am Farcluun. These people and I have built a shelter nearby where we live. It has water and a small section that supports crops.”

Torruk is the first to accept the offer followed by Turkulkhan and Tanis. Only Delphia with her distrust of people holds off. Instead she wants more.

She looks at the people. A few have rakes or staffs…. No true weapons….. no true defenses. Only their leader may be an issue.

Delphia continues to talk to the old man learning roughly where the shelter is and what resources are there. While the others take a turn to talk (distract) Farcluun, she summons elementals.

“Now before I show you…. Eh? YOU DARE?!?!” screams out Farcluun as the earth around him begins to rise.

The first elemental strikes the old man. It’s earthen arm shatters on the old man’s leg. “I CAME HERE TO AID YOU- TO GIVE YOU FOOD AND WATER….. AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!?!?” The old man literally growls.

Delphia freezes in place. The other three stop with their mouths open.

“I…. AM….. FARCLUUN!” The old man hunches over and begins to grow. The illusion slides off of the old man as he rises six…seven…. Ten feet tall.

Delphia drops to her knees and bows with her head to the ground. The others drop to their knees also but more out of being stunned than respect…… for a dragon.

Here comes the innocent Farcluun....

and the less innocent Farcluun...

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 014
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

20th DAY OF 5TH MONTH

A dragon stands before them. Tall, gaunt and with powerful claws and teeth. He holds a staff with an obsidian globe on the top. The illusion of the farmers behind him dissolve also. The farmers and gathers become normal undead.

Delphia’s mind races. Why oh why did she do that? Then a cruel smile nearly forms on her face. “At least I didn’t drink the water “ she thinks based on a suspicion.

“You will serve me now for your insolence. The water and food you consumed was from the Black Waters Oasis. You will become a crazed undead in mere days unless you help me find the scrolls that created the curse. You have a choice…. Though the answer is clear- “ The creature demands of them.

Delphia, trying to recall the powers of the powerful creature bows several more times. “I will aid you without the need to curse me. Tell me only what needs to be done.”

“What would you have our humble persons do for you?” Tanis almost sings.

“You need only to locate the location of a ruined palace and together we will plunder it for the scrolls.” Farcluun sneers. He snaps his taloned fingers and four undead from the back of the crowd carries out a chest. It is clearly heavy as the dust blows out from under it as they drop it to the sand. They step away without a vocal command.

“Time is important. The quicker you find the ruins the quicker I get the scrolls to use and for your lives.”

Unclear of what is needed, Torruk steps up the large chest and opens it. Equipment ranging from weapons and armor to shovels and wrapped fruit. The fruit is magical for healing and some of the equipment is also magical. Delphia wants to ask where he found this chest and its contents but remains quiet figuring it was goods already plundered from the ruins. Farcluun sits back on the body of an undead servant. His nostrils flare with impatience as Tanis makes comments of the tales that could be sung of this grand adventure.

Believing Torruk and Tanis have had enough time, He calls out “Enough!” He rises up to his full ten foot stature and waves his arms. A sudden swirl of sand born on magical winds surrounds everyone. It disappears and the undead and the chest have disappeared- return from the sands and desert they came from. His scaly body shrinks and he resumes the form of a man dressed in dark purple robe and cape. “We go.” He declares.

They walk all morning and afternoon. If they stay within ten feet of Farcluun, they enjoy a reprieve from the heat as an aura of coolness surrounds him. Even then, it is hard to turn down any further food or water from him. Even with the evil and knowing smile he has when offering…. Especially to Delphia.

Knowing they need rest, Farcluun agrees to rest for the night. It is hard to be still with him looking at you. Imagery of him in dragon form attacking and eating them is prevalent. He glares with cautious unease when Tanis pulls out his stringed instrument and plucks at it. He tunes it and is about to play something when Farcluun clearly states- “Don’t” Tanis swallows hard and places it aside with the look of a kicked house pet.

“Tomorrow morning we will reach the ruins of Yaramuke. There are things you should know about the ruins and why we go there. Most important- we seek the royal palace of Queen Sielba. She was the ruler of the city when it was destroyed. Reports suggest the palace was destroyed and buried under the sands either through magic or time. With both, it can be plundered. However, no maps of the city exist that I have found. To find the burial place of her palace we will need to first locate two artifacts. These mundane items are the Orb and the Eye of The Earth. It is written that when these two items are placed just right as the Darksun sets, the location of the palace will be revealed. This is what you will do for me, you will find the two items and through those find the palace. Then I will do the rest. Together then we plunder the palace for the scrolls of Black Water.”

