Reach Up for the Sunrise
Scribe Notes
The adventure involves the Isles of Freedom as well as the Dragon Roche.
Summary
Adventure: Reach Up for the Sunrise
GM: Mandos
Session: Spring 808 wk
Night: Wednesday - Starting 17/09/08
Location: Chez Mitchinson
Level: Looking Medium-Highish
- Party
This adventure is available for players to sign up. Please add your name below and character below.
- Human the Fool - Illusionist played by Michael Scott
- Lucius - played by Bridget X
- Michael (the adventurer) - Celestial played by William
- Vychan - Played by Sean
- Verity - Thaumaturge played by Kelsie
- Pent - an Ice mage played by Phil
Adventure Full
| Now the time has come The music's between us |
- Employer
- The Queen Regent of the Isles.
- Mission
- A large contingent of stone elves has risen out of the Water on the Western Coast of the Isles. During conversations with them the Guild is mentioned and the Queen Regent has requested a group come and act as intermediaries.
- Pay
- Land and titles.
Sections that are after the "DRAFT" comment are scribe notes work in progress (no links - not spell checked) - please do not edit.
Mission Notes
1st Thaw 808 - Guild day
After the meeting we form up our group in a meeting room.
To meet with us there are two individuals:
- A marbled stone elf who only speaks Ancient Elven.
- A 5' 10" human who only speaks Folksprach.
First we speak to the Human whose name is Elpidius Viridius.
"We seek your assistance."
He is the advisor to the Queen Regent of the Isles of Freedom and his problem is simple - he wishes to get rid of the elves.
Some thousands of them walked out of the sea and have set up camp in the uninhabited jungle in the province of Pontaningal ruled by Prince Ancus Aulus Dioges. The local law does not allow for mercenary groups on the isle and the stone elves seem disinclined to return to the sea. They fear they might actually move inland across other inhabited areas.
In return for this they will grant us land and title. Also restrictions on guild members on the Isles of Freedom (not allowed to from mercenary groups, carry weapons etc) may be lifted.
Next we spoke to the marbled stone elf named Lotus Blossom (Human the Fool translated for us).
"We seek your aid."
They ask us to restore the "Will" of their hero Kesrin.
As they were traveling under the ocean on their important mission they were attacked (a few weeks offshore from the isle), during the attack one of their number were taken and Kesrin had a tentacle from some sort of creature stuck on his head. Once the attack was beaten off Kesrin was found to be listless and lethargic.
The stone elf believes that Kesrin needs to be re-united with his original muse to restore his will and allow him to continue on his important mission.
In addition they seek to have their geas removed so they are not forced to follow the hero Kesrin. Also this should turn them back into normal elves and they could go and live in peace somewhere. Originally there were 5,000 of them, but one has been lost in the battle for Masada and on was lost to the above Head Sucker of the Deeps.
The stone elf does not believe that the retainers being present with the hero Kesrin will actually make a difference in whether or not he succeeds in his endeavors.
In return for this they will give us a bag full of black pearls (est value 100,000+ sp) - this will be left at the guild.
So to us it appears if we solve the stone elves problems we will also solve the Queens.
We had a further talk to Elpidius to find out more about the Isles of Freedom.
A quick run down on some of their laws:
(Actually the laws can vary from province to province)
- No Orcs.
- Don't openly use magic.
- No weapons.
- No Mercenaries.
Actually we get (and sign) a letter that says we are on the Queens business so can move around as armed mercenaries under special dispensation.
"No more BatiBati."
This comment could easily be misconstrued but apparently refers to the destruction of the town of BatiBati by mercenaries.
We spend the evening trying to find out all the information we can from the Guild Library.
We read the following old scribe notes:
- 32,000 years ago.
- Other Scribe notes.
and try unsuccessfully to track down stories about this ancient elvish hero Kesrin or the Dragon Roche (who was apparently last seen in northern Brastor helping to destroy a great evil in a temple there).
Our plan for the morrow is to:
- Go to D'arbres to see the originating point of the stone elves and the hero and look for clues on the original muse or the whereabouts of Roche.
- Talk to the four inquisitors that traveled through time with Kesrin for the same information - they reside near to D'arbres.
- Go to Eidolon to look for information on the muse of Kesrin. Also the stone elves visited there so they might have information on the geas.
- Head to the Isles of Freedom to look for the Dragon Roche.
2nd Thaw 808
D'Arbres
We take the slow portal to Elfenburg (about three hour's trip), then fly (another three hour's) to D'arbres and land on the road south of the town.
We had a quick talk with the local Reeve Cohat (who was working in the fields), then went and dug down to the Hero's tomb (actually directly beneath the Reeve Cohat's house). The tomb looked relatively undisturbed with the gold leaf doors telling the story of the hero's progress and amazing things he had done - mostly fiction.
Inside the tomb was a slab surrounded by four chairs. A detailed search of the rest of the tomb revealed nothing.
