pixsye
08-25-2003, 08:40 PM
Where One's Loyalties Lie
Adventure 1:
The Eye of the Sun published by Wizards of the Coast
In the heart of the city, a crowd begins to form as a venerable sage takes his sit on an old tree stump that held the loudest beggars and most intriguing speakers. The words of a story began rolling off his tongue, but the look in his eyes was as though he had seen of what he speaks, for himself.
-------------------------
Time of the Sun
. In these ancient days, Ssh'rik was the mightiest Lizardfolk shaman of the Khud-Al Jungle. One day, he received a vision from his deity, Semuanya, directing him to raise a mighty temple. So the shaman taught his people how to cut stone and assemble it into sturdy walls and together, they crafted a temple worthy of their deity. They named the structure the Ziggurat of the Wrathful Sun.
. Semuanya was pleased and he blessed his people. The Lizardfolk's population grew quickly and they conquered lands near and far to build a mighty empire that stretched for hundreds of miles. The Lizardfolk moved outward to settle their new lands, leaving only a few of the most devout worshipers to tend the temple of Semuanya.
. The Lizardfolk venerated the sun as an incarnation of their deity and many symbols were made in its honor. Ssh'rik himself crafted a special representation of the sun in the very top of the Ziggurat - a series of mirrors and lenses that magically trapped the sun's rays and provided light even in the dead of night. He called this device the eye of the sun and its power was so great that it could focus the energy of the sun on a distant target and set it afire. Several of the abandoned Lizardfolk villages near the temples were accidentally destroyed in just this manner.
Time of the Blackened Moon
. As the Lizardfolk's empire grew, so did their pride. It is said that Semuanya grew angry at their pretensions and withdrew the blessing of the sun from the land, plunging it into unending darkness. Another temple, called the Temple of the Blackened Moon, was constructed beside the first and magic items were created there to preserve the light as the eye of the sun dimmed, then finally darkened for good. But the efforts were for naught. The cold-blooded Lizardfolk, so dependent on the warmth of the sun for their energy, eventually had to withdraw into a state of torpor.
. The slaves that the Lizardfolk had taken from the conquered lands rose up in rebellion and slew all of their former masters that they could find. Ssh'rik too, fell in this revolt, but the eye of the sun remained safe, since the primitive slaves could not figure out how to get inside its secret room at the top of the temple to destroy it. In short order, the empire was gone. The few remaining Lizardfolk withdrew into the forest to wait for the return of the sun.
Time of the Rising Sun
. Eventually the sun did return, bringing life back to the land. But the Lizardfolk had retreated too far into barbarism to reinstate their empire. The descendents of those original Lizardfolk now lived like animals in the jungle, gazing with superstitious awe at the sun that their ancestors had worshiped.
. But all things move in cycles and at last Semuanya sent another vision - this time to a Lizardfolk shaman named K'zzal who earnestly prayed on behalf of his people. The vision instructed K'zzal to find the Ziggurats of Ssh'rik and restore the eye of the sun. By its guiding light, the Lizardfolk could at least reclaim some of what they had lost.
. Guided by K'zzal, a contingent of Lizardfolk located the old temple, which was now overgrown with vegetation and set about clearing access to it. Inside the temple, K'zzal found the eye of the sun in a secret chamber. Guided by his deity, he performed the rites that would eventually restore it to its former glory. Now, as the eye slowly flickers to life, it occasionally casts a brilliant ray of light that can be seen for miles around.
. Humans and other Humanoids who have built villages along the outskirts of the Khud-Al Jungle gaze in wonder at the strange light that emanates from a hilltop in the distance. As the power of the eye grows, so does its destructive capability. Several buildings in the Human village of Tooj-Reh have already been set ablaze by its mysterious rays.
-------------------------
The old man rests his breath and gazes upon the crowd.
. The people of Tooj-Reh are desperate to discover the source of these mysterious fires, which seem to occur when the strange light is at its brightest. They have sent expeditions into the jungle to investigate, but none have returned. If anyone would be so brave as to accept this mission, they must venture into the jungle, win their way past Lizardfolk patrols, and find the twin Ziggurats. Once there, they must defeat the Lizardfolk who guard the towers, including K'zzal himself and take down the eye of the sun so that it can menace the town of Tooj-Reh no more. But alas, no man nor woman has been so brave as to rescue that poor town.
The crowd jumps and cheers as the sage's story was one of the best they had heard in a long time. Surely, he has come before the festival begins in ½ a year's time because with the Arcane Challenge and other contests and games and food, he would have no allotment to tell his simple little tales.
While the huddled bunch scuttled away quickly, the tired sage turned slowly and began to walk away from the masses with a look of disappointment on his face and the appearance of heavy burden on his soul and heart.
