PaxLair, Cheseapeake (PaxLair Times) – August 6, 1998 – by Winfield — A moongate opened near the fountain and a young woman stumbled out, deadly wounded. She reached the fountain and collapsed. After she died, a second moongate opend at the exact same spot, releasing The Lady M.. She looked around, then noticed the body of the young woman and starts to scream for help: “Oh no! My sweetheart, my daugther…wake up. Please help me, oh mighty wizards…help my child…although i am merely her step-mother, i love her from the bottom of my heart!” Nobody is able to resurrect the spirit, and with time, it vanishes near the fountain. Some time later, the ghost of the poor maiden appeared inside the fountain! It seems that her soul was trapped by the vile powers of the corrupted well. And thus she spoke:”…i am lost… the Evil that is has doomed my soul… i cannot resist the power… you must hear me… hear my warnings… the Evil that is has spawned the Evil that will be… the earth shakes… only the new way can save you… wait for the shrines to call… i am but one of many… doomed souls… the new Temple will restore us… it will restore all…” *fades*
The gathered people wanted to try to resurrect her anyways, so they were asked to seek out Lady Winmere. After some research, the party found her waiting in Shame. After the party reached him, she went with them to PaxLair and inspected the Shade in the fountain: “Hmmmm….this soul is lost beyond our reach. A powerful, evil spell has ripped her from her body, keeping her from rejoining it. The fountain is just a substitute, drawing her back into our world.” “Can you res her?”-” I am not sure, the bond is too powerful…who or what could weave such spells? Well, we will need very strong reagents, and i doubt we can do anything without divine intervention. Hmmmm. Ah, yes, maybe the waters from the fountain can be purified. Take these pitchers to each shrine in Despise and enchant it with the words:”In Uus Vas Ort!” three times. And bring me what i listed in this book. Then return it here. *shakes head* I still doubt it will work..”
The party traveled into the depth of the dungeon Despise, fighting it’s way through the poisonous vermin there. Upon reaching each shrine, they invoked its powers upon the waters. The shrines were guarded by hordes of monsters: Lich Lords and demons! But the party was victorious, performing the last rite against all odds.
With the enhanced power of the water, the wise woman started a ceremony to invoke the Shade. As she started to resurrect her, she was struck by a bolt of lightning, and the Shade spoke:”Ahhhh, the pain! Stop it! The time is not right… the second column has too much power yet. You need to break the spell… wait for the shrines to call… wait for the next conjunction… only the Temple will free me… and he may free you too…”
So, after all the trouble the party went through, it was all in vain, as the powers of evil were to strong to overcome. But, alas, there seems to be hope, as the shade too spoke of the Temple, that might resolve all problems, and the shrines calling again.