[[voyager70|Back to the session description]]

====== Voyager70 - 3 February 2006 - The Final Trial ======

==== Roderick's fateful vision ====

[[Roderick]],

The sound of women singing rouses you from what feels like a deep slumber. Their 
voices are sweet and intensely beautiful -- and even though the language is one 
you do not understand, they invoke deep emotions of pain and sadness.

As your mind tries feebly to understand the words (or at least the emotions), 
you realize you are lying on your back in what you sense to be some kind of 
natural cavern.  The ground is hard, but smooth, and high above you a field of 
fuzzy stars light what should be the ceiling.  Though the singing echoes as if 
you are indoors, the visual above you makes it seem as if you had made camp in 
an open field.

You have no idea how you got here.

Slowly, your mind begins to fill in the gaps.  The stars above you are not so 
much "fuzzy" as they are long -- as if they have been stretched into strings by 
the gods.

Then you remember the pyramid and [[iabi|the insane celestial]].  You remember 
the sounds of his spell and the way the resonance of his magic words filled your 
ears, your head, then your entire body.

You turn your head to the right.  To the left.  There should be the facets of 
the [[soul gem]].  You should still see the battle field beyond the indistinct 
walls of the magic gem.  Had it failed?  Are you truly dead?  And if so, is your 
life finally over?

As these thoughts worm their way into your mind, the singing abruptly stops.

You pull yourself to a sitting position and see three women looking at you. The 
first is young and she is pulling a long thread from what looks like a skein of 
glowing yarn.  She hands the thread to the second woman -- who is perhaps close 
to your age -- who uses a pair of long needles to weave it into a large, but 
diaphanous tapestry that floats next to her.  The third woman is old, wrinkled, 
and hunched over the tapestry with a small pair of scissors. She is carefully 
and expertly snipping threads as they wriggle from the second woman's needles.

[[http://thelostleaf.com/image.asp?imgName=4.jpg&folder=13&artID=560|Visual 
Aid]]

"The [[Rivers]] expected more death from your trials.  We did not see the need 
to correct their misconceptions."

The three speak in a strange unison.  One starts the sentence, which is 
continued by the second, and finished by the third.  There is no gap in their 
speech and, while the whole is disconcerting, if you closed your eyes, you'd be 
hard pressed to tell that more than one person was speaking.

"As you are more resilient than they expected, it should be no surprise that you 
have passed your trials."

Your memory is clear now.  It certainly doesn't //feel// like you passed any 
trials.

The True Seeing spell you cast earlier appears to still be active and as you 
look around, the significance of the women and their tapestry becomes clearer. 
The three women must be what the Lowlanders call "The Fates".  They are (in 
order by age) Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos and their role is to weave the 
threads of life.  Clotho spins the thread, Lachesis weaves it, and Atropos cuts 
it.  Each thread represents a single life and the way the threads meander 
through the larger tapestry determines the fate of that life -- who they 
interact with and when they die.

The tapestry floats in pieces around the three women -- but then stretches above 
them and arches over you in a never-ending weave.  The threads glow with 
different colors and intensities.  Those nearest to you on the ground can be 
seen as part of the whole -- while those father up fade into darkness, leaving 
only the brightest visible as point sources of light.

As you scan the tapestry nearest you, you spot a single thread.  At first, you 
see it as a light green thread -- but then your sight shows you more.  It is 
Thomas, a blacksmith who lives in a small village near the city of 
[[Restenford]] on Lendore Island.  Your eyes scan the length of the thread and 
his life unfolds before you.  A light yellow thread intersects his and the two 
begin a tight, spiraling dance around each other.  A third thread splits off 
from the two. Then a fourth.  And a fifth.  Then, an unaffiliated thread crosses 
harshly and Thomas ends.  The yellow thread stretches a short distance farther 
before fading into darkness.

"[[Imhotep]] has granted the sight to you, [[Roderick]].  But be wary of where 
you look. The future is the most dangerous knowledge of all."

Their voices draw you away from the tapestry and you notice to your left a stone 
pedestal with a large book.  Its pages appear to be made of bronze and its 
covers and binding of iron.  Above the open page, a marble stylus hovers 
magically, etching words at a furious pace.  When it reaches the end of the 
page, it floats to the side and the metal page flips to the next.  The stylus 
returns to the top of the new page and begins again.

