The World of Telvar

Jerem is returning with his brother to Sark, specifically the
stonelands. He will be helping to keep the peace and keep the Far World
Empire out of his homeland. If it turned out that there was a more
urgent need for his (or his and his brother's) skills elsewhere, there
would be interest on his part to do so. But so far no one has expressed
a need for him.

Jerem/Jen

Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

I thought Jerem and Janthro left for Sark after the GP was defeated
around Sept 28.
Konrad & Co; Gil; and presumably Gram will leave after the super party
following the sacral's exoricism which was around Oct 27. Note that it is
probably too late for Gram to sail to Koralgesh because of weather.

If appears that the Stone Soules will soon take a small down time to
train Canstin and Deirdre and repair Ceydric's armour. Xavier would like
to go to Tulan so that we might find a suitable trade for the battleaxe
+3/ potion vitality/ morning star +1/+3. (I doubt it, but it never hurts
to try). If Gram wouldn't mind waiting for a trivial mite expedition to
get Deirdre the 100xp or so she needs for 3rd, several people might want
to go with him during the downtime. (Eli might want to go to Jonalom to
trade spells).

(out of character) the downtime would be a good way to quickly introduce
Joel's character into the party.

Jack/Xavier

News (in brief) from the latest game (ask for more elaboration if you'd like
to hear it).

Basic story:
1. Attack mites
2. Brief down-time: train Canstin, pick up [Joel's character] Rangorn and
Canstin's henchwoman Runt.
3. Theo, Xavier, Sahrak, Eli, Claude, Deirdre (and Gram, Meriel, and
Memphis) go to Jonhalom, stay a few days.
4. Deirdre trains in Jonhalom, Eli trades, Sahrak trades.
5. Gram, Xavier, M&M, Theo, Sahrak go on Carse.
6. Explore Carse. Trade.
7. Gram and M&M go on to Tulan while we head back to Jonhalom.
8. Pick up Eli and Deirdre and Claude in Jonhalom; go to Middle.
9. Behir sign results are gained.

Elaboration:
1. Mites took longer than we expected (had to fight some spiders and giant
ants on the way). Mites had bronze/brass doors, which the augury hinted
were not good to go poking around behind (probably related to confined LE
force also presumed to be behind bronze doors upstairs).
2,3 No comments.
4. Both Eli and Sahrak get useful spells. Sahrak trades for _Color Spray_.
5. No comments.
6. Carse is COOL! Gram picked up some useful info. Trade Battle Axe +3
and Morning star +1/+3 versus ogres for a magical two-handed sword at an
establishment of questionable character. [If you must know, the sword is
+2/+4 on unspecified conditions; of course, your characters have no idea
since this point is specifically considered a party secret, in fact only
known to a few part members: there's more to it than that, suffice to say].
7. Tulan was not dealt with. If you're in this group, talk to Edwin.
8. The way to Jonhalom involved our acquisition of the TH sword [again,
party secret]
9. The Behir says "I will strongly consider leaving if the mithril key is
returned to the city and me."

That's about it!
Kyle/Alegra

Posted by Joel Green at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What we did:

Argue.

We then attacked the Sacral. It was affected by fire, magic missles,
LIMMs, spiritual hammers, dust devils and Alegra's crossbow bolts. (not
goblins though) Because of its slow movement rate, we were able to
outmaneuver it and eventually disperse it.

Alegra exorcised it while Xavier and Star chanted. It reformed during the
Exoricism and attacked Canstin and Alegra. It missed Alegra, and Canstin
made his saving throw. Konrad, Ceydric, Aria, and Canstin were able to
quickly inflict enough damage to destroy it. Alegra finished the exorcism.

We received alot of treasure from the Sacral's pile of bones over which
it formed and from the gatehouse.

Total: Jewelry 8,000
Gems 11,250
Coins ~1,000
-------
20,114

Konrad and Memphis got ~2,500 gp and a wand of magic missles.

The stone soules got a token of 'door'

We threw a huge party to thank Konrad and wish them farewell.

Posted by Joel Green at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In brief: Versus the Philosopher

We entered the area with some _Dust Devils_ (2 from support group, 1 from
Alegra) and advanced. 9 thoughts attacked per wave. Some got through on
each wave, and they all went for Konrad in the center who had Gram's
sun-coin and his own Prot. from Evil. Konrad took damage from the thoughts
like everyone else. Eventually, we were closer to the main gate and decided
it would be better to advance and go through than retreat (i.e. it was closer).

The gate was to our right and a tower structure to our left. From the tower
a black cloud began to creep towards us. This killed the _Dust Devil_
Alegra had with her (draining it of a HD, before it died). The wall of
black cloud slowly approached us from behind. Zombie Bugbears appeared in
front of us. Weird telescope things sprayed lightning at us. A (later
identified as a) humanoid (with a staff) fired magic missiles into us (from
the staff). As it came closer, the wall was filled with skeletons, many
many of them. This matches the description of a Sacrawl (sp). Then it
basically became a race to escape. Lightning was thrown around blasted
zombies. Alegra _Called Lightning_ and dis damage to the wall of black
cloud, but the skeletons simply reformed 2 segments later, slowing it down
(it was moving 3" anyway). We then hit the gate, opened it with the Chime
and escaped. The Sacrawl (and its haze) attempted to follow us out of the
city but stopped not far from it. (weird ghoul-like more intelligent undead
followed at this point)

Note: the thoughts seemed to stop pretty close to the gate house.

