The COC Together Again [DM SteveK] Wednesday January 19th, 2011 1:51:23 PM
Peace is reigning in Gateway Downs in this year, and the Children of Chaos has seen much of thier dreams come to fruition.
Rash has her family and the Abbey is in full restoration. There is a small competition between the Abbey set up by Rash and the Standing Stones south of Heranmar that is the usual haunt of the clerics of the Crones. Yet, as Rash has opened her Abbey to all the clerics of the Powers (including the Crones) there is no animosity. For the time being, it looks like Savins School of Selfdefense will remain small, but viable, and is a continuing reminder that the deceased monk will not be forgotten any time soon by the people of Heranmar.
Peerimus has a tenuous link of druids, rangers, awakened animals, and monstrous humanoids that range through most of the Gateway Downs. The powerbase for the system seems equally split between the Lost Temple of Mitani in Hook City (under the benevolent administration of Torm, the awakened tortoise), and Peerimus' own grove outside of Heramar. Certainly the farmers of the land have come to appreciate having the powerful druid in the area, and as many offerings are given to the Powers of Ebyron and Ma'ab in the countryside as to the Crones.
Kazak finds an ideal stretch of land about 7 miles west of Heranmar and is able to get a goodly number of people to work on the building (which incidentally creates a new hamlet there). Many of the people who work there are refugees that were stranded in Hernamar during the teleportation cycle of the Great Migration (and so didn't have any other permenant home). The foreman for Kazak's dwelling comes up one day and differentially asks if they can name the place: Refuge.
Xenia's dreams have coallesced into a shadowy companion, an offspring of her ventures into the Realm of Shadows. And while excited, the rogue will have to wait for her sailing venture until Firn'gaer reveals the rest of his information!
.................
And on the anniversary of the Children of Chaos' ending of the last Chaos Cycle and Great Migration, Firn'gaer has brought all his compaions to Heranmar to discuss the problems in the Black Book. (DM use of PC to further storyline. Please forgive taking over like this, but I couldn't think of a way to deliver all the information in a succinct manner otherwise.)
And the gnome wizard reveals what he has found out...
History of the Wold 2000 years in the future:
--A Magical Disease took out both continents. Drove everyone to the high altitudes where the disease somehow progressed at a slower rate.
--For 2000 years, they suffered.
--Elves, humans, and giantkind, are all dead. Trolls survive, but are normal sized and called Trollfs because they are part elf and mostly troll.
--Many creatures that regenerate were able to recover from the disease. Elves tried (and some other races followed) to inject troll blood into themselves or mated with regenerative creatures to try and infuse their regenerative properties and resistances into their bodies and those of their descendants. This only halfway worked; creating new races and causing racial extinction faster in the elves.
--The disease is called "Marteaus' Revenge". It was tested in Yrth and wiped out the Dragon Nation, but was contained by many heroic groups working together. Marteus' minions used the experience from this partial success to make a more aggressive disease while hiding out in Fae Skiemmir. Soon after, they released the new disease and nothing stopped it.
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Wednesday January 19th, 2011 4:01:25 PM
Torgon makes a trip to the catacombs, and returns home to his people. He spends some time reading the new book he acquired in the catacombs, as well as training the new village protector.
He takes some time to advise the council of the people and places that are out there, and to familiarize his people to the dangers and the friendly contacts he knows of.
He generally begins to relax and feel secure in the future of his village...When Firn'Gaer comes a calling with terrible tidings.
"What do you mean everyone dies? Everyone dies in some weird alternate reality where nobody does nothing? This must be stopped!" Torgon thinks to the future and what that would mean to his people. While he has no children himself... He looks to Rash. "We will stop this"
Torgon looks back to Firn'Gaer with more questions than answers "When does this disease begin? Should I send my people to high ground? How are the Taurs affected? Should we head for this Fae Skiemmir? Do we need to go talk to these Heroes that stopped it before?" He realizes that he is starting to act a bit panicked, and calms himself down to await some answers.
From her place leaned up against the wall, Xenia hooks a chair with her foot and draws it near. Her dark robes drape the chair in a cascade of ink as she seats herself. The girl rogue folds one leg over the other, places an elbow to knee and then chin in hand - a pose of contemplation, a funk of deep thought.
As though sensing the mood, Sylvia floats at her shoulder. The little shadow's mood appears restless and uneasy.
"You sure this book isn't, like, a story or sump'in? I mean, just made up?" She sits back then, her body in repose as she pulls thoughts together, molding them like clay. "If its not as story, if you think there's a chance this stuff is real, then I think we need to find out when we are. I mean, you're talking about places that we know, places that we can find. But if we wanna break this thing up, we need to know when we can stick ourselves into the picture."
"I say we start at the Dragon Nation. If they ain't been wiped out yet, then we can maybe catch the Marteaus Guys a'fore they even make their test. If we find the Dragon Nations already gone, we'll need to find a way into Fae Skiemmir."
"Two thousand years ... " The girl rogue shaves off a small portion of her attention and begins a simple finger game to occupy Sylvie. "That book say who wrote it, Fernie? Two thousand years of suffering and dying - whole groups of folks dying out. I'm surprised that many of them details survived that long. Wonder how accurate they are."
Peerimus AC 46/47 vs evil HP 205/205 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 121/160 Wednesday January 19th, 2011 6:20:17 PM
"So how did theis book come to be in our time I wonder." the first words from Peerimus as he listens to what Firngaer has learned. his initial delight in seeing his good friend again and sharing a good meal and drink all but vanished. Future events, possible future events from all that he knows which is nothing about such things. Logic to the druid tells him that if the Book is from the future than they have already been through this exercise and failed. "Chicken and the Egg" he reminds himself. Some things fall outside the realm of simple logic and into the lands of possibility.
A myriad of options play out in his mind on what they might attempt, may have already attempted and from that thought the druid has at least one idea. "Xenia can you look through the tome and decipher if any of us wrote any of it. A message to ourselves and can any true timelines to the here and now be drawn?"
"The true disaster seems to befall the Wold as a result of Marteus's cult being able to flee to this Fae Skimir and perfect this abomination. I believe our goal should be to prevent them from doing so, either by preventing their flight or by thier destruction once they arrive."
Rash Wednesday January 19th, 2011 6:40:29 PM
Rash listens to the story in dismay and asks Firn'gaer, "Does the book tell you when the disease first starts to spread? If it is 50 years then I don't know what we can do about it now. I will consult with the powers tomorrwow to see if they reveal any information or insight but we might want to go to the Standing Stones today to see if the Crones might give us some information and guidance."
Rash paces over to the bar and gets a pitcher of ale which she brings over to Torgon and says, "I think this might relax you dear. I think it premature to run for high ground just yet."
Rash turns to Firn'gaer and asks, "Have you done any independent research before bringing us this news? Scried on these followers? I makes you ponder the Powers purpose though sending this book back in time. Why was it in the hands of the demons? I wonder if they could be involved?" Rash shakes her head in negation, "No first we must learn the time line. These groups that defeated it and contained the diesease orginally. We have to find out if that has already happened."
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Wednesday January 19th, 2011 7:44:34 PM
"As another thought, since the demons had this book. You don't suppose mister Balor guy is helping these Marteus guys out do you? Could be helping to protect them, perfect the disease, or something. Just another thought to consider."
Sylvia moans in complaint as Xenia easily bests her at the finger game. The rogue smiles and brushes a tender hand through the indistinct light at the side of the shadow's face.
"You want me should go through the book looking for our handwriting, Peerimus? In a two thousand year old book? I mean, sure, I can do that, but ... Yeah, alright." The rogue shrugs. Her cheeks dimple as her lips purse.
"First I'll take a quick pass. Just searchin' for anything that might look like the handwriting of one of us. Then, if you want, maybe I'll go slower and look for hidden messages."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Search 38 to find any of our handwriting (Taking 10 w/Skill Mastery) Decipher Script 24 (I'm assuming that you want a Decipher Script check, Daniel. The description of the skill, though, doesn't seem to fit what you want to do, but I rolled it anyway.)
Kazak Stonewall Wednesday January 19th, 2011 10:41:44 PM
The dwarven warrior is pleased by the finding of a suitable plot of land .....even more pleased that he can attract help to build the area/farm up .....
When the foreman inquires about naming the place .... " Refuge ?? ..... i like it ! ..... it fits who we all are ..... none of us are from Heranmar ..... including myself ..... so its a refuge for all of us .. "
"agreed ..... Refuge it is " replies Kazak
Not wanting "Refuge " to grow too big ..... it should remain a refuge afterall ......Kazak talks to the new locals of Refuge ...... plans out some of his ideas on which direction the hamlet shall grow .....plans for crops , livestock ...and even a specialty crop ...... of some sort ..... self suffienct as much as possible is the plan ...... the dwarf even adds in building a small school for the children ....
(i'll add in later what specialty crop or item later )
Oonce back meeting with Firn'gaer and teh others .... " do we know if we can change the future ?? or is it set ?? ..... cuz we should do what we can to make sure dat da vile plans of Marteaus's followers does not come to true " growls Kazak
ooc: steve love the name "Refuge " ....and the idea of a little hamlet ;-)
The COC Together Again [DM SteveK] Wednesday January 19th, 2011 11:05:46 PM
ooc: gone for a few days to a conference. Next post is Monday.
- love the role-playing. sweet ideas and plans!
- Rich - you still have control of Firn'gear. Assume he spent all the time translating parts of the Book and hasn't done any magical verification; the
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility, SR18 Thursday January 20th, 2011 1:02:02 AM
Sorry life has been very busy.
Rash Thursday January 20th, 2011 10:48:46 AM
Rash glances at Kazak and says, "If your looking for some kind of cash crop then might I suggest some kind of spice or better yet herb which has healing powers. You might want to import something which doesn't normally grow around here. Having one of the best druids in the Wold to help get things started has to be an advantage"
Rash turns to Peerimus and gives him a grin, "Any suggestions on good plants from other areas which might help Heranmar prosper?"
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility, SR18 Thursday January 20th, 2011 4:07:10 PM
Firn'gaer takes a second to take in all the questions being thrown at him regarding the book from the future. With a deep breath he begins.
"Torgon, I don't know if the taur races survived. But this is what I suspect. The taurs probably lasted longer than most other races because their hardy nature, but this also means that they most likely suffered longer as a result. Again, I do not know I am only speculating."
"Xenia, I don't know who wrote the book. I have only just recently finished translating it. I would suspect that it was written by someone or a group who was protected from the plague. If the plague moved as quickly as the book indicates, then it is possible that the Gods were unable to stop it before its effects were completely realized and only very small pockets of the population could be protected. Perhaps, the book originates from one of these."
"As for when it begins, again, I do not know. But I do plan on using all the power at my disposal to find that out. As far as seeking out the Dragon Nation, do anyone even know where that is or where to begin to look? If it is here in the Southern Continent, it might well years to locate it. It might be easier to locate this Fae Skimir."
He nods to Peerimus in agreement.
"Sorry Rash, as I said, I have only been able to translate. I do plan on continuing my research. I would suggest we also look to the Gods for assistance. Almei, in particular, may be willing and able to grant us some of his Wisdom in this matter."
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Thursday January 20th, 2011 4:25:26 PM
"We got tha book because we can do sumthin about it. Don't matter who wrote it or how it got here. All that matters is stopping it from happening. Now we need ta know, where to go, and who to hit." The dwarf smiles, the forge was turning out to be an excellent retirement, but every once in a while, he had the urge to hit sumthin ugly with his axe.
"Hey, Fernie ... " While flipping through the pages of the Black Book one at a time, her eyes quickly assessing the character of the writing on each page, the red-headed rogue pops of a seemingly casual question. "From what I heard, you're originally from the North too, aren't you?"
"We can ask around, you know." *flip* "Use, like, our connections. I ... " *flip* " ... know folks in Floating City. Plateau City." *flip* "It's been a while, but Dirt City too." *flip* "May take a few days." *flip* "But someone's gotta know 'bout this Dragon Nation."
Xenia looks up from the book for a moment to connect with the others. "Someone's gotta know, don't you think?"
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility, SR18 Friday January 21st, 2011 3:09:07 PM
"Yes I am originally from the north. But I don't have many connections in the north. Although, I suppose I could make a calling on the Star Mages Guild. Their libraries may have some information that could give us some leads as to where to begin."
Rash Friday January 21st, 2011 9:25:46 PM
Rash pipes in, "I too think I can connect with some of the other priests and clerics from the northern isle. Their doctrine is all wrong but many of their hearts are in the right place. I think I have earned enough rank granted by the Powers for them to at least listen to me."
Peerimus AC 46/47 vs evil HP 205/205 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 121/160 Friday January 21st, 2011 9:59:51 PM
Peerimus gives Rash a short nod, "On crops of varying kind that would do well in this area, I can think of quite a few, as to if they would help Heranmar prosper? That is not in my arena. The point, I suppose, would be to grow something unique. I could read through by journal of my travels over the past year and see if anything fits what we might need."
Peerimus follows the lines of thinking, in his own mmind extending them towards probable conclusions of actions and consequences.
"For the time, we need to assume that we can prevent what is transcribed as 'history' in this tome. While I am not stted o travelling to Dragon Nation, we do need to know more about it. A brief history and its current political state and any connection to Marteus."
"Rash, see if the Powers will grant you knowledge on the author or authors of this tome and if there has ever been some similar type of plague unleashed by Marteus or some other would be god of death or disease. If ithas happened before the current cult might have uncovered that information themselves which will become the catalyst to what shall happen as this book says."
The COC Together Again [DM SteveK] Sunday January 23rd, 2011 9:17:44 AM
There is speculation on why the Book ended up in thier hands (placed by the Powers where it can do the most good, owned by Treeniazlix to sew discord by withholding information or providing the worst possible in the worst time, or by happenstance with all the recent rifts in OddHolme from the concentrated Chaos. Yet the dwarf cuts to the heart of the matter; if they can alter the 'history' of the Book, how they got it doesn't matter.
The decision is made to do some research, both magical and scout-like. With Greater Teleport and other spells, the COC has near instant access to anyplace they can remember or scry. And there are other magical means of gathering information as well. Time and again, the COC have proven to be the Wold's greatest protectors, and they set out to accomplish it again, this time for the future!
....................
And a side conversation evolves around Kazak's 'cash crop' speculation. Unusually, Snownose, one of the Awakened badger Two-Stripes' pups, pokes her head around a bush and rumbles over to Kazak. "There are lots of neat things to eat in the swamps and water-forests around here... Mister Kazak (she adds remembering her manners). "Why don't you find some of them that don't grow in other places?" Snownose then shrieks in laughter and spins around, going back to her game of 'tag' with Sylvie, some Dancing Lights following the shadow as it tries to hide.
Rash Sunday January 23rd, 2011 2:30:59 PM
Rash will let the day past as she has done with the last year, spending some time with her family but also hoping around to her various interests be it home, family, farms or abbey. While she is doing her normal routine, she will let her mind ponder the book and all it implies. When she wakes up the next day, she will pray for the spell commune from the powers and once received, will cast it.
Questions:
1: Is it important to find out the author of the book? 2: Is the plague which will be known as "Marteaus' Revenge" already starting to spread in the Wold today? 3: Has the first version of the disease mentioned in the book already happened? 4: Is so, are the heroes who prevented its spread still alive? 5: Are the makers of the plague mentioned in the book still at Fae Skiemmir in this timeline? 6: Could the Children of Chaos find clues on how to stop the spread of the disease at Fae Skiemmir? 7: Would rings of regeneration help protect the Children from the disease if we were exposed? 8: Is the Balor Mr X involved in this plot against all life in the Wold? 9:"Do the followers of Marteus know how to cure the disease?" 10:"Has the dragon Nation of Yrth already been wiped out by the disease?" 11: Are there any other groups or factions helping the minions of Marteus and the plague? 12: Is it possible to find allies to help us fight the plague? 13: Do we have more than a month's time to stop the plague? 14: Do we have under a year's time to stop the plague? 15: Will we have to go to Fae Skiemmir to stop this plague? 16: Are there any folks who can tell us about the dangers of Fae Skiemmir? 17: Are there any who've been there and returned? 18: Is Fae Skiemmir dangerous? 19: "Do we need anything besides our usual gear?"
