After eating more of your food, you set off again.
The morning walk is uneventful, but as lunchtime approaches, you have an encounter.
For the first time you have encountered a break in the traffic. At this point the cars have been moved about as if by giants, to form a large circle protecting an encampment. The cars forming the barricade are: a 1969 Peugeot station wagon, a 1975 SAAB 99 (bright orange), a 1983 Toyota Celica (resting on its roof), a 1985 Mustang GT (leaking oil), a 1973 AMC Pacer (in pieces), a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron, a 1976 Toyota Celica, a 1988 Ford Aerostar with a coffin in the back, a 1964 Rambler, a 1968 Comet, a 1966 Pontiac, and a 1970 Dodge Demon. Within the circle is a large encampment of - you guessed it - giants.
"UG! UG! EAT!! EAT!! KILL!! KILL!! MANGLE!! MANGLE!!" they yell and holler in their usual intellectual fashion, as they lay eyes on you and charge to the attack.
You see a cloud giant, five fire giants, seven stone giants, three fomorian giants, five verbeeg giants and five hell hounds.
"Oh yeah? Eat this, overgrown fireboy!" Gilstrock cries, as he draws Thawbreaker and charges the nearest Fire Giant.
"Great giant batshit! Now this is a party," Op Code shouts with glee. He casts his two magic missile spells, then he rushes headlong into the crowd of giants, sword in hand.
His missiles blast into the cloud giant.
"Oh boy!" John says, not pleased at the recent turn of events. He nocks an arrow in his crossbow and levels it at the giants and fires at the closest one.
His bolt nicks a fire giant.
Darian draws his frostbrand. "Occa, hope you have a fireball or two for these folks. It's an awful lot to ask of the fighters to battle with these odds."
Darian attacks the closest giant.
Niko unloads all his Magic Missile spells into the hell hounds, aiming at one until it's dead and then pointing at another hell hound. He blasts off three spells, killing one hell hound and badly injuring a second.
He then turns invisible.
"In Forseti's Name!" gasps Varlen at the sight of the massive creatures suddenly charging at them. He looks around quickly scanning the area. Seeing everyone else moving to the attack, Varlen readies his quarterstaff and braces himself for the attack. He keeps looking from the giants to the dogs, an uncertain look upon his face.
"The dogs look more my speed right now," he says as he prepares to square off against one of the charging hounds.
Jesse casts magic missiles (3 spells worth) and then uses her magic wand. Her spells and the wand hurt a whole pile of giants.
Ricblane waits to see what happens.
Occa says, "This isn't going to be good with all these greenhorns!"
He lays down a supressing rain of fireballs...getting off as many as he can before they get up to the group.
Then he will lay into them with up to 3 lightning bolts and then 6 magic missile spells.
The spell casters back up as the giants approach. Occa gets off two fireballs, injuring many giants and killing one fomorian and four verbeeg. He then switches to magic missiles, getting off four spells before the round ends.
Occa's four magic missile spells kill one more hell hound, injure another, and dent three fire giants.
Emm notches an arrow in his bow, ready to fire at any hounds or giants that head towards Occa.
Op Code attacks, using sword #1. One swing disembowels the cloud giant.
Gilstrock faces a fire giant. His frost brand still does big damage into the monster, who misses the warrior with his blunt instrument. A second strike from the fighter almost kills the giant.
Darian deals with a stone giant. He lands a glancing blow as he sidesteps a stone club. Her tries again, and connects a second time, killing the giant.
Gonzo steps out of the shadow of a rusting car and nails a passing fire giant with his short sword but does not kill it. The giant turns on him but fans.
Robert confronts a fomorian, landing a devastating hit on it with his bastard sword.
Varlen confronts a hell hound. It bites at him but misses. He swings wide with his stave, and then jumps back as the canine breathes a tongue of flame at him.
Suddenly the back hatch of the Aerostar flips open and a closed coffin slides out. Its lid opens and a vampire sits up, blinking rather myopically.
He spies the party and exclaims, "Food!"
He then transforms into a bat and flies at you.
