Chapter 2: Down the Future Path (To the Past)

The Narrator wrote:
A fool's notion of time is linear. His stories have a beginning, a middle, and the end. Here, our story starts in the middle. In the world of Amroth, strange things abound.

When last we left our party, they had set off to the Oasis Beyond Time, deep in the desert Hilior, far from the civilized Merchants' Guild capital of Kirriah. They bid Janna, Queen of Telria, farewell as they left the small village of Roston in the hopes of finding exotic wildlife in the Oasis Beyond Time in order to bring prosperity to the town in the form of a dinosaur ranch. They left the rest of the town in capable hands as their plan to turn it into a mining town also began to bear fruit. However, as they entered the Oasis, they realized, much to their dismay, that the Oasis took them not backward in time, but across space to a strange city inhabited by constructs and Drow! There, Saul, the courageous and mighty cavalier, and Will, the clever summoner were captured by the Drow Kaiser Trenton.

Soon the devious witch Cecilia and her bionic companion, the crafty alchemist Alistair also found their way to the Kaiser's fortress, prodded there by an incessant hovering construct. Alistair intrigued the Kaiser with a tale of the destruction of the Elves, and the Kaiser hinted that helping the Drow find a way back to their home world from this strange place they call Earth might win Alistair's friends their freedom from the kingdom's dungeons. Does this timeless city hold the secrets the party may be looking for? Can the Kaiser be trusted? Is there really a way for the party to return home? The answer to these questions lies ahead (and behind), in Proving Grit, Chapter 2: Down the Future Path (To the Past)!

Trenton, Drow Kaiser wrote:

"Well, now, shall we? You have much to tell me about the Elves' destruction, and we must be quick about preparing for our glorious return to Amroth."

Trenton turns and begins to walk out of the hall into another room, beckoning Cecilia and Alistair to follow him. Meanwhile, in the dungeon...

Drow Guard wrote:
"Does that damned thing ever shut up? What in the hell is that thing, anyway?"

The sight of Boshi clearly disgusts the guard. He isn't very pleased with Saul's presence, either, or Will's. The cells around them are empty, having fallen into disuse for quite some time. Their cell, however, is the most disgusting, seemingly having been kept that way on the off chance that the dungeon would have some unfortunate visitor.

Cecilia Phron wrote:

As she follows, Cecilia describes what happened.

"Hm, yes. We witnessed the destruction thanks to a bit of magic that allowed us to view, but not interact with, the past. Essentially, the nation of Telria made us of a device which targeted the elven home-land, utterly annihilating them. It's... that simple, really. They presumably engaged in leading up to that moment, but it was one decisive strike that destroyed your enemies."

She turns to Alistair.

"Unless you can think of any other pertinent details, Alistair."

"Mm? Yes. The man who did it was apparently an ancient hero by the name of Raiyos. I managed to wound and take one of his eyes, which I'm not sure if it changed the past and future any or not. Let alone if it was really ever effected. Time is a strange thing."

Alistair walked with them, seeming to prefer to hang just behind Cecilia.

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

"Raiyos was ever a fool. Even when I knew him, he was so predictable. And he hated us all so. You should have taken more than his eye. He deserved as much."

Trenton waves his hand dismissively.

"But, that is in the past. I want to talk about the future. Specifically, of a future in which you return home, and with you, we Drow may also, at long last, return home."

Trenton stares wistfully into the distance as he walks.

"It has been so long since I have seen the shores of Amroth. Since I have felt a calm ocean breeze on my face...So very long..."

He regains his composure.

"You will accompany me to our alchemists' laboratory. There, you will have all of the tools that you should need in order to facilitate our return to Amroth."

Cecilia Phron wrote:"I'm still not entirely clear on how you expect us to bring your people back to Amroth. Our understanding of the portal is theoretical, at best. And, as a matter of curiousity... With the elves eliminated, what will your people do once you return home? Find a plot of land and settle?"

Saul wrote:

"It's an allosaurus, a breed of dinosaur." Saul says to the guard.

Not wanting to cause more trouble, he tries to get Boshi to calm down. (Handle Animal: 31)

Drow Guard wrote
"A dinosaur? You're joking."

The guard approaches the cell.

"What the hell are you doing with a dinosaur? Where the hell'd you get a dinosaur?"

