Chapter Nineteen - Interlude - Ghalan Claims His Legacy

DM Note: Ghalan left the group in a previous chapter to claim his legacy. This is the summary I worte for his player, to introduce his arrival back in the party.

You were in the Gardens of the Imperial palace, togheter with Gully, when 3 shining knights in golden armor presented themselves. One was a male Dragonborn, playing a lute, one was a stocky male dwarf, and the last was a female Aasimar, her name is Esmenet.

Esmenet told you that it was time to go and meet you grandfather, the Solar Dumah. She gave a divine scroll of regeneration to Gully, and Gully used it to give wings to your Pegasus. Togheter with the 3 golden knights, you departed for the Desert City of Shan-la, home of Angels and Aasimars.

As you approached Shan-la, you realized that Heaven existed, and it was in front of you. The City was a place of peace and respite from the harsh desert where it was situated. It was built on a high hill, with the quarters of the city rising up until the pinnacle of Shan-la, the Platinum Minaret, home of Dumah himself.

In the city, Aasimars where the common citizen, and Celestials, Half-angels and Archons ruled the city and guided the aasimar. The city guard was only patrolling the gates, as no crime existed in between the walls of this utopic city. You were brought to the presence of Dumah. As you walked the golden and silver palace togheter with Esmenet, you started to realize what kind of power and prestige must your grandfather possess.

And finally you were in his presence. To look directly at him was almost impossible, an aura of light and awe surrounded him, blinding you eyes and you soul. He seemed to diminish himself, only to receive you, and finally you could pierce the light, and see the imposing figure behind. He was tall, 10 feet at least, clad in a shining platinum armour, a longspear and a flail at this side. His face was stern, yet compassionate, long platinum hair grew till his waist, his face was shaven, his age unfathomable. He looked young, yet you could read millenia in the molten pools of platinum that were his eyes. Behind him, golden wings spread wide, encompassing the huge Hall.

All around him, living lights, Angels, Archons, and weird metallic contructs came in and out of view, all bowing at your passage. Esmenet brought you at this presence, and togheter you kneeled to Dumah. "Raise" he said, and his voice filled your heart and lifted your soul, high, above the copper clouds "raise, my son, and let me witness the gaze of him, who shall avenge too many decades of shame"...

* * *

During the months you spent in Shan-la, you had the constant companionship of Esmenet, who explained to you everything that was needed. Most important, during several meetings with Dumah's War Masters, you were trained in the sword, and in commanding troops. You occasionally took battallions of Aasimar into the desert, to drill, and fight bandit hordes, or humanoid tribes.

After many months, Dumah received you once again. "I have made my desires clear to you, Ghalan, although i do not know if you're willing to accomplish the task I've set in front of you.The Emperor has been you father for a long time, and I do not know if he ever loved you, like i do, or if you ever loved him, like i hope you love me.And vengeance seems a trivial reason to bring war to mortals, and have them suffer for a quarrel between two ancient warriors. But know this.The Emperor has not only shamed me, he has also betrayed all the sacred pacts that his position required of him. It may seem unclear, let me explain.

In ancient times, eons before Man walked these lands, a mysterious Eye looked upon the world. This was Caiphon, the Star of Dreams. One day, tears from Caiphon fell on Tyrrah, our world, nine cold tears, and one red-hot and bringer of destruction.Millenia passed, before Dragons and Dragonborn found those tears, now rocks, and understood the power that was inside of them.

Many legends are spun around these events, and if you will it, our libraries recount plently of them, but it is enough that you know this: the Weapon was created from the Tear of Destruction, and the Nine Swords were forged from the cold tears.The Weapon brought great destruction of the soft flesh of mortals, and the Kingdoms of Men decided to hide it deep under the earth, so that no one could ever use it again.

The nine Swords werre given to ancient guardians, the Masters of the Sublime Way, a powerful tradition of Swordmasters, to guard the Temple were the Weapon was hidden, forever staying vigilant.Eventually, legends were forgotten, and the Masters of the Sublime way, up in their mountain Temple, became legends. Their art and their Swords were lost.But the Emperor knew. Know this, Ghalan: the Emperor has retrieved the Weapon, and he plans to use it.

The ancient guardian are all dead, or almost so, and nothing stands in the way of the Emperor and his final victoy on Tyrrah.This is why you are here. This is why i give you my legions, to bring war to him, a war i cannot wage due to ancient Oaths i cannot break.

And here is my last gift. It has come to my knowledge that the Master of Nine, the greatest disciple of the Sublime Way, has returned to the Temple, and plans on rebuilding the Art. He seeks the Nine Swords, and I know the location of one of them. You shall go to him, and ask him to train you in the Sublime Way.

In exchange, you will offer the "Desert Wind", the long lost sword.Obviously, you may need help in recovering the sword, but we shall think about it after you've spoken with the Master"He looks at you seriously."Now, what say you, my son?"