Blood On The Trail: An Autobiography by Buck Martin

(Notes for an autobiography found two years after Buck's death, dated June 14, 1928)

If'n you go asking around about my life, you might get some folks who say my recollections here ain't entirely right. But those folks are damn liars and fools, and you should spit on them and punch 'em in the face. If they ask why, tell 'em Buck Martin sent you, then kick them in their dangly parts just for good measure.

Anyhow... I was born in the 1860s in Kansas. I don't rightly know which year, as my folks weren't too keen on keeping track of specifics like that, but I do know we were a proud part of the Union. Which doesn't make me a damn yankee. I just don't see anything right about one man owning another count of his skin color. If that man is dumber than you, or slower than you, or maybe owes you money because he's worse at gambling than you, maybe you can own him. But not just because he looks like he spent a few turns too many poking his face into the oven to see if the biscuits were done. That just don't make any sense at all.

When I turned 14, I went to work. I rode with the Pony Express, delivering messages all over Kansas and a few other states besides. I was the best at my job, on account of I only needed to sleep for 2 hours a day, as long as I spent two more hours drinking whiskey. Which, y'all might be interested to know, you can easily do on horseback at a full gallop, if'n you're talented enough. Anyhow, after a few years riding across the state, I first met Buffalo Bill, when he brought his traveling show through to Kansas. I didn't know exactly what I was getting into when I paid my nickel and walked out into those bleachers, but when the show was over, I sure as shooting knew what I wanted to do.

So I went up to Mr. Buffalo Bill and asked for a job. He wasn't sure about a scrawny kid like me, but when I showed him that I could shoot, ride, tell funny stories and had the biggest pecker of anyone at the show, he gave me the job. I was the youngest rodeo clown they had, and they only gave me that job on account of they felt bad for all the leads in the show with their tinier peckers. Or at least, that's what I suppose. It would have been rude to ask.

For the next ten years or so, I kept on moving up in the show. I got to be the indian who yelled "How! We come in peace!" right before the cavalry gunned us down like the red-skinned savages we were. Then I was the man who tried to punch a cow, only to have the cow kick him square in the nether region as hard as it could. T'weren't a real cow, you understand, just two jealous fellers in a cow costume who did their best to break my magnificent pecker. But it was too strong for 'em. I think I broke their kicking foot on more than one occasion. Eventually, I got to be one of the cowboys, shooting, roping, riding and all that type of thing.

I met a lot of folks in that show, from Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane on to Wild Bill Hickok. It's a shame about old Bill, but it's like I always told him. "Bill, someday the injuns are gonna get ya." And they did, when he was playing poker and a band of wild injuns rode right in and scalped him on the spot. Leastaways, that's the way I heard the story.

Well, after a few years, I found that show business was getting to be too much for me, and I needed somewhere to settle down. I decided that other than his untimely death and mild drinking problems, Wild Bill might have had the right idea, and I went into the lawman business. Started out as a deputy in one town, had to leave over some unfortunate misunderstandings about whether or not a lawman was due free pussy at the local whorehouse and if so, how often and then moved on to another. There were always little misunderstandings like that. Drinks too much. Shot the mayor's favorite cow. Burned down the hardware store. Slept with the bank owner's wife. Broke into the bar to get whiskey. All trumped up charges by people jealous of my talents and my enormous pecker, by the by. I think it was the tenth town finally had the wisdom to make me sheriff, after their previous sheriff died in a fight with a bear. I killed the bear, took its pelt and claimed the star.

Or it might have been he died of dysentery on the trail, and I took the star off his corpse. Can't rightly remember, it was a long time ago. Pretty sure it was the bear, though.

I was sheriff for a good long time, at least until the turn of the century. Got it in my head to try my hand at some of them dime novels, and turned out I was pretty good at them. Writing true tales of the wild west started to get a little dull, though, so I branched out into writing monster stories like the young'uns like. Got pretty rich doing that, and had to quit my sheriffin job to write all the time. The town was real understanding, leastaways I heard they were. I had to move to the city to further my writing career, and didn't have time for formal resignations and such. But I'm sure everything went fine. I made sure and open up the jail when I left so nobody would be wrongly imprisoned, and I left my sleeping deputy my best bottle of whiskey and a shiny gold sheriff star, not to mention a fully loaded Colt peacemaker, to deal with any troublemakers. Last I left, those escaped convicts looked plenty scared, and I doubt any of 'em even tried to leave.

Well, my writing career just took off, and pretty soon I was rich and famous. Traveled all over the country spinning yarns, performing in shows and doing good deeds. Even inspired some other writers to follow in my footsteps, like Lucas Huxley, the man who wrote the spookiest damn lifeboat massacre story you'll ever read. I didn't ever dream I might come face to face with real monsters, just like the ones out of my storybooks. But I did, and I'm pretty sure I'll be writing true tales of western adventure and fighting monsters for the rest of my days. Think I'll probably invest my wealth in that new stock market, because a man should plan for a more stable future, and my friend, what they call a broker, told me there ain't nothing more stable than the stock market.

Telegram from Buck

The following telegram was received by Lucas Huxley on September 27, 1936 (although it was sent much earlier, the lack of an address delayed its delivery - despite the sender's insistence that, "He's a famous writer, everyone will know where he lives!"):

Another Cold October

Country mouse or city mouse?

Born in the cold Russian October of 1892, Nikolai Ivanov Rostov, son of Count Ivan Antonovich Rostov was raised in the best of both worlds. The wealthy and influential Count Ivan possessed expansive rural estates outside Kolpino, where Little “Koyla” spent his happy childhood. These also had for several generations provided much of the family’s income from farming, berry orchards and the breeding of some of the finest cavalry mounts to be found in the region. As all the actual work was performed by the peasants that had been attached to the land for as long as or longer than the Rostovs, Nikolai had plenty of idle time to learn the rustic arts of hunting, horsemanship and other such manly pursuits.

During Russia’s harsh winters the family would retire to the relatively warmer and decidedly more cosmopolitan graces of nearby St. Petersburg, and their opulent villa at its heart. Here Nikolai was educated at the finest schools and universities, becoming an accomplished rapieriste, and learning the courtly customs of Russian high society, with all the intrigue and romance one might expect from such a glamorous setting.

Nikolai thrived in these environs and this charmed life, which fit him like a tailored glove. He was exceedingly popular among his peers. Men admired him for his athletic prowess and adventurous spirit. Women for his dashing good looks and abundant charm, which were never more evident than at the numerous gala occasions held in the grand ballroom of the Rostov’s Petrograd pied-a-terre, whence the cream of Russian nobility convened in sartorial splendor.

It was at one such fete, in the year 1909, that a 16 year old Koyla had his first eerie encounter with the supernatural. In attendance as guest of honor, was the Tsaritsa Alexandra Fyodorovna, Empress Consort of Nicholas II, last Tsar of the Russian Empire. She of course came accompanied by her retinue, which included the infamous Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, her mystical aide-de-camp. The party was nearly ruined when, into the midst of a Viennese Waltz, Rasputin, eyes agog and arms akimbo, charged and assailed the young Nikolai with a stream of vulgarities, then fell into a seizure at his feet.

Quick thinking Nikolai and another nearby young man carried the incoherent spiritualist, who was apparently in the grips of some sort of psychic fugue state, to a nearby antechamber and arranged him on a settee. The second man ran to fetch a glass of water and/or vodka while Nikolai kept watch over the Tsaritsa’s freakish pet.

Thus alone, Rasputin began to regain some reason. His gaze penetrated Nikolai, and with weakly whispered words and a gesture he beckoned the young man closer.

“Closer. Come closer. You...you have a great destiny. Your future...the earth...the sky...the sea...and a world...BEYOND!”

As Rasputin had softly spoken his hands had drifted from Nikolai’s shoulders, slowly down, down, so that the shouted “BEYOND!” was punctuated with a salacious squeeze of the teenager’s burgeoning manhood. A shock of freezing cold ran through him, and a glimpse of an unfathomable black void flashed in his mind. Nikolai recoiled in horror and shame as the Mad Monk cackled with maniacal glee. He backed warily from the antechamber, and never spoke of the incident to any living soul.

On the outskirts of St. Petersburg, Russia’s “Gateway to the West”, the Rostovs also owned a produce warehouse and jam cannery, as well as, coincidentally, a glue factory, where the less stellar output of their equine endeavors would sometimes end their days.

Even their most exemplary steeds, however, did not course quite swiftly enough for young Nikolai, and so began his lifelong love with automobiles, and the pursuit of pushing them to the limits of their performance. Since St. Petersburg lacked a proper raceway, he and his friend’s had to make do with its cobblestone streets, and, once banned from those, the back country roads which surrounded it. He also made several trips to the Continent to compete in the European circuit during the early ‘10’s, and though he never won, he’d generally fare much better than most, and always better than bad.

As much as he loved auto racing he still found himself unsatisfied with mere accelerated horizontal movement, and developed a keen interest in the more vertical pursuits of aeronautics, and ballooning in particular. At the country estate he assembled an enormous specimen of gaseous flight for which he envisioned multiple purposes, including military applications. Many scoffed and said it was his head that was filled with expanding gas, and it was a useless endeavor, but this was put to the lie much sooner than anyone could have anticipated.

An idyllic existence then, for our young Rostov, but all good things do come to an end.

And so it was, as WWI turned Europe to a charnel house, and drained Russia’s resources of men, money and food, another cold October came in 1917. While Bolsheviks were storming the Parliament in St. Petersburg, Nikolai pushed his roadster to breakneck speeds, returning his father to the relative safety of their lands near Kolpino. A very few short days later the Revolution began to spread throughout the countryside, and the peasants that once brought bountiful bushels of blackberries to the ancestral home, now converged there with pitchforks and torches. Nikolai loaded his family, along with as many of their valuables as they could safely carry, into the small cabin of his balloon, and so spent his 25^th birthday asky, floating above the fiery burning face of the Red Menace.

