July 24th finally dawns, and you prepare to return to the Halls of Gallahad.
"Towards danger!" shouts BrightAxe.
Occa wants to go back to the large hallway before we met the demodands.
"Why don't we just check out the other passages from the octagonal room while we're passing through it?" Orlon suggests.
"That would be fine. By the way, I couldn't scry Valdar...he may be missing."
You appear in the octagonal-shaped chamber where you blew away the red dragon last May.
This time you take the 30' wide passage running east. It goes for 70', ending at a "T" intersection after 60'. Looking north, this passage runs for 40'...turning east after 10' and becomeing 30' wide. Looking south, it runs for 60' and on.
"Let's go north! Wide passage there...big enough for dragons." says Occa.
Darian wets his finger and holds it up. "Let's go south."
Occa shrugs and says, "Okay."
He heads south with the rest of the group.
Jerry follows right along, with staff in front, in case you are attacked. "Nice place... who were the previous owners ?" he asks, "probably dwarves.. being a mountain and all." he says with a smile.
From the corner the passage runs south for 130' in total...turning east after 100' and becoming 30' wide.
You go east...for 160' from the back wall. After that is an intersection with a 20' wide passage running south.
Just past this intersection, an image of clouds and winds has been carved into the floor.
You realise now that you have been here before...only you came up from the south the last time. To the east, the passage continues on, to the area where you fought the demodands, trapper and undead.
"What is the significance of the clouds ? Are elements in play here ?? if so, we may have some fun on our hands.. this could be the symbol of Akadi, the lord of Air !! If so, we could be treading on holy ground.. or unholy, depending on the type of worshippers present." Jerry says as he scrutinizes the cloud symbol.
"Guess we should've gone north. But, that explains the wind..." Darian grins.
Occa says, "Let's continue on and explore the demodand area..it goes to the area of air, where we need to go anyway." He continues on.
Once back at the demodand area, he says, "Okay, let's start to explore sensibly. I don't want to get drained again..I get hit too easily this days since Jesse blew up all my stuff. Why don't the fighters move to the front. Don't allow anything to get past you, please!"
Darian salutes Occa. "Yes sir, Seargeant, sir!" And then he grins.
Occa smiles and says, "I was a sergeant once in a war a long time ago." He seems to think back on it and says, "I wonder how the war goes now."
He draws a diagram on the floor, "This is what I envision for marching order:
gilstrock Jerry
Darian Gonzo
Orlon Occa
Jesse Pharian
BrightAxe Aarrgh!
Okay? Protect us mages and priests so that we can blow the hell out of anything that moves!"
This works for BrightAxe.
"Whatever," says Pharian. "Looks OK to me."
"Occa, of what order mage are you ?? as well as the rest of you, can you tell me what your strengths are so when we are in battle, we can work as a team instead of as individuals... group effort almost always wins the fight. As for me, my staff can stun opponents if hit hard enough," Jerry says with a grin, " and Silvanus does grant me some offensive and defensive spells."
Jesse laughs lightly. "I am a simple bard. I sing, I dance, I break very powerful magic items, killing everyone around me. I have little to offer otherwise. But I may have a trick or two up my sleeve."
"Far from simple, pretty woman.. quite enchanting..." Jerry says with a smile. "I guess I shouldn't inquire about the breaking of magic items... I learned that such things are bad." he continues with a grin, "but as for singing and dancing, I would love to see your moves, as we have a yearly ritual to Silvanus and some of the faerie deities that involve dancing.. close, earthy movements.. symbolic of nature's stark, but nurturing ways."
Occa says, "I am a mage right now and hope to be an Arch Magi before we meet Tiamatlet. As for the others here..Gonzo is a warrior/rogue. Very strong as well. Darian is a warrior and mage, although fairly new to both. Orlon is a high priest. Gilstrock is probably the best warrior in the group. BrightAxe is a warrior priest, but as Darian, fairly new to both compared to the rest of us. Arrrgh I would guess is about the same. Jesse is a bard...probably mid level as well. Pharian is a good mage. And that leaves you...a warrior druid, correct?"
"Yes, trained in the Arena at Westgate, I have battled and won against many a monster and creature and many years of training in the ways of nature has granted me many abilities and insights that can be useful to where we may travel !"
