anakha posted:

Ugh, Alyss ex machina. Exhibit B of why I didn't like this book.

Not that I want to save her per se, but we've got Naar itself and this metal as gently caress axe dude in front of us - who would turn down such a fight?

We've got a Sommerswerd and we drat well wanna use it.

achtungnight posted:

Run as directed by Alyss, the Mary Sue!

Runcible Cat posted:

Run as directed by Alyss, the Mary Sue!

Wolf's Bane posted:

Desperately you scramble across the throne hall and leap towards the swirling maw of this supernatural portal, but your entry is barred by a horde of shrieking horrors which materialize from the smoke surrounding the circumference of the Shadow Gate. Immediately you recognize them and your heart sinks—they are Crypt Spawn.

Now Naar himself is aware of your true identity and he is determined not to let you escape from the Plane of Darkness.

Curing: +1 EP (29/49).

You draw your divine blade from its scabbard and a halo of golden light irradiates the throne hall. Naar bellows with a terrible rage. He is mortally aghast that such a holy weapon should be unsheathed in his inner sanctum, and in his rage he summons yet a further horde of Crypt Spawn to attack and overwhelm you.

Wolf's Bane posted:

As the last of the creatures dies, you leap over its heaped body and stumble through the Shadow Gate into a whirling oblivion. The last image that burns itself into your memory is that of Alyss slowly succumbing to the relentless blows from Kekataag’s axe. The memory of her fearless bravery strengthens your spirit and resolve to forever serve the forces of Good against the accursed hordes of darkness.

Congratulations Grand Master—you have won a great victory over the forces of Evil. You have defeated Naar’s sinister plan to destroy you and conquer all of Magnamund. But, as you return through the Shadow Gate to the land of your birth, you know that the fight against Evil is not yet over. If you are to prevent the Dark God from launching his armies of night into Magnamund, you must return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so will Magnamund be safe from the ravages of Naar’s unholy hordes.

It will be a supremely perilous mission, perhaps the most dangerous you have ever undertaken. If you possess the true courage of a Kai Grand Master, the ultimate quest awaits you in the climax to the Grand Master series, entitled:

The Curse of Naar

Curing: +1 EP (19/49).

The Curse of Naar posted:

The Story So Far … 

You are Grand Master Lone Wolf, the sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of the Kai—the warrior élite of Sommerlund. It is the year MS 5081, thirty-one years since your brave kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent forth by Naar, the King of the Darkness, to destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have themselves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge, for it was you who brought about their downfall when alone you infiltrated their foul domain—the Darklands—and destroyed the base of their power that was the infernal city of Helgedad. In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the Darkland armies that had been poised to conquer all of Magnamund. Their disorder escalated into a mutinous civil war which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a successful counter-offensive. Against the odds, a swift and total victory was secured over the feuding enemy armies.

For more than ten years now, peace has reigned in Sommerlund. Under your direction the once-ruined Monastery of the Kai has been rebuilt and restored to its former glory, and the task of teaching a New Order of Kai warriors the skills and proud traditions of your ancestors has been reestablished. The new generation of Kai recruits, all of whom were born during the era of war against the Darklords, possess strong latent Kai skills and all show exceptional promise. These skills will be nurtured and honed to perfection during their time at the monastery so that they may teach and inspire future generations, thereby ensuring the continued security of your homeland in future years.

Your attainment of the rank of Kai Grand Master brought with it great rewards. Some, such as the restoration of the Kai and the undying gratitude of your fellow Sommlending, could have been anticipated. Yet there have also been rewards which you could not possibly have foreseen. The discovery that within you lay the potential to develop Kai Disciplines beyond those of the Magnakai (which were once thought to be the ultimate that a Kai Master could aspire to) was truly a revelation. This discovery has inspired you to search for the wisdom and power that no Kai Lord before you has ever possessed. In the name of your creator, the God Kai, and for the greater glory of Sommerlund and the Goddess Ishir, you have vowed to scale the very pinnacle of Kai perfection—to attain all of the Grand Master Disciplines and become the first Kai Supreme Master.

