Tales of Our Heroes

Volume IV, Raiders of the Lost Song

• Interlude: A Working Vacation - Our heroes scatter, seeking knowledge and training.  Girding for their next encounter with evil.  The encounter comes sooner as they think.  Foul deeds ride the very wind.
• Act I: I Think They're On To Us . . . - Our heroes converge at Kalfeg Keep and soon receive word from Windsong, they are to meet him in the mountains near Gladshire.  Simple?  Things get complicated when one of the three messengers does not arrive.  The road comes alive with villains.
• Act II: Gently Up the Stream? - [Short session] Our heroes get some answers and face a formidable foe, while Able takes a characteristically mysterious side trip.  They literally face an upstream battle.
• Able's Side Trip - Exactly what happened after the bear took Able's petrified form into the tree?  WARNING: the following is character specific knowledge.  It is included for your reading pleasure.  If you can not separate character knowledge from your own knowledge, do not read this.  Your character will be penalized is you try to have it act on info that is not known to it.
• Act III: From a Rock to a Hard Place - [Short session] Our heroes meet up with Able and head off to find Windsong, instead they find the bloody remains of his party and a nasty surprise.  They eventually end up at an enigmatic cave entrance apparently once used by the ancient Ceciliotians.
• Act IV: Move to the Music [After two canceled sessions (i.e. four weeks), will anyone remember the important stuff?]

Interlude: A Working Vacation

Nov 11, 163 (Mer): The caravan, along with Sid and Magnus, departs Ballast for Seahaven.  Towards the end of the day.  They rendezvous with Hank on the road towards the end of the day.

Nov 14, 163 (Sat): Layne, Gen, Able, and Mila pass through Ferryton from Ballast to Muellerville.  They spend the night at Pier One.

Nov 15, 163 (Sun): Layne, Gen, Able, and Mila arrive in Muellerville.  Mila invites her friends over to her family home for dinner.  Able is aloof and distant, but Gen and Mila's father discuss jewelry making.  Layne, Gen, and Able leave the next morning.

Nov 16, 163 (Moon): Mila sets about learning the trade of weapon smithing from her Uncle Brahk.

Nov 17, 163 (Tyr): Layne, Gen, and Able arrive in Riverton and spend the night at Layne's family home.  It is a modest home, but cozy and our friends say their good byes in preparation for their next day's journey.

Nov 18, 163 (Mer): Able departs Riverton for the West Moon Forest and Gen heads out to Kalfeg Keep.  Layne spends the day with his family before getting down to serious information gathering.

Nov 20, 163 (Freya): Layne acquires some tools of his trade from Wharf Rat Willy.  Willy sells him a custom dagger scabbard that hides a few common lock picks and a sword scabbard with a hollow tip compartment fitted to hold a small amount of acid, the universal lock pick.  Layne gets down to some serious snooping around and carousing.

Nov 25, 163 (Mer): Layne departs Riverton for the West Moon Forest.

Nov 27, 164 (Freya): Gen arrives in Kalfeg Keep and immediately gets to work at the temple of Aristaeus, healing and helping as she can.  Her Aunt Althea welcomes her back to the temple with open arms.  Althea explains to Gen that the main fighting is about two or three weeks east of Kalfeg.

Dec 1, 163 (Sun): One day out from Seahaven, Sid sneaks away from the caravan and enters Seahaven on his own in the night, leaving a note for Magnus explaining his vague intentions to skulk about Seahaven and search the shadows for allies and information.  He moves into the city without incident and talks to a few colleagues.  He decides to err on the side of discretion and gets a room at the Flying Fish.

Dec 2, 163 (Moon): The caravan from Ballast to Seahaven arrives and Magnus heads off to the Octagon, eager to resume his studies, which he does without difficulty.

Dec 3, 163 (Tyr): Magnus hunkers down to try and immerse himself in magical studies for a good week.  He begins to try and learn Magic Missile.  He succeeds.

Dec 4, 163 (Mer): Magnus begins trying to learn Find Familiar.  He succeeds.

Dec 5, 163 (Thor): Magnus  begins trying to learn Dispel Magic.

Dec 8, 163 (Sun): After a marathon session of studying at the Octagon, Magnus finishes up his formula and it works, much to his surprise and personal satisfaction.  He eases up on the pace of his spell studies and starts researching information on various topics, hoping to better prepare himself to deal with future threats, especially with regard to the prophecy, Windsong, Malikos, and the other planar beings Henri spoke of.  He begins part time work on learning Comprehend Languages.

Dec 9, 163 (Moon): Asking about Garth the Black, Sid hears an odd rumor - "Garth the Black, he's gone of to become a pirate captain.  Pulled up stakes and sailed out a few weeks ago, durndest thing I ever heard."  Sid thinks it is odd, but files it away regardless.

Dec 10, 163 (Tyr): Magnus finishes transcribing Comprehend Languages, although his version is a little longer.

Sid inquires about magic info and hears of a Mage called Roland who reputedly worked for some very powerful Mage.  Rumor has it that Roland has not been seen in town for some time.

