THE HISTORY OF THE COUATL

ADVENTURE EIGHT

“Couatl and the Holy Sword”

Characters:

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

Doesn’t like to waste time messing with tesseracts.

Ragnar : Runcaster from Indor, seeking more sleep in addition to

runes.

Amren : Ophyrish ranger on a quest for the Ring of the Silver Tree.

Alrek : Indorian who feels constant prayer and reliance on the gods

induces weakness; doesn’t like to play around with Fate.

Toki: Indorian who wants to return to the sea. He doesn’t appreciate

jokes.

Xavier the Pure : Paladin being tested by Bahumet the Platinum

Dragon.

The Time : 8th Age, 5th Year, 26th of Faellinar to the 6th year, 8th of Agik. (autumn/winter).

The Place: Drychtnoth (Quithix Xordithattox Mntns - Mount Krethum)

Notes on the Quithix Xordithattox Mountains: The “Fearsome and unyeilding mountains of dark powers”. These mountains are tall and rocky. They are home to many ancient castles. Xaquikachakrinat is a library tower rumored to be the home of a lich. The crumbling star-castle of King Garmund, now owned by Lord Xathurst, is an ancient capital of a Corinthian King (1038-1068 V) prior to Corinthia’s fall to Drychtnoth. (as a side note, it is illegal to approach Castle Garmund). The Red Tower is also hidden in the mountains of this forbodding range. It is in this range that Mount Krethum lies.

On Mount Krethum in the Quithix Xordithattox mountains the couatl made their camp. Nearby stood the cliff wall with the sixteen indentions. On the massive door the words “The Swords in the Stones shall move me with moans and groans / Inside, the guardians you must defeat, but the sword you may keep.” were carved. Xavier, returned from his meditations on the Silver Tree, approached the gigantic door in the stone cliff. Alrek had recovered from his bout with belladonna (taken to cure him of lycanthropy).

Xavier inserted the sixteen blemished gemstones into the indentions. With load cracks and groans the entire mountain seemed to shake. With a sound like thunder, the door split open. The couatl group entered, singing songs, into the dark corridor that was revealed. They traversed a short distance in the darkness, coming to an ancient door. The door was huge, 20 feet by 15 feet and made of platinum. It had the design of a dragon embossed on it. Xavier could feel the evil emenating from behind that beautiful door. Alrek grasped the door and began to pull it open. Xavier braced himself for attack. Dovinyae finally got the others to stop singing as the door noisely opened. Scaled claws grasped the edge of the door and flung it the rest of the way open. Instantly, fear struck the group as a Scare spell took effect. Everyone but Xavier and Dovinyae was affected, quivering with fear they fell back. Xavier placed himself to defend them. The monsters within were Black Abishai, a type of lesser devil from the pits of Hell. Four of them quickly teleported around Xavier. Dovinyae cast Wild Deer Speed upon himself. One devil got in several lucky, critical licks on Dovinyae, but that would be the last any would get on him (wild deer speed, don’t you know). Xavier, Amren, Toki, and Ragnar also were attacked in this initial melee. Xavier’s armor protected him for the most part. After a long, arduous combat, wherein everybody but Xavier nearly died, they defeated the devils.

As they healed themselves the best they could, they explored their surroundings. They were in a large room with four door. Each door had a gargoyle above it. In the center of the room was a small altar. On the altar, in runic, was written, “The Entrance to the Treasure is below this Block.” The gargoyles were all different. Over one door was a gargoyle that looked as though he were spewing forth something from his maw. Over another was a gargoyle that gave the impression he was caught stealing. Over another was a gargoyle scratching his head. Over the last was a gargoyle that was in a pose of sheer agony.

Xavier opened the door under the spewing gargoyle. Flames licked out from the maw of that hideous sculpture, immolating him in fire. The room now revealed was empty. On the far wall of the little room was a mosaic of a gargoyle spitting fire. Everyone except Ragnar crowded into the room. The floor gave way under them and they fell into a 40 foot deep pit. Dovinyae turned to a bird and saved himself. Everyone else landed on a pile of skeletons (and two decomposing corpses). Amongst the dead, Amren found a peridot worth 500 gp and a gold statuette of a rot grub (worth 650 gold pieces). (see Note #1)

An entity known only as Bahumet’s Guardian watched them as they looked around the room some more, discussing what they should do next. They could not seem to decide anything. Bahumet’s Guardian was invisible and remained silent. At this point he was not needed.

