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.

[Setting] Peoples of the Empire

Humans are the most common race in the Empire, by far. The human race has no "sub-races," only cultural and ethnic divisions—of which most humans unfortunately make far too much of a difference. Most humans of Viridistan are a mix of a number of bloodlines, with the most common being a mix of Viridian, Tharbrian and Ghinoran, though some may have Skandik, Avalonian, Altanian or even Amazonian blood.

ALRYAN

This is the name applied to the city folk of the large cities of the northeastern Empire, such as the City State of the Invincible Overlord, Warwik and Modron. They are in fact a mix of Tharbrian and Altanian blood, but they consider themselves “civilized.” Most Alryans have disdain for the uncivilized barbarian Altanians to the south, and would be appalled if they knew of their actual close kinship. Wise city dwellers, Alryans have keen eyesight and are sensitive to the body language of many races. They consider a highly developed sense of humour is the prerequisite to civilized conduct. 

Description: Skin color ranging from fair to olive to reddish skin (due to the Altanian influence), brown hair, brown eyes, 5 ft. 8 in., 170 lbs, average build, typically Neutral.

ALTANIAN

The “barbarian” Altanians occupy the portion of the Pazidan Peninsula south of the City State of the Invincible Overlord known as Barbarian Altanis. Families are organized into animal totem clans within each tribe. Some clans remain completely nomadic in nature, while most have settled into a semi-nomadic way of life, settling in small ramshackle villages. Clans include Grizzly Bear (the largest tribe), Mountain Lion, Forest Ape, Tusked Boar, Gray Wolf, and Spotted Wolverine. Altanians are among the

most renowned trackers in the world. Altaninians maintain their youth and vigor through old age, and then continue with a mature physique until the day that they die—though few ever live to reach the natural end of their life.

Altanian society (non-nomadic tribes) is dominated by the women, who own all chattel and property, save the weapons wielded by the warrior men. The men follow the Way of the Sword, which is a quasi-religious cult led by Sword Knights—Altanians that have earned the right to carry Ancestral Swords. Most women stay at home, tending to gardens, while the men go hunting and raiding, or form mercenary bands and adventure in other regions. 

There are reputedly some pureblooded Altanians, with the darkest blood red skin, who claim descent from various Chaos Lords—powerful inhuman creatures from the Chaos Planes of the Netherworld. 

Description: Copper to reddish brown to blood red (purebloods) skin, sandy to black (pure bloods) hair, hazel eyes, 5 ft. 6 in., 180 lbs, average to stocky build, typically Neutral or Chaotic.

AMAZON

Known in the northern lands as “Shield-Maidens” due to their disdain for armor other than shields, the Amazons are dominated by the female. They are said to have originated in the Ament Lands, far to the south, and over millennia migrated, pillaged, and battled their way north. In the north, Amazons can be found in their castle near Sea Rune on the Pagan coast north of Ossary. They can also be found in the southern lands in and around the city of Rallu and near Ghinor and the Ament Tundra. 

Mercenary Amazons can be found in nearly every fighting force in the Empire. Friendly with most forest dwelling races, they often unite to protect an area endangered by woodsmen or some natural calamity. Amazons frequently have trained animal companions. The Amazons near Sea Rune are rumored to use trained lions as pets. Highly dexterous and very well toned, they are noted for preferring little or no armor in combat. In grouped combat, they fight in unison as if telepathically linked with their sisters. They often anticipate the tactics of opponents.

Amazons take their captives as slaves, though only the female slaves are put to work. Male slaves (including male Amazons) are used solely for reproductive purposes and sport. Pure lineage Amazon males are often traded between queens of different tribes. Male Amazons are not pampered as are the female concubines of other races, they are instead expected to maintain themselves in top athletic condition, though not to learn the ways of war.

Description: Fair to light brown skin, blonde or red hair, green eyes, 5 ft. 6 in., 110 lbs., lithe to voluptuous build, typically Lawful.

