Fire and Ice

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• GM: Miles Jackson
• Time: Winter 807 WK
• Day: Wednesdays
• Level: Low - Medium

Epilogue

It was in an underground chamber when a shattered enchanted weapon released an orb of incredible spreading cold. A portal was opened and an ice mage creation pushed the orb through. The party was safe, but the cold of the orb still spread

Da Guild Guys

1. Dirt Bag - a very strong goblin warrior, military scientist (and his wolf Shadow)
2. Tolmar - an elf healer who is sometimes a goblin (don't ask me!)
3. Dwork - an orc fire blaster with a flaming glaive
4. Tanis Kerelon - human air mage, does good healing
5. Malco - pretty boy human, celestial herbalist
6. Galland - a weedy elf illusionist
7. Theodonna - human namer with some healing (and some orc features - so she ain't all bad)

Scribe: Dwork - as loosely transcribed and cleaned up by Tantos (Scribe of Sanctuary)

Da Job

Employers

• A dwarf by the name of Flint Windwalker
• A goblin by the name of Grock Gut Reader

Seems some blue dudes are appearing in their caves and killing people in very chilling ways. Their investigations have revealed that there is a place which features the twinned planes: The Plane of Tears of Ice and The Plane of Sweat of Fire.

Something recently has upset the balance of these planes - and the cold plane seems to be expanding its influence.

1st of Frost - What a Witch!

Dwork (6 foot 4 inch orc) arm westles Dirt Bag (3 foot nothin' goblin) for party leadership. Who'd have thought a goblin was soooo strong?

We wander around the guild libraries and scholars. Very little information: the Fire place boss is a fire titan by the name of Dorax, while the Cold place is controlled by an ice giant by the name of Cryax (who has this massive ice schooner - very cool)

Kavakas

We visit a really UUUGGGGLLY witch by the name of Kavakas for enchantments and the like. In exchange she needs Dwork's personal servicing and a small investigation: one of her packages has gone astray when she despatched it through a rune portal.

We go through a rune portal and go astray.

Turns out some mind flayer is bending rune portal travel to try to catch Gathanki. Luckily we have a 'get out of mind flayer jail free' card (a Staff of Expeditious Return) which we break and return with a couple of bad guys in tow (a knight and a back stabbing shadow walking kid). Gallin was a-mazing in slowing them down.

Kavakas has a heart-to-heart with the mind flayer (Chrysalis) and put an end to that nonsense. After some more servicing from pretty boy Malco (takes all types I guess) we get well and truely buffed up and head back to the guild.

2st of Frost - In-temperate Mummies

Question: does it contravene Guild rules to be administering a spider fang suppository to a paralyzed party member? If so, Tanis is going to be in a lot of trouble.

The circus comes to town

It turns out that Kavakas' buffs have side effects. All of Dwork’s hair is banana yellow. Tanis has vivid pink skin while Melco’s skin is vivid green. Tolmar is growing horns (goes with the pointy ears I guess). Theodonna is slowly changing to Theo (sex change) and Gallan is growing gorilla like hair on his back and body. Dirk Bag finishes off the goblin punk look with bright orange hair.

Divination reveals that the yellow hair is the only permanent change (not a bad look)

Galland and Theodonna are very tired today. I think they spent the night together. Maybe Galland is more interested in Theo than Theodonna.

Slaughtering the fatted lamb

Some of our guys seem to have some inside knowledge about some sphere of cold that might be causing this problem (don't know where they found that out). Gut-reader tries to get a divination from lamb guts.

• This cold sphere cames from the Deepest Pits of space
• There is no real place to send it now which will be a good thing for the universe.

Looks like we may have to destroy it.

The kebabs were great.

Desert Excursion

To make sure that our potions don’t freeze, we need some firestones, so Flint agrees to spirit walk us to some southern Alusia desert to find Tomb Spiders that might have collected some for us. After getting some good fire armour, we had some fun walking through the spirit lands, but arrived in a hot hot desert oasis full of giant vegetation and many giant animal tracks. A quick flying scout revealed some ruins and giant animals. All that giant ain’t right! Our clever leader quickly worked out we were actually very small (about ¼ size).. Some random effect of spirit walking Flint tells us.

We all fly out to the ruins where a low flying Dwork is snagged by a leaping trap-door spider – big mistake. We step over the smashed carcass and down its small tunnel which leads to another small tunnel (etc etc) until we hear chittering and some type of orcish chat.

We listen carefully. We hear – the sound of a grenado rolling our way. No escape – much flame, much pain (I like fire armour). We attack – two mummies and a very large spider.

The spider goes berserk to get Melco (not an uncommon feeling) but can’t fit down the tunnel, but its spit dissolves all dead organic material on Melco (hair is dead isn’t it?). Armour falls off. Axe head hits the ground - Melco picks it up and attacks (must be part orc). Some sort of lightening web captures him – as well as Galland and Theo who are sleepily cuddling at the back.

Luckily Galland wakes up enough to maze one of the mummies and we have protection to stop the other one attacking us physically. Spell combat ensues – lead by Tanis’ balls of fire and ice. That Dragon Fire really hurts (I like fire armour). Melco (naked with vivid green skin) slays the spider with an axe head in hand, but gets petrified in the process.

Mummy #2 returns and turns out to be an ice dude, but he doesn’t get much of a look-in with our combined available firepower. Tanis un-petrifies Melco with the spider’s own antidote and aforementioned spider fang suppository (an exchange of bodily fluids if you will).

We explore and release a malignant slow moving green eyed lich - and Theo gets hit by hundreds of tiny cold steel pins. We leave (quickly).

On the run

Then it got a bit confusing.

We fled from the tomb as the ruins around us ‘solidified’ and we caught a ride back to the oasis with a friendly flying vulture headed lion thingy (yes we all rode – it was that big). Back at the oasis, Flint and Shadow were gone - but chariot tracks in the sand pointed the way.

We flew on to this palace complex where the old elf Chancellor was very concerned by the release of the liche. He’d never heard of the Adventurers Guild of Seagate. He’d never even heard of Seagate. We looked at some maps of the world and Seagate wasn’t there either – but some of the very old elf cities were.

Oh dear. It seems that we are a loooong time in the past.

Cheops (the Chancellor) is a bit annoyed at the liche escaping from the tomb he so carefully crafted (yes, it was him) as the Chronos (the Liche) is a very bad, ‘take over the world with his undead legions’ sort of dude. If not stopped again, he might take over the world and Seagate may never exist. Talk about pressure.

His queen (Nevertitties) is a little pissed off, so it only seems right that we fix our mistake. I think Cheops could do it with one hand behind his back, but is letting us live (or die) by the consequences of our actions.

