For the Love of Tomeri...(23June2004)
- Thread starter simmo
- Start date
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
I'm choosing to see this interesting new development as a good thing. 
simmo
First Post
Part 28 Plotting an Infinite Path
The journey across the Outlands to find a portal leading to Sigil was uneventful. An abandoned cemetery outside of a small farming community concealed an underground tavern that was frequented by a motley collection of underworld figures.
The illithid bartender did not raise so much as a tentacle when the strange group of travellers passed through his establishment. The drow violinist stopped playing momentarily when the group stared at the beholder that was levitating a coat beneath his round head. The kou-toa gamblers in the corner were too absorbed in their game to pay much attention to the newcomers. The companions hurried through the strange tavern to the portal in one of the back rooms.
Back in Sigil the companions each went their own separate ways. Caleb and Andrew headed straight for their favourite watering-holes and Cade went in search of a buyer for the soul gems. Serena contemplated going to A’kin’s shop to ask him about her torc and magical dress but could not find anyone to accompany her.
Littleby headed in the direction of the Hive to speak to one of his contacts that he’d made since arriving in the Cage. After stopping by several shops to pick up some very fragrant packages he arrived at Rambunctious Alley and waited until the scent attracted his associate.
“ShadowSkulker, is that you?”
”Squeak”
“I prefer to speak with you when you are in a more humanoid form.”
“Squeak… err, sorry about that. The aroma was making it hard to concentrate on Changing.”
“Dumation’s curly whiskers, you seem to have missed a bit around the nose.”
“Pike it. That’s the most handsome face in the Hive you’re criticising.”
“Sorry old bean, anyway try some of this Dothion Blue Stilton.”
“Mmm. Very nice, rugged and mature taste.”
“Did you get all the things that I asked for?”
”Yes, yes. Here is a scroll with the information about the portal to the Outlands. The shopkeeper is called Lilly Cupgrass who runs a perfume and potions shop up in the Lady’s.”
“I see, it’s a portal to a former mining colony. Is there anything that I need to know about travelling past or through Ironridge?”
”It’s a mining and trading town close to the Dwarven Mountain. The place suffers from the odd infestation of spies from Gzemnid’s Realm as well as the Caverns of Thought.” ShadowSkulker reached for another of the fragrant packages and Littleby made no move to interfere. “Here is a book on travelling though the realm of the Norns by Tarsheva Longreach.”
“Thanks, but those books are a dime a jinks. There’s naught in there but popular legends and the ramblings of a disgruntled traveller on what dishes to avoid in which taverns.”
“Well...” the were-mouse looked enviously at the other unopened packages and narrowed his eyes. “These are some pages from the journal of a priest of Loki who gives a first-hand account of how to get through the realm of the Norn with no hassles. It’s got to be worth something, no?”
“Pandemonic mature cheddar, lightly salted. The seller assures me that the holes are deliberate.”
“Lady’s Grace. I’ll be sure to keep that in a safe place. Here, I’ll throw in this map of navigating the Yggdrasil to get to Crux for free. Is that Arborean oak smoked emmental? I’ll trade it for this tome on ‘Flora and Fauna of the Yggdrasil’.”
“That’s very kind, but I already own a copy. It contradicts some of the things that I have read in ‘Bestiary of the World Ash’ and ‘The Ecology of the Ratatosk’ but I digress. In any case take the cheese and show me what else you’ve got.”
“Right then, let me just put the rest of them in a safe place. Here we have it; this is the ‘Encyclopaedia of Dead Worlds’ that has some information on Ranais. And this is a very rare tome indeed, ‘The Art and Design of Tcian Sumere’. Had to get that from The Parted Veil and what with Sir Cleve not liking me coming in the shop – that was the hardest on the list.”
“You’ve done well. Is there any other chant that you think is important?”
“Yes, don’t go to Tcian Sumere. It’s at the Bottom of the Multiverse for a reason and unless you’re desperate to get written in the dead book quick then I’d stay clear of the place.”
