Post by David on Sept 26, 2011 19:49:41 GMT -5
The heroes (Mikhail, Maedhros, Daj, Helga, Saanau, Cliffy, Moonlight, Jyolli, Black Robe and Shiek) set about surviving on the warm, moist, fetid, green-skied swamp region of Torsh. They spy several groups of reptile-like predators moving in on their position and head for a large copse of trees nearby. En route, Shiek blinks into the midst of a large group of raptor-like creatures and gets their attention by barking before blinking back to the rest of the group. That, however, doesn't save the party from a short (but one-sided) melee with three dimetrodons.
In the "cover" of the trees, five raptors drop down from above on the party, one severing Mikhail's arm at the shoulder! The party battles the creatures and slays them, saving the young druid in the process. During the combat, Moonlight called upon the local spirits and miraculously got a hint to travel to a strange grove nearby. There, the party found three concentric rings of redwoods, their branches growing into one another so as to create a screen. In the center of this maze was a single, smaller, non-native redwood as well as a camping area with sleeping lofts, refuse piles of bones, maps, nick-nacks, and even a sort of calendar. Shiek's nose was able to determine that a human male had been there recently and Daj's tracking showed a human male of average height. Saanau slept some nearby archeopteryx, two of which crashed to the ground and died. Later, another archeopteryx joined the party, befriending Daj ("oh, how pretty! It's a lizard AND rainbow colored!").
The heroes rested several hours in the grove, allowing Mikhail to regain his mental strength. Then, Jyolli used a scroll of plane shift to return the heroes to Oerth and the young, one-armed psi then immediately teleported the lot to the safety of Klarr. Mikhail asked Stephanos and Dion for restoration spells to offset the effects of the spectres on Saanau, Cliffy, and Minoti (please age one year, guys!). Also in Klarr, Helga used a scroll of nap to allow the heroes to (mostly) regain their strength. Mikhail agreed to transport the heroes to the Valley, but needed to return in order to get a graft spell and regain his arm. Kephalonia shows up after the nap and STRONGLY encourages the heroes to get out of town and NOT come back...
A few more hours later, as the sun was getting ready to set over the forested hills around Klarr, Mikhail teleported back to beyond the Black Ice. He made a second jump in the night there, traveling a far distance thanks to the clear sky. Finding a safe spot on the side of a mountain, Black Robe cast a commune with greater spirit asking the Mountain for some hint as to where the Valley lay. The party headed due north, to "where spirit becomes flesh and the sky touches the navel of the Oerth" with Black Robe in the shape of a giant eagle and Jyolli (in pixie form) using a know direction as a navigator. The shaman flies over signs of a several yeti communities, disrupted by the demons Iuz sent.
Black Robe lands at the obvious roots of the mountains of the Valley and the group hikes up. Due to the slope and snow, Daj and Maedhros use their free action to carry the other heroes (still in the bags of holding) up the slope. Jyolli (and the archeopteryx) fly overhead with Shiek blinking about. En route, the party battles first three ice ogres which Daj quickly mashes and then a rakshasa that burns the party with a fireball and then punishes the blink dog with multiple volleys of magic missiles. Ultimately, however, Helga breaks the creature's foot and forces it to flee...
The heroes hear the sound of a songbird and enter a cave where they meet an old man seated on a small island beneath a peace tree with sparrows in the branches. Beyond is clearly the Valley of Spirits. The old man speaks to the party and explains a bit the nature of what is ahead of them. He offers Saanau and Daj a piece of the last peach on the tree as well as asks the heroes to undertake a quest when they are finished, revealing himself to be none other than Bahamut, King of Good Dragons. Although Stephan puts his foot in his mouth SEVERAL times, the party takes the Platinum Dragon's quest and head off. At this point, Mikhail and Jyolli leave the group, although it's hinted that the archeopteryx might be more than it appears...
The heroes head up the slope to a cave, following the chirping and path of one of Bahamut's songbirds. As the heroes approach, they see the cave mouth become more square with a pair of great iron doors slowly closing and guarded by more scorpion men than PCs...
Status:
Saanau: 39 of 59, no spells, EC
Shiek: 18 of 62, 42 PSPs, COLD
Black Robe: 58 of 93, used eagle, EC, AH, cast CLW, herbs / d.invis
Helga: 72 of 87, EC, AH, cast EC x2 / / / free action
Maedhros: 21 of 34, EC, cast EC x3 AND MM / d.invis + adder
Stefan: 37 (full), EC, used invis, cast / / fly
Daj: 39+7 of 56, EC, AH, non-D, cast / IMM
Moonlight: 65 of 84, EC, used rat, cast EC x5, herbs, FF / / / / animal growth
Cliffy: 57 of 65, EC, cast / Melf's, IMM / itemx2
Archeopteryx: EC, took sabatashar dmg
Minosti: 10 of
Jamal: 22 of 62, 1/2 dex, bleeding wound
I cannot say enough how PCs NEED to be on all future games until the party gets OUT of the Valley of Spirits. Because of where we ended, this next game on Sunday will be the LAST CHANCE to get on (and stay on).
