THE HISTORY OF THE NEW INZELADUN HEROES

ADVENTURE FIVE

“The Aboleth”

Characters:

Dovinyae : Druid from the Unknown Lands with wild psionic talents.

Sometimes a little too quick to use his staff in self defense. Ragnar : Runcaster from Indor, seeking for more runes. Likes to fight

with hammers.

Alrek : Indorian warrior ready to fight at a second's notice. Also known

as Couatl-Head.

Xavier : Drychtnothian Paladin on quest for a holy sword to further his

war against Evil. Searching for Swords in Stones.

Amren : Ophyrish ranger with bad temper and a hatred for oppression.

Likes to rally the crowd against oppressors.

Toki : An Indorian warrior living in Alisander after the dragonship he was serving on was sunk by the Merchant Fleet of Amn.

The Time : 8th Age, 5th Year, 4th through 17th days of Odan (early autumn)

The Places: Lamapacher (village of Marthen); Lamapacher (various roads);

Lamapacher (Cler); Lamapacher (Caves of Chim); Lamapacher (Ta’akrinat);

Lamapacher (Drychtnothian Border)

Notes on the Caves: Between two low mountain ranges is a broad river, formed by a number of lesser streams. As the years passed the river slowly carved its way through the mountain that thwarted its passage. After centuries of effort, it broke through the other side and plunged over a grand precipice. In its wake, however, it left a network of twisting and treacherous tunnels.

A dream came to Xavier the Pure. He was surrounded by fog and owls flew about him. He saw a gypsy woman. She told him to seek a Cave to rescue his Horse and kill the evil that preys upon mankind. To find the lair, seek her out and she would lead him there. She disappeared into the fog and exploded into a flock of owls.

He told the others and they set off from Marthen to find a gypsy caravan that had passed through two days prior. In two days they found the gypsy caravan. They found that the old gypsy woman from Xavier’s dream was already dead. She had died the night before. Ragnar carved his Dead rune on a pole and drove it into the grave of the old matron. The mound opened and the spirit of the old gypsy rose and spoke with Xavier. She told him where to find the cave and to be prepared for deception.

The cave was to the north and they spent a day travelling. They came to the town of Cler and was told that a dragon lived in the caves and that every year they sent dragonslayers and tribute into the cave. The dragonslayers always died, and the tribute always disappeared. The group traveled to the limestone caves. Dovinyae shapechanged into a hummingbird and flew into the caves. When the darkness prevented him from seeing, he changed into an owl. He patrolled a few passages but found nothing but waterfalls. He flew back out and the group entered the caverns. The entrance was notable for its high, arched ceiling and the numerous stalactites that dangled from it. A thin band of shore about a yard wide ran alongside the river, but it was slick and treacherous. The water moved quickly and they could hear the roar of the waterfall ahead. They took a right turn and entered the Upper Lake chamber. The lake had a whirlpool in the center which dumped into a lake in a lower chamber. Dovinyae led the way and dove into the lake. The others followed suit.

Xavier couldn’t swim in his armor and had to be pulled to shore by Amren. They had been deposited into the Lower Lake. They went down the next passage and eventually arrived at the Dead Pool. They had heard the screams of a girl (actually a disguised Lamia named Meripha) and they entered the thin passageway. They were assaulted by a dozen trolls. Dovinyae decided their were illusionary and tried to pierce the magic. Since they were real they mauled him quickly. The others battled and fought, hacking and slashing. Dovinyae escaped by becoming an ectoplasmic entity via his psionic powers. He rescued the Lamia and took her to a nearby cavern and returned to help his comrades. After much battle, they destroyed the trolls, and Amren started a fire and burned the regenerating bodies. They healed themselves as much as they could and then they traveled down to the Great Pool. The majority of the water carried into this huge underground lake came from the Grand Cascade, though the river the party followed into it also carried a great amount of water. A dragon lifted its head out of the water, but they quickly discerned that this was an illusion. Dovinyae dove into the water with a waterbreathing spell while the others were attacked by a hook horror. They killed the hook horror quickly. Dovinyae found that an aboleth was the source of the evil and he cast Air Breathing on it. The aboleth tried to escape to the surface, but Dovinyae used his elephant statuette to summon a pair of rocky hands to hold the monster under the water, where it drowned.

