Adventures

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="11200500dvldtc.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Soaring Blade</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Soaring Blade"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Rules (2E)"><U>New Rules (2E)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id186.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Rules (3E)"><U>New Rules (3E)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Soaring Blade"><U>The Soaring Blade</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EMail the Blade"><U>E-Mail the Blade</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Honorary Members "><U>Honorary Members </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Friends and Allies"><U>Friends and Allies</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Character Stats Info"><U>Character Stats Info</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tenth Level Spells"><U>Tenth Level Spells</U></A>   |   <B>Adventures</B>   |   <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Adventures</div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="14b0ea00.jpg" border=0 width="526" height="160" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0abb9b30.jpg" border=0 width="185" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> "The crown holds the power to destroy armies, even worlds, and to wipe entire races from the world. It can easily win wars. But what a man would do with such power is the real war, the Final War." </div> <div> - The words of The High King of Orolin, carved in stone at the doorway to the Vault of the Forbidden </div> <bR> <div> Twenty-five summers ago, the group known as The Soaring Blade disbanded after taking the kingdom of Llorkth as their own. Since that time they have come together only from time to time, when great danger threatens one of them, or when a great evil threatens a weaker force of good.</div> <bR> <div> In what they thought was their final adventure, they delved into the Labirinth of Madness, seven years ago, and defeated the mad titan that ruled that place. </div> <bR> <div> Since that time, the great desert has been growing larger, threatening to overwhelm Llorkth and bring with it the Phaerimm. Although the Blade has tried to find ways of stopping the sands, they have not been able to do so.</div> <bR> <div> And now, the Soaring Blade will face it's greatest challenge, where all of their power and skill will be tested like it has never before. They will be driven to face creatures never before seen, secrets lost from the ancient times, treasures unlike they have ever gained, but in a place filled with danger so great that even the Blade may not survive. And even then, if they live through the terrors that await, the Blade will have to face the Final War. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Situation Overview</div> <bR> <div> The Great desert has been growing for many years, slowly aproaching the kingdom of Llorkth, which was captured by the adventuring group known as the Soaring Blade from the Zhentarim many years ago. Since that time, it has been under the protection of Artaylium Stenis, crowned it’s king, and his high priest Inamsu Goldwind. He has a queen, Dressa ( a were-dragon), and two children, Careasonna and Dinian (who left years ago to search for his own path). Other members of the Blade reside in Llorkth also, including Taymon Stormbreaker, who once led the Soaring Blade and now acts as Artaylium’s Captain of the Guard, and Hargan, the old man who cares for the Cloudrifter, the adventuring group’s magical flying ship.</div> <div> This magical desert is known to be the home of the Phaerimm, an evil race bent on the destruction of all the surrounding kingdoms of the desert. The Phaerimm cannot escape the confines of the desert, but as it grows, so does their reach of power.</div> <div> Llorkth is the closest kingdom to the desert that will be next to be swallowed up by it’s sands.</div> <bR> <div> The Rest of the Blade</div> <div> The other members of the Soaring Blade and their whereabouts are detailed here:</div> <bR> <div> Kinias Aban and Suron Bluewater are high-level thives live in the stronghold of Newhope Keep, once known as Hellgate Keep until the Blade conquered the demons and devils there and made the stronghold a place to train the spies of Llorkth, known as the Shadowmasters. The spies at Llorkth are led by a man called the Shadowmaster, who is not part of the Blade.</div> <bR> <div> Novid Copperleaf lives in Waterdeep, where he runs his gem cutting shop, which also buys and sells gems. He has become quite popular, and quite wealthy. He is also an expert on magical gems. Novid still practices his art of Illusion, and has two apprentices, Erika (a beautiful half-elf female who is a canidate to become the new Magister) and Tamon (a human male who has shown great skill in the art of Illusion). Both are young, but have already acheived 7th level of mastery in the Art.