Adventure Log #40

THE CHARACTERS
Kimmi-Manthootian warrior.. Kevins Friend
Fionn Mac Roa-Bard about town.
Brock-- A Monk who has recently been informed that he will have to fight a duel to the death in a month.
Garu--Elf archer. Sometime Boy Toy.
Brother Mercy-New around here. Beginning to realize the trouble he's in?
Kevin-Manthootian archer..Kimmies friend
Serrif-Lord of the town (AnVoc is the correct term)
Esnith-Party girl and planet destroyer.
Aki-The other half of Esnith. Now living in her own body. A Priestess of Marica.

Non-Player Characters
Mauge-Serrifs brand new wife (almost a week)
Madrigar Ah E Karieen Dith-A magic user that’s been their friend and patron for the last couple of years.
Evil Serrif-An evil creature that pops up from time to time to make Serifs life interesting. Distaria-Evil Queen (Jkenna of Deserata).

DM's Note: This is sort of an ending run. Chris (Aki & Esnith) and Kristen (Serrif) are moving so they have to leave the group. A lot of this run was tying up loose ends and such for their characters and closing some plots down (and opening up new ones). I interrupted the action from time to time in the regular group to put in short scenes involving the current group and characters in distant Sylvia’s Rest. Also this is kind of long....

The group had just been overcome by darkness. The lights come back up again and there is a woman standing next to Kevin. The woman introduces herself as Van Durseraye. She appears to be a Manthootian woman of true blood (Her skin is almost transparent). The party quizzes her about where she’s from. She relates that her and her servant got separated from the caravan they were in and took refuge here in the catacombs of the Blister.

Most of the party doesn't believe her but they take her as harmless. They then debate whether they should open the doors that go deeper into the dungeon or leave. Durseraye wants to leave and the party decides that they will go back to the surface and report what they have seen to the military. As they enter the last part of the tunnel Durseraye twists her ankle and begs to be carried. Jagvoc Mercy offers a spell to heal the damage but Durseraye says he just wants to put his hands on her and she refuses.

Brock carries her until they are back outside. He drops her once which elicits very unlady like curses from Durseraye. Eventually they begin the treck back to Mountain Vale. On the way Durseraye regains the use of her ankle and walks like the rest of the party. They arrive about five in the evening and Maug (Serrifs wife) has the servants rustle up some dinner. As their waiting Garu takes some time (in another room) to go through Durserayes luggage. All he finds of interest is a scroll he can't read a small velvet bag that squeaks when touched. He shares his discovery with Fionn and they take it outside and hide it near a tree.

Dinner is served and Jagvoc's Mercy's room is given to Durseraye (he bunks in with the rest of the guys in the room next door). and the party goes their separate ways for the night. Serrif, Esnith and Fionn go drinking. Kevin and Kimmi go to their rooms in the village. Brok goes outside to practice for his duel. Jagvoc Mercy hangs out with a couple of the Red Hats outside the manor and Garu goes to find the local priest.

Garu finds the priest and discusses with him about having a Detect Evil spell thrown on Durseraye. The priest tells him that he will only throw the spell if the Anvoc (Serrif) asks him to...So Garu makes his way to the tavern. He gets to the tavern but can't find Serrif. A partially drunk Esnith mentions that he went to use the privy in the back room. Garu hangs around outside the privy fro a while but gives up after receiving dirty looks from the men going in and coming out.

Kimi and Kevin have a wonderful night discussing all things Manthootian.... they probably discuss that they had culture when the humans were swing through the trees. Kimi defers to Kevin and lets him sleep in the bed, while she sleeps on the floor.

Jagvoc Mercy has a long discussion about where the Red Hats came from. They tell him the sad tale that Maug was almost past prime marrying age (she's 15) so her father had to find a match for her. That’s how they ended up in Mountain Vale, however they point out that Mountain Vale is pretty much like their village at home in the Second Kingdom so it's not too strange. The guards warn the Jagvoc to watch out for the elf (Garu). Where they come from when elves aren’t out stealing babies and eating them they give folks a thing called "elf shot". A disease that is very hard to cure and can be fatal. They instruct the priest on how to make a "Fheng" with is fingers to ward off Garu.

Suddenly the silence is broken by screams coming from the manor. Like a shot Brok is in the house and up the stairs. He expects the noise to be coming from Durseraye's room but it's not, it's coming from the master bedroom. He throws the doors open and sees a Serrif with his wings out and wicked claws tearing into Maug who is doing the best to defend herself. The thing that looks like Serrif looks at Brok and tells him that this is a family matter and he should "butt out" so he can kill his wife in peace. Brok leaves and goes running towards the village to get help.

Next into the room is Jagvoc Mercy. He doesn't listen to Serrif and starts attacking him trying to get the creature out of the room. They attack each other several times and Maug with the last of her strength stick's Serrif with a spear which does more to anger him than anything else. The fight continues until the guards show up and the thing that looks like Serrif jumps through the window and flies off.