Under the water, they found a large shield with a couatl device; a set of magic scale mail; a set of magic platemail; 5,240 silver coins; 12 platinum coins; 4,078 gold coins; two potions; the shark statuette of Vendulamon; a magic Indorian longsword named Hardraade; an amethyst containing the soul of a war-horse; a silver chalice; a silver chalice with rubies; a bloodstone with a sword blemish; a chalcedony; two jasper stones; a jet stone; a moonstone; and a magic warhammer.

Xavier took the large shield with the couatl device, Alrek took the magic scalemail, Ragnar took the platemail, and they split the money equally. Alrek took a potion of reptile control and Amren took a potion of ventriloquism. Dovinyae took the shark statuette. Toki took the Indorian longsword. Ragnar took the warhammer. Xavier freed his war-horse from his gem-prison and the group left the cave, towing the corpse of the aboleth behind them.

They remembered the girl and fetched her down from the cavern where Dovinyae left her. She introduced herself as Meripha and said she had been an unwilling accomplice of the aboleth’s after he enslaved her.

Xavier decided to make sure all the evil was gone, and he tried to detect Evil Intent. Evil Intent was detected within Meripha, and they pierced her illusion and was revealed as a Lamia. They attacked her, and Xavier the Pure slew her.

They arrived at the town of Cler and were given a heroes welcome. They announced that they were the Couatl and would fight evil under that name. They charged the town blacksmith to watch over their treasure and they donated most of their money to the town to build a defensive wall and afford a militia. After a feast they left Cler and traveled toward Ta’akrinat, which they reached in three days.

In Ta’akrinat, the High Priest of Thomtain Hob received a blue diamond with a sword-shaped blemish in it. He had a vision that indicated that a warrior with the shield of a winged serpent would arrive to pray here and that he should give that warrior the gemstone and they would help him destroy the evil that plagues the temple.

The group arrived at the gates of Ta’akrinat two days after that vision. A pair of young paladins had drawn the outside guard duty. They didn’t mind, they enjoyed meeting the caravans and merchants. Within the walls, 20 archers kept post to back up the outside guards. The two paladins watched as the Couatl group approached. They stopped them and asked them to surrender their weapons and armor, per the laws of Ta’akrinat. Dovinyae cast a Charm Person spell and charmed one of the paladins. The other noticed his best friend’s change of heart and willingness to bypass the law (and thereby risking a court martial as well as the loss of his paladinhood!) so he was on the alert for evil, mind-bending magic. When Dovinyae cast a second Charm Person spell, he was immediately noticed by the unaffected young paladin, who drew his weapon so as to capture the sorcerer. When he drew his weapon, Dovinyae (defending himself) snapped out with his wolf-headed staff and crushed the skull of the paladin, killing him instantly. The charmed paladin broke free of his charm at this assault on his best friend and began to call for the archers. Archers mounted the wall. Xavier bolted away on his new war-horse. Alrek pulled Toki and Amren up on his horse and likewise ran off. Dovinyae used his new power and shapechanged into an elephant, allowing him and Ragnar to escape. The cavalry, which was on its way, stopped short when the druid changed into an elephant. Such an obvious display of unlawful magic frightened their horses (and themselves!).

Taborn, the surviving young paladin guard, dragged his dead friend aside, swearing to Thomtain Hob and the Silver Tree that he would slay this band of murderers. The couatl emblem displayed on the shield of one of the six would be easy to trace because it was an unusual device. Taborn was called in to see the Lord of Ta’akrinat. Normally the death of a guard was not something that Baron Crother involved himself in, but when magic was used, that was unusual enough to warrant his attention. The paladin described the murderers, and the couatl emblem he saw on one shield and embroidered on the horse’s trappings. Taborn begged the Baron to allow him to hunt the murderers of his friend. The Baron allowed that he could so do, and if he brought back the head of the magic-using one with the wolf-staff he would be granted a knighthood. The Baron gave Taborn the paladin a small company of soldiers and sent him on his way. Taborn and the Ta’akrinat soldiers made their way quickly to the Drychtnothian border, anticipating that the murderers would make their way there to escape Ta’akrinat’s wrath. Taborn spoke to the warlord in charge and was given permission to enter the Drychtnothian Empire. The warlord gave Taborn a pass that indicated his profession as that of bounty hunter, which would give him permission to wear his armor and arms into any Drychtnothian city.

