*Read the Fine Print

Summary

GM: Mike
Season: Winter 821 WK
Location: online
Level: Med-High

Party

Merco - all around great guy and excellent card player
Sabastian - man of many talents
Ishamael - sophisticated gentleman and master brewer
Uzi - Orc of breeding

Employer: Sabastian, having his arm very twisted by a Fey Avatar

Mission: Stop the "temple" under Lightning Lake exploding and turning the local area into a large hole. A Fey Avatar is insisting...

See the previous scribe notes

Scribe Notes

Festivities

The annual Yuletide festival was always looked forward to by the locals, but this year it had extra meaning as the witch was dead and the locals had Ishmael and Sabastian to look after them. Much of the village have been upgraded, with a new mill, and some retired King Rapiers had settled in the Phaehyll. As well as sharing their wisdom they had taken charge of the militia, which was now formidable.

There had been weeks of preparation for the festival, Alia had been working hard to organise the event. On the eve of the event some unexpected visitors had arrived; Merco to discuss traps and Uzi to have his iron claws repaired. They stayed overnight and joined in the festivities - it was a long day of merriment with many speeches, much dancing and the draining of Ishmaels new beers. In the evening there was a combined fireworks and flying display by Sabastian. As the evening wound down a storm erupted over the lake. Ishmael, Uzi, Merco and Sabastian retired to the villa to watch the what was the biggest lightning storm in years from the library while the exhausted and happy villagers retired to their houses. Things then went very wrong.

Things go Wrong

Old Meg, a local, joined the party in the library. She faltered as she entered, all the candles flared and she stared speaking in an unearthly voice. She was possessed by Baroque, who we believe to be an avatar level fey lord who explained there was an ancient agreement that the liege lord of the area (Sabastian) was obliged to travel to a temple at the bottom of the lake and "maintain" it before it could vaporise the local area, which would happen in 12 days. Baroque made veiled threats against both Sabastian's family and the villagers, insisting Sabastian is bound by the ancient agreement and he'd best get on with this...and also he was getting pacted. Left with little choice, given the threat to his family and the danger to everyone, he agreed. Baroque agreed to be summon five times to assist and will provide a boon to people if they succeed. If they fail his backup plan would hopefully address the problem.

Baroque summons I'gor, his minion, a tome imp, from a book in the library, berated him, and explained he had escorted the witch in the recent maintenance and can provide us direction of how to get there.

We talk Temple

We talk to Igor about the temple, he is in book form for most of the trips and only brought out to help so he has only heard but not seen most of the pervious journeys, but has some useful information to shared. One of the names of the temple is "Temple of Time and Space", time is strange in the temple - its possible we may arrive back before we depart. The temple is on the lake floor about half a mile from the western short. Access to the temple is certain on the first and last day of the days of chaos (day 1 and 12) and at random in the times in between. There are other entrances to the temple; one at the top of the tallest mountain in Delph, one maybe in Hindia and a third near Kinlu.

We need to recharge or repair some of the portals, fortunately the items required should be located in the temple or its workshops. The portals needing repair this cycle are;

Chaos portal – the big one. It will be getting more and more powerful, its effects are been felt. Merco teleported from the guild and ended up in the fairy ring. This is the priority gate to repair.
The Great Beyond – where horrors live
Hell gate - Connects to hell

The temple is never the same twice, it changes between visits. The inhabitants and guardians change every visit, but there are always some very powerful guardians there so we will need to either avoid, fight or bargain with them. There are laboratories, workshops and ovens in the temple – so almost everything we need to fix the portals should be located in the temple – except food.
The large golems the witch had in her house were recovered from the temple. S'Sisero, the witches ex-head guard, had visited the temple a lot, he is aware of the temple and was last seen in the lake.

