Session 23

FOLLOWING IN SESTO'S FOOTSTEPS

Warmshade 20 - Sunstrong 3

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 5

Suba-Jin the Three-Handed, cleric of Hextor 4

Robert the Swift, fighter 4

Xénos, spy 1

Lord Fesgate, fighter 4

Leaving the Mansion

The party emerged from the garden hedges to see a group of 10 mandragoras between them and the exit. With Lord Fesgate badly hurt, low on hit points and spells, drastic measures were required:

"That's it" Suba-Jin growled, brandishing a bottle of herbicide in one hand and his pistol in the other. "Every one of you get outta my way!" The short little plant-men were so baffled that they didn't even move. Hustling through the statue garden, he tossed a handful of the brown powder in one's face and it collapsed, shrieking in its vegetable-y way.

On the way out, Sesto's work crew wanted to know how things had gone. The party showed them a golden disk they had looted [last session]. They left Lord Fesgate to recuperate at the Dragon's Eye, then proceeded to Seven Visions for some much-needed R&R. They spotted a surly pimp and a few cruel-looking guards selling foreign dancing-girls in the Bazaar on the way.

They showed the golden disk to Zvezdana, who identified it as a type of odd-shaped trade bar used by rich families in the past. She took it off their hands for 2000 silver pieces!

The group spent a few days healing and partying at Seven Visions (and everyone failed their carousing saves) - Suba-Jin remembers destroying something in the night, but not what it was or where. Gorr recalls letting some important information slip while in his cups. Xénos got a nasty surprise when he awoke one morning with a dead elf in his bed! After some deliberation he brought this to management's attention, and Zvezdana agreed to handle it for him, saying only "You arr varry lucky you arr such goot cahstomers,,,"

The only clue to the elf woman's identity was a halved skull tattoo: the symbol of Galishma, a goddess of dark places & hidden things as well as protectress of women. The group had their suspicious but without much to go on they decided to drop the subject for now.

Disappeared!

The party met up with Sesto's crew, ready to brave the mansion again. But nobody had seen him for several days! The crew was getting worried, and the party decided to look into it.

Life in the Old City

There was no information at the Dragon's Eye, so the party ventured into Old City to look for Sesto's neighbourhood. They stopped into Eternal Flame, the bar where they'd first met him [a few sessions ago]. A rose-gold metallic building sized for beings much taller than humans, it was kept quite warm by a cheery ever-burning fire, now used as an oven. The barkeep hadn't seen their quarry for almost a week which was unusual since Sesto stopped in for an after-work drink most days. The party managed to learn where he lived (amusingly, on the Street of Stones).

At the corner of the Street of Stones, Robert spoke to an old man selling pickles out of a barrel. The vendor had noticed a few cloaked, shady types asking around for Sesto and one of them had a strange tattoo on the back of his neck:

Then the old pickle-monger pointed out the Sesto family's residence on the second floor of a nearby brick & concrete apartment block, of the run-down style commonplace in the Old City. 

The dwelling had been ransacked, and there didn't seem to be any clues to the perpetrators. Mattresses were slashed, boxes opened up, all the poor family's meagre possessions were thoroughly rifled.

Suba-Jin interviewed a frightened neighbour (who wouldn't even open her door) and got some interesting gossip. A few nights back, the woman had heard men's voices raised in anger, and the sounds of breaking furniture. "I thought it was a domestic. Common around here, you understand. Then one of the men said some funny things - 'Ah, you'll be fit for a coffin after this! We'll get the iron toads on it, you wait' and then 'By yurdle-murdle'... or maybe it was 'yer-doomlel'? Some funny word, anyway." With a sinking feeling, Suba-Jin thought he knew the word she had overheard...

They party headed to the Bridge district to find evidence of the Coffin Masters gang, thinking that was who had grabbed up Sesto and his family.

The run-down shacks on Bridge were usually covered in graffiti, most of it not relevant. Symbols of gangs & local crews. Occasionally the logo of a deity, like Galishma's half-skull. Occasionally a strangely clean and well-written message saying "THE SEQUENCE - ALL WELCOME - OTHERSIDE."

After an hour of searching they noticed a familiar horned logo in white paint. They made the acquaintance of a local salt vendor named Thando who was ready to leave the city and seek his fortune elsewhere. He was tired of paying protection money to the Coffin Masters. The party bought his entire stock for cheap and sent him off with a magic acorn in his pocket for good luck.

The party spread news among the locals that a new salt vendor was in business! Xénos posed as the vendor and the rest of the group hid in ambush. As the night wore on, the group awaited the Coffin Masters' arrival.

Just before midnight, a group of six thugs showed up and tried to shake down the "helpless merchant." Xénos played dumb and then ran off down an alley, leading the thugs a merry chase. Just as they cornered their "victim" Suba-Jin, Gorr and Robert fell upon them from behind and slayed five quickly. Their leader surrendered after he saw his crew cut down. 

