Chronicle - The Quest for the Scabbard

Journey to Locklastar

Lanzi had taught Milai how to make use of the travelling cloud, so between them they would be able to provide trasportation, and with Odin's blessing I was able to sustain us with food and water. Lanzi was also able to shelter and hide us whilst we rested, with his hut of great dweomer. It was three days of travel, with the temperature rising as we covered the miles, we reached an expanse of boggy plains... and the end of any reliable maps we knew of.

I turned once more to Odin for guidance, and we followed the direction I was granted, travelling for another three days before strange vegetation was visible and the temperature and humidity became uncomfortable. I called on Odin once more to protect us within this strange environment as we continued our journey. After another two days the ground started to rise, and we could see a mountain range in the distance ahead. The following day we reached some foothills and the vegetation was not so smothering below us. Having travelled about WSW from the start of the boggy ground, we were far from any features known to us, but incredibly Milai spotted a humanoid ahead, dressed in natural clothing that made them very hard to pick out against the environment they were in, and if they had not been lighting a fire we might have flown right over them.

We, of course, were seen easily and the figure dropped what seemed to be a lyre, drawing a bow and standing ready whilst watching our approach. We continued to close, although not directly, and tried to signal peaceful intent. Lanzi tried blaring out some music with dweomer, but Milai strummed a more gentle tune on her own lyre. Closer now, it seemed that the figure might be a half elf, somewhat handsome with blond hair and hardy travelling leathers. He stood in a small camp, carefully prepared, and was armed with a Dai-Ku and rapier. The slope he was camped on was grassy, with some flat areas that would afford an easy landing, and the mountain scenes around and behind were quite beautiful. As we came closer still we noted the amount of jewellery he was wearing, with a headpiece speckled with precious stones, golden necklaces and bracelets, as well as rings on his hands. His belt was decorated with a symbol suggesting air or wind, and his eyes were blue to match. I sensed that he was checking our alignment with dweomer or divine insight, but we had nothing to hide.

He greeted us and introduced himself as "Rathon", and knew of Milai and Lanzi, inviting us to share his camp. We accepted gratefully after a week of travelling in haste, and shared a meal. We spoke of our destination, and he seemed to know it well. He referred to it as the "Lock of Lastar", a lock that required a key, although we did not know of such a key. Lanzi, in discussion, started to connect the gate with the poem we had heard of Persephone, which might give us a clue to find our way. This talk of Lastar and a poem related to Hades started to give us an insight into the journey we were about to undertake. As we ate, Rathon spent time with Milai, and seemed to improve her ability with the lyre surprisingly quickly.

Eventually Rathon offered to take us to our destination, but warned us to prepare before we left so Lanzi cast stoneskin on himself and Hintzu. We then held hands and suddenly found ourselves transported through time and space!

The 'Lock of Lastar'

I saw the battle scene from my vision, with Guerin there, but the image was gone in an instance. We witnessed the death of Valorin and of Yorlikson, and the disappearance of all of Guerin's people. For a moment we saw the scabbard on Yorlikson's belt, but then landed on solid ground in a dark room. Light slowly filled the room after our arrival, and Rathon said "here is Locklastar." We appeared to be in a Grecian temple adorned with statues of the Gods (we recognised Athena at once), in a circular space about forty foot across and domed about twenty feet above us. Aerial creatures were depicted in flight on the ceiling, and no doors were visible. We stood on a marble floor. Turning to take this in, it was clear that we had arrived in front of the statue of Zeus. Lanzi speculated that this might be a part of Limbo, which would fit with Lastar's previous secret places.

Rathon bid us be careful and departed in whatever way he had brought us here by. Mindful of the planar nature of the 'lock' we were about to attempt to pass through, we turned to our lore for guidance. Milai sang the "winged shadow", accompanied by strumming her lyre, and we burned leaves in the centre of the room to make ash. The smoke whirled around the room, fogging our vision with abnormal amounts of billowing smoke, but it slowly cleared and we saw that the statues had changed.

Now there was just the male 'sun' god and female 'moon' goddess, so we shone sunlight with dweomer on the male statue and starshine on the female. They disappeared, leaving the room empty, but a siren song could be heard, with a strange glow lighting the air around us. Out of the ceiling half female, half eagle creatures emerged and dived at us. Lanzi was raked by talons, but his stoneskin saved him from harm. Milai lashed out with Agan, downing one, and Hintzu loosed arrows to bring down two more. Lanzi conjured a stinking cloud, and fortunately I was able to duck aside and hold my breath before it affected me. Milai and Hintzu killed two more apiece, striking any that came close. Lanzi hit one with magic missiles, and I finished it with a blow from my hammer. Although they were many they were not strong, and Hintzu killed two more as Milai killed three. Lanzi struck one down with more magic missiles before Hintzu killed the last one flying. There were a few remaining in the room alive, but they were incapaciated by the stinking cloud.