We left the tomb and followed the trench (where the five thousand stone elves were buried) off to the North West.
At the other end of the ten mile long trench was the entrance and the hole where the Dragon Roche was sleeping. It used to be an earth place of power here but now that is only faint.
Vychan did his earth divination ritual here.
The ten questions and their answers are listed below:
- Is the muse of the hero Kesrin still alive. No
- Is the Dragon Roche currently on the Isles of Freedom. No
- Is there anything in this vicinity pertaining the muse of the hero Kesrin. Not directly
- Did the Dragon Roche remove something when he was here last. Yes
- Is the Dragon Roche building anything currently. Yes
- Do the Inquisitors know who the original muse is or how to lift the Geas. Yes
- Was the sapping of the hero Kesrin's will premeditated. No
- Are the stone elves heading towards the Spider Demon. No
- Is the muse currently on Alusia. Yes
- Are the Calamar involved. Yes
Attacked by Calamar
Right after Vychan finished his ritual three large (fifteen feet across) rocks fell from the sky and burst open to reveal fifteen (three combat squads of five) lizard like creatures who have four arms each.
They act aggressively so combat ensues. During the fight the demand our "unconditional surrender", after capturing Lucius they demand it again or they will kill him, a pulse later they return Lucius's battered body with his heart ripped out.
But some how Lucius is still alive.
Eventually Michael (the adventurer) manages to talk to them and the demand we hand over the shaper J'anthro L'roi. We say we don't have him and immediately all the lizards teleport out (using a Calamar device we later confirm called a "splinge"). They leave behind three of the guards that Verity has captured.
We talk to (and DA) one of these captives (after I Hibernate him and we move him some miles) and discover a number of things:
- Their generic true name is "Kimash".
- Their plan of origin is "Kimerl".
- The dark mage who was with them has a best offensive spell of "BlackFire".
- The last plane they were at was "The Void".
- The Kimash's leader (well those who attacked us) name is Prince Charlick, they attacked us under orders from their master the Calamar "Seeker Lodoth Sqir" and they came from the Void Cruiser "Significant Lack of Opposition".
We suggest that if the Kimash or the Calamar want something from us the best way to do this is to offer us money - we are mercenaries after all.
We re-iterate that we don't have J'anthro L'roi and return the splinge to him at which time the guard teleports away.
Vychan - Enchant Armor (which the Kimash had on) doesn't work in close. Pent - True - only if you are really close i.e. inside their armor. Much to our surprise the guard reappears but his time he is the mouthpiece for his superior (possessed?).
Prince Charlick wants the shaper J'anthro L'roi, or alternatively his current location. He is not seeking J'anthro L'roi's friendship and would not return him to us afterward in a resurrectable state (Prince Charlick doesn't sound like a nice guy) - actually they want J'anthro L'roi as their captive - probably permanently.
Alternatively if we wanted to work for them we could cause the "Shaman of the Damned" to be reborn (Currently a Lich named Lord Arendale), we weren't really that keen.
Last job they wanted done was to get one of the Five Dragons on the Isles of Freedom to leave it.
Finally we negotiated for the return (and reinstatement) of Lucius's heart for 100 guineas.
Then the lizard left us again.Visit the Inquissitors
We returned to the hole where the Dragon Roche used to be (the Calamar already knew we were there previously) and descended the stairs. Part of the way down the stairs continued and we realised that we had been magically transported (also our crystal ball we were using to keep and eye on the surface cut out).
We were greeted by eight people in monk habits that said their master J'anthro L'roi was expecting us - they took us into this magical library were J'anthro L'roi was sitting.
We asked him about the original muse of the Hero Kesrin.
He wasn't certain but suggested there were only really two choices:- Kesrin's original wife (some 32,000 years ago) from the Scarlet scorpion clan.
- Jiall-en-tielle (of the Jade Dragon clan) - Foras's wife who Kesrin apparently had a torrid affair with.
He didn't know of the current location of either of them or what happened to them.
We also asked J'anthro L'roi where Roche was and he said he didn't know although he thought Roche's current great work is being constructed off to the east somewhere.
He also said the Calamar are trying to interfere on this plane and that he (J'anthro L'roi) was the key to remove some of the greater powers.
He also suggested that Lucius learn some elvish history:"Seek the first Drow"
I am a little confused about this but it appears that the Drow that appeared during the War of Tears we simply copying the earlier "Drow". Apparently Roche knows more about them.
Finally - for the day, we left and flew back to Elfenburg and spent the night there.3rd Thaw 808
Elfenburg
We resolve to attempt to track down the genealogies of Jiall-en-tielle (Foras's wife) for some clue as to her whereabouts.
Additionally we should visit the Elvish capital of Eidolon which is the last known location of the Dragon Roche and ask of him.
Immediate problem is that Lucius is not on good terms with the royal court (he is protector of a renegade province to which they sent an army to subdue - even though they paid their taxes - and the army just vanished) so she thinks that heading into Eidolon is not a good idea.