With diligence and determination you set about the restoration of the Kai Monastery and the training of the New Order recruits. Your efforts were swiftly rewarded for within the space of two short years the first raw recruits had graduated to become a cadre of gifted Kai Masters who, in turn, were able to commence the teaching of their skills to subsequent intakes of Kai novices. Readily the Kai Masters rose to their newfound responsibilities, leaving you free to devote more of your time to the pursuit and perfection of the Grand Master Disciplines. During this period you also received expert tutelage in the ways of magic from two of your most trusted friends and advisors: Guildmaster Banedon, leader of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, and Lord Rimoah, speaker for the High Council of the Elder Magi.

In the deepest subterranean level of the monastery, one hundred feet below the Tower of the Sun, you ordered the excavation and construction of a special vault. In this magnificent chamber wrought of granite and gold, you placed the Lorestones of Nyxator—seven gems of Kai power which you had recovered during an earlier quest for Kai knowledge. In this vault, bathed in the golden light of the radiant gems, you spent countless hours in pursuit of perfection. Sometimes alone, sometimes in the company of your two able advisors—Banedon and Rimoah—you worked hard to develop your innate Grand Master Disciplines and grasp the fundamental secrets of Brotherhood and Old Kingdom magic. During this time you noticed many remarkable changes taking place within your body: you became physically and mentally stronger, your five primary senses sharpened far beyond all that you had experienced before, and, perhaps most remarkably, your body began to age at a much slower rate. Now, for every five years that elapse you age but one year.

In the years since your victory over the Darklords, peace has reigned victorious and the peoples of the Free Kingdoms have rejoiced in the knowledge that the evil which once threatened to destroy them has been banished from the face of Magnamund. Readily men have exchanged their swords for hoes and their shields for ploughs, and now the only marching they do is along the ruts of their freshly furrowed fields. Few are the watchful eyes that scan the distant horizon in fear of what may appear, although there are still some who maintain their vigilance, for the agents of the Dark God Naar come in many guises and there are those upon Magnamund who wait quietly in the shadows for the chance to do his evil bidding.

Already your newfound skills have been tested against Naar’s agents and you have, on each occasion, acquitted yourself admirably. Yet your continuing victories have enraged the Dark God and inflamed his lust for vengeance. From the depths of his stronghold upon the Plane of Darkness he created and sent to Sommerlund an evil champion called ‘Wolf’s Bane’ who was the very image of yourself. While you were engaged upon a quest overseas, this impostor terrorized your homeland and sought to destroy your reputation and the honour of the Kai. And he would have succeeded had it not been for your courage and determination. You returned home and pursued your enemy to an ancient necropolis in the city of Tyso. Here, in a deep subterranean crypt, you and your evil alter-ego were drawn through a Shadow Gate, an astral corridor which connects your home world of Magnamund to several other planes of existence. You both emerged upon the remote planet of Avaros where a deadly duel ensued. With the unexpected help of an enigmatic elemental called Alyss you vanquished your foe, but before you could find your way back to your home world, you and Alyss were both sucked through a second Shadow Gate which led to the Plane of Darkness, the fell domain of Naar himself.

In the throne hall of Naar a titanic struggle took place as you and Alyss fought desperately to escape from the Dark God and his court of powerful minions. During this battle you discovered that Naar had in his possession the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti, a wondrous artefact created many thousands of years ago by the god-like Shianti whose presence upon Magnamund had heralded the dawn of humanity. This stone of power contains the combined might of all their magic and wisdom, the sum of all their knowledge. So significant was the creation of this stone that all time on Magnamund is measured from the date of its creation. It had long been held that the Moonstone’s location was a secret known only to the remnants of the Shianti, who dwell upon the Isle of Lorn in remotest Southern Magnamund, yet the evidence of your eyes told you that this mystical artefact had somehow fallen into the hands of the Dark God.

Suddenly the significance of the Moonstone became crystal clear. Naar had been using its legendary powers to generate Shadow Gates within the world of Magnamund, at locations and times of his own choosing. Such power had enabled him to send his loathsome champions to your home world, while the goodly forces of Kai and Ishir had been held at bay, helpless to counter them. Only you and your Kai brethren have stood in the way of the onslaught of Naar’s agents since the demise of the Darklords.