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

Trenton smiles.

"When we return home, we will once again breathe the sea air. We will open our city again to the world, and then..."

Trenton chuckles deviously.

"...and then, the Drow are going to war."

Saul wrote:


Saul smirks.

"No joke, it's totally a dinosaur. I got it in an oasis where they had creatures from all sorts of different time periods."

Cecilia Phron wrote:"War?" Cecilia chuckles a bit. "Another? It seems like we have no shortage of conflict back in Amroth. I've honestly lost track of which faction is fighting whom, at this point." Cecilia sighs. "Who is your enemy? Perhaps fortune will favor us and place us on the same side. We are apparently in a position to either aid or kill one another, after all. No reason to force the latter as long as an alliance is mutually beneficial."

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

"There are many who would stand between me and the Fortress of Death. I will destroy as many as it takes. Though there is one in particular..."

Trenton clenches his fist.

"But no matter. It has been a long time. I am sure he has been vanquished by now."

"I've no objections to that. In fact, a queen will be very happy to hear that. She's always wanted to fight your kind," Alistair responded, cracking a whimsical grin for once.

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

"If you care for her, you should advise her not to stand in my way."

Storyteller wrote:
Cecilia is quite sure that Trenton is talking about Pharasma's castle. What could he be plotting?

Cecilia Phron wrote:
"That is... quite a goal, Kaiser Trenton. The gods do not take kindly to intruders within their domain. And, if there is one in particular keeping you from The Lady of Graves, it is entirely possible that he has been able to... 'bypass' traditional death. He may still be a threat and, perhaps, an individual we know."

After a short pause, Cecilia adds:

"It would appear, Trenton, that our goals are more in line than I had thought. I believe we should discuss you plan in a bit more detail. An alliance may end up more rational than I had suspected."

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

Trenton turns around to face Cecilia and stops walking.

"Perhaps I misjudged you. If it's an alliance you seek, there may be an arrangement we can make."

Trenton extends his hand to Cecilia.

Cecilia Phron wrote:Cecilia's eyebrow quirks as she tilts her head, her interests obviously piqued. She reaches out and takes Trenton's hand.

"Indeed. First thing's first, however. We should begin working on the plan to return to Amroth. We can discuss our potential alliance more once we're in a position to do anything."

After a pause, and fairly casually, Cecilia adds:

"Incidentally, those others you've obtained... Well, if they are who I believe they are, I completely understand your desire to keep them in a cell. However, they are at times useful allies, and will work with us if it comes to that. It'd be a shame to let their potential go to waste. ...Of course, I do not know exactly what they did to get thrown in there, so I can hardly be upset if they were idiots who deserved it."

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

Trenton contemplates this.

"I suppose we could always use a few more strong souls for the cause."

Trenton snaps his fingers and a servant springs out of a door a few steps ahead of the party.

"Fetch the prisoners. Bring them to the alchemy lab."

Servant wrote:
"Yes, my lord."

The servant leaves, presumably to free the prisoners from the dungeon.

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

Trenton kisses Cecilia's hand.

"I think this is the beginning of a very fruitful alliance."

Cecilia Phron wrote:Cecilia simply smiles in the least threatening way she can manage.

Kaiser Trenton wrote:

Trenton leads the party to a large door.

"Here is the alchemists' laboratory. Please feel free to gather the materials you believe you might need to bring our city back to Amroth. Take only what you need. The chemists do not appreciate thieves."

He motions toward a couple of tubes full of some foul liquid, occupied by horribly mutated humanoid corpses.

Cecilia carefully surveys the room, attempting to discern the nature of everything there.

[Knowledge: Arcana = 26]

Storyteller wrote:
Cecilia first and foremost recognizes that the mutations are part of some horrible alchemical experiment. She cannot discern its purpose from the corpses. Around the room, she sees all number of reagents, including silver, various poisons, alchemist's fire, and an assortment of herbs and colored chemicals. An alchemist could probably make anything he wanted with this stuff.

Cecilia Phron wrote:After surveying the room, Cecilia turns to the Kaiser.

"This is quite a well-stocked laboratory. We will see what we can manage with it."

Turning towards Alistair:

"Is this not your department, alchemist? I am no fool when it comes to magical research, but this falls under your particular area of expertise."