# Bloodlines/Unchained/Wedding Bells (Dungeon)



## Silver Moon (Nov 16, 2006)

Module # 138 *The New Exiles* –  The Silver Moon Adventurers (D&D) meet Marvel Superheroes!   Module #138 – Games #998-1002; Player dates November 12th to December 17th, 2006.   Posts #1-12

Module #139 – *“Bloodlines/Unchained/Wedding Bells”* Games #1003-1012; Player dates January 7th to March 25th, 2007.  Posts #13-up


*Background*
The Silver Moon Adventurers reside on Silver Moon Island, which is situated off the coast of the Jawlt Lordholding in the Kingdom of Phlooredah (An oval shaped continent, approximately 600 by 400 miles in size, which consists of nine autonomous Lordholdings).    The Silver Moon Adventurers have been together for fifteen years, their first mission being to find the fabled Rod of the Seven Parts. This quest brought them to Jawlt where they fought and killed Lord Kindor’s evil predecessor.  Three years later they joined forces with Kindor to defeat pirates and evil clerics on an unclaimed island sixty miles south of the Jawlt/Thenossia border. The adventurers kept the island afterwards as their home and Kindor then invited them to join the Jawlt Lordholding. Three members of the adventuring team currently serve on the Jawlt Council.


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## Silver Moon (Nov 21, 2006)

*Primary Cast of Characters:*

Narg, male 9th level half-elf fighter.
Chaotic Good. Founding member of the Silver Moon Adventurers, 15 years earlier. Is the unofficial leader of the Silver Moon Adventurers. He is charismatic, optimistic, and likes to make the most out of life. He has exceptional strength, but a below-average wisdom, which along with his alignment sometimes leads short-term planning without consideration the long-term consequences. Despite this flaw, he serves on the Jawlt Council as the Minister of Military Strategy. He recently married the elvan archer-ranger Vallessa and their son is now a year old. He wields a sword of sharpness that also protects him from fire, which he has named “The Nargblade". He often goes on trips with his Pooka friend Monty, who usually brings him to watch baseball games on a planet called Earth. 

Mojo, male 8th level elf fighter.
Chaotic Good. Sidekick and former roommate of Narg. Mr. Mojo Rising has a sly wit and sharp tongue, making a joke or comment about anything. Has exceptional strength. He was recently appointed a General in the Queen's Army, and is also her secret lover (although most of his fellow adventurers know this secret). He likes to think of himself as still being reckless and irresponsible, although that has been slowly changing in recent years. He has been with the Silver Moon Adventurers for 14 years. His favorite magic items are a Hammer of Throwing and a Ring of Invisibility. He also spent several years of his life on the world Carvel, which had 20th century technology. 

Cassie-Andra, female 10th /8th level* half-elf wizard/cleric. 
Lawful Good. She is a fanatic about reading, learning and spell casting. She has wonderful surgery skills, dissecting most monsters that the party kills to harvest components for spells and magic items. She has been with the Silver Moon Adventurers for 12 years. She is their most powerful spell caster, being both a formidable wizard and a cleric of the God of Knowledge and Time. She is the girlfriend of the elvan archer Aradyn. Cassie has an owl familiar named Deanna, and a pet wyvern named Maynard. *Her key magic item is the Crown of Might, the powers of which include increasing each of her ability levels (her actual levels each being one lower than stated above) and the crown will also throw massive fireballs twice daily. 

Alton, male 9th level human druid.
True Neutral. Alton F. Wadsworth was a hippie and student at U.C.L.A. Berkley on the planet Earth in the year 1967. While attending a Renaissance festival he was inadvertently captured by a dimensional traveler looking for Medieval-era adventurers, and was then dropped into this D&D campaign world. He has now been here and with the Silver Moon Adventurers for 13 years. Alton had always grown his own plants (most of which he smoked) so decided to become a druid. He has a laid back personality (bordering on ‘burned-out’) with occasional short-term memory lapses, but as less of an attitude than the party’s other druid so the group keeps him around. He lives in the city on Silver Moon Island where he often travels around on 20th century vehicles that the group had acquired on some of their more unusual missions.

Timothy, male human 7th level cleric
Lawful Good. Founding member of the Silver Moon Adventurers 15 years earlier. Timothy is a devout cleric of Ukko. He is tall, thin and has little-to-no sense of humor. He has never shown any romantic interest in anyone, but a drunken male gnome was once found in his bed (having passed out there after Timothy was already asleep) so the party has kept up a running joke since then about Timothy having an attraction to gnomes. 



Chapter One, “Party Time”, August 25th, 1020:

Alton, Mark and Serita return to Silver Moon Island from the annual Farnsburg Fair where they were present during the final two days of competition and to meet with the Lordholder of the realm, Lord Kindor. They announce that for the fifth consecutive year a member of their lower-level spin-off group, The Da’Bears Team from Eldamar City, won the competition. This winner, the paladin Sir Augustus James Montique, will serve as Farnsburg’s Mayor for the next year. 

They also announce that Lord Kindor has invited them to the Jawlt Lordholding coastal town of Geloynth to attend a christening two weeks from now. Mojo exclaims, “A christening? Who’d he have a kid with?” As Serita is Kindor’s girlfriend she strikes him on the shoulder for even suggesting such a thing and says, “Not a kid! He’s christening two newly constructed ships for his Navy!” 

Alton adds, “And they’ll be a big party afterwards!” Mojo says, “A party! We’re in!” Narg turns to his wife Vallessa and says, “Honey, get our butler Hobbson to press my tux!” She exclaims, “What tux? Do you mean the T-shirt with the tux drawn on it?” He replies, “Yeah, that one.” Serita says, “I’m going to have to get a good gown to wear.” Mojo adds, “But with Kindor there you won’t be wearing it for very long.” 

September 7th, 1020:

The Shining Star, the smallest of the Silver Moon’s three ships arrives in Gelorynth harbor carrying 25 of the Silver Moon Adventurers. They see that their primary ship, the Silver Moon, has now been moved into a dry-dock previously occupied by one of the recently constructed ships. It is in for repairs to damage sustained battling a giant sea serpent two months earlier (Module #136 - played July to Oct. 2006). Their other ship, the Golden Sun, is still sailing back from the previous mission with the cleric Vincenzo. 

Lord Kindor of Jawlt and Lord Ki-Geloryn of Gelorynth welcome the group to the city. The continent’s ruler Queen Jennifer is also present and she has not brought along her husband King Matthan, which greatly pleases Mojo since he and the Queen are lovers. Mojo thanks Kindor for inviting her. He replies, “Well, I figured I should since I’m naming one of the ships after her. 

Following an informal lunch they head down to the ceremony, which begins mid-afternoon. The ships are not warships but are instead medical ships, constructed to carry the clerics, healers and medical wagons from the major hospital in Jawlt that Kindor opened the previous year in the capital city of Jawltorn. Serita serves as the hospital’s administrator and the other of these sister ships is named in her honor. 

Narg looks at the grand three-masted vessels and asks Kindor “Did you really need two of them?” Kindor replies, “Yes, I’m also an Admiral of the Queen’s Navy. If we face an enemy at sea I do not want to risk loosing all of our healers if a single ship sinks.” The ceremony goes well, with the Queen doing the christening of both vessels with bottles of champagne. Alton complains about it being a waste of perfectly good alcohol. 

Everybody then goes to change for the evening’s formal dinner and ball at Ki-Geloryn’s Castle. Narg says, “This should be fun. Ki always throws a good party.” Vallessa replies, “I know. That’s why we let him host our wedding last year.” Glancing around the city Kharole says to Narg and Serita “A lot has changed since we first visited this community fifteen years ago.” “You mean when we attacked it?” Narg laughs in response. 

There are around two-hundred people in attendance at the dinner and ball, including a dozen members of the group known as the Da’Bears, on their way back to the Eldamar Lordholding following the recent fair. Serita tells the Da’Bears leader, the dwarf Opal Silversteel, that they brought “somebody to join you.” Opal replies, “Who are you pawning off on us this time?” 

Serita explains that back on their boat is a four-armed part-minotaur who they’ve had with them for the last two years that would make a good addition to their team for the next year’s fair given that prior Mayors can’t compete again so they are running out of potential competitors. She says that they would also like to borrow the Da’Bears cleric Eric for a while as Silver Moon Island now has a Greek Temple on it and need a Cleric of Olympus to consecrate it. Opal agrees to the trade. Narg comments that they should have held out for a first-round draft pick for the next season. 

The meal is then interrupted when a dimensional portal opens up in the center of the room and out from it falls a woman who resembles an elf but with bright pink skin and solid green eyes with no eyeballs or pupils. She is attired in a green dress and has an elaborate gold and ruby bracer fastened to one arm. The portal closes behind her and she stands up and exclaims “Ah, the Heroes of this World!” Serita slams down her utensils on her plate and loudly replies, “Oh Bloody Hell! Go Away!”

*Chapter Two, “Blink”, September 7th, 1020:*

A pink-skinned green-attired elf with solid green eyes has appeared in midst of the Gelorynth banquet hall looking for “The heroes of this world”.    Following Serita’s exclamation Mojo says, “You want a team called the Elucidators, they’re up in Zalpar.”  Kindor says, “We should here what she has to say.”  Serita asks “Why?”   Narg states, “Okay Pinkie, spill it.”   

She begins “My name is Clarice and I come from another world.”   ”What world?” Mojo asks.   She replies, “It is called Earth.”   Several turn towards Alton and ask in unison “Isn’t that where you’re from?”    Timothy turns and says “Please continue.”  Clarice states “On my world are great heroes with super powers.”  Alton mutters “Nope, not my Earth, must be an alternate reality.”   Clarice holds up her arm showing the gold and ruby device and states, “With this my team travels to many alternate realities and parallel worlds.”

“This is starting to get interesting,” Cassie-Andra states adding, “What is this team?  You came here alone.”   She says, “I am the leader of a team of heroes known as the Exiles.  We have been pulled together from different alternate worlds and work to fix time that has become unhinged.”   “Come again?” Mojo states.    She says, “My teammates and I use this device, the Tallus, to go from world to world.  When we arrive the tallus tells us what needs to be fixed before we can more on.”   Serita says, “That’s nice, go away now.”   

Narg says, “Hold on, okay, why are you here by yourself?”  She states, “On our last mission my teammates were captured along with the people we were there to help.  I was able to get away to find people to return with me to rescue them.”    Mojo says, “But you still haven’t told us the most important thing….what’s in it for us?”   

She reaches into her pocket and removes a large green diamond-shaped jewel and says, “You can have this as payment.  It is called the Jewel of Cyttorak.   We obtained it on our last mission from a armored villain known as the Juggernaut.”   Former jeweler Lannon is immediately over by the item examining it with an jeweler’s glass.   

Gelorynth’s resident Arch-mage Derieki comes over and does a quick spell.  “Hmmm, it’s magical in nature.  Let me find out what it does.”    He casts an identify spell onto it and declares, “Wow!  This thing is of artifact proportion.  Probably worth between 300,00 and 400,000 gold pieces.”   “But who would be willing to pay that?” Narg states.  Derieki replies, “I would!”   Mojo says, “Okay, this is simple then.  We kill her, hide the body and take the gem.”  

Alton asks, “So, this place where your team needs rescued is on your Earth?”  She replies, “No, it is a place called the Negative Zone, but to get to it we will have to travel through a number of alternate Earths.”     Serita says, “Earth is where we got the Pop Tarts and beer in cans isn’t it?”    Alton says, “Yes, it’s been five years since we last visited my world” (Back in Module # 73  “The Kmart Caper”)  He adds “We’re out of beer in cans and the Pop Tarts.”   Narg comments “And my last pair of sneakers is starting to wear out!”   Mojo says, “Okay, those things are important.  Go get the bags of holding, we’re going on a trip.” 

