14. The Fall of Torgen

Torgen attacks the Earth Giant, is no longer dazed. Earth Titan takes lightning damage, takes unyielding avalanche damage from Magnus, and hits Magnus. Earth Giant Stalkers take unyielding avalanche damage, killing one of them, the other one misses Magnus. Earth Giant soldier takes unyielding avalanche damage, deals thunder damage to Magnus and bloodies him, takes lightning damage from motes and remains slowed. Other Earth Giant soldier draws attack from Torgen, who misses, and then uses thunder strike on Alain and Torgen. Xiu gives Zargosz a potion of vitality, spends an action point to grab Zargosz, jumps down the hole, and they all land on top of Alain. Hill Giant shaman fires a lava blast and misses Xiu. Battle chief leaps over the pit to watch what's going on below. Alain uses resistive formula on Torgen and Zargosz, spends action point to use curative admixture on himself, saves against daze. Firestorm launches fire at Magnus. Hill Giant minion throws a rock down at Magnus, and misses. Zargosz moves the wind and lightning storm to kill the minion, then takes his second wind. Orcs yell in orcish and attack the crocodile. Magnus uses his second wind, hits the Earth Giant Stalker and kills it, then swings and hits the other Earth Giant.

Torgen hits the Earth Giant soldier and heals Xiu from bloodied and is no longer dazed. Earth Titan takes lightning damage and unyielding avalanche damage, and misses hitting Magnus with two fists. Earth Giant soldier takes unyielding avalanche damage, swings his thunder maul and misses Magnus. Other soldier uses thunder strike on Zargosz, Alain and Arbalester, dazing them. Xiu uses changeling trick and bloodbath on Hill Giant soldier, then activates her sidestep stance. Hill Giant Shaman fires a lava blast and misses Xiu. Battle chief uses magic to cancel firestorm in front of orcs, heals the orcs and then whispers in common, Xiu notices that the elemental mage is standing next to the battle chief. The elemental mage mocks us and tells "Grennit" to enjoy us, and that he'll give his regards to the Frost Giant Jarl. Alain casts frost dweomer on Torgen's weapon, uses his circlet of second chances to become undazed. Firestorm throws fire at Xiu, Zargosz, Arbalester, then moves in next to us. Zargosz summons serpentine vines on Firestorm and Hill Giant Soldier, is still dazed and immobilized. Orcs move down the stairs, one attacks the crocodile. Magnus regenerates, uses crushing surge on the Earth Giant soldier and misses.

Torgen uses lay on hands to heal Zargosz, moves in on Earth Giant soldier and hits him with holy strike, bloodying him. Earth Titan takes lightning damage and unyielding avalanche damage, smashes Magnus good. Earth Giant Soldier takes unyielding avalanche and lightning damage, hits Magnus. Other Earth Giant soldier takes ongoing damage, is still restrained but is no longer bleeding. Xiu throws a shuriken for arterial slice against Firestorm, is still immobilized. Hill Giant Shaman falls into the fire, uses earth storm on Xiu, Arbalester, Torgen and Alain. Alain uses clearsense powder to unblind himself, stands up and fires predatory shards into the vines. Firestorm attacks Xiu and misses. Zargosz takes fire damage, calls lightning on the Hill Giant Soldier and Firestorm, is still immobilized but not dazed. The orcs come into the room and throw hand axes, one of which crits Zargosz. Magnus regenerates, uses defensive resurgence and then crushing surge on the Earth Giant soldier, killing it.

Torgen uses tremorsense, heals Xiu and lets her move out of the vines, lays hands on himself, is still blinded. Earth Titan takes lightning and unyielding avalanche damage, smashes Magnus again. Earth Giant soldier dies from force damage. Xiu takes her second wind, saves against blindness but is still immobilized. Shaman swings at Alain, who prevents the attack with his shockweave armor. Battle chief charges down the stairs and attacks Magnus, which heals all of his allies, then yells out a command to re-position his allies. Alain steps out of the fire, uses regeneration infusion on himself, takes second wind. Firestorm takes arterial slice and predatory shards damage, swings and misses at Xiu. Zargosz fires tremor at Shaman, saves against immobilized. Orcs move in next to Xiu, other one charges Alain and bloodies him, and another one hits Zargosz. Magnus gets hit by Earth Titan, is bloodied, and attacks with crushing surge.

Torgen moves up to attack orc and hits him. Earth Titan takes lightning and unyielding avalanche damage, smashes Magnus again. Xiu uses clever strike on the orc, bloodying him, and saves against immobilized. Shaman creates an earth storm against Zargosz, Xiu, Torgen and Alain. Battle chief calls out commands to allow his allies to move, and then hits Alain and knocks him out. Firestorm punches Xiu. Zargosz is blinded, casts black harbinger and turns into a tiny raven and flees upwards into the throne room, is no longer blinded. Orcs attack and miss Xiu and Torgen, one of them hits Torgen. Magnus regenerates, shifts and attacks with lasting threat against the Earth Titan.

Torgen takes his second wind, uses strength from valor on three orcs surrounding him, hits two of them. Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, strikes at Magnus and hits. Xiu tumbles over to the firestorm blindly, stabs it with rogue's luck, kills it and is un-blinded, and Zargosz turns off the vines around her. Battle chief calls out commands to let the orcs move around Torgen, then moves up and crits Xiu. Zargosz transforms back into half-orc form and launches storm spike at bloodied orc. Orcs attack Torgen. Magnus uses bull charge on the Earth Titan.

Torgen provokes attacks from the orcs by moving, bloodying him, then attacks the battle chief and two of the orcs with radiant damage. Earth Titan takes unyielding damage and smashes Magnus. Xiu uses bait and switch to hit the battle chief, then drinks a potion of healing and runs for it. Hill Giant chases after Xiu, spends an action point to hit her and blinds her. Battle chief takes fire damage, hits Torgen. Zargosz crits the bloodied orc, killing it. Orcs attack, one hits Torgen. Magnus misses the Earth Titan.

Torgen uses spirit reliquary, gains temporary hit points and attacks the battle chief, bloodying him, lays hands on himself. Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, misses Magnus twice and spends his action point to hit him once. Xiu uses handspring assault on shaman, runs away. Xiu is blind, tries to bluff the shaman and fails. Shaman misses Xiu. Battle chief orders shaman to move nearer Xiu, hits Torgen. Zargosz uses storm spike on battle chief and then uses action point to blast him again. Orcs attack Torgen, one hits. Magnus uses crushing surge and misses.

Torgen misses the battle chief. Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, crits Magnus. Xiu tries to assault the giant, misses him (because he's not there), tries to move past him and bounces into him, and is now un-blinded. Shaman hits her and knocks her out. Battle chief knocks Torgen down. Zargosz transforms back into half-orc, blasts battle chief with storm spike, who is wobbling but still up. Orcs kill Torgen. Magnus pulls out his spare waraxe and throws it at the battle chief and kills him. The orcs, with no money at stake, decide to stop fighting Magnus.

Earth Titan takes unyielding avalanche damage, hits Magnus twice and drops him. Zargosz, in raven form, flies down and administers potion of vitality to Magnus. Orc mercenaries leave. Magnus stands back up and uses crushing surge on the Titan with a crit.

Earth Titan uses earth shock and misses both Zargosz and Magnus, doing only half damage. Hill Giant Shaman moves over to attack Magnus. Zargosz turns into a swarm of baby snakes and attacks the shaman with floating death and moves around the Titan, hitting him. Magnus hits with crushing surge, killing the Titan. The Shaman tries to call the mercenaries back, they want nothing to do with it, and he surrenders.

Zargosz examines the battle chief for Xoriat influence, and sees something that troubles him. This giant has spent significant amount of time in the realm of madness, long enough to have affected his physical form, and it was not involuntary. He determines that there's some sort of alliance between Dal Quor, Xoriat, dragons and the giants. We raid the place for treasure. Magnus, in accordance with what he guesses might be Torgen's wishes, takes a potion of vitality and throws him the lava with all of his gear.

Game Schedule November - January

November 5th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, James?)
November 12th - Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 19th - Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 26th - No Gaming (Thanksgiving)

December 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, James)
December 10th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, James)
December 17th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, James)
December 24th - No Gaming (Christmas)
December 31st - No Gaming (New Year's)

January 7th - Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
January 14th - Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
January 21st - Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
January 28th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, James)

This look OK to everyone?

13. Belly of the Beast

Torgen shifts out of the fire, and crits the Earth Giant with his jagged axe, saves against slowed. Shaman re-enters the room and sends stones to pummel us, hitting Xiu and critically hitting Magnus. The bleeding kills the Earth Giant, one of the Hill Giants misses Magnus and the other hits Zargosz. Firestorm blasts Alain and Magnus, filling their area with fire. Slingers throw at Torgen, but are deflected by the dancing shield. Zargosz pulls out his club and swings at the Hill Giant with aggressive fury, and his crocodile bites from the other side. Xiu charges that Hill Giant. Magnus stands and uses lasting threat on the Hill Giant in front of him, bloodying him. Alain fires greater magic weapon and crits that Hill Giant, granting greater magic weapon to Magnus.

Torgen shifts into the vines and hits the shaman and Hill Giant, then spends an action point to attack, then swings his arc of vengeance on them, hitting the Hill Giant. Shaman steps back, casts a spell and encourages the others to attack Torgen. Bloodied Hill Giant swings at Magnus and misses, taking damage and killing him. Hill Giant swings his club and hits Xiu and Zargosz. Firestorm launches a firestorm at Torgen, immobilizing him, then withdraws into the other hallway. Slingers throw at Torgen and one of them hits. Zargosz stands and fires Nature's Balance for poison damage on the Hill Giant, then the crocodile chews on the Giant. Xiu stands up, uses her changeling's trick to gain combat advantage and charges the Hill Giant. Magnus charges the shaman and misses. Alain uses restorative infusion on Zargosz, puts away his crossbow, draws his staff, fires life-tapping darts at shaman and uses action point to static shock the Hill Giant.

Torgen heals Xiu, draws his throwing axe and throws it at the shaman. Shaman uses earth storm on Magnus and Torgen, hitting Magnus and blinding him. Hill Giant swings and misses Xiu. Firestorm moves out of sight. Slingers throw at Torgen and miss, thanks to the shield. Zargosz summons a boar, which charges the bloodied Hill Giant, but misses, and the crocodile chews again ineffectively. Xiu attacks Hill Giant with bloodbath. Magnus suffers damage, bloodying himself and removing the blindness, and uses tide of iron on the shaman, slamming him up against the wall. Alain moves in on the Hill Giant, hits him with aggravating force, then uses regeneration infusion on Zargosz.

