The Acrimonious Adventurer Association

Hairy Minotaur said:

Doppleganger - The PCs get an idea although they're unable to follow up on it.

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Cool.

The Koblod - This was a new player who lasted 1/2 a session.

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Okay, wait a sec. The player lasted only have a session or the character lasted only half a session. If the former, then I'm impressed; I've never been able to scare off a player that quickly.

The medusa - well, this is still a topic for discussion and one of the PCs makes it their mission in life to find out who/what/when/where/how/ and why on the medusa, and it just gets more interesting in the next post (re: the medusa)

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Fantastic on all accounts. As a player and gm, I love it when an encounter sparks an in-character vendetta! As a reader I love it when things get more interesting.

Not that this story hour was suffering from a lack of interesting situations prior to now, but you know what I mean.

Feeling unraveled?

Unable to see the medusa, Xanthos watched as the party guests around him, in an instant, turned to stone. A weighty silence descended upon the room, then the screams came as those in the back realized what had transpired and began to trample their way out the door.

Menthos felt a hand grab his arm and yank him down near the floor.

“Give me the vial, and we’ll light this place up like a pyre.” Helle advised

“Not yet, Xanthos spied Kalen on the other side of the room, we need to see if he fell victim to this stoning as well.” Menthos replied

Xanthos ducked below the shoulder level of the now statues in front of him, he then slowly made his way to the spot where he had seen Kalen moments before.

“Arrggg!” Doopa yelled as he flung a statue, that had tipped over on him, across the room. It collided with four others and they all fell broken in a heap

“Don’t do that you’re killing them permanently!” Kessen shouted at the ogre

Doopa looked confused before he slapped a human female statue across the face, when she made no objections, “Lady already dead.”

“They might be able to be brought back to flesh moron.” Turgar joined in

“Who cares about them! After a few fireballs, there won’t be anything left to turn back to flesh anyway,” Helle answers

“I don’t think that’s a solution I can live with.” Kessen says pointing his arrow at the Kadorian priest

“I don’t need your permission, and no you won’t live through it.” Helle answers

Xanthos, keeping his head lowered at the floor, looks towards the center of the room for anything moving, he hears the shouts of the party behind him as he passes Haimish. Xanthos pauses for a second to assure himself that the bard is now stone, then continues onward.

“Please sirs I just want to get out!” A guest pleads with the pyromancers to get out of her way, the pyromancers refuse to listen to her pleas

“Just let her pass, she’s obviously no threat.” Kessen demands, his eye trained on Helle

“Did you know that a vampire can take the form of anyone he wishes, even that of a helpless noble woman, or a psychotic archer?” Helle replies

Kessen could not argue that logic and resigned to let the woman plead for mercy until such time the identity of Kalen could be proved.

Xanthos reaches the far wall and begins to creep along it, face down, studying the shoes of those around him looking for anything not gray and unmoving. He stops just short of a pair of black boots leading a black cape. Keeping his eyes locked, Xanthos raises his head up the figure in front of him until he catches a glimpse of obviously male hands and then raises his sight level to the face of Lord De’ Lite (Kalen).

“I can’t find my way out of here.” Xanthos says hurriedly

“I don’t think you’re lost.” Kalen replies

Xanthos feels a heavy thrust of energy across his senses, but he manages to fight off the domination. Xanthos however tries his hand at bluffing the vampire, “What is your will?”

“Kill him.” Kalen states

A confused Xanthos stands motionless for a second before beginning to look around for whomever Kalen thought needed killing, only to feel the cold steel of a knife penetrate his opulent clothes and enter his back just above the pelvis. It was then that Xanthos realized his wasn’t giving an order to the shifter, but to someone else in order to kill Xanthos.

Xanthos wheeled around to face his attacker, a small gnome holding a knife stained with the shifter’s blood faced off with Xanthos.

Kalen left the assassin to his work and then bounded through the mass of newly created stone artwork, headed for the exit.

“He’s coming for you!” Xanthos yells as the gnome stabs the shifter in the thigh, Xanthos recognizes the warm numbing sensation as poison

Menthos throws Helle off his arm as Kessen turns his bow towards the center of the room as the sounds of falling statues crescendos before him. Turgar backtracks a little in order to get his body between the room and the exit.