The journey across the Outlands to find a portal leading to Sigil was uneventful. An abandoned cemetery outside of a small farming community concealed an underground tavern that was frequented by a motley collection of underworld figures.
The illithid bartender did not raise so much as a tentacle when the strange group of travellers passed through his establishment. The drow violinist stopped playing momentarily when the group stared at the beholder that was levitating a coat beneath his round head. The kou-toa gamblers in the corner were too absorbed in their game to pay much attention to the newcomers. The companions hurried through the strange tavern to the portal in one of the back rooms.
Back in Sigil the companions each went their own separate ways. Caleb and Andrew headed straight for their favourite watering-holes and Cade went in search of a buyer for the soul gems. Serena contemplated going to A’kin’s shop to ask him about her torc and magical dress but could not find anyone to accompany her.
Littleby headed in the direction of the Hive to speak to one of his contacts that he’d made since arriving in the Cage. After stopping by several shops to pick up some very fragrant packages he arrived at Rambunctious Alley and waited until the scent attracted his associate.
“ShadowSkulker, is that you?”
”Squeak”
“I prefer to speak with you when you are in a more humanoid form.”
“Squeak… err, sorry about that. The aroma was making it hard to concentrate on Changing.”
“Dumation’s curly whiskers, you seem to have missed a bit around the nose.”
“Pike it. That’s the most handsome face in the Hive you’re criticising.”
“Sorry old bean, anyway try some of this Dothion Blue Stilton.”
“Mmm. Very nice, rugged and mature taste.”
“Did you get all the things that I asked for?”
”Yes, yes. Here is a scroll with the information about the portal to the Outlands. The shopkeeper is called Lilly Cupgrass who runs a perfume and potions shop up in the Lady’s.”
“I see, it’s a portal to a former mining colony. Is there anything that I need to know about travelling past or through Ironridge?”
”It’s a mining and trading town close to the Dwarven Mountain. The place suffers from the odd infestation of spies from Gzemnid’s Realm as well as the Caverns of Thought.” ShadowSkulker reached for another of the fragrant packages and Littleby made no move to interfere. “Here is a book on travelling though the realm of the Norns by Tarsheva Longreach.”
“Thanks, but those books are a dime a jinks. There’s naught in there but popular legends and the ramblings of a disgruntled traveller on what dishes to avoid in which taverns.”
“Well...” the were-mouse looked enviously at the other unopened packages and narrowed his eyes. “These are some pages from the journal of a priest of Loki who gives a first-hand account of how to get through the realm of the Norn with no hassles. It’s got to be worth something, no?”
“Pandemonic mature cheddar, lightly salted. The seller assures me that the holes are deliberate.”
“Lady’s Grace. I’ll be sure to keep that in a safe place. Here, I’ll throw in this map of navigating the Yggdrasil to get to Crux for free. Is that Arborean oak smoked emmental? I’ll trade it for this tome on ‘Flora and Fauna of the Yggdrasil’.”
“That’s very kind, but I already own a copy. It contradicts some of the things that I have read in ‘Bestiary of the World Ash’ and ‘The Ecology of the Ratatosk’ but I digress. In any case take the cheese and show me what else you’ve got.”
“Right then, let me just put the rest of them in a safe place. Here we have it; this is the ‘Encyclopaedia of Dead Worlds’ that has some information on Ranais. And this is a very rare tome indeed, ‘The Art and Design of Tcian Sumere’. Had to get that from The Parted Veil and what with Sir Cleve not liking me coming in the shop – that was the hardest on the list.”
“You’ve done well. Is there any other chant that you think is important?”
“Yes, don’t go to Tcian Sumere. It’s at the Bottom of the Multiverse for a reason and unless you’re desperate to get written in the dead book quick then I’d stay clear of the place.”
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
Aha! The plot thickens, of course. Hopefully there will be many updates today.
simmo
First Post
Part 29 Souled Gems Down the River
“So then she said: I will take these from you and give them their final rest. I can recompense you five thousand jinks.” Cade lent back on his chair and puffed his pipe. As he talked he gesticulated wildly with his hands, threatening to tip the fine balance of the chair completely.