Torgen moves in on the shaman and crits him with resurgent strike and kills him, allowing Magnus to heal up from being bloodied, and smashing the shaman through a door, subjecting his body to a guillotine trap. Hill Giant takes ongoing bloody damage, swings and misses Alain. Slinger throws at the crocodile and bloodies him. Crocodile finally chews through and kills the Hill Giant, then converts the regeneration into healing and is no longer bloodied. Xiu stows her katar, and throws her shuriken and misses. Magnus drops his defensive stance, then charges through the fire at one of the slingers, criting him. Alain reloads his crossbow, moves in to sight the slingers.

Torgen attacks the slingers with his bardic taunt. Firestorm throws another burst of fire. Slinger flees from Magnus, throws a rock back at him. The other slinger takes fire damage, attacks Torgen with a rock. Zargosz commands his boar to attack the wall. Xiu runs through the fire and spends her action point to leap at the bloodied slinger with aerial assault, killing him. Magnus moves over to the dead slinger to drag him onto the lava. Alain takes his second wind, then runs through the fire into the room.

Torgen moves out of the fire to attack the other slinger with holy strike and misses, then lays hands on himself to un-bloody. Firestorm launches a fiery burst at Xiu and Magnus, missing them but engulfing them in flame, and he disappears into the lava. Slinger punches Torgen. Zargosz's boar hits the wall again, then he blasts it with a stormspike. Xiu takes fire damage, realizes that the lava is being fed by an underground source, then moves and throws a shuriken at the remaining slinger. Magnus pushes the corpse further into the lava, then climbs on top of it. Alain fires predatory shards at the cornered slinger.

Torgen hits the slinger. Slinger takes force damage, then punches at Torgen and misses. Zargosz and his menagerie attack the wall while the rest of us are on the other side doing real work, smashing a hole in the wall. Xiu throws shuriken at slinger. Magnus rides the giant corpse. Alain uses fleeting dweomer on Torgen's axe, fires aggravating force at the slinger.

Torgen hits the slinger and kills him. We search the place for treasure, then divide up the platinum.

We find a magic box on the giant that is a communication device with someone who recognizes us and promises to make us scream and die.

Xiu picks the lock on the small doors and we begin walking down a dimly-lit corridor. Xiu unlocks another door at the end of the hall, hears sleeping creatures inside. Magnus finds a secret door. At Alain's suggestion, Xiu checks the door for traps, but doesn't find any. Magnus opens it and we discover the hall of the battle chief.

Torgen casts Wrath of God, then moves in and finds a pit trap dropping him into a cavern with an Earth Titan and Earth Giants. The Earth Titan exclaims "At long last, the giants shall have their revenge!" Xiu throws a rope down to Torgen and hooks it to the secret door. Hill Giant Shaman fires blast of fire at Xiu and misses. Alain turns his crossbow into an animated arbalester and misses the shaman, then draws his staff. Firestorm launches fire into the corridor. Zargosz unleashes storm on the firestorm. Orc mercenaries emerge from behind us to attack Zargosz, who is bloodied. Magnus moves into the room and falls through the floor at a different point.

Torgen attacks one of the Hill Giants. Earth Titan swings at Magnus and hits with one fist. More hill giants move in to hit Magnus, but he shrugs off the damage. Xiu throws tornado strike with shuriken, kills two hill giants, and saves against immobilized. Shaman misses Xiu again. Alain slides down to the ground, hits hard, falls prone, fires lightning motes at earth giants and titan, gives dancing shield to Torgen. Firestorm begins making his way down the magma. Zargosz moves the storm and kills two hill giants, summons a crocodile to attack orcs. One of the orcs, grabbed by the crocodile, blocks the others from getting out, but three of them are still able to attack Zargosz, and one hits and one crits. Magnus activates unyielding avalanche and uses come and get it, then spends his action point to use thicket of blades to hit all of them, critting one of them.

3. Tomb of Horrors Chapter Three

After a near fall off the bridge by Erich, the entire group nearly falls off grabbing him.

We enter a room and see runes. Erich notes that the rune-shaped patterns look like the buildings are part of the same runic family. We hear whimpering, and Erich & Pock see a beetle scurry in the darkness. Baltazar calls out in common, and we hear a female common voice tinged with an elven accent. Pock believes she's a Lamia, warns the others, Eldaen picks up on her deception and we talk to her briefly before she attacks us.

Lamia uses pacifying burst, stunning Eldaen and Erich. Beetles swarm out of the wall and bite Erich and Eldaen. Pock moves up with shadow step and fires forceful assault at the swarm near Erich, dazing it. Erich wakes up from stun. Eldaen takes an assload of poison damage and is still stunned. Baltazar shifts and uses warlord strike on the swarm and misses, uses inspiring word on Eldaen, and Erich slides Eldaen away from immediate danger.

Swarms move in to encircle Erich and Baltazar, and Erich triggers his infernal wrath. Lamia sends forth a stream of scarabs and misses Erich, Baltazar and Eldaen. Pock uses witchfire on the beetle swarm. Erich uses mind blast on two swarms, stunning them and dazing the Lamia, then uses his action point to dishearten the swarms. Eldaen takes aura damage, saves against stun and poison. Baltazar takes poison and aura damage, attacks the weakest swarm, bloodying it, and shifts out of the auras.

Swarms move to attack Baltazar, one draws an attack of opportunity from Eldaen. Lamia fires streams of bugs at Eldaen, Baltazar and Erich. Pock blasts the bloodied swarm with psychic energy. Erich uses dishearten on the swarms, bloodying the other two. Eldaen uses divine strength and resurgent smite on swarm, healing Baltazar, then uses lay on hands on himself and spends action point to miss with heedless fury. Baltazar uses stand the fallen on the swarm, moves and uses action point to get Eldaen to attack another bloodied swarm.

Swarms attack Baltazar, Lamia fires stream of bugs and hits Eldaen. Pock uses mire the mind on swarm. Erich uses hypnotic pulse on swarms and Lamia, then moves back to join Pock. Eldaen moves in between all the enemies, lays hands on Baltazar and strikes the most wounded swarm with valiant strike. Baltazar attacks swarm with guarding attack, killing it.

Swarms attack Eldaen, Lamia fires stream of bugs at Baltazar. Pock uses shared agony on swarm, killing it and teleporting to just outside. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia and remaining swarm. Eldaen lays hands on Baltazar, shifts back and takes his second wind, saves against poison. Baltazar attacks swarm and is still poisoned.

Swarm attacks Baltazar, bloodying him again. Lamia fires tendrils at Baltazar and misses Eldaen. Pock uses curse of hadrai on swarm, nearly killing it. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia and swarm, destroying the swarm. Eldaen moves in, uses blood of the mighty on the Lamia and dazes her with his righteous blade. Baltazar drinks a potion of vigor, moves to flank her and hits her with bastion of defense, missing her but healing others.

Lamia uses accursed flurry on Baltazar and Eldaen, but misses them both. Pock uses eldritch blast on Lamia. Erich misses her with mind break. Eldaen swings a holy strike at the Lamia and misses, then withdraws, leaving Baltazar to fall unconscious when the aura hits him.

Lamia attacks downed Baltazar, but misses, although she saves against her daze. Pock blasts Lamia again. Erich gives Eldaen a healing potion with telekinesis, then grabs Lamia with telekinetic powers and immobilizes her and flings her into the next room. Eldaen runs up, uses heal to wake up Baltazar. Baltazar takes poison damage, runs away and saves against poison.

Lamia is still immobilized. Pock moves in and becomes hidden. Erich runs up and smashes her against the wall telekinetically, then uses dishearten on her with a crit. Eldaen runs back, uses last lay on hands on Baltazar, throws trident at Lamia. Baltazar orders him to do it again, and he misses.

Lamia is still immobilized. Pock moves up and blasts the Lamia. Erich steps forward, uses dishearten on Lamia and misses, then smashes her into the wall. Eldaen moves up and throws his trident, but misses. Baltazar orders Erich to use mind break on her.

Lamia saves against immobilize. Pock blasts the Lamia. Erich moves into the next room and sees a bronze brazier floating around a large sundial casting a shadow and uses dishearten on Lamia. Eldaen throws trident, then moves back to the rear of the room. Baltazar orders Erich to use mind break on her.

Lamia moves up and uses accursed fury on Erich. Pock uses eyebite on Lamia with a crit. Erich blasts Lamia. Eldaen misses with trident. Baltazar moves up and uses stand tough, healing the party, and then orders Erich to mind break her.

Lamia moves to the center of the room, drawing an attack of opportunity from Baltazar, bloodying her, and she uses pacifying burst, hitting Pock, who uses his steadfast amulet to interrupt the effect. Pock misses the Lamia. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia. Eldaen marks her, throws his trident and flees outside. Baltazar runs back, orders Erich to use mind break on her.

Lamia moves up and uses devouring swarm on Erich, Baltazar and Pock, hitting only Erich. Pock moves to the back of the room, fires eldritch blast at Lamia. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia. Eldaen throws trident and misses. Baltazar uses blood designation on Lamia.

Lamia uses accursed flurry on Baltazar and misses. Pock fires eldritch blast at Lamia. Erich blasts Lamia with dishearten again, finally saves against daze and is no longer poisoned. Eldaen moves up and misses with radiant smite. Baltazar orders him to attack and he hits her.

Lamia uses pacifying burst, stunning Baltazar and Eldaen, then moves toward Pock. Pock runs past her, drawing an attack of opportunity, which misses, letting him teleport next to Erich, then fires eldritch blast at her. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia. Eldaen saves against stun. Baltazar is no longer stunned.

Lamia moves next to Baltazar and Eldaen and uses accursed fury, bloodying Eldaen and dazing him and missing Baltazar. Pock fires eldritch blast at Lamia, then moves deeper into the other room. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia. Eldaen hits with critical on martyr's retribution, and still she lives. Baltazar orders Eldaen to swing, and he misses.

Lamia uses accursed fury on Eldaen. Pock blasts her with eldritch blast. Erich uses dishearten on Lamia and misses. Eldaen falls due to the aura. Baltazar orders Erich to blast her with dishearten and he kills her. Pock moves order and stailibizes Eldaen.

We go in to check out the brazier and figure out the time pattern of the sundial. While Baltazar and Eldaen take a brief rest, Erich studies the sundial and Pock goes to see the room with the mystic water. Pock and Erich determine that the water is drawing power from the Feywild, and notice a key beneath the water. Erich uses his telekinesis to draw the key out, and a big watery snake emerges from the water, snapping at Erich. Then it bites Pock and he vanishes, re-emerging in the river below.

57. The Heir's Passage

Nymm 16 - Nymm 18, YK 1000

On the morning of Nymm 16, the Wandering Wolves, accompanied by Delano d'Orien, took on the job of private security to make sure that Aeromus d'Orien reached the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat in three days.

They were traveling aboard the lightning rail, in a secure private coach designed with help from House Kundarak. The rail car boasted a private kitchen, bedrooms for six and a private cell for Aeromus. It also prevented any teleportation from taking place, to keep any allies from breaking Aeromus out.

