Session Notes

Weather: 3 days (26th – 1st)
Moderate, fair, fog
Light winds (x1)

Weather: 4 days (2nd – 6th)
Moderate, varies, clear
Light winds (x1)

Weather: 5 days (7th – 12th)
Warm, fair, warm
Light winds (x1)

Weather: 5 days (13th – 18th)
Moderate, fair, rain
Moderate winds (x2)

Secondmonth 25th, clear, set new course, (failed?)
Secondmonth 26th, foggy, DC 25, failed, 60 miles, 60 total
Secondmonth 27th, foggy, DC 27, success, 60 miles, 120 total
Secondmonth 28th, foggy, DC 25, success, 60 miles, 180 total
Thirdmonth 1st, foggy, DC 25, success, 60 miles, 240 total
Thirdmonth 2nd, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 300 total
Thirdmonth 3rd, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 360 total
Thirdmonth 4th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 420 total

Sigrid 28 spot, 17 listen
Soern 1 spot, 13 listen
Blank 17 spot, 22 listen
Mark 12 spot, 13 listen
Rellik 12 spot, 12 listen

Fought 4 anguillans

“We’re never going to see land ever again.” – Sigrid
“At least you’re not a champion of land.” – Captain Blank
(beat)
“Champion of PANTS!” – Captain Blank

Thirdmonth 5th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 480 total
Thirdmonth 6th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 540 total
Thirdmonth 7th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 600 total
Thirdmonth 8th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 660 total
Thirdmonth 9th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 720 total
Thirdmonth 10th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 780 total
Thirdmonth 11th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 840 total
Thirdmonth 12th, clear, DC 17, success, 60 miles, 900 total
Thirdmonth 13th, rain, DC 25, fail, 60 miles, 1020 total

Magic booze – heightened ability boost, charisma +4 800 gp

“Convinced Darquain to challenge Gen Zheraf to a duel.”

Saw the island, rising out of the mist

Fought “velociraptors,” Soern nearly died
One velociraptor escaped
Went back to the ship, to rest
Found that monkeys had invaded

Combat Notes

Mark

Created: March 18, 2007

Mark
Human Totem Warrior 5
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid
Hit Dice: 5d10
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 19 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +5 armor), flat-footed 17, touch 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: Dire scimitar +12 melee (1d6+9, 18-20/x2)
Full Attack: Dire scimitar +12 melee (1d6+9, 18-20/x2)
Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Skin of the shark, totem animal companion, breathe water,
Saves: Fort +6, Will +3, Ref +4
Feats: Way with Animals, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Heavy), Iron Flesh, Weapon Focus (dire scimitar), Quick Draw,
Skills: Handle Animal +5, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (sailing and navigation) +9, Spot +9, Survival +9, Swim +12,

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 5

Can apply Bluff, Diplomacy, and Gather Information skills to animals. (Not fish.)
Magical beasts also, with -4 penalty.

+1 dire scimitar 3015 gp
+1 leather coat 200 gp

4300 gp total

6th level feats – Weapon Specialization (dire scimitar), Infuse Weapon (Scimitar)

Sigrid's Journal 21: Beginning of the End

~~~~~

Fifthmonth 4 (Continued)

A most fascinating afternoon. I was woken up by a more-hyper-than-usual James (which I hadn't previously thought was possible) yelling, “Quartermaster Halstead! Quartermaster Halstead! Land ho! Well, not really land, but stones... giant stones.... Anyway, Commodore Blank wants you on deck!”

I woke up and looked at him,“James... you know you're allowed to call me Sigrid...”

“Yes, Quartermaster Halstead.”

I started to respond, but felt it would probably be easier just to let this one go. “Go tell Blank I'll be up there in a second.”

I laid there on my hammock, looking at the deckboards above me. This was it then. This was Xanadu. I sat up in my hammock, stretching. I jumped down onto the floor when Gannen came down below deck. I froze,staring at him, not entirely sure what to say. He looked back at me for a moment, before awkwardly interrupting the silence. “Er... Blank says we're at Xanadu. I wanted to... well, you know, make sure you knew or whatever...”

“Yeah... James told me... but, thanks,” I smiled at Gannen. He gave me a small smile back before quickly looking away.

“There was something I needed to talk to you about... well, you—plural, like you, Jocy, Blank and Mark.”

“Shall we, then?” I asked, motioning towards the ladder. He nodded and we made our way up to the deck.

Once up on deck, Gannen pulled Blank, Mark, Jocelyn and I aside and warned us not to trust the Aur Xica. He told us that it “wasn't good.” He quoted Monala, claiming she said the sword was bad. Apparently she was also amused at the possibility it was manipulating us.

After Gannen talked to us, we confronted the Aur Xica about these allegations. It claimed that Monala was lying. It went on and on about how she was obviously trying to get us to mistrust it, on account of it being our only connection to the Hora Quan or whatever. Truth-be-told, I side with Gannen on this matter. I have never trusted that sword, or any intelligent item for that matter. A sword's job is to kill what I want dead, not to chit-chat with me.

Taking the cursed blade with me, I climbed up to the crow's nest and we continued sailing towards the city. As it grew closer, I had this strange feeling that someone—or something—was watching us. I would see little blips of movement that varied from the usual ebb and flow of the ocean, but when I would try to get a closer look, the movement would be gone. Just as I thought about calling down to Blank about it, a giant sea monster emerged from the water!

“Octopus!” I cried out.

“No...!” Commodore Blank yelled, “It's not an octopus... it's a Kraken!”

I leapt down from the crow's nest. Armour-less, it was much easier than it normally was, and I landed quite gracefully. Running to the starboard side of the ship, I watched as the Kraken swung its massive arms about, grazing the side of the Ocean's Blade. The boat rocked violently, knocking me backwards into Mark. Pushing me away from him, he ran up to the beast and attacked. I pulled myself back up and followed suit, leaning precariously over the railing as I hacked away at a tentacle. Gannen and Mark stood on either side of me, fending off the beast as well.

The creature violently flailed about. One of its tentacles caught me hard in the ribcage, causing me to fall into the water. Another tentacle swung down towards me. Instinctively, I raised my arms to block it. The Kraken's arm hit the Aur Xica and my summoned shield with enough force to shove me underwater. I was surprised that I had managed to hold on to the Aur Xica, and I hadn't remembered calling a shield at all, but I suppose it is as Lord Morek often tells me; I have good instincts in battle.

Though I have those “good instincts,” I was seriously thrown off-balance by the Kraken. I hovered in the water, not entirely sure which way was up, rather disoriented. The seawater stung my eyes as I opened them and looked around. There was water all around me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a steadily building orb of light. It grew brighter and brighter as I swam towards it. Was this some sort of divine sign? My head hit the surface and I gasped in a mouthful of air mixed with saltwater. I glanced up at where the light had been and realized Blank had been summoning a burst of icefire, which he now released at the Kraken. I decided that Commodore Blank was probably not a sign from the gods, though I suspect he might think that he's a god.

Looking back at the side of the boat, I saw Mark continuing to beat on the Kraken. Gannen, however, had stopped attacking and only made glances at the creature when a tentacle strayed too close to him. Instead of putting his full concentration into the battle, he appeared to be scanning the water beneath the Kraken. Catching sight of me, he tossed a rope in the water. I grabbed it and swam towards the boat. Gannen pulled me aboard. I spent a moment coughing up inhaled seawater. Gannen stood there, staring at me with a concerned look on his face.

“Fight, damn it!” I yelled at him, annoyed. He returned to the side of the ship and slashed at the Kraken. I caught my breath and joined him. Before I even got a single attack in, however, a massive blast of fire emanated from Soern's hands, utterly decimating the monster. Its corpse slowly sank back into the depths from whence it came.

“Hahaha!” Blank laughed maniacally, “Take that, Kraken! Never again will you terrorize the seas!” Blank's ecstatic mood didn't last long though. Mere moments after he declared the oceans safe from the kraken, the awful beast re-emerged.

“Zombie...” Gannen muttered, “Zombie Kraken... who would do...” he paused for a moment before angrily growling, “Monala....”

“What is this foul magic? Is this some cosmic joke to punish the great Commodore Blank?” Blank asked, his voice a bit shakier than normal. I could tell that he was afraid. I was as well.

Regaining his composure, Gannen loudly announced, “It's a zombie! We have to kill it!”

The creature reared. It was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen. A burst of warm, glowing light streamed down from high above the Kraken. It flowed over my skin, restrengthening me. The light seemed to have a profoundly different effect on the Kraken, which flailed angrily. I was confused for a moment, but then remembered the dichotomy of the Green and the Dark. I didn't have much time to ponder magical laws though. The undead monster was angry, and it was taking its anger out on our ships.

We continued our assault on the Kraken. We were chipping away at it, but the going was slow. That is, until Soern threw some sort of paralytic magic at it. Once it wasn't flailing madly at us, it was much easier to slay once and for all.

Once the Kraken sunk back into the water, everyone was still and silent, as if waiting to see if it would re-emerge. When it didn't, everyone relaxed. Gannen walked over to me, asking me, “Are you okay?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but didn't know what to say, so instead, I just kissed him. I broke away from him, and he just stared at me with a rather stunned look on his face. He looked like he was about to say something, when Blank interrupted, completely ruining the moment.

“Hahaha!!! Sigrid kissed Gannen!” He laughed. I glared at him which didn't seem to deter his laughter at all. “That's absolutely hilarious!”

Ignoring Blank, I turned back to Gannen, who looked back at me, silently. Whatever he had been about to say will remain unsaid I guess. Turning away, I looked out at Xanadu. The stone city appeared dark and forboding, and suddenly I knew.

I knew Monala was standing in that city, staring out at our ships on the horizon. I knew she knew we were coming. I knew she was waiting for us. I closed my eyes and I saw her standing a stone platform. I saw her as if she was standing right in front of me. She saw me too. She looked right at me and smiled. I opened my eyes and found that I was still on the Ocean's Blade. I had seen Monala because she had wanted me to see her. I took a deep breath and realized that I may never leave this place. Death was a distinct possibility.

“We might not survive this,” I said.

“Excuse me?” Jocelyn questioned.

I sighed, “There's a distinct possibility that we might die here. But we have to fight. We have to try. We can't just let Monala win without a fight.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that we might not die?” Gannen interrupted, “Why are you acting like we're marching off to our deaths?”

“We might die,” I protested.

“We also might live, Sigrid. Anything worth dying for is also worth living for.”

I looked at him for a moment, before responding, “What an odd thing for a Champion of Death to say.”

“Maybe so,” he admitted.

Just at that moment, Soern called over from the Fearful Lightning, “Hey! What's our plan here?”

We all convened on the Ocean's Blade and decided to leave Blank's henchmen and my squires on the Fearful Lightning, away from Xanadu, and hopefully away from danger. They have strict orders to go back to Ao-Manasa and Pental if we don't return in one week's time. If we die in Xanadu, both the Diamond Throne and the Order must be warned about Monala. After we said goodbye to our young crew members, we ventured off towards Xanadu on the Ocean's Blade.

I stood in the crow's nest, watching as the ominous city grew closer. I heard someone climbing up to join me. Without even turning to look, I knew who it was. Gannen. I continued staring off into the storm, scarcely moving.

“You can go dry off and warm off if you'd like. I can take watch,” he offered.

I shook my head. “Thank you, but no. I like being outside, even when the sun's nowhere to be seen.” I looked skyward for a moment, and then added, “I don't think I'm ever going to see the sun again.”

“Okay Sigrid, that's enough,” he said with a tone of impatience in his voice, “You're a knight. Is this mood you're in any way to go into a battle? State-of-mind is incredibly important. I'm sure you know that.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you doing this to yourself? Are you trying to make yourself less afraid of dying?”

“I'm not afraid to die,” I stated adamantly.

“Yes, you are. You're absolutely terrified. Why, though? You've seen combat before. Every time I've seen you in combat, you've been completely calm. Why is this different?”

“Because for the first time in my life, I feel like I might not be able to handle an impending battle. Monala's powerful. Last time we met,one touch from her and I became her marionette,” I paused. “I fight a lot, but I'm always confident. Now, I'm not so sure.” Looking out to to sea, I added, “I really don't want to die. I do want to see the sun again. And besides, we still need to talk about... things.”

“Things. Yeah. We will talk, Sigrid, just not now. Later, after Xana...”

“What if there is no 'after Xanadu', Gannen?” I interrupted. “What if 'now' is all we have?”

“This isn't the end. We WILL survive this,” Gannen proclaimed.

“I hope you're right. I want to be alone. You're on watch now,” I told him as I climbed down the crow's nest.

I've taken a break to decompress and to rest. I don't feel much better though. Xanadu calls to me now. I hope this isn't the end.