The High Priest of Thomtain Hob, upon seeing the bounties posted for the group travelling with the emblem of a winged serpent decided to go to the Baron with the gemstone. Baron Crother decided to keep the gem on the off chance the group would return for it.

Dovinyae and the others ran most of the night, avoiding two small towns. The next morning they reached a ferry who offered to take them up the river to a place near the Drychtnothian border. They mounted the ferry and they began their journey upriver. They bypassed every town, not wanting to risk stopping and five days later their peaceful river journey ended. They rode to the border of Drychtnoth, reaching it in the early evening. The mountains rose majestically ahead of them, the pass into Drychtnoth winding up into the mists. Secretly, the assassins of Imagawa Kokuji continued to trail them.

The party rode or walked up to the border fortress, which was surrounded by approximately 300 footmen of the Drychtnothian Defense Militia under the command of Warlord Kartyr. A score of soldiers rode up to Xavier and the others. The captain of the guard stopped them and took down their false names (except for Xavier who gave his correct name). He noted the couatl device on Xavier’s shield, and took down with confirming interest when Alrek said his name was couatl-head. The Lamapachan paladin who arrived two days ago said this bunch may try to escape into Drychtnoth. The captain gave each of them a warrant that stated their false names and their declared purposes (and included a coded note that they are suspected murderers and possible spellcasters) and gave Drychtnoth’s official permission to enter the Empire. Kartyr, the 17th level warlord who commands the Drychtnothian Defense Militia decided not to stop the group from entering Drychtnoth. If Taborn the paladin was truthful, then one of those in that party of the couatl is a spell caster. And with Yam ibn Saud’s forces so near, he didn’t want to risk a spell caster decimating his army. Kartyr did send a runner ahead to the kingdom of Isamix III (just on the other side of the pass) warning him and his warlord of the arrival of a possible spellcaster.

Each Player was awarded 3000 exp. for succeeding in the adventure.

Dovinyae received 3000 exp. bonus for the shark statuette

Xavier received a 3000 exp. bonus for the magic shield

Ragnar received a 2000 exp. bonus for the magic armor and hammer

Ragnar received a 1000 exp. bonus for casting his first successful Dead Rune

Alrek received a 2000 exp. bonus for the magical platemail.

Toki received a 2000 exp. bonus for the magical longsword.

Amren received a 250 exp. bonus for his potion and a 2000 exp. bonus for role-playing.

Current Events: This week, the Current Events of Inzeladun, due to the length has been moved to the end of this write-up.

History of the Old Gypsy Woman: She was a 92 year old witch of the 17th level. Although she always used her magic for good (she believed that deeds, evil or good, always returned threefold to the deed-doer) she was hunted down by the Khemian Neb Sedi and killed by the order of Kherit, Pharaoh of Khemt.

Notes on the Paladin’s War-horse: At fourth level each Paladin becomes eligible for a special war-horse. Xavier’s mount was captured by Chim the aboleth and encapsulated in a gemstone. This war-horse’s name is Ximel. He is from a Drychtnothian breed of heavy war-horse and is a charger. Ximel is a red roan with a white muzzle, four white socks, and a diamond shaped patch of white hair on its forehead. It is 18 hands high. He was trained by Brexhel the Paladin, then released to find his destined paladin. He was captured while searching for Xavier. Ximel is an accomplished leaper, able to leap distances of 14’ and heights of 5’ when unarmored. He can only be ridden by paladins.