Stone flies everywhere as an eruption of statues make way for the enraged vampire. The two statues blocking Menthos’ view of the rest of the room get shoved away as the undead monster tosses them aside and growls at the vial held in the teifling’s hands.

Helle begins casting his fireball spell as the rest of the pyromancers cower in fear, Menthos tries to back up to give himself some space but is already pressed tightly to the wall. Kalen rears his clawed hand back and bares his pointed teeth, his arm moves near the speed of thought, but it was not fast enough to evade the muscled arms of Doopa. The barbarian wraps the vampire in a full nelson and holds him tight.

Menthos sees his opening and leaps up at the vampire’s face, he then slams the vial into the vampire’s mouth then slams his fists upward shutting Kalen’s mouth around the broken glass and spilling fluid.

Kalen’s scream lasted only a second before light erupted from the vampire’s eyes, nose, mouth, and throat. Beaming its positive energy like a sun’s rays behind a cloud. Then the explosion of light obliterated the vampire’s body and sent shards of stone like flying daggers all about the room, nicking statues and imbedding themselves into exposed flesh.

The piercing stone daggers along with the poison circulating in his body, drops Xanthos to his knees unable to defend himself. Then the fireball went off.

Initially aimed at the room’s center, Helle’s eyesight is momentarily blinded by the power of the liquid sun’s effects on the vampire and his aim veers off to the right as the fireball careens into the east wall. It blows those remaining statues over and shatters them as the flames envelope the left half of the room, wrapping themselves like a cape around Xanthos and the gnome. The shifter falls forward and only suffers minor burns to his back. Xanthos thought he saw the gnome encased in the conflagration, but after the fire waves passes, there is no sign of the assassin.

Menthos, blinded by the light calls out, “Is he dead?”

“Doopa not know, Doopa can’t see.” The ogre replies

“Yeah he’s gone, along with half the room.” Kessen reports looking at Helle, “That was definitely not called for.”

Helle doesn’t respond as he collects his blinded pyromancers from their huddled hiding spot, “Up with you, time to do damage control.”

“What should we do now?” Menthos looks to Helle

“Get out of here before the constables arrive to arrest all of you.” Helle advises

“Why? We didn’t nothing wrong. You’re the one who made it impossible to bring most of these people back from stone.” Kessen states

“Anybody see a little gnome run through here?” Xanthos asks

“No, and I’m not surprised either, between the sun, the explosion, and the giant ball of flame, it’s a wonder I’m even talking to you.” Kessen answers

“That’s because your ass was unaffected by any of those things.” Menthos replies

“Enough we need to return to town Menthos.” Helle instructs

“Hey, not without Haimish, he’s been turned to stone. That reminds me, what happened with the stoning?” Xanthos inquires

“Don’t know, probably some spell Kalen threw.” Turgar surmises

Xanthos and Kessen help heft Haimish onto the ogre’s back and then secure the statue with rope. While searching through the victims, of both the stoning and the fireball, Menthos discovers the statue of Lord Palmere.

“I think we should take him too.” Menthos argues

“I agree, maybe we can get some answers out of him as to what happened here tonight.” Xanthos agrees

Menthos and Xanthos then load Lord Palmere onto the back of Turgar and then the parties head out of the complex through the secret exit.

“Did you guys handle the goblins well enough?” Turgar asks

“Didn’t find any, the entrance was collapsed and we found evidence that they had been there recently, but the trip here was uneventful.” Menthos answers

“Another mystery to solve.” Xanthos says aloud

“Who cares about that, after word gets out about what happened here tonight, they won’t come looking for us anymore.” Kessen states

“They won’t, other interested parties most assuredly will.” Helle replies

“And what parties would those be?” Turgar asked

Helle pauses and when he doesn’t immediately answer, Xanthos speaks up, “Assassins, Kalen controlled one in the room, he attacked me after I tried to bluff Kalen into thinking he had dominated me.”