~~~~~

Twisted Fish

Created: March 9, 2007

Twisted Fish
Bartender
Faen, Female
Impostor: wants to keep secret the fact that she is a disguised rogue, doppelganger, or other entity posing as the real NPC

Sigrid's Journal 20: How You Wanna Feel

~~~~~

Fifthmonth 1

I didn't sleep much last night. Every time I began to drift away, I would startle and look over to check that Gannen was still within my sight. About the seventh or eighth time this happened, I got up, walked over to him, and laid down next to him. I decided that he would be much less likely to disappear if I was literally right with him. Slightly less anxious, I slept a bit better (though not much).

In the morning when I woke up, Gannen hadn't gone anywhere. I woke him up, and he seemed less comatose than he had yesterday. When he woke up, he looked confused and stared at me, before saying, “You...”

“Yes?” I replied.

“Sigrid.”

“Are you alright, Gannen?”

“Alright?” He appeared unsure, “I... yeah... no... I don't know.”

I took one of his hands in my own. “I need your Truename.”

He looked down at my hands. “Truename? Oh yeah... Ronnudulaes.” The name seemed to echo with a power that only a Truename possessed.

After informing Paerk of Gannen's Truename, he made short work of fulling restoring him. After he was recovered, he seemed a bit concerned that he had so easily divulged his Truename. I informed him that I would never misuse it. He still seemed a bit wary, however.

Blank asked him about Monala's “evil plan,” and he told us that we had to go to Xanadu as soon as possible. He wasn't entirely clear on what exactly Monala was going to do, but he told us that her plan involved zombies and other general evil. He also informed us that Mixastomere was involved as well, a fact that (surprisingly) didn't seem to cause Soern much grief.

We decided to return to Ao-Manasa to stock up and get ourselves properly equipped before venturing off to Xanadu. Even sailing back to port was more difficult than it should have been; the weather was getting worse by the moment. Once back in town, we went to the University and talked to Uthar again. He told us that Xanadu had, indeed, been the capital of the Hora Quan empire. After we told him that we believed the Heart of the Ocean may have been restarted and that that may be the cause of this recent foul weather, he seemed very concerned.

We also did some shopping. I got a new set of armour and purchased some things for Gannen, who seemed to be suffering from a distinct lack of equipment. We left the city before nightfall.

~~~~~

Fifthmonth 2

The weather was again horrible today, but Captain Blank says we made astounding progress. Captain Blank seems convinced our above-average speed is directly linked to his above-average sailing ability. I have a different, more sinister idea. I believe these cursed winds are ushering us off to Xanadu. It is as if Monala herself is beckoning to us, summoning us to her dark lair as a spider does with flies. Either she gets some sadistic pleasure out of continuously causing us strife, or perhaps our deaths will simply be the last obstacle in her malefic plan. Either way, we're in for a world of hurt.

Gannen's been distant today. I tried on numerous occasions to pull him aside to speak with me and he brushed me off each and every time. This concerns and saddens me.

~~~~~

Fifthmonth 3

We're another day closer to confronting Monala, and Gannen and I are another day further apart. I spent a good deal of my time today trying to talk to him, yet he still would barely even make eye contact with me.

Near the end of the day, Commodore Blank climbed up to the Crows' Nest while I was on duty.

“Why by Malleus' beard are you still up here?!” he exclaimed, “I've yelled at you like five times to get your ass back down on deck.”

I didn't answer him and instead looked out in the stormy sea, “Can I ask you something?”

“If you get down from here, sure.” I looked at him and he pointed towards the ladder. “Get climbing.” When we reached the bottom of the ladder, Commodore Blank lead me into his office. He pointed to a chair and tossed a drying-cloth to me. I sat down. “Now, what did you want?”

“Why does he hate me?”

“He? Who? Mark? He doesn't hate you, he's just not the most... personable. I'm sure he didn't mean to hit you in the head with that plank earlier. If you hadn't been daydreaming off in your own little worl...”

“I'm not talking about Mark,” I interrupted.

“Then who? Gannen?” Blank looked at me. I sighed and stared at the floor. “Aha... I see... Sigrid's a bit smitten, is she? This calls for a toast!” Blank reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of rum and a not-so-clean shotglass. He poured a shot and pushed the glass towards me.

“You think everything calls for a toast,” I muttered.

“Precisely. Go on now.”

“I don't want any rum.”

Blank looked a little taken aback. “Don't... want... rum? Ah,but you jest, of course you want it. Go on.” Blank held the rum bottle in one hand, waiting for me to take my glass. Sighing, I lifted the shot. Blank lifted the rum bottle up in a manner of toasting. I echoed with my glass. Blank downed three or four guzzles as I sipped about half the shot.

“I just wish I knew why he hates me...”

“I don't think he hates you. I think he hates that sword,” he motioned towards the Aur Xica with the bottle.

“How would you know that?”

“Commodore Blank is an amazingly wise man,” he smugly stated. Upon seeing that I was not impressed, he added, “Well, and Gannen told me earlier that he hates that sword.”

“So, he's been avoiding me to avoid the Aur Xica?”

“Maybe... Look, Sigrid, why don't you talk to him about it?”

Leaving the Aur Xica in Blank's care, I ventured down below deck to do just that, but found that Gannen was already fast asleep in his bedroll. I will have to wait until tomorrow to talk to him.

~~~~~

Fifthmonth 4

When I woke up this morning, Gannen was already up on deck. He greeted me with slightly more enthusiasm than he had previous days. Perhaps Blank was right about the sword. I still felt that I needed to talk to him about “us”, so I stole him away below deck. Ignoring the issue of the Aur Xica completely, I asked him flat-out what he thought of me. He averted the question, telling me that he really couldn't have this conversation now. He promised me, however, that after Xanadu, after we dealt with Monala, that we could talk about everything. I begrudgingly accepted this arrangement and we talked for a little while about other things. He expressed a little self-annoyance with how easily he divulged his Truename. I then shared my Truename with him. He was silent for a moment and then commented, “You really trust me, don't you, Sigrid?” I informed him that that was, indeed, the case and he turned away and sighed. A minute or so later, he excused himself to return to work.