We decide to go to the local library instead and see how that goes.
At the door we are asked to check in our weapons (they have had some problems with violence and Calamar). Vychan mentions he is banned from most libraries so the guards will not let him in. He is left with all of our armaments and we are introduced to the librarian A'Salt who is the "Master of Names".
He explained that every clan has a book of genealogies (called a litany) which records all elvish relationships related to that clan. This is usually held by the clan head.
As Jiall-en-tielle married outside of her clan there will be reference to her in two litanies.
Foras was the head of clan Leaping Tiger.
We also asked them for any records or pictures of Kesrin in search of clues.
They only found two pictures:
- The first was a seven foot high oil painting, Kesrin was in the foreground wearing his armor, carrying his sword and shield. Behind him were his two retainers - his Master of Horse and his Shield Arm (who actually turned traitor against him some 32,000 years ago).
- The second was a locket containing a picture of a very young Kesrin. It had the inscription "To my son Kesrin".
We then discuss going to Eidolon but decide to send a courier instead to enquire after the Dragon Roche. We are told that this will take a couple of days.
The courier is sent, and then we spend the afternoon organising transport to Lalhaudh as Lucius believes we might be able to get some further information there.4th Thaw 808
Lalhaudh
We flew to Lalhaudh to see the Dragon of Secrets who owed a secret to Lucius.
We asked "Where exactly is Kesrin's muse?" and the Dragon answered:The muse is in the Room of Traps in the Temple of the First Drow.
Of course now all we have to do is find this temple - at least we know it is somewhere on Alusia.
Also we tried to contact Shan Meze - the old Elven god of Magic but they didn't answer us.
In the afternoon we flew back to Elfenburg to wait for news from our courier.5th Thaw 808
About midday the courier returned to Elfenburg with the news that they didn't know where the Dragon Roche was in Eidolon but he was wanted for stealing the litany of the Leaping Tiger clan.
Next we took the slow portal back to the Guild and there tried to investigate the location of the temple to the First Drow (or Drow God?).
Alas there was no information - although Roche did involve himself in a guild attack on a temple in Northern Brastor.
There were no scribe notes which were intelligible.So our next step was to head to the Isles of Freedom, attempt to see Kesrin as well as look out for any more news on the Dragon Roche or the Temple to the First Drow.
The marbled elf ad been transported by the Dragon Chaaff to Elpidius Viridius who then guided through a portal (that arrives in the Filgiso Forest). Elpidius Viridius says it is a few weeks walk / ride / sail to get to the stone elves camp (and Kesrin) but we think it would be a day or two's flight.
We talk to Seir
Our last approach on information gathering is to try and talk to Seir (I knew him as Astronia some 32,000 years ago) and ask him our three questions. Vychan isn't sure what Seir thinks of him at the moment (as the world seems to mostly have forgotten Vychan).
We get Razor to give it a go.First a little air elemental turns up and as it seems to be a representative of Seir we ask it our three questions:
- Where is the Temple of the 1st Drow?
- Where is Jiall-en-tielle (Foras's wife)?
- Where is the Dragon Roche?
The little air elemental disappeared and Seir himself turned up.
For some reason the others got me to talk to him and other than possibly getting Vychan in trouble I don't think we ended up any different from when we started. However Seir seemed to learn a lot from us.To our three questions he said:
- Temple of the 1st Drow - All sought it before they became what they did (also described it as the "Grail" - immortality).
- Jiall-en-tielle - I don't know.
- Roche - I didn't know he was back - at which point he vanished leaving a few pearls.
To the Isles
We left that night for the Isles of Freedom, so we would arrive in the morning.
First we had to go to the Filgiso Forest where we were escorted to the portal which was inside a cave.
This took us to another chamber. As we were leaving we saw a Dragons hoard of gold and shells about twenty five feet across and three feet deep - obviously for sleeping on. Outside of this was the mountain in the Isles of Freedom.Night was over and it was morning.
6th Thaw 808
We flew west over the desert avoiding any settlements.
It is very hot - actually it is cooler flying than being on the ground and we flew for about ten hours before stopping to camp on the edge of the jungle.7th Thaw 808
We meet Kesrin
We flew all morning until we found the area the stone elves were in. Then we landed on the beach.
Actually Lucius crashed into the sea and couldn't seem to swim and Verity's dog pulled him out (even though the water wasn't deep enough to be over his head).
A short walk to the north brought us to the stone elves camp.
Actually it is a very boring camp because all the stone elves do is just stand around, they don't have tents or fires because they done eat or sleep.
Kesrin has a tent that is fifteen feet across.
He is sleeping inside and his tent is a slovenly mess - as is Kesrin himself. All of his muscle is turning to fat at a greatly increased rate and he is covered in ornate tattoos.
