02-19-963: The Wrath of Mattathias

Chambers

Opening the strange door which had appeared in the middle of the hallway between two rooms, the party found a semicircular room with living room furnishings. Nine other doors lined the perimeter of the room, each featuring a plaque with one of the Circle's names. Nexus checked the room for magic, and found no ominous glyphs or symbols waiting for the unwary door-opener. They discussed the possibility of finding journals to shed light on the power and craft of the Circle. Sinata pushed back slightly on prying into people's personal lives. After all, since they had found what they came for, they should probably try to find a way out. As this conversation was going on, Luci approached the door with Nystul's name on it. As Nexus convinced the rest to check out Mordenkainen's room, he grabbed the doorknob to the Archmage's room at the same time Luci grabbed the one to Nystul's.

Luci immediately found himself in a tasteful room with furniture appropriate for a halfling. He found some masterwork jewelry, and a nice looking silver and amethyst circlet which he put on. While poking around the desk in the room, Luci found a journal left out, and another journal written in a cypher in one of the drawers behind an illusory wall he could see through. Feeling content with what he'd found in the room, Luci went to leave the room and return to his friends. After touching the doorknob he found himself in a hallway, identical to the one they had entered from aside from the distinct lack of door. Hmm, noted he thought before deciding to stay put and check out the journals.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party found themselves in Mordenkainen's room. A massive four-poster bed with draperies was prominent, beside a large gilded marble statue of Mordenkainen. While they poked around, Nexus found the wizard's journal and a Mantle and Staff which Chedvah Identified. Dendra found a book entitled Speculations on Methods for Surpassing the Law of Death as well as a dossier on the Deity-serving cities at the time. Around the room stood several mannequins and displays with classic wizardly attire, conical hats with stars and crescent moons, robes with ostentatious flared collars and voluminous sleeves, real stereotypical wizard clothing. Content with what they had found, and eager to look into the other rooms, they left via grabbing the doorknob one-by-one, except for Chedvah and Sinata, who decided to grab it together. Unfortunately, they were not transported back to the living room, but were thankfully deposited where Luci was sitting and reading.

In the interim, Luci had skimmed through the Journal, finding reference to how the Circle came together and the adventures they went on. Much of the information was corroborated by what Nexus found in Mordenkainen's journal. Furthermore, they found reference to a breakthrough by Bigby that was termed The Confluence that facilitated multi-caster magic.

Through the Tower

Getting back on track, they continued to the Swamp, this time taking the other exit. From there, they found a room with an operating theater, cases with samples of various plants, insects, goops, and slimes. Luci peeked into a window through a very beefy looking door, and found a 6-legged, furred, clawed beast the size of a large bear with a head like a Bear/Wolf/Lion crossbreed. Sinata exchanged his surgical tools for the shiny fancy ones in the operating theater. Concluding that they had found the Bioarcane Lab, they continued on through the other Hallway.

Emerging into the Ritual Chamber, they exited across the room and into a dark stone tunnel. Although used to being able to see fairly well in the dark, Luci soon realized that the normally-lit tunnel was only seen by him. The group followed the tunnel down and found a large cavern with an abandoned village in it. Luci and Dendra scouted the village and saw a few desiccated bodies in the streets along with some carts of ore and some carts of personal belongings. The Party went into the village and came across some large tunnels into the ground. Meanwhile, Luci flew above on his broom and heard some slurping and glorping sounds from above. Shlorping into his 120ft sphere of vision along the top of the cavern came two ochre-colored jelly-like masses. One might describe them as Ochre Jellies, but that isn't for me to say. Between the large tunnels, the dead people, and the ceiling slimes, the party decided that a tactical retreat was prudent. They returned back the way they came and exited the Mines from the same Hallway they entered.

They came into the Travelling Room, and exited across the room. From the hallway, they found a glossy white room with seemingly-hovering trays of snacks and refreshments. Luci was able to see whispy white humanoid figures holding the trays. To the left and down a few stairs there was a spacious lounge area with a large, curved, panoramic window overlooking an alien, grey, rocky landscape and a black sky. Above, a green and blue globe floated in the sky. The party quickly realized that this was the Moon Viewing Room. Awestruck, Luci began painting what he saw out the window.