You take a moment to stand before asking, "Where am I?".  But as soon as you ask 
the question, you realize the answer is not relevant.  You struggle for a better 
question, you mind still somewhat overwhelmed by the inrush of data from the 
tapestry.

The women smile, but do not answer your question -- as if they already know you 
don't care about the answer.

Then, in a flash, the questions flow.  "Why am I here?  Who controls these 
'trials'?  How do we get home?"

As you speak, you feel a slight embarrassment for asking so much at once, but 
the women begin their answers almost before you finish the last question.

"You are here because your soul left your body while within one of our true 
recreations -- what your guide, [[Kir Ganin]], calls your 'Trials'.

"We were tasked with building these trials.  [[Hades]] would only allow safe 
passage from his realm if the journey was difficult.  The [[Rivers]] wanted you 
to the surface in safety, so a compromise was needed.  In the end, it was agreed 
that we who weave the threads of life would control the difficulty of your 
trials, while The [[Rivers]] were allowed to watch from within -- though they 
could not assist you.  Eurynome chose this task -- which was difficult for her 
since she was very close to her sister, [[Leuce]], and still hates [[Hades]] for 
what he did to her.

"Because the recreations existed in [[Hades]]' realm, we were limited in what we 
could use.  The buildings, the land, and other non-sentients could be used as 
needed for these things straddle the lands of the living and the dead. However, 
only sentients who had already died could live again within the setting.  To set 
the level of the challenge, in some cases we brought in opponents that had not 
existed in the original setting.

"When you reach the surface, you will be out of [[Hades]]' realm and your magic 
will allow a return to your world."

The answers seem complete, but soon the next round of questions begins to fill 
your mind.  You are determined not to blurt them out all at once again, so you 
hesitate -- trying to decide which is the most important.

"Who are the [[Rivers]]?  Why do they protect us?" you ask.

"The [[Rivers]] are the daughters of the Ocean.  There are thousands of them and 
each inhabits and draws its power from one of the rivers on the [[twenty 
worlds]]. It is not our place to reveal the answer to the rest of your 
question."

The questions jumble through your mind.  For some reason, you sense that you 
have limited time and will be unable to ask them all.

"Who was [[Leuce]] and what did [[Hades]] do to her?"  The question interests 
you, but seems less important than others that bounce through your mind.  Why it 
came to the surface makes you doubt that you are even in control of this 
conversation.

"[[Leuce]] was one of the [[Rivers]].  [[Hades]] coveted her beauty and wanted 
her for his bride -- but, like most goddesses, she refused him.  This angered 
him, so he took her by force.  To keep her from leaving him, he turned her into 
a white Poplar, a tree that stands to this day on the edge of the Elysian 
Fields, marking the end of [[Hades]] realm.

"But this is all in the past -- and the past cannot be undone.  Only the future 
remains open."

The invisible sense of urgency rises.  You glance around, trying to clear your 
mind and conceal the rising tension.  The tapestry seems to beckon.  The true 
sight remains and a thread stands out.

Like the undeniable attraction of a horror, your eyes follow the length of the 
thread.  It is Mosal of [[Resh]] -- a farmer.  His thread meanders aimlessly and 
intersects dozens of others, but never entwines like Thomas of [[Restenford]] 
did. And then, it stops suddenly.  Its glow is not cut off like that of Thomas, 
nor fades like Thomas' wife's.  Instead, it ends without warning -- without 
reason. And you sense an invisible thread.  A great, menacing force. You pull 
your gaze back and see a pattern.  Something vast and evil murdered thousands in 
an instant -- and you remember the fate of [[Resh]].  The entire kingdom fell in 
a day, just over four years ago.  Many stories have been put forth about what 
happened, but none seemed believable.

While the horror of [[Resh]] startles you, the draw of the tapestry remains. You 
move your gaze elsewhere to find perhaps a happier thread.  You see Kaliss, a 
Goblin prostitute working among the Orcs who now live in the abandoned Elven 
kingdom of Pleven.  Her life is full of misery and you can bear only the 
briefest of looks.

