2002 and on
December 23, 2001
July 28
In town we sell some of our loot through Milo's underworld contacts.
July 29
We leave town toward Penton. We encounter seven giant beetles whichwe quickly dispatch.
Near the end of the day we're attacked by two basilisks which kill without losing anyone.
July 30
Near the end of the day we're attacked by a Fire Giant. We're badly battered, but we prevail.
We arrive at Penton near the end of the day.
July 31
We delve into Penton. 169, 170, 171, 172, 173 As we enter one room, something twists Milo's guts. We fail to identify the source, perhaps its a trap.
174 Further in, we fail to find another pit, Milo falls in. Jared uses a Dimension Door to get to Milo and heal him. While Milo and Jared are in the pit,we're attacked by four kobolds. One of them summons some sort of bug. I fireball some of the kobolds. This is general confusion and violence. We emerge battered, but victorious. We retreat to the surface.
August 1
We go back into Penton. 174, 175 We encounter two blobby flesh things (Lemure) and a imp. We defeat them.
The room has a huge pile of about 20,000 copper pieces. We leave it, it's too heavy.
176 Moving further in, we are attacked by three salamanders. As we're fighting, an imp appears behind us and attacks. After we defeat them, after a moment the imp wakes up and disappears.
A trap in the west door releases a yellow ooze. It splits each time we hit it. The imp reappears. We defeat them, this time the imp stays dead, Jared uses a magically created holy weapon.
Beyond the west door are two medium sized, four legged, creatures with domed carapices, tails, and antenna. Rust monsters. We defeat them and resurface.
December 30, 2001
August 2
Enter Penton, return to where we left from. 175, 177 Dead rust monster lair. 175, 174, 178 Shambling Mound of vegetation. As start fight, four trolls enter from 179 and attack. Tought fight, draining on party. Burn their bodies.
179 Find dirty robe, scroll case, 2 vials. Return to surface.
August 3
Back in. 178, 180 Disused room. Weirdly shaped piece of broken pottery. 178, 181 Spiked pit gets Milo and Kalib. Jared flies down and gets them out.
Door in east wall is fake. We double back. 178
182 Five large, dead bodies. 183 Far wall partially collapsed. In the back of the room a large blue dragon invites us in in draconic. Ask if we're guests of his mother, I hesitate, suggests we've been leaving death behind. "That's what elves do" and I attack. The giant zombies arise and attack. We kill all zombies easily. dragon kills Kalib, must pain and suffering on our parts. We kill dragon. Grab some gems, potions, scrolls, ring.
Retreat to surface. Rest.
August 4th
Lots of tracks around Penton fort's walls. Number of creatures, including something likely to be draconic. Return to Peneseth.
August 6th
Back to town. We pay Priest Longstride to raise Kalib.
January 6, 2002
August 7th
We spend some down time in town identifying unknown magical items and selling some of our finds. I scribe some utility scrolls, new wand of Magic Missiles, and resupply.
August 18th
We head out. Our plan is to avoid Penton and explore beyond Penton. I notice secret door on continent side of tunnel. Prepare to see who is doing it. Simple noise making trap, Milo disables. Tunnel to the south, slopes downward. Jared thinks it's recent construction. Deeper in it's entirely Stoneshaped. About 1,000 feet. About 35% stoneshaped. Curved easterly. At end narrows and ends in a door. This construction is about a year old, according to Jared.1, 2
Open door, inside is a small room with three devils. A pit opens beneath Kalib, but his new Ring of Feather Falling slows his fall. One teleports behind me, one teleports into the pit with Kalib. Another one is summoned. Kalib is stuck grappling in the pit, unable to hurt it. We destroy a few, more appear from thin air. The devils use Walls of ice to seal the pit and the doorway to split up the party. We defeat them.
In the room we find 15,200 gold coins, four gemstones, and a scroll case. We advance deeper. 3, 4, 5, 6 We find what appears to be a mining store room with picks, chisels, loose rocks. 7 More tools, bits of fur, some cloth, and a metallic smell. There is a square, raised platform, five foot across, a few foot high. There is a small twisted hunk of metal, kinda looks like a relief of a winged lizard form.. Cloth is balled up blankets. Jared notices that the south door is magical. Go to other side, the opposite door isn't magical. 6. 5. 8 Inside are more tools and a claw scratched tool rack. The claw marks are big, perhaps from the devils. We go back around. 5, 6, 7, 9 A large room, knee deep in humanoid dead, stinks of death.
