VARYSIA McCANDLES's page

And if anyone else has a yes/ no question that Narwhal can ask in his Commune, it'd probably be cool to ask before Fharlanghn posts the answers.

. . . . Also, while Narwhal casts his Commune and before we talk to Clonoc or the Gnomes about the Green Dragon's lair, I'm gonna spend a couple hours in Highfolk trying to find someone with a map of the southern border of The Vesve. If we can get a map of the border with say, 10 miles south of the Vesve and between 30 and 50 miles into the Vesve, it'd be a great purchase.

Well guys, since we're sitting sitting in this bar in Highfolk doing nothing (except watching Skoarn wrestle with that half-ogre regular, and Samhain Aqualung mistake the tavern owner's wife for Myhriss), why don't we talk about where we want to go tomorrow morning after we prepare our spells and such?

It sucks that we can't think of a way, yet, to protect ourselves against scrying; once our enemies get wind of who we are, we're likely to find a brace of Balors teleporting into our camp. We have to continue to think of a way to prevent this.

Meanwhile....

Here's my vote for what I think we should do next; what are your thoughts?

1) Ask GWAYLAR or CLONOC (or other adventurers) about where the local Green Dragon lair is. Bluff our reason, that we want to go to his lair and take him out to see if he has any info on Iggwilv's return -- the dragon may know. ... Of course, really it's just an empty treasure room but we should find it before the Gargantuan Red finds it (dragons sniff those things out pretty well), or worse, some of Iggwilv's demons stumble upon it. Even if we can't find a way to sell the loot yet because Highfolk can't afford to, it behooves us to find it and store it away for later!

2) Return to Tharizdun. ... Where did that Marilith come from and to whom is she aligned? Is there a Gate or something down there that we need to destroy; is that where fiends are coming from? If we spend just a bit of time searching we may be able to find out and if there's nothing there, well, at least we'll know and won't have to worry about it. We should, though, contact GWAYLAR the GNOME and let him know that his old enemies, the Norkers may become more active because of us. Can't be helped.

3) Scry on the VESVE to try to find some elves or other freedom fighters with whom we can teleport to and begin immediate aid in the great forest just north of Highfolk. I think we need to be as hands-on as possible there until we get a good feel for what's what in The Vesve.

4) First, tonight before we go to sleep, I'd like you, Narwhal, to cast a Commune with Fharlanghn to find out the following:
Are Iggwilv and Iuz working together in the region? (We may not get an answer on this one since even Demi-Powers have ways to hide from other Powers.)
Is Iggwilv using an Artifact to move the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth?

What do you guys think?
What do you think we should do?

Robin Van Persie
General of Greyhawk F.C.,

I don't know if you've heard by now or not, but I'm with a group of adventurers recently arrived on-site in Highfolk, fighting against Iggwilv's return to Perrenland and the Yatils. We've been here 4 days and here's what we've encountered so far.

{Please send more aid to Highfolk (and Mitrik)!}

HIGHFOLK
The co-rulers, elf Kashafen Tamarel and human Sir Tavin are sorely pressed. Their resources are entirely devoted to protect the Linchpin of the North from siege. In other words, they aren't really putting much in the field to counterattack Iggwilv in Perrenland.

There is a gargantuan Red Dragon that has attacked Highfolk a few times and, considering its philosophical alignment, is likely sided with Iggwilv, though we only assume this.

Better news, the Ancient Copper Dragon, Clonoc, now circles Highfolk in protection from the Red, and in general.
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THE VESVE
We haven't been there personally but word is not good, maybe even dire. Elves are currently in a furious fight against Iggwilv. Hopefully they can hold out until we or others can relieve them.

Once the Vesve falls I see an immediate sacking of Highfolk.
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KET
Again, we haven't been there yet but word is that Ket (as usual) has fallen. There are reports of resistance groups, furiously fighting and keeping Iggwilv from continuing her blitzkrieg into Bissel.
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PERRENLAND
Fallen.
Iggwilv isn't The Witch Queen of Perrenland for no reason.