The group sweated him for information on Sesto and the location of the Coffin Masters' home base. "I can't tell you that. You know what they do to traitors? I'll get flayed alive!" Suba-Jin indicated the corpses of the underlings being tossed off the side of the Bridge, plummeting hundreds of feet to the Nereus Firth below. The man realized his predicament. He claimed to know nothing of Sesto but agreed to lead the group to the gang's hideout and teach them the 'secret knock' in exchange for his life and a small payout - 100 silver, enough to leave town. He led them deeper into the Bridge district, walking for almost an hour through winding alleys.

We left the group debating their next move - they are standing on a darkened corner, looking at a dead-end alley. According to their prisoner, the building at the end covers a passage downwards into the semi-mythical tunnels inside the Great Bridge!

Enemies Defeated:

1 mandragora (39 xp)
6 thugs (335 xp)

Treasure Obtained:

none

Treasure Sold:

golden disk

Money:

Gorr, Suba-Jin, Xénos, Robert, Lord Fesgate: noted during play

Young Joe Spruce: 333 silver, 33 copper

Session 18

ESCAPE THE DOOMED MOUNTAIN!

14-15 Warmshade, 4433

Characters:

Suba-Jin, Cleric of Hextor 4
Robert the Swift, Fighter 3
Eric Withakay, Cleric of Solaris 4
Meep, Dwarf 3
Gorr, Ranger 4
Regetus Rex, Illusionist 2 (thanks Nick!)
Lord Fesgate, Fighter 3 (NPC)

A Sticky Situation

The party was stuck at the top of a mountain, in a blizzard, surrounded by hordes of the restless dead. Many plans were suggested, debated and ultimately abandoned. Disguise? Skiing? Straight-up running?

Player: "Do we really want to gamble our lives on the judgement of some racist zombies??"

It was finally determined that Regetus Rex could call in his favour from the six-armed god Karttekeza. The group was picked up from the mountaintop by the giant prismatic riding peacock Praveena and whisked home on its back. Before leaving they loaded the magical harp, mirror and all the other treasure they had found on to the animal.

Back to Viridistan

After setting them down in a quiet place on the riverside (only a few children witnessed them landing), the peacock screeched and flew away through the spaces between the worlds.

Robert the Swift headed back to the Irregulars' Barracks, where a rumour came his way. Apparently a stonemason named Sesto working in Cliffside claimed to have discovered the lost mansion of Dimorites, a powerful magician of olden days. Any adventurer who could enter this long-lost building would have his pick of the sorceror's arcane secrets.

Most of the group rested up at Seven Visions, the house of ill-repute where their contact Zvezdana Ozi had helped them out in the past. The next day they asked the sagely Zvezdana about many of the strange clues & items they'd accumulated on their trip:

- The name Yredelemnul mentioned in some old books and by Magrometh the Piper (last session) was an old alias for one of the greater demon-lords, usually called Orcus prince of the Undead!

- The magical mirror: it reflects only those of Lawful alignment.

- The giant painting that Lothos wanted: was not magical, and Zvezdana saw a different image - the same chamber, but full of human skeletons standing, walking or climbing around.

- The bronze axe which read "Execute The Weak" in the cult's writing: magical +1/+3 vs. helpless, slept, blinded, prone or otherwise disabled enemies.

- The serene golden mask: a tool of interrogation. When donned, it would catch the wearer's face with painful barbs until someone else touched them and spoke the words "I am done with him" or similar.

- The ugly wooden toothy mask: renders the wearer invisible to certain specific undead beings - most likely the Greater undead interred in Yredelemnul's shrine.

- The crystal spheres: contain a liquefied essence of time. When released, its effects are not completely predictable, but it might be possible to slow an enemy with it.

- The snow-globes: windows into alternative worlds, each slightly different from our own. Hence the differences in the condition of the fort, the weather on the mountaintop, etc.

- The golden cup shown in the painting: Zvezdana wasn't sure. It seemed to be of Elven make but even that was ambiguous and its magical properties were obscure. The group asked her to do further research, which may take a few weeks.

Some items (the masks, harp, the cult's books, etc) were too strange to sell at the Bazaar and the group didn't want such ominous items being traced back to them after the events on the mountaintop. Zvezdana said she would try to set up a meeting with "some people." She knew the party had no love for the city guard after her girls helped them during a raid (Session 15) so she was willing to go out on a limb, but once the group met these mysterious folks she wanted to be kept out of it. 

Zvezdana: *drag from cigarette* "Ey know zese types, ey em not vanting to get too friendly viff zem, understand?"

The group said they did and would await her message about such a meeting. In the meantime they sold all the mundane treasure they found in the shrine, including all the jewelry that Eric had looted from the time-locked undead.

