Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The TOMB Of HORRORS Updated 08/17/05
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="DM-Rocco" data-source="post: 1681449" data-attributes="member: 14451"><p><strong>Session 18&19 Vecna Lives and The Tomb of Horrors</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">In session 18 the party arrives in the town of Kalistrad, a small town that borders the Vast Swamp, where the Tomb of Horrors dwells. The town has a lottery whenever Acerack sends word that he nees more souls. He usually does this every ten or twenty years and notifies the town by having specters attack the town in a vail of mist. The Party has offered to go instead of whomever "wins" the lottery. Party of Delvin's dream takes place before this event, for it covers the journey to Kalistrad, the rest takes place after he wakes up in the Vast Swzmp after the party felt powerful (or rather foolish) enough to not post a guard for the night.</span></p><p> <span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Delvin, in the Mausoleum of the Lost Gods, got turned into a woman by a cursed belt. He also turned into a human then as well. In session 19, he angered Pelor, who changed her even further. Also, his class is now 10 levels of <strong><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #ff0000">Celestial Servant </span></span></strong>(a house class that is similar to a sorcerer, except that they can cast divine spells too) and 5 levels of <strong><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: #ff0000">Celestial Sentinel </span></span></strong>(which is a pretiege class that is a cross between Divine agent and Paladin)</span></p><p> <span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p> <span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 10px">* * * </p><p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">From the Dreams of Delvin</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">She was beautiful in spite of her dark heritage. Her skin an inky black, her hair a shimmering silver, her eyes a vibrant shade of purple. She was hypnotic in her swagger, soothing in her words and arrogant in her power. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">I should like to disintegrate her inky skin, chain lightning her shimmering hair and crush her vibrant eyes into oblivion.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">She slew two stone giants with but a mere thought, as if a child burning ants. She has power, but I know I can take her; I am better than the rest.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">She introduced herself as Shanandrea and her brothers as Kalindera and Jurith’vea. They were drow, born to a race of elves who in ages past were long banished from their surface cousins into the bowels of the earth. They claim to have transcended that evil heritage, forsaking their vial dark God Loth for a better way of life. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">They are drow, I trust them not.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">How can you turn your back on who you are? How can you be anything other than what you were raised? I have heard tales of surface drow. In the forests to the east of our Hilltop keep it is rumored that drow have breached the surface and live under the mountain clouds of the volcanoes. They worship neither the light nor the dark. I speculate that this is myth since I am always right, drow are evil.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">She offers us safe passage across the mountain wall by means of a spell that takes us into the core of the earth. Wrapped in a sheath of stone we are whisked away in a claustrophobic manner threw the earth. We land in a closed cavern. No entrance, no exit can be seen. She summons a powerful air elemental to provide us with adequate breathing air. In spite of her kindness, I still hate her. Or do I hate her evil past?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">The mountain wall. In ages past the forces of good made of the mountain range that separated the lands a huge wall. The Gods themselves are said to have raised the wall and then imbued it with magical powers so that magic fades as you approach and then dies. They did this for the love of their children, to protect them and keep them safe from the forces of Arrazznecronakk. None since have breached the wall but forces try every day only to be driven back by its defenders. She explains that the only way to cross the mountain wall is to travel under the mountain itself. Deep in the earth they have set up a series of caves like this for just this purpose.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">It takes a week of this sort of traveling to get us to the town of Kalstrand, far on the other side of the mountain wall. I can immediately sense the difference in the air. The weight of evil is not here. On the other side the evil bears down on you like a vice. It smothers every breath you take and corrupts your every waking thought and pollutes your dreams. Here there is nothing of the kind. Hear it is as if the world has been cleansed of the filth of the damned. Here you can breath. It is like stepping into an alternate reality.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">In the distance the city of Kalstrand shines like a beacon of hope in a world of joy and content. A patrol comes our way. White stallions that look well cared for and groomed bear knights dressed in full plate that shines and glistens in the rising sun. A aura of good surrounds them and the leader speaks.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Hail and greetings to thee,” he says with a raised hand in a show a respect.