Pahhu: Shifting Sands of Time 12.5: Fever Dreams [RAW]

Below are unrefined notes related to a sequence of dreams that the party had in the Shifting Sands of Time campaign. Please excuse the raw nature of this material:
 
** Separate Visions**
 
Theodore -> The Duchess (Lawful Evil) -> The vision is spurred by the rod. Theodore is offered a future in which he is a powerful lord as well. He already knows what it is to command...
 
Marinette -> The Servitor (L/N Good) -> Marinette is exposed to a Pahhu who is worn away by servitude, much like she saw in her own life. Pahhu's service has lead to enormous stability and improvements, including preventing the Netherese restoration. How will she react to the idea of pseudo-slavery causing the better results?
 
Jorah -> The Warden (Lawful Good) -> Jorah sees what Thamisia might be able to do working with Pahhu but must overcome her own quiet nature to communicate it to the party. Will she argue with the others for the right future or not?
 
Nyx -> Pahhu (Chaotic Good) -> Nyx sees a future Pahhu who has nearly lost her mind. She is a lot of fun but she's coming undone at the seams. Will Nyx play along and go with the flow or will she understand something is wrong?
 
Ed -> The Time Ripper (Chaotic Evil) -> Ed will be forced to face the reality that the one he sees as his ward could and will kill them all. Would he let others die to protect Pahhu or would he kill her to save more people?
 
Rasheed -> The Hedonist (Neutral Evil) -> Rasheed is tempted into a life with the black network. Taking what they want and feeling the heat of the desert sun on their skins.
 
 
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Chaotic Evil - Out of Control - Time Ripper Pahhu, from a future where everyone has died, likely due to her utter instability. This form is achieved only as a final boss form in which Pahhu must be killed and retired. Requires pretty significant corruption or story failure to achieve. Pahhu dies.
5%
 
*Your vision is shredded, and your mind is filled with the sensation of a roaring wind. You feel each muscle fiber spin together along your arm, and as you turn to look you find naught but a stump as your arm fades dust. As the creeping sensation closes in on your head the roaring stops as your ears vanish, and then there is nothing.*
 
*The experience begins to reverse, and you feel yourself coming back together, the whirling storm reversing as your body is pieced together bit by bit. As your arm begins to return you look around slowly, as light begins to fade in as the wall of the whirlwind pulls away from you. As it does you see the edges of others begin to form. You see Marinette begin to appear, and then you see Keeper Zui Ethorodu, and then Timmy the orphan as they are similarly coming back together on a field of purple flowers.*
 
*As the reversal continues you see Hyssop Home and its constituents return to existence, and then as the center of the yard comes into your sight you see the source of the shockwave as you lay eyes on Pahhu, seething with crackling energy, a glowing portal to the temporal energy plane hovering beside her, her hands and body beginning to shred apart as screams in reverse.*
 
*The reversal stops, and time snaps forward with a sudden lurch. Pahhu howls in rage, and yells:* “NO! THIS IS WRONG! WHERE IS MERRIC!? GIVE THEM ALL BACK!” *Pahhu swings her hand and as she does the land morphs through different seasons, even traveling through centuries as the distant mountains rise and crumble before your eyes. The nearby people change, some familiar, some unfamiliar. It never seems to be the same combination.*
 
“THYYYYYSE!” *The Pahhu screams as she fails to find a combination that pleases her, and she shatters the the area to dust, morphing it repeatedly in time. Each time Pahhu does this the rip into the temporal energy plane grows larger, and her own body is more and more worn away. Soon she is almost entirely a being a dust and energy, howling in the wind.*
 
*A shockwave erupts from the being, and as the whirlwind washes over you it begins to shred you. As your senses fail you see reality itself beginning to split as the rip into the temporal energy plane tears fully open, fully ripping the plane in half.*
 
 
 
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Neutral Evil - Pahhu has become a hedonist at the behest of the Zhentarim and the Black Network. She lives a life of selfishness and excess, using her power for her own gain and to the gain of the Zhent. Currently highly unlikely because the party has made VERY hard lines against the Zhent. This is a result of going down Rebel/Future.
This Pahhu could die or live or who knows, she becomes retired and out of my control though.
1%
 