Jesse draws herself to her full height. "I am a Bard of the Canaith College." she says "If you must know. I may look young, but I assure you I am no mere Troubador or Minstrel."
"I look forward to your singing, pretty woman... alas, not too many bards in the forests of the North. Ha, I had recently met another bard, a tad shorter than yourself by the name of Olive Ruskettle, cute woman for a halfling.. but I had not known that halflings were singers. She did possess a nice voice though... Jesse, have you ever been to Waterdeep before ?" Jerry asks.
"Don't hit on the bard," says Pharian wearily. "She'll just reject you. Besides, I can't stomach any more of this incessant sexual chatter."
"Just like a mage, can't appreciate a good woman unless she is from another plane.. preferably one of the morally looser planes."
"Don't be a stogie old fuddy duddy." replies Jesse to Pharian.
Jesse scratches her head, "I have not traveled there as of yet."
"Shame, I can't recall the name of the song I was thinking of, it is a haunting elvish melody that turns into a thumping sound with a wicked beat. Oh well, anyway, where are you from, Jesse ?"
"Here and there... From over the hill I come and over the hill I will go." replies the bard cryptically.
"Ahhh, a secretive young one... cute ! Anyway, what's with Pharian ?? he seems to be quite rigid... unlike our chaotic friend, Occa. That's the things with mages, a bizarre group they are." Jerry says with a smile to Jesse.
"Yeah, yeah...roads go ever ever on...to the lands beyond the sea... yada yada yada."
"I am a fighter and a mage, although unskilled in comparison to some of the others. In addition, I have the ability to heal and turn invisible using psionics." says Darian.
"Ah, Darian, you are psionically endowed. Quite interesting, as I have figured such mental talents are not restricted to my world. To disprove some of those fools back on Faerun will please me sometime in the future.. that is if I ever get back." Jerry says with a sigh. "And yes, the ring of mind shielding will aid in your ability as I wear a similar ring.. despite my non-psionic nature, it does help against such attacks and defenses."
Darian sounds awed. "You know something about psionics? I've only met a few who were able to tell me a little about them. But, I've met no one else who is also psionic and using them is a constant learning process. Not always for the better, either."
"Sorry, Darian, I do not possess an such mental abilities. I have seen such abilities in use such as telekinesis, teleportation, and other similar powers akin to mage spells. The only differentiation was the lack of words and the anguished look on the dwarf's face. It was actually amusing watching Kartek use his psionic abilities. Now, he was a practical joker." Jerry says with a smile as he remembers fond memories of home.
Darian sighs. "I keep hoping I'll meet someone else who has them and can teach me how to use mine better."
Occa says, "Okay, let's go then!" He casts unseen servant and sends it forward of the group. Then he casts wizard eye and sends that forward as well. "Back to the demodand room...let's see what else is there!"
You return to the demodand room. It is afternoon.
The room is as it was before. It has three doors.
"Which doors have been opened, if any ?" Jerry asks with staff in hand, instead of using his mouth like normal people do.
Occa points to the first door to the right (ie. west)...the unseen servant tries to open it and succeeds.
Beyond is a 10' X 20' room (10' west, 10' north; door in west wall north corner, door in east wall north half). You have been here before...however, neither door has been opened by you.
Occa has the servant or fighter (probably Jerry) open the door in the west wall.
The unseen servant manages to open the door on the first attempt.
Beyond is a room (20' X 30': 10' north, 10' south, 20' west).
In here are four men. Three of them are unarmoured. The fourth wears gleaming field plate.
One of the men you have met previously...and you know that he is not truly human.
"I told you we'd meet again," he says.
"I have not met you... and I already don't like you." Jerry says as he swings his staff at the glowing man.
Occa starts a lightning bolt directed at two of the other men. "Let's hope they aren't slaad as well."
To the slaad Occa says, "Couldn't you save our meeting till after I die and we meet in Limbo?"
"No."
Cannon Fodder will watch on.
Darian looks at the man. "The death slaad? But, why do you want to attack us?"
"Why not?"
"They have no means of logic it seems," as BrightAxe ponders the Dwarvish Kantian logic.
Occa says, "Sure he does. It is called Chaos!"
"Because there is no good reason to do so. We don't want a fight with you."
"But we want a fight with you!"
Darian rolls his eyes. "What possible motivation could you have for fighting us?"
