Chapter 1: Coins for everyone

The incense smoke rises into Siva's nose. His body jerks left then right and slow rises off the ground. His eyes have rolled back into his head. He address everyone and no one. A gift of wings to the champion to claim the reward. Choose thy challenge and prove thy worth.

Daniel
Daniel looks surprised to be addressed directly, "Ah y-yes, um..." he stutters, "I-It's nice to m-meet you, m'lady," he says, giving a bow as he was taught by the caravan master he serves.

Joshua
"One key, but four locks?" he muses, "Must be some kind of puzzle... Anyone have any ideas?"

Abogard just shrugs, "I durn't know what this is..."

Thagr stands near the back, arms folded, waiting for the others to puzzle through this latest mystery.

At the Lily Pond
The snake lady blushes. Soooo sweet. She then looks around to find Lavender and see him head into the temple. What!? You speak words of beauty then run?! Aaargh She screams. She then turns her eyes back to Daniel. YOU WON"T LEAVE ME! she begins to curl her snake like body around Daniel.

At the temple
Narder and Flaudette peak through the temple window. They see Lavender run inside. It is a large open room filled with light and incense. Three large pigs are standing on their hind legs. They hold leather bound books in their forehooves. They are standing away from the door and windows facing an inner chamber. Golden light streams from the inner chamber making it impossible to see inside. There are two more rooms to either side of this entrance chamber. Embroidered curtains act as doors to each of the side chambers.



Past the smoke monkey
Stearvall's stone flies true hitting the emerald demon on the head. The creature looks up, almost comically, then falls flat on its face. The jade dagger lands heavily on the ground and breaks in two. The other two green demons look at Stearvall and hiss. At the Tower
Siva's body shudders once more then flops to the ground. Smoke pours from his lips and nose and dissipates into the air. His eyes roll back to the forward position. He coughs and has a bit of a headache.

Daniel
Daniel feels a cold sweat break out across his face, but he smiles and shakes his head, "Now why would I leave such a beautiful lady alone?" he asks.GrogJohsua
Seeing that Lillian appears to have the puzzle figured out, Joshua walks back by the steps and peers up to see if anyone else is approaching.

Stearvall turns to Mr. Pretzel, "Do that again good man," He holds up his knife to meet the rush of the demon, "Keep clear, but keep up the stones I have not seen my death this day, but I might be wrong"


Siva coughs loudly, shakes his head and reaches up for the key and moves to put it in the slot under the triangle and turn it. "I do not believe there is time to teary"

Narder gives his new friend a wink, then slips quietly into the window moving to peer behind the curtain on the right.

At the Lily Pond
The snake lady furrows her brow but does not constrict any harder Hmmm. She then dives deep into the water pulling Daniel with her. At the temple
Lavender walks forward. The large pigs make way for him. They smile porcine smiles at him. The language of the song is familiar. It is the language of the spirits and gods. A language for celestial beings. As his eyes adjust to the blinding light he sees a world of blue sky and fluffly white clouds and a floating mountain. The floating mountain is moving slowly toward the door of the temple. Flying around the mountain are pigs with large wings.

Narder and Flaudette peak behind the curtain. A large pig with an apron and 6 piglets with small aprons are preparing what looks to be a bountiful feast. Cakes and biscuits. Roast pig and pheasant. Fruits of all kind. A large human is roasting around the spit as are two halflings. The large pig holds up a carving knife and snorts. Three of the piglets squeal in reply then begin running to Narder and Flaudette. Come HELP us prepare the feast!

Past the smoke monkey
Mr Pretzel's stone flies misses this time bouncing off the wall behind the creatures as they run forward. One demon runs to Mr. Pretzel, opens his mouth showing his gleaming emerald teeth, and blows a noxious green gas into his face. The other demon does the same with Stearvall. At the Tower
The key enters the key hole.

Joshua looks up and sees nobody.

You all hear a satisfying "click" sound. Then silence. A moment that feels like an eternity. The world before each of you changes. You feel yourselves being pulled apart. Stretch then pop! There is another you. Then an infinite yous.

You think you may have seen something like this before. At a carnival in a room with two looking glasses... but this... Surrounding you is black nothing swirling like black ink in a basin. Small lights, flickering in the inky firmament, float around languidly on the inchoate.

Above you (or maybe below? or to the side?) you see a large brick pyramid. A single eye, green in color but wreathed in purple flames, floats within the pyramid. In a loud booming whisper you hear The thunder bird and the thunder snake are one. Cursed to be together in an eternal war. Peace can only come when they are separated. Then the eye blinks.

You then feel yourselves walking around yourselves. Walking in (or out?) of a broken mirror of shattered ego. The you that is thinking this right now is standing still. The darkness is no longer. You are standing back in the room you were in before. But now there is another you. But the other you has a face painted half white and half black. You look menacingly at you.

Abogard and Thagr initiative