Darkworld IC

[harmonictempest]

Arlen

Ignoring the small warning ringing in the back of his mind, Arlen strides into the chamber after Kraalkar, looking around at this curious place.

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Won't write any more for now in case I miss a Fort save or something. I'll just copy all the rolls Kraalkar made, in case they're called for.
Fort: (1d20+4)[20]
Spot: (1d20+16)[36]
Listen: (1d20+13)[22]
Knowledge (history): (1d20+8)[13]

[Zed's Dead]

Arlen:

You walk into the chamber and are immediately struck by the heavy moisture of the air. You are soaked to the skin. As you scan the room, you notice an anomaly in the rock wall at the far north-eastern side of the chamber. You also take in every nuance of the pool's construction, from the glowing water to the carved rock face to the familiar pictograms at the pool's base.

You are about to decode the pictograms when you are violently struck by a vision of your past. It consumes you with such force that you are taken by surprise. It is incredibly difficult to tell the vision from what you thought was reality.

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I'll let you choose the living memory which consumes you. It should be something which caused mental, physical, or emotional anguish or stress. The memory could be something you remember fully, half-remember, or have supressed completely into your subconscious.

Make a will save to distinguish the vision from reality.

[harmonictempest]

Arlen

Walking into what appears to be a mundane ritual worship chamber, Arlen suddenly sees his father again, though-- not as he remembers him. This is his father being dragged into the muck of the jungle spring by the strangler vine that consumed many unwary members of his tribe. This is his father screaming as only those afraid for their life can scream, a drawn-out roar of anguish and pain as he disappeared into the water of the fountain. Arlen rushed forward, shouting NO! in a vain attempt to reach the glowing water before his father disappeared beneath the surface.

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...a rush that will fail to happen if he realizes it as an illusion in time.

Will save: (1d20+7)[22]

[Zed's Dead]

Arlen races toward the glowing pool as if life depended on it. When he reaches the lip of the pool, he comes into contact with the water. His body becomes rigid, his eyes roll back into his head, and his mouth works, mouthing silent words. His fugue state lasts only a few moments, and then he collapses to the floor.

Arlen:

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You failed your save. A window in your mind is suddenly opened like a dark curtain thrown aside to reveal the full light of day.

Here's what's going on inside your head: You are standing on a frozen hill. It is twilight. Several hundred yards away, to the north, a small army of wild, irregular soldiers is massing for an attack on a walled town not half a mile from them. The ranks are a mix of orcs, dwarves, and humans, and they hold weapons of all kinds--blades, cudgels, spears, and exotic weapons that look as if they might have been created for some other age, some other people. Their eager breath steams from their mouths. The wind blows their bodies' stench full into your face.

At a word from a large uruk (who you assume is a commander of some sort), the army screams as one and runs across the frozen plain toward the town.

Then all goes black.

[GeekLord]

Kraalkar

Kraalkar freezes for a moment as Arlen crumples to the floor, then rushes to his side. "Elva! Wait there!" Kraalkar heaves the slight elf over his shoulder, then moves quickly away from the glowing water into the passage and around the corner. He eases Arlen to the floor. "He touched the water and collapsed! What's wrong with him?"

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(1d20)[2] Heal check, +0 modifier

[Zed's Dead]

Just as Kraalkar lays his companion on the floor, Arlen's eyes open wide.


Arlen:

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Arlen, you wake up and feel fine. Also, the effects of the alcohol seem to be completely erased.

[harmonictempest]

Arlen

His eyes open wide, and he gasps reflexively. I saw...I'm not sure what I saw. A scattered army, a frozen hill, rushing toward the town. I don't know whether it was a meaningful vision, or random. What is this place?

Oh - Elva, you should be all right to come in if you're careful. The air is very heavy and difficult to breathe.

[Zed's Dead]

All:

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Make spellcraft checks, please.

[Zed's Dead]

Arlen (Or spellcraft check DC 25):

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You have seen the future as it may likely occur. It is a vision of the near future.

You sense that if just breathing the water vapor had such a powerful effect on you, drinking the water could reveal even more of the future. However, you also suspect that the secondary effects of the spell would be enhanced proportionally to the amount of water you imbibed. If you drank it, you could willingly allow yourself to fully experience its effects (no save necessary for a willing subject).

You also deduce from your observations that the water, upon coming into contact with nonliving matter other than air, loses its magical qualities instantly.

Arlen only:

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Your seeming "unconscious" state the others witnessed was deceiving. You were momentarily paralyzed with a mental euphoria and physical ecstasy beyond anything you have ever known. It was as if every fibre of your being was receiving pleasure on every level--from the most basic physical sensations to the highest intellectual gratification.

The spell itself is something far beyond your powers to cast--in fact, you've never seen any spell effect quite like this before--mostly because the knowledge of this particular spell-weave has been lost. From seeing its effects, though, and studying its aura, you may be able to take notes which could help you learn to recreate its effects in a limited way some time in the future.

You have read accounts of these kinds of divining pools in your studies, but from what you understand, the last ones were lost a thousand years ago. In fact, there have been battles and even wars fought over such fountains.