Scene 1 - Emergence

Rhomande: We passed through the great archway rising from the sands, and from all around came a great tumult, like an angry sea god shaking the foundations of some unfortunate coastal city.  Great whooshing howls tore through my skull, and my flesh burned until I was sure that only my incandescent soul remained.  Skin and bone and gut all drifted away, leaving only a kernel of raw perspective.  I lost track of my companions - my fearless and ruthless Basterds - so I cannot relay their experiences; only my own.

(sfx: d20 roll x7)

Rhomande: And just as suddenly as they arose, all of these sensations ceased.  We all stood at the terminus of the Great Horrible One's gate.  Well... Perhaps "stood" gives the wrong impression, for all 'round us sparkled a variegated skyscape.  Stars winked at us from their great distances, while colorful strands of disembodied thought wended their ways around and through us.  Then, clouds of stardust descended upon the party like the evening fogs of Oak Vale, obscuring our view of platonically interacting sentences.

Rhomande: With a little experimentation, we found movement possible.  A few of us found walking a decent travel metaphor - within this non-plane of reality, at least.  As soon as we took our first, tentative steps beyond the star-fog --

DM: Your Savior appeared, to finally shut the Bard up.  

Issa: Hooray!  The giant voice is back, to tell us exactly which ways Rhomande has screwed up!

Stiev: Whoa, who’s that?

Issa: Just some voice that follows us around and helps us with our adventures.  Unless Rhomande screws it up and upsets the voice.  Again.

DM: Thank you for your vote of confidence, Issa.  (Sfx: Shuffle some notes) Now, Rhomande has already explained where you all are so -- oh, wait.  Crap. Those aren't supposed to -- HIT THE DECK AND ROLL INITIATIVES!!!