Able arrives back at the small Bloodthorn League community he has come to call "home".  He meets a female Druid named Nutmeg that fills him in on the latest news.  Aside from trivial and ordinary topics, she mentions a strange occurrence in the League.  A Ranger named Briar left the League a few months ago.  In itself, not a very strange occurrence.  However, one of the members of the Inner Circle, Birch, has reputedly sent some people after him.  That is what done is strange enough, but that it was done somewhat covertly and without an overt reason given makes it even stranger.  She also relates that a Ranger named Tom was a friend of Briar's.

Able inevitably tracks down his mentor, Keith.  They become reacquainted and their discussion turns to talk of conspiracy and dark goings on.  The only thing new learned from Keith is that Birch is overseeing the punishment/rehabilitation of Henri Marnier, the Defiler our heroes had captured.

Pressed for time, Able gets to work trying to master the higher mysteries of his faith and forge himself into a more effective weapon against evil.  He is certain that he will need every possible capacity in the days ahead.

Dec 11, 163 (Mer): Layne arrives at his mentor's home and begins studying.  He manages to learn.  Over weeks he develops a keener eye, a more nimble body, a greater understanding of magic in all of its forms, and knowledge of the tongue of one of his foes, the Kobolds.  Sinos also manages to successfully teach him the ability to distort his form to confuse his enemies [Blur], see the last minutes of a person's life before dying [Death Recall], sense those that are hidden from sight [Detect Invisibility], create magical duplicates of himself to deter attacks against himself [Mirror Image], cast fear into the hearts of his enemies [Scare], deceive the ears of his foes [Audible Glamer],  and resist the mundane needs of the body [Protection from Thirst and Hunger].

Dec 12, 163 (Thor): Magnus finishes whipping up Conjure Spell Component.

Over breakfast Sid hears an outbound traveler speak of a wizard's tower near Ballast, maybe somewhere south of the trade road.  Sid finishes his simple breakfast and hits the streets.  Soon, he thinks he feels the eyes of someone following him while he pays visits to various temples, but dismisses it after earnest attempts to lose the tail.  Sid makes contact with Ty, the librarian of the temple of Tyche over the casino, The Lucky Penny.  Little information is available, but Sid leaves contact info with Ty for his family home in Muellerville.

He stops at the temple of Hermes, god of messengers, rogues, and travelers, and makes a generous donation.  The priest on hand gives him a medallion of Hermes, a very common accouterment for travelers.  Sid slips it on beneath his clothes and continues.

He finds a dealer in . . . roguish equipment, Back Alley Bob, and orders hollow heeled boots from him.

Sid is awakened in the night by something he can not explain.  He notices the doors and window shutters closed.  A gust of wind stirs up the dust on the floor and suddenly he is in combat with the very wind itself!  He exchanges a few blows, not going very well.  Suddenly, the cloak seems to teleport him from the room into the alley outside, without his request.

The air creature bursts out of the room.  The shutters shatter and the alley whips up into a small vortex of dust and debris as it closes with Sid.  The beast rages towards Sid and begins assaulting him again.  Sid manages to exploit his cloak to teleport behind the creature and flank it repeatedly.  This gives him just enough of an edge to vanquish the creature, but not before coming close to dying himself.  Sid counts himself lucky and rests up for a number of days.  He realizes that in hindsight, the cloak seemed to provide more protection than his armor does . . .

Dec 14, 163 (Sat): Mila is awakened from her sleep.  She scans her room to see no one and no portal breached.  Suddenly, the wind itself attacks her.  She fights valiantly and bellows for help, but does not reach her blade in time.  She falls unconscious from wounds . . . only to wake up to see her father, Simon, standing over her.  He is in bed clothes, wielding an exquisite shield and an obviously magical blade that glows with a light that illuminates Mila's entire room.  He helps her to her feet and explains that he arrived as she fell and he vanquished the beast.  He apologizes for his slow response, obviously concerned for his daughter's safety, in spite of her formidable form.  Brahk dashes in moments late, bewildered and clumsily, holding a sword.

The simple smithy boy, Sparks also appears in her door.  Simon sends him to search the grounds and he takes off.  Sparks may not be much for conversation, but when it comes to animal instinct and survival, Sparks is a scholar above most.  Soon, Sparks returns reporting of a man sneaking about at the edge of the property.  Our trio hems the villain in and captures him.  When they go to question him, Mila spots a ring on the man's finger.  Wary of magical rings, she pulls it off of his finger.  His hand and arm fade to black as if a hand casting a shadow before a candle flame.  He dies almost instantly.  Simon identifies the ring as probably containing a poison.

Dec 16, 163 (Moon): Mila sets out for Kalfeg keep, stopping in Riverton to recruit soldiers for the colonial army.

Dec 17, 163 (Mer): Mila spends a few days recruiting and finds 29 good men who accompany her to the Keep.

Dec 18, 163 (Mer): Burning the midnight oil, Magnus finishes wrestling with Tongues and can now count it among his tools.  Meanwhile, Sid has recovered from his wounds and hits the streets anew.

Sid inquires about Pete's whereabouts and is told that Pete has left Seahaven, heading East.  Sid quickly slips into a caravan headed to Ballast.

Dec 20, 163 (Freya): After a valiant effort, Magnus fails to learn Hypnotism.

Dec 24, 163 (Tyr): Magnus regains some self-confidence when he successfully learns ESP, a potentially very useful spell.

Mila arrives at Kalfeg Keep, with her new recruits in tow.  She immediately sets about assisting with weapon crafting and training soldiers to fight.