A strong Southwesterly wind carried them aloft for the next two days, crossing more than 200 miles, over Lake Peipus, and into Estonia. There they called upon some distant relations, and regrouped with other Noble Rus who had fled. Tragically, Count Ivan contracted a pneumonia on their frigid passage, and languished for some months before expiring. As eldest, Nikolai assumed the hereditary title, even though technically, his “county” no longer existed. At least according to the Bolsheviks, that is.

The young Count participated in the White Army’s attempts to retake their lost ground. He soon found himself more effective as a fundraiser and public figure than a soldier, owing to his natural grace and the harrowing tale of his incredible escape. He even achieved some moderate celebrity, appearing across Europe and eventually the U.S. retelling his adventure to rapt audiences. Sadly it was all for naught. The White’s military campaign failed utterly, and a war-weary world turned away from the East to nurse its own bitter wounds.

The Count to this day still speaks out vehemently against the threat of Communism, unions, and Marxist agitation, but few really listen, and so he consoles himself with racing, champagne, and those starlets and showgirls that cannot help but find themselves charmed in his presence. He lives on their grace, and that of influential friends who may still find him useful from time to time, dreading all the while, another much, much colder October, in the world beyond.

Telegram from Count Rostov

The following telegram was received by Virgil Rutherford on September 19, 1936:

Eberron Character: Rochus d'Kundarak

Name: Rochus Kraal d'Kundarak
Race: Dragonmarked Dwarf
Class: Fighter 2/Rogue 3/Silver Key 2
Experience: 24,500
Alignment: Neutral
Religion: Kol Korran
Homeland: The Mror Holds
Age: 52 Height: 4'1" Weight: 141 lbs.

Statistics: STR 14, DEX 18, CON 16, INT 16, WIS 12, CHA 11, BAB +5, Fort +4 (+7), Ref +6 (+10), Will +4 (+5), Init +4 (+4), AC 19 (+1 armor, +4 Dex, +1 ring), HP 61

Skills: Appraise +6 (+9), Balance +3 (+7), Bluff +5 (+5), Climb +4 (+6), Craft (Trapmaking) +3 (+8), Disable Device +6 (+13), Escape Artist +3 (+7), Gather Information +4 (+4), Hide +4 (+7), Intimidate +4 (+4), Jump +2 (+4), Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +4 (+7), Listen +5 (+8), Move Silently +5 (+9), Open Lock +4 (+10), Ride +3 (+7), Search +5 (+8) (+11 with traps) (+10 with stonework), Spot +4 (+7), Swim +2 (+4), Tumble +4 (+8), Use Magic Device +5 (+5), Use Rope +5 (+4)

Class Abilities: Trap Finding, Sneak Attack +2d6, Trapsense +1, Evasion, Heir’s Mark (Silver Key levels count toward DM caster level), Trap Master (+1 to disable device, search, and spellcraft when dealing with traps), Warder’s Keys, Wardsense (use search to locate traps w/ DC higher than 20, use disable device to bypass trap or disarm magical trap), Crafty Hands (open locks of disable device at 60’, manipulate objects under 5 lbs.)
Racial Abilities: Darkvision, Stonecunning, +4 vs. trip/bull-rush, +2 vs. saves on poison or spells, +1 attack vs. orcs and goblinoids, +4 dodge vs. giants, +2 on Appraise or Craft (stone)
Weapons/Attacks: +8 (1d8+3 + 1d6, Shocking Battle Axe +1), +8 (1d6+2, Masterwork Handaxe), +7 (1d4+2, Dagger), +8 (1d4, Hand Crossbow)

Equipment:

(1) Potion of Cure Serious Wounds, (2) Potions of Invisibility, (2) Potions of Cure Light Wounds, +1 Ring of Protection, +1 Shocking Battleaxe (Giant Splitter), Warder's Keys, Traveler's Outfit, Masterwork Thieves' Tools, backpack, caltrops, flask of whiskey, 2 good locks, masterwork manacles, waterskin, 1 week rations, signet ring, Letter of Credit (2500 GP), gems (500 gp and 400 gp), 90 gp, 60 sp

Feats: Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Alertness, Investigate, Least Dragonmark (Warding: arcane lock 1/day)
Proficiencies: All Simple & Martial Weapons, All Armor & Shields
Languages: Common, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin

History: The son of Vorik d’Kundarak, Rochus was born a member of the warding guild. His father wanted for him to carry on the proud family tradition of providing security for those who wish their assets to remain their own. He began his training, supervised by his father, at an early age, and was soon one of the fastest and most nimble dwarves in all of the Mror Holds. In later years, he trained as a warrior for a short time, hoping the strength of his arm might benefit the House as much as his cunning and agility.

As the years past, Rochus’s dragonmark manifested, and it became obvious that his future did not lie in combat, but in security. Rochus became a Silver Key under the employ of House Kundarak. He is a field specialist in security and investigation. There is no security system in place that Rochus cannot strengthen.

To celebrate his new role as a Silver Key, Vorik gave Rochus one of their family’s most prized possession: the magical battleaxe known as Giant Splitter. The axe was first owned by Rochus’s grandfather Deltak, who had the weapon enchanted and in later years felled many giants with it. Vorik then had a second enchantment bestowed upon the axe, allowing it to shock any it strikes with a great deal of electricity. Vorik explained that it is now Rochus’s duty to use Giant Striker and to one day have an additional enchantment bestowed upon it.

There is nothing more important to Rochus than the love of his father. In truth, he sees his role as a Silver Key as another honor he can pay Vorik. His life creates a sad paradox, in that his role within the House keeps him away from his father. Rochus has not seen Vorik in many years, but he continues in his field, still hoping to honor his father in the best way he knows.

Action Points? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Action Points!

Just a reminder - anyone who posts his character's bio will receive an extra action point, representing the insight that comes from self-reflection, or some such contrivance. Remember, action points can mean the difference between a quick death and a slow, agonizing one!

New Blog (Sort Of)

Hey all,

When I signed into my blog today, it told me to switch over to Blogger Beta, which converts the blog over with new features, etc. and more importantly links it to your Google account (since Google bought Blogger). These are all things I wanted, so I did it... but I didn't notice until too late that it also converted over any blogs that I started, which means y'all will have to switch your blogger accounts to post on this blog. Sorry, and I hope the conversion process isn't a hassle... it was easy on my end, at any rate.

Delay of Game

I won't be available this Friday, December 8. The roll-out of a new system at work got pushed back to this weekend, and since I'm out of town Saturday/Sunday, I'll have to do the roll-out Friday night.

Sorry for the delay, guys. I'll try to add some extra horror to the following session to make up for it.

In the future: Ravenloft?

Hey, everybody. I just ordered Expedition to Castle Ravenloft off of Amazon. It's an update of the old Ravenloft module, designed for use as a one-off adventure or a campaign. How about, after we have our next Eberron adventure, I take a shot at DM'img, take you guys through this bastard? Sound cool?

"Fightin'" Tommy O'Flannery

Tommy was born in 1895 somewhere in the Illinois countryside under mysterious circumstances. He didn't discover the truth until he was older but it seems that his biological mothers name was actually Brigid, last name unknown; and that she was ritually murdered on the night of his birth by her dead husband, attending the birth in spirit, as it were. The next part of the ritual was intended to take Tommys life as well but he was surreptitiously rescued by another Tom O'Flannery, Tom o' Diamonds, an explorer and renowned adventurer. No one knows what the dark ritual was for, or what became of the cabalists after Big Tom locked them in a burning barn, (one would surmise that Tommy's ghostly bio-patriarch survived). Little Tommy was adopted and raised in the fairly well-off O'Flannery household where he was adored by his new father, his mother Margaret and his elder brother Marcus. Big Tom was employed by a "Social Action Group" called Fair Shake, which was really a front for the highly secretive, catholic splinter organization known as "Occulus Diem," the Eyes of God, an organization dedicated to the elimination of "otherworldly" threats to the Church. As an investigator and enforcer of the will of the "Luminus Sacralogos" the guiding council of the order, he was involved with many anti-occult activities over the years. He fought for country and church in the Spanish-American War and then settled down to a life of politics in order to extend the reach of his secret organization. --Little Tommy had several more incidents in his life. At 12 he happened upon a robbery attempt in his family home. The thief was stealing an artifact from one of his Dad's adventures and Tommy interrupted him. The thief was leaving the house with a box marked "Tommy-1895." Tommy tripped him on the stairs and the box fell to the ground. Tommy grabbed the box and the thief grabbed the amulet that had been it's treasure. The thief drew a long curved dagger and slashed Tommy's face. Just then a car pulled up outside. The thief, a one eyed man with a black moustache, ran away with the amulet, not the box. Tommy looked into the box and found a letter detailing the events of his birth. There they found him, drenched in blood and tears. He carries the scar to this day.--They told him the truth and his adoptive father began to tell him of his work, eventually Tommy joined him.--When Tommy was 16 he was captured by a group of cabalists who drugged and ritually tortured him. It broke him, he would never be the normal lad that every parent dreams of. The anger flowed through his veins, the burning against evil was so intense that some, including his father, thought that Tommy was a danger to himself and everyone around him. He was sent to a military school to finish his prep days and then received an appointment to West Point, where he graduated from just in time for WW1--Lt. O'Flannery earned the nickname "fightin" in the military. He fought like a demon with no thought to his own body and earned a new scar on his throat that gave him the voice to match his scarred face. It was during his time in a German work camp that the "Occulus" contacted him about being a full member. They saw to his escape, the telling and re=telling of his heroics, and his father's continued rise to power. Upon returning to the U.S., Tommy became an operative of the order, investigating, reporting, and eliminating whatever "occult" activity the order found threatening. He has mostly chased Red Herrings. But now........new assignment...........cover, veteran's hospital fundraising. Investigate incident involving..............Walk in the Blessings of St Jude, my son.

But Not of Man

Prologue

In 1926, the wealthy industrialist and shipping magnate James Harrington summoned several friends and acquaintances to a dinner party sponsored by the American Businessmen’s League. From that night forward, their fate became bound together. They were:

• Count Nikolai Rostov, an ex-patriate Russian nobleman and staunch anti-Communist. He was the keynote speaker at the dinner, warning against the dangers of worker’s unions.
  
