DFE 3 Notes (Zane)

**DFE #3**

GAME-13Dec1000

30Ma19

Mallah Q might be a rendering of Mellah the Q, a legendary Chla Nakran figure. (“This comes from ancient sources”)

SCENE 3.2 (3.1 was sorta mish-mashed upstairs and included some pre-game actions)

As the party is getting ready to depart, when the wagons are drawn up, a messengers come up and goes to Leonus, handing him a sealed letter. Most party members receive such a thing.

Merkha becomes aware of a small cult of egyptian gods in Stormreach, led by Ahotepre, who he goes to see. It’s in Summerfield, Southwatch, a not-so-savory part of town. The temple is his house of the gods. His “house” is about 100ft x 100ft. Stormreach is lit by both gas-lit and burning torches. The doors to the temple are bronze, and everything is fairly clean. There is an old woman sweeping the steps, but nobody else seems to be there. Merkha approaches the old lady, and asks for Ahotepre. She hobbles up the stairs quickly after asking him to follow. She bangs on one of the doors with her broom, and by the time they come in, there is a door opening at the other end of the temple. The temple is to most all of the Egyptian gods. Ahotepre is about 5’10”, wearing priestly garb, but also a sword at his side and back, as well as a helm. He approaches Merkha, and welcomes him to the temple. He gathers two pillows, and puts them under the sun disk (he worships Ra, presumably). Ahotepre warns Merkha against the Xen’drik, commenting on how it is fit that they should run into each other, so far from home. Ahotepre is brought a wicker box. He then says that he will speak first - the Xen’drik is a center against the gods, full of evil. Ahotepre is set on learning about it, and asks Merkha to feed him information about the expedition. Losing connections to the gods is the “power of the destroyer, that is what you must fear.” He is forbidden to go, as he fears corruption. “The danger that you faces comes in the form of a white man in the Xen’drik. This danger is ancient, and it assumes the form of the white man for its own purposes - but it is not a white man for truth.” Here are the things that I can tell you  - this thing is ancient by measured by the Xen’drik, spoken from the lips of the dying man. It stands above all other men.” Ahotepre asks why Merkha is in the city. He says that they arrived to Stormreach to hunt down a certain organization, called by a symbol they leave behind, the Ouroboros. Ahotepre has made sure to “inquire about such societies” during his year here. Their crimes in Egyptos were breaking into and stealing from the late Pharaoh’s tomb, and took something that the Pharaoh will not identify, given the charge by the Pharaoh. Ahotepre takes out food from the wicker basket, doing so in a ridiculous order or fashion. There is no rice in Merkha’s tiny porcelain bowl, unlike Ahotepre’s, instead a piece of jewelry. It’s a brooch that fastens on the back, and there is a string of purple pearls around it. There’s a very large pearl in the center, set in gold. Ahotepre nods, and inside there is further yet a cameo, also set with pearls and gold. Ahotepre nods again, and says replace the lid, and hand me the dish, which Merkha does. “The cameo will show you a terrible visage when you meet the white man. Don the brooch.” He does so, and it will protect you against the danger of the white man when you stand with him above all other men. He hands him a pottery ball, and says “take this, Merkha, when the cameo warns you and the brooch is on your breast, crack the lid open, dissolve it in wine, and drink it. It will give you the power to either escape or fight the white man, who is the corruptor. I recommend that you escape and come to me as soon as you can. The information is worth more than your life, to Aegytos, and your pharaoh.” Ahotepre stands and bows, then leaves. Merkha does the same, after making a small prayer to Sobek. **Sobek speaks to Merkha**. Sobek says “Oh Merkha, when first you enter the Xen’drik, wear the brooch, and gaze into the face of the cameo. When you see my face, focus on that only until you reach the floor of the Xen’drik.”

Deucalion goes to “inspect” his real estate, going to his agent’s office in the Harbour. He has heard about my departure, and Deucalion confirms that the Jarl has returned with the artifact (again). There are copies of signed leases, four copies, one to each party, one given to Lorsmach for records. Deucalion signs for the leases, and with that has obtained the first floor of the building. The agent is all smiles, and gives him a personal business card with his home address, telling him to knock anytime. Deucalion deposits his copies in his Kundarak vault.

