20020817 DayInTheSun

<H1> A Day in the Sun </H1>
<H2> Role Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Fingle </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/15th Gnome Cleric/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Richard Jacobsen </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Colin </TD>
 <TD> 16th/2nd Human Fighter/Hospitaler </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Estus </TD>
 <TD> 15th Human Cleric </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Auric </TD>
 <TD> 12th (19th CL) Wemic Druid </TD>
 <TD> Keith Farrar </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Grackle </TD>
 <TD> 6th/10th/2nd Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue/Templar </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Prince Donner </TD>
 <TD> 6th/13th Human Fighter/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kill'Dar </TD>
 <TD> 16th/3rd Elf Wizard/Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 17th Human Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt (Full Risk, Full Reward) </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<H2> Estus: Relic Hunter </H2>
In search of a holy relic for a focus of a Holy Aura spell, Estus casts a Divination in order to get a clue from Apollo.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
Return the Sun to the Crystal Falls<BR />Return Pelio's bones to the Ivory Halls
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Estus recognizes the name Pelio. He was a travelling Friar and a Priest of Apollo. He was the founder of an order which took care of travelers. The Ivory Halls are in Parthenel and was the sole monastery for the order. Talking to the group, Fingle knows that the Crystal Falls are where the river and the Plateau meet. It's now known as the Falls or the Great Falls. Fingle describes the falls as a giant white cascade into a giant clear pool. After some discussion, Fingle agrees to talk Estus to the falls and then head to his lab. Donner sends Colin to travel with Estus as his protector.
Steelhoof takes some time out of the mansion and goes to hang out with Auric in the nearby grove.
The next morning, Donner casts a Rary's Telepathic Bond on the travelling group. Fingle then teleports Estus and Colin to the falls. In intervening century since Fingle has seen the falls, they have become polluted. Now, there are twisted looking trees and when the water comes down, the trees prevent most of the water from crashing down into the lake. The overgrowth appears to cover several acres. And what was once the lake now appears as a swampy area several times larger than the original lake.
Fingle guides the carpet down into the undergrowth. Colin has to chop down some of the branches in order to let the carpet through. Fingle flies the group to the cliff face and there doesn't appear a place to land--there appears to be a thick layer of moss on the cliff face. Colin chops at the moss for a few minutes and eventually creates a small opening.
Colin chops away further and there actually does appear to be a cave behind the moss. The standing water inside the cave appears to be about two feet. Fingle creates a ledge from the stone and leaves Colin and Estus there. He then teleports to his workshop. Estus decides to explore the cavern further. As they move through the sludge, they discover that it's not very easy to move through the water. In order to speed up their movement, Estus casts Freedom of Movement on Colin. They proceed down the cavern.
At one point, they stop and hear something moving in the water. There's a significant movement in the water. The water displaces quite a bit and then smaller ripples follow. Estus casts Greater Magic Weapon on Colin's sword. Colin just spots a hump out of the water and huge stench follows.
<B>Round 1:</B> The Hydra grapples and bites Colin. Then Estus casts Blade Barrier, wounding it slightly. Donner and Fingle sense the danger through the telepathic link and Donner gathers anyone nearby.
<B>Round 2:</B> Fingle teleports to the cave. The Hydra drags Colin through the Blade Barrier. Estus casts Mass Heal on Colin. Donner teleports Kill'Dar, Grackle, and Marta into the cave next to Estus. Marta immediately vomits from the hydra's stench.
<B>Round 3:</B> Fingle casts a Projected Image and uses Greater Shadow Evocation to cast a Cone of Cold on the hydra. Kill'Dar casts Chain Lightning on the hydra. Estus casts Dispel Magic on the Blade Barrier. Donner casts two Magic Missile spells on the hydra.
<B>Round 4:</B> Fingle casts Mass Haste on Grackle and Colin and then casts Summon Monster to summon a water elemental. Colin swings with his dagger several times, wounding it. Kill'Dar flies up and casts Stoneskin on Colin. Estus casts Mass Heal on Colin and Grackle. Then, Grackle finishes the hydra.
