Through The Maze Of Portals

The group continues to inspect the ring of stone archways. They choose the portal that seemed the most peaceful, the one that seems to drastically change in seasons within just a few minutes of entering and leaving the plane, and Rook activates the portal between its towering stone pillars by pushing arcane energy into the stone's ancient and weathered runes. A shimmering and swirling silvery portal opens up and one by one the group passes through the portal.

They enter a different plane. It is a beautiful summer day. Blue skies. Green fields of grass surround the small hill upon which stands the same circle of stone archways. Far afield the group sees several horses moving about. The band of horses begins approaching as the group hails them over. As the herd moves closer the group realizes they are not horses but centaurs. The centaurs approach with one taking the lead. He stands easily at least a foot taller than the group as he enters the stone archway circle. He introduces himself as Balaphan.

A Peaceful World Created Out Of Evil 

The group asks questions about what his people know about this world. Balaphan tells them that stories tell of an ancient war where the evil Vetta had been chased from world to world. He had created this world to aid his escape but he was eventually slain and his land was allowed to remain, for the Chosen people had been found to be a loving and peaceful race. They, the Chosen, have lived in peace and harmony in this world for time beyond time. He welcomes them to rest and stay for however long they wish.

As Balaphan welcomes them the rest of the herd cheers and approaches. Each talking to a different adventurer as they have never seen the like of the group before. Each in the group is vastly different from any they have even heard of. Elves; Tabaxi; Dragonborn; Aarakocra (Rook's current form).As everyone becomes familiar with each other, the group notices that the centaurs seem to avoid approaching one of the stone archways. As the group looks they also notice that even the grass is ungrazed near that archway. They ask about the significance of that particular stone archway. They are told that they should not go through there. The portal has slept for time immemorial, and that is a good thing. Through there the dead are jealous of those with the spark of life.

As the conversation turns dark and eerie, the herd is silent as they remember those that left and never returned, through that portal. Rook scares the younger centaurs near him and when the young ones realize, one of them, Ropas, laughs at the others for being scared. As they herd leaves the group to rest on the hill among the stone pillars, Rook casts grease under the hooves of Ropas. As he slips and repeatedly falls and stumbles in his attempts to regain his footing, all the other centaurs laugh joyously. Ropas eventually, is able to begin to run off, tears streaming down his face in humiliation, but not before Rook can catch him.

An Evil Gift
2,000 XP
(for following the forced alignment change)

Rook, with an evil twinkle in his eye, offers Ropas a whip. Ropas, confused, asks what it is. Rook gives him a demonstraion of its ability to hurt and scare. Ropas eagerly takes the gift and after practicing a bit runs off.
After resting the group decides their best lead to continue is the stone archway portal, that the herd is afraid of. Rook begins to activate the portal, and after several minutes, the space between the stone pillars shimmers to life with a portal. Smallfang steps through first followed closely by the others, all holding hands.

Feeding Grounds For Ghouls
8,400 XP 
(partial only)

They enter a world that is grey and drained of most of its color. The shape of the world is twisted and odd, as if it were made of taffy and pulled in different directions. The ground is littered with corpses in various states of decomposition. As they look around they find bodies of various races with ancient armor rusted and rotted into hints of their former glory. Weapons too are strewn about with arrow heads with only traces of their shafts left in such abundance that any handful of earth carries with it at least one arrowhead. Obviously a great battle took place here. But time is funny and it the group cant tell how long ago, as some bodies look ancient while others look not long dead.As they begin to move about they notice something near a body on the far side of the stone archway circle. It is mostly hidden behind a body laying on the ground but it is obviously feeding off the body in some manner. They move cautiously but soon the creature notices them and it rises up into the air, a swirling mass of bones fragments and dust. It flies quickly through the air and settles back into a solid shape before them as it attacks. Rook casts an illusion of a large glass jar upended over the creature and then turns the illusion into reality. The creature bangs upon the inside of the jar again and again trying to escape. Unfortunately, two more of the creatures are alerted by the noise of battle and join in for the potential of a fresh meal.

The Death Of Lirath

The group is battered again and again by the swirling mass of bones fragments, that make up these ghouls. The groups collective life being quickly drained from them upon each attack. The group quickly realizes their dire predicament and make for a hasty retreat. One by one they break for the portal they had come from and dive through. Each make it to safety until there is just Smallfang and Lirath. As Smallfang makes it to the portal he turns to see Lirath, engulfed by two bonepowder ghouls as he dies a horrible painful death. Smallfang turns and jumps through the portal. Rook on the otherside is ready and smudges the runes on the stone to deactivate the portal before anything can come through.