Leonus speaks  to a sergeant in House Deneith uniform in his office at the Institute. He says that Leonus has been asked to take on an additional member for the expedition - and he will be provided the name when he is ready to leave. It is to be kept strictly confidential. The sergeant salutes and leaves. He also is busy keeping track of a fair amount of caravan specifics. There are 23 wagons in total. One standard unit of the wagon train consists of one wagon, which is pulled by two horses, with a driver (green suit), and through the wagon hatch is a scorpion, manned by a guard. There is also a boat wagon.

Wakinyan asks if there is a wagon that he is assigned to. The answer is yes. He spends that day on the medical wagon, casting a general protection from evil spirits on his wagon[o1] .

The merchant who has ties to the Riedrans is currently being awakened, slowly but surely, but is not ready to be spoken to by the time that the party leaves. There is a note from Det. Sgt. Zurran, however, which says that “Kro. Confirmed,” and “Odd job, different from rest.” Jaicinteleq is also told about a target for some crime. There is also a list of company who had relatives disappear within one or two months of Kro. Other investigate-y things. A lot of stuff, a bit too fast to write, Laura did most of it herself anyways.

As Deucalion begins to talk to the Jarl about a second auction of the Riedran artifact, he receives a messenger from the Mayoress, who requests his presence. He departs for Lorsmarch.

Loic buys some supplies for making traps. Jacinteleq checks in with the Institute about some of the plant samples that were obtained, as well as about the Naa’ma.

Merkha seeks out Deucalion.

The party, before departure, is given familiarization training with the boats and boat-wagons, the pontoons. The boat wagons are also able to have the wagons and horses run on a treadmill to power them, as well as sails. Each boat has a boatmaster.

SCENE 3.3

15Dec1000 0600

The caravan is assembling at the Institute road. Dana Wilks is joining the caravan, in Leonus’ wagon. There is a pack of Chaos Hounds and their handler added to the wagon. Thomas is a junior ranger coming with Loic. There is a Rabbi from Stormreach as well, named Menachem Mendel Sarai. The caravan is departing town. As this occurs, the party gets word that there has been a riot in Oldgate at the former Marwani temple. The party arrives at the Great Plunge fort and begin to unpack for rest.

As Jacinteleq moves away, she sees three horsemen coming from town riding in at full tilt, who hand Leonus a letter. He asks to be assigned wherever. The man is named Saruth, a massara, and hands Jacinteleq a sealed letter as well. He is exhausted, and goes and lies down to rest.

As the party goes towards and down the Great Plunge, Merkha performs the ritual relayed to him by Ahotepre. Another who joins the caravan is Arlon, a House Deneith artillerist, who will instruct the wagon guards as to how to use the Ballista. The party reminds themselves that their mission for this expedition is to escort the Ghost Centaurs.

At the bottom of the Great Plunge, the party observes Jacinteleq going outside and talking to a parrot, which eventually flies away. It is now **16Dec1000**. Effectively, the party leaves for Eberron’s Rest on **17Dec1000 at 0600**.

It is discovered that the “riot” was a battle royale. Apparently, follower’s of Ardeth attacked some Marwani, leaving over 100 dead and the Marwani temple stripped.

Wakinyan performs his Protection from Animals ritual on the three rangers and himself.

The party is moving fast, Matilda is two terrain features ahead, the rangers are one, off to the side of the road. The rangers are ten meters inside the jungle. The first part of the trip on the road is uneventful. Thomas, the Junior ranger, spots a man waiting for the party in a tree. The party moves forward a tad. About the time that all of this goes on, the rangers are rotating. Music begins to pipe, and a man in a silver cape begins to float down the tree.