</div> <bR> <div> Shalamar, “The Emerald Wonder”, is a very powerful mage who lives in the city of Silverymoon, about 200 miles from Newhope Keep. There he has begun a magical college and trains the Order of Emerald Mages, a group of wizards ready to battle magical foes that would threaten civilization in the North. High Lady Alustriel and Shalamar have a romantic interest, but they have not made this public as of yet. Shalamar conciders the Red Wizards of Thay to be his greatest foes, as he battled them many times in his adventures. Many people would see this as foolish, as Silverymoon is located on the other side of the known realms, but Shalamar knows that distance means little when dealing with magic.</div> <bR> <div> Doston Oakwind is now the grand Druid of the north. His powers have not been able to stop the growing desert of the Phaerimm. Doston has been at odds with the rest of the Blade at times, and although his relationship with them is a cool one, he is still considered to be a member of the Blade. </div> <bR> <div> Kril Dominin is a priest of Tyr that also resides in Llorkth. His powers are not as great as the rest of the Blade’s, but he is a member and supports them as best he can.</div> <bR> <div> Kendel Moonsun is a barbarian warrior of incredible power. He travels with the dwarf Noe. They were last seen in The Great Spine two years ago, but that does not mean that Kendel has been killed. He has made it known that he comes and goes as he pleases, and has disappeared for longer stretches of time.</div> <bR> <div> Dinian O’Nell is a cavalier and one of the most powerful members of the Soaring Blade. He has been a constant force of good and nobility, but is quick to act first and think later. He is primarily responsible for capturing Llorkth, then driving out the Zhentil Keep presence.</div> <bR> <div> Magnus is a powerful Necromancer that lives in the north of Llorkth. He is mysterious, but has aided King Artayluim in the past. Since his other mage-advisor retired and disappeared, Artaylium has forged an odd alliance with this dark figure.</div> <bR> <div> The adventure begins</div> <bR> <div> Coming back from her visit to Waterdeep to see her "uncle" Novid, King Artaylium's daughter Careasonna was kidnapped by the dark figure known only as Malicor. Taymon Stormbreaker, the leader of the Soaring Blade, was killed in the attack, along with members of the Order of the Emerald Mages and several of the king's personal guard. </div> <bR> <div> Malicor appeared to the Master Necromancer Magnus, sending a message to the king that he had no other goal than to see the Blade crushed, and that he had hidden Careasonna away in the Vault of the Forbidden, in the ruins of Orolin, an ancient kingdom now buried in the Great Desert. The Vault was the hiding place of some of the most powerful artifacts of the ancient kingdoms.</div> <bR> <div> Inamsu Goldwind received a vision from his god Tyr, of A humanoid in black armor slaying the blade with a mighty black sword of power, and a red-robed priest with a twisted symbol of Cyric, the god of evil, on his chest. In his arms he held a small child surrounded by many eyes. </div> <bR> <div> The Soaring Blade gathered together in a group formed of Artaylium, Inamsu, Dinian, Kendel, Shalamar, Kinias, Novid and Magnus, ready to travel to the Great Desert to rescue the young princess. Boarding Cloudrifter, the flying ship helmed by Hargan the sky sailor, they found the ruined city, but were challenged from entering by three great black wyrm dragons. After a fierce battle, they defeated the dragons, killing two of them and using magic to send the other away. </div> <bR> <div> Soon the company were in the ruin of the ancient king's castle, and in it's depths they found the entrance to the Vault, a pathway of interconnecting rooms on various planes of existance, each challenge not only a deadly trap or battle, but with the rules of reality twisted at every turn. Inside the cruel dungeon they were almost killed by deadly traps (most twarted by the Shadowmaster Kinias Aban), and had to fight terrile battles agaist such opponents as Lolth, the demon queen of spiders (destroyed by powerful spells from Shalamar and Demonbane, Dinian's sword, weilded by Artaylium, a gigantic cat larger than a great wym dragon (killed by fright from an illusion cast by Novid Copperleaf), and the horrible might of a Master Lich and his semi-robotical creation, the MechaTiamat. Only the combined forces of the entire Blade were able to stop this creature and convince the Master Lich to surrender.