*A dim light pulses at the periphery of your vision. You feel the thrum of what sounds like distant music, and smell thick acrid smoke. You feel good, the buzz is fading but you’re still far from crashing. You attempt to roll over, but it takes a few attempts to reorient yourself, your limbs feel disconnected and out of place. You have the distinct feeling that your body is filled with strange stiffness and aches.*
 
*As you turn to get out of bed your feet swing over the edge and a grunt issues from the floor as you find your partner from the previous night, seemingly rolled out of splayed across the floor. You don’t recognize them but a Zhentarim tattoo on their back gives away their allegiance. You read the numeral 6 under the tattoo.*
 
*You step gingerly over the splayed body and head towards a mirror in the room, finding clothing fitting your size and preferences thrown about the room. As you look in a smudged mirror you notice a tattoo on your chest. The same Zhentarim symbol. You also have a numeral, it says 9. You run your hand across it, but the tattoo is very real and old. As you wipe your hand across the mirror, removing some of the grime you take a look at yourself. You look older, your body covered in scars and deep bags shadow your eyes.*
 
*You give a look back to the partner on the floor and then head out the door towards the music. You follow cramped stone hallways without windows towards the sound of dancing and music in the distance, the smoke growing heavier as you near it. As the hallway opens to a huge chamber you see a central throng of dancing individuals surrounded by small standing tables, and then around the outer walls are large tables. From one of these large tables a woman spots you and waves you over.*
 
*As you approach she cackles at you, her voice is heavily warped by heavy smoking.* “Hahaha, Rasheed you look like shit! You normally come back swaggering from bagging someone like that!” *You feel compelled to take a seat at the table as the woman takes a heavy drag off a hookah, and then offers it to you. As your vision follows her arm you see a tattoo above her left breast, the same Zhentarim tattoo but the numeral beneath her tattoo reads 31.* “What? Getting too old to join me?” *She insistently pushes the hookah mouthpiece towards you.*
 
*You feel yourself mouth some words, but your ringing head doesn’t register the sound. The woman looks at you with some disgust.* “You’re no fun Rasheed, you’re getting long in the tooth. Why don’t you go take a one way mission and join the double digits club already. You’ve got grey hairs already. Just go pick up a murder suicide mission and let your tenth clone awaken already.” *The woman grins with stained teeth.* “I might do it again soon too, I keep getting headaches and who wants to deal with THAT! Oh, and fresh skin for new tattoos… I have ideas already.” *The woman contorts to look at an old tattoo on her ribcage in which a seven pointed star with the seven colors of the rainbow fill each point. She makes a face of mixed emotions before taking a drink from a bottle on the table.*
 
*Your mouth feels dry, the bottles on the table promise to wet your tongue and burn your belly. You reach for one, after all repercussions be damned. The woman was right, maybe it was time to take a few years back. No point feeling any unnecessary pain or annoyance. Your hand runs over the tattoo on your chest.*
 
“Hahaha, you know next time you see me my number might be in the 40s or 50s! Manshoon wants me to try another crazy ritual and I’m sure a dozen or more of me are going to end up splattered against the walls or blown away into sand. Ooh, but I’m gonna look so cute and young and I’ll be able to dance all night again too.” *You look at the woman more carefully and notice that she isn’t particularly elderly, but her body is heavily worn down by hard living and carelessness as well as the abuse of drugs.*
 
*As your eyes drift over her face there is something in her eyes that reminds you of someone. For the briefest moment you’re sure you’re looking at Pahhu, and as the realization hits you feel yourself launching up from your dream to a cold sweat.*
 
