So I will be playing in an AoW campaign. THis is where I will document the game.
Currently it looks like our group will consist of
Grey Elf Archivist
Dwarven Paladin
Half Orc-Barbarian
Human Fighter
Human Rogue
Elven(?) Scout
Human Sorceress
Yup...No healer. I predict much death and dismemberment.
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The archivist, a divine caster, doesn't know healing spells?
Much pain for them, I suppose.
My players tend to avoid the cleric class and make due with paladin/bard/rangers with wands of CLW. Plus I use a heavily modified version of the Vitality/Wound system from Unearthed Arcana.
All the same, I look forward to reading the troubles they get into.
The archivist, a divine caster, doesn't know healing spells?
I didn't build him [The Archivist] to be a healer...I built him to be a bookworm and a knowledge seeker. I'm sure it will rapidly become apparent to him that he needs to learn to heal, but to start out with, that's not his shtick. It may work out just fine once he can scribe CLW scrolls and use wands.
I have definitely doomed my character. While playing this past weekend, (transcripts to follow after confirmation of some details) I did a sketch of my character.
DOOMED I TELL YOU!!!
Planting 3
My dearest Shalana
I hope this letter finds you well and in better spirits than last night. I apologize. I was a callous, arrogant ass. I know how much I irritate you with my constant doting on you, especially during your pregnancy. I leave you in Elagia’s capable hands.
I have decided it is best for me to take some time away right now, to keep us both from killing each other. I love you dearly, but I realize you need your space. I am going to follow up on the dreams I have been having. Ever since I stayed the night in the cairn some sixty years ago, I have had the dreams. I feel the pull more strongly now than ever.
I met up with Sara this evening. I told her about the dreams and about the strong pull I’ve been having lately. I realized this evening that Sara is one of the people I have been dreaming about. I mentioned wanting a map, and she told me she knew someone, the nephew of the cartographer. She agreed to introduce me in the morning.
I’m excited about this. Finally, I may be able to figure out what these dreams meant.
The hour grows late, my love. Stay well and I will see you soon.
Thorn
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Planting 4
Dearest,
Sara introduced me to Tanith, the cartographer’s nephew. I could hardly speak when I saw him. He also is in my dreams! After rifling through some old maps, we found one that shows the cairn, labeled “The Whispering Cairn”, very close to the old Fant mine. Also, a couple miles from the mine, it showed an abandon house.
We decided it may be wise to check out the house and set it up as a base camp before looking into the cairn. It’s much closer than Diamond Lake and we can stockpile supplies we need there.
Sara suggested some extra muscle, not knowing what we may find, and considering the rumors she has heard. She took us and introduced us to Brom, a dwarf and a follower of Moradin. Again, I am awed as he also appears in my dreams. He seemed very disturbed by my knowledge of him and grumbled angrily as I described his axe. Perhaps it is better if I keep the other visions I have had of him to myself.
Sara then introduced us to Rork, a large half-orc, and Ivy, an assistant to the alchemist at the smelter’s. I can’t confirm that either of them are in my dreams, but Rork seemed familiar.
Sara mentioned one more associate she wanted to speak with, but mentioned I may want to purchase things like food and a bedroll. She reminds me of you, sometimes, pointing out things that should be obvious.
After stopping to purchase some more supplies, I met with the group at one of the local taverns. Another dwarf had joined our group, one named Eldit. He seemed good with words and light on his feet. After introductions we decided to meet at the menhirs in the morning.
I am so very excited about this, Shalana. It is like my dreams coming true. I know not what we will find, but perhaps it will put me at ease and take away the nightmares as well.
I hope you are well and that all is well at the Hall.
Thorn
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Planting 5
Shalana, love,
Sara is hurt pretty bad. As we approached the house, she stirred up a nest of stirges. Three went for her as one went for me. She has lost a lot of blood and needs to rest. I am OK. Slightly weak but I should be fine in a couple days.
The abandoned house was not so abandoned. A small group of goblins and their badgers had squatted in the crumbing building. Brom, Rork and Tanith took care of them for the most part. We also found some rats in the basement. After clearning the house of the squatters and vermin, we have set it up as a base camp. Others only have cuts and scrapes, for the most part, but Sara needs several days of rest.
I am finding ourselves without the aid of magical healing. With Sara in the state she is in, and the ferocity of the creatures we have met, I fear we will need more healing than Ivy and I can give with unguents and bandages. I know you have this ability, as do some of the other druids, and am wondering if you could scribe a scroll for me, so that I may learn this ability as well. I will of course cover the cost of any supplies you need for this. I have sent 25 gold sovereigns with this letter. Please let me know if it is sufficient.
I pray you and the child are safe and that this time away will give you the space you need. Perhaps when all this is over I will have enough money to rebuild this place as a home for you and I and our child.
Take care, my dearest.
Thorn
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QUOTABLES
Sara: "you have a stylish dwarf with a well trimmed beard?"
Eldit: "you know how long it takes to braid those f$+!ers?"
Thorn: "that's why they have dwarven beard emporiums, so you can get your corn rows done. "
Tanith: "Badgers? We don't need no stinking badgers."
Planting 7, Sunrise
Dearest Shalana,
It was good to see that you and the baby are doing well. It seems my short time away from you has made your heart fonder, but I see my presence and doting over you is still irksome. Not a matter, I am returning this day to the mine office near the cairn to continue the exploration there. When I left there yesterday morning, they had begun to clear the rubble. Rork found a root cellar of some form in the basement, which was locked. Who would lock a root cellar? I expect they will have the most of the office cleared soon.
Brom finds Bronzewood Hall interesting. He and I have been having many theological conversations. I think he finds my belief that divine power comes from the strong belief of the divine, disturbing. He is a man of Moradin, and I have asked him to explain the teachings of the Dwarf Father to me. He is strong in his faith and will be a potent paladin and a good ally in the days to come.
Be well, my love and know I will return.
Galen
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Planting 7, Sunset
Shalana,
I returned to find Rork had turned ill. The bite wounds from the rats were infected and oozing a foul pus, and he runs a high fever. He claims he feels perfectly well and strong, but that is just his bullheadedness. The healing kit proved good use as Brom, Ivy and myself worked to help him recover. Sara has recovered from her wounds from the stirges and has started helping to clear the house. I will write more tomorrow.
Planting 8
Evening Star,
Rork is doing much better today. Another day of rest and he should be fine. I spent the day writing the lesser healing prayer I received into my prayerbook. The house is slowly turning into a somewhat respectable, if dilapidated, home. Tomorrow we head out for the cairn. Hopefully I can find the meaning behind these dreams.
Galen
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Planting 9
I sit in a chamber far beneath the cairn writing to you as I await my comrades. Today has proved an interesting day already. We entered the cairn and soon were found by a pack of starving wolves. If only you had been here we may have been able to persuade them into not attacking. But they were starving and feral and attacked us on sight. Brom was injured slightly, but with a quick prayer, his wounds knit shut. This is unfolding just as my dream has shown!
In the rubble of the wolves lair, we found a lantern made of a strange indigo metal with indigo lenses, a metal armband, as well as a marble finger that looks to be broken from a statue.
In a cross chamber, we found a strange, broken frame that looked to be some sort of portal. It was inscribed with runes that seemed to be names of creatures of air. The most prominent rune seemed to indicate the most powerful of these air beings. What these beings are, I cannot fathom, but until the frame can be rebuilt and the magic restored, we will never know where that portal goes.
Another cross hall and a fantastic fresco of a chamber with seven apses, each bearing a lantern like that which we found in the wolves lair. Soon enough we found the chamber pictured in the fresco, but two of the lanterns were missing, the indigo and the red. In the center was a sarcophagus with a marble figure of a creature laying on top. One finger on its right hand was broken and the piece I had found fit perfectly.
Eldit discovered a shaft in the apse with the blue lantern leading up around the height of 10 men. Bones on the floor seemed to be the remains of a poor soul who had tried to climb the lantern chain and died.
Rork suggested that the sarcophagus looked like an arrow and pondered that it may turn. With tremendous effort, Rork moved the sarcophagus to point at the yellow apse. A great rumbling sound shook the chamber and a strange cylinder emerged from the floor, it’s front opening to reveal it was hollow. I was nominated to investigate.
So here I sit, waiting for my compatriots. I hear the rumbling. Sure enough, here is Brom. Eldit should be next and then we can investigate this stone block sealing the passage beyond.