</div> <bR> <div> In the maze-like construction, the Soaring Blade began to find powerful magical artifacts, including the Black Sphere, which can create orbs of invincible but uncontrolable power, the prison of Xar, which holds hundreds of the most powerful villans of all time, and the Tome of Spellguard, which holds spells of the tenth level of power! The Blade has begun to suspect that they are simply the tools to unearth these ancient artifacts, and that somehow Malicor has a way to wrest them from their protection. </div> <bR> <div> And the most frightening part is the Blade realises that they are only half way through the Dungeon, and Kendel the Barbarian is recovering from poison, and Dinian is weakened by the touch of Lolth. </div> <bR> <div> Careasonna, trapped in the first room of the dungeon in the Palm of Imprisonment like a slap in the face to the Blade, has little time left as the orb that contains her grows smaller and smaller around her. The Blade has little time to free her, find the Crown of the First Gods ( the most powerful artifact in the Vault), and possibly face the evil Malicor. </div> <bR> <div> The Final War, Part II</div> <div> Kendel and Dinian joined the group after making their recoveries from the poision that had affected them. Joining together, the Soaring Blade traveled into the traps of the Vault once again.</div> <bR> <div> Several deadly devices opposed the heroe's efforts, such as a staircase that captures those who would travel across it, emitting a disintigration vapor; a wall of gems that actually was a crushing device that almost cost Novid his life; a room of gates that allowed travel for the most loathsome creatures in the universe; a floating disk above lava onto which the heroes were placed, perfectly balanced and unable to move.</div> <bR> <div> In the process, the group uncovered the Sword of Balance, an artifact with the ability to kill any evil foe outright, but would in turn destroy an innocent person somewhere in the realms.</div> <bR> <div> Valeus, a death knight with the powers of a lich as well, held the prize of the second half of the vault's tricks - the Kalieth Stone, the perfect gem. After facing Valeus and his minions (including a gigantic metal golem), the Soaring Blade finally recovered the gem and traveled back to the beginning of the Vault, where they hoped they could use it to open the doors to the Crown of the First Gods.</div> <bR> <div> Before opening the doors, the Phaerimm appeared, but not to attack the Blade. Instead, they informed Inamsu the cleric that a few o0f the Phaerimm had begun to follow the teachings of the god Tyr. Having stopped the Phaerimm that traveled to destroy the blade, they were cursed, and died soon afterward.</div> <bR> <div> Pressing on, the Blade traveled through the doors to the crown, opening them with the use of the Tome of Spellguard and the Kalieth stone, only to find more challenges and riddles beyond those doors. The first attempted to make the Blade turn upon itself, it's members overcome with paranoia... it almost worked. The second trap was a riddle indicating the characters would have to kneel to cross the room, which they discovered only after a great deal of thought from the wizard Magus. Finally, they entered another riddle room where they had to uncover the meaning on ten letters, which King Artaylium uncovered to be ten numbers.</div> <bR> <div> Like reaching the final foe of a battle, the Soaring Blade entered the last room of the Vault of the Forbidden, the resting place of The Crown of the First Gods, floating just above the head of King Ordiln himself, long sice dead. The body of the king sat in a finely made throne, with large circular paintings of many people kneeling to the king on the floor in an erratic pattern about him. The Blade, knowing to honor such a wise and powerful ruler, each placed themselves in one of the circles, bowing to one knee, and then giving up their artifacts that they had found, which unactivated the protective field about the king - and allowing the floor to cave in, revealing the Plane of Negative Energy beyond. The Blade were wise - the paintings did not crumble, but were magical disks that stayed in place, each forming a bridge of light that lead to the throne and the crown. King Artaylium walked across one beam of light, to reach out and take the crown....</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Suddenly there was a massive explosion! Malicor had made part of the wall collapse, hidden beyond a secret passage all the while. Sa'sass Tam, a Zulkir of the Red Wizards of Thay and a long time foe of the Blade, traveled with him, as well as F'zoul Chembroyl, the high priest of Cyric, who has had a deep hatred for Inamsu Goldwind for quite some time. With summoned minions, they attacked, but not before Malicor was able to use his magic to send the crown flinging away from the king's unprotected brow to his hand. </div> <bR> <div> For some reason, Malicor did not attempt to use the crown, instead tossing it casualy aside to Sa'sass and diving into battle. Kendel the barbarian was cut down by his blade, then Dinian O' Nell, but these opponents did not seem to quench Malicor's thrist for blood. He was making his way toward Artayluim Stenis. </div> <bR> <div> In the meantime, most of the minions of the Red Wizard were easily dealt with, and F'zoul was