ANTILLIAN

Antillians, centered on the city of Antil, are a further admixture of Alryan with more Orichalan, Tharbrian, elven, and (now extinct) Antili blood. Where Alryans are wise and wryly humorous, Antillians are cunning and disarmingly vicious. Antillians are terrifying merchants, willing and able to swindle at the drop of a copper; they are also a proud people, and they have taken the tradition of vendetta to hitherto unknown heights. Antillians are graceful, with very lithe features and slightly pointed ears, though to mistake one for a half-elf is to ask for a duel. 

Antillians wear rich, colourful clothing, the more ostentatious the better, and prefer light, quick weapons, such as rapiers and stilettos. Antillians consider women to be chattel, to be used to further political and mercantile relationships. Antillians are notorious slavers, considering other races

destined only for servitude. They despise Amazons, and believe them to be fit only for concubinage.

Description: Swarthy olive skin, black hair, brown eyes, 5 ft. 6 in., 150 lbs, light build, typically Neutral.

AVALONIAN

The Avalonians are the noblest of people, in their own minds if nowhere else. The tall, thin Avalonians dress in wealthy clothing, for all their clans are of noble blood, and all Avalonians hold a noble title, even the least citizen. They are also merchants by profession and control nearly all trade in the Uther Pentwegern Sea and southward to the Sea's Edge. 

Their city, Valon, is built right upon the sea, and consists of gold and silver tower-girt islands divided by stone-lined canals which freeze over in winter. Swimming is natural to these folk. They are also superlative sailors and shipwrights. Most Avalonians have some sort of magical training, typically cold, water, and/or ice magic. The wizards and sorcerers of this race are unsurpassed in the North, rivaled only by the wizards of distant legendary Tula.

Some claim to be descended from an ancient admixture of merfolk and an unknown extra-planar folk from the Elemental Plane of Water or Ice. Sage comparisons between the Avalonians and the green-skinned Viridians cause violence to erupt most unexpectedly from this otherwise peaceful folk. Some few Avalonians have gills and can breathe in the water as if on land, although this is a rarity outside their homeland.

Description: Commoner Avalonians have pale skin with light blue tints, hair of any color, but body hair such as eyebrows and beards are usually tinted with platinum, gray or black eyes, 6 ft, 200 lbs, sleek and muscular build, typically Neutral. Higher-ranked nobles have pale blue skin, platinum blonde hair, silver eyes, 6 ft. 4 in., 200 lbs, sleek and muscular build, typically Lawful.

DUNAEL

Dunael Woods-Folk originated in the Dearthwood, where most can still be found, locked in eternal struggle against the wild beasts of the forest, and clans of barbaric wild elves like the Purple Claw. The Dunael are descended from an ancient alliance of Orichalan, Tharbriana, Amazon, and Altanian clans, with a bit of elven blood, blended centuries ago into a single culture. Today they are few in numbers and remain hard-pressed by their enemies. The Dunael, though semi-barbaric today, once had a great culture, and claim to be descended from the ancient Orichalans that inhabited a lost city where now stands the City State. The Dunael no longer have a king, but are ruled by the Captain of the Rangers, an ally of the Invincible Overlord.

Description: Bronzed tan skin, coal black hair, blue or green eyes, 5 ft. 8 in., 170 lbs, average build, typically Chaotic or Neutral.

GHINORAN

Ghinorans are the remnants of the Ghinoran Successor States from the ancient Kelnoran Empire, which fell thousands upon thousands of years ago. They occupy the lands of the southwestern crescent of the Sea of Five Winds from Lenap to Tlan and across to Chim, as well as the regions to the south approaching the Demon Empires and north above Lenap. Though some vestige of civilization is returning to these areas (or has maintained itself over many years), the people are mostly tribal and warlike.

Description: Various skin colors ranging from bronzed near the deserts to olive in Tlan and dusky in Chim, brown or tawny hair, brown or green eyes, 5 ft. 10 in., 150 lbs, average build, typically Neutral.

ORICHALAN

There are few of these folk left, as most people with Orichalan blood have been hunted down by the Altanians. Most that still exist either live in isolated communities (such as the Moonraker Moor Folk or the Roglo River Folk) or live in areas where they are not persecuted (such as in the city of Malikarr or in southern Oricha). Nevertheless, some remain in various regions of the Empire. Each share the same racial traits and description.

