Best of Both Worlds, 20191101

This Best of Both Worlds (BBW) "world-traveling campaign" was run on 1 November 2019. While BBW actually overlapped and included parts of many other campaigns; only those with events on Edyleine are listed here. Note that by design the game sessions do not show the distinction between PCs and NPCs.
==Game Master==
*Miley Spears
== Main Characters ==
* Audrea Daleos: magic user of Trynser City
* Chiara Herkenhoff: adventurer from Dagelschmükt
* "Draotameia" (original name Edyth Grey): hermana de Surrea/former slave of Aborea
* "Juan de Fulmando" (original name Juan Silvio-Vagle): guard/alchemist/former slave of Aborea
* Kilian Bornemann: adventurer from Bortania
* Sir Juan Montero: knight of Orden de Oldonia
* María del Carmen Benítez: priestess of Leathania/Ladatinia
* "Matías Rosario" (original name Matthias Burkhart): squire of Sir Juan of Orden de Oldonia/former slave of Aborea)
* Haifa Hahn: priestess of Samorojia
* "Williams Freedman" (original name Chadwick Williams): armorer/former slave of Aborea
* "Virgilio Guerra" (original name Virgil Augustas): scout/former slave of Aborea
* Yesenia Silvio-Vagle: alchemist and sister of Juan Silvio-Vagle
== Events ==
=== 1742 ===
Flowering 41 (Middleday)/March 28, Year 43 of Justin VII (Monday) (continued): Audrea Daleos (magic user of Trynser City), "Draotameia" (original name Edyth Grey, hermana de Surrea/former slave of Aborea), "Juan de Fulmando" (original name Juan Silvio-Vagle, guard/alchemist/former slave of Aborea), Sir Juan Montero (knight of Orden de Oldonia), María del Carmen Benítez (priestess of Leathania/Ladatinia), "Matías Rosario" (original name Matthias Burkhart, squire of Sir Juan of Orden de Oldonia/former slave of Aborea), "Williams Freedman" (original name Chadwick Williams, armorer/former slave of Aborea), "Virgilio Guerra" (original name Virgil Augustas, scout/former slave of Aborea), and Haifa Hahn (priestess of Samorojia) headed for the Labryinth of Prince Lucretius Valarius.
Upon arrival, the group had expected to be challenged, and were prepared to present credentials to receive authorization to enter. However, no one was guarding the area, so none was necessary. They saw a couple of blue-skinned humanoids about the height of dwarves but thin like elves, but they seemed to be trying to avoid everything.
Right in front of the entrance, however, they found carnage. There were a couple of dead orcs. There was the body of a female who appeared to be human but was faceless. There were other parts of things they couldn't identify. Sir Juan said they might be heading for things for which they were not fully prepared to deal; Williams Freedman quickly agreed, and retreated.
Priestess Haifa said she had a scroll with which she could prepare a place to which they could return with help from others. She said that at least one person who had gone through a "jumping gate" had to go through the centuries long closed gate in the labyrinth, but others could go through with them and return--if all went well. She showed the others a small brown oblong device that had an elongated groove in the center, wider at the middle than at the ends. She said, "when the person with this device goes through the gate, all they have to do is say, "Close the Gate!" and it will close. Then she would use the scroll to open a gate for them the return, hopefully. They then entered the labyrinth (after retrieving Williams Freedman), using two lanterns for light.
It looked to be a typical if large dungeon at first. They then heard an odd sound, sort of a buzzing sound. Juan de Fulmando said it sounded similar to the bees he and others had encountered recently in Millisymph. The group soon learned his assessment was accurate. They were attacked by a "swarm" of bees that fortunately actually had relatively few individuals, too few to be considered a true swarm. But unfortunately, the bees were about 100 times normal sized, about a meter long.
Juan de Fulmando hit one critically, slicing it in half. Sir Juan got badly stung through an opening in his armor. Matías also got stung, although not as badly. The bees flew off. Juan de Fulmando and María treated the injured as best they could, although Sir Juan had limited use of his sword hand, and said, "I'm useless to you right now; we need more forces. I suggest we all go back." He and his squire Matías decided to return to get help. The rest, in spite of the knight's advice, continued on. They soon saw what looked like a giant bee hive, only made out of some type of paper. It was largely destroyed, and it appeared the bees had scattered.
They soon faced a strange creature with the face of a bearded man, the body of a lion, and a scorpion’s tail. They soon discovered it could fire spines from its tail. (They verified later it was called a manticore).
Fortunately, Draotameia got in a good attack on it and Audrea hit it with lightning; it decided to avoid the party, and none of the party was significantly injured. They continued on. 
They then saw humanoid beings with rotting flesh wearing strips of clothing with bones sticking out; zombies. The zombies seemed to attack mindlessly. Williams unfortunately was bit. After the undead were dead, Juan treated Williams' wound. Juan said there was something there he could not treat, and Williams became quite worried. He wanted to return, but did not want to go back by himself. María decided to go back with him.
The group that remained were Audrea, Draotameia, Haifa, Juan de Fulmando, and Virgilio. They debated whether they should continue or retreat until they could get reinforcements. Juan de Fulmando said it appeared that Sir Juan was right even when they had more people; they could use more help. The others, though, seemed to want to continue on, when a body suddenly went flying directly at Draotameia, who barely dodged. Audrea, who was behind Draotameia, did not, and got hit with a flying body.
The body belonged to Kilian Bornemann who was alive and, for being thrown through the air, relatively uninjured. He said he was an explorer who had come from Bortania, and was with another explorer named Chiara Herkenhoff who had come from Dagelschmükt. He said he agreed the labyrinth was too dangerous, but could the others please help rescue Chiara first? The group quickly agreed.