Cassie states, “Not so fast.  Before we go anywhere tell us a bit more about this Negative Zone and the person who captured your team.”    Clarice says, “My team are all superheroes.  The Negative Zone is an alternative type of space where some laws of physics are reversed.”  “Ah, like the Astral Plane,” Cassie states.   Clarice replies, “Yes, I believe so.   There is an adventuring team known as the Fantastic Four who had ventured there and were captured by the ruler of that realm, a creature named Annihalus.  We attempted to free them but were caught by Annihalus as well.”  

Cassie asks, “How did you escape?”  She says, “With the help of the leader of the Fantastic Four, Mr. Fantastic.”   “My, he thinks highly of himself,” Mojo comments.  Clarice adds, “With good reason, he is a mechanical genius.  His power is elongation, being able to stretch himself, so while all ten of us were still bound and shackled he was still able to stretch his head over to examine the Tallus.   He deduced how it worked and proposed making an adjustment to active it outside of it’s normal programming.  He couldn’t send us back to a known world from the Negative Zone could send me to a new world.  He programmed it to bring me to the highest concentration of heroes on the first major inhabited world he could locate.”   “That’s it, no more group parties,” Serita exclaims. 

There is some concern about taking on a group of individuals with super powers.  Derieki says that he can help compensate for that and hurries off into the next room.   He returns with a large suitcase hinged on the sides which opens to reveal a collection of 150 potion vials, three rows of twenty-five on each side.   He runs through how many of each type are there and asks which ones they want to take with.  “We’ll take the whole suitcase,” is Mojo’s reply.   He is hesitant until the party’s senior mage, Cassie-Andra, indicates that she will be going on the mission and will keep the case with her.   They ask Clarice what her power is and she explains it is teleportation which is why she is called Blink. 

Clarice says she can take five along with her.   The ones deciding to go are Alton, Cassie, Narg, Mojo and Timothy.    They decide to leave the following day in order for everyone to have a chance to enjoy the party and also to give them each time to gather additional items from back on their Island.    When they are ready Clarice activates the Tallus and the six vanish.


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## Silver Moon (Nov 23, 2006)

*Chapter Three, “Kang the Conquerer”, (Avengers #23 & 24). *

The six appear in a place that definitely isn’t Alton’s world.    They are in a city with some buildings made of stone and others of brightly colored plastic.   Clothing on most of the citizens is comparable to that of the world the Silver Moon is from, except for the laser pistols and plasma rifles being carried about and plastic visors on the helmets.   Some of the armored warriors walking about are wearing flexible metal while others have on brightly colored plastic armor.    Alton says, “This looks like that futuristic space station we visited a while back”. (Module #105, Game 5: “20th Year Anniversary Module: The Return of the Rod of the Seven Parts”)

The city itself is surrounded by a large clear plastic shield.   Amassed outside of the shield is an army of hundreds of armored warriors.   With them are seveal hovercraft cannon and tanks which are firing plasma shells into the shield to no effect.    Cassie asks Clarice “Any idea what is going on?”

She checks the Tallus and says, “Our mission reads ‘Have the Avengers join forces with Kang.”    Mojo states, “Simple enough, if we knew who the Avengers or who the Kang happen to be.”    Clarice says, “The Avengers are Earth’s mightiest superhero team.  Kang is an enemy of theirs, a time travler from the future.”   Alton comments, “From here maybe?”  

Some passers-by stop and stare at the party.  Mojo says, “Let me handle this.”  He then says loudly to the crowd “We are the six travlers who your legends speak of that come from afar in your greatest time of need.”    Alton whispers to Narg, “How does he know their legends?”   Narg whispers back, “He doesn’t, he’s just making this up as he goes along.  Most cultures are generic legends of that sort.”  Alton whipsers back, “But six travelers?  Wouldn’t it be more accurate to describe us as a four dirtbags and a couple of hot chicks?”  

Cassie approaches one of the citizens and asks what is going on.   She is told that Kang the Conquerer’s Army is outside of the city and trying to invade.   Cassie asks, “Any idea why?”  The woman replies, “Because Princess Ravonna would not marry him.”   Narg says, “Okay, so we’re here to play matchmaker.”   Cassie says, “Not necessarily.  Why wouldn’t she marry him?”  The woman replies, “Why would she?  He is an arrogant despot who cares about nothing except himself.  He wouldn’t take no for an answer so is trying to take this city by force.”  Narg comments, “Hmmm, on our world they would call that stalking behavior.”

“Maybe we should talk to this Princess,” Narg suggests adding, “And look for some reason to bring them together.”   Cassie says, “We need more information.”  She approaches another citizen and asks for directions to the library.   They follow the direction and find themselves in a room with computer terminals and televison-style screens.   Cassie exclaims, “Where are the books?”   

Alton notes a sign on the door and says, “We are in the library.”  Cassie says, “These people don’t have books!  They don’t know how to think!  No wonder they are in trouble.”   Mojo suggests, “Does that mean that all of their energies have been channeled into other ventures, namely warfare and sex?”   Alton says, “I guess so, that seems to be all this Kang guy is interested in.”   

The building then shakes as something detonates against it.   They hurry outside, seeing that a battleship-style-hovercraft has been positioned before the shield and is firing some type of light beam that manages to travel through the shields and then falls into the city with explosive force.   The people appear powerless against the new weapon.   A citizen comments that if the beam hits the shield generator building the entire shield will cease. 

Narg stops a running citizen and asks for the Avengers.   The man replies, “You mean those heroes from the 20th century?  They’re down there!”   He points down toward the courtyard where four costumed heroes are trying to organize the defending army.   Clarice says, “Oh, it’s this team of Avengers.  They were probably the weakest group in the entire history of the team.”   “Why?” Cassie asks.   Clarice replies, “They had minimal powers and there were only four of them, the smallest group they ever fielded.”

“So, who are they?” Narg asks.    She points to the one in red, white and blue chainmail carrying a shield with a star and says, “That’s their leader, Captain America.  He has exceptional strength.”    She points to the archer in purple clothing and says, “That’s Hawkeye, he has no powers other than skill at archery.”  Next she points to the woman in a red bathing suit and red cloak and says, “That’s the Scarlet Witch, she casts spells.”  Narg gestures to himself, Mojo and Cassie and says, “Heck, we’ve got those three topped.”  

The fourth one, a white-haired man in tight light-green clothing, stakes off at super speed to rescue a woman carrying a baby from falling debris.  Clarise says, “That’s Quicksilver, you can see what he can do.”     Cassie notes the dozens of beams still penetrating the shields and doing cosiderable damange and says, “But those heroes are as stupid as the people in the city.  Those are just beams of light when they cross through the shield, mirrors should reverse them.”  

Cassie stops some more citizens and asks where they could find mirrors or reflective metal.   Using Clarice’s powers of creating gateways they quickly get several back to the main platform area.  She says, “We just need to get it up there,” pointing to where the beams are coming through.   “Right on it,” says Narg as he takes two Potions of Flying from the suitcase, drinking one and handing the other to Mojo.   They each take the side of the largest mirror and take to the air.   The other four bring the remaning mirrors to the outside of the Shield Generator Building to protect it. 

As Mojo and Narg fly the mirror into position they quickly discover that Cassie’s idea works, with the beams flying back out.   The two then get creative, and start angling the mirror so that the return path of the beams has them rain down on the invading  army.  They blast several hover-tanks.   Mojo says, “They’ll probably shut down the launcher soon.”  Narg replies, “Let’s shut it down first instead.”    They reposition the mirror until the beams turn back upon the machine that launched them, the hover-battle-launcher exploding to bits.   They then fly the mirror down to the others.


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## Silver Moon (Dec 9, 2006)

*Chapter Four, “Divide and Conquer”, (Avengers #23 & 24). *

“That was fun,” Narg states in reference to the carnage they had just created to the invading army.    Cassie says, “Yes, but it still doesn’t solve our mission, we have to get the Avengers and Kang to work together.   Mojo says, “That’s easy, give me a cigar.  I’ll fly up and make smoke clouds that read “Surrender Avengers”.   They reject that idea, saying that Kang would still want to destroy the castle.    Narg says, “I still don’t get it?  He thinks that conquering her kingdom will impress this Princess?”  Alton says, “Well, it was either that or he needed to buy a Corvette.”

Mojo says, “Okay, how about this, we go and build another castle for him instead.”  Narg says, “That would work except that none of us have any experience at building anything.”  Mojo says, “Okay, plan modification, we’ll all just sneak away.”  Clarice points out that they are stuck on this world until they complete their appointed mission.   Cassie suggests that they approach the Scarlet Witch, that being a female spell caster she is bound to have some intelligence.    Mojo exclaims, “Great idea!  She’s very good looking.”  

Mojo and Narg rush over to the Scarlet Witch.  Mojo says, “Listen Honey, your real heroes have now arrived.  Good thing too, because you folks are in big trouble.”   Narg adds, “Yeah, you have something like one-hundred million of those savages out there trying to bust their way in.” 

They briefly discuss strategy after Cassie informs the Scarlet Witch that they have to find a way to work with Kang.   Narg points to the army outside of the shield and asks, “So, which one of those guys is Kang?”   The Scarlet Witch says, “He’s not with them, he’s actually here in the castle, gloating to the Princess about his conquering army.”

Cassie says, “Hold on!  You mean to say he’s not in direct communication with his army leaders?”   The Scarlet Witch says, “No, not at the moment.”   Mojo sarcastically says, “Well, that make’s sense, you wouldn’t expect people in the 25th century to have any sort of hand-held communication devices.”   The DM comments, “Well, this particular comic book was written in the early nineteen-sixties.”  

Narg asks Cassie “What are you thinking?”  She suggests “If we can convince the army commanders that their absent leader has turned against them that will create disharmony in the ranks and they might revolt.  Kang would have to then work with the Avengers to help defeat them.”   [The DM chuckles to himself, as that is essentially what happened in the comic book, which Cassie’s player had never read.]   The men decide to have Clarese teleport them outside of the wall to sabotage the enemy forces and attempt to plant unrest in the minds of the army commanders.     

Cassie says that and the Scarlet Witch decide to go see Princess Ravonna and this Kang guy.   Mojo says “Make sure you act all-regal-like when you’re with her.”   Alton says, “Yeah, act like you have a stick up your butt.”  Cassie replies, “I’m a librarian, that’s how we are supposed to act.”    The men get ready to go, Alton taking out and putting on the Space Armor from their other mission to a futuristic world. 

Clarese teleports Captain America, Hawkeye and Quicksilver to one group of enemy troops where the combination of strategic fighting, trick arrows and speed disable several hover tanks.    She  teleports Alton, Narg and Mojo to another enemy cluster.   Narg and Mojo still have the Potion of Flying in their systems to take to the air.  Alton’s space armor allows for flight as well so he joins them.   The three manage to incapacitate several more hover tanks.    

Mojo grabs an enemy soldier and flies him up in the air stating “Show me who your leader is or I’ll drop you.”   The man points to a tall man with a Fu-Manchu mustache wearing bright red armor and says, “That’s him.”    Mojo replies, “Thanks,” as he flies back down, dropping the man from a height that causes serious injury rather than death.

The three attack the leader’s personal guard.  Narg says, “That’s from Kang.  He knows that you have been plotting against him!”    The army commander exclaims, “He does?  How did he find out?”   Mojo quips, “He’s a time traveler you idiot!”    That part of the mission accomplished, Clarese arrives and teleports the Avengers and Silver Moon Adventurers to Princess Ravonna’s chamber, where Cassie has already explained the situation. 

Narg announces to Kang that his army commanders have revolted against him.  Kang announces that instead of being the kingdom’s conqueror he will now be their savior!  That he will fight off the army for the Princess.     Mojo says to Narg and Alton, “Seems like an awful lot of work to get her.  He’d probably be better off with soft lighting, a bottle of White Zinfandel and Barry White music.” 