Next is a young man named [[Syl]].  His thread crosses that of a great wizard 
named [[Pelham]] and changes color.  Where before, you sensed joy and adventure, 
after you see only more misery.

You move away again.  Somewhere in all these threads, there must be redemption. 
Some lives that are not cut short by evil or altered beyond repair.

A spell tickles your mind.  A gift from [[Imhotep]] that remains uncast. 
//"Discern Location"//.  Normally, it is meant to find a person or object.  But 
now, you realize, it can be used to find a thread.  It is a long and complex 
spell. Would the Fates allow it to be cast?

You glance at the three women -- who are watching you with an almost maternal 
grin on their faces.

"[[Imhotep]]'s sight will last only a short time -- and even now, your friends 
are preparing your return.  You may cast your spell and find one life in the 
tapestry.  Whom do you seek?"

You think for just a moment and then speak.  "The only life I have the right to 
delve into is my own."

The women smile and share a quiet glance with each other.  "You demonstrate why 
the gods have chosen you, [[Roderick]].  You need not cast your spell."

And then, out of the corner of your eye, a light turns your head.  A thread 
stands out from the others, its glow oddly familiar.  It weaves a slow spiral 
along with several other threads -- though not as tight as Thomas and his wife. 
You follow it and see familiar events: The dead city of [[Myagmarsuren]], The 
[[voyager30|tower amid serpents]] whose top stretched into chaos, The rubble at 
the [[resort]] that buried the only way home.

You marvel at the threads that cross yours.  At first, you see only the ones 
that intersect and end.  So many lives cut short.

But then, you trace a few of those back and see the path of destruction they 
themselves had made.

And you begin to notice the other things.  Faint threads that cross yours and 
bloom into a bright line, spinning off light in all directions.

Back to your own thread, you begin to see events from [[Teleme]] and realize you 
are following the thread into the past.  You hesitate at the realization, but 
then begin scanning the other direction.  Your heart races.  Should you keep 
looking? Is the future knowable?  And if you know, can you change it?

These thoughts crowd out your reason for a moment, but the curiosity overrules 
them all.  You keep going.

Threads leave the bundle.  New threads arrive.  More and more intersections are 
cut short.  There are demons and dragons and death everywhere.  And then 
nothing.

The thread vanishes.  Soon.  Too soon.  The entire bundle of threads vanishes 
into nothing.

But there is a difference.  While other threads either fade slowly or end at the 
crossing with another life, the bundle you know as [["Voyager"]] dangles into an 
abyss.  You have seen this kind of end on many other threads and the assumption 
you made was that it was some kind of natural, but early, death. If a man falls 
from a cliff, his bright thread stops suddenly without intersecting another. But 
how could the entire party end in the same manner? Surely, an accident could not 
take you all!

You scan the area trying to make sense of it.  And as your pull your vision 
back, you begin to understand a larger picture.

There is a shadow across the tapestry.

Before you even think to ask a question, the women speak.  "When 
[[shadowlord|Shadow]] conquered Limbo, he took on the aspect of Chaos.  Now, his 
fate is beyond our control.  And so, those who interact with him are beyond us, 
as well.  If he is not stopped, his gloom will cover the tapestry and there will 
be no plan."

You try to study the shadow, but see no detail.  Nothing for your true sight to 
connect with.  After a minute or so, you realize you have become transfixed.  As 
there is nothing to learn from your future thread, you force yourself to look 
elsewhere.  Partly from nostalgia, and partly from fear of the coming shadow, 
you trace it back again into the past.  Perhaps there is comfort in your youth.

You see Daniel again.  It was good to meet him on the road yesterday.  For a 
moment, you wonder why he is in [[Hades]]' realm instead of living in the 
eternal peace of the offering fields.  Could he have failed Anubis's judgement? 
No. You shake that thought from your mind as soon as it appears.

Daniel's thread follows your own for several years, with frequent excursions out 
and back.  His thread bolstered many and cut short none.  A tinge of shame 
returns.  Your thread has cut short many -- and even though those who fell by 
your hand deserved little else, it is still beyond [[Imhotep]]'s teaching.

And then, you recognize a thread.

Of the many threads that Daniel bolstered, one became far brighter than the 
average.  It is [[Waran]], the man Daniel healed on the road just ... yesterday. 
No ... 22 years ago.