Dec 26, 163 (Thor): Magnus learns Burning Hands.

Dec 27, 163 (Freya): Magnus finishes his research:

Baatezu & Tanar’ri

General: The Baatezu are the dominant force on the planes of the Nine Hells, whereas the Tanar’ri inhabit the Abyss.  They are both diabolical races.  The Baatezu tend to be more organized and subtle than the Tanar’ri, in general.  The Tanar’ri, on the other hand are the quintessential embodiments of chaos and evil.  The less intelligent Tanar’ri attack without question and fight to the death.  Some of the more powerful Tanar’ri roam the Astral and Ethereal Planes, posing a threat to those traveling the planes.  There is record of a mage being slain outright by a powerful Tanar’ri while using an ethereal state to pass through a wall.

The Baatezu have a very rigid caste system and their diabolical powers directly relate to their position and status.  The Tanar’ri have more of a survival of the strongest approach.  In both cases, those of higher rank are inherently powerful.  The driving goal of these two races is to destroy one another. The Prime Material Plane is considered a key factor in the conflict, and both races vie for power there, typically by deception or simply providing services or power to the inhabitants.

Special powers: legends would attribute virtually every imagined magical ability to various Baatezu.  The only one that is recurring throughout accounts and seems to be somewhat verified is the powerful innate ability to teleport without error.  The ability to regenerate is common among them.  Tanar’ri are fierce opponents but legend attributes less spell-like abilities to them, although the more intelligent ones seem to be able to communicate with any other intelligent being.

Vulnerabilities: Any magical weapon will affect most Baatezu and Tanar’ri normally, but the more powerful ones are affected only by powerful magic weapons.  Acid and magic missile attacks have their usual effects.  Any silver weapon is effective against either race.  The most powerful creatures are partially invulnerable to silver as well, taking less damage from them, provided they are not magical enough to overcome their defenses anyway.  Iron weapons have no special effect on Baatezu, but all Tanar’ri take full damage from them.  Being creatures that live among the fiery depths of the Hells, the Baatezu are immune to all forms of fire, everything from a torch to a Dragon’s breath.  The Tanar’ri are immune to normal flame and partially immune to magical fire.  Whereas the Baatezu are vulnerable to lightning, the Tanar’ri are not.  Poison is not known to have any effect on either race, but it is quite possible that a substance that is not considered poisonous by mankind would in fact be poisonous to them.

Elves according to the Seahaven resources: helped formed the Bloodthorn League, along with Humans.  The only cities Four moons, no one else has seen any other settlements Magic, aloof, very little info on West Moon Elves

Song Magic: it does exist, but is very rare, no record found of practitioners in the New World region.

Cultures with Music: The ancient predecessors of the Chrogahri, the people of Cecilios, composed an isolated culture that was reputed to have placed a great deal of emphasis on music.  The information is unclear, they may have used song magic, but it is uncertain if said magic was truly song magic or simply songs related to religious ceremonies that preceded the normal use of priestly magic.

Dec 28, 163 (Sat): Magnus fails to learn Web.  Weary from research, he stops by his favorite tavern, The Owl's Roost.  The place is sparsely occupied.  When the owner brings his food, he puts down a glass of wine instead of Magnus' usual beer and draws attention to it by saying "And here's your wine."  Magnus takes the cue and figures that the drink is supposed to have an unwanted effect on him.  He drinks it and feigns unconsciousness.  As if on cue, every patron in the tavern begins moving towards him (about ten men).  He waits until they group together and then launches into action with spells  He uses Color Spray to down some men, then he turns Invisible and Levitates up to the roof.

The apparent leader of the bandits takes the owner prisoner, threatening to kill him if Magnus does not show himself.  Magnus looks about, thinking frantically.  He finally decides to drop the heavy iron chandelier on the foes.  His gambit works and the innkeeper gets free with his wife and child while the villain and his thugs wrestle free of the huge metal fixture.  Magnus makes good his escape as well via a ring that his mentor gave him that allows him to return to the Octagon immediately. 

Jan 2, 164 (Moon): Magnus moves to the outskirts of Seahaven and summons a Familiar with his Find Familiar spell and a black cat answers his call.  He names her Megan.  [Familiar: Black cat, 7 HP, excellent night vision, superior hearing.]

Jan 3, 164 (Tyr): Magnus fails to learn Spectral Force.

Jan 4, 164 (Mer): Magnus books a caravan passage from Seahaven to Ballast for two weeks hence, then sneaks onto another caravan under an assumed name.  Magnus leaves Seahaven once again, unsure when he will return.

Jan 8, 164 (Sun): Sid rides past Ballast continuing on to Muellerville at best speed.

Jan 11, 164 (Mer): Layne leaves his mentor Sinos, and returns home to Riverton.

Jan 12, 164 (Thor): Sid arrives in Muellerville and visits with his parents just long enough to determine where to go and who to talk to in Gladshire.

Jan 14, 164 (Sat): Sid blows past Riverton, bent on reaching Gladshire as quickly as possible.

Jan 16, 164 (Moon): Sid arrives in Gladshire and begins an intense crash course in the language of Kobolds.  He quickly picks it up, having grown up hearing bits and pieces of it.

Jan 21, 164 (Sat): Able departs for Riverton.  His concerns unaddressed and questions unanswered, he leaves with a heavy heart.