Cannon Fodder cheers, "Yeah Darian! Why don't you talk him to death while the rest of us are fighting, you twit!"
He runs and hides around the corner.
"Occa, can I melt him later? Please?"
Occa laughs for a moment, but concentrates on the threat at hand.
"Right, then," Gilstrock says, "I have a new toy I've been meaning to try out!"
He draws the sword of sharpness and moves to attack the Death Slaad.
BrightAxe moves in to swing death dealing blows to any of these creatures he can get.
Darian groans. "Psionics, again!"
Then he concentrates...as you all feel a mental blast...similar to what you experienced from the mind flayers...though perhaps not as strong.
All of you are able to resist, though...but for poor old Gonzo - again -
"KARRRRRRUMBA!"
- he says, as he turns and attacks Darian in a rage.
He begins to sing at the top of his lungs, totally out of tune, no song that anyone has ever heard. "I can't get dis monsta outta my head, gonna go do me pawtee some dah-dah-dah-mage. Please won't youse just hoooold still... while I splatter youse brains all over da flo!" He has obviously slipped into some kind of phycosis and is not in total control of his senses.
Jesse will rush at Gonzo and try to keep him from attacking Darian. "Get rid of our foes, I'll try to keep Gonzo occupied." says the Bard.
"I truly despise these psycho things," mutters BrightAxe as he keeps resisting and physically flaying these things.
Something seems to shake Pharian out of a stupor. He rubs his forehead. "I'm not up for this," he says, and begins casting magic missles at the death slaad.
As Pharian opens up, several things happen at once. Darian is suddenly sent sprawling back through the doorway and to the floor...where he lies, dazed.
A pillar of flames erupts, engulfing Gilstrock and Jerry. The former - holding the wrong sword, it seems, takes 24 hit points; the latter takes 12.
Occa's lightning bolt goes off...striking two of the men. One is badly injured...the other not so badly.
Pharian's first magic missile gets through and dents the death slaad as Gilstrock attacks...wounding the creature.
Arrrgh! attacks one of the men...connecting once with his flail. The man looks badly hurt.
Brightaxe, however, despite the fact that he connects with one axe, is unable to damage the second man.
Jerry clobbers the last man with his staff...which crackles light thunder as he does so, hurting his target.
Pharian launches a second magic missile spell into the death slaad...but the spell bounces right off him. Occa does likewise, but his spell gets through. The slaad is looking very hurt, now, as he speaks a word of great power.
Darian and Brightaxe are paralysed.
Pharian, Gilstrock, Gonzo, Jesse and Arrrgh! are stunned.
Orlon and Jerrold are deafened.
Occa and Cannon Fodder are of course unaffected.
The man who had been attacked by Arrrgh! points a hand at Occa...sending a ball of lightning at him...which does not penetrate his circle of protection.
Seeing this, the man who had been attacked by Brightaxe twitches...and another pillar of flames erupts, engulfing Occa for 12 hit points.
Orlon, Jerrold, Occa and Cannon Fodder can act.
BrightAxe tries to look dignified in his paralyzed state.
Gonzo says "OUCH! Mein achin' head!" as he lies there on the ground unable to do much else.
Orlon starts to cast a Flame strike on the man who just tried to send a ball of lightning at Occa. The death slaad speaks a word of Power at Orlon...but being deafened, the high priest does not hear it and so is unaffected.
"Duh..." mutters the slaad, mad at himself.
"DAMN," Jerrold yells trying to hear himself, "I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE CAST THAT PROTECTION FROM FIRE SPELL BEFORE WE WALKED IN HERE. NOW, YOU'VE PISSED ME OFF !"
The man draws a gleaming longsword out in a flash and bounces it off of Jerrold's hide twice.
Standing with hands in the center of the staff, Jerry attacks with the staff like a bo-stick, slamming with one edge and then with the other. Stunning on both if he doesn't go down the first time.
The druid knocks the life out of the man in two quick swipes.
Occa magic missiles the death slaad.
His first spell bounces off of the slaad as he is speaking his power word. His second tears into him as he turns his attentions on Occa...and blows him away.
One of the remaining men speaks to Jerry...without effect.
Another man speaks a word of power at Occa as the mage unleashes his third magic missile spell into the last one. The last man is badly hurt, but Occa is struck blind.