Captain America declares that the Avengers will assist Kang in driving away the conquering army.    “Mission Accomplished,” Cassie exclaims.    Clarese looks at the Tallus on her wrist and says, “It looks that way,” as the six heroes then vanish.


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## Silver Moon (Dec 26, 2006)

*Chapter Five, “The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants”, (Uncanny X-Men #141 & 142).*

They arrive in a large room with a high ceiling, marble floor and solid wood doors.   They also hear sounds outside of vehicular traffic and sirens which indicate they are in a 20th/21st century world.    Glancing out the window they see buildings that indicate they are in some type of city.   Alton looks out the southbound window to see the Washington Mall, with the reflecting pool and Washington Monument.  He announces “We’re in the capitol city of the county that I am from.” 

Cassie turns to the Clarice and asks, “What are we supposed to do this time?”   She replies, “It says that we are to prevent the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants from killing Senator Robert Kelley, Doctor Charles Xavier and Doctor Moria McTaggart.”    Alton says, “Okay, I know that a Senator is a political leader but what does the rest of that mean?”  Cassie asks, “Do you know anything about what that means?”   

Clarice replies, “Yes, I actually do.   In my timeline Senator Robert Kelley proposed legislation called the Mutant Registration Act, which would have required people with super powers to register their identities with local law enforcement.   The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants were opposed to this and attacked the Senate hearings about the proposed act.   Charles Xavier and Moria McTaggart are leading doctors who have studied mutant super powers.  Xavier is also the founder of a mutant superhero team called in X-Men. 

In my timeline a person from the future time-shifted into the body of her younger self to warn the X-Men of dire consequences and a bleak future if the Brotherhood were to succeed, giving the X-Men time to travel here to Washington and stop them.   Apparently in this reality they didn’t get that warning, so we’re the ones who have to stop the evil mutants.”      

“When and where?” Cassie asks.    Clarise says, “From the look of it, right here and right now.   We’re in the nation’s capitol building, we just need to find the Senate hearing chambers.”    They travel out into the hallway and a short distance around until they reach a door to the upper balcony of the hearing room, where the session is already in progress.   Clarise points out who Kelley as well as Xavier and McTaggert as they get up to testify.   Mojo says, “Why are they afraid of that guy?  He’s in a wheelchair.”  Clarise says, “Yes, but he’s also a powerful telepath.”

The side wall of the main floor then busts in, marble pieces falling down in front of a large hole in the wall, and five costumed individuals stand there.    As the red-haired blue-skinned woman in a white sleeveless dress begins speaking Clarise tells her companions “That’s Mystique.  She’s the Brotherhood’s leader and a shape shifter.”  

“Who’s Tubby?” Narg asks, gesturing to the obese man in the black shorts and tank top.  Clarise says, “He’s called The Blob, the only founding member of this team.  He can’t be moved.”  “Doesn’t look like it,” states Mojo.    Narg tells Cassie “Maybe you can use your Belt of Shape Change to turn into a chocolate cake to distract him.” 

“And the others?” Alton asks.  She says, “The guy in red and orange is Pyro, he shoots flames.   Next to him is Avalanche, he’s the one who collapsed the wall.   The woman in the gold mask is Destiny, she helps predict the future, but I’m guesses she didn’t anticipate our arrival.”    

The villains have thus far fended off some minor attacks from a few policemen who Avalanche then sends flying back with some uprooted flooring.    The flying potion is still in Narg and Mojo’s systems so they dive off the balcony.    Mojo throws his hammer at Avalanche, knocking him backwards onto the ground.    Narg flies high up towards the ceiling and then uses his Wand of Exchange to swap places with Blob, who suddenly appears forty-feet in the air, falling with a resounding crash. 

Clarise teleports Alton, Cassie and Timothy down to the main floor behind the Brotherhood.    Alton and Cassie both turn invisible before they are seen.  Mystique slips away from the battle and transforms into a policeman.  Cassie decides to follow her.  Alton tosses Plant Growth and Entangle spells onto the plants outside where the wall is collapses, sending the vines and branches in to grab Destiny.   Timothy begins a Prayer spell.   

Narg charges his nearest opponent, Avalanche, and swings his Sword of Sharpness for a severing blow which cuts off the Evil Mutant’s left leg.   Pyro turns to attack Narg.  The man collapses to the floor and howls out in pain.    The Blob begins to move until Mojo flies that way and throws a full-force hammer throw into him.  Clarise then creates a teleportation hole, sending Blob outside to a spot 100 feet about the reflecting pool which he crashes down into. 

The disguised Mystique approaches Xavier and McTaggert and offers to take them to safety.   Cassie thinks to herself “Not so fast,” as they then casts a Web spell, which covers and traps Mystique beneath.   She tells Xavier and McTaggert, “That’s Mystique.  Get out of here.”   Clarise appears behind them and teleports them back to Xavier’s home in Westchester, New York. 

Narg takes flight again and flies directly at Pyro who sends up a sheet of flame.   One of the powers of his Nargblade however is fire resistance so he takes minimal damage and continues him slight up to the foe, knocking him back.   Mojo’s hammer then strikes Pyro’s chest, knocking him down.   Clarise reappears and says, “He can’t create the flames, only manipulate them.”   “Ah,” Narg states as he uses his sword to cut the tubes between Pyro’s backpack and wrist jets, ending the flames. 

More police arrive including the Washington D.C. SWAT team.    Clarise again states “Mission accomplished”.   The six vanish once more.


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## Silver Moon (Feb 13, 2007)

*Chapter Six, “The Masters of Evil”, (Avengers #270-277).*

The six arrive on a city street. Based upon the buildings Clarese states “We are in New York City.” “Great, the Big Apple!” Alton exclaims. Cassie looks around and says, “I don’t see any apples, there are hardly any trees at all. What does the Tallus say Clarese?”

She looks at the device and says, “Nothing yet. We might as well look around.” Mojo says, “Good idea, let’s find a bar.” Cassie says, “I was thinking a book store or library.” Narg says, “The last place had books but no bar, I vote booze.” Cassie says, “The first place had no books. The last place had lots of books but I didn’t get any!” Mojo says, “I swiped a notepad off of a desk, does that count?”

Narg says, “Hold on everybody!” “Trouble?” Timothy exclaims. Narg says, “Nope, hot dogs!” pointing across the street to a vendor. They all proceed over there and purchase hot dogs, leaving Clarese to make payment as she is the only won with American dollars instead of silver and gold coins. While they are eating a few passersby give them odd looks, but not nearly as many people as you might expect.

They continue down the street until they see “O’Dell’s Bar”. There is a wrecked vehicle on the side of the road. A glass picture window is boarded up with plywood. Narg exclaims, “Looks like they had quite a bar fight recently.” “Sounds like a place for us,” Mojo exclaims. They head inside.

A few patrons groan at the sight of them and the bartender exclaims, “Oh no, more of them.” “More of what?” Cassie asks. The guy says, “Look, why don’t you just leave. I don’t want any more trouble than I’ve already got.” “Why, what happened?” Alton asks. He replies “Hercules was in here earlier, he got into a fight and trashed the place.”

Narg says, “By Hercules, you mean a local guy with that as his nickname?” The bartender replies, “No, I mean Hercules, the son of Zeus.” Mojo says, “Yep, this is the bar for us.” “So what exactly happened?” Cassie asks. The bartender says, “Hercules was in here drinking and showing off, then he got into a fight with a guy and they got thrown out the window. Then Hercules trashed a truck out there on the Street.”

“Why would Hercules come to this bar?” she asks. He replies, “He lives just a few blocks down the Street at Avenger’s Mansion.” “Maybe we should go there,” Timothy comments. Mojo says, “Fine, let’s go locate this mansion. Maybe we can get a drink there, this guy doesn’t seem interested in serving us.” Timothy interjects, “Well, somebody dressed similar to us did just wreck his establishment.”

They soon arrive at their destination but there is no mansion there, instead the entire city block is surrounded by a large block of black magical darkness that stands several stories high. There are several policemen and police cars around. They then see a person enlarge with insect wings on her back that disappear as she reaches human size. Clarese says, “That’s the Wasp, she’s a member of the Avengers.”

They approach and the Wasp turns toward the six and begins to approach them. Clarese looks at the Tallus and says, “We just got our mission. It says we are to Defeat the Masters of Evil.” “Didn’t we just do that?” Alton states. She replies, “No that was the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, this is a different Group.”

The Wasp approaches and asks, “Who are you?” Clarese says, “I am Blink, I lead The Exiles. We are here to help defeat the Masters of Evil.” The Wasp says, “Good, I’ve called for our Reserve Avengers but they aren’t here yet.” “What is going on?” Alton asks. Wasp replies, “The Masters of Evil have taken over our mansion. I snuck in earlier and saw that they had captured our butler. Captain America and Hercules went in to rescue him and then this darkness went up.”

There is then a bubble in the darkness and a large muscular bearded man is ejected out onto the street. The Wasp yells out “Hercules” and rushes towards him. She checks his arm and yells out “He has no pulse!” Cassie and Timothy jump to action and cast some of their more powerful healing spells onto the Olympian. He appears to be breathing and an ambulance arrives to take him to a hospital. Wasp thanks the group for their assistance, now expressing concern about her ally Captain America who is still inside.

Blink is unable to teleport into the building until they use magical Light to dispel part of the darkness to a side wall of the building that she can teleport through. At Cassie’s suggestion they teleport into the Library, which is currently unoccupied. Mojo and Narg both consume potions of Giant Strength.

From there they head into the adjacent conference room, which has four villains inside it, namely Claw, the Wrecker, the Smasher and Whirlwind. A quick fight follows with Alton casting Heat Metal on the weapons held by all three as Cassie throws a Silence over Claw’s sonic amplifier. Mojo uses his hammer to alter the Whirlwind’s trajectory, sending him into a wall. Narg ducks under a sweeping blow from the wrecker and then hits him with full giant strength, throwing the villain back into a wall. Narg then swings his Nargbalde into Smasher, slicking off the villains leg and causing him to collapse in pain. Claw and Wrecker soon feel the pain of their red-hot weaponry with Wrecking dropping his crowbar and Claw collapsing unconscious in pain. Blink teleports all four villains outside to the waiting police.

Wasp decided to scout out the Mansion and shrinks down into insect mode and flies off under the doorway. Meanwhile Alton negates his spell and goes about cooling the metal objects, as they decide to take them with them. The female flying insect soon returns through another doorway but as she enlarges she seems to be wearing a totally different costume. Clarese declares that it is a female villain named Yellowjacket and not the Wasp and so Cassie uses a Web spell to capture her. She is knocked unconscious placed inside a jar with holes punched onto the top.

The real Wasp soon returns and announces that three more villains are in the next room guarding Captain America but due to the silence spell did not hear the sounds of the fight. They therefore still have the element of surprise. The villains are described as being the Executioner, an Olympian demigod, Moonstone, a cosmically powered villain and Blizzard, who shoots ice and snow. They decide to approach as two teams.

The team assigned to the direct assault are Narg, Mojo and Timothy. They charge the group from one doorway into the room. Executioner takes one look at their garb and concludes they are “Friends of Thor” and orders the assault. Meanwhile, from doorway at the opposite end of the room Blink teleports herself, Cassie and Alton. Cassie throws a successful Hold Person spell onto Moonstone while Alton counters Blizzard with his own Control Weather spell. Blink then teleports Blizzard outside to the street where the police are now in force (and where Thor arrives in short order).

Meanwhile, Narg and Mojo have their hands full fighting the Executioner, who narrowly misses hitting Narg with his axe. Narg is more successful, cutting off the demi-god’s axe arm. He screams out in pain, grabs his axe and arm, and plane shifts away from Earth.

Unfortunately for them, the scream attracts a villain from the next room, namely Goliath, who grows to the height of twelve feet upon entering the room. Mojo hits him full force with the hammer then Narg and Mojo double-team the giant with their own giant strength until he is unconscious.