Milai started singing again, and the room span and shifted, with the bodies vanishing as it did so. We were plunged into pitch darkness, so I took out my gem of brightness. As I did so, the three heads of Cerberus seemed to loom out at us, but Milai shouted a warning that it was an illusion and should be ignored. We collected ourselves and saw stairs leading downwards from behind the image of Cerberus. The stairs were long and straight, although direction had no meaning to us here. Hintzu advanced, but the floor started to fall away. We all hurredly used dweomer to ensure we could fly!

Milai created a pocket of Prime Material plane so that she could take a sapling to burn, leaving a trail of ash behind us as we travelled. I ended up carrying a faggot of wood for Lanzi to do the same. Milai and Hintzu took the lead and we flew down into the darkness; it was black all around us. Eventually we could make out a grey dome below us and as we drew closer we could see an opening in the top that we headed for. Looking around we could make out a dark horizon with broken, black shapes in the distance but everything was dark and indistinct. We entered the dome and ended up stood in a round room at the base, which seemed unremarkable and without exits.

Lanzi used his gem of seeing, which revealed dead things in the walls, clinging around archways that he could now make out. We used the sheet of smallness to reduce the size of the saplings, so that I could move freely and defend myself, and I then volunteered to be the first to step through the archway (which I could not see). Lanzi kindly helped by shoving me through the right spot in the wall and I emerged from the other side stood on a basalt black 'road' about four feet wide surrounded by twisted grey rock and tress either side. There was an acrid smell in the air and it was cold (although not freezing), with no wind I could feel. The most noticeable thing, though, was the cacophony of wailing and screaming filling my ears, with no discernable source - talking would be difficult here. There was a creature approaching, about twice my height and revolting looking, although all grey, crawling across the rocks fairly slowly but definitely heading my way.

Milai was next to step through, but when she emerged there was no sign of me, and she stood alone amongst the grey rocks. There was also a creature visible, although it was different to the one I saw. Lanzi and Hintzu tried to step through together, and Hintzu's badge might have been heard saying "I've been a very brave boy" if it were not for the noise all around. They emerged together but with nobody else in sight, so we were now separated. The mages' familiars had not made the transition, or were lost somewhere else, so we would not benefit from their support here. We were now in the plains of the Hells, and must find our way to Hades' realm.

Entering the Realm of Hades

Milai engaged the creature she was faced with in melee, landing a hit with Agan. The thing tried to engulf here, it's touch burning like acid, and she retaliated with a thrust that caused it to deflate into nothing. She quickly used her decanter of water to clean herself in case of any burning liquid, and then communed with Agan asking which general direction the scabbard could be found in.

Lanzi spoke to (shouted at) Hintzu, saying that they should head to Persephone's Grove. Hintzu responded with "good idea; do you know the way?" Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of strange balls of tentacles appearing from behind some of the rocks, propelling themselves by ejecting gases whilst floating in the air. They reacted by ensuring they could fly first, then Lanzi used magic missles and Hintzu struck out at the nearest, hitting it with a solid blow, and then finished it with a second strike. Lanzi tried a lightning bolt, but it appeared to have no effect. He was then wrapped up by multiple tentacles as the creature got closer, pulling him in. Hintzu was also hit, but was not trapped. Fortunately their stoneskin saved them both from harm. Hintzu killed the creature that had tried to immobilise him, and then tried to help Lanzi who was being squeezed hard by the tentacles that held him. Lanzi used one of his magical devices and disintegrated the creature holding him, letting the remains of the tentacles fall from him. They were safe for now.

I was not in immediate danger, so I called forth a helping hand and ordered it to find Hintzu. If it found him it would beckon at him to follow and return to me, and I knew that Hintzu was the only one likely to follow such a curious image without suspecting a devious trap. I then tried to mentally dominate the creature approaching, but without success; instead it hit me in the face, so I hefted my hammer and hit it back harder! A second blow finished it off, leaving me alone once more. I used air walk to gain some altitude in the hope of being more visible for my friends, calling on Odin to shine the sun's light in this dismal place, again hoping to be seen.

