Revelations Part 2

'Heed this revelation , for it will be your last. I am he that was undead, and then was dead; Now behold, I shall now live forevermore though her, and I shall hold the keys of hell and of death....."

Revelations Part 2

Norgarth and Galthia heard a cry form Haennah, 'Help, help Shen is injured! I cannot wake him!'

She explained what had happened and what was ahead. Galthia looked over Shen's sleeping body.

 'I think he has fallen into some sleeping trance, that which monks can do', she explained, 'My goddess will not be able to help .. whatever twisted elven magic that overcame him is powerful indeed. We must have faith in the gods and in Shen's own ability to heal himself of this.'

It was decided to secret Shen's body in a alcove safe, and with a note in case he awakened before they returned, so he knew they had continued forward further into the ruins.

Descending further down past he spike trap they walked down a long dark corridor  Galthia used her shield to cast a light so she could see. Not long after they could see a glow ahead. Galthia extinguished her light so as not to draw attention to them.  Haennah sneaked forward to look, the archway opened into a large dome-like room with a narrow pathway, which fell off on both sides into darkness. The path ahead widened into a circular area with a burning brazier in the centre, and beyond 4 large dark doorways beneath large carved statues of warriors. The floor was covered in a thin layer of water, and splashing about as they walked here and there were half a dozen kobolds.

Norgarth quietly moved forward. The chatter of the Kobolds was too quiet to determine even though Haennah and Norgarth could understand dragon. Galthia decided to move, but in the darkness a sword she was carrying came loose from its buckle, and slipped to the floor. CLANG, CLATTER!' the noise echoed down the corridor and filled the chamber. The kobolds froze in place and looked over to the trio.

'Oh well', grumbled Norgarth, and straightening up marched with purpose into the room. Heannah and Galthia followed.

'You can't come in here!' squeeked the kobolds,' The Master cannot be disturbed. You cant pass, what are you doing here, go away. !' they scolded.

'Erm we have an appointment' chimed in Haennah, casting Suggestion.. 'take us to your master, tell us his name, and show us where to go!' The kobold unaffected by the spell just stood there staring up at the Teifling wondering what to think of the strange female creature in front of it.

Growing impatient, Norgarth puffed out his chest and looking down at the kobold in his way..'Excuse me! ' and walked past. Haennah followed, gently moving the kobold  out of the way with her hand, and patting it on the head ' Good boy'

Four archways faced them. They seemed to be hidden my magical darkness as it was not possible to look in. The kobolds were continuing to be stubborn and uncooperative, but they were harmless and not armed.

Seeing little option but to move forward they decided to walk into one of the arches, Norgarth took the lead, the other two just behind. But just as the dwarf had stepped over the threshold a solid stone wall appeared blocking the path to the others. No amount of pushing or bashing would move the block.

Meanwhile inside, magical sconces lit up around a circular room 60ft across, Norgarth saw in the centre, like a limp marionette, an ogre sized warforged. He skirted around the perimeter cautiously. The warforged stood up, a glaive in its hands, and turning toward the dwarf rushed at him to attack. Before it could cover the distance Norgarth swung his magical axe, sending out an arch of energy to strike the creature at distance, once , twice it struck, but on the third strike something went wrong. The axe overloaded and exploded in his hands. Drawing another weapon Norgarth readied himself behind his shield as the warforged swung its glaive at him. Metal sparked off armor as they exchanged blows, but Norgarth used his cunning and aimed at the weak spots between the warforged armor plating. Dropping it to one knee he cut through its wrist and as the glaive fell to the floor, hand still attached he kicked the weapon away.

It was then that he noticed a small wooden box about the size of his hand in the centre of the floor. Smashing it open inside revealed a golden egg. The warforged rushed again, weaponless at Norgarth! With quick thinking he placed the egg into his bag of holding, and the warforged collapsed  motionless on the floor.

The doorway then opened up again. The other two peered inside, at the dwarf. 'Everything ok? ' asked Haennah, looking curiously at the lifeless construct on the floor. While Galthia and Norgarth spoke about what had just transpired, Haennahs inquisitiveness got the better of her and she went to the three remaining doors in turn... 'hmm no, that one doesn't feel right, what about this one.. ah this one feels good I will go in here!'