During the battle, thanks to Alyss’s selfless courage, you were able to escape from Naar’s throne hall by leaping into the Shadow Gate. As you entered its whirling maw, the last image that burned itself into your memory was that of Alyss slowly succumbing to the relentless attacks of Naar’s minions. Successfully you had defeated Wolf’s Bane and thwarted Naar’s sinister plan to destroy the honour of the Kai, but as you returned through the Shadow Gate to the land of your birth, you knew that the fight against Evil was not yet won. You realized that if you are to prevent the Dark God from sending more of his dread creations into Magnamund, you would have to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so would Magnamund truly be safe from the ravages of Naar’s armies of darkness.

quote:

During the battle, thanks to Alyss’s selfless courage, you were able to escape from Naar’s throne hall by leaping into the Shadow Gate. As you entered its whirling maw, the last image that burned itself into your memory was that of Alyss slowly succumbing to the relentless attacks of Naar’s minions. Successfully you had defeated Wolf’s Bane and thwarted Naar’s sinister plan to destroy the honour of the Kai, but as you returned through the Shadow Gate to the land of your birth, you knew that the fight against Evil was not yet won. You realized that if you are to prevent the Dark God from sending more of his dread creations into Magnamund, you would have to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the fabled Moonstone. Only by doing so would Magnamund truly be safe from the ravages of Naar’s armies of darkness.

Tiggum posted:

Improved Disciplines:

• Grand Huntmastery: Move at will through air, water and shadow gates.
  
• Deliverance: Regenerate lost body parts.
  

Xarn posted:

This is getting ridiculous.

nelson posted:

1. A new weapon type for Grand Weaponmastery - Dagger
   
2. A rule for Kai-ray - Use this in place of Kai-Blast, according to previously established Kai-Blast rule.
   
3. Items to put into storage - Platinum Ingot, Naphtha Bomb
   
4. Items to take from storage - None
   
5. Any new equipment - Potion of Laumspur
   

I also propose raising the limit for Laumspur use from below 20EP to below 26EP (i.e. if we drop to or below half our current max).

achtungnight posted:

This plus Assimilance.

Tiggum posted:

The Curse of Naar

Jedit posted:

That's not a sixteen-legged blob of poo poo.

anakha posted:

That book suffers IMO from having the entire book build up to a massive showdown between Lone Wolf and Clone Wolf and then have said showdown be a simple swordfight which Lone Wolf has to have Alyss bail him out of.

Tiggum posted:

Then either Naar doesn't always appear in the same form, or that's not Naar.

Maugrim posted:

Said in the text of the last book that the sixteen-legged blob of poo poo was just his favoured form for that particular location. I'm sure he's capable of looking however he wishes!

anakha posted:

Just imagine what Casual Fridays are like in Naar's dimension.

Guy Fawkes posted:

ulmont posted:

Deliverance. I’m very curious about where we get to regenerate an arm.

Runcible Cat posted:

A new weapon type for Grand Weaponmastery - Spear

nelson posted:

A rule for Kai-ray - Use this in place of Kai-Blast, according to previously established Kai-Blast rule.

I also propose raising the limit for Laumspur use from below 20EP to below 26EP (i.e. if we drop to or below half our current max).

Maugrim posted:

Items to put into storage - Naphtha Bomb

achtungnight posted:

Items to take from storage - None

Guy Fawkes posted:

Any new equipment - Laumspur

Tiggum posted:

Use Kai-surge/Psi-surge whenever the Combat Ratio is below 3.

nelson posted:

Use Alether whenever we are at negative CR and the enemy has more EP than us.

ShadowWraith posted:

Automatically use a Potion of Alether for any fight with a Combat Ratio -7 or worse.

Maugrim posted:

Use Laumspur as soon as possible after EP drops below 26

Slavic Crime Yacht posted:

A standing order to always search bodies.

Toplowtech posted:

Use Kai-surge if enemy is immune to other types of psi-damage.