Later
As we investigated the block sealing the passage, Brom and Rork suddenly decided to take naps, as two things emerged from over the block. They looked like two eyeballs plucked from some poor soul’s skull tethered together with sinew or intestine. They proved difficult to hit, but I severed one in twain soon enough. They seemed to have some power to cause some to fall into an unnatural slumber, and they also proved difficult to see in the dim light. Ivy took a scare to them and started screaming hysterically, blasting one with bolt after bolt of magical energy.
We have decided to retreat to the safety of the lantern chamber, while Eldit and Brom stay below to try and disable the trap that seals the passage beyond. If they haven’t returned in a couple minutes, Rork will descend into the depths to retrieve them.
I will write more later, my love. Be well.
Galen
Planting 9 - Evening
Shalana,
Eldit and Ivy are grievously wounded, but thankes to Rork's cunning and bravery all are well.
Eldit and Brom stayed behind in the chamber with the stone block blocking the passage. After a couple minutes they returned, coughing and choking. Aparently they were unsuccessful disarming the trap Eldit had found. We decided to check the other passageways in the lantern room to see if there were other sublevels or passages to the same sublevel.
Upon Rork turning the sarcophagus to point to the green lanterned alcove, a great rumbling shook the room, many of us retreated towards the stairs, fearful the room would collapse. The floor of the green alcove collapsed and thousands of blueish-green insects erupted from the chasm, accompanied by a eyeball supported by spider legs. The insectoids rushed to feed on us. I had never seen so many insects and, in the heat of the moment, I couldn't think of any good tactics to use against them.
Rork and Tanith rushed in to combat the eye-thing and keep it from us, while the swarm of beetles engulfed them. Rork called out that we should use fire against them and we started using oil to create 'traps' for them, that could be set on fire as they approached. Tanith and Rork finished off the eye thing. As we fell back, the swarm engulfed Ivy and Eldit, causing them serious wounds. If it weren't for Rork's bravery, Ivy would probably have perished. He ran in, picked her up and retreated back with us. The swarm threw itself into the fire to get at us, and did enough damage to itself to cause the remaining few to flee.
Wisely we returned to what we call home to rest and recouperate. With luck, we won't run into anything like that again. Ivy and Eldit are recouperating. The healing prayers I have learned have become invaluable.
After we have rested and mended our wounds and our pride, we are returning to town, to sell what artefacts we have found and, more importantly, to talk to Alustan about these humanoid creatures and the runes we have discovered.
Until we meet again, Be safe.
Thorn
Planting 11: Shalana, dearest,
Spent today in town. Spoke to Alustan about the runes and the carved statues of the figures. Wesaid he would research it. He also mentioned that there were other adventurers in town investigating Stirgenest Cairn. We think it is best if our comings and goings in town aren't as public as they have been.
I returned to the house shortly after visiting Alustan, after stopping for more provisions, potatoes and a cook pot. The others returned in the evening, Brom and Rork with packsful of mining equipment. Tomorrow we are heading back to the cairn.
Until later,
Galen
Planting 12
We descended into the hole in the green alcove today, into another sub level. We discovered two chambers, one with stone tables leading up to a statue with a stone club. A corpse on the table drew Eldit and myself further into the room where we were sprayed by digestive juices from some giant beetle. Rork quickly took care of the beetle and Sara tended to my wounds with a quick administration of a potion. Again the healing prayer came in handy as I revived Eldit. I fear we shall forever bear the scars from the beetles acid.
In the other room we found the source of all the beetles, the beetle nest. No sooner had we entered the room when a swarm of beetles poured out of the nest accompanied by another larger beetle! We hastily beat a retreat, but I slipped on a patch of slick floor and was soon overwhelmed by beetles. As I understand it, Rork again braved the beetles to rescue me, while the others emptied oil on the floor and drove the beetles back into their nest with fire. Brom revived me with his faith in Moradin. He will become a strong ally and a powerful paladin in no time. His faith is strong.
We returned home again, resting and recouperating. Tomorrow, a few of us are heading back to town to speak with Allustan.
Until we meet again,
Thorn
*written in celestial, a language shared by both Shalana and I*
Planting 14
Shalana,
Alustan proved again a valuable ally, indicating who these creatures were, great lawful creatures who fought against the forces of chaos so long ago and won. He also indicated where the last battle was and how it was won, but I will keep that from this letter, lest it fall into the wrong hands.
Eldit indicated there were at least 3 new people in town, an elven woman, a burly man and a bookish type. He seemed to think there were more but couldn't give specifics about them.
We returned again to the cairn. The last passage in the sublevel, down from the green alcove, quickly submerged under water. We decided to avoid it until later.
We checked the remaining alcoves, fortunately, Eldit found that one of the lifts we discovered was a deathtrap. The only way that remained was up the shaft in the blue alcove.
Sara climbed the chain, and quickly discovered, after losing her grip on the chain, that she had discovered a magical ring that made her fall as slow as a feather. Back up the chain to the top, she discovered a passageway, which she progressed down. Shortly, there was a sound of a great wind and she came tumbling down again, injured from hitting the wall opposite the passage. She is well, I have tended to her wounds.
We have decided it is best to send Eldit up to see if he can disable the wind trap.
I will write more later, My attention is drawn now to Eldit
Take care,
Thorn
Definitely enjoying the campaign. It's tense but we got a good group. I was ready to light myself up in the swarm of beetles before I went down.
And now...QUOTES FROM LAST SESSION
Ben: Extends middle finger to DM
DM: maybe later, I’m not in the mood
Geoff: how much experience does he get for that?
DM: You experience whore…
Sara's character(who is gay): I’m kind of curious about the hole.
OOC: OMG...it is a terrible thing when you forget your own PC's wife's name....no nookie for Thorn tonight.
Planting 14, Later
Shalana,
After watching Eldit fall from the blue shaft a couple times, we decided to light all the lanterns, apart from the red one that we didn't have. Sara climbed the chain this time, with the feather ring on, and triggered the trap quite nicely. She immediately noticed that the eyes of the stone face, which had sqirled with all the colors of the spectrum, now were completely red. We took this to mean that we needed to find the red lantern and light it, before we had any chance of figuring it all out. Sara also noticed the face could move, somehow.
BEfore deciding which sublevel we should enter, we decided to look in the sarcophagus. Brom muttered something about having no part of robbing a coffin, and stomped over in a corner to watch. After a burst of fire caught those liftingt he lid, they moved the lid and found absolutely nothing
So we had a choice of moving the stone block or going swimming. We opted for the stone block. Moving it did indeed fill the room with gas, which weakened Sara something terrible.
The block moved to reveal a passage lined with statues with cupped hands. The passage ended in a chamber with three exits. One exit led to what looked like a bed chamber, and one exit led to the privy. There was also what looked like a closet, with a stone door that looked like it had fallen on some unfortunate soul. The corpse was wearing magical chain mail, which ivy identified as having a very weak protection aura. Within we discovered some magical goggles and two wands. Neither Ivy nor myself could identify the items. We decided to have Tanith wear the chain shirt, as the corpse really had no need for it. Brom again seemed a bit disgruntled at our plundering of the dead.
The third exit was choked with a brownish gunk, which upon closer inspection proved to be brown mold. Knowing that it feeds and grows on exposure to head, and dies on exposure to cold, I had the idea to return to Bronzewood Hall and ask for a spell to freeze it.
We are planning on staying in the cairn and heading out tomorrow. I will see you soon enough.
Thorn
Planting 16
Wife,
It was good to see you last night. I am glad you and Ivy got along well and I thank you for her for yuour hospitality. The scrolls of Priduce Flame and Winter Breath will be invaluable. Ivy and I were finally able, with the druids' help, to identify the wands and the goggles. One of the wand creates an invisible force spirit that obeys commands, and the other causes objects to shatter. The goggles help the wearer find mechanical traps. The latter go to Eldit, and the two wands went to Ivy and myself.
We returned to the house. Tanith and Rork had been busy in town and had stuffed the larder full with food. I had told them to pick up a small chest while they were in town. I thought it would ne good to create a cold room to keep the food longer. We could collect some of the brown mold and place it in the chest for transport, before destroying the rest. We had a grand meal to celebrate our lives and our success so far. Tomorrow we head back to the cairn and to the room beyond the mold.
Unil Later,
Galen
Pictures and Quotes from last session
Pictures:
WARNING: There is a bottle of frosty adult beverage with a suggestive label in one of the pictures. You have been warned.