I think on Osyleuths. Baatezu, from Baatezor. Wall of Ice, teleport at well, animate dead, stingers strength draining. Often police or informants.
January 20, 2002
August 18th (continued)
We cautiously move through room, spreading oil. We notice that the dead with head pick wounds are mostly on southern wall to west. Milo examines wall and finds a secret door. Milo thinks it's magically opened by particular gestures.
We explore a bit more of the cooridor10. We decide to retreat and regroup on the surface. We rest for the day.
August 19th
We return. I Arcane Lock the first two doors of the dungeon area. Jared 9 Consecates the room of bodies, ensuring that they cannot be animated for several hours. I use my wand of secret door detection and find a secret door 6.
Exploring a yet unopened door 4, 11, a trap releases a freezing burt of air, causing Jared some frostbite.
Move around to remaining doors 4,5 5, 10, 12, 13 A southern room opens outside. Inside is a huge green dragon. "Do come in." It breathes acid on Milo and myself. The acid kills me.
The rest of the party retreats to the dug out area Jared has been making. Jared raises me. Two squid headed things in robes attack. They put up a Wall of Stone between us and town. I Fireball without effect. Jared Teleports us back to the temple of Fharlanghns. (Temples of Fharlanghns all have "teleport rooms," all identical.
We see Longstride. Jared explains situation. Longstide identifies the squid things as Ilithids, or Mind Flayers. Based on our details, Longstride guesses they are just an initial force, perhaps scouting or espionage. Longstride offers aide of his daughter (warrior in service of Fharlanghn) tomorrow. Milo, Kalib, and myself apparently actively wanted as of three days ago.
Visit Xenophon's tower. He's on the continent. His apprentices can currently sell a wand of magic missile (2), and a arrow of slaying evil outsiders.
Rest for night.
August 20th
With Gwenevere, Longstride's daughter, we return to the tunnel. She knocks a hole through the wall of stone.
Jared tracks the mind flayers. They went outside, then returned to the dungeon through the secret door. We go in. It's lurking outside. It breathes on everyone but me (I'm not yet in room). Everyone but Gwenevere is shaken by the dragonfear. There is a tough fight. highlights include thevery potent celestial dire lion summoned by Jared. Most of my spells don't penetrate the spell reisistance. We kill it without lose of life on our side.
We grab what loot is present. As we're doing so, two mind flayers attack. Jared is stunned by a mind blast for most of the fight. I'm out of spells from fighting the dragon and resort to my wand of magic missiles. We kill them. We gather loot from the dragon and the mind flayers. Quickly explore remainder. 15 poshly decorated room. 16 Illithid lair. There is a lot of loot.
August 21st
Examine loot. There is a non-magical scroll? Jared transcribes it after viewing magical. None of us know the language. There is a crown of Shatentor (human nation from homeland). Unusual figurine. Bunch of art objects and very fine clothing. Wand of det secret doors (44). Wand of web (43).
January 27, 2002
August 21st
We clean out the monster's hideout. We find the reset switch for the trap. Jared uses Comprehend Languages to read the alien language scroll we found. It reads:
My Servant Eieiajj,
I apologize for sending you off without instructions. I was in a rush and Gharazh would not wait. Ghaazh has agreed to allow you to stay with her while she prepares her infiltrationof Bonakhwar. I want you to find your way into the city and discover as much of it as youcanfor my Library. I would also like very much for you to arrange that Gharazh fail in her task; I am certain you can find a way to accomplish this.
Be warned that Gharazh employs devils. I know that you will find it difficult to coexist with them. i have guaranteed your conduct to Gharazh, and she theirs to me. If you must, arrange their fall first.
I expect your report by Spring,
Your liege,
Toma.
Jared uses Stone Shape to collapse the dragon's lair and exit. He puts up a wall of stone over the old exit. He makes the area Hallowed, imbuing it with Invisibility Purge. We install a new iron door outside. We haul the bodies outside. Jared orders various supplies (like beds) through the temple to stock our new base. Jared puts blindness Glyph of Wardings on outside doors.
