The Rainbow Gates
Summary
GM Dean
Session Spring 810 wk
Night Tuesday
Location Onehunga
Level Low
- Summary
- Find the Alusian end of the Rainbow Gates
- Party
- Athos - Dwarven (m) Warrior played by Martin Mil Sci
- Lyric - Dwarven (f) E&E played by Michelle
- Rahne - Human (f) Warrior E&E played by Stephen Scribe, Leader
Scissors (GM Info) is a Male Elven Wiccan Thief played by Struan
- Tsayoi - Giant (m) Warrior Fire Mage played by Chris
- Arandor - Elven (m) Warrior Mind Mage, played by Phil 2nd Mil Sci
- Imri - Elven (f) Celestial played by Rosemary
- Pay
- Gold/Trade Goods equivalent to 2,000sp each per Mull explored
Scribe Notes
Searching Seagate
Green through rainbow gates
Friends old and new discover doors
That are already known
- Duesday 1st Thaw 810wk
We meet up at the guild meeting, some of us have not adventured for several years. Introductions, reunions, appointing roles.
Our employer Albrecht Mendel is goblin like but not exactly the same. Short (2'8"), bright green skin, orange beard, good quality ostentatious clothes. His staff has a dragon statuette (Aracrom) at the top that is alive in some fashion.
He is familiar with planar gates (called Mulls) and his world has legends (from about 40,000 years ago) of Rainbow Gates which led to Alusia. The Rainbow Gate in his home city has just revealed itself and activated, Albrecht was sent through with two warriors to scout the other side. They emerged beside a waterfall in a beautiful place (Ildrisholm), all seemed well and as expected the portal closed behind them. Then the tentacles emerged from the river to grab them, they ran, Fae creatures appeared, they ran, undead attacked and drained them (Dark Circle draining), they ran. After a day of running they were found in Brastor by guards who sent them to the guild. Albrecht's guards were badly drained and are being healed, this will take a while.
Albrecht would like us to secure passage back through the portal they came through. He would also like to find and explore any other Rainbow Gates, he thinks there should be several others in this area, they would lead to other parts of his world.
Rainbow Gates are most likely to be found at places of magic and water, especially waterfalls.
We request information from the guild library about Ildrisholm and any other places of magic and water in the area. While they are gathering that for us we hire a cart and ride into Seagate to check out the portals Aracrom can sense there.
In short, we spend the afternoon finding a lot of planar portals that the guild already knew of. Detail of portals in reference info.
- W'nsday 2nd Thaw 810wk
Setting out at dawn we sail/fly south to Regar's Keep, then follow the trail SSW then north-west until we reach The Ruby Waters about 11am. On the way bearings on other portals confirm that one of them is at or near Tiana Falls. We land on one of the bigger lakes and sail into the shore.
Ruby Waters
Water springs from mull depths
Rescuers sail to troubled carts
As bats to giant flame
Albrecht tells us the portal is below us near the centre of the lake but it will take a few hours for Anacrom and him to divine more. While Imri and Albrecht's boats will last that time, the rest of us would soon be involuntarily joining Tsayoi for a swim.
Leaving Imrim and Tsayoi to guard Albrecht, Athos gives the rest of us basic sailing instruction, Scissors provides a favourable wind, and we make for the eastern shore where we can see boats on the shore.
I negotiate with Thorn to borrow some boats to complete our investigation, in return we will fly back down the path to ascertain what happened to their 9-day overdue supply carts. The Warder reveals himself once our peaceful intentions are revealed, he even graces us with a nod.
After sailing back out we watch, swim, and fish until Albrecht is finished then return to shore for a fine lunch of freshly cooked fish.
Imri has a nap while we talk with Thorn and Albrecht tells us what he divined. The portal he can sense is a mull but not a rainbow gate, it is about 1,000 feet deep and seems to be partly open to a place of water and healing. He doesn't think we could go through in its current state but he could probably open it wider if we wish. After consulting with Thorn, I decline and request the portal is left as is until we have opportunity to descend to those depths and find out more.
By 4pm Imri is sufficiently rested and refreshed that she can provide new star boats and protective coruscation. One of Thorn's companions provides Lesser Enchantment and Endurance of Stone for us. Tasyoi takes the opportunity to set himself on fire. We fly to Lyr's Crossing, Arandor confirms that the carts successfully forded the Unicorn River one to two weeks ago and continued on the trail towards the Ruby Waters, we follow the tracks to the edge of the woods then stop for Tsayoi to douse himself before we go in. His magic goes awry and Tsayoi's flame increases out of his control, burning some of us.
