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6/30/04 - The Black Helms' Terror, cont.
« on: Jun 30, 2004, 10:21PM» |
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The mystery surrounding the Black Helms is crystalizing for you - or at
least it seems to be. You located the smuggler, Garth Thompson, and
managed to persuade him, without too much difficulty, to lead you to
the Black Helms. After a trip to his secret underground dock, and a
stormy ride upon his ship, the Sea Gem, you finally landed along the
coast a few hours from Spectaro. Your path to the Black Helms led you
through a camp of hill giants, who you managed to defeat without too
much difficulty. Your group seems to have hit its stride as a combat
machine.
In
a hidden forest north of the coast, you located a small camp of Black
Helms. After negotiating with you, a Black Helms lieutenant summoned
the reported leader of the Black Helms, Audrey Moonstone. Moonstone
pleaded innocense in the attacks plaguing much of Gartho, and
ultimately agreed to pay your group 5000 gold coins if you were able to
clear the name of the Black Helms.
You learned from Audrey
Moonstone that her group never purchased armor from Noftol Blen, the
Black Market weapons dealer who is reported to have fallen on hard
times, and have taken up residence in a house just southwest of the
city gate in the Sprawl. When Moonstone learned from you that someone
had made such purchases from Blen, she expressed her opinion that the
Black Helms were being framed. Still, nagging in the back of your mind
is the admonition of the Mayor, Sir Forn La’Effric, to beware of any
deceptions by Garth Thompson or Audrey Moonstone.
Garth Thompson has now returned you safely to Spectaro. Your investigation and adventure remain cloudy in front of you.
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7/7/04 - The Black Helms' Terror, cont.
« on: Jul 7, 2004, 10:38PM» |
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You have found Noftol Blen. Your search led you first to a drug house
in the Sprawl. On the way, however, you were first ambushed by a group
of assassins, with the attackers seemingly appearing out of thin air.
You managed to defeat the assailants, and Simon recognized that the
aggressors wore the telltale masks of the Spectaro Assassins’ Guild.
Why would members of the Assassins’ Guild attack you? Were they acting
on their own, or did someone else set them upon you?
Resting
for the night in the North Gate Inn, Asia and Angelique had a visitor
attempt to break into their room. The culprit fled, leaving you with
more questions.
Finally reaching the drug house, you were
greeted by bodies strewn about, and blood splattering the floor. One
sole survivor, apparently left for dead, told a sorry tale of what had
transpired. He informed you that a group of slavers stormed the house,
killing the unfit and taking the fit, most likely to be auctioned off
in the slave market rumored to be hidden somewhere in the Sprawl.
Wandering
the alleys of the Sprawl, you came upon an outdoor slave market, with
an auction in progress. After sweet-talking your way past the guards,
you took part in the auction, paying a hefty price for Noftol Blen.
Asia seemed to recognize one of the other slaves, a large barbaric
looking man. Dipping into her savings, Asia outbid the other bidders,
with a bit of help from Zastaph’s magical charms.
You have
just left the slave market, and are deciding where to head next. You
have two slaves in your midst, and certainly some questions on your
minds.
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7/14/04 - The Black Helms' Terror, cont.
« on: Jul 14, 2004, 10:36PM» |
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The Black Helms’ terror has come into focus. The terror was not an
emotion the Black Helms caused in others, but was instead their own
terror. It was a realization of their own fears, of being falsely
accused of horrific crimes.
Through
Noftol Blen, you learned that some “Black Helms” were based in an old
farmhouse north of the Prison Gate of the city. Proceeding to the gate,
you fought your way through the house, ultimately taking down the
leader of what turned out to be a group of fake Black Helms.
In
the house, you found evidence, in the form of a book, tying the
Spectaro Assassins’ Guild to the plot. This book contained detailed
information concerning past attacks by the supposed "Black Helms," but
revealed that the attackers were not Black Helms at all. The book also
detailed a plot to frame the real Black Helms, in the hope that the
people of Gartho would grow restless, thus weakening the power of the
King and Queen. There were references throughout the book to agreements
and dealings with Zadric Dreadknife, leader of the Assassin's Guild.
Clearly, he had a hand in the plot to frame the Black Helms. There were
other references to another individual who was only identified as "our
well-connected friend." Unfortunately, there was no other information
concerning this individual, so his or her identify remains a mystery.
The
book would explain your past encounters with assassins bent on killing
you. If the guild were aware that you were in the process of unraveling
its plot, it most certainly would take action.
After you
returned to the Green Leprechaun Inn, a mysterious hooded woman
approached you. Even covered by a hood, her beauty was apparent. She
spoke with Angelique and Skotch, informing them that she worked for the
intelligence branch of the Gartho army, and thus served the king and
queen. She explained that the Assassins’ Guild had been trying to
subvert the current King and Queen, William and Carilena, for years.
The Guild had resented William and Carilena after the two had thwarted
the guilds’ attempts to put its own puppet in power after the previous
king and queen were murdered. These murders left the city and country
in chaos, as there were no heirs to the throne, and lines of succession
either had not yet been set, or were conveniently “lost” after the
murders. William and Carilena, popular adventurers, rallied the people
to order, and, in an unprecedented move, established elections to put
new blood on the throne. William and Carilena were elected to the
throne in these elections, despite the fact that they had to be
persuaded to run in the elections to begin with.