Shortly after his encounter with Daniel, his thread spirals loosely around a 
woman named [[Velova]] and then branches away in one direction just before 
[[Vincent]] springs from [[Velova]] in the other direction.

Your curiosity battles with your desire to be discreet.  Then, you hear the 
women's voices from earlier: "The past cannot be undone."  Surely, this is 
acceptable.  You are merely delving into the past.  Unlocking secrets just as 
[[Imhotep]] demands.

You follow [[Waran]] back.  Who was he?  Why was he fighting the goblins?

His thread fades as you follow it back in time until finally, it merges with 
what appears to be a family unit.  His brother, [[Areno]].  [[Areno]]'s wife, 
[[Nysriss]]. The couple's two children: the baby Teir, and the child ... 
[[Aramil]].

You stop looking toward the past and shift your view toward the future.  A sea 
of red threads swarm across the family.  [[Areno]] dead.  [[Nysriss]] dead. Teir 
dead. But [[Aramil]]'s thread meanders erratically in one direction as 
[[Waran]]'s drifts off in another.

[[Aramil]]'s thread merges with a coupled pair named [[Laryn]] and [[Delkin]]. 
[[Laryn]]'s thread wanders away from [[Delkin]] often and then shuts off 
suddenly.  [[Delkin]] and [[Aramil]] continue on until the child becomes an 
adult.

The pieces of the puzzle begin to connect.

[[Aramil]] and [[Vincent]] are cousins.  [[Bigby]]'s father, [[Dellpol]], sold a 
potion of forgetfulness to [[Laryn]].  Your own priest, Daniel, brought 
[[Vincent]]'s father back from near death.

The threads of your lives were entwined long before you ever met at the 
[[resort]].

The gods have a plan for all of you.

Praise be to [[Imhotep]]!

And then you hear a word of power echo through the cavern.  It is [[Bigby]] 
speaking the command word for your [[soul gem]].

The world shifts and sharp, intense pains stab deep into your chest and abdomen. 
You are back in the tomb where the Angel of [[Imhotep]] crushed the life from 
you. Your body, however, has not been sufficiently repaired.  You cannot see out 
of one eye, cannot move your legs, and cannot breathe.

In a few seconds, you will be dead again.

==== Back amongst the group ====

//per emails//: [[Flint]] casts //"Cure Serious Wounds"// on [[Roderick]]. 
[[Roderick]] then casts //"Regeneration"// on himself.

After [[Flint]] casts his healing spell, [[Roderick]] regains consciousness.  As 
he is still badly damaged (and in no small amount of pain), he immediately casts 
a spell on himself -- which brings him to a state of some comfort (or at least 
stability), though he is still in need of additional healing.

Before any of you can offer assistance, he declares that he has an urgent need 
to cast another spell -- but he requires prayer time before he can ready it.

As tradition dictates a certain compassion for the dead and recently dead, the 
group decides it would be best to leave [[Roderick]] in peace while he prepares 
whatever spell he requires.

Fifteen minutes later, he is ready...

He gets up, strides over to the [[iabi|dead Planetar]] and begins a spell.  It's 
an unusually long one, but after a minute, he finishes and the creature stirs to 
life.

//[[Bigby]]: "Revive Outsider"//

[[iabi|The Planetar]] begins to stand up -- its great size would normally tower 
over [[Roderick]] -- but it stops short, remains on one knee and bows his head. 
"Forgive me, hem-netjer, I have fallen.  I have forsaken [[Imhotep]] and deserve 
nothing but to have my heart eaten by Ammit."

[[Roderick]] reaches out a hand and places it on [[iabi|the Planetar]]'s head 
(which, even though bowed, is still above [[Roderick]]'s shoulder).  "It was not 
of your doing. The creature within you was responsible.  He has been destroyed 
..."

At this, [[Roderick]] pauses, turns back to the rest of the party and says, "It 
is gone, right?"

When he sees a couple of heads nod, he turns back to [[iabi|the Planetar]]. 
"Rise up, friend.  Serve our master again and [[Imhotep]] alone will decide your 
fate."