Zvezdana had also heard the rumours about Sesto and Dimorites' mansion. She was keenly interested as well: during his lifetime, the sorceror was censured by the Gloaming Tower for dabbling in forbidden magics: Vivimancy & Necromancy, the powers of life & death. Zvezdana was willing to pay generously if books or materials on these subjects could be brought to her. After all, why bring them to the Inquisition who would only destroy the priceless knowledge forever?

Searching for Sesto

Robert the Swift & Suba-Jin spent some time at the great gates to Cliffside, trying to get acquainted with the guards. They got a description of Sesto, and came back at the end of the workday.

They followed the stonemason to the Old City where he stopped into a neighbourhood tavern for a drink. They sat down with him and struck up a conversation.

Sesto gave up the info quick. He regretted ever mentioning his discovery - he knew it was only a matter of time before some unscrupulous types grabbed him up, and then his fate was sealed! He was afraid to go home (he lived nearby) in case of endangering his family. The two adventurers told him they meant no harm and only wanted to know the path to the sorceror's mansion. Sesto said they would never find it without him - the district was full of nobles' estates with high walls which were constantly being knocked down, moved and rebuilt - not to mention a veritable maze of tunnels underneath the streets for servants. They had to keep him alive. He also demanded a fair percentage of loot recovered for the danger he had to endure.

A pair of shady types were observing the group from the shadows. Others were interested in Sesto as well...

Monsters:

none

Treasure:

A great deal of nonmagical treasure found in the fort and shrine was sold off.
Shares are as follows:

Robert the Swift: 1910 silver

Suba-Jin: 1910 silver

Regetus Rex: 1065 silver

Meep: 845 silver

Gorr: 1910 silver

Eric Withakay: 1910 silver

Experience Totals:

Robert the Swift has reached 4th level!

Regetus Rex has reached 3rd level!

Session 15

THE PLOTS THICKEN

Longrass 17-20, 4433

Characters:

Gorr, ranger 4

Suba-Jin, cleric of Hextor 4

Robert the Swift, fighter 3

Eric Withakay, cleric of Solaris 4

Meep, dwarf fighter 3

Lord Fesgate, fighter 3

Seven Visions

Carousing at the high-class Dockside establishment went quite well, all things considered.

- Eric Withakay went on a drunken spending spree, buying 100 sp worth of useless trinkets from a street vendor. 

- Robert the Swift spoke too freely in his cups and let slip some vital piece of information to another reveller, but he can't remember what.

- Regetus Rex also went on a spending spree, and bought 200 sp worth of things he didn't need or want. He didn't have the money on him, and now owes the merchant. 

[Both of you who bought things, feel free to make up what they are or I'll roll for it later]


A few rumours were gleaned in the night: 

- The boat-people fished the body some smuggler out of the Firth last night with a bloody spider carved into his chest! 

- The Gloaming Tower is having a special event in two days. A new sanctioned apprentice is undergoing the test to be raised up to full rank, and everyone is going down to the river to watch.


In the morning, Robert the Swift was woken by his mechanical bird singing him awake in a lovely woman's voice. The sounds of argument drew him downstairs, where the madame Zvezdana Ozi and her bouncer Hakan were arguing with someone at the front door. 

"We're paid up this month! What's the problem?"
"Sorry Lady, new orders. We're doing a spot-check!"
"What is this bullshit?"

"Filthy cop," pfffffffff "'Eyy em trying to run ey beez-ness!"

Realizing the guards were probably coming in, Robert woke up the group. They were preparing to jump out the window but a few of Zvezdana's girls took pity on them (Suba-Jin's coins didn't hurt) and hid the group in their rooms. After the guards left, the gang had Zvezdana identify a few magic items - some bracers of defense AC 13, a potion of longevity and a scroll of Invisiblity, 10' radius.

She bought the potion for a princely sum (she's getting on in years), and asked them for a favour. One of her girls (named Etelvina) joined a theatre troupe at The Theatre of Sutrali Khibari in the Old City. In the past week, nobody had heard from her and Zvezdana was starting to worry. Was she OK? Had she started working somewhere else? What happened? The group agreed to check it out.

Around Town

The group split up and did a few things throughout the city, bought gear, went to the Night Wolf Inn to pick up some of their savings, etc.

Robert & Gorr investigated the theatre, a dingy place beneath Uugen's Market in the Old City. A staircase beside a statue of the pangolin-armadillo goddess of luck Kettkí led down below, infested with beggars and strewn with garbage. The ticket-taker told them that a skeletal apparition with glowing eyes had kidnapped Etelvina right off the stage at the climax of a performance! The play was a lurid romance called "The Bleeding Skeleton." Since then business has boomed as folks hope to see a repeat of this thrilling & macabre event. That play wasn't on that night, so they moved on.