Aeromus spent three days trying to convince the Wolves that they should free him, trying to use whatever blackmail material he had. He maneuvered Brand into revealing Saia's aberrant dragonmark, warned Pel that he knew of his identity as Viorr and tried to use his knowledge of Delano's smuggling, all of which earned him nothing but further animosity. He also intimated that both Saia and Traega could be in danger back in Passage, and that he might have information that could help.

In order to check on Saia and Traega, Lysander and Brand jumped from the moving train, with Pel shifting to take Brand and Lysander's places from time to time so it looks like they're all still onboard.

Delano briefly talked with Pel, trying to convince him that it would be safer for everyone if they just killed Aeromus, but Pel wouldn't do that without Brand's permission. William, meanwhile, engaged in wordplay with Aeromus that neither one of them particularly enjoyed.

When Lysander and Brand reached Passage, they found that neither Traega nor Saia were where they were supposed to be, and set about looking for them. Brand used House Sivis to leave a secure message for each of them, and then he and Lysander found a safe place to use Seek Rumor, at which point they learned a rumor that Traega had been murdered and security was looking for the assassin. With no more time, they took a portal to get to Sword Keep before the train reached there.

Meanwhile, on the train, Delano used his magics to set Aeromus on fire, then opened the lock to put him out, bluffing both Pel and William to believe he had nothing to do with it. The end result was that William took up a more active guard over Aeromus, intent on protecting him as duty compelled him. He even resisted sleep, despite increasing weariness, as Pel and Delano took shifts outside of the cell.

At Sword Keep, Lysander and Brand reboarded with the help of Pel. Both Pel and Lysander noticed the familiar faces of House Tarkanan assassins Lady Hellena and Baron Garu through their disguises as they boarded the train. Pel made his way out into the passenger car to talk to them and assess the threat, but when he got into the passenger car, he spotted only another assassin that he recognized as a psion, not Garu and Hellena.

The psion, noticing Pel noticing him, used a domination effect to cause Pel to leap off the train. With their cover partially blown, the assassins made their way back to the private car.

Hellena used her ability to turn to mist and flowed into the cell, rushing forward and slashing at Aeromus's throat and very nearly killing him. William crashed into the cell to battle Hellena as Lysander began firing arrows at her and Brand used his dimensional bond to prevent her from escaping.

Delano unleashed flames on Hellena and Aeromus both, and as it appeared that their target was down, Baron Garu used his teleportation magic to cut a path through space and escape. The psion used his abilities to help Lady Hellena make her escape right before being compelled to get off the train by Lysander, and then three Minotaur mercenaries, protected by illusion spells, came crashing into the train car to fight. They were no match for the Wolves, however.

Aeromus quickly revealed that he was alive, and that he had pocketed something from Lady Hellena that could be used in scrying or locating spells to find her.

With the assassination attempt failed, and Aeromus out of options for escape, the Wolves delivered him to the waiting arms of House Medani before taking an Orien teleport circle back to Passage.

There they learned that Traega had indeed been assassinated, a professional job that included the use of a spell to steal his soul to prevent easy resurrection. Baron Kwanti spoke privately with Brand and offered apologies for how the House had treated his father, and how they hadn't treated his uncle.

Kwanti admitted that Saia's aberrant dragonmark made things politically difficult for him, but he had a solution in mind. If Brand would agree to exile with Saia in Xen'drik, taking over as The Native, Kwanti would grant them dispensation to marry (although never to have children) as long as they agreed not to set foot on Khorvaire again. He would also send Aeromus to Dreadhold, no matter the political consequences that would come from Aeromus's many allies.

Brand agreed, with the caveat that Kwanti also help him set up a new identity that would allow Brand to adventure with the Wolves from time to time. The deal was struck, and Brand went to say his goodbyes to the Wolves.

12. The Giant Fortress

Nymm 15, YK 1000

Rrrgrr has stayed behind to prepare the Torrians and lead them to Argent. All of us save Magnus have memories of our experiences being possessed by Physandos and the Piscodemon who possessed Zargosz. Once we've settled back in, we resolve to follow the Giants' supply lines back to their headquarters and eliminate their leader in order to break the siege.

Zargosz flies, in raven form, out to scout the area and is attacked by a Roc, and he goes into the river and transforms into a fish. Magnus summons speedy horses for us. Alain uses his military tactical knowledge to determine that giants tend to be arrogant and don't worry about protecting supply lines. Zargosz finds an underground stream that will allow us to take our horses through underground. Magnus uses dungeoneering to make sure we stay on track. We come up a few hundred feet from the fortress.

We see two Ogres playing a game involving humanoid skulls, and a Hill Giant lounging by the doors. Xiu scouts past them and sees a rocky ridge on the other side of the castle. Magnus attacks.

Torgen attacks and marks the ogre, and then Zargosz unleashes a tremor to knock him and the other ogre down. The marked ogre stands up and swings his club at Torgen and critically hits him. The other one stands and throws a javelin at Magnus, followed by a charge, which also misses. Xiu moves up. Magnus uses inexorable advance to hit both ogres. Hill Giant bellows, steps back and opens the doors to let his Rage Drake out, then throws a rock at Xiu, which misses. Alain fires a runic resistance bolt into the ogres midst, bloodying one of them. The Rage Drake rushes out from the fortress and leaps at Xiu., hitting her with a pair of claws.

Torgen begins regenerating thanks to his armor, moves up to hit both ogres, hitting only the non-bloodied one. Zargosz calls lightning down on both ogres, hitting only the bloodied one. Ogres swing at Torgen and Magnus, missing both of them. Xiu moves in to flank the ogres, hitting and nearly killing the bloodied ogre. Magnus uses tide of iron on the bloodied ogre and kills him, then moves to attack the Rage Drake with his action point and tide of iron and immobilizes him. Hill Giant throws a rock at Magnus and misses. Alain uses curative admixture on Xiu, moves up next to Torgen and fires a repulsion strike at the ogre, bloodying him. Rage Drake bites at and misses Magnus.

Torgen swings and misses the ogre. Zargosz moves up on the Rage Drake and fires a storm spike back at the ogre. Ogre moves, drawing attacks from Torgen and Xiu, who kill him. Xiu moves to the Rage Drake and hits him. Magnus swings at the Rage Drake and misses. Hill Giant yells out for the shaman and runs back into the compound. Alain moves up near the rage drake, fires a magic weapon bolt into it that enchants Xiu's and Zargosz's weapons. Rage Drake bites at and misses Magnus.

Torgen charges and crits the Rage Drake. Zargosz turns into a snake and spits out a cloud of locusts at the Rage Drake. Xiu attacks the Rage Drake and bloodies it. Magnus hits the Rage Drake. Alain moves behind the group, fires at the Rage Drake and misses. Rage Drake hits Magnus.

Torgen hits with a critical holy strike and kills it. Another Rage Drake emerges from the castle, along with two Hill Giants who throw rocks at him, one of which strikes a glancing blow, and another Hill Giant Slinger. Zargosz moves toward them, shifs to his half-orc form and throws a storm spike at the drake, missing it. Xiu charges the Rage Drake and misses. Magnus bull charges the Rage Drake and marks him. Hill Giant throws a rock at Magnus. Alain moves up, fires an aggravating force bolt into the Rage Drake.

Torgen moves up. Rage Drake tries to leap in the air, but then Magnus hits him and keeps him from leaping, but he then leaps out of the fortress. The Hill Giant Shaman emerges, sends out a big explosion at Magnus, Torgen and Xiu, but only Xiu is hit and blinded, then uses his Earth Rage on Magnus and Torgen, knocking Torgen prone. Hill Giants move forward, one of them provoking an attack of opportunity from Magnus and dying. Hill Giant Slinger slings a stone at Magnus, which breaks open and showers him with acid. Zargosz attacks a Hill Giant with a Storm Spike and misses it. Xiu gets out her clearsense powder and uses it, then charges the Hill Giant and kills it. Magnus takes damage to end the acid and slowed effect, moves past the shaman and takes a hit from his staff, bloodying him, then uses come and get it on the Giants inside the fortress. He also looks over and sees a summoning circle inside the fortress. Hill Giant hits Magnus. Alain moves up, uses curative admixture on Magnus, un-bloodying him, then fires positive energy infusion at the Shaman.

Torgen stands, charges the shaman and hits him. Rage Drake leaps over Zargosz, clawing at him along the way and hitting him with one critical hit. The Shaman uses Earth Tremor, pushing Alain and blinding him, and then he shifts, drawing an attack from Magnus. Hill Giant Slinger swings a fist at Magnus and hits him. Zargosz moves up to joiin Alain and fires a Storm Spike at the Shaman, knocking him prone and healing to full. Xiu uses tornado strike on the Shaman and Hill Giant, heals up to full. Magnus uses his second wind, goes into a defensive stance, uses thicket of blades on the Hill Giant, Slinger and Shaman, hitting all but the Shaman and slowing and bloodying them. Hill Giant swings and misses Magnus. Alain uses clearsense powder and fails his save, moves forward, puts the crossbow on Torgen's shoulder, fires a blind shot and hits the Hill Giant with an aggravating force bolt.

Torgen swings and misses. Rage Drake leaps over Zargosz, clawing at him four times and bloodying him. Shaman stands up, moves to Xiu, draws recieve the charge attack from Torgen, then tries to flee, drawing an attack from Xiu that bloodies him. Slinger slams and misses Magnus. Zargosz runs inside the fortress, takes his second wind. Xiu chases down the shaman and hits him, switching places to keep him from getting to the summoning circle. Magnus and the Hill Giant exchange misses. Alain uses clearsense powder, throws a blinding bomb at the Rage Drake, moves in to flank with Xiu.

Torgen attacks the Rage Drake and bloodies him, healing Zargosz. Rage Drake claws Torgen and bloodies him. Shaman pushes Xiu out of the way and runs past her, taking an attack of opportunity. Slinger misses Magnus. Zargosz turns into a snake, unleashes a swarm of locusts on the Slinger. Xiu moves up on the Hill Giant to flank with Magnus and hits him, nearly killing him. Magnus hits the Hill Giant. Alain draws an attack from the Hill Giant, allowing Magnus to kill him with an attack of opportunity, then gives dancing shield to Torgen, fires aggravating force bolt at Slinger.

Torgen regenerates, is no longer bloodied, uses second wind, hits the Rage Drake and then uses lay on hands on himself. Rage Drake leaps over Torgen, but because of second wind and dancing shield, he is unharmed. Slinger slams Magnus. Zargosz shifts back into a half-orc, fires storm spike at the slinger and misses. Xiu moves up and attacks the slinger and kills him. Magnus begins moving to hold the doors. Alain fires an aggravating force bolt critical at the Rage Drake.

Torgen attacks the Rage Drake with a critical Holy Strike, killing it, and then moves back inside. Earth Giant comes through the far door, stepping into the summoning circle and throws a rock at Magnus, then calls out to Boris and Ung, his Hill Giant allies, who also throw rocks at Magnus, one of which hits him. Zargosz moves up and casts vine serpents at the Earth Giant and at Ung. Xiu moves in and uses handspring assault on the Earth Giant, then shifts back. Magnus uses defensive resurgence, then moves in and attacks the Earth Giant. Alain moves up, fires aggravating force bolt at Earth Giant.