Jan 24, 164 (Tyr): Magnus arrives in Ballast.

Jan 25, 164 (Mer): Layne arrives home and gets down to some solid drinking with his father.

Jan 26, 164 (Thor): Magnus is awakened from a sound sleep by a sense of danger.  He jumps to his feet only to find that the air around him is whipping up.  Suddenly, the very air begins to lash at him.  He fights bravely, taking considerable damage but barely vanquishes the fell beast with liberal use of the Magician's best friend, the Magic Missile.

Magnus hears a noise of in the forest and moves to investigate, along with his familiar, Megan, who he sends ahead to scout.  He is startled by a Lightning Bolt rips through the night and arcs towards him.  The bolt fortunately grounds into a nearby tree, but it splits and collapses the mighty oak, pinning him beneath its fallen branches.  He signals (empathically) for Megan to flee immediately.  A shape appears from the shadows of the trees.  It is someone that could easily pass for a wandering traveller.  The stranger says gloatingly as he approaches "And this was supposed to be difficult . . ."  Before the villain can finish laughing, Magnus raises his new Wand of Fire and immolates his would be assassin with a Fireball.  The night's calm returns once again.

Jan 27, 164 (Freya): Sid departs Gladshire for Riverton, a little wiser in the tongue of his racial foe, Kobolds.

Jan 28, 164 (Sat): Layne is awakened by blood curdling screams from outside of his bedroom window.  He races outside to find a man dressed in simple clothes beaten and lashed, as if scourged to death.  He sees what appears to be a spent scroll in the corpse's hand.  Layne moves to dispose of the body and is almost discovered by his neighbor.  He barely avoids detection and moves out into the woods where he is discovered by his father.  Without question, his father helps him dispose of the body where animals will take care of it.  Layne offers an explanation, but his father is content to simply hear that his son did nothing wrong.

Able arrives in Riverton and continues on to Kalfeg Keep.

Feb 1, 164 (Sun):  Magnus arrives in Muellerville, but leaves again almost immediately, much to the dissatisfaction of his friends and family.

Sid arrives in Riverton and moves on to Kalfeg Keep.

That night, Gen is awakened by a sense of evil.  She finds her door and window closed and the dust on her floor whipping about.  Suddenly the very air attacks her, lashing and buffeting her.  She calls vigorously upon Aristaeus to aid her in this time of need and the raging creature winks out of existence.  Gen falls down in a prayer of thanks and returns quietly to bed.

Feb 2, 164 (Moon): Able is assaulted by a creature of the very wind.  Caught off guard, he is lashed by the beast.  He soon regains his wits and commands the very stuff of the beast, the air itself to be no more.  The forces of nature answer his call and the beast is destroyed piece meal, although Able is wounded in the process.

Able hears something approaching soon after.  It is a man, apparently inquiring after Able's body.  Able surprises him with his fists and his quarterstaff, making short work of the man.  It turns out to be a spell caster.  When Able tries to question him, he hisses "Never!" and turns a ring on his finger.  It as if death visibly spreads from the ring.  His hand and arm turn black with death and he falls to the ground still, ever more.

Layne departs from Riverton for Kalfeg Keep.

Feb 3, 164 (Tyr): Magnus arrives in Riverton and continues on to Kalfeg Keep.

Feb 4, 164 (Mer): Able arrives at Kalfeg Keep, checks into the Fading Warrior Inn, and catches up with Mila.

Feb 6, 164 (Freya): Sid arrives at Kalfeg Keep, checks into the Fading Warrior Inn, and catches up with Able and Mila,

Feb 7, 164 (Sat): Layne arrives at Kalfeg Keep, checks into the Fading Warrior Inn, and catches up with Sid, Able, and Mila.

Feb 8, 164 (Sun): Magnus arrives at Kalfeg Keep, checks into the Fading Warrior Inn, and catches up with his companions.

Act I: I Think They're On To Us . . .

Mila gets back to her weaponsmithing, Sid gets down to some serious thinking (drinking), and Gen gets back to healing the sick and wounded at the keep's temple of Aristaeus.  Able returns to training with the martial arts master, Tobin.  Magnus and Layne hatch plans to discuss magic and trade spells over the next few days.

Otherwise, the party waits for word from John Windsong.

Feb 9, 164 (Moon): Magnus teaches Layne Conjure Spell Component.

Feb 10, 164 (Tyr): Magnus teaches Layne Comprehend Languages

The party finally names their horses:

Able asks his horse what his name is and the horse, a male, chooses the name "Virilius".  Gen names her roan stallion "Big Red".  Layne names his mount "Thunder".  Magnus names his steed mare "Megan".  Sid names his black mare "Jet".  Mila finally names her mare "Thrasher" (ironically inspired by my discussion of a concept for a Troll "Oy!" boy street sammie for Shadowrun™ of the same name)

That night, the party, anxious to get started, finally receive a message.  Actually, they receive two message.  Two messengers arrive.  One of them tells the party that three were dispatched.  Both deliver the same message, apparently from Windsong.

Letter from Windsong:
 

Friends, I have made great progress!  I have assembled a party to assist us in a trek into the mountain lands we discussed earlier.  They consist of laborers, a couple of hunters, and a sage of ancient cultures.  I will try to rendezvous with you where the easternmost feeder tributary of the Kekilos River starts.  I will say no more, for fear that this message may be compromised.