In the "cover" of the trees, five raptors drop down from above on the party, one severing Mikhail's arm at the shoulder! The party battles the creatures and slays them, saving the young druid in the process. During the combat, Moonlight called upon the local spirits and miraculously got a hint to travel to a strange grove nearby. There, the party found three concentric rings of redwoods, their branches growing into one another so as to create a screen. In the center of this maze was a single, smaller, non-native redwood as well as a camping area with sleeping lofts, refuse piles of bones, maps, nick-nacks, and even a sort of calendar. Shiek's nose was able to determine that a human male had been there recently and Daj's tracking showed a human male of average height. Saanau slept some nearby archeopteryx, two of which crashed to the ground and died. Later, another archeopteryx joined the party, befriending Daj ("oh, how pretty! It's a lizard AND rainbow colored!").
The heroes rested several hours in the grove, allowing Mikhail to regain his mental strength. Then, Jyolli used a scroll of plane shift to return the heroes to Oerth and the young, one-armed psi then immediately teleported the lot to the safety of Klarr. Mikhail asked Stephanos and Dion for restoration spells to offset the effects of the spectres on Saanau, Cliffy, and Minoti (please age one year, guys!). Also in Klarr, Helga used a scroll of nap to allow the heroes to (mostly) regain their strength. Mikhail agreed to transport the heroes to the Valley, but needed to return in order to get a graft spell and regain his arm. Kephalonia shows up after the nap and STRONGLY encourages the heroes to get out of town and NOT come back...
A few more hours later, as the sun was getting ready to set over the forested hills around Klarr, Mikhail teleported back to beyond the Black Ice. He made a second jump in the night there, traveling a far distance thanks to the clear sky. Finding a safe spot on the side of a mountain, Black Robe cast a commune with greater spirit asking the Mountain for some hint as to where the Valley lay. The party headed due north, to "where spirit becomes flesh and the sky touches the navel of the Oerth" with Black Robe in the shape of a giant eagle and Jyolli (in pixie form) using a know direction as a navigator. The shaman flies over signs of a several yeti communities, disrupted by the demons Iuz sent.
Black Robe lands at the obvious roots of the mountains of the Valley and the group hikes up. Due to the slope and snow, Daj and Maedhros use their free action to carry the other heroes (still in the bags of holding) up the slope. Jyolli (and the archeopteryx) fly overhead with Shiek blinking about. En route, the party battles first three ice ogres which Daj quickly mashes and then a rakshasa that burns the party with a fireball and then punishes the blink dog with multiple volleys of magic missiles. Ultimately, however, Helga breaks the creature's foot and forces it to flee...
The heroes hear the sound of a songbird and enter a cave where they meet an old man seated on a small island beneath a peace tree with sparrows in the branches. Beyond is clearly the Valley of Spirits. The old man speaks to the party and explains a bit the nature of what is ahead of them. He offers Saanau and Daj a piece of the last peach on the tree as well as asks the heroes to undertake a quest when they are finished, revealing himself to be none other than Bahamut, King of Good Dragons. Although Stephan puts his foot in his mouth SEVERAL times, the party takes the Platinum Dragon's quest and head off. At this point, Mikhail and Jyolli leave the group, although it's hinted that the archeopteryx might be more than it appears...
The heroes head up the slope to a cave, following the chirping and path of one of Bahamut's songbirds. As the heroes approach, they see the cave mouth become more square with a pair of great iron doors slowly closing and guarded by more scorpion men than PCs...
Status:
Saanau: 39 of 59, no spells, EC
Shiek: 18 of 62, 42 PSPs, COLD
Black Robe: 58 of 93, used eagle, EC, AH, cast CLW, herbs / d.invis
Helga: 72 of 87, EC, AH, cast EC x2 / / / free action
Maedhros: 21 of 34, EC, cast EC x3 AND MM / d.invis + adder
Stefan: 37 (full), EC, used invis, cast / / fly
Daj: 39+7 of 56, EC, AH, non-D, cast / IMM
Moonlight: 65 of 84, EC, used rat, cast EC x5, herbs, FF / / / / animal growth
Cliffy: 57 of 65, EC, cast / Melf's, IMM / itemx2
Archeopteryx: EC, took sabatashar dmg
Minosti: 10 of
Jamal: 22 of 62, 1/2 dex, bleeding wound
I cannot say enough how PCs NEED to be on all future games until the party gets OUT of the Valley of Spirits. Because of where we ended, this next game on Sunday will be the LAST CHANCE to get on (and stay on).
