# The Wind Riders: Tales from the Infinite Staircase (Updated September 13)



## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 20, 2008)

Prelude

It is a troubled time for the Seven Kingdoms. For six months, the Wind Riders have heard rumors that a rolling storm of chaos-stuff is traveling toward the Seven Kingdoms. At the center of this storm is the Shard of Sharn, a powerful artifact of chaos, not seen for a millennium. According to the myth, the Shard itself is not evil, but "where chaos goes, evil follows."

The adventurers have been traveling through the statocracy of Kordash toward the dwarven mountain kingdom of Thorbardin. The dwarven cleric Thantar hopes, once they reach the mountains, to strike a blow against the orcs occupying his ancestral hall, Thorbaldar. "And," says Thantar, "no blasted chaos-stuff is going to reach us inside a dwarf-delve." After a short detour to visit Sir Reynard's father, the Wind Riders have resumed traveling toward the mountains. 

But when the adventurers reach the low foothills, they see that the chaos-storm has arrived. Dense thunderclouds, lit from the inside by green and purple flashes of light and accompanied by occasional deep thunder, roll across the sky to the north. Even at a distance, Geldar, Ka'hari and Kindrid feel subtle perturbations starting to disrupt their magic. The Wind Riders spur their mounts forward, trying to reach shelter in the hills.

After half an hour of hard riding, the storm clouds are nearly on them, and a light rain begins. This close, the adventurers see that the flashes of green and purple light are spread from near the ground up into the clouds. Each flash starts as a point of fire that explodes outwardly in a flat circle to form a ring of green or purple flame, and then vanishes. 

The adventurers are still riding when a flash expands into a horizontal ring of green fire about one-hundred feet away. Out from the ring drop ten 4-foot tall humanoid creatures. Each creature has wrinkled and mottled gray skin, fangs and jagged red nails. Geldar the Azure Mage is the first to react. Instantly analyzing and sifting probabilities with his genius-level mental calculations, he quickly deduces the optimal response. When the smoke from Geldar's fireball clears, all ten of the creatures are nothing more than burned-out husks. 

"Hmm. Do we know they were evil?" asks Ka'hari.

"When gray-skinned creatures with fangs and claws drop out of an interdimensional portal, what are the chances they are good?" replies Geldar. "Besides, I'm fairly sure these are the same sort of creatures that we fought in the Tower of Enlightenment. They are called manes, and they are from the Abyss."

Satisfied with Geldar's quick solution, the Wind Riders try to live up to their name, and ride faster while the flashes of green and purple light come more frequently. After about fifteen minutes, another flash of green light and a load roar bursts directly above them. Out of the ring of green fire drops a four-armed insectoid creature with a bright red exoskeleton, white claws and white mandibles. The creature falls twenty feet onto the ground, apparently stunned. 

But before any of the party can react, a blinding flash of purple light explodes around them.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 20, 2008)

DM notes

Nearly a year ago my group completed an adventure based on Tales from the Infinite Staircase by Monte Cook. I am finally getting around to posting a story hour recounting that adventure.

This probably would be considered an unusual campaign, because in real life this single adventure took place over about ten or twelve sessions spread over _seven years_. Why did the campaign take seven years? Basically, about once per year a group of ten high school and college friends, including some who have to fly in, all try to get together to socialize and game. Most of us have DMed at one time or another, but I volunteered (I think) as DM for the first of these annual gatherings. Anyway, the first session of this adventure occurred in the summer of 2001. Since I was reading some story hours at the time, and I knew that it would probably be a full year before the group got together again, and because nobody would remember what happened a year ago, I figured a story summary would be a good ideal. At first I wrote the summaries myself.  But later after I realized how much work it was, I got some of the players to volunteer to do the basic write up, which I would edit.

The Wind Riders is the name of the PC's adventuring group, due to the catch phrase "We ride like the wind!" from an early game with these PCs. I had DMed other Wind Riders adventures back in 2nd edition. After the release of 3e, I thought about ways to convert. I liked Tales from the Infinite Staircase, and wanted to try running a very open-ended non-linear adventure.  Also a transition to a planar adventure looked like a good way to explain any discrepencies from the conversion to 3e. So the first session actually started in 2e, but switched to 3e fairly quickly. And due to the length of the campaign, we eventually converted to 3.5 as well.

The PCs were probably 5th level single class or 4th/4th multiclass in second edition at the time this adventure starts, so I think everyone was coverted over to third edition at 5th level. 

The members of the Wind Riders are (in 3e terms):

Geldar the Azure Mage, human wizard
Jaaron Hillstrider, dwarven fighter/scout
Ka'hari Al Gizaldi, half-elf wizard/rogue (later wilder/rogue)
Kindred Moonsong, elf fighter/sorcerer/arcane archer
Sir Reynard Hardicarnute Quinctius, human paladin
Needles Nimblefingers, halfing thief, er, rogue
Rodney, human monk
Bei Butterfield, human monk
Thantar, dwarven cleric (later retired)
Max, half-orc heavily multiclassed (replacement character for Thantar's player)

My plan is to intersperse some DM notes with the story, commenting on changes to the module and the like.

-RedShirt


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 23, 2008)

*Not in Kansas any more*

A blinding flash of purple light explodes around the Wind Riders. Suddenly, the party is falling in darkness and rain. After a short drop, the adventurers, their horses, and the insectoid creature land on solid rock. Standing up from their fallen mounts and bringing out continual light spikes, the adventurers see that they stand on a rocky outcropping thrust out from a steep slope.

The insectoid creature approaches Reynard, chattering at him. Reynard sees that the red creature wears a leather harness and holds two short swords in its two lower hands and a double-bladed halberd in its two upper hands. "Er, we can't speak your language ..." is all Reynard has time to say before the insect creature decides that it has found the source of its troubles. The creature slashes out with its halberd, cutting a deep wound in Reynard's thigh.

The party responds quickly. Geldar and Ka'hari fire magic missiles at the creature. Ka'hari's missiles dissipate as they contact the creature, but Geldar penetrates the creature's spell resistance. As Reynard slashes the thing, Thantar and Kindrid charge forward. Thantar's hammer bounces off the creature's exoskeleton, but Kindrid's blade digs into the creature's leg joint. The creature decides it has had enough, and retreats into the darkness and rain. The Wind Riders decide not to follow.