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“And to you,” says Khael, “may the light of Pelor protect you.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Do you rise when things are backed?” says the knight.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“What,” I say; surely I have a look of confusion upon my face.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Rise when things are backed.” He says and he removes his helm to speak more clearly. I can see his face, it is familiar to me. A rather striking jaw line and an aura of power give me chills down my spine. He is strikingly handsome, where do I know him from? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Rise when things are backed,“ he is repeating it over and over but in Khael’s voice. Perhaps he is a ventriloquist for he sounds just like him and looks just like me? It is me, taking in Khael’s voice and then I remember, I am no longer a man and that I am a sleep.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Rise we are being attacked!”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 10px">* * *</p></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 10px"></p><p>Delvin arose to watch his demise. From the center of camp two dread wraiths attacked Khael and he watched in helpless horror as they ripped his soul apart. A corporeal mist rose from his body and the two dread wraiths split it in two and sucked its essence into each other. His body, nothing more than an empty shell, withered to nothing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“No,” she heard herself scream. She damned herself for not setting a guard. Had they set one they surely would have seen the creatures approach or noticed some sign that things were amiss and then prepared for just such a thing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">She cast many spells and her companions fought bravely and they defeated the remaining dread wraiths but she would remember very little of that. Not until he reminded her.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 10px">* * *</p></span></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 10px"></p><p>“Here is the body of Khael the brave,” she said threw a brave charade of faithlessness. She masked her pain in her eyes but the tears that had dried upon her cheeks told another tale. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Here he lies and for what is reward he is to receive. Death greeted him not more than a day out from our camp. Where is his god now, why does he cower from Khael in his time of need? Where is this god? Why did he not protect his faithful? Why did he not bring him back from the dead? Why? Why?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I challenge you men and women of Kalstrand, call upon your god, and demand that he bring back my friend. Who among you claims to have the power? I renounce you and your god. I offer any who can call upon this false god one million gold to whomever can bring my friend back from deaths door. One million gold to whomever can convince me that the gods do exist. One million gold to whomever can prove me wrong. I believe that all magic is related and clerics are just another form of wizards. Prove me wrong and one million gold shall be yours.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">The whole of the town went into a rage of disbelief and sorrow. However this only lasted for a mere moment as many tried to bring back the soul of Khael into his body and yet others tried to debate the principles of faith and the structure of the gods. Delvin countered at every turn, actually swaying some to his side of the argument. The debated last for the whole of the day, with none able to resurrect Khael or to break the foundation of the argument that Delvin had laid before him.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I am right, the gods do not exist and none of you have been able to prove me wrong. I am right again as always,” said Delvin.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Pardon me mam, I believe that you have an artifact of the church in your possession and Pelor would like very much its return,” came a soft reply from a small teenage girl.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Well,” stated Delvin not even bothering with the child’s name, “if Pelor wants it back he can come and claim it. If I am right and the gods do not exist then this is not the artifact of the church but rather the property of my friend Khael and now mine. You use the church as a crutch to get things you can’t get through other means. You want this artifact then have Pelor come and take it from me, barring that, I shall sell it to you, say ten thousand gold.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“You would be wise to not anger Pelor, he is kind and benevolent, but if you should anger him, then I have pity on your soul,” said the child.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Stand aside, I grow tired of this and wish to get some sleep. You just can’t stand that I am right and every one else is wrong. I am better then every one else, even this town, even Pelor,” said Delvin and she made a move to cross the child’s path. The child stood firm and in her haste the child was knocked down to the ground by her passing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Is it not in bad form to have no manners. Even one as powerful and strong as you should concede that, should you not,” came a reply from behind her and Delvin turned to face this new debater. An older man dressed in simple white robes ran his fingers through his thick and wild hair and beard that had about it a golden hue. “Pelor is the creator of many good things, a supporter of those in need, an adversary of all that is evil. He is the deity most commonly worshipped among ordinary humans and his priests are most welcome in all lands this side of the mountain wall and in most on the other. Why is it that you disbelieve?” he said as he helped the child up from the ground.