Gartho thus
has a new monarchy, but one that has enemies all about it questioning
and challenging the rule of the King and Queen. William and Carilena
thus have a tenuous hold on the throne, their popularity with the
common man being their main source of strength.
The hooded
woman, Delana Aladis, has asked you, in her conversation with Skotch
and Angelique, to cripple the guild. As the session drew to a close,
Skotch and Angelique were in the process of negotiating terms with her.
Noftol Blen provided you with one other valuable piece of
information. He revealed that, in the past, he delivered weapons to the
Tiger Claws by way of Elthin Tamsh, an acolyte at the Temple of Dal.
Finally,
Asia had an opportunity to speak with the barbarian you purchased in
the slave market, and who Asia had recognized as being from her tribe.
She learned that the barbarian was a free spirit, much like Asia, who
had been struck by a bit of wanderlust and thus set off to wander the
wide world. His capture into slavery changed that outlook, however, and
he plans to return to his tribe. Before leaving, though, he did tell
Asia of a man that came to the tribe, asking about a caravan attack
near the tribe’s homeland 24 years earlier. Unfortunately, he was not
able to provide more information than that, as he was not privy to the
meeting between the man and the village elders.
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7/21/04 - Reward and Retribution
« on: Jul 21, 2004, 10:45PM» |
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Reward and retribution. For most of you, reward or retribution drives
you forward. You recently learned that the Assassins’ Guild was behind
the attacks of the imposter Black Helms. Now, a beautiful and
mysterious woman has tasked you to rescue the daughter of the Meneth
family from the Assassins’ Guild, so that the King and Queen might
effectively resist the guild without the threat of murder of the girl.
She warned you that brute force alone might not be sufficient to
succeed in this mission, and has promised you 20,000 gold if you are
successful.
After
collecting your reward from Audrey Moonstone, leader of the Black
Helms, you entered the Assassins’ Guild via a secret entrance into the
Undercity. You have killed some assassins so far, and rescued a
prisoner. The prisoner told you that he believed the leader of the
guild, Zadric Dreadknife, was personally holding the Meneth girl on one
of the upper levels. He believed that access to the next level was
somewhere to the northwest of you. He has now departed, leaving you
outside the guild cells, pondering your next move.
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7/28/04 - Weekly Campaign Session
« on: Jul 28, 2004, 10:27PM» |
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Mission accomplished. You successfully navigated through the Assassins’
Guild, and rescued the nobles’ daughter. With the girl safe, the King
and Queen will be able to oppose the guild without threats of danger to
the girl. The adventure that began with the Black Helms has now come to
an end.
Your
adventure was not without danger or mishaps, however. On more than one
occasion, you were ambushed by groups of assassins, and on your retreat
out of the guild, the rescued girl stepped on a trap and was killed. To
rescue her in the first place, you had to strike a deal with a dark elf
prisoner, promising her freedom in exchange for assistance in freeing
the girl.
You took the girl’s body to the Temple of Beam, and,
thanks to your previous service to the church of Beam in Spectaro, were
able to have the girl raised from the dead for a mere 5000 gold coins.
You then reported to Delana Aladis in the Arena Ale House, and
collected your reward.
You now have some choices ahead of you.
Zastaph and Lindalas remember the unfulfilled promise to the
mage-turned-troll, Zelth, who had asked you to seek a cure from Temen
the Sage in Spectaro. And, of course, you still have the evidence you
obtained from Noftol Blen, which points towards the Temple of Dal as a
place to begin your search for the Tiger Claws.
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8/4/04 - Weekly Campaign Session (SoU/HotU/CEP)
« on: Aug 5, 2004, 11:11AM» |
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Having collected your reward from Delana Aladis, you availed yourself
of her knowledge, asking her what she knew of the Tiger Claws. Delana
told you that Noftol Blen, the former black market weapons dealer, was
known to have funneled weapons to the Tiger Claws through Elthin Tamsh,
an acolyte at the Temple of Dal. Whether Tamsh might lead you to the
Tiger Claws, you don’t know.
Some
of you ended up drinking a bit too much in the Arena Ale House,
enjoying your down time. Simon and Sissfus evidently had earned some
renown recently, as some of the tavern patrons recognized them, even
asking for autographs.
You spent the night in the Misty
Mariner Inn, an inn that seemed to be frequented by some wealthier ship
captains. More in-party antics ensued that night, and in the morning,
you met an obnoxious, loudmouthed halfling. The halfing was the butler
for the wizard-turned-troll Zelth, who Zastaph and Lindalas had rescued
from captivity near the village of Ransar. They had also promised him
that they would seek out the sage Temen in Spectaro, in the hopes that
he could shed some light on a cure to the wizard’s polymorphed state.
The halfling badgered Lindalas and Zastaph on their failure to have a
cure for Zelth.
On your way out of the inn, you met another
old acquaintance of Zast and Lindalas’ from Ransar, the half-orc Uglor.
He had traveled with the halfling to Spectaro, and the two were staying
at the Misty Mariner. Perhaps if you decide to search for a cure for
Zelth, and are successful, they might be found there.
The home
of Temen the Sage was your next stop, as Gedoron Supris, the powerful
wizard, told you that Temen might have knowledge about a possible cure
for Zelth. You are thus currently talking to Temen, and tolerating his
annoying and effeminate assistant, Exrack. You might choose to search
for the cure, hunt down the Tiger Claws, or take some other course of
action.