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Lawful Evil - Pahhu has been charmed into the Netherese restorationist camp. She lives as a duchess and a powerful sorceress with a critical position in the restored Netherese empire. She could have joined this group either as an effort to chase the past, or just to make the best of her life after everything goes to shit. Is intended to occur if Pahhu goes down Past and Rebel. Pahhu is intended to live in this version, but may disappear into another timeline in which the Netherese empire is restored.
10%
My Lord, the duchess is here to see you. She has arrived somewhat early.
You blink your eyes, and find yourself idly staring out of a window. Your view is of a deeply orange sunset, the landscape trailing off into a sudden and abrupt horizon. In the far ends of your vision you see a mountain range in the distance, but the peaks seem oddly low.
You are in a very fine study, filled with comforts. Lord Governor of Undrentide.
As you look down you find yourself leaning on the rod. The gold trim flares in the sunlight.
A servant in sumptuous clothes waits near the door. They respond to your every call and question.
The servant offers to fetch your dinner jacket and offers a bowl for washing.
Free time to speak and ask questions.
Writing an autobiography asks questions about his history.
At the dinner table, shall we serve wine or cocoa m’lord?
The duchess arrives.
Lord Governor Du Pois De Lyon, the Duchess of Undrentide lady Kilaniu is here to see you.
Pahhu arrives, she has clearly embraced her Elven heritage. She is much more refined.
Will judge the choice of drink, and offer a toast. To the ‘unniversary.’ It is a funny thing to remember something that won’t ever happen, or remember those who will never be.
What is this? The 40th? 50th?
You look down and see you’ve aged somewhat, but not enough to be that much older. Pahhu still looks to be in the prime of her life. But she is filled out, not the scrawny girl she once was.
Open conversation.
Theodore tries to get information on what happened.
Pahhu suggests a new wife.
Five questions:
 
 
 
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Chaotic Good - Pahhu never grows up and fails to develop the control necessary to prevent her own powers from grinding her to entropic dust. This Pahhu results as a failure to hit any checkpoints by the time her power matures. If Pahhu reaches level 20 without achieving change she will obliterate herself through her own magic.
15-30%
 
*You’re running through a rocky field on Tona’s back. Tona is running quickly, giving chase to something as she runs across the field. You catch sight of Pahhu as she scrambles down a side of a rock. Tona leaps and makes up some ground, landing softly and gracefully on the other side of a gap. It’s a race, and somehow you realize there are multiple laps.*
 
*Pahhu has quite the lead to begin, but as the race goes on Tona becomes more confident in her footing and pushes forward; she begins to catch up. You feel a giggle rising in your body as you close in on the other girl, and Tona leaps alongside her.* “Silly Pahhu, Tona is fast and can jump super good!”
 
*You can feel Tona’s heart pounding in her chest beneath you as the race goes on, but the end is drawing near. It has to be coming to an end, right? But the laps seem to keep going, and Tona is beginning to pant and wheeze beneath you. You feel yourself growing bored, irritated and concerned. Why are we just running in circles? It’s the same path and rocks each time. The only thing that’s changing is Tona and Pahhu are getting tired.*
 
*Pahhu seems to be going faster and faster though, as she’s kicking up dust behind her. She seems to be using her magic to make up for her flagging physical stamina. The combined strain doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Why are you two trying so hard when you’re not going anywhere? … How long have you been doing this? You’re not even sure...*
 
*You bring Tona to a stop, but the frantic half-elf continues to run. She is landing lamely in areas, it is clear she’s hurting herself, but she keeps running, keeping herself together through magic and stubbornness alone. As she passes by the rock that you and Tona rest on, you have brief moments to try to talk to her.*
 
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Neutral Good or True Neutral - Pahhu follows the path of control and the past. Pahhu likely has some kind of severe trauma or loss occur, such as the permanent death of major companions or she is separated in the time stream away from the prime timeline. This Pahhu spends decades or centuries in servitude to Charva and her personality is sublimated into that of a servant. This Pahhu could theoretically reappear at the end of her service as payment from Charva, but this Pahhu would retire and enter service, to be used sparingly as a NPC. Does require either punishment and defeat by Charva or submission/relationship.
 
Fire, fire everywhere. The feeling of being utterly scattered to ash.
It reverses, the fire slowly absorbs into her, the heat dissipating, her skin healing, her vision returning, the sound of a her own scream backwards.
Thayan Wizards also returning from a disintegrating firestorm.
A figure standing in the area, seemingly the only one moving forward in time as she orchestrates the slow and steady reversal. It is Pahhu. She is an older woman at this point, in what would be her late 40s as a human. Her hair is stringy and dirty, her skin is pale. She wears a worn out frock and a pair of heavy gloves and bracers through which she channels strange power.
As she rotates her arms the scene reverts in time, a firestorm of chaos slowly returning to sanity.
As the reversal stops, Marinette finds herself frozen in place, staring down across the road at some Red Wizards of Thay who are also frozen.
Pahhu approaches Marinette and looks at her in the face. Pahhu looks very tired.
She talks to Marinette as if she was a thing. She looks like she’s trying to check for flaws. “Well, looks like you’re back together…”
Pahhu taps Marinette and brings her out of the freeze. Pahhu says it has been so long since she’s seen her she can’t help herself, even if she’ll be punished for it.
Open conversation. Things Pahhu would reveal
She is in service or in punishment to a higher power to restore the timeline. If she finishes it then she’ll be able to undo something.
She wants to undo some type of mistake that Pahhu makes, one which seemingly results in their deaths.
She has been in service for nearly a century.
Pahhu just happens to be here to deal with a time disturbance caused by the Thayans that Marinette has hunted. It is coincidence.
Pahhu will help Marinette deal with the Red Wizards as it coincides with repairing this timeline.
Pahhu’s power is heavily regulated, but she unleashes specific focused powers, seemingly having no trouble controlling it.
 
