Dragons of Autumn Twilight
"-the crystals hovered around in a cloud of a million pinpoints of shimmering light. A powerful wind blew in from the south, catching those who were entwined with the time traveling magic and lifting them high into the air. For a single moment they were surrounded by a starry void. Around them the three -three- moons swirled, orbiting the huge blue orb that was Krynn.  Each caught glimpses of something different, some during the distant past (or was it near future?) and others during their lifetime. Karri, for example, had visions of her brethren working diligently away in Mount Nevermind..."

"Return To The Future....." (#8583) by raistilin_magere

    They had been through a lot together.  From the depths of Neraka, to Solamnia...even back to ancient Istar.
However, despite all they had seen so far, what yet awaited them was easily beyond that.

    As the crystal exploded into thousands of tiny shards, and the time travel magic took effect, Vale was expecting to find himself once more in peaceful Ingerson Keep.  Unfortunately, he found himself and several of his companions collapsed in a dark alleyway with dead bodies scattered about.  There was only one explanation...the magic had malfunctioned.  But where were they?  None knew.

    As two women came around the corner, a tense scene quickly developed.  It was only when Shanna joined them that the party had returned to their friends.  They had traveled five years too far!  With curiousity and questions running high, they entered a nearby inn known as the Purple Weasle, and ordered some early morning meals to calm down.

    Meanwhile, Ajax and Vale decided to leave the establishment (they had already had breakfast) and explore a bit of the city.  Terra (a friend of theirs who joined them when the visited the Istarian Thieves' Guild) came along as well, though she took a different route and decided to go her own way.

    After about a half-hour of walking they arrived in the inner city, where the Great Library, Palace, and many other important buildings were located.  The two of them quickly found themselves on a deserted street leading to a grove of dark trees, which Ajax knew surrounded the cursed Tower of High Sorcery.  It was at this moment that they were cornered by thugs, and faced with the ogre's choice.  They could die quickly at the hands of the thugs, or die slowly at the hands of the grove.

    Ajax chose the grove.

    In a mad dash, the half-kender and half-elf fled down the abandoned street towards certain doom, and actually managed to get within a step of entrance.  Unfortunately, Vale felt the dark undead and panicked, turning back to dash towards the thugs.  As Vale grappled with one of them, Ajax invoked a spell to blast a small hole into the building to his left.  He stepped inside, followed closely by Vale and then by Osborne, who showed up at just the right moment.

    After releasing another spellblast to insure that none followed, the three of them fled out the front door, the half-kender in the lead.  Unfortunately, their attackers were awaiting them, and a hail of crossbow bolts were loosed as the door flung open.  With several bleeding wounds, Vale choked out the name "White Lily", and the rogues ceased their attack.  After a strict interrogation, they agreed to take him to the guild, which was now under the control of the dying Taran.

    Meanwhile, Onyx had come to the conclusion that eating human food was unfulfilling and that she needed something better.  After some words with Maeve and Tempest, she strolled out the front door into the darkened streets of Palanthas.  Deciding to try her luck, either at the docks or in the forests outside of Palanthas, Onyx took her leave and went off to find herself some food.  While she was away, Tempest spoke briefly with Maeve about how they had gotten messed up with Questor. Maeve, affronted by the fact that Günter took off after flirting with her, hurled a mug at him and
narrowly missed the man. Gunter succeeded in breaking the top stairs on his way up to find Sirvat, who Damon had followed upstairs not long before.

    Damon had already met up with Sirvat and had grabbed her, telling her in no uncertain terms that she had something he wanted, though what that something is is a mystery right now. Sirvat claimed she didn't have it. Günter, overhearing the argument, bashed his way into the room, where Damon tried to make it seem as though nothing was amiss.

    Onyx meanwhile had found a butcher shop with two deer hanging in the back. Realizing she needed to pay for food, she broke into a jeweller's
and took as many gems as she could carry. She paid for the deer with a couple of them and gulped them down, then realizing it was a great way
to make a hoard, found a bag and returned to the jewellers. She returned though to find that in the short time she was gone other people had come and taken stuff. One man was in there when she arrived and he attacked her, managing to stab her in the shoulder with a dagger. Onyx, angry that he'd do such a thing, grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into a nearby wall, accidentally killing him. Onyx, thinking he was just unconscious, filled her bag with what few items were still left in the shop. She then returned to the butchers, filled up the rest of the bag with meat so she wouldn't go hungry, and started to make her way through the streets. She was met by an oddly familiar man, hidden in a cape, who told her the man in the store was dead and that she should dispose of the body. The man knew a lot, including what she was, the dream she had caused back in the past, her friends and where they were staying... stuff that set Onyx slightly on edge.

    After a short talk with Taran, Vale, Osborne, and Ajax were led back to the surface and guided to the front door of the Purple Weasel.  Once inside, Osborne vanished off to his room, Ajax left to find Onyx, and Vale sat down to talk to Maeve.  After a short discussion, he too decided that he would go after the black dragon, just to insure that she was okay.  Unfortunately, he was badly wounded and fainted before ever managing to set foot in the street.

    It was after Maeve awoke the half-kender from his unconscious state that he spoke of the strange dream he had experience.  Vale was in the common room of a very comfortable inn, though it was full of tense and suspicious folk.  In one corner sat a group that could only be travelers, judging from their arms and armor.  After a short while, an altercation broke out in which a drunken man fell into the roaring inn fire.  A kender, wielding a staff adorned with feathers, swung his weapon and knocked the burning man off his feet.  In the instant the staff connected, all of the wounds healed and the flames vanished.

    With Maeve massaging his temples, Vale carefully tried to remember more of the dream.  Instead, he came to the realization that he had been to the place before, as one of the dream-travelers had spoken the name "Solace".  The half-kender recalled a most marvelous tavern and inn there, as he had passed through shortly before arriving at Castle Silverhelm.  Considering that Taran had bade them to leave Palanthas, Solace did not seem to be too much out the question.  In any case, it would be an interesting adventure, as it would take them through Solamnia and across New Sea, until they arrived in central Abanisinia.

    It was at this point that Onyx burst into the room, with Ajax quick on her heels.  The tale of the stolen jewelry was revealed to the dismay of the party, followed and accentuated by the arrival of Terra proclaiming that the city guard had somehow been alerted and were out in force.  Acting quickly, the party gathered their things and managed to flee the city.

RPG Time
Current Year:  351 AC
Current Month:  October, Hiddumont (Ergoth), Leaf Gild (Plainsman), Gildember (Solamnic), Cold-Steel (Dwarven), Autumn Twilight (Elven), Leafplay (Kender), Betrayal (Goblin), Hiddukel (Godtime)
Current Day:  Saturday the 12th
Current Time:  0430 Hours
Current Moon Phase:
Solinari:  Low Sanction
Lunitari:  High Sanction
Nuitari:  High Sanction
During this time period, all white robe wizards gain a -1 penalty to all saving throws, and a -1 effective level towards determining spell effects, due to the fact that Solinari is in low sanction.  All red and black robed wizards gain a +2 bonus to all saving throws, three additional spell slots, and a +2 effective level towards determining spell effects.