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8/11/04 - Xaltor's Tower (SoU/HotU/CEP)
« on: Aug 12, 2004, 11:12AM» |
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In your quest for a cure for Zelth, the sage Temen has pointed you
towards the tower of the wizard Xaltor Nafgang. Temen explained that
over a century ago, Nafgang had a reign of terror in Spectaro, until
one day his tower crumbled into ruin. It was rumored that beyond the
glowing front door of the ruins rests a deceptively large place,
perhaps linked to another plane of existence. Temen warned you of the
rumored danger in the tower, saying that none of the looters or other
brave (or foolish) souls who had entered had ever returned.
To
Simon’s eternal relief, you learned that the supplier in Spectaro’s
Shipyard District was offering a 20,000 gold piece reward to anyone who
could supply a cure for his companion, who, like Zelth, had been
polymorphed (in this case, into a dog).
In Temen’s house, you
met a man who introduced himself as Sol. Sol was in search of a tome,
and, as fate would have it, Temen informed you that the tome was last
known to be in the hands of none other than Xaltor Nafgang. Sol thus
joined your group as you headed off to Nafgang’s tower.
You
entered the tower and experienced a jarring feeling, as if your insides
were sucked and twisted about. You found yourselves in the middle of a
large room, with no sight of the door through which you had entered.
You battled your way through many constructs, gaining access to the
second level of the tower. There, you fought your way through an icy
landscape that seemed out of place in the tower, until you managed to
gain access to the third level. On the third level, you fought many
undead in a brutal encounter.
As you approached what appeared
to be another portal, you encountered perhaps your strangest opponents
yet – yourselves. Surrounding the portal were mirror images of each
member of your group, who launched a viscous attack on you. You
prevailed, but not before Sissfus nearly died. You thought perhaps, as
he lay on death’s door, that you saw or sensed a strange essence move
from his defeated mirror image into Sissfus himself. After the fight,
though, Sissfus appeared to be himself once more, so it must have been
your imagination.
To Simon and Skotch’s chagrin, the corpses
of the mirror images contained only dust. Certainly, Simon and Skotch
were hoping to find treasure identical to that which they carried.
You are now ready to proceed onward, in the hopes of finding a cure for Zelth, Sol’s tome, and an exit from the tower.
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8/18/04 - Weekly Campaign Session
« on: Aug 18, 2004, 11:06PM» |
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You have survived Xaltor’s Tower, the first adventurers to have done
so. In the process, Sol found the tome for which he searched, and you
also found the cure for the polymorph conditions afflicting Zelth, and
the companion of Albon, the outfitter from the Shipyard District in
Spectaro.
You
also had a brief opportunity in the tower to speak with some hated
enemies. Evidently, Xaltor built a room that fed off of the hate of
those in the room, and enabled Xaltor, or anyone in the room, to spy
upon enemies. The room apparently did not work exactly as Xaltor had
hoped, for it enabled the spied-upon enemy to also see those in the
room, thus working as a two-way communication device.
First, a
glowing image of Ned Shakeshaft, the Tiger Claw bandit with a long
history with many members n the group, appeared. He appeared only long
enough to insult you, and for you to discern that he stood in a desert
somewhere. You also spoke with, Zadric Dreadknife, the leader of the
Spectaro assassins’ guild, and Zendick Blackstaff, a wizard with whom
Zastaph had tangled years ago, and whom Zastaph thought to be
vanquished. This is the second piece of evidence suggesting that
Zendick still lives.
On the final floor of the tower, you
wandered through a maze, fighting Xaltor himself numerous times. He
fell time and time again, only to reappear later in the maze. You
finally found a room containing a coffin, destroying it and killing
Xaltor once and for all.
The destruction of the coffin
evidently released an energy, though, that harmed Sissfus in some way,
as your elven friend fell to the floor, apparently dead. You carried
him from the tower, to the temple of Beam, in the hopes of raising him
from the dead.
At the temple of Beam, the priest informed you
that Sissfus was not really dead, but somehow trapped in his body.
Casting a spell, he freed Sissfus, causing a ghostly image of Sissfus
to float above the still-dead body. Sissfus then told you his strange
tale. Evidently, Sissfus is from a hidden elven community, and he had
been sent out to investigate the world. Instead of sending him in his
own body, however, elvish wizards placed Sissfus’ essence in an
automaton, which acted as a vessel for Sissfus in the outside world.
Thus, the body you have seen all these weeks was not Sissfus’ true
body, but merely an object through which Sissfus acted. Earlier in the
tower, you had fought your own clones created by a magical mirror.
Somehow, the essence of Sissfus’ clone entered Sissfus’ “body,”
resulting in a struggle between Sissfus and the clone for control of
the body. When Xaltor’s coffin was destroyed, Sissfus successfully
wrested control from the clone, but then his tie to the body was
severed, either as a result of the struggle, or the magical energy
released with the destruction of the coffin.
Sissfus has now
said his goodbyes to the group, and it appears that you will need to
continue on without your friend. Simon, obviously heartbroken beyond
words, looked to Sissfus’ items eagerly.
Angelique also
revealed to the group a bit more about her “condition.” It seems that
she truly has no soul, being the victim of the Ritual of the Reaver.
