Age of Heroes - LR's Gestalt Game.

You're in a cavern, in the centre is a twisted stone and metal sculpture, upon the sculpture are hung countless severed heads, all of which are horribly animated all the while they call and beckon to you. Gazing at the sculpture you're horrified to see your own head adorning the sculpture, surrounded by the heads of various other people. As you lay eyes upon yourself a sensation of drowsiness comes upon you, and you begin to float up to the abhorrent structure, higher and higher you ascend.

As you get closer a huge shadowy figure rears up from the steaming pit at the sculptures core, opening it's shadowy maw you are confronted by rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth, inch by inch you move closer to creatures mouth, inwardly you scream in fear and try to move away from the horrible apparition, however outwardly you smile serenely as you move closer to your certain death.

As you enter the mouth of the beast you feel yourself lying down on it's moist tongue, and you watch helplessly as the mouth suddenly closes and you feel the sharp bite of it's teeth digging into your flesh.

Divine Spellcasters Only[sblock]
As the teeth sink into your flesh you suddenly find yourself floating again above the twisted sculpture, as you watch the shadowy form disappear and you can make out what looks like tortured souls being drawn into the latticework of the sculpture, as each soul is absorbed a burst of energy is released by the sculpture into the fiery pit at it's core, soon the stream of souls begins to increase as more and more are drawn into it.

Floating higher and higher you begin to pass thru the walls of the very rocks and soon you are hovering over a formidable stone fortress which rest high up in a mountain range.