Late night organisation

We learn of some the witches emergency storage hidden near the fairy portal, that we dig up. There are a few potions (healing and enhancement) and 12 pounds of Myrhh which is enough for Uzi to cast greaters on everyone. There may be more hidden storage as there is a lot of bound stone around the manor house, but now is not the time to locate it.
Merco heads to the kitchen and arrange for hobbit sized supplies to be packed, which are itemised by Sabastian. There is enough for three weeks, and longer if we cut down to only four meals a day. Sabastian and Ishamael make some useful astrology readings and save some the remainder for our time down there.

We need some extra hands for our journey as there may be some pitch battles that take place so we discuss the plans with the ex Kings rapiers and three of them volunteer to travel with us; Jago, Begga and Bingo. Vigor also joins us, he is a very enthusiastic volunteer.

Sabastian explains things to his wife and leaders of the village

The party finally make it to bed very late that night, having sobered up very quickly.

We head off

We plan to depart at 9am the next morning. Merco needs a plate of bacon to extract him from his bed, he clearly doesn't normally rise this early, after two plates he seems to wake up. The party assembles and flies across to the village of Laketop to see Ms Bordern, Igor explains she lives on the western side of the village, and knock on the door of her hut with fresh bread in hand. A young lady explains her aunt has died, but had prepared a number of potions for us as she know a visit to the temple would be required – they give us breathing and flotation but there is only enough to get us down there, we will need to work out how to get back ourselves.

We fly across the lake toward point the lightning is striking the lake and aim to land in the water 100m out and swim in from there. About 300m from the lightning a figure erupts from the lake, a half devil. Its tries to fly away but we destroy it. Uzi is unfortunately struck by lightning, but lucky isn't hurt. We descend into the lake and sink until we land of the lake floor. The deeper we sink, the darker it gets, until we arrive at the lake floor its suddenly light again. We've passed through a barrier and are now in salty water, the surface seems to be about 30 ft above us and it looks the day time and its raining.

Temple Ingress

The floor of the lake is sandy with seagrass gently waving in the gentle current. We can see the silhouette of the large black shape not far from us. The entrance of the temple is very hard to see but it appears to be about 25ft square and leads into a tunnel. There are sharks swimming around 60ft from us near the surface. The seaweed is from the Mel'bern plane, we aren't on Alusia any more.

Vigor grabs some "seagrass" and everything goes wrong. They are the eye stalks of crabs and the sea bottom erupts as hundreds of crabs surface and make their way toward and into the temple. A wall of sand (Sharman college) appears across the temple door and we are struck by the slow spell. A large 14ft wide crab appears, trampling knocks Merco unconscious, and heads into the temple.

We regroup and heal up, Uzi sends a eye into the tunnel and its continues further than he can see, then gets eaten. We are able to slowly walk through the wall of sand and we travel 150ft along the tunnel until it opens out. From behind a number of walls of light we look out to a large room 250ft wide and ???ft long, its more than 150ft high. There are exits from the room, left and right, that are covered in walls of sand, and there is kelp reaching to the roof 100ft ahead of us.

After some discussion and investigation, we discover the sandy floor is covering descending stairs so we decide to push forward through the kelp. We float very high to avoid any crabs hidden in the sand, it sure to be safer.

Fish Food

Through precog we discover that casting TK rage in the water will probably kill everyone and there are sharks lurking in the kelp. We blackfire the kelp before entering, tie ourselves together and swim in, our vision is significantly reduced. We hear some singing, which charms Jago, and he swims forward to be swallowed whole by a huge groper fish, before it then swims away. We are pulled along on the rope for some distance before we manage to hold onto the kelp and anchor ourselves, which allows us to attack the groper. Things get worse as barracuda turn up to attack us, and what looks to be an underwater beholder attacks Mercos mind as well as casting flash of lights and freeze rays. After some well place Blackfires and Phantasms the groper is dead and underwater beholder chased off. We quickly heal up and head off. Jago has a broken left arm that we cant fix (-2 EN, -2 MD).

We decide to head to the bottom and walk the remainder of the way as its easier for us manoeuvre and fight with our feet on the ground. We pass a few humanoid skeletons that have died years ago and eventually emerge from the kelp and find a tunnel continuing north.