Your friend

Feb 13, 164 (Freya): It is a wet day.  The excitement of departure has faded and the road stretches out before the party.  The rain comes down hard, drenching our heroes and their steadfast mounts.  The drudgery is shattered by . . . an ambush! (of course)

The party is ambushed by 32 archer rogues.  The party is sluggish in responding and suffer through two vicious volleys of arrows.  Our heroes fare well, but their mounts are heavily wounded.  A few of them are forced to dismount, as wounds make their mounts rear (they are war horses, but most of them took over half their HP in damage in a matter of seconds).  Magnus' bracers glow slightly and missiles that seemingly should have him do not.  Unfortunately, they veer off and a couple of them hit his horse.

The party leaps into action.  Sid starts returning fire and Mila begins moving to engage the bandits on the left.  The rest of our heroes begin weaving magic.  Magnus pulls out his new Wand of Fire and creates a Wall of Fire along the right side of the road, cutting the current enemy in half.  Able causes a mist ot rise up about him, plunging the majority of the remaining opponents into an obscuring fog.  Unfortunately Layne and Gen suffer wounds during the casting of their spells and their magic fizzles.

Mila begins cutting down bandits from their perches in the trees like over ripe fruits, killing one with every sword stroke.  Able is rewarded for his efforts by confused sounds and a whisper among the bandits on his left to "fall back."  He is distressed, however, as Magnus' Wall of Fire rages and the trees scream with the hissing of healthy green leaves writhing in the unnatural flames.

Gen begins making her way slowly out of the fog from which Magnus quickly escapes, having been caught at the edge of it.  Able moves to engage the nearby archers.  Mila hacks down two more bandits with ease, and Layne rushes forth to engage one with his sword.  Sid continues to fire on them.  The bandits near Sid, Mila, and Layne begins falling back, most outright fleeing.

The bandits near Able begin quickly falling back, so he returns to his wounded mount, Virilius, to heal him.  The bandit Layne is fighting withdraws and Layne keeps up with him.  Mila flanks the bandit, while the other three sprint into the trees, out of sight.  Sid, lacking targets, begins sprinting to the edge of the fog where he expects enemies might appear from.  Mila commands the bandit to surrender and Layne follows her lead demanding he drop his sword.  The bandit considers his options and plunges his blade fully into Mila's mount, downing him and pinning Mila's leg.  Unfortunately for him, his gambit does not pay off as Layne assaults him anew and Magnus finishes him off with a trio of magic missiles.

Gen decides to stop heading for the edge of the fog and instead turns to give chase to the bandits through the fog.  Able, satisfied that his equine companion, Virilius, is ok when he stands back up, he begins leading him out of the fog.  Sid continues sprinting towards the expected location where the bandits should emerge.  He is suddenly rewarded when five bandits emerge, arrows nocked.  Two of them have their wits about them and launch their arrows at Sid.  Mila frees herself from her mount and tries to staunch its bleeding.  Layne takes off after Sid to aid him.

Soon, Sid is surrounded by the remaining bandits and re-thinking the wisdom of his approach.  Luckily, Magnus is ready with a sleep spell that downs one of the bandits and Layne joins the fray.  The bandits decide to flee and manage to escape as the only person wanting to chase after them is the still oddly incensed Sid, whose short legs are not up to the task.  They do manage to capture one prisoner.

The prisoner relates that his group was simply some mercs/bandits hired to attack "whoever was traveling down the road."  He also relates that the leader is named Luke and was trapped behind the Wall of Fire Magnus created.  The party keeps the man prisoner in spite of a stunning burst of bloodlust from Gen, who suggests killing the poor wretch in cold blood.  The whole party feels an uneasy shiver as she calls for raw, naked violence. [Does Aristaeus take notice?  Oh yes.]

They hastily regroup and Gen heals the party and their mounts up enough so that they can travel and our heroes move out immediately.  About six hours later, they make camp, perform some more healing, and settle down for the night, leaving Magnus and Layne to handle first watch.

After a couple of hours, the tension is starting to ease up as Layne and Magnus try to keep their vigil.  As if the night itself decided to strike them down, the pair of them feel a searing pain in their backs and drop, Layne near death and Magnus dying.  They both manage to cry out before succumbing to oblivion and Mila begins to stir, unsure what is happening.  She calls out to Layne and Magnus, causing Able to awaken as well.

As Sid and Gen begin to stir, they are also attacked from the veil of stealth.  Gen is wounded grievously and passes out from the pain.  Sid is also struck hard, but he manages to stay awake.  Mila and Able are struck, but Mila shrugs off the wound and Able was not very wounded to begin with.

Mila becomes a blaze of steel, dropping one of her three aggressors and wounding another.  Sid score a lucky shot, savaging the leg of one of his opponents.  Able, a whirlwind of motion, launches into a graceful series of motions, striking his opponent with his staff and lightning fast feet.  Sid's opponent continues to strike him, but Sid holds fast, having circled around to avoid distance himself from the thug he made lame.

Mila strikes down her wounded opponent, mutilating him with her blow.  She strikes her last foe with a blow that does not quite kill him, but he drops from the wounds nonetheless.  Able manages to finish off his foe with two more skillful strikes from his staff and a remarkable kick that shatters his knee.  Sid exchanges blows with his grim dance partner, but both remain standing.  The lame one tries to limp to the safety of darkness.

