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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jack7" data-source="post: 4737854" data-attributes="member: 54707">It is indeed. Very important and I think magic should always include an element of the "weird and dangerous."In many of my scenarios and adventures I specifically include a difficult moral dilemma, and sometimes a "strange or bizarre or unexplained event." Similar to what Andor suggested with the "What the hell just happened..." entry.But after thinking about this thread and what you suggested I've also decided that every time they encounter strong enough magic or a dangerous enough situation then somewhere in that same scenario/adventure will be, what I'm gonna call, a Weirding, or a Wyrding (depending upon circumstances). And this thread gave me the idea.So here is my next Weirding/Wyrding. The Colossus of RoadsThe party is moving along a deserted Road system in the wilderness. They come to either a fork in the road or to an four way intersection. Where the roads meet or split, in the exact center of that spot will be a shiny mirror, lying partially buried by the muck but still obviously visible. The mirror will be slightly convex and if the party members attempt to dig it up they will be unable to, as every time they dislodge earth new earth will immediately spring up to replace what was dug away. But if they shine or polish or clean the mirror then they will be able to see a very disturbing scene in the reflection.The mirror will go mostly dark giving the feeling of gloom to the surrounding countryside, even in broad daylight. They will see in the mirror a series of scenes in which a huge, monstrous, colossal thing with an inscribed globe of iron in his hand and a crown of swarming insects and spiders on his brow is seen walking across the landscape. Every time his huge feet hit the ground they dig in several feet and as he passes his footsteps leave behind puddles of freshly churned blood. The images give the impression that the ground is shaking, but nothing can be heard emanating from the mirror. Occasionally crushed bones are seen in his footprints. Suddenly the Colossus is at a fork or intersection at a road and the players will realize that they are at the same exact spot as pictured in the scene with the colossus. Only apparently at a different point in time.The colossus looks around and from his viewpoint the players can see for miles. The colossus looks up and sees plummeting out of the sky a huge Roc. The roc is apparently dead and falls out of the sky to land at the foot of the colossus with a tremendous crash which breaks the body open. The colossus raises his leg and tramples the huge dead carrion fowl into a bloody pulp. When the colossus is finished trampling the corpse he looks down at it. Having spilled out of the stomach and intestines of the bird are the remains of the party-members who are watching the scene, partially digested, but recognizable from their gear and equipment.Then the mirror goes dark.At that moment an earthquake begins which lasts for about thirty seconds. It throws everyone to the ground. After that everything is still for several seconds and then the players see a huge hand explode from the ground near the intersection. Then another. The hands begin to dig up the surrounding ground as if a corpse digging itself out of a grave. If the characters stay in the immediate area then they will be covered in the surrounding dislocated earth and may become injured or even killed.When the head appears it is of a gargantuan figure with a strange helm and on the top of the helm is the "mirror of the intersection" or "mirror of the fork." The entire figure, which stands over 120 feet tall and appears made of bronze digs itself free in about 3 or 4 minutes leaving a huge, gaping crater in the ground where the road used to be. The colossus then stands upright and seems to scan the horizon as if looking for something. He will then look at the sun or moon, whichever is visible. He will walk up and down the various roads for about a half-mile along each branch of the road, apparently trying to look for something in the distance, then turn to follow a different road. Each time he steps the ground trembles but he makes no impression of any kind upon the ground.After he has "walked every road" he will return to the intersection where the huge hole is, turn and look directly at the party members, and then stoop and use his finger to inscribe something in the ground. He will then stand, shake his head while looking at the party and leap into the hole out of which he came. It would be expected that a huge impact would occur as he leaps in but no sound, shaking, or impact is noticed. He simply completely disappears into the hole. If the party members go and look into the hole they will see nothing but a huge, bloody feathers and the apparent stinking and mostly decayed remains of a huge bird carcass, covered in worms, insects, and spiders.If the party members can gain a good vantage point by which to see the huge writing of the colossus they will read, "For you there is no road forward, and no road of return. I am sorry."</blockquote>

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