Serena nodded her head in an absent-minded fashion, but Cade did not appear notice.
“Well, if a beautiful aasimar makes you an offer like that she's bound to be willing to go higher. So then I says to her: Shall we say six thousand?”
The heart seer of Tomeri nodded her head again and began to finger the pendant that held her Garden.
“It is a higher figure than I am willing to go, she said cool as a Dustman.” Cade chuckled. “Of course she happens to be a Dustman so it seemed apt. Let's say fifty five hundred, she offered me and I was sorely tempted.”
'The Garden would be a nice place to visit right now', Serena thought to herself.
“So I said to her: Someone who is ready to offer me five thousand is likely to be willing to higher.” Cade grinned at the memory of the negotiation and felt a stirring in his purse. “I could see that she was thinking about it so I made my final offer: Let's say five thousand six hundred.”
'No the Garden is not a place that I should go to every time that I am bored or feel lost', Serena thought. The seer shook her head and Cade mistook it as a sign that she thought the aasimar Dustmen would refuse the offer.
“You’re wrong because she did accept my final offer. Yes it came as a bit of a surprise to me too, but you would not catch me complaining.” Cade took a money pouch from his belt and slid it across the table.
Serena watched the pouch slowly draw closer but her mind was on other matters. 'The Garden is a place where four Forms of Love exist that Tomeri charged me to find', she thought. 'Perhaps they are meant to show me how to see the different forms of Love in everyday life around me. I will try to spend less time in the Garden', she decided.
“Well, now that lovely lady called Qaida has the soul gems and she assured me that they are off to their final resting place. Here's a thousand jinks for you.” Cade continued to smile despite noticing that Serena did not look very happy. He got up and left her to her thoughts alone in the kitchen at 34b Stonecutter's Row.
'Why does it feel like we did the wrong thing?' Serena asked herself. The seer experienced a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and pushed the coin pouch away.
“So then she said: I will take these from you and give them their final rest. I can recompense you five thousand jinks.” Cade lent back on his chair and puffed his pipe. As he talked he gesticulated wildly with his hands, threatening to tip the fine balance of the chair completely.
Serena nodded her head in an absent-minded fashion, but Cade did not appear notice.
“Well, if a beautiful aasimar makes you an offer like that she's bound to be willing to go higher. So then I says to her: Shall we say six thousand?”
The heart seer of Tomeri nodded her head again and began to finger the pendant that held her Garden.
“It is a higher figure than I am willing to go, she said cool as a Dustman.” Cade chuckled. “Of course she happens to be a Dustman so it seemed apt. Let's say fifty five hundred, she offered me and I was sorely tempted.”
'The Garden would be a nice place to visit right now', Serena thought to herself.
“So I said to her: Someone who is ready to offer me five thousand is likely to be willing to higher.” Cade grinned at the memory of the negotiation and felt a stirring in his purse. “I could see that she was thinking about it so I made my final offer: Let's say five thousand six hundred.”
'No the Garden is not a place that I should go to every time that I am bored or feel lost', Serena thought. The seer shook her head and Cade mistook it as a sign that she thought the aasimar Dustmen would refuse the offer.
“You’re wrong because she did accept my final offer. Yes it came as a bit of a surprise to me too, but you would not catch me complaining.” Cade took a money pouch from his belt and slid it across the table.
Serena watched the pouch slowly draw closer but her mind was on other matters. 'The Garden is a place where four Forms of Love exist that Tomeri charged me to find', she thought. 'Perhaps they are meant to show me how to see the different forms of Love in everyday life around me. I will try to spend less time in the Garden', she decided.
“Well, now that lovely lady called Qaida has the soul gems and she assured me that they are off to their final resting place. Here's a thousand jinks for you.” Cade continued to smile despite noticing that Serena did not look very happy. He got up and left her to her thoughts alone in the kitchen at 34b Stonecutter's Row.