Gilstrock will finish off the fire giant he's currently engaging, and then move on to engage another fire giant. If any of Gilstrock's companions look to be in trouble from a fire giant, Gilstrock will go to help; otherwise, he'll pick on a random giant.
The fire giant has other ideas about being finished off, and clobbers Gilstrock for 15 hit points.
Gilstrock then finishes him off.
The next fire giant in line then steps up, as a hell hound leaps up and gnaws on his plated leg. Not having much luck in that respect, he burps flames on Gilstrock, for 1 hit point.
John reorients his crossbow on the vampire and places a silver tipped bolt in it.
He then fires it at the vampire and reloads with another silver tipped bolt.
His bolt sails wide of the erratically flying bat.
Occa directs all his remaining magic missles at the bat.
After three spells the vampire poofs into gaseous form, ending his threat.
Once his magic missles are used, he will cone of cold as many giants as he can then switch to lightning bolt...firing up to 3 times at the giants.
With the giants quickly moving to engage people, Occa is only able to catch three stone giants in his cone of cold. That is enough to kill one outright, and leave the other two reeling.
"Way to go Occa. Keep that vampire away from us," Op Code calls out as he moves to attack another giant.
The ranger attacks one of the injured gaints, but his sword bounces off of its thick hide. The giant misses Op Code.
Darian moves to the next closest target and attacks it.
The elf misses a stone giant, sidesteps an incoming club, and connects with his next attack.
Emm begins to fire arrows at one of the fire giants. His first arrow misses, but his second catches a verbeeg, who howls and charges at him.
Niko casts Protection From Evil 10' Radius, draws his flame brand and Sinclair dagger, and stands by Occa to protect him from any physical attacks.
"In Forseti's name!" exclaims the young monk. "What manner of beast are ye?"
Not waiting for it to respond Varlen tries to maneuver for another strike at the canine, wary of its now obvious hellish halitosis problem.
The canine growls.
Varlen barely misses the hell hound with the point of his spear. The hound grabs him by the shin and he feels its teeth sink into him for 1 hit point.
Gonzo grins at the Fire Giant, metamorphasis his face into a gargoyle grotesque and then says "Yer order is up, dis one's fer youse bub! KARUMBA!" striking the creature with his weapon.
The giant yelps as the dwarf's blade bites deep. He misses with his club. Gonzo connects again, and the fire giant drops. However, there is a bellow from behind him, and Gonzo jumps aside just in time to avoid the club of a fomorian giant who takes a shine to him.
Jesse casts a lightning bolt at whatever she can target without hurting the party.
Her bolt catches a stone giant in the kisser, killing it handily.
Occa spots an opportunity and does likewise with a fire giant, and it barely lives.
Ricblane casts a spell.
Robert battles both a fomorian and a fire giant. The fomorian misses badly, but Robert connects and kills the fellow. The fire giant crunches Robert for 15 hit points.
Fores finds himself on the receiving end of another giant's club. His head is split open like an eggshell, and the half-elf is killed.
Next, the Rambler and the Dodge Demon seem to shift and flow, as they reshape and reform themselves into two horrible looking creatures! The Rambler takes on the form of a hideous, bastardized cross between a man and a vulture; the Demon resembles a huge toad.
Gilstrock grunts as he swings his frost brand at the fire giant who is bothering him, and carves a large chunk out of the fellow. Then the giant brings down his club hard, crunching the fighter for 22 hit points. Gilstrock connects again, sending ruddy blood everywhere, but still the giant stands. A hell hound jumps at him, and Gilstrock takes 1 hit point of fire damage. Finally, a second fire giant kabongs him from behind, for 20 hit points.
Niko moves to protect Occa's back flank, just in case one of the demons decides to teleport behind them. Niko activates the flame tongue and his Sinclair dagger.
With the second silver tipped bolt, John fires at the toadie demon. The bolt flies wide.
Occa says, "We need to rest after this!"
He lighting bolts the demon thingies...he has two left.
The first forked bolt strikes them both. Only the vrock is hurt...but critically. It teleports...appearing behind Occa but right in front of Niko. Niko greets it with his flame tongue, but misses. It claws at him, but also misses. He swings his Sinclair sword, but also misses. The demon connects, dispelling Niko's stoneskin. The elf fans again with his cutlass. The demon misses him two more times.