Quote of the day

Looks like Tanis is the only one with balls in the party (fire and ice balls of course)

3rd of Frost – High Noon at the Old Fort

Chronos’ undead attack the palace all night, but they are not very powerful (yet). Cheops has that under control. High noon is the time to try to re-tomb the Liche – his powers are at their lowest ebb and we will only have to deal with his hordes of guards really. No problem.

Cheops gives us a cold iron collar to put on Chronos. That will let us put him back in the iron box we released in from – which can then be re-sealed. Cheops stabilises the sand over the tomb and Tolmar drills down to the tomb. Dirt Bag drops four of Theo’s grenados on the peacefully resting Chronos and jumps down – closely followed by Dwork, Melco and Tolmar. A Dwork fire bolt hits some big black chaos dude and bounces off and hits another one of the guards - odd that. Tolmar’s amulet keeps most of the undead guards a bay – except the big chaos dude. Unfortunately, the piercing gaze of black dude gives Tolmar the runs, so he runs away. Tanis arrives. I think Theo and Galland are still cuddling at the back.

Things are not going swimmingly until Galland arrives and repulses the undead (of course) and then mazes the black dude. Some large disease ridden rats add some puss-filled boils to Dirk’s green face and then a shadow wolf thing gives Dirk and Theo some grief - its attacks ripping their souls out of their bodies (bummer).

Melco has meanwhile got the iron collar on Chronos and notices that two of the Liche’s teeth start to glow. He and Dwork smash the teeth - releasing party member's souls (that’s where they went) back to their bodies.

Cheops drops in with his eunuch orc palace guards (yuk!) and puts the green eyed guy back in the iron tomb – and we head back to the palace for food and an all night oooorrrggyyy :)

4th/5th of Frost – The Plane Truth

Flint spirit walks us back to Seagate and down into the mines.

Thousands upon thousands of years ago, there existed a plane in never-ending conflict. * Out of the primal chaos of the multi-dimensional, multi-elemental universe had emerged a place of duality where there was only elemental fire and ice – merging and intermingling. * Each element fought for its survival – they intertwined, forming vortexes of conflict throughout. Like a galactic magnet, creatures of fire and ice where sucked unwillingly into the plane and found themselves fighting for very existence. * Time was distorted. After eons that lasted milliseconds the elements forced themselves free of each other. A kind of balance was found. Conflict still existed where the elements met in the middle - the elemental fire cooled and the elemental ice warmed at the boundary. * Only at the extremes of the plane did the pure essences still exist.

There always seems to be something to, some question to ask before you take the plunge.

Eventually, we ask Flint to open us up a portal one mile north of where the sphere was sent. Through the portal we leap - to find themselves surrounded by warm swirling mists (not what we expected). The ground is rocky - and a bush brush causes Tanis to freeze solid.

Galland flys high over the mist and spots 4 pillars to the south. Blue flying things spot Galland and he beats a hasty retreat.

Things get exciting them. Dwork picks up one of the small red fire berries - and throws it (just to see what happens). Sets off a major chain reaction, as all of the scattered berries around us go off (ouch). Also attracts all of the nasty things in the area.

Exit Stage Left

Dirk Bag and Tanis pull themselves free of the icy constriction of large worm-like Earth gropers and we take flight (at speed), avoiding the incoming flying ice bats and fire sprites.

We fly for a mile to where the tops of four mammoth pillars protrude from the mist. As we get closer we can see that a pair of pillars stands each side of a deep, deep chasm. The bottom of the crevasse is lost in the mist. Closer, we spot a large creature of fire (an effritti) and an 18’ giant of cold and well as many other smaller creatures of Ice and Fire. They seem to be working to repair a pair of silvery chains that were as slung between the four pillars. (Boy, those chains have a nice shine to them).

We land and Dirt bag talks to Horest the Frost Giant

Until a couple of months ago this gorge was the boundary between fire and ice, protected by a magical time shift wall that kept the two elements totally separate. Essences of pure Elemental fire and Elemental ice embedded on the pillar tops anchored the wall. The only crossing was by the suspended bridge – which was filled by peaceful trade and commerce (not much chance of invasion there!).

Then the elemental sh~t really hit the fan.

Some sort of Ice Bomb of intense cold arrived through a portal and shattered the essences, rupturing the boundary wall and apparently rupturing the walls of the very plane – as Elemental Water and Elemental Air arrived on this plane for the first time. Not only were the new creatures of water and air really pissed off, but the weather around the bridge got pretty hairy.

Horest figures that to re-establish the bridge and put up a new boundary between the four elements will now need four pure essences. Then they can go about beating the cr@p out of the b@st@rds that dropped the Ice Bomb. We decide to go and talk to Horest's boss.

Cryax – His Frigid Highness, Lord of the South

We locate the Cryax’s schooner and land. Escorted by two really friendly frost giants with four snarling ice wolverines, we go and see Cryax (a 30 ft ice titan). The conversation goes something this:

We’re the squishy ones – we come from the Adventurers Guild of Seagate

Bastards – you destroyed the barrier

Yes, yes, yes, but we are here to fix that

Once he had calmed down, Cryax agreed that recreating the barrier would now need to combine the pure essences of fire, ice, air and water. He provides us with a container which could be used to contain the essence of ice without damage to the carrier. Now, approaching the pure essence of ice would be chillingly dangerous, but the Spirit of Ice might be amenable if we took offerings of Ice Stones and the symbolic sacrifice of a creature of Fire. Cryax agreed that the Spirit of Fire would need a similar (but opposite) offering. He figured that the Spirits of Water and Air would be pretty angry – and had no idea what they might want.

We rest and recuperate and then we fly off north to put the same questions to Dorax (the Fire boss). I’m expecting a much warmer welcome.

From Flying to Flaying

On the flight Tanis and Dirt Bag are attacked - again! (Well at least that’s what they say. I didn’t see any attackers).

Something was slowly suffocating and freezing them solid - while commencing to flay the skins off of their bodies (sounds familiar doesn’t it). They killed their own personal flying blue guy, but that didn’t stop the flaying. Oh dear. Bit frantic there for a while, so we landed and deliberately freeze Tanis and Dirt Bag on one of those ice bushes, which gave Theo a time for some hand waving and chanting stuff to get rid of the flaying. Of course, the ice bushes had planted their seeds in the two of them, so we had to get rid of that too.

It is all very tiring, so we settle down for rest and recuperation (again). Looking back at the attacks, they seemed to occur when we were flying over some kind of deep blue water or ice – and stopped when we left the area. Not sure which element these attackers are from – could be water or air or ice.

Oh – and along the way Melco seems to have got himself cursed, which means he is progressively losing all of his skills. Bummer.