• Dr. Virgil Rutherford, Professor of Linguistics at Harvard. Harrington had earlier asked his help in translating a hand-copied fragment of an occult text from German.


• Dr. Robert Harger, M.D., a prominent local physician.


• Lucas Huxley, a struggling writer. Huxley’s complex allegorical tales of societal decay had failed to spark much interest from the public or publishers. To date, his only success was the short story “Lifeboat Massacre,” a pulp story about the horrible fate that greets the survivors of a sunken luxury liner. This story aroused the interest of Harrington and earned the admiration of fellow writer, Buck Martin.


• Buck Martin, a former lawman and writer of Western dime novels. Martin was a celebrity guest at the dinner.


• Spencer Thompson, an occasional piano player and frequent thief. He knew Buck from a stint as the saloon player in the All-American Wild West Show. Buck invited Thompson to the party.

At the party, Harrington suddenly grew frightened. He begged his guests to protect his wife from a mysterious threat, and to keep safe the strange amulet he kept hidden beneath his shirt. All at once he collapsed, vomiting enormous quantities of seawater. Moments later, he died, his lungs filled with water as if he had drowned. His dying words were a choked warning about söhne des meeres – the “sons of the sea”.

The Depths of the Past

Bound by their promise to the dead man, Harrington’s guests began to investigate his death and the mysterious threat to his wife. Suspicion fell on a Harrington family friend, the unctuous Captain De Roca, skipper of the Brazilian tramp steamer Oscar, but Mrs. Harrington insisted that he had been a loyal friend to her and her husband.

Clues appeared in Harrington’s past, linked to a chain of events begun in 1917 when the Olympia, an ocean liner on which he was a passenger, was sunk by a German U-boat. Some survivors were taken aboard the U-boat, only to be trapped when the submarine struck a mine and plunged to the bottom of the sea. Incredibly, Harrington and two other men, Tom Barnes and George Wilson, survived.

None of the survivors could shed any light on their miraculous escape. But as the investigators dug deeper, they discovered that all three men were afterwards changed in some strange and awful way. There were hints of a horrible, hidden deformity, and terrible urges. One of the survivors, George Wilson, was arrested multiple times for assault and attempted rape, and finally committed suicide in prison by castrating himself.

The other, Tom Barnes, had become a morphine addict. Like Harrington and Wilson, he wore a strange, greenish-gold amulet of bizarre workmanship. They were wearing them when they were rescued at sea, but none could say where they had come from. They could not bear to remove them, and the few times Barnes had tried, it had always returned inexplicably as he slept. This fate was now shared by Dr. Harger, who had donned Harrington’s amulet.

Barnes warned against the machinations of De Roca, whose designs appeared to be centered on Mrs. Harrington. They seemed connected with Harrington’s insistence that his wife never bear a child; the doctor who supplied Barnes with morphine, Lohmann, had performed more than one secret abortion for Mrs. Harrington. Barnes feared that De Roca wished to use a Harrington child in some horrible occult ritual.

Troubled Dreams and Troubled Waters

A midnight raid on the Oscar provided several tantalizing clues, including the complete hand-copied text of an occult tome, Unaussprechlichen Kulten. Dr. Rutherford studied this intently, and found himself immersed in strange and horrible rituals he did not dare to practice. But one night he awoke to find his hands covered in cat's blood, the book open before him, and he realized the decision was no longer his. Strange, prophetic dreams haunted him. He heard warnings of disaster, gurgling from the lips of drowned men. And he saw the figure of Captain Cook, the 18th century South Seas explorer, who insisted cryptically that, “They were plainly the jawbones of fish, and not of men.”

Soon after the Oscar raid, the investigators were attacked at Rutherford’s home. Water gushed from the faucets, moving as if alive, trying to engulf and drown the men. Fleeing outdoors for safety, they were attacked by shotgun-wielding sailors from the Oscar, aided by a mysterious figure that lurked in the shadows and showed hints of a shape that was only partly human. The investigators managed to drive off their attackers and badly wounded the shadowy figure.

The next day, Barnes was kidnapped by De Roca’s minions. De Roca proposed an exchange: Barnes for the amulet now worn by Dr. Harger. Fearing for Mrs. Harrington’s safety, the investigators persuaded her to proceed with a planned sea cruise and escorted her safely aboard ship. That night, they drove to the seaside rendezvous to meet with De Roca.

Lost at Sea

De Roca’s treachery was immediately evident; Barnes’ mutilated corpse was found by the shoreline. Then the sea suddenly surged and rushed inland, flooding the small beach. The investigators remained safe on high ground, but then De Roca appeared, rising from the waves. Moonlight gleamed on the grayish-green things that came with him, slipping through the water like fish but then rising to walk like men. A pitched battle followed. Some were driven mad by the horrible half-human fish things, others were stricken with terror by De Roca's supernatural gaze. But even De Roca's occult powers could not save him from the withering hail of bullets that were turned against him. He sank at last beneath the waves as the investigators fled from the amphibious horde.

It was not until the following day that they found the letter from Mrs. Harrington to DeRoca, telling him of her pregnancy and pleading with him for help. "I love my husband, but I love my unborn child more," she wrote. "Please help me, Captain - do you what you must to protect the life of my child." A few days later, Mrs. Harrington was reported lost at sea after falling overboard. Her body was never found, and she was presumed drowned.

Of the many unanswered questions that remain, some clues may lurk in the strange poem found in De Roca's cabin:

The Other Messiah

Up rose that scourge, the fishers of the deep,
But savage minds hearkened to ancient fears;
With timeless runes upon their stony spears,
They sent the god-king to his endless sleep.
His Titan corpse rotted upon the earth,
While his children beneath the haunted seas
Hissed evil curses and croaked blasphemies
And prayed to sunken gods for his rebirth.
In unknown depths His monstrous seed was spawned,
To be born of woman but not of man.
They looked upon His bloated face and ran.
Darkness oozed in His wake, and no day dawned.
Cities trembled and fell, as all around
The world quaked with horror, in madness drowned.

(from People of the Monolith by Justin Geoffrey)

One week away!

That is all.

In honor of our upcoming Cthulu game

I thought you might enjoy a little song called the Carol of the Old Ones.

Sing along!

Auuugh!

Long break, no game, too much work! AAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Miss you guys. *sniff*

Upcoming Schedule - November/December

I realized, as I looked at the schedule, that the planned first day of Call of Cthulhu was in fact the day after Thanksgiving. I'm guessing that means at least somebody (possibly me) won't be able to make it. If I'm wrong and everybody can definitely do it, let me know in comments, but I suspect that we'll be starting Cthulhu in December instead. I also suspect we'll be having some holes in schedule thanks to various holiday festivities. Here's the schedule as I see it for November/December... but keep checking back, as I bet we'll have to amend it.

November 3rd - Borat movie at the Drafthouse (Let me know if you want to come)
November 10th - Gaming off (Wizard World Texas)
November 17th - Poker Game
November 24th - Gaming off? (Unless everyone is available for Cthulhu)

December 1st - Call of Cthulhu First Session (everybody in?)
December 8th - Call of Cthulhu
December 15th - Call of Cthulhu
December 22nd - Call of Cthulhu (unless holiday plans interrupt)
December 29th - Call of Cthulhu

Post in comments, let me (and Mat, who's running CoC) know what your schedules look like for November/December.

A conversation between friends

The following exchange occurred in Sharn, just before the beginning of The Grasp of Emerald Claw. Jason and I played it out by email, it was great fun and I've decided to post it for everyone's perusal. Hope you enjoy - just remember, your characters don't know this stuff ;)

Lysander contacts Pel in a private place, probably the back of the shop. Lys invites him to dinner up at Lys's place to discuss a few things. If Pel accepts, (which I expect:)), he provides an expensive meal (through my house contacts) and excellent wine, and proceeds with his, er, proposition. "Pel, I'll come straight to the point. My people want you to jump ship an come work for us....now, wait, hear me out. The money is good and the House is loyal, your race, of course, would not be an issue, except for the benefit of your powers. To this point, the House has not placed me in a compromising situation with the Wolves goals and, in fact, they have been very supportive of my role and given me a great deal of freedom. This is, to the point, the most uncomfortable assignment they have given me, because I know, friend Pel, that you have been a loyal friend to me, and to your current employers. It is your nature. But I ask you, my friend, to observe this opportunity with all of the intensity of your wit and sensitivity and to consider, yes consider thoroughly, what a team we would make, moving within the same orbit, as it were. By the Dragon, man, we would shake the very foundations of this land! Ha, ha! Can you not see it? As Wolves and partners in information, oh, the stories they will tell! YOu don't need to give me an answer now, I'll deal with the impatience of my superiors, and you will remain my friend and compatriot, no matter your decision. Now, relax, have some cheese."

Pel:

A proposition both interesting and enticing, my dear friend, even moreso in light of the fact that I also have one for you.

I'll just have another piece of this delicious cheese whilst I compose my thoughts.

*Pel smiles enigmatically*

Pel chews, takes a sip of wine...and begins.

"Blissful, elegant, angelic..where did you get this wine? No, don't tell, SOME secrets should NEVER be shared."

*ahem*

"At any rate, as I say, I've a proposal of my own. Something of a counter offer, as it turns out. I agree that our, ah, abilities are quite complimentary, and working in concert we could indeed affect the nature of things far and wide. Even the stories told by future bards would no doubt be incomplete as to our true influence."

Sip.

"But such is the nature of our profession, and I digress. What I would propose to you is not a change in employment for either of us, but, rather, an informal alliance between our two interests – your house and my, ah, organization, - with the two of us, you and I, my friend, as the linchpins in the agreement. The rings of the marriage, if you will."

Pours more wine for the both.

"We would be a clearinghouse of information. We would know EVERYTHING. We would be mighty resevoirs and control the flow, upstream and down."

*stares off glassy eyed for a moment*

"Dear me, I'm a bit flush...must be the wine. I think I'll have a bit more"

Sip.

"I believe the goals of our two interests can be complimentary, and do not, as far as I'm aware, often come into conflict or compete. Much could be gained by cooperation, and if we arrange things right, we'd both have two paychecks, instead of just the one."

