Pahhu: Shifting Sands of Time 2: Past Regrets

The party began to tend their wounds, their bodies aching at the warping corruption they’d been subjected to. As they collected the “gifts” offered by the fallen fiend they spoke some words of thanks to the bodies in their tombs. Pahhu called forth a small mephit of sand from a conch shell, and Dirst materialized. “I call him that because he’s made of dirt and he’s the WORST.” Pahhu explained as she tried to instruct the mephit to scout ahead down the tunnel while the party rested. Dirst stared at her blankly, spouting gibberish in return. “See, I told you he’s the WORST!”
 
Theodore stepped in, realizing that Pahhu’s ‘friend’ was simply unable to understand her. The two briefly spoke in Terran and Dirst scouted ahead a short ways, before returning and reporting in on scaled enemies with swords. The party braced themselves and prepared for another clash with Yuan-Ti as they pressed through the narrow corridor.
 
They emerged into the light on the other side to the challenge of a warren of brass kobolds, not at all the scaled beings they expected. A particularly forward kobold named Regs, seemingly a warden in this enormous place they had breached. The party looked past the kobold to see a massive gorilla shaped demon bound in a cell, and just around the corner they could see a pile of blooming fungus slithering across the floor of another cell. The kobold demanded they halt, and as his other allies approached the party offered open hands as they began to discuss.
 
These kobolds guarded this place at the behest of their master, who had freed them from enslavement by Birgallaz, the Sibriex the party had found imprisoned and slain. The kobolds hissed in anger at Birgallaz’s release, though relaxed when finding out the fiend had been killed, at least for now. Despite a tense introduction and wariness on both sides the kobolds chose to bring the party to their master for deliberation.
 
Regs lead them through an enormous and twisting warren of mismatched stonework where the only commonality was the depiction of the setting sun on the walls. Granite halls and cells gave way to sandstone, which gave way to walls seemingly carved out of perplexing permafrost deep in the desert sands, to a wood-like substance purple in hue with veiny roots across the floor, and even great rivers of crystalline blue rock with rivers of sizzling arcane fluids churning underneath. As the party was lead through this, they became inexorably lost in the labyrinthine construction which was clearly by design as each section was a maze with twisted halls, hidden doors, dozens of brass kobolds on guard and cells. Remarkable cells, each one containing a single prisoner who was bound by the confines of their environment, rather suspended over deep pits, or encased in a crystalline cage, the party saw no less than 20 individual prisoners in cells. Some were recognizable as powerful fiends, others as rampaging monstrosities, and some as the folk of Faerun bearing symbols of long gone nations and armies.
 
It had quickly become clear to the group that diplomacy was the correct choice, as the size of the fortress alone revealed the kobold warren numbered in the hundreds, with dozens of prisoners of immense power contained. The party exchanged nervous glances as they traversed deadly pitfalls, seemingly without bottom, avoiding traps with Regs’ assistance. Finally the kobold captain lead them to a plain stone wall where he seemingly unlatched a door from nowhere, and faint sunlight could be seen for the first time in this place seemingly dedicated to the setting sun.
 
Regs lead them into a garden, with blessed sparkling water fountains and enormous fruit trees heavy with ripe fruit stretched upwards towards a rocky opening through which great warm beams of sunlight fell into the chamber, scattering a brilliant luster off the scales of an enormous adult brass dragon. The party’s steps stuttered slightly in awe at the sight, but the enormous and wizened creature simply watched them approach. From the eaves of the chamber many guardsmen stood at attention watching the party warily.
 