Quotes

Dwork – you are just out of your element
Galland – stop making yellow snow

6th of Frost - A Day in the Life of a Seagate Guild Adventurer

Dirt Bag - Dear Diary

Not a good leader’s day. First we were attacked in our ice cave by more ‘blue ice’ threats (no rest for the wicked I guess). The 50 ft Ice Golem was beating the crap out of me before Dwork and Tolmar utterly destroyed it in one pulse.

Good to talk to Horest again, but I figured it would be easy collect a few Ice Remorhaz scales to trade for some Ice Stones before lunch. I wasn’t thinking the same when the 40 ft beast had swallowed me (just a baby) and I was struggling to get out a gullet filled with fire and acid. Luckily Shadow was there to provide some military advice to the rest of the party.

To add insult to injury, I am still not sure why Galland felt it necessary to cast an illusion of a white spotted gingham skirt on me. ’So you don’t appear so threatening’ sounds like just an excuse.

Even peeing on the orc was a problem. I was just a little too close when the flashback occurred. Sigh.

Back in Seagate (courtesy of a couple of Flint rune portals) it was good to get some information from sages – and a good night’s sleep.

Tolmar - Dear Diary

Woah, I looove Diamond Tipped Javelins (DTJ). Even better that sacrificing that goblin shaman a while ago. I just cast that sucker and watched the havoc descend upon my foe. One cast finished off that Ice Golem. The snake needed two. Level 20 DTJ here I come!

And to top off a great day – I got to pee on the orc. My parents would be proud of me.

Tanis Kerelon - Dear Diary

Had a great time chewing the fat with the Air Mage Sage. He had some fascinating theories about how to deal with really high level flying. I’m looking forward to meeting this Essence of Air.

Escaping the tornado at the ice cave was a bit tense. I didn’t think the winds would arrive in time – before we realised it was not really coming our way anyway.

I figured the goblin was gone when that beast swallowed him whole – couldn’t do that to Dwork! It was satisfying hammering it with balls of ice. Figured that’s why it vomited up the yellowed haired one.

Healing urine soaked fried orc was a bummer though. And Galland is as arrogant an elf as ever I’ve seen.

Malco - Dear Diary

I seem to have forgotten how to use my shield. Bugger.

I was on watch outside the ice cave when the big ice thing came and started beating the crap out of Dirt Bag. I was just retreating (running) to a more strategically viable position when Dwork scored the bull’s-eye – destroying the patch of blue ice on its neck and half of the head. Tolmar’s Javelins completed the meltdown.

Enjoyed watching the others beat the worm thing (my axe couldn’t seem to get through the beast’s skin) but as usual Tanis’ balls were effective. Tolmar’s javelins were very impressive. Galland’s furry lightening thing was interesting - not seen anything like that before.

I’ll have to do some investigation on what coated the orc when he was in the worm’s mouth. I’ve never seen anything explode into such flames when I peed on him. Nearly singed my willy. Make a good weapon that (the fire – not my willy)

I wonder what I’ll be able to do with the seeds of the Ice Bush. Appealing challenge that.

Galland - Dear Diary

Busy day of staying out of trouble, killing monsters - and providing much needed guidance to the younger races.

I was a bit surprised when my maze caught the goblin and left behind the worm. Not a problem though. Spectral killers kept the lesser worms at bay, but I had to unleash my yellow furry fury to help the lesser races with the big worm. I would have thought the human air mage would have had that sorted, but as usual my expectations where not met. I think I am going to have to lower my expectations of this party (still further).

Of course it was my suggestion to pee on the orc. The others were very excited by this idea and joined in with vigour.

Theodonna - Dear Diary

Interesting day today. Lots of spells cast, protecting the party from all manner of nasty creatures and effects.

It has been bizarre changing into a man (and today I am fully male). Strangely, I really enjoyed beating on the Ice Remorhaz. Even though my staff just bounced off, it satisfied some masculine need to beat the cr@p of it.

AND I got to piss on the orc – which was amazing. I wonder what else I can do with this thing.

Am I brave enough to give it a real go back in Seagate? Well Dear Diary – I ain’t writing that down here.

Dwork - Dear Diary

I’m all in for a good pissing contest, but they really should have waited until I was not on fire.

Someone said they were just trying to help, but it is a bit confusing to be vomited flaming from the mouth of a giant worm thing, only to see your friends advancing on you, unleashing a man’s best friend (even Theo – which is even more confusing).

Well all I can say as they did a piss poor job of putting out the flames – the flames burn even hotter and fiercer (what have they been drinking? – I want some of that!).

Could have been they were helping, as it made it really easy to cast Extinguish Fire on myself.

I love Horest and the Effritti’s applause though – I always perform well with an audience. Not sure that it was my most stunning performance though.

7th of Frost - Dirk Bag's Folly

Dirt Bag was determined to remove the Galland’s illusion all by himself. No, don't ask Theo to do it, he's got to do it himself. Who says goblins have no pride? (well most people do)

After trying unsuccessfully eight times, he manages to inflict himself with Alzheimer’s – which is an 18 hour ritual to remove. So, instead of waiting about 10 hours for the illusion to fade, we have to wait around for a whole day.

Silly goblin.

We pay more

More restoratives - that Tanis is a restoriholic.

We pay more mages and sages:

• Water mage - skin change to dolphin would be great, any pure essence of water would probably be under very high pressure, can sell us RK20 air breathing @500sp
• Biologist - no dolphin skin changes available, alternate form is would be a Sahuagin – still no skin change!
• An Air mage - air spring would be a useful spell, pure essence of air would probably be protected from being defiled by ordinary air by a section of no air

8th of Frost – The Return of the Green Man

The time shift barrier of the ancients was not empowered to withstand the impact of intense cold on its binding crystals. Nobody should have been so foolish. The loss of these foundation crystals ruptured not only the boundary wall but also ruptured the walls of the very plane. To any other element, this plane was an elemental void to be filled – and all sorts of elements were sucked in: water and air, earth and celestial, life and death, time and chaos to name a few.

We have an enemy!

An old enemy of Dirt Bag’s. It took old D.B. a long time to remember him, but that’s goblins for you – really small brains with lots of enemies to try to fit in. (I like having old enemies that I can kill. Orcs always keep track of their enemies - by having their skulls on the mantlepiece).

So, we have this big punk in green plate mail called Jasper that is actively trying to foil our plans to re-establish the barrier.

It is not just the elements of Water and Air that were dragged here when the barrier went down. We met some ancient goblins who are closely bound with various elements that had also been dragged here too:

• Borst - from the Celestial plane
• Calladan - from the Elemental plane of Time
• Euwark - from the Elemental place of Death was there too (but we didn’t want to meet him)

Calladan had been looking at the time lines before and after the now that we believe we were living in (phew!) and could detect that there was an elemental force of Chaos acting on this plane – personified by this Green Plate punk. Chaos/Jasper wants the elements to be forced together – which would cause total chaos, resulting in the destruction of this plane and possibly some others in the multi-universe (like Elusia!). Theo/donna says s/he has seen the death and birth of a universe already, and is not much interested in seeing it again. Such a jaded thrill seeker.