Uugen's Market, Old City

Suba-Jin gave his tithe at the church of Hextor and was urged to deal with this "Inquisition Problem" by Votgauum, his immediate superior. He went to Fort Penitence and managed to get a bit more information on why Eric's name was on wanted posters around the city [Session 1 - No Salvation For Witches].

That night the group went down to the docks and watched the wizard's initiation. It turned out that the apprentice was none other than Lothos the Undesirable himself! He walked and acted differently since the group last saw him. Gorr called out his name, but he didn't appear to notice. As the sun set, Lothos demonstrated his newfound magical power - stepping off the docks onto a sparkling bridge of lights, walking up & over the water and into the Gloaming Tower itself before the whole scene faded from view.

The group returned to the theatre the next day while it was closed. Banging on the door brought the attention of Barzhánu, a mean & imperious-looking woman. She introduced herself as the impresario and allowed the group to come in and explore the "alleged ghost problem" if they didn't disturb rehearsals. The actors were an ill-favoured lot, clearly drawn from the city's unfortunates.

Behind the stage was a carving on the wall of a madly dancing skeleton clad in wild rags. This seemed somehow related to the haunting but they didn't get around to investigating it, instead exploring a backstage storage room with a spiral staircase. Downstairs was a deep basement area that showed no signs of travel. 

A great stone face of a scowling, helmeted warrior blocked passage forward. After a few tries opening it, Suba-Jin wondered if the content of the play might be relevant. Barzhánu said "The Bleeding Skeleton" was about a cursed warrior named Kadurghán - when the name was uttered, the stone face opened with a great grinding sound! A pastel rose-coloured mist issued forth, smelling of flowers and causing a light-headed dizziness.

The Realm of Kadurghán

This soporific mist was also poisonous - a few of the group tied wet rags around their mouths and this helped a little bit, but they still felt their strength slowly ebbing as they progressed through the tunnels. 

They passed a few old storage rooms filled with couches, rotting clothes & a lady's makeup table, but didn't look inside. Next was a large hall with the words "THE NARCOTIC THRONE: THE COURT OF KADURGHÁN" carved above the doorway. Within the richly decorated & marbled hall, an imposing figure in blue-black ceremonial armour sat on a brass throne, lost in thought or asleep. The party's spellcasting caught his attention and he demanded to know their purpose here.

They explained their search for the missing girl. He told them the monster they sought was called Uromén, the Chortling Death. Its domain was deeper into the undercity, but more than that he didn't know. Kadurghán (for it could only be him) said he did not harm women, and sought only the heart of a powerful warrior strong enough to beat in his own chest - indicating a small hinged panel on his armour. After some more chatter he made it clear the party would pay dearly for disturbing his repose, while a pack of sinister horned ghosts coalesced out of the red mists.

The battle was short and furious. Kadurghán didn't even join, only exhorted his ghostly minions from his throne. The poisonous mists began taking their toll and the group decided to flee. Meep the Dwarf was knocked out by a ghost's parting strike but Gorr carried him, and everyone made it up the stairs.

Back in the Theater 

Upstairs, a tense stand-off occurred with Barzhánu's guards while Robert the Swift dragged her downstairs to prove how dangerous the Undercity was. When Suba-Jin went down to see how it was going, he found her shoving Robert's lifeless body down into the mists! A Light spell and the sudden appearance of a pack of horned ghosts kept her busy, while Suba-Jin dragged his friend back upstairs. It seemed that she had stabbed him with a poisoned dagger, but the lucky use of a Neutralize Poison spell stabilized Robert for the moment. 

The group explored the rest of the theatre shooing out the scared players and sullen thugs, none of whom had much reason to stay with their employer gone. They found the bloody clothes of some former lover in Barzhánu's room, along with her stash and some treasure.

Two bricked-up archways in backstage rooms led to parts unknown and Gorr used his mining tools to smash a few bricks out. On the other side of one was a ratty-smelling room with some veiled figures wearing soiled black and purple robes. They were priests, and this the Temple of Sürü Miklári. Entry was forbidden but they were willing to offer oracles about matters in the city from "the little brothers" for one talent of silver (500 coins). They insisted the door not be knocked down further, but reluctantly allowed for a small hole through which communication could be made.

After exploring the theatre, they took Robert to the church of Hextor for more healing and the poison was finally over with. Votgauum again urged Suba-Jin to deal with Eric's legal troubles. They decided to turn Eric in to the Inquisition, claim the reward and hope that the priests' magical abilities discerned the truth of events.

