Near the ceiling of this cavernous black-walled chamber, two motes of purple fire float in midair. Surrounding them, two hulking demons snort and paw at the floor, while hell hounds bare their teeth at your approach. An azer, his hair and beard in flames, stands to one side with axe raised.
“Quickly and carefully,” the azer states calmly in Giant. “Kill the intruders.”
Though he clearly means business, the flame-haired azer is more worried about the purple fire than he is about the adventurers.
The motes of fire are not creatures, but rather manifestations of aberrant energy. Some taint from the Far Realm infects this place.
Even though our heroes win the day, Waylander is clobbered to death by one of the Goristros.
Through the door ahead comes the sound of an argument, two deep voices raised in harsh anger.
“I’ll eat your eyes out of your head! I’ll eat the heart from your chest! Test me again and I’ll strip the fire from your blood! Get back into position!”
Three platforms rise 10 feet above the floor along the walls of this chamber. Three long-tailed flaming creatures look up at your entrance, one on the floor and two perched atop the ledge opposite. The argument appears to have involved a pair of red-skinned azer with burning beards and hair, who stand angrily before a bodiless demonic figure of fire and smoke.
A third azer stands across the chamber. Closer to the door, a number of what appear to be diseased and mutilated corpses lie smoldering in a pile of rubble.
After dealing with these guardians, our heroes move on in a new corridor. In the far corner of the corridor’s turn, they see a glimmer of silver on the floor. Closer scrutiny reveals a semicircle of arcane symbols drawn into the ground with a vibrant, silvery ink. The semicircle is part of an arcane circle that serves as a ward against the passage of shadow creatures. The circle is active and powerful, so it must be complete. The rest of the circle must continue on the other side of the wall. The corridor wall hides a secret door. Bright lantern light fills this chamber. A pair of scholarly gentlemen who appear to be related are engaged in a heated conversation, their tones hushed but angry. Our heroes notice that they can see through these figures, and that they both float about a half a foot off the floor. The figures are having a heated discussion:
“The only obvious conclusion you can draw is that the juxtaposition of the aberrant portal is totally within the realm of Bigby’s Theorem of Convergence,” hisses one of the men.
“No, no, no,” the other one says firmly, “you are not taking into account Vrin’s Properties of Aberrant Humors—”
“You cannot use your own unverified theories as proof of concept!” interrupts the first.
Suddenly both transparent men turn to the party with puzzled expressions. In unison they ask, “Who are you?”
The party explains their presence there, and help the two ghosts removing the barrier that was keeping them in this room. Once free, the ghost brothers thank our heroes and depart. The party moves on to the next challenge, finding themselves in front of a huge iron door.
The sound of combat clearly resonates from beyond the double doors ahead. Once open, the doors reveal a wide room. On one side of a gaping pit stands a huge demon, its crablike pincers slashing the air. Opposite the demon are two hulking humanoids. A human-sized creature lurks behind them, its skin a swirling vortex of shadowy lines. Two motes of purple fire freely float about the chamber.It is obvious from its stance that the demon is fighting the other creatures in the chamber. At the same time, all appear to be avoiding the burning motes as they float erratically through the room. The part decide to not waste time in forging allegiances with Alien creature, and slaughter them all. On to the next door!
These double doors are forged of black iron. Relief sculptures of an unknown humanoid race adorn their surface, each face depicted as screaming in pain and anguish.
These dark doors have lost souls bound within them that demand appeasement.
The souls trapped here wish only a blessing as a sign that they are remembered. Once inside the room, the roof of this majestic chamber is supported by numerous square metal pillars. On the wall opposite the door stands a large throne atop a dais, both wreathed in flame. Between the party and it stands a squad of azer warriors, all watching them menacingly. Another fire-haired azer sits atop the throne, a great whip of flame in his hand. Flanking the dais, two horrid creatures stand guard. Their bodies appear to be bloody muscle, gnashing mouths opening where their eyes should be.
Batlike wings spread from their shoulders, their lower bodies trailing off to long serpentine tails.
The azer on the throne calls “This is not your battle, invaders. Go back from whence you came. Disobey me, and you shall be engulfed by our eternal fire!” Finally the last guardian of the Fire Halls! Our heroes defeat Daedanum and his minions, aquire one more Soul Ring, and settle for the day.
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