SE04 : EP36 - Filtered Through the Sands of Time

The Producer invisibly smiles from ear to ear as they take in the gravity of this elaborate trap they have been caught in. "Please board the train again if you will. They we can get started." And with that his presence seems to ebb away, leaving them alone. The party gathers themselves. "Seems we have little choice." Orwyn Ilvarien notes. Acknowledging this they all head back to the empty train. Once aboard it takes off again along the rail.   Streaks of ethereal light slide pass the slats and windows. Then starlight overtakes the faint mid-morning light beyond the magical threads weaving around them. Then only vast empty night sky exists beyond the confines of the train car.   Minutes later the train arrives and bright lights pour on to the car. A thin roadway extends out out from the side. A excited crowd bursts with excitement but none can be seen. There presence is everywhere yet more felt then heard as they disembark. Clean lime lights follow them spotlighting there movements. The ground blast light erupt from each step they take on this translucent "road." Ghostly footsteps guide them up stairs that meet them along the path.   A peculiar door rimmed in white light becomes them to enter. Passing through they arrive in a round room, with many large widows fill with blue sky. Various neat piles of parchment, bookcases, and curious litter the room. A well appointed desk dominates the center of the office. Spinning around his chair The Producer manifesting as a bright light welcomes them in his boldvoice. "I hope i can clear up and questions you might have as well as get you up to speed on the rules of engament as it were."   As tehy file into the room, Kellasin Leafstrider narrows his eyes, asking "Where exactly are we?"   "Well not really sure how to narrow this down for you. For lack of a better way to say it you are inside, me. I am this diemention. All of it. All you see, in all directions, is me. Are me. No mater, i think you can follow it to much more then that."   Ryder sneers "how exactly does that work." He sneers as he says, "How do you sneak? Or jump. Or think? Hmmmm? Signals firing from your brain, muscle groups streach, flex, contract, all in concert with senses and experince. But the clinical way of saying it drains all the mystery out of it."   As Ryder's brow fourghs, ut's voice gets lower, "So let's not try to think about and just accept iy, hmmm?"   He booms back to the roar of a ringmaster, "Let us just say I'm providing the stage for the wonderful games and stories that are prepared for you."   Daphix cocks an eyebrow. "For us?"   "Why yes! Yes of cource! Personalized experiences, in every detail tailored. You have had many adventures. Meeting yourself." He angles his presence towards at Ryder. "Or been denied vengeance from those that have wronged you." He casts his voice towards Daphyix. "Tasks that I have made for each of you uniquely."   [Allie] pipes up, "Even me?" The voice falter a little, "No, not you, exactly. I have prepared what I feel with be a good show for you. But your timeline has had so little overlap with your companions, I admit i have had to improvise."   The bravado returns, "here lets get your tools in order. Here!" on his desk A red voucher ticket manifests alond with a twin in blue. "These are you to use as you see fit. One shall give a little rest and the other a truly rejuvenating recharge.But I warn you if you used them I will send threats to your friends"   Yith looks worried as she speaks, "Our friends?"   "Yes, of course. The meridians, Gary, all of those people are here, in play as it were." As it speaks shadows of their faces drift passed the windows. Among them [Sentinel] and Tarvin. "So I hope you keep that in mind that while they maybe able to defend themselves, I really don't know what might happen to them. Exhilarating to see what you do with that little nugget of information." Then a flash bursts from him. The room now has large pots organized around with prices upon them, a shop of sorts. "Let us finish preparing your boons. They arrived here thanks to a clever thief. I think you know him." "Choose a price and get a prize. Simple enough. But do know there is a delicious edge of chance to anyone you take." As he beacons decides to take the chance. Dipping his hand into the highest value pot. The coin disappears out his purce and his hand returns with a superior healing potions. Various magic items ebb into the office, scattered around with price tags clearly on them. "Feel free to acquire whatever you need, or should a say can afford."   They explore the "shop" he has set up. Kellisin questions, "Are all these items gathered by Tarvin?" The Producer replies "Why yes, or should say them, both the past and present and in other variations."   Kellsin now notices Daphix has grown despondent. The fear and fury of the last time he was abandoned on a plane has been brewing within. Hateful visions of Stargazer clouding his sense of the presence, Arresting his attention they exchange the gravity of the situation. The infernal fury burring in the tiefling makes his speech low and his movements dulled.   