Lantern Chamber Alternate View
Party Descends to the Architect Sublevel
Quotes:
"Don't give me that look! What's the worse that could happen?" Mark - Eldit's understudy
DM: "You see the legs of some unfortunate soul sticking out from under the block of stone."
Thorn: "Who killed my sister?!?!? Who killed the Witch of the East?!?!?!"
Planting 17,
Shalana,
Rork almost died today. He's fine, but swears he will never go swimming again.
We descended into the sublevel with the mold. Ivy used the unseen servant summoned by the wand to pick up some of the mold and place it in the chest. We're planning on using it to cool the locked room in the basement of the house for cold storage for food. After we had enough, I called upon the chill of winter to freeze the mold. As frost rimed the brown mold, it quickly died back and allowed us to enter the room.
Beyond was what looked like a workroom. Tools laid on stone tables and a half finished statue stood in one corner of the room, it's hands holding a wooden staff. In the opposite corner sat a large black stone carved in the shape of an egg, decorated with runes portrtaying the personal symbol of Ogremoch, Elder Elemental God of Earth. Brom said it was evil and should be destroyed, but I cautioned him, saying the egg could be a prison for an evil greater than we could handle. He informed me I needed to find out soon or else it was going to be destroyed.
WE left the egg and the statue and returned to the Lantern chamber, where we again descended into the green hole. Rork was persuaded to go for a swim, but no sooner had he gone under than he returned with some fresh bruises claiming something had attacked him. Something he couldn't see. Tanith and Brom descended into the water this time, and I entered up to my waist. Shortly after Rork had gone under, he returned, and before he could get out of the water, he slupmed, releasing all the air from his lungs. With the Aid of Sara and Ivy, we pulled him out just as something appeared in the water, a turbulence of some sort.
I let lose with all the celestial light that surrounded me, striking it and dissipating it before it could take another of us down. I quickly turned to Rork and muttered a prayer of healing over him. Fortunately he began to cough and choke up the water that had entered his lungs.
Rork has vehemently avowed never to go swimming again, but he did describe a chamber, beyond the first underwater chamber. If it comes to it, I may have to go for a swim to discover if this is where the red lantern lays.
For now
Thorn
Game is on tonight. I wonder who gets to go swimming...
First....the Quotes...
"We need to figure Out a way to breathe under water'" Tanith
"Like what? A giant straw?" Brom
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"Anything is hard to blow under water." Sara
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"He’s gonna do me and she's gonna do him." Sara
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Entering the room beyond the face trap above the blue lantern alcove - "It’s a ball crawl for iron golem children." several people
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Sara,finding banded mail. "Looks like it is masterwork."
Brom, looking on the back of the GameMastery card. "Why so it is! "
Planting 15
Shalana,
Rork and Sara decided to go back in the Submerged chamber again. Ghostly after they had disappeared beneath the murky surface, Sara reappeared. She gasped out that Rork was in trouble before disappearing again. Brom, Tanith, Ivy and Eldit headed into the water. Ivy let lose with a bolt of magical power . Eldit goes in to get Ivy but comes out sputtering. I tried to help but Brom pushed me out of the way and helped her cough up the water. The others come out dragging a corpse. I didn't know what it was but Brom and Tanith confirmed it was a ghoul. Rork said to heal him up because he was going back in. Sara decided to go back in too. They found a door and another chamber. In the chamber, they found a body wearing a backpack and a shortsword. The backpack contained the red lantern we had been looking for and the short sword proved magical. Sara laid claim to the sword.
Sara went back in one more time and found some spare change in the clothing clogging a drain in the chamber where the ghoul resided.
Wer decided to go up and hang lantern. Filling the lamps and lighting them Sara headed up to the passage and tripped the trap. Instead of the colored eyes and the rush of wind, there was a soft click and the mouth of the face opened . Beyond the mouth lay a strange room, a pit really, with a narrow bridge crossing it. The walls were honeycombed with geometric patterns and the floor was covered with iron spheres.
Eldit went up and checked the bridge for traps. About halfway across he found something that he could only consider a trip plate but there was no obvious mechanism and no obvious way to disarm it. Sara said she had a way to disarm it and started walking back towards the door. Eldit saw the look in her eye and hustled out of the room. By this time we had all made it up the chain and were standing in the hall before the face.
Sara took a running leap over what Eldit had pointed out as some form of trip plate and landed on the bridge abour 10 feet from the other door. As soon as she crossed the point in space, the balls started flying. She quickly made for the other door, only to find it locked.
Dropping down below the bridge she started to walk back across the spheres when something erupted from the balls behind her. Eldit yelled that there was something behind her taking a shot at it with his bow. The arrow bounced right off of it. Sara reached the wall and Eldit moved out on the bridge and shoot again. From the passage I heard him call out that arrows weren’t hurting it. From below I heard Sara cry out in pain, just as Tanith, Rork and Eldit jumped down off the bridge. Finally able to move into the room, I looked down and my stomach sank. It was a grick. I called out that they can only be hurt by magic and reminded Sara of the sword we had just found. About to collapse, Saraturned to Rork and pushed the sword into his hand Brom rushed into the room, and dove off the bridge, landing on the creature, wrapping his arms and legs around the creature. With a savage cry, Rork brought the sword down on the creature, slicing deep into its tentacled maw. The creature quivered one last time and died.
As I tended to Sara’s wounds, the voice of a little buy congratulated us. A transparent whitish image of a boy approached us, asking for our help. It seems the boy, named Alistair Land, had run away from home after his father had fallen ill about 30 years ago. He beleives he has been cursed after dying in this chamber, forever stuck here. He cannot pass the face to leave the cairn, but he has offered to open the rood on the other side of the room if we would bury his bones with those of his family. Among his bones we found a suit of fine banded mail, which we decided would be best used by Brom.
We decided to head back to the house, and here we sit, supping on slightly stale bread, some cheese and dried meat, and potatoes cooked in the fire. Tomorrow we head for Silver Lake to talk with Tanith’s uncle about the Land land so we may lay this boy’s soul to rest.
Until later,
Thorn
Planting 16
Sara woke this morning feeling ill. The bite and claw wounds she had sustained were angry with infection and she felt sick and clumsy. Brom and I discussed her condition and determined she may have caught some form of disease when she was wounded by the ghoul. I decided to take her to the druids for healing while the others went to town. I guess I will see you this evening.
Galen
Planting 18
Dear Shalana,
You see? I am getting better. I was at Bronzewood Hall and you barely saw me. Tending to Sara took much of my time, but we finally got the illness out of her.
We got back to the house this morning. I had sent Eldit to talk to Alustan about the carvings I had found in one of the sublevels. Alustan mentioned he would be willing to trade them for information or identification of magical items. After discussing these items with Moonmeadow, the elf had offered him 150gp each! Personally, I would have never have gone to Moonmeadow. The offer of information from Alustan would have been to much for me.
Eldit had alst done some checking around town about this other group of adventurers. Seems their wizard leader, named Kellek, spends tile at Lazarz, while the felame elf likes to play at the Feral Dog. Little bit of a rough and dumble girl there. The third one, a pompous warrior, is always going on about the champions belt he won at the gladiatorial games in Greyhawk.
Tanith spoke to his uncle and found out where the Land’s land lay. We head out for there this afternoon. It lies just on the other side of town.
We found the Land estate in worse repair than our humble castle. Heading around back we found the graveyard, but the graves were empty. Tracks, from what Sara said, about a month old lead to the house. We followed the tracks, and noticed bloody meat on the front stoop of the crumbled home. Spreading out, we prepared for the worst. Eldit sliding around the side of the house, whole Tanith and Sara moved to cover toe door, Sara from behind the wall and Tanith planting his halbred in the ground, ready for a charge. Rork called out to whomever was inside.
With a great roar, a creature emerged. An owlbear. The beast mauled Tanith pretty good, but the combined might of arms, arrows and magic we threw against it. While I patched Tanith up, Eldit called from inside that he had found, what he termed, an opportunity. An ownbear cub too young to survive on its own. I know it should be left to live or die as nature takes it, but I feel responsible for it as we took away its mother. We’ll ave to consider its fate carefully.
In among the creatures’ nest we cound an arm, bearing a tattoo. Eldit, and some of the other more town oriented people, said they recognized it as the mark bore byu a gang of thugs who work for Smenk. Seems like we have a group of thugs to talk to about some missing bodies.