I decided to take a break for the rest of the day. I'm scheduled for night watch tonight, so I think I'll rest up for that.

~~~~~

Notes

Created: March 9, 2007

Secondmonth 19th
At Knight of the Axe island
Discussed whether to go back to Ao-Manasa or continue on to Hora Quan
Everyone wanted to go to the Hora Quan, except Rellik
Then Sigrid decide she wanted to go back to Ao-Manasa

Discussed sword, price, appraisal

“I’m the quartermaster. I keep stuff places.” – Sigrid
“And I hide things other places.” – Blank

Weather: 3 days (until Secondmonth 22nd)
Moderate temperature
Light winds (x1)
West

60 miles per day

Secondmonth 20th
40 miles away from Ao-Manasa

Secondmonth 21st
Arrive without incident

Went to the Twisted Fish
New random victim – Faen, male, Yaerl Dawnskimmer (Edited post-session: I never actually told the players this)

Midafternoon
Went to Mevarin residence (to kill Mischa)

“We all got multiples of five.” – Andy
“But only one of them was a prime number.” – AJ

“My name is Sigrid Halstead. You killed your father. Prepare to die.” – Sigrid

Killed Mischa

Searched the house
Magic booze!
Jewelry
Sigrid made Soern put it back
Left one of the vials of poison on Mischa’s body, along with one of the flowers

“Rellik! I will not tolerate insubordination.” – Captain Blank
“(I said a fancy word.)” – Captain Blank

Went out the back

Went to the Black Angle

“Why would they try to kill us? We are as innocent as little baby birdlings.” Captain Blank
“Little baby birdlings who just murdered someone.” – Sigrid
“Baby birdlings can be very vicious.” – Captain Blank

Sigrid flirting with Gannen
Gannen arrested

“It’s like everything I know about justice has been turned on it’s head. The guards just came in and arrested a man who, while certainly not innocent, was not guilty of this crime.” – Sigrid

Soern went back to the ship
Rellik “urged the bartender to call the guards” and then went back to the ship

“But it’s a ritual. You can’t bother me.” – Sigrid
“Right. I’ll be on god dirty.” – Soern

Everyone goes back to Ocean’s Blade
Sigrid got all her ritual supplies

“I’ll always be there to get hammered with you.” – Captain Blank
“Yeah, that makes me feel much – wait, yeah, it does.” – Sigrid

Secondmonth 21st
Weather: 1 day (until Secondmonth 22nd)
Moderate temperature
Light winds (x1)
West

Weather: 2 days (22nd – 23rd)
Moderate temperature, storm, rain
Windstorm (gale) (x3)
East

Weather: 2 days (24th – 25th)
Cold, clear
Light winds (x1)
West

Weather: 3 days (26th – 29th)
Moderate, fair, fog
Light winds (x1)

Secondmonth 21st (60 miles)
Secondmonth 22nd, storm/rain, driven 120 miles straight west
Secondmonth 23rd, storm/rain, driven 120 miles straight west, past the tomb
Secondmonth 24th, clear, 60 miles to tomb, arrive at the tomb
Secondmonth 25th, clear, set new course, 200 miles off
Secondmonth 26th,

Initiative & Such

Created: March 9, 2007

Baern

Created: March 9, 2007
Baern
Human Oathsworn 6
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (42), dying/dead -2/-14
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 feet
AC: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 oathsworn bonus), touch 17, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attack: Unarmed +10 melee (1d8+5), thrown object +9 ranged (1d8+5) (increment 10 ft.)
Full Attack: Unarmed +10/+6 (1d8+5), thrown object +9/+5 (1d8+5)
Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Shattering blow, throw object, combat rites, objects as weapons
Special Qualities: Swear an oath, eschew food, evasion, fast movement, lesser adaptation, refuse fatigue, refuse fear,
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +7
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Jump +13, Sense Motive +11, Tumble +13
Feats: Resistance to Magic, Intuitive Sense, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Low Blow, Hands as Weapons

Touch of fear, touch of pain, and touch of disruption, each 1/day

Shattering Strike: Full round action, one attack ignores 6 points of damage reduction.

Low Blow: As a full-attack action, Baern can make a single attack roll that inflicts normal damage. If he damages his humanoid or monstrous humanoid opponent, the foe must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 15). Should he fail the save, he is dazed for 1 full round.

Objects as weapons: Can use any random object as a weapon, attack bonus and damage as unarmed strike.

Resistance to Magic: +1 saving throw bonus to all saves against spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, magic items, and so forth

Intuitive Sense: aware of all incoming attacks

Combat Rites: 3 1st rank

Equipment:
+1 enhancement on hands (2,000)
Wargloves (1,600)
1 Strength boost +2 potions (300)
1 Dexterity boost +2 potions (300)
1 Constitution boost +2 potions (300)
Sturdying Elixir (10 hp) (300)
2 potions of lesser battle healing (300 each)

NPCs

My(tm) Official Is This Fair? Soundtrack

Since Artemis made hers, I figured I'd do my own. All the songs are songs that can be bought someplace, dunno about Ruckus or whatever, except for A pirate I was Meant to Be, which can be found on the Curse of Monkey Island official webpage.

1. Devil’s Ambition, From FF9 – Opening Credits, Sneaking into Sa-Follens House.
2. Indiana Jones Theme, From Indiana Jones – Investigating the Islands Tomb.
3. Two Hornpipes, From Pirates of the Caribbean – Black Angle's Theme
4. My Kind of Guy, By The Kaiser Cheifs – Blank and Rellik’s Theme (Poisonous Polish Scene)
5. Woke Up This Morning, By Nickelback – Mischa Theme (Mischa's Fight scene)
6. Falling For the First Time, By Barenaked Ladies – Sigrid's Theme (Touch of Justice and Witch Sight shenanigans in the black angle)
7. Theme from Jurassic Park, From Jurassic Park – Investigating Hora Quan temple
8. A Pirate I was Meant to be, From Curse of Monkey Island – Cap’n Blanks Shanty (Captain Communists High Seas Piracy)
9. Bells of Freedom, By Bon Jovi – Gannen's Theme (rescuing Gannen from prison)
10. This Fire, By Franz Ferdinand – Chapter House on Fire
11. The Black Pearl, From Pirates of the Caribbean – Boarding Parrel's ship, stealing it
12. Extreme Ways, By Moby – Soerns theme (Sorcerous Blast to the Fearful Lightning)
13. Barbossa Is Hungry, From Pirates of the Caribbean – Investigating The Pirate Cove
14. Great Destroyer, By Nine Inch Nails – Illiams Theme (Fighting him)
15. If You’re Gone, By Matchbox Twenty – Sigrid love theme #1 (Gannen Abducted)
16. Smooth Criminal, By Alien Ant Farm – Relliks Theme (killing other twin merchant)
17. Collector, By Nine Inch Nails – Taevins Theme (him talking about his employer)
18. Hunter’s Chance, From FF9 – Fighting on Jeweled Trees island, snakes, birds, golems
19. Through Glass, By Stone Sour – Sigrid Love theme #2 (Gannen Still Abducted)
20. White Wedding, By Billy Idol - Wedding? I love weddings!
21. Ghost Love score, by Nightwish – Weddings Fight Scene and ensuing madness
22. Green World, By Gorillaz – Paerks Theme (stuck somewhere in the calm)
23. All My Life, By Foo Fighters – Blanks Theme (being a traitorous bastard)
24. Vamo Alla Flamenco, From FF9 – Hallas duel
25. Welcome To The Jungle, By Guns N Roses – Gorzams Theme (hanging out in Gorzam)
26. Cold, By Matchbox Twenty – Monalas Theme (Ice Mephits)
27. One Last Shot, From Pirates of the Caribbean – Volcano rescue
28. Kraken, From Pirates of the Caribbean - Kraken Fight (going to Xanadu)
29. The Beginning of the End, By Nine Inch Nails – Descending underneath Xanadu
30. A Last Illusion, By Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Epic fight
31. Paradise City, By Guns N Roses – Xanadu's Theme (end credits)

Estimated Elapsed Time: 2 Hours, Twelve minutes

Soundtrack

My (Unofficial) Soundtrack. Comments/Complaints/Suggestions are welcome! For you college kids, MOST of the tracks are available for FREE on Ruckus.

Is This Fair? Is it? – Soundtrack

Kryptonite – 3 Doors Down
Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
Live for Today – 3 Doors Down
Wanted Dead or Alive – Bon Jovi
Metal Heart – Garbage
Silent Sea – KT Tunstall
Don't Want You Back – Backstreet Boys
For the Sake of Revenge – Sonata Arctica
Bounce – Bon Jovi
Leave Out All the Rest – Linkin Park
Not Ready to Make Nice – Dixie Chicks
The Truth Behind the Rose – Within Temptation
Here by Me - 3 Doors Down
It's My Life – Bon Jovi
The Islander – Nightwish
The World Is Not Enough – Garbage
Parade – Garbage
Have You Got It in You? – Imogen Heap
Going Down in Flames – 3 Doors Down
Beautiful Day – U2 – Paerk's Theme
Crystal Ball – Keane
Make Me – Andain
The Frog Prince – Keane
Walk On – U2
How Far We've Come – Matchbox Twenty
Make This Go On Forever - Snow Patrol
Little Wonders - Rob Thomas

Mischa Mevarin

Created: March 5, 2007

Mischa Mevarin
Human Akashic 6
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid
Hit Dice: 6d6+12 (24), dying/dead 0/-10
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 12 (+2 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Greatsword +6 melee (2d6+2, 19-20/x2), composite longbow +6 ranged (1d8,x3)
Full Attack: Greatsword +6 melee (2d6+2, 19-20/x2), composite longbow +6 ranged (1d8, x3)
Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Sneak attack, minor battle memory,
Special Qualities: Skill memory (+2) 3/day, Perfect recall, Delve into collective memory, creature loresight 1/day,
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 7, Cha 15
Skills: Bluff +11, Climb +11, Diplomacy +11, Disable Device +11, Disguise +11, Escape Artist +11, Gather Information +11, Listen +7, Open Lock +11, Search +12, Sleight of Hand +11, Sneak +11,
Feats: Night Owl, Ritual Combat, First Strike, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot

Night Owl: +1 to attacks, saves, and checks at night
First Strike: +1d6 damage against flat-footed opponents

Uses Canny Strike when she can, +1d6 sneak attack, for a total of +3d6 against flat-footed enemies.

Has note, “To Gannen: I did it.”

Aur Xica History

Created: March 4, 2007

This blade was once called Aur Xica, sword of champions. Little now is known of it, its tale lost along with the empire it defended, Hora Quan.

It was forged at the beginning of the empire, and for centuries was wielded by each of the Emperor’s champions in turn, and helped to maintain its long peace, until that peace was ended by the dramojh war.

Tai Faren, the high priest, hid the sword from the dramojh—though no one has recorded where. He bound its power, and hid the secret to its unbinding at the heart of the empire, the Temple of the Hora Quan.

Session Notes

Created: March 2, 2007

“Didn’t you used to be all happy and whimsical? Hmm, maybe Rellik’s had a bad influence on him. Or maybe it was you.” – Sigrid
“I’m whimsical!” – Captain Blank
“You’re a pirate.” – Sigrid

Secondmonth 15th
Mid-afternoon

Ratham Norder
Thinks Soern is a pirate
First words “you look unwashed”
He thinks everyone is a pirate, especially if they deny it, because “pirates always lie”
Has a rat problem – the rats are dirty, and need cleaning

“You look . . . unwashed.” – Ratham

“Are you a pirate? I don’t like pirates.” – Ratham
“I’m not a pirate.” – Soern
“You must be a pirate. Pirate’s always lie.” – Ratham
“I’m a pirate.” – Captain Blank
“You’re not a pirate. You’re telling the truth. You can’t be a pirate.” – Ratham

