You know for a guy with a 22 int and a 23 wisdom. He wasn't very bright.
Luna's got a 28 Wis now (and a 16 Int), and you've seen the results of that!
And here is the second update in 4 days!
* * * * * * * * * *
As the blackscale guardians of Haka’torvhak prepare to leap upon the intruders, Nameless quickly begins to explain – using the draconic tongue which they speak – that they are the Guardian Angels and have been summoned there by Rhashaak. His words seem to give the creatures pause, or perhaps it is the pair of Korm and Gareth, one of whom begins to glow brightly with silver flame while the other exudes two cloak-like wings from his shoulders as they brandish their swords. Or, most likely, the sight of Luna expanding swiftly into the monstrous form of a huge tendriculos, which dwarfs everything in the courtyard.*
Six, meanwhile, quickly drops the
portable hole on the ground and opens it up, to let Kim’iir and Vulat out. Once they emerge, the pair of them quickly instruct the other, larger, lizardfolk to stand down. The blackscales do so, albeit with suspicious muttering among them.
The suspicion turns into a wary fascination when Kim’iir explains (while Vulat leaves to announce the Angels’ arrival) that these are the warriors who had engaged – and broken – their armies over a month ago. Naturally, word of the Angels and their deeds has traveled back to Haka’torvhak. And grown in the telling, it seems.
One of the blackscales turns to another and says, “That one is smaller than you said,” indicating Korm, “And you said he had three heads!”
Nameless smirks at the statement and – as is his habit – corrects the blackscale’s grammar, which draws surprised and confused looks from the guardians. Another begins, gesturing at Luna, “You said that it was fat, bu…,” and is immediately hushed by Korm, who explains, “If you want to stay alive – and keep this dump … er, holy city safe, ix-nay on mentioning anything about that.”
The blackscale who was just shushed growls irritably at the Gatekeeper, while Luna (who, luckily, speaks no draconic), looking down at the others from her tremendous height, growls, “What was that about? What did he say? Can I eat him? When is something going to happen?”
Luckily, before Luna’s small store of patience totally runs out, Vulat returns, accompanied by a much older lizardman, of the same species as him. Huu’rak, the Voice of Rhashaak, leans on a carved staff as he studies the Angels for a few seconds. Then he says, “You are welcome to Haka’torvhak, great warriors, as guests of the Holy One. You are his guests and no harm will come to you here,” he continues, glancing around at the blackscales, some of whom have been muttering at his opening words. As they subside, he gestures at one of the buildings behind him. “Please, follow me and I will take you to the Holy One.” There is renewed muttering among the blackscales, who – according to what the Angels were told – almost never get to speak to Rhashaak personally themselves, but they again fall silent as Huu’rak glances around them.
The Angels follow the Voice of Rhashaak as he leads them towards the building, neither Kim’iir nor Vulat accompanying them. As they walk, Luna – having been persuaded to attain the relatively smaller shape of a bear for convenience – says, “So, Huu...whatever, what does your boss want with us? The other lizard said he has Xoriat problems.”
“It is not for me to speak for the Holy One,” replies Huu’rak urbanely in understandable Common, “Unless he instructs me to. He will tell you what he wishes when you see him.”
Nameless, having used his magical sight to study the staff Huu’rak carries as well as the minor magical items adorning the lizardman, says quietly to the others as they walk, “He’s carrying items from the Age of Demons. And the architecture here certainly resembles that period.”
“Demons?” asks Luna, her preternatural hearing having caught the whispers in the rear, “Where? Do they have any treasure?” As Huu’rak stops to stare at her and her companions, she continues, “Does Rhashaak have any treasure? Anything he’d be happy to give us?”
Huu’rak continues to stare for a few moments and then says, “You will … have to ask the Holy One yourself. You can ask him about demons yourself.” He turns to continue onwards and then pauses. “When you meet him, please be respectful. The god Rhashaak does not brook rudeness.”
“Wait, he’s a god? I didn’t know tha….”