Able and Mila move in to aid Sid and the three of them handily take down Sid's attacker.  Mila dashed after the one that was limping away and knocked away his blade as if he were a young child, then demanded he surrender.  As she pulled back her arm to knock him out, he bit down on something and fell immediately dead.

Able manages to save Magnus, whose constitution proves sturdy enough to save him . . . this time.  Gen and Able do their best, but manage only to partially recover the party's health.  Fortunately for Magnus, Able uses hi potent Keoghtum's Ointment to bring him back from the brink, giving the party back its most potent Mage instead of leaving them with a groggy liability.

The prisoner bandit escaped during the confusion.

And so are heroes were alone in the cold wet night . . . Magnus and Layne bereft of their magic due to the trauma they suffered but mostly healed up . . . Gen wounded and her magic weak . . . Able moderately wounded and his magic spent . . . Mila wounded but ready for action.  A dire situation indeed, especially when the nearest help is over a day's travel away and the night is young and still quite threatening.

Interlude - The Hunters Become the Hunted

Sid scans the perimeter of the campsite and sees nothing.  Stepping gingerly around pools of blood and dead bodies, he moves over to Layne.  Tapping him on the arm, he says quietly, "Once again our camp has been an open invitation to attack.  If our enemies attack us again here, I fear we will all perish." Again his eyes flick across the tree line.  "Our skills are the best to oppose these assassins."  He nods towards Able.  "If we can find out which direction they came from, perhaps we can dispatch the rest of their band."  He stoops to one of the fallen forms and detaches two vials from its belt, adding, "I wouldn't mind giving them the pleasant sleep they would have given us."

Layne responds, "Your idea is a good one.  My magical energy is drained, though, and sleep would be nice.  However, I realize that time is of the essence, and magic is not my only weapon.  I think we should leave soon.  This poison will be useful, and we will need every advantage we can find.  I have no moral dilemmas against killing those who have tried to kill me and would try again..."

The party, still numb from the sudden and deadly attack, give mute agreement.  They are worried for their friends and thus feel compelled to argue for caution, but they also realize Sid's and Layne's words are true, this is their arena of combat.  Magnus glances to Layne, silently proffering the Wand of Fire, but Layne silently declines, knowing stealth will be essential and the temptation to use the wand too great.  Gen is the only one to speak up.

"Let me tend your wounds.  The task ahead will require you to be at your best.  Even then I fear for your lives, but I see that you are determined.  Your eyes speak volumes." Gen heals Sid and Layne as much as she can without weakening herself.  Gen adds, "You should know that this poison is magical in nature, induces sleep, and is more potent if imbibed."

Layne asks "How long will it last on a blade?"

Gen answers, "It will fade very quickly, within 15 seconds or so [read: it evaporates fast and as such will only last a few rounds and has a strong odor close up].  It will need to be applied and used immediately."  Sid and Layne grunt softly in dissatisfaction, clearly unhappy with the information.  She adds, "Well I didn't make the poison, nor would I."

After Able identifies the main track from whence the half dozen would be captors diverged, Sid and Layne set off, armed with all of the sleep poison and less most of their gear.

Moving slowly and quietly, ninety minutes pass before anything happens.  Sid hears someone approaching them from ahead and Sid and Layne fade into the wood, Layne closer than Sid so as to exploit Layne's skills in neutralizing sentries.  Layne does not let Sid down and the sentry is swiftly dispatched.  The duo continues on until they find a small clearing containing seven empty bedrolls and five occupied bedrolls flanking a small, dim fire.  Behind this is a small pavilion tent, guarded by two well equipped warriors decked out in plate mail.

Sid and Layne move around, Sid with a poisoned arrow nocked and Layne with his poisoned long sword ready.  Layne steps forward and back stabs the first guard, a brawny, female, Half-Orc.  Luck is with him as she slumps glossy-eyed to the ground, succumbing to the sleep poison.  The other guard turns to face the faint sounds of commotion and Sid swiftly drops him with his poisoned arrow, again, the guard succumbs.

One of the guards slumps against a tent pole, spurring the occupant to come out and complain.  The robed figure that steps out is incapacitated by Layne's poisoned blade before he can respond.  The five sleeping Rogues begin to sluggishly respond to the soft sounds of our duo's quiet conflict, but Sid and Layne handily take them out in turn as they awaken and attack.  Layne is dropped from wounds, but revives sufficiently afterwards to assist tying up the surviving opponents.  The racial mix of the six assassins turns out to be two Half-Elves, three Orcs, and one Half-Orc.

Sid sprints the entire distance back to our heroes and insists that they return with him to the enemy camp before they begin to awaken . . . meanwhile Layne snatches a beautifully crafted long sword from the human bodyguard along with two vials.

Act II: Gently Up the Stream?

When they arrive, they are struck by the carnage left from Sid and Layne.  Gen censures them for the level of violence they inflicted, to which they answer with the age old, "It was kill or be killed."  She is not satisfied with that lame excuse that she has been offered so many times.  She is distracted from further criticism by Layne's wounds.  She calls upon Aristaeus to mend them and is ignored.

Gen falls into self doubt, worried that earlier bloodthirsty impulses have offended her deity.  She is not surprised, having had doubts about her focus after the bandits ambushed them on the road and she called for the cold blooded murder of the bandit prisoner.  She begins some needed self reflection.