Several of their mounts have been incapacitated by the fall, so Geldar and Thantar heal both the horses and the injured party members. The party takes shelter under a cliff face and waits for the storm to abate. After several hours the rain stops and the darkness lifts. In a dim light that penetrates the gray clouds above, the party sees a mountainous terrain formed of black basalt. They are standing about halfway up a ridge, approximately 700 feet above and a half-mile away from a fast-moving river. On the far side of the river is another ridge of similar height. Large black flies buzz around them, and strange-looking gray tubular plants grow out of the cracks in the rock.

Kindrid slowly climbs up the slope for a full view. Standing at the ridgeline, he sees that the opposite side of the ridge also drops down to a river. Past the river is another ridge of black stone. Activating his wings of flying, Kindrid takes to the air. What the elf sees is initially discouraging: nothing but more black stone in every direction.

However, down in the river valley he spots several large black-skinned four-legged creatures, apparently grazing on plants by the riverside. The creatures are vaguely horse-shaped, but where the head should be, each creature has a long tapering tentacle that ends in a small sucker-mouth. In addition, near the "horses" is a large perfectly circular pit. 

His curiosity taking over, Kindrid flies low, hoping to get a good view of whatever is in the pit. He finds out sooner than he hoped! As Kindrid passes over the pit, nearly a dozen black rubbery tentacles burst out, grabbing the elf and pulling him inexorably down.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 25, 2008)

Rereading my own comment above, I see some irony in starting a "open-ended non-linear adventure" by throwing the PCs through an interdimensional portal with no saving throw. But I think I had told the players it was going to be a planar adventure, and our group is usally pretty good about "this is what the DM has prepared, so let's run with it". 

In terms of changes, the module stated this plane not have any daytime at all. I figured that would be more frustrating than interesting, and there were plenty of other features to provide an alien environment, and dropped that.

Eventually, I'll get around to posting about the very large scale changes I made to expand the module.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 25, 2008)

*The Dark Dweller*

After being dragged into the pit, Kindrid is pulled through a series of narrow tunnels at amazing speeds. In a matter of seconds, the tentacles drop him on solid ground. A dim red light emanates from a mass of black tentacles hanging from the ceiling 30 feet above, illuminating a cavern about 50 feet in diameter. The cave is warm and humid, with a fetid stench and watery gurgling sounds.

A vast presence brushes against Kindrid's mind. "Moon. Song. Kindrid," says a flat, alien voice in his head. Kindrid feels like something is slithering in the back of his brain. 

"Kindridmoonsongotherbeingsreferencebythisappellation." Pause. "Kindrid Moonsong. Others beings reference by this appellation."

"Yes, I'm Kindrid Moonsong. What are you? What do you want?"

"Kindrid Moonsong constitutes foreign matter," says the flat voice. "Danger from foreign matter exists. Kindrid Moonsong, explain presence."

"Er, we didn't ask to come here. My friends and I were caught in a random interplanar portal and got dropped here. Who are you?"

"Understood. Other beings reference this being by appellation Dark Dweller. Kindrid Moonsong constitutes foreign matter. Foreign matter contains contaminants. Certain contaminants create danger to this space. This being removes contaminants. Kindrid Moonsong and ... friends ... will submit to scouring." Kindrid senses that the last statement is a question.

"Why not just send us home? We don't want to stay." 

"Not within capabilities. Capabilities of this being concern scouring. Even temporary exposure of this space to contaminants can create danger. This being performs scouring to remove contaminants. Process not harmful."  Pause.  "In return, this being assists departure of Kindrid Moonsong and friends from this space."

"May I consult with my friends?"

After a second, the mental voice replies "Affirmative. Understand intent of Kindrid Moonsong not destructive. Return quickly. Contaminants also create danger to foreign matter." 

The tentacles descend from the ceiling and grasp Kindred tightly. Once again, Kindred is carried through a series of narrow tunnels at amazing speeds, but this time the elf is deposited adjacent the pit. Kindrid returns to the rest of the Wind Riders and explains what has happened. The party debates accepting help from the Dark Dweller, but soon concludes they have little choice. 

It takes several hours for the party to make its way down the black rock slopes. No sunset is visible, but the light starts to fade. Thantar heals the wounds of the adventurers, and the group sets camp for the night at the bottom of the river valley.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 28, 2008)

*Slaiyiths and Lizardfolk*

The next day, the Wind Riders gather around the pit. The tentacles grab the party members and their mounts one by one, and carry them into the central cavern. There the Dark Dweller explains in its alien cadence that visitors contain "contaminants" that pose a danger to this plane, and the Dark Dweller exists to purge these contaminants by a process it called the "scouring". It assures them that the scouring is not harmful. 

Not trusting the creature, but not seeing other options, the party agrees to undergo the scouring in return for assistance. A flash of great heat cuts through the humidity. The adventures feel refreshed yet subtly different. They can't pinpoint the source of the later feeling, which quickly fades. <1>

"Scouring complete," announces the Dark Dweller. "Kindrid Moonsong and friends deposited near Slaiyith encampment. Proceed in direction opposed to current flow to triangle rock, then proceed uphill. Slaiyiths provide assistance."

Less than a minutes later, the Wind Riders are deposited in a different river valley. The adventurers trek for an hour, leading their horses on the dark brown dirt of the river valley until the see a large triangular rock. They then turn uphill, and after fifteen minutes they reach a crest and gaze down into a small valley. In the center of the valley, next to a small stream, stands a stone obelisk inscribed with runes. 

Seven bizarre creatures congregate around the obelisk. Each has a mottled black bulbous body from which extend several pseudopods. Some of the pseudopods end in maws filled with chitinous teeth; other pseudopods end in red-rimmed eyeballs. 

The party approaches the Slaiyiths, their hands raised and empty to show their peaceful intent. Several of the Slaiyiths approach, making wheezing and watery noises. Geldar quickly casts tongues. 

