Campaign Logs from A God...Rebuilt

[zyanitevp]

New official log up, from Xerx'ses, the Minotaur War Wizard. The group is heading to the Isle of the Cyclops, and then run into a dimensional storm, which moves them to the land of Toon!!

""Out of this World", Says the Walrus"

Father,

A few days ago I wrote to Elder Xixin of the Serinan, regarding my fate at the hands of the tribal council. Father, I. . . I can understand if you feel the way Lu’urna does, I have enclosed the “note” she sent me because I can’t bear to look at it anymore. I asked my brother, your son, to investigate Troker and save the Temple of Isis. I joined CrIsis and we have recovered and protected five pieces of Osiris and we hold four more in our possession! ! ! Even if the outside numbers are to be believed we are over half way there! I have to believe my mother, your wife, died for a cause as great as bringing a God of Light back from the dead to restore order to the world! Otherwise I am the curse that everyone should stay away from.

I can’t bring them back and not a day goes by that I don’t feel horrible. I don’t know if it will count but I was graced with the chance to avenge you and our people. Will you allow me an olive branch before I am banned from coming home as punishment for elder Zeelik’s death. My friends and I slew:

Groun’na, for betraying the Etrinan and fratricide.

Zii-clymnt, for slaying my brother and fratricide,

both Xor’van and Nav’rox, for betraying their tribe and fratricide.

I have removed their horns and allowed the kobold and the druid to eat their hearts so they cannot be brought back to life. They will find no rest among our ancestors without their horns to accompany them to the afterlife. Since CrIsis helped me we voted and they believe these runebound friends of our people should be returned to the tribe. I intend to return them to my you in Sekti-Abtu before to long. I won’t ask forgiveness for trying to bring light back to the world but I hope our avenging the death of the Etrinan and my brother, returning the runebound friends to the tribe might count for something. Anzuroq the Stone Mace, your mace, is among the six recovered rune friends, I know you would want to know this.

29th & 30th of Set, 343 year of the Dominion of Man, and 23rd Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II.

As the dark hours of the end of the 29th of Set tolled on we had made our preparations for departure to the Isle of the Cyclops. The “Girls” were to keep looking the missing crew of the Redbeard ship. I asked Jershon to water and maintain the special plant I had delivered to the ship until we return. I gave him the written instructions from the shop. The rest of the deliveries I had stashed in my bag with six rune weapons, two scrolls of godly power, books of magic, and five other wax wrapped items. I hold that Mologoth hide bag closer to me than either of my fathers held my mother to them.

Jershon will be acting captain once more in my absence and a finer instructor in the ways of the sea I cannot fathom having. When he asked what ship we were headed to we all realized we had no idea other than it was at the Caer Itom Marina (Number #19 on our map from Indaris) on the opposite side of the dock district from the Biboca Marina we were berthed at (Number #20 on our map). Master-Sister Caminata thought we might ask the owner of the Biboca Marina if he knew the location about the ship we were to rendezvous with. Master Azariel thought sending Master Burlap to inquire because at this moment he is the least known among CrIsis. However, our Hobgoblin companion reminded us that his legal issues in the city had not been resolved and this would put our group in a potential direct confrontation with the law. Something we try to honor in each land we visit. This prompted Master Azariel to go out himself and make the inquiry to one of the hundred imperial guards keeping our detractors at bay.

Very soon we had spoken with the dockmaster and found out some other group knew and intercepted the communication meant for us regarding the ship called the Vequana. AUTHORING NOTE: Scribal Master Rambler, I know the lords of this realm asked about finding colorful prose to maybe change our prior bull like adversaries to demons and leaving the name of the city as vague. I am not sure if that extends to our stay here in total? I leave this to your august and learned discretion but thought I would mention it because they have been welcoming as long as I kept up my disguise to not alarm the residents of their city. Further discussion made us realize that we could not afford to pass up on that information. Master Azariel used an Old Kingdom Dragon Coin to not only procure us small boats, not unlike those we kept upon Rogtilda should my friend ever begin to sink. With them came pilots, their knowledge of the docks, and the Dockmaster’s generosity. Using magic to make each member of CrIsis invisible as we began to leave Rogtilda just past the the stroke of highmoon before they descended into the small boats as they arrived. Their arrival was heralded by the city bells eerily echoing the 30th and final day of the month, which also happened to be the Festival of Set.

In the first boat was Brother Indaris, Master Azariel, and Master Asher. The second boat was Master Burlap (sans bells), Nosse, Master-Sister Caminata, and myself. I made sure to enshroud all with spells of ‘Invisibility’ as they went over the side. Having my own Amulet of Seeing the Invisible allowed me to keep track of everyone constantly without further expenditure to my mystical reserves. The others had their own means of seeing what can not be seen and employed them as needed. Our packs were a little heavy knowing that we had to make sure whatever we brought with us would sustain us through the voyage and our return. We were told the Vequana would be at the dock within 2 hours and we had 30 miles of dock to cross!!! Yes, that is the size of the docks of Caer Itom – 30 miles. About 20 miles across I hear some shouts from the other boat which catch my attention as what I can only describe, hmmmm, how to put this?

I had a flashback to the moment I had arrived in CrIsis when I saw what I learned was my first Wolfen. He looked as stunned as I did but the sounds of him barking out how he ‘Read Books’ was carrying over the water and I knew we were about to loose our disguise of stealth. Not having to speak anymore to cast magic has become quite the boon! Making the required gestures albeit ‘Invisibly’ and a ‘Cloud of Slumber spell’ not only sent the Wolfen, Brother Indaris, and the oarsmen to sleep but it covered their position as well. When our boat got closer I saw Master Asher standing on the Wolfen’s chest holding up a hand with an Eternal Torch Ring upon it. With another wave and conjoined thought I dismissed the cloud and everyone began to wake up as we took the lead. It would seem some further “hushed” negotiations and a ‘Chameleon Spell’ from Master Asher finally calmed things down we made it the final 10 miles to the Vequana.

When we made it to the berth and found the ship had been there, for how long I am not sure. Both Master-Sister Caminata and myself noticed the correct name in Elven upon the vessel, while Master Burlap thought the sign was upside down. The Captain of the Vequana, one Antonio de Gioto, whispered down for us to go away and I replied with a ‘Tongues spell’ aiding my poor use of the Western Trade language, that we had been sent by Bondrake and the Mountain. We were told to get aboard quickly, it was then I was silly enough to think one plan might even work despite evil knowing our intentions.

Silly Minotaur.

I waited for the other small rowboat carrying Master Azariel’s replacement to get closer before I told Master Burlap to begin his ascent. As our death defying, mystical jester went to climb up a scaled hand reach out of the dock water and grabbed onto his leg! I quickly dropped a hand in the water remembering a lesson Master A’zad taught me about lightning. The electrified glowing fist made light dance underwater, however, it seemed to only make the grip tighter upon my restrained companion. It did, however, alert everyone to the problem we were beginning to face on this unholy holiday. Other mystical attacks were made but when I saw Master Burlap be pulled under I stuck my face below the waterline for line of sight, blessed nightvision, and enacted levitation upon him! When he and by default, his assailant, were out of the water floating up Brother Indaris made the fish creature sea sick!!! HAHAHA!!! Can you believe it? The water creature became seasick, vomiting and with just a smidgen of further intervention from my allies fell back to the wet abyss from whence it came!

The crew of the Vequana tossed the floating Hobgoblin a rope and then the cry went up from the far side of the ship of an attack! I barked an order to make our way to the ship and defend it from the deck. What surprised me completely was that is exactly what happened! I almost took to long when Callandor’s voice in my head rang out.

Do not question it!
A) a good call and,
B) Magos, your rune ring seems to be affecting you emotions for confidence.
Now go be a hero!

Not one to question good fortune I joined everyone carrying Nosse. Quite the hoard of these creatures had clawed their way up the other side and there were at least one for every member of the crew and us plus a few more for good measure! You know, I am beginning to wonder if in large coastal town attacks like this might happen a few times a year so this could look like an accident? Subtle, Dark Gods, subtle indeed. Our newest member acquitted himself well with his giant golden sword. Brother Indaris blocked the escape route and prevented further creatures gaining access to the ship with a ‘Carpet of Adhesion spell’. Taking almost a full three grains of an hourglass to see what chaos was brewing and how it would attract attention. These creatures might win by numbers but they had no legs and were on a dry deck! I have been learning to rarely cast spells at my full strength but we didn’t have the time to replace crew or new members! I blanketed the complete top of the ship in a ‘Carpet of Adhesion spell’ after Master Burlap had resorted to flashing his genitalia at our attackers!?! It took another few seconds and then came the ‘Cloud of Slumber spell’, followed by a ‘Strength of Utgard Loki spell’ and then I hurled our assailants from the deck into the dock water! We got through this without killing everyone involved! I dismissed the magics and we got underway after introductions to the captain and crew (it’s how I knew his name). It was decided I was to be the Western Nobleman and his entourage to not arouse suspicion nor blow 30 Hoomans’ covers for helping us discretely.


We went to have our “Fireside Chat” with our new companion in hopes of learning about him and maybe where Master Azariel disappeared to. It would appear two days prior to our meeting with our new Wolfen teammate the great and mighty Horus, the Avenger, brought the now ten Books of CrIsis (of which the latest two seem to be advanced copies) to him and bade him read within next 48 turns of an hourglass before he made the switch. The Wolfen obeyed and now I suspect the final stages of Master Azariel’s training to become an Alchemist are underway. Lord Raulf is black silonar member of the Iron Claw Tribe among the Wolfen. I’m sure every race has a ‘Black Silonar’ among their peoples stories of an outcast. You see his tribe is on the front lines of a brewing war between the Wolfen in the southeastern Great Northern Wilderness and the Hoomans of the Eastern Territories. While I asked if he had met the most dangerous Hooman in the World, Jidian Kulder, but he has only heard stories in passing. He is the fifth child of the Tribal Chieftain, and third boy of his group of siblings, in other words the youngest. His family and a majority of this tribe are devout adherents to the Pantheon of Taut. During his military training to fire catapults (he said other weapons but I was not familiar with them all), he was trained as a Palladin by another Wolfen whom was a follower of Ra! That became the source of his faith in the end as well.

Great praises to Ra and Horus for bringing me a Palladin to help me regain my footing in principled action!!! I am at least smart enough to know I was sliding from those Palladin like stances to ones of Master Aesyl or A’zad. Practical Good they called it, but I worry that the Lawgiver won’t want me if I fall in such fashion. Other questions were asked but he’s a Palladin of Ra I was fine with that as the rest of the 30th of Set was sunny and the chaos of Caer Itom far, far behind us.

1st & 2nd of Od, 343 year of the Dominion of Man, and 23rd Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II.

The first brought heavy rains, and a wonderful dinner of fish that the crew gathered in the rain while I was resting in meditation regaining my mystical reserves. After finishing fresh churned butter on shark I went right back to resting and even half of the next day on the 2nd, which if truth be told, was so wonderful I rested on main deck and had stopped caring about anything for a few hours as the rest of everyone on the Vequana bustled around. It was the kindest favor people take for granted from Ra.

3rd of Od, 343 year of the Dominion of Man, and 23rd Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II.

The rain was light and welcomed, as much as I wanted to study more spells Captain Antonio de Gioto said on the eve we would dock at Trade Port on the Isle of Cyclops! I have been working on spell theory for three spells which are: 1) ‘Time Hole’ 2) ‘Dimensional Portal’ and 3) ‘Doppleganger Superior’ though the last one is but a reference to a Spell of Legend used during War of the Fair & the Strong. Oddly enough the one I seem to be making headway one is the Spell of Legend! It’s certain power words I am trying to figure out to harness the magical energies and make a duplicate of myself. Naz’kundis is the name I will give him and leave him on board Rogtilda as its defender and to keep the spirit bound to the ship company.

Our group went out to check on cries about black clouds on the horizon. Soon the sky was covered in darkness as the black clouds covered the horizon. Then it began to rain, however, the drops were not water but a variety of fish!!!!!!! Father, fish was raining from the sky and we were lucky when Master Burlap whisked out with spell called ‘Protective Bubble’ over us. Right about then fiery lightning every shade of orange you can imagine in the deserts of Baalgor! As though it could not get worse it did as the blackness was torn asunder and fiery, orange, lightning ripped from the heavens striking the bubble and our group.

BLACKNESS

When I came to I found myself staring out the eyes of a sea creature of the north (Lord Raulf filled in that detail for me later), a walrus. I am feel we were taken to another world but only our minds because while there I knew things about the items in that world that make little to NO SENSE NOW! What I can remember is that CrIsis became animals that walked like people of all races on two legs! I was a walrus, Master Asher seemed to be a Minotaur or bull, honestly in this other world it was hard to tell. Lord Raulf became a squirrel, Master-Sister Caminata became muscle bound small bird of some sort. Master Burlap became a moose called Bulwinkle, and for the life of me I cannot remember what Brother Indaris turned into? I am trying hard to record it all but it was so strange I am having a hard time finding words for what I saw, experienced, I’m not sure what words are correct for such an event?

I do believe we were manipulated there by a dark power trying to capture one of the pieces of Osiris, but I shall try to explain how we prevailed. After talking with everyone we all appeared in the bodies of creatures on this world and assumed their identities. I was a walking, talking walrus named, Lennon. Something in the room was playing music like a magical harp, but I still have no idea what a yellow submarine is? I found a note from someone Lennon knew named Yokko that said, “Big Time called and they want you! Star in Big Movie, Meet at 2 Main Street Lane, You’re going to be a Star!!!!” While I was not understanding most of it being in Lennon allowed me to understand the sense of urgency and off I (or is it “we”) went.

This location I learned a frightening fact about this world, YOU CANNOT DIE! You can only be knocked out for an albeit very brief period of time and POOF! You’re back as good as new! I saw talking carriages on the way to the address on the note, even a talking sign! It was here we met our assailant disguised as our benefactor and coercing us into stealing the piece of Osiris through subtle guile and treachery of its Giant guardian. In a castle that floated on a cloud in the sky and was only reachable by a enormous bean stalk going into the sky!!! Up, up, and away we went after each of us doing things that should have resulted in our murder a dozen times over we finally made it inside the castle. Master-Sister Caminata saved a magical flute. I think Master Burlap saved a captured lady of some form or fashion. I assisted Master Asher with finding some gold and together we found and retrieved the umm, errr, the Lawbringer’s Member.

On the way out we ran into the Giant but foolish luck and chutzpah saved the day! It wasn’t until we had made it back down and inside the horseless carriage of our purported benefactor that we were treated to their true colors. Again, wit, killing jokes, and more luck did we escape once more from the clutches of the Dark.

BLACKNESS

We all awoke with the effects of seasickness in our cabins and apparently only a few hours passed and we are still on course to arrive at nightfall. That is 7 to 8 hours from when I am sending this to you. Master-Sister Caminata and I exchanged pieces.

I will see you soon, and I love you father, be safe,

Your son,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda

>> Written by Xerx’ses Goldenhorn, upon the 3rd of Od, 70th Year of the Wolfen Empire, 2nd year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, 343 year of the Dominion of Man, and 23rd Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II. <<

[zyanitevp]

Official log from the Priest of Isis, for our game on the 17th of January 2015-

Dear Father Philip

The Left Hand of Osiris is now ours, we will be making best speed now to place the artifacts we have in the proper reliquaries, so Lord Osiris can help protect himself better, and maybe avert a war while we are at it. Surprisingly (or maybe not) I am writing this from Sekti-Abtu as we wait for the Golden Horned One to make good his escape from the Isle of Cyclops, but not only him, but also the Great Jidian Kulder. Tyvernos of the Titanic Tornadoes also joined us as did a WolfMan of great stature from the Great Northern Wilderness, and he is high up in the military so with his help maybe we can avert a war from starting between his people and the easterners.

Raulf joined us just as we were leaving the Western Empire to come to the Isle of the Cyclops, so he fell victim to the strange magical fever dreams we had as well, and we came out of those fever dreams with a part of Lord Osiris yet unlooked for, so It seems he is good luck for us.
We were a few hours out from the island discussing strategies to get the hand and out of nowhere Jidian Kulder, Hero of the north appears to help us, I immediately felt gladdened by his presence and I hadn’t seen him for a while so we all greeted him, I was surprised that he knew of Raulf but I shouldn’t have been. Wherever there is trouble he’ll be there, and as Raulf is an Officer of part of the Wolfen Empires Legions so Jidian would likely have met him in his official aspect The fact that Jidian knew, and approved of him bodes well for the party that has been hit hard by the loss of Overkill and the leaving of Azariel. We discuss and discard a few strategies as the Captain informed us that the – dare I call them people – of the isle of Cyclops can have a long memory as they live as long as Dwarves, if not longer, and that the Captain himself get ribbed about things his grandfather did.
Asher came up with a brilliant plan to Scout the docktown Invisibly to find the Jotan Necromancer , doing an Astral walk. He hasn’t mentioned this aspect before but I think that might have been because of Jadeir hammering home the dangers of Astral walking, but as he thought he could do it we thought any information he could find would be worth it, and that he shouldn’t engage the enemy if discovered and should flee. He got himself into a comfortable position and immediately his breath slowed and his whole body relaxed as Ashers will left his body.
The other plan was to let Lady Caminata explore in her animal form, because the Druid magic she used to do this doesn’t show up the same way, and while we were discussing this Jidian noted that he had been here a while ago, and there might be a chance that he could be recognised. Carting around that miracle cream and magic disguise ket finally paid off, and we used them to disguise Jidian and myself. I went as a Barbarian Fighter, Oathbringer actually decided to become part of the show and turned into a nasty looking two handed sword.

We all picked a fake name to go by and we practiced it a little before we got there, I chose Mudd, in honour of my friend, Jidian called himself Jayz, Burlap chose Jagatta and Raulf chose what I believe to be his rank – Quingia, and Xerx’ses would take his Sir Osric form, but he hadn’t returned yet from returning the rune items, and I will have to talk to you about that later, as some of the magic concerns me. Asher believed that they would barely take notice of him as he was a Kobold, and he was correct, much to their detriment.
After Asher returned he said he had a good idea of the layout of the place but didn’t find our target, which was a bit worrying but we still had plenty of time ahead of us.
It start snowing which was good and bad, it would drive people indoors but make it a lot easier to track once we had landed, and as the Harbour came into view it was partly occluded again by the heavy snowfall, and as the Ship tacked the last time and headed expertly towards the dock Xerx’ses re-appeared and he and Jidian greeted each other enthusiastically just as the ship stopped. The Captain warned us that we should take shelter in a Tavern sooner rather then later so we grabbed our things and headed off the ship. The harbour had ice and snow all over it, and it hid the ugliness beneath, but right now it looked peaceful.
As we were walking down the docks I was surprised to see, waiting for us at the end of the docks was Tyvernos, and I was immediately sure it was Tyvernos because not only was Otto there, but Otto was dressed as Tyvernos, and Tyvernos was dressed as Otto. This heartened me even more as Tyvernos, as irreverent as he is, is a powerful force for light. We all ran up to him and greeted him, but he mentioned we might want to get out of the snow as it was cold out (he was mostly . . well naked being dressed like Otto) and I started worrying about the task at hand. We had been sent Jidian and Tyvernos to help us, this necromancer must be a being of great power.

The friendliness of the reunion got broken by Xerx’ses getting into his character here and ordered Asher to find a tavern for us, just n case unfriendly ears were listening, and even though I was expecting it, it was Jarring to hear Sir Osric acting the part of a Noble by being ignoble. Isn’t it funny, we don’t expect nobles to be noble anymore, we just hope and aren’t surprised when they are not.
Tyvernos fell in beside me and said we’re back together again huh with that crazy little smile of his and I replied I wouldn’t miss it for the world (except Az and overkill were missing of course) So Tyvernos asked How we were doing so I replied Pretty much same as always and he gave me a bit of a sour look and said that bad huh and I just smiled until I noticed that as we walked along Raulf was walking as he was a Noble, well respected Leader of people and comfortable in his own presence, rather than looking like a whipped dog, One of the people on the street seemed to take notice but when Sir Osric stopped to ask for directions he dressed Raulf down, there was a tense moment when I thought that Raulf might have responded, but he put his ears back and his tail between his legs and accepted the dressing down with a disconsolate look on his face, which heartened the person we had stopped to ask directions of (who thought that Wolfen always needed to be put in his place, I understand why Wolfen aren’t particularly happy with Humans if that is the general treatment they get).
This seemed to really please the person we stopped and he gave us directions to what I think was a porters guild.

We headed of there at a good speed through the snow and eventually arrived, and under the watchful eyes of the locals Osric gave Raulf another dressing down just before half of us went in. Inside it was warm and cosy and the Flinty cold slowly eased from us in the warmth. Unfortunately the so called monster races of the party had to stay outside, which turned out to be a boon as Ashers sharp eyes picked out a street urchin who seemed to be watching just a little to carefully, so Asher and Raulf went and explained a few of the rules of life to him. Burlap lamentably seemed to be missing his bells, so he came inside to ask if he could put them back on, so Osric had to be harsh to him to, but did say that he could put them on we we arrived at the Windswept because he would like some entertainment. Osric talked to the owner and ordered a porter for our things and directions to the best inn, which we found was called the Windswept Inn. The trip up to the windswept inn was uneventful, due no doubt to the biting iciness of the snow that was blasting through the streets. Eventually, frozen and sweating we arrived at the Windswept Inn, Its 5 stories of elegant snowy white marble with elaborate gilded scrollwork fading in out out of view through the snow, it was almost serene.

The ugliness of the place became apparent the closer we got, with the attempt at hidden slave pens and kennels for the slaves, I have seen dogs get better treatment then people were getting there. Worse still I noticed that little tic that Xerx’ses gets when things are really bugging him, and It only got worse as he engaged the concierge and the concierge said that animals aren’t allowed in the Inn and that his pet wolfen would have to stay in the Kennels, for a split second there I thought Xerx’ses was going to pull out Callandor and slay the man where he stood, but his hand went to his pouch instead of continuing to his sword and he then remembered what he was doing and ordered me to pay the man. I wonder if the concierge realised just how close to destruction he had come, but if he did he hid it well.

The evening passed quickly, with Jidian expertly talking his way through the servants of both the Windswept Inn and the visitors who have come for the festival of set, trying to find any scraps of information to give us an advantage in the upcoming events.
I slept ill at ease, even though we were in a very secure location , and as there hadn’t been any sudden fires, nor did any of the staff behead themselves overnight I thought the day might bring better winds than the day before.
We went downstairs and had ourselves breakfast, while Osric was busy with the concierge trying to organise a guide, Jidian noticed an unsavoury type (he must have good eyes, they all looked unsavoury to me) slip out and he followed him quietly. By this time Osric had organised for a guide called the peach. One of the servants reacted badly to this name and Osric staying in character mentioned it to the Concierge . . . and the concierge slit the servants throat just in case of insult.
The man almost died there and then but I managed to rein in my temper by thinking that if it was hard for me it must be hell on Xerx’ses. I tried to bargain for the body pretending to need the blood, but the concierge signed his own death warrant by refusing and saying the body was already claimed by another. One day, when this is all over, im going to have a long conversation with him why that wasn’t a very good thing to do, then I’ll hang him.
This place is evil, the price of life is almost non-existant and we are in the nicer area, Im going to see if Tyvernos has any Water aligned friends who wouldn’t mind Tidal Waving this island off the planet. This place breeds evil, and converts good to evil just by its environment, and that was just going by what Xerx’ses had to do to try and keep ourselves hidden.
Meanwhile Osric had finished cajoling the Concierge and we had moved outside, but we ended up with a guide called the pit, because he was such a peach of a guy maybe.
Our guide lead us on, and Osric, using the finger was trying to steer the guide in the direction we wanted to go, yet the guide was deft in keeping us away, it was a small game that came to a head when Jidian caught with us. Apparently the guy he saw slip out went straight to the ‘watch’ and blew our cover wide open. With some lick and some magic Jidian made it back to us as we returned to the inn, after Pitt decided that Osric was an easy mark (Bad life choice that was). Jidian then brought us up to speed about the watch and that the only thing keeping where they were was the weather and the magic he used. If they had wanted us to play it soft, we’d have played it soft, however if they wanted to play it hard, we would play it hard. Jidian was at the door waiting for us to go. Cammy mentioned that she met another druid who knew that a lot of the people here were from the middle kingdoms and they might not be fully happy with Emperor Itomas’s plans, but I could understand that, I wasn’t happy with his plans either. I must say I wouldn’t want to be him if it turns out that the current troubles between the Wolfen State and the Eastern Territories are because of the Western Empire then I doubt that much could stop the Drums beating out the Inexorable march to War.
We quickly talked and discarded strategies as we had no idea of what we were going to meet, especially with the watch alerted. We quickly moved into the town, avoiding everyone, which still wasn’t hard as the weather was still a nice accommodating blizzard until the finger pointed out our destination. We then had a quick tactical meeting about what to do. As the place was likely warded up the wazoo I voted on Tyvernos bringing down a tornado on top of the place and then using the finger to find the hand in the rubble. Tyvernos was immediately obliging, as he loves his Tornado’s but the others thought that it was likely that innocents could be injured in the storm that would arise. I disagreed, mostly for the fact that this place would kill the innocents off as they wouldn’t be able to survive the hostile environment. My case in point was even if Crisis had been innocent coming here, we certainly weren’t now, we were party to a murder that we did nothing about, we didn’t even avenge him, but calmer heads prevailed, especially when Asher came up with the Asher assault. What you do for this is find an object of high durability, say a dagger that is indestructible, go up a few hundred feet, and then make the dagger weigh the same as a couple of elephants and drop it on the house of the person you don’t like. The results can be spectacular.
After the dagger came crashing down onto the roof Caminita released a spell that locked the Watch houses doors and windows so they couldn’t get out very easily, Raulf enthusiastically kicked the door in and we moved quickly in, after a quick search we noticed that the place was deserted, Osric consulted the finger and our target had teleported away, but not too far away. We thought abut cutting our losses and running, as this place was starting to get very dangerous, but what were the chances of Jidian and Tyvernos joining us again, so again we risked the streets of this trade port to find our target, after running through the streets in the blizzard Osric pointed out the building, Caminata muttered some words underneath her breath as we ran towards the door, and then suddenly a giant beetle of some sort appeared in front of us and with a high pitched skittering noise charged the door. The giant beetle smashed though the door like it was paper, but then was rendered down to Selleons special street stew as magic tore it apart. Then Raulf came through at full charge as well, and we heard him roar in anger as magic smashed into him, and then we heard something else inside rage. I followed 3 steps behind going in, as did Jidian Asher and Tyvernos. Caminata and Osric sprinted around the back to stop the necromancer from running.

Unfortunately running seemed least on his mind, I ran in and the size of him almost stunned me, I barely came up to his thigh, Raulf deep growl got me moving as he feinted forward, the lunged to the left and gash him across the side of the knee, I darted to the right and unleashed Oathbringer, and wasn’t she happy to introduce herself to him, her cries of anger and exultation at rending his flesh almost brought me to my knees, but she smashed into his hip, which made him wobble, there was a bright flash of light and a boom and a smell of burning hair (Jotans are pretty hairy) and the Jotan stumbled, somehow Jidian had slipped past him and there was another boom as an arrow exploded into its back, and blood sprayed across the roof and it went down to one knee and one arm, Asher’s attention was riveted to him and it screamed again, then again when I smashed the arm that he was using to keep himself up and he went to his knees, but swung his sword viciously around, swinging at a large bear, Cammy had snuck in from the back door and it look like it had been trapped too as it looked like Osric had taken the blast. Another of Tyvernos’s enchanted arrows smashed into the creature from behind, and the Necromancer forward onto his face, as he was falling an expert blow from a heavily injured Raulf half severed the Necromancers head from his body. We stared for a second at the body as blood gurgled up and the hate crazed and blood soaked face of the Necromancer grimaced in anger as he tried to bring his power to bear, his remaining tendons in his neck strained as he started his incantation, and then he exploded as an Unfazed Jidian Kulder released another of Tyvernos’s arrows into him. Just below his neck there was a hole the size of a goat. The Necromancer stopped moving, Raulf wisely decided to finish the beheading to stop any sort of comeback, and then separated the hand from the necromancer, and the sword it was using as well. I reverently picked up the Hand of Osiris and cleaned it off. Even though it seemed like hours had passed since we had went on our tour id guess it was no more than half an hour. We had to get moving, leaving by boat was out of the question, we had caused to much trouble for that. Eventually we decided to use or Amulets of teleport to Sekti Abtu, and Osric would return to the Windswept Inn and get his remaining gear and return with Jidian and his own magic.
Now we are sitting here in the meditation chamber that we return to, waiting for our guides to take us up into the city and rejoin Xerx’ses. We have the hand, and we can now return the pieces we have to their rightful locations.

What distances from our morality must we travel to return these items, are the things we do in the name of our gods an excuse for the devastation we bring to the places we go to. We are at war with the Dark, but where are the lines drawn, who are the non-combatants. Are the civilians who feed the army, make their weapons and generally keep the fighters going classed as enemy to be stopped as well. I was willing to be part of a tornado destroying many buildings and maybe hurting other people in the process, eben if they are bad people do they deserve the destruction we bring down on people. I might have to talk to Raulf, as he has probably worked on this issue, giving the command to take a castle, knowing that civilians and other innocents will be hurt, injured and killed. Wolfen are known as an honourable people, so do they class this as acceptable loss and part of the war, or do they worry about it.
Xerx’ses must be feeling bad as well, the things he had to say and do to complete our mission were worse than any other had to do, but he put his quest before his own wellbeing. Is there a line we will not cross to return Lord Osiris, should there be a line we won’t cross. Is Asher’s life worth more than someone else’s, would I be forgiven if I let Asher die because I didn’t do something that caused the death of an unknown person, would I be forgiven if I did something that saved Ashers life but cost that of another. Would I be cursed if I caused the death of many while trying to return a part. Is there something the My Lady of the Moon will think as unacceptable as we try to get the parts. I don’t know, all I know is we can only take each situation as we get it, every situation we are in seems to have both good and evil mixed into it.

At what stage do we become the bad guys?

Sent during the month of Od byIndaris Excellar

[zyanitevp]

Official log from the game on the 31st of January, from the Kobold Psi Mystic Asher-

My Empress,

There is much to relate of the past days events, but the greatest of these is that Osiris lives. Spread it from the mountaintops, call it forth from the voices of a thousand citizens. Osiris, while yet weak physically has manifest himself to CrIsis in the Temple of Sekti Abtu. We have spoken to him, and been instructed of him at his feet.

He called us through the pieces that we yet carry and we saw his spectral form overlaid upon the pieces that we carry as well as those that reside within the temples. We have sacrificed much of who we are in order to gather these pieces of the god, but even now we move toward a completion of our quest.

We have been called to task for the actions of others. In a war, will a general be called upon to atone for the loss of a soldier, and yet we are being told by the gods that we are held accountable for the soldiers who willingly join us in our struggle against the darkness.

We are, apparently, called upon to risk the very pieces of the severed one in order to attempt to protect the lives of those that are in the service of this quest. I would willingly give my life to protect this quest and all I ask is that those who join us in this quest be willing to do the same.

This is not callous of me, nor is it pragmatic. I am not suggesting that any loss of life is acceptable, and I will protect the innocents that our enemies wish to hold hostage pending our surrender. Surrender is not an option, of course, but I will protect life.

It troubles me that the gods believe that our actions were not above reproach, and that they hold us accountable for the actions of others. We left the crew of the ship behind. That is the only action that can truly be laid upon our doorstep. There was a hue and a cry for us in that port. We were distinctly told while meeting with our unnamed benefactor in this instance that the moment we walked off the boat we were on our own. Apparently this consideration did not go both ways. We were even specifically told that we would be left behind if we didn’t accomplish our task in a short time-frame.

And yet…we are being held accountable. It would seem that I must sacrifice myself in the cause if I am to be held blameless. Doing so will provide the enemy with a weapon that will change the face of the world forever. But my life is worthless in the eyes of the gods. It is the lives of those who are pledged to me for aid…

So be it. To hell with me and damn the consequences. When the entire plan falls apart, when the world is plunged into darkness and the rest of the Pantheon of Ra follows Osiris into dissolution let it not be said that Asher shirked from his duty to sacrifice himself before anyone else.

My conscience is clear in this matter, and has been. I have not fallen one jot or tittle from my personal code. I have not fallen, nor have I become less than I should have been. We will fail in our task not because the enemy is better, but because of friends who would punish us for a perceived slight and not an actual harm.

We are at war. At stake are not just the worthless scraps that kingdoms fight over but the priceless souls pledged to service to the Pantheon of Ra. In war there will be death. In war there will be sacrifice, and if our benefactor failed to let his Pawn know that he might be sacrificed in that harbour on that boat then curse be upon him.

It is done. And if the gods mean to punish me, then I shall go to that place where the punishment can be best served hot. Vequerrel will burn. I have seen a vision and know that ReSet will appear there and put the land to the torch. I have but a few more tasks to do, to truly be ready to lose myself from this world, but once those are done I shall drag CrIsis to the Vequerrel so that Caminata can meet the end decreed for her. I shall likely meet my own end there as well.

Or, maybe I shall be ended when I return to the underkingdom. I am supposed to return there as well. They don’t like me very much at my former home.

My complaints are done. I continue relating the story of our past couple of days. We appeared in the office of Bishop Rose where the old gal literally swore at seeing us. We were just through letting the good Bishop know of our task to lay a piece to rest here in Haven, finally, and that we would have the newest member of CrIsis do so. You haven’t met Raulf yet, but he is a good soul, if a trifle simple in his manner of approach. That might be because he is a paladin, but only time will tell.

So, to avert war with the Wolfen we shall have a Wolfen of CrIsis place a piece of Osiris in The Temple in Haven. We had just explained this when ReSet appeared. It would seem that the dark is beginning to underestimate us, which terrifies me more than anything I can actually name.

ReSet was chased from our presence without any real damage to us. We grow in strength while they stand still. It won’t be as easy for us the next time we meet them, and with their new ability to track us that will be sooner rather than later.

Yours in honor, Asher of Lopan.

[zyanitevp]

It is time for the first official log from the Hobgoblin Ludicrous Mage, Burlap Thumblewit..... yes, I can be sold on almost any PC- but the players actually like him so far....

"A Bad Fart Joke"

Jarvis,

Haven is a fun place if you are just attempting to stay on the ‘fun’ side of town but it takes a whole new turn when you go to the Dark Side… a.k.a. New Haven. After cleaning up and getting off the ‘natural’ high of being with gods and angels we were approached by a dwarf called Shrimp…? Er.. Stubby…? No.. Shortage…? Er.. wait no, uh… Lawn Gnome… uh… Halfling…? Half Pint…? Hobbit…? No that’s not it either…

Oh yea Tiny! (Sorry I am still laughing) There were so many short jokes exchanged about that guy I wondered why we were still considered to help him.

Well it turns out that Tiny wants out help to kill some dark priest that has been killing priest and acolytes and he had had enough (sorry no short joke there). So he asks us to ‘escape’ Haven and he’ll take us through to a safe place in New Haven across the bay. So first we go into the sewers like a flushed turtle and the fart jokes just started. I considered lighting up a cigar just to change the smell but a little voice in my head told me not to. When we finally emerge from the… uh… mess, we smell to high heavens; thank the gods for the spell Cleanse. When armpit hair smells like butt… well you know. I will never look at diarrhea the same again.

With a human guard with each of us we make our way to the dark temple of Taut. The dark stain glass windows, dark mahogany and onyx were suitable for a god just wish that they were ones that I fail to appreciate. The guard on the outside was quickly taken care of as well as the one inside were so quickly killed even the dark gods would appreciate it if it wasn’t in their house. Some twenty guys later we had found the guy that need to be ‘removed’ and the fit hit the shan (sorry I cant help it, I spent way too long in that bad fart of a sewer).

Now side note here… dark priests do not play nice… at all… period. They hold parties with some unsavory characters (and that’s not a cow to minotaur joke). This guy had a series of vile creatures that would make the sewers of Haven smell pleasant and their moods are just as foul. I took my new position again as archer of the team and as we charged in the creatures were taken down so fast that they didn’t get a chance to recover. The golden moment was when Xerx’ses took the finger of Osiris and stabbed the she-dog and along with a catchy closing, gave her a piece of Osiris in such a way that she will never forget in the next life (stabbity action right in the gut). Her expression was one of joy and pain all at the same time. She got the piece but was not going to get a chance to enjoy it.

Now while we were cleaning up it turned out that we found a diamond about the size of my head. Were I a dwarf I would of perhaps jizzed in my pants with elation (it was so pretty); good thing I’m a hobgobblin. The downside though to our success was that we lost the lovely Caminata. There was a big flash that finished off most of the villains but the lovely (sweet succulent hottie and that beautiful body) um.. the elf was killed in the flash of power. Mere piece remained and probably should not of been resurrected save the power of the gods and their magic was with us. We scrapped the remains into a sack and returned back to the temple. Stumpy er… Tiny almost was killed too (side note again… That half pint did a half assed job and got himself turned to stone while we were killing a priest. I really wanted to leave the guy behind because he really doesn’t show much appreciation for good humor).

When we got back to the temple the power of the gods and the gifts of the gods resurrected our lovely lass with a sweet looking… uh… shes pretty. It was shortly afterward that we made the grand presentation of giving the foot to the gods and it would be Raulf and I that would present the gift and be present in feeling the power of a God grow. A promise has been fulfilled and an Old Lady is very happy (I think that she even cried). New side note again (I know that there is now getting to be a lot): After seeing gods and the impressive (whats he called?) His Holyness Pontiff U’Selekma I am starting to gain control of that stutter that keeps coming up when I see these great guys that should be in my place.

I really appreciate a Wolfen taking their code of honor, power and might and take some time to be humble. Come to think of it when it comes to all the ‘monster’ races that I have been associated with I would say that I am closer to them than the Priest on the team. I will make more time to be a friend to Indaris.