"Now, in order to assure friendly cooperation from my organization, there'll need to be a, um, slight change in administration. As it happens, I'm currently conceiving of a plot...or rather a scheme *smile*...to bring just that about. If it all works, it would not only achieve that, but it would also blacken the eye of several of our enemies, set them at one another, and make us some money in the bargain."

"I haven't got all the details worked out yet. I could certainly use your assistance and that of your House, putting us all in good stead with rising elements in my own organization."

"Now, if you can speak for your...I wont say "superiors", that can't be true...let's call them your "elders"...if you can speak for them, and agree in spirit to my counter-proposal, I will tell you of my scheme."

Sip.

"AND, if that is the case, we'd best order up a strong pot of klava. It's rather complex. Also, I'll warn you now, it's risky, dangerous, foolhardy, devious, and will involve deceiving a great many people...possibly even some of our friends."

"For their own good, of course. More wine?"

Lysander:

Lysander summons a lute and begins to dance his fingers across the strings, a moderate tempo in a minor key. "Well, well." *closes eyes*

"You know, it thrills me when I listen to a piece of music and the second movement begins, a counter melody or an entirely new theme, and it takes me by surprise with it's elegance or it's boldness. I do hear the beauty of the harmony you propose, friend Pel, and it seems goodly to me to follow this golden thread of melody."

*stops playing, opens eyes*

"Yes, I believe this to be beneficial to both of our houses and of course, gainful to us. What then, my brother-in-secrets, do you propose? For, in truth, it sounds like, well........fun."

Pel:

*grins*

"It pleases me my dear friend that we can sing thus in concert. If I may venture a solo, I believe I can sketch out the bones of a tune upon which you may create such lovely variations as have yet to grace a living ear."

*bows slightly*

"Who number the enemies of the Wolves? I would count among them the Emerald Claw, certain minions of the Lord of Blades, and, most recently and unfortunately, Sharri d'Deneith, and those loyal to her cause. She hates us unjustly, and while I honestly wish her no harm, I would thwart her equally unjust designs of revenge against us."

"The Claw and Blades wish us ill, requitedly, and mostly to do with this Schema they desire."

"I also have a personal enemy, and I'll confide in you some details, as a show of mutual trust and admiration. As you're aware, I've a close contact in a local organization named the Tyrants, who deal mainly in information and flesh, and mainly outside the law. That contact is closer than you may know, however, for he is in fact my father."

"He is currently the lieutenant of a certain Cord Lanner. This human has recently caused some difficulty for the Tyrants, embroiling them in a turf war with ogre gangs in the Lower Dura. He's on thin ice, and, as he once bade me kill this same father of mine who is now under his command, I bear him no love."

"Were Lanner removed, my father would assuredly take his place, giving us a most trusted, loyal, well-placed and grateful ally among the Tyrants."

"Now that you know the players in this drama, if I may style it such, shifting slightly from our musical metaphor, allow me to begin to recite for you their lines."

*ahem*

"The Schema we possess will be "stolen". Burglarized as it were. It will find it's way to my father, who will broker a deal with a "buyer" for the item, and be about to arrange delivery, when Lanner will "overhear" about the deal and decide to usurp control of the proceedings, and keep the profits and prestige for himself."

"Lanner, or his designees, will rendezvous with the "buyer" to make the exchange. However, they will be ambushed during the meeting by Warforged in service to the Lord of Blades. During this imbroglio, several members of the "Emerald Claw" will also appear, and these will make off with the Schema, making the whole thing a bust."

"Lanner, IF he survives, will be seen to've very badly botched it, which should be the last straw for his employ. If need be, my father could "recover" the item, strengthening his own position. The Lord of Blades will beleive that the Emerald Claw have it, thus potentiating a fued between the two. They'll also both then think that the Wolves no longer possess the Schema, and perhaps leave us be about it."

"Sharri d'Deneith will also take a blow, because the Blademark bodyguards that the "buyer" hired from her will fail their duty, thus compromising her and making her less able to seek her revenge."

*pause for breath and a sip of wine*

"Obviously, all is not as it seems. Now, would you like to hear the rest of the song, or can you name that tune?"

Lysander:

Lysander rises from his chair, walks out onto the terrace, whistling, then laughs as he turns back to Pel, returning to his seat.

"I almost believe I begin to perceive the theme. In fact, I am utterly convinced of it! And we happen to possess all of the proper instruments! What a stroke of providence that you should compose such a melody at this time! Ah, yes, that will make them dance! So, I understand rhythm and the step, but what of the players? Our friends can play, but would they ever consent to such a merry tune? Or is this to be a duet, supported by hired players who are talented enough to play with the leads? In any case, the score suits my style, bar by bar. Yes, friend Pel, I had believed that our relationship would prove beneficial, and now, well, I almost convinced of it! We should start this little ditty smartly, as our lives have been anything but predictable of late."

Pel:

"Our friends will have their parts to sing to be sure, but only you and I will know the full score, being the producers and conductors, as it were, of this little opera."

"The first act is pre-production. We'll make a forgery (or perhaps two) of the Schema, secreting the original safely. This facsimile will be the "stolen" item. It will differ only slightly from the original, not enough to be detected, but enough that it wouldn't function should it get away from us."

"The theft will have to appear genuine to our comrades. It's possible I may need to be "mugged". These details can be worked out later. The important part is that it's heard about."

"You and I will "investigate" the crime and "discover" the rendezvous. One of us, probably you, being the more persuaive, will suggest the Wolves disguise themselves as Emerald Claw to affect the items recovery."

"These Emerald Wolves will arrive on the scene, well-heeled, as the battle between the Warforged, Lanner's guards and the Deneith guards is well underway. We'll join in this three way fight, win, recover the "Schema" and abscond away."

"The "buyer" should be an undercover agent from your House who arrives from afar with lots of gold, and some bodyguards. He (or she) will stand back in the fight, but his gold will be taken (by us) and he may have to receive some small injury, for veracity sake, before escaping (especially from us) with his life. Afterwards he'll complain loudly and publicly about the inadequacy of his hired protectors. Black eye, Sharri."

"The Warforged will be actual real agents of the Lord of Blades. After the "schema" is "stolen", intelligence will reach their metallic ears about the time and place of the meeting, and the strength of the forces there. They won’t be able to resist such a temptation."

"It's important that the Warforged hear about it but the actual Emerald Claw don't - at least until the Lord of Blades comes knocking on their door. I think my contacts should be able to affect the proper flow of information, as this scheme is, after all, in their best interests."

"We will of course have all the necessary information from the "buyer", as he is our creature."

"The expense of this little venture should be split between your House and mine. Think of it as a signing bonus, bridge-building."

"All of this will take a little time to set up, of course - all the instruments will need to be properly tuned before we can begin to play - but if we manage this symphony of deception, my friend, oh, can you imagine?"

Lysander:

"Not only can I imagine it, my brother, I can very nearly taste it! Your deity should be proud of his spokesman! Trickster, indeed! I will begin the necessary preparation for my part. Do we have an artificer in mind for this job? Or should we be looking? Persuasion should not be a problem as at that point I can reveal the expected effect of the "Claw" retrieving the "Schema." Nicely planned, my friend, and soon, nicely played I am sure."

There was more discussion into the night, but alas, the song was left unsung, thwarted by the the treachery of the evil Emerald Claw. I hate those guys!

Eberron Campaign Notes & Questions - PLEASE READ and COMMENT

First of all, one last move on the schedule. We're going to go ahead and start Cthulhu on the last week of November, so that hopefully everybody can be there. Character creation shouldn't take that long, and I think Mat is hoping to get us started that same night, so it's best if everyone who is going to play is there for it. Also, there is apparently a "credits sequence" of sorts not unlike the Eberron slideshow I did for you guys originally, and you'll all want to be there for that. So hopefully everybody can make the last weekend in November?

So check the schedule. I changed the last week of October to be sort of a casual hang out day, watch movies/DVDs, play some D&D miniatures maybe, play some PS/2 games, that kind of thing. First week of November Borat opens, and I'm definitely going to see it at the Drafthouse... anyone who wants to come is welcome.

Now then... since we have some time before the next Eberron game, I wondered if y'all would answer some questions in the comments. Help me figure out what to do next in the campaign!

Favorites:
Do me a favor and indicate your favorite, and feel free and include a least favorite as well.

Favorite Villain: Doesn't matter if they're alive or dead, it'll help me figure out what you guys like in a villain

Favorite Location: Specific (the Ruined Giant Citadel in VOTGD) or general (Trolanport, The Mournland) equally welcome. Please feel free to name more than one.

Favorite Adventure: Self-explanatory here

Moments:
If y'all could give me five of your favorite moments from the campaign thus far, either ones that happened to your character, someone else's character, or the party of the whole, that would help me in developing the future adventures.

I'd Like to See:
Tell me about any monsters or organizations you think you'd like to run into, which nations of Eberron you'd like to explore and anything you'd like to see more of. Dragonmarked House intrigue? A mission from House Phiarlan? Trouble and strife in the crime families of Sharn? Dungeon crawling through ruins in Xen'drik, the Mournlands, the Demon Wastes, etc.?

Character Goals:
If any of you have goals for your characters, whether short-term or long-term, let me know so I can plan for those as well.

Eberron Adventure Journal: Voyage of the Golden Dragon (3)

Vult 5 - Vult 8, YK 998

Part Three - Ruins of the Giants:
After resting overnight, the Wolves emerged to eat breakfast and see what they could work out about the murder of the ambassador from Thrane and the scribe from Karrnath. Pel used a locate object spell to try and find Gunter based on his robes, but after walking through all three levels of the ship, was able to confirm that the scribe's body was not aboard.

The Golden Dragon was relatively quiet now that so many passengers were either dead, confined to their quarters or laying low to avoid the chaos of the previous day. The Wolves pretty much had the run of the ship, and with the rain subsiding, they were able to spend some time up on the deck as well as in the reception hall. They spent a lot of time trying to figure out the truth of the assassinations, and investigating any remaining suspects on board.