"Hairy bipeds! Who are you and what are your intentions? What can you tell us of the grublings?" the Slaiyiths are asking.

Geldar introduces the Wind Riders, and explains how they have been stranded on this plane and directed to the Slaiyiths by the Dark Dweller. One of the Slaiyith is not surprised. It explains that strange green and purple lights have been flashing in the sky these past two months. Twelve days ago, nearly a dozen scaly green-skinned bipedal creatures fell from the sky. When the Slaiyiths could not communicate, the creatures became angry, and stole the grublings. If the adventures retrieve the grublings, the Slaiyiths will activate the powers of the obelisk to open an interdimensional portal. Before his spell expires, Geldar is able to ask enough questions to determine that the creatures have set a walled encampment on the far side of the ridge.

The Wind Riders march up the to the top of the ridgeline, then follow a slight trail down the other side into a region of large tubular plants. Needles scouts ahead. When the adventurers have reach nearly reached the riverside, Needles reports back. He has spotted a lizardman fort or encampment ahead. Apparently, the lizardmen have constructed a palisade from the tubular plants. The palisade cuts off a small spit of land that projects into the river. Inside the palisade are several flimsy buildings, and a cage containing five small squirmy tentacled creatures.

Based on Needle's report, the Wind Riders launch their attack on the fort. Taken completely by surprise, the lizardmen are no match for the adventurers. Geldar casts invisibility on Needles and Ka'hari, who then strike down the gate guards. Rodney rushes to the cage and defends the grublings. More lizardmen are disabled by a stinking cloud, and others are dispatched with sword or hammer. Finally, their shaman leader emerges to fight Thantar and Reynard, but he is quickly slain.

The lizardmen defeated, Ka'hari and Rodney load the grublings onto a makeshift sled, which they pull back to the Slaiyiths. As they travel, the grublings gnaw on their own eyestalks and spit up black puss. 

"I used to think most babies were cute," remarks Ka'hari, "but these creatures have cured me of that idea." 

When the adventurers reach the obelisk, the Slaiyiths rush out, waving their tentacles about. Geldar's tongues spell has ended, but clearly the creatures are excited. The party watches the Slaiyiths gently place four of the grublings into mossy nests. But the party also sees a Slaiyith squish one of the grublings into a black goo and then suction it up with an appendage. <2> Unable to communicate or ask questions, the adventures retreat from the obelisk, set camp, and rest.

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<1> This is the point at which I asked the players to switch to the 3rd edition versions of their characters.

<2> So, are the grublings children or food? The Slaiyith biology is so alien that the grublings could be both.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 31, 2008)

*Onto the Infinite Staircase*

The next morning, Geldar recasts tongues. The Slaiyith leader explains, "Many buddings ago, biped creatures visited us from the obelisk. They taught us a ritual to open a portal to a place they called the Stairwell. Once you pass through the portal, you must choose right, left, up, right, left, down, left, right, up." Geldar repeats the directions. 

"Got it," says Thantar, "let's get moving!" 

The Slaiyiths begin a multitonal droning, which rises and falls in intensity. Soon, a bright crease appears on the obelisk, which widens into the shimmering curtain of light. The adventurers (and their mounts) step through.

The Wind Riders find themselves standing on a stone platform about forty feet square. The platform is seemingly suspended in midair in a grayish haze. Behind them is a door formed of an unknown bone-white material inscribed with weird, disturbing runes in a plain bone-white frame. Directly ahead of them, a stone stair rises upward into the air, apparently unsupported. To their left, another stone stair heads downward. Far in the distance, partially obscured by haze, Ka'hari can see more walkways and stairs suspended in midair. 

After some debate, the party selects the stairwell heading up. They climb for about forty-five minutes, with the stairs turning first one direction, then another. The adventurers then reach a wooden platform about twenty feet square. Another wooden stairwell leads down to the right. At the left edge of the wood platform is an iron-bound wood door in a wooden doorframe. Ka'hari searches and listens at the door, but finds nothing. She tries to open the door, but it will not budge, so the adventurers continue down the stairs to the right. After about another hour, they reach a silvery metal platform. A metallic blue door is on the left side of the platform, whereas a metal walkway leads straight ahead. Looking out across empty space to the right, about three hundred feet away they see a vertical stone platform set with a stone door that appears to jut out horizontally. The party proceeds along the metal walkway for about twenty minutes, and reaches another metal platform. Here, one metal stair leads up to the right, a stone stair leads down straight ahead, and a copper door with black scorch marks at the corners stands to the left. After more debate the party climbs down the stairs to the left.

The adventurers continue climbing, seeing stairs of every possible composition. There are stairs of metal, stone, wood, and bone. Some stairs are ornately carved, but others are plain. About every thirty to forty-five minutes they reach a platform. Most of the platforms have one door, but a few have two or more doors, and a few platforms have no doors. The doors are similarly varied, and none will open. About every three or four platforms, there is a choice between two or three different stairs. The party becomes argumentative, as there is no sign of whether or not they are following the directions correctly. After about another five hours, the party settles to rest.

The Wind Riders spend the first half of the next day climbing stairs. They pass through an area where small blue mushrooms grow on the sides of the stairs, then through an area where the stairs wind around huge stone columns. Around mid-day, after passing about nine platforms, they reach ladder. The party sets camp.

After resting, Geldar casts reduce on the horses, and the party carries their mounts up the ladder. They continue climbing up and down the stairs, entering a region where translucent bubbles float through the air, then a region where the haze is particularly dense, and then a region where lightning bugs crawl on the sides of the stairs. 

Near the end of the day, after passing another eighteen platforms, the adventurers see a bulky 7-foot tall creature with gray hide and bat-ears heading down the stairs toward them. The party backs up, retreating to a nearby platform. The creature passes them without speaking. Reynard concentrates on the creature, but his stomach jumps and bile rises to his throat. This creature is the strongest evil he has ever detected! The creature looks back at the adventurers and sneers, and then stomps down the next stairway. The adventurers climb for another half-hour, then camp on a wooden platform. 