Thinking about it, Eieijja sounds like a demonic female name.
On the second day of our work, while running errands, Milo is attacked by the wight dressed as a guard. Ick.
I spend time scribing some old spells.
On first day, rumor sent through theives that we would like to meet Eieijj on new moon (four days) in the tunnel.
The evening of the fourth, she telepathically talks to me, I ask her to appear, she appears amoungst us. She is a beautifal red-head lightly dressed. She tries to charm us, she's collecting information, wants into on elves. She's staying at the Golden Face.
September 15th
I research Thaylis's Lock.
3 weeks pass. Milo is given a "note", it's a map with indecipherable writing. Jared reads it, it's a map to Tomashan. 10 days journey.
October 14th
I get new spell! W00T! I write summary of my discoveries. I leave these notes, 250pp, and the key in my room at Xenophon's. I leave note asking Xenophon that if six months go by without reasonably verifable word from me, please take a copy of notes, send the notes and key to ______, (elf) on the mainland.
February 3, 2002
I leave behind note for Xenophon if I don't return.
We all chip in for Jared to craft an Amulet of Comprehend Languages as a gift for Toma. Made of mithril and encrusted with diamonds.
Meanwhile the elves have started blockaiding the harbor.
October 14th
We leave town through our new back door and follow the map to the north. It's about 200 miles there. Make it to edge of woods by end of day.
October 15th
As we move through the forest, encounter two chimera, one blue, one green. We kill them.
We follow the tracks for an hour to a cave. As we approach, fired at by crossbows and magic missiles. Kalib uses his cloak to fill the cave with webs. Three ogres burst out. A fourth, a sorcerer hides in the cave casting Magic Missiles. We kill them.
We search the cave. The tracks of the ogres indicate that they arrived recently from west. Find some gems, gold, 2 arcane scrolls, magic powder, and magic scarab. Lots of masterwork weapons and armor. We drag the bodies into the cave, Milo covers it with some brush. Travel on for rest of day.
As we prepare for camp, a raven (beside's Maxwell) watches us for a bit. Maxwell talks to it, it's looking for food, but it gives Maxwell the creeps. It flies away.
October 16th
Late morning, as we travel, attacked with Magic Missiles and crossbow bolts. Four hobgoblins, one riding a dire bear. They shrug off a fireball (resist elements?). At least one cleric and one mage. It's a vicious fight, we're serious battered, but we defeat them. We capture the mage.
February 10, 2002
October 16th
The hobgoblins have very nice equipment, wearing silver bands around their legs with writing on them. The writing is faintly draonic. I can't make it out. We move onward a bit bringing our captive along.
Quicly interrogate. He serves who pays him. Shudule currently pays him, though Trox would pay more. They have a scroll listing bounty on group of four raiding elves. 10,000gp dead or alive for all four. From Trox.
We pay him 250gp for answers and a promise of siilence for a month. He wants a garter (leg band), Jared gives a wooden holy symbol.
Questioning: Name: Angerachk. Short name rachk. Within one weeks travel: Shudul (she, not a ruler yet, silver), Aramanthra (white). Shudule plans a domain. Wizard was part of overland army from Shudul, a sneak attack but allowed by the pact. The pact is an ancient law governing everyone including the dragons. Lengend says it brought out of the chaos after the demon elf wars. Dragons can only fight using agents, may not attack each others domains directly. Devesation of dragon on dragon fights too horrible. Doesn't know if Banackwar (Penesth) is far game. Land used to belong to Tarien, but it fell. Legal attack would have to go against wall. If to Tarien, no one's domain. Demon-elf wars thousands of years ago, legends. Shudul dispossessed, thinks Toma is weak, too scholarly. Shudul works with demons.
Give him bonus 10pp, promise to get in touch to trade spells.
Make haste chasing after Kalib who is still missing. Find Milo's horse tied to a tree. Tracks suggest he went, got the horse, tied it here, and headed further off. The side path leads to clearing with lots (14) of dead hobgoblins. They have silver garters, but there is a black "Toma" garters in one of packs.. On back in common is says "Help me" and a sun logo. Olivias?