Tanis and Delphia both think about what they know of the ruins of Yaramuke. Without discussing it out loud, they both think of the location and how it is believed Urik leveled it. This was done somewhere between one thousand years ago to two thousand years ago.

Morning comes and they leave with little talk.

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 015
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

21ST DAY OF 5TH MONTH

Tanis’ stomach is unsettled. Fear or the early stage of becoming undead is unclear to him. He makes the decision to play music.

“There was once a group of four travelers. They came from Urik and traveled to Raam…..”

At the word “Raam” Farcluun snaps. “Enough!” He points at the singing Soulknife. “No more!”

Whether in nerves or defiance, his fingers strum the strings of his instrument. Farcluun snaps the rest of his fingers out from his pointing hand and Tanis is blasted off his feet through sheer psychic force. “I will not have you sully my thoughts and concentration through your damned musical attempts.” After a lingering glare, he turns and marches quicker now. Delphia gives him her own glare and even Torruk frowns at him as he helps him to his feet. Turkulkhan clacks his beak in annoyance. “Do not gain his fire nor keep him from his desire.” Tanis makes a mental note…. That line could fit nicely in his song he will write if he survives this.

Marching for two hours they spot a heavily damaged wall with archways lifting it up. Torruk assumes it to be a guards watchtower of some sort. (aqueduct from the times of having water) “I will wait for you here. Do not try anything. Without me, you will never see the cure for the Black Waters Curse.”

“Where to begin?” asks Tanis.

“I fly up and look at the ruins from the sky.” Offers Turkulkhan.

He clumsily tries to go airborne. The loss of key flight feathers makes it difficult for him but he manages. He soars higher and higher until he can see much of the ruins…. What there is to see.

There is a second wall. Though broken it appears to have once been the protective wall of the city. A half dozen pieces of structures can be seen. One looks especially appealing. A dome with spikes protruding for the edges. There is also a block shaped building partially buried by sand. Little else stands out. He circles back to the others and lands with less grace than before the magical storm.

He makes a sandy map of what he has seen and they agree to go to the dome first.

Searching the ground as they go, Tanis calls out as the sand under his foot suddenly shifts. A sandy sinkhole! He is sucked in and lands below. It is a ten x ten foot room that is quickly filling in with loose sand. Using his psionics, he works to stay on the top of the sand which brings him nearly back to the surface. Torruk easily reaches his arm and pulls him out the rest of the way.

Shortly they reach the building structure the aarakocra had seen. No entrance can be seen. Looking closer, the group spot a the top edge of a window sill. Spending several minutes using the shovels they took from the chest, they dig a window entrance. They carefully drop into the room and light their lantern.

It looks like a bedroom. In the bed is a dark ash colored skeleton. Delphia looks it over and spots some rings worth taking. And a small scorpion which attacks her but she quickly removes. They find little here so they go down a set of ladder rungs that lead into a bigger room. It appears this area was a Barracks. Most the skeletons here are also in bed and darkened.

Finding little to amuse herself, Delphia leads the group back to the surface. The bird man informs the group that he thought he had seen someone skulking around but lost them . They travel next to a tall statue that had been seen from the sky. Seeing little use for it, they move on.

They come to a structure that is largely shielded from the sky from a mound of sand but is largely exposed on the ground level. There is no door but many glassless windows. Going through a window with psionic aid, Delphia searches first. It appears to be a large warehouse. Looking about, Tanis spots footprints in areas of sand within. “Someone has been here before us…. Recently I think.”

Indeed, most of the crates have been opened and barrels moved and inspected. Once more, Tanis trips a trap. Barrels crash onto the floor and the floor then in turn collapses in a small area. Tanis gives a “What?” look and shrug of his shoulders and they look into the darkness. Something stirs below. Something with twin red glowing eyes. They move away quickly and try to ignore the undead below.

During the search they spot a floating blue glowing orb. It seems to rotate to watch the group move through a section of the warehouse. “What is it?” Torruk asks.

“Doesn’t seem dangerous.” Adds Tanis.