This strange ritual is a ceremony performed by the church of Dirkar,
wherein a soul of a baby is sacrificed to Dirkar, but the body remains
whole. Angelique revealed that she has recently learned that she was
one of the “Blessed Ones,” (a term used by Dirkar’s followers), and is
here in body and mind only. She thinks that more answers might be found
in the Chasm of Lost Souls, a place where Karom cursed many of his
enemies to an eternity of torment, their souls trapped in this world,
in a state between life and death. A former king of Gartho, who fell to
Karom 1000 years ago in the First Great War, watches over these lost
souls. In fact, these “Lost Souls” seem to suffer from a condition
opposite to that of Angelique – they have a soul trapped here, but no
body. Unfortunately, Angelique does not know where the Chasm of Lost
Souls might be found.
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8/25/04 - On the Trail of the Tiger Claws
« on: Aug 25, 2004, 10:56PM» |
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At last – you finally have a possible location where you might search
for the Tiger Claws. The path that brought you this piece of
information began back in the Temple of Beam. As you huddled around the
lifeless body (or whatever you could call it) of Sissfus, a lively
gnome pestered you, ultimately joining your group. The gnome, Perem,
did have one good piece of information – he had heard that Temen the
Sage might know something about the Chasm of Lost Souls. Angie was
excited over this, as she had learned earlier that she might find
answers to her quest for a soul in the Chasm.
Off
you went to the sage’s house, only to find the house ransacked, and
Temen and his assistant wounded. Temen explained that a group of thugs
had come to the house days earlier, seeking a tome. The thugs decided
to obtain what they needed by force, tearing through the house, driving
Temen and Exrack away, and finally stealing the tome. Temen explained
that the tome spoke of a way to get past World’s End, the huge,
impassable cliffs that ran from south to north the length of Naeldor,
far to the east of Spectaro. Beyond the descent of World’s End lay the
Chasm of Lost Souls, and also Karom’s Land, where the now-fallen deity
resided during his many past reigns of terror.
As you searched
the sage’s home for clues, you located a dagger with a Tiger Claw
emblem on it, evidently dropped by one of the thugs. From your earlier
adventures, you know that Ned Shakeshaft, an enemy to several members
of your group, leads the Tiger Claw bandits.
You took a slight
detour after leaving Temon's home in order to deliver a cure to the
wizard-turned-troll, Zelth, who was hiding out in one of the warehouses
in town. His quite obnoxious halfling assistant lead you to him. You
also remember that there is a reported reward offered by the proprietor
of Albon's Adventure Outfitter, in the Shipyard District.
Pressing
on with your search for the Tiger Claws, you headed to the Temple of
Dal. In your earlier adventures, you learned that the Tiger Claw
bandits obtained weapons from Noftol Blen, a black market weapons
dealer. Blen used an acolyte at the temple of Dal as an intermediary to
transfer the weapons to the Tiger Claws. You sought out that acolyte,
Elthin Tamsh, and forced him to give you a valuable piece of
information – the location of the Tiger Claws. Tamsh told you that his
dealings with the Tiger Claws always occurred at Merlo’s House of
Chance, a gambling hall in town. Elthin suspects that there is more to
the gambling hall than meets the eye, although he does not know if
Merlo, the proprietor of the hall, knows of the Tiger Claw’s
involvement there.
Questions twirl through your mind now. The
stolen tome evidently speaks of a way to get beyond World’s End. The
Chasm of Lost Souls lies beyond World’s End. Is it coincidence? Are Ned
and the Tiger Claws trying to get to the Chasm of Lost Souls? Or do
they have some other destination beyond World’s End?
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9/1/04 - Weekly Campaign Session
« on: Sep 1, 2004, 10:21PM» |
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You have made the Tiger Claw bandits pay a price for the pain they have
inflicted on you. In the upper levels of Merlo’s House of Chance, after
sneaking about and then raiding the gambling hall vault, you located
the hideout of the Tiger Claws. You decimated the ranks of the Tiger
Claws, eventually coming to an upper floor and encountering their
leader, Gand Shakehaft. Gand was accompanied by some drow elves, and a
younger man bearing a strong resemblance to Gand and Ned Shakeshaft. In
the hellacious fight that occurred, Gand escaped, but the other enemies
fell to your onslaught. It was a ferocious fight, with almost the
entire party down at one point. The pain was worth the price, however,
as you suspect that the human you killed was indeed a Shakeshaft,
albeit not your primary target.
In
the hideout, you found an intelligence report, and letters from Ned
Shakeshaft and Zendick (Zastaph’s old enemy) that sheds some light on
the Tiger Claws’ plans, and the possible location of Ned. The documents
talk about one of the Lintaer, one of three items that work together to
seal off the Underdark. It appears that Ned and the Tiger Claws seek
the Lintaer, and believe that a portal underneath the Mayor’s mansion
will take them beyond World’s End, and near Karom’s fortress, where the
location of this particular Lintaer might be learned. Also of interest,
this supposed means to travel beyond World’s End apparently was
confirmed by the tome stolen from Temen the Sage, and which you had
sought in order to locate the Chasm of Lost Souls for Angie. In fact,
the intelligence report mentioned that the portal accessed the Chasm of
Lost Souls.
You have now ventured back to an inn in order to recuperate from your wounds.
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9/8/04 - Beyond World's End
« on: Sep 8, 2004, 10:36PM» |
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After recuperating in the inn, and observing Simon go off to privately
speak with the leader of the Swordsmen, you went back into action.
