Post by David on Sept 10, 2015 18:07:52 GMT -5
The heroes (Taarna, Brock, Esmerelda with Drusilla, Cymoril with Tarjar, Tolus, and Kahan) continue their exploration of the Obelisk of Lendor. Before they can, however, Moonlight explains that he cannot continue -- there are no spirits here and the place feels unnatural and wrong. He turns back and uses the final door-handle to re-open the first door and return to Suendrako.
The rest of the heroes push on, entering a room with a black and white square grid. A magic mouth explains that they must defeat white in a game of chess to continue. Before they can think, Taarna becomes the Queen, Brock the Queen's Bishop, Esmerelda the King, Cymoril the King's Knight, Tarjar the Queen's Knight, Tolus the Queen's Rook, and Kahan the King's Bishop. The heroes then begin playing a game of chess where all the other pieces are enhanced, regenerating stone golems! Tarjar, however, proves mightier than the pawn that tries to take him -- he remains and the party's turn is simply skipped when Tarjar is not defeated. This continues several times until Taarna joins the fray. Using her enchanted Morganti blade, Grizzly, she knocks a pawn into an enemy rook, thereby depriving them both of a move due to "cheating". Taarna repeats this again and very quickly puts the White King into checkmate. Excellent work!
The heroes continue to the next room where they encounter a 40' tall sphinx. The doorway to continue is within the creature's chest. The heroes must defeat the creature in a battle of riddles -- the speaker of a wrong answer will be teleported anywhere within the Suel domains...whatever THAT means. Luckily, however, again the heroes prove clever and guess every riddle right on the first try, continuing on without incident.
In the final room, the heroes find themselves in a very realistic spacescape, so much so that many people succumb to vertigo and panic. Beyond, more than 100 yards distant, there appears to be a small asteroid on which a pipe organ has been built. Next to the organ is a gate, open and shimmering in response to the music being played when the heroes arrive. Before the gate are more than two dozen red robed figures, waiting to file through one at a time. The heroes ente rwihtout anyone noticing them over the loud music, but the alienness of the scene is too much for Kahan and Tolus. In this moment of confusion, five spectres and six wraiths surprise the party and attack! The damage they inflict is relatively minor, despite the fact that Kahan and Tolus are all but helpless. Tarjar, Taarna, and Brock, however, manager to fight the undead back and buy Cymoril time to command them. That's when the White Dragon and Blue Dragon of the Scarlet Brotherhood attack with the support of a high-priest of Wee Jas and the Suel lich (now in the form of a hobnorker). Esmerelda goes toe-to-toe with the White Dragon and manages to slam her once using sumai. Unfortunately, the White Dragon lands a lucky blow and stuns the Green Witch. Before she can finish Esmerelda, however, the undead swoop in and start draining her life force. The Blue Dragon is less useful and is taken out nearly immediately. Although the lich is masquerading as one of the norker-like thralls escorting the 'Brotherhood, Taarna can clearly see his life force and knows who and what he is. Joining the half dozen hobnorkers accompanying the lich are a dozen skeletons. Kahan recovers and recalls his premonition. The heroes have only moments before the gate will close and all reality changed forever...!
Suddenly, the intangible undead and hobnorkers are bathed in the green nimbus of a faerie fire. Tarjar and Taarna have fought their way clear of the undead and Tolus is recovering too. Kahan is now dashing directly to the gate as the young woman who was playing the organ collects her sheet music and steps through. Tolus charges the lich while Taarna heads for the cleric. The lich mirror images and the heroes are faced with ten opponents! He then touches Tolus and black flames eat at the man's lifeforce and paralyze him. Brock has grabbed Esmerelda and is headed for the gate when a hold person spell stops him cold. Taarna slaughters the priest of Wee Jas for his audacity. Unfortunately, that leaves three of the seven party members unable to move. Suddenly a young man with long brown hair and a dark complexion appears from nowhere. Clad in elven cloak and boots, the slight figure scoops up first Brock and Esmerelda and then Tolus before charging toward the gate. Taarna, Cymoril, and Tarjar face off against the lich -- the undead have dealt with all the lesser foes.
Kahan steps through and disappears, though he can be seen appearing in the scene beyond the gate...the streets of Suendrako under a warm, midday sky, the buildings fully intact and the streets colorful and lively with thousands of people milling about. The young man, Mikhail, steps through with his collection of three fallen party members. Taarna knocks the lich back and dashes toward the gate. The lich charms Tarjar, asking for him to submit to becoming his new host. Cymoril, however, grabs her paramour before he can object and drags him through the gate...
...The heroes stand under the warm, midday sun in a HUGE throng of celebrating Suel. The people are characterized by their fair, sometimes nearly albino skin, blonde or reddish hair, and eyes ranging in color from gray to blue to purple. Most appear happy and well-cared for. There is some sort of celebration going on and the half dozen Scarlet Brotherhood members who entered the gate early have already disappeared into the crowd, though Taarna can still see the organ player and her life aura is plain enough. The ruins the party had been exploring are now full restored to the height of their glory and majesty. In fact, the heroes too have changed...