Again, the Wind Riders spend most of the next day climbing stairs. They pass through a region with small waterfalls pouring past the platforms, then an area with an orange lichen growing on the stairs. Some time in mid-afternoon, the party reaches the point that think their directions are leading them. They climb to several platforms, but none of the doors will open, and there is no sign of anything "unusual" here (beyond the bizarre environment itself).  Discouraged and angry, the adventurers set to arguing again.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Jul 31, 2008)

The players got frustrated here - even as travelling they weren't sure they had recorded the directions correctly, they weren't sure they were interpreting the directions correctly, and there was no sign of whether they were following the directions correctly.  And once they got to the "destination", there was nothing to do.

The background here that the players didn't know was that the directions were correct but useless at this point.  The "bidped creatures" left directions from the Slaiyith world to their home world.  These humanoids also assumed that those entering the Staircase would have the analyze portal spell or something similar in order to determine how to open the doorways.   But at this point, the players didn't have the analyze portal spell or even know about portal keys.  Eventually they would have to meet another traveller on the Staircase who would be willing to help them.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 4, 2008)

*The Planewalker's Guild*

It is early evening when they meet their next encounter, a human-looking male with hair of living flame. Fortunately, he speaks draconic and is willing to talk. He introduces himself as Winthrys, and states that he is a fire genasi from the City of Brass on the Elemental Plane of Fire. 

Geldar expresses an interest in visiting, and Winthrys looks speculatively at the wizard. "Indeed, there are many secrets concerning the forces of magical fire in my home. I am certain suitable arrangements could be made once we arrive. You would learn much. Certainly you would learn something unexpected." 

Reynard senses something sinister in Winthrys's comment, but Geldar blithely continues negotiating.  However, Winthrys explains that he does not wish to be delayed in returning; he expects the Wind Riders to leave their horses behind in order to make better time climbing the staircase. The adventurers, not trusting the fire genasi, and unwilling to split the party or abandon their mounts to starve, decide to decline Winthrys's invitation.

The Wind Riders are packing camp the next morning when they spot another group of adventurers approaching up the stairs.

"Hail and well met," shouts Reynard. "Hail and well met," they reply. Wary introductions are made. The group includes a male human in full plate with a greatsword named Gerindos, a female half-elf in a chain shirt named Ferley, a female human in full plate and carrying the symbol of Fortuna named Kilder, and a male gnome in leather armor named Namros. Reynard does not detect any evil auras about them. The group won't say where they are going, but only that they are "on a job". 

While Reynard explains how the Wind Riders got onto these stairs, Needles overhears Namros mutter "clueless primes". 

Gerindos explains that the Wind Riders are on "The Infinite Staircase", a transitive plane that connects to many other planes of existence. Gerindos notes the party has actually come a fair distance, from what he terms the depths of the Infinite Staircase. He gives the party clear directions to a place called the Planewalker's Guild, where many like-minded planar adventurers congregate. Perhaps there the Wind Riders can find information to lead them home. Gerindos says that it is normally about a three hour climb, although with their mounts it probably will take two or three times as long. 

After nearly eight hours of climbing and passing fourteen platforms, the Wind Riders begin to hear noises of humanoid voices and humanoid activity in the distance. They climb another half-hour and pass one more platform, and now look down onto the Planewalker's Guild through the haze. On a particularly large platform, probably a quarter-mile on a side, there is a jumble of buildings, tents and other structures. Some of buildings are even constructed on the adjacent broad stairwells. 

The Wind Riders eagerly climb downward, arriving at an open metal gate set onto the stairway. Guards ask their business, and direct the group to a squat tower, which is the Planewalker's Guild headquarters.

As the Wind Riders walk through the small town constructed on the platform, they note that the merchants are selling an unusual variety of goods. "Get your aquatic animals here! Live lobsters, crabs and crayfish! You need a giant trout, I can arrange it!" shouts one merchant. "Vampire dust, desiccated ghoul tongue! Sir, can I interest you in burnt ectoplasm?" asks another merchant.

In the squat tower, the Wind Riders meet the leaders of the Planewalker’s Guild, Hav’run Thain, a short minotaur with sharpened horns, and Vagis, a winged avian humanoid. 

Hav’run notes that about one-thousand people live on this landing, and that everyone is welcome to stay so long as they cause no violence and can contribute to the community. When asked about membership at the Planewalker’s Guild, Hav’run explains that membership is a mere 100 gold pieces, although it has relatively few benefits. In brief, members of the guild will share contacts and information on navigating the Infinite Staircase, such as location of particular doorways or known dangers on the Stairwell. For example, if the party plans to visit a world without gravity, Hav’run could send them to a trainer who specializes in low-gravity tactics.

Geldar explains that the party has become stranded, and is seeking to return to their home. Hav’run asks for identifying information, such as the names of the largest nations or cities, the strength of magic on the world, and the like. After Geldar answers, Hav’run glances at Vagis, and the avian silently shakes his head, "no". Hav’run looks glum, but says he will make some inquiries, and Vagis will review several texts. Hav’run directs the adventurers to the Inn of the Sleepy Siren, where the party stables its mounts and enjoys their first sleep in beds in two weeks.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 8, 2008)

*The lillendi*

The next morning, the adventurers return to Hav’run Thain and join the Planewalker’s Guild. Hav’run expresses his regrets, but he and Vagis have not found any information to locate the Seven Kingdoms. However, he can offer some advice. The Wind Riders should travel to Argentil, the Temple of the Moon, on Arcadia<1>, and speak with the lillendi. The lillendi are the “sponsors” of the Infinite Staircase, and will assist lost planar travelers. Hav’run provides directions to a nearby portal to the Temple of the Moon, and explains that they will need to cast a light spell on the door to open it.

Several of the Wind Riders decide to stay at the Guild to train or scribe scrolls, but Kindrid, Ka’hari and Reynard set out. They climb for half an hour. At the second platform, Kindrid and Ka’hari find an opalescent door set in frame of deep blue marble. Ka’hari casts light, and door opens. Beyond is a pristine white sand beach lit by moonlight. Gentle waves roll rhythmically up onto the sand, then fall back into the dark sea. Above the beach are gentle rolling hills covered in verdant grass. In the distance, the adventurers see a tall opalescent spire. 