While we exited the temple and headed back to our world (the temple being the gate) it was Indaris that suggested that we take some of the sand that seemed to have magic properties back to Rogtilda for his experience. So he will get a bundle of sand and a huge diamond. It was me that took off my clothes so we could bring back the sand. It must have been humorous, a short guy naked with a bundle of cloth and a hand full of sand.

After the cheers (and geers; I’m serious there was some boos) and getting dressed we made our way to the Holy City of Sekti-Abtu where we were met my his Holyness (you know the guy).

Smell ya later,

Burlap.

Written by Burlap on the 5th of Algor, 17th year of King Itomas.

[zyanitevp]

After a month off for the GM's trip to Australia, we get back at the table this Saturday!!

[zyanitevp]

Latest official log, from the now longest serving member, Xerx'ses, the minotaur war wizard- The group is traveling in their ship from the Western Empire to Timiro.

"Scrying For A Kingdom's Fate"

Off in the Timiro Kingdom the message of Xerx’ses via magic pigeon has caused King Guy some concern when brought to his attention by Ondemeira. The Lady Torchwood or Ondemeira of Torchwood as she has come to be known among the southern kingdom has been given a rather powerful crystal ball to scry upon CrIsis and their progress. King Guy stands a little impatient awaiting the results of use of the augury via the mystical stone.

I have to be patient having reminded my most trusted adviser that I am putting a lot of faith in a band that holds no allegiance to any country and do not have the greatest track record in the public eye of keeping their word. Especially since their failing to show for the peace talks with the Wolfen Empire, Bishop Nodeki, and the Eastern Territory. Cava and Overkill were no longer among CrIsis and without slaying a dragon to save thousands in the kingdom how can I come out in support of a group with a Minotaur. Nor did I wish for my reign to go the route of Minischmee, now Duke of Sinza. I am just beginning to feel I have a grip on what it would mean to lead the nation. With Ondemeira of Torchwood’s guidance I was able to find an ally among the old royal family in Tarat, the former Prince and son of King Gedro. I have installed him as Duke of the Froud Grassland’s from Ogre Pass to the Old Kingdom River in order to promote growth and gain safer trade routes with the inner sea. His one task was to get the ogres, goblins, and orcs to move peacefully along the river into the Old Kingdom lowlands past the western border of Timiro’s lands. Since he was a staunch supporter of freeing the slaves and spent time among the tribes he was the best and most trusted choice. Any former slaves wishing supplies would be given such to make the journey and hopefully a better understanding between our respective peoples could begin.

The amount of heat from a significant portion of the nobles that lost nearly 80% of their work forces was palpable to say the least. Then, the three of us, with the help of Duke Spatenrok had to fight off a coup when The Terror began razing holdings in the east. I had nearly lost Ondemeira of Torchwood to the beast during negotiations to summon CrIsis to a show down with the beast. Now the whole of my kingdom is living under the threat of a dragon and the only thing that can save my reign, and his people is CrIsis, whom just sent word they are rounding Mishala! They should make it with six weeks to the 1st of Grekar, but then I was summoned via a page to Lady Torchwood. Not a thing she did lightly.

‘Your Majesty, I have found them.’

‘Have they rounded Mishala?’

‘Yes, they spent the 14th and 15th of Algor in the city stocking up on supplies. They had a nearby mission within the Commonwealth of Yin-Sloth Kingdoms city of Terrellia. However, when they calculated the time it would take they opted to wait and put that mission on hold to come and seek us out for our requested aid.’

‘That is comforting news your words and our plight weighs upon them. What more did you glean?’

Caminata, the Master Elf Druid among them has gone home at the urging of the Gods of Light to the Vequerrel Woodlands to forestall yet another apocalyptic event from transpiring.

‘Your friends don’t know how to do things subtly it would seem.’

You are correct, when she hugged Raulf, a noble among the Wolfen, they spoke of a dance they shared on Horus’ Day. When she hugged Asher the Kobold mystic, he gave her a liquor made to increase visions. Your subject, Father Indaris of Sino, exchanged simple pleasantries. She bequeaths a piece of Osiris to the Hobgoblin called Burlap. Lastly, Xerx’ses the Golden Minotaur gives her a second Leaf Blanket of Healing that he had received at the Lopanic Games.

‘That was a powerful set of magical gifts, maybe the rumors surrounding his taste for elf skin are true?’

‘Not you too, Guy! Look there is no way it would work, oh why are we even discussing it?’

‘Please continue.’

There appears to be significant efforts to find members of Overkill’s old crew and have them return home.

‘If they can slay the dragon then any found within my realm will be given free passage to the land of CrIsis’ choosing and any crimes up to that day forgiven.’

If they win I will let them know, your majesty. Apparently they have a system for identifying accepted monsters in Mishala by wearing a red beaded necklace. The Minotaur gave it to a six-armed elf-like creature that sails with them! They also purchased an item allowing the Wolfen to endure our climates without his armor upon him. There was some debate about wearing the armor but the magic is not powerful enough to handle the increased heat from such apparel.

‘Is their voyage going well? Since you have been checking?’

No, a few turns of the hourglass – I believe – it is hard to nail down but not more than four turns did the skies go dark blue and then the most bizarre contingent of assailants teleport onto Rogtilda! There were Demons being led by a Deevil!

‘Is everything we know about the nether realms coming undone?!?!’

I don’t know your majesty but the Deevil has threatened CrIsis before, my time as editor of the books has allowed me to know this is the ArchFiend known as Ratel. He lead a group of eight Baal-Rog greater demons and two Shedim lesser demons. CrIsis went to the battle under Captain Xerx’ses, while the first-mate directed the rest of the crew into keeping the ship moving to avoid loosing time. The crew did take pot shots with items of iron. Apparently, some of them had run afoul of dark beasts before this day. Captain Xerx’ses tried shooting them with a fire spell, apparently he is not well versed in fighting various demons. However, the runesword, Callandor, was being swung while he was casting magic!

‘Wizards can’t do that!?!?!’

This one can your majesty. However, after surviving over twelve fireballs cast his way was brought low next to his first mate by a lucky spell that dazzled the senses. Asher used a magic scroll and Raulf used his Holy Sword to banish the demons. He even used another piece of Osiris to dispel the effects on Captain Xerx’ses and his first mate, but it took them a bit to regain their senses. Father Indaris used one of his flails to help force the demons away. Then he brought forth Oathbringer to smite Ratel, though I am unsure if this killed the Arch Fiend?

‘They just survived the forces of darkness. Did they even get hurt?’

‘No, your majesty. However, during this battle a ship begins to appear on the horizon and is beginning to over take Rogtilda when Asher’s scroll activates a spell almost never put to scroll anymore for the horrid effects it wreaks upon friend and foe. Id Barrier is it’s name.’

‘What happened, speak please?’

‘According to dwarven measurements the spell affects at least two hundred feet out from the scroll reader, but even with 300 feet separating their ships it appears to have covered that distance thrice over and then some! Two waves of magically induced fear wash over as you try to approach and later once you are within the effects of the spell. Should your will prove strong enough to overcome such feats and not run in fear their is more ready. The spell attacks your mind with apparitions visible to everyone that if your will is weak all people seeing it will believe is real!’

‘Such power could stop armies!’

‘That is indeed part of the reason we don’t make scrolls out of such spells because they can be read by anyone and used against yourself. Asher dispels all the apparitions he can see affecting CrIsis and the crew. All this time the cook on board the ship had succumb and was seeing fire. Captain Xerx’ses left the first mate at the wheel and charged into the galley. Using his resistance to magic and the fire eating ring he has. The cook was able to believe the fire went out and she was saved.’

‘So he ran to save the cook!?!?’

‘Yes.’

‘Interesting, you seem to have found the right people to help us.’

‘Just then two catapults fired from the black sailed ship and hit Rogtilda on the foredeck and the center galley hall. It appears the minotaur captain stuck himself between the explosion and the cook. The vision has faded I have no more, sire.’

‘Find out, anything you need aside from sleep keep at this. Duke Spatenrok can help me with other affairs of state until we know our saviors are en route and safe.’

‘Yes, your majesty.’

[zyanitevp]

New official log from our Wolfen Palladin, Raulf. He is starting to get a little paranoid....
"Security Officers Log"

We have a small respite since the latest ReSet attack and I want to continue my internal report on the security, or lack thereof, within CrIsis, or at least somewhere in the lesser inner circle. This being said, I have decided to take on the role of Security Officer for the group. No one will know until I am ready to let them know. Of course I had to show my hand recently, I will explain this shortly. So let us begin.

Security Officer Quingia Raulf Bozkurtlar’s log:

71st year in the great Wolfen Empire;

16th Algor;

We have been set on by a mysterious black sailed ship. It is presumed to be pirate, but I am not so sure. Pirates are smarter than most give credit. They would recognize our flag and what it represents. Knowing this they would hunt far easier prey. This ship has trailed us for some time before firing several shots at us. Then they just broke off and sailed away. I suspect they are scouting us to determine our military capabilities and suspect we may see it again.

With the lovely Caminata taking on a quest of her own for her homeland, we have a new(ish) member of CrIsis. He is an Ashada (a squirrel like race). I know nothing of them. After the usual introductions, I find out he was a former member and a Mind Mage. This brings me to having to show my hand. He requested to meld our minds so we could get a better sense of each other. While bonded I had to share everything, one because there was no hiding any of my thoughts, two since he has been absent from the group for so long he couldn’t have anything to do with the leaks. At least that was how I was thinking. My hunch was right. As much as my thoughts were his, his were mine and I knew all that he knew. So I recruited him into the investigation. His next act was to meld with Burlap, a risk but worth it. Burlap was found to be unconnected in any way to any leak of secrets in any manner, associate number 2 in the investigation.

I have uncovered a minor issue with a member of the crew; while covertly observing the interactions of everyone on board, I noticed that the cook ANNENWEN paying particular attention to Xerx’ses. At first I thought it was an attempt at clandestine observation. I was mistaken though, it seems she may have romantic feelings for our mighty Minotaur. These Hooman emotions are difficult to sniff out. Back home it is vary easy to tell when a suitor puts out signals. They are literally sniffed out. If hoomans only had better sense of smell, now that I recognize the scent of “love”, I can smell very thickly on her. I am surprised Xerx’ses can’t smell it. Now if I could only determine the smell of lying…

23rd Algor;

Nothing much has transpired in the last few days. We are currently passing near the western border of the Land of the South Winds. I have conferred with Ja’Deir a few times as to my theories. They are few and thin. He says that he has known several of the members for some time and ensured me that they are all trustworthy, I believe him for the most part, as my prime theory is that the mole is someone very close to CrIsis.

30th Algor;

We just passed through the “Straits of Hell”, the passage between Sulunok and the Floenry Isles, where we were besieged by a truly hideous creature I have never laid eyes upon. Half the sailing crew was petrified; amazing since they have seen almost every type sea creature. One man fell overboard. I had to through a rope as the ship rose out of the water. This was more amazing than the creature as we were FLYING under the power of the ship, stranger and stranger. I was able to lasso Stef with ease considering the situation. I pulled him up straight away. We were able to get out of the grasp of the creature and FLY off. Now I know why it’s called the “Straits of Hell”.

31st Algor;

We arrive at Marmana in Timiro at sunset. We dock and are assisted by the Sami Clan, whom are very gracious to CrIsis for assistance that was rendered in the past. We are birthed and given supplies and transport to reach Aracho, the next stop on our journey to slay a dragon…this phrase seems familiar…like I read it in a tome on self…slaying ones dragons? Or was it demons?

Apologies for the tangent, Xerx’ses sends Annie, Honeysuckle and Attel to find former crew of the Redbeard. This seems an important mission for the former crew of the ship.
Xerx’ses has been sending many a pigeon to an unknown individual. I know he is not sending secrets…knowingly. I will have to meet with him about this, with the assistance of Ja’Deir.

1st Gryphon;

We have reached the edge of Aracho and find lodging for the night, fresh start in the light.

2nd Gryphon;

We go to an Alchemy shop for supplies; the owner is a racist against hobgoblins and paralyzes Burlap. Strange event; A Minotaur, a Wolfen and a hobgoblin walk into an Alchemy shop (sounds like the start of one of Burlaps jokes) and they are frightened of the hobgoblin. Xerx’ses determines he can learn a new act of magic and he goes off with the Owner.

3-9th Gryphon;

Over the next week as we wait for Xerx’ses to return we gather additional supplies for the trip and horses and a wagon to carry everything. We also visit with Indaris’ parents and get a decent home cooked meal before we are off to slay the dragon…seeing the words is so very strange…as though seeing them makes it true…if only. Indaris and Burlap are taken by a couple of religious grifters. They set up fake shrines to Thoth and Isis, looking for patrons to “make donations”. With his artist skills he draws a poster with the image of the grafter in hopes of bringing them to justice. The Isis “follower” is captured and returns the stolen monies and turns in his friend after finding out Indaris is a priest of Isis and fears the wrath.

10th Gryphon;

Travel is rough and out supplies don’t last us as long as we expect. We forage and hunt for food. I should have kept better track of supplies.

11th Gryphon;

We come across a merchant selling fruits and vegetables. We buy almost everything he has.

12th Gryphon;

A pig is found and drained for Asher, while the rest of us enjoy the meat. As we sit around a make shift camp taking in sustenance ReSet rears its ugly head again. We are not as ready as we should be, should have had someone on lookout or guard. We dispatch them fairly quickly as usual. No one is injured, but we are all drained, mentally and spiritually. I am hoping that we have some time to rest. OH NO IT’S THE DRAG…

[zyanitevp]

New official log from Indaris, the human priest of Isis. CrIsis defeats the dragon "The Terror" but loses the kobold mystic Asher.

"Dragon is Coming"

Dear Father Philip,

After the fight with ReSet we then immediately had an encounter with the Dragon, we had barely gotten our breath back, and off in the east we saw an ominous black speck that was getting bigger by the second. It’s coming as inexorable as winter. As it got closer we slowly felt the presence of the Dragon, like a blot on our minds, fear slowly turning our insides to water. It screamed out a challenge, which fully spooked the horses, but Xerx’ses somehow kept them under control, which is more than I can say about my bladder. It got close enough for us too look at it in all of it’s terrible majesty, from its sleek black protective scales, to its 2 foot long claws and its palpable magic aura it was a honed and sharpened killing machine. It soared down towards us with murder in its eyes.

Then turned around and flew away.

I kid you not, the damn thing just turned around a flew back the way it came and was going to make us chase it down. So much for the inexorableness of winter. Since when do you have to chase down winter, this brought to mind a song I had heard in a tavern about a brave knight turning and running away. Then I noticed that I had started babbling in relief, but I wasn’t talking to the whole group. It looked like Asher had been scared out of his mind by the thing, and I mean out of his mind, he jumped out of the wagon and started chasing the damned thing by himself, that was curious enough but Raulf then immediately took off after him, crazy seemed to be contagious as I then fleeted myself, then muttered something unintelligible to Xerx’ses and took off after them. I got close enough to land a carpet of Adhesion on the Kobold, sticking him to Raulf, but then the little bugger disappeared, not invisible, but teleported. Raulf took off after him flat chat, there was no way I was going to keep up to him so I went for a few miles to see if Raulf caught up with him, but he didn’t, so I went back to the wagon and informed Burlap, Ja’Deir and Xerx’ses what had happened, then cleaned myself up, as I was still a mess from fighting reset. The wagon kept on moving on, except we were short 2 members. Eventually we got to a crossroad, but as our tracker had left us We had no idea which way either of our missing party members had gone, or even if they had made it this far, so we followed the map and continued on our way towards Fort Ac.

As we slowly made our way to Fort Ac I started to get a bad feeling about this whole thing. Raulf, our fighter extraordinaire was missing. Our hard hitting mystic was missing, how could this get any worse, and I immediately told myself of for even thinking that. The horses started to get a little uncontrollable again, but Xerx’ses still controlled them easily, and off in the distance we heard the Roar of a dragon, capital R and everything. The R in a dragon roar should always be capitalised if you ask me, why, go listen to a Dragon Roar and then tell me you don’t think so.

We left the wagon behind and hurried up towards the noise, when we got close we say the dragon, and it seemed to be acting strangely, it was chewing, and a familiar kobold arm dropped out of its mouth and fell to the ground. I stared in disbelief, the Dragon had killed Asher, the bastard.

After that it was on.

I prepared for the fight of my life, the Woolly Dragon was basically a beast, but this Dragon had a cold calculating mind, this fight was going to take forever if we were going to win it so we had to be very careful, luckily we had cast our helping spells one the way so we were quick an hard, not that I had any illusions about the way this fight was likely to go, Oathbringer was in my hand, whispering tips on fighting a Dragon, Xerx’ses looked all serious as he moved to set his plan into action. Even happy go lucky Ja’deir’s face had what I think was the most serious mien I had ever seen. Burlap however was grinning a vicious grin to match the dragon, and I watched in stunned amazement as a Hugomungous anvil fell out of the sky, clunked the dragon on the head and knocked it unconscious. Who throws an anvil, really !!!

3 seconds in and the dragon was unconscious, not dead but unconscious, and being as tough as it was it wouldn’t probably take much to wake it. Xerx’ses moved in with the same spell I did, except that his seemed to fail, but luckily mine didn’t, I then stuck my dagger to the shoulder joint of the dragon with the carpet of adhesion and increased the weight of the dagger to over a ton. That should stop him from flying when he wakes up, apparently a ton of weight on your shoulder is enough to wake you up and the dragon woke up, only to be struck from behind by a Kamikaze Killer squirrel. Ja’Deir glided through the air like a ballerina on ice, except that this ballerina had a glowing sword in his hands that wasn’t there a second ago, and he plunged that sword into the dragon, there was a soundless explosion of power and the Dragon shuddered and screamed, whatever Ja’deir had done had hurt it, badly. This was when I noticed the Dragon had a cloaked figure on its back, and it looked like this figure was trying to ride it.

Great, another enemy to fight was about all I got to think before the figure started punching, yes punching its way through the dragons scales in an effort to pull the dragons skeleton out through its nose or something, and he was looking more successful then I would have ever imagined. Also, apparently Oathbringer likes the taste of Dragon, and smashed into him time and time again, shattering scales, skin and sinew. The Dragon looked as surprised as I was about the beating it was getting, until it shuddered again as Ja’Deir poked it again with his glowing sword and it decided discretion was the better part of valour and Disappeared. This enraged me as it had killed a friend and had run away in the way I had no chance of stopping. The mysterious stranger on his back had went with him, I said a prayer for him and just sat down. Happiness that we won, sadness and rage about Asher flowing through me. Coming out of a cave I saw a mostly naked Raulf fighting Kobolds, apparently the Paladins code allows, or even encourages fighting dragons naked and weapon less. I stood about, about to swear an oath to hunt the dragon down a slay it for its crimes and suddenly it reappeared. Oathbringer snapped upo to my hand and my friends all moved back into fighting stances wearily. Even though the fight had only lasted fifteen seconds it felt like it had taken all day, and it showed in the fatigue and grief we all wore apparent on our faces.

The Dragon then said hold mortals, you have bested me in fair combat. I actually then interrupted the Dragon like I had a deathwish, as we were all drained by what happened and I said “You killed a friend, the only place you are going to is hell”. The Dragon then said “your friend fought bravely and honourably, I will return to you some of his things, and I shall leave this place and never return”. I almost shouted out loud “That is not enough, you will pay for eating Asher” and brought my weapon up, but Xerx’ses had a cooler head and pointed out how spent we were, another round or two with the dragon would likely have more casualties. We eventually came to the following bargain, The dragon would leave this world and not return for 1000 years, would return what he could of Asher’s gear and we would never see him again. He signed this contract, returned what he could (apparently a Dragons digestive tract is very efficient) and then left. I then lay down again, feeling even more drained by the feeling that somehow I had betrayed Asher, but people were injured and I got up and spread Her Lady Isis’s healing power through the group. Thinking back on Asher’s actions and how the Dragon acted after we fought I somehow feel that we are missing a part of what happened, I wonder if Asher made some sort of gambit to weaken the Dragon, that might explain how it went to so easily, or maybe he made some sort of bargain with the Dragon to try and save the rest of us. We will never know. All I do know is he fought bravely for the Light, and will be missed.

Then we got a message, the world had turned to fire, the war that I had been warning about had now truly started. Unrest will now be the norm, I now understand what my father was trying to show me a few days ago, that even the farmer and peasants had picked that trouble was coming

The day Asher died by Indaris Excellar

[zyanitevp]

Behind a little, so back to back posts. Check us out on Twitch- link in the signature.
The first is from the game on 5/9/15. The first official log from Hannah, Silver Bell Fairy Ranger.

"Hannah the First, Fairy of CrIsis "

Oh, wow….

I mean, sure, before now I’d never even heard of CrIsis, but after reading their books, the anticipation to be one of them was almost more than I could bear. Of course I had to finish the books, all the way to the bitter end, and I knew from the stories I read that it was pretty much guaranteed that I would be replacing one of them, but to be replacing Asher of all people.

Not-Awesome.

So, after we faced off against the dragon, it was like I didn’t even exist to them. They were lost in their own little worlds, and diminutive as I am, I can escape notice. That’s a good thing, usually, but I really wanted to become a part of the group, and all but the Wolven ignored me. It felt as though I were invisible, but more I think they were lost in their grief. Asher seems to have meant a lot to them, and his demise really changed something in them.

So, I ate vegetables from the side of the road, gathered during periods when I could easily find them along the long stretches of empty road. Being able to fly is certainly of assistance when keeping up with slow plodders like CrIsis.

Awesome was finally getting my very own fireside chat! I was finally a member of CrIsis for reals. Just because I have this awesome Isis Torch Ring, and I love the design, don’t get me wrong, I didn’t feel a part of the group until they actually stopped and acknowledged me. I’m going to do my best in the future not to allow anyone in the group to feel as ostracized as I felt during that journey.

And then Indaris has the gall to try to send me away, calling me ‘little one’ and thinking that just because I am a fairy I can’t be of help. Ooh, I wanted to claw his eyes out or shoot them full of arrows, which would have been more fun. Just because he’s a priest of Isis doesn’t give him the right to treat people like that. I might have tried to destroy him then and there if it hadn’t been for Xer’xses distracting me at the fateful moment.

So, I tell them that I’m a ranger, and again Indaris questions me, as if I would lie to him. My mother taught me never to lie. The truth is much more fun. So, here again, he is questioning me, and so I just drag Raulf off into the woods with me so we can hunt an elk. Sure, I can’t drag the thing back myself, which is why I brought a mule with me, but they could have at least been more appreciative when I did it.

Nope, they just ate and accepted it as their due. Ugh. I have to travel around the world with a bunch of no account bachelors, and they’re going to treat all the work I’m doing as their due. I would pepper their food liberally with Fairy Food if I didn’t need them more than they need me right now. Without me, they can continue their quest. Without them I’m just one fairy against the world. I know I wouldn’t be able to complete jack.

So, we eat, we rest and we move on. Their long time adversaries…well now my adversaries too I guess, ReSet decided to ambush them. If I’d been paying more attention I might have been able to determine that they were about, but I was distracted by Xer’xses. The man sure knows how to talk, and his bashful nature is just too cute. I’m going to love tormenting him, I can tell.

So, ReSet begins to attack us from the trees firing lightning arrows and turning people to stone. One even tries to attack me, but I dropped a cloud of smoke on us, interrupting her, or his, aim. We regrouped in the smoke and began a counter attack and the pansies ran once more away from us. I think it’s high time CrIsis got rid of all the extraneous parts that we’re carrying around with us.

Our next major stop was the giant phallus of Osiris, not to be confused with the Member of Osiris, that resides in Timiro. Actually, they’re both now in Timiro…but I’m getting ahead of myself. Personally, I expected it to be a bit bigger. It is only about fifty feet tall. I mean, I’m expecting at least four pelegowats, but hey, the rest of CrIsis considered it to be impressive, so I had to let them have their moment. Considering it would be shorter than the length of Rogtilda, or at least so the books tell me, it really wasn’t all that big.

Xer’xses spread the godly seed across the ground in front of the statues…Oh my Bennu, I completely forgot my statue. There is a statue of a Fairy in the stone garden of CrIsis. It stands a full four times my size and I posed on it’s head and was even drawn by Indaris while standing there. Don’t get me wrong, I still plan retribution on him, but I have to admit that he does have his uses, and he is a singular artist of surpassing skill…and no he didn’t pay me to say that. I can’t carry the coin he offered me.

So, after we admired the stoned CrIsis members we walked toward the Obelisk, which I would consider godly over-compensation were it not for the fact that it wasn’t Osiris who built the thing…I get the sinking feeling that if I continue to comment on the gods like this that I will suffer my own divine retribution and it won’t be the funny get up and walk it off sort either.

Back to the sailors. So, Xer’xses performed his ritual with the phallus…member…thing and corn sprouted from the barren earth. We decimated the crops and allowed the citizens of the town to take the rest with our blessing. As soon as we were done there, we allowed Father Philip to lead us down into the body of the earth. I can’t see how any of the others could stand that confining place. There wasn’t enough air to breathe down there, and I was the smallest of them. They put on brave faces, saying how they didn’t mind it at all, but that’s men for you. Unable to admit to any insecurity. I seem to have my work cut out for me.

In my best impression of a satyr spreading chaos I touched Xer’xses and willed him to save me from death under ground. Only after he had saved me from the tomb did I realize that I’d cast a Love Charm on him. I was torn by my embarrassment of using such a powerful magic on a friend and relief at being out of that stinking, polluted…but then they came up and told us that all of the active members of CrIsis had to be in that hole at the same time.

Xer’xses was possibly the most conscientious person that I have ever had under a love charm. Not once did he try to take advantage of me. He was warm and considerate and asked me if I would go down with him again into that place that I feared. He thought of me, and not about what he could get from me. I want that again, but without compulsion, without magic.

I just don’t think it will be possible to get that for one such as I. Fairies aren’t made for Love. Not with the normals. We are made for derision and pranks. Their derision, our pranks.

So, we went back into that grave and Indaris copied down a large map of the Palladium world. Scattered across this map were temples of Osiris, many of which CrIsis had already already visited. They were the houses of the parts of Osiris. In counting the temples remaining, and comparing that to the known pieces of Osiris we still have to find some interesting information comes to me: we only have 4 more pieces of Osiris to gather, and we only know where three of those pieces are.

I know that one of the pieces, the member, came from another reality, one truly different from our own. Could it be that this last piece also resides in one of these pocket dimensions?

Armed with the information that the First Pyramid of Orisis was indeed a true resting place for one of the pieces of Osiris we ventured there and laid the member to rest. I was able to assist in placing it, and a truly memorable experience it was…one I won’t even record here.

We returned to Rogtilda after, and I met the boat. Roggan, my word is he a great being, and powerful being, a happy being. Truly happy. He greeted people so powerfully as they came aboard, and I think I might be a little in love with his simplicity. Indaris thought to bring sand from the desert around the temple to Roggan, and I will have to do so myself the next time we drop off a piece, which should be soon, now that we know all the houses for the pieces.

Life on the ocean is pleasant so far. True, we sped our journey with the Lung of Osiris, but even so, I love the ocean more than I ever believed that I could. In the back of my mind, I’ve always been a little worried about all that water, and salt water at that. I know what it would do to my wings were I to be completely submerged. Even so, the ocean is immense and beautiful. I love sailing. My only regret is that my being here has robbed CrIsis of a pair of hands to help sail the boat. I hope that the gods send us a new pair soon that we might better be able to fulfil our quest.

We arrived in Credia in order to give to them Xer’xses Sword and Asher’s Ring, but before we could leave the ship, Xer’xses had a request of me. He asked that I give some of my life force to him in the form of Mana. It was only about a third of my Mana, but even so that was something I’d never done for anyone, and I can only think that I wouldn’t have done it for someone other than Xer’xses.

He made an offhand comment of making me a boyfriend while we were performing the ritual, and then he crafted a duplicate of himself. I don’t know what to think. His comment makes me think that he might know how I feel, and it terrifies me. He has rejected me, or at least has rejected what he sees of me so far. I have to change his mind, and maybe making Annie reject him will be the best way to do that.

Written by Hannah on the Somethingth day of something in the something year of something else.

[zyanitevp]

This is the official log from our game on 5/23/15. It is from a returning player, the Ashada Mind Mage with the usually positive attitude, Ja'Deir.

"All Ready at Credia"

The wind buffeted Ja’Deir’s fur as he completed his second round of mudras, to seal his prayer to Osiris and to Isis, his resolved constitution. He opened his eyes after several seconds, waiting for the internal confirmation that his words were received by Apis and her pantheon… err I mean Ra’s Pantheon. The first thing he laid eyes on was a strangely familiar black figure on the docks, talking to an exuberant hob goblin. After a beat, he realized that this was the being that he had thought dead! Suddenly, the pall that had been hanging over him – and unbeknownst to him, over the whole crew – lifted! The brave creature was alive!

With a squeaking cheer, and a psionically boosted leap, he glided the last few hundred feet to the docks. The cool air over the water rushed by, and stung his eyes, making him blink, and lose his sense of direction at the last minute, crashing into a stack of boxes! The dark figure yelped and made to dodge out of the way of the rodentine projectile, but his feet went the opposite direction as his torso. The result was a very wet leather trench coat, and a warrior picking barnacles off of the docks sheepishly.

Seeing this outrageous display, the spirits of the depressed crew lifted, except for the Priest, who was below decks at the time. Once all of CrIsis had descended the gangplank, and had joined in the revelrie of lost opportunities returned, and friendships rekindled, Burlap caught wind of the Priest’s mood. The prankster that he was, he performed some… “slap-stick” gags?… whatever they’re called, and whichever sticks needed to be slapped, they were. The magical contagion of the jokes spread, and soon enough Indaris’ face split in a grin, and a roaring laugh escaped his throat.

Ja’Deir paid for some of the merchandise he’d ruined with a few signed copies of the Books of CrIsis, and the group was set upon by guards. CrIsis’ stances shifted, to be ready for a fight, but the guard seemed more interested in keeping the crowd from rioting. An emissary followed in the guards’ wake, and walked up to Indaris, summoning all of CrIsis to come with him. After some glances back and forth between each other, they decided to follow him.

A giant pyramid wrenched their attention as they walked down the wide promenade leading to the palace of Credia. Whispers broke out among the adventurers, speaking of the import of such an event.

Ja’Deir took the opportunity to hang back to speak with No Name, who was walking a few steps behind everyone else. He asked him if he would consider a Mind Bond. The wary warrior cautiously declined, saying that he doesn’t feel comfortable with that. Ja’Deir said he understood, and wouldn’t press until he’d had a chance to get to know the other “Heroes of Credia” better. Inside, Ja’Deir became suspicious of the mysterious man, but as he always does, Ja’Deir accepts everyone, at least externally. He just got himself ready to put up his psionic shield if the need were to arise.

CrIsis reached the King’s quarters, and there weren’t chairs for anything not of normal human shape, weight and size. Xerx’ses, in minotaur form, and Raulf both started to kneel. Not wanting them to feel out of place, Ja’Deir created two cushions of psionic ectoplasm for the two to sit on. It would look like they were sitting on a cloudless mist, but it was better than having them kneel like servants. Raulf whispered in my ear if the cushion could reach up his back, too, and if it had a ‘’Xyatsu Massage’’ setting. I complied, and he let out a relaxed growl as he melted into it.

The King spoke briefly with CrIsis about the state of affairs, but the meeting was cut short by a spiked drink from the Fairy. The Wolfen seemed to take to the magical liquor the hardest. He burst out with a raucus drinking hymn of his clan, ‘ej HumtaH ’ej DechtaH ’Iw, ’ej Doq SoDtaH ghoSpa’ Sqral bIQtIq ‘e’ pa’ jaj law’ mo’ jaj puS jaj qeylIS molar mIgh HoHchu’qu." Ja’Deir’s bond with him, being so recent as such things go, vaguely translated in his mind… “And the blood was ankle deep, And the River Skral ran crimson red. On the day above all days. When Kahless slew evil Molor dead…”

The heroes retired to their appointed rooms in the Palace complex, to sleep it off.

Ondemeira visited Father Indaris late that night. The priest spoke with the retired editor in chief of the Books of Crisis for some time about our dreams, hopes, and goals. The Priest was put off guard by the familiar face – which was very pretty at that. If it weren’t for the premonition of the Squirrel, the possessing entity inside of her might have made it away quietly with all of our secrets. It sensed the mind mage’s attentions, and locked Indaris in Xerx’ses’ bedroom. As it closed and locked the door, Ja’Deir left his bedroom, and stood facing it off in the hallway.

The resulting battle should have, by all accounts, killed all of CrIsis. The possessing entity slowly made its way around CrIsis’ ranks, possessing them all in turn, and it very nearly destroyed the group. Ja’Deir needs to talk to the Mages and Priest of the group, so as to find out how to protect ourselves from such a menace in the future.

The night that lasted several lifetimes ended, and when it was over, it felt like from the point Burlap was possessed through the rest of CrIsis passed as if by a few sentences uttered by a God.

The next morning, CrIsis and King Guy’s regime held a public mourning for members of CrIsis lost. Though most of the populous did not know Asher, they joined in the mourning for him with almost as much vehemence as when they mourned the loss of Overkill, the longest lived member of the group, and in most of the world’s eyes the face of CrIsis.

There were short phrases uttered by humble peasants, and longwinded orations given by politicians, but one thing that will stand out forever in everyone’s hearts is the funeral hymn that came from the Minotaur. To the world he shows a hard exterior, pretending to not care if they hate him or persecute him. But to CrIsis he shows his true self, one of a soft-hearted, caring, and self-conscious man. The hymn revealed that side of him to the world. There were very few dry eyes in the crowd.

That evening, CrIsis made their way to deliver a piece of Osiris to his Pyramid. Ja’Deir thought, as they made their way to the hallowed ground, that CrIsis has become too blase, with their treatment of the pieces. Delivering a lost part of a god to its proper resting place should never be refered to as “Dropping it off.” that seems like CrIsis focuses on its next destination as the more important goal, and they are merely tossing the piece along the roadside as they pass a temple’s city. Truly, not a fitting description.

ReSet stopped us at the foot of the pyramid under a white flag. None in CrIsis were under any delusion that they might actually honor that meaning of truce. They were the followers of the Gods of Deciet, afterall. But Ja’Deir was a bit surprised at the deceit in the Priest’s eyes as he made plans to break a verbal contract. Granted, Ja’Dier was not a follower of Isis, and so he did not know what the morality of her priests were supposed to have, but as a follower of the Nurturer, Ja’Deir had been taught to deal honestly with those around you, at least with your allies. He hid a devious grin as he promised that CrIsis would be out of the temple and available for a summit.

With such morals, no wonder Rurga hates CrIsis.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she assisted the Pantheon of Taut against CrIsis, even as opposed to the Dark as she is.

We ascended the pyramid, and arrived in the holy antechamber. Though she hates water, even Hannah washed, and all were ready.

The guardian of the Pyramid was a Sphinx. Ja’Deir did not pay him much attention, as he was focused on the problems at hand – delivering the part, and thinking of how to maintain a peaceful discussion between ReSet and CrIsis. Maybe if we all stand on a ground that has been made into Sanctuary, and I create a psionic bubble around Indaris? Or… Maybe if we stand out of range of the Longbowman, and send pigeons? or…
He was wrenched out of his contemplation by something the Sphynx said… He called himself the Librarian, and mentioned he knew the Khejas family!

SEE what the gods do for those who are faithful? Here was the treasure trove of knowledge that Ja’Deir needed, one that he COULD NOT have found, had he blindly followed after his own heart or his own quest. The illustration of it was so clear to Ja’Deir that he prostrated himself and signed ‘Zen.’ He rose, and spoke up, much to the surprise of the others. They thought he was ignoring them all, apparently.

{this section is hidden psionically, only those who have performed a mind bond with Ja’Deir will know how to read this section, as it is tuned to his mind, and the residues of the Bond, no matter their age, allow them to read.}
Ja’Deir spoke with the Sphynx. He learned that the long lost Rystrom was in fact alive, and that rumors of his demise were much exaggerated. He told the Librarian that he was on his way to Glade, to the Millennial tree, and that he would await CrIsis’ journey there. Ja’Der also learned that the rest of the Khejas family was rumored to have been massacred, but those rumors were spread to try to hide their survival of the attack on the College of Navigation. He learned the passphrase that would allow him to find them, “Have you heard about the Khejas Family?” “I heard they were all slain horribly, It’s terrible!”
{This is where the hidden text ends}

After learning much from the Sphinx, and having deposited their precious cargo, CrIsis made their way back down the stairs of the Temple. All but the Priest were confused at the passage of several days while they were in the temple – CrIsis had dealt dishonestly with ReSet, and it was widely known. CrIsis are the righteous, not the underhanded. It isn’t their duty to deceive those that deceive. Some in the crowd that awaited their return thought so as well, and there were arrows fired at CrIsis.

The assassin was caught, and was nearly terrified to death by the Wolfen. Raulf was enraged. He learned from the sniveling human that there was a bounty on his head. In his anger, he let lose, and the man voided his bowels. Hannah, not able to handle the slap in the face, at least from her point of view, she stormed off, back to Rogtilda. She had offered a more “Humane” method to interrogate, but CrIsis, freshly off of a Faerie Alchoholic Misadventure weren’t willing to give her a chance.

The adventurers turned the man in to the constabulary, and he seemed relieved that it was just normal prison he was looking forward to, not vigilantism dealt by Righteous Crusaders.

CrIsis returned to Rogtilda, but were met by ReSet, who’d waited till dawn at the temple for us, then waited at Rogtilda, so as to not miss us as we slunk back to our ship and fled.