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Lawful or Neutral Good - Pahhu has learned to control her power through some medium and/or self control and maturity. Requires achieving the gates of Future and Control. Pahhu remains a player character, and shakes her childishness, instead developing the full potential of her power. Pahhu likely has positive relationships with one or more major existential beings in the timescape, and also becomes 'whole' after spending time in the Temporal Energy Plane. May or may not experience a time warp to exist. This is the 'best ending' so to speak.
 
*Your vision begins to swim in the murky twilight of predawn, a hooded figure in a white robe with runs with enormous speed down a hillside and then scrambles up a rocky outcropping. She reaches the top and begins to look back and forth into the darkness. She slides down the far side of the rock and rolls into a bounding leap as she begins to sprint again. You begin to hear voices from the top of the hill behind the hillside she had just come down, but the figure doesn’t slow even a bit.*
 
*As lights begin to crest the hill your vision jumps and you see the woman further ahead, the sky beginning to pick up hints of orange and red as the sunrise comes. In the rising light you can see tracks. Hoofbeats are heavy in the slick dewy grass of the morning, the robed figure gliding through the grass with inexplicable speed. Now on the track she is gaining on a group of nearly twenty figures dressed in black and grey on horseback, galloping at full speed. One of the riders looks over his shoulder and spots her. He yells a warning to the group ahead of him, and they try to press on even harder as a handful of the group turn about to charge their harrier.*
 
*The white robed figure skips a single step and vanishes mid-air as she reaches the line of charging riders and a sudden burst of air pressure kicks up dust and blades of of grass. The riders grasp their reins and cover their eyes from the debris, and then look about bewildered. They turn to see the harrier now nearly caught up with their group.*
 
*The harrier draws a blade, elegant in its carving and familiar in shape. In her other hand she carries an unusual staff which begins to resonate with a cerulean light. The blade lashes out, and is it does it cuts a clean rift in space, a massive blast of air pressure flecked with dust and static lightning blasting out and encompassing the riders. The harrier lifts her staff and a pulse bursts forth, halting all of the sand instantly, leaving it floating perfectly in the air. The sand catches the light fantastically, throwing blue sparkles in reflection. It is distracting in its effect, but soon you realize the thundering hooves have also stopped. The horses, the riders, a full dozen are all just as still. Only the harrier moves, as she turns to look at the riders who had broken off before. She lowers herself into a stance and seems to be awaiting them.*
 
*The riders take the invitation and thunder towards her, and just as the first rider approaches to within 20 feet a hurtling mass comes from the sky and slams into the rider. It is a great winged and scaly creature? A dragon perhaps? But so odd in shape. But as the sun finally crests the nearby hill the light hits the battlefield and you recognize it as Ed, riding on a winged Nagini. He yells out:* “We told you to wait!”
 
*A second meteor comes from the sky as a huge rocky mass slams into the earth, rolling over 2 of the riders and their horses. It rolls to its feet and as it unrolls a familiar blue cloaked woman bursts from seemingly the center of the meteor and leaps onto a rider, unleashing a harrowing but familiar battle cry. The meteor brushes off a top-hat and rises to its feet, it is Theodore in the form of an earth elemental. A smaller boulder gives a chuckle and begins to bound towards the same rider as Marinette, a promise of punishment in his eyes.*
 
*An arrow strikes the flank of the last rider’s horse, and as his horse collapses below him Nyx and Tona come riding over the hillside at full speed. A second arrow flies over Nyx’s head and strikes the rider in the back, striking right through his heart. Your vision swivels as you see the faintest edge of Rasheed as he ducks behind a tree.*
 
*Ed dismounts from Nagini and approaches the harrier.* “You can’t keep doing that, we can’t keep up!”
 