Torgen charges the Earth Giant and misses. Hill Giant Shaman uses a whisper of pain on Magnus. Earth Giant takes vine serpent damage, swings at Magnus and misses, allowing himi to shift back. Hill Giant takes vine serpent damage, swings at Magnus and misses, allowing him to shift next to that Hill Giant. The other Hill Giant moves out and uses his sweeping club attack on Zargosz and Xiu, missing both of them. Fire elemental comes in and throws a firestorm into the room at Xiu and Torgen, missing them. More Hill Giant Slingers move up behind the Shaman and fire at Torgen, one of them hitting the shield and the other hitting him and showering him with acid. Zargosz summons a crocodile to flank the Hill Giant, and he misses. Xiu takes fire damage, moves to attack the Earth Giant, bloodying him, and goes into Sidestep Stance. Magnus uses knee breaker on Hill Giant. Alain moves up, switches to his staff and uses lightning motes on Earth Giant, a Hill Giant and the Fire Elemental.

Quotes:
"I'd rather have a shaman in front of me than have to have a frontal shamanomy."
"That's just great... my super power is dick jokes!"

11. Physandos and Friends

We take a portal to the Sheltered Wood, and are following the path to the outskirts of the Torrian village where we first spoke to Physandos. Reggie and Hadrai spot a strange bird with a forked tail flying high above. When we round the corner, we see Gruthow.

"Adventurers! You have no business here! Turn and go!"

Lycia thinks that Gruthow is not possessed, he's just being an asshole who thinks we're a threat. He's exhibiting body language that makes Magnus think he's afraid of us. Magnus tells him we're going to the cave to rescue our friends, but Gruthow says it's too dangerous for his people. Lycia moves in to talk to them and try to convince them that they shouldn't live as slaves. He isn't having any of it, and asserts that Physandos killed all the Torrians under the age of 15 when the last adventuring party failed.

He asks that we demonstrate our powers to him to let us through, and Lycia realizes that this is Physandos asking. Magnus walks up and hits him.

Hadrai fires swarming spirits at Gruthow for 19 hp and blinding him. Rrrgrr recognizes the younger middle-ages Torrians as thugs, easily led around and didn't seem to mind Physandos. He rushes in between Gruthow and another Torrian and attacks with five storms, hitting Gruthow for 15 hp, then uses his flurry of blows to do 8 hp to Gruthow and 2 thugs, moving them aside. Reggie makes the nearest Torrian his quarry, fires a bitingg volley at him and Gruthow, hitting them both for 21 hp. The Torrians move in to attack Magnus and Rrrgrr, and then a possessed Torgen comes out and attacks Reggie, Lycia and Hadrai for 13 hp. Lycia swings a Righteous Brand at Torgen, and he steps out of the way. Gruthow, blinded, swings and misses, and shifts backward. Magnus swings at all of the Torrians, hitting two of them for 22 hp and marking all of them.

Hadrai fey steps away, fires grappling spirits at Gruthow, bloodying him and slowing him. When he is bloodied, demonic spirits affect Magnus and Rrrgrr, stunning them, then Hadrian spends an action point and fires another grappling spirits at him. Rrrgrr is stunned. Reggie shifts back, quarries Torgen and fires at him with a pinning shot. The Torrians roar and poison Rrrgrr, but Magnus resists. Torgen pronounces a blasphemous word, regains hit points and slides between Lycia and Reggie, hitting Reggie for 18 hp. Lycia hits Torgen with inspiring strike, healing Reggie and dealing 35 hp. Gruthow steps back and blasts Rrrgrr for 18 hp, dazing and bloodying him. Magnus uses thicket of blades on the Torrians for 39 hp, bloodying and slowing two of them.

Hadrai fires savage archery at Gruthow and one of the other Torrians, hitting the Torrian but missing Gruthow. Rrrgrr takes poison damage, uses purifying meditation to overcome daze, then uses Five Storms to shift next to Gruthow and then uses Crane Dance on Gruthow and the Torrians, moving among them and attacking them, hitting *all* of them and knocking them prone. He uses flurry of blows on the nearest Torrian and kills him, and throws a dagger at Gruthow, and then saves against poison. Reggie puts away his bow, draws his sword and swings a twin strike at Torgen for 9 hp. One of the Torrians stands and roar at Magnus and Rrrgrr, missing them. The other one stands and attacks Magnus for 7 hp and remains slowed. Torgen yells out a curse that heals him again, then swings the axe at Lycia and Reggie, hitting Lycia for 13 hp. Lycia uses healing word on Rrrgrr, unbloodying him, then hits Torgen for 17 hp. Gruthow stands and moves behind a tent for partial cover, then fires at Rrrgrr and misses. Magnus draws attacks of opportunity from the Torrians as he charges Gruthow and misses.

Hadrai moves out and misses Gruthow. Rrrgrr uses Five Storms to move between the two Torrians and attack them, knocking one of them out. Reggie hits Torgen with Shadow Wasp Strike for 23 hp, bloodying him, then uses an action point to miss with twin strike. The other Torrian moves away from Rrrgrr and claws at him, missing. Torgen swings and misses Lycia, but crits Reggie for 32 hp. Lycia swings healing strike at Torgen and misses, uses healing word on Reggie. Gruthow swings his implement at Magnus for 8 hp, dazing him, then moves away from Magnus. Magnus shifts and attacks the Torrian.

Hadrai fires and misses Gruthow, then runs up next to him and draws his sword. Rrrgrrr uses Dancing Cobra to move up on Gruthow and attacks him with step between worlds, knocking him out, and he pleads with Rrrgrr to not let them kill any more Torrians. Reggie uses Careful Attack on Torgen for 12 hp. Torrian claws Magnus for 12 hp. Torgen crits Reggie for 35 hp, bloodying him again. Lycia hits Torgen for 22 hp with recovery strike, uses inspiring word on Reggie, unbloodying him. Magnus hits the last Torrian and knocks him out.

Hadrai fires a Flickerring Arrow into Torgen, nearly killing him but Lycia stabilizes him. Magnus senses that Physando's power inside Torgen is much weakened, but not absent. Lycia recalls that Gruthow did not seem to be possessed, but that he was using all kinds of attack powers that Torrians don't usually have, because he had a demonic rod. Magnus smashes the rod, and Torgen is freed from Physandos's influence.

We move between the tents, using cover to hide from the bird. Rrrgrr suggests going through the mercantile area. Hadrai climbs to the top of a 30' building to get a better view, but blows his stealth check. We hear rustles of movement throughout the area, although we don't see anything yet. Hadrai spots a Torrian hidden in some rubble, and he seems to have applied some paint or dye to his face and body.

Hadrai moves up and fires at the Torrian, killing him. He then spots four more Torrians hiding among the rubble. The Torrians move in, one attacks Magnus. Reggie steps out of the shadows and knocks out the Torrian next to him. Magnus uses crushing surge and knocks out a Torrian. Rrrgrr moves past a Torrrian, taking 7 damage, and then attacks with dancing cobra, knocking him out. Lycia moves to follow Magnus and Rrrgrr.

Xiu reveals herself as the Torrian sneaking around the corner to attack Reggie for 15 hp. Hadrai moves over, fires grappling spirits for 24 hp at Xiu. One Torrian rushes to attack Reggie for 7 hp, two others attack Rrrgrr for 14 hp. Reggie stows his bow, quarries Xiu and quick draws his sword to twin strike, missing her and the Torrian behind him. Magnus moves back and sees 2 Torrians attacking Reggie, moves in to attack the actual Torrian and knocks it out. Rrrgrr uses five storms, knocking out both Torrians next to him, and then he runs over to another one. Lycia runs down the alley to come out behind one of the Torrians.

Xiu vanishes when she uses a ruby ring. Hadrai gains blindsight, misses a Torrian, runs to the edge of the roof and spots Xiu. Torrians attack Lycia and Rrrgrr, and miss. Reggie moves to the end of the alley and attacks the Torrian attacking Lycia, knocking him out. Magnus moves toward where he hears Xiu is. Rrrgrr takes out the last two Torrians and uses dancing cobra to move nearer to Xiu. Lycia moves up next to Xiu, uses her action point to wrap Xiu in burning silver flame, then attacks Xiu for 17 hp.

Xiu attacks Lycia with bait and switch, missing her. Hadrai fey steps to the next building and hits Xiu with a flickering arrow, bloodying her. Reggie moves toward the fight and sheathes his swords. Magnus moves up and bull charges Xiu, hits her and knocks her prone. Rrrgrr steps between worlds to flank Xiu, uses tormented spirit to hit Xiu and knock her out. Magnus smashes the ring, and Lycia dispels Physandos from Xiu's body.

After a brief rest (and milestone), we continue on our way to Physandos's cave. We enter another marketplace area. Magnus sees Alain standing in the center of the town addressing the Torrians and Zargosz Duhr. There are Mezzodemons surrounding the crowd as well. Rrrgrr and Lycia see shadow demons perched on a few buildings. From above, there's a horrible scream/caw and the bird has spotted us. Alain is giving a speech convincing the Torrians that they are doing well under the control of Physandos, and how the alliance with the "Friends" has been very beneficial and the town will thrive now that they're out from under the thumb of the silver-cloaked champions.

Lycia notices that Zargosz has been influenced by Xoriat. Alain shouts "attack" and all the Torrians pounce in unison, and three of them attack Magnus for 21 hp. Lycia climbs the building and then jumps down on the other side. Shadow demons launch from their perches and fly into alleyways, one makes a diving attack on Lycia but misses her. Reggie climbs up the building and fires a biting volley at Alain for 30 hp. Rrrgrr holds for Hadrai. Mezzodemon moves up and uses poison breath on Lycia and misses. Hadrai fires swarming bats, knocking out half of the Torrians. Rrrgrr moves amongst the remaining Torrians and takes out three of them, leaving two in the cloud of bats, then uses his action point to use five storms and take out the last two Torrians. Zargosz summons a tremor that hits Rrrgrr and Magnus with tentacles, then uses an action point to crit Magnus for 24 psychic damage, causing him to attack Rrrgrr for 18 hp. Mezzodemon attacks Lycia. Alain fires a blast at Lycia, giving her a -3 to attack rolls. Magnus takes damage and shakes off the slowed effect, bloodying him, and uses blood iron to gain resist damage until the end of the encounter, takes his second wind, spends an action point to bull charge Alain, but he misses.