Now, the nature of elemental Chaos is that it can draw on all sorts of elemental forces, so it is possible that by looking forward on the time lines the Chaos saw that our band of adventurers foiled its plans. By looking back on the timelines it found an old enemy of Dirt Bag’s to counter us (phew!). Jasper’s ‘signature’ is those blue things in the necks of our random attackers – some sort of control mechanism.

Back to the Plane

Once more, Flint spirit walks us back to the Plane of Fire and Ice where Dirt Bag and Theo collect more ice bush thorns – carefully wrapped!

Finally, we head off to the Citadel of Brass – home of Dorax - The Lord of Fire

First we fly over the jungle – avoiding a storm that seems to be coming generally our way. Tanis skilful mid-air casts to renew flying spells and feather fall and we continue the flight over the savannah

Another violent storm seems to be coming generally our way. Mr Bag decides that the storm may be a protection mechanism of Dorax, so loudly explains our mission the thin air. Stupid you may say – what is the thin air going to do? But amazing, it does have an effect - it makes things much, much worse. The storm intensifies and heads decisively our direction.

Theo spots a likely looking cave, so we land and after carefully checking it out we go inside – to be meet by a couple of goblins (who have been there for a long time) and a couple goblins that haven’t. The new little dudes arrived about 6 months ago via an inter-planar whirlpool. We get some information from Borst and Calladen - like that the Jasper is tracking us. It also turns out that Mr Bag has some sort of ‘storm attracting’ curse on him, but even successive attempts to remove it fail. Melco gets some bonus celestial magic from Borst.

Crystal Trolls

Eventually we head out a long tunnel to resume travel to the Citadel. In the distance we spot a couple of really large guys mounted on large two legged birds. We try to hide, but some members of the party ain’t very good at hiding, so Mr Bag and Mr Dwork have to stand up to two raptor mounted tree trolls bearing lances at about 40 mph. Not a good look. D.B. recovers from stun; Dwork doesn’t, so things get a bit frantic there for a while. The combined weight of the party’s aggressive magic eventually turns one troll to burnt splinters, but one troll escapes - going for reinforcements.

Yes, the smoking troll has a blue crystal in its neck, which Theo DAs as being some sort of ‘genesis magic’. The troll also has two ‘Gum Gum’ seed pods (what ever they are) and a really nice dagger. Dwork takes the 20 ft lance and we all summon winds take off before the tree troll returns with the rest of his copse.

Ambush

It is late in the day when we spot the Citadel of Brass. Flying low (to avoid the superheated stratosphere) we crest a hill to be faced by a two headed, mace bearing, giant skeletal ettin and a staff wielding Deruguar mage. Tolmar seems to recognise the pair - some old dead enemies.

• Dirt Bag orders a retreat to a rocky knoll. Most of the party plays follow the leader.
• Dwork lines up for a high speed run on the grey dwarf with a 20ft lance (ha!). The Durugar is skewered front to back (go the orc!), but a shrunken head on his staff petrifies Dwork who slowly featherfalls to the desert sands (floating in the air like a brick doesn't). Before his petrified eyes fog over, Dwork sees a hell cat emerging from some sort of blue shimmering portal in the distance (an old nemesis of his).
• Meanwhile back on the rocky knoll (or was it grassy?), Dirt Bag gets thumped by the ettin before Galland eventually mazes it. Tanis ice balls the hell cat to death and gets one of the shrunken heads too, but the other bl@@dy shrunken head paralyzes Tanis, so Galland mazes the last shrunken head.
• The remaining members of the party charge the blue shimmering portal and get faced by a former enemy of Theodonna - the Rat Queen and a mega-pack of rats. The pack starts to form up a lethal spell casting pyramid, while Queeny casts some sort of area effect polymorph spell. Dirt Bag tosses a grenado which disrupts the pyramid, but becomes a silver back gorilla. Melco becomes a bat, Tolmar a goblin (ha!), Shadow becomes a small monkey while Galland only just misses out changing into a slug (or did he?). Theo, Tanis and Dwork don't seem to be affected. Tolmar gets his Javelins working and Galland blinds Mrs Rat. Silver Bag then charges and beats the Queen unconscious. Turns out later that Tanis can assume and air form and Dwork a 1/2 Rhino form (an 8ft humanoid). Theodonna can change into a small dog!

The Citadel of Brass

We drag our sorry asses to the Citadel and after getting thrown into chains (again) we get to speak to the fire titan Dorax. Dorax has been talking with Cryax.

• On the good side, they have agreed to get the essences of Fire and Ice for us themselves (I think they may some other plans to save their plane - we are their just their plan B).
• On the bad side, in addition to getting the essences of Water and Air, we need to close a Chaos portal which seems to be in the jungle we flew over. Also, because Chaos has so much effect now on this plane, portal travel out of the plane has stopped - totally unpredictable.

We spend the evening in the care of Dorax's witches - a cute bunch of red skinned humans and goblins.

9th of Frost

Rumble in the Jungle

Life in the tropical jungle of the Plane of Fire and Ice was ordered. It teamed with life of all sorts, but at the top of the food chain was the jungle’s Tree Trolls, who roamed unafraid through the dense verdant undergrowth, mounted on immense two legged dinosaurs – vicious creatures that had been tamed long ago in the mists of time. At the top of the Troll Hierarchy was the Troll Queen, wielder of powerful forest magic and a large black mace. The seat of her power was an immense jungle giant – a tree well over 600 ft tall. A living chamber inside contained an enchanted pool of pure water – liquid power for those who knew how to drink of it. Even the dropping of the barrier between Fire and Ice had only shaken the tree. The jungle sheltered its inhabitants, but five days ago it all changed. A gate of unadulterated chaos formed over the pool - and out strode a green plate mail clad figure. The Queen moved to destroy this defiler of the sanctum, but with a wave of a green gauntlet, she was stilled – her mind controlled. Following the green figure came a stream of chaos magic and chaos creatures, which spread through the jungle and into the lands beyond. The last thing the Matriarch of the Trolls heard as her mind was pushed deep into mental chaos was that green adversary was ‘Heading for the Depths of the Abyss’.

The party readies itself ...

...for the assault on the focus on chaos that had been detected in the jungle.

