After spending all of the previous day identifying treasure, dividing up loot, and copying spells into the blank books, you continue on your trek this morning. Today is much warmer...after a cool night the temperature has already climbed above freezing by dawn, and a damp fog has rolled in off of the ocean.
The day's travel is uneventful. The road is deserted but for you. At around noon the road descends into a shallow valley and curves inland to the northeast. The bottom of the valley is marshy. In the middle meanders a small river, and the road crosses it via an ancient stone bridge. On the far side of the bridge is a stone toll house...now deserted and starting to fall into ruin. About five miles beyond, you come to an intersection, where a lesser road runs south from the main route, evidently following the valley. There is a signpost here that reads...
The Elven Coast Road: NE: To Frisco, Kolumbus Bridge, Demon's Neck. SW: To Castle Tempesta, Omlet, Morgrond. S: <blank>
You remain on the coast road.
By late afternoon the sun is shining through broken clouds and the temperature is above 50F. There is almost a taste of spring in the air. The road is curving more and more to the east, away from the Pacific Ocean. The road is passing through dense a coniferous and deciduous forest at this point.
Ahead of you, you see that you are approaching a ruin. Two tall, crumbling towers - each about 100' high - are ahead. The road passes between them. Heading off into the forest on each side you can see the remains of walls and battlements. The place is deserted, and obviously has been this way for many centuries. Between the towers is a signpost...
The Elven Coast Road: NE: To Frisco, Kolumbus Bridge, Demon's Neck. SW: To Castle Tempesta, Omlet, Morgrond.
Dani shivers and whispers, "Does this place make you feel really odd? Let's hurry through ... I don't like it ... "
Occa says, "This reminds me of my home town." He looks around as we go through...
You ride your mounts between the towers...
..and continue on your way.
"For some reason this ruin always gives me the creeps," says Valdar. "It is an old Elven fortress, destroyed by the Black Wizards during the War of the Stones. Perhaps their magic remains strong here. Oh Well, Who Knows, Dani? You three don't look quite well..."
Jesse breaks out in a song, hoping to take everyone's mind away.
Dani shakes her head. "Oh ... ummm ... well. Nevermind." Dani is very withdrawn and remains silent.
Taking this cue, Occa moves his mount over near them and says, "You guys okay?"
Dani waves Occa away. "I'm fine ... really. Just some minor trouble with a pretend demon ... " She sighs and lapses into silence again.
Occa says, "What? What pretend demon? Speak up, woman! Your silence could damn us all."
"Some type vi demon ... a fire pit ... hot ... we just appeared there ... nothing we did worked ... and then I got suspicious - I mean how can 4 magic missles not do a thing? And poof ... here I am ... in the middle of your conversation." Dani snaps.
Occa says, "Anyone have a dispel magic? They have been attacked with illusions! If they aren't stopped they could suffer dire affects."
"Thoth, please grant me sight beyond mortal sight," Salaam intones and then scans the area. He notes nothing more unusual than usual about Dani, Who Knows, and Oh Well. Checking out the area, he notes a faint dweomer around the ruins. It is of a type of magic he has never seen before...almost of a clerical nature.
Orlon casts a 'Dispel Magic' in the direction of Oh Well, Dani, and Who Knows. Nothing obvious happens.
Oh Well says "What a trip! It felt like I was floating around, suspended in a black void. Around me were what looked like stars, along with a red and black coloured orb. It was as if I was flying man! It sure was cold though."
Who Knows looks over to Dani. "What was that all about Dani? You're the smart one in the group. Can you figure out what happened?"
Dani laughs, "Me? The smart one? Ha! Near as I can figure, it was some old, black magic left here by whatever Valdar was just talking about. I have heard of magics that trick the mind thusly ... but is deadly nonetheless. I suspect that had we not disbelieved ... we would have literally died of fright or something like that."
Oh Well says "What a trip! It felt like I was floating around, suspended in a black void. Around me were what looked like stars, along with a red and black coloured orb. It was as if I was flying man! It sure was cold though."
Dani looks at Oh Well. "Hmmm ... could be then that it is triggered by our own fears ... though you don't sound as you were scared. I was ... fire and demons scare me terribly ... about as much as being helpless ... " Dani shrugs, unwilling to say more.
Occa says, "Sounds like an illusion attack...anyone have a way to scan for enemies...in these ruins they could be anywhere." He keeps all his eyes (and robe) peeled....
"Something funny happened," says Valdar. "That's for sure. Let's get away from these ruins before it happens again..."
You spur your mounts and press on.
You ride on for a few more hours before evening sets in. You set up camp just off of the road at the edge of a marsh near a signpost that points north into the woods, directing you to a place called Al Anna.
"I have never been to this place," says your elven guide. "Most likely it is a ruin. If you like we could take a side trip and explore it."
"Could you tell us a little about the place and its history, that would determine if I want to explore the area or not."asks Salaam.
"Like I said, I've never been there myself. This part of the coast was fairly well populated until about 600 years or so back...when the Empire of Saltar collapsed. This region was never part of the Empire, but the people traded with them, and when it fell it took a lot of the bordering realms with it. Since then, my people have traded with most of the surviving peoples along here...and I have never heard of anyone having dealings with Al Anna. So, the odds are that it's just a ruin.
"But, if it is, then it could harbour evil creatures...and their loot..."
The night passes quietly and fairly comfortably, with the temperature never dropping below 40F. Later on the skies clear, and the last quarter moon rises just before midnight.