# The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
08/21/04
SEGMENT 001
THE FORGOTTEN FORGE

   THE GM
ANDY	 NARRATOR   
VALE MATTERHORN 
  HUMAN CLERIC  [Hired Healer]   Searching for family within Mournlands
JASYN SYMTEX
   HUMAN KENSAI ARCHER  [Hired and trusted aid]  Repaying a dept to Elderich
KIM ELDERICH
   DWARVEN MYSTIC THEURAGE  [Seeker of Artifacts and fame / glory that goes with it

   THE PLAYERS
BILL 
BODDYNOK GLINKLE 
  GNOME ARTIFICER  [ War Forged Healer and Magic Enthusiast] 
  Dead ... a second time
BRELAND TASKERDOO   
  1/2LING DRUID / MAGE  [Animal activist]    Called away to deal with evil against nature 
      within Thrane
PEBBLES 
  Dwarven Battle Smith / Cleric   "Hammer time!"    KILLED by Warhulked Fighter Hill Giants
FLURRY
  WARFORGED MONK KILLED
PELOR
  HUMAN SUPER HEALER DIPLOMAT

JIM    
KHORA	 
  HUMAN CLERIC OF SOVEREIGN HOST [Team Healer and Force of Good Will ] DEAD
BANE  
  HUMAN FIGHTER    [MONKEY GRIPPING BATTLEAXE BADAXE]  DEAD
BALKROTH  
  1/2 GIANT PSYCHIC WARRIOR  [FREAK]  DEAD
DURACELL  
Human Mage / Sorc / Arcane Master type

BJ  
BONDS	       
  WARFORGED BARBARIAN  [ Destroy and Don’t Bother to Ask Why] DEAD
CHIEF  
  WARFORGED FIGHTER  [ Destroy it all]  DEAD
BLACK SAND 
  1/2 GIANT BARBARIAN  [CHIP ON SHOULDER TYPE]    *DEAD- KILLED BY
     ORCUS*
IPPATAK   
  ELVEN ARCANE ARCHER  "Whatever"   KILLED

JEFF   
TEMPER      
  WARFORGED FIGHTER  [ Destroy then Ask why ] DEAD   
ASUNDER  
  WARFORGED FIGHTER  [EXCUSE FOR VIOLENCE]  NPC   BODDYNOC's AID
SHARSHEK   
  HUMAN FIGHTER     [LEVEL HEADED WARRIOR]  Wandering somewhere safer than around
  Cedious
FIGHTER   
   WARFORGED FIGHTER  [LOOKING FOR A NEW WAR]  DEAD
TALON   
  GREMLIN (1/2 DWARF / 1/2 TROLL FIGHTER   [LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE]  
  "That has to hurt!"  KILLED by AXE-WHOLE KILLED
ZEN  ELF ARCANE MAGE

CLINTON 
CEDIOUS  
   HALFLING ROGUE	[ Binge Drinker and general Trouble-maker ]  LUCKY TO BE
   ALIVE!!!!  "I am my own GOD."  MIA
BOB
  THRI-KREEN PSYCHIC WARRIOR  [Bodyguard for Cedious or had nothing better to do]
   "Why name me that? clik-clik   can not say it"
CLOROX
   CENTAUR  BARBARIAN FIGHTER WAR HULK [New Bodyguard]  DM's new worst nightmare  KILLED
WALL
   PSIONIC DWARVEN DEFENDER

RYAN
(CIDER)  
  TEIFLING ROGUE    [Know it all with attitude]   New DM Toy  BURIED UNDER TONS OF EARTH
(CAPIO)  
  ELF MAGE / WARLOCK  [Searching for planar travel]   New DM Toy  BURIED UNDER TONS OF EARTH


CATHY
ARCANIS    [LOVER OF ANYTHING MAGICAL]  Regards Elderich as a god
  THRI-KREEN  RANGER  

TIM
SHY-ANNE SHARD    [PSYCHIC WILDER]   OWES ELDERICH HER LIFE.... SEVERAL TIMES OVER
   HUMAN
ANTON   [LOVES ADVENTURER OF ALL SORTS]  KNOWS ELDERICH IS A GREAT SOURCE OF ADVENTURE
    HALFLING DRUID / 
Today we begin this tale with the five adventuring friends returning from a party in the city of Sharn.  It has begun to rain but it will take more than this to dampen their mood.  

“Curtains of water fall from the sky as [they] traverse the labyrinthine        walkways of Sharn.  The stone and wooden paths wind around and between the towers and spires high above the ground, forming a complex latticework that can be very confusing on evenings such as this.  The rain falls hard, running off higher walkways and balconies in drenching waves, making it difficult to see much more than a few feet ahead of you.  The distant glow of everbright lanterns, barely visible in the soaking gloom, does little to light the paths on this warm, wet evening.”

 The smallest of the group,  Cedious, has lead the group onto the wrong tower.  Even as the halfling tries to convince the others that they are not lost he tries to regain his sense of location.  Bonds interrupts everyone as he looks onto the bridge he nears.

“[Bonds] spots a figure in a dark cloak moving quietly through the rain on the skybridge ahead.  It seems to be avoiding the dim pools of light cast by the everbright lanterns, preferring to stay in the shadows.  Lightning flashes, and you see a shape on the stone floor of the bridge in brief illumination.  The figure quickly reaches the railing of the skybridge, then slips over the barrier and disappears into the darkness and the rain.”Bonds calls out to his friend what he saw thinking a thief is lurking ahead and looking for purses to collect. They move quickly to the spot where the dark figure was last seen.

“The skybridge ahead spans the distance between platforms attached to the sides of two different towers – Dalannan Tower and the Kelsa Spire.  A body lies on the floor of the bridge, and you can see a mixture of rain and blood pooling around it.  A leather satchel, still clutched tightly in the body’s hand, lies in the expanding puddle of water and gore.”

Bonds goes to the spot where the figure disappeared.  Temper backs him up.  Cedious runs over to the body wondering what the figure may have missed looting from it.  Khora looks to possibly tending to injuries while Boddynoc looks around for any trouble.

Bonds leans over the edge of the skybridge which is suspended about 120 feet from the next platform below.  The rain makes it difficult to see much then he spots the mysterious figure.  A cloaked humanoid is moving hand over hand on a pipe along the edge of the bridge’s belly.  Temper threatens the figure with his Masterworked Great Sword.  Bonds moves along the edge trying to always keep a view of the figure.  He pulls out his weapon.  In doing so he loses track of the figure.

“He is dead” calls out Khora after looking to the victim’s wounds.  He moves away to see what the two warforged are doing.  The halfling begins to loot the body while Boddynoc pulls the satchel from his dead hand.  The halfling finds a weighted pouch and quickly pockets it then pulls out his identification papers to see who this old man was.

Khora can hear a noise on the opposite side of the bridge from the warforged.  He calls this out and Bonds spots an armored figure climbing up the edge wearing the dark cloak.  Boddynoc looks up just in time to see Bonds weapon strike the figure hard and true.  Pieces of metal seem to explode from the impact and the figure falls silently into the darkness with a soft thus far below.  Boddynoc thinks he saw a fragment fly away but is not sure.  

Cedious looks into what else the body now known as Bonal Geldem of Morgrave University has.  It is now that he notices three more figures running up to him.  Cedious shakes his head looking down.  “Curse my luck.” He mutters with a slight slur.

“Two males and a female, wearing the green-and-black studded leather of Sharn’s City Watch, emerge from the rain-drenched night.  The leader, a powerfully built bald dwarf with a close-cropped beard, steps forward, leveling his crossbow in your direction.  The small ball of arcane light, hovering just above and behind his left shoulder, illuminates the area.  To each side, a human male and female stand with halberds at the ready.”

“Olladra’s bloody nose!” the dwarf curses.  “By the order of the Watch, drop your weapons and explain yourselves!”
It doesn’t take a genius to guess what he is thinking.  Cedious backs away from the body.  It is only now he believes he has had too much to drink on this gloomy and ill-fated night.  The two warforged congratulate each other with weapons still out then stop seeing the authorities.  They do not put their weapons away but do hold them at their sides, no longer raised and readied.  Boddynoc and Khora quickly move over to Sgt. Dolom to explain the situation.

The Dolom knows of Cedious (drunken thief) but listens to the others.  Khora is especially convincing as describes the attack as witnessed by them and how if they hurry, an armored and cloaked figure that may be a warforged is far below.  After taking to them and taking names and places to locate them, Dolom allows them to leave.  That is after getting the assurance they will escort the halfling home.

Once Dolom and his deputies allow them to leave they go and find a quiet and dry place to look at what they had.  They open the satchel and find a small journal with well-made and stylish quills, inks and paper to write on.  An Apple (which the Halfling decides to eat while looking at the pouch) was there also.  In the pouch were a few gold and silver pieces.

Figuring the journal could be either useful for himself or have more incite to the reason why a warforged killer would strike down this old man, Boddynoc checks it out.

“This small journal, measuring about 3 inches by 6 inches and 1 inch thick, has a cover of dark brown leather with strands of mithral thread woven in a strange pattern.  It bears no title, just the mithral-thread icon on the front cover.  Inside, every page is blank, but the sheets have a strange feel;  they don’t seem to be paper or leather, but something not readily identifiable.”The artificer looks it over further.  It is obviously magical somehow but how and why?  He asks the rogue what was in the pouch he took and what else were the identification papers.  “Pouch…?  What pouch?”  He then recites the name of Bonal Geldem, a provost at Morgrave University with his studies being of Pre-Galifar Time.

They eventually reach their rooms above the Dancing Dove and find a cloaked figure is waiting for them.  He looks up but his eyes are hidden in the shadow of his cowl.  He raises his closed fist revealing a signet ring on his finger.  “If you would know the truth of Bonal Geldem’s murder, go to the Broken Anvil tavern at dawn.”    He then leaves quickly.

The warforged wonder why everyone seems to be bothering them tonight then return to their prior conversation of Freeball (a sport played in Sharn).  Khora and the halfling go into their rooms to sleep.  Boddynoc pauses and feels the fine leather of the recently acquired satchel in his hand.  He has made up his mind.  They go to the Tavern in the morning.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/21/04
SEGMENT 002
THE FORGOTTEN FORGE

The Broken Anvil Tavern is located nearby in the Mason’s Tower.  House Ghallanda runs it.  The halflings of the Hostelers Guild.  It is quiet here being daybreak.  Boddynoc was not going to miss a meeting with a House of Cannith member.  As an artificer, he tries to follow what these makers of things magical were up to with great interest. 

A halfling looks up to the warforged and the human.  “Follow me good sirs” the hafling matron says to Boddynoc and Cedious.  They go to a private room and the halfling knocks twice then announces that the guests have arrived.  The party enters the room eager to learn what is happening and if there is any money in it for them.

“The human female in the dark blue cloak has delicate features, dark blue eyes, and sleek black hair bound with silver and turquoise ornaments.  She wears a signet ring of House Cannith on her right ring finger and speaks in a soft but clear voice. “Thankyou for coming.  We have important business to discuss that relates to the unfortunate death of Bonal Geldem.  Please, sit down.”She offers the party food and drink before telling them her name.  She is Elaydren d’Vown of House Cannith.  She is an agent of the house.  

“I have been working with Provost Geldem to recover a family heirloom,” Lady Elaydren explains. “We were to meet earlier tonight, but as you know, he never made it.  I learned from the Watch what had transpired, and so sent one of my men to track you down.”

She continues. “The heirloom, according to family legends, was locked away in a foundry that dates back to pre-Galifar Sharn.  Poor Bonal believed he discovered the location of the foundry in an ancient House Cannith journal.  I was going to fund an expedition to go to the site, but without Bonal…” Her voice trails off.  Then she leans close.  “Perhaps you would be willing to recover the heirloom for me.  For a generous reward, of course. “

She asks if the group has happened onto a small journal at the murder scene.  Boddynoc picks through his bag and pulls out the journal.  He hopes to get it back to discover its secrets.  As she reaches out to receive the small book the mithral thread and her ring begin to softly glow.  She sets the journal down and opens it.  Blank pages begin to develop fine script and drawings.  Flipping through the now scripted book, she looks for a specific page or entry.  A satisfied look crosses her face as she reaches and fumbles for a piece of paper in her pocket.  Look at the two she studies it.  Both the halfling and gnome lean in to see what she has discovered.  

 “The location of the lost foundry is deep within the Dorasharn Tower.” Lady Elaydren proclaims.  “Fifty-seven levels below the towers present-day sewer system.  I offer you one thousand gold pieces and the good will of my house if you recover the heirloom and return it to me.  Will you help me?” 

 “Yes” Boddynoc exclaims with more energy than he meant to show.  The others, with less energy agree.  Even the warforged whom find this room too small to be in for much longer.

“The relic I seek is an adamantine plate in the shape of a seven-pointed star about the size of your hand,” Elaydren explains.  “It has no special power by itself, but is an ancient schema –a piece of a pattern used by the Cannith artificers of old to craft unusual items.  Recover this piece of history for us, and House Cannith will be extremely grateful.”  

Magic relics and magical mundane but wondrous items dance through Boddynoc’s mind.  Money and leisure are on Cedious’ mind.  Khora figures this to be a good means to raise funds quickly.  To the warforged, if it means they can hack and slash without getting into trouble, than they are ready to leave now.  They are impatient and want to go.

Boddynoc thinks briefly about the situation.  “Where do we begin?”

“This map shows the way to reach the sewers of the Dorasharn Tower.  Somewhere beyond the E-213 Valve Cluster you’ll find a sealed door with the same mark as the one on Bonal’s journal.  Open the seal, and the tunnel beyond will take you to the long-forgotten level far below, where the foundry resides.”  

“May we hold onto the journal to aid our expedition to the Foundry?” Boddynoc asks in a very convincing voice.  Lady Elaydren stares hard into the gnomes eyes and measures the pros and cons of this decision.  Reluctantly she slides it over to him along with a ring to allow him to read it.  “I will NEED these returned.”

Boddynoc agrees knowing he will try to keep it somehow.

The party uses her map to wonder through the Dorasharn Tower and lower levels.  Most of this tower has been closed off from wanders due to dangers within.  Dangers both natural and unnatural..  However, even with the map, the group is uncertain how to proceed to the Valves.

“ The tunnels and corridors at this level of the tower are narrow and dark.  An occasional window slit looks out upon the crowded walls and foundations of other towers, and infrequently placed torches sputter here and there, giving off pallid pools of light and clouds of smoke.  Even so, rough and dirty people crowd the narrow corridors, and the smell of sweat and sewage permeates the stale air.
One tunnel opens onto a large chamber, where a mix of goblins, humans, and shifters gather around a small pile of garbage spread across three rotting blankets.  One of the goblins shouts, “ No pushing! No pushing! There’s always enough for everyone at the Rat’s Market! “

Uncertain where to go, Khora suggests asking the goblin for instructions to the Value Cluster they are searching for.  The misplaced five adventurers walk boldly up to the meager spread.  Cedious looks at what there is to steal and finds nothing he would want.  The prize item there is a sunrod which they have plenty of already.  Everything else is broken, soiled and some have bloodstains on them.

“Could you direct us to the Valve Cluster E-213 good merchant?” asks Boddynoc politely but being sure not to touch or be touched by the market and it’s people.

The goblin quickly appraises the five as adventurers with money.

“I’ve got a rare stick of sealing wax, only partially used, for a mere sixty coppers,” the goblin merchant says. “Or maybe you could use this fine woolen blanket with just a hint of mildew? Only thirty-nine coppers.  How about a skewer of boiled rat meat?  For you, just five silver.  Or perhaps, if I could point out the way to a certain valve cluster, what would it be worth to fine explorers such as yourselves?  One hundred silver?”  

“Ahhh…uh-  so much from what a fine goblin like you would consider to be a minor and easy act?” Asks Boddynoc as Temper stares at the goblin.  The other possible buyers move away which discomforts the now lone goblin.  Bonds watches them walk away and notices a shifter watching the group with distilled interest.  Deciding this is getting boring he steps up to the goblin.  “Where…Is…Valve?” He says with intimidation.  The goblin is no stranger to this and stands firm.  “120 Silver to show you where it is.”

Noting the rising interest of their activities by others,  Khora agrees and shows him the money-  a few gold and silver.

The goblin merchant (Skakan) shows them a hidden walkway.  It takes about twenty minutes to reach it.  Khora is concerned.  He is quite sure they made several wide circles before reaching here.  He distrusts the goblin and the route they took to get here.  As the goblin begins to move down the dark and twisting narrow stairway he passes on his concern to the others whom all admit they had the same sense.  The warforged are eager to find what is at the bottom of these steps.

The party begins down “…a narrow passage that leads to a staircase that descends deeper into the into the tower.  With each step down, the odor of mold and sewage becomes stronger, and you can hear liquid sounds increasing in volume as you descend.”

The goblin arrives at the base of the stairs and is struck down in a single blow.

Pausing for only a moment, the party rushes down the stairs if only in fear the warforged will knock them down in their eagerness to fight.

“A warforged strikes from the shadows.  His rapier piercing the air with deadly efficiency.  “You have the provost’s journal,” the warforged says.  It’s not a question.  “Give the book to me, and you can live to see another day.  Refuse, and we will make your deaths slow and painful.”

“We!” says each warforged in unison and a smile,

The party members spill out onto a narrow platform that leads directly into the sewer waters.  A warforge holding a rapier tries to taunt them as a shifter bares its sharp teeth.

As they rush across the channel of moving water, a second shifter strikes from a dark and hidden alcove.
Khora steps back and tries to defend himself.  Boddynoc fires a crossbolt that strikes a shifter.  Cedious feints then strikes the other shifter.  The warforged come in.  Bonds begins to enrage and strikes down the one shifter whom falls into the moving water.  Temper tries to strike down the warforged.

The dead shifter floats down current until it becomes hung up on a grate.  The other shifter goes down quickly leaving the warforged whom narrowly escapes several attacks.  “How can you betray our people like this?!?” he screams at the two warforged warriors.

“Betray?” says the one forged as he strikes him down. “We have betrayed no one.”

A piece of metal lifts from the downed warforged rogue and it flies away rapidly.  Boddynok and Cedious try to stop it but can not.  Though he is uncertain, Boddynok suspects these are a means to communicate between warforged comrades.  Neither Bonds nor Temper are aware of any such thing.

Searching the warforged body they find several useful goods but nothing to explain why he was here waiting for them.  The one shifter has even less.  Ever keeping track of potential money, Cedious looks for the third attacker.  The body is missing but there is fresh blood on the iron bars.  Something on the other side got him.  Perhaps a crocodile or something much worse.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/28/04
SEGMENT 003
THE FORGOTTEN FORGE

“This sucks” laments the rogue wiping sewage off from his pants and boots using the cloak of the downed warforge.  

“Where to?” asks Khora looking for answers from the emerging leader of the group – Boddynoc.  

“I don’t know.  I am not even sure what a Valve Cluster is much less where it is.”

Cedious then locates an iron plate on the wall.   “E-213” he reads out loud.  “We are there…er should I say here?”   He longs for a short drink considering the mess they are in.

A value opens and sewage spills out and into the channel narrowly missing Bonds.  He glares at the valve door as if to intimidate it.

Finding a place he believes will be safe from further sewage, Boddynoc  opens the journal and holds the ring.  The journal suggests more than he thought.  It speaks of warforged creation.  He even finds a drawing of a piece of metal that fits onto the hands that has magical and destructive abilities.  He now under stands why she was so hesitant to hand the book over.  He begins to copy as much as his small and aching hands can into a blank book he keeps to note ideas and theories of into.  He also decides there has to be a means to keep the schema but is uncertain how.

Looking at the glow of the ring and book, the others get an idea.  By using the journal, perhaps they can find the secret door and thus the foundry.  Sighing, Boddynoc finishes his first session of copying the book before going down the sewer channel.  Eventually, they do spot a symbol that softly glows as they near it with the journal and ring.  

“A circular metal hatch, set into the tunnel wall and engraved with arcane runes, must be the sealed door that Elaydren told you about.  In the middle of the hatch, a glowing circle of mithril depicts the same icon as on Bonal’s journal –the ancient symbol of House Cannith that predates the founding of the Kingdom of Galifar itself, a stylized anvil and hammer.”

After several failed attempts to open the seal, they discover that by using the journal it opens.  Looking up as they enter, the rogue spots a means to splash something, a liquid of some sort, onto someone entering.  He and the others try to commit this to their memory.  They leave the door open hoping it will not lock them in.

Air freely flows here through small vents that lead to the surface and upper levels.  The party moves forward.

“The vertical shaft is a mix of crumbling earth and ancient stone, and centipedes and other insects cover the walls like living decorations.  The long descent takes you deeper into the bowels of Dorasharn Tower.  Soon, the shaft begins to angle, and by bracing yourself you can actually walk along one of the surfaces.  Farther still, and the shaft becomes a tunnel, and the footing is no longer difficult to maintain or treacherous.
The tunnel eventually opens onto a vast chamber, though it emerges about six feet above the floor.  You can’t see the distinct walls in the darkness, and the ruins of nearby walls and building appear as deep shadows in the eternal tower night, but you can feel the change in air currents and pressure that indicate a large open space ahead of you.”

They begin to quietly enter this unknown space looking and listening for anything and everything.  It’s a good thing too.

“A constant background noise rises from the walls and ruins around you.  It takes a moment to recognize, but eventually the sounds of chittering and buzzing can be picked out from among the cacophony.  It’s not unlike the sound of insects in the King’s Forest, except that the chamber seems to amplify and echo the noise in disturbing ways.”

“Uh-oh”  whispers the halfling rogue as he sees something in the dark.

“A dark carpet slides across the dusty floor and moves towards you.  No, not a carpet, but a mass of squirming, chittering, shiny black beetles that swarm towards you with hungry purpose.”

The halfling moves back and allows the bigger people to deal with this.  The warforged begin by stomping and striking with their weapons.  This fails.  Next they try to literally roll around to crush the carnivorous beetles.  All this allows them to do is bite at the entire body instead of just the feet.  Boddynoc becomes sick to his stomach and moves behind the entire group. He tries to climb out and does so with Khora’s help.  Cedious glammers up Khora’s body as the beetles nip at him.  After a few strikes and other failed attempts that include trying to scare them away with a sun rod, he too, joins the two smaller party members.

Frustrated with the entire situation, the two warforged eventually climb up into the tunnel and follow up after the others.

Halfway up Boddynoc sat down to resumes copying the journal with an unhappy sigh.  Cedious is trying for the door.  The party sends Bonds after him and he catches up with the rogue at the door.  Acid still smoking near the halfling whom had forgotten the trap.  The door has been moved but that escapes the two party member’s notice.  Shortly, the return to the others.  Boddynoc finishes copying another page before closing it up.  They discuss what to do and brainstorm.   Fire.   We need a torch.  It is not the light they fear but the heat.  They collect burning materials and return to the lost and forgotten chamber armed with a burning torch and several more readied to ignite.

No beetles…….

The party slowly advances.  Cedious in the lead.  He hears something that he knows is not the beetles.  He takes cover in the debris while the others move in aware.  The others now hear it and suspect it is not the beetles or the rogue.  Weapons drawn, the warforged walk in and discover there are two horrid rats looking for food.  They see the warforged and decide they may taste good and attack.  The warforged make short work of them with the aid of Boddynok and Khora’s magical aid.  “I led them right to you to destroy them” says the rogue with a smile as he comes out of the debris.

They next discover the remains of a temple.  Khora identifies it as a temple of Onatar.  Onatar was the god of the artifice and forge.  A strange but tranquil feeling comes over the party as they enter the remains of the temple.  Looking at it, they figure this is the safest place and most defendable to rest for a while.  The two warforged stay on guard while the others rest.  Boddynoc takes time to copy more pages and begins to understand what they have here.  If they can find everything they need, they could rekindle and operate a forge to create sentient golems.  Warforged beings.  He wonders how he could create a copy of the schema if or when they find it.  It was described as a non-magical blueprint.  Copying it should not be an issue.  He sleeps dreaming of creating things …living things.

The warforged hear some movement in the darkness during the night.  The beetles are still around but do not enter the remains of the temple.  Something else, bigger than the rats was there also.  They can’t see it and it doesn’t bother them so they wait until everyone awakens before mentioning it.  Deep in Cedious’ mind he thinks this is important but can not place it.  Why is he thinking about the sewer and the door here?

Looking around they find several tunnel exists.  Two are caved in and the third one ends in a dead-end.  Strange but after not finding a means to open it they turn around and finish looking around.  There are piles of tall rocks and boulders.  Some of these appear to be rocks that broke free from the cavern roof and fell.  There remains one last building.  A very solid looking building.  The front doors are made from adamantine and have a symbol that matches the journal.  With enough confidence to consider oneself smug, Boddynoc walks up to it open it as he had the secret entrance from the sewers.  Nothing happens.  A deep and profound frown crosses his face.  The others look around as the rogue hopes to open the lock.  He breaks his favorite picks trying.  The warforged find no windows or doors.  Khora looks for secret doors and finds none.  The rogue, knowing Khora has no talent for this looks also and finds nothing.  

Bummer

They spend the next few minutes brainstorming.  Finally one of the warforged decides to check the roof.  Maybe there is a vent or entrance there.  Temper tries to climb up but can not.  Bonds tries next and after a few clumsy slips gets up there.  He looks around and finds a hole was made either by decay or a piece of ceiling falling onto the roof.  He calls to the others to come up.  The rogue runs over to the hole to peer in. 

“A large chunk of the ceiling has fallen in, crushing cabinets and shelves beneath the weight of brick and stone.  The remains of what appears to be a metal dog that was also caught in the falling stones juts from the debris.  Dusty shelves, intact, line the southern wall, and a huge forge and furnace fill the eastern part of the room.  Neither appears to have been used in centuries.  Two pairs of glowing eyes emerge from the far darkness, and you see two metal dogs creeping cautiously toward you.”

Boddynoc looks down and sees but one creature.  “Iron Defender.  You go first.”

The warforged looks at him with uncertainty.  With everyone on the surface now they lean over and attack it with ranged attacks.  Little is accomplished this way.  They decide to send down a rope and attack it directly.  Khora holds it for the rogue and the warforged.  The warforged, too heavy for this tactic decide to jump down on their own.  Temper decides to use the table to break his fall and still give cover from the metal guard dog below.  He leaps down and the table splits in two under his great weight.  He falls to the floor.  The Iron Defender is thrown to the side from the crash.  Even as he looks up, he sees there are TWO active Iron Defenders here.  “Bonds –get down here!”

Bonds leaps down to attack while the others continue to attack with darts and crossbows.  Khora holds the rope with a “well…?” look on his face.  After a few short moments and lucky hits the defenders are beaten.  By securing the line, the other three climb down into the hole to look around.  Unseen by them, a lone figure peers from some debris not far away.

As Boddynoc and Temper look around the forge, the others search the shelves.  Within old oil cloth there are a few things found worth taking to sell later.  They find scale mail, a masterworked chain shirt and steel shields.   Also found are several weapons and two sun rods.  The rogue insists on having Bonds carry it all to the surface.

Boddynoc inspects the forge for traps and magic.  Cedious briefly comes over and looks at it also.  It is trapped then returns spotting the hilt of a sword on a low shelf overlooked by Bonds.  Boddynoc finds three odd and out of place holes.  One is star, one is a triangle and the other a square.  Temper recalls seeing a star shaped rod pop out of a defender when he cut it down.  With renewed eagerness, Boddynoc inspects the three remains and finds three rods near each body.  The rods are indeed square, triangle and star shaped and of the same size as the forge inserts.  He puts in the triangle and steps back in fear of a trap.  Nothing.

The others finish their rummaging and come over to see what is keeping the gnome so busy.  Temper puts in the square and star next.  Nothing happens.  Boddynoc looks up at Temper with a look of uncertainty when they hear a pop and hiss of old air.  The vault slowly opens revealing a secret hidden compartment.  The rogue somehow is the first to reach in and pulls out two small bags first.  He has gold and silver pieces again.  Also inside are 4 Ingots, several potions, and an old map and in oil cloth the star shaped schema.

Satisfied with their finds, they begin to climb the rope,  Temper leaps up and catches the lip of the roof and hauls himself up …to see a warforged holding a crossbow at him.  “Company …warforged company.”

Khora climbs the rope as he hears the bolt strike   Temper squarely in the shoulder.  The war forged attacker throws his crossbow aside and pulls out a faintly glowing Saber.  “Give me the schema or die as a traitor to our race.” It commands.  “I will kill you if needed to fulfill my mission to my master.”

Boddynoc fires his own crossbow throw the hole missing the attacker but this allows Temper to climb up and Khora to scramble onto the roof.  Bonds tries to leap up but misses and breaks the table below completely now.  Cursing, he gets up again to try once more.

Temper and the warforged above miss and defend against each other.  Khora gets to his feet and motions for the others to climb the rope.  Bonds leaps up and catches the lip of the roof.  Cedious tries to climb the rope but can’t catch the end of the rope with the warforged kicking wildly so close to it.  Cedious finally grabs the rope and begins to climb.  Boddynoc gives them cover from below with his reloaded crossbow.  Temper and the warforged with a saber trade blows but neither steps down.  Khora draws a weapon to help Temper.  Cedious tries to climb out and disrupts the rope.  Cedious grabs his kicking legs to avoid falling.  “Get off!”  “Climb up!” they begin to shout aloud.

Finally, Temper and Khora take down the warforged.  Even prepared for it, Temper misses the chance to capture the flying piece that leaves the dead body and flies into the darkness.  Cedious scrambles up Bonds body and goes to inspect the body.  With the halfling off his body, Bonds climbs up and helps Boddynoc on the rope.  The sword is magical and two of the bolts can be set aflame.

The party climbs to the surface.  Boddynoc finishes copying the journal while a copy of the schema is forged with a no questions asked rule.  With incredible luck, Lady Elaydren doesn’t ask why it took so long.  They give her the original pieces since she insists on the return of the ring.  Boddynoc is happy to have taken the time to copy the journal and have a smithy make a duplicate of the schema.

Lady Elaydren also asks if can contact them again if ever she needs help in Sharn.  The group agrees and arrangements are set.  They can check on the local message station run by the gnomes of House Sivis for future jobs with her.

“Now…. What does this map go to?”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/28/04
SEGMENT 004
QUEEN WITH BURNING EYES

The five adventurers have decided to set up a new place of drinking and relaxation.  Though they still live above the Dancing Dove, they now frequent the Broken Anvil Tavern.  It is here that the next adventure begins…..

The party enters the tavern and goes to their favorite table.  The bar maiden comes over with the standard drink order.  5 drinks.  Cedious has the warforge’s drinks.  A figure is that they do not recognize is sitting at the bar table.  The waitress motions towards him alerting the group that he was looking for them.  Finishi8ng his second drink, Cedious carries over his third and sits down next to the stranger.  Boddynoc sits on the other side.  He notes the man is dressed like a noble and has the latest copy of the Korranberg Chronicle on him.  He has marked a section that is entitled “Missing cog workers never found”.  He also notes that John Promise has once more disrupted an anti-Breland group known as the Venom.

The red head looks to both sides then smiles and introduces himself to Boddynoc.  “I am Vestan ir’Simul.  I own one of the factories in the lower levels known as the cog.  I am experiencing some trouble and am looking for help.  Help from someone that has been down there before.  Do you know anyone that may help me.  Did I mention there would be a reward in it?” He says when Boddynoc checks over this stranger.

“Allow me to buy you and your allies a round of drinks and talk further at your table.”  The noble arranges the drinks and goes to the table.  He introduces himself once more before sitting down.  He tells his tale and his concerns to the group.  Khora takes it all in.  Temper rubs his metallic chin and paraphrases Vestan.

“So… workers from your factory are disappearing within the cogs.  There are rumors of slavers, killers and even of a cult.  Fearing this will lead to your workers leaving in fear you want someone to look into it and eliminate any trouble.  For this we will get 500 gold now and more when we return with proof of ending the threat ..if one exists.”

“Yes”

“I’m in” the warforged answers then carefully leans back so as not to break his chair.

The group agrees and is lead to the cogs after picking up a few supplies including torches (damned beetle swarms) and food.  

The section they go into smells of molten metals and forged minerals.  This section of the cogs region molds iron tools that are required on the surface within the city and exported to other countries.  By using the magical lifts, workers can enter and leave quickly.  The goblinoid races are most common here along with warforged.  Everything is dirty and smells here of metal and oil.

They ask several workers what they think the trouble is.  Some suggest the Daelkyr are returning.  These are abominations from the alien plane of Xoriat includes Khora.  Others suggest more fiendish creatures are at work.  One especially smelly goblin suggests it is Vestan avoiding paying the workers that are missing.  All of the disappearances seem to suggest the cause is located in a recently discovered section of ancient tunnels and passages that are thus far unexplored and forbidden to enter.

The group agrees that this has to be where the bodies are going or the cause originates from and thus they go for it.

The ramp leading past the warning signs of danger and no trespassing leads into a rubble filled room.  Cedious takes the lead.  The conditions make it hard to move silently and with any speed.  Cedious goes around a bend and finds it continues on.

“The artisan of the narrow passage changes dramatically here.  Up to this point, the tunnel was crafted purely to provide access between one point and another.  Suddenly, it seems to have been crafted by someone who actually cared about its appearance.  It grows wider, and ornamentation is carved into the stone walls.  The floor is littered with dust and rubble, but there might once have been tracings carved there as well.
This wider passage soon ends in a handsome doorway, its lintel holding a very worn relief carving.  Beyond the doorway, you can see a rubble-filled room lit by torches.”

Studying the carvings and carved formations, Boddynoc decides this dates back to Dorasharn.  Dorasharn was possibly the first human city to exist after the defeat of the goblin nation.  This city was damaged greatly during the War of the Mark about 1500 years ago.  Looking carefully around, they see a statue and a hole or pit leading down.  Cedious waits for the others to catch up with him before going in.  Once all five adventurers are in three goblins attack from their hiding places in the rubble and deep shadows.  The goblins are dispatched immediately by sword and bolt.

They find various goods on the bodies.  An amethyst and several potions are the most notable items found.
They then inspect the statue closer.  It appears to be a depiction of a human noble.  Bored with that, Temper and Bonds check out the hole.  They call for the halfling rogue to come over.  They plan on tying a rope to him and sending him down with a light.

“NO!  I am not some worm to put on a hook” squeals the halfling whom can not help himself as he now peers over the edge of the pit to look around.  They tie a torch to the rope and lead that down instead.  Another rubble filled room.  Cedious is first to slide down the rope with the others coming along shortly.

“The room below seems to be an even older level of ruins than the one above.  Rubble chokes the floor of this wide chamber and the mouths of the six tunnels leading off from it.  Two hideous statues face you from opposite ends of the room, each representing emaciated humanoids with whiplike tentacles extending from their shoulders.”

“Nice” says the rogue with fascination.   Boddynok can not identify these statues but guesses they were bad news in their time.  Before the others can say much Temper strikes down a statue.  He is quite pleased with himself.  Not to be outdone, Bonds pushes the other one down.  “No! No! No! No! Yells out Boddynoc.  “If anything is down here, we don’t want to alert it and all of its friends and family that we are here.”  

The warforged merely shrug before moving to the center of the room.  “Which way?” asks Khora.

The rogue’s keen ears alert him that something is coming and motions to the others this fact.  Two grimlocks enter the room with raised battleaxes.  They never get to even swing them.

“We go that way” pointing to the tunnel entrance the blind creatures came from.

“At the end of a short and rubble-strewn hallway, the space widens into an irregular chamber filled with dust.  A few bones strewn on the floor indicate that something –probably grimlocks or goblinoids –ventured in here in the not-too-distant past.”

Thick cobwebs cover the corners and in some cases reach the floor.  The rogue is not happy to be walking in this dark mess.  Pulling at the thick webs he doesn’t notice the larger and thicker web until he strikes it and becomes stuck to it.  “uh guys – some assistance here ..please.”

The others are checking out the bones and try to identify them when this happens.  In horror –they see above the rogue the cause of both the bones and thick webs.  A large monstrous Spider.  The creature is attacked with ranged weapons and magic as Khora hopes to help Cedious get unstuck.  Boddynoc drops the torch into the webs as the warforged more in to take the spider on up close and personal.
Though they can feel the damage of the bite and stinger, the warforged are immune to its poisons and hack into it with immunity.  Several strikes later and it is dead.

“Everyone okay?” asks Khora.

Thump!

A few thickly wrapped items fall from the web onto the floor.  One includes a weapon that Cedious had spotted while entrapped in the webbing.  There are copper pieces and an hourglass here along with the strange weapon.  It is a warhammer made of a purple metal.  Boddynoc senses no magic but is aware that it may still be a special weapon of some sort.  They pack it away for later inspection.  There are no exists found except for the way in.

The group turns around and returns to the original central room.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/28/04
SEGMENT 005
QUEEN WITH BURNING EYES

Without even slowing down, the warforged barbarian known as Bonds walks over the broken statue he destroyed and enters the next section of ruin.  The others follow with more caution.  Bonds sees two exists.  One has a door and one doesn’t.  He decides to kick down the door without bothering to test the lock.  The others now rush up to support him in case of trouble.

He narrowly misses being hit by a swinging scythe.  He stops it from swinging then looks in.

“This rectangular room has a shallow alcove on one wall, in which sleeping furs are spread out,  A statue in the far corner depicts a tentacle-faced humanoid devouring a goblin’s brain.  Two short, scaly humanoids leap to the attack, while a third keeps its distance.  They yip at you like dogs while brandishing their spears.” 

Two small kobolds do their best to hold back the warforged and his allies.  A magic missile released by the kobold in the back hits him.  This makes him the target of the barbarian’s rage (game wise – not rules wise).  The party steps in to fight the kobold warriors.  Shortly after getting inside six more arrive from the other room boxing the adventurers in.  Bonds takes another hit from the kobold sorcerer as Acid Splash is released.  The kobold has caste his last spell as the TWO warforged team up on him.  Khora and the others fend off and eventually defeat the kobolds.

They inspect the room and find a few things of interest on the bodies.  A magic ring and a mahogany chest filled with 190 gold pieces.  The chest itself could be worth more than that by itself.  A scroll and lose weapons are also found.  Cedious studies the trap that Bonds tripped and resets the trap with an evil grin as they leave.  They check out the room the 6 kobolds came from.  It is empty.

Once more finding no exits, they turn back and return to the central room.  They go across the room and find a maze of twisting and interconnecting pathways.  They go right to check it out.

“The corridor branches again, and both branches widen into rooms.  It is possible that the two branches re-connect around the corners ahead.”

This room they first enter has a statue of a gaunt figure with tentacles growing from its shoulders.  Boddynoc doesn’t even waste his breath as the warforged go to it breaking the tentacles then the head followed by the body.

The noise allows two grotesque creatures to approach unnoticed by the party.  These short but squat figures have four arms but no head.  On their chests is dual snarling faces that taunt the group.  They run for it when the barbarian leaps at them to attack.  Boddynok merely wonders how long this can keep up.  So many creatures in such a small space……Cedious thinks they must be drinking buddies.  The two chase after the cleric and the warforged.

The two creatures separate hoping to confuse their pursuers.  Both warforged simply split and chase each one down.  The barbarian narrowly avoids falling into a pit trap that was being set up for him.  Now the two aberrations find they are trapped between an angry warforged fighter and their own trap with a cursing barbarian at the other side.  Carefully, the barbarian edges along the edge of the trap to reach them.  By time he reaches the other side, Temper has killed one and the other has several darts and a crossbolt in it from the others.  Cedious finds some lose money hidden here.

“Do you really need to destroy everything before you?  Some of these statues have great historical value.  We could get money for them.” Complains Boddynoc.

“Will just the head do?” asks Cedious turning over a cracked head.

The party heads south wandering through the overlapping pathways.  They come onto a new room.

“This room seems vaguely X-shaped.  The darkness seems to gather menacingly in the corners of the walls, aided perhaps by the fact that the walls do not seem to run straight for any significant distance anywhere in the room.  A noticeable chill in the air amplifies the sense of menace.”

As the group moves into the room they are attacked from the shadows.  The very creature depicted on several of the statues is the attacker.  Cedious comments that they may have PO’d the creature by destroying his statues depicting it.

Bonds is attacked by the creature’s tentacles.  They burrow into his hard skin and he can feel it sucking at him, consuming him from the inside out.  He howls in outrage (true rage rules this time).  Caught in its grapple with the warforged barbarian, the others step in and quickly dispatch it.  Bonds is royally angry now and in a bit of pain.  Many of his numerous wounds are catching up with him now.  The others are also a bit beaten down and tired now.  “We need to either leave or hole up for awhile.” Suggests Cedious.  The others all agree.

Looking to see what this creature kept for personal belongings Cedious spots a chest sitting in lichen.  He moves quickly to it and once he steps onto it regrets it.  His leg goes numb and he nearly falls into the lichen (Brown Mold).   “Arghhhh!” he screams as his leg becomes partially frozen as the mold sucks heat from his body and boot.  Bonds pulls him away from the mold while being careful not to touch the brown moldy stuff.  “Torch.” He more commands than asks.

Boddynoc throws his torch onto the mass to burn it.  Instead it rapidly grows and strikes Bonds whom is nearly overwhelmed by the pain.  

“Not good” laments the tired cleric.

“Allow me” answers Boddynoc whom calls up a spell to gently push the mold off from the floor and chest.  Temper rapidly grabs the chest hoping not to find out what it would do to him.  Inside the chest are 200 gold and a golden goblet with rubies.  Cedious appraises it for roughly 900 gold.  Boddynoc suspects they could even get more selling it to a Morgrave historian.

Greed.  It keeps the party together.

They now return once more to the central room.  “Must we?” asks the cleric thinking about how many healing spells he has versus the wounds he can see on the two beings he can heal.  Though he doesn’t say it, Boddynoc the artificer is thinking the same of the two warforged.

By looking down both remaining paths they decide it must be parallel paths that lead to the same room.  They arrive at an old crypt.

“At the end of a long, rubble-filled passage, a large room opens out.  Two huge stone sarcophagi stand in state before a hideous stone statue depicting some kind of slime or ooze covered in eyes and mouths and full of protruding bones.  In the wall opposite, a heavy iron door stands closed beside another statue of a tentacled humanoid.  Ahead, across more rubble-strewn floor, a passageway seems to lead to another room.”

Keeping to tradition (after a fashion) Bonds and Temper begin to break the larger statues.  As they do this three pale and gaunt creatures leap out from behind the sarcophagi.  The cleric of the Sovereign Host calls out a warning- “Ghouls!”. And begins to try to turn these undead.

The ghouls are crazed with fear as the goodness of the cleric bathes their undead evil.  The warforged almost feel it was a mercy killing at this point and tells the cleric that at least they kill their foes straight out.  No torture. (Bonds looks at Temper with uncertain disbelief at “no torture”).

Everyone spreads out to look around.  Cedious discovers another scythe trap leading out of the room and disarms it.  Boddynoc looks over the stone coffins of the goblin lords.  He knows this is something special and would procure a LOT of money with the right person.  The warforged begin to break into them with abandon.  “Enough!  Can you at least allow us to look at and examine the stuff before you destroy it!?!”
Screams out the gnome in utter frustration. 

Inside the stone box they find nicely armored goblin skeletons.  The great swords interest Temper though they look oddly mis-sized for him.  Bonds gets a truly scary look on his metallic face as he reaches in.  “Does anyone have some short pieces of rope or twine they are not using?”

To everyone’s horror and discomfort, Temper helps Bonds tie a goblin skull onto his massive shoulder pad.  “You need help my ghoulish friend.” Answers the cleric.
“Neeeeat.” Says the rogue whom then turns away fighting back his last meal.
Boddynoc says nothing.  These warforged have always been a bit strange and unsteady but this takes the cake.  It must be shell shock from the war.

Boddynoc, still awe struck by their actions walks by the doorway heading south.  Suddenly he feels his throat being grabbed and he is lifted into the air towards the ceiling within the next room.  A creature, attracted by the noise, has snuck in to attack survivors.  Cedious notices Boddynoc’s kicking feet as they rise into the shadows.  They run over to save their leader whom is being rapidly strangled by this choking aberration.  The warforged watch as the creature has moved beyond their reach.  Cedious with his darts and Khora with his spells hurt the creature but it is not enough for the creature to drop the gasping gnome.  Feeling a surge of panic and anger, Boddynoc begins to pull and fight against the creature. (Action Point) Incredibly, he forces himself free and the creature falls with him while still trying to grapple with the gnome.  Raw and bleeding wounds surround the gnome’s neck and face.  The creature tries to escape then but is killed by the gnome.

They bring the wounded artificer into the cleared room.  “That door looks solid enough to keep creatures out.  Maybe we should set up on the other side of it.

“What if there is something there already occupying the space and it doesn’t want to share?” asks Cedious already knowing the answer.

“We ask nicely only once.” Answers Bonds.  Temper nods in agreement.

Checking the door, it is locked.  Fortunately. Cedious has replaced his broken picks and successfully picks it.  

“This room is in shambles, with a jumbled mess of furs, mining tools, rubble from the crumbling walls and ceiling, and a number of silver coins scattered across the floor in no apparent order.  A statue in the far right corner of the room depicts some kind of tentacled worm.”

“A fixer upper.” Says Temper.

Several grimlocks move to attack the intruders.  Tired and hurting, the warforged successfully defeats the blind creatures.  “Lets look further.” They say still hoping for more destruction.

They enter the room where the now dead Choker lies on the ground.

“The walls of this room are lined with small shelf-like alcoves.  Bones are visible within some of them, dry and brown with age.  Two statues face each other from opposite corners of the room, depicting leering fiends of some sort, with huge fangs and sharp-looking claws.  A large iron door stands closed on the opposite wall.”

This is another crypt room for goblins.  Possibly the soldiers or guards of the nobles in the prior room.  The warforged are trying to turn over a new leaf by not disturbing the bodies.  They do think about it more than once before leaving the crypt.  Bonds even figures he’ll maybe do it on the way out.

The next room the party knows is special and to fear by its appearance.

“A yawning pit, some twenty feet wide, dominates the center of this room.  Around it, four runic circles are carved in the stone, relics of some ancient ritual practice.  The room itself is not quite square, the walls refusing to run in straight lines.  Four of the corners of the room hold grotesque statues depicting humanlike creatures with handsome faces but clothed in hideous chitin armor.  A single door leads out of the room, to the left of the entrance.”

“This is baaaaad.” Comments the cleric.  “This is a pit.  A Khyber pit.  Very dangerous and very evil.”

“A pit?  Like there is a bottom? “  The rogue holds the torch over the edge and looks down.  Curious, he releases the torch to see how deep the pit is and if anything is there.  He is nearly tackled by Boddynoc and Khora for doing this.  

“Do you have any idea what you could have done?”

“Revealed any threats?”

“More like attracted more threats.”

The warforged consider throwing the rogue down to attract more things and to punish the annoying rogue.
Deciding there is nothing else to do here, they move onward to next exit.

“This dark and crowded room reeks of blood, and indeed the rock of the floor itself seems stained with ancient gore…. The air is heavy with perfumed smoke that seems only to emphasize the charnel smell of the place.”

Then the rogue sees something.  He sneaks in and goes around a wall to find- a large snake with a woman’s head!  It strikes him down in one blow, which alerts the others to the threat.

The group goes in to destroy this creature.  They are certain it is the cause of the problems that Vestan ir’Simul is paying them to stop.  The warforged attack in flanking positions as the cleric becomes enlarged by wearing an infused belt given to him by the artificer.  The creature gives as well as it receives but can not overcome the three large and strong warriors.  It dies releasing a foul curse from its unnatural throat.

“No more.  We can’t take anymore.” Whispers the warforged barbarian (at 1 hp).  The group shamble back to their predetermined room to rest.  The weak halfling looks at the pit as he passes it and wonders….
Then he sees it.   A snuffed out torch on the edge.  The VERY torch that “accidentally” fell in.

They unlock the door again and all go in.  The warforged normally are the nighttime guards but now all they want is to sit down and be still.  They are not tired from the activity but from the many cuts and wounds they have received.  Only Cedious seems healthy and he walks with a limp as the feeling is still slowly returning to his frozen foot (he received immediate healing after being struck down by the Bright Naga).

And thus the team has survived yet another day of adventuring while consuming large quantities of soda, chips and jolly rancher candies.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/11/04
SEGMENT 006
QUEEN WITH BURNING EYES

The heroes (after a sort I guess ..I mean com’on – a goblin skull?) rest with no events occurring during the night.  The artificer repairs the warforged as best as he can before going to sleep.  The cleric heals the flesh and blood members before going to sleep.  In the morning the artificer finishes his work on the warforged.

Boddynoc is still upset with the warforged.  Continuing their destructive ways, they destroyed a statue that had a wand hidden within it.  In doing this, they broke the wand also.  The moonstone that was dislodged disappeared in Cedious’ pouch very quickly during the ensuing argument.

A lot of silver was picked up and put into any free pocket or space.  They were doing well but becoming weighed down now.

Beginning the new day healthy and ready, they go into the room where the body of the ghouls was.  It is gone.  As is the choker.  Something was out here they quickly surmise.

But they continue onward.

That is until a new threat attacks.  Called on by the flaming torch, a Nothic has climbs out of the pit and has begun to wander through the halls.  

The creature is large and gaunt with a single eye.  It attacks the warforged with his gaze attack.  They return with a charge that forces it into the corner.  The two of them beat and pummel the creature until defeating it.  Fresh injuries cover both of them.

As if knowing the truth, they both turn and glare at the rogue.  “What!”  He tries to act innocent.  “It’s not my fault it attacked you.”

Before the group can properly throttle the rogue, they hear a “NO!”

They turn and see Vestan carrying a torch.  Behind him are several thugs looking men and several young people in cloaks.  Their finely cut hair and makeup suggests they are from rich families.  

“Get them!” Vestan screams out in as much anger as distress.  In a weakened state, the warforged hold their own but are no where as impressive as before.  Once more becoming enlarged, Khora attacks the thugs.  The rich and spoiled youth turn and run having no stomach for their harm.  The warforged kill Vestan ir’Simul before Boddynoc can ask the simple question of “why?”.

“Does this mean we don’t get paid?” asks the rogue with stretched out pockets from the silver he has collected on the way.

Wearily the group reaches the cogs and hopes to put this behind them soon.  A lone figure in deep shadows calls out to them.  

“A handsome man with shifty eyes approaches and asks if he can talk with you for a moment.  He wears a black studded leather armor and carries a rapier and dagger at his belt.  His black hair is cropped close to his head, and he has a neat mustache.”

  “May I have a moment of your time?  A friend of mine wishes to ask you a few questions about your time here below the cogs.”

The human appears to be sincere and quite frankly, the group is too tired to deal with fighting him.  

Boddynoc and Cedious walk over to the woman.  She is well hidden in the shadows.  She is dressed in green and purple.  Several armored men are behind her.  Boddynoc recognizes them as members of the Emerald Claw.

They are taken back by her appearance.  She is an elf and has either become undead or has made herself look this way.  Being an elf, one can not say without closer inspection.  Boddynoc knows those soldiers would never allow such a thing.

“I care little for what you did below including what has become of that fool ir’Simul but I do wish to know if you procured a certain item, an amulet.”

“Can you be more specific?” asks Boddynoc.

“It is a round three inch disk.  It has writing on the edges.  The center has a series of lines and ridges.  The backside has several protrusions and studs on it.  It is worth about 100 gold but I would pay more for it.  It is that important to me.  It was stolen from me nearly a year ago.  In that time, we have hunted the thief down to this area.  He was one of the first to disappear in the cogs.  Did you find it?"

“Sorry.  I didn’t see anything like that.” Says Boddynok whom looks at Cedious wondering if he has it.

“If you do remember anything about it, I will be staying at the Rockache Tavern for the remainder of the week.  I am Demise.”

The group leaves wondering what that was all about.  If they had suspected she had a lie detection spell going they would have been even more curious.

If only the group had bothered to search the Bright Naga’s room for goods.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/11/04
SEGMENT 007
SECURITY MEASURES

This next min-adventure took place in Sharn as the group tried to sell their goods found below in Dorasharn.   It was a clear reminder of tempting fate too often.  It was also a day that several players could not arrive to play so I created this mini-adventure on the spot and on the fly.  All in all-   not too bad.

The next day, after a night of rest, the party splits in two.  Bonds and Khora go to check on the local temples of the Sovereign Host and specifically Dol Dorn, the God of Strength of Arms.  Cedious, Boddynoc and Temper go to the university areas hoping to sell goods for enormous amounts of money for historical trash (that is what Temper thinks of it anyway).

After a few “go away!” comments, the three sellers find themselves Upper Menthis where Morgrave University is.  Cedious, being the character he is, begins to pickpocket the rich and inattentive on the way.  He is doing very well as he collects nearly 25 gold and 50 silver within a few hours as the wander around and about.  Boddynoc and Temper merely hold back and pretend not to know the halfling.  Meanwhile, the gnome knows this money will go to him to create some magical goods.  As he sees the profitability of this, he begins to magically aid the rogue.  Temper merely hopes they are caught so that he can fight.  He has not been in a fight in nearly 18 hours.   “I wonder if there is a Freeball game near here?” he wonders to himself in utter boredom.

Speaking of boredom, Bonds is in a temple about goodness and peace and it irks him.  Dol Dorn has boring god friends he mutters as goes outside to sit and think about the 101 ways to kill a goblin with a lock pick.  Last he remembered, he was at 67.  Khora finds a few priests of the temple whom are willing to listen to his stories of adventure deep under the settled city levels.

Cedious spots a very wealthy and arrogant man dressed in a fur coat with possible magical vestments.  He is rude to other people on the street and becomes irritable, as he can not find an item he is searching for.  Cedious moves in shadowing the man.  Seeing what is happening, Boddynoc intercedes to create a distraction.  The man curses as the gnome and makes a few racial comments about his short size while Cedious helps himself to a heavy money pouch.

The man goes on his way as Cedious and Boddynoc reunite a few buildings away.  Temper tries not to care but leans over them to see what the halfling rogue just got.  50 gold, 2 platinum and 35 silver.  Good.  But what is this?  Cedious finds a purple coin that is in mint condition.  On one side is an eye with a picture of a bat-winged lion with a semi-human looking head on it.  The flip side has a balance on it.  Cedious tries to figure it out but can not.  Fearing the worse, Boddynoc inspects it.  It is magical.   How it is magical he is uncertain.  He pockets it to figure it out later.

During Cedious’ wanderings, Boddynoc and Temper had managed to sell some of the goblin treasures of old and for a very pretty coin.  They traveled to the Mekdall Gallery and Window on the Past.  The last stop they wish to go to is the Cloud Antiquities.  He had heard this shop buys items based on beauty instead of importance or use.  A gold goblet should do well here.

Once Cedious steps into this shop a floating red light begins to blink and a soft but obvious alarm goes off.  The two owners immediately yell thief and chase him out.  Boddynoc scratches his chin.  He figures that the only possibility for an alarm to go would be this strange purple coin in his pocket.  He feels around and finds …no coin.  That darn thief!

Meanwhile ….Khora and Temper are interrupted at the temple by a rude and obnoxious man dressed in furs.  “I was robbed and want someone to stop him!” he demands of the priests.  The priests whom are more of attendants and custodians of the temple than spell casters only shrug their shoulders.  Fearing what he knows is true, Khora asks about the possible thieves without giving his own name.  The description fits Boddynoc and Cedious.   Time to go.

In a few towers away, within a darkened stairway, the two confused short guys try to figure out this item.  Temper grumbles “Security system.”  Boddynoc winces at the obviousness of it.  To test a theory (Cedious SWEARS he did not steal it even though it was found in HIS pocket) they give it to Temper.  After a few minutes, Temper checks his pouch and it is gone.  “Great- it’s cursed to return to the original thief’s hand also.” Frowns Cedious.  Even with knowing what this means, Boddynoc is curious about the magic involved.  He looks at the images again.  The balance is now obvious.  It is a symbol of fairness and justice.  The eye is most likely a symbol of ever watching.  But the monster…?   Where has he seen this before?  Part man, part dragon and part lion.  

The man is now looking around for guards and anyone that will listen.  He is even screaming at complete strangers in his frustration.  This has been his third time pick pocketed in the month.  Khora follows him to a large bank.  Outside are a large robotic guard and several statues of Manticore.  These creatures (part dragon, lion and human) are symbols of House Kundarak, the Dragon House of Warding.

As Khora can over hear, the arrogant man bought a security token from the dwarves.  If this token is ever removed from this man’s pocket by anyone but himself a cursed spell is released.  The coin will always return to the thief, not the originator.  The token is then keyed in to security systems.  If “activated” and brought into a store that has paid the dwarves enough money, an alarm is sounded.  This man has not finished paying for his magic token and suggested not paying it when he picked it up.  The dwarves are not in a hurry to track down the activated coin without the FULKL payment with interest is paid.  The man has no money, the thief has it. 

VERY angry now, the man storms out of the bank and nearly walks into Bonds whom is more than prepared to beat on this man.  Khora informs the Warforged Barbarian of what is happening and they leave to find Cedious.

Within the hour, they catch up with each other.  The only possible solution they can think of is to replace the token (and the token only of course) into the man’s pocket.  Within the hour, they can hear the man bellowing with a hoarse voice.  He told the police they were unprofessional which did little to encourage them into action.  

Soon, Bonds and Temper distracts the man and Cedious places the token back into his jacket and runs for it.  Even after an hour, the token has not returned.

And thus the pick pocketing has stopped …for now.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
9/25/04
SEGMENT 008
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

A few weeks have passed since the party went into the dungeons below Sharn.  During this time they have sold some goods and bartered for others.  Boddynoc has attempted to create a few things and with much success.  However, as always, their collective monies are running low and Sgt. Dolom seems to be watching Cedious more and more ….

Boddynoc has had no luck discovering any secrets from the journal, fake schema or the map he has.

Following a hunch (and a prayer to any god that will listen) they venture to the Barmin Tower to the House Sivis office.  They are hoping against hope that Lady Elaydren has left a message of employment for them.  It has just begun to sprinkle lightly when they near the office in question.

“Thunder rumbles in the distance as you cross the rain-slick skybridge that leads to Barmin Tower.  The rain falls at a steady pace, causing waterfalls to spill over the sides of the slanted rooftops and balcony railings.  Ahead, the door to the House Sivis message station hangs open at a strange angle, one of its hinges separated from the doorframe.  Lightning flashes, and you think you hear a groan from somewhere inside the otherwise quiet shop.”

The warforged warriors leap to defensive positions.  Khora begins to look for trouble.  Boddynoc pulls out his crossbow and Cedious shrugs and walks into the office with little thought of consequence.  He can see small feet behind an over turned table.  Papers are scattered everywhere.  Boddynoc steps in and looks around.

“The tables and stools within the message station are in disarray; some are overturned or smashed, others have been forcefully scattered from their usual places.  Behind the counter, lying atop a spilled shelf of scrolls and parchment sheets, is the gnome clerk who runs the station.  She moans, unconscious but apparently still alive.”

Still flanking the door, the warforged watch the streets as the human cleric enters the room.  He looks around and sees what looks like blackish-purple footprints and looks into it.  Boddynoc tries to revive the cute gnome girl by spilling water onto her face and chest. (what has the world come to?).

”The message!” she cries. “I have to check on the messages!”  

 …and she sits upright quickly startling the gnome artificer.  She turns over and begins to grab loose papers that are on the floor.

The warforged fighter and barbarian step in now.  They look around not at the room so much as for any dangers.  They spot many pebbles and sling stones on the floor.  They note the clerk is alive and wonder what Khora is staring at.  

“Kobolds.” Says Khora looking at the three toes clawed footprints made by a kobold when it stepped in over turned ink.  “..and a much bigger brother.” He says looking at footprints nearby now.  These prints were made by rain soaked feet; not ink.  They are large and two toed.  The warforged know them as they have the same foot print.  “Warforged.”  Boddynoc looks at them with renewed concern.  Cedious is checking out the now wet shirted female gnome.  She is rushing about collecting papers and muttering to herself how this will never do.

“What happened?” asks Boddynoc picking up a piece of paper addressed to Mr. Nicklestone.  She grabs it in a rush dropping most of the papers she had just gathered and tried to organize.

“The door crashed open and a bunch of kobolds rushed in causing a great commotion and knocking over papers to be filed.  I demanded them to leave at once but …they wouldn’t leave.”  She nearly breaks down but stifles the sob and sighs as she spots a paper addressed to Lucan Stellos from a Grilsha Stellos.  Picking up the paper she stuffs it into the middle of her armload of shuffled papers.

She stops and leans on a desk touching the lump on her head.  A clear bruise has formed on her head from a pellet shot by a kobold.  “What are you here for again?” She asks quietly while trying to find some comfort in “business as usual”.

“Can you describe everything to us in detail?” asks Boddynoc now getting out a piece of paper and a quill to write with.  He dips the quill into the overturned ink and begins to write notes. “What of the possible warforged?  What did he do or say?”

“The stranger had a deep, rumbling voice that was strong and threatening, and the kobolds followed his direction without question.  He asked if there were any messages for you,” the clerk admits … It was an amazing coincidence,” the clerk explains. “because I had just transcribed a message for you from the speaking stone.  I must have glanced at the scroll I was holding, and the next instance the man in the cloak had snatched the scroll with one hand and hit me with the other.  That’s the last thing I remember.”  

“Are you sure?  It could be very important.” Asks Boddynoc with incredible concern and sense of importance.

Looking down at the mess at her feet and suddenly stepping back when she sees she is standing on a letter meant to arrive at the Morgrave University that afternoon she reluctantly remembers whom sent it.

“It was from Lady Elaydren d’Cannith.”  

She drops all of her papers to the floor as she spots the speaking stone on the floor.  She picks it up and inspects it for damage.

“Anything else?” inquires Boddynoc.

She melts looking at his trusting and pure innocent eyes ….

“I remember something about the Broken Anvil Tavern …”

The warforged wait a moment as the other three exit the office.  They are honestly expecting and hoping for trouble at this point.  They head for the Tavern to find answers to the many questions they have.

“The Broken Anvil is located in the Mason’s Tower, carved into a bend in the tower wall.  Inside, everbright lanterns at either end of the room provide flickering illumination.  A round table is set to either side of the entrance, and three longer tables are scattered throughout the room.
Today the Broken Anvil only has one customer, a woman in a worn brown cloak.  She sits at a table at the far end of the room.  As you enter, she raises her hands if to cast a spell, then stops and pulls back her hood.  Despite her disheveled hair and the dirt that covers her face, you recognize her.  She is Elaydren d’Cannith, the woman who hired you to explore the depths of Sharn.” 

Several of the party members instantly become distrustful by the Lady Elaydren’s drastic change of style and dress.  The others recognize it as cover a disguise.

“ Quickly, quickly!” Elaydren calls in a strained voice.  “Thank Olladra that you’re here.  There is no time to waste.” [She and the PCs step into a private room out of sight of the main chamber.]
Elaydren lifts a leather backpack off the floor and places it on the table.  The leather is worn, but its brass fittings are still bright.  It appears to be light, almost empty.  “There is no time to explain,” Elaydren says, her fear-filled eyes darting from you to the door and back again.  “Instructions, gold, and supplies are in this pack.  Take it and go.  The letter in the left-hand pocket explains everything, but you must go now!  Trust me.  If you can accomplish this task, the reward will be vast.”  

Cedious is thinking vast is very very large.  Boddynoc is thinking she can deliver.  Khora is quiet and the two warforged sense a fight coming.  Boddynoc tugs on the bag to check it out when……

“Suddenly the door to the street bursts open.  Four [I used eight] small figures leap through the doorway –kobolds!  They move in pairs to each side of the chamber, clearing the space in front of the entrance.  A fifth [ninth] figure steps into the doorway, a broad humanoid in a dark, hooded cloak carrying a light crossbow. “ 

“Find them.” The figure coldly commands to the kobolds.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
9/25/04
SEGMENT 009
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Boddynoc pulls on the bag provided for him.  Questions are racing through his mind.  He is also a bit annoyed.  He had just spent some of his money buying a Bag of Holding which he suspects he has just been given.  Maybe he can sell it to the warforged.

Suddenly Bonds stiffens up as he hears plates crash to the floor in the main room.  “Trouble.” He smirks and moves out of the room.  All but Boddynoc go to inspect the source of the noise that now includes screams.

A kobold is stepping onto and spilling the soup of a customer that arrived after the group did.  It holds a short spear to the trembling and crying man.  Two other kobolds harass one of the bar maidens.  They watch the pitcher of drink that was to go to Lady Elaydren and her contacts.  The bouncer is crumbled up on the floor.  Two kobolds poke at him with their feet holding their cross bows at him.  Near him is a tall figure holding a cutlass sword dressed in old robes.  He looks up and glares at the group from across the chamber.  “Whom are you flesh-things?”

He stares at the two warforged for a moment.  Then even as the human cleric comes out he seems to recognize them.

“Butchers!   Butchers and two traitors!  Kill them little flesh things.  Kill them all.” Yells and growls the warforged fighter waving his sword before him.  “But leave the traitors to me.”

Bonds and Temper don’t even flinch as they begin to rush across the room.  A kobold squeaks when overrun by Bonds.  The man that had just sampled his soup before the kobolds burst in screams and dies as the kobold stabs him without mercy or thought.

Boddynoc goes out of the room to see what the scream was.  Thick mist appears from no where.  Concerned that the kobolds were a distraction, Boddynoc returns to the room where he left Elaydren.  Lady Elaydren has left the building.  “Rats!”

Bonds and Temper try to corner the warforged leader whom evades them as he tries to get a better and more defensive location.  Khora hopes to reach the dying man quickly and save the waitress whom is trying to defend herself from a kobold using her serving tray as a shield.  Cedious throws darts at a kobold on the table.  It dies falling onto the pool of soup it created.
Khora begins to mop up the place with Kobolds with Cedious doing all he can to attack at range.  Boddynoc arrives in time to fire his crossbow at a kobold sneaking up on him.

The warforged leader runs out of room and faces the two “traitors” to his race.  He gives as good as he receives but in the end is brought down as Bonds cuts him down.  Taking no chances, Temper gives him another hit or two once down.  Another piece of flying components leaves the leader and escapes them.

Knowing something like this will bring the authorities, the group take to the wet streets and look for a place to check out what they have been given and found on the leader’s body.


I hope you are enjoying this as much as the Players.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 010
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Hiding in an entrance to a tattoo parlor a few levels down, the group looks into what the warforged leader had on him.  A nice lightly glowing Longsword, a crossbow with a few bolts, a traveling cloak (not taken) and a backpack.  The pack is largely empty except for a few lose trivial items and a rolled up piece of paper.  It reads-

“My friends,
The object you recovered for me from the ruins beneath Sharn is a schema, a piece of a pattern used to create items both mundane and magical.  I have learned that another schema connected to this pattern was being studied in a secret Cannith workshop in Cyre called Whitehearth.  I wonder if this research is tied to the Day of Mourning?
Parts of my own house seek this pattern for evil purposes, and I do not know whom to trust.  So I turn to you.  I need you to travel to Cyre, find the workshop, and recover the second schema.
The location of the workshop was a closely guarded secret lost when the patriarch of House Cannith died in the destruction of Cyre.  You must travel to the House Cannith outpost in the town of Rose Quarry in Darguun to recover a record of all of Cannith’s hidden workshops.
In Rhukaan Draal, find a man named Failin in the Bloody Market.  He can provide you with transport to Rose Quarry.  From there, travel into the Mournland to find Whitehearth and the second schema.  It is an adamantine plate in the shape of a diamond about the size of a human’s palm.  Once you have retrieved it, return to Rhukaan Draal where I will meet you.  Succeed, and I will see to it that you are well rewarded for your courage.
Lady E.”

“This must be the message taken from the Sivis message station.” Comments Boddynoc as much to himself as to the others.  He turns his attention to the bag given to him by Lady Elaydren.

“Hmmm neat.” Says Boddynoc as he peers in.

Cedious and the others wait for what is inside.

“Heward’s Handy Haversack.”

Cedious looks up in confusion to the human cleric.

“Magic”

“Oh…” answers Cedious.  Then he looks to see what it has that is so magical.

Boddynoc begins with the center pocket.
80 arrows
80 bolts
50 ft of silk rope
3 bedrolls
3 waterskins, filled
9 days worth of trail rations

Cedious checks each item out before placing it back to the steps that they sit on.

Right Pocket has even mundane items within it.  Cedious lets out a long and loud sigh at it.
1 everbright lantern
1 flint & steel
1 healer’s kit
5 torches
3 sacks

Left pocket has “goodies”
Letter from Lady Elaydren
3 vials of Holy Water
3 potions of Cure Light Wounds
A tiny rod of Blue Metal, 3 inches in length, with a sapphire embedded at one end
1 pouch with 150 pp
1 casket containing 500gp
A letter of credit for House Orien and House Lyrandar to cover passage to Rhukaan Draal.

Khora takes the key away from Cedious as he attempts to palm it.  He gives it back to Boddynoc along with the other goods to replace within the bag along with a few of their goods.

“Looks like we have a choice-  by water or land.”

“?” says the look on Cedious and the other’s faces.

“House Orien runs lightning rails and House Lyrandar controls the fastest ships.  It’ll be quicker to go by ship I believe.”

That morning they go to the docks and head out by ship.  They are unaware of the watchful eye of an old fisherman.  This same old seaman whom sometimes sells information to the Emerald Claw and Venom.  

The group travels by sea through the Hilt onto the edge of The Thunder Sea.  They sea the usual seagulls and other birds of the sea.  A few Dolphins race their ship then leave.  They see many ships heading due south towards Xen’drik.  They see none returning from the continent of giants and ruins.  The ship moves along at a good steady pace.  Magical winds drive the ship along with the ships on elemental powers.  Soon they pass the shores of the gnomic lands (after a brief stop in Korranberg) and enter Darguun waters.  By time they reach and enter Kraken Bay Boddynoc has finished his latest edition of the Korranberg Chronicle.  It was a slow issue this time.  Nothing that caught his attention.

They go downstairs to sleep except for the two warforged.  They are bored but require no sleep.  It has been three days and nights now.  

“Sea travel is for sailors- not warriors.” Laments Bonds in boredom.

Temper can not comment one way or the other.  He thinks the others are lucky that they sleep.  At least then the trip goes by faster for them.

“The night is warm and quiet, and the trio of moons in the sky reflects ghostly light onto the water.”   A slow but thick fog as much grows as forms around the ship.  Neither warforged think much about it as they lean over the rail watching the glowing white fish swim by the boat just under the surface.  Then Bonds hears a scratching sound.  Could they be about to run aground?  Adventure at last!

Then he sees it, the fish disappear and a humanoid shape seems to reach up from the bottom and catch the bottom of the ship.  They are about to be boarded!  He turns in excitement, ready to tell Temper of what he saw when Temper yells-  “Skeletons!”

There is no fear in his deep voice.  Only joy.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 011
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Six skeletons claw and climb onto the ship from the water.  Temper drives on back into the water easily with a powerful backhand and pulls out his Greatsword.  Bonds snaps off the head of one before him but it advances still.
“%$#*!  Everyone up!”  He yells just in case.

The House Lyrandar ½ elves are the first to the deck.  It would appear that traveling through these waters before has made them light sleepers.
Khora awakes and climbs the ladder minus his armor.  Cedious also.  Boddynoc dreams of the gnomes he saw in Korranberg.

The skeletons prove to be no challenge to the warforged.  The ½ elves merely watch for more as the skeletons are broken up and thrown overboard.

Looking out, Bonds can see a figure on the shore but it is at the limit of his sight.  He is uncertain if the figure was involved or merely watching the show.

In gratitude, the captain-  Captain Ryag Meth, offers the best of food and service (not money as per the adventure suggested-  PCs are loaded already sheesh!).

The ship continues inland from the bay and onto the river.  Within the day, it arrives in Rhukaan Draal.  

Rhukaan Draal is the capital of the goblinoid nation of Darguun.  It was once a great city.  Once. 

“It is mid-morning when you finally arrive in Rhukaan Draal.  The goblinoid city was built around what was once a Cyran frontier town, and today it has grown into a sprawling goblinoid metropolis.  The city appears as a crazy architectural tapestry; mud and timber huts surround ancient structures of stone and brick, interspersed with canvas tents and pavilions.  Most of the roads are bare earth, and few of the wonders or conveniences of Sharn are evident here.  Within this ramshackle city, a single building dominates the skyline- an enormous tower of red stone that rises up from the very center of the city.  This is Khaar Mbar’ost, the court of the Lhesh Haruuc, the hobgoblin king.”

“Fixer upper?” smirks Cedious.

“Lets not provoke them” says Boddynoc to the two warforged while eyeing three goblins that are obviously casing out the five outsiders.  There are goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears and a few orcs working the docks.  Khora spots an Ogre carrying crates on another ship.  The ship, The Emerald Spirit, seems deserted and the dockworkers look nervous around it.  The group otherwise ignores it as they walk down the gang blank and onto the docks.  The docks creak under the great weight of the fighter and the barbarian.  More than one goblin stare then snarl at Bonds and his shoulder pad, which he refuses to remove.

Boddynoc is not expecting a good reception.

“Bloody Market?” asks Cedious to a goblin with a limp.

“Bloody Market?” he repeats but in goblin.  The goblin ignores him.  “%$#* you” he says in goblin.  The goblin freezes and turns with venom on his face.  The halfling rogue has already taken off and “blended” into the crowd.

“Lets be serious guys.  This can be very dangerous here.” Says Boddynoc looking at the large Bugbear before him that is publicly scratching his genitals.  Disgusted they push forward.

Eventually the find the market area on their own and with no blood shed on the way.

The market is busy and smelly.  The materials being sold here vary greatly in quality and substance.  The finer goods are undoubtedly goods found in the Mourningland region.  In goblin, Cedious and Boddynoc ask around for Failin.  The reception is poor.  The market guards, a Bugbear and two hobgoblins watch the group with feigned disinterest. They try to ask the sellers now.  They offer a copper for information.  This gets no answer.  Then two coppers.  The Bugbear walks over to them.

“Man- this place stinks” says Cedious in common.  He nearly jumps out of his boots as he hears a deep snarling voice answer in common.  “Must be the humanz child.”

He turns to see the Bugbear guard leaning over him.  Cedious looks back and sees the other four have already moved onto the next table down.  They are unaware of Cedious’ predicament.

“What do here? Start troubles?”  He snarls more than asks.  “I takes care of troublez.” He follows it up with hoisting up his morning star.  Dried blood and tuffs of hair are still visible on it.

Cedious can not help himself.  “Ugh!   Say-  as a servant to the market-  can you tell me where Failin is?” 

The Bugbear stiffens up in anger and surprise at how daring the halfling is.  “Servant?!?”  The bugbear snorts and spits at the halfling narrowly missing the agile halfling.  By time the others see what is happening, Cedious has the bugbear enraged with a murderous look in his eyes.  Bonds steps in with a happy glean in his glass eyes.

A stare-off begins that erupts as the Bugbear and hobgoblins attack.  The warforged return blows slaying them.  The entire market is screaming for the stranger’s blood.  More bugbears come from out of the crowd.  Soon a large-scale fight is beginning.  Even as he pulls out his crossbow, Boddynoc seriously wonders if they will survive this adventure.

Blood, body parts and insults are soon flying.  A few opportunistic goblins fire cross bows hoping to hit anything; strangers for show or Bugbears for revenge.  The battle goes for several minutes.  Boddynoc does everything he can to keep the group alive including Enlarging Khora.  The group decides to escape into the alleys of the city thinking they may find a safe place to hide.  Goblins run as spies and scouts letting the mob know where the strangers are at all times.

Angry by it all, Bonds enrages and can’t help himself.  He chases down the goblins leading the group deeper into the city and into more danger.  Word is out-  there are strangers here killing everyone.  

Survivors later wonder how this will affect Failin.

“Stay together!” yells Boddynoc but his small feet won’t allow him to keep up with the large barbarian.  Khora chases after Bonds.  They thought to talk him down but he begins to strike down orcs that get in the way.

“What?” comments the halfling, as everyone looks him.  “What else did you expect from me?”

The warforged barbarian tears apart everything in his path.  Khora is holding his own.  The others are trying to catch up but find goblins and orcs are coming out of the alleys to attack them.  A new crowd of bugbears enters the town park where Bonds and the human cleric are.  Khora battles these but finds they are not attacking him.  They taught him all the same.  He doesn’t realize why until it is too late.  A large Ogre walks up to him.  He is dressed in fine clothes with a large but perfectly made great club.

As I said- word is out.

“Oh #$%*!” yells out Khora as he and this new foe are encircled by fans of the Ogre.  Gork Broadshoulders, the youngest of the clan has arrived to attain justice.

The barbarian grows tired but tries to keep after the quick goblins.  The others arrive just in time to hear it.  The crunch of metal… the popping and shattering of bone….the death of Khora.  The Ogre strikes him but once (crit with near max damage… OUCH!) then using his club, he hoists the offensive thing into the air for all to see.

“If he is trying to intimidate us …its working!” squeaks the halfling whom is now tugging on the gnome and the leg of Temper.  “I think it’s been fun but its time to go now.”

They leave in a hurry to catch up with the Barbarian.

Khora is dead.


----------



## megamania

SEGMENT 12


----------



## Boss

*Stolen!!!!*

Oh yes, consider the certificate of death stolen for use in my own Eberron game!!!!  I love it!  Now I have to remember the information from the Artificier's death a few weeks ago so I can present one to him.  Thanks and I hope you don't mind the rip-off!!


----------



## megamania

That's okay.  I took it from a friend of mine during a CoC game.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 013
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

The group, rattled and in pain find the river and follow it down against the current.  They are careful to avoid any goblins or humans even in fear of being attacked.  Everyone is seriously hurt and spells are very low.  They have lost their healer (and his magic armor pouts one player) and are uncertain how to find the Whitehearth place now.

Deciding to continue upriver in the general direction they were headed, they set off.  They are careful to avoid being seen as they are uncertain how far Draal’s reach is.  In general, they are lost and uncertain what to do.

Several days go by.  The river has changed design.  It is narrower and rougher.  They follow it until they come onto a strange sight.  There is a boat, a sailing vessel no less, at a dock.  The sun is beginning to set and the men seem agitated on board.  Sneaking close, Cedious recognizes the men as Emerald Claw soldiers!  What are they doing here!!!!!

He watches the boat and notes the boat has crashed into the dock.  It would appear traveling on the river this far up is much more difficult than the open water of the seas and large bays.  On board, near the rails, are several soldiers and a heavily armored large man with a thick beard.  Cedious believed him to be the leader until another figure arrives.  This one seems to shun the few beams of sun still thrown by the setting sun.  This man, if it is a man, is tall, thin and looks undead like.  His ears are pointed but curled.  His robes are torn and old.  Thinking about the leader’s appearance Cedious can think of only one thing- vampire!

Two men leave the building near the dock carrying a crate full of supplies.  A hunch backed woman steps out from the doorway.  She is looking behind her and at the building.  Cedious misses seeing the faint smoke rise from the doorway.

Curious- the others are moving closer using the deepening shadows from the onset of night to cover them.  They can see the smoke and note the strange activities on the dock and ship.  Boddynoc looks at the creature on the deck and swallows hard.  It resembles a vampire to the best of his knowledge.  The Emerald Claw have a vampire- is there no right left in the world?

Suddenly a window from within is broken.  Thick smoke rushes out from the new portal.  An armored figure is within trying to get out.  A soldier rushes over to keep him within.  It would appear the Emerald Claw has set the building on fire with a living soul within.  “The bastards!” says Boddynoc.  They move behind the building to get a better look.  Cedious meanwhile, needing to learn more has been sneaking under the porch, which leads to the dock.  He carefully wads into the dark moving water to listen in.  He catches some of the conversation.  Words he hears include-  Brother Gallow, Keltis and Mallora.  He catches the words of Cannith, Whitehearth and Rose Quarry.

Cedious almost gives up his location hearing Rose Quarry.  They are going to the same place they are!  The Vampire is going to the same place they are!  

Remembering something about the acute senses of a vampire, Cedious decides to move away before being detected.  He returns to under the porch to look for his friends.  His friends are just around the corner looking into the fire.  They are not aware the ship is leaving until a loud crack is heard as the dock gives way.  Restocked and with any information they were looking for, the ship of Emerald Claw thugs and vampire leaves.

The back door is struck from within several times.  This has kept the group’s attention.  A crash of glass can be heard.  An impossibly large battle-axe has been thrown through a window.  Thick black smoke with flames flow through the opening.  An armored man then seems to fall through the window and hits the ground hard.  

The man gets up and hefts up his battleaxe.  Despite his medium size, he seems to hold the large weapon well.  He turns and sees several figures in the dark.  He prepares to fight when Boddynoc calls out to him.  Anyone that the Emerald Claw wants to burn alive can’t be that bad (if only they knew!).

Introductions are made and some history given.  Bane  was here to do some trades and find out the general rumors and news when the Emerald Claw showed up.  He watched as the female mage killed one man and the soldiers killed the other before him.  He ran into the storage area nearly being hit by magical bolts of heat energy.  They set the building on fire and left him to die.  Now he wants them dead. Bane joins the adventurers.

They collect what food and supplies they can from the fire and try to follow the ship.  It easily outdistances them but they continue.  On the third day they find it again.  The ship that is.  It has run aground next to another trading house.  This one has stables and many workers.  The ship lists to the side and has taken in a lot of water.  A gapping hole can be seen on the side.  It has hit more things than just a few docks.  Bane spots a bridge that crosses sides to the stables and goes.  The others are more cautious.  It is daylight but still- when it comes to undead, one can not be careful enough (player’s know I have many books on undead and special undead).  

Bane tries to use intimidation on the stable workers to get information.  He wants to know how many and where the soldiers are and who else is aboard the ship.  The others see him motion with menace at the stable workers and begin to walk over themselves.  Temper and Bonds see there are several guards of the Emerald Claw on the ship.  They divert from the group and head for them instead.  Cedious and Boddynoc are torn at where to go but to decide to backup their warforged friends over the new stranger.

Temper is careful enough walking down the dock to avoid possible weak boards.  Bonds is not and finds himself falling through into knee-deep water.  The dock reaches his chest.  The soldiers meanwhile now begin to pay attention to them.  This is okay with Temper.  “It’s easier when they come to you.” He will be heard saying later.  Cedious once more takes to the dock area and decides to check out the shattered hull.  Maybe they have goodies here he figures.  Boddynoc just hopes the leaders are not here.

Within the stables, Bane learns the ship arrived yesterday.  They demanded repairs to be done and paid for most of it up front.  They also bought many horses and asked for directions to the Rose Quarry.  They did not seem to mind that it was at the edge of the Mournlands.

The soldiers keep Temper from boarding the ship.  Bonds begins to become angry and tears up the dock to get free and at the men.  Boddynoc supports them with his crossbow.  Cedious discovers there is little to find within the hull.  A few water logged supplies but nothing to note.  He is deeply disappointed.  The soldiers are taken down once Bonds is free to attack also.

“What now?”  Temper asks of Boddynoc.

Boddynoc shrugs his shoulders.  He honestly is not certain what to do.  In the city he had some contacts that could help but in the wild within a separate kingdom he had no power.  He didn’t know what to do.

“I am Bobbet.  I could not help but overhear your discussion.  Dorr could help.  Assuming you can find him and pay him.”  Intervenes a stable worker.

Uncertain at what else to do, Boddynoc asks where Dorr is.  They leave immediately.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 014
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

It is a days travel to reach the humble hut of the hermit known only as Dorr.  When they find him, Dorr is sitting on his front porch sculpting a piece of wood.  He doesn’t look up or move.  He merely politely asks them to move on.

When they don’t he looks up.  He stares hard and cold at Bonds and Temper.  “Warforged… eh!”  He says with disgust.  “Ain’t seen one of you since the war.  You are not here from Cannith are you?”  Boddynoc misses the comment and goes on about hunting the Emerald Claw and what they have done that is wrong and even evil.  Convinced these adventurers are not here to settle some sort of dept, Dorr asks them to leave again.  It is a veiled threat and the others are sure he is convinced he would win if a conflict begins.  Bonds is tempted to test it but remains quiet.

Everything they offer gets little to reaction from this mysterious man.  Mentioning the Emerald Claw gets a hard look but he reverts to the inattentive bored look quickly.  Boddynoc then remembers something said at the stables.  “500 gold?”

The man sits forward and looks at the gnome.  “I am to take you across rugged country to the Rose Quarry at the border of the Deadlands (his name for Mournlands).  That is all.  For this I will be given 500 gold.”

The five of them look at each other wondering what the catch is.  Temper agrees as much out of impatience as anything.

“Fine.  Lets go.  I have things to do.” The man says as he hops up from his seat and walks behind his cabin to a shed.  He reaches in and grabs a pack, a cloak and a sword and silently starts off.  He nears the edge of the woods when it dawns on the others he is not waiting for them.  They hurry after him and thus the group is once more on track for the adventure.

It becomes clear to the group that this man is veteran ranger.  He seems to never waver or tire as he marches through the woods, brush and paths created by animals.  The two warforged find traveling through these narrow paths a bother at best.    Bane’s large axe catches on many branches.  The two smaller members can only try to keep up with the others as they have much shorter stride.  They travel until the sun goes down.  The man sits down next to a tree, leans his hat over his eyes and seems to fall asleep.  The others make a fire and try to relax.  Boddynoc notes the man seems impassive about their activities, even creating a campfire doesn’t bother him.

The next day involves traveling through more fields, woods and traversing a river.  The whole time the man has said nothing.  Not even a grunt or growl.  Finally they set up camp once more.  This night is not as quiet however.  A monstrous Large Mantis attacks the Monkey-gripping warrior during his watch.  It moves about keeping running around.  If the ranger ever woke up he didn’t show it.  Finally the insect is dispatched.  Cedious is curious if the ranger is alive.  He creeps over to the man and leans down to his hat covered face.

“Better sleep curious one.  Tomorrow we reach the edge where I stop, get paid and leave.”

“….oh…..”   he looks over his shoulder and shrugs to the others.  Then returns to the others.  Boddynoc looks over his notes from the Bonal Journal again.  He really wants to understand what the CREATION SCHEMA is.  He feels the answers are inside but can’t find it.

The next day they do indeed see the Mournlands for the first time.  They climb over a rise and see a low gray cloud.  It seems to go forever.  It resembles a slowly swirling sea of gray mist.  It is eerie to behold.

“I have brought you to the Deadlands.  Five miles beyond this wall of mist is the Quarry you seek.  Give me my agreed on wages and we will depart.” The ranger says with his hand held out.

“You are not going in?” asks the halfling.

“I agreed to get you there, You are here.  Now I go.”

“Why will you not help us?  Why won’t you go in?” asks Boddynoc as he looks at the grayness before him.  They are now within 500 feet of it.

“I tell you this as a warning- This land is dead.  It is a testament to the dead and the art of death …of war.  I have had my fill of it.  I will not enter it …ever again.”

Boddynoc collects the money and gives it to him.  The Ranger doesn’t count it.  He merely hefts once or twice and then nods, turns on his heel and walks silently away.  He disappears …engulfed by the green. 

“Well …now what?” asks Cedious looking at the gray mist that seems more alive than not.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 015
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

The party of adventurers decide to camp a safe distance from the mist and go in the morning.  The warforged watch over the others as always.  Boddynoc reads and studies his notes.  Cedious looks over his tools and other goods.   Bane cleans his oversized blade and waits for payback against the Emerald Claw and the mage that travels with them.

They camp about 500 feet away from the mist but awake with it being about 200 feet away.  It appears the mists move around.  They are not trapped or confined to a certain limit …or are they?  Boddynoc walks up the mist.  He detects no smell or magical aura.  He swallows then looks to his teammates as he slowly reaches into the mist.

Nothing.

He sighs then takes a step into the mist.  It is not humid but not ash laden either.  It is strange and obviously unnatural.  He steps back out of it.

“Let’s go.” And he steps back into it.

“The wall of rolling mist rises ahead of you, appearing solid and ephemeral at the same time.  Passing into the cloying mist is like entering an alien plane of existence.  Light barely reflects through the shifting layers of vapor.  Sounds become muffled and distant, even when produced nearby.  The place has a narrow, ominous feel to it, and a feeling of isolation and growing dread builds within you as you travel deeper into the mist.”

The others begin to walk into it.  Once inside, they lose all sense of direction.  They can not see or sense anything.   Even the ones with darkvision have no luck seeing.  Using their voices they try to keep close to each other.  The voices seem to come and go however.  Bane trips over something on the ground.  Feeling around on the ground he feels a …HAND!  “Ahhh!” and he scrambles to his feet.

Bonds is first to exit.  He thinks he traveled about 500 feet but is uncertain.  What he sees before him will bother him for a long while.  

Cedious comes out next walking backwards.  He was walking and turning trying to see things.  He didn’t even know he was on the verge of exiting the mists.  He trips over something and falls down onto something hard.  He looks down and sees an elf’s stark face staring up at him.  He has tripped over a dead body and now sits on an elf!  “Arrrrrgh!” and he scrambles up and tries to wipe off his hands and body quickly.  Then he stops and slowly turns.  His eyes wide and his jaw down and unmoving.

Temper comes out of the mist in a mid-tirade of curses.  His voice wouldn’t escape the mists until he exited them.  He is about 400 feet down from Bonds and Cedious.  He thought he was next to Bonds.  He looks up and shrugs his head.  “Deadlands.” And moves towards Bonds.

Bane is the next to leave the mists.  He is nearly running as he is still uncertain what he tripped over.  Once he comes out of the mists he is certain of what he tripped over.  A body.

Boddynoc comes out last.  He comes out about five minutes after everyone else.  It seemed like he has been walking for an hour.  He is quick to note that the mists remove any sense of direction and time.  Not good.   …and speaking of not good    “…who are these dead people?”

“The fallen soldiers look as though they were killed merely moments ago, though they surely died more than four years ago during the Last War.  Still, their wounds appear fresh and they have not yet begun to show the slightest effects of decomposition.”

After recovering from the horror of the site Cedious does what Cedious does- he begins to loot.

The five of they try to make their way to what was described by the Ranger as the location of the Rose Quarry.  They come across a clear path.  Looking, they see recent tracks in the dry and cracked dirt.  Horses.

“I think the Claw came through here.” Offers Bonds looking at the tracks.  “If not them, then another group of horse riders.”

“But are they recently made or years old?  From what I see here, time has little meaning.” Adds Boddynoc still never taking his eyes off of the hundreds of bodies of soldiers  …dead soldiers.

Maybe this is why he missed the monstrous large scorpion that was picking through the bodies for food.

The warforged attack (if only for something to hit and distract their minds from the bodies around them) the creature.  Boddynoc and Cedious hold back.  The other three need to climb over bodies and supplies to reach the menacing creature.  It tries to take down the warforged as they close in.  The battle is short but the warforged take a few hits in the process.

Moving around they find some silver and many common weapons and armors.  They follow the horse trail.
Night begins to arrive early (or is it this place?).  They stop and rest.  In the night, they see lights in the distance.  Before going anywhere to investigate, they are attacked by an Owlbear.  They win but again the warforged take a hit or two.  They use potions bought earlier to heal.  They swear it wasn’t as good a healing, a rush, as usual.  This place sucks …with the exception of critters to kill.

Together they move to a series of ruins.  A campfire is seen with figures moving around.  

“Could it be…?” asks Cedious.


----------



## dravot

What fun.

 Thanks.


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## megamania

Thankyou.   I was wondering-   has any of the readers run through these adventures?  Most of why I'm displaying these here is to get feedback on how different the story ends with each game group.  I'm sure not everyone has a warforged running around with a goblin noble's skull on his shoulder pad.

Glad you are enjoying it dravot.


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## megamania

EBERRON
10/23/04
SEGMENT 016
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

[DM note- some players were out for this battle.  Be prepared players role-playing role players playing their characters.  Gets crazy]

“A strange layer of glass covers much of the village.  It coats the ground.  It cascades from the shattered stone walls.  Toward the center of the village, one or two buildings appear to be more intact than the rest of the ruins around them.  Two other sights leap out at you as you look around.  First, you can see the occasional forms of burned dwarves buried within the glass, their expressions twisted in fear and pain.  Second, someone has been breaking the glass around some of the ruins, shattering it as though searching for something that may have been trapped within it when the glass cooled and hardened.”

Cedious looks closer.  He has found the ground here is not just dry and barren but also covered in crude glass.  It is a challenge to move silently anywhere near the camp.  He dose get close enough to note that these are Emerald Claw soldiers and he sees a few possible generals.  There are many tents.  He hears chanting and looks around and sees a large man wearing no clothes doing his preys.

He hears other sounds of breaking glass and the moving of things.  He returns to the group to inform them of what he has seen.

Impatient and remembering Lady Elaydren’s sense of urgency, they return to the ruins of Rose Quarry.  They try to avoid as many guards as possible and move towards a church.  They listen in the few soldiers they do encounter.  Cedious hears something about a map room and a puzzle or riddle to use it.  The soldiers have no idea what they are looking for.  They are dispatched easily and quietly.  Next, they move to the church.  Here they see a strange sight.  Three shiny zombies are digging in the graveyard.  The zombies have glass embedded on their bodies.  Uncertain of what else to do they attack these and begin to destroy them.  Then the sharp eyed Cedious spots a strange looking bird looking at them.  It is something like a vulture.  Maybe it is diseased.  Cedious throws a dart at it and strikes it solidly.  Suddenly a call of intruders comes out.

“…ooops….”

The vulture takes flight with feathers falling off as it takes to the air.  Cedious chases it down to destroy it.  As he throws another dart he spots soldiers.  About 6 of them.   

“…ooops…”

…and the cleric (now dressed) and a mage.

“…ooops…”

More soldiers appear from the right of the church.  

“…ooops….”

Then mist suddenly swirls in and out of it comes the Vampire.

“ooooh crap….”

The party finds themselves surrounded but the warforged and Bane hack it out.  They are dismayed as the zombies are protected from damage from the glass.  Their blades crack and split the glass then they can cut into the bodies with their next attacks.  Bane spots the vampire next to the church.  He rushes him to keep him on the defensive.  His first strike with his great strength and oversized weapon nearly cuts the vampire in two.  The vampire melds through the stone wall of the church and this angers the warrior whom strikes the church a few times.  The blocks are lose and he pushes through hoping to follow through with his attacks against the undead creature (player not thinking is he?).  The soldiers go down but then enter the cleric and the mage.

Fortunately for the group, they studied spells that were less combative.  Still, Boddynoc receives a few magic missiles and is forced to back away from aiding the warforged.  Bonds becomes enraged and cleaves through row after row of the soldiers.  The mage (Mallora) holds back.  She tries to support the soldiers but is more concerned about her own good.  The cleric (Keltis Doran) commands more zombies to stop their work and attack the PCs.

Then another group of soldiers arrives led by a female fighter (Kaela).  They box the party in.  The large cleric forms a wedge that splits the party in two.  Then the vampire returns looking to attack the weaker characters.

Looking at the odds, Cedious can only say  “…oops….”.

The vampire tries for Cedious whom feints and sneak attacks the vampire (why not…?) and takes the vampire down.  He doesn’t get to see the vampire and his robes change appearance as he is hard pressed to continue by a group of soldiers and zombies.

Temper avoids several deadly blows from both the cleric and the female fighter.  He then critically strikes the fighter.  The cleric backs off and demands soldiers to attack.  The cleric and the mage turn tail and run for it.

Luck was very much with the party and they know it.  They survived.  They beat 4 zombies, 12 soldiers, a fighter, a cleric, a mage and what they thought was a vampire.  The vampire was a changeling wearing glamored armor.

They loot the bodies and hope to figure out the next step before the deserters return.


----------



## dravot

megamania said:
			
		

> Thankyou. I was wondering- has any of the readers run through these adventures? Most of why I'm displaying these here is to get feedback on how different the story ends with each game group. I'm sure not everyone has a warforged running around with a goblin noble's skull on his shoulder pad.
> 
> Glad you are enjoying it dravot.



 At some point in the future, I'll be running my peeps through some of these modules and adventures.  I won't be using the Whisper of the Vampire's Blade, though (I don't like it, it's poorly written).


----------



## Micah

megamania said:
			
		

> Thankyou.   I was wondering-   has any of the readers run through these adventures?  Most of why I'm displaying these here is to get feedback on how different the story ends with each game group.  I'm sure not everyone has a warforged running around with a goblin noble's skull on his shoulder pad.
> 
> Glad you are enjoying it dravot.




Our group is in the middle of Rose Quarry with plans to follow that up with Whitehearth in the Mournlands. We have a group of 6 players so we trippled the troop size with the Emerald Claw camp. They are in the map room right now after killing a couple of watches worth of guards and zombies.

We're in a bit of a different set-up with the airship, but the owner is intent on turning it into an expedition ship, thus the hiring out to Elaydren for a few sessions. (DM break  ) I'm with dravot on using _Whisper's of the Vampires Blade_. SPOILER I liked the masquerade setting, but will probably figure out a different way to use it. I like our airship too much to crash it just yet. 
END SPOILER

I don't know how long it will take PhoenixAsh to get caught up with the current game - he's been turning out posts far quicker than I ever imagined possible. I am starting to realize just how much work goes into these storyhours.

Thanks for posting all of this. I've certainly been impressed with some of the ideas. I'm still looking for a way to use a House Kundarak security coin in our game!  And kudos to the "forged with the skull on his shoulder pad". Every Eberron game should have at least one colorfull Warforged character! Ours decided to be the cook!


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## megamania

EBERRON
11/06/04
SEGMENT 017
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR 


Next game session but again several players are out- darn children and their B-days!

Deciding to explore the church they look around.

“The structure before you appears to be a church, and you can see symbols of the Sovereign Host carved into the stone walls.  The roof has fallen in, but the walls appear solid and strong.”
Looking around inside they see little but Cedious spots something within the glass.  He has Temper break the glass and there is a golden chalice inside.  Uncertain if it is magical but certain it has value, Cedious holds onto it.  Later he will show Boddynoc it and know it is magical but not how.

Bored and unsuccessful at finding much, the adventurers cross the street to another sturdy building.

“This large building, constructed of walls of red marble, has the engraved symbol of an anvil and gorgon carved into the keystone above the arched doorway- the symbol of House Cannith.  While the outer walls are intact, little else is left of the building.  The roof, doors and upper floors have been reduced to cinders and rubble.  Light can be seen glowing from deep inside the building.”

As they go inside, their attention is drawn to three zombies covered in glass still clearing debris.  Not taking any chances with them, the warforged and Large Axe wielding human fighter destroy them quickly.  They then move in and see-

“The large 50 foot wide chamber has been cleared of most of the rubble and glass you’ve seen throughout the rest of the village.  The floor emerges from the shattered glass, formed from red marble and decorated with an embossed design.”

“What is it?” asks Cedious.

“Map …I think.” Answers Boddynoc.

“The large chamber contains a few enormous blocks of rough red stone.  This place was probably where the marble was shaped, polished, and prepared for shipping.  Large fireplaces occupy the center of the north, south and west walls, each made of a different type of stone: red stone for the north, white stone for the south, and black stone for the west fireplace.  Six statues stand around the room, two to each side of one fireplace.  The floor of the chamber features a detailed map of central Khorvaire showing the nations of Aundair, Cyre, Karrnath, Thrane, and Breland.  While cities, topographical features, and even major mines are shown in bas relief on the map, to text identifies the locations.”

Boddynoc looks around and then stares at the two warforged.  “Don’t break anything …yet.”

They don’t but not because the gnome said not to.  Bonds looks around the fireplaces.  Temper stares at the map looking for clues.  Bane looks at the blocks of stone and tools then at the room’s walls.  Cedious and Boddynoc both look around the statues and the fireplaces.

Bane and Bonds take a moment to look at the colors and type of statues.  In red stone there is a Dragon and a lion.  In White Stone a Wolf and Falcon.  In black stone there is carved a Knight and a Griffon.  The red statues are next to red fireplace to the north.  The white statues are next to white fireplaces to the south.  The black statues are next to the black fireplace to the west.

Bonds is determined to figure this out before Boddynoc or before Cedious stumbles onto a clue.  Bane is also taking time to study this instead of destroying goods.

“Red Dragon and Lion …creatures of power and royality.” Reasons out Bonds.  The Wolf and Falcon …are   …. Sigh.”

“Independent spirits …?” adds Bane. 

Distracted by this amusing sight, Cedious then asks what the black knight and griffon are.

“A distraction.” Answers Boddynoc as he looks at the seams of the fireplace to the North.

“What does Tallis, Black Seal, E 4 mean?” asks Temper.

“What did you just say?” asks Boddynoc.

“It says here Tallis Black Seal E 4 on the head of this Lion.” He comments looking at the back of the statue.

Boddynoc moves over to see this while Cedious and the others take the unspoken cues and check different statues.  Indeed-  each has a different possible clue.  The Red Dragon has Boddynoc’s interest- “Whitehearth, White Seal NE 9” he reads out loud to everyone.  “Whitehealth is what we are looking for.”

Together they piece together these inscriptions-

Red Dragon: Whitehealth   White Seal   NE 9
Red Lion:  Tallis   Black Seal   E 4
White Wolf:  Cabblen Hall  Red Seal  SW 15
White Falcon:  Blackhealth   Black Seal   SE 12
Black Knight:  Kronu Hall   White Seal   N 6
Black Griffon:  Redhealth   Red Seal    SE 7

“What does it mean?” asks Cedious.

“Clues.  I think they are clues to several House Cannith locations.” Answers Boddynoc.

20 minutes go by as the try to figure it out.  Finally, bored, Cedious checks out the map itself.  Bored, he checks out Cyre and its location.  He is trying to figure out where he is on the world.  It is then he notices a small and nearly invisible dimple in the stone.  It is clearly created- it is not a defect or damage.  It is polished and smooth.  “Boddynoc …”

While the two smaller members of the group look into the new discovery, the three warriors come up with a plan.  They begin to heft statues around to make them all Red, Black and White.  Nothing happens.  “Maybe if …”

“I’m not so sure the statues do anything guys.” Answers Boddynoc as he is checking out the dimple.  “Can you find any more?” he asks Cedious quietly.

“Could the fireplaces be a seal?” asks Temper.  “Maybe if we burn something …..”

The warriors are desperate but trying.

Bane takes note of Cedious’ activities and asks what he is doing.  He begins to help to look around now.  The two warforged are thinking maybe breaking a statue will clear their minds.  Boddynoc gives a clear look of no with any room for argument.  The living constructs almost act respectful.  Almost.
It still doesn’t stop Temper from lifting and feeling out a pick and hammer.  He looks at the statues wondering how many hits it will take.

“I found one.” Says Bane

“I found two.” Comments Boddynoc.

“I found two also.” Adds Cedious.

“There goes that theory-  that makes only five.  There are six suggested locations.” Adds Bonds looking at the first divit found.

Temper looks down and sees one at his feet.  “Here.” He says with little excitement.

Never figuring out the clues, they draw up a crude map and where the marks are along with the statue inscriptions.  Boddynoc and Cedious spend the next two hours searching the place.  With nothing found they prepare to leave.

“What is keeping others from finding these secret places?” asks Bonds hefting a spare hammer and pick.

Catching onto what Bonds is getting at, Temper adds, “Yeah- with the statues and maps intact, anyone can figure it out.”

Sighing with a bowed head, Boddynoc okays the destruction of the statues and map room.  It takes another two hours for the three warriors to destroy the statues and the map.

Going outside finally, they notice the gray wall has moved.  It is closer to them than before.

“It’s not stationary.” Worries Boddynoc.

The group head deeper into the Mournlands to where the divit suggested the Cannith facility is.  On the way they see another battle area.  This one catches their attention since there are several halflings and elves that don’t seem to belong with the rest of the dead soldiers.  It is hard to say since nothing ever rots here but they look to be somehow newer.  In the background are several siege machines.  Temper sees something moving within the deep shadows of the ruined wagon.

Giving the group a warning, the source of the movement presents itself.  Three creatures come out.  They look to be something like skeletal wolves with humanoid skeletal parts mixed in.  Arms, ribs and even a head are attached in some manner to the bones of the wolves or war dogs.  Bonds can’t help himself.  He looks at his shoulder pad, the goblin skull, and grins.

The battle is over before it really begins.  The biggest problem the heroes faced was moving through the downed bodies of the soldiers.  The undead creatures have the same problems however.

They move on to the possible location while Cedious looks for goodies to salvage and the warforged look for creatures to take down.  Boddynoc just hopes none of these bodies becomes animated and grabs him.


----------



## megamania

The person playing Boddynoc once created a professional cook prestige class.  It surprised us at how often his exceptional cooking abilities helped us in game.  NPCs were even more surprised to learn it was cooked by a 1/2 orc sorcerer with a strength of 5.  

Whispers has a few areas to "adjust" but I think I can do it well enough.  After that, I think I am using the second Dungeon adventure then I begin my own adventure-  The Trap of Drogan.

The players that use the warforged are looking forward to it as they know my adventure writing style-  LOTS OF COMBAT!

Keep the comments flowing.  Thankyou.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11/20/04
SEGMENT 018
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR 

Cedious slows the group down by looking over bodies hoping to find something of value.  The others, eyeing the non-stationary wall of gray mist behind them keeps them from following suit.  They were not aware of the conditions they are finding here.  The potions of healing are working but not as well as expected.  Something about this place holds back healing it seems.  The fact that the walls seem to move bothers Boddynoc also.  He had assumed that once they entered the Mournelands it would be no longer a problem, even with the disorienting effects it had.

“Comon’ Cedious- we can do that later!” lies Boddynoc.

Caught up in his thoughts of easy money, Cedious doesn’t see the movement.  Only Bonds does.  

“Something moved over there,” says Bonds with excitement while drawing his weapon into the air.
Cedious looks over and spots something small moving within a pile of dead bodies.  “Looks harmless enough.” He says as he begins to work his way over the bodies hoping to find a magical weapon or staff.

Suddenly the mound of bodies lifts into the air and move towards the halfling rogue.  “Ulp- you saw it first- you go first!”

“The mound of corpses and discarded weapons shifts, rising up from the ground on eight crablike legs.  Four eyestalks emerge. And the giant crustacean covered with corpses shambles toward you.”

Boddynoc watches the creature.  Is it undead?  What to caste bane against?  Bane himself merely moves in, stepping onto bodies if required.  The two warforged show the same amount of regard for the dead as they walk over and trample the prone bodies.  The large creature’s clawed feet pierce and cut into the bodies as it moves closer to the greedy warriors.

They surround the creature and begin to attack it.  Bonds takes a great hit with a claw but moves out of its strong grasp.  Boddynoc tries to shot at it hoping to hit something soft.  Cedious tries his darts and finds no soft cover but the bodies impaled on the creature’s spines.

Now with everyone in reach, the three front-liners attack the creature and destroy it.  It was nesting within a group of better-armored and armed men with elves and halflings recently added to the mess.  The heroes begin to search immediately.

A few coppers here and there prove disappointing to them.  Then Cedious spots something on top of the now dead carcass Crab.  A stylish sword of some sort.  He climbs up the crab’s shell and the bodies (he still hates touching the bodies) until he locates an elven double bladed scimitar!  Pulling and tugging he gets it free finally.  It dwarfs him considerably but he likes it (or at least what he figures he can get for it within the market at Sharn).  He feels a sensation in his mind.  He hears a gentle wind and the sound tall grass makes within the wind.  He feels at peace but also excited.  “Huh?”

Fearful it is cursed, he hands it to Boddynoc whom has found a potion belt with a few unknown potions.  “Is it magic?” Cedious says already knowing the answer.  Boddynoc looks at the curious design.  A horse image is built into the special weapon, which softly glows when hefted up.  He too hears the soft breeze and the distant naying of a horse.  His heart speeds up for no reason.  “Yup.” And he gives it back fearing it is cursed.

Bane finds a slender wooden stick.  When Boddynoc sees it he wants it.  It has to be a wand of some sort.  Bane okays this if he gets something useful later.  Twenty minutes go by and Bonds decides to look around.  Maybe he will get lucky also.  He kicks over bodies and tosses others around looking for something good.  A piece of paper falls free from a body.  Dropping the body, he picks it up.  It is a credit for 400 gold at a Kundarak banking Guild.  It’s not a weapon but it can go towards one later.  Temper finds nothing and begins to strike at the bodies instead of moving them.  In his rush, he over looks a perfectly neat and clean cloak of blue and white.  Cedious checks it out.  Bringing it to Boddynoc, he guesses it is a Cloak of Resistance (+1).  An hour goes by and still nothing.  Temper is now losing his temper (don’t blame the GM- blame the dice darn it!).  He finds a simple brooch (non-magical) and decides it is time to move on.

“At the base of a low hill, a timbered opening leads into a dark tunnel.  At first glance, it looks like any other abandoned mineshaft.  Then, with a more careful inspection of the opening, you spot the House Cannith seal emblazoned on the center crossbeam.”

Breaking out sun rods, the group prepares to enter the shaft.  They are certain this is the secret installation they came so very far to locate.  It is pitch-black as they enter the tunnel.  There is a steep grade leading down.  Cedious sees no tracks or disturbance in the sand and silt that has settled here over the years.  A wide chamber opens up before the group.  Nothing special about it and the group continues forward.  The tunnel exits from the room and branches.  Cedious sees a glint of metal and goes to it.

Looking it over, Cedious sees no traps.  Boddynoc begins to write notes feveriously giving details of the cave and the adamantine cover before them.  He notes the perfectly round hole marked with orange enamel.  He makes a point of staying away from the hole that may fire out something.  He tries to jimmy the lid and the electrical feedback throws him away and to the wall.  Still smoking- “I’m all right.”

“Before trying that again, lets see what else we have here.” Suggests Boddynoc as he looks at the smoking vapors still rising from the large metal lid.  Cedious takes a moment to swallow a potion of healing.  He sees another lid with an orange mark and stops.  “Duh!”  and hangs his head low.

“What is it?” asks Temper looking into the shadows for something to strike and thus be struck in return.

Cedious rummages through his sack given to him by Lady Elaydren and pulls out a short metal tube with a blue gem or crystal on the tip.  “The key.”

Looking at the next lid he sees brown and avoids it.  The following lid has a blue mark.  He inserts the blue stone in with his crispy fingers and a hiss is heard then the lid pops open.  Lifting it for complete access, Bonds and Temper allow the others to enter first.  A stone tunnel leads straight down with a ladder allowing a means down.  A faint glow emits from far below where the ladder leads.

As Bonds climbs down, a smile seems to be there on his metallic face.  A scary fearful smile …..


Silently, Cedious climbs down the ladder and peers over his shoulder into the room he has entered …

“Dim light, little more than that provided by a flickering candle, emanates from a crystalline globe embedded next to the entrance.  This strange metal chamber is a perfect sphere, approximately 20 feet across.  The only exit from the room appears to be the shaft you descended.  An octagonal metal plate is set into a pedestal at the center of the room.  This metal plate is 1 foot across and contains nine sockets- five blue enamel sockets, two green sockets and two brown sockets.”

“uuuuhhhh….ideas?” asks Cedious looking around even before Bonds and Temper have reached the floor.

“Try the key.” Suggests both Boddynoc and Bane.

“Uhhh- sure.  If you wouldn’t mind…” says the halfling to Boddynoc holding out the tube with a blue crystal on the tip.

Looking it over and along the sides, Boddynoc searches for anything of importance then tries the blue key in a blue marked slot.

“A powerful vibration shakes the walls of the chamber, and slowly the entire room begins to rotate.  You have to move to keep from falling down, but the grooved floor helps you stay on your feet.  In less than a minute the chamber has rotated, and now the entryway appears as a doorway into a corridor instead of a hatch in the ceiling.”

Peering down past the exit of their room, Cedious sees linens on shelves.

“Keep going.” He says without looking any further

Boddynoc pulls out the key and places it into a new slot.  Once more the entire room rotates and rolls about until it stops at a new room.

“Strong light.” Cedious says with Temper and Bonds leaning in close for a closer look.  Bane is staying with Boddynoc to watch how the controls work.

Moving down a short walkway, Cedious and the warforged barbarian and fighter spot an office with a dead body.  Boddynoc pulls the key and follows with bane following.

Several shelves full of scrolls and large possible spellbooks are here with two large tables.  One is empty and the other has a body at it.

Boddynoc checks out the shelves and hopes for goodies.  He instead finds ledgers of materials, their costs and quantities and payrolls.  He collects a few for “later reference.

[ now why is he doing this?]

Cedious checks the body.  It is a woman, human, and wears a House Cannith Signet ring.  Boddynoc insists on collecting that then he notices what she was reading at the time.  A scroll of Resist Energy.  He carefully pulls that free and hides that away also.  Looking further, they find nothing else of use.

The next blue doorway leads to a new room.  Temper and Bonds can hear water at the end of the dark hallway.  Cedious can hear …dogs?

Uh-oh


----------



## Micah

Nice color coding! I think I'll snag that idea!


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11/20/04
SEGMENT 019
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR 

“Do you hear that?” asks Cedious with a smirk.  He loves egging on the warforged.

The dogs stop thus they hear nothing.

“Must have been me.  Com’on “ he says as he steps out of the room into the hallway.

The light continues to flicker as if it were about to go out at any moment as the five adventurers slowly walk down the long hallway.  The sound of running water can be heard.

“A corridor of plain gray stone extends ahead of you.  In the flickering light from the dim everbright lanterns embedded in the walls, you see a few trails of crusted blood running along the floor, as if someone was dragged down the corridor.  At the far end of the hall you see three portals: an open archway to the left, a door propped open straight ahead, and a sealed metal door to the right.”

“Straight.” Says Boddynoc with concern that the door was propped open.

With a brief glance into the open doorway, Cedious sees water on the floor then directs his attention to the door before him.  It has been propped open with a long wooden stick.  It looks chewed instead of cut.  They bunch up next to the door then push the door open quickly with weapons drawn and hoping for no (serious) trouble.

A body of a dead man in blue and white lies before them.  He looks chewed up and pieces are missing.  Due to the magical aftereffect, he looks very fresh even though he could have been killed many years ago.

“You are not …Kennith.  Who are you?” a deep voice says from behind a series of bunk beds.

Cedious steps back into the warforged as a very large and dangerous Dire Wolf steps out from the shadows.  It adjusts its weight from one paw to the other in agitation and discomfort.  “Not Kennith-  who are you?  Not Outsider- who are you?”

Boddynoc was prepared for anything except an Awakened Dire Wolf here.  He speaks up to avoid a possible conflict between the warforged and the creature.

“I am Boddynoc Grinkle.  These are my friends.  We are here to find something very important to the owners of this place.  House Cannith.”

“Can-nith …”, she slowly says trying to remember the words she heard before.  A long time ago before she could think clearer and speak. “You are here to free my family?  Save my Family?  Free me?  Protect family from Outsider?”

[DM NOTES:   I was reading Dean Koontz “The Watchers” when running this adventure.  Sorry for the choice of words.]

“Protect the family?  Do you mean House Cannith?”

“MY family.  Not ken –Cannith.  Much fear.”  The dire wolf says

At this point, Bane hears something moving in the room with water.  Cedious, figuring it was a safer place than the large awakened dire wolf, goes to the door.  Two large wolves snarl at him from within the water room.  Another body is here of a possible craftsman.

“Uh- guys …Guys!”  He says as he back pedals into Bane.  Between the rogue before him and the doorway, Bane can not bring his oversized weapon to a useful position.

“You speak of this Outsider as dangerous to you and your family.  Is it a true outsider?  Is it not of our world?” asks Boddynoc

The wolf stares blankly then answers.  “Stone and fur for body.  Not normal.  Dangerous.”

Boddynoc realizes then that the animal can speak but has little knowledge and doesn’t understand what he means as an outsider.  “It is an experiment..like you?”  he says reaching for information.

“No experiment  is Rorsa.  Men die and stop coming.  Rorsa came to understand more.  Outsider become free.  Force family away from Rorsa.  Hurt Rorsa.  Hurt Family.”  The large animal says.

The warforged look around.  This room was once the sleep quarters.  Speaking up for the first time, Temper asks if Rorsa has seen any keys.

“Yes”

“Blue?  Blue like this one?” asks Temper as Boddynoc holds up a blue key.

“Yes and no.  Have blue.  Have green also.”  She sits and adjusts her head to show how she has them hanging around her neck.  Bonds thinks briefly of beheading her but realizes they need her information.  Maybe later.

“Could we have the green one?” asks Boddynoc hoping not to be asked to deal with the Outsider.

“Free family”

“You are free to go.” Answers Bonds waving for her to pass him.

“Outsider there.  Hurt me.  Outsider has family.  Hurt family also.  Can not leave.”

Bonds gives a defeated look of why me and returns to stare at Cedious and the two wolves.

Bane has stepped up.  “Where is the Outsider?”

“Out there.”

Bane pinches his eyes shut hard and leans his arm and head against the wall in frustration.

“If we free your family from the Outsider, can we have the green key?”

“Yes” she says with a quick shake from her excitement.

“One last question-  have you seen a diamond shaped piece of metal.  It is about this big (shows a space of about 5 inches) and it is very important.”

“No.  Only Outsider.”

“Does the Outsider have any keys?  Maybe an orange one?” asks Bane trying to get this over with quickly.

“Not know.”

“Lead the way.   Guys-…” Boddynoc motions for the warforged to step aside to allow the large animal through.

“No.   You stop hurt.  You stop Outsider.  I no go.  Family here no go with you.”

Boddynoc freezes in mid-step.

“Wait here family will.”

Boddynoc is startled as the wolf shakes her large spiked head violently until the necklace with the keys comes free.  “Need green.”  Boddynoc picks it up wondering many things but never revealing them.

“Let’s skip her now,” says Bonds once they are away from her and within the rotor room.

“No.  Besides, she may have information we are not aware of yet.  Something to ask that we are not thinking of.”

“Besides, this Outsider could be trouble.  We should remove it quickly anyway.” Adds Temper eyeing the green key in Boddynoc’s hand.

The green key fits in and they try the closest room.  Not so distant howls can be heard.  An unnatural growl can be heard also.  A very unnatural and deep growl.  The warforged would smile if their metallic faces allowed for it.    

Bonds and Temper go in first and are quickly confronted by the Outsider.

“This creature has the shape of a wolf, but plates of black marble have been fused to its flesh.  In addition to the stone armor that shields its flanks, its muzzle has been replaced by an elongated maw filled with row upon row of obsidian teeth.”

Bane feels himself becoming sluggish for a moment but shakes it off.  Angered, he rages and smacks the creature shattering stone and bone.  A deep release of air barely escapes it when Temper then strikes it.  Bane finishes it off before it had a chance.

[DM NOTE:  Critters need better Init with these three power houses]

Learning from the wolves in the water room, when the group ventures down the hallway, they check each doorway better.  An empty unused room is on their left and straight-ahead is the sound of wolves now howling.

“Do you think they know?” asks Cedious to Bane.

As the warforged free the wolves, Cedious and Boddynoc look around.  They find several useful things.  These include an orange key, a House Cannith Signet ring and a crescent moon brooch.

Rorsa’s howls are barely audible but the wolves react to it.  The fear in their eyes goes away and they run to the room.  Once done looking around, the group brings the three wolves to Rorsa and the two wolves there.

“Thankyou.  If you lead us to the way out, I will tell you more.”

“Gladly” says Boddynoc to Bonds with a big smile.  Bonds give a sarcastic shake of the head.  If warforged had proper tongues, he would have stuck it out at the gnome know-it-all.

The blue key brings the room to the ladder.  The animals get help up the ladder leaving Rorsa and Boddynoc below.

“Ball of fire.  Very hot.  Blue key leads to it.  Thankyou.”

“No- THANK you.” Says the gnome.

Bonds grumbles as he aids boosting the large beast through the hole as Bane and Temper take the animal up.  It’s spiked bones scratch and catch on the edges and the rungs but she doesn’t complain.  Soon, she and her family will be free.  Free.


----------



## megamania

Micah said:
			
		

> Nice color coding! I think I'll snag that idea!




Color Coding?   If you mean the "keys" yes.  I first used this idea about three years ago using psionic rods in Darksun.  Here, it was Keith baker's idea as this adventure is the published adventure- "Shadows of the Last War".

If you mean the color coded quotes that was to clarify quotes / descriptions taken directly from the published adventure.

I have some more neat stuff coming.  Tommorrow's game (possibly Segments 25-30) has the introduction of a neat character and a useful DMing tool-

The Korranberg Chronicle.

'til then.  Keep on Reading.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11/20/04
SEGMENT 020
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Deciding to look around Rorsa’s area more now that she is gone, the group re-enters her hallway.  The water room was a shower/bath area used by the wolves for drinking water.  In Rorsa’s room, they look around.  There are several bodies in the bunks of artisans and guards.  They show no signs of how they died or of decay.  Looking in their personal chests, which are not locked, they find mundane goods including some money.  Some things are taken like the money and the chain shirts but most is left behind.

Bonds realizes something but its horror doesn’t affect him much.  The guard Rorsa was dining on has healed up from most of his new damage caused by Rorsa.  

Next they check out the metal sealed door.  Searching it over carefully, Cedious discovers a brown ring around the keyhole.  Blue, Green and Red.   No Brown.  Bonds, Temper and bane take turns trying to break it down.  No good.

Next, the group venture hoping to find the brown key.  They wonder if the schema piece is within that brown access only room.

Once more they move the rotator room around and find a burnt hallway.  Heat rushes out to them.  Cedious spots rib bones within the thick ash.  He swallows hard and allows the warforged to enter first.  It is dimly lit and errie.  Then a gentle crackle can be heard.  “Fire?” asks Bane.  Boddynoc suspects this is what Rorsa had warned him about.

Moving up, they spot a steam filled room.  The heat originates from the room ahead of them however.  Moving up, it attacks!  A living Flaming Sphere Spell!!!!

It narrowly misses swallowing up Bonds.  Bonds strikes it hard and Temper harder.  Boddynoc experiments with the wand he found and discovers it has a weak magic missile ability.  Not so weak however as it destroys the magical ooze.  Everything within the room has been thoroughly burned.

However, Cedious checks out the steam room and finds a goodie-  the Brown Key.  Also found is a House Cannith signet ring.

Going back to the previous room, the group enters the locked room using the Brown Key.  Inside the room is a well to do and decorated room with weapons hung on the walls and a massive wardrobe with elven runes on it.  Reading it, Cedious shakes his head.  “Seek Peace and Prosper”.

Bonds and the two fighters check out the weapons.  They are all masterwork but none magical looking.
Boddynoc looks around and finds a secret compartment below.  Within it is a Red Key, and 25 PP.

[DM NOTES:  Opted to leave out some goods from adventure.  Party is becoming too rich for my liking]

Having no spells left and the others are thoroughly tired and/or injured, the opt to lock the door and rest here for the time being.

“This would make a great place to set up shop.” Says Boddynoc to the others.  They shrug their shoulders at the thought.  Cedious wonders how much more he can find for gold and platinum in the battlefields outside.

Boddynoc sleeps soundly after reviewing his many notes on Warforged creations, House Cannith and now the Whitehearth facility.  They have two blue keys, a green key, a red key, an orange key and brown key.  There is equipment here and no one knows it exists.  The map room that could have lead to it was thoroughly destroyed.  The only downside- it’s in the Mournelands.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
12/04/04
SEGMENT 021
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR 

Fully rested and ready to go, the adventurers exit the room and enter a new corridor.  Using a brown key, they discover the dining hall.  There are a few bodies here.  Still no signs of what may have killed them.  Searching the bodies, they collect another 9 blue keys and 2 more brown keys.  There is a mere handful of coins.

The most curious thing they find is three large flat pans.  One is warm to the touch and one is cold.  The other is very hot.  They leave them here but hope to grab them before leaving.

[DM NOTE:  Switched out the “flavoring” pan for a very hot one]

They try another brown key room and find a room with extra food and water.  Hidden in with the dried foods are potions of cure moderate wounds and lesser restoration.

As a curious note, they find a few deadends.  They can not detect any secret doors or exits but suspect there may be some here.

[DM NOTE:  Bad awareness day for DM.  Missed some traps suggested to exist in the adventure]

The group locates a brightly-lit hallway.  Bonds marches down the hallway to investigate.  He doesn’t realize that the others are warning him.  There is no sound here.  Not even his heavy footsteps can be heard.  Light reflects off of mirrors and cause Bonds to become confused.  That is when the Living Color Spray attacks!  Temper, following after Bonds witnesses the pure white globe of light engulfs Bonds.  Bonds feels the warmth of the creature then begins to get pummeled by the light’s slamming attack.

Dazed, Bonds tries to escape but is too confused and dazed to figure out first how to leave the room then how to escape the creature.  Temper turns and sees Bonds is being possibly eaten by the mass and attacks.  Bane follows up.  Fortunately, they do not strike Bonds as they take it out.  Dazed and blurry-eyed, Bonds feels slightly humbled and yet eager to destroy a new threat.

Cedious, bored with tending to the dazed warforged barbarian, moves on to the next room.  Strangely, there is a curtain blocking this room.  Cedious pushes it aside and discovers two large fire elementals facing him.  Behind him is a large globe with a schema within it.  Something behind the schema is moving.  Something with many heads and arms.

“Come quickly!  I found it!” calls out Cedious.

They show up and discover it is an illusion.  Boddynoc spends a long time here studying it.  He even makes a quick drawing of it before suggesting it is time to move on.

[DM NOTES:  Changed this slightly.  Placed image in “enlarged” scale to make players fearful.]

The next room has large adamantine doors with the seal of House Cannith on them.  This is it.  As they move closer, they can feel the heat rising rapidly.  “Uh…guys?” questions Cedious.  Both Boddynoc and him fear the illusions before are real and on the other side of the door.  Two large fire elementals and something very large with multiple heads.  Possible Hydra… more than likely a pyro-hydra.   Bad.

Using the hilts of their weapons, the warforged ease the twin doors open allowing Cedious a better look into the hot room.

“This large chamber stretches away from the doorway, and intense heat shimmers in the air.  A raging bonfire burns about 40 feet away, near the far wall, casting dancing shadows across the room.  A second one burns about 60 feet away, along the southern wall.  In the center of the room, a large crucible filled with bubbling molten glass radiates terrible heat.  Long, snaking heads made of iron and brass rise up from the molten pool like some metal hydra.  Just south of the crucible and the construct, a crystalline chest reflects the hot light.  Through the translucent material, you can see that the chest contains a variety of objects, including what can only be the diamond-shaped schema that you seek.  Then, with an angry crackle of flame and a threatening hiss of steam, the bonfires begin to move toward you.”

Cedious, whom admits that sometimes he needs to think his actions out a bit better, rushes into the room to get the Schema.  He is then stopped and flanked by the two medium fire elementals!  Bonds and Temper move in to attack, they are leery after seeing how fast the fire creatures moved within the room.  Bane moves in to flank the creatures and if required, pull Cedious out of the fire (bad pun).  Boddynoc, concerned with the metal guardian behind the elementals, uses ranged abilities on it.  It seems to do little.  Even his ice attack seems to do little but cause a great deal of steam to rise up giving the arms/heads cover.

Bonds takes out one elemental while Cedious flees the scene still on fire from his first rush.  He’ll live but will forever remember that fire elementals are much faster than he is.  Between the three of them, the last elemental is destroyed.

Looking at the “hydra” more closely, they realize it is only a machine that is dysfunctional.  It would not be until much later that Boddynoc with fathom its purpose.  According to the research notes he found, it was used to hurl molten glass into oncoming armies.  Very nasty.

Cedious, after drinking several potions quickly, picks the lock of the chest and looks into the goodies.  TWO copies of the diamond shaped schema, 2 potions of resist energy (fire), 2 potions of Cure Moderate Wounds, 1 scroll of resist energy and the best and most unexpected surprise- a Xen’drik creation pattern.
Looking at it, it is the main base of the schema.  There are several slots and holes that suggest pieces go into them.  Trying it, the diamond shaped piece fits perfectly.  Boddynoc is warm with happiness.

Boddynoc looks over the room and finds various controls.  He misses the one that opens a hatch above them to exit the installation.

“This has got to become MY lab” smiles Boddynoc.

The next part will not be easy.

They were to meet with Lady Elaydren in the city of Rhukaan Draal.  The city of goblinoids.  Goblinoids that hate them.  They have several days to decide how to do this before they reach the city.  They follow the trail used by the Emerald Claw.

The time it takes to reach the gray mist allows the party members to reflect on the adventure thus far.

Cedious is still hoping to find easy riches along the way (he doesn’t) and sometimes he checks out the magical scimitar he has kept.  One of the warforged carry it for him.  Open fields, the sense of freedom.. the sounds of horses….what does it mean?

Bonds and Temper hope for a proper introduction with the ogre that killed Khora.

Bane seems content traveling with this group.  It has proved profitable and entertaining thus far anyway.  He still hopes to find the Emerald Claw mage and have his revenge on her.

Boddynoc continues to study Bonal’s journal and read his notes on the House Cannith facility.  He hopes his preoccupation isn’t becoming too noticeable.  He has many plans and hopes for the creation schema, the facility and House Cannith.

Meanwhile, a figure has been watching them from afar.  The lone dark skinned figure studies them with great and intense interest.  Who this is will be revealed later.  Much later.


They arrive at the gray mists and suck in their breaths before entering.  They truly dislike the conditions and disorienting effects of this non-normal mist.  Boddynoc, Temper and Bonds exit freely after groping around for twenty minutes.  Bane and Cedious do not.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
12/04/04
SEGMENT 022
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR
Cedious hears a twig break …or was it a branch?  He is thoroughly confused now.  He barely holds his balance as he trips over a body but continues on.  He is calling out to the others but no one answers him.

Bane is frustrated.  Where is everyone?  

Thud.

He has walked into something.  Feeling around he feels wood boards.  Has he walked into a building or wall?  No.  He then finds a wheel.  It’s a wagon.  Feeling around, he discovers it is a cadaver wagon.  Ugh!
He continues on.

Growing impatient and a bit fearful, the three outside the mist settle down for the night.  They start a fire to allow Bane and Cedious a possibility to find them even in the dark as the sun is beginning to settle now.

Cedious continues to call out to his allies.  He nearly tumbles down a sloped gutter hidden in the mist.  He slides down and finds a pool of shallow water (at least he hopes it is water).  After sniffing it to push away any fears of blood and gore he feels his way out to the other side and climbs its bank.  He can’t believe this.  He is lost!

Bane exits the mist.  It is dark but not yet night.  He spots a campfire in the distance and goes to it.  He is happy to find it belongs to his friends.

Two hours later, Cedious exits the gray mists.  He is within a forest now (he has several bumps and bruises to prove it) and knows he is not with his friends anymore.

He calls out once and listens.  Nothing.  With a deep sigh, he marches north.  About two hours into his walk, he suspects he went the wrong way but has a new concern to worry about.  Something is following him.  Something nearby.

He hides and waits.  In the tallest grass he spots a spear tip.  The tip moves as if held by a nervous wielder.  Finally, the creature emerges.  A lone kobold!
Even by himself, Cedious easily dispatches the poor thing.  No money.  Drat.

Now very late in the night he spots a campfire.  Boddynoc!  Temper!  Bonds! Bane!  He moves closer and discovers four gnolls.  Three are resting and a fourth is on guard duty.  Looking at their bags, Cedious suspects they are scavengers of the Mournelands just like him.

His greed gets the best of him and he moves closer to the camp.  Being very careful to approach from behind, he attacks and kills the gnoll but not without waking the others.  He runs away without being seen.  One he can sneak attack.  Three would see him coming easily.  Oh well.

The sun rises and Boddynoc and his group are saddened.  It appears Cedious will not make it.  Good thing Boddynoc kept the schemas.  They continue along the trail hoping to reach the stables soon along the river.

Cedious finds a secure tree and naps in it as best as he can for a few hours as the sun rises.  Rested but lonely, he walks further.  Eventually he discovers a hard packed road.  He shadows the road remembering the goblinoids and the rumors of eating halflings.  He avoids two patrols of armored hobgoblins.  Even more curious, he spots five warforged sneaking around much like himself.  One of the five looks to be a commander.

Where could they be going thinks Cedious.

Continuing along the grasslands and edges of the forest Cedious makes good time.  He comes into an area with many goblinoid troops.  It appears they are meeting here and preparing for something.  War perhaps.  He decides to leave sooner than later.

On the positive side, he begins to hear more rumors and talk of the human invaders in Rhukaan Draal.  He also learns of the name of the ogre that killed Khora.  His name was Gork Broadshoulders.  He is the youngest of well to-do ogres in the city.  

He hopes to find his friends there …somehow.

EPILOGUE:  (done while shivering outside in the snow smoking, chewing and in my case just shivering)

The others meanwhile have found a means to go south by boat.  They needed to wait a day or two but this doesn’t bother them much.  The trade barge takes them south.  Without being asked to, Boddynoc does many repairs on the barge using his artificer abilities.  The man is so happy that he warns the group of the civil unrest there within the city.  He plans to skip the city this time but will drop them off on shore a few miles away.

He also informs them of a non-goblinoid that is staying on a house barge.  Someone whom has money and clout.  

Boddynoc hopes it is Lady Elaydren.


----------



## dravot

How did your group cope with the lack of healing in the Mournlands?


----------



## Micah

megamania said:
			
		

> Color Coding?   If you mean the "keys" yes.  I first used this idea about three years ago using psionic rods in Darksun.  Here, it was Keith baker's idea as this adventure is the published adventure- "Shadows of the Last War".





Wups - should have clarified. I liked that you didn't make the mineshafts all identical like the module suggested. The orange enamel was a nice way to warn your group.

Thanks for all the ideas here!


----------



## megamania

dravot said:
			
		

> How did your group cope with the lack of healing in the Mournlands?




I decided that healing magic could not be "created" within the boundries of the Mournlands.  Potions work.  Even with that, they depleted most of their supply.  

As for the lack of a cleric, they are working on that now due to recent events yet to be posted.

I do believe my group will forever hate the goblinoid nation of Darguun.


----------



## megamania

Micah said:
			
		

> Wups - should have clarified. I liked that you didn't make the mineshafts all identical like the module suggested. The orange enamel was a nice way to warn your group.
> 
> Thanks for all the ideas here!




Thankyou.   I adjusted that if only because the group had little means of healing and the idea of multiple shocking grasp traps I felt would lead to fatalities.  That came ...just later.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
12/18/04
SEGMENT 023
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Cedious continues his trek across the Darguun territory.  He sees many patrols and even one slaver’s wagon which reminds him of the dangers of being caught here in the land of the goblinoids.  He continues to follow a somewhat paved road of lose flat stone and packed earth surrounded by high grass and an occational tree.  Eventually he reaches a bridge and beyond that he can see a forest.  On the bridge is a lone figure holding a large sword.

Continueing to move onward Cedious losses sight of the bridge and the figure then finds the mysterious figure is gone.  Strange.  Shugging his shoulders, he merely continues onward.  After all, how bad can it be.

After traveling about twenty feet in the forest he hears a series of chanting.  Taking to caution, he gets off the road and creeps forward.  Stopping at a large tree, he listens closely.  He doesn’t know the language but senses he wants little to do with this.  Still .. how often can you see ..whatever it is.

He takes one quiet step and when he goes for his next something stops him.  Something with a clawed hand!

“You do not want to see what is there little one.”

Pulling free and spinning around to confront this new possible threat Cedious faces the claw handed person.  Before him is a mysterious creature.  Possibly the one at the bridge he had seen before.  It is a bugbear wearing dreadlocks.  He is dressed in studded leather armour that is professionally crafted.  Pieces of Brass metal highlight the armor.  The armor covers his jaw but one tooth can be seen peaking from behind the leather.  He carries a strangely crafted serrated sword and on his right hand is a wrist razor.  Three long, strong and very sharp claws protrude from it.  His blue eyes are very striking.

“What occurs beyond these trees is not for you.”

“Really?  And just how do you know this?” demands Cedious while trying to gain some sort of upper hand.

“You are a hafling.  You do not belong there.  I can see that clearly.”

Cedious looks up at this figure trying to figure him out.  “Well…I need to continue on to reach the city.  The city is on this road…right?”

The figure in orange and red armor merely stares at the halfling.  “What business do you have within the city of the goblinoids?”

“I am to ….,” he hestitates to say anything.  This figure is a problem.  He is quite certain of it.  “…meet my adventuring party there.”

“Adventureing party?”

Cedious swallows. “yup.”

“Thieves more like it.  I can smell the mists on you.  I can smell Cyre on you.  Where were you?”

Cedious now fully understands this figure is more than he appears to be.  “We …we were sent to the lands to locate something.”

The figure stares at him.  Cedious continues.  “House Cannith wanted something from there.  We were paid to collect it and return it.  Return it in the city that is.  So…how do we reach the city?”

“Three days away.”  Is his only answer.

He moves away quickly making no sound.  Cedious gives chase making more noise than he is.  Eventually they reach the road again and carefully return to it.  Cedious notes that this stranger uses his sense of smell often.  Could he really have that good of smell?

Cedious trys to ply information from the stranger for the next twenty minutes but gets no where with him.  Then quite suddenly, he stops and motions for the woods.  Creeping here, they reach the edge.  Another bridge but this time it has guards.  Five Bugbears guard it.

“blood.” The stranger says.

Cedious breathes in through his nose.  He smells only the damp soil of a forest and pollens of the trees and flowers that reside within the forest.  He sees a river nearby and creeps to it.  Blood.  There is blood within the river!  Cedious rushes back but the stranger is missing.  He hears a breaking sound of wood and the grunts of pain.  Cedious moves to the edge again and sees the stranger on the bridge.  Three of the guards can not be seen.  The other two are down on the ground.

He runs out to the stranger perflexed.  “I could’ve done that myself!”

The closest thing to a smile crosses the stranger’s face now.  “You have spirit little one.”  And he turns and walks away continueing south.

Several times they hide from patroling armies and forces of bugbears and hobgoblins.  Eventually, the evening comes.  “I know of some shelter near here.” The stranger says.

“Lead on.” Says Cedious knowing he was going to go there one way or another.

An hour later they break from the road and go through a light forest.  Eventually, they reach a cave.  “Wait here little one.”  Cedious does he is told.  He wonders what this guy is about in the meantime.

Twenty minutes later, he comes out.  “All is ready little one.”

Going into the cave Cedious looks for clues or possible occupants.  The cave is 10x10 rock for the first sixty feet.  Then there is sand and pebbles.  Signs of recent use is here.  Blood can be seen also.  A faint light further on catches his attention.  He enters a 30x40 foot section.  Within this section is fire with chunks of meat cooking.  “Do you like bear?”

“Never had it before.” Says Cedious sitting down in fear.  If this guy wants to kill him, it would be no problem for him to do it.

Cedious sleeps soundly and awakes in one piece.  When he exists the cave however, he is startled.  It doesn’t seem like the same cave as before.  “Where are we?” asks Cedious.

“About three hours north of the city of goblins.”

“I thought you said we were three DAYS away yesterday.”

“You were mistaken little one.  We were three hours away.”

After an hour passes the stranger stops and turns.  “I can not enter the city.  I would recommend you do not to also.  Try the docks for your friend.”

Cedious just stands there and watches him stride off into the tall grass.  He then walks off towards what he feels is the river which will lead to the docks and his friend…err…friends.

"Hey?!?"


----------



## dravot

megamania said:
			
		

> I decided that healing magic could not be "created" within the boundries of the Mournlands.  Potions work.  Even with that, they depleted most of their supply.
> 
> As for the lack of a cleric, they are working on that now due to recent events yet to be posted.




I'm going to keep it pretty close to the rules as written, so healing potions won't work either.  I think though, that healing potions created in the Mournlands will work, but at a reduced rate, with a chance for minor side effects.    

Reading the WotC boards, two things from core seem to work in the Mournlands: goodberries (which are limited in their affect to 8 hp/day) and rope trick, which makes a pocket dimension where healing would be allowed.  My party will have to figure that out on their own though.    



			
				megamania said:
			
		

> I do believe my group will forever hate the goblinoid nation of Darguun.




Heh.  I can't wait for that.


----------



## megamania

It gets very nasty and deadly in the next segment.  What do you think of the mysterious aid that helps Cedious?   Any thoughts?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
12/18/04
SEGMENT 024
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Boddynoc and the adventurers watch as the barge pulls away from shore.  They are a ½ day walk away from the city.  They only can hope Cedious will meet them there or in Sharn at the Broken Anvil Tavern.  The terrain here is tall grasses with short trees that grow alone.  It will not be easy to sneak up through the last bit.

About an hour into their walk they spot two armored bugbears skipping rocks into the muddy river.  Suddenly they stop and scramble further onto shore.  A well armored Hobgoblin barks at them and beats them on the head with his spiked club.  It appears their commander feels break is over.  All the warforged are thinking is a grand fight.  Bane is no better.

Boddynoc hopes they will leave.  Waiting for ten minutes, he discovers this won’t happen.  About 30 of the armored creatures are doing military drills here.  “swell.” Boddynoc says under his breathe.  “I hope I can still find my invisibility potion.” He says under his breath as he looks at his three comrades whom are eager for combat.

“As warforged, you could walk into the river submerged and thus go undetected.  We could try to swim it and submerge ourselves to get past.” Offers Boddynoc.

“We can take them.” Answers Temper.

“We took on the Claw with no problems.” Adds in Bonds.

Bane only smiles.

[DM NOTE-  I like to place in stuff that PCs should KNOW to run from.  Unfortunately, they are feeling combative suddenly.  Before I could think of a senceible means to move the army, Bonds attacks.  Sigh.  I hope someone survives.]

There are two groups of 10 armored bugbears and a group of 8 armored bugbears (all I had in metal & plastic) lead by three hobgoblins.  

[DM NOTES-  Bugbears were straight from the book.  Hobgoblins I gave two 3 levels of fighter and one 5 levels.  ]

Bonds charges straight out from the bushes into the first hobgoblin knocking him over and into a tumble.  The bugbears stop and are stunned.  The commander begins to bark out orders and searches the direction of the charge.  He orders the others to converge there.

Bonds is surrounded and beaten on.

Boddynoc, having just finished using up his bane spells on all weapons is weary of this encounter.  He fires a crossbow with Melf’s acid arrow on it.  The commander is hit but barely notices it as he stands on the wall of a ruined old building.

Temper rushes out next.  He meets the second group head on and takes on bugbear down.

Bane begins to go around to meet the third group.

Boddynoc can’t believe this.  They split up!  Worse- the commander is eyeing him now.  He suspects the commander knows he is a mage manipulator!  Where is that potion!

Bonds goes down as they team up and pummel him.  Even enraged, how do you defend yourself against 10 bugbears and a hobgoblin?  Recognizing him by the skull on his shoulder pad, the goblinoids continue to cut him up. 

Temper realizes his mistake but is surrounded.  He drops a few more.

[DM NOTE-  Jeff’s quote-  “I am almost to my next level.  Can I have Great Cleave now?”   Andy  hahahah- hurm.  No. ]

 Bane is taken down.

With a commander bearing down on him, Boddynoc consumes his potion of invisibility and slowly creeps away.  

Temper goes down and the three fighters are chopped up by the Darguun military.

Slowly, Boddynoc slips into the river and floats away, just as he had wanted to in the beginning.

He continues to float for awhile.  After an hour goes by he nears a bridge with a goblin watching.  The goblin has more interest with something on shore than the river.  Boddynoc has reached the city.

“oh yay.” He mourns.


----------



## Micah

megamania said:
			
		

> It gets very nasty and deadly in the next segment.  What do you think of the mysterious aid that helps Cedious?   Any thoughts?




I like it! The encounter was great - a lot of plot hooks lying around for future use should you decide to pick them up. Besides a blue-eyed/dreadlocked bugbear ranger is pretty unique.

It will be interesting to see what the "new party" looks like.


----------



## dravot

megamania said:
			
		

> It gets very nasty and deadly in the next segment.  What do you think of the mysterious aid that helps Cedious?   Any thoughts?




Man, they chose rock.  I haven't made a decision that dumb since my 2nd session of D&D when I was in 7th grade.    

And cheers for Boddynoc, who knows that discretion is the better part of valor.

The mysterious bugbear with blue eyes is indeed cool.  I hope that he becomes useful in your campaign.


----------



## megamania

You have not seen the last of the bugbear ...I can guarantee that.  

The next and final (I'm caught up yeaaah!) segment proves that everyone was absent minded on that day.  Bill (Boddynoc) will be so POed when he realiezes what has happened.   January 1st  will not be here soon enough. 


The one thing I am pushing is the many factions involved in the world of Eberron.  We have already seen The Emerald Claw and several Warforged that fought for a common cause (Lord of Blades obviously).  There are already two other factions involved and soon another that the PCs are unaware of.

Keep in mind...the power to create life is a big deal.  I have this planned through level 18 (assuming I avoid Darguun   ).

Lets wait and see what happens.


----------



## megamania

****Before I come across wrong-


The guys are loving it.  Making new characters is no big deal to them.  IF they had survived, the bragging rites would have been worth it to them.  Its all about having fun.

Early suggestions include more min/maxing

Jeff with another Warforged Fighter and Jimmy with a 1/2 Giant Monkey gripping fighter (oh my)  BJ I don't know if he had decided yet.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
12/18/04
SEGMENT 026
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR: EPILOGUE

[DM’s NOTE-  Boddynoc is more than he has shown.  He wishes to be a part of The Trust.  The Trust is a spy branch of the Gnome government.  He hopes to give his government the ability to create warforged.  This is why he has been collecting any and all information and making copies of  all items found.  Knowing the levels of danger to himself has increased greatly by finding the base plate, he wishes to contact his government- in Zilargo.  I’ll give it to Bill-  he played Lady Elaydren well.  What this will mean to Eberron is unclear but could change things.  But as the spy movies always say-  there’s more here than evident.  Read on folks.  It’s a shocker.]

It takes an entire week to exit the river and another few days to reach  Korranberg.  Boddynoc is wise not to study his journals here and keeps the sack with him at all times.  Cedious does the same but helps himself to the drinks often.  It has been a hard few weeks after all.  Once in Korranberg , they go to leave.  Lady Elaydren stops them.

“I would rather you stay here.  I will not be long.”

“Not to worry.  We merely wish to get a gnomish drink or two.  We will be back before you I’m certain.”

Each stare at the other trying to win.  “Allow me to lend you a guard.  The city can be dangerous at times. Regganold has been here several times before.  I’m certain he knows several good taverns.”

A guard steps over to them.  Cedious gives Boddynoc the look of no problem.  “Very well.  You are too generous.”

Cedious has yet to be clued in on what Boddynoc’s real agenda is.  He is not even aware he is a Zilargo spy!  They locate a bar quickly with Regganold’s help.  Outside, Boddynoc drops a note or two about what he has hoping a government agent will find it.

[DM NOTE-  “?”  What is he thinking?]

Cedious offers a drink to the guard.  “I’m on duty.  I really should not….” Boddynoc places it into his hands.  “To Khora”

“To Khora” the three say and drink.  The guard sips his.  Cedious empties his.  He motions for a refill.

“To Temper”

“To Temper” and this time when the guard puts it to his mouth, Cedious bumps his arm making him drink it all.  Coughing he puts it down.  “Sorry-  my bad.”  And gets him another.

“No.  Please I’m on duty.  The Lady would not approve.”

“Tell her Cedious forced you.  He can be quite forceful at times.”

“Yeah-  especially when drinking about dead friends.”

The gnomish bartender comes over.  Her cleavage is all too clear and distracts Cedious for a moment.  Even the guard, with his higher stance is distracted.  He takes the next drink without prompting.  Boddynoc merely smiles.  “Gotcha” he thinks.

Two seedy looking gnomes enter the bar ten minutes later.  They sit at a corner where they can clearly see the three of them.  They try to hide the fact they are looking at them but only make it more obvious.

“To Bonds”

“To Bonds” Cedious gulps his drink down.  Boddynoc sips his and the guard merely touches his lips remembering what his duty is.  The bar tender has moved away.  It is not her business why the two want the human drunk.

After three more drinks, Cedious can’t take it anymore.  “WHAT…What is their problem?!?” he loudly proclaims looking straight at the bumbling fools in the corner. Boddynoc needs to relieve himself and leaves.  The guard’s eyes dart back and forth to watch the two sneaky adventurers.  

In the restroom, Boddynoc spots a torn page from the Korranberg Chronicle.  It seems to be largely about Sharn.  He pockets it before marching over to the stupid gnomes.  He catches them name calling and pushing.  They are blaming each other for being spotted by the halfling.

Cedious spots Boddynoc and notes his mouthing of instructions.  “Time for fresh air.  Cedious gets up but the guards blocks him.  “We need to wait for Boddynoc.”

Looking down and shaking his head in defeat.  Boddynoc steps over to them.  They leave the building but the gnome has “forgotten” something.  He runs inside.  The two seedy gnomes were just climbing out of their booths.  “Here it is.  Get it to the right authorities.  I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.”  And runs back out.

The two look at each other with big smiles and grab the haversack.

[DM NOTE-  Well…this changes things…drastically!]


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
12/18/04
SEGMENT 027
KORRANBERG CHRONICLE FRONT PAGE

It appears I can not show my spiffy copy here soooo......

My DM Tool-  a lose page of the Korranberg Chronicle had this to say- (VERY paraphrased)

Lead article-   Sharn-  There is unrest with Warforged in the cogs.  There is a gang that is trying to locate something within the cogs and forgotten regions below the city.  To make matters worse-  There is a group of humans that are doing the same thing.  What and Why?

Other articles-
Seth Silvershorn returns to Sharn.  Long thought dead.  Lost at sea when parents were traveling to Xen'drix.  

Pro. Fosthelm speaks about the comparrison of Psionics and arcane magics

On This Day-
997  First organized Freeball game   Cogs Curse vs Hurricanes  Curse won 45-5
983  Battle of Blight  Karranth assassins poison Thrane priests

Quote of the day-
Anti-warforged settiment on the rise in Sharn


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 028
STORMS OF DECIET

Boddynoc and Cedious meander through the city of Korranberg trying to confuse the guard with their gibber and gabber.  Boddynoc is also hoping for a sign from the Zilargo Trust.  Within the bag was a note asking for the return of the goods.

They walk up to the market area to sell some of their loot.  It is going to cost a lot to build and operate a lab.

Boddynoc finds a market area that specializes in magical goods with the guard’s help.  It is obvious to them that the guard has visited here several times but seems limited in what he knows of the city and where to find certain things.

Boddynoc buys a mule and cart on the way to this market.  He hopes to fill it shortly.  At Dinkle’s Arcanist Hobby Shop he finds a basic Alchemy kit, tools to work the four most basic materials (leather, wood, glass and some smithing tools).  Dinkle is very curious about what the gnome is up to and asks many questions and throws in his own experiences hoping to entice Boddynoc into talking more openly.  “Just building stuff.  Magic stuff.”   He also buys all of the compasses the shop had (5).  He hopes to create a means to travel safer through the gray mists.

Cedious spots a shop across the street that has armor and weapons in the front window.  Fella’s Swords and Armor has a varied array of weapons and some armor.  The guard rolls his eyes as Cedious tries to sell the Glamored armor (from Gallow) for extremely high price.  When asked about the blood Cedious tries to smooth it over and finally admits he got it from the Mournlands when fighting for his life.  This increases the value to the gnome salesman and he buys it for 1500 gold.  Cedious, hoping for real easy money, then shows him the Valenar double-scimitar.  “May I touch it?” asks Fella.  With a beaming smile, Cedious says okay.  Fella experiences the sensation of an open prairie and the wind rushing about him.  “It’s Sentient!!!!?” he exclaims with great excitement.  “How much?!?”

“errr…  20000 gold.” Tries Cedious.  The gnome looks right at him.  “I don’t carry that kind of money.  How much?”

Cedious looks at the guard whom shrugs his shoulders.  Boddynoc, thinking about the lab he is creating ignores Cedious’ newest game for money.  

“2000 gold?” offers the gnome.

“4500 gold.” States Cedious having no idea what the real value of the weapon is.

“2000 gold and 1500 gold tomorrow.” Counter offers Fella.

“Nope.  Don’t plan on staying.”

With great reluctance, Fella watches the three of them leave with the elven weapon.

“We should try to identify it before you sell it.” Suggests Boddynoc.

“How?”

They go into a few more stores and buy the required components for the spell and also a scroll of Identify.  After waiting awhile for any contact from the government, Boddynoc uses the scroll on the weapon.  It is a magical sword with the spirit of an elven ranger’s horse in it.  It allows for Bless to be caste 3 times a day.  Value being about 5000 gold.  Low ability scores and Ego score.

Deciding it is of no use to them, they return to the store prepared to sell it for the 2000 gold.  Fella’s eyes open in pleasure and surprise.  “Oh good you came back.   How about this for a deal- 2000 gold and possibly one of my weapons here?  I have fine magical weapons.”

Cedious gives Boddynoc and the Cannith guard a smile and turns back looking bored-  “any rapiers?”

Twenty minutes later he leaves with 2000 gold and a +1 rapier.

They wait still a while longer and get some food.  “Where are they?” wonders Boddynoc.   

They go and sell the necklace Cedious stole in Sharn next.  He gets some gold for that then they are lost at what to do.  Finally Boddynoc returns to the wastebasket where he placed the note.  

The         Note       is      still     there     ….crud

“Uh- if you were giving the stuff to friends of yours then…” begins Cedious.

The guard interrupts-  “Why are looking through the trash?”

