Trials & Tribulations

The Myste-Hass Calender

28/03/2024

Tom's Code - 10101

Elril, Sylleth, Pic, Belmash, Gwain, Azrael and The Minotaur stand in the market place in the aftermath of Fate's eclipse and speech in the Market Square of Myste-Hass.

The people of Myste-Hass watch as Sten hangs the Fate priests. The guards who have orchestrated this are wearing plate armour with no insignia or colours.

The group are beckoned into a hideaway.

A man, Stildes, wearing an apron was told to wait at this time and usher the group inside. He was told to do this by Fate himself.

The group universally agree that Fate is a god.

Gwain says he saw a picture of Fate in a book once which he left in a pub when he got drunk.

Stildes says there is a way out through the basement. He claims that this was foreseen, unless it was a true submersion which must be righted.

Someone tries the barred door. The group completely fail to hide, Gwain coughs. Belmash pretends he's old and looking for the key. The door starts to bang. The group head down a trap door.

Stildes stays, saying he will lie and cover. In the small basement there is another doorway. Through that door is a long corridor which gradually slopes down. At a crossroads, there is a very old man perched on a chair.

Gwain wakes him and it looks as though he'd had a heart attack. He knows Elril, but not by sight.

The man has been instructed to take Elril to Zenis for a very important mission. His name is Gan. Pic is forced to give him mouth to mouth three times.

The path heads into the sewer proper, moving along a narrow walkway. Gan leads the group through a labyrinth of turns to a ladder. There is a meeting room at the top of the ladder, where Zenis and several of the other leaders are.

Gan doesn't know what the test is, but it differs depending on your importance to Fate.

Gan knocks on the hatch three times, it's opened and a hand reaches down and picks Gan up.

The tiefling gentleman at the top with grey skin, orange eyes and white horns. The tiefling, Scot, is jolly. We're led up a set of steps into a wooden panelled room with a window. We're on the Western Docks side of the city.

The formal man who greets the group, asks if anyone there offers a threat to the cause. Elril is allowed companionship on the task. He must prove himself to the order.

For his trial, he must travel. There are two things they need. The first is a device that Elirl already knows about, but is required. The second is to seek out Keegan. He is a seer of sorts and must not be told the specific goal. Llarimarr will be sent to accompany Elril. If the group is successful, then a great wrong will be righted, and witnessed Elril's rise.

Zenis argues that Sten could have disrupted the rightful path. Llarimarr stands up, a brown tunic, blond hair, elven ears, tall and handsome. He appears a little jealous.

The task at hand is not without peril. But, with the new order, Fate can order Garr to grant the group eternal freedom if they support Elril.

The sun is setting by the time the group head into the streets.

Llarimarr knows where Keegan is. He is a spell caster of sorts. He can assist with long-distance travel. But, he may not be willing if he understands the reasoning. Keegan is a disgraced avatar, laying low. They don't know who Keegan is an avatar of, and he claims its different each time.

The device is a transportation device. It's a cube.

A boy was murdered a long time ago. It's our role to stop the assassins that killed this boy. We must go 253 years in the past, but the device can access that.

It was Keegan himself who sent the assassins who killed the child.

Llarimarr has a place for the group to rest, somewhere he secures. Pic goes upstairs and finds two dead bodies in the bed.

Belmach gives Elril a book from Xafiq's Lair with notes about Skaeon.

Inside the house, Gwain and Pic put on a spread of food.

As the group settles to rest, Elril inspects the device. It's a cube with different coloured surfaces.

Morning arrives, and the group plan. Llarimarr claims

The assassins were a group that approached Keegan a long time ago. One of them was a Prince of Anglan. There was a shepherd of Garr, some barbarians, some healers.

Elril sends Sylleth with Belmach and Pic to the Temple of Peridot to research the royal bloodline of Anglan, what befell of the country and the avatars.

Eggiock was the last king of Anglan, his bloodline believed eradicated, until his son emerged from a portal on the mainland not so long ago. All that follow him are doomed to die. Sylleth offers a trade, an interesting book in return for time in the library to research the lineage of Anglan. He refuses the deal, so they choose to accept question and answers instead on Sylleth's sudden interest in Anglan.

The man at the Temple of Peridot knows Sylleth got involved with the dark book. He asks if the wizard still has the book.

Pic claims he's interested in time travel which peaks the priests interest the most. He offers the Fishfoot Tales, his own personal anthem of family tales.

The man knows a story about Prince Thayne and killer following him through time.