Kilian said he had been hurled by a giant four-legged saber toothed creature, a little taller than the average man, that looked like a rodent and had a boney, leathery tail that seemed to be hinged. The group went to investigate.
They found the furry creature, and on its shoulders was a woman. Kilian translated for the beast-sitting Chiara, and told the group that she said, "The only place that seems to be safe is sitting on the front of its back. That's why I'm here. Cannot somebody get me off of this thing?" The group approached, cautiously. 
Unfortunately, Draotameia wasn't cautious enough, and got hit by the creature's tail; she went flying through the air. Virgilio went to check on her.
Haifa said if the others distracted the creature and if Chiara didn't resist, she might be able to teleport Chiara away to safety. The group agreed to try. Juan de Fulmando prayed for a very irritating smoke, which was granted; it began rising from the ground very near the creature. Audrea cast some minor lightning as a distraction, and the others helped as well. The smoke affected the creature, and it did virtually nothing while Haifa did extremely well in teleporting Chiara away from the creature and the rising smoke.
Virgilio returned with Draotameia, who was extremely mad. The group decided that they had asked for and had gotten reinforcements, so continued on. (The bees were later identified as either a giant form of the Lharasian rice paper bee or a variation, and the large carnivorous rodent-like creature with the swatting tail was identified as a hinge-tailed bingbuffer).
They had no encounters for a while; except for seeing several dead creatures and people, which was not at all encouraging. 
They then saw an average sized short haired man wearing a long sleeved shirt, vest, pants and sandals, all in shades of brown. He said he was relieved to see them, and had important information for them. They listened.
The man, who did not say his name, said, "You are about to enter the realm of the great, the powerful, the legendary demonic red dragon Thiazolin." He then quickly faded away. They continued on, cautiously. The dark labyrinth began to glow a deep red, a glow that grew greater as they continued. The cool dungeon also seemed to get increasingly warmer.
Finally, they reached an area where the red glow was great enough they did not need their lanterns, and where the temperature felt quite warm, almost hot. They saw an area in front of them where there seemed to be some sort of a veil, beyond which flames burned with black, almost featureless faces appearing here and there in the red flames. They then saw some of the faces seemed to have bodies with a humanoid form, only some had tails, some had wings, and some had both.
Near the group and in front of the veil was a very young girl with light skin and long blonde hair with bangs. She looked very innocent, but there was something eerie about her. She asked them if they came to play with her. Draotameia said "No," but Audrea said, "Yes." She told Audrea, "I'll play with you then. Come on it and play with me." The girl put out her hand toward Audrea.
Haifa whispered to the others, "This is the Gate. At least one person who went through a jumping gate must enter, or we cannot...do what we came to do." The only ones they were sure had come through such a gate were Audrea, Juan de Fulmando, and Virgilio. Virgilio said he would go, then Audrea said she would too. Juan said, "No, we need to first learn if it is ready so we can return." Haifa whispered, "I have prepared a way; but I cannot absolutely guarantee it. This (she looked to her hand) will close the gate. But someone must stay with me." In her hand she held the small oblong device that had an elongated groove in the center, wider at the middle than at the ends. Kilian said, "I will stay."
Audrea took the young girl's hand. The girl looked at the others and said, "All hold hands," and held out her other hand. Virgilio held Audrea's other hand, and Chiara held Juan's other hand. But Draotameia refused, saying, "I'm not holding hands with an Aborean demon!" 
The girl, Audrea, Chiara, Juan, and Virgilio went through the veil. Those on the other side saw it start to become less transparent, then opaque. Then they could see through it again, but now they saw a forest. Haifa said, "No, it shouldn't be happening this way. It's not a single gate, it's a series! It has to be closed!" Suddenly Draotameia grabbed the item from Haifa's hand, and jumped through the veil into the forest. Only things started to change. The trees were still there, but some of them began moving their twigs and branches and limbs, and with them started grabbing. One of them grabbed Draotameia. She said, "Close the Gate!" and the scene vanished.
Quickly, Haifa read the scroll. She did not know if it would bring the others through or not. But they appeared, still holding hands. There was Audrea, Chiara, Juan, Virgilio--and the very young girl who said her name was Amma. The group believed she was not a demon, but weren't certain she was really a very young girl either. Juan said that, now that the gate had been closed allowing him to claim his family, he was changing his name back to the original Juan Silvio-Vagle. 
The group asked Haifa what happened to Draotameia, and she said she did not know. But she and and Kilian told them what they had seen and heard. The long closed gate that had opened a few days before stayed closed. She knew of no way to bring Draotameia back without opening the ancient gate, and doubted even then that Draotameia could return.
The group returned through the Labryinth of Prince Lucretius Valarius. Juan collected some of the paper hive and honey from the giant bees they had seen. The group dealt with no worse than some wild animals before they left the labyrinth. They were not treated as heroes, though, and except for Haifa who returned to her temple, paid to stay in an inn. During the night, Chirara noticed that the very young girl Amma was gone. When she went to get Kilian to translate for her so she could report it to the others, she found he was gone. She tried communicating to the others, and they discovered Audrea was also missing.
Highly concerned, Chiara stayed behind with a note written by the others for Audrea and Kilian, and Juan and Virgilio set out looking for Audrea, Kilian, and Amma. While they were gone, Audrea and Kilian showed up. Juan and Virgilio returned, and were not satisfied with the story that Audrea and Kilian had "gotten lost." Amma did not return. (Best of Both Worlds 2019 11 01)
Category:Best of Both Worlds
Category:Demon Gate