“Do you think he was working with the doppelganger in the meat locker?” Kessen asks

“Don’t know, maybe we should go back and drag the doppelganger’s body back with us?” Xanthos asks

“Too late, and it would just slow us down. After their precious little item got used, I’m sure the School of Ancient Knowledge will be arriving in due time to wipe the place clean.” Helle advises

“It’s not our fault you weren’t invited and shouldn’t have been here, looks to me like we handled the vampire just fine without your help.” Kessen boasts

“Yes, I saw that too. However I believe you’ll be singing a slightly different tune after you’ve had time to re-acclimate yourself to Highcastle.” Helle answers

The investigation commences

The party reaches Highcastle and head towards the Church or Kador.

“Can we leave Haimish the Stoned within the temple? I don’t want someone putting him in the Park of Obscene Statues.” Menthos inquires

“You can leave him, but the merchant you’ll have to find other quarters for.” Helle responds

“What? Why? Where are we going to find a place to stick this thing at?” Xanthos argues

“Leave it at his house; I’m sure they won’t have any problems with it.” Helle replies

“They can’t help him either; I thought you said you could rectify this condition?” Xanthos asks

“We can, just not today and I’m not doing it for free. Charity is for the Morwynites go plead to them.” Helle answers

Xanthos and Turgar, who are carrying Lord Palmere slow to a stop and set the statue down in the middle of the street. Dawn was quickly approaching and they knew they would need a secure place before they lost the cover of night to the bustling city. Kessen left the group heading for the temple and rejoined Xanthos and Turgar.

“Why do we hide him in the inn room? Say it’s a piece of art if anyone asks?” Kessen suggests

“Because it’ll get stolen then.” Turgar counters

“No, why don’t we go ahead and hide it there. You guys can watch him while I go find out who we should deliver him to.” Xanthos offers

“Sure, and try to get them to agree to a hefty reward as well. No need for us to be breaking our backs for nothing.” Kessen states

Turgar and Xanthos hustle the statue back to the Scholar’s Inn and heft the block of stone up the stairs and into their room, where Turgar collapses on the bed. Xanthos bids them farewell and he heads back out into the city as the eastern sky changes from a royal blue to a reddish-orange. The shifter checks his pouches for the minotaur’s severed hand and heads towards the western gatehouses.

Doopa sets Haimish down in the open aired atrium of the Temple of Kador, as Helle heads further in to make his report to his superior.

Doopa, looks up at the brightening sky and then back down at Haimish, “Can we move him, birds will poop all over him.”

“So? If you’re worried about his hygiene, you can give him a bath before he gets fixed.” Menthos states as he answers the call of nature over Haimish’s legs

“Hey, what are you doing? You making it worse!” Doopa shouts

“You’re going to give him a bath right? Well I’m doing my part by supplying the ammonia.” Menthos answers

“What that?” Doopa asks

“Cleaning fluid, good for tile floors and other ceramics. Some cultures even believe it’s medicinal.” Menthos replies

“Savages.” Doopa answers which gets a laugh from Menthos

“The high priest will see you now.” An acolyte says to Menthos

“For what? I didn’t ask to see him.” Menthos asks

“He wishes to remove that burning sensation you complained about a week ago.” The acolyte responds

“Oh really? Does he have the hot teifling babe with him too? Because I distinctly remember requesting help in that area as well.” Menthos replies

“No, he promises not to flay your skin while dangling you over the Pit of Eternal Flame by your eyes.” The acolyte responds

Menthos chuckles, but then abruptly stops after realizing the acolyte wasn’t laughing, “That’s a joke right? I mean I did the man a favor.” No response comes from the acolyte

“Doopa, sic him.” Menthos orders

The ogre stands confused, “Sick him? He is in a temple isn’t that what they take care of?” Doopa replies

“This way.” The acolyte motions

Menthos gulps hard and follows the acolyte into the inner sanctum of the temple, there he finds Helle and Statinisor talking, seeing Menthos enter they cease their conversation and turn to face the teifling.

“Welcome afflicted one, Helle has explained to me the events of this early morning, however there is a question that he cannot answer for me.”