Belmash talks quietly about his Soul Jar, but the priest overhears and agrees to exchange the item for the books. Belmash back pedals.

Pic just comes out and tells the priest the entire truth about the plot to go back and stop the assassin.

They bring the group a book on the Peacemaker General. The book mentions a Father Janir, a priest of Imogen, who was possessed by the avatar, and then there is another mention in another book about Father Janir killing a boy in Anglan over two-hundred years ago. Father Jinir then created a great weapon designed for killing gods.

Supposedly, Father Janir arrived at an inn and slaughtered a boy. Then fled into the night chased by the Anglan guards.

There is no real content on time travel.

Within a year of the incident in Anglan, the great pyramid in Kahzara was damaged and then Anglan was sucked from the world. Dalcimeer still wandered the wild lands, travelling from Nadarr. The people of Pillai hadn't yet built their wall.

They are allowed to borrow the book in return for lending the Book of Sadness to the priest.

Keegan plays the game of a simple seer. Fate intends to kill Keegan after the allotted task is completed.

Sylleth identifies the Soul Jar that Belmash owns.

Llarimarr leads the group through the town to a stone cottage with a thatched roof. A thick set man with short cropped hair and a grey beard emerges in long robes. He claims to see the future.

Elril speaks with Keegan. Elril asks what price would be needed to check if Pic's family tales are true.

The man looks in Pic's face and sees his future behind the group. Keegan claims he does not take people back in time, it was a mistake when it happened before. He thought he'd prevent a great calamity - all the lives that would be destroyed from the loss of Anglan and the construction of the White Gate and the horror of bringing it back. But, instead another calamity occurred.

Originally, Anglan messed with Genai Stones. Not in this reality though.

I should not have sent those individuals back. They killed the boy without stopping to ask questions. In the height of my powers, I was arrogant and there is nothing that can be done to fight arrogance. The people who I took back were forceful and strong. He refuses to say which god he was created from because he does not wish to stain their name with his own.

Keegan claims his current body is weaker than before, but he has killed enough and could not defeat his younger self.

Keegan can only hold the time gap for an hour. He has travelled back over and over again, watching.

If he had the power to do so, he would have the child live. He would have Anglan meddle with the Genai Stone themselves, and prevent the incident in Kahzara.

If he allows us to do this, he will hold the group accountable. He will use the remains of his power to destroy us if we act out of turn.

Leave the town, take the coastal path as far as it will go. There is a hut that overlooks the sea - do not go there. Go to the stone circle on the hill above. I will meet you there at nightfall.

He claims that avatars can't be trusted. He can't be trusted.

If things go well, Keegan will offer a favour, which is no small feat form an Avatar.

The group plan. They decide on three plans -

1. Take the boy and carry him back to the current time.

2. Hide the boy.

3. Kill Father Jinir.

The group arrives at the stone circle and Keegan says that he can only bring the group which are going. We must be back at the stone circle in an hour if we want to go. If we return sooner, the other version of Keegan will be present. If you're not back within the hour, you will remain.

The boy is small, with blond hair and the only child there.

The world disappears around the group, shrouding them in darkness, except for a single white path. Keegan beckons the group forward, "Keep moving, don't go into the darkness." Hands reach out of the darkness, a long clawed nail scratching the adventurers shoulders.

The adventurers arrive in the stone circle. There is a surge of magical energy. Sylleth casts fly on himself and Elril. The group move towards the small settlement on the slope, those flying arriving much sooner. There are guards wandering the streets in kettle helms, chain and tabards. The pair collapse into a bush, making loads pf noise.

The guards notice. Elril pretends to be drunk, a fighting man who has been called up to the Wild Lands. Sylleth pretends that he is Grazit, but the man is suspicious, claiming he knows a Grazit, so they call for a priest to come and do a divine sense on him. The others catch up, stopped by the guard as well. One of the guards has a bell on his belt. The adventurers try to convince the guards that there are people on the way to kill a kid.

Elril arrives at the rustic tavern, just as he sees a flash of light from the hillside. He enters, heading straight to the family. Elril tells the family that they are in grave danger. They head out of the tavern through a back entrance. Pic joins them.

An elf approaches, asking what's going on here. There are two barbarians. One of the people is wearing a red tabard of the royal guard. Some of the group move off into the darkness.

Gwain tries to slip off into the darkness, then the guards attack.

Pic tells the kid not to think about it, then turns into a giant frog and opens his mouth for the child to jump inside. He does not. Elril tells the boy that he's destined for great things, and convinces him to get inside the frogs mouth.