Orlon's spell calls forth a pillar of flames which engulfs the last two men. One is unharmed, but the other is killed.
Cannon Fodder drinks his potion of fire breath, rushes back into the room and breathes it upon the slaads.
The last monster is engulfed in a long gout of flame and vapourised.
After awhile, all of you are more or less functional again.
Searching the grey slaadi - or what remains of them - you find the following: a ring, a broach, a dagger, a suit of elfin chain mail (human sized) and a suit of field plate armour.
Searching the death slaad, you find: a broadsword, 120 gems that you value at 100gp each, 38 miscellaneous articles of jewelry worth 8000gp each, a longsword, two scrolls, and a letter which reads -
"My dearest Ekretch,
"Thankyou so much for taking the time to perform this little scouting mission for me. Rest assured that I and my Master will reward you and your lords for your efforts. Earth is an interesting place, and ripe for the picking. Our minor setback of some 25 years ago will not be repeated.
"I hope that this is the beginning of a mutually rewarding relationship.
"Sincerely yours,
"Eclavdra".
After shaking his head to clear the deafness, Jerry asks, "Anyone know who Eclavdra is Also, does anyone need any healing ?"
Darian groans. "Guess we should tell Lord Valdar about this."
"Do you have any idea what it means," asks Gilstrock, unconcerned. "And who is that Enchelada person who signed it? What setback?"
"If he's still alive," says Pharian. "Occa said Valdar was missing, remember, and the way our luck has been, the vultures are probably tugging at his fetid entrails even as we speak."
Darian looks over sharply. "Don't even say that. He is the King of an entire Elven nation. He's too important to die in such a way. When we get back to camp, we can ask Stiff to look for him."
Pharian laughs bitterly. "Too important to die! That's a good one. And so elvish too--you think that you are going to live forever, and you have to lord it over all the rest of us, laughing merrily while we whither and fall like autumn leaves. Well let me tell you something, elf. Things aren't the way they used to be. You may be too proud to feel death's hand on your shoulder, but I can see him, with his poisoned daggers and his assassin eyes, and I can hear his rattling laugh, even as we cheat him."
"Pharian, are you always this fun ?? You must be a riot at parties !!" Jerry remarks with a grin. "Life is like a box of berries, you just gotta deal with them all in the end, and either put new ones in or empty either way, you make the choice ! And you never cheat death, just delay her touch for a while.. but odds are most of us come back.. as is the way of nature !"
"What?" says Pharian dully.
Gilstrock stares numbly at Jerry for a few moments, then shakes his head dismissively. "You've got strange berries where you come from, Jerry," he says.
"You don't know the half of it, Gil... if I ever get the time, I'll give you some poppy derivative.. now, that's some good shit, man !!!" the druid says with a wide smile.
Jesse asks innocently, "Do you mean poppy seed bagels?"
"Bagels ?? heh, you are cute... not exactly... the flour diminishes the mind expanding effect." Jerrold says with a wide grin this time. "Though, great for afterwards, the munchies can be brutal!"
"It sounds as if you've been on a long strange trip." offers Jesse, "but they say that every silver lining has a touch of gray." quipes the bard.
"More like feeling comfortably numb, young lady !"
Jesse raises her eyebrow, "Hello... is there anybody in there.. just nod if you can hear me."
He nods slowly as visions of past mind altering experience cross his face. "Jesse, it seems we are familiar with the same music !" he says with a grin. "And yes, in my mind's eye, I am home right now ! heh, heh"
"I am familar with many types of music... and yes, it seems we are." the bard replies. "How many roads must a man walk down before they call him a man."
"I heard it was three." Darian grins.
"The answer of course is 42," replies BrightAxe.
"Nope, that's an answer to a different question."
Jesse scratches her head, "I heard it was fourty-two. The ultimate answer."
Darian chuckles. "Like I told Brightaxe, that's an answer to a different question."
"Waddya 'spect. He's a dwarf liken me. Why would he know da answer ta a human question. In Dwarfdom, da answer is 69." says Gonzo.
"Right on, brother dwarf... peace and love is what its all about. But when you gotta kick some ass, you gotta do it !" Jerrold says with a smile.
"Mm, I have heard that 69 is an alternative !" Jerry says with a wide grin.
Darian looks confused. "To what?"