We retire to the ford and rest for a couple of hours until Tsayoi burns out. After dinner we get back to the edge of the forest about 8:30pm. Scissors and I make the party Unseen, Imri provides Witchsight for those of us who need it and we venture in. Following the trail for about three hours we come to a small clearing that is obviously used as a regular camp site. Arandor informs us that the carts did not leave this camp, scouting around the perimeter he is ambushed by giant bats, paying little heed to the half dozen bats trying to feed on him he walks back to inform us of his findings. Combat ensues as more bats swarm in.
Imri traps her bats in a net of starlight but she and Scissors are badly poisoned by the end of the fight and struggle to remain standing; Athos deals to his assailants then protects Lyric so she can quicken us; Tsayoi blinds himself then succeeds in setting himself alight, burning his bats and anyone else who comes close enough; Arandor stoically kills or burns all of his bats; Lyric and Athos are assaulted by darts from someone hidden behind us, they charge; I finally free myself of bats and join the charge but our assailant has fled.
I am ashamed that my mighty fire magic is proving so disruptive and unreliable - making me unable to assist my party well
I will strive for future excellence in this matter so as to bring honour to my name and that of my clan
Tsayoi
Falls of Valusha
Dwarves mute springs thunder
Neptune's mist hides scholar's heart
Hence through Rainbow Gate
Imri and Scissors drink Waters of Healing to clear the poisons. We pull the two carts out of where they are concealed and set them as two flanks for our camp site. DA's of the bat bodies and the thrown darts (poisoned quills) identify our attackers as a Were-bat & Giant Vampire Bats. Athos is concerned that Lyric's injury from the were-bat may lead to her becoming the same, so we send Lyric with Arandor as guard and guide to fly back to the Ruby Waters and seek immediate healing.
Albrecht emerges from a toadstool he had folded himself into when the fracas started.
Then with watches set, we sleep the few hours left in the night.
- Th'rsday 3rd Thaw 810wk
Albrecht summons/creates a 'forest guardian' about the size of Athos which slowly pulls one cart while Tasyoi pulls the other, the rest of us push as we set out for the Ruby Waters. It is not long before we realise that all those wounded by the bats are suffering infection, Imri and Scissors more than the rest of us. Imri casts her healing to cure the infection and we continue. Three hours later we are met on the road by Lyric, Arandor, and some healers from the Elven camp. They finish cleansing the infections and toxins from us then one of them summons an Earth (loam) Elemental to relieve Tsayoi. Another five hours and we reach the Ruby Waters again where we rest, eat, and sleep the rest of the day and night away.
- Frysday 4th Thaw 810wk
Pre-dawn we rise, purify, cast our spells in the high mana. Thorn and his people provide us with some protective and enhancement magic to aid our venture. Setting off at dawn we fly/sail south east for just over two hours towards the Superstition Mountains and the head of the Thunder River. Anacrom confirms his gate detections, there is one in the direction of the Vale of Tears, the one we are heading for seems muted or suppressed, and the other is near the Falls of Valusha. We decide to leave the Dwarves and their gate for later and check out Valusha. An hour later we are in the right area but the top few miles of the river are shrouded in mist. Imri pierces the mist with her spy glass, Anacron refines its directions and we land at the edge of the mist closest to the gate, losing some blood and two of the boats while landing.
We head cautiously into the mist, making our way down to the river. The Gate seems to be near one of the waterfalls a couple of miles down from the head of the river, 50-80' below the rim of the gorge. And the top 10 miles of the river appears to be bound water. On a hunch I try to communicate with the mist, it seems it is enchanted and aware enough to communicate to or through, I negotiate a meeting with the Water Elemental and we are guided through the mist to a safer path down.
The elemental rises out of the river, he is impressively large, he has named himself Neptune. We gift him one of the Ruby Waters of Healing and explain who we are and why we are here. Lord Neptune is concerned there is a portal he does not know about and grants us permission to investigate, he takes us to the appropriate waterfall on a bound wave where Albrecht and Anacron begin their investigation. Meanwhile we chat with Lord Neptune, refresh ourselves and refill our water flasks. Neptune appreciates the magic water but is keen for us to bring him some more books with heroic stories.
