Week 5 Story: D&D Rama's Quest

As the band of three adventurers, Rama the Ranger, Lakshmana the Fighter, and Sita the cleric pressed on through the forest, continuing on their quest, to where and what end only the god Dee-yem knew.  Their previous conquest, slaying the giant army, had angered a powerful giant named Ravana, who was a formidable opponent, with 10 heads and 20 arms, easily a challenge rating 20 opponent for a level 13 party.  To add to his power, he also was a formidable spellcaster, and casting illusion, turned a Rakshasa into a golden deer, and himself into an old priest.  The golden deer presented himself in front of the party, and the adventurers, certain this was Dee-yem's way of leading them to some magical items, sent Rama after it.  After a chase, he shot the deer, and the Rakshasa's dying breath was to call out, in Rama's voice, for the rest of the party.  Fearing the consequences of splitting the party, they rushed to the door, where an old priest was there, asking for a place to room for a lonely adventurer.  Sita, sworn to the life domain, gave him this hospitality, but her attention was focused on finding the source of the sound.  This lowered her perception enough in order for Ravana to end his illusion spell, bringing him back to his original form, and carrying her off.

Ravana, from Ancient History

When Rama returned, he was greatly upset at himself, for he had broken the greatest of Dee-yem's commandments, to not split the party, and now he realized how he was paying for this transgression.  He went about the nearby village, praying for Dee-Yem to give him a plot hint through a villager, but none was forthcoming.  Eventually, wandering through the woods, he came across a tribe of intelligent monkeys, whose leader, Surgriva, was persuaded by the sight of Rama's mournful countenance to lend him aid, provided first the heroes helped him overthrow Bali, usurper of the title King of Monkeys.  The heroes set off on this side quest, anxious to achieve what they needed in order to get their healer back.

Bibliography:

Rama's Quest, Wilson, Source

Author's Note:

For the original story, Rama chases an illusion created Ravana, and it ends with Ravana taking advantage of his absence to kidnap Sita.  This plunges Rama into sadness, and he wanders the village and nearby forest trying to find some sign of Sita.  This eventually leads him to Sagriva, the Monkey King, who has been thrown from the phone by Bali, the usurper of the throne.  He initially doubts the heroes, but finally agrees to aid them in exchange for their aid in challenging Bali.  For my story, I kept the basic plot the same, but made all the magic and adventurers fit in a D&D universe.  This meant labeling things like certain spells, assigning the adventurers certain classes, and adding the ruling diety Dee-Yem, who influences all events.  The only other change I really made was slight modifications to the characters motivations, to make it fit into a D&D setting.