Milai could see a light amongst the grey surroundings, so decided to head towards it in the hope that it was another of our party. The ground shook in a violent tremour (which we all felt, but Milai was closest to the source). She rolled to one side as the gaping maw of a massive worm erupted from the ground where she had stood, sinking back in a few moments later. She decided it would be prudent to fly rather than walk, and ascended with dweomer. As this, a flying eye creature swooped on her, catching her by surprise and causing some wounds; a couple more followed, but this time she was ready and cut one down with Agan. Not wanting to waste time she conjured a wall of ice above her and dropped it on the melee, killing all the creatures attacking her.

I was the next target for the giant worm, but fortunately I had climbed just high enough that its momentum could not quite carry it high enough to snatch me from the air. I rose a little higher and continued to shine a sunray around in an arc, like a beacon, and the light highlighted some flying creatures heading towards me. They were fast-flying, part bat, part humanoid, undead looking things, and their speed meant that they were able to land some hits, but I killed one in return. As I was fighting, I was fortunate that the hand I had sent out located Hintzu, beckoning him to follow. Lanzi thought that he was crazy, and Hintzu was a little concerned that even John could not see the hand, but elected to follow it anyway.

I fought for some time against the flying creatures, as they swept in and out I had to make attacks of opportunity. I had killed eight by the time that Milai finally found me, and she used an ice storm to kill the remaining half dozen creatures. She seemed to forget, though, that not everyone is immune to her ice dweomer, and almost killed me in the process! Now that we were together I decided to use another sunray to act as a beacon for Hintzu and Lanzi, hoping that they were also close. A combination of the hand beckoning and the light did eventually reunite us, thank Odin, and they told us that they had seen a great river, probably the Styx, as they flew.

There were more vibrations beneath us, so we elected to fly to the river quickly. Lanzi needed to restore his stoneskin protection, and as he did so turned pink (dweomer could be a little unpredictable on other planes), and he continued to turn everyone else pink except me... well I did wear his miraculous ancestral armour, which over time healed my wounds. When we arrived at the river we paused, wanting to cross but unable to simply fly across due to some nature of the planar boundaries that Lanzi seemed to understand better than I. Lanzi used dweomer to sound a horn, and we waited to see if a boatman would answer, as told in the legends.

Eventually a large black boat approached with a single figure inside, who demanded payment for passage across the river. We paid in gold and boarded; the crossing was uneventful and in silence, but took five hours! Perhaps time was subjective here, as in other planes. Once across we continued to follow the direction roughly indicated by Agan, with Milai taking the lead as usual. The terrain here was just as lifeless and colourless, but was now boggy and flat rather than rocky and sloped.

At one point three hydras rose out of the waters around us, each with a dozen heads. Lanzi reacted first, with another lightning bolt, but it did not seem to have any effect. The heads lashed out, biting several of us before we could defend ourselves, then Hintzu raised a ring of fire around one of the creatures. I let off a fireball from my mace, charging to strike at the body, which was a big target. Milai tried a cone of cold, but again there seemed to be no effect, then struck at a head with Agan, severing it with one swipe. Lanzi, caught in melee, struck out with his fists and actually knocked a head out with his blows, causing it to sink back into the bog. Milai cut off another two heads, but the others again struck out and caused damage with their bites to many of us. Milai cut off another two heads, but Hintzu was now in the fray and he cut off four in quick, dancing attacks. I landed a blow with my hammer, beating one creature back as best I could to keep it from the others. Milai, not to be outdone by Hintzu, cut off two more heads with Agan. Lanzi was able to cast now, calling a flamestrike down on the nearest hydra, finally killing one, but was then struck from behind by another's head, as was Hintzu. Milai cut another head off, and Hintzu another two; I switched to aid with the head culling, smashing one as Milai cut off the last from the second creature. United now against the last of them we hacked at heads and body until there was no more movement.

We were victorious, but were not sure of the regenerative powers of the creatures, so after calling on Odin to heal us we quickly decided to continue in the air, flying for about an hour. We noticed a slight darkening of what little light was in this cursed place, and then a wind started to grow and swirl around us, getting stronger. It pushed at us from above, and we quickly descended to solid ground. Lightning struck at us, and burning acid fell, destroying Milai's wand of force and one of my scroll cases. Milai quickly conjured an ice sheet over us to give shelter, and we prayed and used dweomer to prepare for a fight. Milai then turned herself into something resembling a wraith and passed through the ice to see what was outside, whilst I chanted a prayer to protect us all. Milai returned having seen what seemed like a sentient storm turning its wrath onto us, and warned not to venture outside. Lanzi conjured a wall of force outside of the ice, and then Milai removed the ice. We saw a dark disc which seemed to have two burning red eyes within it, but made up of storm clouds. Two 'appendages' of some kind struck down at us with elemental forces, but could not penetrate the barrier Lanzi had raised. This went on for some time, but eventually the thing grew tired of wasting its energy on us and drifted off looking for something else to do. We had bored our first monster into submission!

