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Shadows of Greatness, a Forgotten Realms campaign UPDATED February 1, 2008
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<blockquote data-quote="sniffles" data-source="post: 3084727" data-attributes="member: 30035"><p><strong>Shadows of the Sun</strong></p><p></p><p>As we stood upon the deck of the solar barge, I wondered if I should bow or kneel to the diminutive golden being who addressed us. I looked to Nekaya for an example of proper behavior in the presence of deities, for I realized that even this being was a minor divinity. </p><p></p><p>Nekaya at once began to explain to the being how we had come to be aboard the barge, to which the divinity responded that he knew why we had come: to bring the end of night. This statement left me bewildered and he did not elaborate. Instead he offered to show us where our horses might be stabled during the voyage. </p><p></p><p>We followed the deity, whose name I learned was Up-uate, into the hold of the barge. I was hard pressed to keep my thoughts on my destination. The barge appeared to be made entirely of precious metals, gleaming with silver and gold. Beyond it I could see the fiery sphere that formed the outside of the solar orb. A number of other lesser deities such as Up-uate hurried about the golden deck with long-handled implements, reaching out with these extensible tools to remove patches of darkness from the solar corona. Other deities worked to repair scorch marks and scratches on the golden deck and sides of the barge. I was too amazed to wonder what might have caused such damage.</p><p></p><p>The hold seemed far too expansive to be contained beneath the deck on which we had appeared. It was filled with massive quantities of goods, from heaps of gold coins and ingots to bales of fine cloth and urns and jars of every description. Nekaya kept up a running conversation with Up-uate, who seemed content to answer her many questions. I busied myself in tending to Aratan and did not hear all of what she asked, but I did overhear that the goods filling the hold were the belongings of Mulhorandi citizens who had become 'lost'. </p><p></p><p>Nekaya later explained that this meant they had died without being interred with the proper rituals. These lost souls would wait in the caverns of darkness until the solar barge passed by on its journey into the night. If the lost souls could fight their way through the demons of the night and board the barge, they would be borne over the Western Mountains into paradise, and their worldly goods would be returned to them. </p><p></p><p>I found this explanation of the afterlife very curious. I do not recall any mention of such strictures among my people. Though there are many handsome tombs in Evereska, there is no requirement that one of the Tel'Quessir have any type of burial or ritual in order to pass into Arvandor. </p><p></p><p>As I listened to the discussion between Nekaya and Up-uate, I realized that though it seemed to me that he spoke in my native tongue, when Nekaya spoke with him she seemed to comprehend him perfectly, though she has confessed in the past that despite her elven heritage she does not know the language of our people.</p><p></p><p>I spent more time than was truly necessary with Aratan, for I felt overwhelmed by the divine presence of the barge. At its tiller stood the god Re-Horakhty, the massive being with the head of a hawk. He did not speak to us nor acknowledge our presence, but I could feel his divine aura wherever I went on the golden barge. </p><p></p><p>My friend Rock set to work with the godlings who were engaged in reparing the damage to the barge, using his skill with metalwork to polish away the scratches. As I have no such skill myself, I offered to aid the godlings in removing the dark spots and debris that had accumulated on the barge and the solar corona. There are many things of an unknown nature floating about beyond the solar orb, and when they strike the fiery globe they are burnt to ash. </p><p></p><p>After a time the godlings rested from their labors, pausing to play a game they called 'Equinox'. My companions and I were permitted to join them, though I must confess I was a poor player. The game involves bowling balls of sun-stuff at a course laid out on the deck, which sounds simple enough, but I could not contrive to steer my ball in the proper direction. </p><p></p><p>We were introduced to the rest of the barge's crew during this time, and I will transcribe their names here if only so that I may remember them. The captain of the barge was called Kherp; he had the head of some beast though I could not determine what manner of beast. The lookout was called Nehes. The remaining deckhands, who all resembled Up-uate, were called Her-heken, Saa, Hu, and Afu. Afu appeared to be a very devout person, constantly in prayer to Horus-Re.</p><p></p><p>We were not the only mortals traveling aboard the barge at that time. The other passengers were a woman called Panya and a man named Habeth. Both of them were evidently lost souls who had managed to board the barge to be transported to their afterlife. Habeth kept descending to the hold to carry up treasures at Panya's behest. Unlike the divinities, their speech could not readily be understood by my ears. </p><p></p><p>After a time - I could not say how long, for it is difficult to judge the hours when one is within the Sun itself - we began to approach a range of mountains. The barge dipped down toward them, revealing that all the land below was golden and dotted with vast caverns containing cities of gold. As we approached this dazzling landscape Habeth and Panya simply vanished. </p><p></p><p>Up-uate announced that we were approaching a particular peak called Mount Manu. An enormous cleft opened into the interior of this mountain and the barge entered into the cleft. As it did so it seemed somehow darker to me on the deck, though I did not observe any decrease in the light of the solar fires. </p><p></p><p>I was startled to observe the appearance of a tall reptilian being on the foredeck. This being was Afu. Nekaya explained to us that now our work would truly begin: soon the demons of Night would begin to attack the solar barge as the evil god Set attempted to prevent the Sun from rising again. It would be our duty to help defend the barge. </p><p></p><p>Then I saw sinister dark shadows begin to swoop toward the barge.</p><p></p><p>_________________________________________________________________________</p><p><strong>Quips & Quotes:</strong></p><p></p><p>Devo: "You're in an extraplanar space."</p><p>Zora: "Good thing I brought extra snakes."</p><p></p><p>Zora: "I remember who is Hu, but do I see Saa?"</p><p></p><p>patv: "So he's the sun pool boy."</p><p>sniffles: "It's the divine pooper scooper!"