Characters:
Kathy - Vochma
Micah - Cardhu
Mark - Corlis
Ben - Drew
Liz - Quera
Joe - Moth
[… We continue our discussions with Eric the Pious and Rayward concerning many things]
The first thing discussed was the picture left after Vine's portrait was discovered. Eric examined the image and expressed the opinion that this was a sketch of the sword, gem and altar cloth someone had done in haste. He also concluded the golden lettering was Eastern Island writing, and appeared to be an indication of where the items might be found. It includes the phrases "beneath the sands" and "in the undead lair" and "always to the left". He also believed the red and right border was done at the same time as the golden writing.
The red scrawl he felt was the Black Speech. He also identified the symbols with the same meanings as Tarkis.
Moth then asked about the Old Ones, and Eric gave us a lecture on them. There were eight of them. Their very blood was magic. They were summoned from the void by Lichtedon and Lord Eldar. (See Ancient World History).
Moth spent some time studying the map, and concluded the numbers on the borders might be latitudes and longitude, noting several arrows pointing to various items and the numbers on the border. Rayward then pulls out some old maps that indicate Arendur, an ancient city that now lies in the middle of the Great Waste, might lie at the location marked by the image's latitude and longitude markings. This city is now in ruin, destroyed by the lords of chaos.
On the void, chaos and order: When the void was let in to the world, and great conflict followed, some of the gods accepted the mark of the void, becoming the lords of chaos. [Think of the void as radiation, life as law, and chaos as cancer].
Those that accept the rune of true power (evil), and the void become the devils, those that accept the symbol of chaos and the void become demons. Devils and demons are greatly opposed.
We then discussed previous events, and mentioned the creature that appeared in the summoner's hut a while back. Eric identified it as devilkin.
We also described the white worms. They are apparently the white worms of Og, a dragonish thing, and are related to the Eye of Og. Rayward then mentioned he accompanied the Duke to the fallen temple of Lopnel to recover the eye some time ago, though they failed when they encountered some foul undead creature. The white worms come from Ochamham (another plane?) and are the servants of Og. Styles, Kaliban Keen-Eye, Grantile and "the Gremlin" went there and recovered the Eye of Og.
The Old Ones' names are used as verbal components of spells. (At this point, Drew claims "I don't think I have any intelligence.") Many believe every time a spell is cast the chains holding the Old Ones are loosened, and when they are free Armageddon follows.
Back to the sword of Lopnel. Eric claims Lopnel's enemy Alof (a lich now?) took the sword and altar cloth into the Great Waste (perhaps to Arendur?) after the Lunars razed the high temple. We also discover the temple ruins lie to the north of Veldman's Needles. After the fall of the temple of Lopnel and the stealing of the sword, cloth, and gem, there have been no more paladins of Lopnel.
Rayward also mentioned hearing rumors from the overmen that travel the waste that Arendur has been re-inhabited by ogres, morkanth or worse.
We show Eric the sword and vial we recovered from the corpse found in the summoner's hut. He listens to our story of Vine and reveals that Vine is tied to witchcraft and covens. One of the more active devils.
The conjunction: As we discuss the conjunction and mention the name Tarkis, Rayward recalls the reason for recovering the eye. They were getting it for Tarkis. Acos and Thunston are demon stars. Eric reveals there are many rituals that are possible involving these stars. Eric seems to feel the conjunction is a huge power source that can be tapped by those with the proper knowledge.
Conversation then turns to the supposed chaos portal the trolls have. There are many types of portals, including portals of passage, sacrifice, travel, etc. Eric theorizes the trolls may be possessed.
We then ask about the empty nest, rowing with one oar and the burning nest images. Both Rayward and Eric seem to think these are very negative images. Missing something?
We show Eric and Rayward the crystalline rocks. Eric claims they are the rocks of Dundee, and they would prevent hunger and thirst. We disbelieve.
We mention the shape shifters and the illusionist and Rayward says they were hunted down long ago.
The Eye of Og: Power of charm and sight, grants all knowledge, summoning the white worms, held at the temple of Lopnel for a long time.
About Halor: Rayward mentions he came in about two years ago, sponsored by Widbert the grainer. Strangely enough the same time the King took power.
Thus ended the discussion with Eric and Rayward. The Duke sent for Rayward to join him in council, and we elected to go to Wanda's for some relaxation.
Cardhu's sisters told us Felix and Smeely were still hanging around waiting for us. There was also an older rather dusty looking fellow in the bar, James. We talked to him and discovered he was a prospector down from the Needles. He claims he was surprised by kobolds in the mountains but they didn't hurt him. He also mentioned a booming noise, accompanied by flashing in the skies and the smells of rotten egg. We also noticed Gerald the constable in the bar playing cards (strange, he doesn't really like Wanda's family).
[side note: Cardhu is Wanda's son]
Gerald asked about the death of Halor, allowing Cardhu to deftly sidestep the question.
We spoke briefly with Shmeple the farmer, who seemed quite happy with life now that there were no more giant insects in his fields. Drew discussed life with Shmeple's pig, while the rest of us study the map given to us by the Leprechauns.