Once we were sure that the thing had gone far enough we flew on. Of course, being in the air also had its dangers and before long we saw some eyed blobs approaching on giant insects. Milai sent an ice storm their way, but it did not seem to worry them and they responded with magic missiles, which she absorbed. The rest of us were not so lucky, all being hit by more magic missiles. Hintzu conjured an ice sheet to drop on them, hurting some of them, and then Lanzi went one bigger (and better) with a meteor swarm that killed two. As the major dweomer was coming out, I also let off a meteor swarm from the mace, killing another two. Milai charged forward, sending a cone of cold ahead of her, but again to no effect, and was then forced to absorb the energy of a flamestrike as they retaliated. A wall of ice appeared between the two groups, and Lanzi quickly raised a wall of fire that turned it to steam. We adopted a defensive posture, and Hintzu threw a fireball through the steam, but as the steam cleared there was nothing to fight; they had thought better of pressing the attack and withdrawn.

I called on Odin to heal more of our wounds and we continued as before. The ground ahead finally showed signs of change, rising slowly out of the marshland into firmer barren ground. On the horizon we spotted about a score of flying creatures approaching, and beyond them a regular shape in the distance. Perhaps a building? Milai sent another ice storm towards the approaching foe, and Lanzi another meteor swarm, felling about a quarter of the force. I make Lanzi immune to magic missiles, and Hintzu created smoke around the creatures in an attempt to disorientate them. Fireballs streaked towards us, but had no effect. Lanzi let off another meteor swarm (he had definitely won the mighty dweomer contest), killing a few more. A few more fireballs came our way just before we were in melee. Milai cut one down, and I charged forward to smite another dead with my hammer. Another fireball and magic missiles were throw at us, and Lanzi responded with a rain of acid on those not engaged directly. Hintzu breathed fire and then cut one down as they drew close to him. Lanzi tried a fireball back at them, but with no effect, and magic missiles and multiple attacks were hurting us. Milai slashed with Agan, killing one, used the great sword to heal herself, and then cut down another in quick and accurate strikes. Hintzu raised his ring at one, which somehow caused it to flee downwards away from the fight. He then struck one down in melee, as did Milai and I, giving us a little breathing room, as Lanzi drank from a potion, fearing for his health. Hintzu switched to arrows, but they had no effect on these creatures. Lanzi conjured a gargantuan hand which took hold of one foe, immobilsing it, and Milai killed the last one still fighting. Lanzi released it and Hintzu made mincemeat of it before it could cast any more dweomer.

Once again I called on Odin to heal our serious wounds, and Milai's mind had suffered from attack. When ready we continued on towards what looked like a thirty foot high black wall as we got closer. There were buildings beyond the wall, and all were guarded by numerous creatures atop them. We climbed as we approached to around two hundred feet, and I blessed all of us (bar Lanzi who used fly) with air walking in case of mishap. We could see now beyond the wall a large castle of some description and a grove further ahead; to our surprise we could actually see some colour in the grove - this must be Persephone's Grove that we sought. A white tree stood alone in the grassy area, but we could not make out more details from here. Flying creatures were starting to rise from the defenders' ranks, heading for us, and we decided to withdraw. We had not realised that we were so close to our objective and did not want to go on without due preparation. We retreated some way, and the defenders returned to their posts, not pursing us for long.

After a discussion we decided to use Odin's power to transport us to Persephone's Grove directly, now that we had some idea where it was and had even seen it, albeit briefly from a distance. As usual I warned that we would have to go together at once to avoid being separated, so Milai took post at the front to make the call on whether we all went or all stayed. The portal opened and after a pause we all went through, emerging into a volcanic area just in front of a gate to the grove.

There was lots of heat emanating from lava around us, and the wailing was particularly noisy here. The gates of the garden were a complete contrast, with lovely carvings and although still grey a slight hint of colour and warmth that stood out amongst the rest of the scene, looking inviting. Melting rocks and burning souls could be seen below where we stood, and what appeared to be a low fence around the garden was all that separated it from the destruction outside. The gateway had that slightly indistinct look of a portal between planes, though, so we suspected that simply hopping over the fence was not an option. Behind us stood massive iron doors to the fortress we had seen, with the walls well guarded. Creatures were occasionally trying to climb over the fence to the garden, but as we thought they could not do so and often slipped back down into the lava.