“Those gnomes ….not of the ….  Oh no.  oh-no

[Bill gives me the “you are a $*** head….good shot   …damned good play]

They immediately begin to search for the two clumsy foolish bumbling gnomes whom made fools out of them.  They are looking around and checking faces as they work back to the tavern.  The whole time the Cannith guard is perplexed and asking what has happened.  He is becoming flustered by the two short folk whom are at this point ignoring him and his questions.  Cedious thinks of knifing him more than once.  At this point, Boddynoc may not stop him.

“Without that piece, Lady Elaydren will be very unhappy and fire us.” Comments Cedious.  Boddynoc was hoping for help from her setting up a lab.  If he has lost the piece he doubts she will aid him.  They finally reach the tavern.   No bumbling gnomes.

With the biggest smile and charm, Cedious goes up to the female bartender again.  “Do you remember the gnomes that were sitting in that corner?”

“Gnomes?  There are many gnomes in this city.” She says as she continues wiping down the bar.  Boddynoc notes her hand is overturned and on cue produces money.  Being in no mood to fool around, he gives her a platinum piece!

With great skill, the piece makes it into her personal pocket and not the apron pocket.  “The bumbling fools… yes it would be hard to forget them.  They were idiots.”

Rolling their eyes, the two adventurers press their point.  “Where did they go?  Who were they?”  They became quite excited shortly after you left and began to push each other fighting over whom was to give the goodies to the Lady.”

“The Lady?!” says Boddynoc with growing fear.  He truly hopes it is NOT Lady Elaydren.  “Do you know whom they meant by the Lady?”

“No.  Perhaps a noble or a rich person.  Even Dragonmarked family members sometimes get the title.  Could even be a street name.   Why?  What happened?”

“Yes-  what has happened?” asks the guard.  It is becoming obvious to them that this guard is as much an idiot as the two gnomes.  Unlike them, they will not underestimate him.  Cedious wants to lose him-  one way or another.  Boddynoc reasons it was not the Lady he knows since the guard was given to him.  …of course he is an idiot…..

Angry (with himself as much as anyone) , Boddynoc turns onto the guard.  “Do you know any Ladies?”  It is obvious he knows one since he squirms and looks uncomfortable.

“Hey-  Maybe it is Lady Payne.” Suggests the bartender.

Now the guard is bright red.

Sensing a possible connection-  “Where is this Lady Payne?” asks Cedious.  He looks directly at the guard, not the bar tender.

“ah….I doubt its her …that did whatever you think she did…” he fumbles and stutters.

“She is about a twenty minute walk from here.  She is in the rougher neighborhood of Korranberg.  She caters to folks of …unusual wants.” The bar tender adds.

“Really?” says Cedious in an accusing tone to the guard.

“Ten blocks north then one west and another north then around the fountain.”   Satisfied she has earned her platinum piece, she moves on but within distance to hear the conversation.    

“Lead on.” Cedious says.

“I don’t know where the House of Payne is.” Says the guard whom then suddenly sinks realizing he just admitted it.

They go and indeed it reaches a seedy section of the city.  Just the area two bumbling thieves could be hired.  There are tattoo parlors and pawnshops.  Then more questionable areas.  Cedious’ nose inhales as he passes some doorways. Finally they spot a cheap looking hood that is calling to walkers by.  

“Girls! Girls!  Come in and see the girls!”  The sign above him reads the House of Payne.

“Ah good customers-  welcome.  We cater to all people.” The caller says as he looks at the human guard whom is trying to hide but keep with the two short people he was told to keep after.  There are days his job really sucks.  Then there are these days….

“Cat house?” says Cedious with a mixed tone of disbelief and stating the obvious.

“A lot of crime originates in an area like this… lets go in and check it out.  At the least we can ask about other “ladies” and maybe get rid of a burden.” And with that he shrugs towards the smitten human guard.

The room is a bright and gaudy green with white and red trim.  A very old female gnome with a very deep v-neck dress turns to them.  “Welcome.  Welcome to the House Payne.  I am Lady Payne.  How may I help you?”

Cedious looks at the guard then at her then at the guard.  Beaming with a huge smile, he turns to her.  “Our friend here was talking about this place and we thought we would visit and  …look around.”

“Oh- don’t be shy baby,”  She does an exaggerated walk to the human. “Say-  Don’t I recognize you?  Why yes!  Excellent- a return customer!”  Cedious and Boddynoc smirk and nod to each other.  They slip her platinum and tell her to give him whatever he wants and can handle….then some.  She snaps her fingers with one hand as the platinum quickly disappears from view.  Four woman, all gnomes, come out and surround the human and work him away from the others.

“No!  I have to be with them.  It’s my job damn it!”

“Don’t worry-  we will be sampling the girls also and meet you here.  Relax.  Whatever Lady Elaydren doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

Hearing the reference to lady and remembering the platinum piece, Lady Payne pours on the charm.  “What can I do to you?”

Cedious catches the twist of words and thinks about it then remembers the reason for being here.

“Where is the plate?” asks Boddynoc.

“The plate?  I am unfamiliar with this.”

“The plate damn it!  The two idiots stole it from us and ….” His voice dies off.  She is strictly a Madame of a bordello.  She is not behind this.  In a defeated voice, “Do you know anyone else that goes by the title of Lady?”

If she was offended she doesn’t show it.  “Only the best have such titles.  Nobles, the rich and …myself.”

Giving a goblin curse he picked up in Darguun, the two leave.  “At least we ditched the guard.”

“Okay, we can’t find it.  It’s time to give this a spin.  We were robbed and lost the plate.”

“She won’t buy it but it’s better than the truth.” 

They begin to wander back towards the docks.  Boddynoc still hopes a member of The Trust will show up.  SOMETHING good has to happen today.  It can’t get any worse at least.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 029
STORMS OF DECIET

“Okay-  so they jumped us and took the bag and ran for it.  We gave chase but without the guide she gave us we became lost ourselves.”  Recites Cedious.

“Needs more details but nothing that be pinned down.” Adds Boddynoc glumly.

“They grabbed the bag and kept switching off confusing us.  There may have been five of them total.”

Boddynoc gives the look of ‘no’.

Finally they reach the dock and …no Cannith barge!

“Oh what the …!!!!!!!”

Cedious begins to search across the bay in case she merely moved the barge.

“There!”  He shouts and points about three hundred feet out.  The barge is moving away and they can see Lady Elaydren waving at them.  Boddynoc is sure he saw her give them the universal salute.

“I can’t believe it.  Not her…..” he pouts.

A dockworker moves to them with purpose.  “Are you Boddynoc Grinkle?” asks the worker.

Looking at him, he tries to figure out what is happening now.  “Yes.”

“I was asked to pass these onto you and assure you everything is in order.”  He hands a sack and a note to him.

He hands the heavy bag to Cedious and unrolls the scroll.

Boddynoc and Cedious-
Important House Cannith business has come up and I was forced to leave immediately.  I had hoped to speak to you in person could events did not allow for it.  Something has happened in Sharn.  I have arranged passage for the two of you with Captain Attar.  He should arrive in Korranberg tomorrow mourning.  Please ask for him.  I will arrange to meet you in Sharn at the usual spot.  In the bag is 500 gold as payment for services thus far.  There is a bit extra for housing for the two of you and the guide.
Lady Elaydren.
“Well- this gives us time to think of something at least.”

Cedious hefts the bag.  He knows what is inside and with a smile, he places it into the Haversack they still have.  The dockworker has already left.  “We passed a few inns near here.  Lets get food and relax.”

Boddynoc is uncertain but now leans towards it was not her that sent the thugs.  So- who is the Lady behind it?

The next morning comes easily enough and the two go down to the docks.  They share a few good laughs wondering how their guide is doing.  Many jokes involving the play of words of Payne.

Sure enough, a large solid looking three-mast ship is at the dock.  The ship name is The Attar.  Cedious and Boddynoc miss the fact that the dock area seems very quiet today.  They go to the ship and ask for a Captain Attar.

From on the ship walks forward a large bald man with a goatee and very expensive looking clothing.  He carries a staff.  “I am Captain Attar.  Who would you be?”

“I am Boddynoc Grinkle and this fine fellow is Cedious.  We were told that Lady Elaydren of House Cannith had arranged portage with you to Sharn.”  He takes a few steps onto the gangplank connecting the dock to the large ship.

Looking it over, Cedious sees many human workers.  They look very strong and serious.  Looks like a boring trip coming up.  He also notes a young man with billowing fine cloth and long black hair.  He seems to be very busy looking over the sailing equipment.

Following his lead, Cedious walks behind Boddynoc further up the plank near the top.  “Did she give you papers?  A rite of passage?  I will need to see them.”

Boddynoc pulls out the scroll and goes up to him.  Cedious spots a group of gnomes in light armor coming from an alley between warehouses.  They appear to be on patrol but something bothers him about it.  Halflings are so suspicious.

Boddynoc walks onto the ship and hands him the scroll.  Cedious stands at the top of the plank but doesn’t walk onto the ship.  He notes the workers are working hard ...at doing nothing.  Uh-oh.

“Welcome to Korranberg Captain Attar.” Calls out the patrol captain.  “Is everything in order?”

Cedious counts six guards and the commander.  They stopped and fanned out to completely cover the base of the boarding board.  His  heart is beginning to race.  (Trap sense???)

“Everything is in order.  I have here Mr. Boddynoc Grinkle and a Mr. ….Cedious.  I also have a warrant for their capture for theft.”

“WHAT!” screams Boddynoc.

Cedious looks quickly at options.  He sees no clear ones.  The “ship crew” now seems to all located clubs and capturing tools that were just out of their sight and moved in.  A possible mage seems to have also appeared near the steering area where he has a good vantagepoint of everything.   A perfect set up.

“NO!  NO! NO! “ Screams Boddynoc.  Suddenly he rushes down the plank and tries to force his way pass the gnome guards.  They easily drag him down and produce rope to bind him.

Still on the plank, Cedious goes for his weapon.  A guard kicks the plank and he and the board go down.  They expect an easy retrieval of the halfling.  They have done what so many have before- they underestimated the cunning and luck of the halfling rogue.

Using gaffing hooks on long poles, several crewmembers try to blindly snag him in the dark shadows.  Meanwhile Boddynoc discovers what Mage manacles are as he finds his fingers painfully secured and unable to do much.

[out of game-   you are such a bastard he says with a big smile]

“Enough- Balair senses a storm coming.  We can not wait any longer.  Captain Demmen- if you do capture the rogue, hold him.  House Cannith wants him for theft and questioning.”

“What proof of these crimes do you have?” she counters as she tries to gather more information on this special situation.

“Especially arcane marked coins were found on them.  These coins were stolen from a House Cannith member last night.  These two worked for her until then.  They are to go to Sharn to be sentenced.”

Looking at his bounty note (but from the dock so does she really care?) she nods.  “We will continue to search for the other.  Take care good captain.  I hope the other prisoners will be less troublesome.”

“Aye- especially that murderer Fracture Makker.”

The prison ships sets sail shortly and the dock guards search long and hard for the halfling whom appears to have escaped.   

At least for now.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 030
STORMS OF DECIET

“This sucks!”

If anyone cares they don’t show it.

Boddynoc is in a locked cell within a large iron cage.  There are five cells per side of the ship.  The cells are solid and molded together.  They are well made and the locks lock impossibly strong.  There are no windows but a few magical light sources allow for deep shadowy illumination.  It makes this even worse.  

He is in the center cell on the left side of the ship.  To his right is an empty cell then a human.  The human looks impossibly thin but very fit still.  He is merely sitting there.  Boddynoc is uncertain if he is asleep, meditating or if his mind has found a happier place.  He knows the guy to his left has not.  This large and imposing human reaks of barbarian ..literally.  He paces and bangs on the bars often.  Beside him is a large heavily armored warforged.  He sits still and does nothing.  Boddynoc suspects he is thinking about a means out.  He doesn’t strike him as one that has given up.

Across from him is another set of five cells.  To the extreme right is another heavily armored warforged.  He merely leans on the bars and tries to intimidate the guards.  He says nothing and does less.  Next to him is another human barbarian.  This one looks uncomfortable with the warforged.  He looks at him with suspicion.  Another barbarian is in the very last cell.  This barbarian seems intent to test each and every bar and weld over and over again.  It is getting him no where.  Directly across from Boddynoc is a monster.  Perhaps part Ogre.  If not- he had a thyroid issue.  The creature is eight feet tall and obviously very strong.  However, his limbs, especially his arms, are mis-sized to the rest of his body.  There is a look in his eyes that speaks of danger and strife.

“How did I get here?” mumbles Boddynoc out loud.  Everyone has been stripped down to straps of cloth.  He is still shackled with the special manacles.  The two warforged and the creature are heavily chained which speaks of their strength and the guard’s respect for their strength.  The creature regular threatens the guards.  For his efforts, he is often struck with clubbing polearms.  Unable to fully defend himself, he has many welts on his upper body and face.  If it minds it, it doesn’t show.

Boddynoc notes the routine.  All the crew and guards are dressed in leather armor.  Every two hours, a guard change occurs.  The active guards put on reinforced scale armor.  They have the long reach clubs and there are several crossbows hung on the wall away from the cells.  Two are loaded and prepared.   The cells themselves are solid.  He suspects that going through the wooden wall into the ocean would be easier that escaping through the metal.  Boddynoc does something he rarely does.  He succumbs to despair.

This past adventure was not easy.  They were hired by Lady Elaydren of House Cannith to find a portion of the Creation Schema.  From what he has researched and learned, this schema gives secrets on how to give things life.  Not awakened- but trues life.  It is how to create a warforged being.  There are many pieces to this puzzle.  Working for her once before, they found apiece deep below Sharn.  Based on their success and dire need, she hired them again.  She learned of clues to another piece.  She looked to be desperate and on the run.  They were not given time to think about it as there are other parties that wanting the schema also.  A group of warforged have been actively perusing them and later the enigmatic Emerald Claw.  They traveled to the Mournlands.  They lost a friend and their cleric, Khora, in a bad battle with goblins and their much bigger kin and friends.

They found the hidden facility within the Mournlands and escaped.  The Emerald Claw always in pursuit.  Cedious became lost and was presumed not to return.  The group nearly was all killed by a military patrol of Bugbears.  Only Boddynoc survived.  When he, with the piece they went for and the ONLY copy of the base plate of the schema, arrived at Lady Elaydren’s barge, he discovered Cedious survived.  He spoke of a strange ally whom was a Bugbear himself.   The baseplate was priceless.  The other parts were only clues.  With the plate, the pieces could be arranged and the arcane answer to how to create life could be answered.

Boddynoc know he had struck gold.

Until then, he had never told his teammate(s) that secretly he hoped to join the Trust and help his country of Zilargo.  The secrets to life would certainly be important to a country based on the collection of knowledge.  He and Cedious had hoped to allow the Trust to study and copy the inscriptions and runes from the plate in secret before giving it over.  Lady Elaydren was angered when he refused to part with it.

He had no idea how angry or how far she would go to attain it and keep its existence a secret.

She apparently hired thugs to procure the plate.  Boddynoc accidentally gave it to them by mistaking them for Trust agents.  With her prize possessed, all that mattered was the removal of the two beings that knew she had it.

“I’m dead.” He says as he realizes he is not meant to survive the trip to Sharn.  Looking around, he sees many possible means for an accidental death to occur.  The creature could kill him.  The warforged…uncertain.  The guards could have fun.  Or maybe not be coy- just kill him and toss his body over the side into the ocean.  The ocean kept many secrets he was sure.

Boddynoc slumps against the corner and watches the next guard exchange with little interest.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 031
STORMS OF DECIET

“Oh crap!  Not again!” yells Cedious as he feels the plank shaking from under his feet.  He turns to jump into the group of gnomes like Boddynoc but finds the plank has already gone.  He falls fast and hard into the water 20 feet below.

He kicks for the dark shadows of under the dock.  The dock is not what he thought it would be.  It is more of a wall than a pier.  Still, he finds a niche that is hidden and allows for air (luck of the darn halflings!).  Gaffing hooks stab into the water over and over as the crew blindly search for his body.  He barely makes out the plans of searching for his body when the ship leaves.  Desperate and wanting to lose Boddynoc (again), he digs out his potion of invisibility he found in the Mournlands and once certain they can not see him, he carefully wades to the back of the ship.  He keeps his movements to the minimal to avoid disturbing the water’s surface.  He feels around the ship to find a good handhold and decides to just wait until the ship leaves.  “How long does this last?” he wonders to himself silently.

The ship leaves about 30 minutes later.  He sees the patrol is still searching for him on the docks.  They have left the water area and now search the crates and eventually the warehouses.  Another city he can’t visit laments the rogue with a smirk.

Once the ship leaves the bay he secures himself to the boat using rope from his haversack and a deeply notched wood board (and a piton?).  He ignores it and just thanks the fates for it existing.  He can hear some talking above.  Something about special treatment for the special guest.  He hopes it is not death for Boddynoc.  He tries to climb further but finds little to hold onto and the constant rise and fall of the ship in the waves is annoying.  “Night time” he thinks.  “Tonight I’ll slip on board and save Boddynoc.” He thinks and adjusts the knots to secure himself better.

He is cold and the damn wind is picking up.  “Not a storm… please no storms…” he thinks to himself.

Eventually, he becomes bored and needs to move around so he tries to climb up.  It is a hard battle and not without several near falls (used two actions points to do this).  With some time evolved, he reaches a window.  Hanging on for dear life he listens within.  He can hear who he believes is the Captain and someone else.  This someone answers to the name of Guri.  Balair is a House Lyrandar pilot.  He is good but has no magic to use.  He feels a terrible storm is approaching.  The Captain wants his men in their rooms to reduce the possibility of losing anyone.  He has traveled in these storms before.  Even with his large ship, they can be dangerous.

“great” whimpers Cedious.  And with that he slips and finds himself being dragged behind the boat.  He hopes his knots hold as he struggles to climb the rope and reach the boat again.  Even with a storm coming, he thinks damaging the rudder would be good about now.

Cedious feels ill at ease when darkness finally comes.  A steady rain has begun an hour ago.  Winds are strong and are wiping up the waves.  His secure location now allows for him to be dunked sometimes with the deep swells.  He can not wait any longer.  He has to move or he will be drowned or too weak to climb and thus drown later by being dragged behind the boat.

He tries over and over and gets no where.  Finally he manages the near impossible.  He braces a foot and waits to reach the height of the rising swell.  He then pushes off and jumps.  The down turn of the swell allows him to fly up near the windows (natural 20 and another action point for 5!).  He grabs at the window area and bangs against the walls and nearly falls away again but the rope catches on a support hook used for maintenance. Saved.

Hoping the Captain doesn’t look out the window (this time he is on the ledge of the window) he barely over hears something between the Captain and a crewmember.  There is a suspected lose cannon on board!  “Ah Crap!” thinks Cedious.  “Please- please let me have heard that wrong.”

Now feeling the need to hurry, Cedious begins to climb again but is thrown off.  Fortunately he did secure the line on the hook before trying.  Still, he is bounced and bumped hard as the ship rises and falls.  Deep pounding thooming sound can be heard as the ship rises then falls into a swell.  This is going to a major storm.  Then Cedious can see it- the sky is lighting up.  Lightning!   It can’t get any worse!


[DM NOTE-   If it couldn’t get worse-  would I be doing my job?  Insert evil smile]


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 032
STORMS OF DECIET

The two guards were very used to this kind of storm.  The rise and fall.  The rocking.  Even the vibration of crashing into waves and walls of the swells.  Boddynoc was not.

What set him off was not the weather.  It was looking at the bald human next to him whom was green.  The barbarian next to him ate something green.  From across the cells a smell of something worse was rising.  It was a storm.  A bad one.  Boddynoc had heard of such storms.  Even when overhearing a House Lyrandar member was aboard didn’t help his unease however.  This Dragonmarked House controlled weather and thus was greatly involving in agriculture and …trade.  Especially sea trade.  They could influence the very weather.  However, there was a limit and Boddynoc was certain this storm exceeded that limit.  In a perverse way, he was glad the captain was going to die with him.

His negative introverted thoughts are interrupted by the rage of the barbarian next to him.  He is convinced the ship is going down and he wants free.  The guards do little as the ship swells.  They merely steady themselves and wait it out.

Then Boddynoc picks up on something.  It is not the warforged playing mindgames with the monk.  Nor is it the frightened barbarian next to him.  No –something he can hear.  After each thooming thud of the ship falling back into the water something else is striking the ship.  Something nearby.  Boddynoc, now with something to interest him sits upright and pays attention to everything happening around him.  He spots the food brought to them long ago.  The creature across from him has a clay plate and carefully has broken it to create a sharp edged stabbing weapon.  The far warforged is looking at the bars carefully.  He sees they are attached to the wooden hull and floor using large heavy and strong spikes.  The guards are also watching a vent more carefully than before.  Then looking carefully, it is just a vent-  There is a large holding cell there.  Something big and possibly dangerous is within an enclosed holding cell.   

Suddenly, Boddynoc has new insight –maybe there can be a way out.  If these people will not give up yet- why should he.  After all- he is a gnome damn it. 

The creature across from Boddynoc gives up on the idea of slicing up a guard.  The bastards are keeping a good distance from him.  He gets up and the chains hang heavily on his arms and upper body.  Still, it seems to be thinking of something.  Even the warforged that rarely moves turns to him.   

“RAAAARRRRGH!” and he rushes the bars.  WHAM!  And he stumbles back a few steps.  The guards glare at him as if that was enough to silence it.

“RRRAAAARGH!” and he rushes the bars again and strikes it even as thunder crashes overhead creating an eerie moment of silence.

The warforged stands up and looks over head.  A bolt has been broken!  He calls out to the creature- but the storm makes it impossible to hear.  He motions for him to do it again.

Boddynoc has no idea what is going on.  But still- the warforged is alert and seems to note everything that happens and suddenly has an idea or thought of action.  Maybe he knows something that eludes him.  Boddynoc watches with intense emotions.

BOOOOOOM!  A board cracks within the secret holding cell.  Suddenly the guards look panicked.  They are ignoring the Creature and warforged now.  One staggers back to a pull string and begins to yank on it several times.

BOOOOOM!…..aghhhhh! Yells Cedious as the thunders hurts his head.  He has finally made it to the top rail.  He begins to climb over when suddenly the ship pitches and he is thrown over   …again.  This makes the third time.   Someone is going to die for this.

The creature’s screams of rage hide the sound of two more bolts that break.  The creature, a warforged with adamantine plating and one of the barbarians are now charging and striking the cells in unison.  With their combined force they are breaking the bolts that hold the entire iron cage to the ship!  The other barbarian has noted a 3-inch gap that was not there before and is trying to force it wider.  A guard finally notices there is a method to the madness and goes for a crossbow.   

= be prepared to act=

“huh?!?” thinks Boddynoc.  That was from within my head.

The warforged that is aiding in the attacks on the cell thinks he saw something in the shadows in the hallway but dismisses it and goes back to pounding the cell.

BOOOOOM  another board cracks and a large pale hand reaches out and tries to wrench more boards free.  A guard fires at the hand but misses as the ship pitches again.  The guard stumbles back to the wall for support and goes to reload.  Excitement getting the better of him, Boddynoc reaches out with his magic and castes a fusion onto the armor of the guards.

[I forgot to gag him darn it!   And not all spells require use of hands   errrrr  my bad]

THROOOM! And over he goes again onto the deck.  Cedious spots the long haired youngman trying to control the ship and one crewman doing his best to secure lines and equipment.  Cedious unties himself and tries to sneak up on the man.  There is just no way to do this, thinks Cedious as he half stumbles into the man as the ship pitches forward.  He nearly losses his last meal as the ship rises and falls thirty feet!  The man is unarmed and easily taken out.  Cedious considers killing the pilot whom has seen him but notes two things-   

1- The man is too occupied controlling the ship to do anything else
2- Without this man- the ship may go down.

Let him live.at least until after the storm.

He stumbles and slides across the upper deck and nearly becomes airborne as he strikes a ballista.  He rolls and fumbles to the rail overlooking the main deck.  There he sees 6 men working their way to the stairs leading down.

Cedious smiles.  It has to be Boddynoc.  He is escaping.


----------



## silvertable81

> [DM NOTES: Opted to leave out some goods from adventure. Party is becoming too rich for my liking]



Well, we fixed that didn't we?!? I want back pay for everything you left out!!!
  -Bill


----------



## Cedious

*errrrr*



			
				megamania said:
			
		

> ****Before I come across wrong-
> 
> 
> The guys are loving it.  Making new characters is no big deal to them.  IF they had survived, the bragging rites would have been worth it to them.  Its all about having fun.
> 
> Early suggestions include more min/maxing
> 
> Jeff with another Warforged Fighter and Jimmy with a 1/2 Giant Monkey gripping fighter (oh my)  BJ I don't know if he had decided yet.






i survived and all andy is trying to do is find more elaborate ways of attempting to kill me.....and me just getting out of it by dumb luck and the dice being kind to me when i REALLY need them to be!   
but i am really having fun....andy is a great DM

ohhh and i dont think he has really shown exactly how much of a pain my thief....errrr im mean rogue is


----------



## megamania

uh-oh.  warning warning warning...players reading storyhour segments.  Must be careful about adding secret info.  warning warning warning...it is too late.   Must kill players.

Welcome Bill and Clinton aka Boddynoc and Cedious.  Welcome to EN World and the story of your life (at least 4-6 hours of it from everyother weekend    )


----------



## Micah

It's great to see your players chiming in.

Also wanted to say how impressed I am at your ability to work the "new player/s" meet existing group scenarios into the plotline. Not always easy to accomplish, but your events become stories and encounters that mesh with the feel of the game.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 033
STORMS OF DECIET

Guards from a room in the front of the cells spill out.  They have clubs and shields and find a daunting sight.  The “special” inmate is breaking free and the rest are very unruly.  They are attacking the bars in a mad rush to escape the cells and the storm struck ship.

Suddenly one guard in armor begins to scream and drops his weapon.  Steam or smoke is rising from him.  The other armored guard also begins to yell.  “Fire!  Fire!” which further panics the guards just arriving on the scene.  The words of fire cause alarm with the one barbarian whom now begins to rush the bars as the ones across from him.  The monk for being so sick suddenly lashes out at a guard and slams his head into the bars and with the other hand strikes his chin.  A sickening grind and crack can be heard as his neck snaps.  Two other guards, startled and leaning with the waves too much go too close to the revealed cell.  A large pale hand reaches out and grabs a guard and pulls his screaming body in.  It won’t fit through the eight-inch space so the body is repeatedly slammed into the boards.  After the third slam after the guard stopped screaming a board breaks and the body retreats into the cell.  Another guard suddenly finds himself bleeding from a vital organ.  He turns and sees a small figure in fine clothes behind him.  He dies.

Chaos.

Another guard gets too close to a warforged cell.  The warforged grabs at him and pulls him in.  After the third strike the body goes limp.  Meanwhile, the two armored guards are now so hot they are cooking.  One fell into a table with cards.  The flimsy paper ignites and begins to burn.  Other guards are burnt trying to save the armored guard before he stops moving.

THHOOOOOM strikes the thunder with lightning flashing.  Cedious had dropped unspotted to the Captain’s quarters and stumbles in bouncing off either side of the doorjam as the ship rocks side to side as well as too and fro.  

“Dammit Guri-  close that door!” yells the captain with his back to the door.  Cedious closes the door.

Guri meanwhile has made it to the stairs.  The ship mage is hoping to find out why the alarm cord was pulled.  He suspects it is Fracture Makker.  This serial killer is wanted in Trolanport for killing a House Sivis member.  Knowing the dwarves of Kundarak will be overseeing the sentencing of the monster; he wants to be sure it reaches there.  The bounty will be much less if it is delivered dead.  And when the dwarves of banking is involved, the reward would be great to be certain.

He stumbles down the stairs and can hear the monster bellowing mixed in with screams of pain.  Then he notices the other prisoners are attempting a breakout.  And it might work!  They have uprooted the entire cell structure.  Now they are trying to force it away from the wall to push free.  Desperate and not wanting to face what is inside, Guri decides to use their other security measure.  The guard “animal” they have within their stronghold.

“oooh caaaaptain!” says Cedious once he is close to Captain Attar.  He freezes and stops looking at his maps where he was looking for a safe port or island.  Before he can act he feels a sharp pain in his thigh.  The wild pitching of the ship is not allowing Cedious to strike his chosen lethal spots to puncture.  The captain lives but between the wildly foundering ship and the leg injury he still collapses to a knee.

“Who….how….?” he stammers.  Cedious cuts him again.

Now on all fours, the captain looks at his assailant.   “you…?   But you   …drowned….”

Cedious finishes him off and wonders where that mage went to.   “oh Guri…..where or where are you…?”

CRACK!   FFFOOOOOOOMMM!

Lightning strikes the upper mast and shatters the crow’s nest and ignites the upper most sail.  Balair fears he has lost the ship.

“An Ogre!  Who the hell puts an ogre on a ship!” yells Boddynoc once it registers whom is in the cell.

Then he sees a gnome work his way across fallen bodies of guards.  The remaining guards are trying to escape.  Unfortunately, to escape means running by the ogre.  They all rush at once.  The warforged grabs one and holds him.  The monk trips one up and tries to pin him but has a hard time since he is in the cell.  The Ogre easily grabs one and a splat of blood from inside suggests he has torn him apart.  It bellows in rage and fear again and resumes pounding at the boards and reinforced door.

The creature has forced the cell to skid on an angle.  The one barbarian spots a space of eight inches and tries to squeeze through.  A wild pitch of the ship and a mis-strike by the creature causes the bars to swing in and crushes the barbarian.  Fully enraged, the barbarian howls in anger and pain like a bear in a steel trap.  The section that once secured the bars top the wall has now embedded itself into his chest and shoulder region.  Blood freely runs out of the wound.  Once the warforged is done with his guard, he returns to aiding the creature and the other barbarian to attacking the cell.  The vibration nearly makes the trapped human pass out but he doesn’t and finally peels free into the empty space.  The area here is steamy and hot from a glowing guard.  The barbarian has other concerns on his mind than why the guard is hot and glowing.  Then rapidly cooling off.

It was a good thing Boddynoc checked to see if guards were after the crossbows.  Instead of that, he saw how his heat metal spell was about to ignite the ship on fire.  Concentrating through the chaos, he castes a spell to cool the armor off quickly.  He notes that a prisoner has fallen out of the cell near by.  The ill barbarian and warforged next to him also see this and begin to attack their bars also.

The gnome in fine silken clothes comes up to Boddynoc’s cell and tries to pick the heavy lock.  

“Who are you?” he asks the gnome.

“The Trust” is the only answer he gives as if that should explain everything.  It must because Boddynoc stops and waits quietly.

Guards stream down one set of stairs and down another set.  Chaos begins at one stairway as guards are both trying to escape and enter through the use of it.  The other side, they rush just as the cell gives a mighty screeching sound and slides on the blood and gore created by the ogre.  The warforged turns and dares the guards to attack.

They do.

Guri unlocks his arcane lock and the mundane special lock then prepares to rush.  He opens and pushes the door slightly before rushing a few feet down and up the stairs a group of guards just emptied from.  Inside the dark unlit room a quiet cockle sound is heard.  Red eyes pierce the darkness and stare at the escape route presented to it.

BOOOOOOOM-OOOOM-OOOOM   thunders the lightning and the ship as it rides from the top of one wave onto another.  Balair is either a very good sailor or very lucky.  The crew on the deck tries to contain the fire and the damage.  They don’t see the rogue crouch by the stairs listening to the chaos within.  They don’t see him jump back as a person reaches the stairs either.

Guri climbs the stairs and reaches the wind swept deck.  The driven rain hurts his eyes then distant lightning lights up the form of Cedious.  His strike occurs as the thunder reaches the ship.

BOOOOMMMMMMM.  

Guri stumbles a few steps.  Just as before, Cedious can’t get a good shot in with the unpredictable motion of the ship.  That’s okay.  He’ll take him one piece at a time.

“Get back!” yells the Gnome to Boddynoc.  Without question he does and there is a soft poof sound at the lock.  Nothing happens then steam rises.  Liquid runs out and as it touches the wooden floor scores it.  Acid.

Boddynoc kicks open the kick for effect.  Both gnomes stagger to the closest body of an armored guard.  They find the keys and begin with the mage manacles first.

“There is something even more dangerous than that ogre or the storm outside on board this ship.  I have to find it.” Says the gnome as he hands the keys to Boddynoc.  Again, a statement that seems to answer all questions going through Boddynoc’s fast mind.

The one warforged, the one that waited unmoving and ever alert for an opportunity for escape spots the guard in the furthest back stiffen then ….become stone?

“This is a mad dream on a mad ship” says the large fighter.

He and the barbarian strike down a guard then they see what is causing the new trouble.  A large featherless ugly red-eyed turkey …and its attacking people!

Boddynoc frees the other warforged and a barbarian.  Finally he reaches the monk (based on effective hand to hand skills) but the monks holds his action.  His cell is dangerously close to the ogre’s long reach.

Meanwhile, the other large creature has gotten out of the holding cells and makes way to escape.

BOOOM!  KRA-KA-KA- BOOOOOOM! And night becomes day as lightning again strikes the largest mast.  It splits and breaks free.  Fortunately, even on fire, it falls and frees itself over the edge without causing any loss of life to the crew above.  However, now Belair has only two masts remaining and it was the strongest one that was destroyed.  He hopes this is the worst of it as the ship crashes and vibrates again as it hits another high wall of water head on.  He can not take the time to study the clouds, movement of lightning, the crew or where that murderous halfling went.

“Damn you …halfling…” is Guri’s last words before his limb body falls and then is swept up by a wall of water and taken overboard.  The same water nearly takes Cedious except for he stumbles and is washed down into the stairway.  At the bottom, he tries to make it look like he meant to do that.

The ugly turkey (Cockatrice for those unsure) tries repeatedly to turn the warforged into stone but fails until he is finally stomped on by the warforged.  The barbarian rushes out past him and is driven back by the ogre’s reaching arms.  It screams in terror.  

[DM NOTE- If anyone understood Giant- he is crying like a girlie-man]

Boddynoc grabs all the cross bows and begins to line them up in a row about fifteen feet from the cell door.  He yells to the Trust agent that he will enchant some of these with Bane-Giant.  He wants him to then reload bolts as he uses them.  A good plan.  Except for one thing- the conditions of their environment.

Boddynoc fires off a series of four shots.  The wild pitching of the ship, the greased floor and the cover the ogre has makes him a surprising hard target to hit.  He finally strikes the outreached hand.  As if stung by a bug, the ogre shakes his wounded hand until the bolt flops free and withdraws his hand into the dark cell.  Now it screams in rage and begins to attack the walls again.

The monk uses this moment to escape along with two of the barbarians.  The third one has trouble breathing with a crushed chest and punctured lung but freedom is at risk.  He is crawling for it.  He knows he will die but wishes to see the sky when he does,

The warforged that Boddynoc freed hangs back to offer help.  The other warforged and the misshapen creature make for the hallway.

Cedious looks into the open door.  It is dark.  He breaks free the light source in the hallway and shines it into the room.  

Crates.  Noting it may have valuables to loot later; he goes to find Boddynoc.  A statue of a guard blocks his way into the main cell.  A bound warforged merely pushes into it and breaks it as it lumbers by.  A really large and strange looking humanoid is behind him.  Both are chained but uncaring of it.

The Ogre howls as a shot strikes it.  The Trust member has a better aim and by using up all of the bolts available, takes down the beast.  As he passes it he spits in it’s bloodied hand.  “Dead is the feared Fracture Makker-  killer of gnomes.”  The sound of rendering wood draws his attention away from this moment of revenge.

“Boddynoc!”

“Cedious!”

In the storage room, the two large warriors are upending crates.  They are looking for tools, equipment (theirs) and anything of use.  They know the gnomes will unlock them shortly.

Books are found along with some fine clothes.  The warforged then spots a crate marked:  BEWARE  FRAGILE  DANGEROUS

If a warforged could smile he does and kicks at the crate.  His metal soul of his foot catches the side and tears out the boards.  A journal spills out along with a lot of padding.  Several glass tubes with rubber stoppers also roll free but do not break.

Thinking about breaking them for the sheer destruction of it, he turns to it but then the creature finds his weapons.  He leaves the glass for later. 

BOOOOOM!

The Trust member is nearly knocked off his feet seeing the warforged standing over the glass tubes.  He tries to scream no but the damned thunder is like a thing alive and tries to drown out his voice – and does so.

Boddynoc goes to them to free their chains though he is obviously hesitate to free the mutated monster.  It bothers him…this creature of rage and strength.


----------



## Cedious

*YOUR SO WRONG ANDY!*



> “Boddynoc!”
> 
> “Cedious!”




 
errr andy there is no way i would ever shout out boddynoc's name....in fact im not even sure Cedious would remember it.


----------



## megamania

hee-  just played up how you were trying to stay with him so hard this time.  I mean-  lets face it-  it was not easy riding that ship for 8 hours before the storm hit then everything you went through once the storm began.

Maybe I did over do it ..... :\


----------



## Cedious

megamania said:
			
		

> hee-  just played up how you were trying to stay with him so hard this time.  I mean-  lets face it-  it was not easy riding that ship for 8 hours before the storm hit then everything you went through once the storm began.
> 
> Maybe I did over do it ..... :\





NAH the hard part would have been trying to steel stuff in a city that is full of gnomes keeping there beedy little eyes on me 

besides i got all the party gold and stuff now so it would have benifited my drinking purse if i had decided to high-tale it outta there 

but im not that type of halfling.......or am i?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/01/05
SEGMENT 034
STORMS OF DECIET

DM NOTES-

Bemnol Freeder is indeed a Trust agent.  He is here strictly to locate and neutralize the potent toxins and destroy the journal about how to create it.  He has no idea whom Boddynoc is or what a Creation Schema is.

The new replacement characters to be played by Jeff, BJ and Jimmy are the two warforged and if you have not guessed it yet- a ½ Giant Psychic Warrior.

Looks like I have some work ahead of me.

I also have asked the players for reasons to be here.  They wished to have ties to Lady Elaydren.  The warforged were betrayed by her for reasons yet figured out (give me some time) and the ½ Giant may/ or may not be wrongfully imprisoned by Lady Elaydren.  He wants it to be related to a family member’s death at his hands ….when will they learn?

All in all an excellent game session even with two players having hangovers.


----------



## Cedious

Sounds good andy....still waiting to see how you will incorporate that bugbear into more of the story line, its going to be interesting to see how jimmy and bill's characters interact with each other... especially when there is allready a little bit of hostility there.
and jeff and bj's warforges... don't see them having a differant personality then the last two but its allways fun having wanton destruction in a party....or at least it makes it fun 

Also WE (not you) have been trying so hard for a TPK i wonder how long its going to be  


looking forward to our next game session


----------



## megamania

'til Saturday

open question to readers (even my players)-  what would you like to see happen?  creatures?  events?


----------



## Cedious

round two of the bloody market....more beer....cheaper beer and errrrrrrr
that women that betrayed us get tag teamed by a couple of kobalds  

ohhh and i would love to see all the stuff you left out when you thought we was getting to rich ^^


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/15/05
SEGMENT 035
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS

DM NOTES:	BJ was absent so Jeff played both Warforged.   We had a late start talking about prior games and ended sooner since my daughter had a sleep over.  The high lite was my son (age 6) was listening in too long and learned a new word from Jeff.  “kill the ========”  (sounds like a new movie recently released).  The group did a good job of keeping a serious look on their face and allowing me to correct my son and inform him of adult language vs. what he should be saying.   After he went to room to think about it, we all had a good laugh. ah-  the fun of parenthood.   Now …about the prison ship Attar.

The flaming ship was still in great danger and peril even with the ogre dead.  The waves pounded at the bow creating a powerful vibration through the ship.  This didn’t stop the group from searching for goods however.  They collected their own possessions and any they figured they could escape with.  Cedious and Boddynoc hit the Captain’s area which also housed the mage’s quarters.  Boddynoc found the ship mage’s spellbook and journal.  Cedious found their money and the Captains and the mage’s and the prisoners and so on.  He also finds a 6 inch totem pole of demonic faces.  He gives it to Boddynoc.  Everything is placed into the remaining haversack.

The next two hours go poorly as the ship is tossed and thrown several times.  The barbarians are still becoming sick.  The severely injured one is treated by Cedious (?!?) in hopes of gaining help if it should be required and to get him from going on about the evil’s of the sea.

Bomnel introduces himself to Boddynoc.  He was indeed here to locate and destroy very toxic poisons and the journal.  He has no idea what the Creation Schema is.  He is a poison expert, not a Cannith expert.  Most of the group find themselves in the Captain’s area using the beds and trying to relax.  The storm seems to be slowing down as the lightning is beginning to subside.  Belair, the pilot, is happy but still can not control the ship well in the high waves and darkness.  Driven rain continues to fall making visibility nearly impossible.  He has no idea where they are and knows they are off course.

He finds out just how off course when they strike something.  The ship rushes forward riding a wave and suddenly stops with a crashing and wood shattering impact.  Several people find themselves thrown from their cots, slings and seats.  The barbarians become frantic.  The monk just takes it all in.

The ship’s stern is pushed up and down and drives the bow into whatever they struck.  Then Belair screams as a huge wave rushes them.  The ship is lifted and dropped HARD onto the submerged object.  Boards and planks rip free as if an arcane explosion had occurred.  Boddynoc, Cedious and Bomnel rush to Belair to find out what has happened.  Even as they reach him, the barbarians yell that the ship is taking on water.  The two warforged walk down to investigate.  The ship is listing and taking on water.  The bow has no flooding but the stern has six… make that 10 inches of water …no 12 inches.  

Belair checks out the damage.  By going to the ship’s edge he see what has happened.  They have been dropped onto a reef.  The ship will be torn up in this storm.  He quickly runs for his belongings.  Bomnel looks around and begins to think rapidly about what to do.  “Tear off the cargo doors and cots.  We need to create rafts,” he yells at the large humanoid and the two warforged, “NOW!”  He then spots Belair and suspects the pilot was holding out on him.  Cedious and Boddynoc note his reaction and follow him and Belair.

Cedious, taking Bemnor’s cue, leans on the doorjamb and waits for Belair to notice them while watching what he is doing.  Boddynoc watches from behind them.  He is rummaging quickly through his footlocker and grabs something and rises to leave.  “ahem.” Bemnol clears his throat.  “Hi.” Cedious adds.

“Oh …ah …what are you doing?  The ship is going down.  We need to get off.” Stammers Belair.

“Whatcha got?” asks Cedious.

Belair tries to lie but Bemnol sees through it easily.  “What do you have there?  I doubt you would rush here for money in a situation like this.”  And as if on cue, a loud and prolonged creak occurs as the ship leans further in the new 20ft waves.   

“I ah…..nothing.  Just looking for supplies.”

“May I?” Cedious says with a dark look on his face.

Belair hands over 4 crystals to Bemnol.  “Boddynoc-  if you could…” and he hands a gem to his fellow gnome.

While Boddynoc tries to study the aura for arcane energies, Cedious notes Belair has placed his hand into a pocket.  “What is that?” he asks. 

“Nothing.” He quickly withdraws his hand but the shape of a small crystal is visible under the wet pants.

“Hand over the nothing.” Demands Cedious with a hand on his dart belt.

Belair does.

“I don’t sense magic on it but there is something about it.” Offers Boddynoc whom is a bit confused by this.

“Explain” Bemnol with a voice that beckons no complaints.

“It’s …its psionic.  It allows a holder to float on the water’s surface.”

Bemnor looks at the gem.  He has heard of psionics but has never dealt with it.  Boddynoc is curious also.  Cedious says nothing but undoubtedly is wondering about monetary worth then possible use.  “You hold and squeeze the gem and think about floating.  You float until you let go.”

“Only five” worries Bemnor as he thinks about the war forged, ½ ogre, the barbarians, the monk, the barbarians and the crew.  “I hope they are doing what I asked them to do.” He honestly says with hope. “We need more than this.

The first signs of the sun trying to peek out from over the water and under the thick black clouds begin.  The ship begins to list.  The holes in the bottom are letting out ballast.  The ship will flip over soon.  

The warforged guard the cargo bay doors.  They make it clear the crewmembers get the cots and pieces of wood.  On one door are the warforged and the three barbarians.  The other door has the ½ giant (everyone still thinks he is an ogre x-breed), the monk, the two gnomes and Cedious.  Belair gets on and though they were ready to kick him off, Bemnor allows him on.

They are about 500 feet away when the ship begins to roll onto its side.  The sheltered water still has 10ft waves but it is better than the ship.  The crew is still collecting things before leaving the ship.

“Do you know where we are?” asks Bemnor of Belair.

“Off course.  We could still in Zilargo waters but I doubt it.  The storm came from the west.  We could be in Darguun waters or worse- near the elven islands.”

“What is out here?  Any shipping or islands?”

“Little.”  Belair wishes he had his gems as he watches the raft with the warforged.  It is largely submerged just under the surface with their great weight.

“The reef should help.  Any reefs here?”

“There are a few.  I don’t know which one.”

6 hours go by.  The sun is near the height of its cycle across the sky.  They are thirsty and hungry.  The one raft is very wet and the warforged are kicking in the water to drive the raft.  Being slightly submerged is slowing them down.  They do not wish to be separated from the others.  They seem to know what to do.

Soon they see something.  A dark dot on the water.  Boat?  Land?  Something floating?  Shark?

Another hour later and they see a large island.   

Everyone is relieved, especially the barbarians.  They have been staring at the warforged for the past three hours.  You know what they are thinking.  Get rid of the heaviest thing on board- metal men.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/15/05
SEGMENT 036
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS

As they got closer, they can see buildings and a small smoldering fire in the forest.  They decide to land nearby on a black beach.  The entire island is made of volcanic rock.  As such, the sand and rocks are black.  Mixed in with the night’s events and the general feel of the place, everyone is convinced it is a place of evil.  Still- it’s dry.

They reach the shore and pull the rafts onto the rocks.  There still has been no sign of the crew.  (6 members)  After hiding the rafts, they begin to walk towards the buildings.  They are on a horseshoe shaped bay area.  The settlement is within the shoe.  The water is churned up and dark with the black sand in it.  Bits of ship, plants and debris wash up on shore and against the sharp black rock.  They notice the buildings have a pier and it was heavily damaged by the storm.  A large building is connected to it.  It also is heavily damaged.  The roofs are missing from several other buildings.  They storm struck here also.

As the 11 of them reach the limits of the settlement three armed men and a large dog walk out of the forest. “Halt.”

They do so.

“Who are you?” the leader demands.

“castaways” jokes Cedious whom gets an elbow.

“Our ship was destroyed on a reef last night during the storm.  We were looking for shelter and directions.” Says Bemnol as diplomatically as he can.

The leader looks over them carefully.  “This is the Island of Starvos.  We are the only settlement here and as you can see, we too are recovering from the hurricane.”

Bomnel notes the ring on the man’s hand.  House Tharashk.  The Finder’s Guild.

“We won’t take up much room and would appreciate the company.” Offers Boddynoc.

“Don’t need it.  Next ship won’t come for a week.  Maybe two with this damned storm.  We have enough issues to deal with.”

“Issues?” asks Boddynoc looking at the warehouse and wondering what they would be storing within.

“The spirits of the Forest have become angry and wish us to leave.  You would do well to leave us and avoid the Forest.” The village leader suggests as he pats the head of his dog.

Cedious can’t help himself, “What do you have within the building?  What do you do here?”

The ½ giant spots metal rails leading from the pier into the woods.  “Mining?”

I assume the ship coming will be from House Tharashk?”

A light switch goes off in Boddynoc’s head.  Crystals….?

“We need shelter, you need aid with the angry spirits..  can we work something out?” offers Boddynoc.

“What has happened?” asks Bemnol.

The leader sighs.  He knew he couldn’t hide the camp’s secret for long.  Not with so many people and two gnomes and a halflings among them. 

“Very well, follow me.”

Shortly within the remains of an open hall, they sit down.  The barbarians have wondered off.  They do not return.

“It began about three weeks ago.  Several miners did not return from their shift.  We searched for them but could not find them.  Four good men.” He hesitates as if to gather his energy before restarting.  Then the priest of Olladra (Feast and Good Fortune) disappeared from his home near here.  Concerned something was in the woods attacking our men, we sent a hunting party to the mine.  They did not return.”

Bomnel is listening but unsure if this concerns Zilargo or him.  Boddynoc is waiting for confirmation of Dragon Shards.  Belair is daydreaming.  He wonders how much blame he will receive for the lost of the ship.

“Since then, strange sounds have issued from the forest.  There have been sightings of animals acting oddly.  We were wondering whether to send a second party when the storm came.  We lost several people in the storm.”  

Figuring it is possibly a druid that is angry that the Finders Guild is “raping” the land, Boddynoc figures they can handle it.  “If you would like, we can look into it.”

The warforged look up from their state of boredom.  Something to do and possibly battle.

“In return, we can have shelter until the ship comes and get a ride to the mainland.”

“Shelter I can promise, being what it currently is but I can not promise a ship ride.  I can put in a good word for you however.” He says with a happier look on his face.

“Done.”

Bomnel looks at him wondering what he is up to.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
01/15/05
SEGMENT 037
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS

Cedious leads the group into the dark forest. 

“Can’t this wait until daylight?” asks Bomnel.

“Nah- let’s get it over with.  I suspect it’s just a druid anyway.”

“Even so, druids are not to be taken lightly.  Especially in a dark forest setting.”

“It shouldn’t be anything we can’t handle.” Supports Cedious.


The two warforged and the ½ giant follow behind the three smaller adventurers.  The monk offered to stay behind to aid in repairs.  The barbarians disappeared into the forest.

About 20 minutes into the trip Cedious spots movement in the brush.  They are following a road that runs along the mining cart tracks.  Getting closer, a dark tentacle suddenly whips out at him.

A large twisted six legged cat with twin tentacles roars in anger at him.  The war forged quickly circle around the creature.  It strikes one several times but in return he destroys the unnatural cat.

Looking at it, Boddynoc suspects this is not the problem.  This is just a random event.

Another ten minutes later, Cedious hears several large creatures running down the path towards them.  He assumes whatever they are, the roar of the cat attracted them.  Everyone takes cover into the brush.

Three large mutated dogs or wolves are running at them.  As they near the group’s gauntlet formation they slow down.  Everyone can hear them snorting and smelling at the air.  They know the group is here!

Cedious attacks first from the safety of the brush with his darts.  The others attack next.

The three dire wolves attack with bites and try to push past the warforged and ½ giant.  They do not.  Cedious and Bemnol attack from the brush.  Boddynoc uses the wand of magic missiles he found in the Mournelands.  It strikes solidly then explodes.  The charges are all gone.  “damn.” He says bitterly.

The three warriors dismantle the wolves easily with little harm with the two rogues helping.

“Still think it’s a druid?” asks Bemnol to Boddynoc.

“Yes.  Yes I do.” Boddynoc says then looks up to the high hills and sharp rocks ahead.  “And there are Dragon shards there for me also” he thinks to himself.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/05/05
SEGMENT 038
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT IV

The six of them continued up the trail walking beside the rails leading to the mine.  Asunder and Chief, the two warforged of the group followed Cedious with less stealth than he wanted.  Bemnol corrected assumed they were trying to attract attention and attacks.  How Bemnol missed his simple missions of protecting Zilargo from the evils that left Darguun and threatened his beloved country’s peace and security.  Boddynoc was lost in thought.  He was certain this was a mine that sought Dragon Shards and dammit- he was going to find some!  Balkroth, the ½ giant psychic warrior had given up trying to explain to the others that he was not a x-bred ogre.  If he was greatly insulted, he did not show it.

Finally they reached a clearing in the thick and dark woods.  The moons revealed how the rail split into three.  Two rails entered two mines and a third rail created a loop that included a rock filling station.  Two buildings were visible also.  A small building near the one mine entrance and a smaller one on the right side within the rail’s loop.  After only a brief slowdown to survey the area, the six of them continue on going to the far left where the rail went by a building.

Cedious notes a small pack of wolves watching them from nearby.  They don’t seem aggressive or threatening.  They watch in solemn silence as the reach the porch to the building.  Finally, they move on into the darkness leaving them alone again.

The mosquitoes and black flies are thick and annoying.  Cedious checks the front door.  “Unlocked.” He says with a smirk of over confidence.  Inside a soft light grows.  Looking onto the wall near the door is a small disk that castes soft light as they move within the room.  Using their lights and torches, the group searches the room.  There are shelves with ledgers and scrolls.  They do not search it for long.  Instead they move onto the desk and the two doors leading out.  On the desk is a large heavy iron key.  Also there is a small map of the mines.  Both of these Boddynoc picks up.  Cedious digs and with a long sigh puts away the only money he has found- a mere 3 silvers.

Going to the closest door, they find it unlocked.  Looking inside, it is a storage area with linens, boxes and other mundane items.  Boddynoc discovers two things that bother him however.  A serrated tooth about 1 – 2 inches longs.  It looks like nothing he has seen before.  Also there is a 2-foot hole chewed and clawed that leads outside.  “Serious pest problem” thinks Bemnol to himself.

Outsider, the Psychic warrior is checking out a large cart on the rails.  It is about 6 ft long and four feet wide.  At each end is a three-foot long riding platform.  He also spots a large keyhole at one end.  The warforged are still hoping for combat and wonder where the wolves went.  A “snack-level” bloodbath sounds good to them right now.

Boddynoc tries the second door while Cedious finishes searching the desk.  Locked.  Using a pick he tries to undo it but instead breaks his pick.  Frowning, he calls to Cedious.  Within 30 seconds, Cedious has it open and is sure to impress this onto Boddynoc.

They go inside and find a small desk that looks more like a podium and a wall of locked drawers.  As if he could smell Dragon Shards, both Cedious and Boddynoc go to it.  Bemnol is disappointed with their actions.  They could make great operatives for the Trust but their greed can be used against them too easily.  He stays to watch over them.  He doubts any shards are here.  The workers at the village said the ship left a few days ago.  It would not have left empty.

Three drawers later, after being picked, are drawn out and searched.  Within each are folds of soft oily cloth with some dry dirt and dust on it.  Not to be discouraged, they continue on.  Cedious pops open a draw that had a soft scrapping sound to it.  Something is within it!  He looks to see if anyone else heard it or are paying attention.  Boddynoc is grumbling since he is having a difficult time with the locks.  Bemnol is watching him.  Reaching in with a sweeping motion as if messing with the cloth he finds a small 1-inch sized crystal.  He holds it with two curled fingers and closes the door with a look of disappointment.  He starts on another drawer further away.  Picking the lock easily, he looks around within the drawer (really at what he had found before).  A dark colored crystal with a dark blue or black swirl within it was there.  “Is this a Dragon Shard?” he wonders.  

“What can we use shards for again?” he asks innocently.  As Boddynoc begins to explain how it improves or holds magic Bemnol notes the change in voice.  He watches Cedious from the corner of his eye and spots the crystal.

“If you find one let me know.” Adds Cedious.

After thirty minutes of searching and finding nothing, Cedious’ smirk can not be mistaken any further.

“Gimme!” demands Boddynoc.

“Whaaaat?!?” smirks Cedious. “Are you suggesting I have something and am holding back?”

“gimme.” 

“I found it.  It’s mine.” He says as he fishes it out of one of his many pockets designed for concealing picked up items.

“Khyber Shard.” Says Boddynoc looking it over.

“Its mine.” The rogue says with his hand out to take it.  “If you would like, you can create a magical rapier for me with it.”

Boddynoc gives it back thinking about what he could do with it.

Bomnel reminds them that the warforged are outside ..unattended.

Sure enough.  The two of them were beginning to walk towards the mineshaft without them and must be called to stop.  They wait impatiently.

Still hoping to gain some respect from the leaders of the group, Balkroth shows them the cart.  Spotting the keyhole, Cedious offers to use his key.

“Sure.” Says Boddynoc whom then realizes he has the key from the desk.  “Hey!”

Cedious had found a second matching key and with a smirk inserts it.  He then steps back to allow Boddynoc to take over.

Boddynoc turns it slowly a loud click can be heard then a soft hum.  The cart seems to float on the rails now.  The wheels gently touch and the springs under relax.  “Hop on everyone.”

Bomnel steps onto the back and the others hesitate.  “Now how to move it…..”  Boddynoc checks it out then notices the section of metal where the key inserted moves.  He pushes on the large key and the cart slowly moves forward.  He pushes it further and is picks up a slow but even pace (MR 10).  Cedious and the hulking psychic warrior pace their walk to stay just ahead of the cart.  The warforged wait with great impatience.  Finally, together, they enter the shaft.

It is dark.  The lanterns and torches reveal wood and metal supports that aid holding the earth at bay.  A few dozen feet in there is a niche cut out used to store spare lanterns, picks, shovels and buckets.   Chief even finds some leather gloves which he looks at.  He seems to notice for the first time the size of his hands vs. a human's and how he has four fingers instead of five.  Bored with it, he tosses them back to the group.

“What are we looking for?” asks Balkroth.  Cedious and Boddynoc but thinks Dragon Shards but say anything unusual.  “Define unusual.” Adds Bemnol as he thinks about how “normal” the situation is.

Suddenly the cart stops and the hum goes away.

Perplexed, Boddynoc gets off and inspects it.  Unseen by anyone, a wood beam on the rail has runes and arcane inscriptions on it.  “A security device against theft.” Offers Bemnol as he continues to walk so as not to be left behind by the warforged.  Boddynoc frowns.  He wants to take time to inspect it but knows he has to catch up with the others.  He runs after them as the light goes away.

Using the map, they still inspect each short branch leading off from the main tunnel.  Both Cedious and Boddynoc inspect (each hoping to find a stray crystal to keep secret from the other) the branches and find nothing but rock, earth and mining tools.  Neither are discouraged and each return with a smile hoping to bluff the other.

Looking at the map, the two main branches lead in and non-railed tunnels connect them.  Another railed branch leads off to the right.  A long passage leads to the right that travels either over or under the rails.  So far, the map is very accurate.  Once they reach the end of the rails they can hear several thinks.  Some of the party can hear flapping of wings or cloth.  Others hear running water.  Boddynoc notes there is no water shown on the map.  They try to figure out which path has the water and follow it.  “This isn’t on the map.” Says Boddynoc.  According to the map, there is a branch here only a few feet deep.  What they find is narrow and recently dug.  It leads to an underground river.  In the dark, they can not tell how deep it is but it is slow moving.  Two thick planks strapped together cross the ten-foot width.

Cedious crosses it without a thought.  Boddynoc goes across to be sure to see whatever Cedious finds and pockets.  Balkroth crosses next.  The boards creak and groan under his weight.  Bemnol secures a line before crossing.  He is not taking any chances.  Asunder looks at the planks then the water then his new teammates.  He leaps into the water and finds it only 5 feet deep.  However, after centuries of being run over by the water, he finds the floor of the river very smooth and free of anything to trips over AND to brace against.  It is only his sheer weight that keeps him from being drawn down the river.  Chief is next.  He misjudges the landing and slips.  There is a brief moment of suspense before he surfaces and walks on with water still spilling out of his mouth.  He spits it out before speaking to them.

About thirty feet down a narrow lose earth tunnel; they find a curious sight.  A barrier.  The diggers have dug until they struck a solid wall of  …earth?   Looking at it closer, the earth is real but hardened and very compact.  Cedious inspects it.  It is magically reinforced and shaped somehow.  Asunder scratches as the wall.  He doesn’t make a mark. “Hummmph.” He snorts.  “Now what?”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/05/05
SEGMENT 039
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT V

Not at all discouraged the re-cross the river and decide to check out the sounds of flapping.  As they go, they find a green mist that fills the tunnel.  Some flapping can still be heard with within the mist.  “Great.” Says Boddynoc.  He motions for Cedious but he has decided to sit this one out.  Everyone looks at Boddynoc for direction, including Bemnol.  Boddynoc puts a torch into the mist (which startles Bemnol for a moment).  Next he puts the cart key into it to check for acid.  Nothing.  Finally, impatient with the slow progress, Cedious takes in a deep breath and marches into the mist.  Nothing.  He hears a rustle and goes to investigate.  Asunder takes a step in next.  Boddynoc walks along the left side, Asunder the center and Cedious to the right.

Cedious finds a pocket where the mist is not settling into.  To his dislike however, four Stirge are here also and drop from the ceiling to feed.  Asunder shifts from the center towards Cedious.  Oblivious to the plight of Cedious, Boddynoc continues on following the wall.  It turns to the left and he finds a large section of wall of reinforced magical earth much like before.  He also discovers a crack in the wall.  Putting his hand before it, he can feel the pressure of the escaping mist.  (FAILS FORT.  GETS a 5) Asunder aids Cedious in cutting down the small creatures.  He notices that they had no interest in him and doesn’t think any further of it as Chief arrives wishing he had taken part in the fun.  Bomnel has yet to enter the mist.  He fears to knowing some mists can cause harm that is not known for hours later …even days later.  Putting a cloth over his mouth and nose, he hopes to hurry through the mist uneventfully but stops as Boddynoc comes out with purpose.  “What is it?”

“I’m looking for a pick or hammer.”  Bomnel becomes more certain that this gnome is crazy.

“Why?”

“I found a crack the mist is escaping from.  I’m going to make it larger.” He says as he runs back again dragging a large pick behind him.

Startled (again) Bomnel runs into the mist after him.

The warforged and the half-giant exit the mists about fifty feet later.  Another rail ends here and another section of tunnel has ended as it lead to a wall of reinforced earth.  Balkroth decided to try to dig through himself.  He picks up a pick and eyes it.  The warforged wait hoping it has trapped a monstrous creature on the other side to defeat.

The first strike numbs Boddynoc’s hands.  The second strike hurts so much, he can not hold onto the pick well enough to swing.  Bomnel passes him and disappears through the mist.  Boddynoc and Cedious leave the mists.  (Cedious FORT 18, Bomnel FORT 4, Balkroth FORT 8) Balkroth strikes the wall- hard.  The pick is slightly bent and his arms are sore from the backlash.  Chief notes a ripple of energy that centered from the blow.  As Boddynoc, Cedious and Bemnol exit he calls them over and informs him of it.  Now Boddynoc really wants to know what is inside.  As Boddynoc inspects the wall, Balkroth can hear a soft but haunting moan.  He figures it is the wind and ignores it.  Cedious doesn’t.  A few minutes go by before he hears it and wonders about it.  “Uh- guys …do you hear that?”

They group up and shine the torches and lanterns down the rails into the darkness.  Nothing but the sounds of a moan then a scuffle. “What is it?” asks Cedious.

“Undead.” Bomnel says as the first of the zombies enter the light.  “Many zombies.”

The warforged charge into them with the psychic warrior directly behind them.  The Trust agent and Cedious take to the sides to use the warriors as a barricade.  Boddynoc looks into a spell aimed at undead.

[DM NOTE- this needs to be addressed and we will.  I allowed it go for now.  It allows a powerful spell to be used at an even higher level.  Need to look into it.]

Boddynoc casts a spell onto an item in his possession and he forces the zombies to attack each other.  It is a long battle as the blows are absorbed.  The warforged help the melee a great deal.  When everything is down, Cedious inspects the bodies.  He finds little on the bodies but notes damage on each one that is a stabbing injury.  The injury matches that of what the Stirge would have done if they had hit him.  

Boddynoc and Bemnol both think of rabies and how bats can carry them.  Did the miners become zombies through stirge’s attacks?  Cedious pales briefly at the thought of it.  Balkroth wanders further and spots a fresh dig.  Looking at it two things strike Boddynoc as odd.  Once more, it is not on the map and second-  there are worked walls here that were filled in.  Much of the fill was being removed before work stopped within the mine.  They search the branch and find a truly strange sight.

Worked metal with the image of a wing and a clawed arm and scaly body.  Everyone pitches in (even Bomnel) and they clear the area.  A door made of adamantine sits before them.  A relief of a WHITE DRAGON is depicted.  In Draconic, Boddynoc reads-  “Danger.  Do not enter.”

“What does it say? Asks Balkroth and Chief.  “Enter Here” says Cedious (whom also reads Draconic).  Boddynoc smirks as he looks for a lock or at least a doorknob.

Hidden within the seam of the door Cedious and Boddynoc discover more writing.  In elven they read-

Honest child of sand and silver
Standing straight and true
Any question you deliver
The answer’s always you

[DM NOTE-	Found in Dragon 328  Cloud Kingdom Game Riddle]

Everyone looks at each other is dismay.  “Can we just bash it down?” asks Asunder.

Boddynoc and Cedious begin to try to guess the riddle.  

“White Dragon.”

nothing

“Ice”

nothing

“Silver Dragon”

nothing

“sand …  desert?”

nothing

“What dragons live in the desert?”

“Blue Dragon”

nothing

Bomnel is not trying to figure this one out.  He suspects whatever is on the otherside killed these men- not the mist.

“What do you deliver to yourself?”

“crap!”

“crap?”  Asks Cedious.  “That’s just wrong.”

“It’s easy.  It’s a silver mirror!” exclaims Boddynoc.

With that the seam glows and green light escapes from the doorway.

“It’s opening!”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/05/05
SEGMENT 040
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT VI

The door pulls in then slides to the side.  A rush of green mist rolls out wrapping around the beyond the adventurer’s legs.  Bomnel hopes this is just a colored mist but deep down knows better.  They look about and find the walls and hallway seems to be built for larger persons than they are.  The walls are made of a strange material.  It is stone but has been changed.  Boddynoc wonders if it is a version of Mud to Rock or the.

The green mist is eerie and conceals the floor well.  They move onward anyway.  Something can be heard rushing down the floor towards them.  They form a defensive wall and prepare for the worse.  That is everyone but Cedious.  He checks out a room.

Three six legged spider-like creatures charge through the mist.  A single large yellow eye watches them from each creature.  There legs all end with a single sharp talon.  When they run they make a tapping sound.  The warforged and ½ giant make short work of the creatures.  Bomnel decides to check on Cedious.

Cedious is within the room.  There are four columns and rising up from the green mist is a well.  The well reminds him of their adventure below Sharn.  “Anyone got a torch to throw in?  If not, I have this Dragon Shard to use.”

Most everyone crowds within the doorway and watches in horror.

A Khyber Pit!


----------



## Micah

Just wanted to jump in and say that I'm still enjoying the story and gleaning great ideas from it. Thanks for the work!


----------



## megamania

New updates are coming from todays session.   PCs remain intact but ...alive?  

Enter the Silver Flame.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/12/05
SEGMENT 041
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT VII

The light seemed to fall forever and ever so silently.  Then the light disappeared.  Cedious smiled ear to ear.

“What did you …..”, Boddynoc looks at the pit then at the rogue’s face, “…  oh no.  No you didn’t.  Not AGAIN.”

Cedious smiles and tries to look innocent.

The others move up.

“What is this place?” asks Balkroth.  The columns of twisted images unsettle his nerves more than he will admit.

“Khyber Pit” says Bomnel quietly as if that answered any and all questions.

Everyone holds back at the doorway except Boddynoc and Cedious.  “I can’t believe you.  You have issues Cedious.  Very deep and troubled issues.  You need help.”

Cedious answers by undoing his pants and going to the bathroom within the pit.  Boddynoc leaves in total disgust.  He is deeply offended by these actions.  Cedious continues to go then suddenly stops.

Hee-hee-he-he-he hee-hee-haw snort-snort  Hee.

Looking down the pit while quickly dressing Cedious begins to lose his smirk and great confidence.

A set of red eyes is visible looking at him.  Movement of wiggling things surrounds the eyes.  The glint of a weapon shines in the dark.

“uh….uh guys…..  HEY GUYS!”

The creature’s face is damp.  Tiny snakes lick at its face.  It’s own tongue tastes the fluid.  Hee-he-he-hee-hee-snort.

The warforged rush to the pit.   More combat!

Balkroth and Bemnol miss the sudden swoosh of something leaping out of the pit onto a column.  They are concentrating too much on what they see climb out of the pit.

“The first thing that stands out about this creature is the massive saw-toothed glaive it carries.  The creature’s pointed ears and moist, scaly skin mark it as an outsider.  It has a long tail, clawed hands and feet, and a snaky, disgusting beard.”   

Undaunted, the warforged go in to attack.  After a powerful hit on the laughing creature, it disappears with a mild pop.  A series of mild pops begin in the shadows next to the pit.  17 creatures appear from no where.

“…not unlike a molten mass of flesh oozing across the ground, it has a human-shaped head and torso, but its body is a shapeless mass below the waist.  A permanent expression of anguish twists across its face.”

Boddynoc quickly begins to power up the warforged with Bane vs. Fiends hoping he judgement is current.
Bomnel fires a crossbow into the creature on the column now that he sees it.  It does no harm.  Then he screams, as the location of the original Bearded Devil becomes evident.  Its sick looking glaive slices through his side.

Chief becomes powered up and begins to cleave greatly into the mass of oozing smelly flesh.  Asunder goes to pin down the creature before him.  Cedious attacks then moves then attacks and moves.  He fears becoming cornered by these creatures within a small room with a Khyber pit in the center.

Bemnol and Balkroth take down the one creature.  Bemnol is bleeding badly.  The wound seems to be drawing blood out.  He fumbles for a potion.  Seeing he is taking care of himself, Boddynoc searches the creature (before Cedious can react to it).  He finds 600 gold and a magical rope (Entangle).  The rope he drops to the side but pockets the hefty bag.  Cedious easily spots the 12-pound bag and carefully picks it from Boddynoc.  He skips the rope thinking it is the simple rope that Bomnel had earlier.

At this point Boddynoc also notes the dryness of his skin.  It is peeling and pale.  Deep wrinkles have emerged on his arms.  

The second Bearded Devil tries to teleport away before Asunder destroys him.  Too late.  Chief finishes off the last ones except one that leapt into the pit trying to get at Asunder’s back.  Asunder now notices his injuries from the fiend are very painful and his life icor seems to be flowing freely.  

Boddynoc aids him and stops the bleeding from the Infernal Wound attacks.  He still feels a bit weak.  Boddynoc and Cedious check out the remaining body of a Bearded Devil.  He finds several potions and icor on it.  These are put away for future use.

Bomnel, still woozy from his injuries hears something coming down the hallway within the green mist.

“Sounds like those spider eye monsters again.”

Everyone but Cedious go back to the hallway.  After throwing a body or two into the pit, he then proceeds to finish his earlier business.

Four of these “…grotesque, misshapen head (s) that consist mostly of a single blinking eye (are) supported by six long, slender, spike-tipped limbs…”    rush at them.  As before, the warforged and the ½ giant form a line of defense, which holds these creatures at bay.  They are easily defeated.  No one notices Cedious is missing even as he catches up with the group.

The next room down they find a mess that may be the creature’s nest.  It is made up of debris of stone, wood and various materials.  Strangely, Boddynoc finds a Harp of Charming within the mess.  He pockets it to either sell later or transfer its magical energy to something else later.

The next room is confusing at first to look at.  There is a large glass wall that is filled with the thick green vapors.  Small holes can be seen in the floor where the vapors rise.  Three bowls containing unknown fluids are also there.  Uncertain at what to do, Boddynoc begins to explore.  He finds a trigger to open and close the glass.  Before opening it, he makes sure nothing is within the mist that may attack them.  He withdraws a button and the glass dissolves away.  He waits for the mist to empty before looking at the bowls (Fort checks are already done).  There is a bowl of thick black fluid, dark green and blue hued goo.

He studies it for a minute or two and a startling revelation comes to him.  The green mists mix with the fumes of these fluids and become something else.  Something possibly bad.  Looking closer, he finds what he hoped not to find-  a fissure in the wall-  the same crack that the stirge were at.  At this point, he notes his hands are stiff and spasm slightly.  He fears what may be happening to him.  Looking at Bomnel as he scratches at his own dry skin, Boddynoc fears for both of them.

The hallway leads to stairs leading down , or a way to the right.  They go to the right.

“Do you hear that?” asks Cedious.


----------



## Cedious

Andy im having fun and all but i just wanted to ask you if your going easy on us because we have no cleric?

i understand that the gnome heals the warforged but that still leaves 3 non-forged chars that hardly even get hit...

im not trying to get you to do a tpk or anything but if i had to worry about the consiquenses of my actions a little more i might stop doing some of the more errr *cough* STUPID *cough* actions. 
Hey or not you know me i like getting us in a whole heap of steaming dragon waste 
And i really love making boddyknoc angry/sad/upset/depressed/mad/displeased/unhappy/imbarrassed/disgusted/hateful/resentful

im thinking next time we play i might start really making him dislike me.....and probably all halflings im not sure yet.

he's a gnome they deserve it.........better yet i might start on that dumb halfbreed who thinks he is so tuff.....


----------



## megamania

The answer is ....

2 Warforged with AC of 20
1 1/2 Giant that once powered up is nearing (exceeding) AC  in mid 20's
rogue with 17+ AC

Gnome that makes a point to stay out of melee

Not going easy on you guys, just dealing with the min-max stats folks used.  Also, for the most part, you have faced foes with no background on the party.  This will change and once this happens the AC issue may no longer be an issue.

When we play next, you may discover some of this ..the hard way.  Lady Terri is not impressed thus far.


----------



## megamania

Not completely off the topic-  I am working on a neat project.  Readers and players may have heard of it-  The Creation Schema.

Assuming I can finish it-  

Base plate measures 20 inches around and each of the five components measure between 4-6 inches.  Made from a mix of wood, poster board, dowl pegs and paint / markers.

Figured if we were going to commit 18 months to the campaign I should have something to show for it. 

If it works-  I'll take pictures and scan them in somehow.


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> Hey or not you know me i like getting us in a whole heap of steaming dragon waste
> And i really love making boddyknoc angry/sad/upset/depressed/mad/displeased/unhappy/imbarrassed/disgusted/hateful/resentful
> 
> im thinking next time we play i might start really making him dislike me.....and probably all halflings im not sure yet.




Poor ol' Boddynoc.  He has his own issues if you recall.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/12/05
SEGMENT 042
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT VIII

“Perhaps it is the underground river we saw earlier.  Lets go.”  Answers Bomnel.

Boddynoc has a brief thought of pushing Cedious in to drown him before following.  He shakes his head trying to block the thought out of his mind.  It will not go away.  He looks at his hands again.  They look diseased but very very dry.   

They go a while until they find a room with several columns.  The columns depict screaming souls swirling and mixing in pain and misery on the posts.  Bomnel looks at it and wonders how many of these souls could be the various non-gnomes he has killed in the name of Zilargo and the Trust.  He has never thought about what was to become of his enemies before.  Why is he now?  He shakes his head and concentrates on the sound of water.

Just past the posts there is a stone bridge that arcs over the very river they saw earlier.  They cross the bridge.  It winds to the left and right then branches in two directions.   They go left and find the hallway narrows to 10x10.  Following it they find another nest.  Nothing comes out and nothing is found.  Bomnel feels angry by this fact.

The PCs go to the other branch and find it leads to a completely black room.  Their torches do not allow any light to enter and even the lantern allows for no light.  Confident this is important, Cedious goes in.  He hugs the wall to the right and carefully goes into …the darkness.  The warforged march directly in.  They sweep the floor in case of a Khyber pit or other dangerous pitfall.  Balkroth will not go in.  The complete darkness brings memories to the surface he wants forgotten.  Boddynoc wonders why someone would caste a darkness spell here.  What is being hidden or is it an ambush.  Maybe the warforged creatures will find out.  Maybe even be brought down during combat.  He smiles.

Bomnel is no better.  Only he frowns.  He calls on his training to avoid mind-altering spells and psionics.  He senses none.  But something is wrong.  He scratches at a patch of dry skin on his back.

Moving very slowly, Cedious finds a corner.  He moves along again.  He can hear the warforged daring a fight and cursing when no ambush occurs.  It is another few minutes before he reaches the back corner.  “How big is this?” he wonders to himself.  He begins down the wall he figures to be the side facing the entrance.  He hopes the warforged don’t mistake him as a practice dummy.

A full 25 minutes go by before Cedious finds the doorway leading to Boddynoc, Bomnel and Bathrock.  Boddynoc, amazed by the dimensions involved in this permanent darkness spell, looks at Bomnel.  “there are powerful forces at hand here.”

Solemnly, Bomnel says-  “…and dark.”

“Comon guys-  we’re leaving.” Calls Boddynoc into the darkness.  A sharp curse can be heard from within the darkness.  “Where the %#2* is the door!?!?!” exclaims Asunder.  “I hate magic!” fusses Chief.

Boddynoc tells himself to remember he said that the next time he comes to him wanting magical aid.  Spells of death and destruction to constructs float through his mind.  He shudders and shakes it off.  “Comon- hurry up.” He calls in.   “Use the walls” yells in Cedious finding great humor in this.

Another ten minutes later both warforged constructs wander out.  A look of confusion on their faces as they step out of the darkness that they quickly change to a look of confidence.

They back track to the stairway leading down.  The stairs are large and deep.  They go down and find a stadium or more precisely- an auditorium. There is seating for hundreds and a stage at the bottom.  Looking around, they find ancient blood stains.  Nothing recent.  Bored, they head out.

Finding nothing of use, they leave these rooms and return to the mine.  They search around the mines then leave.  They found nothing else and are very tired.  (they have been up for roughly 24 hours now)

During this time, Boddynoc discovers something.  He has developed darkvision.  He keeps it a secret.  Some secrets need to be kept.  This way they can be used to bring down enemies that know you well.  He says this while staring at Cedious’ back.

Bomnel asks him if he is okay.  His eyes look discolored.  “Leave me be Trust agent.  You are here just for the ride.”  Bomnel wonders what has happened to them.  Both he and Boddynoc have decreased movement and their skin is wrinkled and pale.  Was the mist a weapon against Gnomes?  Is House Tharashk secretly plotting against Zilargo?  They must die then.  Let their souls scream and wail like the ones on the columns.

As they walk down the trail in daylight, they spot a ship in the harbor!

“They lied to us!” exclaims Boddynoc.

“Let’s take the ship.” Says Cedious expecting a comment from Boddynoc.  None comes which surprises him for a moment.

As they get closer, they can make out the flag of the Finder’s Guild.  There is a ship here already.  It was not due for another week at the least.  

Bomnel wonders if this is a ship for collecting Dragon Shards or for collecting gnome-killing gas.

They reach the village and see three ½ orcs and a small figure in full plate talking to the village leaders.  The party pick up their pace.

On the way, they notice more damage to the village.  A fight broke out.  Looking further, they spot a mutated body of a dog.  It resembles the Dire Wolves they saw earlier but it is clearly the leader’s dog.  Bomnel notes the mutation of the family pet and wonders how this would be used against Zilargo.

As they get closer, they see the three large figures are ½ Orcs of House Tharashk.  The smaller figure is a female gnome with the marks of the Silver Flame.  The ½ Orcs tense up as they see the warforged jogging towards them.  The ½ Giant looms over them also running.  Boddynoc has begun to race ahead and is getting close to passing the three warriors.  Bemnol holds back to figure out what is happening.  Something is wrong here-  very very wrong.  Cedious watches and hurries after his teammates.  He finds these events of chaos to be great and amusing.

The gnome says something to the village leaders and the ½ Orcs then concentrate on the PCs.  With a raised voice, she introduces herself.

“My name is Terri.  I am to help you.”  Her eyes refocus on Boddynoc.  “Him and the other gnome-“
She points at them and the ½ Orcs brace themselves for the wall of armor and blades called Asunder, Chief and Balkroth.

And thus it begins …….


----------



## Cedious

*waits for saturday*

i wanna play 
i wanna play
i wanna play
i wanna play

*waits*

*wants to see gnome die, die gnome die hahahahahahahahhehehehehahahahah*

*waits*

*prays to a god, any god, a god that would answer to my request*


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/26/05
SEGMENT 043
THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT IX

“Allow the power and purity of the Silver Flame consume any misgivings and malevolent intentions or impurities and give us our divine strength!” calls out the armored gnome as she castes a spell of Bane.  Boddynoc doesn’t care.  He feels an uncontrollable hatred of her welling within his chest.  

Cedious slows down and comes to the frank conclusion that something is wrong here.  Something very serious.  The warforged charge in to dismantle the ½ orcs.  The ½ Giant slows down as he notes Cedious is moving away from the battle.  He also remembers the villagers as non-aggressive, maybe not friends, but not someone to attack.  The ½ orcs form a circle around Kerri the Exorcist of the Silver Flame.  Bomnel comes to the full realization that Boddynoc has changed …and so is he!  

Kerri castes more spells to bolster the Tharashk Smite.  Boddynoc gets into reach of the combat and stops to dig through his bag. The first thing he finds is his alchemist’s fire and throws it into the melee burning a ½ orc.

Cedious sits down and holds his head in his hands in disbelief and awe.  The ½ Giant strides over to him and Bemnol walks over.  He has a strange urge to combat the armored gnome but fights it.  Asunder cuts down a villager in one swing and looks to the next target.   The soldiers now support the cleric fully and try to stop the assault.

The cleric of the Silver Flame now sees that there is no reason to hold back and releases a ray of Searing Light into Asunder whom killed an innocent man.  Chief hacks into another ½ orc.  The ½ orcs return the favor and begin to cut him down to size.

Boddynoc pulls out the black goo from the fiendish halls and throws it at Kerri and strikes her.  The contents splatter over her armor.

Cedious, the ½ Giant and the Trust agent stand back.

Deciding it is too late to redeem the gnome, Kerri attacks Boddynoc.  She calls down a Column of divine flame that strikes him and Asunder.  Boddynoc the Corpse Creature goes down in flames without so much as a scream.  Asunder thrashes and twists then falls to the ground, his inner organic composition set aflame.  He is dying.  Chief takes down one Tharashk Smite and goes into the next.  The forces that be surround him.  He goes down in a heap.

Kerri walks past the dying construct that is Asunder and marches to the three warriors that held back.  She stares at the gnome and is prepared to kill him outright as she did the other Chaotic Evil Undead creature.

“You are impure and diseased gnome.  A fiendish disease courses within you and will make you into undead and corrupt your soul into doing evil.   What you say to this?”   The ½ Orcs walk up behind her then form a wall before her.

Bomnel looks at the smoking remains of Boddynoc.  He had seen the changes.  He sensed the wrong in his heart that was growing.  The very feelings he is now experiencing himself.  How can he ever aid or protect Zilargo and her people if he becomes an evil undead creature bent on death and destruction?

“I yield.”

A few spells of curing and removing later and Bomnel is sick and weak but no longer becoming a Corpse Creature.

Thus ends the Island of Starvos Adventure…..   for now


----------



## megamania

The Tharashk Smite

Since House Tharashk (The Finders Guild) often need to go to Khyber Pit areas to collect Khyber Dragon Shards it made sence to me that they would have a specialized force.

The Tharashk Smite.

They specialize in fiendish outbreaks within their mining facilities and often have a high level cleric within their ranks.  In this case a Silver Flame cleric.

Unknown to players or villagers, the priest had gotten out a message to Kerri before disappearing.  She arranged an immediate trip to the Starvos Island Mines.

As a Silver Flame cleric. she can be a bit extreme and Boddynoc and a few others discovered this.

Now back to the regularly schelduled program.....


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> *waits for saturday*
> 
> i wanna play
> i wanna play
> i wanna play
> i wanna play
> 
> *waits*
> 
> *wants to see gnome die, die gnome die hahahahahahahahhehehehehahahahah*
> 
> *waits*
> 
> *prays to a god, any god, a god that would answer to my request*




and thus you are the only surviving original member....


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/26/05
SEGMENT 044
A NEW DIRECTION   PART I

Bodies are buried and taken care of.

Kerri has business in Wroat, Breland and offers a ride to Sharn to Cedious, Bomnel and Balkroth.  They accept if only to get away from the island.

She and the Tharashk Smite interrogate them for the entire several weeks it takes to reach the mainland and finally Sharn.   She asks over and over about what was in the mines, what was in the halls and what else was there of note.  The Khyber Pit and the Darkness Room bother her.  The Khyber Pit will need to be sealed and the room investigated.

She cares little for the Creation Schema and House Cannith.  However when the subject is brought up to her she mentions something Cedious was not aware of.  House Cannith is a divided house.  There is three separate divisions working currently.  North, South and West are not united and it is thought that they may work against each other at times.  She distrusts Merrix d’Cannith whom is in charge of Cannith South and lives in Sharn.  What has happened to them sounds like his work.

They reach Sharn and the Trust spy disappears into the city leaving the unlikely duo of a halfling rogue and ½ Giant psychic Warrior to wander the docks.  They make way to the inner city and Cedious tries to decide what to sell and what not to sell.  He still has a lot of money that once belonged to a party that included 5-6 more people.  Some goods could not be saved (Khora’s armor) while others were (Boddynoc’s Rope of Entanglement).

After a few days they are walking at night across a bridge the Districts of Precarious and Callestan together.  The ½ Giant spots a large flying creature overhead.  A giant owl to be specific.  It swoops down to them and hovers as Cedious takes cover.  A scroll is dropped into the ½ Giant’s hands then the creature flies away through the maze of towers and bridges that make up Sharn.

“What is it?” asks Cedious in obvious excitement.  

“Parchment attached to two pieces of wood with a leather strap encased in a treated paper and wood tube” answers the ½ Giant with a smirk.  He thinks he has become a comedian.

“To Cedious and party- “

“Who is it from?”

“I haven’t gotten that far yet Ced.”

“Read whom it’s from then !!!”

“Uh….Beth.”

“Beth?”

“Uh-oh….Beth d’Cannith”

The now mellow ½ ling motions for him to read the scroll.

To Cedious and party-

Allow me to offer my greatest apologies and sympathies to you and your lose while working for House Cannith.  I fear you have been mistreated and used by members of the family with their own personal goals in mind.  This is not the House Cannith way.  We wish to make up for the wrongs and offer any help we can.

I have been asked to meet with you in Underlook District.  I will wait for you on the bridge connecting Tower Ferros and Tower Cyros at the 22nd Bell.

Beth d’Cannith
“Do we go?”

“Sure.  The worse we can do is run her throw and go on the run …again.” Comments Cedious.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/26/05
SEGMENT 045
A NEW DIRECTION   PART II

From the tower they can see a cloaked woman in blue and a VERY large warforged.  She is leaning on the bridge rail and looks down into the maze below.  The warforged scans everywhere for trouble of any sort.  He alerts her the moment the two walk into view from Tower Ferros.

As they get closer, they see several details.  She is dressed in Cannith colors but has an aura of an adventurer about her.  She is obviously impatient to be sitting here on the bridge.  The warforged bodyguard seems concerned about the open exposure.  He is big and has built up arms, back and hip that suggests weapon storage areas.  

Whether these two are House Cannith or not, they are well equipped.

“Welcome Cedious.  I am Beth d’Cannith and this is Bludgeon.  He watches over my welfare.”

“I’m sure.  What do you want?”

Balkroth is uncomfortable that he sees eye to eye with the warforged. He had heard of larger models being made but to see one…”

“I offer proper reward and compensation for the work you have done for House Cannith and more rewards if you will met with my Matron Jorlanna d’Cannith in Fairhaven.”

“Fairhaven  ….Aundair?”

“Yes.  We would travel by private car on the Electric Rail.”

Cedious likes that.  Private car.  That means money and many personal comforts.  He looks up at the warrior whom nods his approval.

“Okay.”

Balkroth would not have gone if it involved the Cannith West division.  He has ..history with them.

She makes haste with them to the rail and leaves immediately.  It takes many days to reach Aundair.  They speak of their adventurers in Sharn, Darguun, Zilargo and even the island.  She enjoys the entire conversation.  She often adds how much she enjoys traveling to far away places and is happy that she does so.  She is pleased that they do also.

They travel through Breland into Thrane and finally into Aundair.  On the way they see many things.  What they did not see much of was the warforged that tried to make the train at Sharn but missed.  The ½ Giant saw him briefly as the car moved along.

Fairhaven is very different from Sharn.  Though there are towers, they seemed limited to a mere few floors.  The city is much more spread out than reaching up to the sky.  The forest and waters show that the country is healthy.  They see it is very magical also.  Though it lacks flying cars and transportation, it has a magical feel to it.  The sky is blue and crystal clear.    Perfect.

“We are there.”  She announces as their coach stops.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/26/05
SEGMENT 046
A NEW DIRECTION   PART III

Even Cedious and Balkroth are impressed.

The multi-towered facility is made from white stone with bright blue and gold trim.  The blue and gold trim is highly reflective and magical looking.  There are several shrubs that have been trimmed to look like magical creatures and  two separate water fountains.  Each depicts a tower of fish with water spilling out from their mouths in many different levels and intensities.

A single small warforged can be seen trimming the shrubs in the background.  Several guards stand at the doorway where the coach stops.  They open the door and hold their hand out for Beth d’Cannith to use to step down.  Instead she hopes out and waits for Bludgeon to step off the back of the coach.  The coach creaks as he steps off and comes to her side.

“Welcome to House Cannith.  I hope you will be impressed and enjoy its view and pleasures.”  And with a mischievous smile, she turns and hurries onward to the main entrance.

Cedious hopes down and looks about as he tries to catch up.  The ½ Giant draws attention from one guard.  He stands several feet over him and smiles.  The guard looks away and makes no effort to hinder them further.  They catch up with Beth as she goes through the main door into a large open dome space with many doors leading away.  She holds out her Cannith signet ring and each door opens as she nears it.  The others make a point to stay close as the doors close on their own a second or two later.

The walls are all white with blue and gold trim.  Plants and caged birds adorn the hallways making it look and feel very comfortable.  Guards stand here and there.  They watch but do not hinder Beth as she and her warforged guardian march through.  Finally they reach another dome shaped room with many doors.  Beth slows down briefly to speak with a bird that sings to her from its perch within its golden cage.  She then continues on looking back briefly with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.  

Finally, they stop and she turns with her back to a set of double doors with the image of a Gorgon and Anvil mounted by gears on it.  “Welcome to the main hall.  Inside awaits the true Matron of Cannith- Baroness Jorlanna d’ Cannith.  Please be respectful.”

She opens the double doors and Bludgeon waits for the two adventurers to proceed inside.  He then closes the doors and waits outside.

The room is 120ft long and 50 ft wide.   A series of long tables and chairs fill the center.  These tables could seat a few hundred people with ease.  At the far end is a woman dressed in the House Cannith blue.

Beth walks up and pauses.  Jorlanna nods and Beth turns and stands by her side.  “Lady Jorlanna, I would like to introduce the two surviving adventurers that sought the Creation Schema as hired by Lady Elaydren of Cannith South.  They are-  “

The middle-aged woman of great beauty and grace looks up and interrupts her.  “ Cedious.  Retriever of goods and information.  Expert in ways of thievery and mischief.  Balkroth.  ½ Giant with powers of the mind used to bolster his already great and awesome bodily strength.  Also wanted by Cannith West for some crime against Lady Duras within the Lhazaar Principalities.  Yes, I know of you- both of you.  Please sit and allow me to offer food and drink before we begin.”  She snaps her fingers and trays of snacks, foods and drinks float to the table as directed by a few Magewrights that remain to the edge of the room.

Cedious goes for the hardest drink offered.  Drake Blood from the Mror Holds.  The dwarven drink burns even his throat going down.  The ½ Giant is happy with an enlarged chicken leg in a Sweet spicy sauce that he figures originated from Shadow Marshes.  Very good.  

“Please Cedious-  please tell me everything.  Give me every detail concerning Lady Elaydren and the Creation Schema.  Everything.”

Cedious takes a deep gulp that makes his eyes water.  “everything…?  Well okay.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/26/05
SEGMENT 047
A NEW DIRECTION   PART IV

The following is an expanded version of what was said while gaming.  I figured it would not hurt to have a “What has happened before-“ segment.  It has been slightly edited since I’m sure Cedious would NOT talk about his direct theft of goods in Sharn and the likes.

“It began on a rainy night in Sharn a few months ago.  We were returning from a night of drinking and gambling when we came across the just slain body of a Morgrave University professor named Bonel Geldem.  The killer was a warforged that we in turn killed.”

“We?”

“Boddynoc Grinkle, a gnome artificer, Khora a human cleric, Bonds, a warforged barbarian and Temper a warforged fighter and myself.”

“Go on”

“We identify him as Bonel even as the police show up.  Sgt Dolem was the investigating officer.  After prove our innocence we are released and are contacted by Lady Elaydren.”

“How were you contacted?”

“Someone wearing a Cannith ring told us to meet her at the Broken Anvil Tavern.  Since we were all jobless we went.  She was waiting us inside.”

“How was she dressed?   What did she do?  Anything you can tell me would be appreciated.”

Grumbling in his mind Cedious continues.  “She had a dark blue cloak on.  Very fine and well crafted.  Black hair with expensive and possibly magical hairpieces. She wore a Cannith ring also.  She was very quiet and polite to us.  She offered us all drinks and we accepted.  She introduced herself as Lady Elaydren d’Cannith  …or was it Vown?  Anyway- she said she was an employer of Bonel.”

“Lady Elaydren Vown …now married to a true blood and known as Elaydren d’Cannith.  Go on.”

Cedious takes a handful of seasoned nuts and puffed rice.  “Bonel was hired to locate a family heirloom.  An heirloom lost long ago.  Bonel was close to discovering where it was.  By using a lost journal from Cannith forefathers, he had leads but could not discern where the heirloom was.  He was to meet her that night but was struck down.  She then offered us 1000 gold and a favor from House Cannith if we picked up from where Bonel left off.  Since she paid some up front, we all agreed.” 

“Boddynoc tried to decipher the journal.  He did figure out a few things about the heirloom in question.”

“Oh- like what?”

“It was a creation Schema.  A device that aided in making magic work when creating things.  This one was specific to warforged.  He had hoped it would tell him how to create a warforged but it did not or he did not get that far.”

“The creation of a living and thinking warforged requires several schemas.  This one merely speeds thing up.  From years to a week or ten days.  Go on.”

“Well we located the value gate to the sewers numbered as E-213 within the Dorasharn Tower.  After working out arrangements for a guide with a goblin and some shifters that is.  We found the main entrance by using the magic of the journal and a ring Elaydren gave us.”

“In time we found the Foundry .  Most of the structures were in ruins but the Cannith building was still intact.  Inside were several Iron Defenders, which we defeated with ease.  Eventually we found the piece and tried to get out.”

“Describe it to me.  In detail.”

“It was a 7 point star.  Adamantine I believe.  One point at the top and one at the bottom.  To the one side were three points and the other side were two points that looked like they could fit into each other if there were two of them.  There were runes on it.”

“Did anyone else see or handle it?”

Unsure if he should say anything, Cedious looks at his large friend.

“Well?”

“We .. I didn’t know it at the time but Boddynoc had it studied and a copy made by a gnome friend of his.”

This news takes her back.  She was not aware of this.  “Who?”

“I don’t know.  Boddynoc was looking to get into a group of pro-Zilargo gnomes named the Trust.”

She takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly while looking at Beth.  Beth merely continues to smile and shrugs a brief shrug.

“Who has it now?”

“As per the agreement, we gave Elaydren the piece but kept the journal, ring and the copy.  She was so happy, I don’t think she realized or cared that we still had the journal or the ring.”

“Sloppy.  Go on.”

“A warforged was there, trailing us.  It tried to get the schema but failed.  We didn’t hear from her again for a few months until recently when she tried to contact us.  We arrived at the House Sivis message station just after a warforged with several kobolds had attacked.  We were to meet her at the Broken Anvil again.”

“When we showed up, she was a nervous wreck.  She wore ratty clothes and her was a mess.  She wasn’t wearing any hairpieces.  She was on edge and scared.  She gave us a haversack that contained instructions, money and supplies and before we could ask anything more the warforged attacks the tavern along with his kobold friends.  She disappears during the disturbance.”

“And within the sack…?”

“As I said- supplies and money.  Also in the sack were instructions on how to find the Rose Quarry in Cyre and boarding passes.  We left immediately for Darguun.”

“I suspected Whitehearth may have had a piece.  Our own research suggested it.  Go on.”

“From here, everything kinda falls apart.  We were to meet a guy named Failen.  Instead, we arrive to a city in a riot state that is hunting down non-gobloids.  Khora falls, killed by a big Ogre.”

“To make matters worse, a necromancer was following us and making small attacks to slow us down.”

“The Emerald Claw.” She hisses.

“Yup.”

“Who is this Failin?”

“Don’t know much.  Guess he once worked for you or at least Cannith south.  He was suppose to know where the Quarry is.”

The Baroness is lost in thought for a moment as Cedious takes a few drinks of his alcohol and tries some
Karrnath Sausage.

“So we are forced to not us him as a resource.  We come onto a trade house along the river where the Emerald claw has been.  It appeared a vampire- undead creature was among the crew.  Later we learned he was a changeling.   Anyway-  they took the horses and had left for the Quarry.  We were told of a ranger whom could lead us there and so we go.  I forget his name.  It was obvious he did not like the warforged in our group.  On the way we were joined by a fighter with an unique fighting style.  He used over-sized weapons of mass destruction.  The Emerald Claw tried to kill him.  He joined us if only to get another chance at them.  The ranger led the five of us into the woods and hills after paying him some money.  We had thought the quarry was outside the mists but we were wrong.  The mists seem to move forward and back.  On this day, the quarry was inside the mists.  So in we go.”

“Describe the mists to me.” Jorlanna asks with special interest.

“It is easy to get lost in.  The mist blocks visibility.  Sometimes we can see murky images ten feet away and other times we can’t see the hands before our faces.  Sometimes I felt …an awareness within the mist.  No doubt just my nerves.  It was an unpleasant experience in truth.  Somehow we kept together and emerged on the far side.  Then it got freaky.”

Beth smirks as Jorlanna seems to try to guess what he means by freaky.  Finally she stops Cedious and asks to be more specific.

“Freaky.   It got scary and unnatural.”

“How so?”

“The bodies of soldiers were still there, as if they only were struck down within a minute of our arriving.  There was no decay, rot or smell.  They were perfectly preserved.”

Jorlanna silently makes a note in her mind about investigating the preserving powers of the Mournlands for possible food storage and transportation purposes.

“We followed the horse tracks to the Rose Quarry.  There we fought and defeated a small army of Emerald Claw members.  I myself took out their leader- the changeling.  We explored the ruined town looking for the clues that were said to lead to where the secret facility was.”

“Whitehearth.”

“Yup.  We found where they tried to destroy a map room but we were able to figure it out and went there.” Says Cedious looking away to find the fact it was they that destroyed the map room.  “Getting in was easy enough, even with the electrical magic traps and security measures taken.  Inside we found all the workers had died but remained pristine just like the soldiers outside.  However, the inmates still lived.”

Jorlanna notes that humans die but not animals as Cedious continues.  “Wolves, some experimented on, lived there.  They were trapped and could not escape the facility.”

“How did they survive?  Did they no longer require food?” asks Beth in awe.  It doesn’t require and artifact developer to know she wants to go there now to explore.

“The wolves …uh… the wolves ate… ate the workers.”

“That facility could not have had that many workers.  Are you mistaken?” asks Jorlanna.

“No.  I am not mistaken.  Whatever preserves the bodies also regenerates them.”  If Jorlanna or Beth were disturbed by this news neither show it.  “There were also magical creatures there.  Our artificer suggested they were spells that took on a life of their own.”  

“What else was there?”

“We found elementals that were lose and causing damage.  We defeated them.  We found something that used molten goo.  We guessed it to be a weapon of some sort.  It was …damaged when fighting the elementals.”

“Go on Cedious.”

“After defeating them, we found the Creation Schema piece we were looking for a duplicate piece.”

“Duplicate?”

“Yup.  Both were made up of Adamantine and diamond shaped.  Like the first piece, it had runes inscribed on it and had small rods and prongs sticking out of the back.”

Jorlanna looks at Beth.  It is as if they each know what the other is thinking.  “Continue Cedious.”

“We also found a 2ft round plate.”

Beth sits upright.  Jorlanna continues to stare while taking a sip from her Aundair wine.  “Go on please.  Give details.”

“The plate had similar runes and markings as the two pieces we had.  It looked like the pieces fit together on it.  Boddynoc dug through the journal and found a drawing of it.  It was called a Base Plate.  It was the main piece of the Creation Schema.”

“Where is it now?”

“We …Elaydren stole it from us.” Cedious lies.

“Where is the journal?  Stolen also?”

“Yes.”

Jorlanna stares at him while holding her wine close to her mouth.  Finally she says- “Continue.”

“We tried to get back directly since we told we would be paid by Elaydren in Darguun.  Instead we got lost and separated in the mists.  I found myself north of everyone.  I met up with Elaydren and Boddynoc in the city later.”

“Details.”

“According to Boddynoc, they ran into a bugbear patrol still looking to kill any non-goblinoid.  The two warforged and the fighter with the big weapons were killed for no reason other than the pleasure of the bugbears.”

“The bastards.” Chimes in the ½ Giant whom has heard this story before but without the lies.

“It must have been quite the adventure.” Adds Beth to Cedious.  “Traveling Darguun’s wilderness by yourself is very dangerous.”

“Oh- I wasn’t alone….” He shuts up quickly.  Cedious is uncertain whether to mention Dar or not.

“Details dear boy.  I want ALL of the details.  Who did you travel with in Darguun?”

“I met a bugbear with the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen.  He was dressed in copper tone armor with a red cape and black and high lites.  He was a very powerful warrior whom had a thing against many of his kind.  He helped me reach the Goblin City before leaving.”

Jorlanna suspects there is more to this Dar than meets the eye but says nothing.

“Anyway- I arrived on her barge-  Lady Elaydren’s barge.  Boddynoc arrived shortly there after.  We gave her the one copy of the piece as agreed by.”

“And the copy?”

“We …ah .. we kept it in secret.”

“And the base plate?”

“We bartered for it.  It wasn’t part of the original deal so we wanted something to show for it.  She was quite taken with it.  She seemed to know a lot about it.  Certainly more than we did.”

“I thought you said she stole it from you?” asks Beth d’Cannith.

“She did.  We stopped at a port in Zilargo so that she could get the money to pay us for the plate and had some flunkies rob us.  After that she had us set up for a crime we did not do.”

“You seem very capable.  I am surprised mere flunkies could ever rob you.”

“Did I say flunkies?  I’m sorry.  There were six of them.  They attacked us using magic.  It was really unsporting of them.” Cedious lies.

“So she has two pieces of the Schema, and two copies of each piece.  She has the Base Plate and the journal that gives clues to its whereabouts and usage.  Anything else?

“That sounds like it.  She did steal most of my money also.  I have so little to use in a city so big and grand.”  Cedious says to plant ideas in Jorlanna’s mind of payment and services.  “After surviving a shipwreck and a cursed island we made it here.”

Jorlanna remains quiet for a long time.  Then she clears her throat and motions to Beth.

“I have a proposal for you and your large friend.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
02/26/05
SEGMENT 048
A NEW DIRECTION   PART V

“For a gold a week, we wish to retain your services for answering any questions we have or think of regarding the Schema.  We will give you free room and board here at our facility with its many comforts.  If you agree, then we may pay you extra to aid us in locating the other pieces and possibly even retrieving our pieces from any outside party (s) that may have them.  This includes the Emerald Claw, the Warforged and anyone else that may want the artifact for themselves.”

Cedious looks up at Balkroth whom is smiling.  He likes the idea of living for free in luxury home where all he has to do is answer questions if asked.  Since he never even saw the pieces, he won’t even have to do that.  Niiice.

“and what of Merrix?”

“If we need to, we will deal with him also.  Agreed?”

“Yup.”

“Excellent.  I’ll have House Sivis and House Kundarak draw up the contracts.”

Cedious swallows his drink hard.

During the next three weeks, they enjoy a simple life of simple pleasures.  Food, relaxation and rest.  Cedious makes further use of the magewrights at Cannith.  He has his weapon improved and pays them with money (without letting the Baroness know of course).

Finally, during the fourth week, Cedious decides he needs to get out.  He and Balkroth go out to check out the bars in Aundair.  They visit the Green Dragon.  While Cedious is drinking his third brew, a human warrior dressed in copper colored armor with a red cape enters and sits down.  He drinks his fluid while watching Cedious and the psychic warrior.  As Cedious sips from his cup, so does the warrior.  After two minutes of this, Cedious sticks his tongue out at him and prepares to allow Balkroth to protect him.  The warrior gets up and walks over to him.

“I know what you have done and what you are doing now.  I know your future.  It is dangerous and may cause a great deal of chaos and even death beyond you.  Think about it and be careful little one.”

Cedious is not impressed.  He watches the warrior with bright blue eyes get up and walk to the door.  Cedious chases after him and finds the street …to be empty.  “I am NOT impressed.”

They return to the Cannith building.  Beth is waiting for them.  “Good news.  We know the whereabouts of a clue to the location of another piece of the schema.  Come quickly.  We need to gather our supplies and a team.  We leave in two hours.


----------



## megamania

*PLAYERS DON'T READ  (like that'll stop them)*

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 050
“SUBPLOT STUFF”

A over a month ago on Starvos Island-

“What do we do with these …creatures?” asks a miner during the cleanup shortly after the Tharashk Smite have left by ship.  

“Bury them with the rest.”

The three men continue to dig and move earth.  The gnome’s body wouldn’t take up much room but these artificial beings …they are big and heavy.  It is hot and the sun burns into their skins.  The headman goes back to the main building to look into when the next supply ship will arrive.  This leaves the two gravediggers to themselves.

“Hey!  Don’t drink dat!  We have to pour that on the bodies before we bury ‘em with earth.”

“It’s cold and wet.  I’m drinking it.”

“But the gnome holy-roller said we needed it.”

“She ain’t here.  The drinking water is polluted.  This is all we got.”

“Save some of that for me!” he says as he climbs out.

The remains of Chief and Boddynoc are buried.  Asunder, still inactive (but at –3) is buried.  “You got any of that water left?”  

“Naw.  Drank it all.”

“Oh.”

“I wonder why the priest wanted us to wash the bodies anyway?”

Three months later, midnight, 

A dry lightning storm begins.  Distant rumbling begins.  The miners have returned from their resumed work.  They are tired and sleep soundly.  They do not hear or see what happens next-

The sandy earth shakes.  A thump is heard.  Then a metallic hand bursts free from the sand.  The form of Asunder climbs out.  Clinging to his shoulder pad is an undead gnome.  He channels his powers into the warforged to repair him.

“Now- Asunder, we have a few things to do for my masters then …hee…heee…We look for the Schema again.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 050
“RAIL WRECK”  PT I

Just shy of the second 6th, Cedious and Balkroth follow Beth d’ Cannith through Fairhaven’s rail station.  They see A long line of about ten cars.  Each car is about 70 feet long and 30 wide.  Though each is different looking, they have a similar appearance.  They vary in texture, cosmetics and some even have stained glass windows.

“Which car do we go on?” asks Balkroth to Beth.

“Second to last.” She answers.

Looking, it would seem an obvious choice.  Though similar in design to the others this car is the same bright blue with silver and white trim as the main buildings; the Cannith colors.  

The rogue halfling steps onto the balcony and steps to the side to allow the others to go by.  From here he looks at the activities around him.  A flatcar is being loaded using a similar magic energy pulley as what Sharn uses at the docks.   The large crates are unmarked and heavy.  There are some soldiers or guards looking around doing their normal patrols.  There are people of every type, race and class.  He sees a scaled woman that he mistakes as a medusa at first glance.  With his fingers over his eyes, he briefly looks again and sees she is reptilian.

There is a bit of commotion do onto the ramp.  Looking he sees a sight he is uncertain if he likes.  A ½ Giant!  This ½ Giant is bald with dark gray skin.  He walks with impunity and pushes through the crowd easily and with little care for the people before him.  Behind him another halfling!  This one is wearing clothes more Talenta influenced than what he himself wears.  Cedious wonders if he was born in Talenta then.  This one is riding a wolf also!   Wow a wolf! 

The ½ giant marches directly to the Cannith car and even though Cedious is on the train, he has to look up to meet the behemoth’s eyes.  “What do you want ½ pint?” and steps onto the car without waiting for an answer. 

The wolf hopes up through the folding steps onto the balcony and sniffs Cedious.  It looks into his eyes and stares.

“Don’t mind Gnarl, he means no harm.” Says the new halfling while climbing aboard.  “I am expected and as always- running late.” And the halfling walks into the car and the wolf turns to follow.

A shrill whistle calls out and the crackle of the electric rail increases.  Cedious feels the car lift a small.  His stomach aches as he is reminded of the sensation of sailing on the water.  “I need food and drink- not in that order.” And goes in.

He closes the door as the rail begins to move.  He notices as they leave there are several cloaked figures fighting with the soldiers.  They want to pass and board the rail but can not since it is in motion.  One looks to be warforged.  Cedious hopes this will not mean fighting them again.  He remembers his trip in and out of the remains of Cyre.  Those warforged had a purpose.  What are chances that they are the same ones?

Cedious sees money.

The entire car is made of the best materials and master craftsmanship.  There are small standing trees about five feet tall, an overhead fan that is treated to cool the air then move it away.  The floors are carpeted and soft to the touch.  There are a few paintings on the walls of this 25x10-foot space that depict the three current heads of House Cannith.  Cedious gives Merrix the finger before looking into what else is within the car of value.  He hears a voice he doesn’t know.  Human.  He looks down the hallway and sees Beth talking to a human in armor.  A fighter type.  All male too.   Looking down the hall past the two humans, Cedious sees two doors, one is open and he can hear the two ½ giants talking within the room.  Another door at the end is locked and has black glass in the door.  That one must lead into the rear / front engine car he figures.

Checking the other rooms, he finds two bedrooms.  One has a large sack within it.  Looking at it, the bag is very sturdy and heavy.  Possibly heavier than himself.  It is bound with a yellow rope that seems to pull on the top as if being held up.  Curiosity begins to take over when he is called out by Beth.

Back into the 10x25 feet room, they meet.  There are two half-giants, Balkroth and Black Sand.  There is a druid halfling and his wolf.  There is the human fighter, Beth and himself.  So- this is the team thinks Cedious.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 051
“RAIL WRECK”  PT II”

“Our hired investigators have found something we were unaware of before.  Professor Bonel Geldem had an assistant.  Her name is Valneese Blare.  She has a strong background in goblinoid cultures, old and new.  She studied in Morgrave University and even spent a few years visiting the area now recognized as Darguun.   To make matters worse. She was working for another party.  We are uncertain whom but they were or are located within the mountains of the Mror Holds.  There are several secret groups here that work together for power and to amass greater wealth.  They are known as the Aurum.  We believe she worked for this group.  If so, we face someone that may have more riches, power and reach than the entire House Cannith placed together.”

“When Professor Geldem was murdered in Sharn, the authorities sought her out.  She was wanted for questioning and could not be found.  Her apartment had shown signs of being ransacked and searched.  We assume by the very warforged warriors you fought Cedious.”

The others look at Cedious sizing him up.

“The investigators followed her trail to the electric rail station.  From there, we were able to procure the documents we needed to prove she got on board.  She had bought tickets to reach the Mror Holds and we assume her benefactor.” 

“However, something happened on the trip.  In the Talenta Plains an accident occurred.  Within the region of the Talenta Gorge, an electric rail engine lost control and went off the bridge into the gorge.  Dozens of people died in the crash and another 34 died from the creatures living there before help arrived.  Only 15 people survived.  We suspect Valneese was among the survivors but went into hiding.  Her skills at survival would aid her and she has spent some time near the plains.  She knows of the dangers there and has a greater chance of survival than compared to the majority of riders that landed in the swamp.”

“We have begun our trip from Fairhaven, Aundair.  We will travel east to the Star Peaks and enter Thrane.  We continue east to Karrnath.  Then we begin to travel south from Atur into the Plains.  We will travel over the gorge to Gatherhold.  There, we get a private rail and go back to the crash site.  From what I have been told, the bridge is built onto a great tree.  The tree is close to 400 feet tall and the bridge is 300 feet high.  The cars remaining are located within the branches of the tree and in the swamp below.”

“What can we expect there?  Why is it so dangerous?” asks Black Sand with an aura of boredom.

“Talenta Plains is well known for its unique inhabitants.  There are many large and often intelligent lizards here known as Dinosaurs within our museums.  Though the majority of these are harmless unless provoked, there are several dangerous varieties.  The most well known are Velociraptors and Deinonychus.  They are hunters about 6 foot tall that are incredibly fast and very intelligent.  But there are larger and more dangerous dinosaurs within the gorge.  There are reports that support the existence of a tyrannosaurus within the gorge.”

Black sand smiles.  This trip could be fun.

“This trip will take several days to complete.  Fours to reach Gatherhold alone.  We will be traveling through several countries and their checkpoints.  This includes Karrnath where the Emerald Claw are stationed and thus the strongest.  I ask you use discretion and avoid their soldiers.  They will be on the train.  The vast majority of them will have nothing to do with us but some may be a part of the team or teams looking for the Schema.  Please…. please do not bother them.”   She says this looking at Cedious then at Black Sands.

Cedious suddenly finds something of visual interest on the floor but Black Sands merely smiles and continues to lean on his elbow on the seat.  

“Oh why me?” thinks Beth to herself. 

  “Keep in mind, we are not the only ones seeking clues and the pieces to the Creation Schema.  We know of a group of Warforged that seek it or at least are being used to gain it, we know of the Emerald Claw and now we may be including the Aurum.  Then the most dangerous group by far- ourselves.  Merrix wants it and will do anything to gain it.”

“I suggest you relax and enjoy the trip.  There is a food and drink car further up the line.  And remember- this is a secret mission.  We don’t want any more competition than what we already have.

Cedious announces he seeks drink.  Black Sand walks after him.  Balkroth and the druid continue talking then leave the car also.  The two humans remain, Beth and the new fighter.  “Well- what do you think?”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 052
“RAIL WRECK”  PT III

13 hours have passed and Cedious wakes up.  He has picked the lock of a fancy bedroom.  Beth has the other proper bedroom and everyone else slept in the main room or the bunkrooms.  The rail seems to be slowing down so he gets his stuff together and checks it out.  They are within a small city setting.  A sign announces he is about to enter the city of Star Peaks.  He can see the peaks through the windows on the other side of the main room.  If he remembers the program correctly, there will be a two-hour layover here.  The next stop will be Rekkenmark, Karrnath.  He opens the door and walks onto the balcony and leans on the railing.  He looks from below the main support rail and watches the station as it approaches.  There are many more Silver Flame priests, clerics, knights and paladins here than in Sharn or Fairhaven.  The need for mischief grows within Cedious.

The smell of food catches his attention.  Beth walks out holding several sweet rolls and a coffee.  She offers him a roll.  Shortly we will arrive in Thrane and pass through it.  You will know when we reach Karrnath by the long bridge we must cross.  

“Which bridge?” he asks as he helps himself to the last roll seeing she has two more bites to go on her own roll.

“We will cross over the Scions Sound which is about 25 miles wide.  It is high enough to allow full sized ships to cross under it.”  She looks for a roll and finds only crumbs.

Cedious tries to speak but can not as half of the last roll is within his ½ -sized mouth.  He swallows and motions to her coffee.  With a resigned sigh she hands it over.  He washes down his roll with half of her coffee.  “Ummm…   good.”

“Spiced with Aundair Root.”

The rail comes to a full halt within the Star Peak Station.  Cedious watches as several House Orien ½ elves in uniform come out of their stations and the cars to direct people coming on and off the cars.  It looks very busy and hectic but with the ½ elves, uniform and systematic.  Nice but not as much fun in his mind.

Two hours later, Cedious watches two armed Thrane guards lead a female gnome onto the rail.  They only leave once the cars are in motion.  Curious.

Black Sand watches as Cedious gathers the last of his possessions and heads to the car where he thinks the gnome was placed.  Black Sand gets up and follows.  He knows where the action is.

Shortly afterwards, the druid and his dog exit their room.  Balkroth follows them.  They feel like food.  Sweet food if at all possible.  Beth walks by room and smells the air.  “Agh- Devilweed.”  {Book of Vile Darkness} “This is not the team I envisioned.”

The rail pulls out of the station and begins to pick up speed.  Soon it will run 30mph and maintain that speed even over the bridge until it reaches Karrnath.

Unseen by anyone, a lone man in a trenchcoat watches the rail as it leaves.  He turns and silently leaves in deep thought.  In turn, he is watched but another man dressed in bronze and red armor.  His bright blue eyes never blink as the man leaves the station and goes to a House Sivis station.  The armored man watches the rail as it goes around a bend and becomes hidden by the forest and landscape around the Peaks area.
“Beware little one.  Beware.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 053
“RAIL WRECK”  PT IV

Cedious walks by several passengers.  They watch him and either glare at him or pull their bags closer to them.  Cedious doesn’t mind.  He is what he is.  Cute.  Two Karrnath clerics watch him as he continues through the passenger car.  They are dressed in purple and black.  They look like bad news and Cedious paces them quickly.  The center of the car has four private rooms.  He knows the doors are locked since he checked them last night (    ).

The rail follows a river that separates Aundair from Thrane.  There are several small ships there and some docks.  There appears to be ships boarding each other on the river.  Bored with this, he continues on and is startled by the four passengers here.  A blue skinned Goblin and three other gray skinned goblins.  The Blue goblin looks at peace and was watching the landscape go by until Cedious walked by.  He nods and smiles warmly to the rogue.  Cedious smiles and moves on hoping they at not natives of Darguun.

The other passengers ignore him and the four goblins.

Black sand has been following him.  He does his best to intimidate everyone he encounters.  He scares the passengers for the most part.  The Karrnath priests glare then turn away.  When he happens onto the goblins he stares hard at them.  The blue skinned goblin merely gives a soothing “Welcome and many a good day to you ½ Giant.” And smiles pleasantly.  The other goblins push themselves into the seat in discomfort.  It is enough for Black Sand as he wants to see what the halfling is up to.

He opens one door and closes it to open the next.  The magic of the cars will not allow both joining doors to be open at once.  He enters the dining car next and sees several great things.  Cedious is talking to a gnome, there are two Thrane Soldiers in one corner and about six or seven Emerald Claw soldiers at the far end.  He walks up behind Cedious but never takes his gray eyes off of the Claw.

“Really “Bob”- you are from Fairhaven?” asks the gnome.  She has two large bags by her.  They suggest she is a traveler with some money due to their quality and size.  They also suggest she travels a lot.  

“Yup.”

“Bob is an unique name for a halfling.  It is more of a human name is it not?” She asks with a look of mischief of her own.

“What was your name again?” Cedious asks hoping to change the subject a bit.  He is sure this is the gnome he saw being escorted onboard by the Thrane officials.

“You may call me Sara.”

“And I will.  May I ?” he asks as he sits before she can answer.

Black Sand is bored with this.  So what if the midget wants a piece of action.  Not his type.  The Claw are laughing and drinking while telling tales.  It annoys him.  They are too happy and it is too early in the morning for it.  He turns and glares at them.  They ignore him as they having too good of a time talking about wrenching in Aundair.

Meanwhile, in the previous car, the druid has walked up to the Blue.  Amazed by the skin and knowing what it commonly means, he stops and begins to talk.  Gnarl, the wolf sniffs at a goblin that looks like he fears being eaten by this ½ worg.  

In his mind he hears-

= Welcome and many a good day to you Keeper of the natural way =

The druid nods and to think hard about what he wants to say.  His mind is not as clear as it could be.

= Allow me =

“I am known as Blu.  I travel with my friends on this rail like you and your ½ Giant friend Balkroth.  Please sit and talk with me.”

Gnarl lays down and the druid sits down next to a goblin.  The goblin eyes him but is not offensive- just protective.  Balkroth continues to stand.


Several cars away, a large unmarked crate thumps.  It thumps again and again.  Finally a few boards break and two green perfectly round eyes look out from the darkness.  “It is nearly time my brothers.  We must fulfill the wishes of the Lord of Blades.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 054
“RAIL WRECK”  PT V

“Do you want a drink ma’am?” asks the ½ elf waitress.

“Two Aundair wines.” Says Sara.  “Do you want anything “Bob” ?”

Cedious is in love.  “I’ll have an ale.”

Cedious looks into her eyes and continues.  “So what brings you on this rail in particular?”

“I am a reporter for the Korranberg Chronicle.” She pulls out an issue from her traveling bag.  She opens it to the second page and slides it to him.  WHAT IS WRONG IN THRANE by Sara SilverGleam.  “I was looking into some unusual activities within the church when I was politely asked to leave.  To be sure I did, I was escorted by those two handsome human men.”

“Really?”

“Really “ Bob””

“I’ll let you in on a secret- my name is not Bob.”

“Really?  I didn’t know.” She lies to Cedious.  “What is it then?”

The waitress arrives with their drinks.  Sara gulps the first then enjoys the second glass of wine.  Cedious is entranced by her.  “It is Boddynoc.”

She knows it is another lie but is enjoying this too much.  It is obvious that there is a story here.  She can smell it.  “Well Boddynoc, you seem like a great traveler.  Where have you been besides Fairhaven?”

“The Mourning Lands.” He says hoping to impress her with his bravery.

“Would you like a drink sir?” the waitress asks Black Sands.  

With a mammoth hand he pushes her away by the forehead into the Claw.  “No.”  His eyes never leave the Claw or its leader in full plate armor that was laughing at his own joke before arriving at the punchline.

“WHAT is your problem?” He says sternly.

“No problem here from what I see.” Answers Black Sand.

Cedious is so caught up in Sara and her charming influence he doesn’t notice what is happening a mere fifteen feet away.

“I do not know where Rose Quarry is.  Is it north or south?  Is it near Metrol?  I have heard Metrol is over run with undead.”

“We saw undead.  I’m not sure where the place is.”  He stammers as he realizes he saying more than he should be to her.  Especially when she is a nosey reporter that specializes in this kind of stuff.  “I was lost traveling through the mists.”

“Why ever go there to begin with?  Only the foolish or the most brave go there.  You don’t strike me as foolish.” She lies.  She bats her eye lashes and smiles a pouty look at him.

“Oh boy oh boy oh boy” is all he is thinking.

“We … I was there …looking for …something.  I didn’tfindithowever.”  He nervously spits out.

“You are in my seat Claw idiot.” Black sand declares as there are about a dozen empty seats behind him near Cedious.  He lifts the man up and deposits him off to the side and sits down and puts his heavy size 21’s on the table nearly knocking over the leader’s drink.  He crosses his arms and smiles.

The soldier gets up and reaches for his weapon.  The leader motions for him to stop.  “I repeat- what is your problem?  We are merely having drink and retelling tales of our lives.  You are rude and abuse the wench then antagonize us.  What do you have to gain from these foolish actions Droaam dog?”

Black Sand doesn’t miss the national slur.  “Just relaxing is all.”

“I politely ask you to ‘relax’ elsewhere then half-breed.”

The barbarian doesn’t flinch.

Flustered, the leader slams down his mug.  “Twice damn you and your kind.  Begone before we remove you from our sight!”

Cedious tries to avoid talking about his connections to House Cannith.  Hearing Black Sand is a welcomed distraction.  “Beth asked us to leave them alone Sand.  They are not worth it my mighty friend.”  He wonders if saying friend was wrong.

“Some soldiers you are.  It takes a mere halfling to protect you.” And with that Black Sand gets up and walks over to the corner to continue to glare at the wait staff and the claw.  “What does it take to get a drink around here?!?” he yells out.

The claw whisper among each other and the leader in platemail gets up with most of his men.  Three remain behind.  They make a clear attempt to not look at the ½ giant or Cedious.  This makes them look towards the Thrane soldiers whom find this all very amusing.  One holds up a mug of ale in salute and the two laugh.

“May I get you a drink Blu?”

“I would be honored and appreciate it greatly Druid.”

The goblins look at him then roll their eyes.  They know better than to argue the fact.

The group of seven makes it to the dining car.  They are unaware of the events that have just occurred.

“I am Blu and I am an ambassador of Darguun to Karrnath.  I am merely traveling to my office in Korth.”

“I too am traveling on business.  I wish my business was more beign.  But it is work.”

= You seek something I know.  It is okay.  I will tell no one.  Sometimes I can not help but to capture surface thoughts =   “It is my curse you could say.” He then says aloud.

Back on the Cannith car, Beth watches the fighter clean his weapons and tend to his equipment.  She is not certain what to make of this group.  She asked for retrieval experts and got these …hirelings. How this could have been done she is uncertain.  She looks at her large bag and thinks that she is at least safe still.  She then looks at the area of the secret compartment where a few wands are kept.  She is as prepared as she can get.  But will it be enough?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 055
“RAIL WRECK”  PT VI

The forest gives way to the open coastal plains that lead to the Scions Sound and Karrn Bay.  Cedious is getting closer to Sara.  They each have had a few drinks and pretend to be intoxicated but are not.  Black Sand continues to stare at the frightened Claw members.  One looks outside and motions to the other.  A seagull flies by and disappears as the rail continues on at 30mph toward the Scion Bridge.  

“I am impressed by the length of the bridge.” Says Balkroth to Blu.

“Yes- the Karrnath people are not without their surprises.  They may be overtly pessimistic and brooding as people but for the most part they are good.  They work hard and sometimes it shows in marvels like this-.” Blu says as he looks out to the waters that are beginning to appear through the trees and hillsides.

“I would normally say let’s go to my room but I don’t have one.  Do you?” asks Sara hoping to learn more about this rogue.  

“I …” he wonders what to do.

She adjusts her top slightly and smiles.

“Sure I do.”  He blurts out while wondering how he is going to sneak her onto the Cannith car.

Cedious takes one of her bags and looks at Black Sand.  He puts a finger to his lips hoping he will keep this a secret.  “If you need help I can show you but I would hope you know what to do by now.” Smirks Black Sand.  Cedious leads her to the next car.  Sara thinks to herself that she was right.  He works for House Cannith. 

The druid nods and smiles to Cedious as he goes by.

“Your halfling teammate seems to have a made a new friend.”

“Make love- not war.” Says the druid with a big grin.  Gnarl, the wolf, merely laps at his bowl of ale (yes- the druid ordered ale and a bowl for his companion).

Meanwhile, Captain Sirbarne has found all of the Emerald Claw soldiers on the electric rail and awaits for the bridge.  If he starts this fight, he wants it to end on Karrnath land where he will have some advantages like not being prosecuted for the murder of this Droaam monster.  He has 13 off duty soldiers with him.  That makes a force of 16 plus him.  The monster will not last long.

Meanwhile, a sharp scimitar silently slices through a tarp that was wrapped over the crates she traveled in.  Scimitar, an agent for the Lord of Blades, leads a force of eleven armed warforged.  Their mission-  to kill Beth d’Cannith and collect any information she has on the Creation Schema.


----------



## megamania

Any thoughts?


----------



## Cedious

i just want to say that cedious is my hero i wish i could act just like him..... 

go cedious go cedious get you freak on its your birthday 

*cries* im just so happy i have lasted this long, its a miricle

*holds tightly onto his potion belt* just incase you try and errrrr interupt my fun with a little hostility


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/12/05
SEGMENT 056
“RAIL WRECK”  PT VII

“Who is that?!?!?”  Screams Beth d’Cannith as Cedious opens the door for Sara.  “She can’t be here!  She doesn’t belong!  Out! Out! Out!”

“uhhh- I can explain… really I uhhh.”


The door opens and Captain Sirbarne walks with confidence. 

“What- you got yourself a set of balls now?” humors the ½ Giant whom finishes his only drink.  He watches as the room fills with soldiers armed with shields and flails.  “I guess you do.”

Balkroth coughs and motions to the front of the car.  “Trouble.  Emerald Claw force.”

The druid looks.  “How did they locate us this quickly?  How did they know Black Sand was part of our group?”  He sighs and Gnarl stands up.  He knows it is time for combat, not sleep.

“Still feel so high and mighty Droaam ½ breed?”  Snarls Captain Sirbarne.  He twirls his blade to bolster his confidence and the men to his side.

“Ahhh… look what I have here- “ and Black Sand slowly and purposely withdraws a Greatsword.  Once more, he smiles then winks as he attacks the Captain. The Captain goes down with one strike.  The rest of the men rally and attack the ½ Giant. They waver as a second ½ Giant steps out from the background waving his own oversized weapon.  The halfling on the wolf goes unnoticed until it attacks with its bite.

The wait staff takes cover in the bar and the back of the car.  Passengers leave in a hurry.  The two Thrane soldiers look on.  

“Hummmm… Scion Bridge.” 

“Places this out of Thrane.”

“And we are off duty.”

And they raise and tink their drinks together before beginning their wagers on the outcome.  

“Emerald Claw scum- they deserve to die.”

“Droaam refugees- there is no place for them but at the wrong end of a sword.”

If the Cannith employees have heard them, it goes unanswered.

However, The soldiers do look to the ceiling.  “Squirrels?”

“Damn big ones then.”

Balkroth hears it also along with Black Sand.  Something heavy has leapt onto the roof and now runs the length of the car.  Then another, and another and another…..




“So- what does House Cannith have to do with the Mourning Lands and Talenta Plains?” asks Sara hoping for an answer but not truly expecting one from Beth.

“This is not a flop house- GET OUT!”  Commands Beth whom motions to the fighter.  He tries to grab her but the gnome is incredibly quick on her feet.  She weaves and ducks under his arms and body.  “Oh look- a painting of Merrix.  Is that whom you work for?” she says as she hopes onto a padded seat and looks at his painting.

“No.  And I am tired of …”   thump goes his head against the wall as he leaps at her.

“Jorlanna then?  That would explain Fairhaven.”  She says as she rolls under his backhand.

“oh.”  She stops dead in her tracks suddenly.  Looking out the window of the door to a balcony, she sees a warforged leaning over the roof’s edge and peering in.  In the new silence, they all hear it- warforged leaping onto the car!

“We are under attack!” yells Beth and she runs to her bag.

The trap door over Cedious rips open.  A large warforged warrior peers in.  It makes a clicking sound and suddenly the sounds of war forged climbing over the roof to the balcony landing is heard from both sides.

“By the forges of Onatar- how many are there!?!” screams Beth.  Cedious spots one miss the landing and fall off the rail into the Scion Sound several hundred feet below.  The doors leading to the balcony are forced open and the warforged armed with long swords rush in.  The one at the overhead trapdoor fires in with a bow.  A lucky shot nicks the fighter while he battles the first warforged to enter.

“You know how to throw a party at least Boddynoc!” says Sara as she pulls a wand from her jacket.  Cedious drops her bag and shrugs his shoulders before pulling out his weapons of choice.  “Melee happens.”


A Claw member takes a cheap shot at a goblin traveler and kills him.  Blu whom was going to help anymore declares that a mistake.  The two ½ Giants step into the mass of green, gray and black and add red to the color scheme.  They cleave into the small division with impunity.  Unlike them, the two half-giants don’t have to worry about whom to hit.  The wolf bites and attacks even as the druid empowers it.  He bites and trips up soldiers stopping them from flanking and thus surrounding the bigger warriors.  The goblins do what they can.

Blu tries to locate the leaders and charm them into stopping but the ½ giants hit and kill them before Blu can finish the mental contact.  The battle goes back and forth as several solid hits are made on Black Sand.  Balkroth is attacked but the soldiers truly want Black Sand- not him.  The druid is struck solidly by a flail and forced into the contained area of the bar.  Trapped, he fears the worse as three soldiers advance looking at the “easier” targets.

A few shingles rip free and a warforged slides off the roof and makes a solid and loud bang as he strikes the bridge’s edge before plummeting to the waters below.  Scimitar is not impressed.  She  [it] motions for the three remaining warforged on the roof to cut the fabric that covers the area that connects the two cars.  This done, one warforged drops in.  Another moves forward but slips and is run down by the following engine car.  The magical energies fry it and it shakes erratically as it lies over the contact stones on the bridge.

“Boss on board!” yells the human fighter as Scimitar waves her wicked blade at the entrance.  Sara fries a warforged with twin pellets of energy from her wand then moves away.  Cedious ducks and weaves stabbing anywhere and everywhere.  “Damned constructs!”

“We think even less of you flesh things.” Declares a war forged as it tries to slice the retreating rogue.  Beth unties her bag and tosses the tie string to the side.  It slowly stops in mid air and floats as she wrenches the bag down exposing a massive warforged charger.  Bludgeon!

“I am in need Lady Beth?”  It steps between her and the attacking warforged.  “NONE SHALL PASS” it states with authority then slams it’s massive hands together.  The effect catches everyone’s attention.  The warforged continue after the flesh creatures.  Beth, with the protection of Bludgeon, watches to further evaluate the two members of her team.

Another goblin is struck down.  One Thrane soldier declares his winnings from the loser whom states it’s not over yet.

Gnarl tries to leap out of the entrapping bar but is struck down by the soldiers.  The druid’s spell is broken even as he tried to caste it.  Blu aids his new friend by messing with one soldier’s mind.  The half giants continue to wade through.  The bodies are piling up as the last of the soldiers enter the car.  They see the carnage and stop just out of the range of the 1/2 giant with darkened skin.

“We didn’t start this.  We were only told to help the Captain.  We …”  Slice.   Obviously Black Sand doesn’t care whom started it, only that he finishes it.  They then aid the druid and his wolf by removing another soldier.  The battle ends.

“How are we going to explain this to Beth?” asks Balkroth to the druid.

“Heal me.” Is all Black Sand has to state.

Soon there is breathing space as the fighter confronts Scimitar.  She [it] is still constrained to the hallway as he attacks.  He scores several hits until she [it] can attack back.  Sara blasts and destroys a warforged as Cedious removes the last one standing besides Scimitar.  

“You can not stop us!  We are legions!” and strikes the fighter solidly.  “But you are not.” Declares the fighter whom then swings under her attack and stabs her into the torso.  She falls down and rolls next to the open doorway.

Unseen by any, a small piece of component separates from her chest and flies out the open door.  Cedious is bumming, there is no money on the warforged.  The fighter finds her scimitar to be magical (it glows lightly) and keeps it.  She also has a whole 6 gold pieces on her.

“She is right, they will return but with a larger and better skilled force.”

Surveying the scene and trying to figure out how she will explain this (she isn’t even aware of the dining car incident  -yet) to the Karrnath authorities and House Orien she sends the fighter to collect the others.

“Now, Cedious- who is this…?” she says staring at Sara whom is trying to place a sincere and charming smile on her face even with Bludgeon looking over Beth’s shoulder.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/26/05
SEGMENT 057
“RAIL WRECK”  PT VIII

“Now, Cedious- who is this…?” she says staring at Sara whom is trying to place a sincere and charming smile on her face even with Bludgeon looking over Beth’s shoulder.

“ahh….umm…”

“You were given simple and clear instructions.  This trip was to be done in secret.  That means no bringing strangers into the car.  I can’t believe this!  Even with your history-“

“Ummm ….should we leave now?” Cedious asks with little confidence.  He hopes he didn’t just get fired.

“Com’on Boddynoc- lets go.  I’m sure we can find better company elsewhere.” Says Sara as she takes in more of the Cannith car.

As the door closes Beth collapses into a heap on a bench.  She holds her head in her hands nearly sobbing.  Bludgeon steps up to stand by her.  “go.” She says to the Warforged bodyguard.  “I can not.  It is my programming and orders to protect any House member of Cannith.  I thus protect you.”

“go.  Go clean up this mess.”  She says looking at the bodies of the warforged piled and toppled everywhere within the car.  The fighter nods and begins to drag battered and cut up constructs to the doors leading outside.  He figures the best thing to do is throw the pieces out the door into the waterway.

Meanwhile, in the diner car, Blu sits down to rest his mind.  The druid begins to caste spells to clean up the blood and other bodily fluids.  Black Sand finds a service door in the floor and hopes to open it to dump bodies through it but it is locked.  Balkroth piles bodies next to the trap door.

“What is going on here!” they hear.  Black Sand stares down at a ½ elf dressed in an uniform suggesting he is an employee on the rail.  “My beautiful rail!  It’s a disaster!”

Balkroth, still moving bodies-  “We were attacked.”

Black Sand ignores him and tries to break the lock but can not get the leverage required to do so.  “damned locks.”

The druid tries to calm the Orien worker.  The worker seems in shock.  He repeats over and over “my beautiful rail …look at my beautiful rail.”



Back in the Cannith car-
Pieces and chunks of warforged are thrown off the balconies of the last car of the rail.  The fighter looks for anything of use before throwing pieces off.  Beth can not believe what is happening here.  This was not according to plan.  Why are they being attacked on the rail?  How could they know she was here?  Then it dawns on her.  There has to be a mole in the Cannith North division.  A spy.  But this was the warforged of the Mournlands …wasn’t it?  Would Merrix use warforged?  She was lost in thought as the rail began to descend down the bridge towards Karrnath …and fate.



Back at the Diner car-
The druid tries to calm the Orien employee but finds it is not working.  The ½ elf continues to mutter about the rail.  Suddenly the ½ elf looks up.  “My beautiful rail.  It’s so messy.  So unclean.  It needs to be cleaned.”

“”I’m trying damn it” snarls the dark skinned ½ giant named Black Sand.  “I need a key or so help me- I rip this door apart.”

Staring, the ½ elf reaches into his pocket.  Black Sand is ready to tear him apart if he pulls out a weapon.  It is a key.  “my beautiful rail ….it is so messy …needs to be cleaned…”

The druid is confused.  He tries to figure out what has happened.  The ½ elf seems …charmed.  He has Gnarl turn around and sure enough, Blu is sitting down and staring into the Orien man’s eyes.  He is psionically manipulating the ½ elf into helping them.

“Yes …I should go.  The rail will be clean.   It was never messy….  Always beautiful…  yes…Ginger and Darla …should go to break now also…” and he walks away slowly leaving Black Sand with a key to the trap door.  The two waitresses readily leave.  The ½ Giant opens it and begins to drop Emerald Claw warrior bodies through the door.  A strange crackling and crunching sound is heard as the bodies fall onto the magical stones that push and guide the rail.  Any disturbance felt by passengers is taken as the descent from the bridge’s higher arch to the land of Karrnath.

With one mile of bridge to go, the last claw member is disposed of and the spell of cleaning is nearly complete as only the blood splatters on the tables and walls remain.  Blu excuses himself as the effort to psionically calm then alter the Orien members thoughts and perceptions has drained him completely.  The two remaining goblin bodyguards escort him to his seat in the next car.

Cedious arrives now with Sara.  He looks at the last of the blood as it seems to evaporate and Black Sand closes and relocks the trap door.  Balkroth uprights the tables and chairs that were knocked over during the combat.  Sara wants to know what happened.

“Not now, we should be back at the Cannith car when we arrive in Rekkenmark.” Suggests the druid.  The two ½ giants shrug their shoulders and turn to go.

“Coming Cedious?” asks Balkroth.

“I don’t think Beth wants to see me just now.  I’ll wait here.”

The others leave the car but Black Sands hesitates-  “That was quick…” he says with a smile then leaves.

Cedious forgets him quickly enough as Sara draws his attention once more.

The fighter notes the walls of Rekkenmark as the rail slows down to enter the city.  It is surrounded by high walls with sharp metal spikes protruding out and razor wire.  Guards with large animals stand guard and watch the rail arrive with no emotion.

The druid sees this also but looks at the animals with interest- Horrid guard dogs.  He pats his wolf’s shoulders but thinks “Now there is a animal companion …what kind of familiar could it be I wonder?”

Everyone exchanges stories of what has happened.  Beth is dismayed.  The Emerald Claw attacked us and the Warforged.  Everyone seems to know we are here.  She looks out to the strong military presence outside as the rail comes to a stop.  

“Trouble” calls out the fighter.

Outside the rail stops.  There are three soldiers per side of each car and a cleric per car.  It looks like they are boarding.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/26/05
SEGMENT 058
“RAIL WRECK”  PT IX

Sara looks out and looks displeased.  She doesn’t care for the police nation of Karrnath.  She is unwanted in Thrane AND here.  She just hopes that certain clerics and military officers are not here.  Cedious looks out and takes it all in.  He looks again at the car.  He swallows hard.  He spots a lone green leather covered finger that was missed under a far table.  The soldiers are already boarding!  Too late!

Bludgeon returns to his place of storage in the Cannith bag of holding.  The two ½ Giants go to the bunkrooms to “sleep” while the others hang out and try to look casual.  The war priest doesn’t bother to knock as he enters the car.  A wand held out being used for detection purposes.  The druid tries to determine what but can only make out detection magic.  Perhaps secret compartments or magic.

“This is the property of House Cannith.  You are not allowed on board this car as such.” States Beth d’Cannith to the cleric as his guards spread out.  The druid spots Emerald Claw symbols on two of the guards.  He quietly curses to himself and hopes the cleaning spell worked completely and Blu’s mental reprogramming of the rail and waitress staff works.  Maybe the ½ giants are prepared to fight their way out of Rekkenmark, but he is not.

“I will inspect and do anything I wish to this car and the people within it.  You are on Karrnath land now Maker.” Retorts the cleric.  He reaches behind his back under his cape, which has the fighter reach for his weapon.  “If you draw that blade- you will die” calmly states the cleric as he pulls out a scroll and opens it. He has a soldier hand it to Beth.

Beth reads it carefully and sighs in defeat.  “We carry no one of this description.”  

“I will be the judge and jury of this and my wraith will be the executioner if required.”  The cleric returns to waving his wand through the car’s first room.

“I wonder what they are looking for?” asks Cedious as he notes the standard search and recovery patterns by the military.

“Not what but maybe whom.” Answers Sara.

Cedious is surprises as out of the corner of his eye he sees her hand become plumb and less dexterous.  Turning to face her, she now looks like a fat female halfling with a wart on her cheek and light hair.  He gulps as the first thing he wonders is which was the disguise- the beautiful gnome or the ugly halfling.  They can hear the soldiers outside.

“uh-oh….very bad.” Mumbles Sara.

“What is it?” Cedious says as he stares at the new and less than improved Sara.

“That sounded like bad history to me.  Please-  Please Olladra-  Please let that not be Lord Rikus. The world is too big for it to him here and now.”  She seems to sink into the seat recalling that name and remembering the incident that occurred with him.


“What is your purpose d’Cannith?” commands the priest as he slowly sweeps the room with his wand.  The druid notes where he slows down and hesitates.  These may be secret compartments with magic within.  Beth did suggest there was magic here. 

“We travel to the Talenta Plains to locate a missing Cannith member.” She states.

“Really?  That is a long way to go.  Why was this member there?” He steps into a room and checks it out.  He notes there are signs of more people than the ones he sees here.

“He sought a relic.  We fear he has died.  We are there only to retrieve him if we can.  The house doesn’t believe the relic is worth the human life at risk.”

Looking at the druid and his wolf, the cleric comments.  “So you use non-humans?”

“This is our guide.”

“Humm.  Yes I guess he is.  What is behind this locked door?” 

“My personal room.”

“Nothing is personal.  Open it.  Now.”

Clenching her teeth, she uses her ring of Cannith to unlock the magical lock.  He enters and stops.  “What is in the bag?  Show me NOW.”



The guard scans the diner car then calls over his shoulder-  “Clear Lord Rikus.”

Sara’s gulp is nearly audible.

A heavily armored man with a beard and red cape enters the car.  He has a wand in one hand and the other hand rest on the handle of his war mace.  He looks around a bit and sees only four occupants.  Two halflings and two Thrane officers.

He continues to look at the floor, walls and tables as walks through the car.  Cedious barely catches his whisper to the men.  “This is the cleanest car I’ve ever seen.”  He walks directly to the halflings.  “Identification Papers.  Now.”


Bludgeon stands revealed before the priest.  He slowly looks up the body of the large warforged and centers his attention on the faceplate.  “Charger.  Don’t see these often on the rails.”

“He is my body guard.”

“Why would you need one?”

“He is my personal possession.  I bring him anywhere I go.”

“Hum.  Yes.  Be careful with these.  Chargers tend to be ..destructive.”

He continues into other locked rooms.  The druid tries to insult the soldiers with small minor actions.  Nothing that is unlawful, only disrespectful.  They ignore him.

“Droaam Beast.” Declares the cleric as he opens the door revealing Black Sand.  “More protection?”

“It is the land of the predators good lord.  It may prove to be required to have extra protection.”

“The world is full of predators.  The war is over but there is still conflict.  What kind of relic was it you seek?”  He turns to try the next door.

“I am unsure good lord.  I believe it involves the use of large lizards.  Thus the location.”

“Another Droaam creature.  You may need protection from your very guards.  You should not lie to me Maker.  These are not mere bodyguards.  They are warriors and dangerous ones at that.”

The human fighter tenses up and wonders if he could get in one fatal strike before being blown apart.

“Now, why are you here again?”

“Janna Freeberry.  So halfling of you.”  Lord Rikus throws the ID onto the table so that it slides across and onto Sara’s lap.  “Cedious.  Cedious?  No last name runt?”

“I am a Sharn Orphan.  Parents were killed during the war.  Cyre (hoping to gain favor).”

Lord Rikus looks it over then throws his ID so that it tumbles across the table.  Cedious catches it easily and puts it back into his pocket.  Rikus notes the grace of a rogue.

“And what of you?!? What is your purpose?” He demands as he turns to the Thrane natives.  

“Cedious?” asks Sara.

“Janna?” answers Cedious.

They allow only the smallest of smiles before returning to the fear stricken respectful halflings they were trying to pretend to be.


“That was close.  Too close.” Says the Human Fighter as the cleric finally leaves with his guards.

“No problem.” Answers Black sand.  I would have torn him apart.”

“Do not be so sure.  Now…about the Claw and the Diner car….”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/26/05
SEGMENT 059
“RAIL WRECK”  PT X

After the 2 hour layover ends, the rail begins to leave again.  The next six hours go by slowly.  The Cannith employees watch military stations go by.  Karrnath is obviously prepared for war should it ever break out again.

The next stop is Korth.  There is another two-hour layover.  Beth d’Cannith excuses herself as she gets off the rail and sends a message home through House Sivis.  Sara says her good-byes to Cedious whom during the past few hours has given her more- much more- accurate information on their trip current and in the past.  It leaves him wanting.

The others stay on board.  Many are happy that Black Sands has slept through the two-hour layover.  The Druid stays away from his habit as he has come to accept this mission is already dangerous.  Balkroth sits and eats Cannith cupboards clean.

Cedious is hanging out in the diner car.  Beth still is irate with him so he hangs out there.  A commoner walks by whom is startled.  He stares at him as if trying to remember him from a distant memory.  He walks off slowly and watches Cedious through the window.  The last whistle sounds and the rail crackles and rises as it powers up.  Suddenly the man becomes outraged and curses at Cedious.  Cedious watches him disappear as the rail leaves the station.  “What is his problem?” wonders Cedious as he orders another drink. “It’s just NOT my day.”

The next stop is 10 hours away in Atur.  This entire leg of the trip runs along or within the The Nightwoods.  Night settles as they enter the woods leaving the plains and  Karrnath’s capital of Korth behind.

Everyone has his or her meal in the diner car (since Balkroth ate everything already).  Cedious is brooding.  The druid is bumming.  Blu got off at Korth.  “He did say he was an ambassador…” surmises the halfling.  He orders meat for his wolf also.  The ½ Giants hang out until they grow tired.  The druid goes to the Cannith car for the night as does Balkroth.

The rail enters a section of woods where the rail is within a tunnel of thick dark reaching out trees and brush.  It is much like a tunnel and all light goes away, even the light from the stones below.  It is quiet.  Very quiet and still.
Perhaps it is because of this that Cedious jumps as the door opens.  In the doorway is a very large warforged.  It scans the car as if looking for someone.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/26/05
SEGMENT 060
“RAIL WRECK”  PT XI

As if satisfied, it steps into the car and allows in a beautiful woman dressed in see through silk gown with silver and gold laced within it.  Expensive jewels adorn her ears, wrists, ankle and navel.  Cedious looks at her and her jewels and falls in love.

She sits down at the very table the Emerald Claw had and calls for a waitress.  Her voice is like a song …a seductive song.  Cedious squirms out from his seat and goes over to introduce himself.  Black Sand watches with interest.

Cannith car-

Beth writes in her journal then places it into a hidden compartment within her bag.  She then prepares for bed and sleeps as Bludgeon watches.  The druid and his wolf go to another room and sleeps.  Balkroth is snoring even as his head hits the billow.  He truly likes these Cannith beds.    The fighter stays up cleaning his sword after using it on the warforged earlier.

The woman has darker skin and ample cleavage.  Cedious looks at every curve and shape of her body.  Her dark eyes hypnotize him.  Her lips promise delight and adventure.  Her jewelry promises rich rewards.
Then she speaks and he forgets the money, forgets the riches, and forgets the Cannith house.  There is only …her.

“I am Cedious.  Who are you?”

“Whom ever you wish me to be.” She purrs.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

The waitress arrives with a bottle of Aundair wine. She opens it and hands the cork to the woman whom smells it.  She tries a small sample and nods her approval. “I have one already.”

“I'll pay for it.”

“It is 350 gold a cup or 3000 gold a bottle.” She says in a tone that teases as much as states.

“ah…”, he checks his pouch.  He has the money but little would be left over.  “I can if you wish.”

“No, enjoy my hospitality.  I would wish of other things of the night my halfling traveler.  Have you any thoughts on the subject?”

No longer able to hold back, Black Sands gets up and walks over to present himself.  If she wants a man, take a big one, not a half.

“He sits down and picks up a cup and the bottle.  “I am Black Sand.  May I join you?”

“I believe you already have large one.  What do you bring to the table to share with me?  Tales of adventure?  Stories of war?”,  She looks to the halfling- “Romance?” 

Cedious almost spits out his 350 gold a cup wine.  A big smile crosses his face.  His luck is turning around after all.

After twenty minutes of talking using phrases with double meanings, Black Sands gives up.  He gets up and excuses himself.  “Skank.” Is all he thinks as he leaves.  This leaves Cedious and the mysterious beautiful woman ...and her warforged.

They get up and go to her private car.  Cedious has a good night before him and a better morning.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
03/26/05
SEGMENT 061
“RAIL WRECK”  PT XII

It is midnight when the Human fighter hears it.  A scream.

It comes from either outside or the next car.  Unknown to him, Black Sand is within this car.

Black sand is amazed as he sees three greenish-white spirits allow the rail to speed through them until his car.  They then materialize just enough to travel with the rail.  The occupants that were awake here scream as the three wraiths then float through the walls and bodies to the back of the rail.  People awake with panicked looks on their faces.  They look suddenly sick and weaken from their touch.

Black Sand pulls his weapon.  He knows this is no mere random encounter.  These undead seek him and his teammates in the next car,

The human warrior sees a greenish glow through the blackened window of the Cannith car.  He yells a warning as a wraith passes through the door.  It reaches up to him as it draws near to him.  The druid awakes just in time to see a green wraith float through the wall beside him.  Gnarl stiffens as the creature floats very close to him. 

The third wraith floats through an empty room into the main central room.  The fighter now faces two of the creatures.  They seem focused on Beth d’Cannith’s room.  “WAKE UP EVERYONE!  UNDEAD!” he begins to scream.

Bludgeon stirs as the wraith begins to phase through the wall.  Beth sits up and hits the wall next to her bed.  A secret panel opens revealing four wands.  She grabs one that she hopes will save her.  The Magic Missiles arch out and around Bludgeon and strike the wraith tearing holes into its incorporeal form.  It motions as if screaming but no sound is heard.

The fighter’s magic sword slices into a wraith even as it touches him.  It’s cold touch saps his health.  Black Sand charges in to destroy the creatures next.  His magical weapon sweeps through the creature as if it were not there.  The cushion instead of a chair is torn in two. 

Bludgeon charges into a wraith.  It’s pure adamantine hand blast through the wall instead.  A wraith touches Beth taking the very breathe out of her.  She zaps at it again.  Balkroth powers up his weapon with his focus after seeing how his weapon passes through them with no effect.  The druid powers up his wolf that fears the wraiths but understands the dangers they present to the party.  Beth is struck again.  She drops to a knee but tries to use the wand again.  Bludgeon strikes at the wraith again and instead creates a spot for a new trap door in the floor.  Eerie flickering light emits from below as the light from under the rail is allowed in through the hole.

Cedious is aware.

The human fighter and Black Sand miss their target as their weapons pass through once more.  Balkroth misses also.  Beth stumbles out of the way of her attacker.  Finally the wraith fighting Black Sand and the human dissolves with a silent scream of anger and pain.  They turn to the hole in the wall that Bludgeon made.  Balkroth powers up again by psionically focusing. Beth is struck again and drops to all fours.  She can not hold her wand anymore.  It is an effort just to breathe.  Another wraith reaches for her defenseless body.  Even as it touches her, Bludgeon goes to strike it.  He misses her as he once more passes through the incorporeal creature and smashes into the secret compartment of wands.  His adamantine fist easily breaks the wands causing them to discharge their arcane energy.  Bludgeon takes most of the blast.  One wraith is destroyed by the raging energy.  Everyone else is burned by it but lives.  The exterior wall has been blown out.  The whoosh of the speeding rail can be easily heard from outside.  

They team up on the remaining wraith that looks to escape now that Beth has been killed by it.  They destroy it even when half of the team misses the incorporeal creature.

“Great!  Just great.  Now what?” bemoans the human fighter.

And as if to answer, a pure white wraith rises from Beth’s dead body.  It turns onto them seeking Cedious.  When it doesn’t see him, it attacks the next person that has caused her grief that remains- Black Sand.  He spits out his air as he is hit.  The others try to take her / it down but miss.  She hits him again.  His weapon weighs a ton now and his breathe is being sucked out from his lungs along with several lose and light weighted items as they go out the hole in the wall.  Bludgeon stares uncertain at what to do.  It looks down and sees her physical body and charges the wraith.  Another doorway is made exiting the room and tearing up the floor.

She is destroyed finally.

“The Cannith car is in ruins and Beth is dead.  Cedious is missing.  What now?” asks the human fighter.