The creature lifts his head slowly, then after a moment's pause, he stands to 
his full nine feet.  He flexes his shoulders and his grey, mottled wings snap 
out to their full extent at a blinding speed.  The dirt and grime that appear to 
have accumulated over time are shaken loose and the pure, white color of the 
feathers is restored.  The room seems to become brighter.

He brings his wings back to a folded position and reaches toward [[Roderick]].

"You have the mark of [[Hades]] on you.  Let me rid you of that curse."

He casts a spell and touches [[Roderick]]'s forehead.

//[[Roderick]]: "Heal"//

Then, he closes his eyes for a moment and cups his hands together.  A bright 
white light emerges from his palms, leaking through his fingers and rising in 
intensity until it is too bright to watch directly.  Then, the light subsides 
and he pulls his hands apart to reveal a small bead.  He leans close to 
[[Roderick]], hands him the bead, and whispers something that the rest of you 
cannot hear.

//Aside//:
>> [[iabi|The Angel]] leans in close to you and says, "My name is [[Iabi]]. Speak my name and I will come."
>> The bead he hands you is a //"Bead of Summons"// and it can be easily fitted onto your Strand of Prayer Beads.

About this time, [[Kir Ganin]], your blind [[Lomasi]] Guide, raises his head to 
the ceiling and says quietly, "[[Godsland]] awaits."

==== Godsland ====

Above you, at the apex of the tomb chamber, a fog has appeared.  It floats just 
a few feet below the ceiling -- roughly 20 feet above your heads.

As you rise up through the fog, you emerge into a steep-walled natural cavern. 
From above, daylight spills in through a small hole about twenty feet farther up 
the rocky slope.  A crisp, cool humidity permeates the air and lines of water 
trickle down the rock.  Outside, you hear rain.

The sound and smell of the rain -- even from this far away -- erases the fatigue 
and despair that had so permeated your being that you could not remember their 
absence -- until now.

After settling on the floor of the cavern, your guide, [[kir ganin|Kir]], points 
his blind eyes to the hole above and says simply, "[[matchitisiw|She]] is here."

The rock walls are steep and wet, but [[kir ganin|Kir]] begins to navigate them 
with ease. He seems driven by a purpose you have not seen since he hurried you 
out of [[Hades]]' waiting room four ... or was it five? days ago.

As there is no other exit, it seems natural to follow him.  After all, he claims 
to be your guide.

By a combination of climbing and magic, you emerge from the hole onto a green, 
grassy field.  Behind you, a snow-capped mountain looms larger and more awesome 
than any you have seen so far in your lives.  (And this is true even for 
[[Pavo]]). Ahead, rolling grassy hills descend into a long, lush valley. Aside 
from the grass, there are no other plants other than a lone white poplar tree 
about one hundred yards to your left.

Above you, a dark, heavy rain cloud hovers.  Farther down the valley, and up the 
slope of the mountain, you see sunlight and blue sky.  But here, the rain is 
steady, hard, and warm.  Unlike a normal shower, it does not vary in strength. 
No matter where you stand, large drops pelt you incessantly.  While at first, 
some of you have an instinct to shield yourself from it, this feeling passes 
almost as soon as you are directly exposed to it.

It feels ... wonderful.

Some of you are reminded of the look [[Roget]] got when the rains came.  While 
the rest of you would scamper to cover, he would stop, tilt his head back and 
close his eyes -- as if the rain were a religious experience.  Of course, in a 
way, it was.

You notice the scrapes and wounds from the past few days begin to fade.  The 
ache of the climb, the despair of near-constant fear, and the stress of an 
unknown future melt with each new drop.

After a minute of silence, [[Bigby]] notices [[kir ganin|Kir]].  He emerged 
ahead of you and stands some distance from the hole.  But instead of the 
serenity that you feel, he stands with shoulders slumped and head bowed.  You 
approach slowly to see that his clothes remain dry, his hair still dusty from 
passing through the tomb. The only moisture on him is a tear etching a line 
through the dust on one cheek.

"This does not seem to touch you," [[Bigby]] observes.  He points to the rain.

[[kir ganin|Kir]] turns, shaken from his reverie.  "My penance is not yet 
complete."

He shambles back to the cave opening and begins to climb back in.  As he does 
so, his hand touches the wet rock near the entrance and he recoils in shock. His 
fingers are wet.  He brings them to his lips to taste the rain and his tears 
begin to flow.