They are descended from the merchants of the long-fallen Dragon Empire. These merchants plied their trade up and down the Great Estuary of Roglaroon, as well as along the seacoast and other nearby river systems, though they maintained their homes in the cities, and mingled with other races. When the Dragon Empire fell millennia ago, their descendants remained on the waters, as it was the safest place during the terrible barbaric anarchy that followed that time.

Description: Slight purple cast to skin, some of which may also have patches of slight scales like snakeskin; dark hair, often black or with purplish highlights; amber or grey eyes; 6 ft., 180 lbs, lean build, typically Neutral.

SKANDIK

The Skandik Sea Wolves are a well-muscled water-loving race. They are ritually birthed in the water and spend most of their youth learning the ways of the sea. They build their towns only along coastlines and their longships raid the surrounding areas. They pay homage to Jarls and organize themselves into clan villages. Only true warriors are allowed to wear beards, which are a sign of manhood. They are renowned swimmers and sailors. Many, strangely, have webbed toes. They traditionally worship the gods Odin, Thor and the Norse pantheon. They inhabit the northern coast above the City State west of Warwik as well as the southern stretch of the Pagan Coast and a number of the isles in that region of the Winedark Sea.

Description: Pale skin, blonde or strawberry blonde hair, blue or green eyes, 5 ft. 9 in., 180 lbs., stocky build, typically Neutral.

THARBRIAN

Tharbrians are eternal nomads of the central Empire, having migrated from the far West. Their ancestors, the Tharbrian Wild-Men are responsible for many invasions into the lands of Viridistan and the City State. Though still primarily nomadic and warlike, some have settled into more permanent villages and have become accepted in cities throughout the region. The city of Modron was founded ages ago by less nomadic Tharbrians in honor of the goddess Modron, whom the Tharbrians freed from ancient captivity. 

Most Tharbrian nomads are men and women of honor and battle. They believe in a strict warrior code that forbids the slaughter of innocents or the murder of those that have fought valiantly. Among some, this code seems to be a disdain for all things not dealing with war. The conquered are kept as slaves to tend to the herds and perform other labor that is beneath the warriors of this society. Women are equal to men in Tharbrian society. Tharbrian smiths are renown for their sword making skills, and the Tharbrian saber is infamous in battle, more so when wielded by a Tharbrian warrior.

Description: Ruddy tan skin, tawny brown, or raven black hair, blue or green eyes, 5 ft. 7 in., 160 lbs., light build, typically Chaotic.

VIRIDIAN

The basal population of the cities, towns and villages surrounding the Emerald City of Viridistan. Their primary stock is Tharbrian, dominated for thousands of years by the True Viridians (of which the Green Emperor and his Empress-wife are thankfully the last), and intermixed with a dollop of True Viridian blood. Common Viridians make up the bulk of the farmers, artisans, craftsmen, and merchants of the Empire. The green tinge to their skin is usually looked down upon in the east, while the greener the skin, the better, in the west near Viridistan.

Description: Pale skin with varying tints of green, tawny or blonde hair, green eyes, 5 ft. 6 in., 150 lbs, average build, typically Lawful.

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. 

[Setting] The Imperial Calendar

Balozkinar's Corrected Commoners' Calendar
(BCCC for short) has been adopted throughout the Empire.




It uses 5-day weeks and 20-day months.
The days of the week are: Airday, Waterday, Earthday, Fireday and Spiritday.

The months of the BCCC Calendar are:

Month	Day	Season Begins
Thawmist	1-20
Dewsnap	21-40	Spring
Flowerbloom	41-60
Sweetrain	61-80
Meadowlark	81-100
Longrass	101-120	Summer
Warmshade	121-140
Sunstrong	141-160
Thistleburn	161-180
Harvestime	181-200
Goodgrove	201-220	Fall
Blackmoon	221-240
Willowind	241-260
Redleaves	261-280
Maggotfeast	281-300	Winter
Coldrain	301-320
Shadowrath	321-340
Gloomfrost	341-360
Year's End	361-365\366

Because Year's End is a 5- or 6-day month, the days of the week are the same every year (ie. Thawmist 1 is an Airday, Coldrain 19 is a Fireday, etc)


Holy Days:

Every religion has its own holy days, and some have more than one. With 137 Imperial gods, at least a minor festival or celebration is happening somewhere in Viridistan every day. There are far too many to list!