Fort Penitence

"We got him!" Gorr cried when they walked into the Inquisition's headquarters. Once he was identified, Eric was quickly ushered away. The rest of the party were given their reward and ushered by a large group of guards through twisting tunnels underneath the Fort. They quickly got lost and were finally ushered into a large interview room -- where Eric himself was sitting! After a few minutes of uncomfortable waiting an imposing Viridian with piercing eyes entered the room. The guards seemed afraid of him and made themselves scarce. 

A long conversation ensued with the man, Phaidros Imad, covering many topics:

- He had enough dirt on the group to have them all condemned. For the Drydale Massacre [back in Session 1], possession of contraband, their trips to the Undercity and possibly more he wasn't saying.

- The Inquisition knew about Bishop Gray all along, and wanted his magic book. The party told him about Lothos carrying it and the attribute-trading statues [Session 9]. He was frustrated by the book moving out of his reach, for now.

- His main concern at the moment was the Night Wolf Inn. All his attempts to place agents in the Adventurers' Guild had failed. Now that he had the group in his power and most of them were already members, he wanted to learn more about the place. He didn't believe for a second it was a "simple adventuring guild."

His questions included:

Who runs the Inn? 
What are his or her capabilities, resources, goals, agendas?
How long will the Inn be operating outside Viridistan? Is it intended to be permanent?
What else is inside the inn?
Who else is a member of the Guild?
What kind of agenda is driving the Guild's activities?
Any other information on the Inn itself, the Guild and those involved with it.

Phaidros spoke with narrowed eyes, in an ominous whisper: "I don't have to tell men in your position that there is a war going on... behind things." He would be watching the group carefully but they'd only meet him again if they did extremely well or extremely poorly. Their next contact would be known by a password: "The Pelagic Argosy Sights Land." 

He cautioned that they were not official Inquisition troops and he was neither willing nor able to help them out in future. After this stern dismissal they were escorted out of a side-exit from the Fort. Back in the city and free of the manhunt, the party contemplated their next move, and the renewal of hostilities with that mysterious bastard Kadurghán...

*****

Monsters Defeated:

3 horned ghosts (240 xp)

Treasure:

silver & gold coins (divided amongst the group)

a gilded theatre-mask

some bloody clothes

Experience Totals:

Session 14

THE ENCHANTMENT OF VASHUNDARA - Part II

12-16 Longrass, 4433
Several days passed while travelling between worlds, but this was hard to judge at the time.

Characters:

Gorr, Ranger 3

Suba-Jin, Cleric of Hextor 3

Robert the Swift, Fighter 2

Eric Withakay, Cleric of Solaris 4

Regetus Rex, Illusionist 2

Lord Fesgate, fighter 3 (NPC)

Karttekeza's Mansion

The party was in the midst of exploring the mansion of the giant god Karttekeza. Everything was far too large for them, and the giant animals all seemed intelligent and talkative.

Investigating the steam room, the group found a prisoner inside - a Viridian in a shabby-genteel toga named Regetus Rex. He had also been brought to the manor on a flying peacock, but barely survived being stuffed into the steam room and left to die by a few of the spectral guardians who infested the area. With his other friends, he agreed to join the party in their journey to free Karttekeza.

The group spotted a glint of metal at the bottom of the swimming pool - it looked like the brass key. Robert took off his armour and swam down to get it. At the last second he realized he was swimming right towards a gelatinous cube concealed in the water! He swiftly reversed course and came up to the surface. The group managed to lure the cube out of the water, where it was swiftly defeated with missile fire and the key obtained.

Upstairs, the group got into a skirmish with the moaning guardians. One was destroyed and the other fled into a nearby room where Vashundara lay sleeping. Several plans were concocted. The group decided to lure two of the guardians out with an illusion cast by Regetus. They spotted the ambush and attempted to flee. A protracted battle ensued with the characters nervously looking over at the demoness, wondering if she would wake up!

At one point during the fighting on the 2nd floor, one of the spectral guardians pushed past the front rank of fighters and singled out Eric. The cleric had the momentary sense that some force was singling him out for ill-treatment as the damned soul's scimitar struck home. What could it mean?

Luckily Vashundara slumbered soundly while her troops were mopped up. Very... carefully... Robert and Gorr managed to creep up beside her on the giant bed and unclasp the necklace holding the gold key. They only needed one more to free the imprisoned god!

They inspected a locked door with a poem on it and debated a few courses of action, but elected to leave it alone and proceed to the third floor, consisting of a huge hanging garden with pillars holding up a domed roof. A vast statue of a giant fighting a snake poured water into a small pond filled with rushes.

On the floor of the pavilion lay the giant peacock Amrita, mate of the one that had carried the group here. He was sickly and weak after suffering Vashundara's poison bite! A Cure Light Wounds spell seemed to help a little bit.

