Post by David on Oct 24, 2005 17:09:42 GMT -5
On the morning of June 2nd, Jellie awoke after yet another cryptic dream. While the party had slept within the cave entrance to the Womb of the Earth, Jellie had relived yet another vision from Istus. This time, Jellie saw the true identities of each of the New Heroes -- both present and scattered across the world. They are:
Jyolli the Celedon-born, wood-elven thief / cleric of Erevan Ilserie, self-titled Arch-Bishop of Greyhawk BECAME Jellie the hengeyokai cat, pilferer of cosmic secrets
TC aka Triella Celeste, originally a human child raised by faeries but Chaos-touched into a pseudo-sidhe wild mage BECAME Trillian, hermaphroditic, color-changing witch of Titania
Baron Moorak Drake of Amberwood, Champion of Bahamut, fighting lord and wizard BECAME Soren, devout aasimar orphan, fighter and sorceress
Jessica Talgris, slayer of Talon, hero of Eon, wife and mother BECAME Laurel Holt, beastmaster
Artec Artlen, half-orcish commander of Amberwood's armies and master bowman BECAME River, half-elven archer-ranger
Arlinoth Cyrus Tempus, Theocrat of the Theocracy of the Pale, cleric of Lendor BECAME Doby, elven archer extra-ordinare
Saint Kate the Hungry aka Kate Ashbrooke, slayer of Baphomet BECAME Sindari, orphaned half-star elf from beyond Oerth
...and then came heroes that Jellie did not know...
Tetsuko no Kuwahara, greatest swordsperson on the face of Oerth, third daughter of Buntaro no Kuwahara BECAME Alice, mercenary, orphaned dwarven fighter raised by human men
Sage Edulis-Drake, high-priestess of Wee Jas BECAME Autumn, firbolg druidess
Captain Raitan Drake, Laird of SeaHaven, Seven Sword and slayer of Nyrlathotep and Kalgon BECAME Mikos Veshengo, gypsy scout and pathfinder
Andromeda, simulacrum of TC created by Treblo SkyMage BECAME Andy MacDougal, leprechaun jester and lover of "big" women
The hereos, Trillian, Jellie, Soren, Laurel, Riverton, Andorallan, and Thera decided, that although they were not at full strength, it would be best to not tempt fate or depend over-much on the karma (and fighting talents) of Urdulushan and Durvasas. So they followed the tunnel into the hill, coming to a slightly larger bulge in the tunnel with three exits -- each with a symbol above it. A grinning skull (Head), a hand held palm-forward (Hand), and a symbolic-heart with an eye looking out of it (Heart).
The party chose the Hand and did battle with their younger selves, fully armed with all their weapons but with none of their experience.
The heroes were again presented with three exits -- again with the same three symbol and again chose Hand, this time doing battle with their own shadows.
The third time the heroes chose Heart and found a long, narrow, illuminated passage with tempting treasure in the darkness beyond.
Next the heroes again chose Heart and had to give up their magical items in order to free one another. Unfortunately, Jellie bypassed the test and thereby failed. Luckily, Laurel was willing to share her fate.
For their fifth choice, the hereos chose Heart again, becoming transformed into their own totemic animals.
Those chose Heart yet again, doing battle with exact replicas of themselves (still in animal form) but these copies were so single-minded in their attempt to kill their realselves they did not effectively defend themselves against teamwork. Unfortunately, this proved the fiercest and longest of battles, with Soren and Andorallan nearly dying.
For the seventh choice, the heroes chose Head, and were also returned to their normal forms. Unfortunately, the group did not chose the correct path and had to retake their seventh test, this time choosing Heart. A tiled room lay before them, transforming them with every step, but the group perservered through to the end.
The eight choice was Head again, with the same tri-colored chessboard, but this time it was a test of insight and innovation.
Finally, the ninth test was Head -- "Take that one with the wisdom you need" -- sword, chalice, shield, chains, tree, butterfly, rock, ring, or mirror. Understanding the metaphor of internal transformation, Trillian selected the butterfly and the heroes found themselves in the paradise...
They had reached the heart of the Womb of the Heart, a place where the three worlds of soul/cosmo meet spirit/air and body/earth, the place where all spirits came before reincarnation on Oerth. There, the heroes' true souls and selves were revealed, as well as their totem life-guides.
Each totem gave each heroes the benefits of its wisdom and each hero also learned a bit about the heroes they had been created from as well as gained some minor aspect of the original's physical nature.
It was Otter, Trillian's totem, that encouraged the half-elf to play with him, to cast a spell, to revell in play and wonder. Trillian's spell surged, for the first and only time, and through serendipity, the gift of Otter, created a rift to the ethereal plane through which the spirits of those present could make contact with the Heroes of Abydos...
...again there was hope that the Apocalypse was at an end and Armageddon could be avoided...
And so the heroes were told that there time in the Womb was over -- never again could these souls return here. And in order to keep Oerth safe, Trillian would have to be protected until the Heroes' return on the 16th of June.