Occa, meanwhile, has launched his second bolt at the toad-demon. This one gets through, badly hurting the monster. It goes hopping towards the arch-mage.
He starts casting a disintegrate spell at it.
"About tapped out folks...let's finish this fast!"
"Aye, aye captain, oh captain!" Darian magic missiles the giant in front of him and then casts two more spells into the next most dangerous and healthy giant. I have to remember to adjust my spells tonight."
Darian's spell is just enough to kill the giant attacking him. Another injured stone giant drops from the first missile of his next spell, a fire giant drops from the second missile, two more missiles take out one of the giants on Gilstrock, and the last missile from that spell kills the stone giant on Robert. He then pumps his third spell into the next giant on Gilstrock, who is much more healthy, and does not kill him.
Robert swats the stone giant in front of him, almost but not quite doing it in.
Op Code reattacks with a vengeance. The gaint misses but Op Code does not, and the monster drops.
Jesse follows Occa's lead and casts up to two more lighting bolts at what she can without endangering others. Her first spell cooks the fire giant on Gilstrock; her second hurts the giant on Gonzo. She will then follow up with her wand.
Wincing in pain, Varlen swings his quarterstaff once again at the hell hound that bit him. It nips him again for 1 hit point, as he grazes it with his stave. The hound then burps flames on him for 4 hit points.
A club comes down right beside the dwarf.
Gonzo turns.
"SPECIAL? Youse wants da special? O.K. Here it is!" Gonzo will treat his next 'customer' like his last one. "KAAAAAAAAAAAARUMBA!"
His blade practically cuts the fomorian giant in two. The monster subsides into a pile of offal.
Emm looses his latest arrow at a verbeeg giant who is on him, before turning and running. The giant misses him with his club, and shambles after him.
Occa completes his spell as the toad-demon reaches him. The disintegrate does not affect him. As he turns to run he is clawed for 5 hit points.
A car door opens and out climbs a beautiful female demon-girl. She draws her longsword and charges at Ricblane.
One verbeeg giant survives, chasing Emm. Two hell hounds remain, on Varlen and Gilstrock. The vrock is on Niko, a demon charges Ricblane, and Occa is fleeing from the toad-demon.
"Robert, you help Ricblane. I'll take the one on Occa."
Robert heads off to intercept the demon-girl.
Darian runs to help Occa. "Come this way and keep going."
Op Code runs over and tries to help out Darian.
John fires yet another silver tipped bolt [3 of 5] at the toadie demon chasing Occa.
The bolt bounces off of the toadie's horny hide.
Ignoring the pain caused by his blistering skin, Varlen staggers backward. "Forseti, in Thy name I fight onto death against the denizens of this evil place. I put both my body and soul in Thy hands and prepare to serve Thee in the Hereafter."
The young man then launches into another attack upon the hound from hell.
He dodges both the hell hounds snapping jaws and another halitosis attack...but then swings wide with his stave.
Occa says to Varlen, "I will help you if I can get away from this toad!"
"Then keep running. If I can't stop him, Op Code will."
"Forseti willing," Varlen says matter of factly, "I will survive as long as I need to to learn what needs to be learned."
Occa rolls his eyes, "Run boy...get away from that dog and live to fight another day!"
Varlen quickly looks from the dog to Occa, and then to the others engaged in battle. Then, after taking one last swing at the hell hound, Varlen leaps behind one of the cars.
Occa runs over towards Darian, who jumps between the arch mage and the demon. The elf cleaves it in two with a single swing og his frost brand.
The air crackles, as Occa releases a lightning bolt at the verbeeg giant chasing Emm. The giant is blown to bits.
He will then cast polymorph other at one of the demon creatures in an attempt to turn it into a hamster.
Gilstrock deals with his hell hound, but not before his stubble is singed for another hit point. He then kills the hound.
As Varlen ducks behind a rusted car, Gonzo steps out of the shadows and sticks the pursuing hell hound, killing it.
"Eat steel, ya feathered demonspawn!" Niko cries as he swings cutlass and dagger again.
The vrock drops.