Albrecht tells us this is a Rainbow Gate and he can open it, with Neptune's blessing (and protective spells) we do so. Athos, Arandor, and I invisibly step through the portal first and find ourselves on a stone ledge in front of a waterfall overlooking a large lake that is fed by several falls. Athos informs us we are in the mountains one to two miles above sea level. Pausing a moment to ensure there is no immediate harm we return and then lead the rest of the party through to Grymeron.
Grymeron's Dangerous Beauty
Tranquil Lake Beckons
But Dragons and Trolls we Flee
To Closed Dwarven Gates
We cautiously step through, there isn't enough room for all of us to stand on the ledge with our boats so Imri and Tsayoi take to the air and fly circles close to us.
Albrecht looks around and starts trembling, eventually we get him to talk and he reveals that he knows where we are and he knows what lives here.
- We are in the Shibah Mountains and this is Lake Rhinus, it is circular, about 100 miles across. The local inhabitants are all dangerous, they are:
- Sarth Dragons - about 100' long, fast agile fliers.
- Blood Trolls
- Sarska - Sentient, they sound like flying Naga, humanoid top half, snake bodies, with wings.
- Grools - small orcs, still bigger than goblins
- The Denizen In The Lake
- 8-900 miles from Imboo. About 300 miles to get out of the mountains, another three hundred miles through territory claimed by other goblins, then the last 2-300 miles in Imboo territory. The other goblin tribes we'd be passing would be:
- Vladoraggani - they use dark magic
- Etolan - have a reputation as Giant & Troll killers
- The area is High Mana, but it's slow to draw. Pulse casting is impossible, minute casting is hard, it gets easier if we take a few minutes to cast a spell.
- The water from the waterfall and lake is magical, no specific type of magic.
Deciding not to scout, bring a dragon down on ourselves and then have to defend the portal against it for half an hour, we wait and play with the mana until only a few minutes are left before the portal closes. Then Imri and Tsayoi fly to the top of the cliff behind us to look around, there don't appear to be any dragon dens in our immediate vicinity, but there is a rough hut not too far away that looks like Troll architecture (or lack thereof). Dropping back down to the portal we all return to the safety of Alusia.
While we could use this portal to get Albrecht home, if any of the local denizens see us we are almost certainly going to end up as their main meal. We decide to scout the other potential gates to see if any of them are more favourable before we try our luck from this one.
Farewelling Lord Nelson, we fly back the way we came to talk to the Dwarves. Approaching their stronghold with due caution (land a couple of miles down the road and walk in), we stop at the trader's Inn, have some lunch and send a message to the Dwarven leaders. Athos talks to the Dwarven Innkeeper Gard and gets us a good deal on lunch and rooms.
A little while after Lunch, Balg, a Dwarven merchant comes to see us. We explain why we are here and what we want. Access to or any information about the portals is not something he can grant us permission for, he will return to discuss our request with his colleagues, he might have a response for us in the morning.
We variously rest, eat, drink, sing, and dance the afternoon and evening away.
- Reapsday 5th Thaw 810wk
Balg meets us for breakfast then escorts us up the hill to meet with Kaaz, who is willing to talk with us about what we want.
The entry into the stronghold is grandly beautiful while all being militarily practical. As an example, the entry tunnel of bound water that seems to catch and reflect the sunlight could be collapsed to drown and wash away invading hordes, being especially nasty to undead hordes.
Kaaz is a mage of some sort and by the look of his work space a decent Alchemist. In general terms, Kaaz tells us there is a portal nexus that they know about, but the nature and destination of some of the portals is a secret which only a few Dwarves know and is not shared with anyone external. Aracron confirms the portal he detected is one of several gates in the direction of the nexus. We suggest the Dwarves consider whether they will give Albrecht and Aracron access to Divine the portals, asking them to send a message to our guild if they want us to return, then we take our leave.
Back outside by the Inn, Imri casts us new boats and we set sail for the Vale of Tears.
Vale of Tears
The Dark Lord of Tears
Among the Blossoms a Rainbow
To Storm's Darkest Sea
After less than an hour of flight, we openly circle the vale then come in to land on the lake by the mainland jetty. As we come in to land we all hear a voice in our minds warning us to land promptly, most of us are down before the threats are finished.
We wait, a short while later a spectral figure drifts over the lake to us, Imri is certain it is a Wraith. The wraith introduces himself as Jeeves and asks us our business, we explain and he invites us to come and talk to his master. Re-boarding our boats, Jeeves calls a favourable wind and we sail across.