'Why does it feel like we did the wrong thing?' Serena asked herself. The seer experienced a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and pushed the coin pouch away.
simmo
First Post
Part 30 A potentially Short Trip / Dying Minds
Littleby returned from his business dealings and went in search of his friends. Caleb and Andrew were not in their favourite Lower ward tavern. He asked after an earth genasi, non-descript human, rogue modron and three mephits but his inquires drew a blank.
When he entered 34b Stonecutter's Row he ran in to the kobold apprentices that the long-absent Malkir has taken on for training. Their lack of exercising or training intrigued Littleby and when he asked them about this they replied cryptically that were ready for their task. They gave few details as to what this might be except that it involved transforming and waiting until their master was ready.
Suitably annoyed by the riddles and cryptic comments in Draconic from the small dog men, the dwarven lore master came across Serena in the kitchen staring moodily at the wall and Cade in the drawing room chatting amicably to his friend Sir Osbourne de Maddox.
“Can I suggest that we take a potentially short trip to the Yggdrasil and then to a fortress in the Negative Energy Plane?” Littleby asked his friends in a conversational tone.
“Do you have some kind of protection?” Cade asked the first question that sprang to mind. “For all of us?”
“Yes and yes,” Littleby answered.
“How convinced are you that it will work?” Cade asked with a conspiratorial smile.
“I have it on good faith that it will work. However I have to be completely honest – I have never actually used the spell before.” The dwarven lore master unconsciously patted the sack with his spellbook in it.
“We're going to get Vincent Danster back.” Serena statement was not a question.
“The intention is to follow the lead that Deus has supplied,” Littleby confirmed.
“And Deus' father?” Serena asked.
“Apparently he is there too,” Littleby responded.
Cade pondered the prospect of rescuing the person that Serena had travelled to the planes from her homeworld in search off. “Not to disparage the importance of this mission and the great emotional investment that you have made in this search. But I'd just like to ask – is there any money involved?”
Serena laughed in appreciation of the halfling's honesty. “There is a reward for the return of Lord Danster, yes.”
“Marvellous, I shall be coming along with you.” Cade smile was positively beaming.
“You'll have to discuss it with Deus as he has more dealings with the reward issue,” Littleby pointed out.
“You're not Fated are you?” Cade asked.
“That is a difficult question.” Littleby stroked his beard and examined the question from all angles. “In a faction sense the answer is no.”
“Deus is a halfling I'm sure that he'll understand,” Serena stated confidently.
“Oh yes, he and I will have a very long conversation.” Cade smiled wickedly in anticipation of meeting a worthy challenge to his skills and abilities.
---
The three companions trekked across the Lower ward to the Lady's ward where they entered a perfume shop. The bariaur shop-keeper who went by the name Cupgrass and claimed to be a relative of the famous Wooly Cupgrass
After purchasing some expensive small green potions with the promise that they would help with interacting with tree climbing natives; the three friends jumped through the portal in the trapdoor in the shop. Arriving in a mining complex in the Outlands with a sharp bump, it did not take the Dwarven Lore master long to get his bearings.
Serena called forth for her hound archon companion and Cade kept his guardian close at hand. The five travellers walked warily across the rubble-strewn torn earth away from the portal towards the city of Ironridge.
“As you can see there was a gnomish mining community just along that ridge-top over there.” Littleby pointed to a nearby ridge where the ruins of a town could barely be made out amongst the large stones.
“Really? How interesting.” Cade smiled and looked around in wonder.
“This place does not look very hospitable,” Serena said quietly. “It looks as if there are large scars in the land that have never healed.”
Littleby became aware of the great rents in the earth that Serena had pointed to and looked somewhat down-cast. “I think that they were caused by something else after the gnomish community ceased to exist.”
“Well, let's hope that they have gone away.” Cade stated cheerfully.
“Yes,” Littleby agreed. “Let's hope so.” He thought it best not to mention what had overrun the gnomish community and brought about its destruction.
“What is the name of that big mountain over there?” Cade asked enthusiastically.