sent screming into the negative plane. However, Sa'sass was more than a match for the Blade. Using his greatest defenses and wisely-placed spells, he began to cause serious damage to the Blade. He even brought along a Thought Eater that he released upon Shalamar the Mage to stop his psionics. He summoned F'zoul back from the Negative Plane. </div> <bR> <div> As Artaylium was drawn into some type of minor plane of existance, he began his battle with Malicor. They struggled in a mighty clash of swords, both being wounded horribly. Artaylium demanded to see his opponent's face, and his opponent agreed, reveling himself to be none other than Artaylium's own son, who had been shown the time when Artaylium was forced to take Careasonna's life, and had been manipulated by Sa'sass Tam into destroying Artalium and the Blade, and retreving the Crown for him. Artaylium refused to kill Malicor, who disappeared, claiming to return, either out of remorse for what he had done or prehaps realizing that the battle for the crown was lost. </div> <bR> <div> F'zoul fell to a Holy Word from Inamsu. Sas'ass Tam's magics were powerful, but even they had their limit. His protections gone, he fell to a strike from Magnus' staff, and plummeted into the negative plane. </div> <bR> <div> Novid had now gained the Crown of the Fist Gods, and had the power to do... anything. The only limit to the crown's power was it's ability to be used only once every 100 years. He asked his friends what they would do with such power. </div> <div> With all their might, the Blade came to the conclusion that they were not gods, and should not try to change the world outside of the way it was meant to be changed. Instead, they used the crown to heal their fallen members, including Taymon Stormbreaker. They then were able to free Careasonna, and leave the Vault of the Forbidden.</div> <bR> <div> It's power thus drained, the crown was given to Eliminster the Mage, a retired adventuer living in Shadowdale to the east, beyond the desert. He stated he knew a friend who would take care of the crown, in a place where no one would expect it's power to be hidden. </div> <bR> <div> The Realms were safe from the power of the old gods, and the Blade once again returned to their own homes and kingdoms, having won the Final War of the Crown of the First Gods. </div> <bR> <div> THE END</div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="14a039a0.jpg" border=0 width="515" height="154" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0abb9b30.jpg" border=0 width="185" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Visions and Visits</B></div> <div>   King Trimalon had a vision of things to come, of Orcus the Devil using armies of goblins and orcs to conquer a crown frozen by the breath of white snakes. Not long after this vision, strange things began to happen within his kingdom, including ice storms mightier than even the Great Glaicer had ever seen, sickness that caused the priests of Torm to fall powerless, and attacks by strange and powerful ice creatures.</div> <div>   Finally, Trimalon was visited by the "woman" who claimed to be responsible for everything that had happened. Apparently a powerful mage, she called herself Vanase (Va-na-say). She claimed to have followed the king throughout his entire life, and was in love with him. If he would marry her, she would stop her aggression and live as his queen. </div> <div>   Trimalon refused, and Vanase swore to return and take his kingdom from him by force for his rejection of her love. In the meantime, King Trimalon ventured into the Great Glaicer itself, even in the face of the storms, to find the Tundra Druids, in hopes of finding out more about Vanase, who had mentioned that the druids knew of her. After passing a test of the druids which included throwing down his protective magic items and artifacts and traveling a day through the blizzard with little protection, Trimalon founf the druids, who informed him that Vanase was the elven word for Auril, the goddess of Cold. Trimalon realised that with the power that he had seen unleased upon his kingdom, this was indeed a god he had refused.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Soaring Blade travels to Trimalon</B></div> <div>   Farsay the mage gathered all of his power possible, and cast a mighty spell that allowed him to speak through Auril's storm. He contacted the Soaring Blade by speaking with Artaylium Stenis. The message was barely received, but Artaylium knew that the kingdom must be in grave danger. Gathering together Suron Bluewater, Seela (a human that Suron had rescued as a child and trained in the ways of the Shadowmasters) and Inamsu Goldwind from his kingdom, he set sail quickly in the mighty Cloudrifter to Trimalon Kingdom.