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[Rackhir]

Written by AviLazar
4/15/05

Session 3

When we head back to the inn, we get cleaned up and get some food. Nameless heads off with Bodo in search of a kitchen that will let him cook his concoction. While we are eating, Bodo arrives back looking a little sick and describes his horrid experience.

I decide at this point that I should head to the Church of the Silver Flame, and Corven comes with me. At the Church, we encounter an acolyte who we speak with for a couple of minutes. He sets an appointment for us with the archeirophant. On our way out we encounter another cleric, one who I detected as evil. I had to hold off the urge to smite him where he stood - as one such as this should not be free to walk in this temple - let alone disguised as a cleric. I do realize, however, that the Church is corrupt and my time to cleanse it will be soon, but not right now. I question him, subtlety, trying to create a relation with him. I do not think he will be so foolish as to tell me anything bad that he has done, but if I gain his confidence, eventually he will.

Before going to sleep, Nameless and Corven realize that I will need some advanced healing or my health will not be restored for a number of days. We dare not waste time, so Corven is able to use his obscure skills to make a scroll that will heal my health. I am wary about his skills, which do not always work - and in the past I have seen it backfire on him, but he assures me there is nothing to worry about - I say a small prayer to the Silver Flame.

After being healed, we receive a missive from Lalia from House Deneith. They offer us a bank note, for 500 gold pieces which is very generous. They also ask us to continue further into the hidden area of the Cogs to find out the root of this evil and, with the Silver Flame's blessing, squelch this evil.

We head to the local bank and open up several accounts. One for each of us to store our money safely, and one group account - which we place 70 gold pieces into it. This account will help serve to buy group supplies. We then proceed to a local wizards store and purchase some scrolls to give to Nameless. These are scrolls of grease, which I am told will help in case a creature tries to grapple us in a fight - as well as make it so creature slip and fall. Very ingenious.

Corven, Bodo and me then head to the Church of the Silver Flame to meet with the archeirophant. We speak of various ecclesiastic matters which include the people in Lower Dura. According to the archeirophant, the Church has offered a hand but the people down there refuse to accept. I find this hard to believe as they were very receptive of me once I offered a gesture of good faith. Again, this will take more probing, as things are not solved in a day. The archeirophant asks if she can rely on Corven and my help in the future, if the need arises. I, obviously, inform her that I serve any just cause the Silver Flame asks me of. I just hope the church corruption has not reached the archeirophant.

After this, we meet up with the rest of the group and head back down to the Cogs. We encounter a couple of guards which are expecting us and let us go down. We pass by the dead bodies of the monsters we encountered.

<Faulty Memory>

We happen upon a door which leads us into an old room. We begin to search this room which has a fire pit, and an adjoining door. We do not find much, Nameless starts reading some information, while I continually keep vigil of the room - scanning it for evil. Corven enters the other room, and follow him. I must remind our group that wandering alone is not a safe thing to do. There are four of us, so we should always be in teams of at least two. Corven finds a weird looking sack which drops some dried up organs of what was once a humanoid of some sort. Six of Six walks in and says there is something over my head, which I quickly turn around holding my sword at the ready. I do not see anything and M66 says he saw it in the mirror. I begin to scan the room for evil, and eventually to the right of the mirror I detect an evil presence. As soon as I begin to get a read on it, however, it disappears. I continue to search the room for this evil - putting my back to the wall so I have a better vantage point.

I must show Corven and Namless a trick utilizing the magic detection spell to find invisible creatures. While not grossly accurate - it is a simple spell that has the ability to find any magic including the invisibility spell. Corven then walks up to inspect it, while the rest of us keep vigil. The mirror suddenly turns grey, and a huge eye grows - the mirror explodes and Corven takes some damage from the flying shards. We heal Corven and he then creates a see invisible spell. He tells us that both rooms are full of ethereal webs from ceiling to floor. I cannot say that I am happy about this, and the group decides that it is time we depart. These webs are not hindering us, so they could potentially exist on another plane. We will have to investigate this room when we have better access to other planes of existences.

</Faulty Memory>

We then continue down the corridor until we find an area full of smoothly bored holes. A couple of creatures, named Orred, pop out of the ground and start attacking us. They seem to shoot these poisonous spines, but this has no effect on Six of Six who is immune to such things. Then, one of the other Orreds makes this loud screeching sound which is able to stun Nameless. It hurts a little bit, but I am able to shrug off the effects. The Silver Flame has blessed me with many abilities, and some of those help me resist such effects. We are able to kill one of these Orred, but the other one runs through the hole. In an attempt to kill it, and hopefully stop it from harming other creatures, I pour in a bottle of acid into the hole. It does screech, but I hear it scurrying off. Apparently, the acid was not enough to kill it. After composing ourselves, I notice that Corven is poisoned. We have no ways of magically healing him, but we try and bandage his wounds and get as much of the poison out as possible. Then, some of our number collects the poison spikes to save for later use. I cannot say that I would be proud to use such poisons, but I could see there cases of needing such tactics; especially if the goal is to subdue as opposed to killing.

After the battle, we heal up a bit, and continue down the path and come to a split. We take the right path and follow it until we get to a door. Having our equipment ready an ogre opens it up, and holds his hands up. We realize he means us no harm and start to question him. We have reached Khybers gate. Then a couple of gnolls appear and ask us what we are doing. Nameless informs them we got lost and were going to leave. The Gnolls do not seem to care and take a huge swing at me - slamming me hard. We proceed to engage them in combat, and I am quickly dropped by one of these creatures leaving me. I was told, that Corven in a desperate moment to save me was finally able to get his magical curing wands working and I am no longer dying. Corven then enchanted Six of Six's spiked chain making it more powerful against these creatures. Nameless proceeded to summon a monster, this time a celestial wolf (thank the Silver Flame) which was able to trip the gnoll leader. He then proceeded to cast another web spell. While this hinders us to get close to the creatures, it also prevents them from getting closer to us. A valuable tactic - and one that is well worth learning.

After this new battle the group brings me back up to health with a few uses of Corven's wand. I stand hidden behind a corner while Six of Six questions a were-creature. Apparently he was fighting some of these gnolls, and us being there helped him out. This creatures name is Daim and he was accosted by some gang members of the gang Daask. Personally, I would have liked to of met this Daim. I think to help improve relations between the Silver Flame and other creatures would be served well by showing them the good that we do, not hiding. Anonymity never helped anyone doing good.

We head back into the tunnel, closing the door behind us, to continue the opposite direction. Let us hope we can run into some more friendly creature in these foul pits.