Becoming Epic

The four heroes have traveled the Realms, traversed lethal canyons, delved in insidious dungeons, slain numerous evil foes, ticked off several very powerful creatures, were enslaved by Vampires, been sent through time, and always came out on top.

Their journey has left them scarred but prepared for worse, has beaten them down but also raised them, has forced them down roads less-traveled and granted them passage to a exalted areas.

Their latest endeavor has gained them acceptance by Giants up North, and infamacy by the Chromatic Dragons.

They returned to Hillsfar (after an 8-day stay in Sigil), near their home-base.
What they found was a city ravaged by winds and beaten by coastal waves.
They didn't even have time to reflect on how or by whom Prynneous Darkrose was put into stasis, as they all heard the voice thunder across the city.

Taking out a few evil Elementals, recognized by them to be servants of Elemental princes, on their way to the pier, each thought the same;
What now, Why must Evil follow us in our wake..

Coop was the first to arrive at their boat, and made contact with the being that devastated the country.
Kathoon, the angry squirrel, has lost her master to Shadow Assassins and followed their trail here to exact revenge.

The Awakened creature was presuaded by the companions not to take out the city, but let them help her in locating the ones responsible as well as find out what exactly happened at her Master's base.

In between, Shadow had already scouted the Shadar Pool some 40 miles out in open sea. Once again utilizing his new-found Shade powers.

And after informing Maalthiir, First Lord of Hillsfar, of their encounter as well as hearing about recent disappearances, the four set out with Kathoon to open sea.
In the conversation during the trip, much was revealed;

Apparantly the squirrel, actually a Cachelot Whale, was only Awakened after her master's death a tenday earlier (when the Seeds fell).
Immediately Kathoon gained much of her powers, such as Weather Control and Elemental Mastery. She was able to sense the three intruders and followed their extra-planar travel to Hillsfar.
Unfamiliar with human-communities, she assumed all to be in league and thus responsible for Tesseril's death.


Together they arrived at the underwater grove, and Kathoon bade them to venture in carefully.
Their first encounter was with a colossal Kraken imbued with a few enhancing dweomers, flanking the beast Nihlus and Xander beat it down.

Then Kathoon guided them through the Phase Door and several Force Walls into the anteroom and to the main Area.
Taking out a Mithral Golem, the heroes found the spirit of Tesseril overthrown with otherwordly fury.
It ravaged the rooms with Infernal fire, Negative energies and Tempest winds.
Slowly understanding the spirits pain, Xander finally Cured the spirit instead of trying to defeat it.
Soothed, the spirit calmed and stopped its attack, allowing Shadow to absorb the Seed that held it here.

Triumphant Nihlus, Coop, Shadow and Xander eyed the four portals.
Each a black disk encircled by a band of purple.
Recognizing the symbol of his new Deity, Shadow stepped through the Portal of Shar.
The others followed and upon re-entering Hillsfar in the docks, they not only saw Aaron flee, but felt different.

All their travels, all their hardship and all of their trials culminated in stepping through that portal.
Its effect was what led the Assassins there, its impact on a mortal was the true treasure Tesseril and his fathers before him guarded.

Inside their bodies and their minds a transformation was set in motion.
They felt stronger, more nimble and tougher at the same time.
They thought clearly, looked and talked more distinguished.
And with it came a rush of experience.
The culmination of Tesserils knowledge exploded within their minds and opened up new possibilities in each of them.

They've become Epic...