Nameless, swiftly having cast a
telepathic bond, interrupts Luna’s questions over the link. “
Luna, can you please let someone else do the talking? Especially when we get to Rhashaak!”
The bear visibly bristles but then she growls back over the link, “
Fine! I’ll be patient! Just make sure to ask about payment for whatever we’re doing, okay?”
“
Certainly.”
After that exchange, the Angels continue to follow Huu’rak. The lizardman leads them into one of the better preserved buildings and to a large empty hall. Walking up to a seemingly blank stretch of wall, he raps on it with his staff, causing a large panel to slide soundlessly aside. Beyond are stairs leading down into darkness. Huu’rak says, “Please follow me,” and heads down them.
The Angels follow him, proceeding down the staircase and along the huge stone tunnel, nearly twenty feet wide and high, at the bottom. The tunnel twists and turns, with other tunnels opening off it as it extends beneath the city. Huu’rak seems to have no trouble navigating the maze and, within a few moments, brings the Angels to a stop at a huge stone door.
He raises his staff and knocks on it. Immediately, there is a mighty roar from beyond it which shakes the stones, followed by words in a thunderous voice – “Huu’rak! What is it?”
“The people you wanted are here, Holy One,” says Huu’rak respectfully, “The ones you called the Guardian Angels.”
“Really?” The tone is only faintly softer than before, but there is clear curiosity and pleasure in it. “Send them in! And you may go.”
Huu’rak turns and genuflects to the Angels, before saying, “Enter, please. I hope to see you again.” With that reassuring sentiment, he turns and walks away.
The Angels exchange glances and then, at a message from Nameless, Luna steps forward to shove the door open.
The chamber beyond is large and bare of furnishings, but its contents make it distinctive enough. It is unclear how large it is, since one end of the room is completely filled by what all of the Angels recognize as a portal, full of a chaotic whirl of colors, which constantly shift and change. In front of the rip in the fabric that separates the planes is a pile of corpses. One seems to be an illithid and another is probably one of the winged giants that the Angels saw emerging from the portal in the Mournland, but it is difficult to say for sure, since they are mostly dissolved. Acid drips from and pools around the cadavers.
Standing near the corpses is a gigantic black dragon, fully as large as Xagygyrag, but with brightly glowing – if now slitted – red eyes. The segmented horns above the huge skeletal head are also thicker than the guardian of the Black Well possessed. There is a distinct flavor of brimstone around it, which blends interestingly with the smell of acid that surrounds it, the acrid scent filling the enclosed space .
“
Great!” thinks Nameless, transmitting over the link too, “
It’s not just a big black dragon.”
“
No?” thinks back Luna, “
It sure looks like a big black dragon.”
“
Yes. But it also happens to be half-fiendish! On the positive side, he’s almost certainly evil, so we can probably trust him.”
The dragon stares at the Angels through narrowed eyes for a few moments, before it finally bares rows of giant fangs and speaks. Its voice is deeply resonant and powerful, with a commanding tone. “I’m pleased that you’re here, though I would have appreciated it more if you abased yourself before me. No matter. I need you to go through … that,” he gestures at the portal, “And close it from the other side.”
There is silence for a long moment, and then Korm says, “Say what?”
“Go through the stupid portal to Xoriat,” says Rhashaak, the tone losing its power as it becomes swiftly petulant, “And destroy it. I’m sick of guarding this place! And hungry. These aberrations taste like … ghaaargh!” He follows with a gurgling sound which causes those before him to step back quickly at the acidic gases released.
Gareth, protected somewhat from the smell by his
necklace of adaptation, steps forward and asks, “Could you explain a bit more? I’d like to be certain of the situation here and what we will be doing for you.”
The dragon nods his huge head and says, “Very well. Sit!” He sits too, folding his giant legs under him and propping up his chin on his forelegs like a cat. Then he frowns and eyes the portal. “But keep an eye on that! You never know when some more of those idiots come through it!”
“I can help with that,” says Nameless, as he casts a spell. A barrier of shimmering colors forms just in front of the portal, the
prismatic wall blocking its entirety. “Anyone stepping through in the next two and a half hours will get a very deadly surprise.”