As the group, still battered and disoriented, eventually take in their retreat and the death of  Lirath. They slowly get to their feet. The land around them has changed in the few minutes they have gone. It is now late fall. The air has a crisp chill and the ground is damp.

The Rise and Fall Of Ropas

Soon enough the centaurs return but they are different in more ways than one. Many of the centaurs the group recognizes as they hail the return of the "outlanders" but they seem unhappy and nervous and there is no sign of Balaphan. When the group asks about Balaphan the herd looks silently at one another nervously. It is not long before a younger brash centaur strides up to the group. It is Ropas. On his side he carries the whip that Rook had given him, the "day" before. Ropas is grown and carries the look of one who expects to be obeyed. The others give him, and his whip, wide berth.It does not take the group long to conclude that the change in the herd is from Ropas' abuse of power. The whip he was given, has lent him the power he had lacked before. Now he rules the herd under threat of whip. There was never death or life taking before. But since the life had left their former herd leader, Balaphan, the herd is now ruled under the sharp anger of Ropas. Rook takes no small amount of pleasure in witnessing this.

This does not sit well with Smallfang. The centaurs lived a life of peace and love before their intrusion. He must fix this. He singles out Ropas and challenges him to single combat. Ropas feels the pressure of the herd's anticipation as well as he feels that with the whip he cannot be beaten.Smallfang gives him a week to prepare.

Once the week passes the herd and the adventurers gather in a glen a little ways from the stone archway hill. The centaurs are nervous and not sure what either outcome of the battle will mean for the herd. Eventually both Ropas and Smallfang enter the ring of people and the fight begins.Of course it is not long before Smallfang has disarmed Ropas of his whip and Smallfang destroys the whip. Ropas is at a loss and as he looks around at the expectant faces of the other centaurs...he runs away. Once Ropas is dethroned as the leader, the group asks the herd what happened to Balaphan. They are told that it is suspected that he was fed the red untouchable berries and his life ended as a result.

Balaphan At Rest and a New Companion

Rook asks if someone could take him to see where the body of Balaphan was buried. He is told that they do not go there as they were told by Ropas never to speak of or see the body of Balaphan. It is hard to convince them to do so now. One centaur quietly pulls the group aside and tells them that he will show them the body of Balaphan. He tells them his name is Adrasteia.
Adrasteai takes them on a long journey that takes the better part of a day. They finally come to rolling hills which then drops off towards a large body of water. Just beyond the shoreline over the water is a hazy grey shimmer which fills the sky. It is the border of their world. Nothing is beyond but emptiness and loneliness. Near the shore they find a mound made from stones branches and earth covering, what they are told, is the body of Balaphan.

Adrasteia asks if he can accompany them when they leave. He wishes to see the world beyond. The group debates heavily on what to do next. The one way forward they know of seems to lead to near certain death, at the hands of the ghouls in that world. But eventually, it is decided to move forward anyways. They prepare to move as stealthily as possible as soon as they cross through to the next plane. They activate the portal and move through crouching down and staying near Katya to have her aid them in remaining hidden.

Rook moves towards the stone archway that they need to activate while the others take various hiding spots. But the portal's activation draws the attention of at least one of the ghouls. Seeing this Smallfang tosses a rock in the opposite direction, trying to distract the ghoul. It works allowing Rook enough time to activate the portal.

As soon as the portal is active the group dashes forward through it and never looking back.

A Dark Word and A Dark Friend
7,500 XP

The enter the next world. It is pitch black as they find themselves again in a similar circle of stone circles. This time there are two small dwellings in the center. Simple earthen and thatch houses. Rook sends his raven Allan to scout ahead. Through the eyes of the raven Rook sees on the opposite side of the dwelling, several bodies stacked in a pile. It is dark and hard to make out details but it is not a good sign.

Smallfang takes it upon himself to scout. He moves around the building and he too sees a collection of bodies just outside the door of one of the dwellings. As he passes the window opening of the first building he peeks inside and finds it is probably a stable for horses but nothing moves within. As he approaches the second building he peeks through the window opening for this one. He sees a table covered in blood and a counter with what appears to be body parts. In the far corner of the one room building is a shallow rectangular pit, dug into the earth. It is approximately the size of a grown man. Otherwise the dwelling is empty.