That mostly meant Torren Blackfingers, the gnome artificer who had taken up long-term residence in the luxury suite. After trying to work out a way to infiltrate his room without the House Medani sentries getting wise, Pel and Lysander finally realized it was too much risk for too little reward, and marked Torren off the suspects list without any more information to go on.

They did come up with a theory that perhaps Gunter had faked his death and left the ship, and even that he might have been Emerald Claw. This would turn out to be dead on, although they wouldn't learn this until days later. A major clue to confirm this hypothesis came the next morning, when Pel used his locate object and found an empty poison packet inside the coffin that had held Gunter, and now held Cardinal Bethenade's body.

In addition, they were approached by Halas Martain, who was planning to go out into Xen'drik and investigate a Ruined Giant Citadel he had been searching for. He asked the Wolves to come along, given how they had proved their mettle during the voyage. Lysander was intrigued by the possibility of stories, and Tworock by the potential for killing giants, and so they agreed quickly to his proposal.

Early in the morning on Vult 6, the Golden Dragon sailed over the city of Stormreach. As they docked at the Lyrandar tower, Captain Alastair presented each member of the Wolves with a letter of credit for 1,000 gp. "The Last War may have sparked as a result of what went on here, but I can't help but think things would have been much worse without you on board."

As they boarded a skiff on loan to Halas Martain, the captain told them that the ship would depart in about two weeks, on the afternoon of Vult 20.

The journey into Xen'drik, roughly 12 miles into the jungle according to Martain's maps and directions, took two days aboard the airborne skiff. During that journey, Martain pointed out numerous flora and fauna and regaled the Wolves with tales of his adventures. His storytelling was a bit blustery and obnoxious, but Tworock was convinced that whatever else was true of him, Halas Martain had clearly spent a lot of time in Xen'drik and knew a great deal about it.

On the morning of Vult 8, Martain turned the skiff and coasted free of the jungle canopy, revealing a massive ruined giant temple that existed inside of a cliff face. A waterfall spilled down the face of the cliff and into a hole in the temple, forming a stream that poured down the stairs of the temple and met the hot ground, creating a field of hot mud and clouds of steam in front of the entrance.

Halas Martain set the skiff down just clear of the mud, grabbed his pack and began moving forward. The Wolves joined him, and soon they were wading into the hot red and brown mud, which came up to just above their waists. The mud was hot, heated by underground geysers that would occasionally spurt mud into the air, but it wasn't damaging. As the Wolves began swimming through the mud, though, the geysers began venting their steam and mud more violently, and they realized that they were being surrounded by segmented wormlike creatures, glowing with orange-white heat, that emerged from underneath the mud.

"Move through them!" Halas yelled as he tried to swim past the monsters. Tworock manifested his force screen and moved forward, but as he did, one of the creatures sprung out of the mud and slammed into him, and the creature was hot enough to burn even the fire resistant half giant. As Pel swam through the mud, he recognized the creatures from his studies in the library as Thoqqua, creatures from the plane of elemental fire. Lysander and Luggoth began swimming through as well, and the creatures began springing out at everyone, striking both Luggoth and Halas Martain.

As the Wolves and Halas moved towards the steam, the Thoqqua continued to attack, burning each of the adventurers at least once. Tworock was the first to reach the steam, and he discovered that it was not unoccupied. He was swarmed by Steam Mephits, who scalded him with their hot steam breath weapons before unleashing a rain of boiling water on the adventurers as everyone made their way into the steam clouds.

Once inside the steam, the adventurers could see that there were stairs pouring water down into the mud fields. Halas swam toward the stairs, yelling out "Get to the stairs!" Tworock had suffered enough, and swung his greatsword at one of the Mephits, easily cutting it down. The Thoqqua and Mephits continued to harry the adventurers, who climbed up the giant sized stairs, as Tworock psionically enlarged himself to block the path behind them.

Tworock suffered a number of attacks from the Thoqqua, blinded and scalded as he was by the Mephits, but he gave the others time to climb the stairs, and finally climbed up himself. After killing another Mephit, the rest of them fled into the steam cloud, and the Thoqqua sunk back beneath the mud.

After washing some of the mud off themselves and giving Tworock some healing, the Wolves moved forward. Standing at the lip of the entrance, they saw three bronze statues of trolls in full battle regalia. Halas Martain stepped forward and yelled in Giant a pass phrase. Tworock, who spoke Giant, used his autohypnosis to memorize the pass phrase for the future.

The massive chamber was 100 feet tall, and carved out of obsidian. Standing about 50 feet down the hall, there was a massive obsidian statue of a great cyclopean king, itself about 40 feet tall. Halas Martain asked Pel to advance, keeping a "wary eye out for traps, my friend." Pel kept an eye out and detected a massive pressure plate surrounding the statue. Given the immense size of the pressure plate and the sheer walls, there was no easy way around, and so he attempted to temporarily disarm the trap, but his attempt succeeded in activating the trap, and a ray of enervation blasted out from the king, striking Pel and draining some of his life energy.

Pel moved back and used the scroll of restoration on himself. Rather than attempt to disarm again, Tworock used his psionic levitation, pulling himself along the wall and carrying two people at a time past the statue and the pressure plate. Once past the pressure plate, they had entered the main chamber, which was hundreds of feet wide and long. The roar of the waterfall pouring through the ceiling drowned out all noise, and the Wolves moved cautiously forward. Halas Martain looked down into the pool and spotted a glint of silver, but no one was willing to swim down through the crushing waterfall to see what it was.

As they all began looking around the waterfall and staring at the giant pillars which ran up to the ceiling, Luggoth spotted giant-sized skeletal tracks, and thought he heard something, even through the noise of the waterfall. Seconds later, he realized what he saw as the skeletons of an Ettin and three trolls advanced on the party.

Lysander began singing, his voice cutting clearly through the sound of the waterfall and inspiring the Wolves. The Ettin and two of the trolls moved in on Luggoth, with the Ettin landing a solid club blow on the shifter, who responded by shifting into his animal form and tearing into one of the nearby troll skeletons.

Tworock once again psionically enlarged himself, and the Wolves joined in battle. The Ettin skeleton engaged Tworock and Luggoth, while the trolls attacked Luggoth and Pel. Luggoth was tearing into the skeletal trolls, but his sharp weapon wasn't the best tool for use against the skeletons. Tworock's flail, however, was a handy weapon and he began bashing chips out of the Ettin skeleton. He also yelled for Halas Martain to join the fight, as he noticed the treasure hunter hanging back.

Halas pulled out his bow, running to join Pel at the rear of the fight. As Lysander, Tworock and Luggoth engaged the Ettin and two of the trolls, the other troll skeleton charged at Halas and Pel. Pel pulled out his magic missile wand while Halas fired mostly ineffective arrows, as Luggoth slashed his sword and shattered one of the trolls to bits.

The Ettin and trolls landed more solid blows on Tworock, who responded by smashing the Ettin to bits with his flail. Pel blasted away at the troll with magic missiles as it clawed at him, while Tworock battled with another troll until Luggoth moved in and finished it off with his greatsword.

Badly damaged from this fight and the previous one, Tworock ran up the pillar and out of reach, and Lysander moved in to attack the troll on his own. Luggoth moved to join him, but slipped in the water as he was charging and failed to connect with his sword. Halas concentrated his arrow fire on the troll, doing some minor damage, and as Lysander pulled back, Luggoth regained his footing and smashed the last remaining troll.

Angry with Halas for his ineffectivenes and for nearly hitting him with an arrow, Luggoth rushed at the treasure hunter. Halas offered a potion of cure moderate wounds as a peace offering, but he still found himself threatened by the angry shifter, who called him both cowardly and incompetent.

Moving forward into the chamber, Pel and Halas discovered a chamber filled with bats. It looked like it had once been a shrine to some forgotten god, but now it was empty except for broken stone and bats. Moving along the wall, Pel began searching for traps and found instead an illusory wall. While his hand was through, something swung at him but missed.

Tworock levitated up to what he thought would be a safe distance and poked his head in. There he saw several things. For one thing, he saw row upon row of sarcophagi containing the skeletons of trolls, ettins and giants. For another, he saw Gunter Hegerin, very much alive and wearing the robes of a necromancer of the Blood of Vol. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, he saw four troll skeletons, and one Cloud Giant skeleton. The latter swung its morningstar hard at Tworock, who was very much inside the massive undead's reach, and it connected its morningstar solidly with Tworock's head.

The troll skeletons rushed out of the illusory wall and swarmed Halas Martain, cutting him and knocking him, bleeding and unconscious, to the floor. Gunter, covered in defensive magics including mirror image and stoneskin, fired a ray of enfeeblement that missed Tworock, who quickly ducked back out and levitated 40 feet up, trying to get clear and heal himself from the many wounds he had suffered.

Lysander, seeing the forces arrayed against them, turned invisible and moved towards Pel, who was now under attack from the trolls. Before they could kill him, Lysander cast invisiblity on Pel as well. Luggoth shifted once more, flew into a rage and leaped through the wall, attacking the Cloud Giant skeleton for a mostly negligible effect. In return, the Cloud Giant swung its morningstar and smashed Luggoth twice, dealing an amount of damage that would have killed most other men.

Gunter cast improved invisibility upon himself, and then, to complete the chain of invisibility, Halas stopped feigning unconsciousness and drank his own potion of invisibility. Badly wounded, Luggoth fled out of the room, though not before Pel could cast a cure moderate wounds on him.

What then ensued was something similar to modern sub warfare, as most of the combatants were invisible to the others. Tworock and Luggoth, as the visible members of the party, were to draw the most attacks.

As the Cloud Giant and trolls roamed the massive chamber looking for Luggoth, Gunter cast Evard's Black Tentacles on the area, nearly trapping Lysander and Pel. However, they managed to move out of the area without giving away their location. Gunter began taunting them, claiming that he would add them to his army of the undead, and Tworock picked up on this as a way to find the arrogant necromancer and began trying to draw him out.