“That would be the Dwarven Mountain,” Littleby answered proudly.
“What about those hills behind us that are riddled with tunnels and openings?” Cade stood on his toes to get a better look.
“They are the Caverns of Thought,” Serena answered quietly. Littleby was somewhat surprised that the seer had managed to answer before him and she read the unspoken question in his eyes. “Nyon brought us to the edge of that place when he took us out of Acheron. It was before I went to Elysium for the first time.”
“It is difficult to say where the Caverns of Thought end and Gzemnid's Realm begins,” Littleby commented.
“Gzemnid?” Cade asked curiously.
“The Great Mother, goddess of beholders.” Littleby clarified.
“Let's hope that we do not have to find out,” Cade said cheerfully.
“Yes,” Serena agreed. “Let's hope not. Can we move a little faster?”
The dwarven lore master cast an overland flight enchantment on himself and the others to speed up their travel time. As they flew past the abandoned gnomish settlement on the ridge-top Serena spotted some movement at the base of one of the towers. She shouted to the others and pointed at the savage, blind warriors that patrolled around the base of the towers. “Grimlocks!”
Littleby looked at the base of the tower and his attention was drawn to the six invisible illithids floating above the top of the tower. He could see their tentacles moving as they tracked the companions’ flight past the abandoned town.
“I'm going to take a closer look,” Serena shouted in the hopes that the others could hear her above the rushing wind.
Before the others could react or shout back a warning the heart seer of Tomeri flew a little closer in the direction of the tower. Suddenly the grimlocks each clutched their heads and howled in terror as the heads of their masters floating above the tower exploded. Tentacles, brains and gore splattered across the top of the tower, showering the blind savages below. It was at that moment that everyone heard the sound of a god screaming.
Littleby returned from his business dealings and went in search of his friends. Caleb and Andrew were not in their favourite Lower ward tavern. He asked after an earth genasi, non-descript human, rogue modron and three mephits but his inquires drew a blank.
When he entered 34b Stonecutter's Row he ran in to the kobold apprentices that the long-absent Malkir has taken on for training. Their lack of exercising or training intrigued Littleby and when he asked them about this they replied cryptically that were ready for their task. They gave few details as to what this might be except that it involved transforming and waiting until their master was ready.
Suitably annoyed by the riddles and cryptic comments in Draconic from the small dog men, the dwarven lore master came across Serena in the kitchen staring moodily at the wall and Cade in the drawing room chatting amicably to his friend Sir Osbourne de Maddox.
“Can I suggest that we take a potentially short trip to the Yggdrasil and then to a fortress in the Negative Energy Plane?” Littleby asked his friends in a conversational tone.
“Do you have some kind of protection?” Cade asked the first question that sprang to mind. “For all of us?”
“Yes and yes,” Littleby answered.
“How convinced are you that it will work?” Cade asked with a conspiratorial smile.
“I have it on good faith that it will work. However I have to be completely honest – I have never actually used the spell before.” The dwarven lore master unconsciously patted the sack with his spellbook in it.
“We're going to get Vincent Danster back.” Serena statement was not a question.
“The intention is to follow the lead that Deus has supplied,” Littleby confirmed.
“And Deus' father?” Serena asked.
“Apparently he is there too,” Littleby responded.
Cade pondered the prospect of rescuing the person that Serena had travelled to the planes from her homeworld in search off. “Not to disparage the importance of this mission and the great emotional investment that you have made in this search. But I'd just like to ask – is there any money involved?”
Serena laughed in appreciation of the halfling's honesty. “There is a reward for the return of Lord Danster, yes.”
“Marvellous, I shall be coming along with you.” Cade smile was positively beaming.
“You'll have to discuss it with Deus as he has more dealings with the reward issue,” Littleby pointed out.
“You're not Fated are you?” Cade asked.
“That is a difficult question.” Littleby stroked his beard and examined the question from all angles. “In a faction sense the answer is no.”
“Deus is a halfling I'm sure that he'll understand,” Serena stated confidently.