Adventure 1:
The Eye of the Sun published by Wizards of the Coast
In the heart of the city, a crowd begins to form as a venerable sage takes his sit on an old tree stump that held the loudest beggars and most intriguing speakers. The words of a story began rolling off his tongue, but the look in his eyes was as though he had seen of what he speaks, for himself.
-------------------------
Time of the Sun
. In these ancient days, Ssh'rik was the mightiest Lizardfolk shaman of the Khud-Al Jungle. One day, he received a vision from his deity, Semuanya, directing him to raise a mighty temple. So the shaman taught his people how to cut stone and assemble it into sturdy walls and together, they crafted a temple worthy of their deity. They named the structure the Ziggurat of the Wrathful Sun.
. Semuanya was pleased and he blessed his people. The Lizardfolk's population grew quickly and they conquered lands near and far to build a mighty empire that stretched for hundreds of miles. The Lizardfolk moved outward to settle their new lands, leaving only a few of the most devout worshipers to tend the temple of Semuanya.
. The Lizardfolk venerated the sun as an incarnation of their deity and many symbols were made in its honor. Ssh'rik himself crafted a special representation of the sun in the very top of the Ziggurat - a series of mirrors and lenses that magically trapped the sun's rays and provided light even in the dead of night. He called this device the eye of the sun and its power was so great that it could focus the energy of the sun on a distant target and set it afire. Several of the abandoned Lizardfolk villages near the temples were accidentally destroyed in just this manner.
Time of the Blackened Moon
. As the Lizardfolk's empire grew, so did their pride. It is said that Semuanya grew angry at their pretensions and withdrew the blessing of the sun from the land, plunging it into unending darkness. Another temple, called the Temple of the Blackened Moon, was constructed beside the first and magic items were created there to preserve the light as the eye of the sun dimmed, then finally darkened for good. But the efforts were for naught. The cold-blooded Lizardfolk, so dependent on the warmth of the sun for their energy, eventually had to withdraw into a state of torpor.
. The slaves that the Lizardfolk had taken from the conquered lands rose up in rebellion and slew all of their former masters that they could find. Ssh'rik too, fell in this revolt, but the eye of the sun remained safe, since the primitive slaves could not figure out how to get inside its secret room at the top of the temple to destroy it. In short order, the empire was gone. The few remaining Lizardfolk withdrew into the forest to wait for the return of the sun.
Time of the Rising Sun
. Eventually the sun did return, bringing life back to the land. But the Lizardfolk had retreated too far into barbarism to reinstate their empire. The descendents of those original Lizardfolk now lived like animals in the jungle, gazing with superstitious awe at the sun that their ancestors had worshiped.
. But all things move in cycles and at last Semuanya sent another vision - this time to a Lizardfolk shaman named K'zzal who earnestly prayed on behalf of his people. The vision instructed K'zzal to find the Ziggurats of Ssh'rik and restore the eye of the sun. By its guiding light, the Lizardfolk could at least reclaim some of what they had lost.
. Guided by K'zzal, a contingent of Lizardfolk located the old temple, which was now overgrown with vegetation and set about clearing access to it. Inside the temple, K'zzal found the eye of the sun in a secret chamber. Guided by his deity, he performed the rites that would eventually restore it to its former glory. Now, as the eye slowly flickers to life, it occasionally casts a brilliant ray of light that can be seen for miles around.
. Humans and other Humanoids who have built villages along the outskirts of the Khud-Al Jungle gaze in wonder at the strange light that emanates from a hilltop in the distance. As the power of the eye grows, so does its destructive capability. Several buildings in the Human village of Tooj-Reh have already been set ablaze by its mysterious rays.
-------------------------
The old man rests his breath and gazes upon the crowd.
. The people of Tooj-Reh are desperate to discover the source of these mysterious fires, which seem to occur when the strange light is at its brightest. They have sent expeditions into the jungle to investigate, but none have returned. If anyone would be so brave as to accept this mission, they must venture into the jungle, win their way past Lizardfolk patrols, and find the twin Ziggurats. Once there, they must defeat the Lizardfolk who guard the towers, including K'zzal himself and take down the eye of the sun so that it can menace the town of Tooj-Reh no more. But alas, no man nor woman has been so brave as to rescue that poor town.
The crowd jumps and cheers as the sage's story was one of the best they had heard in a long time. Surely, he has come before the festival begins in ½ a year's time because with the Arcane Challenge and other contests and games and food, he would have no allotment to tell his simple little tales.
While the huddled bunch scuttled away quickly, the tired sage turned slowly and began to walk away from the masses with a look of disappointment on his face and the appearance of heavy burden on his soul and heart.