text:
Song title 76 - Yeah!
This page lists the chart runs for songs called "Yeah!" in order of success. This list combines cover versions and distinct songs that happen to share the same title.
If, alternately, you are looking for songs which have the word "Yeah!" somewhere in the title a better alternative would be to look up the word in the site index for y.
# Artist Song Title Year Chart Entries
1 Usher Yeah! 2004 UK 1 - Mar 2004 (15 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Jan 2004 (45 weeks), US BB 1 of 2004, US Radio 1 of 2004 (peak 1 31 weeks), Holland 1 - Mar 2004 (15 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Mar 2004 (24 weeks), Norway 1 - Mar 2004 (19 weeks), Germany 1 - Mar 2004 (5 months), ODK Germany 1 - Mar 2004 (25 weeks) (4 weeks at number 1) (13 weeks in top 10), Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Apr 2004, Canada Billboard 1 for 10 weeks - May 2004, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks - Apr 2004, Australia 1 for 1 week - Mar 2004, Europe 1 for 8 weeks - Apr 2004, Germany 1 for 4 weeks - Apr 2004, POP 1 of 2004, Top Song of 2004 of the Billboard 50th list, Japan (Tokyo) 2 - Feb 2004 (23 weeks), Austria 2 - Mar 2004 (8 months), Grammy in 2004 (Nominated), MTV Video of the year 2004 (Nominated), US Platinum (certified by RIAA in Nov 2006), Canada Platinum (certified by CRIA in Sep 2004), ARC 3 of 2004 (peak 1 24 weeks), Switzerland 4 of 2004, France 6 - Mar 2004 (2 weeks), Italy 6 of 2004, Acclaim Year 7 of 2004, Billboard 50th song 11, 55th Billboard 100 13 (2004), nuTsie 13 of 2000s, Billboard100 14, Sweden 15 - Apr 2004 (5 weeks), Germany 19 of the 2000s (peak 1 16 weeks), Poland 41 - May 2004 (4 weeks), Scrobulate 50 of rnb, Acclaimed 640 (2004), RYM 139 of 2004, Chart2000.com song 1 of 2004, Party 24 of 2007
2 LCD Soundsystem Yeah! 2004 Acclaim Year 16 of 2004, Acclaimed 1101 (2004), RYM 13 of 2004
3 The Wannadies Yeah! 2000 Sweden 17 - Oct 1999 (3 weeks), Holland free40 51 of 2000, UK 56 - Mar 2000 (1 week)
4 Mihimaru Gt Yeah! 2007 Japan (Tokyo) 22 - Aug 2007 (6 weeks)
5 Audioweb Yeah! 1996 UK 73 - Mar 1996 (1 week)
6 Tape Yeah! 2003 ODK Germany 62 - Oct 2003 (3 weeks)
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text:
Dear Mr. President: Black America Deserves Better
David Malebranche M.D.
Filed to:Culture
Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
Dear President Obama:
As a black man, I have cried more times than I care to admit in the past week, particularly after hearing the audiotape of Diamond Reynolds' live Facebook video following the killing of her fiance, Philando Castile, in Falcon Heights, Minn. My heart wept as she showed profound resilience and calm in the face of an overly aggressive police officer who appeared unbothered by the trauma he had just inflicted on her and her 4-year-old daughter.
Has your heart wept? Have you cried?
I ask because the racial venom that has been unearthed in response to your presidency is like nothing I've ever seen. With each erasure of black life through state violence, these racist cops are shooting at us as if they wished they were shooting at you. While you have responded with more peacemaking and politically correct language to ensure that our white brothers and sisters feel "safe," the body bags containing black men and women have continued to pile up like discarded waste in a landfill.
Given how soon Castile's death came after the death of Alton Sterling by two police officers just one day earlier in Baton Rouge, La., I was certain that you would mince no words in addressing the pain this revolving door of black assassinations is inflicting on our community. Instead, as you spoke from Warsaw, Poland, I heard the following phrases:
We have seen tragedies like this too many times.
Racial disparities.
This is not just a black issue.
A big chunk of fellow citizenry feels as if, because of the color of their skin, they are not being treated the same.
I could not believe my ears. You said we "feel" as if we are not being treated the same, as if these police shootings were merely perceptions and not reality. You never uttered the word "racism." You never mentioned police accountability. You never said "we" or "I" as if this could have been you, your wife or your daughters as the victims in these crimes. You never identified your personal connection to this issue or to our community.
I used to think that your measured approach to politics and high-voltage issues, such as state violence against black people, was due to your idealistic desire to bring everyone together in a magical "kumbaya moment" or to not be pegged as the "angry black man," especially during your first term. When you were re-elected in 2012, I thought the gloves would come off and you would do battle with your racist, #AllLivesMatter political adversaries and address their perpetuation and protection of violent, institutionalized racism without apology.
You kept turning the other cheek; now you keep turning the other cheek and, in essence, enabling their bad behavior—even though black lives swing in the balance.
Mr. President, you acknowledged during your speech in Dallas that you've "seen how inadequate your own words have been" when it comes to preventing future shootings and violence. Despite your feeble attempts to call police institutional violence to the carpet while also mourning the loss of five Dallas officers, your presence at the Dallas service signified, in all its political correctness, that #BlueLivesMatter more. Your absence at any of the homegoing services for black victims of police brutality was palpable, and spoke volumes. The closest I've heard you come to being present during these tragedies is when you announced that Trayvon Martin "could've been your son."
So, perhaps your rhetoric does not resonate with your audience because they can tell you are trying to please everyone instead of stating how you really feel. Your words, while often emphasizing unity and peace, often ignore the pain and suffering that many black people are experiencing in this country. Meanwhile, white supremacists respond to your olive branch by calling you the "racist, black, affirmative action president." So what would you lose by approaching the podium as a proud black man who is president, instead of the president who just happens to be a black man?
Sometimes I just want you to be the same fiery Harvard activist that got you into the White House in the first place. Sometimes I want your speeches to cease being explanations of racism for white people to appease their guilt. Sometimes I wish you would just acknowledge the physical and psychological trauma that racism inflicts on black people every single day.
You can professionally be the president of all of America and be unapologetic about being a black man. The two are not mutually exclusive. You can't repeatedly deliver speeches that refuse to hold racist murderers and police institutions accountable for their actions and think an off-key rendition of "Amazing Grace" will wash our pain away.
It won't.
In 2008, your passionate speech on race in Philadelphia shifted my support from Hillary Clinton to you and your campaign. I even invited my dad to watch the video so that we could experience it together as father and son. On election night that year, I sat in a crowded living room with close friends, all of us black men, glued to the television as if our futures depended on it. We witnessed the election of the first black president of the United States of America. Months later, I stood in the arctic cold of Washington, D.C., for hours to watch you being sworn into office. Hope truly sprang eternal that day.
That is why it was so hard for me to write this letter, because I believed in you, and I still want to believe in you.
For the past eight years, you have done some remarkable things of which I am very proud. You led this country out of the worst recession in recent history. You ended two unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were costing the country billions of dollars and countless American lives. You and your administration orchestrated the killing of Osama bin Laden. You created a health care initiative that improved access to health care for millions of Americans. You have done more for LGBT equality than any of your predecessors. For all of these accomplishments, I thank you.
But if other demographic groups and issues of national urgency get your full attention, and all that your most loyal base gets is singing and jump shots, something is wrong with that picture. We need for you, during the little time you have left leading this country, to be the man we thought we voted for, or admit to yourself and to us that you never were.
My father taught me that you show someone you care by holding a mirror up to them. You can love them and be disappointed at the same time. After the horrific slayings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police last week, you stated, "We can do better." No, Mr. President, police officers occupy positions of power in this country, and their senseless snuffing out of black life is a flagrant abuse of this power.
They can do better, and so can you.
David Malebranche, M.D., is an internal medicine physician and public health activist working in correctional health. He is also the author of a memoir about his father, Standing on His Shoulders. Dr. Malebranche lives in Marietta, Ga. You can reach him by email. Follow him on Twitter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package oauthstore

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"

	"golang.org/x/oauth2"
)

// Storage is our generic storage interface
type Storage interface {
	GetToken() (*oauth2.Token, error)
	SetToken(*oauth2.Token) error
}

// GetToken retrieves a github oauth2 token
func GetToken(ctx context.Context, conf Config) (*oauth2.Token, error) {
	token, err := conf.Storage.GetToken()
	if err == nil && token.Valid() {
		return token, err
	}
	url := conf.AuthCodeURL("state")
	fmt.Printf("Type the following url into your browser and follow the directions on screen: %v\n", url)
	fmt.Println("Paste the code returned in the redirect URL and hit Enter:")

	var code string
	if _, err := fmt.Scan(&code); err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}
	return conf.Exchange(ctx, code)
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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The top ten coins listed on CoinMarketCap are all in the green today, April 8, with Bitcoin.KIN coin, which was traded at 6.8 percent against the dollar till March 8, has traded at 21.
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text:
Amazing Temple 2 days/ 1 night
Duration : 2 days 1 night
Amazing Temple 2 days/ 1 night is a special tour designed to explore the world heritage site of Cambodia – Angkor complexs. Discovery of the glorious jungle-tangled temples in Angkor Wat, the visit through rural countryside to the beautiful temple of Angkor Thom, and Prasat Kravan with its unique brick sculpture.