Niko whistles at the demon-girl.
"Hey, beautiful! How about joining our team instead of these homely animals?"
"Only if you can keep me sexually fulfilled!" she replies, changing course and rushing at Niko.
Niko grins. "Is that all you women every think about?"
"Isn't that how you like it?"
"Well, can ya cook as well?"
"Can I ever!"
"What's your specialty?
"French, Greek...you name it!"
"Elf?"
"Sure!"
"And how do I know you'll be faithful to me?"
"Such a delicate ego. Keep me satisfied and I'll be yours for eternity!"
Niko chuckles again "How come that sounds more like a threat than a treat, baby? By the way, are those real or implants? Your wings, that is!"
"They're real, cutie! Want to...stroke them?"
"Sure! Now why don't you be a good girl and wait for me in the back seat of the Mustang! I'll be there as soon as I roast this bird!"
"I can't wait! Let's copulate right now!"
"What???!!! No foreplay? You must be one of those loose women my momma used to warn me about. Sorry, but I'm gonna have ta break up with you."
As she reaches him he speaks a word of magic and disappears, reappearing by Gilstrock. The demon spins about, and finds herself facing Robert and Op Code, who gang up on her.
Robert lays into her with his bastard sword, as the ranger does likewise with longsword #2. She attacks back with a glowing sword of her own, and Robert is hurt for 5 hit points. She attacks again, but misses. Op Code lands a hard hit as Robert misses. She strikes the fighter again, for 10 hit points. He replies, and she is looking pretty hurt. Op Code hits her next, but she still fights. Everyone misses for awhile. Finally, the ranger kills her.
"I thank thee for thy assistance, Gonzo," Varlen says bowing respectfully. "I hope that I can be more effective and useful to the rest of ye in the future than I was during this fight." There is a concerned and thoughtful look upon his face he scans the battlefield.
"Dats moe likes wut me likes...KARUMBA!" says Gonzo. He examines himself and cleans his weapons. "Missed me dey did. Heh heh heh."
Occa says, "I am sure you will. In fact, it is probably time for you green horns to train."
He chuckles.
Darian wipes off his sword and puts it away.
"Wounded, line up! Most seriously wounded in front, please. No pushing..."
Darian begins to heal people.
Gilstrock lines up.
"Thanks for the offer Darian, but I was spared serious injury by these denizens," Op Code smiles.
Charred and blistering, Varlen waits until the more powerful members of the group that have been wounded are tended to before seeking Darian's aid.
Soon, everyone is healthy again.
Niko sighs as he wipes the ichor off his blades. "She was a beauty, though wasn't she?"
"Probably would have been the best 5 minutes of my life, too!" Niko chuckles.
Occa states the obvious, "And the last 5 minutes."
He then unstoppers two vials of holy water and heads over toward the coffin. He then carefully opens the coffin (standing where the feet of the vampire would be) and pour the holy water into it.
Inside the coffin is the vampire, snoring away.
Niko, wide eyed at being this close to a vampire, steps back and hits the vampire with his holy water bomb instead.
"Niko, don't, it may just go gaseous again!"
Niko, ready to throw the bomb, backs off from the vampire and lets Occa take over.
Op Code, eager to see what happens, watches Occa go into action. "Will a stake in the heart do it, or is there more to this ritual?" he asks.
"Have you not killed a vampire before? Stake in the heart. Cut off its head and stuff its mouth with holy wafers. Standard OP."
He gets out a wooden stake and says, "Anyone have a hammer? Anyone care to do the honors?" He looks over at some of the newcomers and says, "Any of you greenhorns interested? This is something you don't get to do everyday."
"I'll do it, Occa. I've only killed them with that wand of illumination."
"Sure, sounds interesting," John says as he walks over, snaps the head off of one of his normal bolts and slams the bolt into the vamp's chest, by his heart.
"Through the heart, Dolt with a bolt, not by it," He giggles. "Anyone with better aim here?"
"Have Varlen or Ricbane do it."
John, though, takes another try, and this time apparently pierces the vamp's heart. The creature's eyes bulge open, he gurgles, and then goes rigid, staring blankly skywards.