"Thank you, [[matchitisiw|my queen]]," he whispers to the sky, and then turns 
and descends back into the darkness.

After he is gone, you begin to look to each other.  "What next?" you think. But 
just as you start to voice your question, you hear a voice.

"Well done, voyagers."  A woman's voice comes from nowhere and when you turn to 
locate it, the rain fills an empty shell in the air and as suddenly as she 
appears, the rain stops.

"I am [[Matchitisiw]]."

==== The living rain ====

She is young -- perhaps in her twenties, with a slight, almost elven, build. Her 
hair is a deep black and her skin is gold.  She wears a flimsy, sheer white robe 
with nothing underneath, that clings to her skin as if she has just come from a 
bath.  A black belt is emblazoned in silver with the same stylized rain cloud 
that [[kir ganin|Kir]] has on his belt.  On her left hand is a plain, gold 
wedding ring.  And she is visibly pregnant.

Those of you with a preference for females (of any race) become immediately (and 
almost uncomfortably) aroused.  All of you are struck by her divine beauty and 
find that all you want to do right now is listen to her.

//"Divine Aura": Will save DC 33 -- you all failed and are "dazed" -- You can 
defend yourselves normally, but take no other actions//

She steps toward [[Roderick]].  "Hello, [[Roderick]]," she begins.  Her voice 
has a background hiss like the sound of falling rain.  "We have never met in 
person -- despite what you may believe."  She reaches up and strokes her fingers 
across [[Roderick]]'s cheek.  "I am sorry to say that many challenges remain 
ahead for you -- and bringing light to the shadow is not the only one.  But 
[[Imhotep]] will help you when you need him and you will help him when he needs 
you."

Then, she steps to [[Bria]].  As she does, some of you spot a look of surprise 
cross [[Roderick]]'s face as he staggers back a half-step.  He grabs for the 
mace at his belt -- a seemingly instinctive move -- but then steadies himself as 
a calm returns to him.  He gives a knowing nod to those who noticed him.  A 
silent gesture that everything is fine.

//Aside//:
>> Right after she turns away from you, you hear a scream in your head that startles you and makes you step back.  An instant later, you realize it is coming from [[Salinthine]], so you instinctively put your hand to it. The scream lasts only a second or two before subsiding and becoming coherent.
>> "Ahhh!  What?  Who?  Where am I? ... [[Roderick]]?  Are we safe now?  I sense no undead.  What happened to me?"
>> And then, almost without a gap, it says, "Ooo!  What kind of spear is that over there?!  It looks fabulous!"

To [[Bria]], she says, "You have much to know, [[Bria]].  But I understand and 
accept your decision if you choose not to join [[Roderick]]'s quest into 
shadow."  She gently touches [[Bria]]'s neck.

Next, she turns to [[Lashmere]].  "Your role here is complete.  It is time you 
learn what it is to be a man, and not a pawn in a game beyond your control. I 
release you from the shadow."  She touches his cheek and he, too, staggers back 
as if shocked.

Next, [[Bigby]].  "My sister gave you part of a gift.  I will give you the rest 
when I leave.  Keep it secret and safe until you are home."  She brushes a 
finger across his chin.

Throughout all of this, [[iabi|the Planetar]] has stood stoically.  When she 
steps to him, he drops to a knee and bows his head.  "You are one of the 
[[Rivers]], are you not?" he asks -- his face pointed to her feet.

She reaches up to place her hand on the top of his head, however because or her 
size, he is obliged to lower himself a few more inches so she can reach. "Yes, 
[[Iabi]], I am a daughter of the ocean.  I grant you leave to return to your 
master. It is not my place to decide your fate."  With her right hand still on 
his head, she gestures with her left and the great winged man vanishes.

She walks across to [[Pavo]].  "My sister, [[Leuce]], waits for you across the 
field with a gift."  She gestures toward the poplar tree with one hand, while 
touching two fingers to his face with the other.

Next is [[ust'olda|the Githzerai]].  "Limbo is still in shadow, [[Ust'olda]]. 
You have a role to play, but it does not involve the crystals.  You must not 
speak of them -- even to your allies.  Do you understand?"  She touches both 
sides of his face with her hands and stares intently into his eyes for a few 
seconds, before moving on to the next person.