Wasp returns from the room Goliath is in stating that one villain remains in their guarding the Avenger’s butler Jarvis. The villain is named Boomerang and once his powers are described both Narg and Mojo decide he sounds so lame they should be able to talk him into surrendering. So Narg bust’s down the door while Mojo creates a new door through the wall, sword and hammer out and ready. Narg declares, “I just cut off that Executioner guy’s arm and he teleported away. I guess you’re next!” Boomerang begins to throw a boomerang but Mojo’s flying hammer hits it and breaks it into two as Mojo exclaims, “Unless you give up.” Boomerang surrenders.

A search of the mansion reveals one more villain, Blackout, who is maintaining the darkness even thought unconscious. They surround Moonstone and shake her from her Hold. Weapons out, they demand to know who is controlling Blackout. She replies, “I am.” A deal is soon negotiated with her and the darkness is dissolved.

The party has not immediately teleported away this time, so they decide to go do some shopping. They quickly discover that places will not take their gold pieces so decide to go to find a security exchange, taking a taxi cab to the main one in Battery Park. The bank men have just seen them on the news saving Avengers Mansion and mistakenly take them for being Asgardians, so have no difficulty exchanging their ‘Asgardian’ gold and silver coins for cash. They get $ 280 for each silver coin and $ 575 for each gold one, each person cashing in three or four coins. Before they can go shopping though they teleport away.


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## Silver Moon (Mar 2, 2007)

*Chapter Seven, “The Assassins’ Duel” (Daredevil #181)*

They arrive on the top of a building.   Clarese looks around and determines that they are still in New York City, although further uptown.    “Well, what do we have to do now?” Cassie asks.   Clarese checks the Tallus and says, “It says that we have to make sure that the assassin Bullseye kills the assassin Electra.”   Mojo says “That’s nice, what does that mean?”   Clarese replies, “I’m not sure, I am not familiar with either one of them.”

The group just stays on the roof waiting and trying to determine what to do next when they hear a commotion in the alley below.   Looking down they see that a woman wearing a red gown-style short dress with matching headband is threatening a plump man in a suit with a knife.   The group quiets down to hear what is being said.   They hear the woman tell the man she is going to kill him. 

“Ah, that must be one of the assassins,” Timothy states.   “But which one?” Alton asks.   “Quiet, I want to hear the conversation,” Cassie interjects.   The victim of the assassin then states “I don’t know you.  No wait, I do, from college.  You were Matt’s girl.”   The assassin appears to have a change of heart and tells him to go.  The man turns and exits the alleyway.    

Clarese says, “Hold on, I recognize him.  That’s Foggy Nelson, an attorney partnered with Matt Murdock, who was revealed to be the superhero named Daredevil.   Daredevil worked with a heroine named Electra, that must be her down there.”   Cassie says, “So she’s the one we’re supposed to make sure gets killed?  I don’t think I like this assignment.”   

“That must be the other one, Bullseye,” Narg comments.   Down at the other end of the alley is a man in a one-piece blue jumpsuit with a white target drawn on the chest and forehead.”    Narg says, “No wonder he is called Bullseye.  It’s too bad Vallessa isn’t here” in reference to his archer wife, “With those targets on him she’d have no trouble killing him.  What an idiot.”   Cassie says, “Yes, except he’s not the one who is supposed to die.”

For the next five minutes they watch the two assassins duel, each being very proficient in the various knives and swords that they employ.   “This is going to go the distance,” Alton says.   “Yeah, but I’d say she’s better, I think she’ll win and then we will be stuck here,” Narg comments.    Cassie says, “We should intervene.”   Mojo says, “If we go down there they will just run away.”   “So bring them up here,” Cassie states.

Clarese tosses down two of her teleportation darts, striking both assassins who vanish, and reappear on the roof.    They both notice the Silver Moon members but their new audience have no weapons drawn and are not seeking to interfere, so the two continue to duel on the rooftops.    Mojo says, “Let’s just grab her so Bullseye can win and we will get out of here.”  Narg says, “That doesn’t sound very sportsmanlike.”  “That would be wrong,” Cassie states.  

Cassie then does interfere, preventing Bullseye from getting in a lethal attack.”   “What are you doing that for, are you daft?”  Alton states.    The battle continues on.   At one point Electra gets a short break as Bullseye is thrown off the roof and she asks the others, “Who are you people?  What do you want?”   “We’re martial arts fans and felt you needed an audience,” is Alton’s reply.   

Clarese says, “Okay guys, the Tallus has changed.  It now is saying to keep the battle going until Daredevil arrive.”    Bullseye then returns and so the Silver Moon change their strategy from audience to participants but strictly using spells and weapons for defensive moves, to help protect each assassin from each other.  Clarese uses several teleports to separate the two combatants whenever one is in position for a killing blow.

Another person then drops down in the middle of the roof.  He has on bright red long underwear with a matching mask and is holding a club in his hand.   Narg comments, “Geesh, who is this bozo?”    Clarese says, “That’s Daredevil.  We’re out of here.”   As they start to fade away Mojo says, “What a lame bunch of heroes.”


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## Silver Moon (Aug 11, 2007)

*Chapter Eight, “Oceans Eleven” (Hulk 347-358)*

The group arrive in the middle of the desert.  “Looks like we’re somewhere other than that New York place,” Mojo comments.    They see what appears to be a city a few miles distant and head in that direction.    They soon find themselves walking down a busy street with elaborate hotels and lots of bright lights.   “Whatever this place is it looks like fun,” Narg comments.    Clarese says, “We’re in Los Vegas, known for it’s gambling casinos and stage shows.”   “Sounds good to me,” Mojo comments. 

“What do we have to do here?” Cassie asks.   Clarese replies, “According to the Tallus our mission isn’t for another four days.   It says that we have to prevent the Coliseum Casino from being robbed and also keep the two disguised superheroes present from blowing their covers.”   “But in the meanwhile we can have fun here!” Mojo exclaims. 

Cassie suggests combining the objectives, that they find and check out this Coliseum Casino.  They head down the Los Vegas strip admiring all of the brightly lit places and making note of the various stage shows taking place, eventually finding themselves at their destination.     

The hotel has a Roman theme to it and is filled with activity.   The group begins by getting themselves.  They decide to spend all of the their remaining money this evening, as they now know the routine to follow to get more (namely having Cassie teleport to the New York currency exchange, claim they are Asgardian friends of Thor, and change their gold and silver coins for cash).    They all head down to the retail stores at the main level to buy some changes in clothing, with Mojo and Narg do the ‘Rainman’ identical Armani suit routine.  They spend the rest of the night drinking and having fun. 

The next two days consist of more of the same.  With Blink’s help they are able to identify both of the disguised heroes on the premises, one being a large gray-skinned man who works security at the Coliseum and goes by the name Joe Fix-It.  Blink indicates that he is a hero known as The Hulk.   The other is a short dark-haired man wearing an eye patch who is currently a customer of the casino.   Blink indicates that he is a hero named Wolverine.   

The group makes little to know effort to scout out potential trouble spots or security breaches, deciding to just wait until the villains make their move.   

On the fourth day of the Vegas vacation a quartet of villains smash their way through the large glass windows in the main lobby.   Knowing trouble was coming this day, the group is wearing their armor beneath their heavier outer clothing, while Cassie dumps their larger weapons out of the bag of holding.  

Looking at the foes, the group has previously fought alternative world versions of two of these, namely Blizzard and Boomerang.  Blink identifies their two green-costumed companions as Princess Python and Mr. Hyde. 

Cassie and Blink quickly conclude that their companions should have little problem dealing with these foes so focus on the part of the mission about having the disguised heroes stay out of it.    Blink has Cassie approach Wolverine and say to him “Stay put Mr. Logan, we’ve got it under control.”   He doesn’t know who she is but follows her direction as Narg, Mojo, Mark and Alton charge the villains.    Blink takes a more forceful approach with Joe Fix-it, teleporting him thirty miles away into the desert and leaving him there. 

Alton uses his druidic spells to take control of Princess Python’s snakes.  Mojo manages to hit Mr. Hyde several times with his flying hammer, which Hyde keeps attempting to catch.   Mark distracts Blizzard who pelts him with ice while Narg moves in behind and cuts the  hoses running from his backpack to wrists, which cause Blizzard’s powers to cease.   

Cassie throws a Hold Person over Princess Python and Boomerang.   Narg comes to Mojo’s aid, striking Mr. Hyde in the face with a well-paced exceptional strength punch which staggers him.   Mojo and Narg then punch simultaneously, dropping Hyde to the floor.   Alton meanwhile has cast an Entangle spell onto the large plants and potted trees in the lobby, grabbing and holding Boomerang. 

Just when the party is ready to celebrate their victory a twenty-foot square section of the side wall of the building smashes in, revealing another quartet of villains.    All four appear to have had a hand in bringing down the wall.   Flying in are a man in red armor alongside a green-armored giant.    Below them are a dark-skinning man carrying a large wrecking ball and beside him a large green-scaled creature with fins on the side of his head.  Blink identifies the flying ones as the Crimson Dynamo and the Titanium Man     while the others are Thunderball and the Abomination.   

Alton tosses a Heat Metal at the flying men, hitting Titanium Man but the Crimson Dynamo manages to have flown out range of the spell’s area-of-effect.   Thunderball decides to swing his wrecking ball, which Blink opens up a gate for, transporting it elsewhere and effectively disarming him.  He is then struck unconscious by Mojo’s flying hammer.  

Abomination proves resistant to Mark’s magical sword but not Narg’s, as the Nargblade slices through his leg.   Cassie tosses a Lightning Bolt into Crimson Dynamo, short-circuiting his armor.  Narg, Mark and Mojo stab into Abomination until he stops moving.  Titanium Man manages to knock Alton down until his armor begins to heat up.   He tries to use his own internal powers to cool it, without success, forcing him to remove the armor but has difficultly getting it off before it becomes scorching.  Blink has mercy on him and opens a gate to transport him into the hotel swimming pool.    

Meanwhile, the Crimson Dynamo has rebooted his armor and attempts to enter the fray, only to make himself the combined target of Cassie, Mark, Mojo and Narg who managed to knock him out of commission in short order.   Princess Python comes out of the Hold Person but Alton has no difficulty incapacitating her and taking control of her pet.  

The Hulk returns just as the battle has ended.   Blink says “According to the Tallus we’re done once we tell Joe Fix-it that these eight were meant as a distraction while three others hit the vault and there is still time for him to stop them.”  (specifically Taskmaster, Spymaster and the Ghost).    Cassie hurries over and relay the message.  The six then disappear.


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## Silver Moon (Sep 1, 2007)

*Chapter Nine, “Hellfire Hostages” (Alternative X-Men #132-134 & Dungeon Magazine #25)*

The group materialize in a wooded countryside near a large stone wall with an iron gate. The sign on a plaque outside the gate reads “Xaviar’s Academy for Gifted Youngsters.” Clarese tells the others that the mansion is home to the X-Men, the superhero team that she was affiliated with prior to the Exiles.

The gate is locked but the group has little difficulty getting over the wall. They approach the mansion but do not see anybody around. Nobody answers the door so Clarese teleports to the opposite side and opens it. They group split up and wander around the mansion, finding it deserted, with Mojo helping himself to some of the food in the kitchen refrigerator.

The group reassembles in the main dining room where Clarese is busy looking at various photographs and paintings on the wall of young men and women in colorful costumes standing around a bald man in a wheelchair. A framed newspaper has the headline “X-Men Avert Nuclear Disaster in Tokyo – Moses Magnum Arrested.” The picture features the same heroes from the other pictures, this time wearing costumes made of black leather.