Lycia moves and uses solar wrath to hit the Mezzodemons for 17 hp, stunning them all. Shadow demons crit Magnus for 16 hp (with his resistance), other one hits Lycia. Reggie quarries a Mezzodemon, fires splintering shot at Alain and misses thanks to his shield, doing half damage and giving him a -1 to attacks. Mezzodemons are stunned. Hadrai leaps over, fires and misses a Shadow Demon. Rrrgrr steps between worlds next to Alain, attacks with tormented spirit for 21 hp and weakens him, uses centered flurry of blows to do more damage to him, then throws dagger at Zargosz, then uses action point to hit him for 19 hp and saves against slowed, doing 5 more damage to Alain. Zargosz aims a tentacle at Rrrgrr and crits him for 22 hp, who resists 15 with iron dragon defense, but is now grabbed. Zargosz uses his action point and misses Rrrgrr. Alain regains hit points, draws strength from Zargosz's aura and is no longer bloodied, then uses repulsion strike on Magnus for 9 hp (which he resists). Magnus uses appalling crunch on Alain for 35 hp, bloodying him again, then uses a minor action to regain bull charge with his power jewel, then spends an action point to use come and get it, hitting Alain, Zargosz and a Mezzodemon, knocking Alain out. Hadrai spots the "bird" coming down fast, which is the adamantine dragon.

Lycia moves to attack Zargosz with avenging flame for 25 hp, giving him ongoing 5 fire, then spends an action point to use strengthen the faithful on Zargosz and she misses. Shadow demons fly into the dark cloud over Alain and start flying up. Reggie fires at Zargosz and Mezzodemon and misses. Mezzodemon beast lord vanishes into an alley. Hadrai hits Zargosz with savage archery. Rrrgrr uses strike the avalanche on Zargosz, bloodying him.

The dragon absorbs the shadow cloud and shadow demons, and they fly away. The demons flee, and when we destroy Zargosz's staff he is returned to us. Then we take an extended rest.

Yet another random name generator

This one is from Wizards.

http://wizards.com/dnd/Tool.aspx?x=dnd/4new/tool/cng

Wandering Wolves: Trial of Aeromus and Midsummer

Dravago 16 - Nymm 15, YK 1000

After the Wolves have gotten settled from their unsettling trip into the future, Dravago turns to Nymm.

Khorvaire politics are anything but dull. A border skirmish between Aundarian Phantom Knights doing "training exercises" in the Silver Wood and Thranish troops patrolling the Wood on their side of the border very nearly leads to open war. The matter is settled at Galifar's Hope, where it is agreed that a company of House Deneith blademarks will patrol both sides of the Silver Wood from now on.

In more peaceful news, the truce between Droaam and Breland has been extended until the summer ends. A formal non-aggression treaty between Droaam and Breland is currently a top priority at Galifar's Hope, and is expected to be ready for signing sometime in Barrakas, the last month of summer. The Golden Dragon is expected to relaunch at about the same time, rebuilt as the official ambassadorial transport of Galifar's Hope as a gift from House Lyrandar.

Meanwhile, rumors persist that one of the branches of House Cannith is gathering funds and approval to rebuild the White Arch Bridge that once connected Rekkenmark (in Karrnath) and Thaliost (in Thrane). Lysander is reasonably informed that House Phiarlan operatives have confirmed this, and that there was some kind of theft that threatened the funds, but that operatives of House Cannith, Kundarak and Phiarlan recovered the funds and dealt with the thieves.

The Young Wolves, shaken by their experiences in Xulo's nightmare future, have disbanded and mostly given up lives of adventuring. The sole exception is Elias Volan, who continues to study and work in Sharn.

The Wolves receive another note from Maechen Eyre, notifying them of another sudden departure. "Luggoth's new faith is an interesting turn in The Prophecy. It suggests something good, and my master wishes to consult with him in person. It wasn't easy, but I've convinced Luggoth to come with me to Argonessen to meet the Great Silver Dragon Vuulaytherus. Forgive me for not giving him time to say goodbye, or allowing you, his friends, to tag along. We will both return to you when it is possible."

This seems somewhat uncharacteristic of Luggoth, but he's been unpredictable lately. Savannah and Father Talandro are both skeptical, but can't say for sure if it's true or not.

Pel:
Kalibar Jenks has requested of Viorr/Pel that he be reassigned to the Golden Dragon when that occurs, as he knows the territory and thinks it will be fertile information-gathering ground, but this will require approval from Captain Vron as well as approval from the Boromars, who will think Kalibar is *their* operative aboard the Dragon.

Lysander:
With approval from his House and the completed recording crystal that Lysander brought back from the future, research has begun with House Sivis to replicate the device. They expect it will take at least a year, even with one prototype available for testing. Best not to think about the paradoxical implications of this one.

Upon hearing about this future from Lysander, the House immediately began researching Xulo to find out what they could about it. They promised to keep Lysander fully informed of their findings.

Arenydee is not waiting for Lysander when he gets home. Instead, there's an all-too-familiar, if heartfelt and emotional, letter indicating that she is undercover for the House. She can't tell him much more, but promises to be home soon, and besides, what are a few months, or even years, apart, to elves?

William:
Resolute informs William by Sivis message that Halas Martain made some kind of deal with The Twelve that resulted in him being something of an indentured servant to them. He's not technically free, but he is out of jail, operating at the behest of The Twelve to recover arcana of interest to that group. He has been permanently banned from The Wayfarer Foundation. Rumors abound that Halas was able to point out the member of The Twelve that was behind the massacre, and that his new position is a bribe to keep him from spilling it so that the Twelve can deal with the matter internally.

In addition, Karola d'Deneith has officially joined the Blademark guards at the Wolves' Reward, and continues to flirt with William quite openly.

Brand:
Though she is living part-time at the Wolves' Reward, Saia Borath has begun a job in Sharn. She doesn't talk to Brand much about it, and he fears she's fallen in with House Tarkanan.

The Trial of Aeromus d'Orien and Traega d'Orien took the better part of the month, and Brand was in Passage for most of that time. The other Wolves, especially Pel and Lysander, made several appearances in Passage to provide information that could be useful. In particular, Pel was contacted by a former acquaintance and current asset of the King's Dark Lanterns (which only Pel and Lysander know), Delano d'Orien, who works in the smuggling arm of the House and had considerable dirt on Aeromus's behavior.

It is clear to the jury that Traega's crimes were exaggerated at best, fabricated at worst, and it is determined that his years of exile have served as an effective punishment for any transgressions that may or may not have existed. House Orien also believes that it can make use of the Xen'drik operations he has set up, and they have reached out to House Tharashk, House Vadalis, House Jorasco and House Ghallanda to expand "The Native" into more of a permanent base of operations for House operations in Xen'drik, as well as being a resource for adventurers. Traega will be returning to Xen'drik to head up the operation, although he'll be reporting back in to House Orien officially from time to time. Baron Kwanti d'Orien himself will be coming to Passage to reinstate Traega in this position in the House and offer an informal apology for his treatment over the years.

Unfortunately, most of Aeromus's misdeeds relating to Traega are based on testimony from parties with an interest one way or the other, and so no determination is made as to his guilt there.

As for Aeromus's sale of the map to House Tharashk, and further crimes involving smuggling, much of the proceedings take place behind closed doors, and not even Pel or Lysander are able to get a full picture of what's going on. It's clear that some, if not all, of his smuggling operations have the tacit approval of powerful allies in the House. The map, being a move against the House, is a more serious crime, but Aeromus's nephew Breyten d'Orien claimed to have been operating on his own, and didn't crack even under interrogation by trained House Medani operatives. Although that interrogation was interrupted...

During the trial, there were three assassination attempts. One was a poisoning on Traega, which might have worked except that the House Medani security for the trial detected it before it got to him. Another was a witness, a drow smuggler from Xen'drik, who went mad halfway through his testimony and attacked Brand with a concealed knife, unsuccessfully. The third was actually successful, as Breyten d'Orien was poisoned in his cell before House Medani inquisitives could finish interrogating him.

The lead House Medani investigator, Trixn d'Medani, believes that this is the work of a team of highly-trained assassins. The hallmarks point to House Thuranni or House Tarkannan, but she hasn't ruled out talented independents.

Aeromus is the lead suspect in all of this business, although nothing can be tied to him. The unsatisfying result of the trial is that while he has been reduced in stature, ultimately he is free to go, as far as House Orien is concerned. However, pressure from House Medani to catch these assassins has led them to okay his transfer to the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat for a period no longer than two weeks so that House Medani interrogators can find out exactly what he knows.

Two days ago, Aeromus spoke to Brand with an unusual request: He wants him to work security on his train ride to Wroat. He can't trust his regular security or anyone he knows, and he knows he's being targeted by the assassins too. If Brand agrees to work security, Aeromus will reveal what he knows about them once he gets to the safety of Medani's tower, but not before. If he doesn't, Aeromus promises he will flee, and he will get away. He doesn't want to, he wants to retain his presence in the house, but he'll run before he lets himself be killed. Aeromus seems legitimately scared, although Lysander reminds Brand that Aeromus is one of the most talented liars he's ever met.

Tomb of Horrors Chapter Two

Pock examines the stone and sees that there are older runes on the stone and other runes floating around the stone, very otherworldly, visible to someone trained in arcana but not with the naked eye. They appear to be from the Age of Monsters. It looks like it used to mark an area coterminous with Thelanis.

Erich stops the runes with his telekinetic powers and holds them still. Quiver notices that this provided a slight change, as the runes on the stone started to begin a bit more readable. Pock tries to disrupt the runes, but he hears an annoyed voice in his head that throws him off, and they begin spinning again. Eldaen, using what he knows about elven, sees the elven rune for tree, and thinks that if we decipher the rest, it will provide clues. Baltazar recalls studying a battle here between elves and fey that was being reinforced from a portal in the area, and that this stone directed fey to the portal. Eldaen discovers that it is a rhyming code, meant to be spoken in Common. Pock tries again to disrupt the runes, and finds himself briefly in an empty, haunted place. Frustrated, Erich and Pock blast away at the runes and gray mist comes off the rock, revealing the poem.

"Walk to the sun, three by three... turn to the snow, find the tree." Eldaen, Quiver and Baltazar decide to walk to the west and see if it takes us where it goes. After walking about nine paces, Baltazar turns to the north and sees a configuration of trees, growing together as a single clump that seem to shun the rest of the forest, and realizes that this is the portal. We walk through the portal and find ourselves on a narrow trail in Thelanis.

Erich calls out Paleius's name three times, and he appears. He begins singing, and wherever he goes, there is a path. He points out the way to the Garden of Graves. A pair of hags riding crocodiles emerge from the forest. Pock goes to greet them, and they say "They're outsiders, sister! Is this where it comes from!"

Baltazar tells them that we seek the corruption to undo it, and one of the hags dismounts her crocodile, starts walking toward him and shifts form into a beautiful maiden. "I want to believe you, mortal... where do you think the corruption comes from?"

"We've been told it comes from the garden of graves... it is infecting our world as well."

The other one says "We did not know that. Let them go, sister!"

"If you do not end the corruption, we will not let you leave here."

"If we do not end it, we will perish."