Ride on to Tomashan. See signs of army heading toward Tomashan. Tracks about a day old. Near end of da find day old campsite. They look to be about a thousand strong.
October 17th
Jared uses Sending to contact Kalib. He is tracking the army, Olivia may be with them (the army?). We made haste toward Tomashan.
Mid afternoon encounter two tall green things, not trolls, speak draconic. Hags? Ignore our attempts at dialouge, talk amounst themselves. We bolt, I get injured by one, but we get away. Near end of day approximately parallel to army.
October 18th
Jared's wild guess: Is the count Tarien? Ride hard to pass army. Camp.
October 19th
Travel. We're moving about twice the speed of the army.
October 20th
While packing in morning. Fireball on us. Crap. Out of hole came a naga (black and red banded). It fireballs us again, killing my and Jared's horses. It charms me by eye contact. Jared Break's Enchantment on me. I fireball it (catching Milo and his horse. He's okay, but his horse dies. We eventually kill it, but it seriously drains us.
We go onward.
October 25th
We arrive at a bluff at mid afternoon, about destination on map. Milo notes some peepholes in bluff. We estimate army is about three days behind. Milo finds a secret door.
Open it. Modenkeinin's disjunction. POOF. I lose most of scrolls, bunch of wands, misc other stuff. Milo loses armor and other stuff. Jared loses some stuff.
Beyond is something or another. A werewolf beyond apologizes in dragonic for not seeing us and opens door. The master is expecting us and wants to see us. Leads us through multiple levels, similar architecture to under Penton. Lower we go, more finished it looks. Hundreds of feet below the surface, a vast chamber. Walls of black marble. Riches as far as the eyes can see. Coins, gems, walls lines with books.
We tell of army, he's surprised. He insinuates he's Toma. We offer to help with defense. Gives us nicely appointed rooms. Gives us black garters.
February 17, 2002
October 25th
Kalib arrives. (Loses most of magic items to stupid door.) Tells Toma location of army.
October 26th
I scribe scrolls.
October 27th
Morning, summoned by a quasit to see Toma. He is in natural form. Shudule is hiding as a hobgoblin in her encampment. He gives us an amulet of detecting dragons. Wants us to sneak around side and kill her. What a terrible idea. Oh well. Gives us three scrolls of Protection From Elements to protect us from the cold when I ask about her breath weapon.
His quasit leads us to his back door.
We head out. We try to avoid a group of hobgoblins, but we fail. We cake them. One has gems in armor.
After a few hours get to camp site. Milo scouts with the amulet. It's mostly empty, three hobgoblins near middle. One appears to hear. Milo returns. I use scrolls of protection from cold element. One approaches and asks who goes there. It turns into silver dragon the size of a horse and breathes cold on us. Nasty fight, we eventually kill it. Gawdawful fight. Kalib kills two remaining hobgoblin guards (Milo and I are both KO). Head back to Toma's. Get to keep amulet of dragon detection.
February 24, 2002
October 27th
Jared comes out and helps us get back.
That afternoon go to see Toma. (In distance, screams of pain. Toma explains his men are celebrating.) Jared speaks for us. Toma offers us a month in the library in exchange for our services so far. Technically Bonakwar (Peneseth) is technically Robian's, but none have seen her since the wall went up. Would be willing to trade additional library time for tomes from our homeland.
Strangely enough, we notice that the amulet Toma gave us marks Jared with a golden aura. Odd.
October28th
We begin our search. I find Comprehend Languages and spend two days scribing it. Jared uses Imbue with Spell Ability to give himself and Milo Comp Lang.
We research, Milo is really good. Midway through the amulet bothers Jared, so I id it (and other stuff). Id (Boots of striding and springing. Brooch of Clay golem detection, dust of illusion, amulet of dragon detection, banded mail of +3).
During research the magic key tingles, alerting me to a secret door. (Eh, I LEFT THE KEY AT HOME! How'd that happen?) We decide to leave alone.
Jared uses Commune. Unable to confirm location of Dackrabadul as either of two locations we found in research. Rohbyyan is alive and in Peneseth, but isn't Merixa. Olivia isn't in Tomashan.
November 25th
Research
Day 1 (13)
In scripture about the Pact:
Thou shalt not meet they brethern, but thy minions may fall upon him and destroy them if they may.