• Calladan gives us two time distorting crystals - each of which can 'store' a ritual result and cast it instantaneously. Theodonna casts a portal closing ritual into each crystal.
• Dorak teaches Dwork to a new fire ritual (Spirit of Flame) which will help get the orc get out of stun faster. He cast Rk20 Spirit of Flame on Dwork and also gives him: a lance with a highly (and I mean HIGHLY) explosive device attached to the end (a very quick way of removing a tree from the jungle), RK20 Fire Armour (along with Theo) and a RK10 Spectral Weapon (triggered - along with Dirt Bag). I think Dorak likes Dwork (similar names, similar nature?)
• Dorak cast RK20 Wildfire on each member of the party (a mile a minute for 7 hours - wooohooo!)

Nobody seems at all eager to get close to Dwork and his mighty potent lance (who does not trip and stumble).

We burn across the deserts.

We burn across the savannahs.

We burn straight up the jungle tree trunks and burn across the tree tops, looking for signs of chaos. Nothing obvious, so we burn down the tree trunks at the centre of the jungle – where the trees soar up to 600 ft tall. We burn through undergrowth. We burn around the mother of all trees.

The Mother of all Trees

Around the mega-tree is a Tree Troll village, protected by dense woven walls and roof. Dirt Bag, Theo and Tanis streak through the village gates and drop out of wildfire. The village is petty deserted but many tracks and raw chaos magic comes of out a tree trunk tunnel. Magic here is unpredictable – every cast may be hugely magnified and has erratic side-effects. Dwork votes for burning the tree to the ground with his prodigious explosive weapon, but is voted down.

• Dirt Bag is impotent to penetrate the tree tunnel. He says that he has been struck by some sort of ward (looks like a blind terror of going into confined spaces to me – the clue is the the yellow liquid oozing down his leg).

• The ladies infiltrate, braving waves of chaos and random side effects. The inner end is protected a curtain of skulls, which Theo (in Barbie doll form) limbos underneath (limbo lower now). Inside is a chaos portal of swirling colour hovering over a pool of crystal water. Seated quietly alongside is a troll matron – with a big black mace. Theo breaks the crystal, releasing the first of her portal banishing rituals. The portal is diminished, but not closed.
• Back in the tunnel, Tanis is struck by a terrible hatred of all vegetation, so starts fire-balling the tree (Dwork could do this much, much better). The fiery magic is chaotically multiplied, so the tree is shaken – and the matron is damaged in sympathy (she is not pleased).
• Against all expectations (well, mine anyway), the skinny elf braves the flaming tunnel to bring Theodonna the second crystal – deftly avoiding Tanis’ balls and slipping it under the skull curtain. The tree is shaken a second time as Tanis vents her hatred – and Theo releases her second banishing, finally closing the portal. Dwork, Tolmar and Melco continue to burn around outside (but the orc still does not trip).

Chaos Reigns

Mr Baggins talks to the Troll Matriarch and calms her down - and we stop to review the chaos effects that have impacted on us.

• Tanis: pathological fear of forests (Ma24)
• Dirt Bag: triple effect claustrophobia (Ma 47)
• Dwork: fear of water (Ma2)
• Melco: claustrophobia (Ma26) and arms of an elf (Ma5)
• Theo: arachnophobia (Ma10), thick black spiky spider hair (which allows a type of detect invisible) (Ma7)
• Galland: changed into a female (Ma13) (he is sooo happy)
• Tolmar: bark-skin – Spirit of the Forest (may be good thing!) (Ma 43)
• Galland/Theo arm swap (Ma24)
• Tolmar/Dwork ability swap (Ma37)
• Theo/Shadow ability swap (Ma50)

We hear Mrs Troll’s story – the dude in green armour took her mind and then went off to ‘the Depths of the Abyss’ five days ago, leaving a stream of nasties to come through the gate after him. She offers us an organic ‘gill growth’ potion which would let us breathe underwater (permanently), but would cause us problems in high atmospheres.

The speed freaks slow down and we sit down and have a nice cup of herb tea - and consider our next action.

Terminal Velocity

Playing With Fire

After her leading role in closing the chaos gate, Theodonna is running on an adrenaline high. No challenge too big. No enemy too bad. Well, it will all end in tears (of the ripping, not the dripping sort) – let me tell you :(

The party (and the Troll queen) seem to think Dwork’s magnificent lance is an ever present treat – despite a 100% success rate at not fumbling. Theo offers to take the lance and change into a rat – absorbing the lance into her tiny body (it’s a magic thing you know). Result? She becomes a Creature of Fire, with flaming eyes.

It turns out we had been carrying the Essence of Fire all along. Dorax had added the Essence to give the lance that extra punch Dwork asked for (be careful what you ask for – you might get it). Theodonna is too small to contain the fire within. Random fire effects happen (like a 15 ft fire elemental). The queen is not pleased, so Dwork grabs the rat and we fly to the forest edge – where we manage to transfer the essence to Dwork - who is MUCH more able to handle the fire power it brings

Quintessential Air

After a rest and a meal of freshly BBQed antelope (thanks Dwork), we fly up and meet one Prince Rayon - who turns out to be a winged being of considerable personal power. (Warning - he does not like being called Prince Nylon - must be an evil brother or something).

Dirt Bag finds out that there two choices to get the Essence of Air: we fly way, way high (like 36,000 ft) get through an area of ‘no air’, through an area protected by three foot bad guys (summoned by Jasper), through a Jasper summoned barrier against air beings, into an area of totally pure air finally we get that essence of air OR we barter with a local crime lord (Djinn) who may have some ‘illicit’ essence of air. We go for the Djinn Castor – his stronghold is the ‘Black Rock’ - a floating lump of rock

We go with Prince Rayon’s best wishes (and a fat bank overdraft). We land and enter the Rock and meet Castor – who is agreeable to us purchasing some Essence of Air – and offers a discount for a little private time with our air mage. The coy Tanis resists for long enough to maintain her reputation and then spends some quality time with the gorgeous Castor. Dwork takes the time to have some quality time with a red skinned cutie (a fire shroud). We prepare to leave, but Castor tells us that the Rock is surrounded by a variety of things waiting to get us (summoned by Jasper).

Terminal Velocity

We prepare the perfect plan. Tanis summons the winds for us all while we are inside the rock (of course they can’t come there).

Tolmar punches a hole out of side of the rock and we execute a formation free fall parachute dive (without parachutes) – we reach terminal velocity before any of the waiting bad guys can react. Yes! We just wait for the winds to arrive – should be about 10 pulses before we would hit the ground.

Unfortunately, we fall through an area of time chaos, which has no immediate effect, but which means that time is passing more slowly for some of us – and the winds would arrive after the ground arrives. Tanis manoeuvres adroitly mid air to cast feather fall on those slowed – splitting the party across the atmosphere. Just then a couple of Jasper summoned old foes arrive – a 6 armed biatch (Clarissa) which heads for Tanis and a plate mail clad Dwarf that seems content to keep between the rest of the party (slowly dropping) and Tanis.

