The Gate

Session Goals:

Players are put to the test by the Maestro Mortician, forcing them to enter each others' minds before getting to Bethany - players are hurt themselves when a monster they are fighting is damaged.

## Beginning

Song: All this.

Description: You each see, hear and smell memories from your past, flashing by, and with gaps in between, as if you are a book in the hands of an impatient student, who is skimming the pages for answers before a test.

You hear a voice and this face flashes in your mind: "I know you. You do not know me, but you soon will. I am the beginning and the end. I am the anacrusis and the encore. The first cry, and the final breath. During life, I was the premiere composer. I commanded armies through the power of music. They called me maestro. But I knew that every symphony must come to an end. I resisted this idea. I began experimenting on the bodies of the dead. And for a time, I did it in secret. I hid this, even from my greatest confidant. My love. Persephone. She left me, just as I had found success. A way to continue on, even beyond the veil of death. The next night, they came for me. Here in my home, just as you have come for poor Bethany. But by then it was done. They found nothing. And I was free to return in the next form. And thanks to this wonderful, talented girl, I will make my way off this wretched plane of existence, through the gate to a new state of being. And there, you will be my servants. Ohhh yes, even now, you stand but feet away from her. What you see, hear and smell is in my control. You are frozen within your own minds, without agency. This is the gift I bestow upon you. Eternal life with me, the Maestro Mortician.

## Letter

Maestro,

Your girl has brought us all that we have requested. We stand impressed, and will hold up our end of the bargain. These are the symbols you seek. We will disable our gate connection for an hour next Sunday the 19th so that you may dial from any gate of your choosing in Betara. As we are blocking any incoming our outgoing connection using our gate for the forseeable future, know that this will be a one way trip for you.

Durok

## Puzzle Rooms

### Blackfinger: Darkness/light door puzzle

Mechanics: The players must use a light cannon to create a shadow using a useless door at the center of the first room. Around the room are statues of famous individuals, each with a skeleton's face matching Steve's. The door does nothing as the players interact with it. Around the corner are a skeleton ambush with a cannon of light that give the players disadvantage on attacks and perception checks.

Description: You enter a dark tunnel. It leads into a room with a wooden door set into a thin stone archway. The shapes of books and bookshelves are carved into the perimeter walls. Above, statues are carved into the walls. You see a stoic figure in simple robes holding an orb, and armored swordsman surrounded by flames, a tiefling riding a horse on fire and a pseudodragon on his shoulder, and a scientist sitting in a chair with a strange hat, holding a lantern. Each has a skeletal face identical to Steve.

Info for History checks on statues:

DC 10 or lower: You feel like you recognize these people, but can't put your finger on it. But each has Steve's skeletal face.

DC 13 or higher: You recognize a couple: Davros the 7th, previous ruler of Davrosia in his signature plain, un-noble-like robes. Another is the bard Garamond - the great bard of the College of Swords.

DC 16 or higher: You recognize all the statues. Davros the 7th, previous ruler of Davrosia in his signature plain, un-noble-like robes. Another is the bard Garamond - the great bard of the College of Swords, and expert airship pilot. Iados, the foolish warlock tiefling, on his nightmare steed and his trusty pseudodragon Kayman. You know him to be a worshipper of Cthulhu in his time, not knowing of his evil nature. He helped summon the great old one which resulted in his demise.

### Drog Gar: Cooking challenge

Music: Bossa Bossa

Zach's character appears here from a portal in the ceiling, after having used a spell to find a way to the rubied rutebega.

Mechanics: Players must play and roll as if in battle, to cook a great meal: Dough Brew Stew. One unit of any food can be made per turn at the appropriate station. Onions are not at the vegetable table and must be found outside and then cleaned. A bielburt attacks players outside getting onions. A flame elemental will jump from the oven and steal the bowl. Dough balls need a DC 17 Dex check to create. The players must make Dex saves when passing through squares of other players that would normally trigger attack of opportunity if they were enemies.

Recipe: 4 units of chopped meat, 4 dough balls, 2 chopped celery, 4 chopped onions, the best herbs, 2 chopped potatoes, 2 units of water.

Description: You are in a messy, but well stocked kitchen. Most of you see this as any old kitchen, but it's extravagant from Drog Gar's experience. A dormant oven sits in the corner. Bowls of raw dough sit on a table to the left. In the room to the right, a meat chopping table has various meats prepared, and on the other side of the room a vegetable table is set up. The rooms are very cramped. You hear the breathing of a large creature all around you. It sounds familiar to Drog Gar.

### Uri: Cannibals trying to eat players

Mechanics: Nazi Zombies. Players must last 6 turns in a house as cannibals attempt to enter through the windows.

Description: You are in a house. A house that Uri recognizes. But not hers. Make an Int check.

### Teyla: Chess puzzle

Mechanics: The players must make their way to the opposing King's area and place him in check. By stepping on a tile, the players glow a corresponding color and gain the powers of a chess piece. With each step they take, a platform appears around them. Only platforms that they can move to are solid. They take acid damage if they fall. Each time a player moves into check position, the color glows on the King's spot.

Description: You enter a large chamber with long rows of steps leading downward to a pit. You can feel the stench of acid burning your nostrils. The dark liquid before you is clearly acidic, and you feel slightly dizzy. Make a constitution save.

DC 12 Con save or 1d4 damage and get a headache

### Paige's character:Ice Escape

Mechanics: Players must slide on ice and are unable to stop once they begin moving. The first two rooms only Paige may move. The third room all players join. If a snowman is hit, he will insult the players with a pun and do 1d6 damage.

Description: Ice surrounds you at all sides: the floor, the ceiling and the walls each reflect you, just you, and not your companions. They have disappeared. Your arms freeze to your sides, and it seems any tools you may have been carrying have disappeared.

Snowman puns:

"Looks like I gave you the cold shoulder"

"It's always snow much fun to meet new people!"

"There's snow way out!"

"I don't carrot all!"

"Ohhh, icy what you did there. Goodbye."

### Zach's character:

Joins in Drog Gar's vision, after having opened a portal looking for the rubied rutebega.