Went to talk to Mischa
Dyeza Tazhiren
Read some documents, something about Dyeza Tazhiren and his instatement as champion

go back to the Black Angle
Tillienne
Cer-Athane
Gannen

Sigrid and Soern go over to the bar
Blank goes over and talks to Cer-Athane
Got his headband of feathery wisdom
Sigrid gets ale

“Where’d you get that sword?” – Gannen
“We found it.” – Sigrid
“In a gold mine.” – Soern

“We found it, it’s very old, we don’t much about it. Except that it has feelings.” – Sigrid
“It’s the ale.” – Captain Blank

Talked to Gannen about the sword, Hora Quan

“I’m supposed to stand for justice, and truth.” – Sigrid
“Then sit down.” – Captain Blank

Went back to ship, saw James being threatened by thugs on the way
On the docks: ship with black and red, ominous sails
It set sail, they followed it

Sailed threw fog, other ship disappeared
Ghost wolves

Set sail on Secondmonth 16th night

Weather: 5 days
Moderate temperature
Light winds (x1)
West

60 miles per day
Takes three and a half days
Arrived at Knight of the Axe island on the morning of Secondmonth 19th

Tethun
Kavikaran

“So, Rellik, what do you think about going to the temple?” – Sigrid
“Rrrr, cryptic, rrr, apathy, rrr, kill Mischa.” – Captain Blank

Scenes

Created: February 24, 2007

Scenes

Confrontation with Illiam’s crew
Goals: Spotlight Blank, establish that Illiam is a bad guy
Location: The Twisted Fish
Prep: Stats for basic crew member, personalities
Triggers: None (location only)

Interview with Mischa Mevarin
Goals: Shut down the “murder” subplot, hint at why the people who were murdered were, introduce background bad guy
Location: Mevarin House
Prep: Stats for Mischa, Mevarin house layout

NPCs

Created: February 24, 2007

Ea-Shamar
Giant 2 / Warmain 3
Ao-Manasa
Interim captain of the guard (was second in command; won’t be official until there’s a funeral and a changing of command ceremony)
Believes in justice, wants to clean up the guard, take on the Nightwalkers
Needs to finish the Shu-Rin ceremonies—taking over the guard is going to delay that
Red hair, wears mostly red and white, even while off duty (Red and white/argent are the colors of Ao-Manasa and its guard)
High energy, dynamic, wants to know what the situation is
Mid-30s, 6’6”, 200 lbs (short . . . for a giant)

Mixastomere
Huge Dragon (Water)
On her island
Adult, about 150 years old
Blue and bronze, some green shimmering
Trades magical knowledge and Tenebrian evolution for “favors”
Broke off from the main delegation of the Squamous Horde; relations with them aren’t terribly friendly
Wanted Sa-Follen dead—sent Sorern to do it
Possibility: dealt with Sa-Follen as a favor to the Horde, to prevent open conflict
Possibility: dealt with Sa-Follen to see if she could blame the Horde

Taevin Brightfind
Quickling Faen (Expert, maybe)
Ao-Manasa
Captain Blank’s contact
Merchant, specializes in buying and selling exotic treasure, the kinds of things only adventurers can get
Able to work with rich collector types, willing to work with scruffy adventurer types
Somewhat like Badger, from Firefly, dismissive of the PCs
Late 80s (young adult, nearly middle age), 3’5”, 45 lbs

Gannen
Human Champion of Death
Ao-Manasa
Arena
Champions death in a personal way—uninterested in starting wars, because it’s the killing blow that matters to him (but don’t tell the characters this straight out)
Dark hair, dark eyes
Black and gold, the smell of metal

Lord Morek
Human (Warmain or Champion of Freedom)
Knight of the Axe (on their island)
The guy Sigrid talks to for KotA stuff

Word Construction Guidelines

Created: February 21, 2007

Word construction:

Vowels
Ai
Eh (e)
Uh (u) (a)
I
O

Starred can only be in their category

Start of words:
(Combines stops (t d k g) with unvoiced approximants (w l y))
Tw (tu)
Tl
Ty
Dw (du)
Dl
Dy
Kw (qu)
Kl
Ky
Gw (gu)
Gl
Gy

(Fricatives)
F*
V*
Th
S
Z
Sh*
Zh*
H*

Middle of Words:
Combinations defined above
R*
L*
S
Z

Ends:
Vowels
R
M*
N*
Ng*

Mazquar

Created: February 16, 2007

Mazquar
Verrik Mageblade
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid
Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (36), dying/dead -1/-12
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 20 (22 w/ beastskin)
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Longsword +9 melee (1d8+7), composite longbow +7 (1d8+2)
Full Attack: +9 melee (1d8+7), composite longbow +7 (1d8+2)
Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Spells
Special Qualities: Athame, shimmering shield
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 15
Skills: Climb +5, Concentration +6, Jump +4, Knowledge (runes) +5
Feats: Natural Sworsdman, Bond with Item, Weapon Focus, Improved Initiative, Weapon Specialization

Ammo: 20 arrows, 20 bodkin Arrows
Potion of transfer lesser wounds, potion of glamour, potion of heightened lesser battle healing, potion of strength boost
Ring of Resistance +1

Spell Slots 4/3/3
Spells Readied 5/4/3

Bash
Detect Magic
Saving Grace
Seeker
Touch of Weakness

Animate Weapon
Mind Stab
Tears of Pain
Touch of Fear

Beastskin (Lesser)
Destructive Grip
Spell’s Edge (Lesser)

Initiative & Such

Created: February 16, 2007

Session Notes

Created: February 16, 2007

Hung out in a tavern – The Twisted Fish – for a while, had happy sharing story time. Blank and Sigrid explained their pasts, how they’d got here. Rellik refused to answer their questions.

“We’re a crew. We’ve got to have . . . cohesion.” – Captain Blank

“So what’s capitalist fascism, exactly? Do divulge. Enlighten me. Add to the cohesion.” – Captain Blank

“Ah. So this is where your . . . charming sense of Justice comes from.” – Captain Blank.

“But how well would the cohesion be, if you had humans rule humans, and . . .” – Captain Blank
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” – Sigrid

Worked out a plan:
Rellik and Blank go investigate the arena
Sigrid talks to Ea-Shamar about investigating murders, wants to get a new shield

Sigrid left her armor (not her sword) on the boat

“We’ll go look for the underground. Rellik, start digging.” Captain Blank

Sigrid got a black cloak

“That’s how I found Captain Bonnet in the first place, he was in a tavern.” – James
“Then stay. Away. From taverns.” – Captain Blank

They found James standing outside the Black Angle. Had a conversation with him. That was funny.

“Is there a place where I could buy a deadly poison?” – Rellik
“He’s a collector.” – Blank

“Why don’t you go ask what’s-his-name about the stuff?” – Blank

“I’ll give you 600 gp.” – Rellik
“You’re giving him more money than he asked for?” – Sigrid
“It’s contact etiquette. You wouldn’t understand.” – Blank

“Kraken! *cough* *cough* Repressed memory! Need rum!” – Blank

Sassone leaf residue; Contact DC 16; 2d12 hp; 1d6 Con; 300 gp

“It’s all good clean fun until someone gets their sword polished with poison.” – Blank

“That’s generosity, not justice!” – Blank
“I’m just giving him a few coins! I’m a nice person.” – Sigrid
“You’re encouraging him!” – Blank
“Encouraging him not to freeze to death?” – GM

Blank bet 2,000 gp on Mazquar
Rellik bet 500 gp on Mazquar
Blank and Rellik bet Sorern’s 1250 gp on Mazquar

Total: 6,250 gp

“Wake up! We need to leave before the black market closes.” – Blank

Went back to the ship, slept.

Next day: voyage!

Sorern’s backstory: evil stepmother

Day 1:
Cold, Fair, Snowing (3 days)
Strong wind (x3 sailing speed)
Prevailing (west)
216 miles

Day 2:
Cold, Fair, Snowing (2 days)
Strong wind (x3 sailing speed)
Prevailing (west)
90 miles

Secondmonth 13th

Return Journey

Day 1:
Cold, Fair, Snowing (2 days)
Strong wind (x3 sailing speed)
Prevailing (west)
Starts at like 3 p.m.

Eh, forget it. Takes 2 days to get back.

Secondmonth 15th

Does Sigrid know about the poisoned sword?

Mischa Mevarin
Human
Ao-Manasa

She was drunk at the time. Knows they did something she was very angry about, but she doesn’t know what it was.

Letter, yay, got all paranoid.

Stone Bear

Created: February 9, 2007

Stone Bear
Large Construct
Hit Dice: (8d8) 36 hp
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Claw +13 (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d8+8) and bite +8 melee (2d6+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, DR 5/magic
Saves: Fort --, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 13, Con --, Int --, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide -2, Listen +5, Spot +7, Swim +16
Feats: Endurance, Run, Track
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Advancement: 9-12 (Large)
Level Adjustment: --

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a stone bear must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

The Disgraceful Mystery of the Lustful Death of the Damned Dreaming Madness of the Bloody Greed of the Golden Hell-born Eel of Atlantis

Created: February 16, 2007

The Disgraceful Mystery of the Lustful Death of the Damned Dreaming Madness of the Bloody Greed of the Golden Hell-born Eel of Atlantis

Everyone just calls it “The Disgraceful Mystery,” sometimes “The Disgraceful Mystery of Atlantis,” except the Captain, who always uses the full name. Always.

Caravel

Crew:
Stede Bonnet, Captain
Blank, First Mate
James, Annoying Cabin Boy
Hook, the Cook
Illiam
Mark
Tevern
Melle

Captain Blank

Created: February 13, 2006

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plumes?

Blank, Captain Blank, Cap'n Blank.

What is your full birth name?

Lionel Isaac Assiri

What is your greatest strength?
my wit and tack

What is your greatest weakness?

unprepared combat

What is your most distinguishing feature?

facial hair, a mustache and goatee

What kind of clothing do you wear?

pirate garb, arrr.

Where did you grow up?

larger islands to the north

Why did you leave?

came to live with Uncle Grizby

Who is your closest friend?

Mark, a previous shipmate. I don't know if he still lives.

Who is your worst enemy?

Illiam, my rival on the previous ship, who was about ready to lead a mutiny.

What is your greatest dream?

being the most feared pirate in all the land.

What is your greatest fear?

having no one working for me on my ship

What would you die for?

honor or my ship.

What would you kill for?

Gold, a friend, my ship.



probably not terribly enlightening, I'll write up a bit more character history when I have time.

Sigrid Halstead

Created: February 16, 2007

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plumes?

Some of the other Order Chapterhouse members call me "Puppy" because of her (almost youthful) exuberance. Other than that, no.

What is your full birth name?

Sigrid Halstead

What is your greatest strength?

My enthusiasm for whatever the task at hand is.

What is your greatest weakness?

The fact that I feel I MUST Champion. I'm terrified my life won't matter, so I go over the top to make it matter. I don't believe in my own set of skills, and feel I must depend on my cause to give me some degree of power and control over my life. Also, I apparently annoy people a lot.

What is your most distinguishing feature?

I am missing the my smallest finger on my shield hand. It was cut off by an angry Giant merchant after I was caught stealing from him as a teenager.

What kind of clothing do you wear?

Devanian plate armor if the situation demands it. Otherwise a light-coloured tunic and breeches with riding boots.