The keep is stark, dark and forbidding, we are led through to a brighter all where 2 people sit to breakfast at a dining table while another stands guard.
- Legion is tall, armed, armoured, and equipped like a senior adventurer, his features manner and eye colour change on a regular basis, but most noticeable is his hair which sticks out in a 6 foot fan around his head.
- Lorto is big, buff, adorned with throwing daggers, and is clearly of the vanity over protection school of armour.
- Camdindel appears the least of them but his age and experience is implied in the effective economy of his words and motions. He seems to adopt an understated manner, presumably to lull his opponents into complacency.
We are invited to dine and then afterwards explain our business. During breakfast Lorto flirts with Imri and I and seems unimpressed that we do not fling ourselves all over him, but he is happier when his talk of wetwork is of interest to some in the party. After we explain why we are here, Camdindel grants permission for us to investigate the portal, but not open it without further permission and negotiating terms. He sends Legion with us to ensure our safety within his lands.
Flying up river to the south end of the vale, we land in the pool at the base of the waterfall. The fields around us are in full bloom with spring flowers, Imri wades through the mud to pick some, Tsayoi fishes, the rest of us wait while Albrecht and Aracron divine the portal. Albrecht is excited when they finish, another Rainbow Gate!
We fly back to the Island-Tower to seek permission to open the portal. Camdindel will grant permission to open the portal provided that we either take 1 or 2 of his people with us or complete a small service for him. We are willing to undertake the service provided it does not delay Albrecht too much, Albrecht is happy enough to take them to Grymeron, though we advise a condition that they do nothing that will bring harm to the Imboo.
With everyone in agreement and Imri dragged away from her fascination with Maelstrom, we return to the waterfall with Legion. Albrect & Aracron open the portal stepping through Athos, Legion and I find ourselves on the shore of a sea in a raging storm. Deciding that this is too fierce to safely travel in we decide to wait and try again in a few hours.
An hour before dusk we try again only to find the storm is worse. Albrecht pulls out a map of the lands around Imboo, there are several seas this could be but we think the most likely is the Sea of Dark Storms. Albrecht doesn't know whether it is always stormy there, but based on the name we may not be able to wait for fair weather.
Once the portal has closed again, we return to the Island-Tower, report our lack of progress, and accept Camdindel's offer of accommodation for the night.
Shadoot Island
Peace within the Storm
Ice Ogre's Cursed Survive
Wasp-Men and Goblins
Lyric and Scissors can't help themselves and go prowling around Camdindel's guest wing, the rest of us settle down for a good night's sleep (interrupted by normal watches).
- Sunday 6th Thaw 810wk
Legion casts his protective magic on us but will stay behind, Maelstrom will accompany us today. Imri creates our ships and we fly to the waterfall again. Albrecht opens the portal and we step through, we are pleasantly surprised to see clear air though the storm bank is only 5 miles away, we quickly call the others through then fly up to look around.
We are on the edge of a (dormant) volcanic island which looks to be about 10 miles across. It turns out the storm has not moved off, nor are we in a natural eye, something else has enforced calm out to 5 miles from the island, beyond that the storm rages just as fiercely, the calm effect will only last another 4 hours. Looking around we see cultivated land and a small village a few miles away. Using her spy glass, Imri can see there are goblins there and 'wasp-men', 4' tall bipedal flying insects with 4 arms. Scissors and I land to set pitons at the top of the cliff above a natural chimney and throw a rope down, ready in case we need to go up or down the cliff in the storm. The insects have now spotted us flying about and half a dozen of them armed with swords and shields are flying towards us. We land, prepare bows, and use the 5 minutes we have until they arrive to cast a spell or two.
Albrecht identifies them as Vindikar, legendary enemies of the Trolls during the Troll Wars, they have not been seen since. When they get close they circle us cautiously then land to talk. We can't understand them but they understand Albrecht and we manage to negotiate us flying to the village to talk.
The village is comprised of a few goblin size domed huts and some larger 'termite mounds' that we guess (and later confirm) are entrances to underground burrows for the Vindikar.
Albrecht gives us a potion that will let us speak Goblin, talking with the Goblins of the village, we confirm that this is the Isle of Shadoot in the Dark Storm Sea, the island was a strategically valuable staging point during the Troll Wars, the Goblins and Vindikar have been here since then, nobody can get in or out through the storm. They only survive because the storm is held back every morning for about 6 hours, we later find out it is the Vindikar Queen that does this, some sort of racial talent.