We prepared ourselves, tension rising in the two groups. A tumble weed crossed the cobbled street before us, and a seagull circled in the air above us. Sweat trickled down the face of No Name, who was trying to hold back from killing his arch nemesis, and Burlap’s stomach gurgled.

With a chittering shout, Ja’Deir launched forward, and felled Zizean in a single blow! The battle ensued, and in the insanity, people fell. Three of their rank had been destroyed – Darksong, The Necromancer,, and Zizean, who was merely unconscious, but seemed dead – and one of ours had been slain by an evil ritual of the necromancer – Raulf, Holder of the Hand! One of the remaining members of ReSet did what they always do when they are close to losing half their members – he touched the Amulet, and brought most of his team, and our fallen comrade with the piece, back to Cynopolis.

CrIsis faces a conundrum. How and when should a raid on the City of Taut be performed? It is imperative now, as we need to recover all of the pieces of OsIris to restore him to his full potential, but in our present condition, it would be a suicide mission. Who knows?

>>Excerpt from his journal spanning Gryphon 27 and Grekar 5, while in Credia, in the 4th year of CrIsis, written by Ja’Deir, Ashada Mind Mage, disciple of Apis.<<

[zyanitevp]

Official logs from our game on 6/6/15, from Xerx'ses, the 17th!!! level Minotaur wizard. It is broken into 3 parts- 2 from his doppleganger, Kom'Var, and 1 from himself.

Part 1- "Is Anger All I/He/We Have?"


===
| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Brother Malkin.
| At the at the Library of Bletherad.
===



Dear Master Chronicler of Light,

Kom’var Spellborn, here again and Fleet Feet Spell back in full force. Good frickin’ grief it is OVER! In the time it took me to summon the energy to cast the spell the battle ended! With my “Creator” being 11 feet tall everyone on the deck of Rogtilda nearly failed to move an inch when they saw him command, while in his armor, SEVENTEEN LIGHTNING BOLTS down out of the sky at once!!! There were only sixteen scorch marks on the docks so I have to assume he hit the sleeping Elf. But an instant later the blizzard and any sign of the GIANT ORC or the sleeping Elf was gone. He hit the spring lock on his visor and jaw-plates revealing his face.

“HE HAD THE HAND!!!!!”

Even CrIsis was pausing at a rather uncharacteristic outburst of anger, and mystical might. Might doesn’t really do the magnitude of what he brought down justice. There was a merchant vessel in the distance of the Credia docks that raised a white flag even though they were three dock arms away from the fight!

I did find something interesting in his magical aura though, all of his lightning is yellow or golden in color! I would seem that when he decided on his name my creator inadvertently altered his aura along with it. When his visor is down he looks like a gold trimmed golem! With it open I saw the anguish and so did everyone on the deck! I know he thought of Lord Raulf as a second chance with his late brother, Zeelik. I can see the guilt building up in his eyes, and then. . .
. . .nothing!
I watched him swallow whatever he was feeling and club his emotions like a hunter after a Cyclops Spider. In my hooman form, which looks like a young version of his Osric Orghallar persona. I wept for him because he could not, would not might be the better phrase. That cold, hardened look took over his face again as twenty guards came from the royal palace demanding everyone lower their weapons. My creator and the rest of CrIsis checked the field one final time before they followed the order, looking for a sneak attack.

As I watch CrIsis going away, peacefully I might add, with the royal guardsmen. Master Jershon, the first mate, sets us to task cleaning and checking Rogtilda for signs of damage even though I can hear the ship tell him he is fine. He is worried and focusing on work is his coping mechnism. I wonder if anger is all I now share with my “Creator” for coping with stress?

Maybe?

I want to try other emotions but I do fear for the length of my existence knowing where “The Golden One” is headed.

Two small hands are now covering my eyes and whispering in my Hooman ears!

“If you only have 16 years to live, but his heart and his memories, without his burden then come with me and I’ll teach you what has been missing in both your lives.”

More words soon’ish,

Kom’var Spellborn,
Wizard defender of Rogtilda

Part 2- "Etrinus Fortem"

===
| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Brother Malkin, chronicler.
| At the Library of Bletherad.
===

Good Master Chronicler of Light,

I would like to apologize if any of this missive sounds gloomy, but writing you allows me time to collect my thoughts, reflect, ponder ideas out-loud as it were. T’would appear I owe my thanks to the Office of the Golden Key in the Church of Light. Apparently, this is the branch of the church said to open doors and opportunities to the less fortunate regardless if they are light or dark worshipers. I think is it awesome that a Titan whom rules over the city of Basst somewhere in the great and grand Timiro Kingdom. Made it possible for him to have clothing and various apparel when I forgot to leave him any.

Whoops!

Talk about being distracted by my chance to meet with King Guy, first of his name. Granted that meeting was back on the 27th of Gryphon when Magos had revealed some of its power to me after claiming “her” from another mage trying to kill me in the name of the Dark. I am curious if your “Spellborn” creation slaps you and calls you, "… as smart as Cyclops Spider food." Are you arguing with yourself, or is it gaining an identity and hopefully a soul to last after the spell ends? I am kind of an annoying brat sometimes it would appear. Please allow me to apologize again because I want to knock “Spellborn” of his little step stool of indignation about forgetting I have no spare clothing left in my room. His Hooman form seems to be a younger version of mine and would appear to have caught the eye of Mistress Annie as more than once I these last five days they have brought me food together as I try and study this spell to Expell Deevils & Demons.

Xerx’ses, you are getting distracted by youthful exuberance.

But Callandor, why is he so cheerful and annoying?!?!

Because he is sleeping with Mistress Annenwen and has that dumb look Master Overkill always had after fornicating with “whomever”.

Wait, what? Why would mating ritual practice make you stupid, it just made me sleepy.

Did you really just call it that? I’m done, just go pay for a girl till you figure it out. “Mating Ritual Practice!” Clearly, either she wasn’t that good or you’re just that dense.

Now whose being a brat? Fine, I have other topics to wax ink upon other than some repressed side of my “ID” coming out in a version of me without my responsibilities. You can stow the shocked imagery, I heard the word ID from Master Azariel. And yes, he explained what it means to me. Fricking, Rune Weapons!!! Wait! Is my annoyance bleeding over and making you annoyed with me? Fantastic, neither of us actually know whom was angry first. Yes, yes, just ignore it and endure the emotion for it to shall pass.

Okay back on the 27th of Gryphon our first meeting with the King did not go so well according to my hopeful expectations after handing over the Gantrium Ring and Uraeus’ Fang! He did give us the chance for a public ceremony on the 28th of Gryphon to commemorate the fallen members of CrIsis. I had borrowed a potion from the Lady Torchwood that allowed me to sing. I heard about it during the Lopanic Games and I was looking through the songbook in my cabin on the way over here. I am hearing it refereed to now as “The Golden Goodbye.” Not what I was expecting, nor that all the elves seem to know the song! Just happy I did not screw it up to badly. I wish it didn’t herald the death of Lord Raulf after we managed to get the Lawgiver’s Lung into the Pyramid at Credia. ReSet had attempted a dialog with us but I just smelled a poorly laid trap. My suspicions were proven true on the 5th of Grekar when they attacked us on the dock and killed Lord Raulf. In my anger I unleashed as much of my mystical might in golden lightning down upon the docks where I knew those dark souls had once stood in the blizzard. Another Wolfen mage that focused on cold magic had started it but after the lighting all of them were now gone and the blizzard with them.

We were escorted to the the bravest king I have ever met! Once again by 20 royal guardsmen that had rushed to aid us. A general of the army was among them though I got his rank wrong which offended him even though he tried to hide it. I am trying to hide my anger lest it ruin all of the work I am doing to try and show many races “CAN” live in peace.I think I have come to terms that to be the ambassador of my people means my feelings, wants, and desires will never come first. This was the primary reason I created Kom’var so a part of me could have a life I knew would not be mine.

Etrinus Fortem = Dwarven for Endure Forever.

I know it sounds like I apologize a lot but I’m sorry for pestering you. How is life at the Library of Bletherad? How has it changed since the arrival of a Pyramid? Is Brother Rrrgggrlph (I’m sure I spelled it wrong) doing well? Have you read any new books that piqued your interest that have NOTHING to do with us band of misfits? Master Jershon was telling me about hot tea options for going north that help prevent illness if taken regularly. Not fool proof but should help reduce the risk of illness. I know you can’t reply but maybe we could chat for a bit when we arrive. I am enjoying the idea of wandering the library for a bit. Oh I have four books and I was hoping if I can still request the silver-skull.png‘Silver Skull of Arhaleg Hescu’ be added to the library so his spirit can rest amongst the world’s great library. To sweeten the pot I will give you two of them and let you copy the other two. That and some scrolls I can’t get to – yet may be The scrolls in question belong to Master Overkill stowed away in his chest talking about the days of Callandor’s creation. I am not sure yet how to get it open, but once I do they can go to the library. This paltry sum maybe all that I can give the library regarding the thousands of books lost from my tribe.

Now back to the second meeting with King Guy, first of his name, and my newfound homeland as a citizen of the great and grand Timiro Kingdom. Just before we were escorted to the King a new member of CrIsis appeared which made me begin to accept what had happened to Lord Raulf. He is a were-bear named, Ursus. I think playing him off as a druid in the books will likely be easy given Master-Sister Caminata’s proclivity for that form. Also Master Burlap was brought back briefly for our time in Credia as was the “Man I Never Met” from the dragon battle. T’would appear he survived and is now a part of the Holy Misfits of Light, errr I mean CrIsis! After the battle Master Burlap left and Mistress Hannah did a ballet for the guards. Okay, can you tell a lot happened? I have had a lot of death to deal with and my thoughts are about as jumbled at the sequence of events here in this missive. Apparently Ursus normally goes naked in the wilderness he is from and was asked to dress before meeting the great King Guy.

I know I am going on about King Guy but he sent guards to try and protect us, and since I have joined only Empress Jesslyn has done this. I don’t count church guards because the motivation is different. Lopan and Timiro are the only to governments to support us openly. I feel Avramstown truly loves CrIsis but they are beholden to a larger nation that now is embroiled in a war with another nation, which can compromise their agenda. King Guy has abolished slavery and made those slaves citizens. Now there is still a class structure to society but this is a HUGE step!!!!!! The following morning on the 6th of Grekar, he publicly declared his stance for the light and CrIsis making us all citizens of Timiro should each of us wish it officially and honorary otherwise.

I accepted, I can walk in Timiro now in my normal form! This is a huge first step in proving Minotaurs can be good and that walking in the light is a choice we all make!!!!

Even more back on the 5th of Grekar, he allowed us one of his private chambers to have our “Fireside Chat”. Before that – same day though – he threw us a banquet and we were able to mingle nobles. I spoke to three mages trained in Basst, two nobles from the eastern part of the kingdom, and more that I did not keep track of. The night of the 5th I kept Ursus in my room with me so he could change safely, while the rest of everyone visited with Lady Ondemeira of Torchwood.

By the night of the 6th we were all back aboard Rogtilda, with the extra pigs King Guy sent with us to feed Ursus. Might I add his appetite far exceeds my own!!! Blizzards (fricking Frost Wizards) kept us in dock until the 8th of Grekar we left under a light – COLD – rain. It would seem people that encounter Faeries fear their pranks. Apparently the “Man I Never Met” or No Name as he prefers since he has memory loss regarding parts of his past. No Name was now the current victim of Mistress Hannah’s more playful endeavors. Father Indaris becomes involved with removing the curse at least once and apparently, No Name, has a ghostly familliar named: Tobi. I am not sure what to make of him though.

It would appear more than a few of the crew are practicing parts of the mating rites with either CrIsis or Kom’var. I checked on Honeysuckle tonight whom is coming along on her pregnancy. I made sure Jershon knew I wanted her on light duty unless combat hit the ship.

I know I can see with no light, however, seeing the wax drip low is a good indicator for sleep. Mistress Annie promises a meal for Father Indaris’ birthday tomorrow. Sadly, this is the best we can do for this noble man on his naming day. Good night Master Chronicler of Light.

Etrinus Fortem,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda


Part 3- "Great Ra!"


===
| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Brother Malkin.
| At the at the Library of Bletherad.
===



Dear Master Chronicler of Light,

Fleet Feet Spell re-Cast

Late last evening on the 12th of Grekar two small hands covered my mouth. I have taken to sleeping outside the chapel door on Rogtilda, compelled to make sure this room suffers no malice – accidental or otherwise. I know this is part of the “Spellborn Rules” I must obey as deemed by my “Creator.” My eyes open as sweet Annie’s form straddles my chest. Before I could mention about changing into a Hooman shape I gazed into dark azure pools of age and motherly, not mating determination. She wasn’t wearing her eye patch, so yes, both eyes were glaring into my soul with the fury of heated metal!

“This is not a pleasure visit, darling. You want to know why you had no emotions with those memories, then change forms and follow me while you get dressed.”

Without waiting for a reply her nimble form leaped into a standing position the look shot back at me was “THIS IS NOT A DEBATE.” A few grains of the hourglass later we were on the upper deck but the sounds echoed before we crested the wheelhouse.

“. . . I didn’t want to risk everyone else in the docks! You saw those buildings!

. . . I didn’t think he’d run to the Dragon!

. . . If I could have only figured out the spell sooner Lord Raulf would be alive and I would not have failed you my lord!

. . . I can’t save them and one by one they’re all going to die!”

Great Ra!!! I had no idea how much guilt he carries around him. I thought he was being distant and uncaring, but this . . .

“This is not a noble’s yacht. You, get back to the kitchens and make sure the breakfast and cake are done. AND YOU! Don’t you dare get one bright idea about talking to the “Golden One” about this! I have never seen a mage treat a created piece of magic as anything other than a tool or slave. Even if they think they are being benevolent like warlocks. Yet within the confines of this vessel you have been given complete autonomy. Be Ra-DAMN happy your “Creator” is a good man. Go back to your sleep area and don’t let me see either of you two till your shifts start!”

Neither of us heard Jershon approach! Tapping his mace against his shoulder we vanished like the mist on morning tide till it was just after dawn on the 13th of Grekar. When I awoke one of my knives had been used to stab a chuck of bread and sausage to the wall. There was a bowl of stew but the real message of just eat and do my job was clearly understood.

I was not at the party for Father Indaris because Jershon was convinced I would start asking “My Creator” about how he feels. I was assigned to bilge pumping duty today because I change into a short Hooman and my Fleet Feet spell. Today made it feel like the bilge was my straights of hell, YUCK! I may not be able to talk to my “Creator,” however, I can certainly ease up feeling like he is forgetting me. While Jershon is mad at me for spying on the captain he said if someone else pissed him off he’d push them overboard and let me go swimming after them. It was indeed one of the nicer things ever said to me by the crew of the ship. I was going to empty the pales when I saw the good father getting ready to enter to his surprise party at morning breakfast. Just then a Magic Pigeon spell arrives for him. I was happy to see this message brought glad tidings. It seems all of CrIsis appears to have been put through the rolling pins of hardships in life. Hmm, seems I am using Annie’s cooking analogies now.

Bells began to ring after I got back below deck. the party had been going for a few hours and and I heard Eyes yelling, “SHIP OFF THE PORT SIDE!” I watched knowing that since CrIsis was on board I was to stay safe. I have to believe my “Creator” wants me to survive the spell’s duration when it ends and that means staying alive for 16 more years to give me the best shot at this. Seeing catapults fire from what looks like an unmanned black sailed ship makes me think magic is at work here. My memories tell me that magical ship like Rogtilda are REALLY rare! Then I saw my “Creator” come out of the Foodfenhall where every one eats. Everyone else – myself included – was paralyzed in fear at the site of the black sailed, seemingly unmanned ship angling to ram us broad port side! Not our Captain, Xerx’ses, my maker stood there in his resplendent armor for but a second to see the ship that had cause everyone to shake with terror. As he bolted onto to the forward deck he drew Callandor at the same time as he started casting a spell. I know because I could feel the energy building being a wizard like him, just half his power.

The he did something the Catapult could not do! Only an Arch Mage could reach past the range of a catapult and CASCADE A SHIP IN SEVENTEEN LIGHTNING BOLTS!!!

Damnit I can feel the spell fading again, why always in comba….

WOW!!! Even among the cataplut fire he just cast it again. He has the power to destroy a SHIP with a single spell!!!!!!!!!

Re-Casting,

Kom’var Spellborn,
Wizard defender of Rogtilda

[AZ_RUNE]

Game play has its up's & down's for sure, but the ride is amazing.

[zyanitevp]

Official log from our game on 6/20/15, from Ursus, the Werebear, and a Rogtilda crew member, Stef. This is his first official log, as he is the replacement for the slain Raulf.

"Crew Meet Ursus"

Excerpts from Stefried Sailbright’s crew log

14th of Grekar, 113th year, 4 bells Dog Watch

We have arrived at New Crests, home of the Groff family. Upon arrival there are several interesting ships in port. The Mysterious one informs us all that the ships belong to several different factions from this realm; 3 military naval vessels from the Middle Kingdoms of the Western Empire, 3 luxury liners from the Eastern Empire, 1 each from Llorn, 3 from the Bizantium territories and 4 from unknown origins.

CrIsis is due to disembark soon. I have gotten used to most of them and the fact they change members constantly, especially after one has gone to meet the lords. This didn’t prepare me for the latest member that was “recruited”? I remember the day he came aboard. He seemed, well for lack of a better term, on about as smart as a barnacle. He didn’t seem to have a clue about shipboard matters or any matters for that matter. Seemed about the only thing he did was eat, and boy did he eat. He was a real ox though. He could out lift us all when the fresh supplies were delivered, and never ever took a break or complained about the work. Ever present was him carrying a crate with one arm and a ham hock in his other hand, eating while he was working. I digress. The crew was warned that Ursus had an alter form, but the warning didn’t prepare me for the first time I saw him. Xerx’ses emerged from below, presumable to go into New Crest for his mission, directly behind him was a massive bear the likes I have never seen. I was about to sound the alarm, when Xerx’ses turned to him and started to have a conversation with the massive bear. That’s when I realized that the bear was URSUS.

Well that is it for now, I have watch soon and CrIsis has left the ship.

15th Grekar, 113th year, 1 bell morning watch

I have just come off of mid watch and saw a very strange event. It was so strange that I didn’t fully report it on the official log, for fear of being accused of becoming plum mad. CrIsis returned to the ship at 6 bells. They seemed sullen and grumpy. Most went to their cabins. Ursus, in full on bear, was the one that didn’t; he headed straight for the Foodfendhall. He quickly emerged dragging a whole hog and Annie was yelling at him. She was saying something about stealing food and waiting for morning meal. The bear just stopped, turned, and stared down at her, he bent over to put his massive snout at her eye level. She immediately shut her trap and slowly slunk back to her bunk. Ursus went to the prow of the ship sat down and began talking to the moon. Here is most of what he said:

“Hey Khonsu, how are you this fine morning. Boy the day I have had. It started out yesterday late. I was in my cabin to “change” so that it didn’t happen on the streets and sent everyone running and screaming bloody murder, although I have NEVER done that. After changing, I smelt and heard a new being on the ship. I then heard the ship talking, still can’t get used to that, a TALKING SHIP. I asked who he was talking to, he said the new man. I asked; where was the new man, he said Xerx’ses room. I went to the hall and followed the scent to Xerx’ses cabin. I entered and saw a tiny little elf standing with Xerx’ses. (Strange happenings on this ship.) I asked; who the devil are you and what are you doing here. He said he was Lerrie, and started to explain. I started to go into a weird sleepy state when he started talking. I snapped out of it and said to Xerx, hey we got to go right? And we got off the ship. Lerrie stayed behind.”

“We were making our way to the Groff’s den, when I noticed strange behavior from the local folks, they were following us. At first I thought it was because of me, I am sure the folks around here have heard of bears and maybe were curious about me, but it turns out they could care less about me. It was Xerx that they were after, sortof. They started chanting ‘Golden one, Golden one’ or something like that. Xerx said some things to the crowd, I didn’t really pay attention, I was just glad they weren’t coming to try and take me. We moved on quickly and arrived at the Groff’s place. The rest of CrIsis soon arrived, and that’s when the funny little man just appeared again, Lerrie. After he was introduced to the others they went into a lengthy discussion about the pieces and Ra and wow this was getting boring and I am getting hungry. I could smell a great feast being prepared, and I hadn’t eaten in over 4 hours and it was just one of those little pigs I have come to enjoy, Annie was being stingy with them saying something about rations or some sort. Then the funny little man was in my face loudly talking about some symbol and the points and his voice was making me go into that sleepy state again. They continued to talk and talk and talk and talk. The Groff finally showed up and announced it was time for the feast. Oh yeah, the Mystery Man said something about a plot to kill one of the estuaries that came to have a pees talk, and we had to try and find out what that was. And some Rose lady was here too.”

“We were taken to a outside room to feast, and boy what a feast, my hunger was too strong and I was moving quickly to try all the great new smelling foods. I was getting some strange looks from everyone as I was feasting on this great new buffing style of feasting, oh well. It was all great. While I was feasting I came across a group of that were speaking in a tongue that I understood. I tried talking to them, but they seemed shocked, not at my form or size but that I was able to understand and speak in their tongue. They stopped talking after that and tried their best to ignore me. Then Hannah was screaming ‘The Empires food was poisoneded’. The Groff was mad and starting to kick everyone out of the feasting, but Indaris convinced them to stay and keep the talking going. That was when I realized something, the meat from all the westerns table WAS poisoneded. I didn’t realize till now. Having eaten just a few pounds of everyone’s food the effects didn’t do much to me and I healed the damage quickly. I guess I should pay attention to the grumblings of my belly from now on. I shared this with the rest of CrIsis.”

“At this point the Groff was very angry and said it would be over unless CrIsis helped to solve it. We were placed in a private area to discuss the problems these stuffed shirts were having. Lerrie was putting in a lot and the others were arguing what to do. I was just very, very, very bored. I was just trying to think back to the foods and what the poisoneded stuff tasted and smelled like. I know that this could help save me and my new found friends. The others continued to yak & yak. It was getting close to sunrise and I would need to get back to the ship or else be discovered for who I truly was. Then the group came to a agreement, and we all went back out the outside room. Indaris opened by saying a prayer, and Xerx closed by telling the estuaries to basically do something that I thought wasn’t fiscally possible. Then we all left and returned to the ship.”

As a close to this log, I just want to say that I am glad that I only have this ship to worry about. Sounds like the great ones have a wildly interesting go of things when not on Rogtilda.

STEF

[zyanitevp]

Official log from our game on 7/11/15, from Ja'Deir, the Ashada Mind Mage.

"Contradictions"

Ja’Deir awoke and felt like he was waking after a month-long nap. He sprang out of bed, and immediately struck a pose of supplication to the gods. As he melted from mudra to mudra, mantras flowing in sussurance from his lips, his mind was at war with itself. Though his companions hadn’t said as much, Ja’Deir knew that they judged the actions that he took, especially when put against the professed faith in the gods that he had. Ja’Deir felt several points of view separate themselves in his mind and form complete arguments against each other, bodies of words, swords of accusation, and shields of reason.

Point1: You claim to be on the Gods’ path, but you seem to be single-mindedly vying for CrIsis to return to the Library of Bletherad.

Point2: Of course, how can we get the Pieces of Osiris if we know nothing about them?

Point1: How can we get Osiris without allies? Is it not a quest of epic proportions? Are you so proud you think you can do it alone?

Point2: Of course not, we do need Allies.

Point1: And how can we maintain our allies if we do not help them?

Point2: We do help them, and sometimes we help them too much, or at least we think we are helping.

Point1: Are you so perfect you think you know when an Ally needs help and when it doesn’t?

Point2: No, but we are not diplomats! We are bones of contention! The politics of this age are being influenced by the Dark, and the only thing you are going to do by stoking the flames is burn the righteous in the Dark’s trap.

Point1: But without our voice and reassurance, all kingdoms, nations, countries, and principalities will fall to the dark against us. The LIGHT Needs a voice as much as the DARK.

Point2: You are right. But when CrIsis speaks and the righteous quote them, the righteous are attacked much more fiercely than if righteous politicians speak of themselves.

Point1: But who is going to help the righteous find strength?

Point2: Pigeons carrying the weight of the world in letters of encouragement.

Point1: That is not enough.

Point2: You may be right, but Politicians are not going to retrieve pieces.

Point1: And they might also fail against the dark. Thanks to you.

Point2: Perhaps. But we need to research. We need to know. Knowledge is light, as Thoth would say. Light, Knowledge, and Truth are power, and with power we will vanquish the Dark.

Point1: A single candle can’t conquer the night.

Point2: But it can save one man, who can light a bonfire.

Point1: True. But you say you want to research, and continue in the quest of the gods. You also say you want to head straight to Bletherad. Doing so contradicts what you say.

Point2: How so?

Point1: Ley-Rhy gave us the Vision. He explained Seba, and that the Kidney of Osiris is hidden, only to be found by those that find all of the Seed Libraries. In going straight to Bletherad, you are requesting that CrIsis bypass Wisdom, Haven, Credia… You do not wish to go to Bletherad simply to study the Pieces of Osiris. You want to sate the demands of Flesh.

Point2: I am mortal, yes. I feel wrong being apart from my beloved. I feel that death and estrangement aren’t the only fates for wives and husbands of CrIsis members. There should be a third option. Can the Gods not create matter, even whole worlds? Then why can they not allow for Godly Visitation of Spouses?

Point1: So you admit it! You are distracted. You are failed.

Point2: No. If we go to Bletherad we can more easily know where all of the seed libraries have gone. And half of the libraries that I am “requesting to bypass” are passed regularly by CrIsis anyway, or within a short trip. Isn’t it better to….

Ja’Deir was pulled from his internal struggle by the savory smells of breakfast and a knock at the door. ‘’You’ve been summoned to breakfast by Master Groff.’’

Ja’Deir and the rest of CrIsis, with the exception of Xerx’ses, meet in the breakfast nook with Mr. Groff. Much was discussed, not the least of which were the Rogtilda repairs, and two quills of writing for the two members of CrIsis that don’t read or write in Elven. Ja’Deir always takes that for granted. All of this was paid for entirely by the Groff family. Point1 had a point.

While out and about, Ja’Deir felt a twinge of pain at his temple. All he was trying to do was remember the password for the Book Proceeds. He became worried momentarily, but the hustle of the day chased it from his mind.

With a weighty sum of proceeds, CrIsis paid a visit to the Church of the Sun, and lightened their purses – though Indaris and Ja’Deir paid a tithe to Rogtilda’s tiny chapel as well. Indaris, on top of a personal donation and the donation to the shipbourne chapel, paid almost completely for a shrine to Khonsu. The two newest members of CrIsis were overjoyed, to say the least.

The group then made their way to the alchemist for their assorted wares, some of which wouldn’t be ready for a month, but Rogtilda wouldn’t be repaired for at least that long anyway, so the group saw no problem with that.

Shortly after their errands were run, CrIsis made their teleporting way to the top of the Tri-Arcanum Guild – Almost into the middle of a spell made by Master Kel’ed.

Exuberant over seeing friends he had not seen in so long – and many weeks before he’d planned – he welcomed CrIsis back to Wisdom with a warning. Llorn’s influence had poisoned all of Wisdom outside of the Guild against them. Their primary goal was under assault.

Xerx’ses and Ja’Deir were able to find the RCN Library, and No Name was waylaid by paperwork by a guild clerk as a thanks for the distraction.

They found the book for which they searched – The second piece to the clever and unique puzzle. From the book of the Inner Bonds, it was ‘understanding like water, just…’

While they searched, Hannah was kidnapped! She’d gone with Kel’ed to.. ahem… and there was a misunderstanding which led to her being alone, in a guild of power-hungry spell-flingers. Indaris, after eating his weight in spiced ham, helped Kel’ed return her whole and hale. Ursus was kidnapped by Wesvon from the table with Indaris, but was returned with a never-ending-gob-piglet, much to his delighted dismay.

Xerx’ses announced to CrIsis that they would stay a month, since Rogtilda was being repaired anyway. He availed himself of the Guild to learn a brand-new spell of legend.

Ursus used the time to avail himself of the underground gladiatorial arena… ermm I mean sweets shoppe.

No Name studied at the hands of a questionable-looking man with many scars.

Indaris learned a spell, though from what Xerx’ses said, Ja’Deir thought it was impossible.

Hannah utilized the extra time to exact her revenge on her would-be captors, learning a new wicked treat in the process.

A month’s time expired, the refreshed CrIsis tried to return to the roof to teleport back to New Crests. They were stopped at the trap door by a bored-looking guard telling them Wesvon was playing with magic, and wouldn’t be done for an entire month. Xerx’ses hatched a plan for CrIsis to return before the month was up, but asked if CrIsis could do one thing – guard him for nine seconds.

But, he would learn, that is far too much to ask.

CrIsis was ambushed by invisible assailants, and they escaped back into the guild by the skin on their teeth, though Hannah had fallen, and none in CrIsis could find her in their retreat. They slammed the doors, and seconds later the solid thunk of an arrow hit the door….

>>Journal excerpt in the 4th year of CrIsis, written by Ja’Deir, Ashada Mind Mage, disciple of Apis.<<

[zyanitevp]

Wow, missed a couple, but here is the latest, from the epic level minotaur mage, Xerx'ses (about to be level 18)
The group was at the Library of Bletherad.

"If I Survive, What Then? Part 2"

| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Professor Malkin.
| At the at the Library of Bletherad.
===

Good Master Chronicler of Light,

~ The 11th of Selestra ~

I am writting this while Professor Malkin is standing next to my shoulder correcting my hand’s posture! Now he is laughing with some Elven Mage, Haladriel, I believe I overheard. Now he is…

…yep that is a joke about Minotaurs having only three fingers and a thumb. While I will not risk the crazy mage’s wrath since he yanked Father Indaris and I from the entrance to the Library of Bletherad. Then deposited us upon the side of a mountain! Where I might add the group just recovered what I believe to be five rune weapons from the lava! Still, jokes aside, CrIsis did something I was worried about not being possible, they operated as a “Team” without either sea or land leader present.

If Master No Name is right about the facts he convinced Professor Malkin to believe there is a chance Lord Raulf is still alive! Then the good Father and I have done our due diligence in gathering information regarding our cause. It is amazing to watch the tortured soul of Master No Name become a hero for a separate race, no, a person most others would see in bondage. That is a testament to his soul and character.

Oh Master Chronicler of Light, I am sorry but it was only receently pointed out to me that Malkin is not a brother but a professor now since he is not officially part of the Library staff. Please pass on my apologies for getting his title mixed up. Thank you kindly.

~ The List of Found Books by Date ~

I was aksed by my “Spellborn Twin” on the 27th of Corg to not cast a Cloud of Slumber Spell over the whole of the world by detailing everything I found. I have opted to list them and the dates they were found. Any additional notes I have tried to keep brief.

‡ 2nd of Corg: Seba – It’s True Meanings: Author – Douche Pidar (Elven)
‡ 2nd of Corg: Wolfenbrutt (Cross-referenced) Hand written note (I know it is in Giantese tongue).
‡ 2nd of Corg: Books refrencing Seba (Prophet section)
‡ 2nd of Corg: Bizantium Law: A Beginning Law Student in Legal System – Prince (Prince Section of Primary Books): Succession Law

• 3rd of Corg: I came across a mention of Terosh in the uncatalog portion of the basement.
• 3rd of Corg: Reference guide about Seed Libraries (Grab the books listed about)

‡ 4th of Corg: The Book of Osiris (I think why is obvious)
   – Enlightening but needs more reading to delve into secrets.
   – 5th of Corg: Figured out a code in the Book of Osiris
   – 7th of Corg: The Great Keeper provides a Cryptogopher that deciphers the code – “All the pieces must be assembled on the world that prevents the lost of all worlds!” OMG this is proof Old Ones are buried on this world! We are the world that prevents the others from destruction!

≜ 7th of Corg to the 14th of Corg: A team of monks and I scour the Library for a week and I am the one looking for the Dwarven and Elven references (I read Dwarven native go figure). 9 sections of the library were searched and every reference to Tolmet and Lictalon (A one time ruler of Hades!!!!!) is gone/missing/stolen.

• 15th of Corg: I’m visited by Brother Rrgrllaph at the 16th bell of the day. In recognition of helping the library he is offering to help me find one topic, so I give him Terosh and what I have found so far about the brief mention. He says he will meet me back here on the same balcony at the same bell on the 29th to give me what he finds.

• 17th of Corg: After spending two days in the Cryptic section I found three verified Elven spellings for Osiris and two verified Dwarven spellings for Osiris. There are clearly more but could not verify them as legitimate since I lost a week of time to a worthy search.

• 21st of Corg: In the Prophet section I find a rare book: The Travels & Trevails of Isis, by Xar Xar of the Defilers. (I will have to check the Haven bookstores for this).

• 23rd of Corg: I found in the Wanderer an unamed account of someone stating that the King of the Giants is slaying Gromek with single blows of the Golden Arm. I was able to discern the passage is written by Rystrom Khejas within the last 1-5 years! I tried to get it copied but a Sulestan born Elf Monk tries to take it away. He manages to get my quill from me so I use my claws to poke my hand and copy the info in my blood on the parchment I have. Security is called and I am escorted out. Clearly my aid to the library is earning me some kudos because after I hand over the scroll I get the quill back and the elf wanders off muttering about losing money at the games! The escort out gives me the option of just walking out casually to not make it seem like I am being asked to leave. They commented how nice I am as they leave me in the foyer to gather my things from the locker. That evening a group ask to come aboard Rogtilda and explain the Keeper agrees with the Monk that copying down undocumented items is against their rules, however, my aid to the library means the banishment shall only be 24 hour bells starting at Highmoon on the 24th to Highmoon on the 25th of Corg. I thank them and one of them is a fan of mine. I didn’t know I actually had any?!?!?! They have invited my tribe to visit the Library. WOW!!!! When the crew finds out I got kicked out for “BUCKING THE SYSTEM” a party erupts that night. Eyes seems to be looking out the port holes and mumbling about “someone” and “farming” and “missing them.” Hmmm, it would appear No Name found his special Elf.

• 17th, 21st, and 23rd of Corg: Books found with Seba symbol, and stored for Ja’Deir to glean word. Magic Pigeon sent to him at the end of each day away from the Library in case Xerx’ses does not see him.

‡ 24th of Corg: The day of banishment is spent in Bletherad walking around as a hooman in his Sulestan Elf explorer’s outfit. Callandor on my hip is what gave me away to the crew and CrIsis. Oh it was a grand day eating and lounging about!

• 25th of Corg: My return to the library can really be sumrmized better in that smaller “Pigeon Spell Missive” I sent to you Good Master Scribe of Light.

• 27th of Corg: My rune ring, Magos, says we have spent more time connected and as our bond grows stronger she reveals more of her power to me in the form of an ability I can use once a day (please edit this part out) of targeted nullification of magic! Hard to believe it has only been six months since that battle in Caer Itom

• 27th of Corg: In the Hall of the Fool’s classic art section I find a book call “On Tapestries: A Treatise” and within it is a red pattern tapestry with suns and moons (light and dark anyone), a Crystal Ball upon it, and Kidney inside it! This is the first legitimate reference to the Kidney of Osiris!

• 29th of Corg 16 bells: Brother Rrgllaph shares everything he found out about the Northern Kiridin, known as Terosh to his small nation of fanatics. Terosh and an army of his followers, with help from barbarian tribes that had been conquered by the 3 Furies, and Nightcloud, specifically. Having defeated them he is now in possession of the Lawgiver’s Left Eye! He has grown in power, and worship, and there are rewards being given to find the locations of other pieces.

~ End of List ~

The night of the 27th of Corg CrIsis sat down for a group dinner to share everything we had up until that point. Master Ja’Deir and I had a quick disagreement, but I have blundered over words and would be a poor excuse for a soul if I did not forgive when far smarter people are just as capable of being possessed of bad grammar choices. Also, it bears noting that everything Brother Rrgllaph found on Terosh merely confirmed all of what Master Ja’Deir had found. I told him about the Seba Reference Book, and Master Ursus presented notes as well which were mostly reference in nature but he attempted stuff well outside his comfort zone. A worthy trait to know of such a fellow teammate.

The information on the 29th of Corg I’m including after the Wolfen Monk and I spend the night drinking. I know a feat I rarely do. However, it helped steel me for an uncomfortable meeting in my room upon the soul of my friend, Rogtilda. In that evening hour I normally have to myself, I told my “Spellborn Twin” that day I was glad he is getting the chance to meet people and interact on his own. Also, that not every place will be so welcoming, especially in the northern realms. Then I leveled the hammer on something he was not expecting. I believe there will be a chance to return to my homeland of the Etrinan Fortress of the Wastelands. If that is indeed true then he will stay behind as CrIsis continues on our quest. For better or worse I feel that this will be the next best piece of the puzzle of helping bring information about the world to my homeland and the diarchy of Chieftain Stonemace and Chieftain Xixin. He said with glee that while leaving what he has known will likely feel sad at some point one does not grow without experience, and finally getting to meet some family will be wonderful!

I can only assume the agony I am feeling about my decision is what a parent goes through. All I want him to do is be safe, survive, and become a real, living, breathing, person. Because I did not give him the emotional context to my memories he is blissfully unashamed of his scarring on his left side. If I had only killed Zii’clymnt at that time maybe I could have prevented Luur’na from failing Isis and following demonic masters. That might have even saved my brother, but these are “what if’s” and forlorn hope. I can’t change the past and Kom’var may be my best shot at getting a “do over” for Rostam and I.

Back tracking a bit, during that time I had assisted in finding out some book thieves have been working the Library for references to Tolmet and Lictalon the Arch-Mage of Legend. I found a bit of cloth with a “G” embroidered upon it. I know the only place I’ve seen this is Master Alchemist Gabriel. I took and did not share this discovery with the Great Keeper, because I don’t want to throw him under the wagon before I am sure and not suspect or leaping before the wagon in bad judgement.