The dark girl turns the last page of the book. "Sorry, Peerimus. I don't find nothin' in the book that looks like our writing."
She watches with a cautious half smile, as the badgers engage Sylvia in play. The shadow rises up, out of reach, but she is unable to escape the magic floating lights. The shadow moans a low warning before taking a swipe at one of the lights, but her hands passes through the globe of magic without effect. Then, in a swirl of dark swirling matter, Sylvia whirls away, diving straight down. She plummets, head first, like a bolt descending from the sky, without slacking in speed. Then as she is about to strike, she disappears, as though entering the ground itself.
The shadow is gone.
The badgers remain where they are, poised for trickery. But moments pass without a reappearance from Sylvia. Snownose creeps forward, white nose sniffing at the spot into which the shadow had entered the earth. Suddenly, from out of the earth Sylvia emerges. Snownose gives a squeak of surprise, and the game begins again.
"Whyn'cha ask if we stand a better chance of finding out about this thing, Momma Rash," eyes still on the game, Xenia adds a suggestion to Rash's Prophesy Spell, "if we go to the Northern Continent."
"And if you're looking for someone who's tight with Alemi," Xenia turns her attention to Firn'gaer, "I know a guy who went through seminary at Alemi's Cathedral of Light in Plateau City. You met him. Halfling. He's the one who got cat legs from the Knot of Drusis when you met the Crimson Shields in the Giggling Ghost. Belkie's devoted to Alemi. If anyone can help you with that, he can."
"Think you can scry for him, Peerimus? Like you did for Wynn? If he can't help us himself, he can get us into the library at the Cathedral of Light. Maybe we can find sump'in there."
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Monday January 24th, 2011 9:24:06 AM
Torgon listens intently to Rash's questions, trying to think if there is any other useful information to be garnered. As Rash appears to be finishing up, Torgon puts a couple more out there for Rash to consider asking.
"Do the followers of Marteus know how to cure the disease?" "Has the dragon Nation of Yrth already been wiped out by the disease?"
"Sorry, that's all I have. Hopefully the answers will give us a place to start."
Xenia rolls up out of her seat, like a lithe cat and begins pacing the room. "You know, I dunno how this book got to us, but I'm thinking that there aren't no such things as coincidences. If the gods couldn't stop this stuff from happening when it happened, I'm thinking it might just be possible that they're maybe trying to stop it a long time after it happened. Maybe that's how we got the book. I know that sounds kinda turned inside out. But it's a feeling I get, and sometimes that's all you got to go on."
"So, you wanna ask your Power Gods questions that are gonna help us and help them, Momma Rash, then I think I can come up with a few more." And Xenia begins rattling off questions, one by one, coming up with whatever comes to mind.
Are there any other groups or factions helping the minions of Marteus and the plague? Is it possible to find allies to help us fight the plague? Do we have more than a month's time to stop the plague? Do we have under a year's time to stop the plague? Will we have to go to Fae Skiemmir to stop this plague? Are there any folks who can tell us about the dangers of Fae Skiemmir? Are there any who've been there and returned? Is Fae Skiemmir dangerous? Very dangerous?
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Monday January 24th, 2011 9:40:58 PM
"Do we need anything besides our usual gear?"
First Answers [DM SteveK] Tuesday January 25th, 2011 10:49:26 AM
The questions gathered from her friends and the Commune cast, Rash casts her plea out into the Wold, waiting for the answers to arrive...
A six-winged Solar appears before Rash, hovering in mid-air. "Beloved of the Powers", it begins, "they have heard your call and I may answer as you will."
1: Is it important to find out the author of the book? "No" 2: Is the plague which will be known as "Marteaus' Revenge" already starting to spread in the Wold today? "No" 3: Has the first version of the disease mentioned in the book already happened? "Yes" 4: Is so, are the heroes who prevented its spread still alive? "They will not be able to help you" 5: Are the makers of the plague mentioned in the book still at Fae Skiemmir in this timeline? "Yes" 6: Could the Children of Chaos find clues on how to stop the spread of the disease at Fae Skiemmir? "Yes" 7: Would rings of regeneration help protect the Children from the disease if we were exposed? "Only to delay the disease, not to prevent or stop it if you were infected" 8: Is the Balor Mr X involved in this plot against all life in the Wold? "No" 9:"Do the followers of Marteus know how to cure the disease?" "Only the current one they have" 10:"Has the dragon Nation of Yrth already been wiped out by the disease?" "Yes" 11: Are there any other groups or factions helping the minions of Marteus and the plague? "Yes" 12: Is it possible to find allies to help us fight the plague? "Not to fight, but to lead the way" 13: Do we have more than a month's time to stop the plague? "No" 14: ooc: not asked since #13 answer 15: Will we have to go to Fae Skiemmir to stop this plague?"Yes" 16: ooc: not asked since #12 answer 17: Are there any who've been there and returned?"Yes" 18: Is Fae Skiemmir dangerous? "Yes" 19: "Do we need anything besides our usual gear?" "That depends upon your resourcefulness", the Solar says with a smile.
In place of the other two questions, the Solar gives a hint. "The Daughter of the Crones is the beginning of your quest. See her."
The Solar reaches through Rash and takes a small glowing pebble from inside her, and then departs. Rash loses 100XP
Rash Tuesday January 25th, 2011 12:58:19 PM
Rash gasps as the Solar takes a part of her but then bows deeply and gives her thanks to both the Solar and the Powers which set it.
She tells the others the answers she received and says to the others, "Looks like we need to go to Fae Skiemmir to find some answers and stop this disaster which is just waiting to happen. It also looks like we need to get moving soon. Before we go there, we need to go to the daughter of the Crones first. Sounds like we will get some information there."
She turns to Firn'gaer and Peerimus and asks, "Can you find out anything about the plague which was stopped? I know the solar said that finding the heroes who stopped the plague wasn't going to be helpful but I don't want to fall victim to the first one to stop the second. Any information on this Dragon nation as well. I haven't heard of it."
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility, SR18 d20+32=49 ; d20+16=31 ; d20+14=32 ; Tuesday January 25th, 2011 2:34:21 PM
Firn'gaer listens to Rash's information. "If we do not have more than a month, I will be unable to assist in finding out more information. Research in this matter would take more time than we have left, I'm afraid."
"I believe we should start our search for the daughter of the Crones." (OOC - I'm thinking of an old elven female PC, but I cannot remember her name. The other daughter might be Sly.)
Firn'gaer looks back into his memory for anything he could remember about the dragons of Yrth. Knowledge - Arcane DC49, Knowledge - Geography DC31, Knowledge - History DC32
"Also, I'm thinking a scorched earth policy may be required for the task at hand once we find Fae Skiemmir."
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Tuesday January 25th, 2011 2:53:57 PM
"Alright then. Daughter of the Crones it is. Hopefully one of you guys know who she is or how to find her. I think the Solar pretty much laid our general path before us, and we will be going to Fae Skiemmir after finding the daughter of the Crones."
"I don't quite know what your idea of a scorched earth policy is Firn'gaer, but I will agree that none of the people behind this or connected to it in any way can be allowed to live. None can escape to hide for now and try to create the disease again in the future. If they have left any writings or formulas stashed anywhere we will also need to find and destroy them so that none may pick up where these madmen have left off."
"You alright, Momma Rash?" The girl rogue takes the arm of the cleric of the Powers. It isn't every day that a Celestial Guy reaches into your body and pulls some important looking light thing out of you. "You sure you're okay," she whispers and grabs a chair with her free hand.
"You guys are kidding, right." Xenia spares a moment from Rash for a quick word to the others. "You don't 'member the Daughter Crone Girl? She's on the council here in Heranmar. She showed up at Peerimus' grove after we beat down the Mechas. She's the one what give us the Deck of Many Cards. Tell me you ain't forgotten that."
"I think she lives down to them Standing Stones things south of town."
"As to burning down this Fae Skiemmir place, I can go with that. Dunno 'bout stopping this plague thingie, though. I mean, even if we burn this Fae Skiemmir place to the ground, kill down everyone we see there, what's to keep some other folks from the future from sending back their own book? Maybe there are some Marteaus minions in the future too, and what if they send back a book to their folks? We kill down Fae Skiemmir, but they start up again in ... I dunno ... Fae Skynet!"
Xenia shakes her head. "I dunno. This future thing can really mess your head around."
"Here, lemme help you, Momma Rash." Lending a wholly unnecessary arm, the girl rogue guides the cleric toward the door. "Lets go see the Daughter Crone Girl. Find out just how much more messed around this can get."
Rash Tuesday January 25th, 2011 8:35:42 PM
Rash gladly takes Xenia's arm and pretends to limp along. "It's good to see that someone around here cares. Men...never think past blowing something up or beating it down!"
Peerimus AC 46/47 vs evil HP 205/205 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 121/160 d20+25=28 ; Tuesday January 25th, 2011 11:52:21 PM
"Some of us occassionaly plant a tree." Peerimus offers with a small smile to Rash. The druid is about to say something else when Xenia puts forth the information to the whereabouts of the Daughter of the Crones.
"It seems that we have little time and so I suggest we get ourselves to the Standing Stones. Our first order of business is to secure passage to Fae Skimir." As the group moves Peerimus thinks through what he might know of a land with such a name that seems tied to Fasther and Mother [Know Nature 28]
"The Dragon Nation is lost, the heroes of that conflict willbe of little help, but there are those who can guide and hopefully educate us on our destination. The Crones Daughter is one."
"As to the other factions helping Marteus I am not sure what we can do now to uncover anything about them. Do we know of any traditional allies the northern cult has worked with in the past?"
Daughter of the Crones [DM SteveK] Wednesday January 26th, 2011 2:05:50 PM
Rash relays the information she has from the Solar and suggests Fae Skimmier and the Daughter of the Crones is the next clue.
Firn'gaer shuffles through his excellent memory gives the recent history of the Dragon Nation...
- The Dragon Nation was a organized civilization of evil dragons, bent on subjugation of the entire Elennian Penninsula.
- The Gold Dragon hero group and Pirates of Jack killed Ga'als master Heartseed that controlled the royalty of an Elennian country called Aisildur. This eventually led to an alliance between the Free-States and Aisildur against the Dragon Nation.
- The followers of Marteaus decided to preempt this alliance. They created a magical wasting disease which when placed within the Dragon Nation, mostly wiped them out. Within a month, all of the Dragon Nation was dead or running for isolation.
Xenia remembers the "Daughter of the Crones" is the title of the chief priestess of the Standing Stones just south of Heranmar, and is also on the Heranmar Council. It should be real easy to talk with her!
Peerimus thinks back and recalls an ancient city of the elves that Ebyron used to love to party in. But the stories are soooo old, the place CAN"T still be around...
................
Every hero except for Torgon has met and spoken with the Daughter of the Crones, so there is little trouble in tracking the enigmatic cleric down. She meets them inside the ring of five Standing Stones that legend says is the remains of the original bodies of the Crones, that Power that holds Gateway Downs as its own. They may also hold a special place in the minds of the visiting heroes, for it is well known in among the Crone clerics that the five Crones were the very first mortals marked with the Chaos Bell and defenders of the Chaos Cycle....
"I know why thou hast come", says the Daughter, "for I had a dream a year agone that there was a last task for the Beloved of Chaos. The mark is not on thy skin, but thy names will be known forevermore."
"Sit, drink, and tell me of the rede laid upon thee."
Once within the Standing Stones, Xenia finds a comfortable spot where Rash can seat herself without too much bending or kneeling. She herself fades into the background, hanging back, watching rather than offering to tell a tale that can best be told by someone with greater familiarity with this Southern land. Watching rather than asking the questions, the answers to which she knows will come in time.
Hiding behind her left shoulder, Sylvia watches the Daughter of the Crones. "oooo ... " soft and low, rises and falls as thoughts and feelings pass through her incorporeal mind.
Crone Girl's gotta know a lot of what they've got to say anyway. From her dream. But there's an order to things. Things come together after talking and understanding. It puts things into the right frame. It builds bonds. It makes confidence. Might as well get these things while they can. Soon enough they'd be going north, where there'd be nothing but fear, uncertainty, and violent intent.
Kazak Stonewall Wednesday January 26th, 2011 10:12:02 PM
Following along to meet up with the daughter of the Crones ......
" less then 30 days da solar said ..... hmm .... we gotta move quick .....wonder how fast da wasting disease progress's once it take affect " growls Kazak
" gosh da disease kills dragons ..... dat is just incredible ..... we had a tough time wit just one .... i remember dem big teeth of Ozone " shudders Kazak ....." tough lizards ..... dis aint right "
ooc " sorry about missed posts .... been shoveling snow for what seems like a month up here in connecticut ...... we stopped measuring in inches .....its in feet now ;-)
Rash d20+16=26 Wednesday January 26th, 2011 11:02:56 PM
Rash nods her thanks at Xenia as she accepts the chair, places her hands on her knees and gives the "Daughter" a hard look. "You had a dream about our last task a year ago and decided to keep it to yourself?" Rash shakes her head and mutters to herself, "no matter, no matter."
She looks up at the woman before her and says, "On our last adventure more than a year ago, we came into possession of a book. Firn'gaer has been studying it for over a year and finally deduced that it has come from the future. Long in the future but that future starts today. The Wold is going to be assaulted with a plague from the followers of Marteaus. This plague will ravage the Wold ending most life and civilization as we know it. Both the elves and the human races will be gone. New races of mainly troll halfbreeds will spring up to take their place.
We aim to stop this future from happening. After communing with the Powers, they have directed us first to you and then to Fae Skiemmir. One of our most immediate problems is we don't know where Fae Skiemmir is. Peerimus thinks it might be an ancient city where Elbyron used to have parties in but that is all we know. Can you help fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge and show us the way to Fae Skiemmir?"
rolled a 26 for a diplomacy check if needed
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Thursday January 27th, 2011 11:43:51 AM
Torgon sits, and listens as Rash tells the Daughter of the Crones the story as we know it. Hopefully she will have something helpful for us.
Dream Path [DM SteveK] Thursday January 27th, 2011 12:28:07 PM
The Daughter gives a faintly chagrined smile and the smallest shrug. "The dream was clouded from my memory until thou arrived in the Stones. I have long since ceased to ask 'why' when it comes to the Crones."
Drinks are brought and each hero is made comfortable on the grass within the Stone circle.
Yet before the Daughter is able to take a sip, her arms shoot out from her body, goblet and wine flying. Her eyes open wide and then her head snaps back and a smoke issues from her mouth which form five cloaked women, hovering above the Standing Stones.
All five of the cloaked women point at the heroes, and the COC feel thier spirits rise from their bodies. As if in a dream, they fly west of Heranmar to a desolate swamp where there is an ancient arch of stones. They see a face of a wizened gnome next to the portal, a face to not be forgotten, and then they are transported through the portal to a forest of huge trees. Weaving through the trees, they pass a cauldron on a fire with a dozen cloaked figures and on to a fantastic city of spires and fog surrounded by stout walls. Twisting through the city, the spirits of the heroes get to a building bristling with smokestacks, pipes, and noxious smells of a badly run alchemy shop. Through a door, a corridor, and a lab, and a laughing man with an evil face holds aloft a flat-bottomed beaker containing a venomous green liquid.