Visiting Angkor Wat Temple and study both the splendid architecture and bas-relief
Sightseeing Prasat Kravan with its unique brick sculpture, the "Mountain Temple" of Pre Rup, Eastern Mebon, Neak Pean
Exploring the lost city of the Khmer Empire: South Gate of Angkor Thom, Giant faces of famous Bayon and Baphuon Temples
2 Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinner
Cambodia visa fee currently US$30/ pax payable upon arrival
Compulsory dinner for Xmas Eve on 24 Dec, New Year Eve on 31 Dec & Chinese New Year
Peak Season for 4 star & 5 star hotel
Day 1: Siem Reap arrival
Breakfast at hotel Transfer to Phnom Penh International airport for departure to Siem Reap Arrival at Siem Reap International Airport and direct transfer to the Angkor temple complex. Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate (with its huge carvings depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Elephant Terrace , the Terrace of the Leper King and Ta Prohm. One of the area's most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was swallowed by the jungle and looks very much the same way most of the monuments of Angkor must have appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. Lunch at local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat's five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond. Dinner at local restaurant with Apsara dance Show. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 2: Siem Reap Deaparture
Explore PHNOM PENH, a chaotic, energetic, and always fascinating city. Graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades are reminders of the bygone eras, today they teem with life and activity, as motorcycles weave in and out of traffic, vendor hawk their wares, and pedestrians go about their business. Star your tour at WAT PHNOM, the birthplace of the capital, according to the legend the city began here when a woman Penh found four Buddha statues and build the temple to house them. After wards. See the splendor of Cambodian's royal heritage by visiting the ROYAL PALACE, still the official residence of the king Norodom Sihamuni, the adjacent SILVER PAGODA, also known as the pagoda of the Emerald Buddha.
Have Lunch at the local restaurant In the afternoon, learn about a chapter from Cambodia's more recent, tragic, past at the TUOL SLENG MUSEUM (Museum of Genocide). Formerly the Tuol Svay Prey High School, in 1975, this became the interrogation and torture facility for the Khmer Rouge Regime, at that time known as Security Prison 21, or simply S-21. Kept largely unchanged, this prison now showcases photographs and exhibits about the thousands of victims that through these doors, only seven of whom came out alive. Finally, explore the modern-day city, visiting one of the Phnom Penh's two great markets, the CENTRAL MARKET, located in a distinctive domed Art deco building, and have dinner at the local restaurant. Transfer back to the airport for the flight departure to the next destination.


WITH one third of the All-Ireland League regular season now completed, Limerick's seven senior clubs chase further vital points this weekend.
In Division 1A, Limerick's best-placed side Shannon host Lansdowne on Thomond Park's back pitch this Saturday, 2.30pm.
On the same afternoon, at Clifford Park, Young Munster will look to get back to winning ways when hosting UCD.
Also on Saturday afternoon, Garryowen, fresh from their crucial derby win over Young Munster at Dooradoyle on Friday night, face a trip to Dublin to take on basement side Terenure College at Lakelands, 2.30pm.
The AIL action in Division 2A involving local clubs kicks-off on Friday night when Old Crescent host Nenagh Ormond at Rosbrien, 8pm.
Crescent lie eighth in the table, following their precious 13-12 win away to Galwegians in their last outing.
Also on Friday night in 2A, UL-Bohemian travel to Spafield to take on Cashel RFC. UL-Bohs moved up to fifth-place in the Division 2A table on the back of their impressive 36-24 bonus point win over QUB last time out.
In Division 2C on Saturday, Bruff host Omagh at Kilballyowen Park, while second-from-bottom Thomond make the long trip to Judge's Road to take on City of Derry.
In-form Bruff have won five of their six AIL fixtures to date this season.
Shannon remain the highest-placed local side in 1A, despite their 31-19 defeat to an impressive Dublin University side at College Park last weekend.
Tom Hayes' Shannon sit in fifth place, 10 points off leaders Clontarf, but only two points off Dublin University who occupy the last of the semi-final play-off places.
Garryowen ended a three game losing run in the top flight when overcoming Young Munster 32-26 at Dooradoyle on Friday night.
The win saw the 'Light Blues' jump above Munsters' in the 1A table and into seventh position.
Afterwards Garryowen head coach Conan Doyle said: "We couldn't afford to go four games without a win. We had to get the win against Munsters' and we will be targeting the next three games in December as well.
"We have Terenure College away next weekend and that has always been a tough fixture for us for the past few years.
"We can take a lot out of last Friday night's game, a lot of good things and a lot of bad things. Hopefully, we can bring the momentum of the derby win into next weekend.
"Having lost three games already we cannot afford to be losing any games easily, so we will be targeting them all.
Friday night's defeat might have dented Young Munster's play-off hopes as the Clifford Park side slip seven points off the play-off places. However, head coach Gearóid Prendergast insists that it is still early stages in the regular season.
Gearóid Prendergast: "It is a bit of a blow (to top four hopes), but we have a long way to go.
"There are still 12 games left, so a lot of twists and turns. We certainly have to start getting points on the board, and it has to start next weekend against UCD at home.
"We still have a long way to go and we have been down this road before and we have still finished in the top four.
"We have a tough three weeks ahead. After UCD, we have Cork Con away and then Clontarf at home, so a big three weeks.


Today's card is brought to you by scraps sitting out on my desk. I can't tell you how long these scraps sat out...but it was more than a few days or weeks. The floral border at the bottom of my scene was just a small piece that was left over from an earlier stamping project. The fence was something I planned to use elsewhere, but didn't, and the bird was one of many I had colored, but not used yet.
Is it weird that this is a favorite of mine? No planning? Oh my!
That's it for today. I am off to create more cards to share with you.


So John here is my abbreviated (I know it doesn't look it) version of the types of glass. I tried to whittle it down but it is a complex subject. Let me know if you need it shorter.
Crown Glass-The earliest form of window glass that is found in America. Formed by gathering molten glass onto the blowpipe, an air bubble is formed, and then through careful manipulation of the bubble, a large round balloon is formed. At this point the blowpipe is cut off and a punty is attached. The hole created by the absent blowpipe is widened. As the hole becomes larger the punty is twirled so that a large disc of viscous glass is formed. At the height of production discs reached 52" in diameter. Once the disc is annealed it is cut into useful pieces. The remaining center roundel or bullion was primarily used for utility purposes.
-Use of the roundel as a pane.
-Bubbles in the glass follow the curvature of the stretch. Ellipses arranged in arcs.
Cylinder Glass (hand-blown and machine drawn)- As larger pieces of glass were desired the technology for making window glass developed to meet the demand.
Hand-Blown: In the hand-blown process the molten glass was gathered on the blowpipe similar to the manufacture of crown glass. More molten glass had to be taken up on the end of the pipe since the amount of material gathered determined how long you would be able to make the cylinder. Great strength by the workmen was essential. A large air bubble was formed and the molten glass worked into a pear shape. To get the wall thickness to remain consistent the worker had to carefully stretch the shape vertically. At times the molten glass bubble was swung up over the head and down into deep pits which allowed for cylinders of great length to be produced. By the 1860s cylinders of 50" in length by 36" wide were produced. After the cylinder was created it was removed from the blowpipe and was slit down the length of it. Afterward it was placed into a flattening kiln where it would slump down flat, then placed into an annealing oven. The flattened sheets were then cut into the desired sizes.
Machine Drawn: In the early 1900s John Lubbers developed a process for drawing tall cylinders of glass using machinery. Known as the Lubbers process. This revolutionary process allowed for cylinders up to 45' in length to be produced. The slitting and annealing process was similar to that used for the hand-blown glass.
-Small pits or inclusions on the surface of the finished glass.
-Bubbles in the glass follow the longitudinal stretch of the cylinder.
Float Glass: Also know as the Pilkington Process after the inventor of the technique Sir Alastair Pilkington. He developed this manufacturing process in the 1950s. Molten glass is poured onto a bed of molten tin. Like oil in water the glass floats upon this bed. No bubbles or distortions are present in the glass sheet. Thickness is controlled by the speed with which the molten ribbon is removed from the tin bath.
-Distortion free view from all angles. No bubbles or blemishes are present.
-Clear glass of uniform thickness.
Tutton, Michael and Elizabeth Hirst, eds. Windows: History, Repair and Conservation, Great Britain: Donshead, 2007.
Munro, William L. Window Glass in the Making, Pittsburgh: n.p., 1926.
Pender, Robyn and Sophie Godfraind, vol.eds. Practical Building Conservation: Glass and Glazing, Great Britain: Ashgate Publishing, 2011.
Amy, this is excellent. Thank you, thank you, thank you.


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Interesting Fact: I greatly enjoy yard work and gardening.
Born in: Kansas City, Mo.
Random claim to fame: I have an unbelievable ability to determine the distance to the pin on a golf course without a rangefinder.


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Everyday After School This Sweet Dog Does Something Really Awesome. Love It!
Every afternoon this sweet dog waits for his best friend to come home. Watch what else he does.
How cute is that?! Dogs truly are man's best friend. If this made you smile, Share it with your friends and family.


text:
Forest Maker
Ruins of Kalidnay
After the nausea faded, the party found themselves in the outskirts of Kalidnay on Athas. The familiar bright sun and oppressive heat was a welcome change from the Gray. Exhausted from their ordeals, the party took rested in one of the more intact buildings. They discovered that all of the metal they had brought from the Gray had turned to wood, making it mostly worthless. Their sleep was fitful and each shared their experiences with each other in the morning…
Jarvix had a vision/dream from a member of The Order
Elleandra had dream of a forest in the middle of the desert and a being of light.
Kira dreamed of her friends back in her world
Li-Am was unable to sleep
Morg looked disturbed and mentioned his "past mistakes"
Iorsakn dreamed about the ruins of Giusental
Although reluctant to spend more time in the ruins, they decided to head towards the Ziggurat and see what had happened to the laboratory used by Tethrades. Along the way they noticed some of the silvery-red crystals that they had seen before in the caverns beneath Kemalok. The occurrences of the crystals increased as the party approached the Ziggurat.