“Hah!” Rhashaak’s guffaw shakes the room and sends acidic spittle flying across it. “I like it! You clearly have skills.” The dragon cocks his head thoughtfully and says, “You should consider following me. I can reward you in ways greater than you can dream.”
You have no idea what I can dream, Nameless comments to himself, before adding over the link, “
Okay, he’s probably insane. Let’s be careful here.”
“
So?” replies Luna. “
He’s insane but promising us stuff. That’s good insane!”
Not bothering to reply, Nameless addresses Rhashaak and asks, “Thank you for the offer. Can you tell us more about your situation here? I presume the portal opened near the dimensional seal here and...”
Rhashaak frowns at the tone and the words. “How did you know that? Have you been spying on me?”
“No,” Nameless says hastily, mentally preparing a spell just in case the mad dragon does something stupid – and violent. “We have had experience with portals (and dimensional seals), so it was just an educated guess.”
“Ah!” says the dragon, its tone switching quickly from suspicion to appreciation. “I see that you are truly well-informed. Excellent! It’s a pleasure to speak to truly intelligent visitors. See – this is what happened.” Rhashaak embarks on a long and rambling narrative of how he realized as soon as a portal had opened within his city, came here forthwith, destroyed the aberrations that had passed through, and has been destroying whatever else comes through ever since, which is why he has been unable to leave this place for weeks. The dragon is clearly very upset about the entire situation and sounds quite petulant, making the situation with Xoriat sound like it was designed mainly to inconvenience him.
While all of the Angels grow at least somewhat impatient with the story, it is unsurprisingly Luna who finally cracks and interrupts. “So what else do you have to do in this place?” she suddenly blurts.
Rhashaak snorts in surprise and glares at her balefully, before growling, “There is much for one of my power to do. And I am about to ascend and become a god!”
Nameless quickly begins, “
Luna, please don…,” but it’s far too late, since Luna’s eyes light up at the dragon’s comment.
“Really?” she says, “You’re going to be a god? Cool! How? When? And what are you going to do when you do?”
“Yes, I will achieve apotheosis!” says the dragon proudly, “It is my destiny. And then I will … I shall … do many things,” he ends a little awkwardly. “But it will take me some time. More time since you interfered with my armies,” Rhashaak frowns at the Angels, “For which I think you owe me your aid. But no matter – help me deal with this stupid portal and I shall reward you. Especially if you worship me. I posses powerful magic. Ancient magic.”
Six, who has not said anything thus far, transmits to the others, “
This might be useful information. I need to ask something.” Aloud he says, “Do you mean blood magic?”
“Huh?” The dragon’s confused expression would probably be amusing at another time. “What blood magic?”
“You don’t know about blood magic?” Luna asks. “We found out about it in Argonnessen.” Then, seeing Nameless roll his eyes, while Korm chortles and Gareth smacks his forehead, she turns to them and says, “Guys, don’t worry! He’s a dragon, so he’s allowed to know! Remember, the big dragon in Argonnessen said it was a dragon secret.”
“Argonnessen! Our homeland,” Rhashaak growls. “I have never seen it. I was born in Haka’torvhak, cursed to guard….” Then he falls silent and, after a moment, frowns. “But what dragon secret? Tell me more about this.”
Deciding that they can’t stop Luna from talking short of all jumping on her and that even that might not work (especially with Rhashaak in the chamber), the others simply let her continue, trying every once in a while to derail the conversation. Luckily, this is easy enough, and they are soon discussing many different things. Rhashaak is quite interested in news from around Khorvaire, especially about the Xoriat invasion. He is also, while possibly insane, very well-informed about extremely ancient matters, which piques Nameless’ interest, if nobody else’s. The alienist tries to ascertain what exactly it is that the giant dragon is guarding here, but Rhashaak is canny enough not to let slip any details, though he does reveal that he is a descendant of a long line of dragon guardians.