"Heh, to lots of things... heh, heh - as per our poppy conversation, 69 is the model of neutrality... the yin and yang of the Kara-turan philosophy. and here, apply it anywhere, heh !!"
Darian tries to puzzle out those few sentences and shakes his head. "I think I'll go over and stand with Gilstrock. At least I understand him when he speaks..."
"This group is getting so bloody philosophical," Gilstrock says, "that half the time I have no idea if y'all are spouting nonsense or something terribly important."
"Gilstrock is right," Orlon tells the others. "Can we deal with the reason we came here in the first place, and not debate everything to death?"
"As far as I can determine, it's nonsense." says Darian.
Gonzo rubs his weapons and peers off into the darkness, while stroking his beard deep in thought.
"'umans and elves... always yakkin an yakkin and yakkin... me lifes wastin' away while dez fools yak der own lives away. We needs to be doing our work and iffin youse taint up ta da task, den we needs to be restin', not flappin our lips in dis place. Da longer we yaks, da more o' dem silver shipped beasties der iz gonna be and me head taint up ta fightin' all of you just cause day seems ta have ways o' gettin into me head."
"Forget it," says Pharian slowly. "I agree with Darian--we're just going to get killed if we go on from here. My doom is going to find me, so what's the point in going to look for it. I'm waiting here." He sits down, leans against the wall, and closes his eyes.
Jerrold places one hand on Pharian's shoulder and looks him straight in the closed eyes. "Pharian, I have not known you long but it seems you put the world on your shoulders and disguise this burden with an unfeeling and hard shell around a deep and needing inner child. Let that inner child out.. free yourself on your self imposed bonds.. let yourself go !"
Pharian slowly opens his eyes and looks at Jerrold in puzzlement.
"What?" he says.
"Pharian, welcome to reality.. unburden yourself of this foul place that you have placed yourself.. be free, be happy !" Jerrold says to Pharian in a happy voice and with a bright smile.
"Reality _is_ a foul place," retorts Pharian.
"Dude, one, reality is what you make of it and you just haven't been shown the right reality ... heh, heh". Jerry says with a sly smile.
Gilstrock says, "Jerry, whatever it is you smoke -- I hope it's been outlawed."
"Nothing from nature should be outlawed. Gilstrock, you seem very narrow minded. In life, you must experience all that you can. Good, evil, and all whole spectrum in between. Peace, brother and Cannon, what is behind that door?"
Gilstrock regards Jerry silently as he says this. When Jerry finishes, Gilstrock shakes his head, mumbling something about "weirdo".
"Sure, condemn that which is above your narrow little thinking. ha... just like the police in Arabel. Always, saying that we were weird or anarchists, we just want man and nature to co-exist peaceful or else nature will raise her fury and kick some ass... heh.. anyway.. feel how you want..."
Gilstrock just sighs. "Did those police you didn't like have any clue what you were talking about? If so, then I'm not like them," Gilstrock says.
"Typical big man talk.. always acting like the big man, looking down on everyone. Ha !!" he says as he gives a derisive look to Gil and then goes to the other side of the room.
Gilstrock watches Jerry go away, then looks over at Darin. "What did I say?" he asks. It's clear that he hasn't the faintest idea what Jerry is reacting to.
Darian shrugs. "I haven't understood most of what he's said."
Jesse speaks, "Jerry is one of those who is of the counter culture of his world. The music he quotes it well... it is an interesting study that us bards haver persued.... There is a lot of meaning in the words they speak."
"I think that Jerry may have had a little too much LDS at Berkley."
"No, young lady, I don't believe it was Berkley, I was UCLA, United College of Longsaddle Artists. What a community that was, tents all a round, and a wicked minstrel concert.. wow, groups from all over.. it was centered around a town named Woodstock." Jerrold says with a smile to Jesse.
"Wasn't Berkeley a Dwarven Philosopher who tutored under Locke and took the Empirical view to the extremes that were shown ridiculous by Hume,?" asks BrightAxe quizzically.
Occa pipes in, "That is one opinion, however, Empirical view is the only way!"
With a deep sigh, Gilstrock says, "You guys don't get out enough."
"Actually Gil, I dink it is someting dat dey are in tooo deep ta git outta", mumbles Gonzo.
"'Spect you're right," Gilstrock says. He looks around uncomfortably. "I'm hungry," he mutters.