At the Ziggurat they found that the equipment had been destroyed and they layers of sand and dust over the remains suggested that more time time had passed on Athas then had passed for them in the Gray. Morg estimated that about 6 weeks had passed here for the 1 week that they had experienced. Morg took a few of the canisters that remained avoiding the red crystals and finding many of the dead shaqat beetles.
The party debated on how to get to Altaruk, which they agreed was the best place to go for supplies and information Although the route via Fort Melidor was more direct, there was concerns about how the party treated Dalem Shom and what kind of reception they might receive. The ruins of Celik provided another option, but the path was less direct and the current state of Celik was unknown. Eventually it was decided to head to the Lost Oasis then Fort Melidor before making the long journey to Altaruk.
The Lost Oasis
After a day of travel from Kalidnay through salt flats the party arrived at the Lost Oasis. The mud pots, geysers and sparse trees were a welcome relief from the barren salt flats. At the Oasis they were able to find food and water to help provide for the journey to Fort Melidor.
At the Oasis, they encountered a man who introduced himself as Lionus. Jarvix remembered a story of a Veiled Alliance member who journeyed from Tyr to Balic and then vanished, although he was uncertain if this was the same individual. Lionus appeared to be somewhat excitable and incoherent, but Li-Am suspected him of having all manner of deviancy.
In their conversations with Lionus, the party learned that he was the only inhabitant of the Oasis although it was occasionally visited by someone called Durwadala. They also discovered that he had strong emotions regarding the ruins of Kalidnay and had claimed to recover several "trade documents". Upon closer inspection, Li-Am was able to decipher part of the documents before Lionus decided he needed to leave. The documents were notes apparently from the sorcerer-king Kalid-Ma himself.
The rest of the evening and night was uneventful although the strange sounds of the Oasis were disconcerting. They party moved out in the early morning and made the day-long march to Fort Melidor without encountering any trouble.
Fort Melidor
Their arrival at Fort Melidor was anything but eventful as the little outpost of House Shom appeared even more sleepy than on their previous visit. The party was allowed to enter without any trouble and the party decided to split up. Elleandra and Iorskan headed to find supplies for the long trip to Altaruk while the rest headed to the Broken Tankard, the only bar in the fort, to try and gather information.
At the House Shom warehouses, negotiated for a weeks worth of food, water and other survival goods for each member of their party – sufficient to supplement their existing supplies and get them to Altaruk. Although the cost was quite a bit higher than normal, the remote location and desperate need of the party left little room for negotiations. Elleandra paid for the goods with some of the gems recovered from the wreckage of the Shadow Engine.
Morg and Li-Am struck up a conversation with a guard named Ridorn who was in the Broken Tankard. After buying him a drink, they learned that he was rather bored and disgruntled at the lack of activity in the Fort. There appeared to be little trade traffic to the fort recently and everyone was concerned about the effect that would have on House Shom.
An elven bard named Jarvi was in such a state of depression that he had no stories to share with Kira. The Shom family members at the fort were no longer interested in social events and spent all their time within the walls of their garden and had not entertained for several weeks.
The bartender was a scarred female mul named Thera who was a former gladiator. She had little information to offer the party as the fort appeared to be waiting for something to happen. The loss of the caravan the the party was a part of undoubtedly hurt the fortunes of House Shom and as a consequence the fort has had little activity.
The party was able to secure food and lodging for the night and took turns on watch, although nothing disturbed their rest.
Altaruk
Shortly before dawn the party headed out for a long journey to Altaruk. With the heavily armored companions and the absence of Gwyn, the party moved more slowly than they were accustomed to, but still made good time. They were able to forage for supplemental food and water along the way and Morg and Kira were particularly successful.
The party traveled around the south side of the Giant's Ribs Mountains and into the sandy wastes until after three days they found the remains of the trade road. Turning eastward they followed the road for two days through stony barrens and rocky badlands until the expanse of the Great Alluvial Sand Wastes stretched before them. Three days of following the remains of the road through sandy wastes, that were mercifully free of large dunes, brought them to the trade road between Tyr and Altaruk.
They party turned southeast and followed the road. Along the way they came across several groups of pilgrims who appeared oblivious to their surroundings and ignored all attempts and communication. Their tattered clothes and sunburned skin made it obvious they were not taking care of themselves as any normal traveler would. The party overtook a caravan from Tyr and inquired about the pilgrims and learned that they had starting appearing about a month ago from all parts of the Tyr region and they were generally headed in the direction of Altaruk.
After two more days of travel, the party reached Altaruk and saw a huge number of pilgrims congregating outside the high walls. Concerned about the state of things, Jarvix sent a message using the Way to the Veiled Alliance in Tyr, hoping that they had more information…
Shadow Kalidnay
One week earlier…
The New Kalidnay
Laylon-Ka, Morg and Vinara set out into the Mists with the remaining member of the resistance cell in the hopes of finding out the true fate of Kalid-Ma. Their sense of time and distance was distorted by the Mists, but it felt like they had been traveling for days before Laylon-Ka announced that she had picked up the trail of the sorcerer-king.
The group arrived quickly at the outskirts of a city they knew well – Kalidnay of the Gray, a place they thought had been absorbed by the Mists. Unsure as to where, or even when, they might be, the group set out to investigate the present situation by making contact with the resistance cell that Laylon-Ka commanded. As they moved through the city, careful to avoid any inhabitants, they noticed subtle differences from they city they had known before. However, Laylon-Ka was able to quickly locate members of her resistance cell.
Once getting to a safe house, they learned some information that raised more questions then it answered. None of the resistance members had any memory of the lands dissolving into the Mists, it was as if the event never happened for them. Although they remembered the fight at the resistance compound the destruction of the land apparently never happened for them. A new high Templar had stepped up to bring order to land – an elf named Marisol.
What they learned about Kalid-Ma only added to their confusion. Marisol had taken over following the death of Thakok-An and proclaimed that the city was now under the protection of Shadow King of Nibenay. Marisol had proclaimed that with the power of the Shadow King, she had defeated Kalid-Ma and his body was mounted on the top of the Ziggurat as a warning to those who would defy her.
The Ziggurat of Kalid-Ma
Intrigued and concerned about these events, they decided to try and sneak into the Ziggurat and verify the claims. Morg and Vinara knew of the secret passage from the outside into the jails on the main level and felt that they could sneak in, confirm the fate of Kalid-Ma and possibly deal with Marisol.
In order to minimize the chances of meeting heavy resistance, they hatched a plan to create diversions across the city and draw out as many guards as possible. Vinara used her training from the Wastewalker to create a storm of obsidian shards while other member of the resistance group started fires and other disruptions throughout the city. As expected many groups of guards were seen moving from the Ziggurat out into the city to restore order.
When the the timing was right, Morg, Vinara moved into the Ziggurat with Laylon-Ka and a few other resistance members. They were able to access the secret door and enter the jail room without trouble. However as they moved through the Ziggurat, they encountered a few guards. The battle-hardened party was able to defeat them without much difficulty and without raising any alarms.
At the top of the Ziggurat, the party came upon the body of Kalid-Ma, staked to a wooden frame, his head reattached with only a scar to indicate it had previously been removed by Morg's axe. His body was still in the same preserved, catatonic condition as when they last saw it. Before they could act, Marisol materialized with a number of half-giant guards.
Recognizing Morg and Vinara, she wasted little time and sent her guards in to attack, while she remained at a safe distance. The brutal half-giants were able to defeat the resistance warriors without difficulty. Marisol was able to overcome Laylon-Ka and the Kaisharga collapsed to the floor. Once Morg and Vinara had defeated a couple of Marisol's guards and moved in to attack her, wounding her with a devastating strike that left a large cut on her face. She was able to use her considerable talent with the Way and focus on Morg, dominating him.
Morg was forced to turn on Vinara and the two friends battled each other – Morg attempting to kill Vinara while Vinara attempted to defend herself and break the control Marisol had over him. In the heat of the combat, Vinara lashed out at Morg with her Heartwood Spear and it jabbed his face, taking out one of his eyes. Despite the injury Morg and the half-giants were able to wear down Bear and Vinara, and under the command of Marisol, Morg landed a killing blow on Vinara. Morg collapsed to the floor, tears streaming from his eyes, while Marisol watched with a wicked smile on her face…
Outskirts
The group took in their surroundings and recognized that they were in the northern outskirts of the city, a relatively deserted section. From their position they could see the Ziggurat of Kalid-Ma and noticed that the top of the structure was slightly different from what they remembered, although no details were visible at this distance. There was still some general confusion as they were all under the impression that the land of Kalidnay in the Gray had dissolved following the death of Thankok-An. Kira had no answers other than that the Mists work in mysterious ways.
Eager to find Vinara and Morg, Jarvix sent out a telepathic message to Morg, telling the Mul of their location and asking him to come find them. Within a few minutes Morg replied, asking Jarvix to stay put and letting him know that the resistance would be coming with Morg. Feeling they were safe, for the moment, the group set about tending to their wounds and recovering from the fight against Dregoth. During their rest, Kira heard heavy footsteps approaching their position.
Instead of Morg and Vinara, the party was surprised to see a templar and a retinue of half-giant and human guards. The templar asked for the party's surrender and although she was refused, she didn't order an immediate attack. Elleandra attempted to ask questions of the templar but was dismissed. Similarly Iorskan's attempts to intimidate them were met with failure as well. During the conversations, Jarvix noticed that all of the guards and the templar were wearing identical symbols, one that reminded him of a piece of jewelry worn by Gwyn's mother, Marisol.
After the templar mentioned in hushed tones that she would take them to the resistance, the two groups agreed that the party would be allowed to keep there weapons as they were escorted through town. Although suspicious, the templar appeared sincere so they set out. Their winding path through the back streets of Kalidnay were taking them closer and closer to the Ziggurat. Kira was the first to notice that atop the structure several bodies were apparently on display. This observation was shared between her, Jarvix, Li-Am and Iorskan before the half-giant guards caught on.
