In the Vault of the Mindhead
When the characters awaken, an indeterminate time has passed, though the characters are ravenously hungry and thirsty, and all hit point damage has healed. The Chamber of the Altar appears the same, though the pool (only a level stone floor remains) and the stone man are missing. The Traveling Stone is inert - no effect is observed from touching it.
The cliff face is easily climbed and the stone door opens at a touch. Beyond the door, however, it is quickly revealed that the passage has changed -- it is a straight stone passage 10' wide and 100' long, leading to a rubble clogged entry into the vault of the Mindhead -- the rubble can be merely climbed over into the vault -- the entry fades to nothingness once the last character has crossed the rubble pile.
The Vault
What lies beyond is a massive stone chamber with a pool of water covering most of the floor -- though a path leads around the left side of the pool. The chamber is illuminated by the central monstrosity -- a massive glass column glowing a sickly purple. The column seems to be filled with bubbling liquid and a giant brain that flashes with electrical energy. As the characters assemble, the booming voice of the Mindhead fills the chamber, punctuated by pulsing of electricity that arcs down into the water:
Servants of the Mindhead, step forth that I might see you!
Whether or not the characters comply, the voice continues:
You have come to this place by my power and will leave it only by my power!
It pauses, though it talks over any questions:
You go into Fear to bring me the source of cosmitronic energy found there. When you have returned with it, you will know the boon of the Mindhead and your freedom.
An archway near the end of the path illuminates.
Go and return when you have the source of cosmitronic energy! Go now or be destroyed!
If the characters ask questions, the Mindhead simply repeats "Go now or be destroyed." After a turn, the chamber begins to quake, and rubble fall from the ceiling. Every round, the characters must make a REF save DC 13 or be struck by falling rubble (2d6). The water is electrified and destroys anyone who enters it utterly.
Amiss in the Mist
Beyond the archway is a natural passage 10' wide continuing seemingly forever. After thirty minutes, a faint mist begins to appear -- troubling but harmless. After another ten minutes, regardless of the direction the party goes, the mist becomes a thick fog. At about this time, the passageway begins to divide into two, three, even five branches with no indication where the party should proceed. Going back toward the Mindhead produces the same results.
At a particularly difficult part of the passage, the characters climb over the broken terrain to find a 20' wide, 50' long worked stone hallway; the fog hangs in the entryway, but the hall is clear. This is the chamber of four blowflies that have wandered in from the nearby exit. Blowflies resemble flies from the character's home world, but they have faces that are vaguely human. And they are the size of a dwarf.
Blowflies (4) Init -1; Atk bite -2 melee (1d3); AC 13; HD 1d8; MV fly 30’; Act 1d20; SP Blood drain; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -3; AL N.
On a successful attack, the blowfly attaches itself to the victim and drains 1 hp per round -- the fly's AC drops to 11, but anyone attacking an attached blowfly has an equal chance of hitting its victim.
Come the Darkman
Beyond the blowfly hall, the twisting passage gives way to a natural stone floor and opens into a large natural cavern. Standing in the middle of the floor is the black clad man from the original cave entrance. Seeing him here, he seems strangely out of proportion, legs too long, arms too short, and torso seemingly too thin.
As the heroes approach, the dapper man seems to grow and becomes a creature out of nightmare. Insectoid legs and wings unfold from its back, and its “hat” becomes a vaguely human face. The creature immediately speaks:
“I mean you no harm. Like you I am a prisoner of the Mindhead, but unlike you, I fight his control daily. I mean to thwart his plans to gain control of cosmitronic energy, and in doing so, grant you a boon. Passing through that gate will take you far away, but it will also grant you powers that will help you survive, and eventually, fight the Mindhead when he comes to claim his prize.”
The Darkman indicates a passageway behind him filled with an orange mist. His message delivered, the image of the darkman shimmers and disappears.
The Plains of Fhere
Passing through the mist-filled portal provides enough experience points to get to 1st level (if they don’t have 10 already). Additionally, the characters receive the result of a d100 roll:
01-52 – Roll d6 and add to one attribute under 9.
53-70 – As above, but roll for two attributes under 9.
71-85 – As above, but roll 1d6 and add to any two attributes (maximum 18)
86-90 – As above, but only one attributed (max 20)
91 -00 – Special Ability!
Special Abilities
Special abilities are considered psionic. Psionic abilities are used by rolling an attribute check of the attribute indicated, plus level, plus luck. The base DC to use a power is 12. A natural 1 causes bio-feedback, causing temporary attribute damage (damage for 1d4, for 1 – hours, 2-3 days, 4 - weeks). A result of 17 or above doubles the duration. 20 or above doubles the effect.
NOTE: These special abilities do not manifest until a later episode.
Feats of Strength – (STA) - +2d6 to Strength for 1d4 (1 -3 rounds, 4-5 turns,6 – hours)
Mind Strike – (PERS) – Attack with your mind 1d6 damage for 1d4 (1-3 rounds, 4-5 turns, 6 – hours)
Shimmerform – (STA) – 25% miss chance for 1d4 (1-3 rounds, 4-5 turns, 6 – hours)
Control Minds -- (PERS) – Charm 1 creature (must have language) for 2d6 (1-3 hours, 4-5 days, 6 – weeks) Note: creatures get a Will save (DC=PERS check) when made to do things that are questionable and at the end of the period. Failure restarts the charm for 2d6 (1-3 days, 4-5 weeks, 6 – years). Character can have a number of creatures charmed equal to their Personality bonus (minimum 1).
Once through, the unnatural vista of Planet Fhere stretches before them.
You see a savage scene laid out before you in the mauve twilit air. A rolling grassy plain stretches as far as the eye can see, broken by tall, craggy spires of purple stone. The sky is wrong. Massive moons hang in the air, a hundred at least, at various heights, though you can’t tell if they hang within the planet’s atmosphere or beyond it. One such moon, the largest, is cracked and broken, seemingly held together by its own gravity. Creatures move out there, on the ground the through the air, and your eye catches an artificial device, seemingly a disk, gliding toward your position. The thing pitches slightly, and you see a humanoid creature stretched out across the disc, seemingly piloting the thing, as it streaks overhead and is lost in the gloom.
|
Within minutes of being buzzed by the scout, two Dhoja overseers ride up on their skeletal dringas. Behind them run several arachno-men slaves armed with various tools and work implements. One of the overseers reins up, keeping a watchful eye on his slaves, as the other lowers its plasmalance and charges the heroes.
Dhoja Slavetakers (2) - hp: 8, 10
Dringas (2) - hp: 12, 8
Arachno-men Slaves(10) Init -1; Atk bite -2 melee (1d3); AC 12; HD 1d6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will -1; AL N.
Navigator
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.