The three adventurers step through the portal and stand on the beach. Although the setting is tranquil, Kindrid and Reynard begin to experience a tickling sensation that is slightly distracting. Ka'hari, however, feels invigorated and refreshed. 

The three adventurers set off across the hills toward the spire. On their way, they meet several glowing female humanoids composed of moonlight and flame. One walks forward. In a shimmering voice, she introduces herself as Melanthe. She will escort the three adventurers to Argentil.

Melanthe leads Kindrid, Ka’hari and Reynard through dim but peaceful woods and glades for half an hour. Then, ahead of them, they see a huge, smooth building that flows upwardly into a two-thousand foot tall spire. The whole of the building glistens like polished silver and glows with a pale light. Melanthe leads the adventurers past a sixty-foot tall golem formed of a silvery metal, and into an eighty-foot tall entry hallway directly at the foot of the spire. Melanthe gestures to a small side passage, and turns away. Kindrid watches her graceful form depart, thinking Arcadia isn't such a bad place to visit.

The adventurers walk into the passage, which immediately opens into a small chamber, perhaps forty feet square. The room is well decorated with artwork; paintings hang on the walls, and several pieces of sculpture stand about the room. Near the center of the room is a female creature coiled by an easel. She has the upper body of a human woman, a lower torso of a multicolored serpent about fifteen feet long, and feathered wings of green and gold. She is unclothed, although artfully draped jewelry protects her modesty. 

“Greetings Kindrid, Ka’hari, Reynard. May the moon light your path. My name is Telemarentala,” she says in a voice like clear bells, as she continues to paint. 

Greetings are exchanged, and Telemarentala explains that she is one of the lillendi, the protectors and patrons of the Infinite Staircase. Ka’hari requests her help in returning to their home, and explains how they became stranded. 

“Ah,” says the lillendi, “we can assist you, but as is so often the case, we require a service, although hopefully a service that you would desire to perform. As I have said, we lillendi are the protectors of the Infinite Staircase. The Staircase connects to many places, although it focuses on places where creativity and artistic expression is strong. Very recently, we have felt a tremor, a taint. Certain areas, once strong with creativity, now grow dull and bland. The suddenness of this change is a cause for concern. We need someone to investigate, and determine what is occurring and if any remedy can be performed. You are capable and intelligent. Bring us useful information, and we will find a path to your home.” 

“Of course, once we have this information, we will probably have to stop our painting and sculpture in order to enact the remedy.” She stops painting in mid-brushstroke, and her voice falls lower. “And if some being is responsible, we will have to don our armor and weaponry. We will have to depart our peaceful Argentil,” she says, her face stern and her voice now harsh, “and we will have to track down this villain and exact retribution!” After a moment, her features relax, and she resumes painting. “So if you were able to find a way to resolve this malady without our intervention, you would have our gratitude.”

Telemarentala explains that they have performed several divinations, and have identified six doorways that are somehow associated with the disturbance. Of course, each doorway has its own key. The names of doorways and their associated keys (in no particular order) are:

“Swirling Realm”, five discordant notes

“City of Wind”, a live swallow

“Queen’s Domain”, a solid silver rod at least 5 inches long

“Jingling Fortress”, a solid strike with a blunt weapon

“Slopes of Contemplation”, an once of quicksilver

“Silver War”, a memory of the color gray

Telemarentala provides directions to each doorway from the Planewalker’s Guild, but has no other useful information.

Kindrid, Ka’hari, and Reynard exit the Temple of the Moon and return to the stone archway where they arrived. Ka’hari casts light on the archway, and a shimmering portal to the Infinite Staircase appears. They head back to the Planewalker’s Guild, and as they approach the small enclave, Reynard has an epiphany. “I see! That’s what the markets are for. Who knows how many doors there are or what the keys might be, so the vendors are ready to sell nearly anything.” The three adventurers return to the Sleepy Siren and inform the rest of the Wind Riders of what they have learned, and the party discusses their course of action into the night. 

<1> Names of several planes are changed from standard Great Wheel terminology in my campaign. Arcadia would otherwise be Arborea.  The plane that would be Arcadia is called Harmonium.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 10, 2008)

*Jangling Hiter*

The party decides they will first visit the “Jingling Fortress”.  They set out from the Singing Siren, and climb up and down the Stairwell for six hours.  They arrive at a platform of corroded metal plates.  The doorway is formed of heavy metal chains that hang from a frame of rusted iron.  Thantar bashes the doorframe with his warhammer, but nothing happens.  He bashes it again harder, and the chains part.

Through the doorway is a strange passage, composed entirely of chain, which runs in both directions parallel to the doorway.  The floors, ceiling and walls are all formed of a metal mesh, like chain mail.  The Wind Riders move cautiously into the passage.  Once in the passage, all of the adventures feel a sense of weight or oppression.  Ka’hari seems to be afflicted the most strongly, and Rodney the least. 

“Doorways” line both walls.  These doorways are blocks of chain strung together and attached to a barbed pull-chain.  The party hears a low gurgley moaning from one direction.  Kindrid pulls open several of the doors, cutting himself on the barbs.  Beyond each door is an empty ten foot square chamber.  The party heads away from the gurgling, moves around a corner, and finds a wider passage leading to a double-door.

They open the double-door and exit the building. They find that they are in a city apparently built entirely of chain and spattered by oily rain.  The street is a fine chain mesh that crunches beneath their feet, and small pools of oily water accumulate in the depressions left by their footprints.  The buildings are chain sheets or piles of chain links.  The doorways are areas of heavy iron chains that hang vertically from the metal mesh of the building.  Far above them, huge chains stretch horizontally across the sky, apparently strung between unseen supports.  Other large chains hang vertically down from the uppermost level of chains, and the vertical chains support a regular grid of chains perhaps four hundred feet above the “ground”.  Yet more chains hang vertically from this grid, and these chains are secured to the roofs of the mesh buildings.  The air is heavy with the smell of rust, sweat and oil.