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I know, your friend right? Why did Pelor the mighty not bring him back from the dead, why did he not protect him? Every person has their roll, Khael’s was not to live, his was to guide and although the one he guided does not yet know it, yet there will come a time when his sacrifice was not in vain. Sometimes all you have is faith, and it is enough. But you require more.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Save your words, I know every question you would ask of me, I knew years before you even thought to ask them, rather than waste our time with the questions, how about the answers?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“The Gods govern the cosmos…” began the old man as he went into a lecture of the history of the gods and the creation of the cosmos and the children of the world. Delvin stood dumfounded before the old man, unable to speak a signal word. The old man continued for what seemed like hours or even days.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Yes, I know, you have not seen these wonders so you have very little faith in what I speak, come then, let’s explore them together,” and with that Delvin was whisked away from plane to plane, guided by the old man who showed him things he could only dream of. Delvin had questions, many questions, and he had answers before she asked the questions. Again they stood before the town square and the old man spoke again.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“You still doubt me, I know, everything I have shown you and still doubt reigns your heart. True, everything I have shown you could be just an illusion and my words lies. How about faith? Let’s test that, follow me,” said the old man as if she had a choice and they were whisked away into a Balor’s lair on the abyssal layers 364. The great creature noticed them when the old man allowed it, which wasn’t until the old man allowed Delvin into a fraction of his mind so he would know that he would use no trick of magic for this feat. The Balor, a servant of evil in all its cruelest incarnations, lunged for the attack. Pelor stood his ground and spoke. No fancy spells, no magical might, no illusions, just words and with these words he turned this demon of the pits into a friend. Oh, evil still rules its heart, but from Hostile in intent to friendly in action the Balor’s attitude changed with nothing but words. Then Pelor stood still and did nothing as the Balor’s servants entered the room and when they lunged to attack Pelor it was not Pelor that did anything but rather the Balor who smote his own servants to protect his new found friend.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Still you doubt, what else can I do to make you believe? No, I can not show you my true form for it would burn your body alive just to look upon it. Would you settle for just my back? Yes, I knew you would?” And with that Pelor appeared in place of the Old Man, but not all of him, only his back but this was enough. Delvin looked upon it and knew. His eyes started to burn but he could not look away from Pelor’s back. His eyes melted down his face and burned into his skin.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I believe, please no more,” cried Delvin.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“No, you do not,” said Pelor, “but you will.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">With that Pelor snapped his fingers and tore apart Delvin cell by cell, then molecule by molecule and then atom by atom. He reconstructed his body from the inside out altering his DNA and molding him to his desire.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Please stop,” cried Delvin when he had enough cells to create a mouth that worked.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“But I am not done,” said Pelor and he continued, “remember your sins,” and Devlin screamed in pain as he recalled every bad decision he had ever made. He recalled how she left the helpless city of Hawking alone to defend itself from the hoards of the advancing army. How she forced his way into unlawful negotiations and the less than honorable tactics she used at times to get information, this not counting the times she just stood by and watched as others did the same.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I believe you had said if I can prove myself then you would serve me and it will be under this oath you shall do so: Noble service cheerfully rendered, defense of any charge unto death, courage and enterprise in obedience to rule, respect for all peers and equals, honor to all above your station, obedience and respect from all beneath your station, scorn for those who are lowly and ignoble, Military prowess exercised in service to your lord and God, Courtesy to all ladies, tolerance to all men, Parley is the opening of all doors, battle is the option of closed doors, war is the flowering of chivalry, battle is the test of man or womanhood, combat is glory, personal glory above all in battle, death to all who oppose the cause and death before dishonor.