History:

A small selection of notable events throughout the years:

4433 - Today

4431 - The Deepwater Rebellion - towns & cities around Trident Gulf revolted. Ruthlessly put down by Viridian troops (including some PCs if they were in the Legion - fighters, rangers, spies, etc)

4284 - The Great Slaughter of Pain - massacre of the Mycretian religion, Viridian garrison placed in the Holy Cities in the desert.

4283 - Hautulin Seheitt becomes the current Green Emperor

4105 - An Imperial army destroys a rebel host from the City-State of the Invincible Overlord

3075 - City-State of the Invincible Overlord founded

2400 - The Holy Cities achieve independence from Viridistan

120 - City of Valon founded

101 - Viridistan founded

0 - "Corrected" Creation Date adopted to harmonise various calendar systems. Not everyone agrees on this.

-8603 - Creation Date of many religions

Session 9 Downtime - Viridistan

Suba-Jin

Reports to the great Battle-Dome of Hextor on the Street of the Gods to make his devotions. The dark edifice looms over nearby buildings. It is surrounded by statues of warriors and adorned with stained-glass windows, friezes and murals featuring scenes of historic battles against goblins, elves, monsters and just about everyone else. The clanging of weapons, shouts of battle and cracking of whips ring out at all hours. He passes by Hextor's red-robed priests & soldiers, naked slaves, and the familiar if unnerving skeletal temple guardians to the sanctum of his superior Votgauum, a severe & scarred Viridian.

The clergy finds the mournful, ethereal scent from the Forest of Dreams a bit sensitive, but are pleased at Suba-Jin's diligence & piety for bringing treasure wrested from his enemies. Votgauum also suggests Suba-Jin consider choosing one of the "arms of Hextor" to become proficient with, and he selects the falchion. Votgauum presents him with one as a gift to the promising acolyte.

[Offerings of roughly this value are expected from crusading clerics such as yourself regularly. As you donate more, Hextor will favour you with other benefits: special one-use abilities, magical buffs, guidance, followers or even magic items.]

Votgauum also passes along a request: a seedy-looking pawnbroker in the Old City named Morthevole has asked the church for help, saying his shop was taken from him unlawfully. Suba-Jin found him staying at a bar in the Old City (a lower-class district against the northern city wall. Filled with crumbling tenements, narrow alleys and outlandish structures left by the city's original builders, whoever they were). "The White Egg" is a lousy dive bar on the Avenue of Power, in the shadow of the great aqueduct. It's only made tolerable by a few tough-looking serving girls who work the crowd for tips. The pawnbroker probably picked it because it isn't very busy.

Morthevole is a wienery-looking Antillian in once rich, but now shabby clothes. He looks scared shitless. He is evasive about questions. He says he didn't have dealings with "the things," but that they are so dangerous he fears returning to his shop. They came up from a hole in his basement, and there are at least six or seven he's seen - but he has heard the sounds of more. He wants this whole thing kept secret, and says if nobody finds out, you can keep any treasure you find. His shop is in a part of town called The Nest. It's a district of adobe & brick structures built on top of each other in layers upon layers, until it forms a 3-dimensional maze. Most of the neighbourhood never sees the sky at all. As you would expect it is populated with criminal gangs, scum, mutants & drug fiends. Morthevole can give you directions & the key to his store which is not too far inside, but doesn't know the district well other than that. 

["A hole in his basement" is significant. It is commonly believed that dungeons exist underneath the city. But everyone knows it is illegal to explore below, on pain of death.]

Lothos

Studies magical tomes. From The Starless Stars, Lothos is able to decipher several spells easily: charm person, allure, shocking grasp, jump, scare & arcane lock are added to his spellbook.

To decipher the encoded text of Obliteration Without Glory, Lothos locks himself in his tiny rented room in Otherside, poring over the ancient & forbidding tome for three days straight! At the end of the third day, his efforts bear mixed success. He has decoded one of the spells, but its magic is unusable to him - it requires a spellcaster devoted to the forces death! 