You only have a second to take in your surroundings before you're flying higher and higher, as you rise you can make out what looks like a thousands and thousands of souls being drawn into the deep pit from all across the land, flying higher still to can see a what appears to be a massive hurricane composed of ephemeral souls circling around this dark pit slowly draining away to oblivion.[/sblock]
~~~~

Waking with a scream you find yourself drenched with sweat, your heart is pounding as if you've just finished running a long distance race, standing before you is the glowing representation of your deity "You must find the others, only together can you stop this evil, you must go to Inupras to find the answers you seek, Inupras"

For a week now you have been receiving these disturbing visions, it's always the same dream followed by the nightly visitations of your deities, each day you're left with a sense of urgency, after speaking with the wise ones of your home it was determined that you had been selected by the Gods to seek out the evil in your dreams and put a stop.

Travelling to Inupras capital city of Imaskar, you enter the majestic city and are drawn to the plaza of the gods, a huge open plaza which is surrounded by the temples of the main good and neutral Gods of Faerun.

In the centre of the plaza is an ancient circle of stones which are covered in strange runes and pictographs which seem to change before the very eyes of viewer. It is said that the rune cover stone circle was created in the distant past by the combined efforts of all of the good and neutral gods, as they wages there eternal battle against the disruptive forces of evil.

Around this place of solitude there are benches for the faithful to rest upon as the meditate upon the will of the Gods, taking you eyes away from the stone circle you each look around and are shocked to recognise some of the faces from your terrible dream, judging by the expression on the faces of the others they are as equally surprised and seem to recognise your own.

Gathering together in a circle of stunned silence you each gaze around at the others, and realise that like you, they too are the chosen of the gods.

OOC: The year is -7800 DR you have all travelled to the Imperial Imaskar City of Inupras to find answers to the dreams that have been plaguing your sleep.

A boy, dressed in dirt and rags lead a man into the plaza. The man was huge, closer to seven foot than six, his frame was broad and heavily muscled. He drew the attention of those around him, not for his size but for what he wore. For the most part it was fairly unremarkable fare, sturdy, if dusty traveling clothes, a wide brimmed hat that both hid his face from the sun and from other observes, it was none of that. He carried a ridiculously oversized sword on his back.

The hilt stuck up past his head and the blade almost reached the ground. That would have been unwieldy enough, but the blade must have been eight inches across. By the looks of it, there was no way anything less than a giant could wield such a monstrous weapon. It begged to ask what use could a person have for it, so the people of the city gave him a wide berth and the guard eyed him carefully.

The boy stopped, pointed at the stone monument in the middle of the plaza, then turned back expectantly. “See mister, right here, like I said.”

The monster of a man smiled down at the lad, “Indeed you did.” Reaching into his pouch he produced two coins, one copper and the other silver, handing the copper to the child his deep voice intoned, “This is for your work. Since you have proven yourself reliable, I would like to hire you again. I am hungry, but I do not know what street vendor would sell appropriate fare.”

“If you would be so kind as to select something for me, purchase it and return to me at the benches, I could see perhaps a like payment for you. Also, since I hate to eat alone, buy yourself something as well.” He solemnly pressed the silver coin in the boys hand and watched him run off. If the boy returned with his food he would see gold.

Ununkua’em sometimes called the Vanquisher looked over the plaza as he walked toward the circle of stones. Inupras was like many of the lowland cities he had traveled to, perhaps larger, perhaps more elaborate, but none the less same at the heart of it. How these people could stay in their buildings and not move about is something he could never figure. He had traveled among them for years, seeking out their warriors to test himself against.

Their differences did not always make them weak, but for the most part, compared to his own people, they were sheltered and unprepared for the world beyond their walls and cities. That wasn’t wrong, he reminded himself, it was a trade off. They had many things his people did not have as well. They were more forgiving of weakness than his people.

He reached the circle of stones and nothing momentous happened. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or annoyed. Valadis had appeared to him before, but never like this. And the dreams…

It had all lead him here, for what purpose he was uncertain. He had spoken of others, but what others, how would he know them? His visions and feelings had brought him to these stones and no farther. So now he waited, for a portent, or perhaps another divine visitation.

OOC:
Ununkua’em is using his hat of disguise to appear smaller, and his armor is glimmered to appear as traveling clothes. His feature, aside from the human like coloration, appears much as his true form (the ones from the dreams) so he should be recognizable.

The milling throng of people around the outer edge of the Plaza of the Gods parts briefly to let a spotted grey gelding through. Riding on its back is a figure garbed in the flowing dark robe and scarf of a desert nomad, though the sword at its side is not the usual thick, heavily curved blade they use. Also, the figure is speaking in the tones of a young woman...apparently to no one.

"From humble beginnings, this daughter of a humble fisherman followed the rank and bloody scent of ADVENTURE, through the secret elf glades, down into the earthy halls of new Shanatar, south to the arid wastes of Calimport...and now...HERE!"

In a sudden flurry of motion, the figure explodes off the horse's back, leaving the desert robe and head covers behind to flutter to the cobbles around the tired mount. The rider reappears a few paces ahead of her mount, clad in a raiment of what looks like liquid silver, worn over a short shirt and vest that leaves her arms bare, and a pair of loose dark grey trousers that look cut for maximum mobility. She's quite pretty, with a heart shaped face, still slightly plump with the last fading sign of youth, and crowned with bright yellow hair that falls to her shoulders in amber waves, held away from her face with a well-worked diadem of silver and gold wire with a single blue gem over her forehead. Her skin is far too pale for the desert garb she'd been wearing, to say nothing of the blonde hair, and her eyes flash bright green...just a touch TOO green, as if she were of the fey folk herself, though her ears are round and her proportions human. Further, while in the bundle of robes she seemed fairly large, now she is revealed to be...a bit short, and of slim build. Hardly an impressive seeming warrior...

With a flourish of her cape, she whips her sword out and points it at the center of the plaza, then takes a formal bow.

"By your grace, Tyche, I, Ilshana the Bold, have come to this place at the heart of Imaskar. I will await your bidding here, goddess of fortune."