Using the clues obtained in the Tiger Claw hideout, you snuck into the
Mayor’s mansion, Skotch paving the way by scouting out the area. He
learned that some odd vegetable creatures were hoarding crystals,
perhaps to use as a heat source. He discovered that the crystals
powered a teleportation chamber to the Chasm of Lost Souls.
You
fought your way through these plant creatures, recovering the crystals.
You also encountered strange beasts with taut, pitch-black skin that
appeared more solid than human flesh. Zastaph, versed in some of the
lore of the land, recognized these beasts as thun-foul, horrible
creations of Karom that filled his armies in years past, and that are
now scattered following his demise.
You then made your way to
the teleportation chamber, where you came under attack from more
thun-foul. You used the chamber to teleport out in a rush, barely
escaping.
You then found yourselves in the Chasm of Lost
Souls, a dark, foreboding place. First, you battled some malevolent
ghostly spirits, making your way to the cave of a rather mad dwarf. He
assisted you in your recuperation from the attack of the spirits, and
you have told him you will retrieve “his kitty” from Degner, who
resides in “that big square place up on the hill.” Asia discovered that
the “kitty” seemed to match the description of Silk. If you understand
him correctly, you need to leave the Chasm of Lost Souls to find “the
kitty.” During your conversation with the dwarf, he constantly talked
to a painting of a rather ugly dwarven woman, as if she were alive.
You
have now made you way out of the chasm, thanks largely to the archery
skills of Lindalas, who took down several of the tormented spirits. You
now must decide whether to press onward through the desert in which you
find yourself, in search of the Tiger Claws, or turn back into the
Chasm, hoping to find a clue that might help Angelique in her quest for
her soul.
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9/15/04 - Beyond World's End, cont.
« on: Sep 30, 2004, 7:27AM» |
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You have found the Hall of the Forgotten King, where you learned how
you might redeem a soul for Angie. The King there explained how Karom
cursed him and the other lost souls to an eternity of limbo, trapped
between life and death. If an item known as the Gem of Souls is
destroyed, the lost souls will be freed to the afterlife. The King has
made a deal with you – destroy the Gem, and he will try to convey a
soul to Angie. The choice will be hers: he can either hold one of the
lost souls behind, to be given to Angie, or he can attempt to bargain
with Dirkar. He explained that certainly some of the souls would be
destined for Dirkar in the afterlife, which gives him a bargaining
chip. He can attempt to hold back the released lost souls, in return
for Angie’s original soul. Both choices have their own peril, it seems.
He told you that the Gem of Souls can be found somewhere amid the ruins
of Karom’s fortress, under the watchful eye of an evil being known as
the Soulkeeper.
On
your way to the fortress, you came upon a tribe of desert nomads. They
spoke of a group of violent humans who had passed that way recently,
asking about the “Riddle Maker.” The nomads were holding one of the men
captive, so you coerced more information from him. He was one of the
Tiger Claws, and told you that the Claws had made a pact with drow who
had been cut off from the Underdark. The Claws and the drow were
working together to destroy one of the three Lintaer, by removing the
Lintaer heart from the pedestal upon which it rests. This simple act
will destroy the Lintaer, and weaken or lower the barrier sealing off
the Underdark. The Riddle Maker evidently holds the key to the location
of the Lintaer, and even holds the secret to the means to access it.
After
getting this information, you unfortunately came to violence with the
nomads, who were angered by the theft of some of their valuables by
Skotch. After a bloody battle, you fled towards the fortress. There,
you killed several Thun-foul, in the process rescuing a nomad tribesman
who fled during the battle. After the battle, beholders attacked you,
and you managed to kill one and drive the other off. The other beholder
now roams the desolate courtyard, lurking in the shadows. Your search
for the Gem of Souls, the Riddle Maker, and the Tiger Claws continues.
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9/22/04 - Beyond World's End, cont.
« on: Sep 30, 2004, 7:33AM» |
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The ruins of Karoms fortress have proved to be most deadly. Already you
have battled Thun foul, soulless undead creatures, beholders, and a
vile blue dragon. In the ruins of Karoms palace you met the Soulkeeper,
the guardian of the Gem of Souls. Defeating him and his legion of
soulless zombies, you found and destroyed the Gem of Souls. The
forgotten king of Gartho then came to you to uphold his end of the
bargain. He summoned the deity Dirkar and threatened to hold back the
lost souls, if Dirkar did not return Angies soul. Dirkar did so, albeit
with a troubling laugh.
You
also encountered another apparently crazy dwarf who talked to his
chiseled rocks as if they were living. He also gave you a piece of
serious advice, however, warning you of the "big blue lizard" in the
lower level of the fortress. You proceeded on into the lower level,
encountering an imp who claimed to know "the answer." You also met the
ghost of one of Karom's followers, and then finally the dragon. Skotch
started with some banter which only seemed to anger the mighty beast.
Combat ensued with several in the group falling into unconsciousness
and Skotch being slain. You finally wounded the dragon enough to drive
him off, at least temporarily, allowing you to revive your fallen
comrades.
The fates smiled upon you, as you found a scroll in
the dragons treasure that allowed you to raise Skotch from the dead.
You then retreated from the dragons lair to ponder your next move,
knowing that the dragon would return, but knowing that he might stand
in the path of your goal.