Mattathias, High Fist of The Dawnfather

Dendra looked down to her hand and saw that the Ring given to her by Mattathias had reappeared. As the party began discussing whether they were actually on the moon. What they saw on the planet in the sky seemed to match what was on the maps they had seen. Dendra began to experience a strange blurring of her vision. In an effort to determine whether what they saw was an illusion, Nexus used his powers to move the dust and rock out on the Moonscape. Shortly, the blurred vision was joined by a ringing in Dendra's ears. She told Sinata about this, and he helped her off her horse and over to one of the couches. Her legs unsteady, she laid down and was given something to drink by Sinata, but shortly thereafter she lost consciousness. Working quickly, Sinata attempted to wake Dendra. He checked her vital signs and breathing, all of which were fairly normal. Unsure of what else to do, Sinata sat back to consider his options. Within a minute or two, several severe lacerations appeared on Dendra's torso. Chedvah provided some magical healing, which seemed to help slightly. Rather than get hung-up on the cause of what was happening, Sinata got to work treating the immediate issues. He quickly and effectively had the other members apply pressure as he began stitching Dendra's wounds and attempting to stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, Luci began thinking about what he knew about Dendra. She had some relationship with a God, and she had mentioned that he sent messages in her dreams. Perhaps this was one of those that took a bad turn? The Ring was back. That had some connection to the God, right? In an effort to bring Dendra out of the dream, and maybe break the connection, Luci removed Dendra's ring. As Sinata worked his craft, they discussed whether it would be better to leave the ring on, since a connection to her God may help with whatever she was going through. Having done everything they could, the party waited for some sign of change.

---

Dendra opened her eyes to the familiar sight of the shimmering lattice of the Planar Seals and Mattathias standing on the other side, within Pelor's realm. In previous visits he had been friendly, but he now stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing away from her.

"Dendra, where are you?"

Dendra attempted to obfuscate

"Don't try to avoid answering me. Why are you on the Moon and where have you been?"

Dendra tried using technicalities, after all she hadn't really been the one to decide to go into the tower, that was the group's decision

"Dendra, do not try to bandy words with me. You found a way into the Spire, where I explicitly said you must not go!"

He paused, then turned to her.

"I suppose you never could leave well enough alone"

He seemed to exert himself and, as he did, the ever-changing lattice seemed to freeze, and a hole between its threads expanded. Faster than the blink of an eye the hole shrunk back down, but this time Dendra was on the same side as Mattathias. He drew his massive greatsword.

"You couldn’t just live out your sentence here on this world as you were told. This is what you do, ever are you pushing the boundaries. You search and search for what you must not do, and you set your mind on that. And I am always the one to get dragged into it! You were the one Denelle! You couldn’t turn aside from looking into the First! What did I do? I diverted and deflected but you kept going. And when The Father discovered this we both were punished!   Well no more. This time I put my foot down."

Effortlessly, the saint delt two swift strikes and Dendra fell back.

"Wait a minute, he isn't supposed to do that, you're good!" In her mind, Rasen spoke. "I mean, I can't say I'm surprised. He was a bit sinister...maybe he's evil?"

Dendra drew forth the sword, leaving a trail of black mist coming from the blade. Rage washed over her and angelic wings sprouted from her back. She swung Rasen, who bit into Mattathias's side. Memories swirled in Dendra's mind. Yes, she had once been called Denelle, and the father figure she once saw berating her resolved into Pelor himself. He sat upon his throne upbraiding her for defying his will, for continuing to delve into subjects he had forbidden. Mattathias stood next to her, looking sorrowful. She remembered seeking answers in secret, confiding in Mattathias. He warned her that what she did was dangerous, and when she continued he went to Pelor to tell him what was going on. But how did that leave her here "You dare use my own sword against me? Fool!"

As he swung twice more, Dendra noticed another figure shooting toward them. From the other side of the Seals, a man with white hair and a square white beard approached and began willing the lattice to part. Dendra kept swinging as she edged toward the lattice, attempting to escape her one-time mentor.

"Tellemet! Now you choose to reveal yourself? Very well, I'll deal with you shortly!" Turning back to the bloodied Dendra, "Even now I'm doing you a favor! When you die here it's just one more lifetime off of your sentence. Ever am I getting the lesser end of things!"

He continued hacking at Dendra as she tried desperately to escape. As she stood, barely conscious, a trickle of life came to her from somewhere else, letting her just barely hang on to consciousness.

Just in the nick of time, the figure who had come to help got the opening large enough for Dendra to fall through, and she tumbled out toward him. Mattathias roared in frustration as the two of them disappeared, leaving him alone and slightly wounded.

---

The party stood around Dendra, bloody and clinging to life. With a gasp, her eyes opened and she sat up. At the same time, an aged-looking man appeared beside her.

"Quickly! She barely made it! We need to get out of here and into another room! And for the love of the Gods take off that..." He noticed the ring in Luci's hand, nodded, then urged them onward.

Luci threw the ring aside and the group rushed through the other Hallway. They emerged into the cool night air at the mouth of a sandstone canyon. As they caught their breath, the aged man turned from the landscape before them and said "I suppose I owe you some explanation. I am Tellemet..."