Rest In Pieces

Theodonna has definitely been hanging out with the orc too much. Tanis evades the six armed one by turning gaseous form (a new talent she got from Castor), but Theodonna decides to go man-on-man with the other enemy (well, she is a 6 inch Barbie doll armed with a rapier and he is a plate mailed dwarf – who turns out to be able to cast an effective whirlwind vortex).

• Dirt Bag says NO! You’ll get killed. Theo flies nearer.
• Dirt Bag says NO! I’ve just about convinced the Dwarf to change sides (for Prince Rayon money).
• Theo attacks. Theo misses (what do you expect with limited flying ability and a one handed weapon).
• The Dwarf casts successfully (If the target fails to resist they are so tossed and torn by the winds that muscles and ligaments tear, joints dislocate, bones break, organs rupture, and they perish). Theodonna does not save. RIP. Pieces of Theo float down on the winds. Not good.
• I think Theo’s Barbie form is a little blond

A Tale of Two Tails (and Three Ears)

We land and frantically search for pieces of Theo-Barbie. We are lucky – and find some fairly large bits. Still not good – it will be many days of ritual to put the namer back together again.

Chaos magic still swirls around us – and on the currents we hear Theo talking to us. Odd that. Someone comes up with a bright idea and we all concentrate on visualising a whole and healthy Theo. The chaos churns and the chaos responds. We have a Barbie Theodonna back – with a tail! Melco was not visualising correctly. Theo visualises Melco with three ears. That works too. Scary. Theo chooses to change into a rat – but has two tails. Must help her balance I guess.

We head off to Prince Rayon’s palace in the sky for some rest and recuperation – it has been a veryyy long day.

A Life in the Day of Clarissa Kailāsa – Blood of Shiva

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, chaos to chaos.

I am born

Before my eyes open, I can sense the familiar comforting swirling of chaos around me and through me – strengthening me and bringing life. I open my six hands - and my three eyes. My Ajna sees clearly the churning masses of chaos, more powerful then I have experienced before. My other eyes see a green plate mail clad figure, hands moving in elaborate patterns, voice chanting arcane syllables, shaping and molding the flows, directing them to me.

I Breathe

Fragmentary blood filled memories come to me - memories of past victories; memories of past defeats. The wheel turns as the wheel wills. The green man’s flows focus me on one enemy; focus my will, my desire, and my hatred on a mage of the air. A name comes: Tanis Kerelon. She is my mother, my genesis – my reason to exist. An obligation in blood; a geas to fulfill, a vow of vengeance. I live to destroy her. She is north to me. Even now I can sense the direction in which she can be found. Kill the air mage and save my world. I will remove her head with my bare hands and drink deeply of her blood.

I Hunt

I am but a shadow of my ‘before self’. The green man creates a grey dwarf ally to accompany me. Whatever - the air mage dies today. I find my prey falling from the sky at a huge speed many thousands of feet above the ground. I follow patiently, waiting for the ground to slow her speed. She evades me by becoming at one with the air. I can detect her – within a mile or two, but I cannot remove her head. I return to the green man, but the grey dwarf does not return with me. Never trust a dwarf.

I Kill

The green man constructs more allies – a flock of doom bats. My Tanis direction sense guides us and we flock to a floating palace high in the sky. The flock screams at the lesser beings on the way – and they fall with blood oozing out their ears and red foam on their lips. The Blood and Death gives me joy. A palace comes into sight. The pleasant plazas around are filled with dropping dripping foaming dead.

There – those windows. Arcane magics anticipate our arrival, whittling down my flock to a handful as they fly through barriers across the windows. I smash a hole in the wall and enter.. An orc stands dead with blood and foam oozing - with elemental fire in his eyes and dragon fire in his hands. Pure cleansing fire encases me. I like that – it is a pleasant shower.

There – the air mage. A green goblin dances in front of me – ducking and diving. Doesn’t even try to attack me, but blocks my approach to my Tanis mother-in-blood. The green thing can run, but he can’t hide. I am impacted by waves of hostile magic. The b@start grey dwarf is there. A goblin unleashes Javelins of Diamond. Malignant flames from the dead orc hurt. I shake off magics of illusion that try to drag me somewhere else in my mind. I batter the goblin to the ground and advance on my salvation.

I Die

My will slips as the elf’s illusions entangles my mind. My quest is lost. By the time I untangle my mind, the green thing is back and final waves of magic destroy. I reach for the air mage, but she does not understand the link between us. I fade and die.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, chaos to chaos.

11th of Frost 807 – The Awakening

The Prince and his people work wonders to patch up our battered group. Dwork is on his feet again – still with the essence of fire within.

Dirt Bag cleverly reverses the tracking that the green guy has on him - and now he can locate Jasper. We decide that a show-down is in order, so we take off for the bridge – were DB’s direction finding is pointing.

Things got really weird.

We fly off into the gathering chaos affect (great sunsets though) and behind us Prince Rayon’s city drops out of the air like a brick does (doh). Giants and effritti are on the bridge. Flying in at speed comes the green man – swinging a particularly evil looking black mace (practically bursting with enchantments). Dirt Bag imagines himself as invulnerable and it seems he is. The sky goes dark and closes on us. The green man closes in too. Mid-air combat ensues. Weirdness ensues. We seem to be able to gather powers to ourselves as we ‘will’ them.

Theo says this is just all too silly and disappears (er, what?!)

Theodonna stops this nonsense and wakes us up. Yes – remember that trap we went through as we dropped out of Casper’s rock? Well, it actually was a mind controlling enchantment, which threw us into a shared dream. We wake flat on our backs with an orb (that powered the virtual reality thing) and the four essences sitting there quietly, just waiting to be used. The giants & effritti are on the bridge. We just have to give them the four essences and they will complete the ceremony.

Too, too easy - of course. We are very, very suspicious. We are very, very right.

For some reason, Jasper does seem to want us to complete the ceremony. We are not certain why he wants this, but Theo dispels some magic, and we pierce a second layer of mind control. The giants and effritti lie dead on the bridge.

Theodonna does some brilliant casting and manages to banish Jaspar out of the this plane - but another one appears walking across the bridge to us (some sort of clone I guess). Jasper advances on us with two nasty looking chaotic side kicks (an Ice giant and a Fire Giant). Now that’s more like it! The orb and essences are still there – so Dwork absorbs the fire essence, Melco absorbs the ice and Theo the water. Tanis does not absorb the air!

Callandan

As we clear our brains of this second layer we spot Calladan (remember him? the little dude from the dimension of time). He is nearby and seems to be bound by four pyramids laid out in a pyramid (think about it – like a caltrop). Each of the four binding pyramids corresponds to an element. Calandan is jumping up and down inside (Free me!). Am I dreaming – or do we just need to touch each of the elements to the points? Is this a third layer of illusion?