“Ho, down below!” says the voice. He is carrying a druid staff that looks natural, but it’s all carved, and has a silver cord wound around it. He is “Herald Jain of the Segmentum Althaminat Eshr  Agni.” He requests to be introduced to the party and the command. Also explains to the party the Xen’drik rules on Heralds:  They are entitled to room and board and transport anywhere, with anyone;  they transfer information around the Xen’drik,  but they will not reveal information about wars, secret food sources of a tribe, or similar. They also mediate to stop fighting and are guaranteed safe passage anywhere …on being aske, Jain hints that even the animals and jungle grant safe passage.

\*Break for Dinner\*

**SCENE 3.4**

The party is marching along with the Herald now in tow and assigned a wagon., and at some point Matilda comes running back from her position, and the rangers and wagon trail come to positions.

Wakinyan beastmasters Cheaton, but doesn’t see anything unusual through his eyes. He has Cheaton fly towards where Matilda ran from, he still doesn’t notice anything. The rangers sneak forward and ten wagon-fighters move to the front of the train. There are six people, one lying on the ground, one woman, and four children. The Herald remarks that we “must have found the Auspector.”

The man on the ground is drunk, lying in some of his vomit. The Herald and the woman converse. Loic will carry the man. The woman and children gather around a sort of sandy area, with water running in a circle. In the center of the circle is a large red rock, and part of the water comes from a rock laid on the foundation,connected to a stone behind it; the water flows down and poiurs into the sand.  The water flows in a circle and empties through an arch in a brownish stone at one end of the almost-circle of water. Karlan (the Auspector) and the woman perform some sort of ritual. The area above the circle of water begins to shimmer, and there is a puff of smoke. Merkha makes a sketch of the area.

The Herald, the woman, and Karlan begin to converse. The woman is crying, and gathers her children, then haul the man out of sight. Karlan is holding a device with two connected tubes with a glass thing on one end of each tube, that he keeps putting to his eyes. This is the Auspector’s place of vision. Wakinyan asks what Karlan used for his smoke. Karlan shows him, and gives some to Wakinyan to try.

As Wakinyan smokes it, it is as though Wakinyan’s vision has sharpened - when he looks at the sand and ritual circle, the circle becomes something else. The things on the ground sharpen into mountains, trees, rivers, a ring of volcanoes, and much more. As he looks carefully, Karlan asks what he sees. He hands his device to Wakinyan, and as he looks through the device, he sees this road, and a place where the caravan is. Karlan tells the party to ask Wakinyan one question. Karlan takes out a series of rocks, and lays them on the marble foundation where he lies to Auspekt.

When Wakinyan looks down, he sees a speck halfway between him and Eberron’s Rest. He sees a woman dressed in haram clothes riding on a panther, riding away from the caravan. An Auspector “sees that which is, and ask questions about it for the locals.” When asked “Where is the White Man,” Wakinyan isn’t drawn to some location or another. Leonus sends for the Cartographers. Wakinyan tries praying to the spirit of divine visions, using the instructions given to him by Ardeth. Loic asks Karlan about the family who had problems with the drunk (presumably) father. Loic suggests that they put a small amount of Nightshade in each of his drinks to put him to sleep. Karlan is impressed by this.

Wakinyan turns his focus to Eberron’s Rest, and he sees Rachel walking with someone. The gate has also been moved further out, and construction finished. Leonus gives his dagger as an offering, and has the artist get high with Karlan’s leaf, but can’t draw the map - it didn’t ‘activate’ for him.

Wakinyan asks for a Ghost Centaur to point out where he wants to be taken - they point to a place near the red stone. What Wakinyan sees is a spot where the Xen’drik is savannah, and he sees a spike of rock that’s very tall, with lots of things flying around it. It is **Targon’s Needle**, and Wakinyan looks for entrances. There are dark caves in lots of places on the Needle. Those at the base are heavily fortifies.

Wakinyan then looks back toward Eberron’s Rest, then follows the river near it, and sees lots of traffic on the river. Wakinyan tries to make a strip map from Eberron’s Rest towards Targon’s Needle after tracing out the Xen. Wakinyan gets two segments of the Xen done before his vision begins to unfocus.