There are several more spells to be deciphered, and each attempt will take three days. There is no guarantee which ones will be usable by elves and magic-users, and which require a dedicated necromancer.

Vanished!!

When you are done resting and get ready for your next adventure, Lothos the Undesirable is nowhere to be found! The rooming-house where he stayed does not remember when he left. With him go the two aforementioned spellbooks, as well as the mysterious engraved staff lifted from Eralion's tomb, and the 'talking book' Pheldrazash.

His whereabouts are unknown. Amongst the indifferent masses of the Emerald City, a determined elf could hide for a long time. Perhaps you will see Lothos again, perhaps not. I am sure you can all guess what might have happened. Mike will need a new character for the time being.

Spotted Around Town

On the third day, you spot some parchment handbills posted around the city:

Unlocking New Character Classes

When player-characters die, this is my gift to you. Each unique death will unlock a new playable character class or sub-class. Lothos didn't exactly 'die' but was taken out of play, so it's close enough for this purpose. For being 'killed' by a magical effect, this class is now available to everyone:

"The Incantrix"

A dimensional guardian specializing in divinations, wards and metamagic. Viewed with suspicion by established magic-users for their dangerous spell-stealing ability.

Requirements: INT 9, WIS 12

Casts a mixture of Magic-User and Illusionist spells up to 7th level

17 INT to cast 6th level spells, 18 INT to cast 7th level spells

Special Abilities:

1st level - charge healing - Drain charges from magical devices to heal (2d4 hp per charge). This takes a full round and does not work on artifacts or items without charges. This can raise hp above max, but these phantom hp last for only 10 rounds.

2nd level - spell steal - The incantrix can steal a memorized spell from another spell caster. The spell to be stolen is determined at random and the incantrix knows nothing about the stolen spell. This special ability by-passes magic resistance and there is no saving throw. The stolen spell may be cast by the incantrix immediately or held for later use, and can be cast without any material components. When cast, the spell functions as if cast by the being it was stolen from (with regards to level). Any spell already in the process of being cast cannot be stolen. 

The incantrix can erase the spell from her mind and inscribe it on a scroll or in a book with the Write spell, though this does not allow her to use it if it is forbidden by her class. Only by such scribing can the stolen spell be identified. The incantrix may use this special ability 1/day at levels 2-4, 2/day at levels 5-6, 3/day at levels 7-8 and so on at a range of 10'/level. There is a small chance of spell-steal victims being mentally damaged in the process, especially after successive strikes.

3rd level and up - other abilities which help fight ethereal & undead creatures, etc.

Session 9

THE SAGE OF LUNE 

15th-18th Meadowlark 

Characters: 

Gorr, Ranger 2
Suba-Jin, Cleric 1
Robert the Swift, Fighter 1
Eric Withakay, Cleric 3
Lothos the Undesirable, Elf 2
Meep, Dwarf 2 

The Trade

Continuing from the cliffhanger last session, Lothos & the 'talking book' Pheldrazash discussed using the crone statues so that the book could use Lothos' body in exchange for teaching the elf some of its magic. After discussing it back and forth, they asked the statues to go ahead. There was a pause, and then they said "IT IS DONE!"

Lothos felt a bit dizzy, but not that much different, and the group decided not to press the issue further. Many odd wonders were discovered on the second floor of the temple:

-Talking wooden statue holding up the ceiling, covered in graffiti. It offered to explain the workings of a few rooms, and asked for an offering in return (explanations are written in the room descriptions). After some sullen negotiations, Eric threw it a few of his (fake) gold coins.

-Candlelit room with a tiny coffin, filled with severed skeletal hands & arms. Pictographs showed a man severing his own hand in a ceremony of some kind. The ceremony allows anyone to make contact with a true Power of the universe (god or demon), at the cost of a hand or limb.

-Room with illusionary walls of a dense, sunlit forest inhabited by naked, giggling nymphs. They responded to the players. Gorr managed to convince one to come closer and take one of his magical cherries and an acorn from Grandfather Tree. He asked it to come out of the wall, but it seemed too scared.