"Maybe so, Brightaxe, I believe Berkley was named after him, but I doubt it.. don't know too many places of human higher academia named after a dwarf." he says in a matter of fact tone.
"Me thinks dat place was owned by dwarfs once. Humans came later. Youse knows all da good stuff in de werlt comes from us dwarven craftsmen. If it wasn't fer us, you wouldna haf nuttin ta strut yer stuff 'bout."
"Ah well. Let's get us back to camp," Gilstrock concludes, shrugging off whatever reactions he doesn't understand.
Darian nods at the idea of staying but looks worried. "Pharian, are you injured? I'm not sure what healing I have left, but I'll make the effort if you need it."
"No, forget it, I've got this already," says Pharian, pointing to the ring of regeneration on his hand. "Besides, it's not like I don't deserve whatever happens."
"Oh, right, forgot about the ring. But, what have you done to deserve the injuries? I don't understand."
"That's none of your business," snaps Pharian, sounding a little more like his usual self.
"As you wish. Just worried about you. Whether or not you want me to be."
Gonzo shakes his head and moves off into the shadows to keep a watchful eye out for other dangers.
Cannon Fodder starts clapping loudly, "Bravo! Bravo! Bravisimo!"
BrightAxe takes this in and chuckles, "Death is not an entity, it is the embrace of a friend letting you know your life's work has been complete." Looking at Pharian "If one is giving less years to complete these tasks; it just means that you're more efficient and your god expects to here your report that much sooner. It is humans that shape our world: the problem with Dwarves and Elves (as races not individuals) is in placing so much emphasis on keeping these lives, we tend not take the chances necessary for growth. Truly, the gods of humans have much to be pleased with in their peoples, the ones who shape the world."
Darian shakes his head. "That isn't what I said. I said he was too important to die in a such a way with vultures tugging at his entrails. If he is dead, he should be buried in a state funeral so his people can mourn his passing. I've already died a number of times and hold no illusions as to the probability of it occuring again. And I've very little pride left..."
Occa says, "That won't help any...I used Stiff's crystal ball. Of course, I may have blown my chance and he may be able to find him. We will try. Let's at least look through the rest of this area before we head back to camp."
"If we do continue to search, you'd better leave me behind. All my psionic defenses are exhausted and if we meet any other psionic creatures, I'm dead"
Cannon Fodder opens the next nearest unopened door as he says, "Yeah."
Darian hangs back.
"One of the very reason's you're easy to get along with Mr. Fodder," grins BrightAxe.
"Oh, and can we head back to camp. I need time to recover. I'm afraid that last blast has injured me. I've lost some psionic capabilities..." Darian sighs and sheathes his sword.
"Permanently?" Gilstrock asks.
Darian shrugs slowly. "I don't know. I would like to ask Ray Jay or someone who knows a lot about psionics. I know I've lost something... The ability to blast psionic foes, but I don't know what it's called."
Jesse goes over to Darian and puts her arms around him, "I'm sorry. How can we heal this injury?" she asks softly.
"I don't know. Maybe Ray Jay can help. I know so little about these abilities that I don't even know what to call the attacks and defenses I've been using. I just know something is missing. And that I have exhausted my meager defenses."
With a huge sigh, Gilstrock says, "All this petty ante two-bit philosophy makes me feel like I've gotten trapped in a convention of paladins or something. Let's keep moving."
He walks over to where Pharian is slumped against the wall and croches down next to him. "You okay? Let's move on, this chatter'd put anyone to sleep."
Pharian sighs and pulls himself to his feet.
Darian responds. "You heard Pharian. He and I wish to go back to camp. We're not moving on to any other places for now."
Gilstrock shrugs. "OK, let's go back." He looks over at Occa. "Can we walk this time, or do we have to teleport?"
Occa says, "I will teleport us."
Cannon Fodder says, "What about these monsters behind this door?"
Darian sighs. "What monsters behind that door?"
CF says, "I don't know yet!"
"Then show us," Orlon tells CF, casting a prayer before the door is opened.
"Well, go in and check it out. And let us know what you find."
Cannon Fodder runs over and opens the other door in the east wall, revealing a 10' square room. It is entirely barren. He goes in anyway, and triggers a trap door in the floor, tumbling into a 10' deep pit. It too is barren.