</div> <div>   However, the ship was unable to teleport (using it's magic) within the ice glaicer that made the protective shell of Trimalon Kingdom. Instead, it was caught in the great storms created by Auril, and sent crashing into the icy rocks below. Most of Artaylium's royal guard died in the crash. The few men that escaped, and the Blade, made their way into Trimalon's throne room using the magic of The Jewel of Alexitharr. However, this left the Cloudrifter defenseless to the weather and it was sent tumbling in peices across the snow.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Traitor and the coming of The Ice Mistress</B></div> <div>   Trimalon, now back from the druids, greeted the Soaring Blade and told them of everything that had happened so far. The ice creatures that attacked had slipped past the kingdom's defenses, something that they would have been able to do only if they had known the magical passwords to the outside. He suggested that Suron and Seela try to find out who was the person that had leaked the information. </div> <div>   Of the 12 nobles, Suron discovered that it was Arkan Depitaine, a noble of good standing that had traveled from Waterdeep years ago, that had given the information to Auril's minions. Instead of capturing Arkan,Trimalon and the Blade decided to feed the traitor false information as soon as possible to gain some sort of advantage.</div> <div>   It would not take long for the chance to arrive. The Ice Elves informed the king that The Ice Mistress marched toward the kingdom with an army of goblins, protected by her power. She also had with her the evil Fzoul Chenbroyl, who had survived the Final War! If this was not bad enough, Malicor was with the Ice Queen, as well as undead Phaerimm. </div> <div>   The Son of the Witch King, a powerful cleric, was yet another minion of Auril's. The Son of the Witch King had been trying for years to gather together the last peices of Orcus' power, and Trimalon realized that this was part of the vision he had foreseen.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Battle against the Ice Queen's armies</B></div> <div>   King Trimalon and the Blade formed a plan. First, they would feed Arkan information, telling him that a powerful army had come with Artaylium that could easily crush the goblins. Hopefully, this would make the goblin army pause while in the mountain pass. Then, Inamsu would call upon the power of Tyr, his god, to cause a mighty earthquake that would destroy the goblins by causing an avalanche to roll upon them.</div> <div>   The plan worked just as the Blade had planned, but they realised too late that Auril had planned this as well. The goddess absorbed the souls of the goblins into herself, using their power to increase her own. </div> <div>   The few goblins that were left continued traveling with the goddess and her henchmen toward Trimalon Kingdom. King Trimalon's forces and the Blade were waiting, and fought with great skill and magic. However, the Ice Queen's power was far greater than their own, and Trimalon watched as the Blade retreated, his army fell, and the Ice Queen claimed victory. </div> <div>   Feeling he had no choice, Trimalon decided to offer marriage again to the goddess in return for the safety of his kingdom and his friends. She agreed, at the dismay of the Blade. </div> <bR> <div> <B>The Caverns of Ice and The Frozen Heart</B></div> <div>   Before the courtship could begin, however, the Trimalon discovered that the Ice Queen had another army made of Ice Trolls on the way from the north, and Inamsu informed him that after looking at Trimalon's kingdom closely, he beleived that this was the home of the Eternal Falls, where the Frozen Heart of Auril was supposed to be hidden in the Caverns of Frost. The Frozen heart could be used to defeat the goddess it was said. He asked the king if there were caverns beneath his kingdom, and the king answered that there were indeed. </div> <div>   Hearing this news, the king decided that he should wait to marry this goddess, and instead travel with the Blade into the Caverns of Frost to seek out the Frozen heart. </div> <div>   With Suron leading the way, the Blade traveled into the dark and frozen caves, where they found, after much searching, a waterfall made of solid ice. Using powerful magic, the group made a path through the ice, and then traveled on.  </div> <div>   Beyond the waterfall, the Soaring Blade and King Trimalon encountered falling salagtites as large as small houses and  fifty-foot tall Frost Giants. </div> <div>   They also found an ice bridge over a horrible pit of darkness. On either side of the bridge were giant walls of ice, each containing the frozen bodies of 50 titans, the gods of the old world. Inamsu detected that the titans were still alive, and that they were good in nature. However, the Blade discovered that the walls of ice could not be broken with any force that they possessed.