So Many Planes

The adventurers have escaped being stranded in the astral plane. They move through the library, now in tatters, in silence. Rook seems especially off. As he moves through the library he seems to look for something but is unable to find anything, since the book have most of their knowledge and power removed by the arcane entity which they have just defeated.

The Evil Eye

Smallfang sensing something is wrong with Rook casts detect evil and sees that the eye that Rook has inserted into his eye socket, replacing his own, glows brightly evil and tendrils of evil now are spreading around it into the rest of Rook.

Something nags at Rook and he immediately leaves the keep. The others, now knowing the Eye of Falazure is making him evil, pursue but Rook takes form of aarakocra and takes to the sky. Katya quickly takes to the street weaving and dodging her way through the crowds eventually taking to the rooftops in pursuit. Smallfang strides right through the crowd and his intimidating demeanor parts the crowd in front of him, a wave a awe proceeds him. Hope and Lirath shrug and follow as best they can.

The City Library....or....If It Burns, We Burn It

Rook flies until he finds the city's public library. A large stone two story building in the middle of a large courtyard. He enters the library, a quiet sanctuary of learning. A few scribes attend to their duties while metal automatons go about their business of sorting and filing books upon the shelves. He shouts to the nearest scribe. "Where are the books regarding Venca?". The young boy stammers in fear and flees. But the boy is not fast enough for a magic missle. As the magic bolts hit him in the back he is flung to the floor dead. A female human scribe who witnessed Rook's cruelty tells Rook that they are restricted books and are locked away in the offices. Rook kills her with a fireball, setting fire to the bookshelves.

As the others finally arrive at the library they are blocked by a large stone slab which fills the doorway, thanks to Rook's illusion made real. Smallfang strides up to the library casting detect evil looking for Rook. He doesn't spot rook but sees a well dressed gentleman giving coins of silver and copper to poor children glows brightly evil. Smallfang, intolerant of evil, grabs the man and carries him along with him towards the library and then up upon the ledge of the second level. Looking down into the library through the windows he sees a large fireball flare up and begin to burn the bookshelves.

Hope casts disintegrate upon the stone slab blocking the door and walks through, followed by Lirath and Katya. They all soon begin to chase after Rook while Rook lobs firespell after firespell in his wake, the library now turning into a blaze. They chase Rook until he dives into the far office, after using his vision to see a hidden room below the office with books behind iron chains.

Rooklandia

Rook pulls back the rug in the middle of the room to expose the hidden door to the room below. Dropping down Rook looks for and finds the book regarding Vecna that he has come for. He then pulls from his satchel, the rod of security and gives it a twist. The runes that run its length align and glow with energy. Rook is transported into a lush world alive with people and vegetation. Mountains in the distance are bordered by a large ocean. Pasture land surrounds a large castle. People greet Rook with enthusiasm and love as he strides towards his castle.

Rook spends the next few months in this land catered and loved by the people of this land. They realize they live only at the whim of Rook. For as soon as he leaves, they will cease to exist. He earns the love and respect of a select few, especially Leroy the young boy who attends him, by giving them a name. He uses his time to learn and transcribe spell after spell into his own spellbook and reads the book he has taken from the library regarding Vecna learning all he can about the man who became a god. As well as taking care of and talking to his copper dragon's egg which he places upon the shore of this world's ocean, trying to incubate it.

A Dragon Is Born and The World Dies
2,000 XP

One day nearly at the end of his stay, Rook is by the ocean's shore and hears the egg begin to crack. With care he aids the young dragon from the egg and together the spend the last few days in this world, the dragon learning all he can from the world and from Rook. It is a quick learner and is not absolutely trusting of Rook's intentions.

Then when his days are done within the sanctuary world of the rod, Rook gathers the population with his courtyard. He tells them that they all have souls and will be taken, upon their deaths, to the Raven Queen. Most are enraptured, arms raised in praise to both Rook and The Raven Queen as the world around them quickly begins to dissolve. At the end many weep for the lives they no longer will have and among it all stands Rook impassively, with his boy companion, Leroy who looks up to him at the last moment with the unfinished question upon his lips, "Will I really...."

Then he is back in the hidden room with the young dragon.

The others are there lying in wait. It has only been moments that Rook has been gone. Not even a mere breath has occurred in his absence. They surround him and Smallfang is able to pounce and grab hold of him. But after talking they tell him they know something is wrong and they only wish to help him.

He convinces them that he is simply looking to return the eye to it's rightful owner.

With that they agree to travel with him to where Vecna, a great mage and now god, was last known to be. But first they must travel to his own plane of Eberron. They agree.

Into Eberron
5,000 XP (just 'cause it was so much fun)

Rook, a changling, hails from the world of Eberron. A world from a different plane within the material world. He is able to fashion a tuning fork, with the frequency of his world as an illusion and then when it is just right, Rook turns it real. When he strikes it, the hum is different to that of the last tuning fork he made and the world disappears in a glow of white. When the glow fades, they stand in the midst of a bustling city.

This world is drastically different from the world the others are familiar with. The city and its population is a mixture of technology and magic. The darkening sky of the approaching night is filled with the neon glow of lights and the arcane flashes of magic in the shops. They travel via a monorail train which hovers above a track of smooth rock. The populace of the train is a mixture of all races. None minding much the ratag look of the outworlders.

As the train moves through the city of Sharn, the train's passengers dwindle at each stop until there is only the most rough and disreputable collection of individuals. The announcements through the cabins of the train change in tone. The disembodied voice warns the passengers that this will be the last stop before entering the lower city. The warning repeats ominously and the group makes their way to the exit.

Lirath approaches one, who has many cybernetic implants. Lirath asks where one may obtain such a fabulous eye of technology such as his. The large man pulls back a mechanical arm which makes a whining whir increasing in pitch as it stores energy until at its peak the man unleashes it against Lirath's face. Nose crooked and bleeding, Lirath makes his apologies and the group exits the train.

The Super-8 Of Sharn

Rook, escorts the group to a building much like an inn but made entire of smooth stone and metal. Inside an unattended multi-barrelled weapon scans the room and the group goes to the counter to obtain rooms. They are given tags which must be prominently worn, lest the gattling gun take them for solicitors or loiterers.

They take shelter in their room while Smallfang pushes one of the large beds up against the door. This world is interesting but not very inviting.

In the morning, the group gathers in the center of the room and Rook again performs the planeshift spell and concentrates of the place where he has read that the worshipers of Vecan made their last stand, Tovag Baragu. They are transported back into the world of Faerun.

Tovag Baragu

They stand among a circle of towering towers of rock forming archways. The group moves about them and soon enough they discover runes running the length of the tall pillars of rock. After examining them and pushing arcane energy into them the group discovers that they can activate them. It would seem that they have not been in use for centuries if not for millenia. The grounds appear to have been the site of some ancient battle.

Perhaps the archways were a means of escape or a perhaps a trap.

They activate one portal at a time after which they deactivate them by disturbing the runes.
Smallfang takes lead entering each archway as it is activated.

In the one he enters a world under water. He finds and swims to the surface but has to race back to the portal when several sahuagin give chase. Another portal leads to a world filled with floating farmland tended by orcs. And one is a world filled with a world whose time is vastly faster than this world. Seasons, decades, centuries perhaps pass in a matter of moments.

The archway portals are a maze of planes. Which way to go?