Father Indaris found a key piece of information and only now I am realizing I know exactly (well really close) where the Lawgiver’s Kidney is!!! Back on the 27th of Corg I came across the book “On Tapestries: A Treatise” and within it is a red pattern tapestry with suns and moons (light and dark anyone), a Crystal Ball upon it, and Kidney inside it!

Now why this is important is what Brother Indaris between the 1st and 11th of Selestra found out from a book called: Seba and the Sulestanni. It would seem they have adopted it as their seal of their nation! Now the book talked about how they combined magic and psionics during the Age of a Thousand Magicks! Apparently, they created a city in the Old Kingdom Mountain range! It is all tied together because I know the ancient name for those mountains was “Lictalon’s Scar!” That was also during the time of the New Kingdom before the the War of the Fair and the Strong and then became known as it’s current monniker of “Old.” I bet these Sulestan Elves are related the ones from the Age of Light that died out in the Northern Hinterlands watching the mountains that block the monsters from the Land of the Damned and us. Sorry, I am so excited because he found a map that shows this valley and copied it. Imagine a whole city that:

‡ Has a crystal somewhere within it that hides the Kidney of Osiris!

‡ May have a seed library, like the Etrinan Fortress once had!

This gets even better because we have Song of the err… Yeah we have a key to help us find the kidney but now, NOW WE KNOW THE LOCATION! Well it’s still somewhere in that valley, but WOO HOO!!!!!

Oh, yes, I know the Sulestan Elves hate me and I am likely walking into death trap but either Terosh’s group murders me, the Elves murder me, the Demons murder me, or crafty kobolds get it done. I don’t have time to hide in fear, like a Dwarvish Opera you either love or hate me! HAHA! Another funny!

The rest of the group opted to head off with Professor Malkin to the Volcano of Y to look for the items that were spotted by Master No Name’s spiritual familiar: Tobi. As one can read from the beginning of this elongated missivie they were successfull in their adventures here. From what they tell me it was thought we had lost the Ashada. Master No Name conceived a plan with Mistress Hannah and Master Ursus to save him from another Nightstalker Dragon that lived in Haladriel’s Undermountain dungeon!! See, that is teamwork and loyalty!!

Every time I think I am done with this log one of my friends comes back over to remind me of something I forgot. Such is my memory and its a wonder to the joking elves I can remember my name it seems. Sweet Mistress Hannah reminded me the extra Ranger she met is clamouring to get to Haven and with the pigeon message from Master No Name’s mentor, Logan about the horde of undead that has grown in 6 months since Sir Quixis Ote, gave us warning back in Algor of this year.

Please allow me a small pause but I have officially completed two years in CrIsis on the 31st of Corg, and Mistress Annie made a complete multiple course meal theme around my favorite food, carrots! Every dish, drink, and carrot cake was something I could not have gotten in my homeland. It was a wonderful party and even our new fan, Rian Seacress, was there and got to join in the fun. Father Indaris is keepin an eye on him but after a few prayers and spells can’t prove he is a villian in disguise. Which means he is welcomed until proving otherwise.

The follwoing day was the Festival of Peace and Brotherhood that Master Gavin help to create. It was interesting to watch Father Indaris and Master No Name become the ones almost ignored because if was the non-hoomans getting thanked for helping to promote tolerance in the world.
Auntie Ev, whom hosted the event was kind enough to share all of his notes about Yggdrasil, Glade., and the famous Millennium Tree. I will not list them here, but our group has shared them amongst ourselves. I shared my story about Jaymus Murry meeting Thoth with him I got from the books. Because of course our books are in the Library of Bletherad as well!

Now that I feel I have covered the last six weeks fairly well. Oh good grief can someone please ask the crazy Arch-Mage, Haladriel, to stop using my horns to start knitting a scarf from?!?!?!

Frickinssdvoijnsdvoinv, grrrrr!

I think this guy is insane and if it were not for the power I can feel emmanating from him I would pay him a less than kind word or three.

Etrinus Fortem,
#monsterlivesmatter

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda

>> Written by Xerx’ses Goldenhorn, sent at Highmoon upon the 29th of Corg, 3rd year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, 71st Year of the Wolfen Empire, 344 year of the Dominion of Man, and 24th Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II. <<

[zyanitevp]

Wow, been a long time since I posted, so here is the last official log from Xerx'ses, the now Immortal Minotaur Wizard.

"A World of Light & Dark"

Most Holy Pontiff of the Church of Light and Dark,

I will never be the same again.



~ The 21st of Ra to the 30th of Ra ~

I may not have gotten any smarter, but I feel I could have become wiser? Although, one might argue that acknowledgement of improvement in one’s self is either hubris or intelligence. In my case probably both with a sprinkle of waning naivety.

I suppose it would be stupid of me to think word is not spreading already of our most recent trip to our chosen homeland of Timiro. I suspect the Tri-Arcanum will be getting requests for membership because of my apparel worn today among the practitioners of magic circle that was gathered to help me perform a Spell of Legend that has changed me forever! I am finally understanding what your holiness and the Slayer of Mountains said about balance. I am finally getting how out of balance the world truly is. One might say this spell and the unique way I hid the words of power in the incantation have granted me an epiphany!

From what I read a great deal of historians focus on the event and not enough give attention to how and why an event comes to pass. So, I beg a boon of your time as my long wordy and missive paints the stage that will be filling scrolls of magic pigeons and written missives over land and sea for some time to come.

The stone floor of the common for the dormitory of the priests of Osiris in Nisi’s “Golden Triangle” or center of town, was warm and and my eyes awoke to three acolytes standing wide eyed.

“Vegetables and a bean soup if you have that, would be most gracious of you,” and when my native Dwarven tongue illicited raised hands I repeated it in Elven.

Even at my skill with the tiers of magic those three seemingly teleport away! Soon I could smell the food long before the acolytes returned, but the welcomed surprise was the large bag of dried carrots I was gifted. T’would seem my love of carrots is spreading much faster than I thought possible. I signed their books of CrIsis as a thank you for their service before Father Philip came over to remind them of their duties. I think he used to be a warrior at one point because no matter how nice he is – AND HE IS NICE! He mimics motions of many guards and knights when I move or when they get reminded of my size. In a “smalls” world I just have to remember to do things slowly because to much force with my weight equals busted smalls’ stuff.

As I eat I am going over the spell I finished not to long ago, figuring out the ancient Words of Power I cannot utter here. I had figured out a way to hide them in a prayer twixt other words as a kenning to keep anyone from listening from figuring them out. Now I just need fifty, yes fifty wizards for this Ritual of Legend. It would be the only time I would need to cast it. I worked over in my head how to ask the King for permission to borrow the gantrium ring to make it that I would only need 25 wizards. Now I just needed to find a way to convince 25 to 50 wizards to help me cast a spell not attempted since the Time of a Thousand Magicks! I just wish I knew even then what the result of the last casting was. Keep reading I found out!

Master Ursus spent the morning posing for artists among his statue in front of the Obelisk of Osiris. Both he and Master No Name were invited to a private ritual / service honoring the god, Khonsu, at one of the artist’s house. Father Indaris and I tried to shop for a ring for his . . .
. . .bride, Nara. Alas, we were unable to find such a ring but drew a crowd because, well I am an eleven foot tall Minotaur. When a man the town folk knew well ask Father Indaris to cure his blindness, the good priest at first thought that would not be possible. I tried to explain softly (which is still a booming voice for most very close to me) that were it a curse then he might have a chance. Many of the townsfolk came forward and vouched for the man’s story. About five years ago he had begun negotiations of a permanent relationship with a woman in the town that did not work out. She revealed herself to be a witch and cursed him before leaving to parts unknown. Father Indaris did indeed cure the man of his Curse of Blindness and throughout the rest of the day we periodically saw him running around town exclaiming to anyone and everyone how he had sight once more! I love the miracles of our heavenly pantheon!

Well about three turns of an hourglass after highsun CrIsis met at the Obelisk and Father Philip led us inside. It was the only time during this missive I was required to take Hooman form. I tried changing on one side of the now growing cornstalks gifted by my use of the Lawgiver’s Member on our last visit. Some of the lay priests created a barrier so I had some room to change and gather my items. Once inside we found that the secondary pyramid in Bizantium was destoryed or corrupted somehow by the Dark. Commander Mack said he would make inquiries as to. . .
. . .how that happened?

Please keep reading but when we get to the part about Nara making a suspicious donation to a certain temple. Come back up here and read the last sentence I just wrote again. I think I found a puzzle piece, one I didn’t want to find.

We updated Father Philip and now I am really glad we took the Silver Torch of the Obelisk back. Master No Name has some dark stains upon his soul, but Isis the Forgiving allowed him to carry the silvered torch patterened after her personal one! Any lingering doubts about this gentleman have officialy been squashed with such a display. I thought for certain he would die, but this “balance” of the church seems to be taking a foot hold in the world.

By the 22nd of Ra it had been worked out to have the priests all donate what they could to help me get us over to Credia, and in a fit of inspiration and luck I managed to place us just outside the Palace gates of King Guy the First! I was so excited that Father Philip had come with us until I saw that Master NoName had arrived upside down and he promptly fell. Flabergasted, I apologized but was stopped when I noticed a glorious sight overhead, Mistress Hannah on Silky with a little lance! I had explained her letter to the group but it was still a sight to see her, well, focused!!!

We were brought before the king as word of our arrival began to spread throughout the capital of the kingdom. This was a very different King Guy than the one we met upon our last visit during the winter season. He was jovial and eager to meet with us and Lady Ondemeira of Torchwood. Just to be clear I am not complaining and I owe my current status to his majesty completely! It appears that being associated with us has helped him in negotiations with other countries to avoid military joint ventures via persuasion. This had the added effect of making it more profitable for merchants wishing to perform trade safely without the fear of armies clashing and the chaos that brings. It seems the coffers of the kingdom are running over and he granted each member of CrIsis a boon of anything they wish, we had but to ask! Quietly I said a prayer to my savior and his wife for the Gods work in mysterious ways indeed!

I asked to go last because I new my boon would be big, really big. Master Ursus just wanted another grand dinner, and his majesty mentioned one had been planned for that evening. Father Inadris asked for troops to be sent to Nisi to help bolster its defenses from the any future attacks of the dark. Master No Name and Commander Mack I don’t remember asking for anything in particular. Mistress Hannah was becomming Dame Hannah this evening as she would be recognized as a Timirian citizen! The first fairy on record to do so it should be noted.

Then it came down to me, I stepped forward and knelt before King Guy and FLOORED EVERYONE WITH MY REQUEST, “I need fifty wizards to assist me with a Ritual of Legend to turn myself into an immortal.”

There was a moment of silence and the king said he would need seven days to gather everyone and make that happen, which prompted a group vote to stay for a week to let that happen. I explained about how becoming an immortal would make me hard to kill permanently like Master Ursus. However, it was my statement of saying I could teleport CrIsis to the edge of the Nimro Kingdom I am sure swayed Commander Mack and everyone else to let me go forth with my plan! The vote was unanimous to stay for the week!

During the meal Father Indaris was asked to give a speech to the assembled party as we all watched and this time a crowd of 25,000 people were here to see us! It was like being in Sekti-Abtu during Mighty Ra’s festival! I cast a Powerful Aura Spell upon our good priest as he donned his Sanctified Vestments and prepared his Contagious Scripture, which I have copied below for you:

I behold a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the Sun, with the Moon at her feet. And on her head was a diadem of the twelve stars. Hear me, O Lady Isis, hear and save. O thou queen of love and mercy, thou crowned with the throne, thou hauled as with the Moon. Thou whose countenance is mild and glowing, even as grass refreshed by rain.
Hear me, our Lady Isis, hear and save. O thou who art in matter manifest. Thou bride and queen as thou art mother and daughter of the Slain One. O thou who art the Lady of the Earth. Hear me, O Lady Isis, hear and save. O thou Lady of the amber skin. Lady of love and of victory, bright gate of glory through the darkening skies. O crowned with the Light and life and love.
Hear me, our Lady, hear and save by thy sacred flower, the Lotus of eternal life and beauty; by thy love and mercy; by thy wrath and vengeance; by my desire toward thee, by all the magical names of old hear me, O Lady, hear and save. Open thy bosom to thy child, stretch forth thy arms and strain me to thy breasts. Let my lips touch thy lips ineffable.

Hear me, O Lady Isis, hear and save. Lift up thy voice to aid me in this critical hour. Lift up thy voice most musical. Cry aloud, O queen and mother, to save me from that I fear most. I invoke thee to initiate my soul. The whirling of my dance, may it be a spell and a link with thy great light, so that in the darkest hour, the Light may arise in me and bring to me thine own glory and empower my hand.
Isis is strength, and from my life are fed all showers and suns, all moons that wax and wane, all stars and streams, the living and the dead, the mystery of pleasure and of pain. I am the Mother. I the speaking sea. I am the Earth in its fertility. Life, death, love, hatred, light, darkness, return to me, to me. Isis am I, and to my beauty draw. All glories of the Universe bow down, the blossom and the mountain and the dawn. Fruits blush and women are creations crowned.
I am the priest, the sacrifice, the shrine. I am the love and life of the Divine. Life, death, love, hatred, light, darkness, are surely mine, are mine. Isis am I, the love and light of Earth, the wealth of kisses, the delight of tears, the bowel and pleasure never come to birth, the endless infinite desire of years. I am the shrine at which thy long desire devoured thee with intolerable fire. I was sung music, passion, death upon thy lyre, thy lyre. I am the grail and I the glory now. I am the flame and fueler of thy breath. I am the star of God upon thy brow.

I am thy queen enraptured and possessed. High do these sweet rivers welcome to the sea, ocean of love that shall encompass thee. Life, death, love, hatred, light, darkness, return to me, to me. Hear, Lady Isis, and receive my prayer. Thee, thee I worship and invoke. Hail to thee, sole mother of my life.
I am Isis, mistress of the whole land. I was instructed by Hermes, and with Hermes I invented the writings of the nations in order that not all should write with the same letters. I gave mankind their laws, and ordained what no one can alter. I am the eldest daughter of Kronos. I am the wife and sister of the king Osiris. I am she who rises in the dog star. I am she who is called the goddess if women. I am she who separated the heaven from the earth. I have pointed out their paths to the star. I have invented seamanship.
I have brought together men and women. I have ordained that the elders shall be beloved by the children. With my brother Osiris I made an end of cannibalism. I have instructed mankind in the mysteries. I have taught reverence of the divine statues. I have established the Temple precincts. I have overthrown the dominion of the tyrants. I have caused men to love women. I have made justice more powerful than silver and gold. I have caused truth to be considered beautiful. Come unto me and pledge unto me your loyalties as I pledge mine unto you.
Oh mother Isis, great art thou in thy splendor, mighty is thy name and thy love has no bounds. Thou art Isis, who art all that ever was, and all that there is to be, for no mortal man hath ever unveiled thee. In all thy grace thou has brought forth the sun, the fruit that was born forth for the redemption of man. Oh Isis, Isis, Isis, graciously hear our cry unto thee, we mourn for thy blessings on us this day, every day, to nourish, to aid and to fill the emptiness within, that only you our beloved mother can satiate. Unto thee do we pledge our solemn oath of dedication, and for the power and glory of him the Unknowable One to witness our devotion to thee.

For as we now receive thee into our hearts, we ask that you never leave us, in times of trial and joy, and even unto death.
O Lady of Seas, who shines like gold, is brilliant like the sun, who is powerfully fragrant, who wields the rod of suzerainty, who is the form of supreme rulership, who is radiant with ornaments and is the goddess of wealth. O Lady of heavens, the Goddess Isis who shines like gold, blooms like the moon, who is fresh with anointment of the innocent, who is adorned with the Roses of Life, who is the presiding deity of love and nourishment, who is the mistress of the Good and the bold.
Oh, could we hear those whispering roses sweet, Isis’s beauties bending till their petals meet, And blushing, mingling their sweet fragrance there, In language yet unknown to mortal ear.

I resort to thee, Lady of the lakes, for shelter in this world, who is beautiful like the moon, who shines bright, who is blazing with renown, which is adored (even) by the gods, whom is highly magnanimous, and grand like the Rose. May my misfortunes perish. I surrender myself to You, O resplendent like the Sun! By your power and glory, plants like the bael tree have grown up. may the fruits thereof destroy through the grace of all inauspiciousness rising from the inner organs and ignorance as well from the outer senses.

Holy Pontiff, if you can find a way to get this missive copied and sent to my father, Rostam Stonemace, I would be in your debt. King Guy walked to the edge of the balcony looking over the populace, and began his speech. A speech that called upon his people to quest for peace and harmony among all the races of the world! I was again happy no one could really see tear up at seeing those whom have every right to hate me cheer at living together with other races that were not Hooman, Elf, or Dwarf! I could see Master Ursus was surprised as well. Especially, when the King began listing them each and saying wonderful things about each of them. What caught me off guard was when I was called “Xerx’ses the Golden One – Champion of all that is good among the Monster Races!”

They cheered so loud I felt I was in Lopania once more!

GOLDEN ONE!

GOLDEN ONE!

GOLDEN ONE!

I was didn’t know what else to do so I just held up the hands since one of my Championship Rings was on each!

Golden One, look out and witness my words come true. Greatness will be what awaits you if you survive. Never forget and never give up!

It finally became time for Dame Hannah to be declared a citizen of Timiro! Lady Ondemira was making it possible for the speakers to be heard over the whole crowd, but the King, whom was still in possession of the current enchantment, had to speak for Dame Hannah. I cast a small light spell to make her stand out against it and be seen by everyone. She can give King Guy a run for his money when it comes to inspiring crowds. She inadvertently promised we would bring a piece of Osiris here next. Forgetting there were no further places to put said piece in Timiro. However, I have a plan that allows for this to work. If we bring the Lawgiver’s Left Arm here, place it in the Pyramid of Credia, and take the Lawgiver’s Lung and place that at the tree then we still accomplish both missions! To help bolster her speech I held the Lawgiver’s Right Index Finger aloft and cries of the crowd went wild!

Back to her speech, WOW! Dame Hannah has indeed changed! This Palladin of Timiro is not the little fairy we once new, and there is even talk of her joining some elite group of kinghts and palladins called, The Sentinels. I am so proud of her! The evening ended on a high note when Father Indaris and blessed Isis made a rainbow appear at night!!!

It was afternoon on the 23rd of Ra when I awoke in the converted manor house, the Titan Lord of Basst would use when he visits, which makes me feel a bit small. The bed is amazing though!!! I overheard servants mentioning that guests last evening did not leave until two hourglass turns past highmoon!

I began preparring myself with nothing but constant prayer and meditation for the ordeal I was about to subject myself to. My notes on the spell suggest the last successful casting of this was by Arioch, a war mage of the New Kingdom and former student of one of the nine disciples of Lictalon the Great himself! If calendar and records are right then it was 50,000 to 60,000 years ago! I will tell you and expect this to be edited if the Gods don’t want a bunch of other immortal wizards running around. If you can learn “WHY” a word of power was significant then you can use them once more, or apply them to new words! So what I was actually doing with the seven days was teaching myself new word associations so I could hide the power words as other words in a prayer and use the prayer itself as the linking words from one power word to the next. It is actually brillant that the quest of the Seba Symbol is what gave me the idea! Imagine how many spells are hidden in plain text all over the world, only because people have forgotten the ancient words of power’s meanings!!!

Dame Hannah I am told had the day off on the 25th from guard duty and took Father Indaris around to shop for the wedding. They ran into a, well I believe, it was a “Internal Magic Caster,” or Mystic of some kind that sold rings and revealed Nara to be turned to the Dark! The same Nara that Father Philip left in charge of Nisi while he was away here in Credia! Lady Ondemira confirmed that she knew but because of the Agreement she was unable to say anything until we mentioned it first! Father Indaris is notably devastated, and I realize my decision to hold off on pursuing any romantic intereest is quite possibly the wisest decision I have ever made. However, Father Indaris had made no plans to get married until the quest was over, why the change in Nara?

Did they have something on her?
How long had she been working for them?
Why did she donate 20,000 gold to the Temple of Anubis?!?!?!?!

Now go back up and read that part I mentioned eariler about loosing the secondary Pyramid in Bizantium. It breaks my heart to see my friend tore up about this. Father Philip rode for Nisi on the 27th with no fan fare and only trusted priests with him. It is believed Nara is unaware that we know of her deception. When my friend came to me on the 29th of Ra for advice and counsel I willing gave it to him. I had to point out that the minotaurs we fought in…
…urrm, the wilds of the Western Empire were people I had grown up with. I had cut their horns off to prevent them from entering the afterlife to be brought back to life. That one of them taught me how to use a knife and we called each other friend. However, when they made the choice to attack the tribe, murder my brother, and serve evil. I knew I had to kill them, and the burn scars were a reminder that evil is a choice. We all sacrificed to pursue a better world to live in and each of us are responsible for those choices. I then mentioned Luur’na’s betrayal of Isis, and her attack upon priests of light and my father, Rostam. I know that when we meet once again I will have to kill her and take her horns as well. I sympathized with him and I truly understood how he felt but that never made me waver in service to my lord and savior. Even when I was rebuked for my actions!

Dawn came upon the 30th of Ra, as a knock on the door to the manor I was staying in. I opened it and found myself staring up at Lord Instarror – the Titan himself, palladin and a wizard! I stepped back and bowed but I heard King Guy step out from behind the Titan and he made the formal introductions between us. The Titan made it clear he was here at his King’s request but should something go awry he would put me down than suffer Minotaur pretender masquerading as a hero. I nodded and did not try to rebuttal any of it, since my race has its reputation for a reason. Lord Instarror was my attendant and watcher today. I am sure there was pressure from other Titans in the world to get a measure of me and stop me if I should falter. I made sure to hide nothing in the preperation since I had already finished the incantations conversion to prayer. Nothing needed to be hidden!

No pressure, right?

When it finally came time in the twilight hours the ritual was set up in the parade grounds so the public could see the legendary feat of magic since having 50 wizards show up tends to raise talk among the populace. There were 3 Gnomes, 12 Elves, 2 Kobolds, 2 Hobgoblins, and Orc Priest of Osiris, and 30 Hoomans! Three of the Elves and nine of the Hoomans were female one of each of the females were wearing robes and dress themed in Timirian colors but embroidered with the Tri-Arcanum sigil.

Lord Instarror stood outside the ritual as the moderator, and pulled forth a TITAN-SIZED sword with no cross guard and appeared to be made of white ivory with black eldritch markings upon it! The grip was wrapped in white leather and his stance suggested they’re old and comfortable friends. I genuinely think he wanted me to screw up so he could use it. It took everything I had to ignore him and focus on the first day of the rest of my life!

Slowly and with purpose I began the incantation. I had drawn Callandor and used it to make the gestures of drawing the circle and focal gestures so it became my Wizard’s Magical Rod or Staff. However, I really just wanted to share this moment with my dearest friend. I did notice the sword blade has grown and I need a new sheath for it. I continued with the masqueraded incantation / prayer with the Words of Power tied to words within the prayer but I knew them, and everyone felt the pulsing swirl of energy as they would be uttered.

To you Mistress of Lineage
As a dance of illusion-like emanations possessing
the hidden factors of innumerable Triumphant Ones, leaving out nothing,
You arise in whatever manners are needed for the lightening of spirit
You are as the glimmering of streams, the sources
of everything constructive and excellent
in compulsive existence and peaceful nirvana.

To you, with fervent yearning, we make our requests:
Bestow waves of uplifting strength and inspiration
For the lifespan of your breaths,
Guardian and Queen of the Universe,
Allow him to remain unchangeable for hundreds of eons, without ever depleting,
And for all his wishes and aims to be fulfilled.

To all the hosts of divine beings arising in countless
forms with their supported peoples:
A cloud of illusory forms of immaculate,
greatly blissful deep awareness
Manifesting everywhere throughout the expanse of the sphere
of reality that allows for everything to appear

To you, with fervent yearning, we make our requests:
Bestow waves of uplifting strength and inspiration
For the lifespan of your breath,
Guardian and She of the Greatest Heart,
Allow him to remain balanced for hundreds of eons, without ever diminishment,
And for all his wishes and aims to be fulfilled.

To all that walk in the light
throughout the many worlds,
Endowed with ten forces, lords of the gods:
Through sporting forever in the ocean of realms
of wandering beings,
You bring about benefit through appearances of your
enlightening influence,
Spontaneously replete with the good qualities of your
abandonments and realizations.

To you, with fervent yearning, we make our requests:
Bestow waves of uplifting strength and inspiration
For the lifespan of your breath,
Guardian and She of the Greatest Heart,
Allow him to remain balanced for hundreds of eons, without ever diminishment,
And for all his wishes and aims to be fulfilled.

May he be the host of the Divine Will:
With the glory of being unstained, unwavering, totally excellent
and fully constructive,
You bring about definite liberation from
the three perishable worlds, with whatever means suits,
And are a treasure of gems of supreme stillings and
total purifications.

To you, with fervent yearning, we make our requests:
Bestow waves of uplifting strength and inspiration
For the lifespan of your breath,
Guardian and She of the Greatest Heart,
Allow him to remain balanced for hundreds of eons, without ever diminishment,
And for all his wishes and aims to be fulfilled.

To all that follow the balance
of realized awareness and liberation:
You have the deep awareness that straightforwardly fathoms
the meaning of deepest truths,
Which has provided you the great courage to rise above
the machinations and restrictions of existence
And become inseparable from the Fortress of the mind

To you, with fervent yearning, we make our requests:
Bestow waves of uplifting strength and inspiration
For the lifespan of your breath,
Guardian and She of the Greatest Heart,
Allow him to remain balanced for hundreds of eons, without ever diminishment,
And for all his wishes and aims to be fulfilled.

Light the color of glowing, hot, molten, gold began to manifest and swirl about fromeach and every mage, plus one priest present. Soon it became whirpool of golden light so bright it drew from all over the city as I slowly began to lift off the ground reciting the incantation over and over for one full turn of the hourglass! The clouds above began to swirl to match. Lord Instarror stood motionless and only his eyes moving, sensing, waiting for this to turn dark, but that did not happen. As an inverted whirlpool of golden light lifted me as high as the upper tower of the castle with all the eyes of Credia seeing the Golden Minotaur at the “Apex Of The Mystical Maelstrom” according to a description I heard one of the wizrds there later use. As I gathered and began permanently crushing the swirling mana into my very soul I watch my flesh shred away and I was pure golden light! I continued to pull the energy into me and soon I was flesh once more! hair regrew and I felt as though I was spiritually and somewhat physically reborn, no “re-made” by the magic that now renewed me, sustained me and kept me whole! I was no longer mortal, I was still vulernable but time, disease, and age were no longer weapons death could draw from within its arsenal to use upon me. I am immortal!

I slowly drifted back down to the ground I had only been wearing the golden scale and plate skirting from the Harness of Law over my robe from the Tri-Arcanum Guild. The physical changes upon me were very, VERY evident! The very grain falling within the hourglass that my feet touched the ground Lord Instarror raised his ivory blade as though it were doubling for a mystical staff and began to cast serval spells upon me. The look on his face when he verified what I could feel in my soul was remarkable.

“I CANNOT BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS BUT THIS MAY BE THE ONLY PURE AND GOOD MINOTAUR IN EXISTENCE!”

As though waiting for his reply nearly all the wizards verified and I could feel the Orc priest with others attending the king began to cast their own magicks or communing with the Gods and it was agreed the ritual had succeeded.

My aura radiated goodness now to match a Spirit of Light!
My skin was pink like Elf flesh!
My scars! All of my scars were gone completely!
My hair and fur was a golden blonde!
My horns were white with light brown/burnished bronze tips!
My eyes were the warm color of amber!

Cries of the Golden Minotaur now made a lot more sense! I had indeed become as a golden minotaur. NO ONE was afraid of me and so many people remarked how handsome I looked. Seven of the Hooman wizards said they would stay and tomorrow help us on the 31st teleport to the lands of the Giants.

I HAD PERFORMED LEGENDARY MAGIC ! ! !

~ Addendum ~

~ The 1st of Thoth to the 2nd of Thoth ~

After letting me rest for 16 hours I was able to recover all of my magical energies within myself again. It was now the 1st of Thoth and CrIsis had arrived at cartographer’s dream and worst nightmare – the “Three Corners”! That spot where the borders of the Old Kingdom, Land of the South Winds, and the land of the Giants – the Nimro Kingom touch. As I stood among my friends and looked over the three nations or regions as it were. I could not help but be quieted by the shattered and broken look of the savannah stretching before me, here was the remanents of the Elven New Kingdom from the Time of a Thousand Magicks! Then I saw rocks that had some right angles to them and realized thousands of years ago this was once someone’s home. A home that was destroyed in the War of the Fair and Strong and no one would ever know whom was due restitution for its removal from the world.

Without the blessed Cornbread from Nisi I would have suffered greatly in the mighty swealtering humidity. The source of that heat left its mark in the sky, Mount Nimro and it’s twin peak. The stink of sulfur reminded me of underground lava flows from home and I knew it was only going to get worse.

The first day of the month round out with a small group of Worms of Taut that Father Indaris said were called “Gravediggers” attacking us. I don’t even remember lifting a finger to deal with them before my friends had crushed them into meaty chunks. Commander Mack is quite skilled with small group tactics! I thought I had a working grasp of the mechaincs but clearly he can do way more with even less, quite astounding.

The second day of the month is where I need to wrap this up. We had found a small hill with boulders shielding us from prying eyes of the west. We have had to cook quickly and eat sparingly once again, oh good grief to I miss sweet Dame Hannah and her cooking acumen right now. At least my skill in lighting the fire with flaming bolts is really taking off but no one in the group is quite use to the golden yellow halo to all my spells now. Heck, I am still getting use to being “blonde” in my hair color now. Still have four digits on my hands and feet so at least that has not changed.

Ack I am digressing once again, we had begun moving closer to the volcanoes of legend and fortunately had not run across any of the Giants said to roam this land. Well about three turns of an hourglass after highsun that changed! Two women ran past us with the look of escaped slaves: an Elf and Orc. Both were sporting wounds and they screamed at us, “RUN! RUN!! THE RED RAIDERS ARE COMING!!!”

I asked my companions if Red Raiders was a term for Fire Giants? Since both fleeing slaves had a southern accent. Not thirty grains of an hourglass later did we see one Fire Giant and his shortie cohorts coming our way. Alas, this is where I must leave you as we prepare to smite evil one more time!

Etrinus Fortem,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
Immortal War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda

[Glistam]

Congratulations to Xerx'ses!

[zyanitevp]

I don't know if you should congratulate him- at his high level he is starting to leave too many in the dust, and the immortal part just makes me want to kill him more....

[zyanitevp]

New official log, from the mischievous, and newly minted Palladin, the fairy Hannah-Rod Rambler is the legendary bard in my game, thus the reference.

"Rod Rambler She Ain't"

Utoog looked out over the plains from the top of the wall. Day in, day out, it was the exact same view, and one he was beginning to get bored of.

“How does the King know that they’re going to appear here?”

“The king has resources, which you or I do not have,” the larger Freytag rumbled from behind Utoog.

“But why here? This is the middle of nowhere. They’d be fools to cross here, leaving the greater portion of the kingdom ahead of them.”

“They think to sneak in,” Manny said walking up to the confab on the walls. “In a way, it’s smart. If they can avoid all the patrols that would allow them to arrive at the gates of the castle relatively unannounced.”

“But this is CrIsis. They’ve never walked away from a fight. You’ve read their books,” Utoog said in a grumble.

“You read a book about champions of the light?” Freytag growled.

“All the better to know our enemies, Freytag.”

A cry of pain echoed out from the accessway under the wall. All three men turned to each other and said, “They’re under the wall,” at the same time.

They leapt off the interior edge of the wall, landing just in front of the access path under the wall. It should have been hidden to anyone who wasn’t one of the wall-guards. Apparently it wasn’t hidden well enough. I’ll have to make sure to let our commanders know that they need to improve security of the accessways. It wouldn’t do for an army of vermin to march their way through under the wall.

The little rats were quick to notice their mistake and began to run back the way they came.

“We’ve got them now,” Manny said with a bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes.

Utoog wasn’t as sure. Something felt off about the whole situation. These weren’t the right mix of vermin, first of all. They had and Elf and an Orc. CrIsis changed frequently, but it would have been news across Palladium if the Minotaur had died…or turned toward the dark which was preferable.

Utoog was just about to voice his concern when they topped a small rise and ran right into CrIsis.

“Well, crap,” he muttered to himself, “It would seem that CrIsis has gathered themselves an army.”
*

“I know I am not as smart as the others but how in the world do you know that’s what he said before we began fighting?” Xer’xses said as they walked through the plains three days later.

“Well, it’s so what he could have said,” Hannah replied with a smile. “I mean, there are ten of us right now, and that’s a small army in my book.”

Xer’xses just gave her a look like she was insane. She just flew backwards a few inches in front of his face and said, “Xer’xses, you’re basically an army unto yourself.”

With a small shrug he gave her the point without really acknowledging it.
*

“Freytag, are you sure that they’re coming through here?” Utoog said from the middle of the line.

Wait, how many of these giants are going to be named Freytag and Utoog?

As many as I want, now hush, cause I’m telling this story

“They’ve been leaving a path of destruction across the Kingdom, Utoog. Personally, I’m beginning to fear for my life, but maybe we’ll survive this encounter to give more specific information about our opponents to the king.”

“Hey, Guys,” Manny said from the front of the line, “I think I hear something from up ahead.

The clouds seemed to fall down upon them from the sky, blanketing the ground with fog. Visibility dropped to almost nothing and the line of soldiers became disorganized.

“Form Up” Freytag called out into the fog.

With stumbling and shoving the giants formed up in the fog and began to cast forth to look for their opponents.

“Hey, Freytag,” Utoog called out.

“What, Utoog?” Freytag said with a sigh.

“I think we might actually survive this.”

There was some laughter from the ranks.

“Why do you say that, Utoog?”

“Because they can’t see us either.”
*

“Freytag, they would have to be idiots to come here to Mt. Nimro. Everyone knows that the castle is on Mt. Nimrod.”

“Utoog, stop your complaining. They’ve been making a bee-line for this mountain, so they obviously have some reason to be coming here.”

“Guys, what’s that,” Manny said pointing to something moving in the underbrush.

Fog descended upon the mountain.

“They’re using the fog trick again,” Freytag called out to his men.

“Maybe we should send some runners back to the king,” Manny said, quietly, so as not to alert their enemy.

“I’ll stay here,” Freytag responded, “Utoog, take Manny and six others. Stop for nothing.”

“Aye, sir,” Utoog said. He gathered his men and began running in the direction of Nimrod. The fog slowly lifted and eventually they had a clear view of the further mountain.

“Looks like we’ve survived,” Manny said with a laugh.

The CrIsis horde descended upon them leaving no-one alive in the small scout group.
*

“We’re a Horde now are we?”

“Who’s telling this story,” Hannah said a little huffily.

“Well, you’re certainly telling a story.”

Hannah stuck out her tongue and continued with her story.
*

“Keep an eye out, Men. CrIsis could be anywhere out here.” Freytag called out.

“Why us? What did we ever do to deserve this? I mean, they’re slaughtering us left and right. That’s our job. We’re supposed to be doing the looking in the human lands, not the other way around.”

“Shut up, Manny. Stop your complaining. We’re out in larger groups now. We outnumber them 5 to 1,” Utoog said.

“Both of you shut up, we’re going to give away our position.”

“Is that fog?” Manny said as fog descended on the group.

“Stick together and move forward. Form Up” Freytag called out into the fog.

With stumbling and shoving the giants formed up in the fog and began to cast forth to look for their opponents.

“Hey, Freytag,” Utoog called out.

“What, Utoog?” Freytag said with a sigh.

“I think we might actually survive this.”

There was some laughter from the ranks.

“Why do you say that, Utoog?”

“Because they can’t see us either.”

“What’s that there in the fog?” Manny asked.

A wall of icy shards loomed out of the fog just as a sweet smelling cloud appeared around them. Giants began to drop left and right, whether from the cloud or the wall. Then the killing truly began. Bleeding, battered, just happy for a lungful of clear air, a half dead Utoog stumbled out of the fog directly into the path of a fairy lance.

“Well, F me.”
*

Utoog looked around himself at the members of CrIsis surrounding him. Ursus was standing in front of him still holding the stem of the Pear he’d just eaten.

Wait, now the Evil Ursus is named Utoog?

Try to keep up. It’s just too good a name to pass up. That and saying Evil Ursus is a little unwieldy, don’t you think?

Utoog looked around at his newly formed compatriots and without a word they all took off down the road.

“Freytag, aren’t we doing exactly what our originals want us to do by running up toward the castle?”

There is no way that Ursus would have ever said something like that.

Right, but this is Utoog.

And that makes it work…

Exactly!

“Sorry, Utoog, someone interrupted you. Could you repeat that?”

“Yeah. So, why are we heading in this direction instead of the other direction the other two ran in?”

“Well, since there were only two, they are likely dead by now.”

“We just barely left!” Utoog repeated loudly, something he was well capable of.

“This place is deadly.” Freytag responded.

“Yes, but nothing is that deadly…well, nothing outside of CrIsis. Have you seen how quickly they’ve been dispatching their foes?” Utoog said.

“Well, it’s up to us to see how well we live up to their standard.” Freytag said with a gleam in his eye.

“What do you mean, Freytag?” Manny said.

“We may be evil, but we’re not stupid. The only way out, is through right now. We could either try to kill ourselves, who are considerably more capable than us right now, or we can go through the Giants that they have been walking through as if they didn’t exist.”

“Well, we only have a couple of days to live anyway. Let’s have fun with it. I’m up for killing me some giants,” Utoog said.

“Charge!” Freytag called out and the ran up the causeway, directly toward the castle. The walls were huge. Giants assaulted them every step of the way, but they prevailed against them right up to the gates of the castle.

