The Matt Who Loved me

Game Twenty-Five: The Matt Who Loved me
 
There was magic in this world once, but they stole it all away.
 
The road on the way to the inn of three tears led to a valley. The forest leaves glow a soft blue in the light of the setting sun. and a huge building at least three stories high: crafted of wood awaited the brothers. The structure could house a small army with ease and a great hall stood at the center. A massive stonework chimney sat atop: The smell of delicious cooked food was quite promising. Would this be another trap? The brothers would soon see.
 
Letting themselves in, the brothers found themselves in a grand silent hall: devoid of patrons and servants alike. Far in the distance, the brothers saw what appeared to be the proprietor brewing some fresh liquid sustenance. He was quite surprised to receive guests, not exactly sure how long it had been since his last guest, who appeared to have been Luthor: the king for which the brothers were searching.
 
It had been a long while since he was seen: the year number provided definitely did not mesh with the brothers’ sense of time. He indicated he was probably located at a castle in the distance, and motioned to a far-off castle.
 
John mentioned the warning that they had gotten about Brian Tosspot’s delicious juices: They were very potent indeed. Tage was excited to try his brews. His enormous body quivered in anticipation as he once more was able to dispense his brews. He was clean shaven, his hair white with age: what was left of it anyway. He was quite friendly, clearly having suffered from loneliness in his lengthy time here.
 
Apparently years ago, he was a surviving outcast from what the evil dream god had wrought upon the sea of dreams. He also described the castle in which Luthor was probably located: It had been there since he first arrived, and was no easy trip to get there from here. We must follow these instruction: To come to Castle Penegranz: You must climb the blue side of Lonesome. From there you will see the weeping isle. Follow it as far as you may. From its end you have but a short climb to the bridge of broken mirrors where you will meet she who has no past, present, or future. Beyond here will stand the great castle of Penegranz.
 
The brothers all sampled his wares: From wines to ales, there was something to slake all thirsts.
 
Brian thought Yuttosk was more dragon than man, and was surprised at the Orcishness of some of the present brothers. Still, all were served equally in his establishment.
 
They all toasted to good health.
 
Every brother but Tage drained their glasses. It truly was the best they’d ever had.
 
All the brothers but Tage drained a second glass: Tage immediately succumbed to the fine vintage of ale. Despite the years of alcohol abuse hardening his liver, he found himself quite tipsy indeed. Yuttosk almost spilled his, but John allowed him to maintain his grip.
 
Tage took a restroom break at this point as all the other brothers were poured a third cup.
 
Having pounded three ales in as many minutes, Korric insisted on a fourth round. Yuttosk expressed his distaste for mammalian liquor. Tages explorations seemed to suggest the building was even more massive than it seemed from the outside. Its dreamlike architecture was something to behold indeed.
 
Brian was quite persuasive in suggesting the brothers rest their tired bones and stay the night. John suggested that they were cautious of spending too long in the isle of dreams: To engage in dreaming within was probably a perilous choice.
 
Shortly Tage returned, disappointed by the lack of interesting things found during his search. He emptied his vodka bottle and poured the three tankards of ale into it. Brian was glad his booze wasn’t going to waste, but very sad the brothers decided not to spend the night in his sumptuous inn.
 
Korric passed out shortly thereafter, and John negotiated the cost of a nights stay. As it turned out, he was just glad for the company: and the brothers could stay free of charge as a result. A very restful night's sleep followed. Every brother was granted their own room, some taking to suites, with Thy’lek claiming dibs on the honeymoon suite.
 
All of the brothers enjoyed a respite: the likes of which most of them had not had access to recently. Tage however did not sleep a wink, and was not rested the following day. The breakfast which awaited the brothers was delightful. They found themselves free of hangovers as a result of the previous nights drinking. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and the brothers were quite prepared for this day as a result of the delicious and filling breakfast. Tage did not partake, being more suspicious than ever of the incredibly lonely fat man, who was just trying to show his guests a good time: sparing no expense.
 
Thy’lek carved a five star review into a tree on the outskirts of the inn's grounds.
 
From the ridge, they found that a gnarled and twisted wood awaited them. The trek seemed quite uninviting, but they still had to make it. A minor trail awaited, and they set foot upon it. To fall off the trail would likely be quite fatal, if not embarassing.
 