“Cedious …he is in no danger the lucky bastard.” Answers Black sand. 

Meanwhile, several cars away, Cedious is having a carnal moment then pales as he looks into the mirror.  He always wondered what it would be like to see this in a mirror.  He still has to wonder.  Above him is the beautiful woman.  In the mirror, there is no one.  

“At least I’ll die happy….” Thinks Cedious.


Forgot to add:  He finds bite marks and claw marks on his neck and shoulders.  

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 062
“RAIL WRECK”  PT XIII

[DM NOTES:  I took few notes and had nothing written out for this day’s session.  This was entirely played off the cuff]

Cedious finishes up and the noble woman rolls over and tells the halfling to lock the door when he is dressed and leaves.  He spots her jewels and other pricey goods and only briefly considers stealing them.  As a vampire, she could complicate his life.  He doesn’t need that.  Beth d’Cannith complicates it enough.

He quietly leaves in the morning and makes his way back to the Cannith car.  What he finds stops him in his place.  The car is a wreck.  There are several large holes in the walls and floor.  A large area of the exterior wall has been torn out.  Black sand and Sharshek (the human fighter) are attempting to tear up the beds to cover up the exterior hole.  

“Where have you been?!?” yells Sharshek.  “We needed you here.”

“I was …somewhere else…” he says looking towards Black Sand wondering if he said anything to the others.  “Where is Beth?”

“Dead.” Says the druid.  “She was killed by wraiths.”

“Not good.”

The next two hours are spent trying to repair holes so that no one can enter the car without using the front door.  They are working on a story when they reach Atur.  There is a fifteen minute layover here as passengers get on and off.

Within five minutes, there is a knock at the main door.  The druid, riding his door, goes to the door.  Looking through the window he sees the weak minded Orien member again.  He wishes he could mess with his mind and memories like Blu did.  “Yes?”

“I would like to speak to the Cannith member in charge here.”

Uh-oh.   “Uh she can’t just now.”

“I feel it is required.”

“Uh can’t.”

“What?!?”

“She’s dead!” yells Black Sand in the background.

“Did I hear ….I insist on coming in.”

“Uh…..can’t.”

“Tell him to **** off.  We got problems!” yells the dark gray skinned half-giant as he tears away a cushion from inside to plug up a hole in the floor they missed.

“I truly insist you open the door.”

“Get us a Cannith house member and we will.” Answers the druid unsure at what else to say.

Flustered since he can’t open the door without his key (he gave his key away and can’t remember this), the Orien member storms off.

“We have how long until the rail leaves?” asks Cedious.

“Maybe five minutes.” Answers Balkroth. 

“That means we have another 6 minutes to stall him.  After that, House Orien’s promise of being on time will over ride their curiosity at what happened.” Says Sharshek.

“Curiosity?” quips the rogue.  “The damned car is destroyed. It has missing walls and pieces of floor removed.  I doubt the car is structurally sound anymore.  He is more than curious at this point.”

Five minutes go by and the five of them wait at the windows hoping against hope the car will leave without incident.

The elemental energy that powers the cars rises making the whole line of ten cars rise slightly and hover.  A faint crackle of energy can be seen.  Then they breathe a sigh of relief as the cars begin to move forward.  Cedious spots a man dressed in the Cannith colors trying to make his way through the grounds but can not.  Cedious can not help himself but to smile.

Later, Cedious tells the druid about the vampire (the woman whom casts no reflection in a mirror) and he insists on him pointing her out to him.

There will be eight hours until the next stop in Vedykar.  The group informs Cedious of how Beth d’Cannith died when attacked by Wraiths.  She then required being put down again, as she became a wraith herself.  Black sand shows him her body that they rolled up in a carpet and stuck in her closet (much to Bludgeon’s disapproval).

Finished, they agree to get some food.  Curious, Cedious decides to return to her cabin.  He easily picks the lock and hopes the vampire won’t tear him apart.  The door creaks open and the smell of blood comes out.  Uh-oh.  Cedious peeks in and she’s her bare legs on the bed ..the blood soaked bed.  He opens the door further and spots her naked and very dead body.  She has been torn apart.  Chunks have been removed from her back along with her innards.  The warforged there is covered with blood.  The walls are covered.

“Oh crap.”


----------



## Cedious

*cries* why do you have to pick on the halfling i can't take the whole being the leader type role anymore   

( hey andy i just brought races of eberron..... duh nevermind i will tell you at work *shrugs off his blonde moment* )

( woohoo post number 101 *dances* )


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 063
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 14

The warforged is coated either as if splattered or if he did it.  It is standing completely still and there are no signs of life in its eyes.  Cautiously, Cedious looks in.  The halfling has no sense of fear but remains cautious.  She looks just as she did when he left but very dead.  Then he hears a thumping.  Or is it a heart beat?  It comes from a drawer.  Opening it, he sees a dragonshard attached to a gold chain.  “wooohhhh”
He looks at her and decides she won’t be using it anytime soon and pockets it.  “Dismiss me will you.” He says.

He is very careful not to touch the blood or the body then leaves.  He relocks the door and begins to walk to the diner car where at least the druid should be.  He keeps thinking to himself- that was a lot of blood to cover the walls so completely.

The druid, Gnarl, Black sand, Sharshek and Balkroth are in the dining car.  They still place the tab on House Cannith.  Cedious makes it there and pulls the druid aside.  “You should be careful what your wolf eats.”
“?”

Cedious is watching the wolf.  He has located the hand that was missed during cleaning and is happily chewing on it.  The wolf looks up at him and his eyes turn red- blood red.

“Your wolf is getting sick from it.”

“What?” and the druid look to his wolf that is quietly sitting under the table.  He looks up and thumps his tail in happiness and in a greeting.  Deciding the rogue is playing a joke, he asks where he was.

“I don’t think she is a vampire at least.”

“Really” says the druid with no surprise.

“She’s dead.  Someone killed her in her room.”

“Show me.”  The druid looks to the group-  “I’ll be right back.”

They get up and Cedious spots the new waitress.  She has some orcish blood based on her large square jaw.  She looks at him and smiles.  A barbed long tongue snakes out then retracts before anyone notices it.  Cedious is dismayed but keeps it to himself.  Orc mutation he figures.  The two of them go to her room and use the key to enter.  The room is perfectly groomed and clean.  Perfume is in the air.  The druid looks at the halfling rogue shakes his head and turns to his wolf and says it is time to go.  Cedious remains there alone wondering what is going on.

When he comes back, he sees Black Sand is once more looking to start a fight with Emerald Claw followers at the diner car.  The others are talking him down so he leaves them but tries to remain intimidating.

The noble woman, still incredibly beautiful and glamorous to look at, is calmly eating breakfast of eggs and Karrnath sausage.  Cedious stops before her to ask what gives.

“Hello lover.  Did you like what you saw?”

“awww – sure” wondering if he meant her naked body or the naked dead body.

“You really shouldn’t steal.  It will catch up with you eventually.”

He says nothing but notes the air around her is darkening.  He turns to warn the others but they disappear behind a veil of darkness and shadow.

“You are a pathetic person.”

“And you are ….different?”  What is she doing?  Why is no one acting on this.  The car is full of people.  Someone by now must be screaming.

“I own you now.  Body and soul.  To use and abuse as I please.”

“Like last night?” with more amusement than he meant to let on.

“You disappointed me last night.  You should be punished.”

“ I disap----now take that back!”

“You disappoint all of the women you are with don’t you LITTLE HALFling.  Still-  you are my HALF a man.”

Angry now Cedious balls up his fists.  “I saw you dead!  You were all torn up and bloody!”

=cedddddiouuus=

He swallows hard.  A third voice said that.  One without a body.

=cedddddiouuus=

The noble smiles a cruel smile then licks her lips to get the last of the egg or out of enjoyment he is unsure.

=cedddddiouuus=

“WHHHAAAAT?!?” he whirls in irritation.  He stops suddenly at whom he sees.

Beth d’Cannith.  She and her clothes are pale and her clothes look tattered.

=cedddddiouuus=

“I’m here.  Stop freaking me out and talk to me.  We both know my name is Cedious”

=cedddddiouuus.  You faaaailed me last niiiight=

“I didn’t.  Your warforged did.  Where is this going?”

He whirls around again and stares at the woman.  “This isn’t real is it.  Am I dreaming?”

The noble puts her head down in her face as if to sob then laughs.  As she lifts her head up again a mask falls into her hands.  Her face now lacks skin.  The red muscles and white fat cells glisten.  Her white teeth are in a permanent grin.  “If you are dreaming- then wake up.”

“EVERYONE WAKE UP!” he yells.  The room is still black.  Within the shapeless dark is the noble, her chair and table, her food (moving) and the wraith.  Behind the wraith, a door forms.

“If it is a dream- then leave through the door.  But of course that means touching Beth and dying if it is NOT a dream.”

Cedious doesn’t move.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Across from the druid and the Cannith members sit a possible adventuring party.  There is human mage, a warforged mage, a ½ elf cleric and a dwarven fighter.  Joining them is a gnome with heavy armor on.  The druid was bored with Black sand’s stories of glory he is telling the psychic warrior and fighter so listens to them instead.  They traveling through Karrnath and will get off at Fort Zombie.

The dwarf is talking about battling Droaam forces there when the warforged mage begins to stare at the woman near the center of the car.  It is only now the Druid notes Cedious is there (3 foot tall in a crowded dining car of mainly humans).  “I think that halfling is charmed.”

“..and me trusty axe an’ blade will…eh?” and the dwarf and others look.  “Heh-  me thinks she could charm any male.”  The dwarf licks his lips under his beard.  The ½ elf  looks.  “Charmed under the influence of magic or something akin to it.”

This is when the druid notes the halfling isn’t moving.  He is just staring at the woman as she eats her breakfast.  A large warforged bodyguard stands beside her.  The wait staff merely moves around him with scowls of annoyance.   The druid also notes there are more Orien guards here than before.  They seem all to watching the halfling and their table.  Obviously House Orien is not impressed with them.

A guard can not take it anymore and goes to the halfling.  He places his hand on his shoulder.  “Move it Cannith.  No need to be rude and stand heeerrrreee!!!!!”  He begins to scream out and holds his hand as it were on fire.  “Diseased!  They are all diseased!” and he turns and runs out of the car.

The human mage speaks up.  “He saw something that was not there.  Maggots and beetles with dead pulsing flesh.”

“I grow bored with this.  There is nothing to gain by continuing to watch him be enthralled.”  The warforged mage makes a few gestures with his hand.

= = = = = = = =  == = = = =  = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ==  = = = = = =

“I don’t believe in this.  None of this can be real.”

“You halflings are soooo fearless.  So much a challenge.  A delicious challenge.  Come to me my halfling.”
Says the skinless woman.  “I need you- here and now.”

Despite his natural urges- “nope.” And he crosses his arms in defiance.

Her features twist and reshape then stop within mid motion.  Her eyes are wide within the mess of flesh that is the woman.  Slowly the darkness resides and before him is the woman looking at him with complete annoyance.  He catches her in mid sentence about how impolite he is being just standing there.  “Very well- sit down.”

Many people are staring including the Druid.  Seems more real to him that before so he sits.  “Here is my address in Korth.” And she slides the paper to him.  “Whenever in Korth give me a call.  We can pretend again.”

Pretend he wonders….about last night or just now?   Cedious is completely confused and doesn’t like the feeling.  He excuses himself and goes to the group.  Since they have finished, they get up and Cedious follows them.  He is not hungry and remains very confused.  Before leaving, Black Sand makes a rude remark to the dwarf and his beard.

The dwarf freezes in mid push from the table.  The ½ elf waves a finger and quietly mouths “no no and no”


----------



## megamania

Cedious( hey andy i just brought races of eberron..... duh nevermind i will tell you at work *shrugs off his blonde moment* )[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> I hope Northshire has it when I go tommorrow along with more Deathknell figures.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 064
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 15

Cedious moves ahead of everyone.  He can feel the dragon shard in his pocket.  It has to be the source of the illusions and nightmares.  He takes the shard to the warforged Charger known as Bludgeon.  He asks him to punch and destroy the shard.

“You are not a Cannith member.  You have no authority to ask me to do anything.”

“Beth would’ve wanted you to do it.”

The warforged seems to be more of a statue than warforged bodyguard now.

“This is what lead the wraiths here to kill her.  THIS is what killed her.”

The warforged stiffens up

= ceeediousss what are you doing? =

“Comon-  one good ol’ thump by you.  You can do it.”

= cedious! =

“Hee.  I am right-  comon Bludgeon.  Give it a smack.  If not for me then for Beth.”

The warforged looks down at the shard lying on the table.

= cedious …you silly halfling.  You can not destroy me that way =

“Yes I can.  Bludgeon-  THIS- This is what controlled the wraiths.  The wraiths are within this shard.  They are safe here so long as the shard remains intact.  They can not survive without it.  You will have avenged Beth’s needless death.  That is what the Cannith House would want.”

= ceeeediiiious  the creature won’t do it.  I control it now =

“DO IT!”

CRACK!

And Cedious breathes a sigh of relief.  No more cursed jewels that plant nightmares or the such.



Or so he believes……DM evil laughter


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 065
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 16

“We are nearing Fort Zombie.  What should we do?”

“Kill them” says the ½ giant barbarian.

Annoyed with this constant need for conflict, the human fighter Sharshek and the druid try to figure out their options.  Even as the rail begins to slow down, a solid knock is heard at the door.  Everyone looks at each other.

The Orien employee is demanding entrance again.  The druid looks and sees this time has several guards top back him up.  “Need help?” asks Black Sand.

“NO!” exclaims the druid knowing this would lead to bloodshed.  He waits and hopes to avoid answering.

The rail stops and several guards are outside also.  People are pointing at the heavily damaged rail car.  There is a two-hour delay here which is not good.  In that time a Cannith member should be found assuming there isn’t one waiting for them already.

“Open up we open it.”

“Use your key to open it” smiles and mocks the ½ Giant.

[DM NOTE:  During a break I informed the player he was acting CE; not CN.  He has decided that is fine so here we go …I have a CE player now.    ]

The ½ elf bangs on the door. Demanding entry.

Sharshek notes the coming of MANY soldiers and a new Orien member dressed in almost military style clothes.  He seems to have a powerful aura of authority about him.  The druid doesn’t know he is coming.

“House Orien will strongly punish and fine House Cannith for this clear misuse of …..   sir.”  The druid can just hear him.  From trying to sound commanding, he now sounds like a child caught doing something wrong by the tribe leader.  He concentrates but can not make it all out.  There is a new person here with a great deal of influence over the employee.  He does here how they are to be left alone.

“Left alone?” he whispers to himself.

The weak willed employee tries to explain the situation but the new commanding figure will hear nothing of it.

The group center into the main room of the car to discuss what is happening.  Something is wrong.  They were unsure what to expect but this is not it.

After 2 ½ hours the electric rail moves on again.  Late.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 066
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 17

They are happy to see the high armored walls of Karrnath go by.  They are officially within the lands of Talenta Plains.  The thick forests give to plains and shrub lands.  Many of the trees blend in with warmer climate vegetation.  The druid wonders how long until he sees a dinosaur or something of that sort.

“It’s odd guys”

“What is odd” asks the fighter.

“We seem to be the only passengers on board now.  They’re a few employees but not many.  There are a few elves in the diner car and that’s it.”

“Really?” says the ½ giant with an evil smile.

[DM groans]

“This stinks of a set up.” Says Sharshek.

“Of the entire rail?” counters the other more docile ½ giant.

Sharshek crosses his arms but leaves his weapons readied.

A few hours go by.  Black Sands and Cedious go into the diner car for food and drink.  The others remain behind.

Black sands sits across from the elves.  The elves speak in elven.  Most of their faces are covered up.  Only their eyes are exposed.  They seem to be having a good time telling stories amongst each other.

Black sand nods to Cedious and winks.  He gets up and goes over to them.

“You are in my seat.”

They ignore him and continue their story.

“I want my seat back.”  He looks over to Cedious whom gives him a thumbs up.  It is never boring with him around.

The ½ Giant gives a solid thump to an elf on his head.  A sheathed scimitar strikes his leg.  From another elf holding the weapon he hears “If you wish a fight, we will fight.  If you wish a drink- ask the ugly wench.”

Cedious looks and sees the ½ orc bar maiden is in there.  He hopes her tongue is really barbed.

In the Cannith car, the druid looks for anything useful.  They find many potions of healing, and a few minor magical objects.  Bludgeon is back in his bag.  They fear what he has in mind by Black Sand wants him.  Looking up Sharshek spots an airship following the rail.  “Looks like company.”

The airship follows for several minutes.  Nothing happens.  Then it swings behind the rail.

“Get the two dummies.  We’ll need them.” 

Sharshek arrives in time to find two elves slain and the other two are holding their own again the rogue and the ½ giant.  These elves are taken down quickly.

“What happened?” asks the fighter.

“They attacked us.  I think they were here to finish off what the wraiths did not.” Answers Black Sand a bit too quickly.

“Why?” stammers the ½ orc.  “Why did you do that?”

“Lady- everyone here is too die.  The only ones here are we and a few members of the house.  People wanted dead I believe.” He smirks as it registers with her.  This means she is to die.

“Wha… what should I do?”

“Take the money and leave.  We are about to be ambushed.” Says Sharshek.

She quickly gets the money and one bottle of strong drink and leaves the car.  “What is it?” asks Cedious, as he looks for something useful on the bodies.

“An airship has been following us for the past few miles.  It just moved into a boarding position.”

“Warforged?”

“I don’t know.”

Then suddenly the car jolts and shakes.  It slows down and begins to crawl.  Cedious looks out the windows and sees the waitress on a rope ladder.  Her form morphs from the ½ orc to the Orien Commander to a Vampire named Garrow to the soldier he saw on the car a day ago.  “Garrow? Alive?” he questions himself.  Am I still seeing things?”

“No.  Our cars have been disconnected from the main engine.”

They look outside and see the jungle-like forest is thick and an ideal location for an ambush.  The druid and the others come down.  “I saw halflings in the brush.”

“Halflings?”

“Wearing war paint.” The druid adds.

“Good.  Have not killed one of those in a while.” Says Black sands with a smile while looking at Cedious.

“I will wake up and the entire trip was a bad dream except for the beautiful woman.  Everything else is unreal.” Says Cedious as he checks out the conditions outside.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/16/05
SEGMENT 067
“INTERMISSION:  IT’S A SMALL WORLD”

The soldier made his way to the market place to buy the fruit wanted by his commander.  The commander was known only as Demise.  She was not to be made angry and she was impatient at best.  Her effects to locate a missing amulet believed to be part of a map to something called a schema had taken up nearly a year of her life now.  

In this time she has fought Sharn authorities, thieves, goblins, things unnatural and of course- Warforged agents.  She has lost nearly thirty men just to these constructs alone in the past three weeks while investigating the Cogs under Sharn.

She thought she had it when she came across five adventurers sent into the Cogs near where the amulet was divined to be.  They did not see it and her powerful magic reassured her of it.  It appears the adventurers did kill the last holder however.  It disappeared very quickly after that.  She was trying to find out if it was the cultists, fiends, aberrations or another new player to this scavenger hunt.

The warforged that follow the Lord of Blades are also searching for the amulet.  They have been very persistent also.

The soldier picks up the requested food then spots the newest edition of the Korranberg Chronicle.  The main title was- “Car #13 lost Vandalism or Terrorism?  Remembering her interest in the car, he picks it up also.  Perhaps it will please her.

Demise.  She is an elven magic user and worshipper of death.  She has cured and dried her skin to make it appear dead and withered.  She calls it beautiful, the human soldiers keep their own thoughts to themselves -buried deep in memory so as not to be found with spells that allow for surface thoughts and lies to be detected. 

Later- in her rented home within Sharn, she took the fruit and began to eat quickly dismissing the thoughtful soldier.  She paces around the room for ten minutes.  Her current problem to solve- How to locate the Amulet that acts as the map for the creation schema.

She then notices the paper.  Normally she ignores such written garbage but the main piece takes place in Karrnath and mentions Electric Rail #13.  Electric Rail #13 has the House Cannith car used for exploration duties by Cannith North.  Her contacts within the house suggested there was a top secret mission coming up that involved the location of a secret unknown journal that spoke of ..the creation schema.

She snaps it firm to read the paper.  Sara Silvergleam…..  No one important she decides.  Then she sees the name she has been searching for.  Boddynoc.  He is in Karrnath and going into the Talenta Plains.  She curses in elven and throws the paper down.

The resurrected Garrow is in Korth.  He desires their death over anything else.  He will jeopardize the mission just to kill the entire party.

“I hope the paper was entertaining.  It may be the last thought you take to your grave.”

She turns slowly and sees a large but nimble shape in the shadows of her open window.  A warforged assassin!

This segment ends with a flick of a wrist and a spoken command from a magical ring.


----------



## Cedious

*waits till saturday*

*waits for our all powerful dm to kill the other halfling in the group that is not Cedious*

*prays to the gods, any god, a god that will grant his request*

*evil laugh*

whoa i think this sounds....mmmmm have i been here before with a gnome?


----------



## silvertable81

*OMG not again!!!*

Bloody Bastid, last time you did this to me, I DIED. All that hard work making Boddynoc survive, and you jinxed me. Now again?!?     

Well, let's see how well it works for me, I've played Clerics, I've got better chances.


   DIE ROGUE!!!  Drop your stuff for me.


----------



## Cedious

silvertable81 said:
			
		

> Bloody Bastid, last time you did this to me, I DIED. All that hard work making Boddynoc survive, and you jinxed me. Now again?!?
> 
> Well, let's see how well it works for me, I've played Clerics, I've got better chances.
> 
> 
> DIE ROGUE!!!  Drop your stuff for me.





*yawns*

im not even going to waste my time with something thats less of a halfling then me.....all you do is sit on your mutt and cast little weak, lame, crappy spells and hope your little puppy can get you out of situations......

come back when you got more ballz then me 


edit - But i will give your dog a good home.....with a nice bowl of stew.... i mean in a nice bowl of stew anyway


----------



## silvertable81

Cedious said:
			
		

> *yawns*
> 
> im not even going to waste my time with something thats less of a halfling then me.....all you do is sit on your mutt and cast little weak, lame, crappy spells and hope your little puppy can get you out of situations......
> 
> come back when you got more ballz then me



All I gotta do is run faster, Speed 50


----------



## Cedious

silvertable81 said:
			
		

> All I gotta do is run faster, Speed 50





Lol, you can't run from somthing you can't see ..... or hear ......


----------



## silvertable81

Cedious said:
			
		

> Lol, you can't run from somthing you can't see ..... or hear ......



I meant I only have to outrun you!


----------



## megamania

Since when were my Eberron halflings cannibals?   This isn't Darksun.   Hmmm ...maybe.


----------



## Cedious

megamania said:
			
		

> Since when were my Eberron halflings cannibals?   This isn't Darksun.   Hmmm ...maybe.




i would not eat him......his wolf yeah but not him.... i don't know where he has been


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/23/05
SEGMENT 068
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 18

The halflings begin to chant and stomp.  Uh-Tah-Tah   Uh-Tah-Tah  Thump thump.

“We can take them.  I can take them.” Comments Black Sand as he begins to walk to the door the changeling left by.

Sharshek looks over to the halfling druid.  “Well?”

“They mean business.  We can see 10 or more.  How many do we NOT see?” Breland Taskerdoo prods Gnarl towards the opposite exit.

Suddenly a bead of energy floats into the car through an open window and centers on Cedious.  “Pretty.” And he then turns to leave.

Suddenly fibrous strands grow rapidly out from this point.  The strands wrap around Cedious, Balkroth, the druid and his mount.  “Web Spell!” yells the druid as he and the dog become encumbered by the webs.  Balkroth pulls and tugs as the web strands securely wrap around his body.  Cedious scurries out of the spell’s range with wisps of web clinging to his body.  

The halflings are unloading arrows onto the car.  Several windows shatter from the assault.  Sharshek hopes out from the car as does Black sands.  Several halflings riding quick dinosaurs rush him.  One stabs him with a spear as it passes by.  He snarls at the meager damage from the charge.

Then Taskerdoo sees the magic caster.  A human?!?  Cedious looks.  “I know her.  She sent the skeletons after me on the river and sent zombies after me in the Rose Quarry.  A green bead of energy flies into the car from her.  Taskerdoo shouts as he drives his wolf for the doorway- “FIREBALL!!!!!!”

FROOSH!  And Balkroth screams in pain as he takes the brunt of the blast then is burned further by the igniting webs that have wrapped around his body.  Cedious tumbles out of the way to the bar.  There he finds an evil secret left behind by the Changeling -Garrow.  He spilt out alcohol.  The car is an explosion just waiting to occur.

The halflings meanwhile charge the car hoping to contain the party of adventurers.  The human mage turns her attentions on Black sands next.  A burst and beam of energy strikes him.  He feels the strength leave his arms, as he becomes feeble.  Now the dino-riders strike.  They all miss.  Sharshek is greeted by the rushing foot soldiers.  He fights them off easily.

Cedious looks through the flames and smoke.  Balkroth has fallen to his knees and trembling.  He is covered in burns and choking on the arid smoke.  “Hey guys!   Guys …?”  Everyone has left leaving a halfling to move an unconscious ½ giant.  And the flames are closing in on the alcohol.  Cedious leaps out the door and before he can mention the condition of the psychic warrior within, he is surrounded by spear wielding halfling warriors.    

10 halflings climb onto the smoking electric rail diner car to gain the advantage of higher ground to use short bows and spears from.

Taskerdoo aids the human fighter then looks to attack the mage.  She releases another web spell that entangles a halfling only as the fighter and druid rush out of the way of the spell’s effect.  Cedious smiles as he was just out of the range of the spell.  Meanwhile, Black Sands, now enfeebled, is having a hard time with hitting the dino riders.  They are also having a hard time trying to move in with his wild swings.

Suddenly, the archers begin to fire down onto them.  Though they miss the threat is clear.  Cedious merely smirks.  He remembers the alcohol below.  Then he frowns remembering Balkroth’s plight within.  “Hey guys- “

BBOOOOOOOOOM!   FROOOOWSH!

A fireball blows out the windows as the alcohol ignites and explodes.  The very car itself is rocked free of the magical stone’s effects and the car topples off the rail.  Luckily away from the party- not towards them.  Halfling archers are thrown everywhere.  The mage is at this point attacked and tripped by wolf and the druid attacks.  She goes down.

Several dinosaurs are killed by a wildly successful swing by Black sand and then by Sharshek.  The halflings were not prepared for this level of bad mojo and retreat.  Several are dropped as they turn to run away.

One lone halfling is caught for questioning.  Cedious looks at the rapidly burning car and hopes Balkroth was dead before the fires became any worse.  Black sand curses.  “Where is that damned warforged?”

Bludgeon has gone to protect the dead body of his master in her car.  He stands before the closet where she has been stored within a rolled up rug.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/23/05
SEGMENT 069
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 19

Garrow leans over the rail of his airship and waves and curses as Cedious and his party of Cannith employees.  He has only enough crewmembers to support the ship.  He can not afford to attack them but oh how he wants to.

“Soon.   Soon I will have my day.”

The ship slowly turns and returns towards Karrnath.  Mallora has failed him.  Maybe Keltis Doran will succeed where she failed.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/23/05
SEGMENT 070
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 20

After collecting anything of use from the mage’s body and those of the savages, the team turns toward the captured halfling.  Taskerdoo and Cedious translate any and all threats made by Black sand and Sharshek.  They learn very little and Black sands kills him out of impatience.  They locate the remains of Balkroth and collect anything that survived the fire and following roll of the car into the jungle.

“I think we need to follow that airship and kill him, the Emerald Claw and all of Karrnath.” Offers Black sands.  

“The mission is important.  We need to finish it if we can.”  Suggests the human.

“We need to do something.” Adds the bored Cedious.

“We’ll bake in this sun.  Can we be moving while we discuss this?” suggests the druid.

They look to Bludgeon whom holds the rolled up carpet.  

They decide to finish the mission (spite the Emerald Claw then kill them thinks BS) and head south.  Bludgeon remains behind holding his charge, his dead charge.

They see many small dinosaurs in the fields along with various more common herd animals.  They note that most creatures avoid the rails.  If they are aware of the danger of touching a stone or being hit is uncertain.  Gnarl suggests to the druid there is an underlying warning or ward in effect.  He doesn’t like the rail area much but understands this is where they are and follows.

The day comes and goes.  They camp within the jungle but close enough to the rail to hear if a new series of cars were to go by.  The jungle is alive with critters but nothing eventful occurs.  They gather their supplies and begin to walk again.

Around noon Cedious gets a sense of being watched.  He looks to the fields around the rail and sees nothing to worry about.  Shortly there after, Black sand looks up.  There are several glidewings circling overhead.  These large flying dinosaurs glide over the rising hot air of the grasslands and hope for easy food.  Food like the PCs walking out in the open?

Black sand then spots something in the distance.  He covers his eyes to shade them.  Something is following them using the sun as cover.  Something metallic.  “I think the airship is following us.”

They all turn and wonder if it is the Emerald Claw once more.  Cedious turns around and drops his breeches to moon Garrow.  In the time for this happen, the others realize it is a flying warforged with a built in rapid reload x-bow attachment- and it is flying in FAST!

They all run and try to find any cover they can. Cedious pulls up his pants and faces the flying forged.  He can hear a roar and whistle as it comes in.  The wings are not feathers.  It is more like a glider than that.  The forged swoops over and fires twice at him.  Both shots miss.

Cedious, not the least bit scared, turns and faces the warforged.  It now hovers and retakes aim at him.  The gliders are built into him and shot flame and hot air.  It leans in to attack but suddenly is attacked by a large flying dinosaur.  Cedious watches with amusement as the two fly away.  At about 2000 feet away an explosion occurs and several pieces fall to the ground.

“Well- that was different.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/23/05
SEGMENT 071
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 21

That afternoon, they find the beginning of the Talenta Gorge.

The electric rail bridge crosses the gorge in a zigzag formation.  It uses built pillars, natural rock formations and large 300+ feet tall trees for support.  The bridge is about 50 feet wide.  Down the center are the crackling blue stones that empower and push the rail cars.  Occasionally, a bug flies too close and burns up complete with a short silent explosion.

“Keeps the bugs down.  Cannith could make money with these bug killers.” Comments Cedious.

“Heh-  call them Bug Zappers.” Follows up Sharshek.

They walk along the bridge noting the different types of birds and bugs.  There is a two-foot high wall along the edges to contain or more keep out the amount of critters.  The trees are thick and very strong.  They see a river near the bottom that reveals itself sometimes through the vegetation.   A few hours later they see a section of wall that has been replaced.  Going to it, they find ropes and some supplies still around.  The rail bridge is built onto a thick branch here.  Looking over the edge, they spot two electric rail cars below caught within the branches about 100ft down.  The bottom of the gorge can not be seen here.

“This is the spot I suspect” offers Cedious.  

“uh….  Gnarl will have problems climbing down.”  Says the Druid with a great deal of concern and wonder as he sees the bottom is over 100 feet down.

“Can he leap from branch to branch instead of climbing ropes and vines?” ask Sharshek.

“What do you think?” asks the druid to his wolf who has his two front paws on the top of the small and short wall.  It looks around and gives a short and soft “hurrumph.” Sound and wags it’s tail.

“Yes I guess.” Says Black sands.  “And what of …Cedious …?”   The ½ Giant begins to wonder where the halfling is until he spots him climbing down a vine onto the tree.  The branches are in some places 10 feet wide.  Easy to walk for halflings and humans alike.  Half-giants should be okay so long as they don’t do anything stupid.

Gnarl with Taskerdoo leaps to the main branch the rail is built onto.  No problem.  The others begin their climb using the ropes and vines available.  Cedious is easily the first to reach the highest car up.  It is already covered in green moss and vines snake around sections of it.  He looks over the doors and finds it has been torn away.  Deep two fingered marked remain.  “Warforged…” he grumbles under his breath.

Cedious eases his way in as Gnarl nears the area.  Sharshek and Black sand continue slowly.  The thought of falling scares them.  The sudden stop even more so.

The moss grows inside the car making for areas of slippery conditions.  Cedious goes on anyway into the car.  Taskerdoo follows with his wolf.  Cedious looks into the first private room.  He finds a closeable bag that has been ripped open.  Along with the ruined papers are jewels.  He collects and only later wonders why someone would leave this behind.

Taskerdoo looks into a room he and his wolf slide to.  The door was once locked but has since been ripped open by someone with great strength.  Gnarl lets out a soft growl of discontent.  “A body?”  Taskerdoo looks inside and finds the remains of a dead changeling.  His body condition and level of decay suggest he died during the crash and was missed by the rescue crew.  Who opened the door is uncertain.  Cedious will later suggest a warforged.  On the body or within the room he finds 10 gold, 25 silver and a scroll case.  Looking for a good scroll case, Taskerdoo takes and opens it.  There’s something within!  He opens it and finds a map.  It is written in dwarven and includes notes written in dwarven.  At a quick glance, he reads “Mror Holds Mountains” and written by a circled room the word “Goodies”.  He keeps this for future use.

Sharshek arrives next to the car.  He stays outside and looks around.  He sees many insects and birds.  Small possibly harmless tree frogs hop here and there.  Brightly colored blossoms hang from fruit bearing vines.  Pretty but not helpful.

Cedious moves to the room across the hallway.  Old blood on the wall and marks from bodily impact suggest someone was once within this room at the time of the crash.  The body has since been removed.  The druid finds an empty room across the hall from the dead changeling.  Nothing of use can be seen at the bottom of the car so they climb out.  Black sand arrives just in time.  He is sticking to climbing down the main trunk in fear of a vine snapping under his great weight.  From the branch the upper part of the car rests on he looks down.  Water is visible below.  They have another 50 plus feet to go.

Cedious easily swings, slides and climbs to the next car trapped within the branches.  From here he can see the murky ground below.  Two more cars fell to the muddy waters below.  One is in part submerged in the water and the other landed on the wet land but burned from the impact.  He looks up and spots the wolf leaping from a branch to the far right.  He then walks the branch to a new section and leaps onto another branch.  Slowly he winds his way around to the car.  Only once did his rider look scared from the trip.

Cedious waits for the druid this time.  This car is completely covered in slick wet moss that tears free easily.  Once torn, it creates an ice-like condition of wetness.  Not good.  Also, he looked into the car.  Thick webs are visible at the bottom.  The car sits on a 45-degree angle this time.  One slip and you will be in those webs.  Webs = spiders or nasty mages.

Carefully, Cedious enters the car as the wolf lands about 50 feet away on the same branch the car rests on.  Cedious peeks into a private room and finds little except for fine clothes that seem to resist mildewing.  He collects the outfit suspecting them to be magical.  Taskerdoo and his wolf scurry a bit as they enter the car.  The moss is terribly hard to walk on without falling.  He locks his legs around his mount and uses his arms to grasp anything he can to aid his ride to a room.  The room is closed.  The door appears to be jammed shut from the inside.  He forces the door open and a large block of stone falls and barely strikes the halfling druid.  A crack on the outside reveals how the person that set this trap escaped the room.  But why the crude trap?

Cedious looks into the next room and finds a set of shackles.  Signs of blood and a fight are here.
 Blood (dried) is on the cuffs, pieces of cloth and on the walls.  Curious he thinks.  The druid looks into the next room.  He spots something on the floor.  It is a round 3-inch ball of metal with silver runes and lines on it.  A small jade crystal is set within it.  The design reminds him of the warforged.  Perhaps this item is a part of one or could be used by one.  He holds onto the item.  Then he hears something.

He looks out and sees Cedious.  He has ignited a torch and with a smile releases it and it falls onto the webs.  Two bundles are within the sticky strands.  As a rush of heat rises, two large monstrous spiders come out of their hiding places in the shadows.  “I knew it!” exclaims the rogue.

Outside, the human fighter looks down and sighs.  “They can handle it right.”

Black sands is making his way across the branch and doesn’t know what is happening but sees the burst of flame through the dirty windows at the bottom of the car.  “If not- we can push it over the edge.”

One spider rushes along the “ceiling” and the other along the floor.  They seem to weather the moss much better than the two halflings.  Gnarl bites at the one and misses.  The druid likewise.  Cedious slips and slides down the walkway tearing up green moss as he goes.  He slams into Gnarl and thus trips him up.  Together, the three then slam into the one spider and they fall into the smoking wisps of the web.  The two sucked dry halflings have fallen to the floor.  

Above Black sand considers what he drop to crush a spider.  Sharshek reminds him he may hit the dog.  “Oh yeah- I aim to the left a bit then.  We won’t miss the annoying one as much.”

“…and which one is that?”

The spider climbs down the ceiling and onto the wall to strike Cedious even as he tries to stand up. The bite burns but he doesn’t feel ill from it.  Good thing since the other spider is also trying to get up to attacks him.  
The wolf and druid take down the one spider and Cedious takes out the one next to him.  “Not even close.” He says as he folds the torn shirt in a mock repair.  How he misses the artificer at times like this.

They find little here but lose coins no higher than single silver.  They carefully climb up even as the human and half-giant have begun to climb down to the roots below.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
04/23/05
SEGMENT 072
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 22

 The roots rise and fall in and out of the water creating many excellent places for predatory creatures to hide.  The druid warns everyone to be on the watch for critters.

Looking around, they see the tree is surrounded by dark brown water with areas covered by floating seeds and plants.  It is near impossible to tell how deep the muck and murk is.  A muddy patch of an island is 10 feet away.  Then the main land is another 10 foot jump after that.  50 foot from there is the burned hulking remains of a car.  Another car is sticking out of the water.  Only about 15 feet of the 70 feet of car is visible.  The engine car is not visible.  It is submerged, destroyed beyond recognition or somehow taken away.

Taskerdoo tries for the burnt remains as the others make for the submerged car.  Even as the half-giant wades into the water, Sharshek can hear something sliding into the water.  “We have company!”

“Crocs or something worse?” asks Cedious as he leaps onto the island then turns to the submerged car.  He looks at the water’s depth on the ½ giant and decides he can handle it.  It is roughly three foot thick.  He needs to swim it but that’s okay.  He laughs at the face of danger.  Even the toothy kind.

The half giant hauls himself onto the car.  It is slick with wet oozy moss and mud.  The human is impatient to climb out of the water as he hurries to the rail car.  Gnarl nearly falls in complete with rider as he makes it to the shore.  Even the main land is wet and muddy.  Not good.

Cedious swims to the side of the car and begins to climb along the roof when suddenly two large claws spring from the water and grasp his two legs.  The legs are nearly sliced off.  A large shelled creature rises to the surface.  The weight of it nearly pulls the strong halfling in.  Blood trickles down from his legs.  The druid looks at the creature.  “CHUUL!”

“Help!” yells the rogue.

Sharshek leaps into the water to attack.  Black sand is about to when he notes a second creature rising from the water on the opposite side of the submerged car.  He goes after that Chuul.  The druid leaps back to the island but misses.  His wolf becomes embedded in the thick and sucking mud.  The first Chuul squeezes even as Cedious frees one leg since it is greased from his own blood....  He grunts from the pain again.  Long tentacles reach out from the creature.  They wrap around the tattered remains of the leather boots and begin to search for the flesh within.  

The human fighter gets in a solid hit but it only cracks the thick shell.  The druid’s wolf pulls free and struggles to the land.  Using the acquired wand of magic missiles from the mage, the Druid fires the wand.  Air whistles out from under the shell as the energy from the beam heat the creature.  Black sand misses his attack as his weapon bounces off of the thick shell.  The creature gets in one good pinch through the window of the car.  He withdraws from the window.  He can’t get a good enough strike through the window so he makes for the door.  Unknown to him, the creature is thinking the same thing but instead has swum to the front of the car to the submerged section.

Cedious squirms and turns to attack the tentacles.  He does little damage but keeps the tentacles from striking.  In return, his leg is nearly severed as the Chuul squeezes again.  Sharshek’s next attack bounces off.  Gnarl and the druid leap into the water.  The halfling frees himself from the wolf so as not to drown him by accident.  With magic fang activated, the wolf goes to attack.  The druid calls up more spells to attack with.

Black sand leaps in and delivers a powerful strike that breaks the shell but if it hurt the Chuul, it doesn’t show it.  The second Chuul tries to climb up the roof to attack from the roof but can not climb.  Its hard claws can not gain any leverage on the rooftop.  Cedious delivers a powerful jab then passes out from blood loss and pain as the chuul squeezes and begins to pull.  The three adventurers and the wolf all make their attacks as they surround and flank the creature.  Now it seems to want to leave with its meal instead of standing around to be attacked.  The second chuul sinks into the murky water.  Even as the first begins to slide into the water with Cedious, a fatal blow is delivered thus saving Cedious.

Black sands watches for the second one that the others were even aware of.  Cedious is given a potion and comes to.  He gets more potions from his pack as the others look around for danger.

“I think I prefer bad dreams to my food attacking me.” Says Cedious as he lies down on a damp seat and closes his eyes from exhaustion.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/07/05
SEGMENT 073
“Boddynoc’s Grand Scheme”

It took MANY days and several encounters with the Sahuagin but Boddynoc Grinkle and Asunder crossed the northern area of the Thunder Sea and reached the shores of Darguun.  Asunder, being a warforged, had no need for food, drink or air to breathe.  Boddynoc, as an undead did not need these basic things of survival either.  

Boddynoc thought long and hard about what to do.  He truly wished to destroy the cleric but no.  He had a purpose.  He was to find the Creation Schema and use it.  He was to create the first warforged nation.  From here, he could continue his studies and create better warforged creations.  He smiled at the afterthought.

On the way, he and Asunder had plundered several sunken ships.  Using two packs of holding he has filled the packs with gems and magical items.  Soon he planned to reach Sharn.  He still has notes and copies of the schema in storage there.  They were his and he was going to take them back.

However, first he had one more thing to do.  He was going to the Mournlands.  He was going to set up a base of operations.  The perfect place- the Whitehearth Cannith foundry.  If any goblins or bugbears got in the way- too bad for them.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/07/05
SEGMENT 074
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 23

[DM NOTES-  Only half of players could make it today and I myself had to go to work thus cutting it short.  We still opted to play some however.]

Cedious changed his clothes.  He escaped with his life but not with his pants.  Then without pause, he entered the partly submerged car.  Taskerdoo joined him quickly.  He was beginning to see that this roguish halfling required both eyes to watch over.

While the rogue found some minor jewels and a bag, Taskerdoo found a snake and its nest.  He was careful to avoid it and not disturb the nest.  Cedious found the bag had a pass for the Morgrave University in Bonel’s name.  There was also an ID that fit the description of the woman they were seeking but not the name.  She had two aliases even then.  Cedious thought little more of it.  She was here but how long ago?

Next they shifted through the burnt remains of either another car or possibly the engine.  Finding little they explored the immediate area.  Black sands and Sharshek merely hung out and watched for Chuuls or other dangers (as do players that can not make it).

Gnarl the wolf friend of the druid found several trails that traveled the general area of the two cars.  Some were very well used and recently used.  Animals going to the water most commonly used these.  Several other trails lead away into the jungle.

Deciding there was nothing else to find here, they left allowing Gnarl to decide which trails to use and track it

Nearby, Gnarl found the remains of two dead raptors.  They had a few sword cuts and one had two heavy and thick arrows in the body.  These were fresh kills, within the day.  “We are not alone.” Adds the druid.

A few hours into the trip, they are attacked by a magic using small dinosaur with weak wings (Ambush Drake)  Gnarl and Sharshek find themselves weak and tired after being attacked by the creature’s bite.  Its breath weapon has slowed down Black sands and Cedious.  They still prevail but are at a loss to what the creature was.  They do know they need to rest –and soon.

Further on the trail they decide to camp.  They climb a tree to about 30 feet up and rest.  During the night, they hear a series of birdcalls and whistles that seemed odd.  Nothing could be seen.  Odder yet was when sounds of something fast moving and a thud sound off in the utter darkness.

Cedious- curious and very Kender like can’t stand not knowing what has happened.  Even the bird calls are gone.

He carefully climbs down and finds…nothing.  He frowns at this and returns to his post.

The next day the group discovers a small scroll tube hanging from a branch over the main trail.  Not caring it is a trap or not, Cedious checks it out.  He reads it out loud for all to hear.

I AM WATCHING YOU

“I am watching you too.” Says Cedious as he stares into the brush as if seeing someone.  Nothing.

They continue on.  The marsh is giving away to a forest setting.  They set up camp again within a tree.  This time, Taskerdoo accidentally disturbs several large monstrous mantis creatures.  The battle goes quickly with little risk though Black sands nearly falls out of the tree when charging on the thick but rounded limbs.

As I said-  a very short session.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/15/05
SEGMENT 075
“Dark Lanterns”

Viorr Maelak stared at the scroll for a long time.  He tapped his fingers between thoughts as he tried to decipher the evidence before him.  It was not the first time he and a House had conflicting agendas.  He knew it would be far from the last time also.  However, this time other groups were involved.

He picked up the letter again and reread it to himself once more-

I followed the four newest warforged spies to the Cogs.  They seemed to have some idea of the lay out.  Either they have been here before or have been given maps that included the recently discovered chambers of Undersharn.  Once they felt they were free from being seen, they presented weapons that were hidden within their shells.  At least one of these forged were a mage of some sort.

They went first to the Naga pit we shutdown last month.  They were not there for the pit but for something else.  They spent a few hours searching then left.  They went into the newly discovered section further east  
And ran into an Emerald Claw division.  Battle broke out.  The strangest thing that occurred was in the midst of the battle House Cannith magewrights and their warforged agents came into the battle also.

The Cannith mages were winning when suddenly the warforged on their side turned on them.  They joined Blade’s men and together destroyed both opposing teams.  On the Emerald Claw was a series of bags.  They looked through these bags and found something that excited them.  

Using the arcane eye, I was able to see it.  It was a domed disk about 5 inches diameter.  It had runes and what looked to be either cracks or a shore line map.  On the backside there were rods and keys sticking out.  I heard the words CREATION SCHEMA mentioned.  

At this point I was surprised by a creature of the dark and missed any opportunity to follow the warforged.  They can only be going to one place- Mournlands.

Once my wounds are attended to, I will report.
Lucan Stellos
He knew his agents well.  If Lucan felt this was important enough to contact him directly with a scroll then it was VERY important.  This was the second time the term CREATION SCHEMA was mentioned within a letter of activity from one of his agents.  The other involved an Aurum spy that fled the city after the warforged agents of Blades killed her mentor Bonel Geldem.

Were they connected?   If so, he needed to learn more and quickly.


----------



## Cedious

*sits in his chair leans back and thinks*
hhmmmm interesting


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/21/05
SEGMENT 076
“RAIL WRECK”  PT 23

On the third night of walking the group are once more disturbed at night.  Taskerdoo’s keen ears pick up a sound in the forest that did not fit.  Concentrating, he focused and looked up to see a warforged dressed in a dark green cloak about fifty feet above them.  He calls attention to this even as he pulls out the wand of Magic Missiles.  The war-forged creature takes several shots before it gets out of range and disappears into the night.

The next day leads to a wary leaving of the safety of the tree.  It seemed little if anything approached the tree except for the warforged that was incredibly sneaky.  They travel about two hours until they approach a large clearing.  The clearing leads to a high rock cliff that seems to go forever.  Perhaps this is what keeps the dinosaurs from wandering out of the area known as the Talenta Plains figures Shelshek. 

Cedious can see four openings to caves directly across from them.  The path they are following seems to wander towards them.  However, the field between the forest edge and the caves is high grass and low shrubs.  Taskerdoo warns of good places for ambush by many of the creatures that live in the plains.  Black Sands suggests his own theories on this-  “Bring it on.”

A few hundred feet onto the opening leads to strengthen the reality of the Druid’s fears.  There are signs of a battle.  He and his wolf companion search the area.  Cedious and the others find clues also.  There are footprints of warforged and a large bipedal lizard or dinosaur.  Piecing together the clues, they figure a large group of warforged traveled through here.  A T-rex or something of this sort was hiding within a small glen of tall bushes and surprised them.  It tore into the group destroying many before they decided to run away.  Dozens of trails can be found of fleeing warforged.  The chewed and spit out remains of one warforged remain.  The creature decided the obsidian and metal didn’t taste good.  The parts that are wooden are rotted and in part digested.

“Be careful…. We heard it three days ago.  The creature is real.”

“I’m thinking about the trails of fleeing figures.  Where did they go?” wonders the human fighter.

“Let’s go to the caves.  It seems the trail leads there.”   Suggests Cedious looking across the field to the rock cliffs.

Continuing across the plain, the hired adventurers of House Cannith watch for hidden dangers of dinosaurs, warforged and other creatures.  They do not forget the “I’m watching you.” Scroll.  They figure it came from that warforged stealthy figure they saw in the tree.  A skilled warforged was very dangerous.

Finally reaching the cliffs they looked at each opening.  They were spread across an area of 500 feet.  There is a lot of action coming in and out.  Small reptiles, large mammals and many warforged have come in and out of these caves.  They decide on the closest cave opening and enter.


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> *sits in his chair leans back and thinks*
> hhmmmm interesting





behave


----------



## megamania

Finally got the film developed-  here are some scenes from Starvos Island and what would have happened if players decided how to run a game in Talenta Plains-


----------



## megamania

The two above were when the PCs faced the mutated creatures in the dragon shard mines and then when they came to the dragon etched door.

Below is the diner car but with a T-Rex coming for dinner.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/21/05
SEGMENT 077
“THE CAVES” 

Gnarl and Taskerdoo take the lead with Cedious close behind.  At about thirty feet behind is Shelshek holding a lantern.  Black sands follows close to him.

The cave is filled with trails.  Warforged have come in and out of these caves. Some walking, some running.  Occasionally other tracks are seen but they are old or disturbed.  About 125 feet into the cave they discover the caves is a series of branching caves.  Tunnels crisscross within with tracks of warforged coming in and out.  It is impossible to follow a single trail.

Following the trail Gnarl stops.  The druid tries to pick up what is wrong.  “Slow pain.  Dragon.  Slow”
Is all he can pick up.   Understanding his companion quickly, Taskerdoo warns the group of a possible Ambush Drake being ahead.

They move up and indeed a drake attacks with its breath weapon.  Prepared for it, the group force their way through it then attacks the drake.  It attempts to defend itself but with all five attackers attacking at once it can only stay so long.  Cedious lands the final blow.

Looking around, the group finds some gems and coins in the corner.  They collect these and sort through the rest of the drake’s lair before moving forward.  

Then Gnarl becomes excited.  “Human”

“Gnarl has found the scent of a human.  Its old but fits the time of the missing spy.”  They thus begin to follow the trail.

Moving slowly now, the group find a halfling burial chamber.  There are several spots cut into the walls to lay bodies and there are several stone boxes also.  All of the boxes have been opened and thus disturbed.  The keen eye of Cedious spots the body of a warforged.  Slowly they enter and split up to explore the 50x75 foot room.  Shelshek goes to the warforged body and is attacked by an undead creature.

This creature looks like a gaunt, nearly skeletal corpse, its rib cage filled with horrid, writhing viscera.  The creature’s tongue is its most noteworthy feature –long, cartilaginous, and clawed.

The human fighter is forced to hold the creature back as the others rush to his aid.  It was hiding within the burial boxes.  The druid attacks at first from the distance with the wand of Magic Missiles then has his wolf bring him in.  The others surround the creature and attack.  Cedious discovers the tongue is as dangerous as gross as it strikes him.  The wolf leaps onto the jarred cover and bites at the undead (ugh!).  For the effort, the undead backhands Taskerdoo hard and nearly knocks him free from the wolf.  They drive the creature into the stone box and begin to stab at it within.  Cedious empties holy water onto it which makes it shriek in pain.  Trapped, it succumbs to the batterment given to it.

Feeling it is safe once more, the group goes back to checking out the burial chamber.  Taskerdoo is uneasy doing this but feels the spirits are gone.  The remains are not what makes a halfling a halfling.

Hidden within the stone coffins are more warforged, parts of warforged and their equipment.  “At least the undead thing (Mohrg) was tidy.” Quips Cedious.

Continuing to follow the trail left by the human, they discover a few strips of cloth with blood on it.  Gnarl confirms this is human blood.  The human looks to be badly injured but moved on.

They travel about 500 feet and find themselves in a large open cave.  A few feet within it is the mortal remains of a female human that fit the description of the spy.  She hugs a cloth wrapped book and in hand holds a glowing dagger (Bane vs Human).  Looking into the book, it is the very journal they were searching for.  She has little else on her.  Rather than follow the trail out, Cedious leads the group through the far end to exit.  (oops!)


Cedious, not being very cautious, hurries through the tunnels to leave.  He trips a Fusillade of Spears and takes many hits.  Cursing he takes more curative potions and leads on.  “Should we slow down?” asks the human of the group.  Cedious is already moving onward.

He finds another trap but doesn’t trip it.  However he goes to disable it and trips it then.  A falling block clips him doing minor damage.  Cedious sighs and begins to take his time leaving.

DM NOTE  [ Somehow they weaved in and out of cavern tunnels full of traps and undead and ran into little of it.  Leaving they only got a small taste of it.]

Cedious finds another trap and wedges the tripping stone so that it can not go off.  Thankfully, they arrive onto a trail they know.  A large human, a human, a small human and a dog with heavy weight on it.

“Finally” thinks Cedious.

They begin to leave.


----------



## Cedious

we so gotta start making full use of a game time, it seems like we have been standing still for the past few sessions.
or maybee Cedious just needs to get back to civilisation where he once again can do what he does best..... stealing is more profitable then working for a living


----------



## Cedious

mega said:
			
		

> (CEDIOUS) HALFLING ROGUE [ Binge Drinker and general Trouble-maker ] ALIVE!!!!




I THINK I NEED A COUPLE MORE !!!! RIGHT THERE ANDY....AND I ALSO THINK I NEED A NICE NEW WEAPON  
OHHH YEAH YOU KNOW THE ONE IM TALKING ABOUT


----------



## megamania

The cursed Tiny dagger of Ill Omens?

Don't worry-  more Death N Destruction in two more weeks.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/28/05
SEGMENT 078
“KELTIC DORAN”

The villa is dark and foreboding.  It lays within a deep rock walled valley in Karrnath’s Ashen Spires.  It is the home of a cleric of Vol.  It is the home of Keltis Doran.

The dark skinned human reached his home after a day of travel on foot.  As he reaches the courtyard the human’s skin lightens and becomes pale.  By time he knocks on the door the Changeling stands reveals.  “Garrow.” Says the Keltis as he opens the door.  “You are in time for the hunt.  You are welcome to join.”

“As hunter or the hunted?” asks the changeling Emerald Claw member.

“In your case- would it matter for long?  Welcome and please enter.  You will need to accept the mess here.  My friends are known for keeping a good house.”  Weapons and armor lie everywhere.  The tools of war are of medium and large sizes.

“Ah good- I had hoped you may be entertaining The Brood.”

“Sounds like you have need of them.”

“Do you remember the halfling in Cyre?”

“Yes.” Answers Keltis now slowing down and turning.  His eyes become darker and darker.  “What of him?”

“He still seeks the Schema.  I know where he is.”

“Tell me and I will send the Brood to him.”

“Talenta Plains  ….The Gorge.”

Keltis snarls and opens the back door.

“There is something else Keltis.  Something you need to know.”

Keltis waits even as his mood darkens.

“He works for House Cannith.  He has new allies and has killed Mallora.”

Keltis growls and kicks at the door.  It breaks free of its supports.  Outside, the Brood turns to see what has happened.

“Get me there- now.  The Brood and I will go hunting".


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
05/29/05
SEGMENT 079
“WHERE DO THEY STAND”

Boddynoc Grinkle began his current adventure in Sharn.  He and several of his friends came across the murdered body of a Professor Bonal Geldem.  A warforged assassin sent to learn about the Creation Schema murdered him.  Professor Geldem had a forgotten journal (Was found in the Pathfinders Story Hour) that gave details on the use of the Schema and how to create War Forged warriors.  Following clues found within and the guidance given to him by a House Cannith aid, they found one piece within the dungeons of Under Sharn.  The warforged tried to stop them but could not.

In another adventure into the dungeons Lady Demise of the Emerald Claw stopped them.  She was searching for an “amulet”.  Later it was discovered this amulet was another piece of the schema.  Though Boddynoc and his friends did not go after this piece they read within the Korranberg Chronicle how the Emerald Claw and the War Forged were at war within the dungeons of Under Sharn.  Recently it was suggested the War Forged have successfully retained the piece but there is no evidence of it beyond the fact the war is no longer within Sharn.

Unknown to anyone, Boddynoc was trying to enter the Zilargo Trust.  The Trust was a spy group that gathered information and power from all over the continent.  The Creation Schema seemed very important and worthy to report.  Boddynoc made contact with Gnome informants within Sharn.  He had a copy of the original piece made and much of the first journal was looked over.  Unknown to him, this Gnome was visited by Warforged assassins who set fire to his library.  Whether anything survived the fire is uncertain.

Lady Elaydren d’Vown of House Cannith was so pleased with the group that she contacted them yet again.  When asked, she spoke of working with Baroness Jorlanna d’Cannith of Cannith North.  In truth she worked for Baron Merrix d’Cannith of Cannith South.  She was being hunted by the warforged and indeed was attacked by them even as she spoke to Boddynoc and his friends.  He was given a pack of supplies, a map and travel papers and tickets and they went on their way into Cyre.  Cyre was destroyed during the Last War and renamed the Mournlands.

It is uncertain is Baron Zorlan d’Cannith of Cannith East is aware of these struggles and plots.  If he is then he is very quiet about it and thus perhaps the most dangerous player after the Schema.

Boddynoc and his friends went into the Mournlands to Whitehearth and retrieved the Creation Schema piece they sought and the Base Plate for it as an extra bonus.  There was also a second piece of the schema piece there.  Only Boddynoc and Cedious survived the trip to and back from the destroyed lands of Cyre.

When they reached the Cannith barge where they were betrayed by Lady Elaydren Vown. Set up for theft, they were placed on a prisoner ship and sent to Sharn for justice. Meanwhile, she left with ALL of the notes and pieces they had gathered to that point.  They doubted they would survive the trip over so they went to escape.  Cedious had already escaped but hid on board.  Here they met several others that would later join them including the Warforged Fighter known as Asunder.

The escape took place during a terrible storm that resulted in the destruction of the ship.  Boddynoc, his friends and other survivors  were washed up on Starvos Island.  Looking for help, the group agreed to help the miners here if they in turn helped them reach the main land.  Unknown to most of them- this island was a center of Fiendish operations.

Boddynoc and Bomnel, a Trust member, were both exposed to and contracted a fiendish mutation.  The first step was to become an undead thinking zombie.  The next step was more devious.  A fiendish spirit would travel with them, hidden and in secret.  Boddynoc, with the strain of losing his friends at the betrayal of Elaydren, broke down first.  Before they reached the shoreline again he was an undead and becoming Chaotic Evil in nature.

A Cleric of the Silver Flame had been contacted weeks before. She arrived just in time to see Boddynoc change.  Boddynoc and the two warforged attacked her and were all destroyed.  Cedious was now the leader of the group.

Later, unknown to anyone, Boddynoc fully awakened in his powers of being fiendish undead.  Unable to dig out, he caste Repair on Asunder and he dug them out.  As an undead and a warforged, they began to walk to their planned home –walk into the sea.  On the way, they found several sunken ships including a battle ship.  Within this ship was about 500 platinum, a wand of Levitate and a Belt of Giant Strength+6.  A week after this they made contact with the Sahuagin tribe known as the Red Current.  Their curiosity and the fiend’s telepathy powers, allowed them to survive this encounter.  They left with their promise of aid and a Helm of Teleportation.

They have surfaced within the boundaries of  Darguun near Khraal on Kraken Bay.

House Cannith North has contacted Cedious.  Through Lady Beth d’Cannith and Jorlanna d’Cannith he learned much more about the parties involved in the search of the Creation Schema.  He and a new team have been sent to the Talenta Plains in search of the clues for the next piece.  On the way, they have been attacked by both House Cannith South, Emerald Claw and warforged warriors. 

Forces Involved 

Known by Cedious
Not Known by Cedious
Background Only

Lord of Blades: Warforged warriors
Emerald Claw, Garrow:  Undead and troops
Emerald Claw, Demise: Troops and other contacts
House Cannith, South: Lady Elaydren, Rush Latealot, Warforged, war related supplies
House Cannith, North: Cedious works for
House Cannith, East:  actions unknown but they are aware of some activity
Boddynoc Grinkle: Undead and possessed by a fiend but lovin’ it. 
Dark Lanterns: Becoming involved due to battles within Under Sharn
The Trust:  Aware through contacts / double-agents within Dark Lanterns and Cannith houses
Aurum: Blare Valnnesse had copied most of the journal by the Professor.  Took flight when Warforged    
         	 came after her.  As the only contact known, it is uncertain how much the Aurum Knows.
The Chamber: Involved but for what reason is unclear
The Lords of Dust: Watching Boddynoc and Asunder but curious about the Creation Schema
Cults of the Dragon Below:  More about revenge against the PCs than the Creation SchemaAnd who knows who else id aware and waiting……..

CREATION SCHEMA PIECES

1  Under Sharn  Collected by Boddynoc    Taken by Cannith South
2  Under Sharn   Collected by Falchion      Being brought to The Lord of Blades
3  White Health  Collected by Boddynoc    Taken by Cannith South
4  White Health  Collected by Boddynoc    Taken by Cannith South
5  Location unknown
6  Location unknown


----------



## Cedious

hhhhmmmmm 
*thinks*
*ponders*
*wonders*
*frowns*
*scratch's chin*
*considers*
*contemplates*
*studys*

yep i just don't like them having all those peices...time for me to take them back i think


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> hhhhmmmmm
> *thinks*
> *ponders*
> *wonders*
> *frowns*
> *scratch's chin*
> *considers*
> *contemplates*
> *studys*
> 
> yep i just don't like them having all those peices...time for me to take them back i think




Now you wouldn't use game information your character doesn't have right Cedious.    cedious?


Unleash the Fiendish, Spellstitched, Dire, Elemental, Axiomamatic Vampiric Lich (Magic AND Psionic) spell knight legionS.


----------



## megamania

Game tommorrow.  Updates Sunday or Monday.  BOO-YAHHHH!


----------



## Cedious

Game Info? ME!? NEVER!@!#!
just so happens Cedious and I are telopathically linked to one another, what i know he knows and vis a versa!


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/11/05
SEGMENT 080
“LONG AND SHORT”

The tired but successful adventurers follow the trail out to the entrance of the caves.  They decide to follow the foot trail back to the rail system and then follow that home. They’ll figure out Karrnath when they reach it.

Before they enter the grass, an arrow sails through the air and lands at their feet.  Attached to it is a piece of rolled paper.   Snickering at it, Cedious walks over to it and picks it up.  He smiles at the group as he unrolls it and reads it out loud.

“Thankyou for retrieving the book.  Give it to us or play my game”  Short


They laugh it off and move on into the tall grass.

About two hundred feet from the caves as they enter the tall grass Gnarl can smell something.  Even as he warns his master- Taskerdoo, the warforged leap to the attack.  There are ten of them all wielding long swords.  Another one stands up very slowly.  He holds a glowing Longsword.  “Deconstruct them!”

The ten warforged fighters immediately surround the group and block off any exists.  Three of them go after Taskerdoo the healer.  Gnarl works his way out of the threesome and directly into the leader- Long.  Boddynoc is barely alive, as he has taken several serious sword strikes.  The Leader misses and is tripped by the wolf before it charges into the deeper brush to protect its master.  The sniper then attacks hitting the wolf with an arrow.  Wolf and Boddynoc both do down.  Gnarl gets up and sniffs at the air.  The leader, Long, has the smell of bile on him.  He can not detect where the archer is.  With no other options, the wolf returns to battle hoping the archer will think his rider is dead.

A Black sands takes two hit then decimates the warforged around him.  Cedious can not get a good hit in as the two warforged surround him.  Sharshek does everything he can to keep himself alive.  These warforged have battled as a group before (all from Aundair, same unit) and function as a group.  Suddenly the PCs have discovered a group that uses strategy and cunning with ruthless results.  

The battle goes back and forth.  If any try to run the sniper attacks.  Long gets tripped again by the wolf.  The tactic annoys the warrior.  He prepares himself and stays on his feet the next time.  Gnarl is gutted and cut in two in two swift strikes.

Taskerdoo is near death (self stabilized at –6) in the deep brush and his companion / familiar is dead.  The others now move in to Long except for Cedious.  He can not hit his foes or they him.  The three of them dance and twist near death every second.

Long holds his own against the ½ giant and human.  The archer meanwhile has moved to a new location and unknown to the PCs has asked his own animal companion to sneak in.

Finally Cedious takes down a forged and the others get a few solid hits in.  Soon all forged are down.  When Cedious attempts to pick over the belongings the archer begins to fire on them.  They take cover behind a short but thick bush.  Black sands takes a few hits, as his large frame is not completely hidden from view.  They take cover to individual brush.  Black sands again is struck twice as he tries to find cover.  The archer is trying to take down the large but fast running barbarian.

“THIS SUCKS!” screams out the frustrated halfling rogue.

“We may have to return to the caves.  Then maybe sneak out.” Offers the human fighter.

“So long as I kill the archer any plan works for me.” Curses the barbarian as he works out an arrow from his leg.

“Where is Taskerdoo?  I saw Gnarl go down.” Asks Cedious suddenly seeing there are only the three of them.

“He fell off Gnarl in the brush.”

“Alive?”

“Don’t know.”

Cedious thinks this over for a moment.

Sharshek brings up the need of his healing abilities.  It may be worth seeing if he is alive.  A plan is formed.  Cedious has a sense of where the archer is.  The fighter will try to get the druid’s body and return to the caves.  The Barbarian will draw fire since he is the chosen target at this time.

They all shot out to their set targets at once.  Black sands takes one more hit.  Sharshek finds the druid / mage’s body.  He is alive but in bad shape.  Cedious stays low and sneaks in to the target.  Even as Red Eye sneaks in.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/11/05
SEGMENT 081
“RED EYE”

Sharshek picks up the halfling’s body and prepares to run for it.  Black sand is thinking how he will begin with the archer’s fingers.  Then his wrist then go for more critical pieces.  He is bleeding from about eight arrow hits now plus a few sword hits.  Cedious creeps up through the tall grass.  He stops when he hears a rustle of grass.  He looks up and sees a hint of red before him.  uh-oh.

Sharshek sprints back to the caves.  The archer tries one hit but misses.  Black sands moves closer.  He saw the archer this time.  It looks like the warforged from the jungle forest.  Rotten bastard!

Cedious, dagger in hand, slowly stops and comes to his feet ready to spring.  Before him is a wolf with pieces of metal on its head and shoulders.  A single red eye scans the halfling.  It growls and prepares to attack.

Cedious rolls at the attack and stabs into the throat hoping not to hit metal armor.  Instead the dagger sinks to the hilt.  The wolf can not even bellow or howl as its throat is pierced from the lower right to the upper left.  The weight of the dead wolf drags Cedious into an awkward position.  He hopes the archer is not going to take this personally.

Tempting fate, the rogue goes all the way to the archer’s last known point.  Cedious doesn’t find him but spots a trap meant for him.  Cedious decides he better return to his friends and fast.  This guy is serious and very good.

Cedious returns with no further attacks.  Black sands considers going after him himself but the weakness he feels in his arms while holding his bastard sword and wobble in his knees makes him reconsider.  They go back inside the cave system and look for a defensible area.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/11/05
SEGMENT 082
“TROLL & SHORT”

The group set up in a single room with two exits / entrances.  They give Taskerdoo their last healing potion and hope for the best (+5 bummer).  He seems to improve but is still too weak to do anything.  They block one entrance with blocks and branches.  It may not stop anyone but it will alert them, even a rogue or ranger.

The other entrance is blocked with stones and more branches.  They take turns watching the barricades as they rest.  That night, something large is heard walking boldly into the cave.  The creature is taking deep sniffs and tracking the blood spilt from Taskerdoo and Black sands.  

A troll.

The creature bursts in and suddenly the group is in a great deal of trouble.  Without their druid / mage, they have little for fire and no acid.  They know enough about trolls to know this can be a deadly incident.

They attack it and attack and attack it.  It regenerates some of the damage done each time but the damage is slowly overwhelming the creature.  Finally it goes down and they take turns hacking into it and burning it with lit stick.  The smoke can not escape the space well but slowly the troll is destroyed.  Black sands drags it away since the smell is so bad.

Two days go by.

Taskerdoo is weak but does what little healing he can.  It is little but enough to grow stronger.  They prepare to attempt to leave but see signs of the archer.  He is testing them and playing a game with them.  The troll may have been directed by the warforged into the caves for all they know.

They decide to go deeper into the caves.  Maybe there is a secret way out or a magic item inside that can save them.  Instead they find many more traps.  Cedious is not impressed.  They are shoddy and yet one did knick him.  Nothing serious but it is so wrong.

They come across a shoddy barricade.  Lose blocks of stone hold several branches up.  Cedious spots something in the sandy ground.  Sharshek spots an arrow tip in the branches.  “Archer!”  

After everyone takes cover to the sides of the wall they see the trip cord leads to the barricade.  The bow must be set to fire if tripped.  This is a new trap and not built by the original occupants.  Short.  The warforged bastard.

“Looking for me fleshbags?” 

Everyone turns and sees a short in stature warforged wearing a green and black cloak.  Strangely it is wearing leather armor also.  Its lower jaw is over sized and comical.

“Not really but what the heck.” Offers the halfling as he hopes to escape.  They are not ready for this kind of battle.

Sharshek considers the arrow trap.  It could be used against the warforged.

Black sands says something that can not be repeated on EN World.

Taskerdoo wonders how he will survive when the effort of walking hurts.  But the memory of his lost wolf is still strong in his mind.  He draws strength from his memory of Gnarl. (even if as a player he has already decided what his next creature will be)

VERY suddenly the short warforged charges them.  Its twin glowing short swords flash as it draws them forth.  Black sands takes a vicious hit that nearly drops him.  The warforged ranger stops and twirls its blades to intimidate the group.  As one, they all attack and all miss the very agile foe. (AC 23 DEX 24) Black sands rages and attacks.  He is hit three times by short swords and nearly loses his head as the lower jaw lurches out and bites him cruelly.  He stumbles back in pain and surprise.  Sharshek decides this battle is over and goes to leave.  Taskerdoo has already left but is moving very slowly.  Cedious drinks his last potion of invisibility and back tracks hoping to hide in the darkness.  The rage is nearly spent by the surprise bite attack.  Black sands shouts curses and names while checking on his wounds.  He can not help himself.  On hearing “flesh bag” once more he attacks.

Sharshek discovers the arrow and bow are rigged to a separate cord.  The trip cord Cedious found was a rouse.  Angry by how this forged is playing with them and their strengths/weaknesses; he strikes down the bow.

From the safety of the barricade, Taskerdoo uses his wand of magic missiles to weaken the ranger.  The ranger charges them to their surprise and pain.  Sharshek goes down (-6  FORGOT  Species Enemy: Human) and finally realizing that if his teammates die, he will die soon enough, Cedious returns and strikes a vicious hit on the ranger.  Between the invisibility and the unique nature of this forged, Cedious scores a few sneak attacks.  Black sands crits and hammers it hard.  Suddenly there is hope.  

The mutated ranger warforged prepares to kill Black sands when the weak halfling druid / mage strikes it with the wand once more.  The forged goes down.

They stabilize Sharshek and look to loot the body of Short.  

“I hate Talenta Plains… lets go.” Quips Cedious.

No one disagrees, not even the local druid.

DM NOTES:  Short is a member of the 87.  When the Lord of Blades found the creation foundry in the mourning lands he hoped to use it and improve on it.  He over powered the damaged unit and only 87 warforged were created before it broke.  These 87 all have unique abilities or properties. SHORT has no natural armor but is incredibly fast and has an overbite problem that it learned to use to kill with.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/18/05
SEGMENT 082
“ LADY ELAYDREN’S Discovery”

Hidden within her family castle in northern Breland, Lady Elaydren continues to study the notes made by the readers of the Journal thought to have been written by Bonal Geldem.  In truth, from her studies, it was written by three or more people and studied but two others before Bonal ever bought it from some adventurers that found it in Darguun ( as set up by Naomi and Gilad in early segments of Pathfinders).

She believes this was first written by the grandfather of Merrix.  He has been accredited as the creator of the first warforged.  However, many of these symbols are giant inscriptions.  There have been many rumors of the warforged being early creations of the giants of Xen’drik.  The few expeditions into this land of mystery and secrets have turned up nothing.  No party has yet to return.

The second author of this journal, either Merrix’s father or uncle speculated the warforged could be enhanced or better created using an artifact referred to as the CREATION SCHEMA.  This multi – pieced item was suggested to have an either an alien intelligence or an imprint of how to create warforged.  The power of the artifact scared the author and the author stole the artifact and broke it its many pieces to be hidden far away from Xen’drik.  Locations are listed but in the form of clues and riddles.  

Each piece has a special power by itself.  Together, it becomes an artifact.  She knows of the location of four pieces.  She has three that she took from the idiots Cedious and Boddynoc.  The warforged of Lord of Blades has captured one but should be back in Cannith hands soon.  The last two pieces are still hidden.  One was placed in a Cannith foundry to the far north.  Where is unclear.  The other is hidden is special location created by Merrix’s grandmother and a dangerous trap builder named Drogan.  It is located somewhere under the Eldeen Forest.   

She closes the journal and places the ink quill away.  She stretches and takes a stroll around her library.  After about five minutes of pacing within her room she stops.  She needs to hire more idiots to find the piece in the forest.  She needs someone she can trust.  Then she can kill them later also.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/18/05
SEGMENT 083
“ GREATSWORD and DAR”

Greatsword labored all day and night crossing the Zilargo countryside.  The Gnomes had no idea that this creature of destruction was in their lands.  He entered the woods of northern Zilargo and headed to Darguun.  Soon he would enter the Mournlands and return home.  Return to the Steel Nation.  

The woods were typical.  Brush tried to block his way and trees created stupid barricades he could sidestep easily enough.  Then he entered a clearing.  What he saw he did not expect.

Before him, standing alone, was a bugbear.  It sat calmly sharpening its Scimitar.  The Bronze, red and black armor seemed to glisten in the sun.  “Welcome Greatsword.  I have been waiting for you since this morning.  I was beginning to believe you would not survive the gnome countryside.”  He turns and his bright blue eyes wink in excitement.

Never slowly down the warforged continues to walk straightforward.  “If you value your life, step aside and shutup.”

“So rude!”  Dar stands up and swings his blade a few times over his head.  “You should be more polite to strangers.  You never know who they may be.”

Now a mere twenty feet away, the warforged warrior pulls his Greatsword free of its holding sheath on its back.  Not saying another thing he swings at the Bugbear.  It easily blocks the hit.  The bugbear reaches out and grasps the warforged by his shoulder.

“AHHHHH!”

He lowers his greatsword and stares at the bugbear.  He tries to stare at the bugbear’s eyes but they glow to brightly.

“I know what you have and where you bring it.  I also know the Trust await for you nearby.  They will stop you.  You have not even tried to hide your presence.  Very foolish for a country of nosey gnomes.”  The bright glowing eyes stare harder into the warforged.  “Allow me to redirect your path to the west then follow the river that is near Thrane.  Enter the new Steel Nation through there.”  The bugbear lets him go and the warforged shudders in pain and discomfort.  It has never known fatigue but this has to be fatigue.  He does not treasure the sensation.  He promises the death of this creature.  He repeats his promise again as he turns to the west and travels to Thrane.

Three miles away, a garrison of gnomes wait for a destructive rogue warforged that has killed thirty-three innocent gnomes so far.  They will give up the wait in four days.  By then, the warforged will be in the Mournlands.

As for Dar, When the warforged looked over his shoulder last, the bugbear was missing from view.


----------



## Cedious

awww my bugbear has found a new friend 
he also has a name now.....and why would he help the warforged...mmmm me and him will have to have a few words ^_^


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> awww my bugbear has found a new friend
> he also has a name now.....and why would he help the warforged...mmmm me and him will have to have a few words ^_^




Eventually I'm sure you will........


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/25/05
SEGMENT 084
“THE WAY HOME”

[DM NOTES:  Half of the players could not make it today and we were wrapping up the last adventure.  So instead we “fast-forwarded” it to prepare to the next adventure and allow down time to upgrade armor / weapons.  Two weeks we begin the mammoth adventure “Drogan’s Trap”.]

The party begins their walk home.  They backtrack towards the crash site.  Once there they hope to follow the rail to the border of Karrnath.  Then follow it’s border to Aundair (they are forgetting about the bridge under repair) and finally to Fairhaven.

Along the way his new summoned animal companion surprises Taskerdoo.  A small dinosaur is seen scouting their campsite.  Taskerdoo has to stop Black sands from smashing it.  He befriends the small dinosaur and quickly become friends.  Black sands still thinks he should have killed it.

Once they near the site they spot a large airship tethered to the rails.  Becoming cautious they circle around the site looking for any more details.  Cedious spots a House Cannith flag.  “Which Cannith?” asks Taskerdoo the druid.

It is difficult to see much from the ground.  It is 350 feet from the ground to the rail and another fifty feet to clear the treetops.  The ship is nearly 450 feet in the air from them.  They begin a slow climb using vines, branches and at times ropes they find from the rescue crews and possibly the Cannith crew.  Taskerdoo reaches the top and two guards are there with their weapons drawn.  “Identify yourself”.  From behind them they hear “Cedious”.  The two spin to locate the voice.  They turn back and see the large grinning face of a dark skinned ½ giant coming over the edge.  “It is them.” They agree.

Thirty minutes later, the team is on the Dragonhawk II and on their way back to Aundair.  They are asked to join Captain Samuel Halley in the office.

The first thing he wants to know is what happened to Beth d’Cannith.  Taskerdoo tells him what had happened with the wraiths (he leaves out that they had to her as a wraith also).  After explaining this he wants details about the destruction of the Cannith car.  As feared, he learns that Bludgeon did most of it while battling War Forged and the Wraiths.  Finally he asks about the journal.  Cedious pulls it free from his pack and hands it over.  Halley opens it and looks it over.  “Code, gibberish and whatever else.  The Cannith code breakers will go through it. In the meanwhile- enjoy this food and drink.  Use this room as your own.  I’ll have bedding brought in.”

The trip takes several days as they fly high in the air.  The trip takes them through Talenta Plains and over the gray mists of the Morning Lands.  Even high in the air you can see no openings in the mist.  It stretches seemly forever to the south.  Then you cross Thrane. And the waters of Galifar and you dimly can see the bridge where the warforged and Emerald claw fought you on the rail.  As you cross onto land you are in Aundair.  The air has a chill to it as autumn has arrived.  The leaves are bright reds, yellows and oranges.  The fields are being cultivated and prepared for the winter coming.

Finally you reach Fairhaven and dock.  As before, you are offered room and board.  They want you to be prepared to retrieve any pieces mentioned with a location within the journal.  In the next few months they run small errands for the house.  In the meantime, the party trades or upgrades their weapons, armor or other goods.  Some training is done also. 

Finally after 3 months of going through the journal and other resources the party is called in for a meeting.

Trevor d’Cannith is the head of the meeting.  His two assistants, the twins Khim and Whim aid him.  “We believe we have located a piece of the Schema we seek.”

Black sands cracks his knuckles in boredom.

We had broken it down to three locations within the Eldeen Reaches. We had reduced it to three locations using the term “Dragon”.    He quotes the journal now- “The schema and other artifacts are under the protection of Dragon within the Great Forest.”  The great forest is of course Eldeen.  However the term Dragon escaped us.  It was only when we conferred to the security team that we learned of Dragon.”

“Drogan is/was a bugbear of incredible magical talent.  He also had an affinity for traps and dimensional traps.  He has created several of what is known simply as a Drogan Trap throughout Khorvaire in remote areas.  By using this information we were able to center our efforts to three areas within Eldeen Reaches.  For the past three weeks we were trying to decide which of the three it was.  Our contacts (Spies thinks Cedious) within other groups that wish to locate this schema have suggested a team of adventurers are going to area SW Eldeen near the Byeshk Mountains.”

“What can we expect for dangers there?” asks Sharshek.

Whim steps up.  “This area has many natural dangers.  There are Dire creatures here along with some Giant-kin.  So long as do nothing to harm the forest, the druids should leave you alone.   There may be groups that believe they are protecting the world by keeping you away from the Trap or at least protecting yourselves.”

Khim steps up as Whim steps back.  “The contacts we have are from Cannith South.  They are preparing an expedition into this area.  You can expect them to interfere.  We have also heard the Emerald Claw is seeking retribution against your group.  The embarrassment you have caused by defeating them several times has alienated their leaders.  It has become personal with them.”

She steps back and Trevor steps up once more.  “The warforged you mentioned that flew over you I believe is there from either the Aurum or Merrix.  If he is what I believe he is, be careful.  He is a polymorpher, a transformer if you will.  Very dangerous.

“When do we go?”

“Now”

And thus the next big step begins…..


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
06/25/05
SEGMENT 085
“THE WATCHED AND THE WATCHERS”

It is cold.

It is windy.

It is worth his time.

Searsburg has remained hidden on a building nearby the House Cannith building in Fairhaven for two weeks now.  His ring of Sustenance, his ring of Cold resistance and his Cloak of Invisibility have kept him here in secret all of this time.

The Aurum hired him to spy on their facility four weeks ago.  He had four targets to watch.  They worked as a team.  It was easy to follow them, as one was a dark gray large bruiser known as Black sands.  The other rode a dinosaur of all things.  He wondered how much the creature liked Aundair’s winters.

Then he sees what he has been waiting for.  The ½ giant bulls out of the rooftop exit to an awaiting airship.  The others come after him.  Looking close Searsburg can see new equipment on some of them.  This will need to be reported.  He watches the airship lift and go west.  

15 minutes go by.  Once he feels it is safe, he leaves his post.  

Most of the birds burst into the air in freight as he suddenly moves and glides to the ground.  All but one.  This one watches him.  Even though he remains invisible the bird watches him reach the ground and slowly move towards the crowded street where he looks to blend in before becoming visible.  The feathers are black and slick just like a crow.  The beak has a touch of yellow just like a crow.  The eyes are black just like a crow.  However, once one was to look closer, they would see subtle differences between this crow and another.  Bands of smooth man-made metal ring the eyes of the crow.  These rings spin and shift as the vision goes from normal to telescopic.  It opens its wings and the under wings show black leather with feathers attached.  It jumps from its perch and glides to a building ahead of the non-human spy.  

Elsewhere-  FAR to the south. A lone figure looks into a viewing ball.  The figure watches through his creation’s eyes.  He wishes to know who else is moving the chess pieces within this game.  Knowledge is power.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/09/05
SEGMENT 086
“The Revenge of Keltis Doran”

The airship traveled steadily all day and night.  By daybreak, they had already left Aundair and were within the limits of the Eldeen Reaches.  They pass Varna and continue on.  To the right they see an endless forest and to the south they see Lake Galifar that seems to reach forever.

Unknown to them, while near Varna, they picked up a follower.  Keltis Doran and his new close friend and lover, Karrion Kold, are pursuing them within their own airship.  Near Niern Captain Halley spots the craft.

Uncertain at what to do, the group waits and watches.  They hope against hope that this is just a passing ship in a hurry.  They hope it is not either the Emerald Claw or House Cannith South.  Once the ship reaches them they can see six black skeletons with swords watching them.  As they get closer Cedious spots Keltis and recognizes him from the Rose Quarry.  

Captain Halley calls for the pilot to push the ship harder to draw away but it too slow for the faster ship.  The skeletons take ropes and run off the far side as they run next to the Cannith ship.  The skeletons hold onto the ropes as they become taunt and then the ropes whip them under the Emerald Claw ship and throw them towards the Cannith ship.  Five land on the deck and one lands on an arm of the Fire Elemental containment system.

The guards rush the skeletons but then stop.  Most of them turn and flee to hide as the fear overwhelms them.  The pilot is also overwhelmed in fear.  In terror he turns the ship quickly causing many to fall.  Some even fall off the ship.  Taskerdoo’s animal companion nearly falls over the edge but the quick hands of Cedious save the dinosaur.

Two spiritual weapons appear before the pilot as three of the black skeletons surround the captain.  If both are killed, there will be no one to pilot the craft.  

Sharshek picks himself off the deck and finds a black skeleton has charged onto him.  It attacks with two short swords and has spikes of bone growing out of its own blackened bones.  These are not the normal undead skeletons that are attacking them.  Unknown to them, they are the newest creations of Keltis –The Brood.

Black sands is almost amazed as he strikes one several times but it remains standing and attacking still.  Taskerdoo tries his best to avoid the conflict.  He wonders what he can do to attack the Claw’s ship.  The warriors on the Emerald Claw ship begin to fire arrows onto the ship now.  Most miss but not all.

The captain goes down and those three undead spread out to attack surviving guards and the pilot.  The pilot is killed even as he tries to move away from the Claw ship.  The undead then destroys whatever it can of the controls which threatens to release the entrapped fire elemental that empowers the craft.

Keltis decides this is taking too long and calls up a pillar of flame to strike at the center of the ship.  The deck shatters and bursts into flames.  The craft shudders under the new strain and damage.  Taskerdoo considers leaping onto their ship since he believes theirs is about to go down but the movement of the failing ship draws the two craft apart.  Angry at his ill position, he calls up a Flaming Sphere and strikes an archer.  He then commands the ball of fire to roll around on the deck spreading the fire.  “Two can play at this game!” he shouts.  He burns many archers then directs it to strike Karrion Kold.  She withdraws in anger.  Before she was here as a witness, now it is becoming personal.

Black sands and Cedious team up on the undead and begins to defeat them.  Angry with the dinosaur riding halfling, Karrion fires a fireball from a magical red globe.  Taskerdoo was just entering the storage area where blankets designed for putting out flames are stored.  The roof and wall explode as the fireball strikes it causing the entire ship to once more shudder and veer away further.

Both ships are now on fire.  The Cannith ship has the worst fire damage and has no pilots left.  It is going down.  The battle is taking place 3000 feet above the ground.  Taskerdoo spots the flames on the Claw ship change color then a series of small explosions rock the ship.  Something sensitive to flames is exploding.  The Claw ship veers away to deal with its own issues.

Cedious- ever the thief checks out the body of the captain.  He finds money, which he puts away, and a +1 rapier, which he also keeps.  He then finds three pellets each have a feather etched on them.  He hopes they are magical containers of Feather Fall or Flight.  The captain also has a Cannith dragon mark on him.  Yet another Cannith member has died while under their care.  The last of the black skeletons are defeated but the ship is going down.

Cedious pulls out a secret weapon.  His Decanter of Endless Water.  He opens it at full power and tries to put out the fire.  He does this and wash dead bodies and loses equipment off the deck.  He wonders what the upper limits of the water could be as the ship continues to spiral towards the earth.

“Great.  Just great.  Can’t we keep anything we ride in intact?!?” grumbles Sharshek as he looks for somewhere to brace himself.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/09/05
SEGMENT 087
“Crash Landing”

Cedious looks down from the rail.  The ship is making wide gentle circular patterns as it falls to the earth.  They are near the forest edge.  They may land in the forest or they may land in the fields.  Black sands looks for a safer place to secure himself.  He decides on the pilot’s room.  Sharshek is already there.  He has just finishing looting the pilot’s dead body hoping for something useful.

Cedious decides it is time to test the magic pellets at about 500ft from the earth’s surface.  He squeezes the pellet which melts in his finger tips.  He feels lighter then finds himself carried off the deck of the ship as he begins to fall slightly slower than the ship.  He narrowly avoids being caught within the power of the fire elemental as the ship passes him.  Taskerdoo tries something much more desperate.  He casts jump onto himself and his dinosaur.  He then uses Spider climb and waits.  He studies the timing of the ship's rotation and the forest.  He charges off the arm of the craft near the elemental and leaps out to the forest.  He disappears into the thick branches.

Cedious watches the ship as one-arm strikes a tree uprooting it and splintering the arm of the ship.  Even as the elemental tears free of the containment system the craft’s stern strikes ground.  The ship leaps and drags the bow along the earth uprooting smaller trees as it crashes into the forest’s edge.  A fireball erupts as the elemental erupts free and begins to strike out at the dead bodies and undead bodies before it.  Black sands and Sharshek are beaten and bruised as the equipment and body of the pilot are sent lose and crash about within the small room.  They feel the heat as the elemental tears itself free.  Cedious merely watches with slight interest from about 150 feet above.

An arm of the ship catches a large standing stone which somehow (magically?) withstands the impact of the ship and causes it to spin wildly as it strikes more trees.  Finally the ship comes to a rest. The Huge Greater Fire Elemental roars in anger.  It grabs and burns the captain’s body in rage.  Sharshek and Black sands decide they need to get out of there.  Sharshek finds it hard to breathe, as several ribs are broken and possibly an arm.  However –he is alive!

Slowly, Cedious redirects his feather fall to a safer landing area than within the reach of the fire.  As he lands, he sprints for the trees where he can see Taskerdoo with his dinosaurs.  With the exception of some minor scratches and scrapes they seem okay.  

The 1-inch of snow has been melted away within thirty feet of the crash site already.  Black sands helps the human fighter out of the wreck and towards the forest.  The elemental continues to burn more of the deck and bodies in rage.

They don’t look back as the run away.  They don’t see the Claw ship and hope it has crashed and has taken Keltis and the woman with it.

About a half of a mile away they stop and rest.  Healing potions are handed out to those in the most need.  They review the options decide to press forward.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/09/05
SEGMENT 088
“Village of Glen Stone”

It has been two days of traveling by foot thus far.  They have heard many rumors of a raging elemental in the forest that is being contained by powerful druids.  Needless to say, the group is not saying much as far as any possibly connection they may have to the crash or the destructive fire elemental.

The dinosaur doesn’t like the snow but continues onward anyway.  Taskerdoo’s own druidic concerns bother him.  He knows the elemental will be stopped and the destruction it causes will allow for new and stronger trees to grow from the ash but he feels slightly guilty anyway.  Black sands only wishes he could have fought the elemental instead of running but knows he would not have lived.

They pass through several very small villages.  The locals look at them with a great deal of suspicion. Between the dinosaur and the ½ giant of the group, they can not possibly blend in.  They stay in the small villages only long enough to get food and a few supplies.  They also verify the directions to Glen Stone where they are too meet with the next House Cannith member.

On the third day four centaurs stop them.  The centaurs are concerned about the group.  They do not belong to the Reaches.  The leader, dressed in studded leather, asks many questions of them.  They answer the questions carefully and sigh in relief when the four woodland defenders leave.  They are looking for the cause of the fires to the east towards Niern.

On the fourth day they arrive in Glen Stone.  Little is here.  It is a House Vadalis breeding area.  There are many magebred horses here also.  The party searches for the Cannith contact within the only tavern here.  The Ripe Melon.  Here they find Vale d’Cannith.

Vale is a Cannith family member whom follows the god Onatar.  An elf with a well made longbow is with him.  Introductions are made and updates required.  Keltis was last seen in Varna repairing his ship from extensive fire damage.  The druids that reside there seemed to have many issues with his mistress – a powerful necromancer and summoner of undead.

House Cannith South is roughly one day ahead of them currently.  They stopped by a tradehouse within five miles of Glen Stone.  The race is still on and very even at this point.

Vale buys magebred fast heavy horses for everyone.  Though Black sands doesn’t like it, he agrees to be reduced in size to allow better means of travel to be done.  He only agrees when Vale convinces him that the spell can be turned off instantly.  Even with this, they will take a long time to reach the Dark Hills where Drogan’s Trap is believed to exist.

On the third day since leaving Glen Stone, the group is stopped by a group of Shifters.  The shifters try to deter the group from pressing on.  They fear the group will cause a great deal of harm to the forest and nearby areas if they continue.  The shifters know where they are going.  Another group has already passed by here trying to reach the area near The Gloaming.  

The group is careful describing what their intent is.  Though the leader of the shifter tribe doesn’t believe them, he listens to them.  They try to convince the tribe they are here to stop the other Cannith house.  They speak of their actions in the past and hope to sway any distrust to the Cannith House South only.

The last words make Sharshek worry a great deal.  

“Beware of the Giants of Dark Hill.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/09/05
SEGMENT 089
“Misdirection”

The damaged airship reached Varna.  When asked what had happened, Keltis was careful not to direct any more attention onto them then there already be.  The damage was not structural.  They needed blanks for the deck but the explosions were contained well enough with the protective magics used just in case.

Keltis goes to three warriors and asks them to seek information on the Cannith ship.  He wants to know if it crashed, where and if any one survived.  The three warriors each go their own way.

Keltis then looks around him.  Varna is by no means a city.  It is made up of hundreds of thatch roof 2-3 story buildings.  The stone structure their ship is anchored to is the tallest here.  It is a mere 4 stories high.  

“Eldeen is so primitive and simple” snarls Keltis in irritation.

“It holds her secrets well.” Purrs Karrion Kold.  The pale skinned necromancer walks up and places her arms around Keltis’ shoulders and neck.  “But we excel in finding and revealing secrets don’t we lover.”

“Hurm…yes.  Yes we do.” Keltis turns and holds her.  The activities around them matter little at the moment.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Benlake wanders into a tavern.  The Emerald Claw warrior wanted an excuse for a drink anyway.  He sits down and waves over the bar tender.  “Ale.”  He gets his drink and takes a few sips before downing the entire mug.  He thumps the mug twice.  “More Ale.”  The bar tender gets him another and the coins are exchanged for payment.  Benlake turns and looks around.  He sees only two other patrons here.  A farmer and a warrior.

He goes to the farmer and asks several questions.  The farmer has little to say.  “Yup, nope, neva heard of one.”  Benlake rolls his eyes.  He gets up and says “Thankyou for nothing.” And moves to the warrior.

The warrior is dressed in bronze armor with black and orange trim. A red cowl and cape covers much of his armor and any weapons he has.  “You seek answers?”

“So you over heard me speaking to the native …elf.”

The warrior looks up and his pointed chin and fine features make his racial origin apparent. “An elf I am. Bree is the name I am most known as.”

“Well, Bree I am searching for four outsiders from these lands.  They should be obvious to spot.  One is a dark gray skinned humanoid about eight feet tall.  He is bald and has an angry disposition about him.  There are two halflings.  One rides a dinosaur and the other carries a large bag on him.  A human fighter travels with them.

“What are they to you?”

“A silver for answers and another silver for answers only.  No questions.”

Bree watches the two coins as Benlake places them to his side on the table.  “Silver like a dragon?  Silver like the mortal mineral to a werewolf?”  

“Answer the questions elf.  Have you seen them?”

The elf ponders the question for a moment.  “I have not seen but I have heard of a disturbance.  West of Niern there is a forest fire of unknown origin.  The locals are convinced a crashed air ship caused it.  You came on a fire damaged air ship did you not?”

“Answers- no questions elf.”  Benlake’s patience is running out. “What makes you think they were there?”

“Everything leads me to think you and your masters are messing with something you should not.  There are forces here that would be better left alone.”  The elf gets up.  Benlake finds himself unable to move until the elf has left the building.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = ==  = = = = =

Lt. Curst preferred being in Atur where he was stationed normally.  This place lacked …. Atmosphere.  It took him the better part of three hours to find who he was looking for.  A woman willing to work for her money.  He found her is a quiet section of Varna.  It was not night yet so he had to try to locate her home.  He found her walking in the area of her home.

“Terra I presume?”

“Why do you ask?” she says looking over the Claw warrior.

“I seek companionship and information.”  He looks are her tanned skin.  Despite the gentle snow that wanders individually, she wears no jacket.  Her bare but tanned arms are revealed to him.  She is not a city prostitute but she is fine …very fine.

“I am have both.  What do you have for me in return?”  She asks with a warm smile and leans against the wooden building.  The orange and red scarf slides to her side revealing her black tight dress.  Bronzed skin and cleavage is clearly visible.

Curst holds up a coin bag.  Her blue eyes sparkle as she looks at it.  “First- information.  I seek four travelers.  They may be injured and no doubt in hiding.  A human, two halflings and a large ½ giant-like creature.”

“There was word of a halfling in town.  He was …borrowing things and looking for healers.  Something outrageous about a crash in the forest nearby.”  Curst follows each and every word.  His master Keltis will not be pleased to know they yet live.  “No one else knows where they hide.”

“Else?  Tell me woman.  Where do they hide?”

“That will cost you. Along with any companionship you had in mind.” And she gets close and moves close to him.

He instead grabs both arms and pulls her to him and holds her face within inches of his.  “Where woman?  Where do they hide?”  Spittle lands on her bronze tanned cheeks.  Her blue eyes almost glow in fear ..or is it anger?

“They hide in the basement of the building closest to the clock tower. The human is near death and the giant has lost a limb.”

Lt. Curst pushes her hard against the building.  She crumbles to the ground in a heap.  Tears well and she whimpers.  “coin …where is my coin?”

“HERE is your payment whore!” and Curst proceeds to kick her with his metal pleated boots.  He kicks until he can kick no more.  Huffing he leans over her.  The snow is beginning to fall harder.  He looks for any witnesses and sees none and leaves quickly.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = =  = = =

Nathan Darkwater removes anything that marks him as a claw member and he goes into town.  He goes to the stables.  House Valalis controls this town.  Through them, he is certain he can learn the truth.  The first few stable hands have little to aid him.  Then he spots a man dressed in fine clothes that obviously don’t belong here.  While walking up, Darkwater listens to the man’s conversation he is having with a stablehand.  The man is from Erlaskar.  He was traveling here by horse but the horse became spooked by the sight of a flaming mass crashing to the earth from high above.  Now he wants a new horse to make it to Redleaf.

Having no clue of the area, Darkwater assumes this man saw the crash of the Cannith ship and may know something about it.  He walks up as the man is arguing about the cost of the horse.  The man is dressed in orange, black and red.  His blue eyes are quite piercing.

“Excuse me- but where was that crash you say you saw?”

“Who are you?  Another stable boy?  Your prices are outrageous.”

“The price is what it is but where was the accident?  I have heard many rumors but know no one that actually saw it.”

“Why tell a stableboy?”

“Because I am no stableboy and wish to know.  It may be the cost of a horse.” Darkwater holds up a pouch.

“A day’s travel back.  The craft was high up and on flames.  The crew tried to stop it but failed.  It crashed into the forest and a huge fire erupted from it.”

Darkwater had heard of a fire.  Maybe this man was on to something.  “Any survivors?”

“If there was they would have been consumed by the fires.  Now about my horse.”

== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  ==  = == = 

Each of the three report to Keltis that night.  Keltis favors Curst’s story and acts on it.  They break into the only building next to the clock.  What they discover is a secret lab used by Dalin d’Vadalis.  Though the repairs are not complete and several men are still within the town, Keltis is forced to flee the only town that could have helped him.

Keltis growls and fumes at this turn of bad fortune.  He just wishes he had time to renew his prayers to create a fire within this wood and straw city.  Karrion walks up to him.  “We will find them.”

“Oh I know we will.  The crash did occur.  We can start there.  But what angers me is someone out there is interfering with me.”

“Whatever do you mean lover?”

“You were there.  What was the descriptions of the three informants?”

“Human –male and female and an elf.”

“No.  All dressed in red, orange and black.  Someone is playing a strange game with us.  I do not tolerate games.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = =  == 

Breedaernxen flies high over Lake Galifar.  He can see Delethorn now and will turn west towards the area known as the Gloaming.  He wishes not to fight the little one and his friends but the discovery of the Creation Schema can not happen.   Not yet anyway.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/17/05
SEGMENT 090
“Trouble in Sharn”

The young magewright was very nervous.  This was the first time he had ever entered the Cannith house home.  This was to be the first time he would meet Merrix d’Cannith also.  This alone would unnerve many young magewrights but the fact he was bringing bad news made it worse.

This was to be the third attempted breach of Cannith security this week alone within Sharn.  They found only enough remains of the first intruder to identify it as a warforged.  The second intruder had a strange mis-matched eye socket over a helmet marking it as a Claw member.  This last person however got far into the facility before dying from a flaming gas trap.  Even then, most of the body was left intact.  He had three separate forms of identification.  Two were magically shielded and/or treated.  He fit no one from Breland’s government. He was not a gnome so it was not a Trust member.  He truly was a wild card in a game with too many players.

He had heard of a group based from the east that may be the benefactor.  The Aurum.  If so …was he here to spy on Cannith?  Sabotage it?  Was he seeking means to learn about their new sea craft?  What was he looking for?

The meeting with Merrix is short.  Merrix sends the magewright on his way quickly.

He paces for a few moments within his glamorous office.  He stops and looks out the window.  “It is time.  “I must move the schema to the Vown estate.  It is no longer safe here in Sharn.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 091
“Death From Below”

“I’ve seen smaller dragons!” complains Cedious as he swats at a woodland gnat.

“Gold or Silver?” asks Vale not understanding the sarcasm.  “I have not ever seen a live dragon.  You are very lucky indeed.”

The entire group, even their elven fighter rolls their eyes.  It has been five days now of walking through the dense forest that is the Eldeen Reaches.  The trees are tall and thick.  Thick vines hang from the high branches in this section.  There is little ground foliage. The group has seen several groups of wolves and even a bear from the distance.  There has been no other danger.  Once roughly every hour Vale checks if they are going in the correct direction.

“I could go for a lift now that runs horizontally.” Adds Cedious.  “My blisters have blisters!”

“Hurph.  Whatever.” Says the i/2 giant warrior.  Black sands is bored.  He has killed nothing in three days and the chipmunks did little to curb his needs then.  “How much longer until we find this “trap”?”

“I fear we are many weeks away.  We are roughly 500 miles away.  That airship was supposed to bring us within weeks distance.  The Claw saw to us not having that advantage.”

“So Cannith South will beat us there easily then.”  Says Taskerdoo riding his dinosaur that is beginning to show signs of fatigue.  The cold-blooded animal doesn’t much care for the cold and snow of early winter.  

“I can only hope they are being delayed.  Some of our recon work suggested an outside party that is slowing down or at least challenging certain groups.  We ourselves were delayed when going to search for you in the Talenta Plains.  That delay allowed us time to discover the location of Drogan’s Trap.”

“Really?  I can’t imagine anyone doing that with us.  Me especially.” Quips the rogue as he picks up several small stones.

“We can not tell if this group is for or against us.  They help and hinder on a whim.”

“If you do not know who they are can you tell us anything to aid us to spot them? Asks the Human fighter Sharshek.

“Not much.  Many races are covered within the group.  There does seem to a pattern in dress however.  They allows have the colors of bronze, red and black.  And the members may have a lot of magic on them.  All of their weapons and their eyes glow bright blue.”

Cedious fumbles his throw of the stone.  It bounces off a trunk and nearly strikes the elf that only scowls at the halfling.  “Really…. That seems odd.”

Taskerdoo turns to him.  “Didn’t you say a bugbear with blue eyes required your aid in Darguun?”

“Nope.  No such thing.”  Cedious suddenly realizes he has been duped and is quite embarrassed by it.  NO ONE has ever tricked him like this.  The bugbear and the human were using him.  Who were they and who was their boss?  More complications.

Unnoticed by any but Taskerdoo, the dinosaur slows down and becomes nervous.  Taskerdoo shuts out the party’s conversation and listens.  Vale stops in mid stride.  “The insects and birds have stopped calling.”

Suddenly the ground opens up beneath the elf and he falls in.  Taskerdoo whom was next to the elf sees a brief flash of armor.

Sounds of death and screams of agony and terror erupt from the hole.  Cedious and Sharshek peer in with their weapons drawn.  About ten feet down a creature can be seen in part.  It has heavy armor plating.  It begins to back up as Vale steps up and drops a pebble with a light spell on it.  He hopes to see the creature better and maybe it will go away with a bright light being introduced to its tunnel.  A great roar comes out instead and the creature backs up and leaps to the top.  Taskerdoo recalls a creature of this sort.  “BULLETTE!”

“Bull what?!?” yells Cedious as he moves away from the huge hulking creature of heavy armor plating and teeth (red with elven blood).  The group surrounds it to attack.  Many of their blows bounce off the plating.  Black sands takes a vicious hit.  Then Sharshek is leapt onto.  Everyone does what he or she can.  Vale has few spells to directly attack the creature.  He supports the group with healing and strength in the name of the Sun’s Spirit (Pelor).  Finally the creature is beginning to show signs of slowing down a second one shows up!

“More blood for my weapon!” yells the barbarian as he switches targets.  

The first Bulette blinds Sharshek as it tries to bite him again.  The light empowered pebble has been bitten and wedged into the teeth of the creature.  Each time it opens its mouth strong light pours out.  It looks more harmful than it truly is.  An observer would wonder what kind of breath weapon the Bulette has acquired.

The first one goes down and then the concentrate on the second possible mate of the first.  It goes down shortly after.

“AAAARRRRRRGH!   I want more!”  Bellows the enraged barbarian.  The party now worries more about their strong ally.

They peer into the hole using the pebble.  The shattered and torn up elf is below.  It appears it was bitten but once then torn up.  Maybe elves taste bad adds Cedious as a joke.

They try to save any of his equipment before moving on.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 092
“Caution and New Hope”

It is the eighth day now.  The group is tired.  This morning they saw a medium sized dragon flying over head.  Where it was going was uncertain.  So long as it was not near Drogan’s Trap.

They continue on when Taskerdoo notes something in the branches.  The forest is younger here.  The trees may be only several hundreds of years old instead of thousands.  There is ground brush and saplings.  It is harder to see but more light streams through the upper foliage to aid them.  Taskerdoo thinks he saw an outline of a very still figure.  He shakes his head and looks back but sees nothing.  Fifteen minutes later it happens again.

“I think we are being followed” he whispers to Vale.

“Yes.  The Shifters are following us still.  They are known for being quite determined.”

“Threat?” asks Sharshek.

“I don’t think so.  At least not for now.”

“We need a faster means of transportation.  Worse, I fear my companion is ill suited for this terrain.” Says Taskerdoo as he pats his paler colored dinosaur.  They are once more walking in two inches of snow.  The dinosaur is becoming ill.  The druid has done what he can to keep the animal well but there are limits.

A rippling stream becomes a raging river that they follow.  They dread crossing the river.  To become wet in this environment would be dangerous at best.  Soon they come to an open plain.  In the distance they can see smoke.

“A settlement!” exclaims Cedious with glee.  

“Good or bad folk however?” answers Vale and Sharshek.

They camp and wait to find out the next day.

That morning they come onto the source of the smoke.  A ranch.  A Vadalis ranch no less.  As they approach, they see a Pegasus with a rider fly around the far side of the ranch.

“Are you thinking what I am thinking?” asks Cedious, as he looks the horse with wings.  A fast flying horse with wings.

“It would take only days to reach the region using Pegasi.” Answers Vale Matterhorn.

Cedious and Taskerdoo try to talk the ranchers into a good price for the transportation.  They are laughed at.  (a natural 1 and a 2 for diplomacy  groan).  Vale tries and only when he presents the gold and platinum supplied to him by Cannith do they begin to get any answers.  In the end, they spend too much money and time but they are airborne.  They try to create a harness for the dinosaur but within hours they are forced to land.

The party gives Taskerdoo and his dinosaur a moment in privacy.  Taskerdoo is glum and leaves with a heavy heart.  The dinosaur will not live long.  He is certain of this.  It is not fair but it is the way of nature.  If the dinosaur was allowed to survive and reproduce, it could upset the natural balance here.

“Lets go.” Says Taskerdoo, as they become airborne.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 093
“Giants of the Dark Hills”

They have spent four days flying.  They are making good time.  The area of the Gloaming draws their attention.  Vale mentions it is a dark area that is tainted with ways unnatural and malign.  They avoid flying over it.  Cedious wanted to fly over it and drop a light enchanted coin into it just top see what would happen.  He is allowed the chance.

Finally they approach the area of Drogan’s Trap where House Cannith: South was going.  They see no signs of the Dragonmarked house but do see a large man-made wall with an open archway.  Either a mine or a tomb guesses Sharshek.  Cedious’ sharp eyes spots a figure sitting in the shadows.  He points to it and the others look closer.  A Hill Giant!

He seems to be guarding the archway.  It seems odd as he is nearly 10ft tall but the doorway is only 8 feet high but fifteen wide.  It is clearly not made for him.  

Black sands goes to land first.  The words of “There are only one” trails behind him.

Taskerdoo waits on his Pegasus as the others dismount and look at the giant and the doorway.

The Giant calls out.  Only Black sands understands him.

FOUR more Hill Giants come out of the forest and the rocks nearby.  The giant continues to bellow with his deep voice.  His eyes never leave the party.

“Ah…uh anyone speak Giant?”  asks Cedious.

“I do.” Says Black sands.

“I am Gratdeer.  I am the guardian of this doorway to the forbidden room.  I ask you to move away and leave.  We will not harm you so long as you move away.”  Says the Hill Giant in Giant.

“**** you!” bellows the combative ½ giant.

“What did he say?” asks Vale wondering if he can trust the barbarian.

“He wants to kill us and use us for his stew.  The pegasi have other uses for him and his kin.”

Black sands charges the giant making the others jump and rush in.  They did not expect such a thing.

Taskerdoo goes to the air.  Vale castes a protection spell onto himself.  He will not fight but he will not be a victim either.  The barbarian is quick to regret his decision.  It is only because Vale stays with him healing him each time he is hit.  The giant’s long reach hinders any flanking attempts by the group.  Sharshek is struck down and killed.  Cedious is swatted even as Taskerdoo begins to fire his wand of magic missiles from up high onto the giants.  

The giant’s heart is not in this battle (either I miss or roll low on damage) but within a minute of combat beginning they are attacking with purpose ( a crit that nearly kills Black sands and DOES kill Sharshek).  Suddenly a savage snarl and yell tears into the air.  A giant begins to swing wildly.  One hand goes to his eyes and the other swinging a club as big as Sharshek.  Cedious and Black sands concentrate on this one and takes him down.  Then another one does this.  Vale heals as he goes.

As Taskerdoo circles above he watches the Shifter Cleric as he moves down the black stone cropped hillside that the archway is built into.  Is he here to help or hinder?  Does he have blue eyes?

Finally the battle ends.  The giants are defeated but the party is decimated and one is down.  Seeing no further danger except for the shifter, Taskerdoo lands to learn about him.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 094
“The Power of the Sun’s Spirit”

Vale stops and peers at the down human.  He kneels down and slowly rolls the body over.  His neck and ribs are broken.  He was hit but three times but that was all that was needed.  Vale places a few clear glass beads on the wounds.  They create a prism effect as the sun strikes them.  Vale moves the stones so as to allow the rainbow color to reflect onto the wounds.  He then stands up and sighs deeper.  He takes a few deep breaths before starting.

The others stop.  They know Vale was powerful but this intrigues them.

He holds the staff over his head.  A clear crystal is within the staff also.  The same rainbow colors shine through and land on the body of the dead human fighter.  Faint smoke rises from the wounds.  Perhaps it is even steam.

“By the power of the sun and the spirit it holds I ask for a second chance for this mortal.”  He waves his arms overhead to represent the rising sun.  The ritual takes several moments longer then Sharshek begins to cough.  Each cough draws in air that inflates his collapsed lungs.  He rolls over to cough up blood and lose pieces of flesh that did not knit together from the healing.  

“whoah”  Cedious says in amazement.

“…and allow his spirit to return to completed body.”  And the clear stones blacken and char then breakup.  Ashes float away in the gentle breeze.  “I and Sharshek need to rest.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 095
“The Secret Lever”
“And who are you?” asks Taskerdoo of the shifter.

Over the course of the next few minutes the shifter explains himself.  He is a member of the shifter clan they PCs ran into before.  They had been warned by a bugbear with blue eyes of the group’s intent and direction.  The clan stopped them to explain the dangers to them but felt the temple would stop them by itself.

When asked what this meant, the shifter merely suggests the threat of the giants and the final room itself would defeat them.  He, a young and curious shifter, decided to watch for himself.  He almost lost them when they got the pegasi.  However, a wandering human dressed in bronze armor with a red cape and black trim happened onto him.  They traveled unto the night.  They camped and when he woke up, the human was gone but he found himself within a day’s journey of the temple.

This concerns the group.

However it is quickly forgotten when Cedious finds a large bag filled with gold and platinum.  Also found are three giant sized brass mugs and a headband.  Each of these has runes that remind Cedious of drawings from Bonel’s Journal.  These runes were found in ruins within Xen’ drik.   Cedious knows these worth more money to a collector than someone looking for the brass.

As he continues looking he finds a secret door with no handles or levers.  Twenty feet down, he finds a small hole about twenty inches around in the wall.  This hole seems to go through the wall.  The giants could never hope to go through it.  Even an adult human has o chance.  Cedious however shrugs his shoulders and crawls in.

Vale gives him another light empowered pebble.  On the other side Cedious sees a large natural cavern with man-made embankments, bridges and platforms.  There is also a large lever on the wall.  Cedious goes to it and inspects it.  He can clearly see the secret door from this side.  He pulls on the lever and gets no where with it.  He hangs off of it and it slowly declines.  After climbing on it and jumping on it from above the lever goes down and the group enters.  Taskerdoo will not enter without the winged horse he rode on.  Rolling their eyes, they allow it.

“We camp here.” Says Sharshek as he plops down and falls asleep nearly instantly.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 096
“Sick and Abandoned”

It ran and ran.  Then it would fall.  The white stuff was so cold to it.  It hurt like little needles.  Why was it abandoned?  Why did the nature wielder leave him?  What did it do wrong?

The dinosaur slowly got to its feet.  Frosty white snow clung to its thick hide but slowly melted.  It sucked the warmth directly out of it.  The nature wielder first brought it to the land of men. The land had fields and smelled of fruit.  It was pleasant enough.  The many stone caves made little sense to the dinosaur.  Then it faithfully joined the nature wielder on the trip with the flying loud thing.  It nearly died if not for the restless little man.  The air became cold and soon the white stuff came.  Still he stayed and did what the nature wielder asked.  It was fun to have the good magic.  It could run faster, claw harder and climb like a spider bug.  Then the roaring thing fell from the sky.  It survived but was forced to walk in the white snuff.  It was cold.  So cold.

Then the nature wielder saw a large and tall hairy creature with wings.  He left the dinosaur for the flying thing.  Why?   What did it do wrong?  It tried not to become sick but the cold hurt its chest and its feet.  It even gave pain to its eyes.  But to be with the nature wielder was worth it.

The dinosaur was missing its humanoid companion.

It wandered for two days in the forest.  The first day was scariest.  Other men chased it.  The men whom trapped the winged hairy creatures.  It wished it had wings.  Maybe the nature wielder would have kept it then.

Food was hard to find.  There were smaller furry creatures that ran above and below the white cold.  There where some that screeched and chattered at him from the hard trees.  Then came last night.  There were many of the creatures.  They smelled like the creatures that his humanoid companion had before him.  They growled and bit and ran at him but he was faster and could jump better.  Not as good as when jumping from the roaring and burning flying thing but still jump better.

But the bites …they hurt.  Hurt so bad.

I feel tired….  Sick ….  Going to go away now …  I miss my humanoid companion….


Even as the sickly dinosaur lies down a silhouette of a goblin climbs without a sound from a tree.  The goblin looks at the dinosaur from a safe distance.  Her skilled eyes look over this curiosity.  Lizards did poorly in these woods.  Some newts and salamanders survived but they knew to dug deep into the mud and deepest roots of the trees here.  This ..creature was not even a native.  What was it?

The Ranger created a gurney and brought the sick dinosaur to her warm cave.  Perhaps this creature was meant for something.  Maybe to join her in the protection of these woods.

Months went by.  The dinosaur was very ill for several weeks.  The chill settled in its lungs and it had developed frostbite on several toes and the tip of the tail.  But it got better.

The snow melted and the flowers blossomed and the ranger knew the choice to save this queer creature from another world was a good one.  She had a new friend and companion.  Kick-sharp took to being a mount very well.  It hunted as well as any woodland large cat she knew of.  And Kick-sharp intimidated many of the clans here.  

There was a reason he was brought to her.  She thanked the spirits for him and turned to investigate the rumors of a haunted cave that was causing illness in the village by the lake.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/06/05
SEGMENT 097
“Just Who or What the %#@%* Are You?!? ”

DM NOTES frustrating day.  Only player made it today and he was very late.  One other called.  The other three were no call / no show.  Need to think about TPK situations again……  So instead of doing nothing with Clinton whom plays Cedious, I opted to have him meet someone going in instead of out of Drogan’s Trap.

For the best descriptions of the bridges think of Lord of Rings within the Dwarven ruins.  This is what I was aiming for.




Using the lantern they had and a few torches the group (complete with a Pegasus) begin to walk onto the first bridge. The light pierces into the dark but reveals very little.  Sometimes the washed out grainy images of other ramps and stairways supported by large columns can be seen.  The only sound is that of rushing water.  Somewhere far below there is a fast moving river complete with rapids and possibly small waterfalls.  They wind around and come onto a split in the bridge.  Left or straight.  They go left and find a section has collapsed.  Forced to turn around they fail to see the blue lights that blink at them from the far side.

The continue walking around with little hint of distance or direction.  Then they stop and try to get their barring.  Cedious, being the curious rogue halfling he is, continues a short way forward.  He reaches a new-leveled platform and stops.

“Hello Little One.”

Cedious turns trying to locate the source of the sound.  Then his lantern crosses over another section of bridge about fifteen away.  He draws his weapon and moves closer to the railed edge to investigate.

“Do I know you?”  Cedious feels he knows this person but can’t place it.  “I don’t take kindly to surprises.”

The light slowly reveals a dark skinned elf with no hair dressed in copper, red and black robes.  His blue eyes burn when the light crosses over them.

“Who are you?”  He thinks long and hard and recalls rumors of dark skinned elves that live in Xen’ drik but surely this is not Xen’drik.  “I don’t know you.  Who are you?”

“You may call me Zen.  I come to warn you.”  The monk – like warrior stands very still on the rail.

“Warn me?!?  Why does everyone want to warn me.  I already know this is a dangerous place to be.  Its part of its appeal.” He says with a smirk while studying the monk.

“That which you seek can not be released onto the world.  The dangers are too great.  At least not now.”

“Fah!” And Cedious steps back from the rail.  He is tired of these cultists.  He recalls the dress of the bugbear and the fighter.  Who or what they are doesn’t matter to him any more.

“That which you seek will seek you in time.  It has been nearly 500 years since I saw the last one try to open the secrets of Drogan’s Trap.  Fate has a way of working itself out.”

Cedious stops and rolls his eyes and grumbles then turns around.  “500 years ago……?”  He steps up to the rail again.  “Just who the %^@# are you?!?”

“A witness.”

Flustered, Cedious yells at the black skinned monk.  “Witness this!”, he gives him the finger, “If I ever get my hands and dagger on …you?”  The monk crosses his arms over his chest and steps out and falls from view of the lantern.  The roar of the river below covers any sound of impact.  Cedious frowns in frustration.

“What is it?” asks Taskerdoo with the others in tow.

“A warning.  That means we are close.  Lets go.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/08/05
SEGMENT 098
"In The News"


----------



## megamania

Just in case I can't fix this-   Four articles

Three armored persons attack someone within Sharn.  Magical fire erupts that kills many homeless and the three attackers.

Merrix d'Cannith is missing-  believed kidnapped

Darguun sends a representative to quell issues of raiders within Breland

Repairs continue on White Arch Bridge connecting Aundair and Karrnath


----------



## megamania

Try this....


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/13/05
SEGMENT 099

The creature stood before a heavy reinforced door made of Adamantine and Steel.  It had an image of a Gorgon and an anvil with the numbers 2-213 engraved onto it.  It reached up and waved its scaled hand before the door being careful not to touch it.  A snort that one would expect from a wild animal emits from the creature.  It backs up and looks around the hallway.  This is the way, it is quite certain of it.  

It crosses its arms before it then begins to melt.  It clicks and clacks though.  It slides under the large heavy-warded door.  On the other side it wiggles and reforms first into a hunched over position then to its full position.  It’s tail wiggles in agitation then steps slowly forward.  It passes several other doors including one heavily warded and marked as door 2-566.  Light emits from the room but it feels …wrong to it.  It ignores the door and seeks another door.

Finding it, it once more shrinks and falls apart into hundreds of thousands of small vermin insects and slides under the door without incident.  


Shortly the door marked as 2-566 opens.  A man of great power and influence steps out.  His man- Merrix d’Cannith.  He speaks with several people including Lady Elaydren ir’Vown.  The two men leave.  Multiple wands are visible on their hips and thighs.  Elaydren also has a similar outfit.  They wait for the men to disappear then embrace and kiss passionately.  “Soon my love.” She purrs into his ear.  “Very” he answers then they move away from the door to exit the secret hallways of Cannith within UnderSharn.


The creature has found itself within a large library of rare tomes, notes and research papers.  Second to Metrol, Cyre, this is the largest library of House Cannith and it is very secret.  The creature eyes rapidly the volumes and looks for something specific.  Two hours pass before it snarls in anger.  In a voice part snarl and part hiss it speaks to itself.  “Patience.  It is all about patience.” And it resumes looking again.  Another hour passes and it stops.

It reaches up and pulls down impossibly large and heavy book containing maps.  It must weigh over 300 pounds but it holds it easily.  It turns pages and sputters to itself.  Then begins to slow down.  “Ahhh… here it is.  The secret facility in the ice formations.  With this I will learn where to search for my prize.  The artifact I most prize.”

It places the book back on the shelf and turns.  It escapes with little signs of having ever been there.  It makes it into the sewers edge and looks to reach the surface before dawn.

“Hey You!  Stop!” a man calls out.  The light from a wand flashes over the creature’s scarred and scaled face.

“Hiiiiissssss.  You have no idea what you face.  Begone!”  It backs into a corner and disappears.  The guard runs up and finds the corner bare except for a few maggots and a centipede.  

“How do I explain this to Merrix?!?”


----------



## Cedious

yay, one more day then its on  

Saturday = gameday gameday 

*wonders what kind of trouble i can get into  *


----------



## megamania

Knowing you and what you and the guys are entering ....LOTS OF TROUBLE!


What is up with Jimmy?  Returning?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 100
“What Do You Make of This?”

“You what?!?” yells Black sand.

“I want to go outside and summon new help.” Answers Taskerdoo.

“I thought that was what this winged horse was.” Replies Sharshek.

“Nope.”

“Then why bring it into these tunnels?” asks Vale.

“The creature is beautiful.  I wanted to keep it but I realize now that this is a battle we are going to.  A serious battle.”  Answers Taskerdoo looking down then at the Pegasus.

“I was hoping for war.” Smirks Black sand.

“I want to go up and release this creature and summon a new one.”

“That takes 24 hours!” yells Sharshek.

Cedious looks to the ground.  “This has noting to do with the warning?”

Silence.

“He was sent here to delay us!” yells the ½ giant barbarian.  “And he is doing it!”

The shifter looks at the group and contemplates his choice to join them.  It is obvious the group have no idea who or what the source of the warning came from.  The source can be very dangerous but also very helpful.  The warning he gave is true enough but because of what the group seeks or something else.  This place is a cell for many things.  Most are dangerous.

“Maybe there will be more giants up there.” Says Cedious hoping to cause new concerns within the group.

Black sand takes the reins of the Pegasus and leads it up the ramp.  “Comon!  The nature boy wants to summon any help he can.”

Cedious stammers… “I …I  ..now wait a minute!  This …That was a …   humph.”  And he follows.

They carefully look around and see no giants and exit.  Taskerdoo, the halfling druid spends a few minutes with the winged animal before letting it go.  He then sits to begin his summoning.  Vale heals everyone of every scratch, bruise and rash they have before meditating.  The shifter cleric sits on guard with his head held high.  Cedious sharpens his weapons along with Sharshek.  Black sand mopes around.  No giants.

That night it snows again.  A full three inches fall onto the group.  To stay warmer, the group spends most of their time inside the main chambers.  They are uncertain whether to start a fire.  The smoke may collect and at the least, the smoke may alert new dangers of their presence.

The following day a large snorting creature can be seen nosing through the snow as it begins again.  The snow is falling hard enough that the creature nearly enters the first chamber before being seen by Sharshek.

“Taskerdoo!  Taskerdoo-  get up here quick or I attack this thing just to be safe!”  Sharshek draws his sword and back steps to the secret entrance.  Before him stands a 1 ton large furry mammal with sharp teeth and angry dark eyes (similar to Black sands or a Shark).  Small spikes grow unnaturally through its hide armor.  Long digging claws that could be a weapon easily scratch on the stone work.

Taskerdoo pops out from the removed door.  “A dire Wolverine!  Now THAT is what we need on a mission like this.”

Black sand even seems impressed.

“Can we go in now?” whines Cedious


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 101
“The Large Cave”

Taskerdoo pats and strokes his new Ally provided from the rugged and cold environment of the Eldeen Reaches.  The creature does seem perfect for this kind of adventure.  Strong, fierce and battle ready.

It bares its teeth when Taskerdoo climbs onto it holding onto the spikes for support.  If Taskerdoo is nervous, he covers it well.

They reenter the underground crevasse and follow the stone bridges again.  They pass the area the dark skinned elf warned them at.  Finally they reach large double doors made of a dark grained wood.  Unimpressed they search the door before continuing through them.  This tunnel goes for a short distance of about 200 feet with a slight downward climb.  This would place the area under the Dark Hills.

They reach an iron gate.  The chain and lock are undone and hang to the side.  Raising an eyebrow and finally his shoulders when he looks back to his teammates, Cedious gently pushes open the gate.  It is Erie.  It doesn’t creak or anything.  The chamber they enter is huge.

The lanterns and torches do not provide any clue to the size or shape of the chamber.  Faint echoes emit as they all move inside.  Thick dust covers the floor and there are chunks of stone and debris mixed in with the dust.

Cedious looks as best as he can for traps and the such under the dust as they go.  The surface under the dust is worked stone with areas being colored stone.  They come across two sets of footprints.  Looking carefully at them, Cedious figures these tracks are VERY old and of different times.  He compares these tracks with theirs.  Their tracks are an inch deep.  The others are ½ inch and quarter inch deep.  Cedious wonders how much dust there is and how quickly it fills footprints.  Growing bored with this they move on but follow the tracks.  Eventually one veers off.  They follow the one that doesn’t veer and find … a scroll case?

Cedious pokes it with his rapier before reaching for it (PCs seem very cautious don’t they?)  He opens it and finds a map and writing on it.  Looking at it he frowns.  “What is it?” asks Sharshek.

“A map …to here.  And writing …in goblin.”  Cedious takes a moment to glance over it before reading it out loud to everyone.  


To Senator Hazodda
Below is a map to the Cavern of Mysteries I have recently discovered
It is of an unusual make and design
It radiates magic unlike any I have encountered before
There are swirling colored stripes and designs that are either artistic in nature
OR
They are more magic runes used by the foreigners
If it is the last, then they have been deceiving us on when they arrived here.
If they would lie about that. Then would they lie about promises of peace?
Your faithful servant
Dogan​
“Large runes?”  asks Taskerdoo to himself.  “Lets clear some area.”

The group moves away a twenty by twenty space of thick dust making it hard to breathe.  Indeed, what they thought were colored stones are runes.  The runes measure anywhere from 6 inches to several feet in size.  “I have a bad feeling about this.” Murmurs the druid.

Sharshek turns to the shifter.  “What do YOU know about this place?”  The group surrounds him.

The shifter is quick to note the accusing tone and understands the fear and reasoning behind it.  “My people have guarded this area along with the giants for as long as our records go back.  Some say my cursed ancestors even guarded this place until the Silver Flame attacked and drove them off.  It has been told to me there are great wonders and greater dangers hidden within this chamber.  Some say it is a prison or holding cell for things best forgotten about.  I just had to see for myself.”

The group looks into his eyes and tries to sense the truth.  He seems sincere but …so have many others.  “Lets go.” Says Black sand looking to find out himself.  Eventually they happen onto a large block of stone.  It measures 60x40 and 20 feet high.  The tracks end mysteriously about twenty feet before it.  Cedious looks for secret doors on the wall before him and Taskerdoo figures he can check above.  

Mineral growths drop from the ceiling onto the top of the building.  When Taskerdoo and Black sands mention this, Cedious opts to go above.  He remembers how the weight of the minerals broke through the Cannith Foundry before.  Maybe the same thing has happened here also.  Sharshek and the two clerics remain on the dust-choked floor and they look around with a great deal of precaution.

“Do you hear something?” asks Taskerdoo.

“No why?” asks Cedious whom stops and listens. 

“My wolverine does.  Over there-“ and he points further into the mineral forest.

The light of Cedious’ hooded lantern flashes over the maze of mineral deposits and something metallic shines …and moves.  “oh crap.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 102

“What do you see?” calls up Sharshek.

He can hear the wolverine snarl and Black sands give a reply of at last.  Sharshek turns for the rope they used to climb up when the Shifter warns of something in the dust.  Their torch (dangerous) reveals four slowly moving humanoids.  They wear cloaks and have no facial features.  As they get close the three of them feel fatigued.


“How many are there?” yells out Cedious as the first metallic spider springs from column to column to reach him.

“Four” yells Taskerdoo from the wolverine as he begins to caste spells to protect both himself and his mount.

“Five …no Six.” Yells Black sands.

The fast spiders attack.  They reach out with their multi-fingered pincers.  The pincer tips separate into even spaced fingers, which then begin to spin and hum ominously.  The Wolverine snarls as it is scrapped by the spinning blades (chain saw).   Twin compressed air driven darts fire at Cedious.  They miss but now Cedious rethinks this as he quips “I can do that also.”


The shifter takes several hits as three of the four creatures strike him.  Vale avoids a blow then yells for support from Sharshek.  Sharshek swings, hits then crumbles to the ground in a heap.  Vale castes a spell onto himself and goes to his fallen comrade.

The shifter strikes at another of these creatures.  Instead of bleeding blood the creature bleeds sand.  Vale can not awaken the human fighter.  “There have best not be more of these.” Mumbles the cleric as he reassures himself that Sharshek is even alive.


Cedious takes down one metal spider and Black sands the other.  “Are these house Cannith?” asks Black sand looking at the mechanically and magic creatures.  At this point, the Wolverine, Logan, (I know- corny I agree but its Bill’s critter and character) destroys two and seriously damages a third.  He hears the shifter snarling and SHIFTING to defend himself.  The 1 ton dire beast turns and leaps from the top onto the closest humanoid attacker.  It bursts into a cloud of sand and dust.  

The sand-based creatures are no match to the wolverine’s great strength and savagery.  Soon everything is quiet again.  Figuring there is potential profit here, the barbarian places each broken robot spider into his new bag of holding.  Cedious searches the roof for anything else and finds nothing.  He returns to the floor with everyone else.  Sharshek eventually wakes with a solid slap in the face by the halfling whom stands still to have everyone acknowledge that he could awaken the fighter on his own too long as the fighter grabs for him with his bloody nose.

With a sore head, Cedious searches for a door on another side.  He finds one.  Everyone gathers around him.  “See anything?” asks Taskerdoo.

“ahhh …nope.”

All but the shifter move away.  That was not a confident reply.

Cedious touches the door and searing hot air swirls out.  The shifter takes a direct hit but the others back off just enough to take only a small amount of damage.  The burning cloud continues to cook the shifter even after he succumbs to the heat.  Cedious pushes on the door further hoping to get by before becoming burnt himself.  The door opens fully and the hot gases stop.

The shifter is dead.

OOC:  Can’t we ever keep henchmen alive? Is said by several 

The few items of worth on the shifter are burnt and heavily damaged.  They leave him outside the stone structure and enter.

They all stop quickly.

The room here measures 40x40x40.  Outside it measured 60x40x20.   The druid calls up detect magic.  The entire structure radiates in many magics – especially Transmutation magic.  He is forced to turn it off as the swirls of radiated magic blind and distract him greatly.

There are three other doors here.  One on each wall.  One of wood, one of iron and the other of stone.  The druid goes to the one of wood.  The moment he touches it the door melds into the wall.  A face appears that seems to first mock him then scream as it spreads and slides up the wall.  Arms and body parts also grow from the very walls.  He turns and sees the door they entered through is gone and has also been replaced by the scene of melted and fused faces and limbs.  Within twenty seconds it is done.   The four walls are now a mass of faces and limbs that match goblins, demons, humanoids and other creatures.  The floor is 75 x75 feet and the ceiling is this also.  A perfect cube.  Four red “X”’s are on the floor also.

Black sand runs to an “x” along with Cedious.  Four of the five are on one and Taskerdoo fears something happening to him.  Nothing.  They all look at each other and the look of “WTF”. (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)

“What did you do?” asks Black sands of Cedious.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 103

They spend a few minutes looking around when Cedious and Sharshek notice about 35 feet up large openings in the wall.  The mouths of a demon and a giant.  They point to it and they decide to check it out.  Climbing the mass of piled up faces and arms is not easy.  Especially when everyone is paranoid the arms and mouths will animate to bite and claw at them.  They go and open a simple door just inside the mouth of a mad looking stupid giant.  

Smiling with excitement, Cedious opens the door and looks inside.  There is a 15x75 foot long tunnel with a 15 feet high ceiling.  It is clean and free of dust.  It is also free of arms and faces.

Cedious runs down to the far end.  There is another door here.  “Comon- lets go!”

The others hurry after him if only to contain the damage he may cause while opening various doors and possibly releasing many dangers.

He searches for traps then opens the door.  Several of the others can’t help but to hold their breathes in fear of another trap being released.

Instead the sickly smell of rotted vegetation and humidity comes in.  “Huh?” is all that comes out of Cedious’ mouth as he peers out into the space beyond the doorway.  He swats at a few gnats and misquotes that buzz in while he looks at a large moss covered branch of a tree.  He looks down and sees he is about 35ft up from the ground.  Below is a swampy mess of water, mud and grass.  Thick clouds of bugs and many frogs can be heard within.  He looks up and strong beams of light pierce small patches through the thick canopy.  Looking back down he sees dark areas of shadow that resembles the night air.

“What is it?” asks Taskerdoo.

“Is it too late to go back?” asks Cedious as he walks to the edge of the doorway.  He looks down the side and discovers the door is hovering above the ground.  “OYE!”

The group uses the tree to carefully climb down from the hovering door.  There is little ground for them to use that is not mud and silt.   Taskerdoo warns them of quicksand.

Black sand finds a stone statue of a demon grimacing at them through thick tall grass.  Annoyed he destroys it and places the face into his pack.  Sharshek calls attention to a glint of metal within the roots of a large willow tree.  Taskerdoo is almost horrified by what he sees.

A dead warforged.  Something made the wood that made up its body grow and become a tree.  While the druid is shaken Sharshek asks how this can be.  If no one has been here for so long then how come there is a warforged here?  They are only a 100 years old at best.

“Magic”   Cedious tries to say without sounding impressed.

The sound of buzzing bees gets Taskerdoo’s attention.  He and his Dire Wolverine begin to sloppily make their way to the sound even as Sharshek looks for a way out.  He spots another door floating 35 feet up into the air.  Under it lay a small pile of rotted moss covered logs.  Blossomed flowers on vines attract many bees to the logs.

The Cleric looks around to try to find anything else of use or importance.   Cedious walks along a different path towards what he hopes is the center of the space they are in.  “Is it space or a room?” he wonders.

Taskerdoo can hear a faint squeaky sound … a voice.  He moves further and finds a stone arch covered with blossomed flowers then sits on the path.  Going closer and concentrating, he can make out some words.

“visitors ….so long   … good or bad ….so long indeed ……I hope they don’t go there ….should I say hi ….oh the fear ….visitors ….”  The words are in Sylvan.

Sharshek begins to climb up the logs but dislodges one.  A large swarm of angry bees comes out and attacks him.  Black sands holds back and watches in humor.  Cedious is more preoccupied by a find he has.  A wooden practice sword that is stabbed into the ground.  Around it the grass is sparse and dry.  He knows this may be wrong but reaches for it anyway.

“Hello?” says the druid in Sylvan.  “Hello I can’t see you.  Where are you?”

The voice stops.

The sound of crashing logs by a series of curses and laughter can be heard in the background.

A loud buzz can be heard before the druid.  He concentrates on the sound and tries to follow it.  It originates from the arch and comes to him then away then behind.  A few moments pass then – “hello.”

Sharshek swats at the bees as they attack and try to get into his armor.  He nearly tumbles off the logs.  His actions do stir up more bees.  Black sands stops laughing as he notes more bees than before are at the flowers by him.

Cedious touches the wooden sword.  Nothing.  With a smile he grips it.

“what is that?  Is it a bear?  I have never seen a bear like that before  it has spikes and claws and oh my  I bet it can be mean  what are doing here?  Who are your friends?  Are they friends?  It has been so long since last I had visitors.  What is your bear’s name?  Does he have a name?  Or does SHE have a name?  Oh yes a male.  A big male.  I haven’t seen a bear in soooo loooong …..”  Taskerdoo is nearly overwhelmed by the barrage of questions he is facing by his unseen source of the voice.

“I am Taskerdoo and this is my Animal Companion- Logan.  He is a wolverine.  Something like a bear but not one.  Who are you and where are we?”

A loud splash can be heard as Sharshek falls into the murky leech filled bog.  The bees cover anything NOT in the water.  Black sands smiles as the bees leave him and go to the logs.

Cedious pulls out the sword.  Then quickly pales and stabs it back in as the earth quivers and swells.  It reverts to normal.  “oh crap   …that was neat.”

“Can you help my friend?  He has angered the bees by the logs.

A six-inch tall female fairy appears and looks amused by the sight.  Then she screams and turns invisible.  “evil!  Evil! Must hide!”  He hears this within his mind, not by hearing it.

Taskerdoo has a confused look on his face.

Cedious pulls out the sword again and once more the ground swells.  He pushes the sword back in place.  The smile on his face says it all.  It is just a matter of time before he pulls it out and sees what happens.

“Cedious!”  Taskerdoo yells.  He is unaware of what the rogue is doing but just knows it is him and his actions that drove the fey away.   

Cedious stops in mid pull then pushes it back in place.  “Look what I found.  Should I touch it?” He says as innocently as possible.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 104
“The Wooden Sword”

The Dire Wolverine splashes through the mud and muck and stops at the sword.  “You didn’t touch it?” Asks Taskerdoo.

“Nope.” Cedious says too quickly.

“Wooden … that would suggest I can use it….” The druid says.

“Pull it out and see what happens!” Cedious says.

Looking at the halfling rogue from high on his animal companion, Taskerdoo reaches down and begins to pull on the sword.  The ground begins to swell and he stabs it back into the ground.  “Curious.”  

The Wolverine snarls at the earth even as Black sands comes over to check it out.  Sharshek submerges twice before the bees return to their logs.  He wades towards them hoping there are no leeches within his armor.  Vale slowly makes his way over as he checks out the area.  He still hopes to find an exit other than the doors that float 35 feet up off the ground.

The island the sword was stabbed into is very dark and covered by many thick branches.  It has dusk like lighting conditions.  With one last look at the rogue, the druid picks up the sword.  The ground heaves and the druid stabs it back in but at a different spot.  A skeletal hand reaches up quickly and grabs at the sword.
The skull pops up next and the black bones begin to grow fat and nerves then muscles.  “HEY! CLERIC!” he yells suddenly knowing what he had.  

The vampire tears up through the earth and struggles to remove the sword from its stomach.  The Wolverine moves away causing the druid to nearly fall off as he struggles with the reforming vampire.  Black sands grabs the vampire and tugs him towards the sunlight.  Being careful not to be overheard he whispers “turn me.”  The vampire ignores him.  Somehow the ½ giant and the vampire are at a deadlock.  Not moving into the darker area nor into the light.  The Wolverine grabs and begins to tug.  It becomes a tug of war with the vampire being the rope.  

“turn me dammit.”

None hear it due to the sounds of combat.

Vale arrives and castes Searing Light and ends the conflict instantly as the vampire burns and crumbles into the swamp.

Taskerdoo holds the wooden sword and they begin to wonder what kind of situation they have gotten themselves into.

“thankyou thankyou thankyou  no more evil no more bad thankyou thankyou thankyou” Taskerdoo hears within his mind.  He blocks it out.

Looking at some trees they see a means to climb the tree and using rope reach the door.  They hope it is not locked or trapped.

It is not and the rogue is first through the door.

“ARRRRGH!”

Sharshek rushes to the door.

“Hi.  Everything is fine here.  Just cleared my throat.” Says the rogue laughing.  Sharshek considers throwing him into the swamp.  Instead he helps the others into the doorway including a Dire Wolverine that has a great deal of trouble leaping, snagging then scrambling into the doorway.  It gives the doorjamb a bite once up.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 105
“The Trapped Hallway”

The rogue runs down the hallway.  Like before, it is 75 feet long and 15 wide and high.  As the rogue runs suddenly his foot rises very high.  He manages to back pedal from it and stops.  Sharshek is directly behind him and questions the rogue.

“I nearly fell …up…?”

Casting spider climb onto himself and thus his mount, the druid walks along the floor and begins to pass the rogue.  Taking it as a contest, the rogue does a handstand and hand walks into the reverse gravity field and springs to his feet and runs on the ceiling ready any moment for the gravity to become “normal”. Sharshek frowns and leans onto the wall reading himself for the promised fall.

He and the cleric cross but look comical doing it.  Black sands merely reaches up and when he reaches the reversed gravity area he falls all of about two feet.  He tumbles over and walks with his arms up again.  When he reaches the others he has but one thing to say- “Stupid.”

“What will be here behind this door?” asks the rogue who is more than ready to open the door.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 106
“Forest with Wood Bridges and Houses”

The rogue opens the door after checking it for traps and other dangers.  A warm pleasant breeze comes in.  The sounds of birds chirping and startled chickmunks can be heard.  Opening the door more so that Sharshek may look they see large maple trees with green full leaves and a network of wooden bridges and homes within the trees.  Looking down they see grass and dirt.  The sunlight suggests it is mid day.

Looking straight down, Cedious sees a mound of dry leaves and strongly considered jumping onto them.  Sharshek looks down and sees the rogue’s intention.  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Let me say what is good for me.”

“Look again-  there’s a rock within those leaves.”

Cedious looks again and frowns.  He missed that the first time and that would have hurt a great deal.  He shrugs his shoulders and jumps to the side of the pile.  The incredibly graceful rogue lands and rolls to a stop and waves for the others to follow.  The less agile ones that is.  Then he freezes.  From behind a large tree rises a long serpentine head.  Then another.  And another.  And more until six heads of a hydra snarl at the lone rogues.  

He is no longer waving them on.  Now he is running away.   The Wolverine leaps into the creature and Sharshek is next whom drops and rolls.  The creature is very bad shape after having a one ton Dire Wolverine land on it and begin digging into its back.  Vale drops and lands with less grace.  Black sands looks at the creature and decides they have it under control.  He instead leaps into the tree to work his way down.

The Hydra goes down very quickly as everyone piles on.  Cedious is only slightly chewed up by several bites that did land.

“Find anything of use up there?” yells up the annoyed group to Black sands.

“Only a tree house.”

Cedious spots a wooden ladder to another tree house and runs to it.  Sharshek follows him to the tree.  They spot a halfling peering through some rails on the tree house.  “Hello!  Did you know you have a hydra here?” asks Cedious.  He continues to watch the halfling.  It doesn’t respond it merely steers.

Cedious begins to climb up the wooden ladder.  Sharshek follows him.  Suddenly a large stone falls from above onto the ladder!  Cedious easily evades it and even Sharshek avoids it.  It strikes the ground before the Wolverine and the druid.  The ground caves in and crashes into a deep pit.

“Bastard!” yells Sharshek at the halfling whom continues to peer out.

“THAT   …that would have hurt.” Says Cedious whom scrambles up the ladder while trying to decide which organ to pierce with his rapier on the halfling.  At the top he looks at the halfling and sees only his face and arms.   “Spirit?”  Then he realizes what it is.  An illusion and bate to climb the ladder.  Then he can hear the druid yelling.

The now opened pit has something within it other than the rock and debris.  Undead moans begin to emit from the darkness.  “Ghouls” answers Vale in displeasure.

“Ghouls can turn us into ghouls … correct?” asks the Druid.

“Yes….”, says the cleric as he reaches for his holy symbol of The Spirit (think Pelor), “…but I can destroy them.”

The druid climbs off the Wolverine and it leaps in destroying a ghoul as it lands then tears them apart. “But NOT a Wolverine.” Smiles the druid.

The Wolverine climbs out a few minutes later.  It is quite proud of itself.

Cedious looks around for any thing of use.  Sharshek does so also after “cuffing” the illusion on the head.  Cedious finds a lose board and pulls it up.  Within are gloves with small hooked edges on the tips and webbing between the fingers.  Having a pair of these already, he offers them to Sharshek.  “They make you climb and swim better.” and he runs to the next bridge that leads to a new tree and dwelling.

Meanwhile Black sands is investigating a very large tree house.  It is two stories tall and well made.  He climbs in (tight fit) and finds the first level is completely open.  Small furniture is thrown about and knocked over within this 15x15-foot space.  The ceiling is 7ft high thus his discomfort.  He spots a large batch of bloodstains before a plague.  It is written in a language he can not read.  He looks around some more and can hear the group yell about undead.  He pauses for a moment but decides there is no fight worth having there, as there is no sound there after of battle.  “damned cleric …ruins all the undead fun.” He quietly mumbles as he breaks a few boards looking for secret areas.  Finding nothing he looks to go up the stairs.  These stairs will not hold his weight so he is forced to back track and climb higher up the tree to reach the next level.

Cedious crosses the bridge, which is covered with vines.  Vines of all kinds as it turns out.  As Sharshek walks under a hanging vine it suddenly withdraws narrowly missing his head.  “Damned thing tried to grab me!”

Cedious stops and looks up to see what he is talking about and spots something else in the tree branches.  A long straight edged piece of wood.   Perhaps a staff?

He climbs up there and finds the Assassin Vine is still coiling up and hacks at it.  Then he grabs the staff and comes down. (Pocket Magica page 98- Loremaster’s Aid).  He tries to identify it but can not.  The cleric follows and also can not identify it.  “Where is Black sand?” asks the cleric.  

“That tree.” Says the rogue with little care.

“All of this time?” asks the fighter.  “Shouldn’t we check on him?”

Cedious scrambles over and finds the two-story building.  “wow….” He whispers.  “Maybe I should have looked here first!”  And with that the halfling investigates the dwelling.  His eyes spot the blood and follow it to the sign.  It is written in halfling.

This is the meeting hall of
The Tree Sliver Clan.  We
Welcome any and all whom
Are peaceful and mean well

“Uh ….Black sands ….are you here?”  He fears the “means well” part may lead to a curse against the ½ giant of questionable methods.  The creaks above suggest the ½ giant is still there.  Cedious takes to the stairs (designed for someone of his size and weight).  He hears the half-giant growl and drawing his weapon.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 107
“Shadow Box”

Black sands looks around before entering this level.  The room he enters is 7x15 and only 6ft tall.  The half-giant has to hunch to enter and move around.  This room has signs of a battle also.  Not interested by this he checks out a door he sees.  There are two of them.  He searches the many shelves within this room and finds little except for a small sculpture of a dog (DMG 257 – Onyx Dog).  He places that into his bag of holding (pack-ratting).

He goes to the next room.  The air is cooler in this corner but he misses this fact as he grabs the door handle and opens it.  There are more shelves and several shadows.  MOVING SHADOWS!  He snarls at this threat and pulls his sword.

Cedious climbs the stairs quickly and sees him fighting shadows.  One is destroyed and he sees him destroy a second one.  The third is destroyed as Cedious charges to his ally’s aid (and to beat him to any treasure).  
“What do you want?” asks the barbarian as he looks down at the rogue.

“Oh nothing.  Thought I would help …but I see you don’t need it.”  Cedious notes that he has the bag of holding out.

Using the trees closest to a floating doorway, they leave without incident.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 108
“New Background Players”

Zoberraz was troubled.

The Blue Dragon was placed in charge to observe several artifacts.  She watched over powerful magics that included the Sword of the Behir, The Hammer of Eberron and the Ring of the Mind.  Another artifact she was placed in charge to oversee was a small piece of adamantine metal called a schema.  By itself it was useless.  But if pieced together with the other parts and brought to it’s home the artifact would become quite dangerous.

Her wards were broken in Eldeen.

This could have been happenstance.  Maybe others were there looking for any of the other powerful magics or identities held within.  Except she learned other wards were broken.  Someone was gathering the pieces!

Zoberraz took flight.  She wanted to know what she was getting involved in.  She didn’t understand what this assembled artifact could do herself.  She had heard many rumors within the dragon councils but she was uncertain.

There was only one family that could shed any light on the subject.  

Cannith.

She lands outside of Wroat and carefully changes form and shape to blend in with the common races.  She carefully buys her ticket and takes the electric rail into Sharn.  She doesn’t want to alarm anyone or alert them to her presence.  She makes her way directly to the Cannith Tower.  The two Warforged guards stop her.  She convinces them (through magic) to allow her to pass.  She encounters more guards, and more guards and even more guards.  Is this a home or a fortress? She wonders.  Then sees someone she recognizes.

“Hally d’ Cannith.  I bid thee well.”

The woman turns to her.  She is dressed in a blue and white tight suit with padding.  Several wands are visible.  A long cloak also of blue and white color swirls dramatically as she turns.  Her adventurous nature is visible within her eyes.

“Do I know you?” She asks with one hand hovering over a Wand of Storms.

Zoberraz briefly allows her to see her true shape and form.  “I wish to speak to Merrix, your uncle.”

“He is  ...unavailable at the moment.  What can I do for you mighty Blue?”  Her hand moves from the lightning storm wand to a maximized wand of fireballs.

After ten minutes of blatant lies she left.  Merrix is involved.

Her attempt to scan Hally’s mind failed.  She was shielded even from her attempts.  But she did detect one word


XEN’ DRIK


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 109
“Even Warforged Have Nightmares”

The dead dust blew in circles and blocked all sight.  He wandered through the bleak landscape looking for something.  But what?  He had similar dreams to this one.  It is how and why he is what he is.

THE LORD OF BLADES

A large stone cliff came into view.  He knew what this meant.  The vision he needed to see … to learn was important and terrible to behold.  His mind was trying to shelter him from it.  He was not going to be stopped.  Even by his own mind.

He began to climb the cliffs.  Using his many abilities and skills he was a good climber.  While climbing the winds picked up speed as if trying to tear him from the wall.  Then they went quiet.  He still felt the wind on his armored hide but he heard it not.

Instead he heard names and voices.  Cannith,  Boddynoc Grinkle, Aurum, Emerald Claw, Cedious, Bendorrow, Garrow, Xulo and Breedaernxen.  He understood they conspired against him and needed to be stopped.  They endangered him and his god.

Ignoring any further names or references he continued to climb.  Suddenly the sandstorm flashed black lightning.  He ignored it further.  Then finally at the top he stopped and bellowed in rage and triumph at the storm own fury.

The storm began to subside and he watched as the cloud shrank and shrank.  It shrank into the valley before him.  There …there he saw a giant.  No, not a giant …a god.   And he feared.


“Ahhhhhh!!!!” exhales the ruler of Steel Nation.

Hilt looked up to his creator, master and everything that was.  Still standing with the whetstone in one hand and a blade in another, the Lord of Blades looks around.

His visions always caused disorientation.  It would pass.  It always did.  But this vision remained.  He knew most of the names already.  He knew they were foes to be crushed.  Even the dragon.  But who was the new name?  And who was that in the valley?  He knew but could not accept it.  The stone has already been caste.  He can not stop the events from occurring.  He ..had made a mistake.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 110
“Forgotten Crypts: Trapper”

DM NOTES:  Clinton (Cedious) has officially tied the most natural 20’s rolled in a row during this session.  He rolled 5 in a row, then a 19 (crit), 16 to confirm, then 2 more 20’s.  He can be uncanny at times and yes, I watch the rolls and have looked at the dice.

The hallway contains no problems or hazards as they leave one area and enter the next.  “Is there any sort of pattern or the such to this “Trap?” “ Asks Taskerdoo. 

“Doesn’t much matter …so long as we destroy things and get rich doing it.” States Black sands.

Cedious inspects the door then opens it.  He looks back at the first door and notices it is closed.  He doesn’t remember closing it behind himself.  Leaving the door open he goes back to it.  As he nears runes glow brightly.  There is no doubt the door is magically trapped and Cedious figures it is not worth the effect and rejoins the group whom is looking out onto a step pyramid.

The doorway opens up at the base of the pyramid.  Steep stairs made of plain stone lead to the top.  The top is within 15 feet of lichen covered ceiling.  The lichen softly glows creating an eerie aura.  They look around and climb to the top.  Black sands and Cedious find two stone doors that appear to enter the pyramid.  Cedious searches for traps but finds nothing.  He tries to push the heavy stone door aside but can not.  Black sands easily pushes it back.  Cedious squeezes past him to investigate first.

Cedious finds himself entering a 15x15-foot room.  The walls are a dark blue shiny material with gold leaf mixed with silver and mithril geometrical designs.  The edges of a hatch on the floor can be seen leading down.  Cedious goes for this when suddenly the floor spreads over his feet and the walls and ceiling drop onto him like a collapsed tent.  It begins to crush, smother and pommel him immediately.  Black sands waits a moment to first inspect for more dangers then to watch what happens.

The others are slow to arrive since Cedious was not given a chance to yell out and Black sands has yet to raise the alarm.  Cedious finds himself in a very bad spot as it begins to crush him further.  Finally Vale happens to peer down and calls for help.  Black sands does his best to look like something had happened to him thus why he could not call or act on Cedious’ behalf.