His armour, sword and shield are hanging up in the tent.Human the Fool is zapped by lightening when he touches the armour.
Verity reveals that Kesrin is connected to two powers Foras and an "Ancient Gargantuan Horror".
Kesrin doesn't respond to us or our questions at all except when we mention Jiall-en-tielle when his eyes give a flicker.Verity laid her healing hands upon Kesrin in an attempt to cure him and he became briefly lucid.
"Help Me. The Dark one has me. I must recover. Keep my ...."
And then his eyes glazed back over and he became unresponsive again.
We spoke to the marbled elves a bit about what was happening.
They told us that they have to stay with the hero (they as the main group – a few can leave), if they do not it would violate the geas and they would probably die.Kesrin can be coaxed into moving a little and they have been making about half a mile a day (at that rate I think it will take about four years to cross the island).
Kesrin is very much more vulnerable in his current state and not up to fighting the darkness.
They don't really know where they need to go but "feel" that it is to the east.
(We consider trying to triangulate the location of their destination but realise that it will be hard due to the inaccuracy of the "feeling" of the direction to go – we estimate this would take a week at least).If we had a cure for Kesrin they could divert to another location for that cure (as that would almost certainly be quicker than four years of walking).
After much arguing and looking blankly at each other we thought we should try and contact the local. The only places we knew they might be were days of flight away. Chaaff (the water dragon) had greeted the elves on the beach and we thought he might know either:
- Where Roche was.
- Details on the Ancient Gargantuan Horror from under the sea.
Having no way of contacting him we got Vychan to go down to the beach and call out Chaaff's name under the water. This didn't work (good for laughs though).
The only other proven way of contacting the was via attempting to contact other powers (e.g. Call Master) however this tended to upset them a bit.
So we got Human to do it. He vanished for a minute and said he saw a copper coloured Dragon – Ijel. He said to Human he shouldn't call his Master on the Islands but other than that was very helpful – he told Human that:
- Roche would contact us once we cured the Hero Kesrin.
- What we sought was not on the island.
- His brother would come to help us.
We try one more thing that evening. Vychan puts a amulet that prevents you from being possessed on Kesrin. No apparent effect.
Back to the Guild - Suddenly
That evening after dinner we heard a leathery flapping of wings down by the beach so we grabbed all our things and ran down there.
Whilst running that way we saw a ball of fire flying towards us and it exploded around us and we appeared back at the Guild.Vychan – Oh yeah, that's how they help you travel
Not sorry for getting him to stick his head under water any more!
8th Thaw 808
The Temple of the First Drow
We went back to the Guild library and looked up the temple of the Temple of the Drow God.
Also I had a talk to Father Broc and Logan who we involved in the expedition to it.
More and more it sounded like the place we had to go.Some pertinent points about the Temple.
- It was built by the dragon Roche.
- The stone dragon guardians at the door would obliterate "Evil" people.
- The dragon statue in the first room breathed fire that removed curses, blessings and objects of malign intent and placed them in an antechamber (the only way out was past the dragon statue again so any items would be sent back to the antechamber).
- Past that was a Banner room with one hundred and forty four skinned elves (icky).
- Next was a room with another dragon sculpture which will trigger if anyone in the room CAN speak Drow.
We get some key phases written on flash cards in Drow, Draconic and Ancient Elven – mainly Jiall-en-tielle's name.
We ask for a "Limited precog" at the guild to be cast on our behalf to show what would happen if all of us went into the temple.
I shows Human being obliterated by the door guardians.Also Vychan has too many curses/blessings to risk them being removed – so the two of them can stay outside the temple and guard any items we have of demonic or malign origin.
We also decide to sleep through the day (as we are a little portal lagged) and fly tonight.
Just after dusk Verity danced for us and we were most encouraged.
Then we flew in the early evening towards the Temple. Once we were within fifty odd miles of where it was supposed to be we saw a glow on the ground in the distance. As we approached it became obvious that this was the Temple in a excavated quarry about a mile across.
We landed about an hour and a half before midnight and there is no sign of any undead – The light hurts Vychan a little so it might be undead repelling too.
Human thought it was a good idea to put the stone elves through the Temple to see if it removed the geas.
Vychan and Human stay outside and the rest of us venture in past the outer guardians into the room with the fire breathing dragon statue. It breathed fire on us and Verity lost one blessing (which was due to run out in a couple of days.
There were three doors out of this room:
- One went down some short stairs to a small altar which had offerings on it (they turned out to be stone? Like fruit made of stone).
- One went into a small antechamber room – where the evil objects were stored.
- The last large door led into the banner room.
We went into the banner room.
In here were six rows of twenty four "frames" each with the skin of a single elf on it, there was a massive variety of ages and sexes.
If you remove a frame (they were arranged on metal poles like "banners") from its hole a spirit appears and starts screaming in agony.
If you try to take a frame out of the room a magical wall stops you at the doorway.I tried putting on my iron circlet (that lets me see into the spirit world) but it was too overwhelming. Too much screaming and suffering.