The streets and adjacent buildings are deserted.  Geldar casts invisibility and fly on himself, and rises into the air.  From his vantage point above the buildings, he can see several things of interest though the light rain.  The city may be a mile square, and he is in a quadrant he arbitrarily labels “south”.  In the four cardinal directions, huge flags hang from the metal mesh above.  Proceeding clockwise from the south quadrant, the flags show a white circle on a black field, eight outwardly-pointing red arrows on a black field, three silver disks on a brown field, and five silver linked circles on a red field.  Geldar can see few forms flying through the air in the west quadrant, and thinks he sees creatures walking on the streets in the north quadrant.  Unfortunately, in the light rain he cannot make out anything distinct.

The Wind Riders head north.  They walk for perhaps five minutes, when they see an eight-foot tall, emaciated creature walking from the west.  The thing looks like bone-white skin stretched tight around a human skeleton and a scorpion-tail with a stinger that reaches over its skull-like head.  Geldar recognizes it as a bone devil.  The devil spots the adventurers, and approaches them.  

“Hail and well met?” asks Kindrid.  

“Humanoids,” the bone devil replies in a raspy voice, “you do not belong here.  You will accompany me.”  Ka’hari feels a sudden desire to trust the creature, but hardens her will.  

“Where would we accompany you?” asks Kindrid. 

“To the interrogation chambers,” the devil replies.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 13, 2008)

*You allied with those bone devils?*

“Where would we accompany you?” asks Kindrid. 

“To the interrogation chambers,” the devil replies. 

“I vote we don’t do that,” says Ka’hari. 

Thantar now feels a sudden desire to trust this creature, but easily throws off the effect. “Treachery!” he yells, and smacks the bony creature with his hammer. Unfortunately, his blow bounces harmlessly off the creature's dried skin. The creature lashes back with claws and stinger. The stinger pierces Thantar’s left shoulder. He feels the poison start to sap his strength, but he resists its effects. Reynard rushes forward and slashes the creature with his enchanted bastard sword, but Kindrid’s masterwork arrows cannot wound it. Reynard and Thantar feel waves of magical fear wash over them, but with Reynard’s aura, they easily resist. Before Reynard or Thantar have the opportunity to kill the thing, it simply disappears. The adventurers spend a few minutes checking to see if it is merely invisible, but eventually decide that it must have transported away.

The Wind Riders continue to head north. When they have reached what Geldar guesses the center of the city, they spot another creature approaching from the east. The creature, which is humanoid and human-sized, is completely wrapped in chains, although a few patches of dirty flesh are visible though the larger links. 

“What have we here,” the thing remarks in a male voice, “visitors? Perhaps I can be of assistance.” 

“You allied with those bone devils?” asks Thantar.

“Ah, you seek information. What shall be the terms?” 

No one speaks immediately. “You allied with those bone devils or not?” asks Thantar again.

“Well. Perhaps we can begin in the customary manner. I will provide my name, and you will provide your names. Agreed?” Reynard thinks he hears a tone of condescension in the creature’s voice. 

Again, no one takes the lead. Thantar gestures with his hammer. “We aren’t talking with you until you tell us whether you are allied with those bone devils,” he says angrily.

The creature shifts its posture. “Very well. I will tell you this, gratis.” It spits out the last word with clear condescension and scorn. “We are often forced to work together, but we are not allies. We have different agendas. Now, perhaps we can continue. We shall exchange names?”

The party murmurs an unenthusiastic assent. “I am termed Gorizorlar,” the creature says. The rest of the party introduces themselves, until Thantar. “You can call me Dwarf,” Thantar says. 

“That is your race, but not your name,” Gorizorlar responds.

“For you, my name is Dwarf,” says Thantar.

“Convince your friend to give his proper name, or I will consider our negotiations closed.”

The party looks at each other, and several people speak at once to keep Gorizorlar talking, but they won’t gainsay Thantar’s refusal to give his name.

“Very well,” Gorizorlar says, “good luck.” The chain-wrapped creature turns and walks away to the west.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 23, 2008)

My idea here was that due to some ancient compact, if the proper protocols are followed, devils are forced to adhere to (at least the letter of) contract terms.  My further idea was that this protocols required some minor exchange, e.g., names, blood, etc.  There were two reasons for this.  First, I wanted to give my devils an RP twist explaining why contract negotiation is so common (or purportedly common).  Second, I thought that at some point in the adventure the PCs might need to negotiate with devils, and I wanted the players know that the devils would, in fact, abide by the agreement.  But of course, at this point in the adventure they don't know any of that.  

I've forgotten why I had Gorizorlar leave when the party (unknowningly) indicated it did not want a binding abreement; in retrospect he should have starting providing false information.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 23, 2008)

Frustrated that they can't get even simple information, the Wind Riders decide that they have spent enough time in this city of chain. They head south back toward the doorway. After five minutes at a quick trot, they near the spot where they encountered the skeletal creature. Waiting at the intersection are three more of the bone devils. Fortunately, the adventurers are not spotted. 

The Wind Riders detour two blocks to the west, then continue south. The party zig-zags through the abandoned mesh buildings, until they reach an intersection near where they initially arrived. One more bone devil waits at the intersection. Several prepatory spells are quietly cast, including magic weapon on Thantar’s warhammer, and the party rushes the creature. In the ensuing fight, the thing seriously injures Reynard, but is slain before it can teleport away.

The adventurers enter the building, detect evil behind one of the doors with the barbed pull-chain, and open the door. Four small melted blubbery creatures emerge from the cell. The creatures immediately attack the party, but are quickly killed. Needles reports that he hears voices outside, so the adventurers return to the entry door. Thantar bashes the door with his warhammer, the door opens to reveal the Infinite Staircase, and the Wind Riders leave the city of chain. The adventurers climb up and down the stairways for five hours, returning to the Planewalker’s Guild. 

The following day, the Wind Riders decide that they will visit the “Swirling Realm” next. They buy five tuning forks at the market. After climbing the Stairwell for four hours, they arrive at a haphazardly constructed platform with a multihued metal doorway. Five of the adventurers each strike one of the tuning forks, producing a discordant chord. The doorway swings open, and the adventurers step through. 