Until later,
Galen
Planting 18 - We stopped by this afternoon to drop off Eldit’s charge with the druid’s. They said they don’t normally take in things such as this, which is understandable, but I feel a bit responsible for it after killing its mother.
While we were at Bronzewood Hall, Rork and Eldit went to town to hang out at the Feral Dog and see if they could turn up anything. Eldit was dropping names of several creatures, seeing if anyone bit onto the owlbear. The female elf who claimed membership with the other group of adventurers in town chimed in that she had tangled with one and they were pretty brutal. After talking with Eldit for a while, she invited him to meet her friends at Lazar’s.
As they were heading out, Kullen and two compatriots came in and joined a skinny guy at the bar, who looked over at Eldit as he was talking to the group.
Tira, the female elf, takes Eldit to visit Khellek, one of her adventuring companions, who likes to play chess. After Eldit described the man to me, I can only draw conclusions that he is a wizard or an archivist like myself. It may be interesting to speak with him at a future date. Tira introduced Eldit and mentioned he may be interested in joining their adventring aprty. Khellek indicated they would not be able to make a decision without Auric and they set up an interview of sorts, with Eldit, for tomorrow evening. Eldit mentioned he would bring another friend who may be interested.
We all met up at the Spinning Giant for dinner. While the others were off plotting and talking to their acquaintances, I sat and had dinner with Ivy. When the time canme for all of us to head off to bed, I turned to Sara and asked if she would like to join me in sleeping under the stars at the Druid’s Circle. I also asked Ivy if she would be interested, indicating the stars were beautiful from that vantage.
Take care,
Thorn
Planting 19 – In the morning, we headed in to town. We stopped at Allustan’s and he and I discussed the missing bodies, and our suspicions that they were taken by Smenk’s gang. He advised caution, especially around the half-orc, and mentioned bribery or coercion would go farther with that group than a head on confrontation. Sara and Ivy enjoyed themselves perusing the wizard’s library, Sara reading up on geography, while Ivy took notes from a book on alchemy.
We met for dinner and shared our findings. Rork mentioned speaking with his old employer and finding out that more people than we thought had the tattoo we were looking for. Rork and Eldit had their interview with the Rival Three, as I have come to call them. Eldit came across as a bit bumbling and mentioned they had already hiured on with a group looking to start their own mine.
That evening we all headed in to the Heart, taking up positions while Rork and Eldit headed into the Dog. Shortly after they went in, sounds of a ruckus came from inside, and Eldit appeared at the door dragging Rork. The dwarf indicated to me he needed aid and I helped him take the drunk and unconscious half-orc to their room. It seems Kullen had taken to poking at Rork’s masculinity and Rork had responded in a way that I found unsurprising.
Taking up position around The Heart we waited for the group to come out. How exactly we were going to approach this, we didn’t really know, but Sara made that decision for us soon enough. When, the half-orc and his two buddies left, Ivy and I stood and started to follow around 100 feet behind, followed by Eldit. I noticed him stumble and another man shortly behind him. The cloaked figure behind Eldit turned to head back into the Dog, when out of no where, Sara came and tackled him. Eldit and Sara convinced the man to come and speak with them, while Tanith and Brom looked on, as if saying it wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I heard Brom protest in a loud whisper.
Slowly Ivy and I returned, watching to see if the other three had heard and would return. We approached the shadowed ally where they had pulled the man, and I heard Sara say loudly that we were not about to pay the man anything. Following the sound, we found the happy group questioning the man, with Sara’s knife at his back. After paying the man quite a sum of money, he spilled his guts, saying that they had been sent my Smenk to get the bodies for someone named Filge, who had taken up residence in the old observatory.
With the information we needed, we turned the man loose, agreeing no to tell Kullen of his full purse if he agreed no tto speak of our encounter. The man agreed, although I don’t think we can trust him. I guess now we have a location to check out.
This session's quotes are definitely more PG-13. You have been warned.
"Why are you talking abour Rork's package?" - Sara
"It's a magical hand job. Imagine what you could do with a [i]maqe hand[\i]."
"Do me! Do me!" Ben
"Like we haven't heard that before." Chris.
Planting 20
Shalana,
Things took a very interesting turn today. After finding out that a man named Filge had had Smenk's goons dig up the Land family, and that this Filge was staying at the old observatory, we decided to call it a night and convene in the morning at the Spinning Giant. Ivy, Sara and I headed up to the Druid's Circle to sleep under the stars.
In the morning, we decided a trip to the Green Sisters would be prudent. We took the ferry across the lake and were soon very sorry we did as we discovered ourselves infested with vermin.
The Sisters were a bit taken aback by our accusations of someone diging up bodies and perhaps making them into undead, but would take no action without proof of this. So, back we went around the lake, this time walking. We all decided to bathe afterwards and have our clothes washed.
As day faded into evening, we gathered our equipment and headed up to the observatory, which we discovered sat on a bluff, just below the Druid's Circle. Ivy, Sara and I had looked out over Diamond Lake, with the observatory in the foreground for 2 nights, and it hadn't dawned on us.
Out first attempt to gain entrance ended with Sara getting bitten by a creature called a Tomb Mite, a construct of grave dirt, tombstones and bones. Ivy made quick work of it with a spell, but Brom and I confirmed my suspicion that Sara had contracted corpse bloat, a weakening disease. There wasn't anything we could do about it just then, so we decided to push forward.
Inside the main door to the observatory, we found three of the Land family, animated as skeletons. We put them to rest and gathered their remains into separate containers, so to be able to but them back into their proper resting places.
Farther into the ruined building, we found a grisly scene in the dining room, where Filge had set up 9 animated corpses as 'dinner guests'. We decided it was best to put them to their rest as well. I have started to develop an extreme distaste for undead.
Upstairs we found a bedroom, and on the top level, what can only be described as a vivisectionist's wet dream. The corpse of some creature lay on a table in the middle of a sunken pit in the floor, lit by mirrors collecting light from torches. Workbenches with surgical tools and jars of vital organs and bodily fluid lined the chamber.
As we entered the room, the necromancer commandes his creations to arise. Four glass containers burst open and the shambling corpses of zombies emerged. We could see the last skeleton we needed to put to rest standing guard in front of whom could only be Filge. After a brief battle, we collected an unconscious Filge and the bones of the last Land corpse.
We decided to take Filge to the Green Sisters and let them deal with him. There is only one authority when it comes to death. On our way to the cemetery, we stopped at the Land farm and put the bones of Alistair and the rest of the Land's to rest.
Planting 21
We turned the necromancer over to the Sisters, and Filge answered some questions of ours. It seems he was investigating some unkillable undead in one of Smenk's mines. These undead carried an infestation of green worms, and he mentioned the worms, once they infested a human body, would change the body, living or dead, into one of these unkillable undead overnight. He mentioned something about the Age of Worms, an apocalyptic end of ages. He mentioned he was trying to find a cure for the green worm infestation when we had 'disrupted' his work.
He also mentioned working with a cult, the Cult of the Ebon Triad. The cult believed the three gods, Hextor, Vecna and Erythnul, needed to be combined into a single overgod. This cult was also considered anathema by the followers of the three gods.
I find myself both fascinated and repulsed by the idea of this cult. I can only hope to find a copy of their holy text to study.
I have come to the decision after tonight's work, that I have no tolerance of necromancy. It is an abomination to nature, and I will have no part of it. After we finish our work at the cairn, our next step seems to be to approach Smenk and offer our aid in investigating these unkillable undead.
For know,
Thorn
Planting 22
Shalana,
Today we went to talk to Allustan about the Age of Worms and the being Kyuss. He didn’t have much more to say than what we had gathered from Filge, but did not seem surprised when we mentioned the unkillable worm-infested undead in Dourstone Mine. We also presented him with Filge’s spellbook, and in return, he gave us a Pearl nof Power, which allows spellcasters to ‘reprepare’ a spell or prayer they have cast, as well as scribing material for several prayers or scrolls.
We decided we had some things to take care of back at the Cairn. Returning through the iron golem ball crawl, we found the door on the other side open. The chamber on the other side was a huge cylinder, crisscrossed with stone walkways and bridges above a chasm deep enough that we could just make out the floor. A column of air rushed throughthe center platform of the room, from a ceiling glowing like a mid-day sky, to the rubble strewn floor ten spans below us.