At that moment the party was accosted by four huge ravens, who demanded "shiny things". Robert attempted to negotiate with them, offering shiny things if they knew where the silver key was. They weren't inclined to debate, and insisted they knew nothing about a key and wanted a payout. Just when a confrontation seemed imminent, Amrita stood up and whistled at the ravens. They flew away amid protestations about not wanting to trouble the master of the house!

Although Amrita couldn't speak, he could gesture with his beak. When the players asked about the silver key he directed them to the lotus pond on the 2nd floor.

Returning to the pond and the picturesque island in its middle, the group caught the attention of a snapping-turtle living inside. It was almost big enough to swallow a man whole. Before the turtle could answer their questions, three giant crabs emerged from the water attracted by the commotion! They didn't bother talking and scuttled to the attack. Lord Fesgate was dealt a stiff blow from their claws, but Regetus' colour spray and a spirited defense by the group routed them.

When they convinced the turtle to come back, he said that perhaps he had seen the silver key - when he ate it! There was some debate about what to do - induce vomiting? Wait for him to poop it out? Eric even Command-ed the turtle to vomit, but it didn't work. Then Suba-Jin suggested looking into the turtle's throat - and there it was! They propped its mouth open with Retegus' quarterstaff and a tense moment ensued while Robert the Swift reached in with his mining pick to pull out the key - the turtle gagged and almost closed its mouth, but the staff held and Robert was safe.

With all three keys secured, the group left to unlock Karttekeza and secure Vashundara's final defeat.

The God's Gratitude

Eighteen feet tall, six-armed, six-headed, with glowing golden skin. Karttekeza was a terrible sight once freed. He stormed through his mansion to his bedroom and accused Vashundara of tricking him. She awoke and began to protest, but a storm of fire & lightning issued from the god, erasing the demoness from existence. The second of Uthummaos' shadowy demons was defeated!

Karttekeza offered the party a choice of several rewards for rescuing him:

Eric opted to have his crippling back injury healed.

Robert selected a small mechanical peacock, which sings and warns its owner of danger.

Suba-Jin received a third arm, which grew from the left side of his body.

Regetus accepted a favour from Praveena, the giant peacock which carried them here. In the future, she would come at one time of his choosing and carry the group anywhere they wished (including other worlds & dimensions).

Gorr asked for some special spider-silk rope made by the giant spiders in the mansion gardens.

Lord Fesgate accepted Karttekeza's magical wave-bladed dagger (a two-handed sword for him).

A few other topics were mentioned.

Uthummaos' other demons:

 
"I don't know where they are, but they must lurk near Uthummaos' centres of power. They are powerful beings of shadow, and battling them in darkened places would be near-suicide."

A request:

 
"If you find the ruins of my houses of worship, would you restore them for me? Few even remember Karttekeza anymore, for courage and beauty and poetry are nearly gone from that gloomy realm."

Best advice for the future:

"Uthummaos' influence is vast,
you may find him close to home.
Paths found in dreams may lead you to him -
but who points the way for you?
The watcher by silver light may help your cause
but the bars of time hold fast,
and much should stay locked in.
In a place of cold & terror,
beware the song and heed the clock.
Hold true the covenants you have made, 
for in time old friends may become new enemies.
And take the chance to speak
with someone who floats by evening."

Return To Viridistan

On Praveena's back, the group flew through the mists between dimensions. They emerged in the skies high above Trident Gulf, the emerald city glittering beneath them. Praveena set them down in a somewhat quiet section of the river, but they were spotted by several townspeople and riverboats. Rumours will likely circulate in the future.

Their next destination: the marketplace to sell their treasure, then Seven Visions for some carousing!

***

Asking Karttekeza for advice about the future was a great idea. He is a deity after all, and sees much. Since he is a god of poetry among other things, his predictions come in obscure phrases. Interpretation is left up to you. -DM

***

Memorable Lines:

Regetus: "I'm an illusionist. Large mansions are part of my specialty."

Robert the Swift: *throws down four silver coins*

Giant Raven: "You don't think much of me, do you pal?"

DM: "Ok, You reach into the turtle's mouth. There is a small chance something goes wrong... Oh no, I rolled it!"

Players: *chorus of boos, laughter*

DM: "It's all right, the staff will only break on a-"
Player: "Don't say 'small chance' again!"

Session 11

A RUDE AWAKENING

3rd-12th Longrass, 4433

Characters:

Young Joe Spruce, druid 1

Gorr, ranger 3

Robert the Swift, fighter 2

Suba-Jin, cleric 3

Meep, dwarf 2

Eric Withakay, cleric 4

*****

[DM's Note - Sorry guys, I waited too long to write this report because of the holidays & assorted things. My memory of the session is now a bit hazy. If I missed anything or got any details wrong, let me know and I'll correct it.]