The Wind Riders find themselves standing on a stone building surrounded by swirling chaos. In front of them are the crenellations of a fortress battlement. About thirty feet beyond the crenellations is a constantly churning kaleidoscope of matter and energy in which pockets of fire, earth, water and air appear and disappear. This chaos-stuff extends above and around the party, perhaps forty feet distant, cutting through the stone building. Behind the party is a twenty foot-tall building with two doorways, one of which the party just emerged from. Looking over the crenellations, the party sees that the building rises about thirty feet from the swirling chaos. In brief, the party seems to be standing on the remnant of a fortress captured in a small spherical bubble set in a sea of chaos.

After gazing around, many of the part begin to feel nauseous and dizzy. Kindrid, Thantar, Reynard and Rodney are all strongly affected, but Ka'hari feels fine.

The adventurers explore the two doorways. One chamber is empty, and is now partially cut off by the edge of the chaos. The other chamber is still intact, and appears to have been a conference room with a wooden table, chairs and credenza. The Wind Riders search the room carefully, and hidden in a secret compartment find a map with inscriptions in an unknown language. 

Geldar casts comprehend languages. He feels his spell nearly veer out of control, but he completes the casting and begins to decipher the map. In the center of the map is a rectangle labeled as the “Spawning Stone”. Dashed lines extend outwardly from the rectangle to several circles, labeled as “Ret’or Outpost”, “Irq’ot Outpost” and the like. The dashed lines include indications of inclination or declination, and other symbols seem to indicate orbital rates, and a key provides directions such as “antispinwardly” and “outwardly.” Unfortunately, there is no indication of how the directions on the map correspond to their current location.

Needles and Ka’hari climb down the tower face and through a window to explore the lower level of the fort. They find several abandoned bedrooms. Beneath a cot they discover a journal, written in the same unknown script. They bring the journal to Geldar, who skims it quickly with comprehend languages. It appears to be the diary of a soldier who was stationed at the outpost. Early passages discuss the fact that the soldier was being assigned to “Irq’ot Outpost”, and mentions that “we traveled through the protomatter for three days to reach the outpost.” A later passage mentions that the writer had been “gazing out the spinward window.” By comparing the location of the window to the key on the map, Geldar is able to determine the relative location of the Spawning Stone. 

The adventurers next approach the swirling chaos stuff. The material is dangerous, alternately burning, freezing or trapping those who try to enter it. However, Geldar finds that by concentrating, he is able to mold the chaos-material and create a benign area with a stone walkway surrounded by air. With Geldar creating a path through the chaos-stuff before them, the Wind Riders set off toward the Spawning Stone.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 29, 2008)

*The Dream Diver*

The adventurers have walked for about three hours, when suddenly they see a large metallic bubble, thirty feet in diameter, approaching them rapidly through the chaos-stuff. The metal sphere halts about thirty feet away, and an iris door slides opens in the bottom of the sphere. As the door opens, the chaos-stuff quickly coagulates to form a stone platform that extends from beneath the iris door to Geldar’s walkway. 

Once the door is open, nine four-foot tall humanoids jump out of the sphere. The creatures have slate-gray skin, black gem-like eyes, and are armed with nets and clubs. They swarm toward the Wind Riders, attempting to entangle the adventurers with the nets and then subdue them with clubs. However, the creatures do little damage, and the adventurers are able to quickly kill several and even the odds. However, during the battle, Geldar and Ka’hari note that their spells are difficult to cast, as if their magic is slippery and unstable. Several times their spells go awry, either failing or appearing in an unintended location.

As it becomes apparent that the battle is going poorly for the gray-skinned creatures, a voice shouts from inside the sphere. “Pitiful weaklings! Must I do everything myself!?”

A hulking nine-foot tall brown-skinned humanoid creature appears from invisibility. The thing has lank black hair, skin as hard as rock, and it sneers as it slashes Kindrid with its huge longsword. A fierce fight ensues, with the creature grievously wounding Thantar, Kindrid and Needles before eventually being slain.

One of the gray-skinned creatures throws down its weapons and pleads for mercy. “Please masters, I am only a lowly shad. I was captured by Rav, that dao that you have slain. I mean you no harm!” 

Thantar thinks back. This particular creature hadn’t actually attacked any of the party, so the dwarf withholds his hammer blow. Under questioning, the creature reveals his name is “Mulk” and he belongs to a race called the shad. He originally lived in a region of the Elemental Plane of Earth called the Great Dismal Delve. However, two months ago he was captured was by the dao, Rav. The dao are earth spirits, much like djinni are air spirits. Rav had a special commission to capture a slaad from the plane of Limbo. They had grabbed the slaad yesterday and chained it inside the spherical craft, which Rav called the “Dream Diver”. Rav was investigating other area for potential future slaving raids, and found the stone pathway created by the Wind Riders. They followed the pathway, eventually reaching the adventurers. Ka’hari and Reynard listen to the story, and do not sense any deception. 

The adventurers enter the Dream Diver. The craft is about thirty feet in diameter, and is actually shaped as a dodecahedron. One-way transparent windows are formed in six of the twelve sides, and the iris-door is formed in a seventh side of the craft. A six-inch crystal dodecahedron floats at the center of the craft, pulsing with mystic energy. Mulk explains that to control the ship, one need merely grasp the crystal and will the craft to move. The person touching the crystal can also will the iris door to open or close.

In addition, chained to one of the inner walls of the Dream Diver is a nine-foot tall frog-headed creature with blue skin. Long claws protrude from the back of the creature’s hands. “That’s Chaax,” Mulk explains, “the slaad that Rav captured. He was floating near the Spawning Stone, and barely put up a fight.”

“You humanoids. Where dao?” Chaax asks in common. 

The adventurers explain that Rav is dead.

“Good. You release me now. Release me! Release me!” The blue slaad begins struggling with the chains.


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## RedShirtNo5 (Aug 30, 2008)

*The Spawning Stone*

The Wind Riders are non-committal.  “Why don’t you answer some of our questions first?” someone suggests.  “Like how you got captured.”