Maugrim posted:

If even using Kai-surge we're at -9 or lower CS, use Kair-ray/Kai-blast instead

nelson posted:

Always top up arrows when given the opportunity.

The Curse of Naar posted:

Your journey through the Shadow Gate is a cold and lonely voyage, yet one that you endure without fear for you sense that Alyss is watching over you. She is using her powers to steer you safely home to Magnamund. As you hurtle through the timeless void, you remember vividly the last few moments which preceded your leap into the Shadow Gate and your triumphant escape from Naar’s throne hall, the innermost sanctum of his stronghold upon the Plane of Darkness. You recall how Alyss commanded you to flee whilst she drew away the frenzied attacks of Naar’s champion, Kekataag the Avenger. It was her selfless act of bravery which enabled you to escape and it has left an indelible mark upon your conscience. Inspired by her courage—and by the realization that if the Dark God is to be stopped from sending more of his foul creations to Magnamund you must deny him the fabled Moonstone of the Shianti—you vow that you will return to the Plane of Darkness and recapture that precious stone of power.

After what seems like an eternity, gradually the inky blackness of the abyss is illuminated by a fluorescent vapour studded with whirling motes of light. Clumps of tiny stars swirl around your body like swarms of glowing moths until you become completely cocooned within a shroud of blinding white luminescence. Then, quite suddenly, you feel solid ground once more beneath your feet and you emerge from the light to find yourself standing in a dank, subterranean vault.

You cast your gaze around the mouldering walls of this dimly lit vault and feel a surge of joy and relief well up from the pit of your stomach. The dripping granite is cold and cheerless, but to your eyes, having witnessed the horrors of Naar’s throne hall, this dank stone vault looks warm, welcoming, and reassuringly familiar. You have returned to the secret burial chamber below the Necropolis of Tyso, the place from where you began your journey through the Shadow Gate some time ago. With Alyss’s help you have arrived home safely to Sommerlund.

No trace of the Shadow Gate remains; it vanished the moment you emerged from the cocoon of light and took your first tentative steps into the vault. With eager anticipation you leave the chamber and hurriedly ascend to the surface where you are greeted by warm summer sunshine. The commander of Tyso is Baron Tor Medar, and two of his stewards are dutifully guarding the gates to the city’s necropolis. When they see you emerge from a mausoleum close by, their jaws drop open in amazement as simultaneously they recognize who you are from the cut and colour of your Grand Master robes. Upon recovering their senses, the stewards volunteer to escort you directly to Baron Medar’s castle. During the brief journey through the city you are shocked to learn that a whole year has passed since you entered the Shadow Gate, even though the time that you spent upon the Plane of Darkness seemed no more than a few days at most.

Baron Medar is an old and trusted friend and he welcomes your safe return to Tyso with a show of great warmth and affection. Having feared for the past year that you had perished during your pursuit of Wolf’s Bane, he is clearly delighted to hear that not only did you survive your ordeal beyond the Shadow Gate, but that you also vanquished the impostor. Naturally you are anxious to return to your Kai brethren without delay and Medar gladly offers his help. He gives you the finest horse in his stables and assigns a troop of his personal bodyguards to escort you swiftly across Sommerlund to the Kai Monastery.

At the monastery you receive a rapturous reception from the ranks of the Kai, for whom your return is the fulfilment of a year’s hopes and prayers. Firestone, the most senior of the New Order warriors, dispatches journeymen to carry word of your triumphant return to the King in Holmgard and to Guildmaster Banedon, the leader of the Magicians’ Guild in Toran. Firestone had rightly assumed command during your absence and, as he accompanies you through the grounds of the monastery to your vault below the Tower of the Sun, you commend him on how well he has conducted his stewardship of the monastery and the training of the Kai in his charge.

‘Thank you, my lord,’ he says with pride, ‘yet truly I cannot lay claim to all of the credit. My duties would have been far harder to fulfil had it not been for the invaluable aid I’ve received from your wise advisors, Lord Rimoah and Lord Ardan of Dessi.’