We talk a while and Scissors divines the area, the storm is due to an Ice Troll Racial Blood Curse on the Vindikar, they will be plagued by storms until they are all exterminated. It could potentially be lifted by multiple curse removals.
Taking some of the village Goblins with us we fly to the top of the volcanic cone to look around, the village is in the only remotely habitable area of the island, most of it is bleak.
Flying back we move into the new burrow the Vindikar workers have dug for us before the storm returns. Albrecht makes a potion for us to talk to the Vindikar, it adds us to the mind-speech like effect they use to communicate with each other. The Vindikar are creatures of warmth and fire, their Warriors lick their swords to coat them with flame that is especially effective against the Ice Trolls. Their people were driven from their homeland by the Ice Trolls, the war resulted in the death of 10's of thousands on both sides. Their young queen fled here and established the hive, the storm has kept them here since. We explain about the curse and that it could be lifted by powerful people from our world. They are keen but have little to offer in trade, Albrecht says his people will pay a curse remover from our world to gain an alliance with the Vindikar.
We poke our heads out of our burrow to see how bad the storm is, potentially we could survive flying through it, the wind and rain is bad, the fist sized hail storms could be lethal, and lightning strike might be a problem. Maelstrom is not personally endangered by the storm and with effort he can create a 100' area that would be safer for us. Potentially we could fly out from here but it would be hazardous.
Ambush 101
Storm to Calm to Tears
By Trail Within Fastness Glades
Foolish Goblins Lurk
- Moonday 7th Thaw 810wk
In the morning the storm is slowly pushed back, we farewell our hosts and make our way back to the portal where Albrecht opens it and we return to the Vale of Tears.
We part with Maelstrom at Camdindel's island and fly north-west towards Tiana Falls.
Not wanting to risk confrontation with the free Air Elemental, we land just outside the Fastness of Girwyllan and walk in on the trail to Tiana Falls. Where the trail passes through a small wood, Arandor senses minds lurking within the wood. We quicken ourselves, prepare weapons and proceed cautiously into the wood. The trees have sharp crystalline leaves which would make rapidly moving through them a dangerous proposition. As we come around a turn in the trail we see a fallen tree blocking the road, the goblins and trapdoor spiders are swiftly dealt to, one goblin and spider killed, one spider and a couple of goblins escaped, 3 goblin prisoners.
We keep their shaman with us and send the other two off to fetch 14 potions to make reparations for their attack on us.
Albrecht is less than impressed by his racial cousins.
With the shaman to help guide us around some of the local dangers, we continue to the falls.
Tiana Falls
Tall Dark Haunted Wood
Magic Streams We Swim We Fly
To A Bigger Fish
Albrecht confirms that Tiana Falls is a Rainbow Gate by accidentally opening it. We cautiously venture through and scout around.
At first we think we are underground, then find we are within a massive forest. Thousands of feet below the top canopy there is no sunlight, fungus and lichen glow to provide some illumination, fish swim through the air and across the ground, the stream wends through the air like a warm ocean current, mana saturates everything, is easy to draw and sometimes affects more than expected, the trees are well spaced giants with trunks of 30 to 50 feet.
Albrecht identifies this as The Haunted Wood, which means we could be within 200 miles of Imboo or over 1,000 miles away as the Haunted Wood covers the entire east coast of the main land and some of the south. We talk to a sentient Almond Tree but it has no concept of elsewhere to help us identify where in the wood we are but does give us some Almonds.
Tsayoi spears one of the swimming/flying fish for our dinner and we return to Alusia before the portal closes, then head back down the trail to camp at the edge of the high mana region.
- Duesday 8th Thaw 810wk
In the morning the goblins turn up and exchange potions for their shaman, then set sail. Flying first to Reigars Keep, we report to a Militia Captain of the Were-Bat and the loss of the supply wagons. Then we fly on to Seagate.
Reporting in, we leave some of the items we have found with the guild Namers, notify the guild of the curse-removal employment opportunity, pick up Albrecht's guards and their companion Fungus Warriors, restock some basic supplies and head out again so we can get back to the trail to Tiana Falls before our boats fade.
We cautiously walk the trail to Tiana falls again, open the Rainbow Gate and go through, Imri bringing a small sphere of bound light.
This time we are in a different part of the wood, locate confirms we are no more than 20 miles downstream from the previous location but unlike the others we've found this end of the gate moves, though not while it is open.