The skins on the frames were D.A.ed and they came back as aura strength "Avatar" and Generic True Name "Elf". We also established that every single one of them was skinned around forty six thousand years ago.
Also it appears that all identifying marks (tattoos, birth marks etc) have been removed from the skins to make them almost indistinguishable.This means that none of them are Jiall-en-tielle (so she must be somewhere else here.
We report all of this back to Vychan and Human – Human says:
Somebody really held a grudge.
Hmm – This place was built by Roche, so it might be him and one of the things we want to do is undo a geas he placed on the stone elves. I hope he isn't miffed.
We went back past the banner room into the room with the dragon sculpture that is triggered if you CAN speak Drow (don't know what it does then though?).
None of us do so we are fine.Around this room are a set of pictures that tell the story of the first Drow.
Basically he invented a new language – Drow and then killed of two and a half million innocent elves to gain power for himself and his family. Lots of power. The old Dragons put him down and trapped him and all his family here until his power waned enough for him to be destroyed (which happened a couple of years ago).In fact in a small room off this chamber there are the chains that used to hold him.
Also there are the remnants of rune sticks that were used by a previous party to rune portal out.But no Jiall-en-tielle.
Verity had a very good idea.
Maybe Jiall-en-tielle is in the antechamber – perhaps her soul is trapped in an evil object so she is stuck in there.
We resolve to search there next.
We went into the little side annex (could this be the room of traps?). It looked for all the like a little Michaeline temple with a altar, pews, plain wall hangings and a little table with a few artefacts on it.
We D.A.'ed each object on the table asking:
Does this item contain the soul of Jiall-en-tielle.
The book came back with an answer of "Yes" (also the book's cover and binding were made of Elf skin) and inscribed with runes of blood. Also we found that the book "Might" suck our souls in as well and it was made by some "Dark" "Inquisitorial" "Lunatic" person.
Lucius carefully TK'ed the book open and we discovered that there were twenty pages. I looked at the souls in the book and saw there were a mixture of "White" (3), "Grey" (5) and "Black" (12) souls in the book.
Lucius TK the book open page by page: The first page had a picture of an old elven lady - she was dressed in archaic clothes. I identified here as one of the "White" souls. The second page had a male elf - again ancient dressed. "Grey" this time. Third was another male elf. "White". Fourth was a young female elf which turned out to be Jiall-en-tielle. "Grey".
Touching the front of the page allowed you access to the souls memories, however the souls memories would try to take you over temporarily if you were not really for it.
We talked about taking some of the other evil items and thought it might be too dangerous.
On the altar was a cup filled with an "Immortality" liquid.
Michael touched the cup and liquid started gushing out and filling the room (after the door behind us slammed shut).
Quickly I guess that the water would drain out near the roof somewhere and saw the hole - then I walled up the cup and the drain so we would be safe. The walled up area filled with water and then drained, triggering a release mechanism that emptied the room and opened the door - ta da.
Suddenly remembering this room is called "The Room of Traps" we checked around for traps and found tones of them (the altar, pews, table, drapes) - we decide to touch as little as possible.
Lucius TK's the book into a sack and Verity picks it up, she is briefly taken over but regains control of herself. As she is going to have to teleport out of here and fly back to the guild we spend a couple of hours practicing with the book so Verity has more control. Then we head back to the Guild.
Back there they divinate the book whilst we rest. Basically the book is a device for swapping souls in and out of bodies, whilst a soul is in the book you can access it's memories by touching the page that contains it. If you look at the back of a page that contains a soul you are sucked into the page (the front of which then looks like you) and whichever soul that was in the book goes into your body.
In the early days of the War of Tears Jiall-en-tielle was invited by a bard to look at the book.
Other revelations were that she had a child with Kesrin, Sheral - who Foras believes is his. He was four when Jiall-en-tielle was trapped in the book.
9th Thaw 808
Slept the rest of the day after the all night temple investigation.
10th Thaw 808
At Guild recovery and library investigations. Verity studies Jiall-en-tielle in the book in the hope of being able to fake her (if she doesn't have a magical link with Kesrin)
11th Thaw 808
Library investigations and portaled that night to the Isles of Freedom.
12th Thaw 808
Back to the Isles
Arrived Isles of Freedom. Flew all day across the desert and camped on our edge of jungle ridge top.
13th Thaw 808
Arrived at the stone elves camp (it has moved about 2 miles - very slow going.)
We checked in on Kesrin - he actually looked fatter and worse. Verity put on the likeness of Jiall-en-tielle and approached him and he held his hand out briefly before slumping into lethargy again. We had Kesrin touch the page of Jiall-en-tielle and the communed a little but it didn't break him out.