Occa says, "Let's search the bodies and then the area. Then we go to Sandas for a night's rest. We will then return back here tomorrow morning."
"No offense Occa, but you can take us to Sandas from here? I thought we were here for the duration," Op Code inquires.
Occa takes a good look at the area, memorizing it.
Then he helps in searching for loot on the bodies and in the cars.
Breathing a little heavier than normal, Emm strolls over to where the group is congregating. "Well I believe I got my exercise for the day." He then continue on to where the giants had originally congregated and looks for loot. He even pokes around in the giant droppings. "Never know what giant food is carrying," Emm says to no one in particular.
"Geez, I'm not that hard up for stuff," Op Code remarks to no one in particular.
Not terribly interested in the giant droppings, after taking care of the vampire's coffin, Niko starts collecting blood and hair/feathers from each type of giant and each of the demons.
"Hey, Occa! What exactly do you need from a giant to make a girdle of giant strength?"
"Probably muscle and sweat."
To Op Code he says, "No, we can go to Sandas now that we are out of Mestom. Probably best to stay the nights there. At least the first night. we can drop off Jesse and see if these others need to train."
"Sounds like a good plan to me then," Op Code smiles.
"Hmmm..." Niko goes about finding a giant that wasn't roasted by Occa and proceeds to try and obtain muscle and sweat from it.
Gonzo does his thing, looking for anything interesting until the party is ready to move on. He will keep a careful ear and eye out for anything else worth swatting into oblivion.
You turn up a pile of goodies when you search the bodies, the encampment and the cars.
On the aludemon, you find a ring, a wand (with the word 'Not!' engraved on it), a rope, a suit of leather armour, a glowing longsword, and a fancy dagger which does not glow.
In a hidden rear compartment of the Peugeot you find 3 gems (2000gp ea.).
Under the floor of the trunk of the Saab is 3750ep.
In the rear of the Celica are 2625gp. In the compartment between the two front seats are two necklaces (1300gp ea.).
In the rear of the Mustang are 2250sp. Tucked in behind its rear seats are 15 gems (500gp ea.).
Under the hood of the Pacer - in place of an engine - are 325sp, 200ep, 75gp and 1000cp.
In the glove compartment of the LeBaron are two ankle bracelets (1200gp ea.).
In the Aerostar you find 3 bejeweled brooches (3000gp ea.), a potion, a scroll, a suit of chain mail (human-sized), another scroll and a suit of leather armour (dwarf-sized).
In the back seat of the 1976 Celica are 833sp.
Under the front bench seat of the 1968 Comet you find a large diamond (1000gp).
Varlen watches, eyes wide as the others quickly begin searching the vehicles and the dead. They grow even wider as they see all the valuable items that they manage to retrieve. Humbly he says, "I have never seen so much treasure before."
When you are ready, Occa teleports you back to the prime material plane. It takes him two trips to get everyone and the loot back.
The party appears outside of Occa's mansion in Sandas. The newcomers see a large, rather rambling old house on some fairly extensive grounds, surrounded by a brick wall. The place looks as if it has been renovated fairly recently. From what little of it is visible here, Sandas appears to be a small city. To the west lies a range of forested mountains, their flanks covered in snow.
To John, Ricblane, Varlen and Emm, the change in climate comes as quite a shock...especially after a day in Hell. It is cool (36F) and sunny this afternoon, but a cold wind makes it seem more chill than it actually is.
The young man draws his cloak closer about him. His teeth chatter slightly as the wind cuts though his thin clothing. "I hope there is someplace around here where I might be able to purchase some warmer clothing."
"I must agree, it is a tad nippy out, but much more pleasing on the eye than our place of departure." John says as he braves the cold weather.
Emm retrieves his cloak from his back pack. As he puts it on, he notices the giant mess on his boots. "Umm, I need a place to wash up," Emm notes.
Niko surveys the area. "Quaint house, Occa. Is it yours?"
"Yes. Everyone, let's relax, get a bath, and prepare for our trip back into hell."
When Occa gets to the door, he is greeted by Igor, the hunch-backed doorman, who does not recognise him.