Next they smashed to bits the gargoyle who looked as if he had been caught stealing something. They opened the door and found some skeletons. Toki went in and the door shut. Magic writing appeared on the wall that said, “Foolhardy Thief! You’ll need to be much smarter than that to survive my Tests”. Dovinyae managed to use a spell to open the door, and since Toki took nothing from this room, Bahumet’s Guardian allowed him to leave the room. (See Note #2)

After that they moved the altar aside. Underneath the massive stone block was a 9’ X 9’ platinum plate embossed with the design of a dragon. With some effort, Alrek lifted aside the plate. Underneath was a 120’ pit lined with thousands of razors. Lit by an unidentified glow at the bottom was a huge hoard of treasure. Paintings, gold coins, platinum bars, gems, swords, axes, a platinum hammer, platinum statuettes, etc. could be seen. Ragnar shapechanged into an owl and flew down the treacherous shaft. When he made it down 100 feet, he was stopped by an invisible barrier. Unable to go forward, he flew back up. (See Note #3)

Next they broke the gargoyle scratching his head. Opening the door they discovered an empty shaft filled with wind moving down the shaft at 70 mph. The source of the wind was another gargoyle situated in far left corner of the shaft. The shaft was decorated with carvings of monsters, 12 different types in all. On the far wall was five keyholes. Unable to go down the shaft, they moved to the last gargoyle.

They busted the gargoyle in agony and opened the door. It led to a deep shaft. About 20 feet down was the surface of nearly 50 feet of clear water. Underneath the water was a 9’ X 9’ platinum plate embossed with a dragon. The group wanted Dovinyae to swim down there and open the plate. He pointed out that he could not do so, because there was too much water on top of it. (See note #4)

Returning to the windy shaft, Dovinyae figured the keyholes would not be there without reason. Looking around, Xavier found five key-shapes in the artwork on the ceiling above the altar. At the suggestion of Amren, Dovinyae activated his stone elephant. Xavier climbed up and got the keys.

Toki, the most dexterous of the group, climbed along the wall in the windy shaft and used the keys to deactivate all of the upper level traps and activate the lift. From the floor of the shaft a chamber rose. Stepping into the lift, they were taken down the shaft. At the bottom there was a huge platinum door embossed with the design of a dragon. Opening it the found a large chamber. One wall was a Wall of Earth. Digging through it, they found another large platinum door. It led into a yellow room with 24 doors. The room was 20’ X 20’ X 20’. Each room had four doors on each wall, each oriented differently, and a trap door. The floor and ceiling had four doors and a trap door also. Amren prayed to the Silver Tree and he honored the ranger with some advice... to reorient himself. They were now in a tesseract, an area where space is warped in on itself. Xavier, using instinct, determined that the Red Room would hold the sword. They found a green room, a purple room, and an orange room before they found the red room. But all the items in the red room, distributed on each wall, floor, and ceiling, were protected by partial Prismatic Spheres. Two potions on the wall were protected by an orange hemisphere. On the floor was a scroll protected by a blue hemisphere. A pot of oil on another wall was protected by a red hemisphere. A scroll on the ceiling was protected by a yellow sphere. A book, scroll, and bag on another wall was protected by green and indigo spheres. The holy sword, laying on another wall, was protected by a violet sphere. Xavier made a little map of the tesseract and travelled through it until he was oriented correctly and the sword was on his floor. Dovinyae followed him. Dovinyae warned everyone that these spheres would kill anyone who touched him. He was quite correct. Amren suggested that everyone mount a different surface. Dovinyae did not like that idea and remained with the paladin. Everyone else picked their surface, traveling through the tesseract until they were each on a different wall. Only one wall was empty. Xavier finally convinced the druid to get on that wall. As soon as he did, the spheres disappeared. Xavier and Amren decided the same trick in the yellow room would allow them to exit the tesseract. Reluctantly, Dovinyae followed their plan. It worked and everyone exited the tesseract, went up the lift, and left the underground Test.

The party then decided to go north to get Dovinyae’s statuettes from the warlord on Dream Lake. Dovinyae was very ambivalent to their decision for some reason. But he acquiesced and to the north they went.

In two days they reached the river at the town of Krezun. They asked a guard what the name of the town meant. Recognizing them as foreigners (and not knowing the Corinthian roots of the naming language) he lied and told them it meant “foul water”. The guard attempted to cheat them, but Dovinyae figured that out. Alrek and Toki went into town and found a tavern. Alrek attracted several ladies. When he and Toki left the tavern, two maidens followed Alrek at his request. The party decided to go down the river, so they purchased berths on the best ship available. They spent four days on the Enaxeht River, passing safely through the mountains and reaching the Sproktoxxoraktoxorat Lake (although Dovinyae argued that this large body of water was actually a sea). The New Year began while they were on the river.

