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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imhotepthewise" data-source="post: 6152466" data-attributes="member: 976">Time Out of Time by ImhotepthewiseAn epic level scenario for a high powered fantasy game.Ingredients Secret High Holy Days Out of Time Mundane Wonder Home Unusual CurrencySynopsis.Graz’zt, or something equally powerful and charming, has orchestrated an attack upon himself with a group powerful enough to be useful to him but not so powerful to put himself in real danger. Through agents and minions, he leads them to believe they have a chance to take him out. He has a task, and, in true demonic fashion, wants it to be as unpleasant for those who have to perform it. Graz’zt intends the participants to live and live with the memory of the task.DMs Corner.In the observance of Rat Bastardry, the DM plans for this scenario by dropping hints throughout the existing campaign of Graz’zt vulnerability and the opportunity to draw him to the Prime where he will be least potent. Subtly encourage the preparation of time altering spells like Haste and, if possible, Time Stop.The Big Event.The party plans the big throwdown. Most will pick remote locations, plan for summoned allies, and beef up on powerful spells [see Tales of Wyre for excellent descriptions of this type of prep). Graz’zt has planned for all that.Graz’zt will allow himself to be drawn to the Prime, but has contingencies set up in preparation for this. He is counting on the use of time altering spells similar to Haste and Time Stop, which are contingencies to the epic spell he plans to drop on the party.If members of the party are only hasted to begin the encounter, he will allow the attack to give the party a hope of success. If they do happen to succeed in taking him out, props to them. This is unlikely. Once he is ready, he will speak the final word launching the spell.  If Time Stop is used, it is negated by the fact that it automatically launches Graz’zt’s epic spell without the need for the spell completion words.The spell completion words are spoken and time speeds up personally for those under the effects of time altering spell like Haste, even faster than that perceived under Haste. If Time Stop is cast, the caster will feel a little different than other times they have been under that spell effect. The battle around them will appear nearly still, but still perceptively moving. Describe the flecks of blood and sweat moving through the air, the slow arc of the weapons being swung, the slow puff of dust from under the horses’ hooves, the subtle expanding of magical effects, the motion of a bird’s wings beating visibly as it tries to escape the battlefield. The only beings moving ‘normally’ are those previously under the effect of a time altering spell. Anyone that was not previously affected by a time altering spell is not drawn into the effect of the epic spell. Graz’zt is gone.  The voice speaks to you out of nowhere.“Observe the mundane wonder of pain and death that surrounds you. See the blood spray and the axe swing. The motion of the bodies. The billows of magic manifesting. The delicate motion of the bird’s wing…”A demonic hand reaches out of nothing and a finger flicks the bird to smithereens.“Welcome to time between time, a place you have learned to touch with arcane knowledge. That knowledge has made you vulnerable, as well. You are in place where time is as flexible as a twisted cord.”“I found a teacher who taught me more about the flexibility of time and how to control it. She was hesitant to do so, but I managed to convince her to reveal her secret knowledge. Such a pleasurable experience…for me. It is a shame she did not last longer.”Great roleplaying can ensue here, not everyone has the pleasure of Graz’zt’s company without imminent death present as well.Graz’zt explains that the teacher taught him the secrets how to flex time as needed and keep the flexing of time in place until the caster wishes it to end. There are grave costs, and the actions do not go unnoticed, but penalties for misuse of time are vague and arbitrary. Graz’zt is not visible to the party, since he can control where he personally is in the flexibility of time. He is slightly ahead of them, rendering himself invisible to them. He has practiced his fine control of this effect.Graz’zt says they are under no obligation to help him, and he will even send them home unharmed, but they will do so in the accelerated state until he wills it not to be so.Graz’zt explains the task he requires.“As you and others bend your knee to me, willingly or unwillingly, so must I, for a time, bend mine to another power. That power requires homage and gifts, and a great celebration of that great worthy is in offing. The holy, or unholy, as it were, days are coming soon. I wish to make a gift of unusual circumstance and value. If you will procure me one hundred larvae each, I will end this battle, return you to your time, and return you safely home.”“Imagine the tale told during the high holy days of how I caused the gift to be gathered. It will be sublime. They who consider themselves my master will be further convinced of my loyalty, until it is far too late.”The immediate question is, where is the unusual infernal/abyssal currency to be found?“Why, all around us are souls ripe for harvest. All they require is your touch to gift them to me. Starting with all the souls immediately present, and those hiding nearby, it should not take you long to meet my humble request. Time is of no issue, so you can travel as far as you need to. Touch them with bare skin and say [in Abbysal] “crawl with the worms””.What can the players do?Without making this scenario too railroady, what can they do?Overcome a ridiculously high DC to dispel Graz’zt’s epic spell. Use a wish. Find some clever way to make Graz’zt stay in their place in time so they can attack him. Convince Graz’zt that this is not a good idea. Complete Graz’zt’s task. Or some clever idea the DM has not thought of yet. Most likely, the option will drop them back into the toe to toe battle with Graz’zt on the Prime, in which case he will bug out.If the players complete the task, they will find themselves standing in their homes, unharmed. Unharmed? Secret – The secret knowledge of time High Holy Days – The event Graz’zt must prepare a gift for Out of Time – The state you are in flexible time Mundane Wonder – Observing the minute details of the world slowed down around you Home – Where you can freely go, but not be there while still in flexible time Unusual Currency – Larva, official coinage of the infernal realms</blockquote>

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