“
Just like on the island near Xen’drik,” Nameless comments telepathically to the others. “
I surmise that he guards some remnants of the Age of Demons, whether it be a creature – or creatures – or some items. I would also guess that is what has changed him, though it might be part of his family line now. Not that I want to know. We have more immediate concerns, and after our one encounter with someone involved with a rakshasha rajah, I’ve had my fill of it.”
With help from Korm, Gareth and Six, and only minor distraction from Luna (who is now getting bored), the alienist manages to steer the conversation around to the question of the portal. Rhashaak explains that he wishes the Angels to pass through it and destroy whatever holds it in place on the other side.
“Is that possible?” asks Six, looking at Nameless as much as at the dragon.
“Yes,” says the alienist. “Since it was opened from Xoriat, it is anchored there, and we can destroy it from there.”
“Why didn’t you mention that as an option earlier?” asks Gareth, frowning. “When we were in the Mournland…”
“…there was an army around the portal,” says Nameless, in the tone one might use when instructing a small child, “And it was in regular use, which means that – with the time difference between Xoriat and here – there would have been a large group on the other side. This portal seems to see little traffic.”
“So can we do this?” asks Korm. “I’d like to try. And see Xoriat, as long as we can leave there quickly.”
“Yeah, me too!” says Luna, waving her giant paws with ursine excitement. “Now we can see what Nameless is always talking about!”
“Xoriat probably isn’t ready to have you inflicted on it,” says Nameless dryly, “But yes, we can do it.” He turns to Rhashaak. “We need someplace to rest, so that we can prepare our spells and pass through in the morning.”
“All right,” says the dragon, adding petulantly, “I can watch it while you sleep, though I’m getting tired of this. Huu’rak will show you to a chamber.” His eyes unfocus slightly and Nameless notes a magical aura appear around him, and a minute later there is a polite knock on the door.
It is, of course, the Voice of Rhashaak, whom the dragon instructs to see the Angels to a chamber nearby. Huu’rak does so, and only a few minutes later, the Angels are settling down to sleep in a room that almost certainly predates all of the nations of Khorvaire.
Nothing untoward occurs during the night, and the next morning they arise and make preparations. Nameless discusses strategy with the others over a
heroes feast, explaining what he considers the most likely possibilities when they cross to the other side.
“To the best of my knowledge,” the alienist says, “While the portal is an almost purely magical construct on this side, on the other side it will have a physical anchor as part of its creation. When we arrive there, we should focus on destroying the anchor, which should in turn cause the portal to vanish. Once that’s done, I’ll
plane shift us back to Khorvaire, and then we can travel back to Haka’torvhak. Okay?”
“Yes,” says Six, “But can you tell us more about what we can expect?”
“Madness,” shrugs Nameless. “And what human words cannot describe. But what you need to do is focus on the task and you should be all right.”
Especially since we are all mind blank
ed now.
“Not very reassuring, but that’s okay. This sword” says Korm, testing the edge of his blade, “Was made to slay aberrations. Taking it to their home and doing so seems right.”
“And I just wanna know how purple this damn plane is!” growls Luna, eyeing Nameless. “Every time I ask you what it’s like, you’re ‘purple this’ and ‘purple that’!”
When everyone is ready, the Angels are led back by Huu’rak – who is waiting patiently outside their chamber – to Rhashaak. The dragon greets them with more complaints about how long this is taking, and the Angels quickly explain that they are about to pass through immediately. Mollified, Rhashaak steps out of the way and watches with avid interest as the five of them step up to the portal. The Angels make a very distinctive sight as usual, Gareth and Six having enlarged themselves to a height of twelve feet, while Luna is in her bear form again and Korm manifesting his cloaker wings.
“All right,” says Nameless, as the group links hands, just in case. “We go through on the count of three. Ready? One … two … go!”
And, as one, the Angels step into the Plane of Madness.
* We’d have had a fight as soon as the PCs arrived, but one of the players had a “Never a Guard Around When You Need One” swashbuckling card, which lets you into a guarded place without trouble from the sentries, so we figured the lizardfolk not fighting them was a good application of it.