“Me left Spawning Stone and traveling.  Big sphere flies toward me.  Door opens, and ugly dao and earth-creatures come out.  They throw nets on me, then bind my arms with icy chains.  Now me is a prisoner.  Slaadi not like being prisoners.  Slaadi need freedom!”

“Where were you going?”

“Not know where to go.  Just know me must leave.”

“Why did you have to leave?”

“Something wrong at Spawning Stone.  Me at celebration.  Suddenly celebration ends!  No change, no rejoicing.  Everything boring."  Chaax sighs.  "Me confused and not know what to do.  Me leave, try to find reason celebration stopped.”

“Well, did you see anything or anyone strange before this celebration ended?” asks Geldar.

“Me want pet snake,” says Chaax. 

“Does the snake relate to what happened at the celebration?”  

“No.  Just wanted to mention.  Always wanted pet snake. ”

“Ok.  Did you see anything strange at the celebration.”

“At celebration, me see insect creature.  It have four legs and two arms.”

Thantar casts a summon monster spell, and attempts to summon a worker formian.  At first he feels something impeding the magic, and then he feels the magic slipping out of control.  However, Thantar manages to finish the spell successfully.  A small centaur-like insectoid appears.  “Yes,” says Chaax, “it looked like that.  But bigger.”

The adventurers agree that ithey should go investigate the Spawning Stone.  Geldar takes hold of the control crystal, and the Dream Diver speeds off into the swirling chaos.

“You release me now?” asks Chaax.  Not yet, the adventurers decide.  The slaad becomes despondent, alternately muttering to itself, demanding to be released, and staring into space.  

The party travels, and when Geldar becomes tired, Kindrid takes over control of the Dream Diver.

About two days pass in a rather monotonous travel through the swirling chaos, although it is now difficult for the Wind Riders to determine the time with neither day nor night.  Finally, however, the Dream Diver bursts out from the swirling chaos into a huge spherical bubble nearly a mile across.  In the center of the bubble is a gigantic stone slab, at least half a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide.  The stone is scribed with giant glowing runes that crawl across its surface, gradually changing in color and shape.  At the center of the slab is an obsidian throne, currently empty.  Floating in the air around the slab are dozens of stone structures of various sizes and shapes.

Also floating in the air around the slab are hundreds and hundreds of the frog-headed slaadi, and dozens of slaadi corpses.  About half of the slaadi are blue-skinned, but another half are slightly smaller red-skinned creatures.  A few of the living slaadi swim through the air, but most of the slaadi simply sit listlessly.

“The Spawning Stone,” says Chaax.  “But no rejoicing.  The celebration must return.  Or slaadi will stagnate and die.”


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## RedShirtNo5 (Sep 13, 2008)

*Torpellian*

The Wind Riders look at each other.  Rodney is first to speak his mind. "These things are creatures of chaos. There's been some disruption here, but why should we assist them? The creatures are unpredictable. Perhaps it is better for them to die out and be replaced by something more orderly."

"I don't like these slaadi either, but they aren't malicious," Reynard replies. "We should assist them, not because we like them, but because whatever is affecting them could spread elsewhere, causing even greater disruption."

The group debates the merits of assisting the slaadi. Chaax follows the discussion, but quickly looses interest, and falls asleep. Reynard's position soon wins out, and the Wind Riders now focus on exploring the area. Geldar guides the Dream Diver to within about one-hundred feet of the surface of the Spawning Stone, at which point the rolling waves of chaos energy from the Stone being to make several of the adventurers, including Rodney and Reynard, physically sick. Geldar backs the Dream Diver away, and then begins an orbit around the narrow dimension of the Stone.

Half-way around the Stone, Kindrid's sharp eyes spot something moving near a trapezoidal stone building that floats six-hundred feet from the Spawning Stone. Kindrid exits the Dream Diver, and finds himself floating weightless in the air. He activates his wings of flying, and heads toward the trapezoid building, followed closely by the metal sphere of the Dream Diver. 

As Kindrid flies toward the building, he sees a dead red slaad and four small fairy-like creatures clustered on the frog-creature's body. The fairies are perhaps two or three feet tall and have gossamer butterfly wings. But they are also cutting up the slaad body with their small knives, and greedily feeding on the bloody entrails. They look up sharply when Kindrid is about one-hundred feet away, pull out small bows, and bar their teeth at the elf. Slightly unnerved by the blood dripping from the sides of their mouths, and not wanting an unnecessary confrontation, Kindrid decides to give these feral fairies a wide berth. He flies in a semicircle around the fairies, and continues toward the trapezoidal building.

Nearing the trapezoidal building, Kindrid signals to the rest of the group. Kindrid flies clockwise around the building, whereas the Dream Diver begins heading counterclockwise. About a quarter of the way around the trapezoid, Kindrid sees a figure cautiously crouched in a recess in the building. It is female humanoid, about five and a half-feet tall, with pale yellow skin, long straight black hair, and distended ear lobes.  She wears a plain white robe, and is watching the elf cautiously.

"Hail and well met," says Kindrid says in what he hopes is a non-threatening voice.

"Greetings. Who are you, and what brings you to the Spawning Stone?" asks the woman.

"I am Kindrid Moonsong. My friends and I are investigating some strange events, and our investigation led here. Who are you?"

Meanwhile, inside the Dream Diver, Chaax wakes up and begins pulling at his chains. "Humanoids, you release me now?" the frog creature asks. The group debates, and agrees that they have no reason to keep the slaad prisoner. Ka'hari begins unlocking the chains.

As the Dream Diver comes around the trapezoidal building and Kindrid's view, the woman answers Kindrid's question. "My name is Torpellian, originally from the Golden Spires. If I might ask, what are your intentions toward the slaadi?"

Kindrid assures Torpellian that they wish to assist the slaadi and remove the strange lethargy.  

"This is good," says Torpellian. "I have been watching and investigating here at the Spawning Stone. I dislike seeing the slaadi mistreated. Are those your friends inside the sphere?"

Kindrid thinks of the past two days that Chaax has been chained inside the Dream Diver and tries to decide on an answer.


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