Where did you grow up? Why did you leave?

The lower city of De-Shamod with my mother. It always struck me as odd that there weren't really any Giants living there in the slums. My mother worked in a human blacksmiths' shop. She wasn't a blacksmith herself, but as she always told me "Blacksmithing is messy and blacksmiths need someone to clean up after them." She also assisted the blacksmith with some of his work. My mother was killed by a city guard when I was 14. He claims she attacked him. I didn't believe it then, and I don't believe it now. I couldn't afford the rent, so I lived on the streets for several months. Eventually my mother's former employer (the blacksmith Loghan) found out I was living on the streets and took me in. I worked him in exchange for room and board. I learned a little smithing, though I was by no means his apprentice. He was a masterful smith. Had he been a Giant, he could have made weapons and armor for the Guard and Military. As it was, he was still very well off.

I would run deliveries for Loghan. Every couple months or so there would be a big order from out of the city. It would never all get shipped at once however. Loghan would send a few pieces a day down to the river port, as if to avoid attention. I would make these deliveries to various non-Giants down at the river. Sometimes I would meet a fishing boat. Sometimes I would meet a small merchant ship. Again, nothing ever stood out. Nothing about the deliveries or the recipients would draw any attention.

When I was 17 asked Loghan about it, he asked me if I had ever heard of the Order of the Axe. I said I had, and we had a long conversation about the Order. Apparently the human Speaker of De-Shamod, Lady Taliena Ishor, is covertly a supporter of the Order. In public she has always been loyal the Diamond Throne, but she carefully makes sure that people who support the Order, like Loghan, get turned a blind eye, as long as they do not draw too much attention to themselves.

It was then that I decided I would like to join the Order of the Axe. It took Loghan a couple months to coordinate, but one day, when the last of the shipment to the local Order Chapterhouse was delivered to the port, I was along with it. I trained at the Chapterhouse on White Shoal Island for the required seven years as a Squire. At 24, I became a true Knight and was transferred to a Chapterhouse off the coast of Ao-Manasa. I have been there less than a year. I have never served at an inland Chapterhouse, so I have never owned a horse like most Knights. At island, water-locked Chapterhouses, we do not own horses. We learn how to ride them, but it is impractical to keep them on an island.

Who is your closest friend?

I don't really have friends. A lot of the other Knights think I'm a bit overly-zealous. Lord Morek seems to like me well enough. He does give me a lot of missions for a Knight as young and green as myself. I have heard rumours that that's just to get me out of the Chapterhouse so I don't annoy everyone. I really hope that's not the case.

Who is your worst enemy?

Giants, perhaps? No, seriously, I hold no grudge against the race as a whole. I do hold a grudge against their leadership, and I HATE corrupt Guards, like the one that killed my mother. Also, I dislike members of my Order that follow Lord Harsted. His continued guerrilla attacks upon the Diamond Throne military have put the Order and it's goal of self-rule in serious jeopardy. I, like most of my Order, follow Sir Aniton and his idea of a peaceful resolution with the Giants.

What is your greatest dream?

To find real purpose in my life. The Order has given me that, and my chose path of Justice has as well, but I still feel very empty. I feel as if what I am doing doesn't really matter anyway.

What is your greatest fear?

Losing my faith and devotion. When I started Squiring, I was a Champion of Life. I held life above all else. As I got a little older, I decided that not all life was worth valuing, and sometimes people must die for the greater cause. I became a Champion of Justice. I devoted my life to following a Just path, and I cannot continually change my mind. That would make Championing anything meaningless. I need meaning. I do not want to lose my faith and devotion to Justice.

What would you die for?

If my death would help further the cause of Self Rule for all races, or if it would further the cause of Justice in the world, then I would welcome death. I do not want my death to be meaningless. I would also hope I do not die anytime soon. 25 is far too young to die.

What would you kill for?

I would kill someone to deliver them Final Justice. I do not see very many other reasons to kill someone. Self-defense perhaps, but that is also related to Justice. You try to kill me, I kill you instead, we're all happy.

Doesn’t know who her father is. Heh heh heh.

Lost Empire Ruin 1 -- The Island Tomb

Created: February 9, 2007
The Island Tomb
An ancient, ruined tomb of a minor king from the Lost Empire.

PCs sent here by Taevin, who has a collector willing to pay 1,000 gp for any “relics” they can find.

Information:
There was an ancient empire.
This empire was powerful.
This empire was obsessed with death.
This empire was destroyed somehow, mysteriously.
Hint at the floating platform thing.

1. The Beach (EL 5)
The island is small and desolate, basically just a sandbar. The most obvious features are the sound of surf and the smell of sea air. There is also a building of some kind, made of smooth stone, half buried under the sands, and a giant stone head a few yards away.

Near the entrance are three medium monstrous crabs (Stormwrack p. 142) who attack anyone who ventures near. If they don’t see the party, they will eventually wander away, into the waves. (Spot distance is 6d6x20 feet, though.)

The entrance is two large stone doors. Above these doors, on the roof of the building, are two legs, all that remains of the statue the head came from. Across the doors is an inscription that reads: “My name is Ozymandius, king of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.”

2. Entrance Hall
The only light in this room is what comes in from outside. The walls are covered with relief carvings, likely of the exploits of the aforementioned Ozymandius. They show, variously, a robed figure being crowned, leading an army, surrounded by courtiers, dispensing wisdom from a throne, and being given various things. The figure of Ozymandius is distinguishable because he is decorated with inlaid colored stone that has in places fallen away.

A short hallway leads into a much larger room.

3. Walkway
The walls of the chamber are covered with scenes similar to the ones in the entrance, except that they mostly depict various happenings of an empire, rather than the personal exploits of a king.

A semi-circular runs around one side of the chamber. The central part of the chamber, between the walkway and the central island, is dark pit. (20’ deep, then water.) The central island is about 20’ away from the walkway. (See 6 for details.) This is a puzzle: the players will need to figure out some way to get from the walkway to the central island. One solution: use telekinesis (lesser) to loop a rope around the sarcophagus thing in the center, and then climb across.

In the center of the walkway is a detachable platform that would float back and forth between the island and the walkway if it were operable. Which it isn’t. The only clue that it is detachable, currently, is an indentation that runs around its edge on the walkway and down the side of the pit. It’s also covered with shallower lines and complex patterns, and three pits evenly spaced across its middle.

4. Right Chamber
This chamber contains three things: a statue made of black stone with gold details, murals depicting the same figure as the statue, and reliquary in the wall. This has been hidden with some care (Search DC 15) but it should be fairly obvious that something is there: the statue faces it, most of the figures on the wall are facing it, and the spot itself is marked with a crossed bar of translucent golden stone. (Like a plus sign, except the horizontal is four or five times as wide as the vertical.)

Inside the reliquary is a longsword with a hilt of black stone, decorated with gold, and a small gold box.

The long sword is completely ordinary, but it counts as a relic for the collector.

5. Left Chamber
Just rubble, basically. Part of this section of the chamber collapsed. The PCs can clear it, if they want; three or four Strength checks, DC 15, if they fail by five points or more they have to avoid falling rubble, Ref 17, 1d6 damage. If they get through, all they find is an empty version of 4.

6. Central Island, EL 6
Another statue of Ozymandius. (Actually an upright sarcophagus, if they really want to break it open.)

On its head is a crown, set in indentations at its feet are the pieces of a broken scepter. All three are just art objects, the kind of thing Taevin’s rich collector is interested in. Moving these objects causes the back wall to slide open, and 2 stone bears enter. (Not that this makes any sense.)

7. Stone Bear Chamber
The inscriptions in this room look like they were added some time after the others; they’re fresher, more distinct. The carvings are more stylized, less detailed, and unadorned by colored stone. They show warriors, mages, and demon dragons; scenes of war and death.

Every few seconds, a narrow band of light moves across the floor, from one side of the chamber to the other. It starts at the feet of the largest dragon figure, and crosses over to a detailed temple, the non-war type figure on the walls.
An inscription runs around the room and through the designs—it’s not written in any recognizable language, but it’s still understandable. (Yay, magic.)

Keep these words,
Who finds them here,
Beneath a bitter moon,
Your path is found,
By dragon bound,
By ritual and rune.

The temple is on the north east side of the chamber, to the right of the opening. The light thing points in this direction; it’s intended as a sign that they should sail that way.

Search DC 25:
Inset chamber similar to the one in 4
Bastard sword (magical, but has no active properties)
5 warm, sparking blue stones (Detonations, electric loop, 150 gp each, 750 gp total )
5 warm, sparking blue stones (Detonations, shock, 75 gp each, 375 gp total)
5 warm, sparking blue stones (Detonations, electric jolt, 12 gp 5 sp each, 62 gp 5 sp total)

Initiative & Such

Created: February 10, 2007



Click on the image to view it at its proper size.

Session Notes

Created: February 10, 2007

“I call upon the power of all that is true and just in the world!” – Sigrid
“I’ll be going now.” – Captain Blank

Fought bears. Captain Blank nearly died. Andy killed one by knocking it into the acid pit, Blank killed one with icefire.

“They fight stone bears, and Captain Blank nearly dies.”

Had conversation about how Captain Blank has no hit points. And how no one else could or wanted to heal him.

Rested, Sigrid and Rellik kept watch.

“Okay, I killed a bear.” – Captain Blank
“I killed a bear better.” – Sorern

“He said specifically that they were ‘catacombs,’ as in, involving dead people.” – Captain Blank (“he” being Taevin)
“And giant blue bears.” – Sorern