According to the Herald the masks worn by the natives who raided Eberron’s Rest signify that their leader has claimed kingship of the Xen’drik. However, he says this is frequent and common, and offers very little insight into what group may have attacked. Wakinyan shares some of his pipeweed with Karlan. He then takes out his glasses, and says that he sees “different things happening at the same time. A Stormreach road, repairing the damage near here, I see something attacking you, I see you stopping at some ruins, and there’s a dead woman there… And the ruins looks blasted, I mean anew, and yes, you’re all dying, all of you, in a great wave of fire… I’m so sorry.” Wakinyan gives Karlan two charges of his pipeweed. The Na’ma tend to live where a forest biome lives to a clearer area - riverbottom, big trails, border between trees and plains, etc. There are various Auspects and various Auspectors all over, and all of the Auspectors use all of them, moving to and from where people need help.

The party resumes on the passages towards Eberron’s Rest, and as they are moving down, a gray winged thing with figures on its back comes flying down the trail, zooming over the entire caravan. Leonus orders the scorpions to be manned. A few moments later, a similar one comes in swooping at Loic. Loic tries to shoot it and dive to the side. Wakinyan hops on Matilda. Loic’s hit is a critical, for eight points of damage, and a crit on the left leg for an additional two points of damage. Loic then rolls out of the way of the creatures attack. Wakinyan lets out a warcry. The creature rises up again, and immediately after comes a second one, which goes after Jacinteleq. She makes her RET roll, and shoots and hits the creature for three points of damage. The second creature dives at Jacinteleq, who dodges. Wakinyan tries to have Matilda jump at the creature, and Wakinyan draws his tomahawk, and attempts a targeted crit at a wing. Matilda makes the timing roll, and the creatures fails the evade, and so Matilda sinks her hand claws in for fix and then six damage (slashing), penetrating for two and then three damage. Matilda is pulled into the air slightly, and then it comes crashing down on top of Matilda. Wakinyan hits the creature’s wing, dealing four damage to the wing. Matilda takes 17 damage from being crushed, the creature 7 from the fall. Matilda is upside down now, but the creature is on its feet. Wakinyan takes 15(10) damage from the fall, and is stunned. Then, the other flying creature comes in and lands, with more behind, and off of it come “critters.”

Leonus, Deucalion, Merkha, and Ademar come forward (mount the centaurs takes a BT, then they charge). The Ghost Centaurs are recruited to help. The creatures look like a cross between a cat and a lizard. It has claws on all four walking limbs. Start of new BT. The four critters that got off are look orc-like, and all go towards Loic. They are a smallish size. The Ghost Centaurs move as a unit, and turn to run into the woods. The other six centaurs (non-party) charge down the center line. Ademar leads the charge, and Leonus is on Merkha. It takes the centaurs 5 BT to reach the front. Standard spacing for carts is set at 20 meters. Decided to be four BT for Centaurs to go from five wagons back to the front. More “cargo critters” swoop in. None land this turn.

Deucalion (now Centalion, the fusion of a regular Ghost Centaur and Deucalion) mounts a centaur. So do Sauruth and Jacinder. Wakinyan recovers from the fall, but Matilda does not. He throws a franciscae at the orc unit, but rolls a 20 and fails. He then casts Web 3 on the unit instead, and hits Loic and three of the goblins. He then charges at the creature, and swipes at it with his bear claws. He then tries to get out of the way of the creature, but fails, then blocks the bite. After armor, the claws deal 2 and 1 damage, for three. He is crit in the leg, and can now only hop. It then jumps onto Wakinyan, who is bowled over for one point of damage. Loic bursts out of the web, and moves to attack the goblins, striking three times. Loic dominates one of the goblins, ending his career with 50 damage in two swings. Loic takes a free hit from the pole-weapon goblin, dealing a net three damage to him. Loic turns on that goblin, and tries to spike him, but the goblin maintains distance and fades the hit.