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Frozen Heart and Flamekiller</B></div> <div>   Further into the cavern, the Blade discovered the Frozen Heart and it's guardian, the Grand White Wyrm called Flamekiller, a dragon of unbeleivible size and power. Although the dragon did pass some time in talking with the Blade, his true intent was to destroy any who camr into his lair, and a heroic battle began. Even with the combined strength of the heroes, the dragon was simply too powerful, and the Blade decided to make a run for it after grabbing the Heart, only to run into Fzoul and Malicor. However, Flamekiller was too quick, and breathed a wall of ice, blocking the passage of the would-be theives and freezing Fzoul in place. The Blade threatened Flamekiller with the destruction of the Heart. The dragon laughed. Artaylium looked closer at the artifact, and discovered that it was the heart of the dragon that they held. Flamekiller had somehow replaced the Frozen Heart with his own!</div> <div>   Flamekiller then used his secret weapon, a powerful <I>second</I> breath type that was not a cone of cold, but a magic breath that would stop all magic except his own from functioning where he breathed. The attack worked, but not before Inamsu could throw his mighty Hammer of Tyr into the air. Using the Hammer to call upon the very essence of Tyr himself, Inamsu called for the destruction of the dragon. In an awesome display of raw power, the hammer turned the mighty Flamekiller inside out, killing him and exposing the Frozen Heart.</div> <div>   In the confusion, Malicor took the moment to create a hole large enough to escape through (thanks to his dark Sword of Power) and took Fzoul to safety.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Releasing the Titans</B></div> <div>   Trimalon took the Frozen Heart, and used it to release the hundred titans trapped in the frozen walls at the bridge. They joined forces with The Soaring Blade. However, Seela, the apprentice to Suron Bluewater for over 20 years, stabbed her mentor in the back and stole the Frozen Heart. Apparently, she had been a minion of Auril for many years.</div> <div>   The Blade, Trimalon, and the titans joined together and stormed Trimalon Castle in hopes of defeating the Ice Queen, but even their combined might was nothing to her power. She was indeed one of the gods, and defeated the titans with ease. Although she was not allowed to harm those from the Prime Material plane, the titans, like her, were from the Outer Planes, and she laughed as she froze nearly all of them instantly. The few that escaped the initail attack entered the castle and began to make their way to the Queen in a less direct manner. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Fall fo a God</B></div> <div>   In the meantime, the Blade confronted the Queen, who ignored them for the most part. Weapons and spells could not harm her. Suron attacked the Frozen Heart, and the queen reacted with some pain. Soon, however, the Blade discovered that attacking the Heart was causing pain, but not defeat. </div> <div>   Inamsu decided that the group should take a great risk. The Queen had not placed the Frozen heart back into her form, which was spirit-like. If that was done, one of two things would happen. Either the Queen would form into a "mortal god", with god-like powers but not bound to their laws, or she would be destroyed. Either way, Inamsu knew, a human would have to place the heart within her.</div> <div>   Trimalon, beaten and bloodied, with a defeated kingdom, finally faced the Queen herself, just as she began to be able to affect the world directly with her power. Shoving the Heart into her form, she screamed in agony, and fell to the ground. In a massive explosion, she became mortal again, and died in the process.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Rise of a new Power</B></div> <div>   The Blade thought the story had ended, but Ao, ruler of all the gods, appeared, and announced that he would choose a new god of cold. He chose Seela, who had the coldest heart of all. Seela, having a catastrophic fear of the cold, screamed, as she was made forever the new Ice Queen.</div> <div>   Using his god's power, Inamsu healed the curse and insanity that had warpped Malicor, and he took his old name, Dinian, once again. He still felt that his path led a diffrent way than his fathers, but decided to travel back to Llorkth for a time before leaving once again.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The End</B></div> <div>   The realms set to right once again, Trimalon decided to use the dragon's treasure to rebuild his kingdom. The Blade, using the magic of Jewel of Alexitharr, caused Cloudrifter to reform, and sailed away to Llorkth once again. The titans that were left returned to their homes. </div> <div>   The Son of the Witch King still roams the lands of Vassa, and Fzoul escaped as well, no doubt to Zhentil Keep.