Sharshek runs in and attacks the mound.  A muffled cry comes out as the rogue is also struck.  The Dire Wolverine squeezes in and strikes causing more sounds of pain.

“Our attacks are harming him also!” yells out Vale.

“It’s a mimic-like creature.  It mimics his voice to cover its own cry of pain.” Suggests Black sands as he reaches down to rip and tear at the creature with his bare hands.  Between this tactic and Cedious’ squirming, he falls free and crawls away in a bloody pulp. (went from full to 2 hp in two rounds)  Once he is out, the others attack without concern and wipe out the creature.  Cedious stabs it repeatedly in anger even after it has died.  Embedded within its malleable form are a few gems and some gold coins.

Breathing hard, Cedious calls out to the cleric- “Need healing…now.”   Black sands, who was struck once also wants help.

Vale Matterhorn reluctantly heals the ½ giant.  They need his great strength.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 111
“Forgotten Crypts: Goblin Nobles”

Moving to the next door, Black sands pushes this one open also.  Air hisses as it rushes out from the broken seal.  Inside is dark.

Cedious peers in but is much more cautious about rushing in.  The painful memory of the Trapper is still very fresh in his mind.  A bare stone room of 15x15 is exposed.  A door leads further inward.  Cautiously Sharshek steps forward.  He prepares for the very walls to attack.

Beyond the smaller room is a large room about 35 x 20 feet.  There are four large stone sarcophagi.  Looking around first, Sharshek enters the room and looks at trying to open the stone box to the far left.

Taskerdoo and Logan squeeze into the room’s entrance and try to push off another lid.  Black sands tries the one to the right.  The lids prove very heavy.  Cedious goes in to the final sarcophagi.  Vale has little use robbing the dead.  Cedious inspects his site and spots a large crack going up from the floor to the lid.  Not caring he pushes and succeeds where the others failed.  (yes-  another natural 20).

Peering he sees a skeleton of a small goblin dressed in clean dress that seems to shine when the torchlights reflect on it.  He also spots a ring on the finger of the small goblin.  Cedious begins to strip the body of the dress and ring.  He figures them to be magical.

Black sands pushes off the lid and finds another small goblin skeleton but it is dressed in a clean dress and submerged in green fluid.  Using arrows he tries to pull the body free of the fluid but the arrows keep breaking or the bones slide off the arrow tip.  Not one to give up he continues to try.  While trying he sees a ring on this body.

Logan finally knocks the lid off even as Sharshek nearly pinches his fingers while wrestling with his lid.  A full-grown goblin skeleton is dressed in an elegant dress.  Again, the body is submerged in green fluid.  Inspecting the body, he also sees several rings with odd shapes to them.  Using the wooden practice sword he works on the body to get it free of the potentially dangerous fluid. 

Sharshek finally topples the lid (with Cedious and yes another 20) with a loud grunt and a thoom as it falls out of control to the floor.  Logan snorts at him.  Sunken in green fluid is a goblin skeleton dressed in a fine chain mail tunic and a hefty belt with a platinum buckle.  A golden headband is easily seen.  He studies it and notes that Black sands has pulled the body free of the fluid and now handles the damp cloth with no ill effects.  He reaches in and grabs the body and pulls it out.  No harm.

With the body out, Taskerdoo finds a gold headband that was on the body.  He pockets that and looks at the six rings he has found with interest.  Each ring is shaped to be animals.  There is a Snake, Weasel, Goose, Fish, Cat and a Lizard.  He calls up Detect Magic.  He finds no magic on anything but the clothes and chain mail.  Each are a +1 and the chain shirt also has Cold Resistance 10.

Joining Vale outside they try to decide what to do next.  Black sands collects the bodies for possible later use (?!?).

Taskerdoo, Vale and Cedious discuss the rooms.  They are looking for a pattern.  Why is this referred to as Drogan’s Trap?  There are so many traps and dangers within here.  Cedious answers it- “How do we get out?”  Drogan’s Trap is possibly in reference to once you enter- you can never leave.  Taskerdoo begins taking notes on turns and descriptions of the rooms.  “All traps can be disarmed Cedious.  You should know that.  We just need to understand the trap better.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 112
“Water Room”

The door slowly opens and dampness drifts in.  “I smell water.” Says Cedious with obvious curiosity.  He steps out onto a 5x5-ft platform.  Ramps lead 30 ft down from the left and right along the wall and straight to an island.  Each of the four doors is like the one they have existed.  This forms four pools of water.  It is dark, as the sun has just gone down.  Clouds seem to be blowing in.

Nervous about not being able to see into the dark waters, they slowly inch along the ramps.  They have no rails or walls.  It would be easy to fall in.  Grates are built into each “ramp” leading to the center.  Looking down, they see dozens of small fish that are attracted to the light.  

Bubbles begin so they decide to quickly get out of the area.  As they open the door to leave they see a water elemental rise from water to reach them.  

“I don’t know about you- but I didn’t want to fight something that didn’t bleed or break when I ravage it.” Comments Black sands.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 113
“Are You a Were-creature?”

DM NOTES-  BJ metagamed here.  He saw I had my werewolves out and assumed full moon meant them.  In time BJ, all in good time.

 They stop within the hallway connecting the rooms and rest.  Vale prays for his healing which was largely used up due to the trapper encounter.  Taskerdoo continues to try to fathom the rooms and how they fit.  He notes that space seems to be alter.  The original box-like building was smaller than these spaces.  It was 60x40x20.  These rooms seem to roughly 75x75x75.  He recalls how when reaching past the doors that seem to float in space there was something keeping them from going past it.  Something solid.  Perhaps powerful illusionary magic.  He considers what each door was made of and how they were placed within the rooms.  The fairy seemed to know time passed on but sometimes it seemed time was different.

He closes his book sharply in frustration and goes to sleep.

They wake up.  They do not know if it is day, night or something else.  Time is different here.  It is all enclosed and based on magic.  As normal, Cedious inspects for traps then opens the door.  The air is cool and crisp.  A faint vapor can be seen from their breath.  Crickets chirp then suddenly stop.  “Us or something else?” asks Cedious out loud.  He has to explain his question to the others, as they can not hear the crickets or their sudden silence.

Cedious looks up and sees a FULL moon that comes in and out of hiding behind slowly moving thick clouds in the night sky.  Below is tall grass and shrubs.  Trees are here also.  A forest.  He shrugs his shoulders but once then drops out of the doorway and softly and quietly falls to the ground.  The others do so also except for Logan and his rider- the halfling druid.  They leap into the tree and noisily clamor down it.  As they hit the tree, it rains armor and bones onto Cedious and Vale whom were below.  Dead bodies of armored humans within the tree?  They pick up anything they can and wait for Logan to stop digging around.  He stops suddenly and Cedious points to a tree nearby.

“Full moon …werewolves?” asks Black sands.  He wonders what it takes to become one.

“There is something over there.” And Cedious points at the form.  Suddenly the dark form charges out and races into the group.  The form is like that of a large elephant given humanoid status.  The tusks tear into Sharshek and throw him to the ground.

The Group begins to attack without question except for Black sands.  “Are you a were creature?  Can you turn me?”  

Everyone begins to seriously wonder if the strangeness of this area has finally snapped the ½ giant’s mind.  At least he didn’t want to be a vampire. (heh.)

Unknown to them, this Maelphant is very insane and has lost its mind.  Otherwise, the magic abilities it possesses would have been used.  It was never given a chance to use its breath weapon.  Looking around, they find several dead bodies.  All have been dead for a long time but how long is very hard to say.  They find lose money and a Longsword+2.

Done with this room and the notes taken, they leave by tree and line.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 114
“The First Clue Realized ”

DM NOTE:  They asked to go through a door and I misdirected the outcome by accident.  They should have reentered ROOM C not B.  So instead of all rights, I had them take a 180.  


“We should be entering a room we know if my idea or theory is correct.” Says Taskerdoo as they cross the hallway that connects the rooms magically.

“Which environment?” asks Vale beginning to sense what Taskerdoo is hinting at.

“I’m not sure.”

“What if the paths are linear?  All of this figuring you are doing may be for nothing.” Cedious brings up as he pulls the door open.

“It is magic.  Anything is possible.” Follows up Sharshek the human fighter.

“It doesn’t matter so long as we don’t get bored while doing it.  Open the door runt.” Demands Black sands.

There is the familiar smell of water and a breeze that reminds them of the room where the elemental was.  Looking out, it is that room.  “We’ve been here before!” exclaims Cedious.

“No.”, says Vale.  “Look at the clouds…. And is that rain?”

Indeed, it is the same room where they ran away from the water elemental but this time there is a steady rain with moments of wind gusts.  It is dark and the moon is hidden by storm clouds.  The clouds look to be thickening still.  The smooth stone ramps are wet and covered with moving water from the rain.

“uh guys….that looks dangerous to walk on.” Begins the halfling rogue.

“I’LL GO.” Shouts the ½ giant barbarian.  He steps into the rain and breathes in the air then runs down the ramp onto the level and low island and back up the ramp to the opposite side.  He nearly losses traction as he reaches the next door and thus possible exit.  He wonders what would happen if he left without them for a brief moment.

Not to be put down and overshadowed, Cedious begins to move out and immediately slips.  He falls (nat 1) and rolls off the ramp to his left into the water from 30 feet up.  He takes 11 (of 12) damage hitting in a tumbling belly flop.  He surfaces in pain.  “I’ll okay.”

Casting spider climb onto himself (and thus his mount) Taskerdoo walks out into the storm and down the side to retrieve the halfling.  Sharshek steps out and slips but maintains his balance. He slides to the bottom wondering if he will drown trying to climb up the next ramp.  Vale steps out and falls (nat 1) and also takes 11 of possible 12 points as he falls hard into the water.  His BreastPlate begins to pull him under.

This is when Taskerdoo and Cedious see the forms rising from far below the surface.  “Its okay to hurry if you can.” Offers Cedious as he pulls out his rapier.

The heads of several Sahuagin surface and their black eyes stare at them.  “I have changed my-  HURRY PERIOD!”

The Dire Wolverine grabs the rogue and spider climbs up the wet wall.  From here Taskerdoo sucks in his breath.  There are 11 heads now swimming towards them.  One wears a dragon skull on its head with a necklace of shark teeth.  An Adept!

Vale begins to cry out in pain as several Sahuagin begin to stab him with their tridents.  Logan and Taskerdoo go to save him.  Sharshek is fired on by the leader.  The beam fires from a ring and misses but strikes the “sky” about 35 feet up.  The illusion ripples and reveals stone work then straightens out to look like a stormy night sky again.

Sharshek finds himself in trouble as most of the creatures climb onto the low point where he is.  Black sands begins to move down but slips.  He slides down the ramp and decides to go with it.  He bowls several of the dangerous aquatic humanoids over and back into the water.  However, now he is surrounded and they begin to stab at him while he is prone.

Things get worse as Cedious finds himself back in the water next to the Adept.  When he fell / jumped he narrowly missed striking a stone column rising from far below.  The creature’s leader misses him with the ring and the water explodes behind him.  Cedious wants that ring.

Vale’s vision blackens (HP=2 and going under) but Logan bites onto his collar and begins to pull him up but the sahuagin stab him.  Enraged the Dire Wolverine attacks them and jumps in.  He drops the body of the team’s only cleric.

Sharshek takes down a few creatures as he advances towards the ½ giant who has many injuries from the repeated stabbing he has received.  Angered but now on his feet, he strikes back.  Bodies fly off the ramp, sometimes cut in two.

Even floundering, the rogue stabs at the adept (nat 20 dammit…again!) and the adept goes down.  Suddenly, within 6 seconds, the sahuagin went from 11 strong to 1.  Undaunted, this one charges Black sands whom strikes it down with ease.

Cedious dives after the adept’s body and struggles with bringing it to the surface. (yes … a nat 20)  Vale is brought back up and though beaten and badly injured will live.  He heals himself and the ½ giant while Taskerdoo looks into detecting magic once more.  Nothing has it but the ring but he notes spotting a glow far below at the base of the column.  Taking a deep breath, both he and Logan spider climb down the wall and onto the column to a hidden shallow cave below.  He finds a few stray coins, shells, a few freshwater pearls and a large emerald green gem.

“What have you got?” asks Cedious hiding the ring.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 115
“Back to The Beginning”

Logan and Taskerdoo swim around the other tanks hoping to find more goodies before coming out.  They find a goblin’s skull that has been worked to form a cup and several old coins.  The entire area has columns rising from the bottom.  These columns are 5 to 20 feet high.  It creates an ideal ambush setting.  The druid is happy the Sahuagin were all killed before he swam within these pillars.

They carefully climb out to a door and exit.

Finding no traps and other dangers they stay here to mend and relearn spells.  Taskerdoo dries out his scrolls where he is writing his notes.  Though the ink is smudged he looks at it and begins to see the beginning of a pattern but can’t quite figure it out.

Needing to think about something else, he studies the green crystal.  It is like an emerald but it is not one.  It does register faint magic.

Once rested and ready, they leave the safety of the hallway and open the next door.  Within this room is …sculptured walls?!?!


----------



## megamania

And for those that don't know what kind of trap they are in, here is a map of what they have done thus far-


----------



## megamania

And here some of the rooms-  A and B


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 116
“ Living Stone & Spun Webs”

Even as Cedious begins to climb down from the doorway nestled within the mass of sculpted stone mouths, faces and body parts, several sets of eyes watch him.  Once down he waves the others to follow. Once everyone has climbed down they stop to discuss which door to use when suddenly several sculptures rise and swoop at them.  Five gargoyles strike from their hidden perches.

The creatures make the mistake of landing.  Cedious is quick to recover and strikes at the closest creature.  Logan, the crazed animal companion Dire Wolverine pounds another creature into the ground.  Soon, four of the five creatures are destroyed leaving only the one.  It goes down quickly after that.  Cedious finds a Platinum and gold Bracelet worn by one of the creatures for some strange reason.  At this point nothing surprises him.  

They decide on a door and exit this room.  

The magical hallway that connects the rooms together seems simple.  Cedious searches for gravity traps carefully as he crosses it.  Even the others walk softly just in case up becomes down and down becomes up.

The door opens and they find a forest setting with thick webs suspended between the trees.  “Spiders.“ says Cedious almost in boredom.  He begins to reach for his Handy Haversack as Taskerdoo looks over his shoulder while on Logan.  “Are those bodies within the webs?”

“Yup ….at least for the moment.”  Cedious pulls out the Decanter of Endless water.  He points it at the closest webs that do seem to have three small bodies within it and releases a geyser of water into the webs.  The high-pressure water stream tears and tugs at the webbing until it rips free of the trees and itself.  The three bodies fall loudly to the ground in a rain of web and water.

Cedious turns the volume down to show the others what he has done.  They look and see more bodies and objects within the largest tree before them.  Items range from tiny to large; a few inches to ten feet.  “Must have been big spiders to haul some of that in here.” Says Vale looking from the doorway.  Taskerdoo looks and adds, “By the looks of those spiders, I’d say they teamed up on a few people.”  Cedious pops his head back out and sees four then a fifth large monstrous spider appear within the webs and the trees. 

 “Water didn’t do it-  maybe this will.” Says Taskerdoo as he concentrates.

“What are you up to?” says Cedious with some concern.  He knows that the druid / mage was working on new spells….

A green bead forms before the halfling druid / mage then streaks into the large tree.  FROOOOOOSH! And squeals of burnt spiders pierce the air as webs, spiders and anything within the webs catch on fire.

“Nice.” Says Cedious as he turns the water off completely and prepares to enter the room.

Testing a new theory on the rooms, Taskerdoo recasts spider climb onto himself / Logan.  They calmly walk down the illusion-covered wall.  It appears they are walking on thin air.

The spiders however recover and most attack by charging down the trees to the three on the ground.  Taking a page from Taskerdoo, Black sands leaps down onto a spider.  Its burnt body cracks opens under his ½ giant frame. Sharshek fires a longbow but misses.  Vale comes up to him and motions for him to go first.

Cedious has mixed luck with the spiders but Logan wades through them.  Black sands is distracted as he searches the webs for treasure.  Sharshek drops to the ground with a loud sound of air escaping his lungs on impact.  Vale is next but slips and falls (slipped on water no doubt) to the ground below.  He seriously hurts himself.  Sharshek covers him as he checks on himself.

The five large spiders are destroyed but hundreds or even thousands of smaller ones fall from the trees.  Cedious washes them away using his water canon.  Once they feel safe and Vale has used some healing magic on himself they look into the three small bodies first.  The dried husks look to have once been goblins.  Cedious now investigates the large form.  He looks carefully and sees that it is moving.

“Uh….guys….”

A large and thick hand covered with webbing moves freely through the webs.  Between the water, fire and this form’s great strength, the form becomes free and falls to the ground with a thunderous boom.  Slowly it gets up on two feet.  It is as wide as high (10 feet) and moves forward.

“Great….” Mutters the halfling rogue as he prepares to battle this new foe.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 117
“The Guardian Revealed”

Taskerdoo studies the hulking figure before him.  The smell of raw earth and webbing makes Logan’s nose twitch.

“It’s a golem of some sort.” Says Taskerdoo.

“A big one.” Follows up Cedious.  He hates golems.  They are immune to his special attacks.

The group gathers around the large form as it frees itself of the webs.  The large gray simple figure moves to block or attack the group.

“Clay Golem.”

“What else do you know of it?” asks Vale as he is drawing a blank about this guardian.

“Strengths?  Weaknesses?” continues Sharshek.

“It can move very quickly in spurts and hits very hard.” Says Taskerdoo.

The golem strikes at Black sands whom is struck very hard.  He slices at it but seems to get no where.  Cedious stabs at it with his rapier with less effect.  Each takes a turn but it seems to absorb the blows.  Black sands is hit again and now is forced to back off even though he is enraged.  Then Taskerdoo understands.  Bludgeoning works better.  After a few more moments of surrounding and beating at the earthen guardian they succeed in defeating it.  

Vale Matterhorn, the cleric of The Spirit (Pelor), tries to help the ½ giant barbarian.  His first spell doesn’t seem to help.  He inspects it further and realizes the wounds are enchanted (or cursed if you prefer) and will not heal correctly.

Cedious looks around while the ½ giant is being helped.  It a smaller tree he finds a piece of smooth glass coming through the tree bark.  Looking at it using a lantern, he can see a red crystal “X” shaped figure within.  He thumps on the glass but nothing happens.

The druid comes over along with Sharshek.

“I bet Black sands can remove it from the tree.” Suggests the human fighter.

“I have a better idea.”

The druid dismounts and studies the tree then begins to caste his spell.  Meanwhile, Vale gives up trying to help the ½ giant for the moment.

Without speaking, Taskerdoo speaks.

[Hello.  I am Taskerdoo.  Breland Taskerdoo.  How are you?]

a few moments go by.

[I am well.]


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 118
“When Lost, Ask a Native”

[What is this place?]

[A holding cell]

[What does it hold?]

[Dangerous old things]

Taskerdoo thinks for a moment.  No one else knows what is happening.  They can only guess since he stares at the tree.

[How old are you?]

[over 150 rings]

[and here?]

[older]

[what is that within you?]

[a reward]

[For a reward, it seems of little use to you]

[It is an reward for others- not myself]

[A reward-  for me?]

[if I see fit to it]

[Do you?]

[I am uncertain]

[what does one need to do to be rewarded?]

Cedious wanders around.  He is picking up lose coins that have fallen to the ground and squishes the smaller spiders under his feet.  The others watch and guard the druid whom stares motionless at a tree with a glass globe within it.

[impress or overcome I]

[How would I do that?]

[By acts of strength and destruction, by acts of thought and wisdom or by acts of kindness and care]

[I fear many would use force.  I would prefer to avoid this]

[already you should wisdom]

[kindness.  What would a tree want that I can give?]

silence

more silence

[I fear …them]

[them who?]

[them]

Maybe it is a small breeze or just their imagination, but branches shifts.  A small insect falls.  It is white and orange in color.  It is vaguely ant-like and about four inches in length.

[we could remove it from you]

[why endanger yourselves?]

[to help you and your seedlings]

[most kind.  I agree]

[agree?]

[If you can remove the creatures I will give you the reward]

[thankyou.  What do these insects do?]

[they eat at me and my brethren daily.  We heal and recover as it is the way of this environment but we still feel the pain]

[very well]

[perhaps we can work out other deals]

[perhaps]

Taskerdoo shakes a bit as his mind reverts to understanding spoken language once more.

“The tree will help us if we destroy these insects.” Even as he says this Logan roots at the earth disturbing the nest that lies within the roots of the tree.  He howls as several bite his tongue and lips.  The bites swell and discolor quickly.

“Cedious-  ……”

The rogue hops on back.  “Can you wash away these insects?”

Cedious rolls his eyes.  Sometimes the druid goes too far worrying about trees and other burnable things.  He fishes out the Decanter and begins to wash the insects away.  Then the forest floor suddenly seems alive with them.   “What are these?”

They swarm bite at his legs.  Since the water is not working he tries something different.  He escapes the swarm and pulls free his bedroll.  He throws that onto the swarm and then ignites it.  

“What are you doing?!?” asks the druid in alarm.  He is uncertain what kind of insects these are and fears the fire may make them more powerful (due to color and general meanness).  The roll heaves ahead them the insects sweep out from under the burning cloth and they attack the wolverine that yelps in pain from the burning bites.

Black sands, still weak, and Vale, busy studying the wounds from the golem, are caught unaware by the swarm.  Black sands flees the area and Vale stumbles back as each are bitten many times.  A burning sphere is released and destroys the strange insects.

[FIRE!  FIRE!   FIRE!]

Taskerdoo cancels the spell and turns to the tree.  [In Wisdom I ask before acting.  In kindness, I helped you.]

The bark withdraws and slowly the globe rolls free of the bark and wood that once held it.

[thankyou.  You spoke of other deals]

[I have information that may help you]

[what may I do for you?]

…and the others, most with bad sores that require mending since they will not heal, ignore the druid and the tree as they commune.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 119
“What Is Drogan and His Trap?”

[I wish for Drogan’s friend and my friend to be buried in the earth]

[where and who is your friend?]  Taskerdoo hopes it is not the golem he and the others just destroyed.

[I know not his name.  He is a large person and hangs within the webs two trees over]

[if I do this act of kindness what can you do for me that is wise or kind?]

[I know of things.  You may ask me freely of them]

Taskerdoo turns and sees Black sands is cutting the head of the golem off.  His bag is there for storing it.  Cedious is off and away exploring the trees for anything of use.  Sharshek watches the trees in case of more golems or spiders.  Vale sits and inspects his own insect bites, which look inflamed.

“Cedious- is there another large person within the webs there?” the druid calls out.

Looking around he spots a figure.  “Yup!”  Cedious pulls out his Decanter of Endless Water and begins to blast the webbing from the figure.  It takes a few moments before it falls to the ground.  Carefully Taskerdoo and Cedious remove the webs as Sharshek tries to dig a shallow grave using whatever tools and weapons he had on him.  Black sands joins him after a placing the heavy golem head into the oversized bag of holding designed to hold Beth d’Cannith’s guardian- a Warforged Charger.

Though dead and most moisture has been taken from the figure, the person resembles a purple / dark pink ogre.  Taskerdoo rises an eyebrow.  He has heard of ogre’s that are naturally attuned to magic but had never seen one before.  Cedious removes most of the Ogre’s gear.  He has a Quarterstaff +3(lg), Hand of the Mage (lg), Ring of Protection +1, Ring of Ram, and another ring.

It takes time to bury the large mage.  Taskerdoo returns to the tree.

[thankyou]

[who was that?]

[a friend of Drogan and myself]

[who is Drogan?]

[the builder of this space]

[what is this “space”?]

[it stores and protects dangerous things.]

[it is referred to as a trap.]

[it is a trap]

[how so?]

[once in, it is very hard to escape.  Time and space means little here]

Taskerdoo thinks this over carefully.  His spell should be over but isn’t.  Perhaps something to do with the trap and its environment.  Perhaps the tree itself.

[how many rooms are there?]

[I do not know.  I exist only within this room.  Drogan spoke of several existing]

[Have you seen me before?]

[No]

This confuses the druid.  With too much to think about already, he thanks the tree and returns to his friends and tells them what he has learned.  “Not much.” Is Cedious’ answer.

They leave the room now that they have learned the wall exists, it is much easier to leave.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 120
“Traps and Poisons”

Once more they find themselves within the 15x15x75-foot hallway.  Cedious searches for traps while the others suggest stopping and resting.  As Cedious makes his way across the room he misses a seeing a trigger and steps on the footpad.  “uh-oh!” and suddenly a lone arrow fires out of a hole that didn’t exist a moment before. 

The arrow strikes him.  He turns and can not find the portal.  It is hidden by an illusion much like the walls within the main rooms.  There is icor on the shaft but he feels okay.  However, Vale looks pale.

“I need … to sit down and …rest.” And the cleric slides down the wall and plops down almost unconscience.  

The druid goes to him and notes his joints look swollen and red.  “Did he get hit by a trap or something we missed?”

“The swarm of large white and orange ants?” suggests Sharshek.

Looking at their wounds, each insect bite is red but nearly as swollen.  Taskerdoo can not identify the sickness but knows it is bad.

Black sands is mildly concerned.  His wounds from the golem still are raw and the cleric promised to fix him when next they rested.  “Is he going to die?”

“Black sands …..” Taskerdoo cuts himself off before yelling at the ½ giant.  “I don’t have a spell or ability to treat him now.  Once I rest we can treat him …and you.” 

“Better.” Mumbles the ½ giant as he looks into his bag and his macabre collection of trophies.

They rest and then try to heal Vale.  “I think I know what this is.”

“Can it be fixed?”

“He is not a warforged Cedious.  But yes, I can help him.”

It takes much of the day and lots of treatment and attention but Vale seems better that night.  The swelling has gone down and his breathing is more regular.

Whenever he is not treating Vale, Taskerdoo studies his notes and map of the trap.  A pattern is forming but he can’t place it.  So close yet so far away.  Vale awakens but is weak.  Another night is spent resting.  The next day he is ready and Black sands is impatient to go so he doesn’t have the cleric look at his wounds.

Cedious studies the door and looks back. “What will it be THIS time?”  Not giving Taskerdoo a chance to answer, Cedious opens the door.

“You have to be kidding” Cedious says as he stares into the dark room.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 121
“DRAGON TURTLE!!!!!!!”

The wind is howling and the rain comes straight down in sheets then suddenly horizontal as the wind blows.  As bad as the waters and the ramps looked before, this is MUCH worse.  “You have to be kidding” Cedious says taking it all in.

The others stare in disbelief.  There is a fierce storm here.  Waves crash over the ramps and center island.  Lightning crackles in the distance.  “Who is going first?” says Cedious with a smirk.

“Before going-  which door?” suggests Sharshek whom is looking pale.

“Straight ahead.  Use your momentum to climb the ramp.” Offers Cedious.

“Makes sense to me.” And Taskerdoo casts Spider climb onto himself and thus his Animal companion / familiar- Logan.

Surprising everyone, Sharshek goes first without asking or saying he is going.  He charges down the ramp praying to any god that doesn’t fall in.  A large wave crashes behind him as he reaches the lowest point then begins to step higher as he climbs the ramp up to the next door.  He clings to the door when he reaches it.

Surprised and happy that he made it, he waves for the others to come.  Cedious is next. His luck runs true as no waves crash by him or does he slip.

“Don’t you dare open that next door yet!” Shouts Taskerdoo.  He remembers that when opening one door the other magically closes.  He suspects Black sands and Logan will not have the strength to hold it back.  
Vale goes next and nearly falls as he climbs up the opposite side.  With a quick balance check and strength created from desperation, he holds on and crawls up the last five feet.

Black sands smiles and goes next.  A wave crashes at his feet and uproots him instantly.  He is caught with a wave as he falls and is smashed into the stone ramp and dragged under by the undertow.  Logan and Taskerdoo are quick to give chase.  Even with spider climb, it is hard to manage the climb with the wind, crashing waves and other natural problems related to a storm.

Logan and his rider enter the water (how Logan hates this) and find Black sands stunned and about ten feet under the water’s surface.  As Logan gets him, Taskerdoo spots a large, no a HUGE, figure swimming towards him.  The figure is lost from view as a heat vent releases a burst of hot air into the water!

Riding the boiling water, they surface in pain as the vent releases then shuts off.  “Volcanoes also….?!?”
Then the thing he saw rising reaches the surface.  A huge spiked shell explodes and thick armor-plated limbs with claws grab the lowest section of the ramp.  A mutated turtle with steam rising from its body climbs onto the island.  If the storm bothers it, it doesn’t show.

“Task!” shows Cedious as he looks down onto the creature.  This is as bad as it gets he thinks.  He needs to help him but what if he gets thrown off the ramp?

Black sands goes to attack but the heavy armor protects the creature well.  It opens its mouth and a jet of super heated water and steam comes out.  He is badly burned and even the Dire Wolverine and rider feel it.  The claws strike the ½ giant next and suddenly he finds himself thinking this is too big for him to face.
(really?)

Sharshek tries to fire arrows at it but the wind alone makes it impossible to aim.  Vale casts Cat’s Grace onto Cedious (Reach Feat) and Cedious is able to keep his footing as he sneak attacks the creature.  If it hurt the creature, it doesn’t show it.  Logan is hit next and nearly castes him into the water along with his rider.  The others continue to attack as they can.  The creature opens its mouth again to use its breath weapon when they finally take it down.  Logan drags the badly wounded ½ giant over the armored and spiked body and slowly to the doorway.

“THAT SUCKED!” screams Cedious over the storm.  They open the door to escape the storm.


----------



## Solarious

megamania, are you actually -trying- to kill Cedious off? It would be a shame if you did. There would be no one to mess you carefully-laid plans up if that happened. 

By the by, when will Garrow show up again, and does Cedious moon him?


----------



## megamania

"megamania, are you actually -trying- to kill Cedious off?" 

I'm trying to challenge each character to the point of death


"It would be a shame if you did. There would be no one to mess you carefully-laid plans up if that happened.  "

He has already warned me that his back-up character is much worse.


"By the by, when will Garrow show up again, and does Cedious moon him?  "

Garrow is around.  Vol is unhappy with his progress and has him on a short leash after resurrecting him.  (hard to punish the dead.)   Cedious' butt will be exposed again I'm sure of it.  Rush Late-a-Lot will be reappearing soon whom has been mooned and I'm over do for a Khyber Pit adventure.


What do you think of the story thus far?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 122
“Vown and Cannith”

Zarantyr 08, 999

“The island of Hedone was terrific.  We must go again.” Purrs Lady Elaydren ir’Vown-Cannith.

“Yes my love.  Perhaps for a second honeymoon.”  Merrix d’Cannith says as he comes into the bedroom with a cooled pitcher of sweetened water and fruit.

“Do you think anyone knows the truth?” She says while picking up a few grapes gently in her manicured hand.  “Do you think anyone suspects our “disappearance” was a cover for our wedding?”

“I care little anyway.  When we return to Sharn it will be announced to all, including my family.”

“Muuuummmm …won’t they be unhappy.” She says teasingly as she plucks a grape free of the bunch touches it to her lips.

“I care little for what they want or do not want.  So long as I have you and the forge I am happy.”

“Yes, me  …and the forge.  A more serious tone overcomes her for a brief moment but then she smiles and relaxes once more.  “When will you allow me to see this amazing forge?”

“Soon my love.”

“Soon?”

“Very soon.”

She places the grape onto his lips while he lies there and she kisses him.  His eyes are closed and hers open.  She looks into the darkness as if to intimidate something within the darkness.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Three hours later, Merrix falls asleep while Elaydren carefully gets up.  She looks down at his body.  It is exposed and vulnerable.  An easy kill.  “…And soon after soon my love….” She whispers with venom and malice.

She places on a gown that is glamored.  It turns dark and covers much of her body as she climbs the stairs to the deck of the seacraft.  Being careful to not to be seen, she places a note into a special pouch.  A seagull of all creatures lands on the rail and caws loudly at her.  It sidesteps to her until within reach.  She places the pouch onto a holder on its chest and she says “Kim Elderich”.  The seagull takes flight and disappears into the dark sky over the sea.

“Was that a seagull?” comes Merrix’ voice from behind her.  She curls a finger onto a ring of hers.  

“Darling- you are awake.”  

He hugs and holds her.  His mind splits between the two most important things in his life- The Warforged and his newest Love.  

She relaxes and uncurls her finger.  The faint glow of her ring leaves and she sighs inside.  “Soon” she thinks.


----------



## Cedious

Solarious said:
			
		

> megamania, are you actually -trying- to kill Cedious off? It would be a shame if you did. There would be no one to mess you carefully-laid plans up if that happened.
> 
> By the by, when will Garrow show up again, and does Cedious moon him?





LOL thats funny, mega and i constantly talk about how his little encounters are aimed more at killing/ fustrating me then anyone else 

Garrow and me deffinatly have a date in the future  maybee a little nudity involved....posibly some bondage....should be fun   

I just need to get my hands on the women that stole my schema pieces thats my top priority at the moment.....unless a khyber pit comes along and i might have to take a quick bathroom break


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> What do you think of the story thus far?



Well, let us put it this way...







			
				megamania said:
			
		

> “I can’t believe you. You have issues Cedious. Very deep and troubled issues. You need help.” Cedious answers by undoing his pants and going to the bathroom within the pit.


----------



## megamania

hee-   some game groups are serious-   others are seriously funny  

And Ced- as you saw-  soon she will have everyone ticked off at her.  You may have to get in line to kill her.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 123
“Kim Elderich”

The winter ice was already forming along the edges of Mirror Lake.  The mirrored image of the purple and white castle was becoming hidden by cold fingers of white.  Kim minded little.  The view was the best within his village and that is all that mattered.

The Dwarven businessman lived by the creed- “The best is the most expensive and I always buy the best.”  Kim was not unlike most dwarves that way.  And he certainly was no different that way than from any other Aurum member.  Especially the inner circle, the Platinum Circle.  

He watched with mild curiosity as a white bird circled his castle.  Then as if it had found something or someone it turned and dove at him.

Kim watched for a moment then reached up and pointed at the bird.  Suddenly there is a burst of feathers and only a small scroll case falls to his feet.  Still curious, he looks at the scroll case then the rain of white feathers.  He picks up the scroll case and opens it.  He slides out the small message within.  With a small smirk, he castes a new spell onto it to enlarge the scroll to read.

He reads the scroll case and nods happily.  Often he pauses before rereading a passage then finally he reduces the scroll, which falls into a fold of space within a ring.

“It appears I must speak to Antus ir’Soldorak about the schema.” He says out loud but to no one.  Elaydren is near to the prize and nearer to solving the mystery.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 124
“Boddynoc and Asunder continue on”

Barrakas 21, 998

The thinking zombie now known as Boddynoc and the warforged known as Asunder climb the last hill of Darguun before reaching the Mournlands.  They stop and look at the massive cloud and wonder.  What has happened within the clouds this time?  Is Whitehearth still abandoned?  Or has House Cannith taken it back.  The artificer begins down the hill and Asunder follows.

“When we were here last we were chasing the Emerald Claw hoping to find the Rose Quarry and the clues within before them.  Do you remember that?”

“Yes” says the warforged fighter in a very simple tone.   He is uncertain if this is a good idea.  Where are the others?  Were they all killed by the fiend disguised as a cleric of the Silver Flame?  Does it matter?  He has a job to do again.  He has reason to be and things to do.  These are important also.

“Since I no longer need sleep and you never did allow us to continue.”  Says the gnome.  He takes a few more steps towards the mists then slows….”Is something wrong?”

“The mists are a foe we can not fight.  We can only hope it allows us to enter once more.”  Says the warforged while it stares at the mists that seem to swirl as if reaching for them.

“That is why we go together.” And impatient with the delay, he goes towards the mist once more.  Asunder follows.

The mists are just as confusing as before.  Boddynoc Grinkle marches in.  He climbs over the stonewall that he has encountered and then waits for Asunder.  Nothing.  He waits a moment longer then hears a crash.  He carefully moves to that direction but is certain to keep in mind the direction and turns he makes while doing so.

He finds the Warforged caught in a quagmire.  He walked into the wooden fence that kept others from walking to it and fell in.  The zombie looks around and finds a sturdy stick, possibly a quarter staff, and hands one end to the Warforged.  It is not easy but he does climb out.  “Be careful.  There are many obstacles and dangers within these mists.”

Boddynoc and Asunder walk a short ways then come to a large metal and wood cart.  Details are hard to make out within the mists.  There appear to be wheels on the 15x10 sled and it sits about 10 feet high.  “What have we here?” asks the curious artificer.  He has always enjoyed finding new magical creations and recently he has come to like the built for war ones also.  Warforged are still his favorite however.  He hopes to find missed clues at the Foundry to locate more Schema pieces and assemble them to unlock their secrets.

After several minutes of exploring Boddynoc has discovered what he has.  It is a land bound elemental driven craft that moves over land.  It is armored and has a place for two at the top to use wands to attack.  Looking inside he finds three wands remaining for this use.  He examines them.  Two have lost their magical might but the other has several charges remaining.  “Excellent- shall we?”

The Elemental bound armored cart slowly rides into through the mist.  It runs over and crushes walls, small sheds, an outhouse and many dead people.  A large lizard-dragon type of creature watches in dismay and doesn’t attack.  

“A new age begins.” Says Boddynoc as his yellow eyes look out through narrow slits between plating.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 125
“Rush Late-a-Lot Takes a Stand”

The warforged stood tall and proud.  He was facing three other warforged.  Though he was a member of the 87, he felt no obligation to the Lord of Blades.  He worked for anyone that would hire him.  He has worked for Karrnath once, Aundair twice and Cannith a few times.  Most recently he has worked for a dwarf in the Mror Holds.

“Your ward holds a map we require,” says the largest of the warforged fighters, “We will not take no for an answer.”

“I fear you must.  My new employer is a bit possessive and protective of his goods he has paid for.”

“He is meat.  He feels pain.  He fears death.  He is not worthy.”

“Save the speeches.  I will not return to your group nor your army.”

“The living mock you.  They have given you a name other than your created one, SN-34.  Rush Late-a-Lot is a mockery of your power.  You could and should crush them for it.”

“The name is true.  I do not consider it to a mockery.  The same special talents I have received from the enhanced foundry have also cursed me.  I may be greater than the standard forged being but I am eternally cursed to fail- “

“-And you will again!” and the three warforged draw their weapons.

“- doing it on a timely fashion.   Very well.  If you must.”

The three warforged fighters step up and attack.  Two make contact with their swords.  The third holds back as Rush’s eyes light up.  Suddenly the very gravity changes and the two closest warforged are driven to the ground.  The third warforged tries to attack but misses badly.  It is too concerned on how to battle this unpredictable brother.  Rush raises an arm and blasts a fiery beam of light into the standing but slowed warforged.  The energy withers around him and he goes down.

The other two slowly get up.  They stare with distrust and renewed respect for the strange warforged brother.  Rush opens his mouth and spits out foul smelling black acid.  It strikes one warforged and he falls backward and to the sides as his torso erodes away allowing his head and arms to fall to the side.  The last warforged looks on in fear.  “I will allow you to live but you must bring a message to your Lord.  Leave Kim Elderich alone.”

He blasts the last warforged with a beam of concussive energy and then pushes off the balcony into the icy waters of the Mirrored Lake.  The stunned warforged sinks quickly in the very deep lake.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/01/05
SEGMENT 126
“The Molten Room”

The party of five stop within the hallway connecting the magical rooms.  Cedious points out a loose stone that could act as a trap trigger. It is.  They go around the trap then rest.  During this time Vale and Taskerdoo team up to look at Black sand’s wounds from the Clay Golem.  They figure out how to better treat them then finally heal them.

In the morning Cedious looks over Taskerdoo’s map.  “I think this is dimensional- not as different parts but how we travel within the trap.”  Cedious looks at him like he has two heads.  “See how when we travel in circles the room themes seem to repeat every third time….”  He shows the rogue the map.  

“Squares …shouldn’t it be every four….?” Asks Cedious

Taskerdoo tries to fold the map.  It is awkward.  “See…?”  Cedious looks at him like he just grew a third head.

“So we will be entering a forest …again?”

“No.  It is a room we have never entered before …I think.”  

Cedious shrugs his halfling shoulders and turns to the door.  “Only one way to find out…”

Cedious is cautious at first.  He thinks he feels heat from the door.  He opens it and a rush of very hot and vapor filled air blows out quickly.  “Ugh!  It stinks worse than the cogs!”

The fumes and heat rush out at you as the door opens.  The acrid smell of molten metal and minerals is strong.  The rising heat stings the eyes as you look out before you.  Metal catwalks and chains form multiple levels and possible dangers.  Below –vats of super heated metal and debris flow beneath the catwalks.  Reddish orange molten liquid pours from the ceiling into smaller vats below.

This place is dangerous.

DM NOTE This was NOT inspired by Starwars

“You have got to be kidding me….”, Cedious lets out then recovers, “No problem.”

Logan snorts and grunts at the smell and heat.  Taskerdoo wishes they could back track but knows it can not be done.  Vale casts a spell onto himself to protect himself from the great heat.  History says he falls in.

Cedious looks through the fumes.  About ten feet from him is a suspended catwalk.  The chains look solid but the catwalk will undoubtedly swing and move if leapt onto.  Looking twenty feet, he wonders how well the catwalks will hold the wolverines weight and Black sands also.  Especially if jumped onto.  Cedious steps off the small 5x5 platform and falls onto and rolls to a gentle stop below.  “HOT!   OW! OW!”  The catwalk is mere inches above the molten material.  He quickly stands up and waves for the others to follow.  He begins to cough from the terrible toxic fumes of the molten metals and lava.  

Taskerdoo castes spider climb onto himself and he carefully walks down the sot-covered walls to a safe section away from Cedious.  Cedious begins to look panicked.  “Did you see that?!?”

“What?” calls out Black sands as he eyes and judges the jump required to reach the hanging catwalk.

“In the hot stuff-  red, scales and it had small wings…..”

Taskerdoo holds down his head.  “A dragon …at least it wasn’t an Iron Golem….  That would be bad.”

Cedious is nervous as he looks under his heat.  A loud clack and the sound of shaking chains can be heard as the ½ giant lands onto the side of the suspended catwalk.  “Metal is hot.” He says as he climbs over the rail onto the “safety” of the catwalk.  If he had fallen, he may fall onto the catwalk below but may also fall into the molten pool.  He is certain that would hurt and leave a mark.

“There’s two of them!” screams out the halfling rogue as he moves away from the two swirls in the molten material.

Then suddenly two red dragon wyrmlings rise out of the molten goo and flutter next to Cedious and Taskerdoo.  A third one tries to grab at Cedious but misses.  “Three!   Get down here Black sands!”


----------



## Solarious

A trio of red dragon wyrmlings in an environment that favours them.... It will be.... Entertaining. 

Of course, the Iron Golem, should it choose to make an apperance, is icing on the cake.


----------



## megamania

Sometimes the players should really keep their mouths shut ...... or was this destiny?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/01/05
SEGMENT 127
“Red Dragons”

Sharshek leaps out and just grabs a chain as he slips.  “Ahhhh!”  He pulls himself up as Black sands tries to walk to the far end to leap down to the area where two dragons are.

Vale leaps next and …misses.

Cedious strikes an incredible blow through the neck of the dragon that attacked him first.  Though not dead it twitches and can move very little as its spinal column is severed.  The next dragon wyrmling attacks.  Cedious avoids the worst of it as it bites, claws, swats and swings at him with very reaching weapon it has.  “This is a baby!  @#%&* no wonder the adults are so feared!”  

Black sands crashes down onto the catwalk.  It shakes and wobbles from the impact.  He attacks but misses.
The dragon doesn’t  “AAAARRRRGH!” as every strike hits tearing up the barbarian.

Sharshek climbs up the rail and makes his way to the opposite end of the suspended catwalk.  He looks over at the cleric.  He landed mainly on a catwalk but his legs are on the surface of the magma.  It is very hot and tests the limits of his spell as he struggles to climb up.  “Stupid cleric.  Only good for one thing and that’s healing….”   If Vale heard him he doesn’t show it.

Logan is powered up with Fists of Stone and he unleashes on the medium sized dragon.  The creature is driven into the metal catwalk.  Things break (bones AND metal rods) from the impact.  It attacks the Dire creature with anger and power that surprises Taskerdoo.  Like Cedious, he is surprised by the aggressive nature of the creature.

Sharshek leaps to a platform leading to a door.  His lungs hurt from the fumes and his heavy armor is becoming hot.  He hopes to be the first to leave.

Vale drags himself some but the molten goop sticks to him and his clothes.  It sizzles as it drips off of him onto the metal.  The spell better last a while longer he thinks in hurried horror.

Both Black sands and Cedious take damage from the dragons but then they kill off the creatures.  “My understanding of dragons suggests there is money here …riches…” says Cedious as he begins to search.  He ignores Vale whom is trying to scrap off the molten goop on the catwalk.  Logan destroys his opponent and Taskerdoo makes it clear they need to leave the room.  The very air is poisonous.

Cedious refuses until he finds something of value.  Vale ignores him and the equally greedy ½ giant and begins to make his way to Logan for help to leaving.  Sharshek has already opened the door and now threatens to close it.  Taskerdoo has no idea what would happen then and fears splitting the party forever within this trap.

Cedious’ patience pays off as he locates a burnt bag holding 1800 gold pieces and 6 amethyst which all go into the various dimensional bags they have.  They leave in a hurry coughing and covered in sweat and sot.

“Well …that sucked a bit.” Says Cedious within the safety of the hallway.  He looks for traps and finds none so they advance to the next room.  “Well….?” He asks of Taskerdoo.  “What will we see?”

Taskerdoo fumbles with his map.  “The stone walls …I believe…”

And indeed, this is where the hallway exists into.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/01/05
SEGMENT 128
“More Insight and Some Clues” 

The five adventurers stop in the direct center and look around.  Taskerdoo stares at the red “x” closest to him.  His brain is in overdrive today as he looks at the shape and recalls the red crystal he was given by the tree.  The others look around the mix of faces and limbs again.  Vale shakes off cooled molten minerals that clunk to the stone floor.  Black sands and Sharshek look around but are uncertain if there is something they are supposed to be looking for.

The druid goes through his pack and pulls out the crystal.

“Where did that come from?” asks Cedious.  He fears his fellow halfling may be keeping more from him.  At some point he needs to explore his pack and things ….real soon.

“I …found it in the water.”  Taskerdoo says while very distracted.  He is wondering if the red “x” and this red crystal in the shape of an “x” are somehow related.  He steps off of his mount to look closer.

“Were you going to tell me about it?” asks the rogue trying to appraise the gold value of the minerals.

“Yes …in time.  Do you think this has a purpose?”  He asks holding the crystal over the markings on the floor.

“Is there anything else?” asks the greedy halfling.

“No.” and He checks it out.  The sizes match.  He sucks in his breath and places it on the red engraving on the floor.

Nothing.

He looks to Cedious then quickly back as Cedious’ eyes go wide.  The crystal glows then sinks into the floor.  A moment goes by then something rises up from the floor.  A potion.  The red “x” is replaced with a mere etching of an “x” in the floor.  He picks up the potion (if only to do so before Cedious) and checks the other three crosses.  He studies the potion and wonders.  It is a healing potion.

The others watch in wonder and in Black sand’s case –boredom.  Taskerdoo then sorts out his pack to locate the emerald.  He tries that in the same spot.  Nothing.  He tries it in an existing red “x” and nothing.  He looks up at the wall.  100’s of faces look down at him.  Dragons, Giants, Humanoids ….a Dragon Turtle.   “Is there anywhere this emerald could fit?”

Cedious, having the best eyes, begins to search immediately. It takes him sometime but he does find something odd.  Over a door there is a face of a green dragon with no eyes.  Two hollow points exist there instead.  All of the other faces have eyes sculpted in.

“You figure it goes here?” asks Cedious.

“Yes.”

“Well?”

“Well nothing.  What if you need both eyes?  I have but one.  What if the dragon comes to life.  If missing an eye it will be angry.”  The others look at each other then him.  The Druid has lost it they think.  Cedious, a trap master (in his own mind) agrees and they wait.

“Cedious – do you see anything in the stones that looks familiar?”

“Huh…?”  He looks around and sees things that look vaguely familiar.  “I guess.”

“Do you see a fairy?   How about four goblins?”

He looks for five minutes and finds two goblins in a stance of nobility and a fairy and a Dragon Turtle.  When he sees the Sahuagin he begins to understand what Taskerdoo is thinking.  “The walls depict people or creatures here?”

“I think they are here …but so are others.  This trap couldn’t possibly hold ALL of these creatures?  I mean some of these are giants….”  The party becomes very still and quiet.

“Where to?” says the rogue.  He is very uncomfortable with the silence.

“Well …lets try …the swamp?”

“Which door?” asks Sharshek.

“That one.” He says pointing at an open mouth of an angry looking demon.


----------



## megamania

I was just wondering-  Does my including segments about behind the scenes / bad guys bother anyone?  Does it help the story?  Give it more depth?  

Just wondering.


----------



## Solarious

Yes, include the bits on the behind-the-scenes action! Even if no one else enjoys it, -I- will. 

And to answer the last two questions, yes, and yes. It is like cutscenes in which Darth Vadar chokes a subordinate to death or something, the story won't be the same without a bit of villianious plotting.


----------



## Cedious

*cries*
mega your totally lessoning the brilliance of cedious........i thought I/ ME was the one who made the map not the other friggin halfling....i think they should be asking ME where we are going next..   

besides all the druid is good for is telling his pet what to hit.... im still waiting for him to do somthing impressive.


----------



## Solarious

Don't kid yourself, Cedious. If you die, by some freak of chance (and that's the ONLY way he'll die! ), I'll be on the sidelines cheering on your soul as it departs for Dollurh.  Impartial death cheering and an unbiased sense of malevonence is a prerequisite for being able to use my  smilies so often. 

That, and I'm a sadist, how could you possibly blame me? All DMs are sadists to a degree... or need to be anyways.


----------



## Cedious

i just think it would be more...mmmmmm entertaining yeah yeah thats the word... if mega ACTUALLY wrote what i say and do. Im not asking him to base the story around me myself and cedious... wait yes i am im the leader damnit and i deserve the respect and admiration that comes with being a leader.....and the money yeah yeah money is good.... as the leader im now taking all of the party tresure insted of some of the party tresure


----------



## megamania

You both figured it out.  You were able to make it 3-D which was important to solving it.  As for perfection-  unless I tape the sessions- the 70hour work week has a way of sapping my memory so I piece it together as best as I recall while staying entertaining also.

Now ...how to deal with Taskerdoo and Logan if things go bad Friday .......



oh- and anyone else about the subplots and what the bad guys and others are doing?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/01/05
SEGMENT 129
“Time is a Problem it Seems”

Cedious leads the group around another trap and to the door.  He opens it and the buzz of 1000’s of flying insects can be heard.

“You wanted a swamp and you got a swamp.” Says Cedious.

Looking in, the air is thick with gnats, mosquitoes and flies.  The very room is a colossal swarm.  Cedious drops to the ground and looks around.  Taskerdoo and Logan come down next.  The trees here are all thick willow trees with moss.  The umbrella of vegetation could conceal anything within its hold, even another large elephant man.  Looking, Cedious sees a huge face hidden in the brush.  Clearing it, it is a face of a dwarf.  The head sits about 3x3 foot.  A lone lizard crawls over the bushy carved eyebrows.  If Cedious is curious at whom the sculpture represents he doesn’t voice it.  Taskerdoo merely notes there are others here.

There are at least a dozen busts and possible standing stones hidden within the willows and tall grass and hanging moss.  They look around even as Black sands and Sharshek drop into the soft earth behind them.  Vale more falls than jumps down (reminder- put points into Jump skill) but shakes it off.  The others have already moved forward without him.

A narrow but deep trough of swamp water flows along the five trees and the various stones.  Cedious hops over a narrow area with no effort.  Logan sloshes through then stops to sniff around.  The fighter and barbarian wander in a separate direction hoping not to cross the water directly.  Vale inspects the dwarven face.

Cedious stops and circles a willow.  Logan sniffs and growls quietly as Taskerdoo wanders what Cedious is up to this time.  He calls up a Detect Magic power and scans the area.  The very rooms and the five adventurers glow but that is all.  Then he hears Cedious speaking and something comes in and out of the detection range.  Someone, with magical items, is among them!

Cedious peers through the thick vegetation and sees something move.  A glint of armor or polished metal has caught his eye.  “Hello?” he says not expecting an answer.

“What brings you here?” comes a voice hinted with a hiss.

“Who is there?” says the halfling rogue suddenly on full alert.  He peers into the darkness caste by the willow tree.  A glow appears as the hiss of a sword being drawn can be heard.  Cedious already has his out.  Out steps a thin, almost gaunt lizardfolk with full plate armor on.

“I am Assath, I repeat myself – who are you?”  The lizardfolk has a walk and presence that reminds the rogue of the rich and riotous. 

“I am ..an adventurer.  What brings you …here?”  He begins to make motions to draw Taskerdoo over.

“A thief no doubt.  I and my strikeforce are here to destroy a great evil.”  The lizardfolk in metal armor lowers his sword but it remains readied as a precaution.

Cedious wonders where the others are when Logan sticks his nose through the willow’s hanging branches and sniffs a few times.  Suddenly he snorts projecting nasal fluid out as if unhappy with what he has sniffed out.  Using the wooden sword, Taskerdoo pushes aside the branches and looks at the source of magic he saw.  The weapon and armor are both magical.  “Hello.  I am Breland Taskerdoo and this is Logan.”  He quickly assumes this person is a paladin and worries about Black sands.

“I am Assath.  I am here to destroy a great evil.  You are also an adventurer?”

“Adventurer …ah yes.  Yes I am.”  The halfling druid / mage quickly begins to think about the tracks outside the trap and wonders about the role this paladin has here.  “What evil do you seek?  Is it a vampire?  We destroyed a vampire already.”

“The evil essence of a demon.  He was trapped within this prison and we came to kill it.  The defenses of the trap are very strong however.  In the three weeks we have been here- only myself remains.”

Taskerdoo doesn’t miss the time reference.  To have been here for mere weeks, tracks would have been left.  “How did you come in here?”

“We traveled across the cavern over the colored runes to a stone block.  We entered and have remained.  We battled many guardians and now only I remain.”

“How many rooms have you traveled?  Do you know how to leave?”  He looks up to where the door should be (35 feet up).

“Rooms?  We have traveled this swampy dimension for the first few weeks here.  When my comrades were killed I wandered until I came to these stones and decided to stay here.”

Cedious looks at Taskerdoo.  He thinks the lizard is crazy.  Taskerdoo thinks something else.

“What year is it?”

A suspicious look crosses the paladin’s eyes.  “668.”

“That is not weeks!” exclaims Cedious.

The paladin gives him a sharp look.   “You have an appearance I can not place.  Where do you originate from?”

“Talenta Plains.” Answers the druid / mage.

“Sharn.” Says Cedious with little enthusiasm.

“I have never heard of such places.”

“You have never heard of Sharn!?!” exclaims Cedious in disbelief and annoyance.  “Where have you been – in a cave?”

“In a way…”, whispers Taskerdoo, Where do you hail from?”

“Vigil.”

“Not what you are but…” Taskerdoo softly kicks the rogue.

“Where is that?”

“Vigil …,” it is the paladin’s turn to suspect serious confusion of the adventurers.  “Vigil is east of the beast lands, along the shoreline.”

“Beast lands …large reptiles……?”

The paladin tries to be certain these strangers are not liars.

“That is Talenta Plains in my ….tongue.  You said you came here in 668.  What were the other countries doing?”  The druid is beginning to understand the problem.

“The goblin nation is to the South West of Vigil….”  He is interrupted by Vale calling out for the location of Cedious and Taskerdoo.  “More…?”

“Why have you not left this swamp?” asks Taskerdoo.  He knows the next step will be difficult but also understands it is just a matter of time before the ½ giant arrives then who knows what will happen.

“The swamp is long and large.  I suspect the entire dimension may be a swamp.”

“Have you tried the door?” says the rogue in annoyance.  If he had thought of it, he would have asked for the half giant by now.

“There is a way out?”

“I hope so.”  Taskerdoo watches Cedious walk to the edge of the willow and point up to the door “floating” 35 feet up.

“I see nothing” says the Paladin.

“This may seem crazy,” begins Taskerdoo, “But could you walk about ten paces that way?”

The paladin looks at the druid trying to decide what the true purpose of this is but sees no harm forth coming so begins to walk.  When he reaches the “wall” he steps into it.  A visible ripple can be seen but the paladin doesn’t seem to notice that he is walking no where.  Taskerdoo suspects this paladin has somehow become a part of the trap.  He is suspended within time and space in such a way he is unaware of it.  

WHAT OF THEMSELVES?!?!

Suddenly the paladin whips his scaled head to the direct of the original door.  Taskerdoo had just begun to spider climb the wall to prove a point.  “How do you explain this?”

Trying hard to see through the haze created by the insects, the paladins answers quickly- “Flight.  Magical.  Something approaches.  Something …unkind to the world.”

Cedious and Taskerdoo turn to each other and mouth the name silently- Black sand.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/01/05
SEGMENT 130
“Lawful Good vs. Chaotic Bad”

“Who is the reptile?” asks Black sands as he sticks his head into the willow.

“Who is this creature?”  The paladin’s eyes turn purple.

“uh-oh.” Sighs Taskerdoo.

“Action…” smirks Cedious.

Sharshek and Vale are still on the wrong side of the creek to notice anything but they do hear the barbarian’s voice.

“Is this creature a companion of yours?”

“What of it?!?” says the barbarian as his full 8 foot plus frame enters the area.

“He was hired by Cannith to help us.” The druid quickly says hoping to stop a fight.

“You have a problem with me scales?” says the ½ giant as shows the paladin his sword.

Cedious finds a nice dry and flat stone to sit on and gets out his pack.  His dried spiced meat should be a good show snack.

Taskerdoo tries to get Logan to separate them but it is too late.  They face each other.  Each judges the other, one through magic and the other through attempted intimidation.

Vale and Sharshek wade through the deep creek and arrive just as the ½ giant steps so close to the lizardfolk that when he breathes, the forked tongue licks the chest of the barbarian.

“Arhhhhhhhhhhh” the barbarian steps back to swing.  The eyes of the paladin turn purple and suddenly Black sands can not see very well.  He swings anyway.  A satisfying smack and grunt is heard as the paladin is struck.

“Wait!” yells Taskerdoo hoping to avoid this.  He knows this paladin could be a great deal of help.

Vale begins to caste a spell to stop the fighting even as the druid does.  But before either can say the final word or give the final motion, the paladin strikes.  The sword cuts deeply twice, the bite stings, the tail slap hurts and the claw draws blood.  Still unsteady from the dragon attacks, Black sands finds himself in trouble.

Suddenly webs spread out across their area.  Black sands becomes entangled but the nimble paladin easily avoids it and takes down the encumbered barbarian.  He stands on the brute to avoid the magical webs.  Then a small pebble falls into the area and darkness spreads.  Vale hopes to balance the battle but the paladin’s hyper senses allow it to know where everyone is.

Cedious pours out some water to drink.  “Go Black sands!  Go Lizard guy.”

“You are enjoying this?”

“I was there when Boddynoc decided to fight a holy roller.  I sat that one out also.  I’m here, he isn’t.”

Sharshek sits down and asks for a drink.

Vale, annoyed, wonders what else he can do.  He is a healer.  Not a combatant.

Black sands cries out again as the paladin strikes him again.  The darkness disappears as Vale wishes it away.  This is not going well.

Revealed is the paladin with his blade at the barbarian’s throat asking everyone to stop.  The ½ giant is feigning entrapment within the webs. 

“Can we discuss this-   ?” pleads the druid.

“This is an evil creature.  I sense his evil.  I…”  Distracted, Black sands grabs at the weapon and easily pulls it free of the paladin.  The paladin’s armor crackles as he steps back.  Listening carefully, the barbarian decides where to strike and grabs the paladin to hurt him.  Instead electrical currents course through him.  Smoking he stumbles back a step or two into the webs once more.  

“Have you seen enough?” asks Sharshek to the rogue as he puts his remaining food and water away.

“Yup.” And now pulls out his rapier once more and makes a wide circle around the combatants.

“We need each of you to escape-   NO !” yells out the druid.

Cedious cleans his blade and returns to his rock.  The paladin is dead.

“His sword is mine.” Says the barbarian and no one disagrees.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/01/05
SEGMENT 131
“Dangerous Dice Dan Dunworth of Stormreach”

“Stormreach rises over the harbor, the only apparent evidence of civilization along this otherwise jungle coastline.  Great stone buildings form the foundation of the trade city, though all manners of smaller wood structures fill in the gaps between the large structures.  A stout stone wall surrounds the city, a complex series of docks and wharves connect the city to the sea.”                        [From Grasp of the Emerald Claw]

The earliest discoverers and settlers have claimed the remains of ancient giant structures.  The tall and massive stone buildings were cleared of the dangerous animal inhabitants and filled with ramps and new wooden and bamboo floors to create sturdy homes.  As new settlers came wood and bamboo structures were built outside the stone structures.  Some of these created a maze-like wall as they were between stone structures.  They used the sturdy stone foundations as supports.

Zoberraz* remembers when others lived here.  She remembers the tribes of dark skinned and cursed elves known as the Zuccutuni  and the Ven’dril.  She hopes what killed them will someday punish these new settlers whom brazenly use these structures to infiltrate Xen’drik.  But for now it has a purpose.  She needs to stop the Emerald Claw, Cannith houses and Warforged from finding the tomb of Xulo.  She can do only so much of this by herself.  However, the ants that now occupy the ruins may be able to help her.

She circles once more over the ruins.  She enjoys the masses looking up in awe and many pointing.  Some in proper fear of her.  Then she lands within the jungle nearby.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Stormreach has many businesses other than the collection of artifacts and relics.  Some are fair and trustworthy.  Most are not.  Dice Diversions are not.

“Dangerous Dice” Dan Dunworth is a very good gambler and rumored to wield probability magic.  He only plays dice games against explorers new to the settlement.  All others know better than to test their luck against him.  Since new money laden explorers come daily, he does very well for himself.  He is also a very good troubleshooter.  He never asks questions.  He is a sturdy man of his forties with a wardrobe of colorful feathered hats he collects from native birds here that he also collects and sells.

His office is built into an upper level of a stone structure that overlooks much of the bay.  From here, he watches ships come and go and records this information.  He has learned many will pay for this kind of information.

He saw the dragon coming with purpose over the horizon.  Perhaps this is why when a woman dressed in a blue exotic dress of glass coins appears at his door he is not alarmed.  His guards should have let him know someone was coming at the lower levels.

“Dunworth?” she purrs.

“You may stop with the magical charms.  This specific area is warded against them.  What may I do for you?”  He pours himself and another shot of a dwarven Whiskey and offers one to her.  She waves a no and downs hers then sits with the other shot, the bottle in easy reach.

“I am aware of the wards.  I seek someone to detain several factions from entering the jungles.”  She reaches to a large obsidian and ironwood chair placed so that Dan can monitor the door and watch the person sitting.  It weighs over 500 pounds.  With one hand she slides it before the desk then gently sits.

Dan was right.  It’s the dragon.

“Detain?  Why?”

“If paid- does it matter to you?”

“Maybe- depends on how much money we speak of and the task.  You spoke of factions.”

The Emerald Claw will be sending several groups here within the year.  House Cannith may be there also.  Both need to be stopped.”

Dan likes the odds.  They are against him.  It will be a good test of his abilities.  “How much?”

From virtually no where, she reaches from behind herself and presents a pouch with blue diamonds.  Dan does his best not to leap from his chair.

“Then you will accept?”

“Tell me more Blue.”



* Blue Dragon guardian   Segment 108


----------



## Cedious

Cedious Sings " i feel pretty ohhh sooo pretty i feel pretty and witty.....and errrrrrrrr"      w00ps


----------



## Solarious

I love the way Black Sand interacts with Paladins. Head on collision, whoever walks away afterwards wins!  And to the victor, goes the spoils! 

On the other hand, we see things building up for Grasp!  Now I get to laugh along as people who don't step lightly become a part of my dead peoples collection.


----------



## Cedious

ummm actually black sands was about to die......until cedious got tired of watching and decided to kill the paladin.....so im the victor but he still gets the sword.... that does not seem fair to me


----------



## Solarious

Psh. Details.


----------



## silvertable81

Cedious, I've thought of a new feat you'll just HAVE to take.

*Silent but Deadly    (General)* 

  When you are eaten by a dire wolverine, it gets gas.


----------



## Cedious

LOL im not scared of your wolverine... just like im not scared of anyone or thing else mwhahahahahahaha. well actually i think cedious might think twice before stepping into a gold and bling blingy room again, that was a little to close for comfort in the HP department 

i think i might go into shadowdancer just think of all the fun i could have with that


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> i think i might go into shadowdancer just think of all the fun i could have with that




The sobbing you hear in the background is the DM trying to figure out how to contain the wretched halfling thief


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> The sobbing you hear in the background is the DM trying to figure out how to contain the wretched halfling thief



 Now, now there. *pats your back* He'll roll a 1 against a _Dominate Person_ spell one of these days, I promise you. 

Then you can let Garrow have his way with him. In whatever manner you choose to. 

Please, no smut jokes. -_-; We can keep things relatively civilized, can't we? I was thinking along the lines of offering him as a sacrifice to one of those wayward Daelkyr, ya know.


----------



## megamania

naw-  just have him volenteer for a Mark of Justice with the Silver Flame Fanatics.  If he ever steals, lies or cheats he become cursed with a mark on his forehead and -6 to a stat and rolls and checks.

Well=- today is game day.  Sunday I'll be posting (or Monday   -between work and and another game group I belong too.)

Already working on next three storys.

Monster Mash  The return to the Mournlands
Outpost #51    A forgotten Cannith Outpost thought destroyed (location to another piece)
- plot to unite pieces
Xen' drik         Jungle and final resting area for Creation Schema
- side adventure within Xen' drik


----------



## megamania

The explored as of 10/01/05    F= Molten Room


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/15/05
SEGMENT 132
“The Worshipping Undead Wight Monk”

Once more the group of adventurers are forced to rest within the believed security and safety of the mysterious hallways that connect the rooms.  Spells need to be relearned and wounds dealt with and healed.  No one speaks about the events with the Paladin.  Some think about it however.  Was he a possible guide?  Could he have helped?  Was it wrong to kill him?  Was he really a paladin?  Is a ham sandwich better on rye or wheat?

Feeling rested and fully healed, the group gathers up their goods and wait at the door.  “What are we about to face?” asks Sharshek.

“We left in a hurry.  I’m not sure.  After here I should be able to figure it out.”  Answers Taskerdoo.

The rogue peeks through the door.  “Pyramid.”

He opens the door fully and indeed the stone stairs of the pyramid appear before them.  It is dark still as the only light is cast from glowing moss and lichen.  Soft chanting can be heard from somewhere inside.

“What is that?”

“I’m not sure says Taskerdoo.  Chanting of some sort.  I can’t make out the language, much less the words.”

“Com’on!” yells the halfling rogue as he hops up the first set of stairs.

“Follow the runt.” Says Black sands as he watches him go higher up the pyramid.

Taskerdoo and Logan go to the right to look around.  Sharshek goes after Cedious.  Black sands takes to the stairs and the cleric stops at the doorway.  “undead” he says to himself.

The chanting becomes louder and wilder.  Then the chanting becomes clear-  “We hear   We come   We protect”  it is repeated over and over.  Even as Cedious begins the top set of stairs the sounds of scrapping stones can be heard.  Taskerdoo watches as skeletal hands push up and away stone covers all around the pyramid.

“Skeletons are coming out of the woodwork!” he yells.  The cleric already has his holy symbol readied and moves towards the nearest undead climbing out.

At the top of the stairs, Cedious looks at a pale skinned gaunt humanoid wearing robes.  Its eyes glow red when they open.  Suddenly everything goes black even as Sharshek catches up with him.  “Dammit!” he yells.

The top half of the pyramid appears to have been covered in a darkness spell even as Cedious and Sharshek reached the top.  A dozen heavily armored skeletons advance on the rest of the party.

“The purity of my soul, imagination and prayer wills you away!  Go back-  Back  BACK!” yells the cleric as a handful of skeletons begin to surge forward.  They stop, hesitate then walk away to the backside of the pyramid.  That was five of six.  The other gets in his face.  

Cedious, unable to see swings blindly at where he saw the figure.  He misses.  Sharshek does this also and hits.  The creature swats him several times doing minor damage.  However, he feels tired or fatigued from the hits (he passed by role-play it as tiring effect).

Black sands find a grouping of four armored skeletons and goes at them.  He destroys one but not the next.  “These are not your average skeletons!” he yells.

Logan paws at one.  “Yeah- they are heavily armored.” Yells Taskerdoo the druid / mage halfling.

“Ugh.” He grunts when hit, “No- they are resistant to damage.” The ½ giant barbarian says with a smile on his face.

The cleric is not smiling.  The skeleton on him has struck him once and keeps after him.  The cleric is unable to mutter up much of an offence (AC 22 total).

Cedious has no idea what he is facing.  It has yet to even occur to him that it is an undead.  He just knows it has yet to hit him and he can’t seem to hit it and it is magically dark here.  Then when hit, he feels the attempted draining of his life and knows it is undead.  He steps back to locate his holy water and throws that in the general direction of the creature.  It hisses as it steps into the fluid.

Black sands destroys more skeletons and Logan destroys the two he was attacking.  He can see the cleric is in trouble. He goes there next.

Sharshek misses then hits.  He is slapped around again, once very hard.  His voice calls out through the darkness-  “This thing is pissing me off!”  and with that he misses again.   Their wild swinging is keeping the creature wary but it still ducks in and strikes between blows.  Cedious tries his decanter again but finds it is not working so well this time.


Finally they hear a satisfying thud as the creature goes down from a solid blow from Sharshek.  Cedious feels around in the magical dark.  He finds the body (ugh!) and a small pebble.  He picks it up.  As his fingers wrap around the pebble the darkness disappears.  

OOC:   Clinton-   “I have a new toy!”    DM- “uh-oh”

Black sands and Logan destroy the remaining skeletons including the ones cowered by the cleric's power.  Taskerdoo goes to Cedious.  “What do you have?”

He pulls it out of his pocket and opens and closes his hand to show how it works.  “It will wear off and become a regular stone soon enough.”

“But the creature didn’t caste a spell on it.  I think it had it on him and dropped it to use it.”

“As in a PERMANENT darkness spell?!?”

OOC:  Clinton has been talking about a few classes to use next-  Shadow Dancer or Warlock.  He now knows. As a Warlock, he can see in a darkness spell.  With his attacks and Rogue abilities he just may have powered up to be a problem.  I, as DM- We will need to roll play that in some how to become a warlock (hoping to deter him from it   Bill- “a Warlock gets his  powers through infernal blood- just look at how the F***** rolls.  He already has it!”              wonderful.

There is nothing of additional use on the wight or the skeletons so the group begins to look for doorways.  It is easy enough to find.  Cedious is hesitant to enter.  He remembers the Trapper all too well.  The lowest chamber is forced open and Taskerdoo enters.  The first room is empty so he continues in.  There are four stone coffins just like before.  He looks back once to see if anyone is following.  Cedious is at the doorway watching for trouble (trappers) while the others are finishing their searches of the skeletons for anything of use.

Logan pushes up and forces the lid high.  It is heavy then suddenly shows resistance.  He pushes again and suddenly it pops free.  What he missed was the chain that connected the lid to something inside.  The second push has popped a stopper off and something murky rises out.  Cedious hurries over to help.  The smoky creature surrounds Logan and Taskerdoo.  

Fearing it is a vampire, Cedious uses another vial of holy water and throws that at the smoke.  It shatters on the stone and splashes through the smoke onto the Dire Wolverine.  Nothing.  He sighs and pulls out his rapier.

Together they defeat the creature (Belker) and begin to search the rest of the stones.  Cedious finds one filled with clear fluid.  Three glass bottles with glass stoppers are at the bottom of it.  There is two scrolls and a ring within.  He takes in a deep breath and reaches in.  The acid bubbles and scalds him (ring of acid resistance aids him greatly) and he pulls out the three bottles.  The ring has an etched feather on it and he correctly guesses it to be a ring of Feather Fall.  The scrolls are- Acid Resistance and Cure Moderate Wounds.

The other two are empty and they step out to enter the smaller room above.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/15/05
SEGMENT 133
“Another Piece Closer”

Cedious searches this room.  His fear of trappers appears to be gone.  Looking around he finds a secret door.  He opens it and finds- inscriptions.  “What is this?” he asks.

Taskerdoo looks at it.  “Draconic”

If you wish to proceed
Then you need to answer
Then the door will concede

“Look around.  There has to be more.”

“Here-“ says Cedious as he locates it.

Still in Draconic-

Our assault started
At the beginning of time
A tireless army
Marching in line
As each of us dies
Our reinforcement makes breach
Millions of warriors
Invading the beach

Taskerdoo sighs.  “Waves”

The door opens and behind it is three potions of Cure Moderate wounds and a red crystal in a shape of an “x”.  “Another X for the sculpture room.”

They carefully put this away into their bags.  “Where to?” asks Cedious and Taskerdoo at the same time.  They look at their notes and decide to go in a direction that they believe will allow them to enter the Swamplands again.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/15/05
SEGMENT 134
“Drogan’s Sorrow”

While going through the hallway connecting the rooms Cedious offers the remaining beads of Feather Fall to the party.  They all turn to the cleric and give them to him.  He is annoyed at the universal believe that he needs this the most but also is quick to accept them.

After finding no traps, they proceed through to what they hope is the swamplands.

It is.

The trees are covered with vines and hanging moss.  The ground is flooded and muddy.  Cedious floats to the grounds and sinks to his ankles in the mud.  He smiles knows the others will hit and sink much more than his lighter magically light body.

Taskerdoo and Logan leap into the tree and crash through it.  The others drop into the mud becoming stuck and have a hard time walking within the quagmire.   Listening carefully, the druid can hear the sounds of many crocodiles.  Looking at the watery floor this is very bad.  “Be careful where you walk guys.  This place is full of gators and other dangers.”

“Like those” says the barbarian whom looks at the lily pads that are dangerously close to where they jumped.  "“ know those-  they have tentacles that they attack with.  I think they are called Red Colonies."” CC page 151.  They avoid it easily.

Taskerdoo takes interest in the obelisk he has spotted under the tree he has leapt into.  He goes to check it out.  It is leaning as the foundation is sinking over time.  “Careful- that is a dangerous flower/” he says as Cedious pulls at the vines with white blossoms on it.  He is curious about it also.  Black sands looks at it.  In draconic it reads-



This monument has been erected to the remembrance of all that have and will die.  I am truly sorry it had to be this way but there are things best left alone

Drogan the Builder  


“Sorry….?”  Says the druid whom suddenly leans back as Logan leans forward to duck his head.  Black sands curses at it and begins to destroy it in anger.  “IF I EVER SEE YOU I’LL ……” and he keeps swinging and kicking at it.  Details are not required as the intent is clear.

Black sands is frustrated by this trap and wants out.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/15/05
SEGMENT 135
“What Did Happen to Elaydren’s Second Team?”

The shifter successfully led the team around the Hill giants and it was only a matter of days before reaching the Dark Hills.  This was easy money.  Once this mission was over, his life dept would be over to Captain Grappler.  Damn that human for pulling him out of the ooze and paying for his two legs and hand to be regrown.

Then he stops.  Something in the air.  The cold makes some smells stand out.  The smell of the undead is among these to him.

The shifter carefully moves up to the edge of a clearing.  He is amazed by what he sees.  A sky craft heavily damaged and tied to a large standing stone in the field.  He eyes it further and sees the emblem of the Emerald Claw.  The shifter can’t help himself.  He growls and the hair rises on his back and neck.  He was put into that prison where he was almost consumed by an ooze because of them.  

The shifter watches and spies on the crew.  There are a dozen soldiers and many skeletons.  A large barrel chested man seems to be in charge.  The ship shows signs of fire damage.  So why does he smell undead?

Suddenly he hears something rushing through the forest behind him.  He turns and sees a deer running in utter fear.  “What the ….”   Then he can hear yells and the sound of their warforged warlock releasing energy.  The shifter takes off knowing his party is under attack.

It takes him I minute to reach them.  What he sees amazes him.  Several Hill Giant skeletons are attacking the party.  Skeletons of animals and other humanoids also are arriving at the melee also.  He sees several Emerald Claw soldiers surrounding a mage.  That is the source of the necromancy he can sense and smell.

He surveys the land and sees Fodder is dead, their rogue.  Gabby is dead, their mage.  Jax is down but not dead.  He was their psychic warrior.  Cannon is hard pressed.  He is their warforged warlock.  It takes a moment to find Grappler.  Then he sees he is everywhere.  One of the skeletons is a troll and it remembers a favorite tactic.

Cannon steps onto a soft area and the ground collapses under him.  Possibly an underground cave or sinkhole.  The area is full of these natural and unnatural tunnels.   So far they do not see him.  Since Grappler is dead, they will not.  

The shifter ranger takes to the forest and blends in quickly.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/15/05
SEGMENT 136
“Cannon and Quickclaw”

The Emerald Claw attack took place on the surface two days ago.  The shifter has returned to the site and now seeks the only possible surviving member of the team- Cannon.

The smell of the undead was better than this he thinks.  It can be from only one thing.  A Khyber Pit.  

He entered the underground maze of natural tunnels yesterday.  These tunnels are from lime deposits that have eroded from underground rivers and spring spill-overs.  Other tunnels are from the local Bulettes and Umber hulks that wander the earth in this region.  Some are made by the druids and other forest humanoids looking for protection from the surface dwellers.

He found where Cannon fell in about three hours ago.  He fell into a deep crack in the earth that led to an underground dry river.  The smells suggest creatures from Khyber.  These could be simple aberrations to Beholders or Mindflayers.  However, these smell of something worse.  Fiends.

Then he finally finds Cannon.  The warforged in caught in a huge web.  Looking at it, it is not a web like any spider he has seen before.  This web has the touch of ....Khyber within it.  Moving closer but so as to be hidden and silent the Shifter ranger looks to get a better view.  He sees a large spider with a strange emblem or tattoo on its body.  Details can not be made out as the creature’s bristles largely cover it.
The spider seems to be studying the warforged warlock.  Perhaps it has bitten him to poison him and waits for him to stop moving.  If so, it has a long wait.

Another spider appears through a glowing crack in the earth.  It stops and looks at the caught warforged.  It turns and faces the other spider as if to speak to it.  Suddenly the one spider attacks the first one and tears it apart!

Cannon takes this moment to stop feigning being poisoned and begins to thrash about within the web.  Its actions are tearing the very webs free of the rock walls suspending him over the darkness.  “Cannon- No!”

And it tears free and falls into the darkness.  Then Quickclaw realizes his mistake too late.  The other spider has already begun climbing towards him.


----------



## Solarious

*singsong voice* Tee hee. You're in the trap now, no way ooooouuuutttt.... 

On the other hand, the emergence of yet another Khyber Pit and the adventures of Quickclaw and Cannon prove to be an adequete diversion.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10/15/05
SEGMENT 137
“Hill Giants vs. Emerald Claw”

“Tok Tu Goth.  Taj Jukka?”

“Do you speak giant gibberish my dear Karrion?” asks Keltis as he stands before several large Hill Giants guarding the entrance to Dark Hills.

“No.  But he can.”  The necromancer looks back and a large skeleton walks forward.  The soldiers and other undead part for it.  “What has it said dear Grindbase?”

Through the mental contact she has with the skeleton, she is translated the words of the living hill giant.  “The oaf wants to know our purpose.”

Keltis smiles.  “We come for Vol.  We come to unlock the secrets of  Drogan’s Trap.  Tell him that.”

“I fear my skeleton lacks the voice to do so.  I will try how ever.”  Karrion Kold looks up to the Hill Giant and tries to bluff diplomatically.  “Guff Duff Towanna.  Got Milk Data?”

The Hill Giant stares at her.  He is uncertain why she wants to see him seek enlightenment through dancing.  “Hah!  Du Rotta!” and the Hill Giant laughs.

Through her link she understands he thinks she trying to make jokes.  Being the warm and fuzzy person she is, she mentally commands the undead to attack.  She uses the only work in Giant she knows- “Brok!” (Die!)

More Hill Giants rush out from the surrounding forest and suddenly the Emerald Claw realizes this was a mistake.  The battle is gruesome and long.  The claw wins if only because a dead Hill Giant becomes a force for her to use as a weapon.

“I truly love your cold and deadly methods my lover.”  Keltis says holding his badly wounded arm to his side.

A soldier comes up-  “We need to seek shelter.  Another storm comes. “

“This will be the third blizzard in the past two weeks.  The very weather has decided to try to stop us.  It will fail.  Nothing can stop the Claw and Vol.  Nothing.”

“Secure the air ship and follow us Captain Davdoor.  We will use the Dungeon entrance as our shelter.”

And with that, they travel through the blood stained snow towards their goal-  Drogan’s Trap and the Creation Schema.


----------



## megamania

And in the news...


----------



## Solarious

Looks like Cedious will get a new chance to moon the members of the Emerald Claw once more. Joy.


----------



## Cedious

LOL, ohhh great another group to play with inside the trap wh0000p deee doooo, from now on im killing everything.....chopping down the trees, flooding the all the places....not sure how that will work with the water room but ohhh well.. 
I just wanna get out of the trap.... find a bar...... moon more people..... use a khyber pit in ways other then specified on the directions.... and errr many meaningless ecounters from the opposite sex. 
Maybee even try my luck with the freaky necro chick thats hanging with keltis.....he is all kinds of wrong for that women.....she needs a real man.....and man thats half as tall but twice as good as anyother man (in his own mind that is).


----------



## Solarious

You would get along just fine with my Dread Necromancer. You know, the one with an at-will touch attack that sucks life out of your body, inflicts hideous diseases, causes wounds to spontaneously form, and leech the vitality out of your soul...

Actually, you would probably be better off looking for someone else now that I think about it.


----------



## megamania

perverts...


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> perverts...



 I prefer the descriptor 'creative' and 'constructive discouragement'.  Although since Cedious has already proved vampiric-friendly, we're going to have to see about that.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10 / 29 / 05
SEGMENT 139
“Death Within the Party”

The barbarian stops swinging and throwing pieces of the stonework long enough for Taskerdoo to search for any thing possibly contained within the structure.  Nothing.  So he throws smaller pieces into the water.  Then they all stop as they feel it.  

The air is thick with moisture.

Any cloth they have is wet.  Their hair sticks to their foreheads as if they were just in the water.  Then Cedious spots the first figure.

“Hah!  It’s a zombie!”  He turns to look around again and says, “Go get it guys.”

“There are three of them.” Adds Sharshek as he draws his blade.

“No challenge in that …even for one of us.”

Vale looks these undead over carefully.  “These are not normal zombies.  The moisture – it is their doing.” He tries to turn them but none leave.  Instead one goes directly for him and the other two go for the closest member to them- Logan and Taskerdoo and they attack!  (all passed the drowning area attack)

“Faster than normal!” yells Taskerdoo as Logan takes a series of serious blows from these undead.

Black sands and Cedious go to support the cleric whom has proven to be less than able when it comes to defending himself.  Each hit they land causes a spout of water to pour out of the wound.  The water is oily and diseased from the undead flesh.  “Ugh! That’s disgusting!”

Taskerdoo powers up his Dire Wolverine but the two creatures begin to pummel the wolverine that will NOT leave them no matter what (enraged).  Bones can be heard breaking.  Taskerdoo suddenly realizes his mount is about to be killed!  Logan and he land a few blows that cause similar leaks to appear on the undead.

Vale begins to release Searing Light on the undead.  It spits foul fluid as the light tears through its side.  Black sands lands a powerful blow and Sharshek cuts a piece free.  Cedious pokes a new hole in its back allowing more fluid to spill.  “I can’t believe this!  Its still up!” he exclaims.

Meanwhile, Logan goes down as the TWO Drowned continue to pummel the Dire Wolverine.  Taskerdoo is forced to leap into the water or face their combined might.

Vale notes some of the wounds are sealing up.  “They heal!”

“Doi!  Water undead within water.” Mutters Cedious.  Black sands becomes enraged and lays a serious blow nearly cutting the creature in two. Then turns to see the matted hair floating in the water that is the nearly dead Logan.

The undead face him and the others while Taskerdoo pulls out a potion for his well liked mount.  It stabilizes it.  (went from –9 to –6).

More Searing light blasts and many blows later another Drowned goes down.  The moisture within the air lessens as only the one remains.  Another potion and Logan returns to wishes to fight again. (+1 hp).  He smashes and bites the Drowned Zombie and tears it apart.  

Snorting he wobbles.  His rage has been spent.  He collapses and dies.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> You would get along just fine with my Dread Necromancer. You know, the one with an at-will touch attack that sucks life out of your body, inflicts hideous diseases, causes wounds to spontaneously form, and leech the vitality out of your soul...




Sounds like my wife


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10 / 29 / 05
SEGMENT 140
“More Confusion ”

Taskerdoo mourns briefly.  Another force of nature downed trying to aid him.  Nature will provide him another.  But will it within the magical area they are in?  This trap has proven to defy nature.  The dimensions suggest it may be outside the normal prime material plane.  Time seems off also.  Some of the creatures they have faced seem to be thousands of years old but believe they have been here less than a month.  

What of themselves?

“Hey Taskerdoo-  You may want to see this.” Calls out Cedious as he is checking over the three zombie bodies.

“I found this on the body of a zombie.”  He hands it to the halfling druid.

He carefully unfolds it and looks at it.  “It’s a pay voucher.  So what.”

“Look closer.” Says Vale.

“I don’t see what the …..1002   ?   But its 998!”

“Could he be from another time period?   Like the lizard guy?” asks Black sands.

“No.  This is a pay voucher from House Kundarak.  This takes place in the future.”

Everyone stops what they are doing and stares at each other in disbelief.


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> Sounds like my wife



 I thought all women were like that.  

No! Wait! I was Kidding! Put that away! STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU MADWOMAN!

 AARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10 / 29 / 05
SEGMENT 141
“Azers”

The party leaves the swamps and exit looking to rest and power up before re-entering the Forge Room.
Everyone heals up and prepares for the worst.  Assuming they picked the correct doorway, they will be entering a room that is deadly just to be within.  Also, it seems to harbor creatures that are immune to the conditions. Taskerdoo seriously expects an Iron Golem to make an appearance.

Rested and respelled (minus an animal companion / familiar) they gather up at the doorway to leave.  Cedious slowly opens the door and feels the heat and smells the fumes immediately. He sees movement below so he opens it more and sees a bunch of burning humanoids or dwarves.  It appears to be a slave camp as there are guards everywhere watching over the workers.

Cedious passes it on then drops to the catwalks below.  The guards turn and the workers move away.  Then Black sands drops down causing the catwalk to ripple and crack in a few spots.  Vale, wearing the lizard creature’s armor, which is incredibly light, drops in next after powering up.  He still falls in such a way to hurt himself.

[DM NOTES:  Some day he will succeed]

As Sharshek and Taskerdoo step up to the doorway suddenly bursts of flame appear on the short area of catwalk there.  These bursts then move on their own.  Fire Elementals!  Meanwhile, below, the rogue, cleric and barbarian face the heat and attacks of several fighters including some on the catwalks that throw spears at them.   With a big smile Cedious comments on the trouble they are in then coughs violently.  The air is toxic.

Sharshek takes down two elementals but another appears.  Knowing this is wrong, Taskerdoo searches the catwalks and finds the answer.  A cleric!  He spider climbs out and takes cover under the catwalks as he moves to attack the Azer Cleric whom is on the third level overlooking everyone.

Vale powers up Black sands with Bull Strength even as he enrages.  The Azer fighters are tough!  He turns to caste a spell of heat resistance to the rogue but he is moving away already to attack from behind.

The elementals are defeated and Sharshek, as last time, decides it is better to prepare his leaving so as not to hold up the group (or fall into the lava / molten debris below).

A summoned Dire Rat tries to attack Taskerdoo through the rungs of the catwalk.  He carefully keeps enough distance to avoid the diseased creature but still get cover from the Clerics attacks.  He then castes his own spell and the Cleric loses some wisdom.  Though Taskerdoo took damage from delivering the touch attack.  The Azer and his armor is HOT.

DM NOTES:   [Already used highest spells- no loss]

The cleric suddenly leaps from his perch and grapples the surprised druid whom is spider climbing the wall.  The cleric bear hugs him and laughs at him.  All the druid can do is scream, as the Azer is burning him alive.

Below the Azer fighters have run out of spears so they are charging down the catwalks and ladders to reach the invaders.  The Dire rat, disappointed that one halfling has left his reach, spots another and rushes off to nip at the heels of that one.  With enough heat protection, they are fine and battle their way through the guards.  They take some damage but not nearly as much as the Azers.

The Azer cleric continues to squeeze the halfling and burn him.  With nothing to lose, Taskerdoo lets go.  The Azer no longer laughs as his armored weigh turns them over and it is he that strikes the metal catwalk 60 feet below.  The impact is enough to bend and pop several rods.  Stunned, he lets go of the halfling whom rolls off and finds the increased heat and fumes of being so close to the molten material overwhelming.  He passes out.

Black sands rushes over leaving a wounded fighter and a rat for Cedious and Vale to deal with.  Once he leaves, the workers turn and attack them!  “Aw Com’on!” yells Cedious as he kills the rat.  Against his better judgement, Sharshek climbs to the bottom of the catwalk, hangs off it to insure his placement and drops behind the workers.  Bad for the traitorous workers.

The cleric, knowing he can not face the ½ giant alone rolls into the lava hoping to avoid him.  He forgot one thing.  He is immune to its heat but still needs to breathe.  Black sands pushes the clerics head under the molten surface until he stops kicking.  Then holds it further whistling the whole time.

They make haste to search and leave.  They find a leather bag that resists the heat, several gems within the bag and a magical ring that allows the cleric to levitate.

They carefully work and clamor their way into the doorway exit (no more spider climbing Logan whom carried even the heaviest member with ease)  Inside the hallway, the close the door and sigh thinking they can rest.

“Tok Tark Anor”

Black sands translates- “You may not pass here unless we tear you apart!”

Turning to see whom spoke Giant, they see twin Ogres in armor and wielding large spiked clubs.


----------



## Solarious

Tasker is down. They all have burn scorches. No time to heal. _Poisonious fumes!_

*cue spooky voices and wavey special effects*

Now *Ogres*! Will this finally wipe a certain cocky shorty off the face of the Dragon Between?


----------



## Cedious

Solarious said:
			
		

> Now *Ogres*! Will this finally wipe a certain cocky shorty off the face of the Dragon Between?




Lol mega wishes it could be that easy


----------



## Solarious

Cedious said:
			
		

> Lol mega wishes it could be that easy



 Silence, dimunitive one (in more than one way ).

*backhands Cedious*

Drama student emphasizing mood here!


----------



## Cedious

Solarious said:
			
		

> Silence, dimunitive one (in more than one way ).
> 
> *backhands Cedious*
> 
> Drama student emphasizing mood here!




Thankyou sir may i have another sir.!


----------



## Solarious

Cedious said:
			
		

> Thankyou sir may i have another sir.!



 If you insist. 

*casts Flensing on you*

Scream louder, it isn't realistic enough!


----------



## Child of Hypnos

YOU ARE A GENIUS !!!!!!!!

where can i get players who give their characters objectives and personality?

the only one of my 5 PCs who has any trace of either is an LE warforged ART/FTR with a desire to restart the last war and a pathalogical hatred of Bunnies (?).- i have a suspiscion he's looking to usurp the lord of blades.


----------



## Cedious

Child of Hypnos said:
			
		

> YOU ARE A GENIUS !!!!!!!!
> 
> where can i get players who give their characters objectives and personality?
> 
> the only one of my 5 PCs who has any trace of either is an LE warforged ART/FTR with a desire to restart the last war and a pathalogical hatred of Bunnies (?).- i have a suspiscion he's looking to usurp the lord of blades.





Whhaaaa are you saying mega is a genius or the players in his game? im confused....im err i mean cedious is the one true genius of this outfit


----------



## Child of Hypnos

I was, but make it Genii


----------



## Cedious

COMING SOON CEDIOUS's 101 differant ways to use a decanter of endless water.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10 / 29 / 05
SEGMENT 142
“Guarded Hallway”

Taskerdoo castes Haste on the party and everyone is slow to attack.  They remember stories of happened to Cedious’ teammate in Darguun.  And these Ogres are armored which suggests training on their part.  Web is caste that stops one but the other leaps free and charges.  Black sands is hit and hit HARD.  Vale suddenly bursts in flames as he decides to try to attack these creatures head on.  He is swatted as he comes in and quickly reconsiders the action.

Sharshek and Black sands, Hastened, widdle down the first Ogre quickly.  The other has yet to yank himself completely free of the webbing as the others approach with great caution.

He strikes at anyone within his ten-foot reach while trying to tear his legs free.  With Cedious at his side, they widdle him down soon also.

They all look at each other-  they are all thinking the same thing-  “The Hallways are not safe anymore.”


----------



## megamania

"Taskerdoo castes Haste on the party and everyone is slow to attack."

This doesn't sound right.


oh-   I'm back.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10 / 29 / 05
SEGMENT 143
“Now What?   AAAAIIEEEE!”

“Keep digging!” yells Keltis at the three men.

During the night five feet of snow has fallen onto the existing twelve from the week before.  The Emerald Claw has discovered they are buried alive within the Giant Antechamber that leads somehow to the mysterious Drogan’s Trap.

The men keep going and suddenly a rumbling sound followed by a thumping sound is heard.  Two men are buried alive.  The third man turns and with obvious anger on his face screams at Keltis- “NOW WHAT?!?”

Karrion Kold kills him instantly.  “Put his body over there, I’ll call it back later to dig.  Keltis, we do need a better plan lover.”

The human cleric grumbles.  “There has to be a hidden door here.  We need to look more.”

The remaining crew continues to look and one discovers something.  It is not a secret door per say but something suggesting its location.

Claw marks from Logan.

“We look here.”

Twenty minutes later, they find the secret door but can get in.  They need a small sized halfling or child to crawl through the revealed space.  They all look at each other trying to figure this out.

“Cut the dead man up to fit.  I’ll have it crawl in.” says Karrion Kold, the team’s leading necromancer.


----------



## Solarious

Comming soon, the Emerald Claw and Cedious rematch!


----------



## Cedious

Solarious said:
			
		

> Comming soon, the Emerald Claw and Cedious rematch!





Well it does not seem like it is going to be a fair match considering how much trouble they are having just TRYING to get into the trap 

 sounds funning looking back how we TRIED to get into a trap. why would anyone want to enter a trap knowing its a trap.. *ponders life, liberty and all that other stuff*


----------



## Solarious

Maybe because the trap was cunningly baited, so that your experience and abilities would be aborbed into the trap collective....

*blarg*

Sorry, wrong story. But the principal stands, no?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
10 / 29 / 05
SEGMENT 144
“A Guard Dog Unlike Any Other”

“Stop playing with it and lets go.” Says the undead Living Corpse that is now Boddynok Grinkle.  The Artificer Gnome was beginning to lose his patience with his warforged companion.  They were near the mines where Whitehearth was hidden.  He was close to his first goal.  Then came the stupid skeletal dinosaur.  Asunder dealt with it but now eyed the creature.

“I think this creature was placed here for a reason.”

“No Asunder.  This is the Mournlands.  Undead are common here.  Com’on- lets get back to the earth cart.

Asunder looks over the bones again then drops it.  He joins the undead gnome and finally reaches the entrance to the Cannith Facility that was hidden in an out of the way valley where many war machines were tested.

“It looks just like what it did when we were here last”,  says the Warforged Fighter. 

“Yes.  That is good.  I feared Cannith, the Claw or even the Warforged of the region would discover it and intrude on my station and future lab area.  There is much to explore including the tunnels we skipped outside of the main facility.”

“What could be there?”

The yellow eyes seem to glow with emotion.  “Oh I can’t wait to find out.  I hope for a Forge.  If it exists I can try to improve on you and other forged.  I could do other experiments also.”

Asunder is very quiet.  He seems to mull over this but if so, there is no sign of emotion.  Then he snaps out of it.  “We are being followed.”

Boddynoc looks through the hazy hidden window and sees several shadowed figures running along to the cart.  “Dogs.  Nothing to worry about.”

“Not dogs,  Wolves.”

Then as if on cue- She steps into view.

“Rorsa.” They say in unison.

Rorsa is an awaken dire wolf that Boddynoc and Asunder aided many months ago.  It appears she has not moved far away from the Foundry.

“I think we have a guard dog for our lab.” Says Boddynoc.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 145
“Stone Golem”

The adventurers decide to rest within the hallway before moving onward.  Once rested, they move onto the next room.  They hope to end Drogan’s Trap.  They will do this even if they do not recover the Schema.  It is becoming too dangerous and with the several time related strange events they fear for themselves.  They have all heard of traps that age people.  They fear they may have been here for over four years.  They are fearful that the sailor with a pay voucher that has yet to occur may indeed be current.

They enter the stone sculpture room and stare at the four walls of posed stone figures and fearsome faces.  Seeing no new threats they walk to the closest red “x” on the floor.  Taskerdoo puts the crystal formation there and as before it sinks into the floor then returns.  This time a rod appears.  Cedious is quick to snatch it even though Taskerdoo is there.  Twirling it like a marching band baton Cedious looks at the others.  They all are giving him the look of “knock it off.”  “Here Tasker.  I think you misplaced this.” And he hands it to the druid-mage.

The two halflings begin to look it over to identify it when a scrapping sound comes from the wall.  They all turn slowly to see a 10 foot tall stone statue of a warrior stand up and begin to walk towards them.  “Stone Guardian.” Says the rogue.  “Stone Golem” clarifies Taskerdoo.

They begin to circle it and attack.  Little by little they chip at it with their weapons.  Cedious uses one of his two Rings of Ram against it allowing the heavy hitters to strike it.  Vale goes to each of them granting them Bull’s Strength.  The druid-mage tries his new toy.  Thick vines grow around the Golem that do nothing to hinder him.

A slow vibrating scrapping sound is emitted as the golem opens its mouth.  Most of the group grits their teeth in irritation except for Black Sands.  He “slows” down as the sound echoes within his mind.   The outcome never wavers however as the group take the stone creature down.

“Undead, Warforged and now Constructs …what else will attack us that I can’t attack in my fullest?” grumbles the rogue.   (never say such a thing in the presence of the DM)

Taskerdoo takes out the green emerald and walks up to the dragonhead.  He takes a deep breath and hopes for the best as he climbs up to it and places the emerald within the empty eye socket.  Nothing happens.  With another sigh, he takes it back and climbs back down.

Once more they stop within the hallway connecting the magical rooms to rest.   They hope to find the next two red cross-shaped crystals the other eye to escape.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 146
“Trolls on Fire and Mini-Beholders- How Cute”

“This is the burning room isn’t it?” asks Cedious as he touches the door and can feel the heat on the other side.

“Yup.”

“And why did we purposely come here again?”

“A room so dangerous must be hiding something.  I hope it’s the other Green Emerald and the two red crystal “x” s.

“Riiiiight.” And the halfling rogue slowly opens the door.

Below he sees something large walking around.  Peering through the haze of the toxic fumes he thinks he sees a burning troll.  He looks again to be sure.

“Just out of curiosity- trolls don’t like fire …correct?”

“Yeah- acid and fire harm them the most.” Adds Sharshek.

“That is bad.”

[ DM NOTES-  I have been compiling a template list and this is the beginning results of it]

Black sands peers over the others.  “The trolls-  they’re on fire….and they LIKE IT!”

“…Trolls….” Cedious looks again and indeed there is more than one.  He looks over his shoulder to the druid and smirks then frowns sharply.  “Lets go.”

Sharshek drops down first then Cedious as he slowly levitates down using his ring ( 1 of 4 magical rings).  The trolls, numbering four, rush towards them.  On closer inspection, they are indeed burning and fuming but there is more about them.  Black sands crashes down behind them and looks at them.  “They look primitive.” 

[DM NOTES- Elemental subtype and Feral added to the Trolls multiple templates  ]

Taskerdoo uses his wand on a Troll.  A blast of wind hits it with little effect though it annoys the rogue greatly.  Then he sees something in the thick haze.  Suddenly multiple beams of energy begin to streak out.  Most miss but the cleric behind him is hit by one and grunts in pain.  The druid-mage looks closer and floating high up are two beholder type creatures.  They are much smaller and have fewer eyestalks and these are glowing with flame also.

[DM NOTE- Yup- Elemental subtype added]

The three fighters battle the four Feral Elemental Trolls on the narrow catwalks over the cat walks while the two spell casters battle two Elemental Gauths at range.

“I memorized Flame Strike.” Says the Cleric.

“Me too.”

“Fire Wall.”  

“Fire spells yes- need to study Energy Substitution.”

“Energy Substi- ARRRGH!   Damn that globe!” and the Cleric blasts it with Searing Light.  “Is that all it can do?  Blast me?" 

“I doubt it.”


Below, Black sands hits the creature hard and narrowly misses a napalm type blood from spilling onto him.  “Damn!  They bleed fire!” He exclaims.  Sharshek gets in a few blows and discovers this also.  Cedious lunges and goes to hamstring the creature or at least cut the Iliac Artery on the thigh to critically injure the troll.  Nothing.

[ DM NOTES-  As warned before- Elemental subtypes are immune to crits also!   Evil DM!]

The troll strikes down and grabs the rogue and rends him them slings him to the wall.  “CLERIC!” He screams as blood pours out from his serious wounds.

Above, the cleric is hit with his third beam of energy.  This one forces him into the hallway due to injuries.


----------



## Solarious

So... when is the next fatality? 

Are my premonitions correct and it's right around the corner?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 147
“To the Victor- The Spoils”

Black sands heaves the dying body of the troll into the molten goo to advance on the next one.  Sharshek and Cedious drop one also.  This one collapses and falls into the molten substance on its own.  The two remaining Trolls advance quickly.  At this point, these three warriors are not aware of the battle above.

The two gauths fire beams of energy at the two spellcasters keeping them at bay.  The one aberration is very weak after receiving two Searing Light blasts from Vale.  “This wand is Wondrous!” yells the Druid –Mage as he tries to do something worthwhile with it.  Another blast of wind comes out.  The aberration easily levitates through it.

Cedious takes another serious hit and wants to back away but finds he, Sharshek and Black sands are now all fighting back to back as the two Trolls hold them in place.  “We could be back in Fairhaven having a drink at RJ’s watching the waitress with the faulty button top but nooooooo….here we are being =cough cough= cooked and ripped apart by FIRE LOVING #@&%* TROLLS!!!!!!”

A Gauth at this moment falls dead nearby.  A Melf’s acid arrow still eating away its insides.  “Wha….” Asks Sharshek while watching the Trolls.

“One to go!  We are going to.”  He stops suddenly in mid sentence.  A paralyzing beam has hit him.  Vale castes Sanctuary onto himself and the now defenseless halfling and hopes to avoid any fatal issues.

Another Troll gives way leaving only one.  Cedious is nearly out as the fumes are threatening to overcome the seriously injured rogue.  The Gauth gives up on the spell casters and goes after easier pray below as the last Troll dies.  

“Ah Crap!” yells Cedious as the room tilts and becomes blurry to him.  Suddenly he feels better as Vale heals him with a healing ray.

[I could heal him this way only once.  Once he gets his DEX back I can’t touch him]

Black sands switches to a bow as Cedious, feeling better, gives Sharshek one of his TWO rings of Ram.  The remaining Gauth is battered and brought down.  “I want that thing for my trophy bag!” yells the ½ Giant as he hits the creature with another arrow.  It begins to falter and finally falls and lands on a catwalk.

While he collects his morbid prize the others get healing potions and the cleric to fix them up.  Now given their first time to look around, they search the room.

There is a chest in the corner, the center swinging catwalk has many bodies wrapped up in chains on it and there are free-floating chains at the one ladder.

Cedious goes to the chest to inspect it.  Taskerdoo, now free of the magic effects of paralyzation, uses Detect magic to look around and sees MANY points of magic within this room and especially above him on the swinging catwalk.  Sharshek and Vale look around and find several small bags or lose items of interest.  Black sands collects his morbid prize and ponders what it would look like if hollowed out and used as a helmet.

Cedious finds and disarms the trap then carefully opens the chest.  To Taskerdoo, the chest encases a small star.  Cedious begins to giggle and clap his hands like a demented freak as he goes through the chest.  “Mine…Mine… Party treasure…MINE…Mine….”

Vale finds a Dagger with slight Magic (Dagger +1) and Sharshek finds the blackened bones of what he figures was a Bugbear.  It wears a Ring of Sustenance.

From what Taskerdoo can figure, there was an adventuring party of bugbears that were attacked here.  Wrapped in the chains are the remains of eight bugbear skeletons with most of their gear- adventurer’s gear- magical gear!   Suddenly Drogan’s Trap isn’t so bad a place to be afterall.

The rogue puts on a Ring of Wishes, Hides a few potions of Cure Serious Wounds and a sets aside a large journal, some fine looking Bracers of Armor (+6) and …an Adamantine Master Worked Rapier.

On the catwalk, Taskerdoo finds goodies for everyone.  Longsword +3, Battle Axe +2- Bane vs aberrations, Dagger+5 of Shocking Three potions of Cure Moderate Wounds, a potion of Levitation, Staff of Charming, a Wand of Bear’s Endurance and a Wand of Eagle’s Splendor.  He places a Headband of Intellect +2 on his own head and considers the Amulet of Health +4.  There is also one set of Leather Armor+3 and a Tome of Understanding.    He nearly wets himself.  Then Sharshek points out a bag on the upper levels and he checks this out.  A spellbook!

In the spellbook are many spells for humanoids. Low Light Vision, Major Resistance, Lion’s Charge, Hailstones, Air Breathing and Weapon of Energy.

Using the levitation abilities they possess, they discover an Immovable Rod supports the hanging chains.  They deactivate it and take this also.

Vale finds a nice Club +3 on a lone catwalk.

Sadly, Taskerdoo also discovers the Gauth nest.  Inside are the remains of humanoid babies and children.  “This is so wrong!”

Dirty, coughing, sweaty and most bleeding, the party exists the Molten Room with their prizes.


----------



## Solarious

How did they manage to keep the trolls down? I thought they regenerated from everything but acid damage with the Fire Elemental template? What happened? I wanted to see a semi-TPK! 

On the other hand... the party discovers once again why it's good to be an adventurer. 

Quick question, what level is the party at now?


----------



## megamania

They regeneate until they reach -10.  Beat them down enough and eventually they do not recover.


course that can change if I ever feel very evil.....


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> So... when is the next fatality?
> 
> Are my premonitions correct and it's right around the corner?




All survived but something I didn't include was how I (Vale) was forced to do some healing so that people wouldn't pass out from the accummilated non-lethal damage from breathing in the toxic fumes.  Cedious was 1 point from passing out and Vale within 10 which is a lot since he has up high away from the greater heat and concentrated fumes.

I thought I was going to lose either Cedious, Vale or  Taskerdoo when became paralyzed.  No such luck    er.... didn't happen.  

Time will tell.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 148
“Ring of Wishes”

“I would be careful with that.” Warns Vale

“I have it under control.” 

“He is right, a means for wishes is powerful but also can be equally dangerous.” Adds Taskerdoo as he pulls out the Tome to begin studying.

“I….Have…It….Under….Control.” growls the rogue.

Vale makes a prayer then walks as far away from the dangerous rogue as possible.

“Could you wish me a magical weapon?” asks Black sands.  Ignored, he walks away to inspect his bag of goodies again.

[ DM NOTES-  I insist players to write out their wishes]

Eyeing Taskerdoo’s new book he says (writes)-



I WISH FOR A TOME OF DEXTERITY


Nothing.   He scratches his head then looks into his magical haversack and finds a book within.  Reading a few pages he realizes his has requested the wrong thing.  By reading this- his skills involving DEX will improve.  NOT his DEX in general.

I WISH FOR ALL THE POWER EMBUED UPON MY +2 KEEN RAPIER TO BE TRANSFERRED UPON MY ADAMANTINE RAPIER.

Both weapons glow and everyone holds their breath.  Having worked with an artificer, he should have known-

His weapon becomes a +2 Rapier of Flaming.

[ DM NOTES-  Took the section of “Power Embued” treated it as quantitative energies.  +2 and +1 keen = +3 total.  Had him roll to see what would come up that equaled a +3 market value. ]

Slightly disappointed, he looks at his weapon as it flares up as he swings it, Cedious hopes to one day have a +5 vorpal adamantine Rapier.  Some day…..


----------



## Solarious

So Cedious squanders his wish. I was sort of expecting that.

And the second note is that Regeneration works so that all damage except what they are vulnerable against deals _nonleathal_ damage against them, and regenerates that by the regeneration score. You can't kill anything with nonlethal damage, by RAW. Of course, I guess that you could go a little easier on them since they don't really have a reliable source of acidic damage. I wonder if the great Cedious would have been forced to flee if that hadn't happened.


----------



## Cedious

Solarious said:
			
		

> So Cedious squanders his wish. I was sort of expecting that.
> 
> And the second note is that Regeneration works so that all damage except what they are vulnerable against deals _nonleathal_ damage against them, and regenerates that by the regeneration score. You can't kill anything with nonlethal damage, by RAW. Of course, I guess that you could go a little easier on them since they don't really have a reliable source of acidic damage. I wonder if the great Cedious would have been forced to flee if that hadn't happened.





you are so mean to me *cries*


----------



## Solarious

Cedious said:
			
		

> you are so mean to me *cries*



 It has nothing to do with meanness. It's all just business, see? I'm equally cruel to all characters, therefore I can be called an impartial tormentor. My inner sadism is satisfied, lynch mobs become uneccessary, and nobody gets evicerated. Everybody wins! 

Well, except for everyone else.  But who's keeping score?


----------



## megamania

I did take some liberalities with their regeneneration.  This kept it fun while still being very dangerous.  

If I was only about killing the PCs the trolls would have bullrushed and just thrown PCs into the molten goo causing them to take 20d6 damage each round as they swam in it.

Evil but not THAT evil....


----------



## Solarious

Well, the trolls _were_ Feral... I don't really think the idea would have occured to them. 

When's the next update?


----------



## megamania

I'll be writing the background stuff today.  There are so many factions to track and update on.   Garrow, Keltis, Karrion Kold, Boddynoc Grinkle & Asunder, Kim Elderitch, Rush Latealot, Lady Elaydren, all other Cannith persons, the Dragon (s) involved, Dark Lanterns, The Trust, Lord of Blades, Dice and so many more.

Any preferences?


----------



## Solarious

They all sound so devious and tempting! How can you make us choose? 

Hmnn... I like your interpetation of the Lord of Blades, let's start with him.


----------



## Child of Hypnos

tell us more about Rush Latealot.

im lookin forward to Cedious meeting him, a warforged who can mess around with time and a halfling who'll steal anythimg? something intrestings gotta happen.


----------



## megamania

Rush Latealot is a creation of the 87.

The Lord of Blades tried to "improve" the Forge he has.  He created 87 new warforged before it broke under the strain.  Each of these 87 have unsual abilities.

In Rush's case, he is a psionic shapechanger.  His shell changes with him as becomes various items of mass destruction.   However he is also cursed.  He seems to be always late or just missing something important or the subject of bad luck.    He has had a few cameros here.  He was on the train station platform in Karrnath but just missed the group.  In Talenta Plains he somehow missed Cedious with his "missile" attacks then was attacked by a flying dinosaur.


I'll be introducing more "87" as time goes.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 149
“Dreams of Ice and Fire”

Lady Elaydren ir’Vown-d’Cannith was very tired.  She had been studying the old texts on the Creation Schemas of past and present for three days straight.  Schemas were much like permanent scrolls often created on metal slabs or materials other than paper.  These were usable once a day to caste the spell contained within.  Most Magewrights knew how to operate the basic minor schemas.  She was studying the ones less often created.  She was studying the ones found instead.  These artifacts were found almost exclusively in Xen’drik.  The Creation Schema was one of these.

There were five small pieces that fit together onto a base plate for six parts total.  This Schema aided in the creation of many things.  Specifically what she did not know.  She was aware they were used to create the first warforged and weapons of the Last War.  Then for some reason, the finder of these disassembled the pieces and sought to hide them from the world.  Pieces were thus found in Breland, Eldeen Reaches and the Mournlands.  Current investigations to the far north suggested a lost foundry there also.  The same foundry where the first warforged were created in secret.

Tired, she placed her head down on her arms and closed her eyes.  She was soon asleep.

She soon dreamed.

The dreams became alarming and twisted in time as she twitched and murmured in her slumber.  Then suddenly she shouted out and awoke.  She trembled uncontrollably and stared at nothing specific.  Slowly she got up and walked to a securely locked and warded containment system.  She activated the unlocking procedures and waited the few moments it would take to unlock and open.

She walked into the vault and ignored the magical armors and equipment.  She ignored the golems inside including the one made of Adamantine.  She went to the back were there was another locked safe.  She opened this one and peered at the three pieces of the Schema she had.

“Xulo.”

She spends several minutes studying the pieces before closing and locking the safe.  She exits the vault and sits down to write. 

Follow the leader’s weapons to find the site

Muroni will watch

Taskan can guide

Beware of Stormreach

Breedaernxen will act as he sees fit

Family Matters

Undead will rise

Giants will react

Xulo will awaken

With a new wave of exhaustion overwhelming her, she puts down the magical ink quill and sighs.  She leans forward to see what she has written.  

“Who or what is a Xulo?”


----------



## Solarious

Hmmnn... Do I smell a Dreaming Dark plot?  This should make life.... interesting. I find that rogues find mind-affecting powers a real pain the neck, in my experience.


----------



## Cedious

Solarious said:
			
		

> Hmmnn... Do I smell a Dreaming Dark plot?  This should make life.... interesting. I find that rogues find mind-affecting powers a real pain the neck, in my experience.





arrrg again with the rogue comment if its not a halfling coment its a rogue comment i can not win arrrg *cries* you know there are OTHER players in the group besides me.... i have allready had enough mind affecting stuff go on with my poor little halfling he allready is freaked out about doggys eating hands that move.....! 
This whole trap we aare in is a mind f@#% in itself! 
Can't we all just get along! 
But i must admit this Xulo sounds interesting........    just when you thought mega has revealed his whole plot somthing else comes along..... i must ask him about this at work


----------



## Child of Hypnos

Cedious said:
			
		

> freaked out about doggys eating hands that move.....!



i musta missed that bit, when was it?


----------



## Cedious

Child of Hypnos said:
			
		

> i musta missed that bit, when was it?





just found it post 103


----------



## Child of Hypnos

Cedious said:
			
		

> just found it post 103



ah, i hadnt realised it was moving 

what are the PCs alignments by the way?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 150
“Invasion”

It stood perfectly still and made no sounds.  It was on guard duty.   It was a warforged of Steel Nation.

The gray mists and clouds above did little to alarm it.  They always were there.  In his thirty days of watching this area he had seen nothing except for a lone Living Spell that was too far away to be bothered with.  

He blended in with the piled dead bodies of elves and humans with their horses.  They were all struck down by the forces that created the Steel Nation.  This same force now keeps them preserved for eternity.

Suddenly the very bodies he was hiding within grab and hold him.  He struggles and finds they have become undead!  He is pummeled and gouged by the undead horde.  Incorporeal forms rise from the ground and begin to attack him while he is held.

Soon C-U2 is undone.

The undead horde moves onward.  Behind them, a glowing form that commands them.  She is or was human at one point.  She pushes the horde forward towards Steel Nation.  Towards the Lord of Blades.  Towards a piece of the Creation Schema.

A mere ten minutes before the horde arrives within the Steel Nation inner settlement the Lord of Blades is given warning.   He musters his troops and they attack but many go down by their savage unnatural attacks.  While busy stopping the horde several animated undead thieves sneak into the settlement.  They seek one thing only- a specific magic item.

They explore the Lord of Blades’ home and detect what they seek.  It is hidden and locked.  Three undead are destroyed trying to pick the lock.  The fourth opens the lock and spills the contents onto the ground.  Finally, it finds a round piece of adamantine with strange runes on the edges and several etchings that resemble cracks on it.  Short rods stick out the flat side on the back.  The remaining thieves run for it.

The siege lasts two hours before the undead leave the Warforged City of Steel Nation.  The Lord of Blades is quickly angered.  Seeing the undead retreat, he understands at once the reason.   DIVERSION!

He races back to his settlement and curses as he finds the destroyed undead and the items of power on the floor.

Someone has stolen his piece of the Creation Schema.


----------



## megamania

Child of Hypnos said:
			
		

> ah, i hadnt realised it was moving
> 
> what are the PCs alignments by the way?




Vale Matterhorn is CG
Cedious I believe is CN
Black sands says he is CN but I treat him as CE
The others I believe are either CN or LN.  Lean heavily on the Chaotic side.

Why do you ask?


----------



## Child of Hypnos

megamania said:
			
		

> Why do you ask?



ive gotta party thats kinda diverging at the moment:
1LE, 2LN, 2CN (but one his heading towards being CG)
and i was wondering how much of a problem it was gonna be, thats all.

[ up til now ive not had any evil PCs in my groups and chaotic v lawful isnt a big a problem.
but if one PC's good and merciful and another is evil and kills supplicants out of hand i think im gonna have trouble   ]

this stuff is v. cool by the way, its helped me stop feeling guilty about killing PCs off


----------



## megamania

Then you will not like what I have to say then.   I have a serious personal / family crisis that has intensified greatly and it will hinder my play time greatly.



As for your question-   I merely lay out the plot.  I allow them (Players) to do whatever they want.  Sometimes this creates a situation for me to quickly deal with but I keep enough antagonists around that I can "steer" Players back to what I want to do or close enough it doesn't effect my game plan / plot.

Their action in Darguun was the only time I had any issues and that wrapped up nicely with one of my all-time favorite sessions of the Prisoner ship escape during a fierce storm.


----------



## megamania

Clinton-   game is cancelled Saturday.  Tell Bill if I don't make it to work.

If I don't make it to work-  its been real.  woooord.


----------



## Cedious

megamania said:
			
		

> Clinton-   game is cancelled Saturday.  Tell Bill if I don't make it to work.
> 
> If I don't make it to work-  its been real.  woooord.






*cries* thats just not fair *cries*


----------



## Child of Hypnos

megamania said:
			
		

> Then you will not like what I have to say then.   I have a serious personal / family crisis that has intensified greatly and it will hinder my play time greatly



best of luck getting through it.


----------



## Cedious

*sigh* game day was back on but my truck went *BANG* could not get there *cries*
ohh well there is allways next time i guess


----------



## Solarious

Cedious said:
			
		

> arrrg again with the rogue comment if its not a halfling coment its a rogue comment i can not win arrrg *cries* you know there are OTHER players in the group besides me.... i have allready had enough mind affecting stuff go on with my poor little halfling he allready is freaked out about doggys eating hands that move.....!
> This whole trap we aare in is a mind f@#% in itself!
> Can't we all just get along!



But Cedious! You're the first prey that moves, wriggles, writhes, and generally screams for mercy when I poke you!  How could I ignore you? It is extremely gratifying to hold a rusty dull dagger and stab you repeatedly. No, an honor, really.  Now hold still. *brings out a saw* This will only hurt your crotch momentarily. *approaches menacingly*







			
				Cedious said:
			
		

> But i must admit this Xulo sounds interesting........    just when you thought mega has revealed his whole plot somthing else comes along..... i must ask him about this at work



Yes, with a good DM, you can't really tell when the end of the road is, can you?  You're very lucky, my friend.  One who is so willing to go to great lengths to make you suffer so very much.


----------



## megamania

For some good news-   I and the players are talking about playing BOTH Saturday and Sunday to "catch up" a bit.

Also- in the mean time, I am attempting to do a NPC Block.   I have MANY NPCs working in the background and figured I could write updates on them in the meantime.

Hi-lites-

Whiteheath Facility

Why is Elaydren dealing with a Hag?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 151

Let me know if I've forgotten anyone-

*Top Players-*

Merric d'Cannith
Self-professed creator of the modern warforged.  Head of House Cannith South.  Will do anything to further warforged.  Has a hidden Creation Forge somewhere in Sharn.  Collects Schemas and recentlt married to Lady Elaydren ir'Vown- d'Cannith.

Garrow
Changling leader within the Emerald Claw.  Orders are to retrieve the pieces no matter what.  Killed and resurrected once already.  Has a LOT of pull within a powerful organization and many powerful and resourceful lackeys.  Hates Cedious personally.  Something about being killed by him I suspect.

Lady Elaydren ir'Vown-d'Cannith
Master spy.  Pretended to work for Cannith North then revealed to work for Merric of Cannith South instead.  In reality- works for Kim Elderitch.  Married Merric to get his trust and his creation forge.  Also getting Cannith training with magical creation.

Kim Elderitch
Dwarven member of Aurum.  Platinum level.   Many think he is the richest non- dragon-marked house member alive.  Has many parties and individuals working for him including Elaydren and Rush Late-a-lot.

Jorlanna d’Cannith
Leader and head of House Cannith North (West if you must) and current employer of the PCs.  She wants the Creation Schema to gain power within the house.

Lord of Blades
The ruler of Steel Nation has been searching for the schema for many years.  His visions aid him in locating the pieces but he seems to always lose them.  He has sent many of his warforged followers out to collect the pieces including members of the ‘87’ of whom Rush is a member.

Zoberraz
A Blue Dragon whom has placed wards around the pieces to alert her of any disturbance or meddling with the pieces.  She has gone to Xen’drik to prepare for many factions to coming Endgame of the Creation Schema.

Group of linked persons dressed in red, black and bronze
This (ese) persons seem to aid and hinder all parties involved for some reason known only to it.  We have seen a bugbear ranger, a human fighter, a drow monk, a hooker, and a human aristocrat.


*Secondary Players-*

Rush Late-a-Lot
Warforged and one of the "87" of Steel Nation.  He is a powerful psionic metamorph whom holds no alligance to the Lord of Blades.  He is a mercenary for hire and currently on the payroll of Kim Elderitch.  He has one flaw or curse-  he has constant bad luck or bad timing

Demise of the Emerald Claw
She has also been placed on the trail of the Creation Schema by Vol.  She spent the better part of several months in Undersharn battling Warforged looking for the second part.  Great Sword of Steel Nation escaped with it.  Where she is now is uncertain.

Keltis and his Brood
Emerald Claw member and trusted friend of Garrow.  He has been asked (ordered) to hunt down and destroy the PCs.  He has several lovers whom are all necromancers including Karrion Kold.

Boddynoc Grinkle with Asunder
Once a party member, he was mutated by a fiendish mist that made him into an undead creature.  He still wishes to solve the question- “What is the Creation Schema?”  With his alignment altered and now undead, he has returned to White Hearth in the Mournlands to look for new clues.

*Special Mention NPCs*
Regganold
Bumbling Cannith employee and stooge for Lady Elaydren.

Drogan
A very powerful ancient mage that enjoyed trap building.  He has encased many deadly or dangerous items and artifacts within his traps for safe keeping.  As seen with his trap in Eldeen Reaches, he can manipulate time, space and energy.

Xulo
This name has come up twice with visions / dreams with players.  Obviously he / she / it has something to do with the Schema.

Sara Silvergleam of the Korranberg Chronicle
Gnome snoop and reporter that seduced Cedious into telling the world about what he knew about the Creation Schema (which was little then and still…).  She was having issues with Thrane clerics also.  She knew of some unrest within their community.

Bork Bouldershoulder
Ogre bully and local hero of Rhukaan Draal.  Killed one party member with a single blow.

Cannon
Warforged Warlock that had a bad run-in with something in Eldeen Reaches due to Keltis and Karrion Kold.  More on him eventually

Supernatural Creature
Thief hired by Kim Elderitch to sneak into Cannith Tower and find specific scrolls dealing with the Creation Schema

Kerri and the Tharashk Smite
Called in to deal with fiendish occupations on Starvos Island.  She “killed” Boddynoc Grinkle, Asunder and Chief believing them all to be evil and possibly under fiendish possession.

Dark Lanterns
Spies and protectors of the Country of Breland.  They know something is up within their city of Sharn.  Warforged and Emerald Claw members had a violent and bloody gang-style battle that lasted several months.  They suspect it involves something House Cannith has created.  They have Lucian searching Undersharn for clues currently.

Bemnol and The Trust
Spies and protectors of the country of Zilargo.  He came to meet the PCs while trying to stop a serial killer that targeted Gnomes.  He knows something is up and that House Cannith is involved in a three-way split for power.

Dice of Stormreach
Legit dragon-shard and artifact expolorer whom has ties with criminal element within the growing settlement.  Contacted by Zoberraz to prepare for many unwanted travelers.

No Name Given
Zoberraz has come to Xen’drik to speak to someone that knows much about the Creation Schema.  This same person also has spies with Fairhaven watching House Cannith.

Spooky Karrnath Noble
Seduced and had her way with Cedious.  How much of the night REALLY happened however?  Maybe we’ll never know.

Rorsa and her family
Awakened Dire Wolf that stays near White Hearth in Mournlands.  Freed by the PCs while they came there.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 152
“What is Behind Hatch #3?”

Somehow they missed it the first time.  

Somehow they missed checking the jacket on the floor of the guards room while in his office.  Boddynoc now had an orange key to enter the hatches he could not before at the Whitehearth facility.  He rolled the orange crystal key between his yellowed fingers in uncertainty.  He remembers how the wards on the hatch nearly killed Cedious when he tripped them.

Finally tired of his indecision, he impulsively stabs the key into the slot.  Nothing.  Then the hatch pops and air releases.  Boddynoc looks over his undead shoulder to his warforged warrior companion and smiles.  Asunder goes first.

His armored shoulders scrap the edges as he descends into the darkness.  Boddynoc begins to go then stops.  Rorsa sits at the cavern entrance and watches the dull mists that are the sky begin to roll.  A storm will be starting soon.  Rorsa briefly wonders if it will be rain, acid or blood this time.  Boddynoc walks up to her.

“I need you to watch over the den.  Asunder and I could be gone a long time.  Do you understand?”

“Rorsa understands.  Sit. Watch. Guard. Protect.  Rorsa protects her den and pack well.”  Rorsa was another creation of the Mournlands.  Once a simple wolf, she was mutated and changed by the events that forever changed the world as it was then known.  She remembers little of it but often cries and whimpers in her sleep.  Boddynoc wonders what kind of pain and terror she is reliving.  

Boddynoc leaves her and returns to the hatch and climbs in.  His yellowed eyes adjust quickly to the darkness.  He sees a vague gray and black shape moving below him.  Asunder stops and speaks but the tube they climb down distorts the sounds.  He looks down and lets go.  Tiny bursts of pure white appear as his armored body scraps the rest of the way down.  He lands with a loud thoom about fifty feet down.  He is immediately thrust into combat.  Boddynoc decides to sit back and let him take the chances and risks.  After all, he can fix Asunder later.  Repairing his undead body is no where near as easy to do.  Especially here in the Mournlands.

Several moments pass by before he continues.  Warforged.  Two warforged guards were here Asunder has destroyed one but the other is only shutdown.  They bind him tightly then look around.  It is a globe shaped room much like the other entrance.  Annoying.

“What have we here?”

Asunder turns to the voice but can not see.  Boddynoc is uncertain what to think.  His darkvision undead eyes see what the mind tries not to comprehend.

“Hello.” He says.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 153
“What IS The CREATION SCHEMA?”

“What is the Creation Schema?” Elaydren calmly asks Merrix while he studies a recently found item from Xen’drik.

“Hmmm?” He mummers with distraction.

“You have had me searching for the pieces for a long time now love and I’m not sure even what I am searching for.”  She gently moves the shipping box and materials off his workbench and sits there to demand his attention.  His eyes never leave the rune-etched rod that may be a schema itself but created by the Giants of ancient time.

“At first I thought it was a schema for creating the warforged themselves but my research says it is not and how would the ‘forged be here without it already being here and assembled.  So-  What is it?”  She tries to put on a pouty face and draw his attention.  He only has eyes for the piece of metallic history in his hands.


She ruffles his hair and hopes to coax him away from his studies.  It doesn’t work.  She doesn’t want to tip him off at what she does know so she restricts herself from saying Xulo.  It clearly has something to do with the schema and thus is important.  “Can you tell me something more?”

A moment passes and finally he says “…in a moment dear.   This schema is about …placing …Wonderful!  It is!  It is a schema created by the Giant clan Dres-terza.  This is a wonderful discovery!”  He gets up and begins to rush off then stops suddenly remembering his new wife is here.  “I’ll tell you more …later!” And he rushes off.

She watches him leave in disbelief.  She has never been ignored like this before.  Never!  She may need to do something she loathes to think about.  Deciding it may be the only way to pull him back to being putty in her hands she leaves to locate a guard she has used often before.  

Thirty minutes pass and finally she locates Regganold (Last seen in Segment #28 at the House of Payne thanks to Boddynoc and Cedious).  “I have a special request of you guardsman.”  The guard nearly falls off his seat.  He rarely ever was addressed by Lady Elaydren ir’Vown-d’Cannith.  And when she did it usually was something either illegal, to be a secret or best- Both.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 154
“Origins of the 87”

Kim Elderich was not used to waiting.  Even as a child, 350 years ago, he had the power to order a servant to death if he was made to wait.  “Where is she?!?” he grumbled.

The warforged next to him shrugged and looked out to mists again.  Rush Late-a-lot never liked the mists.  The dull gray bored him.  Still, it was where he was born.  He also was becoming impatient.  He knew the reason they did not enter.  The mists clouded more than vision.  They also mislead the senses.  There were stories of people becoming lost within the mists and never coming out.

“Tell me of your origins again.” Commanded as much asked the well-dressed dwarven aristocrat.

“I was made, not born.  The Lord of Blades was my father.”

“Tell me of the Foundry.  Do you remember any of it?”  The dwarf had genuine and sincere interest in the subject.

“I remember when the light first reached my eyes I saw misty colors and black spots.  Then I saw the Lord and his aids.  They were very excited to see me.”

“The Foundry…. How is it you were different?  How were you and the others different?”  The dwarf lit his thin and long cigarette.

“The Foundry was designed to create basic warrior models when he found it.  When the “Lord” found it I mean.  He studied it and studied the schemas used to create my older brothers.  He wanted to experiment and create better warforged.  That is how the 87 was created.”

“How did he improve the process?”  The dwarf blew out the green smoke through his large nose and took another puff of it.  Blue smoke seeped out from his mouth this time before he forced it out his nose.

“He added new material to the schema box.  Refined material.  In some cases- magical items or remains from items found in Xen’ drik.  I was created when placing a power stone into the mix.  The psionic power and residue was forged into the body making me naturally psionic.”

“Amazing.  I truly wish I was there to see it.”

“You do know he pushed it too far.  He broke the foundry creating my brothers and I.”

“Can it be repaired?”

“It is an artifact of Cannith and Xen’drik design.  I doubt it can be.”

“You may be surprised Rush.  I have seen wishes fulfilled of incredible levels before.”

The mutated warforged sits silent.  He was against the Lord of Blades preachings but is the dwarf any better?  Perhaps he will know in time.  In the meantime the wait was over.

Through the mists came several armored skeletons and a darkly glowing woman.  In her hand …a piece of the future … and his past.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 155
“Gnolls In The Mountains”

Winter was not yet gone.  Snow still existed in patches along the pathway.  Just a month ago, this same path was closed due to several blizzards that had crossed the Graywall Mountain area producing some 25-ft of snow within two weeks.  What could bring a handful of House Cannith employees and a noble here seems impossibly unclear.  But here they are.

Regganold and four other guardsmen walked warily ahead of the mistress of the house.  Though they were her guards, they all knew she could protect herself well enough from the creatures they were to meet here in the middle of no where.

Gripping a wand held in her forearm carrier, Lady Elaydren ir’Vown – d’Cannith watched ahead of the group of guards.  Regganold seemed to know who to go to for what she sought easily enough.  The pitiful and debased guardsman seemed humored by the request in fact.  Whether it was because of the item requested or for whom it was for was unclear and she honestly didn’t care.  He and the others would find themselves at the wrong ends of accidents shortly.  Possibly even before reaching Sharn again.

The wand glowed and vibrated lightly.  It had detected what she sought.  Or at least the procurers. She slid the wand back into its sheath and pulled out another wand.  From her hip she held another wand.  She was taking no chances at this moment.  She needed to know what the Creation Schema was and in such a way Merrix was not made suspicious of her.  She still needed him and the house.

The men suddenly jumped back and withdrew their swords.  “Back m’lady!” yelled one guard.  

“I am NOT your lady.  I am your master!” and she points her wand ahead of them and utters one word.  Three tall mangy looking dog-men become visible.  A total of five Gnolls stand before the men.  They snarl and snort at the inconvenience.

“And where is the other?  I know there is another here.  Your master I suspect.”  She scans the brown hillside and white spots on the grass.  She detected an evil greater than these gnolls.  She is certain of it.

“Do you seek me?” answers a female voice.

Everyone turns and sees a tall light brown skinned woman with silver hair.  The hair twinkles in the dawning light.  Her heavy fur coat fails to hide her curves.  The guards, especially Regganold, find themselves absorbed at the sight of the mysterious woman.  Lady Elaydren loses her frown for a moment then stiffens up her back and points the opposite wand in her direction.

“You would point that crude weapon at me my dear?” says the woman in mocked surprise and fear.  “It is good you stopped and did not point it directly at me.  I would have become offended.”

“Your charms work well on my men …but not on myself.”

“Your pulse quickens.  You feel warmth.  But yes- you are of a strong will.  You know what I seek and I know what you seek.  Do we have a deal?”

Carefully, Elaydren places her Wand of Dispel Magic into her hip holster and withdraws a scroll case.  “Show me the drug.”

The men all freeze in fear.  They were not aware of drugs.   What is their mistress up to?

The beautiful and exotic woman holds up a bag.  “The powder is within.  Burn it as incense and his will is yours.  His body is yours.”  An evil smile crosses her soft face.

Each throws the item of choice.  Elaydren weighs it in her hand.  “This is not a trick?”

“Your ring tells you I speak truthfully.”

“As does your magic.”

“Then our business is over.”  Elaydren walks past the woman and her men follow her but not without bows and good-byes to the woman.

Once the Cannith representatives have safely left the woman morphs.  She becomes taller and her clothes fall off revealing a very ugly Hag.  “Your gift is really a curse.  I would have given it to her freely if I had known whom the intended victim was.”  She turns to the Gnolls and they all return to their mountain homes.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 156
“The Ambassadors from Darguun”

The Goblin adjusted his monocle as the electric rail began to slow down.  He and the others were all peering out the windows watching the Breland country side go by.  Ceasus was slightly envious.  His room in Rhukaan Draal was little better than a basement but it better than most of his fellow goblins had.  It was at least water proofed.

Ceasus was small and slender even for a goblin.  He was quite relieved to have traveling friends.  Riding with him were several nobles.  The Shoulder family was looking to do business in Sharn before the electric rail went to Wroat.  Two of the brothers were quiet and solemn watching the land speed by.  The youngest however was becoming drunk on Mror Hold Whiskey.  

He was considered a city hero.  He fought back the human aggressors by himself.  The human body was still hung on the town square bell tower.  It was little more than bones and places for hornet nests to build but carried a lot of power for the young Ogre.  Something he carried very openly.

This was his first visit to anywhere outside of Darguun.  He had been warned of the dangers of a human city but he felt 15 feet tall and Magic proof.  His brothers knew this would one day be his undoing.  Little Ceasus knew when.

Bork Bouldershoulders was becoming a problem within the city.  He was a threat to the existing ruling noble family- the Hard Hitters.  When he first rose to glory, both families felt it would die out after a while.  It did not.  Worse, he has used it to gain political power and intimidation over the masses of the city.  He was a threat to the city’s fragile peace.  Both families did not want a war.  Something had to be done.

Ceasus got up when the rail stopped.  He was greeted by no less than 20 guards and a mage.  There was also a goblin there to translate for both sides if magic failed to do so.  A few guards was expected and a mage in hiding was predicted.  However, this show of force had to be for only one reason and one reason only- Bork.  Word had reached the city guard of this Ogre’s rash show of power.  The people of Sharn would not tolerate such a thing.

They all left via a large air traveling aircar.  It arrived at the city hall where Ceasus and three guards left along with the goblin translater.  The three Ogres were still with a sizable force and a mage.  “We seek the Morgrave University.” Says the most fluent in Common.  “Specifically we seek a professor there named Bonal Geldem.”

“Why do you seek him?” asks the curious mage whom had many contacts within the University and believed Bonal had either left or was disbarred for illegal activities.  Activities that occurred in Darguun.

“That is between him and us!” snarls the tipsy Bork.  “He gotz something of ours and we wantz it back!”

His two brothers glare at him.  “Why not tell him about the schema you idiot” mumbles one Ogre whom then covers his mouth reliezing he given out further information.

“Hummm…  very well.  I can arrange a meeting.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 157
“Eviction Notice”

Boddynoc couldn’t believe it at first.  He was looking at himself ..before Starvos island.  “What are you doing here?” 

“This is my home now.  Asunder-   remove this mockery from my sight.”

Suddenly the lights come on.  There are several warforged warriors and military types dressed in blue and gold.   House Cannith!

The figure before him molds into a pale featureless face revealing him or her to be a Changling.  “I am Jonal.  I represent the TRUE owners of this facility and I must ask you to leave after giving me all of your keys.”

Boddynoc looks at Asunder’s wounds.  There is either a mage here or a caster of magic.  Many smoking burns suggest magic missile strikes.  Perhaps a wand.  Quietly he picks out some clear lense glasses of his and places them on his face.  The magic he just transferred to them reveals a human mage to Asunder’s right hand side.  He holds a wand and is prepared to use it.

“You left this place.  Abandoned it for many years.  My teammates and I clear the rabble from it and this is how you thank us?  Who do you answer to? Merrix?!?  Lady Elaydren?”

The changling makes a sutle nod which is caught by Boddynoc.  “Strike to the Right!” and the battle erupts once more.  Asunder swings to his right with his weapon and a burst of blood from no where suggests the invisible mage was struck well.  He crumbles to Asunder’s feet and drops his wand.  Dying he grabs the wand again and before Asunder or anyone else can act he snaps it and dies as it explodes within the sensitive area.

A loud boom is heard above that startles Rorsa.  She runs to the hatch which now smokes and smarks.  She calls out to Boddynoc but hears nothing but the crackle of a fire. 

Below, the lights flicker once more.  Asunder has been blown apart from the waist down.  Most of the other forged are stunned or down.  The few humans are dead, burned by the magic release.  The changeling is badly injured but alive.  Boddynoc looks at his torn body.  “There are good things about being less than perfectly alive.  Pain for instance, is what I choice to make of it.”  Turning to the moaning form near him he adds, “And I know how to give it out.   Too bad about Asunder.  I will need a new warforged bodyguard I suppose.”

A few hours later, Jonal wakes up.  She wishes she had not.  She and three other survivors have been hung up within what looks like a shower room.  She inspects her injuries.  Her shoulder, burning from being dislocated and now tied above her looks grossly wrong.  A few teeth are missing.  Her right leg can not support any weight.  

“Awake finally.  Good.”

She rolls her head to the left and there stands the undead zombie holding a vial.  “*&%#@ you.”

“*&%#@ me?”  Come now, is that anyway to speak to the person that is about to make a whole new you?”

Suddenly she knows fear.  “What do you mean?”

“I was once very normal.  I felt pain, I felt hunger, I felt cold.   Now I feel only rage and the need to discover what makes a warforged tick.   I suspect there is more here to discover to help me reach those goals.”

She is quiet.  Her eyes never leave the vial.

“What is here?  I thought it was a possibly a forge but it is not.  It is something else.  What is here?”

Nothing.

“For a non-living creature I have little patience.  Tell me-  what is here of such great importance?”

The gnome places his yellow skinned hand on her hip.  “These burns look bad.  Is that bone I see?  Its all so black and charred.”  He pushes on the meat and she screams louder than he stating that this was in fact a piece of warforged that melted within her skin.

She passes out.

In the next room , Asunder’s remains are laid out.  Boddynoc hopes to fix him but doesn’t know how.  He needs a cleric and most cleric’s would have nothing to do with him at this.  What to do?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 158
“Tempting Fate”

“Are you certain?”

“If I asked for caution, I would have summoned you before starting the Forge.”

“Yes my Lord.”

MT4U looked down and walked away from his leader, friend and savior.  He feared what would happen next.  He feared what would happen when the Lord of Blades once more powered up and operated the Forge.  Would he add another forged to his army and Nation?  Would it be a standard issue or a member of the 87?  Would it be something entirely different?

He went to the special locked storage room and gathered the six plates that formed the Warforged Schema.  MT4U carefully slide the six walls together creating a box.  The magic contained on the walls created the warforged.  If something was placed within the box, it could alter the process.  By adding magical items or artifacts, the Lord of Blades created the 87.

MT4U carried the holy relic out to the main forge.  This artifact could not be duplicated and the scars from the last operation remained.  The Lord of Blades had placed an unknown item into the box to base the creation specification on.  Whatever it was, it cracked the forge and nearly killed all within 500 feet of it.

The Lord of Blades came into the room carrying a small item wrapped in cloth.  He carefully placed it into the box and closed it.  MT4U did not get to witness what the item was.  He feared his Ruler’s rage if he asked.

Energy crackled and leaked from the crack on the huge forge.  Raw materials were added to the forge then the box was placed into the sliding drawer and closed.

It hissed and sealed.  MT4U shook in both fear and awe.  He was to witness something holy once more.  He was a witness to several hundred births and possibly as many as twenty of the 87 magical warforged.

The machine glowed and hissed.  The Lord of Blades looked up with concern and love.  The expectant father was once more going to be a father.

The Forge then shuddered and thudded.  Green mist blew out and soon the mist became a thick fog.  Something was going wrong!  Horribly wrong.

“My lord-  what did you place in the creation box?”

“The phylactery of  d’Cannith.”

“The ….!”

MT4U’s last sight is spotting a 3 foot round slot where a key could be placed.  A Schema maybe….  Then everything goes black.

Reacting barely in time, the Lord of Blades activates his built-in teleportation head band and reappears as the magical mushroom cloud rises from the cave where House Cannith had built and hid the Forge. 

In a bitter voice, he says but one thing-  “Xulo.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 159
“Honey is better than Vinegar”

“He is still but a man.” Mumbles Elaydren.  She sets the candles within the room.  Next she sets up the properly drugged wines that were his favorites.  She sets the animated harp and flute up and gives the list of songs to be played.  Then she changes clothes into something elegant, sexual and provocative.  

“All men want the same thing and will do anything for it.”  She takes her wand of Emotions and touches the perfume before her.  She then places it on her clothes and her bare skin.  She fluffs the pillows and smoothes out the covers on the bed.   Next she gets out her Ring of Charisma and places it on.  

“And that something I have and he will tell me everything I need to know to have it.”  She prepares a few more things then goes to her lock box.  Within here is the vial she traded for.  It should work no matter what.  She turns it over.  “Draconic.  I’m weak on that.  Two drops ?  or is that twenty drops….  “

Merrix is down the hall within his personal library.  These books come directly from Xen’drik.  Many no one else has seen or read in over a thousand years.  He smells the perfume first.  He detects the magic within it and smiles.  It is powerful magic.  VERY.

His eyes water slightly.  His skin tingles and become hypersensitive.  A love potion he thinks.  How quaint.  That is what she tried to use on him when first they met.  He went with it because he knew he had to.  People were talking about him.  They spoke of his love for the forged and disdain for warm flesh.  So he went ahead and got married to quell these stories.  Obviously, he needed to fulfill the physical side of love ...again.   Very well.

She was still twenty paces away.

When she came in his mind began to swim with emotions.  His love knew no boundaries.  He suddenly knew what needed to be done.  How to be happy.  How to feel fulfilled.  His desire burned for achieving this objective.  Soon he thought….

Elaydren looked onto him with a powerful smile and twinkle in her eyes.  Her shapely body seemed more shapely and perfect than before.  He memorized every curve in his mind.  Her hair was perfect.  He tried to memorize this also.

She said nothing she spoke in volumes.  She took his hand and placed it on her chest.  He stood up and followed.  The magical perfume was beyond intoxicating.

In her love nest they laid down.  The candles burned softer and the music slowed down.  

She knew how boring and unimaginative he was.  But that didn’t matter.  She was going to force the information out of him.  She was going to learn about the Creation Schema.  She was going to learn about Xulo.  She was going to know it all.

Lights out.

“oh …  my …god…. Merrix….”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 160
“Bork’s Just Deserts”

“Why do we go here?” demands Broke Bouldershoulders.

“Our contacts said to go underground near the Statue of the slain hero Gractus.”  His older brother says in Giant.  

“What does it matter?  Why do we worry so about this human?”  He spits when saying human.  A lone human homeless person looks up from their hovel in the underground tunnel.  He snarls at the person whom becomes pale.

His brothers were beginning to grow impatient.  Bork was becoming an embarrassment to the family and a pain in their backsides.  They wanted to get this over quickly.  However, they were still too close to the surface.  They had to go deeper.

“This place stinks of more than human waste.  Why would the professor see us here?” Complains the aggressive Ogre.

Deeper thinks the oldest brother.   I want to be first thinks the middle brother.

Finally at 30 minutes of going down.  They stop once they find a unique mark on the wall.  The oldest brother proclaims this mark as their meeting place.

“Finally!” snarls Bork.   “How long do we wait?”

“Until something happens.”

Five minutes go by.  Nothing has happened.

“Arrrrgh!  I grow impatient.  Can’t we get this going?!?” He rages in Giant.

“Yes- lets.” Says the oldest whom swings and grabs Bork by the back of the head and slams his face into the stone wall.  Bork slides down the wall leaving a bloody trail down the wall and crosses over the mark.

The middle brother slams him with his magical club.  Bork’s ribs give.   He spits out blood and a weak “why…?”

Surprise gives way to rage and he tackles one brother to the ground.  However, there was much damage already done and with two versus his one the battle ends quickly.

Broken, bloody and appearing dead, each of the brothers give him one last hit apiece before cleaning their weapons and moving onward back to the surface.

Bork lies looking dead and above him, the symbol remains ..coated in blood.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 161
“Cedious Endangered”

 Sara Silvergleam of the Korranberg Chronicle continued her snooping around.  She was back in Karrnath investigating a lead.  She hoped this trip into the land would not be as dangerous as the last time.

When last in Karrnath, she met a halfling whom had quite a story to tell. He spoke of a war between Cannith, Warforged and the Emerald Claw.  She took it as a fanciful story until a warforged assassination party arrived in the Cannith car trying to kill everyone.  At the same time, Agents of the Emerald Claw were attacking several cars down.  Ever since she has kept an ear open for information involving these three and something called the Creation Schema.

She knew it was a hot story since –
1- Her story was squashed within the Chronicle
2- Agents of the Trust have been following her ever since

The TRUST!   If they were following her it meant two things-  
1- This was a true story
2- It is unresolved still
3- If she still lived then she was being used by The Trust to gather more information

The other story she was following was the unrest within the religous sects of Thrane.  Something was happening but what?   Before she had gotten very far she was forcefully kicked out of the country of Thrane.  The recent events in Sharn involving the Undead had something to do with this also.

However, at this time she was sneaking around within the offices of a trade office in Rekkenmark, Karrnath.  The office was a front for illegal trade.   Artifacts were shipped in under the pretense of being building supplies for the bridge.  These artifacts were often ones that dealt with the undead or war-time activities.   It also harbored a criminal group known as the Turbulent.

These war-time criminals dealt with anything from smuggling to assassination.  Her investigations hinted at Kaius knowing about them.  For allowing them to operate within his country, they had to do him favors occationally.  These favors included assassinations and smuggling of illegal goods into the country.  Why a king needed to smuggle things into his own country was unknown but got her imagination going.

She had made it onto the rafters overlooking the warehouse when she heard the door open.  She froze and waited to see who it was.

A man dressed in a thick leather coat came in.  His thick fur hat kept her seeing his face.  Two other men came in from the far side.

They spoke in Fiendish!  NOT a good sign.

“Do you have it?” asked the two newest persons to enter the warehouse.

“I do.” Answers the man in leather.  He hands one man a scroll case and a pouch.

One man weighs the pouch in his hand.  “Very well.”

The other man unrolls the scroll.  He looks over the writing and sees a several drawings.  He looks at these intently.  

“Where were they seen last?” he asks the man in leather.

“Fairhaven.”  The man sniffles from a cold.  “They just returned from a trip afar.”

“Where from?”

“The West.  Somewhere within the Eldeen Forest.”

“Very well.”

“Then it is agreed?” asks the man in leather.

“Yes though I must ask- You have several notes on their captures or deaths.  Especially on the little one.  Why?”

“Cedious is an offensive troublesome crud of a creature.  I wish to be the one to slice his throat.  The exacts are not of your concern.”

“Agreed.”

The man in leather and the other two turn and leave.

“I MUST warn Cedious somehow” thinks Sara.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 162
“My Story for a Drink”

The man struggled to go through the doorway.  He had has walked 100’s of miles and been attacked dozens of times.  Each time he was certain he had died.  Yet here he is.  At the Breland Tavern in SW Breland.  He climbed onto the bar and asked for a drink.  Something strong.  The bartender looked at him with distrust.

“5 coppers.”

The man in the ripped and bloodied blue and gold uniform reached into his pocket.  Nothing.  The entire inside of the pocket had been torn out.  Possibly when he was attacked by the Dire Bear in the Graywall Mountains.  Or was it the Wyvern or the pack of wolves or even the Ankheg.   Doesn’t matter much.  He was without coin.

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders to the bartender.  Angered by almost giving out a free drink the bartender calls out to his bouncer- an orc wearing studded leather armor.

“Wait a mere moment good sir.  Allow me to pay for that drink.  If of course he is willing.”  All three turn to the source of the voice.  A lovely woman with a beaming smile sits at the table near the back.  Her flute and guitar give away her occupation.

“I can not repay you bard.” Says the man.

“Tell me of your story and consider it paid.  If I like the story there may be a meal to follow.” She says with cheer.

They sit down and each takes a sip from their drinks.  

“I am known only as The Bard.  I live by my songs and wits alone.”

“I am …” Suddenly the door slams open.  A Gnoll with fierce red eyes steps in.   The Orc bodyguard quivers in fear.  He is slow to reach for his club.  The bartender has already left the bar and tries to sneak through the storage room behind the bar.  The few other patrons inside cower in fear.  One even begins to weep uncontrollably.

The Bard and her storyteller turn to face it.  The soiled man whimpers.  “Not again…”

The Bard studies the man briefly then turns to the Gnoll with obvious fiendish blood in his bloodline.  She can almost smell it.

The Orc trembles as he says the bar is closing.  For this he dies a painful death as a beam of magical energy shots out from the gnolls hand.

“Where is it?  I feel it clawing at my infernal soul!  I must destroy it!”  The Gnoll looks around then stops and stares at the table occupied by the man and the Bard.  A beam of energy shots out and cleaves off an arm of the man and narrowly misses the Bard.  The bard lifts a wand and blasts the surprised Gnoll.  A second blast knocks the Gnoll outside the door.  

The man picks up his burnt arm and crying says “Not #$%&* again!”   The Bard ignores him for a moment as she goes to the doorway.  The Gnoll picks itself up from the ground.  “I have issues with the cockroach- not you.”

“That ‘cockroach’ is going to be my meal ticket for quite some time.  So bugger off!” and she zaps the Gnoll again.  It doesn’t get up this time.

She returns to the table and sees the man steeling himself.  Then in a cry of anguish he touches his severed arm to his shoulder and it reattaches.  The pain is great however and the man seems near to unconscience.

“Sorry …it happens a lot to me …at least now it does….”

“Wait here.  I’ll get a bottle.  I doubt the bartender will argue with me.  How about a name.”

“Regganold.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 163
“Mission:  Boddynoc Grinkle”

The Trust Agent did not relish his newest mission.  Especially since it dealt with something from his recent past he tried to bury from his memories.

Not long ago he was set to remove the threat of a serial killer that targeted gnomes.    The Ogre had been captured by bounty hunters and was being shipped by sea back to Zilargo for the bounty.

Bemnol was secretly on board to ensure he arrived dead.  He did kill the murderous ogre but the ship went down in a furious storm.  He and several survivors washed up on the shores of Starvos Island.  Starvos island was a mining camp for Khyber Dragonshards.  It was one of the largest deposits outside of the Shadow Marches ever found.

However, something else was there too.  It had killed the village priest and left the villagers fearful and desperate.  So desperate they pleaded for the washed up survivors to aid them.  He went only because he did not trust the others.  He could sense there was something important revolved around the halfling and the gnome.  So he went along with them.

The mines had discovered a secret passageway to a refined Khyber pit.  Creatures of pure evil walked here and experimented.  They were looking to kill everyone on the face of the planet.  The fools discovered an alchemy trap and opened it.  He and the other gnome were infected by it.

Over the next 24 hours, each began to change.  They were becoming undead!  They were becoming Corpse Creatures!  The gnome artificer  became one fully.  I fought it off long enough to be saved then.  A powerful cleric came and thought she had destroyed it.  Studying my blood and the vials recovered of the cursed items, we were able to create a cure.