Fingle uses the summoned water elemental to dig for all sorts of treasure. They find:
<UL>
<LI> Lots of bones
<LI> Suit of Elven Chain
<LI> Magic Amulet
<LI> Magic Ring
<LI> Lots of coins
<LI> Lots of gems
<LI> Small Metal Potion Bottle
<LI> Sealed Scroll Tube
<LI> Two smaller potion bottles
<LI> Staff
<LI> Wand
<LI> Scimitar
</UL>
<H2> Treasure at Last </H2>
Later at Fingle's mansion, the servants clean and sort all the items. Fingle is given an accounting of the items:
<UL>
<LI> 1648 GP, 207 PP, 11896 SP (329.6 GP, 41.4 PP, 2379.2 SP for Kill'Dar, Auric, Estus, Fingle, and Travian)
<LI> Gems (10): 10GP to 100s GP
<LI> Statuette (of Apollo)
<LI> Two Sets of Vestments (Cloth of Gold). Cleaned up by Kill'Dar by Prestidigtation. Worn by priests of Apollo.
<LI> The staff appears to be a quarterstaff. Fingle identifies it as Masterwood and made of a rare dense wood.
</UL>
Further detections are used on the items and reveals the following.
<UL>
<LI> Suit of Elven Chain
<LI> Magic Amulet (Abjuration)
<LI> Magic Ring
<LI> Lots of coins
<LI> Lots of gems
<LI> Small Metal Potion Bottle (Strong Abjuration)
<LI> Sealed Scroll Tube
<LI> Two smaller potion bottles (Alteration and Conjuration)
<LI> Staff
<LI> Wand (Evocation)
<LI> Scimitar (Alteration)
</UL>
There is a general discussion of treasure. Donner changes his thinking a bit to give out some items. Donner doles out treasure to his group. Fingle gets the Magic Carpet. Colin gets Fulchar. Grackle gets the Ring of Gaseous Form and the Longsword of Wounding. Estus is given the Ioun Stone (+1 DEX). Kill'Dar is given the +1 Longsword.
Estus gathers the robes, staff, bones, and status. He then casts Legend Lore to determine more about Pelio. The Legend of Friar Pelio. He started an order of fighting priests known as the Parthenian Friars. They have many templars and priests of many orders, typically Greek. Dedicated to the protection of travelers. They specialized in the use of the staff. Friar Pelio was a priest of Apollo. In general, the friars weren't in the monastery. They spent most of their time on the road protecting people. Once in a while, a friar would go off and not come back. Unfortunately for the order, one time Friar Pelio went on a road to the lowlands and didn't come back. Because he was chief of the order, a lot of the times he would not travel alone. However, when he was lost, their order fell apart. This was not only because he was its founder, but also because one of its greatest artifacts was lost with him (rumored to be a staff). Shortly after, the lich king made his appearance and Parthenel fell. Presumably, their monastery remains inside the City of the Ancients.
Donner teleports himself and Marta to Home, but botches the teleport. He ends up in a small village in front of a temple. The people nearby appear to be armed and armored. People nearby start pulling out weapons and firing. Donner puts up a Wall of Force. As Donner looks around he appears to be in Dulax Moir in front of Father Elias' temple.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Donner:</B> (Turns to Marta as several arrows hit the Wall of Force) At least you're not vomiting.
<B>Marta:</B> (Wielding two wands) Let me know when it's going to go down.
<B>Donner:</B> No, that's not what we're going to do.
<B>Marta:</B> You're right--there's too many of them. (Browses through her wands) Fireball...
<B>Donner:</B> Wait a minute (Casts Fly on her)
<B>Marta:</B> Excellent. Now I'm ready.
<B>Donner:</B> Look, we're not going to fight these people. (Explains the situation here)
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Father Elias' calms the crowd down. They stop firing and leave Donner to Father Elias' responsibility.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Elias:</B> Prince Donner?
<B>Donner:</B> (Nods)
<B>Elias:</B> Welcome back to Dulax Moir.
<B>Donner:</B> This is Marta.
<B>Elias:</B> Greetings.
<B>Donner:</B> I thought I might stay for the night and make sure everything is okay here.
<B>Elias:</B> The citizens are somewhat concerned that you're a shapeshifter masquerading as Donner.
<B>Donner:</B> Has anything happened recently?
<B>Elias:</B> They've been sniffing around and asking us to join their Imperium. People here are too independent to accept their offer.
<B>Donner:</B> Everything looks good here.
<B>Elias:</B> Yes, the militia is shaping up nicely.
<B>Donner:</B> Any word from Blackvault?
<B>Elias:</B> No, we generally stay away from this place.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
A few new families have shown up in town. Father Elias has talked to them. They're shapeshifters, but of good alignment. They have the ability to take the form of bears. Donner is Elias' guest in the temple.
