Shadows of Terragon: The Horned One and the Heart of the Worlds
When the heroes stepped through the mysterious portal, they found themselves in Terragon—a land of ancient mysteries and hidden dangers. Their path led to a village where the druid Iskar resided. However, they soon discovered that their companion Essu had vanished. Quickly deducing that he had likely gone searching for survivors from his home village, they hesitated, unsure if this would lead to fortune or disaster.
Their deliberation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of an elf named Fenris. He announced that he had been sent to assist them in their quest for the magical cauldron, which was crucial for Lux Astra. Yet, there was no time for questions—a mighty troll emerged from the forest, his towering form inspiring awe. “Are you looking for the Horned One?” he asked in a thunderous voice. Believing that he referred to Iskar, the heroes agreed to follow the troll, who promised to guide them to their destination.
The troll led them to a village they had visited before, though something about it had changed. Now, it seemed deserted and abandoned. The guide pointed to a large building in the center and nodded, urging them to enter. Inside, they encountered an even larger troll, his body covered in horn-like growths and bony protrusions, as if he were a living embodiment of stone. This was the Horned One. However, his intentions were far from friendly. Hoping to distract the heroes with riddles, he was secretly preparing a trap. Once his deceit was uncovered, a fierce battle ensued.
The troll proved to be a skilled warrior, and soon two of his allies joined the fray. They defended their leader, sacrificing their life force to enhance his power. But the heroes, determined as ever, managed to defeat their foes. When the last troll fell, silence descended, broken only by the howling wind that swept through the empty village.
The heroes spent the evening searching the houses for the missing villagers. Only the next morning did they decide to venture into the dungeons of Litar, rumored to be nearby. They guessed that a hill near the village concealed the entrance. At the hilltop, a magical barrier dissipated, revealing an ancient tower whose crumbling walls seemed to bear witness to forgotten eras.
The heroes descended a long staircase into the dungeon and soon encountered its guardians—myconids, a mushroom-like people whose bodies appeared to be woven from fungal threads. The myconids led them to the surviving villagers, who had taken refuge there. Among them was the druid Iskar. Realizing that his companions had learned much about the Dream of Ptaris, Iskar decided to entrust them with an even greater secret.
He revealed that this world had been created by Bahamut and Tiamat, two mighty entities. However, due to their eternal rivalry, the original world had shattered into many universes, with Terragon at their center. Here, at the heart of the worlds, lay a unique artifact—the heart of Bahamut and Tiamat’s child. This artifact could grant a dragon unparalleled power, enough to defeat not only Ptaris but even Tiamat herself. Yet one problem remained: in a world where dragons no longer existed, the heroes would have to find a being capable of wielding the artifact’s immense power.