Maug is stabilized and the rest of the Watch is called up to try to find the thing. The rest of the group arrives and they go over to Durserayes room. At first she doesn’t answer. When she does open the door she says that she locked the door against what was going on in the hallway. They talk to her for a while but don't get much info from her. She asks Garu about her velvet bag then gets a far away look in her eyes and says "Oh there it is". She informs them she had noting to do with what happened with Maug and Serrif and that it is time she should be leaving. She tells Kevin that she owes him one favor and she kisses Brok's hand and tells him that when he wishes it this hand will be stronger for a short while. Garu asks why she's rewarding Kevin and Brok when it was Maug that gave her a place to stay. She tells them that she was trapped in the Blister and couldn't leave on her own accord but Kevin is the one that convinced the party to leave and Brok was the one that did the physical carrying.

Kevin decides to ask for his favor know and asks where Serrif is Durseraye tells them that he is flying towards the kingdom of Deserata. Just as they're hearing this the commander of the infantry comes flying up the stairs. He rushes over to the Jagvoc and asks if he can raise the dead. Sadly the Jacvoc says no, "why?" The commander hangs his head and says that his son has been found dead in his bed.

Esnith was at the back of the party when they were on their way to the manor. When she’s alone the wizard Madrigar steps from behind a tree. He tells her that she needs to come with him. She refuses and he uses his voice of command on her.

Many miles away in the City of evil known as Deserata Serrif wakes up on the floor of the throne room. He is naked and covered with blood. As he sits up he sees the Jkennis Distaria, the mother of his child. She greets him and tells him that he has done very well spying on the forces of good for her.

He doesn't believe it then she tells him that ever since he placed the necklace of control on, many years ago she has been able to watch others through his eyes. She tells him that tonight he will have his reward as he joins the worship celebration of the god Snargassie (God of Vile Perversions). Of course there is the matter of his "brother". She pulls from out of the shadows his twin who is beaten and bleeding. Cocking a cross bow she asks him if she should kill him or not (See earlier articles where he's seen this as a dream).

Serrif says to let him live but the Jkenna kills him anyway. She tells him that there wasn't really an "Evil Serrrif" anyway. She explains that after the celebration of the vile rites of Snargassi he will be quite mad. Then she will use a spell to send him back in time a few years, where he will play out the role of his "Mad Twin" of course pointing to the corpse he knows how it will end.
She offers her arm and he had no choice but to take it...together they go to the celebration.

A few miles from Mountain Vale in the city of Sylvias Rest Mage Van Scalla is preparing for the night. There is a knock on the door. It's Madrigar. He comes in and tells Scalla that he has a message from her. The message is that she should leave the city at once and go into hiding forever lest a dire thing will happen to her. Without very many more words he leaves.

The mage Kebriddane hears a knock at his door. When he opens it he sees Madrigar. The mage tells Kebridane that he has owed him and the others some money for a while and he would like to make good the debt. He hands Kebridane a note good for 1,000 gold and then bids him good night.

The Arc Morgan is finishing her nightly prayers when there is a knock on the door. When she answers it she finds her distant cousin Madrigar there. She asks him what he wants. All he says is that he has to go away but he has a favor for Morgan to perform. The favor is that he wishes that Morgan would be nicer to his sister (Paladin Marcia). Morgan says that she will try and with that the mage leaves.

In the Manthootian section of Sylvias Rest the Priestess Aki (formerly part of Esnith the Planet Killer) is finishing her nightly prayers. There is a puff of smoke and from it emerges Madrigar. He bids her good evening and apologizes for what he is about to do. The lights go out and Aki is unconscious.

Many miles away in the City of evil known as Deserata Aki and Esnith wake up. Aki is bound in mystical ropes while Esnith is held by the word of power. Madrigar is explaining to the Jkennis of Deserata how for all of these years he has been planning for this night, the night when betrays the forces of good so that she, Distaria can become his god. He shows how Esnith who is the weapon that was designed to destroy the Spirit Jeweled mages has been rendered inert.

Disatria probes at Esnith and feels none of the volcanic fury that should be coursing through her body. Distaria knows that being this close to the weapon should trigger it (She it turns out is a Spirit Jewel mage...) but there is nothing; the power that should destroy the world since it has detected her is gone. Esnith herself feels nothing.

Madrigar tells Distaria that in working with the last True Mage and deceiving her he has been able to destroy Esnith's abilities to detect and destroy her kind (Spirit Jeweled Mages). Distaria offers Esnith a thin glass blade so she can go and kill the helpless Aki (something she’s always wanted to do). Instead she uses it to stab herself in the chest. The blade being brittle breaks doing nothing.

Madrigar hands her a straight razor and uses a command word for Ensith. She doesn’t appear to hear it instead she slashes at the mage drawing blood. She continues the strike at him until he throws a spell protecting him from the blade. Distaria things that this is all very funny, she watches Esnith chases Madrigar around with the blade. Esnith realizes that she cannot hurt him anymore and she turns the blade on herself and she cuts her own throat to the giggles of Distaria.

Suddenly from Esnith's body come a loud piercing scream. Esnith herself feels a different power course up through her. It’s not the fire of the volcano but instead it’s a piercing shriek that threatens to deafen those in the room. Distaria staggers and holds her head. There is a sound of shattering crystal (The Spirit Jewels in her forehead) and then a gout of blood pours from them. She screams “I’m blind” then falls to the ground thrashing. Madrigar turns to make his escape but the sound catches him as well. He grips his head tearing the burnoose he always wears, there is a popping like sound as his spirit jewels shatter and he falls to the ground as well.

Esnith feels herself gating to another world in search of other prey…Aki still tied up is teleported back to Sylvias Rest.