To Open the World Gate.

To Unseal the World Gate

By Robert Allen

Deep in the woods just north east of the Drowned Republics there sits a great rift in time and space which leads to the Utter Dark and an area of the Abyss. The rift was created in the time of the God Wars when Oskan’s Axe created the Abyss. The Green Lady sealed this rift from the outside at the end of the God Wars, but the creatures of the Utter Dark still feel the nearness of the real world and gather near the entrance trying to force their way out. The creatures of nature under the watchful eye of Keris the eternal Druid defend this sealed gate to the death on orders from the Green Lady, and out of fear of what could emerge if the seal were ever broken. They also use the magic of nature to mask the location of this gateway, but evil creatures have recently identified the general area where the physical opening is. The forces of nature have fought many skirmishes against dark creatures who believe they have finally found the physical location of the World Gate.

The Utter Dark itself is not really a realm; it is more of a space between spaces. Within the Utter Dark there are gateways to different planes of existence, such as the Abyss and the astral plane. When Oskan taught the elvish mages and some wise dwarfs how to travel between planes, they entered these other realms by way of the Utter Dark, and then out through the gateways that existed therein. When the abyss was created, the fabric between the worlds became unstable. Many of the mages were caught between the planes, and stuck in the Utter Dark, later to become Banshees, Horrors, or other creatures too horrific to mention. Other gateways were torn open in the Utter Dark at the same time through which hideous and alien beings entered as well. Some of these creatures were able to take on outer forms of living creatures, and have the psychic ability to know what people in the real world fear. Thus creatures such as Fiends, Nightmares, and the dreaded Void Lurkers came into contact with Mantica, and adjusted their shapes to things that would cause waking mortals to shudder or collapse in terror.

Lord Sottot, one of the powerful Void Lurkers, discovered a small gateway that dwellers of the utter dark could use to enter the world of Mantica near the forbidden forest. The gateway is unstable and only opens for short periods of time, and then closes again, sometimes for days or weeks. Sottot did as his title implied, though, and lurked near the gateway trying to predict when the gate would open and close. He assembled small groups of Utter Dark creatures, collectively referred to as Night Stalkers, who he could send through the gate as it opened to scout the great forest, and locate the sealed world gate. These creatures were limited to night time raids and scouting missions before the gate closed. Sometimes Sottot himself would lead these missions as it felt good to him to sow fear and terror amongst the mortals. Many of his allies were unable to return and report, but enough of his scouts did make it back, and Sottot gained a pretty solid idea of the geography surrounding his portal, and where the greater gate was located.

On one such scouting mission, Sottot’s minions had fought their way into the woods to a point where the resistance by the Forces of Nature was so strong that the very elements of nature combined to bar the scouts any further advance. Sottot was certain this had to be the World Gate’s location because one of the Horrors, the warped souls of dwarfs caught between the worlds when the Fenulian mirror shattered, claimed the area near where they fought was immersed in magical energies. With this knowledge in his possession, Sottot set about planning how he could reopen the World Gate. He knew he had a weapon that could shatter almost any magical lock or ward, but he needed time, and would also need the assistance of several mystical creatures to cast the spell of opening as he smashed the wards.

Sottot’s biggest problem was massing a large enough force of Night Stalkers at the small gateway at the start of an opening event. The creatures of Utter Dark could be flighty and unreliable at times, and they often showed a distinct lack of patience for which he and his fellow lurkers were well known. Thus, he bided his time. As the years passed, Sottot gained a great understanding of the opening schedules, which appeared to coincide with the lunar cycles of Mantica and when the orbs in the sky were in conjunction. The problem in the Utter Dark, though is telling time. With no way of telling when it was light or dark in the real world, he could not accurately predict the openings and closings. He recruited a small force of nightmares, under the leadership of a nasty beast called Delucid, who could sense when mortals sleep, and began to use that power to determine when night fell on Mantica. With Delucid’s aid, Sottot was finally able to accurately predict the opening and closing schedule of his gateway. He also continued to send small scouting parties out into the real world to glean information on the situation in the lands surrounding his gateway. One such scouting mission returned with the information that several tribes of marauding orcs had moved into the lands near the forest, and the creatures of nature were mobilizing to defend their woods far west of the World Gate. Sottoth knew it was time. He also knew when the next opening would be. He sent a psychic call through the Utter Dark to bring as many Night Stalkers as he could to his location, and prepare for a massive incursion. If he could break the seal on the World Gate, he would become the most powerful of all the Void Lurkers.

Many creatures of the Utter Dark answered the call. Assembled and ready to push through the gate he had hordes of spider-like fiends and the massively built butchers. Reapers and phantoms, some specters, scarecrows, horrors, nightmares, shades, banshees, screamers, night screeches, hulks, terrors and bloodworms. Such a collection of nightmare creatures had never before assembled for a single foray into the real world. Sottot was ready, all that was needed was for the gateway to open, and open it did.