We move out of the tent a little (but clearly not enough) and decide to try to temporarily release Jiall-en-tielle to talk to her. Lucius volunteered to swap with Jiall-en-tielle (I think he wrongly feared some party members would force this upon some unsuspecting person but almost all of us would never have let this happen), he also thought that tying himself up would just frighten Jiall-en-tielle. We at least convinced him to take off his armor, put aside his weapons and have some cold iron on.
Well that was pretty disastrous. When Jiall-en-tielle took over Lucius body she said:
Where am I? My love is here.
Then she ignored everything we tried to say and headed towards him, talking, restraining, sleeping, sapping didn't work. She picked up Vychan and was only stopped when we put a wall of stone around her.
Then we heard a booming as something started striking the wall of stone from the other side - yes Kesrin had came to rescue her. Just before he broke through the wall we let her go an stood back, when the touched there was a flash of white light and Lucius's body vanished, to be replaced with Jiall-en-tielle's
Kesrin looked back to normal as well (Heroic) and they went back into his tent and the sounds of passion wafted forth.
And all we had was a book with a picture of Lucius in it. What's worse it wasn't Lucius's first time trapped in a book like this.
Roche was supposed to be turning up now we cured Kesrin so we looked around for him in vain. That evening (Kesrin and Jiall-en-tielle were still at it) Lotus Blossom said Roche had spoken to him in his head and we could met him at Vidal's home (basically on the other side of the Island).
14th Thaw 808
Struck Down from the Sky
The next morning we fly off towards Vidal's. About five hours into the flight we hear some "Thunderclaps" occurring nearby. Slightly confused we continue on and Verity and Human the Fool are killed by Whirlwind vortex. We land and nothing else happens.
Verity and Human the Fool come back to life (via magical potions).
Vychan remembers (NOW) about the no fly zone in the middle of the island - but he thought a previous party had arranged for safe passage for flying people now. Something about hostile air shamans.
Despite Human the Fool's desire to hunt down these shamans for revenge ( a bit of a problem as we didn't see them, don't know where they are, and are in the middle of a jungle) we decide to go "around" the danger area (which might be up to 80% of the island) and fly or sail around the coast. To this end we walk south-west (directly away from the centre of the island) and then fly following a river down the coast.
15th Thaw 808
We fly along the southern coast of the island, past a enormous whirlpool (named the Kota Drift on the map) and land and camp on a peninsula on the south coast.
Next we fly to Setagen - this city is on a volcanic island and is apparently mostly made from volcanic glass. It is also a big trading city and we stay at a Inn called "The Docksider"
16th Thaw 808
We Meet Vidal
Next day we caught the fast packet ship up to Pasir, the regional capital Actually we missed the six a.m. ship and caught the midday one - it takes five to six hours.
That evening we reached Pasir but immediately flew up the valley to Vidal's. Vychan warned us that there is "forgetting" water up at Vidal's but he couldn't remember exactly where it was (so we take our own supplies).
Vidal lives in a Ossuary (lots of bones), as we approach Vychan says he can see a beam of light coming out of the top of the building, Verity reckons there are souls in this beam.
The door is answered by a six foot tall black human with lots of gold jewellery (Vidal).
He says Roche told him some information and in return for that he would answer one question of us each, of that information. Apparently this is how Vidal operates - he is a trader in information.
We thought up some questions:
- How do we release the stone elves from their geas and return them to being normal elves?
- Where and what is the darkness Kesrin seeks to fight?
- What and where is the great work that Roche is currently building?
- Why did Roche take the Litany of Leaping Tiger from Eidolon?
- Is the darkness Kesrin is facing his last one?
Answers:
- "Take them to the 'End of the World' - When the dawns sunlight comes through to the end of the world they will be cured. Vidal doesn't know where "The end of the World" is but it is mythically on the Isles of Freedom somewhere.
- Vidal won't answer "What is the Darkness" but the where is Plateau of Decay (apparently Lord Arrindale is no longer there).
- Roche's project is to assist the healing of a house spirit harmed by another guild party.
- Roche believes that Foras suspects his line is not pure, and thus he may wage war on Kesrin's descendents.
- It is the beginning and end, it is the darkness and light, it is the only darkness.
He is reasonable with his answers, and we don't need to worry about accidental or incidental questions.
We also discovered a little more information. The Black Dragon (Larth) is the one that travels places to transport people. The air shaman hates Roche. We should find Chaaff to try and fix Lucius.
We have one remaining question, but we may use it later and because of the good standing of the guild, it can be about anything. If we wish, we can also give him information to for further questions.
Verity wonders whether he is interested in anything she knows from Jiall-en-tielle's memories. After a private conversation he says that he would like the whole book. While no specific deal is made, with a ritual of blood drinking he gives her the ability to carry the book without disturbance. This ability is not permanent because "he didn't take anything in return"
Normally such momentous and heroic occurrences happen on auspicious dates, there is one some 17 days in the future - The End of the month of "Worlds Edge"
We are also told by Vidal to:
Scout the way - find the fork in Kesrin's path where the stone ones must diverge to be release from the geas.