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I believe that you had wished for the power of the divine to coarse through your blood and to forsake your sorcerer ways, I shall do this too, but allow you a scrap of your former arcane self to both honor your sacrifice and remind you of where you came from and this shall be the Dogma that you have sacrificed for: Though widely revered as a peaceful and gentle deity who alleviates suffering, the church of Pelor has a more martial aspect. He brings his wraith to bear on all darkness and evil, and he invigorates and heals all those who champion good. Pelor teaches that the energy of life originates from the sun. This light brings strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. He urges his followers to challenge the forces of corruption aggressively, but also to remember that staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essence of life: kindness, mercy, compassion. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Delvin cringed in fear and awe as her body transformed from what it was. Her features where perfect and they were so again. Pelor took from her the Ring of Pelor and enlarged it in size and then placed it around her neck were is shrunk to fit her snug. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“You wished to be a holy warrior, you must first prove yourself worthy of the honor, you and your friends have agreed to complete a task, to destroy an evil that has survived for countless eons, do this and you shall be rewarded. You will need a weapon to complete this feat, you may use my forge to create this item, come with me,” and with that Pelor took her to his home plane.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">She had worked with metals of all types in the past and now she was working with the finest of the best in a forge that was second to none. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Yes, I could have made you the weapon that you have just made, I could have done this for you, but this is the first of many lessons you must learn, some times it is best for your children to do for themselves rather than the father always doing for them. Come now, it is time to go.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">With that he brought her to the city square of Kalstrand. The first thing she noticed was that it was as if time had stood still for the world looked like a painting. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Delvin, there is a final lesson for you to learn that I must do for your own good for you are in need of this lesson more than any other I have ever seen. Your perfect self has lead to a life of arrogance and egotistical rage, something that I will remedy now.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Delvin screamed as her body changed yet again, her perfect looks gone and withered to nothing. So horrible was her features that the ugliest ogre child would be an improvement over her.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“You have been blind since looking at my back so I shall tell you what happened and I shall use small words so you’ll be sure to understand, you wart faced buffoon. I have taken your looks and beauty from you, for too long you have relied on them to get what you need. Now you are both blind and marred and only your perfect ears are yours and yours alone. I left them so that every shriek of every child shall be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every man that cries out, Pelor, what is that thing will echo in your perfect ears. I shall leave you in anguish, walling in freakish misery until you learn faith. Remember that staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essence of life: kindness, mercy, compassion. No, save your words, save your lies, you have not learned it yet, but you will, either that or you shall wallow in self pity for the remainder of your days.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Khael did not die needlessly for he has opened the eyes of one who was blind to one that can see.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">With that Pelor vanished and in the blink of her maimed eyes time came back to normal, in fact, it started up again in the exact second that the child had fallen. She could not see, but she did hear the screams of the city folk as they quickly gathered their children and ran into buildings, barring the doors and windows from the sight of the ghastly woman who had challenged the Gods and lost.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Deep with in his soul he heard a voice which reminded him of his promise. <em>You owe me one million gold.</em></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"><em></em></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"><em></em></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DM-Rocco, post: 1681449, member: 14451"] [b]Session 18&19 Vecna Lives and The Tomb of Horrors[/b] [size=2]In session 18 the party arrives in the town of Kalistrad, a small town that borders the Vast Swamp, where the Tomb of Horrors dwells. The town has a lottery whenever Acerack sends word that he nees more souls. He usually does this every ten or twenty years and notifies the town by having specters attack the town in a vail of mist. The Party has offered to go instead of whomever "wins" the lottery. Party of Delvin's dream takes place before this event, for it covers the journey to Kalistrad, the rest takes place after he wakes up in the Vast Swzmp after the party felt powerful (or rather foolish) enough to not post a guard for the night. Delvin, in the Mausoleum of the Lost Gods, got turned into a woman by a cursed belt. He also turned into a human then as well. In session 19, he angered Pelor, who changed her even further. Also, his class is now 10 levels of [b][size=2][color=#ff0000]Celestial Servant [/color][/size][/b][size=2][color=#ff0000][/color][/size](a house class that is similar to a sorcerer, except that they can cast divine