We have no idea that any of that actually happened, Hannah.

I’m writing an epic here.

An epic something…

Hush, you.

The bodies lay unmoving behind them as they approached the gates. Thinking the small force something to be ignored and crushed, they opened the gates to slip forth and crush them. The small group pushed forward to the very entrance of the castle and there they ground to a halt.
*

Utoog looked out from the top of the wall. “Man, I wish we were having fun at the front gate like our compatriots.”

Wait, Hannah. You’re skipping all of the important stuff.

What? Like the boring trek through the wilderness?

Well, yeah.

Me scouting ahead a lot, especially at twice fairy speed.

Sure, and…

The decision to scout the castle, thereby seeing that our first plan to air-drop into the courtyard would fail miserably, requiring the plan that currently seems to be working of using fairy food Pears to create our evil doppelgangers which are attacking the castle, something I just covered by the way. sure, I skipped over you changing basically everyone into geckos and then yourself into a gryphon and then flying us over to the opposite side of the volcano, but who can blame me. No enemies saw us do that, and how am I supposed to add that into a story from the enemies perspective?

Um…a lot like this?

Oh, right. So, now that we’re caught up, can I get to the Frakking Lizard King?

sigh Ok…wait, one more thing. How are you planning on talking about the main force who went in on the other side of the castle?

You mean the one that you’re dropping off right about now in the story? The one that ended up tripping a trap of poison gas, a bone wall for a bridge?

Yes, and entered in the armory full of giant…how do you rhyme with bridge…and then make sense of the story.

That works for me. So, back to the Frakking Gecko King

“Will you just be happy that we’re not part of the…” Freytag began only to be interrupted by a rumble in the distance.

“Is Mt. Nimrod erupting again?” Manny said, looking up toward the peak.

“No, I think I see something over there. Oh…my…Arrows, shoot arrows before it can get close to us!” Freytag screamed.

A giant gecko leapt over the horizon and began to charge toward the castle. He leapt and twirled in the midst of a ballet of death. Not an arrow could come close enough to him to even try to stop him. He climbed the wall, his faithful fairy friend close beside him. They slipped through a gap in the barrier. The intrepid fairy slipped through an illusory wall. And then…

CLIFF HANGER!!!!!

You’re going to end this right there?

Yep.

You’re not going to tell them what’s in the room?

Newp.

Not even a hint?

[zyanitevp]

New Official Log Up, from Indaris, the Human Priest of Isis, now Level 16, and holder of Osiris' Left Arm!

"Affidavit Of One Father Indaris Excellar"

This is the written testimony of Indaris Excellar – Priest of Isis,

CrIsis had just teleported into the antechamber set aside within Sekti-Abtu. It is the 28th of Thoth when we arrive with our now (as I write this) dead prisoner, one Sunder Blackrock, King of the Nimro Kingdom of Giants. Xerx’ses had been our leader since our group was split between Mack and Hannah creating a diversion and everyone else following the Minotaur wizard. [Xerxses]

As events turned out from terrible to near catastrophic, I shall lay out how we came upon the now dead King Sunder Blackrock. We entered the armory and what was a situation that we had tackled many times in our trek here, quickly turned bad like a bar fight in Sulanok with pirates! Soon we were faced with 40 plus assailants and half (maybe just over half) of them were giants of differing breeds! Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, and Trolls were there support fighters making up the remaining 40 plus assailants. Most of our group fell into conveniently timed pairings to make sure none of us could be completely flanked. It all was a blur of motion between clouds of slumber from our side and theirs. Xerx’ses covering himself in glowing golden invulnerable energy as he had done for Mack. Then Ursus fell. While I hate to write it down to be fair and honest I must. Xerx’ses noticed out of the eyeslot of his enchanted helm and his casting hand shot into a bag he keeps spare change in. More importantly it was where he kept the Talismanic Coins he uses to keep the energy for a single Teleport if things get really bad. Even while taking abuse that would fell a Titan his head darted about and hints of magic words of power escaped the deathly din of the battle’s orchestral wail.

As though he had an Ace in the Hole of a card game he teleported everyone past the entire castle defenses into the throne room of King Sunder. We are alone with the King and Xerx’ses tries – very respectfully – to avoid insulting the giant king. I was hopeful when Pippin joined in stepping over Ursus’ fallen form as Xerx’ses stepped in front of me while I tried to pray for a sanctuary from the Great Lady of Heaven. Although, the fault in his plan was the INCREDIBLY HIGH RISK nature of the plan. He luckily shrugged off an Anti-Magic Cloud and then barely used another runic item to dispel the cloud. All the while trying to peacefully get the giant king to surrender the left arm of Osiris. He even offered to try and raise all the dead giants we had slain. I tried to support his claim verbally but at that moment I was and still am praying that it was a ruse to buy time for the dispelling of the cloud of magical nullification.

Once the giant king felt his protection from magic disappear a battle ensued straight away. From the Fire Giant king’s throne room Xerx’ses allowed himself to be hit byOsiris’ Left Arm so he could teleport the arm and all of us to Sekti-Abtu. When he felt it try to pull the giant king along he made the calculated choice to bring the Sunder Blackrock along with us. It is my opinion he decided all of us could take the Nimro down. Using his magic it should be note the ‘Golden Minotaur’ had a golden aura that allowed him to take the brunt of nearly all the damage during the raid.

[No Name] In the antechamber, combat continue briefly as Acon used her powers of the mind to pull his dragon helm off. Shortly thereafter King Sunder Blackrock had continued but quickly realized he was out match and surrendered and allowed himself to be bound and restrained. He had dropped the arm and his sword. Xerx’ses is in possession of the sword and Ursus took possession of the left arm. The one called ‘No Name’ whom is also called ‘The Man With No Name’ then slipped between Xerx’ses legs and using the scythe he calls the Vindicator in an upward motion swing guts the chest, throat, and lower jaw of the now dead King Sunder Blackrock. I feel the giant kingdom may directly blame the Church of Light & Dark for the attack upon their king, and our faith is not the predominant faith in that land. Take from that what you will. When queried he blamed the giant for giving monster races everywhere a bad name. Xerx’ses then placed No Name under arrest and use a spell to hold him in place while I attempt to resurrect the Fire Giant king. It should have worked but didn’t. Xerx’ses tried using magic tapping his low reserves of magical energy. The Minotaur also said it should have worked but it didn’t. No Name had been grumbling in Western the entire time, however, I cannot in good conscience say whether or not he used his powers to lay spirits to rest in an obstructive manner. I left the room at that point to write this report while nearly depleted Xerx’ses sent ‘pigeon missives’ trying to prep our friends for a rescue attempt. It is also my hope to garner scrolls of teleport to aid in this rescue attempt.

I looked at the Agreement and at this moment Hannah and Mack are still listed on it as members of CrIsis! So, my concern is that they are in a situation the Gods feel is imminent foreshadowing of their death if the Troll’s presence is any indication. When I noticed our four companions were now signatures upon the Agreement I looked up and tried to find them but all of them are now either gone or summoned to report on their time with us.

OH MY, King Guy Campton is a name on the agreement now! He must have signed it after we left!!

IE

Provided to the guards that come to arrest No Name on the 28th of Thoth in the 2nd year of King Guy of Timiro.

[zyanitevp]

Official log from the 19th Level Minotaur Wizard Xerx'ses. The group is searching for the lost Library of Wo-Elfenbrut.

"Blessed Errors Revealed"

Your holiness, Grand Arbiter Nulendar,

After understanding the scope of your task for the Church of Light and Dark, I am still uncertain if I am wasting your time with missives. Every priest I have met of the Lawgiver treats me as though I am some heaven sent angel from the Ma’ip and all I am trying to do is A) uphold a promise to Isis and B) not embarrass my father, Chief Rostam of the Serinan Tribe. When the two priests assigned to me were carrying the chest from Overkill’s quarters on Rogtilda. One of them slipped and both of the priests of Osiris died from Master Azariel’s death wards on the chest. People were stunned when I used lightning magic to restart their hearts from a spell I keep in my grimoire! I didn’t think their souls had enough time to truly leave their bodies I went to work fast and after their return did people gave us a wide berth.

I still remember their names:
‡ Zumyarus,
‡ Advalur.

They thanked me and exclaimed to those worried whom stopped and those passing by they were in no real danger because they had been with me and like Overkill, I can defy death. I think I smiled then to convince myself more than anyone that it would all be okay. Can you find a way to reward them for their service in some way? Zumyarus said he had a wilderness bound ranger cousin whom would be overjoyed to know he had not passed permanently from the world. I often wonder if the Defilers realized how dangerous it was to be around them for those not prepared for the company we all keep?

If the Pontiff hears from my father I would be grateful for that news. Once it is safe to write to him once more I would love to do so and leave your august personage to matters of the world’s stage. I hope I said that correctly as to imply respect and not that you’re old. I respect your age and wisdom I simply don’t have good grammar sometimes and I just want to put the best foot forward for our Savior. I feel guilty about telling everyone we need to keep going when I miss my family, or what is left of them so much. Is it funny to miss people you don’t actually know? Well enough of that line of thought! Okay, on to the task at hand, what task is that? Why rebuilding a not just a god but rebuilding the God of Law and Order himself, OSIRIS!!! On to the greatest story yet to be told!

Small Note: Again to the Solarium, “Please contact me to get the ring back, I really did not know the fairy had it. Having used it I can see why you want it back and I am more than happy to return it since you returned our companions.”

~ The 8th of Kym-Nark-Mar ~

I’m sure getting updates every few hours was not what you had in mind and I’m sorry but we write when we have the time. [Dio Regellant] Currently I am sitting in yet another ancient cavern below the city of Avramstown going over the body of the disgraced Champion of the Church of Light and Dark, one Dio Regellant. I made sure when he knew when he died from punches by my lightning enchanted fists that I was killing him for betraying Master Asher’s Empress. Most people won’t remember him but they should find the Books of CrIsis with the chapter titled ‘Gamesward Bound’ for an accounting of his betrayal.

Now how did we get here scant hours after my last letter to you from the antechamber in the under-city of Avramstown to an ancient cavern with a dead Rahu-Man and one disgraced, deceased ex-crusader of the Church? Well pull up a goblet of wine and I shall endeavor to not bore you.

When last I wrote the lot of CrIsis had been sequestered in that aforementioned antechamber lit only by a candle. It was a tenth of an hourglass when the door opened and a richly adorned Hooman by his clothing motioned for us to come into another room through a short hallway. A hallway that would’ve been tall enough for me to stand at full height in my natural form. Once we all exited that person took our place in the room. Which was wise but let’s not jump ahead shall we.

Soon enough a six and a half foot tall version of the late Captain Overkill walked in and introduced himself as “NOT” King Avramson, because “CrIsis” was “NEVER” here. We acknowledged the point and the warning that outside this room we were enemies of the state. Then his flame-colored beard broke across his face into a broad smile and he asked how he could help us. I had to explain whom I was and my disguise before launching into the tale about looking for Wo-Elfenbrut, both as the library and the ancient buried city. Father Indaris was asked to explain further because the King felt about me the way Heavenly Isis did at first, wary. I could not blame him since being accepted is actually still a very recent thing for me to deal with. At least there were no catapults involved to which I am very grateful. Master No Name mentioned that we needed to look up the descendant of Ariavra Cherona, the Maiden of Wo’Elfenbrute according to ancient Elvish texts. Father Indaris mentioned that the bard, Jase Wendryn, as knowing this information. It was then the red bearded king mentioned that Master Jase had left for the Northern Hinterlands not but a few days before the siege began.

When we began discussing how to track down Master Jase, the red bearded king mentioned we may already have the knowledge on how to proceed for he was the descendant of the Ariavra Cherona! I was right! I began to point out he knew all along because everyone in Avramstown is descended from the Hoomans of Wo-Elfenbrut! That’s why this Hooman kingdom had survived among the northern wilds for thousands of years before the Great War of Fair and the Strong! I wonder then what happened to the Elves of Wo-Elfenbrut? Would we find them as guardians along the way?

When he asked if we knew anything about the Khejas family I hastily spurt out the phrase I knew of “Have you heard about the Khejas Family, I heard they they were murdered horribly.” He mentioned the appropriate reply and that if I got that wrong elsewhere those guardians would not be so forgiving. It was then he went to a desk in the room and produced a key made of ancient wood. He told us that those that wished to enter Wo-Elfenbrut must use this key.

Then a knock at the door interrupted him and soon he was hurrying us back to the antechamber because the second CrIsis group that the late Sunder Blackrock confirmed existed and called the Blessing were here and seeking the same prize. The race for the price of knowledge was indeed on – to quote a bard or two. When Master Grignak would not fit through another trap door in the original antechamber, and Master Ursus was not an issue due to the time of day being three turns past high sun. The red bearded king stepped forward and began to shrink the Troll to half his 14 foot size! However he was still a Troll! I cast a See Aura Spell on King Avramson and came to the conclusion that since he and I both have an aberration he must be an actual DEMI-GOD!!! It would also explain that the ancestor maybe not be so ancient for him. A grandmother maybe? Though now I wonder how often he might have had to fake his own death? Gah!!! Time for this later!!!

Down the trap door, eight sets of ladders, and a very smoothed stone tunnel with ceilings that range 16 to 30 feet up later, we came to a wooden door carved in runes, yeah real runes! The cavern encompassing the door was 60 feet high and the door itself was 30 feet high by Dwarf measurements. Using magic I deciphered the very ancient text upon the door among the ‘Ever-Burning Torches’ providing ample light.

On the main section of the door: Beware for beyond this door lies knowledge that was burried for all of Palladium’s protection.

On the door frame: Those that trust in that which melts shall find peril, Those that trust in what makes words possible shall pass.

When I shared this with the group I was able to touch and examine the key as well. Smearing some of the grime off of it revealed the Rune of Earth. The key had attempted to force some mystical force upon me and though ancient and powerful beyond reckoning I used luck to shrug it off. Our group unlocks the door and then BOOM!

Darkness

When we begin to see once more we are in another cavern and not a clear sign of how to get out. Soon all of our metal begins to burn and we take it off. [Grignak] Strangely, a few items avoid this malady: our black and gold inlay Eternal Torch Rings, Oathbringer, Osiris’ Left Arm, and Defiance’s Tooth because it is a bone rune weapon! While I want to study the phenomena, however we were told time is of the essence. We did pause long enough for a Chant of Blessings from Master Girgnak, the Shaman of Bast. I have to admit now knowing more about sex and how enjoyable it could be I think Bast wanted me last time I met her. Part of me is a little sad I did not indulge in such a heavenly gift. Sigh.

Onward we went following the left wall so we might avoid getting lost in a maze, it was an old trick all the Minotaurs knew because of stories about prisons we were kept in during the ancient times to avoid harming the world. They would then toss criminals in there and give us food in that fashion. No wonder my race is for the most part blood thirsty savages. Sorry, I am endeavoring not to bore so talking about ancient lore is not what you want to read for certain. After about an hourglass turn or so going through tunnels and caverns all well lit by the same ‘Ever-Burning Torches’ we noticed some rats trying to follow us actively. Using the See Aura Spell once more I realized one of the rats was clearly metamorphosized by magic, likely a wizard. I called out the fact and began casting a fire bolt! That specific rat disappeared and all but one of the others ran away because Shaman Grignak ate the last one. Our shaman also pointed out the Arch Fiend, we know as Ratel, is fond of controlling rats. When we came across the rats a second time I asked him to take a form we could converse in and lo and behold it was indeed Ratel. We verbally spared as Master No Name risked being burned (it was healed later) by his Vindicator scythe to toss it into the air and activate its holy power of banishment! He said it would not work next time and in 140 days we will find out what that means. Ratel is nothing if not persistent and a stickler to his threats.

Soon another turn of an hourglass and we had found our way around the complete outside tunnel structure because Father Indaris had been making a crude map bringing up the rear. We began to make our way into the interior tunnels using the same follow the left path method. Soon we found ourselves in an oval shaped cavern with – what I could identify as – the same Rune of Earth carved into the floor. Thinking we had found a waypoint of sorts we began to figure out how to get past it. It was soon determined that it was upon a door but when Shaman Grignak tried to touch the wooden key with the Earth Rune to it he set off a Death Ward. It bypassed the Armor of ithan Spell I had girded him with. Isis’ Seeker was moving to help him when Khonsu’s Reaper heard something approaching. Long story short the Blessing had finally caught up to us, and I was stunned when I realized their roster make up! ! !

Apparently, Tiakatha the four armed giant was really pissed about the destruction we caused in the jungle. Dio Regellant was the holy crusader mentioned above that betrayed his oaths to people that had treated Master Asher on merit and not appearance. What can I say, Joe, is just and ******* and a sore looser. Malah is an Elven Mage with grand daddy issues riding the robe-tails of his forebears to fame and power. Then I thought I kinda remembered the last one to make an appearance briefly, Vorravica, I kinda remembered from somewhere. I thought she had died rather horribly though, It was then Magos began to talk in my head with words and memories of her former owner!!!

Golden One, the female among them is my previous owner, Vorravica Nerodin. You may remember Anion Nerodin’s name being mentioned during the Lopanic Games byJaymus Murray. This is his granddaughter and she wants you to die for breaking his record and in her mind shaming his memory.

I thought she died when she attacked us in the umm.. ermm.. Western Lands with the rogue Minotaurs?

Golden One, she did but was likely resurrected.

Oh well, I thought to myself, I guess she misses her grandfather and seeks to return to the realms of the dead. It did strike me very odd that everyone here had an axe to grind with me specifically. Earlly in the battle Joe and Vorravica run off to an unknown location. Malah is grabbed out of the air by Shaman Grignak and slammed around like a Cyclops Spider’s fresh kill. I kept the four armed giant and the traitor knight at bay for most of the fight using my enchanted lightning covered fists as Isis’ Seeker produced the fog to blind everyone. Khonsu’s Revenant was using a bow but I think the fog hampered him because he hit me instead. Eventually, and by that I mean seconds, the door in the center with the Earth Rune opens and Khonsu’s Reaper goes diving in and then back out saying Vorravica is down there, talking to the ceiling. Hmm, a second level, of course we have to go down it was a city after all. When Tiakatha leaves me and tries to make it to the door Father Indaris uses the Lawgiver’s Left Arm and Oathbringer in a devastating double strike and finishes him off once and for all. The Traitor Knight tries to run and I catch him and that brings me back full circle to the beginning of this missive.

We are searching the bodies using all the detection magics I have at my disposal to learn about the Blessing and their leader, the enigmatic Terosh. Well aware the remainder are ahead of us on the way but don’t have the key.

Etrinus Fortem,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
Osiris’ Unyielding Strength
Immortal War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda

>> Written by Xerx’ses Goldenhorn, sent on the 8th of Kym-Nark-Mar, 3rd year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, 71st Year of the Wolfen Empire, 344 year of the Dominion of Man, and 24th Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II. <<

[zyanitevp]

New official log from the 16th level Human Priest of Isis, Indaris, in the maze of Wo-Elfenbrut.

A Maze Into The Past


Pray not heedful dribble!
The Darkness will not brighten!
Ask nought from the Silence, for it cannot speak!
Vex not your mournful minds with pious pains!
Ah! Brothers, Sisters! seek nought from the helpless indulgences by gift and hymn.
Nor bribe the temporal powers with blood, nor feed with fruits and cakes!
Within yourselves deliverance of the soul must be sought!
Each of us their own prison makes.

However, they that prayeth well, are those whom loveth well.
Both fellow man, and bird, and exotic beast.
They that prayeth best, whom loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear lord of all, Ra who loveth us,
For it was he that made and loveth all.

I am writing this as a prayer because though magical spell pigeons cannot escape Wo’Elfenbrut, your powers still reach me inside here. Therefore my prayers and sermon be they verbal or textual will find the divine. Because all things exist for the work done to bring about the Age of Light from the Age of Chaos. While you walked the world in those days O’ She of Countless Names, those that built this place were directed or inspired by you to protect the future you hoped to craft. So I pray to Almighty Ra, creator of the heavens so that I may commune to you through his grace and guiding light.

Here in the caverns below Avramstown, yet above the library city of Wo’Elfenbrut did we defeat and kill two members of the Blessing. A Human disgraced knight formerly known as Ser Dio Regellant, and a Rahu-Man Giant formerly known as Tiakatha



The group decided that we would divide it up later but “Osiris’ Unyielding Strength” is the holder of eight human sized rings (seven are registering as magical), a magical amulet all from the late Ser Dio. From the Giant there was eight giant sized rings (all are registering as magical), another magical amulet and three giant sized clubs. “Khonsu’s Revenant” took possession of the clubs in his bag tied and/or strapped around his waist in bear form.

Then came the letter to Duke VasPasseon. Xerx’ses was able to identify as warded and bade us get back. We all retreated as I watch him stand there alone wielding forces that make most tremble and fear because a wrong move could kill you. He failed on his first attempt, and shouted for everyone to stay back he was going to try once more. We didn’t need a more poignant reminder than seeing the four rats in the tunnel ahead of us die as the sickly green wave of mystical energy washed over them. It dissipated about a foot from us and all of us sighed a breath of relief. Then a burst of golden light and a minute later Xerx’ses called out, “It’s fine, come read the letter.”

Dear Lord VasPasseon,
We expect for you to honor your agreement now that CrIsis has been defeated. If not, you shall see what the army of Terosh can do.

Realizing that this group broke nothing of the Agreement they were working with our enemy to defeat us and then they would descend upon the world to do their master’s bidding. I suspect it also means as Xerx’ses thinks you will be able to help us more against them. When we had made our way down the ladder to the second level of caves we had to pass through a portal of blackness, which dispelled all of our active magic! Grignak returned to his normal size and poor, poor Xerx’ses can’t get a break today. He changed back from being a Human to a Minotaur absolutely shedding his nice human sized outfit. He gathered up the pieces to be salvaged somehow. Just then through magic our newest member was returned to us! [Rooster] Rooster our mystically inclined bard appeared and starred, shaking his head, “Should I have brought wine and candles?” Our Minotaur clearly got the reference and smirked while tying the Teroshian Tabard of the disgraced knight around his waist. Before he finished tying he noticed two magical pigeons trying to get out the way we had come in, but the barrier was blocking them. One had a physical note and the other didn’t. There was some banter about how to get them but it was decided to let Xerx’ses try and paralyze them with magic. Aiming for the one with the verbal message he hit it with a paralysis bolt and unexpectedly it exploded! Our horned, war-mage seemed surprised that it exploded but he had mentioned something like that might happen. Ursus went up to capture the other bird and did succeed. It was a “real” bird which threw Xerx’ses off enough we had to remind him to cover up. The note was about reinforcements, asking for two new members. Well it seems they have a waiting list of people willing to die for their cause. Faith is a powerful tool of good and evil, I shudder at its abuse here.

It was as Xerx’ses was getting dressed following us that his runesword, Callandor, began to remind him that he had missed Overkill’s death anniversary because their bond had just finished. This began some concern for us because we entered here on the 8th of Kym-Nark-Mar and that anniversary would have been the 21st. However, when querried further the sword said it was the 8th of Pegasus?!?! Rooster even had a magically made picture from another world he had visited showing a blood moon which Ursus took to mean it was at least after the 28th of Kym-Nark-Mar.

Clearly this was similar to the time distortion within each of the Pyramids of Osiris. We had to get a move on clearly! I kept changing my place in the marching order to heal all of those needing such help. It was not long before we came upon a change and caves gave way to architecture that Xerx’ses had only seen before in the Etrinan Fortress his reconstituted tribe continues to live among now. A labyrinthine maze lay before us with traps and puzzles to obstruct those walking it for the secrets it held. From the alcoves at it’s entrance voices of doom and warning called out with no discernible source or sign of magic.

All I could think of was an old story about an Elven mage called the Goblin King…
…Through dangers untold. And hardships unnumbered. I have fought my way here to the castle; beyond the goblin city…
…he was a noted historical trickster and riddle smith, I could not help but think of him as we began moving through the passages and antechambers.

We survived this encounter so far because of the arcane powers of Dwarven Wall Magic known by Rooster! Apparently, the particular wall is called a “Wall of Radiance” and it’s translucent green form does not stop anyone from going through it. What it does do is inform the caster all about “who or whom” passed through it! Khonsu’s Reaper has the key from Grignak and is the one opening doors currently as he checks for secreted doors. When we had made it to a second antechamber Rooster informed us we hand incoming company due to passing through the magical wall! We began to prepare to make this room a death trap and Xerx’ses had been using his magic to see auras to let us know when to strike and surprise them. What none of us expected was seeing the war wizard break down and cry out as tears streamed freely, “Nooo! Not you! You said you wouldn’t betray Isis! How dare you abandon my brother’s memory and attack our father!”

With as much warning as the raising of his arm a flaming bolt ripped out from his open palm! Its fiery wrath tore into the door and it exploded! catching everyone on both sides by complete surprise and pain! Great Lady of the Heavens I am sorry I was not as quick to the fray this time, but Xerx’ses rarely gets angry and when he charges it is best to not be in the way. We nearly killed two more members of the Blessing – Seminold and the now dark priestess of Modeus, Luur’na the Minotaur! Now what he has been muttering about is how Saraph has been corrupted and both his mother and his father were its wielders before it became entrusted to her! She has corrupted it with the process of falling into the worship of Modeus! It was the first time I heard Oathbringer say that the ***** needed to die for corrupting a fellow Lightbringer Rune-weapon! Xerx’ses is out for vengeance on your behalf and to find a way to return this Dark Harbinger Staff to its Lightbringer status. She did nearly kill him in one blow with it were it not for a LUCKY shot at parrying her arm turning the strike away! She will likely not get another chance as both fled thanks to the hurt Ursus was putting on them.

We tried to continue on and came to a metal door! Given the curse about “That which melts” being unusable maybe we should have thought that it was a dead. Alas, we are mortal and fallible, Ursus thought he could open it because it wasn’t wooden and nearly fell to his death! The hand of heaven caught him and brought him back to worried friends and horde of questions that all went something like, “What The Hades Were You Thinking!?!?!” Xerx’ses destroyed it with lightning revealing a dead end. We went all the back to the second alcove where we found a puzzle we had missed before because we past it even though No Name offered to check it out. The text of the puzzle was in ancient Elven, and though one side led to another dead end the other side led to a stairway heading down to a third level.

There was another mystical translucent green wall we thought might be similar to the “Wall of Radiance” Rooster had cast earlier, but nope! It froze Xerx’ses and when we dragged his 600 pounds butt back it took a few minutes for him to come back. He explained he could see and hear everything but could not even move. So, Grignak offered to go this time if it affected monsters (but oddly had no effect on Ursus). Then everyone could wait the same amount of time while Xerx’ses and No Name waited at the top of the staircase. We sent word back to them that Grignak did not recover as we had hypothesized. No Name watched Xerx’ses make a resigned HUFF. Xerx’ses pulled out his spell book and found the correct page in the ancient Dwarven Spell Tome. He reached out his free hand and began to cast the spell to dispel the barriers of magic in the ancient tongue of his mystical training. Sweat poured from Xerx’ses face as he concentrated, causing the legendary magic to crack. Slowly at first, then the cracks propagate throughout the entire barrier and it shatters, dissolving into motes of magical energy. Grignak, still frozen from his passage into the magic, becomes freed as the spell which bound him dissolves around him! They both hurried down before the door closed on them.

It was sheer luck but Xerx’ses picked up the blood trail having grown up with his current threat to the quest and us. Ursus was able to track forward for enemies. Through more ancient hallways we came to a junction hallway of four options but No Name found the proper way. We made one more mystical leap when we found the same Elvish puzzle and were transported not only across space but time. Even Magos mentioned there bond had increased with Xerx’ses. Not that he could remove it to find out what exactly that meant – being metal an all. Xerx’ses somehow instinctively knew his birthday had passed and he was now 54! The best we could determine it was now the 9th of Od. When we arrived in a white marble room with a black marble circle inlay upon the floor as a warning one might say to the magical circle and three statues upon it.

An Elf, A Human, and a Wolfen! Surely you have known about this and my mind lacks the divine wisdom for not sharing this to stop the war. It’s as though all the races have forgotten the wonders of the Age of Light and what could be accomplished! I’m sure it is far more complicated than that but it feels like you want us to bring back that age as much as Osiris.

Blessings of Ra upon thee and thine husband O’ She of Countless Names,

Indaris Excellar, Seeker of Isis,

Written in a blank book among the art supplies given unto him by Xerx’ses on last Horus Day upon the 9th of Od in the 3rd Year of King Guy of Timiro.

[zyanitevp]

Been a long time since an update, because we have moved from Obsidian Portal to our own website! It looks a lot better, and gives us way more flexibility!!
Come check it out! A God Rebuilt

[zyanitevp]

Wow, last log that was posted was over 8 months ago!

Here is a recent official log from the now 20th Level!! Priest of Isis, Indaris the Seeker

Greetings unto thee, Captain Jershon and Bishop Tutu,

Father Philip may be informing your holiness of the presence of a second statue made of gold very soon. I have been chosen to be the second member of CrIsis to be elevated unto the Pantheon of Ra. Which begs a funny question of can a Demigod continue to serve as a priest, or would that simply be self glorification? The reports of our travels and trying to follow them is akin to watching a ball roll around on a continuingly warped marble floor. You never know which way you will actually go sometimes. There’s a parallel to life in that somewhere but alas it is not the time for such humorous introspection. I am giving you both a status report of our whereabouts and a further request, Captain, from your chosen god.

Since the request is by far the quicker of the two items and may reach you just after you send us an update to the Shield of Light and its crew. Please just do your best, Captain, to adjust and accommodate this request. Please make haste to the Empire of the West and dock with our beloved hosts at the Biboca Docks. Before you dock, about a day out please inform Master Alchemist Gabriel and Father Donal of your arrival and have them secure the docking arrangements. Next please ask the good and grand alchemist to please let you know what color hat to wear to avoid getting pick-pocketed around the docks. Please ask Father Donal for maps to get to Springgate. Nipshanks, wrote about a Pyramid “Appearing Overnight” and the Oathkeeper feels that looking at the pyramid map this one is designed to hold a piece of Osiris.

Now on to the status report.

Having decided to try and understand the changes in the Xerx’ses the Oathkeeper better has led me to a rather oddly humorous conclusion. Had he gained his intelligence much earlier before being elevated people would write about what a “*******” he was! You see being dumber made him doubt himself and come off much more humbly than a confident Arch-wizard now trained as a Paladin and armed with mystic and martial might. I will attempt to re-educate him to being tactful because even his best intentions are coming off as though his interests are above the concerns of others. However, one element not actually helping the most recent incident is our friend Brother Grignak. As a priest of Bast, matchmaking is a tenant of their faith to set the spark and help love grow. Since Xerx’ses cannot seek out anymore wives until after his wife has given birth and recovered. Grignak thought he was helping setting up Nimaya our Elven guide and fellow CrIsis member, Silent Dream. I believe he is quite the fan of cross racial mating because it can’t result in children, so if conventional wisdom holds true one might be able to slake their passion and lust without repercussion. Again providing all parties in the torrid affair were consenting.

Now, despite the fact he has mentioned this part out loud I don’t believe anyone else in CrIsis either heard it or believed it. The minute the heart becomes involved people forget that Xerx’ses as the God of Oaths watches what he says and tries his best to make every word the truth. That curse, blessing, whatever your view is also part of the reason he is coming across to the rest of CrIsis as a *******. He no longer tries to coat his words in honey to make unpleasant things sound nicer. He is so driven to finish this quest he appears (this may not be what he is thinking merely a perceived perception) to forget there are five other people with him that are more than happy to help if he’d slow down enough to let us.

I remember mentioning in the last check-in that we had arrived in the Eoten village of Kanáta’ of the Shadow Colony known as Outer Cadeth. Nimaya was assigned to lead us towards two locations:

Stonelogger.
The entrance to the Sovereignty of Terosh.

It was thought that she had an interest in Silent Dream to which we can see Grignak’s involvement, however, as people would talk about Xerx’ses her eye would wander. To his credit Xerx’ses seemed to be trying to stay his distance citing a previous incident where nothing good came of it in the long run. Now we left Kanáta’ en-route to see Stonelogger and were teasing Xerx’ses about Snipe (which is a made up creature) but Xerx’ses does trust us because he bought it hook, line, and sinker. He reminded me of a child at play when he fought the demon we called a Snipe Demon. If Silent Dream had not lost control of his fire power and lit Nimaya on fire I doubt she would be looking so hard at Xerx’ses now. It did not help that the Little Foxer did not realize she didn’t know it was him, and later just before reaching Stonelogger it was brought up and she shockingly remarked, “That was YOU!” To Silent Dream’s credit he did apologize again on the spot but these bad circumstances followed one after the next creating a romantic chain of unfortunate events.

She made a rather blatant attempt to seduce Xerx’ses the following night before reaching Stonelogger. This was his reply:

“I could not be with someone that would toy with another as a plaything. I don’t like how you treated Dream.”

No one else heard I believe, and clearly Nimaya, whom is also a follower of Bast was very stunned not getting her way.

The following day we reached Stonelogger and found out he is a Jotan Giant. Xerx’ses says that this giant is not unlike him now and things he said suggest he lived through the Elf-Dwarf Wars! He now crushes boulders for Humans to come haul away for building structures – stone logging, of course! He also possesses the companion stone sword to Trigom’s wooden blade. When they touch it gives a window into the location of Lictalon the Great! We only watched for a few seconds but it was enough for us to know that it was him and he had not noticed us looking in. Stonelogger gave Ursus a ring that would bestow a boon of time upon us as we were hiding in his cavern from Bizantium soldiers that wanted the price on our heads up here. We also received “word” about where to meet our allies that had a plan to help us get into the Sovereignty of Terosh.

Not long out from Stonelogger’s cavern we used the ring which granted us a fortnight of time as though nothing had passed by. Each night Xerx’ses seemed distant and angry to everyone. Nimaya approached a few times and twice I overheard lectures about the value of being friends first and then about how using one person to get closer to another was something he just had not seen before. Nimaya left those brief talks stunned she couldn’t sway the elf-loving lothario to her bosom. Then we met Professor Malkin, Tyrone and his river ship the “Nicole” whom had been waiting for us. Thus, we began the river journey which nearly ended very quick with a Sea Serpent that had managed to make it very far up the river. Many among CrIsis thought it was showing off, and I just found it in considerate to poor Captain Tyrone, when he lifted off the deck of the ship under magic because this is not the Shield of Light. The ship rocked under his 600 pounds of weight seemingly disappearing and Tyrone had to work to keep it on course. Everyone watched him fly back to within fifty feet of the creature and yell at it to go to sleep.

It did!

I am sure it was magic and yet another sign of how far he has come and confident he is of his magic that a single Sea Serpent is considered a waste of time to fight. The good river boat captain was prepared for when he landed and its clear he is getting far better control over his flight. I will help finish off the last item of note was on the 16th of Corg. Just after highsun we noticed some large groups of barbarians on both sides of the shores. This may be nothing or the first obstacle in getting to our destination alive.

Blessings of Isis upon thee,

Indaris Excellar, Seeker of Isis

Sent upon the morning of the 16th of Corg and a back up with the Pontiff as well.

[zyanitevp]

The most recent official log is up from the Troll Grignak- where Xerx'ses, the highest level character, a 22nd level Demi-God, dies!

Terosh's End


Malkin,

The water closed over our heads as we pedaled the Guppy out into the ocean for the first time. Actually, this wasn’t the first time members of CrIsis had embarked in a previous incarnation of the Guppy, but the current group was different, and the Guppy itself was different.

Ahead of us lay an ocean journey that would lead us to Terosh and his armies. Behind us lay friends and allies, the Joruth only the most recent group to join that number. We had spent the night in their company along with you, as of course you remember, and Tyrone.

But now, the lights of dawns past, blue skies, rainy weather and everything else related to the world we had known slipped ever further behind us as the waves buried us in the depths of the ocean’s embrace.

The groaning of the wood supports and the ever present clatter of the gears connected to the pedals were the only sounds we could hear. Out breathing became labored as we continued to push ourselves through the darkness. The occasional calls of No Name from the back kept us centered. “Slow Ahead,” he would call just before the ship made a sweeping turn to the left and down. “Full ahead,” he would call and suddenly we would be rising. The directions were of you, of course, by way of Dirk and interpreted by No Name.

It was labor of the likes that none of us had ever before truly experienced. The sweat dripped from our bodies and the interior of the Guppy began to resemble a sauna as the day wore on. I would like to point out here, that there is a severe need for two things in the next improvements of the guppy: First, we need some way to dry out the air, pulling the excess moisture out as we continue to work. Eight hours is a long time to be stuck under the water without relief from the life sucking heat that the interior became. The second is that there needs to be a secondary source of air. I’m wondering if a ‘Breathe without Air’ spell could be adapted by an enchanter to generate a continuous supply of breathable air into the Guppy in the future.

I loved the addition of the bottom hatch, by the way…but more on that in the events I have to relay.

Just as we were approaching the extent of what we could endure, sounds of clanging assaulted us from every direction. Jidian was the first to react. He opened the bottom hatch and leapt through into the icy waters. The heat leached from the air as the humidity increased. It was barely a moment before pieces of the, apparently, undead Kappa began to float past the bottom hatch. I wondered, for the moment, at the fact that here we were, surrounded by water, and yet none of it would flow in through the bottom hatch.

Jidian swam in through the lower hatch, a gleam in his eye and a smile splitting his face. It took him a bare moment to pick the few pieces of undead Kappa that clung to him and he resumed his seat in the vessel. We decided to finish for the day, and went to the short to spend our daylight hours, as we chose to move at night, resting and recuperating for the coming exertions of the night ahead.

We moved the ship back into the ocean, resumed our seats, and began again to move through the water toward Terosh. The second night passes uneventfully, as we only encounter a school of fish, which, due to No Names excellent piloting skills, we scoop up a good portion for our meals. We rest again through the day, knowing that this is our last time to relax before we head into the Temple of Terosh, there to face our Doom.