-A bare room with a 4' crystal sphere in the middle, filled with churning smoke. Once in a while, a great golden eye would press itself against the glass from the inside.The group tried rolling the sphere around, but ultimately decided to leave it here for the time being.

In the room with four pillars, Meep the dwarf discovered a hidden switch on the pillar guarded by the brass soldier. It opened on a set of stairs, leading upwards. The group managed to distract the brass man enough that almost everyone could dodge past.

Meeting the Sage

Lothos, Robert, Suba-Jin and Meep climbed the stairs. At the top, a broad cupola was dominated by a pool of still water reflecting the moon. Nine brass soldiers stood at attention, but took no notice of the group. A (real human, not a shadow!) woman wearing delicate robes and ornate jewellery (a gem-studded silver ring, a silver sceptre, silver brooch and an engraved brass bracelet) greeted them warmly, apologizing for any mistreatment by the mechanical soldiers.

Her manners were welcoming, but little details were odd. When she walked in her thin slippers, her feet made a ceramic clack-clacking on the stone floors. Close up her face looked inside-out or inverted, like an optical illusion or something.

The Sage of Lune said that she almost never received visitors and offered to show the group visions in the reflecting pool of past and present things:

Suba-Jin asked about the origin of the land's curse and how it might be stopped: 

This land was once held in balance between the sun and moon. A cultist of Uthummaos, the God of Empty Darkness, drew that evil deity's attention to our world. This grim god spread his demons and shadow creatures throughout the land, and has plunged the world into a perpetual twilight, with no day or nighttime. I do not know how to break the curse, but Uthummaos has four demonic lieutenants in this world who enforce his will. If anything is at the core of the curse's power, it is them. The pool showed a man with indistinct features at the candle-lit shrine, cutting off his own hand and throwing it in the small coffin. Then hordes of shadowy monsters climbing forth from the deep, misty crevasse below Wakelinus' Folly (session 4).

Robert the Swift asked about these four demons and where they might be found:

I know three of their names, but the fourth eludes my sight. Eralion, who dwells deep beneath his old fortress in the moonlit zones. Varthatov, who presides over the First Temple of Uthummaos, somewhere beneath Wakelinus' Folly. Vashundara, the snake-demoness. The vision showed first Eralion's fortress, then the ruined colosseum again, then a woman with coal-black skin sleeping on an opulent bed covered with cushions, wearing only golden jewellery. A gold key hung on her necklace, and her belly was bulging and distended.

Lothos asked a question, but the Sage required a kiss in return. He was unwilling to do this, feeling the situation was too suspicious.

Meep asked about the crystal sphere filled with smoke, and the group learned about the cave squid inside and the ancient cult which once worshipped it. Finally, the group asked if the Sage had any useful items or magic that might assist them in their quest - she mentioned the shrine to Usham Ta, the lucky cat, might contain some treasure if they made the right obeisances, which she demonstrated for them. Not everyone had asked a question, and the Sage begged them to return later so she might grant them further visions.

Investigating the cat shrine on their way out, the religious gestures opened a secret compartment with a chest and a message: 'Tis better to give than to receive! Donate, so the chest never remains empty! They looted some valuable bricks of incense, and left some silver coins and an ornate dagger.

Return

That night when they camped, Gorr felt seized by a blind, unreasoning fear, and could not figure out its source.

Eric had a vision during the night: The forest was light by bright sunshine, and an armoured knight with kindly eyes reached out to him. He knew this was Solaris, the almost forgotten god worshipped by Shandril and a few others. Solaris praised his valour and wisdom in wielding the enchanted mace Lua Saka, asking Eric to abandon his current faith and follow a new path. Eric shook his outstretched hand feeling a sense of joy, acceptance and relief. The god departed, fading into the overwhelming radiance.

After returning to the Forgotten Village, Shandril showed Eric the rites of his new religion and the group decided to return to Viridistan with their loot. 

Returning found the Night Wolf's tavern packed with strange people from the far corners of the world. A stage-hypnotist was performing for the crowd. Eric spotted a group displaying a solar insignia and went over to talk. They followed a deity called the "Unconquered Sun," spoke with strange accents and said they called The Wardale Rogues from Verulamium. They had never heard of Solaris, but seemed friendly enough.