After a brief visit in Wanda's, a messenger from the Duke came for us, and we were led to see him, along with Rayward, Heranavi, Mova, and Walwyn. The Duke was going to go with his friends to recover the Eye from the temple of Lopnel. He told us to find Tarkis to discover more of the Eye. Heranavi offered to teach some of our mages a spell which might help us pass the wards in the trolls den.
We discussed methods of slowing the Baron, but didn't come up with anything.
We suggested searching Halor's which the Duke agrees to. He sends Magnild along as an official presence.
We also discussed the royal cartographer, and why he might want a map of Veldman's Needles to no conclusion.
We next went to Halor's to search the shop. Drew used magic to see any traps that protected the place. We quickly discovered a set of wards protecting the place. After brief discussion, I elected to break the wards and step in, suffering a minor blast of magical energy. Exploring inward, I discovered a strange living curtain, which Moth shot full of arrows. Then Drew came in, and noted the sources of the wards. Then we were attacked by a nasty imp which charmed me into attacking Drew (why does that keep happening anyhow?). Eventually, we drove it off and broke the wards, but not after it caused much chaos and conflict. Once the wards were down, everyone came in and three of the party were struck down by a cloud of gaseous poison. Eventually we ended up getting everyone back to the healers and restored, and managed a thorough search of the place, uncovering a strange scroll with many symbols which seemed related to the eye, the white worms, and some sort of portal.
Seeing that many of our party were wounded or ill, we elected to retire for the night. Cardhu, Moth, and Vochma at the healers, Drew, Quera and I at Wanda's.
The next morning, Drew failed to show up at breakfast. We went up to check his room, and discovered he was missing! A brief scrawl on the wall and a blood trail leading out the window is all we find. Quera and I trailed him into Gebnick Glade to the south, where we found him in the company of a group of leprechauns, who apparently had rescued him from the imp. We got him back, and agreed once again to get the king of the leprechaun's ring back from the trolls. They also gave us a teleportation necklace to aid us in getting to Tarkis, and agreed to harass Baron Stewart on his way to the Duke's area.
We returned to town, then the three of us (Quera, Drew and I) teleported out to the place we last saw Tarkis. Drew contacts the birds in the area and asks them to look for Tarkis for us. We wait.
We wait. Late that evening, two men arrived, Misha and his link-boy. Misha claimed to be a demon-slayer, and offered his services to me. I accepted, though not without some doubts about the situation (strange coincidence?) We set watches for the night, heal ourselves up, and waited for Tarkis.
Tarkis arrived at our camp and we discussed the Eye of Og with him. He seemed to think it was a threat so long as it was in this plane, and it should be returned to Ochamham. He also told us he sent Ethan, a master thief, to retrieve the Eye from the temple and to cast it back through the portal. He told us Ethan would contact us one way or another. He also suggested that the trolls might be possessed. Finally he told us he sent Misha to aid us, and that we could trust him with our lives. Lastly he said the Eye of Og would protect us against the white worms, but that its use came at a heavy price.
Finally Tarkis did a divination, which revealed a sword, gem and cloth in our future. He also warned us against the Gash of the Gods (in the Needles), and that my parents were warning me against something. Also a message for Moth that the half that was broken lies with Gar, a minotaur, who perhaps might be found at Farpoint.
That afternoon found us back in town, the amulet destroyed with its second use. The Duke had returned, and Heranavi was seriously wounded. They found the Eye missing. After discussing things with the Duke, we cleverly healed our friends using the salve Tarkis gave us previously (Duoh!) We also relayed Tarkis' message for Moth.
We began our journey towards the trolls and the chaos portal once again. A few hours into Gebnick Glade, we encountered a grayish worm thing, holding something in its hand. We tried approach peacefully, as it seemed friendly at first, but a change came over it, and Misha attacked. Chaos ensued. Two of us charmed. Cardhu slew Misha which in turn killed Jarel, and others end up running wildly through the woods.
We all finally ended up back in town. Walwyn was very disappointed in the death of Misha. Later that day, we encountered the Lady Sernilina, a resident of the town. She agreed to bring back Misha, provided we agree to slay a void creature in the Needles by the end of the season. Having no choice, we agreed. Misha is returned to life. We are depressed and disillusioned. However one bright note, apparently Baron Stewart's forces are being routed by mysterious forces.
We returned to the deeps of Gebnick Glade to retrieve the Eye and close the portal, or at least try. Once again we encountered the gray worm, but this time we managed to retrieve the Eye of Og (though Misha ended up slaying the creature, or perhaps put it out of its misery). Alas for poor Ethan. Misha stores the Eye in a container of holy water. We continued on our way to the troll's lair.
A day of forced marching.
We arrived at the caveman village, and the old wise woman warns us off. Apparently we were tainted by having the Eye in our possession. We continued towards the trolls lair. When we arrived, the white worms came forth and the Eye exploded out of the container it was in. I picked up the Eye, and commanded the worms to be gone. Amazingly enough, they vanished one by one. The skeletons quickly followed suit. We now stand before the cavern entrance ready to face the perils within.
The party has (not including items distributed):
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