Swamp Food

The tunnel is mostly filled with sand but its not too much effort to excavate and make our way through. We find another humanoid skeleton that is years old, we recover a potion from its tattered equipment. We exit the tunnel and find ourselves on an ocean floor again, the surface of the water is 30ft above us. We walk out of the ocean and find ourselves in a mangrove swamp, going as far as we can see, and there are two suns in the sky. We are on the plane of Hob'ART

There are water channels through the swamp, which will be easier than travelling through the muddy swamp. Igor advises not to fly as we need to follow the path, otherwise we may miss the next portal (and some are undetectable). We follow the main channels and ignore the branches, after travelling for some time we are attacked by 15ft long worms under the water, we kill them but learn TK rage is horribly destructive and Bingo ends up with a broken ribs and punctured arm (-3 EN, -2 AG, -3 MD).

We stop to heal up and find we have leaches on us that we remove. Through a wizards eye we see flying sharks in the sky that are slowly drifting toward us, while the blue and red suns begin to set. A flock of crows starts to gather to mock us, the GTN slowly changes are more of them gathered, "MURD..". We blackfire them, a few are killed and the remaining escape. A fog raises and the sharks begin to close in, we take to their air and fly as hundreds of sharks chase us. The land transitions from a swamp to a bayou. Merco hangs back and casts TK rage a number of times to kill some and dissuade the others from pursuing us.

Bayou Food

We find a small dry island under the trees and land. Uzi uses a crystal of vision to look at the mountain range north of us, the crystal becomes very cold and it does work. Uzi puts a wizard eye in the sky, at 150ft it become very cold and he suffers pain in his head, he temporary loses vision in his eye. We try to fly closer to the mountains, even through we seem to be moving the mountains seem not to be getting any closer. The blue sun is setting in the north, the red sun in the south.

We fly east, following a channel, hoping it will branch north at some point. A swarm of bats emerges from the trees in the distance and fly toward us to attack, we outfly them. Mercos warns us of another swarm beneath us just before it erupts form the tree to attack us, a TK rage gets rid of them.

Igor uses crystal and locates to try to locate the gates, finding one north of us. A devil erupts from the tree to attack us that we kill. The channel we are following branches north and south. Its continues north for some distance and a short distance to the south is a small island. We are injured and tired, having been awake for almost 20 hours, so we land on the island to rest. Casting walls we put up hammocks and get some rest, three hours later the watch alerts the party to glowing eyes in the distance that are lesser undead that we've seen in the past
.

People and Places

Places

Lake "Temple": (Aka Temple of Time and Space, Temple/Tomb of Chaos, Tomb of the Lost Ones, Temple of Death, The Portal Palace) located at the bottom of Lightning Lake has a number of portals that connect to all sorts of places, it has guardians. The temple needs to be maintained every 6-7 years otherwise it will explode and destroy the area. The witch had maintained the temple around twelve times, was a master of herbalism, alchemy and mechanics – so these are the required skills. She was escorted by I'gor and her guards, so there is some danger. Baroque hasn't been involved in maintenance for over a century.

- time is strange in the temple, its possible we may arrive back before we depart.
- Access to the temple is certain on the first and last day of the days of chaos (day 1 and 12) and at random in the times in between.
- There are other entrances to the temple; one at the top of the tallest mountain in Delph, one maybe in Kinlu and a third near Kinlu.
- The temple contains workshops etc that should have everything required to maintain them.

Three 'broken' portals
- Chaos Portal – the big one. It will be getting more and more powerful, its effects are been felt. When Merco teleported from the guild he ended in the fairy ring. This is the priority gate to repair.
- The Great Beyond – where horrors live, shut this next.
- A Hell Gate - Connects to hell, easy-peasy...

Whitebarrow Manor - Fortified Manor overlooking Lightning Lake and Phaehyll village.

