Anachron gazes out upon the masses of green figures. He does a quick calculation in his head and recognizes how far outnumbered they all are. With a concerned look he asks the others a simple question. “What say you all, do we stand and fight or flee/hide?” A resounding flurry of sentiments “They hurt our friend!” “Fight!” “Defend the tavern” erupts and it is clear that the group has made their decision. From under Anachron’s robes he pulls two powerful looking objects. In one hand he holds a red tome with the words Tome of the Ancient Snorf. In the other he holds an ornate hourglass. Anachron looks at his new friends and down at the book and back to his friends as if weighing a very difficult decision. “I have saved this for a. rainy day, and this is as rainy of a day as ever.” “I am truly sorry for what you all are about to encounter, but I assure you there is no other way that. I can foresee.”
Anachron opens the great book and begins to chant. At first they are but whispers but as the glow around him grows, so too does the volume of his voice until the whole room is a swirl of dancing runes and strange phrases from ancient tongues long lost. The book rises and floats in front of Anachron and with a Pop, it disappears. Ananchron’s eyes glow brightly with new immense power, which for a wizard, you might think would bring a sense of accomplishment to his face, but instead his face appears almost sad, as if he has lost something of great value. You sense that something in Anachron has changed forever.
“There, that should do it. . . .had to charge up a bit for this next one”
Another rock comes hurling through the window, narrowly missing his hat.
“No time to lose and all the time to gain!”
Anachron turns over the hourglass and. . . .nothing. . . .nothing at all seems to happen. He whips out his wand and lets out a battel cry for his fellows and the battle begins.
The tavern is ablaze with fireballs and electricity as the rainy night erupts with a great battle. Each one fought bravely, their skills unmatched and worthy of song, but the hoards of green proved too numerous. One by one, each of those defending the Tavern fell. With each loss, the Tavern grew darker, as if it were a lifeform itself, and now its sustaining patrons were no more. Perhaps others who were present could expound upon the heroic deeds and the glorious deaths of those involved, however, War in any form is an awful evil, and perhaps such things are left in the past and in the shadows away from the limelight and fanfare. . . .
Gromprich, peers into the Tavern a torch in hand but the darkness and death inside the Tavern seems to devour most of it. Bending down he wrenches the shard out of the arm and holds it aloft in triumph. It is the last thing he sees before Anachron breaths his last.
“What say you all, doe we stand and fight or flee/hide?” Wait what… The adventurers look around confused and then look down at themselves as if surprised to find themselves all in one piece.
Anachron has already hurried to the back of the Tavern where he is making a few quick magical looking gestures. “Quickly everyone, no time to explain. . . no time. . . no time” he mutters.
The team turns to follow just in time for a small doorway to form along the back wall near Anachron’s personal bar booth. The members drag their injured friend and soon the entire lot has quickly passed into the narrow space.
Anachron explains briefly about a series of magically hidden rooms he has stashed around the different realms. He tells of the magical tome and its power to expand Anachron’s unique time altering power to encapsulate the entire party rather than just himself in a single time loop.
Quietly the team waits, peering through the shimmer as Gromprich enters the tavern. Looking around head cocked back he sniffs the air warily. “We must have just missed them!” he howls in rage. “This has Anachron’s prints all over it, but no matter we will find them and eh shard.”
As he turns to leave he ushers a series of orders leaving two large guards in the tavern as insurance in case the adventurers return.
One of the team looks warily. “Well we are still stuck here. . .. look, we can’t leave this little room or the guards will sound the alarm and we will be back to square one.”
Anachron smiles and points to another shimmer a the back of the room. A few more magical gestures and it becomes apparent that there is indeed another way out.
These rooms are connected by a network of Natural magics which allow them to remain hidden as well as connected. The nature of the shielding magic and unique connections also avoid the problems of teleportation blocks and other travel nuisances. Anachron gestures to the portal which appears to lead to an unassuming greeting card shop. “This one I believe will do. Are we ready for the next great adventure?”
...
Was this all real or, did that stone actually make contact with Anachron’s head, sending him down this pathway as a dream? Only time will tell, and the next official part of the lore.