Feeling they had been duped, Jarvix used the Way to control one of the half-giants and make him attack another. Chaos quickly ensued but the party was able to defeat the templar and her guards quickly, although Iorskan was badly injured during the conflict.
As they took a quick rest in an abandoned building, they realized they were close enough to the Ziggurat to make out the differences. Several bodies had been staked to the top, on display for the entire city to see. There appeared to be two women and one man, along with an insect of some type.
The Ziggurat
The group moved out of sight and pondered the strange turn of events. Jarvix was certain that he had contacted Morg and that Morg had replied to him. Iorskan suggested that Morg, whom he had never met, might have betrayed the party. None of the party was willing to entertain such a notion. While they rested they took the patrols clothes for disguised, with Kezmit and Li-Am posing as guards and Elleandra masquerading as the templar.
Jarvix sent another message to Morg using the Way, asking what had happened and for them to meet back at their initial location in the outskirts of the city. Morg quickly replied that the templars are everywhere and that he and the resistance members had to deal with a patrol. Again Iorskan scoffed and voiced his concerns that Morg had turned on them. Again the rest of the party dismissed the notion.
The party head back towards the edge of town, avoiding any encounters with the population as best they could and pretending to be a templar and her prisoners when needed. They were successful and their subterfuge appeared to work. At the last minute, they decided to go to a different building and see if there was an ambush at the original meeting place. Kira was able to change forms and sneak into the building, discovering another templar patrol, larger than the last.
Upon Kira's return, the party could no longer deny that they were compromised in some way, although none, except Iorskan, were willing to believe Morg had turned on them. Jarvix sent another message to Morg, for final confirmation, saying that they had been held up by templars and needed to meet at a new location. Much to everyone's dismay, the templar group waiting to ambush the party moved out within a few minutes.
They decided that the Ziggurat would be the most likely place to get answers, as they were determined to know who or what had betrayed them, as well as to confirm the identity of the bodies atop the Ziggurat. As they marched through the streets they overheard a few conversations and learned a bit about what had been happening over the last few weeks.
Marisol had risen to power following the death of Thakok-An and the entire city had been converted to be followers of the Shadow King. Marisol had been instrumental in defending the city against demon attacks, so the populace said, and had squashed a minor revolution. She had reopened the games and a new champion of her, a mul, had been undefeated. Many of the citizens were eager to see a match scheduled for that evening.
Deciding that the best course of action was to infiltrate the ZIggurat, the group used their knowledge of the secret entrance into the jail to slip past the main guards. Once inside, they were able to use Elleandra's charms to get past the guards and head to the top. The Ziggurat was not heavily occupied, so they had little trouble reaching the top. There they found answers they didn't want to find. The bodies of Vinara, Bear, Kalid-Ma (whose head was attached once again) and Laylon-Ka were impaled upon spears.
Within moments of setting foot on the top of the Ziggurat, Jarvix and Elleandra sensed a psionic alarm sounding and suddenly the top of the Ziggurat was filled with a large number of new arrivals. Marisol was at the center of a group of half-giants, templars and guards. In addition there were a number of gladiators lead by a Mul with an eye patch wielding a large metal axe and a spear – Morg. There was no time wasted with false pleasantries and viscous combat ensured.
The party focused everything on taking down Morg so that they could use the Orbs of Kalid-Ma to escape once he was unconscious. Their opponents were attempting to divide and conquer the party and the combination of military training and gladiatorial skills were quite effective. Marisol briefly dominated some of the party, but her control over Morg only allowed it to be temporary. During the fight Kezmit was knocked over the edge of the ziggurat and fell down several levels. Just after that Morg was knocked unconscious and the rest of the party joined hands while grabbing him and Elleandra used the orbs, leaving Kezmit behind.
The Ruins of Kalidnay
The world was whirling about them and everyone was briefly overcome with a sense of nausea. The world quickly settled and they found themselves in the outskirts of the ruins of Kalidnay looking towards the center of the town at the Ziggurat. There were no bodies impaled atop the structure, the sun shown bright and the pervasive sense of dread and fear that all experienced while in the Gray vanished. They were back in Athas.
Morg slowly regained his senses and looked around with a great sense of confusion…
The Shadow Tomb
The Shadow Engine
The broad circular chamber before the party had its floor sunken 20 feet below the doorway in which they stood, with the ceilings rising 20 feet above. The Shadow Engine stood supported on a pillar of necrotic energy in the center of the chamber. The rest of the chamber was littered with small amounts of rubble and bones. The room appeared to be old with new elements added, although the exact age was difficult for them to determine, for as they watched parts of the room were decaying under the stress of the terrible energy being channeled in the room.
The party descended to the floor on Kezmit's flying hook, mindful of any changes to the room as they did so. To their relief nothing reacted to their presence. Elleandra was certain that an Orb of Kalid-Ma was present in the engine and her Orb was eager to be reunited with it. Further inspection of the room confirmed what they had already suspected – much like the Fey Engine, this device appeared to be channeling the raw energy of the Gray to an unknown location. The similarity of design left little doubt that the architect of the engines was the same being.
Feeling there was little other choice, Elleandra leapt into the air and, borne aloft on wings of magic, landed on the Shadow Engine's platform. When touched down, the bones around the room quickly started to swirl and formed into a monstrous skeletal dragon, as it did so each of the party heard a sepulchral voice in their heads and most appeared taken aback by what they heard, but Jarvix fell to the the ground, unconscious.
Iorskan moved up to the Engine's base and attempted to destabilize the device by tampering with the arcane stones. Kira conjured a brightly shining orb of swirling color and threw it at the creature, striking true and dazing it. Li-Am joined Iorskan in his attempts to disrupt the workings of the device, apparently making some gains as the column of energy became less stable. Kezmit conjured a spirit to assist his companions and, following the advice of the whispers, was able to partially disrupt the transfer of energy at a basic level, hastening the decay of the engine.
Atop of the Engine, Elleandra, took her Orb and thrust it into the machine, attempting to merge it with its twin inside. The joining was successful, but the combined Orb remained inside the machine. At the moment of the merging, she knew that the final Orb was in the possession of a being called Absalom who was currently in the ruins of Giustenal. She also knew that the Orb was now powerful enough to transport her and her allies, if they were close enough, to either Kalidnay on Athas or the shadow Kalidnay in the Gray.
The dragon, who they suspected was the sorcerer-king Dregoth, focused on Gwyn and, managing to break free of Kira's magic, took flight and charged while breathing a blast of necrotic energy over the party. Although the breath injured several in the party, only Kira was immobilized by it. His great claws struck home on Gwyn and severely wounded her.
Gwyn retaliated by summoning an orb of shifting energy which hurtled toward the dragon exploding with a blinding yellow light, dazing it again. Iorskan spotted a possible weakness in the dragon and called it out to his allies, hoping to make their attacks more effective. He then called out a challenge to Dregoth, who moved towards him allowing Kezmit and Li-Am to make attacks of their own. With a mighty effort Iorskan was able to make a few probing strikes before landing a blow that caused the dragon to reel, making it more vulnerable for a few moments.
Kira caused barbed vines to whip out of her totem attempting to ensnare Dregoth, but they were unable to hold onto the massive creature. Li-Am attempted to follow Kezmit's example and disrupt the energy column itself and, although initially unsuccessful was able to reach into the Gray and pull some of the energy into himself causing an instability to form. Kezmit attempted to continue his own efforts to destabilize the Engine while using his spirits to heal the wounds of Gwyn and Kira. Dregoth took advantage of his concentration and struck Kezmit with his tail, knocking him off balance for a moment.
Jarvix was able to regain consciousness and stood up and focused his will onto the dragon, ensnaring it with his mind and tossing it backwards into the pillar of energy. Although Dregoth appeared unharmed by the energy, it did cause damage to the supporting structures, further weakening the device. Able to keep her balance atop the Engine, Elleandra desperately struggled to free the Orb and although unsuccessful, she did manage to break some of the intricate devices on top.
Enraged by the assaults, Dregoth once again took flight and moved towards Gwyn with deadly intent, savagely cutting her with teeth and claws. Although hardened by life on Athas and her draconic nature, Gwyn collapsed under the furious blows. The party was stunned by Gwyn's collapse and hoped that Iorskan or Kezmit would be able to tend to her wounds.
Finding himself out of position, Iorskan moved towards Gwyn's body, attacking Dregoth with his dejada as he did so. At Kira's command, dark clouds formed within the chamber causing lightning to rain down upon Dregoth, splintering some of his bones. Li-Am used his templar training to command Dregoth to submit, crushing its spirit and slowing its flight. Although the sorcerer-king would not submit so easily, Li-Am's allies were filled with with brutal zeal. Kezmit's efforts to disrupt the energy flow finally stopped having any effect and he changed tactics, summoning a great gust of winds allowing his friends to move freely about the room. Jarvix was able to force Dregoth back into the column of energy once again, causing more damage while at the same time, he focused his powers with the Way to further disrupt the Engine.
With a horrible, evil intent in his eyes, Dregoth continued to slash as Gwyn's body, tearing her into pieces, leaving no doubt that she was beyond help. He then turned his attention to Elleandra, still atop the Engine and still causing damage to the device, ever closer to freeing the Orb in her hand. Iorskan breathed a gout of fire onto the underside of Dregoth causing some remaining bits of flesh to burn and fall away. He then hurled himself at the stones forming the base of the engine, hoping to cause enough physical damage to destroy it. Although it was weakened, the Engine was still intact.