A Night at Seven Visions

The gang blew a ton of money on gambling, wine, women & song. Most held their liquor, except for Robert and Joe. Their encounters with the courtesans of Seven Visions were bizarre & psychedelic, becoming ever more dreamlike and surreal as the night progressed, eventually becoming terrifying psycho-sexual dramas - their innermost fantasies come to life. Each was thoroughly scarred by the experience [gaining 1 fear point] and afterwards could never be sure how much was real and how much a bad dream, nor exactly how things ended.

During the night Fred, the last man-at-arms in the service of Young Joe Spruce, was overcome with fear at his companions' deaths and deserted the company.

In the early hours of the morning, while sleeping off their night of partying the group was ambushed in their beds by knife-wielding assassins. These rough-looking men with faces covered, wrapped in layers of ragged finery could take serious punishment. They were high on a drug called BLACK, the same tarry substance found hidden in Morthevole's shop. One of them was subdued and gave up Morthevole's name before he died of his injuries when the drug's effects wore off. Robert's arm was injured badly in the fight and would require a few weeks of bed-rest to heal.

The establishment's madame Zvezdana Ozi apologized for the mistakes of her security force and told the group she would compensate their next stay. Women, drinking, drugs, whatever they wanted. She used her occult knowledge to identify the ancient golden shield Suba-Jin found [a shield +1].

About Town

The group ran a few errands. First they found a jeweller in Hightown named Tibor Stefandis, who was wealthy enough to buy the ruby they found in Morthevole's basement. They settled on 370 gold pieces, a princely sum for a single gemstone! Stefandis recognized the ruby's design, and told them a strange story about it:

"This is a legendary gemstone. The Ruby Heart of Sanghé Shriwar the Slicer, a goddess long-ago fallen out of favour in the city. She was sometimes depicted as a beautiful dancing-girl in an overgrown garden, sometimes as a multi-armed vision of terror & destruction. She was associated with the moon, and vengeance. The center of her worship was in the Riverside district amongst several noble families. They may yet live in that area, but their fortunes have now fallen along with hers."

The group visited Morthevole at his shop in the Nest and sweated him (after fighting some albino monkeys on the way). He admitted that the "blackthroats" (as such addicts are called) came to his shop, and he sent them after the group for an easy score. Suba-Jin rubbed the last does of BLACK on his neck, and the group swept his shop before leaving him thoroughly terrified. 

To the Night Wolf Inn

Reasoning that it would be a great way for Robert to recover, the gang headed for the Night Wolf Inn, to rest up in the Forest of Dreams where time passes more swiftly than in the normal world. After a cramped (subjective) month in the Inn room, Robert's arm had healed up and the gang had mostly recovered from their encounters with undead in the crypts below the city [everyone lost 2 accumulated fear points].

At fighting strength, the group pressed on further into the forest. With Young Joe Spruce in their group, navigation was easy and travel swift. 

Returning to their allies in the Forgotten Village, they learned of more activity in the ruined castle of Eralion the wizard: a pack of ravenous shadow-hounds had been raiding from within the Moonlit Zone!

Venturing back inside that dark & cryptic region, they heard the baying of these spectral dogs in the distance but never encountered them. Creeping into Eralion's keep once more, they spied a man of elemental fire dancing madly in the courtyard. Defeating it with a combination of magic weapons and holy water, they suddenly heard the great doors of the chapel below their feet begin to creak open...

*****

Monsters Defeated:

Man of Flames - 370 xp

3 Blackthroats - 107 xp

Treasure:

40 silver pieces - 40 xp

3 gold pieces - 30 xp

selling off the Ruby Heart - 3700 xp

TOTAL:

91 xp each for this session

617 each for those who found the Ruby Heart

Many of you leveled up after last session. As usual, once you return to a safe area (in this case, the room's furniture) and rest a day, you can gain the benefits of your new level. Some of you had the experience after selling the ruby, but we ended last session in the middle of the action, so it doesn't make sense to do your levels right now.

Session 10

MORTHEVOLE'S CELLARS

3rd Longrass, 4433

Cast:

Gorr, ranger 3
Suba-Jin, cleric 2
Robert the Swift, fighter 2
Tullius Jr./Sir Karavon, fighter 3

Eric Withakay, cleric 3

Young Joe Spruce, druid 1

Ted, Fred & Ned, men-at-arms

New Friends & New Adventures

The group followed up a lead from the Church of Hextor: a down-on-his-luck merchant was asking for help. Joined by Young Joe Spruce, a druid in the city for the first time. Accompanying him were three men-at-arms, bound into servitude for a month for trespassing in the forests (for two of them, the servitude would be much shorter than that!).

The group met Morthevole the merchant and asked for information. He gave them the key to his shop and a crude map of part of The Nest. Gorr took a short detour to the pleasure-parks and boulevards in the south of the city to plant one of Grandfather Tree's acorns.