Menthos looks to Helle and then back at the high priest. His mind raced with what the question could possibly be, Menthos tried to remember something he didn’t tell Helle about, but couldn’t think of anything.

“How much is your friend’s existence as a fleshy being worth to you?” Statinisor asked

“Well, I don’t. He’s not a fr. It’s always nice to have allies and collectable debts.” Menthos replied after changing his reply twice

“Yes, it is a fine thing indeed. Helle is going to the Courts of Maal to start the pendulum in motion for us. I would like to discuss an arrangement with you over the health of your stone friend out there.”

Menthos nodded as Helle left the two to continue their discussion, as Helle closed the doors behind him, Menthos noticed he felt warm almost hot for the first time inside the Temple of Kador. The feeling unnerved him as the high priest motioned Menthos to follow him through another door.

Xanthos, shifted into the form of an owl and soared out and over the city, on a heading for the Palmere estate, as he flew over the western wall he spied the bodies of dozens of small black creatures littering the battlements and the ground just outside the city wall. His interest piqued, Xanthos changes course and lands next to a makeshift shelter, where wounded soldiers are being treated. He shifts back to the form of an elven noble and walks out into the clean up effort that’s being carried out around him.

“Excuse me sir, I was wondering where I might find a sergeant or someone along those lines who would be in charge?” Xanthos asked the first constable he saw.

The man pointed out an armored individual atop the wall as the man Xanthos sought. Xanthos thanked the man and then ambled up one of the many ladders propped against the wall ferrying bodies up and down them like ants. Several times he was questioned or stopped and asked about his intentions or to state that this was a sealed area and he needed to return to the city. Xanthos always replied that he needed to speak to the Sergeant-at-Arms and continued on his way up to the battlements ignoring the calls for him to return to the city.

Xanthos approached the Sergeant and waited as he finished a conversation with a subordinate, “Get down to the school, tell them we got demons to be rid of and if they get you any crap you come back here and tell me and I’ll have the place leveled!”

Demons? Thought Xanthos, is that what the small black creatures were?

“This isn’t the place for you citizen. Who let you up here?” The man demanded

Xanthos half-heartedly waved his hand at the multitudes of constables below them, “Doesn’t matter, I have evidence of a murder plot subjugated by the Temple of Carnack.”

“Not surprising, they are the followers of the slaughter god. Why are you telling me this?” the sergeant asked

“The ruins last night, there was a party, a medusa turned half the place to stone and three minotaurs showed up with this branding.” Xanthos produced the hand of the minotaur, “they began killing everything that moved.”

“Yep, brand of Carnack all right. So, you were at this party?”

“Yes”

“With a medusa, priests of Carnack, and now they’re all stoned?”

“Well, some of them got away, I got away. Here, do what you want with the hand, I’m just reporting what went on is all.” Xanthos got a prickly feeling on the back of his neck, and left the hand with the sergeant. He then retreated back down the ladders and slipped behind a row of buildings. He transformed back into an owl and took off for Lord Palmere’s estate again.

The sun had just crested the horizon when Xanthos circled over the large manor of the merchant Lord Palmere. Xanthos’ eyes went wide as they took in the sight of a blasted out southern wall. Debris was strewn for hundreds of feet to the northeast. Xanthos traced a line with his eyes along the same path the debris took, it led straight to the western wall of Highcastle. Swooping in low, Xanthos spotted hundreds of small footprints leading from the manor and heading towards the city. Xanthos concluded the tracks must have been made by the demons the night before.

He soared again and turned this time to the ruins where the party took place. Sure enough it was crawling with constables and a few obvious mages as well. Xanthos landed behind some scrub brush and transformed back into the elven noble, he approached the entrance to the ruins and spied a dozen or so ogres lifting the stone statues out from the depths below.

“Did you find the Priests of Carnack? They were piled in the kitchen.” Xanthos inquires

A mage steps forward to record Xanthos’ statement, he hands the written script to an armored man in Overlord colors and insignia.

