Nightmare before Moradukr (Hazera)
From Toosigma
| Title | Nightmare before Moradukr |
|---|---|
| Author | Brandon Horn - Hazera |
| Campaign | Shattered Prisons |
| Session | Intersession - pre Malidin's Homecoming |
| Posted | April 6, 2007 |
| Game Date |
You find yourself, as you do every night, on the barren wasteland of cracked earth and powdered bone. The wind whistles mournfully in your ears, and you can feel the tears welling as you face the inescapable terrors to come.
The leering face of Baron ir'Harkone looms from the sky – impossibly large with the light of lascivious glee glinting in his piggishly beady eyes. You flee from the gigantic monster, but no matter how fast you run he manages to keep pace – until your lungs burn with fiery exertion, and you stumble and fall amidst the skulls littering the ground. He reaches down and tears your simple shift, leaving it in tatters. You hear your scream of outrage and defiance, almost amazed at the magnitude of sound coming from your ragged throat. Your fingers run red with blood as you scramble to escape, screaming for your father to save you, as he did that first night, and every night since.
But instead of the bolt of dark energy, a wave of silvery white light washes over you, and the Baron recoils as though burned. You can see his burning flesh melting off his corpulent form, forming sizzling puddles of putrescence. He flees in terror, and you turn to see Dominic, striding out of the darkness, the full radiance of daylight behind him. Every step he takes turns the world of death and decay to new life – grass and trees spring up from the dessicated ground, the sun smiles its warmth upon you. He wraps a warm silvery cloak, limned with flames, around your bare shoulders and holds you close, stroking your hair comfortingly. You embrace him tightly, afraid to let him go, burying your face in his chest.
He gently pulls a stray lock of hair from your face. You glance up, smiling, but instead of Dominic, you see Marius, smiling back at you warmly. You feel Malidin's strong hand upon your shoulder, supporting you, while Ayanna and Brit look on smiling, and Trina clings tightly to one leg. Dominic stands at the edge of the small clearing, overlooking the radiant and beautiful landscape. Marius and Malidin move to stand with the others, while Trina clasps your hand tightly as you walk over to Dominic. He takes your face in his hands and kisses you tenderly, you can feel the warmth pouring into your soul. Lost in the passion and pleasure, you suddenly notice that his lips have turned cold and hard – snapping your eyes open you see that his face has become withered and rotting, the beautiful world returned to the barren plain of bone dust. Tearing yourself away, you run back to your friends, but their bodies are all twisted in the throes of agonizing death.
Terrified, you turn back to Dominic, but in his place is Father Natale, withered and gaunt, rotting flesh hanging loosely from his frame. Behind him stretches a yawning abyss of utter darkness, radiating a palpable cold like some twisted mockery of fire. He stretches out his hand, imploringly:
“Help me...” he moans piteously, his eyes glistening with tears. You feel your body, out of your control, take a single inexorable step towards him, then another, and another. With every step, his eyes grow harder, angrier – as though he blamed you for his state. Reaching deep down, you summon the very last reserves of your strength, stopping your suicidal advance. Clenching your eyes shut, blocking out the screams of your friends and family, you manage a single step backward, away from the black maw of disaster.
“Do not be afraid...” an all-too-familiar voice whispers, and you look down to see Trina still holding your hand – her finger adorned with a single black gem. Her eyes begin to glow with the familiar burning blue flame and you feel yourself drawn into the black diamond. A shock of utter cold – a sensation you haven't felt in the weeks since your first “death” – elicits a scream of agony, a scream that joins the rising unholy chorus of screams from your friends.
You awake, screaming in the darkness, body and bedclothes drenched in sweat. You see Trina kneeling next to your bed, terror in her eyes. Marius and Ayanna both appear in the doorway to your cabin, followed by a sleepy-looking Malidin. Ayanna quickly moves to scoop up Trina and carry her away, and Marius moves close to comfort you, being careful not to touch your exposed flesh.
You manage to allay their fears, and everyone returns to their cabins. The dawn is still several hours away, so you pull the covers back over you, and settle in to attempt to salvage some measure of sleep. Just before you drift off you realize that Trina was holding your hand when you woke – her bare skin touching yours...