“Oh yes, he and I will have a very long conversation.” Cade smiled wickedly in anticipation of meeting a worthy challenge to his skills and abilities.
---
The three companions trekked across the Lower ward to the Lady's ward where they entered a perfume shop. The bariaur shop-keeper who went by the name Cupgrass and claimed to be a relative of the famous Wooly Cupgrass
After purchasing some expensive small green potions with the promise that they would help with interacting with tree climbing natives; the three friends jumped through the portal in the trapdoor in the shop. Arriving in a mining complex in the Outlands with a sharp bump, it did not take the Dwarven Lore master long to get his bearings.
Serena called forth for her hound archon companion and Cade kept his guardian close at hand. The five travellers walked warily across the rubble-strewn torn earth away from the portal towards the city of Ironridge.
“As you can see there was a gnomish mining community just along that ridge-top over there.” Littleby pointed to a nearby ridge where the ruins of a town could barely be made out amongst the large stones.
“Really? How interesting.” Cade smiled and looked around in wonder.
“This place does not look very hospitable,” Serena said quietly. “It looks as if there are large scars in the land that have never healed.”
Littleby became aware of the great rents in the earth that Serena had pointed to and looked somewhat down-cast. “I think that they were caused by something else after the gnomish community ceased to exist.”
“Well, let's hope that they have gone away.” Cade stated cheerfully.
“Yes,” Littleby agreed. “Let's hope so.” He thought it best not to mention what had overrun the gnomish community and brought about its destruction.
“What is the name of that big mountain over there?” Cade asked enthusiastically.
“That would be the Dwarven Mountain,” Littleby answered proudly.
“What about those hills behind us that are riddled with tunnels and openings?” Cade stood on his toes to get a better look.
“They are the Caverns of Thought,” Serena answered quietly. Littleby was somewhat surprised that the seer had managed to answer before him and she read the unspoken question in his eyes. “Nyon brought us to the edge of that place when he took us out of Acheron. It was before I went to Elysium for the first time.”
“It is difficult to say where the Caverns of Thought end and Gzemnid's Realm begins,” Littleby commented.
“Gzemnid?” Cade asked curiously.
“The Great Mother, goddess of beholders.” Littleby clarified.
“Let's hope that we do not have to find out,” Cade said cheerfully.
“Yes,” Serena agreed. “Let's hope not. Can we move a little faster?”
The dwarven lore master cast an overland flight enchantment on himself and the others to speed up their travel time. As they flew past the abandoned gnomish settlement on the ridge-top Serena spotted some movement at the base of one of the towers. She shouted to the others and pointed at the savage, blind warriors that patrolled around the base of the towers. “Grimlocks!”
Littleby looked at the base of the tower and his attention was drawn to the six invisible illithids floating above the top of the tower. He could see their tentacles moving as they tracked the companions’ flight past the abandoned town.
“I'm going to take a closer look,” Serena shouted in the hopes that the others could hear her above the rushing wind.
Before the others could react or shout back a warning the heart seer of Tomeri flew a little closer in the direction of the tower. Suddenly the grimlocks each clutched their heads and howled in terror as the heads of their masters floating above the tower exploded. Tentacles, brains and gore splattered across the top of the tower, showering the blind savages below. It was at that moment that everyone heard the sound of a god screaming.
Last edited:
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
You know, you realise you're in a campaign with consequences when your DM makes statements like "It appears that a God has just died."
simmo
First Post
Part 31 – How the Mighty Have Fallen
The psychic shock-wave that accompanied the scream of a god was of such magnitude that it blasted the companions out of the air and sent them tumbling towards the ground. Littleby and Cade were able to remain aloft close to the edge of the tower and Serena had to be rescued by Sir Osbourne.
The mental noise in their minds was deafening but all around them there was silence broken occasionally by the sound of axes tearing through flesh. The Grimlocks had turned on each other and were mindlessly butchering everything in sight. After several minutes the last remaining Grimlock died from exhaustion rather than the many wounds it had received during the massacre of its brethren.