Jasper

Dirt Bag and Dwork hammer away at Jasper, pealing away damage absorbing armour that the green guy got by absorbing his chaotic body guard. Spells bounce chaotically.

• Shadow gets a rebound hit by malignant flames (but saves).
• Dwork gets hit by an increased gravity (but doesn’t).
• Dirt Bag bets hit by something which turns his leg into a tentacle (what the?)

Mr Blue

We’re doing pretty well – Jasper goes down (he disappears leaving behind a shield and mace) BUT as soon as Tanis gives in and absorbs the Essense of Air, the blue spectral figure appears and we spot Clarissa (the real one?!) flying in. Mr Blue calls to the four holders of the essences ‘Join with me my children’

• Melco and Theodonna go to poppa - and begin to cast on their own party members
• Tanis heads over with the element of Air and uses it to dismiss the blue pyramid point on Cal’s prison
• Dwork keeps attacking Mr Blue (of course)

Ashes to Ashes; Dirt to Dust

Dirt Bag keeps hammering until Theodonna kills him with a dehydration spell.

Result: instant mummified Dirt Bag (well more a dust bag I guess)

Clarissa flys closer. Melco and Theodonna are drawn towards poppa. Mr DB is ready to be wrapped (in bandages). Dwork can hardly move. Thinks are looking very baaad until somebody remembers the crystals that Callandan gave us a couple of days ago – they wind back time a couple of pulses (how could we have forgotten those?). Seems like a good time to use them now!

It is all very confusing

After extended military scientist time out, Tolmar decides to use his time crystal to allow Theodonna to re-roll her counter-chaos protective spell for Dirt Bag, which then lets Mr DB save against Theo’s later dehydration spell. Which means that Dirt Bag is PIR (RIP reversed). Theo is still controlled by the blue man and Tolmar seems to be enjoying using his full goblin body weight to pin her to the ground.

The Blue (call me Chaos) Guy heals himself by sucking elemental chaos energy out of Calladen (a sort of goblin energiser battery), but before losing consciousness, the little guy throws another of his crystals out of his prison (this time a blue sphere). Dwork uses the blue sphere – and finds that time has stopped. Everybody is frozen in place, while he is free to move. He picks up Melco and brings him over to clear the ice corner of Calladen’s prison – three down, one to go.

Mr Blue calls out ‘Casper – bring me Clarissa’. Can’t see Casper, but it looks like Mr Blue has just pledged a year and a day of service.

Casper appears with Clarissa in tow - and of course she has the hots for Tanis - so off she heads, six arms spinning. Tanis is panicking, because there no meat shield. Dirt Bag and Mr Blue continue to deal out damage to each other – and Mr Bag has a decision, so he takes the spectral guy down and leaves Tanis to Clarissa’s tender mercies.

Clarissa tenderly beats Tolmar and Tanis unconscious, but Dirt Bag moves in behind and attacks the six armed one. Tolmar is touch and go dead, but Galland makes the decision to not make the decision to cast a maze spell (which failed anyway) and go over and heal Tolmar. Confused? Galland decided to use the second of Callandan’s crystals to go back in time and change his mind (do elves have minds?). Offensive spell casting is continuous, but the chaos in the area makes it bounce and misfire and hit the wrong target all over the place.

A blue tentacle emerges from the Chaos gate and grabs Mr Bag from behind, while he beats on Clarissa from behind. Clarissa turns around and the beating is fast and furious. Finally Clarissa beats Mr Baggins into the ground, only to be felled by a bolt of ice from Melco (humm – I wonder what her death curse is?). The leader and Melco are being dragged into the Chaos Gate when Dwork dragon fires the tentacles – a courageous move (a stupid move?) considering all of the recent friendly fire damage. But it all works perfectly (GO THE ORC!)

All is quiet

Healing happens. Discussion happens.

All of the party are imbued with all sorts of chaos, so the ritual to split the elements would split the party members too – ejecting us to the Plane of Chaos. Callandan offers to remove much of the chaos – enough so we don’t get expelled. When the chaos is extracted it will be a pure essence of chaos – which it looks like Mr DB will have to absorb. The ritual will involve the somewhat forcible/painful extraction of the essences from Dirt Bag (Chaos), Tanis (Air), Melco (Ice), Theodonna (Water) and Dwork (Fire).

So …. we gather the healers and we gather the ritual casters and prepare ourselves for the ordeal.

Essence Wrangling

Calladen readies to extract the chaos from the party members.

• Dirt Bag will have to capture the free chaos when it is extracted, so Mr Time gives us two containers to hold essences (an extra one just in case).
• It is over quickly – the chaoso-suction happens, Dirt Bag captures the free essence and then absorbs it into his tiny green body.

The ritual is long and the essence removal is painful – it was hard to give up all of that power. The powerful arcane casters of this plane lead the ritual – chanting and incanting, gesturing and dancing. The essence holders are enfolded in the ritual, mimicking the mages’ actions. The healers gather around each of the holders as the wrenching of the essences takes it toll on the party members’ bodies. Slowly, the essences separate: Fire and Ice, Water and Air – and a small pocket of Chaos. Bridges to Water and Air solidify at odd mind-disturbing right angles to the existing bridges of Fire and Ice. The Chaos Bridge is there – but only as an uncertain path through the air. Only the courageous would walk that way. Finally it is finished. The Guild party succeeds - the Essences are separated and the damage done that was done a year ago has been reversed. There are tired cheers – and calls for beer and broads to celebrate (from the orc).

Excuse me - just one more thing

We are celebrating success as a swirling portal opened and all of the weary ex-essence holders are inexorably drawn towards it. The pull of the portal is slow but irresistible. It seemed that if we try to resist it either we will squashed (against any barrier we try to put up) or ripped to pieces (as any ‘free’ part of our body will be separated from a tied down bit). Very messy.

Calladen reminds us that he thought the only attack that Jasper might attempt is a time based one – and this is a time portal (Do you know how annoying it is when an Avatar says ‘I told you so’ – do Avatars know what it is like to live without omnipotence?). He can’t say toooo much because if he meddles with the time stream it could cause some really, really nasty side effects.

Casper gives us a little free information – the portal will take us back in time to when the ice sphere first came through. Ah, that makes some sort of sense.

We figure it out. We are being dragged back so that an essence holder can be killed (permanently). Why? Well, if even one of the essence holders dies in the past it will alter the time flow - as the ritual just completed could not have been completed (well, that’s our theory anyway).