“A psionic watcher or guard of some sort …. Try to avoid it. It may have the ability to attack us.” Says the distrusting elf. “Tanis… Tanis!” she hisses as she spots him creep up around the floating globe. He quietly picks up a wood beam and waits. Then he leaps into the air and slaps it out of the air. It thuds and thumps and rolls and bounces to a stop in a corner. With a proud smile he poses at the globe placing a foot on it and leans on the piece of wood.

“Grow up.” She sighs. “…and help me with it.”

“What are we going to do with it?” asks Torruk as he tries to gain leverage on it to carry it.

“This could be the Orb we are looking for. If not, the work on this glass globe could bring in a lot of money.”

“Sounds good.” Says the half-giant as he struggles for leverage and carries it back to the window. Getting it out the window is less graceful.

Turkulkhan is still at the window (he doesn’t like going into the buildings). “I am certain something is here watching us.”

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 016
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

21ST DAY OF 5TH MONTH

Half carrying- half rolling the blue orb they carefully move about watching for trouble of any kind. “There!” says Torruk pointing to a heap of sand. Dozens of small figures leap out from behind it and charge. “Silt Runners!” calls out Torruk.

Dozens of these small well toed lizard-like creatures charge with spears and javelins. Earth elementals are called up and it causes the creatures to split into two groups. They seem to be trying to attack and run. Only they didn’t expect the earth elementals.

Pockets are formed that Tanis and the half giant use to trap the creatures. From the air, Turkulkhan attacks with his bow. As quickly as the creatures struck they are gone. Delphia is pleased with something she found on possibly the leader of the group. A master worked metal dagger.

Spotting something reflective in the sand, the group goes to that direction. They find a piece of a wall with stained glass. Feeling it has to be something important they search and dig around it. It takes a long time to dig through the shifting sands. In time they expose a section below the glass that enters a large room.

The stain glass image is of a green mountain with blue lines coming from it. Somehow it speaks to Delphia. Lost in thought, the group have to call to her when they clear enough space to go in. Tanis goes first and loses his footing as sand pours through the exposed area once more. It is a short fall but jarring just the same. Rotating his shoulder to get the ach out he calls for the others.

A long hall way with two doors. They go to the door on the left side and find a water fountain. The water is here and very still. Delphia warns the others not to drink it as it may be bad from age. Torruk checks the door across the hall and finds ancient robes that are brittle to the touch. They depict an blue half circle over an orange or brown line.

Bored, they move on. Shortly they enter a very large room with many large wooden tables. Several robed skeletons are here. They are collapsed and face down on the tables. The bones have a blacken ash look to them. “I thought old bones were white or yellow.” Thinks Tanis out loud.

“Magic. Defiler magic I would suspect.” Answers Delphia.

“I thought only plants died from that.” Suggests the half-giant leaning over to inspect the bones of a skeleton.

“Powerful magic may do more. I don’t know. Let’s move before we join them.” Demands the elf as she walks away.

Torruk looks closer and spots a necklace. Biting his lip in indecision, he decides to take it. With the necklace is a bronze key.

They come to another door. This one is larger and stronger. It is locked however. “Torruk- can you force it open?”

With a smile, he walks up to it and uses the key. It opens. “How… where did you get that?”

“I took it.” He holds up the necklace with the symbol. She snatches it from his hand. “You should show more respect for the earth clerics.” And with that she puts the necklace on herself and enters the next room.

This room is bigger than the last and has a polished marble floor. Dark colored brown marble pillars hold up the ceiling. Something is painted on the ceiling but the lighting makes it impossible to read or see. Plus they are distracted as they look to the far end. An alter with twin red marble pillars is here. Between the pillars is a large polished globe.

Moving closer, they spot runes on it and carefully etched images of the lands and an eye. “The Eye!”

A growl lightly follows the exclamation. Slowly the three turn in unison and see twin red glaring eyes stare at them in sheer hatred. A Dwarven Banshee!

The creature moves at them Tanis trembles at the sight. The skin has been flailed from its skin- just as Farcluun warned he would do to him at the camp if he tried to play his music again. Tanis and Delphia attack through psionics while Torruk does his best not to succumb to its own mental attacks. Delphia freezes then suddenly attacks the half giant snarling and growling. He hates to do it, but he tent posts her on the head and she goes unconscious. The dangerous undead is then taken down.

Tanis takes her and the half-giant waddles out with the Eye. One down and possibly a second to go.

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 017
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

21ST DAY OF 5TH MONTH

After waking up the elf with a little of water on her face she sputters and asks what happened. The undead struck her down Torruk lies.