She goes back and gets on her crocodile and rides away. We decide to take the path on the right, which looks slightly more difficult as it has water. We jump across the river and continue to follow the path. There is a ridge looming ahead of us, and a tunnel in the middle of the ridge, with a message carved into the stone next to the tunnel. Eldaen reads the ancient elven script, which seems mostly to be an intimidating message warning us not to enter.

Despite misgivings, we enter the cave. There are statues of maiden, mother and crone with their hands outstretched. Pock examines them with his arcane knowledge, sending him briefly into a different place, where he sees oozing black goo pouring from the walls and moans of despair, and senses powerful magic both from the statues and from beyond them, radiating energy related to polymorphing. Pock puts a gold piece in the maiden's hand, and she crushes it and the crone animates.

Eldaen swings a radiant smite at the crone, and Pock moves back and misses her with a blast of eldritch energy. Quiver fires a poison wasp sting at the crone, which bounces off her stony hide, and then moves to cover behind one of the other statues. Baltazar uses his warlord strike on the crone to mark her for his allies. Crone attacks Eldaen, who touches him and makes him feel older and weakened. Erich uses forceful push to slide her back and uses memory hole.

Eldaen takes a defensive stance and waits for his weakened state to wear off. Pock throws a witchfire blast at the crone and misses, Quiver moves to get a clearer shot and fires an arrow at the crone with a critical hit, pushing her back and knocking her prone. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire again, but he is disconcerted by his orders to "shoot her in the cooch" and misses. She stands and moves up behind the statue, and screams wordlessly at her. Erich uses dishearten to weaken her resolve slightly.

Eldaen puts a coin in the mother's hand, but there's no effect. Pock moves up and fires an eldritch blast and misses. Quiver fires at the crone and misses. Baltazar takes the coin from the mother's hand and tries the crone, but nothing happens. Crone teleports from the statue to where she is next to everyone but Eldaen and swings her whirlwind of claws, hitting them all and knocking them all prone. In response, Erich unleashes infernal wrath that bloodies her, Baltazar's shield knocks her prone, and Pock fades away. Erich uses his acrobat boots to stand, shifts away from her and tries to use memory hole, but she resists. He uses his action point to take a second wind.

Eldaen moves in, swings and hits her with strength from valor. Pock uses ghost sound to fake his location, then teleports away past the statues and uses his second wind. Quiver stands, fires an escaping shot at her, missing her and shifting back away. Baltazar stands up, strikes with a guarding attack, spends an action point to use inspiring word on himself. Crone stands up, reaches out to attack Eldaen but misses. Erich moves to the rear of the cave, uses dishearten and misses.

Eldaen swings twice and misses. Pock stands up, but can't see the crone yet. Quiver fires an arrow at the crone, uses action point to draw and fire again, but misses the second shot. Baltazar uses war of attrition to hit the crone and give everyone else a better shot. The crone swings at Eldaen but misses. Erich disheartens the crone, destroying her.

As we take a short rest, Pock decides to stay on the other side of the statues and tells us he sees paths and a cliff. Baltazar puts the coin in the mother's hand, and the crone reanimates.

Quiver fires and, using elven accuracy, crits the crone but she is immune to poison damage. She uses whirlwind of claws on Eldaen, but misses Baltaar. Pock teleports and uses mire the mind on the crone, making us all temprorarily invisible to her. Eldaen invisibly uses his radiant smite and valiant strike, bloodying her, but misses when Baltazar tells him to swing again. Erich augments dishearten and misses.

Quiver crits again. Crone swings at Baltazar, because she can't see, takes divine sanction damage and misses Baltazar. Pock uses witchfire on the crone and misses. Eldaen moves to flank the crone, hits her with a holy strike. Baltazar uses war of attrition on the crone. Erich uses memory hole and destroys her.

Third time is the charm, as we put a gold piece in the crone's palm and the statue move aside. We spin the gnome, who directs us to go to the right. The path travels about fifty feet and comes into a clearing. There are tents and camping tools, as well as a strange obelisk at the center of the clearing. We check the obelisk, thinking it might be the "weary eye."

As Quiver tries to climb the obelisk, Pock moves to inspect the tools. Everyone else moves over to Quiver and the obelisk. A bright glow emerges from the forest and drags Quiver to it. Then the logs, tools and tents start flying at us. Baltazar is hit by hammers and nails and nailed to the floor, then blasted by flaming logs. Another flaming log sparks and hits Eldaen. Baltazar uses warlord's strike on a flaming log, destroying it, and gives himself an inspiring word. Eldaen moves to the will o wisp, marks it and swings and misses. A powerful lethargy overcomes Quiver and Erich.

Quiver steps back and puts an assassin's shroud on the will o wisp, then fires at it with a poisoned arrow and falls asleep. Pock uses the decree of queen of errant darkness to force all the animated tools and logs to attack one another, killing eight of the twelve, then curses the will o wisp. Erich uses dishearten and destroys most of the rest of the tents and logs, and then shakes off the weariness. The nails try again to strike at Baltazar, who dodges. Eldaen uses his Blood of the Mighty on the Will o Wisp, then lays hands on himself to heal. Baltazar swings at the tools and destroys them. The obelisk wearies Baltazar and Erich.

Quiver is still asleep. Pock uses an eldritch blast on the will o wisp and misses. Will o wisp attacks Eldaen and then shifts back a bit. Erich uses dishearten and misses, falling asleep. Eldaen hits the Will o Wisp with strength from valor, bloodying it. Wearied Baltazar steps up to flank the Will o Wisp and uses stand the fallen, healing Eldaen from bloodied, and wakes himiself up. The obelisk wearies Eldaen.

Quiver is still asleep. Pock uses shared agony on Will o wisp, destroying it and teleporting closer to the obelisk, then uses teleport to try and get to the top, then uses his action point to try and disarm the obelisk. Erich is still asleep. Eldaen wakes Quiver with divine mettle, then shakes off his weariness. Baltazar moves to the obelisk and shouts encouragement to Pock. Obelisk wearies Quiver and Pock.

Quiver fires at the obelisk with his assassin's shroud and shifts away from it. Pock tries to disarm the trap, opens the sleeping eye and it is disarmed. After a short rest, we send Quiver up to scout the building, and sees that it has weird angles, and is clearly new and not of fey design. There is a spiral staircase. We take an extended rest.

Quiver climbs the staircase up into the building, and sees a table that seems to be a map of the area. Pock moves something on the map to see if it affects the world, but it doesn't. The map leads to a Garden of Graves by following the rope bridge to the west. Someone has built a number of stone structures that does not match the maps, and we follow the rope bridge into the structures.

Quiver steps into the hallway and vanishes, and suffers a sudden sense of vertigo, and is surrounded by rough hewn rock. However, he can still see the doorway behind him, and he re-emerges, tells us what he saw and then goes back in. Then when he went in, everything changes and he comes back to warn us that we all need to go in together. Baltazar unfurls a rope, we all link together and go in. There are echoing screams resounding off the walls, and the agony of loss passes through us, leaving behind a lingering gloom in our souls. An angelic-looking gray being emerges, seemingly bearing the lost mark of death, we try to talk to it.

Quiver offers up a "Hello, friend, we mean you no harm" and puts away his bow. Erich offers up "Hello, gray sir, we're sorry to intrude in your house. You look like you need some cheering up? Would you like me to play you a tune?" and begins playing a jaunty tune. It lets out a scream, steps forward and attacks Baltazar with his scythe. Eldaen swings and misses, then lays hands to heal Baltazar. Baltazar swings and misses. Pock fires witchfire at the angel.

Quiver puts a shroud on the other angel, then fires at it and knocks it further down the hallway, creating a swarm of bats around it. Erich uses memory hole on the same angel, making himself invisible to that angel. One angel attacks and retreats, then the other one retreats. Eldaen chases it down and swings at it, but misses. Baltazar chases it down and uses blood designation, missing it. Pock fires shared agony at the angel and moves, gaining concealment.

Quiver fires and misses the angel after moving the bats to surround it. Erich recognizes these as corrupted angels, and realizes that we're on some sort of constructed pocket plane, then moves invisibly down the hallway to see hundreds or thousands of humanoid bones jutting from the walls, and there is a robed and crowned statue in the middle of the room. There are carved footprints in the floor that lead to the eastern wall. He begins walking in the carved footprints, ends at the wall. Angel's dragonmark activates and he launches a burst of necrotic damage, the other angel moves out of the statue and attacks Erich with a mark, then uses his scythe, which triggers his wrath of hellfire. Eldaen swings and misses, then draws a brutal attack of opportunity and runs toward the other room to help Erich. Baltazar attacks the angel with bastion of defense, then uses stand tough. Pock uses forceful assault on the angel, dazing him.

Quiver fires an arrow of fiery and cold shadow at the angel, immobilizing him, calls on the spirits of his ancestors to push him back, bloodying him. Erich uses his telekinetic push to get the angel away, mind blasts him and stuns him, then runs down the hallway. Bloodied angel marks Baltazar, shakes off the effects on him. The other angel shakes off being stunned. Eldaen rushes back, charges the bloodied angel and misses. Baltazar moves to the bloodied angel and misses with furious smash. Pock blasts the angel, making us all invisible to the angel.

Quiver fires a swarm of arrows at the bloodied angel, poisoning him. Erich runs back in the room and critically uses hypnotic pulse on the bloodied angel and dazes him. Bloodied angel takes poison damage, swings at Baltazar and misses, saves against daze. The other angel moves and charges Pock, bloodying him, and he fades away. Eldaen strikes the bloodied angel with Blood of the Mighty and Valiant Strike, nearly killing it. Baltazar swings and misses the angel. Pock moves up next to Eldaen, takes a second wind and is no longer bloodied, then uses his action point to use ring of pain on the bloodied angel.

Quiver puts a shroud on the angel coming at him, drinks a potion of necrotic resistance and fires biting swarm at the other angel, missing it. Erich fires at the bloodied angel and destroys it, exploding him, but Pock is able to teleport away from it, so it only hits Eldaen and Baltazar, knocking them prone. Then Erich retreats back to the defenders. Angel attacks Quiver. Eldaen stands up and charges the angel. Baltazar stands and orders Eldaen to strike again, and he misses. Pock uses incisive dagger to cut a hole in the plane and teleport to the other end of the hallway, then curses the angel and fires an eldritch blast at it.

Quiver fires escaping shot at the angel, triggering his shrouds, dazing him. Erich uses memory hole on the angel and misses. Angel attacks Eldaen and bloodies him. Eldaen shifts and hits the angel with valiant strike. Baltazar charges through the crowd of bats to attack the angel, missing him. Pock blasts the angel and misses him.

Quiver fires a shadowy burst arrow at the angel, slowing him. Erich fires an augmented dishearten and misses. Angel hits Eldaen, damaging him badly. Eldaen swings and misses the angel, and lays hands on himself. Baltazar uses stand the fallen, missing but healing allies, then uses his action point to miss again. Pock fires and misses the angel.