Gunter continued to yell out threats, which allowed Pel to guess at his location and move toward him. However, Gunter also continued to fire off spells, hitting Tworock with magic missiles, a ray of exhaustion and a ray of enfeeblement. As Lysander also moved toward where he thought Gunter was, drinking his last potion of heroism, Luggoth dodged between some of the trolls and caught the attention of the Cloud Giant skeleton.

Tworock began firing his bow at the Cloud Giant for minimal effect as it moved in and once again smashed Luggoth with its morningstar. The trolls disengaged, moving to block the exit, as Lysander cast a scroll of haste to empower everyone but Tworock, who was on the ceiling and out of range. Pel used his oil of keen edge on his rapier, struck at where he'd guessed Gunter was, and was pleased to hear the necromancer cry out in pain. Gunter struck back at the now visible Pel, though, leeching his energy with a vampiric touch, and as Pel crumpled to the floor, Lysander realized that the spell had probably healed Gunter's damage.

The Cloud Giant continued to swing at Luggoth, who dodged once thanks to his haste, but then suffered another solid blow, very nearly knocking him unconscious. Before fleeing the fight, he managed to hit Gunter as well. Lysander tried to use a vial of ink to spot Gunter, but he missed, and a splat of ink appeared on the wall. Meanwhile, Tworock used his dorje of skate and began moving quickly down the wall to where they thought the necromancer was.

Gunter responded with another ray of enfeeblement, this time draining much of Lysander's strength, but he suffered an attack of opportunity from Luggoth as a result. Tworock dropped his bow and drew his flail, psionically summoning animal affinity to make up for his lost strength.

As the Cloud Giant chased Luggoth around the room, Lysander healed Pel back up to consciousness, and Luggoth shifted back to his human form. The Cloud Giant moved in and attacked Tworock, who had now reached the ground, hitting the half-giant with a solid blow of his morningstar. Everyone then ran away to get clear of the Cloud Giant, knowing that any one of them would be killed by another hit from the massive undead creature.

Then Gunter's invisibility ended, and he stood revealed. Pel began trying desperately to activate his magic missiles, but the stress of the situation and the life-threatening damage he'd sustained made it nearly impossible for him. Luggoth began firing arrows, destroying mirror images, and Tworock used his psionic stomp to knock both Gunter and the Cloud Giant down for a brief time, giving the Wolves time to regroup and focus their attacks on the necromancer.

Gunter stood up and used a vampiric touch on Tworock, and Lysander activated his dragon mark to summon a shadow wall of flame around the Cloud Giant, as Luggoth moved in and struck Gunter again.

As the Cloud Giant swung and narrowly missed Lysander, and Gunter missed him with a ghoul's touch, Lysander struck back with his rapier and destroyed what remained of Gunter's stoneskin. Luggoth fired three more arrows, destroying the remaining mirror images and putting Gunter down with an arrow in his chest. The Cloud Giant turned on the creatures who had defeated its master, and things looked fairly dire for the wounded and exhausted Wolves.

Then Halas Martain emerged from the other chamber, carrying some sort of stone tablets, and he spoke words in the Giant tongue that froze the Cloud Giant in place. He apologized for his seeming cowardice, and told them that he had been searching for a way to stop the skeletons, and he found it amongst the sarcophagi in the back room. The Wolves weren't entirely buying this, but they did owe Halas their lives at this point, so they didn't push it.

After Pel stabilized Gunter with a cure minor wounds, he bound and gagged the still unconscious necromancer. Then they all turned to Halas and asked him what else he had found. He reluctantly produced a Khyber dragonshard from his bag, claiming that he had found two, but Pel knew he was lying, and pushed at him. Halas handed two more out and admitted that there were six. He argued that he should keep half, since he had discovered the Ruined Citadel, and no one was much in the mood to fight about it.

In the shadow of the inert Cloud Giant skeleton, the Wolves and Martain camped and rested for 8 hours, taking turns at guard. They made sure the troll skeletons, who had left the citadel during the fight, weren't coming back. They watched the Cloud Giant to make sure it didn't come back to active life. They made sure that whenever Gunter stirred, he was knocked back unconscious. And they made sure that Halas didn't make off with anything.

After resting, they emerged in the late afternoon to find four dead half-orc Tharask bounty hunters, clearly killed in a pitched battle with the troll skeletons. Before they had fled into the jungle, the skeletons had also destroyed the skiff. Fortunately, the Tharask bounty hunters had left behind four warhorses. Unfortunately, the Wolves were now stuck deep in the Xen'drik jungle, and they had to get back to Stormreach in less than two weeks to produce Gunter and prevent the Last War from breaking out all over again.

XP:
Luggoth 2400
Lysander 2400
Pel 3000
Tworock 3000

XP, Backup Characters, General Rules Notes

Since we'll have some time between now and the next Eberron session (I'm guessing December at the earliest, and with the holidays, probably January), it might be a good time to make sure everybody has at least one backup character built. Not that I'm *planning* on killing anyone, but... well, after that last fight, and a couple fatalities in the party, you all know Eberron is a dangerous place.

So... first off, my general ruling on XP for sessions: If your character is there, but you are not, that character will gain 1/2 XP for the session. This reflects a lighter usage of your character (mostly door opener and combat monster) when he's in someone else's hands, and also rewards folks for coming out to the game.

Backup characters will always be built one level behind the average level of the party, which as of the last adventure is now level 9. This does mean that resurrection, even though it costs a level, is just as viable an option as a backup character, *if* you can find someone to resurrect you. You will have the XP in the middle between the level you are and the level of the rest of the party.

So currently, if you build a backup character, that character is level 8, and has 32,000 XP. You can spend as much of that XP as you want on building magic or psionic items if you have Crafting feats, as long as you don't exceed the cash limits for those items.

Which are: You will start with the wealth indicated on the Character Wealth by Level table (DMG, p. 135). Currently, that is 27,000 gp. At least 20% of that wealth (5400 gp, in this case) must come into the campaign in liquid form, either as gold/platinum pieces, bags of gems or letters of credit from House Kundarak. Of the rest, you can spend no more than 9000 gp on any one item. This means that practically speaking, you're limited to +2 weapons and armor. In addition, any wondrous item that costs more than 2500 gp, or any item that comes from a source other than the main Eberron book or the DMG, is subject to GM approval. You'll probably get it, but I reserve the right to say no.

Also, on the store-related front: I'm making a change to the amount of money you get from selling magic items in the store. Since it's going to be harder to sell anything more unique or powerful, you're not going to get that cash as quickly. So what I'm going to do is, when you sell any item that is worth 5000 gp or less, you'll get 75% of its cost. When you sell an item that costs more than that but less than 10,000 gp, you'll get 60% of its cost. And when you sell an item that costs 10,000 gp or more, you'll get 55% of its cost.

This basically represents a longer time that your money is held in the Bank of Kundarak before you get a cash influx from somebody buying a magic item. If I wanted to get real complicated, I'd do something like put the items in a pool, roll randomly to see if someone bought them, give you the money for those then, but that would be a huge pain in the ass and it's easier to do it more abstractly like this. Seem fair to everyone?

Oh, and since we're most likely using FUDGE for Call of Cthulhu, I added a link to the FUDGE site and a PDF of the FUDGE rules (it's a free game) to the sidebar links.

Eberron Adventure Journal: Voyage of the Golden Dragon (2)

Vult 1 - Vult 5, YK 998

Part Two - Cloak, Dagger and Spell:
The Golden Dragon was scheduled to leave for Xen'drik on Vult 3, so the Wandering Wolves had a few days to relax or work in Sharn before they left. Tworock and Luggoth both spent their time exploring the surrounding wilderness in Breland, sleeping out under the stars and connecting with the wilds. For Tworock, of course, the wilds of Breland still appeared remarkably civilized, but it was good to see a little more of the lands Traega had told him about.

Lysander and Pel both threw themselves back into information-gathering, in both high and low society.

Lysander took a break on Vult 1 to attend the Tain Gala with Arenydee, where the two spent a large amount of time amongst Sharn's social elite. Lysander made important contacts and heard several interesting rumors, including many people talking about a gang war brewing in the depths of Dura between the Boromars, the Tyrants and the Daask, and how such a war might affect those living in the high towers. There was also much talk about the hostage situation on the Golden Dragon, and Lysander received many compliments (and one indecent proposition) from grateful dignitaries.

Pel divided his time amongst his role as a half-elf member of the Wolves, his half-orc beggar in Lower Dura and Malfiore LeQuande. The half-orc bought up Dreamlily on a regular basis, which Pel began storing in Malfiore's apartment. In his role as Pel, he went and visited councilor Sava Kharisa to further talk to her about the corruption of the Watch. All of this was geared towards general information gathering as well as determining who had caused the Watch to raid the Six Stones event.

While neither of the two determined anything conclusive, all the rumors they had gathered pointed toward the Boromar Clan as the guilty party. They also discovered a few relevant details about the situation on the Golden Dragon. They discovered that Telgin Char was a notorious criminal who had up until recently been held in the Lhazaar prison Dreadhold, although they weren't able to determine with any certainty how he got out. They found out that the silver spheres had belonged to a sorcerer noble, also from the Lhazaar area, who had been slaughtered, along with his crew, a few months before.

Early in the morning on Vult 3, with a crisp, cold air holding sway over the city of Sharn, the Wandering Wolves boarded the Golden Dragon. The enormous airship now had both of its elemental rings lit, and any damage done during the scuffles of the past week had been repaired, so that the ship looked magnificent and new. Pel counted 18 House Medani sentries aboard the ship, notably on edge after the near-disaster of the Dragon's first outing.

The ship was considerably less crowded than it had been during its christening, but it was hardly empty. Up on the deck, the captain, first mate and bosun were making final preparations, along with deckhands, for the airship to set sail. Velgram, the half-orc bosun, made a point of cheerily greeting the Wolves, and the half-elven Lieutenant Mazzia also greeted them and thanked them for their bravery in defending the ship. Lysander noticed that Mazzia clearly had a crush on Velgram, but her position probably prevented her from acting on it.

