STRANGE AEONS (Inactive)

Game Master Daniel Penfold 351

It looks decades old. It looks as if this portion of the wall used to be a corridor that was sealed up with stone blocks and plastered over.

"It looks like it is not dangerous in its current condition. It might be worth exploring after as there may be a hidden room or chamber behind the crack."

"Indeed," Domeric agreed, keeping his weapons drawn.

I will bash the wall. Trevor bashes with his hammer

"I could try smashing it with..." Penith starts saying but Trevor's hammer drowns her out. :)

"It's ok I think this is good for him."

As Trevor hits the wall, large chunks of plaster and debris fall away. It opens into a cell which smells like a tomb. Huddled in the middle of the floor, next to a bench, lies the body of a dessicated human male, dressed only in a ragged loincloth. There are several large tattoos on the torso and thighs, mostly depicting abstract, swirling monstrosities with too many eyes and too many mouths.

Huh. Looks like they wanted this one to suffer alone before dying

"Well, they're all crazy," Domeric stated, casting Detect Magic and glancing around the area.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Senn is going to search the body and look for anything that will explain this situation in the rest of the room.

Peception: 10 + 23 = 33

Domeric you find a scarlet and blue sphere ioun stone.

Senn you find a scrap of paper that reveals that the corpse is that of someone called Clymes Prett who was placed here by Count Haserton Lowls 3rd, the father of the current Count Lowls

"A family of lunatics."

The ioun stone gives a +2 to int. I don't think anyone is strickly Int based but this is a good chance to grab a skill the group is lacking.

You've explored the fort, where to next?

Miller Time!

”Well... where to now?” Domeric asked, ”Lowls clearly isn’t here, though I guess it might be worth seeing if anyone in town knows who this Prett person is.”

Maybe get some new equipment as well

”New equipment would be good,” Domeric agreed.

You make sit back to town and can rest up and buy equipment. Asking about you discover that Clymes Prett was a wizard and reported lover of the count's mother Nemira. He was accused of killing the Count's father but the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

"Well, seems that the lack of evidence didn't stop someone from offing him anyways," Domeric observed, "Anyways, guess we should also try and find out about this Micknian Mun fellow we keep hearing about? I suppose if we intend to continue to pursue Count Lowls, we will need to find a way to Cassomir. I for one, fully intend to collect all the back pay he probably owes..."

By asking about town you discover that there is a boat captain who is planning to sail to Cassomir on the river

"There is clearly an unpaid debt. Let's stock up and get on the boat. A library may give us some answers to the hows and whys of what we have seen."

I will go through the treasure for 'sellables' and report what we have.

So just why are chasing Jowls again? Payback for locking us up?

So just why are chasing Jowls again? Payback for locking us up?

"Lowls has betrayed us, stolen our memories, and imprisoned us. More importantly though, we now know that he has put this entire town at risk with his activities, and this cult he associates with has likely kidnapped and murdered far more than we already know. We may not know their end goals, but whatever they are, they will surely only bring more tragedy," Domeric stated, "I do not know what sort of person I was before losing my memories, though from what all we've gathered, that person would not have cared much about any of this. But, I am not that person any longer. For that, I suppose I should thank Lowls, and I shall certainly do so when I finally stick my knives in his throat, for all the other trouble he has caused."

”Yep. I intend on bringing Lowls to heel for all the pain he has put us and this town through. Whether that takes us to Cassomir, or anywhere else.”

"I just want to know I am again. He's the only who seems to know." Penith gives her reasons, since everyone else is.

"At this point I don't care who I was. Who I am now is Senn and I am pissed. If I was a murderous monster so be it. I can't think of a better way to atone for whatever evil I was then by bring this monster down."

Bitey grows viciously.

A good enough reason I suppose

"Also, I enjoy the company that and I don't know that I could get a job not really know my name and all."

You head to the docks where you heard that there is someone who is planning to sail down the Sellen River. As you reach the docks you overhear the following argument.

"I'm not making them reload it, and you'd best be on your way shortly, shorty", says the fat man in an ill-fitting harbourmaster's jerkin

The curly-haired halfling woman in high leather boots jabs her finger up at the man

"What do you mean, you won't reload it? It's loaded wrong! Ships can't just list to one side like you drunkards. Hardwood is heavy and as thick as your skull-your people loaded it nine stacks deep to port and three stacks starboard. I've got to get it all the way to Cassomir, and I won't make it if my boat rolls as easy as your sister!"

Senn goes and grabs the group.

"Hey, can we help? We need to get to Cassomir and I would like to travel on a level ship."

If you can help move these stacks or convince this idiot to do it, I'll give you passage for free

Domeric sighed, looking at the man who was supposed to be doing the loading, "Mate, just help us reload the bloody things properly and we'll be on our way. I'm sure the local authorities don't want us taking up valuable harbor space any longer than necessary."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

Trevor flexes his muscles. I can certainly help!

Senn smiles. She had assumed that Domeric was a good talker but aside from interaction at the inn she has had little chance to she it. Senn is glad the Domeric is getting to use his skills.

"I can find a way to be of assistance."

Domeric manages to convince some of the dockworkers to help and with Trevor's help the crates are quickly stacked correctly

Thank you for your help. My name is Skywin Freeling, welcome aboard the Sellen Starling. So you want to go to Cassomir, as thanks for helping me out i'll take you for free. It's a long trip mind, it'll take us just over 2 months to get there.

Penith could help, but her kind of lifting might scare people, so she hangs back. "Two months..." Penith has no idea if she's ever been on a boat at all so is a bit worried. But nods her readiness.

"I'm ready to leave anytime."

The Sellen Starling heads off into the river. Skywin tells you that the first stop will be in three days time at the small town of Illmarsh. While you are resting you look through Lowl's journals and find a book of the loremaster and two scrolls of psychic surgery.

Looking further into the notes you discover that Lowls travelled to the Dreamlands to meet someone called the Mad Poet and he sacrificed your memories to him. In theory it would be possible to regain your memories by meeting with this Mad Poet. You learn the ritual to travel to the Dreamlands should you wish to do so.

This is cool. From what we have read can we come and go from the Dreamlands? Will our bodies remain here and when we return will we return to them if the are moving? Do we have any idea how large the dreamland is or how to find the Mad Poet?

Nothing ever good came about by reading scary books.

"If this is the source of Lowl's power then we may find a clue about how to defeat him."

"A mad poet? I might not remember much... but aren't all poets more than a little off?"

Yeah from what you've read you can come and go from the Dreamlands. Your bodies will physically travel there. Any items you pick up in the Dreamlands will (for the most part) remain there when you wake. You can concentrate to wake up or just retrace your steps to wake up. The Dreamlands are vast, the notes indicate to find the Mad Poet you must first travel to the deserted caravanserai where someone there will help.

I really hope this doesn't involve goats. I hear rituals like this often have goats.

”We must find somewhere safe before we attempt to cross to the dreamworld. If our bodies are left behind, we’d be vulnerable to anyone.”

Your bodies are not left behind they travel to the dreamworld

"Well, we have two months anyone else have anything better to do?"

o/~ One million bottles of ale on the wall... o/~

I'm assuming you are going to go through the ritual

You complete the ritual and you appear in a vast and featureless desert under a blistering sun. The heat shimmers in the distance, creating an air of unsettling illusion when looking towards the horizon. The only structure in sight is a partially ruined limestone caravanserai.

"Well... this looks awful," Domeric commented.