Finale
by Patrick SullivanThe end of this adventure is pretty much open. I think the way I finish it up will be like this (provided my players are still alive & cooperating):
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The party manages to dig or spellcast their way out of the collapsed cellar.
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When the party comes out of the ruined temple, they see Suleiman and a white-robed stranger standing arguing with Natasha. Natasha turns and casts a spell at the party. Suleiman attacks her, and, realising she cannot hold her own, she uses her magic to teleport away.
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Suleiman's companion begins casting spells at the party. The PCs and Lino try to defend themselves, but they should quickly realise that they are outclassed, but before they are defeated, rapid hoofbeats should be heard approaching.
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A dashing young man with black hair and exotic, Ylari clothing, like a mythical hero straight out of "Alasiyan Nights," rides up brandishing a finely-crafted sabre. He is bleeding from a cut above his left eye, and that arm is at his side in a sling. "Nizam," he cries, "Halt!"
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The mage looks up at the oncoming horseman, eyes wide with terror. "Stay out of this, old man," he cries. "This is none of your concern!"
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"There you are wrong," replies the newcomer, swinging one-handed off his horse. "Anything that corrupts this land is my concern. I challenge you to leave this land and never return, or to fight me in honourable combat."
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The mage quickly looks at the horseman's injuries and decides that now will be the best chance he will get. "Then prepare to die, old man!"
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The two fight, the horseman with his sword, the wizard with his spells and staff. The fighter tells the PCs that this is his battle with the wizard, and asks them not to interfere. However, he tries to block any damage from either the mage or Suleiman that comes toward the party. The party should be able to contain Suleiman, although that's quite a struggle. Suleiman should soon flee once it is evident that the battle has turned. The PCs, by this time, are in such bad condition that he will be able to escape.
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The duel between the wizard and the swordsman is still raging, and neither one is in good condition. The fighter gets good swing, and the mage falls to the ground. The young "old man" backs up, allowing the mage to regain his feet. The wizard betrays this trust, pretending to be lifting himself as an excuse to flick out a dagger, dripping with a silverish liquid, which buries itself in the fighter's good arm. As the fighter staggers and drops his sword, the mage stands and prepares to cast another spell, the fighter swings as hard as he can with his right fist (even though the dagger is still buried in his arm). The punch connects with the mage's face, he staggers, and falls.
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The PCs should, and Lino will, come to check on the fighter. He hoarsely
whispers, "Alas, I am slain. The poison is already cour ....Achelos
....peace.
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A search of the saddlebags reveals the Thyatian King from the Chess Set
(observant characters will notice that it looks very much like the dead man
they just met), food, several potions, and a locked diary. The key is on a
string around the fighter's neck.
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The diary details the life of Mahmud ibn-Amin for the past 150 years. See
the background info for this story, but basically it provides the seeds for
peace.
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The characters should bring the body and the Chess Set back to Riverfork
Keep, they should arrange meetings between Lino and Nizar, and they should
spread peace throughout the land:)
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A couple weeks after Mahmud's funeral, the party has a dream in which
Mahmud, now immortal, and the immortal Chardastes thanks the characters for
helping to bring peace to the region. There is still much work to be done,
eradicating the evil which is still so deeply rooted in this region, but
now is a time for rejoicing! Both immortals are very grateful, and they
reward the characters in whatever way is appropriate. If any character is
a cleric of either the Church of Traladara or Karameikos, whichever
immortal seems better-suited for the player should ask him or her to be his
personal devotee, the first cleric ever of Mahmud, perhaps!
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As for future adventures, there are obviously many paths open to the
characters. They can help to eliminate the refugees from the Black Eagle
Barony, they can fight the remnants of Alfaric's followers, they can search
for Suleiman, they can search for the missing chess pieces, or they can do
anything else that presents itself . They have made some powerful allies,
as well as some powerful enemies. King Stefan bestows them with some sort
of medal or something.
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BTW: if anyone thinks to ask, the agent who was searching for the Magic
Army at the Allia-Colba "horse fair" was simply wildly off-base. It was
blind luck (and a little immortal intervention) that allowed the characters
to move from the horse fair to the Chess Set;-)