Clarese comments “This is definitely an alternate timeline than the one I am from. In my timeline and those of most alternate worlds visited the original team of X-Men disbanded and Professor X assembled a team of New X-Men, who were the ones that fought Magnum in Japan. On this world it appears that the original team is still together. She then points to and names the various heroes in the portrait – Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel, Iceman, Havok and Polaris.

The Tallus device finally activates and after reading what is says she states, “I stand corrected. It says that we are to help The New Mutants rescue the X-Men from the Hellfire Club.” “Who are the New Mutants?” Cassie asks. Clarese replies, “On my world they were the third team of students who Professor assembled. But that wasn’t until a year or so after the Hellfire Club incident so this group of New Mutants might be different.”

Cassie then asks, “What is this Hellfire Club?” Clarese replies, “A private Gentlemen’s Club in the heart of New York City. Unbeknownst to most though the leaders of it are evil mutants with the plan of world domination. On my world they captured most of the X-Men and the others had to rescue them. Things got tricky because they used telepathy to take control of Marvel Girl, who is herself a powerful telepath, and she lost control.” Cassie says, “Okay, let’s deal with this before that happens.”

“So where exactly is this place?” Timothy asks. Clarese replies, “On Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, around four blocks away from Avengers Mansion.” Narg says, “Avengers Mansion, we’ve been there before. Bring us there.” Cassie says, “Good idea, we can get them to help.” Clarese teleports the group to the sidewalk outside of the mansion.

They begin to discuss how to proceed when they are suddenly surrounded by a group of heroes, some of whom fly out from the mansion and land behind them as others charge out from the front door and side wall. The one calling out orders, apparently the leader of the group, is a redhead in a black leotard. One has glowing red eyes and is wearing a dark skin-tight costume with a ‘W’ in the center of his chest, beside him is cloaked man dressed entirely in white, another caped hooded man is dressed in black with a gold belt and gold wristbands, a green giantess is beside him, then is a blond guy in blue tunic holding a bow, and last is a bearded bald man in a cloak who looks a little like Alton.

“Who the hell are these people?” Narg exclaims. Clarese replies, “The Avengers.” Mojo says, “No they’re not, we’ve met the Avengers – Captain America, Quicksliver, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Wasp, Hercules and Thor – these clowns aren’t them.”

The man with the bow exclaims, “I’m Hawkeye, and I’ve never met you people before!”   A woman enlarges before the Silver Moon who they recognize as The Wasp, having apparently been shrunk down to her smallest form before. She says, “Hawkeye is right, we’ve never met you before.”

Clarese says “It’s a long story. We’re from an alternate timeline where we’ve met some of your counterparts.” Hawkeye exclaims “Alternate timeline? Is Kang mixed up in this?”  Cassie interjects, “No, not this time, but we fought Kang before alongside your counterparts.”  Mojo states, “That doesn’t answer my question, who the hell are the rest of these people?”  The redhead says “We own this place and you’re trespassing.”

The Wasp tries to calm everybody down and introduces the other heroes as the Black Widow, WonderMan, Moon Knight, Black Panther, She-Hulk and Doctor Druid. Alton exclaims “Cool man, another Druid, we should swap seeds or something.“ They are then joined by another hero who the Silver Moon recognize as Quicksilver although his costume is now black and white rather than turquoise. The Black Widow suggests that they all go into the mansion instead of having the conversation outside on the street.


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## Silver Moon (Sep 13, 2007)

*Chapter Ten, “Saving the X-Men” * 

The nine Avengers, five Silver Moon Adventurers and Blink make their way into the mansion’s main meeting room and each take a seat.    The Black Widow asks for a more detailed explanation and Blink quickly provides it.    Moon Knight states that he is surprised that there are any problems at the Hellfire Club, that in his civilian identity (Marc Specter) he holds a membership.    Some of the others are also skeptical.    Cassie says “Don’t just take our word on it then, from past experience we know that the Wasp and Quicksilver are good at scouting out places, have them go investigate.    The two agree and depart. 

Around ten minutes later the two Avengers return.   Quicksilver says, “It’s true, the X-Men and Professor Xavier are tied and bound in a room, except for Marvel Girl who was wearing a black bustier and leather mini-skirt and appeared catatonic.   There were a lot of other people around them but I only recognized one of them, Juggernaut, I don’t know who the others were or if they were even mutants.   

Clarese suggests that she return to Xavier’s mansion and use Professor Xavier’s mutant-detecting device Cerebro to zone in on how many mutants are present at the Hellfire Club, their locations and indications of their power levels.    She departs and returns ten minutes later with the results.   She says that in addition to the X-Men captives there are three other mutants in the room with them, Juggernaut and two unknown to Cerebro.  An adjacent room had two more mutants, Magneto and one unknown.   

Cerebro also found sewers approaching the building were four more mutants, who Cerebro identified as the New Mutants, namely Magik, Mirage, Shadowcat and team leader Wolverine.    The Black Widow says that Wolverine is an old friend of hers but that she is unfamiliar with the other three.  Clarese replies, “A trio of teenage girls who would have only recently discovered their powers, Magik is a Russian Sorceress, Mirage is a Native American Dream-weaver and Shadowcat can phase through walls.   It makes sense that they are coming in by way of the sewers, that was how Wolverine broke into the Hellfire Club on my world. 

The Silver Moon expresses that they have no desire to have anything to do with sewers.   A quartet comprised of Avengers led by the Black Widow and including Black Panther,  Hawkeye and She-Hulk agree to take that part of the mission.   MoonKnight suggests that he and Cassie enter the building as a couple in civilian attire.   Alton decides to come transformed as a bird on Cassie’s shoulder.    Mojo suggests that he follow them in while Invisible.   Cassie has an Invisibility spell for Narg.   Doctor Druid says that he can also create an Invisibility field for himself and Timothy.   Those with the greatest mobility, namely Blink, Quicksilver, Wasp and Wonderman will wait outside the Hellfire Club for a signal to enter where needed.   

The three groups set off.   Cassie and Marc Specter have no difficulty getting inside and the others follow up closely behind.   They mingle with other club members in the main room and then sneak off to the rooms that Wasp and Quicksilver had identified.   The door to the room with the prisoners is locked but MoonKnight has no difficulty picking it.  He and Cassie enter the room, surprising the occupants.    Several masked guards in Black and Red uniforms swing weapons towards the party.   Alton transforms back and casts Heat Metal spells on their guns as Narg and Mojo become visible as they attack these guards.

Cassie lets loose Magic Missiles, targeting the shackles holding the X-Men with all but the last missile, which she sends through a window as a signal to those outside.   The Beast and Iceman are freed, but the others are still held via other constraints to keep their powers at bay.   MoonKnight heads over with his lock picks to free the others.  

Two bathing-suit-clad women in the room who had initially been mistaken as waitresses/servants reveal themselves to be the White Queen and Black Queen, powerful telepaths, who take control of Narg and Mojo who turn on the party.   Cassie throws a Dispel Magic to free them as Timothy captures the women with a Hold Person spell.   The other mutant telepath in the room, Mastermind, has Marvel Girl turn and mentally attack Cassie, who successfully saves from the assault.

Narg and Mojo cut down the two remaining Hellfire Guards but are then interrupted by Juggernaut and Magneto.   Magneto’s powers pull Mojo’s hammer from his hand.   He attempts to do the same with Nargblade, but the ivory-fang from the ancient Red Dragon that had been melded with the metal prevents him from being able to.   Polaris is freed and uses her own magnetism powers to return Mojo’s hammer to him and he attacked Juggernaut.    

The Beast manages to grab Magneto and toss him across the room as Blink arrives and opens a portal to send him elsewhere.   MoonKnight frees Havok who also attacks Juggernaut, assisted by WonderMan who flies in through a side window.    Mastermind decides that he is on the loosing side, masks himself in invisibility and departs.   Wasp arrives and helps to free Angel.   

Professor Xavier is finally freed by MoonKnight of the helmet Magneto had restrained him with and he works to mentally reestablish Marvel Girl’s mind to its former self now that Mastermind has released his control of her.    Her face takes on her normal expression as Cyclops grabs and kisses her.   The enemies appear to all be defeated and the Silver Moon Adventurers disappear.


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## Silver Moon (Dec 31, 2007)

*Chapter Eleven, “Return of the Sinister Six” (Amazing Spiderman #334-339) * 

Alton, Cassie, Narg, Mojo and Timothy materialize along a stretch of sandy marshlands near the sea. They notice that Blink is no longer with them and that the Tallus device is now on Cassie’s wrist. Also present with them is the muscular X-Man named Hank McCoy also known as The Beast. Mojo exclaims, “How did we lose her? This is her mission, not ours!” 
McCoy looks around and says “What just happened? We had just won at the Hellfire Club and now we’re who knows where?” 

Cassie turns to McCoy, taking in his physical bulk, and asks, “Who exactly are you, what do you do and how much do you eat?” Alton says, “With that build I’d say he’s half-dwarf and half-hill-giant. That must have been some wild night for his parents.” Mojo says, “With all the hot chicks in tight clothing we’ve run into on this mission why did we wind up with this guy instead of one of them?” 

McCoy gives a quick background of himself, how he was a high school football star until his mutant ability manifested itself. He describes his powers as strength and agility, also mentioning his intellect. Cassie says, “Okay, you sound useful, you can stay.” They sort through the bag of holding to see what they might have for him as far as weapons are concerned, him deciding upon the Wrecker’s Crowbar (an excellent choice, given that it is an Asgardian artifact on par with Thor’s hammer). 

_[DM’s Note – The Marvel Character change was due to the presence of a new player, who had played Clarese in the previous game but had also indicated that Hank McCoy was his favorite Marvel Character, so I decided to accommodate him.] _ 

Looking around, they see that sandbar, marsh and sea comprise most of the surroudnings but around a mile away is some sort of industrial complex with a large metal tower, so they start heading in that direction. When they are around a half-mile away they make out several buildings and blacktop lot that has in its center metal elevator alongside an airplane-like vehicle pointed vertically up. Narg comments, “Hey, that looks like Vaughn’s space ship” (a space shuttle, seen in Module #34, “Fall of the Black Sun Gods” and Module #73 “The K-Mart Caper”). 

Cassie reads aloud the Tallus, which says “Help Spiderman Defeat the Sinister Six”. Cassie exclaims, “Spider-man? Is it a drider? Are we supposed to fight Lolth?” Narg interjects, “Maybe it’s a humanoid spider, like those Chag creatures we fought.” Hank McCoy says, “I have no idea what you’re talking about but Spiderman is a hero from my world. He was bitten by a radioactive spider and gained supper powers of exceptional strength and being able to climb walls.” 

“Who are the Sinister Six?” Cassie asks. McCoy replies, “A group of Spiderman’s villains, if memory serves they were led by the Green Goblin.” Narg says, “No problem, we’ve killed lots of green goblins before, they’re wimps.” McCoy states, “This Green Goblin was pretty powerful, he was a villain who flew on a magical platform and threw bombs. But he’s dead now.” “Who were the others?” Cassie asks. McCoy says, “Mysterio, who casts illusions, Sandman, whose body can turn to sand, Kraven, a strong hunter, Vulture, a man with mechanical wings, and Doctor Octopus….” Mojo quips, “Let me guess, a humanoid squid?” McCoy says, “Close, he is an inventor with a body suit that has six mechanical arms.” 

Narg says, “Sounds easy enough, six of us, six of them, and most of them just seem to be regular guys with gimmicks.” “Yeah, like we don’t? What do you call out magical items?” Mojo asks. Alton says, “We also have me and Cassie to cast spells.” Cassie says, “They have a spellcaster too, that Mysterio guy.” Narg comments, “Only if you count illusionists as spell casters.” 

As they get closer they see several metal bleachers a distance off filled with people. The buildings have signs reading “Trask Industries”. At they near McCoy says, “It looks like we’ve gotten here in time for a shuttle launch, that’s what that crowd is gathered to watch.” They reach the spaceport. Timothy notices a countdown clock and comments “Where should we go?” Mojo jestures to the two fuel tanks attached to the shuttle and says “Why don’t you go stand right there.” 