Elril uses minor illusion to create an image of the boy where he'd originally been. He calls for the people to protect the boy.

father Jinir catches sight of the frog, casting dawn over the tavern and the animal. Many of the people inside are incinerated immediately. Pic reverts and tries to catch the boy form falling off the roof. Azrael is immediately killed by the radiant light.

Eventually, Sylleth kills the majority of the other group members, their priest of Garr not healing them and moving away. They flee with the child.

There is a fight between the two versions of Keegan, but Belmash manages to determine which is which. Sylleth turns the boy into a dog.

Back in Myste-Hass a voice booms out - Fate.

"I recognise you," says Fate. A face appears, almost elvish but drawn and twisted. The eyes are sunk deep into its skull, its eyes dark red, its mouth twisted and ripped into a grin. Some areas of this figure are stone like. The face is large, almost the size of a person. A floating form follows behind.

And, now you are done. Since the first day you changed Fate, I swore that I would right every wrong you have done. It sucks Keegan dry.

Fate is thirty-feet tall. In every hand, he has the skulls of every Avatar he has brought into him.

Elril's blood runs cold. There is nothing to take from the view of Fate other than horror.

16/04/2024

Fate extends his arms, wielding the masks. He appears solid. A bolt of light slams into Fate. A blast of radiant light covers Fate's heart.

He throws a spear at one of the intruders. Geoffrey, Lishaan and Engaro are part of the group who are attacking.

Sylleth becomes invisible and backs away.

The spell caster casts circle of death and Fate counters with a finger click.

Engaro casts a spell which Fate fails and takes necromantic damage.

Pic becomes invisible and runs away too.

Fate reaches up towards a star and pulls it down to ground, dealing radiant damage. He then extends his hands out with beams of anti-life energy shooting out from every mask, dealing necromantic damage.

He then casts misfortune on Geoffrey as a legendary reaction.

Fate keeps moving his hands and Geoffrey can't hit once.

They have a necromancer.

Fate uses two legendary actions to put 'Prophecy' on Engaro, ensuring that any spell cast fails.

He has 'Locational Uncertainty' which allows him to misty step without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Engaro goes down under an assault of attacks from Fate. Gwain then hits Engaro whilst he's down.

Geoffrey heals the head priest of the Temple of Imogen. He then hits Fate with his sword, Guilt - hitting on a 25. As he strikes into Fate, black rot comes from his blade.

Elril shouts out to Sylleth during the battle to wake Pic, potentially making it known Sylleth is there. But, Engao and Geoffrey are both unconcious.

Elril takes Engaro down again.

Fate says, "enough, betrayer." He is talking to Geoffrey. Then his hands level three spears on Geoffrey, unleashing damage on him. He turns the mask on Geoffrey and he goes down.

Lishaan gives Engaro one point of lay on hands.

Fate summons another 'spear of mortal death' on Engaro. Gwain hits Engaro knocking him unconscious. Fate puts another three more energy spears on Engaro. Belmach lightenings his unconscious body.

Geoffrey wakes and heals Engaro again. Then he slams Guilt into the god, dealing both necromantic and radiant damage that makes Fate bleed.

Engaro attempts a banishment, trying to send Fate beyond the gate. Fate just says "No" and the spell fails.

Fate has five spears levelled at Engaro.

The Minotaur takes Geoffrey down.

Fate releases the spears on Engaro, killing him.

He uses prophetic visions on the remaining enemies. You have to beat over twenty to succeed. The other two Fate combatatants fall screaming.

As Lishaan is hit by the prophetic ability, he sees all of the gods crushed, brought low and stripped of all power. Myst-Hass is destroyed and on fire, devoid of all living and without a doubt he knows that this will come to pass. It is psychic damage.

Fate picks up Geoffrey's body. Guilt drops to the floor. Geoffrey pulls his rib cage straight out of his body and discards his legs.

Fate tells Elril to hurry Lishaan to his death. He kills him.

Fate lifts his hands, raising mist around him and then he teleports away.

Goeffrey's shattered armour and two swords are both magical.

Engaro was wearing a magic ring and an amulet.

The dead necromancer is Yanif.

Elril says he has passed his test and the item he was required to acquire is in his possession and will be used when the time comes.

Elril beheads Geoffrey and Engaro.

Lishaan has a magic bag on him which Gwain takes.