There is a flash in the dream, and then each hero is looking upon a city they know well. [Hook City (Rash), Plateau City (Firn'gaer), Floating City (Xenia) Turak Nor (Kazak and Durgan), the Village of Taur (Torgon), Heranmar (Peerimus)] A plague has broken out; all Noble Races are going green-tinged with boils and pock marks. Coughing up vile green pus, the people choke on their own bits of lung and die in the streets. Soon, only animals and monsters roam the streets as the dream fades to darkness...
And the Daughter collapses in a heap.
Rash Thursday January 27th, 2011 12:43:15 PM
Rash leaps from her chair and hurries over to the collapse Daughter quickly checking her pulse and seeing if she needs some healing. She will place the young woman's head in her lap and look up at the other Children of Chaos. "That was disturbing but pretty explicit. Seems the next step in our journey is to find this gnome who can transport us to where we need to go."
As she talks to her friends she will stroke the Daughter's hair and continue, "When do we wish to depart? It seems like we shouldn't delay long but now that we have seen where we are going, do we wish to scry the area to get more information?"
Rash looks down at her dazed friend and says, "The Crones are rough on their people but I guess we already knew that."
Xenia comes to herself with a high pitched excited wail circling above her head. Sylvia ceases her frantic spiral as Xenia stirs, and flies down to look into her face, the red points of light that are her eyes probing to see whether the Shadow Mistress has indeed returned to her body.
"I'm ... I'm fine, Sylvie. I'm good."
With the wispy shadow trailing along behind, Xenia steps to the side of the Crone Daughter, kneeling beside Rash. "She alright, Momma Rash? She's alright, isn't she?"
"I guess we know where to go now. We just head to that swamp west of here and look for the stone arch, that maybe's got a gnome with it. Anybody got anything they need to do here a'fore we go? I got everything I need, and I'm ready to move out."
Kazak Stonewall Thursday January 27th, 2011 9:53:05 PM
The dwarf is shocked at what he sees ....... " da future doesn't look good ...... dat plague must be stopped " growls Kazak
"Time is short ..... da dragons are dying ..... we cannot let it spread "
With a nod at Xenia .... " i'ma ready too ...... gots all dat i need " as he taps the stone sword of Tturak Nor ... " your gonna defend your home " growls Kazak to the ancient artifact
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Friday January 28th, 2011 7:50:24 AM
"Agreed, we should begin at once. I for one would not wish that future on my conscience if we were just a few minutes too late."
"Rash..Firn'gaer.. is it possible for your teleports to go to a place you have only seen once? If we could teleport to that little gnome, it would save us a good deal of travel time."
Preparing from Heranmar [DM SteveK] Friday January 28th, 2011 12:05:40 PM
The Daughter comes to fairly quickly, just the shock of being a conduit for a Power of the Wold knocked her for a loop.
Xenia, Torgon, and Kazak are all ready to start for the swamps RIGHT NOW. But they will need Firn'gaer, Rash, and perhaps Peerimus' magics to get there quickly.
Or they could walk and look around the big, wet, swamp until they find a gnome and ask for directions. Meh, either one.
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility Friday January 28th, 2011 12:58:36 PM
"Yes, I can teleport use as long as I have been there, even once." He says to the Minotaur. "I can only take some of us with a teleport spell, so I will using a Teleport Circle. That will get us all."
[OOC - Steve do I need to go the Catacombs for material components and or spell foci, or can I just get approval as make the adjustments to character. I was going to add some more Teleportation Circle material components and the focus for Shapechange.] [DM Steve: approved. make changes. :-) ]
Rash Friday January 28th, 2011 1:47:56 PM
Rash helps the girl stand up and smiles at her confusion having been there herself upon occassion. She looks to the others and says, "If we want to go now, I am ready."
"Well, that should oughta save us some wading through the muck," the dark girl observes, silently thankful for what it will also save her robes and nice black outfit.
"Sylvie," Xenia shrugs off her haversack and holds it up in one hand by the straps, "can you fly into this? Tuck yourself into one of the dimensional pockets. Give it a try." The dark formless face of the shadow can almost be seen to frown. "Don't worry. Won't be for a long time. Some day you might need to go into something like this for safety too. Just try it out. For me, 'kay?"
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Friday January 28th, 2011 9:57:58 PM
Nodding as everyone is readying to go ....
" most we can do is wait till tomorrow ..... longer we wait da more people will die cuz of dat wasting disease ...."
ooc: rolled 20th level HD in L & B d10=7 ;-)
Peerimus AC 46/47 vs evil HP 205/205 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 121/160 Saturday January 29th, 2011 8:56:12 PM
Finding the swamp to the west is not the hard part. Finding a Stone arch and a gnome in it will be. Torgon, Rash, can either of you Find the Stone Arch as a Path or object? When we arrive I can inquire about to the natives if they know of this gnome or the arch.?"
Peerimus helps the girl to a sitting position as soon as she collapses and asks her quietly, "Is this the fabled elven city where Ebyron used to dwell?" The words flow in a whispered awe, as if he dare not dream or hope that the answer may be yes.
"Leaving now if we can would be best. Once we locate the arch we can prepare before entering. Locating the building bristling with smokestacks, pipes, and noxious smells of a badly run alchemy shop will need to be done quickly."
"The question is can be magically trasport ther or do we need a different way, perhaps Wind walk or Phantom steeds?"
Peerimus mentally goes through his year long travels about the area, was there a swamp to the west?
Sharp elf-kin ears catch the druid's comment. "Ebyron? Him again? I shoulda figured. Fae Skiemmir - Fae King." Xenia shakes her head. "Every time I hear that name I regret being a part of singing him down outta them moons or wherever it was he was living."
"Never shoulda sung him down."
Rash Saturday January 29th, 2011 11:12:17 PM
Rash tells Peerimus that the Powers have granted her a discern location which she can cast when they get to the swamp.
Zero: Read Magic, Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Detect Poison First:Longstrider* Shield of Faith x 2, Bless, Command, Endure Elements, Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil, Divine favor Second:Spiritual Hammer* Restoration Lesser, Delay Poison, Hold Person x 2, Resist Energy, Aid x 2 Third:Fly*, Invisibility Purge, Magical Vestment x 2, Prayer, Searing light, Remove blindness/deafness, Dispel Magic Fourth:Dimension Door*, Divine Power x2, Restoration, Dismissal, Magic Weapon Greater, Sending Fifth:Flame Strike*, Righteous Might x2, Spell Resistance, Summon Monster 5, True Seeing, Flame Strike, Commune, Disrupting Weapon Sixth:Blade Barrier* Heal x2, Summon Monster 6, Dispel Magic Greater, Seventh:Power Greater teleport*, Holy Word, Summon Monster 7, Dictum, Ethereal jaunt, scrying greater Eighth: Power Word Stun* Summon Monster 8, Holy Aura, Spell Immunity Greater, Discern Location Ninth: Power Word Kill* Miracle, x2 Heal mass, monster summoning 9 (third miracle is in spell staff which is kept in haversack
Preparing from Heranmar [DM SteveK] Monday January 31st, 2011 3:56:36 PM
Firn'gaer announces that his Teleportation Circle can bring the entire group to the arch if he is familiar with the location. And since the dream by the Crones has burned the immediate area of the swamp near the arch into everyone's memory, the location is very familiar indeed.
The heroes give thier farewells to the Daughter of the Crones who seems weak, but mostly recovered from her direct contact with the Powers. "Fare thee well, Protectors!" she calls as they fade out.
The Teleportation Circle plops the heroes into four feet of sluggish water. The fetid odor of rotting vegetation announces without words the Children of Chaos are in the Spirit Swamps. Peerimus, Xenia, and Rash are all fairly familiar with the Spirit Swamp from thier travels over the years and most recently of last year. Between the three of them, they can relate the common knowledge of the people about Spirit Swamp.
Spirit Swamp is 120 miles long and 80 miles wide. With the Grey Tooth Mountains, the Spirit Swamp bisects the Gateway Downs. Cliffport (Rash's home) overlooks the swamps and lays on the only eat-west road through the swamp. The Spirit Swamp is the remnant of the time of sorrow when all Gateway Downs was drowned in rain for 50 years, and is a reminder to the people that they owe thier lives to the Crones. Drowned forests and fields, the Spirit Swamp is a sluggish morass of decaying plant life, algae, slime-slurry, and mosses. Other than the causeway for the road, the place has never been much explored.
The heroes slosh around and look at the area. It is wearily familiar as the place where the arch stood in thier dream. The only problem is, there is no arch! There is no gnome!
"Well ... " the girl rogue frowns down at the dirty water in which she and the hem of her nice black robes now stand. " ... that's whatcha get for relying on dreams. Doncha think?"
Sylvia, tired of waiting in extra-dimensional space, emerges from the haversack and looks around. "Oooo," the little shadow comments.
"Oh yeah?" Xenia replies. "Well, you can't get your feet wet." With a sigh of resignation, the dark girl pulls a black head scarf from her pouch, binding back her flame-red hair in a jaunty pirate fashion. Working clothes. Protection against anything from spying eyes to nasty smelly water.
The dark rogue sloshes a few paces in one direction, then a few paces in another. She compares each perspective to that which lives within her memory. "I'm thinking that the portal should be ... just about here. Lets see if we can find any trace of it."
And Xenia sets about a foot by square foot search for signs of a stone portal.
"Uwhoaaaaa." Xenia moans. "Wwwwwoo?" Sylvia asks. "Oowohhh," Xenia answers, then returns to her search as Sylvia dives below the surface of the brackish water, conducting a search of her own both under the muddy ground as well as under the water.
+++++++++++++++++++
Xenia Search for trace of the portal 38 (Taking 10 w/Skill Mastery) Sylvia Search 10
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Monday January 31st, 2011 6:44:29 PM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
Torgon looks around at the others. "Well? what's the deal? wheres the Gnome? where's the arch?"
"You got that discern location Rash?"
"I gotta say, as a Minotaur, I am much more preferable to a point and swing type of situation. I'm sure you can guess who is pointing, and who is swinging...Just saying...okay then." Torgon looks around for something to swing at, and awaits further direction by those with real powerful spells.
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Monday January 31st, 2011 9:32:42 PM
Barely keeping his head above the water .... the dwarf stands up on his toes ...and keeps his chin up ..... as he looks about ....
" hope dis here swamp don't get no deeper .... or i'm gonna hafta learn how to swimm ...."
Smiling at Torgon's remarks .... " yup i'ma with you on dat .... point and smash " laughs Kazak
Catching a glimpse of Xenia probing about .... " maybe we shoulda walk in a line abreast .... trying and feel about with our feets ........ either dat we give a shout out to see if a gnome shows up "
"DIs here swamp ..... is a little west of me farm dat i bought ..... guess i'll find out what lives west of us " muses the dwarven warrior
actions - keeps head above the water
Rash Monday January 31st, 2011 10:54:42 PM
Rash splashes around the water helping keep the smaller dwarves head above water when she needs to. "I knew I should have prayed for a couple water breathing spell. Peerimus, can you turn the brothers into fish by chance? Rash gets serious again saying, "I am going to cast my spell focusing on the gnome. I have at least seen him while I would have had to touch the arch to make the spell effective." Rash then casts the Discern Location spell on the gnome she saw in the vision.
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Monday January 31st, 2011 11:13:01 PM
"A fish? I smell bad enough already with all this swamp much all over me. Humph." The dwarf looks more sour than when getting ready for a teleport spell. "Well let's get movin then, mebbe ye can cast yer spell from dry land instead eh?"
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility d20+32=51 ; d20+37=38 ; Tuesday February 1st, 2011 12:49:57 AM
Firn'gaer is a little puzzle when they arrive. "It should be . . ." is about all that comes out of the gnome's mouth before he over his head in water. He frantically tries to keep his head above water until he grabs onto one of the taller folk.
"Pick me up, pick me up, pick me up." Comes out in fast succession. Once out of the water, the wizard wastes no time in making the water a non-issue, for him, by casting Phantom Steed, which hovers in the air just above the water.
Once on the magical steed, "Now that drowning is not an issue. Give me a second to see what I can see first. I have to filter out all of the magic that we are carrying, it takes a few moments." He concentrates on the magic around him, using his Arcane Sight, looking for a large Illusion. Something that magically doesn't look right. Arcane Knowledge DC51, Spellcraft DC38
Troughton Burk [DM SteveK] Tuesday February 1st, 2011 9:26:17 AM
While some good humored rubbing and sloshing happens in the swampy, brackish water, a few of the heroes have an idea or two to try.
Xenia and Slyvie do a quick scout above and below the water but only come up with a large snapping turtle with a bad disposition. Well, besides fish, frogs, insects, some slugs, a couple salamanders, a leech or two, and a tree snake that is nearly frightened out of its skin by Slyvie. The mosquitos and biting flies are beginning to gather for the unexpected feast of fresh hero...
Firn'gaer is sure there is an illusion, but after looking, is certain there is not, at least not any magic that he can detect or pierce with mortal means.
Rash's Discern Location on the gnome, however, finds the being is only a few hundred feet away to the north!
Xenia (AC33, HP115/115); Sylvia (AC13, HP19/19) d20+16=22 ; d20+31=46 ; Tuesday February 1st, 2011 10:29:09 AM
The Dark Rogue tosses Momma Rash a wink as she points out the direction of the gnome. "Lets see if we can't flush this little guy out." She whirls, placing a finger to the side of each eye and shouts, "ALRIGHT, I SEE YOU NOW. COME OUT, YOU GNOME."
The dark girl walks with the deliberation of sure knowledge in the general direction of the gnome, all the while listening with keen ears for the sounds of movement that might give the gnome away.
+++++++++++++++++++
Bluff 22 Listen 46
Rash Tuesday February 1st, 2011 9:07:01 PM
Rash will cast her fly spell getting her out of the muck and start leading the group in the gnome's direction. She admonishes Xenia, "Dear, I doubt he is hiding from us. At least I hope not, remember he didn't know we are coming. Please be polite....." Rash pauses and winks at the drow elf, "Well be polite until it's time not to be polite."
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Tuesday February 1st, 2011 9:43:56 PM
The dwarf sloshes after the now airborne Rash ..... feeling for a path through the swamp with his feet ..... hoping to keep his head above the water .....
" i didn't even pack a pair of dry socks " gripes Kazak ....." next time maybe we can land some place dry .. "
Peerimus AC 31 vs evil HP 146/146 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 121/160 d20+25=43 ; d20+21=34 ; Tuesday February 1st, 2011 9:46:43 PM
Peerimus stands in the muck stoically, not everything in nature is warm and toasty, but it all has it points, the druid muses aloud about removing his boots and feeling the mud between his toes. Rash's comments on fish snap him out of his reverie, "Fish no, perhpas frogs?" Hearing Firngaer, he quickly moves and grabs the gnome being unhindered in is movements by the natural terrain.
So a mask of powerful and likely ancient magic. It made sense tha the gatewaty to such a fabled city would not be sitting in the open. Rash's spell confirms the gnomes location nearby and Peerimus peers with a sense of knowing what is out of place that only a druid might know [Spot 43]
Actng on xenias shout and Rash's implication of his location, Peerimus bids Yorrick to stay put and strides through the swamp towards where the gnome should be, whether or not he truly spies the man, "We have come from the Standing Stones and through a Vision granted by The Crones good sir. The Powers bid us seek you out so that we might end a disaster before it befalls all the Wold. Would you join my companions and me?" [Diplomacy 34]
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 12:36:53 PM
"Many thanks." He says to Peerimus. Phenomenal magical power . . . i-i-itty bitty . . . swim check
"Hmm." He says. A powerful illusion. Perhaps I will let the gnome show himself and not remove the glamer. He thinks to himself.