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9/29/04 - Beyond World's End, cont.
« on: Sep 30, 2004, 7:34AM» |
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Fighting the dragon perhaps wasn’t such a good idea, you decided.
Waiting until the dragon was asleep, you snuck by it, finding a room
with a sphinx imprisoned behind some electrical beams. This sphinx was
imprisoned by Karom, who seized the sphinx’s lair for his own use. The
sphinx turned out to be the Riddle Maker, and promised to reveal the
location of his hall, where the Tiger Claws are headed, if you could
answer his riddle. After much pondering, Skotch deduced the answer, and
was thus anointed as the “Annointed One” by the Sphinx. The sphinx also
informed you that “the evil one you seek” is the one who knows the way
to return to the upper lands from which you came.
The
Sphinx gave you directions to the Hall of the Sphinx, and informed you
that Skotch was the key to entering the lair. Following the directions,
you fought some strange bug-like desert men, and then encountered a
man, Tugg Bigears, who looked to be a cross between a human and an
ogre. He was pursuing some dark elves who had slain his true love. You
deduced from what he told you that the drow had split off from the
Tiger Claws to escape the sunlight in the morning. You followed Tugg to
an abandoned temple, where you located a drow camp. You defeated the
drow, and then resumed your search for the Tiger Claws.
You
eventually came to the Hall of the Sphinx. Before entering, you
defeated several Tiger Claws at a camp outside the entrance to the
Hall. Entering the Hall, you overcame several puzzles, and eventually
came to a portal, through a magic chest, to the lower level of the
Hall. You can sense that the Tiger Claws are not far ahead of you.
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10/06/04 - Beyond World's End, cont.
« on: Oct 6, 2004, 10:23PM» |
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He is finally dead, but at what price? Deep within the Hall of the
Sphinx, you finally caught up to Ned Shakeshaft and the Tiger Claws. A
mad dash to the Lintaer occurred, with the fate of Naeldor possibly
hanging in the balance. You and the Tiger Claws simultaneously reached
the platform on which the Lintaer stood, and a furious battle was
waged. During the confusion of battle, either someone in your group
removed the Lintaer heart from the Lintaer pedestal, or the Lintaer was
struck by one of your spells. A violent explosion occurred, concussing
the air around you. The Lintaer had been breached.
At
least you still had Shakeshaft in your grasp. He attempted to
surrender, and tried to barter for his life. He promised to show you
the way home if you spared him. The group instead attacked him, and he
fled, rushing through the passageways of the Hall of the Sphinx, and
out into the desert.
You caught him at a pedestal that seemed
out of place in the desert, and you ended his life at that spot. You
found a note on him that gave some confusing instructions about
activating the pedestal on which you killed him. Perem was able to
decipher the note, and used some gems you found on Ned’s body to
activate the portal.
Unfortunately, the portal did not send
you back to an area with which you were familiar. Instead, you found
yourself on a bitter cold mountaintop. In a nearby cave, you found a
kindly ranger who gave you provisions to help you survive, and who
warned you of giants in the area. From him, you learned that you were
at the eastern edge of the Barren Peaks, and near the halfling land of
Home.
You descended the mountain, fighting giants and arctic
bugbears on the way, Eventually, you met up with a halfling patrol,
which led you down to Hometown, one of the towns of Home, and Skotch’s
birthplace.
You are now talking with the Mayor, who has hailed
you as saviors against the giants. Evidently, the giants have been
raiding the town, and kidnapping halflings.
What has caused the giants to act in a concerted manner? Will you help the townsfolk?
And
perhaps most importantly, what lies ahead for Naeldor now that one of
the Lintaer has been destroyed, weakening or destroying the seal to the
Underdark?
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10/20/04 - Scourge of the North
« on: Oct 21, 2004, 8:15PM» |
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After enlisting your aid in dealing with the giant menace, the Mayor
escorted you to the Oracle. The Oracle seemingly spoke in riddles, but
gave you a small glimpse into your futures. She said that behind the
trouble afflicting the halflings, she saw a robed one, a man of great
evil, acting as the puppeteer. She did not know where the robed one
was, but she did know where the halflings were, directing you west,
towards the Barren Peaks.
The
Oracle also spoke of “four fates colliding.” She then went on to
address Lindalas, Simon, Asia, and Zastaph. She told Lindalas that his
past and future were about to collide, and he would learn of a
misplaced passion. She told Simon that difficult decisions were on his
horizon, requiring him to choose his loyalties. She told Asia that one
who is looking for her is near, prompting the Mayor to inform Asia that
a human with a dwarven accent had been in town recently asking about
her. The Oracle spoke most sternly to Zastaph, telling him that she saw
strands of fate to him, perhaps stronger than to any of the others. She
felt that somehow, Zastaph’s fate was affecting everyone in the group.
Before
leaving town, Skotch stopped to see his mother. The rest of you will
never know what transpired between Skotch and his mother in that visit,
unless he decides to tell you, but Simon did overhear Skotch’s mom
address Skotch by his true name – Merrigo.
You then left town,
heading west. Fighting through an ambush of hill giants, you came to a
lair crawling with giants and ogres. You rescued three halflings there,
slaying many hill giants, and then came to the summit of the lair,
where you killed two frost giants. You found a note there that seemed
to suggest that Zendick, Zastaph’s old nemesis, was behind the giants’
raids on the halfling lands.
