Ziggurat Hallucinations
The members of the Ragman Squad experience hallucinations as they explore the Ziggurat of Apet.
Gruul’s vision
Approaching the ziggurat:
You are among your company of fellow soldiers, awaiting the order to assault the fortification before you. You are surrounded by expressions of anticipation and determination masking fear, which you know from other battles, but more intense this time. You all know that the fortress is fiercely defended by enemy forces that greatly outnumber you, and inside is full of terrible traps. Your officers also know this, but they have ordered that the attack must go forth regardless.
A whistle blows, a drum starts pounding, and everyone around you begins to march toward certain death.
Aleric’s vision
On entering the ziggurat:
You enter a great hall, your first attendance at a noble gala. You greet a few of the other guests, bowing to each to the degree appropriate to their station. The host, Duke Fulton of Test, approaches to greet you.
Suddenly, you realize that you’re wearing muddy travelling clothes, having come straight from the bayou. Duke Fulton’s expression darkens. “What are you doing here?” He reaches out and rips the Gearspark coat-of-arms insignia off your dirty jacket. A pair of goliath bouncers grab you and throw you out the door, without saying a word. You land in the ziggurat’s entrance chamber.
Uraesco’s vision
In the ritual chamber:
You feel a sudden sharp pain in your kidney and look down to find a dagger planted in your side by Lorcan Kell. He says, “You’ve had your chance. Time’s up.”
Then you hear the voice of your uncle Sanford approaching on the other side. “Don’t worry, nephew. I’ve got this.” Your uncle draws his rapier and sticks the blade straight through your neck.
The last thing you see is the familiar signet ring on his finger. But the coat of arms of your House is reversed, making it the insignia of the Kell Guild.
Malachai’s vision
On leaving the ziggurat:
You step onto the soft ground of a forest glade. Wickett has been lecturing you, which is to say he has been throwing occasional comments over his shoulder while he does something else. He turns to look you straight in the eye and says, “Everything I have ever taught you is the truth. But really, none of it means anything.”
He looks up to the sky over the glade. As your gaze follows, you see the smaller stars fade one by one and wink out of existence, while the major planets all begin to move, faster and faster, converging toward a glowing orb.
You feel this world, too, being pulled toward that massive celestial collision.
Mireya’s vision
As you continue your progress down the trap-filled corridor, two iron portcullises suddenly drop down, separating you from the rest of the group and trapping them in between. Half a dozen other-worldly monsters appear and lay into the squad, lashing them with tentacles and zapping them with eye-beams.
You alone hold the key to their escape, in your mind, if you can decipher the runes carved on the walls. But although you know that the runes represent different planes, you are confused about which is which and the relations between them. You have studied this, you should know this, but as you wrack your brain you see your companions drop one by one.
As the last one falls, the portcullises lift and the monsters swarm towards you.