Sottot emerged through the gateway at the head of his army many leagues to the east of where the forces of nature were fighting the orcs, but they still had a long journey to reach the World Gate. He watched with a sensation not unlike pride as his followers emerged. First came Delucid and his nightmares. The bat-winged, eight legged steeds would serve as his outriders and advanced scouts. As they emerged through the gate, Delucid formed them up into small units and assigned each a mission. Next through the portal were two large hordes of fiends. As they emerged from the Utter Dark they took on the outward appearance of giant black spiders, a form known to strike fear into the hearts of many mortals. Two large beasts came through next. These creatures, though without a real name known in the Utter Dark or on Mantica, were frequently called mind screeches. They could psychically cast a sound that harmed the mortal mind just as surely as a physical weapon could harm the body. Two more creatures followed along with them, affectionately known as screamers. The screamers do make a physical noise so powerful it causes the eardrums on many creatures to burst. Shari, the once elfin banshee was next through, eager to once again walk on the surface she once called home, but ready to take vengeance on those mortals who did not share her fate of condemnation in the Utter Dark.

So came the rest of his creatures, both great and small. He admonished his followers to move as stealthily as possible to avoid alerting the nature forces to their presence, but to also move quickly lest they not arrive still under cover of darkness. The nightmares ranged ahead of the main force, while the spindly, masked scarecrows and hulking butchers were still shambling through the rift into the real world. As the nightmares entered the woods, a small band of fairy-like sylphs mounted on large birds flew from their hiding places just as fast as their wings could carry them. Delucid ordered his followers to give chase, and sent one of his trusted lieutenants back to warn Sottot they had been spotted. After a short period of time, many of Delucid’s troops returned, and reported the sylphs had evaded their pursuit, and that several of their number had been brought low by more sylphs near the World Gate clearing.

The Night Stalkers knew the game was up and pushed ahead as fast as they could to the clearing. They entered the clearing from the north just as the hastily assembled forces of nature led by both Keris and Shaarlyot arrived from the south. Sottot ordered his followers to deploy. “Above all else, we need to seize and hold the gateway!” The scarecrows, specters, blood worms, reapers, and butchers set themselves directly in line with the sealed gateway. Screamers and Mind Screeches formed up behind them, and Shari the Banshee set herself near the specters. Delucid and his remaining followers took up the right flank, along with Sarush the Shade and some shadow Hounds. Yggdeth the Terror, Karamish the Hulk, Sottot himself, and 2 hordes of arachnoid Fiends formed up on the left. The plan was simple enough, move fast down the flanks and turn in to force the nature creatures into the killing zone created by the infantry and the monsters behind them.

Sottot was a bit surprised at the number of creatures that were so hastily assembled to face him. There were lots of sylph talonriders, which, from Delucid’s report was not surprising, but it appeared that even the forest had mobilized to fight him. 2 hordes of forest shamblers, a tree herder, and a band of wild hunters emerged directly out of the trees themselves. The elemental powers of fire and water were summoned as well, and a huge host of naiads, and even some centaurs lined up against Sottot’s army. “This,” he thought, “will not be quite as easy as I had hoped.” As one the creatures of nature advanced, and the sylphs managed to find several targets amongst a troop of slinking shadowhounds. He sent out a telepathic command to all of his leaders to advance. The hordes of fiends on his far left flank broke ranks and charged into the fray. The far left fiends trampled the wild hunters on the far right flank as they walked literally out of the trees, and the other fiends skittered into the fire elementals, and emerged victorious from the flames. The Night Stalkers on the left were off to a good start. On his right flank, the nightmares, shadowhounds, phantoms and Sarush committed against the sylphs, forest shamblers, a a pack of wolfish lycans. Sadly, though, all of his forces on the right were repelled by their enemies. That one pack of shadowhounds that had been shot up by the sylphs held back to regain its composure. In the center the combined power of the screamers, mind screeches, and Shari broke the will of a large force of naiads, thus, the entire right flank was stalled up for Keris’ army, but the ongoing fighting was fierce.

And just as fiercely, the center and left crashed in on Sottot’s forces. One of the fiend units was crushed by the combined power of walking trees and water sprites riding on giant, slimy, sea serpents. A massive host of fiery salamanders slammed into the reapers just in front of him. But the reapers easily repelled the attack. To his immediate right, more of those accursed naiads attacked the maggot-like bloodworms who held their ground well, eager to dig in to some mortal flesh. Over on the right, however, it was not going as well as he hoped. All of Delucid’s remaining nightmares were driven back to the darkness, and it looked like the shadow hounds might follow. The injured pack was actually in a tooth and claw brawl with some sylphs who somehow decided it would be safer in combat than hanging back and shooting. Those hounds were looking ready to scatter, but the scent of blood all around them was more than enough to strengthen their will. With a swirling melee all around him, Sottot sent out the command to hold at all costs. He then directly communicated with Yggdeth the terror to join him in attacking the salamanders. The two of them charged in, and with the powerful assistance of the reapers, slaughtered all of the fire lizards, then turned to face the far left where the remaining fiends were heavily engaged with the sea serpent creatures. In a way it seemed he needn’t bother, as the wyrms faded backwards after getting smashed hard by the fiends. They were demoralized, but not yet broken, so if he and Yggdeth joined the fight, he felt certain it would be over, and with his left flank clear, his troops could sweep across the center to hold the gate.