“Not now Ed, we gotta move.” *She pushes past him and grabs him, trying to tug him back as she looks up to the sky and shields her eyes.*
 
*As if on queue the sky above the riders begins to open up as enormous icy shards almost scythelike in proportion begin to rain on the remaining riders. You see yourself come over the hill, riding on a large four pawed creature. Jorah watches dispassionately as the storm ends, the riders seemingly unaffected, but the harrier raises her staff and the scene suddenly begins to move again. The riders fall to pieces as the impact of the spell finally touches them.*
 
*The group begins to gather together around the single rider still alive. Heavily wounded from the crash landing of Theodore. The rider speaks:* “You may stop us now, but our master lives eternal… You will never stop him.”
 
*You see yourself approach the rider and dismount from the large feline looking creature you had been riding.* “Thank you, Maat.” *You pat the feline affectionately, and then approached the downed rider, reaching a hand towards him.Jorah speaks:* “Your master runs from death, but death is natural. I will return him to balance.” *The power she exhibits is immense and his life force withers from his body, crumbling to dust. As the body crumbles you see the clothes go slack, and you recognize the symbol of the Zhentarim.*
 
*The white robed harrier raises her staff and the blue-grey sand begins to whirl before her, binding into a solid crystalline shard which pulses with flashes of lightning. She speaks:* “Now to return this… Have to keep the balance and all.” *She cuts a new line into the air, and the crystal flashes as it is pulled to another place. The harrier turns and you see her from the front. She reaches towards her face and pulls down a muffler worn around her mouth. You recognize her as Pahhu, seemingly older, healthier and more full of body.* “Sorry about that Ed, I didn’t want them getting much further. They might have taken hostages if they made it to a city.” *She sheathes her blade and takes a deep breath.*
 
*Theodore shifts back rolls his shoulders.* “What was that? Like 15? Any control issues?” *Pahhu turns to Theodore and shakes her head.* “None since…”
 
*Your hearing begins to fade as the sunrise lit scene begins to blur before you. As your vision swims you try to look at the others more closely, but the vision fades…*
 
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Rasheed wants to know her past
 
Nyx shares her dream first
Nyx and Pahhu and Tona were racing in circles, they got very tired, and then Pahhu went poof and then disintegrated.
 
If your dream had Pahhu in it say aye, all say aye. Rasheed questioningly.
 
Marinette begins to explain her vision. She says Pahhu was very classy and different. Marinette explains what she saw was Pahhu reversing time and restoring order.
Was anyone else there? Only Marinette. Marinette says is that Pahhu mentions there was a master, and she saw two Pahhus.
 
What did Ed see?
A lot of destruction. Pahhu ripped apart Hyssop Home, seemingly reaching out for Merric and Thyse.
 
Theodore's vision he explains he was lord governor of Undrentide. He met a future version of Pahhu that he cooperated with to restore the Netherese, and the two had been rewarded lavishly.
 
Jorah's vision has few words, she does however reveal that all of them were present fighting the Zhentarim. Pahhu was controlling her power. Rasheed corroborates some information.
 
Rasheed's vision was of Pahhu in a strange desert place, the people including himself had numbers. Pahhu seemed to be obsessed with dying and have a substance problem.
 
Perhaps Manshoon is involved in the visions?
 
Jorah's vision is the nicest one?
Pahhu could go down any of these paths at any given time.
 
Reign in her self destruction?
 
Should they talk to Pahhu? Should they guide her? Should Pahhu decide, or should she not? A fight erupts over FREE WILL.
 
Theodore's aggressive tone concerns Ed, he insights it.
 
Nyx realizes that Pahhu's dream was her becoming a whirlwind, and that stopping her caused her to vanish.
 
Free will vs control
 
Nyx and Theodore tend towards control
Marinette and Rasheed towards free will
 
Marinette explains that the gloves were shackles.
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Round 2 Nyx realizes it is an allegory and that Pahhu will be destroyed if she keeps pushing herself too hard
 
Ed nothing.
 
Marinette adds shackles and the sadness of Pahhu and the servant and the masters.
 
Jorah adds details on the party, explaining Maat, and explaining the party powering up
 
One timeline vs many futures?