Bass relief carvings in four galleries lined the outside wall. Mist played over the images, and as the mist shifted and moved, the carvings moved and re-enacted a story.
The story told of Icosial and Zosial, two of the Wind Dukes, commanding a legion of elemental warriors. The second panel told of the coming of chaos in the form of the wolf-spider-demons, and the fall of the Wind Duke’s pan-planar empire. The third panel showed Mishka the wolf-spider over Icosial’s dead body, being in turn killed by Quadij, the wandering Wind Duke. The final panel showed the remaining seven Wind Dukes breaking the Rod of Law into seven parts
Seven wind dukes breaking Rod Of law into seven parts.
I heard Tanith call out and turned to see two suits of ceramic armor coalesce out of the column of air. I sauy suits of armor as it appeared they were just suits of armor supported by the wind. They looked around briefly before pairs of longswords appeared in their gauntlets. One of them slammed the two swords together in the direction of Sara and Tanith, and a visible wall of sound and force struck the two of them. I noticed line of blood trickle out of Sara’s nose and knew she was injured moderately.
My comrades leapt to the fight, but their blows seemed to do little damage to the ceramic bodies of these creatures. I had used the wand I retrieved from the Architect sub-level of the Cairn to shatter one of the swords, but it reformed. With a brief flash of insight, I turned my attention to the armor, and the power of the wand sent shards of ceramic flying as the force struck the creature. Instantly it turned to me, floating across the floorless room to reach me, on a bridge. I saw Rork collapse under the swords of the other warrior, just before it was taken down by Tanith and Brom.
I stepped back as the one slashed at me, catching me in the arm, and raised the wand again. This time, the force of the wand struck the creature in the center of the chest and it exploded.
Rushing to Rork’s side, I handed Eldit a flask of dark brown liquid to ease his own wounds, as I prayed over Rork’s body. With a gasp, he sat up, lunging at me with a snarl as he drew back his fist to strike. Only then did he realize me as his ally, and his anger subsided.
Again roused from my concentration, this time by Ivy’s voice asking what Sara was doing, I turned to see Sara step into the column of air on the central platform, and disappear. Waiting only a couple of seconds, I entered the column as well, hoping that it wasn’t some other deathtrap.
It wasn’t. It seemed to be some form of transport, as I found Sara and myself in a different room. A sarcophagus of white stone sat on a raised dais. Sara motioned to me to help her with the lid of the sarcophagus, but my eyes were drawn to the bas-releif carving on the wall. It showed Mishka the wolf-spider holding some kind of rod, seemingly controlling a black orb, which touched Icosial, obliterating him.
Soon the rest of the party joined us, and Rork pushed the lid off the sarcophagus revealing a magic circlet, a magic gem, a pair of demonic horns that look like those of Mishka the Wolf-Spider, and a pewter box carved with the glyphs of the Queen of Chaos.
I didn’t think it was a good idea to open the box, and neither did Eldit. He held onto it. Tanith mused that the box seemed to be about the size as the rod that Mishka held in the scene on the wall.
We returned to the shaft room where we fought the air warriors and we talked about the rod and the sphere in the scene on the wall. Brom got a look on his face and said “…and I know where there is a black sphere…”. He turned started walking out of the chamber. I turned to gather my remaining comrades only to find them playing in the shaft with the slow fall ring and the column of air. I mentioned that Brom was leaving and was told “We know where he is going, we’ll find him later.”
I let them continue playing in the column of air and joined Brom. When we reached the chamber with the egg, I retrieved the wooden staff from the statue in the corner, and Brom used it to poke the egg.
The egg seemed to melt and flow, turning into a creature made of earth, an earth elemental! After I expended my last spell and Brom’s attacks didn’t seem to have much effect, I called for a retreat. I ran for the elevator with Brom covering my retreat. As I stepped into the elevator, I saw the elemental slam into Brom, just as the doors closed and whisked me up to safety.
I met the remainder of my companions in the lantern room, above, and told them that Brom was in a valiant fight with an elemental and was near death. Several second slater, as I turned to return to aid my friend, the elevator again arrived, bearing a dirt covered and triumphant Brom.
We returned to the house and rested. Ivy and I determined the diadem was a circlet of wisdom, which increases one’s willpower and intuition. We determined that this would aid Brom most. In the evening, Eldit and Rork left, heading to town, claiming they had an errand to run. WE will meet them there tomorrow.
Thorn
Planting 24
Little Rabbit,
Upon waking today, we found a note tacked to the inside of the door to the house from Smenk, stating “See me immediately.” No one heard anyone in the night, so I have to assume he either has talented “staff”, it was put there magically, or we’re sound sleepers and can’t hear anything over Brom’s snoring.
We headed to town and met Eldit and Rork before once more heading to Allustan’s. He told us the rod was a controlling device for a devastating artifact called a sphere of annihilation, which destroyed anything it touched. He also determined the gem was an item useful to sorcerers, providing them with knowledge of extra spells, and that with research, one could unlock greater powers within the stone. We decided Ivy would be them most suited to holding both of these items.
Allustan spoke to us a little more about the Ebon Triad, that they somehow still get their prayers answered by the aspect of the original gods, even though the ‘orthodox’ churches of their original gods would see them dead. It would seem they want to start this Age of Worms, to cast the world into darkness and birth this Overgod of Evil.
With that business attended to, we went to visit Smenk. He explained that he didn’t care about what we did with Filge, but that since we were involved with his disappearance, he was looking to us to tend to the issue Filge was looking into. That issue being the cultists in Dourstone mine. He explained that he had been contacted by them to provide supplies, but when one shipment did not meet their approval, they killed his lieutenant. He didn’t say so much but I think he is very fearful of what he is funding. As he wants us to find out what is going on in Dourstone, I see it as his way of getting someone else to get rid of the problem he has.
As I was interested in finding out more about this Ebon Triad and these unkillable undead, I agreed, but allwed each of my companions to speak for themselves.
Over the next couple days, we scouted out Dourstone mine, walking by, watching it as we had a picnic on a nearby hill, all to determine it’s defenses.
As for now, I must get some rest. This evening we plan on scaling the stockade surrounding the mine and gaining entrance.
I trust you are well and are getting along fine without me.
Thorn
THE QUOTES
"Well a pound of chocolate chips weighs more than a pound of flour." Chris
"This from our Chemist" Tina
"I'm off duty" Chris
"I like Sausage ! " - Ben
"Yes, we Know. Geoff wrote it on the bathroom wall." - Lyle
How dare you name a non-healer after galen the greek doctor?
for shame!
Warning. Mild rant ahead. If you are easily offended or intolerant, please direct your cursor to one of the emergency exits, located over the wing of the plane and at the top of your browser, labeled "BACK". In the case of a water landing, your seat cushion can be used as a floatation device.
How dare you name a non-healer after galen the greek doctor?
for shame!
I have no shame and I don't know any Greek doctors named Galen.
Your grammar teacher would give you such a tongue-lashing for your flagrant use of uncapitalized proper and cultural names, and for your uncapitalization of the first word of your second sentence, which also happens to be a sentence fragment.
I would normally go into a scathing rant about pidgeonholing characters into predefined roles by archetype, but I am in no mood to deal with your petty insults. I would also normally explain that my character's prayer book contains healing spells for both first and second level, that my 3rd level feat is Spontaneous Healing, and that I feel I have compromised my character for the betterment of the party, but I really don't feel like going into that, either.
If y'all can't get your head wrapped around non-stereotypical characters, I'll warn you to stay out of my journal and keep your flames to yourself, as jestful and humorous as you think you are being.
Don't mess with the moody homosexual.
It's about time that you posted an update!! :-)
So when are you posting your journal from the game I ran this spring?
Surprise. Blame Ben. The purple lambda rays he emits mutated me.
I just get really annoyed by the people who think that just because I'm a divine spellcaster, I should be playing the healer.
OOC: One of the players asked me about using Galen and Thorn interchangeably. I asked him if he wanted me to start using pet names. I just don't think it in character to be talking about monsters getting killed and companions getting hurt, and then signing off the letter "Your Sweetest Woogums", so, Geoff, No....that won't be happening. I'm sure you are releived.
Planting 28
Dear Shalana,
Rork died tonight, impaled on the tusks of a dire boar. He died as he would have wanted to, in combat, axe in hand, smiling and singing along to Ivy's inspirational song about tiger's eyes and survival and bravery. Brom said a few words before we wrapped him in my cloak and a couple blankets (my cloak wouldn't fit around him) and setting him in the guardroom until we left. Eldit seemed particularly hard hit.