History of the Shark Statuette of Vendulamon: Created during the reign of Ashoka on the Isle of Bakari 896 years ago by a sculptor mage named Vendulamon. The shark statuette can grant the casting of Sharkbolt and Waterbreathing and is rumored to summon and/or command sharks if the proper command is known. It is one in a set of three artifacts from the city of Pataliputra. They were created in 688 V (the 688th year of the Fifth Age). They are powerful Shakkul artifacts and are rumored to have powerful effects on the natural world and the animal kingdom when used together. The other two in the original set are a Cobra Statuette and an Elephant Statuette. In 703 V, Vendulamon created two more statuettes, a Tiger and an Ape, but they are not as powerful as the original trio. In 728 V the five statuettes were taken from the Bakarin Empire by Vendulamon's son, Batramal. Batramal, fleeing the unrest caused by the death of the emperor, arrived on the shores of Khemt. The Khemian priesthood took the powerful artifacts from him when he tried to start a Shakkul monastery in their lands. Over the centuries, the artifacts were passed around, traded, bought and sold amongst the Khemian priesthood until 50 VI (fiftieth year of the Sixth Age) when four of the five statuettes were stolen by an unknown thief. The aboleth, Chim, gained the shark statuette seven years ago (9 VII) and used his considerable resources to find the others. Dovinyae took the statuette upon the death of Chim. Combined with Dovinyae’s elephant, the shark enables the druid to cast Alamir’s Fundamental Breakdown and the power to shapechange into a shark or an elephant 1/week.

Notes on the Magic Shield: This large, round shield, with the Couatl device emblazoned on it, is a +5 defensive shield. This is the shield of Nezahualcoyotl, the poet-king of Tetzcoco, who ushered in an age of intellectual achievement for his people. He ruled according to lofty principles developed during his youth. As a teenager he saw his father killed by invaders and spent the next 8 years as a virtual exile. Hiding from his enemies in the mountains, he received aid from a couatl, and in battle won the throne that belonged to him. This shield was a gift from the couatl and from the gods. As a ruler, Nezahualcoyotl became a renowned poet; he was also a patron of art and science and sponsored public recitals of verse. He built a temple without idols dedicated to a single deity, “the unknown god”, and banned human sacrifice there. Wandering anonymously among his people, Nezahualcoyotl would reward worthy citizens and redress grievances. This shield, in addition to the +5 bonus to armor class, also confers an ability in Poetry (gives character this nonweapon proficiency or improves it if already possessed). The shield was passed down to the poet-king’s son, who was killed in battle with Cuacuauhtzin the Aboleth (Chim’s mother) a century ago. Cuacuauhtzin swam from that far-flung land to the shores of Lamapacher toward the end of the Sixth Age. Chim inherited the shield upon the death of his mother.

Notes on the Magic Sword: This Indorian longsword was created in 1237 V. It is a +2 weapon and is named Hardraade. It was forged in Indor and was first wielded by Hargar the Berserker in no less than fifteen recorded battles. It was next used by Granmon the Bold as he led his people in revolt against a tyrannical chieftain. Granmon then was killed by Thorbrand the Loud who used the weapon in wars against the hill giants and trolls. The weapon passed through several warriors who added little to its history until it came into the hands of Garheald the Smasher and he used it on several Viking raids into Ingara. The weapon was captured by Ingarans in 1420 V.

Notes on the Magic Warhammer: This Shantoan Hammer is a +2 weapon and is fitted with a spike on the top that does 1d3 +2 points of thrusting damage. It was created during the sixth age and was used during the Shanto War waged by Lord Komaaks Red Dragon of Lamapacher, in which he annexed the kingdom of Shanto to Lamapacher. It was last used as the favorite weapon of Olaf the Boisterous. He was killed by the trolls a year ago.

Notes on the Magic Scalemail: This is a coat of soft leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish. It is just as heavy as chainmail, but offers slightly worse protection. The scales in scale armor are made smaller in order to make the suit more flexible and comfortable when worn. Indeed, in this respect, scale mail far exceeds either plate or banded mail. However, all those scales require more maintenance, as the more items attached to an armor’s backing, the greater the chance some will fall off. Scale armor not properly maintained loses one level of armor class protection. Scale mail suffers the same problems of dirt, grime, lice, and odor that studded leather and padded armor suffer. This suit is +1 armor and gives no encumbrance penalties and weighs no more than a suit of clothes, although it still offers the same amount of physical bulk (therefore he still can’t swim in it). It was created in 1356 V in Drychtnoth by the master armorer Yeth Vilx for the warlord Killix. It was red in color originally, although much of that color has faded with use and battle-damage. Nearly 40% of the original scales have been replaced by bluesteel replacements. It was last worn by a dragonslayer who fell victim to the aboleth.