We consider hiking west until we find someone who can tell us where we are or find the edge of the woods, but that could take weeks. Instead we decide to try for the top canopy so we can fly from there.
Swimming up we find the canopy of this level is about 250' up, there is a small gap in the canopy that looks like a perfect bottle-neck ambush point. Arandor checks and can sense a predatory mind lurking in wait along with several scavengers. We prepare weapons and magic, then leading with Imri's light to distract the ambusher we charge through. The lurker takes the bait and swallows the 5' sphere in one gulp, we continue anyway and emerge to face the very large fish.
Not fishermen, we are prey
Through darkness we swim
Reluctant Fishers to prey
We can still bite back
We underestimated the fish, it seems that Imri hooked a Whale. 50-60 feet long, up to 30 feet wide, teeth that are too big for its enormous mouth, and a lightning fast 20 foot long tongue which we see in action when another fish swims through the hole (Imri's indigestible sphere of light gets spat out at that point). Fortunately it doesn't see through our invisibility, our front-line stands by to engage while the rest of the party sneaks past, then we withdraw after them leaving the Whale and its attendant scavengers and skin cleaners behind. A short while later the odd pulsing we saw in the Whale reaches its peak and there is a very powerful flash of light.
We swim up. This level is not quite as dark as the lower one, only as pitch black as a moonless night in deep forest. A few hundred feet later we come to the next canopy, hunting around we find a gap leading to the next level.
Seeking to avoid another perfect ambush site, we try cutting our own hole through the canopy. It is slow going, with the equipment and magic we have on hand this will take hours and the noise is attracting attention from denizens above. Changing tactics, we leave the sphere of light here and dash for the hole while attention is hopefully diverted. This seems to work, nothing is waiting by the hole and we go through.
This level is a little lighter again, my un-augmented eyes can just make out the shape of my hand against the background. As we are swimming up a tree towards the next level, Arandor senses a pack of hunting creatures closing in on us from below, and then another from above. A fight seeming unavoidable, we set our backs to the tree and prepare ourselves.
Lyric quickens us then she and I enchant our arrows and weapons. Arandor starts shooting the cat-wolves with his Elven Longbow, as they get closer I join in with my bow and Athos with his crossbow. Imri sets some domes of light to slow and channel their approach, Albrecht starts creating a wall of ice along our flank. The cat-wolves approaching from below are all killed by our missile fire before they get to engage, a couple from the group above reach us and are quickly dispatched. The hazard is that this group is accompanied by a couple of drago-sleezes (similar to large crocodiles), these seem a lot tougher and a lot more dangerous. The Ice thwarts one for a while, Arandor's arrows and Imri's web slow the other, then Lyric and Tsayoi engage to finish it off. The Ice thwarted one makes it to us uninjured, fortunately all other opponents have been dealt with by then, it is a hard fight but we prevail before any of us are killed.
Ignorance is Bliss
A Forest Lake On High
Ignoring Inconvenience
To Fly To The Moon
Grab corpses, flee from approaching Troll who seems to be mourning his lost pets.
Up to Lake of Ignorance.
Talk to __, who distils water from the lake and sells it, he directs us to Moonpok. Camp for the night.
- W'nsday 9th Thaw 810wk
Using Ignorance Water to extend the duration of the boats, fly above the canopy approx 800 miles north (20 hours flying) and then down through the canopy to Moonpok to sleep.
Moonpok Trading
Moonpok Trading Stop
Flight Home Diverted Once More
Lizard City Rainbow
- Th'rsday 10th to Reapsday 12th Thaw 810wk
Buying (clothes, weapons, armour) and selling (Greater Enchantments) in Moonpok. Making first Drago-sleaze Amulet of Luck.
Scouting NNE and WSW 100 miles for other Rainbow Gates. Detect one at near maximum range (approx 200 miles) west of the WSW scouting trip.
- Sunday 13th Thaw 810wk
Fly 100 miles WSW (2.5 hours) to edge of forest, re-cast boats, fly West 200 miles (5 hours), passing over an Imboo city to the SW corner of the lake.
Land where the river exits the lake and plunges underground, the gate is about 100 yards underground.
Leading with our experienced climbers we make our way down beside the river, find an ancient underground complex. Doesn't look up to Alusian Dwarven standards, could be good quality Orc work.
A fountain in a small underground plaza is our Rainbow Gate, 10 arch ways lead off the plaza further into the complex.