We got into Dourstone mine without too much of a problem. Their guards are lax and infrequent, we had plenty of time to get over the stockade and to the mine. There were no guards on the mine. Perhaps we should talk to Master Dourstone about protecting his assets better.
Inside the mine, we found a boarded up passage with signage proclaiming "Keep Out". Where better to start looking for cultists than in a part of the mine that warns against intruders.
The shaft lead to an elevator, and the elevator lead down. Ivy, Eldit, Rork and Sara went down first, and Rork came back up for the rest of us. He explained they had run into some guards, and that they had them bluffed that they were bringing in prisoners. I took a cue that I should act as a prisoner.
Sure enough, as we went for the door, they attacked us. Something about us not knowing how to get in. They didn't last long.
Beyond the door were more guards...animated skeletons in plate mail, and cultists with longspears. After several minutes we fought our way into the room. Just as we had the skeletons and cultists taken care of Rork got impaled on the charging boar's tusks. I picked up a longspear that one of the cultists had dropped and tried to stick the pig. Sara and Eldit also joined in the pig sticking, while Tanith and Brom faced off agaist the thing up close. Brom got knocked down by it, but was back on his feet after a quick healing prayer.
After we had taken care of Rork's body, we pushed in further, finding the boar's lair, and an arena of some sort. Sand covered the floor, a statue of Hextor rose above the floor, and three zoblies stood waiting, unmoving.
More cultists appeared but we dealt with them swiftly. A side door lead to another door, but it was baricaded. It looks like the only way forward is through the arena. A quick recconnoiter revealed a balcony 20 feet above the sandy floor.
My thoughts are that we will enter the room and engage the zombies, while archers appear on the balcony to shoot us like fish in a barrel. It should be entertaining. Fortunately, I can hide 3 of our companions from the undead, which may help. With any luck, we will not have any more fatalities on our side of things tonight. I have grown rather fond of my companions, as motley a crew as we are.
Take care.
Thorn
THE QUOTES
"He likes me! He likes me! Shaken lizard Syndrone... It dies " Lyle on Ivy's lizard fetish
"Put the lizard down!" All of us at one time or another.
"Tina, its your box." Chris
“It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight. Rising up to the challenge of your rival…” – Ivy
“OK, you get my vote for roleplaying.” Tina
“AND THE LAST LONE SURVIVOR STALKS HIS PREY IN THE NIGHT…” Ivy, louder and more out of key, singing over Tina.
Dear Shalana,
First Rork and now Eldit. We decided to go in through the arena. For most of the battle we didn't get more than five feet in the door. The sand was difficult terrain, meaning we couldn't even make strategic moves to flank. There were three archers above and two spellcasting warriors down below, and one who looked like the enemy commander on the balcony. Sara got up on the balcony very quickly and took out the archers before the ommander decided to enter the battle and, first, try to magically hold her, and second, magically frightened her. For most of the battle, the commander stood and watched us. Over the course of the battle, Brom and Tanith were grievously wounded. At one time, Eldit was within a breath of passing out and withdrew the only way he really could, into the corner of the arena. At which time the commander entered the battle again, summoning a great black ape, with glowing red eyes, and a smell of brimstone. Not having any way to get in and attack Tanith or Brom in the doorway, because of a zombie and an enemy priest in its way, the ape, attacked Eldit, rending him.
Eldit was a good friend and a valued ally. His skill with words and his ability to get the last bit of value he could out of life will be remembered. His skill with the blade and loyalty to his friends will be remembered.
Now is the time we must band together, stronger, to rally against this incursion of evil into our town. Let us never forget the service our friends, Rork and Eldit, have given to us, to Diamond Lake, and to all of Oerth.
OOC: David is never allowed to play my character if I cannot be at a game. I nominate Tina or Ben as proxies.
With Eldit's final death scream, Sara broke out of her fear and returned to the balcony, putting an arrow into the remaining archer. No sooner had she gotten back to the balcony then Brom and I joined her. The enemy commander sent a spiritual heavy flail to harry Tanith, but when he noticed the three of us on the balcony, he sent it up to harass us, and imediately dropped Sara. Ivy created an unseen servant and gave it two potions of cure light wounds, sending it up the rope to the balcony, to Brom who had dragged Sara around a corner to the top of some stairs, that descended to the room with the barricaded door. I took off, foolhardily, down the stairs and deeper into the complex, hoping to find another way around. Brom used the potions to bring Sara back to consciousness and they were joined by Ivy on the balcony.
Sara provided cover for Ivy as she commanded her servant to loot bodies for valued cure potions. Brom took off after me and soon caught up to me, whom had found another way out on the balcony, standing with a wand pointed at the enemy commander, and a spiritual weapon sailing at his head. Brom moved to harry the enemy commander, who was already being harried by Sara. Tanith took pot shots at the enemy commander when he could. With a moment of inspiration, In identified the enemy commander's heavy flail as his holy symbol and shattered it. Instantly the spiritual flail disappeared. Sara and Brom attempted to grapple him while I shattered the enemy commander's dagger and large shield in turn as they were drawn.
After a long, hard fought, battle, we finally triumphed. I wanted to take him alive, but Brom and Sara would have none of that. I can understand their rage and sorrow at the death of two of our comrades.
In the rest of the complex, we found two bound prisoners
Exerpt from Theldrick's Journal (Thorns notes included)
Praised be to the Scourge of Battle,
The Faceless One (Who is this? Ask Allustan) grows increasingly concerned. That addled beast Grallak Kur (Who is this?) has yet to provide new insight into the overgod's nature. The crude missives he sends speak of the worms (Kyuss worms?), of a slumbering power that must be awoken, but nothing more. I wish he would go back to the black pit that spawned him (what does "black pit" refer to? Perhaps the Nine Hells? Perhaps the Abyss? Perhaps the Underdark?) if he has nothing more to offer.
The Faceless One tells me this ties into an ancient figure, a being of great power (Kyuss?). Of course, he tells me little else. He enjoys keeping his secrets (Perhaps the Faceless One is tied into the Vecna cult, as they are the keeper of secrets), but he forgets that they flourish only behind the protection of Hextor. His latest taunt is a scroll that he tells me contains all the answers I seek. Of course, the fool wrote it in a cipher (perhaps the enciphered scroll we found that I have not been able to break yet). Were it not for the dictates of the Ebon Triad, I would lead my troops into their damnable labyrinth (perhaps the Vecna cult hides it's stronghold behind a labyrinth) and kill every last bird (Bird????) and wizard (probably will seek many wizards in the next cult stronghold) within it.
Grallak is the key. Thank the Scourge that he trusts me and not the Faceless One. Otherwise, I doubt the Faceless One would bother imparting anything to us. We cannot trust these mages. When the Overgod arises, I think it will be time to settle some old scores.
Under the Herald's Watchful Eye We Conquer,
Grallak Kurr has finally yiended a useful clue. I personally delivered it into the labyrinth, and the Faceless One giggled like a blood addled berserker when he saw the message. Grallak spoke of the works again, of course. He says that even now they stir and writhe. The world is like an apple infested with them. All seems well for now, but soon they burst through the skin and swarm across the land. Still, part of this vision troubles me. Grallak spoke of a great power behind them, but the Ebon Triad teaches that these worms will awaken the Overgod. Is there some other power at hand here that we cannot see? Is it friend or foe?
The Faceless One knows more, but he of course has little to say. Perhaps Grallak has invented everything. His monstrous kin (Grallak perhaps is monsterous and not himanoid?) are few in number and battered after their pilgrimage through the Underdark (They went somewhere in the Underdark from here, or they came here on a pilgrimage?). If he is an imposter or trickster, we may need to root him out of this place. In that case, our agents must make another supply run. Six coils of rope, and perhaps bows and more arrows, should do the trick (Make sure everyone has a missile weapon and that we have plenty of rope). With the petitioners leading the way we can uncover ambushes they have within the cliffs (What cliffs??).
Flocktime 1
Happy Beory's Day, my dear,
How I would love to be dancing around a wooden pole with you this evening, instead of crawling through these caverns, as it were.
After a brief examination of the black pool in the entryway, and a determination that the high platform overlooking it was some sacrificial altar to The Triad, we turned our path toward the unmarked door.