Kira's thorny vines finally grabbed ahold of Dregoth pulling him out of an optimal position to attack Elleandra. Li-Am rushed over to the remains of Gwyn and grabbed the Shadowstaff and the gruesome remains that held the tattoo given to her by the Veiled Alliance. Kezmit summoned forth spirits that started to consume Dregoth, passing that energy to his wounded allies. At the same time he fanned the flames created by Iorskan's breath further charring him while the warmth given off comforted his injured allies. Jarvix unleashed a massive torrent of psychic energy at Dregoth and so intense was the assault on his mental pathways, that he became stunned and unable to act for a few moments.
Things began to look even worse for the party as Iorksan was unable to cause further disruption to the Engine and Kira was unable to latch a hold of Dregoth again with her vines, although she finally broke free of the immobilizing cold from his breath weapon. Li-Am continued to recover some of Gwyn's other belongings, this time taking the steel swords she was carrying and the tiara given to her by the dwarves of Kled. Kezmit attempted to continue to have his spirits attack Dregoth but the Dragon was able to resist their attacks.
Jarvix focused all his will into another massive attack, but this time struck the Engine and with a thunderous explosion the device blew itself apart showering gems throughout the room and plunging the room into near darkness. An energy feedback surged from the engine towards Dregoth, sending him spinning as shards of bones were blasted from his body. Elleandra, grasping the Orb in her hand came flying down summoning Illusory barriers around the dragon and collecting the gems from the room.
Furious at the destruction of his device, Dregoth cut her deeply with his claws. Iorskan made a powerful strike against Dregoth and called to his comrades, lifting their spirits and restoring their battle lust. Kira, finally able to move, shifted into the form of a tiger and pounced onto Dregoth's back, sinking her teeth and claws into his foul body. Li-Am swung with his spectral scourge striking the dragons hind quarter. Kezmit's spirit companion lunged in for a viscous attack while the fire spirit moved in and exploded causing the room to fall into total darkness.
Seeing more with his mind than his eyes, Jarvix found Dregoth and focused on the weakened Dregoth. The sorcerer-king was finally overpowered and his consciousness faded into nothing while the entire chamber became to crumble and collapse. In the darkness, the companions found each other and joining hands, Elleandra used the Orb to transport them to Shadow Kalidnay.
When their sense of nausea faded and their visions cleared, the group found themselves in the outskirts of the city of Klaidnay then had been in a week prior. The heat and dryness was in stark contrast to the cold frozen atmosphere of the Shadow Tomb. There was some confusion as well, for they had thought the lands were destroyed with the death of Thakok-An. Of them, only Kira was familiar with the strange nature of the Gray.
While they took a moment to compose themselves and remember Gwyn, they also reflected on, and shared with their friends, the words that Dregoth had spoken to each of them.
The voice in Kira's head said…
You are an outsider here – I have no quarrel with you and you should have none with me. Stay out of matters that do not concern you and you will lead a longer life.
Dregoth told Iorksan…
Why do you align yourselves with these lesser creatures? I expect more from my progeny. Help me defeat these interlopers and I shall show you wonders of knowledge and treasure that you cannot possibly imagine. You can lead my armies if you so desire, but you must aid me now.
Kezmit head the following when the dragon spoke…
I know the longing in your heart, the hope for something more than the dreary existence you know so well. I can be what you are looking for, I will be what you are looking for. Join me and you shall be my prophet, my herald, my chosen one. Help me defeat those you call friends and I shall be a God, and you shall search no more.
The voice in Elleandra's head told her…
Poor little forest daughter, you and your kind are relics of ancient days. My coming will burn away the last of your kind and a new world shall rise from the ashes. I will consume you and drain your precious tree of every last shred of life.
Jarvix heard the following before falling unconscious…
One of the Lord of Winters bloodline seeks to defeat me? Your sire was imprisoned long ago by us and I thought his line was wiped out long ago. I have been absent for far too long. No matter, you and your friends will no longer be a thorn in my side. Now my little gate-hopper, sleep…
Li-Am declined to share what he heard and none knew what Gwyn heard, but they remembered her calling the dragon a liar during the furious combat.
Feywild Ruin
The rest of the party followed Kira through the misty archway and with a lurch, they found themselves in another passageway facing a weathered wooden door. The passageway was illuminated with luminescent gray moss which was growing between the stones of the walls. Flickering firelight shone beyond the wooden door.
Although the group briefly debated on whether or not to take a rest, they decided to push on and see if they had indeed been transported to the Lands Within the Wind. The door opened easily enough and a rotting shambles of a laboratory was revealed. Sheets of red-gray mold were lining the walls and an oily black fungus appeared to have consumed most of a few large tables. Three stone vats stood on the far side of the room.
The group began to examine the room and made several interesting discoveries. Kira and Kezmit determined that the black mold was foul, but not harmful but the the red-gray mold had many spores and could be quite harmful. Li-Am searched the tables and Jarvix searched the rest of the room being careful not to disturb the molds. He found a slight draft in one corner, and believed there to be a concealed passageway. Heedless of the dangers, Iorskan set some of the mold on fire with his torch and partially revealed the concealed door.
The burning of the mold didn't harm Iorsaskan, but it appeared to enrage the room's inhabitatnts – strange fungus men similar to those encountered in the Face in the Stone. These however appeared to be twisted and could not be reasoned with. The fight was not long, with Li-Am burning the fungus creatures with power hellfire. Jarvix used his skills with the Way to move the creatures around but in doing so disturbed one of the vats, releasing swarms of angry scarabs.
In the aftermath of the combat, Gwyn discovered a gem-studded mithral key in the vat containing the beetles. Elleandra looked over the contents of the tables and book shelves, but found nothing of any value. The group finished clearing away the mold around the concealed door and moved down a short section of hallway before coming to another obstacle. An open pit about 10 feet deep and forty feet long filled the passageway in front of them. A thick layer of dripping yellow-green fungus could be seen covering its floor.
After a bit of discussion Jarvix summoned a floating disk to help ferry the group across the pit, avoiding the dangerous molds. Once safely across a quick search of the remaining sections of hallways discovered only one exit, a stone archway. Suspecting it was the way out of the tomb, the group entered the archway.
Dark Laboratory
The party found themselves back in the hallway with three stone arches in the Shadow Tomb. Having only one arch unexplored, the party decided to venture through it. Once again there was a lurching sensation and they appeared in a small hallway ending in a weathered wooden door. This hallway was filled with unrecognizable glyphs and sigils, some vaguely reminiscent of holy symbols. The symbols were flaring with a violet light along the walls.
When the door was opened, a dark laboratory could be seen with cluttered shelves and over-sized table strewn with equipment and scrolls. A faint haze of mist could barely be seen twisting above three stone vats set across the chamber. As the party was taking in the room and attempting to determine the next course of action, they were set upon by a trio of ghouls.
Although the party was surprised, the ghouls were quickly finished off. Jarvix ensnared them with a shard conjured with the Way while Elleandra assaulted the creatures already unstable minds with images of flesh-devouring sprites. Gwyn finished off the last as she channeled her magic into her dagger, striking true.
A thorough search of this room revealed many interesting piece of information. Elleandra discovered the remnants of what appeared to be plans for the Fey Engine discovered in the Garden of Graves as well a plans for a different, but similar device that they suspected could be a Shadow Engine. She also discovered another strange key around the neck of one of the ghouls. Satisfied with their findings, they proceeded out of the room and down a flight of stairs.
They came upon a shimmering bridge of force that was covering a 30-foot-long and 10-foot-deep pit. Hundreds of sharpened spikes could be seen at the bottom of the pit. Jarvix discovered the hard way that the force bridge would sometimes give out and he found himself trapped in the pit for quite some time. Eventually the party was able to use the magical hook they had discovered earlier to traverse the trap and they discovered another archway leading back to the hallway.
Boneyard Bridge
Back in the shadow tomb, the party retraced their steps to the only unexplored passage they were aware of. Following the hallway for a short distance, they came across a foul ossuary filled with shattered bones, dismembered bodies, and the stench of death was before the party. The boneyard was crossed by twisting bridges of flesh and bone rising 20 feet above the floor.
Elleandra moved out onto the bridge, holding tight the the hook and rope, trusting that if she fell, her allies would be able to save her. Faint at first, an unearthly moaning began to rise. From the boneyard, ghostly shapes began to take form in tight ranks, shrieking as they soared onto the bridges. Several dozen phantoms stood along the bridge blocking all the avenues of escape.
The party determined that the ghosts were intelligent guardians protecting the sanctity of this mass grave, when the spirits were willing to discuss rather than simply fight. The spirits did not trust that the party's intentions were good and Li-Am's attempt to convince them with promises was not well received. After a bit of debate they spirits were finally convinced when the party offered up a magical rod that was discovered earlier. This, somewhat symbolic sacrifice, was well received and the spirits moved aside to let the party pass.
Sepulcher
Rough walls of black stone glistened with necrotic fluid and the sounds of its steady drip echoed in the darkness beyond. The party moved through a series of twisting passageways, leading to many dead ends. There appeared to be many buried within the walls and small chambers, but nothing of value was immediately detected.
Li-Am discovered a small pouch that appeared to be intact and containing coins and possibly gems. Tempted by the treasure, he eventually decided to leave it be, much to the relief of his companions, who reminded him of the encounter with the ghosts that they just had.
At the end of the corridors stood a pair of rune-scribed mithral doors. Wide keyholes in each door pulsed with white light – one in the shape of a skull; the other, a faceted gem. Elleandra and Gwyn placed the keys they had recovered in the matching doors and with a shimmering of powerful magic, they doors dissolved away revealing a large chamber beyond.