Wave after wave of mental energy washed outwards from the dead illithids spilling in to the surroundings. Stray thoughts assaulted Serena's mind and battered away her defences like a hurricane passing through a shanty town. Blood streamed out of her eyes, ears and nose and her face was a twisted mask of utter agony.
Littleby used every once of his concentration to maintain his spell and tried to ride the mental tsunami that was crashing over them. He held on to Cade and Sir Osbourne who were each struggling to let the random pieces of knowledge and philosophical arguments pass through them without burning out their minds.
After the initial onslaught memories rained all around them like raindrops in a thunderstorm. Each time a stray memory passed through their minds they experienced some hidden thought that had been collected and incorporated in to the mind of a god.
“What in the Lady's name is going on?” Cade shouted.
The lore master had realised from the thoughts and memories washing over them that a god of knowledge was dying. The images of illithids dying that flashed through their minds combined with the hidden fragments of knowledge and philosophy could only mean one god. “We are witnessing the death of Maanzecorian,” Littleby shouted back.
“No,” Serena screamed. “He's died! Not dying.”
Cade and Littleby stared at Serena in stunned silence. The heart seer of Tomeri's eyes rolled upwards leaving only the whites of her eyes visible and she went in to convulsions. The images flashing through her mind reached a threshold where she experienced the death of Maanzecorian more than the others around her.
Serena felt herself floating above the world of Lammed and could clearly see the two land masses that formed the fertile Northern continent and the inhospitable Southern continent. Mountain Spire Cities dotted the northern coast of the South continent that held the last of the free people who'd escaped from the invasion of the Enemy.
As the heart seer's attention was drawn to the Northern continent her mind expanded to be able to see the illithid cities that were located deep beneath the earth. Priests of Maanzecorian had spent many years linking the elder brains of the cities in to a psychic net that detected all movement on the surface and allowed instantaneous communication of all illithids in the world.
As the shock-waves of the death of Maanzecorian came flooding through the psionic network linking the elder brains, Serena could see each of them overload and shut down. Some exploded in a volcanic eruption of brain mater and gore, whilst others simply shuddered and lost cohesion spilling burnt out organic material in to their surroundings. Hundreds of priests of the illithid god of hidden knowledge and philosophy all looked upwards at the same time and died.
Serena felt the visions slipping from her mind as the channels of psionic power that she was riding lessened and drained away. Beneath the surface of Lammed the brilliant stars of psionic might winked out one by one; leaving death, chaos and destruction in their wake.
“How long was I gone for?” asked Serena when her mind returned to her body.
“A few hours,” Littleby replied.
Cade, Littleby and Sir Osbourne had not spoken much during those few hours. They had sat in silence enduring the rain of memories and hidden thoughts that pounded their minds and threatened to drive them insane or leave them bereft of their faculties.
“Woo hoo!” Serena shouted suddenly.
Littleby raised an eyebrow in surprise and Cade laughed heartily.
“When Denton died we were fighting an illithid wearing the symbol of Maanzecorian,” the heart seer explained softly. “This means that my world is now safer from the Enemy than it was two hours ago.”
“Safe from the illithids, but from others?” Cade asked cautiously.
“Well, considering that they have enslaved the majority of my world for more than a generation – I'm very happy.” Serena crossed her arms and gazed off happily in to the distance. The tears of blood were replaced by tears of joy, that washed her face clean of the pain and terror she'd experienced.
“Maanzecorian died instantaneously,” Littleby said to himself. He turned the thought over in his mind to examine it from all angles and test his theory. When he found they it held firm he did not look pleased.
“How do you do that?” Serena asked. “Who can kill something of that great power?”
No one answered. Cade looked at Littleby and saw the same fears reflected in the eyes of his friend.
The psychic shock-wave that accompanied the scream of a god was of such magnitude that it blasted the companions out of the air and sent them tumbling towards the ground. Littleby and Cade were able to remain aloft close to the edge of the tower and Serena had to be rescued by Sir Osbourne.