This cure was wisely created as the poisonous vapors were used within Sharn recently.  It was stopped and the Trust saved the city.   (See the Storyhour:   EBERRON:  THE SIBERYS SEVEN starting soon)

Since then, it has come to our attention that Boddynoc survived the attack by the cleric and yet exists.  More, he has information on the events within House Cannith that concerns my government.

So-  with my established background and contact with the target I have been asked to find and locate the target.


I am to find Boddynoc Grinkle.


And this is why I find myself at the gray mists of the Mournlands.  He and a warforged were last seen in this area.   He has history within the ruins of Cyre.  This is where I go.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 164
“Visions and Revelations about Love”

Was it the potion or the man? Wondered Elaydren.  The man was an animal.  She was beginning to think that after this whole Schema mess was over she would stay married to the man.  Last night was …incredible.   Beyond incredible.

After several hours of love making he finally rolled over and began to sleep.  Sore but fulfilled Elaydren was about to sleep when he began to dream.  While dreaming he was talking to himself.  He was talking about the Creation Schema!

She grabbed a ink quill and paper and began to write quickly.

The following is what he said as he came in and out of deep slumber-



Must use the forge

Create a new warforged

Located in the NE hall

Letters  C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N

Take box and place rare materials within it

Create

Together relocate the Creation Schema

Six pieces

We have three

My Creation-  Lord of Blades has one

One hidden by the Blue Dragon

Thought it was too dangerous for me to use

Other piece in secret facility

Secret from all but a few select members of the house

Frostfell

Xen’drik

See family

See Xulo

Rebuild the CREATION SCHEMA

Rebuild MY nation

He rolls over revealing his drugged state is still fully active.  She puts her notes away and relishes her being married to this man.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 165
“Who is KIM ELDERITCH?”

The fortress was the biggest and best in all of the Mror Holds.  The guards were the best trained.  The staff was all trained in skills other than wait staffing.  The rugs on the floors were magically treated to be clean, soft and comfortable.  The paintings on the walls were from the best artisans of Cyre and Aerena.  Many were magical with wards, spying and detection abilities.  The furniture was made from Dark Wood from Aerena and other exotic woods from as far away as Xen’drik.  

Everything was the best and most expensive.

Everything.

Everything here belonged to him.  The people, the fortress, the furniture and the magic.  It was all his.

But he wanted more.

Outside of the Cannith family and a few rumored families within Aerena, he had the most magical artifacts of any one.

He supported six expeditions into Xen’drik at any given moment.  He also had a handful of groups active within Khorvaire at any given time.  He dabbled in magic of all varieties and levels.  Even planar.  This level of commitment drew attention to him from the locals, the other governments and the dragons themselves.  So what he thought.  This meant they came to him.  No waiting.

He knew that House Cannith was on the verge of breaking apart.  Merrix loved his creations too much.  He loved his warforged more than life itself.   The rumors of his recent marriage surprised him until he found out whom he married.  Elaydren was his to command and use.  So it seem then Merrix was now his to use also.  That was fine.   Only the best after all.

His most recent artifact he sought was the CREATION SCHEMA.  With the in fighting of Cannith, this was the ideal time to collect the pieces and assemble them for ultimate glory.  Through Elaydren and his other resources, he had four of the pieces.  A fifth was being collected now in the Eldeen Reaches that he would take when he needed it.  The sixth one was a secret.  Using his many magics he had figured it to be heavily guarded and in a cold region.

Frostfell no doubt.   But Frostfell was a big place and largely uncharted or explored.  His people, the dwarves, came from this cold region.  They lived underground mainly.  They were primitive and lived in warring clans.  Hot air vents, sources of water and mushroom formations were prized items to hold that made the difference life and death.   They had little arcane magic.  However- clerics ruled the clans.  Druids were treated with great respect as they kept the mushroom rooms intact and alive longer.

Eventually, the came south and settled within the mountains.  Some say it was the dragons that brought them south.   Some say greed as the mountains proved to be rich in deposits of metals and gems.  Some because of the promise of power offered by the magical tattoos some were born with.  The Dragon Marks.

He possessed these also.  Though he cut ties with the dwarven families a long time ago, he still contains contacts within it.  His new family was the Aurum.   The richest and most powerful people of the known world belonged to this family.  He was a top member.  The inner most circle known as the Platinum Ring was his to run and rule.  Antus ir’Soldorak was his puppet to use diffuse any possible assassination attempts or other disgruntled persons.

Khorvaire was his but it was not enough.  It never was.  With the CREATION SCHEMA, he hoped to control everything.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 166
“Demise vs Darguun”

The ogres never knew what hit them.

It was only two days after they killed their troublesome younger brother and they sensed something in the wind.  They came here to find a professor and rid the family of a growing problem.  While here, they did get rid of the problem of their brother BUT they discovered someone had killed the professor shortly after he bought the journal from them.

The journal and several items were found within a cave in the Seawall Mountains.  Not knowing what they had, they sold the items individually on the market.  Professor Geldem bought the journal but missed the map.  The map was located two tables to his right.  In such a state he left without looking and the seller was so stunned by the platinum payment he missed the opportunity to point it out.

Since then, someone else has come looking for the journal.  The dwarf bought the map with gold and inquired about the journal.  He knew about it even then.  Possibly through magic.  Maybe they knew of the professor or his aid the human Blare.  (Vaneese Blare whom died in the Talenta Plains trying to bring a copy of the journal to the Aurum).   The journal was worth a king’s ransom.   So here the two Ogres were- trying to locate it and take it back to sell to someone else.

Instead, after a few days of inquirement, the damned Emerald Claw came down on them.

“Why do you ask of Professor Bonal Geldem?” demanded the ugly elf.

“Our business- not yours.” Says the eldest Ogre in common.  “Bitch.” He then follows in Giant.

An evil smile crosses her flayed skinned face.  In common she answers-  “I am all that and more.  Do you see this dagger?” she says in common.  “It is magical and has a name.”

He glares at her in silence.

“Do you wish to know its name?”

He sucks up some spit to spit out.  She adjusts her grip from his cloak to his throat making it impossible to spit.  Instead he drools out of the corner of his mouth.  He curses the Web Spell that holds him like this.

“Giant Killer.”  She pauses to let the name set in.   “It does incredibly painful and evil things to giants and their kin.  Kin like …Ogres.”

“WHY DO YOU SEEK THE PROFESSOR?!?” she states in an angry voice.  

He tries once more to tear free.  She stabs him in the neck and twists and turns it at will.  Blood splashes onto her and runs down the runnels of her tortured dried skin.  He dies with no dignity.  Then she turns on the brother.

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

Eyes wide in terror, he tells her everything.  The caves, the journal and maps, who bought the maps.  He even tells her about killing his brother below the Cogs.  The only thing of interest is the maps.

“Give me a name!”  She points the dagger at his throat now.

Tears in his eyes he begs for mercy.  He has no name.  He only knows it was a well-dressed dwarf with a warforged bodyguard.

“Tell me of the warforged.”

“He had no country markings or brands on him.  He seemed very accident-prone however.  He had the ability to adjust his shape also.   Pleeeeaaase!  I beg for mercy!”

Fresh blood washes off the old.  “Sounds like Rush the mercenary psion.  Hired by a well-dressed dwarf.  That means either The Dragon house Kundarak or the Aurum.  Interesting.”

She turns to her second in command.  “Get in touch with the Turbulent.  They will know where Rush is now and whom his current employer is.


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 168
“Ziggurat Room”

Once more the adventurers under the employment of House Cannith North enters the Pyramid room or the Ziggurat Room.  As before, the lighting is dim as it is only lit by glowing lichen that covers the walls and ceiling of the 75 x75 x 75-foot space.  It doesn’t grow on the structure however.  They explore the stairs going up expecting trouble and find nothing.  However, the top is an illusion.  Rather than find out what was within the room hidden they go to the known doorways that lead into the deeper sections of the pyramid.

The entrance room is marked with swirls of blue and glowing waves and lines.  Both Cedious and Taskerdoo inspect the walls hoping to find out if these are for design and appearance or if they are writings arcane or standard.  Unable to figure it out, they go into the next room.

Once more, the adventurers discover four stone sarcophagi but this time there is also a guardian- a large Clay Golem!  Cedious takes a shot at it then backs off.  Sharshek strikes it but finds the room too small and crowded for his liking.  The Golem swings at Cedious but misses.  The others begin to fill in the room and attack.

Suddenly the Golem goes after Black sands and batters him badly.  In return, he strikes the golem after being given a Bull’s Strength spell and blessing from Vale.  Enraged he tears it down quickly.

As normal, the five of them begin to remove covers to find what is inside.  They are looking for another large green emerald and two red crystal “x”s.  With these two items they hope to find the Creation Schema part they came for and escape the magical trap.

Within the first stone coffin is a goblin priest.  He holds a staff of Earth & Stone.  The next coffin has a surprising goblin skeleton.  He wears a tie-dyed cloak.  He has no weapons but a well made smoking pipe with gold, silver and electrum molded into it.  There is a tobacco pouch with enough tobacco for two uses.  They are magical.  Another coffin has a goblin skeleton dressed in black robes.  He holds a staff also that has magic.  Taskerdoo and Cedious check it out. A black icor covers the bottom of the staff.  “Contact Poison!” yells the halfling rogue.  They clean it up and Vale checks it out.  A Staff of Healing!  The final coffin has a goblin skeleton dressed in red.  He wears a crown and holds a golden Scepter.  They take the crown easily but it will not let go of the royal rod.  Taskerdoo fights with it for a few moments then ignores it.  “He can keep it!”

Cedious tries once.  When it pulls the rod back to itself, he pulls the magical adamantine rapier out and slices off the fingers holding the rod.  Smiling he puts it into his Handy Haversack.  “Greedy undead punk.” He mumbles as he swears he can hear a voice in his head saying it is his by birth.

Further disturbance of the coffin reveals a secret door!

Cedious checks it for traps then opens it.  Green mist rises out gently.  It has a strong but pleasing smell to it.  He slowly lowers himself into the dark hole.  The room is small and feels “evil”.  The walls are black and reflective.  They look like coils and twisting columns of ribbed organic armor and glass.  Ignoring the little voice in his mind saying to leave, he looks around.  The mist is thickest along the floor.  Nothing can be seen within three feet of the floor except for the green mist.

Cedious nearly falls into a pit here.  Considering it several times, he passes it up.  He believes it to be a Khyber Pit.  He finds an altar or pedestal.  By now Taskerdoo and Black sands has reached the floor.  Vale is not convinced this room is a good place to be.  It reeks of evil he says.  Cedious pokes around the altar and finds a large Khyber Stone that has been fitted into the pedestal.  The group discusses the wisdom of removing this stone.  In the end, Cedious works it free and as he pockets the stone spots a secret door on the side of the pedestal.

He easily opens it and finds a solid Mithril box with a lid.  The lid has no obvious opening latch.  He figures it out and opens it.  Black light flashes from the opened box.  He quickly closes it.  Taskerdoo, Black sands and Vale rushes over.  It is opened a second time and the blackness begins to dim.  He closes it with a crazed giggle.  Cedious has a new toy to use when it should not be.  He opens it a third time and the black light is gone.  He frowns and closes it.  It is placed into the traveling bag and they climb out.

Outside of the temple, Black sands ask to see the box.  Cedious says no and turns his back on the ill-tempered ½ giant barbarian.  The barbarian latches onto him and demands to see it.  “Fine!  It’s broken anyway.”  He hands the box to the very aggressive barbarian whom looks the box over a few times then suddenly pulls and rends the lid.  Cedious grabs it from him in a hurry.  The damage is done.  The lid will never close correctly again.  Pouting, Cedious places it back into the bag and moves away from the dangerous ½ giant.

“Sorry …I …” and he lets it go.   The others stare in disbelief.  Vale especially.

“This place …  its getting to me.”

“Then we need to leave.  Now.” Offers Taskerdoo.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 169
“Black Bog Waters”

The adventurers stop and rest here within the hallway.  Vale continues to study Black sands.  Is he suffering from some sort stress related breakdown?  Even before entering Drogan’s Trap he was becoming more aggressive and violent.  He feared what the end result would be.

Having rested, they entered the next room.  They expected the swampy bog and instead find a totally black room.  Peering below from the light source they have they see muted reflections of themselves and the light.  Water.

“Not sure but it looks flooded.  Anything could be inside.”

“How are the walls?  I could give out spells to allow our crossing that way.” Offers Taskerdoo.

“They are …ooooooww.  They are slime covered and moss laden.” Says Cedious shaking the crud from his hand.

“What is wrong with the water.  Lets go.” Growls the barbarian.

“And where will you swim to?  You can’t see where you are going.  What if the water has critters?”

“I’ll kill the creatures!” He announces.

Vale worries further.  His rage is becoming unreasoning.

“Let’s try this-  “ and Cedious activates his Ring and pushes off the step and finds he is moving forward all right.  He then activates his Endless Decanter of Water to propel him further.  But he can not make out the blackness of the wall vs. the blackness of the air.  “Uh-oh”

The others watch his light cross then suddenly stop with a loud thud.  “Crap! Ow!” they hear.  Cedious manages to hold onto the Decanter and his Lantern as he fumbles with the door.  Black sands becomes impatient and jumps in.  It the rogue’s crossing didn’t attract anything it must be safe he figures.  He begins to swim slowly across.  Taskerdoo calls out to them.

“Are we going to the Forest or the X room?  The Forest is over to our left –not straight ahead.”  They hear both of the impatient adventurers curse.  

“Make up your mind! Snarls the ½ giant as he now treads water.  He is using Cedious’ lantern as a beacon.  He watches it now move to his left and waits.  This time Cedious is using only the momentum of his pushing off.  Using the water caused a bloody nose.  It could be worse this time.

Casting Spider Climb on Vale and Sharshek, they begin to slowly cross.  The walls are very slick and slimy.  Vale slides into the water several times.  Sharshek, carrying the halfling druid nearly does twice.

Finally they reach the door and exit.  Black sands is given a rope to climb out.


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 170
“Undead Elves”

The adventurers climb into the hallway and carefully cross it.  They exit the hallway connecting the rooms and discover …music.  As predicted, the room they reached is the forest room.  There are tall full trees and instead of the sounds of birds or squirrels, they hear …music.

Cedious scans the area and sees several men dressed like woodsman dancing and singing around with another man playing an instrument.  Two small huts are behind them.

In sylvan Taskerdoo calls out a greeting.  They don’t seem to hear him so Cedious yells very loud in common “The music is TOO loud!”  Two arrows suddenly strike the door he holds.  The men below stop and peer up to where they are about 80 feet away.

“Errr …Hi.” And Cedious debates whether to go in or fall back.  “What should we do?” He asks Taskerdoo.

“Greet them.”

“Yes greet them” smiles Black sands hefting up his sword.  Vale scowls at him.   He has become more and more blood thirsty in the few weeks they have been within Drogan’s Trap.  Too blood thirsty for his tastes.

Three more arrows hit the doorway.  This time Cedious spots their points of origin.  There are woodsmen within the trees!

Taskerdoo looks closely at the apparent leader.  His arm looks incomplete and stringy as he points at them.  In elven he hears “Get the Intruders!”

“Undying!” he yells as Taskerdoo looks into the room and Black sands steps up next.  Cedious has activated his Ring of Levitation and pushed off the wall to the closest tree to attack.  Sharshek leaps into the tree next as Black sands drops to the ground below and begins to rush the men on the ground.  Vale clambers down next and as expected does a poor job of landing.

Taskerdoo fireballs the men below narrowly missing the ½ giant whom is fire resistant.  He still doesn’t like it however and growls with menace at him.  Vale fires a beam of light at the leader and kills him instantly.

Deciding to deal with a different tree Cedious drops out of the tree and moves to the base of a nearby tree.  Sharshek finishes off the two non-living elves first.  Black sands discovers these undead are very tough as he is forced to swing wildly at each of them several times.  Vale holds back to heal or aid any that require it.

Cedious reaches the base of the tree and tests out his new weapon on it.  He cuts cleanly through it and sidesteps to make a second cut.  The trunk has been cut 4 / 5 s of the way and it creaks and cracks.  The elves within it know what has happened and put away their bows and prepare for the fall as it begins to slowly tilt.  It tilts more and begins to fall much to Cedious’ humor.

The earlier fireball has caught one hut on fire.  Taskerdoo hopes to save anything within it of value.  Black sands finishes off his undead elves with Vale’s help then goes to aid Cedious.  The elves leapt from the tree as it fell and now begin to attack him and Sharshek whom also climbed down and moved over.

Taskerdoo finally climbs down and heads to the burning huts.

The undead are defeated and Cedious uses his decanter of Endless Water to put out the flames.  There is nothing of worth within the remains of the kitchen.  The other hut was sleeping quarters with nothing of value.

“Lets go.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 171
“Those are NOT Halflings”

They move through the hallway into the next room of which they know to be the pyramid room.  They enter without much caution as look up to see many halfling-sized humanoids carrying dirty sacks to the top.  “Hello!” yells Cedious as he wonders what this is.

He moves aside to allow Sharshek and Black sands in.  Black sands rushes for the top.  The others fill in behind him.  The very ugly halflings all drop their bags and curse at them.  Taskerdoo tries to call out to the little guys in several languages.  They do not react but call to each other in a strange language he and the others do not know (Hagling).

As Black sands reaches the top the creatures point their fingers at him and the others and release magic missiles.  They concentrate their fire on the charging ½ giant and the cleric.  This only annoys the barbarian whom kills three in one swing.  The remaining ones scatter to avoid being hit and struck down so easily.  

“These uglys are not halflings.” Shouts Cedious as he works his way around them to reach the top.  The creatures try to spread out to avoid being killed easily but they are overwhelmed easily by the party.  Cedious and Black sands look into the pit and find it is lightly bubbling tar.  Opening the bags using his sword, Cedious and Taskerdoo discover the creatures were carries grubs, maggots and other worm-like creatures to the top.

“I don’t want to know.” The druid says in disgust. “Let’s go find the doors.”

Vale had already begun searching for them.  Cedious looks for traps and sees none.  Black sands pushes the door over.  Cedious spots a floor trap and warns everyone of it.  As they enter the room with that traditionally held four sarcophagi they discover- large skeletons of minotaurs!

These creatures hold their own for a few rounds then quickly go down.  The group searches the four stone coffins to find whatever goodies they can.

Cedious checks one and finds 1500 silver coins mixed with 1000 gold coins.  He scoffs at the money.  “Too much effort to collect the coins.”

Sharshek discovers four scrolls of CSW and one potion of HEAL.

Taskerdoo checks out an oily cloth that holds something long and heavy.  Unwrapping it, he finds a Longsword of incredible quality.  The hilt and pommel has the shape of a Gold Dragon.  The sword is given to Sharshek.

Box four has a red crystal shaped like an “x”.    “Now we are getting somewhere!” answers Taskerdoo.


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 172
“Cooling Effect”

They find another quiet hallway with no traps or guardians.  They stay here to rest before moving onward.  The next room is the Forge.  This room has a trend to be very dangerous.

Cedious has a new plan.  He is going to open his Decanter of Endless Water on full and flood the room.  The others are nor sure this is a good idea but who can step the rogue after he has made up his mind? 

He opens the door with his Decanter in hand and …..

The room merely glows a dully.  The forge is cooled already with only narrow vents of molten materials here and there.  The pits are cooled and it is not hot or vapor heavy either.  There appears to be no one here also.

“I should flood it anyway…” The halfling rogue mutters as he puts the magic item away.  He slips down to the floor magically as Black sands jumps down onto the cooled pit.  The top dents in heavily and slowly reforms after he steps off.   Taskerdoo hops onto the center swinging catwalk.  It creaks and a single chain link breaks.  “No one else  -PLEASE!  It’ll break!” he calls out now happy he doesn’t have Logan with him.  Everyone else climbs down to look around.

Cedious finds a control panel complete with several levels.  He looks at them then the vats and cooled materials and his teammates.  He returns to looking at the levers.  He can’t help himself as he pulls on the one lever.   A clanging sound is heard and the sound of something moving overhead.   Cedious steps back as if to prove it was not his doing.

Water begins to pour out of vents on the ceiling and it crashes onto the cooled vents.  He quickly turns it off then and inspects what has happened.  As everyone begins to scold him for hitting the lever a loud banging sound is heard.  Curious, they all locate the sound.  It comes from a cooled vat.  As they near it a stone fist punches through the metal shell.  Out comes a Stone Golem!

Black sands rages and attacks.  Vale strengths him with Bulls Strength and after Haste.  The Golem proves to be very resilient to most of their attacks.  It breathes a green vapor but everyone just coughs it away.  Soon it goes down.  Deciding to be cautious, they try the other levels incase more Golems are there.   The next level is either faulty or has nothing as only water pours out.  They try the third and final vat and lever and out comes a Golem that they destroy before it can even climb out of the hole.

Feeling safe, they begin to scour the room for magical items and loot.

They find the following:
Ring of Protection +2
Quarterstaff +3 (Breath Water and Free Movement spells 1/day)
Spellbook (Planar spells)
Manual of Quickness +1
Manual of Gainful Exercise +2

But no last red crystal in the shape of an X.

They go over their notes and leave the room  looking to try the Water Room.  The last time they were there they faced a hurricane and a Dragon Turtle at the same time.  What could be there now?


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 173
“Life is a Beach”

Gathering their wits, they arm themselves for the worse as Cedious holds the latch that exits the magical hallway.  They gather their spells and choice their preferred weapons.  Show time.

Cedious pushes open the door and he hears seagulls cawing and sees a sun is rising.  He smells the sea and feels the gentle sea blown breeze on his face.  He senses no danger.

“Uh… is that a …beach?” asks Sharshek looking over Cedious’ and Taskerdoo’s heads.  Looking over his and Vale’s head Black sands hopes for a Sand Dragon to kill.  

They walk the ramps to a cell that has been filled with fine pure sand.  Clear blue water fills the other three cells.  Gold fish and green grass fill these tanks.  The total effect is that of paradise.

“Where’s the Dragon?” asks Black sands with obvious disappointment.

“The greatest danger is the one not obvious.” Says Vale while looking directly at Black sands.  “Some are hidden in direct view.” 

“Sand men?   Maybe each pool is a Colossal Water Elemental…..”


They enter the room and go directly to the sandy beach and sit down.  They relax without giving up their guard.  

Finally. Both Cedious and Taskerdoo decide to explore the waters.  The others decide to dig and investigate the sand.  Nothing.

Within the water however they find an incredibly well hidden secret door that leads under the sand.  Carefully the two of them enter the doorway and find…..

A floating steel box that measures about 1 foot square.  They explore the room and find nothing else.  Cedious nearly fumbles with opening the lock but does so finally.  Inside- the fourth and last Red “x” shaped crystal.

“Lets get the hell out of here.” Says Cedious  (DM NOTE-  Slightly paraphrased)


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 174
“Now You’ve Done It- RUN!”

The five adventures travel to the Sculpture room and find everything is as it was before.  They begin with putting in the red “x” shaped crystals as they have before.   The third “gift” rewarded to them is a scroll of Contact Other Plane.   Taskerdoo groans.  He wanted the Schema piece.

DM NOTE- Bill fears being sent into another plane or dimension when this is completed.  By adding so much Planar themed spellbooks and neat stuff I fed this fear.

The fourth crystal is added and out comes- A Half-Moon shaped adamantine piece with small studs and rods sticking out the back of it.  A Creation Schema piece!

“You put the eyes in…”   “No you do that.”  “I found them- you put them in.”  “You are the rogue- not me.”    No one feels the exit from this magical trap that involves Time and Space will end happily.  Finally Cedious climbs up to place the two emeralds into the Green Dragon’s Eye Slots.  Sharshek, with his dragon-themed magical sword readies himself for the worse.

Black sands quivers in the excitement of leaving this trap.

The first emerald goes in.   Cedious exhales and then says “#@%^  IT!!” and puts the second one in quickly with no warning put hops off quickly. 




Nothing



“Maybe we were wrong.   Did we miss something?”  wonders Taskerdoo in frustration.

Then the sculptures on the wall begin to flatten out or recede into the wall.  The walls begin to shrink in height and length.  The floor smoothes out and slowly a door appears.

“EVERYONE OUT!”  Shouts four people in unison.

Black sands merely rushes the door.  His eyes burn red as he works the door.

They tumble out of the door and continue to scramble.  Though they do not look back, they see something obvious and ominous all about them.  The signs of a great battle are apparent.  The centuries out dust has been trampled and blown around.  Remains of skeletons liter the colorful rune covered floor.  A few bodies of Emerald Claw soldiers lie here and there.  But the adventures do not slow down.  They continue to run as beams of colored light begin to pour out from the stone building behind them.  A loud hum can be heard as they reach the exit.  Air rushes INTO the cavern where a distinct glow can be seen.

Cedious looks for half a moment to see nothing but a ball of light there.  He goes to a full run to keep up with the others.

They run as they reach the high stone arches and walkways over the dark river below.  The dark skinned (drow) elven monk is not here to warn them or hinder them even.  They continue until they reach the hallway near the secret exit that was guarded by Hill Giants.

They work the trap door and find …dead bodies…..

There is deep snow that once spilled into the room also.  Signs of it being dug at are clear.  Having no patience, Taskerdoo fireballs the entrance and discovers the snow is over twenty feet deep!

Vale calls forth a column of fire.  The snow is nearly 30 ft deep.  The stars are twinkling at them from above.

“wow.” Is all anyone can say.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 175
“Ceasus’ True Intentions”

The Darguun ambassador is less than impressed with Breland and its lawmakers.  He leaves Wroat in anger and the need for revenge.  He will have it.

First he has to stop in Sharn (See Siberys Seven Story hour).  He has something important to do here.   Next, he needs to let his leaders know that the Seven Caves Project (See Tim and Cathy’s Story hour) can continue.

Sharn-  The goblin moves through the sewers quickly and quietly.  He knows the government is trying to watch him but is very certain he lost the two Dark Lantern agents several layers ago.  He goes into hiding to be certain.  After waiting thirty minutes with no one coming around he begins to slowly climb his way back up.

He carries a small bag filled with potions.  Once he nears his goal, he stops and looks around once more.  He places the black fluid into a bowl as instructed.  Readying his way he looks at his two exits.  He pours the green icor into the bowl.  It sizzles and pops immediately.  Green thick mist rises.   Knowing what this means he drops the entire vial into the bowl and runs.  The mist fills the room and begins to seep out of cracks that lead to the surface.

About 500 feet down, Ceasus repeats this.   And another 500 feet until he has done this five times.  Snickering, he runs down again into deeper sections as the green magical mist rises to the surface in the narrow dark streets of UnderSharn and the lowest sections that are not underground.

You will need to read the Story hour Siberys Seven to learn more.

(To begin posting within the week)


----------



## megamania

uh-oh


----------



## megamania

What has happened to my last 2-3 pages of Storyhour?   Was it THAT bad?!?


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

*Missing The Last 45 Segments! Thieves!!!!!*

^I....cant....stop....laughing!!!^


PS: Nope.


----------



## megamania

Too bad for everyone I have the missing segments saved.    Here they come!



darn gnome thieves .......grumble grumble....


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 176
“Dreams with Undead”

“Do you seek power?”

The half-giant snorts in his sleep.  

In his dream, the barbarian is cleaning his huge weapon.  The bodies of many creatures lay at his feet.  He stops to listen to the voice.  He is trying to pin point it.

“Do you seek power?”

“Who asks?  Show yourself.”  He demands as he stands to his full height and tightly grips his weapon.

“I could provide you with power.  Power greater than that of a vampire or a were-creature.  I can give you so much more."

“Show yourself.”  He begins to look about.

Silently a figure begins to rise from the bodies behind him.  It is undead with wings.  Long Horns sweep forward from the head filled with large and long teeth.  In its hand is a wand with a skull on it.  The black obsidian and iron seems to glow with power.  He leans forward and whispers “Black Pit.”

Black sands sucks in air quickly and a sharp shudder.  It is still cold as the entrance is buried with snow.  Soon they will dig their way out from Drogan’s Trap.  He doesn’t move any but lets his eyes move and peer about.  No one saw him wake up.  He closes his eyes and smiles.  “Black Pit” he whispers as he falls asleep.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
01/07/06
SEGMENT 177
“Unexpected Surprises”

The adventuring party rests inside the room.  They marvel at the snow.  So much snow in such a sort time they all think.  Even for the end of Zarantyr** it is an amazing amount.

**DM NOTES- The PCs are aware of the time twisting effects of being within the Trap.  It is really the beginning of Eyre.  They think about 35 days have gone by.  In truth over 100 have.

As they dig they find more skeletal figures with shovels.  It appears the Emerald Claw were snowed in at one point.  The bones are brittle and frozen throughout.  Some of the skeletons are even frozen in ice as if the snow was melted then refrozen quickly.  Vale wonders in awe.  “It is as if a portal to Risia had opened.”

“Risia?”  What’s that?” asks Cedious.

“The plane of Ice and Eternal Cold.” Answers Taskerdoo.  He is assuming the same thing.  

Cedious levitates up through the hole Vale created the night before.  He is amazed by something he sees near the edge of the woods.  An Airship!  He is quick to report it and the tunneling that Black sands and Sharshek has begun turns to that general direction.

Black sands continues to look to the sky.  Finally Sharshek asks him what is happening.  “The sun sits low for the month of Olarune.  It sits as if it is spring- not the beginning of winter.”

Vale stops suddenly as he sees Cedious pull out his decanter of Endless Water.  He aims it to the side of the tunnel Black sands and Taskerdoo have created.

“Stop!”

Cedious turns and frowns.

“You can’t be serious- First you will drown us then you will freeze our dead bodies!”

Cedious looks at the Decanter and ponders if Vale is being truthful with him and if it was worth the risk to find out anyway.

“He’s right- the water has no where to go.  It’ll flood and freeze eventually.  We will become soaked and die from the exposure.  Save it for later.” And with that Black sands continues to push and shove snow around as he tries to create a path.

“The water may even cause the roof of our snow tunnel to collapse in on us.” Adds Sharshek.

“Oh.”  A pause.   “I was just looking at it anyway.  I wasn’t really going to us it to tunnel.”  He looks at the doubting faces of his teammates.   “No.  Really I wasn’t!”
They finally get into the general area as the snow is more ice like and finally tapers off.  When standing directly under the airship the snow is gone from the ground.  The spinning Fire Elemental that lifts and empowers the airship is a mere 25 feet above them.  Cedious smiles and levitates up to check on the ship.

He sneaks up quietly and from directly under it.  Sneaking as he always does he peers over the side and sees …undead.

There are several dozen skeletons standing on the deck as if frozen.  Many stand before the Captain’s cabin.

Smiling still, Cedious carefully releases the rope ladder and the others begin to climb up.  He informs them of the guarded room.  

Black sands smiles.  Under his breathe he says-  “Take the ship and go due East.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
01/07/06
SEGMENT 178
“More Unexpected Things Happen”

Cedious takes out a skeleton once two of his adventuring teammates climb over the edge.  Even as he attacks Black sands bellows out.  He was hoping for a challenge.  30 skeletons are NOT a challenge.  Vale finds that the skeletons are spread out enough that his turning powers will not be very effective at this point so he goes to the side with the least amount of resistance.  Several skeletons begin to stomp and thump the deck with their spears.  Not caring, the PCs continue to board.

Black sands is ordered to break a hole into the back of the captain’s quarters by Taskerdoo.  There has to be a reason they guard it so intently.  Cedious hates the idea of HIS ship being damaged like this but such is life.  He has seen the boards on the deck are damaged and / or rough.  This was the ship Taskerdoo set on fire last month.  So where is the necromancers?  “Black sands….!”   SMASH!

He peers in and sees a pale humanoid buried under blankets, tapestries, rugs and even large paper maps.  A few things were burned in the center of the room.  Meanwhile- the skeletons swarm.

Taskerdoo holds back near the rope ladder.  He is ready to give support at any moment. Vale holds his own against a few skeletons.  The others mow through the skeletons as they work their way around to the front of the cabin.  Black sands climbs onto the roof of the cabin to go across that way.  Archers at the bow try to hit him but can not.  However, he sees something that disturbs him.  HUGE skeletons are climbing out of the storage area!   His eyes flare red for a moment.

Three Cloud Giant Skeletons total walk to them to engage in battle.  Sharshek looks up and swears.  Cedious smirks.  He is too fast for them he figures.  Vale knows they are in trouble.  Taskerdoo stays where he is for a moment then decides to enter the hole Black sands made to explore and if need be surprise the skeletons.

The first of the Huge Skeletons reach Sharshek and strike him soundly.  Their halberd nearly cleans him in two.  He staggers and drops!  Cedious, now the only one before this giant begins to wonder about his ability to avoid this creature.  Then the second one arrives.  The ship is narrow enough to keep it back but with its long reach strikes Black sands with attitude.  He staggers and goes down!

Two series of attacks and two adventurers down.  Not good.

Vale uses Searing Light and staggers one giant.  Cedious continues his attacks and finally the one skeleton topples and falls over the side.  He is happy but the third is coming.  It raises its weapon then suddenly stops in mid motion.  The other continues his attacks.  He hits Cedious once but that was enough.  “VALE!”

Taskerdoo opens the cabin’s door and fires a fireball out to stop the skeletons.  A second Searing Light spell further damages the second attacking skeleton.  Taskerdoo moves over to Sharshek and gives him the HEAL potion.  Sharshek opens his eyes and curses in general.  “This was supposed to be easy!”

Cedious is given some strength from Vale and some healing and they try to drop the second skeleton.  They do.  Meanwhile, the other “normal” skeletons are coming up to attack.  The huge skeleton that was just standing there lowers his halberd into a scooping position as if to shovel the group off the ship’s deck.  Cedious notes there are red lights of energy within the skeleton’s eye sockets.  “uh-oh.”

 “I AM ORCUS -  BOW BEFORE ME OR DIE!”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
01/07/06
SEGMENT 179
“ORCUS”

“I hate it when I am right.” Mutters Vale wondering what he has for combative spells left.

“Uh  -Orcus …is that bad?” asks Taskerdoo trying to remember what an Orcus is.

“He intends to scoop us off the ship….”  Adds Sharshek wishing Black sands was still alive.

“^&%# Orcus.  This is MY ship!” answers in anger the halfling rogue whom then steps up and strikes the skeleton’s leg.  The adamantine slips through one bone cleanly.

Vale heals him and tries to duck into the cabin.  He knows he can not survive a direct hit from that halberd and also knows that name.  He can’t place it other than it was pure evil and being very ancient!

Spells are used to attack the possessed undead cloud giant and more spells are used to boost Sharshek and Cedious.  The battle is short since the skeleton was already on the receiving end of a fireball.  It staggers and falls over the edge and into the deep snow below.

DM NOTES:   Clinton demanded epic level to be available- I think battling Orcus would allow for that.

The remaining skeletons are easily destroyed and the spell casters look around to investigate.  “Now what?” asks Cedious.  

They search the Captain’s quarters.  They find maps and books.  One book is a journal written in code.  Cedious takes time to decipher it and discovers it belongs to a necromancer named Karrion Kold.  She seems to hate a certain halfling druid / mage for burning her badly.  While he continues to read this others take the frozen and half-starved airship operator outside.  It appears he died of being frozen since the skeletons would not allow him out of the ship’s room.

“How cold was it to overcome the heat from the elemental?” asks Taskerdoo.

“Worse- he was nearly starved to death also.  The strangest thing- there is evidence he had enough food to last a month.” Adds Vale.

“Do you think there is something to what Black sands said?  He suggested it was spring –not winter based on the placement of the sun.”

“Anything is possible.  That magical artifact we were in called Drogan’s Trap dealt with time as well as space.  Perhaps we were within it longer than we thought.”

They get the dead ship operator outside for the sun and the heat of the elemental to thaw him.  Once thawed, they hope to resurrect him.  Based on the maps found, they are five days away from Fairhaven.  They plan on being there in the five days.

They explore the storage hold area and find skeletons everywhere.  Some are wrapped with oily and scented straps of cloth and others have (had) gems over their eyes.  Cedious can’t remember if they had gems or not.

By the end of the day the operator is thawed, cured and resurrected.  After being given stale trail rations (the last the PCs had) he readily agrees to return to Fairhaven.  He has had it with the Emerald Claw. Keltis Doran was bad enough but the new necromancer was too much.  He was ready to retire at the age of 23 from being a captain and work a desk job.

They set a course that takes them to the edge of the great Eldeen forest then they follow the lake to Varna.  They decide not to stop there and continue on.  They reach Aundair airspace in three days and finally follow an electric rail track to Fairhaven.  The entire trip takes 4 ½ days.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
01/07/06
SEGMENT 180
“Reporting”

DM NOTES- I am going to skim over this part.

The PCs are given one hour to wash up and become presentable before seeing Jorlanna d’Cannith.  When they arrive they learn they were presumed dead.  It is the month of Eyre.  They have been gone for nearly six months.  This surprises the PCs but they expected as much.

They hand over the Schema and she calls for their rewards to be brought out.  She asks about Black sands and the PCs play up his turn to evil and possible possession.  It was thought best to leave him dead.  She asks about the new armor and arms several members have.  She asks to check out the adamantine rapier specifically.  Cedious wants it further powered up which she entertains with a smile only.  No comment given.

She mentions their crashed ship, how even another party was sent out but has yet to be heard from.  She also asks about the group’s knowledge of a Sara Silvergleam.  She is a reporter whom has been asking for Cedious.  She believes someone has hired top assassins to kill him.  Cedious smiles at the thought and thinks how easy she will be next time he sees her.

They are given 10 bags of treasure as a party.  Each has 5000 gold worth of gold, platinum and gems.  Later they will divide Black sands share.  They also hope to trade / sell their party treasure.

Before they leave, Jorlanna asks Cedious if he was for hire again.  She needs to send a team into the Mournlands.  To a place he has been to –Whitehearth.    He agrees.  She agrees to give him and the others time to rest and settle their needs before leaving.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
01/21/06
SEGMENT 181
“The Griffon’s Wing aka Cedious’ Ride ”

Once more I will make this part brief and to the point.

The next six weeks consist of the PCs selling goods, fixing the Airship and reading their magical tomes.  Cedious learns the costs of running an airship.

While it is docked he has the deck repaired.  He also has the hole made by Black sands repaired and some other repairs.  These are done by a cleric he finds that is willing to cast Make Whole and other repairing spells for a generous fee.  Her name-  Pebbles.

He also looks into selling equipment and extra goods.  He uses this money to pay for the various fees involved.  He hires guards to watch the ship and various docking fees.  Once it is time to move on he hires these same guards to watch over his ship including the head of security-  Dirron.

He tries to locate the captain that once ran the airship but he has left town.  He gets in contact with House Lyrandar asking about possible pilots.  As he begins he comes to realize that he may be going about this the wrong way and ends up contacting someone outside of the House.  The House was asking too many questions.

He begins to look for outside resources to pilot his newly acquired ship.  While visiting various sites where he may find such a skilled person he comes across a mantis warrior.  His name proves to be unspeakable by non-kreen some he calls him “Bob”.  “Bob” is hired on to help on the ship with security and within the Mournlands.

He hires a rogue agent of House Lyrandar.  When asked for qualifications the captain shows him his dragonmark. Sold.

Shortly after this he learns the ship’s name is Griffon’s Wing.  He unofficially renames it Cedious’ Ride.  He looks to repaint it later but time runs out.   

It is time to go to Whitehearth for House Cannith.  They decide to hire on Pebbles as a means to deal with the undead there and future ship repairs.  It will take three days to arrive there and Cedious knows the Emerald Claw and many others would be happy to blow them out of the sky.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
01/21/06
SEGMENT 182
“DIE CEDIOUS DIE!”

Nymm 13 999

Having bought food and hired personal, Cedious and the team begin for the Mournlands.  Sharshek has just traded and sold the last of his goods to buy a Belt of Giant Strength from a Cannith builder.  They group up and begin down the loading platform to Cedious’ Ride when they hear a commotion behind them.  Turning they witness four well armed and armored Ogres tear through the security personnel.  They are growling and shouting while pointing at the group.

“Good to know we are getting a farewell party after all.” Quips Cedious as the others turn to face the trouble.

Taskerdoo, with his new wolf turns and notes their specific interest in themselves.  “I believe they are in a hurry …”

Sharshek, still getting use to the thick leather belt he now wears, draws out FyreBane and prepares for the worst.

Pebbles, not used to this, looks back at the group then charges as the Ogres slice one guard completely in half with one sweep of his huge Great Falchion.

Pebbles holds up the rush of giant-kin as the walkway is only 25 feet wide.  The Ogres are all dressed in BreastPlate armor with the image of a demonic skull with horns and flames printed on it.  These Ogres are obviously well trained and have a mission.

The others move up to face the Ogres.  Cedious is slow to go up.  He heard his name shouted by them.   Maybe there is something to the assassination rumor he has heard after all. The Ogres are fireballed forcing them to spread out to avoid this from reoccurring.  This also stops their flanking of Pebbles whom finds it troublesome to be dodging their blows.

Then it becomes worse.  Taskerdoo sees the shadow first as it is cast onto the building where he can see it.  He turns into the morning sun and sees another Ogre-like creature FLYING at them.  Its weak and worn wings land it on the ramp between the airship and the PCs.  Its skin is dark and rough textured.  It has small horns and red eyes.  It also carries a Great Falchion and has breastplate armor with the same image of the flaming horned skull.  “Great- company!”

On board Cedious’ Ride the crew watch.  They were hired to protect the ship.  And since those are BIG Ogres that is exactly what they are going to do.  Protect the ship.

Taskerdoo fires a fireball at the winged ogre.  The spell goes off and the Ogre walks through the magical flames.  A small flame has developed on a braid which it twists its head to blow out.  “I WANT THE LITTLE ONE!  I WANT CEDIOUS!  I WANT HIM DEAD!”

The wolf is slain by an Ogre taking a shot at it leaving Taskerdoo now without his special animal companion.  A few Ogres go down but not nearly enough.  Cedious finds himself dancing around as two Ogres try to chop him up.  The others attack these two remaining Ogres even as the Ogre leader calmly walks up to him.  Taskerdoo watches this bizarre looking creature as it goes by him and realizes it is a ½ Fiend of some sort.  Thus the failing of his fireball attack.  “Wonderful” is all he has to say.

Enter the Fairhaven Law Enforcers whom use Lightning bolt spells on the Leader.  Another Ogre goes down also.  “Stop and Don’t Resist.” Begins the mages of Aundair.  The lone Ogre snarls at them and the leader decides it is time to leave.  Taskerdoo tries to think of a spell to contain him but fails to do so before it jumps off the edge of the tower and flies away.

The last Ogre turns on the security force and is slain with magic missiles.  “We hate to repeat ourselves…” they say to the PCs.  They look at each other and put their weapons on the ground and wait.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 183
“The Crew of Cedious’ Ride”

Grayson Kurr looks from the bow of the airship Griffon’s Wing (aka Cedious’ Ride) and sees the last of the Ogres taken down.  Then he sees the Aundair law enforcement officers arrive.  He sighs and mumbles about people who do not deserve to have airships.  The ½ Elf turns to one of the other quickly hired help.  “Go to my room.  On the table are several scrolls and a book.  These are tied together with a leather strap.  Bring them to me.”

“Yes Sir.” The ex military man says.  Once he rode on an Aundairian Stormship.  This is the total experience he has on airships.  Cedious hired help quickly and without references.

He turns to another man.  This one had only seen airships from the ground.  “Look busy- we are about to be boarded.”  And with that Grayson waits.  He rolls down his sleeves to cover up his Dragonmark.  He will only let the officer know he is a true Lyrandar Dragonhouse member when absolutely required.

As expected, one officer is sent to the ship.  Grayson studies the officer as he comes.  The officer is new to him, which may be good.  Perhaps he has a chance to escape yet.  He walks up to the secured plank that connects the bows tip to the loading tower.  Here he waits for the officer hoping to not have him walk on board.

As the officer is about to walk the board he calls out.  As hoped, the officer stops to answer before walking on board.

“Hail good officer of Aundair. What a fine day it is!”

“Ah yes.  Papers please.” He says while his eyes roam over the ship.  He sees the recent floatwood repairs.  Some of the boards however look to be plain pinewood from Eldeen.  Cheap but not very efficient for an airship.

Grayson sorts through the scrolls that have just arrived.  He makes sure he finds the forged ones he just made two nights ago.  This Cedious character is so typical of adventurers.  Thinks he knows everything about airships because he won one or found it.  The hired help brings the scroll to the officer.  The officer opens the note and looks through it.   

The Griffon’s Wing
Cyrian airship, used for cargo
Prior owner- Captain William F. Grouper
Current Owner- Cedious of Breland

“…and you are…?” the officer says as he finishes reading the document.

“Grayson Joyrean”

“You are the pilot?”

“Where is Cedious going?” he asks as the adventurers gather up their weapons and go to a secure room nearby for questioning.

“Simple question.”

“Where?”

“For questioning.  It is not everyday Ogres attack in plain sight like that.  Further, one of the Ogres was …enhanced.”

“Oh.  And yes.  The Griffon’s Wing is air ready and passed the Inspection of House Lyrandar.”  The ploy works as the officer hands the scroll to the man without asking about the pilot again.  

“Assuming the men, woman and the creature are not guilty of any crimes you and your ship will be allowed to leave within the hour.”  The officer looks over the ship once more then turns away.

Grayson waits for thirty seconds before letting out a long sigh.  “I hope the halfling has no crimes on his record.  We leave within two hours regardless.”


Turner Carl, the hired head of security for the ship comes up to Grayson after the Officer leaves.  “Is everything okay?”

“Assuming Cedious and his adventurer buddies are clean then yes.  Otherwise we lift and circle outside of Fairhaven limits until further notice.”  

“Very well.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 184
“The Power of the Dragonmarked Houses”

Cedious and his adventuring friends gather within the security room that is located half way down the tower.  

“I need to see everyone’s papers.”

Everyone digs out papers except for “Bob” the Thri-kreen.  He has none.

The security man looks over the papers and frowns.  Under Cedious’ personal information is a note from House Cannith.  They are on Dragonmarked House business.  He motions for the other man to come over and shows him the paper.  The man leaves to confirm this.  Cedious catches some of the conversation.  His hand always stays on a hip or near the hilt of his rapier.

“What can you tell me of these Ogres?”

“They are big and mean and tried to killed us.” answers Sharshek after being given a potion.  He is fed up with this crap.  He has picked up the fact these creatures were here to kill Cedious and possibly those with him.   He tires of being cut up and nearly killed daily while being with Cedious.

“They had matching armor and weapons.  They were very well skilled.  This was no chance encounter.”

“KLIK-CICK---KLAK.” Says Bob.  

“What did he say?”, asks the officer in annoyance.  “And where is his papers?”

“Don’t Know what he said.” Answers Cedious still blushing.  “For papers, I believe House Cannith has them.  He is treated more like a pet than a person. …Unlike warforged, they have not gotten their rights yet.”

“Where did it come from and…”  Bob interrupts with some noisy commentary.

“My understanding is he comes from southern Talenta Plains, within the desert region.”

“Balinor’s Beasts! Is that a Kreen?!?”

Cedious stops not knowing what to say to that.  His mind is still stumbling on who Balinor is much less what is a kreen is.  Is that what Bob is?  “Kreen …is such a …non-descriptive title.”

His bluffs barely hold as the officer watches for venom on the creature’s beak-like mouth.

The Thri-kreen is annoyed himself.  He has been given the name Bob that is torture to him.  He can not even say the word!  It fidgets in the corner.

Just as the officer is about to call attention to the pet license he needs the other officer returns.  With him is a House Cannith representative.   Five minutes later they are all free to leave.

Walking onto the blank to his ship Cedious is happy to work with House Cannith.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 185
“Sever”

The airship Cedious’ Ride leaves Fairhaven.  The next stop is the secret Cannith facility of Whitehearth.  It will take about three days to arrive there.  There are fifteen general crewmembers.  Three shift captains and a head of security.  All of them are human.  They have a cook whom is also a cleric.  Her name is Pebbles, She is a dwarf.  A warforged Fighter has joined them also.  Also hired on (by Cannith which bugs Cedious) is another rogue (human also) and a mage.  The mage keeps to himself.

Unexpectedly, Sharshek has quit.  The last encounter with the Ogres has made him reconsider this life style.

So, there are 26 persons and one animal companion known to be on board.

Cedious has the guards working in 3 8-hour shifts. A leader is in charge of each shift. The Head of security, Turner Carl then is in charge of all 18 individuals.

Grayson operates the ship by communing with the fire elemental.  He has directed it to fly straight to the Mournlands.

The men bunked in several rooms below on the very bottom of the ship.  The ship has many lockable rooms ranging from 5x5 closets to 30x30 rooms.  Of these, the adventures and others take them.  No one checks the 5x5 rooms.  Why would they anyway?

Bob hangs out in a small room that separates Cedious’ room from everyone else’s. 

Night comes as they leave Aundair and just clear Thronehold’s airspace.  The ship turns south only slightly as the elemental goes for the southern Mournland extremes.  Five guards are on the deck watching the sky and the dark landscape below.  The deck is well lit by the elemental.  The human rogue is up and walking about on the stern.  He is restless and impatient.  He is also summing up the value of this ship. The warforged stands erect at the bow watching the coming dark clouds.  He expects to see the mists anytime now.

On the second level, the adventurer’s are asleep.

On the bottom level the remaining guards sleep along with Cedious.  Bob hangs out there as Cedious’ personal bodyguard.

One of the closet doors open.  A thin lightly armored warforged slips out silently.  Many nodes stick out of his upper arms and his thighs.  It creeps down the hallway.  He slips past Taskerdoo’s room allowing the druid / mage to sleep.  Pebbles sleeps also with a thunderous snore that only a dwarf could create.

The warforged assassin then passes the Cannith hired mage’s room without notice.  It creeps down the long hallway past all of the sleeping guards and arrives at the room where Cedious sleeps.  Sever has been hiding this ship for four days now.  He is impatient to kill the halfling.  The Turbulent has paid him well and The Lord of Blades has instructed him to gather any paperwork or items that lead to the Creation Schema.

The door is locked.  No problem.

Bob is daydreaming about hunting small but fast dinosaurs.  These creatures are slightly larger than chickens and have a nasty bite.  He becomes aware of a noise at the door.  Someone is picking the lock! He wills up his psionic reserve and readies himself.

The lock clicks off and the door opens a mere three inches and stops.  Nothing.  The door opens another six inches.  An armored finger can be seen pushing the door open.  Bob thrusts his arm into the opening and pops his psionic blade and misses the agile warforged assassin.  The door is used by both as a shield by both as they push and shove trying to strike each other.

With the element of surprise having been spent, the assassin known as Sever calls up a Dimensional Door and steps through it to attack the pilot upstairs.  Perhaps without a pilot the ship kill the halfling and he can pick up the notes after.

Bad luck for the assassin.  The soft glow awakens the light-sleeping pilot.  The pilot is also a mage.  Seeing it is time to leave all together the assassin looks for an exit.  Meanwhile, the portal is being held open by the mage’s spell as Bob steps through and restarts their fight.  Cedious comes through a few rounds later.  He is annoyed by the disruption.  He was dreaming of the reporter Sara of the Korranberg Chronicle.

Outside, the human rogue hears noise and creeps up to the only door leading to the pilot’s room.  The guards and warforged do not hear him or the noise as the roar of the elemental drowns out the sound.

Sever is overwhelmed and taken down once he is surrounded and attacked magically, psionically and through a rogue’s skill.

They search his body and find no weapons.  They pull on a node and out comes a weapon!  Each nod pulled produces a weapon.  They take the body below and lock it up.

“Everyone back to sleep.  We reach the graymists in the morning.” Calls out the pilot.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 186
“Return to Whitehearth Facility”

The morning sun will not burn off the gray clouds.  These clouds are unnatural and represent the beginning of the dead nation of Cyre.  On the 20th of Olarune 994 the country of Cyre died in an instant.  How or why is unclear but everything that is within the mists died that day.

In its place are undead and/or mutated creatures and oozes known only as Living Spells.  Healing will not work here.  It has become a haven for warforged.  It is here, somewhere under the cover of the gray mists; the mysterious Lord of Blades has set up his Steel Nation.

Cities, towns and villages were either destroyed or changed by the magical blast of strange energies.  There are reports of some cities being torn apart and reformed differently.  There are reports of vampires coming here to nest.

Cyre, before the accident, was also the core location for House Cannith.  There are dozens of known facilities here and many that were kept secret even from the government.  With Cyre’s destruction, many of these facilities were destroyed.  But some did not.   Some like Whitehearth were built underground.  Altered but not destroyed, the facility remains.

Cedious has been here before.  He along with several other adventurers came here to locate a piece of the Creation Schema.  He did better than that.  He found TWO pieces.  Between leaving the facility and reaching Sharn, the entire party except for himself died.  Many by members of Darguun’s military and still others by a mixture of Fiend’s experimentation with alchemy and the overzealous Silver Flame cleric Terri.

It has been nearly a year.  Not long enough for Cedious.

It takes two days to flow over the corpse of a country to reach the Rose Quarry and the mineshaft that hides Cannith’s weapon design facility.  From the safety of the air, Cedious and the others on board see the bodies of entire armies lying on the ground.  Hundreds of acres of land covered by non-decaying bodies that dropped where they were standing at the moment of the blast.  They see Living Spells roaming the ruined lands looking for something or anything to consume.  They see where the ground has become glass them shattered making for a deadly place to cross.  They see siege weapons.  Some these seem to move as if on their own.  Sometimes they see undead or at least unnatural things hunting on the ground far below.

Cedious is happy he has come across this ship.  Walking through that would have been very bad.

Giving Grayson the instructions, they fly low and to the hillside where the mine is locating.  They circle it a few times then stop once he is satisfied there is no obvious dangers.

Using magic or climbing down a rope Cedious, Taskerdoo, Pebbles, Cider (Human Rogue), and Bob climb down.  The warforged fighter joins them last.

The airship rises and moves away a few miles so as not to draw attention to the mine.  Something like a fire elemental powered airship will draw attention from miles around in such a bleak gray area as the Mournlands.

Cedious and Cider note several things immediately.  There are wolf tracks everywhere.  Some are very large.  Cedious figures Rorsa is still around.  He hopes she remembers him.  “She could be a good aid here.”  They also see warforged tracks.  Not good.  And finally a small humanoid track.  The one foot looks damaged as the arch of the foot is incorrectly formed.  “Undead or mutation….possibly both.  Wonderful.”

Cedious goes to the hatch he knows first.  This seems to be where the most tracks originate from.  The hatch has been melted to slag.  There is no way to open it.  “What the….  ?”

As Cedious ponders this then pulls out his Adamantine Rapier and begins to work on cutting the hatch out the others search the grounds.  Cider stops.   “Do you hear that?”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 187
“Rorsa and Her News”

“WOLVES!” says Cider.

“No…It’s Rorsa.” Says Cedious.  He stops slicing at the melted cover and listens.

The light padding of wolf’s feet can be heard along with the deep voice that seems childish also. “It is him!  It is!” can be heard as the sounds rapidly grow closer.

All Cedious tense up as a large Dire Wolf skids to a halt just within the light of their lanterns.  Her spikes that in part gives away her Dire sub-species type is all scarred and some broken.  Tuffs of hair are missing and many cuts are apparent.  She has been in a hard fight.  Her pack also looks rough and beaten.

“It is you!” she howls in excitement.  

Bob clicks and clucks in annoyance.  Then is very broken common he says “Big and deadly but with the mind of a child.”

“She was “awakened” on the day of Mourning and mostly self-taught.  How are you Rorsa?”

The large wolf bears down on the halfling and lathers him with love and affection.  Once he squirms free she begins to ask about the others.  He says they all are dead.

“No. Bob is alive.”  The Thri-kreen turns its head at his given name.

“There is no Bob.   Sorry.  This is Bob.” And Cedious points to the kreen whom is gnashing his mandibles.

“No Bob.  Bobnok…bobbynock…”

“Boddynok?  Bobbynok Grinkle?   He died…twice.”

“Stinks but alive.”

At this point she tries to explain to the halfling how Boddynoc and asunder arrived there months ago.  Boddynoc is alive but alive like the people here.  They smell bad but are alive.   Then came the metalmen.

“LORD OF BLADES!?!”  

“Metal men like him.” she says and points a paw and snout at the Cannith Fighter.

Cedious pulls out his rapier and begins to work on the hatch again.  He has “unfinished business” with that artificer.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 188
“BR-234”

BR-234 wandered the Mournlands with very little thought or care.  The warforged had no reason.  He had even less care.  He was created for war and specifically for Breland’s war against Cyre.  He was built with an adamantine-coated heavy armor, which was reinforced against precise attacks that could cripple even a warforged.  But with no war, no enemy. There was no reason.  

He wandered the ruins of the enemy he faced several times before the day the country of Cyre ceased to exist.  The mists confused him.  They reminded him magical fogs that confused and blinded foes and allies alike.  Mages.  Bah!  Who needs them.

He wandered for weeks, maybe months before he was discovered.  Another warforged had found him.  This warforged told him of another …a leader of warforged.  He wanted to create a home and a purpose for all the warforged.  It gave BR-234 something to do so joined them.

What has it gotten him?  Patrol duty.

Where is the glory of battle?  Where is the testing of one’s ability against another’s?  He would walk the southern areas of the lands for several weeks then meet his Lord and report.   The reports often were filled with emptiness.  If something was seen it involved Living Spells or undead.  Nothing to truly combat or test oneself against.

Then he saw it.

High in the sky, a fireball?  No.  A flying Living Spell?  No.  An airship!  BR-234 followed the airship.  He followed it for miles.  He feared he had lost sight of it when it disappeared into the hills and shallow valleys near the misty border of Darguun.   But he found it.  And best of all-  it had stopped!

Who was on board?  Other warforged?  Pirates?  Warriors?!?   Warriors would be good.  He could do battle with warriors.  There was but one way to find out.  He set out to discover who controlled the ship and test them personally.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 189
“The Dark Lanterns”

The woman wore black leather with crimson highlights.  She moved about slowly and invisibly within the market.  She listened to everything the sailors and traders had to say.   She was here to learn about threats –threats to the crown and his people.   She has gone by many names in the past.  Currently she was known as Nadia.  Nadia of the Dark Lanterns.

There were many ways to enter the city.  Electric Rail, Air ship, on foot or by ship.  Today she was investigating the shipping lanes.  There were rumors of unrest with certain shipping groups.  To be specific- the elves of Aerena.

She heard and listened to hushed rumors of an elven assassin here to kill a noble.  She also heard about rumors of a warforged killer being on the lose.  Even another rumor that the Sahuagin had new pet to threaten the trade lanes to Xen’drik.  A Dragon Turtle!  All these she placed in her memory to look into at another time.  Two possible pirates and a shipyard tradesman were discussing the subject she sought.  The subject- the sudden rarity of Soarwood. 

Soarwood was a near magical wood found only on the island of elves.  This wood was incredibly light yet strong.  It was used with the best of shipping boats and also with airships.  Reports had it that the elves were cutting and shipping larger than normal amounts of the resource yet the prices were slowly rising due to greater demand for it.  Then three weeks ago shipping ended to Breland.  There were even reports of pirate activity.  Their target- Soarwood shipments.  Were the reports incorrect?  If not- then where is the Soarwood going?

Using her powers of the mind, she gently probed the one sailor.  He knew little but then the other man seemed to know something.  Something he felt his life would be at jeopardy if he told anyone.  The name of an island.

Juno.

Two months later, Nadia discovers the location of Juno.  It is a small island of the coast of Zilargo.

The Dark Lanterns decide to send in an agent to investigate.  What he discovers alarms Viorr Maelak, the head of Breland’s national security team.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/04/06
SEGMENT 190
“Ore”

Rush Late-a-lot arrived at Metrol shortly before sun down.  This was a dangerous time to be within the city’s limits.  Many creatures were here that would wish to do him harm.  Some of these could.  However, there was one creature spotted here by the Karrnath explorers hired by Kim elderich that required further investigation.  There was a very large stone creature seen here that was alive and seemed intelligent.  Kim Elderich wanted to know who or what this creature was and possibly hire him or at least study it.

Even as Rush transformed his psionic powered wings he could see balls of burning oozes in the fields near the city.  Living Spells.  While flying over head, he saw the animated skeleton warriors patrolling the streets of the city.   He knew there was at least one more Predator here.  The mutated vampiric creature that Elderich had hired to steal documents from Cannith.  The creature was here exploring and looking for something of great interest to it.

Rush almost didn’t hear the massive 10ft tall black marble stone golem climb up behind him.  He turned and found the very creature he was looking for.  Ore.

“I mean you no harm Awakened one.  I offer peace and employment.”  The warforged psion waits for an answer as the Golem looks at him and measures him.

“I sense no evil within you.” Says the Golem as he begins to slowly walk in a circle around the psion.  “However, I sense little good within you also.”   

“I am what I am.  I am paid to do favors for my employer.  I ask nothing else of him or others.”  The Psion tries to figure out if the golem really is a paladin, cleric or merely trying to pretend he sees an aura.  Either way, the magics and the psionics that are weaved about him will allow any alignment he wishes to be seen revealed. 

“What of your employer.  Who is he and why does he seek my employment?”  The granite eyes seem to look pure and white as the setting sun's glow disappears completely behind the gray mists of the Mournlands.

“His name is Kim Elderich.  He is the richest dwarf and possibly the richest living being on the world of Eberron.  He is an explorer and seeks aid.  He will be going to Xen’drik soon and wishes to have proper protection.”

“Protection?  What does a man of his rank need protection from?  Asks the golem with suspicion.

“He has many foes and more that would take his hard earned prize from him.  Then there is Xen’drik itself.  A challenging place in the world.  Only a few can possibly survive exploring as deep as we plan to go.

“And this is….”

“First Stormreach then deep into the land along the Rachi River.  Here there is a ruin.  Here he hopes to discover answers to the questions he has.”

“The ghosts and spirits will be coming out soon.  Let us leave here and then in a safe place you can tell me more about this Rachi River….”


----------



## megamania

About half way through the lost segments now.  Then there is the ones that have not been posted ever.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 191
“A Call of Duty”

When passing over the edges of the Thrane Taskerdoo felt a call or a need.  He wasn’t sure what it was, he just knew something called out to him.  He looked down to his new wolf companion.  The wolf was lying down on the deck away from the fire ring that powered the ship.  He raised his head and thumped his tail.  “You heard it too didn’t you Spirit.  I wonder who it is?”

The ship soon left the waters and reached the Gray Mists of the Mournlands.  Taskerdoo tried to listen to the voice or call again but it either stopped or could not enter the Mists.  He waits a few more moments before going to join the others.

Two days later-
The agents of Cannith reached the Mine where Whitehearth was carefully hidden.  Cider and Cedious were investigating a series of tracks that came in and out of the mine.  Spirit paused and looked around.  He sniffed and whimpered a bit.  Taskerdoo patted the animal on the head.  “What is it?”  Then he could hear it.

The call.  He closed his eyes and listened carefully.  The call was weaker and more chaotic this time.  However, it was clear it was a call for aid.  A call from a powerful druid / mage.  He continued to concentrate on the call as Cedious and Cider followed the tracks to a melted hatch.  He didn’t hear them talk about what was there and what could have melted the hatch as it did.  His mind was elsewhere.  His mind wandered and was within a druid’s grove in Thrane.  Something serious was happening within Thrane.  Something unnatural.

Taskerdoo quietly leaves the party as they search for clues about what had transpired within this branch of the mine.  On the way out he hears something near the entrance.  Spirit sniffs and lets him know it is wolves like him and another wolf that is different.  It is bigger and stronger.  The smell of blood clings to them also.

Taskerdoo fears for the worse then sees the lead animal.  A Dire Wolf!  It looks like it has been in intense combat.  Taskerdoo and Spirit step back into the shadows and wait.  Suddenly, the Dire Wolf stops and her tail begin to wag quickly.  And it speaks!  “They are here!   I knew they would come!  The dead one said no but I knew!  Quickly!  Quickly lets go see them!”  and the small pack rushes away.  Taskerdoo hears the pack reach his friends and knows there will be no need for him here.  

The call.

They exit the mine and the ship still hangs low.  The druid mage and his animal companion / familiar goes to the ship.  The mage that was going to watch over the ship and several men are on the ground.

“Where are the others?” he asks.

“Inside.  Cedious is speaking to the natives he knows.”

“That large wolf?”

“Yes.   Something has come up.  I do not take my oath with House Cannith lightly but I must go.  If I can I will return.”

“What has happened?”

“I have been …summoned.  I really must go.”

“Where are you going?  What has happened?”

“I wish I knew.  I am being summoned to Thrane.  They may need your arcane help.”

“Hmmm.   True but yourself?”

“Coming.”

“Go.   Help them.  Cedious needs all the help he can get.  He may be the luckiest halfling I have ever known but he will need all the help he can get when that luck runs out.  He will need your help.”

Capio, the mage, considers this briefly then turns to the men.  “Have the pilot rise a bit higher.  Get away from range of arrows.  We will be back.”

The men take their orders and climb the rope ladder back on board.  Capio heads for the mining cave entrance.  Taskerdoo waits only a few more minutes before a large Celestial Eagle arrives.  “Spirit- join your cousins.  Join the Dire Wolf’s pack.  Look out for them.  I must do this.  It is important.”

The wolf sits pants and watches as the eagle takes flight with his master on its back.  Once the eagle is no more than a dot in the dark sky he turns and bounds for the mine and his new adopted family.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 192
“Boddynoc Grinkle: Friend or Foe?”

Capio arrives to see Cedious hacking away at a slagged chunk of metal while others are standing around him or speaking to the large Dire Wolf.  Cider turns with his blade at the ready- “Capio!   I could have killed you!”

“Only if I wanted you to.  What is happening?”

“It appears a friend of Cedious’ –“

“NOT a friend…” interrupts Cedious between swings.  His Adamantine rapier cuts into the sturdy metal but without enough leverage or raw strength, he can only cut so far and so deep.  He continues to cut at it like a sculptor would a piece of wood.

“It appears Boddynoc may be alive and here trapped below.”

“Incredible.” Says the mage with only some enthusiasm. 

Soon the halfling rogue has cut away a small piece.  It is just big enough for him to squeeze through and he does so.

“Where are you going?   Wait for us.” Says Pebbles the cook while hefting her large hammer once more.

The halfling waves and goes down without a further word.  Ticked off, the warforged warrior and Pebbles begin to work on the hinges.  They hope to pop the damaged lid off to follow Cedious.

Cedious reaches the bottom and looks around.  The room is as he remembers it.  It is round with four colored doors.  Near the center is a podium with four colored slots where the keys go to turn or better –rotate the room into place.  He withdraws a colored key to follow what looks like a trail.  There is dried blood and oil like fluid on the floor leading to a doorway.   As he goes to enter the key he hears a hoarse voice call to him.

In mid-turn he feels a beam of light wash over him and he finds himself stiffening up. A hold spell he curses to himself.

A voice hidden in the darkness and with an invisibility spell mocks him.   “So –a thief comes to my new home.  I seriously doubt he sent you and I thought Cannith had given up on this place.  Who can this be?”

Cedious wonders the same thing.  The voice and tone is not Boddynoc’s.  But when one breathes in a fiendish mutating gas that makes you into an undead one never really becomes warm and fuzzy anymore.  He wishes he could speak  …and curse out loud.

He feels cold hands touch his rapier grasping hand and undead hands begin to appear.  “Argh.   Can’t pry it free.  Very well I will …cedious…..?”

The [corpse Creature template] undead artificer stares at Cedious.  “It is you!  This is so good…. “, Darkness seems to dull the light of the lantern, “what are you doing here?”

Cedious now knows that Boddynoc is to be trusted as a friend no longer.

“You have come to steal from me!   You THIEF!”  The yellowed eyes bulge in anger as he stares at the rogue.  He withdraws a vile looking dagger and waves it before his face.  “I should gut you here and now.  It could only have been you that stole my belongings.  MY belongings.”  He goes to cut free the haversack when he hears a grunt and the snap of metal over head.  He pushes over the held rogue and drags him into a doorway once it is activated.  “How much longer will I be held?” wonders the thief.

Above, The adventures have broken a damaged hinge and thus removed the melted and sliced up hatch lid.  They begin to climb down as Rorsa and her pack watch over the entrance along with a possible new member of the pack –Spirit.

Capio, Cider, Pebbles, Bob and the warforged climb down and begin to search the round room.  Pebbles sees the old blood trail and decides to follow it.  She enters a new room and sees some tables and chairs.  Knowing when to strike, Boddynoc attacks before her darkvision begins to work.  The energy beam from his wand washes over her and disappears.  The next thing he knows is a large and heavily armored female dwarf is striking him yelling “Hammer Time!”  With his hand broken, he is quickly beaten down as the entire group surrounds him and beat on his undead body.  He never has chance to power up any rings or armor nor use his wands already empowered when discovered below the seas when he and asunder walked to shore from Starvos Island to Darguun.   Cedious comes out a mere moment later to find Boddynoc defeated.  He gives him a bone-crunching stomp anyway.  When Pebbles asks why he says that this undead has risen once already.

They spend much of the late morning and afternoon looking around the facility.  Boddynoc’s slide into the dark side becomes most apparent when they discover the remains of a human and several warforged.  It appears the warforged (one was Asunder) was destroyed in a magical explosion and the human was slowly taken apart.  Many of these “pieces” were being assembled into a large freakish body.  Cider looked into a table with various items of power.  Many of these had water themes.

“Com’on.  This isn’t why we came.  Lets look into the other hatches to find this Cannith guy in hiding.” Says Cedious.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 193
“A Devious Trap”

Cedious, Cider, Capio, Bob, Pebbles and the Warforged Fighter all stand around a metallic hatch marked with Orange trim.  Both Cedious and Cider look over the hatch for traps.  Cedious avoids tripping the Shocking Shock trap by using the proper key.  Pebbles insists on going first and pushes the rogues aside to climb down.  “If she dies- who will cook for us?” asks Cedious.  The war forged looks at “Bob” whom shrugs his kreen shoulders.  Cooking ones dinner never made sense to the mantis warrior.

Next go Bob and the two rogues.  The mage and finally the Living Construct enter the hatch leading down to a new wing of the Whitehearth facility.  About 75 feet down Pebbles smells something bad.  She was completely oblivious to the trap she has set off.  Bob’s attenaes begin to weave about in excitement when suddenly the trap is fully exposed.

INCENDIARY CLOUD WITHIN A CLOSED OFF TUBE!

With no where to go or anywhere for cover everyone (even the rogues) are exposed to it.  Her skin burning, Pebbles lets go of the rungs and plummets the last 25 feet to the bottom with a loud crash and a louder grunt.  Bob psionically moves down and out of the way as he hears the others scream in pain behind him.  The rogues are quick to get below the cloud’s rising level using magic to ensure a safe landing.   The mage also levitates quickly towards the bottom but not quick enough.  He looks up to see sparks as the warforged has let go and now plummets down.  His adamantine armor scrapping and banging in the metal cylinder and rungs the whole way down and onto him.  The heavy fighter strikes the mage in mid flight and forces him down quickly.  His levitation spell proves near useless with the weight of the fighter thrust onto him.  He does roll free from him before hitting the bottom however.  The impact the fighter makes resounds within the round metal room.

“Now THAT was not nice!” growls Cedious whom due to his ring of Acid Resistance took very little damage but is unhappy that he had no where to go.   

This room has dimmed lights.  The everbright lanterns seem to struggle to light up the room.  Another common issue with the Mournlands.  Many permanent spells are either snuffed out or weakened now.  Cedious looks around.  They have the colors of Orange, Red, Green or Blue to decide from.  He doesn’t have red, which narrows that one out.  They go to the green door and enter it.  

A twenty-foot hallway leads to a blue door.  The walls are blue with yellow and white lines drawn on it.  Cedious is certain it is for appearance- not magic (though he avoids touching them all the same.).

On the other side of the blue door is another round room.  This has a total of four blue doors and locks on it.

The mistake was made to hand out the extra keys and Pebbles begins to open doors for everyone.  Good for everyone, Cedious goes to a door that was trapped.  Just as he is about to stick the blue key into the door he notes areas within the hole that are orange.  He looks it over and discovers someone has repainted the door and lock to be the wrong color!  He puts the orange key into the blue painted hole and sucks in his breath.  

Klick.

Inside are bunks, dressers and desks.   Sleeping quarters for the workers.  Cider and Cedious explore the room and find a journal written by Simon Pell.  He was a magewright that was experimenting on giving intelligence to inanimate objects through the use of magic.   Nothing about Warforged.  Pebbles calls attention to Cedious.  She has found some truly disgusting pants.  They are purple with blue and whites strips going from hip to cuff.  They appear magical   (Acid Resist 5  work pants).  Another door leads into a water room.  This room has tubs of water for washing and bathing.

“No guy named Graymark here.” Comments Cedious.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 194
“Stomper & Helmed Horror”

They return to the central room and try the blue door this time.  The lights are completely gone here.  Pebbles goes in first with her warhammer at ready and a spell in mind.  The hallway is 15 feet wide and very long.  She turns and says the coast is clear.  As she has turned something has moved within the dark.  Green eyes flare out and something very big shuffles to the center of the hallway about fifty feet from her.

Everyone moves in to deal with the threat as she Enlarges.  The mage and Cider are more cautious and only walk in.  Closer now. They can see what is here- a Warforged Titan!  It says nothing but its course is clear as it attacks Pebbles with its hammer and giant axe.  Unknown to everyone, it is merely buying time as it waits for everyone to get closer while being trapped within the hallway.  Suddenly it charges and tramples everyone.   It stops and turns ready to repeat itself.   Everyone but Cedious run (crawl in a broken heap) to an area that it can not repeat this damaging attack again.   Cedious due to his size, speed and luck has once more escaped injury.  

Stomper tries to crush him but fails as the rogue weaves through his strides and swinging weapons.  This places the Titan where everyone can attack it and they do.  Even with the combined might of the entire party it gets out several rounds of attacks.  It is heavily reinforced to block sneak attacks and seems lucky itself   (HAS HEROIC SPIRIT!!!!)  Finally they do stop it.  They are unhappy to find nothing on it of great use.

Capio looks it over and asks about how such a huge warforged could get into the facility.  Magic is mentioned and Bob even clicks out psionics.

Three doors branch out from here.  Blue, Green and Brown.   Being given a brown key, Cedious decides to go there first.  He spots a deadman trap and stops it before setting it off.  Beyond the brown door is five foot of space then another brown door.  Perfect to trap and hold someone.  He wedges the first door and sure enough, when he opens the next door it tries to close.  Smiling, he has the warforged fighter and Pebbles wedge the next door as well.

This room is mostly well lit.  Dozens of lights line the ceiling of a 30x90 room that is about 30 feet tall also.  There are several stands set up at the end of the room.  Beyond these the walls are poxed or burnt.  Some armor still hangs on the stands.  It appears this room was used to test armor against magical and non-magical effects.

Near the door are a quiver and a set of nice looking armor.  Cedious spots a white key hanging around the neck of this suit of armor and reaches for it.  The armored hand quickly grabs his and stops him.  Purple energy lights up from within the helmet and a blazing sword roars to life.  It lasts only so long as everyone jumps on it and takes it down.  Cedious checks out the key and then pockets it.

Cider takes the quiver and the few arrows within.  They all suspect this is magic within the either quiver or the arrows.

They leave the room and try the Green door next.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 195
“The Greatest Enemy is Yourself”

Behind the Green door the party discovers a meeting room.  There is a magical image on the four walls,  floor and ceiling that suggest the room is floating high over a river within rocky mountains.  Pebbles suggests these look like the Iron Root Mountains of the Mror Holds region.

Finding nothing of interest they look for hidden rooms or exits and find one.  Pebbles goes through first with her hammer readied.  Cedious chases after her.

She steps through a secret door and sees a mirror.  The image is her and suddenly comes to life and attacks her.  Cedious goes to destroy the mirror casting his reflection onto it also.  Based on their yells of distress and discovery Capio figures this to be a trap using a Mirror of Opposition.  He destroys the mirror from the distance without casting his reflection.

The two dwarves trade blows with neither taking any damage.  Cedious and his foe dance around trying to outwit and feint each other to get the best possible strike in.  Capio saw which Cedious was the real and which was not but remains clueless of the Dwarven Battlesmith Cleric cook.  He marks Cedious with ink (he will not be happy that his cloak of Resistance has ink on it!) and together they defeat the rogue.  

The battlesmith however is another story.  Her armor makes her a hard subject to strike.  Once one begins to try other doors in a rush of activity the group gambles that this is the real one and begin to attack the other.  Even then. It takes time to defeat her.

Meanwhile, the first Pebbles can be heard yelling “Hammer Time” and going to the doorways to open.

If there is someone here to hear them, they will know they have intruders now for sure.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 196
“The Fist of Onatar”

Kim Elderich knew this was required and could be done but it still gave him pause.  He was not certain if anyone has ever tried this before.  He and his most gifted mages and any he could hire that he trusted enough were about to enter another plane.  They were going to Fernia to enslave two of the biggest Fire Elementals they could find.  They were hoping to capture Colossal Elementals.

Each Dragonshard was about the size of a Freeball (8 inches around) and magically enhanced.  These would then empower the Siberys Heir and ensure his glory and discovery of new things.

For the past eight months, Kim Elderich has been searching for the best of the best and certain magical artifacts to build and run his Siberys Heir.  Once built, he would explore the world become known as the greatest mortal explorer to have ever lived.  It was his destiny.

He had hoped to use the Creation Schema somehow to aid in building this vessal but it has proven very difficult to locate.   His agent, Lady d’Vown has located and attained three pieces which will be added to his one.  House Cannith North reportedly has a piece and now the chase for the last piece begins.  Vown has narrowed it down to the far north, either on an island of Karrnath or even into Frostfell.  It is only a matter of time.

“Are you ready Ore?”  asks the dwarf to the awakened Iron Golem.

The Golem has been amazed by everything he has seen since agreeing to aid the powerful and incredibly resourceful dwarf.  But as amazed as he was, he was also very wary of the dwarf.  He was certain he did not everything about the dwarf, his team or his many projects but he could see how the dwarf was at times blind.  The golem often questioned “Why” and “Is this for the betterment of all?”  He agreed to stay more to monitor the dwarf than to help him.

“I am.” He says in a deep voice born of magic and stone.

They had taken a small earth elemental driven cart to reach this spot.  It was one of the highest spots of the Iron Root mountains.  The Fist of Onatar was an active volcano that always threatened to erupt and fill the air with ash and the valley with molten liquid.  Within this liquid were diamonds and occationally Khyber Shards of large size.

“That is good.  Once we open the portal there is no turning around.  We are about to make history.  Too bad I can not tell anyone …just yet.”

“But they hear songs and tales of your glory and adventures soon enough.” Says a ever-smiling ½ elf.  She has been taking notes and scribbling drawings about Kim for as long as Ore has been here.  She seems to be his personal Bard.

The mages before him call out.  The time is near.  The heat increases and becomes near unbearable except for the golem whom feeds from it.  Then comes the burning light and soon…  nothing.   All eighteen adventures are gone from Khorvaire.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
02/18/06
SEGMENT 197
“The Creation Forge”

It has been nearly three years since she began this quest.  Three. Long. Years.

Lady ir’Vown d’Cannith was about to reach one the biggest goals of this quest.  Merrix was about to show her the hidden and secret Creation Forge he has beneath Sharn.  This quest began when trying just to learn if the forge existed.  Then Kim Elderich had her learn more.  He wanted to know how it ran, how often he ran it.  How was it powered?  What were its limits?  Did it have limits?  Each question answered created two more questions.

She finished getting her boots on then her magical cloak.  She collected her four wands.  An unexpected benefit of becoming Merrix’s wife, she was able to train under his exclusive wand use squad.  These specialists could use multiple wands at once.  It gave her power she did not expect to have when agreeing to this mission.  Finally she put on the device that allowed her to teleport at would if an emergency should ever happen.   She and Merrix were traveling into the sewers.  Too many opportunists lived or prowled there to not take precautions.

She took the private lift from the penthouse to ground level.  Here she made certain no one was watching her.  Kim warned her that recent activities of his might draw international attention to him.  This obviously included the Dark Lanterns.  However, the Lord of Blades still sought her punishment and the Emerald Claw led by a twisted elf named Demise would confront her at anytime to learn more about the Schema.

The Schema.

The Creation Schema.

Even with her studies and Xulo’s help she knew little about it.  When next Xulo contacted her she was going to demand answers.

Now going underground through a stairway that went to the upper levels of UnderSharn she side stepped into the shadows.  Here, using her skills as a thief and the cloak that magically hid her she waited for several minutes.  She wanted to be sure no one was following her.  There were the recent problems with undead within the sewers.   Kim and his grandchild dealt with it along with the governments of Breland and Zilargo.  But was it clear yet?  Doubtful.

Feeling it was safe finally, she continues on to a marked stairway.  Using her Cannith ring she gains safe access as the door opens and the traps within shutoff for twenty seconds.  She quickly enters as the door begins to close again thus resetting the traps.

She travels through several more tunnels; some recently made while others date back to the Age of Goblins.  It is difficult to say which were better made.  Finally she reaches the final hallway.  She knows she has been detected and is now being watched by the workers here- all warforged of course.  She could slip in undetected but that would tip off Merrix of her other talents.   All in time. When Xu- Kim says to.

Brush greets her as the secret door opens.  This small warforged scout still had bits of paint on its chest and hands from painting.  It amazed her that an artificial creature could have the imagination and need to paint.  Maybe Merrix was right.  Maybe these are something more than a construct used for war.  In truth, it didn’t matter to her.

The next room was huge.  Dozens of warforged did their regular duties for Merrix.  Most labored at building the bodies for more of their kind.  Like Brush, each of these showed a talent for art.  They each strive to create a more beautiful warforged.  There was talk of creating new designs.  Some of these would convey gender.  This was a major taboo and against the Treaty that ended the war.   But was the existence of what dominated the center of the chamber.

A Forge!

“There you are dear!” calls out Merrix from a worktable.  He was here discussing something with his top artificers, all warforged.  “Welcome to Genesis.”

The structure looked almost organic.  It stood over thirty feet tall and steam constantly emitted from it.  She could see large dragon shards placed all over the structure.  There were two openings.  A moving belt carried a built body into the structure and then when the process was done it carried the body out.  

She watched as a bell rang.  Several warforged made their way quickly to the Forge.  Merrix, without a word leaves her to join them.   She watches everything and notes every detail.  Including how he left her and now ignores her.  She begins to understand his real love.  The warforged.  

The bell becomes a quiet alarm and lights begin to pulse from within.  The belt begins to move and the air is full of magic and excitement.  A burst of steam that nothing to warforged and proves only slightly painful to Merrix emits.  Then out comes a warforged.  She is amazed by it.  It is …female.

Merrix is first to speak to her.  “Welcome Alpha.  Welcome to House Cannith.  I am your father.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/04/06
SEGMENT 198
“Negative Energy and Strange Undead”

Even as the Evil Pebble Clone falls from Capio and Cedious’ attacks the original Pebbles moves to the next door down the hallway.  It is blue and requires a blue key.  “Hammer Time!” she yells in Dwarven and strikes the door to gain entrance.  A beam of dull black energy flows out of the door onto her hammer and flows down to envelop her.  Oops.

She feels herself become weaker and clerical spells slip from her mind as the negative energy drains the very strength from her body.  She reels back stunned and weakened.  Bob and the Warforged Fighter arrive now and see her stumble back.  None saw her take the hit.  They move to her and check on her.  “Bad door.” She says weakly.

Cedious and Cider both look at the door.  They see no traps from obviously there must be.  Being careful not to touch the door, Cedious slides the blue key into the slot and turns.  Nothing happens.  His next thought is did something inside strike her down?  He lets Cider peer in next.

Looking in he sees scrap materials used to build anything metal.  He then hears a scrapping sound.  Cedious shines his light on the subject.  Towards the back of the room is a zombie.  It is attempting to build a golem made from scrap material.  In some ways it resembles a broken up warforged.  It ignores them completely as it continues to try to force pieces of metal into place.  Looking around further, they see more pieces of metal, wood and materials and …a dead body.   The body looks to have once been a worker here.  Unlike most of the bodies in the Mournlands, this one seems to be slowly decaying.  The eyes are sunken and discolored.

Not trusting the room, Cider and Cedious ask/suggest Pebbles to destroy the possible golem.  It would not be good to enter the room and discover the golem before them is active.  First she destroys the zombie by calling on her powers over the undead.  Then Pebbles rushes into the room then suddenly stops.  “Com’on Pebbles- “Hammer Time” the damned thing.” Says Cedious.  Cider moves in, fearing the body is move than just that – a dead body.  Pebbles pushes him harshly away from the body.  Not one is ignore the possible dangers here; Bob the psionic Thri-kreen rushes in and is stopped by her also.  Cider develops a powerful headache as something tries to reach his mind.  More determined than ever, he tries to get by Pebbles.  She pushes him against the wall stopping him but allows Bob to slash his / its sword into the dead body.  He cleaves the body in two at the stomach.  Pebbles turns to stop him now.  Cider stabs at the undead doing a great deal of damage.  Pebbles turns back again unable to stop the two.  Bob, being a mantis creature, grabs the head and breaks it open.  In his insect mind he hears a scream of NO!  Looking at the brain, it is healthy and pink.   Somehow the brain of this worker has remained alive and functioning though the body was dead (not undead -but–dead).  He takes a bite out of it and Pebbles shakes her head and hammer Times the Golem.

She stops and wonders how she reached the corner of the room with Cider and Bob next to her.  She figures the negative energy wash she received must have affected her memory also.

The next two rooms has been searched and secured by Capio and Cedious while this was happening.  One room is a storage room with linens and blankets.  The other is a room is an armory for shields.  They find a shield with silver lining and another made of Byeshk.  Other shields they find to keep include a Lion’s Shield, a magic Buckler that bestows Melf’s acid Arrow 5/day and a simple +3 Large Steel Shield.
They feel it is time to rest and regain spells and maybe recover from the energy drain effects Pebbles has received.  The just discovered linen room looks ideal for this.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/04/06
SEGMENT 199
“The Black Door”

While the others are resting, Cedious looks through his keys.  The next door is black.   He has no black key.  He sighs and goes to sleep curled up in a large blanket with the emblem of the Cannith House on it. After resting, they carefully exit the room just in case anyone heard them.  With someone like the Titan guarding, they expect there are people still here.  Or worse- warforged.

“Any thoughts about this door?” asks Cider looking at it.  Cedious smiles and walks up to it.  He inspects it for traps and finds none.  He next pulls out his Adamantine Rapier and begins to cut at it.  He lacks the raw strength and leverage to do a great deal of damage to the door.  The warforged asks to step in and within a few minutes has cut away the lock.  He hesitates briefly when Cedious asks for his weapon to be returned.

They push open the door and find an armory.  Several suits of Scale Mail are within this room.  Looking around they find several magical sets and place them into their Haversack.  (Scale+4, Scale +1 Med. Fort, Scale +2 Bane Blind: Aberration)

They take a few tools also then move on to the next wing.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/04/06
SEGMENT 200
“Make enough noise and….”

The adventurers lead and/or hired by Cedious backtrack.  They pass by the remains of the Titan and back to the original entrance room.  The long hallway here is well lit and empty.  They continue that way and find the door is white.  Using the white key they found with the Helmed Construct, they enter.

The room is 25ft round and well lit.  Standing by the back of the room from them is a ten-foot tall stone man with steel armor pieces built into him.  He holds a twin bladed double sword that he holds before him.  He faces the floor at the center of the room.

In a voice that is harsh but polite at the same time it speaks.  “Why do you invade our home and sanctuary?  Why do you thieve from us?  What do you seek?”  Slowly and with menace he rises his stare to you.  His face is stern and demanding.

“Ah- yeah.   Go to hell. We are not here to thieve.” Says Cedious hoping he can is not caught lying.

Capio, figuring he will not get a better chance than now, casts a spell onto him.  He tries to turn the stone creature into mud.  Not only does it fail but also it really ticks him off.

“ARRRRRRGH!” Screams the Maug as it suddenly charges and strikes the mage with his weapon.  The mage more flies back from the impact than moves back behind the rest.  The rogues roll under the large creature while the others dart in and out of the doorway taking shots at it.

The creature, enraged, has incredible strength and skill with the unique weapon it wields.  The others find themselves having a great deal of trouble hitting it.  Several members take hits that nearly take them out of the fight.  Several stop for potions (I house ruled potions still work within the Mournlands).  Finally they defeat him and still breathing heavy they agree that they need to rest again.  

“One more room?” 

“Yup.”

Using the map given to them (and limited by color keys they have) they go for the large room.  Cedious opens the door and suddenly there is a flash of light and when the light goes away the Warforged Fighter and Bob are about three-foot tall.  

“One more door.” Says Cider with sarcasm.

Fighter and Bob continue to shrink again.

“Oh crap!”

At one inch they stop shrinking.  In squeaky little voices they ask for help.  Capio begins to caste Dispel Magic on them.  Even as they begin to regain their size three doors open.  Many mages with staffs prepare to attack from one door.  A very large Iron Golem steps out and nearly onto the reduced warriors.  They from BEHIND them they see a figure with a spell ready to be caste at them.  At first they think it is an elf disfigured like Demise.  Pebbles looks at it and the anger in its undead eyes.

LICH!


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/04/06
SEGMENT 201
“The Cannith Lich”


“WHO ARE YOU AND WHY DO YOU INVADE MY HOME?” Demands the Lich.

Everyone freezes in respect of a Lich’s power.

“DO YOU COME TO THEIVE FROM ME OR DO SEEK YOUR DEATHS?” It further demands.  The Iron Golem slowly swings its huge blade from its left side to its right just as everyone regains their original size.

“We …ah….ah…. we are here to …. Ah…find someth…one.”  Stutters Cedious.   He has heard enough about Lich and their powers to know this is bad.  Never mind its backup.   Speaking of which-

“IT IS GREAT FOLLY ON YOUR PART TO TRESSPASS ON CANNITH LAND.  LAND I NOW CONTROL.”  Then his facial features twist in anger and hatred.  He has seen the remains of his friend, the Maug Barbarian.  “YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT.”

“We come to find ….Graymax…er  mark….ah…..”

Capio steps up.  “We seek Graymark.  We believe he is here.”

“ARROGANT ELF!   I CARE LITTLE WHOM YOU LOOK FOR.  YOU PRESUME TOO MUCH!  YOU… YOU SMELL OF THE UNDEAD NUISANCE.” It says smelling the air.  “IF YOU ARE IN LEAGUE WITH IT THEN YOU WILL SURELY DIE SLOWLY AND IN PAIN.”

Capio backs off.

Cider steps in next.  “If it is the creature we faced earlier, we have destroyed it.  It will bother you no more.”

“YOU SPEAK AS IF I OWE YOU FOR THIS SERVICE!  DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE MY PATIENCE.  I ASK ONE LAST TIME-  WHY DO YOU COME HERE?”   The energy of the stored spell ready to be released at will from its hand glows brighter.

“We are here from House Cannith…”

“DO NOT SPEAK TO ME OF THE HOUSE.  WE BROKE TIES LONG AGO.”

“They seek someone named Graymark…..are you he?”

“WHY WOULD THEY SEEK ME?”

Cedious, very out of character, stumbles and trips over his words.  “Well they have divided into two factions…three factions actually…and they each seek to gain power over the others.  The Creation Schema-“

“THE CREATION SCHEMA IS EVIL AND MUST NEVER BE ASSEMBLED!  WHAT MADNESS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I LEFT THE WORLD?!?”

“Well ah…there was this war that….”

“TELL ME EVERYTHING!”

Cedious swallows hard but feels the lump remain in his throat.  Trembling he pulls out the scroll given him by the House.  In fury, The Lich flicks the scroll from him with Mage Hand and opens it before him.  His anger never stops.

“MADNESS!” the Lich snarls and tosses the scroll into the air and it bursts into flames.  “VERY WELL.  TO FIND THE PIECE THEY SEEK THEY NEED BUT TO FIND MORLOCK.  MORLOCK HAS IT.”

“Ah … sir….can you…..can you….”  Cedious knows he may die but feels this creature has information he needs.  “Why.  Why is the Schema so dangerous and evil?” he spits out while trying to gain his composure.  The cold sweat makes this impossible.

The lich stares at him and instills further fear into the halfling.  “YOU ARE CORRECT.  I AM GRAYMARK.  I SAW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN XULO COMES TO LIFE.  IT IS WHY WE AGREED TO HIDE THE PIECES.  THE DRAGONS TOOK PIECES AND EACH OF USE TOOK A PIECE TO HIDE.  INDIVIDUALLY THE PIECES ARE HARMLESS.  BUT AS PIECES ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER.  XULO AWAKENS.  WITH THREE PIECES IT CONTROLS OTHER’S MINDS.  COMPLETE IT CONTROLS ANYTHING INCLUDING CONSTRUCTS. “

The Lich pauses.  A deadly calm comes to it.  “HOW MANY OF THE PIECES ARE FOUND?”

“Ah….we have one, the warforged have one and we believe Elaydren has three.”

The Lich stares with anger and concern at the news there are three possessed by one person.  “GO.  NEVER COME BACK.”

The six adventurers have never been more happy to comply to a demand before in their lives.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/04/06
SEGMENT 202
“Xulo Commands”

The air smelled of flowers.  Sweet, succulent and alluring flowers.  The birds and insects chirped happily and with exotic tunes and sounds.  The air was warm and humid.  The woman dressed in royal blue robes made of the finest satin reached for the cooled plate of fruit.  These too were sweet and tickled her mouth making her desire more.

She was the queen.

She was the Queen of Xen’drik.

As she dreamed, Lady Elaydren murmured and cooed.  It was a good dream.  The best.

She had control of the entire continent of Xen’drik by finding and assembling the Creation Schema.  It then gave her clues and how to use it.  Once used, she gained incredible power.  She commanded the power of Xen’drik and anything the Giant’s created including anything House Cannith copied and called their own.  She controlled it all.  All of that power …hers.

Then she woke up.  She heard someone …something calling to her.  It was the Schema pieces.  

Through her mental rapport with the pieces she was rapidly learning much about the artifact and how it worked and where its pieces were.  

Kim Elderich was waiting for her in the Mror Holds with a piece.  House Cannith had a piece hidden in Fairhaven.  The last piece was hidden in a very forgotten Cannith lab on an island near the ice mass called Frostfell.  This lab was over taken by a force greater than House Cannith was willing to combat.

The thought of their current existence never crosses her mind.

[the time comes.]

“Yes.  I know.”

[Do it.   Gather me together and bring me to my home.  The power is there.  Your power]

A pleased smile comes to her face.  Power.   She yawns and gets out of bed.  There is much to do and in a short time.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/04/06
SEGMENT 203
“Kim Survives”

“It burns!” Screams out Rowan over the battle.  The Dragon shard glows very brightly in her hands.  It is the biggest one she has ever seen.  It measured nearly a foot around.  The COLOSSAL Fire Elemental within rages to escape but can not.

“Think little of it dear storyteller- you may free it by accident otherwise.”  The dwarf came to Fernia to collect two Fire Elementals with enough raw power to operate his newest creation.   The Siberys Heir was to be the greatest, grandest and most powerful magical item ever created since the Dragons and Giants ruled the world of Eberron.

His elegant blue cloak was now burnt on the edges and covered in sot.  His carefully braided beard was snarled and the tips freed of platinum and adamantine jewels.  He truly looked forward to seeing his make up artist again in Elderich Keep.

There remained one more elemental to capture but the appearance of the Magma paraelemental caught his team off guard.  Thorvald was able to protect most of the team but several hired aids were not so lucky.  1000 gold to each of their family members plus a heroes burial.

Now Thorvald, Benson and Baaz were cornering the elemental and ready to trap it.  Even as Thorvald begins the sequence, Rowan sees something.  Something very very very bad.  “Kim …Kim!   Kim look!” And she begins to point to the sky.  A Pyroclastic Dragon is heading their way.

“Hurry Thorvald!  We have yet more visitors and this one I suspect we can not deter with a specialized spell!”  Elderich calls out.

“Jallarzi!   Begin to open the portal!   We need to leave and now!”  Elderich dunks as the magma formed dragon sweeps over the battle.  The elemental has been captured and the three adventurers hurry to join Kim even as the planar traveler known as Jallarzi Sallavarian begins to call up her energy using a gem to power it up.

“I have opened a portal but it may not even be Khorvaire we reach!”

“In this case I don’t mind the surprise of the unknown!”

The ten surviving adventurers leap into the portal even as the huge dragon turns in the air.  Fumes visible within its mouth.  It plans to strike them down with its breath weapon.

Jallarzi is the last to step into the portal.  She can not help herself as she screams.  The blast destroys the area they stood on a second before.


Jallarzi’s scream follows her as she falls through the fuming and hot portal along with some molten rock.  She calls out for medical help.  Her leg is encrusted in molten stone.  Ore steps over.  The awakened Golem prepares to help her in any way he can when sees them.

“Where are we?” asks Rowan the bard as she looks into the humid jungle.

“Q’Barra.”

“How do you know that Benson?”

“sssss  why do you come to our lands….?” Asks the lizardfolk guard holding a spear aimed at the group.  What Benson senses that the others do not see is the two dozen hidden lizardfolk watching them from within the jungle.

“Well Kim- you said you knew how to throw a great party.  I just thought you meant that literally.” Says Rowan as she slowly brings her flute near the level to use.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/18/06
SEGMENT 204
“This is not Eberron”

The group quickly climbs the ladder and escapes to the cavern above.  Rorsa and her pack are not there to say goodbye to.  The group doesn’t think much of it as they leave.  Outside, it is dark and gray as it always is in the cover of the Mournland’s gray mist shroud. 

Outside they can see the fire ring of the ship high above and to the south.  They begin to wonder how they will reach the ship when it turns and begins to descend towards them in a sweeping motion.  It is then they see a few warforged warriors standing watching the ship.  They have not seen or heard the PCs as of yet.  The warforged become exited since the ship is getting low enough that it appears to be landing.

The rope ladder is released even as it reaches the PCs.  They are forced to grab the ladder while in motion.  Cedious is annoyed by this and clearly plans on speaking to the pilot about this.  Then as the ship with them holding on rises he sees the cause.  There are HUNDREDS of warforged in the area.  They are all chasing after the ship hoping to catch up with it.

It will take 3-4 days to reach Fairhaven so everyone goes to relax and take it easy.  Armor is repaired and cleaned, spells read and memorized and some minor bandaging of wounds is done.  Once out of the Mournlands the healing will occur.

They continue north flying over the destruction and the remains of the once great country of Cyre.  Some areas are leveled while other areas the buildings and forts remain upright.  Living Spells can be seen along with several very large creatures.  One group of possible adventurers can be seen staring at the airship as it goes over them very high up. 

Finally the warning goes out.  They are about to cross the gray mists to enter Thrane airspace.  They know the mists have an unsettling way about them.  They make you lose all sense of direction and time.  They aim the ship straight and move into the mists at a slower speed.


The ship begins to enter the gray mists that surround the Mournlands.  The roaring fire elemental that powers the ship fails to burn it away.  As normal, you are blind and only hope not to strike anything within the mists.  Then you begin to hear something over the roar of the elemental.  Screams.

Then you see the mists are taking shape.  They appear to look like the upper torsos of spirits flying about the ship.  They are gray and a washed out white.  They lack eyes and appear somewhat skeletal.  More and more appear until there are several dozen keeping with the ship like a school of dolphins would a sailing ship in the Thunder Sea.

Then quite suddenly they retract and watch you go as you see light before you.  You are existing the mists at last.

You and your ship burst through the mists into a clear and sunny day but below there are hundreds of creatures in battle.  Many have wings made of feathers and others appear bat-like.  This is not the Thrane / Aundair skyline you had expect


Explosions born by magic occur complete with energy beams that are equally destructive.  Capio looks down and sees that these are specific warriors doing battles.

“By my favored ancestors….  I see ….a Vrock striking down a Protector and over there a group of Hezrou charging into a group made up of Aasimars and Hound Archons!   Where are we?!?   This seems like a scene from Shavarath!”  Stammers Capio the elven mage whom wished to travel to another plane but wishes it was a different plane.

“Shavarath- the plane of battle?” questions Cider.  His secret rages to life.  The tiefling holds his heritage close to him so as not to scare others but this is too much.  Here he may see more of his kind.  Many more!

“TURN THE ****ing SHIP AROUND!”  Screams and stomps Cedious at the pilot.  

Then one of the guards sees something.  It looks like a flock of birds.  It was sweeping low then changed direction.  It is now coming at them –directly at them.

“Please tell me those are birds …like nice little fluffy birds…..” goes on Cedious as he enters the Pilot’s enclosed room.

As the flock comes closer they can see the flock is not birds.  They are too big.  They have arms and weapons.  Capio and Cider begin to watch them from inside the pilot’s room with Cedious.  Pebbles goes outside weighing her hammer in her arms.  She is prepared for battle.  No matter what they are.

“Battle Stations!” yells the Captain of Guards.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/18/06
SEGMENT 205
“Darkwindwyrm’s Children”

The flock of flying black creatures splits into two separate groups as it reaches the turning ship.  One group of 5 sweep below the ship.  The other five go directly to the closest people on deck – Fighter (Warforged Fighter) and a handful of ship guards.  The one creature gets directly up close to the Fighter.  It has thick black scales, red eyes, bat-like wings and sharp claws and teeth.  Each holds a large great club.

The apparent leader of the flock says something Fighter and the guards do not understand then in common- “Mortals!   Mortals invade our lands now!” and swats the fighter very hard with her club.  Fighter at least now knows what to do- hit it back!  And he does.

Cedious is running from window to window watching this take place.  He also notes there are a large Blue Dragon, a Large Red Dragon and a Large Copper Dragon fighting near the ship also.  “Not good!  Get us back to Mournlands!”

Capio and Cider also watch from inside the Pilot’s room.  There are many types of fiends and Archons flying around doing battle with each other.  Cider debates if this is a battle for him and his strike from shadows style.  Capio merely takes it all in.  He has reached another goal of his –he has traveled to another plane.  What could he learn from this plane he wonders to himself while guarding the pilot.

DM Note:  Bill was not here to play Pebbles.  In all of the activity we forgot to play her as Bill wished- we didn’t use Bull strength, Enlarge then become Enraged for combat.  Our bad.  But she survives ..sorta

Pebbles leaves the main group to meet head-on the flock that is flying from under the ship.

The creatures begin to tear into the hired help easily defeating them.  Bob tries his best to protect these under-powered guards but there are too many of them.  He is forced to join Fighter and hope to survive this.  

The winged fiends land and begin to attack anything on that side of the Griffon’s Wing (Cedious’ Ride).  One guard is pushed over board to die from falling 100 feet into a battle of Dretch, Tieflings and a small squad of Justice Archons.

The turns slowly and the cloud they exited from is beginning to disperse.  They drive the ship through it and …nothing.  The ship is still on the Plane of Battle.

A huge gold dragon nearly strikes the ship while trying to pry off several Fiendish Dire Bats that have attacked it.  He looks at the ship and some of its people before falling behind.

Pebbles battles with three of the creatures and seems to be holding her own as her armor holds up well against their attacks.  Cider moves to the door.  He needs to do something but this war in an over exposed airship.  There is hardly anything to hide within to strike from the distance.  Capio studies the creatures.  The thick black scales remind him of ½ Dragons but the red eyes and body remind him of ½ fiends.  Could it be?  Could all of these be ½ fiend ½ dragon creatures?   There are certainly plenty of fiends here and plenty of dragons also.  “Can we at least get the ship out of here?” he asks the pilot.

“I am trying!” says the pilot as he commands the elemental through his rapport of the dragon shard.

Another guard dies as black acid covers his face and upper body.  He collapses screaming.  The screams stop before his lifeless body hits the deck.

Fighter takes down one of the creatures and Bob strikes one well.  There is some hope as they find out they can strike these creatures at least and defeat them.

Another hired guard is slain along with a shift captain.  The creatures fight over his carcass and remain out of the battle for a moment.  The Pilot dodges a large fireball explosion caste from far below by a spell caster.  The cinders of it wash over the ship as it resets itself.  A curious Quasit makes the mistake of coming too close and is consumed by the raw power of the elemental that empowers the ship.

Pebbles kills a creature as Cedious comes out from the pilot’s house.  He is immediately attacked by a creature that castes Magic Missiles at him.  It sits on top of storage shed on the deck.  “Enough of this!” he growls as he rushes to the ladder leading up to the creature.  Fighter tries to hit from behind but misses.  This does distract the creature enough for Cedious to climb the ladder safely.  Bob kills another winged creature but misses saving the guard that stood next to him.

Cider tries to gain cover from several crates on the deck but has no luck.  The creatures are all just of range for his attacks.  Angered now but the situation he has found himself in, he charges to attack any creature.  He helps Pebbles first who has just received a powerful blow that has her staggered and ready to collapse …again.

Soon the leaders of the winged creatures are all defeated and three remain of the original 10.  They curse at the mortals and fly off.  “Fly the ship hard and fast away from here.” Demands Cedious.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/18/06
SEGMENT 206
“A Golden Visitor”

Pebbles goes below deck to heal herself and any that need the aid.  Cedious, the pilot, Capio and Cider have a meeting.  Cider still has not revealed his Tiefling bloodline (Feat to look normal) but will share his knowledge of the planes and the possible ½ Fiend taint these creatures had.  Capio’s knowledge of the planes is better and also saw the ½ dragon within these creatures.  He is upset some survived and escaped.  He fears more will come and soon.  Maybe even the parents.  The pilot has no idea what has happened.  Cedious knows only rumors of this plane.  He knows its good vs. bad and that is all.

Capio clears his elven throat and begins-  “Shavarath  The Plane of Battles.  Here Fiends, Demons and Devils battle each other and the sides of Light- The Archons.  If not of direct immortal blood then you are merely pawns to be played by one of the three sides.  Their battles began as long as written records have existed and have NEVER stopped.  Some say this plane caused the Day of Mourning.  Others say the war was created because of this plane’s influence.”

Cedious looks at him with the “Are you for real?” look.  Cider worries Capio will decipher his secret before long.  The Pilot is wondering what he is doing here in general.

“There are many rumors about this place with their connections to Eberron.  Some say the best warriors were taken from the war to battle here.  Some say…”

Cedious cuts in.  “History Lesson is over.  How do we get  out?”

“Get out?”

“Yes.  How do we get out?”

Long silence.  “I don’t know.  I am still uncertain how we got here even.”

Cedious says something in halfling that can not be said on EN World.  “What good are you?” and he walks away angry.

The ship travels another three hours.  The main battle is no longer visible though the open lands show signs of recent combat.  There are no visible mountains and little for water sources.  There are rolling hills in some areas and remains of forts build onto them.  Occasional creatures can be seen taking cover as the ship flies by.

The sun is beginning to set when a guard calls out an alarm.  Behind them a huge Gold Dragon.  It appears to following them and watching them.  It shows no signs of aggression nor aid.  Cedious and the others come out and check the creature out.  It picks up speed and comes to fly beside the ship.  It continues to watch the guards and adventurers.  Then flies ahead of the ship for a moment before hovering and carefully landing on the deck of the Griffon’s Wing.

Capio bows and in Draconic says, “Welcome Golden One.  What brings you to us?”

“Curiosity mortals.  Only my curiosity.”  The huge Gold Dragon stares at everyone one at a time.  He pauses while looking at The Fighter (Warforged), Bob (The Thri-kreen) and Cider (The Tiefling).  “What brings you to the realm of battle?”

“We entered a cloud bank and exited into here.  We know nothing else of how we reached here Great One.”

Cedious whispers to Bob “What are they saying?”

“Bob clicks out “Don’t know.  Can’t speak common well much less dragon”

“How long do you plan to stay here?”

“I would like to know more of this plane and others but I believe my friends wish to leave sooner.”

“Is the golem yours?”

“Golem?  Do you mean the Living Construct?  The Warforged.  He is free willed.  He is not a golem.”

“Curious and quite wonderful.  He reminds me something of the Maugs we see on the battlefields occasionally.  And what of the insect creature?”

“A thri-kreen that uses the powers of his mind.”

“Curious.  Very curious.”  There is a long pause.  Many of the guards have gathered on deck to check out their golden visitor.

“Well then, I suppose I should warn you.  As mortals, others will seek you out to use you in the war.  Your ship has many possibilities also.  Another warning.  You fought and killed many of the Darkwindwyrm’s children.  He WILL seek revenge.  He is a bit predictable that way.”

“Who is Darkwindwyrm?” Capio asks in common.

Answering in common, the Gold Dragon says, “A powerful Black Dragon of mixed blood.  He goes by the name of Darkwindwyrm The Beautiful lover.  He has MANY children of mixed blood.”

“How do we leave?” Demands Cedious of the dragon.

In halfling- “How rude of you.  Let me speak to the courteous elf.”

Cedious fumes.

“We wish no conflict but relent to the fact this world is in a state of constant conflict.  We can not escape it while remaining here.  How may we leave here?  How can we reach Eberron again?”  He bows again to make up for Cedious’ rudeness.

“Leave already?  Perhaps that would be better.  If you continue on this direct and speed you will see the city of Sanctuary.  There are some here that may help you.  Be warned however, most there will still try to use you.”

“Thankyou Golden One.”

The Huge Gold Dragon gently takes flight and glides away back to the direction of the battle.

“Well, Now I wish Taskerdoo did not take those planar travel scrolls with him.  Sanctuary it is.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/18/06
SEGMENT 207
“A Rip in Time and Space: Part I”

The Place:  Shadow Marches
The Time:  Early morning of the 25th of Nymm of year 999
The Setting:  A ruined temple within a quiet marsh

The frogs chirped as spring was warming up to become summer.  It was a cold winter but it looked like it may be a hot summer.  An old ruined temple lay partially submerged within the waters of the swamp with thick vines roped about it.

Several times a year the orc druids of the region would check in this ruin.  They felt it was a portal that was still active.  They hoped not.  Especially if the portal lead to the realm of madness, the realm of Xoriat.  This was not their time.

It started with the insects becoming quiet then the frogs.  The owl stopped hooting and spun its head 200 degrees to its left to look at the ruin.  In the distance a coyote began to howl.  It could hear something that most others could not.  Then the water churned and rippled.  A glowing portal opened at the surface of the water.  Something of medium height appeared and fell into the water.  The splash seemed to break the power of the portal as it closed up rapidly complete with an audible pop.  Then a pause filled with complete silence.

A scaled body rose to the surface and bobbed for a moment before it stirred.  A hard shell covered its head and leathery wings rose to get out of the murky water.  Blue eyes pierced the dark as it took in the scene.  It looked at its clawed hand and discovered it still held a large amulet.  It was non-magical but held a great deal of meaning.  It turned it in the moonlight to look at the ridges further.  It was a tarnished green emblem of a flame with five talon like licks of flame rising from it.  The emblem of the Emerald Claw.

Breedaernxen tossed it aside with disgust.  He wondered how he got here and where here was.  It looked like the marshes of the far West but how?  Last he knew, he was battling necromancers and their henchmen in the caves below Eldeen Reaches.  An explosion of raw energy had occurred.  Something was happening to the block.  Something was happening to Drogan’s Trap.

“The Little One” he says with a hoarse voice.  The very capable and lucky halfling had succeeded.  Was this good?   He knew not.  His limited understanding of the Draconic Prophesy spoke of  “The Creator that Destroyed”.  He felt it was the schema.  He also knew the only way to destroy it was for it to be found first-  all six parts.

The Young Brass Dragon slowly began to flap his wings and took to the air.   Much had happened since he fought the Claw.  This he knew instinctively.   The question remained-  How much had?


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/18/06
SEGMENT 208
“A Rip in Time and Space: Part II”

The 2nd of Lharvion of the year 999.     

Days before a traveler displaced through time and space arrived through a ruin within the swamps of the Shadow Marches.  The Orcs came to investigate it and found nothing.  They left again to go about their other duties, which included the careful watch of other portals.  The sun burned down onto the dark green water.  The large Boatman beetles dove up and down within the still water.  A large crocodile lay perfectly still then slowly submerged.  The water rippled gently then looked depressed as if a ball sat on the surface; an invisible ball.

Energy beams began to emerge from the base of this depression.  Two figures emerged from it.  A soldier holding a downed friend.  Something pushes them free and two more figures come from the light before it suddenly blinks out.  A man and a woman.  Both are dressed in black and green.  One proudly wears an emblem of the Emerald Claw.

The four of them fall into the water and splash about to stay afloat.  The one seriously wounded man is let go so as to free the arms of the other man.  He apologies to the man as he sinks.  Both legs and arm are badly broken.  His voice has been taken from him.  He drowns quietly.  The three remaining people splash and tread water to the ruin.  They pull themselves out of the water to look around with the comfort of solid ground below them.

“Where are we?” Demands the large man whom wears the symbol of the Emerald Claw.  “This is not the Forest anymore nor the caverns.”

The pale woman looks at her badly burned arm.  The acid may have done permanent damage to her.  She is uncertain.  Either way, she hopes the dragon has died while she has lived.  “I suspect we are still on Eberron but where and when is uncertain Keltis.”

“Where or …when?” says the soldier in disbelief.

“Drogan’s Vault is protected by powerful magics.  Magics over time and space.  For it to be broken means someone has either destroyed it or escaped it.  Either way- the energy released tore us from the caverns to …here and now.”

The three rest here and take a few moments to heal wounds from their fight with the dragon before making their way to a plumb of smoke they can see nearby.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
03/18/06
SEGMENT 209
“A Rip in Time and Space: Part III”

The first of Eyre in the year of 998.

Twilight within a certain swamp on the SW side of Khorvaire.  A ruin sits here hidden in the dark waters with a thick coverage of foliage on it.  Though it is early spring, the swamp blossoms already have begun to open.   Soon the swamp will be filled with the sight, sounds and smell of insects and pollen.  Soon but not now.

The reflection of a moon ripples on the otherwise still water.  Then the water begins to act as if rain is falling onto it.  The water parts as something beyond sight suddenly comes into contact.  

Then nothing.

A red glow begins to form within the water.  Something has appeared here that was not before.  Something made of the purest evil.  It slowly rises from the water and the seedy beads of plants sizzle and dry up on contact.  

Something infernal has awoken and come to Eberron.  Something very hungry for power and revenge.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/01/06
SEGMENT 210
“What Kind of Creature Is That!?!?!”

Several hours after the Dragon flies away the crew spots something flying towards them.  “Does everything here have wings?” complains bitterly Cedious.

As it gets closer it looks like a fast moving cloud with swords, blades and daggers within it.  Much like a micro tornado.

“Its going to attack!” hollers Pebbles with more joy than concern.  It swerves quickly and centers on the confused  thri-kreen named ‘Bob’.  He takes a lot of minor cuts and nicks as the cloud strikes him.  Everyone rushes over to him to help.  As they swing into the magical cloud they feel resistance as their weapons strikes weapons within it.  Bob takes more damage.  It seems to have concentrated on him.

The adventurers continue to attack (doing over 100 points of ‘damage’) the cloud.  Thinking maybe this is like a tornado, Cedious does the unthinkable- he leaps into it!   He quickly discovers the mistake of this as the whirling blades continue to cut into Bob and now himself. (auto crits on Cedious!)  Just as suddenly it had appeared it leaves.  Bob and Cedious are less than happy as both have many minor cuts but the cuts are everywhere on their bodies.

“What kind of creature or magical effect was that?!?” complains the stung halfling.  The elf mage is uncertain.  It wasn’t an ooze so it was not a living spell but it was magical and reminded him spell effects that exist.

“What is that?” calls out a soldier.

In the distance on the horizon is a short and squat tower.  Between the adventurers and the tower are signs of a battle taking place.  As they fly over it several giants and giant kin are seen below.  Archons, humans and gray skinned horned men are fighting them.

“Is that Sanctuary?” asks the captain to Cedious.

“Must be.  Lets go.”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/01/06
SEGMENT 211
“Defenseless”

The airship Cedious’ Ride circles the natural tower twice.  Capio looks at it and tries to figure out what the tower is.  It looks to be made of solid stone.  Many ramps and stairways have been carved into the sides leading to small shelters that are either homes or temples.  Few people seem to be there.  Pebbles looks at the structure.  “Cone”.

“What was that?” asks Capio.

“That is the cooled core of a small volcano.  Someone took away the earth and loose stone.  They then cleaned up the edges and carved in the rooms.  Well done in truth but not dwarven in make.”

“Not?” questions Cedious.

“Look at the stairs.  These were built for people much larger than dwarves.  I doubt the dwarves would have built something like this for a giant.  Giants built this.”   She says matter-of-factly.

The crew notes two humanoids guarding a large balcony.  These humanoids are somewhat fat looking with thick gray hide and bony facial features.  Their attire suggests they are not front line fighters but monks.  The airship circles around once more then pulls up to this large balcony.  Cedious, Fighter, Pebbles and Bob climb down.  Cider and Capio remain on the ship as guards and to rain down death and destruction if this goes sour.

DM NOTES:  The people playing Cider and Capio could not make it today and the characters were not left behind to be used.

Hidden in the shadows is an elven archer whom has an arrow notched and readied even as Cedious releases the knotted rope used.  Cedious tries to talk to these people but their understanding of common is minor to none.  The elf steps up as a translator between the natives and the outsiders (The PCs!).

After a quick breakdown of what Cedious wants and is looking for, the elf translates it the Rheks.  The two rhino men look at each other and talk about something.  The elf listens and waits for an answer.  They speak to him and he nods in agreement.

“Welcome to Sanctuary.  The people here live in a life of neutrality and peace. This peace has recently been shattered and their leader went to speak to them.  She was struck down instead.  She is now dying.  The weapon that struck her down was designed to kill her kind and it appears there is nothing we can do to stop it.  She wants this structure to remain free and will anything to keep it free of war.  She may trade information for the protection of the temple until more help comes.”

Cedious thinks about this. Then asks to see her.

The doors behind them are incredibly large but easy to open.  They each measure 15x25 feet.  The hallway narrows to 25ft wide just inside.  There are several closed doors leading down the hallway on the sides.   Other doorways are open.  All of them are 10-15 feet wide.  All are built by giants for giants.  After walking several hundred feet they reach a series of steps.  Cedious finds it very cumbersome to climb these tall steps.  Pebbles, in her full plate, is not much better off.  Several more Rheks are here watching and look at the elven archer for answers.

They pass them and cross a very large room.  This room may have been a meeting room or throne room.  In the back is a secret door.  It is designed for smaller people.  Pebbles looks at it for a moment and decides it was made AFTER the original construction.  A series of tunnels designed for people their size twist and turn and lead to an intersection of similar tunnels.  A Rhek is here guarding the tunnel.

Several words are spoken in Celestial as the PCs later learn is being spoken.  Cedious only is allowed to proceed since he is the “leader”.  With a big smile he leaves the group.  Once he lost sight of them his smile disappears.  The tunnels twist some more and finally leads to a room.  Here a gurney is seen.  There is blood on it along with many large blood stained white feathers.  Cedious wonders what their leader is- a bird?

He is motioned to wait there as the Rhek moves into the next room.  Cedious looks around the room some more.  The room is simple and has nothing of great notice.  He is about to look closer for secret spaces when the guard returns.  “Caame.” It stumbles on saying and again motions.

Cedious walks through the 15-foot hallway to another room.  There are two Rhek here.  They have blood on their robes and look slightly distraught.  Many feathers lay on the floor.  Cedious hears someone speak softly in several languages.  “Common or halfling will do.” He says.

“Halfling is not my greatest strength.   Cough cough.  Come forward lost halfling.” Spoken in common.

Cedious steps forward and sees what he has heard referred to as an angel or archon.  The woman has beautiful soft features and large white-feathered wings.  Her silver- white hair is matted down in sweat and blood.  The only injury he sees is located along her ribs on her left side.  Many pads and wraps are on it but the blood continues to seep through it.

“Vile …   injury.    Magical poison.  Very .. effective ..  if meant for …for the recipient….”

Her entrancing blue eyes calm Cedious without his noticing her charming powers.  

“I understand …  you are not from here.   And you wish to return …home.”

“Yes.  We wish to return home.  We are on an important mission and have important news that must reach our matrons quickly.”

“Yes…  I can see it… within your aura.”  

This makes Cedious slightly nervous.   

“I know of a place… a person that …can help you.”

Cedious is less nervous and more anxious now to know how to escape this place.

“I am not one …to normally do this …. Cough cough….  But I wish something in …. return.”

“Go on” he says now wondering what kind of angel do-gooder this is.

“We have called for help…. They will not … arrive for several hours …at best.  Cough cough.  I need someone …to hold the …. Temple … until then.”

“It is only I and about 15 people.”

“and there are … only six here now.  Ippikak is good … with his bow ….but not … that good.”

Cedious’ mind races at the possibilities.  Uncertain what to do he agrees finally.   The worse thing that can happen is he is forced to flee.

“Will you tell me who and where to go?”

“I am sorry chaotic one.   I wish to …. hold you … to your word.  When the others arrive.”

Cedious watches as four feathers fall free of her wing.  Will she even survive that long?  “And yourself?  How am I certain you will tell me the knowledge I need and more- know you will survive to tell me?”

“I can tell … the archer.  He will tell you … if required.  Also … my people … know of the way.”

Seeing no other way out, Cedious agrees.

“Good luck against the Fiery One.  He has marshaled many … of his …cough cough…kin to aid him.”

“His kin?”

In the distance someone is calling an alarm.

“Yes …his kin.  His cousins and ancestors …. The giants.”

A rhek pokes his head in.  In celestial he says “GIANTS!”


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/01/06
SEGMENT 212
“Giants Storm the Gates”

Cedious rushes to the group and passes them.  “Comon!” he yells.   They reach the double doors and see 24+ Ogres climbs their ropes to the ship or have already gained access to the ship.  Cider and Capio have their hands full.  The pilot is pulling the ship away and having the elemental rock the ship to and fro.  Several Ogres fall free and crash to the stone ground far below.  

Then they see it.  Two groups of Ogres rush the balcony.  Cedious orders the doors closed and to ready themselves.  “What is going on?!?” yells Pebbles looking forward to a fight with Ogres.  

“To get the information to leave this plane we must defend this chunk of rock from the Giants.”

“Oh.”   A big smile crosses her face.  Then the smile leaves as two malformed Fomorian giants climb over the balcony walls.  

“What have you gotten ourselves into Cedious?!?” yells the warforged fighter as he draws his blade for the upcoming battle.

“The big honcho of this place is dying.   That leaves it defenseless.  She says others are coming to back her up and we need to keep the place secure until then.  Then we are to be given the information we need to leave this place.”   

Hill giants are visible in the near distance.

“Pebbles!  This fight will require more than might.  What else can you do besides grow and become enraged?”  Close to a dozen ogres are climbing the last stairs that lie between them and the outsiders (The PCs)

“Confusion!”

She castes the spell into the middle of the massing group of Ogres and huge ugly giants.  Everything suddenly stops.  Several begin to strike at their own and others flee.  One sits down and babbles to its hand.  The end result is …confusion.

Several near the frontline still charge ahead.  These battle with Cedious and his crew.  The archer concentrates his attacks on the Fomorian trying to come forward while not stepping on the ogres whom now seem to have begun a brawl with themselves.  

“Fall!” Pebbles calls out in a mass command.  Several drop prone while still being confused.  The archer continues to riddle one huge giant with arrows.

Some of the giant-kin rush over their fallen kin while the others continue to press the group.  The Rhek are killed leaving it to Cedious, Fighter, Pebbles, Bob and the elf known as Ippikak to defend the main door.  Two separate groups of hill giants arrive.  One group spots another smaller doorway that is not guarded and goes there.  The others rush the doors being guarded by Cedious.

“Fallback!” screams Cedious as he remembers how a hand full of these nearly killed them all at the Darks Hills in Eldeen. 

They can not close the doors as several dead ogres are in the way.  A confused ogre strikes one Fomorian Giant.  He begins to clear a path for himself with his club that is the size of the ogres themselves.  As he gets just inside the doorway everyone concentrates fire on him.  He drops just inside the doorway.  He teeters and stumbles making many run in fear of being crushed under his weight.  Instead he crashes against the stone walls and slumps there.

Cedious and the adventurers run back to the throne room.  The Rheks there have already begun to open the small secret door.  The archer, whom knows the hallways better than Cedious leads a chase through the corridors to an area the giants, will have trouble reaching him but he can fire his bow down the hallway.

Cedious hopes the crew of his ship is having better luck.


----------



## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/15/06
SEGMENT 213
“The Trouble with Some Giants”

High above the temple known as Sanctuary there are too many Ogres swarming the Cedious’ Ride airship.  Several lines are cut causing Ogres to rain to the ground.  Others are shot with bows as they try to climb up or their exposed hands are attacked with axes and swords as they try to climb over the railing.  The pilot commands the fire elemental to act on their behalf and soon the remaining giant-kin find small fireballs striking them.  Soon it is over.  Cider and Capio look over the railing for any more and instead see several fire giants far below climbing the ramps and stairs that lead to the temple.  “Take us down- NOW!” yells Capio to the pilot.

With new lines, the two swing down and enter the temple courtyard.  Improved invisibility and spider climb is caste onto both Cider and Capio.  They climb the wall and run along the ceiling.  The devastation inside is clear.  Bloodied ogres and hill giants liter the hallway along with one huge deformed giant.  The huge giant is the only one that hears them overhead.  He wonders out loud if the temple is haunted.  Unseen by the two invisible but distracted adventurers a large bag tied to the giant’s belt wiggles and has muffled yells.

Cedious and the others are unaware of Capio and Cider’s arrival as they debate what to do.  They unlock and open the secret door.  They are certain the giants can not reach them inside these tunnels.  The archer circles around to them using the narrow tunnels.  The ogres and hill giants come closer.  When Cedious lets lose the Decanter of Endless water they stop.  They are suspicious of the strange attack and step away from the fluid.  Some of these less than intelligent giants have seen clear fluid ignite and explode with flame.  They will avoid walking into it if possible.

One group of hill giants begins to wander through the hallways looking to go around the fluid.  Several times they just avoid the secret traps here.   The ogres decide to rush the room and find arrows and darts being fired out to them.  Several well-placed shots slow down and greatly injure the creatures.  Then Capio, still standing invisible on the ceiling, unleashes a fireball!  The ogres never know what hit them and the hill giants are badly hurt also.  The Huge giant, just downed by the archer, catches on fire.  His bag begins to kick and thrash.  Cedious can just hear “Help me!  I’m stuck!”  The bag then catches on fire!  The kicking becomes bouncing.

The warforged known as Fighter goes to the bag and cuts it open.  A stocky and muscular figure inside sticks his head out.  It takes another round to squirm out of the bag that is on fire.  This is when they notice the fire giants standing at the entrance.  They see the bodies and fear the ranged weapons are too deadly for them.  They charge into the hallway two at a time and leap to cover through the opened doorways.  These giants are intelligent fears Cedious.


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/15/06
SEGMENT 214
“The Trouble with Fire Giants”

“Where are they?”  Asks Fighter.

The last Hill Giant is dispatched.   Bob looks very hurt and broken.  The leader- an enraged Barbarian slammed him extremely hard with his first strike.  It’s a good thing he was not fire proofed.

The green skinned big guy from the Fomorian giant’s pouch looks very sore.  His skin is burnt and extremely tender.  He seems otherwise fully recovered.   He was bound but the fire burned most of his ropes.   He seems very cautious of the remaining fires still lit on the giants and their kin.

Ippikak readies his bow.  The moment a giant peeks his head out around a corner he is going to lose an eye.

Capio begins to prepare a spell that has been energy substitution.  He knows the Fire Giants will give them a great deal of trouble otherwise.

The Fire Giants meet and charge from two directions.  A blast of ice sweeps through the Fire Giants causing chaos.  Arrows pelt the one that seems to be leading them.  He wears the hide of a White Dragon.  A few well-timed critical strikes drop two Fire Giants thus leaving only five.  Another one drops as a lightning bolt burns through two and the leader.

The leader decides this temple is not worth the trouble and turns.  Fire Giants begin to drop left and right (three were caught within the security systems of the hallways unknown to the group… Divine Chain Lightning!)

Only two Fire Giants survive.  Each has burn and scorch marks on them.  Arrows protrude from their backs also as they begin down the ramps leaving the temple entrance.

The group has survived a war with Giants.


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/15/06
SEGMENT 215
“Avatar Falls”

A few hours later the back up arrives.   Several Hound Archons and others with a small group of human forces arrive.  They go directly to the dying archon leaving the group wandering and picking the bodies.

Ippikak speaks with Capio and Cider.  He is intrigued by the idea of a world other than this.  He asks to go with them and they agree.

The large ½ blood creature also asks about going them.  He is a grendel.  He is part man and part troll.  Not really caring either way, Cedious says he can.

Shortly they learn the original archon has passed away from her poisonous injury.  The new leader of the temple tells them where the nearest exit back to Eberron is.  Avatar Falls.

With some quick instructions given, the crew boards the ship and set off for it.  A few hours away they see a wall of earth that is miles long.  Within this cliff is a huge waterfall.  It is known as Avatar Falls.  To use it is simple-  one must pass through it.   It is large enough for the entire ship with its crew to pass but the crew fears the water will harm the elemental that empowers the ship.

Cedious decides to charge full speed into it.  The elemental should fare well enough against normal water.  As a precaution, Capio calls on winds and magic to thin out or push away water as they reach it.  

Though no one realizes it, they all hold their breath as the ship hits the water and close their eyes.  They reopen when they feel a different air condition.

The ship is sizzling and slowly rising from a series of waterfalls that are fed by many large waterfalls.

“Where are we?” they all think at the same time.


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## megamania

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
04/15/06
SEGMENT 216
“Where is my Wife?”

Merrix d’Cannith has been in the lab for two days now.  He is tired and finds he is getting no where on his current research.  He leans back in his soft magical chair and yawns.  He looks at the charts and maps on the wall.  Damn those Giants.

How did they do what they did?  Even with the dragons training them in magic the warforged creations seem so beyond them.   His family, the Canniths,  have made many trips into the jungles looking for clues.  The giants created these creatures.  They faced several within their own labs.  Their creations where better.   Almost perfect.  Each creation was unique but enough similarities exist to guess on the giant creator.  One of the more friendly creatures there suggested they thought of themselves as different family members, similar but different.

Merrix gets up and looks closer at the map.  In a quiet voice he asks no one within the room- “What would they think of their new cousins?”

Then a thought begins.  At first he tries to ignore it but it will not go away.   Is it time to go to Xen’drik again?  Should he bring his children?   Would his new wife go?

Then he remembers.  He has not seen her in six days.   “Where is she?” he wonders out loud.

=====================================================================

1000’s of miles away, just off the Karrnath coast an elemental sky ship moves north into the cold night.  At the bow watching the whales in the cold waters below, Lady Elaydren ir’Vown d’Cannith looks on.  The last person she is thinking about now is her husband and head of Cannith South.   She only wants the sixth and final piece of the schema to be located.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 217
4/15/06
“Another Who’s Who and What’s What”


Top Players-

Cedious
The only original PC remaining.  This Rogue / Fighter Halfling has a way of avoiding the worse dangers and collecting the best loot.  Recently he came to “own” an airship and by luck, hired a pilot that forged the papers to “prove” this to the authorities.  He has issues with Garrow, Lady Elaydren and Boddynoc.  Kim Elderich will soon join this list I am sure.

Merrix d'Cannith
Self-professed creator of the modern warforged.  Head of House Cannith South.  Will do anything to further warforged.  Has a hidden Creation Forge somewhere in Sharn.  Collects Schemas and recently was  married to Lady Elaydren ir'Vown- d'Cannith.  He relates to the warforged more than human beings including his wife.

Garrow
Changling leader within the Emerald Claw.  Orders are to retrieve the pieces no matter what.  Killed and resurrected once already.  Has a LOT of pull within a powerful organization and many powerful and resourceful lackeys.  Hates Cedious personally.  Something about being killed by him I suspect.  He has hired the Turbulent to hunt down and kill the rogue.

Lady Elaydren ir'Vown-d'Cannith
Master spy.  Pretended to work for Cannith North then revealed to work for Merrix of Cannith South instead.  In reality- works for Kim Elderich.  Married Merrix to get his trust and his creation forge.  Also getting Cannith training with magical creation.  It has been suggested she is pretending alligiance with Kim also.  Currently she may be mentally controlled or seduced by Xulo.

Kim Elderich
Dwarven member of Aurum.  Platinum level.   Many think he is the richest non- dragon-marked house member alive.  Has many parties and individuals working for him including Elaydren,Rush Late-a-lot, Ore and many explorers seeking artifacts.   He is being watched carefully by the two governments of Breland and Zilargo for his questionable activities.  He is looking to assemble the Creation Schema and unlock its secrets for reasons only known by him.

Jorlanna d’Cannith
Leader and head of House Cannith North (West if you must) and current employer of the PCs.  She wants the Creation Schema to gain power within the house.  

Lord of Blades
The ruler of Steel Nation has been searching for the schema for many years.  His visions aid him in locating the pieces but he seems to always lose them.  He has sent many of his warforged followers out to collect the pieces including members of the ‘87’ of whom Rush is a member.  Recently he tried to create a final warforged using a lich’s phylactery.  This attempt may have completely destroyed the secret forge he had.

Zoberraz
A Blue Dragon whom has placed wards around the pieces to alert her of any disturbance or meddling with the pieces.  She has gone to Xen’drik to prepare for many factions to coming Endgame of the Creation Schema.

BREEDAERNXEN   “Group” of linked persons dressed in red, black and bronze
This (ese) persons seem to aid and hinder all parties involved for some reason known only to it.  We have seen a bugbear ranger, a human fighter, a drow monk, a hooker, and a human aristocrat.
He has been revealed to be a dragon during the aftermath of Drogan’s trap.


Secondary Players-

Demise of the Emerald Claw
She has also been placed on the trail of the Creation Schema by Vol.  She spent the better part of several months in Undersharn battling Warforged looking for the second part.  Great Sword of Steel Nation escaped with it.  Where she is now is uncertain.

Keltis and his Brood
Emerald Claw member and trusted friend of Garrow.  He has been asked (ordered) to hunt down and destroy the PCs.  He has several lovers whom are all necromancers including Karrion Kold.  He has survived the magical explosion of Drogan’s trap and now makes his way back to Karrnath.  The order to kill Cedious and his allies has become personal.

Boddynoc Grinkle with Asunder
Once a party member, he was mutated by a fiendish mist that made him into an undead creature.  He still wishes to solve the question- “What is the Creation Schema?”  With his alignment altered and now undead, he has returned to White Hearth in the Mournlands to look for new clues.  He he battled the Cannith Lich and was destroyed (if possible) by his former allies.   Asunder was destroyed during a battle against the Lich.

Special Mention NPCs

Regganold
Bumbling Cannith employee and stooge for Lady Elaydren.  He has stumbled onto a very powerful artifact that is cursed.  He now is immortal and heals from any wound, even mortal wounds.  However, he attracts murderous creatures to him and those around him including his new friend- The Bard.

The Bard
A traveling bard looking for high adventure to sing about.  She has currently befriended the cursed man known as Regganold.

Ore
An awakened Stone Golem with skills as a fighter.  He questions the actions of any that act in a manner that may harm others.  He was approached by Kim Elderich to join him which he has.  He does this more to watch over the curious dwarf than for the pay.

Drogan
A very powerful ancient mage that enjoyed trap building.  He has encased many deadly or dangerous items and artifacts within his traps for safe keeping.  As seen with his trap in Eldeen Reaches, he can manipulate time, space and energy.

Xulo
This name has come up three times with visions / dreams by those seeking the Creation Schema.  It has been suggested Xulo is an intelligent presence held within the Schema.  His goals are unknown but many feel they are dangerous at the very least.

Sara Silvergleam of the Korranberg Chronicle
Gnome snoop and reporter that seduced Cedious into telling the world about what he knew about the Creation Schema (which was little then and still…).  She was having issues with Thrane clerics also.  She knew of some unrest within their community.

Bork Bouldershoulder
Ogre bully and local hero of Rhukaan Draal.  Killed one party member with a single blow.  He was in turn killed by his elder brothers within Undersharn.  His blood was spilt onto an strange emblem carved onto the wall.

Cannon
Warforged Warlock that had a bad run-in with something in Eldeen Reaches due to Keltis and Karrion Kold.  More on him eventually

Supernatural Creature
Thief hired by Kim Elderitch to sneak into Cannith Tower and find specific scrolls dealing with the Creation Schema.

Kerri and the Tharashk Smite
Called in to deal with fiendish occupations on Starvos Island.  She “killed” Boddynoc Grinkle, Asunder and Chief believing them all to be evil and possibly under fiendish possession.

Dark Lanterns
Spies and protectors of the Country of Breland.  They know something is up within their city of Sharn.  Warforged and Emerald Claw members had a violent and bloody gang-style battle that lasted several months.  They suspect it involves something House Cannith has created.  They have Lucian searching Undersharn for clues currently.  They are now redirecting their search towards an island off the Zilargo coast which has something owned by Kim Elderich within it.

Bemnol and The Trust
Spies and protectors of the country of Zilargo.  He came to meet the PCs while trying to stop a serial killer that targeted Gnomes.  He knows something is up and that House Cannith is involved in a three-way split for power.

Dice of Stormreach
Legit dragon-shard and artifact expolorer whom has ties with criminal element within the growing settlement.  Contacted by Zoberraz to prepare for many unwanted travelers.

No Name Given
Zoberraz has come to Xen’drik to speak to someone that knows much about the Creation Schema.  This same person also has spies with Fairhaven watching House Cannith.  Much more to be revealed on this individual later.

Spooky Karrnath Noble
Seduced and had her way with Cedious.  How much of the night REALLY happened however?  Maybe we’ll never know.

Orcus
A demonic sprit released from his prison by Cedious accidently by solving Drogan’s Trap.  Orcus now is learning what the world is like and planning for his return.

Unknown Fiend
Another prisoner within Drogan’s Trap that was released by the PCs when they escaped the trap.  Due to the Time/Space magics used, he has been set back in time to 998 instead of 999.

Breland Taskerdoo
Halfling Druid / Mage whom traveled with Cedious within Talenta Plains and Drogan’s Trap.  Something or Some one called to him as they passed Thrane and he left them with no reason given.  Seems many issues are beginning within Thrane….

THINGS TO NOTE
Griffon’s Wing  (Cedious’ Ride)
An elemental airship used for supply movement during the war then as a smuggler’s ship.  The Emerald Claw came to “possess” the ship then Cedious came to “own” the ship.  Using much of his riches from Drogan’s Trap he has fixed and manned the aircraft for his personal use.  The pilot however seems to know something or has a secret agenda of his own.

Siberys Heir
A VERY large elemental airship Kim Elderich has constructed.  He is trying to keep its existance a secret from the world which has Breland very worried.

Drogan’s Trap
A puzzle maze dungeon that twisted time and space.  It was used to test and entrap several evil spirits within it.  By escaping the trap, Cedious and the PCs have broken the trap and its wards that bond the spirits within the trap.  These spirits, including Orcus, now travel Eberron looking to cause trouble.

Starvos Island
An island between Darguun and Aerenal where Kyber Dragon Shards were being mined by the Finder’s Guild and Gnomes.  Unknown to them, this was also a center of Fiendish activity that includes a Kyber Pit and the beginning to the CHAOS EFFECT.


----------



## megamania

....and that is that.   I have caught up with the lost material from the system crash.  Now for the new stuff.......


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 218
4/29/06
“Dragon Flies and Lizard Folk Barbarians”

The fire elemental air ship hovers over the many running pools of water and crashing waterfalls.  The elemental begins to power up again after being submerged within water for a few seconds.  Everyone on board is wet and wondering where he or she is.  Cedious spots darting movements to his right and tries to follow it.  One of the crewmembers calls out in alarm as a giant (large 4 sq) dragon fly lands on the rail of the deck.

Dozens of these creatures buzz about and seem attracted to the heat of the fire elemental.  The elven archer drives the visitor away with a well-placed arrow.  It buzzes away skipping on the water’s surface as it slowly dies from the arrow imbedded into its body.

“Where are we?” asks Pebbles of anyone listening.

“I hope its not Xen’drik.” Says Cedious as he notes more dragonflies coming from the forest to the backside of the ship.

“I have never seen or heard of waterfalls like these.  They are impressive.” Adds an amazed Grendel named Talon.

“Where ever we are, we are about to be boarded….” Calls out the pilot.  The dragonflies from the forest are headed directly to them.  These are much bigger and each has a rider and a humanoid within its claws.

10 lizardfolk are dropped off by the dragonflies as they fly over the back deck.  Pebbles listens to them carefully as they speak in draconic.  She picks out the words of intruders … falls…contain….. destroy…..who are they.   Pebbles begins to call out what they are saying when Ippikak lets lose several arrows.  The three arrows strike but don’t drop the lizardfolk.  They are beginning to snarl and become enraged by the attack.

“oh boy.” Says the pilot.  The elemental ship is slow to go but begins to move forward as it gains strength.

One crewmember is taken down quickly and the other lizardfolk rush to attack Pebbles on one side and Fighter and Talon on the other side of the storage shed.  Cedious and the others spread out to help as they can.

The creatures are very cunning and avoid being flanked by whipping their tails about and in general ducking and weaving (Impr Un Dodge).   Cedious still attacks though.  The creatures attack Pebbles but never quite get past her armor.  Her armor gains many scratches and dents however.  

They are not easy to take down as they are very tough and resistant to harm.  However, they do defeat the creatures.  By this time the elemental is flying along following the river and series of connected pools and lakes.   Just as the pilot is about to take the elemental to the air he calls out in alarm.  “We are under magical attack!”

The elemental above sputters and the roar of it circling around the ship lessons.  “What is happening?!? Calls out the alarmed halfling rogue.

“Someone is trying to get the elemental to return to the dragonshard.  If that happens we can no longer remain airborne!”

“Land!” calls out Cedious.  To crash his ship sucks but to crash it in what seems to be Xen’drik is much much much worse.

The ship hovers and slowly lowers itself to the water’s surface. At about 15 feet above the surface the elemental is recalled and the ship calls hard into the lake near the shore.  They are lucky that the lake is deep as the arm that holds the elemental below the ship doesn’t strike the ground or break.

“Great.” Grumbles Cedious.

Fighter looks out to see where they are.  This section of lake has high cliff-like banks except for one area.  It looks carved away and has a tunnel or cavern within it.  They seem to be floating near enough to it to land there.

Capio goes below to study his magic.  He is out of spells and though he wishes to explore fears how useful he will be without his spells.  Cider agrees to watch over the ship and the mage.  Cedious, Fighter, Talon, Ippikak, Bob and Pebbles go to shore to explore the tunnel.  Cedious also hopes to locate the mage that downed them to pay his “respects” to.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 219
4/29/06
“Is that a Dragon or is That DRAGONS”

Looking about the entrance of the cave, they find many footprints.  These footprints include small child –sized imprints, human sized and large clawed feet ranging from a medium sized human to a Huge creature.  “What are the odds that these are large lizards vs. ….. Dragons.” Asks Cedious now a little nervous but also curious.  Curiosity wins out and they enter the cave.

The cave is very large and seems to go on quite a ways.  The walls and top are about 25-30 feet.  Big enough to let most anything to enter notes Bob.

Cedious slows down.  “Did you hear something?”

Pebbles answers.  “A couple of creatures are fighting.   Arguing I mean.  And in Draconic.

“Are we in Xen’drik or on the dragon island of Argonnessen?” asks Cedious to himself more than to the others.

“Shhhh….I’m trying to listen.” Says the ship’s cook and cleric.

Words she picks out includes- Draconic Prophesy, Chaos, Danger, Cyre, Warforged, War and Revenge.

As she then picks out the word- Dragons they all are shocked by the sudden quiet.

“The gigs up.” Says Cedious.

They inch forward and as they near the end of the cave which opens up to a large area with stone columns and….a huge Black Dragon.

“Come forward humanoids.  Come forward so that we can see you.”  This is said in Common.  Another voice, in Draconic, says something in hushed tones.  Pebbles can only pick out the words of “How much did they hear?”

Cedious stops, takes in a sharp deep breath then exhales slowly.  He puts on his biggest game face and walks out to the opening.  His smile goes away as he sees a Huge Black Dragon, A huge red Dragon, A huge white dragon and large red, green, brass and another dragon that may be a green one.  Other voices can be heard suggesting there are more dragons here.

“ahhh…..hi.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 220
4/29/06
“Council of Wyrms”

Cedious feels held by their presence.  Each of these creatures could possibly tear him to shreds and there are at least a dozen here.

The others enter the open space but stay at the entrance a whole ten feet behind Cedious.

“We have intruders.   I would like to eliminate the intruders.” Snarls the dark boned black dragon.  “They have heard too much.”

The Huge red looks at Cedious with great thought.  “And what has the humanoid heard?  Is it worth the life of handful. Of adventurous humanoids?”

Cedious nods in agreement.  “I am unworthy.” He thinks.

“These humanoids have come to spy on us.  They MUST be destroyed.”

“I didn’t hear anything!”

“Liar!   He is a halfling!  They all lie!”   

“This is a council.  We will all decide as a council.” Replies the powerful red dragon.

“As the rules set thousands of years ago say.” Follows up a medium sized Brass Dragon with bright blue eyes.

Cedious looks at it to nod his thanks then stops.   Something about the creature seems familiar.

“You are welcome Little One.” It says quietly.

DM NOTE- Up to this point Clinton thought the reoccuring people dressed in Brass, Black and red clothes with blue eyes and weapons was a team or group.  At this point he comes to know the truth.  All of them was a Brass Dragon polymorphed playing out different parts.

Cedious stops and stares like an idiot at the Brass Dragon.  His attention is drawn back to the more important matters on hand when the White Dragon says he smells planar energy on them.

“This may explain how they reached us.” Says the Red Dragon.

A possible human dressed in possibly magical armor walks to them from a medium red dragon.  His armor is form fitting and seems more alive than metal.  A facemask of the same material covers his facial features.  His long black hair hangs in his face.  “I am known as Crimson Silver.  Allow me to aid you.”

“Aid me?” asks Cedious.

The others begin to back down the hallway into the cave.

“Leaving already?” says a Huge Gold Dragon that has silently moved behind them.  

The group scuttles back into the open space within five feet of the rogue.

“What have you heard adventurer?” asks the Huge Red Dragon.

“Nothing about the prophecy or Chaos.”  Cedious then slaps his hands over his mouth.  He is too nervous and intimidated by these dragons to properly lie to them.

“RARRRRGH!”   The Huge Black dragon spits out a small bit of blackish green goop that sizzles on the stone ground within inches of Cedious' feet.   “He is a liar and I will destroy him!”

The Black dragon sucks in air to use his full breathe weapon but the red places a taloned claw onto his head.  “It has not been decided.   Decides-  I wish to know why they smell of the planes.”

Two more humans walk around the center throne where the huge dragons sit.  The White Dragon snarls at them.  “Do not help these creatures!  They are not worthy of life.   Much like yourselves!”

In draconic the female answers the Huge White Dragon.  “Fletchderrowdum.   You are on the council and that I must respect.  However, as a council member, it is most unfitting to show your dislike and hatred of others other than dragons.   Be a good council member.  Listen and learn.   With answers you can make wise decisions.”   She then turns away from the Huge White Dragon and continues to walk to Cedious and his group.

“Control your pets Axiom!   They should be on a leash before something permanent happens to them!” Snarls the white dragon to a Large Blue Dragon on the opposite side from Cedious.

“Maybe we should go now.  Its obvious you folks need to talk about a few things and we interrupted.  I am sorry and we will be going now.”  Says Cedious as he takes a step back.

“You have interrupted something adventurers.  Something very important to us.  You have heard things not meant to be heard but by the council and invited persons.  However, the stars and signs spoke of aid from an outside source.   It would be wrong of me and this council to ignore your arrival as a possible event of fate.”   Several dragons nod in agreement.  Only the Black and White seem stuck on their destruction.  Especially the black.

“What of you?  We can smell planar energy on you.  I can smell the ashes of Cyre on you.  There is more to you than mere adventurers.  What brought you here?”

“Answer them and answer truthfully but carefully.” Adds the heroic Crimson Silver.

“Yes.  Answer them and be truthful.” Adds the female cleric that spoke to the White Dragon.

“We were looking for the Creation Schema when we somehow were teleported to another plane.  From there we fought fiendish black dragon x-breeds (a lightbulb goes off) and with the direction of a dragon (another flash) we found our way here through the waterfalls.”  Cedious looks over his shoulder to the Huge Gold Dragon there who seems to be smiling and shrugging as the Huge Red Dragon also looks at him.

“The schema you seek … It is a dangerous thing.  Many will want it and most will misuse it.  WHY do you seek it?” asks the Brass Dragon with blue eyes.

Feeling suddenly brazen, Cedious answers him and the others.  “You seem familiar as does the big guy behind me and I am curious what kind of children you have…” he says to the Black Dragon.  “…We have been hired to find the pieces of the schema.  Once found it will be up to our employer to decide the fate of the schema.”

“The schema is too powerful for humanoids!  We need to stop this.  Let me stop it now by erasing these creatures before us!”

“Darkwynd- calm yourself!” snarls the Huge Red.  “We will speak later.”  The red stands up on his hind legs making him more fearful and awesome to behold.

“I am certain you have been warned of the path you take.  Breedaernxen- I believe you have seen signs of the Schema they speak of.  What can you add?”

The Brass Dragon hops down from his stone perch and walks to Cedious.  “I have seen hints of power and unrest.  Much like our own visions of the oncoming timeof CHAOS.  Though I believe they are unrelated they may share paths at times.   The schema you seek is sentient.  It is aware and it hungers.  It is not a thing of good.   Think twice about completing your mission.  Whom employs you?”

“I had thought you knew.   House Cannith.”  Says Cedious daring for the dragon to admit his part in their adventures.

“House Cannith.   The house of makers.  A house broken.  Is it not ironic that the house of makers is broken and requires repair?” Says the red dragon associated with the Sharn hero.  “Merrix is a fool and treads where he should not.  His family is no better off.”

The Large Blue behind the main council speaks up next.  “I have heard others seek the schema within Sharn also.  Vol’s bastards and other bastard children of Cannith- the warforged seek it also.  Is this true?  Is Vol seeking the schema?”

“Yes.” Answers the Brass Dragon.

There is a long painful silence that follows.  The Gold Dragon walks past the adventurers.  “Kurryderrumnon, you have been quiet.  What do you think?”

The Huge Green Dragon shifts its weight.   “These adventurers have a fate tied to the entire world.  Their arrival here was either fate or aided by one undisclosed and possibly here with us now.  It would be wrong to destroy them for these actions.  They have done us no wrong and I see no reason to keep them any longer.”

“And yourself Azuretennious…. What would you say about these creature’s fates.”

A Huge blue Dragon rises.  Its huge bony horn on its snout blocks out some of the sunlight casting a shadow that reaches for the adventurers.  “If they can find and assemble the schema that means they can also destroy it.  As for our meeting, I sense no realization on their parts on what they have heard.  Though they may be a part of it, they are mere pawns within it.  Let them go so may speak further about this CHAOS EFFECT we have foreseen.”

“Only two seem to disagree with the majority.  Do you stay your hand or will we further debate the future of these creatures?” asks the Huge Red to the White and Black Dragons.

“I care little for them or their lives.  Let them go.” Says the Huge White Dragon is disgust.

“I can always deal with them later if I feel the need.  Let them go.” Says the Black as it stares at them.

“Then leave.  I trust you will tell no one of us or this council.” Says the red.

The group turns and flees as the Black Dragon glares and releases his fear aura onto them.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 221
5/13/06
“Darkwynd’s Children again”

The adventurers run down the hallway made of stone and sand to escape certain death at the claws of the Dragons behind them.  Cedious’ Ride has floated away from the rock landing.  The crew has created a raft and has it ready for Cedious.  Not all of them can fit this small craft.  Fighter, Talon and Ippikak remain behind.

[DM NOTES-  Most of the players could not make it today.  Only Jeff and BJ could.]

As the three of them wait for the return of the raft Talon spots something moving overhead near the cliff’s edge.  What ever it is Ippikak decides to look closer at it.  It appears to be spying on the elemental craft.  They look for a means up and discover a set of hidden stairs that was missed the first time through.  They take the stairs up and come out on top.  Here they see four black white haired creatures with their backs to them.  Fighter recognizes them as the ½ fiend ½ dragon creatures that attacked them earlier when in the other plane.  

“What are they doing here?” he whispers.

“Spying on us.” Answers Talon

“Spying and up to no good.  They are somehow connected to that nasty black dragon.  You remember his last words.  He will deal with us.”  The elf notches his arrow and creeps up further.  He releases three shots that kills the creature outright.  It topples off the cliff into the water as the others turn and find a warforged fighter and a ½ dwarf ½ troll creature charging them.

Fighter, the warforged crits and cuts one in two.   Talon strikes at one without a weapon figuring it to be the leader.  It screams in pain and rage.   They strike back.  The mage castes a spell that places them into a black fog.  The archer loses sight of the melee and becomes sick.  Talon is not impressed and the warforged, being immune to poison, continues to hack away.   He crits again slicing another creature into two pieces.

The archer moves out of the cloud and strikes down a creature leaving the leader whom dies at Talon’s hands.

“We better get going.  If that black dragon is still nearby he will attack us now.” Says the archer pointing back to the council meeting area.

They hurry back and take the raft to the ship.