Jacinteleq and her magic bow storm off for ten arrows into two of the remaining three opponents facing Loic, who are pin-cushioned. The enemies and their remaining battle-cruisers circle the area, apparently sort of confused. The remaining orc-buddy attacks Loic, who tries to block. First two strikes are blocked, third is a hit. Nine points of damage. Matilda pounces onto the creature on the ground, and snaps its spine, killing it instantly. Matilda turns her attention to the creatures rider, who she munches. Loic disengages the remaining webbed gobbo, and lifts the creature off of Wakinyan so he can crawl out. Jacinteleq knocks out and ties up the webbed gobbo. Reserves are coming up, and Leonus takes a shot with his Thunderbow at one of the creature battlecruisers in the sky - he hits, dealing 14 damage. The head of the centaur column is now there.

At this point in time, the rear of the column reports large things landing again, attempting to grab the drivers. The scorpia get shots at the large fliers. Only one of the four rear guards is aware of the swooping creature, and he tries to roll out of the way, barely succeeding. The creature rakes deep grooves into the wagon. One other unlucky wagoneer is snatched, and the creature streaks down the path. Four arrow shots from the woods (Ghost Centaurs, arrow streaks)  rend into the creature, dealing 13 damage, and the one critical pierces its heart, killing it instantly. It lands on a main (non-pontoon) wagon, the 6th - the biologer’s wagon.

The wagon is demolished, Gwen is crushed and killed, the artist is killed, and the other biologer is unharmed, as well as the driver. The person manning the scorpion on wagon 6 is unharmed after rolling. Jay plays “Cliffhanger” to “instantly stabilize a dying creature” on Gwen. The driver who the creature had snatched is fine.

The Flyer is a giants head grafted onto the body of a nearly-skeletal looking creature, it appears to be a zombie-flyer with a truly living head stitched onto it. The orcs look totally unlike any we’ve seen before. It is confirmed that the Ghost Centaurs can move through trees. Literally. The creature that was killed by Matilda was truly living and natural.

The party is at this point a day and a half away from Eberron’s Rest. Jacinteleq’s parrot comes back and lands next to her, sticking its leg out. It has a band on it, which is satin, and in very minute writing, written in blood, that says “Kuzinak cele null, lerenaq okit aq cele pasath.”

Sauruth gallops off trying to find Ardeth after a brief angry exchange with Jacinder. Ardeth first said that she was worth nothing (lacking context), and has been having a complicated and difficult life. She seems to have come to the conclusion that her only option is to do “something,” which is unknown to Jaycinthe. She seems to be involved in the sacrificial rites at the site, but has still asked Sauruth to marry her. Loic offers to turn into a bull and run 24 hours non-stop. The party debates which bird Wakinyan should change into drawing upon their vast knowledge of birds. Wakinyan shifts into a very large Thunderbird, and Loic begins to turn into an Aurox.

Coming behind the party is a long column of clouds that appear to be moving 40-50 kph, forming a sort of tunnel. Leonus knows that it’s a polar fist - a stream of very cold air direct from the North Pole that has been collimated by various geographic featurers and turns into a cloud stream, eventually exploding into a huge storm over the Xen’drik. The party loads up on supplies in preparation for the polar fist, and wait for the transformations to complete. Afterwards, they head off towards the ruins.

The two groups, Loic, Sauruth, and Deucalion, then Wakinyan and Jacinteleq set out as soon as they can. Wakinyan and Jacinteleq arrive first to the ruins, and notice four problems - across from the entrance are three transparent dogs, and next to the entrance to the path is what appears to be a grumpy demon/devil. The trail is also now overgrown, no longer well-kept as it was before. Jacinteleq asks the demon if she may pass - and the demon shakes his head, pointing the trident at her. As soon as Jacinteleq tries to move across the road, the demon appears in front of her. Wakinyan walks behind the dogs, and tries to cross the road to pass. The dogs immediately appear in front of Wakinyan instead and keen. Jacinteleq can feel a tightening of the ley, and it’s rotating clockwise. Jacinteleq can hear the clattering of hooves from down the road in the direction of Stormreach. Wakinyan takes out a piece of meat, and tries to roll for handle animal on them - one opens its mouth and sucks the meat right into it. One of the other dogs grabs a second piece, and from around the corner comes a party of six people, who dismount. Three or four look like rangers and advance cautiously in a battle line, and behind them are two people, Rachel and Ester. Rachel is carrying a rifle, Esther has what the party assumes is a bright silver doll clutched to her chest. As soon as Jacinteleq tries to speak to her, the trident is pointed at her and silenced.