Three days later they were attacked by pirates. Dovinyae cast Call Lightning and blasted a hole in one of the ships. Afraid a warlord was attacking, the pirates fled. On the ship they were on, the captain ordered the servants to be exceptionally nice to the passangers because one of them was an incognito warlord.

Three days later the couatl reached Ke(xh)yn. They saw the pirate ship they damaged in dock. They disembarked and was admitted into the town.

Each Player was awarded 21,500 exp. for succeeding in the adventure.

Alrek and Toki get a 5000 exp. bonus for doing a good job staying in character.

Xavier gains a 5000 exp. bonus for the Holy Sword.

Current Events : Alisander is still under siege.

Raloth, Garnoth, and Gesh entered the Fortress of Conclusion and defeated the Apotheosis of Acererak. The Dark Intrusion was ended. They returned to Itsitlawikanah and made a memorial to those who died in ending the Dark Intrusion. This memorial named King Gothorm of Golgaryllgar, Samadhi the Archmage, Jalara the Paladin, Lalla Aetherlil, Xanthor, Princess Ahremesa, Grunther the one handed warrior, the Dragon Lady, and Cerdic the warrior as among the honored dead.

In Ke(xh)yn the captain of the privateer ship was granted an audience with King Thaxtyl. The privateer captain, Captain Durarth, told the king that a warlord was travelling incognito and had landed here in Ke(xh)yn. King Thaxtyl summoned Thokyxyht, his warlord, to the throne room. He talked to the warlord about the possibility of some Drychtnothian king sending his warlord in disguise to assassinate him. Thokyxyht thought about the possibility for a second, then told the king that the possibility existed but was terribly remote. Warlords are not allowed to wear anything but red. Any king who sent away his warlord at this chaotic time would be a fool. And if the warlord was trying to sneak into town, he certainly would not have attacked one of Thaxtyl’s privateers with a magical assault. King Thaxtyl countered that in these times, without an emperor or Council, the warlords may break the laws and not wear red, that the king sending a warlord may not be such a fool, but he could not argue the third point of his warlord. Perhaps the warlord on that ship will only pass through, he hoped.

Note #1: This trap was made to indicate to the paladin that the gargoyles represent clues to the traps within. The rot grub statuette within belonged originally to a cult of Wemusa.

Note #2: This trap is to end the life of greedy paladins (or anyone else who goes into the room). It is watched over by a gargoyle that looks like a theif that has been caught in the act of stealing. The walls are actually walls of force made to look like stone via Advanced Illusion. Bahumet’s Guardian opened the wall of force so that Dovinyae’s spell could free Toki. But if Toki had tried to take anything, the walls of force would have slammed shut. And if the characters had tried any other method to steal the treasure (succumb to greed), Bahumet’s Guardian was under orders to attack. But they did not, so It did not.

Note #3: At the depth of 100 feet a Wall of Force cut across the pit. The treasure seen below is actually in the Seven Heavens, a reflection of a portion of Bahumet’s Hoard. This pit is the Apparant Easy Path Test. If 100 lbs were to be placed on the Wall, it would disappear, plunging the weight down the final 20 feet. The portal to Heaven would close, and the weight would fall upon two foot tall poisoned spikes. Ragnar was in the form of an owl, and, thusly, did not weigh the required 100 lbs and did not set off the trap.

Note #4: This was the Test of Logic. The clear liquid was not water, but an odorless acid. After four rounds of contact, the character(s) within would suffer 1d10 hp of damage per round, and all items on the person(s) would have to save vs acid every round after the fourth. The hatch at the bottom was false and would not have opened into anything (presuming the characters could get it open in the first place).

Notes on Mount Krethum: This mountain is holy to the Platinum Dragon, Bahumet. A medium sized peak it is, riddled with caverns and tunnels.

Notes on Tesseracts: A tesseract is a four-dimensional cube. It is a cube which is extended in a direction simultaneously perpendicular to all three of its axes so that each cube of a tesseract shares a common side and four common edges with each cube adjacent to it - and with each cube immediately adjacent to the adjacent cube.

