After the historical intro above, I get into the PC involvement...
This is unedited so please forgive poor grammar.
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The adventure begins in the city-state of Otomi. The “nation” of Huacli is more unified in recent years than it has been in the past, but in reality, the whole region is more of a collection of independent governments. Otomi Is considered by outsiders to be a capital for all of Huacli, but this is not technically factual.
If the players are following the adventure path which began with TWR1 The Sea Demon’s Pearl and TWR2 The Maztican Ball Game, they should be aware that something major is afoot in the True World. The Druids of Maztica, having seen their skill and unexpected performance in the Kultakan Grand Tournament, now believe that the characters will continue to play a major role in what they are hoping will be the resurrection of their goddess. If the PCs had the vision of the goddess from TWR1, they will know that the druids are correct.
A prominent druidess, Malinalli of the Otomi, will have summoned them here to the mountain city in order to determine if the PCs desire to continue in their role. She will have already offered 100 gold quills (1,000 gp) through a messenger simply for them to make the trip.
The adventure can also be played if the characters are not yet involved in the adventure path. In this case, however, it is up to the DM to determine the reason why the characters are in Otomi. Huacli is known for its exports of copper and perhaps the players are hired to accompany a returning caravan. Either way, Malinalli will have had visions about their role in this all and will approach them within hours of entering the city.
The druids have existed for some time now, forming when the gods stopped answering prayers and when the sky turned to steel over a hundred years ago. Now that the world is back to what it once was, the druids consider this the fulfillment of a prophecy that the goddess Maztica would return. In their visions, the druids have been told that they must first acquire an item known as the Risa Stone. The magic of the Risa Stone could distract her son Zaltec long enough to allow her tonalli (soul) to reunite with a mortal form. Otherwise, the vindictive god of war would personally strike down any who attempted such a deed.
Unfortunately, the Risa Stone is not of this world - and if heroes were to acquire it for her, they would have to pass through the Door of Stars.
The Door of Stars has existed since time immemorial and it is hidden in a nearly inaccessible cavern far in the mountain passes. The Door can connect to an infinite number of worlds, and the Risa Stone exists in one.
ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS
After a few hours in the Huacli city Otomi, the player characters will be approached by the druidess who summoned them. She (Malinalli) will explain to them the adventure backstory and send them on their way.
For the first phase of the adventure, the PCs will have to infiltrate a City of the Dead known as Mictlaneca in order to discover a code long hidden by the ancient civilization which once inhabited (and still do in a way) the city.
In the next step of their journey, the players will have to brave an underground journey to the Door of Stars and open the portal. They will beset upon by an ancient vampire and his spawn who has survived an ancient purge, but the characters may find allies here in unexpected corners.
Through the Door of Stars, the PCs find themselves in a whole new world, one very different from their own where foreign, yet familiar gods and myths reside. In this land, they need to locate the fabled Risa Stone and take it by force from the nation of cruel men and women known as the Mechica.
Getting it back to the True World will require the PCs to find additional allies in this strange land among the gnomish tlaloques and the shy Sapotecs - a people who once inhabited the True World but migrated here long ago.
With the Risa Stone in hand - the Druids of Maztica reward the PCs handsomely before preparing the PCs for their next mission.
I have also aquired
artwork for the cover thanks to HeliacWolf's permission.