A countdown clock is ticking down from ten minutes when a pair of individuals fly in who Hank McCoy identifies as the Vulture and the Hobgoblin. “I thought you said that Goblin was dead?” Alton states. McCoy says, “Green Goblin is, that’s his replacement.” The goblin begins to shower the airfield with pumplin grenades pulled from his satchel. “Should I throw Magic Missiles?” Cassie asks. “Hold on, there’s another one, get all three,” Mojo states. “No,” yells out Hank, looking at the blue and red costumed figure swinging out from the bleachers, “That’s Spiderman, he’s on our side.” 

A tank-like device then crashes through the chain-length fence at the far end of the field and drives towards the rocket. The hatch atop the tank burst open and out pop Mysterio, Doctor Octopus, Sandman and Kraven. Octopus is apparently their leader and says something about getting to the shuttle. 

The New Exiles and Spiderman charge onto the scene, Cassie targeting Mysterio with a Dispel Magic, Alton casting a Create Water over Sandman, Mojo tossing his hammer up into Hobgoblin, Blink teleporting Vulture to the far end of the field, Timothy tossing a Hold Person on Kraven and Spiderman tossing webs over Doctor Octopus while Narg charges him. Spidy comments “I don’t know who you people are but thanks for the assist.” Hank McCoy bounces off of a platform and onto the Hobgoblin, causing him to fly off to the side. 

Alton throws a Heat Metal on Doctor Octopus. Cassie throws Magic Missiles at Mysterio as Narg attempts to slice off one of Doctor Octopus’s tentacles, but being adamantium coated, they resist his sever. Mojo heads over from the other direction while Spidy webs Doctor Octopus’s eyes. While Mojo is distracted they each grab a tentacle and using their exceptional strength, the tentacles now starting to heat up from Alton’s spell. They hurl him away as Blink opens a portal, dropping him into the sea a mile away, as the arms begin to glow white hot and the bay fills with steam, with Octopus out of the battle for good. 

By now Cassie incapacitated Mysterio, Kraven is still held now tied up by Timothy, Vulture flies back only to be downed by Mojo’s hammer. Hobgoblin eventually manages to knock Hank McCoy off of the flyer and regains control of it, turning back to the main battle. 

Spiderman convinces the now reformed Sandman to switch sides, who showers Hobgoblin in sand, distracting him long enough for the others to do a combined attack, dropping him. As Blink makes introductions to Spidy the other quickly gather up assorted goodies, including the Hobgoblins flyer and pouch of pumpkin bombs. They then disappear. 

_Next: The Conclusion_


----------



## Silver Moon (Jan 9, 2008)

*Chapter Twelve “The Negative Zone” (An original Fantastic Four/Exiles scenario)*

The group arrives on a planet with green stone boulders, star-lit skies, and exploding volcanoes in the distance.    Hank McCoy says “Where are we?”   Cassie interjects “From Blink’s description I would say that we have reached the Negative Zone.   That’s the place where we have to rescue her team the Exiles and another group called the Fantastic Four.”   Hank exclaims “The Fantastic Four!”   Mojo says, “Yeah, why?  Have you heard of them?”

Hank explains that the Fantastic Four are the most famous superhero team from his world.   Narg says, “Okay, then who exactly are they so that we’ll recognize them when we see them?”   Hank briefly explains that the blue uniforms with the circle and number four on the chest are a big giveaway.   He describes the appearance and powers of the Human Torch, Thing, Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic.   Cassie says, “Yeah, we heard about him, he’s supponsed to be some sort of genius.”   Mojo sarcastically quips “Yeah, some genius, he’s outfitted his team with uniforms with great big targets on their chests.”  

Cassie confirms from the Tallus that their mission is to rescue the Exiles and Fantastic Four. 
They hear sounds in the distance which they follow, climbing up to a rise overlooking a rocky valley below.   Within the valley are close to 200 creatures, most of whom resemble crosses between orcs and hobgoblins with several dozen others that look like crosses between ogres and bugbears.  In the center is a large pink-and-green winged creature who Hank McCoy says would be Annihilus, the ruler of the Negative Zone. 

Situated behind him are the nine bound prisoners, four of whom are the aforementioned Fantastic Four.  Hank McCoy recognizes and names some of the Exiles, one is a member of his world’s ally New Mutants team known as Magik; another is a large blond man identified as Sabretooth  who is an enemy of his New Mutant teammember Wolverine; another is Snowbird, a Canadian superhero who is a friend of Wolverine’s; the fourth he recognizes as wearing a costume that resembles a mutant known as Thunderbird, who Professor Xaviar had unsuccessfully tried to recruit for the New Mutants; he does not recognize the fifth Exile, an oriental woman in a blue dress (Psylocke).   

Narg says, “Okay kids, this is how we do this.  We go in as three paired group.   Two of us will deal with the cannon fodder, two will take on the big cheese, and the other pair will rescue the prisoners.”  Alton puts on his space armor, commenting “That leader guy has on what looks like metal armor, I could fly in and cast a Heat Metal.  They break into the collection of potions with Mojo taking the last Flying potion, to accompany Alton against Annihalus.    Potions of Speed are distributed to Narg and Hank McCoy for the fight against the troops.   Cassie and Timothy become masked in Invisibiliity for the rescue team. 

Although uncharacteristic for the Silver Moon, the plan goes reasonably close to the plan, with Narg and Hank managing to get around and past over half of the enemy troops before they get dogpiled on by the remander.   Their exceptional strength then kicks in, with Narg and Hank both tossing around the orc/hobgoblin type creatues like bowling balls while slipping around any that attempt to hit them as a result of their superior speed.      

Meanwhile, Mojo and Alton fly in toward Annihalus, who takes to the air himself to intercept them.   Mojo flies in first and tosses his hammer while Alton casts his Heat Metal.   Unfortunately for him Annihalus successfully saves, although Mojo does manage to get in three good hammer strikes.   Alton decides to try the direct approach himself and flies in closer, letting loose with his armor’s laser weapons.   Annihalus gets in a few good blows of his own in retrurn as well as an electrical-based attack. 

 Cassie and Timothy reach the shackels holding the hereos, finding them to be magical in nature.  Some well placed Dispel Magic spells take care of that, at which point the heroes themselves attempt to physically break the manacles and locks, with Thunderbird, Sabertooth and the Thing having little difficulty shattering them with their strength. Snowbird transforms into a snow owl to get free of her shackels.  Magik frees herself with a spell.  Mr. Fantastic contracts his hands and legs to get out while the Invisible Woman uses a forcebubble to pop hers.  Psylocke calls forth her psionic daggers to pick the locking mechanisms.   And the Human Torch increases the temperature on his wrists and ankles until they melt.  

With fifteen heroes now all engaged in battle the monster army is quickly defeated, with Annihalhus being knocked unconscious.    Mr. Fantastic stops Mojo from killing the enemy, to which Mojo makes some snide remarks about hating to work with pacifists.   Mr. Fantastic makes some adjustments to the Tallus device to send the Silver Moon back to their world and then return the Tallus back to the Negative Zone so that the Exiles can move on.    

The party rematerialize back in Ki-Geloryn’s castle in Gelorynth, the five Silver Moon members surprised to see that Hank McCoy was transported with them.   The Tallus then vanishes from Cassie’s forearm.    Cassie looks towards Hank and says, “Welcome to our world.”  Mojo adds “It’s a silly place”.   Alton says “I’m a transplant from another world too.  I’lll summarize this for you.  Magic here is real, superheroes are not.”  

Hank decides to make the best of being stranded on this new world and is welcomed by the Silver Moon to join their band of Adventurers.   The Silver Moon decide to keep the unused potions in return for letting Derieki keep the magical jewel.   A big party is held.  

End of Module.


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## Silver Moon (Jan 26, 2008)

*Module #139*

*Module #139* was played as a merged Adventure Path, tying together three Dungeon Magazine modules and set on the character’s continent in the Cantage Lordholding at the rural town of Hunterdon.   

Source Material:  “Bloodlines” by Luke Johnson from Dungeon Magazine #94; “Unchained” by Bruce Norman from Dungeon Magazine #22; and “Wedding Bells” by Jonathan Tweet from Dungeon Magazine #89; other wilderness encounters taken from the TSR Module GA03 “Tales of Enchantment”.  


Playing Characters:  

*Ailsheir, male 3rd level drow elf archer-ranger.* 
Chaotic Neutral with Good tendencies. Originally worked for Lolth. Encountered and joined the Silver Moon Adventurers the previous year after his evil was removed by the demigod Finder Wyvernspur. Unlike most drow, he has dark hair and is not adversely affected by sunlight. His origin detailed in Chapters 80 & 89 of the "Chinese Take-out" Story Hour. While he is no longer evil, he still makes an occasional offhand remark that alludes to his drow upbringing, and what was considered to be appropriate behavior in that setting. He has been with the Silver Moon for two years. 

*Aradyn, 8th level elf archer-ranger*
Chaotic Good. Is a no-nonsense archer and is quite proud of his elvan heritage. He has been with the Silver Moon for 13 years, and is the boyfriend of Cassie-Andra. He has a pegasus which he rides to get around the Island.   His favorite expression is “What transpires here.”  

*Cassie-Andra, female 10th /8th level* half-elf wizard/cleric.* 
Lawful Good. She is a fanatic about reading, learning and spell casting. She has wonderful surgery skills, dissecting most monsters that the party kills to harvest components for spells and magic items. She has been with the Silver Moon Adventurers for 13 years. She is their most powerful spell caster, being both a formidable wizard and a cleric of the God of Knowledge and Time. She is the girlfriend of the elvan archer Aradyn. Cassie has an owl familiar named Deanna, and a pet wyvern named Maynard. *Her key magic item is the Crown of Might, the powers of which include increasing each of her ability levels (her actual levels each being one lower than stated above) and the crown will also throw massive fireballs twice daily.

*Hank McCoy, male 2nd level fighter/rogue*
Lawful Good.   Hank was a superhero from the planet Earth where he belonged to a team known as the X-Men and went by the code name “Beast”.   He is a mutant whose gorilla-like physical body gives him strength and agaility superior to an average person.  He also has a superb mind.   He joined the Silver Moon Adventurers on their previous mission (Module #138)  where they ventured to his world and rescued him and his teammates from a group of villains.   When a magical device teleported these adventurers back to their own world Hank was brought along for the ride.  He has been trying to make the most of his new adopted world.   His primary weapon is a magical crowbar, a Norse artifact previously weilded by the villain known as the Wrecker. 

*Lannon, male 11th level dwarf rogue. * 
Neutral Good. He has a troubled soul, being the only survivor of an orc massacre. With a low strength, he took up the life of a rogue, something that he is not proud of. His life goal is to find the orc tribe that killed his family and avenge their deaths. He has been with the Silver Moon Adventurers for 13 years, and is their senior rogue. Serves on the Jawlt Council as the Minister of Inherent Priorities. He is also a skilled jeweler, and has made all of the Silver Moon rings that the party members wear. 


*Mark, male 8th level half-elf ranger.*
Neutral Good. Quiet and thoughtful, he is the party's senior ranger and a very skilled tracker. Likes to be left alone, and lives by himself in the Island’s deepest forest, miles from his nearest neighbor.  Like the old Rodney Dangerfield joke, he never gets any respect. He has been with the Silver Moon Adventurers for 15 years, having joined them early into their first mission. He never takes any type of leadership role unless giants or other humanoid monsters are around, when he then won’t hesitate to lead the party into battle. His key magic items is a +4 Longsword. His body has been altered to assume an aquatic form when triggered by a Dispel Magic spell, his form being an aquatic elf. 