“I welcome you to my inner sanctum, I am Charva, guardian of this prison. I understand that you released and then sent Birgallaz from this plane?” The dragon spoke in a warm rumble, watching the creatures. “Yes, we destroyed him utterly.” Ed spoke from the front of the group, facing the dragon fearlessly. “For now… What of when he returns some centuries from now? We had him contained.” The dragon shifted its enormous weight. “Then we’d destroy him again.” Ed replied dismissively. “Oh, will you swear an oath that your bloodlines will defend this plane from Birgallaz?”
Pahhu jumped at the question. “See Theodore, now we really gotta find you a girlfriend to love and a stork to bring you a baby! I bet this guy knows lots about babies, look how many he has!” Pahhu turned to gesture towards the dozens of brass kobolds in attendance. The gentleman turned from the awe of the dragon to his foolish but well meaning friend and sputtered. “Pahhu, now is NOT the time.” The dragon rumbled in amusement. “Ah, the right time indeed. As I have said, I am Charva, and I am in the business of… right times. Will you continue your rudeness, or will you introduce yourselves to me after invading my prison and the home of my family as your small friend there calls them?”
 
The party introduced themselves, the brass dragon’s eyes twinkling at hearing Pahhu’s name. “Pahhu… Yes, I have heard your name before. One of our wards often speaks it in their madness. You... have much alike with those we keep here. It is rare one of your kind enters my halls willingly, and never do they enter by happenstance.” Charva scrutinized Pahhu with renewed interest as he rose to his haunches and spread his wings. As the dragon reached his full size he began to shrink, and condense until what remained was a slim elven man in priestly robes white in hue though shaded with the colors of the setting sun. “Come with me, Pahhu.
 
Pahhu looked Charva’s new form up and down, doing some mental math… Big house with lots of flowers, lots of children, priestly robes. He was just like her Paw! Pahhu began to follow the man with complete trust. “Ed, he’s just like Paw!” “Maybe so, Pahhu…” Ed followed closely with Pahhu despite not being invited. The two were lead into an inner chapel rose from the floor. “There are things I must warn you of, Pahhu…” Charva began to rumble.
 
Meanwhile Violet warmed up to a young kobold girl, complimenting her on the craftsmanship of a small doll she had. The two discussed the traditions of the clan and their daily lives. Theodore spoke with Regs on the trees, offering his services to encourage their growth and their fruit yield. Marinette saw a particularly squeezable kobold and couldn’t help but nearly crush it in her grip, delivering a devastating hug which left it gasping for air. She only released it after many spears were pointed her way in warning.
 
Charva stands in reverence by the altar. “This altar is The Lord of the Continuum, Labelas Enoreth, he who rules from the Vanishing Tower upon Arvandor. He protects the timeline itself, and ensures it continues as it must. Those who tamper with it, whether filled with regret and trying to change the past or filled with impatience and reaching for the future are those we hold in custody here.” Charva looks pointedly at Pahhu. “Your magic has begun to blur that line, Pahhu. You have been tearing into the Temporal Energy Plane, and every time you do you take from it and it takes from you… but you are accruing a debt… an imbalance, your time will soon be up.”
 
“Arvandor? My time is up?” Pahhu looks teary eyed to Ed. “Have a feet back and light strong, Ed.” She bumbles an Ilmateri prayer as she believes her time has come. “Tell Paw I love 'im, and tell Nan I love 'er, and tell Rajit that Gilbert can't have my room.”
 
Charva clears his throat and looks with confused concern at Pahhu. “No, child. You are not ripping your way into Arvandor… at least not yet. You are tearing into the Temporal Energy Plane.”
 
Pahhu sucked her teeth and looked at Charva, considering the words. “You mean the place with all the wind and the dust and the zaps?” Pahhu reaches a hand forward and scratches her finger against the air, a blue-grey flash of static and a small gust rips through the scratch as a small cascade of find dark-grey dust falls to the floor as it scraped off the air itself. “Sometimes I run really fast and you know how you feel the wind in your face and hair? I just keep running faster and faster and then it gets all blurry and the wind keeps getting stronger and there’s so much dust!” Pahhu gestures to the scarf she often has around her face, to cover her mouth, and to hide her buckteeth.
 
