June 19, 2004

Hook

Continuation...

Plot Synopsis

After retrieving the gem, the party was called by Solon Baraduke to the Sepulcher in Karfelon. They were put through an extensive process to prepare them for a journey into Infero. Upon reaching their destination the were instructed to seek out Baran Baraduke at the Castle in Infero. After this they were led through the catacombs to a door covered in runes and instructed to step through.

On the other side of the door the party saw the two very large demons in charge of guarding the door. After stepping out of the grassy valley that the door opened onto, they noticed an even larger valley stretching away in front of them as far as they could see to the left. To the right, the valley ended at a large castle that stretches hundreds of feet into the air. In the valley in front of them was a line of people as long as the valley that terminated at the castle. After some determination, it was found that the line stretched north and south. The rolling hills continued off to the west behind the party, and to the east some tall mountains were visible.

On the way to the castle, the party attempted to interrogate the folks in the line. Most of them were unresponsive, almost lackadaisical. The party also viewed servants of the various deities fetching the souls of their followers to be taken to their home realms.

Upon reaching the castle, they were greeted by Baran Baraduke and given cause for their presence in Infero. The party was told that souls were disappearing from the line. This disturbed the clergy because Anubis is omniscient in his realm and was unable to determine the source of the loss; just that the loss was occurring.

The party went out along the line to the site where most of the souls had been going missing and carried out an investigation. They were able to see that souls were being sucked down into the ground after some effect made the souls standing around the stolen one direct their attention somewhere else.

The party then dug down into the ground and found a tunnel approximately 7'x7' heading off to the east. Upon following the tunnel and encountering two of the creatures responsible for stealing the souls and the mechanism of the theft, the party followed the tunnel all the way back to the mountains. They encountered a number of the soul stealers as well as the commander and a couple of guards. They also found a repository of sorts that the stealers use to hold souls.

They then returned to the castle rapidly; Fred was placed in a blue field due to a side effect of a sword strike from the commander.

Halima then joined the party with the intent healing Fred of his illness. After Fred was repaired, the party was tasked with intercepting a squad of demons heading back to their home realm to figure out how to follow them and stop them. The party then traveled south from the Castle through a plain. They noticed a glow that seemed to extend across the entire southern horizon; it flickered slightly and was orange and red. After traveling for 3 weeks through an expansive grassland, they entered an area that was much more rocky and full of gullies, hills, and craters. They encountered a number of groups of lost souls; souls sentenced to wander the wastelands forever for not believing in the gods.

The party was able to eventually find and follow a party of demons to an area beyond the hills to a flat, dusty plain. The glow was much more clear in the sky here, and the plain seemed to always be covered in a dusky half-light. After a lengthy battle on the plain, the party was able to slay all the demons and keep them from transporting a soul repository from the plane. The party was able to find a few goodies on the bodies; however, most of them do not hold their magical abilities if not in the hands of the original wielders.

Noteworthy Postgame Events