Returning to Viridistan by the coast road, the group passed through the Moon Gate in the great wall and over the Emperor's farmlands. Entering on Market Avenue, they were back in familiar territory for the moment: the greatest city in the empire, beckoning adventure from every door and alleyway!

Remember, temporary bonuses such as the +1 luck from the cat shrine have long expired now. 

If you haven't already gotten back to me with downtime actions (carousing, studying, rumours, etc) please do so!!!

Treasure: 

A huge amount of treasure was redeemed from the last 7 sessions in the Forest of Dreams. Having arrived in Viridistan, it can easily be offloaded & converted to local currency in the city's grand bazaars.

220 electrum coins (worth 3 sp each - 660 sp)

3846 silver

10 copper (1 sp)

50 gold (500 sp)

ancient china tea set (400 sp)

gilding pried out of skeleton's helmets (300 sp)

7 bricks of Forest of Dreams incense (3500 sp)

animal pelts (1100 sp)

coat of chromatic peacock feathers (700 sp)

ivory Y 'crucifix' (1000 sp)

scented Forest of Dreams woods (1000 sp)

cracked quartz disk (400 sp)

TOTAL LOOT VALUE: 13,407 sp

I've deducted cost-of-living (1% of total xp) from your awarded loot automatically, since we're starting next session in the city.

Per character

Suba-Jin: 2289 sp

Robert the Swift: 2287 sp

Gorr: 2128 sp

Lothos the Undesirable: 2075 sp

Eric Withakay: 2081 sp

Meep: 1563 sp

Aladar IX: 500 sp

Viegar Thricescarred: 157 sp

Current XP totals

Gorr, Suba-Jin and Robert the Swift have gained levels! If anyone wants to carouse, let me know before next session.

Session 8

THE ECUMENICAL TEMPLE

15th Meadowlark 

Characters: 

Gorr, Ranger 2 

Robert the Swift, Fighter 1 

Suba-Jin, Cleric 1 

Eric Withakay, Cleric 3 

Lothos the Undesirable, Elf 2 

Aladar IX, M-U 2 

Aftermath 

Recovering from their ambush by shadowy dogfolk, the group were joined by the belated magic-user Aladar IX and his unfortunately-named dog "Mincemeat 2."

Progressing further into the building, the group triggered a pit trap with a sweeping wooden plank that knocked half of them in! They now realized what the other plank they had seen before actually was for. With no obvious way to close the pit, they climbed out and kept going.

Artist's Rendering may not be exact

Many odd and inexplicable things were found:

-A wooden face floating in a pool of black tar, that animated and gnashed its teeth when touched. Eric took some of the tar in a waterskin for later.

-A carefully arranged pile of debris, scraps and furniture. The group removed a large wooden table and began carrying it around the dungeon with them.

-Stairwells led upwards, covered with carvings & graffiti. Not all was understandable, but some pictographs showed people throwing things into a round basin and waves coming out afterwards.

-A room with carvings of buildings: A great castle under construction in a field. A tower high on cliffs above the sea. Thin, crooked & impossible towers twisting above dense woods. A fortress in the mountains blending in to the cliffs. A short, round tower on an island with a yellow tree.

-An altar with a faintly flickering slab of quartz resting on it, shaped like a clear disc with a yellow triangle inside. Suba-jin pried the quartz off the stone, but cracked it in half in the process.

In a room with a round altar covered in odd pictograms rested a huge glass basin with swirling brown & yellow colours at the bottom. After a few tests to see if it was safe, Gorr climbed inside. Passing through the swirling colours, he found himself in another world: cloudy grey skies and cracked brown & yellow landscape stretched in every direction. First he planted one of the Great Tree's acorns. Next, he began searching through the rubble and detritus piled up around the entrance and found a strange Y-shaped ivory crucifix of a hollow-eyed figure with a sinister, toothy grin. This treasure gained, he jumped back through the pool of colour before he could encounter any dangerous locals.