Party pulled a bomb squad on the blue stones.

“It’s contact etiquette. You wouldn’t understand.” – Captain Blank (to Sigrid)

Found all the things I hid. Got obsessed with figuring out the riddle.

Took about four days to work everything out.

Turned out there was a storm, with strong winds and stuff.

“Interesting. This seems to be a very popular name in this ancient culture.” – Captain Blank, jokingly imitating Sorern as he analyzed ever single one of the blue stones, and discovered that they were all made by the same person (Tai Faren)

They went back to Ao-Manasa, had a storm on the way, took three days. Sorern used object loresight on all the magic items they found. Captain Blank returned to Taevin, sold the relics—crown, two scepter pieces, box with hair, longsword. (5,000 gp)

“It’s a bunch of criminal lowlifes, there’s plenty of information to be had there.” – Sigrid

“Captain Blank gets into a gladiator death match, and almost dies.” – Sigrid

Ao-Manasa

Created: February 8, 2007

Ao-Manasa
Large City
Population: 17,000
GP Limit: 40,000
01-24 Human (24%)
25-48 Giant (24%)
49-72 Sibeccai (24%)
73-96 Faen (24%)
97-00 Other (4%)

Power Centers:
Gri-Taresh, steward
Mixastomere, nearby dragon, exiled from the Squamous Horde
Nightwalkers

Captain of the Guard:
Ea-Shamar

Highest Level Locals:
Akashic 8th, 9th
Aristocrat 7th, 8th
Champion 9th, 7th
Commoner 18th, 17th
Expert 15th, 13th
Greenbond 9th, 8th
Mageblade 7th, 10th
Magister 8th, 9th
Oathsworn 7th, 7th
Runethane 8th, 9th
Unfettered 9th, 14th
Warmain 11th, 13th
Warrior 12th, 8th
Witch 10th, 12th

Lost Empire

Created: February 8, 2007

Lost Empire plot

Established:
There was a king named Ozymandius.
He ruled an ancient empire.
Death mattered to these people.
Floating platform thing—I’ve described it, but they don’t realize what it is.

To Establish:
This empire was powerful.
This empire was obsessed with death.
This empire was destroyed by traitors and dramojh.
It can be brought back, with a ceremony.
Around the time it was destroyed, a prince disappeared.


Keep these words,
Who finds them here,
Beneath a bitter moon,
Your path is found,
By dragon bound,
By ritual and rune.

Thoughts

Created: February 4, 2007

Currently, it looks like “plot” of the campaign—such as it is—may end up hinging on Rellik. Which, for some reason, strikes me as really weird.

Sorern and Blank are both interesting characters, but neither has a really compelling plot attached to them. They have hooks, but not nearly on the same level as Sigrid and Rellik. Basically, I can get them to do things. Sorern, with the dragon, and with the promise of magic, knowledge, and loot. Blank has Taevin, and again, the loot thing. (I need to see if I can convince Blank to move towards the Robin Hood kind of thing. I like the pirate bit, and I think it makes for a good character, but I’m worrying that his being a straight up buccaneer will cause problems with Sigrid. And I don’t want that happening; I want people to have reasons to stick with the group. That’s another problem. Right now, no one really has a reason to stick together. Beyond transportation, I guess.)

But Rellik and Sigrid both have some serious stories attached to them. Sigrid’s I can handle, no problem: she wants justice, and she wants to see this area returned to human self-rule. On account of justice. I can work that into the Lost Empire plot (perfect way to return to self-rule) and throw in a feud with the giants, then leverage the “plot to murder the king” thing into a reason to work together with the authorities. Because assassination isn’t just.

But Rellik? Not only is he the perfect character to stick the Lost Heir thing onto—because it creates a moment of frantic scrambling around before they realize there’s another option, and we get some good angst/regret stuff out of it—he’s also got this whole . . . back story. It’s weird, and it’s really cool, and I really like it, but I’m not sure if I can pull it off.

Session Notes

Created: February 3, 2007

Temperature Moderate
Wind Fair
Precipitation Clear

Strong Winds x3
Prevailing Winds – Westerly

Lasts for 4 days

Morek – guy Sigrid talked to in the Order of the Axe

Ocean’s Blade

Baern
Human
Oathsworn
Ao-Manasa

“I call upon the power of Justice!” – Sigrid
“Yar har, Cap’n Blank, arr.” – Captain Blank

Temple slightly damaged – Sorern’s spell ripped some stone out of it to work a spell
Captain Blank nearly killed by a crab; they swarmed him.
Sigrid dragged him away from the crab.

“So you are a real pirate. Your ship is so small and rickety, I thought you were a fake pirate.” – Sigrid

Kryptonite Lyrics

Created: February 1, 2007

I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind
I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
I feel there’s nothing I can do

I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you
I really don’t mind what happens now and then
As long as you’ll be my friend at the end

If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
If I’m alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?
I’ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite

You called me strong, you called me weak
But still your secrets I will keep
You took for granted all the times I never let you down
You stumbled in and bumped your head
If not for me then you’d be dead
I picked you up, and put you back on solid ground

If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
If I’m alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?
I’ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite

Players Styles

Created: January 30, 2007

Soern's Player
Cool Powers
Setting Exploration (? Hunch)

Xerxed/Blank's Player
Puzzle Solving – Investigative (? Hunch)
Cool Powers (Video gamer)
Story (? Again, hunch)
Psychodrama (? Maybe . . .)
Setting Exploration (? He says)

Sigrid's Player
Psychodrama
Playing a role – “Paladin”
Story
Puzzle Solving – Investigative (? She says)

Rellik's Player
Supercoolness
Playing a role – Sneaking
Brilliant Planning (? Based on discussion at the end of session 1)

Everyone’s moderately interested in fighting, but it doesn’t seem to be anyone’s main focus. Could just be my lens.

Need to figure out some more hooks for Soern's player, not just his character. Also—I have a sneaking suspicion that Rellik's player may be interested in psychodrama/story, which I need to test. Mostly this is because he’s decided to be a mojh, and I’m not entirely sure why.

Plots -- Early Concepts

Created: February 1, 2007

Possible plots:
Party vs. Ao-Manasa guard
They develop a feud with the Ao-Manasa guard. Sort of a “I’ll get you next time!” kind of dynamic.

Development is easy, because I can stick it in between other things. Anytime their adventures take them towards the shady side of the law, we can advance this plot.

Sigreid gets to oppose giants, who also happen to be just themselves (conflict!)
Blank gets to play “outsmart the Alliance”
Rellik gets to be sneaky and badass, undercover type
Sorern has a vague interest in opposing the giants, on account of dragons

Assassination
Someone wants to kill the “King.”

This is why Sa-Follen was killed. The “King” is coming to visit Ao-Manasa soon, and they wanted to force a new captain of the guard, so the city is off balance, and the guard is busy doing housecleaning. (Note: by “King” I currently mean the Lady Protector, but it could be anyone important. I’ll need to decide soon, because I need to start dropping hints.)

Development will mostly be player driven. If they don’t do anything, it’s going to happen, so I can timeline it. (Also, need to make sure the players find out that the “King” is coming to visit. Maybe have Ea-Shamar mention it.) Their finding out about it will depend on whether they investigate Sa-Follen’s death, and why they were all there on the same night.

Don’t know who’s responsible. I do know that they were working through Mixastomere, whether she knows it or not, and through Rellik’s organization. (Nightwalkers? Branch of the Nightwalkers?) And possibly through the Knights of the Axe. Too tidy? Maybe. But it’s a start.

Possibility: The goal is to start a war. Preferably between the giants and the dragons. Could be Havinar Balacos. (AE p. 361)

Gannen is a red herring. If they start to investigate, other people will start dying, making it look like the work of a death cult of some kind—and they may discover that he’s a champion of death, making it look like him. Close enough to the truth to lead them astray entirely.

Heck, this is neat enough to just do. Random people will start dying, nomatter what they do. Give the mystery assassin a calling card. Sounds good.

Blank gets to talk to people, unravel the mystery
Sigreid gets to talk to people, and bring justice
Rellik gets to do some underworld stuff—if they investigate, that’s where this will go
Sorern . . . er . . . well, it’ll involve the dragons somehow

The Lost Empire
This whole area was once ruled by a long vanished empire.

This is a “plot,” and not just a neat fact, for three reasons. One, it allows me to tie together a series of site-based adventures: they’re discovering more about this empire. Two, I’m thinking it may turn out that one of the PCs is “the last heir” to this empire, and that someone’s looking for said heir. (I can drop when needed, to jump start the plot.) Three, if this is true, then it ties in with what I figure is Sigreid’s long term goal: to return the lands to local rule.

I want to make Rellik the “last heir” because it lets me drive home the “no longer human” thing, and because it’s an amusing way to set off a search for some kind of “lost prince.” I had this idea that it would be interesting to have the party have to rescue someone trapped somewhere underwater. Anyway, the idea is, there’s this legend that involves some prince of this empire disappearing, or being kidnapped by fish people. Or something. And they find out about this as they’re investigating ruins, and then this group that’s looking to bring back the empire (they have a spell, maybe) finally finds Rellik. Only he’s a mojh, so all hope is lost. Except that maybe the legend isn’t a legend, and they set off on a daring quest to find this person and save the world.

Or something. That’s my idea, anyway. The brilliant thing about this plot is that it ties together the water-based exploration adventure that Sorern and Blank are interested in with the self-rule bit that Sigreid has, and making Rellik the last heir ties him into the plot. I’m also thinking that this may be connected to the Assassination thing, somehow.

Development includes having several ruins for them to explore. I can feed this through Blank’s NPC, maybe make him a collector. Or the contact has a client who’s a collector, but can’t be bothered to talk to . . . treasure hunters. (Disdain. Heavy on the disdain. Let the PCs brag about proving him wrong, bringing home the goods.) This section will need to get a couple of key facts across, preferably by taking advantage of Rellik’s Decipher Script skill.

There was an Empire that ruled this area ages ago.
It disappeared in such-and-such a way.
There might be a way to get it back, if you could find a genuine heir.
(Magical ceremony, maybe. That’d fit the Diamond Throne vibe.)
Rumor has it that there’s an heir, today.
The legend of the lost prince.