Quiver fires and hits the angel, spirits biting at his eyes to make it harder for him to hit. Erich fires an augmented dishearten at the angel, making it even harder for him to hit, then uses his action point to blast him again, turning invisible and bloodying him. Angel misses. Eldaen uses divine strength and hits the angel with valiant strike, lays hands to heal himself almost to full. Baltazar orders Eldaen to attack and misses. Pock misses.

Quiver fires grappling spirits and misses. Erich uses memory hole and misses the angel. Angel uses his necrotic burst on Eldaen, Baltazar and Erich, then moves back, drawing attacks from Baltazar and Eldaen. Eldaen heals Baltazar, moves up and misses the angel. Baltazar moves, orders Eldaen and he misses. Pock comes back, but can't see his target.

Quiver runs down the hall, fires grappling spirits at the angel. Erich misses. Angel misses Eldaen, moves and draws an AOO. Eldaen moves in and misses, quarries the Angel. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire, and he misses, then runs up next to Eldaen. Pock runs up and fires his eldritch blast at him.

Quiver fires and misses. Erich uses memory hole and misses. Angel attacks Eldaen, then moves back. Eldaen moves up and hits him with valiant strike. Baltazar orders Eldaen to hit him, and he finally does. Pock sneaks forward.

Quiver moves up and fires at the angel, missing. Erich steps back, can't get into the room. Angel attacks Eldaen and bloodies him, then disappears into the statue. Eldaen moves up and hits the statue. Baltazar moves up and examines the statue. Pock moves into the room and uses arcana to examine the statue.

Quiver examines the statue from a distance, is pretty sure it's a statue, then moves into the hallway and runs to see the other statue. Erich steps into the room and walks in the footsteps. Angel emerges from the statue and attacks Quiver, missing him. Eldaen runs up to back up Quiver. Pock starts moving toward the group.

Quiver fires an explosion of shadowy spirits at the angel, pushing him back, and then he shoots at him, killing him and he explodes, knocking Eldaen out. Baltazar uses inspiring word to heal him back up, and he spends his second wind.

Game Schedule September - December

September 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Paul, Dan)
September 10th - Tomb of Horror (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Paul, Dan)
September 17th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 24th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)

October 1st - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan)
October 8th - Alt Game? / No Game? (Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan) (Randy & Paul in NY)
October 15th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 22nd - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 29th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)

November 5th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
November 12th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 19th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 26th - No Gaming? (Thanksgiving)

December 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 10th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 17th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 24th - No Gaming (Christmas)
December 31st - No Gaming (New Year's)

November and December are extremely tentative, but I figured with holidays that we might want to try and schedule a little further out. So those of you who aren't in both games (Royers, Jason) should post about November (and December, although I suspect that'll be a little more last minute) availability when you get a chance.

And Thanksgiving is actually that Thursday, but I'm guessing some/all of us might be traveling on the Friday after.

Tomb of Horrors Chapter One

We have been in the Mournland for days, we are battered and weakened by the Dead Gray Mist and several battles. We have been seeking a wizard's tower in a mountain area that had some archival evidence that would point to the origins of the Day of Mourning. Warforged approach us on the road and tell us to stand down in the name of the Lord of the Blades.

Quiver fires a swarm of shadow demons at one of the warforged, hitting him, destroying him and causing poison damage to him and the two around him. Erich begins playing a mournful tune on his flute, causing a psionic burst of damage on the four warforged at the end of the pass, destroying three of them. Eldaen summons the divine strength of Teros and swings a resurgent strike through one of the warforged, destroying him and healing Baltazar. The Warforged leader charges and slashes Erich. Baltazar calls out for us to stand tough, healing the group, and then orders Eldaen to strike and finish the last Warforged soldier, except for the leader. Pock launches witchfire at the warforged leader, and then becomes shadowy with his shadow walk.

Quiver fires a burst of shadows at the warforged leader and becomes visible, then lays an assassin's shroud on him. Erich slides the warforged leader off the edge, but he grabs onto the ledge and avoids falling. Erich then plays a soft tune that invades his memory, augmenting it with his psionic power, but the warforged leader resists. Eldaen moves up on the leader, uses his divine sanction and swings his radiant smite on him. The warforged leader shifts in to swing at Eldaen and Baltazar, missing Erich. He mends some of his broken parts with a blue patch of magic. Baltazar uses inspiring word on himself, then uses Stand the Fallen to swing his triple-headed flail, missing him but healing the group. Pock uses Mire the Mind, but he misses.

Quiver fires an arrow, pushing the warforged back, and the grappling spirits swirl around him and miss him. Erich misses the warforged with his disheartening strike. Eldaen uses his divine shield and hunter's quarry and swings his holy strike, missing the warforged. The warforged leader shifts and uses his knight's honor again, hitting Eldaen. Baltazar uses his Warlord's Strike and misses the warforged. Pock assaults him with spirits of the feywild, bloodying him, then casts an illusory sound of the cliff cracking behind him.

Quiver lays assassin's shroud on warforged, fires a swirling burst of spirits at him and releases the shrouds, damaging the warforged further. Erich uses disheartening strike, augmented, on the warforged and misses. Eldaen lays hands on Baltazar, then swings and misses a holy strike. The warforged, dazed by Quiver's attack and affected by Pock's illusion, shifts away from the edge and to a position next to only Eldaen. Baltazar uses a furious smash on the warforged, setting him up for a hit by Eldaen. Pock fires an eldritch blast from his dagger at the warforged, missing.

Quiver fires and misses the warforged, and he shakes off his dazed effect. Erich, now convinced that the warforged is immune to his psionic, begins playing a jaunty tune. Eldaen swings his holy strike at the warforged, leaving a huge scorch mark across his chest. The warforged swings and misses Eldaen. Baltazar uses guarding attack and misses the warforged. Pock fires an eldritch blast and misses.

Quiver fires and hits the warforged, binding him in shadows and casting him to the ground, where he is torn apart.

We take a five minute rest, and Pock sneaks into the tower to look around. He sees that the passage doesn't continue, but is covered in rubble. There is a magic circle engraved in the floor in a room with crates, a ladder and a trap door. After resting, Baltazar leads us into the tower. Erich and Pock identify the magic circle as a Cannith mark used as a small creation forge, as well as for summoning. Quiver looks at the crates and the rest of the room, noticing that there is some sort of copper wiring running underneath the floor, and some of the runes are also filled with copper. One crate looks like it was carted here and left, and doesn't appear to be locked.

Quiver investigates the unusual crate, and finds that it looks like someone's personal affects, including Cyran gold pieces and a sheaf of papers. This includes a list of people's names and supplies, as well as coded sections, and Baltazar determines they are from a caravan that left Metrol three days before the Day of Mourning. The small locked crates, unlocked by Pock, contained the missing seven square tiles and a crystal inscribed with a House Cannith rune that goes in the middle and copper wire to complete the runes.

Before giving in to Erich and Pock's desire to reactivate the runes, Eldaen and Quiver scout the upper floor. They don't find much of anything. Erich and Pock, given dispensation from Baltazar, use mage hand to put the pattern together.

They discover that it could be used to summon elementals, empower magic items or create a portal. Eldaen believes that a portal could be created to Thelanis. As Pock begins trying to put it together, Baltazar tries to recall anything he knows about the history of the area, but can't recall anything in particular. Quiver tries to recognize the pattern to help Pock and Erich put it together, and Erich applies his arcane knowledge, and they believe they've completed the portal correctly. Pock tries to climb up to get a bird's eye (gnome's eye?) view, but the floor is not stable enough for him. However, he does examine it to determine if it's a trap, and realizes that we're putting together an electrical trap.

With that knowledge, Erich tries to put the pattern together differently, realizing that removing the copper wire would only affect the creation aspect of the pattern. Eldaen and Quiver try to examine the new pattern, and try to figure out what we're doing wrong. Baltazar begins barking orders at us, but it doesn't particularly help. Eldaen uses his insight to try and see what the pattern is, and Erich tries again to use his arcana to put the pattern together.

Pock puts the crystal in as Baltazar orders the rest of us to back up and runs in to clear extra debris and crates out. The rune lights up, and a glow fills the area. There is a smell reminiscent of spring. Something begins to manifest in the circle, and a tall, pale-skinned eladrin wearing leather engraved with runes holds his arms out to us, palms up and says in elven "I bring you greetings."

He says that he has heard our names in Thelanis, and that he hopes to call us friends. "The great oracle of my people told me that you might help us." He introduces himself as Paleus of the Gloaming Fey of Quiet Hall, and tells us we'll have to find our own portal into the Feywild. "My people keep a cemetery, the Garden of Graves, that has been a place of peace and reflection for centuries. However, several years ago, a force moved in from outside and began to taint the countryside around it. They've changed the construction, and created buildings, desecrating the gravesite."

He tells us to return to the Wandering Inn, and the prophecy will lead us to the Thelanis portal that we need to find. Pock subtly pockets the crystal used to open the portal. Quiver buries one of the components nearby to prevent anyone from using it. We spend the night to rest in the tower, and head out of the Mournland, three days' journey to reach the Wandering Inn. The bard, known as the Silver Fox, immediately greets us and we are given a warm greeting by the inhabitants.

Telaran d'Ghallanda comes to our table to greet us. She tells us that their Orien contacts are moving them to the edge of Q'barra tomorrow. Baltazar knows of a Cyran refugee town in Q'barra that he wants to check into. We sell the copper wiring for gold.

Early the next morning, there is a big free breakfast and several guests leave, and the rest of us help pack everything up. Baltazar gathers the Ravens together to pitch in, and we gather together into the wagons so that the contracted House Orien operatives can transport us to the new location. We help pack everything back out.

After a day of rest, early the next morning, an alarm horn sounds, and one of the scouts comes running in. The Ravens are planting torches, and a couple of logging wagons, badly torn up, are making their way to the Inn. Baltazar and Eldaen move in to help heal the wounded, and discover that they are covered in tiny cuts and arrows. Pock, after terrifying one of the loggers, determines that it was done by pixies, which is unusual behavior for them.

We set off into Q'barra to find the origin of the pixie attack. Quiver thinks he sees something, and he and Pock scout ahead and find either a human child or a halfling. "What is a little girl doing in the middle of the jungle of Q'barra?" Quiver wonders. When Quiver doesn't move, Pock moves toward the child. Pock makes himself visible and causes the child to scream, drawing Eldaen to the area. She says her name is Mara, and that she isn't lost. She says she lives in the forest with her parents, and a "horse" came and stabbed her dad with its horn. Then it killed her mom by trampling her, and Mara ran.

The rest of us come out and meet Mara, except for Quiver, who is stalking alongside the group. Baltazar picks her up and carries her, giving her some Sarlonan candy. We move up on their cabin, and the place is cleared. Quiver examines the wound on her parents to determine that it is a unicorn wound, and spots blood-ridden tracks into the forest. We go into the house to scout it and get a toy for Mara. There's no indication that they drew this down on themselves.