Galland (not an essence holder) says that if all the essence holders commit suicide now, that will foil Jasper’s plan

Galland: I’m not seeing any downside to this plan

The essence holders do not like that idea

Casper: ‘I will tell you more about the perils that await you on the other side of the gate – for only year and a day service. You can even split the service between all party members’. We reject his kind office, but he is outwitted by the orc into saying that we have the means at our disposal to deal with the peril (is that a smart orc, or a dumb Djinn?)

We can’t figure out what we have at our disposal until Theodonna remembers - we have a container from Calladen to hold any elemental essence.

So, we can go through the time portal and not be killed by the freezing orb

• As long as we can capture the orb in our Calladen’s Acme Container of Essence (C.A.S.E.).
• And as long as we are not killed by any nasties that Jasper has organised
• And as long as we are not killed by any traps that Jasper has organised

Easy!

So we buff up and charge the time portal.

• First rank: Dirt Bag and Tolmar (with the C.A.S.E. and Wildfire)
• Second rank: Dwork and Galland (with Wildfire)
• Third rank: Theodonna and Tanis
• The tail: Melco

11th of Frost 806 (yes 806 - a year ago)

Dirt Bag and Tolmar charge through. Tolmar wildfires over the trap. Dirt Bag doesn’t. Jasper has stretched some sort of razor-wire right in front of the portal. This is very painful for Dirt Bag, but he breaks the bottom set of wires. Tolmar wildfires around spotting the ice sphere – and the two headed, scythe wielding ice boned skeleton guarding it. Tolmar keeps running.

Dwork and Galland charge through. Galland wildfires over the trap. Dirt Bag spins around and chops the remaining wires (the high ones!), saving Dwork from some painful entanglement.

The cold of the sphere is intense as Dwork attacks the ice thing with flaming glaive and the full force of his massive orc body – and fails miserably (must have been the ice underfoot). (I DON’T LIKE COLD). Tolmar keeps running. Galland prepares

Theodonna and Tanis come through. Tanis commences to rain fireball down on the icey thing’s head. Dwork attacks the middle and DB attacks the ankles (and knees). Tolmar finally gets around to trying to capture the ice sphere and does it the second time. Whew – the cold was getting pretty intense.

Dwork is at death’s door when Tanis finally melts the snow man. And would you believe it? The elf saves the orc. Now isn’t that nice!

We all exit back to ‘now’ - leaving behind a Galland phantasmal creation to release the ice sphere again, and put the time line firmly back on the right track.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Administration

Equipment

Employers' Contributions

• 4 x Waters of Strength (Rk18) (Dwork, Dirk, Melco x2)
• 4 x Waters of Health (Rk18)(Dwork, Dirk, Melco, Tolmar)
• 2 x Berserk Potions (Rk15) (Dwork, Dirk)
• Amulet of Luck (MR+3%, Def +2) -> Dwork
• 7 x Amulets of Blood Returning (1 each)
• 7 x Amulets of Protection vs cold (3 months) Forehead insertion

Guild purchases

• Lots of winter gear
• 7 x Scroll of Fire Resist (Rk18)
• 10 x standard 10 point healing potions (1 each, extras to healers)
• 4 x experimental 20 point healing potions (side effects!) (Dwork, Dirk, Melco x2)
• 10 x mouse skin changes (1 each, extras to healers)

Cheops purchases

• 7 x standard 10 point healing potions (1 each)

Expenses

(sp tba)

• Winter gear: nn sp
• 7 Scrolls of Fire Resist (@ sp): sp
• 27 Standard healing potions(@ sp): sp
• 10 mouse skin changes(@ sp): sp
• 4 Experimental healing potions(@ sp): sp
• Sage advice: sp
• Biologist advice: sp

Loot

Desert Tomb

• 20 firestones
• Small Ring - 3 charges Quickness (Rk10) (used)
• Great Axe - +10% hit, +1 dmg
• Potion of healing
• Dagger of Frozen Doom - +10% hit, +1 dmg, +% change of casting Frozen doom
• Jaguar figurine (riding)
• Leather belt (spell reflection)
• 12 more firestones

Bridge Encounters & Searches

• 3 Remorhaz Scales
• 3 Ice Stones (Horest)
• 3 Remorhaz Eggs (petrified)
• Seeds of an ice bush (Melco)
• 10 ice bush thorns (Dirt Bag)

The Plane of Fire - Tree Trolls, Skeletal Ettin, Duruguar, Rat queen, Citadel, Mrs Troll

• 20 ft lance of impalling - +2 Dmg/mph over 30 (Dwork)
• 2 Gum gum seed pods (DG)
• Dagger RK10 weaponsmith (Dwork)
• Blue crystal (genesis magic) (DB)
• Rapier: on 00 roll again (Melco)
• Small amulet: chaos magic amplification
• 2 Crystals Time distortion (used)
• Tree Killing Lance (12ft lance with globe of explosive napalm) (used)
• 8 x gill growth items (salve?)

Clarissa

• Belt of Strength (nope - it twas just a dream)

Jasper #1 and #2

• Orb of Dreams
• Mace of Chaos - chaotic polymorphism
• Shield of Chaos Reflection - random bounce of magic

Keeping up Standards

Standard Buffs

• Lesser enchantment
• Feather Fall - all
• Summon Winds - all
• Arnour of Earth - Dirk and Dwork (Def +18)
• Barrier of Winds - Tanis

Standard Marching Order

• Dirt Bag and Dwork
• Tolmar and Melco
• Galland
• Tanis and Theodonna

Standard Watches

• First: Theodonna & Melco
• Second: Dwork & Tolmar
• Third: Dirk Bag & Shadow
• Forth: Galland & Tanis

Possible Award Nominations

Smartest

• Galland: Suggesting that we all piss on the burning orc, so that the Remorhaz napalm burns even hotter and fiercer, significantly increasing the chance of Dwork casting Extinguish Fire on himself (AND GALLAND WINS THE SMARTEST ADVENDTURERS AWARD)

Bravest

• Melco: Attacking a tomb spider - naked and hairless with Fluorescent green skin, with only an axe head in hand
• Dwork: taking out a deurguar with a high speed flying run with a 20ft lance, skewering the grey dwarf front to back. This with an unfamiliar weapon and limited flying skill.

Stupidest

• Dwork: picking up one of the small red fire berries - and throwing it, setting of a chain reaction of exploding berries, damaging most of the party and making all of the nasty things in the area rather excited.
• Theodonna: going man-on-man with a flying dwarf enemy of unknown power, with limited flying skill and a one handed weapon. The dwarf casts and Theo is so tossed and torn by the winds that muscles and ligaments tear, joints dislocate, bones break, organs rupture - and she perishes.

Best Death

• Theodonna: going man-on-man with a flying dwarf of unknown power, with limited flying skill and a one handed weapon. The dwarf casts and Theo is so tossed and torn by the winds that muscles and ligaments tear, joints dislocate, bones break, organs rupture - and she perishes.