Also throw some false information in, or some stuff that’s technically true but not related to the plot, directly. Just for color.

Sorern gets water-based exploration adventure.
Blank gets water-based exploration adventure.
Sigreid gets to help return the area to its native rulers.
Rellik gets to be the last heir of an ancient empire. This is cool.

Characters

Created: January 30, 2007

Sorern K’anai, evolved faen magister
--Learned magic from dragons, focus on dragon and water spells
--Interested in dragons, magic, and water
--Probably going to become an esoteric mage

Sigreid Halstead, human champion of justice
--Injustice of giant rule vs. Justice of individual giants
--Interested in justice, angst, and being tough
--Note: “internal conflict” bit based on what I know about her player
--Probably going to become a Knight of the Axe

Rellik, mojh unfettered
--Assassin, works for “Morag Tong” type guild
--Interested in killing things, sneaking being badass
--Why did he become a mojh?
--Also: seems to be interested in writing/forgery, build on it
--May be “last heir of – Empire,” haven’t decided (“Do you mind if I go all epic on your backstory?”)

Xerxed, verrik winter witch
--Interested in acting crazy and being badass
--Need to get a handle on this character, find out if his player’s happy with him
--Out of all of them, most likely to derail campaign – head this off now

Blank, human winter witch
--Interested in seafaring, talking to people, being scary cool
--Probably going to become a legendary captain (Stormwrack)
--In Ao-Manasa to meet a contact, who can give adventures

Brainstorming (II)

Created: January 27, 2007

Things that could happen next
--They get captured
--They escape

Who’s the new captain of the guard?
Who’s leading this operation?
How’d the guard get here so fast?
--Tipped off—anonymous note
Who killed the Sa-Follen?
Why’d they kill him?

Two thoughts that occur to me immediately: something related to crime, the Nightwalkers maybe, or something related to dragons

Need to talk to Rellik, work out the exact nature of his organization (or just more of it)

Currently the “plot” and its themes engage Sigreid primarily. How can I include the other characters?

Make Sa-Follen’s death related to dragons (other dragons framing his dragon, encouraging giant interference with his actions) would engage Sorern. Note: Need to get more hooks on Sorern, more idea of who he is

Give Xerxed weird dreams

Need more background on everyone but Sigreid, really

Both capture and escape can have coolness
Escape: because they get to escape (maybe some roof hopping chase scene type fun) and then they get to be fugitives from justice. Also, they get to build a relationship with the new captain of the guard, sort of an “I’ll get you next time” dynamic.

Captured: They get more information about why the captain of the guard was killed, maybe. Have to figure out who did it, to get released, which could be cool.

Actually, having them escape would be cooler.

Hang on, almost forgot. Long term plan: The King is dead! This may be part of the set up for that. In fact, it’s almost certainly part of the set up for that. Exactly how this works, not quite sure.

The city will be off balance for a while. Maybe a few months. The new captain of the guard (definitely a she, don’t know anything else; maybe make her a “mirror” of Sigrid) actually isn’t bent, but half of the guard is, so she’ll be busy for a while trying to clean house and handle crime at the same time. Things are no longer status quo. So maybe the King (or whatever) is coming here soon, and this is part of a plan to make things easier to off him when he does.

Not King. “Lady Protector.” Do I really want to kill her off?

Character Motivation

Created: January 26, 2006

Sorern K’anai

• Seeking knowledge
• Dragon wants captain of the guard killed as payment for evolution and training

Xerxed

• Seeking knowledge
• Declared vengeance against the captain of the guard for imaginary slight

Rellik

• Contract against the captain of the guard

Sigreid Halstead

• Justice
• Giant overlords
• Sent by the Order to “deal with” the guard

Initiative & Such

Created: January 26, 2007


There's probably a way to convert Excel documents to html tables. I haven't yet figured out how. I should probably just learn html.

These first few initiative tables are included mostly for comparison purposes.

Rolls & Such

Created: January 26, 2007

Guard Listen 22 Spot 9
Rellik Sneak 26
Sorern Sneak 8 Spot 1 Listen 17 Search 16
Sigreid Spot 26

Page 348
Giant Commander, giant wrm2/giant3: CR 5 Large giant; HD

Sorern 10
Sigreid 14
Xerxed 4
Rellik 11

Killed guard by rolling him into the acid pit

Sorern 20
Rellik 35
Xerxed 6
Sigreid 19

Sorern 15
Xerxed 15
Sigreid 18
Rellik 25

Sigrid's Journal 19: Past Becomes Present

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 20 (continued)

We went to the Black Angle for the evening. Oh, how I am beginning to love that place.

Unfortunately, alcohol seems to impair my judgment very badly. After a couple a few several rounds, I decided it would be a good idea to visit Ea-Shamar. You see, my intoxication had given me a brilliant plan.

I visited Ea-Shamar. First I yelled at her about Monala. Then I offered to help recover Iu-Molan in exchange for her ignoring Gannen. After an argument that is now a bit blurry in my memory, it became apparent that she was not going to agree to this situation. I almost threatened to not help in the search for Iu-Molan, but I decided that that would be taking it a bit too far. I wouldn't allow Monala to harm the girl just because I was stubborn. We decided to leave town.

We didn't exactly know where we were going, mind you. I decided our top priority should be finding Gannen. The rest of the crew actually agreed with me (maybe this Runechild thing is really working out) and Soern cast a scrying spell on him. He discovered that Gannen was in the streets of a town, killing people. Monala was standing with him, watching. This made me angry enough to scream a few curses at her, including a few choice words about her heritage. Soern “helpfully” reminded me that a scry is a one-way connection. I shot him a dirty glance and he shut up.

Soern decided that the town Gannen was in looked like the northern port town of Gorzam, where Blank originates from. So, we set course for Gorzam and sailed off.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 21

Sailing, sailing
Over the bounding main
Where many a stormy wind shall blow
E're you come home again
Sailing, sailing
Give me your answer do
I'm half-crazy
Over the...

You know what? I'm pathetic. Would I feel so guilty about losing him if I didn't love him? Probably not. I feel no guilt over the loss of Iu-Molan, even though that was probably also preventable on my part.

Damn you, Monala.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 22

Gorzam. I will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Also, Blank seems to be somewhat of a local hero. Coincidence? I think not.

We went to visit the Scurvy Seadog, a tavern run by Blank's Uncle Grisby. Upon meeting Mr. Grisby, I politely introduced myself in the manner in which one should greet a person of the merchant class. This elicited a rather strange response from Grisby. He frowned, looking a bit confused. Eventually he said, “You'll be looking for the Governor? Well, we went and threw him out a couple o' years ago, so ya don't need to be bowing or “sirring” or any o' that load of shit.” He grinned. “Pardoning milady's ears o' course,” he added in a bit of a mocking tone.

Serious as stone, I corrected him, “It's Dame, not Lady.” He shook his head and sighed, as if he couldn't believe he was listening to this. A smile crept across my face and I proclaimed, “Just kidding.”

Grisby blinked, forced a laugh and quietly commented to Blank that he “really knew how to pick 'em crazy.” Blank nodded. I decided to keep my mouth shut for the time being.

Blank asked him about Gannen, and Grisby basically confirmed what we had already seen through Soern's scrying spell. He added that these “two people” had appeared and killed people several times, always taking the bodies with them. Curious.

Blank and the rest of the crew remained at the Scurvy Seadog for awhile while I wandered around near the docks. I examined the boats, trying to decide if I wanted to buy one of my own or not. Deciding that another boat wouldn't really be beneficial, and seeing that there were very few available to buy anyway, I decided to not buy a boat.

I returned to the Scurvy Seadog just as the crew was leaving. I asked where they were going, and Blank told me they were going to the Black Market. I asked, confused, if that was an actual, physical place, and he informed me that it indeed was.

“It's right down the street from Lenny's Fish Market on Commerce Street. Just look for the sign.”

Just look for the sign? What kind of Black Market had a sign? Apparently “Don Marko's Illicit and Pirated Goods” did. Wow.

It was a very grody store, but it had a good selection. I didn't really touch anything (for fear of contracting Lockjaw), but I did have a look around while the crew purchased some stuff.

We returned to our ships. Soern cast another scry on Gannen and found that he was standing at the Temple of the Hor'Quan, conversing with a dracha.

Before sunset, we left Gorzam. Good riddance.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 23

We're going to go to the Temple of the Hor'Quan, but first we're stopping at Pental so I can fill Lord Morek in on what's been happening, and perhaps request assistance. We will, supposedly, arrive tomorrow.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 24

Commodore Blank's about as accurate at predicting arrival times as those witches who try to predict the weather are at guessing when a storm is coming. Blank's a witch as well... Hmm... Perhaps all witches are simply untrustworthy. Damn mages.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 25

We arrived at Pental in the middle of the night last night. Early this morning, I met with Lord Morek and told him what had been happening, and what we planned to do about it. Our conversation eventually arrived at what our main goal was. When I told him we planned to restart the Hor'Quan Empire, he was very supportive and even granted me a Knight partner, Dame Jocelyn Riet, and a small batallion of Squires to assist. Milord is most gracious.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 26

I was on watch duty today and had to deal with a flock of angry seagulls who had decided that the crow's nest was their roost and that I was an intruder. Theoretically the peck marks will heal without scarring.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 27

Per usual, our one day trip from Pental to Ao-Manasa has turned into a two-day journey. This is torturous. I suppose I'm just a bit more anxious than normal. Okay, perhaps a lot more anxious than normal.

After we arrived in Ao-Manasa late in the evening, Soern and Blank scurried off to the Black Angle to pick up some items from Cer-Athane. I stayed at the ship, fearing the wrath of Ea-Shamar. I didn't really want her to find out I was back so soon, especially since I didn't have Iu-Molan with me.