The glowing marble of the sphere of Terosh sat in a bowl shape that was seemingly scooped out of the water. Only the top third of the sphere was visible above the water. A long bridge stretched from the shore to the sphere, guarded by four elementals, two of water and two of earth. Terosh was two elementals short of a full house. All we needed to know, however, was that the information we’d been given was correct. The bridge was unassailable.

For the third time since we began this sub-marine trip we slipped under the water. Some strange undersea creatures, beings I never saw before they were gone, but I am told they were the same as the creatures that we became upon reading the scrolls, attacked us as we approached the backside of the sphere. Dream informed us that we needed to try to negotiate.

I’m wondering when he was switched. I know the god’s wouldn’t have sent us one of them intentionally, but all of his attempts to ameliorate our relations with our enemies…

Xerx’ses went into the water after converting himself into one of those creatures. The problem was, that in leaving the ship, he reduced the power to the ship and the Guppy began to tip over.

Ok, Malkin. Here I have to really gripe with you about the one true failure in design of the Guppy. Any ship that requires that it me moving to remain stable is a failed design. The Guppy is too tall. If it were designed to be wider than it was tall, or had some sort of outriggers, or fins, or something like that, or a combination of the two, the ship would have been a lot more useful. Don’t get me wrong. The ship is useful, but…well, it is a prototype.

So, I spent the entire battle keeping the Guppy afloat as more and more of our members slipped out through the hole in the bottom. The ship became ever more unstable, and it was all I could do to simply keep it moving. Xerx’ses finished the enemy off with a chain lightning spell. It is a failure as a member of CrIsis not to fight when we it is asked of you. I would question the decisions of the gods if I didn’t know that Dream needs to be replaced. From now on, he is no longer Silent Dream to me. He is Screaming Nightmare.

We left behind the Guppy in the water and made our way into the Blue Sphere of Death. The BSOD had an opening under the water that we entered. Inside there was an entire ecosystem. Trees and cities and so forth. We merged with traffic as it moved across a land bridge over a sea of Lava. I wanted to just swim the moat, but I was over-ruled by the rest of my group. As soon as we crossed the bridge, we found ourselves in a rain-forest. The water hung in the air, misting between the trees. It felt almost like breathing water did, only this time without a Breathe without Air spell. Ghosting in and out between the trees were members of the monster races. I didn’t specifically see another Troll, but with the multitude of monster races I felt it best if I resumed my natural form. We made our way through the forest, working our way to the center. Standing in front of a dead tree with a darkened interior was an Iceborn. Nightmare would have prevented our action, but we were in the home of our enemy. We killed the Iceborn who stood there without allowing anyone to make any sort of an overture of peace. He reverted back into the form of a goblin when he died.

We went again to the center of the new forest that we fell into and found there a temple. These followers of truth were not the Followers of Terosh that we thought them to be. They offered us guidance that we should head to the center until we reached the center and then from the center we would head to Terosh.

We made our way into the center of the temple, and shortly found ourselves at the center of the BSOD. Once there, the Seeker kneeled down and began a ritual that would lead us to Terosh. It lead us directly by the safest route only to fail as soon as we reached the penultimate level of the maze.

Now it was to our knowledge and logic to lead us through. With deathrunes exploding, and skeletons attacking we made our way ever deeper into the labyrinth. We had been told that Terosh would have his soul hidden in one or more Phylacteries. So, when we got a magic glow from a tomb we, of course, went and opened it. Another deathrune exploded on us and revealed a corpse with golden bracers. We destroyed the bracers and a vision of the world as it is washed over me.

I could see beings from outside our world, creatures able to burrow under the skill of both reality and individuals are invading the world. It scares me that we have never heard of these creatures before. They able to assume our identities, and they are seeking to undermine our society. I know that Nightmare has fallen to these beings. He is infiltrating CrIsis and trying to destroy us from within. He is trying to weaken us in front of our enemies. He is trying to sabotage us every time that battle is engaged.

We slipped further into the twisting passageways all alike. Soon we found the final room of the final area. Battle was joined. Terosh was fought. Nightmare whipped him around with his telekinesis, preventing us from damaging Terosh and saving his life from us. It would seem these Skinjobs are in league with Utu. That means that Nightmare is in league with Utu.

No Name then proved what it truly means to be a member of CrIsis. He started the spate of Self Sacrifice that would continue through the end of the BSOD. He attacked Terosh all out, no protection. Terosh couldn’t actually defend against his attack and No Name slashed upwards through Terosh’s groin. His soul was reaped for Khonsu.

No Name was strongly struck by Terosh himself, but he survived. Ursus also survived by the skin of his teeth.

After Terosh fell, struck dead by No Name I intoned a prayer to the gods…all of them.

Ra, God of light, head of the pantheon
Osiris, Lawkeeper
Isis, Adventurer
Thoth, Wise one
Horus, Justice incarnate
Bes, the purified
Bennu, the Reborn
Bast, Goddess of Sighs
Apis, of all Kindess
Khonsu, Night Traveller
Xerx’ses, Oathkeeper
Indaris, Seeker
Jidian, Warden
Hear me, the Free Agent of Bast. Hear me, gods of light, and destroy all the works of this being of darkness, freeing Osiris’ Eye from his corruption.

The Eye came out in my hands as we began running to find the Phylactery. We quickly arrived in a room with a picture of Utu on the floor and a small sealed pot. Indaris crushed it, and then all hell broke loose. The walls and floor began to shake for a moment, and then Xerx’ses began to glow. He handed something to Nightmare that looked vaguely like the Finger of Osiris.

Nightmare teleported us out of the BSOD as Xerx’ses flew apart in a flash of light. We appeared inside the Guppy, Xerx’ses in absence and the shockwave of the explosion shaking us where we stood.

We will know more in a few moments. Stay tuned, Malkin

Grignak.

[zyanitevp]

Here is the latest official log, from Silent Dream, the Kankoran Mind Mage. The player group, CrIsis, is now battling the Raksasha enemy who is controlling Bizantium!

"Where is the Road That Takes Us to Bizantium?"

Can your walls repel the tide of change?

Entry #49

Today was the 8th of Selestra. It was the anniversary of CrIsis as a group. After our lunch Grignak said a prayer of thanks to the Gods. “O Gods of Light, blessed be agreement that you placed down for CrIsis on this day of its anniversary. Thank you for all that it has protected us even as it does make our lives more difficult that we might strive to be better. Amen-Ra.” That was the prayer which Grignak said.

The beautiful Nimaya is leading us through these dense woods back to see Stonelogger. She believes he will have a contact who can take us to Bizantium.
Entry #52

Today was the 11th of Selestra. We still have many days of travel ahead of us. Nimaya is making sure our journey avoids the Shadow Colonies which are hostile to us. She told me they are the Seven Sisters, Jocatha, Deridan, and Adira. Today The Nameless Man received a letter from his Teacher. It seems The Nameless Man wrote to him after all.

The Nameless Man has been quieter than usual as we travel. I am worried that our reaction to the zombies he created may justify his silence to CrIsis about his curse. I wish I could help him more. I hope he can be helped.
Entry #53

Today was the 12th of Selestra. Today was Grignak’s birthday! Ursus and I spent a good amount of time hunting. Torrun then made up a delicious feast. I could help him a little but I’m not a professional like him. At dinner Merkl sang an interesting song for him.

Nimaya has been very friendly with me ever since we reunited. I help her to worship Bast almost every night. I wonder if this helps her with her grief over Xerx’ses? I should ask her but I do not know how to properly bring it up. Also I am not good at talking with Elves. I will continue to be here for her as she needs. This was important to both Xerx’ses and Grignak.
Entry #56

Today was the 15th of Selestra. A letter arrived for us from King Guy. As citizens of Timiro we must pay our share of taxes. This letter was sent to us as a gentle reminder of that. But as citizens of The Wolven Empire we do not have to pay taxes to them… Or should we have been paying taxes? Have we merely been ignorant of this?
Entry #60

Today was the 19th of Selestra. We have avoided many patrols of soldiers to make it to Stonelogger. We greeted each other warmly. Then we asked if he could help us get to Bizantium. It turned out we were right to visit him and ask this. I should say Nimaya was right. He knows a captain who can take us there. We will need to be transported in secret but that is okay with us. We wish to arrive in secret. Fala may know we are on our way but she doesn’t need to know exactly when.

Tonight Grignak began a new ritual prayer to Osiris. He held the Left Eye of Osiris in his hands. He gave a genuine prayer of thanks for all the wonders we received during the day. He ended the prayer with a request. “Send upon me, thy servant, knowledge of how best to put Your Eye into use.” That was his request. He says he will make a similar prayer every night from now on. I wonder if Grignak was always this fervent to the Gods? Did we we just not notice while Indaris was around? Or has he increased his fervor ever since Indaris left?

Entry #61

Today is the~~~~~

Today we~~~

Writing on this boat is difficu~~~~~~

It is very cramped h~~~~
Entry #62

The last few days it has been difficult to write. It is now evening of the 23rd of Selestra. We have arrived in Bizantium. On the 20th we set out from Stonelogger’s to meet the ship captain who would help us. His name was Burcee Laird. He was the captain of a large Brigantine ship called Sulda. I am comfortable writing this because I know the writer of the Books of CrIsis will not endanger that man by publishing his name or ship name. Burcee endangered his livelihood to transport us to Bizantium at great risk to himself.

We sent two letters before we we boarded the Sulda. Grignak sent one was to the Pontiff U’Selekma. He informed the Pontiff that he was now the priest of CrIsis. He then requested that the Pontiff hold any letters to us temporarily while we were hidden aboard the vessel. We would let him know when we could safely receive pigeons again. The second letter was a response to King Guy which Torrun sent. We acknowledged our financial obligation to the kingdom of Timiro but requested that we have more time to send the requisite funds.

Once those letters were sent Nimaya asked to come with us. I told her it would be very dangerous. She was willing to come and face that danger with us. We accepted her help. I am glad the rest of CrIsis didn’t have an issue. I enjoy her company. A shiphand who preferred to remain anonymous then ushered us onboard the Sulda. He showed us the hidden place where we would spend the trip. There we would remain in cramped isolation but safely hidden from the rest of the crew. Shortly thereafter we felt the ship set sail.

On the morning of the 21st Grignak directed us all one at a time to read a scroll he composed. This was in observance of the Festival of Ra. Here is what it said.
Read this. Think on the words. Pass to another member of CrIsis.

Grat Ra, Son of Palladium.
Great Ra, Light of Life.
Great Ra, Granter of Inquiries.
Hear us in our silent thoughts as we celebrate Your Day here in this ship.
Hear us Lord Ra as we continue on the journey to restore Osiris.
We dedicate ourselves again to this quest here within the month wherein the Agreement was signed.
We recognize all that has been done for us by You in this past year.
And recognize that we do not even begin to deserve all that You have condescended to present to us.
As the wave bears us up, so has Your Will lifted our burdens.
As the wind moves us forward, so too has Your Light dispelled the darkness.
We dedicate this day to You in silence.
Amen-Ra.

We all read the scroll. We spent Ra’s day in silent contemplation. It was only later that we were told it was Torrun’s birthday as well that day! I hope we can find a chance to celebrate it with him soon after this business with Fala is done. I don’t wish him to think he isn’t accepted as a member of CrIsis or as a friend.

This morning I noticed that Ursus looked like he might go stir-crazy. I gave him the remainder of my parchments so he could make up more Pamphlets of Khonshu. That seemed to help. I gave up trying to write in my journal during that trip but Ursus was willing to keep at it. The cramped conditions made it too difficult for me to be comfortably legible. The ship was boarded and checked as it pulled into Bizantium. We hid and remained undiscovered. The ship docked and unloaded. We were then brought out to the docks secretly that evening.

We found ourselves on the busy docks of Bizantium City. We saw countless trebuchets, catapults and ballistas facing the harbor. Ursus, The Nameless Man, Grignak and I all disguised ourselves in various ways to pass through the city undetected. We headed towards the castle and Fala. We came to a checkpoint where guards screened those continuing towards the castle. Most people were turned away. We haphazardly incited a riot which allowed us the ability to slip pass them. I disarmed the guards as we passed to prevent them from slaughtering the frustrated citizens we riled up.

We took advantage of an unnatural fog which blanketed the area to reach the castle walls. It is here that we wait. We are formulating our plan to enter the castle and depose Fala. Both Grignak and I have received a vision of the throne room which we have shared with CrIsis. We will make our strike soon. We will stay true to our word and clear the way for Minischmee to return to power.
Entry #63

It is still the 23rd of Selestra. We overcame the castle wall. I cannot say how. Even in my private records I must respect the secrets I have been entrusted with. Our trek through the castle itself met with little resistance. This is through no fault of the guards. Though they were skilled CrIsis outmatched them this day. We found a secret passage which would take us directly to the throne room. We entered and prepared for battle before we exited. Then we stepped into the throne room and faced our quarry.

The room was exactly as our visions had shown us. Guards lined the walls of the room. Fala herself sat with the current king. Surrounding her were Necromancers, Trolls, and Giants. Those close to her enjoyed the temporary sanctuary of an unknown magical circle. We attacked fast. I announced that our reason to be there was to depose the evil creature calling itself Fala. Any who valued their lives could flee.

I was pleased to see some guards took advantage of this mercy. The current king sitting next to Fala began to talk. He slurred his words as if drunk. What he said made little sense. “There shall be justice for Bizantium. Bizantium is the greatest country in all of Palladium. There is no power like Bizantium sea power.” Those were things he said. Fala stood up and spoke to us. “Oh, how quaint. You thought that by bringing down a wall you’d take my kingdom from me? You have no idea what you’re dealing with.” Then she changed into her real demonic form. She began casting magic.

We began to cut through the soldiers and others who chose to remain. Torrun and Ursus began a competition on how many enemies each of them could defeat. This contest seemed to significantly improve Torrun’s combat abilities. Finally we witnessed the true strength of our new Dwarven friend. He and Ursus would have a tough challenge. Fala completed the casting of her foul magic. The spell was focused upon The Nameless Man. He must not have resisted for his attacks afterwards became uncoordinated and erratic. He hurt himself as he succumbed to the whims of the magic.

Grignak had stayed back once he entered so he could prepare a special magical scroll he held in reserve just for Fala. Yet as we fought I noticed that the magic circle protecting Fala was stopping all of our attacks from crossing its border. It even grew at one point to surround more of Fala’s allies. Would it stop Grignak’s magic too? That was what I began to wonder. The circle did not stop Torrun from powerfully tossing one of the giants trapped by Heebo‘s net into the circle and crushing a Necromancer. Yet I did not want to take that chance. I extended my will to interfere with and disrupt the magical energies of the circle. It was only due to luck that I barely succeeded.

With relief I saw the glowing lines and runes of the circle fail. The energy of the entire construct died out in a cascading ripple fashion from where I launched my psychic assault. In moments the circle was powerless and impotent. Was this the only path of psychic advancement left open to me? I had no time to think upon that. I heard the triumphant shout of Grignak’s voice as he finished reading the spell scroll. He appeared pleased upon its completion though there was no obvious effect.

“Just wait.” That was what his attitude seemed to suggest. We didn’t have to wait long…
TO BE CONTINUED…


Note: These are select excerpts from Silent Dream’s journal. They were written in Elven between the 8th and 23rd of Selestra, in the seventy-second year of the Great Wolfen Empire.

[zyanitevp]

New official log, from Ursus, the now Godling Werebear, who has grown tremendously. The player group, CrIsis, has defeated the Raksasha who controlled Bizantium, and makes its way to Renvin, a city of Elves, to meet with the God Lictalon the Great.

"Ursus Reports on CrIsis"

Tattle-Tale!

24th of Ka Da, 2nd Year of the Rebirth.

Your Eminence, Keegan Seárlas Cardinal Rearden, Archbishop of Khonsu

Again, my apologies for not haven written sooner. We, the Members of CrIsis, can be pulled in many directions at once. As an example, we recently rid the The Bizantium Kingdom of a “pretender” to the Throne. While, CrIsis isn’t in the habit of making and breaking Kings, and by default Kingdoms. This mission was influenced by many sources. The one I have commonly referred to as Mangy (he will be most perturbed by my use of his nickname), bargained an agreement with the majority of CrIsis, EmEm, excuse me the Nameless One was most whole-heartily against any such deal, but it was a neccesary means to an end, to have Fala removed (turns out she was a Raksasha Demon, who knew, oh yeah CrIsis) and put Overkill’s Cousin back in his supposed place. So the whole endeavor had influence from three arenas. While, I am not so much into ensuring proper succession of Royalty, I am concerned with Evil Bitc…I mean Beasts ursurping power for their own means. She held alliance with the Iceborn and Terosh. She also was deceptive of her appearance and true nature. I know coming from a shapeshifter, that seems hypocritical (that’s a new word, wonder where that came from…)

Don’t look at me, Ima here just to take down some scalys. Damn, now Ima startin to talka like him, huh???!

Maybe, yous got itsa from some of dat der, book learnin, HAHA!

WOW, really guys, while I’m trying to send an official report to the Bishop, this is embarrassing. Soon, I shall reduce the number of voices in my Head. It’s getting a little crowded.

Apologies, Your Eminence, I will endeavor to maintain better control. Where was I, yes, removing Fala. I was in it to rid the Realm of another evil beast. That leads me to the Pretender King Wilgan. He seemingly awoke from a spell-induces stupor the moment Fala was destroyed. We, uncharacteristically, formally requested he step down, so the “rightful heir” could take his place. We even offered to make him the Regent whilst we waited for Minischmee’s arrival from The Brook of Stone. As we arrrested those that were unwise in doing Fala’s bidding, he demanded that we execute them on the spot. Now, being a being (that sounds wierd) of utter violence, I don’t have a problem with ripping my enemies to shreds, but these folks had all surrendered and were ready for their due proper justice. As one that has faced his own meeting with justice I was not going to just slaughter them. I approached the former King and tried to reason with him, no I wasn’t holding him by the throat or getting ready to chomp his head off.

HEY, that’s not funny! Who’s laughing!

hehe, seems damn hilarious to me.

Damn you both to Hades. Calm…Control…Breath…Much better. Sorry, I’m back. Once the former King insisted we kill them all, I demanded he surrender to me to be placed into custody to await his own meeting with justice. Instead of surrendering, he acted the coward he is and touched an amulet and…poof…he was gone. He may have been too afraid to face the justice, or the prisoners had knowledge of his active participation in the war with the Iceborn and others.
So, pigeons were sent to Miniscmee, informing him of our success. His reply was it would take just over a month to return. This lead to a quandary for CrIsis. We had places to be and things to do, and we were being expected to be the Regents by committee for Bizantium. i for one know I am no ruler, No One wants that. After much bickering and correspondence with Minischmee, Torrun agreed to the Regent alone. He is a prince after all and has much more training in the matters of Nobility than the rest of us, by far.

While we were trying to about our business, we caught ear of a “town crier”, Julian, spouting false news about CrIsis and what our role and mission was in Bizantium. After a lengthy, BORING, discussion (where he twisted our ever word). He finally was “encouraged” to do right by Crisis. And no I wasn’t the one that did the “encouraging”. That was all Torrun. Some Prince, I am much better at “encouraging” then that. Wait, sorry, old habits there.

For the rest of the time (it was just under a month, Minischmee must’ve drove his Army hard to get back as quick as he could) We took care of some of the more mundane task’s that all folks have to take care of. We collected our fees from the sales of the book’s and used those funds to pay our taxes. Yes, readers even CrIsis has to pay taxes, so do the right thing and pay yours. I was also able to remove a great burden from my own shoulders by paying the fines I owed in Timiro for my little escapade the last time I was there. Amazingly, one of the skills I rarely used came in quite useful. I was able to skillfully & tediously etch symbols of CrIsis and our Gods onto some finely crafted weapons and sold them on consignment to the Merchant Groff. well the funds finally came to my GCB account and I paid the fines through His Eminence, Bishop TuTu. I for one am glad that matter is finally settled. One of Us, namely the Kankoran, weren’t as fortunate. It seems His latest love interest was still a little angry, or whatever, about being set on fire and being jilted. She absconded with all the funds he received from the sales. While this is tragic, it is even more, because he was carrying the newest member’s share as well. Misery does love company.

The festival of Ra was a Grand celebration. I think most of the citizens were just to rid of Fala and wanted to show their gratitude to any that would except it. The Festival of Ra was as good as any to show that gratitude. Of course there were many who were sincere in their celebration and worship. I hope the Mighty Ra doesn’t take away my new found strength and wisdom. Oh yeah, I’m sure you have heard, but I have been accepted into the Pantheon as the DEMIGOD OF THE MONSTER RACES and have been bestowed with greater skills, power & wisdom. Can you tell?

The 21st has Minischmee arriving. A grand celebration is held on the 22nd, where Queen Christine shows gratitude by awarding all of Crisis with Blessed Amulets of Isis. Each one specially suited to the one receiving it. Mine has helped me with many of my skills and abilities. This message should be proof. The 23rd is the official hand-off of the rule from the Regent to the King. We are all grateful it went smoothly, regardless of how boring it was. Man, just get it over with already. That evening, with the help of some gifts from the Great OathKeeper, We transport to the Elf paradise, Renvin, to fulfill yet another promise. Meet with the Elf God. It was a strange “landing”. A few thought they were in a great woods, I for one only saw a Beautiful Giant Mosiac (second only to my Bride to be) on the floor before us. IDK, some kind of weird test of belief or faith or something. Regardless, Lictalon appeared before us and We discussed at length what mattered to all. We gained intelligence of one of the remaining parts, It is NOT in the hands of the Dark as was suspected. I was also able to gain more insight into my own Kin. I am not going to discuss this in this message. I have to digest all the knowledge I have gained. Ok, ironic joke there, that I will explain sometime. The Monk-Priest…or is it Priest Monk…Who am I to say when even he can’t make up his mind…Spent some individual time with Lictalon “learning who he was”. The others also spent time with him. I contemplated my new found knowledge while I waited for them to do what they did.

There should be all caught up now. I will endeavor to correspond more to ensure you are fully aware of how things are going, at least from our perspective.

May the Blessings of KHONSU upon you and may HE guide you on your travels.

Ursus Monstrum Actos

[zyanitevp]

New official log, from The Man With No Name, about the journey from the Elven Kingdom city of Renvin to the Crystal Kingdom, which was highly unusual.

"To The Crystal Kingdom"

The Team regrouped and met with Lictalon one last time. He asked if they had any questions. A few were asked, but Lictalon was cautious due to being bound by the agreement of the gods at risk of loss of half his power. They asked for travel on an air ship. Lictalon made the arrangements with Alloywin, a skinny elf of serious demeanor. He hurries off to prepare. Silent Dream receives a scroll to teleport to the Crystal Kingdom. With that the group is prepared to leave, but Lictalon issues one final warning, “Elves built the crystal kingdom, so you should remember things about elves. They are more interested in the unique than the value. The true elf relishes in finding his own path that is not of the same pattern. They look all ways. They look up and they look down. The Crystal Kingdom was built with the help of the dwarves. What the dwarves are known for will come into play. Sometimes you must go down to go up.” His cryptic message was left hanging in the air as we were excused to go to the tavern. The group separated for a moment, but regrouped once more. At this time the Nameless One comes in bringing gifts of monogrammed crystal flasks. The party receives them then heads to the garden.



Once entering the garden Dream remembers a vision and advises the group not to try to see through illusions. They continue walking until eventually that somehow end up in Llorn. After a while they are escorted to the Duke of Llorn, who has a horrible speech issue due to his broken nose, or perhaps an illness. He meets in private with the group and grants them gifts. To Torrun and Ursus he granted a Ring of Life Protection. To the Nameless One he gave Life Gives Strength, a tool that will help him overcome evil’s immunities. Merkl was given Requiem, a knife. Dream was given Keremond’s Spellshield. Finally Grignak received the Holy Sword of Antioch. The group was grateful and the Nameless One gave his skull shirt to the Duke in return. Finally the group went shopping. The man paid his debt for the flasks. The group then met with Jase Wendryn at the party to discuss the high castle. Afterwards Torrun and the Man fed the homeless, while Dream and Grignak prepared for an orgy.



After all this was done the group teleported to the Crystal Kingdom. They rode up a treacherous mountain on the backs of phantom steeds where they were soon met by a golem and some elves. The golem after convincing decided to guide the group towards their destination, but they were intercepted by elves on the road. Will they survive to save the West? Only time will tell.

[zyanitevp]

The next official log is up from the Troll Priest of Bast, Grignak.

Thoth 6, 214

…The soldiers, for that is what they acted like, spread out around us and began to escort us down the road. They ignored all attempts for us, read me, to lure them into conversation, and in fact seemed a quite dour lot.

They were of the races that we’d come to expect in the Crystal Kingdom, and so were the, now normal, mix of Humans, Dwarves and Elves. It wasn’t such a hardship, walking in their midst, as it allowed me to truly stare at the land around us. This place was a bit idyllic, and I wondered at the magic leaching into the long mountain valley around the palace.

The inn came into view as the day wound down. It was run in a most peculiar manner to what I would expect of any business. No money changed hands. It was as if this place was giving out food and rooms as a charity, but there seemed to be little good will in the proprietor. Usually, we would be fine to pay for the extra food and drink we would consume, but without any ability to offer it, we were stuck with the meager amount provided.

I began a fast, without fanfare as such things should be done, and allowed Ursus to eat the food I would not. We were locked into our rooms early, and even though they weren’t dungeon-like, we were still imprisoned for nothing we had done.
Thoth 6-7, 214 Evening

Night prowlers made their way from room to room during the midst of the night, by which I mean that Silent Dream moved from room to room by way of the windows. I took my time while he moved around to show my devotion to the gods by turning the simple bed in my room into a work of art, changing the legs of the bed to resemble the likenesses of Thoth (in whose month we now live), Bast (my ever present mistress), Osiris (whose quest we strive to complete) and Isis (who first sponsored our quest).

Apparently the noisy prowling of our mage of the mind was in order to add Ursus to our mind-meld. Once he was added, and while I added a few finishing accents to my art, we discussed whether we would stay the remaining portions of the night. Most chose to stay, so the noisy prowler made his way back to his room and most went to sleep.

I uttered prayers over my newly formed facsimile and myself went to bed.

Thoth, god of the month,
Thoth, wisest of the gods
I purify myself in preparation of our siege of the Crystal Palace. Send upon us the inspiration we will need to properly overcome not only our foes, but the Pandemoniums that will be set against us.
Amon Ra.
Thoth 7, 114

The next morning, Torrun joined me in fasting. He was simply the first. Multiple other members of CrIsis ended up giving their food to Ursus who ended the meal replete. Unfortunately, at no point was I able to Bless the group, so we were lacking in our normal protection from evil this morning.

The interrogators arrived as we ate and explained we would be examined without any of our magical devices. Not only that, but we would need to be stripped completely and enter in naked. Ideas of how to torment our captors danced through my head, but all came to nought.

Torrun is much more useful than at times he seems. It is not that he is a dandy or a fop, but he is a prince, which in my past experience means that he has more theoretical experience than practical experience.

That being said, he was able to completely derail the entire plan of the enemy simply by being a prince. When the dwarf sent to accost him saw the signet ring of Ithan on his finger it made the enemies arrayed against us cower back in awe, and possibly a little fear.

They began a forced march toward the palace as soon as all of us undisrobed ourselves. Again, I was struck by the beauty of the valley around us, entirely protected from the harsh snows by the magic emanating from the Crystal Palace.

Toward midday, the walls surrounding the palace came into view. They were a monstrosity of elven engineering, attempting to overcome their opulence with grandeur. After this simple majesty of the millennium tree, they fell flat in their attempts. Granted, this is a monument to the capabilities of mortal hands, but at what cost to the elegance of nature around it?

It took us until the sun had past the horizon, but not much beyond, to reach the palace and enter into the domain reserved unto the King and Queen of the crystal palace. Something in my bearing seemed to intrigue the King, for he singled me out with a touch that fair sizzled with magic. None of it reached me due to the timely distraction of Merkl, but I could tell the King instantly thought me his man.

We ate a meal with the King and his Queen, although no love was lost between the two of them, and they made no efforts to disguise that they sought to stake a claim amongst the members of CrIsis. The queen, it seemed, was much more insatiable than her mate, as she chose two members of CrIsis, not just one: No Name and the honorary member Heebo.

I did, however, pray over the food before we ate, and may I say it was something the Queen suffered with little grace and less good will. As I was in the guise of a simple priest of Bast in Prince Torrun’s retinue, I dedicated this prayer only to her.

Bast, Queen of Sighs and Grandamme of Dommes
We come…before you and dedicate this meal in your most sensual honor. We know that even as this food fuels our bodies and passions, even so do those passions fuel you.
Take from us your pleasure in this simple offering.
Amon Ra

The King and I spent the night worshiping Bast.
Thoth 8, 114

Breakfast was an event. The Pandemoniums that were masquerading as the King and Queen displayed their true colors. The queen, having warped the minds of No Name and Heebo to her service dispatched her dogs upon us, whereupon I burned her with the holy light of Osiris, felling her where she stood and providing an opportunity for No Name, who was freed from her control, to give her soul to Khonsu.

The King gaped at me for a moment, realizing that he had miscalculated. He had thought me his man, but I belonged, as always, to Bast. His moment of hesitation was enough for us to destroy him body and soul, releasing the castle from his foul hold.
Thoth 9-12, 114

Days melded into one another in the never changing night of the interior of the Palace. We wandered from one end of the palace to the other, always following the guides given to us by Thoth, Lictalon, and others. Especially with Ursus stepping up and using some of his new-found intelligence, we passed through the puzzles and traps of the castle without much difficulty.

When we reached the top of the tower for the second time, the brass colored crystals glowing around us and the Kidney of Osiris a softer lambent glow in it’s pedestal, I knew what must be done, regardless of any other consequences.

Our trek through the unnatural valley pressed upon my as I handed the Eye of Osiris to Ursus and pulled the Kidney from the plinth. All those people, living their lives and never once knowing that they were a charmed existence. On the 9th, Silent Dream, the Prince, and I were all attacked by a host of archers, and I knew we would not be able to properly, or safely, tell all those innocents that danger was about to collapse upon them.

It could not be helped. Should ReSet or any other dark forces end our quest, innocence would no longer have a place in this world. Better these few fall than that all light be extinguished for all eternity. I pray for their safety, but it can’t be a priority for me when the fate of untold millions rest upon my decisions.

The Palace began to shake as windows opened up and balconies extended in each of the cardinal directions. Some of my compatriots looked down off the balcony and saw the archers and other soldiers falling to their deaths. I wonder if they attacked because they followed the King, or because they sought to overthrow the King.

I will pray for their souls.
Thoth 12-14, 114

Lictalon has joined us in the tower as we make preparations to go through the portal to attack the scourge of the Middle Kingdoms. He directed us to the Ruby crystalled room and there we found the portal we sought. We do not know what waits for us on the other side of the portal, but we are as prepared as we can hope to be. We have used what charms and spells we can to empower ourselves, and as it has since I took it, the Kidney of Osiris remains in my left hand.

Should we fall in the coming battle, all is not lost, for more like us hide in the wings. We shall rise like the sun in the heavens and burn out the blight from this land.

We charge forward into darkness with the torch of Isis our constant companion.

Lady Shara should quake at the thought of our approach.

Excerpt taken from the personal Journal of Grignak, Priest of CrIsis

[zyanitevp]

New official log up from the Elven Juggler Merkl, who replaced the priest Indaris. The group avenges the death of The Man With No Name's family.

"Look Pa, No Hands"

Hiya Dad,

Thanks for the message dad, its always cheering to hear from you, especially since you are in the Western Empire now (I’ll see if I can arrange a special Crisis visit, that certainly should increase ticket sales). I hope you manage to make it into the Silver Tongued Bard’s retinue, that certainly would be a feather in your cap and would certainly make the Eastern circuiteers jealous as hehe.

Oh and to the Kankoran setting his girlfriend on fire, I’m pretty sure my furry friend is very innocent in the ways of women and wanted to do something to impress her, and impress her he did. In fact he impressed her so much she took his money and moved to the other side of the world. That’s some impression. I thought he would have picked up some of what Grignak was sharing, now there’s a master seducer at work, I’m not totally sure but I think he seduced a table and took it back to his suite for a foursome.

Dinner with Lord Lictalon was a scary affair, I ate carefully and slowly as to not offend Lord Lictalon, but thankfully he seemed preoccupied with our current difficulties. In fact he tried sending us off with gifts, the party mostly accepted them but I’m not to sure about this new fangled crystal magic, give me a shadow cloak anyday, but in saying that I know you like these sorts of things so I will try to get you a piece but you have to promise to be very careful with it. You never know if a horny troll is going to pop out of it and give you a thorough seeing to.

Duke Vas Passeon is much harder to remember and a lot less fun to say, he seems a lot more of a noble now then he did before, but we will see.

We are in Caer Itom now ourselves, and have been to see the Emperor, and he mostly ignored me thankfully, but methinks Grignak wasn’t as he kept staring at me with intent whenever I came within 5ft of the Emperor’s silverware.

I’ll give you a better rundown just in case you want to use it for play material.

We started just outside a Crystal Gate, with Lord Lictalon giving out those aforementioned gifts of crazy inducing crystal, and even as everyone else took one I declined, as if it turns against us I might get away unscathed. During this exercise Torrun surprised me by asking about the villains of the Valley, but Lord Lictalon was way ahead of us and had already organised rescue and relief for them, as without the magic crystal castle, the valley was going to return to its former look of bleakness and frozen rock.

Silent then spent the time to examine them with his gifts and pretty much gave them all the thumbs up, except for an evil dagger that we returned to Lord Lictalons safe keeping. Grignak also reminded us that we were to choose 1 item and not get greedy. Then came the disguising of Ursus and Grignak, which was done by mostly magical means as they were reduced to normal height, and then Ursus went through his pack and pulled out the underclothes of the Priest who was in the party. Ursus got a light traveling robe, but No Name got dressed up in an excellent formal suit, also apparently the priests. About now I was starting to get suspicious, if the Priest left willingly why did he leave clothes behind, did he aggravate the party until they assassinated him, took all his stuff and then dumped the body in a ditch out in the middle of nowhere. I know what the book story says, but the group wrote the story, maybe they are hiding a dark, dark secret.

I nervously looked over at Silent, the only one who was likely to pick the thoughts out my brain without using an axe and noticed he was busy, I then decided on poking Walking Death, just to see what happened. Yes I know it seems like I have a death wish, but the Gods put me here so I was hoping they would provide a little protection (Lord Lictalon too).

So I thought I would try a subtle method, unlike me I know but I had to know. The not knowing would be worse than being sacrificed.

“So Mr Noname, as we are all buffing ourselves for a big fight, why don’t you get a heap of those animal zombies working for us. A group of them going in first could set off the magical defences and seriously save us some pain” I thought this was the best way to approach it because it made logical sense to me, send in the cannon fodder first.
mrrrphmnnmphllama

was his response, it was very quiet and I could barely make it out, and even more surprising his cheeks started going red and there was a little embarrassment in eyes.

This was very interesting so I prodded again and he replied a little bit clearer.

“I can’t do that anymore”

I was a bit disappointed now as it looked like the cannon fodder idea wasn’t going to work, but curious as to why. No Name explained that he may not quite been himself and that the Golden Horned One had healed him after No Name had talked the party into believing necromancy was fine, forcing the Priest to choose between fighting him for doing evil and leaving.

Well I had figured out why the group didn’t talk about it much, the Priest had been right, `but at least they hadn’t killed the guy and dumped him in a ditch. Well I’m pretty sure they didn’t, however that still meant no cannon fodder, apparently we have a Walrus for that ?

Finally after all the buffing and talking we were ready to go. Grignak finished his final blessing and then Ursus went through.

The room was a wine cellar, passage way through was blocked by barrels of wine, so after a bit of work the barrels were quietly moved and everyone snuck into the cellar. There was the standard smell of mustiness but it was massively overwhelmed by the reek of juicy, maggot ridden flesh putrefying in the darkness. Ursus eagerly scouted for us, noting that there were stairs up to where we had to go but they were guarded. We discussed several methods for disposing of them (including Grignak seducing them, seriously the man, er troll is a machine) but then Silent again showed his power. He didn’t make us invisible, he just made everyone who saw us not really care, so we basically just wandered up the stairs, down the hall and into the throne room. Logan caught up with us as he was hiding in the cellar as well, waiting for us to arrive, and he had brought a walrus, well not a walrus but The Walrus, a man who’s corded muscles showed strength in his every move.

We got closer to Shara and Lady Daera Kaze until Ursus steps forward and shouts at Lady Shara “JUSTICE WILL BE DONE” and light shone down from the windows, lighting Lady Shara, whose face turned dark and twisted. Im not actually sure what she said because I decided to use my throwing dagger ‘Jecetri‘ on her.
I called out, take that on the chin *****, no not that chin, no not that one either, yep that’s the one, and then basically insulted her for what felt like hours, but in reality from the time Ursus called for vengeance and when her lifeless, soulless body slumped to the ground about 7 seconds had passed. Did I mention that No Name’s Scythe reaps souls, and Lady Shara was no more than a sheaf of wheat before him, I really think I like that scythe. Lady Daera probably would have screamed revenge except that Ursus was suddenly on her, casually pulling chunks of her viscera out, causing her to shudder and attempt to scream until a torrent of blood burst from her mouth, she slowly dropped to the ground trying to say something but only more blood came out as she coughed and spluttered, and then sightless eyes only stared at the ceiling, Lady Daera was now no more.