And so, the New Heroes left the Womb of the Earth and made ready to leave the Valley of Spirits...
Jyolli the Celedon-born, wood-elven thief / cleric of Erevan Ilserie, self-titled Arch-Bishop of Greyhawk BECAME Jellie the hengeyokai cat, pilferer of cosmic secrets
TC aka Triella Celeste, originally a human child raised by faeries but Chaos-touched into a pseudo-sidhe wild mage BECAME Trillian, hermaphroditic, color-changing witch of Titania
Baron Moorak Drake of Amberwood, Champion of Bahamut, fighting lord and wizard BECAME Soren, devout aasimar orphan, fighter and sorceress
Jessica Talgris, slayer of Talon, hero of Eon, wife and mother BECAME Laurel Holt, beastmaster
Artec Artlen, half-orcish commander of Amberwood's armies and master bowman BECAME River, half-elven archer-ranger
Arlinoth Cyrus Tempus, Theocrat of the Theocracy of the Pale, cleric of Lendor BECAME Doby, elven archer extra-ordinare
Saint Kate the Hungry aka Kate Ashbrooke, slayer of Baphomet BECAME Sindari, orphaned half-star elf from beyond Oerth
...and then came heroes that Jellie did not know...
Tetsuko no Kuwahara, greatest swordsperson on the face of Oerth, third daughter of Buntaro no Kuwahara BECAME Alice, mercenary, orphaned dwarven fighter raised by human men
Sage Edulis-Drake, high-priestess of Wee Jas BECAME Autumn, firbolg druidess
Captain Raitan Drake, Laird of SeaHaven, Seven Sword and slayer of Nyrlathotep and Kalgon BECAME Mikos Veshengo, gypsy scout and pathfinder
Andromeda, simulacrum of TC created by Treblo SkyMage BECAME Andy MacDougal, leprechaun jester and lover of "big" women
The hereos, Trillian, Jellie, Soren, Laurel, Riverton, Andorallan, and Thera decided, that although they were not at full strength, it would be best to not tempt fate or depend over-much on the karma (and fighting talents) of Urdulushan and Durvasas. So they followed the tunnel into the hill, coming to a slightly larger bulge in the tunnel with three exits -- each with a symbol above it. A grinning skull (Head), a hand held palm-forward (Hand), and a symbolic-heart with an eye looking out of it (Heart).
The party chose the Hand and did battle with their younger selves, fully armed with all their weapons but with none of their experience.
The heroes were again presented with three exits -- again with the same three symbol and again chose Hand, this time doing battle with their own shadows.
The third time the heroes chose Heart and found a long, narrow, illuminated passage with tempting treasure in the darkness beyond.
Next the heroes again chose Heart and had to give up their magical items in order to free one another. Unfortunately, Jellie bypassed the test and thereby failed. Luckily, Laurel was willing to share her fate.
For their fifth choice, the hereos chose Heart again, becoming transformed into their own totemic animals.
Those chose Heart yet again, doing battle with exact replicas of themselves (still in animal form) but these copies were so single-minded in their attempt to kill their realselves they did not effectively defend themselves against teamwork. Unfortunately, this proved the fiercest and longest of battles, with Soren and Andorallan nearly dying.
For the seventh choice, the heroes chose Head, and were also returned to their normal forms. Unfortunately, the group did not chose the correct path and had to retake their seventh test, this time choosing Heart. A tiled room lay before them, transforming them with every step, but the group perservered through to the end.
The eight choice was Head again, with the same tri-colored chessboard, but this time it was a test of insight and innovation.
Finally, the ninth test was Head -- "Take that one with the wisdom you need" -- sword, chalice, shield, chains, tree, butterfly, rock, ring, or mirror. Understanding the metaphor of internal transformation, Trillian selected the butterfly and the heroes found themselves in the paradise...
They had reached the heart of the Womb of the Heart, a place where the three worlds of soul/cosmo meet spirit/air and body/earth, the place where all spirits came before reincarnation on Oerth. There, the heroes' true souls and selves were revealed, as well as their totem life-guides.
Each totem gave each heroes the benefits of its wisdom and each hero also learned a bit about the heroes they had been created from as well as gained some minor aspect of the original's physical nature.
It was Otter, Trillian's totem, that encouraged the half-elf to play with him, to cast a spell, to revell in play and wonder. Trillian's spell surged, for the first and only time, and through serendipity, the gift of Otter, created a rift to the ethereal plane through which the spirits of those present could make contact with the Heroes of Abydos...
...again there was hope that the Apocalypse was at an end and Armageddon could be avoided...
And so the heroes were told that there time in the Womb was over -- never again could these souls return here. And in order to keep Oerth safe, Trillian would have to be protected until the Heroes' return on the 16th of June.
And so, the New Heroes left the Womb of the Earth and made ready to leave the Valley of Spirits...