After you fish him out, Occa teleports the lot of you back to base camp.
It is late afternoon.
Occa says, "Here is the treasure:"
ring broach dagger suit of elfin chain mail (human sized) suit of field plate armour.
broadsword longsword two scrolls"
Cannon Fodder will look at the scrolls.
Both scrolls are protection from petrification.
Occa will cast identify on the rest of the treasure when he isn't training.
******MONEY*********
120 gems that you value at 100gp each (12,000 gps) 38 miscellaneous articles of jewelry worth 8000gp each (304,000) total: 316,000 ( OR 31,600 gps each for Occa, Gonzo, Darian, Gilstrock, Pharian, Orlon, BrightAxe, Aaargh!, Jesse, Jerry )
************************************
a letter which reads -
"My dearest Ekretch,
"Thank you so much for taking the time to perform this little scouting mission for me. Rest assured that I and my Master will reward you and your lords for your efforts. Earth is an interesting place, and ripe for the picking. Our minor setback of some 25 years ago will not be repeated.
"I hope that this is the beginning of a mutually rewarding relationship.
"Sincerely yours,
"Eclavdra".
"Now I'm ready to train guys," says BrightAxe.
"As long as we're going to stop adventuring and train for a while, perhaps we could visit Sandas? I'd like to see Ray Jay about my psionic powers and see if she can tell me anything about the damage." says Darian. "Oh and Pharian, would you be willing to train me as a magic-user? I'm ready to learn."
Pharian looks glumly at Darian. "Ask Occa," he says. "I have hardly been enough of a magic user recently to be giving advice to anyone, especially someone young and impressionable like you. No, stay away from me. Besides, I have some old accounts coming due, and I can't put them off much longer, so I wouldn't be much of a teacher to you right now."
Darian looks at the ground. "Occa can't train me. It's always been you or Valdar training me."
With that, Pharian wanders off to his tent and goes in, closing the tent-flap behind him.
Darian looks after Pharian and looks at Gilstrock. "Can you talk to him? Something's wrong and I don't know him well enough to intrude."
But, when Gilstrock goes to Pharian's tent he finds that it is empty. The fighter also notes that he has left his potion, wand of fire, ring of regeneration, sheet of smallness and rope of entanglement behind.
Darian looks at Occa. "Would you, sir, while you're learning from Stiff? Or maybe Stiff can train us both?"
Gilstrock comes out of the tent and says in his loud warrior-voice (so that everyone will hear), "Yo, people, Pharian is missing! Can somebody use a crystal ball or something to figure out where he's gone to? He's been acting a little odd -- even for Pharian -- lately, and I'm worried."
"Would he have any reason to leave on his own accord?" Orlon asks Gilstrock.
Gilstrock shrugs. "Not here on this Amrica world, I wouldn't think so. He was always running from... something in his past on the Runelands. Kept him from settling down in any one place for long. But, generally, I was with him, at least in recent years. Now that we're here on another world, though, I don't think he has anything to run away from. I don't knwo what happened to him."
Jerrold sits on a stone, pulls out a pocketknife and starts carving a small block of wood. "I say his is odd altogether.. but you guys know him alot better than I do ! So, Occa, what's the deal on these items we found ? I see you are the resident mage who checks out all this stuff !" he says in a lazy tone.
"How'd he leave? I thought he couldn't teleport... Maybe we should have Stiff look for him?" says Darian, talking as if an arch mage can be ordered around like a lackey or something. "I, too, am worried. Stiff, can you look for him in your crystal ball?"
"Screw off," says the lackey - errr - arch mage, who then teleports himself away somewhere.
"Anyone else have a crystal ball?" asks Robert, speaking for the first time in weeks.
"What's wrong with him?" wonders Darian, after Stiff has teleported out.
"It must be that time of the month again," Orlon tells Darian with a grin.
Darian looks confused. "I thought he was male..."
"You never know with those arch-mages," Orlon laughs.
Darian looks over at Jesse and shakes his head. "Whatever..."
Jesse looks at Darian and Orlon... laughing she shakes her head and just smiles, "and then there are those who are afraid to be who they are..."
"Worse then," Gilstrock says. "If you're premenstrual, and you're male, you ain't never gonna menstrate, so you're gonna be premenstral for the rest of your life."