Able wanders into the enemy tent to look around.  Magnus and Genevieve find him a few minutes later, standing stock still and looking into the box like object before him.  They look down to where he is looking and . . . are turned to stone just as he was.  Layne finds a small chest with two scrolls of Stone to Flesh.  Unable to cast Read Magic, Layne goes to sleep to rest his mind.

Layne wakes up and reviews his spell books.  He uses Read Magic and reads one of the scrolls, trying free Magnus.  Magical power surges from the parchment and Layne struggles, his magical skills sorely tested.  He barely manages to succeed and Magnus is freed.  Magnus uses the other scroll to free Genevieve, with the hopes that she will have more useful resources for helping Able than the other way around.

At a  loss to help Able, Magnus gets some rest so that he might be able to use his magic.  The party sleeps in the tent to avoid the relentless rain outside.  Sid and Layne snatch up the last of the poison from their fallen foes.  During the night, a trio of Griffons snatch up one of the three horses the enemy thugs had.  The horse they take is a riding horse, leaving one light warhorse and one riding horse.

After a rocky night of keeping the foes sedated with liberal use of the sleep poison and brutish blows to the head, the day comes.  Magnus wakes up to find out that the prisoners have been sedated throughout the night, and there is only one dose of sleep poison left.  He instructs Sid to hold onto it so that he might try to magically reproduce it.

Layne Detects Magic and discovers that the shoes of the enemy's warhorse are magical in nature.  Mila tries to remove the shoes, but the warhorse is not very compliant.  She ultimately ends up beating the beast unconscious and passing out from her wounds herself.

Feb 15, 164 (Sun): Magnus begins interrogating the female spell caster that Layne and Sid incapacitated.  Magnus uses an ESP spell to assist his interrogation.  He seems to successfully get to her, but one never really knows.  She says that:

• her name is Talia
• she was assigned to Riverton originally, but she was ordered to Kalfeg Keep (and was there when Gen was attacked by the Invisible Stalker)
• communications with the Master are usually one-way, and always via messenger
• her mission was to stop the party and recruit Magnus
• she hired the thugs in Riverton
• our heroes are one of the many  parties that are attempting to thwart the Master
• more dangerous foes await the party
• there is a Song of Life, but she knows nothing else about it

Sid spies drag marks from the statue which end at a tree, as if the bear had drug the statue into the tree.  The tree seems very normal.   Genevieve offers that she has heard legend of powerful Druids being able to pass through the very trees as a means of travel.  Very strange indeed.  The party chalks it up to Druidic strangeness. Combined with their uncertainty about how they might counter it, the party continues on.

In spite of darker impulses, the party errs on the side of being good.  They decide to leave their foes without equipment and tied up.  Magnus insists that they leave the spell books of the Mage behind.  The party quickly determines he will not waver, so they accede the point and arrange for Sid to dispense of the books covertly [he sneaks back and burns them when they leave].

Feb 17, 164 (Tyr): Our heroes arrive in Riverton without further incident.

Layne escorts Gen to the temple of Aristaeus.  They talk to Faith about healing potions but are not encouraged to pursue getting them.  Layne heads off and checks in with his family while Gen talks further.  His mother speaks of a Half-Elf with black hair and blue eyes that stopped by, looking for Layne.  He called himself a friend.

Gen and Faith talk about Gen's recent difficulties.  What Gen hears is no surprise to her.  The fine balance an crusading follower of Aristaeus has to maintain is difficult.  Reconciling righteous healing and righteous violence is not easy, and it is a personal choice.  The point is made that squandering the grace of Aristaeus.  Healing those who are not truly in need is a questionable choice, as is aggressively healing those who seek to exact unrighteous violence.  Of course, calling for the cold blooded murder of the bandit prisoner a few days prior seems like a real sticking point.  Gen stays to ponder her beliefs.

Magnus arranges dinner with the Rambeaux family, but learns little else from Captain Marshall.  The party goes to dinner and has a pleasant time.

Later, at the Inn, Magnus tries to replicate the sleep poison with his magic.  It is very difficult because of the poison's magical nature.  After many attempts and many bouts of unconsciousness, the last does is spent and Magnus is too.

Later that evening, a group of city guards enters the temple seeking aid, along with a couple of rogues.  Gen notices the disparity and soon learns that the city guard left wounded rogues behind on the docks.  In spite of the inherent danger of braving the docks at night, she rushes to their aid.

She arrives at the foreboding docks and soon finds the wounded rogues.  She heals them with her mundane skills.  She comes across one poor soul who will die without magical healing.  She implores Aristaeus for aid . . . and her request is answered.

[She regains her clerical magic, but must make Charisma tests to use it]

When confronted by a thug wielding a sword, her first response is to explain her presence and ease his suspicions rather than meet aggression with violence.  The rogue asks her name and she gives it.  Nothing else is said and she moves on, her essential work done.  The rogues will need time to heal, but they will make it now.

Feb 18, 164 (Mer): Our heroes leave for Gladshire.  Everyone is now equipped with two horses and they have bold plans to push on as hard as their mounts and their constitutions will allow.

Feb 19, 164 (Thor):   After many weary hours, our heroes make it into the Gnomish trade city of Gladshire in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted along with their mounts.  They fall into their beds at the Full Flagon and hand off their lathering mounts to the sleepy eyed stable boy.