...Taarna, Brock, Cymoril, Tarjar, Kahan, and even Esmerelda all bear Suloise neck-tattoos indicating their rank and status. Taarna's red marks denote her as a noble, the last Scion of House Taarak. Brock and Kahan bear the green marks of the clergy. Tarjar and Cymoril have the golden marks of a recognized child of the gods and Esmerelda has the green marks of a peasant. Their clothing is different as well. Everyone is dressed in the appropriate Suloise fashions to fit their indicated station with similar changes to their weapons, armor, and even haircuts. Suel aristocrats wear loose silk or fine linen pantaloons topped by a baggy blouse that it cut low to expose the neck. Both were in solid but differing colors (top was one color, bottom another). A half-dozen or so emblems and tokens round out the outfit. Common folk wear the same style of clothing, but only one solid color of lesser quality materials and few if any tokens. Sumptuary laws forbid non-aristocrats from wearing multiple colors. When they appear, everyone's weapons are sheathed and shields are slung...
...Tolus too has been changed. His neck bears the black tattoos of property and he wears the collar of a slave with his leash in Brock's hands. His weapons are now on the cleric of Kord and his armor strapped to Brock's pack, leaving Tolus wearing little more than a simple red loincloth and harness. Strangely enough, Mikhail is largely unchanged -- his person doesn't bear the slightest difference, from his bright blue eyes to his dark complexion to his long brown hair. His clothing is another matter; apart from his cloak and boots of elvenkind, his modern white tunic and brown breeches have given way to a white kilt-tunic, as found among the ancient Nereganti and his Baklunish broach is conveniently hidden by the folds of his cloak...
...all traces of Moonlight's warpaint are washed clean away...
Status:
Kahan: 21 of 43, 4gbs, 0 of 56 PSPs, *MINUS TWO LEVELS - one probably permanent* cast PROT FIRE, RESIST COLD, PROT LIGHT, cast CLWx3, RC / RF, SPx2, lesser restore / prot fire, speak with dead
Brock: 40 of 65, 8gbs, JUMP, cast CLWx3 / jumpx2, find / ALL / ALL / ALL
Tolus: 44 of 56, 8 gbs
Taarna: 26 of 96, *MINUS THREE LEVELS*, used Rhom's torc
Esmerelda: 41 of 47, cast CWx2, color spray, invis to undeadx2 / hold, ESP, momentx2 / MIx2 / prob, dim fold /
__Drusilla: 12 of 19
Cymoril: 51 of 77, DISEASE, RC, RF
__Tarjar: 1 of 101, 8gbs, *MINUS ONE LEVEL*
Mikhail: 78 (full), 68 of 123 PSPs, cast FF
The rest of the heroes push on, entering a room with a black and white square grid. A magic mouth explains that they must defeat white in a game of chess to continue. Before they can think, Taarna becomes the Queen, Brock the Queen's Bishop, Esmerelda the King, Cymoril the King's Knight, Tarjar the Queen's Knight, Tolus the Queen's Rook, and Kahan the King's Bishop. The heroes then begin playing a game of chess where all the other pieces are enhanced, regenerating stone golems! Tarjar, however, proves mightier than the pawn that tries to take him -- he remains and the party's turn is simply skipped when Tarjar is not defeated. This continues several times until Taarna joins the fray. Using her enchanted Morganti blade, Grizzly, she knocks a pawn into an enemy rook, thereby depriving them both of a move due to "cheating". Taarna repeats this again and very quickly puts the White King into checkmate. Excellent work!
The heroes continue to the next room where they encounter a 40' tall sphinx. The doorway to continue is within the creature's chest. The heroes must defeat the creature in a battle of riddles -- the speaker of a wrong answer will be teleported anywhere within the Suel domains...whatever THAT means. Luckily, however, again the heroes prove clever and guess every riddle right on the first try, continuing on without incident.
In the final room, the heroes find themselves in a very realistic spacescape, so much so that many people succumb to vertigo and panic. Beyond, more than 100 yards distant, there appears to be a small asteroid on which a pipe organ has been built. Next to the organ is a gate, open and shimmering in response to the music being played when the heroes arrive. Before the gate are more than two dozen red robed figures, waiting to file through one at a time. The heroes ente rwihtout anyone noticing them over the loud music, but the alienness of the scene is too much for Kahan and Tolus. In this moment of confusion, five spectres and six wraiths surprise the party and attack! The damage they inflict is relatively minor, despite the fact that Kahan and Tolus are all but helpless. Tarjar, Taarna, and Brock, however, manager to fight the undead back and buy Cymoril time to command them. That's when the White Dragon and Blue Dragon of the Scarlet Brotherhood attack with the support of a high-priest of Wee Jas and the Suel lich (now in the form of a hobnorker). Esmerelda goes toe-to-toe with the White Dragon and manages to slam her once using sumai. Unfortunately, the White Dragon lands a lucky blow and stuns the Green Witch. Before she can finish Esmerelda, however, the undead swoop in and start draining her life force. The Blue Dragon is less useful and is taken out nearly immediately. Although the lich is masquerading as one of the norker-like thralls escorting the 'Brotherhood, Taarna can clearly see his life force and knows who and what he is. Joining the half dozen hobnorkers accompanying the lich are a dozen skeletons. Kahan recovers and recalls his premonition. The heroes have only moments before the gate will close and all reality changed forever...!