Opening and cautiously scouting through the gate we are in another fountain in a large worked cave in a cliff face in the middle of a Saurime settlement.
Homecoming and Trading
Gribbit Homecoming
Stories Prestige and Trophies
Payment made in full
We cautiously look around but can't explore far without giving away our presence. We hope we are somewhere near Gryphon Pass, Lyric confirms this by Locating her family pub, less than 55 miles NW of us.
Quietly we withdraw through the gate again and wait for it to close.
Exploring the complex we find there are 4 levels, the fountain and gate is on the bottom level, from the top level there is a closed and concealed main entrance and a smaller entrance by the lake. It has been empty a long time and nothing of value was left behind. Albrecht suspects it may have once been home to Grools (similar to Alusian Orcs but civilised).
We camp by the lake side ready for an early start tomorrow.
- Moonday 14th Thaw 810wk
- Here to Gribbit is about 300 miles, staying near the coast so we can land to re-cast makes it almost 400 miles.
Setting out at dawn after 45 minutes to create 7 boats, we fly to and up the east coast of the lake, landing to have lunch and create new boats for the second leg. Late in the afternoon we approach the lake side docks of the city.
Gribbit is beside the lake, a couple of miles across, with 50' high walls and a decent moat. Inside the buildings are scattered without apparent order, most are large buildings, some taller than the walls, with lots of goblin sized floors.
We are escorted in by goblins on flying drakes, met at the docks by the local big hats (literally, prestige is indicated by the size of hat and facial hair), then shown to our guest quarters in a giant scale (60' doorways) building.
We spend some time supporting Albrecht's tales of adventure to his colleagues, have dinner which includes a wide range of mushrooms and then repeat some of the stories again.
- Duesday 15th Thaw 810wk
We spend some time with Albrecht organising the form of our individual payments and making plans.
- W'nsday 16th Thaw 810wk
Fly back to the Grool complex with Albrecht and some guards, Albrecht opens the gate for us and will meet us back here in one month.
We go through, talk with the Saurime, negotiate access to and trade through the Gate, then fly to Lyric's pub to spend the night.
- Th'rsday 17th Thaw 810wk
After a Dwarven breakfast, most of us fly back to Seagate, arriving in time for lunch.
- Th'rsday 15th Seedtime 810wk
Afternoon flight to Lyric's pub.
- Frysday 16th Seedtime 810wk
Pre-dawn flight to Saurime Cave, wait for Albrecht to open the Gate.
Fly Albrecht and his guards to Vale of Tears, open the portal for one month to Shadoot Island, then escort through and introduce the curse removers.
Spend the afternoon and night sheltering while Albrecht negotiates the Imboo alliance with the Vindikar. The Vindikar are offered the old Grool complex as a new hive for a new queen. They will guard the gate, contribute to the defence of Imboo lands and share in the new Grymeron-Alusia trade.
- Reapsday 17th Seedtime 810wk
Back through the gate to the Vale of Tears, fly back to the Gryphon Valley Gate, Albrecht returns home through the gate and we fly back to the pub.
- Sunday 18th Seedtime 810wk
Fly back to Seagate, arriving in time for lunch.
- Sunday 23rd Blossom 810wk
Flight to Gryphon Valley to pick up balance of payment from Albrecht and some other trade.
20 days (17 then 3) on adventure. 70 days (4 weeks then 6 weeks) training. Less 1-2 days travel for those who need to pick up their armour at the end of the season.
Calendar
Spring: Thaw (10) 810wk | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moonday | Duesday | W'ansday | Th'rsday | Frysday | Reapsday | Sunday | ||||||||
Candlemansa | 1 | Guild Meeting
Seagate Portals |
2 | Ruby Waters | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ||||||||
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | ||||||||
Spring: Seedtime (11) | ||||||||||||||
Moonday | Duesday | W'ansday | Th'rsday | Frysday | Reapsday | Sunday | ||||||||
28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Rites of Thunor | 9 | 10 | 11 | |||||||
12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Equinox | 16 | 17 | Eostre | 18 | ||||||
19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ||||||||
26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
Spring: Blossom (12) | ||||||||||||||
Moonday | Duesday | W'ansday | Th'rsday | Frysday | Reapsday | Sunday | ||||||||
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||||||||
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||||||
17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Floralia | 22 | 23 | |||||||
24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | Walpurgisnacht |
Nominations and SGT Snippets
Reference Information
Gateways
The goblins refer to planar portals as Mulls, the old Portals to Alusia were known as the Rainbow Gates. The Rainbow Gates all shut down about 40,000 years ago, they don't know why.