The party dips into the pots and purchases. They acquire various potions of healing, growth, and resistances. Kellisin acquires a tree token. Daphyx a blue chromatic rose, a flower of metallic construction.   At the conclusion of this shopping the voice rises again, "Are we finished? Good, follow me up the stairs" A staircase that had not exists is found set into one wall. They travel up into a massive room. It is not unlike a the great clockwork tower. Four faces dominate the walls, one orange, one purple, another green and the final is blue. Phantasmal gears turn.   "There should be an order to all this, the southern passage should be first. It's a fine challenge for all of you. Though I feel Kellisin will fin it the most affecting."   Kellsin's face goes grim. "I fear nothing you have in store." And he boldly walks through the yellow clock and vanishes. The party follows.   Intense heat envelopes each of them. They are in an endless desert. Blistering heat beats down from glaring sun. No shelter or shade is visible. A few of them try and clamber onto one of the dunes to seek out the landscape.   Yith seems to lose themselves, murmuring under there cloak hood. Allie goes to check on them rousing them around. A blank unsettling visage gazes eyelessly up at her. A transparent skull wrapped tightly with a translucent gauze like skin. Its sobs, tears streaming down its sullen cheeks, poruring forth from no existent tear ducts. "I didn't mean to. I tried to save you. I did want to lose you. I tried." Echoes softly on the reverberating membrane stretched over its its mouth. Ryder notices all this as alle with draws her hand with a tremor. Looking back the cat and the rouge exchange looks. Allie steels herself a bit and tries again to awaken the changeling. This time facial features dance across their face, different skin tones, eyes, mouths, patches, facial hair, and noses swirl like a kaleidoscope through different positions and sizes. Eventually the face solidifies into a sheepish looking Yith. Tear streaks stain her now solid face. "Oh sorry she says. Gathering herself and stepping away embraced. "Oh its quite hot isn't." Allie and Ryder move together. "Has she done that before?" The cat asks. "Yes, and it wasn't good then either." They look to each other with understanding. They must keep an eye on the changeling.   From the heights of the duen they see a glint of something. Kellsins half-elf sight allows him to pierce a little deeper. "Metal?" He says.   They struggle there way down to it. Searing metal bakes in the sun, carefully and bit painfully they pull away the hot sand. Uncovering it presents something vaguely of a wagon axel. But its construction is odd and seemingly meant for a heavy load.   Kellisin, Daphyx, and Orwyn discuss there journey to the [Plane of Flails] and the land scape of black roads and there immobile metal vehicles.   Seeing the need to keep moving the continue on. The heat is oppressively and their reserves of energy begin to drain. As they continue a group of buildings appear on the horizon.   Once they get with in several hundreds of yards away, a tiny pinpoint of red light apears on Kellsin. He move to the side and the bead of light follows him. Moving again he sees it will trace is movements, beaming from one of the far off windows of the building.   "Who is there!" Kellsin yells.   "Begone follower of Tiamt! We dont want your kind here!" rolls out from the buidlings.   With curl of hate Kellsin shouts, "You dare call ME A FOLLOWER OF..."   A roar of thunder erupts and bullet perices Kellisin's side. A puff of red bursts out of him. A hole going through the armor's front and then back ends with a pop of sand some yards behind him.   He drops to his kness. The group looks on shocked. They have never seen a wepon hit so fast from such a distant.   "Stay away Kellsin the slayer!"   "He worships the other one!" Daphyix yells at the buildings.   Kellsin spits blood. Yith doe-eyed looks at the proud paladin ignoring the pain. Casting a bit of magi to close the blossoming across his clothes.   Kellsin rises and begins to make one of his legendary dragoon jump, and as he rises another bullet percies him, throwing him back.   The group looks on in horror. Allie calls out that they must take cover. Out in the open Kellsin rolls on to his knees.   The man's voice from the distance shouts on. Explaining he has since Kellsin not but a few days ago. Soaking death and serving the red. Kellsin yells that he doesn't serve them, he serve the platinum king od metallic dragon, Buhamat. Disturbed with the idea of another version of himself, serving the dragon queen. The paladin askes to talk. The man refuses, he will never talk to one who wares the marks of dragons, his enemies. Looking inward, Kellsin decided to doff his armor to show he wants to talk.   Orwyn and Daphyx talk as they lie in the ground. They recall again the land of flails and how that plane was besieged by dragons. Orwyn stands up and asks for understanding. The red dot apears on him. Allie also rises and the dot moves to her.   Kellsin stands open handed and calls out to be recognized as not the same man he fears.   And in the unyielding sun they wait.