spells too) and 5 levels of [b][size=2][color=#ff0000]Celestial Sentinel [/color][/size][/b][size=2][color=#ff0000][/color][/size](which is a pretiege class that is a cross between Divine agent and Paladin) [center]* * * [/center] From the Dreams of Delvin She was beautiful in spite of her dark heritage. Her skin an inky black, her hair a shimmering silver, her eyes a vibrant shade of purple. She was hypnotic in her swagger, soothing in her words and arrogant in her power. I should like to disintegrate her inky skin, chain lightning her shimmering hair and crush her vibrant eyes into oblivion. She slew two stone giants with but a mere thought, as if a child burning ants. She has power, but I know I can take her; I am better than the rest. She introduced herself as Shanandrea and her brothers as Kalindera and Jurith’vea. They were drow, born to a race of elves who in ages past were long banished from their surface cousins into the bowels of the earth. They claim to have transcended that evil heritage, forsaking their vial dark God Loth for a better way of life. They are drow, I trust them not. How can you turn your back on who you are? How can you be anything other than what you were raised? I have heard tales of surface drow. In the forests to the east of our Hilltop keep it is rumored that drow have breached the surface and live under the mountain clouds of the volcanoes. They worship neither the light nor the dark. I speculate that this is myth since I am always right, drow are evil. She offers us safe passage across the mountain wall by means of a spell that takes us into the core of the earth. Wrapped in a sheath of stone we are whisked away in a claustrophobic manner threw the earth. We land in a closed cavern. No entrance, no exit can be seen. She summons a powerful air elemental to provide us with adequate breathing air. In spite of her kindness, I still hate her. Or do I hate her evil past? The mountain wall. In ages past the forces of good made of the mountain range that separated the lands a huge wall. The Gods themselves are said to have raised the wall and then imbued it with magical powers so that magic fades as you approach and then dies. They did this for the love of their children, to protect them and keep them safe from the forces of Arrazznecronakk. None since have breached the wall but forces try every day only to be driven back by its defenders. She explains that the only way to cross the mountain wall is to travel under the mountain itself. Deep in the earth they have set up a series of caves like this for just this purpose. It takes a week of this sort of traveling to get us to the town of Kalstrand, far on the other side of the mountain wall. I can immediately sense the difference in the air. The weight of evil is not here. On the other side the evil bears down on you like a vice. It smothers every breath you take and corrupts your every waking thought and pollutes your dreams. Here there is nothing of the kind. Hear it is as if the world has been cleansed of the filth of the damned. Here you can breath. It is like stepping into an alternate reality. In the distance the city of Kalstrand shines like a beacon of hope in a world of joy and content. A patrol comes our way. White stallions that look well cared for and groomed bear knights dressed in full plate that shines and glistens in the rising sun. A aura of good surrounds them and the leader speaks. “Hail and greetings to thee,” he says with a raised hand in a show a respect. “And to you,” says Khael, “may the light of Pelor protect you.” “Do you rise when things are backed?” says the knight. “What,” I say; surely I have a look of confusion upon my face. “Rise when things are backed.” He says and he removes his helm to speak more clearly. I can see his face, it is familiar to me. A rather striking jaw line and an aura of power give me chills down my spine. He is strikingly handsome, where do I know him from? “Rise when things are backed,“ he is repeating it over and over but in Khael’s voice. Perhaps he is a ventriloquist for he sounds just like him and looks just like me? It is me, taking in Khael’s voice and then I remember, I am no longer a man and that I am a sleep. “Rise we are being attacked!” [center]* * * [/center] Delvin arose to watch his demise. From the center of camp two dread wraiths attacked Khael and he watched in helpless horror as they ripped his soul apart. A corporeal mist rose from his body and the two dread wraiths split it in two and sucked its essence into each other. His body, nothing more than an empty shell, withered to nothing. “No,” she heard herself scream. She damned herself for not setting a guard. Had they set one they surely would have seen the creatures approach or noticed some sign that things were amiss and then prepared for just such a thing. She cast many spells and her companions fought bravely and they defeated the remaining dread wraiths but she would remember very little of that. Not until he reminded her. [center]* * * [/center] “Here is the body of Khael the brave,” she said threw a brave charade of faithlessness. She masked her pain in her eyes but the tears that had dried upon her cheeks told another tale. “Here he lies and for what is reward he is to receive. Death greeted him not more than a day out from our camp. Where is his god now, why does he cower from Khael in his time of need? Where is this god? Why did he not protect his faithful? Why did he not bring him back from the dead? Why? Why? “I challenge you men and women of Kalstrand, call upon your god, and demand that he bring back my friend. Who among you claims to have the power? I renounce you and your god. I offer any who can call upon this false god one million gold to