"Gilstrock, your starting to sound philosophical. Stop it, you're scaring me."
Gilstrock looks at Darian and blinks twice. "Sorry," he says. "I must be really hungry. What's for dinner?"
Orlon whips up a meal of mechanically seperated chicken parts and cold, greasy fries for Gilstrock.
Darian grimaces at the meal. "Evidentally, that's what is for dinner."
"If you have complaints about the food, then go ask Valdar for something to eat." Orlon tells Darian.
"I didn't mean any insult, Orlon. The greasy fries just don't look very appetizing. Especially cold."
"I've got some food. I think I'll cook something on my own tonight. And I can't ask Valdar for something to eat. He's not here."
"Excellent!" Gilstrock says, as he enthusiastically begins to devour the provided food. "Mmm. Could use some ketchup. Not as good as a good leg of mutton, but mighty fine nonetheless!"
Orlon provides a bottle of Ketchup for Gilstrock. "Here, hold on to it for next time."
"Hey, thanks, Orlon!" Gilstrock says.
"That's OK. I'm just tired." Orlon tells Darian as he tosses him the bottle of ketchup he just produced. "Put this on your fries. It'll make them palatable."
"Maybe you should get some rest, then. We all should, I guess, if we can't find Valdar or Pharian now."
"He's jealous," Gilstrock says of Stiff. "Pharian is far better at being cranky than he will ever be, so he's giving it his best shot."
Occa says, "Well, so much for that. Anyone able to divine their location?" He says as he picks up Pharians stuff and says, "I will put that into the treasure pile till he returns."
Cannon Fodder, "You sure are getting practical."
"Hey!" Gilstrock says. "Not so fast! He's just barely gone missing. Let's at least _try_ to find him before we divide up his stuff!"
"At least file a missing person report," Orlon adds.
Occa says in an annoyed voice, "I am not going to divide up his stuff! However, the fact that he left it behind doesn't bode well. I am putting it there because it will be safe, not because I want it."
"Occa, can't you do some spell stuff to find out where Pharian is even without a crystal ball?" Gilstrock asks.
"Let me look through my spell books, there must be something in them."
Occa says, "I can probably find out something, but it will take a day to learn the spells necessary and cost me a year of my life." He looks over to Orlon and says, "Can you divine anything about his whereabouts?"
Orlon puts down his dinner and prepares a divination spell. He casts it on Pharian's tent. If he finds out nothing, he will then cast a locate object, thinking of Pharian's clothes.
No response to either.
"Occa, can I do it for you, then? I've got a lot more years ahead of me and giving up one is not as big a deal."
"No, you can't cast such powerful spells...sorry."
"Is there anyway I can help?"
"Well, you would put my mind and curiousity at ease if you would let me have your brain after you die the final time. However, if you mean in this instance, then no. You could make me a cup of tea whilst I work."
"Um... How would you know when I died for the final time?"
"Oh, I guess I would have to guess." He shrugs and says, "At the rate you are going, it can only be a few more times." He smiles and winks at Darian this time.
Darian sighs. "You mean the way we're going... It's not my intention to keep meeting these psionic creatures that blow my brains apart..."
He giggles.
"If you want tea, I can make some while I'm cooking my own dinner."
"That would be splendid! Thank you."
"Do you have the herbs you want used? If not, I've got a few herbs in my pouch... Let's see, here's some belladonna..." Darian gives Occa an evil little grin.
"MMMMMM Belladonna." (imagine homer simpson : )
"Okay, if that's what you want..."
Gilstrock's eyes go wide. "What?? A simple finding spell is going to cost you a whole year?? Sheesh, all this magic use is hard on a body!"
Darian says gravely. "If it uses up a life of a mage's lifeforce, it's not a simple spell. Darian didn't say what the spell was, but I bet it's rather complicated."
Gilstrock gives Darian a funny look for referring to himself in the third person.
"Whaidaminnit," Gilstrock says. "Isn't there something simpler we can try first? What if he's off sleeping under a tree invisible nearby or something?"
Occa says, "I need to find out about Valdar as well."
Finishing his meal, Gilstrock wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and says, "Allright! Occa, any progress on finding out where Pharian has got to?"
Occa looks up and says, "Oh, yeah that is right...sorry, thanks for the reminder."
He goes up to his tent.