Perhaps more interestingly, you
also rescued a prisoner, Hignar Trofin. This human, speaking with a
strange dwarven accent, revealed himself to be Asia’s lost brother.
From his story, you pieced together the backgrounds of Asia, Hignar,
and their mother.
Evidently, Asia’s family was on a caravan
years ago. The caravan was raided, and now it seems that not everyone
was killed as once thought. Asia’s mother and her brother were taken
prisoner by the orc raiders, who in turn were attacked by dwarves from
Rockland. The dwarves rescued Asia’s brother and raised him as one of
their own. In the rescue, the dwarves also found an exquisitely crafted
staff.
Asia’s mother was not so fortunate, for some of the orcs
escaped the dwarven attack with her. For her part, Asia evidently was
left behind in the smoldering caravan ruins, eventually being found by
the barbarian tribe that raised her.
Years later, the dwarves
told Hignar of the female prisoner that they were not able to rescue.
His curiosity piqued, he learned from interviews he conducted with
people in the caravan’s town of origin, Farmount, that the woman was
his mother, Elri Melisurr, an elf. He became determined to find her.
Thinking
that perhaps the staff (taken by the orcs from the caravan, but then
recovered by the dwarves) was the key. He learned from the same people
in Farmount that the staff found by the dwarves was believed to be an
item of high magic, although its actual qualities were unknown. He thus
decided that perhaps the raid was an attempt to obtain the staff, and
started researching it, hoping that clues about it and who might want
it might lead him to his mother.
Asking his dwarven “family,” he
learned that the dwarves had given the staff to the elves in Elvenwood
as a gift many years back, not realizing that an item “merely of wood”
could be an item of great power. He journeyed to Elvenwood, and learned
that the staff had been held by Lomilith d’Ebo, an elf. A raid had
occurred, wherein this elf was killed, and the staff taken. During this
part of the story, Lindalas revealed that Lomilith was his father.
Through
some magical assistance and divination, he learned that a group known
as the Tiger Claws, led by one called Shakeshaft, had killed d’Ebo.
Hignar then hired the thieves’ guild of Spectaro to investigate the
Tiger Claws, and learned that the Claws delivered the staff to a “robed
one in the Barren Peaks” almost immediately after they obtained it. He
thus believes the Claws were hired by this wizard to obtain the staff.
He
has recently spoken to the halfling Oracle, and learned that his mother
was a prisoner nearby. The Oracle told him that the "picture was
foggy," but that she could tell that the rescue of the halflings would
somehow lead to his mother, to the man of “pure evil,” and his mother’s
possible salvation. Hignar set off to do this, but was instead captured
by the giants.
Unfortunately, his part in the quest for his and
Asia’s mother must end soon, for he must hasten back to Rockland to
warn the dwarves of an impending raid by the giants. Although it is an
agonizing decision for him, he feels that he must save the greater
number of lives and go warn the dwarves, and leave the "rescue" of his
mother to Asia and her friends.
You are thus ready to continue
the quest, but questions remain. The Oracle mentioned four fates, yet
questions about Simon’s fate, and his test of loyalties, remain open.
You still have not learned why the halflings taken prisoner. A note
found in the giants’ lair suggested that Zendick wanted the halflings,
but why?
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10/27/04 - Scourge of the North, cont.
« on: Oct 27, 2004, 10:11PM» |
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Leaving the giants’ lair, you followed Asia’s brother, who was able to
point you towards Zendick’s tower before he left for his dwarven
homeland. You traveled through some rolling hills and valleys,
encountering some beautiful nymphs, who “persuaded” Skotch and Perem to
help them rid the area of some evil men. You hurried to catch up to the
halfling and gnome, who found themselves in a cave swarming with men
who transformed into wolves. You defeated the werewolves, and the
nymphs rewarded you with some Greenleaf Armor.
You
then continued on your way, encountering a traveling wizard who tried
to sell you two golems. Skotch’s kleptomaniacal manner got you into
trouble again, as the wizard noticed that some of his trinkets had been
pilfered. He and his golems attacked, and exacted a toll before falling
in combat.
Zendick’s Valley of Shadow was getting closer, and
before long you arrived there. Giants and a pair of bone golems guarded
Zendick’s tower, but you overcame them, entering the tower. In the
tower, you defeated a group of monk-like warriors in a fight that
lasted longer than perhaps any other battle you have seen. You then
encountered a halfling who evidently had used magic of some sort to
sneak into the tower, unseen, in search of his brother. Continuing your
ascent in the tower, you came upon a gruesome sight – mangled and
mutilated halfling bodies, followed by an attack by numerous undead
halflings.
Coming upon a library, you found a book that read, “I
believe I have finally mastered the Staff of Lichdom. The first few
times, I was unsuccessful and ended up with some undead halflings,
without the benefit to myself. The process was not a complete loss,
however, as I believe I have learned to harness the power of the Staff.
My time on this world will soon be eternal.”
You are ready to
continue your ascent, sensing that Zendick is not far off. That also
might mean that Asia’s mother is near as well.
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11/10/04 - Siege of Spectaro
« on: Oct 27, 2004, 10:13PM» |
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Continuing
your climb in Zendick’s tower, you encountered two Swordsmen guards.
Evidently, they had been hired by Zendick to guard a portal in the top
of his tower. They warned Simon not to cross them, but one member of
your group started the fight, and you killed them. Simon can only
wonder about the consequences if word makes its way back to Spectaro.