Once again a circular room and a stone block magically closed behind her. In its centre looked like a giant coil of steel rope. She approached it, and suddenly the end rose up out of the centre and started to widen and unfurl into the hooded head of a cobra. Haennah had a thought, and concentrated on the YuanTi magic,  began her transformation , her legs morphed and combined together and lengthened into a snakes tail. 'Look, I am like you.. whe can be friends!' 
The metal cobra did not seem to notice and struck out at her, it missed the first few times, Haennah slithering out of its way, but it then struck with a poisonous bite. Instinctively she Hellish Rebuked the snake with her innate Teifling power and flames rushed up the body of the metal snake. Haennah was able to resist and attacked back first with her glaive and then with lightning as the snake bit again, but this time she felt the poison start to go deep into her. She was frightened that if she succumbed to it she would not be able to escape so she fought on desperately, and soon dispatched it.

Galthia had similarly chosen a room, and facing her was a giant Hellhound, glowing with demonic fire. Unsheathing her Holy avenger, light shining form its graceful blade, she attacked without hesitation. The hound bit viscously at her, but imbuing each strike with divine power the beast was quickly undone!

At the end each of them had gained a precious metal egg, one of gold, one of platinum and one of bronze. They entered the final room. At its centre stood a giant fire elemental which immediately tried to attack. Heannah cast invisibility upon Norgarth as he stormed forward to strike at the creature.  This left the final doorway, which now was clear of magical darkness and free to pass through.

It was then that they each heard a voice within thier mind, deriding them, sneering at then attempting to plant seeds of doubt within them.

The Labyrinth.

He who is ensnared by the joys of the world and weighed down by its vices, can regain the doctrines of life only with difficulty.

Galthia heard in her head 'You have let your Queen down. You have failed your God and your quest.' The words disturbed her greatly, how was this possible, what did it mean, where did it come from.?  It was apparent to the others that Norgarth was similarly afflicted but he did not divulge what he had heard, yet his expression gave it away.

Haennah's mind also filled with a the voice 'You have let down your mother, your friends and those who you care for. Yet you still may be worthy' Surprisingly for the others, she shrugged it off nonchalantly , 'I hear voices all the time, and this is not one of the normal ones.. so it's not important,' she said. ' Pay it no heed....shall we continue?'

Gathia voiced her concerns over Haennah's ease with how her mind had been invaded. 'This is not a good thing Haennah, you should be as worried as I,... as I am worried for you, and your demon heart!'

The three walked down a long corridor, which slowly narrowed until they could only walk in single file. The doorway at the end opened upon up into an amazing and unnerving sight, the largest cavern they had ever seen, the roof was shrouded in mist and was filled with light, like daylight. The cavernous room stretched out in front of them in all directions, but what was most astounding was what was in it. They were standing on the top of a narrow wall looking out over a giant labyrinthine dungeon.

They could see where it opened out into rooms, and could also see creatures milling about, along the corridors and in the rooms. Studying from their vantage point it quickly became apparent that it would be possible with care to walk along the top of the walls and cross the dungeon without engaging the creatures inside. The labyrinth had a ceiling that appeared solid from below but was invisible from above. The monsters inside were oblivious to the passing of the party as long as they did not fall in.

The others heard a scream from behind and looking round saw that Haennah had landed with a bump on her backside in a corridor. Looking up she could only see a solid stone ceiling. Galthia and Norgarth saw her desperately looking up and around in vain. She poked the end of her glaive up though  the ceiling, and the other two grabbed it and pulled, but she was not ready and it slipped from her grasp. Fishing back down with it Heannah got a better grip and was being pulled up the wall, when suddenly a black scaly claw swiped at her. A young black dragon has crept up and lunged for an attack, but missed. Back on the top of the wall, the teifling angrily turned to look down at the black dragonling, which was looking in confusion at the ceiling, and fiercely rebuked it in draconic. The young dragon winced at the scolding and skulked away back down the corridor.