We've made contact with a handful of Elf freedom fighters led by a Cpt. Tanaya. She is one of a small handful of heroic fighters operating in Perrenland.
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The LOST CAVERNS of TSOJCANTH
Iggwilv's Horn, deep in the Yatils, is being teleported around the region by Iggwilv. Clearly, Iggwilv's magic is far more powerful since her return from Azzagrat -- or she has an artifact of incredible power she uses to move her HQ.

Iggwilv, as reports have said, is sending Black Robed Witches to various communities to subjugate -- and failing that, she's sending Demons to do it. We randomly encountered, and killed, a large group of Cyclopses in the Yatils that had conceeded to Iggwilv.
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IUZ the OLD
In the Yatils we encountered and furiously fought a powerful group of Iuz's thralls including an Anti-Paladin, Cleric of Iuz, a female Ninja wearing jade green, a Wizard, Sorcerer and a couple Vrocks and an ogre. Our Monk, Serpico, fell but our Cleric of Fharlanghn, narwal, raised him.

When we killed a few of them, their bodies were teleported away via a Contingency. We know their thralldom to Iuz through The Old One's heraldy.
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GRAZ'ZT
In the Yatils we destroyed a Lamia Matriarch and her servants, the Lamias and some local Leucrotta.

Scary part: They were sent by GRAZ'ZT!. Apparently the Demon Prince sent the Lamia Matriarch to assist (_spy on?_) Iggwilv. I was able to briefly convince her I was an Alu-Fiend; that's how we got the info.
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The FORGOTTEN TEMPLE of THARIZDUN
Just inside the temple we killed a large number of local Norkers & Flinds using it as a lair. Deep inside we fought a Nalfeshnee, 2 Glabrezu, & a MARILITH! The Marilith teleported away before we could banish her to the Abyss. We don't know whom She serves.

. . . . We do not yet know if the thralls of Iggwilv, Graz'zt and Iuz are working together or whatever.
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GNOMES of the YATIL MTs
We met and befriended the well-known Gnome mayor, Gwaylar, long resident of the valley next door to Tsojcanth's old caverns and Lair. The gnomes are doing well, dealing with the norkers and such they have always dealt with. They had no new news on Iggwilv. We will try to keep in touch with them.
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VELUNA
We traveled briefly to Mitrik, the nation's capital city, and made friendly contact with one of the Clerics, Trent. Moreover, we were given audience with Canon Hazen, who is greatly ill. He informed us that he can not again wield the famed artifact, The Crook of Rao to drive Iggwilv from the Flanaess.
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DEVILS???!
We also have reports that DEVILS! are being sighted. Most likely, a Gate or Rift is open not just to The Abyss but to the Lower Planes.
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Finally, we have killed an unrelated gargantuan Green Dragon that has been a local menace in the Yatils for a long time.

Your friend
Varysia McCandles
Rel Astra
Order of the Sensates

Your Magnitude,

I wanted to let you know how we're doing up here in Highfolk, our first stop after leaving the Sterich March, and ask that you'll help me pressure Commandant Magnus and His Majesty, Kimbertos to send their own troups up here to help Highfolk, or at least to Mitrik.

But first, Dren girlfriend, these heroes of yours with me are impressive. Especially this Cleric of Kord -- there's a chemistry there between us, but don't get your hopes up -- you know me: all business / no pleasure. Still....

And that Paladin. He keeps calling me Sotillion! Except when I'm teaching everyone about demons or the history of Perrenland and Iggwilv or something -- Then he starts calls me Lirr! He whispers in his sleep, flirting, with half the goddesses of Oerth it seems. Normally I'd say he's crazy but honestly, those Paladin powers are coming from somewhere.

Anyway, enclosed is a rundown on what we've discovered in our first four days so you'll know what exactly it is we're dealing with up north.

I'm also sending it to Magnus, Canon Hazen in Mitrik and General Robin Van Persie in Greyhawk, you know, the gish/ magus that I used to study with (and date) -- yes, he's a General now and has at least a bit of Nerof's ear to bend for me and our common cause.