whomever can bring my friend back from deaths door. One million gold to whomever can convince me that the gods do exist. One million gold to whomever can prove me wrong. I believe that all magic is related and clerics are just another form of wizards. Prove me wrong and one million gold shall be yours. The whole of the town went into a rage of disbelief and sorrow. However this only lasted for a mere moment as many tried to bring back the soul of Khael into his body and yet others tried to debate the principles of faith and the structure of the gods. Delvin countered at every turn, actually swaying some to his side of the argument. The debated last for the whole of the day, with none able to resurrect Khael or to break the foundation of the argument that Delvin had laid before him. “I am right, the gods do not exist and none of you have been able to prove me wrong. I am right again as always,” said Delvin. “Pardon me mam, I believe that you have an artifact of the church in your possession and Pelor would like very much its return,” came a soft reply from a small teenage girl. “Well,” stated Delvin not even bothering with the child’s name, “if Pelor wants it back he can come and claim it. If I am right and the gods do not exist then this is not the artifact of the church but rather the property of my friend Khael and now mine. You use the church as a crutch to get things you can’t get through other means. You want this artifact then have Pelor come and take it from me, barring that, I shall sell it to you, say ten thousand gold.” “You would be wise to not anger Pelor, he is kind and benevolent, but if you should anger him, then I have pity on your soul,” said the child. “Stand aside, I grow tired of this and wish to get some sleep. You just can’t stand that I am right and every one else is wrong. I am better then every one else, even this town, even Pelor,” said Delvin and she made a move to cross the child’s path. The child stood firm and in her haste the child was knocked down to the ground by her passing. “Is it not in bad form to have no manners. Even one as powerful and strong as you should concede that, should you not,” came a reply from behind her and Delvin turned to face this new debater. An older man dressed in simple white robes ran his fingers through his thick and wild hair and beard that had about it a golden hue. “Pelor is the creator of many good things, a supporter of those in need, an adversary of all that is evil. He is the deity most commonly worshipped among ordinary humans and his priests are most welcome in all lands this side of the mountain wall and in most on the other. Why is it that you disbelieve?” he said as he helped the child up from the ground. “I know, your friend right? Why did Pelor the mighty not bring him back from the dead, why did he not protect him? Every person has their roll, Khael’s was not to live, his was to guide and although the one he guided does not yet know it, yet there will come a time when his sacrifice was not in vain. Sometimes all you have is faith, and it is enough. But you require more.” “Save your words, I know every question you would ask of me, I knew years before you even thought to ask them, rather than waste our time with the questions, how about the answers? “The Gods govern the cosmos…” began the old man as he went into a lecture of the history of the gods and the creation of the cosmos and the children of the world. Delvin stood dumfounded before the old man, unable to speak a signal word. The old man continued for what seemed like hours or even days. “Yes, I know, you have not seen these wonders so you have very little faith in what I speak, come then, let’s explore them together,” and with that Delvin was whisked away from plane to plane, guided by the old man who showed him things he could only dream of. Delvin had questions, many questions, and he had answers before she asked the questions. Again they stood before the town square and the old man spoke again. “You still doubt me, I know, everything I have shown you and still doubt reigns your heart. True, everything I have shown you could be just an illusion and my words lies. How about faith? Let’s test that, follow me,” said the old man as if she had a choice and they were whisked away into a Balor’s lair on the abyssal layers 364. The great creature noticed them when the old man allowed it, which wasn’t until the old man allowed Delvin into a fraction of his mind so he would know that he would use no trick of magic for this feat. The Balor, a servant of evil in all its cruelest incarnations, lunged for the attack. Pelor stood his ground and spoke. No fancy spells, no magical might, no illusions, just words and with these words he turned this demon of the pits into a friend. Oh, evil still rules its heart, but from Hostile in intent to friendly in action the Balor’s attitude changed with nothing but words. Then Pelor stood still and did nothing as the Balor’s servants entered the room and when they lunged to attack Pelor it was not Pelor that did anything but rather the Balor who smote his own servants to protect his new found friend. “Still you doubt, what else can I do to make you believe? No, I can not show you my true form for it would burn your body alive just to look upon it. Would you settle for just my back? Yes, I knew you would?” And with that Pelor appeared in place of the Old Man, but not all of him, only his back but this was enough. Delvin looked upon it and knew. His eyes started to burn but he could not look away from Pelor’s back. His eyes melted down his face and burned into his skin. “I believe, please no more,” cried Delvin. “No, you do not,” said Pelor, “but you will.” With that Pelor snapped his fingers and tore