The Holy Sword: This is a +3 Holy Purifier named Wraithbane. The paladin who holds this weapon in front of him turns the Undead as a cleric of equal level. It is a +5 weapon against all undead. It confers a +2 bonus to all saving throws against undead magical attacks. It gives a +10 damage bonus against Undead and Chaotic Evil opponents. When unsheathed and held by a paladin, it projects a circle of power 10 feet in diameter. The circle of power dispels hostile magic of a level less than or equal to the paladin’s experience level and creates a magic resistance of 50%. All evil opponents are unable to cast spells while within the circle. Magical items created by evil magic won’t work within the circle. The paladin must be conscious and in control of his actions for the holy sword to project a circle of power. It is, of course, a Lawful Good sword, and has a 17 intelligence and can communicate telepathically. It allows its wielder to read languages of a non-magical sort. It can detect magic in a 10’ radius, detect secret doors in a 5’ radius and locate objects in a 120’ radius. It can give a character an influx of positive energy to combat the draining effects of an undead’s negative energy attacks 3 times per day. It has a special purpose of destroying undead, and, in pursuit of that purpose, it disintigrates any undead struck (the undead are permitted a saving throw vs spell to avoid this fate, however).

Wraithbane (also known as Wrathbone - depending on your choice of translation) was created by the Twilight Gathering during the 848th year of the Fifth Age (848 V - about 715 years ago). It was used by the Twilight Gathering of the Fifth Age for nearly 575 years. It was lost in 1423 V (140 years ago) when the paladin using it was killed by the golem pair Lenore and Astin. It was found recently during the third year of the Eighth Age (3 VIII - two years ago) by Æsa the paladin and Glauraith the Crypt Ranger after a lengthy battle with a powerful undead wraith-king. Æsa took the weapon as her own and continued to harass her nemesis Lord Nadam and his evil minions. Æsa eventually joined the new Twilight Gathering. She travelled with Raloth the Paladin, Samadhi the Law Mage, Lalla Aetherillil, Ogotai (Yam ibn Saud in disguise), Boregard the gnome henchman of Raloth, and several other notables. She was finally killed by Blaekin the Squirm, who was using Vrox the Avenger, an evil Vorpal Sword belonging to one of the Council Warlords (it was on loan) and with it he chopped the head off of Æsa, having attacked her from behind. Using a heal spell from Palex Amir, Raloth restored Æsa's head to her corpse, but was unable to resurrect her. The team travelled back to the city and left Drychtnoth. On the 26th of Faellinar in the 3rd year of the Eighth Age, Raloth, Samahdi, Malachom, Ogotai, Gorax, and Boregard returned to Harvey's Labs in Lamapacher from their trip to Drychtnoth. Raloth and Samahdi buried Æsa the Ghost Hunter in a tomb underneath the Labs. Samahdi took her Holy Purifier, Wrathbone, into his keeping to give to future paladin members of the new Twilight Gathering. Recently, Bahumet the Platinum Dragon approached Samadhi and asked for Wrathbone. Samadhi gave the dragon-god the weapon. Bahumet placed Wraithbane in a sealed tomb as a test for Xavier the Pure.

Black Abishai: The abishai comprise the main body of many large, evil armies battling against demons and other intruders against the Nine Hells. Abishai are devils, common to the first and second layers of the Nine Hells. The abishai appear much like gothic gargoyles. They are thin and reptilian, with long, prehensile tails and great wings. There are three varietis of abishai and the skin color of the creature is dependant on the variety. These six were black abishai, the weakest of the three. They are voracious and evil. They delight in tormenting those that are lower in power than themselves. They are fond of tempting mortals using their change self and charm person abilities. At the end of an abishai’s tail is a stinger that injects poison into its enemy. These six were part of a strike force sent to harrass Bahumet the Platinum Dragon. He slew all but these six, capturing them instead and putting them here to test Xavier, hopefully to die in the process.

Bahumet’s Guardian: An aasimon from the Seven Heavens. Also known as a solar, the angel known as Bahumet’s Guardian serves the Platinum Dragon by testing and protecting paladins of the Silver Tree. A solar is absolutely the most powerful servants of the good deities and powers of the upper planes and are the greatest of the celestial stewards. Bahumet’s Guardian appears as a large human with a beautiful, muscular body. His skin and hair has a platinum coloration and his eyes are a brilliant topaz. His voice is deep and commanding and impossible to ignore.