The elemental is slow to power up as it is partially submerged in water but lifts in the cover of steam and speeds away.

More of Darkwynd’s children watch as it leaves.  Hatred is thick in their eyes.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 222
5/13/06
“Back to Fairhaven, Aundair”

It takes just over a week to reach the continent of Khorvaire again.  It takes another week to reach Fairhaven.  In this time the group has laid mellow and rested.  They are all tired and wondering about the many recent warnings of danger caused by the Creation Schema.   Some wonder about the assembling of the pieces and others are already trying to figure out how to collect their rewards and destroy it before it is assembled already.

Little has changed from when last they were in Fairhaven.  At least the assassins seemed to have gone away finally. (or so they think)  They wash up and go to report to Jorlanna.  She is entertaining a dark skinned handsome man with black hair.  His appearance is that of a wealthy noble.  He excuses himself and leaves through a side door.  He seems to know the layout well.

The group explains what has happened and where Graymark the Cannith Lich said to contact.  She corrects them.  Morlock is not a person but a place.  A secret lab is rumored to be here.  She will look into it.  In the meantime, she asks them to relax and restock anything they need.

Within a short time they are called together.  They have 1 week to gather their wits and belongings.  Morlock is an island with a secret lab.  It is located near Fell Frost.  It is where the first steps to creating thinking constructs were done.  It was shutdown before the war broke out due to unknown issues.  She thought it to be weather related but is very uncertain and warns them to be prepared.

They begin by trying to sell some of their goods within the Cannith compound.  Things the compound doesn’t have they then seek outside within the city of Fairhaven.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 223
5/13/06
“A Fighter Falls”

Talon, Fighter and Ippikak are walking through the streets of Fairhaven looking for healing potions.  House Cannith had several Repair potions that Fighter bought but painfully little for healing potions.  They seek the Dragonmarked house of Jorasco for these potions.

Twenty minutes into their walk they note that they are being followed by a large warforged charger.  Fighter notes how strangely it is designed.  The upper torso is much larger than normal.  It is almost like it has a hunchback.  The adamantine fists are oversized also.  Battle Fists!  The three adventurers vary their path a few times but the warforged follows them.  Fearing more pursuers that are unseen, they split up and try to regroup around the next building.

The Charger stops at the four way and becomes confused.  Though Talon can not hear what is said he notes that the charger seems to be speaking to someone at his side.  Someone invisible!

The charger goes down the alley that Fighter went and Fighter decides this means it is time to say “hi” and confront him.  He is unaware of the possible second tracker.

He surprises the charger at the next four way.  “Why are you following me?”

“I don’t want to do this.  You are one of us.”  It says to the warforged fighter self-named “Fighter”. 

“I am not with you.  Who are you?” Fighter says with his weapon drawn.  “Why do you follow me?”

The Charger looks over its shoulder and nods.  “The Lord says you must be taken down.  You are with the smaller one.  The little rogue.”

The charger punches at Fighter denting his on adamantine armor and causing internal damage.  Fighter strikes back doing his own damage.  Talon runs to them to attack and Ippikak is still walking around the block.  Now fighting toe to toe, charger whom seems to be getting stronger and faster with each strike savagely pummels Fighter.  Even with Talon attacking the charger will not go down.  Damage done to him seems to seal up quickly.  The battle goes too quickly for Talon and Fighter to wonder about this much.  Enter Ippikak.

Now surrounded and being hit from all over the charger referring to itself as “Smash” begins to waver and finally drops.  “Is there anyone else?” asks Talon.

“Why?” asks Ippikak as he walks over to check out the fallen foe.

“He seemed …ugh….to be talking to …ugh… someone.  I …ugh…damned things are stuck!   I didn’t see anyone else.”  Fighter says as he tries to take the enlarged adamantine battle fists off of the charger.

Suddenly the charger’s eyes open and it lashes out driving a battle fist into and breaking through the backside of Fighter.  He is destroyed instantly.  “Arrrrrgh!   I was forced to kill the bad warforged!   I did not want to do it!  SN-12 said to and I did!”

Ippikak and Talon both turn tail and flee the scene.  Undead warforged chargers are too much- especially when with one punch they kill another warforged warrior.

15 minutes later they return.  The mage police have arrived and already are inspecting Fighter’s body.  “Smash” is no where to be scene.  “Jorlanna will not like this.  Not at all.” Says Talon shaking his head.


----------



## Solarious

And the fatality spree continues. You never cease to amaze me with how many people you manage to kill, mega. Maybe that's why I keep on reading.

In other news, I eagerly await the pain Cedious shall surely experience in Morlock. Any news on the Mournland potions?


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 224
5/13/06
“The Plot Thickens”

Everyone but Fighter boards the airship Cedious’ Ride.  Cedious has hired a few more crewmembers to replace those killed when in the Mournlands and on the Plane of Battles.  The trip will take at least six days to complete one way.  They will stop at a port run by House Lyrandar that acts as a halfway point for the trip.

They have packed winter clothes and equipment as best as they could figure.  Cedious shares with the group something he saw when leaving.  A lean warforged with a raven was watching them leave from a nearby rooftop.  Normally this wouldn’t bother him except for the incident with Smash.  Could this have been the second assassin sent with Smash, this SN-12?  They will never know.

It takes a few days to pass over Aundair and over the coastline towards the icy waters where they are going.  They stop at the island base.  It is a very small snow covered island.  There is a tower here for airships and a deep-water port for ships.  The stay over will be two hours so the group disembarks to look around.

Cedious gets a drink and listens to the various conversations that are taking place.  He hears one waitress speaking to a bar tender about the amount of ships going north.  He orders a drink from this waitress and gets her talking about the ships.  She hesitates for only a moment as she collects the gold piece tip for the single silver piece drink.  One week ago a ship with a House Cannith flag flew to the north.  “A week ago!” exclaims Cedious.  And several days ago TWO ships went north.  They had many soldier types dressed in green. “The Emerald Claw has TWO ships!” Cedious groans out loud.  They are behind and outmanned.  He finishes his drink and runs off to warn everyone.

Meanwhile, Talon and Ippikak are approached by a dwarf dressed in fine clothes holding a recent copy of the Korranberg Chronicle.  “It is amazing what people will pay others just to know a thing or two about CREATION.” He says without looking at them.  “I know I would handsomely for knowledge of CREATION and even any SCHEMAS about it.” And with that he wanders to the bar and puts his paper on the counter next to him.

Something they have yet to share with the others involved a warforged that came to them.  He was looking for information on the schema.  He hinted that he worked for a well off person that would contact them again.  That person appears to be a dwarf.

The two of them sit down next to the dwarf and order a drink.  Once the tender has been paid and moves away the dwarf speaks again.

“Have you thought about it?”

“Maybe we know something.” Says Talon as he sips his watered down drink.

“I know you know something.  What will you share with me?”

“We are looking for clues now to a piece.” Adds Ippikak looking at the paper.  There is something within the paper hidden.

“You seek the sixth and final piece.  I want that and the two you have.  I can pay any price you want.”

“Can you?” asks Talon thinking that is a lot of money indeed.

“I have deep pockets.  Maybe the deepest on Khorvaire.  I will be in contact.  In this paper is something that if you need me for anything you can contact me.  Just touch this stone and I’ll come.”  He lifts his hand that was on the counter and a blue stone appears.  “Just hold it and think about me.”  

The dwarf gets up and wanders away.  The gem and bulky paper are left behind.   Ippikak and Talon watch him disappear before looking into the goods left behind.  Talon opens the paper and finds two Bracers.  One has six blue gems on it and a space for one more. Ippikak eyes it and yes- it will fit.  “What now?”

They both look in the direction the dwarf went and wonder silently.  Should they betray the group that have only recently allowed them to join them?


----------



## megamania

and now it doesn't look good for Pebbles either.       More on that in a few segments.


Say Solarious-  live near Southern Vermont?  I could use another player.  Looks like job changes may have taken Ryan (Cider and capio) and Bill (Pebbles) away from the game.  I have open slots again.

As for the potions.... one never knows






until it is too late


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> And the fatality spree continues. You never cease to amaze me with how many people you manage to kill, mega. Maybe that's why I keep on reading.




It really isn't my goal but yeah-  it seems to happen a lot.  I informed Jeff (Fighter's player) what they faced and he wants a rematch!  Eventually.

Any guesses of what Smash's secret was?  and yes- he is one of the 87.

I'll give a hint-  I am an X-men comic fan and the secret was based on a villian from the Byrne/Claremont years (mid 80's).


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> In other news, I eagerly await the pain Cedious shall surely experience in Morlock.




His greatest joy and pain will soon be one and the same......  The long overdo return of the.... (fill-in the blank).


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 225
5/13/06
“Morlock Island”

The next few days go slowly.  Cedious has let everyone know what he has learned.  There are three ships already there ahead of them full of soldiers and magic users.  Though it bodes ill for them, they continue on.

Ippikak and Talon meanwhile have not spoken a word about the warforged in Aundair or the dwarf at the Lyrandar port.  They will briefly look at each other then once their eyes meet they look away in embarrassment and shame.  They are leaning towards betraying the group.

It has become VERY cold now.  Even with the heat of the elemental warming the ship the crew needs thick coats to be outside.  They try not to think about it.

Finally they begin to lower themselves from the sky.  An island can be seen not far away.  Based on a map given them, it is roughly in a shape of a letter of ‘C’.  The island is 5 x 5 miles.  It has forests that cover the plains and low hills that make up much of the island.  As they get closer they see something.  There is something smoking on the shoreline of the island.

An airship!


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 226
5/27/06
“Some Clues”

DM NOTES-  Only Jeff, BJ and Clinton made it today.  Reports have it that Ryan may not be returning due to a new job.  Bill I am uncertain about.

The ship “Cedious’ Ride” stops over the crashed ship below on the ice next to the shore.  Cedious, his bodyguard- Bob, his ship cook Pebbles, along with Talon, and Ippikak climb down the rope ladder.  Capio and Cider remain on board to watch over the ship.  After all, there are still another two ships out there somewhere.  

Now that they are closer they can find new clues about the ship.  This ship was run by the Emerald Claw.  There are few bodies here.  Most are badly burned.  They are so burned the race can not be determined though most soldiers are human within the Emerald Claw.  A Flail +1 is found that is intact and taken by Ippikak.  Cedious finds a potion of Cat’s Grace.  Each also find a bit of silver and gold that has survived.

The ship is badly damaged.  Much of it is burned but there are other scorch marks on it.  Pebbles figures it was attacked by lightning also.  Perhaps that either brought the ship down or freed the Fire Elemental that powered it.  Looking at the melted snow and ice trail, the elemental survived and now is within the pine forest possibly having a grand time burning down the forest to feed.

There appears to be survivors as there are no humanoid footprints going away.  There are a few scavengers that have left footprints.  Wolves and other natural predators.  “Well?” asks Ippikak to Cedious. Cedious is quiet as he thinks of what to do while looking at the Arcane Archer’s bracers.  Only Cedious would be thinking of how to survive and move on in this cold environment AND question the magical abilities of the archer’s new bracers he got.

“Let’s follow the Elemental…. Maybe he knows something.”


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> Say Solarious- live near Southern Vermont? I could use another player. Looks like job changes may have taken Ryan (Cider and capio) and Bill (Pebbles) away from the game. I have open slots again.



Sorry megz, wrong country altogether.  Which might be for the best, considering that my first response was to put together a Child of Winter druid with a giant spider as the 'animal' companion. I'm sure it would have evoked a complicated response from Cedious. 

Do you want to see what he/she (haven't decided) would have looked? 



			
				megamania said:
			
		

> As for the potions.... one never knows
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> until it is too late



That's what I like to hear! Say it one more time! 



			
				megamania said:
			
		

> It really isn't my goal but yeah- it seems to happen a lot. I informed Jeff (Fighter's player) what they faced and he wants a rematch! Eventually.



I don't think I know anyone else who has death as such an integrated part of their DMing style. Still, it is amusing to see how all the new characters come and go, with Cedious as the only one to suffer from the constant slings and arrows of his endevours.

I look forward to the rematch. Can you fix the fight and ensure Jeff loses again? 



			
				megamania said:
			
		

> Any guesses of what Smash's secret was? and yes- he is one of the 87.
> 
> I'll give a hint- I am an X-men comic fan and the secret was based on a villian from the Byrne/Claremont years (mid 80's).



My comic-foo is weak, so no guesses from me. I would have said Beast, but he isn't exactly what you would call a villian. 



			
				megamania said:
			
		

> His greatest joy and pain will soon be one and the same...... The long overdo return of the.... (fill-in the blank).



Garrow had better be in that blank, so Cedious can moon him at last. Or heads will roll.

As in I would behead you, Raise you, and behead you again.

Because I can. 

But if Cedious manages to p*ss off Demise, Karrion, or other members of the Emerald Claw to the same extent as he had Garrow, I suppose I could go easy on you.


----------



## Cedious

awww its nice to see you have been getting on so great with out me here, i was wondering why my ears have been ringing........everyday 

Cedious's goal in life is to p*ss everyone off, because if he does his job right then everyone will remember him 

and as for garrow he does not even worry me, i killed him once and i will kill him again and again and again etc etc etc.

I'm tired of watching all of my team die i think i will just start to solo mega's campaign that way at least the odds of me dieing are alot higher


----------



## megamania

Careful what you wish for......


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 227
5/27/06
“White Pudding”

New snow has fallen since the elemental walked up into the trees.  Based on the map they were given by the House of Makers (Cannith) they are heading directly towards the abandoned lab along the bay’s shoreline.  The elemental is also walking along a small creek.  The rippling water washes over the dark stones and ice creating a peaceful environment.  Now if only Cedious didn’t have to wear these bulky jackets and furs.

It is cold.  He is amazed by the effect of seeing his exhaled breath in the air.  “Look guys- an air elemental!” and he breathes out sharply.  The others join in with their breaths and laughs then go back to their business on hand.  It is a slow walk as the ice and snow is slick and the effects of the Fire Elemental going by has melted snow that refrozen but rounded and smooth. 

Ippikak spots something ahead that makes him wary.  “Are there ice elementals?” He asks of everyone while eyeing an icy outcrop they are nearing.

“Cold Elementals…Yeah I think so.  Why?” asks Pebbles in suspicion.

“That ice doesn’t look …right.   It is ..different.”  They look at it to check it over.   The other ice has a different look.  This ice outcropping doesn’t look like it was melted and refrozen.  It has a different quality than that. Ippikak fires an arrow at it as a precaution.  The ice quivers and bunches up to surround the arrow.

“An Ooze!” calls out Cedious.

Talon steps up to it and strikes it with his sword to cut it away from their path.  Now two oozes bunch up to attack.  “Aw S***!” exclaims the crossbreed.  Flaming weapons are drawn and used to dispatch the two oozes quickly.  

“Lets keep that in mind- no swords.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 228
5/27/06
“Manticores in the Forest”

The Fire Elemental continued its path along the creek heading towards the forgotten lab.  The terrain now includes small hills, which makes it harder yet.  There are snowdrifts and pits that surprise the group but do nothing to harm them.  They just prefer the environment of Khorvaire to this.

As they begin to climb another hill it begins to snow again.  Visibility decreases again further ticking off the cold group.  Cedious is about to complain when he spots something moving very quickly behind the trees along the oncoming ridgeline.  He motions and the group slows down and listens every so often.  They hear something speaking.  It is common but not very clear or well pronounced.  It sounds like the persons involved are trying to set up plans to sneak up on them.  Cedious crawls through the snow to downed and burnt trees to find out what they are facing.  He sees a large cat like creature with wings but it has a clearly humanoid head and face.  The tail looks like a club with spikes.  Even as he turns to warn them the creatures take to the air and go onto the attack.

Pebbles easily avoid the volley of bone spikes that fire from a tail.  The spikes shatter on her magical shield and armor.  The same for Talon.  The creature that goes down the middle attacks Ippikak and misses.  He glances at the spikes that have made six small holes in the snow around him then fires at the creature.  The arrows hit and the flying creatures snarls and growls in pain.  It is forced to land.  Bob leaps up and begins to attack the one creature while Pebbles waits for the other to come within reach.  Cedious looks at his selection of darts and considers their use.

The one creature curses at Bob as he begins to claw and bite him.  It tries to dislodge the Thri-kreen on a low thick branch but he stays on.  The chitin scratches and chips though from the extreme cold.  The archer now attacks the creature by the dwarf and it also is forced to land where the dwarf cuts it up quickly.  The first Manticore is attacked by Cedious from hiding and from Talon.  Soon all are defeated.

Looking over the creatures, they find a Flail+1 and a sack with some coins.  “The Emerald Claw.”

Cedious spits to the side.  “Good.”

From the ridge line they see two things- The Fire Elemental has moved away the course it was on to consume the larger section of forest and…a man made tower can be seen through the trees down in the harbor.

“Lets go get the Schema.” Declares Cedious as he begins to slide down the snow.

Talon and Ippikak look at each other.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 229
5/27/06
“The Garden”

The lab is hidden behind a few hundred feet of trees from the shore.  The remains of an old dock can still be seen here.  There is nothing else here.

They go to the lab.  There are signs of trespassers here.  Snow filled footprints can be seen.  The wind and new snow make it impossible for them to tell what has been here and when.  It is times like this the barbarian is missed.

The structure is a large round building with a high tower connected at one end.  Opposite from the tower is the entrance.  The only windows visible are within the tower.  The twin doors to the front entrance are made from a sturdy wood that is reinforced with steel and iron.  Igniting their lanterns they peer in.  There is a very large room here with three beams of light coming from the ceiling.  Snow has piled up and frozen under the three holes in the ceiling.  The path before them is gravel.  On either side of them is dried and dead grass.  Dead small trees are here and there.  A fountain and a few statues can be seen.

“An indoor garden?” asks Talon.

“House Cannith built themselves a greenhouse.  Look up there- those holes.  That is the ceiling.  That is glass that holds back the snow.” Answers Cedious.

“What made the holes?” asks Pebbles while eyeing the holes and the snow under the holes.

“Does it matter?  How do we reach the tower?” asks Bob in his click-ish way.  He is not comfortable with the cold.  His joints ache and his shell is becoming brittle.

“Did you see that?” asks Ippikak as he points his notched arrow at the biggest pile of snow that half covers a fountain.

Curious, Talon walks over to it.  “Big frogs made of ice.  Someone got creative.” He calls back then he feels it- the temperature rapidly goes down.  The creatures made of ice then move to attack!

They face the Ice Beasts head on and destroy them.  This is not before they take cold damage from the creatures.

They return to the path and Talon suggests closing the doors behind them.  Not seeing a reason to disagree, Cedious okays it and the push the doors shut and latch them from the inside.  They use their lanterns to follow the gravel path (which is frozen solid thus not crunchy) to another series of heavy doors.  These have emblems of Cannith on them.  Looking closer, they see ice has been broken off of them and there is blood on the doors.  Someone has been here recently based on the broken ice.

Smiling, Talon goes inside.  Here there is a long hallway with several doors that branch off.  Looking the floor, there are signs of melted water that leads to several of the doors.  They must team up to push them shut, but they decide to do so.

As they begin to walk down the hallway they can hear activity through each door.  Everyone readies their weapons and prepares to take out some Emerald Claw bastards.

If they only knew what was there…..


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 230
5/27/06
“Tyranid Gaunts”

DM NOTE:  Several years ago I was talked into trying to play 40K.  I went with the Tyranid faction since there looked so neat and I had bought some before to use as Dune Reapers for Darksun.  I painted them red with gold/orange/brown/black highlights.  I am very proud of how these look and always wanted to do something with them in 3.5 DnD.   This is the beginning…..

There are five doors and each person takes a door.  Talon and Pebbles take the two on the right side and Cedious, Pebbles and Ippikak take the three on the left.  Suddenly the doors open and out come horrifying creatures that attack from the right.

They have thick dark red chitin and long scythe like blades for front claws.  They have venom-covered teeth and move quickly and with occasional leaps and bounds from cloven hoofed rear feet.  A faint green glow appears around them as they charge out.

Ippikak becomes terrified and flees back to where they came from. [Fear SU]  Talon is attacked and scratched.  Pebbles is attacked and bitten.  The venom works quickly and already she feels shaken mentally (lose 4 Wisdom).  More creatures begin to rush and leap out from the doorway.   The other two turn to help as they can.

Ippikak drops his bow and tries desperately to pull open the heavy doors by himself.  He can not and looks in terror they swarm over the dwarf.  She tries to strike at them but misses.  Another bite is scored and she finds she can not remember her divine spells.  She can not even enlarge and become enraged (Passion Domain) and thus is in a great deal of danger.

Talon fends of several attacks with only minor slices and bites.  He kills one and becomes confident they can defeat these creatures.  He is unaware that Ippikak has fled the battle and expects his aid.  Cedious and Bob try to help him.  Bob takes a vicious slicing strike that damages his chitin shell greatly (crit) and makes him wish for a warmer climate- like the Burning Sands.

Pebbles in a panic goes full defensive and tries to protect herself as best as she can.  She has several wounds from bites and claws.

“What are these damned things!?!” screams out Talon as their shells block out most of his attacks.

“Nasty and soon to be dead!” yells Cedious as he throws dart after dart at them.  He refuses to get too close to them.  Their talons are nearly as long as he is tall!

Pebbles moves against the wall to protect herself further.  She tries to remember any spell…ANY! And can not.

Ippikak calms down and overcomes his fear.  He turns around and picks up his bow.  With a deep breath he pulls out an arrow and aims it at a creature on Pebbles.

With Ippikak’s return to sanity, the tide of battle begins to turn.  Finally, the seven creatures are slain.  Pebbles is dumbfounded by it all.  

“What are we to do?” she asks.


----------



## megamania

After a short hiatus due to family issues on my part, The Storyhour- Creation Schema should return next weekend with the group in trouble on Morlock Island.  'Til then-


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 230
6/24/06
“Exploration of Morlock”

“We should go on.  It won’t be a problem.” Offers Pebbles.

Cedious looks at Talon, Ippikak, and Bob with great concern and uncertainty.  His halfling nature gets the better of him and he agrees to it.  They turn to the first door where Pebbles was standing.

The doors are not locked but they are closed.  The hallway has about 12 doors on the sides and one at the end.  They check out each door as they reach it.  The rooms were once bedrooms for the Cannith employees whom lived and worked here when the facility was in use over 100 years ago.  They search each room.  They find mundane things like an occasional coin and less mundane things like an Emerald Claw soldier (torn apart) and two Cannith soldiers with fresh blood.  This suggests Both parties were here already and fought these red chitin demon-predators.  One room is occupied still!

Pebbles pushes a door open with her hammer and suddenly red armored claws reach down from the ceiling and grab her and begins to pull her up.  Bob rushes in and leaps onto the four skinned creature (Gene- Stealer from 40K).  With the extra weight, the three of them fall to the ground.  Here the group is quick to attack and destroy the creature.  Cedious and Talon are concerned now.  This makes two types of these creatures.  They are similar in appearance but different in abilities.

Finally they reach the last door.  This is closed but slightly damaged from claw marks.  They cautiously open the door.  Inside the everbright lanterns flicker unsteadily.  This was once a lab room that is over 50 by 25 feet.  Now it is a mess of broken glass, wooden tables and shelves.  Looking at the remains, they find when Cannith left over 100 years ago, they took most of the chemicals and arcane ingredients with them.  They locate two doors.  They check the room closest to them.

Talon reaches out to open it when Cedious quickly pushes his hand away.  “It is trapped!” he yells.  The halfling rogue checks out the lock better.  “If touched this would have activated.  I would guess it is a purely damaging spell.” He continues to study the door and finally the lock.  He disables the trap with a quick tripping of the spell and opens the door.  The halfling smiles ear to ear.  It is a vault!  There are dozens of small drawers on the walls including three large ones.  He goes here first.

The drawers have a minor magical spell on they locks.  Cedious is quick to figure it out.  He still has the House Cannith Ring from his very first encounter nearly two years ago.  Using the ring, he opens the locks quickly.  The three large drawers are empty except for one item.

It is a bag about 10 inches long and 6 inches wide.  Cedious peers in and wonders what these are.  He pulls out a leather pouch with twenty thick card-like plaques within.   

“oooooohhhhh.   Owwwwww…..” thinks Cedious as he looks over the pouch fighting off the want to begin to pull out plaques.  Pebbles looks at them.  “I think they are magical.  See the writing.”

Cedious turns it over and where his hand was is revealed the writing.  In Common it reads –


DECK OF EVENTS


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 231
6/24/06
“Deck of Events”


DM NOTE [ I always liked the idea of the Deck of Wondrous things but wanted to do my own version.  This deck is Dragon themed.  How so will be revealed carefully and often through events that by pulling the card activates.   I have the 1990’s TSR DnD trading cards and I collected up 20 them with dragon themes.  Listing the names of the cards I then created 10 “good” things and  10 “bad” things that could happen.

Bilkon			Rod of Metamagic, Maximize Lesser   3 times a day caste a spell as if 
Maximized  Level 3 or lower.
Staan of the Way  	Gain Lay on Hands power 1/day  Heal # of character levels you have a day
Serpent, Winged	  	Fly spell 1/day as caste by a Level 15 caster
Zollrendar		Treasure made of Bracer of Gold   25 charges  
1 charge = 50 gold  2 charge = 10 platinum  3 charge= 1 gem worth 150 gold
Silvara			Gain Smit Evil once per day   Add character level to one strike a day called
Blaze			1 /day  BW of Fire  Cone 6d6 Fire  
Poresche		Summon a Red Wyrmling to do as you ask.    1/Day
Chiange Lung		1 / day  Breath Water as caste by a caster of 10th level
Stellar Dragon		+2 NAC but slightly rougher / scaled skin
Azurem			Bull’s Strength  1/day as a caster of 10th level
Moon Dragon		At the next Full Moon lycanthropes will attack in mass thru a worm hole
Static			Large Blue Dragon will Attack shortly	
Maelstrom		Huge Red Dragon will Attack Shortly
Kapak Draconian	Fighter will attack out of nowhere to do battle
Astral Dragon		Planar Creatures will “kidnap” PC and imprison him on The Plane of Battles
Sun Dragon		Pyroclastic Dragon appears and attacks shortly then leaves
Edomira		Transported (all) to her lair (Island near Xen’drik)
Tarninia		Transported (all) to his lair (Shadow Marches)
Shonorr			Large Silver Dragon will attack soon
Dracohydra		½ Dragon PyroHrdra attacks  (base = Green Dragon  fire / Acid BW) shortly

Many of these “Events” will occur as the DM wishes.  I can do this to stir things up as I want.  I can “save” the group from a possibly TPK by placing them in Xen’drik (which may be just as deadly) or have a dragon arrive that causes everyone to run for the hills.

Thus why I call it the Deck of EVENTS.  

Pebbles suggest to Bob that magic can be gained from pulled a plague (card).  Bob clicks at her in disagreement.  Cedious holds the open pouch up to him in offering.  Bob the Thri-kreen looks at it and pauses briefly.  Then he grabs five of the cards.

Zollrendar  	A red dragon looking over his hoard
Chiang Lung  	A thin wingless dragon swimming in water
Sun Dragon  	A red fiery dragon
Static		A Blue Dragon with ice / snow in the background
Maelstrom	A red dragon flying that looks dangerous

Suddenly Cedious is aware of something within the original bag.  He looks in the bag and finds a set of Bracers.  These bracers have images of coins on them.  Bob places these on after removing his other magical bracers.  He hears a whisper in his mind.  “When you need money I can help.”  He then Hears another whisper but from another voice.  “You may breathe in water like a fish.”  Curious he concentrates on the other cards but nothing happens.  He clicks his mandibles in annoyance.

Pebbles takes three cards.

Tarnia		A black dragon confronting halflings
Astral Dragon	Dragon with chains on it
Blaze		A red dragon breathing fire onto someone

A whisper enters her confused mind.  “You may breathe fire once a day.”  The other cards do not speak to her but she feels the evil and hatred within them.  She smiles.

Ippikak has seen no bad results so he decides to pick some cards.

Kapak Draconian	½ dragon warrior
 Moon Dragon	Black dragon
Bilkon		Mage holding a dragon headed staff that is blasting at something

He hears a whisper in his ear.  “I can maximize a spell a day for you.”  The Arcane Archer ponders this then wonders about the other cards.  

Cedious watches the action and decides not to be left out.  He pulls the top five cards and puts the pouch down on the floor.

Stellar Dragon	Winged snake that glows and sparkles
Silvara		Silver Dragon with a rider
Shonorr		A tentacled dragon
Dracohydra	A multi-headed dragon
Edomira		Red Dragon in flames

A gentle whisper comes to his ears.  “You may smite evil once per day.”  Cedious’ eye brows rise at this revelation.  “I will help protect you.” Says another voice.  Cedious develops small scales on his skin making his skin tougher and harder to damage.

As he ponders this and looks at his hands which have a rough texture, Pebbles sneaks the last of the cards.

Staan of The Way  Lizardfolk in prayer
Winged Serpent	Magical snake with wings
Azurem		Charging Blue Dragon with a rider
Poresche	Red Wyrmling on a leash

“I give you great strength” is heard in his mind.  “You may fly” says another voice.  “You may heal like a paladin.” Says another voice.  Pebbles looks around listening to the voices with no body or origin.  “I will serve you.” Comes another voice that she knows is the small dragon.

Cedious frowns when he looks down and sees the pouch is now empty and is about to say something when he sees Pebbles has the last of the cards but decides the heck with it.

“What’s behind the next door?”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 232
6/24/06
“Stairs that go up into Danger”

The door leads to another hallway.  One side has many doors that are evenly spaces and the other side has just a few doors.   As they explore they find more sleep rooms including one with a badly mis-shaped human.  Half of its body is normal and the other half is large and swollen.  The arm would have dragged on the floor as it walked if it were alive.

On the other side of the hallway are several storage rooms that are now empty except for one room.  This room has signs of someone having been wounded and bled.  They hid here and treated their wounds before leaving again.

They leave the hallway and as expected, they enter the main hallway again.  They decide to go through the main door that goes deeper into the complex to the base of the tower.  Here Cedious finds a basic trap that is seriously misplaced here.  By opening the door, a bucket of fluid that smells strongly of chemicals would fall.  By having Talon reach up as Cedious carefully and slowly opens the door it is disarmed.  They place the bucket to the side and go forward.  Here they find a spiral staircase that goes up only.

“The tower I guess.” Says Cedious pointing up the stairs.

They begin to climb the stairs and reach the first level.  Cedious’ keen ears can hear something within this level moving.  He steps out with his weapon drawn and there are four of these mis-shaped ½ metal ½ human creatures here that attack in a sudden rage.  Dimly Cedious remembers something like this.  (The “Other” from Shadows of the Last War adventure)  These creatures (1/2 golems) attack with surprising strength and hatred.  The most surprised of these is Bob.

Bob steps into the doorway to attack one of the advancing creatures.  Two of the creatures strike at him (crit x2) and tear his shell off then attack his softer vulnible organs.  He dies nearly instantly.  

Cedious finds himself surrounded by two of the brutes and the others hold in the doorway and allow one in at a time to destroy.  After one is defeated Pebbles steps out of the stairway to try one of her new powers.  She thinks about the card with the fire-breathing dragon and feels energy and warmth develop in her throat.  She spits out her newly aquired breath weapon and Cedious ducks under it easily.  However the ½ Iron Golem s take it as a direct hit.  The smoke clears and they look healthier than before.  “I want my Wisdom back!” she shouts.

The group defeats these remaining stronger creations then look around the level.  They find it is largely abandoned.  Some furniture remains but little of value.  Much of the furniture shows signs of damage from battle.   Claw marks and small spikes are embedded in several tables and some chairs have been broken.

The next level is the same and the level after this.  Finally, thinking it is time to rest anyway, they reach the top level.  Or at least they assume it is the top level as the stairs stop here.  Cedious listens carefully and once more can hear something here.  It is speaking but in a language he doesn’t know.   They move quickly into the level and into a room to face the attackers one at a time but forcing a bottle necking of the foes.  Then they wait for the attack.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 233
6/24/06
“The Forgotten”

There are five mis-shaped humanoids this time.  They approach with greater caution than the others.  In common, one calls out to the party.  “What do you want?”

Cedious looks around to his teammates and ponders the next step.

“Why do you ask?” he says shrugging his halfling shoulders.

“We saw you come last week and knew you would be killed as all the others and including the Forgotten.  Are you House Cannith?”

Cedious pauses as he thinks about how to answer this.  “We come from them.  Yes.”

“Did Callus send you?”

Callus is silently mouthed to his teammates.  They have never heard of the name either.  “No.  Jorlanna sent us.”

Silence then- “I know no Jorlanna.”

“She leads the Cannith house within Aundair.”

Silence.

“What or my people below?”

“We were forced to defend ourselves.”

“Borg is … resting then.  That leaves but us then.”

“We came seeking something here.  Something important to House Cannith.”

“What is so important that you and other humans would come to this land?”

Cedious is careful not to say too much.  He fears a double-cross.  “Where may something very very very important be kept here?”

“In the master vault.”

“Which is ….?”

“Sundered by the demons.”

Cedious shakes his head in disgust.  “We are coming out.  We are not here to harm you.  We merely seek something for the current leader of Cannith.”   Cedious tries to always remember these creatures have had no human contact in 100 years.  They may not even know about the war.

They lead Cedious to the master vault.  The creatures tore through the door and walls to reach what was inside.  Searching for existing traps and magical effects, Cedious steps inside carefully and cautiously.  This room is much like the vault they found downstairs but much much bigger.  He wonders what must have been kept here in the glory days of this facility.

“The demons …  what are these?  Where do they come from?”

“You may have faced them already.  They scout this place in hopes of catching us unaware.  They have been very active since your ships came.  They live in the torn lands.”

Cedious remembers seeing an area marked as lava and volcanic on the island.  This must be the torn lands.  “So these creatures came here to steal everything within this vault?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“We do not know.  We are simple people with no ability to weave magic and miracles.  We are the Forgotten.”

“Can I sleep now?” asks a tired and battered Pebbles.

“Can we stay here to rest?”

“Yes but they will come.”

“We can help you defend your home then.”

“Yes then.  Rest.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 234
6/24/06
“The Tyranid Fiends”

Pebbles places herself in a deep deep slumber hoping to recover her energy quickly.  Healing potions are used to recover as they can and they talk to the Forgotten.

They were the earliest experiments that would one day lead to the modern warforged.  

The fiends come from underground where the lava and steam rise to the surface.  They have many different versions of themselves.  Each has a specific ability or purpose.  They have fought the soldiers and a scout so far.  The creature’s leader is known only as Tyranid.

Cedious wonders if this means they need to enter their underground chambers to retrieve the sixth piece of the Creation Schema.  

Pebbles sleeps as if in coma for 2 days.  The others sit and prepare for the coming war.  When they asked how many of these demons there were they answered hundreds.    Hundreds…….

On the third day they came.

The soldiers swarmed the stairs and charged up the levels.  Having time to prepare, Cedious and the others made a stand.  As the creatures tried to force their way through the narrow doorway they were struck by arrow, sword and hammering limbs (1/2 golems).  After a few minutes of sustained attacks there is a strange language spoken from below.  The creatures back off and seem to almost retreat.

For the next six hours they test the awareness of the group by attempting to sneak in or swarm again.  Each time they are blocked.

“We can’t keep this up.” Says Talon to Cedious.

“We need to get out.  They have us trapped here.” Adds Ippikak

“Wake Pebbles.  We need her.” Commands Cedious.

“Can we break these windows?” asks Ippikak.

“Better.” Says Cedious as he pulls out his magical rapier.

“Pebbles said something about flying.” Says Talon.  “What of you?”

“I have rope and a means to levitate down.”

“And after that?” asks Ippikak

“We sneak in and steal the schema of course.” Says Cedious with a confident smile.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 235
6/24/06
“The Adventures of Regganold & The Bard”

The village of Newdane was a quiet place not far from the Breland and Zilargo border.  It is a dark and starry night with only the sounds of crickets and tree frogs in the air.  Within a small glen of trees there are two wanderers sitting around a campfire.  They have been traveling across Breland on foot for a very long time now.  There have been many misadventures on the way.  Tonight they laugh about these and other unfortunate events that have taken place in their lives.

The woman known only as the Bard listens to the believed to be dead ex-Cannith employee known merely as Regganold.  He began with his earliest travels to Zilargo from Breland while camping with his crazed grandfather.  Soon the talk came to his work with House Cannith.

The Bard listens and remembers every detail.  This is what she does best.  She takes life’s stories and makes them adventurous or funny.  She then tells them for food or money as required.  When she met Regganold and learned of his uniquely cursed ring she knew she had an epic story in the making.  His stories about Lady Elaydren and his many trips to Zilargo add to the spice of the story.  Regganold is less than innocent man of ill luck but means no one harm.  He is likeable enough, for a mortal anyway.

“What did she want anyway?” she asks him as he begins to talk more about the wife of Merrix d’Cannith.

“Power of some sort.  She always wanted power.” He says then pauses briefly listening to the fire crackle and pop.  “She did mention the Creation Schema once.  I think that is what she was looking for.”

The bard raises an eyebrow in an impossibly tall arch in disbelief.  “THE Creation Schema?”

“There’s more than one?” suggests the clueless man.

“I have heard rumors that the warforged are not originally created by Cannith.   Rumor has it they were created using secret and very ancient magic and artifacts from Xen’drik. The means to do this was inscribed on six interlocking pieces of a plaque.  Each piece had a part in creating the thinking sentinels of the Giants.  They were possibly created after the elven rebellion occurred.”

“Elven …rebellion?” he asks in complete unclearity.

“Never mind that, tell me more Reggie.  You said she used some adventurers to find the pieces.  Who were they?”

Regganold begins to tell her about Cedious and the others.  Every detail is memorized by The Bard.  An epic story is already in the making.  A mischievous halfling, a bumbling gnomish artificer, warforged brutes of which had a strange sense of trophies (a goblin head!).  Reggie avoids talking too much about the House of Pain and his time there.  She has him repeat it once more.  This time she softly hums a background tune to it.  “It is writing itself!” she merrily says.

“Where are they now?”

“Lady Elaydren – Cannith suggested they were in Fairhaven just before I came to meet you in the mountains.”

“Really?   It may be worth our time to check this out.” Then she suddenly stops.  “The insects have stopped chirping.”

“Oh no- not the ring again!”  Regganold stands up and braces to bolt at the first sign of an attack.  Suddenly the ground erupts and a Bulette snatches Regganold and has him by the leg-

“Arrrgh!    I hate this cursed ring!” Regganold begins to punch at the armored head doing nothing but damaging his knuckles on it.

“At least the ring will grow it back.  Brace yourself.”

“Huh?!?”

The Bard pulls out her rapier and raises it over her head next to Regganold and the Land Shark.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 236
6/24/06
“The Tyranid Attack”

The icy wind tore at the two ships as it crossed over the cold frigid waters below.  No one stayed on the decks of the airships except for one individual.  This person wrapped herself in a thick and magically accented cloak designed to keep her warm and protected.  Her name.  Lady Elaydren ir’Vown d’Cannith.

With dreams and visions of the nation of Xen’drik being under her control she has been seeking the six separate pieces of the Creation Schema.  With these six pieces she can control creation.  Xulo has promised her this and so much more.  Kim Elderich can have the pieces after she is done.  But perhaps he does not deserve it.  He would only study it then take notes and hide it away in his mountain fortress in the Dwarven Mountains within the Mror Holds.

Then she sees it.  She sees the landmass she has been looking for.  Morlock Island.  She calls the alarm and decides which way to approach the island.  They come from the south but there were hidden warnings of great dangers in the south of the island.  Whatever drove the dragon house of Making away from the island came from there.  It came from below the ground where volcanic activity was common and thus very dangerous to explore.

“Where to malady?” asks the airship captain.

“Go to the west and we’ll approach the faculty from the north or along the shore through the bay.”  She never turns to face the captain.  Her entire attention is focused on the island.

Unseen by her is the creature on the shoreline.  Its red and dark brown chitin and long claws hint at its heritage.  A fiend of some sort.  It moves very quickly and goes to tell others like itself of the coming visitors.

Not far away, mere hours, comes two more ships.  These proudly fly the green clawed hand of the Emerald Claw.  The minions of Vol.  They are pursuing the Cannith ships hoping to learn where the Creation Schema and its secrets are.

Using a scrying device, the one leader watches the two ships.  They have neither banners nor flags but they know they belong to Cannith.  He sees the island and notes her reaction to it.  The mage smiles.  “Success! 
Go and tell them we have found the fabled island,  Gropordor.”  A black raven with red eyes caws and hops off his shoulders and flies to the door and out the window to locate the Masters of the ship. 

Gropordor returns along with a tall and gaunt female elf.  She looks undead but is not.  She has ritually damaged her skin to make it appear dead and destroyed.  “Lady Demise- we have located the island.  It is a mere two hours ahead of us.”

“Well done.  Prepare your spells and I will awaken the troops.  We make history soon.”

The two ships close in on the shoreline.  The cold winds whip at the ships and the very water and island.  Snow is lifted and gives cover to everything in the air and on the ground.   Perhaps this is why the two ships did not see the creatures below.

100’s of Gaunt fiends scurry and speak in fiendish below.  Stealers leap and pace on the rocks and bare trees.  Warriors look up with their 5-foot long claws.  Their drool is acidic and seeps from their mouths.  Other creatures, some much bigger also pace and chatter impatiently below.  It has been so long since they have eaten fresh humanoid meat.   

One creature leans forward.  Its hunch back begins to tremble and glow then suddenly a wicked blast of black lightning fires out.   Then another and another.  The airships are caught unaware.  One blast of corrupted energy rips into a brace that holds the fire elemental in servitude.  The ship twists and turns and comes dangerously close to hitting the other ship.

“Idiots!” the necromancer yells out.  “Call forth the mages and prepare the ballista.”  She reaches into her belt’s many pouches and prepares a spell.  “I did not come this far to be stopped by House Cannith.”

The mist and low clouds part and suddenly the raw anger in her voice disappears.  “Back off!   Full Reverse!   Did you hear me?!?   Back away!”

It is too late as a blast of black energy filled with fiendish essence strikes the ship.  The fire elemental begins to roar is hopes of freedom.   The ship stops and hovers, as the ship captains must once more regain control of the rebellious elemental.  The other ship has already lost altitude and looks to be burning as it slips from the safety of the high sky.

Demise calls up a powerful wind and uses it to push back the ship and also cover the ship from any possible missile fire.   The elemental is once more under control and the ship moves out of range.  A fireball erupts on the shoreline as the one ship strikes the ground.  The elemental is free and rises in pride and then this is followed by anger.   Survivors of the crash flee.  Many are plucked from the ground and consumed by the flames of the elemental while the red armored creatures attack others.

“Fiends.  I have heard they run rampant within these frozen lands.  Very well.  We must study the land before us and relocate the Cannith ships before entering the island’s airspace.”

The disfigured elf goes to her quarters to report and prepare the proper spells.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 237
6/24/06
“The Attack of  White Claw”

The two ships flew along the west coast of Morlock Island and reached the northern most point.  Below them were rolling hills that were covered in thick evergreens.  From reading her notes, Lady Elaydren knew within these hills were caves where savage humanoids lived.  These simple creatures stayed well hidden and rarely venture beyond their sub-terran homes.

“Ask the captain to have the ship stop here.”  She asks the first mate.  He runs off to give the word.  A warforged fighter walks up to her.  

“Why do we stop here?” it asks.

She stares out over the forest and the land.  “Have you ever had a hunch?”

“A .. hunch?” asks the warforged.

“I can not explain it but I feel watched and the watcher means us harm.  They do not scry us magically or else I would know.  No, they are below hidden within these trees … somewhere.”

“Then why stop?”

“At the very least it is the last thing they may expect.  From reading the notes I have on the island there are several natives here.  To the north are savages and to the south there lives something … supernatural.  It was these that drove House Cannith away along with the costs of maintaining the island within the reaches of Fellfrost.”

The warforged bodyguard looks out as if to mimic her actions.  It doesn’t understand but that is not why it is here.  It is here to protect her.

Fifteen minutes go by then Lady Elaydren asks the ships to move forward again but slowly.  The whole time she watches the forest below.  Suddenly there is a crashing sound to her left.  She turns to look and sees a white dragon on the deck of the other ship.  It tears the deck up and breathes ice into the exposed levels below.  Men, woman and other persons scream briefly.  The creature turns and looks at her then becomes invisible.

“Battle stations!   It is a dragon!” she yells as she withdraws two wands from her forearm sheath. 

Under her breath she curses the crazed white dragon for its savage attack.  The ship is heavily damaged and most of its crew is dead.  It continues to fly straight.  If the captain was killed then it will continue on that course and end up somewhere in the frozen wastes.   She needs that ship!

She studies the sky looking for signs of the creature.  Clouds swirl suddenly.  It was there but not now.  Where is it now?

Suddenly the ship is struck again.  The invisible becomes visible again.  A huge white dragon that wears a belt of some sort.  The bucket has an anvil and a hammer on it.  Then the creature turns invisible again and leaves the ship.

“How do we hit what we can not see?” asks the warforged as it withdraws a large hammer.

“Cover me Strike.  I need a moment to prepare a spell.”

Strike steps closer to her.  She withdraws a piece of paper and a white feather.  She draws a crude picture of the belt buckle the dragon wore and casts a spell to locate the buckle.

The dragon hovers before the ship.  It is thoroughly enjoying this game.  It waits for the ship.  This time it will go for the arms that hold the cursed fire creature in place.  It will plummet into the waters below and die.   Must destroy the fire creature.   Closer…closer….

Suddenly twin fireballs strike it and a magical hammer strike it.   It screams in pain.  The fire elemental fires at it also.   “The pain!……it hurts!” screams the dragon in its own tongue.  It folds up its wings and plummets to the icy waters below.

“THAT is how I deal with intruders.” Says Lady Elaydren in triumph.   Strike bows to her and the crew cheers her.  In her mind, the tropical wind blows softly with the scents of fruit and blossoms.  The people there bow to her and others cheer her name.  “Queen Elaydren.   All hail Queen Elaydren…. Master of Xen’drik.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 238
6/24/06
“Mutiny and Betrayal”

Capio and Cider look over at the ruins of the ship below.  It has been two days now and still they have not returned.  The time for concern is here.

“Do we go to find them?” asks Capio as he watches the water lap onto a piece of a bed from the crashed ship.

“Perhaps find the artifact and we can gain the reward instead of the overconfident halfling.” Offers Cider.

“I can wait with the ship a little longer but if we are to find them and the artifact they seek someone needs to find them now.” Adds the captain Cedious hired.

“Capio, with some men we can do that quickly.”

“Who will protect the ship?”

“I can protect her well enough for 24 hours.   Go.  Go and retrieve the adventurers or at least their bodies and the treasure they sought.”

Capio and Cider think over this and look at each other in wonder.  Finally Cider speaks up.  “We will need 10 men.”

“I give you twelve.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Two hours later the two adventurers reach the ground with twelve men.  They begin to follow the trail left by the fire elemental that Cedious had followed.  The captain waits and waits.  He doesn’t move for one hour.  His second in command comes up.  “Your orders?”

“Set sail.  Once more we have the Griffon Wing under my control.”


----------



## megamania

The saddest thing is ... since this is all background info, the players still don't know they don't have a ship to leave by.  Evil DM! Eeeevil!


----------



## Solarious

And my black heart flutters with joy.


----------



## megamania

speaking of evil .... am I still going easy on Cedious and the others?


----------



## Solarious

I'll keep saying that until you pull out the Mournlands potion consequences and screw Cedious royally from behind. I don't really mean it, but I have a reputation to maintain and there is no such thing as "It can't possibly get worse"! 

Speaking of which... how did you run Drogan's Trap? I'd like to steal those mechanics for later use.


----------



## megamania

Have you ever made a paper box?      

1.  Draw a square
2. Draw five more equal sized boxes and shape to make a cross
3. In the center label A, B, C, D, E, and F
4. The four exits will link to the "side" or "plane" that is connected
5.  Give each side / plane/ room a unique quality
6. I complicated it some by having each "plane" change systematically.  Seasons, Weather, day vs nite etc....
7.  Set up a means to "escape" the trap.   In my case it was locating the two emeralds and placing into the empty eye sockets of the dragon within the sculpture room.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 239
7/08/06
“Escape only to Run into White Claw”

Cedious cuts the windows free and they carefully climb out.  The four surviving ½ Golems (The Forgotten) follow them.   Using ropes and any magical means available they reach the ground and run.  It is not for another ten minutes before the tyranids learn of their escape.

The clouds are low and dark gray.  A storm is coming.   They follow the tracks of the creatures hoping to find their homes without incident.  The wind begins to blow and visibility quickly drops to less than ten feet.

Suddenly there is an extremely cold blast of air that forms ice on many of the adventurers.   Before them a huge form is barely visible within the storm.

“Is that a dragon?!?” asks Talon as he prepares to battle it.

“I hope not- it is HUGE!” calls out Pebbles whom is still recovering from her first contact with the fiends known as tyranids.

Cedious pulls out a dart and throws it at the creature.  It merely bounces off its thick armored hide.  Pebbles calls up a newly acquired power.   She hiccups then burps out a ball of flame that strikes the dragon dead on.  It screams in pain and rage.  It was fireballed just a few days ago.  These intruders need to die.  The eleven archer fires a few arrows at it.  One is blown away by the wind but the other two hit.  These hurt but not like the fire-belching dwarf before her.  

White Claw, a Huge Dragon vents her full rage onto the dwarf.  Chunks of metal are peeled and leather straps torn as the dragon beats, claws, bites and slams the heavily armored dwarf into the ground.  She staggers backward and collapses behind the front line.  The Forgotten move up rallied by the heroic actions of their new friends.  They accomplish little except for a distraction.

More fire related attacks are used as Talon uses his flaming sword on the dragon new.   The dragon realizes it is time to withdraw but the constant onslaught keeps her on the ground.  She is defeated and falls dead.  The group is quick to check out what she has for treasure.   They find only two things- a ring of invisibility and a belt of giant strength.

Pebbles asks for the belt while Cedious keeps the ring. (more trouble for the DM)


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 240
7/08/06
“The Magma pit”

As the adventurers reach the dropping edge of the ridgeline they begin to look for the airship.  Pebbles is feeble and barely alive from her encounters with the tyranids and the white Dragon.   A new strategy is devised.  Heal up and recover.  However, they can not seem to locate the airship.  It is dark now and the wind is still blowing snow.  They had hoped to be able to see the ship’s fiery ring in the distance even with these conditions.  No luck.  However, Cedious can see a faint glow of the magma as it reaches the surface.  This is the home of the fiends.

“I can turn invisible and check it out.” Suggests Cedious.

“I don’t think that is a good idea.  We can’t be there to help you if you need it.” Mentions Talon.

“They will know you are there.” The leader of the Forgotten states but in the end is ignored as Cedious turns invisible and strolls towards the area.   He is careful to give a wide birth to a patrol of ten of the creatures as they stand in a loss group not far away.   Cedious is enjoying his newfound freedom.

As he reaches the rip in the earth where the magma bubbles and boils he discovers it is hard to see clearly.  The fumes and rising heat blur his vision.  This doesn’t deter him once he locates a cave entrance he makes for it.

There are several creatures here and he is careful to avoid them including using his other ring to levitate and move along the ceiling of the cave.  Light is limited here.  It appears the creatures have dark vision.  Joy.  He decides to go only as far s he can see then turn back.

The cavern starts as a 10-foot wide fifteen-foot high space then opens to a large space.  He sees several of the gaunts (long clawed versions) and avoids these.   Then he spots a version he has yet to see before (warrior) and decides maybe it is time to leave.  Then the draft below changes and the creatures suddenly all turn and begin to look in his general area (keen scent) and he begins to hurry now while trying to remain stealthy. 

The creatures begin to call out an alarm in their fiendish tongue.  Cedious begins to run along the ceiling and leaps into the air outside and floats on the blowing wind and snow.  Once in what he considers a safe range he lowers himself and runs on the ground.  He runs to where the others said they would wait.  They point out the trouble that is coming.  Looking down, dozens of these creatures had blended in with the magma.  Many of these are now following Cedious’ trail.

“I had warned you.” States the ½ Golem leader.  “They see and smell everything.”

Cedious gives him a quick “enough” look then the group moves on.  It is quick to determine the fact they can not outrun the charging patrols.   

“We need a plan.”

Talon looks grim then looks directly at the eyes of everyone, especially the halfling.  “Last Stand.”

Pebbles repeats him.  “Last Stand.”

Cedious breathes hard through his nose.  “Very well, before they get here lets get a good position and set ourselves up well to better defend ourselves.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 241
7/08/06
“Tyranid Swarm”

“Time to figure out these bracers.”  Says Cedious in a hurry.

Pebbles touches and finally concentrates on her bracers with the coin design on them.  A couple of gold coins appear in her palm.  “Great but useless for now.” Adds Cedious.

“What do those bracers do?” he asks Ippikak.

“I am not certain if they are even magical.”

Cedious glares at the elf.   There is more to those than the buying of them in Fairhaven.  Ippikak rubs the bracers then one of blue gems.  It begins to glow then disappears.  Beside him a blue glow begins.   The glow enlarges and a confused Stone Golem wearing armor appears.  “Where am I?” it asks of them.

Cedious smiles.   This creature looks strong and gullible.   But mental note- ask Ippikak more about these bracers.  “We are on Morlock Island and we are in need of your help.  Can you help us?”

“Where is Elderich?  I should return to him.”   The magical creature shows intelligence unseen in most golems.

“He will be here soon but first-   we have company!”  says Cedious as he notes the closing horde of creatures.

The group forms a circle around Ippikak and prepare to fight the two dozen tyranids that rush to them. Ippikak begins to fire away before they get too close.

The Golem squashes a bug with each slam while the others take several strikes to crush one.   Soon they are surrounded completely.  Then comes a much bigger creature.  It stands ten feet tall with four scythe like claws each longer than great swords.  Spear like points dripping with venom or acid protrude from its stomach. Ippikak turns his attention to this new creature.

He shots it with 10 arrows, each magical, before the creature drops.  In this time, one Forgotten is killed and several serious hits are scored on the party.  However, in the end, Cedious and his group are left standing.

“That … that wasn’t so bad.” Pants Pebbles wiping blood of hers and green icor of theirs from her brow.

Cedious smiles big.  “I know what to do.   Push some more buttons and lets go in and get the Schema.”

Even as everyone turns to admonish him for the thought Ippikak is activating the Bracers once more.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 242
7/08/06
“Kim Elderich and Friends”

Ippikak squeezes three of the remaining five gems.  A strong muscle bound centaur wielding a huge weapon appears.  Next to him appears a warforged warrior build for quickness and agility.  The final figure to appear is a dwarf dressed in very fine clothes smoking a pipe.

“You have made a decision?” he says without pause.

Cedious notes the phrase then begins his questioning.  “Who are you and these guys?”

“I am Kim Elderich and these warriors are in my employment.”  He waves his hand at the two new comers, the Golem and Talon and Ippikak are amongst them.  “We seek a magical item of great curiosity to myself and thus I wish to know all about.”   He takes a few puffs and multi-colored smoke rises.  “You are Cedious?”

Refusing to allow the dwarf control of the conversation, the halfling ignores the comment.  “I (stressed) want the schema piece which has been stolen by fiendish creatures and taken underground.  We need help recovering it from them.”

The dwarf stares at Cedious and then looks over the others.  He dabs out the pipe and rubs his hands together.  “Well then, we need some rest, healing and time then to plan.   Allow me fine person.”

The dwarf reaches into a pocket and pulls out a one-inch wooden statue of a house.  Pebbles recalls the dwarf somewhat.  He has been described as the richest dwarf within the Mror Holds.  She tries to remember anything else but can’t in her befuddled condition.   The wooden toy is placed onto the ground and a command word is given.   It grows into a small shack.  He opens the door and invites all to enter and quickly.  Even as they go in he says another command word and the building becomes invisible!  Cedious is impressed and tries not to say anything.  “To bad it’s a shack.   I could…..”   He stops in mid sentence.  It is much bigger inside than outside.  There are 10 rooms around a large central room.  One room has medical equipment and some weapons and tools used by adventurers.  Nothing special but the statement is clear- Kim Elderich is wealthy and not afraid to show it.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 243
7/08/06
“The Cannith Labs Welcome”

Lady Elaydren was happy to finally arrive at the hidden and secret Cannith base.  After the long trip to the island and the attack by the White Dragon, she felt the need to complete this quickly.   The ship stopped and let her and her ground crew off then returned to safety of the high skies.

It was very cold and the wind was picking up again.   She was uncertain if it was snowing or if this was wind blown snow in the air.  Visibility was worsening rapidly. 

As she reached the main gate her bodyguard, Strike, a Warforged ranger, suddenly raised a hand for silence and stopping.  It peered at the ground and sought clues to what was inside.  “What is it Strike?”

“Others are here.  Inside the lab.”

Having learned to trust the warforged, She pulls out a wand of detection.  Suddenly several spikes strike her and the other Cannith humans.  Several of the men rush into the building for cover.  Others turn to face their attackers.  Red chitin covered insect-like creatures rush them.  “&%#@*!!!” Curses Lady Elaydren.  Strike moves in and tries to defend her as best as it can.

They hold back one wave then another comes.  This one includes several creatures that are 15-feet tall and hovers.  They resemble spiky red snakes with giant eyeless heads.   Beams of invisible energy rush out from these and wash over Strike and the humans.   Most of the Cannith soldiers fall down stunned and unable to defend themselves. 

Distracted by the loss of her troops, Elaydren and Strike are overwhelmed and pinned.   Acid and poisons drip from the creature’s mouths.

They communicate in fiendish and bludgeon the intruders into oblivion.  The people that did not flee into the building are taken back to the Tyranid hive.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 244
7/22/06
“A Poor Plan is Better Than None?”

After taking 24 hours to rest and recover, Pebbles is fully restored as are the others.  Both Cedious and Kim are hoping to retrieve the Schema shortly.  They step out of the magical building and with a command word it becomes visible and with another word reduces again.  Kim pockets the magical item and waits for Cedious’ lead.

Looking at the dwarf Cedious questions his motives.  Who is this Kim Elderich and what is his connection to the archer and ½ blood?  He found little info looking around the magical home so he rested like the others.  He notes that the Golem never leaves his side.  Obviously a bodyguard of some sort.  Nice.  Nice for him anyway.

Cedious listens to Pebbles talk with the Golem.  His name is Ore.  He was within the Mournlands when he became awakened.  Elderich found him and gave him purpose.  The golem seems very honor bound.   Cedious is becoming wary of him since he sounds much like a Paladin wanna-be.   Not good.

The centaur, Clorox, is a beast.  Even for a centaur it is large.  The weapon it carries must weigh as much as any halfling does.  A simple brute.   The warforged warrior is very slim and appears to be a basic model.  No extra armor but very agile and quick.   He either stands there like many warforged do or is he meditating?  Is this a monk?  A monk warforged?!?    What is the world coming to?

Cedious leads them back to the exposed lava pit and the cavern entrance to the Tyranid hive.  Cedious is counting on the strength and power of the four new companions to take the prize.   HE will take it- not Elderich.   Simple plan- use them and run.   By then the airship will be back and they go.   Easy plan.

Cedious doesn’t seem to question the fact there are no tyranids at the entrance.  He has the centaur go first with Pebbles and Talon behind him.  Cedious (in the middle) travels with Ippikak.  The Forgotten with Elderich and the Golem will support them and warn of backup for the creatures.   Easy plan- very workable.

DM NOTE [ I am assuming the players are expecting me to go easy on them.   I’m not]

Clorox rushes in and crushes the first tyranid gaunts he runs into and over.  Pebbles enlarges and calls on Divine Might before also charging in.  Talon waits his turn as the bottle necking has begun.   Behind them the Forgotten once more plead with Kim Elderich to avoid this.  These creatures are too dangerous and numerous to fight this way.  Elderich pulls out a clear glass ball and casts a spell onto it.   He begins to check out what is in the cave just ahead of the frontline.

Clorox crushes more bugs then moves onward and deeper into the cave.  Pebbles gets out of the narrow section and begins to slam creatures with her magical warhammer.  Talon picks a foe and attacks. Ippikak begins to fire arrows at targets as he can see them within the dim light.  Cedious keeps to his side with a dart readied.

Elderich sees about 15 gaunts rushing the frontline and one larger creature (a Warrior).  So far, Cedious’ poor plan seems to be working but he continues to think about other options.  The schema MUST be retrieved no matter what.   However, he has little to no offensive spells memorized.  Elderich is not a warrior this way.  Thus his bodyguard and aids he normally has at all times.   Speaking of which, he has an important meeting to attend shortly in Mror Holds that includes revelations about Lady Elaydren and her true intentions.

Then he sees them.  Dozens more gaunts are rushing to aid the hive guards and six more warriors arrive.  These have strange arms built onto their mid-section.   Something new and obviously dangerous.   Then one of the forgotten (1/2 iron golems) spots gaunts attacks along with a tall floating snake-like creature with a large head.  

“Time to go Ore.”  And Ore grabs the Forgotten leader and the three teleport away to a preset location of Kim’s design even as waves of psionic energy wash over them.  

Cedious hears a warning from the Forgotten but turns only to see Elder become first invisible then for Ore and the leader to disappear.   “THE RAT!”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 245
7/22/06
“Tyranid Warriors”

Clorox, Pebbles and Talon notice the warriors are holding back while the gaunts seem to be creating a funnel to the warriors.  Not thinking about it, Clorox continues forward.  Suddenly six blasts of fiendish energy are released onto him.  The centaur discovers what pain is and forced to reconsider his actions.  “Ippikak!  A little help please!” calls out Pebbles as she witnesses the firepower released.  Meanwhile, the elven arcane archer has already seen the attack.  The energy they wield reminds him of a warlock’s elderitch blast.  NOT good.  He tries to attack them as he can but they are using columns for FULL cover.

“That rat teleported away!” screams out Cedious in near- panic.  “And we have company out here!”

DM NOTE [Clinton knew both Ore and Elderich are level 20+ and did assume they would help more.]

Clorox moves to the side of the cavern hoping to use the rock pillars for his own cover and advance onto the warriors up close.  Flurry, the warforged monk suddenly leaps into action and attacks the gaunts as they attempt to surround Pebbles.  He weaves in and out of the attacks while striking back.  His actions catch the attention of the warrior without a ranged weapon.  It begins to stalk him now.

Unknown to them, 100+ feet into the darkness, through another bottlenecked section lays a Khyber Pit.  Dozens of gaunts rush from pathways around it even as something HUGE begins to climb up through it.

Clorox takes another round of blasts.  Pebbles goes to him to heal him but is attacked on the way.  Flurry continues to watch her back but suddenly finds a four-clawed warrior before it with spikes protruding from its chest and stomach.  These drip in acid.  The claws dig into the monk’s back and pull it into the spikes digging into the chest causing acid damage.  If a warforged could scream it would now.   It rips itself free and stumbles back.  The Warrior follows enjoying the hunt.

Talon suddenly has eight of the gaunts on him.  Few get through to him with their attacks but these few are beginning to add up.

Only Cedious and Ippikak are immune to the blood bath as they are holding back and shooting from the safety of the narrow entrance.   Then waves of psionic energy strike them.

Cedious swears he will kill Kim Elderich the next time he sees that damned dwarf.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 246
7/22/06
“Can it Get any Worse?!?”

Staggered but other wise okay, Cedious and Ippikak push away the first wave of psionic energy but now ten gaunts rush at them.  Clorox and the others will have to deal with the energy-wielding creatures themselves.  A second large headed snake floats into view.

Inside, Clorox has managed to corner two warriors and begins to hack into them with his very Huge weapon and cuts them down.  He takes another round of firepower and staggers. He snarls in anger and pain.  Pebbles cures more damage even as the gaunt soldiers try to separate the two.  Talon takes down a few gaunts and begins to get some breathing room.  That is when a blocked off warrior shots him instead.

OOC “Hey- NOT ME!  SHOOT THE HORSEY-MAN!”   Thus begins the new nickname for the Centaur Titan.

The monk is once more caught and spiked.  It becomes inert and the warrior begins to drag his body away to the darkness.  Pebbles calls for help but everyone is very busy saving themselves.  She uses Command to have the warrior walk to her instead.  Soon it and six others walk to her instead.

A psionic tyranid arrives and begins to hunt also.  The whole time a HUGE crab-like tyranid (ol’ one eye for you 40K players) watches everything and studies the events.  It studies the tactics and powers of these intruders.   Retreat may be required but they will rue the day if they inter the Pit itself.

Suddenly Cedious spots something through the cave entrance.

“THIS CAN”T BE HAPPENING!   THE HUGE FIRE ELEMENTAL IS BACK!”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 247
7/22/06
“The Parting Shots”

Clorox and the others do not hear Cedious’ warning over the noise of battle.  They continue to beat at the Warriors.  Once these are gone they hope the smaller gaunts will retreat.  Talon and Pebbles attack the snake-like creature after it attempts to stun them and Clorox.  It goes down quickly since it lacks the usual protection it had.

The crab -like creature sinks back down into the Khyber Pit.  It has learned much today and will prepare better.  These creatures were more powerful than the others caught.  But they are much more powerful still.

Clorox and Pebbles concentrate next on the Warriors and destroy them.  They expected the gaunts to leave but they do not.  Most all of them attack still.  This delaying tactic makes them question going in any further.

The Fire Elemental has wandered past the action.   It doesn’t care about the creatures here.  It is just happy to have a warmer place to hang out at.

The monk is inert and Pebbles has no repair/mend spells saved.  Not good.  Nearly everyone is beaten and bloodied.  Cedious is only slightly hurt and he expected to receive no damage. Ippikak needs some healing but again, he did not expect to get this close to melee combat.


DM NOTES   This was by far the longest battle we have ever had.  3 ½ hours to complete.  I gave out lots of XP which had to be adjusted as the gaunts were plenty but did little more than rush the ranged attackers and slowdown the frontline.   4000 XP went to all.  Pebbles and Cedious went up in level only.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 248
7/22/06
“And The Sides Begin to Gather”

=wake up Queen Elaydren=

several seconds go by.

=wake up Queen Elaydren=

several seconds go by.

=wake up Queen Elaydren=

several seconds go by.

“hurmmm?” says a sleepy Elaydren.   “Where …where am I?”

She tries to sit up but her head spins from the attempt.  “What ..is that smell?”  She rolls her head to side and sees bars and beyond that a river of glowing molten lava.  Occationally a red armored creature skitters by.

“Strike?” she calls out softly.  “Where are you?”   nothing.

=you are awake.  That is good=

“Xulo?   Where are we?”

= I can speak but a moment more.  You are close to the schema.  Find it and I will call.=

“Find it?   How?   Xulo?”

= find it and you will become a queen =

Lady Elaydren clears her head and sits up slowly.  The cell she is in is rough rock and warm to the touch.  Worked bars hold her inside.  She searches for her wands but they have been taken.  The bars were “molded” into the rock so her lock picks will not help her.  The damned creatures even took her Cannith ring.

Then she hears a scratching sound.  She looks and sees a bit of earth and stone crumble in the corner of her cell.   A stick appears then retreats.  Something is on the other side.  Preparing for anything she stands up and faces it.

“Is that someone?   Is that someone human?” is said in common.

“Yes.  Who are you?”

“I am known as Cider.”

“I am Dessa Freeman.” She lies.

Maybe there is a way out afterall.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 249
7/22/06
“Vol Speaks”

Garrow has seen many things in his three lives that were disturbing but none will ever unnerve him like when his lord is before him.  Vol.

Her undead and textured skin was stretched over her thin and gaunt elven frame.  Scars on her bare shoulders reveal where a magical tattoo called a dragon mark once held power.  She remained tied to death.  Her dragon mark was related to necromancy until she became an undead lich.  Most believe she was the last to hold the mark.  Others believe there are new descendants unknown to most of the world that have the mark.

However, it is not her dragon mark or even her being a lich that unsettles the Changeling.  It is her cool and alluring personality that frightens him.  Hearing her voice makes him want to follow any command or word given by her.  He prides himself for being a self-made person but she can unravel him and his self-control with but a word.

“Garrow, dear sweet Garrow.  What am I to do with you?  Until this Creation Schema campaign you had never failed me or the Claw.  Never.   But this halfling seems to have gotten the better of you on several occasions.” She purrrs.  A glint of malice shines from the darkness of one dark eye socket.   She steps forward out of the deep shadows to within an arm’s reach of Garrow.

“My deepest shame and regret malady.” And he bows deeply as he steps back.

“Rise.”

He rises waiting for some new pain or punishment.

“The dwarf known as Elderich seems to be winning the race to collect the pieces of the schema but for them to function, he will need to reach Xen’drik.  I want… I wish you to go before him and take the prize from him.   He will not expect you there.”

“I would be most pleased to make you happy and go to Xen’drik and take the prize from the dead dwarf’s hands.”

“I sense uncertainty in your voice Garrow.  Do you not wish to please me?”

“I do!  I do wish to please you.   But the land … the land itself is said to attack those not native of the land.”

“Yes and so much more I have been told.   Take ANY resources you wish.  Bring any allies you wish.  Bring me the Schema and do not fail.”

“Yes malady.”  

Garrow begins to step backwards to leave when the Lich speaks once more.  “And Garrow- if the halfling gets in your way- kill it.”

A vicious smile curls on his changeling face.  That command he would be MOST pleased to fulfill.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 250
8/05/06
“Tempting Fate … again”

“Heal us Pebbles and then I want to go in.” says the over impulsive halfling rogue.

“?!?”  Pebbles is less than certain about this.  To heal the group leaves her without any spells.

“The hell with that.   Let’s locate the dragon horde.  It MUST be safer than these tunnels.” Adds Talon.

Cedious walks deeper into the tunnel and spots the Khyber pit.  “NOW we HAVE to return.”

“What about the airship?” asks Ippikak.  “Even if we locate the schema or a dragon’s horde- how do we leave this cursed cold land?  We have not seen the ship in days.”

“Its there.  Lets find somewhere safer to rest then return and get the schema and any other goodies these things have.  We must have killed most of them.” Suggests Cedious still thinking about the Pit.

As luck continues for them, they find shelter nearby and rest there.  All are healed and new spells memorized / prayed for. Ippikak begins to worry more about the lack of contact with the airship.  The weather seems calm and almost warm as they leave the tunnels.  Flurry, the warforged monk, has been worked on and repaired.  Unseen crafter, a specific spell for a warforged is caste on it.  Hopefully he will survive better this time.

They reenter the tunnel 12 hours later and find no resistance.  “Maybe we killed all of them.” Happily suggests Cedious to the group.  Clorox had hoped for more creatures to combat but this works.  Besides, there must be more of these creatures.  No one would send his or her entire force to guard the front door leaving the complex empty.

Cedious climbs into the pit and slides down to the darkness below.  Clorox surprises everyone by leaping in and by dragging his four hooves on the walls drops with great control into the pit and below.  Only Talon has any problems and even he avoids any injury.

They look around and find more open cavern space that is loosely lit by the glow of two lava streams.  One is complete with a lava-fall.  Four tunnels exit from the space.  Three at the one end and a lone tunnel near the falls.

“So this is a Khyber Pit.  I’m not impressed.” Says Cedious looking around.  He can see only so far as he lacks the darkvision most of the party has.  However, their vision for underground darkness is hampered by the glow of the molten lava.

“Where to?” asks Flurry looking around with his normal vision.

Pointing his weapon in the direction of the nearest tunnel Clorox answers.  “Allow me to beat it out of them.”  Coming down a tunnel are at least 8 four armed tyranids similar to one seen within the facility.  They have claws versus talons and seem to sneak around much more effectively than the long taloned ones.

Clorox rushes off to bottleneck the creatures coming to them.  This is when Talon spots several Tyranid warriors, two with ranged blasters and one with wicked claws approaching from another tunnel.  He hurries in their direction to stop them.

The others spot more warriors and two of the floating snake-like creatures coming from across the lava stream.

“Here we go again” says Cedious figuring this will be no problem at all.

DM NOTES [Tyranid Zoanthropes are now completed and their powers done.  I warned players they had more abilities to them than shown before but had fewer HP.  They still attacked them anyway.]

The two snake creatures got very close until they polymorphed from being smaller creatures to themselves.  They then take possession of Clorox and have him turn on the group!

Pebbles calls up a new spell- Wall of Blades even as Ippikak discovers the Zoanthropes have a Wall of Wind set up to protect themselves from his arrows.  The six warriors begin to rush to the adventurers now.  

Meanwhile, unknown to them, a very huge tyranid (Ol’ One Eye) and dozens of gaunts move in closer from above.  Darkness is caste there to hide their presence from any looking up or climbing up.  Clorox breaks free of the mind control even as Pebbles then commands several warriors to walk forward (into the magical wall)  Two obey and are heavily damaged as they walk through a five foot wide wall of force energy swirling and slashing blades.  They walk directly up to Pebbles and Talon.

Cedious moves up to wall to attack the Zoanthropes with his darts. Ippikak continues to attack with mixed success.  Flurry sees bad things coming and tries to escape through the Pit entrance.   At this moment the Zoanthropes PLANE SHIFT through the wall and attack the party!  Flurry questions the odd darkness then is crushed and bitten.  He goes from perfect health to inert already.

Cedious kills one Zoanthrope even as Clorox rushes to his aid. Ippikak also aids him but fails to stop the creature.  It wraps its tail around the halfling and Plane Shifts away!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pebbles decides to leave next and finds a very tough guard above.  She is dealt a great deal of damage and finds herself easily grappled by the creature.  Crystallized nodes are encrusted on the huge crab-like claws (Khyber crystals used to power its spell-like abilities!) but fails to note the use and type of crystal.  The huge creature turns and begins to carry the two away when tries to Poison it.  Fails.   She then tries to weaken it which helps but does little to its awesome size and strength.

Tyranid Gaunts meanwhile now rain onto the party from above.  Cedious, Pebbles and Flurry have been captured and removed from the battle.  Clorox, Ippikak and Talon remain.  Another (3 total) Zoanthropes appear.  It was polymorphed as a rock just outside the wall.  It reappears inside the wall through Plane Shift also and attacks Talon.  One of the warriors breaks free of Pebbles command and attacks Talon.  It has four large falchion-like blades and acidic spear tips that grow from its stomach.   Most of these attack and strike him causing Talon a great deal of damage before he can destroy it.  The one Tyranid warrior, as commanded, walks back through the wall tearing up its armor even more.

They fight off the gaunts and finish off the last of the Zoanthropes leaving the warriors.  Even these begin to fall once Ippikak has a chance to concentrate on them as they stand before the wind wall instead of behind it.

“We need to leave and now!” yells Clorox and Talon.  The thought that there were few of these creatures left to destroy has now long left their minds.  They climb up or leap through the pit entrance and head for the exit.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 251
8/05/06
“Pebbles and Flurry”

She can not break free and Flurry is either dead or inert once more.  She has tried to weaken the creature with a poisonous touch but there was no effect.  The creature seems completely unconcerned with her as it carries her deeper down a tunnel that leads deeper into the earth.

She tries a new tactic.  She magically siphons strength from the creature.  She then kicks and squirms to break free of its hold and does so.  It stops and turns to grapple with her again.  She avoids the grapple and grabs Flurry.

A tug of war begins with Flurry being the rope.  Deep gouges are made in its leg as it pops free from the creature’s grasp.  Magically enlarged she grabs the warforged and runs up the tunnel leaving the much slower creature behind her.

Eventually she reaches the pit and spots the others whom are fleeing the area themselves.  “Wait up!  I have Flurry!”

In the darkness, eyes watch them leave.  Hate filled eyes.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 252
8/05/06
“Cedious …being Cedious”

The Zoanthrope is near death but grabs the halfling anyway.  It shifts out of one reality and wanders to a spot to reappear within a 15 x 15 cell.  Cedious wastes no time and stabs the creature before looking around.  It dies and screams in pain and rage.

The walls are earth and stone.  The front wall is missing but metallic unfinished metal formed into rods are here.  The rogue sees no locks or door.  Looking outside, he sees no guards.  There is a stream of lava that makes it very hot here and gives a faint light.  

With no further hesitation, he cuts the bars with his adamantine rapier and steps out.  Nothing.  He looks up and down and sees a few dozen similar cells,  Some seem to be preoccupied.

He walks to his right and after a few empty cells sees the remains of a Forgotten.  It looks quite dead.  He passes it with no thought and later finds a man wearing the uniform of the Emerald Claw.  “Let me out!   Let me out before they return!”

“Who else is here?” says Cedious as he slowly and without any intention of harm looks for his next lethal dart to throw.

“Demise was on with us when we were attacked.  I am not certain if she was captured also.  Hurry- they occasionally send guards to patrol through here!”

“Do you know the way out?”

“We need to leave and quickly.  They do unsavory things to us here.”

“Really?  Like what?” he pretends to be looking for his tools.

“They ….”, he speaks softer now, “…they do breeding experiments.”

“Poor bastard.” And he throws his dart and kills the tortured soul in one blow.  He uses his rapier to cut through the bars to retrieve his dart and look for anything of use on the soldier.  He finds nothing and moves on.

He finds a man with a badly injured arm.  He is wearing the colors of House Cannith.  “Hey- who are you?”

The man breathes sharply and either ignores him or is so close to death that he doesn’t even know the rogue is there.  Cedious pulls out a healing potion and tosses it next to the Cannith man.  Nothing.  Cedious sighs and cuts his way in.  He feeds the potion to the man but it is too late.  The wounds are too serious and are beyond what a mere healing potion can do.  Cedious ends it for him and looks for new mischief or a means out.

Cedious reaches the end of the cells and finds a bridge here to cross over to the other side where more cells are.  He begins to walk up and finds another dead body of a Cannith worker which he ignores.  He finds a few skeletons next.  "Been here a long time?” he jokes to himself. 

The next cell is unexpected.  Within the cell is a man with unmarked armor but his eyes reminding him of some mages he has seen.  The man looks up but says nothing.

“Who are you?” asks Cedious.

“I am known as Suddz”

“Sounds like a dwarven name.  Do you know how to get out?”

“I have some ideas but can not leave this cell Cedious.”

“You know who I am?!?”

“I know of the bounty for your head.”

Cedious smiles.  His reputation precedes him- even here.  “How much?”

“The Emerald Claw asks for ten thousand.  When the first attempts failed, Garrow added some of his own personal money to it.  It stands at twenty-five thousand now.”

“Platinum?”

“Gold.”

“How did you get here?”

“I was captured when tall snake like creatures with large heads put me to sleep.”

Cedious remembers the Forgotten.  “Who else is here?”

Still having not gotten up or begged to escape the warmage answers.  “There are representatives from House Cannith including their leader, The Emerald Claw and the natives.”

“The leader ….?” Cedious’ heart skips a beat.  Could it be?  Could he finally get his revenge?

“I believe she is referred to with a title.” Says the man with arrogance.

“Elaydren?!?”

“Yes.  Can you get me out now?  I can aid you.”

“Who are you?”

“Suddz.”

“No- who are you with?”

“Why is it so important to you?”

“Just is.”

Silence.

“See you later then.”

Cedious leaves and the proud mage stays behind and very quiet.

After about ten paces he hears “I am for hire.  I am a hired Mercenary.”

Cedious returns and looks at the man whom is now standing and in the middle of the room.  “okay.”  He cuts the bars with his rapier.

“So that is how you do it.”

“What do you mean?”

“These bars have a strange property to them.  They negate magic.  Your adamantine is not magical in nature thus it by passes the negation.”  

A few more cells down they reach the end once more.  Here a loose but heavy slab of stone blocks the way.  Cedious pushes on it enough to easily get through.  The chainmailed war mage has a much harder time of it.  Cedious enjoys watching the arrogant man suffer a bit as he looks around.  This series of cells is nearly empty except for a large and hairy man.  He grunts and snarls and pounds at the bars.

“What are you?” asks Cedious.

“A native.  They live in the hills north of the Cannith site.” Answers the man

“Left in here he will make a lot of noise.  It we let him out he draw first attacks or set off traps.” Says Cedious as he swings into the bars.

The creature bounds out and looks around before running to the far end.  The warmage is not certain on the wisdom of this but it is done.

The exit here is a large well made locked door.  Looking at it, Cedious feels it and the frame around it came from somewhere else.  It appears the creatures can not create such things but understand their use.  He easily picks it and they move on.  Unseen by Cedious, the man has pulled a pinch of sulfur from the ground and holds onto it.

This series of cells are shorter and have an exit leaving from the side about mid way down.  Cedious looks in and sees a Cannith man with a serious head wound.  Looking closer, the wound looks like it was surgically done- not from an accident or impact.  “Ugh!”

The native rushes ahead then stops at a cell that is the closest to the exit.  It grunts at the cell.  Cedious goes on to check it out.  Suddz holds back.

He stops and looks in.  Someone has tunneled through a corner!

“LEAVE HER ALONE RETCHED HALFLING!”

Cedious sees a glow of energy rushing at him. crap is all he thinks as he moves.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 253
8/05/06
“Sick Freaks”

The fireball misses Cedious but nearly reduces the native to ashes.  He stops rolling and stands up to attack.  Suddenly a dagger strikes him in the back.  Surprised and in pain he turns and sees Cider.  Behind him is another person.  A female form in a cloak.  “Figures- I’ll be back for you guys.”

The mage surrounds himself with swirling blades as Cedious marches right up to him.  He curses the whole time at the man.

Now a sickly milky dark cloud spreads out from the mage.  It makes Cedious sick but he continues on.  Black tentacles sprout out of the ground and try to ensnare the halfling but these fail also.  His first dart hits home but the mage remains upright.  Next he gets a potion to drink.  Cedious doesn’t allow the potion’s full effect to kick in.  

At this point he realizes he is not alone still.  A Tyranid Warrior and three Tyranid Gaunts arrive.  

DM NOTE-   I have plans for Elaydren.  Cedious / Clinton will kill her and chop her up to little bits if the guards didn’t arrive quickly.  Sucks but required.

He is forced to run and hide.  The creatures take time to look at the dead mage and the others within the cells.  With not knowing what has happened, they call for Zoanthropes.  These creatures force EVERYONE in this cellblock to sleep.  Lady Elaydren, Cider and two Cannith and two Claw soldiers are taken away.

Being careful not to be seen, Cedious follows and discovers the tunnels have a slight pattern to them.  They are like cogs spokes of a wheel.  A large center room with areas of importance.  The means to reach each level are located on the ends of the spokes.  He is watching for a possible vault or treasure room as well as anything of use.

Eventually the prisoners are brought to a huge room.  There are vats here filled with green fluid.  Bodies are within the vats.  Tubes lead from the vats to a central throne.  Here a very Huge Tyranid sits.  The tubes pulse or twitch once in a while.  Cedious watches, as the six prisoners are each placed within the fluid.

Repulsed, he leaves the room.  Too many guards to “speak” to Elaydren.  Besides, she is asleep.  He looks around a bit and gets a better feel for the complex.  He is VERY careful to avoid the creatures and even rolls in sulfur to cover his scent.  He knows these creatures can smell him otherwise.

Finally ticked off enough about the situation he is in, he decides to do something.

DM NOTE   Tick off the DM whom is purposely keeping him away from Elaydren

He recalls how he is carrying the vials and powders used on Starvos Island.  He sneaks up to a vat with a human within it and pours the contents out of each vial along with potions he has. (some include poisons, fly spells, curing and detection spells unknown by him).  He watches the tube pulse once or twice then leaves very proud of himself.

DM NOTE  Gotta love Clinton and his chaotic and unpredictable nature


----------



## Solarious

Yep, sounds just like him. What's the odds of some Soverigns-forsaken monstrosity comming out of this?


----------



## megamania

I had planned that Lord Tyranid was to play a part in the next campaign (The Chaos Effect) but the recent events that Cedious (Clinton) has done may change things a bit.   This demon may now have a REASON to truely hate civilized humanoids (assuming halflings count as such).


Next segment begins to get into the fiend's thoughts and motivations.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 254
8/05/06
“Lord Tyranid”

DM NOTES

Fiends.

Everyone thinks of the word comes up with aquick image of their favorite nasty creature.  I never did fiends because one: the public mentality behind them and two: they bored me.  Eberron however gives me ideas.  They have a role to play other than just to cause mischief or invade.  They are looking to free their leaders and retake a world that was once THEIRS.

Theirs.   Curious when one thinks of it that way.

Lord Tyranid is my first true use of the fiends and is in many ways very different from the normal fiend.  These creatures x-breed to create their different versions and they are looking to explore the world first.  Now they are exploring by means of gathering information.

What kind of information and what they will do with it are uncertain and thus fun to explore.  This said-  I present Lord Tyranid and his Tyranid Horde.





The Huge creature sat on its stone throne.  Khyber shards both decorate and empower the throne for the fiend’s use.  Dozens of tubes rise to the back of the throne.  These tubes spread out and reach to vats of glowing green fluid.  Within each vat is a thinking subject.  The Tyranid master feeds.  It feeds on their thoughts, memories and sometimes emotions.

It has been very hungry and for a long time.  A hundred years ago, humans came here in crafts that floated on the cold waters that surround their island home.  No longer did the hive need to feed on the primiative humanoids that hid in the hills miles away from them.

However, these humans created warriors.  Strong and tough.  Digesting these creations was not pleasant.  But it was done.  (1/2 golems / the Forgotten)

Eventually the humans left but not before showing the horde leader something about the world.  It had slept too long.  These humanoids thrived and covered the surface.  They used magic of many types and created powerful items and tools to protect themselves.  

Recently though new humanoids came.  Some were short, some squat and others tall but all still just humanoids.  They came on flying ships.  These were shot down and the insects captured for study.  More came and more still.  They all sought something within the shelter they built on the surface.  The very place their protectors stayed.  

These were captured also and studied.  New breeding tests are being done.  Some of these creatures show such control over magic that they could be a threat to the coming CHAOS.  What EFFECT they had for her plans was uncertain.

So for now the Lord Tyranid drinks, thinks and plans.   Soon she will spread her touch.  Soon her horde will leave the island and find these creature’s home and destroy them and their brood.   Soon.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 255
8/05/06
“Poisonous Thoughts”

Lord Tyranid was curious about the attempt to escape made by these creatures.  Their memories suggest they are known as Cider and Elaydren.  Images swirl and become chaotic.  The fiend concentrates to sort out the images of the dozen or so creatures she feeds on currently.

Cider.

This creature is a very deluded form of fiend.  Breeding has robbed it of its true nature.  It is a hunter and slayer.  It seeks comforts and power.  It traveled the world of man.  The images seen show a war of humanoids.  It ended in a disaster that molded a country into something unsuitable for them.  Could it be the new home for the Horde?

This creature joined a brood of various humanoids to seek something.  Something old and magical.  A piece of a magical puzzle known as a Schema.  It was believed to be at the shelter here.

The Tyranid Lord considers this.  Many powerful things have been taken from there to be studied.  Could she have it?   Could she already have the item they all seek.  Could it be that powerful?

The female known as Elaydren is harder to sort.   She lies too many groups to get the power she seeks.  She seeks the piece also.  For a mortal, she has great plans.  She wants to be a Lord herself.  She has mastered the use of magical sticks called wands.  Another shields her mind from further investigation.

Greed.

Greed seems to power these humanoids now just as legends say it did thousands of years ago.  Greed will be the weapon …. my mind …..my body……..  

WHAT IS HAPPENING >>>> TO ME?!?

The fiendish creature known only as Lord Tyranid jerks and thrashes within her memory throne.  She begins to float (Fly Potion) and her scales thicken and strengthen (Bull’s Strength potion).   Mild sickness comes over her (Healing potions bought at discount that heal but leave one sick feeling).

In fiendish she begins to call out.  Her attendants begins to pull tubes out of her throne to spare her the pain and displeasure of Cedious’ ill cocktail of potions and brews.  Then the black icor hits her.  Her mind reels at the affront.  Her immortal life essence wants to leave her but as a fiend it is well anchored to her.  Her red eyes flash yellow and her scales begin to rot slightly then she slumps and lies still within her throne.

Many of the creatures hesitate.   No direction … no orders are given.  Their minds are empty of ideas, thoughts and orders.  Only the free-willed generals act on her behalf.  Poisonous and acidic spittle spills from her mouth as her head falls forward.

Rational thought begins to escape her.  CHAOS only reigns within her mind.   Her hate and evil grows of the humanoids.   She has new ideas and thoughts.  All Chaotic but to her perfect and very orderly.



A new engine of CHAOS and destruction has been borne from the poisonous and mutative icor found on Starvos Isle.   Let the world shake in fear.


----------



## Solarious

Civilized halflings? Ha! Cedious is anything but... not that it should matter. 

I wonder how many people our 'protaganist' ticks off before he steps on one too many toes?


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 256
8/05/06
“Reunion”


It was dark and very calm within Korth’s secret Emerald Claw safe house.  The woman looked in all directions before proceeding any further into the stairway.   She knew the dangers of trespassing onto Claw lands.

As she reached the top of the stairs she could hear the crackle of a slow burning fire.  It was magical or an illusion.  She saw no smoke and felt no heat.  It did give off light and a sense of mystery.   She moved onward into the room.   “Keltis- are you here?”

Suddenly the darkness takes shape and several shadows swirl around her.  They threaten to touch her and drain her precious life energies.  “Garrow?”

The woman looks to the darkest corner of the room and sees a large barrel chested man in blackened armor.   His reddish-orange beard remains as unkempt as it was months ago.  Behind him stands a woman.  Though beautiful, the menace she holds is clear.  She is dangerous and enjoys it.

“Kold I presume.   Welcome and thankyou for coming.”  The woman says.  She turns a chair around to face the two.  Her features melt and change into a featureless image.  Blue eyes and a mouth remain only.   A horrible scar runs down his cheek in his natural form.

“Mistress Vol has a mission for us.   We are to go to Stormreach and wait for the Schema to come to us.  Either the cursed dwarf will have it, his b**** Elaydren or possibly Demise will have the pieces.   Either way the six pieces are coming to Xen’drik.  Vol has foreseen it.”

“Will the halfling be there?” asks the necromancer with great hatred.   It cost her much in magic, gold and favors to repair her face and body from the burns she received fighting him and the druid.

“He is expected to be there.”  His features shift to match a guard he had once seen three years ago in Wroat that he killed.  “And as such I …  we will want to plan a welcoming party for him.”

“Perhaps a wake….”  Karrion Kold and the two men laugh.  Dark days are ahead for Cedious and the carriers of the Creation Schema.


----------



## megamania

Well lets see- toes stepped on thus far that he KNOWS about-


Emerald Claw
Garrow
Keltis
Karrion Kold
The Turbulant (professional assassins)

Lord Tyranid

Boddynok Grinkle (destroyed or still undead?)

unknown includes:
Dark Lanterns
The Trust



That is the SHORT list and it includes several groups that you don't want angry with you.....


----------



## megamania

Sorry for the delay.  I had typed up the entire last session and when I went to help my kids with something we lost power.   Lost 3 1/2 hours of work.   Erked me so much I have not retyped it and have yet to begin typing this weeks stuff.    sigh.....


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 258
8/19/06
“The DM Screwed Up 

Three weeks ago I typed this, didn’t save it, went upstairs to help the kids with something and yes-  lost power.  I was so upset I refused to touch the computer to rewrite this but now I’m getting behind.  So here comes the very simplified version of the game session played on August 19th.

Clorox and the others raced out of the caves and into the woods.  Here they sought the cave they found shelter in before.  They couldn’t find it.  Once Flurry was revived, he found it and they took cover in the cave to heal and rest and decide whether to rescue Cedious or not.

Several days later Flurry spots what he thinks is a star then learns it is not.  An airship he thinks.  As it gets closer, it is an airship but with TWO rings.  Blue lights blink on its deck and below.  He goes to warn the others.

Meanwhile Cedious is now climbing out of the hell he has been within and sees the blue lights and airship.  He runs to skirt around the lights on the ground to spy on them.   They are highly trained dwarven soldiers.
He begins to hear the opening cries of war as the tyranids and dwarves begin battle.  He reaches the cave and wonders what is up.  Clorox nearly went to strike him within the brush.

Then the blue lights begin again and a few METORITE SWARMS are unleashed onto the tyranid hive home.

Pebbles flies up to investigate the ship.  Kim Elderich and Ore are here along with many soldiers and wizards.

Pebbles accuses Kim of being undwarven-like and cowardly.  Kim accuses them of disorderly wanton destruction (charging into a hive of fiends as a battleplan)

A smaller supply ship comes and the PCs are returned on it.

The group becomes bored in the Mror Holds and begin bar fights with the dwarves.  Being levels 13-15 they find no competition and being asked to move on by the authorities.   This is when Cedious decides they need to go to Karrnath to seek out Garrow.

On their way they find out the airship they had was not destroyed but stolen by the pilot known for stealing and pirating.


----------



## Solarious

Oh, don't worry. I'm still here watching. Keep going, don't mind me.

*munches on popcorn and watches Cedious dig his own grave*


----------



## megamania

Aren't we all?


----------



## Solarious

Speaking of which, I love the portrayal of Vol. She's got all the tools to become the evil arch-draco-lich that we all love and cherish. Have you advanced any of her capabilities (since we have level 13-15 rockets flying about)? Have you turned our resident vampire-wannabe into an archpriest yet? What kind of doomsday weapons shall Garrow pull out now? Any resources. Any allies. Bwahaha.

Speaking of which, has the Lord of Blades advanced his capabilities? We haven't heard from him, his flunkies, or the Sixty-Four lately. Plus we have everything and one converging on Xen'drik and the inevitable assembly of Xulo. This is going to be.... interesting. Especially for Cedious, to say the least.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Speaking of which, I love the portrayal of Vol. She's got all the tools to become the evil arch-draco-lich that we all love and cherish. Have you advanced any of her capabilities (since we have level 13-15 rockets flying about)?




If I ever dare have Cedious come within 100 miles of her I may have to advance her to about .... oh I guess 30th level  



			
				Solarious said:
			
		

> Have you turned our resident vampire-wannabe into an archpriest yet? What kind of doomsday weapons shall Garrow pull out now? Any resources. Any allies. Bwahaha.




He is getting VERY well set up and waiting for the groups to come, Cedious especially.



			
				Solarious said:
			
		

> Speaking of which, has the Lord of Blades advanced his capabilities? We haven't heard from him, his flunkies, or the Sixty-Four lately.




I have special plans for him.   He may not be seen for a long time however.  I have his orgins and special abilities ALL planned out and hope to deal with it within another Storyhour.  Either Chaos Effect or Dragon: Blue.



			
				Solarious said:
			
		

> Plus we have everything and one converging on Xen'drik and the inevitable assembly of Xulo. This is going to be.... interesting. Especially for Cedious, to say the least.




...and then some.   Especially seeing some of this points to the next campaign I hope to start next Spring called The Chaos Effect.


----------



## Solarious

Dare I ask what sourcebooks Garrow is setting up with?


----------



## megamania

Assuming things go as planned (yeah right) they will fight two iconic DnD creatures tommorrow.  These creatures have a way of making most groups worry and these guys know who is coming.



MM 3.5 page 26 and page 70  (only one player has MM and he is away)

welcome to Xen'drik.


I am also developing a very EVIL leader of Emerald Claw for Stormreach.  A Blackguard Archon Hound Hero.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Dare I ask what sourcebooks Garrow is setting up with?




Not entirely sure.  When I sat down to look at EN World and e-mails I pulled out his stats and now am trying to decide which way to go.  Level 18-20 either way.


----------



## Solarious

You evil, evil, evil little man. I love you to bits. 

You need any help in the 'I just crapped my pants' department, I'm more than happy to create a few blockbuster monsters. I'll also be extremely happy to help make Garrow a Cedious-killer.  Just drop me a PM and we'll scheme away somewhere Clinton can't hear us.


----------



## megamania

It will be a while before I catch up on the updates but half of the party did not survive Garrow's welcoming party.  oops.  Welcome to Stormreach where law and rules are what one can get away with.

I'm not out to "kill" any PC (it just happens) but I appreciate the thought.  Though a Ranger with halfling for hated foe and baned weapons for either chaotic or halfling with incredible Sence Motive and Spot skill checks would do a number on him I'm sure.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 259
09/01/06
“Korth, Karrnath”

Several months have gone by and the group had their fun in the mountains of Mror Holds and now have entered Karrnath and reached Korth using the Electric Rail.  They want Garrow and begin to tear up the bars and taverns of Korth as they did in the dwarven lands looking for him.  Instead they learn his son is getting married shortly.

Wedding Crashers

Then they learn he is having a party in the far end of town and go there to find the son and force Garrow out of hiding or at least to acknowledge them.  Unknown to the group, Garrow has no son and this is a complicated trap designed to get them to an area where they can openly attack them.

Doesn’t work.

In the beginning the group seek out Garrow’s son then decide he is not worth the effort and in all likelihood, doesn’t give a damn about him anyway.  They go back to Korth to Xen’drik.  They have learned he is there on a secret mission.

They set up their new portable home (made with Kim Elderich’s aid) and plant it directly next to the Airship tower in the park.  They have learned the next airship will not arrive for 6 days.  The authorities ask them to move.  They do.  About twenty feet to the left to get more sun and be out of the shadow of the tower.  

The authorities press them to leave but they refuse.  In fact, they throw a party for the natives to win support and further tick off the stuffy authorities.

On the third night, the party renews and goes late into the night.  A human woman is there that is very drunk and wants Cedious.   He ignores her until he learns she is the jilted bride of a local man.  The wedding was called off since many of the wedding party were either slain or seriously injured several nights ago (by these very PCs).   Cedious can not resist and takes the bait.

Pebbles is tired of human males with no stamina and looks for a dwarf.   She finds none and becomes bored with the party.  She enters the secure tower just in time to her the woman Cedious is with howl.  “Strange these humans and their idea of foreplay.”

Then the naked woman leans back and howls again but this time the howl is more bestial.  Hair begins to sprout out of her back and forearms.   Suddenly a very naked Cedious is thinking this woman (like all woman) is too much trouble.  “Hit it then quit it.” He says as he fumbles for his belongings on the floor, as the woman becomes a werewolf on his lap.

Pebbles is about to aid him when she hears more howls …outside.  Nearly every party goer outside is a werewolf!   

The group tears through the 35+ werewolves including a Werewolf lord whom forces his way into the open door of the building to attack Cedious.

Shortly there are many dead humans and the group decides they need to be going…  for a challenge.


----------



## Solarious

I take it some of them stared too long at an advanced Bodak and a few others fell prey to an advanced Devourer's trap essence power? 

And I suppose the only way to get attacked by over 35 werewolves in a world where an Inquisition (Yes, that's a capital I there! ) wiped most of them out is to be as hated as Cedious is.


----------



## megamania

'course this means he and the group  just became the Silver Flames bestest buddies.


----------



## Solarious

The only question on reader's minds is: who is more pissed at the arrangement?


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 260
09/01/06
“Goin’ South”

The Lyrandar Airship arrives within 20 minutes of its due time.  The Group waits for them at the top of the tower.  Supplies are taken off and passengers leave.  Several are leery of the large centaur and his oversized blade.  Captain Vaas d’Lyrandar has just completed his first trip captaining by himself.  Though reluctant, he goes to the PCs to find out what they want.

“I am Captain Vaas d’Lyrandar of the Dragonmark of Storms.  How can I aid you?”  He checks the six of them out.  A dwarf in heavy armor, a warforged lacking heavy armor, a halfling wearing a cloak, a monstrous centaur, a monster and an elf.  They can only be adventurers and adventurers equal two things- money and trouble- often both.

“I am Cedious and these are my friends.  We seek passage that is quick and can go over land and sea.  We hope to buy use of your ship to go to Xen’drik.”  Cedious puts on his biggest and most friendly smile he can manage.

“I don’t think so.” The captain says harshly.  “There is no way I will go to Xen’drik.  Especially using an airship of my family.”

“It is very important we reach Stormreach quickly.  We will pay you nicely.”

“No.  I care little for adventurers and especially adventurers whom think they can buy anything that they can not just take.  Another ship will come.  Try them.”

“No.   He will get away that way.”  Cedious is becoming testy himself now.  Pebbles steps up beside the rogue.

“I and my friends can help on the ship.  I have abilities to clean and fix your ship.  I could…”

Now angry the captain interrupts her. “Fix it?!?  Do you consider my ship in ill-repair?!?  How dare you!”
Flustered, he looks around for the authorities that have chosen this moment for a coffee break.  Not ready to give up, the Captain tries new tactics.

“This is strictly a cargo ship and I am new to controlling the elemental that powers the craft.  You would want a more experienced pilot and a craft designed for that trip.  I have of many rumors of the Thunder Sea and its storms.  No.  I can not help you.”

Cedious continues to badger him hoping he will break down and agree to it.  He continues to answer no with reasons of supplies and confidence of the ship and his abilities for such a trip.  Unknown to Cedious, Pebbles was prepared for such a reaction.

“Good sir, “ Pebbles grips her holy symbol, “I am certain you are the captain for us and this ship can do the job we are willing to pay for.  We will even pay any and all supplies required.”  Cedious frowns at that but notes how her symbol is lightly glowing.  He wonders what is up but decides to go with it.

“No dwarf.  Now begone.  I grow weary of this subject.”

“We seek to follow an evil person whom has killed many people including some of our friends.  Could you feel good and sleep well knowing you could have helped us stop him while merely doing your job?  A job you do well.”  The magic begins to weave out and to the captain.  He is helpless before the spell.

“I WILL NOT do this. I will not ach…….!”

“I believe your conscience is already bothering you good captain.  Please allow us to pay for supplies and services for the great house you represent and take us where we ask to go.”

“You ****ing bastards!   What did you do me?!?  I feel ill!”  He is very upset now.

“Help us on our QUEST, allow it to become your own QUEST and greatness will follow.”  Cedious smiles.

“Rotten food for you!” yells the captain as he cramps up in pain.  The spell begins to take full effect now.

“Supplies will cost you and I’m not cheap!”

QUESTed, Captain Vaas d’Lyrandar begins to tell his men that their leaves have been cancelled and they must prepare for going to Xen’drik.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 261
09/01/06
“Kim’s Hired Help in Xen’drik”

He was known as 241.  It was simple and gave him an unique identity.  No other warforged in Cyre or other countries had the name.  He wanted to be known as 241 even after the war ended.  Humans he traveled with tried to give different names but 241 always felt right to him.  Later, when he found the docent that became his best friend, he preferred the name even more so.  Two for One  had a name and now a purpose.  The Docent was intelligent and wanted to return to its home.  Home however was in Xen’drik.  241 found a way to reach there however.  Kim Elderich offered a job to him.  His unique knowledge of Xen’drik got him hired.  He was going to Xen’drik.  He was going to find his friend’s home.

The ranger from the Eldeen Reaches glared at the group before him.  He hated adventurers.  They were full of greed and cared little for the world beyond what they could immediately see and feel.  However, the village was dieing from the magical disease that only Elderich seemed to be able to stop and cure.  He had a dept to pay and if it took leading these adventurers through the jungles of Xen’drik for a few weeks until they found this temple of Xulo then fine- so be it.

If he could only find the next pepper, salt or even Basil thought the halfling cleric and member of the house Ghallanda.  He has been dreaming of traveling to Xen’drik to seek new and exciting spices for most of his life.  Even with the dangers of the Dragon marked killers, he hoped to travel to the infamous dark continent.  Everything had a flavor to it.  It was like an aura or a soul.  Thankyou Kim Elderich for allowing him to travel south to Xen’drik.  Thankyou.  Jenner Kole thanks you and your entire adventureing party.

Kimm Davidson focused on her Halberd tip.  Dol Arrah would be proud thought Kimm.  She was going to a dangerous place as the protector and guardian of an adventuring group seeking an anceint temple of the giants.  Praise be the power that is Dol Arrah.

Lennington Storm sighed deeply as he watched the female paladin stare at her halberd.  The cleric of the Silver Flame had seen much and heard more in his time during the war.  Thrane and the church was in trouble.  Something was wrong within Flamekeep.  He had heard the voice as promised but what he heard was dark and evil.  Uncertain and even afraid of the voice and what it may mean, Lennington fled the church and Thrane. Kim Elderich offered the means to quickly escape the darkening world of his beliefs.  “Was the Silver Flame really an evil creature looking to escape?”

The ½ Orc had forgotten that she had already shown her dragon mark of Finding to the Captain of the ship.  She thourghly enjoyed being a member of house Tharashk.  It allowed her to adventure and seek excitement anywhere she went.  When Elderich and that huge golem bodyguard of his came to her she was feeling down.  Her family was unhappy with her.  She was too outgoing and happy.  She was an embarrassment to the ½ orcs and humans of the Shadow Marches.  Humph.  What adventure could she find FIND in Xen’drik?

Talina Sil Lonadar carefully watched the seven adventurers she traveled with.  As a gnome, details were important to remember.  As an agent of the TRUST, it could prove to be life over death. Her country of Zilargo had seen Kim Elderich rise in power and riches very quickly.  He had contracted the building guilds there to secretly build the world’s largest airship.  He was massing up experts and professionals of the fields of Xen’drik and Construction.  It was rumored he was assembling the Creation Schema.  The TRUST needed to know for sure and learn even what the Creation Schema was.  She joined this group after studying Xen’drik and created a false background of having been to Xen’drik several times before.  Elderich bought it.  But now what?  Continue being the good adventurer and expert on Xen’drik or return home with what she had learned of the mysterious and powerful dwarf?

Tarmac leaned on the rails of the ship as it continued south to Stormreach.  This was the life he enjoyed, not that of the Dark Lantern of Breland.  He enjoyed the adventure of it all.  However, he had a bad feeling about this mission.  Elderich was in direct conflict with the Emerald Claw and the Steel Nation of the warforged within the Mournlands.  He had made many powerful enemies seeking this Creation Schema.  Even the Cannith house wanted him for questioning.  After learning of his Siberys Heir elemental aircraft he was considered a possible threat to the peace of the five nations.  This mission was going to be dangerous.  But that is what made it so appealing……

The eight adventurers snap out of their deep personal thoughts as a call of alarm goes out.  Pirates!


----------



## Solarious

Say... isn't using enchantments on people to change their minds for them illegal? Doubly so for a Dragonmarked family members, no doubt. 

And I love how you're making Cedious go up a sort-of good aligned adventuring party. It would give other people moral fits, but Cedious would probably go along with them for a moment and backstab them later.  Perhaps this is the pulpiest Eberron SH I've read, but it's also fun as hell, with the highest turnover of players and mortality rates. 

Say, who are the party members as of this point in the SH? And if you don't mind, what ever happened to Taskerdoo? Did it have anything to do with Lennington?


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Say... isn't using enchantments on people to change their minds for them illegal? Doubly so for a Dragonmarked family members, no doubt.




Yeah.  Cedious just added another Dragon marked family to his list 



> And I love how you're making Cedious go up a sort-of good aligned adventuring party. It would give other people moral fits, but Cedious would probably go along with them for a moment and backstab them later.  Perhaps this is the pulpiest Eberron SH I've read, but it's also fun as hell, with the highest turnover of players and mortality rates.




Just the group as played by the players.  Never thought of it as pulp but yeah I guess so.  When people do things that endanger themselves then accidents will happen.   And thankyou.  We're having fun also.



> Say, who are the party members as of this point in the SH? And if you don't mind, what ever happened to Taskerdoo? Did it have anything to do with Lennington?




The player designed Pebbles and wished to switch the halfling druid/mage out so I rushed in an idea.   I am creating an open-ended plot within Thrane that he has called into and yes- Lennington Storm is caught up in also.  More on Storm and his party shortly.

Current Party-

Clinton plays Cedious
Bill plays Pebbles
Jeff plays Talon


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 262
09/01/06
“Garrow reaches Stormreach”

The big man gently knocks on the door.  He was summoned here but did not wish to intrude all the same.
“Enter Keltis.” 

Keltis Doran was generally not a humble man.  Normally, if he wanted something or someone he got it as directly and with as much force as he could.  However, he was answering the call of his leader and at times ally- Garrow.

“You asked for me.” He says as walks into the well lit room that was the captain’s quarters of the ship.  The changeling stands at the full wall window with his back to Keltis and the door.  

“Yes.  Yes I did.  Please sit down.”  Garrow continues to look absently at the sea trailing their ship.  “As you know, I am on a mission given to me personally by Vol.  I am to go to Stormreach and stop any and all whom seek the Creation Schema and then take the prize from them.  I was given full use of anyone and anything controlled by the Claw to complete this mission.  Do you understand?”

Uncertain where this line of commentary is going, the cleric agrees. “Yes.”

“I think not.  One of the groups coming is lead by that damned halfling known as Cedious.”  The changeling now glares over his shoulder to note the cleric’s reaction.  “This same halfling killed me and chased you out of the mournlands.  Only by the will of Vol do I live and by my will- you live.”

Keltis doesn’t miss the veiled threat.  He will die if Garrow dies.

“What is your plan and wishes?” asks Keltis to keep himself in Garrow’s better graces.  “Will we kill the vile creature outright or shall we make him suffer?”

Garrow smiles.  “Both.  I want him to suffer as no foe of mine ever has.  He will then be brought back to only die again and again.  He will rue the day he surprised me and attacked from behind the corner of that building at Rose Quary.”

“Do you have a specific plan yet my Lord?”

“On board are several surprises for him.  Others wait for him at Stormreach.  We have even arranged the aid of Xandar and Xandor.”

“Beholders sir?  Can we trust them?”

“No. but I trust them more than the halfling.”


----------



## Solarious

I already see where this is going. Now I want to know what is the other nasty from the MM you're slinging at them.

... well, that and if Cedious manages to moon Garrow.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 263
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik”

The following few segments were not done by my regular group but with a new group I met for an Albany Gameday.  The players were 
1.Welverin
2.MavrickWeirdo
3.Zweihänder
4.Bip the Fool
5.Ember
6.Kevin

Some of these folks I’m sure you will recognize by user name.  Mavrick W played Talina but then I have no idea who played what.

The following was given to / read to them at the beginning of the game.   Something else to keep in mind, when I run a “convention” game I try to keep the role-playing within it.   I hand out basic appearances of characters.  Players chose from these.  Then I give them their final characters.  Each character is given a secret and basic thoughts on other player’s characters.  It worked very well this time.


The following is a handout I gave them and read to them to begin....


You and seven other adventurers have been traveling for weeks under the patronage of Kim Elderich.

The adventure began in Khorvaire where you and members of the party have been attacked by pirates, Emerald Claw agents, Turbulant Assassins and possible rogue agents from House Cannith.  Even the undead looked to stop you when you stopped in Sharn.  But none of these distractions prepared you for the next stop-  Xen’drik.

After nearly crashing your airship twice during sudden storms off the Dark Continent’s coast, you arrived in the port of Stormreach.   This is when you knew you were in for the adventure of your lives.  From the distance you saw stone ruins rising out of the jungle forest.  Nothing new.  Very typical in fact.  Then as you came closer to the shore you discovered these ruins were of giants.  Smaller and more conventional buildings made from wood, bamboo and straw collected in the protection of these giant buildings.

After docking, you learned the trip would take days to weeks on the river on a boat.  Why the uncertainty of time?  Like everything here, magic on a godlike level has twisted the natural laws of time and distance.  Only what you see before you is real.  By hiring a native guide you hope to lessen the impact but prepare for the worse.

The Rachi River snakes in and out of the jungle of Northern Xen’drik.  Here you have seen creatures mundane but wonderful to see.  Monkeys with blue faces and thousands of colorful and singing birds.  The plants are incredible and their scents intoxicating.  “Beware of the beauty- it can turn on you quickly.” Warns the guide.

In the next four days of travel you see some of these dangers.  Creatures large and small.  A mere insect kills one man by only biting him.  You witness a monkey being torn in two by separate vines fighting for his body.  A Dire Crocodile over 30ft in length settles the mess with one gulp that consumes all three.  And the dinosaurs-   The creatures of the Talenta Plains are dangerous but they so much smaller than these cousins.  And for all of these there are still the giants whom roam the lands and something the guide warns everyone of.   Drow.

These creatures are the single most dangerous hunters on the land.  They have many methods including magic to stalk and then attack you by.  Few have ever witnessed a drow clan and survived.  None that the guide knows of.

On the 6th day of travel a terrible storm builds up.  Little was dry before but once the rains began everything was dampened as if just emerging from the river.  It rained like this for the entire day and into the night.  As you looked to sleep or at least remain dry in your rooms there came a cry from above.  Suddenly the ship crashed into something.  Reaching the deck you found the guide and the pilot dead.  A sharp dagger or sword slit both of their throats.  Before you could investigate the bloody scene any further you discovered the ship had struck not the land or a submerged tree.

Angered by the attack- the Dire Hippos attack!  Their terrible husks tear up the wooden craft.  You have only time enough to escape the craft.  Most food and supplies are lost and several members of your party parish.  

Daylight comes and you know you are close to the area of the temple.  A meeting is called and a decision is reached- you continue on to find the ruins and explore them.  One way or another, you will return home and demand hazard pay for this!  DIRE HIPPOS INDEED!!!!!!


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 264
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART II”

Rokka Fraggit and Kimm Davidson never reach shore,  There is no signs of them surviving the wreck.  The group give their final respects before continuing down the river on foot.

Filzer the Human Ranger leads the way.  Jenner is close by.  He samples various grasses and weeds on the way which disturbs several party members.  Talina Sil Lonadar walks behind this group.  She watches everything with both interest and caution.  Behind her walks 241 and Tarmac.  241 rarely speaks.  Instead he follows the led of the others.  Tarmac notes everything and wonders about Talina.  She seems familiar to him but can not place her.  Her armor is definitely magic.  It appears like ½ plate but her moves are too graceful for that.  Lennington moves from the front to the middle and back looking over the trail and the people he is with.  The halfling that always is tasting random items annoys him to no end.

Uncertain of location and what lies ahead, several members agree they need to climb a tree to view further ahead.  Jenner is volunteered and he goes up (after all- who knows what spices or eggs may be in the tree canopies!)  He climbs up and looks ahead.  A soft blue glow can be seen near the river and a shadowy shape that appears like a temple lies in thick mist.  He climbs down and reports while licking at tree sap he got coming down.

They go to the glow first.

When they locate the source of the glow they find a ruined and half-sunken ship that is run onto the shore. It is very old and Talina feels it is a riverboat due to the flat and wide bottom it has.  Tarmac is the most curious of the group.  “Allow me to see what makes it glow.”  Lennington, Talina and Filzer surround the craft.  None hear the clicks or soft sizzle until after Tarmac sticks his head into an open hole of the hull of the craft.   

FA-ZAP!

Electrical bolts shot out and hit the four closest to the craft.  Filzer is directly hit by a bolt and is nearly killed.  Taking no chances, The Silver Flame cleric Flame Strikes the hull and everything within the ruin.  The 8 blue colored and stiff tailed lizards are killed instantly (Shocker Lizard Swarm).  As Filzer’s wounds are tended to Talina checks out the ship.  Most of it has been destroyed from the blast.  The creatures used it as a shelter.  

241 looks to Jenner, “That must have hurt.”

“The electric or the spell?”

“Both I would think.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 265
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART III”

The group continues down the grassy area that runs along side the river.  Lennington, Tarmac and Filzer review what the mission is.  Talina takes time out from educating the others of the bird sounds they hear to answer their questions.

“We were sent here by Kim Elderich to search one of three possible areas the Creation Schema temple is located.  It may have a forge built within it also.”

“A forge?” asks Lennington.  “What does this forge look like?”

“I’m not sure…”, he lies as he has seen one in Cyre before the Day of Mourning occurred, “…I believe it is a tall tube with energy and magical mists that create or at least give life to War forged.”

Tarmac listens carefully.  He also has seen one.  It was dysfunctional but still the halfling is correct.

“Then what?” demands Lennington.

“We report.” Answers Filzer hoping they will not want to explore it.

“And the best way to report is to first explore it.” Follows up Jenner watching a butterfly with purple and blue markings.  He falls behind to watch it for a moment.

241 stops to watch the strange halfling.  The halfling is checking out a flower when suddenly a shimmering image of a creature appears.  It attacks him, as do two others that attack 241 and Filzer whom have stopped to speak to the others about staying together.

The creature looks like a wrinkled bald bulldog with long protruding canine teeth and sharp-ridged claws.  Everyone tries to surround the creatures that attack again.  “How can we walk right by them and not notice them?” demands both Lennington and Talina in surprise and anger.   Talina watches the creatures for a moment then answers “psionics.”

241 carves up one creature.  “They are not native of Xen’drik.” He seems to just know.

Talina nearly kills one in sequence.  Her twin rapiers spin and twirl and slice the monstrous beast.

Filzer and Tarmac attack the last one.  Jenner tries his best to remove the creature’s drool from his hand.  It literally drooled on him as he reached out.

The creatures are defeated and they remind each other of the dangers of Xen’drik.

“Let’s move on.  We can’t be far from that temple Jenner saw and let’s hope it’s the one we are seeking.”

“Indeed.” Answers Lennington coldly.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 266
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART IV”

Further along the river’s edge the group begin to encounter a thick mist.  It is only about two-foot deep but for Jenner and Talina this is a lot.  Lennington becomes concerned about the quality of daylight also- more specifically- the lack of.  

“What time do you think it is?” the Cleric of the Silver Flame asks Filzer Foe Tracker.

“It should be Dawn but the darkness is not lifting.  Like this mist, it is unnatural.” Answers the Ranger.

“There are many ‘unnatural’ events that occur quite regularly within Xen’drik.” Quips the know-it-all gnome.  “Including that.”  The sharp-eyed gnome stops and points ahead.  A large figure can be seen on the path overwhelmed in shadow.  Its huge thick arms appear to be reached out to its side.  Everyone stops in the mist and becomes quiet except for 241 and Jenner whom continue to talk about things they have seen thus far and why Warforged are at a disadvantage since they can not taste food.  After a few motions to stop and be quiet there comes a sharp “ShHHHHHH!” from Talina.

They creep closer using the thick morning mist as cover and are very overwhelmed by the strong smell of death.  Undead is all they think at first then Talina stands upright and almost laughs.   Tarmac also.

“What is it?  What is so funny?” demands the cleric.

“Now that we are close enough to better see what lies ahead look again.” Says the Gnome while she points ahead.

Looking closer, the group sees a giant that is rotting.  Bones appear along the ribs and face.  What were believed to be thick limbs are in fact two roped logs.  This giant tripped a trap DESIGNED for giants.  “Look alive, we have thinking foes ahead.”

“How much longer until we reach that temple?” asks Tarmac of Jenner.

“Soon.”

The ranger looks closer at the body then follows where the trees were cut to set the trap.  “I figure this creature died within the last 3 days.  Let’s be careful.”  He looks through the tall grass leading to several large standing trees nearby.  Two well-hidden tracks are seen.   Medium sized humanoid wearing leather soled boots.  Drow?  “We need to be extra careful.  This looks like ….”CRASH THUD THUD THUD THUMP!

The stealth minded ranger turns and sees the warforged warrior known as 2-4-1 retrieves his large rock.  He then “bowls” it down the path again.  “What by the Traveler are you doing!?!” admonishes the Gnome.

“Checking for traps.  We can not be more careful.” And he rolls the rock again.  THUMP THUD THUD 

Everyone shrugs their shoulders and slowly follows the warforged as he retrieves his rolled rock.

The ranger looks at the spectacle and thinks to himself- If the mysterious drow were in the area still they would know anyway.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 267
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART V”

THUMP THUMP THUD! Bounces the large rock down the mist-covered trail.  The little voice in 2-4-1’s mind is eager to look at the temple.  Could it be the temple it searches for?  “The mist is getting thicker!” Calls out Jenner.  The mist now covers much of his head also.

“This temple we seek- did Elderich give any more details?” asks Lennington Storm.

“He spoke of a schema that can be assembled here and it becomes enhanced.  I believe it also has something to do with a Creation Forge for the warforged.” Answers Tarmac.  And this is what worries Tarmac and his Dark Lantern friends in Breland.  Is Elderich looking to create Warforged?  If so- why?  Is he building an army for the Mror Hold dwarves?   

“I thought House Cannith built the forges.” Questions Filzer whom has given up trying to be stealthy.

“Many think this and the House wants it to stay that way.  In truth, the House has rediscovered many of their best known creations from this land.  There are many implications.” Points out the gnome Trust agent whom now goes off a tangent of information involving past discoveries and revelations here.  Most of the people block him out as they walk on.  The thick fog is clearly getting thicker and the sun is NOT rising.

Another thirty minutes of tossing the rock down the path 241 begins to see a break in the trees ahead.  “I think we are there!” he says loudly.  His docent commands him to hurry now.

The fog, even in the open is pea soup thick.  However it is not as high here in the open.   There is a field 100 x150 feet wide.  In the center sits a large giant sized temple.  Rocks pop out of the mist in several locations surrounding the temple.  “We are there!” says the warforged as he picks up his trap detecting rock.

“Wait up 2-4-1  We need to be careful here.” Calls out Tarmac.  His quiet nature cover begins to lift and he begins to take command and act more confident.  Talina is certain she knows him now.  And to know someone in her line of business makes him either a remarkable person or a spy.

They continue on the path that leads to the temple.  Then Filzer notes something about the fog.  “241!   Jenner!  Wait!”  He studies the fog once more.  Talina looks at him.  

“The mist is in motion.  It flows out from the temple.”

“If I was taller I could have told you that.” Thinks out loud the Gnome

Tarmac looks at it.  “You are right.  And it seems to rise then spread out.  Could there be a pit there?”

241 and Jenner continue to hurry ahead.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 268
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART VI”

“Look- Stone arches!” exclaims Jenner.

Rising through the blinding mist is two pillars that arch over the path.  Strange runes or inscriptions are on these.

“When we say stop we mean stop!” says Filzer once he catches up with them.

“The path becomes stone now.” Replies 241 as he looks past the pillars.

“Not a path- a bridge.  Look closer warrior.”  Says Tarmac as he reaches them.

Talina doesn’t bother speaking to the warforged warrior.  She is checking out the inscriptions.

241 looks and sees a shadowy edge of the pit.  “oh”

“Is the bridge safe?” asks Jenner looking at the first ten feet of it.

THUMP THUD!  The rock bounces across.  A piece is heard breaking free.

“We really need to stop that 241.”

While Talina looks at the broken pieces of the one arch, Jenner and Filzer lower themselves into the mist.  Jenner finds the pit is roughly 25ft deep.  The bottom is thick with foggy mist as above.  The ground here is dry with an occasional stone.   “Strange” he says.  He then begins to explore the edges even as the ranger reaches the bottom.  He checks out the bottom for tracks or other important findings.  He finds hints of well-hidden footprints.  No trail but there was something or someone here at one point.

“Bow before…..” Talina tries to decipher the runes of the ancient giant language.

“Bow before the hidden moon and pay your respects” says 241 very quickly.  Talina is annoyed.  The warforged figured it out before she did.

Two members are below exploring and three others discuss what to do.  Lennington becomes impatient and storms across the bridge. 

Looking for new evidence or direction, Filzer looks for more prints even as Jenner looks at the mosses that grow here.  

The others climb around the remaining pillars and arches in fear of a trap and hurry up to reach the Cleric of the Silver Flame.  “Strange design.” Says the cleric as he looks at the stairs leading into the temple.  Talina once more looks over the rumble.  There are pieces with runes here also and she is determined to learn what it says.  With 241’s help they can translate some of the message.  It speaks of a hidden moon and darkness.

Deciding they will find nothing and the may become separated shortly from the main party, Jenner and Filzer climb up the rope and join the group at the base of the stairs.

Talina explains that the center stairs are sized for giants.  The twin stairs on the sides are designed for elves.
241 goes to climb the elven stairs but the docent speaks out and freezes his body.  “We are NOT slaves.  We will climb the center stairs.  The ones of my people and status.” It says coldly into the confused warforge’s mind.   

With great difficulty he climbs the stairs.  The others follow after exploring the edges of the temple.  There is grassy land surrounding the temple that leads to another pit on the backside of the structure.

The climb the large scale stairs and enter the columned temple.  Each breaks off to explore the room here.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 269
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART VII”

There are four sets of stairs that go up the outside of the temple.  These are sized for elves.  Inside the temple are several columns that hold up the upper layer and roof.  Large stone doors are set about 5 feet off the ground on either wall to the sides.  The two ends are both open.  One has the bridge and stairs and the other has a large stone block with bamboo and wood next to it.  Each member goes to search.

Lennington asks an important question.  “This Creation Schema, where would it be and what would it be used for?”

Talina answers followed by Tarmac.  “The Creation Schema is said to hold the secrets for creating the warforged race.  House Cannith once held it but lost the parts during the war.”

“Specifically, this schema is used to operate or maintain a Creation Forge.”  He now looks at the gnome.  This gnome knows far too much about the schemas.  Is he a member of the Trust?

“241- you seem to know much about the area, what can you tell us?” asks the cleric.

The warforged warrior is busy searching the doors and while gripping one to open it replies.  “She doesn’t know much about the schemas.“   Everyone misses the wording.

The door opens and he finds old straw and dirt.  There is a hole carved into the floor about 10 inches around.  The space is 5ft by 10ft by 10ft.  Not sure what to make of it he goes to the next door.  Meanwhile Filzer and the Cleric have made it to the block.  There is a bamboo ladder leading on the block.  Looking around they see strange grooves in the stone work.  The cleric is certain what this is and Filzer confirms it when he finds dried blood on it.

“Sacrificial block?   I didn’t think the old giant race did that?” comments the ranger.

“What concerns me the most is the new additions.  This block is still in use.”

Jenner comes over and climbs the ladder.  She confirms the marks and areas to tie down a person of medium size.  Looking out, she sees many of the stone pillars that rise just above the mists and looking down she sees a dark area.  “I think I found a pit.”

“A feeding pit.” Adds Lennington.  Suddenly there is commotion behind them.  241 has opened a door and several Dire Rats leap out.  Short work is made of the creatures since they are more intent on escaping.  This space is like the other but with a nest built in.

“Looks like the rats used the hole to come and go.” Says Jenner once she arrives.

Talina looks again at it and studies it for a moment.  “Those are not doors.  They are holding cells.”

“So far up?” questions Jenner.

“Who built this temple?  Giants.  Considering their size vs. ours, these are shelves with covers that could be locked.”

“…and the holes?”

“Air and waste disposal I would guess.”

“Ugh!” says Jenner whom was trying to climb up to look better.

“If you are done with the animals I think we need to reconsider the situation.”

“What is it Lennington?” asks Filzer

“I doubt this is the temple we are looking for.  There is no Forge here.  Just a waste pit for sacrificing living creatures.”

Elderich never gave any guarantees.  He said this was one of three possible locations.” Adds Tarmac.  “I still want to look around.”

“Be my guest.  I will wait outside.” Answers the cleric.

“Shall we check out outside and climb the stairs?  Maybe there is something there of interest.” Adds Talina as Jenner begins for the stairs.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 270
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART VIII”

One of the four sets of stairs is damaged.  Jenner carefully climbs over the cracked and crumbling section.  The stairs meet on the upper most level at two points opposite of each other.  The one end is open and over looks the pit Jenner found near the block.  The other side has thirteen round holes of varying sizes.  The sizes are 6 inches to 13 inches.

Finding various clues Talina guesses these holes somehow relate to the moons and wonder how they relate to this temple.  They find 13 divots on the floor and guess that at certain times in history these divots somehow line up with the holes.

Looking further, they find a leather water pouch left behind by someone.  On the outside is a carefully painted image of a white scorpion.  Talina tells the group of the scorpion motif the Drow have.  It is being suggested that drow have been here and used the pit and slaying block.

Finding nothing but Guano in other areas, Lennington decides it is time to go.  He encourages the others to leave also.  It will be a long way home.  Most follow him except for Jenner and Tarmac whom are curious about the pit.  “What if the pit holds the Forge?”

While the others cross the bridge, these two backtrack to the pit.


----------



## Solarious

13? Nah, it couldn't be! 

And hasn't anyone learned that splitting up is a bad idea?


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> 13? Nah, it couldn't be!
> 
> And hasn't anyone learned that splitting up is a bad idea?




If not, they are reminded of it shortly.  To be fair, it was about 6:45 when this decision was made.  The game block was to end at 7pm so some players got ansy and decided there was nothing to lose.... except for their characters.

Ask Bill aka Flurry about this rule also once I get to update the main groups activities.  They had a rough encounter four weeks ago.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 271
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART IX”

Tarmac watches from the temple’s sacrificial block as Jenner works her way down to the pit.  “It stinks here!” he calls out to his teammate above.  “Stinks like rotten meat!”.

The halfling gets a bit closer then notices something about the mist.  It is escaping from the pit.  He calls this up and Tarmac decides to climb down next.  “What could it be?” he asks the human warrior once he arrives.

“Smells bad.   That would have to be a lot of dead people to smell like that.  How deep is the pit?  I can’t see too far into it.”

The Ghallanda halfling pulls out a copper piece and drops it.  Even his sensitive ears do not hear it ever hit bottom.  “Must be deep.”

“Maybe deep enough for a forge.  Lets try something bigger.”

A piece of broken off temple is pushed in.  This time something is heard.  “It went ‘squish’! “ exclaims the halfling.

“Try rope.” Offers the human.

The rope is lowered and disappears as it enters the pit.  They pull the rope up and it reappears.  “A powerful darkness spell to hide whatever is within…. Great.” says Tarmac.

“What next?” asks Jenner. 

“One of us needs to climb in using the rope.” He says while looking at the halfling who has already proven to be a great climber.

“NO!  It smells like rotted food and meat in there!   NO! No! No!”  Exclaims the cleric / Dragon Heir whom back-peddles away from the edge and nearly falls into the unknown of the mist.

“Very well.  I’ll go.” Says the Breland spy.  At this point he feels he needs to know if a Forge is there hidden under a darkness spell and possibly illusionary smells.

His foot touches the spell effect and disappears.  He instinctively withdraws his foot quickly.  Sighing and uncertain if this is really wise, he continues down.  When nearly submerged in the darkness he calls for a torch.  Jenner gives him a lit torch and he slides into the darkness.  Jenner listens carefully hoping against hope he will not be hearing screams of pain and agony.

The smell is terrible but finally Tarmac breaches the darkness spell.  It is a shaped spell that has created a zone of darkness 2 feet thick and covers the entire entrance to the pit.  The mist rolls out from the walls and along the ceiling until it escapes through the spell and into the outside areas.  There are several large columns and something large and wet below.  He swings the torch towards the mass and discovers a HUGE pile of intestines below.  They are still wet and sticky with internal juices and fluids.  Nauseated, Tarmac lowers himself still further.

Then suddenly the mass of internal organs strikes out and grabs his leg with a coil of guts!

“AGH!  Jenner I need your help!”

Nothing is heard from above.

Tarmac struggles to pull free and can not from this Huge Undead Visceral Mass.

DM NOTES:  It is now 7:10pm and we have to stop since I promised to be home around 8pm.  Albany is 45-75 minutes away and I am in an area of Albany I do not know (meaning more than 500ft from the thruway).   The following segment is what MAY have happened.  It was not played out but reveals much about the temple and what it is for and acts as a lead in to CHAOS EFFECT which is my next campaign that will begin next summer.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 272
09/09/06
“ALBANY GAMEDAY- Xen’drik PART X”

“Quiet 241.  We are not alone!” admonishes Lennington in a harsh whisper.

“But my boulder…”   SHEESH!

The warforged fighter stares at the cleric with no emotion visible on its metallic face.

Filzer, the ranger crouches and crawls into the thick mist just as it reaches the forest once more.

There is a sudden burst of activity then silence.

“I figure it is the Drow.” Says the Zilargo spy gnome known as Talina as she pulls out her twin small sized rapiers.

“Perhaps If I caste ARRRGH!”  A short spear bursts through his thigh.

Talina begins to swings open and broad swings around her as one would in a training exercise.  Using the few words she has been is Drow for I mean no harm she calls out   “- Take the little one first- “.

Jenner has managed to climb to the surface of the rocky structure that the temple is built on and spots several dark figures searching the grounds.  “Uh-oh.”

“Tarmac- we have company….”  She quietly says.

He answers with a scream of pain and surprise.

The halfling looks into the darkness then back to the where the figures were.  They are gone.  He looks down and sees nothing but can see the rope swinging and jerking wildly like a line to a fishing pole.  “Ah crap….” And she looks back and sees the leather boots of a humanoid and the tip of a spear leveled at her head.  “Ah crap….”

Tarmac quickly drops the torch to the side of the creature and reaches for his sword.  More loops of intestines are coiling up to strike him.  He cuts himself free.  The boot is heavily damaged from digestive acids and icor.  He then begins to swing himself on the rope from one side to the other until he reaches the wall.  Here he pushes off the wall and leaps away from the mass and picks up his torch again.

He looks around and sees two smaller masses of coiled guts that seems slightly different.  They are dry- not covered in ooze.  “What have we stumbled into here?”

The mass shifts to find its meal again.  Suddenly there is a grunt of pain and the speared halfling falls through the darkness spell and into the mass before him.  The coils roll unto itself and swallow up the dead halfling.  Tarmac looks around and sees several places high up where the ooze may not be able to reach him.  It will be hard to climb there but he is willing to try.  Then a loud clank is heard.  Looking to the sound, he spots Lennington Storm bleeding and unconscience.  

The ooze stops then begins to move to him.  Tarmac rushes around the mass easily out distancing it and picks up the heavily armored cleric in a fireman carry position.  “Why does everyone think heavy armor is awesome?” says the rogue fighter to himself.

He struggles to toss the cleric into the spot he had seen and then climbs there himself.   He hopes his aura of non-detection holds up as he huddles into the corner with no torch which slowly burns still on the floor.

Two dark figures slide down the rope.  The ooze stops and slowly moves away and eventually to a dark corner out of sight.

The dark skinned elf with white hair steps up to a wall with small holes.  This is where the two strange looking creatures went.

“Yes.  The believers were killed.  The others were saved for use.”

A moment of silence.

“No, the construct fled into the forest.”

The drow squirms in obvious pain.

“Yes…. I will hunt down the construct and destroy it.”



And thus Tarmac and Lennington are witness to the beginning of the Chaos.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 273
09/17/06
“Stromreach”

It takes many days to reach Stormreach in Xen’drik.  The elemental airship limps along with the aid of Pebbles doing some on it.  The captain remains quested and is very unhappy about it.  They fly over many small islands on the way.

The waters here are choppy from the strange and unpredictable weather conditions that come and go within this region.  As they near the land the ship is nearly destroyed twice by savage storms.  The clouds are low and thick with lightning streaks made of many colors.

The group are warned these storms are very dangerous.  They are called Chaos Storms.  Anytime the lightning strikes there are altered conditions there.  Sometimes the undead seem to come to life, other times magic goes dead or becomes unpredictable.  There are reports of it altering elementals also.  This possibility scares the pilot enough to keep far away from the clouds and their magical and cursed lightning strikes.

From several dozen miles away, Cedious and the others can see the area referred to as Stormreach.  There are towering stone structures here that rise about the tree line and canopy top.  Several ships are anchored offshore and other smaller ships are at the several docks located here.

“Do you think Garrow knows we are coming?” asks Pebbles of Cedious.

“I can only hope so.” Replies the rogue.  

As the ship closes in on the port they see giant stone structures that lay in partial ruin.  Wood and clay structures mixed with bamboo have been built within and between the ancient structures.  The ship redirects itself to follow the shoreline.  The quested captain has never been here before but has heard tales from other captains and mentors.  He aims the ship for a giant sized obelisk marked with runes.  Commanding the fire elemental to slow down the ship nears the stone tower and the crew prepare lines to tie off the ship.

Once the ship stops and it is tied and secured, the new captain asks the elemental to withdraw into the shard until asked to come out.  The ship made of floatwood hovers in the gentle sea breeze.

“We’re here.  Let’s go.”

The spell effect lifts and the captain curses at the group.  “You will hear from the house leaders!”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 274
09/17/06
“Welcome to Stormreach”

Cedious and the group walk onto the wooden gangplank that is the dock for the airship.  It stands about 100ft off the ground.  The plank leads to a watch area or possibly where a signal fire once was kept for the original builders.  From this point, there are bamboo and wooden stairs that lead down following the edges of the hollowed out tower of stone.  The steps lead down to the ground within the tower.  At the base of the steps is a welcomer.  The human is dressed in clean well-made clothes.  He welcomes the group to Stormreach and directs them to a table area in the center of the tower.  Here a very beautiful female human works papers occasionally writing or reading some of the papers.

“Welcome to Stormreach.  Stormreach is the gateway to Xen’drik; The home of adventure and fortunes just waiting to be found.   Are you here for pleasure or business?”

“I hope for both.” Says the rogue as he tries to charm her.  He notes the plunging collar of her thin satin top and almost can make out all of her bodily features.  She repeats herself twice until Pebbles answers for Cedious.  “Adventure and research.  We hope to learn more about the area.”

“Oh wonderful.  I must ask you to write your names and last place you called home here.  I will mark business as the reason for coming.  What kind of business will you be doing?”

“We seek an old friend whom is believed to be here.  He tends to be shy and avoids trouble.”

“We wish no trouble and as such I must warn you, the streets here allow for an open community.  People of all walks of life and beliefs are free to be here.  We as such sometimes have heated arguments.  I hope your ‘friend’ will not cause any trouble.   What is his name?”

Pebbles hesitates as she tries to think of a way to avoid lying to her.  “Garrow.  He is a changeling that works for the Emerald Claw.” Blurts out Cedious.   He hopes to find the allusive changeling by having him come to him instead.

“The Claw are welcomed here as much as any other religion, race or nationality.” She shifts in such a way that the halfling has a closer view of her chest.

“Where could we go to find specific people here?” asks Ippikak.

“Many taverns are to the right of this community center.  There are rooms, food and other … entertainment there.”

“Really?” says the rogue.  “Entertainment… what kind?  I like entertainment.”

“All kinds.  Some can be very HOT and compelling.  I could show you if you wished.”

“Yes!   I mean yes, I would like a private tour.  I’m sure the others can procure a room and the such.   Right guys.”

“Sigh.   Yes.” Says the dwarven battlesmith in wariness.

“I am free in a few hours to find entertainment for you.  Just what is your name again?”

After a short five minutes of signing the papers and writing in Clorox’s name for him, the group leave the community center and turn right to locate the taverns she spoke of.

“So, Boddynoc, where to?” says Pebbles nearly in disgust.

“Not far away I hope.” Smiles the rogue.  

In the next two hours, the group witness Silver Flame, Emerald Claw, Sahuagin, ½ giants and other groups and races wandering around.  Stormreach is as much of a melting pot of cultures and races as suggested by the woman.  They also pick a fight with an Emerald Claw member speaking to an Ogre about possibly killing someone that night.

They also learn of two taverns that Emerald Claw members often go to.  With no fear, the group goes to the first one.  All except Cedious whom has a private guide to find entertainment.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 275
09/17/06
“Gathering Storm Fronts”

Cedious finds entertainment within the locked doors of the tower beginning on the desk and moving to the floor.  As her intense release of personal energy is vocally released she morphs from one beautiful female to another.  Cedious is taken back for as far as a personal prayer to himself that the changeling is in fact female naturally and not a male taking on a female form.

Meanwhile, the others learn several important facts.  One, Garrow is indeed within Stormreach.  Two, he is gathering many guides, thugs and unmentionables for a special job.  Further rumor has it as a mission that is very personal to him.  Further gathering of information suggests they have a secret meeting place located on the docks somewhere.

Armed with this information, they pick and end several fights with Emerald Claw members before leaving to find the rogue.  The sun has settled and the first three moons have risen when they decide to try finding Cedious at the community center.

Ippikak is about to knock on the locked door when he hears a female call out to Boddynoc.  Shaking his head in shame and embarrassment, the elf turns.  “He is finding entertainment still.”

Finally the rogue leaves and finds the group waiting for him on the dock close by.  “Was it good for her as well as yourself?” asks Talon while still picking at an imaginary piece of dirt on his weapon’s edge.

“I won’t tell.”

“Don’t need to.  Half of the block heard her.”

The group continues to pick on Cedious and his lustful needs until they reach the warehouse the Emerald Claw was rumored to have a special member waiting at.  They do find a secret door to it and most of the group enters.  Flurry and Talon wait outside.  Flurry notes some activity on the docks.  He climbs up the building and watches from a hidden spot.  A person comes to the dock entrance where a sunken sink was once anchored.  He spends 10-15 minutes there then leaves.  A minute later, another person comes by and does the same thing.  And again.  Flurry decides to investigate further on his own.

Within the warehouse, the group discusses what to do.  Burn down the place is mentioned more than once.  General destruction of the property within the warehouse is another common thought.  Little is found inside.  There are hints that the Emerald Claw has been here however.  They find empty crates from Korth and a helmet with the distinctive split visor.  Then they realize that Flurry is not there anymore.


----------



## Solarious

When did Boddynoc come back from the grave? Again?  Speaking of which, is the fun about to begin?


----------



## megamania

Cedious is using Boddynoc Grinkle as his alias so as to avoid trouble.

Xandar and Xandor make an appearance shortly.

Later the group once more does something I did not predict that changes the entire game (again).


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 276
09/17/06
“Xandor & Xandar”

Flurry watches as three Emerald Claw members in their full armor and cape walk down the dock.  They look for witnesses then climb onto the bow of the sunken ship.  They disappear from view.  A sailor continues to stand at the dock entrance.  He pretends to have not seen the three leave the dock and board the mostly sunken ship.

Flurry decides to find out more.  The moment the guard at the dock leaves he knows he has about one minute with no guard.  He races across the courtyard of the warehouse building and to the dock.  The dock has several rotten boards that slow him down, as he must be careful where to step.  He reaches the area the men went and steps down onto the ship.  Here he discovers a hidden catwalk under the pier that goes back to shore.  He begins to climb onto it when he spots something also under the dock.  Something large and floating above the water yet under the dock.  It has what looks like tentacles and one eye.

He turns and flees.

The creature he saw flies out after him and as he climbs onto the dock again another one flies up from under the dock cutting him off.

At this point Talon notices the warforged monk is missing and alerts the others.  They look and see him scramble up from under the dock.  They know if he is running then there is trouble so they in turn then begin to run.

The warforged is struck by two rays fired from what he thought were tentacles but are instead eyes.  The first beam washes over him, as he will not bow to their wishes.  The second hits him and he feels himself fall apart at the molecular level, soon he becomes fine metallic dust with a few magical items mixed in.  The gentle breeze from the sea begins to draw him into the air and onto the waters as the group reaches the dock.

The guard is surprised as Clorox charges down onto him and the centaur warhulk kills him outright. Ippikak begins to fire arrows at the Beholder that killed Flurry.  The second Beholder flies down the dock to deal with Talon and Cedious whom are looking to cross the dangerous dock.

Beams of energy wash over both and Cedious ignores the beam’s power but Talon is painfully hurt from the inside – out as he resists death but falls under their brief command.  He leaps off the dock into the water where he is slowed down to a crawl and becomes much easier to hit.  Cedious decides to leap into the water also to pretend to be under their control.

Clorox is fearful to charge down the dock but fears the beams of energy even more.  He taunts the creatures even as he treads lightly on the dock, which creaks and cracks loudly.  Pebbles decides to fly at them to attack instead of using the dock.  One anti-magic beam later and she is swimming (sorta).

Ippikak hires into the closest Beholder causing it to roar out in pain.  Ippikak is zapped and killed for his troubles.

Cedious climbs out of the water and onto the under dock catwalk.  Using the dock for shelter, he sneaks up on the one Aberration nightmare and scores a critical strike with his dart.  It splashes into the water dying.  The other creature circles around to find out what killed its brother.  It comes to close to the dock as Clorox strikes it.  The dock’s inferior condition turns out to be a hoax- a magical illusion complete with sound effects.

For his effort he is struck by the Charm Monster, Finger of Death and disintegration rays in that order and fails each one in that order.

DM NOTE:   I fear a TPK at this point.

Pebbles flounders out of the anti magic area and flamestrikes the beholder.  Set on fire, Cedious darts it from under the dock.  Talon finally reaches the dock and proceeds to pull himself out.  He is not happy.

Finally, with more divine attacks and another few darts the creature goes down.  They collect what they can of their friends and anything they can sell before returning to the main section of Stormreach.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 277
09/17/06
“The Emerald Claw Game Plan”

The changeling paces within the secret underground location used by the Claw in Stormreach.  These tunnels were once used by Giants and their slaves 1000’s of years ago.  Once discovered by the claw, they sunk a ship near the entrance and treated the area magically to discourage others from locating the site.  Now they are slowly exploring and controlling portions of these tunnels under Stormreach.  This is where Garrow hopes to trap Cedious and his friends and kill them in the name of Vol and of course revenge.

Finally the person in charge of these catacombs arrives.  The changeling makes enough eye contact to show his lack of fear but not to challenge the outsider.  The dog headed outsider pauses only long enough to look over the Changeling before going to his table and chair.

“Lord Certaind, I am pleased to meet you at last.” Lies Garrow.

“Humph.  Indeed.   I understand Vol herself has sent you here.  That is a great honor.  Do not shame yourself or myself by failing.”  The evil Hound Archon Hero replies.  His threat is only slightly veiled.

“I understand your plan is designed to aid me also.   How do you plan to destroy them?”

“I wish to lead them here and run them through a gauntlet of traps of servants.   I will lead them directly to the outer most section where I understand there are …issues.  Either they will deal with the issues or die trying.  Either way, glory comes to Vol and yourself.”

The Blackguard of Vol considers this plan for a moment.  His eyes never leave those of Garrow.  “Very well.  I have several undead that can help you a few security measures to weaken them.  How will you get them to go into the caverns?”

“I will become invisible and cling to the ceiling of a room that I doubt they will spend much time within.”

“Very well.”  Certaind stands up.   “Long Live Vol.”

“Long Live Vol.”  And Garrow turns to leave.  He hopes this dog will die by accident along with Cedious.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> When did Boddynoc come back from the grave? Again?





Who said he was destroyed?  oh yeah- Cedious.    [plug evil laughter here]


----------



## Solarious

Well, at least we all know Cedious is just dandy if he can still kick the campaign in the nads even if he just underwent a semi-TPK.


			
				Certaind and Garrow said:
			
		

> “Long Live Vol.”



Hee. Nazis, much? 


			
				Garrow said:
			
		

> “I will become invisible and cling to the ceiling of a room that I doubt they will spend much time within.”



Sounds like something that would work on Cedious. But you never know.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Well, at least we all know Cedious is just dandy if he can still kick the campaign in the nads even if he just underwent a semi-TPK.
> Hee. Nazis, much?
> Sounds like something that would work on Cedious. But you never know.





Plans of Mice & Men......


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 278
09/17/06
“Schemes and Stormreach”

The person known as Dangerous Dice Dan knows nearly everything about Stormreach.  He has contacts with the Emerald Claw, Silver Flame and Wayfinders that alert him to major and minor events.  The thieves guild passes on information for a cost.  Then he has various informants from there including the greeter at the airship tower.  This same person has just left after reporting some important information to him.  Cedious is here.

He was warned about Cedious and the others already.  He knows that the other groups will pretend to be here innocently or to do something other than search for this magic artifact they all seek.  However, Cedious hangs out with a rogue group that is not very tactful.  He will cause an outbreak of violence within Stormreach.   For this reason alone he needs to remove the annoying halfling.  

He begins by leaking rumors of the rowdy and dangerous group.  None will care but once Cedious or any of his party does something to draw attention to them then the lies will be much easier to believe.  He hires a Changeling to travel the taverns and bars.  Rumors of Cedious as a rapist and general evil person spread.  Rumors of the x-breed being of fiendish blood spreads in some areas.  Rumors of the elf coming to Xen’ drik to kill a dragon spread.  With some luck a dragon will hear them and become annoyed enough to confront them. 

Then being very cautious, he begins to fortify his position within the frontier town.   Traps are set up along with extra guards.  Research is done.  Perhaps the fools in greed can be lead to a treasure- guarded very well by something unearthly in power.  Any if this fails, there is Xen’drik itself.

The land was ripped apart by magic and psionics on unheard of levels.  Giants, Dragons and Mental Monsters of the Nightmare Plane did battle and the result is time ripples, reality ripples and quite possibly these new magical storms.  The Chaos Storms began recently and have become ever more present and powerful.

And if this fails- there is always his cousin in Aundair.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 279
10/01/06
“Enter the Lair of the Claw”

After taking a few moments to collect magic items from their killed teammates (to sell later) the three survivors crawl down the hidden catwalk into the cavern openings under the dock.  The tunnel is rough and acts as a spillway for the bay when the tide is high or rough.  There are signs of many people walking in and out which doesn’t persuade Cedious, Pebbles or Talon from entering the possible Xen’drik HQ of the Emerald Claw.

After about 250ft the rough rock cavern / grotto begins to be worked and made easier to travel.  Eventually two large heavy doors appear within the sight of Cedious’ lantern.  Looking at the lock he is uncertain at first how to go about it.  The handle and locks are about five feet high.  Cedious requires help to reach the locks.  Once steadied, he easily opens the lock and together they open the doors built by Giants.

The hallway is plain stone and 20 foot wide and twenty foot high.  They go about 100ft before reaching another door.  This one is open and allows only a person of medium size to fit.  Talon needs to suck in his breath to fit through.  The hallway here branches off to the right.  They opt to go forward instead.  This leads to a room that is 40x50 feet.  There are three branches from this room along with a huge crystalline statue of an armored giant with a shield and a saw-edged scimitar. 

Cedious finds a plaque below but the inscription has been nearly completely destroyed by a vandal.  At this point a hidden undead creature attacks.  Pebbles attacks it quickly doing a great deal of harm.  The undead bone cleric calls on its help.  Two Giant skeletal Cloud Giants enter the fray along with several spiked smaller skeletons.  Surrounded, they fight their way out.  The skeletons explode when destroyed causing a brief moment of confusion and dismay.  Especially when the giants explode and two members are hurt when caught in the explosion.

Even as they rest for a moment and look over the weapons and gear the undead had more undead creatures attack!  Skeletal Nessian Hellhounds attack.  Their fires burn and belch from their guts through their mouth.  The group is more concerned about if they explode when destroyed than the fire.  With these destroyed, the group looks into the room these and the skeletal giants came from.  Bones of most every type of humanoid can be found here.  Pebbles looks them over and sees several are under magical augmentation.  He destroys these before they are complete.

They have the choice of going forward or to the right.  They turn right.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 280
10/01/06
“Summoning Pit”

Before they move away from the room Cedious hears something behind them.  Turning he sees several Emerald Claw fighters and a War Mage rushing in a spread out formation to them.  “Incoming!”  

Wisely, they concentrate on the mage with ranged weapons and spells before he can attack.  Once defeated, they check the room they came from and find living area for many soldiers and support.  Nothing of great value is found so they return to the hallway they were going to explore.

As they go down the long hallway they can hear a grinding sound of stone on stone and a gentle buzzing sound.  As they run around the corner they see a pit in the flow.  “I have dibs!” shouts the halfling.

He runs over to it thinking he will relieve himself within it when a very large frog-faced creature rises up from the shallow pit.  “A Hezrou!  It must have been summoned here once the Claw heard us arrive!” calls out Pebbles.

Talon attacks the creature quickly.  The creature summons up another Hezrou beside it.  “Shut it down!” yells Cedious fearing there will soon be dozens of these monstrous bulky Tanari.

They kill one then attack the second one whom fails to summon aid to it.  It dies soon after.

“We can’t keep this up for long.  We need help.” Advises Pebbles to Cedious. 

“And healing time.” Adds Talon

Cedious frowns.  He can see the scratches in the floor.  There is a secret door here.  Garrow is close.  So very close.   “Yes….you are right.” He says with great disappointment.

They back track and leave the grotto and find there are no bodies remaining within the water or one the dock.  The Claw has been here covering their fight up.

“By stopping, we are giving them time to prepare and ready themselves against us.” Says Talon looking around then into the ruins that are Stormreach.  He knows someone is watching them even now.

“Then we better be quick about it and gather up good help.” Says Cedious as he goes to find a place to sleep.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 281
10/01/06
“The new Team”

They are amazed by the fact that they got a room at a tavern and then were not attacked during the last hours of the night nor during the morning.

They crawl out of their room after some healing and get food, drink and a new team.  They learn of a place to go to find other adventurers or warriors for hire.  They stand around for a bit and find many so called adventurers that all look too inexperienced for their types of adventures (revenge at the moment). Just as they are about to go to a tavern for more food and new prospects they see another three armored people that look like experienced adventurers.  There is a heavily armored dwarf, an elf with an obviously magical bow and a priest attempting to get directions.

Pebbles is impressed by the dwarf’s armor.  The design makes it very formable and designed to become incredible formable and rigid.  She looks at the holy symbol of the priest and can not place it.  It has an image of a sun with a face on it.  It is not one of the Dark six but not a Host god either.  The elf reminds them of Ippikak and assumes he is a magic wielding archer also.

Deciding to introduce themselves they learn each are survivors of a mission gone badly.  Cedious suggests sitting down with food and drink to finish talking about their pasts.

Wall is a dwarf with a psionic focus on defense.  His favorite tactic involving personal growth with his locking armor.  Zen is indeed another arcane archer.  He seems more interested in magic than Ippikak was.  The priest is Pelor.  He is a healer that believes diplomacy is more important that violence.  This makes Cedious and the others raise an eyebrow or two.