Ed watches on, heaving a sigh as he watches Pahhu describe how she does what she does. He watches the dust fall the floor and then looks at the filthy smudges all over Pahhu, the dust that always seems to cling to her no matter where she goes. “You’ll have to forgive her, she knows not what she talks about.”
 
“No, she does not. But what she does has repercussions. Already this imbalance has caused ruptures… portals that have ripped open across Faerun. Even now the one you call ‘Paw’ has descended into the waters of the Sword Coast to seal one. One of your allies fell in that battle… More will fall if this continues.” Charva stares at Pahhu with considered regret. “We wouldn’t want to have to bring her here like all of the others, but we will do what we must.”
 
Charva launches into a lengthy explanation of his order, here to serve the interests of Labelas Enoreth. He explains to Pahhu and Ed the dangers of the magic she uses, and warns her of being hunted and used by powers eager to warp the timeline to their needs. The discussion is lengthy, but centers on Pahhu’s unknown bloodline. Pahhu produces her swaddling blanket and Charva investigates it, identifying the colors as being part of the tribe of Bedine worshippers of Amaunator.
 
“But how can I be part of that bloodline? I’m a daughter not a son, and Amaunator has suns!” Pahhu looks at her blanket confused. “Ahh child, you truly are lost. I can not tell you about that, you must hurry on to Habib. He has little time left indeed, his sun will soon set. Go to him, learn what he has to say, but then return to me. Learn the symbols of this altar and return to me using them.” Charva gestures to the altar. Pahhu produces her chalk sticks and makes a few quick drawings. "Okay, so a beetle and a chicken and a dotty circle and a knife and a slanty and a Q and a backwards slanty. Got it!"
 
“Then come, let us gather your companions and I shall return you to the surface.” Charva lead Ed and Pahhu back to the inner sanctum and reunited the party. Charva waved farewell and they found themselves under the bright sun of the desert, a single bag containing gifts at their feet. In it they found a necklace with the symbol of Labelas, a petrified staff of the Python and a few potions and medicines. As they looked over the gifts Violet’s fur stood on end as he sensed something. Turning he looked to see a greate gate rip open the sky as an enormous silver ship tore from the sky… and began to approach at high speed.
 
The party decided discretion was the better part of valor, and with Theodore’s Wind Walk they dispersed, before investigating the ship. On it they found dozens of Gith armed with shining silver swords. They yelled at each other in a language unknown to the group, before heading west. Deciding to continue their journey the party continued towards the Border Forest, but after some travel Violet heard a massive explosion to the west, seemingly coming from Charvas’ prison… Violet grew suspicious and attempted to contact Charva through Sending, but no response came back. With little hesitation they turned back.
 
They arrived to a smoking crater, where once warm sunshine had flooded the inner sanctum they now found hundreds of bodies. Dead kobolds, and slices of what remained of the once proud dragon. Silver blood spattered the tiles in places, but the attackers had seemingly already left. The prison was collapsing, the nearest cell to the west was already being broken by a powerful man in ancient armor. As he broke out the party engaged him after being threatened.
 
“Now that we are free we shall not be stopped! The Netherese shall never have fallen!” The madman attacked with incredible strength, and the fight was difficult. Pahhu tried to halt the man in time to render him helpless, but instead of holding him the magic of the prison instead warped her magic and caused a terrible tear to erupt across him. “No more magic, Pahhu! Not here!” Ed yelled from the frontline. Pahhu fled back in confusion, not wanting to risk ripping her friends apart. She ended up nearly running into Charva’s remains and in a moment of sadness grasped a single shining brass scale from the dragon.
 
The old general was subdued, but the cells all around the prison began to fail. Horrors and criminals collected over centuries were being freed. The party had little choice but to run. They barricaded the hallways and faded into the air through wind walk, escaping into the air to the east, not knowing if they had somehow been responsible for the battle being brought down, or if they had abandoned Charva and his clan to their fate. All they knew was that immense evils were rising from the desert, and at least one group of them fought to undo the defeat of the Netherese…