Meanwhile back in the mansion, the group begins using Auguries and other magic to identify the items (using Fingle's simulacrum).
<UL>
<LI> Small Metal Potion Bottle (Bad Idea)
<LI> Two smaller potion bottles (Good Idea, Good Idea). Bull's Strength, Delay Poison
<LI> Magic Ring (Detects Wizards)
<LI> Wand of Fireball (36 charges)
<LI> Scimitar +4
<LI> Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location
<LI> Quarterstaff +3
<LI> Suit of Elven Chain
<LI> Sealed Scroll Tube (Lvl 7): Confusion, Wall of Fire, Slow, Magic Circle Against Chaos
<LI> Gnoll's Falchion (Zachary's team) +2
</UL>
Estus uses Discern Location and to find Father Pelio. The Discern Location spell indicates that the friar is in the Elysium Fields. He then casts Greater Planar Ally in the hopes that Apollo can send Father Pelio to him. The gate opens and a human figure dressed in a cloth of gold and a quarterstaff shows up at the gate. He looks like a powerfully built man.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Estus:</B> Greetings. Father Pelio?
<B>Pelio:</B> (Nods) Our lord has decided it is best for me to speak to you. What is it that you wish of me?
<B>Estus:</B> I was hoping to talk to you about several things. I have your bones here. I was instructed by Apollo to return them to the Ivory Halls. However, they are mixed up with the bones of many others. I was also hoping that you could tell me which of these other items belonged to you.
<B>Pelio:</B> The staff belongs to the order.
<B>Estus:</B> I see. What can I do for you in return.
<B>Pelio:</B> I can do this service for you. What I ask in return is that you do as our lord asks and return my bones to their proper resting place. And I also ask that you start the order that I once founded.
<B>Estus:</B> I'm afraid that I don't have the knowledge or the skills to start the order again.
<B>Pelio:</B> The knowledge still exists. They can be found in books in the Ivory Halls. When you return my bones, you can find the secrets of our order underneath the Halls.
<B>Estus:</B> (Hesitates) Hmmm...while I have great respect for what your order did, I have other duties. Also, I'm afraid I'm not qualified to lead your order. 
<B>Pelio:</B> There are many who advised us, gave us resources, but the order cannot be established without someone to champion the cause. Any such person can act in this capacity.
<B>Estus:</B> Well, I understand the staff is of particular importance to the order.
<B>Pelio:</B> The staff carries the imprints of the past masters who carried it. It is based upon the enlightenment and awakening of one's own abilities.
<B>Estus:</B> And such a time that I can return your remains to the Ivory Halls, I wish to carry your bones with me as the focus of another spell.
<B>Pelio:</B> Very well, you will gain the ability to smite evil mightily. And when you call upon the power of Apollo, I will join you in spirit.
<B>Estus:</B> I agree to your terms.
 
<B>Pelio:</B> Very well. (Begins pointing at bones) That's mine. That's mine.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The ring is Hexbane. It was crafted by runecarvers of the Cherek when they long ago fought off Imperial Wizards. The Norse have always been suspicious of wizards and sorcerers. They have faith only in runecasters. This ring was worn by Heroes of the Cherek who went to battle with specific intent to find and slay the wizards. It was rumored to be particularly good at picking out the wizards among the enemy troops and suppress the wizardly powers, particularly with Ice and Cold. It is said that Hexbane has a mind of its own and sometimes leads its wearer to do things that he may not have intended to do originally. There are lots of guesses why. There are tales of it being a gift from Loki.
Donner puts on the ring. The ring gets warm and he gets a sense that the ring is unhappy, perhaps a little depressed. Donner suggests that Colin should wear the ring. As he looks around, Donner, Fingle, and Kill'Dar are more in focus in the room--everyone else looks a bit less focused. And he gains the feeling that he's been sitting around a bit too long. As Colin concentrates on the ring, he feels self confident, but a bit itchy--ready to do something. Grackle puts on the ring and notices the same thing. He also notices a secret door in the room.
George offers to casts Analyze Dweomer on three items. He identifies the Ring: Intelligent, Weak Spirit, Communicates by Empathy, Ring of Counterspells (Cone of Cold, Ice Storm, Wall of Ice, Freezing Sphere), Detects Secret Doors at will, Detect Wizards at will, casting Magic Missile 3/day (3 missiles per cast). Chaotic Neutral. Not sure what its real special purpose is. Does seem inclined towards action.
The Scimitar is +4 and Keen.