A broad circular chamber was revealed beyond the doors, its floor sunken 20 feet below. In the center of the chamber, a fantastic device could be seen suspended on top of a pillar of shadow energy. The fantastic device consisted of a spinning web of platinum cables and black iron rods set with hundreds of blazing gems. The crackling pillar of energy could be seen rising from the floor and disappearing into the engine…
Shrine of Skulls
After awaking from the dream the party decided to take some additional time to recover from their adventures in the dreamland. Their rest was uneventful this time and they felt ready to face any challenge that they would encounter. Before leaving the room, Li-Am and Iorskan pocketed the silverware, knowing that the metal would be very valuable when they returned to Athas. Elleandra performed another augury, curious as to the nature of the dangers they might encounter. She learned that danger was all around her, but those closest were aligned in their goals. When they were finally ready, the group moved out into the only exit from the hall of tapestries with Kira and Li-Am in the lead.
The group passed down a hallway with several empty rooms off to the sides arriving at an apparent dead end. The large room contained many cracked onyx alters set around the crumbling chamber, each piled high with a cluster of blackened skulls. While searching the room for clues or possible exits, a pit trap was located and easily disarmed. At the bottom of the 20-foot deep pit was a passageway leading away from the room. Although the pit had some amount of the necrotic seepage present, most of the hardened adventurers were able to go through it without difficulty. While the rest of the group was working on the pit, Li-Am examined the piles of skulls and found a pair of enchanted bracers that he kept form himself.
Black Well
Moving through the cramped and twisting passage the group came to a chamber that had collapsed into a great chasm. A steady outpouring of black necrotic sludge flowed over the edge from great cracks in the walls. A greater torrent jetted out from faults in the rough rock of the chasm, falling as a hissing curtain of necrotic rain. In the dim light of their torches, rough ledges jutting out form the chasm's walls could be barely made out. The bottom of the chasm appeared to be about 70 feet down, and partially filled with a pool created by the necrotic rain. Above the surface of the pool, a circular slab of white stone could be seen with for large dragon skulls, each a top a colored door.
Iorskan and Li-Am worked together to tie off a rope and lower Li-Am down onto the first ledge. The ledge gave way almost as soon as Li-Am's weight was placed on it, crumbling down to the bottom of the chasm. They tried to lower Li-Am again on the next most accessible ledge, but that ledge also crumbled beneath Li-Am's weight. None were willing to risk the climb down through the necrotic rain and Kira provided a solution – using her ritual magic, she summoned the spirits of giant eagles, as she had done in the past, to fly them down to the bottom of the chasm.
As the group descended the 70 feet, they began to notice that the necrotic rain had unnatural twists and patterns as it fell. As they circled down, tendrils of the black rain formed and lashed out at the adventurers. Kezmit, Li-Am and Kira failed to avoid the tendrils and suffered burns from the seepage. All managed to land at the bottom, with the eagle spirit patiently waiting with them. Kezmit noticed on his way down that there was an unusual echoing of the rain along one section of the wall and, hoping for the best, he directed the eagle through the curtain of of black rain.
At the bottom, Li-Am tried to open the yellow door just as Elleandra noticed the glyphs of warding around it. Too late an explosion of acid erupted from the door burning Li-Am and Kira. The door was revealed to be a fake, with no exit underneath it. Fearing the other doors were also trapped, the remounted their spirit eagles and headed to meet Kezmit who had called down saying that he had found a passageway.
Dead Tiles
The rough stone passage twisted and turned through black rock, wet the the necrotic seepage eventually opening into a ruined hall paved in 1-foot-square green tiles bearing arcane sigils and glyphs. At the far end of the hall a draconic skull could be see mounted to the wall. Cautious about further traps, Li-Am made his way down the hallway towards the skull and found no evidence of danger. The others followed him and to their relief there were no traps set off. Without much difficulty a secret door was located behind the draconic skull and it was forced opened.
Gifts From the Dead
Beyond the secret door was a wide hallway carved from black stone. The passageway had one branching path and lead to a small room that appeared to be a dead-end. After a bit of searching the party could find no signs of hidden doors or anything else unusual, so they backtracked and took the side passage which ended in a five-sided room. Carved stone pillars stood at each corner of the chamber and mystic runes wound around the walls. Weapons, clothing and armor could be seen atop a red stone dais at the center of the room.
Jarvix found his missing clothes and Iorskan noticed that his missing necklace of keys was atop the pile of gear and he went to retrieve it. Li-Am became very suspicious of Iorskan and threatened him. After a few moments of tension Elleandra reminded everyone of the her augury and their common goals. Li-Am backed down but there were some unresolved issues. Kezmit began to examine the equipment, attempting to determine their powers and who might benefit the most from them.
The room had a one exit, but instead of opening the doors, the party decided to backtrack to the fork in the passageway before the tiled hallway.
Sphere of Pain
The passageway lead to a spherical chamber with rune-covered walls and a unusual silvery sheen. The room was explored and another trap door was found on the far side. As they were disabling the trap, the silver sheen fell off the wall, covering the party. The silver substance began to eat away their flesh. Although everyone suffered painful blisters, Elleandra suffered the most.
The party took a few minutes to rest and tend to their wounds once the silver substance was neutralized. Then Li-Am dropped down into the pit followed by Kira and the others.
Planar Archways
The party followed a winding carved stone passageway with walls covered with mystic runes which came to an end with three stone archways. The archways appeared identical to those found in the entrance hall, save for the mists within were gray. Like those in the entrance hall, the mist obscured what lay beyond them. Elleandra and Gwyn could sense strong planar magic emanating form the arches.
After a brief debate, Kira decided to pass through one of the portals and vanished. Those left behind thought they detected a faint flash reminiscent of the Lands Within the Wind and decided to follow her. They found themselves facing a wooden doorway with luminescent gray moss growing between the stones of the walls. Flickering firelight was shining beyond the wooden door. They felt that they had left the Gray and returned to the Lands Within the Wind.
Nightmares Unleashed
Tapestries of Time
From the alcove, a great feast hall could be seen shrouded in shadow, and a fire pit blazing with a bright white flame illuminated numerous tapestries long the walls. A number of high tables were scattered throughout this area, each set with fine silver and porcelain plates and heaped high with succulent roast meats and sweet fruits. There was one place setting for each of the heroes. Kezmit and the others examined the food and although it appeared to have been created by magic, there was no sign of poison, disease or other harmful effects. Starving and exhausted from their ordeals, they ate and drank the food.
Brightly colored tapestries were hung along the walls and between the tables displaying scenes of battle, with hundreds of heroes of a dozen races rendered life-sized detail – all of them swarmed by swirling shadows as they fight for their lives. Jarvix noted that the armor and clothing of those portrayed in the tapestries was an odd mix of times and places. Ancient warriors in full suits of metal armor could be seen fighting alongside what appeared to be contemporary gladiators of Athas. In addition, many of the races observed were not recognized as those of Athas, although Kira was able to name them.
Still suffering from from the effects of the portals, Gwyn attempted to use her ritual magic to remove the afflictions lingering on her and Kira. Aided by Li-Am and Elleandra, the afflictions were removed, returning Kira to her normal size and restoring Gwyn to her proper age. However, the process was very taxing and both were left tired, even with the rest they were enjoying.
Elleandra used her magic to read the mystic signs and glean a notion of the future. She and the rest of her companions were intensely curious if the path they were following to find the next orb would also bring them back to Athas. Peering into the patterns created by the bones and drippings from the meat along with a few drops of wine, she had a vision of a new orb being united with the ones she carries and a pathway to Athas opening before them. Satisfied that their present course of action was right, the group decided to get a few hours of rest and then continue to explore this new structure. They set watch and all was uneventful, however, Kira was unable to stay awake during her watch and drifted off to sleep as well.
The Vernal Grove
The party all awoke at the same time to find themselves is strange surroundings – what appeared to be the ruins of a town. They sky overhead was dark and cloudy, the town appeared to have been abandoned and the few remaining buildings that were intact showed signs of neglect. The confusion over where they were only increased as Elleandra was sure that they were in the Lands Within the Wind, while Li-Am was convinced they still remained in the Gray. Iorskan suggested that they could be a a crossing point between the two realms. Elleandra remembered vague stories of a place called the Vernal Grove that fit the general description of where they were. Kira too had some vague recollection regarding the Vernal Grove from her studies with Evan.
Seeing no other immediate options, they began to explore the few intact buildings that remained in the town, starting with what appeared to be a house. The outside was run down and as the group peered through the boarded windows, there were no signs of inhabitants. Li-Am kicked down the door and they began to search the house finding little more than rubble. Jarvix located a fragment of a journal in the upper level of the house which contained some information…
He has come again to me in my dreams, a horrible evil creature that torments me. I am sure that my parents know of him and the evil he committed in life.
I learned that he was killed by my parents twenty years ago and supposedly buried in the town graveyard. However I am not sure my parents have told me everything. I'm sure that I am being punished for their crimes.
I have arranged a carriage to carry my daughter Kristal and newborn granddaughter Redra far from this place. Hopefully they will escape my fate and the fate of the other children.
Elleandra was able to decipher a bit more information that suggested her tormentor drew strength from the fear it created. The author believed that by turning her back on the fiend, it would loose some of its strength. Nothing else was located in the house, and the group moved on to a large building that Kira described as a church.
The church also showed signs of massive neglect, although there was some evidence to suggest that a struggle took place at some point in the distant past. Kira uncovered fragments of a broken mirror as well as some church documents, one of which was coded. Together the group worked out the coding and learned more about the town's past and a rhyme…
It is with great sadness that Sister Amelia has left us. Her choice to return to Occidental Mountain Asylum, the site of the most unfortunate incident, is surprising. Still, the staff there might help her to deal with the recent event regarding her son.
I can't help think that I should not have told her of the trouble with her son. The adopted parents at 1428 appeared to be a good fit, but the troubles he is having too cannot be denied.
We must trust that there is a reason for all this, but to have so many buried so young is our graveyard is so tragic.
