A Woman Scorned: the Plane of Judgement
Scorn passes through the fields
The red orb reaches the Field of Asphodels. As it passes through the women there, they repeat the warning that Dage has no fury like a woman scorned. The same chant follows its passage through the Female Mourners. Scorn has arrived ahead of the Hero, carrying the words heard on Fotia into another part of the Underworld.
The orb explodes and breaks a door open. The scene’s closing message confirms that Scorn has passed through and directs the Hero toward Sibyl and Aeneas in the Field of Asphodels. From there, the route toward Dage’s Palace leads through the lands and judgments ahead.
The fields and the Vale of Mourning
The guide encountered before the river crossing returns to explain this part of the journey: Aeneas addresses a male Hero, while Sibyl addresses a female Hero. They describe the Field of Asphodels as home to souls who are neither Good nor Evil. According to their account, these souls remain in limbo until enlightenment allows them to return to the mortal world.
The Vale of Mourning lies beyond the fields. The guide says it holds souls whose mortal lives were consumed by heartbreak, leaving them to mourn their unhappy love for eternity. Past the Vale stands the Plane of Judgment. Its three Dishonorable Judges will assess the Hero’s deeds, adherence to Dage’s standards, and relationship to Dage himself.
Flowers for the mourners
The Hero first scouts the imp-infested lands and collects six Underworld Imp fangs. Their Psyche offers material for equipment that can help with the journey. Attention then turns to the Vale’s sorrowful souls. The Hero gathers eight white Asphodel Flowers from Ravens in the hope that a gift of happiness might change the mourners’ afterlife.
The two guide branches offer different recipients for the flowers. Aeneas sends the male Hero to defeat Female Mourners and leave a flower with each fallen soul; Sibyl sends the female Hero to do the same for Male Mourners. After eight such gifts, the guide reports that those souls have been reborn into the Field of Asphodels and can continue their afterlife more happily.
The Dishonorable Judges
Having proven worthy to the guide, the Hero is sent past the Vale to await judgment. At the broken doorway, voices halt the approach, demand a name, and announce that Dage has mentioned the Hero. The Hero identifies themself as being from BattleOn, then hesitates when asked whether they are ready for a fair trial. The voices rebuke both that uncertainty and the attempt to address them simply as sir.
They insist on being addressed as the Dishonorable Judges of the Underworld. Rhadamanthys will judge the Hero’s overall performance as a hero or villain. Minos will apply the standards of Dage’s Undead Legion. Aeacus will judge allegiance to the Dark Lord himself. Each directs the Hero to meet them in their courts and await the final judgment.
Three permissions to pass
The Hero proves worthy before each judge. Rhadamanthys grants his blessing for heroic performance, Minos declares the Hero an important asset to the Undead Legion, and Aeacus praises an unsurpassed commitment to Dage and his Legion. His trial calls for brute strength as proof of allegiance. All three now offer approval, including Aeacus’s permission to pass.
A further challenge, called Challenged Allegiance to Dage, asks for the same proof of loyalty and gives the same narrative permission. It calls for Ultra Aeacus’s Permission rather than the ordinary permission, with different rewards. This repeatable challenge offers a stronger test of the same allegiance.
The Palace threshold
The Hero approaches the portal, but nothing happens. After all the trials, the barrier still refuses passage. The Hero wonders whether something has gone wrong. Aeacus appears to explain the Underworld’s judicial system: passing the judges’ tests does not mean the Dark Lord will allow entry into his Palace.
Dage has the final decision on everything, Aeacus says, especially matters involving mortals. The Hero protests that so much effort and time have brought no admission. Aeacus answers only that entry might come in time. The judges must send their reports to Dage for review, and that process could take another eternity.
The court’s unfinished answer
Once Dage has reviewed the case, admission might become possible. Aeacus offers no firmer promise. He adjourns the court, cutting off the Hero’s protest by repeating the dismissal. The search for Scorn’s secrets remains unfinished beyond the Palace threshold, deferred to Dage’s decision.
The guide is furious at the result. Aeneas condemns the judges’ red tape and insists that it will not stand. Sibyl promises that Dage will hear the case and declares her support for the Hero against the court’s obstruction. The Hero still awaits Dage’s permission to enter.