Parthenian Staff: +3. 1/day Divine Power (as 10th level caster). 1/day Spikes (also as 10th level)-double threat range, +10 damage, 10 hours. When wielded, confers the following feats. Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff), Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, Improved Trip, Improved Disarm.
By the end of the week, Estus finishes the Wand of Endurance for the party. Donner is done with learning Clairvoyance.
<H2> King of the Lion People </H2>
By the end of the week, Auric has also finished the Stone Circle. That same day, there is a visitor for him at the Druid Grove. It appears to be a group of lion men. They came in quietly and went straight to the Druid grove. The leader appears to be older. Wemic culture is a bit different than lion culture--they are more like a barbarian tribe than a pride of lions. In war, the males lead and in matters of food, the females handle it. Druidic magic and sorcery appears occasionally in their tribes. The local wemic tribe is always looking for weapons.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Wemic:</B> I am Daros. I come to you first to know who your tribe is. Your smell is not familiar.
<B>Auric:</B> This is a new form to me. When I passed and came back, Belenus saw fit to clothe me in this form.
<B>Wemic:</B> There is a reason. There is always a reason. We would know also what your intentions are.
<B>Auric:</B> Well, first and foremost, I am a druid. And a priest of Belenus. So, I will do stuff to best serve the natural order.
<B>Wemic:</B> Do you know the recent actions of the <unknown word>?
<B>Auric:</B> (Looks confused)
<B>Wemic:</B> (Thinks for a moment) Uh, like hyena.
<B>Auric:</B> Gnolls?
<B>Wemic:</B> Yes, yes. We have seen them quite a lot lately. They are bad to hunt.
<B>Auric:</B> Why?
<B>Wemic:</B> Too violent. Taste bad. But we defend our territory. We wonder why they come here after so many years.
<B>Auric:</B> (Describes situation with Aishapra)
<B>Wemic:</B> What do they want?
<B>Auric:</B> (Describes Aishapra's plans) ...and we believe that she wants to bring more demons here.
<B>Wemic:</B> So, you oppose them?
<B>Auric:</B> Certainly. Can you tell us where they are camped?
<B>Wemic:</B> No, only that they have stopped looking in our territory.
<B>Auric:</B>
<B>Wemic:</B> They enter, they get killed, the stop coming.
<B>Wemic:</B> Well, if you oppose them, we stand by you.
<B>Auric:</B> How so?
<B>Wemic:</B> If you go to war with them, tell us. And when the time comes, we know where the gate will be. Our soothsayers know. We will not tell anyone directly. You will be our contact with he... You are the only one who is of both. There are those among our people who do not trust those who walk on two legs. There are those among your people who simply believe that we are wild beasts to be killed. This will not be an easy time. But we would prefer to stop those who would hunt and kill our children in the night and stand with those who would oppose them. But words are wasted when too many are spoken.
<B>Auric:</B> How will I find or contact you?
<B>Wemic:</B> We sometimes we use it for hunting. We do not advertise the fact.
<B>Auric:</B>
<B>Wemic:</B> You may find us when you are ready.
<B>Auric:</B> I am curious to the ways of your people. I have had little contact with others of our kind.
<B>Wemic:</B> You may join us at any time. You know where we are. If we see anything that bears reporting, we will send someone.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Auric reports the information to Donner. Donner and Estus talk about contacting enemies to set up treaties. They also talk about scrying on various enemies.
Zachary is in a dark windowless room. It is barred from his side. He is in bed and asleep. Donner thinks that there are two other figures in the room with him. The figures are hooded and cloaked. He observes for the full duration, and the spell ends.
Donner scries Adelphus Marvad. There appears to be a dark cloud.
At the end of the next (8th) day, Fingle finishes learning Fabricate.
Donner has Estus send a message to the King: "We will be done with our preparation in three days and can join you and the end of that." The King answers "We will be under way tomorrow. Contact us when you can be here."
On the 9th day, Fingle creates a scrying mirror, a reliquary, and a statue for the party. At the end of the day Kill'Dar finishes learning Analyze Dweomer.
On the 10th day, Kill'Dar casts the two Limited Wishes for Fingle to reconstruct the gnoll's longbow (for Kill'Dar) and the +3 Spiked Halfplate. Kill'Dar casts Analyze Dweomer on the bow and finds that it is a +3 Mighty Composite Longbow of Speed (Bloodbow)
And on the 11th day, the party readies itself for action.
<H3> Foes Fought </H3>
1 Hydra