~~~~~

Fourthmonth 28

We had a meeting to discuss how to best reach Gannen (well, Iu-Molan, K'Max's, and Monala too, I guess). Soern recommended scrying on Gannen once again and then teleporting to him. I agreed wholeheartedly with this plan.

We figured that was what Monala was expecting us to do, however, so we decided that we all shouldn't go and we should leave something behind so Monala couldn't get “all the pieces of the puzzle” as it were. It was decided that Paerk and Jocelyn would remain behind, mostly because they were the least likely to end up in jail. We left them with the key we retrieved from Gannen's home.

Soern then cast another scry on Gannen. He was in a dark cavern with Iu-Molan. He then teleported us in. I hate teleporting. It feels like I'm being dragged through a hole in the fabric of the world itself. A very cold, slimy, stabbing kind of hole. Magic makes my skin crawl. Almost literally, in the case of teleporting. I found myself on the floor of the dark cavern. Everyone else was on their feet. I scrambled to mine and looked around.

It was dark, but not dark in the sense that darkness used to be for me. It was as if all the colours were muted, but the shapes were as clear as always. I am still getting used to these runechild eyes. I could make out many shapes in the room. There was a giant glass-like block of ice in the center of the room. There were also quite a few ice mephits that I was concerned about, Iu-Molan, whom I was pleased to see, and Gannen, whom I was more than pleased to see. Something glittered atop the ice-block. Looking back at it, I noticed that it was one of the seeds from the Isle of the Jeweled Trees. Curious. Underneath the iceblock, there was a soft, orangish glow.

I thought it may have something to do with the riddle Lord Morek gave me back in Thirdmonth. The thing about restarting the volcano.

Free the fire,
From icy fist,
Meet seed with flame of earth,
With storm and stare,
With will of heir,
Of right blood and right worth.

Soern suddenly yelled at us not to melt the ice. I suppose he had the same idea I had. Restarting a volcano while inside of it may be hazardous to one's health.The Aur-Xica seemed rather excited all of a sudden. Perhaps it felt the impending battle with the mephits that were already beginning to charge us. As we were fighting, I tried to make my way over to Gannen, but there were too many mephits for that plan to work. Suddenly there was a big burst of fire, causing the ice-block to melt and the seed to fall straight down into what appeared to be magma.

I yelled at Soern for his carelessness as I smacked the last of my mephit attackers, but he claimed that it hadn't been him that had cast the fireball. Monala. I screamed her name but got no reply. The only sound I heard was a steadily increasing rumbling beneath my feet. Running over to Gannen, I tried to talk to him, but he was zoned out and catatonic.

The rumbling grew louder. Mark grabbed Gannen and began to run towards the daylight that we hoped was an exit. I helped Iu-Molan to follow and we all fled, just as the magma began to rise into the cave. Death-by-volcano was not in the plans for the day, so we kept running, finding a way out of the cave. Once out, we scrambled up some rocks to the top of the Temple of the Hor'Quan.

There was a horrible shaking, and on the horizon, we witnessed a giant stone structure rise out of the ocean just as the sun was rising for the day. It was a beautiful,and terrifying sight.

Poor Gannen's mind was seriously messed up by Monala. Soern said there really wasn't much he could do here and suggested we teleport back to the ships, where perhaps Paerk would be of more help. It also started to rain.

When it came time for Soern to teleport us back, he kept glancing around at everyone. When I asked him what the problem was, he explained that he wasn't sure if he could teleport everyone back, but that he would try. This revelation evoked many painful images in my head of teleportation-gone-horribly-wrong. I was so distracted, I didn't even noticed Soern cast the spell. There was that creepy feeling, and then I appeared on the Fearful Lightning, shivering. I glanced around and noticed that everyone else had made it in one piece as well, including Gannen, whose arm I grabbed onto protectively.

Paerk took a look at Gannen and everyone debated for awhile on the best way to fix his mind. At first, Paerk thought the most obvious way to fix him would be to kill him and then resurrect him again, but I (almost violently) vetoed that idea. Eventually Paerk decided he could cast a restoration spell on him to fix him, unfortunately, he needed to look over said spell first and wouldn't be able to cast it until tomorrow. Even tomorrow, he would need to know Gannen's Truename for the spell to work. Perhaps by morning, Gannen will have recovered naturally enough to tell Paerk his Truename.

Soern then messed with Iu-Molan's memory so she would think Gannen got taken away by Monala again. Clever that. Anyway, Paerk, Blank, and I escorted Iu-Molan to Ea-Shamar, who thanked us, but seemed a bit stressed. Apparently there had been a prison break earlier that day and several prisoners had escaped. Blank asked if Illiam had escaped. When Ea-Shamar informed him that Illiam had indeed gotten away, I swear, Blank nearly became a Champion of Justice right then and there. Well, a Champion of Justice-Against-Illiam anyway. That's like a Champion, but with more piracy, and more hatred of Illiam.

I then proceeded to have another little chat with Ea-Shamar about not bothering Gannen. She reacted exactly the same as she had before. There was no way she was going to pardon him. I then, rather stupidly, demanded an audience with the Steward. She was a little surprised and at first denied my request, but I eventually convinced her to allow it.

My conversation with the Steward went thusly: I told him to stop his focus on Gannen. He asked me on what grounds I was requesting this, and I basically admitted the crew was at-fault for Mischa Mevarin's death, which didn't go over well. He ordered Ea-Shamar to question me and had me dragged out of his audience chamber. Once back with Ea-Shamar, she berated me for being an idiot and bringing Gannen to the attention of the Steward once again. Apparently he had been beginning to forget about the whole ordeal. Oops. She strongly suggested that we should leave town for awhile, to let things cool off a bit. Captain Blank obliged, and we were off.

~~~~~