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Castle Nowhere#

Theme: sacrifice / goodbye. Shadowfell.
TL;DR; trials inspired by BG2's end trials after an unfortunate venture to the shadowfell.
They found a surprise entrace when smashing selune's enchanted statue in the puzzle room of castle-never and putting in the crusher..

Start#

  • Crusher comes flying down. Tink.
  • Time slows down (Time Stop). Crusher moves in slow motion, mm by mm towards statue.
  • Grinding sound appears, the crusher has reached the statue. Slowly pushing up against it.
  • Majestic image of Selune slowly fades in.
  • Eyes open, gaze around the room quickly.
  • Selune disapproving look flies in. Incorporeal. "Thieves?"
  • Her warm expression lowers, blue shade of her spectral form darkens.
  • A dark energy trail starts forming around the base of her visage.
  • "My wishes were not intended for thieves."
  • The black energy whirls and sipphons into the statue where you see it swirling around in the statue which is otherwise shining bright.

Cracks form.
Statue shatters, pulverises. Fine black mist appears flowing outwards like pyroclastic avalanche.

First room - crusher#

  • Wings sprout -> ravenqueen.
  • Thick tree roots impale the rooms and pale blue light permeate through the cracks.
  • The bricks around you have crumbled to the point where most of them look and feel like ashen soil.

Recover Zed/Iz#

Visit negative version of life. Zed and Iz are both alive there, but a negative energy version of yourselves. They can find them at the bottom of a bone tunnel down towards aboleth-mirror.

Hundreds and hundreds of consumed corpses down there. They correspond to slaves in material plane. If aboleth dies, they will rise in Castle Never.
Trapped in purple slime. Bones showing. + Their own descriptions. Transformed heavily.
They know the creature will return.

They are alive there, but have been dragged into the Shadowfell and altered in such a way that they cannot return.

Throne room#

Sacrificial altar at the front. Dark feathered creature hovers in the centre of the room, black mist below her that gradually fades into a feathered cloak. Her face, incredibly pale, young, and beautiful, her black hairline barely visible before it morphs into feathers. However as one beam of moonlight hits her face, you see a patch of much older, decayed flesh, partially revealing translucent bone, as the light subtly passes through her form.

  • "You must have made someone very unhappy for you to be here."
  • "Welcome to Castle Nowhere. chaotic laugh"
  • "I can send you back.. if you are willing to sacrifice parts of your collective selves."
  • "Are you looking for this?" (holds up blue stone)
  • "Selune would not leave this with me, if you hadn't been so selfish."
  • "The paths have different effects on everyone."

Ship/Zed sacrifice path (floating on acid bath)#

Shadow version of Jackque. He's boiling a zombie stew and requires Zed to cut up his crew to do it.

  • "Look at yourself, Zed. What have you become."
  • "Are you going to be selling the rotting flesh in Evernight for the rest of your life?"
  • "Step onto the ship, and remember what you came here for."
  • "How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice?"

Wood creaks. Loudly, like every plank simultaneously is about to break. Splints start flying out of the ship. You can see something with protruding from within it. You watch slowly your ship transform into a ship made of bone.

Wind is catching up, you don't notice the confines of the cavern anymore. The moonlight is visible.
Water splashes across your face, and you feel a brief reprieve from your normal thoughts as you taste the salt of the sea. Was this your life?

Atop the poop deck. The captain calls. Full speed ahead. We set sail Luskan.
Red robed figure catches your eye, he smiley, one eye-patch draped across his skeletal face.

  • Syrgaul: "So, we meet again. Yes, It is I, Syrgaul. Or an echo, perhaps. My essence still roams the see after you murdered me. After all, we all end up at the sea after we die."
  • Syrgaul: "You have finally joined us, to claim your heritage as I had attempted? A pity that you arrive in pieces, weak and pathetic. My death was far more final than yours."
  • Syrgaul: "Your soul is tainted by the Mindgorger, fool, and it is that part which rules over this realm. You are tethered here likee a helpless calf, dragged into the shadowfell after him. Neither of you is truly alive, or truly dead."
  • Syrgaul: "But I can set you free. Join me on my ship. Fight alongside me as we retake the sword coast, under the guidance of the dark lord." (Orcus) - 2 points

  • Syrgaul: "Or, do as you always do, and give in to your anger. I am happy to fight you once more. You might not be as lucky." (Death 2 points, win 1 point – soul lingers).

  • Wraith Syrgaul: "Ah, yes. Stoke that infernal wrath of yours. I feel the anger within you, boiling like a pit of sulfur in the crevices of your heart"

  • WS: "You feel it do you not? The taint that surrounds your soul like a serpent, squeezing it, spreading its venom? That taint, that wrath, exists within all barbarians.. But few know how to use it.

You have become the Slayer, have you not? The rage at the sea. The blackest expression of murder.. I see it behind your eyes. Summon your wrath for me... if you can.

WHY: You are the one who brought me here. Your power over this place summoned forth my essence once again. And why do you think you have done that?

I can teach you to use your wratch. You can conntrol the taint, direct it, summon it at will. You can become the Slayer at will and become the weapon of murder that you were meant to be.

Summon wrath! Summon wrath and becmoe it! Because if you cannot, then you are not worth your desiny. It should have been I! It should have been I! Attak me worm. If you dare!!
THEN YOU WERE NEVER WORTHY OF THEE DARK LORDS BLOOD, AN

Snake Temple/Iz/Mordai sacrifice path (blood pool)#

Room with a pale white light illuminating this cavern. A shadowy snake like humanoid guards the path along with one spectral jackal.