The Book of Runes: This tome, 1’X 1.5’ X 0.5’, is made of dragon skin covers and vellum pages. This book details the ancient Dwarven Runes of Power and had never been taught to a human. These are all protective runes and must be carved on dwellings, rooms, and, occasionally, books. Alhalbrin melts metal on all metal items that contact or pass the rune, within 3 rounds of its activation. The metal receives a save vs magical fire (at -3 if not magical metal). Whether or not it melts, it does grow hot, doing 1d4 pts of damage to those in contact with it. Faerindyl causes a flaming sphere to come into being over the rune. It rolls away at a movement of 18. Creatures that pass within 5 feet take 1d4 pts of damage, those struck by it take 2d4 points of damage. When the sphere bursts, all within 10 feet take 3d6 points of damage. It bursts when it contacts something larger than 10’ in size. Sabras creates a miniture blade barrier effect, across and in line with the protected surface. It lasts for one round, but it does 4d6 points of damage to all within 10 feet of the protected surface. A save vs spells allows a dexterity/balance check. If that is successful, they escape with no damage. If the dex check fails they take 2d6 damage. Thundaril acts as a polymorph other spell upon creatures activating it. The priest or runecaster determines the shape the victim will assume. Velurndyn acts as a reverse gravity spell and affects all within 20 feet, flinging them upward 30 feet, then back down again. The book details a second volume that has The Lost Runes of Power which include several immediate effecting runes. This second volume referenced in this book is supposedly available only in the dream worlds. The book includes a ritual to be said once the dream world is reached.

Notes on the magic items found: A bag of beans was found. There are 101 beans in this bag. Magical effects happen when the beans are planted in soil. A wand of wonder was found. It creates random magical effects when pointed and ordered to make magic. Dovinyae took a scroll of protection from dragon breath, Toki took the oil of acid resistance. Alrek took the potions of invisibility and water breathing.

Notes on the Legend of the Rune of Resurrection: This scroll tells of the purported existance of a Rune of Resurrection. The scroll was translated by the Godmen of the Mountain (indeed they still have the original). Bahumet acquired a copy of the translation and put it here for Ragnar. The scroll tells the tale of the quest the ancient runecaster Dathnar the Bold took to receive the Rune of Resurrection from the Khemian god Osiris himself. This quest included a trip to Hell, then to Asgard, then to the Realm of Osiris. This scroll includes the concluding portion of the prayer to plead with Odin to send the petitioner on the quest. The original scroll contains the entire prayer.

Notes on the Legend of the Silver Tree’s Ring: This scroll details what little is known of the ring. The Silver Tree itself placed this scroll here for Amren to find. The scroll includes a spell to be cast once the seeker of the Ring is in the Dream world. This spell will indicate to the receipient where the Ring is. The character will always know when he is facing the Ring. Most of the scroll is unreadable at this point. Whenever the Ring is recovered, the ring wearer will be able to read the rest of the scroll, which details exactly what the Ring’s powers are.

Notes about Krezun: This town’s name means either “Powerful Stench of Fish” (K-re-zun) or “Sea Monster Odor” (Kre-zun). It is a sizable fishing town. It is ruled over by Baron Cydar and is part of the lands of King Xorelth. Baron Cydar is attempting to establish the town as a premier ship-building city, but due to terrible shipyard management, many of the ships built here begin taking on water after their maiden voyages and begin to deteriorate quickly thereafter. The town’s premier diety is Timballayamu, god of the lakes and oceans. The baron is terribly afraid King Xorelth will replace him and is doing everything in his power to make it appear that he is very efficient, but his underlings were the cause of his failings.

Notes about the Sproktoxxoraktoxorat: Common to many old Corinthian landsites, this body of water was named with the long-winded Corinthian naming system. The Drychtnothian Empire attempted renaming most sites with the shorter Drychtnothian naming system, but this large lake continues to bear its original moniker. It means “Sprok’s Great Lake”. The Drychtnothian Council attempted to rename it Sprakecthy Sea (which means “Sprak’s flowing power”) but the name was disliked by the locals. This fresh-water lake is home to a lot of pirates and privateers. Legends of deep underwater wrecks brimming with treasure abound. This is the largest freshwater lake in all of Inzeladun.

Notes on Ke(xh)yn: This large city, which means “Love of Bloodletting”, is ruled by Baron Morgh, a rare half-orc who once served under the command of Lord Komaaks when he was an officer in the Drychtnothian army. The baron is a cruel leader, but is much respected for his ability to keep the town under control and profitable. The baron answers directly to King Thaxtyl, whose castle sits in the center of the city. Ke(xh)yn is a large shipbuilding facility and their main god is Timballayamu (although they do not neglect Olanigan). One of the three archdruids of Drychtnoth, Oktadsen, lives here. He has quite a following and is the head of Timballayamu’s temple. He also is one of the King’s advisors, although he is not allowed to cast spells except on the order of the king. He has successfully defended his position as archdruid three times. King Thaxtyl, a sneaky thinker, yet a noble warrior, is well liked by his people. The King was a powerful knight in the Order of the Chimera. His warlord, Thokyxyht, is a third level invoker, and is very feared by the townsfolk. He has an incredibly logical mind and has one of the best spy/assassin networks in this area of Drychtnoth, despite his newness to the region (he only took the position as Thaxtyl’s warlord eight months ago).