The three were just over half way across when once again they heard the voices in thier heads. Again while this disturbed Galthia and secretly concerned Norgarth, Haennah laughed it off. Finally they passed across the dungeon and through a door.

The Masters Lair

Like the pale of the moon, the mirror of your soul shall show the truth, and you will see the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter, your undoing shall be no mystery to you.

Flanked and held up by two stone statues of elven warriors upon a dias was 15ft tall mirror. The paladin and the fighter stopped in caution as they looked around this room. Haennah without a care, skipped up the steps,

'Mirror mirror on the wall who is the fairest.. AIEEE!' She screamed out in horror, and reeling from her reflection stumbled backward , and down the steps. Shaking in fear and with a quivering voice she pointed at the mirror.' My reflection.. undead! A lich! ' she cried.

What Haennah had seen was herself, withered and gaunt, a rotting corpse yet alive, herself yet not herself. A disjoined image of her as a lich.

Galthia helped her to her feet, and then walking cautiously up to the mirror looked upon herself. The reflection at first looked normal, but then changed view and she saw her turn her back , and within it was a dagger buried to the hilt, blood trickling down her spine!

Norgarth also looked. He saw himself sat upon a dwarven throne, his head resting wearily in his hands , with an expression of worry, pain and failure. He heard from the mirror the sounds of baying crowds, an angry mob.

Were these images of the future? Reflection of what might be, or what will be? Or was it another trick of the mind?

Now this, this greatly disturbed Heannah, yet with macabre fascination she could not leave the mirror alone. As the other two took time to search  around the room she stood in front of it transfixed at her reflection. Was this what she was destined to become? Leaving the  mirror behind they passed though to a grand hallway, they were stood at the bottom of a double staircase with a shallow sunken pool between, and joined by a balcony above, the great hall stretched on at the upper level out of sight. Water flowed off the balcony and into the pool below. Galthia sensed evil in the room. They quickly clambered out of the water and onto the staircase.

I will give power to my minions, and you will witness water turn to blood, they shall smite you like a plague, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and overcome you ,and kill you.

Suddenly and before they could react octopus like tentacles rose out of the water and tried to slam into them. The pool churned and surged and a jet of water erupted out hitting Haennah, she braced herself against the force, standing her ground. Then as they watch, a horrendous squid like creature with one giant eye rose out of the water, levitating 10ft above the surface. 

They could feel the abberation in thier mind, this was the creature that had been sending those thoughts... this was the Master they believed.
Norgarth sprinted up the top of the stairs. As its tentacles writhed it turned its eye towards the dwarf and a bolt of lighting shot out, striking him in the chest.  Galthia took a mighty leap from the staircase and landed upon the beast bringing her sword down upon it. Haennah lashed out with her glaive using its reach to her advantage, while Norgarth threw javelins from his vantage point, but the beasts tentacles were long and it was able to strike out against the party.

Galthia was shrugged off the beast and fell into the shallow water. Resolute she picked herself up and ascended the stairs again to leap once more upon the creature. Haennah continued to strike out with her glaive. The Octoholder  once again summoned a jet of water to pummel Haennah, and washed her off the steps and into the water. It wrapped a tentacle around her, and dragged her under crushing her. 

Haennah struggled against the hold but could not break it, she was face up looking up through the water at the dim light of the room, she could see the shape of the creature floating above her and distorted glimpses of Galthia and Norgarth battling away. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw something else swim by.

Norgarth threw the last of his javelins at the creature trying to keep his distance from the tentacles. The creature tuned it gaze towards Galthia, she expected to feel the shock of lighting but nothing came, taking her chance Galthia once again leapt upon the monster and struck with her Holy avenger at its body. Haennah struggled free and stood up out of the water coughing and gasping for air, she then felt a stabbing pain in her legs as a swam of tiny razor toothed fish started biting at her. Blood pooled around her legs as she tried to kick them off.

The beast though injured seemed to be getting the better of the three, Norgarth remembered his bag of holding and reached into it, and threw out 5 skulls and they landed in the water. Silently from where each landed there was a ripple and a humanoid skeleton with sword and shield silently rose up to face the octoholder.