</p><p></p><p>patv: "Does Captain Kherp have a phaser?"</p><p>Zora: "Is it set on sun?"</p><p></p><p>patv: "I make some offhand comment about the weather..."</p><p>Devo: "'Sunny today'."</p><p></p><p>Zora: (In Mr. T voice) " I pity Afu."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="sniffles, post: 3084727, member: 30035"] [b]Shadows of the Sun[/b] As we stood upon the deck of the solar barge, I wondered if I should bow or kneel to the diminutive golden being who addressed us. I looked to Nekaya for an example of proper behavior in the presence of deities, for I realized that even this being was a minor divinity. Nekaya at once began to explain to the being how we had come to be aboard the barge, to which the divinity responded that he knew why we had come: to bring the end of night. This statement left me bewildered and he did not elaborate. Instead he offered to show us where our horses might be stabled during the voyage. We followed the deity, whose name I learned was Up-uate, into the hold of the barge. I was hard pressed to keep my thoughts on my destination. The barge appeared to be made entirely of precious metals, gleaming with silver and gold. Beyond it I could see the fiery sphere that formed the outside of the solar orb. A number of other lesser deities such as Up-uate hurried about the golden deck with long-handled implements, reaching out with these extensible tools to remove patches of darkness from the solar corona. Other deities worked to repair scorch marks and scratches on the golden deck and sides of the barge. I was too amazed to wonder what might have caused such damage. The hold seemed far too expansive to be contained beneath the deck on which we had appeared. It was filled with massive quantities of goods, from heaps of gold coins and ingots to bales of fine cloth and urns and jars of every description. Nekaya kept up a running conversation with Up-uate, who seemed content to answer her many questions. I busied myself in tending to Aratan and did not hear all of what she asked, but I did overhear that the goods filling the hold were the belongings of Mulhorandi citizens who had become 'lost'. Nekaya later explained that this meant they had died without being interred with the proper rituals. These lost souls would wait in the caverns of darkness until the solar barge passed by on its journey into the night. If the lost souls could fight their way through the demons of the night and board the barge, they would be borne over the Western Mountains into paradise, and their worldly goods would be returned to them. I found this explanation of the afterlife very curious. I do not recall any mention of such strictures among my people. Though there are many handsome tombs in Evereska, there is no requirement that one of the Tel'Quessir have any type of burial or ritual in order to pass into Arvandor. As I listened to the discussion between Nekaya and Up-uate, I realized that though it seemed to me that he spoke in my native tongue, when Nekaya spoke with him she seemed to comprehend him perfectly, though she has confessed in the past that despite her elven heritage she does not know the language of our people. I spent more time than was truly necessary with Aratan, for I felt overwhelmed by the divine presence of the barge. At its tiller stood the god Re-Horakhty, the massive being with the head of a hawk. He did not speak to us nor acknowledge our presence, but I could feel his divine aura wherever I went on the golden barge. My friend Rock set to work with the godlings who were engaged in reparing the damage to the barge, using his skill with metalwork to polish away the scratches. As I have no such skill myself, I offered to aid the godlings in removing the dark spots and debris that had accumulated on the barge and the solar corona. There are many things of an unknown nature floating about beyond the solar orb, and when they strike the fiery globe they are burnt to ash. After a time the godlings rested from their labors, pausing to play a game they called 'Equinox'. My companions and I were permitted to join them, though I must confess I was a poor player. The game involves bowling balls of sun-stuff at a course laid out on the deck, which sounds simple enough, but I could not contrive to steer my ball in the proper direction. We were introduced to the rest of the barge's crew during this time, and I will transcribe their names here if only so that I may remember them. The captain of the barge was called Kherp; he had the head of some beast though I could not determine what manner of beast. The lookout was called Nehes. The remaining deckhands, who all resembled Up-uate, were called Her-heken, Saa, Hu, and Afu. Afu appeared to be a very devout person, constantly in prayer to Horus-Re. We were not the only mortals traveling aboard the barge at that time. The other passengers were a woman called Panya and a man named Habeth. Both of them were evidently lost souls who had managed to board the barge to be transported to their afterlife. Habeth kept descending to the hold to carry up treasures at Panya's behest. Unlike the divinities, their speech could not readily be understood by my ears. After a time - I could not say how long, for it is difficult to judge the hours when one is within the Sun itself - we began to approach a range of mountains. The barge dipped down toward them, revealing that all the land below was golden and dotted with vast caverns containing cities of gold. As we approached this dazzling landscape Habeth and Panya simply vanished. Up-uate announced that we were approaching a particular peak called Mount Manu. An enormous cleft opened into the interior of this mountain and the barge entered into the cleft. As it did so it seemed somehow darker to me on the deck, though I did not observe any decrease in the light of the solar fires. I was startled to observe the appearance of a tall reptilian being on the foredeck. This being was Afu. Nekaya explained to us that now our work would truly begin: soon the demons of Night would begin to attack the solar barge as the evil god Set attempted to prevent the Sun from rising again. It would be our duty to help defend the barge. Then I saw sinister dark shadows begin to swoop toward the barge. _________________________________________________________________________ [B]Quips & Quotes:[/B] Devo: "You're in an extraplanar space." Zora: "Good thing I brought extra snakes." Zora: "I remember who is Hu, but do I see Saa?" patv: "So he's the sun pool boy." sniffles: "It's the divine pooper scooper!" patv: "Does Captain Kherp have a phaser?" Zora: "Is it set on sun?" patv: "I make some offhand comment about the weather..." Devo: "'Sunny today'." Zora: (In Mr. T voice) " I pity Afu." [/QUOTE]
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