Now I lay me down to sleep, the Soul Collector my life shall keep. In the reflection of my minds eye, evil will see itself and it shall die.
The Iorskan surmised that they could use the mirror as a weapon and Jarvix used his talents with the Way to reforge the mirror using some of the items they found in the church. They headed out to the large intact building with a growing sense of apprehension.
The large building appeared to be the Aslym mentioned in the church notes. They found that it was unlocked and began to search. A few pages from what appeared to be a log book were found, providing more of the history of this place.
941: A terrible tragedy occurred over the holiday weekend – Sister Amelia was trapped with the inmates and brutally assaulted. She is now with child.
966: Sister Amelia has returned to us following the death of her son at the hands of an angry mob. She has locked herself away in one of the unused rooms and will not see anyone.
999: We are overrun with adults who are overcome with grief at the loss of so many children. The parents blame themselves and a supernatural force they refer to only as the Soul Collector. Our new administrator knows little of the town history.
1025: The last of the town has moved away or died, the Asylum will be closed.
In the uppermost floor of the asylum, the parts found a locked room and when it was opened they saw the dead body of a woman in white, kneeling as if in prayer. They assumed this to be sister Amelia, and when Kira examined her, she saw the spirit of Amelia. She silently responded to their questions by pointing to the house, the church and the graveyard, then to the center of the town. Her spirit departed, but Elleandra felt sure that she would be a help in the fight against the mysterious Soul Collector.
The party made the trip to the graveyard and found a massive number of graves having deaths between the years 981 and 995. Most of the dead appeared to have been between 12 and 20 years old. Many of the gravestones had been damaged by what appeared to be three cuts or slash marks. Finding nothing else in the graveyard, they moved back into the center of town. Throughout the investigation of the town most of the party began to find themselves preoccupied with fears from their pasts. Only Jarvix and Gwyn appeared to be untroubled by their fears.
The Soul Collector
As they explored the center of the town, several creatures appeared and moved towards the party, with obvious evil intent. Each of the creatures appeared to be one of the fears that they had been dwelling upon… Kira was approached by a being that appeared to be Evan Moreau, Elleandra's fear too the shape of a twisted version of her tree, Li-Am was approached by Thakok-An, Iorskan by Yarnath and Kezmit by a great nothingness.
The party reacted quickly thanks to Iorskan's encouragement and Gwyn's magic. Although these creatures were born out of their fears, they did not hesitate to act, although Kira refused to attack Evan and helped to bring down Yarnath. Gwyn disposed of the Thakok-An after it was damaged by Li-Am's magic. During the fight the fears were joined by a being in a dirty brown hat, tattered red and green sweater and a bladed glove in his right hand – the Soul Collector.
The Soul Collector moved towards Gwyn calling out to her that she was the last left and that the bargain she made was over. He pushed away Gwyn's nearby allies and brutally slashed her with his clawed glove, leaving three cuts in her back. The group largely focused on the Soul Collector who proved to be incredibly resilient to injuries. Eventually Iorskan was able to defeat the fear of Evan, allowing everyone to concentrate on the Soul Collector.
The Soul Collector had been pushed closer to Elleandra and called out to her that she wouldn't escape like she did in Dempsy. He was able to push away her allies and nearly killed her with his glove, but somehow she managed to cling to life. Iorskan and Kezmit used their powers to heal the majority of the injuries and bolster their friends but their resources appeared more limited than the Soul Collectors.
Using what they learned in the town, Iorskan and Elleandra were able to seriously injure the Soul Collector. Iorskan was able to force him to look upon the mirror carried by Jarvix causing the creature much anguish as it looked upon its own hideous nature. Elleandra called for the spirit of Amelia whose love for the creature drained away its power. Summoning her our courage, Elleandra turned her back on the Soul Collector in an act of defiance, causing it to scream in rage and once again set its sight on Gwyn. Screaming "I'm what's up Bitch!" he cut her again with the balded glove.
Li-Am unleashed a blast of hellfire that burned the already burned creature and he was eventually defeated, collapsing into a heap with only the sweater, hat and glove remaining. Kira collected the hat as a memento of the event, thought about taking the glove for Evan, but decided to leave it alone. Moments later, the party awoke back in the feast hall. The entire adventure appeared to have been a dream, but they all bore the scars the suffered in the encounters and Kira had the dirty brown hat in her hand.
The Shadow Gate
The party was surprised and terrified by the arrival of the Tortured Vestige, a horrible monstrosity created when the citizens of the city perished in the Gray. There was confusion within the group about the best course of action – to try and fight or to try and flee through the portal. Any plans they had were thrown aside as their foe reacted much more quickly than the expected lashing out with tendrils of bone and flesh piercing and entwining around Gwyn and Elleandra. The tendrils pulled at Elleandra and although she was initially able to resist, she was eventually pulled into the mass and began to be torn apart.
Kelvor dislodged some of the stonework around the portal and moved up drawing the attention of the Vestige while Kira transformed into a wolf, jumping forward to strike then shifted into a rat and fled back to the portal. Li-Am worked to disrupt the wards by diverting the energies into the surroundings. Jarvix used the Way to pull at the threads of time and daze the vestige while teleporting to the top of column where he could focus on the wards in relative safety accelerating their breakdown. Gwyn used her Veiled Alliance training to mask her presence from the Vestige and was able to use her magic to greatly weaken the barriers around the portal. Kezmit conjured spirits to allow his allies to maneuver around the rubble strewn tower. Elleandra transformed into a diaphonus spirit and slid out of the grasp of the Vestige.
Although dazed by the attack of Jarvix the Vestige was still able to lash out with more tendrils, striking Kelvor and Gwyn. Kelvor was pulled inside the of the abomination, disappearing from sight but he was still able to strike out at his foe continuing to daze it and buying time for his allies. Kira and Li-Am continued to break down the wards around the portal by disrupting the foundation stones while Jarvix continued to assault it with his mind. Gwyn was unable to break free of the Vestiges tendrils but was kept alive by Kezmit's spirits. Elleandra, bolstered by Kezmit summoned the strength to finally break through the defenses around the gate and seeing no other opportunity, she ran through the portal, disappearing.
Continuing to be affected by Kelvor's attack, the Vestige was only able to rip apart Kelvor, who was only still alive by virtue of his ceaseless resilience. Kelvor continued to attack the Vestige from within, pushing it away from Gwyn who was finally able to break free of its tendrils. Kira and Li-Am jumped through the portal while Jarvix made an attempt to pull Kelvor out of the mass of undeath. He was not able to affect the Vestige and jumped off the platform into the portal. Gwyn and Kezmit also fled into the portal leaving Kelvor to be torn apart even as his attacks pushed the vestige off of the spire.
Perilous Archways
Elleandra and the others struck a hard floor as they passed through the shadow gate. The impact knocked Elleandra unconscious but she recovered, although still badly injured. Looking around the party found themselves in a vast domed chamber with a circle of runes in the ceiling marking the portal through which they just passed. A great stone dragon skull was carved into the floor beside the party – its eyes blank and mouth opened to reveal a space of dead black within.
This darkness in the mouth swallowed the light of the glowing runes that covered the walls- the same sort of sigils that were seen in the Garden of Graves. A dozen glowing stone archways were set around the chamber, each with white mist swirling inside it. Between the arches, some twenty well-rotted humanoid corpses could be seen hanging from the ceiling, entwined by chains that were dripping black ichor to the floor.
More confused than ever, the party began to look around the room inspecting the archways and the carved dragon skull. They were interrupted when a large dray dropped from the chains above, wounded but alive. The dray, who introduced himself as Iorskan, claimed to have no knowledge of this place and little memory of his arrival. There was mutual distrust given some of the party's encounters with the dray warriors of Yarnath and their general reputation for being ruthless mercenary warriors. However an uneasy alliance was struck in the interests of self-preservation.
As they continued to explore the room it became clear that the magic of this chamber was similar to that of the Garden of Graves and the ziggurats of Kalak and Kalid-Ma – dragon magic. They attempted to discover the nature of the archways and found that they radiated many different types of magic, but mostly teleportation. The general consensus of Jarvix and Iorskan was that the dragon skull looked similar to sigil of Dregoth, the slain sorcerer-king of Giustenal, although the eyes were not closed.
As they explored, several of the party had visions of different locations, similar to the visions that were had in the Garden of Graves. Three visions were repeated during this exploration…
With a shimmer, the ever-present necrotic seepage from the walls vanished, replaced by pale green vines and gray mold. The air washeavy with the scent of decay.
The stillness of dusty stone replaced the dread darkness. Emptiness pervades a desolate ruin, its decaying walls untouched by life or magic.
The stones of a floor were inlaid with sigils and holy symbols, most unrecognizable. Faint on the air, a lament in an unknown tongue carried echoes of a nameless dread.
Jarvix was the first to go through one of the archways, hoping that it would be a way out. Instead of an exit, Jarvix found himself inside the dragon's mouth injured. A number of other portals were explored by Jarvix and the other, none of which were an exit from the room. During the exploration, the group was attacked by two wraiths which emerged from the shadows. Kezmit's pouch, a gift from Evan, proved useful in making the ethereal creatures vulnerable to attacks. The two wraiths were quickly defeated with only minimal injuries to the party. The exploration of the archways continued…
Jarvix emerged completely naked, with all of his mundane gear and clothing gone. A second archway he explored caused him to fall unconscious for a few minutes.
Gwyn went through one portal which dramatically aged her, making her weak and unable to move quickly. This effect was similar to what Elleandra experienced in the Garden of Graves.
Kira traveled through another portal and found herself reduced in size to the height of a dwarf.
Li-Am suffered some undefined injury that made him fatigued.
Kezmit emerged from a portal and attacked Jarvix for a few moments before regaining his senses.