Day 2 (15)
In scripture about the Pact:
Thou shalt not cross borders without thy brethren's let / For the rulership of the land is the sacred trust / only when you cross borders for to fall upon thy brethren's minions and your to fall upon him shall you break that trust.
Day 2 (17)
In scripture about the Pact:
Thou shalt answer the call of thy brethren when called to again repel the enemy from th sea / And thou shalt not take his land nor fall among his minions / For that day shall come and all shall fight or fall.
Day 3 (19)
In scripture about the Pact:
And to Yyan shall the place of the enemy's last stand be given / For she is the greatest of us, and that place holds the greatest danger / For that is where the enemy shall return.
Day 4 (21)
In a scripture, at the end of a long, long list of post-Pact land grants, there is this:
And to no one was given the barren mountain that once hid the enemy / And it was decreed that the land would remain barren and fruitless, to a thousand generations.
Day 5 (23)
A child's chant in Goblin:
Elfspawn, elfspawn, running through the trees,
Angarakh will find them quick as he please,
Elfspawn, elfspawn, wading through the marsh
Angarakh will find them, deal with them harsh
Elfspawn, elfspawn, climbing through the hills
Angarakh will find them whenever he will
Elfspawn, elfspawn, in a cave hid
Angarakh has lost them and now he is dead
Day 6 (25)
In a book that details unruled lands:
Thoken Vazl [Shunned Peak] is unruled because of a combination of land unsuited to agriculture and an abundance of sulfur pools and springs, making it impossible to build a Great Road through it. It is not mentioned in scripture because it was not parceled out. Since those times, none have claimed it.
(Day 12: Rough directions: go east. Through woods, plains, hills, to mountain. Beyond is a swamp.)
Day 6 (25)
In a book that details unruled lands:
Qonnadh Ngyam [Broken Mountain] is barren and devoid of life. When the lands were parceled out in the times of scripture, this mountain was no even mentioned, either for its lack of appeal or some darker reason. Over the generations, some younger brethern have claimed the land, but all of them abandoned their claim.
(Day 12: Rough directions: go north past swamp and hills.)
Day 9 (29)
A fragment of a letter from Aramanthra:
None have heard from Rohbyyan for some months now. None of my minions have returned from diplomatic duties. While I do admire the engineering involved in such a structure, such a large wall at her border seems a silly thing for her to build. It would never keep us out if we wanted to enter, and so I can only speculate that she means it as a symbol of some sort, perhaps a monument.
Last thing I found in library, a scrap of paper with writing in ancient elven stuck in another book.
...no doubt that the stones are s...
standing, they will stand long after we are go...
Even if the Dragon were to find it and draw...
near to it, its defenses would render any...
encroachment harmless. It would be a perfect...
use as an outpost or an advanced base during...
our counter-attack. I doubt the priests could object....
..specially if we promise to return it to them wher...
the Dragon is repelled.
I am concerned for the children of your home. ...
We have heard no news from the mountain i...
...(q|e)ueral...
March 3, 2002
Jared finds a description of a place called "Ghost Stones", an area about 5 days to the NE that has stories about demonelves attached to it. "Ghost Stones" == Khurl Lurthyn Ngyamin.
November 25th
We head northeast on foot toward ghost stones.
November 26th.
Move on. Around mid-morning ambushed by heaps of rotting vegetation (6 shamblers). Tough fight, I drop, Kalib gets almost dropped. We lose our last horse (Kalib'). We kill. Searching around we find their lair and some platinum scraps.
Without horses, we can't really carry supplies. Without supplies we can't continue. Jared teleports us back to town. I head to tower. For Jared, commision a Heward's Handy Haversac. Put half (1,000gp of Jared's money) down up front. Everyone gets two horses. I leave additional notes for Xenophon.2
Jared finds out that Rohbyyan has retired and passed rulership to one of her descendents. Heard from Lothwar. Jared thinks Xenophon, Lothwar, and Malacaster know of Rohbyyan. Elves have large enough blockade to take the city.
November 27
Jared Communes with Farlongin: Merixa not a dragon. Malacaster affiliated with Rohbyyan. Xeno not dragon. Merixa involved with elves. Merixa not concerned for people.