Notes on the Magic Platemail: Platemail is a combination of chainmail with metal plates covering the vital areas of the chest, abdomen, and groin. It comprises heavy steel plates riveted to a sturdy backing of chain and leather. These plates are made using superior metallurgy and advanced lamination techniques, producing a lightweight steel with excellent combat characteristics. Because the plates are carefully fitted to combine with the chain suit beneath, the layer of leather beneath the chain is much thinner and flexible than that found under lesser armors. Knights, royal guards, and mercenary captains often wear platemail. Even as a prize of battle, platemail is infinitely easier to fit to a new owner than either field or full plate armor. Platemail is the preferred protection of the vast percentage of the world’s most experienced warriors, because it is not nearly as cumbersome to don or remove as other heavier types of armor. This set of platemail is +2 and was forged and built in Drychtnoth for a legion commander in 1460 V. It was magicked by the kingdom’s warlord for rescuing the warlord’s daughter in 1462 V. When used by a defender of children, the armor becomes +5 in protection value. The commander wore the armor until he was killed by the Lamia Meripha.

Notes on trolls: Trolls are horrid carnivores found in all climes. They know no fear and attack unceasingly when hungry. 9 feet tall on average, they possess incredible strength and can bend steel in their bare hands. They are also excellent jumpers (they tend to live under bridges and often need to jump up to the bridge apparently) due to the incredible strength found in their legs. Their skin is rubbery and they are a gross green color. Trolls live to be 100 or more. Trolls prey on all but the most powerful of creatures. They hate giants of good alignment and war with them constantly. The sickly green blood of a troll is used by alchemists to manufacture both poison antidotes and healing potions. The blood from one troll is valued at 400 gold pieces or more. Trolls are well known as regenerating creatures. This particular band of trolls allied themselves to Chim quite willingly as the aboleth led them to constant food sources.

Notes on Lamias: Lamias are cruel flesh-eating monsters that use deceit, speed, and spells to entrap foolhardy adventurers and other prey. They are half-human, half quadruped beast hybrids. Their upper torsos, arms, and heads resemble those a beautiful human females, while their lower bodies are those of beasts, usually goats, deer, or lions. Meripha was of the lion variety. She has served Chim for the past five years, often going on quests to find the magic statuettes he seeks. She has found leads on two of them. Maripha preferred to feed on children and is devoted to spreading chaos and evil wherever she could. She feeds on the willpower of others and can create devoted slaves in this manner.

Notes on Aboleths: The aboleth is a loathsome amphibious creature that lives in subterranean caves and lakes. They are highly intelligent (approx. 13 or 14 int.) and seek to enslave others to gather more power. Aboleth slime is sometimes used as a component for potions of waterbreathing. This particular aboleth is a fairly young monster named Chim. His mother was an infamous creature known as Cuacuauhtzin. Chim acquired the shark statuette of Vendulamon a few years back and was searching for the others, using slaves such as Meripha the Lamia. He preferred to use illusions of a dragon to keep the locals from entering his lair.

Notes on Hook Horrors: The hook horror is a bipedal, underground-dwelling monster that looks like a cross between a vulture and a man with hooks instead of hands. It has a tough mottled exoskeleton like that of an insect. Hook horrors do not have a smell to humans and they communicate in a series of clicks and clacks. The eyesight of hook horrors is very poor and they are blinded in normal light. They are natural climbers and are very acclimated to cave life.