Cedious explains what they are doing while leaving out the Creation Schema.   He is afraid too many people are looking for that damned magical artifact and he doesn’t want to become exposed because of mentioning it.  He does mention his ongoing issues with Garrow and the Emerald Claw.  The others recognize the name some clearly have issues with the Emerald Claw themselves.  They warn them of the head of Stormreach.  He is very powerful and a Blackguard.

“What happened to your party?” asks Pebbles.

Pelor clears his throat and looks at the other two before beginning.  “We were here in Xen’drik exploring the many ruins that have as much historical value as treasure.  We stumbled onto something very …. bad and found ourselves hunted as we were forced to flee.  We planned to return to Stormreach for help but became lost through a dimensional warp.  There is something very bad in the jungle and its coming but we don’t know when, where or how anymore.   We believe the creatures are either telepathic or highly psionic.  Many of our memories are damaged or erased during the encounters.”

“What do you remember?” asks Pebbles with new interest.

“A powerful Dolgaunt named Cancergen whom is a planar traveler.   He controls aberrations or more specifically- he creates aberrations to do his bidding.   He is evil and without mercy.”

“If you help us find and kill Garrow we can help you with Cancergen.”

Pelor looks to the others whom nod their approval.

“Then lets go and kick some more Claw butt.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 282
10/01/06
“Damned Fates That Be”

“Sir-  I am not saying it is impossible but the cost, time and resources involved seem to outweigh any profit one could get by doing this.”

Elderich looks sternly at the human.  He already knew this but to be questioned is at best annoying at this time.  The cost of lives to enter the demonic nest on Morlock Island was too high so he risked the international attention and gathered his greatest warriors and his personal army and boarded them on his incredible elemental mansion / fortress and laid waste to the island.  Now it was time to recover the missing Creation Schema pieces that were buried under thousands of tunnels of earth and rock within these caved in tunnels. 

He had no choice.  If he wanted all six pieces he had to dig.

“Are there any signs of those demonic creatures?  These … tyranids?”

“No sir.  There is not.”

“I will contact some groups I know.  One is an elemental enclave that specializes in earth.  They helped me with my Crawler project.  They may be able to help also.   I will also recall the Crawler and use that if possible.  We will find those people and the magical items they held.”

The man goes away leaving Kim Elderich to look over the rails of his ship.  He looks at the hundreds of acres of land he and his team leveled.  Suddenly he is becoming aware that this is longer neither a game nor a mere interest.  This is a mission.  A mission he will complete.


----------



## Solarious

The bad, abused, overused cliches! The *CLICHES!!!* More archer elf dudes! Moving walls of steel dwarves! And proto-Pelor!

I wish I could be there. I really do. It's the mark of a great DM to be able to work with such volitile players and still be able to not only keep them entertained, but to screw them over at the same time.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> I wish I could be there. I really do. It's the mark of a great DM to be able to work with such volitile players and still be able to not only keep them entertained, but to screw them over at the same time.




This is a compliment ...correct?


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 283
10/15/06
“Resuming the Hunt for Garrow”

The new adventuring group returns to the Emerald Claw pier that night.  Wall is apprehensive to walk on the pier that looks so badly kept but relaxes as Pebbles bounds down the pier.  They never stop to wonder why there are no guards or resistance as they climb under the pier and down the secret catwalk that leads to the underground lair.  Wall had heard of Giant sized catacombs being under the port but never believed them.  When they reached the doors sized for giants he began to believe.

Pelor finally questions where any resistance is.  Cedious answers what he thinks is obvious- 

1. They are scared of him.  
2. He and the group killed all of them but Garrow and a few leaders.


Pelor wonders how wise this halfling is and remembers all of the stories and tales he has ever heard of halflings and their ability to become overconfident and reckless.

All of the bodies are gone.  Pebbles hopes they are not undead to face later.

They skip the door behind the giant statue and go directly to the secret door in the summoning room.   All signs of the Claw are gone.  No bodies nor equipment remained.  A cover-up figures Talon

Pelor stops the group to look over the summoning pit.  He performs a quick spell to discourage further use to summon infernal creatures.  Then they enter the secret passage.

This passage was built by non-giants but remains very old.  "Maybe my relatives built this", comments Zen as he looks at the walls and gently touches them as if trying to picture him here thousands of years ago.  He wonders if this was used to sneak around unknown by the Giant slavers or if it had a purpose and the giants knew of it.   So many thoughts and history that can never be solved….  As of yet.

The rough passage leads down then levels out.  Several hundred feet go.  Cedious’ magical everbright bullseye lantern lights their way through the darkness.  The dwarves figure they are about 200 ft down and directly below the ruins of Stormreach.  The air is chilly and damp.

There is a large and heavy door before them that is closed.  They team up on it and open it.  Cedious hears something within.  Adjusting the light they catch a glimpse of a possibly undead warrior.  Pelor steps up and holds out his emblem.  “Allow me.”

“Give me the Might
Give me your Light
Remove these creatures from my Sight
Thankyou “

Beams of light as bright as the sun itself shine out casting deep shadows.  The undead grave-touched zombie warriors never knew what hit them as the burst into dust and disappear.  Cedious whistles.  “Gee Pebbles-  I can’t say I’ve ever seen that from you.”

“Keep it up and I’ll use my method on your head instead.” She says waving her hammer over her head.  After a few seconds of wondering if she meant it she begins to smile and motions to move on.  

“Left or straight?”  asks Talon pointing with his weapon.

“Left I think.” And he steps ahead of her to check it out.  More of the undead await them at the end of the hall.  “Say I think they want to play….  Wait a minute!”  Even as Cedious had begun walking into the hallway connecting the two rooms he spots a different colored stone in the hallway.  “Trapped.”

Pelor destroys them.  

“Give me your light…etc…”

Checking the room, they find many of the moved supplies which Cedious begins to sort as to keep or broken / to break.

They then go forward through the next dark doorway.

Undead of which Pelor destroys easily.  Pebbles wonders where the fun in this is.  Better to dispatch the undead with a hammer than the grace of one’s god and beliefs.


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> This is a compliment ...correct?



 You can take that however you want to take it.

I'll leave it at that. 

As for the latest update, nice to hear some more dialogue (and characterization) at last. I missed having people being called dysfunctional and having problems that needed help in the gravest way possible. Right before taking a bathroom break, of course.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> You can take that however you want to take it.
> 
> I'll leave it at that.
> 
> As for the latest update, nice to hear some more dialogue (and characterization) at last. I missed having people being called dysfunctional and having problems that needed help in the gravest way possible. Right before taking a bathroom break, of course.





Yes.  I am so far behind on my Storyhour that it bugs me so I started to short cuts.   I don't like it and will adjust.   I am also trying to work on getting the group back on target while keeping it to my play style.

I am going SCI-FI vs PULP very soon.  If you have ever read my Strikeforce: Morituri Storyhour you will get the idea of where I am going.   See what the chaotic halfling does with a dose of that.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 284
10/15/06
“Summoned Undead by Deadtusk the Dawncrusher”

The group goes straight and spots a large stone statue.  Behind it is a doorway where several figures and standing and chanting.  Even as the group charges this party the statue moves to intercept them.

“Stone Golem!” calls out Cedious.  “No problem!”

The creature attacks at the halfling whom is rolling between its mammoth legs.  Once past him Cedious stops and finds himself surrounded by a dozen cultists and a bugbear cleric wearing a jeweled helmet.  He is chanting and rising his arms to complete his spell.

“Oh No you don’t you ****ing cult bastard.”  (Cedious’ player was still recovering from a hang over and feeling a bit rowdy at the moment)

The cultist step up and block his way between the bugbear follower of the Vol and himself.  Behind him he hears the Golem and Talon going at it with Pebbles and Wall also attacking.  Zen is yelling something unclear over the noise.  Pelor is very quiet.

“I don’t have time for this…” and Cedious uses his adamantine rapier to slice through the Vol Cultist and finds the Bugbear giving him the finger and telling away.  “I am Deadtusk the Dawnbreaker.  I suspect we will never see each other again.”  And he teleports away.

Cedious cuts down two more cultists as an undead form in armor begins to rise from a summoning circle.  The Sword wraith looks at him and draws its weapons.  “Later!” says Cedious whom rolls past the Golem again.

He stops and discovers Zen and Pelor are dealing with their own trouble now.  Two Orc Barbarians are attacking them.  Sighing, he goes to help them.

Unknown to anyone there, an invisible figure watches and backtracks silently laughing to himself.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 285
10/15/06
“Golems, Cultists, Orcs, Dire Bears and Something Unexpected”

 The Stone Golem breathes out a green mist to stop Talon.  At this point both the dwarves strike it hard and break the legs.  It tumbles and breaks on the floor nearly crushing Talon whom is still holding his breath to avoid the Breath Attack.  The Sword Wraith leaps over the rubble and begins to attack them now.

One Barbarian goes down as the archer shots it repeatedly.  Pelor steps back.  He is a healer and diplomat.  This is not his kind of battle.  Then spots the Wraith and reaches for his emblem once more.

Cedious attacks the charging Orc and takes out its legs while three glowing arrows stick out of its chest and neck just as quickly.

The cultists are nearly stopped as they try to climb over the golem’s remains.  Pebbles easily takes many of these down.  Wall strikes the wraith once before the power of Pelor strikes it.  It stumbles back by his power.  Wall and Pebbles finish it off then continue into the cultists again.

Soon there is no one remaining.

A few deep bruises are mended before they continue on to the hallway on the opposite end of the summoning room.  They circle around and find the Orc’s sleeping area and continue to follow the hallway back to the area where the Golem was.

“Now what?”

“Lets try one of these two doors or the hallway we skipped.”

“I vote the skipped hallway.  We don’t need a repeat of this situation where we were surrounded and attacked from three different sides.”

“Okay with me.  Besides- Maybe Garrow is hiding there.” Follows up the halfling Rogue.

The door is made from thick wood and is very sturdy.  Cedious picks it easily with the help of his co-adventurers and they find… An Angry Dire Bear!

It charges him but Zen takes it down along with Talon.  The door shows signs of being clawed and battered for a while now.  Looking around the corner, there is another heavy wooden door in like condition.

“Let’s go.”

They pick at it but this lock is better constructed.  “Break it down.” Cedious says as he levitates away from the lock.

Pebbles and Talon take it down find….  Another Dire Bear … and it’s family!   In the center of the room is an open gateway to somewhere underground.

The Dire Bears attack and through raw savage nature, survive several rounds against them.  “Do you think Garrow went here?” asks Cedious to Pelor whom is studying the Portal.

“Maybe.”

“Okay.” And with that Cedious hopes through.

Dismayed, Pelor stammers as Talon and Pebbles (used to this kind of behavior) also step in.  “Who have we agreed to travel with?”

“Bold.  Very Bold.  I like bold.” And Wall goes in.

Zen shrugs his shoulders, draws an arrow, and steps in.

Alone, Pelor looks around and looks at the bears.  He gives a gentle prayer then steps in.

He steps out on the other side into a large bear cave somewhere.  The portal quickly closes.

“NO!” yells Pelor and he attempts to reach it in time but can not.

“Where are we?” the Cleric of Light and Health asks.

“Not in Stormreach.” Answers Pebbles.

Outside the cave is a thick pine forest.  Stars shine in the night sky.  A hunting bird of prey floats on the wind currents above.  

“Opps.” Is all Cedious says as the other turn to look at him.

“I can try to get us back tomorrow.  This place is as good as any to rest and restore spells and energy.”

“You know where we are?”

“Yes.   I believe we are in…..”


----------



## Solarious

Lammania, the Twilight Forest. 

It is time, Igor. The opportunity is within our grasp! *Unleash the Robotic My Little Ponies!*


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Lammania, the Twilight Forest.
> 
> It is time, Igor. The opportunity is within our grasp! *Unleash the Robotic My Little Ponies!*




You know your Eberron


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 286
10/15/06
“Even Better than Planned”

“LAMANNIA!” Cries out the victorious Changeling.   “The fool jumped right in using my own portal to escape through if required and instead he went through!”

Garrow invisibly drops from the ceiling onto the floor and continues to smile from ear to ear.  He is very happy with himself.

The Eternal Forest has many wild and dangerous creatures within it.  These include the were-creatures that went here to escape the Silver Flame years ago.  There are few portals out.  

Garrow walks to the entrance and carefully climbs out in the form of a general human member of the claw.  He finds it is early mourning and the air is already hot and the humidity is rising.  He goes to the safe house where the Claw has set up home until this has blown over.  

He stops as he sees the guard is missing.  He morphs into the appearance of a sailor and wills his Glamored armor to fit that of a sailors typical outfit.  Just as he is about to walk forward the front wall crumbles apart.  The image of a very large dragon is seen through the dust.  The Gargantuan Blue Dragon takes to the sky and flies away.  Garrow rushes over and finds twenty men killed or destroyed.

“Why?!?”


Not far away, Dangerous Dice Dan watches.  He lights his smoke stick and exhales the smoke.  He nods a silent “it’s done” then walks away into the early mourning shadows.


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Lammania, the Twilight Forest.
> 
> It is time, Igor. The opportunity is within our grasp! *Unleash the Robotic My Little Ponies!*




were you at the recent Albany Gameday?  There was a spoof game based on parania that used gimiced Little Pony figures.   My understanding is it went very well.   It ran while I was running a game so I only saw a bit when we took a short break.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 287
10/29/06
“The Return”

“Let us decide then… by vote.”

“Whatever…” says Cedious to Pelor.

“I want to hunt in the land of wild animals.” Says Talon.

“Home.” Says Pebbles.  “Maybe we can still catch up with Garrow.”

“Back to Eberron.” Says Xen.

“Yeah.  We can return to here if need be.  Besides… planar travel .. bothers me.  I don’t remember why but it does.” Says Wall.

“The same for myself.” Repeats Pelor.  “It is done.  We heal and rest then Pebbles with her Plane Shift will try to return us to Stormreach.”

“Try” asks Talon whom is now a little bit concerned about the trip and still disappointed he is not hunting.

“Plane Shifting is not a perfected spell.” Answers Pebbles.  “We will be on Xen’drik but where remains uncertain.  I have not ever used the power before but I understand it is not perfected.  We may land in Stormreach or may appear within the jungles.”

“Or worse- the water ways filled with predators of all types.”

“Then we to pray and study for spells that can aid us in either case.”

The night goes by then they form a circle after healing up.  Pebbles completes the divine spell and together the six of them disappear from the plane of the Twilight Forest.

“AH CRAP!” Screams out Wall as he sinks into the salty water.  Sinking quickly in his heavy reinforced armor he calls on his psionic power to float and rises.  Pebbles calls up her power to Water Walk and rises to her feet between waves.  It is very unsteady as the new “ground” is always moving on her.
Cedious levitates out of the water sputtering and spitting more than just salt water.  He hands out several of his collected magical feathers he “borrowed” from an airship and Talon and Xen find themselves not having to fight so much to stay on the surface.

“I need to get at my stuff but can’t in this water.” Says Pebbles and Cedious agrees though he merely wills himself to levitate higher and swings his Haversack to the front of himself to look for more magical aid.  Surprising everyone, Wall psionically wills himself to a HUGE size and has all climb onto his floating body.  He, out of the water and with “ground” they go through their equipment and discuss what to do.  Within minutes Wall is forced to reduce himself back to his regular size.  Cedious levitates up again and this time can see something on the horizon.  It is either very small or very far away…or both.

They swim and float along.  Eventually the float power wears off and the dwarf finds treading on the water is harder than he thought.  Many, including Pebbles, thinks this idea was a poor one.  Hunting creatures known to be nature’s perfect hunters suddenly sounds very appealing.

“What is that?” wonders out loud the halfling.

In the distance are three …towers?  These rise out of the waters.   

Given new hope, the six of them swim to the towers.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 288
10/29/06
“Making a Bad First Impression”

“What is this place?” spits out Talon as he swims to a tower.   He passed over a stone wall that was submerged by over ten feet.  The water here is at least 40-50ft deep.  It looks like a submerged small towered village.   There are about a dozen towers here.  The tops are anywhere from water level to half way.  

“Looks deserted.” Says Wall whose arms are burning and he needs rest.  He is still swimming at the wall perimeter even as Cedious is crawling onto a windowsill on a large tower.

“Nope.   It’s not.”  Says Pebbles.

“Why?  See a person?  I hear the sea devils run rampant here.”  Huffs the armored dwarf using Float and any other spell or psionic power available to him.

“Cedious, look over head.”  And Pebbles reaches the window.

Overhead is a rope attached from one tower that reaches another tower nearby.

Cedious draws his adamantine magic rapier and looks for a way up.

Xen climbs the sill and begins to climb the wall to the rooftop.  The roofs here are made of stone and are perfectly flat slabs that mirror the look of the towers.  Between Cedious and the Arcane Archer, they climb up and set their own ropes for the others to use.   As the others reach for the ropes, they check out there surroundings. 

To one side are several smaller towers.  Some look heavily damaged and even partially collapsed.  The other towers are all very large and are about 35 feet around.  Seagulls float on the winds and call.  One in particular lands and while turning its head sideways calls at the halfling and elf.  Cedious makes a rude comment to it and tries to determine the size of the place.

It looks to be about 120ft wide and several hundred long.  The water is roughly 40ft deep and perfectly clear.  The walls surround the towers and stops waves from doing much damage.   It is almost tranquil.

Except for that damned bird.

Wall climbs up and rolls onto the ledge of the window.  “I hate…. water.”

“Tired from the swim?” asks Talon with a smile.

“Aye.  An’ it ruins a stiff n’ good drink.”  The dwarven defender replies himself. 

Pelor, the groups healer and diplomatic looks around a bit within the tower.  There are signs of someone living here under very sparse conditions.  There are several mats made from seaweed within.  Holes cut into the floor lead down into a flooded room.  Wishing to be there if the group finds the local first, he climbs the rope.

“This could make a nice place…. In a vacationing kinda way.” Says Pebbles as she looks over the edge into the water.   A school of colorful fish swims lazily among a few loose stones on the ground.

“I don’t like it.  Pebbles-   we need your magical tower.”  Demands Cedious as he looks for the locals to start trouble.

The tower is placed and grown on top of the other towers but then they notice several cracks form on the roof.  The sheer weight is threatening to crush these existing towers.  “No good-   recall it or lose it!” calls out the halfling rogue.

Talon and Zen point to a reinforced area of the wall that is submerged.   Would that hold it up?” asks Talon.   The entrance door would be at water level but I think its okay.

Thinking it over they decide to do it.   The seagulls lift and land quickly as this is done.   The call out angrily at the intrusion.  One especially as it lands on the rooftop the group is using.   Zen pulls out an arrow and goes to shot it.  The seagull lifts and begins to float away.  He fires an arrow but it MISSES!?!?!?

“My arrows must have become water logged!” worries the elf as he unslings his quiver to inspect for any further damage.

Uh…. guys-  we have company.” Says Wall as he looks across the rope and sees a slim lizardfolk standing there


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 289
10/29/06
“Worshippers of the Dungeon”

In various long hisses, rasps and growls a lizardfolk speaks to the group from across the rope.   Other lizardfolk appear.  None show any aggression but remain wary of the group.  Pelor clears his throat and attempts a reply in draconic.

“We are lost travelers from Xen’drik.  We mean no harm and could use some assistance.”

Cedious whom knows some Draconic smirks.  He hates using the language.  It hurts his throat.

In common, a lizardfolk wearing a cloak and a pendant speaks.  “In peace you come then in peace we will remain.  Welcome.  How may I help you?  We are of …limited means but we will aid in any way we can.”

“Where are we?” asks Talon.

“The Thunder Sea.”

“Can you be more specific?”  Follows up Xen whom still holds his bow to his side.

“I are uncertain what you ask?”

“When will the next boat be by?” asks Cedious.

“You are the first we have seen since finding this place.”

Pebbles looks at the pendant closer.  It resembles the sun with a face on it.  “What god do you follow?”

“A god of great wisdom and joy.   If it is a ship you search for there is one here.”

“Where!?!” exclaims Cedious with sudden energy that alarms several of the lizardfolk.  Ten of the humanoids now stand across from them on the roofs of the smaller towers.

“Calm yourself.  We do not mean to intrude.” Says Pelor trying to avoid any tension from developing.

“The ship is yours if you wish for it.   It came to us several years ago but we have no need nor use for it.”
Pelor senses a small bit of happiness in the leader’s voice.  He is happy to be of some help after all.

The looks and sees nothing.  Cedious levitates up and from here sees it- just by the submerged wall.  “It’s sunken and in ruins.” He replies in obvious disappointment.

“It may still be of use however.  Thankyou….”  Pelor tries for a name.   None is given.

“With my mending spells I may be able to fix any smaller boat on board or at least product to build a raft.”  

“It lies on the bottom.   Could you aid us to retrieve it?” asks Talon who really doesn’t want to swim any more than he needs to.   Wall, whom was pouring water out of pieces of his armor stops.  It appears he may be swimming again.   He plants his foot back into his boot making a squishy sound as he does it.

“If you will cover us we can help you.”

“Cover you?” asks the diplomatic healer.

“The Sea Devils have recently discovered this place of our worship.  They want it for themselves,”  Says the leader while looking out over the waters.  The annoying seagull returns and walks nervously back and forth on the edge of the rooftop the adventurers stand on.

Zen reaches for an arrow but Pelor motions for him to stop.  “Let us get this over with.”

Several minutes later, Cedious and Talon swim out to the wreck with six lizardfolk.  Zen and Wall watch from the nearest rooftop.  Pebbles watches them from the original rooftop they stood on.  Pelor and the leader of the lizardfolk begin to speak in draconic again.

“You have suggested this place holds a spiritual meaning for you.  Is this why you are here?”

“Yes, as a hatchling, I had a vision.  That vision has lead myself and these monks here.”

“Visions of that sort are powerful.  Very powerful.  I am pleased you found it.  Did your fellow monks have the same vision?”

“No.  But they respect the vision.  They respect this place.  It is quiet and gives purpose.”

“And what is that purpose?” asks Pelor.

“To watch over the Dungeon creation of Thundaar.”

Pelor raises an eyebrow.  He has no idea where this is going but continues on.  “And that is…?”

“I am sorry.  You did not have the vision.  You would have no idea of what is below you.”

They pause to see that the others have found large cargo doors.  With ropes they bring one to the surface.

“During the age of the giants there were many great cities built on what you would call Xen’drik.  Other things were built then also- Dungeons.  The best builders were the minotaurs.  They built impressive cities out of stone.  They were a peaceful race but had the anger and rage of the elements.  To give a means of a controlled release of these bestial urges, they created arenas.    The most popular were the underground dungeons.  Here one still needed to control the beast to use his strength and instincts.  Others watched using magical means.   The arena became a non-lethal spectator sport.  Contests were held regularly.  Many builders became famous for their work.  Below us is the work of one of these famous builders.”

Pelor looks down to the water.  Strange location for a dungeon he thinks.

“We came here to over see the dungeon and to assure none abuse this gift left behind for us.”

Pelor looks over at Cedious.  He is not with the lizardfolk any more.  He looks behind himself and spots Cedious.  He is trying to pretend he just got here.

“We found some large doors we can repair and make into a raft.  So ah….. what were we talking about?”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 290
10/29/06
“Exploring the Area”

Cedious and most of the group begin to swim out to the nearest tower to explore.  They have been warned to avoid the tallest tower.  When asked why, they were given a mere suggestion that it was a bad idea to go there.

Not giving it any further thought, Cedious decided on the tower next to it.  Of course.

Pelor castes several group spells.  He will be able to remain in telepathic communication with each of them and know their general health.  There a side effect of this spell that works well for them.  He will be able to caste low-level spells, including healing, through this mental connection.   Pelor feels very comfortable remaining behind with the Lizardfolk (and thus dry).

Playing a bit, Cedious swims under the water.  Here he sees stairs and what was once possibly a garden or grass area.  Now colorful small fish school near the base of the towers, especially the collapsed towers.  He sees no signs of the Sea Devils in the clear water.  Each reaches the tower and climb out to explore it.

They find it is empty.  Even the levels that are below the water line are empty.  The seals of the door below are holding and water tight.  They look into the basement area and find water has seeped into this area.  As they poke around Cedious spooks up several large flounders.  Pelor educates him that these are normal and common fish despite their mutated look.   Only Pelor thinks about the oddness of this room.  These fish are here for a purpose.  They had to be brought in and fed.   Pelor figures that the lizardfolk are not saying everything.  As he ponders this he can’t help but to look at the tallest tower and wonder what is within it.

The tower next to this one is unusual.  It is only one floor tall and thus completely submerged.  The spell of water breathing is cast onto them as a group through they’re shared magical connection.  Cedious is first to swim down with the others coming next.  They swim around most of the submerged building before finding the door.  Cedious tries it and it will not open though he sees no locks.

Pelor notes a change of mood with the lizardfolk.   They see suddenly alert.   What could be happening?  He mentally asks about how things are going there.   Cedious curses and says just fine in his mind then waves over Talon.  Mentally he thinks loudly “Open”.

The two of them pull on the door and slowly it shudders and air bursts out.   They discover the room is sealed and the force of the water is keeping the door shut.  Once more they tug and manage to pull the door open.  Once the door is fully opened Cedious and Talon find themselves being pulled with the rush of water.   They can not see very well except for Cedious and his magical lantern, which he pulls out once inside.  The water is rising quickly and spilling into a passage within the floor.   It is all very disorienting for them.   The dwarves flow in next with far less grace than the elf that body surfs into the room.  The air is forced out finally and things settle.   “Is everyone okay?  I detect the emotion of surprise.” Thinks Pelor to them.

“Just fine.   This place will require more searching.” Thinks telepathically Cedious.

“Describe it to me.”

“Roughly 30-35 foot around.  Empty except for a hole in the floor.  The water that quickly filled this room also flooded the room below us.” Thinks Xen.

“Have you looked at these yet?” thinks Pebbles as she swims closer to the walls.

“What have you seen?”  Asks Pelor.

“Textured murals on the walls.  They seem to … yes. They depict minotaurs that are fighting… possibly constructs.  They look like statues anyway.   Other minotaurs are seated around them.”

“A gladiatorial arena?” wonders Talon whom has seen many of these on his home plane of Shavarath.

“What have they found?” asks the leader of the Lizardfolk.

“A room with minotaur murals.”

Many of the Lizardfolk monks nod quietly but with a new look of eagerness on their reptilian faces.  Pelor tries to read them but finds it difficult since their face and eyes are so different from most humanoids.

“I found something.” Calms out Wall whom is trying to hold his breath until he can no longer.  He panics briefly until he becomes used to the magical water breathing.  The others swim over and look at the mural before them.  

“Traps?!?” says Pelor out loud as he is told what the minotaurs are doing on the picture.  He easily notes two lizardfolk smile and nod at the news.

“Is that the entrance to the dungeon you spoke of?” he asks the lizardfolk.

“Yes.   I hope they are worthy.” Answers the leader.

“I’m bored- lets go down.” Says Cedious as he swims to the hole within the floor.   He drifts down and allows the light of the magical lantern to show him the way.  He sees more murals and six holes in the walls.  Each hole is about ten inches wide and sits about six feet up from the floor.  Even as the others drop down Cedious looks over the pictures and decides to do what they depict.

The murals depict minotaur warriors with one hand placed into the holes and the other raised high above their horned-heads holding various weapons and tools used for dungeoneering.

Pelor feels the pressure as Cedious’ wrist is grabbed and pinned by several blocks.  He feels a prick of his finger by something sharp also.   “OW!  That better NOT be poison you horned bastards!”  Suddenly Cedious disappears in a burst of bubbles.

“CEDIOUS!” calls out Pelor using his voice.   The Lizardfolk hiss as they draw in their breaths.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 291
10/29/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 1: THE INVERTED HALLWAY”

“Cedious!”

“I’m here already.   Any louder and I would bleed from my ears.”

“Where are you?”  

“Not sure. Empty room except for a hole in the ceiling and the floor.”

Wall looks at the hole.   He hopes he will not regret this as he reaches in.  “!” and suddenly he appears next to Cedious holding his hand.   “It stabbed me!”

“And me.   I hope it was not ….”

“Not what?”

“Nothing.”

“!!!!!   What if it was poisonous?   Can you cure us of poison through this?” the dwarf calls out mentally to Pelor.

“I doubt it.   Where is everyone?”

Pebbles and Xen appear next.  Each is looking at their hand with some concern.   Finally Talon arrives in a flash.   “At least we are together.”

“And in my range still.” Adds Pelor.

The lizardfolk step closer to Pelor.  “What are they doing now?   Has anyone been killed?   Are they worthy?”   

Pelor ignores them and concentrates on the mental contact he has with the group.    “Any thing on the walls?”

“No.”

“Only that small hole.  Maybe 8 inches around.” Cedious levitates up to it.  “The tube is smooth and turns away.  I can’t see what is up there.”

“Looks like we go down.” Says Talon looking down the dark tunnel.

Cedious looks at the hole.  It is 4ft wide and seems to go down forever.  The light from his lantern doesn’t breach the darkness.  “The walls are smooth… hard also.   Magically treated I believe.   It won’t be easy for everyone to go.  Anyone have rope?”

Talon holds out 100ft of rope.  The room becomes dark as Cedious levitates down into the hole.  He is very thankful for the telepathy they now all share.  He sinks further down.   He has gone down 100ft now and still sees no way out.  He taps the walls with his dagger and finds it treated magically.  It will not so much as scratch.   He switches to his adamantine rapier and wonders if this would work.

Suddenly the light goes out and he begins to plummet!   

“Cedious!” calls out Pelor.   Again the lizardfolk step forward.   They are eating up every reaction Pelor has.

“What has happened?” asks a reptilian monk.

“The halfling is falling down a long shaft.”

In draconic several lizardfolk whisper the words- Inverted Hallway.

Suddenly the lantern’s magical light kicks on and Cedious recommends his Ring of Levitation to activate.  He slows down then stops as he looks at the floor below him.  It is moving gently.

With the shared mental link Cedious and Pelor picks up on the group’s concern.

“What is it Pebbles?”

“A blue ball of light has floated out of the hole on the ceiling and wall area.   It seems to be merely floating around us.”

“You make it sound sentient.”

“If it isn’t then someone is controlling it that is.” Thinks Xen as he draws an arrow.

“Water.   The shaft leads to a water filled room.” Answers Cedious whom is ignoring the plight of his teammates.

He spots a wooden raft and crawls along the damp ceiling to be over it.  The water is within five feet of the ceiling of the room.  He wonders briefly about the depth and conditions of the water.

Pebbles flies down carrying Wall.  At roughly 150 feet down her flying ability cuts out and they plummet into the water.  The fall is roughly 50ft.   Sputtering and cursing, they swim to the raft and climb on.  Pebbles goes back for Xen.   Bored, Talon merely waits for everyone to clear then steps blindly from the dark room into the equally dark shaft.   His heavy troll / dwarven cross-bred body whizzes down the shaft.  His elbows burn as they touch the walls.  Then suddenly he hits the water with a stunning force.

He climbs onto the raft and catches his breath.

“That anti-magic field was an unpleasant discovery.”

“Guys…. I just spoke to the lizardfolk.   You can’t get out without completing the dungeon.   This dungeon was built is test their greatest warriors and dungeon delvers.”

Cedious smiles in the darkness.  The shadows on his face give an eerie appearance.   It appears he is enjoying himself.

“Now what?” asks Talon as his fast healing kicks in to recover any damage he took from the fall.

“There is a hole in the ceiling at the far end of this room.  Lets try that.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 292
10/29/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 2: THE GREASED CRAWLING SPACE ROOM”

“I know that smell….” Thinks Cedious as he slowly levitates into the hole.   “Grease and oil.”

“Cedious… what is it.  You seemed concerned.”   Thinks Pelor with his connection.

“The room is ….unusual.   It is three feet high, maybe….. 60 feet wide and I don’t know how long it is.  I can crawl along the ceiling but most of us will need to crawl through the crap.”

“What kind of crap?”

“Grease and oil.   I suspect it is a part of a trap.”

“No!  Really?!?” sarcastically answers Talon closing his eyes.  This is not his day.  His bulky 6+ foot tall frame makes it impossible for him to even kneel within the room.   He will need to crawl through the grease.

“What can be gained by the use of grease?”  Asks Pelor looking at the lizardfolk monks.

“Coupled with the lack of walking space-   it makes us slow and vulnible.”

“Same with anything that comes after us.” Adds Pebbles.  (rolled a negative for Dungeoneering)

“Grease can catch on fire also.   Damn.” Thinks Wall.

“I can crawl along the ceiling.   Pebbles- your Flight still up?”

“Yes, somehow the field stopped it only briefly.   I have it back.”

“Did anyone keep the rope that was too short for the 200ft fall into the water?”

“Got it.” Says Talon with little enthusiasm.  He can almost feel the burns already.   With his troll lineage, he hates fires and burn damage.

“I have an idea.  Allow me to tie the rope to me and each of you hold onto it.   I’ll fly us through the grease.”

“Uh guys….” Says Wall as he reaches the edge of the greased room., “… we are not alone.”

A dozen skeletal dire rats treated with permanent spider climb scampers along the ceiling.  They come to attack them but Pebbles turns them away and they hide in the dark corners.

“More trouble!   Hurry up and let’s go! Shouts Cedious looking at the far end of the oddly shaped room.  Three holes.  Two about a foot in size and one in the middle that leads out that would allow them to exit the room.  The two smaller holes begin to glow red and orange.   “FIRE IN THE HOLE!”

Cedious grabs the towline as Pebbles flies for the exit.  Her armor hits and sparks several times crossing.  The hole goes up then across.   The room ignites just as the last of the group crawls in.

“That is one sick bastard!” exclaims Cedious as he thinks about the magical dead rats, crawl space which would have made them fight from their stomach and even for a gnome or halfling, the grease would have made it very hard to keep one’s footing.  Then the igniting of the grease.

Pelor turns and stares at the lizardfolk leader.   “Help me help my friends.”

“If they are worthy they will do well.”

“How do you know this?”

“The builders were not savages.  If they are worthy they will live.”

Pelor stares with anger at the leader.  “Guys… be careful.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 293
10/29/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 3: CROOKED SHAFT”

After a careful use of a Cleaning spell (some of the warriors were discovering how hard it was to hold a weapon with greasy hands) they move forward within this short 15 foot wide room.  The ceiling is a mere ten foot high and only has about 20ft of floor.   At the far end is another exit that goes down.  There are no rails or rungs.  It is another chute and like the entrance shaft, it has been magically treated to be very smooth and resistant to damage.

“What will they expect to find this time?” asks Pelor verbally to the lizardfolk monks and dungeon worshippers.

“The dungeons built by Thundaar were among the best built.  They test the mind as much as the body.  I have collected a few notes and hints about the dungeon from the ruins here.  I am forbidden to tell you anything since you have the means to help them.”

“That is insane.   What if they were to die?”

“Lose?  Then they were not worthy.”

Pelor is greatly annoyed by this.   He wishes he were there.  He is uncertain how much longer they will remain within the range of his spells.   Also, will the spells remain over the course of time?  There are time limits to consider.

Meanwhile, hundreds of feet below the water surface, Cedious has begun the newest descent.  Unknown to him, he has missed spotting an illusion-covered lever that turned off the traps within this section.  He drops 75 feet then the shaft kicks off to the side at a 45-degree angle.  His levitate ability still works but now he is forced to put his rapier away so as to “walk” the ceiling of the shaft with his free hand.   The shaft remains only about five feet wide.

“This is creepy as me.   I wonder if any minotaurs ever got stuck here?” He thinks to his teammates.

“So long as they died and remained dead that is fine with me.” Says Talon.

“It is strange that we have faced very little for creatures.   Is that by design or have they died over the centuries?” asks Pebbles.

“The lizardfolk won’t talk.” Replies Pelor.

“Make them talk!  You are the group’s talker.  Talk!” exclaims Talon as he watches the light disappear in the shaft.

After dropping another 75 feet the shaft goes straight again.   “This is insane.  The shaft goes straight then angled then straight.”

“Clever in a fashion.  It blocks line of sight, encourages rash people to jump and get banged up (said while looking at talon) and makes certain spells difficult to use.”  Thinking quietly for a moment to herself Pebbles then adds- “Does your rapier work on these walls?”

Cedious stops and stabs at the walls with his rapier.   “Hard to get any good motion here.  Can’t get enough momentum to stab into the stonework.”

“This is giving me a headache.” Says Wall.  “Give me a dragon over this.   Even better- a giant.”

“Cedious- Here I come.” Says Wall.

“Huh?” begins the rogue halfling as suddenly the dwarven defender “switches” places with the rogue.

Wall plummets to through the last 20 feet of shaft then hits a wall as the shaft turns again.  He now begins to tumble and suddenly many small fireballs begin to burst from the floor as his armored body hits them.

“By the Host!   Wall!”   Yells out loud Pelor.    All of the lizardfolk take a step closer.

“What happened?”   What trap defeated who?”   Asks the leader with excitement.

Wall reaches the end of the angled shaft and hits the wall again then begins to fall straight down again. Burnt, pummeled and free falling he reaches into his mind quickly and expands his body.  Sparks fly igniting the small amounts of grease that remain on his body then …he….stops.   

Ouch.

“You stupid dwarf!” yells out Cedious down the shaft.  Now I have to do it all over again!”

“Here Pelor- you there?   I caught on fire.   Could I get a little healing?” asks Wall in short cramped breaths. 

Now aware of the traps on the one shaft section floor, Cedious and Pebbles travel down the shaft with riders.  There remains one problem.  Talon.

“I can’t carry him down without touching the floor.  We will both be fireballed.”

“Leave that to me.  What about fatso the fat headed dwarf?  Is he stuck for real?”  Says Talon gruffly.

Cedious wiggles past the makeshift plug and once more descends down the shaft.

“Good news- in about thirty feet the shaft ends.   The bad news is it drops you into a HUGE room.  Ahhh…. The floor is just visible now.  You have some fifty feet to drop but you want-  “

“Bombs away!” and Wall reduces as the others quickly latch onto Pebbles or try to push with their arms and legs against the walls of the shaft. 

Wall falls through the space and discovers that Cedious was not done describing the dangers of the next room.  Directly below the opening in the ceiling one drops about fifty feet and may continue on through another hole in the floor.

Meanwhile up above, Talon takes a deep breath and steps out blindly into the shaft.  He falls then strikes the floor of the turning shaft and begins to tumble wildly.

With the knowledge that this heavy and large figure is falling their way the others begin to scramble.  Pebbles holds onto a rope and one at a time, the others try to climb down the rope and swing away from the hole.

“Swirling Blades!”  Screams out Wall as his darkvision clears from Cedious’ magical lanterns light.  “Oh %$#@*!”

Pelor begins to switch in his mind targets for his powerful healing spells.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 294
10/29/06
“Tyranid Hive”

Several months have gone by now since Kim Elderich came to Morlock Island.  100’s of thousands in Gold and many debts have been paid at this point.  Finally, the experimental Khyber Crawler arrives and they launch it into the ground.  On board are Elderich, Ore, Rush-Late-A lot and several other high level aids and hirelings.

They use this Earth Elemental driven Rail transport to phase through the earth and stone.  It takes little time before they reach an open tunnel below.  They stop the craft and set up a base of operations.  Several of the mages mark their location and teleport out of the tunnels.  On the surface they reappear only to hold hands with other powerful warriors and clerics and return to Elderich.

When they return, Ore is cleaning his hand from bits of shell and green goo that was once a Tyranid Gaunt.  “Be careful.  These creatures normally hunt in large groups.”

They begin to explore and find that most of the creatures have fled.  The ones left behind are dysfunctional as if greatly confused.

Several days later they find the Throne room and there they find the perfectly preserved body of….

Lady Elaydren ir’ Vown d’ Cannith.

Somehow the fluids have preserved her but she has indeed died.

They take her body and teleport it to the Siberys Heir for further work.   Then they return to the work on hand.  They have located the body of the last known human to possess the last three missing pieces of the Creation Schema.  The pieces are either here or she knows where and only requires being awakened or a contact dead spell to be used on her.


Far below the Siberys Heir within the snow covered trees of Morlock Isle sits a bugbear warrior.  His blue eyes stare as if in deep thought at the craft above.   If he is cold he doesn’t show it.  His black, red and Bronze colored armor sparkles in the morning sunlight as the sun rises.  He looks below and considers the consequences of the next several days.  So many players and many have changed positions recently.  But the Schema will be collected and assembled when he says so…. When the prophecy says so.

He turns and walks away into the deep shadows of the forest, turning his back on the sun and its light.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 295
11/06/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 4:  MEAT SHREADDER”

“I think it is an illusion!” yells out Wall as he falls through the area where the thousands of blades are swirling and spinning within inches of his fall.   Despite his thoughts, he refuses to reach out to test the theory.   He hits the ground far below VERY hard.

Pelor winces at the sensation of the sudden stop.   He wonders if he can tell what the pain and damage of thousands of blades and/or a fall would be.  Cedious says he thought he heard something about an illusion.

Xen finishes climbing down the rope and steps onto the wooden section surrounding the hole and suddenly he finds himself falling as the floor gives away.  He grabs the rope quickly by reflex.   He screams at the sight of the blades below.   Pebbles and the others slowly drift down, as the flight spell was not designed for this kind of weight.

Then they hear it- banging, clanking and yells of pain from above.  Then about 30 or more feet over head, flashes of light filled with more screams of pain.

“GO! GO! GO! GO!” screams out Pebbles knowing that can only be Talon.

Within the minute Cedious floats down to the broken heap below.  Pelor is frantically sending spells through their special connection to mend and heal them.   As he floats through, he sticks his rapier into the spinning blades…. nothing.  It is an illusion!


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 296
11/06/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 5: INESCAPABLE LINE ATTACK TRAP”

“This is a bad room to be in.” says Cedious.

The others agree silently.  Pelor asks why.

“The room is more of a hallway.  It is five feet wide, ten feet high and about….. not sure.  My light won’t reach the end.   Over 120 feet anyway.”

“Magical line attacks…Rays.” Says Pebbles as she has sudden insight in Dungeoneering and traps.

“It’s up to you Cedious.   Get us out of here.” Says Xen as he notches an arrow.  “I’ll cover you.”

Cedious is wary of the bow.  The room is narrow for launching an arrow.

Above the Lizardfolk are becoming anxious with Pelor.   Changing tactics, he has begun to refuse to tell them anything hoping they will say something helpful.   So far all that is happening is nervous tail twitching and annoyed hisses and exhales of breathe.   And the annoying seagull has returned.  “What ever happened to the blue ball of light?” asks Pelor in thought.

“It never followed us after that first room.” Says Pebbles as she watches Cedious move carefully one step at a time.

Cedious smiles as he spots a seam on the floor.  A secret panel.  “Found something.”

He carefully lifts the panel and finds a hand lever.  After describing it he asks whether to pull it.

“What if that IS the trap?”

DM NOTES:  I love it when every move and item is something to fear.  That is when I know the dungeon is working.

He passes it and continues onward.  He misses the next secret panel and activates a blast of electricity from behind.  The bolt of Chain Lightning strikes Wall then the others except for Cedious who is too far away.

“I am running out of healing spells.  Be careful.” Thinks Pelor.

Out loud so he doesn’t sense it Cedious mocks him by repeating the phrase.

Cedious reaches the end of the hall and can not find any level or device to open the door.  He can see the seams that would suggest an opening.  At this point the others have crept up to the trigger panel and call out to the rogue.  “Nothing here.   Maybe that end?”

“What about the lever?”

Talon snorts and pulls on the lever.  A panel can be heard opening at the far end.

They turn and go there.  They find another lever hidden.  When pulled, it opens the door at the end Cedious first explored.  He also finds another electrical bolt trap and they are all careful not to trigger it.

“So obvious but still deadly and tricky.” Thinks Cedious.  “If not for the position we are in I think I may have liked the ol’ hornhead.

This new tunnel leads to a similar hallway below that leads out.  They cautiously leave and enter the next trap-laden room of Thundaar’s Dungeon of Champions.


----------



## megamania

I need more holidays.  I am almost caught up finally.   Feel free to comment.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 297
11/12/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 6: SHARP GRAVITY”

The short tunnel leads to a slab of stone and wood with dozens of small 2 inch round holes within it.  It is 5x5 and roughly a foot thick.   The exit is above it and measures 5x5 also.

“What is that?” asks Pebbles as she looks at the crude build of the possibly dangerous item.

“A Holy Stone slab.  For a cleric I thought you would see that.” Adds Talon to break the tension.

Pebbles tries not to smile but gives in.  

“You first as always Cedious.” Says Xen with his arrow still notched.

“Curious” thinks Cedious.

“What is?” asks Pelor.

“This tunnel has rungs.   First to do so.”

“Trap or something to make us wary of the tool?”

“I’ll check it out to be safe.” And Cedious levitates up and checks each wooden rung while not touching any the whole way up.  The tunnel is 65 feet up.  Cedious is not happy with what he sees above.   The ceiling is spiked with long five-foot long spikes.  The ceiling looks to be only 3 feet high to top it off.  He thinks this to Pelor.  Pelor’s spell is beginning to wear off which is bad.  Very bad.

The third from top rung is trapped.

Cedious is uncertain how the trap works but the rung is designed to collapse down.  Looking closer, the other rungs collapse up.   Why?

Cedious goes up and reaches the ceiling.  The walls look to be very far away.  Or at least they are beyond the lights reach.  Cedious climbs through the spikes and discovers these are part of a 15 x 15-foot stone and metal slab.  The ceiling is fifteen feet high.  There Cedious sees an exit that measures 5x5 again.

“The minotaurs must have been smaller or this dungeon really sucked for them.” Says Cedious thinking about a minotaur trying to climb through the spikes from a 5x5 space.   Wall psionically switches places with Cedious to check it out.

Annoyed, Cedious levitates up again but brings a rope this time.  He doesn’t trust the rungs even after looking at it for traps.

“Cedious!   We have company!”  calls out Wall from the top of the stab.

Cedious once more levitates up and makes a point to never touch the floor.  Eight gargoyles charge.  Four from each end.

Pebbles reaches the top and anchors the rope for the others.  Xen and Talon begin to climb up now on the rope.

Wall and Cedious ready themselves for the attack, which never happens.   The gargoyles stop about ten feet away from the slab.  One steps out and stomps on the floor.   Suddenly gravity goes haywire!

Cedious and Wall fall / tumble off the large 15x15 foot large spiked slab which crashes onto the ceiling.  It blocks off the exit by doing this.  Pebbles narrowly flies out of the way as Xen and Talon fall past her and become spiked into the 15x15-foot slab.   Meanwhile, the slab below sprouts spikes as it falls and spikes them a second time!

And meanwhile, the gargoyles were ready for it and attack in the confusion.  

Xen wiggles free and begins to fire his bow from within the “spiked cage”.  Talon has a harder time getting free as his armor is catching on the spikes.

The telepathy ends.

“Oh crap…” thinks Cedious.

The gargoyles go into a berserker rage and attack.  They are tougher than first thought but fall still.  Then comes the next problem.  How to leave this room?

Reset the gravity or move several tons of solid spiked stone.   Luckily for them, they trip the floor trigger that matches the others and gravity resets itself.  This time, everyone keeps their distance from the slabs.  

Pelor’s statis spell is wearing off now also.

“Let’s hurry.  We no longer have Pelor’s support and who knows how many more rooms and traps remain.

Cedious begins to levitate with a rope to tie off to carry everyone as Pebble’s spell of flight has worn off.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 298
11/12/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 7: THE DROWNING ROOM”

They reach the floor to the room.  Above them is a 10x10 circle that is sealed with wax.  Looking to the walls 60ft away they are spiked and there are signs of them moving in the past.

“What do we do?”

Cedious looks long and hard for an exit.  He sees none.   “Cut the wax.”

“WHAT!”  Calls out Talon.

“I don’t see any other way to get out.  It could be another illusion like the blades.”

“Testing our determination?” comments Xen.

After a few stabs into the wax water begins to trickle out.  “Get ready.”

“For what…?” and suddenly tons of water spills out.  The stone lid is slammed down from the water closing off the exit back down into the tunnel.  The spiked walls also begin to move.

“Crap!”  Yells Cedious whom is still levitated above the water.  The others are knocked off their feet and fortunately stop themselves before striking the spiked walls.

Talon and Wall fight the water to reach the stone slab.  Without saying anything they concentrate on the slab.   In the meantime the spikes close in.  After two failed attempts, they remove the lid stopping the water from flooding the room.  Now everyone nearly is flushed out from the draining water.

“Up!” shouts Cedious.

They climb up and …. Nothing.

The room here is 15 x 15 and now empty.   The spiked walls stop below.

10 minutes go by and they slowly retract.

One of the walls retracts beyond its original starting point and thus reveals the hidden exit to the next room.


----------



## megamania

And for a special treat-   the map of the dungeon....  each square = 5 feet

There were some minor changes as I went but this is the basic concept of the dungeon.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 299
11/12/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 8: SLAUGHTERSTONE EVISCERATOR x4”

They climb through about twenty feet of  tunnel then onto a dark room.  Once more Cedious’ magical lantern doesn’t show much.  The room is 40ft wide and over 120 feet long.  The ceiling is forty feet up.  There is a large 80x40 foot slab above them.

“oh….crap….” is said by all.   All fear this slab falling down onto them instantly killing them.

Then it gets worse.

“Something … BIG … is here with us.” Says Pebbles.   Xen adds at least two… one at each end.  They make a point to advance far enough down the room to clear the overhead slab but still have the creature (s) move to them.

Before them are two large stone and adamantine constructs with four ten foot long blades that chop before it.

“How bad can it be?”  says Talon and he regrips his weapon and poses with it.

“More behind us.  The good news is they are slow.” Says Xen as he looks above to see if the slab is falling yet.

Talon is sliced badly by the first attacking construct.  As they fight it through the poor lighting Cedious spots something on them.  Each has a chain with a small chest on it.  He will know what is within them before he dies he promises himself.

Wall powers up psionically and becomes HUGE.   Then he attacks the constructs.  They drop one after several moments of attacking it.  Talon and Pebbles both are hurt but carry on.


Meanwhile, above them Pelor frets about possibly trying to reach them somehow.   He worries that they need his healing to survive this.

The second construct falls and Cedious moves in quickly and tries to open the chest without checking it first.  Chain Lightning strikes him and several of the others.

“By the powers of the Host-  can you not wait until these things are defeated?!?” shouts Pebbles as the steam and smoke wisps from her singed hair.

“errr…   sorry.” Says Cedious whom then thinks “Not” and sticks his tongue out once the dwarf turns to face the two next constructs.

Within the chest is a heavy iron key.   He moves to the second one and looks for a trap this time (and misses it).  A second chain lightning trap is released.   Talon screams out in more anger than pain.  Cedious finds a second key that matches the first one.  

Eventually the second set of two Slaughterstones are defeated.  This time the group makes a point of staying away from Cedious and the slab overhead as he opens the traps.  He disables the third spell and finds a third key.  The fourth chest has a trap but he trips it when trying to by pass it.  His incredible reflexes allow for nearly no harm to come to him.  The energy arcs over the constructs then dies off.

“What now?” he says as he holds up the four keys.

They look for key holes and not until Cedious goes to the ceiling does he find them.  Two key holes at each end of the slab.

Everyone huddles in one corner as Cedious turns a key in two of the holes.  One end of the slab falls down creating a ramp that would have entrapped / crushed anyone on the opposite side of the falling end.  They walk up the ramp to a exit that leads out.  Another 5x5 hole.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 300
11/12/06
“Chaos Storms”

“These storms are becoming more fierce.”  Says the Emerald Claw soldier.

“A storm would be one thing but these storms ….. are unnatural.”

“Colored lightning that always strikes.  I have heard undead rise where ever they strike.” Says a third soldier.

“I have heard of buildings coming to life when struck by the lightning.”

“Both of you are wrong.   If the lightning strikes it negates magic.”

“Less talk and more packing or I will negate you.” Snarls the Emerald Claw rogue.

“Life Stealer….” The three of them say in unison and begin to pack quicker.

Outside of the safehouse (the last remaining that either Cedious or the Blue Dragon has not destroyed) the supernatural storm rages.  Lightning of various colors flash and strike relentlessly.

A lone figure in a cloak peeks out into the dim light of Stormreach.  The storm concerns this humanoid as it always peers up as lightning flashes.  The creature begins to caste a spell to leave when a bolt strikes and ….it is gone.

The storm continues for another twenty minutes then mysteriously ends as quickly as it came.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 301
11/25/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 9: At The Top”

This passage leads up 75 feet on a 45 degree angle.  Cedious carefully levitates and “walks” the ceiling with his hands.   The whole time he is watchful of traps and dangers of all sorts.  He reaches the top and just as he is about to land he spots a trigger for a trap.   It is a mechanical trap designed to fire down the length of the hallway.  He disarms it easily and calls for the others to follow.   Then he inspects the room.

The far end has ash on the walls, ceiling and floor.   Heat rises from the exit that plummets downward.  A faint hint of a glow can be seen that marks the exit at the bottom.  Cedious wisely decides to wait for the others to climb and make their way up.  No one falls this time which is a nice change.

Together they look at the sot and ash then at the tunnel leading down.  

“It could be hard to climb down if the sot is there also.” Mentions Pebbles.   She is more concerned about the glow at the bottom coupled with the possibility of sliding uncontrollably down to it.  The glow reminds her of lava.

Cedious goes first.  Once more he uses his Ring of Levitation and tries to be careful about touching the floor.   He does often but with no hidden traps set off.

Wall comes next.   He is prepared to enlarge if need be to block the tube.   Pebbles is behind him with Xen and Talon waiting on the top.

Sure enough, Wall slips on the ash and he comes down the last 35 feet of the tunnel sitting on his backend.  Occational sparks fly as his armor strikes through the ash and onto the stone.   Cedious floats to the ceiling and presses there allowing the dwarf to continue past him.

Wall pops out the exit and bounces once.  He narrowly avoids falling into a burning area below.   Cedious drops and glides down sliding on the ash and tumbles to a stop before falling into the flames.   Hearing mo screams of pain or even discomfort, Pebbles goes next and slides down to the others.   The ash is quickly breaking up and making the stone work clear which makes it easier for them to climb down.  Xen comes next with no problem.   Once clear Talon rolls the length of the tunnel receiving many bruises and bumps
Until he also is spit out and just stops before the fire pit below.

“Uh-oh” is all Cedious has to say.

Far above, Pelor gets the sense of great heat and nervousness from the group.   The lizardfolk are still hoping for descriptions of the activity but get nothing.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 302
11/25/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 10: FIRE PIT”

The room is roughly 100x100 and 50 high.   25 feet from the walls begins the burning pit.   In the center sits a large block 20 x 20 that is not on fire.  There is no visible exit.

Pebbles calls up its Red Wyrmling and has it fly to the island where Cedious is now running to and leaping at.  He finds himself falling short but grabs the edge and holds on for dear life.  The flames lick at his feet.

“Anything?” calls out Pebbles.

The rogue looks about.  “No.   There seems to be…..uh-oh….” And he backs away from the edge.

Two HUGE Fire Elementals rise from the flames and begin to lash at the dragon and halfling.  The wyrmling is struck solid but ignores the flames.

Xen begins to fire his magical arrows at one immediately as the others spread out to attack and look for a way out.  The elemental’s long reach becomes a problem for the melee fighters.  After one round of attempting to attack one, Talon backs off.   He can not stay there long enough to do any real damage against the creatures.

Cedious jumps through a burst of flame from a near miss and lands back on the main deck.   The dragon flies away from the island but is struck again for the effort.  Wall attempts to attack but again finds their long reach to be big.   To make matters worse, he has not the will power remaining to use his psionic powers.

Pebbles calls to the dragon.   “Find a way out!”  Then she prepares a spell and calls for everyone to fall back to the entrance chute.  A blade barrier appears that weaves in and out of the elemental giants keeping them away from the others.  Wall attempts to trade blows with some cover but can not make an effective attack.  Cedious pulls out his Decanter of Endless water and hoses down anyone on fire.  The elementals are too hot to put out using the decanter.  Xen, from the safety of the blade barrier attacks the elementals then.

No exit is found.

Xen kills off one elemental and begins to attack the next one.  “Arrows are getting low.” He comments while concentrating on firing through the barrier at the elementals.

The dragon disappears within the flames.

Cedious curses.

Wall curses.

Xen begins to count his arrows down.

Pebbles wonders about meta-magic abilities to learn.

Talon looks at his burns and curses.

Dragon merely continues to search.


Far above, Pelor and the lizardfolk wonder what is happening.  Pelor is running low on healing magic he can use with his stasis spell.

Then the dragon swoops up and comes to Pebbles.  “Nothing but fire down there guys.   But the flames within the pit are burning on something… a fluid possible.”

“That sneaky Bastard!” sings out Cedious.

The last fire elemental drops and the moment the barrier is dropped Cedious runs to the edge to look in.  Pebbles doesn’t stop.   She falls into the flames and splashes through the gas/oil mixture that was set on flame.  The fires above light up the submerged area well.  The water is 25 feet deep and there is a tunnel that leads out.

Coming to surface and burning she calls out for the others to follow and dismisses the dragon before going under again.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 303
11/25/06
“THE DUNGEON of CHAMPIONS PART 11: LONG WAY UP”

 Cedious once more uses his ring of levitate to go carefully up the tube.   Eventually he reaches the top.  He guesses several hundred feet of tunnel to reach this area.  It is a small room with two doorways.   One is dark and the other has something glowing within it.  He peeks into the glowing room and sees a multi-colored glowing wall.  Fearing no problems at this point he collects one person at a time and brings them up.

By time the last person is up, Pebbles has already searched the wall that glows and guesses it to a magical wall.  She doesn’t know the details to it but recalls it takes several spells to pierce the wall.  She doubts she has these spells readied for the day.  Once everyone is within the room a voice speaks.

=Welcome and Congratulations young competitors from the north and planes.=

Everyone stops and turns to the wall.

“Who are you?” asks Cedious as he debates how bad the damage would be to charge the wall.

= I am The Creator.  I am Thundaar.  I built this challenge.  Did you like it?=

“What the #@%^*?!?” Curses the rogue in agitation.  “Did we like it?!?”

=I found it very entertaining to see you go through it.  Though you had a big advantage over the others that have tried to pass it.=
“Being…?” And far above Pelor is becoming nervous.  Status suggestions Cedious is angry and that leads to many bad things are about to happen.

=You are smaller, much smaller than the Minotaur peoples that this was built for.=

“Where we come from when one wins they receive a prize.  Where is our gold? Asks Talon

=No gold- only the satisfaction of completing it and proving yourselves worthy.=

Everyone looks at the wall like someone stepped in dog manure and just walked on a new rug.  “Can we leave then?” asks Xen.

=Through that door.=

As they leave Pebbles looks over her shoulder.  Through the wall there is a shadowy image of a floating Minotaur head or skull.   A demi-lich!

The darkened room is empty except for the ceiling which has a round door.  Not sure what will happen when they open that door and in great need of rest, they sleep here for a while.

On the surface, Pelor is invited to sleep within the towers with the lizardfolk.  He declines as he goes to sleep in the tower.

The next day, the door is opened and the room fills with water quickly.  They purposely leave the door open to drown the entire dungeon as they swim to the bright surface which is a mere forty feet away.  They are within the walled off area of the temple.  With spells carefully chosen before, they all leave using Wind Walking.

The lizardfolk watch them leave in silence.   A lone seagull flies over and lands beside the leader.  Slowly it enlarges, molting and growing scales.  Soon a Large Bronze Dragon stands beside him.

“The secret is safe then.” It says as a matter fact and in draconic.

“Yes.  The Dragonmarks are safe.  Your secret remains safe.”

“Good.”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 304
12/09/06
“THE DEATH OF CEDIOUS”

Using the very powerful and quick use of Wind Walk, the group quickly heads south and reaches the shoreline of Xen’drik.  With a good guess they pick the correct direct to go to follow the shoreline and reach Stormreach.

The group is on a high and feeling very big and powerful.  This is usually when things go bad the quickest.  And it does.

“Storm is brewing.  We better land and cut off the powers.  I doubt we will do well being misty and in the wind gusts for long.” Suggests Xen.

“Good point.”

Even as they begin to close in on the shore a flash of lightning occurs and strikes within 100 feet of the group.  It strikes the water.   Once the steam lifts there is a large block of ice revealed.

“Holy crap!”  Exclaims Cedious in amazement.   “Magical Lightning!”

“Chaos Storm.   Remember what that Captain said that brought us here the first time?   Magical storms with multi-colored lightning.   The lightning is said to alter as much as destroy anything it hits.”

“I bet I can dodge lightning.” Offers Cedious with a smirk that defies logic.  

“That’s not very wise.  What if you screw up?   What if you are hit?” warns a nervous Talon as he looks to the dark and flashing storm cloud overhead.

“None sense…” the small rogue halfling says.

A mere 500 feet away, a blast of lightning strikes a tree.  As the smoke clears a shadowy form of a Treant can be seen pulling, tugging and finally ripping itself free from the struck tree.  It swings at the trees near it them smashes into the jungle.

“Don’t see that everyday.” Is all Cedious can say.

He runs ahead of everyone with his rapier held up to draw the energy to him.

“Is he alright?   Did he breath in some mind numbing toxins?” asks Xen.

“He is such a half-wit.” Answers Wall shaking his head.   He hopes to clear the beach before the next strike.   He has no intention of being struck if he can.

One strike comes within 20 feet of Cedious.   A rock explodes and is reduced to pebbles that shower down onto his leaping and dodging body.  Pelor is considering a spell to knock him out so that they can safely carry him to cover.

Another strike, this one 40 feet away.  A large section of glass is seen in the blasted sand.

“I can’t believe this is happening. He will get himself killed!” comments Pebbles whom is also heading for cover, as the cloud seem to roll directly over them now.

“HAH!   See?  I’m a god!  I’m a god of…..”

BOOM!

No more Cedious once the smoke clears.

“YOU STUPID IDIOT!” Shouts Talon whom turns and begins to run to the crater.

“CAREFUL!   No one knows for sure what the storms are!” reminds Pelor and he thinks about spells to bring him back to life.  He hopes for a part... a finger, ear or even a toe will work.

Nothing.

The group stands around the crater and the distant roar and flash of the passing Chaos Storm slowly disappears.

“The BASTARD!” says Pebbles in anger.

“We know.  We all cared for him greatly.”

“NO!   He had the party treasure with him!”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 305
12/09/06
“UNWANTED GUESTS”

Still questioning what possessed the halfling to become suicidal, the group eventually reaches their target- Stormreach.

It is late and the sun has long since set but they still decide to look around and try to find some Emerald Claw members to harass.   They find none.  But they have a hard time getting any answers also.  Further more, several buildings, including known Claw hideouts, have been either heavily damaged or outright destroyed.   A few of these were giant structures made from stone.

“Claw ticked off folks other than ourselves.” Says Talon with a smile.

Wall gets grumpy and marches into the closest tavern that is not locked.  The tender sees him and nods.  Then Pebbles and Talon walks in and he nearly drops the glass he is cleaning.  “weareclosed.sosorrybutweareclosedyoucancomebackanotherday!” 

Everyone stops and looks at Talon and Pebbles.  “Allow me.” Says Wall whom then directs his frustration on the barkeeper.  He grabs his arm and his chin and hoists him up and onto the counter.  “What is going on?”

“youmustleavebeforethedragonreturns!”  (slightly mumbled from his hurting jaw.

“Did he say a Dragon?” asks Xen.

“And more importantly-  a Dragon involving us somehow?!?”

“pleasepromisetoMMMUMMPH!”  Walls slaps his gloved hand over his mouth.  “Calm down and say everything slowly.  You are giving me a headache dammit!”

“verywell….very well.  A few days ago a rather large Blue Dragon came here and began to hunt down the Emerald Claw.  It was also searching for Cedious the halfling thief and you two.” And he points at Talon and Pebbles.

Talon smiles and looks at the dwarven cleric.  “We’re famous.”

“Now please go.  I did what you asked.”

Pelor says it is time to go as he rests his hand gently on Wall’s shoulder.

“What is going on here?”

“Lets check their base at the dock.”

They go and discover the dock has been destroyed and the cavern collapsed.

“Now what?”

“Ask more people.”


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> "NO! He had the party treasure with him!"



Good to know that Pebbles cared so much about Cedious.  But I'm fairly sure Cedious made it out of there. Somehow. Although I don't think he'll like the cirumstances any more than being dead.


----------



## megamania

Cedious....alive?!?



errrr..... maybe... maybe not.   After all, it is a Chaos Storm.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 306
12/09/06
“The Warning”

Wall has lost any and all patience with the Claw and Dragons.  He marches into the closest tavern and looks for the easiest mark and goes to him.  The rest of the party in tow.  Pelor is going on about if this is really necessary.  Pebbles insists it is.

This patron freaks out and tries to leave once Talon enters the building.  Wall pushes him back down.  The other two patrons become nervous also.  The bartender asks them to leave.  Wall simply says no and spills the man’s drink by “accident”.

“Where is the Claw hiding now?” and he grabs the man’s hand as the man picks up the glass.

“Where is this dragon that we have heard so much about?”

silence.

CRACK!   AIIIEEE!

“I just crushed the glass within this man’s hand.  I believe I even broke a bone.  Where is the Claw?”

nothing

SNAP

“Oh no.  This man just broke a finger.  The Claw.  The Dragon.   Where are they hiding?”

Pelor looks to the ground.  He whispers to Pebbles.  “I disapprove of these methods.  Wall wasn’t like this before.”

SNAP   “oops”

“How was he before?”

“Aggressive but he didn’t hurt innocent people.”

SNAP  “How many more?”

“We don’t know anything!” shouts the owner.

Wall looks at the pathetic man before him.  He has soiled himself and now kneels in the mess.  Annoyed and disgusted, Wall lets the man’s hand fall to the table with an audible thud.  The man pulls his bloodied and bent hand to himself and curls up under the table.

“Let’s go.  Looks like we have to do everything ourselves.”

Then the door opens and the wind rushes in.

Standing in the doorway is a big armored figure with a hefty axe and shield.  It turns its oddly shaped head slightly to look around the room then centers on the group.  “Stop looking for the Creation Schema.  Agents of Xulo and Xulo-12 can not be allowed to get their hands on the Schemas.  Everything will change as we know of it otherwise.”

“And who are you?” asks Talon trying to intimidate the stranger.

“I am Crysis of the Chamber.  That is all you need to know.”  And then the figure backs away into the dark.

“After him!” charges Wall even as Talon grabs his sword.

They get outside and find… nothing.  Talon begins to become frustrated and angry.  Wall and Xen arrive next.  Two men are there walking by and begin to run away as Wall stares at them.  Another man, dressed in flowing robes is seen walking towards them from a dark alley.  Wall gets in his face.  Talon leans over the two of them.

“Where is he?  Where did he go?!?”

“!?!” Stammers the person in confusion.

“Spit it out!” yells Wall even as Pebbles comes out to see what is happening now.  Xen has his bow drawn.  He expects trouble.  It comes.  Suddenly Talon screams out in pain and agony as blood splatters everywhere.  The shimmering image of the armored humanoid appears.  His wicked axe is now gored in blood.  

“I see you are not the good type.   You will do whatever suits you and your primitive needs.  Have at thee.” And the creature attacks again nearly killing the hybrid.  If not for Pebbles and Xen he would have.  This activity is unseen as Wall continues to go after the man.  When he senses the activity he suspects the man has set them up.  The man takes a hard hit with a punch and doubles over.  Wall is not done.

The armored foe takes to the sky and attempts to fly away but Pebbles chases after him.  

The robed man turns invisible and hides.  Wall grumbles then returns to the main fight.  When he sees how badly Talon is hurt he reaches into his mind and psionically teleports Pelor to where Wall is and he to the poor soiled man inside.  Pelor is confused for a moment until he sees the blood and gore that was Talon and goes to work.

Pebbles grapples with the Armored warrior and keeps him from escaping.  Wall looks up and once more switches places psionically but this time with Pebbles.  The warrior tries to escape but can not.  Then Wall psionically enlarges…. and enlarges again.  The weight of the HUGE Wall drives the warrior to the ground and crushes him into the ground.  The others attack him as he is smothered under Wall’s bulk.  

Talon, still unsteady, walks over and beheads the defeated warrior.  Looking his freed head they realize he is / was some sort of reptilian humanoid (1/2 Dragon Bugbear).  In no mood for games and wanting more answers, Talon and Wall pins the body up to a wooden wall and writes in blood-


WE WILL DESTROY THE CHAMBER

Happy with themselves they begin to leave but are called to stop.  Turning, several heavily armored humanoids are walking towards them.  

No, not humanoids…. Warforged!


----------



## Solarious

I'm scared to admit it, but Cedious was like the group's moral compass. Now he's gone, things have gone completely pear shaped. It's strange the balancing effects that selfishness and greed has on the psyche, don't you agree? 



...



Nah, what am I talking about? The group were always psychos, even without Cedious.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 307
12/09/06
“Axe-Whole”

“GIVE US THE SCHEMA!” declares a warforged holding a large axe.

“WE don’t have it.  Go bug the Elderich dwarf.” Snarls Talon.  He is not having a good night and is prepared to destroy this bucket of wood and bolts if he must.

“We have heard that you may have it.  It is why the Damned Claw seeks you.  Give it to us…NOW.” And he holds out his axe.

“Look Axehole, I am not in the mood.  Leave or else.” Snarls Talon.  The others gather around him except for Pelor whom already knows where this is heading and holds onto his holy symbol to begin calling up healing magic.

The robed man that Wall was thinking was with the reptilian has become invisible again and moves away from the main party.  He doesn’t understand what is going on but enough is enough.

“Destroy the fleshlings.  Then hang them up as they have this creature.” Calls out the lead warforged as he suddenly charges.  The others follow him.

Xen targets him firing magical arrows into him.  The hiding mage calls up enhanced magic and blasts the warforged even as they run to Wall and Talon.  

Talon is teamed up on and the Axe wielder strikes very hard several times ( hit 3 times- 2 were confirmed crits) and he goes down in pieces.  For this action Pebbles and Xen finish him off quickly.  The other five warforged warriors continue to fight and cut away at them but the end is clear.

Talon is dead.

“This day has really sucked ……” oh now what?!?” cries out Wall.

He and others see the onlookers whom are all looking to the sky.  Something can be seen against a moon.  

A DRAGON!


----------



## megamania

The group been getting away from their normal role playing and becoming more blood thirsty.  I think they are becoming tired of the campaign.   This is by farthest the highest level they have ever run a game.   But they insist on reaching Epic Level so we'll see.  I am gearing the adventure to play into that "pick a fight" mode they are in.  This is assuming they survive the encounters coming up.


why oh why did they decide to pick a fight with a large group of dragons.....?!?


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 308
12/09/06
“XULO-12”

The huge construct has not moved in nearly three days.  It’s mind is elsewhere.  It is scanning the known sections of its kingdom for specific persons.  What is it scanning for?  Its ½ brother and anyone with the knowledge of its whereabouts.

Finally a Stone Golem arrives.  Within its grasp is a large tome.  The title is written in common.  The Huge construct looks at it and reads it out loud.  “Cannith Journal of Agent Guise.”  It opens the large tome and finds blank pages.  With a cold emotionless sigh, it holds out its hand over the blank pages.  The ring softly glows and the writing within appears.

It reads silently through several pages.  It then murmurs softly.  “It is about my ½ brother.  I now know where to take him when we find his mind.  Excellent.”  It reads further and reads for two days straight.  Finished, it slowly closes the tome and sets it on a high shelf within its workshop.

“The tome explains everything.  It explains where House Cannith found my ½ Brother, how they assembled his mind and brought him to his home.  There, he became Xulo.  He helped the humans build the Warforged.  He helped build the Creation Forges.”

The golem walks to the window and looks out over its kingdom.  “But the humans were not happy with that.  They tried to recreate him also.  He was torn apart and scattered his remains through the world they live on.  From their studies, they tried to recreate him.  And they instead created me.  Xulo-12.

But they left me.  Left here on this world.  The world of conflict.  The world of war.  The world of the Warforged!”  It raises its large arm into the air.  It looks like it could destroy anything in its path.

“Together with my ½ brother, we will rule this world and the world of Eberron!    Construct 3456- Get me the generals.  It is time.  It is time to recover my brother!”

A Steel humanoid, with a hammer for a hand,  leaps away to gather the forces.   War is here.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 309
12/09/06
“Trapped”

“Okay….THAT was a bad idea.”

Using his new dark vision goggles, the halfling looks around his environment.  It is a 15 x15 x15 cell.  Stone with a heavy duty wood and iron door.  No light what so ever.

Cedious looks around and decides it is time to leave.  He pulls out his magical rapier and stabs into the wall. It stops abruptly. He stabs again and again and the same thing happens each time.  “Adamantine laced walls….?”

He goes for the door instead.  He stabs into it without looking for traps and electricity courses through him and he is thrown back into the wall… smoking.

“That’s…. That’s okay.   I’ll sleep now.   Tired.   I will stay here  …. for now.”

Closes his blistered eyes.  “ow”

And thus the Halfling is trapped… for now.


----------



## Solarious

Darkvision?

...

Is Cedious a goblin now? 

...

Better yet, perhaps a kobold!


----------



## megamania

Solarious said:
			
		

> Darkvision?
> 
> ...
> 
> Is Cedious a goblin now?
> 
> ...
> 
> Better yet, perhaps a kobold!




Sorry-   It was his goggles he had purchased while in Aundair.  I may have not mentioned it.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 310
12/23/06
“A Dragon’s Rage”

The aggressive adventurers stop and wait for the creature to land.  It lands out of view but shortly walks to them.

“What has transpired here?  There is much violence here…even for Storm Reach.”  The Large Silver Dragon says as it slowly advances down the street.

“Nothing much.   Just killing Warforged.” Says Wall.

The Silver dragon looks over the group.  If it has made an opinion of them it does not reveal it.  It looks at the broken and gashed warforged.  Again, no reaction.  Then Wall and Talon step away from the ½ dragon humanoid’s hoisted and bloodied body.  The eyes burn a brighter blue.  The scales visibly shake.  The wings twitch.  “What …have…you…done?” it says in obvious restrained anger.

“It attacked us so we killed it.” Says Talon.

“IT?!?”

“Yeah.”

“IT has a name.  IT has the name of Crysis.  IT was a friend of mine.  IT worked for me….no with me….”  The claws dig into the stone and dirt that make up the packed down street.

Pelor turns from healing and tries to quell the situation.  It is too late.

The Dragon attacks quickly and furiously.  It also attacks without a plan and reason.

The group is quick to surround it while staying apart so that the breath weapon doesn’t strike the majority  of the party at once. Now even the bravest onlookers flee the scene.

The crazed dragon doesn’t last long as it attacks without reason or plan.  It has played into the group’s fighting style.


----------



## Solarious

megamania said:
			
		

> Sorry-   It was his goggles he had purchased while in Aundair.  I may have not mentioned it.



 You, my friend, know how to rain on parades, even mine. 

Oh well. Where Cedious is involved, we all know that he's bound to cause utter chaos, much like madness follows in a Daelkyr's footsteps.


----------



## megamania

Yup.  In the mean time, Wall is stepping up to keep up the madness.  At least now maybe I can fill in the level gap between characters.   He just reached 16th while Pebbles and Talon just reached 14.   Everyone else is 13th level still.


But considering they have now added Chamber / Dragons to the "Most Hated by..." list EXP will be pouring in.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 311
12/23/06
“Crimson Hand: Assassin”

The group returns to their abrasive methods and hit each tavern they encounter.  They learn of House Cannith’s location.  They did not know Many of the Dragon houses had outposts here in Storm Reach.  They march directly there.

Unknown to them they have picked up a tail.  Someone has been watching their activities with the Silver Dragon and now continues to watch them as they reach the Cannith outpost.

House Cannith has taken over an entire giant’s stone structure for their own use.  There is only one entrance.  Magically, the door has been reduced to a mere ten feet high.  A sliding viewing hole is on the door.  Looking up, the PCs see some cranes high above and signs of construction and work.  Cannith is still busy converting this ancient structure over to their current uses and sizing needs.

They knock on the door loudly using the hilt of their weapons.  A moment goes by before any noise can be heard within.

The door window cover slides open and a man inside calls out.  “You have reached the House Cannith Facility of Stormreach.  We are not accepting work currently but leave…”

“We want to talk to your boss.” Interrupts Talon.

Silence.

“We are looking for the Creation Schema.” Says Wall winking to the group.

“I am sorry.  If you are looking for a specific item you would do better speaking to the ½ orcs of House…”

“Aw comon already!  Open up!” Bellows Talon.

“Everyone from you folks to the Emerald Claw are here looking for it.  We want answers!  NOW!”

“I have never…”

FFFFFOOOOOOMMM!

A massive fireball strikes the group and the side of the Cannith building.  Its flames reach out to strike everyone.  The doorman screams in pain as some of the magical fire seeps into the building through the door’s window.  

Still on fire, many of the group begin to spread out to avoid being caught in another fireball.  Pebbles’ biggest fear is what they are facing.  She knows that was no fireball.  It was enhanced or another type of magical fire attack.  A very powerful one at that.

A second strike is made and Wall and Talon are set aflame and screaming.  No sound comes from inside the doorway.  Xen has escaped the area of the blast and begins to look for a target.  As he looks he spots a straight line where the leaves and twigs are in motion.  Suspecting the truth, he fires an arrow at it.  Fierce winds redirect the arrow into the coming dawn.

Duracel, the new mage that seems joined them, moves to the far side.  He can not survive another attack (1 hp remains).

Looking to spread out further, a sudden rise of magical blades appears keeping the group enclosed.  Pelor is very busy healing the wounds of everyone, including himself.  Xen can not find the source of the magical attacks.  Either it is well-hidden or using magics to stay out of sight.  He secretly hopes it is not another dragon.

Then they hear sounds of large and heavy creatures coming from either end of the street.  Five Warforged Titans appear along with many house guards and mages.  Who ever attacked them has gotten away.  The Group looks bad and now is going to need to be careful with House Cannith.  It almost appears they attacked the building.

“What is the meaning of this outrage?!?” calls out a human wielding a glowing staff.  Most of the group looks at each other as they continue to pat out small flames and cinders on their persons and equipment.

“We came for answers- that was not us attacking!” calls out Wall with a lot of annoyance in his voice.

Pelor steps up and begins to speak to the mage.  Pelor’s incredible ability to calm others in a non-magical means works well for them here.  They receive no help or answers, but they do get to leave with warnings of never returning.

Unknown to the group, House Cannith is well aware of who they are and what they can do.  And they are the bait.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 312
12/23/06
“Blue Dragon Strikes”


Not far away from the Cannith building a Huge Blue Dragon waits for them.  It has heard of the carnage these fools are causing within its beloved city.  They are to be destroyed.

Everyone flees the streets as it simply waits for the group.  Finally they arrive and immediately go on the attack.  Pelor has given up trying to control the group.

As the group moves in lightning flares out striking several members of the group.  They spread out hoping to avoid it from happening again.  The creature merely shifts and lines up a new row of evil adventuring violent invading bastards.

Wall and Pebbles enlarge and flank the creature with Talon charging up the center.  Xen fires arrows at it from the distance and Duracel tries what he can to attack with spells.  Pelor merely holds back.  These new allies are proving to be a bad influence on Wall.

The dragon falls but the group is heavily damaged and nearly without spells.  It is time to take cover and hide.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 313
12/23/06
“A New Subject is Found”

CAT-23 and NBA-78 continued their patrol.  They patrolled the entire Prison Section daily.  Though they looked like warforged they were not the warforged of Eberron.  The armor was not as bulky and yet was just as strong.  More care was taken with the carvings and etchings on the armor.  Each was like a finger print- unique and usable to identify one construct from another.

As they walked down the rows of cells they saw little new.  Most were empty except for bones.  Any metal and usable items were already taken and recycled to create new warforged.  

As they turned around a corner, they spot a flash of light.  Someone has been imprisoned and they were not told!

The two of them rush to the cell.  The door remains hot from the electrical surge.  The magical trap has been tripped.  They peer in and see a steaming body of a halfling.  In his burnt hand is a rapier made of adamantine.

“Recycle” the two guards say in unison.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 314
01/07/07
“Mysterious Fog and Warforged”

The group attempts to take cover in the hidden sections of the ruined city and encounter thick fog.  Thinking nothing of the fog in an equatorial environment, they continue on within the mist.  They stop and rest within it hiding in a ruined building.  The fog has still not lifted but they continue on anyway.  

Finally the fog lifts and they find they are not where they thought they were before.  Looking around, these are older giant ruins and deeper in the jungle forest.  The stone work is made from a darker stone.  Pebbles and wall figure igneous rock vs the sedimentary stone much of the ruins were built with in Stormreach.  

“Are we still in Stormreach?” asks Wall to Pebbles.

“I want to say yes but….I’m not sure.”

“There is light over there.  Maybe there is a camp there.  We can get directions.” Offers Talon.

“Seems kinda dark still doesn’t it?” comments Xen as he looks at the lingering fog that hides much of the skyline.

As they get closer to the light they discover it is a fire built within several large stone walls.  The walls are ruins of Giant built constructions from thousands of years ago.  They also see a lone armored figure standing on top of these ruin walls watching them.

They march directly to the figure and suddenly find themselves being attacked by warforged.  These warforged have a unique look to them.  Their armor has a better fit and design than any warforged they have seen before.  They are all also very effective warriors as they find out quickly enough.  

The ten warforged are defeated and the group begins to search the area.  Nearby they find an active portal.  Looking around, this portal has had a great deal of use recently.

Before they can investigate any further a wall of blades separates the group and fire erupts striking the mage and clerics of the group.  They are under attack!


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 315
01/07/07
“Crimson Hand: Assassin and more Warforged Come”

Growing tired of testing the group, the assassin known only as The Crimson Hand strikes.  He was hoping to find Cedious as that was the primary target asked for termination by Garrow.  He has learned that the Cleric- Pelor is holding the team together so he begins to target that spell caster.

Everyone tries to shield him quickly.

Two fire storms later, Pelor castes invisibility purge and the assassin is revealed.  Everyone unleashes in that direction and the fighters charge him.  As he goes to fly away, Pebbles takes flight and traps him.  She enlarges and drags him back to the ground where Wall and Talon are waiting.  It ends quickly.

Unknown to them however, the firestorm attacks have attracted more warforged that were scouting the area.

The group checks out the softly glowing portal.  The portal is 20x20.  Wall decides to check it.  He walks into and reappears on the other side.  The landscape is crazy and insane to him.  It is magma and hard broken up rock with miles of interlocking and over lapping stone bridges and walkways.  This goes for miles in any direction.  He is quick to report his discovery.  “So now what?” he asks Pebbles.

Even as the group is setting up their camp to rest and figure out what to do the warforged sneak up.  There are about ½ dozen warforged panthers and a pack leader along with two Large warforged that look more like golems than ‘forged.  The panthers attack the camp even as the group spots the larger warforged.

Xen fires his bow (2 crits!) and downs the pack leader quickly.  The panthers take more time to defeat.  However, the large warforged are built for warfare and seem to be untouchable.   “Any ideas?” calls out Talon.

DM NOTE This is a rare occasion of stopping play due to work in the middle of a combat.


----------



## megamania

bump.  updates soon.  been busy doing a PbP and life in general


----------



## Solarious

I wonder if anyone reads this storyhour besides me.

Lurkers, you out there?


----------



## megamania

I guess there are about 30 regular readers but you are the only one that responds.  Sorry I am so late updating.  Busy life as of late.  Gaming this weekend so I really am aiming to update before then or else I will be forgetting stuff.


----------



## Solarious

Not a problem. I have plenty of other charaters at which I can mock and cackle at their misfortunes. I always know Cedious will come through with his madness to make me smile.

After all, very little beats taking a dump down a Khyber Shaft!  The ride, and the waits, are worth it _just for that_.


----------



## Cedious

wow it is so nice to know that i am loved like that,
Did you miss me?


----------



## Solarious

I always miss you.

I especially miss getting you ass kicked too. But don't worry, we both know it'll be plenty sore soon.


----------



## megamania

okay-  this is where Creation Schema is at-


Writers Block

Crazy personal life with tons of externals

Albany Gameday (and resulting disaster)

Disinterest in how Creation Schema was spiraling out of control

Difficulty running an Epic level adventure / campaign

partial meltdown at last session




Creation Schema will return.   Hopefully sooner than later.....


----------



## Cedious

sunday andy it will be all better 

besides you still have alot to update i can just barely remember these sessions it was like a month ago!


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 316
01/21/07
“THE DM’S COP-OUT”

03/17/07  I have gotten very far behind on Storyhours.  This is due to time, writer’s block and to some degree-  lack of interest.  So I am going to summorize the last few sessions here-

They defeat these strange and more refined looking Warforged.  They discover a portal that Wall checks out.  It leads to a bridge / island area with an ocean od lava and steam.  They decide against going there.

They battle four Far-Realmed ½ Dragon T-Rexes which attack with invisibility and other spells.  Talon is tasted and swallowed by 3 of the four but always cuts his out.  Nearly kill Wall through sheer numbers as he holds them all off as the others attack at range.

They battle formian giants with spell casting powers whom beat on the group a great deal.  The group check out their home and instead I kill several members as I use War Hulked Hill Giants with levels in fighter on them.  They didn’t see that one coming.  Talon and Pebbles are killed while Wall is forced to flee or die in the next attack.

They enter the area the next day and face several more giants (not the war hulked ones) then leave again.

They spot and recognize the Siberys Heir (Kim’s super huge fire elemental ship) and decide to chase it down.  They relieze that Kim is after the Creation Schema and must have all the pieces (and he may).

For background stuff-  Kim HAS found all of the pieces but his will has so far beaten the spirit’s charms.  The bad news is Kim wants to assemble it at the creature’s home anyway.

Figuring Merrix Cannith would want her revived, Kim Elderich has brought Elaydren to the highest level healers of the halfling house of healing.  She has been resurrected but pretends to have little memory of events.  False.  She still wants to be Queen of Xen’drik.  Ore doesn’t trust her.

Xulo-12 is moving a strike force to Xen’drik to find the Creation Schema and also begin to conqueor it.

The dragon’s want the group dead and have begun to search for them.

Vol has recalled the changeling cleric.  His fate is unknown.  His minions however continue to search for Cedious to kill.

Lady Demise still seeks the Schema

The Chaos Storms are gaining in power and time on our plane.





This is a cop out but it needs to be done.


----------



## megamania

Cedious said:
			
		

> sunday andy it will be all better
> 
> besides you still have alot to update i can just barely remember these sessions it was like a month ago!




Its 1:30am Saturday.... 32 hours from game time and I have NO idea what we will be doing....


----------



## megamania

Still have writers block


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 317
03/18/07
“New Returning Foes and Allies”


The group discovers a giant’s walled in space with gates only a medium sized figure can fit through.  Taking shelter here from a Chaos Storm they stumble onto Bash, a ½ Giant.

After a brief conversation with the dimwitted ½ giant the storm reaches them and a bolt of colored energy strikes the ground nearby. The ½ giant is greatly concerned.  It struck the rat nest he feeds from.  Suddenly the ground swells and outpours mutated dire rats- dozens of them!

The group does what it can with this swarm.  Their skin squirms and moves on its own (Far Realm Template).  Using high-level damage attacks they eventually defeat the creatures.  Bash joins them since his food has been made “icky”.


Before they leave a mass of metal attacks.  Wall charges it and finds he can do little against it.  Only with Pelor’s healing can he even attempt to go toe to toe with it.  The creature summons Iron Golems (MMII Abomination) and group is forced to flee.

They spot Kim Elderich’s ship fly by low to the ground.  “Follow that ship!”


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 318
04/14/07
“Xen’drik Time Warps”

We skipped last week due to my wife’s serious back injury.

Following the river the air ship was following, the group finds themselves within the mountains out of the jungle (Wind Walk).  The river ends (begins) as a huge lake that is partially frozen.  There is about four inches of snow.  Deciding to rest, they set up their tower to sleep.

They awake to being buried in 75ft of snow and ice!  They tunnel out and leave the area returning to the valley following the river again.  Here they discover a destroyed watercraft by House Orien.  There are two survivors- a warforged fighter with extra heavy plating and a human samurai.

They were sent here to find a group of adventurers that were seeking the Creation Schema 3 months ago.  This is when the group discovers they “slept” for over three months.  They also learn that to reach the place they are looking for, one follows the river to the lake then follows the ridgeline.

They leave the next day…but first they battle strange polymorphing Owlbears that summon dire wolves also.

(Xoriat experimented on vampires and Owlbears creating these creatures.


----------



## megamania

I'm going to be better at updating once I begin Tark' Dunan.


----------



## megamania

okay, we didn't reach Tark' Dunan but I updated anyway.....


THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 319
04/28/07
“Hill Giant Barbarians”

It is twilight as dawn breaks when Bash the ½ giant spots something near the magical tower once owned by Pebbles.  He calls out to the others then quickly climbs down the side using a rope.  Inside, everyone was awake but had not come out as of yet.  They were discussing the path of travel as described by the samurai and the warforged.

They open the door and see Bash charging three approaching Hill Giants.  Each have weapons out and readied for the smaller kin.  Suddenly Slam and the Samurai are attacked by more Hill Giants that were waiting at the door!

Bash is bashed as he finds himself surrounded by the original three he saw.  One of the giants is a necromancer and begins to seriously harm the party with his scythe attacks (used Aspect of Nerull figure) .  If the giants had attacked a bit sooner then the battle would have been over quickly.  However, everyone was rested and spells reacquired.  Pelor begins rapid use of healing spells and Wall teleports with the weakest to bring them to Pelor then he enlarges and begins to pound on the surprised giants.

Eventually the giants are defeated and the group is victorious.  They loot the bodies and then begin their wind walk to locate the Siberys Heir air craft owned by Kim Elderich.


----------



## Solarious

Well, you're alive. It's something. And you're still updating. You could have simply vanished into thin air, never to update again...

I'm going to stop encouraging you now.


----------



## Cedious

Bah andy tells me he has updated but he missed out of the other half of that day..... maybee im just gonna get him to write it out at work then i will post the Story Hour with my own lil cedious twist.... because after all i am the center of this universe and any other as well.


----------



## megamania

And if the center of the universe is a black hole that makes you A Hole?


Update coming seeing at the next session is tomorrow.....


----------



## megamania

Going on hiatus.  Low player output as of late.


----------



## megamania

I doubt we will return to Creation Schema so I figured I would give a bit of the how it was to close-

Group was to find Kim Elderich on Turak Durn.   This was a planar exploratory floating city created by the giants and where the planar invasion began.  The city is over run by many escapees as the gates are beginning to falter and let out occupants.

They were to face everything from elementals, to Demodragon (Latest Dungeon Magazine)

Having the freeing Kim and CEDIOUS from the creatures here trying to expand on the CHAOS EFFECT they were to go to the home of the Creation Schema.

Here Xulo-12 was to be found also.

My origin of Xulo and Xulo-12.   Xulo is the Creation Schema when assembled.  It has the power to create / recharge Creation Forges.  Fearing the forces they had discovered, House Cannith built a SECRET lab on the Plane of battles where they tried to create a controllable version (its an artifact...can't be done).   After a dozen they quit and tried to dismantle the program.  Xulo-12 awoke and used its powers to POSSESS ANY CONSTRUCT and took over the facility.  Cannith ran away and cut ties and hoped to never hear of it again.

Unchecked, Xulo-12 created a warforged army and conqueored a large section of the plane (LOB would be so proud)  then she learned of the creator... the original Xulo.   She sought it.

So..... arriving here at the same time is Kim Elderich, the PCs with Cedious, Emerald Claw led by Garrow, Emerald Claw led by Demise (NOT working together) and many others following to know what is happening.  members of the chamber and Dark Lanterns with Trust.


After this major slug fest is completed, I had hoped the PCs would want to destroy Xulo (s).  To do this, each piece needs to be taken to a different plane and destroyed in dramatic and dangerous fashion.


This would in theory take us to 24th level.

Maybe it'll happen......  who knows.


For this summer we will do some pick up games of Dragon's Hoard then maybe another Campaign (shorter) of Eberron.


Sorry for the disappointment.


----------



## megamania

Bump before EN World 2 occurs


----------



## jaker2003

NO!
I read through all of that and I don't get a conclusion!?

No half-red dragon trolls?  No Half-Fiend Warforged?  No Awakened Golem Paladins?  No more comedic bathroom breaks?!

The whole long, drawn out process, the highs and lows, on the edge of my seat as the climax approaches . . . and I get left confused and weeping as a Virgin on her wedding night.


----------



## megamania

Sorry.  The group and I had a bit of a falling out during the summer.  Members were getting involved in stuff I don't take kindly to.  The group was disbanded and I have not had a new group since not that I could ever replace the way Clinton played Cedious and Jeff his violent characters.

I am looking to return to doing some storyhours again however.  So keep watching.


----------



## megamania

google is a beautiful thing.


Look what I found.... just in time to work into the future of my newer Storyhours and campaigns.


----------



## megamania

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 32
“Enter the Aurum”


----------



## megamania

It has nagged me for years that this storyline was never completed.  So It will be completed by my kids and me.  believe it or not, I have had a grand scheme planned that ties nearly all of my Storyhours together.  Creation Schema, Siberys Seven and John Play over lap regularly and its time to show this.

I will first bridge the gap from the gaming group of old to the new then hopefully begin play this summer roughly picking up where I left off with many of the lose ends requiring attention first.   So many people and groups were after the schema.

Hope you continue to read and enjoy.

Andy.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 320
“TIE UP LOSE ENDS”
MAY 5, 2012

SYPHEROS 05,  999

The tall and gaunt man studies the images he has drawn into his book.  The drawings are symbols that resemble draconic letters and symbols but there are additional notes written in a form of short hand unique to him.  These are symbols of the Draconic Prophesy that he has found and studied.  It is a thick book.

The room he is within is underground.  It resembles a gladiatorial arena or area on contest.  Glowing runes of cryptic messages are here-  the newest prophesy symbols he has found.  His notes include the size, location, and energies of the symbols he studies.  Without looking up he addresses the unwelcomed intrusion.

“Step forward Breedaernxen of the Crosswinds.  What brings you here?”  A huge winged reptile strides forward making no sound.  It also is looking at the runes around him.  His Brass scales reflect the magical light caste by the man.

“I have completed your mission to delay the grandchild of Elderich.  What do you wish of me now?”  The creature towers over the man, even bowing before him he stands dozens of feet over the student of the runes.

“Cedious and his allies are getting too close.  As much as I appreciate the halfling he needs to be slowed down.  I have summoned a Storm to intercept them.  I wish you to arrange for a welcoming party.  Your friend- the Icy Frenzy would do well I believe.  Have her and her giant friends stop them.”

“Yes Master.  Your will is my wish.” And the ancient Copper dragon that has been aiding and hindering all parties seeking the Creation Schema steps back and disappears without a sound.  This leaves the man with his secretive runes and his research by themselves.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 321
“GLYDER FREETIME AND HIS FIRST TIME JUMP”
MAY 31, 2012

RHAAN 12, 999

The gnome with the long dreadlocks looks over the railing of the huge airship- Siberys Heir.  It is flying over a very cold area on Xen’drik high in the mountains.  The gnome is excited and also very scared.  Before this year he had never left Sharn.   He lived a simple life as a student at Morgrave University.  It all changed a few years ago when he received a mysterious note from someone with handwriting exactly like his own.  The results of this letter and his actions aided in the stopping of the zombie infestation of Sharn.

A second letter came later.   He discovered why the hand writing was so much like his own.  IT – WAS- HIS- OWN.    Somehow, he magically traveled back in time.   This time, instead of saving Sharn, he was commanded to leave his beloved city.  He was to sneak into an airship port (he was told how and when) and when a specific airship arrived, sneak aboard.   It would only be there for an hour as the owner sent out a message from a House Sivis Sending Station.

The ship he stole away on was unlike any other ever seen before or after…. The Siberys Heir.   It was especially created by the dwarf known as Kim Elderich.  It is a huge ship powered by TWO colossal fire elementals.  A few days later He was spotted stealing food and brought to the dwarf.  The dwarf was expecting him!

The dwarf is on some sort of adventure looking into a powerful artifact he calls the Creation Schema.  There are many powerful mages and warriors on the ship on retainer.   Elderich is prepared for a war it would appear.  A war of magic.

After a run in with people possibly posing as the Emerald Claw (Glyder thinks they are a knightly organization- not a terrorist group) in Stormreach they began to follow a large river into the jungle.  From the jungle into the mountains and now at the top of the mountains he is a cold and snowy environment.  SNOW!   It is a wondrous thing.   Frozen water that falls from the sky like rain.  He even saw his first dragon!   It was a little one and white.  It was hard to see within the falling frozen rain.   

The gnome is jarred out of his deep thoughts as a gruff but loud voice calls to him.   “Looks like a storm.  A magical storm since it is not full of snow.   You have better go below.”  Behind the dwarf are two mages wielding staffs that are glowing.  The glow is building in intensity as the magic builds.

The mage holding a staff with an owl depicted on it stares hard at the storm cloud.  “Magic.  Strong.  Full of energy.”  His long white with red fringed beard begins to flap in the rising wind.  Purple and black lightning begins to flash.  “The storm is unnatural.  It is moving to block our progress.”

“Then prepare for the worse.” Demands the dwarf as he begins to recall spells of protection against lightning.

An arm of black lightning lashes out at the ship.  It strikes a mage whom drops to one knee and appears stunned.   Glyder barely hears him over the wind.  “chaos.”

Glyder stands slack-jawed at the bow looking at the storm.  Suddenly two blasts of lightning, one black and one green strike the bow at the same moment.  The intense flash of light and pulse of energy drives back the mages.  When they look up the gnome is missing.

Vult 6, 1002

The black skinned giant with flaming red hair and beard charges the fortification.  Gnoll archers fire at it from the top of the wall.  A blast of fire erupts there explosively.  Burning dead gnolls fall back off the wall into the interior of the fortress.    From the dark shadows of the space under the stairs there comes a glow and suddenly a confused and bewildered gnome appears.   “What happened!?!”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 322
“THE BEGINNING OF THE END”

RHAAN 17, 999

“Damned cold…. And that means something coming from a dwarf.” He grunts through clenched teeth.  The dwarf mage / cleric from the Mror Holds looks out over the railing of his airship as it continues to climb over the mountains of central Xen’drik.  

“Aye…. It’s cold.” Replies the mage next to him.  “As cold as the top of the world even.  But we grow closer to your destination.”

The dwarf smirks as he looks up to the mage.  “Yes.  And no- I will not tell you the name of the place.  That will only be revealed when we arrive there.”

“Giant ruins I would wager.   Many secret places here- many built by giants.” Says the mage hoping to learn more of the mission he was hired to aid on but distrusted beyond that.  “Or perhaps draconic?”

“All in good time Averand…. All in good time.” Says the dwarf as he stares at a white thick moving cloud ahead of them.  Still staring at the cloud, recent memories of the last strange cloud he encountered still in his mind, he mutters “Call up the boys.  Something is amiss.”

The cold increases even as the cloud nears.  Snow first drifts onto the deck then begins to fall regularly.  Collecting on a deck heated by two colossal fire elementals that now growl and snare at the unnatural cold it faces.  The dwarf and the mage both cast additional warming spells onto themselves even as the snow becomes a storm and then further becomes a blizzard.  Then it happens.  The roar of the winds becomes a roar of power and attack as a huge white dragon blasts out of the cloud.  It dodges a fireball caste by a mage still on the stairs leading to the deck.

“Another damned dragon!” snarls the dwarf.  “It’s like they knew we were coming and got ready for us!”

“I’m sure riding on a wood and fire magical craft the size of a whole town couldn’t be a factor!” quips a rogue holding up a wand that glows a bright green light.  

“Aw shuddup and blast that thing out of the sky.” Demands Elderich.

Behind them, in a cabin above the deck the lead captain watches with a slack jaw.  “oh-my-grandfather’s-grey- eye……ELDERICH!  ELDERICH!   Damn the wind!  He can not hear me.”

“Sir-   what is that?!?” says the mage pointing at something to the left.  Something…. Bigger than the airship they ride.  Something- moving their way.

Kim Elderich stares at the mass before him.  Never taking his eyes off of it he pulls back his sleeve and there, a magical bracer is.  He grasps it and activates the magic stored within.  It calls out to a set individual preselected years ago by the dwarf.   This magic item when created he had hoped to never use.  It would mean he may be about to die.  Die before completing his personal mission…. His personal dream… of discovering the full secret of the Creation Schema.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 323
“Jasyne Symtex”

RHAAN 21, 999

The breeze is cool but gentle.  He can feel it on his cheeks… brushing his hair.  His eyes are closed in concentration.  He hears the birds… then the slow creak of wood and handle.  Then there is a whistle.  His eyes snap open and he draws his bow and pulls back the arrow.  The bow creaks from the strain and the arrow begins to glow brightly.  He releases it and five more after that in rapid succession.  Each arrow streaks in a rainbow colored energy trail and strikes moving wooden targets.  All six arrows strike true.  Even as the shards and dust fall to the ground a once quiet crowd stand up and cheer.  The lead archer and trainer of the ways of the Kensai archery.

With no further show or drama the archer walks away to the booth where the headmaster waits for him.  She is Catti d’Deneith of the Blademarks Guild.  These highly trained warriors for hire are among the brightest and best that House Deneith has to offer.  Catti is the headmaster but she is more.  She is a Siberys Heir, born with a magical tattoo that covers much of her body.  She is also the future wife to the greatest archer ever to train and now train others in the Defenders Guild.  

“Well done.  The warriors look up to you.”

“In time they will understand the ways of the Kensai and do what I do and better.  They will bring great honor to the house.”

“Perhaps….. “ She is stopped as a House Sivis messenger arrives and bows before them.  “Jasyne Symtex.  I bring word to you from afar.” Says the gnome whom then raises his head.  “Word from Lord Kim Elderich.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 324
“Arcanis”

RHAAN 26, 999

“Hello kreen.  What brings you to Eldeen?” asks the old man behind the counter.

“Klik.  I search for magic. Klik.  Know there is some here. Klik.   Can almost smell it.”

The old man secretly swallows deep and absent-mindedly places his hand over the medallion he wears under his red robe.  “Eldeen holds many secrets and yes- I bet many have magic.”

“Klik.  Magic yes.  I have heard stories of underground cities klik of aberrational origin. Klik.  Much magic.” Says the Thri-kreen as it gracefully walks in the Winetree tavern owned by Sir John ir’ Gunther.  “Have heard tales. Klik.  Tales of heroes that come from here. Klik.  I hunt for them also.”  Says the Thri-kreen as ir sits at the counter looking around and its antennae feeling around also.  It smells for magic and anyone else within the tavern.

“I know whom you speak of.  They are not here.  I have not seen them in a long time.  They were seeking something that should remain hidden.   I hope you do not seek this also.”  Sir John is thinking about the catacombs of aberrational origin that he acts as a powerful guardian for.

“Seek what? Klik.  Maybe I should look for them. Klik.  I am a good hunter of non-magical things also. Klik-Klik.”  The antennae begin to focus on Sir John whom finds something to look into away from the troublesome Kreen.

“They went into the mountains that separate the swamps of Shadow Marches from these forests.  That was over a year ago.  Maybe you could search for them….”  Sir John is thinking quickly about how to be nice about getting this Kreen out of his tavern before he detects the medallion of immortality on him or his magical smoking pipe that he enjoys.  Then there is the artifacts (mostly evil) that a mere few hundred feet straight down below the tavern. The wards shown hold but there are creatures and things there best left trapped and forgotten there.   First it was his granddaughter and now this Kreen.  How much longer can he keep this place a secret?

“Klik.  Magic. Yes. Klik.  There is magic here.  I am certain of it.   Coming closer to me.”

Sir John stops walking toward him.

The door opens up and a gnome walks in.  The gnome smiles as he sees the Kreen.   The Kreen’s antennae move about wildly at the gnome.  “Magic. Klik!”

“Are you Arcanis The Thri-kreen?”

“Thri-kreen Yes.  Obvious.  Why seek Arcanis?”

“My business is for Arcanis only.  Again- Are you the kreen I seek?”

“Klik.  Yes.” Says the thri-kreen as one of its four arms reaches secretly behind it feeling for a weapon.   Many magic items are mysteriously been found in the kreen’s bags…. Some not his.  “I am he.”

“Good.  I tire of traveling in the forest.   Good sir- may I have a drink?”  The gnome tosses a silver coin onto the counter.  The kreen looks briefly at the coin then back to the unknown gnome. (say that three times fast  ) Sir John picks it up and looks for anything a House Sivis gnome would prefer.

“I come on the behalf of Kim Elderich.”

“Elderich?”  The Thri-kreen asks with suspicion.   He tries to remember if he ever took anything of his the last time they met in the Blade Desert of Talenta.

“Yes.  He requests your help on a mission that involves going to Xen’drik.”

“XEN’DRIK!!!!!!!” Klik-Klik-Klik-Klik.”   The Kreen’s excitement is obvious to even non-kreen.   Sir John is still keeping some distance between them just to be safe.   He mentally checks on the many wards he has set up within the tavern and below to hide the magic within.

“I was told to mention the rewards, if you agree, would be – I quote him- MAGICAL.”

“Klik-Klik-Klik.”  The kreen loves its magic.  “Where is he?  Where is the short man with money and magic?”

“You are to travel to Sharn and seek out the House Deneith compound.  If you have no means to do so quickly…” , he pauses at the thought of it, “…I am to assist you in doing so.”  The gnome gulps his wine knowing what the answer will be.

“Klik- Travel quickly is good.”

“Then come with me.  I have the means to teleport us the Sharn area.”

There is a gentle and subtle pop in the air as the two leave Sir John alone within his Winetree Tavern.  “Elderich is on the move.  There is much to do.  If he ever locates the Creation Schema…..  Aureon help us.  All of the Sovereign Host help us.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 325
“Shy-Anne Shard”

BARRAKAS   17, 999

The Golden Chalice is located in a wealthy area of Passage, Aundair.   Only the wealthiest are members here.   Few can be a guest here unless given approval by three or more members.   It’s very exclusive.  Royalty, Nobles, powerful warlords, mages and Dragonmarked house members are all members here.  Tonight they are entertained by the famous elven bard Jaerun.

One of the few guests here watches everything with great amusement.  She understands power, the power of command, authority, magics and even the supernatural.  But she understands something they do not- the power of the mind.  Shy-Anne Shard has traveled far and wide but seems to always arrive back in Passage.  She has beaten dungeons created by the great creator- Drogan, she has defeated demons sent from the waste lands of the west, and she has even dared to defy the celestials in the Plane of Shavarath.  She even courted a dragon once… and obviously lived.  

Today, she seeks knowledge that she believes a merchant only has.  The merchant has little care for her abilities and influence beyond the mind but her son is another thing.  Like putty, she has manipulated him and now hopes to find the secrets she seeks.

That is until a quiet pop sound is heard nearby.  She knows the sound.  She heard it once when traveling with Kim Elderich.  It is the sound made by Glyder Freetime whenever he leaves and arrives in another time.  Looking around she sees the gnome peering out from a curtain on the balcony.  He looks both lost and in search of something.  When he sees her he smiles and waves then ducks as a security guard looks his way- alerted also by the sound of his arrival.

The guard is suddenly confused as she reaches out to mind with her.  Glyder takes this time and opportunity to walk into the building and scurry to the back unseen by anyone.

“Excuse me Lord Ternity, I must…. Visit the water room.  I will return shortly.”  She stays up allowing her upper thigh to show through her gown and smiles.  The young man nearly drops his wine in response.  

“Hurry back malady.  I do so enjoy your company.”   He watches her leaves and smiles with lust and ill intensions.

Checking that no one is within listening distance, Shy-Anne looks about then goes into the water closet.  “We need to stop meeting in these kinds of places.  People will begin to talk.”  Says the Gnome with a sly smirk.   He is older than she remembers him being.  She almost thinks he has aged decades in the past year when she remembers he passes through time.   To her, a few months have gone by; to him it may be decades slipping through time, past, present and the future.

“Let them talk.   The truth is more appealing and amazing to me.  Why have you seeked me out?  And since when did you gain control over your time jumps?”

“Limited control but yes-  I can direct the jump slightly.   For the past five years I have learned much about the magics of time.   But I seek not to lecture you on that but give you fair warning.”

“Warning?”

“On the 28th of Rhaan in the year of 999, you will meet in the Deneith Compound outside of Sharn.  Avoid the city as there is danger there seeking you and those you meet there.   One will fall within the City of Towers. “

“I enjoy mysteries as much as anyone else but let’s get to the point. What is this about?”  Shy demands as her patience runs low.

“Kim”  as if that explains everything.

“oh.”  And it seems it does.

The gnome begins to talk about the artifact created on Xen’drik thousands of years ago.  How it is tied to the creation of the Forges and war forged.  How it could lead to far worse things.   He warns her of the Emerald Claw, the Cannith house, Warforged from Steel nation and another group of Warforged not of our world.  

“One more thing-  beware of the giants……    opp! Gotta go!”  The gnome touches a ring he wears and the familiar pop sound is heard as a gentle knock at the door is heard.   She decides that now is good a time as any to get her information and allures the young nobler into the water closet.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 326
“TELTIS HAMMERTHROWER”

RHAAN 26, 999

The dwarf had promised to meet his friend in Mror Holds but missed him (too much mead and wasn’t done with…. What was her name?).  When the Sivis Gnome came to him last week with the message he hurried to Sharn on the first rail he could get on.  

The gnome seemed very nervous around the dwarf.  He wasn’t sure why but now suspected he knew why.   Six Warforged warriors were charging up the ramp to his rented room.  He knew they were not there to sell babbles to him to help the war time orphans.  Even as he withdrew his over-sized hammer from under the bed a seventh Warforged phased through the floor.   The pike it carried tingled as it phased into his chest then he screamed in agony as the Warforged mage let it go allowing it to solidify while in his chest.

Dazed and coughing up blood, the other Warforged broke down his door and began to chop and beat him.   After a few moments, the mage waved them to stop and they left through the doorway.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 327
“ALTON CLAWVIN”

RHAAN 20, 999

“What is it Screecha?”

The megaraptor snorts out of its nasel passages in frustration.

“Don’t like the men in green?”

The large dinosaur scratches at the earth from their viewing point above the riders.

“They are Emerald Claw.  I do not like them either.  They smell of evil, greed and at times of the undead.”

The last of the riders go by.  “I wonder what they are doing here in the outskirts of the Howling Peaks?  No good I’m sure.”

The dinosaur nods in agreement.

They follow at a safe distance until they reach the village of green Brush near Baran’s Keep ruins.  They continue to follow but allow time for the claw to settle in.  When they arrive there are a few humans that look at them and a few children that point and run off in excitement.   “Curious.  We appear to be of note my friend.” The halfling Ranger / Druid says as he pats the neck of his megaraptor ally.

Alton and Screecha continue to follow the Emerald Claw agents.  It is becoming more and more difficult to do this with stealth as people point and talk about them as they approach.  

“They are no doubt headed for the Emerald Dawn.”

Alton turns quickly and spots a well-dressed gnome standing in the other end of the alley.  “Excuse me…. Emerald what?”

“The Emerald dawn, an air ship controlled by the Claw.  They are picking up agents throughout Breland.”

“and how do you know this?”

“I hear things.   Communication is my speciality.   I am Brassum d’ Sivis.  I am here to give you a message from Kim Elderich and Glyder Freetime.”

“Adventure!”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 328
“THE GATHERING”

RHAAN 27, 999

Just north of Sharn, on the edge of the King’s Forest is a walled in compound.  This was recently built by House Deneith. Catti d’Deneith of the Blademarks Guild is in charge of it.  She is a Kensai warrior of the blade.  She shares a high level of discipline for her blade and her house.  She leads and trains others with her love and fellow Kensai warrior- Jasyne Symtex.   Today they are watching the archers do targets.  Jasyne watches them carefully.   They are hitting near bullseyes every time but he is neither happy nor impressed.   They are over confident and not ready for being a Kensai.

He steps up and excuses the over seer Marcus d’Deneith from his current duties.   Normally this would not happen except for the genuine respect the house has for both his skills and being the fiancé to the compound leader.  He asks the group to strike the targets again.  They lift their bows to take aim but before they begin to fire he pulls a lever that makes the target move.    Some frown and glare.  A shifter at the end tries.  The first two hit the target (not within the ring) but the rest miss.

Noting the looks on the archers, Catti suggests the Kensai Archer to try it.  With a slight smirk he agrees and begins to immediately run and swerve around people as he fires at the targets.  6 of the 7 are bull’s eyes and the one shot is within the second ring.  The men are impressed and the shifter thinks he will do that soon…. Very soon.

Within the forest, next to a state sign that clearly prohibits any sort of hunting of the wildlife within this forest, is a large reptilian creature eating a deer.  A halfling sits nearby cleaning a bloodied arrow he just retrieved from the body.  “We should be close now Screecha.   I wonder what adventures we will have this time?  Do you remember our last adventure with Kim Elderich?   The look on that Centaurs face as you leaped up and onto his back!  Good times…. Very good times.”

Once finished with the royal snack, the Megaraptor and the druid ranger halfling continue towards their final destination- the Deneith Compound.  They find the high wall that surrounds the compound.  They search for the entrance.

Nearby but on the opposite side stalks a Mantis-warrior.  It too has consumed some of the royal deer within the forest.  It watches other deer run by.  It flicks it’s antennae in both excitement and irritation.  It has something to do.  Kim Elderich needs it.  Kim Elderich knows and has magic.  Will pay services with magic.  Like magic.  Klik Clik.

The wall is high…. But not high enough. 

The thri-kreen takes a few hopping steps before leaping into the sky as it easily clears the wall.  It clears the wall and lands within two hundred feet of the archery targets.   All of the archers swing their aim at it.  Two release but miss as the creature easily dodges it.  Jasyne calls for them to stop.  They do.

Arcanis hops up to him.   He fits the description given of the man that will bring it to Kim.  Bring it to magic.

Jasyne is uncertain what to make of the creature.  Kim Elderich has strange friends.  He has a way of collecting powerful and resourceful people that have unique outlooks and backgrounds.  He has heard of the Mantis Warrior race but never seen them before.  They have scattered small groups of nomadic tribes within the Blade Desert of the Talenta Plains and some are said to be in Xen’drik.  Its language skills are limited.  Its mandibles clik and clak regularly as it attempts to speak the common tongue.

“I am Arcanis”

“Welcome.  I am Jasyne Symtex.  This is Catti d’Deneith.”

“I come for Kim Elderich Klik Klik.  He has summoned me.  He pay with magic I hope.”

“I suspect he will pay whatever is owed.  Magic, Money or a debt of Honor.  Kim always pays his bills. You are the first to arrive.  I would rather explain Kim’s situation to everyone than repeat myself.  If you wish, you may wait in the mess hall.” He points to a building nearby.  The thri-kreen is disappointed.  It wanted magic now, not later.  But magic will come.

“Warriors- back to the lessons.”  The archers stop staring at the strange creature and go back to aiming at the targets… some still watching the kreen as it walks around the building.

It is not long before the lessons are interrupted again by a shout of alarm.  Something is at the front gate.  When Jasyne  looks he spots a halfling riding on a large oversized claw foot or raptor.  He has seen these creatures before in the grasslands and jungles of the Talenta Plains.  They are to be respected for the powerful, cunning and skillful hunters and predators they are.   More of Elderich’s agents he figures.

Marcus d’Deneith gives out a yelp and command to hold action as he turns his attention from charging dinosaur to the archers whom are redirecting their aim to the dinosaur intruder…. With him in the middle.  He quickly back peddles to avoid a stray shot released from these new recruits.

The large dinosaur slows down and saunters up to Jasyne.  The rider waves and introduces himself.  “I am Alton Clawvin and this is my friend Screecha,” the creature gives a short screeching honk and nods its head, “We have come for adventure!  Where is Kim?”

“That is the question of the day.  We wait for two more people.  They could be here at any time.”  He watches the halfling gracefully slide off the back of the dinosaur.  His ritual hunting mask hangs on his chest.  Bright colors of skin paint decorate the halfling.  The dinosaur swings its head in a bobbing motion as if anticipating something.   “Go ahead Screecha…. But be good.  We are guests here.”  

“Please avoid this building…” the host begins as he points at the armory and hopes the Kreen did not go there.  The dinosaur catches a scent and moves ahead… in the direction the kreen went.   Sensing probable trouble coming up with the two pets he is about to stop the creature when an audible pop is heard behind him.  He whirls around as it to use his bow as a club and disarming tool.

A beautiful tall and slender woman stands there.  Her robes are silky and hint at her natural form below.  She smiles as her eyes caste a look of intensity and raw emotion.  Another one of Elderich’s friends has arrived.  A mage.   No doubt a mage with strange powers and secrets knowing Kim’s attention and appreciation for the odd and the unusual.

“Hello.   Am I interfering?”  She says with a haughty voice.  Catti instantly dislikes this woman.  Yet another predator on the grounds.

“No but it is highly disrespectful to House Denieth to teleport onto the grounds unannounced.” Declares Catti stiffly.

“Your name?” asks Jasyne hoping not to start a battle between the women.

“I am Shy-Anne Shard. I have come out of respect to Kim Elderich.”

“I am waiting for one other.  If you….”

“Teltis Hammerthrower will not join us.”

“How do you know-…:

“A few years ago, when I was with Elderich last, he had a dwarven friend with him.  He was killed last night in Sharn.”

Jasyne ponders this silently and looks to Catti whom returns a stern look.

“Let us meet the others and discuss Kim.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 329
“THIS MISSION, IF YOU CHOICE TO ACCEPT IT….”

RHAAN 27, 999
The Thri-kreen decides not to check out the mess hall.   It can sense the magic here.  It LOVES magic.  Really- really Love magic.

It circles the mess hall and goes back to the building between the mess hall and the men with the bows.  Magic… it’s within this building.  

Nearby is a dinosaur also sneaking around the building.  It hisses in anticipation of the hunt.  Its tail bobs slightly up and down and side to side.   It knows the smell- it’s an insect man.  Crunchy on the outside and chewy and gooey on the inside.

So intent on locating the source of magical energies it is certain are here, Arcanis, the Thri-kreen warrior, doesn’t notice the large dinosaur until it is within 20 feet.   The Thri-kreen immediately goes onto the defense drawing out its two swords and motioning with its other two arms.  The Megaraptor wags its tail and circles the kreen.  The entire time it is smirking.  This is a game to it.  The thri-kreen however, this is no game, it has seen this scene before on the Talenta Plain’s grasslands. 

“Tweeeeet!”

The raptor tilts its head then turns and spins away from the kreen.  Its tail barely avoiding hitting the insect.  It hops back to its pack mate.   

“You too kreen.” Calls out the halfling waving for it to join them.

The group enters the mess hall except for the Raptor.   It waits patiently for the wary kreen.  As the kreen hesitates before entering the building the raptor turns quickly- once more forcing the mantis warrior to dodge the swinging tail.   It attempts to bite at the tail but the raptor is off and away chasing a bird.  Damned dinosaurs.

“I am glad you have all made it here today. I believe introductions should be made before we begin.  I am Jasyne Symtex.  I have worked with Kim Elderich several times in the past.  I am a Wayfinder from Aundair.  Since then I have taken to training soldiers for House Deneith.  My specialty is the bow.  I am a Kensai warrior.  I can channel my own personal energy into this bow giving it more power than normal.  

“I am Alton Clawvin and that is my best friend and traveling companion- Screecha.   She is fierce in battle but quite gentle otherwise.  He says this looking to the kreen whom folds back its antennae in irritation.  I am a good hunter and work with the land.   I believe you city people refer to it as a druid.  I have known Kim Elderich for a few years now.  We met when he was visiting my homeland of the Talenta Plains.   I go where ever adventure brings me and Screecha.”

“Klik.   Keep your klik companion on short clik-clik-clak- ticking leash.   I dislike klik raptors- especially big ones. “In a quieter voice…. “Poison not as effective….”    Standing its antennae tall and proud once more- “I am a hunter from the Blade Desert near the Plains Klik.  I have magical swords of fire clik and ice.  I like magic.   Kim give me magic for this I hope.”

“Sorry dear insectiod- but you neglected to give a name.” says the mysterious and alluring woman.   

“Arcanis.  I like magic.”

Jasyne frowns.  This may be a long mission.   Maybe he can repay his debt of honor on another day?

“Klik- you?”

The halfling smirks misreading the racial clik as a slur.

“I am  Shy-Anne Shard.  I am a master of the emotional mind.  Some of my people refer to it as being a Wilder.  Kim befriended me and we keep in touch occasionally as he finds my skills and talents useful.”

“So we have two hunters, a wielder of psionics, a dinosaur and me for this mission.   Very well.”

“You seem to know what is happening but we do not.   Why are we here?  Why were we summoned?” asks the halfling.

“I fear a rescue.” Answers the archer.

“Yes.  And aid with his current interest. The Creation Schema.” Follows the Wilder.

“Creation Schema?” asks the halfling.

“I believe a Schema is a tool to quicken magical spell preparation.  I am uncertain what this specific schema does.” Says Jasyne looking to the Wilder.

“Correct.  I know little else other than he has spent years researching it and much of his fortune looking for the pieces to assemble it.  The last I knew, he had the pieces and was looking to assemble it.”

Jasyne has troubled thoughts at this prospect.  Kim has a way of overlooking caution and common sense with things magical- the dangerous kinds especially.  “He had asked me if it was okay to set up a back-up plan with me where he could assemble a group to follow him.   The fact we are here means he is in trouble.   He needs our help and it will be dangerous… even deadly.   I understand completely if anyone wishes to leave.”   He waits and peers to everyone one at a time.   No one says anything or leaves.  “Very well then….  The last I knew of him, he had stopped in Sharn.  He had built an enormous airship, the Siberys Heir, and was leaving for Xen’drik.  I presume that is where we can go to begin looking for him.”

“This ship is unique?” asks Shy-Anne.

“Very.  It is large and has TWO colossal fire elementals powering it.”

“We can begin whenever you wish then.   I can bring us there instantly.”

“Adventure in the jungles of Xen’drik,” calls out the halfling in sheer joy.

“Xen’drik…. Klik-klik-ah-klik magic!   Xen’drik is home of magic!”

“Allow me to say my goodbyes to Catti first then we may begin.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 330
“WRONG TURN AT STORMREACH or SOMETHIN’ LIKE THAT”

RHAAN 27, 999

Holding hands, each remain quiet as Shy-Anne concentrates on the image of the Siberys Heir.   Her mind quickly reaches out through the world looking for such an image and quietly she whispers- “ready?” and takes a deep breath and lets it out very slowly and evenly.   She is careful to imagine themselves reappearing onto its deck in fear of falling through the sky or into the sea.

She and others would scream but their lungs are struck fast by the teleportation to the ship.

COLD.

DAMNED.
FREAKIN.
COLD.

They touch then fall quickly on the deck of the ship.   It lies on its side covered in snow with bitter cold winds blowing sleet and ice like tiny razors.   They slide down the angled deck into the deep snow on the ground.   

Screecha is first to break the surface.  Its screech has a quality of dismay and panic.   Jasyne is next.  He claws to the surface and readies his bow.  It glows brightly against the whiteout conditions.   Shy-Anne sits up shakes the snow from her face and brushes it off the front of her thin dress.   The cold snow is finding its way into her dress from all directions.  Alton leaps up from the snow like a dolphin from water.   He lands back into the snow laughing.   Snow is a rarity for him.   The source of his leap comes up now.  The kreen is quite miserable.  The cold is aching its exoskeleton in ways it has never experienced.

“This is not what I expected!” Kliks the kreen in great frustration.   “Xen’drik is a warm jungle- Not frozen. “

“We may be in a strange magic zone or most likely high in the mountains near the center of the continent.” Answers the Kensai warrior as he checks to be sure his magical ring remains.   It will shield him from the worst of this weather…. He hopes.

“Do we go back or find shelter?   We will not last long out here in the blizzard!” Calls out the Wilder as she wraps her cape around her shoulders and chest for protection.

Seeing only about 20 feet in any direction, Jasyne looks to the crashed ship.  Its mighty arms that once held fire elementals in place have broken off.  Some protrude from the deep snow with icicles formed on a 30 degree angle.  He looks at the deck again and sees a hatch about twenty up.  Following his gaze, Alton nods and motions to the hatch.  Screecha tries to claw and climb to it but falls down repeatedly.  Once with enough force to bury the kreen once more.    The kreen resists taking a bite from its long tail…. This time.

Jasyne doubts a climbing rope will take hold in this wind and ice.  Instead he asks everyone to step back as he draws an arrow.   The magical blast wipes out several boards from the deck.  Screecha claws at the hole and widens it.   Shy-Anne is quick to enter it once the reptile steps back to allow the others to pass by.   The kreen is watchful of the tail as it enters the hole.

Furniture has crashed to the wall by the force of the new gravitational pull.  It looks like this room is a small bedroom.  It is still bitter cold but at least the wind is not directly on her here.   She calls up her mental power to cushion the cold once inside.   Screecha tears at the hole some more to make it large enough for it to also enter.    Only through its natural bond with the halfling druid does it survive in this arctic air.

Using her head as a battering ram, Screecha forces the door to break open.   Alton casts a spell on his scimitar to enlighten the area and climbs up.   It is a long hallway filled with doors and broken bits of door and chairs from rooms now above, rather than across, from them.

“hallway boss.    I don’t see any danger.”

“Too  kkkkklik cold klik-klik for klik-ik-ik anything to klik survive.”

“If that were only so true.   We better move in and wait out the storm and get a plan made.” Commands Jasyne with an aura of authority.   They go into the hulk of the ruined ship.  Hoping to find something magical inside, the Kreen looks around.   Jasyne is uncomfortable with this.  This is Kim’s ship still, damaged but still his.  They are here to help him- not rob him.

The kreen opens a door and a chair and various books spill out onto it.   Looking at the books quickly it then looks up and effortlessly hops up and grabs the desk that has slid next to the door inside the room.  Struggling slightly as it looks through the ruined room it looks around.   Nothing obviously magic.    Don’t even see any money pouches.    Maybe this isn’t Kim’s ship.

“Will you stop doing that?” calls up the archer.  He notches an arrow and holds it.  It allows the arrow to glow and light up a short distance.   The halfling’s magical light is better and shows more of the darkened hallway.  The thri-kreen hops down and goes to the next door.  This one is open already and blocked by the furniture.   It crosses its antennae in irritation.  Awkwardly moving in the space, Screecha looks from the kreen to the furniture.  It steps under the doorway and stands upright.  Using its head, it pushes the blockage out of the way.   Uncertain what the gesture was for, the kreen watches the dinosaur cautiously before jumping up to explore this room.

Giving up on the Thri-kreen, Jasyne returns his attention to the main reason they are here.  “Shy-Anne, what other powers do you have?   Can you locate him like the ship?”    

“No.  I have tried but I cannot locate him.”

“You can’t teleport to him…. But maybe send a message to him?   I’ve heard of mages that can do that.”

“I’ll try.   Just give me a moment.”  She settles down on the slanted floor and concentrates for a moment.   The halfling and his companion move ahead to explore further.   The kreen is unhappy about finding nothing magical but did find a small amount of money.

“I…I can’t.”

“Can’t”

“No.   I used a power that allows me to reach him anywhere.  Even on another plane.    I couldn’t reach him.”

“Would he block it?”

“Could but why.”

“Could…. Could this mean he has….”

“Died?  Perhaps.”

Nearby, the raptor has heard something.  It moves to the end of the hallway.  There are stairs leading down.   From the stairs shambles a zombie.  It is carrying a bundle the way a mother would carry its child.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 331
“ZOMBIE HORROR”
7/28/12

RHAAN 27, 999

The Zombie slowly turns.  Its clumsy steps are made worse trying to walk on the tilted hallway floor.  It doesn’t know what hits it as the Megaraptor drops down from above and splatters it back onto the stairway.

The archer moves up to see what was happening.  He notes the destroyed undead and what it was carrying.   The blanket has spilled and reveals its contents-  a book and some tools.  Jasyne looks at the book- “Can you read this?”  Shy-Anne looks at it.  “Yes”.

He waits patiently.

“It is dwarven.”

“…and….”

“It is Kim Elderich’s journal.    A new book.  Only a few entries in it.”

“Anything useful or strange?”

“Began writing after leaving Stormreach.   They are following the mountain river to locate a ruin believed to have meaning for the artifact.  The Creation Schema.”

Suddenly he realizes the Kreen is not there.  “Where is Arcanis?”

“Who?” asks the halfling.

“The kreen.  Where is it?”

“Appears it has wandered off.”

“Greedy insect wants Magical items.” Says Shy-Anne.

“We should reel it in before it gets into further trouble.” Suggests Jasyne as he looks about the dark halls.

Meanwhile, Arcanis has located another stairway that leads down.  It goes to the stairway and listens carefully.   Deciding it is safe it goes down then begins to hear activity from the dark.  It waits for a moment as its darkvision adjusts to the lack of light.   It sees nothing but hears some shuffling outside of its vision.  “Magic” it wonders quietly to itself.   It goes down the length of the stairs and to the hallway below, without looking around behind itself.  Looking down the hallway it sees several more zombies carrying various goods.  It prepares to destroy them then realizes it is surrounded as they come from around the other corner and behind the stairway.  “klik…me.”

It begins to strike at the closest one and thus create enough noise to alert the others.  “We need to go to it immediately!   Alton-   get there now!”

“It’s below us.”

 “Now!”

Shrugging his shoulders, he lowers his hunting mask and commands Screecha to go down.   She does.   A few quick kicks and clawing, she loosens a board in the floor.  Using her teeth she then rips up boards.   Barely able to see the kreen below, she bellows out a happy honk and begins to bite off larger pieces of the floor.

“Zombies!  Lots of zombies!” calls the halfling.

“Figured as much.” Comments the Kensai Archer as he draws forth an arrow.

Shy-Anne grows pale then disappears from view, without a sound or notice.

Arcanis strikes down a few more zombies before Screecha can clear enough room to push her head through the floor.  She grabs a zombie with her mouth and pulls it up through the floor.   A quick savage shake of her head and some rending with her front claws the zombie is destroyed.  It goes for more, like a child bobbing for apples.

Alton is slightly disgusted.  Not by the actions of Screecha, but the thought of her breath when this is over.  

“Shy-Anne-  get me down there-….. Shy?   DAMMIT!”   Jasyne snarls.    He looks at the angles of the floor and wall and times it when Screecha brings her head up with more undead.  He leaps against the wall and through the hole in the floor.    As he lands, new undead zombies arrive-   zombie frost giants!!!!!

“We really lack discipline.” He comments as he draws out his sword.   Too many zombies are in arms reach of him and the kreen to use the bow.

It doesn’t take long for the numbers to dwindle between the multi-armed kreen, the Kensai’s sword and the bobbing dinosaur to clear some space.   Jasyne switches back to his bow and releases hell onto the zombies.   Rainbow streaks of magical energy shot by the kreen as he fires into the zombie horde.  “klik-klik- ohhhhh…..magic klik.”

The one zombie giant catches on fire and falls.  It creates a barrier that slows down the other zombies.  This makes it extremely easy for the kreen finish off the undead.

Jasyne looks at the ground and tries to figure out what is going on now.   Many of these zombies also carried bundles and possible tools used by artificers and mages.   Arcanis is quick to search through the bundles.  

“Where is Shy-Anne?” demands Jasyne.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 332
“MORE TROUBLE”
7/28/12

RHAAN 27, 999

They begin to look for her.  They are worried that the zombies somehow grabbed her during the fight.  Screecha digs up more floor and drops into the hole.  She nearly lands on the two adventurers.   As she turns about to look around her tail whips over the heads of them   Jasyne carefully avoids it but the kreen takes further offense to it.    Too many times the dinosaur pest has nearly struck it with her tail.  It  actively attempts to bite the tail.   Ever so briefly, it grabs the tail with its mandibles but before biting hard enough to eject poison, it is wiped away.  

Meanwhile, upstairs, in a dark hallway with little light given from a hole in the hull, sits Shy-Anne.  She is not hiding from the zombies she keeps telling herself.   Not hiding at all.   So why can’t she bring herself to confront them.    Damn Jasyne, he will call her on this.

“I summon you!” calls out a deep voice in giant.

She whirls around to the hole and sees a shadow at the opening.   Knowing this cannot be good, she moves down to where the group was.   They are not there now.  There is a gaping hole in the floor however.   A soft glow rises from below.  

“I SUMMON YOU NOW!”  She hears again.    She turns to the hull wall and her eyes begin to glow as she summons her own energy.   She releases it into the wall as a ball of pure explosive psionic energy and blasts a hole into the hull.   The icy cold air rushes in before anyone below can react.

“By the Sovereign Host -  NOW WHAT?!?” snarls Jasyne as he takes to the exit.  He looks at the hole and the dinosaur still below it.   He leaps up and steps onto the snout of the dinosaur that out of surprise lifts her head thus springing the archer up and through the hole.   The kreen looks to do the same but hesitates slightly as the raptor smiles.  “Behave.” Calmly suggests the halfling.

Upstairs, Jasyne sees a new hole in the wall, three times the size of the one he created earlier.   Shy-Anne is now standing in it and beginning to glow slightly.  “Wha….?” He begins as she releases the energy ball to somewhere outside of the ship.

He peers out through the blowing snow and sees the remains of several frost giants trying to stand up.  More zombies that are splattered and reduced to red dust on the snow.   She releases a second blast that destroys more of the giants.   Jasyne begins to wonder just how powerful she really is.  “Leave someone alive so that we can get some answers!”

The surviving giants sprint into the blinding snow and wind.  Jasyne takes one down hoping to wound the other but no such luck.  At last two get away.

“What was that?”  He demands.

“Frost Giants.”

“I know- I mean where did you go?!?”

“Not far away.”

“Where and Why?”

“Now is not the time- what are these Frost Giants doing here?    They seemed to be controlling the zombies.    Shouldn’t you be worried about that instead of me?”

Jasyne frowns.  She is correct but it is obvious that she is hiding something.   Damn you Kim. He thinks.

“They got away and will bring more.   We better plan for it.” 

“Where its warmer I hope.”  She turns and goes inside where the raptor has finally jumped up through the hole.  The kreen and halfling are nearby.

It is debated at what to do and decided that rest is required.   The kreen watches over them while thinking about magic and how magic might befuddle the dinosaur.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 333
“PILLARS OF PURE COLD”
7/28/12

RHAAN 28, 999

The group is surprised as Shy-Anne suggests a safe and secure place for shelter.  She pulls out a small metallic cube.   She gives a command word and it grows into a solid small tower, much to the kreen’s great joy.  It is nearly speechless.  It merely clatters, either from joy or the cold.

The inside is very well decorated and fancy.  Much fancier and more comfortable than Jasyne is used to or prefers.  She gives a few ground rules about the place.   She is uncertain about the dinosaur as it pushes and squeezes through the doorway and takes up most of the available space.   As it turns to inspect its new sleeping quarters the kreen and archer both are careful to avoid the swinging tail.

“Stay on this level.  It is the safest.   The water room in that little door.   Downstairs is off limits. Period.  Upstairs is my personal space.   I tend to sleep… comfortably…. And as such wish for my privacy.   This structure is made of adamantine and magically rooted to the ground.  We should be safe here.  It even protects us from the cold.   Now, if you will excuse me-  I wish to relax, meditate and sleep.”   She gives the archer a look then climbs up to her private quarters.

“Klik Klik…. Little space…klik….with your pet klik.”

“Screecha is as much a part of this group as you.   Make due.”   Screecha nods her head and turns once more before settling down.

Jasyne takes a few moments to meditate, his bow before him, eyes closed, he moves his arms rhythmically.  This exercise takes several minutes then he stops, looks around and seeks out a bed.
The kreen watches over them for a bit, uncertain of the safety here, the safety from the dinosaur and then it begins to wonder….. magic.

The next day comes.   Shy-Anne provides food and drink from the basement.   Refreshed, she tries to mentally reach Kim once more but cannot.   She “senses” he is alive but cannot contact him.   Secretly she fears it is being blocked from a more powerful psion but will not share her fears.   When Jasyne begins to ask about the zombie incident she quickly suggests they should leave.  The storm has subsided. 

Allowing her to dodge the question once more, they step out (or squeeze) to outside.  It is still very cold but the visibility is much better than yesterday.  As Jasyne checks out the remains of the defeated frost giants and zombies Alton and Screecha notice something they all missed the day before.

“Guys-  look at this!”  His voice is happy as this promises new adventure.

Within 200 feet of the crashed ship are twin pillars of stone covered in snow and ice.   They stand over 200 feet tall and are only 30 feet wide at the base.   Only 50ft of space is between them.   Swirling snow habits the air between them.

“Klik.” Is all the kreen says as it pulls a small carpet from its pack.   Jasyne had mistaken it for a sleeping pad until the command word is given (in kreen….curious).  The kreen hops onto it and flies up quickly before anyone can stop it.   

“Damned bug.  Damn you Kim.  This is really beginning to annoy me.” Grumbles the archer as he dredges through the snow towards the pillar.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 334
“PILLARS PURPOSE”
7/28/12

RHAAN 28, 999

Arcanis flies up through the blowing cold snow and wind.   The wind is fierce and constant.  It decides to fly to the top before even thinking (too late) of going through the possible portal.  At the top the kreen steps off of the carpet onto the top of the stone pillar.  It is MUCH more slippery than it figured and finds itself sliding off of the pillar that is encased in ice in many areas.

The others, trying to run through the thick snow, begin to shout at the kreen.  It is too late as it slips off and falls.   It looks to the carpet and as it is about to try to reach it when suddenly everything turns extremely cold and pure white.    The flying carpet flutters to the ground with a light flump.

Jasyne reaches the base,  covers his eyes from the sting of the wind and sleet.  “Where is it?”

“Risia.” 

“Where?” asks the halfling.

“Another plane.   Another reality if you wish.   It is the center place of cold.” Answers the psion.

“Is it… alive?”

“The kreen or the plane?  The answer is yes to both.”

“Is it safe?”

“Except for the extreme cold, blizzards, Frost Giants, White Dragons, White Pddings and other cold living creatures…. Yes.”

“Better get the bug.”  The archer sucks in his breath and steps into the white light.

Screecha  paws the rug a few times before its rider asks to get it.   It’ll make an okay blanket in this cold.

Jasyne steps out of the white and sees nothing but a white-out condition.  “Arcanis!”

“k-k-k-k-klik….here”

“Let’s return home (for what it is)”

The two of them stumble back onto the planar doorway.  As he goes through he tries to see through the snow and wind.   What little he sees reminds him of the lake valet in the mountains of Xen’drik he is in currently.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 335
“KIM ”
8/09/13

SYPHEROS 18, 999

The Frost giant named Greephoor doesn’t understand why this food must be warm but he does it anyway.  It is sickening his to sense of touch.

He walks down the ice tunnel to the special holding cell.   Just outside of this holding cell is a very special item.  This weapon nullifies ALL magic.  Dragon, arcane, belief and even the power of the mind are blocked and it is very powerful.

It was used to bring the warm ones to the crowd.   The flying fortress was brought down before their home portal.  This same magical- anti-magic now holds the sole survivor of the fortress’ crash.   The bearded one.

A painful warmth washes over the giant as he reaches the cell.  A fire is kept here so that the little one can live.   His powerful magic is nullified so that he cannot leave.

Caked on blood still covers the one side of Kim Elderich’s face and collects within his once immaculate beard.

The food is slid under the ice bars.  Some the soup spills out and steams for a moment or two before freezing to the ice.

The Dwarf doesn’t move.   He is numb.  Not just from pain but also spirit.    He thought he was going to do great good bring the completed Creation Schema back to Xen’drik.  Instead, the Frost Giants have taken it from him.  Frost Giants led by a powerful Dragon.  These giants have traded the schema to Fire Giants in the next valley.   Whom then will possess it he is uncertain.  Either way he has failed.

Mumbling and in a whisper he prays for forgiveness from the world and his Granddaughter- Dura Elderich.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 336
“THE GLOATING OF A MAD GOD ”
9/03/13

ARYTH 10, 999

The darkness gives him comfort.  The air remains warm however.   He is leaning back in a chair with his fingertips together and his feet on the table.  He is looking at the object under a velvet cloth on this table.   He smiles deeply and suddenly becomes animated and drops his feet and chair legs to the ground.   With a silent giggle he removes the cloth and looks into the glass ball as it begins to shimmer.

“The hags are looking into the future again- excellent.”

The gaunt dark skinned immortal looks into the glass.   The three hags of Droaam are but one of his many unwitting pawns.  He gave them an artifact that allows them to see the future.   What they are unaware of, is anything foreseen in the globe must be seen by him first.  Then he may alter the image if he wishes.    In this manner, he has led them to power and control of Droaam and now into battle with Breland.   Sheer chaos.  Sheer beautiful chaos.

The artifact shows him a war.   Trolls lumber forward with Gnolls giving them cover fire.   Men riding bears rush to them.  He watches intently seeing the outcome.  He concentrates on the globe and the hags viewing a similar globe.  He plants images of his choosing to create the most death , destruction and the best- pure utter chaos.

He is certain they will act on it.

“You are happy my Lord?” asks a woman walking through the darkness.   The glow from the globe reflects on the metal of her helmet and the blackness of her eyes.

“Very.   It has been a grand day.”

“And why is that my Lord?” she asks as she comes to stand next to him.  Her long finger nails play with his neck and shoulders.

“I am slowly driving all of Khorvaire mad and on to a road to destruction.”

She circles him smiling.

“Through my generals and pawns I have finally begun to see centuries worth of planning come to fruition.  I oversaw the events that lead to King Jarot’s death and planted the thoughts of rebellion within two of his children thus bringing the world into war.   As this great event quelled, I stirred alien thoughts and ideals into peoples of Droaam and Darguun.”

“Tell me more my Lord.” Mistress Muy Monstrous purrs as she now sits on his lap.

“I controlled the earth elementals and their lords to shake the Mror Holds until millions died in the flooding.”

“millions.” She repeats.

“I encouraged the demon lords to strike out against Aundair.   More die daily as they trample the great forest in their efforts to consume Aundair.”

“Delicious my Lord” she says putting her face close enough to his to smell his skin and white hair.

“I have lifted the misty veils of the Hidden to expose the Dragon’s greatest fear and weakness so that their foes may once more rise.”

“ummmmm….rise.” she purrs.

“and then there is the Schema.   My pride and joy.    I have so many trying to find it or stop it and so few understand its power.”

“power my Lord.”

“Vol has sent several of her generals to Xen’drik to capture the Schema and use its believed power over creation and life.   But one of her top generals, Garrow, has abandoned her cause.   The halfling imp, Cedious, has consumed him with the need for vengeance.   But one of my Chaos Storms has transplanted him elsewhere- beyond his reach.”

The mad would-be god of chaos closes his eyes and envisions the halfling rogue as he suffers.

“The dragons, already on the run from the Hidden being exposed are splitting their efforts to contain the virus and also locate and stop the dwarf Elderich.  It was I that gave him visions of the power of the artifact and it was I that brought him the riches of the Noldrunhold.”

“yesssss…. Power and riches…..”

“It was I that sent the Thrane Knights to the island of the undead plague.  It was I that the artificer lich and his companion, a warforged.  Both are consumed with madness.”

“madness…..”  

“I have manipulated the Lord of Blades to send his agents throughout Khorvaire to capture the artifact before his sister warforged from another dimension could grasp it.  Xulo-12 now risks everything by exposing herself and Cannith’s other worldly operations.   This has brought Cannith into the chase.”

“mmmmmm”

“And I have used several of my agents to prolong the chase.   The dragons Bree and Blizzard for instance. Anything to extend my fun.”

“…fun……”

“Yes.  Even The Face of The False moon requires amusement.”

“Mummy….. Amusement.    Like all of the Elderich family.”

“Meaning?” he asks suddenly frowning.  

She diverts her eyes and submits.  “Kim and Dura Elderich…. They yet live.”

“I can kill either one when I wish to.   NOTHING.  Nothing can stop me now.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 337
“CHAOS GOES BOTH WAYS”
9/04/13

THERENDOR 15, 997

The gnome stumbles out of the alley onto the streets of Passage, Aundair.   The military is on the move.  Something is happening.   What year is it?  Where am I? He wonders.  His leather jacket still smokes from the magical assault.

Glyder Freetime gathers himself.  Looking around he knows roughly where he is.   Passage has many good memories for him.

So much has happened to him since the days of traveling to Passage with his parents as a child.  He was accepted to Morgrave to study history.  In his freshman year he was contacted by “himself”.  He sneaked on board of an airship owned by a rich dwarf from Mror Holds- Kim Elderich.

In Xen’drik, they encountered a magical storm.  A lightning bolt from this storm struck him.  He reappeared in Korth …. Two years into the future.   Then with no warning he left time again and reappeared in Wroat.  And this continued for about three years.  He has seen the beginning of the 100 year war and the battle of Droaam.  He met Kim again in year 992.  Perhaps this is why the dwarf tolerated his being on the ship.   He knew.   He knew I would be there.  He knew I had to be struck by the lightning.   He may have even steered at the storm on purpose.

He just left year 1001.  He was being attacked by an agent of the False Moon.   He knew he would live since he knows he has to help Kim.    He left a note for himself to this effect.   That is a bad side effect of Time Jumping.  Facts get fuzzy.  It was Elderich and Play that suggested he leave notes through House Sivis to himself.  

He goes to the communication house and finds a self-addressed letter to himself.   It was written in 991.  There is a list with several names.  Symtex, Play, ir’Gunther, and Annapadda.  He reads the rest of it. He turns pale.

He and the people on this list are to find and rescue Elderich.   And…. There is a note that this will be his last mission for Elderich…ever.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 338
“CONFESSIONS OF A TIME TRAVELER 01”
12/30/13

“I have seen much in my time.” Says the sickly old gnome.  The halfling nurse smiles and continues to bath his still body.  I look to be about 450 years old.  But I have not even been born.  Crazy isn’t it?” The House Jorasco halfling checks his vitals.  Though new to the world, the Dragonmarked house healers are learning to use their powers over healing in new ways.  Monitoring pulse, heart beats, eye movement they can tell much without using magic.
“I was born on Orlune 4th of year 981.”  Glyder gives a weak smile.   The nurse dries her hands and continues to smile at the aged gnome.

“You do not believe me.  You think I am…. Crazy in the head.  Play’s son and daughter thought so also back in Xen’drik.  Now THAT… was a crazy and memorable time.”

The halfling offers him water.  He accepts it and nods his thanks before coughing for several moments. “What year… is it?”   She keeps working as she tries to tidy up his bedding.  With great effect, he grasps her wrist with his cold hand.  “Please…. What year is it?”

Smiling, she measures his face for his current grasp of reality and awareness.  This John Doe was found in the ruins of an army outpost in northern Metrol several months ago.  His mind resists any healing as he continues about being a time traveler.  He has no known family.  Neither friends nor military records.  “It is the year 992, Eyre 5 of 992.”  She pats his arm hoping it comforts him.

“I… I have time then.  Please… humor an old gnome.   Could you get a message out for me?”

Uncertain of the request she merely nods and gives an unclear hum.  He smiles back.  He already knows she will do it.  He has seen it.  It is his future.  Her future.  Eberron’s future.

Months go by.  A family member from House Sivis has answered his call.  Calli d’Sivis.  She is young but eager to leave her mark in the family history.  When she arrived to his summons she thought it to be a possible side story to tell in the newspapers or to her superiors for humor.  But his sincerity…. His grasp of the past.  Then there was the incident.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 339
“CONFESSIONS OF A TIME TRAVELER 02”
12/30/13

 The Incident   Nymm 6th 992

Calli d’Sivis thought she was merely humoring a dying old gnome.  But then she was told of three things that would happen within a weeks time.

1) 	A freak storm in Breland would nearly collapse a tower with repeated lightning bolts.   The cause- a failed Lyrandar / Cannith experiment to improve the power levels of certain dragonmarks.

2)   	A child would be rescued from a collapsed building by a warforged.  The warforged was caught in a collapse that crushed his legs and lower body even as his upper body and arms held out the children to safety.   This would happen in Central Breland and lead to the king to push for their freedom.

3)	A gnome by the name of Glyder Freetime would fall and break his leg at home in Ardev, Breland.  An exact address was given and time.

Despite the war, Calli decided to travel into Breland.  What was the harm.  She would be hassled by the governments but by her being a Dragonmarked gnome herself she could do it.  It was a mission for House Sivis.

Reaching Ardev by rail, she went to the home the strange elder gnome suggested to go.  She witnessed the accident just as he explained it.  He was trying to reach a box at work at the local library.  The young man looked incredibly similar to the man in the hospital in Metrol.

As she traveled further by rail, she encountered the miracle.  The rail was stopped as a Thrane agent had gotten deep into the country and began to unleash powers of his god in anger and pain.  His two sons had been killed that day to the north by a Breland general whom had his family hidden in central Breland.  A warforged soldier on march to the next battle saw the activity.  He was believed struck down by the cleric but survived.  The building he fell into collapsed and he saw and rescued a child there- the general’s youngest son.  The warforge’s dying act was to save the child…. An unknown child of no meaning to him.

The final event or incident blew her young Gnomish mind.  At night, A freak storm occurred.  She followed the activity and found a gnome wearing dreadlocks appearing out of nowhere with two others.  The three of them stopped a crazed couple of Cannith and Lyrandar family members.  This gnome slowed down before her, he winked at her, and said 

“I will see you again…. In a few years after the Day.  But first, you will see me in Metrol again.  You will know me by my eyes and smile.”

Dumbstruck, Calli already knew who he spoke of.  The time traveler, the old man, Glyder Freetime.

For the next year or so, she spent nearly every day with him.  She wrote of his exploits, the friends and family he had and made through time.   He spoke of many things.   Though he never gave a time or date, he spoke in pained and quiet whispers of the Day of Mourning.   It would forever change the world.

“Can you travel any further?” she asked.  He said he had the energy to do this one last time.   It was important for him to do so.  

On Orlune 18th, 1994 She visited him again.  He had a visitor with him.  A very tall eloquent man.  He spoke with a very strange accent.  She, a master of languages, could not understand it.   It was ancient. She could tell at least that much.  Obviously this man was one of his time friends.  She had brought his books with her.  She kept them in several Bags of Holding… there were so many.

The gnome sat up, he had energy today she had never seen in him before.  He asked to hold her hands and look into her eyes.  He looked with great love and yet…. Sorrow also.   She could feel the love.  It was strong and true.   

The tall man said it was time.  Glyder laughed at that.   A time traveler that seemed pressed or limited for time.  He asked her to travel to Ardev.  He had money and a note for the parents of the young man she had seen the year prior.  He was to go to college.  He was to study history.

She gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead and warned her about a special human that lived in Sharn.  She would write about him.  He was a handful and would travel in strange circles seeking his past.  She said she would leave that day.  She began to leave then decided to give him one last hug and returned.  There was a flash in the room as she reentered it and the man and the gnome were gone.  The three bags full of history were also gone.

Orlune 21st she heard about it.   The Day of Mourning.  The day that would forever change the people of Khorvaire.

She did not know what to do next…. Perhaps she would write for the Chronicle again.  Time…. Will tell.

Glyder had never gone this far back before.  He saw wisps of the human nations.  He saw giants and their wonders of their time so many 10,000’s of years ago…. If time can be explained that way anymore.  He saw the demons.  He knew of their rise in power that would come again. Then it began to slow.  Things became clearer.  The man beside him seemed to vibrate and waver. He was three images at once.  Black, White and Gray.  Three siblings  THE Three siblings stood before him.  Spoken in unison, they said it was time… it was pretime…. It was the end of time.

The three chanted and created a powerful arcane vortex.  Glyder stood there with the three bags beside him.

It is time….as it must be.   For us, you, and everyone to live and die…..  release the books.   Even as Glyder reached into the bags willing his entire history…. the world’s entire history to rise a great wind began to howl.   The power of the gods was here.  It built and built.  Pages began to tear free of the books and from the gnome.   The pages raced around the three deities.   The words changed shape and form.  Some pages defied the power of the vortex and seemed to climb and crawl to the divine beings inside the time storm.  The storm of making and unmaking.

The pages struck the three and stayed there.  The writing changed further and glowed.

“Thank you kind and loyal agent of time.  Thank you.”

There is a celestial explosion…….   Three gods ever in conflict, took time out from their battles to form time.   Past, Present, Future….all at once…. Never at all……

In time immeasurable, a lone dragon of unsaid color, type and age wandered into a deep cave.  A dream had brought it here.   It expected to find nothing but was surprised by what it found.   Glowing marks on the cave’s surface.  They….. they had called to it.   They were the first to be found.  Soon others would be found…. And the mystery that is time and curiosity will begin.

Thus, it was Siberys, Eberron, Khyber and a little gnome that created time…. And the Draconic Prophecy.


----------



## megamania

I'm not sure why I decided to include the origin of the Draconic Phophecy here instead of Hidden or something else but I wanted to write in a bit to further tie all of my storyhours together.  I have huge lofty ideas and plans for my game of Eberron and it seemed to always begin in Creation Schema.

I still plan to finish it.  My first game group came and went.  The second group were young and novice players which worked poorly with epic level characters.  Perhaps I will run it as I do some of my other Storyhours.... whom knows for sure.

Calli d'Sivis will be popping up in John Play eventually.

As for Glyder Freetime.....   Time can only tell.   his is a history long and important.  He will continue to appear and influence my Storyhours of Creation Schema, John Play, Sibeerys Seven and others only beginning to manifest and grow within my mind and imagination.