She stands up and slides the rapier home again, then turns around to catch sight of the huge man solemnly waiting nearby. At first she nods at him in polite recognition and starts to walk past...then she stops and looks back at his face, squinting slightly.

"Excuse me, towering fellow, but have we met before? Your face seems somehow...familiar to me." She frowns as she studies him...then her eyes widen and her face pales. She points.

"It's...YOU!"

Ununkua’em watched, amused at the girl’s dramatic entrance, wondering if this sort of thing was common here. He suppressed the desire to applaud, unsure if it was appropriate or not.

He returned her nod politely, a small smile on his lips, but her sudden outburst caught him off guard. He was sure he had never met this girl before. Then as he studied her for a second, he realized he had seen her before… in the dream.

Looking away from the girl for a moment, glancing at the crowd that was now watching them, he spoke loud enough for the crowd to hear, “I am Ununkua’em, I believe I was sent here to meet you.”

"Another chosen of Tyche!" the girl blurts joyously, and extends a small hand. The gesture looks almost silly being that the top of her head would barely brush the giant's chest.

"I am Ilshana, a knight errant on a fool's errand. My discourse is coarse, but listen and find a method in the madness; a pattern in the patter, that suggests subjects that matter to us both, and by my troth..." at this she winks and draws her sword into a salute. "As the wicked swear, and the mighty can aver, I've little fear or care for who I've stung. And of all the things I carry with which to fight and harry, the only thing more scary than my blade, is my tongue."

She bows again, and with a twirling motion, sheathes the rapier.

"At your service! But, we should sit! Talk! You have had the dream too?"

Ilshana plunks down on a bench and beckons the taller man over.

He reaches down and takes her hand, carefully as if he suspects it might break. His hands are feel rough, hard and larger than they look. He smiles broadly at her rhymes and as she ushers him to the bench he take off his pack and massive sword, setting them down beside him.

”I am pleased to meet you, chosen of Tyche, though I am afraid I do not follow the same mistress you do. I walk the path of Valadis, the seeker of enlightenment. Which is to say I am his champion, when he feels it is necessary to act.”

He lets the crowd she has gathered disperse a little before continuing in quieter tones, “You have had the dreams as well? They and nightly visages of Valadis have brought me here. He spoke of others, which I can now only suspect represent other divine interests. If this is marshalling forces of multiple deities, then we could be facing something unprecedented.”

He looks distant for a moment, ”I dreamt of a construct of stone and metal, from which hung animated heads. One of which was yours, one of which was mine. From the bowels of the construct came a beast of shadows which consumed me. The construct then began to consume souls, one after another, right into the pit from which the beast came. I was drawn higher and could see souls streaming in from outside the constructs, thousands of them. The higher I went the more souls I could see, all pouring toward the beast, like all the souls in the world being drawn into this thing.”

“Were your dreams similar?”

Silvanyck Elf Bard/Warlock

Another enters the plaza. He is a tall well built Copper (Wood) Elf with Coppery green tinged skin and piercing hazel eyes. His reddish copper colored hair is worn long and carefully braided. He is lithe in the way of all elves and touched with the personal magnatism of some distant fey ancestor. A longbow of fine craftsmanship hangs at his shoulders while a stout club craved with intricate leaves shares space on his hip with an antler handled hunting knife and a beautifully crafted rapier of strange greenish metal. A long spear completes his weaponry. His well worn, but skillfully wrough studded leather armor has been dyed with the native plant extracts of the Lethyr forest allowing it to blend in. His low soft boots create hardly a rustle as he walks. His only adornments are a thin piece of green leather he uses to tie his braid, a wooden holy symbol in the shape of a cressent moon pinned to his chest, a simple gold ring and a strip of purple cloth covered in golden arcane symbols he wears draped around his neck. Despite all this hardware there is a feeling of power that goes beyond the physical about Silvanyck. Something in his sharp eyes or flicker of light at his finger tips suggests that he is in touch with the ancient power of the fey people and their forests.

He sits on a bench and begins to play a flute. The music is soft and lilting bringing forth images of rustling leaves and soft breezes. He glances up at the large man and the woman on the bench talking and hits a sour note as recognition dawns. He slips the flute into a case and rises gracefully to stride over to them. When he speaks his voice is smooth and rich. He speaks the trade tongue with an Elvish accent. "Please forgive me for interrupting you, but I must ask if you have been summoned here by visions and dreams?"

Ilshana, just about to answer her new friend's question, turns to look at the newcomer and immediately yelps delightedly, "ELF!"

She jumps to her feet and bows with a sweep of her arm. "ELF!"

Then she begins a rapid patter in the Elven tongue, displaying remarkable fluency for a human. "Yes! We were both in a dream and got eaten by a monster with heads hanging from it, only his dream was a bit different than mine and he kept going up while I just woke up, but he saw my head and I saw his and I think I saw YOURS...all hanging from the monster!"

She takes a breath and gestures at the bench, switching back to Common. "Sit with us, and we'll share tales of Tyche's sending."

Devona Rift: Human Cleric/Healer

In to the plaza strolls a medium sized young lady. In the shiny breastplate she seems to be walking with sunshine. The woman with long blonde hair looks around the square with the wide eyes of a child. Not that she has never been in a city just this one is new. She strides up to the statue looking over the writing not that she knows any of it just seemed like the thing to do.

"Thank Xeros I made it here. Why I am here is beyond me, but if my diety wish it it can't be all bad. Now those others that were there they looked like...," she scans the square with her hands behind her back while taking measured strides to look completely around the statue mumbling to herself, "Hmm they look familiar...I will see."

As she walks closer she listens in to what the group is talking about, "Dreams: Check, Weird things: Check, Dieties personal visit: Check," she mumbles to herself.

"Hello!" comes a suprisingly chipper voice, "I think I know you all, from the dream. Well I will make this easy, my name is Devona Rift priest of Xeros. You can call me Dev," she then reaches out her hand and shakes hands with all who are willing.

Ununkua’em stands, putting his sword back over his shoulder. He smiles as Ilshana speaks to the elf in excited tones in what he presumes to be elven. Turning to the other newcomer, he takes her professed hand and again, his hand feels harder and larger than appearances would have.

“My name is Ununkua’em, I am the Champion of Valadis. The young lady here is Ilshana, chosen of Tyche and I am afraid our elven friend has not had the opportunity to introduce himself yet.” he says with a small amused smile.

“I think I recognize your face from the dream as well, Dev. If everyone that had a head hanging from that structure shows up here, the Imaskari are going think they have been invaded.”