Rash's spell confirms Firn'gaer's suspicions.
Diplomacy was never Firn'gaer strong suit, therefore, he decides that those with sweeter tongues should take the lead on this matter. He maintains a watchful eye with his arcane eyes.
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 2:19:22 PM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
Torgon looks around and sees nothing but swamp, but follows the lead of the others and moves in the direction the others are heading.
He contemplates using one of his last two potions of true sight, but decides to save it for a more critical time.
Troughton Burk [DM SteveK] Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 3:51:50 PM
ooc: Firn'gaer is certain there is NO illusion. He can't detect any magic or illusion.
ooc: Firn'gaer LOL! Hero Point for making the DM and my daughters laugh until we roll on the floor! :-)
Peerimus helps the gnome wizard from the swamp, but savors the terrain himself. Being a druid, Peerimus is unhindered by the muck and only Rash and Xenia are able to keep up with him as they move to where the cleric's spell says the gnome is.
On a hummock of dry land, a campsite is found. A small fire with a pot of stew bubbles merrily and a bedroll is laid out nearby. There is nothing else here.
Or so it would seem for most others. Between Peerimus, Xenia, and an inquisitive Slyvie, it is easy enough to follow the overturned leaves and moss to a small hollow where the gnome from your dream is hiding. With him is a large backpack filled to bursting with all kinds of odds and ends. "Oh, hello there. I thought you might be robbers or slavers to attack me from all that racket!" The craggy-faced gnome stands up and brushes himself off. "I am Troughton Burk", he announces importantly and then nods with a finger aside his nose, "yes, yes, THE Troughton Burk. And what can I help the famous Protectors of Gateway Downs with?"
Stew ... The dark girl sniffs at the cooking pot before moving on. She sends Sylvia up into the air to watch from above while she herself searches for the Camp Abandoner from the ground.
"I thought so!" Xenia stabs a finger at the gnome as he is found out hiding in a nearby hollow. "I knew you had to be hiding around here some ... "
"Wait. You aren't Troughton Burk the famous researcher Troughton Burk, are you? Troughton Burk Valley of Humiliations Troughton Burk? Troughton Burk Edenmoor Troughton Burk? Exploits in the Ancient Land of the Elves, Troughton Burk? That Troughton Burk?"
"Nope. Never heard of you."
"But, seeing as you know that we're the Protectors of the Gateway Downs and not robbers or slavers, I'm thinking that maybe you know why we're here too. We're after the portal, a'course. We've got to get to Fae Skiemmir."
"But you already know that, don't you?"
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 8:47:01 PM
"Makin a racket, humph! we're heroes, making a lot of noise is what we're good at." The dwarf wipes some of the swamp grime off. "Brother, it's gonna take a lot more than a clean pair of socks to get cleaned up this time. Yuck. Now what are these little black squiggly things eh? Some kinda swamp rodent?"
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 10:16:47 PM
Sloshing his way to dry land .... " heh bro ... swamp rodent .... wonder if its tasty " grins Kazak
Making sure to keep away from the gmoes bedroll as not to swamp it with the water draining out of his armor .....
" hmm yous knows us ? and of us ?? we havent even said anything to ya ?? hows you know we wuz coming to find ya "
" Yous live here in da swamp ?? i just started building a farm a little east of here .... weez gonna be neighbors " grins the dwarven army sergeant
Peerimus AC 31 HP 146/146 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 160/160 d20+21=37 ; Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 10:19:27 PM
Peerimus smiles as he follows the trail and discovers the gnome and then casts Xenia a slightly less than appreciative look. "Yes Mr. Burk. The Crones gifted us with a vision to seek you out in particular in that you might assist us in accessing a stone arch gate to Fae Skiemmir. I am Peerimus leader of the Champions of Chaos. This delightful charming woman is Xenia." Peerimus also gestures back towards the others and introduces them by name as well. "Robbers and slavers tend to try and catch their quarry unaware, those of us without cause to hide ourselves tend to be more obvious in our movements."
"Might we join you at your camp for some food and perhaps talk more." [Diplomacy 37]
Rash d20=20 ; d20+16=22 ; Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 11:17:55 PM
Rash is bewildered that the gnome thinks they would know him. She delves into her memory to see if she has heard of him (local history check natural 20, not bad for untrained) in her wanderings.
Rash then settles down to the ground and says, "Master Burk, it is a pleasure to meet you. We thank you for traveling out here to this wet sticky local to meet with us. You obviously know why we have come and have anticipated our needs. Why don't we find a spot a bit more comfortable and out of the way of the stinging insects.
Rash will cast a miracle spell recreating a Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion. She will lead the others to the door, open it and bow saying. Come on in, we can get cleaned up, eat and talk at our leisure. (22 diplomacy check)
The mansion will be 1 main room with 8 bedrooms off the main room and one bathhouse to help get the dwarves and gnomes cleaned up.
She will lead the group to a table and pour Burk a glass of wine. She will then ask, "Who wants a bath before dinner? I am sure Master Burk has a lot of information for us and this will be a nice comfortable place to plan our next moves."
Zero: Read Magic, Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Detect Poison First:Longstrider* Shield of Faith x 2, Bless, Command, Endure Elements, Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil, Divine favor Second:Spiritual Hammer* Restoration Lesser, Delay Poison, Hold Person x 2, Resist Energy, Aid x 2 Third:Fly*, Invisibility Purge, Magical Vestment x 2, Prayer, Searing light, Remove blindness/deafness, Dispel Magic Fourth:Dimension Door*, Divine Power x2, Restoration, Dismissal, Magic Weapon Greater, Sending Fifth:Flame Strike*, Righteous Might x2, Spell Resistance, Summon Monster 5, True Seeing, Flame Strike, Commune, Disrupting Weapon Sixth:Blade Barrier* Heal x2, Summon Monster 6, Dispel Magic Greater, Seventh:Power Greater teleport*, Holy Word, Summon Monster 7, Dictum, Ethereal jaunt, scrying greater Eighth: Power Word Stun* Summon Monster 8, Holy Aura, Spell Immunity Greater, Discern Location Ninth: Power Word Kill* Miracle, x2 Heal mass, monster summoning 9 (third miracle is in spell staff which is kept in haversack
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Thursday February 3rd, 2011 8:05:43 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
Torgon follows the others, to discover the gnome and his camp. He frowns, thinking to himself "Another sneaky person... and he knows of us. Wonderful." Torgon thinks back to most of the sneaky people he has known, and with the exception of Xenia, they have generally been lacking in honor, courage, and character. "Have to keep an eye out" he thinks to himself, "The sooner we are on our way the better."
Torgon follows along, saying little but keeping an wary eye on the gnome.
Troughton Burk [DM SteveK] Thursday February 3rd, 2011 10:24:43 AM
ooc: I may be reading this wrong, but has Xenia ever met Troughton Burk? :-)
The wizened gnome puffs his chest out importantly after each exploit that Xenia mentions, and completely misses the little dig at the end. "Yes, yes, and Explorer of the Uncharted South, too. And why else would you be wallowing in the Spirit Swamp if you weren't looking for a portal to Fae Skiemier? You're not chasing will-o-the-wisps now are you? Of course not!"
"Oh no", the gnome says with an air of certitude to the dwarven brothers and pointing to Durgan's arm, "those are Hirudo Medicinalis Negris or the Common Black Leech. Quite common in tropical and temperate swamps, they are much sought after by apothecaries who use them to bleed thier patients. See how they attach themselves to your skin? Pain deadening saliva... drinks less than a spoonful of blood... very interesting..."
"I know of you, my dear dwarf, OF you. Of course, everyone in the Southern Continent knows of you." He rummages in his immense pack and begins pulling out little items. "This woven mat I got in Hook City, these CuPee dolls at Wayfarer, this dish from IronHolme in the Sargrass, this chess set from Vulfgard on the outskirts of Turak Nor..."
The items pulled out have current and past members of the Children of Chaos. The woven mat, dish, and CuPee dolls show the current team of seven.
The chess set shows Peerimus and Yorrick as rooks, Savin the monk and Trace the ranger as Knights, Jurgen and Firn'gaer as bishops and Durgan and Kazak as King and Queen with dwarves as pawns. They face a pawn line of elves and various monsters that end in Krilanos as King and Ohzone the Blue Dragon as Queen.
And a carved ivory tusk with a wintery scene shows the flowing detail of Peerimus and Yorrick, but also Jurgen, Niobe (everyone knows her as the mentor of the young Hook City Protector team), Ilsidure, Barnum, Sly and Luke, and Shiraz!
"Why", he looks around at each face on the little knoll and with arms akimbo announces, "Everyone knows who you are!"
"Hey ... " Xenia picks up small dark doll with a splash of red hair atop it. "Hey, that's me. Well, whaddya know."
"You know, you got a lotta weerdo stuff stored away in that bag Mister Troughton Burk," says the girl rogue as the whole troop marches through the shimmery entrance of Momma Rash's magic. "Ever consider opening up a Poreum or sump'in so folks could, maybe pay a few coins to go through and look at it all?"
"But, anyway, yeah. Like Peerimus says, we're looking for Fae Skiemmir."
Magic is really amazing sometimes, in a way that goes beyond killing down evil guys and all that stuff. Just inside the shimmery door is a magnificent room with a big crystal chandelier hanging up above.
"I'll take you up on that bath, Momma Rash." Xenia eyes the Gnome Burk Guy, sizing him up from the things that he's said. "But lemme give Mister Burk here a taste of what we're doing here first. This is the story of the Champions of Chaos and the Mysterious Book from the Distant Future."
And Xenia launches into a tale of the rune clad book taken from the center of a newly birthing Sargrass. The story lingers on Firn'gaer's month long efforts to decipher the book and his horror when he informs the other Champions of the bleak future that awaits. Xenia tells of Momma Rash's divination and the Celestial who points the way to the Daughter of the Crones. And she concludes with the dream that brought them all to this place now, the magic mansion in the middle of the swamp.
The telling would pass muster in most cities. It's enjoyable enough. But it's far from the story that might have been told by a certain half-elven boyfriend lost many hundreds of miles away in a distant land.
++++++++++++++++++
Sense Motive for Hunch 17. Then I thought, why not Take 10? Perform 14 (Routine but nearly Enjoyable.)
Firn'gaer AC24; HP130; Arcane Sight, See Invisibility Thursday February 3rd, 2011 4:47:32 PM
He is still a little put off by his current state of wetness. But his mood lifts as he dries himself off with a simple phrase and a flick of his wrist. "There that's much better." He says.
Firn'gaer listens to the tales told and looks at the things Troughton Burk has displayed with interest. Many of those shown he knew, but some he didn't. "That is quite a collection. Perhaps you would like to discuss them with Lhari?" He says knowing the staff historian is keenly listening to all that is being said. "Or perhaps for another time as time is of the essence."
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Thursday February 3rd, 2011 9:31:23 PM
"Ugh, disgusting little things. Almost look as bad as orcs." Durgan swipes the leeches off with a knife. "Yeah I'll use the magic bath, gotta get this muck outta me beard before it gets set in. Now does this magic place make ale too? Then I'll be ready ta talk, or eat, or...drink. hehe"
"Huh, whaddya know, little figures of us bro. I wonder what our families think of us back at Turak Nor eh?"
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Thursday February 3rd, 2011 10:16:12 PM
Observing the various items that the gnome shows them ...... stuff all about them .....
" where dis ya get all dis stuff ? and why is it all bout us ? don'tcha collect other stuff ?"
" intresting collection tho .....dat der chess board has all of us ..... and some of us dat ain't wit us anymore ....."
" grrrr i thought i'd never see dat big ugly lizard again ..... Ozhone was a mighty powerful blue dragon ... he sure had some big teeth .... i can still feel dem on me bones " shivers Kazak " hope i don't gotta see him again anytime soon "
" well bro is dat here gnome says everyone knows us .... i gotta bet dat der have heard of some of da things we've accomplished ..... and dem are good things .... no doubt dey be proud of us Durgan "
Rash Thursday February 3rd, 2011 11:45:43 PM
Rash looks over the collection, sniffs a bit, and sits down in a chair and starts eating. She watches the others talk to the gnome and she will be patient for a while but she will soon want answers.
Troughton Burk [DM SteveK] Friday February 4th, 2011 11:10:12 AM
The heroes and Troughton Burk enjoy Rash's Magnificent Mansion and relax, clean up, and eat.
"Mighty fine place you have here, mighty fine", says the gnome carrying his bulging bags. He amiably answers the many questions thrown at him to the best of his knowledge.
"Eh? No I don't live here, I travel the wold in search of information." And by his answers, it is evident he loves sharing the things he knows just as much. "As the dark missy says, I've chronicled the effects of the Valley of Humiliation and the magical gateway at Edenmoor, both facinating locations. You should read it in my book, there are three editions in the Library of Plateau City."
Peerimus and Rash's easy words (and her mansion) seem to put the gnome at ease. "No, I didn't know you were coming. If I did, I would have made sure to travel with you to avoid anyone trying to rob me. I'm just here to investigate another magical portal. In the Valley of Humiliation, the arch there had an indicator that there was a twin down here. I've finally tracked it down, that I have. And I figure that a powerful group of heroes wouldn't be in this area of the Swamp to hunt down troglodytes, no indeed. You must be here for the arch." He shakes his head sadly "what do they teach these young people nowadays. Not logic, that's certain!"
"Ah, Master Kazak, I just get little mementos of my journeys", Troughton burk says with a suspicious look, "but you didn't ask about them, you only asked about how I knew who you were and these are examples of how I knew." Sense Motive DC 15 Highlight to display spoiler: { the gnome seems worried that the heroes will forcibly take his treasures}
From Xenia, Peerimus, and Rash talking about Fae Skiemir, Troughton Burk's eye's light up. "Ah, see, I was right! You need a portal to get to Fae Skiemir. The cursed ancient city of the elves can't be found by other means. Some say it is no longer on this plane of existance. But old Troughton Burk knows the secrets of the portal, yes I do. And I know where it is too", at this he points off north, "about a mile that a way. After this wonderful magical feast and bath, the least I could do is show you where."
"That sounds like an awfully interesting life you lead there, Mister Burk." The dark girl perches on a seat next to the gnome. "Traveling. Collecting. You know, I'm starting up my own little venture here in a little while. A merchant venture. Between the South lands and the North continent. I bet we could help each other."
"We could supply each other with information. You know, lay of the land and stuff. What stuff is where. What folks got in certain places and what they don't. And my crews could give you safe transport too."
"I know that some folks don't take too kindly to people of my skin, but I'm telling you ... we're the good guys, Mister Burk. You let me know what you think of the mutual trade and access pact between you and me. We can talk details later. But, in the meantime. Maybe we can all spend the rest of the day talking about Fae Skiemmir. If you've got any stories about this ancient city of the elves, we'd sure like to hear them."
Xenia rises from her seat and moves to the buffet table, where she arranges a few small delicacies on a plate and brings them over to the gnome first before going back and personally picking a plate for each of the Champions of Chaos in their turn.
"We've got this big house what Momma Rash has magicked up for us. We might as well use it and start off fresh tomorrow. Me, I think it's time for a bath now."
+++++++++++++++++++++
Sense Motive AutoSucess (14 can't fail even on roll of 1) Diplomacy 21 (Indifferent to Friendly)
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Friday February 4th, 2011 10:03:33 PM
Nodding at the gnome's explanations ......
"A fine and noble task ....collecting infomation ..... and rediscovering lost knowledge ....."