He also tells us that the air shaman's area of control stretches over a six hundred to seven hundred miles across area centred on Mt Biraja.
Lastly we ask how to find Chaaff to try and fix Lucius. Vidal says he can summon him here and he would arrive in a few hours (we think this is a good idea).
Chaaff turns up as a six foot tall human in blue scale mail armor. He tells us that he has a body that would sufice Lucius. Chaaff leaves (we hear the flapping of leathery wings) and a little while later returns with a human gibbering idiot. The Isles of Freedom here have driven him insane and having his soul in a page would be a blessing for him. We hold the page with Lucius in it and the gibbering idiots soul is put into the page. Lucius's soul is put into the human body (Lucius was an elf). Chaaff says that a Namer ritual (True Form) could turn Lucius back into an Elf.
Final note - the forgetting water is the water in the lake near the temples - do not drink.
17th Thaw 808
Next we flew down to the "Plateau of Decay". It is a near perfect circle some 3 miles across and half a mile high with a tall tower at the centre. Here also there is quite a lot of black obsidian around. We traveled around the base of it and finally realised that there is no easy way to climb up. On the top is a strange jungle - actually it is more like a beech forest up there - remarkably little undergrowth.
Two other points about this charming place. Just being here is like an undead slowly draining you (1 point per half hour) and it is also a Earth Druidic place of power. Also there seems to be a lack of bugs and small animals - making it quite pleasant if you are immune to draining. We walk for an hour and a half to the middle. On the way we saw a large spider run up a tree (this is odd because a) there are no other small animals on the plateau and b) there are no spiders on the Isles of Freedom). Other than the Spider demon says Vychan. We are much more watchful after that.
We reached the tower with no further spider sightings. The jungle canopy goes right up to the tower (it is about a hundred to a hundred fifty feet tall here) and the tower pokes some fifty odd feet out of the canopy. The tower has a single human sized door which is open.
The tower has no aura but is aligned with powers ancient, chaotic, and decay. Peeking in the open door we see spiral stairs going both up and down (a fork in the road?).
Outside in the jungle Vychan summoned a supposedly friendly earth elemental that thumped me. So he got rid of that one and got a MORE friendly one which seemed to be covered in Kryonite dust. This one told us there was a large cavern under the tower that used to be where they mined the Kryonite. He also mentioned that the end of the world was down there. The elemental couldn't tell what was at the top of the tower but undernieth there were siz levels of undergroup complex ranging from the ex-quarters of Lord Arrindale at the top through to the mines at the bottom. Also it mentioned there was a large spider to the north and many other spiders elsewhere on the island.
Finally the stone elves were moving this way and would be here in a fortnight.
We decide to move on down and report to the queen prior to getting to involved with the tower and mine.
We follow the river south (flying) to a small town. To avoid upsetting them (by our use of magic) we land well out of town then float closer (on a block of ice), finally walking the last short distance.
Alas no one seems to want to talk to us (or can) in town and we look around for an Inn. There doesn't seem to be anything like it and after some vigorous gesturing we are directed to a temple.
Outside the temple is a statue with three people sitting back to back with their legs crossed. In front of the statue is an altar and offerings. Also the temple has a light coming out of the top of it like the Ossuary Vidal lives in.
A priestly like monk gives us a sleeping roll and speaks to us in Lunar. He asks us to help out a little for our lodging.
He also tells us the town is called "Kendingen" and the statue is of "Blalli". We help out in the kitchen (not slaying monsters that threaten the town as is normal) then sleep the night.
19th Thaw 808
Message for the Queen
Next morning we fly on down to the capital (carefully flying high and avoiding villages or towns to not scare the locals).
Outside the capital we landed in some of the wet fields (invisible) and frightened a few peasants. We quickly left the area and went into the city and headed for the palace. Verity and I got a rickshaw and everyone else walked.
When we got to the palace we asked to see the Queen and instead got to see Elpidius Viridius again. He took our report with very little reaction.
He also said we could stay at the palace tonight (beds and baths) and showed us a place we could take off from on our magical wings. Also we could use the basic palace facilities (not including in the Eunuchs.)
Pent - What would you want Eunuchs for? Verity - For a change?
20th Thaw 808
Into the Mines
The next day we take off from the secret spot at the palace and fly back north to the Plateau of Decay.
We landed at the base of the tower and prepared to go in. Michael had to put witchsight on the elf (Lucius) so he could see in the dark.
We go down the stairs which spiral down a long way.
At the first opening down the stairs (Lord Arrindale's) there is a huge ward over the entrance (DA's as Exsanguination) and wizard eye cannot penetrate it for a look around either. As we really want to find "The End of the World" at this seemed to be at the bottom we went past the first five levels and walked all the way to the bottom.
When the stairs ran out there was a large opening in the outside wall that lead into a huge cavern and a set of large doors straight ahead.