We go to take the girl to her relatives, and Baltazar tells them that the Wandering Inn is nearby. The uncle tells us that there is a clearing with a standing stone nearby, and Eldaen takes them back to the Inn and then returns.

There are three dead bodies, all young women, surrounding the standing stone, and it looks like they may have been laying here for a while. Eldaen moves up to inspect one of the bodies, and recognizes some sort of illusion magic at work. As he moves back to report, we hear screeches and the dead bodies are revealed as dryads, and harpies fly in to attack.

Dryads move in on Eldaen, and two of them claw him viciously. Two of the harpies begin singing their alluring song, pulling Quiver, Eldaen, Baltazar, Pock and Erich and immobilizing them, and Erich causes infernal wrath damage to one of the harpies. Quiver fires an arrow at the harpy in the midst of the rest of the group, hitting it and anchoring it to the ground with shadow energy, then he activates his cloak of shades. Erich grabs a harpy with telekinetic force and turns it into a living missile, flinging her into the anchored harpy and knocking the original target done, and he is no longer immobilized. Pock curses the anchored harpy and uses shared agony on her, drawing psychic damage on himself for a deadly blast that bloodies her, then teleports back into the woods and is no longer immobilized. Eldaen misses with his holy outrage, but the burning anger of Teros still surrounds him. Baltazar uses war of attrition on the anchored harpy, killing it and giving all of his allies a bonus to attack. As the harpy dies, Pock curses all of the remaining enemies.

Dryads close in around Eldaen, only one of them hits him, bloodying him. The prone (living missile) harpy stands and unleashes a brutal scream on everyone but Quiver, hitting Baltazar and Eldaen. The other harpy uses alluring song on everyone, although Pock avoids it by teleporting deeper into the woods, and then it flies away. Quiver casts a shroud on one of the dryads, then fires a shadow wasp strike at that dryad. Erich pulls the harpy and swings it through the wasps and smashes it into a dryad, knocking it prone, then pulls the other harpy next to Eldaen, causing it to attack the prone harpy, then he moves out of the range of the harpies. Pock moves closer, still in the woods, and fires an eldritch blast at the prone harpy that bloodies it. Eldaen misses the harpy and uses lay on hands on himself. Baltazar uses inspiring word on Eldaen, then orders Eldaen to attack the prone harpy.

Dryad rushes into the woods past Pock, the other two chase after it. The prone harpy gets up and flies away slowly, the other one claws Eldaen. Quiver fires an arrow that bursts into a cloud of bats around the dryads, bloodying one of them. Erich uses betrayal on one of the harpies and misses. Pock uses forceful assault and misses the dryad, doing a bit of collateral damage. Eldaen misses and then saves against being immobilized. Baltazar orders him to strike and he swings and hits the harpy, then uses his circlet to save against being immobilized.

Dryads merge into the tree and then teleport to a different tree. Harpies use their alluring songs on Baltazar, Eldaen and Quiver. Quiver moves the crowd of bats and uses encaging spirits to burst the dryads and harpy away from him, then fires possessing spirits at bloodied Dryad, causing it to attack the other Dryad, and saves against immobilized. Erich uses betrayal and misses. Pock moves in, fires witchfire at the bloodied harpy, and mist seems to be emerging from its fingers and eyes, then uses his action point to mire the mind of that harpy. Eldaen hits other harpy with martyr's retribution. Baltazar misses with bastion of defense.

Dryads move to attack Erich and miss. The bloodied harpy disintegrates into mist, the other harpy claws Eldaen. Quiver fires an escaping shot at the bloodied Dryad, then moves the cloud of bats. Erich uses betrayal on one of the dryads to cause it to attack the bloodied Dryad, turning her into another gray mist undead, and Erich runs away from all that. Pock uses a ring of pain on the remaining harpy, leaving her with a nasty psychic echo. Eldaen throws his trident at the harpy and misses. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire a biting swarm at the harpy.

Dryad moves to attack Erich and misses, the mist one disintegrates. The harpy takes psychic damage and is bloodied, sings its alluring song and pushing Eldaen and Baltazar away. Quiver fires at the harpy. Erich shifts out of the cloud of bats and uses memory hole on the harpy and misses. Pock fires and misses. Eldaen throws and misses with his trident, and is still immobilized. Baltazar uses blood designation on the harpy next to him and misses, uses his action point to order Quiver to shoot the harpy with grappling spirits.

Dryads take ongoing damage from blood designation and ring of pain, move to attack Baltazar, who activates his recoil shield to knock that dryad prone. Harpy takes ring of pain damage, flies out of the cloud of bats and saves versus the psychic damage. Quiver fires an arrow at the harpy, activating the gray mist effect. Erich uses dishearten on the dryads, hitting one of them. Pock blasts that dryad as well. Eldaen uses divine mettle, runs over to flank the dryad and hits with holy strike, bloodying it. Baltazar misses the dryad.

Dryad hits Eldaen, the other one misses Baltazar, and the harpy expires. Quiver fires at the dryad with biting swarm, and Erich uses dishearten on the same one with a critical hit, killing it. Pock fires at the remaining dryad with eyebite, missing it. Eldaen moves between the dryads and swings his strength from valor at them. Baltazar attacks the dryad and sets it up for attack by Eldaen.

Dryad claws Eldaen, bloodying him. Quiver fires a biting swarm ino the dryad, bloodying it. Erich and Pock blast it, reducing it to misty undead. Eldaen takes his second wind, then hits it when Baltazar orders him to. It claws at Eldaen one last time, but can't hit.

Io’Lokar, The Bastion, Argonessen-approximately 984

"Your Grace," said the aged Elven woman without turning or hearing a spoken word, the very gravity of the room had seemed to change. "Thank you for seeing me."

"I would find it hard not to answer and urgent summons from you, youngling," rumbled a voice like mountain roots. The elf turned towards the voice.

"It has been many an era since anyone could call me youngling, Your Grace." Her many-lined face broke open with a smile from emotions now centuries old. She gazed up adoringly at the huge golden shape as he squeezed into the Hall of Records. After navigating the door Rutilisincendiaxx cocked his old head to one side, there was a sharp echoing crack as his neck again moved as he intended.

"That is perhaps true, Elebenna, but I reserve the right, I believe I am entitled," he paused, "by heritage and by experience, yes?"

"Yes, Your Grace," again she smiled at ancient memories, "You are entitled."

"What is it you have found?" He laid his claw open before her and she stepped in, her white robes a whisper along the floor. He raised her up and sat her on his shoulder her long, silver braid trailed her in her flight. She faced the configuration of multi colored crystals on the south wall of the huge chamber and waving her hands she spoke words that were ancient to both of them. Lights bloomed in the crystals and images began to appear on the wall.

"One of my searchers found this new pattern, Your grace, in Khorvaire, the region now called The Demon Wastes. It appeared etched in some ancient standing stones." An image of a menhir appeared, covered with the curving graceful runes that had intrigued the dragons for age upon age. "Now look at the same rune pattern appearing in this lava flow. And then on this Hobgoblin ruin. And then, oddly, in this painting by that so-called, 'mad' prophet in Cyre, the blind one that I spoke to you about? I believe these marks constitute a pattern that we have been looking for."

"I see," said the dragon, "and what do you think it means?"

"I believe it's a key. Look at this piece of undecipherable coutal journal from the Age of Demons." It appeared on the wall. There was silence.

"So then," whispered the ancient gold, "What have we here?"

"You see it then, Ruti?" she asked in a schoolgirl voice, decorum forgotten. "The Ancient Flame of Darkness-Spawn of Traitor and Mother, shall rise and fall twice, and then rise a third time." The dragon took over.

"A third time to grasp the heart of Siberys and lift himself above all powers, bending even the Word of the Progenitors to his will?' By Bahamut's silky beard, that can't be right!" This time the voice shook the hall.

"Wait, Your Grace, there is more. 'Unless he be opposed by broken powers from the Contagion Kingdom, the blackened iron scavengers, Khyber will open….' There's no more."

"There doesn't need to be anymore, youngling! Have you had a vision of this? When does it occur?"

"I know not, Your Grace." She lowered her head. "It must be after the birth of whatever the Contagion Kingdom is, that term appears repeatedly the last few decades. What is a 'black iron scavenger?"

"Black iron is what the dwarves call steel. That particular rune configuration for 'scavenger' is referring to a bird, a raven I think. What do you suggest we do youngling?" he lowered her to the ground. She stepped out and turn to face him, in a moment he was a golden clothed elf, ancient in years, but full of life.

"I suggest we wait for this Contagion Kingdom, and then watch for 'steel scavenger birds.' What do you think?"

"I think you are correct, and we should hold our findings close to us. There is no need for the 'Eyes' to know, nor the Order. I will inform our contacts in the Chamber. Keep your best long term searchers on it."

"Will I see you tonight?" she asked tentatively, "it's been a long time since you visited, Your Grace." She bowed her head, blushing.

"Yes, my love. You will."

Dame Tularin d’Ghallanda (as portrayed by Linda Hunt) on the Exiled, The Wandering Inn, Talenta, 998

Candy brought them in that first time. He had led them into the Mournland again looking for survivors and they had a rough go. How much sorrow can men take? Most of 'em already carrying the scars from what that big ruby made them do to those Hobgoblin children, and the one's that weren't there? They all had sorrow etched into their faces. So I offered him sanctuary, that's what we do on the Plains. And I quickly became friends with that motley bunch of vagabonds. The ones from Cyre? They still wear their Raven patches but that's all that separates them from the rest of the crew that Sandesh runs around with. The found us with amazing regularity whenever they were in need. Candy says it's because of the elf, not the Valenar, the one they call Quiver. He kept finding the Inn.

They helped us out of a couple of situations and I asked for and received permission to hire the Steel Ravens for security. So now the Steel Ravens are contracted with the Wandering Inn and headquarter out of it. Ostensibly that includes Sandesh (Candyman) but his group of friends, called the Exiled by our bard, work away from the Inn and only return between jobs, quests, what have you. They're good boys.

Candy you know about, and I mentioned Quiver, scary that one, and I think I mentioned the other elf? Eldaen? Holy warrior, but still Valenaran, not someone you want on the wrong side of you. Pock, the gnome, he's been with them since their first visit. Hiding something or I don't know anything, but hey, we keep your secrets, with no extra charge. Erich the tiefling, I don't get him, he seems…..distracted. And then came the day that brought Krotos into the Inn, it was silent as the grave, I knew we were in deep trouble and was already looking for the order forms for new furniture, but he was self-controlled and polite, and had a sense of humor! A minotaur! And he does flips!!!

They've called the Inn home for some time now. Most of their interests and connections are in this part of Khorvaire. I find them alternately amusing and scary as Khyber. But they always help, and they always pay their tab.

I just wish they could find peace. But so few of us have.