" Troughten is it ?? .....that book of yous sounds intresting .... maybe you can write another copy ....i'ma more den willing to buy one " grins Kazak " Plateau City is so far off from here "
" you seem to have much knowledge of us and those we have opposed ..... what about some of our allies .... friends ..... i remember a fellow gnome .... hmmm what was his name ... oh yeah Flik Tarnblaster Flugelfingers .....don't forget to remember him in our tale ..... a true heroic bard he was .... met him at da edge of da wold ...... gave us his only question ..... so you see .... you gnomes are a very important part of da history of da wold .....make sure you remember da good bard Flik "
" thank you Xenia .... looks delicious " as the dwarf takes the plate of food
" oh and you said you found these items .... any chance you know who made dem ? like dis here chess board ?? or perhaps where ya found dem ?? ..... just a asking .... i' keepa aseeing da blue dragon Ozhone .... " as a shiver runs up the dwarfs spine .." just a wondering who put him on dat board ?"
Troughton Burk [DM SteveK] Saturday February 5th, 2011 9:41:18 AM
"Oh, I bought them at the places I mentioned. This chess set is very interesting because you can change the back pieces of only the dwarf side." Troughton Burk fumbles in a hidden drawer in the side of the chess set and brings forth six more pieces, all dwarves. "You see, Kazak and Durgan are moved to the Rook positions, and you place Kazan and Hannan Copperlord in the King and Queen positions. These others are various dwarves of thier ancestry in the bishop and knight positions." The gnome beams at being able to share knowledge he has worked hard to gain.
Lhari, Firn'gaer's staff, also perks up at hearing the Children Of Chaos being so famous. "Of course", the staff drawls, "you are no longer the Children of Chaos. I guess I'll have to wait for the next cycle to start recording the CoC history again."
Peerimus AC 31 HP 146/146 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 160/160 d20+9=13 ; Saturday February 5th, 2011 11:41:21 AM
While Peerimus would have preferred to stay at Burk's campsite and share the fire, the rest of the group and Burk himself were gone as soon as the mansion was brought. Haven't seen a dwarf move that fast since free ale night at the fall festival Any nervousness on Burk's part is completely lost to Peerimus. The items are interesting and Peerimus finds his mind recalling many of those he began his journey with, in fact all of them, which are no longer. Some killed, some departed and some completely missing. He had met them in Heranmar, the Dawn of the Fifth Age, just after the defeat of Tymult and the new Crones had ascended to thier positions of Power. Sir Thomas the paladin and then leader of the group, Ilsidur, the dwarven cleric who had just lost his god and Shiraz, the proud minotaur. As the druid's mind went back it was because of them, Ilsidur in particularly that the grove came into existance and what befell Savin that day.
Peerimus keeps inward for some time, his normal ability to maintain multiple schools of thought gone, the man stands, arms right over left but not folded on his chest lost in his mind and the past
Magic can be a wonderful thing. Turns out that the invisible magic house has the second biggest bath ever seen by the dark girl. It's so big that it has steps that lead down into it. All in white marble, with steaming hot water so clear you almost hate to wash in it.
While Xenia bathes, Sylvia plays amidst the rising wisps of steam. Both reappear later, Xenia barefoot, dressed in nothing but her underwear and the big red cotton shirt with the black lettering across the front (which pretty much reaches down to the middle of her thighs anyway), and patting her fire-red curls with the towel that weerdo Tionel had given her so many years ago on the beach of Turtle Lake just outside of the Crying Woods.
"We learn anything more about this Fae Skiemmir place? I've seen an elf village, but I've never seen an elf city. What's it? Airy fairy and made of trees and stuff? We once found a temple all shaped out of one big tree. Just like it was growed that way. The temple had this invisible guardian. With two tails. We only found out about the two tails part after Florin run it off the edge of a platform. Landed on top of it 'n killed it."
"That was a long time ago. Or seems like it."
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Sunday February 6th, 2011 8:26:38 AM
Torgon watches and listens intently, trying to wait out the talkative halfling, but soon gets tired of waiting.
"Not too be rude Troughton, but could we focus a little more on what you know of Fae Skiemmir, and how we are to get there. I'm sure the trip down memory lane is a long one for some of my friends here, but not so much for me. We do have the whole world to save from a disease and all, and we believe time to be of the essence."
Rash Monday February 7th, 2011 11:12:43 AM
Rash nods her agreement with Torgon, "Yes good sir, Please give us your knowledge of where we are going next and how we should prepare? While we are strong in arm, mind and belief, a little preparation goes a long way in avoiding disaster and achieving your goals. Since our goal is to preserve live as we know it on the Wold, I think we should use every advantage."
Troughton Burk [DM SteveK] Monday February 7th, 2011 3:09:41 PM
"Ah", says Troughton Burk, "Fae Skiemir, it is. Legend has it that it is the first city of the elves, founded even before the First Age. The city was once a beautiful achievement of elven magic and architecture. Sadly, it was destroyed at the end of the second age, as a result of a divisive and violent war between a number of elven factions. After its destruction, the drow were driven underground, the elven nation as a whole was weakened horribly, and they have never recovered to achieve their past state of glory.
"Fae Skiemir was, in so many words, the epitome of magic in its day. Laden with riches and arcanum beyond your imagination. Magic controlled everything there: weather, day and night, the very length of the elves' lives. It was used to prevent sickness, feed the hungry, and protect them from attack. So, one can imagine the sort of effect on the Wold if such a place were, for all intents and purposes, destroyed?
"When the city fell, most of the elves there were destroyed. The riches and wonders of Fae Skiemir remained, along with the remnants of the greatest elven magics in the Wold. Over time, this attracted the greedy, the malicious, and the evil beings in the world.
"Through the centuries, Fae Skiemir became populated with all sorts of beings who ventured there to gain wealth, power, knowledge, and more. But they did not fully understand what it was they were doing. You see, the magic of Fae Skiemir became . . . warped . . . after the city's fall. Most, if not all, of those beings who sought riches for greed or selfish purposes found themselves stuck in the city, unable to leave because the cursed city is surrounded by disorienting mists."
"More," says Burk, "can be found by the WoodWitches who watch from their grove of trees near the city. So, if ye are hankerin to go, there is a portal in the waters off shore that culd take you. All you need is a magic item to sacrifice for each of you."
Troughton Burk tells the heroes the portal is in 300 feet of water a mile off shore of the Spirit Swamp west of Heranmar (the landscape has changed from now to the future) and guarded by a pair of ghostly tritons hovering around a jade alter. "The alter is where you put the magic sacrifice", he explains. "I haven't tried it because of those ghosts."
... After its destruction, the drow were driven underground ...
The words echo through the mind of the dark-skinned girl. The destruction, the corruption of magic, the rising evil, all of these elements of the gnome's story serve as little more as the backdrop to that single phrase.
Is this where it happened? Was it from this, the fall of Fae Skiemir that she was, ultimately, have been born? Was the rape of her mother one small spark, cast from the conflagration of the destruction of the city of the elves? Was all the persecution of her young life as a dark-skinned half-drow a shadow cast by this far distant disaster?
And if so, what would she find there in the ruins of Fae Skiemir?
"Um ... " Xenia blinks away the dark speculation. Her face takes on a hard look of determination. "I got lots of little magic stuff we could use for the sacrifice," she volunteers. "The problem is gonna be getting there. Three hundred feet down. That's gotta be a lotta water on top of you."
"Mister Burk, you said it was them ghosts what keeps you from going down there, right? The ghosts, and not the water. That says to me that you got some way of breathing down there and moving around, am I right? Wouldja mind lending that to us in return for the full story when we get back? You gotta know it's gonna be a story well worth anything you put into it."
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Monday February 7th, 2011 10:07:10 PM
Listening to the gnome tell his tale of the fabled elven city .....
" heh getting there sounds easy .... down 300 ft of water " as Kazak taps his 1/2 plate armor ....getting back up won't be ......just like da lady says ..... how do we breath while most of us swim ... some of us sink " grins the dwarf " down to da jade alter ?"
" and how do we get back thru da disorienting mists ?"
" and exactly what value of magics do we need to sacrifice ?"
Rash Monday February 7th, 2011 10:13:23 PM
Rash also wonders at the water and says, "Well the dwarf brothers will have no trouble getting there. Just push them off and they will sink like stones. Still I guess we are going to have to come up with some kind of water breathing spells to keep everyone alive."
Rash starts digging around her haversack and pulls out a scroll. "I have one spell on a scroll and can pray for more in the morning. How many are we going to need. I am assuming that Peerimus and Torgon can get their own and Firn'gaer can turn into something that breaths water. Am I wrong?"
Rash starts thinking about the ghosts as well. "I suspect that the ghosts will leave us alone if we pay the toll. I don't really have anything else besides a scroll to leave behind. I guess that would work. Then we would need to find these woodwitches as the next step of our journey. So shall we leave in the morning?"
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Monday February 7th, 2011 10:21:55 PM
"No worries there, I still got me pearl that let's you breathe in the water. Kept it just in case anybody felt like tossing a certain dwarf into tha water." Durgan gives Rash a gentle elbow nudge. "But don't forget, if it is deep, the pressure will be a problem too. Remember from when we walked on the bottom of the ocean off Heranmar?"
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Tuesday February 8th, 2011 7:42:56 AM
"Is the portal on the bottom Troughton? Not to be annoying, but if it's 300' down, and the bottom is 400' down...Dwarf and minotaur dropping becomes a little more problematic"
"I have nothing prepared for an underwater excursion, but after resting we could surely come up with the necessary spells. Teleporting back to Heranmar can be done in short order, and hopefully it won't take much else to get to this swamp. Perhaps hiring a ship would be easiest there. Does anyone have any real knowledge as to whether pressure is a concern at 300'?"
Firn'gaer AC19; HP130; Arcane Sight, Comprehend Languages, Mage Armor (38 hrs), See Invisibility, Tongues Tuesday February 8th, 2011 10:53:01 AM
<squeak> <squeak> <squeak> Wait a dang second. Nobody mentioned anything about getting wet. <squeak> <squeak> Us rats don't mix well with water. <squeak> <squeak> It's that whole being small thing.
"Yes, I know the whole small, rat and water routine. We go through this all of the time."
<squeak> <squeak> I say we go home have a nice hot meal . . . maybe some sweet cream. , <squeak> <squeak> Us rats are always being accuse of being diseased. I say let's just go 'round making everyone rats. , <squeak> Problem solved.
The wizard ignores the rantings of the crazed rodent and turns his attention to more constructive conversations. Firn'gaer listens intently and is somewhat troubled as are the rest that the portal lies 300-ft under water a great distance off shore. "Does anyone have a Swan Token? That is probably our easiest means of getting out to the portal. And pressure is going to be a problem without magic (KS nature DC23 - taking 10)"
The Problem with Water [DM SteveK] Tuesday February 8th, 2011 11:48:19 AM
Xenia is quiet, thinking about her ancestry, but is still sharp enough to ask a favor. Troughton laughs and eyes the half-elf with intelligent interest. "I do indeed. And since you ask so nicely, I'll let one of you use my Cload of the Manta Ray. And I'll expect some solid facts about Fae Skiemir, not just colorful heroic stuff, too."
Kazak what strength of magics they need to sacrifice. The gnome speculates, "I suppose that would be the first bit of knowledge you can bring back to me. I just don't know yet."
Rash speculates herself that the ghosts won't harm them as long as they respectfully sacrifice, and that they should prepare tonight and leave in the morning.
Durgan pulls on his experiences the last time the group dove into the depths of the Plactik Ocean, and is able to give the following facts: Woldipedia Underwater Rules
Torgon and Firn'gaer join the discussion on the relative dangers of the water.
"Thanks. You won't regret this, Mister Burk," the dark girl smiles wide, then puts on her Serious Organizing face as she turns to the task of ensuring that the Chaos Guys are all prepared for the journey underwater.
"From what you all are saying," she nods to Durgan, Firn'gaer and Torgon, "looks to me that we got five things that we need to be ready for." On her fingers, she ticks the items off as she runs down the list.
"First is Air."
"Second is the Pressure of all that water."
"Third is being able to Move about or swim."
"Fourth is the Cold."
"Fifth is the Dark."
"Cold and dark look to be pretty simple to me. Lot of us can already see in the dark. Me, Sylvie, Durgan, Kazak. And light's pretty easy to make."
"Cold won't be a problem if we don't stay down too long. I think we can do this in under thirty minutes, don't you?"
"The rest, is gonna be more difficult. I figure at least four of us are set already."
"Durgan, Peerimus, and my Sylvie got themselves covered for Air, Pressure and Moving. And I'm thinking that maybe Fernie should take the Manta Cloak, cause then he could take his Ratty Guy along too."
"That leaves Me, Kaz, Torgie, Momma Rash, and Yorrick to whip up magic for. Can you Magic Guys supply for five?"
Xenia runs the details again through her mind with the same sharp eye she'd use to scout for danger. If she can't put a touch of organization to this, after all, how is she going to plan for a long voyage across the uncharted seas between the two continents?
Peerimus AC 31 HP 146/146 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 160/160 Tuesday February 8th, 2011 9:09:15 PM
Peerimus listens to Burk, another trip to the the depths. he and Yorrick would be fine, some of the others not so much and personally the druid did not think the ghost would sit quietly back and let them pass. Ghost haunted and hated the living. They were delusional and upredictable as far as the Druid was concerned. "We should not and cannot assume the ghost will let us pass without conflict." Peerimus keeps the thought to himself as to whether or not one of the tritons could be the very one killed by the Champions own actions not so long ago. The location was close and perhaps she was drawn to this powerful gate. Enough of that
Peerimus engages he group, "I have a Swan boat and can bring Yorrick. I see little choice but to delay departure until the morning as many of our group are simply unequipped for this and magic at our disposal tomorrow will render the journey relatively simple."
I can shift everyone's form to something more suitable for travel underwater ad suggest that be our approach. As combat might be a factor, those who can remain in thier current form and be cmobat ready at the bottom should do so. The rest I could change into Giant squid."
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Tuesday February 8th, 2011 9:28:47 PM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
"That sounds good Peerimus, but how does your shifting of form work? could people get to the items that they need to sacrifice? Would they have to fight as what form they are in? Nothing personal, but it doesn't sound like my kind of thing if i have another choice."
"The problem for me as I am is that I couldn't cast spells underwater, and my chain will be at a huge deficit swinging through the water. I have a sword, and will cast most my battle stuff ahead of time, so it should be fine. We still will have the issue of the giving of sacrifice, and perhaps speaking to these ghosts."
"As far as spells go; Light will cover the seeing issue. Endure Elements should cover the cold. Water Breathing covers itself, and Freedom of movement should help with mobility. I have all these, and Rash should as well, so we should be able to cover everyone who needs something. That still leaves the pressure, and perhaps a way to cast spells. Anyone?"
"Either way, looks like we need to start out in Heranmar, so we might as well teleport there."
The Problem with Water, part 2 [DM SteveK] Wednesday February 9th, 2011 10:55:10 AM
The heroes all agree to wait until morning and the discussion continues on how to overcome the effects of the deep water.
Peerimus cautions that the ghosts are probably unreasonable and are therefore likely to fight.
Torgon wants to be sure that if shapechanged, each hero will still be able to provide thier magical sacrifice.
"Um ... a squid, huh? Yeah. Alright. Sure." Clearly dubious though she is, the half-drow girl ascents to Peerimus' plan for traveling from the surface and into the depths of the Platik Ocean. "Yeah. 'Kay. Never been a squid a'fore."
"As for magic sacrifices." From her magic quiver, the rogue pulls ten magic arrows. "One for each of us. I think these will be the easiest things to let go of."
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Wednesday February 9th, 2011 9:49:37 PM
"Humph, glad I'm gonna be able to skip this squid magic stuff."
"Okay now...what should I sacrifice? Hmmm, I'm not gonna part with any of my gear that Grandpa Strannex made."