Upstairs

In a room with three tall statues of robed & ancient crones, the group were ambushed by a group of four dogfolk, but the large table they were carrying proved a useful barrier and the shadowy foes were dispatched with ease.

They found the source of the constant incense-smoke: a room with a dozen smoking braziers burning exotic & fragrant purple wood. The braziers were engraved with images of a king making strange hand gestures receiving benediction from robed monks, decorated with carvings of a cat. Turning over the braziers and quenching the fires allowed the smoke to disperse somewhat. Some spare bundles of scented wood were taken.

In a shrine with a stone cat idol, the group got into a brief fight with some shadowy satyrs through Gorr's readiness with a bow. After destroying one, the other surrendered and asked them to play a dice game. He offered to tell them a secret about the Sage of Lune, but instead hustled the group out of some minor treasure (Suba-Jin lost the double crescent-moon amulet he had found in Eralion's ruined keep). He did tell them about a blessing the shrine bestowed: rubbing the top of the cat's head granted a minor boon of luck.

[+1 to all d20 rolls for the remainder of the expedition. Players must remind me of this bonus when applicable!]

In a garden room with some thirsty talking plants, the group encountered a 9' tall knight clad completely in engraved brass armour. Not speaking, it pursued them slowly but relentlessly wherever they went.

They led the brass soldier towards the three statues. When it passed through the center of the three crones, they animated and began discussing it in approving tones: "Ah, very nice. Unbreakable grip. Impervious to mundane harm. Even immune to electricity. Sadly, you are controlled by someone else." Then the crones began asking questions and were roundly ignored by the brass man, which everyone was now sure was some kind of automaton or golem.

Seeking an alternate solution, the group managed to just barely trip the man of brass by ramming it repeatedly with their wooden table, sending it down the stairs. It didn't seem out of action, as they heard its joints creak & clank as it got up & walked around the lower floor.

The last room they explored had four massive wood columns carved as women in the four stages of life: young, adult, mature & venerable. In front of one column stood another brass man, but it did not seem to take notice of them.

2nd floor

Finally, the group decided to experiment with the three crones and discovered some amazing things. The statues had keen insight into the nature of anyone who stepped into their triangle, and could even reveal previously hidden information about someone's status or equipment. Anyone entering was described at some length, then offered the chance to 'trade' or 'swap abilities' although it was a bit unclear how this was to be accomplished.

Gorr was labeled as "an aesthete" who will soon feel a great strain, and they observed that "the outer realms had best take care" with him around.

Aladar IX managed to get a clue about the wand he recovered from Orelia: "Your opponents must find it hard to breathe."

The most shocking of all was when Lothos entered. "Ah, like to consort with long-dead sorcerors, do you?" asked the statues. Eventually it seemed they weren't even speaking to the elf: "The corruptor of Bishop Gray! [See session 1] You have travelled many years to be here. Are your people still lost in the nightmare, or have they returned to the waking darkness?" It became clear they were addressing Pheldrazash, the strange 'talking book' Lothos carried.

Pulling out the book and asking if Pheldrazash wanted to trade for anything, it replied: "I want to have a body again." Gorr suggested they might somehow 'donate' to make it a brand-new body, and Lothos offered to trade his own body for the wizardly book's magical knowledge...

Treasure:

Ivory Y "crucifix"

2 bundles of scented purple wood

Broken quartz disc

Enemies Defeated:

4 shadowy dogfolk

1 shadowy satyr

TOTAL: 127 xp (21 each awarded)

Current experience totals 

Based on monster & misc XP from last few adventures, but not treasure.

Note - It is also worth mentioning that you can't go up 2 levels at a time - the most XP you can possibly gain is enough to be 1 xp short of gaining 2 levels. (Imagine a 1st-level fighter starts with 0 xp. If he were to retrieve a 10,000 sp diamond from a dragon's treasure hoard on his first adventure, he would end up with 4,064 xp - 1 point shy of 3rd level. The excess experience is wasted!) I mention this because you guys have a lot of treasure stashed that nobody has cashed in on yet, XP-wise. You aren't near this limit yet (that would be a huge sum) but it's something to keep in mind.

[If I don't have your character's age or any other vitals yet, please get this info to me!]