"[[Aramil]], your strength has served you and your companions well.  And it will 
be needed again in the coming months.  But, as you learn from the beast, do not 
lose the man."  She touches [[Aramil]]'s forehead.

Next is [[Flint]].  She reaches a hand to his forehead and speaks some words in 
an ancient language.  "I grant you life so that you may return to the world 
anew, [[flint|Manth!nar'h]]."  (She pronounces the name flawlessly).  "You have 
been granted a second chance.  Use it wisely and you can yet protect your people 
from the coming gloom."

//[[Flint]]: "True Resurrection" (or more accurately, "Divine Ability: Gift of 
Life") -- something you did not know you were in need of//

Finally, she comes to [[Vincent]].  "You alone have seen [[shadowlord|Shadow]], 
[[Vincent]].  You know, perhaps more than the others, his uncaring malice toward 
the [[twenty worlds]].  Remember this always.  It is your greatest weapon."  She 
touches his face.

//To All: You have been granted a permanent "Resistance" spell.  You may choose 
one of the following effects: Either the standard spell (+1 to all saves) or a 
specialized version (+2 vs. fear effects).  Note: This can only be dispelled by 
a being with a Divine Rank higher than 8//

After she finishes with each of you, [[Matchitisiw]] steps gracefully to the 
side and scans her eyes across the group of you.

"Any questions?" she asks, in a tone that sounds far more matter-of-fact than 
you expect from such a being.  While before, you could barely keep your mouth 
closed as she stepped from one to the next of you, now you find that the fog her 
beauty created is fading from your mind.

A few seconds of awkward silence follow while you try to refocus your minds to 
ask the questions that are only now bubbling to your lips.

[[Bigby]] manages to react first.  "Um, yes ... I have three.  Do the Gods have 
Free Will?  Is there purity in Chaos?  And how is [[Roget]]?"

She smiles slightly before speaking.  "What //is// free will, [[Bigby]]?  Who 
defines it?  And who grants it?  Can such a thing even be granted?

"When we created ourselves, we also created the Fates to weave the tapestry of 
the universe.  Can we be slave to our own creation?  The gods //define// free 
will.

"As for Chaos, it is a force that both created and will eventually destroy this 
existance.  Those on Limbo believe they can control Chaos -- but they cannot. 
When controlled, it becomes something else.  And if it ever becomes pure, then 
all that //is// will be no more and the cycle will begin anew."

Then, she hesitates and looks away for a moment.  She rests her hand on her 
belly and smiles again, as if reliving a fond memory.  "[[Roget]] is ... happy," 
she finally continues.  "He has taken to his new role amongst the [[Lomasi]] 
with great determination.  I foresee from him a great dynasty that will someday 
rule more than just the [[Lomasi]] -- and more than just the [[Dyanaî]]."

She scans across the group again -- which reminds you that it is time to ask 
your questions.  [[Roderick]] is next to speak.

"[[Matchitisiw]], thank you for all you have done for us.  It is good to finally 
see you for the first time, and I hope that all is well with you, your people, 
and with [[Roget]].

"If I may, I would like to ask a question of you.  In these trials that we have 
been through, are the people in them inhabitants of [[Hades]]' realm, or are 
they the images of those who have passed on to the afterlife in their respective 
planes?"

"Both," she is quick to answer.  "The Fates were only able to populate their 
creations with those who had already departed the world of the living.  It is 
true you were traveling through [[Hades]]' realm and that he rules only a 
portion of the land of the dead, but the Fates could draw from all the dead."

Then, as if she senses the relevance, she continues, "Worry not about Daniel, 
[[Roderick]].  He rests in the Offering Fields aside your lord."

Turning back to the rest of you, she says in a more boisterous voice, "And since 
you also ask about [[Roget]], perhaps it is fitting that you all see your old 
comrade."

She gestures to the clouds above with a single, outstretched hand, palm up. A 
second later, a small cylinder of rain appears next to her.  The drops begin to 
glint with a rainbow of colors until the whole forms an image. After a few more 
seconds, you no longer see rain and instead see a scene from somewhere else.