Rash Thursday February 10th, 2011 12:19:41 AM
Rash thinks about the squid form and shudders, "I don't want to be a squid. How about a nice merfolk or something with hands and a mouth? I can always use a miracle to polymorph myself into something but it seems a bit wasteful."
Rash rises from the table and says, "I am for bed. Do I need to ask the Powers for waterbreathing spells tomorrow? I will ask for some continual light spells which should help with the murky dark. Any other ideas?"
spells for next day unless good suggestions come in
Zero: Read Magic, Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Detect Poison First:Longstrider* Shield of Faith x 2, Bless, Command, Endure Elements, Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil, Divine favor Second:Spiritual Hammer* Restoration Lesser, Delay Poison, Hold Person x 2, Resist Energy, Aid x 2 Third:Fly*, Magical Vestment x 2, Searing light x 2, water breathing x2, continual flame Fourth:Dimension Door*, Divine Power x2, Restoration, Dismissal, Magic Weapon Greater, Sending Fifth:Flame Strike*, Righteous Might x2, Spell Resistance, Summon Monster 5, True Seeing, Flame Strike, Commune, Disrupting Weapon Sixth:Blade Barrier* Heal x2, Summon Monster 6, Dispel Magic Greater, Seventh:Power Greater teleport*, Holy Word, Summon Monster 7, Dictum, Ethereal jaunt, scrying greater Eighth: Power Word Stun* Summon Monster 8, Holy Aura, Spell Immunity Greater, Discern Location Ninth: Power Word Kill* Miracle, x2 Heal mass, monster summoning 9 (third miracle is in spell staff which is kept in haversack
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Thursday February 10th, 2011 9:54:18 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
"Might wanna take a couple extra water breathings and endure elements spells Rash. Since we can't be sure how this is gonna play out, it would probably be best to be prepared for anything."
Xenia (AC33, HP115/115); Sylvia (AC13, HP19/19) Thursday February 10th, 2011 10:12:03 AM
OoC:
A single Waterbreathing spell can cover several different characters. The hours of effectiveness is simply split amongst the characters upon whom the spell is cast.
Freedom of Movement is something that I suggest Rash take more of. That should allow both normal movement as well as solving the pressure issue.
Firn'gaer AC19; HP130; Arcane Sight, Comprehend Languages, Mage Armor (38 hrs), See Invisibility, Tongues Thursday February 10th, 2011 10:32:42 AM
Firn'gaer prepares himself for the journey into the deep.
Firn'gaer AC19; HP130; Arcane Sight, Comprehend Languages, Mage Armor (38 hrs), See Invisibility, Tongues Thursday February 10th, 2011 11:29:09 AM
ooc - I've got 12 days until I take the Michigan Bar Exam. I'm not sure if I will be able to keep up with posting. Can anyone take over Firn'gaer in Children of Chaos until February 25th?
OoC: If nobody else volunteers, I'll take Firn'gaer, Rich.
Rash Thursday February 10th, 2011 3:41:29 PM
ooc Rash automatically gets freedom of movement via the travel domain but I can take some. Can Torgon take some as well?
OoC: That Travel Domain effect is one round per level. I wouldn't rely on speed to get us through this in less than two minutes.
And Torgon has prepared two.
The Next Day [DM SteveK] Thursday February 10th, 2011 3:55:35 PM
The heroes rest in the Magnificent Mansion, break thier fast, and then Troughton Burk leads them to where the Spirit Swamp and Plactik Ocean meet. "I think I've got enough to research around here for a week or two, and then I'll be by Heranmar to do my notes before catching ship back to New Elennia. If you don't all die, be sure to tell be every detail!"
The gnome watches the heroes as they embark on thier epic journey.
Swan boat. He said that. Peerimus did. But you wouldn't figure that it would really look like a giant bird. And you really wouldn't expect that it would just grow up out of a little chit like that. That could come in handy on the high seas, thinks the dark rogue. She'd have to get some of those.
"If we're not back soon and you head to Heranmar, Mister Burk," Xenia calls back, waving to the gnome as she stands at the gangplank, "look up Holly at the local store. Holly knows pretty much everything that goes on in the area. Tell her you're a friend of Xenia's."
Once aboard, the slim dark girl takes up the lookout position in the prow, scanning the waters for danger. The sky looks clear. The clouds look like clouds. Nothing strange there.
"Ooo." Sylvia pokes her head through the railing of the ship to watch the waters go by. She turns as Xenia calls to her in the windy language that they share. The shadow then listens intently as Xenia speaks of ghosts, and what might happen when they meet the ones that await them down below.
Peerimus AC 31 HP 146/146 and Yorrick AC 46 HP 160/160 d20+32=39 ; d20+25=27 ; Thursday February 10th, 2011 7:24:14 PM
"Sorry Rash, I can only change us into Animal forms. As fasr as the sacrifice thing, you'd want to remove the item before the spell and then simply carry it. It is the best I can do. I have alos prepared several Endure Elements and Freedom of Movement spells as well as Daylight. If animal Forms are not required or desired, I am fine with that as well. Yorrick and I will go as Constructs."
Peerimus will cast any Endure Elements and Freedom of Movement spells that are wanted as well as Animal Shape if anyone wants to fo that once the group arrives at the approximate location via the Swan Boat
While the magical boat propels them outward, Peerimus keeps a wary eye on the weather [Survival 39 Know Nature 27]
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, Commune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) Shapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
*Cast Spell Staff contains ShapeChange
Rash Thursday February 10th, 2011 9:22:24 PM
Rash wakes, stretches, prays and then climbs into the swan boat. She says, "I have enough endure elements, water breathing, and freedom of movements for myself and 3 others. We can hold the magic items for sacrifice for the transformed others if that helps."
Zero: Read Magic, Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Detect Poison First:Longstrider* Shield of Faith x 2, Endure Elements x4, Divine favor x 2 Second:Spiritual Hammer* Restoration Lesser, Delay Poison, Hold Person x 2, Resist Energy, Aid x 2 Third:Fly*, Searing light x 2, water breathing x4, continual flame Fourth:Dimension Door*, Divine Power x2, Freedom of Movement x 3, Magic weapon greater Fifth:Flame Strike*, Righteous Might x2, Spell Resistance, Summon Monster 5, True Seeing, Flame Strike, Commune, Disrupting Weapon Sixth:Blade Barrier* Heal x2, Summon Monster 6, Dispel Magic Greater, Seventh:Power Greater teleport*, Holy Word, Summon Monster 7, Dictum, Ethereal jaunt, scrying greater Eighth: Power Word Stun* Summon Monster 8, Holy Aura, Spell Immunity Greater, Discern Location Ninth: Power Word Kill* Miracle, x2 Heal mass, monster summoning 9 (third miracle is in spell staff which is kept in haversack
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Thursday February 10th, 2011 10:27:39 PM
Having slept fitfully dreaming of sinking like a stone 300ft straight down .... " a squid you say .... hmm i've tasted squid ..... gonna be weird being one .... heh "
" well i'm ready " the dwarf takes out two magical javelins from his quiver " these two lightning javelins should be a decent sacrifice ...i'll put dem down den pick um up after Peerimus turns me ino a squid "
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Friday February 11th, 2011 7:24:23 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
"I have Endure Elements, Water Breathing, and Freedom of Movement for myself and two others." Torgon states as he climbs into the Swan boat.
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Friday February 11th, 2011 8:28:22 AM
The heroes, rested and ready, gather in the Swan Boat provided by Peerimus and the craft propels them into the ocean waves. The brackish water of the swamp delta soon gives way to fresh breezes and salty spray. The druid looks about for problems, but it looks to be a fine day for an ocean sail. Waves are only 8 - 10 feet and only the barest top are foam covered and playing with the wind. Jaunty for some, but a concern for others who may have a touch of seasickness. [b]All heroes Fort DC 10 or Sickened as the effect while in the boat and for d10 minutes afterwards[/i].
Peerimus is adept at judging distances on the ocean from his frequent forays as a dolphin. The group is approximately 3 miles out, and, while bobbing in the choppy seas, they are confronted by two problems.
The first is logistical and with a little planning can be easily taken care of: WHO is getting WHAT magical effect? (ooc: need to identify in post where every effect comes from and what CL of effect)
The second is relative, as in the relative location of themselves, the Spirit Swamp, and the Portal. The Swan Boat is about 3 miles off a part of the Spirit Swamp and is near the same location as the rumored Portal... How will they find it in the dark, dark waters?
Rash Friday February 11th, 2011 10:35:58 AM
Rash looks to the others and says, "I think in makes some sense that Peerimus changes his shape and does a scouting trip for us to find the portal. He can then come back and guide us to it so we don't have any trouble with spell duration."
She turns to Peerimus and shakes a matronly finger at him and says,"Just scout! No tangling with any ghosts without the rest of us."
Rash looks to the others and says, "I can cast Waterbreathing on 4 of us which will last 9.5 hours per spell so I can get 8 of us for 9.5 hours. I have 4 freedom of movements which last a lot shorter. I can only get 4 of us for around 3 hours (190 minutes) and finally I can cast 4 endure elements which lasts a full 24 hours.
The wizard silently weighs the available resources. When he is ready, he speaks. "Very well, I will take the Cloak of the Manta Ray, Xenia. Thank you." From within a gnome-sized pocket, Rufus says, "Chee!"
"And, please allow me to cast the Water Breathing spell. You, Torgon, Rash, Peerimus, each have the ability to convert your spells into other forms. I do not. Save yours. Let me expend mine first. You may use yours for other things. Or, as a secondary in case my Water Breathing is dispelled."
"Peerimus, I've been thinking on the problem of finding the portal amongst the many square miles of seabed beneath us. Have you considered using a Commune with Nature spell? That particular spell's ability to provide you with information on powerful unnatural creatures may be just the thing that we need. If we can assume that the ghostly tritons are in the vicinity of the portal, then the spell, in detecting them, should lead us directly to our destination. And, if other powerful unnatural creatures are detected in the process, that could not be an entirely bad thing."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Firn'gaer Fortitude 22 Rufus Fortitude 21
OoC: When we're ready to descend, Firn'gaer casts Water Breathing on:
Kazak Rash Torgon Xenia
Duration would be 10 hours each.
Assume that the following do not need it: Peerimus, Yorrick, Silvia, Durgan, Firn'gaer, Rufus.
"You know, Peerimus, that's not a bad idea Momma Rash has there. I mean, getting all shaped up, like, into some kinda fish. I don't think them ghosts would even think nothing of you swimmin' 'round down there like that. Better than sneaking around and such, sometimes hiding right out in the open can't be beat."
Then the dark rogue sets about choosing her spell wardrobe. Firm and specific decisions are the key to an organization that would help her merchant thing in the future. With that in mind, Xenia picks the spells she'll need.
"You gotta good reason there, Fernie. I'll take my Water Breathing from you. If I could get the Endure Elements from you Momma Rash, I think that would be just great. And if you could give me the Freedom spell, Peerimus, please."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xenia Fortitude vs Seasickness: 26 Sylvia N/A undead not affected by Fortitude effects
When time to leave.
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m
Expended: Winged Boots 1/3
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Friday February 11th, 2011 10:49:01 PM
" hmm dats good magic to help us breath under water .... but i have a question ..... how do we swimm with all of our equipment ? me .... well i'm sure to sink like a stone ....." laughs the dwarf
" den we could walk along da bottom till we find da portal "
" if weez changed into squid .... we could swimm at least "
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 d20+22=41 ; Saturday February 12th, 2011 1:35:34 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
Fortitude Save: 41.
"I was thinking that was my plan Kazak. Sink like a stone, and walk to the portal. We just have to have Peerimus make sure it's there first."
"That's a good idea Firn'gaer, saving the cleric spells. And between Rash and I, her spells last much longer than mine, so she should probably use hers first, and then I will use mine for what she can't cover. At least that's my thought. What do ya think?"
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Sunday February 13th, 2011 8:15:31 PM
"My Pearl of the Sirenes will protect me from most of it, but mebbe an endure elements is leftover?"
"You know, Kaz," Xenia looks over the edge and into the dark green waters of the Platik, "I was thinkin' of trying a special spell combo. "'nstead 'o floatin' to the bottom, I'm wondering whether I could maybe fly underwater."
"I mean, like, you know, with the Freedom spell on and stuff, you'd think that the flying thing would be just like flying in air. Right? Well, I'm gonna try it. Doncha think that would be pretty fun? Flying through water. I think I might like that. Dunno how much there gonna be to see down there, though. Looks pretty dark. Wonder if that's dark-dark, as in no-light dark? Or if that's murk-dark, as in underwater cloudy dark?"
"The only other time I was underwater was in Turtle Lake," she adds. "And we weren't too far off the shore when we went down."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xenia Fortitude vs Seasickness: 26 Sylvia N/A undead not affected by Fortitude effects
When time to leave.
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m
Expended: Winged Boots 1/3
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Monday February 14th, 2011 5:08:05 PM
Bobbing on the waves, the CoC heroes have the initiative to prepare for, locate in, and get to the alleged magical portal deep under the ocean waters.
OoC: Looks like DanK might have gotten himself the Fake Antivirus Virus. (Sounds like that from the brief symptoms he's described.) He may not be posting for a bit. Do you mind if I post for him?
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Monday February 14th, 2011 6:03:54 PM
ALCON, from DanK...
I am sending this out from my office, which cannot access the Wold directly. My home PC was assaulted late last week and the main casualty was my internet ability. I made great progress over the weekend but I am not out of the woods yet.
Joe can you step in for a bit?
dan k ............
Al, you asked for it, you got it. Go ahead and run Peerimus until Dan is able to get back on.
"Very well, my friend," Peerimus nods to the gnome in consent. He settles in the bottom of the swam boat and prepares to become one with the great Mother. The druid sets up a chanting, accompanied by slow movements of his hands and arms. Beside him, Yorrick settles too to the deck. The bear lays his muzzle upon his great paws, his face placid, almost bored. It is almost as though he understand that this will take some time. Time to rest, sleep, bask in the sun.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fortitude Saves pass for both Peerimus and Yorrick
Cast Commune with Nature: Attaining knowledge of people, general animal population, presence of powerful unnatural creatures within 20 miles.
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) Shapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
Firn'gaer too settles in to wait for the spell's conclusion. The gnome seats himself cross legged upon the planks of the deck. From within a great stillness, he takes in the druid's spell, his body feeling the chant as though they are waves pulsing against the shore of his self.
There is more to the craft of spells than words and gestures. Each spell has a rhythm and feel, almost a flavor that can be felt by one's innate magical senses. With careful attention to this, it is said, one can recognize a spell even before the first word of a casting.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OoC: When we're ready to descend, Firn'gaer casts Water Breathing on:
Kazak Rash Torgon Xenia
Duration would be 10 hours each.
Assume that the following do not need it: Peerimus, Yorrick, Silvia, Durgan, Firn'gaer, Rufus.
"Um ... yeah." Unlike most spells, this one looks as though it'll take a while. The waves rise and fall. The weerdo swan boat rides the waves. Somewhere deep below two ghosts guard a magic portal that lies on the sunless bottom of the sea. Somewhere far to the north, a mad group devoted to Marteaus works at creating a disease that will make the Wold a misery for thousands of years to come.
Xenia keeps her sharp eyes and ears trained upon the water. The endless water. If you didn't know all these terrible things were out there, you'd almost think it was peaceful.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When time to leave.
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m
Expended: Winged Boots 1/3
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 d20+22=33 ; Monday February 14th, 2011 10:10:24 PM
"Excellent thinking Xenia .... i would think you could fly underwater ..... don't think we have enough fly spells but maybe those dat do can tow a few people ... whatcha think ?"
fort save d20+2=33 made it ;-)
The dwarven warrior settles in as the magicmen do their stuff ..... leaning againist the side ..... Kazak closes his eyes for a quick nap ......never know when you'll be able to catch their breath again
Rash Monday February 14th, 2011 11:20:58 PM
Rash also settles in to wait for the time to go. She will cast her spells described earlier on those who need them or hold them for when they descend and need refreshing. She ponders the best way to drive the ghosts off. She will try that first, maybe they will flee being undead but if not, she has no doubts they will fall to this capable group of heroes.