Notes on Ta’akrinat: This is one of the larger cities in Lamapacher and wields a lot of influence. The patron god of this large city is Thomtain Hob, the god of Law. Tyr and the Silver Tree also have large followings here. The city is very organized, perhaps the best organized city in all of Inzeladun, and is laid out in a grid pattern. The entire militia is armored in platemail and their shield device is a red set of scales on a blue field. The Baron Crother is the current totalitarian ruler of this massive city and he insists on procedures being followed. The use of magic is outlawed as a chaotic influence, especially mind/emotion influencing and generally destructive spells. Magic is only allowed to be practiced in the Temples of Thomtain Hob under strict regulation. Wanderers are expected to surrender their arms and armor before entering the city. Heavy war armors and weapons tend to create an atmosphere of violence and are therefore illegal except in the hands of the militia. The organization of the town is such that surrendered weapons and arms are well cared for during the owners’ visit, who may reclaim the weapons if they leave via the same gates as they entered. The Baron Crother is a worshipper of Thomtain Hob and is a popular ruler. Ta’akrinat has so many laws that a special sort of elite class has sprung up that is very learned in all these laws and these elite are often consulted in all manner of legal affairs. Many of the town guard are low-level paladins. It is unknown how the city got its name, which means “The cattle are dying” in an obscure dialect of Corinthian.

Information on Thomtain Hob: Thomtain Hob is one of the Supreme Entities. His holy color is green. The philosophy of Thomtain Hob is a simple one. Everything has laws and is governed by law. If a person knows the laws, he can use them to his advantage. Everything has laws. And if everything has laws, those laws can be learned. Learn all the laws, you can use those laws to your advantage, and if you use all the laws of the universe to your advantage, then real power is yours to be had, for you could manipulate anything. So let others run around and seek the meaning of it all. The meaning is unimportant. It doesn’t matter what it means when you can make it do what you want. The more one knows, the more one can do.

A) Laws are representations of Power

1. Laws govern the lives of every Being.

2. Laws order the action of every Thing.

B) Knowledge is Power

1. With Knowledge comes understanding.

2. With understanding we gain the ability to manipulate things around us.

Conclusion: Knowledge of Law is the ultimate Power

1. Everything is governed by Law

2. Knowledge of all Law is the power to manipulate all things.

Followers of Thomtain Hob are expected to create rules and laws where none exist, for the more laws the follower causes to be used, the more he controls the universe around him. Thomtain Hob opposes Na-May Hob, the god of Chaos.

The bounties posted on the party: Due to information provided by the Drychtnothians, Xavier is the only party member known by his real name at this time. The spell caster (Dovinyae) has a bounty of 500 gold pieces for his capture. The others have bounties of 200 gold pieces apiece. Right now these bounties are posted only in Ta’akrinat, but it won’t take long, due to the influence and efficiency of Ta’akrinat, before these bounties are posted throughout the whole of Lamapacher and most of Drychtnoth. The Azraelites know all the names of the party and intend to give this information to the Ta’akrinites at some point.

Why Magic Is Outlawed: The common man cannot compete or cope with magic. A magically created sword is better than a weapon lovingly crafted by a master weaponsmith and is created in considerably less time. Who needs farmers when magic can create feasts for the hungry? Who needs herbalists and apothotakers when magic can heal the sick or injured? Who needs cemeteries when magic can raise the dead? Magic destroys the livelihood of those not intelligent enough to use it. Magic also makes civilization hard to govern. Charm persons and a host of spells make it easy to circumvent the laws that protect people. A magic-using criminal is almost impossible to stop. Most forms of magic now usable on Inzeladun (Defiling, Alienism, Witchcraft) either destroy the land or the morals and ethics of the person using the magic. Evil magic-users are also difficult to stop and they often have little qualms about usurping power over the common man. In places where magic-use is not outlawed, the rulers are petitioned daily to outlaw it by outraged citizens. The fears of the common man often create illegal hangings and/or stonings, which further create chaos and destroy the authority of the leaders, so these demands are usually met, which has resulted in most of Inzeladun severely restricting the use of magic. The only country currently that allows legal magic-use is Drychtnoth, and they require that the magic-practitioner wear red and undergo extensive training about when, where, and how they can use magic. Yam ibn Saud also does not currently outlaw magic, but he also hasn’t been in power for very long and perhaps does not realize the chaos uncontrolled magic can cause, although he does enforce a registry. Grindill also supports uncontrolled magic-use. He sees the common man as a slave force and feels the intelligent and powerful should rule over those who are not. Powerful magic-users are simply above the law because they are powerful enough to circumvent any law if permitted to exist without limitation. Mages can rob paladins of their paladinhood with simple spells and can force non-mages into oppressive situations that amount to little more than slavery with minimal effort. These reasons are why magic is outlawed or severely restricted in 99% of Western Inzeladun.