The large stone doors were covered in runic script. We did three DA's on them
- Method to Open - Push
- Nature of Magic - Defense
- Is this the End of the World - No Answer
Vychan also said that this was an earth place of power.
Looking back into the huge cavern we saw that there were a large number of matching holes in the floor and ceiling - these used to have columns in them which a previous party had destroyed (via playing a flute in the room beyond the stone doors) in an attempt to collapse the mine (obviously didn't work). Also we noted that the holes in the floor went very deep and were possibly bottomless.
Perhaps the columns were not holding the roof up but had some other purpose - I am reminded of being inside a huge machine.
We pushed open the doors and went into the next room. This room's floor was covered in kryonite dust (the flute had destroyed a crystal in the centre of the room) and also had a hole in the floor in the middle - this was unexpected and had not been mentioned by any prior scribes. Peering down the hole we see it goes thirty to forty feet down then opens up into a corridor.
Lucius sends down a wizard eye and he sees a long corridor that runs off to the north and slopes down a little.
So we climbed down on ropes, Vychan - with his practiced eye, said the tunneled was proberly created by spriggins (and no he did not have the item that enrages spriggins on him).1 mile of walking later and we emerge into the sunlight (on a warm summers day) at the base of a burial mound. D.A. shows the plane to be "Galacia" - we changed planes just inside the tunnel.
This place looks like a strange mini-plane as there is mist in all directions a couple of miles away. An it doesn't appear to have a north.
The burial mound is twenty five feet high and three hundred feet across. We walk around the base before going up to the top. On one side is a river and a lake and on the other is a forest.
On top there are five rings of standing stones, most of which are broken or shattered (possibly by earthquake). The innermost ring has sixteen stones in a ring. There is a tingle as you walk around amongst
them.
This looks kind of familiar to me - have I been somewhere like this before? Verity hypnotised me so I could remember. I recall a similar place of spirits from years ago. There were three rings not five and a big "darkness" intruding on one side. The stones contained spirits of gods (or aspects of nature) and you could commune with them by close contact (hugging).
It is high mana here and Vychan summons an earth elemental which told us a number of things:
- There is no-one else here.
- The tunnel we came in is the only hollow in the burial mound.
- At the edge of the plane (which is close) is the firmament.
The spirits used to hold spirits but they are gone now - only a lingering echo remains.
We also walked out the mists for a look but found nothing.
Lucius went back down the tunnel towards Allusiaand heard martial sounds, he ran back to us and we crept down towards them. After a while Verity heard voices talking in the local tongue, they were having conversations about the quality of the new weapons.
We prepared an ambush for about a dozen mutant dwarves?? Except a bunch (say another dozen) "Fae Wraiths" came out of the walls at us and attacked and drained us.
Michael and I killed most of the Fae Wraiths Verity froze some and the rest hurt a couple. Also Verity incinerated the dwarves.
Picking up the pieces after a few of them ran away we found:
- Three dwarvern partial plate (magical - Nature protection).
- Three magical pick axes.
Appendix
A - Individuals we Met or Heard about
- A'Salt - Master of Names and librarian in Elfenburg.
- Kesrin - Elvish hero from pre War of Tears. Currently on Alusia to fight the great coming darkness and accompanied by 4,998 elves made of stone.
- J'anthro L'roi - Inquisitor and Shaper, founder of the new order of Kohath - a neutral set of arbitrators and negotiators who seek justice.
- Jiall-en-tielle - Foras's wife and former lover of Kesrin. We suspect he is her Muse.
- Lotus Blossom - One of the 4,998 elves made of stone that was transported through time to assist the hero Kesrin.
- Prince Charlich - Leader of the Kimash.
- Seeker Lodoth Sqir - Calamar and leader of the expedition.
- Significant Lack of Opposition - Void Cruisers are people too.
B - Locations we Went
- D'arbres - See D'arbres The party went here to investigate the Hero Kesrin's tomb and to look at where the Dragon Roche was. Also they sought out the inquisitors for assistance.
C - Old Clans
- Leaping Tiger - Members - Foras (clan head), Astronia (Seir).
- Scarlet Chrysanthemum - Members - Kesrin.
- Red Scorpion - Members - Kesrin's original wife (some 32,000 years ago).
- Jade Dragon - Members - Jiall-en-tielle
D - Loot we acquired or expenses we incurred
- 100,000 sp plus (none of us are pearl merchants) in black pearls as pay from Stone elves.
- (25,200) sp to recover Lucius's heart (and put it back in his chest).
- 300 sp pearls from Seir.
- (400) sp for a Limited Precognitive Vision to show Human the Fool being obliterated.
- (2,000) sp for Bat wings to get us to the Temple of the first Drow.
- (84) sp Docksider Inn for night.
- (147) sp Midday packet ship to Capital Pasir.
- Three dwarvern partial plate (magical - Nature protection).
- Three magical pick axes.