- Seagate
- Old house on the outskirts of New Seagate - flies to Oz
- 9a Potters Lane - portal to Oz
- Seagate River - portal to Faraway
- Clock Tower
- Dark Sphere in sewers of Old Seagate
- Tree in the yard of a manor house
- Etc. etc.
- Haunted Gate
- Tiana Falls within the Fastness of Girwyllan
- Rainbow Gate, waterfall into pool about 3 miles into high-mana area along trail from Regar's Keep.
- Opens to the great forest, 2nd level from bottom, about 800 miles south of Moonpok.
- Ruby Gate
- Ruby Waters
- Mull gate about 1,000' deep beneath largest lake, partially open to a place of water and healing.
- Gate of Tears
- Vale of Tears
- Rainbow Gate, access at discretion of Lorto.
- Opens to Shadoot Island in the Sea of Storms. Vindikar and Goblin settlement.
- Head of Thunder River, Superstition Mountains
- muted/suppressed, part of the Dwarves private portal nexus. No further info for outsiders.
- Neptune's Gate
- Rainbow Gate guarded by Neptune the free Water Elemental and his Fossegrim followers.
- Opens to a large lake (Rhinus) high in the mountains. Dragons, Blood Trolls, monster in lake, high-mana lake water. High to extreme danger. About 900 miles from Gribbit.
- Wandle Gate
- Head of Wandle Rithe
- Not investigated.
- Noble Gate
- Head of River Mirimar
- Rainbow Gate, small cave complex occupied by Saurime. Trade and portal access agreement.
- Opens to former Grool complex in Imboo territory 300 miles SW of Gribbit.
- Ildris Gate
- Ildrisholm
- Rainbow Gate, issues with safe access - Kraken, Dark Circle Undead, Fae, ...
- Opens to Gribbit, Albrecht's home city.
Grymeron
- 12(?) Goblin Tribes.
- Albrecht is a scroll guardian - mages, one or two colleges but not quite like ours. He has some form of blood based magic, fire & illusion.
- Albrecht's tribe is the Imboo Goblins.
The main enemies of the Goblins are the Trolls. Trolls are big, tough, and stupid. 50 dead Goblins to bring down one troll is considered a success.
- Other races/creatures: Gardangle, Lordang
Giants - also big, smarter than Trolls, allies/neutral to Goblins. Live in the mountains.
Loot & Expenses
- 10 scrolls of Banish Home BC: 60% Lang. Common - 1000sp each, pay for what we use, return what we don't.
- 9 Ruby Waters of Healing (D-3)+10 (2 to replace those used, 1 gifted to Neptune of Valusha)
- 3 poisoned were-bat darts (+3 more broken ones) - Natural spines that can be thrown as dart(s) with D-1 base damage.
- On any effective damage apply a paralytic poison with effects greater or lesser based on EN check. Poison continuously oozes, and can be milked for one large weapon, or two small weapon doses per season, that last a season.
- Warder Coin - gifted to Arandor, but can be used once by any in the party. If the coin is tossed in the air towards a target, an arrow will appear from nowhere and transfix the coin, and then the target. BC 190%, d+10, 15% SG, 30% EN. Will work anywhere on plane of Alusia.
- sack of crystaline leaves from the goblin forest near Tianna Falls
- 14 healing potions from the goblin shaman's ransom
- skin, teeth and bones of two drago-sleezes
Magical Water Collected
- Falls of Valusha (a few potion bottles worth)
- Lake Rhinus (a waterskins worth)
- gate level of the Haunted Wood (a waterskins worth)
- Ignorance Lake (undistilled) (a waterskins worth)
we also collected smaller samples of water from both sides of all the gates we visited.
Mil Sci
Skirmish Formations | ||
---|---|---|
Default
Arandor |
Double File
Athos Arandor |
Single File
Athos |
Watches |
---|
Rahne 3Hrs => Tsayoi 3Hrs => Arandor 3Hrs => Athos 2Hrs |
Standard Buffs
- Armour / Defence / Protection
- Coruscade (Imri) Rk8 +18 Def
- Stats
- Combat
- Quickness (Lyric)
- Transport
- Celestial Ships (Imri) Rk 10 40mph for 5.5 hours
- Other
- Greater Enchantment (Rahne) Rk12 +13% on Magic & Combat