The tracks of the party who died had followed our group out of the town. The man who had accompanied the group was completely gone.

The group wonders about where they can rest, whether they should return to town. The Minotaur suggests returning to a safe place he knows in the north. But, the group decides to head back to town.

Finding a spot a short distance from the stone circle, the group takes a short rest. It's midnight when they've finished. The gates of the city are closed. The group head into a small patch of woods, where Sylleth casts a tiny hut.

As Elril settles down to sleep, he hears Fate's voice - "Elril, we have taken the first of many steps towards an inevitable conclusion. We have many enemies, such as faced us today. I saw that this would happen and you would see them stricken down. Will you feed our army against our enemies, Elril? Sacrifices will be required. Do you understand? You will choose an honour to be given to you, a destiny. One of your party will become a morai. They will lose everything they are and a new journey will begin. There will be many morai.

A morai is a soulless soldier against chaos. It's dedication is pure, unwavering and untethered by intrusive thoughts. I have the power to usher their soul onwards, but we will use their vessel.

Fate said the enemies today were betrayers who have turned against him. Elril needs to be ready for others as well - his former Harbinger. When Elril wakes, Fate will expect his answer. He reminds Elril that he changes his destiny, for he would be dead otherwise.

Sylleth identifies the hammer. The chains holding the massive rock in place glow. A tiny creature flutters away from it. It's a +3 great hammer, with some sentient nature that is activated on being attuned. There is a sense of divinity to it as well.

Sylleth identifies Geoffrey's second sword Guile, a silvered long sword that does and an additional 10 psychic damage on a hit and on a critical hit heals x3 d8 healing as temporary hit points to the user. It has a golden pommel like bat wings with a red gem in it.

Elril chooses Belmach to become a morai.

Pic says it will rain today and The Minotaur claims his stomach hurts.

Belmach looks a little pale. Everyone starts to move off, but Belmach watches his own body walk off, leaving him as a spirit on a log. A sigh of air reaches his ears and disappears.

The guards don't seem to be too diligent, but there are some individuals in plate around.

Belmach and Pic wildshape, then the rest are turned invisible by Sylleth.

The party arrive at the safe house. Belmach has lost some scales, sickly looking pale flesh below. He feels fine though - just closer to Fate.

The sword Guilt has a clawed handle

Elril suggests taking Belmach to a temple, a secret temple to Fate. They pass the elaborate Temple of Peridot. It's one of the biggest buildings in Myste-Hass - ostentatious and dominating. They go to the safe house that acts as a temple, past the entrance hall and into a small room. Stildes comes to see them.

Stildes tells Belmach - "We would like to thank you for your service. It is your destiny to walk this path. Leave everything behind you, our lord has made you whole and you will fight many battles in his stead. We thank you for your sacrifice. You had no choice, that choice was made for you. You are blessed."

Stildes says Fate has informed him that things have moved, a different path. Not everyone is aware of what has changed. The world brings things back to where they should have been. In the close days that follow, we will make another great step and strike at one of our greatest enemies.

Stildes tells Elril to take Belmach to the halls at dusk today. All of Belmach's worries have passed, he only feels joy.

Elril asks for the assistance of healers. Jesse is called in.

Meanwhile, Sylleth identifies some items. Guilt is a adamantine weapon that does an additional x3 d6 necrotic and x2 d6 radiant on a critical hit. It's always a critical hit against an object.

Engaro's ring is a plus one ring of protection. His amulet, a symbol of Imogen, is connected to Imogen and feels as though its actively communicating all the time.

There was a plus one dagger.

There was a bag of preservation - that works like a bag of holding but will keep biological material at an ambient temperatures.

Thayne's sword is a +1 long sword, but when you attune to it, it cancels the magical influence of anything else you're carrying.

Geoffrey's broken armour can not be identified.

The group heads to Yanif's Lotion and Libation. Pic sneaks in as an ant. He goes upstairs. There was a room with a small single bed, with manacles at the head and foot of the bed. The other room looks normal. Checking the back door in an alley, he summons a boar which charges at the door rather loudly.

The group enters through the back, taking a bunch of potions. Someone tries the door handle to the front of the building, pressing their face against the glass.

Jesse pretends badly to be Yanif, Pic shouting out that they are closed. The man leaves at pace. Pic and Gwain go back into Yanif's, then some of the Fate specific guards knock on the front door. They knock open the front door as the other two run off.

The sun sinks towards the horizon, Sylleth heads towards the Hung Goat.

Jesse has the key to [[Cenn