Rash's mind drifts to her husband and family wondering what will happen to them if they fail.
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Tuesday February 15th, 2011 8:04:33 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours
"That is a pretty good idea Xenia. I have a fly memorized, and a couple in potion form. That might work. I will be giving it a go. Definitely better than sinking like a stone."
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Tuesday February 15th, 2011 6:08:12 PM
Peerimus' Commune with Nature has the desired effect. The druid is able to locate within 20 miles of thier position a pod of whales, a megalodon shark, and a migrating tribe of Sahaugin in the ocean; two aboleth in the Spirit Swamp; and one blank area on the ocean floor about a 1/4 mile south-south-east of the Swan Boat's current location. Knowing that civilization and construction blocks the spell, and there is only one such unknown location within 20 miles....
It's pretty easy to figure out where the Children of Chaos need to go swimming!
"Do you still wish me to scout this area, Rash?" Perrimus asks. "Before we all descend? It shouldn't take me too long. I should be back shorty."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If Rash says yes, Peerimus turns into a medium shark and checks the area out. He returns, regardless of what he sees.
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) Shapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
*Cast Spell Staff contains ShapeChange
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Tuesday February 15th, 2011 11:08:57 PM
" da more info da better i say .... we'll wait here for ya ..... lets hope dat sharkie aint too hungry"
The dwarf's mind keys in on the info about the Aboleth in the spirit swamp by Refuge ..... " gonna hafta investigate dat when dis is done " growls Kazak to himself
Rash Tuesday February 15th, 2011 11:21:13 PM
Rash nods to Peerimus saying, "Yes, its better to have any tactical information so we aren't surprised later. It's never good to be surprised while underwater."
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Wednesday February 16th, 2011 7:26:59 AM
"Hopefully Peerimus will come back and report no new difficulties we will have to account for."
Torgon double checks and secures his gear as best he can before hitting the water
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Wednesday February 16th, 2011 10:31:50 AM
The dangers Peerimus finds with his spell are all at least 10 miles away from the current place of the Swan Boat. There shouldn't be any major distraction for the team as they go underwater.
Peerimus is ready for the recon. He tells Yorrick to wait in the boat (take 10 Handle Animal) and leaps overside. As his feet touch the water, the druid transforms himself into a Huge Water Elemental, which makes little things like swimming, breathing, pressure, and cold water not a problem at all. He also has Darkvision 60', and hands and speeh for spellcasting as necessary.
The recon is all too easy, and soon the druid is back to the surface and able to draw/describe a map. There was no sign of any triton ghosts at a distance of 50 feet away. A large arch of stone with glyphs all over them stands on a basalt seabed with a jade alter stationed in front.
"Very well. Then we are ready to go." Upon the completion of Peerimus' report, Firn'gaer casts the Water Breathing spell, touching Kazak, then Rash, then the minotaur Torgon, and then the half-drow Xenia in turn.
The gnomish wizard then holds up the Manta Ray cloak borrowed from Troughton Burk, running a professional eye over the magics installed within. "This should do, Rufus," he says to his familiar. Then he dons the cloak and dives overboard.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Casts Water Breathing on:
Kazak Rash Torgon Xenia
ACTIVE SPELLS: Extended Mage Armor (38 hrs), Water Breathing on Kazak, Rash, Torgon, Xenia (10h)
Peerimus the Water Elemental flows, as much as climbs back into the Swan Boat upon returning from reconnaissance. In a gurgling Common, he describes the site that surrounds the mystic portal.
"Yorrrrigggk and I will now ggggggo as gggggonstrugdz," says the druid turned Water Elemental. Peerimus waves his translucent arms, and then he and Yorrick become Maruts. Touching Xenia with a spell of Freedom of Movement, he then steps to the rail. Both Peerimus and Yorrick step off the boat with an impressive displacement of sea water. Both, then, sink quickly and inexorably toward the dark bottom of the Paltik.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cast Shapechange (shared with Yorrick) NOTE: Still in Water Elemental form underneath the Shapechange spell
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (3/4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) uShapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
"Uh oh." Xenia rushes to the railing of the swan boat and arrives just in time to see both Peerimus and Yorrick sinking quickly out of sight. "I'm thinking that was a mistake."
"Quick, Momma Rash. Lets get that Endure spell. I don't think those two are stopping until they hit bottom." After receiving the spell, the girl rogue dives over the edge, knifing into the chilly waters. Behind her flies Silvia. Xenia bobs in the waves just long enough to speak the activation word recognized by her boots. She then jackknifes into a dive straight downwards toward the bottom.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 sinking like a stone Wednesday February 16th, 2011 10:10:19 PM
"Well mr's Trinka don't be shy about dem magics ...... Firn'gaer will let me have a water breather so you can get me da freedom magic .. before we go "
" Not sure how we gonna track dem ....down deep it gets dark ..... but me dwarven sight will help me and Durgan (darkvision) "
"Come on bro i'll race ya to da bottom " laughs Kazak
Once spelled up the dwarven warrior just leaps over the side .... feet first ...... doing his best to swimm in the direction of the portal .....sinking faster then he can swimm .... but his dwarven sight keeps him aware of whats nearby ....
Kazak wonders if he'll beat Xenia to the bottom ..... being in heavy armor and all
Atcive Magiv Water breathing -(Firn'gaer) Freedom of movement - (Rash) Endure Elements ?? (Rash)
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Thursday February 17th, 2011 1:44:31 PM
Peerimus casts Endure Elements and Freedom of Movement on Peerimus, Torgon, and Xenia.
Rash casts Endure Elements and Freedom of Movement on Rash, Durgan and Kazak.
Firn'gaer with his Cloak of the Manta Ray needs neither spell.
Peerimus and Yorrick become Maruts with a shared Shapechange and plummet to the bottom of the ocean!
Firn'gaer casts Water Breathing on Kazak, Durgan, Torgon, Rash, and Xenia (5.5 hour duration), and jumps overboard becoming a manta ray and swims down.
Xenia takes a dive and swims rapidly down.
Kazak sinks like... well, like a heavily armored dwarf.
OoC: Yup. Still having trouble with the map, Steve. Anyone else having trouble?
Could you link things again, Steve? It might not be the doc. It could be the link that you have in the href.
Rash Thursday February 17th, 2011 3:00:23 PM
Rash says, "Come on fellows and dives into the water, swimming with sure strokes after the others but quickly being left behind. She yells to the others, "I thought some squid was going to tow us!"
Despite Xenia's fears, Peerimus and Yorrick are not fated for a quick trip into the watery depths. Both strike out with the strength of their construct forms, kicking and swimming against the pull of their weight. Their strength is such that, with the aid of the Freedom of Movement spell, neither finds it difficult to maintain buoyancy.
Soon, two Marut heads crest the surface of the Platik to bob upon the waves. Treading water, Peerimus and Yorrick wait for the others to prepare.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Swim Peerimus 31 Swim Yorrick 24
Active Effects: Shape Change 200m, Freedom of Movement 200m, Endure Elements 24h (All shared with Yorrick)
NOTE: Still in Water Elemental form underneath the Shapechange spell
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (2/5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (1/4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) uShapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
Calm in the surety that his fellows do not err, Firn'gaer the Manta Ray spreads wide his wings, sailing through the waters near the surface. As he banks to bring himself about in a circle around the others, he frees his hands from the cloak, executing the motions of a common spell. There is no restriction. The cloak will be ideal. The only concern now, will be the verbal aspects of his magic.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ACTIVE SPELLS: Extended Mage Armor (38 hrs), Water Breathing on Kazak, Rash, Torgon, Xenia (10h)
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Thursday February 17th, 2011 3:40:58 PM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours Daylight; duration: 2 hours Water Breathing from Firn'Gaer, duration: 5.5 hrs Freedom of Movement from Peerimus Endure elements from Peerimus
Torgon casts Daylight upon his armor and looks over the side. Although not happy about the situation, he just shrugs his shoulders and sighs. "Let's go Durgan, Just you and me left. Nowhere to go but down."
At that, the mighty Minotaur hops off the side of the boat, and also begins sinking like a stone. "Hope I don't squish anyone on the way down." He thinks to himself."
The girl rogue brakes her descent, halting to gape as the two Maruts swim past her, returning to the surface. It's eerie how everything looks bigger underwater.
Sound is a kinda weerd thing down here too. Still watching the kicking feet of the two Marut from below, Xenia zips in the direction of Rash, circling the cleric with the grace of a seal.
"I can try towing you Momma Rash. Shouldn't slow me down by more than half, and I think that should be plenty fast to keep up with the others."
Then Xenia turns to scold Sylvia, as the shadow flies, curious, about the kicking feet of Peerimus and Yorrick.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 sinking like a stone Thursday February 17th, 2011 9:36:43 PM
As the dwarf continus to sink ..... he catches a glimpse of the Druid and bear .... going back to the surface
" uh-oh did i jump outa da boat to soon ? ..... i hope i heard da plan right " muses the dwarf as the sea floor rushes closer .....
Kazak tries to walk the water in the portals direction .....using his hands to try and swim closer .... " a few feet closer is a few feet less to walk " growls the dwarf as bubbles of air streak skyward
Active Magic Water breathing -(Firn'gaer) Freedom of movement - (Rash) Endure Elements (Rash)
Swan Boat [DM SteveK] Saturday February 19th, 2011 10:44:48 AM
ooc: Had to do some looking up from Al's posts. :-) After consulting both the 3.5 PHB and DMG, here is my DM ruling. - Freedom of Movement enables normal movement. - Normal movement in water requires a swim check. - Fly and Freedom of Movement spells underwater enable a character to 'Fly' unimpeded underwater without penalty. - Underwater movement can be in any direction with perfect maneuverability - Swim Check enables swim at 1/4 speed per move action (unless have swim speed) - Armor penalty is doubled in water. - Marut is in full plate (-6 armor check; -12 underwater). - Underwater right here is considered 'calm' water Swim DC10; Surface here is 'choppy' Swim DC15. - I couldn't find any rules for sinking in water! (can you believe it?) - DM Ruling is if a character doesn't try to swim, they can sink at 30 feet per round irrespective of weight/drag/physics (to keep it simple)
Sooo.... - Peerimus and Yorrick can swim 5 feet per move action underwater with a Swim DC10 check at +0 Swimming (ie: if try to swim, they have 50% chance of moving 5 feet) - Any hero can swim 1/4 speed per move action underwater with a Swim DC 10 skill check pending double armor penalty. .....................
Peerimus and Yorrick just demonstrate a valuable lesson for the Children of Chaos; it IS possible for heavily armored creatures to swim in water if they try! As soon as they break the surface, Yorrick demonstrates a second lesson; it is easier to swim under the water than among the choppy waves. The marut-bear's head breaks the water and immediately is swamped by a wave!
Rash and Torgon jump in and don't try to swim. Along with Kazak, the three don't try to swim and so decend 30 feet.
Xenia uses her Fly ability with the Freedom of Movement, and discovers that the combination allows her 'normal' flying movement underwater. She can hover and dart in any direction as fast as Firn'gaer!
Firn'gaer casts his spells and waits for everyone to move down as a group.
.................
ooc: Durgan is staying in the boat until Brian returns from a Walkabout. All heroes who are going on this adventure are already in the water. Due to knowledge of the exact location, the Swim Dc 10 checks available, and the maneuverability of two of the team's members for 'helping' anyone along, the Children of Chaos will be able to stay together, get to the bottom, and be fairly near the Portal at the next Post.
ooc: I'll work on the map. Very basic. Flat basalt ocean floor. 15x10 foot rectangle jade alter in front of a 40 foot long arch of stone.
Yorrick lets out a moan of irritation as he is tossed by the waves. From the mouth of the Marut the cries of the bear sound of stone and grinding metal. The bear, not unskilled in the ways of swimming the seas though, allows himself to sink below and recaptures his stability
"Have your magic ready for the sacrifice!" Peerimus the Marut calls out in a voice as hard and mechanical as that of his ursine friend. He waves a large metal hand at Durgan, waiting on the boat. "If we are not back before the day is done, return to shore," he calls. "The boat will not last much beyond that."
Then Peerimus allows himself to sink down through the dark waters, to the bottom of the ocean. From there, he orients himself upon the axis of Mother Wold, and leads his fellow Champions to the glyph laden arch of stone and it's altar of pure jade.
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Peerimus and Yorrick Swim Checks can't fail at +12 vs DC10
Active Effects: Shape Change 200m, Freedom of Movement 200m, Endure Elements 24h (All shared with Yorrick)
NOTE: Still in Water Elemental form underneath the Shapechange spell
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (2/5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (1/4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) uShapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
Firn'gaer follows along. The serene glide of the Manta Ray matches is inner calm. The wizard catalogs his list of magic imbued supplies. There is nothing in his mind that can be so easily discarded as Xenia's arrows. There is, however, the Everburning Torch. Hopefully, that will do.
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ACTIVE SPELLS: Extended Mage Armor (38 hrs), Water Breathing on Kazak, Rash, Torgon, Xenia (10h)
"Hold onto my feet, Momma Rash." Xenia lays her arms to her sides and flies through the water, straight as an arrow. As the light from above fades away, the water about her turns to shades of gray. Not that there's anything to see in the open water. Sylvia, flying close by, appears oblivious to the eerie eternal night of the deep ocean.
The bottom arrives soon enough, but by this time, Xenia has lost track of how long they have been down. All she can do is follow close to Peerimus and hope they finish this before the magic runs out.
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Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 sinking like a stone Sunday February 20th, 2011 9:11:29 PM
The armored dwarf twists about as he sinks towards the seafloor ...... the only thing on his mind at the present is ........ the megladon shark .... that Peerimus sighted ...
. " wonder if he is related to Oozhone .... dey both have big teeth " growls Kazak
Active Magic Water breathing -(Firn'gaer) Freedom of movement - (Rash) Endure Elements (Rash)
Rash d20+11=13 ; Sunday February 20th, 2011 9:42:23 PM
Rash considers casting her own fly spell but decides to take a tow from Xenia. She enjoys the ride but her eyes scan the area looking for those ghosts. All she sees is fish and gloom (rolled a 13)
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Monday February 21st, 2011 8:54:40 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours Daylight; duration: 2 hours Water Breathing from Firn'Gaer, duration: 5.5 hrs Freedom of Movement from Peerimus Endure elements from Peerimus
Torgon continues to sink through the depths. He looks around as it gets darker, and wonders if his glowing light is more likely to scare away sea creatures, or attract them. He pulls his sword just in case.
Underwater Portal [DM SteveK] d6=4 ; 3d6=5 ; Monday February 21st, 2011 12:19:36 PM
The heroes descend into the depths, soon only Torgon's Daylight spell giving any illumination.
Breathing water and the cold water would be a problem for many Noble Races, but magic supports all the heroes.
The crushing depths are another matter. Only Firn'gaer is safe from the water pressure, and by the time the heroes touch the rocky bottom of the ocean, Torgon, Kazak, Rash, Xenia, Peerimus, and Yorrick feel the pressure twice. ooc: All must Fort save Dc 15 or 4 damage and again Fort Save DC 16 or 5 damage.
With Torgon's Daylight to shine the way, the group of heroes see they have arrived right on top of the alter and portal. Freedom of Movement spells enable the heroes to walk and/or fight without impediment.