These two Old Kingdom magicians—Lords Rimoah and Ardan—greet you the moment you enter the vault. Ever since you disappeared into the Shadow Gate a year ago, they have resided at the monastery so that they could assist Firestone with the task of training the New Order Kai.

‘We sensed that you were still alive somewhere in the void beyond the universe of Aon,’ says Rimoah, beaming delightedly, ‘but neither I nor Ardan were able to discern precisely when you would return to Sommerlund. Come, Grand Master, tell us of your adventures beyond the Shadow Gate.’

Eagerly they listen to your account of how you tracked and defeated Wolf’s Bane and escaped from the throne hall of the Dark God. But it is your surprise revelation that Naar possesses the Moonstone of the Shianti which seems to fascinate and frighten them the most.

‘This is grave news indeed, Lone Wolf,’ says Lord Rimoah, in a suddenly sombre tone. ‘The Moonstone contains great power. It can create life and it can also destroy life—utterly. If Naar were able to fully harness its power he could use it to destroy all life on Magnamund. I fear it is just a matter of time before he fathoms its secrets. The Moonstone was once a blessing for the creatures of this world. In Naar’s hand it could become the curse of us all.’

‘I for one shall not permit this,’ you reply defiantly. ‘I shall find the means to return to the Plane of Darkness and retrieve the Moonstone. This I vow. For Sommerlund and the Kai, so long as I live, Naar will never conquer Magnamund!’

‘Your courage is an inspiration to us all, Grand Master,’ says Lord Ardan respectfully.

‘Aye, to us all,’ echoes Lord Rimoah. ‘And be assured, Lone Wolf, soon you will have the opportunity to enact your pledge, for it is within our power to help you fulfil your vow.’

Lord Rimoah summons a meeting of a secret council at the hall of the Magicians’ Guild in Toran. This gathering is attended by Magnamund’s wisest men, many of whom have aided you in the past. Among their number you recognize Guildmaster Banedon, Gwynian the Sage, Baron Medar, several of Dessi’s High Council of Elders, and the inner circle of magicians of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star.

Under Rimoah’s direction, these distinguished and gifted men deliberate how best they can help you to retrieve the Moonstone from the Plane of Darkness. A Shadow Gate has long existed in the dungeons below the Guildhall and it is quickly established that the High Council of Elders can, by pooling their ancient skills, use this portal to convey you to Naar’s forbidden realm. The thought of journeying once more to the Plane of Darkness fills you with a sense of dread, yet this daunting voyage could prove to be but one of the lesser perils you will have to face if you are to fulfil your vow. You are sorely aware that once you arrive upon Naar’s domain, not only will you have to survive the attentions of his loathsome followers, but you must also locate the Moonstone and then return with it to your home world.

The members of the secret council consider these problems at great length. Reassuringly, they are able to offer you some practical help in overcoming them.

You accompany the members of the secret council to the deepest chamber below the Guildhall wherein lies the Daziarn Portal. It is a perpetual entrance to a Shadow Gate and is one of only a handful which exist upon Magnamund. For many centuries the magicians of Toran have used this portal to banish criminals and traitors from Sommerlund, believing that it led to the limbo of deep space from where there could be no escape. However, in recent years their understanding of this portal has greatly increased following your own journeys through similar Shadow Gates. Inspired by your accounts of the planes of existence which lie beyond the material universe of Aon, and by their own experimentation, the Brotherhood magicians and the Elders of the High Council of Dessi have since been able to achieve limited control over the forces which exist within these supernatural portals.

Using this newly-acquired knowledge of Shadow Gates, coupled with their powerful arcane lore, the council members begin preparations for a ritual which will culminate with you stepping into the Daziarn Portal. Rimoah oversees the drawing of an intricate pentagram upon the flagstones at the threshold of the portal, whilst Guildmaster Banedon instructs his guildsmen in the recital of complex spell chants and the placing of magical artefacts at key points around the chamber. The preparations are painstaking and lengthy. During this period you reflect on the quest you have vowed to undertake and Lord Rimoah takes time to reassure you of the vital importance of your mission. He also offers you some magical items which could prove invaluable during your quest for the Moonstone.