The
portal led to an extradimensional area of some sort, where you
encountered Zendick and Asia’s mother, Elri Melisurr, surrounded by
many halflings in a trance. You spoke with them, and learned a bit of
Asia’s fate as a baby. Evidently Asia’s mother worked with Zendick, and
led her caravan to the ambush that killed all aboard except Asia and
her brother. The sole purpose of the ambush was so that the Staff of
Lichdom, carried by the caravan, could be delivered to Zendick.
Somehow, though, the staff was lost in the attack, eventually finding
its way to the dwarves of Rockland, along with Asia’s brother. At some
point years ago, the dwarves gave the staff to the elves of Elvenwood,
and, specifically, to Lindalas’ father. Lindalas’ father was murdered
by the Tiger Claws, who had been hired by Zendick to retrieve the
staff. Zendick thus came to possess the staff, with his new bride –
Asia’ mother – at his side.
Zendick’s purpose became clear, as
he used the staff to annihilate the halflings, stealing some of their
essence with the staff to transform himself into a lich. You managed to
kill Zendick nonetheless, but during the battle Simon also struck down
Asia’s mother.
Great sadness then filled much of your party, as
Asia became anguished over her mother’s choices and fate, and Skotch
lamented the loss of the halflings. Coming to a difficult decision,
Asia used a scroll to raise her mother from the dead. Her mother
feigned confusion, but ultimately fled to a room containing many
levers, pulling one and teleporting away.
Angie then pulled a
lever, but either you were too far behind Asia’s mother, or the ensuing
teleportation sent you somewhere different than it had sent her. You
found yourselves in Spectaro, with no sign of Asia’s mother.
Spectaro
was not how you remembered it, though. A horrible redness filled the
sky, seemingly filtering the sun’s rays. Worse, the city was besieged
by drow and zombies. You can only imagine whether the destruction of
the Lintaer in your journey Beyond World’s End unleashed the drow on
the city. What has caused the zombies to appear, though, is a complete
mystery.
At the request of Delana Aladis, you fought your way
across the city to attend a meeting involving the King, Queen, Mayor,
and the leaders of both the Swordsmen and Black Helms. You now stand
before the King, with the fate of the city, and perhaps the land,
hanging in the balance.
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11/17/04 - Siege of Spectaro, cont.
« on: Nov 10, 2004, 11:15PM» |
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The
King of Gartho enlisted your aid, asking you to investigate the Temple
of Dirkar, from where the zombies emanated. You fought your way across
Spectaro again, going toe to toe with drow and zombies in many bloody
battles.
You reached
the Temple of Dirkar, finding that a gem was somehow creating a zombie
army. As you fought, the gem created more zombies around you. You were
able to destroy the gem, however, which stopped the foul process. After
doing so, you found a unicorn figurine, along with a journal.
Evidently, a certain female had given the figurine to the Temple
authorities, which they used to power the gem that created the zombies.
After
this discovery, Simon also told Angie about some of the happenings in
Tharse. Angie had a near breakdown, fleeing the temple, and into the
chaotic city. In your attempts to regroup, you were accosted by more
drow, and became separated in the chaos. After almost losing a few
members of your group at the end of drow blades, you regrouped. You
rested in a deserted inn, and then finally made it back to the palace.
At
the palace, the King explained that his mages believed that the red sky
hanging over the city was somehow related to the drow. The mages
believed that the sky acted as a filter of some sort, allowing the drow
to operate in the daylight of the surface world. The King felt that if
the sky could be restored, then perhaps the scales would tip in the
favor of the City’s forces.
To accomplish this, the King
directed you towards the Mayor’s Mansion, where a drow priestess,
possibly a major player in the raids, had taken residence. The King
hoped that you might find a clue there as to the cause of the red sky.
Before
leaving the palace, Simon had a talk with Tolmer Trahannon, his boss.
Simon explained the happenings with the Swordsmen in Zendick’s tower.
Tolmer did not appear pleased, but has reserved judgment for now.
You
then fought your way across the city again, and are now in the Temple
District, with the Mayor’s mansion not far away from you.
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12/1/04 - Siege of Spectaro, cont.
« on: Dec 1, 2004, 11:22PM» |
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[dates in the subject heading will now match the date the described
session occurred, instead of the date of the game for which the summary
was posted]
You
made your way to the mayor’s mansion, hoping that you could locate the
drow priestess, and a clue as to what was causing the red sky. You
hoped that if the sky could be returned to normal, the balance would
shift back in favor of the city’s forces.
Your foray into the
mansion was dangerous, as you fought several lethal drow on the ground
floor. Eventually, you snuck through a window into the second floor.
Through a combination of stealth and force, you eventually made your
way to a room housing the priestess. Skotch pilfered some items from a
chest there, before combat was initiated. You killed her and her
guards, and Skotch showed you two items that had been in the chest
(whether there were more items in the chest prior to Skotch’s
“examination” of it, you might never know). The first item was a tome
written in an unfamiliar, flowing script. The second item was a note
from Zadric Dreadknife, leader of the Spectaro Assassins’ Guild. This
note indicated that the assassins were guarding a “Sssiks Kulggen,” or
“Sun Shield,” in the assassins’ lair in the Undercity. Could this have
something to do with the red sky?
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