Phaehyll - isolated area with a hobbit village, near Lightning Lake

Lightning Lake - adjacent to Whitebarrow Manor about 4 miles long and 1 wide with steep forested sides, notorious for its lighting storms.

Lakes End - Village on north end of Lightning Lake with wall and ditch on all sides.

Mel'BORN

At the bottom of lightning lake. Portal emerges 30ft underwater with a large temple nearby. There are crab guardians, 3 meters across, that can cast ice magic.

Kelp in temple

- Underwater beholder; can invade your mind and we think take possession, casts flash of light that stuns and freeze rays
- Giant groper and barracuda

Murder Crows – not a familiar, strongest magical ability "Vapours", GTN: "MUR","MURD"
Glowing eyes – L8 aura, GTN watcher, strongest magical ability – draining

Hob'ART

Portal from the kelp room emerges under the sea from a tunnel past the kelp. The area is a huge swamp.

People

Baroque - a fey lord with an avatar level aura. The witch, the previous ruler of Phaehyll, was pacted to him.
I'gor - tome Imp and minion of Baroque. Currently kicking around with Ishamael.
Mistress Lizzy Borden - Grand daughter of Cora Krupt, the deceased Water Mage across Lightning Lake.

Vigor Silentfoot – Hobbit detective
Jago Wanderfoot – ex-Kings Rapier - broken left arm (-2 EN, -2 MD).
Begga Bracegirdle - ex-Kings Rapier
Bingo Brandywood - ex-Kings Rapier - broken ribs and punctured arm (-3 EN, -2 AG, -3 MD). DECEASED

Astrology readings

Who should we talk to locally?

Ms Lizzy Borden – Igor thinks it's the daughter/grand daughter of the water mage. Human.

What the one thing to take down that will be of greatest benefit?

A box of chocolate

Is there anything missing from the workshop and if so what?

Yes, the heart of a time guardian

Magical oddities

Restoratives cause 1 point of spec grev damage when drunk
Ranges to spells reduced - 50%?
Wizard eye use blinds the caster in one eye
Amnesia on spell effects

Buffs & Mil Sci

Buffs

R13 Enhance enchantment sometimes available

Witchsight R20 – 10.5h/17h
Strength of darkness R13 – +8 Str for 14m/270m
Shadow Form R18 - 38% def 9.5h/16h
Mind speech R20 - 210m/340m
Walk Unseen R6 - 7h/13h
Blending R10 - 11h/21h
Greaters R20
Lessers

Loot and Expenses

Emergency storage

Mher 12 pound; 192 oz - 3 greaters 2 areas = 3x2x20 = 120oz used
Herbalism – resurrection potion
Herbalism – stat boost- 2x En, 2xStr; Str to Merco and Sabastian, EN to Uzi and Ishamael.
12 r 20 healing potions - 1 healing each and 5 to Merco
14 who R20 - 2 healing everyone, except Merco and Sebastian
Rank 10 herbalist potions

Kelp

Strength of Stone potion +12 EN or Str

Calendar

Winter: Frost 821 (7)
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
		Samhain	1		2		3		4		5		6
	7		8		9		11		12		13
	14		15		16		17		18		19		20
	21		22		23		24		25		26		27
	28		29		30		1		2		3		4
Winter: Snow 820 (8)
	5		6		7		8		9		10		11
	12		13		14		15	Solstice	16		17	Preparing for Festival. Merco and Uzi arrive.	18	Festival. Baroque arrives Yuletide
	19	Days of Chaos Depart. Lake, temple, swamp	20	DoC2	21	DoC3	22	DoC4	23	DoC5	24	DoC6	25	DoC7
	26	DoC8	27	DoC9	28	DoC10	29	DoC11	30	Everything explodes if the party fails Twelfth Night	1		2
Winter: Ice 820 (9)
	3		4		5		6	First Plough	7		8		9
	10		11		12		13		14		15		16
	17		18		19		20		21		22		23
	24		25		26		27		28		29		30