Introduction:

The Silver Moon Adventures have been home now for three weeks since their adventure to the ‘Marvel Universe’ where they had stopped a long array of super villains.     The superhero named Hank McCoy had accompanied them home and has been spending the time since then as apprentice to Lannon, the party’s senior thief, as that is a profession well suited for McCoy’s magnificent dexterity. 

*Chapter One, "Picking the Team", October 4th, 1020:  * 
Several members of the adventuring team are sitting around Jerry’s Tavern drinking beer and chatting.   Narg mentions how he needs to begin teaching his son how to throw a curve ball.   Cassie comments “He can’t walk yet!”  Narg replies, “That’s okay, I can teach him how to thow a ball while he’s sitting.”  Cassie replies, “No, I meant that wouldn’t walking be a more important skill to teach him?”

Narg’s sidekick Mojo replies, “Why, Narg does as little walking as possible.”  Narg replies, “I don’t need to, the battle comes to me!”   Cassie sarcastically comments, “Oh yes, Gods forbid that you actually walk a few miles out of your way to do violence.”

Mojo’s ‘Queen Phone’ begins to ring, a magical communication device given to him by Queen Jennifer in order to keep him apprised of his General in the Queen’s Army duties (and other things, as he is also her not-so-secret lover).    He takes the call, talks briefly, and then hangs up.    Narg asks, “What was that all about?  Another mission for us?”

Mojo replies, “Not us personally, but she needs some of our adventuring team to take a ship up to the Cantage Lordholding to some hick town named Hunterdon.  It seems that those incompetents known as ‘The Dragonstalkers’ have gone missing again.”   Narg exclaims, “Again?  It hasn’t been that long since the last time we had to pull their butts out of the fire last time!” (Module #125 – “Beast of Burden”)    

Mojo says, “Yeah, this Hunterdon is apparently a Podunk farm town way off the beaten path.  I told her I wouldn’t be caught dead in a backwards village full of stupid illiterates.”   Narg asks, “Then why are you here?”   The gnome tavern owner Jerry interjects “Yeah, that does seems to describe this town.”  Mojo replies, “This place is home, and I’m staying put.”

Mojo continues, “Jen said that sending others was fine, I don’t have to go along.  In fact, she would prefer for us to send a small group who are not that well known anyway.”  Narg asks, “Why?”  Mojo replies, “Because Hunterdon is one of the four towns near the city of Dunn, where Matthan’s evil former-advisor Pamela is a big wig.  If she gets wind that the Silver Moon are stomping around in the neighborhood there could be trouble.”

Cassie asks, “What were the Dragonstalkers doing there anyway?’  Mojo replies, “Looking into a report of mysterious happenings in the woods near a hunting lodge owned by some aristocrat from the Cantage capital of Autzvorg.  Now they’re missing so we need to find those losers.”   Narg says, “Why should Queen Jennifer care about what happens in Pamela’s back yard anyway?”   Mojo replies, “Because ever since Jennifer had Matthan kick her out as an advisor Pamela has only focused on Dunn itself and is ignoring those other towns nearby.  Jennifer sees this as an opportunity, that by helping these towns she wins their support while Pamela’s influence further diminishes.”

Cassie says, “Okay, that makes sense.  So, you need to head out and go and assemble a team!?”   Mojo says, “Go?  Why go anywhere?  This tavern is the main meeting place on the island.  We’ll just stay right here and see who comes along.”    Narg replies, “Yeah, we should be able to find some dead weight to send off.”   As if on cue, the half-elf ranger Mark walks into the bar.  

“There’s our first volunteer,” Mojo states.   Mark heads over asks them what they are talking about.  Narg replies, “Never you mind, you’ll find out soon enough, why you don’t get something to drink.”  Cassie adds, “Yeah, you may need it.”   A confused Mark heads over to the bar and orders a beer.    Not long thereafter the party’s dwarven thief Lannon arrives with his new apprentice in tow, a stocky human named Hank McCoy.  Mojo says “Okay, that makes three.”    

Around ten minutes later the drow elvan archer-ranger Ailsheir arrives Narg says, “Make that four.”  Mojo says, “Him?  But we’ve already got Mark, what do they need another ranger for?”  Narg replies, “One, Mark isn’t all that competent.  Two, this place is in the middle of the wilderness and you’re looking for missing people so the more rangers the better.   And three, I don’t like that particular drow.  Any excuse sending him away I’ll take.”  

Cassie says, “Hold on, Ailshier is still a novice and I agree that Mark is inept, shouldn’t we send a real ranger instead.”   “Don’t you mean ‘in-addition to’?” comments Jerry.   As she is saying this a pegasus lands outside, with her archer-ranger boyfriend Aradyn climbing down from the animal.   He walks into the bar and Narg exclaims, “Finally a real ranger!  Aradyn, we’ve got a job for you!”    

He walks over to the table and asks, “What transpires here?”  Cassie says, “They’re assembling a team for a mission.”   She gestures to Narg, Mojo and Jerry and comments, “So far these three geniuses have selected three rangers and two thieves, that’s what they consider to be a well-rounded team!   I figure in another hour or two it might finally occur to them to maybe send along a cleric or magic-user too.”   Mojo says, “Oh yeah Miss Smarty-pants, well you’re both!”   Narg says, “Yep, done!”   

Cassie exclaims, “Hey! That’s not what I meant!”   Aradyn says, “Hon, it would give us some time together.”   Cassie shakes her head and says, “Oh, all right, I guess somebody has to look out for the Queen’s interests.”    Mojo says, “Okay, we’ll get the six of them over to a table and tell them that the Queen wants them to sail the Bronze Star up to the north Cantage coast and then sail it downriver to the town of Hunterdon.”   

Cassie sarcastically replies, “Yeah, right, sailing downriver in Cantage to a rural town worked out so well last time.’ [A reference Module #11, the TSR ‘Slaver’s’ Series played back in 1984].    Mojo says, “Hey, that was the mission where I joined you guys!”  Cassie says, “I rest my case.”   Narg says, “Dummy up, that was before any of these guys joined up.”  Cassie says, “Mark was.”  Mojo states “Like he would remember something that took place fourteen years ago.”  Cassie says, “It’s probably written down in his notebook.”  

Narg tells Mojo, “Well, you’d better do a real good sales pitch on this job, or we’ll be stuck going there instead.”   Mojo calls them together and gives an enthusiastic speech about how the Queen is depending upon them and how this mission is of great importance to the continent.   Jerry stays in the background and tries to suppress his laughter.   Cassie just rolls her eyes and then plays along.   She informs the others know that she and Aradyn will be the team leaders on this mission.  Cassie and Aradyn reluctantly agree to leave their flying mounts behind, as they would draw undue attention. 

The party decides to bring along a minimal ship’s crew for the Bronze Star, with the majority of them being among the newer crew members hired on during the last two years so less known.  They get the ship to set sail and the three-masted vessel departs the next morning shortly after dawn.


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## Silver Moon (Feb 15, 2008)

*Module 139, Chapter Two, “Arrival in Hunterdon”, October 9th, 1020:*

On the fifth days since setting sail the Bronze Star is nearing the Cantage coastline and the mouth of the river that flows to the rural town of Hunterdon, situated near the northernmost part of the Lordholding.   The ship begins to sail down the river, seeing nothing on the sides except for forests.

They discuss the merits of going in anonymously or not, deciding not to use any aliases but to mention their own names as little as possible and to make no references at all to the Silver Moon.  Cassie suggests “Let’s not over think this, we’re just there to ask about the Dragonstalkers.”   Lannon says, “Yeah, as if referencing that we known those losers isn’t going to draw attention to us.”     They begin to reach a more populated region, with farmlands alongside of both banks of the river, using it for irrigation canals.  

The ship’s navigator them that Hunterdon will be on the starboard shore in less than a mile.   The town is situated along a section where the river narrows from a width of sixty-to-eighty feet into a small lake, from which the river continues but narrows to a width of twenty-five to thirty, continuing on after flowing under a bridge.   For vessels of the size of the Bronze Star this is therefore the end-of-the-line as they are to large to continue beyond Hunterdon. 

The town itself is situated on approximately fifty acres alongside the bridge, comprised of approximately one-hundred buildings.   There are eight docks extending out from the town.  The most prominent structures in the community appear to be a central three-story stone fortress that is presumably the home of the town leader, a large tree surrounded by a fence on the southern end of town, a stone archway at the far end of town which exits to a southeastern road surrounded by crop fields, and a temple on the northeastern end of town that is dedicated to the deity Ukko.   

As they approach the town docks a person comes out to greet them wearing shiny plate mail and the symbol of Ukko is on his shield.  Aradyn says, “Looks like we have a paladin waiting for us….we may have to fight our way into this town.”  “Only if he spots the drow,” is Lannon’s comment.    Ailshier pulls up his hooded cloak to shield his face but comments, “Well, we could just beat the guy up on general principles.”   

Aradyn sarcastically comments, “Great idea, that would set a new party record, getting us all arrested before we even leave the dock.”   As they get nearer they see that the paladin is female rather than male and Ailsheir comments, “A dame!  This changes everything, I’ll sweet talk her.”   Mark says to  Aradyn “I didn’t think drow flirted with paladins.”  “They only flirt with their swords,” is Aradyn’s reply.    Cassie interjects, “Let me do the talking.”   Aradyn says, “I’ll join you.  Everybody else stay on the boat.”   

Cassie-Andra introduces herself, but omits the pause for the hyphen in her name so it comes across as Cassandra, and plays up her Priestess credentials.   She receives a warm greeting in response from the paladin, who it turns out is the town’s sheriff, an elvan woman named Savil.  She welcomes the new arrivals and then introduces them to a new arrival, an armored paladin of Ukko who she says is her bodyguard and deputy by the name of Honesty.   Aradyn and Cassie look up at the man and are momentarily surprised to see that he is of the hobgoblin race.   Savil and Honesty ask them a series of questions before deciding to admit them into town. 

Savil departs, leaving them talking to Honesty, who gives them a short description of the town and its residents.   The town is primarily human, with a mix of other races, although it does have a section known as ‘little town’ that has a population of halflings who comprise approximately one-fifth of the townspeople.    A male halfling approaches who Honesty introduces as Endlo the Dockwarden.  Honesty gives them directions to the Green Mountain Inn, the town’s only lodgings for visitors.  

They decide to leave the crew onboard ship and for the six adventurers to get lodgings at the inn.   When signing in Cassie notes that the Dragonstalker’s leader is on the ledger having signed in ten days earlier for a three-day stay.   Cassie points this out to Aradyn and comments “I wonder how belligerent the Dragonstalkers were during their visit?”   Aradyn comments, “Given the scrutiny we got it’s a wonder that they even make it off their boat before the town authorities sent them packing!”

By mid-afternoon they have all settled into the Green Meadow Inn, with Cassie and Aradyn taking one room, Lannon and Hank in another, leaving Mark sharing a room with Ailsheir.  They head down to the inn’s dining room for a bite to eat where an elvan waitress makes eyes at Aradyn and flirts with him when she takes their order.   After she walks away Aradyn says, “Nice to know that I still have it.”   This earns him an angry look and an elbow in the ribs from Cassie.  

The innkeeper comes over with their drinks and asks, “Are you in town for the wedding.”  Ailshier says, “We might.  Does this town recognizes the ‘Right of the First Night’?   If they do  I’m King Matthan.”   This results in another elbow in the ribs from Cassie.   Hank mutters to Lannon, “Is she going to injure all of the rangers in the party?”   Lannon replies, “Nah, she wouldn’t want to have to physically touch Mark.”   

The innkeeper says, “It should be quite the celebration.  The bride’s father is the wealthiest dairy farmer in the area.”  “Sounds like milk is on the house,” is Aradyn’s comment.   Ailshier says, “Well, that will keep Mark happy.”  “Because he likes milk?” Hank asks.   Lannon replies, “No, because somebody else is paying.”   Aradyn says to the innkeeper, “We’re always up for a wedding.”   “As long as it’s not your own,” Cassie mutters under her breath.    