Eight hours later, they crawl from bed and walk their mounts to the docks.  While they make preparations for travel upstream, Sid takes a hundred of the gold pieces from the coinage obtained from Talia and arranges for his fellow Gnomish barge operators to insure that any pursuing expeditions are "delayed" as much as possible.

Our heroes set out.  The barge is large enough to accommodate our heroes, their horses and the half dozen laborers that will skillfully pole the barge upstream.  It is expected to take five days, leaving the party at their destination the 24th.

Feb 20, 164 (Freya): Sleep comes easily to our weary heroes, but it does not last.  Their peaceful encampment is shattered when a dozen thick black tentacles tear up through the ground and attack.  Our heroes respond admirably.  Within seconds, they are still standing, and only one tentacle remains.

Before anyone can begin to worry about the source of the evil members, chaos takes over as a Fireball explodes over our brave friends.  Magnus barely gets off his Detect Invisibility and through sheer force of will points out the spell caster's position before he falls to the ground, along with Layne and Gen.

Sid leaps into action, thirsty for bloody revenge, and uses his cloak to slip through the shadows to flank the unseen enemy.  Mila mirrors his actions by leaping into the stream, swimming across with powerful strokes of her mighty arms.  The unknown threat answers Mila's efforts with five blazing white streaks of magical energy that plunge into her [Magic Missiles].  She keeps her senses by pure will, diving below the surface but continuing to close the distance.

Sid manages to flank the invisible foe and strikes at him savagely.  He disappears through a shimmering doorway before Sid can finish him off.  Mila catches up to Sid and before they can breathe a sigh of relief another ball of flame explodes over the laborers.  Sid, quietly enraged, uses his cloak to once again teleport over to the villain and strike him down.  His blade strikes home and a heavy thud is heard, but no body is found.

Sid and Mila converge back at the barge and he uses healing magic to help Gen regain consciousness.  She successfully beseeches Aristaeus for aid and she manages to save everyone, even the laborers, from death.  Everyone rests.

Feb 21, 164 (Sat): A few of our heroes regain enough strength to make a mediocre attempt at poling the barge.

Feb 22, 164 (Sun):   Under Gen's treatment, the laborers regain enough strength to take over poling the barge.

Feb 25, 164 (Mer): The party reaches the end of the stream to find a calm Able sitting on a rock, awaiting them.

Able's Side trip 

Exactly what happened after the bear took Able's petrified form into the tree? WARNING: the following is character specific knowledge.  It is included for your reading pleasure.  If you can not separate character knowledge from your own knowledge, do not read this.  Your character will be penalized if you try to have it act on info that is not known to it.

Act III: From a Rock to a Hard Place

Feb 26, 164 (Thor): Mila, Able, and Layne move ahead along the road, looking for some sign.  Within hours they come across a frightened man fleeing in the opposite direction of their travel.  When confronted, he conveys that he was part of Windsong's party and that he is fleeing from some combat.  He refuses to convey more in his panic and insists on continuing back down the road towards the stream.

When the party is rejoined, he conveys more.  The party was attacked by flying creatures that appeared from nowhere, attacking with unrelenting ferocity.  He describes large, hideous beasts with fangs and claws that tore men apart.  In spite of their best attempts, our heroes can not convince him to return with them.  Instead, he insists on returning downstream.

Incensed, the party strikes camp and force marches out to find Windsong.  Four hours later, a horse is injured, but with spare horses, they continue their pace.  Unfortunately, the pace is too hard for the group, and Sid lags, forcing our heroes to travel slower to stay together.

Feb 27, 164 (Freya): Able and Gen, on the dawn watch, see an enormous eagle soaring over distant mountains.  The party strikes camp and moves out at a brisk pace.  After many long hours, they come across a grisly site.  They find the scene of carnage that the man they came across was fleeing.  The only recognizable objects left behind are a smoldering wagon, 1 lute, 1 head, 3 hands, 2 feet, 1 leg, and a host of fat vultures.  It is an intimidating sight.

Able finds tracks leading away from the carrion and our heroes move out.  they soon come across a badly wounded John Windsong.  They make camp and Able uses his potent magical salve to mend Windsong's wounds.  Fortune favors them with a quiet night.

Feb 28, 164 (Sat): After a brief moment of study and reflection for Layne, our heroes head out.  Within a few hours, they are startled as foul, winged creatures appear from the rocks around them.  The shriveled, defecating, shrieking charicatures of human women descend with their foul, razor sharp talons.  They emit an errie song that begins to entrance our heroes, but Windsong sings a jaunty tune, somehow countering the effect.  Our heroes launch into combat.  Free of the trance, they lay into the fiendish foe with swords and sorcery.  Soon, the wicked beasts are fleeing.

In an unusual fit of bravery, Sid chases after them.  Isolated in the rocks, the monsters turn and fall upon him.  Able leaps into the rocks and fends them off, narrowly saving Sid's life.  The party makes camp soon after, collapsing into their bedrolls, maintaining a watch by sheer will alone.

Mar 1, 164 (Sun): Our party, barely capabl of travel, decides to rest throughout the day, under the care of Gen.

Mar 2, 164 (Moon): 

Windsong

Cave 

Act IV: Move to the Music