Gnomes, Tomes & Catacombs: Episode 16

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== Synopsis ==
In Copperhill, following the explosion that killed Midori and a mysterious note blaming the Goddess Voraci, the Philosophers' Stone is quarantined by Sheriff Darf and Mayor Joris. Desperate to contain the chaos, Joris calls for Malakai’s assistance, but before Malakai arrives, Locke attempts to use the Crown of Domination against the stone, resulting in a massive, destructive sphere that swallows Locke and creates a large crater. The party, now facing an incoming army from Count Vicious, decides to evacuate to the hills to avoid detection. They encounter a basilisk but manage to hide safely. Upon reaching Stromheim, Malakai helps them with the Crown and plans their next steps while they search for Joris. Brad learns that Joris has been imprisoned in Stromheim for theft, and the party is informed they must find stolen items to secure Joris’s release. They return to Bon' Theris, where Malakai stores the Crown and provides aid. The party then heads to Fen Den to seek help from Wyatt, who reveals a personal vendetta against Colonel Tavington. Little Jimmy, now a river pirate, agrees to assist them in their mission. The party prepares for their next journey to rescue Joris and confront the growing threats.
==Recap==
===Day 167 (1511-01-13) (Continued)===
Copperhill. Midori has died in an explosion, leaving behind a note that points the blame at the Goddess Voraci. The Philosophers' Stone is under quarantine by Sheriff Darf and Mayor Joris. Joris sends a message to Malakai.
:"Hey, I could use your help. There's a dangerous magical item here that needs be contained."
Malakai replies that he can arrive in some days. Locke decides to try to throw the Crown of Domination at the floating Philosophers' Stone.
The ground under the stone starts to cease to exist. A sphere around the stone and crown expands, erasing everything inside it, and digging a pit into the ground. Everyone except Locke flees. Locke, with a dead gaze on his face, walks towards the crown and stone and disappears and apparently dies.
The sphere stops expanding and dissipates. The Philosophers' Stone is now embedded in the crown. Below the floating crown is a pit 300 feet wide (150 feet radius) and 80–100 feet deep. Parts of buildings have been eaten up as well. The alive members of the party head over to Joris and Darf. With the two is a halfling bard named Pearl.
Brad Barbo says he wants to try to grab the floating crown, so Joris casts fly on Brad who floats over to the spinning floating crown, but it's radiating heat and Barbo is unable to touch it.
Joris and Darf start to evacuate the town, knowing that the magical explosion will have attracted the attention of powerful wizards, as well as Count Vicious. Joris will lead a group of people to Stromheim. Darf wants to take people to Highcastle, but the party point out they need to stay behind to keep watch over the crown. The mercenaries, lead by Captain Theydin, help Darf escort the group to Highcastle instead.
Daft stays behind with the party along with the bard, Pearl. Pearl came here to record the heroic events the Barbos do, after hearing they took down a giant.
===Day 169 (1511-01-17)===
Darf is worried because Joris isn't back. Gerald tries "Sending" to send Joris a message, and gets no reply.
That evening, Malakai arrives at the scene and looks at the crown and crater. After talking with the Barbos for a little, Malakai walks over to Darf and asks if he can trust the party, and Sheriff Darf says no since they blew up half the town. Malakai thinks however he can trust them a little, so stops using "Project Image" and then teleports for real to Copperhill.
The party then explain about how they got the Philosophers' Stone from Count Vicious and are woried is army is on the way. Malakai makes reference to the last time he saw the army at Anvil. Malakai says he can get a spell tomorrow that can help get the Crown.
Gerald creates a Tiny Hut for the group to rest in overnight. Malakai refuses to exchange spells with Gerald.
===Day 170 (Friday, 1511-01-18)===
Malakai has the party collect silver from around town so he can create a teleport circle. The party go to the Silversmith in town and run into Darf who is stopping looting. Brad Barbo lies to Darf that they the silver and gold to ransom Joris, but Malakai tells the turth, and pays Darf for the silver. However, he gave Darf 7 moonstones worth 50gp each and said that it covered more than the 1000gp cost.
Malakai and Gerald get to work making a teleport circle. Gerald learns a lot about making the circle.
Malakai says they can use the circle tomorrow. He casts fly on Brad, who flies over and grabs the floating crown and grabs it with his backpack, then flies back. Malakai casts detect magic and detects a Enchantment Aura. Brad suggests testing the upgraded Crown of Domination on Little Bobby. Malakai thinks that is a good idea and puts the crown on Bobby's head. Bobby is fine and doesn't feel any different. Malakai tries to give orders, but Gerald says that they are missing the key to control the crown. Malakai attunes a random key to the crown, and the crown starts working. Bobby seems to have no memory of what he did while the crown was on.
They test the Crown on Pearl next, and it works. Malakai tries putting the key in his pocket and commanding, but it doesn't work. He assumes you have to be holding the key to issue commands. Brad asks for the crown back and Malakai hands it over.
At sunset evening Darf reports that Count Vicious's army can been seen coming in from the North. Malakai suggests evacuating into the hills where the Riders can't follow. They head up river into the hills. When they reach the hills, the party can see Warm Lights around town.