Entering the Nest is like walking into a dungeon. The borough is almost completely sealed off, with only three well-known entrances. Buildings stack on top of each other, blocking out the sun and rendering it a dark & confusing three-dimensional maze. The group startled a few prostitutes as they wandered, but saw no other living beings. They were able to follow their map and not get lost.

The Tunnels

The group explored Morthevole's dingy pawn-shop which had been cleared out in a hurry. They found a crack in the basement wall, leading into some rough limestone caverns, hewn into the very rock the city rests on. These tunnels were low & cold, filled with ancient calcifying skeletons stowed here long ago for unknowable reasons.

The first encounter was with some feral, emaciated humans resembling ghouls or vampires, with yellow phosphorescent eyes and sharpened canines. These ragged beggars lost their nerve after a few casualties, and were chased down & slaughtered to the last. The group descended further and searched through many rooms, fighting some undead priests with knives instead of hands, and turning over many ancient skeletons slick with minerals, stacked or sitting or sometimes piled haphazardly wherever they would fit. 

In a small shrine, they found a bronze statue of a buxom woman called Shriwar the Slicer. Behind it stood a chart of the world's three moons (Sky-King, Vanis & Howla) in relation to each other, showing certain conjunctions and alignments. Robert the Swift narrowly avoided death when he attempted to gain the trapped statue's treasure, but with Tullius Jr's assistance a glittering ruby was recovered from its chest.

At the bottom of the vaults, the group lit two skull-lamps with scented oil to open a great iron door. Inside, they disturbed a group of 12 knife-skeletons and were set upon by a strange foe: a skeleton with glowing crystal bones, which drew the very breath from poor Ted and Ned.

A Conversation with Morthevole

Returning to the merchant led to a few clues. He was endlessly grateful for the party's help, and they learned that the tarry substance found in his shop was called BLACK, an addictive substance rubbed on the throat, producing an energetic high and sense of self-confidence. He kept it in case of shakedowns: when black-throats come visiting, one had better be prepared to give them something. 

Gorr asked about the myserious amulet recovered from Eralion's keep: Morthevole recognized the symbol as one used by a local gang called the Coffin Masters to mark their territory.

The group pressed Morthevole to keep his shop open to them if they needed to fence stolen goods, or find a place to hide out. He seemed nervous about the prospect but reluctantly assented. He recommended a few out-of-the-way places to lay low for a while, since the group were nervous about the wanted posters they'd seen around town.

Night in Viridistan

The party visited the burning-ghats, at the base of the great bridge. Priests of the fire-goddess Kale Kala with sooty orange robes conduct cremation rites there for a fee. Joe Spruce paid 40 silver each for Ted and Ned to be prepared, while Suba-Jin and Eric administered a warriors' last rites - the latter stumbling over the liturgy, as he had only learned it a few days prior.

From there, they took back streets to Seven Visions. It turned out to be a well-appointed, upscale whorehouse. Soft music, plush carpets and incense pervaded inside. The madame, an elegant Tharbrian named Zvezdana Ozi whose office was decorated with appalling pornographic paintings, said she could rent rooms & provide any entertainments desired - and was herself a sage, well-versed in many topics of inquiry. The gang laid their money down and got ready to enjoy themselves while hiding out!

Monsters Defeated:

14 feral beggars (70 xp)

2 knife-ghouls (142 xp)

12 knife-skeletons (156 xp)

1 glowing crystalline skeleton (350 xp)

Treasure: 

270 gold coins (divided during the session)

silver comb (650 sp)

scented lamp-oil (240 sp)

ancient amphorae of camphor oil (1440 sp)

old ritual headdresses (nobody seems interested in buying these)

Total - 388 sp each

Treasure Kept: 

hammered gold shield (Suba-Jin kept)

crystalline bones (still glowing faintly)

corpse's hair (detects as magical)

Shriwar the Slicer's ruby "heart"

Carousing:

Robert - girls 100 sp

Suba-Jin - carousing 270 sp

Eric - carousing 300 sp

Gorr - carousing 1000 sp

Joe Spruce - carousing/girls 400 sp

The results of carousing will be detailed next session.

EXPERIENCE TOTALS:

Party To-Do

-Suba-Jin reached 3rd level, Eric Withakay reached 4th. A few other characters are spitting distance of leveling as well. Gorr might be close to leveling, but I don't know how much XP he needs (Chris, please send me a chart).

-The first 3 people to contact me with the passphrase "Yredelemnul" will get 250 bonus xp. [Expired]

-For each encounter with undead, your character's sanity is affected. Many members of the group have accumulated 2 or 3 fear points by now.  Once your Fear equals your WIS score, you suffer a blow to your sanity.  These points are not easily removed: for 20 days (one Imperial month) spent in a calm, civilized setting without any danger or strenuous activity, you may remove 1 point.  How you manage this mechanic is up to you.