Forces:
1. Thoughts
2. Zombie Bugbears
3. Sacrawl wall
4. Humanoid with staff
5. Ghoul-like undead

Kyle/Alegra

In very brief:

We came along the wall to the gatehouse to attack the GP.
The lightning spray devices were mounted onto the top of the gatehouse and
manned by zombies pushing levers.

We busted a door down and went down into the lair of the GP, a black-robed
figure sitting on a throne of bones, holding a gnarled black staff.
Thoughts formed right in front of what would be a head. Eli blasted the GP
and took a shot from the staff (a gray beam which did damage and could have
withered his arm). In short order, the GP was destroyed but a point of evil
remained. When Konrad kicked the staff away the evil followed, so the staff
was then destroyed. A retreat was then initiated, since the 3" moving
Sacrol was then drawing close.

Only treasure: a wand of magic missiles which zombies were using.

Kyle

In More complete detail:
-----------------------in character

Because scaling the wall where the GP defenses were was a dangerously
risky strategy, I suggested that we scale the wall north of the gatehouse
outside of the GP sphere of influence. The first time we tried
this we discovered that the vegetation on the walls inhibited visibility
so that as we approached the gatehouse the first wave of thoughts hit us
before we were able to bring our defenses to bear. Konrad took about
seven wounds at once, and we decided to withdraw.

I then realized that the vegetation should decrease as the closer we get
to the gatehouse, for when we approached by the road, we the vegetation
became very sparse near the gatehouse and tower. So we tried the next
day on the wall, rushing to get to clearer ground.

After three or four waves of nine thoughts and being hit by that
lightning device and magic missles, we made it to the battlement on top
of the gatehouse. This elevated battlement did impede our progress to the
center of the gatehouse roof, but a door was below the battlement
assessible to us on the wall. There were over a dozen zombie creatures on
the battlement- one using a wand and another moving mechanical controls for
the lightning device. These creatures were pretty tough (30-40 hp) A
series of arrows and lightning bolts destroyed most of them, and Memphis
backstabed the zombie with the wand and destroyed it.

Ceydric succeeded in breaking down the door, but he was immediately hit
by seven thoughts inflicting massive damage and seven wounds. Konrad
layed hands on him and Alegra D-Doored him and cured him. Then Konrad,
Theo, Eli, Claude and myself went down into the center of the gatehouse.
Konrad lead us to the evil focal point of the GP.

The Grey Philosopher was a large cloaked figure holding a long staff in
its right hand. Under the hood of the cloak we could see, instead of a
face, writhing thoughts being formed. I immediately fired a lightning
bolt at its head, destroying all the thoughts before they could attack.
Konrad and Theo rushed forward to engage it while Eli fired his last
lightning bolt at it and I started my prayer. The GP send a bolt from his
staff hitting Eli, inflicting damage but not withering Eli's arm. Then
the GP collapses after Konrad and Theo's successful attackes. Konrad
still detects a significant evil presence and kicks the staff. It is then
apparant that the staff is the focal point as the evil source moved with
it. After I sprinkled holy water on it it was seriously damaged. Claude
and Theo both hit the staff with their axes and destroyed it, although
Claude's axe was disintegrated and Theo's battleaxe +3 resisted this effect.

Meanwhile, Jerem Janthro and later Ceydric went to the top of the
battlement to help Memphis out, who was fighting two of the zombie
creatures and in serious trouble. Although Memphis later went down, the
remaining zombies were destroyed.

Then the retreat was on- we wanted to avoid the oncoming sacral. Eli
created a wall of ice inhibiting the sacral's movement for a few
segments. This bought enought time for all of us to escape along the wall
and reach base camp without further incident.

I believe the GP is destroyed permantly (we will find out soon if he is
not, however). Although numerous sources indicate that sacrals reform, we
have nothing to indicate whether the GP will.

Next: incinerating the Sacral...

Xavier

(For reference:
Konrad arrived Middle 28 August 2177.
Others (Gilthanus, etc.) arrived 8 September.
12 September, Great Ones (GO) were defeated.
It is 28 September when Grey Philosopher GP was defeated.)

Posted by Joel Green at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A Divination of the Zone of the GP: (2000 + 2000 from Konrad's diamond +
Ring of Alignment Shielding)

The Forces of XXXXXX are prevalent in the area
The strength of the forces are only strong, but inspiringly resilient.
There is vast immobile irrecoverable treasure in the area.
Moderate wealth is also in the area.

XXXXXX is the name of the/an infernal power who's name should not be
invoked. We went to get the name researched from Beck, and Eli invoked the
name the second time. It summoned a weird abyssling-like creature with
weird abilities (Eli, Sahrak, Yorlik, Xavier, Claude went to End for this).
Yorlik was eaten. Eli escaped with a dimension door. Beck saved Xavier in
the end. Eli, before leaving, dropped some vitrioli which nearly killed the
first creature, sending it back to its plane, and ultimately killing the
second, which did not make it back. A third, small, fanged, winged,
cat-like being appeared and touched Eli. Eli then had many black traceries
all over his skin. This turned out to be "Tainting," that is, Eli could be
_Turned_ by good clerics, detected as a point of Evil (Malignant), and could
not in fact be affected by clerical healing magics (since clerics can't
touch him). An _Atonement_ would be necessary to help him.

When they arrived back in Middle, Eli was _Dispel Magic_ed/Remove Curse_d.
This temporarily (for 10 days) removed the Taint, which then allowed us to
attack the GP.

Kyle

Posted by Joel Green at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)