To Sottot’s immediate right, Karamesh, the bloodworms, and the scarecrows waded through a fountain of blood that used to be the naiad horde, but to his far right, the fight was still very much in the balance. Both shadowhound packs were still in the fight, as were the phantoms and his powerful butchers, but they were still outnumbered by an enemy who looked to over run them. Suddenly, as one, the mind screeches let go with their sonic attack, and eradicated the large force of walking trees. Shari and the screamers again unleashed their power against the remaining naiads, who looked like they were ready to run, but were calmed by Keris’ presence. Sottot could also feel Sarush’s presence somewhere on the far right, so he knew he still had a commander there holding the flank together.

Keris, having seen the unbridled power of the mind screeches, ordered the giant beast currently fighting the butchers to break contact and attack one screech, then used her magical powers to silence the other, at least temporarily. The naiads attacked the butchers in the beast’s place, while the phantoms and hounds were set upon by all sides. Somehow the phantoms held against the lycans again, but the lead hounds were destroyed. Against all odds the other hounds still held out, this time not only against the sylphs, but the flying unicorn as well. The butchers were also banished back to the Utter Dark where it will take them some time to take a new form. The left flank however was doing much better. The wyrms backed away from the fiends to try to regroup while the walking trees charged in. Fortunately the fiends held, and should reduce their attackers to a pile of kindling with the aid of Yggdeth. Sottot decides to take out the sea serpents, and then turns back towards the center and the World Gate. Yggdeth and the fiends slaughter the walking forest, and turn to the center as well. Only Shaarlyot and one puny druid remained on the left flank, and Sottot was confident the remaining fiends could handle them easily.

The phantoms finally fought clear of the last few lycans, and turned to face the threat from the giant walking tree and a formation of centaurs. There was also a bunch of water elementals hanging back on the left who could easily become a threat, so Shari and the screamers give it a blast at full force. Somehow Sarush managed to finish off the sylphs and will now pose a threat to the other nature creatures as well. In the center of the battlefield, the bloodworms were still enjoying rolling about in the naiad blood, but the scarecrows and Karamesh rushed off to face the other naiads closing in on them. The scarecrows get an extra burst of speed from one of the horrors, and the naiads were once again on the verge of breaking, but Keris’ presence and soothing words convinced them to hold their ground. “Those slimy little fishmen just refuse to go away,” cursed Sottot. Yet, by the same token, his shadowhounds and phantoms were still holding on by the thinnest of margins, and keeping the right flank from collapsing. Sarush managed to finally come to grips with the water elementals, and looks to hold them up fairly well, but that damned beast begins to romp through the army’s rear, and tramples the blood worms into the ground, stomping on nearly every one of them. Sottot puts out a general psychic call to all of the shooters to stop the beast from rampaging, and to hurry up with the destruction of the remaining nature creatures. The time to open the World Gate is near at hand. Obeying the call, the screamers and Shari let loose with all their might, the specters also lend a hand, but the beast, despite being severely wounded, stubbornly clings to life. The scarecrows, however are finally able to finish off the damned naiads. Just as they crush the last of the fishmen, that damnable beast stomps through them from the rear, scattering parts and pieces of them as he goes. At the same time, the Shadowhounds and Phantoms finally collapse, and the forces of nature make a rush towards the center.

Sottot, Yggdeth, and the fiends make a mass rush towards the center to position themselves for the gate opening, but they needn’t have bothered as the remaining mindscreech slaughters the sylphs, the screamers and Shari put down the centaurs, and Karamesh finally catches the beast and pummels the life from it. Sarush even manages to bring down the elementals, leaving only a couple of Druids, Keris, Shaarlyot, the giant treeman, and the flying unicorn on the battlefield. The last few nature creatures realize they are seriously outnumbered and over-powered, and they make a rapid withdrawal from the World Gate clearing. With victory secured, the spell casters all gather around the World Gate seal and begin the incantation that will break the magical wards. As the incantation reaches a crescendo, Sottot raises his magical weapon high above his head, and brings it down in a powerful arc that shatters the stone seal. Sottot and the others are knocked from their feet as the tablet explodes outward and darkness follows behind.

As the void advances, everything of the living world is changed in appearance, warped by the contact with the Utter Dark. The trees and plants die, animals take on weird shapes and proportions, even the rocks and soil change as they are touched by the otherworldly poisons. Suddenly, the darkness ceases to advance, and snaps back in on itself, sucking with it the mutated forest beasts and trees. The sun begins to rise over the ancient forest, but it takes on a strange greenish-gray hue that is almost, but not quite, able to penetrate the aura of darkness surrounding the World Gate. As Sottot and the others pick themselves up off the ground, he notices within the Utter Darkness, another source of light, this one reddish orange. He has seen the color before, but is a bit surprised to note that the World Gate is also a pathway into the Abyss. As misshapen things begin to emerge from the darkness, Sottot cannot help but be pleased with himself. “This will be a fun time for the Night Stalkers, but also for the great masters of the Abyss!”