At the top of the ridge they found a plateau from which they could see the castle ahead. A single bridge led towards it, and a rather large blue dragon awaited at the foot of the bridge. The brothers introduced themselves to the blue dragon, and her name was Lauthrine. Thy’lek sauntered up, closing in on the huge lady. He offered a ‘sumptuous feast’ if the brothers were allowed to pass. She was understandably excited.
 
John explained the situation, and that they were seeking Luthor. She did not know if he was here unwillingly, or willingly. Just that he was here. She explained that she was here in order to guard the bridge so that those who were enroute to seek him aimed to do him harm. The brothers indicated they probably did not aim to commit him any harm. Their lengthy tale convinced her that they were not here meaning harm.
 
John began to explain the possibilities if she chose to follow the brothers back on their way to their homeland. All sorts of things could be her if she simply followed them back to their homeland.
 
The bridge of broken mirrors awaited, its guardian overcome with logic and taking a nap.
 
Tage inspected the bridge: the chasm was 150 feet wide. It was 450 feet deep. The singular bridge was not like one the brothers had ever seen. It was made entirely of sand, and threads of light were moving through the chasm everywhere except for the bridge.
 
Tage lightly started walking along the bridge.
 
Thy’lek followed, blowing a kiss at the dragon on the way.
 
John tossed a rock over the side to see what happened, and it disappeared.
 
Slowly the brothers made their way across. They safely made it, the extraplanar beams of light deftly avoided with a little care and caution.
 
The climb up to the ridge of the castle was uneventful, but not exactly easy.
 
The castle was surrounded by a half dozen towers and the inner keep was thirty feet higher than the outer walls. The ironbound gate was closed and guarded by a portcullis. The banner hanging from the tower of the keep was the insignia of Luthors. A white knight was riding out to meet the brothers from his camp in front of the castle.
 
His duty was apparently to protect the castle from invaders. The brothers indicated they were probably not invading. It seemed he was also here to enter the castle, but had thus far been unsuccessful. He had circled the entire castle seeking entrance, or audience, but found no such thing. He had been here for many days, but been alone for the entirety. He was waiting for the other group of confessor knights, and the others had yet to arrive.
 
“By the law, one can only enter the castle through the front gate. “
 
He elaborated: There were boot marks, probably human burned in the ground before the gate and could only have come from an evil entity. The holy ground on which the castle stood would only allow those pure of heart to enter. Or so it was said.
 
Tage wanted to tempt fate and sidled up to the gate, watching his boots in case they started to smoke. They didn’t, though as it turned out he was not able to shadow-dance his way onto the castle grounds. He now teleported to the top of the castle wall, and looked down to see a pair of knights frozen in ice.
 
Tage performed a series of experiments, throwing shurikens back and forth and seeing if the brothers would notice. They didn’t seem to notice the two frozen fellows either. Eventually he came to the conclusion that the entire castle is truly covered in ice everywhere, but from where the brothers stood, it seemed to be ice-free. Eventually they were convinced.
 
Sir Darian, the Knight confessor approached and the ice faded away. His knight confessor friends were grateful for their freedom.
 
Entering the castle, the brothers found themselves in a sparsely decorated hall. Seated on a stout throne was a man of ‘untold beauty’. His eyes opened and he saw his former men-at-arms and the bunch of strangers who had come forth. The brothers explained what had befallen his wife. Invoking the power of his mantle of confession, he knew the brothers were telling the truth. He pulled the necklace holding his ring out from under his mail. He wept a single tear. He asked them to take his ring to her and grant her the ring and eternal rest at long last. He didn’t seem to want to come back. He indicated that he had to remain here, in order to keep the old evil dream god at rest, at bay.
 
So the brothers had the ring to bring back to his wife.
 
He immediately returned the brothers to the tomb, after relieving himself of his burden.
 
Yuttosk and Tage found themselves older than when they had left, or Tage would have if the Everstone had not protected him.
 
The brothers placed the ring upon the body of the waiting wife, and her corpse smiled as peace finally came to her. She faded away into the island of dreams. The brothers all found that they had grown in both body and soul, through their journey (+2 Sacred Bonus to Constitution, and +2 Sacred Bonus to Wisdom). What had befallen their company in their absence, how had things developed in the Cold war with the Gith? Time would tell.