Inside, a rough hewn sustem of caverns descended into the darkness. Our progress was hindered first by ambushes by grimlocks and krenshar, and then my more natural issues. A fissure cut our path in twain. 10 spans below us, we saw a passage and spikes pounded into the cliff-face provided descent. We took the road less traveled. A ledge was just barely visible on the other side of the chasm, three spans below our position. Sara jumped it, only to be surprised by two grimlocks hiding there.
We dispatched them quickly and set up a rope to climb to the small ledge. A narrow passage under the ledge wound into the cliff face. Sara took Slait with her to explore as we waited to see if we needed to go over or down the cliff face to the rubble strewn chasm floor.
Very soon we heard the sound of battle. Brom grabbed hold of the rope, preparing to make his way over. I suggested tying a rope around him, in case the rope should break, and also gave him some climbing advice that Rogan, our ranger friend, had given me once. With the advice and the secondary rope, Brom had no problems getting across. Thanks to Taith for holding the second rope secure.
After a couple of us had gotten over and disappeared into the passage, the sounds of battle ceased. The rest of us clammered over and found the corpse of a grimlock female. One of our companions pushed on to tend to Sara, whom Slait had said fell to the wild blows of the she-devil.
We stocked Sara up on healing potions we had taken from the she-devil and the other ambushers, and she also found that the female's magical leather armor fit quite nicely. WIll be a good layer of protection for her.
A bridge on the other side of the passage led upward at a precarious angle. For sure, another ambush lay at the top. Sara, followed by Brom and Tanith made their way up the violently swaying bridge one at a time. Sure enough, at the top were three of the devils, which we quickly dispatched.
Now we sit at the edge of another precipice, our path ahead burrowing deeper into the rock. We'll push deeper after a short rest and accounting of health. The battles have tired us, but sleep is still many hours away.
I will write more, later,
Be well
Thorn
THE QUOTE: There was opnly really one memorable quote this time around. We were in the midst of a religeous debate, as such a diverse spiritual group will do.
Jaz, asking about the ressurection of the dead: "What about Halloween? Anyone can rise from the dead on halloween."
Brad: "Zombie Jesus?"
Flocktime 1 Continued
We continued up the sloping passage, with Sara at our lead approximately 10 spans ahead of us. On the uneven cave floor, it would take us a half a minute or so to catch up to her. We were sure she could hold her own.
Soon enough, Ivy said he heard what sounded like someone calling an alert. Progressing up as quick as we could, we found ourself in a small bowl. The grimlock defenders were lined up at the top of a small cliff, using longspears to poke at us. As I reached the mouth of the cave, an angry grimlock in a mithril chain shirt and wielding a wicked scythe jumped down and took a viscious swipe at Tanith.
Ivy withdrew a wand, muttered a few words and Brom grew to the size of an ogre, only moments after he dealt the raging grimlock a savage wound. Still the grimlock fought on.
Sara managed to reach the top of the cliff, but called down that there were more up there. Pumping Tanith full of positive energy, his wounds knit closed and allowed him to fight on. Between his halberd and Brom's giant blade, the angry grimlock was no match and soon fell.
Tanith scrambled up to the top of the cliff while Brom swung at the opponents on top. Soon Brom was up the cliff as well, but fell to one of the grimlock's attacks. Fortunately Tanith stood by and administered a healing draught.
Once we finished off the wave of defenders, we considered retreat, or a rest at the very least. Sara examined one of the side caves, revealing a smelly, but defensible, barracks. A quick search revealed some small gems and relics of Erythnul. What we could only assume the chief wore a magical suit of mithril chain, which we decided would serve Sara better than her studded leather. Slait donned the magical studded leather that Sara had been wearing.
Good night, Shalana, I hope you at least attend the pole dancing tonight.
Thorn
Flocktime 2
This morning, we found the chieftain's lair, and discovered a cache of rubies, some gold, a jewelled statuette, and a magical bag. Continuing on, we came to a room separated into tiers, again, by small cliff faces. We soon determined there were more grimlocks on the second tier, led by a Erythnulite shaman. My coimrades fought bravely while I spent most of the battle rooted the spot, unable to move or act. What prayers I did get off at the shaman, he resisted quite easily. A giant sized Tanith and Giant-sized Brom finally laid him low.
We've wiped out the second arm of the cult, hopefully. With any luck, the third arm will be not as difficult as the first, but somehow I doubt it. The journal we found in the Hextor shrine speak of birds, labyrinths, wizards, and someone called "The Faceless One". Labyrinths and wizards I understand well enough, but birds and this Faceless One remain mysteries, as well a Vecna cult should.
We'll take a brief rest here, collecting what loot we have found, and return to the entrance, where we will consider the third door.
Until later.
Galen.
Flocktime 2 Continued
My Dear Shalana,
We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the rest of the caves. In an area under the bridges we had encountered we discovered a rock slide. In exploring the rockslide, we seemed to have disturbed some rather irate chreatures which seemed bent on strangling the life from myself and Tanith. After dealing with two of them, Tanith and I had had enough and were ready to leave without further exploration, but Brom noted that they had an evil presence about them. He also mentioned that there were no more evil presences beside the two of them. Hoping that meant there was no more danger, we searched a little more. We discovered a leather thong with a ruby attached, as well as a curious cold iron longsword, both of which Sarah Stowed in her satchel.
After hauling out what valuables we could find from the savage creatyre's lair, and storing them with what we had amassed already, which we had piled about Rork and Eldit like some great furerary offering, we decided to take a break before heading into the third door.
Flocktime 3
What lay beyond the third door made all of us very uneasy. We discovered the labyrinth that the Hextorite had written about, and the birds he had written about discovered us. The labyrinth was riddled with secret doors, opening silently on a pivot, and allowing the birdlike creatures to surprise attack us, and disappear behind the closed door. When we opened the doors they had disappeared.
Brom instantly took a dislike to the place and stormed off through the passages. After a couple guerrilla melees, We found a door. As Sara inspected it, the rest of us were engulfed in flames from another of the bird creatures. The ensuing battle split us in several groups trying to aid our friends. I cannot really say what happened for some of the battle as another blast of flame brought on the darkness of unconsiousness. I woke with the taste of almonds on my tongue and an empty vial near my head, but my reviver had not stuck around long enough for me to thank them. Slait lay slumped on the ground mearby and I could hear the sounds of battle behind me.
I hastily healed Slait out of danger as the clammorous din of battle started to die around us. We had defeated some very tough birds, and come through beaten and burned, but alive.
We took some time to search the birds, dividing up the useful items and stashing the remainder in one of the nearbu rooms, hoping it would be there when we returned.
Returning to the one door we had found, we entered into what looked like a guard room. A chamber opened off to the right. As I examined the papers on the table near the beds, Brom decided to examine the chamber, andwas surprised by a couple of men in robes. One of them darted through another door, while another, quickly blasted off a spell that filled the passage in front of Brom with webbing. As we hurridly tried to ready ourselves for another battle, a ghostly apparition appeared through the webs and reached out for Brom.
Before long the allip was destroyed, for yes, it was an allip, a creature of necromantic magic that sucks the very sanity from it's victems. Some of the others had rushed into the room, to face, not one mage, but three, and a collossal centipede one of them had summoned from what pit, I know not. We were separated from Brom as he fought against the three wizards. Thinking quickly, Slait hurled a gem from the necklace the birdfolk had used to create the storms of fire which had seared us earlier, engulfing two wizards and Brom in its blast. The stalwart dwarf fought on as the two wizards fell in flaming heaps to the ground. Single handedly, Brom took on the wizard that could only be The Faceless One, so named for the irom mask it wore, or what lay beneath?
Finally the centipede collapsed, thanks to the valliant efforts of the enlarged Tanith and Sara. The Wizard was quick to follow as Ivy expanded Brom to ogre size.
So here we sit, sifting through the treasure of the Cult of Vecna, seeking more information on why they are here, and more information on this Age of Worms.
We are preparing to leave this place now. I will write more when we return to town.
Your wise owl,
Thorn
Hope to be starting this up soon. I'll be running the "Season Finale" of my Savage Tide game this weekend.
Shalana,
It was a joy seeing you for the past couple days. I know I annoy you with my doting over you when I do see you aglow with our child.