Suddenly, the intangible undead and hobnorkers are bathed in the green nimbus of a faerie fire. Tarjar and Taarna have fought their way clear of the undead and Tolus is recovering too. Kahan is now dashing directly to the gate as the young woman who was playing the organ collects her sheet music and steps through. Tolus charges the lich while Taarna heads for the cleric. The lich mirror images and the heroes are faced with ten opponents! He then touches Tolus and black flames eat at the man's lifeforce and paralyze him. Brock has grabbed Esmerelda and is headed for the gate when a hold person spell stops him cold. Taarna slaughters the priest of Wee Jas for his audacity. Unfortunately, that leaves three of the seven party members unable to move. Suddenly a young man with long brown hair and a dark complexion appears from nowhere. Clad in elven cloak and boots, the slight figure scoops up first Brock and Esmerelda and then Tolus before charging toward the gate. Taarna, Cymoril, and Tarjar face off against the lich -- the undead have dealt with all the lesser foes.
Kahan steps through and disappears, though he can be seen appearing in the scene beyond the gate...the streets of Suendrako under a warm, midday sky, the buildings fully intact and the streets colorful and lively with thousands of people milling about. The young man, Mikhail, steps through with his collection of three fallen party members. Taarna knocks the lich back and dashes toward the gate. The lich charms Tarjar, asking for him to submit to becoming his new host. Cymoril, however, grabs her paramour before he can object and drags him through the gate...
...The heroes stand under the warm, midday sun in a HUGE throng of celebrating Suel. The people are characterized by their fair, sometimes nearly albino skin, blonde or reddish hair, and eyes ranging in color from gray to blue to purple. Most appear happy and well-cared for. There is some sort of celebration going on and the half dozen Scarlet Brotherhood members who entered the gate early have already disappeared into the crowd, though Taarna can still see the organ player and her life aura is plain enough. The ruins the party had been exploring are now full restored to the height of their glory and majesty. In fact, the heroes too have changed...
...Taarna, Brock, Cymoril, Tarjar, Kahan, and even Esmerelda all bear Suloise neck-tattoos indicating their rank and status. Taarna's red marks denote her as a noble, the last Scion of House Taarak. Brock and Kahan bear the green marks of the clergy. Tarjar and Cymoril have the golden marks of a recognized child of the gods and Esmerelda has the green marks of a peasant. Their clothing is different as well. Everyone is dressed in the appropriate Suloise fashions to fit their indicated station with similar changes to their weapons, armor, and even haircuts. Suel aristocrats wear loose silk or fine linen pantaloons topped by a baggy blouse that it cut low to expose the neck. Both were in solid but differing colors (top was one color, bottom another). A half-dozen or so emblems and tokens round out the outfit. Common folk wear the same style of clothing, but only one solid color of lesser quality materials and few if any tokens. Sumptuary laws forbid non-aristocrats from wearing multiple colors. When they appear, everyone's weapons are sheathed and shields are slung...
...Tolus too has been changed. His neck bears the black tattoos of property and he wears the collar of a slave with his leash in Brock's hands. His weapons are now on the cleric of Kord and his armor strapped to Brock's pack, leaving Tolus wearing little more than a simple red loincloth and harness. Strangely enough, Mikhail is largely unchanged -- his person doesn't bear the slightest difference, from his bright blue eyes to his dark complexion to his long brown hair. His clothing is another matter; apart from his cloak and boots of elvenkind, his modern white tunic and brown breeches have given way to a white kilt-tunic, as found among the ancient Nereganti and his Baklunish broach is conveniently hidden by the folds of his cloak...
...all traces of Moonlight's warpaint are washed clean away...
Status:
Kahan: 21 of 43, 4gbs, 0 of 56 PSPs, *MINUS TWO LEVELS - one probably permanent* cast PROT FIRE, RESIST COLD, PROT LIGHT, cast CLWx3, RC / RF, SPx2, lesser restore / prot fire, speak with dead
Brock: 40 of 65, 8gbs, JUMP, cast CLWx3 / jumpx2, find / ALL / ALL / ALL
Tolus: 44 of 56, 8 gbs
Taarna: 26 of 96, *MINUS THREE LEVELS*, used Rhom's torc
Esmerelda: 41 of 47, cast CWx2, color spray, invis to undeadx2 / hold, ESP, momentx2 / MIx2 / prob, dim fold /
__Drusilla: 12 of 19
Cymoril: 51 of 77, DISEASE, RC, RF
__Tarjar: 1 of 101, 8gbs, *MINUS ONE LEVEL*
Mikhail: 78 (full), 68 of 123 PSPs, cast FF