apart Delvin cell by cell, then molecule by molecule and then atom by atom. He reconstructed his body from the inside out altering his DNA and molding him to his desire. “Please stop,” cried Delvin when he had enough cells to create a mouth that worked. “But I am not done,” said Pelor and he continued, “remember your sins,” and Devlin screamed in pain as he recalled every bad decision he had ever made. He recalled how she left the helpless city of Hawking alone to defend itself from the hoards of the advancing army. How she forced his way into unlawful negotiations and the less than honorable tactics she used at times to get information, this not counting the times she just stood by and watched as others did the same. “I believe you had said if I can prove myself then you would serve me and it will be under this oath you shall do so: Noble service cheerfully rendered, defense of any charge unto death, courage and enterprise in obedience to rule, respect for all peers and equals, honor to all above your station, obedience and respect from all beneath your station, scorn for those who are lowly and ignoble, Military prowess exercised in service to your lord and God, Courtesy to all ladies, tolerance to all men, Parley is the opening of all doors, battle is the option of closed doors, war is the flowering of chivalry, battle is the test of man or womanhood, combat is glory, personal glory above all in battle, death to all who oppose the cause and death before dishonor. “I believe that you had wished for the power of the divine to coarse through your blood and to forsake your sorcerer ways, I shall do this too, but allow you a scrap of your former arcane self to both honor your sacrifice and remind you of where you came from and this shall be the Dogma that you have sacrificed for: Though widely revered as a peaceful and gentle deity who alleviates suffering, the church of Pelor has a more martial aspect. He brings his wraith to bear on all darkness and evil, and he invigorates and heals all those who champion good. Pelor teaches that the energy of life originates from the sun. This light brings strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. He urges his followers to challenge the forces of corruption aggressively, but also to remember that staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essence of life: kindness, mercy, compassion. Delvin cringed in fear and awe as her body transformed from what it was. Her features where perfect and they were so again. Pelor took from her the Ring of Pelor and enlarged it in size and then placed it around her neck were is shrunk to fit her snug. “You wished to be a holy warrior, you must first prove yourself worthy of the honor, you and your friends have agreed to complete a task, to destroy an evil that has survived for countless eons, do this and you shall be rewarded. You will need a weapon to complete this feat, you may use my forge to create this item, come with me,” and with that Pelor took her to his home plane. She had worked with metals of all types in the past and now she was working with the finest of the best in a forge that was second to none. “Yes, I could have made you the weapon that you have just made, I could have done this for you, but this is the first of many lessons you must learn, some times it is best for your children to do for themselves rather than the father always doing for them. Come now, it is time to go.” With that he brought her to the city square of Kalstrand. The first thing she noticed was that it was as if time had stood still for the world looked like a painting. “Delvin, there is a final lesson for you to learn that I must do for your own good for you are in need of this lesson more than any other I have ever seen. Your perfect self has lead to a life of arrogance and egotistical rage, something that I will remedy now.” Delvin screamed as her body changed yet again, her perfect looks gone and withered to nothing. So horrible was her features that the ugliest ogre child would be an improvement over her. “You have been blind since looking at my back so I shall tell you what happened and I shall use small words so you’ll be sure to understand, you wart faced buffoon. I have taken your looks and beauty from you, for too long you have relied on them to get what you need. Now you are both blind and marred and only your perfect ears are yours and yours alone. I left them so that every shriek of every child shall be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every man that cries out, Pelor, what is that thing will echo in your perfect ears. I shall leave you in anguish, walling in freakish misery until you learn faith. Remember that staring at the sun can cause blindness of the eyes, relentless attention to the destruction of negative forces can blind the heart to the true essence of life: kindness, mercy, compassion. No, save your words, save your lies, you have not learned it yet, but you will, either that or you shall wallow in self pity for the remainder of your days. “Khael did not die needlessly for he has opened the eyes of one who was blind to one that can see. With that Pelor vanished and in the blink of her maimed eyes time came back to normal, in fact, it started up again in the exact second that the child had fallen. She could not see, but she did hear the screams of the city folk as they quickly gathered their children and ran into buildings, barring the doors and windows from the sight of the ghastly woman who had challenged the Gods and lost. Deep with in his soul he heard a voice which reminded him of his promise. [i]You owe me one million gold. [/i][/size] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The TOMB Of HORRORS Updated 08/17/05
Top