Prologue: The Legend Breakers, pt. 3

Kharebutu's trail led the heroes into the mountains north of Varen, to a small plateau on which he was busy inscribing a ritual circle on the ground under the protection of three warriors. Nothing could be discerned of the bodyguards' identities under their heavy robes and cowls, but they were capable enough to hold the Legend Breakers at bay long enough for Kharebutu to complete his ritual preparations. Then, by a single accord, all three made prodigious leaps to land inside the circle along with Kharebutu and Anriel, and the four mysterious villains and their helpless captive vanished in a flare of red light.

While Imno was unable to identify the ritual from the sigils left behind, he produced a drawing of the circle in hopes of finding a mage more versed such things. The heroes' first stop in search of enlightenment was the High Energy Magic department of the University of Varen, but following a (for Brandis) pants-moistening encounter with a surprisingly well-spoken gibbering mouther, the head researcher there could only shrug and direct them to the College of Astrologers and Diviners in - where else? - the Temple City of Hennes. Frustrated but determined to find answers, the Legend Breakers set out on the month-long journey back to where their quest had started.

This time, the trek across the Plain of Bones was unmarred by violence; the quartet traversed the Via Mortis without incident. Upon returning to Hennes, they immediately sought out the College, but the diviner they spoke to was only slightly more helpful than the theorist in Varen. He recognized the party, however, and strongly recommended they show Imno's drawing to Wayfarer Scanvio. Clangden was reluctant, thinking that perhaps Scanvio had orchestrated the whole sequence of events, but finally relented.

Scanvio was profoundly disturbed by the Legend Breakers' tale. He said he had to report the attacks and Anriel's abduction to his superiors, and offered to have his hirelings quartered in the temple of Anathor's spare but comfortable rooms for the night. They accepted, and the next morning Clangden received a personal missive from no less an individual than the High Warfather, leader of the church of Viridex. It contained instructions to Clangden and his comrades to attend a meeting in the Ur-Cathedral, meeting place of the Apostolic Council. The junior warpriest who had delivered the scroll led the heroes to the meeting chamber, and then retired.

Here, in a room filled with the heads of most of the major churches as well as the more prominent wizards' guilds, the Legend Breakers were made privy to awesome and horrific secrets. First, Wayfarer Scanvio told them that Kharebutu's magic had carried him and Anriel beyond the borders of the world, to another plane. Then, it was revealed that eons earlier, on the night of Sirrenar's death, His high priestess, Magistrix Lilah, had uttered a prophecy. She spoke of a being called the Dweomerchild, who would be born in the closing years of the Fourth Time, and whose life would herald the return of the god of magic. Finally, it was explained that Anriel's abduction not only imperiled the fulfillment of the prophecy, but the life of every living thing on the planet. The Arcanum, Wayfarer Scanvio explained, was continuing to decay, and within less than a century its dissolution would render the world a barren and lifeless rock. The only way to regenerate it was to ensure that Magistrix Lilah's prophecy was fulfilled and the god of magic resurrected; Anriel must be rescued at any cost.

Now knowing the true stakes, the Legend Breakers bravely volunteered to venture into the unknown in pursuit of Kharebutu, and to rescue the little girl upon whose fate their entire world turned. They were given powerful arms and armor, artifacts of magic hoarded from the time of the Spellwars and earlier, far more potent than anything that could be crafted now. The heroes were also given a small but thick magic tome, the Manual of the Planes, and a brass disc incised on both sides and around the rim with runes and sigils, the Sextant of the Planes. With these in hand, they were taken to a river outside the city, where they set sail in a small boat. Activating the Sextant's magic, they saw the river turn to blue fire, and the land phase from one shape to another, and thus passed into another world.

Experience rewards:
Fighting Kharebutu and his bodyguards: 1,000xp
Learning about the prophecy and Anriel's importance: 2,000xp
Departing your home plane: 3,000xp
Total: 6,000xp
Per character: 1,500xp
Current status: 27,350 + 1,500 = 28,850xp
To next level: 32,000 - 28,850 = 3,150xp

Treasure rewards:
Your "going-away gifts" from the Apostolic Council.

Next time, in Sailing the River of Worlds:
The Legend Breakers find themselves in (literally) a whole new world. Where have they arrived? Are the natives (if any) friend or foe? How will they ever find Kharebutu's trail when they must search, not just a world, but an infinity of worlds?