“We found no bodies of priests, we did find these statues, evidence of fire magic, a man that had been poisoned to death, and a doppelganger locked in a walk-in freezer, but no priests.” The man stated

Xanthos felt heavy magics fall about him as the scenery took on a bloated visage. He didn’t know what the magics were only that he felt compelled to speak the truth and remain rooted in his spot for as long as he did so. Xanthos divulged his knowledge of the Priests of Carnack and of him turning over a branded hand to a sergeant along the western wall of Highcastle. He told of the appearance of the medusa and of fighting the doppelganger after being alerted to it’s presence by Menthos.

Satisfied with the answers, Xanthos felt some of the weight lift and took the opportunity to return to owl form and speed back to Highcastle.

Hairy Minotaur said:

Xanthos felt heavy magics fall about him as the scenery took on a bloated visage. He didn’t know what the magics were only that he felt compelled to speak the truth and remain rooted in his spot for as long as he did so.

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Gotta love the Zone of Truth!

But I guess that Law and Order, D&D-style, wouldn't be all that exciting a show to watch.

Your last cup of sorrow

While Xanthos was being interviewed by the city guard at the party site, events were unfolding back in town.

At dawn the marbled steps of the Court of Maal are emblazoned with the golden rays of the day's first light. Golden flecks within the marble create a scintillating effect across the plaza in front of the court. Most days people gather to watch the light show. Today however a crowd of worshippers not of Maal stood at the foot of the court and impeded the light show, much to the dismay of those gathered.

The Church of Kador had sent a contingent to the courts, and once the light fell upon the glittering steps the cloistered of Kador ascended the twelve steps to the court, one step for each doctrine Maal gave to the very first leaders of the church. Only one of the doctrines is currently known*, and the Maalites believe the second doctrine will only become known after all the mortal races adhere to the first one.

The Kadorians reached the gilded great doors of the court just as the justicars were opening them to the day's hearings. Most of the justicar's duties were to preside over ownership rights and mete out justice of petty crimes, so strict was the overlord's laws, that it was a rare day that the justicars were able to hear arguments over greater evils. Today would be such a day.

The justicar called to order the day's proceedings and the Kadorians stepped forward to plead for sanctions against the Church of Tinel for the creation of magics that infringed upon the sacred realm of their deity Kador. The Kadorians produced witnesses that testified to the veracity of the claim, describing the disintegration of a nobleman named Kalen De' Lite through the use of a vial of liquid fire.

As is custom, most of the temples and churches in Highcastle send representatives to the court everyday as a means to garner more followers, a man about to be levied a fine against or maybe a public flogging is more inclined to accept the protection of the church if they can deliver him from whatever fate is deemed to be given in exchange for lifelong service within a temple. And as it so happened today was like any other day, and upon hearing the Kadorian's argument the representative from the Church of Tinel immediately called for a hearing on the matter.

The Kadorian's pressed that no hearing was needed the facts spoke for themselves and it was within the right of the justicar to mete out justice in the name of Kador against the Tinel interlopers. The Tinelites countered that the object in question be brought forth for study and proof of the Kadorian's claims. The Kadorians discounted the offer stating it was a stalling tactic made to delay the inevitable for the Tinelites.

The justicar asked if the receptacle of the liquid was retained to which the Kadorian's answered "no", but that the loss of the glass ball should in no way diminish the punishment required by law for the obvious misuse of the fire domain by another church. The Tinelites had used the brief stalling of judgment to call forth their churches' Armarius** who had arrived in a flurry of discord amid a din of obscenities directed at the Kador camp.

The Armarius addressed the justicar of the Court of Maal by stating that the item in question was not based of fire as the Kadors erroneously claim, but in fact was based upon sunlight, and since the sun is the domain of Urian and his church has not stepped forward to claim any injustice, the Kadorian case should be dismissed and a chastisement by leveled against the Church of Kador for wasting the Court's time on a matter not contested with the church whose domain is really in question.

The Kadorian's pointed out that the Temple of Urian could not and would not appear before the court on this matter***. The Armarius of Tinel pointed out that it was not the fault of the Tinelites if another deity failed to declare their objections. This infuriated the Kadorians as they pointed out the loophole the Armarius was using to have the proceedings ended. With the hearing appearing to be close to ending with a judgment for the Temple of Tinel, the Kadorians played the last card they held and declared a cult for being a branch of the School of Ancient Knowledge and not an actual faith.