Wakinyan runs towards Rachel, who compare two very different reasons for being at the ruins. They have some small talk while ruminating about the demons. Ester has fallen back, and climbs on the rock, then slips and comes tumbling down towards the demon. The demon sort of absent-mindedly points his trident towards Rachel, whose rifle is sent flying, then pats Ester on the head and goes back to the path. One of the rangers steps forward to greet Wakinyan. He says he and his companions came there, bidden by circumstances. The man is Zaran, the Reappearing and All-Involved. Ester pipes up saying something in Hebrew when discussing the demon with Zaran. Rachel hushes her. They think it is perhaps a Hebrew demon. She wriggles out from under Rachel’s arm and runs towards the demon. Wakinyan tries to follow Esther, but is paralyzed by the demon. The demon picks up Ester, so that she can whisper in his ear. The short version is, the demon will not let the group in. She says “he says something has to be finished before anyone can be let in.” The demon raises the trident and thrusts it forward as far as he can reach, and lightning begins to arc into the ground only when it passes over the path. He seems confused.

The dogs back up a little bit, their fur standing on end. Jacinteleq explains the circumstances to Zaran. He shakes his head, saying he has no insight on this particular brand of demon. He says something in a language, and one of the rangers slips away into the woods. A few minutes later, the demon points his trident into the trees, and the ranger returns, shaking his head.

The bull that is Loic comes into the path full-tilt, with Deucalion and Sauruth on board. The silly Herald also wanted to go along. The Herald steps forward, and then starts to speak to the Demon, who then nods and walks through the rock away with the dogs. The Herald says he doesn’t know why the demon left.

The party tries to hurry through the path. Loic recognizes the language that Zaran and the rangers were speaking as that of his father.

There are thirteen skulls on stakes around the well. Ardeth is lying down with a dagger on her stomach, and appears to be asleep. Jacinteleq tries to call to her, saying “Ardeth, wake!” in Chla Nachran, but she does not wake, even after a small ripple in the ley. Deucalion uses his TLK to lifts the dagger off of Ardeth and brings it to him. First, lifting the dagger is far too easy, and it has a faintly green blade with an elaborate handle and jeweled hilt. It has an inscription in Chla Nachran. There is a loud crack, and one of the skulls shatters into a million pieces. Rachel had shot the skull. Loic smashes the base of another, and the skull breaks. Jacinteleq asks Sauruth to wake her with a kiss. He crosses over the rocks and takes something from his pocket, a bauble of some sort, and places it on her stomach. It’s a *pasath* gift or marriage pledge.

He picks Ardeth up, and carries her out of the altar-place. Once outside the circle, she wakes up, seeming bleary. She looks around and says “what time is it?” The party tells her. She sighs, then says that we arrived too late for our own purposes. She asks who destroyed Pnumoia? Rachel says she did. Ardeth nods, then turns, takes something out of her blouse, and the skull reassembles. Enter sappy interaction between Jacinteleq and Ardeth. She says she is claiming what is hers by right - the ley in the place stops moving. Ardeth stands up and seems to be alive and healthy, turns to Sauruth, and says “give me your palm.” She retrieves the dagger, pricks their palms, places them together, then says “it is sealed.” She kisses Jacinteleq on each cheek, and says something. She tells Jacinteleq to come with her, and goes to the altar. She points to the other side of the altar, relying on vague answers and some unladen trust to her. She goes over to the altar. She makes Cedac, and says in Chla Nachran all the things in the letter. Jacinteleq nervously laughs. Sauruth says “for Ledic’s sake, give her Cedac.” “Yes, I give you Cedac,” Jacinteleq says. One by one, the skulls disappear like candles going out. She says it would be a good idea if everyone goes back to the road. Everyone leaves the ruins. There is a rumbling, and we can see that one by one the ruins are falling down. Everything in the ruins is beginning to crumble. “Foul place,” Ardeth says. Fin.