</div> <div>   </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>   </div> <div> <IMG SRC="0abb9b30.jpg" border=0 width="185" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>The Bastion of Broken Souls</B></div> <div> Artaylium, Inamsu, Novid, Kendel, Magnus and Windo come to celebrate the birth of Artaylium's third child. The Dragonlords also appear, ready to "bless" the child with the powers of a Dragonmaster, if Artaylium agrees, and he does so. However, the child is born still, and the gathering goes from a moment of celebration to one of sadness. The Dragonlords leave in silence. Novid places the child in magical suspended animation, in hopes that they can save the young prince.</div> <bR> <div> Soon after, the Blade discovers that the child was born without a soul, and that children throughout the Forgotten Realms are being born in the same condition - <I>thousands </I>of them, and the number is increasing. They search for answers in vain, and even the gods will not answer thier questions. The only hint they obtain is from divination spells that do not ask the gods directly for answers. The hint is in the form of a riddle - <I>wait and the answer will come to you. </I>Magnus leaves in search of anwers elsewhere.</div> <bR> <div> During the next week of research and readiness, Kendel, staying at the castle, is approached by a creature of immense power, and agrees to go with her on her word that coming with her will help end the plauge that has stricken the realms. However, he knows that the Blade can follow him and waits for them in the location the abberation brings him to - a hidden basement in Waterdeep, not too far from Novid's shop!</div> <bR> <div> The being introduces herself as <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>The Cathazar</I></FONT>, and agent of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Aamuel</I></FONT>, a name that the Blade has never heard. The Blade shows up to rescue Kendel, and a battle takes place - one that the Cathazar is ready for. She shows her power in combat, badly injuring Kendel in the process. Her traps disable the magic of the Blade and manages to wound many of them. A simple but very powerful ability that she possessed in combat was the ability to animate any amount of chains in her area - of which she had over 20 hanging from the ceiling and six upon her person - all enchanted with powerful magic. During the battle, Inamsu caught a good look at her and suspects that she is a rare half demon, half-devil, a creature that only exists in legends. She has all the powers and defenses of demons and devils alike, and yet seemed to have no weaknesses.</div> <bR> <div> Still, it is apparent that while she would like to kill the Blade to heighten her reputation, she is more interested in survival. She escapes as soon as the battle goes against her in odds, and disappears in a ball of fire, attempting to destroy her books and scrolls. She was unsuccessful, and the blade reads her books. </div> <bR> <div> Apparently, she was researching for Aamuel, gaining knowledge of his discovery of The Bastion of Unborn Souls, the place where souls come from, fed into the universe by some unknown means. Aamuel also wrote that this could be the key he has hunted for - a supercharged demon heart grafted into a wyrm's chest, one that has fed on souls for years. With that heart, he could destroy <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Hethradiah</I></FONT>, his greatest foe, his other half. The other half of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Demogorgon! </I></FONT></div> <div> <I>  </I></div> <div> Of course, Demogorgon was destroyed long ago by the Soaring Blade, but apparently she still schemes and plans from the Abyss, both side of her being so evil that they try desperately to find a way to destroy each other and gain the power she claims for themselves. </div> <bR> <div> In the same writings it is discovered that Kendel is the decendant of the ancient <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Dydd </I></FONT>- a powerful druid that was destroyed in a battle with a great red wyrm named Ashardalon. Ashardalon was mortally wounded and flew away from that legendary battle. However, the dragon did not die - instead, he found and defeated one of the most powerful demons, and crafted the demon itself to replace his own heart. The plan worked for centuries, but soon even the demon was not powerful enough to sustain the dragon, and he knew that he would die. Using his servants and his great knowledge, he searched for hundreds of years until he found the knowledge of The Bastion of Unborn Souls. There he lies, feeding upon the soulds of the unborn, powering himself and his demonic heart. Ripe for the picking of Demogorgon. Dydd's blood, from within of without the body, can be used to kill the dragon, if one is skilled and lucky. The blood gives off an aura of power that allows a person to do battle with Ashardalon, but does not guarantee victory. Without the blood, the battle would be hopeless.</div> <bR> <div> Finally, the papers told of another place that could allow the Cathazar knowledge of how to enter the Bastion - the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Church of the Elements</I></FONT>. She decided to investigate that lead first, although she had others.