Apparently we were just in time, as Lady Shara had kidnapped Master Azariel’s daughter and wife, and was planning on turning them into cordon bleu.
We didn’t get much time to celebrate as the place darkened, as a presence approached. I looked around and the others seemed to be feeling it to, Maybe Lady Shara hadn’t totally failed, Apepi was on his way. Fighting a god was out of the question so No Name grabbed everyone and used his special magic to teleport us . . .

To a farm, this couldn’t get more random, except that after a few moments it seemed it wasn’t random at all, apparently his skills with the scythe came from using it on his farm. No Name was a farmer with a family.
I just sat down because really, I thought the special forces guy was supposed to be the cook or the slave, not the farmer.

To get Azariel’s family to safety we decided to let them use one of the Sekti-Abtu amulets, and flash they were gone. After a brief discussion we decided then to go on to Caer Itom, as we had business there with the Emperor (apparently).

After yet another disorientating jump through the extraverse we ended up in the capital of the western empire, and not just the capital, the actual freaking palace.

After being met by guards and our credentials taken (who else but us would do that) we were taken to see the emperor. The rest of the party had a lot to say to him and gave him a head and mentioned black sunder rock or something like that. I tried to stay out of the conversation, noting that the Emperor had good taste in the knick knacks he had on display, but Grignak, ever vigilant actually called out for me to not do anything.
spoilsport

Then your missive arrived and I had time to reply, so I did.
Sometimes I feel I’m on a chariot racing out of control and the reins are just out of reach.


Merkl

[zyanitevp]

New official log up from the Werebear Ursus. The group has a new DemiGod in their ranks (Level 20 I make characters Godlings, with some tweaks)

"Ursus Explains His Silence"

Sorry I haven’t written, hope this explains



Morning of the 28th of Seha, 2nd year of the rebirth, outskirts of SprinGate.



My Beautiful Beast,



My apologies for not having written sooner, as CrIsis was in crisis over the fact that the agents of the Dark have been intercepting our pigeons to home, to friends, to colleagues, to everyone. We had to remain incommunicado until a method could be devised to counter the Hawks that had been attacking our messages. While they did re-send them unaltered (as far as we can tell) they garnered as much intel as possible before sending them on. That is why you received the big eagle instead of a regular pigeon…surprise???



Let me at least fill you in on what has happened in the last few days or so. On the 17th, after somewhat handily taking a Crystal Castle for it’s rightful Owner, we transported via magical means directly to the edge of the palace of Emperor Itomas II. Once there we were quickly recognized by soldiers & royalty alike and quickly escorted to his Imperial Majesty, whom immediately adjourned his entire court to give us a complete private audience. We offered several items as proof we had indeed taken care of the Evil agents that had been conspiring and causing turmoil in the Western Empire. The head of Lady Shara & Lady Daera and the rooster of Blackrock. His Imperial Majesty was so gracious for the “gifts” that he awarded us…3…um…mill…um…a **** ton of gold. IDK is was more than I could ever carry in 10 loads. Wait, I know what 10 is? Anyway, An interesting thing happened once we felled the 2 “Ladies”, Mr. Tooth showed, well emoted to me I guess, fear.

Enough of that, that’s between us you oaf.


OK, OK, I will get back to the events. His Imperial Majesty also offered to fully repair the Shield of Light, which we all graciously accepted. The nameless one and the Emperor had a private exchange, EmEm offered a letter detailing intel on the Cyclops in the region and the Emperor offered Stewards and farm hands to assist his family with getting His farm back in order in his absence.



Totem also had a private exchange of sorts, dealing with the Woman he is calling his Wife (I don’t recall the wedding though) and a myriad of “sex books” about Totem and his antics in the Dungeon. These folk are super obsessed with the sex of others, I only care about sex with you.



The Lightweight offered a very special item to the Emperor, I was half listening and thought I heard him say the material was part wretched silver and that Dragon coins were made of it, I flipped out a little and went rummaging for my DCs to dump them on some other unsuspecting fool. My fears were calmed as he explained that it really wasn’t silver.



Really, silver, THAT’S what you fear.



HEY, SHUT IT. I thought we were done with that discussion. Anyway Darling, I KNOW you understand about that deplorable metal of the Devil. I did make my obligatory pitch for increasing the worship of Khonsu. I requested the Emperor add a Priest of the Traveler to his court and erecting a Temple to Him. He was very obliging.



We are escorted to a private room, so we can confer amongst ourselves. Moments after we are alone Thoth appears, grabs EmEm, saying “You need to come with Me.” and poof their gone. We discuss what to do with all the gold and what to do over the next few days as we wait for the Festival of Thoth. Not long after EmEm disapears, the entire room is filled with a fog that not even I can see through it. There is confusion with all of us, especially Foxer trying to POINT at something instead of TELLING me where to look or go. after a few moments the fog clears and in the room is EmEm mounted on a pale steed. He seems more frightful then usual. It turns out he has also join the ranks of the DemiGods, as I did and Xerx’ses before.



With the morning of the 18th we proceed to GCB to take care of debts and check on book sales. Along the way a couple of young lasses approach Totem asking if his “special” ability was true. There was some questioning of them and it turns out that in the “sex book” it states Totem can cause an orgasm by merely looking at someone. Well he looked at them and they did, so it must be true. EmEm blesses some gardens along the way, part of his new found being I guess.



Later that day, in honor of Thoth, I went to one of his temples to make an offering. I followed my usually method, dragging an Ox into the temple, Acolytes scampering to get things ready. They seemed somewhat more prepared then the last one I did. Word must travel. After sacrificing the animal and some of my gold…I’m told it was For-D-Sex-Tau-Sand gold…I slice the head of the carcass and swallowed it whole. This was also in honor of Thoth as this what he did to the head of Lady Shara. I have dubbed it Ursusing your enemy. It was my shtick that he copied after all. I hope he is all good with it.



21st of Seha, Festival of Thoth. What a cacophony and chaotic mess. It was like everyone in the entire Western Empire showed up on the same day. I longed for the quiet days of the tundra with nary a sole around. Just you and our soon to be childs. One day we will be there. Gleabster runs into us and sets a meet for a later time, he has more intel for us. It turns out Juggler’s dad is in town, under a presumed name as he has had some issues with the local constabulary, his troupe is one of the main performers on the center stage/arena. After their performance, we meet the entire troupe and inform Juggler’s Dad that he has been given a full Imperial Pardon. Excitement and revelry all around.



You know thinking back on this, having been with CrIsis for over a year now, I don’t recall ever celebrating a Festival in the Honor of Khonsu. Now while He is new amongst the Pantheon, He has become a Major God amongst them, at least in my eyes. I may have to doing something about this. It is coming up on the Third year of the Rebirth and He has no festival of his own. What date should I use though, as I recall just about every month is taken…let me think…well there are 2 months that don’t have festivals, that I recall. Thok Na & Kagna. Well Kagna may not work as that is traditionally known as Kym-Nark-Mar and I don’t think the Drag…



DON’T YOU SAY IT, DON’T YOU ******* SAY IT!



…um…well that’s his month. That leaves Thok Na and that was the month that he appeared to me and made me a believer. I remember because the ground had just began to melt a little, I remember the mush squishing between my toes. Maybe you could inquire with Brudder Malkin as too when and if there has ever been a festival of Khonsu and what month would be the most appropriate for it. Thanks.



24th of Seha, Kat’s Dungeon. Totem planned on taking all of us here since we arrived in Caer Itom. Almost everyone partakes in the…how do I put this…well I might as well be blunt, I know I’m not sharp, at least not my claws. So everyone is propositioned for various sex acts, as worship to Bast or for just sheer pleasure. For Once I had the most clothes on, it felt strange. I outright refused every approach. Ms. Kat noticed that I was standing like one of her many weird positioned statues in a corner. She approached me and asked if there was anything here that I would find pleasurable. While I did notice some fighting going on, it always resulted in sex, so I wasn’t interested. I explained that there was but one thing that would give me pleasure and that was you, my Bonded, standing right in front of me. She seemed saddened by my statement, but something in here realized what I was inferring and that caused her a smile. I think she maybe understood a little what our love meant to me.



I did, however, attend many readings of the books of CrIsis, giving many readings myself. This was a fun exercise, talking aloud about the adventures of CrIsis and myself. I especially loved recounting how you & I met.



25th of Seha, Imperial Palace. We are packing to leave for SprinGate as we intend to place one of the pieces there. Emperor Itomas II informs us that he has agreed to join us in traveling to SprinGate. What seems like a battalion of troops and servants is assembled into a caravan. We set off on the journey to SprinGate. As I am leading the caravan and I was feeling much more comfortable with the folk here, I went Full Bear and armed myself with the Eye of Osiris. I was, after all, scouting for an Emperor and my senses are much sharper when in Full Bear. We traveled for several days. On the 27th about midday, a small group of foolish bandits attempted to rob the caravan. I had sensed them well off. I ordered the caravan to slow their pace, but continue on the trail. I quickly, but stealthily moved into the dense woods and sussed out their ambush kill zone. I decided to set my own ambush of their ambush. I positioned my self as close as I could to their positions. At the slight moment before the main caravan entered the kill zone, I roared to life. Running on all fours, growling loudly, through many of the hidden positions they had taken up. Most ran, some tried to fight me off, all were thwarted, by myself or the small army that was protecting the caravan. I thought I heard the Juggler say something about a Bull in China’s shop. I thought, but I’m a Bear and who is this China and why would I run through her nice shop. Anyway, it is the morning of the 28th and the caravan is about to move out. I have to take my post, I just wanted to assure you that all is well and I will be with you very shortly, just have to drop of this piece and I will be in your arms. That sure is a weird looking cloud up there. Do you see that Mr. Tooth, it looks like a dragon…Mr. Tooth…Mr. Tooth, hello, fine be anti-social ya old bastard…



May Khonsu bless you and the Childs, may he bless all of us as we finish our travels this gorgeous day



Ursus Monstrum Actos

[zyanitevp]

This is the official log from our game on 3/11/17, written by the Kankoran Mind Mage Silent Dream.

Two Pyramids and a Werebear

Entry #101

…then we arrived at Springgate. It was the 28th of Thoth. As we approached the pyramid we found the Dark God Apepi waiting for us. He had scores of soldiers with him. CrIsis prepared for the inevitable fight. But the Emperor Itomas had a different idea. He stood up and reminded Apepi how much worship He received from the Western Empire. He told Apepi to kill us somewhere else or the Empire would no longer worship the Dark. “Another day.” That is what Apepi said. Then he disappeared with his soldiers.

Once we calmed down Grignak performed a sexy divination dance. He wanted to discern if it would be safe for Emperor Itomas to ascend the pyramid with us. Ursus was confused. He didn’t understand why Grignak’s dance would be considered sexy. I suggested that he imagine it was Ansa dancing like that. “Get out of my ******* head!” That was what Ursus jokingly shouted at me in response. Surprisingly Torrun joined in on the laughter. Maybe our talk the other day wasn’t a waste of time after all.

Grignak completed his dance. He announced that it was safe for the Emperor to join us. That reassurance was why the Emperor climbed up the pyramid with us. Climbing up the pyramid was exactly as all the previous books described. We reverently spoke the names of Lady Isis and reached the top safely. Once there we received two letters at the top of the pyramid. We immediately sent a letter back to the Shield of Light so they knew we did not actually wish them to sail to Cynopolis. Hopefully that letter reached them in time. We then wasted no more time. We entered the sacred bath to purify our bodies before entering the place where the true pyramid lay.

We walked a mile through that hot arid desert then climbed that pyramid. Two Ramen awaited us at the top. They directed me to place the Right Finger of Osiris within the blue flame burning in the center of the room. I did so and Great Osiris appeared before me. “Keep being the conscience of CrIsis.” That was what he said to me. That was all he said to me. He hugged me then disappeared again. I was very confused. Merkl was speechless. After witnessing that Divine spectacle Emperor Itomas spoke. “I shall support you in all things. My hand is yours. How may I assist you?” That was what he said to us.

Many ideas were thrown around after the Emperor’s promise. On only one thing we agreed – that he would provide to us the floor plans for Cynopolis. Unfortunately that was probably the most reasonable thing we discussed. The Ramen interrupted our discussion to ask if we had questions for them. We told them we did not but we would like to keep talking in this private and protected place. They agreed. Torrun took this opportunity to tell us about his conversations with Gabriel earlier in the week. He told us about the nature of the spirits which guard Cynopolis – how we would need special items to see them which would be ready for us soon. Torrun also revealed what he learned regarding The Nameless Man‘s scythe versus the spirits at Cynopolis. That its power would be largely ineffective versus them.

Before we left the Ramen asked us to join them in a prayer. We all said thanks to the Gods of Light together. Then we left. We returned to the normal world today on the 4th of Kym-nark-mar.
Entry #102

We are now on the Island of Y-Oda. Once we bade the Emperor Itomas goodbye on the 4th of Kym-nark-mar we allowed Ursus to teleport us here. He used the gift scroll of teleport which Xerx’ses provided to him so he could be with his beloved. As soon as we arrived he bolted for Malkin‘s home. With my help Grignak was able to catch up to Ursus but hanging on was another matter. Ursus took a turn too sharply and threw Grignak off of him.

By the time we all caught up to Ursus at Malkin’s house he had already broken down the door and was with Ansa. She was in her bear form despite the daylight hours. She seemed pleased to see him. I apologized to Malkin for our abrupt arrival. And in general for Ursus. Malkin suggested we talk more at Auntie Ev‘s. Heebo stayed behind. He began working on an ice sculpture to capture the reunion of Ursus and Ansa. Torrun also held back to have a private moment with Ursus.

He gave Ursus a deed to a plot of land on the island where a shrine to Khonsu was being built. Torrun told him he bought it in celebration of his childs impending birth. Once we left only Heebo was able to witness Ursus using the magical ring Stonelogger gave him to propose marriage to her. “This is the ring of time and only time itself can end our love for each other.” That was how he proposed to her. She happily accepted.

The rest of us hadn’t even made it to Auntie Ev’s before Heebo ran up to us urgently. “Hear ye, hear ye! Come one, come all, all members of CrIsis, to the birthing event of the century! Watch as a werebear is born and escapes from the cavernous depths known as Ansa!” That is what Heebo yelled to us in order to explain what was going on. Malkin told us he knows where they went. He led us to a clearing in the woods where Ursus and Ansa are. Ansa was in labor. Grignak was able to help in the delivery. Ursus stayed by Ansa’s side. I helped Ansa by deadening her pain. She gave birth to two baby bears – a boy and a girl. Ursus named his bear son Kolbjorn and his bear daughter Auberon. This was an amazing event to be a part of.

Ursus stayed with Ansa and his children. The rest of us went to Auntie Ev’s to stay in the rooms there. Ursus is a father – we made it to the birth of his children. Today was a good day.
Entry #103

Today was the 5th of Kym-nark-mar. We started the day with a long discussion about what we would do now. Ursus joined us after a few hours. We came to the realization that we needed to go to the pyramid next. Then we needed to continue on to visit the Mad Monk. Before we set off Grignak said the following prayer.

Khonsu, God of the moon
Khonsu, Sacrifice and all
Khonsu, Come before you in this month
That we might again consecrate our quest
In order to bring Osiris back from whence he was rent
Khonsu
This sacrifice has been put forth
And in your name we will bring this quest to fruition
Amen-Ra

Once the prayer was completed the Left Eye of Osiris began to glow and feel warm. Ursus held it aloft for all of us to see. We took this as a sign that we should go bring the Eye to the pyramid. There was a path from the entrance of the library which led to the pyramid. We climbed many steps to reach the pyramid up on the mountain. The pyramid seemed to have been cut into the side of the volcano.

Together we climbed the pyramid. At the top were many tents. Steam was rising everywhere. Thirty-two gorgeous women greeted us here. They represented all the races of CrIsis, past and present. Each was wearing a necklace and nothing else. Grignak, Heebo and Merkl allow the women to lead them away for some private time. The rest of us declined and simply enjoyed the hot springs here. After a few hours we entered the pyramid proper.

Guarding this pyramid was a Sphinx called The Librarian. He directed Ursus to place the Eye within the blue flames. Once he did Osiris appeared. “Your children will be blessed and protected by the Gods of Light during this quest. Have no fear. Go and be the Revenant. Go and be the leader of the monster races. Go and gain followers. Become one of the true gods. Khonsu blesses you and the Reaper and thanks you for your service.” That was what Osiris said to Ursus. “Mighty Osiris, my gratitude to all of you for protecting my wife and child. I shall complete this quest or die doing so.” That was what Ursus said to him.

Once Oriris departed we were left along with the Keeper again. He gave us the following information:

Khonsu would not be upset if we missed his festival.
Haladriel may not send us to a pyramid because he has signed the Agreement. There was one other on the island who could help us though.
Apepi hates the water. He will not attack us while we sail.
The Shield of Light is here in Bletherad Bay. We’re welcome.
Having Xerx’ses resurrect Artorias doesn’t violate the agreement as long as Artorous doesn’t rejoin CrIsis.

We spent a lot of time here discussing possible courses of action. When we finished and left I discovered we spent 6 days in there. It is now the 11th of Kym-nark-mar. The Nameless Man and I wrote a letter to the Shield of Light expressing our surprise that they are here and informing them that we will be with them shortly. We spent the rest of this day traveling further north up the mountain in driving hail.
Entry #104

Today was the 12th of Kym-nark-mar. This morning we received a response from the Shield of Light. “We don’t know how we got here. One moment we were sailing. The next they we were arriving at the dock. We will await your return.” That was what their letter said. After that The Nameless Man conjured phantom horses for us to ride. With their aid we managed to finish the climb today. We reached Haladriel’s cave. We cautiously entered. Torrun took the lead as if he had been previously told how to navigate the caves. Once inside though Ursus asked to lead and Torrun acquiesced.

I don’t understand why Torrun took the lead so forcefully just to give it up to Ursus. I must have muttered that out loud. Torrun responded to me. “I just found a way and then let CrIsis do what they will. I’m just here to help.” I did not respond. I am saddened that Torrun still feels this way. Why does he continue to believe he is not really one of us? What have we done to push him away so? Is he so used to being the center of attention that our failure to worship him as a Prince has driven him away from us?

Haladriel managed to sneak up on us while we were still looking for him. He took one look at The Nameless Man and said that he could fix him. Haladriel definitely seemed a few trees short of a forest. Grignak offered him maps of the Crystal Kingdom and Palace as thanks for the help he gave Malkin. Torrun simply said “Thank you.” Both of them were teleported outside without a second thought. Merkl started performing a juggling act as a way of saying thank you. He tossed the balls to me and I began juggling them with telekinesis. I said thank you to Haladriel and both Merkl and I were teleported out as well.

Ursus and The Nameless Man are still inside. We will wait for them. It shouldn’t be long.
Entry #105

…begun to wonder if the paths of “Convergence” and “Refinement” are mutually exclusive. Must only one path be followed? Can the two co-exist? I believe in Refinement but I do not wish to alienate the Tri-Arcanum and their belief in Convergence…
Entry #106

…wonder if the guild’s focus on Convergence for all those centuries is why magical energies can affect psionic energies and vice versa? The Emirin once told me that the psychic and the magical were separate once. That one did not affect the other. Except of course for…
Entry #108

…maybe I don’t need to understand Torrun. His attitude isn’t my problem. Why can’t I just accept that he doesn’t like any of us and leave it alone? Does it bother me because it reminds me so much of Indaris? Oh Great Apis, what should I do?

Still no sign of Ursus or The Nameless Man. I’m starting to get really worried.
Entry #110

Today was the 18th of Kym-nark-mar. The Nameless Man returned to us. He was dirty but also smiling. He didn’t know anything about Ursus. We will continue to wait.
Entry #111

Yesterday was the 19th of Kym-nark-mar. Ursus was returned to us. Once we were all together The Nameless Man summoned phantom horses to bring us back down the mountain. We arrived today on the 20th of Kym-nark-mar. Ursus visited his children and Ansa. Then he and The Nameless Man talked with Malkin about how to celebrate the Festival of Khonsu. Malkin gave them some suggestions and they left to gather provisions. They will hold it at a temple in a farmer’s field some miles away. We were all invited.

For his help Torrun approached Malkin and knelt down in front of him. Torrun then kissed Malkin’s feet. “Stop it, stop it.” That was what Malkin said to Torrun. In retaliation Torrun snapped his hand to force Malkin back. Angrily he spoke to Malkin. “Nothing stops me from being able to afford you the same grace you gave a God. I have been asking many questions for other people, not for me, and neither will be this one. How is Ley-Rhy?” That was what Torrun asked of Malkin.

Malkin told Torrun that Leh-Rhy went with the Legion of Northmoor into the Land of the Damned. He sought to discover if what Lictalon preaches is true – that the barriers which hold Hades and Dyval away are breaking. Malkin was sad as he said this. The Land of the Damned was a land no-one should ever venture to. He has no way to contact Leh-Rhy either since nothing can pass into there. That includes magical pigeons and eagles. Malkinn hopes they will make it back. They are good friends of his.
Entry #112

Today was the 21st of Kym-nark-mar. Today we celebrated the Festival of Khonsu by dressing up as bears and helping out on farms. I joined in to support my friends. The Nameless Man blessed small gardens where he could find them. Ursus preached to the Monster Races about Khonsu. I passed out some of the fliers I had left over to those who wished one.
Entry #113

Today was the 22nd of Kym-nark-mar. We decided to travel south. Each of us will board the board secretly. I elected to teleport straight into my room on the ship. I was quiet and stayed in the room until the ship had disembarked. Once I came out of my cabin I ran into The Nameless Man. He asked me for my help in a dangerous mission. I readily agreed. I would not let him go to face this danger alone.
Entry #115

Today was the 24th of Kym-nark-mar. Artorias lives!

Note: These are a select excerpts from Silent Dream’s second journal. They were written in Elven between the on the 28th of Thoth and the 24th of Kym-nark-mar, in the seventy-second year of the Great Wolfen Empire and the first year of the return of the Elven Kingdom.

[zyanitevp]

This is the official log from our game on 4/8/17, written by the Troll Priest Grignak, who began the game in disguise as a Troll Carpenter named Gurgle.

A Trois

Gurgle – Farmer, Sailor, Carpenter, Spy

When I stepped aboard the Shield of Light the first time, I stated I was a carpenter, thinking that my whittling skill, well trained though it was, would be enough to get by. When the Nameless-one came up to me like the very incarnation of death I thought the jig was up. Any second and I expected him to cut me in twain with his Scythe.Instead my worst fears were about to be realized: they needed carpenters. I cannot even here share with my journal what it is that the Nameless-one wanted me to do, but I can say I believe that I excelled at it. The wood peeled away under my gentle ministrations and bit by bit forms appeared from under the fleeting shell.It wasn’t all smooth sailing to Seaholm. We had two days of heavy rain which were alleviated some by the aid of Silent Dream and his Weather Staff. The second day of stormy weather ended with a brief exchange of flags with a flotilla of Wolfen. The wolfen weren’t very good conversationalists so we decided to leave before things became too heated under the cover of the Nameless-one’s fog cloud. We let General Tinor know about the rebels, as so they seemed to CrIsis, and he let us know that they would be taken care of.

Seaholm was dingier than I expected.

Flooied – Prince of Trolls


I can’t believe that I am here in the wolfen territory. How small and almost organized it seems. Nothing like the jungle home of my people. I find myself following an uncouth and barely sentient human in order to remain incognito.

In order to best distract from my presence, which is still immense cloaked as I am, I hired a couple of fools at the most recent port. I call them Thing 1 and Thing 2 (or is that Thing 2 and Thing 1? They are both small and would be great with garlic butter, but I never learned their names) and they are quite distracting. My accountant is becoming a bit uppity and I may have to gently remind him of the fate of my previous accountant.

Instead of joining the teeming masses in the tavern cum inn, we visited the standalone inn. It was a shabby establishment, with a proprietor who was barely more than a criminal of the basest sort. Not only that, but he was a fool. He let us into our rooms without paying. We could have as easily left without paying, but being an honorable sort, I sent my Accountant down to resolve the problem.

My spy-master and Thing 2 decided to head off onto the roofs of Seaholm while the body double decided to lend Thing 1 out to the Inn. It made us back 66 gold of our lodging, so I truly can’t complain.

My Spy-Master was shot at by an overzealous city guard, which brought us to their attention. As we were leaving early on our journey, the guard stopped us as we were leaving the city. I revealed myself to these lesser beings, even as I considered all the ways I could flay their corpses, and the proper vegetables to serve Wolfen with. My final choice was potatoes and carots, lightly sauteed in brown butter and thyme. I’d then wet-grill broccoli with salt over a chicory flame. Mix it together with a nice light balsamic and serve it with the rare Wolfen steaks.

As war is my business, blaming Tinor for my presence sounded the best option. The Wolfen commander took the bait hook line and sinker. I can see my people feasting well on wolfen over the next couple of years. We exited their town shortly after on our way to Avramstown to further the cause of war.

Grignak


Finally shedding the skin of my last persona, I allowed myself to breathe for the first time in a week. I’m not personally sure if anything I’ve done has truly shaken the eyes of the dark, but it was fun in a weird way to pretend to be so many different individuals for a time.

I’m sure that Gurgle and Flooied will appear in a future book of CrIsis, so I can only use those personas for about three months, or so, before I will have to permanently retire them. (Note to editor, if you publish this faster than that, please let me know. Would hate to be caught with my pants down accidentally.)

We made our way through the mountain pass on phantom steeds, making the normally week long journey in two days. We met both Tinor and Avramson in town, and let them know how much we might have screwed them over, again. We need to get back to the CrIsis Friends of Avramstown of the past and away from CrIsis Bane of All Existence that we seem to have become.

We left Avramstown as quietly as we entered, having barely taken time to meet with the King and Tinor and head in search of the January Magic Tribe, who now seem to be lost.

[zyanitevp]

Bonus Poem, from the Dwarf Torrun

“Vow of Valor”

Greetings violence, my old foe
I’m drunk on you once more you know
Dreams once more enter sneaking
Twisting thoughts into believing
That a hero, lives now in my ole’ skull
To win the war
Within the Vow of Valor

In endless rage I stood alone
Among the halls of the dragon’s home
Amid the glow of its golden horde
Burning rage against my cold, dead, heart
When my soul was grabbed by the might of Ra’s true light
That cleaved my fright
And I took the Vow of Valor

Within his mighty light I saw
The broken pieces of an ancient god
Nations seeking without looking
Churches hurting without bleeding
Faithful scribing prayers, that clerics never share
Because no one dared
To take the Vow of Valor

Knaves, said I, you do not know
Violence like a plague it grows
Heed Ra’s gaze that he may reach you
Follow Osiris’ laws that he may guide you
Alas my plea, like heavy axes fell
And slaughtered those, betraying the Vow of Valor

At the end of the battle’s day
Did they see the violent price was paid
And the Gods blazed out their warning
Lighting carving out words now forming
And the message said, the words of the righteous are written upon your hearts
And bloodied arms
And uttered from the Vow of Valor

[zyanitevp]

Official log from our game on 4/22/17, from Silent Dream, the new Demigod of Psionics, Kankoran Mind Mage.
"Giant Expectations"

Giant expectations lead to giant disappointments

Entry #122

…the abandoned buildings of Atwater. I quickly realized there were spirits all around. The Nameless Man and I started to try and communicate with them. Before I could finish the meditation to open myself to them we heard the others in CrIsis making a commotion. We stepped outside the house to see craziness.

An ancient stone gazebo at the edge of town had sprouted a pair of stone legs. It walked twenty feet away from CrIsis then set back down. This was because Grignak had thrown a rock at it. ThenMerkl gave him a creme pie to throw at it. When he did a pile of leaves from within the gazebo disappeared and reappeared above Grignak’s head to fall on him. Grignak and Torrun were able to tell that the structure dated back to the Time of a Thousand Magics. I could tell it was magic.

One by one we all had strange things happen to us as we tried to interact with or get close to the structure. Eventually Grignak walked into it and disappeared. Then the newly re-appeared Walrus also went in and disappeared. Ursus ran in after them. Torrun and Merkl followed them. I looked for The Nameless Man in confusion. Was I hallucinating? Was I going mad? He came to the area talking with several ancient spirits. They told him the January Magic Tribe had gone through the gazebo when they left. Together we went through as well.

We arrived on a familiar beach in a similar gazebo. All of us were together again. I recognized this area as near where Moli and I used to work with Eastern colonists. Back before Great Apis brought me into CrIsis. I oriented myself while Ursus examined the tracks around us. We were east of Arcadia, north of Hewe’s Landing, and south of Hillfar. Ursus told us the tracks headed mostly north.

Before we could get moving we were besieged by messages. Each one from a later date, indicating a lot of time had passed. First Ursus received one dated the 5th. Grignak began praying to Lady Bast but was whisked away by her almost immediately. Then Torrun received one dated the 6th. Ursus received another one dated the 9th. One arrived for Grignak which was dated the 12th. The final one arrived for The Nameless Man. It was dated the 14th.

It was the 5th of Pegasus when we entered the gazebo. I was able to use my own powers to confirm what the letters all indicated. Today is now the 14th of Pegasus. If we were going to find the January Magic Tribe we needed to get moving. Every day brings us closer to winter. Snow and storms will make travel much more difficult. We began walking north towards Hillfar.

It was night by the time we arrived. Before we crested the final hill I could smell lingering death coming from the north. Once we saw the village it was clear that it had been attacked some time ago. It had been the site of a battle and was in ruins. There were no signs of life. The people who lived here were flawed in their own ways but they did not deserve this apparent slaughter. They were good people. I knew several of them by name. How could

Together we all searched the village for any possible survivors. We found none. We only found three dead human bodies. They still had weapons impaled in them. I recognized one of them as Jakob Hontsmun. I taught him how to hunt in these woods properly, with respect. He was eager to learn. He wasn’t afraid of me like many of his fellow villagers were at first. It’s been at least 2 years since I saw him last. I prayed to the Gods for his spirit and for the other two as well.

The Nameless Man was able to tell that they died about 8 months ago at the hands of Wolfen. He recognized insignias from the Iron Claw tribe and the 13th Tribe. Torrun helped me give them a proper burial. We are now making camp for the night. I thought writing in my journal about this would help me feel less upset. It has not.
Entry #123

Today was the 15th of Pegasus. The Walrus was no longer with us when we awoke. Instead we were greeted by Grignak performing his daily blessing for us. He had been whisked away by his Goddess for special training. For him a month has passed since he left. For us it’s only been one day. He reminded us that today was the Festival of Bennu. We all lit torches and carried them with us in honor of the Goddess. Before we left the town I set a controlled fire in honor of Bennu and the people who once lived here. I redoubled it in power repeatedly until it was a roaring wall of incineration. Then I made the fire slowly move through the entire town, consuming it utterly. Torrun deliberately stood in the path of the flames. I don’t know why he did that. I moved the fire gently around him so he wouldn’t be hurt too badly by it. This seemed to disappoint him. I really don’t understand him sometimes.

Once the entire town was reduced to ash I could feel another fire begin to burn out of control just a short ways away. This was a new sense which came from my ascension. The ability to sense “accidental fires.” I ran to where it was. Once there I found The Nameless Man trying to manage a small fire in honor of Bennu. I could tell he wasn’t in control of it anymore, though I don’t think he realized it. Before I could say anything more to him we were suddenly approached by several giants. They were led by a giant woman who introduced herself as Hel Sundersdotter. She demanded that we come with her now to Nimro or else die.

The Nameless Man turned to me. He quietly whispered to me that he killed her father – Sunder Blackrock. He didn’t whisper it quietly enough. She heard him and became instantly angry. “You! You will die!” She shrieked those words at us as she ordered her giants to attack. We were unprepared for battle and far from our allies. They quickly started to overpower the Nameless Man. I lifted and carried him back to the rest of Crisis while he kept defending against their blows as they followed us. We reached Crisis and the battle resumed. Curiously our magic or psionics were blocked from working. I don’t know what ancient powers Hel unleashed but this meant she was obviously prepared to fight us. I began to think the request for aid had merely been a ruse. Then it turned out I might have been wrong.

Hel ordered her giants to stop fighting so she could talk with us. We stopped fighting too. Once again she demanded we help her rid her kingdom of the demons which her own brother had invited. We were to leave with her now or else. She and her giant minions all stepped back to give us space to discuss among ourselves. We decided to pray to the Gods for guidance. An unlit torch was placed in Hel’s direction. Another unlit torch was placed in the direction of the tracks we had been following. We asked the Gods to light the torch which showed the direction we should take.

To our surprise a third torch we hadn’t noticed burst alight. This torch was roughly indicating a direction that was towards a pyramid. That made sense. We still had one piece of Great Osiris yet to deliver to a pyramid. Chasing after this ‘Dragon-Blood Descendant’ had already taken us far from that course. Following the January Tribe to wherever they went would probably only cause more trouble within the Empire anyway. Our travels to Havea had already caused plenty. Unexpectedly my belly grumbled at the thought of turning away from the fresh pepper-sausages and jerky which the January Wolfen were so famous for. I must admit that was a small selfish pleasure I had hoped to experience again once we arrived. I turned away from those thoughts and focused again on the current situation.

All of us in CrIsis clearly understood the Goddesses’ answer. We announced to Hel that we would not return with her to Nimro today. Angry with rage Hel simply spread her arms and tilted her head back to look at the sky. “Anubis take me!” She screamed that at the sky. In a flash she disappeared. The other giants resumed their attack against us. With Hel gone our magic and psionics worked again. I could now clearly sense their strong supernaturally evil auras. We pressed the attack and overcame them.

The fire which The Nameless Man started continued to burn out of control during all that time. It was now a raging fire in the woods. I was able to pull it all to one spot where I concentrated and redoubled it in power before extinguishing it. This was done in dedication and thanks to Bennu. Grignak tossed all the weapons the giants had into the pillar of flames. He prayed to Bennu for these weapons to be purified. He then stripped off his clothing and stepped into the flames. He walked out holding a throwing dagger which had Bennu’s symbol upon it. Grignak handed the dagger to Torrun. Torrun I noticed also had a torch which seemed to be made of clay. It was the torch which the Goddess lit before our fight. It was also transformed by Her power.

I took one last mournful look at what remained of Hillfar. I suggested we begin the walk back to the Shield of Light. Torrun surprised us by pulling out a teleport scroll. He said he could use it to return us to the ship faster. That sounded like a good idea. Ursus said he’d rather return the long way so he could see his wife and children again. I also thought briefly that we should see stop and see Greminor Lector, the greatest alchemist in all of Palladium, before we took off. We voted for how we would return. Ultimately I had to vote to teleport as well. The Gods were clear in their message. I could not justify any other diversions. I have resolved to write an apology to Greminor which I will send later.

Torrun unrolled his scroll. We gathered around. He read the incantation but the sensation did not feel familiar this time. We arrived in a strange place. I readied my bow and looked around. Torrun and The Nameless Man were no longer with us. Instead I saw Xerx’ses and a strange Gnome. They looked just as surprised as we were. Just then we heard a Voice speak clearly to us. “Ah CrIsis. It will be good to avenge the past. I have taken the Minotaur’s child, and the bear-man’s childs. You have 13 hours…”
TO BE CONTINUED…

[zyanitevp]

Our most recent official log, from our game held on 6/17/17, guest GM Glistam!!
It is from Silent Dream, who was turned into a goblin during a trip to the Labyrinth of the Goblin King (our Bowie tribute)

"Cold Winds, Tide Moves In"


Shivers in the salty air

Entry #133

We continue to wait on the Shield of Light to complete repairs here in the Two-Axe Tribe‘s city of Whitewater. Despite all the misfortune that has recently befallen my friends they are all in good spirits.

We’ve been spending our nights in a tavern called The Wet Wolf. It’s run by a Wolfen named Ta’ko. Every night he allows Grignak, Willy, and Merkl to put on a… show that draws in a massive crowds. Grignak’s performance especially is done in Lady Bast‘s name. I think if we stayed her long enough he could probably turn this place into a temple to Her.

Grignak’s faith and fervor have been rewarded! Great Osiris Himself spoke with Grignak. He told our priest how the curses on both Merkl and Ursus could be lifted. Very troubling though was that Grignak was told my “curse” could not be easily undone. I was obviously confused when Grignak told me that. The rest of CrIsis proceeded to tell me that I was cursed to be a Goblin!

Normally I would say this was absurd. Part of me still wants to say it. Surely it must be their minds that were affected by Jar’Eth. But this was the word of a God. Is everything I remember a lie? Are my memories of my life among the Kankoran a falsehood? What is real? Why would the Goblin King curse me with a false life and a bad haircut?

Ursus received a brief message back from Ansa. I’m glad the children were returned safely as promised. But the news of my curse troubles me. I will meditate on this.
Entry #134

I have not yet mentioned that Torrun has been working in the Wet Wolf’s kitchen as a cook. The quality of the food has improved greatly- as expected from him. Someday I hope to spend some time with him learning how he prepares meals so professionally. I have always prided myself on my own cooking ability but compared to him I’m just an amateur.

Tonight Torrun arrived late. He brought another Gnome with him. She seemed surprised at the scene in this bar-turned-improvised-strip-club. He was able to convince her to stay long enough to try one of his meals. Torrun has a way with people like that sometimes. She sat on a bunch of books and other bric-a-brac in order to reach the bar. Ursus stood at the bar near her. He looked like he was really paying close attention to all the patrons. Something to do with his divine powers involving monogamy I believe. I saw him talking with Black Thunder earlier – I wonder if that was for the same reason?

Willy eventually noticed her and tried to talk with her. Hilariously this made her leave. I don’t know what happened after that but the next time I saw her and Willy she seemed okay with him. I think they’ve actually started dating. Her name is Major Kitty Schlicker. She has a riding eagle too, named Twilight Shadow. Willy invited her to sail with us. She is already under contract to another ship though and won’t break it.

Torrun and Ursus found out something interesting. The Whitewater City Council apparently made some sort of deal with the Church of the Dark here in the city. They couldn’t find out what that deal was. It seems like that might help explain why our time here has been so peaceful.