Aztlus: So we meet again Iz'tlu. How fitting that our reunion should be in this... place of light.
No place for you to hide anymore. A place where you can finally embrace your destiny.

Paxos: Funny that we should meet in this place Mordai.
It is I. Or an echo, perhaps. My essence remains here after.. Well, best you not know.
Your destiny is more entwined in this than you know.

Pull you into a corridor. Eyes all along the walls staring at you, Iz.

Aztlus: You have seen so much Iz, but you do not yet know anything. After all this time, did you forget what you were looking for?

Next room. Xial.

Aztlus: You know that you have failed, right? You will not be able to find him in this place.

Paxos steps through the mirage of Xial.

GODLY: Your power need not go to waste. (echoing voice)

Aztlus: Relinquish your soul, and your work will be carried out. He will be found.
Aztlus: But it cannot be you. Only your work can be passed on. Enter Xial.

Temple/Hjarka sacrifice path#

Red temple. Eyes emanating from the walls. Soul Eater perched atop a corpse.

Mirror version of yourself pops out.
"What, I'm not real. I can't go away if you keep thinking of me?"

"He got what he deserved, didn't he?"
"One who is such a slave to their own impulses that they cannot even control their own magic."
"His soul is in there you know."
"You hold the key to letting him out."

(I cannot answer that).
My condition prevents me from answering that.

The key is within your hands.
Iz will take a serious hit if Hanir is damaged.

Abyss/Pendle sacrifice path (aboleth path)#

Anjanu stands before you. You have been most helpful. My client Koth M'gog was most rewarding for information about your addicted friend. Unfortunately, he was not as kind to him. He cannot leave this place you know.

He is being consumed here. But you can save him. You can release help release his spirit here. Kill the aboleth, and release all of his slaves on the material plane as undead.

GW/Pride/Spire sacrifice path (spire)#

A goliath stands before you.
It's a long time since we've seen you. You don't remember do you.

Well, it's a good thing you have come to me, child of Kavaki. Only you hold the power to vanquish the terrible creature that hold your father's tears..
I have heard of your prowess, child... most impressive, for a mortal life. Creature of great power thrown aside as if they were nothing! Beings any other mortal would quake before, you have fought against valiantly.
You are a wonder of destruction, child of Kavaki. Go then, defeat the creature that rests above. Crush it beneath your maul and claim another victory.
What is it?
It is a powerful creature, child of Kavaki. One that only you can destroy! I am confident in your ability to deal death to such a creature as this and take the amulet that is yours.
But WHAT?
It is a creature that deserves death, child of Kavaki. You are such a wonderous fighter, I simply thought that you could defeat it where others failed.
WHY?
Because.. Because it exists. It stands in your way.

REFUSE:
Then perhaps you consider carefully the place that your terrible power will focus upon? Consider the reason behind every blow?
I see that despite your great deeds, you have no pride in you, child of Kavaki. So be it. Humility serves well those who wield it well.

On refusal; the dracolich is a dragon. Medrungos. It tells GWs backstory. Mother dead. Father Kavathok sick, taking care of 5 year old. But father consumed by flayers and GW killed it, repressed everything, ran away. Became a champion with a maul instead. Blacksmithing around for money. Crushing things at fairs.
Reveal: he is a child of Kavaki. There is a tribe of goatherders up north. He has a brother.

On acceptance; dracolich swoops down from the black skies as a sharp blue lightling bolt reveals it amidts sharp wind. Metal fence around the circular spire. 2 minor pillars at the top, one spire further up where the dracolich can hide. If he for some reason starts to wipe, he will just eat GW and fly away.

Clairfy: father's tears ; light of kavaki.

Story#

They can sacrifice Iz + Zed to get the blue stone, and use the puzzle to get back to the material plane.

Sacrificial altar#

Black, feather clad humanoid appears, slowly glides down towards the surface. Pale, but smooth skin but head covered in black thick feathers. You recognise the face from earlier.
"Nera." (past name)
"You 5 want Selune's wishes? They are not free. Show me you are willing to sacrifice. Two of you, step into the light, your essences will instantly be absorbed. But the key will be yours."

Inscriptions on the back: expects a legendary creature.

Sacrifices#

Weapon of great power
One of the weapons of white plume Blackrazor/Wave/Whelm

Sacrifice#

Capture the soul of a party member in a cage.

Boss challenge: Either#

  • Daurgorthoth at peak of tower. (loose a blue dragon ally at peak).
  • Aboleth, but release an army of an undead upon neverwinter.

Not taking the cloak bravery made from the flesh of fine nymphs?

To get wishes; stone unlocking wishes need 5 lights unlocked
People sacrificing gets 2 lights.
=> To save ONE member, they need to sack a weapon + kill 2x bosses.

Bails/EBAs:#

They can only reach the spire, atop of which there's an adult blue dracolich? Daurgorthoth .
Sorrowsworn enemies?
Echoes of the players? TODO: how?
Anjanu / Iz? Anjanu greater rakshasha. Greets you. Weird handshake PER20. Lore Rel 20.
Anjanu thanks you for your service. WHY THO. They can probably kill the 'leth?
And if they kill the 'leth then wtf.

Iz last wishes?

Way out#

Hollow door. Magic energy. Inscribed in LANGUAGE: Door of Shadows.
Needs "Shadowmaker."
Enemies? Zombie ambush?