I had the dream again last night, the one where you give birth to some monster, a creature heralding this Age of Worms Allustan tells us of. He told me a bit more over out breakfast this morning. We are on our way to Blackwall Keep to consult with another wizard friend of his on the portents and signs of the green worm we found in the old observatory laboratory. Allustan says he has suspitions, but he wants to confirm them before he reveals them.
We have been joined in our journey by a priest of Pelor named Siobhan. We welcome her guiding light to our group. I have dound her interesting to debate with on theological matters. She provides a different point of view than Brom.
Later,
Night has fallen and we have reached the keep. We ran into a trio of ogres early afternoon whcih we spanked soundly and sent packing. When we reached the Keep, it was besieged by lizardmen. We assumed that they, not possessing nocturnal vision, would fall back in the evening and continue their assault in the morning. We decided to try and lure a group of them out to take them on in small groups instead of assaulting the masses. Allustan thought it prudent to go for more help and disappeared in a shower of sparks.
We set up an ambush a ways away, and sent Sara ahead as bait, attempting to lure them out and into our trap. Either Sara is a poor actor or the lizards were smarter than they looked, as they started to look around for others. As Sara continued back, the lizards resumed their assault of the Keep, this time, bearing ladders to scale the walls.
We decided if they were not going to come to us, we had to go to them. As we rushed in, Ivy giantified Brom and Tannith, and I cursed the opne with the best gear.
The lizards fell to our attach quick enough, with only some scratches for most of the group. Brom seemed a bit worse for wear as he charged up the slope to the Keep. I followed close behind, preparing a healing prayer.
Soon enough the lizardfolk were retreating and we were in the keep. While I prayed, the officer of the Keep, a boy no more than seventeen summers, explained that the lizards had risen up out of the swamp, and killed or kidnapped the majority oif their forces, including the wizard we sought.
So now, we sleep at the keep, waking in the early morning to trail the lizards into their own territory. I cn only assume we are walking into a series of ambushes and snares meant to waylay and capture us for their cookpots as well.
I will write when I can, my love.
Thorn.
NOTE: I was not at the session after liberating the keep, consider that letter lost in transit.
Dear Shalana,
The past three days have been interesting. After leaving the lizardfolk lair, with the offer of peace from the lizardfolk shaman, we headed back towards the keep. The shaman had released Marzena and three men-at-arms they had captured on good faith that we would secure the peace treaty with the tribe. It also sent two scouts with us to lead us back to the Keep safely.
Well, safely wasn’t to happen. The scouts and two of the men-at-arms were viciously killed by a chuul, an aberration created by dark magicks as a footsoldier in an ancient war. Brom and Tanith both nearly fell as well, but Siobhan and I kept Brom up, while Tanith decided to lay in the much, unable to move, paralyzed by the creature’s saliva.
The second afternoon on our trek back, we were assaulted by kobolds, but they seemed to be slightly different. Afterwards Slait explained that sometimes Dragons mate with kobolds and infuse their blood with the creatures, creating half-spawn. They fought tenaciously, but dropped fairly quick. One that I had used the magical whip on remained alive, but inconscious. With the thought of finding out who sent them, we woke it, still wrapped in the whip.
After some brief talks, and offering food and wine, Ibli opened up and said that his master, Illithane, had sent them after us to prevent the peace treaty. Aparently the peace treaty would interfere with the master’s plans. While we returned to the keep, this Illithane had sent the kobolds into the lizardfolk’s egg chamber with an egg of Illithane’s own, that when it hatched would make the lizardfolk brood into thralls of Illithane. I can only assume Illithane is a dragon, and a black one at that, and that it intends to make half-dragons of the lizardfolk. I wish I had read more about dragons and their ilk. I know so little of their tactics, strengths and weaknesses.
The kobold also told us not to drink the potions with the decorations, and showed us they contained the live green worms. The touch of silver seems to destroy them though. It may be prudent for all of us to arm ourselves with silver weapons. Perhaps a couple pounds of silver dust would be prudent too.
Torn between returning Marzena to the keep and warning the lizardmen, we decided to return to the keep, only a day away. When we arrived there, the garrison had arrived, but curiously they were not in the keep. Instead they were billeted outside, and the keep was locked and guarded. The soldier we left in charge hung from a tree.
Confused, we made our way to the captain’s tent, a paladin named Melinda. She offered us some refreshments, wine, baked flatbread with spicy red pepper sauce, and cheese. We shared knowledge with her, what we knew about the lizardfolk, and their peace treaty, Illithane’s egg, and she shared what had happened at the keep.
Aparently, the men at the keep had locked their old wizard in the cellar after he returned from wandering in the swamp. He didn’t look very well and tried to attack some of the other guards. The captain had locked him in the basement until he could be dealt with. Soon after the attack on the keep, and we left, the wizard, some sort of zombie, crawling with green worms, burst out of the basement, killed two of the guardsmen and dragged them off into the darkness. The remaining men fled from the keep and locked the doors, hanging their commander for putting them in such danger. In the morning, there were sounds of more creatures moving around in the keep.
So, I guess, we, the heroes of Diamond Lake (?), will be reclaiming their keep for them. After a short dinner, we plan on entering, Brom and Tanith enlarged, and the remainder of us blessed with Conviction, myself with Shield of Faith, Light of Lunia and Protection from Evil, we entered the keep, the doors locking ominously behind us.
In the basement, under the stairs hid one of the creatures. By the blessings of Pelor, Siobhan turned it, and it’s worms, to dust, while Brom flicked the worm crawling off of him with my dagger. Sure enough, the worms die on contact with silver. Unfortunately, two had snuck up behind us, one attacking Ivy and the other, Tanith. Soon enough they too were dead and and we checked each other for worms, but none were to be found.
We awoke this morning to the sound of Ivy retching. She was extremely sick, uncoordinated and not as pleasant to be around as normal. Her skin also had started to decay. Between Siobhan, Brom and myself, we deduced that she must have caught something from one of the zombies or the worms and took to trying to heal her. We worked for most of the morning until finally Brom laid his hands on her and prayed to Moradin for her healing. His faith is strong, asn she started to look better almost immediately.
So now we sit here, worried for our friend, but in need of returning to the lizardmen to warn them of the cowbird egg amongst their own.
I will write more later,
Thorn
CURRENT PARTY
Elven Archivist
Dwarven Paladin
Human Fighter
Elven Scout
Human Sorceress/Bard
Human Warmage
Human Cleric of Pelor
Flocktime 13
Shalana, This morning we set out for the lizards lair again, to warn them of the cowbird egg in their own nest. It will take us three days to get there, and three days back, but it is something that must be done. Ivy is cured of her ailment, but will be weak for a couple days until we can heal her fully.
I will write more later.
Thorn
Thorn died later this day when a plant creature snuck up on the group while they slept, entangled them, and beat on them. Slait was smashed while he slept, while Thorn was killed when the plant creature's thorns penetrated his heart. Later, just before the group reached the lizardfolk lair, the group ran into another kyuss spawn. Sara ran in fear, only to be saved from olunging headlong into a quicksand bog, by a lizardman Druid named TingTang, and his manservant, Kalamar. TingTang, interested to see why the warmbloods were in the swamp and visiting the lizards, followed the group. Kalamar, owing TingTang a lifedebt, also followed.
The group entered the lizards lair, quickly found the lizardfolk shaman they had made the a-greement with and explained the situation. Troubled they proceeded to the egg chamber, where the dragons egg sat in the midst of the lizardfolk, guarded by draconic kobolds. Slaying the kobolds, the group picked up the egg and moved it outside to destroy it. Smiting it cracked it open, spilling hundreds of green worms over the swampscape. Siobhan turned them, TingTang fired them, but the group was not sure if they were all destroyed.
TingTang got very agitated by the situation, demanding to know what the group had "put in his swamp". When they explained it to the lizardman, the druid vowed to follow them and make sure they dealt with this affront to nature, reminding them of the dangerous creatures in the swamp that could be infected...Chuul for example.
The group made it back to the Keep, and to Diamond Lake fine, where they spoke with Allustan. Allustan was very troubled by Thorn's death, but had no explanation, and referred them to an associate in Greyhawk.
After taking care of some things in Diamond Lake, and travelling to the druids to inform Shalana of Thorn's death, the group moved on towards Greyhawk. Beset by wyverns, displacer beasts andworgs didn't delay the group long.
CURRENT GROUP
Dwarven Paladin
Human Fighter
Human Sorceress/Bard
Elven Scout
Aasimar Cleric of Pelor
Human Barbarian
Lizardfolk Druid