Journeys in Space and Time (COT3-1b)

• Session begins on 13 Nightal 1382, a bit less than a year since the Covenant fully assembled.

Entering the Portal

After battling the gate guardians, the party considers the gate itself. It appears to be some sort of fusion of Imaskari artifice and Weave magic, the former used to cross vast distance, the latter to travel backward in time.

Before they can activate it, they are confronted by Lucia, The Prophetess, who created the portal as a means of hiding the Daughter of Darkness where none could ever find her. She explains her plan and motivation: to bring about the end of magic on Toril to save it from a never-ending cycle of civilizations rising and falling due to power-mad mages. She explains that she has seen things that prove to her that magic is "a mistake", a condition on Toril preventing civilization from ever truly righting its wrongs and advancing to the next stage.

While arguments that good will prevail failed to convince her, a persuasive argument from Talrendis gives her pause for thought: what if the modern world, with its peculiar mix of magic and technology, is the true path forward? After all, it bears little resemblance to the failed empires of Netheril, Imaskar, Jhaamdath, or Coramshan, all of which relied on a single pillar of power, both magic and technology equally corrupting to the men in power. While not shaken from her belief, she was persuaded to at least explore the possibility. Thus, she allowed them access through the portal.

Strange Shores

Passing through the portal, the party finds themselves in a vast, empty chamber, seemingly built to house the matching portal, and evidently deep underground, in a very cold location. They soon notice they are bereft of magic of any kind, though Kara's technology and psionics function normally.

They explore the installation, finding it to be (in terms we would understand) a disused research facility, perhaps military in nature, still powered by a slowly-fading nuclear reactor. Outside is only a vast sea of blowing snow, with harsh winds whipping terribly cold air; without their magic, the party cannot possibly survive in that environment.

They find a computer console, and though they are unable to understand the language, their activity alerts someone who makes contact with them. A man, who speaks fluent Mulhorandi, inquires as to their identity and purpose, and sends an aircraft to pick them up.

19 hours later, the aircraft arrives, and they board. It ferries them to a nearby landmass, thankfully much warmer, and there they transfer to a different vessel, a commercial airliner. On the comfortable business jet, they have time to catch up.

The man's name is Nerick S. Chaucer, an old friend and adventuring companion of Lucia. He was, in fact, born on Toril, but has since migrated, along with other acquaintances of hers, to this planet, known as Earth. As it turns out, some years ago, Lucia sent the child through the portal, asking her friends to look after her. They knew this day would come, but they didn't know exactly what would happen next.

Thus, the plane flies toward Los Angeles, where they will meet the Daughter of Darkness, and her adoptive parents.

For defeating a ridiculous number of winter wights:

• 21,000 epic xp (new total: 45,000 epic xp each, level 23)
• Party is owed 2,922 gp, including the previous debt of 190 gp. This will be settled up in a future treasure haul.