This brought the ire of the Armarius to a boiling point as he publicly denounced the Kador faith as an avenue for demonic possession. At that statement, weapons were drawn and spells were readied. The justicar ordered the two faiths to stand down and evacuate the court, the justicar ordered that Lord Palmere be brought forth for questioning with regard to events of the previous night. The Kadorian's responded by announcing that the Tinelites had secreted Lord Palmere away and he would not be produced to answer the justicar's call.

Incensed at another Kadorian lie, the Armarius called for the arrest of the Kadorian contingent. This announcement spurred the representatives of the Church of Canarak to offer their services to the justicar and slaughter both groups as punishment for contempt of court. The justicar ordered the Kadorians jailed on attempting to incite a riot. The Armarius was ordered to return to the Temple of Tinel while the original present Tinelites were ordered held on suspicion of harboring a fugitive of the court (Lord Palmere). The Canaraks were remanded to the jail for attempted murder of a high priest.

A sending was sent to Helle at the Kador church relaying this morning's failure. Helle dispatched a pyromancer to the Eyrie of Urian, where the pyromancer was to beseech an Eagle Rider to argue on behalf of the church of Kador against the practices of the Tinelites. However as was has been remained so, and the Eagle Riders refused to speak on Alimus'**** behalf.

Dejected the pyromancer returned to his church where he received his final command, he left the church shortly before noon and at a quarter past noon he had completed his final task as half the jail burned in divine flames as the visiting pyromancer immolated himself and the disgraced Kadorians.

Statinistor walked Menthos along a vast hallway lined with basalt busts of past high priests and risen pyromancers. Helle called him away for a moment and Menthos was left to admire the lifelike feel of the cleavage on the female pyromancers. He was rather enjoying himself when Statinistor returned a half hour later. The high priest's demeanor had changed from a caring father figure to a one with a hint of vexatious imprint on his smile.

"Menthos, it appears that we have failed in our attempt to rid you of the heavy load you and your compatriots have been saddled with." Statinistor spoke

"What are you talking about? You couldn't fix Haimish? No biggie, I think he makes a better urinal anyway." Menthos replied

"No, this weight is unseen and comes from an old source." Statinistor responded

"Oohhh, so it's not Haimish? Is it the Lord Hairy Palm guy?" Menthos asked

"I fear all the trouble you went through last night is doomed to be repeated, but that is for another day. There is nothing any of us can do for that problem right now. I do however have a proposition for you." Statinistor states

"You're really not my type." Menthos objects

"Beneath this church lies a vast network of causeways, hallways, tunnels, and sewers. It is possible to reach most if not all of the other churches within Highcastle by using this network. We learned of an impending attack by a rival church that was going to use these hidden tunnels. We sent forth two passels of initiates to find the passage the attack was going to come from and report back so that we could properly greet these guest with a contingent of pyromancers and lots of fireworks in celebration of their sacrifice to their wretched faith. However we have not heard from them in two days and we fear the worst. I would be willing to restore your friend there for free and pay you handsomely for your valued service in the employ of this humble church."

"Will the payment include the addition of a small physicality nature?" Menthos inquired

"I will send Fyrhe to your quarters this evening for you, she's spoken of your since your return from the ruins, I quite think she's taken a liking towards you." Statinistor responds

"Well, can't say I really blame her. I mean look at what you get for the whole package. Best deal this side of Carnage if I say so myself." Menthos praises himself

"Yes, so you have a habit of informing me." Statinistor says

Turgar happened to wonder by the Court of Maal and noticed the public posting for the presence of Lord Palmere by two PM today to answer for the crime of treason. The ogre quickly returned to the Church of Kador and reported the notice to the party and a returning Xanthos.