Iorskan found one of his items was removed but nothing else was out of place.
Coming to the realization that the portals were likely too dangerous for further exploration and unlikely to provide the exit they were seeking, they returned to their study of the dragon skull. Kira and Gwyn thought to focus on the eyes, which were unusual for this icon in that they were closed. With some trial and error it was discovered that the eyelid could be damaged. Li-Am was finally able to break the eyelid, causing the darkness in the dragon's mouth to fade, revealing a portal. Without any hesitation, they party jumped through the portal before it could close.
They found themselves in an alcove looking upon a great feast hall…
The party was trapped by the zombie patrol, but Kira and Gwyn finally caught up with the rest of the group and were flanking the zombies. Most of the zombies were easily taken down, Kira in her tiger form was able to quickly dispatch three of them. However, their limbs continued to grasp and harass those that had slain them and inflicted several wounds before they were finally quieted. Other zombies had chilling breath which sapped the strength out of those that felt its touch. During the fight Kelvor used his crown to summon a spirit of wind to buffet several of the zombies. Elleandra likewise gave into the temptation to use the crystal and utterly destroyed one of the more powerful zombies, using some of its energy to reinvigorate herself.
During and after the fight, Kezmit noticed that the deep chill of Moil was dampening his healing magic. The precariousness of the situation was not lost and they resolved to move through the ruined city as quickly as possible. As the party continued to explore the ice-shrouded city of shattered spires, hoping that each turn ultimately lead them closer to their destination – whatever that might be. As they traveled the city, they saw another group of ghosts moving parallel to them, however, the paths never crossed.
On one bridge, they came across a force of skeletons hauling crumbling stone in an effort to rebuild the bridge. Although they took notice of the party, neither the workers nor the overseers made an aggressive move. Jarvix used his skill in the Way to dispose of the majority of the workers and Li-Am helped mop up the rest quickly and efficiently.
As they moved through the ruined city, gray lightning continued to provide poor illumination but allowed for glimpses of the hundreds of spires spread farther across is the distance, their shattered bridges out of reach. Flying high above a great winged shape could be seen, however it either did not notice the party or care, as it never investigated.
Dark Barrow
The next large tower that the party encountered had been sheared off at an angle, as if it had been struck by another spire. As they approached they noticed movement in the rubble – bones and body parts began to knit themselves together into a larger humanoid figure which approached them.
Li-Am was able to use his magic to lock down the creature, preventing it from moving into a more advantageous position. However, Kelvor drew the brutes attention and it began to crush him with its huge hands. Elleandra conjured a sphere around the creature making it experience pain with each of its attacks. Jarvix was finally able to deal a killing blow to the creature. After the fight, the group was exhausted and risked a short rest, although the lingering cold of the city prevented anyone from truly regaining all of their strength.
Moving on from the battle with the stitched monster, a quick series of lightning flashes allowed them to glimpse a boiling sea of black mist surrounding the base of the towers a hundred feet below. Far below the party spotted a group of zombies marching along one of the bridges. They were too far away to pose a threat and the group decided not to linger.
At last the party reached what they assumed was their destination. The fallen spire before them was open to the darkness. Its central stone core appeared to have been cleanly broken to create a platform of glowing black stone. The party moved closer to the glowing platform but stopped when they realized powerful spellcraft was protecting the portal against access. Those familiar with warding magic all agreed that the wards were newly made, perhaps a few weeks ago.
As they continued to study the glowing platform, they determined that it was imbued with powerful planar and teleportation magic. Although they were convinced that it was a portal to somewhere else, they could not determine the destination. Hopeful that if they could breach the wards, they would know more, they started to work on taking down the defenses.
Before the first attempt could be made, they were interrupted by a sound from behind them. Turning they saw a massive shape composed of dead creatures climbed up from beneath the platform to block the bridge. Close to 20 feet in diameter this horrible swarm of death moved quickly to attack, with tendrils of bone and flesh flailing around it. A host of voices screamed in a twisted chorus of pain and fear.
A Parting in the Mists
The unlikely collection of individuals stood in the Mists unsure of their surroundings. Eventually Laylon-Ka spoke and asked Vinara and Morg to join her and a number of the surviving members of her resistance group to determine the final fate of Kalid-Ma, for she was not convinced that he had truly died. She asked that two of her newer members, Kezmit and Li-Am to stay with Gwyn and her allies for their protection as well as a possible means to keep communication open.
Vinara and Morg accepted her invitation and they walked off into the Mists. Those that remained behind were very confused regarding the final events and what happened to shadow Kalidnay. Evan Moreau attempted to explain although the fine details were lost. He suggested that the lands are tied to powerful individuals and if they die without another suitable replacement, the lands, and sometimes people, disappear into the Mists.
Intending to make good on his bargain he made with Jarvix and Elleandra, Evan invited them back to his library where he could research a way to send them back to Athas. After all agreed, Evan created a glowing circle of sigils on the ground nearby, and a hazy vision of dark room lined with books could be seen. Kira Javed, Kazandra and Melantha stepped through together with the others following them.
The Moreau LIbrary
They arrived in a cool, dark, slightly musty room filled to the ceiling with book shelves, a sight that few had ever thought possible. Melantha quickly and quietly escorted Kazandra out of the room without so much as a word to the others. Evan told them that they were in his private library in the ruins of his families estates in a nation called Dementlieu. He then excused himself to research how to get the party back to Athas. Kira escorted the group around the library while they waited for Evan and the group took advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as they could on a number of topics that were of interest.
Kelvor was keenly interested in what they could find out about the gods. They learned that in this land they gods were real, or at least those who worshiped them were granted extraordinary powers. They learned of Moradin, the god of dwarves, and found some cryptic and disturbing information on the Chained God. They also learned that the primordials lost the war with the gods in this land and thus their power remained.
Kezmit was very curious as to how Kalidnay appeared to exist in two places with two different histories. Kira explained that there were many tales of outsiders to her lands that appeared out of the Mists. They sometimes spoke of strange sounding lands that none here had ever heard of. Kira and Evan believe that strong events of evil can draw the Mists into other worlds and rip the lands into their own. Thakok-An's betrayal of her family and the powerful magic of Kalid-Ma could certainly have been strong enough to attract the attention of the Mists.
There was also interest in the nature of Kazandra and the similarity between her hunger for blood and that of Sacha and Wyan. Kira did not think that the two were the same type of creatures, for in her experience, a beheaded vampire was a dead vampire. They still wondered what would have happened had they allowed the floating heads to drink from them in the depths of the Ziggurat of Kalak.
Evan returned from his research and they discussed his findings over a meal of strange foods with strange customs. The formality and decadence, compared to most meals they were accustomed to, was amazing, as were the metal utensils used to eat the food. Although it was strange to them, they found it agreeable and this small comfort after so many hardships was very welcome.
Evan informed them that he could not find a way to return them directly to Athas as such magic was beyond him, if it was possible at all. He had located what could be another source of magic from Athas and believed that if they investigated it, they might find a way home. Unfortunately the source of this magic was located in the city of Moil, know as the City that Waits, a place where the dead have consumed the living. Having no other viable options, the group decided to search Moil for a way home.
Before they left, Evan presented Gwyn and Kelvor with magical rings and also gave Kezmit a pouch of bone dust that would aid them in fighting ghosts and other immaterial creatures. Evan was able to instruct Jarvix in the rituals to open portals between magic circles. Although of limited use at this time, should they encounter these circles in Athas, it could be a substantial advantage. With that, Evan opened another portal to the city of Moil and they bid their farewells to Evan, including Kira, who decided to take a leave of absence from her studies with Evan and accompany the party.
When they stepped through the portal, an ice-shrouded city of shattered stone spires and decaying arched bridges came into view from out of the swirling grey mist. Gray lightning occasionally surged within the clouds providing some illumination. and a boiling sea of black surrounded the base of the tower a hundred feet below. Several other spires connected to the one closest to the group, but uncounted hundreds more spread further in the distance, their shattered bridges out of reach.
Freezing air and a sullen darkness enveloped the party as a series of fractured black columns come into view when they adjusted to the dim light. The cracked stone floor sloped steeply down toward an archway opening onto a dead black mist, and above them a partial domed ceiling framed the sky. However, the howling creatures lurching forward to attack were a more immediate concern. The experienced adventurers were able to brace themselves for the attack and made short work of their opponents. Jarvix conjured shards of nothingness to hold fast the zombies while Li-Am's was able to conjure waves of flame that blasted his foes. Two of the creatures had powerful chilling claws and Kelvor nearly perished before he was able to shake off the effects. In fact most of the party were unable to shake off the lingering wounds in this cold realm.
The group began to explore the city, slowly making their way across the icy bridges, even watchful for enemies or signs of the magic they were looking for. Elleandra and Gwyn were able to navigate slightly within the strange dead city, but so much was ruined that there didn't appear to be a direct path. Along the way they saw many groups of different types of undead, including a large formation of tightly packed bodies slowly making its way across a nearby bridge.
At an intersection of bridges, the party barely avoided an unpleasant surprise by a group of several different types of spectral beings. The party was harassed by the banshee's cries, the necrotic aura of the wraiths, and the nighthaunt's constant attempts to feed off of their very souls. Kezmit chose not to use the limited supply of bone dust on these foes and the party was fortunately able to vanquish them.
The party moved on, heading to the northeast, in the general direction of the dragon magic they were attempting to find. Unfortunately the bridge they were on collapsed partway to their destination and there was no method of crossing it. Before they could turn around, the adventurers were set upon by a group of zombies that appeared to be patrolling the city…
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The best way to know your ring size - to try one.
These size rings let you be sure that you will get the perfect fit metal ring. It is important when you are going to purchase golden or platinum ring since I don't accept exchanges on these metals.