Current Events : Alisander is still under siege. Raloth and his party battled giants and gained more clues to ending the Dark Intrusion. Samahdi also returned. (Autumn, Odan 3) On Odan 4, Raloth and party accidentally released a powerful spirit from its tomb.

Raloth and his party gained more clues from a former priestess of the Silver Tree. Grunther, a guide, joined the party to help them end the Dark Intrusion. (Autumn, Odan 4-7)

A plague seemed to hit the city around Itsitlawikanah after Raloth left. One by one, people seemed to start dying of an unknown disease. It started slow, but gained momentum as the autumn days passed. It hit young and old alike, but mostly remained amongst the poor and the lonely. Often people went missing for days before someone discovered a body, usually hidden somewhere dark and damp. When some of her diggers turned up missing, the Princess turned to Itsitlawikanah's militia. They were unable to help, so she turned to Lord Raloth's knights. They promised to help, but still more of her diggers disappeared. Finally she turned to the Twilight Gathering. She was very nervous as she approached Aelfled the Golden. She swore an oath that the Princess would be helped. (autumn, Odan 5-7)

Aelfled the Golden summoned the other members of the Twilight Gathering. They spread out in the early morning light, stakes in hand, through the oddly quiet town. Using midlevel detection magic, they went into dank cellars, did their grisly work and returned to the sunlight. They searched through one building, then another, then another. By midafternoon they were all drenched in blood and sick at heart from their terrible task. But they couldn't find the Master, but they did find its lair and they found out its name. Lord Xatherst of Drychtnoth.

On the Ninth of Odan, a rainy autumn day, the Abomination was born in Khemt. Pharaoh Kherit took the mother and the child, the son of Lord Gothorm, and sequestered them.

The High King of Nyandar, King Tagunolasu Nagutsikatsenu, died. He was assassinated by an unknown killer. It is presumed that Iss'ul is the culprit, but that fact remains unproven. Yam ibn Saud, temporarily without divine power, replaced the High King quickly, thus ensuring that Nyandar remained firmly in his imperial grasp. The new High King of Nyandar was young Prince Himolasu Nagutsikatsenu, a devout supporter of Yam ibn Saud. (Autumn, 9 Odan)

Grindill killed the upstart High King of Indor, demanding that all will obey and worship him only. Grindill disguised the fact that he was temporarily without divine power. (Autumn, 9 Odan)

The Grand Caliph of Zakhara became deathly ill. Only by the barest of bit of serendipity was Gunnthryd the Paladin at hand. He stayed the hand of death and was able, after two weeks of care, to pull him through unscathed. (Autumn, 9 through 23 Odan)

Raloth, Xanthor, Lady Kia, Samahdi, Grunther and Lalla reached the Vast Swamp and entered it. The Dim Triad followed them, but Xanthor and Samahdi unknowingly cast spells that kept them at bay. (autumn, Odan 9)

Shuma the witch agreed to help stop the plans of Acererak. She began a plan to rescue the Golgarrylgarian king. With the help of the Dragon Lady and the Princess Ahremesa they flew to Khemt. Shuma had shape-changed into a blue dragon. (Autumn, Odan 12-14)

King Gothorm was taken by Rekhu Khet to meet his son, the Abomination. He was given a choice, become one of them and help raise his son, or meet the Pharaoh. He chose to become one of them. Rekhu Khet took Gothorm to a temple of Set to begin the embalming ceremony. At that time, Shuma, Ahremesa, and the Dragon Lady arrived. Rekhu Khet attacked with powerful desert spells, unleashing an onslaught of wind-driven sand upon them. Unsure of what to do, Gothorm just watched. The Dragon Lady threw down Gothorm’s two handed sword and his helm of power. Gothorm took them and decapitated Rekhu Khet, boarded Shuma (still in dragon form) and they flew away from Khemt. (Autumn, Odan 16)

After a week of trudging through the sludge of the Vast Swamp, Raloth and his party reach the mound that marked the Tomb of Acererak, the Devourer, but instead of a bare mound, they discovered someone had built a city over it. They entered the dark city. (Autumn, Odan 16)