Rimoah ushers you to a refectory table at the entrance to the chamber where Lord Ardan is carefully arranging artefacts upon a sheet of scarlet silk, and he invites you to inspect these curious items. He glances at your sword belt and smiles when he sees the finely-crafted hilt of the Sommerswerd protruding from your scabbard.

‘Well, I see you’ll have no need of new weaponry, Grand Master. Surely there can be no blade better suited to the slaying of the Dark God’s foul creatures than the one you already possess—the Sword of the Sun.’

‘Aye,’ comments Ardan, ‘ ’it's true. Your divine sword can vanquish any of Naar’s creations. It may even possess power enough to smite the Dark God himself!’

Lord Ardan’s words lift your spirits. It is comforting to hear that you possess at least one effective weapon against the horrors you may have to face during your quest for the Moonstone.

‘It is a fine blade, Grand Master,’ says Rimoah, ‘but be sure to use it with utmost discretion. It was crafted upon the Plane of Light and it radiates a strong and goodly aura. In Naar’s domain its radiant energies could attract unwanted attention.’

‘But with respect, Lord Rimoah,’ you reply, ‘the scabbard in which I carry the Sommerswerd is woven from strands of pure korlinium.’

You lift the sword, in its scabbard, and invite Rimoah to inspect it more closely. He steps forward and his eyes run up and down the length of the sword’s seemingly plain sheath. Sagely he nods his approval.

‘Indeed, it is korlinium and it will keep hidden the blade’s true power from Naar’s foul spawn,’ he says, and then he smiles wryly. ‘Until, that is, the time comes when you decide to unleash that power against them.’

‘Your scabbard will shield your goodly blade, Grand Master,’ comments Lord Ardan, ‘but what of yourself? You are imbued with Kai powers that may readily be detected. Your formidable skills could alert Naar’s minions to your presence among them.’

You reach to your throat, unbutton the collar of your Kai robes, and withdraw the Platinum Amulet by its braided cord.

‘Ah, I see that you already possess a sigil of power,’ says Lord Rimoah, approvingly. ‘It seems you are better prepared for the quest than we had anticipated.’

With a nod of his head he motions to Lord Ardan who then retrieves an almost identical amulet from among the items on the table. Ardan gives the amulet to Rimoah and he slips it into his pocket.

‘You’ll not be requiring this after all,’ he says, ‘but there is something which I’m sure you will find most useful. And I’m certain that you have not come across anything of its like before.’

Once again Rimoah motions to Ardan and the elderly wizard responds by taking up a small package that is wrapped in a silk handkerchief. Carefully he unfolds the patterned silk square to reveal a book which is bound in jet-black hide. A wave of nausea makes you swallow hard as your natural Kai instincts detect that the origins of this book are wholly evil. Ardan offers it to you and, reluctantly, you take it from him.

‘It was discovered a decade ago in Northern Dessi,’ says Ardan. ‘A party of our brethren found it on the Isle of Khor. It was buried in the ruins of Kazan-Oud.’

Carefully you open the stiff black cover and, to your surprise, you discover that the inner pages comprise several sheets of pliable metal. They have the feel of parchment but they sparkle and glimmer like plates of polished steel. You turn through the pages and note that every one appears to be empty, devoid of script, pictures, or diagrams of any sort.

‘I do not see how this book will help my quest,’ you say, as you flick back and forth through the seemingly empty pages.

‘This may be true while you are here in Sommerlund,’ replies Lord Rimoah, ‘but once you arrive upon the Plane of Darkness I suspect that its secrets will be revealed. We of the High Council believe it contains information about the many realms and territories within Naar’s domain. It may help guide you to the location of his throne hall and, with luck, to the Moonstone of the Shianti.’

You are dubious as to the true value of this item but, in deference to Lord Rimoah’s judgement, you agree to take it. (Record this Tome of Darkness on your Action Chart as a Special Item. You need not discard another Special Item in its favour if you already hold the maximum number permissible.)

