Author: Justin Love

Places

If no additional information is provided, the entry merely serves as a reminder that the feature is important, ample details are provided elsewhere.

The Temple of Shine

If the heros arrive at the temple from outside, it will take a little time for Summer Breeze to figure out that they might be the heros she summoned. They might also meet Late Frost first since he tends to pass him time outside of the temple. When it is discovered whom they are, Breeze will first attempt to get the secret of war from them, and then expect them to do something about the city-dwellers rising dominance, the same as if the heros had arrived there.

Lake of Dancing Lights

Nothing of terrible importance, except that the far side is a good place to meet Stony Brook and River Reed, and the lights might intrigue the heros into inquiring about them. If the heros give the lights undo attention, they might receive the story of Shining Son as a vision. Otherwise, if they ask about them, the people most likely to know the story are Late Frost, Stony Brook, and Midnight Mere.

Stony Brook & River Reed

If the heros meet these two by chance en route to the city, you can pretty much show them the vision card with the setting correct and all. River is holding innocence and crying over the impending loss. A messenger from the city (Dwindling Light, but this will not be at all obvious) came the previous night and told them to bring their goat herd to the city for the festival. He wasn't exactly lying, but he didn't exactly mention that getting River & Innocence to the city was more important than the herd, either.

The City

The Gate

If the hero's arrive at The City from the outside (not that things will be too different if they show up in the middle of it...), they will be greeted with surprise, suspicion, and a great deal of interest. Though the inhabitants will be quite interested in making them feel welcome, the heros will probably be asked to 'check their weapons' with the guards before entering.

Sharza-Zara's Tomb

Midnight Mere's Office

At one of the highest points in the city rests Midnight Mere's Office, which is probably attached if not contained in his house.

As soon as the hero's arrive at the city, they will probably be escorted to Midnight's office, which will probably be their first encounter with him. Midnight is very interested in presenting a pleasing face to strangers; he will of course be very suspicious of them, though he will attempt to show it as little as possible. He is willing to make a number of accommodations, including room and board, and paperwork (for instance, trading within the city officially requires a merchants licence, and leaving (and more importantly, getting back in) the city requires a gate pass.) Dwindling Light will be assigned to taking care of most of these tasks.

If they happened to journey to the city with Stony Brook & River Reed, those two will accompany them up to the office, probably waiting outside (presumably to be paid for their herd.) The quiet and unscrupulous hero may be able to listen at the door, (provided they have not done anything stupid such as say, attempting to attack Midnight Mere, in which case the door will almost certainly be guarded) and hear an exchange including something like the following:

MM:

You said you sensed it in her! We don't have time to find another.

DL:

But I did.... Last night I felt it.

MM:

Wait, was her companion with her then?

DL:

Why, yes, it wa... [cut off by MM]

MM:

That's it, isn't it. [if they could see him grinning here...] It's not just her... Have her companion brought at once!

DL:

Yes your holiness.

If the heroes attempt to break in and rescue Stony and River here, you have basically two choices:

-Let the heros rescue them and either have River & Innocence re-captured, or take the story in a slightly different direction (such as breaking down the social/mental/spiritual barriers between the two religious groups, or finding out about the spells and trying to find other ways to break them.)

-Use the at least two guards in Midnight's office 'escorting' Stony & River, the several others within shouting distance, and Midnight's Spell-of-Peace-powered magic to repel and possibly capture the heros.

The Temple of Shimmer

Potential Visions

These are provided in case you have heros whom can induce visions (I had two in my playtest group) or if you just like using them to advance the plot (following that suggestion in Bonekeep)

The Casting of the Spell of Peace / Spell of Reversal

Time seems strange. At once people move at a normal pace, yet the day passes in mere moments and the sun and the moon can be seen flying through the sky in turn. In the background, stands the city, looking newer and less built-upon. In the foreground, both types of holy roses can be seen, the golden ones opening with day and closing at night; the silver ones greeting the moon and bowing before the sun. In the middle ground is a plain, and on either side stands two armies, one's crests bearing a sun, the other's a moon. The armies rush forward, mix, and bloodshed is the result. Though far away, a person can be clearly seen on a high balcony of The City. [This is Sharza-Zara, but that fact must be deduced by the person having the vision.] The figure bows her head slightly, shaking it as if in disappointment. After a moment, she makes some gestures that could easily be interpreted as casting a spell. [Now you can show the vision card of Sharza-Zara.] As the spell is cast, the day and night seem to reverse, and the armies stop suddenly, as if the will to fight had just left them, and separate and leave as if confused. The roses remain in schedule, ignorant of the change; now the golden ones open during the night, and visa-versa. Those paying especial attention to the mage's motions may have noticed a gesture where she put out her flattened, open, hand, and then made a motion which reversed it, top to bottom. (Think spinning a fortune card around so it is reversed.)

Sharza-Zara's Death / The Casting of the Spell of Isolation

A well decorated bedroom, with an old woman lying in the bed. [The person in the bed is Sharza-Zara, this vision should probably not be given until the heros have heard enough about Sharza-Zara/Shares-a-Tear to make that deduction.] There are several concerned people standing about, including a few whom appear to be doctors, and several priests in two distinct styles. As the onlookers huddle in a corner discussing something, the person wakes, as if for a moment afraid, and then regains compose for another moment before taking on a determined appearance. She begins making energetic gestures, presumably casting a spell. At once, a view of the gateway overlays with the scene, and the other people turn in shock and being rushing to the bedside to stop the woman. At the gateway, an almost flaming blue band of energy appears around the edge, and then shrinks to a single ball before dissipating. As soon as this is complete, the people reach the bedside and the person falls limp after a final, concluding motion. The people appear to be shouting, shaking the person, or running for help.

The scene fades into the next; a funeral march. The woman's body lies atop a pall, being taken from foreground towards the background, where the door to the tomb at the end of the street can be seen. All around, people, many displaying sun or moon symbols, fill the streets of the city. Many are crying, others are simply hanging their heads or looking on with grim expressions.

The scene once again fades into the next; inside the tombs inner sanctum. The priests, an equal number dressed in each style, lay the body into the sarcophagus, and lesser priests close the lid. As soon as it is closed, the various runes along the walls light up, and the priests, not seeming to pay them mind, file solemnly out.

The Story of Shining Son

Pretty much as before, but of course you will have to decide on an actual heritage and slayers for Shining Son.

The End


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