"Oooooo, Meester Al!" he says, "Your body! What happened to your beautiful body? I see some of Master's friends are here to visit," he continues, squinting at the lot of you with his one good eye, "But Master Occa is not here!"
There is a squeal and a giggle from behind him, and looking past, you see a pretty young scullery maid run by, with a Cannon Fodder in hot pursuit.
Niko eyes the pretty young scullery maid "Hey! Now that looks like fun!"
He also notices Cannon Fodder "Didn't know Occa had a twin."
Occa says, "I am Occa. I have been cursed with the face of Al! Now get someone to daw me a bath. Where is Tracey?"
"Oh, master Occa, it truly is you! I recognise the...the...effervescent personality!" Igor wheezes. "You have been dreadfully cursed, cursed indeed!"
He turns away.
"Mister Jeeves! Master Occa has returned!"
Jeeves the butler appears.
"Did you say a bath, sir?" he says. "I shall have have one prepared with your usual bubblebath, sir."
"Tracey, she is not here, Master!" adds Igor.
"We left her with Orlon and the gang, remember?" says Robert.
Once inside, Niko pours the holy water bomb into a large basin to hold the holy water when the Item spell runs out.
Niko asks Occa "Will you be handling the Identify on the items or should Darien and I assist?"
"I can, tomorrow."
"We will all do them."
"Darien, would you take me to the Mage's Guild in Sandas? I'd like to see what they can do with these demon and giant parts."
"Tomorrow."
"Are you sure we're staying that long, Darian? I was under the assumption we were returning to Hell tomorrow."
"You may be, but I'm not. And a few of these new guys probably could use some training."
"We will go tomorrow. Plus, we will see if the thieves guild finally has a list of magic put together for me. I asked them about it months ago."
Niko raises an eyebrow. "What kind of magic list?"
"A list of magic he has available for selling. I think he was stalling last time I spoke with him, so I threatened. Hopefully he won't call my bluff."
"Occa, we should speak with Ray Jay now. She needs to know about the teleportation problems in Mestom."
"Who's this Ray Jay? Another elf lord?"
"An arch-mage with a very long life span. And an advisor of sorts."
Occa also says, "Who here hasn't been on a ride through all the magical pools?"
"I must see if there is a temple devoted to my Master here in this town," the young man says. Turning to Occa, he adds, "What are these pools of magic you talk about?" he asks.
"I am game, what are they?" he asks.
"You will see. You will see." He laughs.
"What magical pools?"
"Magic pools to raise your abilities, levels, give wishes and so on."
Ric's eyes widen at this... "Wishes? The most powerful of magics? IN pools?" he says, unbelieving.
"More of an anit-wish. I will have to look for my notes on those places."
"What in blazes is an 'anit-wish,' Occa? I've never heard of one."
"Anti-wish. Sorry! Bad typing."
Niko looks at Darien. "OK...what's an 'anti-wish' then?"
Darian shrugs as if it's obvious. "The opposite of a wish, of course."
"I used to have this old Aunty Bessie, and she used to make wishes all the time, and...."
Gilstrock trails off.
Niko smacks Darian with a clue by four. Raising it again in a semi-threatening manner, he says in his best italian accent "You wanna I should give ya a fresh one?"
"Would you like to die, painfully?"
Jesse snaps her fingers and in her open hand appears a cream pie which she promptly shoves in Niko's face. "Wise Guy eh?" she asks and holds up her hand. "Pick two fingers." she says to Niko.
Niko licks the cream pie around his face "Yummy! Boston Cream!" He then casts a Clean cantrip on his face.
Niko looks Jesse's two fingers and backs up "Oh, no ya don't. I ain't fallin' fer the Moe Gambit. Nyuk nyuk nyuk!"
"Now explain what exactly the opposite of a wish is. Does it prevent something from happening?"
Darian shrugs. "Got me. Occa never explained how it worked."
"Actually," Gilstrock says, "and now it's been a while since I went on my Pool Tour, it gives you the opposite of what you wish for. I think. But you gotta be careful wording it, or you get something completely random, or nothing at all."
"Thanks, Gil! May I ask what you wished for?"
