Test of the Smoking Eye - Part Three
After a few attempts, Keriv is able to break the enchantment on Lorn and he is made flesh once again. The group then moves out on the trail that the lantern reveals.
The skull at the center of Occipitus looms in the distance. As the party approaches they are attacked by a hunting black dragon. Spells and breath weapons are exchanged and the party defeats the dragon.
As they continue to close the distance to the skull they find a seemingly dead raven-winged figure. Healing magic is administered and questions and answers follow:
"Who are you?"
"I was once a celestial deva. But when this part of Celestia fell into the Abyss, I fell with it. Now I don't know what I am."
"Who did this to you?"
"A rakshasa and his giant body gaurd. They're on their way into the skull. Presumably to try to pass the Test, too."
"What happened to Adimarchus?"
"He disappeared on the eve of a great and pointless battle between his horde and that of the demon lord Graz'zt. Some say Graz'zt had him kidnapped and assasinated. Others say that the battle was just a ruse for some other plan of Adimarchus's"
"What do you know of the Test of the Smoking Eye?"
"Well, I helped Adimarchus create it - is that good enough for you? He confided in me throughout its construction; after all, I was exactly the kind of successor he wanted."
"Why are you here?"
I was waiting for you, frankly. After all these years, I had a mild curiosity about the people that were going to pass the Test. Now that curiosity is satisfied."
"What's the third test?"
"I'm not telling - and before you start with threats, I've had centuries of practice resisting torture from someone more ruthless and cruel than you. The rakshasa tried and failed.
"Why keep it a secret?"
"I'll say this - knowing in advance what the test is won't help you. You could succede, you could fail. You could turn your back on the whole idea. I'm not going to meddle in your fat. My own fate is trouble enough.
"What happens if we pass the test?"
The very fabric of Occipitus's reality is yours to command - you do know how to control an entire layer of the Abyss, don't you? No? Well, I'd humbly suggesst a line of academic inquiry, then. like every other part of the Abyss, Occipitus responds to power, and the more powerful you are, the more Occipituswill bend to your will.
"What do you know about Cauldron / the Cagewrights / Alek Tercival?"
"Affairs on other planes don't concern me. For that matter, affairs on this plane don't either."
"Any advise?"
"I'd catch that rakshasa, unless you want to grow wiskers when he recreates Occipitus in his image."
Entereing the tunnel they travel deeper into the very heart of the plane they encounter a fire giant and rakshasa that also have a lantern of guidance. During the battle that ensues the tunnel rumbles and all are knocked prone save for the giant who takes advantage of the situation to land some telling blows. Finally the group emerges victorious and continues.
A beserk clay golem attacks the group as they emerge from the tunnel. His fists deal terrible wounds that prove difficult to heal. After his defeat, the group ascends a staircase and enter a room with a bonefire of black flame at it's center. As they move to investigate, various summoned creatures begin appearing. After several waves of the beasts are defeated, a figure can be seen inside the black fire. It is discovered that it is the source of the summoning and the party attacks. The black fire has a draining effect on the members of the party that come into contact with it and negative levels are dealt to several of the party. Rowan is finally able to bull rush the thing out of the fire and they see that it is a lich. Once outside of the protection offered to it by the fire the lich is defeated. Kaurphon screams "this is it, this is it!" and runs from the room and up another staircase.
Following Kaurophon up the stairs, the group enters into a circular room with a blazing gusher of liquid fire that errupts through a hole in ceiling and from there to the sky. Once again the party sees the mummy. It speaks: "Adimarchus, Most potent Ruler of Occipitus, bids you welcome to the Final Test of the Smoking Eye. A worthy successor to the throne of Adimarchus must complete only one more task. To rule Occipitus - to grasp its power and use it for good or ill - means to sacrifice everything you hold dear. The final test is this: sacrifice an ally to the plasma, adn Occipitus is yours!" Kaurophon then says: "Sacrifice? That's it? No problem!" he then turns and lets loose a cone of cold that decimates the party.
The awful cold coupled with the level drains from their previous encounter prove too much for Lorn, Rose, Corvin, and Keisa's familiar who are instantly transformed into icy statues and perish. Before anyone else can act Gandon screams in rage and bull rushes Kaurophon into the fire.
Kaurophon is suspended immoble in the fiery conflagration for an instant, an incredulous look on his countenance, before he is totally immolated and gone.
As he turns to face his comrades, the remainder of the intrepid band can see wisps of black smoke begin to emerge from Gandon's left eye.
After gathering the remains of the party, Keisa uses a scroll of plane shift and the party finds themselves once again in the desert where the whole episode started. As before, they weigh their options for returning to Cauldron, as well as dealing with the last wishes of their fallen friends. They enter the portal redoubt and collapse in exhaustion.
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