The innkeeper asks, “Are you related to the bride?”   Ailshier replies, “They are,” gesturing towards the human Hank and dwarf Lannon.    This results in an odd look but no comment from the innkeeper who walks away.   Lannon exclaims, “Why did you say we were related?”   Ailshier says, “He said they were dairy farmers, aren’t all diary farmers built like you guys, short and stocky from milking cows and lugging pails?”   

Aradyn says, “This is working out well, we just sit here and eat and drink while people come to us.”   Cassie says, “Yeah, I have a felling of deja-vu, that’s how you guys all got selected for this mission.”    They next person who makes their acquaintance is the town bard, a male elf who introduces himself as Willon Evesimere.   They ask about the wedding, assuming he will be performing there, and he informs them that the wedding will be held in three days.    The bard asks, “Do you like our little town.”  Ailshier says, “Yes, but I find the cuteness to be overwhelming.”  The bard then asks if they have any exciting stories.   

Lannon whispers to Ailshier “What would somebody stuck in a rural cow town like this call exciting?”   Ailsheir interjects “Tell him the story about the egg that had two yokes.”   Aradyn adds, “How about the story of the potato that looked like King Matthan.”   “Don’t all potatoes look like King Matthan?” Lannon retorts.   Cassie spins a yarn about one of the group’s earlier adventures in the Aldorn Lordholding, changing enough of the names and facts to hide the Silver Moon Adventurers identity.  

The bard Willon says that the bride is the daughter of the town’s richest farmer and that the groom is the son of the town candle maker.  The cleric of the halfling church will be the one performing the ceremony.    Ailshier moans, “Sounds like a recipe for disaster.”    Mark adds, “Just the way we like it.”   Aradyn comments, “I haven’t met too many halfling clerics, usually religion interferes with their consumption of pies.”  

Cassie asks the bard to tell a story and he tells tales of the various creatures of the forest, namely owlbears, giant lynxs, unicorns and pegasi.   Mark and Aradyn ask about the forest, and if the bard might know where in the forest a group known as the Dragonstalkers might have gone.   “Friends of yours?” the bard asks.    The party all interject “NO!” in unison, followed by Cassie explaining that a friend-of-a-friend knows them and asked that they be located. 

Willon says that he met them, that they told an exciting tale of stopping a massive extra-planer beast that was ravaging the Kralt countryside a year earlier.   Mark interjects “By themselves?  Did they have any help?”, as he and Cassie had been part of that mission.   Willon replies, “Their leader Gellyath didn’t mention anyone else.  He spoke of his mage Asgorath who bravely perished fighting the creature.”    

Aradyn says, “I met that Asgorath before, brave wouldn’t have been the first adjective that I would have used to describe him.”   “What do you mean?” Willon states.   Lannon says, “Let me put it to you this way.  I’m sure when he arrived at whatever afterlife he went to he would have had a few complaints for whoever was running the place.”   A shocked Willon says, “One shouldn’t speak poorly of the dead.”  Ailshier states, “He’s right, there are a lot of still living Dragonstalkers we should speak poorly of instead.”

 Cassie says to the Bard, “So, do you know where the Dragonstlakers went?”   Willon says, “Yes, the town’s Mayor and the halfling cleric were both concerned about some recent reports of dragon activity in the forests.   They were hoping that there won’t be any disruptions at or around the blessed event of the upcoming wedding, so who better than a group known as the Dragonstalkers to go and investigate.”   Cassie and Lannon exchange looks with Lannon muttering “I can think of a few more qualified people.”   Ailshier adds “A few…or six.”  

Cassie says, “What can you tell us of these dragon reports?”   The bard indicates that a pair of hunters saw a large black scaly creature the previous month.   They were a distance off and too afraid to get any closer.”  He adds “And two weeks ago the dwarven construction workers said they saw something that resembled a black dragon, but it was walking instead of flying and sounded like metal pans banging together.”    Cassie comments, “Maybe a Proto-dragon or perhaps dragon-type conveyance?”   Lannon says, “Hold on, dwarven construction workers?  What are they constructing?”

Willon replies, “Property of a wealthy aristocrat named Count Norliss owns a hunting lodge near the town.  His family originally came from this region, and he’s having them renovate the ruins of his ancestral castle some twelve miles to the south.”    “Ruins…excavated?”  Mark comments.   Cassie says, “Yes, are all of you thinking what I am?”  Aradyn says, “That maybe they’ve unearthed something they shouldn’t have!”   “And that we’ll have to deal with smelly dwarves,” Ailsheir adds. 

Lannon ignores Ailshier’s comment and says to Cassie, “Are you thinking undead?”  Ailshier states, “I vote a definite ‘no’ to our bothering the undead.”    Hank says, “What are these undead that you refer to?”   Lannon says, “Previously living people who died but decide to still stick around and bother you.”   Hank says, “Oh, okay, I’ve seen things like that in movies.”   “What’s a movie?” the bard asks.   Hank replies, “It’s like a book but you don’t have to read it, you just watch.”   “Ah, paradise,” Ailshier mutters.  Willon exclaims, “Ah, plays.”   “Something like that,” is Hanks response.    Cassie adds, “Hank is from a far away land, they have different words for lots of things.”   

Willon departs.  Ailshier comments, “Well, I guess exploring ancient ruins does have a certain charm to it.”  Aradyn and Mark ask around for directions to these ruins.   Cassie suggests that since it is getting dark they wait until morning to head out for these ruins and to all turn in early.   The others reluctantly agree.


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## Silver Moon (Mar 6, 2008)

*Module 139, Chapter Three, “Entering the Ruins”, October 10th, 1020:* 

The party head out at dawn, traveling for most of the morning along the southwestern road then heading overland as per the directions that Aradyn and Mark had received. Along the way Aradyn and Ailshier get into a disagreement that culminates with each one making derogatory remarks about the other one’s mother. Cassie eventually tells them both to shut up. 

The last mile is rather difficult as the forest in this region is rather overgrown. Picking their way though the underbrush and entangling roots they eventually sot a hill ahead that rises out of the surrounding lands like a skeletal finger. The land immediately around the ruined keep is cleared of trees some one-hundred yards from the ruins of the building, apparently done recently by the dwarven workers, as the logs are stacked neatly by the forest’s edge. 

The keep itself appears to have originally been square shaped and approximately 120 feet on each side. The southwestern corner of the structure still stands with the southern wall mostly intact and parts of the western and eastern wall also standing. Further inspection reveals recent stone work on the southwestern corner, with ropes, pulleys and braces about, so that section was where the reconstruction had begun. 

No dwarves are anywhere to be found about and the three rangers begin to look for tracks. They find quite a few dwarven tracks but none are recent. The rangers can’t agree on exactly how old the tracks are with Ailshier estimating eighteen days, Mark estimating ten days but Aradyn thinks some are as fresh as six or seven days. Regardless, nobody appears to have been around for the last week or two, although the people in Hunterdon had indicated the dwarves had not returned to town. 

Searching around they discover an entranceway that had been cleared rather recently. It leads to a staircase down and corridor with various faded and chipped frescoes on the walls. The largest of these has a depiction of a black-eagle wing against a yellow star. Cassie searches through a reference book that she brought along and says that is the family symbol of the House of Jorat, which was related to the Cantage Royal Family. Aradyn comments, “Hold on, this was the castle of that Count von Denn’s ancestors. Are you saying that this guy is related to Matthan?” “Perhaps,” is Cassie’s reply. 

They continue downward, soon reaching a second corridor with a crude wall painting of a man holding a sword in a bloody hand and pointing it towards further in the keep. “Charming, how quaint,” is Ailshier’s comment. They continue down another corridor, with ancient fading paintings along the walls of forest scenes. They reach a square room with hallway along all four walls, them entering from the east, with a minimum of dust. A marble mosaic on the floor depicts the Jorat House symbol, with several dark stains atop it. 

The far corner of the room as a pedestal covered over with rubble and debris. Cassie is able to translate the fancy script carved into the pedestal as “You are entering the sacred realm of Immshin, Lord of Winds. Display proper reverence or risk his rage.” At her insistences they perform a number of clerical rituals and seek the god’s guidance. 

The group continue down the north corridor only to run into a trio of undead ghasts which. Two ghasts appear to be long-dead humans but one appears to be a recently-deceased dwarf, its clothing still intact and a hammer hanging from his belt. Cassie successfully turns the creatures. “Well, that answers the question of what became of the workmen,” Lannon comments. They decide not to follow the undead, who are stopped at a pair of double doors at the end of the hallway. 

The party continue down the westward hallway with paintings of regal-looking men on the wall, several being the Western Nation kings of two-to-three hundred years before. They pass an empty chamber that appears to have been a great hall, but now just has rotted tables and rubble. Continuing onward, they reach a dark exit less corridor that appears to have shadow-like creatures in it. They turn back and head to the room with the four-way intersection, choosing to now go on the south corridor. 

The come upon a good-sized room to the left separated off into smaller chambers, with rotted and deteriorated furniture that they assume were once bunks for the occupants of the temple. Two shadow-like former occupants still reside there and attack the party, almost grabbing Lannon. Cassie manages to destroy the creatures. A search of the area finds a key. They continue down the main hallway, which turns to the right and then continues onward, with two more southern hallways branching off from it. Using the party expression “When in doubt go left” they take the first of these corridors. 

This corridor goes on for another sixty feet before turning left, ending in a chamber with a stone door on the opposite side. Religious symbols adorn the door which Cassie translates as also being dedicated to the deity Immshin, Lord of Winds. As she did at the pedestal in the earlier room, she performs an appropriate ceremony in reverence to this deity. The key found in the barracks room opens the door lock. A long corridor continues which they cautiously follow, finding an accumulation of cobwebs and dust as they pass. 

The passageway ends in a small room that appears to have been a shrine of some sort, the walls decorated with motifs of winds and priests. A stone alter is on the opposite wall. Kneeling before the alter is a figure in dark tattered hooded robes holding a staff in its gloved fist. As Cassie nears the alter the skeleton slowly rises and turns, the hood falls away to reveal a skeleton beneath. Hanging from the creatures belt sash is a key ring. In a loud shrieking howl the creature screams “Intruders! You dare to defile the sanctity of this holy shrine!”” 

The fighters have drawn their swords but Cassie gestures for them to hold off on their attack. The creature raises his staff and calls out “Immshin, I beseech thee! Smite these intruders with your holy wrath!” Cassie gestures for the fighters to move back as she pleads “High Priest of Immshin, we seek only to honor your deity and rid this once-great temple of creatures that have defiled it.” The others slowly retreat down the corridor The creature halts and waves his staff forward, a sprinkling of light radiating from it and upon her. 

The skeletal priest states, “You speak truth. You have indeed given homage and honor to the great Immshin. I apologize for my earlier outburst and welcome you to my sanctuary.” Cassie begins to relax when the creature spots Ailshier and states, “A Drow! This is a trick, you are my enemies.” “Leaving, what a good idea,” Aradyn mutters loud enough for Cassie to hear. 

Those in the hallway quicken their pace down the corridor as the priest casts a Hold Person spell upon Lannon, Hank and Ailshier, which they all successfully save from. Cassie uses her Belt of Shape Change to transform into a bird and fly away at top speed, soon flying past the others in her group and out the doorway. They exit into the antechamber and then slam the stone doors shut behind them. Cassie throws a Wizard Lock onto the door as well. 

“Any more bright ideas?” Ailshier sarcastically states. Aradyn replies, “We were doing fine until he got a look at you!” Mark asks, “Was that creature good or evil?” “He appeared to be a little of both,” Cassie replies. Lannon (accurately) says, “I guess spending several centuries locked alone in a room will do that to you.” “I vote that we not do that,” is Ailshier’s comment.


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