The party flee into the hills in the dark with Little Bobby, under the light of the almost full moon.
As the party travel though the hills, Pearl and notices a smell, then sees the foot turned to stone. Pearl realizes the smell is that of a basilisk. Malakai explains what basilisk can do. Gerald creates a tiny hut and the party hide inside. The basilisk comes by, and the party close their eyes. The party hear the basilisk eats the stone foot, then eventually wander away.
===Day 171 (Saturday, 1511-01-19)===
The party wake up and Malakai casts polymorph self, and turns into a pegasus, and flys them all towards Stromheim. While flying Pearl talks to Bobby about Midori's ribbon. Brad says Midori was evil and was to blame for blowing up Copperhill. Bobby throws the ribbon away, but Pearl catches it.
Malakai lands outside of Stromheim so he won't be shot down going inside. Malakai says the party can get in the town without him, and he'll turn into a bird and sneak in. Brad hands the crown to Malakai to smuggles into the Eridon Capital City.
The party go to the South Gate of Stromheim, and after talking with the guards, are allowed inside. The party go meet Malakai at the Thirsty Bear tavern. Malakai says they can teleport out tomorrow, but they need to find Joris first.
Brad Barbo goes to the North Gate and is told by Guard Cup that Joris went to warn the Queen Kiara Sanguine about Count Vicious. Brad heads to the palace and tells the people he is there to report on the Count Vicious situation. Brad is let inside.
Brad is escorted to a waiting room. Other people are before him to talk with the Queen. One of them is a Wizard who claims he can put a protective dome over the city, just needing some silver and dragon blood to do so. After talking with the Queen for a while, she sends the Wizard to see her Arc Wizard, but gives a nod to her guard to take care of the wizard. Eventually it is Brad's turn, who respectfully tells Queen Kiara Sanguine the news of Count Vicious, and the possibility his army will come south. The Queen then tells Brad that Joris has been arrested for theft, but he can be let free if they find the missing stolen items.
===Day 172 (Sunday, 1511-01-20)===
First thing in the morning, Malakai teleports the party to his Mansion in Bon' Theris. The party ask Malakai to keep the Crown of Domination safe, so Malakai stores it in his workshop basement.
Malakai then gives Brad an amulet of continual light, and gives Gerald some 2e spells to learn. Malakai then leaves to return to Van-Healsing in Wikkthronrarenta.
The party head to Pernisis by ship to see if Brad's boots have been delivered.
===Day 174 (Tuesday, 1511-01-22)===
There are no boots waiting for Brad.
===Day 176 (Thursday, 1511-01-24)===
The party return to Bon' Theris. They Brad hires a carriage to take them to Fen Den to see Wyatt.
===Day 178 (Saturday, 1511-01-26)===
The party arrives in Dusty's Tavern in Fen Den. They head downstairs to Wyatt's Room. Gerald and Brad update Wyatt on a lot of what they did in Eridon, and that they left the crown with Malakai here in Drekis.
Wyatt says he is proud of the party for what they managed to do, but it is now time to kill Colonel Tavington. Brad feels that Wyatt's interest feels like a vendetta. Wyatt explains while the party was away, Tavington did some purges, killing many of Wyatt's colleagues and friends.
Wyatt tells Brad that Little Jimmy he donated 200 gold to a few months ago has become a river pirate. Brad leave Little Bobby with Wyatt to be trained, giving Wyatt some gold and a gem-encrusted long sword he stole from Count Vicious.
The party head to the Fen Den river docks district. They find Little Jimmy with a crew of 20 people around him. Little Jimmy is happy to see Brad and goes up to him and give him a hug. Little Jimmy tells his story how things got worse after met met Brad, but he then started a life of piracy and formed his own crew, named "The Chads". Brad and Little Jimmy agree that Brad will be getting 5% of the profits from the piracy operations. They operate out of a bar called "The Barb".
The party want to save Joris now, so decide to take a ship to the Ashlands north of Shirebrook to get inland to Stromheim. They go back to talk with Little Jimmy about getting passage. They head inside The Barb tavern. The party find Little Jimmy is passed out. Pearl and Gerald do a duet with their lute and bagpipes, the whole tavern sings a long. Pearl and Gerald then go off to get drinks together. Brad challenges the large bouncer to arm wrestling.
Eventually Little Jimmy wakes up and agrees to take the party out to Eridon, but his crew is drunk at the moment.
===Day 179 (Sunday, 1511-01-27)===
Brad and Little Bobby go out shopping. They sell the jewel sword and guy Bobby a short sword that is his size. They also get him a fur vest.
Pearl and Gerald take a walk though town, and Pearl about See Lin, Midori, Owca Pecora and Locke. Pearl gives Gerald Midori's bow. Gerald gives Pearl a wooden ball from the Vampire Crypt near Goldhill, saying he got it when he and his friends were still together. Gerald realizes he is the only one left from the original party, and Pearl says that Gerald just has to keep on living.
Category:Gnomes, Tomes & Catacombs Episodes