Xenia shakes her head. She feels the loose flaps of her head scarf as they are tugged by the encumbering water. Something is making her ears funny down here. She flies over to the altar and turns in place, presenting herself to the other Chaos Guys. She points to herself and then points to the stone arch. Her mouth forms the words. Me first. The she shakes her head again. There's just something about being underwater that makes you not want to talk.
"I'll go first," she says, her underwater voice sounding odd in her ears. "Here, take an arrow." Xenia offers one to each of the Children of Chaos. "They're electric magic." The bundle of ten arrows in her hand give off small sparks of electric energy in the watery environment. Xenia places two on the altar, one for each herself and Sylvia. Then she beckons to the shadow before activating both of her rings. They then both go through.
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Fortitude: 23 vs DC15; 30 vs DC16
Sacrifice for self and Sylvia. 2 Electrically charges arrows.
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m, Invisibility 5, Blinking
Although he accepts the magic arrows from the half-drow rogue, Peerimus remains back at a distance, watching while she makes her offering and then attempts to pass through the portal. If it is to be this simple, then so be it. If not ...
"Be vigilant, my friend," the druid in construct form says to his friend and companion. He then explains what may happen for the benefit of the simper intelligence of the bear. "If Xenia's offering is rejected, the guardians of this are may appear. They will seem clear and insubstantial, like smoke, or the light upon the water. Watch for them. Listen. If you detect them, we may be forced to fight."
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Constructs are immune from any effect that requires a Fortitude Save. DM SteveK:Highlight to display spoiler: {How convenient!}
Active Effects: Shape Change 200m, Freedom of Movement 200m, Endure Elements 24h (All shared with Yorrick)
NOTE: Still in Water Elemental form underneath the Shapechange spell
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (2/5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (1/4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) uShapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
Expended: Wild Shape Elemental 1/3
*Cast Spell Staff contains Shapechange
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 sinking like a stone Monday February 21st, 2011 9:52:17 PM
The dwarf declines Xenia's arrow ..... " i've gots a little gift of me own ....sorta feel like should do dat "
Wwithdrawing a Javelin from his magical quiver .... Kazak follows in Xenia and her shadow to the alter .... and lays down the javelin of lightning as his offering .....
" hope dis works .... see ya on da otherside " as the dwarven army sergeant again follows the the duo through the portal "
Active Magic Water breathing -(Firn'gaer) Freedom of movement - (Rash) Endure Elements (Rash)
"Lhari?" Firn'gaer looses the cloak enough to draw out the staff. "Do you see the altar and the arch beyond it? Do you know anything of it and it's history in relation to the Southern Continent? I can tell you that we are now three hundred feet below the surface of the Platik Ocean, several miles off the coast of the Gray Downs, specifically the Spirit Swamp."
"If it will help, we've been told that this site is supposed to be guarded by two ghostly tritons. We've also been told that when the sacrifice of an item of magic is made upon the altar, passage is then granted through the arch to a place called Fey Skimmir."
"We are particularly interested in knowing just how much magic the altar with accept in order to grant passage."
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Not sure how to activate Lhari's Lesser Power Skill: Knowledge: History (Southern Continent)
ACTIVE SPELLS: Extended Mage Armor (38 hrs), Water Breathing on Kazak, Rash, Torgon, Xenia (10h)
Rash d20+17=22 ; d10=3 ; d20+17=19 ; Monday February 21st, 2011 11:22:10 PM
Rash was going to use a scroll as her sacrifice but feeling the pressure of the water and the obvious wetness, she decides to take an arrow from Xenia. She also waits to see how the sacrifice is taken and if Xenia is able to pass through the portal.
She murmers a prayer to the powers, praying for Xenia's safe passage.
Zero: Read Magic, Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Detect Poison First:Longstrider* Shield of Faith x 2, Endure Elements x4, Divine favor x 2 Second:Spiritual Hammer* Restoration Lesser, Delay Poison, Hold Person x 2, Resist Energy, Aid x 2 Third:Fly*, Searing light x 2, water breathing x4, continual flame Fourth:Dimension Door*, Divine Power x2, Freedom of Movement x 3, Magic weapon greater Fifth:Flame Strike*, Righteous Might x2, Spell Resistance, Summon Monster 5, True Seeing, Flame Strike, Commune, Disrupting Weapon Sixth:Blade Barrier* Heal x2, Summon Monster 6, Dispel Magic Greater, Seventh:Power Greater teleport*, Holy Word, Summon Monster 7, Dictum, Ethereal jaunt, scrying greater Eighth: Power Word Stun* Summon Monster 8, Holy Aura, Spell Immunity Greater, Discern Location Ninth: Power Word Kill* Miracle, x2 Heal mass, monster summoning 9 (third miracle is in spell staff which is kept in haversack
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 d20+22=26 ; d20+22=25 ; Tuesday February 22nd, 2011 7:31:18 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours Daylight; duration: 2 hours Water Breathing from Firn'Gaer, duration: 5.5 hrs Freedom of Movement from Peerimus Endure elements from Peerimus
Fortitude saves 26 and 25.
Torgon takes Xenia's arrow for the moment, but will probably use something of his own. He hangs back and waits for the others to begin ready to charge into battle should there be one.
"I hope this goes smoothly" he thinks to himself as he feels the pressure constricting him. "A prolonged battle would not be good."
Ghostly Tritons [DM SteveK] d20+13=25 ; d20+13=27 ; Tuesday February 22nd, 2011 10:47:49 AM
Firn'gaer asks Lhari, his Staff, if he knows anything about the type of magical item they are seeing here. Besides a powerful offensive tool, Lhari is a historian of all things Children of Chaosish, and was in fact at one time, a heroic wizard in his own right. "I've seen those types of construction before. It looks like it was made by the Teucri, an ancient race that most agree are extinct, but there are artifacts all over the Wold that were made by them. It's facinating really! Oh, how it is activated? Your gnome friend is probably correct. All Teucri artifacts are powered by magic. How much depends on the machine. This one may take a single cantrip level of magic or require a 9th level spell to power up. No way to tell without trying really. Most known Teucri artifacts in use today are only maintained by rote and not an in depth look at the process. Comprehend Language doesn't work on the Teucri glyphs they left behind, of course."
"This particular one, I have no knowledge about. None of the other generations of the Children of Chaos have come this way."
(OOC: Lhari Knowledge checks on CoC and Southern Continent: 25 , 27)
Lhari is willing, even eager to continue this line of academic discourse all day, but he quiets down to observe as Xenia approaches the Jade Alter.
When the little rogue gets within 20 feet of the alter, two ghostly shapes of tritons rise out of the alter and place themselves between Xenia holding her magical arrow and the jade block. Xenia pauses at 20 feet away, but the ghosts don't do or say anything... they also don't get out of Xenia's way.
The dark rogue pulls up short as the two Ghost Fish Guys rise up out of the altar and bar her way. It's not hard to guess what would happen should things go wrong and the altar reject her sacrifice. With her being invisible, the Ghost Fish Guys would go for Sylvia.
"Go wait by the arch, Sylvie." Xenia dismisses the invisibility of the ring and directs her shadow companion to the westward leg of the arch. "If things get rough, you hide. You hear? Don't try fighting them. Understand? We can take care of ourselves."
As the little shadow makes a wide circular path to skirt the altar, Xenia herself proceeds on an unfaltering path that places her directly between the two spectral tritons. Onto the ground she lays the remaining arrows, leaving six in case the other Chaos Guys should need them. The girl rogue takes a deep breath then and puffs it out. "Here goes."
Speaking the words more to bolster her courage than anything else, Xenia says, "I, Alexandria Merryman Next, sacrifice this magic in exchange for passage through the portal." Then she places two arrows on the altar and flies up and over the altar toward the waiting portal.
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Sacrifice for self and Sylvia. 2 Electrically charges arrows. (Caster Level 8; Spell Level 3)
Arrows: Torgon 1; Rash 1; On the ground 6
Position: Xenia L16, Sylvia F11
Note: Touch AC33 vs Incorporeal Touch (If Total Defense is possible then add +6)
Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m, Blinking
"Thank you, for the illuminating insight, Lhari. You may wish to watch now as we are about to find out just how much magic the altar will accept." The gnome calls a spell to mind, prepared to cast it should things go badly. "We may also find out what happens should the altar reject an offering."
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Ready Attack: If Tritons Attack Xenia Cast Empowered Magic Missile at Triton1 Damage 28hp Spellcraft to Pronounce spell Autosuccess vs DC11 for Magic Missile
Position: K27
ACTIVE SPELLS: Extended Mage Armor (38 hrs), Water Breathing on Kazak, Rash, Torgon, Xenia (10h)
"Come, Yorrick," Peerimus says in sound and gesture that only his friend will understand. The druid carefully explains the brown bear's role in this situation, and the cues upon which he should take action. "Be vigilant. These may be enemies, but they may not be as well. Watch me, and act when I do."
The two Inevitables converge upon the ghostly tritons, remaining a distance behind as the half-drow girl tests the altar. Peerimus observes events carefully, watchful for signs that the tritons are intent upon attack.
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Peerimus Ready Attack If Xenia attacked, use Greater Command (Will Save vs DC19 or Flee for 14 rounds Yorrick Ready Attack If Peerimus calls out loudly, attack Triton2 Slam AC38, AC35; Miss chance 25/Miss, 92/Hit; Damage 21+8Sonic+8Electric = 37hp
Position: Peerimus M&N/20&21, Yorrick O&P/18&19
Active Effects: Shape Change 200m, Freedom of Movement 200m, Endure Elements 24h (All shared with Yorrick)
NOTE: Still in Water Elemental form underneath the Shapechange spell
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (2/5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (1/4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) uShapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
Expended: Wild Shape Elemental 1/3
*Cast Spell Staff contains Shapechange
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Tuesday February 22nd, 2011 9:44:02 PM
Durgan sinks down through the water, slower than his companions. "Ye'd think the armor woulda got me there quickest!", he says to no one in particular. As he sinks he complains about the fact that if dwarves were meant to be in the water, they'd have been born as fish instead. "it just ain't right. And this is the second time too. Durned current is probably pushing me away from where we was going." With that dark thought, Durgan looks down, trying to see farther through the darkness than his eyes would allow, and hoping he didn't have to start searching the whole bottom of the ocean for his friends and family.
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 8:01:32 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours Daylight; duration: 2 hours Water Breathing from Firn'Gaer, duration: 5.5 hrs Freedom of Movement from Peerimus Endure elements from Peerimus
Torgon paces Peerimus, getting closer in case of trouble, but letting Xenia play out the first move.
Rash d20=3 ; Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 9:53:04 AM
Rash also moves forward holding her holy symbol ready to try and turn or banish the ghosts. She waits to see if they act agressively towards Xenia. If they do she will try and turn them.
I don't have access to my books so I rolled a 20. Don't know my modifiers but I am not hopeful with a roll of a 3
Payment Accepted [DM SteveK] Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 2:16:27 PM
Durgan drops in on the heroes just in time to watch Xenia expose herself to the ghostly tritons.
Xenia moves forward, her body unseen, but she looks like a humanoid-shaped bubble in the middle of the ocean with her invisibility. The Ghost-Tritons make no move as she comes up to the Jade Alter and places a single magical arrow on the alter.
The arrow glows and then winks out.
The Jade Alter glows for a second and then the light fades from there, too.
The water in the Portal begins to glow in a green light, then a tremenddous force sucks Xenia towards the Portal. Xenia and the light from the portal wink out of existance!
None of the other heroes felt any movement in the water. The Ghost Tritons haven't moved.
Kazak Stonewall Hp 241 Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 2:26:08 PM
Observing Xenia's tactics .... the dwarven warrior procedes in similar fashion ..... walking up to the jade alter ..... he holds for the lightning javelin ..... placing it upon the alter ..... then calmly heads between the two ghostly titans
Thinking to himself .... " hopefully we don't get sucked into a prison cell "
active Magic Water breathing -(Firn'gaer) Freedom of movement - (Rash) Endure Elements (Rash)
Rash Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 3:36:31 PM
Rash says to the others, "Well I guess that answers that. Lets get over there fast. We don't want to leave Xenia without support! Who knows what is on the otherside." Rash will also follow putting Xenia's arrow on the alter and tenses up her body ready for the transport
"You have born witness, Lhari." The wizard proceeds after the others. He reaches out of the cloak and uses the arrows that Xenia has provided. Though it is true that other magic may suffice, why opt for the untested over something that is tried and true?
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ACTIVE SPELLS: Extended Mage Armor (38 hrs), Water Breathing on Kazak, Rash, Torgon, Xenia (10h)
The massive head of the Inevitable nods in approval. That was well done. The conservation of resources aside, the respect for this altar of an ancient people has also been preserved. Peerimus and Yorrick wait for the others to go through and then proceed last. Peerimus takes the last of the arrows, using two for himself and Yorrick, and then waits to be taken through the portal.
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Active Effects: Shape Change 200m, Freedom of Movement 200m, Endure Elements 24h (All shared with Yorrick)
NOTE: Still in Water Elemental form underneath the Shapechange spell
-Level 0: (2) Create Water, Mending, (2) Read Magic, Detect Magic 8-Level 1: (2/5) Endure Elements, Entangle, *Long strider, *Pass Without a Trace 7-Level 2: (4) Barkskin, Bull Strength, (1) Lesser Restoration, Warp wood 7-Level 3: (4) Protection from Energy, (2) Daylight, Stone shape 7-Level 4: (1/4) Freedom of Movement, (2) Flamestrike, *Greater Shillaghleh 7-Level 5: (2) Animal Growth, (2) CCW, Stone skin, uCommune with Nature, Death Ward 5-Level 6: Fire Seeds, (2)Greater Dispel Magic, Transport via Plants, Wall of Thorns 5-Level 7: (2) Heal, Ht Baleful Polymorph, Animate Plants, Greater Scrying 5-Level 8: Animal Shapes, (2) Sunburst, Earthquake, Finger of Death 5-Level 9: Shambler, (2) uShapechange, Ht Finger of Death, Ht Sunbeam
It's not easy to watch two Ghost Fish Guys, one on either side of you. It's especially not easy when you're trying to pretend that you aren't watching them. Trust. Trust in yourself. Sometimes that's all you got. So you just gotta have faith. You gotta have faith that your body will know what to do. It'll protect itself. Trust in that, and do what you have to.
And what do you know? It works. The arrows get sucked down, magic like. Then the portal thing, it starts taking her in. "Sylvie, it worked. C'mon. Lets go. We're going through."
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Spells Received =============== Water Breathing from Firn'gaer 10h Endure Elements from Rash 24h Freedom of Movement from Peerimus 200m
Active Spells: Endure Elements 24h, Water Breathing 10h, Freedom of Movement 200m, Fly 5m, Blinking
Durgan Stonewall (AC 39; HP 233/322) Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 9:32:08 PM
"Got any of dem arrows fer me? If not, I'll hafta get something out of my pack."
Firn'gaer AC19; HP130; Arcane Sight, Comprehend Languages, Mage Armor (38 hrs), See Invisibility, Tongues Wednesday February 23rd, 2011 9:41:50 PM Back from the Bar Exam. Thanks Al for handling Firn'gaer for me.
Firn'gaer: Glad to see you back. Hope you did well on the exam.
Torgon AC: 35 HP : 198/198 Thursday February 24th, 2011 10:15:53 AM
Active Spells: Longstrider; +10 base speed, Duration 20 hours Magic vestment; +2 ac to shield, duration 20 hours Daylight; duration: 2 hours Water Breathing from Firn'Gaer, duration: 5.5 hrs Freedom of Movement from Peerimus Endure elements from Peerimus
"Perhaps this will go smoother than I thought" Torgon thinks to himself as he follows the others, walking up and placing the magical arrow on the altar.
LOG ON