Guildmaster Banedon announces that the preparations are now complete. With mixed feelings of fear and exhilaration, you step into the centre of the pentagram and stare resolutely into the inky black heart of the Daziarn Portal. The hypnotic chanting of the Brotherhood magicians rises in tempo and you feel gusts of icy wind play upon your face. Then the Elders of the High Council lend their voices to the sonorous chant and suddenly the chill wind becomes a howling gale. Crackling arcs of energy leap from the edges of the pentagram and disappear into the core of the portal. Above the deafening roar you hear Lord Rimoah shouting an ancient phrase of power and, in one breathtaking instant, you are pulled off your feet and sucked into the whirling maw of the Shadow Gate.

As you tumble and spin through the void of the Shadow Gate, you struggle to keep your eyes focused on a tiny mote of light which glimmers in the dark, immeasurable distance. You sense that your passage through this astral corridor is being guided by the concerted will of the council gathered at the entrance to the portal. Using their psychic powers they are attempting to steer your body through a maze of channels which will lead towards that remote speck of light. Sensing this, you draw upon your improved Grand Huntmastery and use it to aid the magicians’ efforts. By doing so you are able to stabilize yourself and reduce the terrible fatigue of your journey.

Gradually the distant speck grows larger until, with a sudden violent surge, you pass through its white-hot core and feel yourself engulfed by a damp and fetid atmosphere. Moments later your journey ends abruptly when you splash feet-first into a swampy morass. Despite the speed of your impact, your natural balance and agility prevent you from plunging beneath the surface of the stinking swamp into which you have fallen.

After wiping away the slime that has splashed your face, you cast your gaze out across an unlovely vista of steaming mud pools fringed with dark jungle vegetation. A cloying aura of evil permeates every part of this vile landscape, leaving you in no doubt that you have successfully arrived at your destination, the Plane of Darkness. You look up and scour the corpse-green skies, but dense clouds of acidic vapour hide all traces of the Shadow Gate through which you have entered this plane. Feeling suddenly vulnerable standing waist-deep in steaming swamp mud, you decide to wade through the gluey sludge towards a nearby mound of barren grey earth. Once out of the mire, you rest on your haunches and consult the Tome of Darkness given to you by Lord Rimoah. Its metallic pages appear to be as blank as when you first flicked through them, but then you turn to one page that is now very different. Coloured designs have appeared, surrounded by a ragged text which radiates a flickering spectrum of light. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, you are able to decipher much of this arcane writing.



The text tells of a creature called Nza’pok, Lord of the Mire, and of his Throne of Power which is located upon an islet at the mouth of the River of Flies. It describes the many vile deeds he has perpetrated for the cause of Evil, for which he has been greatly rewarded by Naar. The Dark God has granted him his own domain within the Plane of Darkness. It goes on to list the names of the creatures that are enslaved to him. But most interestingly it tells of a secret name ‘Khula’ which can be used to bind him, and of an amulet which he possesses that will enable one to leave his territory. You study the text for some time and conclude that this swamp must be a part of Nza’pok’s realm. The pages of the Tome seem to hold the key to the hierarchy of the Plane of Darkness and contain information that is needed to move from one domain to another. Unfortunately, not all of the book appears legible at any one time. You close the Tome and slip it back into your pack. Your natural instincts tell you that the Moonstone is not to be found here in this swampland, and, in view of what you have discovered, you decide that you must escape from here as soon as possible. However, if you are to do so successfully you will first have to find Nza’pok, the ruler of this domain, and take the amulet which he possesses. Suddenly your Sixth Sense warns you that the seemingly empty swamp harbours hidden enemies. They are distant but they are drawing closer with every passing minute. You get to your feet and look for the best route away from this mound, but only two ways offer any promise. To the south, you see a shattered causeway of mouldering grey stones, and to the east, you catch sight of a shallow ridge that barely breaks the surface of the swamp.

achtungnight posted:

Try the ridge, less exposed.

Comstar posted:

So, does it ever get explained how the Moonstone got to Naar? Last I knew, it was being looked for by Grey Star the Wizard. Everytime it shows up the Shinati really seem to have stuffed up the planet because of it.

Jedit posted:

So the Tome of Darkness is a book of sudoku ... and someone has already partially completed them? drat, that's evil.