"It all kinda runs together," Gilstrock says. "See, there was this pool that made you stronger and healtheir, and then there was this checker pattern that made you more like Al, or it made you better at your profession at the cost of being less like Al, and I mean like Al in that he was really good looking and persuasive, not that you become a fanatic."
"Then there was this lever, and I kinda forget what it did, and finally there was that last pool, and that's where we met all those other folks who got all snippy and started yelling at us because we like to joke about killing people, and they thought we were serious."
Gilstrock rubs his stubble. "But maybe that wasn't the last. There was something in there that made you smarter. Ya think after that I'd be able to remember all this better."
Gilstrock shrugs.
"Waiddaminnit," he says, "it was actually these green flames that gave the anti-wishes. I wished to not permanently have resistance to dragon's breath. I dunno if it worked or not. Occa thought my wish mighta been to greedy, so I tried a second one to make me stronger. Nothing happened."
Gilstrock shrugs again. "So mebbe that one was a washout. But the other ones seemed kinda good. I mighta even forgotten one or two."
"I am going to take a bath now, but don't worry, I will tell you newbies where and how to wish when we get to these places. I have copius notes on all of it."
"Want some company?" An anonymous voice asks ...
"An old friend of mine once said to beware of a laughing mage," Ric replies.
"Good advice."
Jesse kisses Occa. 'Thank you Occa for everything. I look forward to resting here for a while. I am glad you will be returning here so that I can see you all while I write and compose." the bard says. "I may even take some students to work with while you try to rescue Salaam."
Occa says to Jesse, "My house is your house, do as you wish here."
"I am in your debt Occa." Jesse says, "Thank you dear friend."
"Always a pleasure."
Jesse pinches Occa's bottom. "You dirty old man. Never change."
She then goes over to Darian, "We have much to do my love," the bard says as she kisses him.
Darian leans into the kiss, obviously enjoying it. "We do?"
Jeeves leads Occa away to his bath.
"Igor, would you have a bath prepared for Jesse, please?"
"Oh, yes, master!" says Igor, and he shuffles away, pausing every now and then to look over his hunched shoulder to make sure that she is following.
Darian snakes an arm around Jesse's waist as he follows Igor.
"Thanks, Igor. The Lady appreciates it, even if she's too tired to say so."
He whispers in her ear as they walk away from the rest of the group.
Once within the building and things have settled down slightly, Varlen approaches Occa.
"Sir, could you tell me if there is a temple to Forseti nearby? I feel that I must spend some time there in order to improve myself and be of more use to you and your group."
"I have need to meditate myself," John says, "I need a quiet place to practice, and if there is a temple of Quetzalcoatl in this city, it would be a boon indeed?"
Occa says to the newcomers after his bath, "I will have a servant check on your various churches. It is possible that they may have some of them here. All of you need to train, so do so. If you need money, let us know. Once training is done, you will be ready for adventuring. While your training is occuring, I will be taking some of you to the various pools, flames and levers that we know of. They will raise your various abilities and grant you wishes and so forth. Get some rest, get a bath and then we will take more about it in the morning."
"That would be greatly appreciated," Varlen says bowing to the powerful mage. "I regret that I have no money with which to pay for such training, but I gladly offer my services to you in order to work off whatever funds I need in order to pay the temple."
Darian laughs. "You've got money, Varlen. Your share of that magnificent battle in hell! But, don't worry, we've all got plenty to spare if you need some."
An amazed look comes over the young man's face. "But surely my share of that incredible amount of wealth is quite small and insufficient to cover whatever the temple might charge for its tutelage," he says. "I mean, I played a very small part in the overall success in our battle against those powerful creatures. Thus, shouldn't my rewards be commsurately small?"
"We split the treasure evenly, no matter what the contribution is. Too hard to figure it out otherwise."
"Oh," the young man responds. "It does seem like it would be extremely easy to divide the treasure up in such a manner."
A warm smile comes to his lips and he nods in understanding.
Varlen then goes to his room and cleans himself up. He then begins meditating.
Gilstrock says, "I'm offering free warrior training to anybody who wants it. Well, it's not free, 'cause you gotta buy me dinner sometimes, and that can add up."
"I can help with either training of fighters or mages."