To the Newest Heroes of the Sterich March,

I am Varysia McCandles, a Loremaster Wizard not unlike your friends Algorthas and Verbain. With one exception – I travel throughout the Flaeness, experiencing all. And steadfastly fight encroaching Fiends from the Lower Planes.

I plan to meet with you at your new Keep in western Sterich to discuss the Flaeness’s need for those like you in a new crisis. Perhaps you have heard of a powerful Demonologist and Summoner/Witch named Iggwilv, author of The Demonomicon, lover and imprisoner of Graz’zt, mother of Iuz the Old and daughter of Baba Yaga….
She’s back.

I hope that I can convince at least some of you to accept me as a colleague and team with me to adventure up north, to seek and destroy Iggwilv’s new cult.

As for me,
-I am a human wizard, specializing in Abjuration and with a Focus on both Enchantment and Divination Magic. I am weak at Illusion and Necromantic Magic.
-I am a “loose” member of the Order of the Sensates in Sigil (a metropolis in the Outer Planes) that believes in experiencing all “sensation,” travelling the Planes, or in my case the Flaeness, to see and learn all.
-I am an accomplished Diplomat, Sage (rivaling Algorthas) and Linguist (25 languages).
-I was born and educated in Rel Astra, City of Stars, and the greatest site of learning in all the Flaeness. But I have lived and studied in The Free City of Greyhawk, Hardby, Veluna and the Kingdom of Ahlissa. I have also spent time in Sigil and other cities in the Outer Planes.

See you soon,
Varysia McCandles
Rel Astra, City of Stars
Order of the Sensates

Algorthas,

I’ll be visiting Istivin soon and look forward to seeing you again, haggling over various bits of knowledge we’ve picked up since our last meeting.

Specifically, I want to know everything about The Malgoth and the Ice Devil that has troubled the Sterich March recently. More importantly, I want to talk to the Baron hero who defeated Prince Azure (All I know is that his name starts with a “Z.”) And I can trade some bits of info from Rel Astra about the Fiend-Sage....

I need to talk with Baron Z and his fellow Fiend-Fighters about a serious problem we’re starting to hear about in Perrenland and the Yatils. I’m sure you’ve heard by now rumors that Iggwilv the Witch Queen has returned from Azzagrat, hopefully without Graz’zt this time, and is rebuilding a horrible base of evil.

I intend to convince this Baron Z and his fellows to join me going up north.
Please forward the following letter to him.

Varysia McCandles
Rel Astra (and the Whole of the Flaeness)
Order of the Sensates

Your Magnitude,

I hope this missive finds you well; I’ve heard of Istivin’s recent troubles with The Malgoth and rumors of a powerful Ice Devil naming himself Prince Azure or sumesuch euphemistic nonsense. All is well in Hardby but it's time for me to move on.

Despotrix Ilena loved your anecdote about the Giantess and the Drunken Drow – half of Hardby has been sharing it with the other half. One of the playhouses in Ebbfields has even made a skit of it and it’s still all the rage here. Your yarn’s even made its way to Greyhawk – Oooh, speaking of the Free City, remind me when I see you to tell you about Mordenkainen's most recent flavor of the month! (And Lord Robilar shaved his beard!)

Dren, I’m coming to Sterich! By the time this reaches you I’ll be in the Gran March getting that dinner Magnus owes me for solving the Druid Medusa’s riddle in the Dim Forest. Heh, Magnus: “big” man / “little” magic; you know what I mean ;)

Anyway, I’ll be in Istivin about 4 days after you get this, but only for a day or so. You know me, I have to experience all of the Flaeness – not like those boring sages like your Algorthas, waiting patiently in their ostentatious towers for knowledge to come to him! Speaking of Algorthas, please forward to him the following letter.

See you soon!

Your Sister in the Arcane Arts,
Varysia McCandles
Rel Astra (and the Whole of the Flaeness)
Order of the Sensates