[[Roget]] is sitting on a rock, head cradled in his hands.  He is surrounded by 
a number of young men holding wooden swords and makeshift shields.  Slowly, he 
rises.  He has become more muscled, seemingly, and there is something ... 
different about him ... perhaps something in the way he carries himself.

He speaks to the assembled young men, "OK ... because yesterday someone's 
feelings got hurt, today I'll start with everything you did right ... none of 
you managed to stab yourselves with your practice swords."  In the background, a 
young man hides his bleeding arm behind his back.  "As for what you did 
//wrong// ... "

The sound in the image shuts off while the very animated [[Roget]] continues his 
lecture.  It's [[Roget]] all right.  And you realize what the difference is ... 
he is having the time of his life.

The image disperses into colored rain drops.  Then rain drops.  Then, it's gone.

[[Matchitisiw]] turns back to the group and [[Vincent]] steps forward.

"When the time comes," he asks, "is there one among us whom you favor to wield 
the assembled crystals?"

"The crystals are a key to a larger prize.  As such, it does not matter who 
opens the door -- but that the door is opened."

[[Vincent]] continues, "Do [[Aramil]]'s memories contain information that would 
significantly aid our quest to defeat the [[shadowlord|Shadow Lord]]?"

"[[Aramil]]'s youth was nothing but torment and sorrow.  The loss of those 
memories is no loss at all."

"I am concerned about [[Bigby]]'s use of the Chaos Wand.  Is it harming him?"

"All powerful magic has risk.  But the wand should concern you more for where it 
came from, rather than what it is.  The [[Lords of Chaos]] now bend to the will 
of [[shadowlord|Shadow]].  All that is of Limbo is now of Shadow."

Then, [[Vincent]] hesitates for a second, his eyes touch upon many of the rest 
of you.  Finally, he asks, "Who is my Father?"

"The pieces of the puzzle of your life -- and that of your cousin -- were used 
to demonstrate a point.  [[Roderick]] should understand that point, now -- and 
in time, he can provide you with the answers you need."

Before [[Vincent]] can digest the answer or consider a follow-up, [[Pavo]] 
blurts out a series of questions -- as if he fears he will miss his opportunity 
if they are not asked immediately.

"Would it be advisable to attempt to claim my birthright, either in the [[long 
deep]] or elsewhere?  Should I follow clan law, or lay my claim without the 
assistance of my family, my uncles in particular?  Should I rely on force of 
arms, the assistance of my campaign companions both current and past, or perhaps 
a powerful combination of both?  How would you direct my path for a favorable 
outcome?"

"There is no such thing as a birthright -- though people have killed and died to 
defend them.  The greatest of kings can lose his throne.  And the lowest of 
serfs can rise to be worshiped as a god.

"If you believe you have a right to something, then it will be yours only if you 
claim it -- and only if you hold it.  But doing so with force of arms is more 
difficult and dangerous than with compromise and negotiation.  Your uncles are 
wise, but can be undone by greed.  Whether that is their weakness or their 
strength is a matter of how they are approached.

"As for your companions, I sense that the deep frictions that have plagued your 
company from the beginning are kept at bay only by the larger obligations.  If 
you survive the coming challenges -- which are not limited to the crystal in the 
Drow city -- then I foresee few of them willing or able to help you."

As [[Pavo]] puzzles through his answers, trying to decide whether she answered 
them all, [[Bria]] steps up.  "Will I ever regain my kingdom?"

"Though the land it once occupied is now fouled with orcs, [[Bria]], your 
kingdom lives on with Corellon in Arborea.  When the human kingdoms have been 
restored to [[Thentao]]'s northern coast, the forest folk will return.  But what 
was once [[Pleven]] will not be seen for centuries, if ever."

She scans her eyes over you all once more, pauses for no more than a second, 
then turns her head to the clouds.  Instantly, the rain returns -- harder than 
before.

"You may rest here as long as you need.  [[Hades]] no longer shields you from 
returning home.  But do not wander.  These lands have boundaries like any other 
-- and many of the landholders here do not appreciate trespassers."

And with that, her body melts into water and flashes upward into the dark clouds 
overhead.

The rain continues unabated for a //very// long time.

[[voyager70|Back to the session description]]