Nothing seems off in my memories so far. Out of everyone in CrIsis I should be able to spot if something is wrong with my memories. Right?
Entry #136

Today is the 18th of Set. We have said farewell to Whitewater and set sail for Me’zfii Onh. Grignak doused Merkl in barrels of holy water down in the chapel once we pulled out. To everyone’s relief he smells so much better. Praise Osiris and the Gods of Light for this blessing.
Entry #138

Willy was surprised to see his girlfriend Kitty today! The ship she’s on is a Bizantium vessel headed home. The reunion didn’t last long. Her ship was faster than ours. It passed us and left us behind before the end of the day.

I should write to Rolling Hills. I miss her greatly. But until I figure out what is wrong with me I am afraid to reach out to her. This is something I need to solve before I talk with her again.

Entry #140

Today we were attacked by Sea Demons! While we looked for survivors of a wrecked ship monstrous tentacles tried to wrap around our ship and crush us. We were able to repel the monster and escape. Grignak especially helped to turn the tide of battle with magnificent battle prowess. Because of him when we disengaged the creature from the ship it became food for the others in the area. This freed us to flee safely with only minimal damage to the Shield of Light.
Entry #142

While we sailed the cold northern ocean we spied a rare sight off in the distance. Two Ice Dragons fought to the death over the icy land we sailed past. Ursus had a tense moment when his weapon tried to compel him to fight. Torrun managed to talk him down from leaping off the boat and swimming to them! Eventually one Dragon won. It roared in triumph and flew away out of view.

I am beginning to think the Wolfen in Whitewater were right about this winter. There doesn’t seem to be nearly as much snow as there should be for this time of year. But it’s certainly been cold enough. This just might be a Coyle Winter. How fitting that this year’s Wolfen Empire anniversary will be a Killer Winter, just like the one that formed our nation those years ago.
Entry #144

Isn’t it a bit too convenient? In my memories the Kankoran took me in and raised me as one of my own. But why? I can’t actually remember an answer to that question. After days of introspection and meditation I think I may have finally found evidence of the truth Great Osiris told Grignak. How did I end up with the Kankoran? Surely I wasn’t born there. My memories start to get hazy when I think about my parents. Why did they take me in? I might have found the limit to what Jar’Eth’s magic could affect in my mind. These memories… no longer feel right. I still don’t remember the truth but I know it’s out there.

Maybe once I find that out, I’ll find out how I ended up with this haircut. It’s been no help in these cold winds.
Entry #145

Last night Ursus and Grignak held a ceremony to Khonsu under the full moon. The God approved by shining moonlight upon Ursus. This transformed him back into full bear form as Great Osiris promised. Blessed be the Gods of Light and their power!

Our good friend Malkin finished his research! He sent a letter to us letting us know. He’s returned to Bletherad. I don’t know when we’ll be able to return there. Our current path takes us further from the Great Library every passing day. Maybe once we know our own path better we can ask him to meet us somewhere? He’s done that for us before. I don’t want to impose upon him too much though. He’s already done so much!
Entry #146

Today is the 5th of Od. We finally arrived at Me’zfii Onh. We anchored in the bay instead of pulling into port. The docks were too crowded with smaller boats. We had to take our own rowboats to shore. One of the crew went with us and rowed the boats back. This town was packed past overflowing with people!

They were dressed poorly for the cold weather. It seemed as if their clothes were worn and old. They made room for us to pass though. Once they recognized Ursus and Grignak they began to get upset. It seemed as if they blamed us for their condition! Ursus and Torrun led the way to where we could try and help them. He and some of the others gave them gold. These people told them there was nothing left to buy – gold was worthless. There was no food, no animals left to hunt, and no supplies left for them in this town. They told us again it was our fault they were like this. That we destroyed their home.

“Which one?” Torrun asked them innocently. They became angy at the question. I don’t know if they were angry we didn’t know the answer or if they were angry that it seemed as if we destroyed homes regularly. Finally they told us they were from the Sovereignty of Terosh. That place where Xerx’ses transformed himself in order for us to survive. A few members of CrIsis took their money back angrily -but not everyone.

We stormed away angrily. I wonder if the others in CrIsis were considering Xerx’ses sacrifice and transformation. How could these people be so ungrateful? At least one member of CrIsis voiced that these people were raiders and deserved this fate. I’m not sure what to think. Regretfully I became fixated on the fact that these people did not recognize me as a member of CrIsis from that time, like they did Ursus and Grignak. I was there too! This was more proof that Jar’Eth’s magic warped my body and my mind. These weren’t enough cracks yet for me to see the truth His magic concealed. But now I had more confirmation. Now I knew – I should not be Silent Dream the Goblin.

We passed through the town quickly. More refugees were camped on the other side. Fires flared up among their makeshift tents as we passed through. Fires… which were not accidental. I could sense that clearly. In the panic we came under attack! But by who or what? Everytime I looked all I could see were innocent bystanders. No attackers. Just the fires and the panicked crowds. Then I felt cold steel and a weakening numbness. Poison! What was happening?
TO BE CONTINUED…

Note: These excerpts are from Silent Dream’s journal. They were written in Elven, on parchment paper between the 10th of Set and the 5th of Od, in the seventy-second year of the Great Wolfen Empire and the first year of the Kingdom of Koris Gwaisol.

[zyanitevp]

Been a while, game is wrapping up this year!
Here is the last official log, from Silent Dream, Kankoran turned Goblin, Mind Mage and Principled Character

The Enemy Within


“Is it living, or just existence?”

Entry #224

We had a harrowing encounter today on the 2nd of Grekar. Torrun and Ursus were on watch above decks. Heebo was helming the Shield of Light. Out of nowhere the ship was silently boarded by countless Zaranceti! As soon as Torrun spotted them the alarm was raised. Heebo executed a maneuver with the ship to help wake and alert everyone. The three of them began fighting a desperate battle. But all hands needed to be on deck for this.

The rest of us roused quickly and ran above deck. Grignak was the first to arrive to help. He was naked as the day he was born. He was armed with a sword in each hand. Willy exited his room quickly on Black Thunder. They took to the skies and cast air magic to blow or blast the invaders off the ship. Merkl and I arrived last. We joined in the battle to repel these boarders.

Ursus seemed to relish in this fight. He had reverted to Human form to wield Mr. Tooth. By the time this fight was ended he was covered in their blood. There was a moment it looked like he might dive into the ocean to follow the fleeing survivors. At the last moment though it appeared as if he regained control. Still covered in the blood of his enemies he walked back to resume his watch position. Everyone else who came up to help went back below decks. I asked if I should remain above with them. Torrun and Heebo told me that wasn’t necessary.

There must have been over a hundred of the monsters. The deck of the ship was so casually covered in their blood and their dead. The water was full of their grisly chum. Sharks followed our ship for miles after. It all served as a grim reminder of the focus we all have these days as we near the end of this quest.
Entry #225

Today was the 3rd of Grekar. Tonight we arrived in Caer Itom. The Emperor’s Guard met us at the docks. They secured the ship for us to keep it safe. They will guard it with their lives so we can treat the crew to a night in an grand inn. We bought every room in that place. The evening quickly turned into a grand party.

On our way to this inn we spied a news flier which raved about Willy’s concert in Sekti-Abtu. The author called it “the concert of the millennia.” Both Willy and Torrun seemed a little bothered by how much it focused on Torrun’s shirtless acts. Torrun’s worries compounded when an Eagle arrived to deliver a letter. He was relieved when it turned out to be for me.

Tomorrow we will visit Gabriel…
Entry #226

Today was the 4th of Grekar. Torrun received a letter of his own by Eagle at dawn. It was not from the only person I suspect he fears. Grignak said a prayer to in order to ask the Gods who was watching over us this month. This is what he prayed.

“Oh, Gods, Light of the world, I, Your Priest, come before You in humility to inquire as to our watchman this month, that we might prepare to You sacrifices in Your name. We thank all the Gods for their service, and offer up our obedience to You. We thank the Gods for our safe trip to Caer Itom. We thank You for the gift of affluence given to us by the pontiff. We thank You for the weather that has blessed us. We thank You for our allies, and also for our foes. Strong foes build a strong force. In all Your names, Amon Ra.”

For his prayer he received the knowledge that Great Apis watched over us this month. I find that very appropriate since Her festival is later this month. I wonder where we will be during that time? Wherever we are, I hope we are able to celebrate it.

Together the six of us headed out to visit Gabriel. Tiny, Heebo, and Walrus accompanied us. If the Gods would have them fight with us then they deserved to be equally prepared.

Gabriel was very polite and accommodating. I suspect the chest of coins Grignak brought with him played a big part in that. Thanks to Torrun’s foresight and planning we each received a magical bracelet which would allow us to “see the unseeable.” Or more specifically it would allow us to see the spirits of our former allies in Cynopolis. Gabriel examined all our weapons. He clarified some of the information we had been previously told. He also determined there were things he could do which were beyond Azariel‘s capabilities. He could enchant those weapons which Azariel said could not work so that they would affect those protected in Cynopolis from normal weapons!

Curiously Gabriel would not do anything with Mr. Tooth. He declared the knife would not work on any of our enemies in Cynopolis and refused to work with it. He wouldn’t even answer any of Ursus’ questions about it. Once we left I told Ursus I could take him to another Alchemist in this city I met previously. Perhaps that person could help.

Gabriel did surprise Willy by offering him a Lightbringer Grappling Hook he just happened to have on hand. Willy accepted it but I do not think it was a gift. I saw Gabriel’s eyes dart to the chest of coins Grignak carried. Willy was pleased with this weapon though. He was even told by Gabriel that he could name it. Willy accepted the grapple. I do not know what he decided to name it.

I asked the master Alchemist if there were other things we could ask of him. He said to ask so I did. I asked if he could do a couple things on the Shield of Light. Our chest for group funds needed to have its wards updated so all of Crisis could access it safely. I also felt that the Shield of Light should have some sort of magical circles on it which the crew could use to protect themselves. This was important since the Pontiff said the Dark agreed not to damage the ship but did not say anything about the good people who crew it. Gabriel agreed without much thought. It seemed these were banal tasks to one such as he.

Willy invited Gabriel to a private concert he was planning on the 12th of Grekar. This would be a smaller concert just for special friends of CrIsis. Gabriel was sure he would be done with the weapons by then and would attend. When he found out Willy would have a public concert on the 13th as well he said he would be there too. Willy then talked with Gabriel about my vision. Gabriel took him aside and did some things I was not privy to. But once they returned Willy told me he had a vision!

He saw all of us running away with urgency on a beach. There were many enemies following us. Weapons were being thrown at us. Then a giant bird swooped in and literally dove into the sand under Willy. When it came back up he was on the bird’s back. The bird lifted off to fly away and grabbed the rest of us in its massive talons. Willy smiled and said he heard me yell “not again!” I shuddered in response – if this vision came to be I definitely did not look forward to experiencing that again.

Gabriel collected from us all of our weapons he needed to modify. He told us to leave him now and return in seven days.
Entry #227

…introduced Ursus to the Alchemist Efren Clough. Ursus handed him Mr. Tooth. He asked if Efren could tell him anything about it. Efren looked at the weapon with some recognition. He told Ursus he did not know a lot about it but he could try and answer some questions. “Why does he hate dragons so much?” Ursus asked that question first. Efren was able to tell us that the last three possessors of Defiance’ Tooth all died facing dragons. “Is he a real dragon’s tooth?” Ursus asked that question next. Efren took some time to examine the dagger before answering. “Yes, he appears to be.” That was what Efren told him. Ursus asked the Alchemist if there was any more information. Efren told him he wasn’t able to give him any more information than that. Ursus took Mr. Tooth back and together we…
Entry #231

…helped another young one realize their psionic gifts. It seems like there’s so many in this city! It’s a strange feeling to sense when a person is at that edge. Once I find them, it’s easy enough to guide them over it. It comes very naturally.

When I walk this city with my friends I take time to experience it as a Kankoran, a Dwarf, and as a Goblin. The ways in which I am received are striking. I find I am most accepted when I walk around in the Dwarven form which the Gods once bestowed upon me. I do remember the words of Sxeb Kebuzt.
Entry #233

Today was the 11th of Grekar. We visited Gabriel to pick up our weapons. As promised he had enchanted each one to be usable against the enemies we will face in Cynopolis. I thought for a moment about Hades. I decided not to bring it up. We should have a chance to address those issues once we return.

I asked Gabriel if there were talismen or scrolls which could make the user invisible in way a that was superior to normal invisibility. Grignak also spoke up with his own idea that Azariel wasn’t able to realize – a way to become invisible only to those who are themselves invisible. Gabriel considered his request. He knew we were talking about the former members of CrIsis. He wasn’t sure if it was possible.

Merkl and Grignak both bolstered his confidence to help convince him to try. “Zavik, write this down. Gabriel is better than Greminor. Merkl declared that loudly to all of our shock. “Out of all the Alchemists I’ve ever med, Gabriel is the best.” Grignak followed up Merkl’s statement by announcing that. Grignak also offered to help by praying to the Gods with him for success. These statements all seemed to help convince Gabriel to try and make the potion Grignak requested.

Gabriel said it would take several days. He would not start until after the concerts. He wanted to attend both first.
Entry #233

Today was the 12th of Grekar. The first of Willy’s concerts was very fun. Emperor Itomas was there. Gabriel was there. Father Donal was there. Other priests were there. Many nobles were there. Most surprising of all was that Willy’s family rode on eagles of their own to be there! His mother, bothers, sisters… and two women his mother wanted him to meet. We asked Willy why his father wasn’t there. He told us his dad never believed in his music.

Willy’s mother introduced Willy to the two girls she brought with her. She wanted him to meet them. She completely ignored Kitty. The two girl’s names were Anna and Ana. Once Willy saw Anna he ignored Kitty too. When the concert started Willy invited Anna to come sing with him and not Kitty.

Kitty didn’t like that! She came up on stage too. The two girls sang together. Each was trying to out-sing the other. They both took turns singing lyrics to the song. What they sang was directed more towards the other girl than to the crowd. Sometimes they sang in chorus but each tried to out-sing the other. It was a wild performance. Willy just played his guitar in the middle of it all. I think he enjoyed this. I wondered briefly why something like this wasn’t more common – people competing against each other through singing.



Kitty was definitely the better singer out of the two of them. By the time the song finished Willy seemed to agree. He motioned for a guard to remove Anna from the stage. Not just from the stage but from the concert itself as well. Willy’s mom ran after them – she looked like she was ready to beat up that guard. With the next song Willy tried to smile at Kitty but she gave him an angry look before singing. They performed several of his strangely catchy songs together.

Finally Willy played his last song and bowed to the crowd. There was rousing applause. Emperor Itomas walked onto the stage next to Willy. He addressed the crowd. “I wish to personally endorse CrIsis upon their trip to Cynopolis to defeat the evils they face. If that means my treaties with Cynopolis are null and void because of this then so be it! For I shall back CrIsis until the end of days.” Itomas said all that to the assembled crowd.

Merkl led the cheers by jumping up and down. “Yay, Itomas, the greatest ruler in the world!” That was what Merkl was shouting. The Emperor asked if he would entertain the crowd now that Willy was done. He emphatically agreed. Willy went to catch up with his family and gave Merkl the stage. I haven’t seen many of Merkl’s performances but I think this one was the best he ever pulled off. He definitely aced it!

At the end of Merkl’s performance Emperor Itomas told us that he would have a flotilla of Western Empire frigates to accompany us to Cynopolis and back. He then leaned in close and whispered something very shocking to Merkl. I was in my Kankoran form so I could barely hear the quiet words. “And if things go bad I’ll send a Demon Black Ship.” But I can’t even write them here. I don’t think it was something that should be recorded or shared.
Entry #234

Today was the 13th of Grekar. We spent the day preparing for Willy’s public concert in Caer Itom’s main fighting arena. The crowd that showed up looked to be almost as big as the crowd we had in Sekti-Abtu. I used my powers to help him with displays of fire again and other visual effects.

Willy played his songs. The crowd loved it. In the middle of one of his songs he was enveloped in a glow of light. I swear this was not my doing. He rose up into the air while glowing. That was also not my doing. I could feel the power of the Gods at work here. Willy didn’t miss a note on his guitar the whole time. Suddenly the glow intensified and Willy ascended to demigodhood! It was an amazing sight to behold. And almost all of Caer Itom were witness to it…
Entry #236

Today was the 15th of Grekar. Grignak is still helping Gabriel to make those potions. Gabriel said if it works they should be ready on the 21st.

We were reminded today that our annual guild fees were due on the Equinox. As a group we decided to use the our group funds to pay this cost for those of us who needed it. We were sure to set up the requisite donation through the Gold Coast to continue our standing as honored members.

While we were at the Gold Coast I cashed in my Gold Coast note for Old Kingdom Coins. There were plenty around now due to our purchases with Gabriel. This was a small goal of mine for some time now and I was glad to finally be able to achieve it.
Entry #238

…Festival of Great Apis! Since Grignak was busy Torrun suggested we celebrate with Father Donal. I was glad to be able to devote myself to Great Apis and Her works today. At the feast Father Donal asked me if I would lead the prayer to honor Great Apis. I was flattered. In reply…
Entry #241

Today was the 21st of Grekar. Gabriel was able to make eight of those potions that Grignak asked for. He told us they should render us invisible to those blessed by Anubis – such as the former members of CrIsis guarding Cynopolis. Gabriel let us know that he wasn’t certain about these potions. They may all work, or only some of them may work. We thanked him.

I also thanked him by making more purchases. I recalled a potion which we used up North sometimes to escape danger while scouting. It allowed the user to run on the wind at speeds faster then they could usually manage. Gabriel had two dozen of these potions and I bought them all.

My final purchase from him was a band of rare enchanted Idrantine. Though expensive this would allow me to store mental energy much like the foul bracelet Carl gave me. But this item would not have any of those scoundrel’s strings attached. Willy and Grignak both were able to secure some coveted Gantrium jewelry. Grignak’s choice was especially weird – not because of the type of jewelry he requested, but because it was actually available.
Entry #242

Today was the 22nd of Grekar. We said our goodbyes and thank-yous. Emperor Itomas gave us another map of Cynopolis. Jershon had already made a copy of my map. Now we had three. I feel this was a safe number.

Once we were out to sea with the Western Empire ships flanking us I talked privately with Jershon. I know Cynopolis is dangerous. I gave him a letter to give to CrIsis if I should not return with them. He hoped he wouldn’t need to give it to them. I thanked him and said I hoped that too.

I asked CrIsis to gather in the chapel for a meeting. Once they were all there I had a somber conversation with them all. I reminded them that if any of us died in Cynopolis our spirits would become servants of Anubis. Because of this I wanted to tell them ways in which they could overcome me if I ever became their enemy. I did not want to be a burden to them if I were to die. I laid out all my tactics and how they could overcome them. This caused others in CrIsis to open up similarly. We talked for a long time about this. It was a grave conversation and mood but it needed to be done.
Entry #244

Today is the 26th of Grekar. We arrived at the island of Cynopolis. All our preparations were ready. Heebo, Walrus, and Tiny joined us in landing on the beach. Immediately we were beset by Lady Isis‘ former champions. With a heavy heart we were forced to face and defeat Asher, Bexx, Drauka, Vandur, Mack, Raulf, and tiny Hannah. It was a tough fight but we prevailed.

I wish there had been a way to avoid this fight. Or even better, a way to free these champions of light from the clutches of Anubis. But the Pontiff made it clear that there was nothing left of their former selves. We needed to be strong to overcome them. It did not stop me from being saddened by each one of their defeats.

The potions to be invisible Gabriel made for us were not as effective as we hoped they would be. But I believe the bracelets he provided and the enchantments he laid upon our weapons saved our lives. We are recovering now as best we can. I took this quick moment to record our progress. But we will press on soon. The longer we stay, the more danger we invite.

Note: These excerpts are from Silent Dream’s journal. They were written in Elven, on parchment paper between the 2nd through the 26th of Grekar, in the seventy-third year of the Great Wolfen Empire and the second year of the Kingdom of Koris Gwaisol.

[zyanitevp]

As we head into the last handful of games here is an official log from Grignak, Troll Priest of Bast

War is Ended

For Immediate Distribution:

Believers! Adherents of the Church of Light and Dark! Let it be known throughout Palladium that today the war is ended. Today, for the first time, we have peace. The conflict within the Church is ended. The last piece of Osiris on this plane of existence has been collected by CrIsis and ReSet has stepped down as an opposing force. Victory, long sought after by both sides in this conflict has at last come into view, and only an assault upon Hades itself remains in order to bring a balance back into the world.

After a contested landing, CrIsis made its way to the city of the dead. Seeing that the only two ways into the city were open conflict and subterfuge, for the first time CrIsis chose to expend resources in order to save life, even that life which had done its best to destroy not only the works of the Light, but the spirit and soul of it as well. CrIsis passed a night restlessly onboard the Shield of Light before walking around the outside of the city, avoiding conflict at the nearest gate.

Having circumnavigated the city, they proceeded to scale the city walls and enter, mostly, undetected. They passed through the outer city without tripping a single alarm. They avoided the guards on top of the inner city wall. When they arrived in the inner city, they disguised themselves as priests and followers of the dark, and in so doing said that they would not take innocent lives, no matter their creed.

The Dark answered in kind. They saw through the disguises, but they welcomed this, seeming, change that they allowed CrIsis to walk unhindered directly into the tower at the heart of Cynopolis. There, CrIsis did something else that they had not yet done with members of the dark, they talked. As usual, the dark accused CrIsis of killing innocents and general unkind and evil deeds, while hiding behind a veneer of innocence. Grignak called upon their repentance in this lie, as it isn’t true. While CrIsis has been treated as a continuing entity where new members are laid with the sins of those who have past, ReSet has accepted repentance every time their membership has changed.

Acknowledging the hit, an individual that some have called the Bishop of the Church of Light and Dark in Cynopolis handed Grignak a token which would have granted him safe passage from the city. It remained in his possession until it was donated to the Church of Light and Dark as a Holy Relic symbolizing the newfound peace when CrIsis reached Caer Itom. CrIsis was ushered up the lift to approach what all there thought would be their doom.

CrIsis went, nothing shirking. Confidence was much in evidence as they prepared and then entered the last field of battle for the Church of Light and Dark. The fighting was severe on both sides. ReSet had prepared much in advance of CrIsis’ arrival, relying upon their home advantage, and prepared circles to take the day. CrIsis stayed together and relied upon their true desires to end conflict to bring a resolution to the day.

Individuals began to fall. Tiny, Heebo, Lagram, Figbit, and others. Blood was spilled on that holy ground. Seeing that this conflict would hurt both the Church of Light and the Church of Dark, Grignak enacted a plan to end the conflict. He stepped from one end of that coliseum of hate to the other, grabbed the hand of Osiris, and stepped out of conflict. The will of the opposing force quickly broke as they no longer had that which they thought to deny Osiris, and conflict ended.

Those who could be were revived. Those who could not be were mourned.

Let all know, from this day forth, there is no division. Today, we are not the church of light or the church of dark. Today we are brothers, united, whole. We have seen a force assembled in the name of the gods of light that has shown little remorse and less compunction to destroy its enemies. We have seen a force assembled for the gods of dark that showed restraint.

Today, we are all representatives of the Church of Light AND Dark. Today we are strength and compassion. today we are selfish and giving. Today we end this and forgive ALL trespasses against us by our neighbors. Today we forgive our brothers.

For today we are one.

Grignak,
Priest of Light and Dark,
Priest of CrIsis.

[zyanitevp]

Official log from our last in person Rebuilt Vegas get together (once/year) where the player characters acquired the Skull of Osiris from Hades- this was their final piece.
The log is written by the Dwarf Monk Torrun, our only level 25! character.

Ballad of Torrun: Hades, There and Back Again

Most Holy Pontiff, please share this with Elyth, my sister, the Queen, dearest Mary, and the whole of Palladium,

WE HAVE OSIRIS’ SKULL!

To the peoples of the world, please begin to make your way to the ancient Holy City known as: Khemennu. I am Prince Torrun Ithanson, God of Valor, Bearer of the “Justice” and “Retribution” of Ra the Mighty, Member of CrIsis, Prince or High Thane of the Dwarves, and Grandmaster Warrior Monk of the Way of the Iron Wind. I beseech thyself to find and acquire one of the following items: A wall to lean upon, a stool/chair/box/barrel to sit upon, or the ground if nothing else is available to assist in preventing one from falling over! With haste upon thee make thy way to Khemennu and watch the LAWGIVER RETURN TO THE WORLDS OF THE PANTHEON OF LIGHT & DARK!

Today is the 22nd day of the month of Selestra, and I am writing this not more than an hour past our return from the realm of Demons, Hades. We are currently within the abode of Sulyott the All-Knowing within the city of Mishala. Jidian Kulder was called back to the North before the quest was done, however, it can be stated for facts of tomorrow’s history that we have always benefited from his aid and friendship, hail to the Warden of the Light! As he has likely shared his tale of Hades with the gracious and wise Rod Rambler, whom we learn is Merkl’s great grandfather!

{FEEL FREE TO EDIT YOUR ACTUAL FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIP AND WIPE THIS PART OUT OH, MALKIN, OR SHOULD I SAY ELANU STARMAGE, UNDER THE PEN NAME OF ROD RAMBLER}

I am in possession of the Lawgiver’s Skull now let me share with you a tale of the Champions of Light so that the Ballad of Torrun, Dwarf Prince, may draw to its conclusion and await the beginning of the Ballad of the God of Valor! So we had made our way through the lava infested catacomb dungeons of the Tower of Modeus, Demon-King of Hades. Where are “currently” three smallest members: shrunken Grignak, Sky Captain Willy, and our Kankoran turned Goblin – Silent Dream. Once they said it was safe to come through I told them to stand back, and I began carving a new doorway with the Rune Axes around the hole they had used to get through. Once all of us were through to the new area we heard someone screaming to death and I could make out demons talking about sacrifices to power Lord Modeus. I didn’t even wait for anyone to offer a word of caution, by running into the room and cutting one of the foul beasts in half! As the rest of CrIsis spilled inside with me I tossed two silver axes at another demon trying to sacrifice another mortal to lava river in Modeus’ name. Something grabbed the next victim as the demon lost their grip when my axes hit. Since it wasn’t me doing it I must lay the accolade for the save at Dream’s feet.

Mid-fight we were joined by a four armed Giantess with two huge staffs that looked to be made of the same wood one of Dream’s staffs were crafted from. It turns out a branch of the Rahu-man giants lived farther north than Terosh and led a very shamanic lifestyle. They had a group of warriors that would hunt down Mythic Beasts to coax their powers from them allowing them to take the form of the beasts and their magic. Apparently, she was down to her final beast in the Gorgon Serpent. I had to admit that the path may have some merit in developing different styles of combat for other Warrior Monks. It bears further study indeed. After we saved this group of victims we were able to explain the powerful glamors the rings provided so we could move about Hades. Seeing Willy hop off his Eagle steed did make me giggle quite a bit. Omen (Sumara Udir Ravanos was her given name to us but asked that we call her Omen – edit this out please during the general release), the giantess (whom Ursus decided to call Handy) explained she had met a group smuggling mortals out of Hades in a form of underground wagon trail, metaphorically speaking. I never saw a single wagon but otherwise the activities were accurate.

THIS NEXT PART IS FOR ELYTH:

They are lead by the Seraph angel, Sahliah, and she wishes Elyth to know she is still fighting the good fight. Once we convinced them we were not demons. Remind me to tell you about her shooting Ursus with a silver arrows because Demons, Silver, get it, HA! They told us they would handle getting CrIsis back to Allvice where we arrived so we could leave once more via the prescribe route. Plans for taking in any mortals we saved also worked out we head back into the lower levels of the Tower of Modeus via Omen’s guidance. A parting warning from the Angel, Sahliah, “Don’t attack Modeus until you destroy the stones.” It will make sense later as all good cryptic messages must.

Once we were all back inside our members with the great auditory perception prowess gave warning of a herd of something approaching! Dream got his psychic hiding power up around us just as ten Baal-Rog demons came into the room and failed to notice us! A while after they left we had our buddy drop the obfuscating power and progress forward. We had passed the furtherest point Omen had been to so we were now on our own devices to move forward. It was not long before in the upper dungeons we found seven demons scholars would classify as Brek-Shall. Rod Rambler’s Grandson, Merkl the Magnificent, let fly with his daggers and scored mighty blows against the demonic creatures sacrificing more souls to Modeus! I start cutting through the group thanks the “combined” double axe of Justice and Retribution alongside my silver, indestructible throwing axes. Omen was quick to lay her opponents out prone and vulnerable, while Willy began to freeze them from the inside out! This gave Grignak and Brilliant idea and he reached out to Sensuous Bast with all his heart and soul! She responded with freezing FIVE FULL LEVELS of the Tower of Modues! For the next few hours we destroyed a little over a thousand demons and saved about 400 mortals sending them to Sahliah’s group below!

Once we reached the fifth frozen levels end magic detections placed Modeus, the Demon King of Hades roughly two more floors above us. We decided we needed to rest, meditate, as were spent using a lot of our magic just to make it this far! READER’S NOTE: This is where you reading this praise Bast and the Gods of Light for bringing her back into the fold when they did! Praise Bast for freezing some of Hades over! I imagine that cat familiars with cold enchanted jewelry/collars will be all the rage soon in the various lands. We spent a day and a half in a hallway leading to the staircase to the next level. It was the eighth day of the month of Set when we began to rest and almost half way through the tenth when we all looked at each other and began the final push. History will judge us based upon what I write now. I cannot confirm this suspicion but I suspect the reason we were left alone for a day and a half was two-fold: A) – We had permanently killed about a thousand demons in the frozen levels. B) – Those left were still sacrificing mortal we had not encountered in an effort to bolster Modeus, the Demon King! I will always feel a piece of my heart broke over realizing this, but the general in me knows in war you cannot save everyone despite how hard you try.

Mother and Father, I will always miss you, but hold you in my heart. I pray unto Ra and all the Gods of Light that I have become the thane you wished me to be.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the architecture of the tower clearly predates the New Kingdom of the Elves and I strongly suspect the Time of a Thousand Magicks! I am mentioning this because of legends about how one deals with shapeshifters. Many a king in ancient days decided to ward archways leading into sensitive areas (like throne rooms) forcing the shapeshifter to take on its natural form! Well, Apis’ Luminary and I had dropped our disguises earlier and this archway may have been responsible with breaking the curse of the former Goblin-King! He was returned to his fox-like Kankoran form upon stepping through and I suspect any other malady regarding that should fall away in due time! Those magics were of equal power and age, finally it has been laid low by a twist of fate! Huzzah!

For every boon one might find in the realm of Hades it will always come with a bane. Such that Ursus, the actual intended target of such warded archways, was forced back into his full bear form and then came the demon version of talking with Ratel, Devil something working for Anubis. Oh wait, I remember his Ursus tribal name, Little-Bitch! Many of us were just fed up with hearing the same damn lines over and over:
Oh I will destroy you, You have been warned!!!!!!!!
You’re going to be punished if you don’t turn back!
It is time that you all pay for your defiance!

REALLY? REALLY?!

It’s like he has never read a single one of the Books of CrIsis! He might as well have said, “Hey I made milk and cookies, but you only get some if you destroy my keep, ego, and self worth.” Well, with those lines we don’t have to worry about his self worth, that he killed himself! With the ward-enchanted archway we should not have been surprised when we came across a hall that defied the size limits of the tower upon his castle. We are after all, wandering around an otherworldly realm of demons attacking their god-like ruler! The hall must have been 3000 square feet in size and sure enough came the self-deprecating jest, “Now CrIsis you will pay!” We all groaned vowing to kill the demons we met just so we could shut up Modeus from horribly talking us to sleep. Blessings unto Merkl’s the magnificent for his return jests:
Oh, I am Modeus see, yeah!!!!
I will forget my army is less effective than a group of Panath assassins, see!!!!!!!!
I’ll get you and your little bear Ursus too, see!!!

So forty Alu-Demons began to rush us after the group made a few attacks at distance to distract them from murdering more innocent souls. But after Merkl’s replies we all just stopped and laughed for a few seconds! What can I say about the battle, hmmm:
Oh, We’re CrIsis see!!!!
We end tyrants, civil wars, church disputes, dragon attacks, whoops sorry those are creditable accomplishments see!!!
40 Alu Demons permanently dead,
A 100 goblins mostly knocked out and a few dead,
Saved about 200 innocents from eternal damnation see!!!

I know I am not as good as Merkl but I try, okay back to the day job! It was Merkl the magnificent and Sky Captain Willy that would detect and disable over 20 traps in the hallways of this level of the tower. I would like to point out I could not have done this alone, so many of the situations that were traps alone might have whittled me down, but I am among the greatest heroes of the Age of Rebuilt – Osiris’ Rising! Among this layer we came upon two Dwarven longbeards, and an ancient, Elven, Prince: Famath of the line of Thandenore. Willy kept trying to poke the prince with iron to see if it was an illusion but kinder heads prevailed and all were determined to be what they appeared. The two Dwarves apparently were wizards kept alive and tortured since the War of the Fair and the Strong. Prince Famath was thought lost in the battles raging in the far off northern mountains some 8,000 years ago! I made him a promise to take him home to Koris Gwaisol. He was relieved to find out the war betwixt our peoples is over, having such a ragtag group with me did not hurt that statement. We healed the three of them in a group effort and they offered to stand guard as we made the final ascent to face the Demon King.

I will apologize that the three images below are more like a small battle maps than good quality but I refused to rest until I gave my account of how we brought level fairness and law with mercy back to the worlds that are cared for by the Gods of Light. So now it is context to the three images Sulyott was able to retrieve from my memories and through amazing magic affix to parchment. I then quickly scrawled my commentary in bright colors to help with the explanations forthcoming.

Among hearing more of his ghostly voice whining we continued and entered the final room and confrontation. The larger, brown, rectangles and the smaller, black, circles on the right hand side of each pannel represent 20 foot tall Demon Lords statues and 10 foot tall demonic lieutenants. Go back up and the “…Don’t attack Modeus until you destroy the stones…” statement now has clarity. The six huge statues of Modeus were each 40 feet tall. In the center was the mythical Gorgon Serpent that Omen had been witnessing, and she made a break to subdue it and garner its power. We were thrilled because it frankly left us one less thing to fight. Ursus and I moved into destroying the Statues of the Demon Lords and lieutenants, with me moving to use vibrating palm on three of the small one at the same time. By standing at small statue #2 both #1 and #3 were within range of my monk trained ability that actually mimics the power of the legendary rune sword, Castlerake! Merkl moved in to take on the huge Modeus #1 statue which came to life/motion! Willy tried to tried douse the circular lava pit on the right side of each panel and Dream used his powers to grab the blood in the rectangular pool in the center but that only fed Modeus more souls to absorb! We all agreed that was a whoops for certain and moved forward. The Modeus #2 statue tried to wrestle Omen from her goal and was even bearing the resemblance of a real person. However, she crushed the opponent! It changed back to stone and CRUMBLED!

Our second whoops came when we learned the statues had either avatars of Modeus bound to them, or were vessels containing other demons WHICH COULD BE SACRIFICED TO MODUES FOR A POWER BOOST! Lesson: Don’t throw anything into the fire pit of lava! Merkl continued his verbal insults of the Demon King and began to taunt him into revealing his true presence! It was then the true Modeus revealed himself as his fourth copy statue, and he was wearing the Skull of Osiris! He had grown to almost 60 feet and could reach any of us in the room he wished to with but a wave of his arm! Ursus had destroyed two of the 20 foot tall Demon Lords statues when two came life at the top of each panel:
Charun the Cruel,
Abrasax the Insatiable

Without waiting long Grignak engages Abrasax while Ursus faced Charun directly! I, however, stay on task and I can feel the three statues beginning to shatter under the force of my will bending their physical nature to chosen paradigm, not the paradigm of Hades! While I broke up some grotesque, soul bound art to prevent the souls from being added to the fire. Willy and Merkl were whittling down the two large Modeus statues in the bottom half of each panel after the real Modeus was being held up by Willy’s hurricane! Repeated dagger strikes leaving gaps in the stone made Willy’s coming sonic boom a death sentence for their two statue giants facing them. When my stone statues were destroyed all together we saw Modeus’ true form shrink down. Grignak at that moment risked another miracle and I prayed to Ra for an “Ace In The Hole” as it were, to stop time long enough for him to destroy many of the other statues!

Dream said the magic phrase and summoned Elanu the Starmage, and the resemblance between him and Merkl was amazing! As Merkl had been tossing magical pies at the evil in the room. Elanu joined him tossing a ball of radiant energy that nearly rocked Modeus to a third of his power! Modeus tried to offer us the skull if we would leave and we sneered back in abject disdain for him as a threat and Dream hurled me through the air as a catapult stone, THROUGH THE HURRICANE! I drew forth Mary’s Cleaver I had enchanted to ignore any form of armor! Together with my combined double axe and my newly acquired Godly strength I was the one to finally take down Modeus, Demon King of Hades!

To say the dimension would be thrown into chaos is an understatement. Willy stole some other item of power from Modeus and I have the skull. Sahliah, and the free folk joined us and we made for Allvice to return home. The dimension is in full blown civil war since Modeus, Abrasax, and Charun are all dead! The leftover power tore the entire tower in the Zalgore Bog down! With this enormous hole in the abyssal monarchy there are plenty of power hungry demons are trying to claim it! Famath & Elanu join us directly on the way home!

CrIsis has returned!

Torrun Ithanson,
Grandmaster of the Way of the Iron Wind
High Thane of the Dwarves
Brother of the Queen
Admirer of the brave mother Mary of the Redbeard
God of Valor
Scion of Ra the Mighty
Member of CrIsis


Sent upon the evening of the 22nd of Selestra, in the 3rd year of Koris Gwaisol.

[zyanitevp]

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