But before they had change to attack, Haennah cast a spell, with a 'pop' and whisp of smoke she disappeared out of the water and re-materialised upon the balcony, and then without hesitation unleashed a lightning bolt upon the creature, aiming below where Galthia stood upon it. Electricity shot from her fingers and ripped through the beast, its great eye burst open as it collapsed into the water below.

The party rested an hour in the upper hall , to regain thier strength before continuing on. Galthia thought that the octoholder was the master that the kobolds had spoken about, but Norgarth was not sure, and they had still not come across Vapario's spirit. If down here it might have taken another body by now, or be long gone.

The hall lead to a curving corridor with passages coming off it each side, and a circular door ahead up the top a long flight of stairs. Water ran down channels each side of the corridor and stairs, and it was this that had fed the pool behind them.

As they walked to the first junction, Haennah felt a piercing pain in her chest. She could not stop herself form stumbling., Galthia steadied her, 'what's wrong? what is it?'

'Its my heart, it's nothing it will pass.'

'This is not nothing Haennah, that demon heart of yours needs to be dealt with. There must be a way to get it out of you. When we leave here, I vow to help you of your burden.'

A strange feeling came over the three, an uncertainty of which way to go. It was as if something was trying to manipulate thier thoughts again, though at first they did not realise it. Galthia's will was the strongest. 'I will not let these thoughts cloud my mind' she thought to herself. ' know where I want to go, and whatever this magic is it will not deter me from  my path.'
Norgarth faltered at first, trying to argue against Galthia persuasiveness. He shook his head as if to unloose the demon thoughts and uncloud his mind, and so doing they eventually faded as Galthias steady words came through to him.

The first room was bare except for an elven statue in an alcove, so they moved to the next.

Haennah however seemed to have succumbed to the thoughts, no matter what was said to her. ' We must not go in there, we must .. I must go up  yes up to the round door.. only that way is safe, sister.

'No come with me Haennah,,stay together we must., here take my hand.'
Galthia gently led Haennah as the three went to the next passageway. Ahead was a room, set out like living quarters, and seemingly recently used. Dead coals sat in a fireplace, there was a bed and bookshelves, and a table with some sort of sword laid upon it. As Norgarth and Galthia went to look at it suddenly Haennah slipped out of Galthias hold. 'No I mustn't', I have to go up!' She ran up the staircase as fast as she could before the others could act.




She reached the top where the circular door, an ornate metalwork gate ,with a room beyond. Again the pain in her chest hit her. She dropped to her knees in front of the gate, one hand upon the handle.
Looking through the gate, eyes clouded by pain she could discern two figures. Reaching out with Divine sense.... they were undead!
Norgarth and Galthia raced up to catch her, and found her kneeling at the gate. Instinctively Galthia reached out with her divine sense also,  two undead creatures, one corporal, one not. Looking through the gate she could see only one figure about 30 feet away. This being was one of them, the other she could not determine where in the room it was.


Placing her hand over the Teifling's  Galthia helped her open the gate. Struggling to her feet the three of them stepped through.


The man before them looked familiar, he looked like a palace guard. But what would a guard be doing down here? Galthia realised straight away! Vapario had possessed another guard and made his way down here. It was his undead spirit she could sense in the guards body.


Haennah tried to push forward intent only on casting a spell upon the figure before them. Witch Bolt leaped from her fingers but Vapario was too nimble and the arc of electricity missed and struck the floor harmlessly. Galthia raised up her holy symbol and attempted to turn the undead, but it had no effect.
Before anyone could move any further Vapario acted.!
He rushed forward and reached out with a touch attack against Galthia. Necrotic damage spread from his fingers into her and she felt the cold chill touch sap her life force.
Norgarth had scanned the room in the few moments that had passed. He noticed seven canopic jars arranged along a long table and seven daggers next to each one. Suddenly he realised he had seen these before. These were the seven daggers of the Apprentices of the Lich Zhang, and those were the jars that had held his internal organs. And now. now Haennah was here with the last part , the Black Crystal Heart of Zhang!

..... Next... Revelations Part 3 the final chapter.