[DM NOTE: Never did clarify it that was her water or the Cursed water]

They search the ruins finding signs of the Silt Runners. A few broken walls and buildings but finally come to something that looks promising on the northern side of the ruins. Stonework rises out of the sand. Statues of strange animals (deer, rabbits, wolves and pine trees) adorn the eves of the roof.

Eventually you find double doors that open out. Several hours are spent to clear the door space. A large room is here with columns of stone and marble. The floor is littered with broken pieces of stone work. Kicking through the rubble they move to the right.

A large room with paintings and portraits is here. All of the pieces have been vandalized. Most are sliced and cut but others have slurs written in blood. A small room off of this one has more broken ceramics and pottery. Much of the outer wall has been collapsed from the outside.

Going back into the first room they cross it and find a room filled with destroyed book shelves. Once on these shelves are hundreds and possibly thousands of books. Now they lay in ruin, age, vandalism and even fire has taken their toll on the library.

Beyond this room is one with dozens of small ceramic animal figures. Delphia finds one mostly intact. Though it is less than the size of her fist, she imagines it was once a creature of great power and strength. It has large humorous ears and tentacle growing for a nose. She pockets it and they move back to the original room.

The last doorway goes into a room with highly reflective walls. The walls are covered by glass and mirrors. All are broken and shattered. Most of it in shards that lay on the floor but some remain attached to the stone walls. Who knows what the original purpose was.

The final door leads to another round room. Rubble blocks it b7ut the half-giant clears it quickly with minor injuries from the glass. Inside is another room filled with strange crystalline figures. Many are broken beyond knowing what the original shape was. Moving pieces of wood, they find… A blue tinted glass orb about eight inches in size. All three turn and smile at each other and quickly get the globe.

They carry their three globes back to Farcluun. Waits is extremely impatient and snaps at them when they return. Furious at the guardian globe, he tosses it aside. “So where is the palace?!?” the Dragon demands.

“?!?”

“I told you these would tell you where the palace it. Did you try the first building there?” and he points to a ruin near the second wall.

Embarrassed and fearing for their lives they hurry. “You better run you maggots! Dusk will be here soon enough.” He calls after them. He sits back down and snorts as if still in his draconic form.

Pieces of the wall still stand. A dull colored mural can be seen. The walls are black volcanic glass- obsidian. Searching the mural closer they spot a small hole. “Can you pick it?” asks the elf to Tanis.
Tanis looks at it closely. Clearly he is uncertain what to do. He pokes and prods it. “I don’t see any moving parts… no runes…..”

The four of them stare at it. Turkulkhan mumbles a thought. He has seen something like this at a temple. The others look at him with an expectation of him continuing. “Oh. Ah… well the fear of theft was strong within the temple so they created a cover over their collection box. It was shaped like that to receive coins that then could not be stolen.

Tanis takes out a ceramic and holds it at the coin slot. “Like this?” and releases it.

“Here is the majestic city of Yaramuke, carved from barren wilderness by the hand of empereror Kadiran Firehand a thousand generations ago.” The mural begins glow showing bright colors of gold, yellow and tan. “As the mural shows, our city has prospered since its founding and since the coming of Empress Sielba.” A phantom like image of a blond haired beautiful woman appears in the sky overlooking the city. “Her palace is blessed by not only the physical representation of the Emperor Firehand, but also by the Eye of the earth, which is held in the tower of the temple of earth’s wonders.” Delphia groans quietly. This would have been very helpful. “It is said that when the light of these blessings no longer shines upon the door of the palace, Shielba’s rule will come to an end.”

“….and it sure did.” Says Tanis to humor himself.

“I don’t understand” says Torruk.

“Look at the mural…. Quickly- its magics are fading.” Points out Delphia. The glowing mural depicts the two globes they have with red and blue light coming out that shine on a palace door. “If we can replicate that effect.” She begins……

They walk back to the statue of Firehand. “The globe he is holding will be easy. But the other….”

Tanis empties his pack and places the orb Firehand needs to hold and climbs up the head and raised arm. He places it in the palm and waves.

Frowning, Delphia tries to judge the exposed space of the arm to the distance away from the statue then how high it needs to be. She steps it out and stops She turns and looks up and down a few times. We need it about up here….” The half giant walks over and lifts the globe up. “Higher!” He grunts and stretches up. “A little more. Turkulkhan drags over a slab of stone wall. He steps up and holds it up. Suddenly twin beams of line flare out. “Hold still you cretin!” Frowning, he tries to hold still.