Up on the observation deck, a thin man with a wispy goatee was feeding the birds who settled on the golden rails. Tworock went up and spoke with the man, who introduced himself as Gunter Hegerin, scribe to Karrnath Ambassador Sedge Avadarrn. Gunter told Tworock that Ambassador Avadarrn was onboard, along with a delegation from Thrane, to work out some details on the way to a conference in Xen'drik, as well as hopefully smoothing over some of the tension between the two nations. Gunter was a gentle and pleasant man, and he and Tworock made arrangements to meet, feed the birds and talk the next morning of the journey as well. Little did Tworock know that Gunter would not be making this meeting.

Down in the House of Chance, Pel and Lysander discovered that things were quite busy already. Sea Baron Paldrith Malinko, along with four of his crew, were enjoying games of Three Dragon Ante, while Nicolette, one of the elvish bards, cozied up to them. Lysander joined them for some generally pleasant, but un-enlightening conversation. Pel was engaged in conversation by Kalibar Jenks, the halfling owner of the bar, and they talked about a number of criminal enterprises, including the Boromar Clan, Tyrants and the Daask. Each was clearly holding something back and trying to learn more about the other, and Pel left with the strong impression that Jenks was deep in criminal activity. Also gambling in the House of Chance was legendary adventurer and Xen'drik explorer Halas Martain and Logar Veriscrost, a half-elven House Orien courier who seemed to have a great love for the game of dragonwheel.

Most everyone went to the top of the ship to watch the crowds bid farewell to the Golden Dragon, as it embarked on its first historic voyage. A cheer went up as the massive airship cast off from the Lyrandar docks and took to the skies, sailing away from the cold of a Brelish winter to the tropical warmth of Xen'drik. The first day of travel was cool but pleasant, with clear skies, and the ship would occasionally drop below the clouds so that the travelers could see dolphis frolicking in the Thunder Sea, or witness an exchange of goods between Brelish sailors and sahuagin caravans.

As the first day of travel began to come to a close, those on the upper deck could see storm clouds up ahead, and as Velgram went amongst the passengers announcing dinner, rain drops began to fall on the Golden Dragon's deck.

The Wolves were delighted to discover that the food aboard the Golden Dragon was as delicious in flight as it had been for the specially catered gala. Elaydren's words of praise for the cooking of Jaeden Kovane were clearly not mere flattery, and the guests dined on a meal of Karrnathi blood sausage and cheese, Brelish spiced pork and orange peppers and a Thrane beesh-berry sorbet, all served with a variety of ale and Aundarian wines.

As the Wolves entered the dining hall, they heard a clatter of crockery and witnessed a tense exchange between the Thrane ambassador, Cardinal Menasos Bethenade and Ambassador Avadarrn. Before the tension could erupt into something more between the Cardinal's paladin bodyguards and Avadarrn's skeletal protectors, Tworock walked over and introduced himself, the other Wolves close behind, and defused the tension. The Cardinal and his bodyguards stalked out of the room, bumping roughly into Gunter Hegerin on their way out and scattering his papers on the floor.

Ambassador Avadarrn invited the Wolves to sit with him as he signed a few papers for Gunter and sent him on his way. He introduced the head of his personal skeletal bodyguards as Skarad, and chatted comfortably with the Wolves about the politics between Thrane and Karrnath, which mostly revolved around the Karrnathi use of undead and the Thrane's disdain for the practice, but also included no small amount of bad blood from the Last War. Pel also tried to get some information about the soul blades, and learned that they had been created for the kings of Karrnath during the Last War, but some of them had gone missing from the nation after the war.

After dining for about an hour, with the rain and thunder becoming ever-louder outside, Captain Alastair approached the table and asked if the Wolves would accompany him. He took them back to the room where Ambassador Avadarrn and his entourage were staying, and showed them what he had found... Gunter Hegerin lay dead on the floor, his spilled cup of wine beside him, obviously dead.

Nervous about the House Medani sentries, fearing they might be overly eager to prove themselves in the wake of the attempted bombing of the ship, the captain asked if the Wolves could investigate discreetly. They agreed, just in time for the ambassador and his skeletons to return to the room and discover what had happened. Ambassador Avadarrn was angry and grief-stricken, but he agreed to keep things quiet as long as the Wolves promised a thorough investigation. "He was a good man, a gentle and kind man... find out who murdered him."

Pel suggested that perhaps it was the ambassador, not Gunter, who had been the target. While the ambassador didn't assign blame, it was hard for the Wolves to miss Skarad hissing "Thrane treachery" under his breath. Luggoth, using his enhanced senses and training, discovered that there was dark reaver powder in the wine glass, more than enough to kill a normal man.

In order to smoke out the murderer, Pel decided to adopt the identity of Gunter Hegerin. They hid his changeling nature from the ambassador, instead claiming a mastery of disguise. When the captain announced that he was closing off the upper decks until the storm abated, and serving warm spiced wine in the reception area, the Wolves decided this was the perfect time for "Gunter" to make an appearance.

While Lysander used his dragonmark to create an illusion of conversing with Pel, Luggoth and Tworock moved into the House of Chance to keep an eye on the many people there. "Gunter" came into the room, keeping an eye out for any reactions, but the only one he could see was a slight annoyance on the Cardinal's face, which could easily have been an honest reaction of distaste for the Karrnathi scribe. Realizing that there were many people in the House of Chance, he went there as well, but could see no unusual reactions from anyone there. He did spot that Sea Baron Malinko was gambling with silver spheres very similar to the ones that the Wolves had taken from Telgin Char.

While he was in the room, however, another problem broke out. The House Orien courier, Logar Vericrosst, was gambling when a goblin servant spilled a tray of ale on him. He began brushing the liquid from his waistcoat and then realized that the documents he had been carrying were missing! Angrily, he grabbed the goblin by the throat and accused him of stealing from him. Then he threw him across the room and into the bar.

Tworock, sitting near Sea Baron Malinko, manifested a force screen in preparation as the seamen reached for blades behind their backs. The sentries moved in to subdue the fight before it got started, one of them trying to hit Logar with the pommel of his sword, but then all the goblins piled onto Logar and the brawl was well and truly underway. Logar grabbed a steel mug from the table and smashed the Medani guard who had tried to subdue him in the face, breaking his nose. Luggoth picked up his own tankard and threw it, hitting Logar solidly in the head and dazing him for a moment. Just as he started to recover, Halas Martain, sitting at the table with Luggoth, threw his mug and clocked Logar as well.

Tworock rushed over and grabbed Logar, but the Medani sentry whose face was now pouring out blood wasn't willing to let things go and he punched the Orien half-elf across the face. The goblins, now in the midst of a melee, stumbled around the bar, one of them crashing into the table of Sea Baron Malinko and his men. Sea Baron Malinko knocked the goblin out and his men drew their blades. Luggoth, seeing that things were getting out of hand, shifted forms, leaped onto the bar and roared, cowing the goblins and sentries, at least momentarily. He did not bother Halas Martain, who merely yelled "While you're up there, my furry friend, can you get me another mug?"

Logar threw Logar up onto the stage and quickly followed after him, while the sentries began calling for reinforcements from the reception area. Pel, trying to get out of the line of fire, "stumbled" onto the stage and into Nicolette, bringing them both to the floor. Logar swung a fist at Tworock, but missed the surprisingly agile half-giant, and was rewarded with another mug in the face, thrown by Luggoth. Before Logar could do anything else, Halas Martain stood up, took careful aim and threw another mug, smashing Logar in the face and knocking him out cold.

Captain Alastair arrived a few moments later, and with the help of the sentries, restored order and began demanding to know what happened. Logar, who awakened quickly, apologized and explained that his diplomatic pouch had been stolen, and he assumed it had been the goblin. After Lysander searched the goblin at the captain's request and found no pouch, the Wolves agreed to discreetly investigate this matter as well, and the captain restrained Logar to his quarters for the duration of the journey.

Lysander, alerted to the silver spheres by Pel's use of the circle of communication, climbed onto the stage with the three elven women and asked to perform with them. Using dancing lights and other minor magic, he set the audience up to expect magical enhancements of his act, and then cast a detect magic spell. While neither Lysander nor Pel could spot the spheres from their vantage point, they did see them glow, and saw one of the seamen quickly shove them into a pouch to hide them.

Before the House of Chance was closed down, Kalibar Jenks spoke with Pel, who had left the bar as Gunter and returned in his own half-elf guise. Amongst other topics of conversation, Kalibar suggested that he had seen Jackrin, one of the Sea Baron's men, slip the Orien pouch into his jerkin during the melee.

Shortly thereafter, Luggoth retired to bed. The rest of the Wolves were relaxing in the mostly empty reception chamber when the two paladins of the Silver Flame, Sir Gedavin Brant and Dame Hollia Keln, came in to get food from the table to take back to their room. They brushed off polite attempts at conversation from Lysander, who then headed back toward his room to retire as well. On his way, he was nearly run over by five angry Karrnathi skeletons, on their way into the reception hall to accuse the paladins of murder.

As Lysander rushed to wake the Karrnathi ambassador, the skeletons rushed in and attacked the paladins, who defended themselves with their shields and then drew their own weapons. The House Medani sentries also entered the fray, destroying one of the skeletons before Pel could call upon the Traveler to send them all running. Before they could regroup, Ambassador Avadarrn and Captain Alastair both showed up and calmed things down. Frustrated, Alastair growled that he might be forced to send everyone to their quarters for the duration of the journey if things continued along this way. He confined both the skeletons and the paladins to their quarters for the rest of the journey. Tworock offered that he and Luggoth could serve as bodyguards for the ambassadors if they so desired. Naturally, he suggested that Luggoth guard the Karrnathi ambassador.

Though Luggoth went off to bed, the rest of the Wolves wouldn't be so lucky. Pel was approached by Darius Lightstep, the half-elf who ran the Serenity Above the Clouds massage room, and told not to confront Sea Baron Malinko about the accusations. After they went to Serenity Above the Clouds to talk privately, Pel tried to get Darius to open up, but he wouldn't offer up reasons. After a few moments, Pel realized that Darius was in disguise, a changeling like himself, and flashed a Tyrants sign to him.