I hope some of you will reply.   If not I understand.   Just beware.... The Face of the false Moon is out there....waiting.... and he grows impatient


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 340
“THE MASTER OF ALL MAGIC CANNOT BE DENIED”
1/1/14

ARYTH 5,  999

Kim Elderich stares at the cold floor of his cell.  He can still visualize the inscriptions and runes of the spells within his memory but he cannot utilize.  His faith is pure and strong but he not the knowledge of how to act on the will and power of his god of faith.   Nothing with magic works.  Nothing.

Natural healing still works…. To a point.  The welt and bleeding has stopped on his face but his two teeth never reformed.  He hopes to survive and escape.  He’ll find a Jorasco Healer to correct that.

The Frost Giant Greephoor walks up to the cell very quickly.  He checks the captive carefully through the cell bars.  He checks on the anti-magic artifact quickly also.   He rubs his chin and questions something in his mind.

“Little one- how did you do it?”

It takes a moment for it to register that the captor is speaking directly to him.  “Huh?”

“Everything outside is ….. it’s a war.  How did you do it?  There is no magic yet you brought them here!  How?!?”

Kim smiles.  He stands up and puffs his chest out.  He tries to show as much pride and confidence as he can (especially for having NO idea what is going on) .  “Magic.”

“No Magic!” the giant almost pleads.

“Yes.  Magic.   I can control it.  I have been resting…. Saving my energy.  Now…. I use my magic on you!” and he waves his arms around and acts like he is pushing at the giant.   The giant flees screaming like a little halfling girl. 

“THAT felt Damn good.”  He stretches out his laced fingers and pops them.  “Now…. What in the name of Onatar’s Beard is going on?!?”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 341
“CRY HAVOK!!!!!!!”
1/1/14

ARYTH 5,  999

Another Frost Giant drops from the ridgeline as the Kensai archer hurries through the snow.  Arcanis pops from the snow onto the hanging chains and furs of another Frost giant.  The over-sized Megaraptor leaps up and bites and kicks the same giant from behind.  Alton calls out orders to his animal companion while watching Shy-Anne Shard’s back.  She mentally blows up several more frost giants with great ease.

“Keep them reeling.  Keep moving- confuse them and hide our numbers as you can.” Calls out the assumed leader- Jasyne Symtex.

It has taken them a very long time to locate the Frost Giant settlement where Kim was taken.  It is built into a glacier with natural and magical ice covering it.   They would have overlooked it again except for the number of guards that were there.

Several Dire Polar Bears on leashes appear out of the blowing and swirling snow.  Alton looks at them and smiles.  “Screecha-  ready to go big?”

Screecha, if she could smile, she would.  She turns and looks at the oncoming danger and begins to leap and charge.  Alton calls on the power and with a glowing hand touch her neck.   The pack saddle adjusts as she begins to grow.  The saddle is designed to give Alton a place when enlarged to ride.  She screeches and leaps high into the air even as Alton attaches the cords to his belt.  The Frost Giant and bears look up.   In giant, one hears “oh crap.” And several tons of excitable claws and teeth come down.  Snow is thrown into the already blurred air and the sounds of bones breaking are heard as She lands and breaks a bear.

Jasyne fires arrow after arrow.  The powers of acid, cold (sigh), electrical, fire (x2 damage) and sonic mixed with raw magical might and a bane vs. Giants after effect…. It’s not pretty.  Heads turn to red mist, limbs disappear and bodies are hollowed out as the magical explosions destroy a front line of five charging Frost Giants.   He is trying to get into cover for the main entrance.

A frost giant riding a Colossal Frost worm charges after Arcanis.  Shy-Anne sees it and instead of calling out a warning she waves her hand at it and flexes her fingers.  Her eyes flare blue and energy rips out.  The worm shakes and shivers before bursting in raw psionic energy.  The Giant is dumb struck as he tries to blink blood from his eyes.   The worm’s body and he begin to fall from about 30ft in the air.  He is still in his saddle as he hits the snow.  He pushes his upper body up out of the snow and hears “Ohhhh….klik-kkkk-    presents from the sky.”

Jasyne, taking a moment from killing giants, looks about.  The giants and their creatures appear to be endless.  He lost count at 88 kills himself.  The psion has at least three times this.   But there seems to be more adversaries here now than ten minutes ago.   Kim- we need a sign.  We need to know if you are indeed there and in need of our rescue.

Shy-Anne then sees something in the distance.  “No….. not now…” she pleads and almost whimpers.  About 700ft away there are six huge humanoid skeletons walking through the snow.  Her incredible and almost irrational fear of undead begins.  She turns to flee but sees Arcanis, covered in Worm blood, point at them and charge.  She sees Alton and his incredibly large (how did that happen?) raptor already charging to them.   How is it these three have the courage to fight them.  She can out firepower them.  Why flee?  She remembers her mother, in Sharn on the day of the Green Mists, her mother and her were caught up in the panic.  Her mother breathed in the mists and became a magical undead zombie.  Seeing what had become of her and feeling the urges of violence and the hunger…. She asked her to destroy her.  Shy-Anne couldn’t bring herself to kill her own mother.  Then a fleeing child, one that looked like she did as a little child, ran by screaming for her own mother.  “Mother….?” Shy-Anne asked as the undead before her snarled and began to move after the fleeing defenseless child.  Shy-Anne was forced to destroy her own mother….. to destroy her before she killed and consumed the innocent child.  Then watched as she held the remains of her mother close to her as another zombie killed the very child she wanted to save.  She killed her mother for no reason.

Instead of reliving this life changing event and fleeing, the psion concentrates on the anger…. The unfairness, of the deaths of that day.  “no”.   Her teammates run past her and Alton gives out a loud Yip-Yip!  His idea of an invite for the psion to attack the oncoming undead. “no”  Her body begins to glow… and pulse…. “no….more….”    Jasyne turns and sees the giants.   “Sigh…. This is crazy…. Even for our powers…..”

The wilder’s powers build…. Her skin becomes pale and her hair white……  tears roll from white pupiless eyes as she looks hard at the skeletons.   “NO….. MORE….”

Several frost Giants stop in their tracks and look slack jawed at her.   They know this cannot be good.

Energy flares out of her body and flashes over the charging Thri-kreen and halfling on his super-sized Megaraptor.  “Oh Yay!” calls out Alton.    “Kliiiiik” says the Thri-kreen in disappointment.

There is no sound.

There is no sight.

There is no feeling.

It is white.

Then the pulse and explosion burst out.    The six skeletons… the 24 frost giant clerics and necromancers…. The 100’s of medium sized zombies….. all gone.   There is a 100 foot bowl of removed snow, ice and ground where the Frost giant main force was.

About twenty feet from the edge a mantis Warrior digs its way out of the snow…… “kik-klik (can’t translate- grandma would not approve) Feared she would… do that. Klik.”   The Megaraptor is back spinning…. She is trying NOT to fall into the crater.  Her sheer momentum nearly carried her through the blast.

Suddenly Jasyne feels they can do this.  They can defeat a nation of Frost Giants on their home turf.  With renewed energy and hope, the Kensai archer begins to attack again.  Many of the Frost Giants are abandoning their posts.

Then he hears it.  They are not fleeing in fear of them …..   the raw energy of the explosion is causing an avalanche… THE- WHOLE- FREAKING- MOUNTAIN- IS- COMING-DOWN


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 342
“BURIED” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 5,  999

Jasyne fires away at another Frost Giant guard that is just inside the fortress / city / glacier.  He runs for the entrance as the heavy snow begins to strike his shoulders he leaps forward.  He hits and rolls thinking he has beaten it.  As he begins to stand up- the snow rolls into the fortress also.   If he grunts, growls or curses…. No one can hear it over the roar and his being overwhelmed by the snow and ice.

Shy-Anne, barely conscious, finds the very ground she is kneeling on is rippling and trembling.  Her human appearance is gone as the Changeling slowly turns and looks over her shoulder.  Her clothes and armor are greatly torn.  Her power is nearly wiped out and the snow on the mountain is falling.  She will be crushed…. Buried alive.  She feels around slowly… too slowly… and finds the object she was looking for.  She pulls out the 3x3 inch metal square and places it between her (and the others) and the oncoming avalanche.  She quietly says the command word over the deafening roar of the 1000’s of tons of snow, ice and debris coming at her.

A very large magical adamantine walled tower grows between the wall of deadly snow and the group.  The changeling half stumbles  / half crawls to the doorway and enters it.  She clearly doubts even this will save her.

The thri-kreen looks up and sees what is about to happen.   He tries to run but the crater and the pushed back snow is hindering his movement.   The Thri-kreen decides not to struggle with the churned up and piled snow but instead moves to the crater’s edge.  He leaps out and pulls at his pack.  The magic flying carpet unrolls and he now races just ahead of the rushing snow as it strikes the crater.  He can see the very large metal tower banging around and rolling with large chunks of earth and snow still attached to its base.

“RUN!” screams Alton at the wide-eyed raptor.   It begins to sprint as best as it can.  Alton pulls out a ring and puts it on while the snow is just reaching them.  “I wish Screecha could fly away from this!”  The snow covers them and they disappear from view under a thunderous crash of snow, ice, stone and anything and everything caught in its wake.  

Then……….   All is quiet.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 343
“I’M HERE TO SAVE YOU SIR” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 6,  999

Jasyne coughs and sneezes as he pushes through the snow.   He can’t see much of anything.  The cold fire sconces are all knocked down and / or buried by snow.  Breathing is hard.  The air is thick with ice crystals.   He finds his goggles and knocks the snow from them.  Slowly everything becomes clear in various shades of gray.

He frees his legs and stands upright.  Drawing his bow, he begins to search for Kim Elderitch once more.  There are giants inside still.  But they are frightened and running around.  Their leaders are gone and their fortress is under attack and heavily damaged.  He uses this confusion to move through the fortress.  He has no idea where Kim would be here.  The fortress is made from a single sheet of ice.  

Footing is difficult as the floors are made from ice.  The giants walk on it as if they were made of tractable sandpaper.  Not a serious issue.   He just moves slowly.  It takes a long time.  He eventually takes shelter within a crack.   He sleeps but not well.  He wonders if anyone else survived.   He is uncertain how anyone could.

A giant with a broken arm spots him as he climbs out of the crack.  Before it can call out a warning he fires several arrows into him.   Only the broken arm is recognizable.

As he travels around to another floor his goggles blink in and out.  Shortly, after using the wall to guide himself along the dark vision returns.   Curious but he thinks little of it.   There is a large ice covered wolf padding its way up the hallway.  He hopes to avoid it but the wolf gets a whiff of his scent.  As it begins to growl he steps out and fires his bow.  Its howl ends with the second arrow.

Too late.  He can hear the giants call out.

He moves up.  There appears to be more guards here.    Good.

Kim will be well guarded.  The more guards the more likely Kim is there.  Go where the guards are.

All goes well until his goggles once more begin to act up.  First he can see…. Then he can’t.   He takes them off and braces them on his forehead.  He takes a few more steps then feels something at his side followed by several loud thuds.  He looks to his feet and sees his dozens of boxes of arrows and a wand.  The very items he held in his Bag of Holding.   He did not wish for them to appear.    Something removed them from his magical bag.   He pulls out the bag to place everything back in.  He opens the bag and sees…. The bottom of the bag?!?  His Bag of Holding…. It’s a normal bag……

Then something…. Someone calls out at him.  A Frost Giant…. Its silhouette visible by a fire.  He draws back the arrow…. No glow…. No ripples of energy.   He fires it anyway.  A normal arrow, no rainbow tracer… no glow… no boom….. a normal arrow strikes a giant in the leg.  Then another… and another.  Each time taking a step forward.  The giant drops to a knee.   “Die giant….die.” says Jasyne in a low voice.

With his magical wards of warmth gone, he is eager to walk to the fire for warmth.  As he rubs his hands together over the powerful fire he hears something.

“Jasyne?”

He turns and sees Kim at the cold frosted bars of his cell.  “Kim! I found you.”

“Aye lad- now get me the Frag out of here!”

He laughs and looks for a way to remove the bars or open the cell.  

“Where are the others?”

“I….am it sir.”

“More death…. More blood on my hands.    Get me outta here.  I am sick from that retched thing.” Declares Elderitch glaring at a small 8 inch obsidian polished globe.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 343
“THE ASPECT OF THE GODDESS OF DEATH” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 6,  999

The world is grey…. And red.

The world… is pain.

Shy-Anne Shard is slow to get up.  Even slower than to awaken.  Her tower is destroyed.  The inviting fire that is usually on when in a cold environment is out.  Wall hangings and decorations are scattered onto the piled furniture.  She climbs to the edge of the pile and looks around.  At least her cold fire lights are still on.  She sees the snow drifting through areas where windows once were.

“Now I know…. How Kim felt…. Will feel….  “ she says to humor herself over this incredibly dreadful situation.  “His airship… totaled and thrown to the ground. Its contents thrown about…. Just like…. My home.”  

She looks for her medical kit.  The one with the potions of healing.  It was left out when the others were here.  The others….. did they survive?

She gathers up some equipment and tries to leave.  The door is stuck.  The very walls around the door are dented and bent.  Such force… to damage magical adamantine…… 

The magical field that once protected the tower is gone.  This allows her to go Ethereal.  She gentle rises through the wall above her.   She goes through thirty feet of snow and debris.  Once clear of the snow she looks around.  She sees several Frost Giants looking around with large Dire Wolfs.  It appears they are looking for survivors.  
She looks for a sheltered area and lands and materializes.  She mentally goes to reach out for survivors.  “Kim?”

She turns to go to the glacier fortress when something strikes her…. Hard.     She quickly teleports one hundred feet to the sky.  Then she manifests her psionic flight.  The creature that snuck up on her is looking around for her and calling out.  She reaches into the Ice Troll’s mind and shuts it down.  The dying troll has alerted the giants to her arrival.  “Damn” she snarls.  She begins to fly toward the front of the mountain.  She is cut off by a gargantuan white dragon.

“STOP CHANGELING”  

She finds herself unable to continue.  She has stopped.

“Really…. Geas on me?” she turns to look at the Dragon.   Big.   Very very Big.   She is uncertain if she can effectively strike him under the effect of the spell.

While she considers this, Blizzard, the Great ancient White Dragon castes another spell but on itself.

She decides the hell with it and calls up energy to kill it…. Her mind strikes out.  She takes pain and this pain disrupts her mental attack.  She is then struck by an Iceball spell.   She stops spinning in the air and resets herself.  The dragon snarls and laughs.

“THE GIANTS THINK YOU AN ASPECT OF THEIR GODDESS OF DEATH.” 

“As I am.” She pushes herself and tries to strike him down again.  She attempts once more to destroy the beast but the impact breaks up her spell.

She can’t go toe to toe with it.  It is over whelming her.  It attacks her as she attempts to attack herself thus breaking up her mental concentration.  She stares down the dragon…. Or at least the illusion of it.

Searing pain and the inability to move…. Blizzard has struck.

Suddenly…. Blizzard feels sick.  He knows this sickness well.  He last felt it when taking down the dwarf’s airship.  The Frost Giant’s use it to keep him at bay.   The crystal…. The crystal created as a weapon during the dragon / fiend wars 10,000’s years ago…… it was meant to destroy anything magical.  After its first use, it changed.  Now it absorbs ALL magical energies around it.   Even permanent magic items lose their ability to function around it.

Snarling, the dragon flees.  Shy-Anne falls to the snow below and the Frost Giants surround her.  “You are no god….. and we will exact our revenge on you.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 345
“KLIK-KLIKKK aka HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!!!!” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 5-6,  999

The roar of the snow is deafening.  The push of air before it propels the Thri-kreen even he leaps into the air and calls on the carpet to carry him.   He lands on the carpet and it begins to lift him…. Then the snow comes down over him.

“oh….klik…crap.”

Snow engulfs and surrounds him.  Everything goes white then black.

Cold

Very cold

Wet too

No like

The Thri-kreen fighter rogue is barely alive but is.  He was caught with the very end of the wave.  He rode the wave just under the surface of the avalanche.  He tries to sit up but nearly blacks out once more.  One of his four arms is badly broken.  Most of the chitin has been completely removed.  He looks to his legs.   He can’t feel them.    In pain, he begins to push the snow away with his three (still extremely painful) remaining arms.  He stops when he picks up the scent of blood.   Insectiod blood.

He begins to panic while he digs.  The snow is green.   “Klik!  No!..... can’t be…kikik…..”   his legs are twisted and broken.    The carpet is twisted around the one leg.  

“Klik… Can’t get…klik…any worse…I guess.”

Crunch=crunch=crunch

“oh klik crap”

He leans back and pushes some snow back onto his legs and lower body.  For good measure- even his face….. so kliking cold!

Three Frost Giants and a Dire Wolf come near him.   The dog whimpers and turns its head.  Apparently the smell of insect juice doesn’t please its sense of smell.   “eh- Here’s one.   Looks dead.”

The Giants lean over and look at him.  With the sword tip they nudge the kreen.  Most of the pressure is on his broken arm.   Through sheer force of will he doesn’t scream…. He merely passes out.  

Dawn.

Arcanis can’t believe he is alive.  The cold alone should have killed him.   He begins to try to sit up again and hears a loud crack.  His chitin is brittle from the cold and the blood has frozen between his side and the one arm.

“Stars…. Klik klik… I see…. Stars.”   He slowly rolls his head to the other side.  The chitin scratches and cracks from the movement.   No sense doing any more moving.  He may accidently strip himself of all chitin.  He would be naked!  Healing potions.

He feels for the bag and cannot find it.  It has left him!  Digging and reaching through the snow he spots the strap.    Painfully… he snags the strap and begins to pull it to him.    It is now he notices the yellow snow.

“I thought…klik klik…. Dire wolves stunk in general….”

With two working arms he digs in the bag.  His third arm remains frozen to his side.   

If a Thri-kreen could laugh…. He would.

He pops the top and throws it back.

If a Thri-kreen could cry…. He would.

The potion is frozen within the tube.

He tries to pop it out by shaking it.  Nothing.    He thumps one hand on it to pop it free…. Nothing.

Nearly whimpering… he places it along the broken away parts of shell.  He hopes the warmth of his body will melt the potion.

That says how desperate he is.

Five minutes later, he tries to slide the contents out again.   No luck.      For the next ten minutes he stares at the potion…. Thinking….freezing….

Suddenly he has an incredible idea and begins to search for it.  He finds it and it scares him.   His sword is still strapped to his arm so as never to lose it.  Strapped to the shattered and frozen arm.  “oh crap….”
He tries to wiggle his arm a little.   Things become fuzzy.    He tries to reach to it with one of his two usable arms.   They are the arms opposite of the damaged one.  Several pops and cracks happen.   He sees stars again.

Another five minutes later… once the stars have set in his mind… he tries something new.   Normally, to activate his sword, he holds it.  What if just ONE clawed finger were on the handle?   Pain as he tries to turn the wrist and tap the sword hilt.   He does and mentally calls on its arcane power.  Fire erupts causing him to call out.  The sword is under his body- buried in snow and his body.

After five minutes of searing pain, enough of the snow has melted that he can move his two frozen limbs.  The one the sword is attached to remains useless.   Tossing and rolling its head in pain, he tries to gently pull the strap off of the wrist.  It is caught on a piece of broken chitin.

A deep sigh later….  He works it free.    He wills the sword to light up again.   He is stuck between holding the sword close to him for warmth or under the potion to thaw it.   After a few minutes time, he tries the potion.  It slides out an inch or two before refreezing.   “Errrr….klikkliklikliklik,k……”   He decides to suck on the exposed potion.   “Terrible….tasting…. especially…klik…when frozen.”

After thawing three potions this way he works to free his shattered legs.   The healing effects seem to be centered on his arms and chest.  Perhaps since the legs are frozen, the blood is not flowing well there… not bringing the magic there….

Using the flaming sword, he slowly melts the snow and ice around his legs also.   He thaws the carpet and wills it to fly.    Nearly calling out and passing out again… he lifts and rolls his body onto the carpet and slowly floats away…….

“Heh heh…. I live…. Won’t Screecha be surprised.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 346
“IS THAT A BIRD? IS THAT A DRAGON? NO- IT’S SCREECHA!!!!” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 5,  999

Suddenly, all of the snow and ice break away from the mountain and glacier face.  It destroys and adds to its own mass anything and everything in its path.

“RUN!” screams Alton at the wide-eyed raptor.   It begins to sprint as best as it can.  Alton pulls out a ring and puts it on while the snow is just reaching them.  “I wish Screecha could fly away from this!”  The snow covers them and they disappear from view under a thunderous crash of snow, ice, stone and anything and everything caught in its wake.  

Then it happens.

A huge raptor carrying a halfling (covering his head and face for the impending crushing death) rises to the air.  It calls out in sheer joy.  If it could speak in the language of the humans it would be yelling-   “I’m Flying!  Look at me! I’m Flying!”   Instead it is a long carried out series of honks and screeches.  Alton dares to peek out from his arms…. “it worked!   It worked! We’re alive.  You’re flying!”  He begins to kiss the ring of wishes but stops.

“HOLY COOLNESS!  THAT’S AWESOME!”

Screecha cannot look back to see her new wings.   They are multi-colored butterfly wings… like a fairy dragon…. But bigger.

“I love you Screecha.” And the halfling ranger / druid hugs his animal companion’s neck. And they climb up.

A sudden fierce breeze blows across the valley and her flight pattern is disrupted.   Just because a wish gave it wings doesn’t mean she knows how to use them. [insert evil DM laugh here]

“Okay girl- lets go back and find the others.”

Screecha looks down.  Alton gets a mental call of alarm.  “So high!”   and rising.

Alton looks over his shoulder…. They are quite high.  “Level out girl.”

“How?!?”

Using his druid knowledge of animals… his innate knowledge of all things natural… including birds flying (errr…. Okay- butterflies flying) he tries to convey Flying 101 to it.   By time he levels out they are three miles away.

Now leveled out, Alton looks around with a big smile.  He giggles as a halfling would.  “What is it?” thinks the raptor.   “You know I always find a good point in any situation?”

“Yes”

Between our height and being over the ice… there are no insects to get stuck in our teeth!”

They soar but leveled out for two more miles.   Something gets Screecha’s attention.  Alton looks to it.

“Is that a bird?  Can I get the bird?”

“Wellllll…. We really need to retuuuuuuuurrrrrr” and without knowing how she did it, Screecha banks to the left towards the perceived bird.   

“Okay…. We can get in a quick snack first…. But be quick.”

The two of them charge at it.   “Big bird” says Screecha.   “What is it?  Yellow?” asks the halfling.  “No… looks…. Kinda white.   My eyes are not doing well in cold rushing air.”   Screecha has wings… but no mutation to the eyes to protect them from the wind.

They close in and at about 100ft they spot the “bird”.  Good thing they are coming from above.   Blizzard, an ancient White Dragon doesn’t spot them.

Mentally Alton screams to bank to the right- Screecha does and begins to spin wildly down ward.  “Ahhhhhh!” screams Screecha.  She can’t correct her spinning dive.

“I wish I never wished for your wings!” he screams… forgetting he is still wearing the ring.

Now they begin to tumble through the air… wingless.

“I think I’m going to be sick….” Mumbles Alton.

“Me tooo bleahhhhh……” and the raptor losses its lunch of dried meat. 

“ I wish I never made that last wish!”

The ring turns into tarnished copper but once Screecha opens her eyes she discovers they are slowing down.  Her outreached wings are slowing them down.  She alters the angle slightly and they rocket away further away but now they are not going straight down.

Now, about 12 miles away, she tries to level out again.   They hit the snow near the top of a mountain.  They skip into the top of another mountain and begin to roll and tumble again.  They are on top of a new but much smaller avalanche.  It finally stops and all that can be heard is… laughter and snorting.

“We’re alive!” calls out the halfling.

“We’re on the ground!” calls out the raptor in his own language.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 347
“SLOW AND PAINFUL” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 6,  999

The giants rush to Kim’s cell.   “Where is he?” one asks the other.

“I don’t care- we need to take out that queen of death!”

“Queen?  I thought she was a god….”

“No gods can touch mortal lands… an Avatar or Aspect maybe….”

“Shut up all of you.  We need this out there now.” Growls the captain of the guard. He grabs the black glass orb that was used to hold the dwarf.   Until about ten minutes ago, only Blizzard and Kim were considered so dangerous as to use the artifact that blocked ALL magic – their ultimate weapon and source of protection.

With no magic to carry them from the mountain to the battlefield they fear the worse.   They call on a Huge Glacier Eagle to carry one of them to her.

New fear rises in the leader’s chest.

She is here and so is Blizzard.  Fearful of any sort of cooperation between the two he urges the bird on.  It circles them once.  The creature of death wavers in the air.  The aura of anti-magic is reaching out to her already.  Blizzard snarls at the Giant on the huge bird.   Then he leaves.  The battle is not worth it.  She is the Giant’s problem- not his.

She falls to the ground and the giants look for her.  They find her easily as she can barely move.  Once more… she is at their mercy…. But how this time?  She can still feel the power within her.  It grows as her frustration grows…. But she cannot access it.

“How?”

The giants surround her.  “She is nothing.  She is no god… she is warm meat.”

They grab her.  She tries to break free but cannot.  She has nothing on her.  She even left her spear at the ruined fortress.  She tries a different tactic.  “My friends are coming back.  Release me- I may yet calm them.”

The giant smiles and puts her down next to a large chunk of ice.  With iced links of chain, they begin to wrap her to the ice.  “I think not.” says the giant.

She cannot free her arms from the chains.  Her breast plate is heavily damaged and her robes under them are tatters.   Between this and her pale skin she looks more undead than anything else.

The captain stares down at her.  He motions for a young looking giant to join them.   The captain leans over her.  “I should thank you.  You killed the clerical grandmasters.  My nephew here will most likely become the new grand marshal over anything cold.  For me… you killed my leaders.  I am now the master of this fortress until the queen returns from her journey to the fire lands.”

“Then…. Show your thanks and be a gentleman and release me.”

The giant stands up right and laughs.   He kneels down on one knee and holds out the black crystal ball.

“Do you know what this is?”

“Yes…. Too bad you will not have any children.” She says with bitterness and hostileness.

He thumps her hard in the head with the crystal.  Blood flows freely.  “Is that… all you can do…..?” she mumbles.

He strikes her with the globe now.  Teeth are spit out.  Blood pours out.  “Anything else you wish to say?”

She spits again. “Yeah…. You are crude also.”  

“Did you know some of the people you killed were my friends?”

“What of it?” 

“Your magic of the mind shattered their bones.   Can you imagine what that must have felt like.”

“Whatever.”

“Perhaps I will shatter you- insulting bitch.” Growls the giant as he places the globe at her feet, freeing his hands.

“Bring it.”  And she morphs her face to resemble his.

Several giants step back in fear.  She has defied the power of the orb!

He punches her in the gut.  Several ribs give.

“Any more comments?”

Wheezing… she looks up and spits out blood onto his chest.  “You punch….like a kobold…. A drunken one.”

“Tozark…. Her fingers if you please.”

The young cleric steps up and grabs her forearm.

“Happy?  Do you feel like a man…. Or is this your greatest desire… to become the….(wheezes as she catches her breath) …new master of the valley.  To beat on him?”  She allows her entire body to morph to look like the giant but trapped at 6 feet tall.

“I have been given a gift today.  Thankyou.” And the young giant snaps back three fingers.

“Ahhhhh… You are… evil…. You will be erased from the world….”

The thumb is twisted back onto itself.  “Arrrrgh!”

She had hoped for Kim or someone to have survived and come to her rescue.  So be it.  “Mother… I love you and soon… I will join you.”

The giants spend another twenty minutes on her.  Breaking her, violating her…. Disrespecting her.

The giants begin to turn away when there is a deafening roar of sheer anger.  More snow rolls off the mountains nearby.    The giants stop in their tracks and look up.   Fear on their faces.

High above them, above the influence of the orb’s anti-magic aura…. Is the incredibly horrific and angry face of a dwarf.   A very angry dwarf.

“YOU HAVE DECIDED YOUR FATE!  NOW YOU WILL ALL DIE!”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 348
“THE ANGRY, THE MAD AND THE UNFORGIVEN” 
1/1/14

ARYTH 6,  999

Suddenly the giants are thrown from their feet.  The ground below them rumbles and then breaks up.  A cloud of blue and green materializes nearby.  Greenish rain pours out onto the glacier.   The acid strikes the ice and instantly melts it.  Water rushes down and begins to cool quickly as it washes onto them.  The naturally cold environment quickly begins to freeze the water with acid mixed in.  The giants are howling as the acid bites at their feet and the feet are becoming encased.

Walking from a different direction, the Kensai archer stops once his glowing bow stops to glow.  He then takes two steps back and has Kim place Haste onto him.  He lets fly dozens of arrows.  Even without the magical effects, the expert archery with his great strength of the compound bow strikes hard.   Giants are disorderly and confused.

Using Jasyne’s range as a guide, the thri-kreen judges the distance carefully.   Using his natural jumping ability he leaps into the area of effect…. From behind the giants.  None of them see him as he moves in behind them.

The giant calls out orders to attack.  He turns to grab the orb to better defend himself.  He sees the Thri-kreen there, holding the orb…. With his head down.  He looks up, “You are….klik… a bad…. Klik man…..” The Thri-kreen, if it could cry, would after seeing her body.  She was beaten, violated and turned white…..

“No!” screams the giant.  Jasyne meanwhile is trying to match the Thri-kreen step for step.  The unknowing charging giants have no idea.  They believe he is moving in to better attack.   ‘course he is… but with magic soon.

The giant leader tries to recall his troops.   They are either too far away to hear it or do not listen…. Or it’s the magical roaring wind Kim has created that carries sleet into the area of effect.

Then the worst thing that could happen to the giants occurs…. Sensing it… both Jasyne and Kim release the full unbridled magic of their powers and weapons on the charging giants.   By firing 10 arrows every round the giants drop… some losing body parts from the explosive blasts.  Kim uses his Columns of fire to entrap them.

The leader is soon standing by himself.  He is standing in yellow snow and quivers in fear.   Jasyne is now close enough to see the remains of who he thought was a human female.  A changeling.   Figures but that is not the issue.  No one deserves this kind of death.  No one.  He slowly brings his bow up and aims it at the leader.   But the leader first screams in pain and grasps his head.  “Get them off of me!”  The archer holds his position.

The giant begins to rend his own face.   Jasyne sighs.  “This is not according to the code, Kim.  Stop it.”

The giant staggers around, blood pouring from his eye sockets.  Jasyne lowers his bow and turns around.  Elderitch tears streaming down his red cheeks, concentrates on his spell.  Whatever he is making the giant see…. It is too horrific for him.  He tears at his own face and then falls to his knees.   Blood trickles from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.    Then a crackling sound as the Giant slowly turns to stone.  In dwarven, Kim whispers- “This is for Shy-Anne.”

The stone begins to lose its texture and wilt.   At the half-way point he counters the Flesh to Stone spell with a Stone to Flesh.   The mound of melted misshaped flesh gurgles for a few moments before he dies.

Jasyne stares hard at Kim.   He has never known Kim to be so cruel.   But he suspects this mission will change everyone.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 349
“ANOTHER SACRIFICE” 
1/2/14

ARYTH 9,  999

Travel has been slow.   The three of them, carrying the body of Shy-Anne, are trying to walk back to the rift exit back to the ship… back to Eberron.   Shy-Anne is dead…. Alton and his dinosaur are presumed dead.   It has not been a good day or two.

They cannot use magic.  Kim refuses to leave the artifact in the snow and ice in fear of someone finding it and misusing it.   Arcanis is quick to agree to carry it.   He loves anything magic which seems wrong.  It neutralizes everything he loves but…. Its magic…. An ART-I-FACT……   This being said, before leaving, he stepped out of range of the artifact to have Kim heal him and repair his bone armor exoskeleton.

Soon they will reach the portal out.  They are uncertain how the artifact will affect it.  Maybe it can’t go through…. Maybe it will close it.   They don’t know for sure.  They know it was used outside of Risia once already.  It was used to down the Siberys Heir- Kim’s 1000ft long air ship.

They near the portal, very tired and ready to leave.  Jasyne is uncertain what to do.   He was contracted to rescue Kim Elderitch which he has.   However, Elderitch was caught up in another artifact… The CREATION SCHEMA.   It may prove to be a greater threat than even this orb that the thri-kreen cuddles and coos over (damned insane insect).   The Frost giants had taken the completed schema from him after downing the ship.  They have left Risia to trade with Fire Giants to the south.  Greephoor, the giant guard that Kim was watched over for several weeks enjoyed passing the time by talking about things.  Often stupid things but Kim once tricked him into speaking about the Schema.   This included the brief encounter with warforged.  They came then left after learning the Schema had already left.

Near night fall they spot the pillars that lead to Eberron.  Arcanis is already climbing the cliffs leading to the base of the pillars.  

Jasyne and Kim following, taking turns carrying the psion’s body.  Then the darkness at the base appears not so dark.  Something is there.   “Jasyne… hold.  We are not alone.”

Jasyne looks closer and concentrates to the darkness below the pillars.   Something is there.  Something very big.  The wind begins to pick up but remains inconsistent.  The thri-kreen is still too close to the creature below to use magic completely.  Blizzard steps out.  He looks up and glares at the kreen and the anti-magic prize it carries.

“WHERE DO YOU TAKE IT?” Snarls the Dragon.

“Blizzard.  You damned dragon- you took down me ship.” Kim snarls back.  He begins to call up spells.  

“Don’t antagonize it Kim.   Maybe we don’t need to fight.” Says the Kensai Archer in true hopes of not fighting an ancient Dragon.

A wall of ice begins to grow behind the two hindering their means to leave.   Kim answers by lifting off the ground.  The archer snorts and draws an arrow.  Suddenly the wind pounds at Kim.  He is slowly being forced to land.  The archer fears the wind will neutralize his range with the arrows- magic or not.  

“I APPRECIATE THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE FROST GIANTS.  BUT I MUST HAVE THE ARTIFACT BACK.  WITH IT, I CAN BECOME THE RULER OF THE DRAGON COUNCIL.”

“Heah… like we would allow that…” grumbles  Jasyne.  He releases an arrow and it is driven down into the ground a mere fifty away.

Kim tries to call up a Pillar of Flame…. It is fizzled out as it is too close to the kreen and the orb of anti-magic.   He thought the driving wind would pound the magic into the dragon from above.  However, placing it as high up as he has allowed the orb to destroy the effect.

Kim calls up a Fire Shield.  The winds try to rip it apart.  “The damned thing is using the orb’s anti-magic field as a shield.   The only way to attack it is straight on but the wind is making that nearly impossible.”

“Can we lure it out?”

“We can try” answers the dwarf.  He calls up the same illusion he used on the giants.  A giant image of his face appears in the sky and uses a magically bolstered voice to shout and taunt at the dragon.  The dragon snickers at the feeble attempt to intimidate it.

High above it, a thri-kreen finds the ground hard to walk on.   Some of the sonic energy is reaching around the field and causing snow and ice to shift above the field.  He jumps higher to avoid it as the snow breaks loose and falls through the field onto the dragon.   Not nearly enough to do more than anger it.   To Kim, that is a form of taunting.   

“FOOL!  I LIVE IN THE SNOW.  IT IS MY LIFE.” Calls out the dragon as it begins to shake like a wet dog.  Once the snow is clear from it, it sucks in its breath .  The icy breath slashes out at the fire shield.  It rips it apart and strikes Kim.  The cold is intense and numbs his entire body.

Jasyne decides to try to figure out his options.   He fires an arrow higher…. The wind drops it after 75 ft of travel.  Next arrow is higher…. Drops at 110ft.   He shakes his head and tries again.   The dragon watches in amusement.   The next arrow finally reaches up and near the top height of its flight it drops…. Without its magical aura.   At the last moment the arrow begins to glow again but falls about five feet short of the dragon.  It laughs but still takes three steps back.

“I am really getting to hate this dragon.” Snarls Elderitch as he pulls his frosted beard free from his collar.

“He is increasing the cold within the storm.  He has us pinned down.”   Jasyne looks down at the body of Shy-Anne.  He really wishes she was alive.  She could work something out.

Another blast of icy breath comes out.  Without the fire shield they both take a direct hit.  They scream in frozen pain. Even partially frozen, they can hear the dragon laughing.    Arcanis can even hear the laughter.

“klik klik…. What is happening?”  The kreen looks down.  It is hard to see but clearly something is happening.  The snow is coming down incredibly hard.  “Klik Klik…. I will go to the other side now.  Use your magic…klik…. To follow.”

Nothing.  Then it sees something strange.   A misty red glow.  “Klik….what?”

Kim is trying to direct his Flaming sphere at the dragon.   He hopes the dragon will under estimate the power of the sphere.  Hidden inside it is a delayed fireball blast.  The dragon watches it with great amusement.  It’s True Seeing allows it to see the hidden stored spell within the flame.   Once it is about twenty feet away it castes a spell at it.  As it lifts a claw, the sphere lifts and hovers in the air.

Jasyne knows what is about to happen.   “DOWN!”

The dragon times it perfectly.   It moves the sphere away from it and onto the two.  Kim sputters in anger  “Damned dragon is cheatin’ by using me own magic against me!”

It bursts explosively.  The flames burn Kim even as he was attempting a spell to teleport away.  Jasyne hopes his buckler of fire resistance will hold up as he using the blast for cover as he rushes at the dragon.

The dragon sees him easily, his heat signature stands out in the cold.   Suddenly black tentacles burst through the snow and entangle his feet.  “NOOOOO!”

The kreen looks down again to see what is keeping them.  (nat 20- FINALLY) “Blizzard-clak-clak!”  The kreen looks about frantically.   What to do?

The dragon sucks in his breath to get the trapped archer.   Then he suddenly feels ill.   “NO.” It hisses.  It begins to turn up to see what the insect is doing when it lands on him.

“AWAY INSECT!  YOU RUIN MY FUN THIS WAY!”  

“Klik-Klik   %$#@* You Klack.”

“YOU HAVE FORCED MY HAND THEN INSECT.”  It begins to move towards the others.   The black tentacles disappear much to Jasyne’s happiness but his bow will not charge up the arrows.  The dragon is nearly on top of him.  “DIE ARCHER DIE”

Using the TK himself, Kim pulls at the rocks above the dragon.  “I am sorry my friend… damn you dragon…. Another dies at my hand….”   Rocks and snow and ice pull from the cliffs above.  Arcanis sees it and leaps up to the rocks.  He avoids the onslaught and follows the rocks back down.   Blizzard is struck hard but remains on its feet.

Kim then decides he may have to use an ace up his sleeve- a magic ring of three wishes (like what Alton once possessed).  

Jasyne begins to run as fast away as he can.  The dragon turns to follow him.  “Not fair klik.”

The thri-kreen decides to try something.   Something stupid.  Even for him, it seems stupid.  With its upper arms it holds the artifact above his head.  With the lower arms he pulls out his bag.  “Stop!”

The dragon ignores him.  “Stop or I will kill you!”

The dragon ignores him.   “I love you klik klik. I love my little… artifact.”  

The dragon rears up to jump this motion catches the kreen off guard and he tumbles down the back of the magical beast.   The dragon leaps up to finish off the heroes when the kreen grabs the bag and motions to push the artifact into it.  “Don’t do it!” calls out Kim spotting the kreen.

The kreen slides the artifact into the bag.   Once a bag of holding.   Half in half out the magical effect is truly great.

Blizzard is about to land on Jasyne when suddenly there is a silent rumble from behind.   The dragon opens his eyes wide wandering what this could be.   Jasyne falls into a deep pit that Kim Elderitch wished for.  He hoped the Kensai could reach it before the anti -magic zone would reach the spot.    “I loved my artifact…. As much as …klik… I do you.” will be the kreen’s last words of its mortal life.

The artifact is in and out of a dimensional rift that is the bag of holding.   Magic and anti-magic compete for the same space and the end result is… well…. Explosive.

Kim pours all of his will into flying and teleporting before the magic effect reaches him…. Whether it is for or against magic.

Though not as impressive as Shy-Anne’s blast…. It clears snow from the area and shakes the very land.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 350
“BACK TO EBERRON” 
1/2/14

ARYTH 10,  999

The bodies of Shy-Anne, Arcanis and Blizzard are not found.  Whether they even exist is uncertain.

Kim survives- barely.  The anti-magic field had just reached him when the force of the blast then reaches him.    He corrected his fall near the next mountain.

Jasyne did fall into the pit and this saved him.  Though greatly banged up, he survived the blast from the protection of the wished up crack in the earth.

The portal between the worlds remains but it seems damaged.  The pillars stand at an angle now.  They are not straight anymore.

They cross over the portal separating Risia from Eberron and find much of the explosion had gone through the portal’s entrance.  The Siberys Heir airship has moved a few feet from the portal.  Most of the snow was pushed away from the portal and into the ship.  The two of them now use the husk of the ship as shelter to regroup their thoughts.

Kim is overwhelmed by his emotions.  Shy-Anne, Arcanis, Alton and Screecha… all gone.   The dozens of good people that were on the ship before the attack…. Gone.

And why?

To satisfy his curiosity…. His need for learning more about magic and artifacts.  He has spent most of his riches to build this craft and fund his need for resources and allies to locate the five different parts of the CREATION SCHEMA.   He has battled or been forced into a complex game of chance and chess with the Emerald Claw, Dragons, the nations of Khorvaire, House Kundarak.  Others got involved also.  The Aurum (not written about much here but they were there), the Chamber, and various forces looking to use the artifact.

There is the dragon nick-named Bree and its master that hides very well in the shadows (Face of the False Moon).   Reports of the Lord of Blades and another large grouping of warforged have been reported.

The other adventurers…. Cedious, Bludgeon, the list goes on.

It needs to end.

He is still uncertain what the CREATION SCHEMA can do but with this many groups of power and influence actively battling against each other it has to be great.  Early research suggested it was the template to build and repair the original forges of the warforged.

Kim since believes it can do more than that.   So much more.

But how?   How can he act on it.   It is only Jasyne and himself.  It is clear the archer no longer trusts him… no longer respects him.

Can he be blamed?

“Cheer up- the Calvary has arrived my dwarven friend.”

Kim looks up, he sees several people standing in the doorway of the room.

“Glyder….?   Glyder Freetime- is that you?”

“Yes- and I have brought friends for your time of need.   This is a turning point in your life.  A big one at that.   Stop self-pitying…. It is ugly on your already ugly dwarven face.”

The time traveling Gnome steps in.   The last time Kim saw the gnome, he was struck down and disintegrated by a bolt of pure chaotic energy.   He was but a lad then.   The gnome before him is older…. Crow lines are around his eyes.

Behind him is another Gnome.  She is somewhat familiar to him.   Calli d’Sivis.   A writer.   Why is she here?  And…. A human with a red aberrant dragon mark on his face that can be seen on his hand also. 

“John Play….?  Is that you?”

“The one and only…. Well maybe due to Glyde there may be more of me around… at this very instant.  I was told this is the end of the year 999.   Twenty minutes ago it was 998.”

“Time is not linear with him.    What are we doing?   Gimme a hug my friends.”

Jasyne watches…. He knows of Play.  A rogue Dark lantern.  As much a danger to everyone around him as Kim can be.  And now he is marked as a rogue dragonmark also.   Interesting… and unsettling.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 351
“PICKING THE BONES OF THE DEAD” 
1/9/14

ARYTH 11,  999

“This thing is HUGE!” exclaims John Play to anyone willing to listen.  “Why so big Kim?”

“It is my greatest legacy… the Siberys Heir.  She was to become my new home.   No longer would I be held accountable by the warlords of the ‘Holds.   Aye…   I would be free.” Says the dwarf looking at the walls and gently touching the doorframe in the dark.  “She was the most beautiful thing I ever made with the Zilargo Gnomes…..  That damned Dragon and artifact better well be destroyed.”

“Nothing could have survived that explosion.” Answers the archer.

Kim, Play and Glyder look sadly at each other.

Glyder, a time traveler, looks about the innards of the colossal airship that was dropped out of the sky months ago between the combined assault of an ancient White Dragon named Blizzard and a very powerful artifact that blocked all forms of magic. “In time… maybe it will ride the winds again… after a fashion.”

Kim looks to his friend and gives a sad smile and a heavy handed resting on his hand on the Gnome’s shoulder.  “I would like that….. but first we have the Schema to deal with.”

“Why is this thing so important?” asks Calli d’Sivis.  She is a reporter for the Korranberg Chronicle and love interest to Glyder.   She has been in and out of the lives of three of these men for a decade now.  

There is only silence as they crawl over debris made up of collapsed and broken furniture and belongings.  The Siberys Heir was a multi- hundred foot long multi-leveled airship run by twin fire elementals.  It housed dozens of skilled adventurers.  All of them either killed by the crash, the Frost Giants or the dragon.  When Jasyne came with a rescue team, they came to this ship.   They used it for shelter and discovered the Frost Giants, using zombies, were taking anything of use from it.  Now Kim has returned to collect whatever he can salvage himself.   Much was destroyed or lost.

Jasyne and John take up the rear.  Jasyne breaks the ice first.  “So…. I guess the big question is…. When are you from?”

“997….. the traveler found me on a deserted rock in the middle of nowhere.” Play smiles.  I had no other way off the damned island and Glyder said he could help me with…. This.” And Play waves over his arm… the red aberrant Dragon mark.

“What does it do?”  Jasyne likes to know what his soldiers can do.

“Makes me faster.”

Before he can go on about it, Calli calls out.  She and Kim Elderitch have entered his private chambers.  Kim is opening secret doors that are mere thin sheets of compacted space.  He pulls out various staffs and wands.   From another drawer of dimensional space he pulls out potions and a ring of keys.  “Ah- this is the main thing I came for.” The cleric / Mage dwarf takes up the keys.

They follow Kim as he makes his way deeper into the ship.  He arrives at the cargo area.  “We’ll need those doors opened.”

Play and Symtex go to work on that.  Glyder looks at a crate marked with serial numbers.   He knows this item.  Kim had him get this years ago.   Being a Time Traveler gets a little weird at times.  Sounds of snow being removed singles Kim to act.  He goes to a sturdy and heavy duty crate in the back.  “Open this one could you Glyder?”  and he moves up and finds another of similar size, “and Calli- this one?” and he moves on to eight total.

“Statues?” answers Calli in disappointment.  “Statues of horses.”

“Gifts from House Cannith before…. Well you know.” Kim lets the thought drift off.  “They are a variant of warforged.  A simple command word awakens them.  We will need them to follow the Schema.”

“Why can’t we magically pop in on it?” asks the reporter.

“The schema blocks all scrying on it once assembled.  She can be sneaky that way.”

“She?” asks Calli.

“The Creation Schema is more than an artifact.  It is alive.  The individual parts have little to offer but now that they are together, or worse- assembled, they are alive and trying to gain power.  It has been manipulating people to get here.  It has masterminded the entire thing.  Me. Us. The Claw. The Dragons…. Everyone.  Even the Giants.”

“We sleep tonight then head out first thing in the morning.”

Kim and several of the others turn and leave.  Play looks at Glyder.  “This isn’t going to end well is it?”

Glyder says nothing as he walks past the Dark Lantern.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 352
“THROUGH THE PILLAR MOUNTAINS” 
1/10/14

ARYTH 12,  999

“Are we almost there yet?   I’m hungry.” Coos Play trying to liven up the mood.

“John…. There are times when your child-like behavior is a joy and other times….” Replies Kim with a frown.

“Is this an “Another Time?” kinda moment?” Says Play.

“You still have not answered my question about the Aberrant Dragonmark on you.” Retorts Kim.  “When did it appear… how?”

“I had it all along but it was concealed and hidden… even from me.  I was… born with it.” Answers Play.  He tries to put up a good front but Kim can tell there is more to it and it is painful for Play to talk about.  The dwarf lets it go for now. 

“The Mask?  Fashion statement or something else?”

“An artifact I collected from an assassin lord in Lhazaar.   Improves my sight and senses.”

“Handy for a spy like you.”

“Not a spy.  I’m a hero for hire.” Says Play giving a thumbs up.

“So a mercenary.” Replies the Gnome reporter.

“No.”

“Whatever….mercenary.”

“For a reporter… you have been very quiet.” Says Play looking back at her.

“We have….. ah………”

“In your future, and her past…. You two met.” Answers Glyder.  “She knows more about you than you do.”

“All good I hope.”

She says nothing….. if only to make Play wonder.

Ahead of the four travelers is the Kensai Archer.  He is trying to track and scout ahead.   He doesn’t trust the rumors and hearsay Kim overheard.  However, the blowing snows have covered up any and all tracks…. Even tracks by a caravan of giants and zombies.

Jasyne however does spot something out of place.   As he disturbs the snow by walking on it, it bunches up.   Some of this snow begins to quiver and roll away from him.   He raises a hand to signal precaution to the others then looks for the cause of the vibration.  He feels an uncomfortable tingle in his skull as if being attacked through his mind.

The snow bulges ahead of him about 50ft and this is the last warning he gets of the attack before the creature attacks.   A huge white with black and red trim worm with horns bursts through the snow and lunges at him.  It misses.

“Finally!   Some action.” Exclaims Play as he pulls forth his bow.

“I think it’s a Frost Worm….. a mutated one but still- be careful.” Warns Elderich as he thinks of spells to caste.

Play places three magical arrows into the huge creature even as it raises its giant maw back from the snow before Jasyne.  Calli pulls in a deep breath and releases it by shouting at the worm- “BEGONE!”  The sonic blast pummels the worm.  The creature rears up and strikes the archer.  The impact drives him deep into the snow.  Glyder cries out in fear.  The pacifist carries no weapons or means to attack the huge artic serpent.  This cannot be said of the dwarf however.  He castes a fireball spell immediately.  The spell erupts and blasts the creature.

Play strikes it with two arrows.  The third arrow narrowly misses and is lost in the swirling snow.  Taking Kim’s cue, Calli has pulled out a scroll and quickly reads it off-  a fireball streaks out and strikes the worm.   Having caught on fire, it falls with a loud thump and hiss in the deep snow.

The archer crawls out of the snowy pit and spits out some blood and glares at the creature.  “I hate snow.” 

Two days later they reach the Pillar Peaks and try to follow Kim’s directions as best as they can.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 353
“COLD STORM SUMMONER” 
2/17/14

ARYTH 15,  999

The clockwork horses are being used now that the snow is not too deep.  Tall pine trees of blue and green grow through the foot of snow.   It is still cold but not as it was on the glacier.

Jasyne Symtex continues to lead the group.  John Play continues to be childish but somewhat entertaining.  Calli d’Sivis and Glyder Freetime talk quietly about the land and its beauty.  Kim Elderich remains in deep thought and trying to decide what to do if they ever recapture the artifact known as the Creation Schema.

None of them notice the thickening clouds following them in the near distance.   Calli is the first to notice the gentle but cold breeze to develop.

“Storm is coming.” She says.

Elderich snaps out of his deep thought and looks back at it.  “Strange storm.   We should take cover in case it is another of those Chaos Storms.”

“Chaos Storms?” questions Play as he too also looks back and questions the clouds.

“Magical storms that started before we came here.  They bring strange and powerful Chaos magic with them.”

“Powerful magic” adds the time traveling gnome as he thinks back to how he became a time traveler due to a Chaos Storm that ironically he was a victim of a few months ago.  It feels like decades ago because to him it has been.

“What do you make of it?   The wind… it is very cold.” Asks Jasyne as he returns to the group.

“Take shelter and beware.   I doubt it’s a normal or natural storm front.”

New snow is falling by time they decide on a tightly grouped set of trees to take cover under.  Glyder has the artificial horses line up to create a parameter wall.  Jasyne watches the oncoming storm with concern.  Play tries not to show it but also watches it carefully.  It is getting dark now and the wind is picking up enough to sway the large trees above them.

“Clearly it is not a natural storm.” Confirms Glyder as he looks with trepidation to the skies.

“Yeah-  it raced at high speeds out of the glacier but now is slowing down and seems to be stopping either near us or above us.” Adds Play as he wonders if his arrows will fly straight in this wind.

Suddenly the very air behind them seems to solidify and turn to ice.  “We’re under attack!” calls the Kensai Archer.

“Naw- it’s just the elven kids club looking to sell us sugared crackers- oh course we are under attack.” Replies Play.

Glyder moves to the center of the unmade camp to be with Kim.   He has always trusted the dwarf to get through magical attacks.  Calli follows his lead.

Jasyne spots a dim blue flash.  “Incoming” he calls out.  Something is moving through a dimensional door.

A white swirling ray comes out of a very blurry area of windblown snow and just misses Jasyne.  The ground it strikes lumps up in ice.

Kim calls up a fireball.  He figures it is a cold based attack and something of an area based attack.  It bursts showing the form of a medium sized armored figure.  The creature begins to laugh as it moves forward.  Glyder half wishes the unpredictable time ports would happen about now.  Play fires several arrows at it.  One plinks off its armor-like ice layers.  The others miss.  Play sighs and goes for melee weapons.  Calli shouts at the creature.  The sonic attack strikes the creature solidly.  Ice cracks and breaks off as it is staggered.  But it keeps moving forward.  Jasyne sets his jaw and attacks with his near artifact level bow.  All five arrows fly leaving a glowing and sparkling rainbow and an equally colorful arcane explosion as they strike the creature which now howls in pain and frustration.  “Show-off” says Play.

Suddenly the creature steps out of a magical portal behind the archer.  Kim calls up a spell and black tentacles erupt out of the snow covered ground and wrap around the legs of the creature.  He hopes the archer can move away this way.  Play swings at the creature.  Only one strikes with his magical Tonfu clubs strike the ice covered skeletal undead. Play thinks about what a long day this is shaping up to be.
Calli lines herself up carefully and reads off a Lightning bolt spell from a scroll.  The lightning Bolt washes over the ice.  Ice shatters but little damage is done to the boney creature itself.  

The archer pushes away from the held creature before being grappled and begins to swing his bow at it.  The creature pulls at the tentacles but finds itself held in place.  It howls like the winter winds at the archer in frustration.  Instead of arcane might, Kim Elderich now calls onto his strong inner beliefs and summons a divine Flaming Strike of raw energy.  The creature screams as the fire and divine energies wash over it.  “Remember Kim- I am here….” Calls out Play whom narrowly avoids being part of the magical attack.  He swings at the creature.  A solid hit to the face makes it snap its head to the side.  It turns back to him and stares at the Dark Lantern with a skeletal smile.  It unnerves Play some.  He is not used to creatures that take his best shots and continue to stand their ground.  Calli moves around again trying for a vantage point to strike the undead cold creature without striking Play or Symtex.  The archer only steps back a few steps before firing away again.  The arrows fly to the side.  Two strike doing minimal damage and one flies in such a way as to make Glyder throw himself to the side (nat 1).  The creature tears free from the spell damaged tentacles and goes for Play whom now reconsiders the wisdom of going after the creature toe to toe.

Deciding to try something he rarely does, Kim calls on the might of his believes of good and commands the creature to leave.   The creature staggers and stops before striking Play.   It begins to step away from the party.  It is angry that the cleric has summoned the power to drive it away.  Play moves away considering what magical options he has to use.  With the creature moving away from the others Calli gives it a powerful shout.  Snow erupts at its feet and behind it as the sonic pulse strikes at it.  Five powerful magic arrows explode on it next shattering the remaining ice on its body.  A white beam of frosty energy leaves the creature as it continues to leave against its will.  Jasyne calls out in pain as the unnatural cold washes over him this time.  Kim flame strikes it again but the supernatural cold of the creature removes most of the super natural heat and power from the spell.  Not wanting to stop yet, Play pulls out a wand he has.  The fireball strikes the retreating undead creature.  The fire washes over it but seems to do nothing to it.  Play is wishing he was fighting Zinter d’Cannith and his warforged again.  Calli calls up another spell from a scroll she has. The lightning strikes and crackles around the creature as it takes another step back.  

More arcane explosions as three arrows strike the creature from Jasyne.  A new misty fog of pure cold forms between the retreating undead and the party as a new wall of ice forms.  “It is beaten- let it go.” Says Glyder.  “So it can recover and attack again- I don’t think so.” Declares Play.  Angry at the entire confrontation, Kim agrees bitterly.  Now with distance and a wall between them, he calls up a powerful spell.  “He created a storm of cold…. Let’s see what he thinks of a storm of heat…” says Kim as he concentrates on a new spell.    Play looks at Kim, then at the wall, then back at Kim and begins to run back towards Kim.  Jasyne stops in bewilderment as Play runs by him then sees what Kim is doing and decides Play knows the dwarf most…. Follow his lead.

The ice wall turns yellow and orange then bursts as waves of fire roll through it.   All of the ice and snow has been melted and or blasted away from where the Winter Wight was once before.

“Alright…. Let’s see if we reach that valley by nightfall.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 354
“THE REMAINS” 
2/17/14

ARYTH 16,  999

“Not bad- teleporting from mountain top to mountain top.”

“I just wish I could ‘port to the Schema itself.” Answers the dwarf.  “And that I had more means to teleport today.”

“So we walk from here?” comments as much as questions Calli.  

The clockwork horses are once more enlarged and used to travel down the mountainside.  It is a slow go as there are no trails and the mountains are heavily wooded.

“How much longer until we reach the Fire Giants?” asks Play in true curiosity?

“I hope only a few days more towards the coastline.” Answers Kim….. for the third time that day.

It is late morning now and they have reached the bottom of the mountain and now trek through thick woods along a river system.

Jasyne motions for them to stop.  He checks the ground for tracks and finds many.  None of which were made by a natural creature.

“Warforged…. Many of them.”

“You mentioned the Lord of Blades had interest in the Schema….. are these tracks from his people?” asks Play whom dismounts and checks out the tracks himself.

Kim looks hard at the ground.    So many groups and people want the Schema but for what end?   Good or bad?  To help or to destroy?   “Be on guard and lets follow them for a while.”

Midday comes and goes.  They continue to follow the easy to follow tracks.

Jasyne spots something and checks it out.   Play also sees something but to the side of the trail.  Elderich is looking in the brush in a third direction.

“Not good.” Says Glyder.

The archer is kneeling next to a metal and wood arm.  Play is nudging a metal head with his foot.  The Mystic theurge sees another arm that holds a long blade.  The two gnomes notice other pieces of bodies.  Bodies of warforged.

“What happened here?” mutters Jasyne.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 355
“WHAT HAPPENED” 
4/9/14

ARYTH 16,  999

“There had to be a dozen or more warforged here once.” Says John Play, Hero for Hire.

“All destroyed very quickly and savagely.” Adds Calli d’ Sivis, the House Sivis reporter and girlfriend to the time traveler.

“Something big.  Look at those trees.  The damage is ten feet up.  Something huge struck it.” Adds Glyder Freetime, the gnome Time Traveler.

“Be alert everyone.  This looks fresh.” Warns Jasyne Symtex a Kensai Archer hired by the richest person on the planet.

“Amazing.” Follows up Kim Elderich, the richest dwarf and person on the world.  The mage / cleric of mystery and good intensions with bad decisions look around for more hints and clues.

Play picks up a head of a warforged.  “It may take a few minutes but I could maybe learn what happened.”

“Please lad- do it.” Answers the dwarf.

Play places the head back down and pulls out a pair of skin tight fine scaled gloves.  He replaces his previous pair with these while searching the ground and bushes for something.  He spots a sword and picks it up.  He concentrates on it.  The whole time the Kensai archer is monitoring the surrounding area.

With his eyes closed, Play allows the glows to connect his mind with the weapon.  He is searching for empathic impressions.

A blurred vision of a warforged comes to his mind’s eye.  The image sharpens.  It is a warforged warrior.  He was created in Cyre before the day of Mourning.  Cannith created him.  He was sold to Cyre’s military.  He fought many battles with Karrnathi undead.  One battle was especially gruesome.   The chaos and energy of the war… the warforged felt most at home in battle.  He never questioned it.  Never questioned orders.  Even when killing civilians.  Unarmed men, women …. Even children.  He was a killing machine.  His name was CY-2389 by Cannith….. Cyre called him Massacre…. He was brutal, efficient and stealthy.  This sword… was a gift by the government.  It was magically attuned…. To repair him…. If he ever was struck magically…. By fire based magic. 

Play feels queasy.  This is why he hates using the Gloves of Object Reading.  Maybe it’s him, maybe it is a defect in the gloves manufacture… but he “feels” the emotions… the psychic energy… of the owner.  This warforged was evil…. He enjoyed killing even when he knew the war was over.

In a rush of images…. Play sees him leaving the ruins of the Mournlands… with a sense of purpose…. He comes to Sharn with the others…..  they go by ship to Stormreach…..   They kill the crew in sight of the port… walk on the sea’s bottom and into the jungle….. they hold a magical device……. It helps them ….. they walk through the ice…..  enter the forest.   Play feels his heart race.   The soldiers are scattering…. Some in defensive positions…. Some flee.    Massacre tries to hold his group…. But something…. Large…. Huge in size is tearing through them.   It uses magic as well as sheer physical force……  it is coming for him.   It warns him in a language he doesn’t understand.  Play knows it…. Draconic.   It rises up… a long serpentine form with a dragon’s head……

“LINNORN!” screams Jasyne as he sees it in the trees.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 356
“LINNORN” 
4/9/14

ARYTH 16,  999

Jasyne feels a wash of energy flow through him but he ignores it.  He will not be held today.  

“We don’t want a fight.  We are merely passing through.” Yells the dwarf.  If the creature heard him it doesn’t show.

The Linnorn snarls and charges.  Jasyne fires.  The arrows stream rainbow colors of the energy types and strike the serpentine dragon.  Energy ripples as the defensive spells take a large amount of the power out of the arrows.  It roars in anger.  It has chosen an opponent.

“I hate violence.” Mumbles Glyder as he motions to Calli.  She won’t take his hand this time.  She wants to fight.  So he teleports further away out of harm’s way.

Calli begins with a hum that centers from her small frame.  Her hair moves like a gentle breeze is rises from her body.  “WE COME IN PEACE YOU BASTARD!” She shouts.  The Linnorn is struck by the powerful burst of magically enhanced sound waves.

Kim relies on an old favorite.  A green bead of mystical energy erupts from his outreached hand and as it reaches the still recoiling dragon it bursts.  The creature is squarely caught in the fireball.  The trees burst on fire as it falters and falls back to the ground with flames trailing.

Play slowly comes out of his trance and blinks at the burning hulk of a serpent that is less than a hundred feet away.   His skills with the bow are not anywhere near Jasyne’s (is anyone?) but he draws his weapon.

The Linnorn is quick to move away.  These creatures are more dangerous than the warforged fighters.  They can strike with great strength from the distance.

“That went better than expected.” Comments Kim with a hint of a smile.

“Will you always run away when a fight begins?” demands the archer of the time traveler.

“I am a pacifist.” Is his only answer.

Calli steps up to defend him.  “He has done more to protect and save the entire world of Eberron than you EVER will.  Do not question his worth.” 

“I mean no harm of character d’Sivis.   But as the defender of this group I need to understand what everyone can do and is willing to do.”

“Let’s stop the bickering and find out what the kid found out.  He appears to be looking for something.” Interrupts the dwarf.

They walk to Play who is clearly searching for something in the tall grass and brush.  “The sword belonged to a warforged that originated from the Mournlands.   He also had some gizmo that was somehow tracking the Creation Schema.”

“Impossible!  It has magics to stop that.” Clarifies the dwarf.

“Think outside of the box.   We cannot divine the location of the schema or its parts but one can of other things around it.”

“But the ownership has changed so much.  One cannot do that.” Adds Calli.

“Kim said the Lord of Blades possessed a piece for a short time.   If I had the resources he does, a Cannith facility, I may have placed a hidden tracker on it…..”

“He has shown a sense of knowing about things…. Divine insight.” Kim adds in agreement.

“Divine or magical…. Either way, it would help.  The instrument I saw was metal and wood, round with a glass cap.   Under the glass was fluid and a something like an arrow tip.  It appeared to point to the location of the Schema.”

Before anyone even begins to search Glyder presents it to everyone.   “It’s a good idea but I doubt it will work.”

“Why is that Glyder?” asks Play.

“It’s designed to work with a warforged… using its energy.”

They look at the instrument.  Yes.  It has a cord on it and at the end of the cord is a metal and wood ball- a docent.   The docent would be placed into the docent recipical within the chest of the warforged.

Kim pats Play on the back.  “It was a good idea lad.  Let’s go south and hope the giants still have it.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 356
“FIRE GIANTS” 
4/11/14

ARYTH 27,  999

“Now much longer?” asks Play in his usual immature way.

“Your humor grows on me…. Like an ugly wart ….” Grumbles the dwarf.

“Based on the heat and the smoke…. Not long.” Answers Calli.   They are climbing out of a valley.  It is very hot and humid here.  Thick black smoke is above them.  Kim has used up his teleportation spells, as have the others.

At the top, the trees have no leaves.  The heat was removed them.  The earth looks burnt and crisp.  Vapors rise from cracks.  

“Are walking into a volcano or are were already there?” Play mutters to himself.

They reach the top finally and tall black and red stone made wall is there.  

Jasyne scans the wall.  “Won’t be easy to climb.   It looks half melted in areas.”

Play looks into his pack.  “I have Spider Climb potions left.  Two of us could climb up and secure a rope for everyone else.”

“Or….. assume we are going to meet some resistance on the other side and step back to camp.  Restore our strength and magic.    Come back in the morning.” Suggests the archer.

“He has a point.  Let’s fall back and do that.”

ARYTH 28,  999

“Yup.  I see six… no- eight….. Fire Giants…..” whispers John Play.

“Any gaps in the defense?” whispers Jasyne Symtex.

“If you are asking if we could get in without a fight- yes.  But to draw the giants out to locate the Schema- doubt it.”

“The two of you are making a lot of assumptions.” Adds Kim Elderich.

“I say we do it.” Comments Calli ir’ Sivis.

“Sigh…. Agreed.” Succumbs Glyder Freetime.

Without saying anymore nor asking- the Dark lantern leaps invisibly over the edge of the wall and begins to attack.  The yells loudly as the magical Tonfu strikes its knee.  The invisibility spell breaks up.  

“Drow!” it yells in Giant. (DM NOTE: Play generally is dressed in pure black complete with a black face mask.)

Telepathically, Glyder reaches into the lead giant’s mind and yells “take cover-  Dragons!”  The Fire Giant goes low and rushes to the wall for protection from a dragon flying in.

Some of the Giants look to their leader but the one Play struck wants the “drow” removed.  A large flaming sword strikes Play twice.  He is quick to think this may not have been such a good idea. (duh)

The archer loses his invisibility as he fires rapidly into an unsuspected giant.  Only one arrow misses its mark but one explosively strikes a main artery in the neck.  It is dead before it even hits the stone walkway.

The dwarf releases a Cone of Cold into the midst of the Giant formation.  The cold makes them scream in pain and others to move away further breaking up the formation.

Calli Shouts at the panicked giants.  This will both damage the giant and further draw others from the many hiding places beyond the wall.  The damaging sonic blast more startles the Fire Giant than harm him.

Play repeatedly pounds on the giant’s knees hoping to cripple it.

A portal opens near the leader and a lion headed powerfully built creature steps out- a Leonal.  It understands Glyder’s need and moves in for the attack.  

Play is swatted with a flaming sword again but dodges the remaining attacks.  The summoned Planar Ally is struck several times by the leader whom has come to realize he was tricked….. and is not happy about it.

Jasyne drops another giant as his arrows strike home (Bane vs Giants no less).

Elderich releases another cone of cold which narrowly misses Play but strikes three other giants, dropping two with frosty breathes escaping there grey lips.

Calli looks onto a fire giant looking to flank the group.  She begins to hum and gently whistle a simple spell-song.  In giant she begins to tell of a tale of betrayal by giant kind and once she has his attention overwhelms his mind.  He turns to instead attack his treasonous allies.  It downs a frigid ally.

Play tumbles behind a different giant and wallops its knees and it falls- its head.  It doesn’t get up.

The planar creature gets in one last swipe with its talons on the leader before being destroyed.  Glyder feels bad about all of this.  He truly hates violence so he takes a moment to look around.  A few giants are rising from holes in the ground but not many.  Good.

Play is struck again as he is caught with his back turned to the damaged and limping giant he started with.

Five arrows strike with explosive precision on the leader.  It makes him step back from the repeated magical blows but he takes it…. Somewhat to Symtex’s surprise.  This one is a leader through strength.

“Leave the leader alive!  Maybe he knows where the schema is so that we don’t have to kill all the flaming giants!”  calls out the dwarf.  

Calli commands her giant to grapple the leader.  The leader recognizes what is happening and strikes the soldier as he reaches for him.  Then the leader easily holds off the soldier while cursing in giant.

Tired of being swatted by the huge flaming swords, Play leaps up and repeatedly pounds on the giant that just struck him.  It stopped moving about three strikes before Play stops.

The leader feels he must take down his own soldier before attacking the others but finds he is holding back (half the damned dice rolled were 1’s) 

Jasyne takes down a giant climbing the stairs to reach them on top of the wall.  He hopes this discourages them from further attempts.

Kim warns the leader that they will kill him if they must in its own language.  “Do you have the Schema?  It is a metallic round “coin” about two feet across?  It belongs to me and it was stolen.”

“Yours?!?”   He screams back at the dwarf.  “It was traded to us fair.”  And the giant diverts its attention back to its controlled soldier.

He slices the forearm of the reaching soldier and pushes him away again.  “Unhand his will witches!”

Changing her song and direction slightly, Calli sings to the Leader.  His arms and legs become stiff and heavy.   The other giant easily grabs his arms and pulls them behind his back.

“Good idea but being held stops him from talking.” Grumbles Play as he searches his pack for healing potions and burn cream.

“Allow me” says the Time Traveler.  “I am already in his head from before the conflict began.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 358
“THEN WHAT?” 
4/12/14

VULT 3,  999

 Glyder learns that the Fire Giants have also traded the Creation Schema.  They have gone to ruins along the shore line where a dragon bargained for it.   They left two days ago.

The five of them hurry along to catch up with the group.   They do encounter them and find they have already left the ruins and the Dragon.  It will take them two more days to get there but Kim senses they are near.

Then Glyder asks a simple question.  “Once you regain it, what will you do with it?”

Kim has no answer…. In the afternoon of the next day he drops back to Glyder and Calli, figuring the dwarf wants to talk in private, goes to the head of the group to bug Play some.

“Yesterday you asked a very good question.  One I have wondered before.   The Creation Schema is a powerful artifact.   I am not even certain of its limits- if it has any.”

“What do you know about it?”

“I read a reference of it in a tome we found in a ruin in Xen’drik a few decades ago.  Curious but not concerned about it I went on with life but then a professor from Morgrave approached me.  He suspected he knew where one piece was…. Or at least where the first clue was.   All I had to do was retrieve it for him.”

“With your resources that could not have been hard.”

“Harder than you may think.   It was in Metrol.  The Mourning had already occurred.  I sent in several groups of Wayfinders to locate it.  Few returned and those that did spoke of how the very city changed.  To make matters worse- the tome was kept in a Kundarak back.  It was locked using their special wards.”

“Only a Kundarak house member, a high level one at that, could have access then.”

“Correct.  To matters worse- one cannot merely ask the bank to release property that was not mine.  I tried but got nowhere.  A few years ago, an informant of mine told me the dwarves were going into the Mournlands to retrieve something of great value.  They needed to stop at their bank for a key.”

“No Kundarak dwarf would do that. Don’t even suggest….”

“It cost me a lot of platinum but yes, I hired a Kundarak dwarf to “borrow” the tome for me (see John Play: Hero For Hire).  The Morgrave professor studied the book and learned the first piece was actually in Undersharn.  He died before giving me details. (waaaaay back in the first adventure of Creation Schema)  Somehow the Lord of Blades had learned of it and wanted it for himself.”

“Amazing.”

“I know.”

“That was not a compliment Kim.   How many people have you used or died getting this damned Schema for you?” condemns the gnome.  “Go on…”

The dwarf lets out a deep sigh.   He had already cursed himself while being held at the Frost Giant prison.  His guilt is deep and sincere.  “As predicted, once one piece was discovered, it became awakened and soon the race was on.”

“Yes and many of the players were forces that would have misused the artifact for their own goals.  The Lord of Blades, the Emerald Claw….. I suspect the dragons have been watchful.”

“Yes.  I was warned several times.  I wish I took it more seriously but … I want to make amends.”

“How do we destroy it?”

The dwarf frowns…  “You can’t.”

“Everything can be destroyed.”

“This artifact was suggested to be linked to the original three dragons.  It is a piece of reality itself.  It would only reappear somehow.   No- I can only think of one thing we can do.  And that is why I asked you to become involved.”

“Hide it in time?”

“Exactly.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 359
“KARRAVANDOM” 
4/12/14

SYPHEROS 06,  999

The unusual looking dragon (Slarecian) was minding its own business fifty years ago when in the Blade Desert.  He was taking a few moments to fetch some food made of small reptilian carnivores.  He was otherwise happily researching magic in a ruin hidden through the centuries here.  He thought he was alone when a small, quiet but polite voice called to him.  Turning, he spotted a curious looking gnome whom smelt of time magic.  Curious.

“What can I do for you lil’ traveler?” Karravandom asks with a glare of annoyance.

“I am searching for a great and powerful magical dragon that was said to be extinct- killed by the fiends thousands of years ago.   I believe my search has reached a conclusion.   Hello- I am Glyder Freetime.”

“Should this mean something to me?  So far I am unimpressed by your show.”

“I am an agent of Chronos.  I am a keeper of time.  In the near future you will play an important role in Khorvaire’s destiny.   You may very well hold the life of ALL dragons in your hands.”

The dragon is amused and listens to the gnome.  He respects the Draconic Keeper of Time whom this lowly gnome suggests he works for.  The story told by the gnome is full of draconic folklore…. THE Creation Schema, The Dragon Fear, Draconic Prophecies, and the Hidden valley of the Aberrational lords being revealed.   

In the end, he is told he has but a few things to do.  The last one-  to die. 

The dragon laughs and powers up his frightful Presence power.  He wishes to punish the gnome.

The gnome says a few words in draconic.  Ancient words.  Words only a draconic scholar would know….


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 360
“KARRAVANDOM ATTACKS” 
4/12/14

VULT  5,  999

“Based on what that giant said, we should be close.” Says Calli.

“Aye but this is the way of Xen’drik.  Even time is fractured here.” Says the dwarf.

“Meaning?”

“Two separate but equal travelers left point A at the same moment.  Each travels the same amount of time each day.  One reaches his destination in 4 days… the other in 5 weeks.   Time moves oddly here.”
The dwarf turns to Glyder.  Glyder looks tired… troubled.

“The land here harms you doesn’t it…. Because of the fractures…..” asks Kim with true concern.

“Minor irritation.  I will be fine.”

“Then what is the problem?   For the past three days you have spoken but a few sentences and rarely look up.  It’s not your way.”

Nothing.

“Your knowledge of time…. Do we succeed?  Is there something ahead-  something terrible… something involving our deaths?”

The gnome gives a brief eye contact and continues.   He felt bad scolding the dwarf about the use of people.   He still thinks it is wrong but is he not also guilty of it?   Perhaps even more so.  The guilt weighs heavy on the gnome’s shoulders.

Suddenly they hear Play and Jasyne call out.  Black tentacles erupt from the ground and attempt to grapple the archer.  He has sprung from of it but it is clear they are under attack.

Then comes the waves of fear.  The archer and dwarf force their will to overcome it but the others are caught up in the Frightful Presence as a large pale yellow and white dragon appears.  It is clear it is in a rage and mad….. crazy.

“Karravandom….. The Dragon Fear is upon us then…. May Chronepsis have mercy on our souls….” Says the time traveler.

“RARRRGH!   EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING MUST DIE!  MUST BE DESTROYED!”   Roars the crazed dragon in Draconic.

“By the Host!  What has happened to it?  Dragons are not like this.” Calls out the archer as he pulls back the string to his spiritual bow.

“I think I soiled myself.” Whimpers the Dark Lantern.  “Scatter!”

Play will not fight a Huge and enraged dragon straight on.   Too scary.  Instead he pulls out his most powerful ranged attack wand and only as he calls the command word does he even wonder if it will work the Dragon.  The archer fires away.  Several shots fly way off target but one shot strikes the dragon in its open mouth (confirmed crit).  Glyder slowly step by step moves back.  “I am so sorry.  I am so sorry.  I am so sorry.” He repeats over and over.  Suddenly there are 11 of the dragons attacking. Calli calls out with her sonic attack and two dragons disappear.  “The dwarf warns everyone the dragon is using a basic but effective Mirror Image spell- does not waste your most powerful spells until we know which is the real dragon.  He castes Magic Missile and removes five dragons.

Play’s magical mask allows him to see through the illusion and he releases the fireball from the wand.  Even then, the dragon sidesteps the worse of it.  A few arrows strike the dragon whom otherwise either dodged or swatted aside the others.  It roars in pain as the magical arrows explode on impact.  The crazed dragon rushes him suddenly. He gets off one desperate shot before the dragon is on him.  It goes to bite him but he steps to the side at the last moment.  However, he dares not to use the bow at such close location as this.  Still stepping back, Glyder, crying with tears rolling down his cheeks, begs for forgiveness.  Calli picks up stones and “attacks” the dragon images.  Three more disappear leaving only the one on top of Jasyne.  Kim Elderich calls out a powerful Polar Ray to avoid striking the Kensai Archer.

Play calls on the wand again but it only washes over the dragon and its strong magical resistance. Jasyne mentally calls on the power of his cloak and attempts to go on the full defensive. (Cloak of Displacement).   The dragon attempts several strikes but misses each time either through his supernatural reflexes or through the magical effect of his displacement.  That is, until it decides to sit. He suddenly finds himself under the weight of the dragon and worse- pinned!   “You can overcome it oh grand and glorious Karravandom.  You can overcome the Dragon Fear!” the Time Traveler suddenly calls out as he draws on the strength of his god.  Calli goes for a scroll as she watches in horror.  The dwarf uses cold once more.  A Cone of intense cold erupts from his outstretched arms.  The dragon roars in defiance and motions to bite the trapped archer.

Play decides the spells won’t work for him so he switches to his own bow.  Jasyne can only grunt and snarl as all but one arm and his head to pinned under the huge dragon.  The Dragon bites onto his arm and gnaws on it… savoring the sounds of his screams more than flesh and blood.

“NO!  It is me you want!  Not him!   I brought you here.   I promised you death and yet you have come.”

Before the gnome can go on the Dragon releases a gaseous spell effect from its mouth that sweeps over the gnome.   “No!” screams Calli whom rushes to her lover.  Kim takes the dragon’s distraction and attacks.  Black smoke bursts and forms over the dragon then glows a deep orange color before a column of raw flame strikes down.  The dragon shields itself as much as possible with its wing and shifting to side (while remaining on top of the archer with his painful arrows)

Play fires his magical arrows which pale compared to the Kensai’s arrows.   One hits home while the others miss the still steaming dragon.  Symtex tries to grab and yank on individual scales to at least cause the dragon discomfort.  Sensing his death, the dragon bites down and claws at the trapped archer.  He screams as he begins to die.  Then to everyone’s horror- the screams abruptly end.   Glyder becomes disoriented and confused.  The effects of time twisting around him and now the Disjunction spell. His magical essence becomes weakened.  Calli goes to him.  “I’m sorry… I killed them.  I killed the dragon…. I may have killed all of them…..” he whimpers and sobs in her arms.  The dwarf calls up another spell in hopes of saving the archer.  Fire erupts over the dragon again.  It howls in madness and pain.  “You are next!” it screams in giant.  Then the full effect of the magical fire comes to the crazed mind of the once peaceful scholarly dragon.   It gets up and staggers to and fro then collapses a few mere feet from Kim.


Play is quick to rush to the downed and pulped archer.  He begins to force feed him healing potions.  

The purple color of the skin eases and bones audibly pop into place and begins to mend.  “Still…. Grandstanding… Play….?” He wheezes and passes out again.

“Is your boyfriend okay?” asks a grim dwarf of Calli.

“I think so.  The breath weapon of the dragon disconnected him from the powers of his god.”

“Good.  I want him alive.  He has many questions to answer-  first of which- HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS DRAGON AND WHY DID YOU SAY YOU KILLED IT?!?” demands Kim motioning to strike the prone and deeply humbled gnome.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 361
“THE DRAGON FEAR” 
4/12/14

VULT  5,  999

“Being an agent of the god of Time is not always easy.  Not only I must I travel to and fro through time but I must correct or set up events to promote time’s events.”  Begins the gnome, seated in defeat.  Calli tries to comfort him as she can as Kim leans over him.

“In this very moment, there is something of great consequence occurring in the Shadow Marches.  The return of the Aberrational lords.   They were said to possess an untested weapon to use against the dragons.   It was created within their cities to be unleashed when The Day of Nines arrived.”

“Day of Nines?” asks the dwarf.

“Rhaan 9 of year 999… or as the various papers used by Zilargo and Breland write it- 9/9/999.  The day of Nines.”

“That was a few months ago…” adds Calli.

“The weapon there has free will, it is alive.   But the Orcs that drove back the aberrational lords caste wards on the weapon.   Only certain creatures may release the weapon. “

“Then stop them.”

“It has already been done.  The weapons have been released.  Not by any one person but by many.   Most were hapless adventurers exploring the newly revealed area.  Others directed by followers of the aberrational creatures.”

“The weapon kills the dragons.  How?”

“It doesn’t kill…. It maddens them.    It will turn them against each other…. And crush any on the way.  Especially those that would otherwise prohibit the aberrational lords from fully awakening. “

The dwarf is stunned.  He cannot imagination such a world.  The dragons…. At war.

“Then your mission… involving this dragon…. It failed?”

“I do not…. know.  I met Karravandom in year 943.  I knew he was the one.   I had to first convince him of who I was and what the mission was… the importance of it.”

“Aye.  An’ you did.” Says the Dwarf…. Beginning to understand.

“I had the dragon do the unthinkable.  I had him create a clone of himself.  It sat for years and years inactive.  In this time, the original dragon went to the Shadow Marches and hid. He had to hide from the Orcs, the aberrations, the druids and the guarding dragons.  Yes.  The dragons knew of the Dragon Fear.  But they knew to go near it may release it.”  

Taking a drink from his bottle, the gnome sighs and continues with his tale of fate and betrayal. “It was released and Karravandom purposely strode towards it.  He was Infected and driven crazy.   Through force of will before the magical disease fully possessed his mind, he flew south to and over Xen’drik.  To where we are.  But by this time, when he reached us, the disease fully possessed his mind.  We killed him as I knew we would.  Even now, his clone awakens.  It has the knowledge and experience of the Dragon Fear but none of its effects.   He now flees to the island of the dragons to warn them.   He sacrificed much…. To save most of the dragons and possibly- the world.”

The dwarf stares hard at the gnome.   “I should hate you.   You judged me harshly for similar actions…. But I can only pity you.” and Kim Elderich leaves the two gnomes alone…. To weep in sorrow and self-pity.

“Hey guys- this Dragon had a bunch of really useful stuff on him…..” shouts out Play…. Breaking up the pain if only for a moment.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 362
“GIANT RUINS OF DRU-KARSH-MARK” 
4/16/14

VULT  8,  999

“Seagulls…. We must be getting close to the ocean.” Says Play watching the noisy birds fly and circle about.

“I could smell the salt in the air two hours ago.  Aye, we are close.   And as such close to the last known place of the Schema.” Kim adds.

“What is that ahead?” asks the nearly fully recovered archer.   Before them is a tall stone pillar towering through the tall trees.

They walk to it and find they are too small to see it.  Kim levitates up and through the tree canopy and finds it is a marker made by Giants long ago.  “Dru-karsh-mark”   He reads to himself.   He has never heard of the settlement but from here he can see it was built on the water and appears to be in ruins. He floats back down to tell the others what he has found.  

On the way down he thought he saw a shadowy figure in the trees.   Once he concentrates on the limb of the tree he finds nothing there.  He was certain he had seen something.

“The forest has eyes” warns the dwarf as he reaches the others on the ground.

“Silent and skilled.” Adds the archer as he too has been searching the darkness within the trees.

“Sneaky” follows Play.

“Drow I suspect” finishes the Time Traveler.

“Drow?” asks Calli.   “I thought they were a myth.”

“No.  They are very real and some would say run this continent.” Says Kim while deciding how much to say.

“I suspect that if they were going to attack us they would have by now.   I had a feeling of being watched for the past mile.” Says Play as he begins to walk to and beyond the stone marker.

“I hope you are correct Lad.  I truly hope so.” Says Kim with a quiet and worried voice.

They walk another hour and find themselves on a cliff’s edge overlooking the ruins.   The ruins begin on land then reach out into a bay.  Most of the stone buildings are submerged at least in part.  Seagulls and other birds fly everywhere.   The water is clear yet looks very deep.

“Thoughts?” asks Kim as he looks over the ruins.

“No birds to the southernmost tip.” Play quickly points out.

“Something is keeping them away.  Something dangerous and hard to get to…. Unless one can fly.” Says Calli smiling.  She is making mental notes of the ruins.  It is second nature for her to do so as a House Sivis bard and reporter.

“Then let’s get going.” Says the Archer.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 363
“UNDEAD GUARDIAN OF DRU-KARSH-MARK” 
4/18/14

VULT  8,  999

“I know a few people at Morgrave that would be envious of me now.   We are likely the first non-native humanoids to walk here in hundreds if not thousands of years.” Says Play in wonderment.

Finding a gate was easy enough.  The massive stone walls are badly cracked and in some cases broken.  Thick vines with bright colored flowers strangle the walls.  Insects of all kinds buzz about or crawl within the vegetation.  The gates themselves are gone.  Age has taken the then massive wooden frame and doors.  Massive buildings are within set up in very straight rows and lines.  Very neat and orderly. 

“There was a time I would have enjoyed exploring this…. Now though…. I feel there is no time.” Laments the dwarf.  He touches a cracked and broken corner of a building.  “Maybe later…..”

“Your granddaughter would enjoy hearing that.   When- I stress- When we get done with this mess- you should go and find her.” Suggests Jasyne.  He then thinks back to his beloved…. Waiting for him in Breland.  He has much to live for also.

“Shouldn’t we be like- flying or something?  I feel kinda exposed here.” Says Play looking at all the ambush points that a giant or other creature could use.

“To reach where we are going will require going over the water.  I’m saving it for then.” Reasons the dwarf.

The quiet gnomes follow up in the rear of the group.  Glyder especially is reserved.  Calli studies his face.  “Is there something ahead of us that you know of?” whispers Calli in concern.

“I don’t know.   This is one of the few times I have no experiences about the area.   No one ever talks about the events that happen once we enter this place.   It… unnerves me a little to not know or have some inkling of near future events.” Says the gnome in deep worry.

“Do we survive?  Do we get out of this whole mess but just never speak of it?” asks Calli.

Before he can answer Jasyne motions for everyone to stop and be quiet.

A few seagulls fly over them.  As they Passover a ruin of a building with huge steps the birds falter then fall to the ground.  They look decayed and dried out.

“Undead?” suggests Play.

“Possibly.”  Dangerous for sure.” Says the archer.

Suddenly the gnomes call out as a large gang-green colored serpent rears up from a building near them.  It ripples as if shedding off unseen water and the gnomes pale.  Then the creatures moves in for the kill.  It strikes Calli and she screams out.

Jasyne fires away on pure instinct.  The highly magical arrows strike true and large pieces of undead flesh rip free from the creature.  Play fires several arrows also.  Two strike home but a third one veers off and strikes a ruined building with a series of stars and solar winds depicted in the stone work.   Glyder calls out in alarm.  There is little the small pacifist can do but look in horror.  A ray of searing light cuts into and through the creature.

The undead Hollow Serpent coils around the gnome and squeezes the life energy out of her- literally.  She screams in pain…. Glyder in outrage.  She barely can do it as her head swims and her lungs scream for more air but she still releases a Great Shout.  It is not as effective as normally but chunks of scales and dried flesh rip free from the fanged face.

Jasyne releases his arrows and the creature seems to explode from the inside out as they strike a fairly small place.  Her lifeless body strikes the ground and breaks apart.  A gentle wind carries away some of her dust and remains.   “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” screams the remaining gnome.

Calli d’ Sivis is dead.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 365
“GLYDER AND WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM” 
4/18/14

VULT  8,  999

“Please Kim…. Go away.  I want to be alone.  I can’t keep trying to fix your mistakes when it takes everyone away from me….”

The figure before him speaks in a language he doesn’t know.  He looks up and sees a black skinned elf with white hair.  She is wearing leather with pieces of bone and shell.

“Hello.  Could you please go away?  I …. Want to be alone.”

Again the drow speaks but in a different language.  It seems like elven but not like any he has ever heard.   Doesn’t matter much- elven is not a strong point with him.   It begins to set in.  A drow…. In Xen’drik.   “I can leave.” He says while trying to smile.

She makes no move against him as he gets up.  She doesn’t try to restrain him or threaten him.  He looks to her light purple eyes.  They are hard to read having no pupils.  

She seems to mean no harm.   “Seems” being the key word.

Again she speaks calmly and soothingly as she kneels down to look eye to eye with him.  Sensing this is an important moment, he mentally calls to his god through his ring.   The ring receives his request.  The power of Chronepsis opens the mental pathway between Glyder and the drow barbarian.  

“tark quill swan are you freeh alright small one?” the words begin to become something she and the Gnome understand.

“I…. hello.  I am Glyder Freetime.  Who are you?”

“I am Avireal of the Clan of Water Scorpions.   Your pain…. I can feel it.  What has happened Little one?”

“We were attacked…. The undead monstrosity killed Calli…. Destroyed her before my eyes.”

“The hallow serpent of Death…..   Our greatest enemy.  Downed by you and your travelers.  What can we do to repay you?”

The gnome takes a moment to wipe his eyes.   “Do for us….?”   Then he looks beyond her for the first time.  Dozens of drow, some on large upright lizards have been there- supporting her.  Waiting for instructions.

“Do you know much about the ruined city?”

“We used to live there until the Dragon and metal men arrived.   They use the undead creature as a guard animal.”

“Then it’s a yes.” Smiles  the gnome.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 366
“THE DRAGON MANIPULATOR” 
4/18/14

VULT  8,  999

The full form of Breedaernxen rises before the three remaining adventurers.  The Huge Brass Dragon, a direct general to the Face of the False Moon, in charge of the Chaos Storms, towers above them.  “FINALLY WE MEET FACE TO FACE SO TO SPEAK.” Declares the unnatural dragon.

“UNKNOWN TO YOU, I HAVE WATCHED ALL OF YOU IN THE RECENT PAST, ESPECIALLY YOU DWARF AND LANTERN.” The dragon unfolds its wings to create an impression of a larger sized foe. “ARCHER- YOU BEGAN AS A LOWLY WAYFINDER WITH THE DWARF IN AUNDAIR.  THROUGH HIS SON YOU DID MUCH TO ANNOY MY MASTER.  BUT ONLY ANNOY HIM.” If Jasyne is unnerved, he doesn’t show it.  He merely waits for the right moment- the signal. 

“JOHN PLAY, SON OF AUGUSTUS AND JOCASTA PLAY- THE KINGS SHIELD AND WAND HEADMASTERS.  BORN WITH INCREDIBLE TALENT FOR UNEXPECTED CHAOS.  MY MASTER GREATLY APPRECIATED YOU AND WAS AMUSED WATCHING YOU GROW.”

“You just proved your first mistake dragon.   You are wrong.”  Declares Play.  He had recently (just before Glyder took him out of time in 997) that Augustus was not his true father…..

The Massive dragon looks down with distain before moving on to Kim Elderich.  “AND YOU- YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS TO FIND AND ASSEMBLE THE GREAT AND AWESOME POWER THAT THE CREATION SCHEMA WAS, IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE.  I HAVE TAKEN GREAT CARE AND PLEASURE MANIPULATING YOUR HIRED HELP.  ESPECIALLY THE HALFLING CEDIOUS.   HE WAS SO CHAOTIC AND UNPREDICTABLE IT GAVE MY MASTER GREAT PLEASURE.   DID YOU KNOW HE YET LIVES BUT ON ANOTHER PLANE?”

“What of it Dragon?” asks Kim debating what to do.

“IT ADDS A CERTAIN SPICE TO THE ENTIRE RECIPE OF THE MASTER’S PLANS.  I HAVE MANIPULATED YOU, YOUR HIRELINGS AND EVEN THE OTHERS SEARCHING FOR THE PIECES.  DELAYING OR HELPING AS THE MASTER INSTRUCTED.   HE WANTED THE SCHEMA TO BE DELIVERED LATE IN THE YEAR 999.   THIS IS WHEN HE UNLEASHES HIS PLANS WORLD WIDE. “

“What is this damned dragon talking about Kim?” demands Jasyne.

“NONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN HOME IN A LONG TIME.  MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN KHORVAIRE.  WAR BETWEEN THE FIENDS AND AUNDAIR HAS BEGUN.   WAR BETWEEN DROAAM AND BRELAND WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.  A POWERFUL MYSTICAL…. PLANAR PERHAPS…. MASSIVE MAGICAL WARD HAS BEEN BROKEN A FEW MONTHS AGO.  THE ABERRATIONAL LORDS WILL BE RETURNING.   THE DRAGON FEAR WILL BE RELEASED AND THUS THE DOWNFALL OF CERTAIN AGENTS OF THE CHAMBER.   AND YOU- DEAR DWARF- SHORTLY WILL HAVE NO HOME.  IT WILL BE DESTROYED BY THE GREATEST EARTH AND WATER ELEMENTALS EVER ASSEMBLED- YOU MAY GIVE THANKS TO MY MASTER LATER….. MAYBE.” Says the dragon with suggested personal pride.

The three of them look to each other.   Shook, disbelief and anger rise in all three.   

“FOR BRELAND!” Calls out Play even as Kim and Jasyne follow his attack.  


Play fires three arrows.  Two miss easily and the other strikes doing next to little damage.  Jasyne steps up releasing five arrows.  Two strike- the others either miss or crumble against The Brass Dragon’s armored hide.  Kim Elderich releases a Cone of Cold.  The dragon ducks avoiding much of it but not all.   Not that it truly matters as the natural resistance to spell effects erases it.  The Crazed and chaotic dragon laughs at their poor attempt to down him.    A magical smelly pit of acid rips open beneath Play but he easily evades it.   He looks down the pit into the bubbling acid and then back at the dragon.  It just got real.

Play switches to his Wand of Magic Missiles… they do nothing.   “Can’t we go back to fighting international spies and assassins…..? I’m good at that- really good.”  Two more arrows from Jasyne hit annoying the dragon. Kim picks a small crusty stone from his pocket and crumbles it spreading the pieces onto the ground.  An earth elemental erupts and moves to attack the dragon. Little damage is done.  Breedaernxen easily destroys it with a sweep of its clawed arm.  “PATHETIC!”

“My magic isn’t getting through his defenses.” Declares Kim.

“Hate running away but…..” Says Play while he debates how to escape a dragon.

“He must have a weak spot.”  Demands the archer as realizes another volley of arrows.  Many hit startling the dragon by the raw force ( 2 crits  ).   “Too me!” demands Kim as he removes a Cubic Gate he took from the White Dragon.   Kim presses a random side of the cube.   Black energy ripples as a form comes out.   The dragon has a new play thing to deal with.  A Large mutated creature with pincers and large eyes steps out.   “I don’t think so…” Kim depresses another side quickly even as the others grasp his shoulders.

They are gone as the two evils of chaos begin to battle.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 367
“AVOID THE DRAGON” 
4/22/14

VULT  9,  999

“Where the frig are we?!?” screams Play as the three of them materialize in a forest.

“Mabar…. I think.” Says the dwarf as he debates what to do next.  

“Dark… yeah… Mabar is the plane of death.” Says the archer.

“Dolurrh is the plane of the dead.  This isn’t it.  I’ve been there-  this isn’t it.” Says Play still being extremely cautious.  “Can we go back now?”

“Shortly.  Give the dragon time to play with the fiend I accidently released.”

“That’s good- just great.  Now we have a fiend to deal with also?!?”  The archer is nearing the limit of his patience.

The dwarf stares and sighs.   He sees the strain is beginning to get to the Archer.  He is a protector by nature- and now several of his teams have been decimated in recent adventures.   “We go back in an hour or two.  Allow the two to beat on each other.  The survivor will leave to either flee or lick their wounds. “


=Thank you Avireal…. of the Clan of Water Scorpions.= Says the gnome with a nod of gratitude.

The drow offers him water.  They are in a very large room made of stone.   Glyder suspects it is a Giant’s ruin.  

“How is it you can speak in my mind?” asks the inquisitive drow.   

= power of faith in part…. Magic if you wish=

=it is good but you are not a mage… what are you?=  she thinks instead of says now beginning to follow Glyder’s lead.

=What do you mean?=

=Your hands are soft.  You carry no components. Except for some of your equipment our people sense no magic on you.  But they sense….. time and distance.  How can this be?=  Her light purple eyes look into the gnome’s eyes.  They are powerful, fierce yet compassionate.

= What I can tell you is there great danger to your people in those ruins.  Danger so great it may destroy this land… all of the land.   We came to stop it.  I fear we have failed=

=The land yet exists.  If you are to fail- it has not happened yet.   Tell me more small one.=

He studies her eyes and begins… from the beginning.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 367
“AVOID THE DRAGON” 
5/26/14

VULT 9,  999

A ripple of energy opens up within the ruins and outsteps a dwarf and two humans, Kim Elderich, Jasyne Symtex and John Play.   They place their backs to each other and search the area.  They neither see nor hear anything of danger.

Kim motions to a direction and the Kensai Archer, Jasyne, takes point.  Play, a former Dark Lantern government agent follows the dwarf.  Kim, possibly the world’s richest single dwarf, uses several spells from his arcane and divine abilities to reach further out beyond their senses.  They are both seeking their fourth remaining ally- Glyder Freetime, a time hoping gnome and avoiding a crazed dragon that works for a master manipulator.   This person of power and influence has been referred to as The Face of The False Moon.

Soon they arrive onto the same point they encountered the dragon.  The area has been battle damaged and ravaged by the battle between it and a summoned creature from the nightmare realm.  Play spots blood splatter on the rocks as does the archer.  One is red and the other ate at the rock like acid on wood.   If anyone survived, they are truly weakened.  They hope for the best as they move deeper into the ruins of a giant civilization laid to ruin thousands of years ago when the giants accidently opened a rift to the nightmare realm.   

Kim’s magical eye spots something in distant sky- an elemental airship!   They watch it fly overhead.  It is very high can just barely be recognized by the two scouts.   “It has the markings of the Emerald Claw.” Says Kim quietly.    Many groups and world powers have sought the artifact known as the Creation Schema.   Kim Elderich had spent the last five years tracking it down and spent millions in gold and platinum locating the five pieces only to have it stolen from him.

“We are not alone.” Says Play while still looking to the air.

“Where?” begins the Cleric mage dwarf.

“Drow.” Says Jasyne as he looks to the ruins.

“Hi guys.  I’m back.” Says a shadow.   Out from a collapsed rock crawls out a gnome- Glyder.   Behind him is a scantily clad female barbarian drow.  “I made some new friends.”

Jasyne immediately wonders how the gnome can be so happy and good spirited after witnessing the death of his beloved Sivis member and fellow gnome- Calli.   Kim and Play, whom have known him for some time are not surprised.   As a time traveler, things like this are not absolute.   He will see her again… maybe even save her life somehow.

“Avireal suggests follow her to avoid the dragon.  She and her clan grew up here.  They know it well.”

Kim smiles for the first time since entering these ruins.  They may still have a chance.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 369
“PREQUEL TO THE END” 
9/07/14

VULT  9,  999

The giants have traveled for several days.  They traded a great deal of gold for the strange shield that the metal men wanted.   Starkwell . the leader of the giants, carries it with pride.   With this item, they will get their chieftain back.

He was taken several weeks ago by the metal men and they were told that the chieftain could only be returned when they meet the fire giants and bring an artifact called The Creation Schema.  They will indeed trade for it but it will not be them but their ancestral guides.

Seven wraiths of giants from the days of long ago will take the strange disk and get their chieftain back then destroy the metal men.

They have been camped in the jungle watching and waiting.   They saw a very large dragon here and that can be a problem.   Dragons are dangerous and crazy dragons have become more of a problem than usual (See either The Hidden Storyhours)


Within the coastal waters of the city ruins several sharks swim unmolested through the waters.   They have witnessed the dragon above.  They turn slowly and return to the deeper waters.  Their masters will want to know.   They will want to know something disturbs the ruins.


Two elemental aircraft streak towards the ruins.   Each lead by an agent of the Emerald Claw.   One on official business and the other for revenge.    Either way, they will destroy whatever they find at the ruins they believe their destiny will lie.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 370
“ARSENAL” 
9/08/14

ARYTH 15,  999

The large group moves surprisingly quiet considering what they are.   Thirty warforged that were hand- picked by The Lord of Blades march south through Xen’drik.

The Lord of Blades is more than a military leader.  He is more than a warlord.  He is more than a king.   He is a direct instrument of a god.

He is for the most part immortal.   He has visions of the future that always pertain to his people- to the warforged.  At first, he mistook his visions of the Creation Schema as being an artifact to empower the warforged, his nation, their nation…. Steel Nation.  He tried to collect the pieces like so many others.   But there were too many forces.    Worse- it was like a strange force of fate was involved.   Pieces would be stolen or lost once found and collected.  It was only recently all parts were gathered and remained together…. As if allowed or given permission by a higher force.

Then his dreams that revealed the power of the Schema changed and showed a new aspect… a new player.   A crazed warforged from another plane-  Xulo-12.    She believes herself to be a “sister” or the such to himself.  He saw that if she were allowed to harness the power of the Schema she would control her world then officially invade Eberron.    The 100 Year War would seem like a mere argument in comparison.

He had to act.  He had to correct his wrongs.  His visions revealed a ruin in Xen’drik.  This is where Xulo-12 would try to collect the Schema.   Others would be there also.   Including that most annoying human of humans- John Play.    He will send agents to keep the Schema away from her.

So- thirty hand-picked warriors were sent to Darguun and secretly took a ship to Stormreach.  They marched endlessly through the jungle and mountains.   They fought many strange creatures and experienced the “Curse of Xen’drik” for themselves.    Magic sometimes warped but even time warped.   They would see a group of adventurers once under the employment of Kim Elderich.    Then they would see their dead bodies…. Only weeks later see them again.    The sooner they were finished with this land the better.

Then came the Linnorn.

This dragon like snake attacked suddenly and savagely.  It tore into the warforged troops.   Warriors were rendered and thrown around.   Few escaped.

Of those few- they faced Mountain Trolls and a powerful Giant Lich.    

Only one survived.   SN-4.   One of the 88…. Arsenal.

He has a decision to make.   He wants to fulfill his lord’s wishes and commands but cannot now by himself.   He reached the ruins and witnessed the arrival of Kim Elderich and John Play.   Others were with them also.   Powerful allies.

The weakest one, a mere short creature of no magic or fighting skill has formed an alliance with the natives.  

There is little choice then……

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

VULT  10,  999


“Hey guys-Avireal and the Clan of Water Scorpions have found someone or something of importance.” Says the time traveling gnome.  Kim Elderich, John Play and Jasyne Symtex look at each other then follow Glyder Freetime to where the drow have set up camp.

In the center of the group of black skinned and stark pure white tattooed elves stands a warforged with over-sized hands and twin knobs on his shoulders.

Play frowns deeply.  “I know of this warforged.  He works for the Lord of Blades.”

“Dark lantern Play- The Lord of Blades gives his greetings.   And to each of you also.”

“How do the two of you know each other?” asks the dwarven cleric-mage.

“I know of him through my ….. various missions into the Mournlands.   He is a chief defender against the undead there.   He has a knack for blowing up things…. And people.”

“The two of you should be close friends then.” Says the gnome smiling.

“I was sent here to stop the Creation Schema from ever being used.   I have lost my forces.  I seek an alliance.”

Kim looks to everyone and sighs.   “Tell me more.”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 371
“ARSENAL” 
9/08/14

THE NIGHT OF VULT  10,  999

“What are they?” asks the Dark Lantern from his hiding place behind the toppled column.

“Undead.  Giant sized.” Answers the dwarf.

“Torkal ah men.” Says the leader of the Drow- Avireal.

“They have a strange disk or shield” translates Glyder.

“The Schema” says Jasyne while clutching his bow.

“What do we wait for?  The will of the-“ begins Arsensal.

“The Lord of Blades is NOT in charge here.    I tire of this communication gap also.” Grumbles the dwarf.  He crawls over to the drow barbarian.  She glares at Kim and unseen by him has her hand resting on a blade hidden in her shin guard.  He recites a basic spell and reaches out to touch her.  Her draws out the blade and tells him that he is a fiend….. in common.

“I… understand you.    Do you understand me?” she asks looking at the others.    Quarl, her top aid, looks with trepidation at her.   He too has his blade drawn.

“Can we fight later?   It’s past my bed time,” says John Play in a joking manner, “With your sharper eyes… can you describe the shield?  I don’t want to find a bunch of undead glowing giants over nothing.”

“It has several pieces that look like they can detach.   A moon and sun….”

“That’s it.   Lets go.”

The undead wraith fire giants wander deep into the ruins under a few moons.    If not for the potential dangers, the way the moons reflect on the water and the submerged ruins could be considered beautiful nut there is too much danger here.

They quietly follow the undead as they reach the edge of the water.   Play’s Dark lantern training kicks in as he inventories his belonging and what the others carry also.  Glyder is nervous.  But if he knows what the near future will bring he does not share it.   Kim also recalls his spells and belongings.    Jasyne is ever watchful.  He believes this is too easy.    The drow dislike undead and the ruins.  They know it is important to do this but are uneasy being here.  Arsenal, the Warmage warforged, looks forward to combat and being able to rid itself of Play.

Then, at midnight, the Kensai archer spots something in the distance.    He nudges Kim and points to it.   On the very top of a tower out on the water a glowing portal or rift has opened.   A lone figure steps out.  Then another.  And another.    Dozens of figures march out with more coming.

“Xulo-12’s forces?” asks Play to state the obvious.

“I hate it when I’m right.” Thinks the archer.    Its never this easy.

It was a simple plan.    Break up into four groups and surround the giants.    Being undead now complicates the problem.  The giants can go over the water.   Now with the warforged invasion also…..

“You know Kim…. I still have my mother to find…..” says the Dark lantern whom stands upright and begins to move in.

Arsenal also follows.

“Here we go……” says Glyder.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 372
“CHAOS” 
9/12/14

THE MORNING DARKNESS OF VULT  12,  999

The buildings and ruins are both a blessing and a curse as the group moves in on the undead giants.   The drow and Play are very skilled at moving stealthily in the dark but they cannot get a clear shot without getting close.

Jasyne is the first to clear a building and strike.  He fires off five highly magical arrows.  One passes through the wraith holding the Schema within a magical sphere but the other four all hit.  It gasps as it seems to breakdown into thousands of white and blue ambers and the Schema drops to the rocky ground and rolls onto the edge of the water line.  Avireal rushes up through the brush that grows along a building.   The wraiths turn in anger and confusion.  They spread out as much as they can within the confined space.   Kim attempts to turn them but is surprised by their resolve.  They do not move away.  He honestly thinks he has only annoyed them further.  Play rushes forward and watches the Schema fall and twist and roll into the water.  That is his target.   Glyder, ever the non-combatant, attempts to communicate with an undead with his mind.   The creature’s hate and anger at being attacked makes it difficult to reach it.   Arsenal blasts a bolt of lightning into the midst of the undead. Three of them flutter from the damage.    The clik-clak of the scorpion creatures known as Scorrow rush in a wave to enter battle.   The drow groups begin to merge and attack the wraiths.   In his hurry, one wraith gets too close and too quickly.   It is touched and gasps from the pain of being struck and from the sudden weakness it feels within his body.

Even with all of the dark shadows (drow + Play) running between him and the undead, the Kensai archer fires off five more arrows.  All five hit.   Two more already damaged wraiths burst into sparkling white and blue.  Avireal, the leader of the drow, runs and dodges between two of the giants but they each strike her.   Extreme cold passes through her and her body cramps up.    Kim opens a Dimensional Door to a top of a building and steps through.  He has issues firing into / over the new allies.   Play turns left then right then springs forward.  He easily tumbles between the legs of the front most undead but as he stops and crouches to move again he is struck.    He is aware of the touch of undeath and wills his way through the raw cold.   Glyder tries to explain the situation and the consequences to the undead.  Their rage blocks any and all attempts.   Arsenal releases a second bolt of lightning.   Another wraith is destroyed while a second staggers from the onslaught.   The Scorrow climb the wall of a different building that is across from Kim Elderich.    The drow move in but without magical weapons can do little against these ten foot tall wraiths.

Meanwhile, 200 feet away, the incoming warforged have spotted the action and begin to move forward to claim their prize.

And 100 feet away but 30ft deep the followers of the Devourer have spotted the bursts of light and move there to stop the invaders from possibly freeing the evil that sleeps here.

And a half a mile away a ring of fire in the sky changes direction and heads quickly to the magical light show.

Jasyne drops another giant.  Avireal is struck again and finds it difficult to walk- much less run.    Too much energy has been drawn away from her.   And more wraiths are created as the Fire Giant Wraiths slay several drow with their draining powers.  Kim Elderich spots a lot of activity on the buildings across the bay.  The warforged are on the move.  They seem to understand how to work platforms that rise and drop.    They may arrive before they can defeat the wraiths.   John Play tumbles past the last wraith and leaps into the water to retrieve the glowing Schema as it begins to sink.   The time traveler tries once more to talk his way through this battle.  It is not working.   Lord of Blades’ agent blasts the remaining wraiths with a magical ice sphere.  Though no wraiths drop each are heavily damaged and begin to howl in pain and frustration.    The scorrow line up on the wall and prepare to leap down for the attack.  Drow surround the undead.  If they fear for their lives they do not show it.

Jasyne Symtex fires away hoping to end this.  Three of his arrows pass harmlessly through the incorporeal creatures.   But the two that do strike destroy it.  Avireal finds she lacks the strength and collapses with her hand in the water….reaching.  Two more drow are slain and will rise as undead shortly.   Kim Elderich decides the warforged invaders are too close and gives them something to think about.  He releases a fireball that streaks across the bay and explodes in a mass of adamantine.  Most of the creatures had enough time to avoid much of the blast.  Play surfaces and just sees the glow of the magical field that allowed the incorporeal undead to carry the Schema.   He dives down and kicks with all of his strength to reach the sinking magical artifact.    Bitter at his inability to battle in a war front, the gnome hangs back and watches for something he can do to help.   With so many drow at the undead’s feet, Arsenal decides to switch tactics and uses an altered spell to attack the undead.  Deadly cold reaches out and touches one undead and destroys it.   The scorrow open and close their claws in excitement.    The fireball explosion has illuminated the night time sky briefly.  An airship is coming!


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 373
“CHAOS FROM LAND SEA AND AIR” 
9/13/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

The warforged warriors from Shavarath under Xulo-12’s control begin to exit the portal in groups of thirteen.  There are ten basic grunts, a mender, a spell caster and a leader per group.   Based on the scout’s information, the first groups immediately head out to the lifts.  These lifts will take them from the top of the buildings to the bottom.  To reach the bottom requires them to become submerged which is not an issue as they are warforged.  They do not require air and as such cannot drown.

Even as the first group begins to descend, they spot activity on the shore.  Uninvited guests are attacking the undead that carry their queen’s prize.    Time is important.

The first group watches the glare of lightning as it is released.  They enter the warm waters and continue down.  As they reach the murky and dark bottom the mender and caster creates light.  They expected to see buildings, fountains, and marine life.    Instead they see humanoid figures carrying tridents swim in formations towards them.    Accompanying them are sharks.  Some of these sharks are incredibly large.  They appear to be hostile.

This will not do.  The queen wants her prize.

She will not understand.

The normal sharks attack first.    They are swift and fearless.  The warforged are still on the lift and thus cannot avoid the attack.    They bite down on shields and arms but find the heavy armored bodies are not soft and bloody.  As the sharks are weighed down attempting to chew up a warforged, two others attack and stab their weapons deep into the under bellies and faces of the sharks.    The blood of the sharks blends with the water making it murkier to see and drives the creatures into a frenzy…. The warforged that is.  

Dead sharks are cast aside as the forces unload and the scaly humanoids become easier to see.  Sahuagin.  Other lifts arrive and sharks are killed here also.

Then in an eerie fashion,   pieces of stone work fall into the water above them.   The water’s surface is lit up by fire and even as this fiery illumination recedes, a large ring of fire is seen.   An airship!

“This will not do.” Thinks one of the leaders below the water’s surface.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 374
“ENTER THE EMERALD CLAW” 
9/13/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

“Report!” demands Lady Demise.

“Reports say there is magical activity in some ruins on the water front.”

The Emerald claw commander ponders this.  She has been trying to follow Kim Elderich for weeks now but he has recently blocked her scrying attempts.   She tried to do likewise with a figure dressed in black but he also proved immune to her magical watchful eye.

Frustrated, she resorted to flying along the water front looking for clues or activity.  This quest has truly been a test for her.   It began years ago when Garrow proved unable to separate his hatred from the needs of the mission.  Lady Vol, her queen and mistress, made it clear that the Schema was very important and need to be found- ALL of it.

Perhaps, she has finally found it.

The ship turns towards the activity and there is a powerful fireball explosion on top of the ruins over the water.  Demise cannot help but to wonder if their arrival through the magical flames is causing fear in the combatants below.  The fire elemental powered airship bursts through the apex of the fiery explosion and they see below glowing undead giants being attacked by magic wielding adventurers.  Large scorpion like creatures are on a building.  

….and a human leaping into the water after a glowing item.   Could it be?

“Stop the ship here and deploy the undead!” she calls out.   As the undead are released from their holding cells below, she gives out clear and concise demands.  Retrieve the glowing item no matter what.

Ropes are deployed and feather fall tokens meant for the crew in case of an emergency are handed out.  The undead quickly disembark to pursue the item.  Then she and the other clerics of Vol on board turn their attention to the battle below.

Even as the Ghasts hit the water, the three Flesh Golems come out for orders.  They are magically transported onto the building where a mage is casting spells.   Demise pulls out a magical item from her robes.  She recites the last of a series of prepared arcane words and pours the fine ash into the water one hundred feet below.

Unseen by anyone, the ash doesn’t remain on the surface; it sinks rapidly and seems to swim to a ruin below the water’s surface.  It finds a crypt here and works its way into the various areas of holding.  Huge boney hands lift covers and false walls up and away.   Fifteen foot tall skeletons rise!

An undead warrior that acts as a body guard to Demise steps up.  With him as a dozen living soldiers.  He awaits orders; he hopes it is of combat.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 375
“AND IN THE DISTANCE” 
9/14/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

The creature doesn’t seem to belong here.   It is a dinosaur…. Sitting on a ruined tower with its friend…. A halfling.

What really makes this dinosaur strange isn’t its purple skin or size.  Nor being in a tower or with a halfling.  It has wings.

What kind of wings?  Butterfly wings.

This dinosaur also has a name- Screecha.    The wings came from poorly worded (and an evil DM) use of a magical wish by the halfling.   They lived but now Screecha has butterfly wings.

They could be worse.   They have a magical aura about them.  They allow for true flight…. Not the fluttering of a butterfly.

They did escape the dangers of a glacial avalanche that appears to have taken everyone in their group.   They also escaped the dragon and frost giants.    It could be worse.

Thinking about its friends makes the Megaraptor sad.  It misses the insect man- Arcanis.   It was fun to play with it.

After that fateful day, they tried to fly north – back to the Talenta Plains but the craziness of Xen’drik confused both of them.  It seems they went south instead.

Lost, they now wander Xen’drik in hopes of adventure and fun.  Maybe they will make new friends.

Then she sees something in the distance.  Lightning.   But it’s at ground level….. in the ruins this broken tower acts as a watchtower for.  And…….

Mentally she begins to yell and hops up and down.  “Alton!  Alton!   Rainbows!   Rainbows!”

She has recognized the energy signature of Jasyne Symtex’s magical bow.    He is there- nearby.

The halfling is slow to wake up but when he does- he sees the ring of a fire powered airship.    A show of magical combat….. and the familiar arc of a rainbow energy trail of a specific bow.   “Adventure!”


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 376
“WATER COMBAT” 
9/14/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

John Play dives into the water expecting it to be shallow- ten feet deep at most.

Nope.

The land has split as it submerged under the water.   He can just see the magically encased Schema spin off the edge and sink into deeper water.  He is forced to surface and take a deeper breathe.    He calls on his Aberrant Mark to grow stronger and goes after the artifact again.    He vaguely remembers seeing a fireball in the distance and something big was behind it.

Doesn’t matter.

He needs to get the Schema so that maybe he can back to his own life.

Kick….kick….kick…. drive down deeper.  Ten feet…. Fifteen…. Lord its dark…. Twenty and his magical mask kicks in.  It gives him clear sight even in the dark murky water…. But wishes it didn’t.

Shark!

And Sahuagin!

Neither sees him nor at least pay any attention to him.   Being in their natural environment, the creatures easily reach the schema before him.   Cursing at himself, he stops and begins to float to the surface.  He understands that he can’t win in this situation.  His Dark Lantern training kicks in.  He notes everything happening.  How the creature taking the Schema has a necklace of bones and crystals.  Possible magic user or spiritual leader.   It takes the schema but doesn’t seem to want it.   A shark swims over and allows him (or her) to settle on its back and they slowly glide away.

At this point John’s lungs are beginning to burn.  He used up too much air trying to reach the schema.  As the shark nears the limits of his vision he kicks for the surface.

He gasps once for air then again…. An airship has arrived and people are disembarking.  Several are very large and seem to landing near Kim.  The undead Giants are down.  He sees the drow leader- Avireal collapsed on the water’s edge.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 377
“UNDEAD AND THE EMERALD CLAW” 
9/20/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

Kim looks for some sort of insignia or flag but sees none.   It is too dark and the ship is nearly directly over him.   There is only one wraith left and there seems to be hundreds of warforged still pouring out from the portal.  It’s a full invasion it seems.

Avireal doesn’t look so good.  She must have been drained by the wraiths.   Speaking of wraiths, several drow barbarians were dropped by the undead.  He pulls out his holy symbol preparing for the new undead.    And where is Play?  That crazed sonabitch is missing.    Is he in the water?  Avireal seems to be watching the water carefully.

Huh?

The dwarf spots a brief and soft glow behind him and turns.  Golems.  BIG ones! 

Without Delay he summons up a Dimensional Door and opens the opposite doorway onto a building top where the Scorrow are massing.   He steps through and quickly shuts it down.   Then with his symbol shown- he summons a spell and a funnel of flames open up above the golems and strikes at them.  The first blast is not well centered (they rolled a nac 20 on their save) but the second one destroys two of the three.  Due to their spacing, he could only strike two at a time.

He attempts to turn the Flesh Golem into Stone but fails.   Frustrated now since most of his wands, rods and other magical goodies were taken when he was held by the Frost Giants; he calls to the archer whom has just finished off the last wraith.    The golem explodes as arrows strike it.

Then he sees movement in the water.   Kim warns the drow as best as he can as undead begin to walk out.   More gifts from above.  But now he suspects who is in the airship- The Emerald Claw.  He points up and Jasyne nods in agreement.

He looks up at the airship- its lowering!    He draws back the magical bow string and the arrow begins to glow but before he can release it he spots a figure walki8ng on the backside bottom of the ship- the person is using the ship as a shield to get as close as possible and suddenly a bluish-white blast erupts from the figure- spellcaster!

Jasyne doesn’t have time to move as the Cone of Cold washes over him.  Arsenal and many drow are completely flatfooted.  The drow do not get up.   Except for four in wraith form!    Amazed by their dedication and bravery- the drow do not break and run.   Jasyne would destroy them first under normal conditions but the spell caster is too dangerous.

Then he realizes the caster made a dreadful mistake- it has attacked Arsenal.  The warforged slowly rises to a knee and energy ripples from the eyes and the nodes on its shoulders glow.   “That was a MISTAKE!” it shouts and a burst of pure sonic energy blasts out and explodes on the bottom of the ship.  A ten foot hole is made in the ship and Demise is thrown from the ship and lands in the water- hard.

On the ship- an undead soldier in metal armor calls out.  Even as he is about to go for the ropes to see to his mistress the men call out.   A large purple dinosaur with butterfly wings and a halfling riding it flutter to the back of the ship.   The men draw weapons and move to ward off its landing when suddenly the wings fold back and the dinosaur enlarges.   The men are either crushed or thrown off balance as the ship is once more rocked hard by an impact.

“Alton and Screecha?” wonders Glyder whom is just now coming out of the brush to avoid the magical assault earlier.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 378
“SEA DEVILS” 
9/21/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

RDF-23 was warned there may be resistance.   It expected as much.   It was dealing with creatures once “born”.    Undead or living- the vile things were born.   There was no control, no perfection….. it arrived in a bloody mess screaming- both it and its mother.   It was to arrive on Eberron, get the Schema, and destroy the creatures.

But as warned, there were more.

They were caught off guard by the powerful spell caster.   But it would die also.   As in birth- it would die covered in blood.    But it did not expect the creatures in the water.   These large toothed savage creatures commanded creatures of the water also.

They fought these water based creatures as they continued to march to landfall.   There perfectly created bodies did not need air thus they could in fact walk to land.

Then large sources of light were seen above the water.  RDF-23 had never seen these before but has often heard of them.  They were elemental air ships.

So much chaos.  Xulo-12 would never approve if they lost the Schema now.

The water creatures were in their element.  They had that for an advantage.   But the creations of Xulo-12 would win.  They built for war.  Build for combat.

A very large toothed fish was called on by these sea creatures.   They could not defeat us in single combat.   We welcome the challenge. 

The creature was over 20 feet long (Megalodon Shark) and swam incredibly quickly.   One soldier is grabs within its huge mouth and swallowed whole but several streaks of black blood flow freely as the rest attack.   RDF-23 creates a deep gash also.

The Sahuagin do little against their armored bodies while four of their numbers drop from counter attacks.

This but one of six groups in combat under the waters, and not all of the sea devils have the large sharks in their arsenal.

The sea devils lack combat experience on this scale.   Two groups of the warforged drift together catching one group between.  They are decimated very quickly.  In addition, one of their very large sharks is killed- gutted by RDF-23.    The two swallowed warforged within cut their way out.

Though slowed, they continue on to the shore to retrieve the Schema.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile- a few buildings away, the Schema is taken by a Sea devil cleric with several sharks and guards to protect it.  They swim by a temple ruin which begins to set off ripples of vibration within the water.  The cleric turns in fear.  He hopes the creature below has not been awoken.   Huge skeletal hands push aside the collapsed stone pillars and debris.  The animated undead have been especially summoned by the necromancer above.

A large splash occurs where a body has fallen.  It is evil in nature the cleric is certain.  And the summoner of the undead as the skeletons surround and protect the body and gently catch it and bring it to the surface.

The cleric leaves with its prize.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 379
“HUGE PURPLE MEGARAPTOR UNLEASHED” 
9/23/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

The airship shutters from the new impact as Screecha enlarges and lands hard on the roof of the captain’s quarters.  Several soldiers of the Emerald Claw lose their balance and either fall down or fall over board.

Wearing his ritualistic mask of death, The halfling ranger / druid draws his bow and begins to fire away even as Screecha hops down from the roof and crushes two more Emerald Claw under her feet.   The clerics turn and two of them caste darkness onto the raging dinosaur.

Undaunted by this (the worst is she falls over board and flies back up) she moves forward.

“Deal with the aberrational beast and its little master.  I must see to Demise.” Snarls the undead within the armor.  He moves to the edge where a rope leads over but then sees the first of the huge skeletons rise up from the water.  The second one has his necromancer master in its arms.  The ship shudders again as a magic user below (Arsenal) strikes again.   Massive pieces of the ship break off and a loud crack followed by a creaking sound can be heard.  The arm under the ship that contains the fire elemental that empowers the ship was heavily damaged.

The undead knight understands what is happening and goes over the rail on the rope.   Screecha and the halfling are keeping the rest too busy to understand what is happening.  A cleric rushes them as they step out of the darkness effect.  Her hand is glowing a dark blue.  An arrow strikes each shoulder then Screecha kicks her and two more clerics off the ship.  One falls into the fire ring and exits screaming and on fire.  The screams and fire end as she hits the water below.

The roar of the fire grows as the elemental senses freedom.   More arrows and a few bites later- there is no one left to jump off the crashing ship as it begins to break up and lose altitude.  Screecha jumps off and her wings open up and she flutters away as the ship begins to nose down towards the water.   The fire ring hits first with a powerful hiss and a scream from the fire elemental…. Freedom by death is still freedom.

Next the supernaturally enlarged raptor and its rider circle around the battlefield.  Some of the Emerald Claw survived by jumping overboard into the water.   A 15ft long shark is happily munching on a few soldiers whom find it difficult to swim in their armor.   From here they also see glowing undead attacking white haired barbarians.   And on a rooftop- monsters!  Half barbarians and half large scorpions!

They flutter over these ready to drop onto them when they hear a voice in Alton’s head.   

=I am Glyder Freetime.   I am a friend of Kim Elderich and Jasyne Symtex.   They say you know them.   The drow barbarians and their guardians- the Scorrow,  are not the enemies.  The warforged and Sahuagin in the water are.   They have the Creation Schema.  We need that returned.=

Looking down, he sees Kim and lowers to him.

“KIM!”

“Alton?  Screecha?  Screecha….. never mind-  I’m glad to see you lad.  We need your help.”


----------



## megamania

Nearing the end.... any thoughts?


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 380
“FROM THE COOKING PAN-” 
9/23/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

“Comere you- your people need your leadership.”  Declares Play as he crawls through the pink tinged water to the downed drow barbarian.  Every third of fourth reach he notes how wraiths are rising and attacking the drow.  They are beginning to panic and flee.

Avireal of the Clan of Water Scorpions cannot rise or turn her head to see what is happening but can hear her people.  Though not killed by the wraiths themselves, she has been reduced to a feeble mess (CON 1).    Play pats around his various pockets (seen and hidden) and exclaims “ah-hah!” when he find what he is looking for.  He pulls out a wand with a two colored gem on it and points it at her.  Nothing.  He growls and tries again and it glows.  Energy seems to fall off the wand like glowing dust and lands on her body.

Her breathing goes from erratic to steady but still weak. He repeats this action three more times.  Each time she seems stronger.  She looks up at him and then there seems to be moment in her eyes….. Before the Dark lantern can recognize it she suddenly returns to her warrior personality as she growls and reaches up with her cross bow and fires it.  The bolt just missing Play but impeding itself squarely into the throat of the undead thing coming out of the water.  He tries once more with the wand then quickly moves aside.   She feels fear as he faces this thing unarmed but he reaches out slapping the outreaching arm-  he grabs the wrist and with his opposite arm drives it into the shoulder.  A loud crack is heard as the bones break and carries the downward momentum into a circular motion and throws it into the water blocking the advance of other undead.

She is impressed with this foreigner. 

Wraiths begin to explode into nothingness as the archer works closer through the barbarians.  His arrows easily destroy each wraith…. But there are so many!

Kim and Alton look out and see giant skeletons rise from the water.  One is carrying a robed mage whom appears to be healing herself.   Not good.    Undead are rising from the water but Play and Avireal seem to have this under control.   Then he sees a very large shark float to the surface.  It has been gutted.   No correction- it has not floated to the surface.  It was pushed.  The warforged are coming and they are using the giant shark as a shield.   Bad.  Very Bad.

“Alton- those are the warforged from another dimension.  They are here for the Schema.   There are possibly hundreds within the water and they are just surfacing- what can you do about it?”    Screecha bellows out and quietly honks a thought out to Alton. “Lets.” He answers and they slowly lift off the rooftop and towards the warforged.

Kim looks over the water.   “Who has the Schema now and where is it?”    He turns to back of their forces and calls out to the hiding gnome.   “I need to know where the Schema is.  Can you ask people what they know?”   The time traveler gives a wave from behind some thick brush and telepathically begins to reach out.

After a few contacts he learns the Lantern and Drow leader were the last to be seen going after it.   He risks breaking their concentration and contacts them.  

=Sahuagin= the gnome informs the dwarven leader.

“At least it can’t get much worse.” Grumbles the dwarf.

In the distance…. If one looks carefully it does get worse….. but two fold.   Another airship and…. A familiar dragon.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 381
“INTO THE FIRE” 
9/23/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

The drow barbarian leader rolls to her feet and draws her scimitar even as she drops the now empty crossbow.   She slices into an undead as it escapes the water.   Two more replace it as she finishes the first off.    Play puts his wand away and pulls out his two strange clubs.   She has never seen anything like them.  They are rounded and smooth.  Possibly polished.  They have handles near the one end.

She takes down another undead but now finds many are rising.    Without making a sound, the man leaps up and begins to twist and turn while swinging with the strange weapons.   With each hit, the undead fall.  She notes how the weapons can be spun within his grasp for different striking positions and even to use as a limited bracer.    Amazing.

Then see sees more undead rise but these are giant skeletons.  Before them are human and large ugly human like (1/2 orc) soldiers.    And in the water- a dead creature pushes through the water.  A hint of armor behind it.  The metal men are here!

Magic arrows finish off the last of the wraiths.  Many drow were killed this way.    But glory remains for those that remain.  Looking to regain their honor as a Water Scorpion Clan member- they rush forward to face the Emerald claw.    In their water logged armor, the soldiers look to be moving in slow motion as the black and white wave hits them.

Play debates whether to switch to club of demolition that is specifically designed to destroy constructs- even living constructs but the decision is taken away as the warforged begin to move around the dead shark that is now grounded.  Play leaps into the air and on the shark begins to do his best intimidation scream with the air behind him being lit up by magical flames and blasts.   These warforged don’t scare easily however.

Not to be outdone, the drow leader also leaps onto the shark’s carcass and growls at the warforged.  The apparent leader is here.   He has a different design and look to him (Necron from 40K).

Alton and Screecha flutter out to the giants.   Alton begins to fire arrows at the necromancer there.  

Jasyne moves through the drow as he finds the buildings give the skeletons cover.   Kim casts a spell to slow down the skeletons.  Black rubbery tentacles spread out of cracks in the rock floor and twist and wrap around the leg of one undead in the lead that slows down all of them.   Arsenal, like the archer, finds he needs to find better positioning to attack.  He is not as quick or agile as the archer however and cannot move through the drow.  The Scorrow clatter and clack down the walls and move to the water’s edge waiting for the warforged.   The drow barbarians encounter the ½ orcs first.   Their skill with their scimitars proves superior to the heavy armor.   From there the poison on the weapons does the rest.   Four of the warriors collapse to be stabbed by the next drow in line or held down to drown in the six inches of water.   Demise, hating the aberrational Xoriat creation called Screecha releases a Lightning bolt at her.   She nearly avoids it but still is burned.  Alton, not happy to have mount and best friend outside of Talenta Plains attacked fires many arrows at her.  The skeleton tries to shield her and her defensive spells do much of the rest.   Even then, the necromancer receives two deep scratches from the two arrows that graze the evil elf.

Jasyne fires away at the skeleton that has stopped moving.  Amazingly enough, he misses with one arrow as it flies perfectly through the rib cage and splashes down in the water.   The other four shots however blow-up and piece of bone rain down into the water near where the clerics of the Claw are just now getting out of the water.    Kim calls up a spell and one skeleton bursts into fine particles and dust.   Only the hips and legs remain and they fall over without any necromantic energy to move them.   Arsenal finally clears the drow and looks to see what he has for targets.   The scorrow move up to the water but seem fearful to enter the water.  They wait impatiently for adversaries and snap their claws in anger.   The drow barbarians cut down the humans and begin to move in on the clerics.  One cleric takes minor damage but the poison either has been used up on the solders or didn’t enter the bloodstream.  Demise sees the possible dangers and casts Greater Invisibility on herself.   Losing sight of his target, Alton begins to attack the skeleton that was carrying her.   Much of its skull and arm are chipped away as Screecha circles.   One cleric is able to cast a spell and a glowing scimitar appears among the drow.

Avireal kicks aside a blade and strikes down at a warforged from the back of the dead shark.   John Play concentrates on the leader.  Using the higher ground and his sheer agility, he dances about and strikes several times.   The warforged shows much damage but the same amount of resolve.   The leader does get in one shot but it not enough to even knock Play off the body.   Another warforged takes this opportunity and also gets in a cheap shot on Play.   He has taken worse.  Avireal meanwhile, though with higher ground, is surrounded and takes many vicious strikes.

Avireal’s eyes flare in anger as she welcomes the RAGE that rises within her.    She releases her full rage on the warforged and begins to remove large pieces.   Play continues to attack using his crazed and unorthodox style of combat and drops the leader and even gets in a cheap shot on a surprised warforged standing next to him.   Even with the leader down, the warforged surge forward and Avireal takes many hits as her rage makes her willing and uncaring that their blows get in- so long as her shots also land.

Jasyne blows up one skeleton and heavily damages another one.  Kim uses a positive energy spell to destroy the skeleton Alton had damaged.   Arsenal releases electrical energy that heavily damages a skeleton.  One scorrow just reaches a warforged and nips it.  Demise, wishing revenge on the dinosaur and its rider, castes a spell used for flyers- reverse Gravity.   She waits until he is over the water and releases it.  If not strapped in, the halfling would have been thrown free.  As it is, they hit the water with a loud splash.   The dinosaur hates the water and the soft wings are not good in it.   The Claw clerics try to defend themselves and for the most part due.  Then rises the skeletal Githyanki knight!  Three times it swings its blade and three times drow blood is sprayed into the air.   A dozen roars of defiance rise at once as the remainder drow barbarians go into a rage.

Jasyne fires away and another skeleton falters but doesn’t fall.    Kim finishes it off with a Magic Missile.   Having no more skeletons to target, the warforge agent of Lord of Blades looks around the battlefield.  He sees Play and the drow leader are in trouble but luckily are not in the water.  Instead of a specific target, he reaches out to the water and flash freezes it six inches deep.   All of the warforged and the shark are encased along with one cleric.   Stopped, one Scorrow attacks while the others test the new ice with fear and caution.   A few look up with broad and somewhat evil smiles on their faces.  Invisible and just out of range of the freezing effect, Demise castes a spell and touches the tail of the flailing dinosaur.   Great pain begins as a Necrotic Cyst begins to form.   With their mental rapport, Alton feels the fear and pain along with Screecha.  Two clerics fall from the poisoned weapons.  The remaining one, with one leg frozen into the water manages a shot on a drow whom is distracted by the ice.  Undeterred by the ice, the undead cuts up another drow barbarian.

None see the airship close in.

None see the dragon hold back to watch the lovely chaos unfold.

None notice the gnome slink away into the darkness.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 382
“EVEN HEROES CAN DIE” 
9/23/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

Glyder watches as the purple dinosaur suddenly drops from the sky.   The impact in the water can just be heard over the hoots and roar of the drow barbarians and the arcane explosions from the others.

Battle.

War.

He hates it and wants nothing to do with it.   But he knows what must be done.   As a time traveler, he is often aware of end results of certain conflicts but never the details involved.   This is why sometimes he leaves notes for himself.

This is moment of truth for him.   He generally talks his way out of conflicts or gathers allies to do the fighting for him.   He knows this is not the case this time.   He knows he will get his hands dirty and…. The end result will not be pretty.  In fact- it will hurt a great deal.

With the air ship and Screecha out of the sky, he knows he can now move away hidden and unseen.  Still he uses the thick brush for cover.  He knows the drow have uncanny eye sight at night.   He comes to the ruins of the downed airship.  Most of it is in the water but not all of it.  He has a hard time of it but he begins to climb the ship.   Just as he thinks he has figured it out, he slips back to the ground.   From here, spots a hole in the hull and decides to investigate it.  He easily enters the ship from the bottom.  Inside it is dark but the Ring of Chronos allows him to see in the darkness.  There are dead bodies stored here that were to be animated.  He hopes this will never be the case.  He finds stairs leading up and at the top he finds some dry areas on submerged.  

Using the ring again, he thinks about the images he pulled from Play’s twisted mind.  The Sahuagin that took the Schema rode a shark.  That shark had specific battle scars on its tail and side.   Using a unique scrying power given by the artifact, he reaches out and looks for the shark.

Once he locates the shark he looks around.  They are in a submerged area of a tower.  The dimensions suggest the giants made it.  It may still thus be nearby.  Pulling his vision in he sees it is a tower just emerging from the watery depths at the far end of the ruins.

Sighing since he knows that once he leaves, he will be unable to call on reinforcements, he uses the power of his boots and teleports to the tower.

Now being closer, he sits down and begins to concentrate.  It takes time but an arcane eye forms before him near his forehead.  It flies away and enters the water.  It circles the tower looking for ways in.   The water is very deep but there is a balcony near the top and several windows.    Ne has no spells to allow surviving under water.   He thinks of a possibility but knows he needs more information if he is to attempt it.

The eye goes down through the balcony.  He mentally maps out the way down as the eye swims down deeper.  Several layers down he finds the sea devils and the Creation Schema.   They are confident that no one knows where they are as they have set the Schema down next to a back wall.

Leaving the eye there, Glyder tries something he has never done before.   He has two scrolls that he pulls out.   First he summons a water elemental that swooshes and weaves on the water’s edge.  Next he summons an air elemental.   Using the communication talents of the ring he discusses his plans with the two elementals that are uneasy with each other.   The air elemental especially is unhappy but finds it cannot ignore the will and power of this curious looking gnome.

The gnome’s dreadnaughts lift and twist as the elemental tries to form a solid air pocket around his head and then slowly and unsteadily they walk onto the edge of the tower.   The water elemental washes under his boots and lifts him into the water.   Fear rises in the gnome as the breath is taken from lungs even as he tries to breath within the concentrated air pocket.   The gnome mentally says to go and they drop into the water.

The water elemental is quick to push them down through the balcony and the hallways.  Glyder can feel large air bubbles break off from the swirling bubble of forced air.   Its working but not for long.   As he is about to rush into the final room he calls up a scroll effect where six replicas of himself appear.  The Sahuagin are stunned by the intrusion.  The air used to speak the last of the scroll has used up his air supply.

Two guards strike him with their tridents and the water around him becomes heavy and nearly solid.  

By Chronos- he is drowning!

Then a shadow pushes through the room.  The very shark he used for scrying- it’s here and attacks him.  He grabs the Schema even as the shark bites down onto him.   There is a burst of blood.  The shark releases him and bites down again leading to a new burst of blood.   Then they lose sight of the small figure in the blood cloud.

He is gone…. Along with the Schema.


----------



## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 383
“WARFORGED INVASION” 
9/25/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

Jasyne fires away again and finds the mass of drow before him is making it difficult to target.  He will need to move.   Avireal continues to savagely hack away at the warforged around her.    Kim, fearing striking the drow, begins to use the less effective but very accurate Magic Missiles against the oncoming warforged horde.   Play strikes at his target like a Talenta Plains drummer on drugs.  Pieces of warforged go everywhere.   Arsenal attempts to aid the drow leader buy using his own Magic Missile attack.   With the ice creating a solid surface, the Scorrow begin to attack the warforged.   The drow mass take down the last of the clerics of the Emerald Claw and see several warforged have gone around the shark carcass towards them.   The other warforged strike at the scorrow and attempt to take this black devil with red eyes and glowing thin clubs.   Demise smiles wickedly as she casts a spell to burst the painful cyst on Screecha’s tail.  The dinosaur roars in agony and falters trying to swim.  The tail was her main tool to swim.  Alton, swooning as his rapport shares the sense of pain tries to cast a healing spell on his beloved animal companion.   The undead Githyanki knight kills off another drow and begins to feel the rapture of war and death.

…..and over the bay, a changeling spots the small insects that are drow and warforged fighting.   He also sees the wrecked Emerald Claw ship.   “Where ever Demise is, Elderich is.   And where ever Elderich is, Cedious is.    I will have my revenge.” Declares the changeling renegade Emerald Claw member.   Garrow has arrived.

Jasyne moves to the left behind the skittering scorpion drow creatures.    He hopes to attack from the flank using buildings and ruins as cover.  Avireal’s rage increases as she strikes and a warforged shoulder plate breaks free exposing softer wood components.    Kim looks up0 to see if the portal remains open.  It is and one squad of warforged has remained to guard it.   But then he sees a blue and white ring in the air.  An air elemental ship!   Now who?!?   “Incoming!” the dwarf shouts but few hear him and those are the drow that ignore him in their rage.  The pile of destroyed warforged in rising out of the water before Play.   He continues to destroy them one at a time.  Arsenal did hear Kim.  He thought it was a magical attack or that strange winged dinosaur.  No- it’s another ship.    He begins to run through options of containment and destruction of the ship and the warforged below.  The scorrow ignore the archer and work their way on the ice.  They need to dig in their piercing legs to gain purchase and not slip.  The drow find the warforged difficult to damage and the armored skeleton just as hard to hit.   But they do.   They are stymied however as they also are unfamiliar with ice and pause at the slipperiness of its surface.  The warforged strike Avireal several times in her rage.  Others are hoisting themselves onto the ice.    Dozens are here now.   Demise swims to a building that touches the water.   Still invisible Alton hears the splashes but misses her movement within the water…. But he doesn’t miss the warforged invader that prepares to attack Screecha from the ice.    Several arrows thump into it and Screecha herself snaps out of her panic and chomps onto an arm.  The Githyanki undead senses the safety of its leader and decides it has taken enough abuse from these savages.  It tries to force them away but as it strikes down one, another steps up swinging and jabbing.

Garrow calls for Grakken, leader of the stone giant allies he has procured while traveling over Xen’drik trying to follow Demise at a safe distance.   “I will have the pilot get closer and lower a means for you to leave the ship safely.  Remember- if Cedious is there, he is mine!   Is this understood?”

And with a voice that has an echo of grinding stones within it he agrees.

Jasyne clears the scorrow and positions himself.  He sees the ship but decides the others need cover first.  Avireal’s scimitar cuts deep (crit) and drops the warforged.  Dozens more to go.   Most of her white tattoos of honor and position are covered in her blood.  She doesn’t notice.  This is the Water Scorpion way.    A warforged hoping to strike her while she pulls her weapon free is struck by five beams light from Kim.   The new wave of warforged rush at Play.  Without a glance he drops one and waves for the leader to step up.  Arsenal uses the ultimate defensive spell to contain the airship.  He calls up a Prismatic Wall and wrapped the parameter of the ship with it.   No one will get on or off the ship nor attack from it. Scorrow drop a warforged.  One holds back to rip and render its remains as the others slowly go forward to the new wave of warforged invaders.  Sensing the undead’s fear and concern, the drow shout in unison and lunge forward.  Not ready for this renewed energy, the Githyanki is struck several times.  The warforged, now with fresh support also lunge forward.  A Scorrow is dropped and Play is struck (crit) which draws a curse from him.  Demise spider climbs out of the water and onto the roof a mere twenty feet up.   It’s time to finish off the dinosaur and the would be adventurer scum led by Elderich.   Alton takes down a warforged hoping it will allow Screecha to grab the ice and pull herself out of the water but more warforged arrive- including a thinner but more powerful looking one.    The Githyanki pushes the drow away by killing one and kicking its limb body into the mass.  It needs to leave.  It was wrong to rush into these savages.   That is their game- not his.  He is above this.

The eyes of Grakken and his primitive tribe of stone giants tilt their heads in confusion.   “How will this help us?” it rumbles.    “Argh…..   If this is the action of that cursed halfling…..”    He begins to consider his options and quickly.  He knows he is trapped here.

Jasyne takes out a warforged that was holding back a Scorrow.   He is uncertain if the creature appreciates the action as it merely rips apart the downed construct.  Avireal picks the next closest warforged and begins to beat on it also.  Kim is stunned.  That wall- who cast it?  Are they friend or foe?   When will this madness end?  Play drops one and concentrates on the new leader.  He bends and dents the head plate in greeting.  If it could, Arsenal would be smiling now.   He unleashes an empowered Firestorm onto the exposed hull of the airship.    The resulting explosion makes even the drow pause.   Burning dead soldiers drop from the remains as the magical wall drops.   Large rough skinned stone giants fall.  Most into the water but one strikes a building and shatters.   The enslaved air elemental escapes by pushing up driving the ship down and feeds the flames in the process.  The remains of the ship strike the ruins and water.  Warforged under the water’s surface are rained on by pieces of rapidly bubbling (and cooling) pieces of ship.   The scorrow press on and the Drow call out as one in victory as the undead creature attempts to leave them magically but instead is brought down by a vicious volley of swings and attacks.   Play is struck by the new leader of warforged that has accepted his offer for combat.  The other warforged fan around them to face drow and scorrow.  Demise begins to pound the dinosaur with Magic Missiles.   Alton fires several magical arrows into the leader that faces him as Screecha bites at anything close enough.

Garrow prepares as best as he can for the oncoming assault.  First he is thrown into the air then sucked down as the magical flames steal the air that threw him into the air.  He falls the 70 feet down and lands in the water.  Loud impacts of the Geased Stone Giants surround him as they also hit the water.  Just as he thought he would never stop submerging he slows and begins to rise- as pieces of the ship hit the water.  Damn you Cedious is his only thought.

….and the Dragon of Chaos loves everything he is seeing.


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## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 384
“OVERWHELMING ODDS” 
9/25/14

AFTER MIDNIGHT OF VULT  12,  999

And so it continues-

Jasyne drops one and damages another.  Avireal damages one further.  Kim calls up his own Firestorm to aid Screecha and Alton.   Play defeats another leader.  Arsenal uses Magic Missile on the leader attacking Screecha.  The scorrow attack.  One leaps onto the shark carcass to get a better opportunity at attacking.   The drow now concentrate on the warforged but barely harm their magical armored bodies.  The warforged cut and beat Screecha badly including the leader.   They also attack Avireal and the scorrow with success.   Demise, being evil, vile and an opportunist, strikes at the highly weakened dinosaur with another Magic Missile.  She stops struggling (-2).  Alton quickly heals her as she goes under the water’s surface again.   Garrow also kicks to the surface and begins to search for the hated halfling or the dwarf.  One of the Stone Giants has limited control over stone.  Even as his people begin to drown he shapes hand holds into a building and begins to climb.

Jasyne is forced to stop firing and get his bag of holding out.  He pulls out a large box from within it.   Opening the box quickly he finds arrows.   The leader of Drow smacks around the last warforged next to her.   Kim Creates another firestorm to further weaken the warforged attacking the endangered ranger/druid and his animal companion.  Play, though getting tired, drops another warforged and starts on another.  Arsenal Flame strikes where the firestorm has struck finishing off the entire grouping of warforged invaders.    The scorrow continue to nip and sting along with the drow.  The warforged continue to press on with their supreme numbers and high damage intake.    Demise, running low on directly offensive spells casts another Magic Missile that stops the dinosaur again (0).   And again Alton heals it.  Garrow swims to the climbing structure made by the Stone Giant Elder.  One or two other stone giants are already climbing.

….and so the battle goes.   Many Drow are slain and several Scorrow.    Many warforged but not enough as spells are being limited.    Since they are rising out of the water, many of the ranged attackers cannot do their best attacks until they are close.

They are forced to flee back into the jungle away from the ruins and the invading warforged.   It is now they discover Glyder is missing and fear he has done something stupid.  Avireal swears she will find him.

It is decided to return the next day after they regain spells and some healing with rest.   Rather than risk the entire Water Scorpions clan, the drow hold back.  It is not an easy nor popular decision.


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## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 385
“A PROPOSAL FROM THE MAD DEMON” 
9/30/14

MORNING OF VULT  13,  999

Play, Avireal and Jasyne take the lead as they enter the ruins once more.  There are not many bodies here of drow.   It appears the creatures of the night fed well.

The portal and warforged are also gone.  The remains of dozens of destroyed or deactivated warforged liter the shore line.

One airship lays broken and partially submerged.  The other has few parts large enough to recognize as being once a piece of an airship.

Avireal is shook up a bit as they find many drow were made into undead zombies but then something crushed them.   Something big based on the foot prints in the earth and soft areas of the ruins.

They then find the dead remains of Demise.   A dagger is in her back and her throat slit.   It was not a drow.   It is easy for them to follow the prints.  They lead to the wreck of the airship that Demise came on.

As they are about to climb onto the ship, Play warns them to stop.   His mask allows him to see many things missed by others…. Including invisibility.

“This makes no sense…. There is an invisible vampire standing there in the sunlight…..”

“Expose yourself Garrow.  I know you are there.” demands Kim looking in the general direction that the Dark Lantern is watching carefully.

“Well played Kim….well played.  I always knew it would come down to the two of us and our teams.”  What resembles a rotten skinned vampire appears on the stern of the ship.

“Your handiwork?” asks Jasyne as he motions to the Emerald Claw agents and downed drow.

A toothy grin.   “I have the Schema.   I also know where your halfling friend is.   All I want is Cedious.”

Play looks to Kim and arches his brow-  “Who’s Cedious?”

“THE DEVIL!” spits out the ex-Emerald Claw agent.   “He has ruined me with his ways and methods.”

Play motions to the others that he is crazy.   Alton smiles at it.    Poor Screecha is still at ground level…..watching.

“The Schema and your teammate for Cedious.”

“I honestly don’t know where he is.   He was lost coming to Xen’drik.  A Chaos Storm struck him.” Replies Kim.

The Changeling thinks this over.   He cares little for the Schema.  It was Vol that wanted it.  The gnome means even less to him…. Assuming it is even still alive.   

“So it appears we are at a stalemate.”  Says the archer with his arrow sitting on the bow string crackling.  Unnoticed Play has also pulled out his bow.  He whispers ‘soft’ to make the arrows non-lethal.    He has been in this position before.

“Or I just remove him from the face of Eberron.” Threatens the warforged agent of the Lord of Blades.  “You are outmanned, out powered and cannot have gone far.  Both must be nearby.”

Play silently searches the damaged deck.  He tries a hunch-   he switches his vision to detection of Magic.  The Schema is built to block this….. thus it will create a blank area when he gazes onto it.    He agrees with Arsenal.   It could be close by.

He finds what he is looking for….. in a crack below deck.   “I don’t know Arsenal.   Maybe you’re right or maybe you’re not.  I mean…. Would he stow both just below deck… about thirty feet to his left?”

Garrow snarls a fearsome and frustrated growl that would normally be saved for Cedious.   Play fires his “mercy”  arrows and Kim casts a Hold spell.  Garrow is stopped and tied up carefully.

Glyder is alive….but barely.   He is still holding up a burnt out wand (used up the entire wand of healing).

Once the gnome is travel ready Kim says they need to leave the area.  Now.

“Why?” asks Alton.

In the distance a certain dragon of Chaos is diving in using the sun for cover.

Hands joined, Kim teleports them to a location he feels comfortable with.


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## megamania

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 386
“ HOW TO DESTROY THE ARTIFACT” 
9/30/14

VULT  13,  999 

Kim Elderich, Jasyne Symtex, John Play, Arsenal, Avireal, Alton and Screecha are huddled around a warming spell as Glyder Freetime continues to sleep off his near death experience.   They have teleported to the ruins of the Siberys Heir on the glaciers of Xen’drik.

They are discussing what to do with the Schema Artifact now.   Kim had studied this some in the year before but never found a means.

So now the discussion goes to how to hide the artifact then.

Jasyne comes up with one means.   Separate the plate and the five pieces and disperse them throughout Eberron…. As they were before.

Not good enough.

“What about through the planes?” suggests Play.

There is a lot of agreement to this.

“and through time……” comes a weak voice.  Glyder has awoken and listened to the conversation.

They discuss it further and agree to it.

Once rested they merely walk into the portal to Risia that lies just beyond the damaged hulk of the airship.    They see no Frost Giants or White Dragons.   One piece is thrown into a fissure of an ocean.

VULT 15,999

They time travel back to Zarantyr 23, 996 and jump into the Plane of Lamannia.   Arsenal cracks open the earth with an empowered earthquake and drops a piece down before casting another empowered quake to collapse the fissure.

The next time jump lands them in a year where the goblins rule.  They enter through a portal to Mabar.  Play finds a volcano that spits out glowing dark blue obsidian and throws a piece in.

They do this until all of the pieces are gone.

It takes three more time jumps before they return to Vult 27, 997.

Play, Avireal and Arsenal are brought to Sharn.  Arsenal begins his long trip home to the Mournlands.   Play wants to return to searching for his mother long thought dead.  Avireal has joined to join him and he agrees.

In Zarantyr 2, 1000 Jasyne Symtex returns to his future bride.    He has no idea what he will do…. Perhaps continue training archers or just settle down and raise a family.    So long as Kim Elderich is not involved he is certain he will be happy.

Kim, Alton and Screecha also leave Glyder in year 1000.   Alton wishes for more adventure.  Kim is uncertain.  Many of his past adventures have endangered the world.   But what about Cedious?

Glyder Freetime reappears in year 1028.  The ruins of Wroat.

He died but the power of the ring resurrected him.  He clung to life and the Schema.   The Schema.   He is aware of how it will one day reemerge.  Xulo-12, The Face of the False Moon and the Dragon named Bree will all make appearances again.   Play and the drow will be interesting also before it reaches its sad end.

Sad End.

I miss you Calli.

The End……   for now.


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## megamania

So that's it for now.    Many PCs and many friends later.      Hope some of you drop a line or two on your thoughts about this Storyhour.


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## megamania

Just reread this again and I am looking forward to the next Creation Schema like Storyhour.   Working out its general plot as I type this with a new group.


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