</div> <bR> <div> At this time, another figure appeared, following The Cathazar to her home - but coming to late to join the battle. He introduced himself as <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Nurn</I></FONT>, a assassian sent to kill The Cathazar on the bidding of his master. Nurn had powerful spells cast upon himself that protected him from any kind of scrying or divination. It was impossible to detect his alignment, if he was lying, even his presence. When asked to take down these defenses, he explained that he could not - he did not place them there. And if he did, he claimed that the cathazar would instantly know his location and come to kill him. He asked the Blade to join him since they were both fighting the same enemy. After some debate, the Blade agreed. </div> <bR> <div> The group went to The Church of the Elements, a grove where the first tree to ever grow on the face of the realms still sprouted a a young plant. The plant was known as <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Semphelon</I></FONT>, and it's keeper <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Dorus</I></FONT>. Semphelon, the plant itself, had a connection with the universe, and Dorus alone could communicate with it. The "young" tree give them little information that they had not already discovered - except a clue that another group might have further answers - the Guild of Sleep, in the Bloodstone Lands. </div> <bR> <div> The <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Guild of Sleep</I></FONT> was a monsatic guild of people who beleive that sleep and dreams give knowledge - and it was well known that their leader, the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Dreamer Prime</I></FONT>, had answers that no one else could give. However, it was also known that she did not wake for anyone - <I>ever</I>. The Blade decided that in this case she would surely make an exception, and traveled to the guild. </div> <bR> <div> However, the Blade discovered that they were wrong - instead of agreeing to wake up, the dream form of Dreamer Prime attacked them for disturbing her - with an dream of herself and powerful dream creatures, a giant lion and a gargantuan triceritops. The Blade were able to defeat these creatures, however, and find the secret intrance to the Prime's chamber. There they discovered that the Dreamer Prime was a withered old hag, a blue-skinned creature of incredible hideous looks. She was weak and scared, and agreed to give the Blade any answers they desired if they would leave her to sleep again. You see, she rode the drema of creatures throughout the universe - and knew the hidden secrets of all of them she had investigated. The Blade listened carefully as she explained what she knew.</div> <bR> <div> DM Note: The Dreamer Prime also told Artaylium that the secret to defeating the Phaerimm, the powerful and evil creatures that cause the desert to grow toward his kingdom, could be found in the desert itself, in a place known as the City of Shadows, which has reappeared after centuriesof existing in the Plane of Shadows. </div> <bR> <div> The Gods have legends as well as mortals. One such legend formed a law among the gods. The legend was that if any god tried to interfere with the Bastion of Unborn Souls, that it would mean the fall of the gods themselves. The law formed from that legend was The Ban of the Bastion, which stated that no god would take the Bastion's power as thier own, and that no god would ever speak of the bastion for any reason. However, there was one god, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Desayus</I></FONT>, who broke this code and attempted to take on the Sphere of the Unborn as part of his own power. he was thrown down by all of the other gods seven hours after this claim. His magical <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Soul Totem</I></FONT> in which he had placed most of his power, was shattered into three peives and thrown across the multiverse. He managed to find one piece of it before being imprisoned in Pandemonium for all of etirnity. The amulet, even a piece of it, could be used to breach the protection of the Bastion. It is the only way to enter that place. But the key to the god's relam is protected by a creature known as <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>Eco</I></FONT> - a Solar, one of the most powerful champions of good. She has vowed to all the gods that she serves never to allow anyone to enter Desayus' chamber that protects the piece of the Soul Totem, and her heart is steel and cold. The Blade was troubled as what to do when they encounter this ancient force of good that opposes the goals they are trying to reach - to gain a piece of the Soul Totem so that they can do battle with Ashardalon the dragon and save the unborn souls of the universe....</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   </div> </td> </tr></table></body>