March 10, 2002
November 28
We go to see Malacaster. On the way we see someone watching us. Advance, about a half dozen Malacaster livery behind hill. "Our faces are dangerous". Commands four men to give us their livery and horses and sneak in. Head to manor which now has its own wall and guards on wall. Interesting change.
At the manor we're offered something to eat while we wait for Malacaster. He comes in to see us. The amulet verifies Malacaster's draconic blood. He appears completely ignorant of the state of affairs. Doesn't believe our theory of his heritage. He will call Lothwar to check out our story.
We talk privately, learn from Jared that Lothwar knew of Jared's heritage of Rohbyyan. Discuss plans.
Jared wants to investigate the family mausoleum. An augrey suggests this is a good idea. Two sarcophogi are in use, labelled the grandfather and the father. Jared speaks with dead on the father (the grandfather is too rotted). Meanwhile Kalib who is watching outside is asked to leave by the guards. The guards lock the door with us inside.
Corpse of father's answered: Not father of Malacaster. His name is Jack. Father Malacaster not dead. Father Malacaster didn't have him killed.
Milo picks the lock and we get out. Milo locks door behind us and we wander off.
Jared sends message to Lothwar asking to meet with him before seeing Malacaster. Response, "I told you not to meddle in this," sounds unhappy, perhaps afraid.
We get called to study. Lothwar is there. Xenophon teleports in, Lothwar says that the duke is waiting to see him. Xenophon goes to see him. Lothwar questions Jared and gets lots of information. Lothwar starts to leave, Kalib asks for information back. Lothwar declines. I point out we're likely to continue meddling. Lothwar will tell Duke he can trust us in this. The youngest generation isn't supposed to know until there is a heir. Asks us to keep it a secret and to push duke to get a heir. Says that the duke's younger brother was sent abroad for safety (implying Jared).
Get called to dinner. The duke and Xenophon are here. Lothwar is not.
Xenophon asks duke about defending "borders" completely, apparently walls are sub section of his land so he can shoot people.
Xenophon asks me about why I introduced our scholarly friend to him since I promised to not let others know. (I don't remember such a promise.) Apparently Xenophon is already friends with him.
Xenophon excuses self to return to battle. Apparently first land battle involving Archipelaga. Elves have taken Windhaven (is this old news).
After Xenophon leaves, we talk with the Duke. Duke suspected his father wasn't dead, some evidence of that. He is going to plan and probably take action in the spring.
We head back to base.
November 29
We ready for travel. We head out for the "Ghost Stones", aka Khurl Lurthyn Ngyamin. Jared notes that it sounds like Corellon Larethian. I feel dumb. We travel.
December 9
As we approach late in evening, we start feeling ill. Milo notices that distances feel like they're changing. Lines and angles seem to bend and twist. Jared detects background ambient magic I will the key to let me see and it does. With some effort I extended the effect to the rest of the party.
Find a hidden path leading several miles to a clearing. The key feels drained, like this isn't what it's supposed to do. Release effect. Space still feels warped in the clearing, but we don't feel naueous. In the center of the clearing are two large stones. Rounded six foot high domes. As we approach, Milo and Jared can't advance, Kalib and I can. Holding hands with them we lead them forward.
Appraching further the clouds part, the moon shines down and a circle of six monoliths appear. The two domes now appear to be reddish grey mounds and faintly moving. They stand up, twelve foot tall clay creatures. They attack. They're immune to piercing and slashing weapons. We retreat. They stop at the edge of the stones. The wounds we got (Kalib, Jared, and myself) are festering and can't be healed.
There is a flash and one of the golems starts flailing about. I think it may have gone bezerk. It moves out of the circle towards us. Jared dimensio doors use 800 feet away into the forest. Spell appears to serparate us. We can't find each other, something in woods misdirecting us. After some work, we eventually get out. At wee hours of morning we get together with horses.
Thinking about clay golems: largely immune to magic. Immune to slashing and piercing. Can haste self. Can bezerk. Damage causes can only be healed by 6th level or higher healing magic or a Heal spell.
I summon a happy house, we put horses in. Jared teleports us to town. Lothwar heals us and helps us sneak back to our hideout. We plan to teleport back to our happy house.