“Keeping holding that frozen pose. I need to figure out the distance from here to the palace and then figure out the distance into the sand.” Torruk’s head hurts trying to follow her words and remain still and balanced while reaching high over his head with a heavy glass globe.

“Okay, Turkulkhan – go get the mage.”

The Silt Runners approach....

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 018
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

21ST DAY OF 5TH MONTH DUSK

“Sir?” Turkulkhan stammers in confusion and fear.

Farclunn has tied one end of a long giant hair rope to his waist and now holds out the line to the bird man. “Tie it to your own waist.”

He does so and warily looks at him and swallows hard. He flaps his wings and slowly takes to the air. He swoops under an arch of the raised walk way and towards the others whom already have begun to march to the palace area.

Surprising to the aarakocra, the mage is much heavier than he expected…. Until remembers what he sees is a mere magical illusion. In truth, he is tied to a ten foot tall creature of mythic power. It is not long before they reach the second wall. Suddenly Farcluun falters and trips. The action nearly pulls the air out of Turkulkhan’s lungs. He does drop from the sky but lands with only a short tumble. He curses the fates again with the loss of his pin feathers. Then suddenly Farcluun hurries past him flailing his arms before him.

Turkulkhan looks in confusion then calls out as the rope goes taunt and he is dragged behind the dragon in human form. Farcluun stops only when he crashes into some pieces of a building. He snarls and tries to use magic to aid him. The cacti soften and turn brown but nothing seems to happen. “RRRAAARGH! I CURSE THE WALL!”

This growl and curse causes the others to turn and watch. Turkulkhan is trying to take to the air once more as Farcluun concentrates to hear the others. “Is he…. Drunk?” asks Torruk. Tanis laughs. “No- He’s blind.” Delphia gives him a swift elbow to the gut.

By listening to their breathing he zeroes in on them. The birdman does everything he can just to keep with him. Listening for Tanis to speak. The dragon then strikes out telekinetically at him. “Never disrespect me Bard.”

Not a bard thinks Tanis as he picks himself up from the sand some fifteen feet away. “This is the place?” He demands as he looks between Delphia and Torruk.

“Yes” she answers.

Having prepared several scrolls to activate with a single word left to say he begins to activate them. Powerful magic is called on as the last rays of the Darksun disappear. Sand rises and swirls. Delphia fears another teleporting storm.

Swirling sand with occasional shadows of people are seen. Then crumbling ruins… the complete buildings that are on fire. A fourth scroll is finished shows attacking and raiding soldiers. They are destroying buildings and plundering the city. A giant lion headed scorpion crashes through a building that resembles the palace. A golden dragon-like creature tries to stop it. Magic and psionic energies flare and with the sixth scroll finished a complete palace remains upright before them with sand removed from the entrance area.

“It is done.” Says Farcluun quietly.

Delphia wisely keeps it to herself when she wondered if he was referring to the magic or the palace being exposed.

DARKSUN: RUINS OF DESTRUCTION
SEGMENT 019
ADVENTURE THREE: BLACK FLAMES
01/01/17

21ST DAY OF 5TH MONTH EARLIER THAT MORNING-

The winds are gaining strength and Nado feels the very caravan begin to lift. “Hold on!” he calls out though he suspects no one can hear him over the winds. He grabs onto a pole even as he witnesses a guard being sucked out of the wagon.

The caravan lifts up. He barely can hear the mekillot call out in fear. The psion does all she can to hold on and calm the creature. The effort is wasted as she screams as the wind changes and sand rockets through scoring her arm. She is sucked out the wide window with pieces of her arm hanging lose.

Nado now understands the powerful truth.

Today he dies.

He tumbles and bangs around the caravan once he loses his grip. The caravan spins faster in circles then suddenly he and it are weightless. He topples into a cargo net and pushes the barrels free. He feels the contents of his stomach spill as he curls up into the net. Suddenly it crashes. Not straight down but first skipping then rolling in the loose sand. It is possibly what saved his life.

It takes several minutes to dig his way out from the collapsed caravan wagon. The mekillot is gone. The crodlu are gone. The guards are gone. That damned elf and her group are gone. He crawls out and rolls over.

“#$@&%”