The mental noise in their minds was deafening but all around them there was silence broken occasionally by the sound of axes tearing through flesh. The Grimlocks had turned on each other and were mindlessly butchering everything in sight. After several minutes the last remaining Grimlock died from exhaustion rather than the many wounds it had received during the massacre of its brethren.
Wave after wave of mental energy washed outwards from the dead illithids spilling in to the surroundings. Stray thoughts assaulted Serena's mind and battered away her defences like a hurricane passing through a shanty town. Blood streamed out of her eyes, ears and nose and her face was a twisted mask of utter agony.
Littleby used every once of his concentration to maintain his spell and tried to ride the mental tsunami that was crashing over them. He held on to Cade and Sir Osbourne who were each struggling to let the random pieces of knowledge and philosophical arguments pass through them without burning out their minds.
After the initial onslaught memories rained all around them like raindrops in a thunderstorm. Each time a stray memory passed through their minds they experienced some hidden thought that had been collected and incorporated in to the mind of a god.
“What in the Lady's name is going on?” Cade shouted.
The lore master had realised from the thoughts and memories washing over them that a god of knowledge was dying. The images of illithids dying that flashed through their minds combined with the hidden fragments of knowledge and philosophy could only mean one god. “We are witnessing the death of Maanzecorian,” Littleby shouted back.
“No,” Serena screamed. “He's died! Not dying.”
Cade and Littleby stared at Serena in stunned silence. The heart seer of Tomeri's eyes rolled upwards leaving only the whites of her eyes visible and she went in to convulsions. The images flashing through her mind reached a threshold where she experienced the death of Maanzecorian more than the others around her.
Serena felt herself floating above the world of Lammed and could clearly see the two land masses that formed the fertile Northern continent and the inhospitable Southern continent. Mountain Spire Cities dotted the northern coast of the South continent that held the last of the free people who'd escaped from the invasion of the Enemy.
As the heart seer's attention was drawn to the Northern continent her mind expanded to be able to see the illithid cities that were located deep beneath the earth. Priests of Maanzecorian had spent many years linking the elder brains of the cities in to a psychic net that detected all movement on the surface and allowed instantaneous communication of all illithids in the world.
As the shock-waves of the death of Maanzecorian came flooding through the psionic network linking the elder brains, Serena could see each of them overload and shut down. Some exploded in a volcanic eruption of brain mater and gore, whilst others simply shuddered and lost cohesion spilling burnt out organic material in to their surroundings. Hundreds of priests of the illithid god of hidden knowledge and philosophy all looked upwards at the same time and died.
Serena felt the visions slipping from her mind as the channels of psionic power that she was riding lessened and drained away. Beneath the surface of Lammed the brilliant stars of psionic might winked out one by one; leaving death, chaos and destruction in their wake.
“How long was I gone for?” asked Serena when her mind returned to her body.
“A few hours,” Littleby replied.
Cade, Littleby and Sir Osbourne had not spoken much during those few hours. They had sat in silence enduring the rain of memories and hidden thoughts that pounded their minds and threatened to drive them insane or leave them bereft of their faculties.
“Woo hoo!” Serena shouted suddenly.
Littleby raised an eyebrow in surprise and Cade laughed heartily.
“When Denton died we were fighting an illithid wearing the symbol of Maanzecorian,” the heart seer explained softly. “This means that my world is now safer from the Enemy than it was two hours ago.”
“Safe from the illithids, but from others?” Cade asked cautiously.
“Well, considering that they have enslaved the majority of my world for more than a generation – I'm very happy.” Serena crossed her arms and gazed off happily in to the distance. The tears of blood were replaced by tears of joy, that washed her face clean of the pain and terror she'd experienced.
“Maanzecorian died instantaneously,” Littleby said to himself. He turned the thought over in his mind to examine it from all angles and test his theory. When he found they it held firm he did not look pleased.
“How do you do that?” Serena asked. “Who can kill something of that great power?”
No one answered. Cade looked at Littleby and saw the same fears reflected in the eyes of his friend.
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