Darius paled and started begging Pel not to kill him. It soon became clear that Darius was in fact Zan, the changeling who had defected from Vadis' service, and that he was hiding out from the Tyrants aboard the Golden Dragon, preparing to escape to Xen'drik. The reason he had warned Pel against confronting Malinko was that one of Malinko's men, Azango, was actually a doppleganger and a member of the Tyrants, and Zan had recognized him.

As for why he was on the run, Pel found out that Zan had found some sort of plans in Cord's office planning a coup against the Tyrant council. On that list were several names, most of which Pel didn't know, but the two he did recognize were his own and Xain. Zan wasn't sure who he could trust, was unsure why those names would be on a list of Cord's, unless they were double agents working against Vadis. Unsure who he could trust, Zan fled.

Pel filled Lysander in on this via the circle of sound, just in time for Lysander to notice Manten Dramgrin heading upstairs, against the captain's orders to stay belowdecks. He cast invisibility on himself and followed Manten, watching as he went to the unlocked artificer laboratory. Before Manten could close the door behind him, Lysander dove in.

He watched as Manten assumed his true form, that of the doppleganger Azango, and then set about releasing gas into the air from one of the barrels and setting tindertwigs by the door. Realizing he didn't have much time, Lysander downed a potion of heroism and moved in to attack Azango. The doppleganger heard Lysander trip over some tools on the floor and avoided the attack, and a battle was joined.

The two exchanged sword blows for a few seconds, but Lysander found an opening and stabbed Azango through the chest, critically wounding him. Azango fled out into the storm, running around the bridge just as Pel came running up the stairs on the other side. The storm was bad for visibility, but Lysander spotted a form near the bridge and threw a dagger, striking it and hearing a female voice cry out in pain and surprise.

As Pel and Lysander converged, they saw that the being Lysander had struck was Lieutenant Mazzia, who was furious and confused. When asked, she said that she had seen someone dash down the stairway, and Lysander and Pel both charged that way. Fortunately, Pel realized it was a trick as he reached the stairway and turned around, engaging "Mazzia" who was revealed as Azango. Pel stabbed Azango with his sword, putting him down and then cast a cure minor wounds to stabilize him, unconscious but alive.

After that, the real Mazzia, along with Velgram, came out of the bridge to find out what was going on, and they accompanied Azango, Pel and Lysander back to the lab to get out of the storm. Manten Dramgrin also stopped in, and informed them that the gas and tindertwigs would definitely have done some major damage, possibly even crippling the ship.

Though the interrogation didn't get far at first, Lysander used a charm spell to sway Azango, at which point the newly friendly doppleganger revealed everything. He told them that Sea Baron Malinko had been working on a luxury airship of his own, the Cloud Dancer, and that he had been behind this sabotage attempt as well as the one organized by Telgin Char and the hobgoblin Brimstone Brakker. After setting the trap, he was supposed to rejoin Malinko down in their stateroom, and they were all going to get off the ship in the skiffs. After Lysander convinced his new friend to go to sleep, Pel assumed Azango's form and prepared to lead Malinko and his men into a trap.

Unfortunately, on his way, he ran into a battle outside Ambassador Avadarrn's door. The paladins, apparently on orders from Ambassador Bethenade, had come to attack the skeletons, and a battle was joined in the hallway. As Pel called for help using the circle of sound, the paladins attacked and killed several of the skeletons.

Pel tried to subdue Gedavin, the male paladin, using hold person and fear, but was unable to get through the paladin's defenses, and he instead kept attacking the last remaining skeleton, Skarad. Hollia, the female paladin, covered him from the back.

Tworock and Luggoth, responding to Lysander's calls for help, ran out to try and restrain the paladins. As Lysander tried to sing and persuade both sides to avoid the atrocities of the Last War, Skarad and Gedavin continued attacking each other, and Hollia swung at Luggoth, viewing him as an abomination and an interloper in this fight.

Given Luggoth's animosity toward the Silver Flame, this was all the excuse he needed, and he went into a rage and attacked the paladin. Pel enhanced Tworock's strength with bull's strength to aid him in grabbing Gedavin as Luggoth and Hollia continued to battle. Luggoth swung a vicious blow that nearly killed the female paladin, but Lysander tumbled past the angry Skarad and healed her, keeping her unconscious but alive.

With one paladin down and the other restrained, Pel was able to calm Skarad by threatening him with a cure spell that would surely destroy him. Luggoth went up to get the captain and Medani sentries, and they confined the paladins to their quarters and Skarad into a different set of quarters.

In order to keep out of the way of the trap, as well as making sure everyone stayed in their rooms, Captain Alastair ordered all of the Medani sentries to guard those two rooms, plus the ambassadors.

Tworock, Lysander and Luggoth moved down to the cargo hold to wait in ambush, but when they got there they found that Gunter Hegerin's body was missing. There was little time to puzzle it out, however, as Pel led Baron Malinko, Jackrin, Skrakes and Meldin into a trap.

Jackrin spotted some of the Wolves waiting in hiding, but not quickly enough to escape, and Luggoth charged into action, raging and slashing the pirate with a wicked gash that nearly split his chest open. Sea Baron Malinko tumbled down the stairs and behind Luggoth, but he was unable to hit the nimble and well-armored shifter. Lysander drew his bow and put an arrow into Skrakes, but the pirates still knew the threat was Luggoth, and they all swung at him, doing some damage that the raging Luggoth mostly ignored.

Tworock rushed in, taking a minor scratch from an opportunistic attack by Meldrin, but he paid Sea Baron Malinko back for it with a gash across the chest. As Luggoth killed both Skrakes and Jackrin, the Sea Baron tried to run for one of the skiffs, but he didn't get far before Tworock moved in and cut him down. Before Meldrin could surrender, Luggoth killed him as well, and once again, Pel put his healing magics to use keeping a prisoner alive, stabilizing and awakening Sea Baron Malinko.

Malinko owned up to everything, explaining that his motivation was not merely jealousy at wanting his own Cloud Dancer to be the best in the sky but also anger because his family had held aberrant dragonmarked, and he still held a great deal of anger against the Dragonmarked Houses that ran Golden Dragon and ships like them. He tried to make deals with the Wolves, but found them willing only to throw him in prison.

He vehemently denied having anything to do with the theft of the pouch, even though it was found in Jackrin's vest, and he also denied causing the strife between the ambassadors. Pel, a good judge of when someone was lying, believed him. Pel deciphered the magical code in the documents inside the pouch and found that they were orders for House Orien to essentially "pull up stakes" on all development in Xen'drik.

It had been a long night, but it wasn't quite over yet. The Wolves went up and found out that one of the House Medani sentries had discovered Cardinal Bethenade dead in his room, poisoned by his own hand using dark reaver powder and leaving behind a confession that he had attempted to poison Ambassador Avadarrn. Pel and Lysander both checked for forgeries and confirmed that the confession was in Bethenade's handwriting, but they weren't entirely sure they believed it. What they were sure of was that acts of war between Thrane and Karrnath had taken place aboard the Golden Dragon, and once the news got out, as it surely would, those acts might spark a new conflict in Khorvaire.

After interrogating Zan for any more information, he confessed to Pel that he had overheard Kalibar telling him about the pouch, but that he had seen Kalibar slip the pouch into Jackrin's jerkin during the brawl. The Wolves went to confront the slippery halfling in the now-closed House of Chance. Tarla, Nicolette and Desrida were still there, but they refused Lysander's request to leave.

Jenks offered up a story about stealing the House Orien pouch and replacing it with the forgeries. He claimed that he had been hired to do so by the Boromar Clan, and that he had been making the switch when the goblin alerted Logar to the switch. Jenks had to try a misdirect, and so he slipped the forgery into Jackrin's vest during the brawl. Pel quickly realized that Jenks was mostly telling the truth, but he wasn't working for the Boromar Clan. It was the one part of his story that didn't ring true.

When confronted, Jenks reluctantly admitted that he was an agent of the King's Dark Lanterns, and called upon the loyalty of the Wolves to Breland to keep the secret. He knew that they had worked for the Dark Lanterns in pursuing Lucan, and hoped that they held a loyalty to the Brelish crown. Fortunately for him, they did, and they agreed to keep the secret.

After a long night and a series of exhausting events, the Wolves finally returned to their staterooms for some well-deserved rest.

XP:
Lysander 3000
Luggoth 1500
Pel 3500
Tworock 3500

Upcoming Schedule - October/November

Everyone is coming this Friday, right? Nate, if you're going to be out, let me know as soon as possible, and I'll see if Dave can fill in on Luggoth. Hopefully you can make it, though, as it'll be the last Eberron session for a while!

Charles, do you want to play the Call of Cthulhu game in November? I wasn't sure what your availability was, and whether or not you were up for gaming every week or whether you still had your other group.

As for how long Cthulhu will go, I don't really know... last time it took us longer than expected. My guess is that we'll get back to Eberron in January.

October 13th - Eberron: Voyage of the Golden Dragon Part 3
October 20th - Poker Game
October 27th - D&D miniatures, movies, casual hang-out day for anyone who wants to come

November 3rd - Gaming off, but Borat movie opens (anyone who wants to come along is welcome)
November 10th - Gaming off (Wizard World Texas)
November 17th - Poker Game
November 24th - Call of Cthulhu game starts

Out this Friday

Sorry guys. Shawna and I are making an honest attempt at sobriety. I'm going to stay home this Friday so we can help each other along the straight and narrow. I'll probably be back next weekend.

Wish us luck!

The Weight of Money

I noticed that y'all have been carrying around a pretty good amount of liquid gold. I haven't been playing too hard with the encumbrance rules, but... 50 pieces of coin adds up to a pound, and so I think most of you would be better off putting any loose gold you've got into your letters of credit. If you carry 50 pp, it weighs about a pound and is the equivalent of 500 gold, so you might consider doing that kind of coin conversion instead.

Alternatively, you can put your individual sacks of gold into the bag of holding, but that's going to take up a fair amount of your carrying space, and make it harder to carry all the new gold you'll be finding. :P

I've updated Luggoth on the site... everybody else has their own character sheet, do me a favor and update your characters on the blog if you get a chance, and especially do any money conversion so you aren't carrying around 50 lb. sacks of gold.