Soon they detect something coming towards them from outside the stone circle. They watch through the darkness intently as someone comes forward towards the dwellings. When he finally enters he sees the group and demands who they are and what they are doing here. The group draws their weapons and stands ready to fight. The creature draws its lips back in a sardonic smile exposing his fangs. The group hears the howls of many wolves which are running towards the stone circle from the woods beyond. The vampire waits for the wolves to finish off the group for him. It has been awhile since he's last been entertained.

Talking Themselves Out Of Trouble Again

The groups calls for a halt. The vampire stands puzzled but they convince him that they are not here for him. Their mission lies elsewhere. They are simply passing through. The vampire introduces himself as Corbin. He invites them into his dwelling to sit and talk.

The group asks Corbin what he knows of these worlds. He explains that during the war against the followers of Vecna, Vecna had created these worlds to slow his foes and he laid traps within most. Corbin has long ago been tasked with stopping those who would pursue and vanquish Vecna but that was many centuries ago. Corbin has a quiet life here with just enough sustenance. He desires little more. The group finally convinces him to tell them exactly where to go to find the Shrine Of Vecna, as they have something of his they wish to return.

Corbin lays out a map for them to guide them through the portals. As they approach the portal which will carry them forward towards Vecna, they ask if there is anything they should know about the next world. He simply says, as he walks away, that they should hold hands.

Smallfang steps through, the others behind him, each holding on to each other. The next world is completely empty, save for the stone archways in a circle. Around and beyond is a black void. The stones remain in their circle configuration, standing on nothing. As Smallfang steps through he is immediately disoriented by the complete lack of gravity. He begins to float away, held only by the hand of Rook behind him. One by one, each of them step through carefully holding on to each other and the stone archway that bore them here.

They soon get their bearings and find the archway they need. A rope is attached to a crossbow bolt and fired across to form a guide which they pull themselves across with. Some more graceful than others, Katya simply enjoying the experience.

Activating the portal and leaving this world behind they step through to the next plane.

Ice In The Air
12,500 XP

The next world is cold. The adventurers breath is turned to clouds of ice and the ground crunches with frost and snow beneath their feet.The same stone circle remains but the world is cold and they stand in a large shadow which takes up most of the interior of the circle. They look up and see that they are beneath a giant slab of ice which drops just as they look up.

The group leaps for safety but not before most of them are hurt horribly from the massive block of ice. It is then they see what was holding the slab, a huge white dragon. Frost and ice encrust its scales and horns. It looks old beyond reckoning, and it tells them that he is Kymynth, Eater Of Sheep and that they will not have Vecna for their prize.Thinking that outright battle with an ancient dragon might not be the best tactic, Smallfang steps forward and talks to the dragon. He introduces himself and tells the dragon, that they are in fact seeking out Vecna but to return something of great value that is his. This gives the dragon pause.After some negotiations, Kymynth agrees to let the party pass but they must sacrifice something valuable of theirs to him. The group debates quickly but cannot agree on anything. Kymynth sees their small dragon youngling which accompanies them. He will let the group pass if they leave the young dragon with him. Katya immediately yells out "never!" but the others have a plan. They have been trying to teach the young dragon some magic, which the dragon loves to practice. He has trouble with many of the spells due to their physical costs but the verbal ones he has been taught, he is capable with.

They whisper something to the young one and then turning to Kymynth, they tell him if that is what he demands then so be it. They say their goodbyes to their young friend and make their way through the next portal. One by one they all leave, Smallfang being the last. As Smallfang is about to step through he yells, "now!" and the young dragon uses misty step to escape the Kymynth's grasp and appears at the portal as they both escape.

A Tired Guardian
1,000 XP

They enter a dark world, illuminated only by an ethereal light shining down upon a white marble sarcophagus lying in the middle of the circle of stone archways. A elderly man sits beside the sarcophagus. He slowly rises as the group approaches.

He asks them who they serve. When they begin to tell him that they seek out Vecna he scoffs and will not let them pass. They tell him that they have killed the great ancient dragon, Kymynth and that if he thinks that he is stronger than that dragon then he can feel free to take them on. Otherwise, if he wishes to live, he should let them pass.The group proves quite convincing and the old man doesn't feel he could prevent a group that could kill Kymynth from doing as they please. He lets them pass.

They approach the sarcophagus and Smallfang pushes aside the top. Inside there is the familiar glow and shimmer of a portal at the bottom of the sarcophagus.

One by one they step through.