"I think we should take Lord Palmere in, maybe they can undo the stone effect and we can get some answers out of him." Xanthos argues

"Why? We're not going to get the chance to talk with him, they're going to dress him down and send him packing to the guillotine." Kessen states

"I think our first order of business needs to be fixing Haimish, I think it only fair since he was the one who was supposed to kill the vampire." Turgar argues

"I already took care of that, he'll cease to be a urinal for avians in short order." Menthos announces

"And how much of my money did you promise to pay, and that I'll have to take out of your ass to do this?" Kessen threatens

"None, I got a coupon for one free de-stoning, so since I reckoned I would be unable to ever use it, should I be stoned, I thought it better to cash it in and get some use out of it as it really didn't have any cash value and was due to expire next month anyway." Menthos replies

"Hooray for Menthos!" Doopa cheered

"What are the strings?" Kesson asked

"Whatever do you mean?" Menthos replied coyly

"What did you promise to get Haimish brought back to life?" Kesson demanded

"I have to do this search and rescue mission for Statinistor along with Haimish, that's all. You guys don't even need to come." Menthos replied

"Well, I'm glad. I just learned the were demons pouring out of Lord Palmere's estate, there was no sign of the gnome assassin, and there were people from the Church of Canarak at the party slaughtering people left and right." Xanthos explains

"Well, that is what they do. What did you expect, they would be handing out flowers and fliers for a fish fry?" Menthos countered

"Nevertheless, I want to find out what was so important at the party, that dozens of people had to die and why their were so many assassins there." Xanthos commented

"I'd like to know what a medusa was doing there." Haimish's voice spoke up as he entered the great hall

"A medusa? That explains things, yes." Xanthos remarked

"Well, that seals it for me, I don't want to know anymore." Turgar announces

"This adds a level of covertness that I hadn't accounted for. Intriguing, I shall have to add this to my growing list of suspects." Xanthos speaks

"How Haimish feel?" Doopa asks

"I'm a little stiff. Hey!" Haimish replies jokingly

"Doopa, give you rub down. Doopa know what it like to sleep on rocks." The ogre replies, missing the joke completely

"It's a good thing you have a spell to induce laughter, because that stiff joke belongs in the bedroom. Which reminds me, I'll see you guys later I've got a date with a fiery little tramp." Menthos broadcasts and exits up the stairs to the clergy's quarters.

* That being that vengeance is wrong
** Armarius - High Priest of the Temple of Tinel, akin to a Mystic Theurge Prc
*** Urian while he does possess the sun domain, has granted a demi-god the position of sun caretaker
**** Alimus is only a demi-god and thusly not very powerful, and certainly would not want to get between two enraged greater dieties

HM, glad to see you posting. I'd begun to fear that real life had claimed another of my favorite Story Hour authors.

I really enjoyed this post, you've got a great handle on the interactions of the various faiths. It's a lot of fun to read.

Jon Potter said:

HM, glad to see you posting. I'd begun to fear that real life had claimed another of my favorite Story Hour authors.

I really enjoyed this post, you've got a great handle on the interactions of the various faiths. It's a lot of fun to read.

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No, I got promoted at work and most of my free time has been spent in meetings or organizing the next one. Now that the "honeymoon" phase is over it's starting to get more routine and the posts will start picking back up.

The interactions of these churches and with the School form the foundation of what the party is currently knee deep in. In fact I hinted to two of the players that their current PC mysteries might be furthered along by paying close attention to this and the next few updates.

What did we learn today, if anything?

Haimish excuses himself from the room after letting Menthos know he needs to drop by the School of Ancient knowledge to pick up his prize for killing Kalen. Xanthos decides to go to the Courts of Maal to see who has brought the charges against Lord Palmere and tried to solve the mystery of who the players were at last night’s party or at least who is moving the pieces and in what game. Xanthos rationalizes that if he can at least find out what game they’re playing and what pieces they’re using he can better defend himself against their machinations. Turgar accompanies Xanthos while the rest of the party shops for replacement goods and a few upgrades to their inventory.

Haimish traverses the gorge-like back alley of the School, the ever present gargoyles stare down in oppressive statuesque poses. The rolling of thunder could be heard off to the north as a summer storm took aim at the city, it’s winds kicked up debris and leaves alike and whirled them around the cul-de-sac creating little debris tornados for Haimish’s enjoyment. Finally reaching the open portal, Haimish retrieved the small coin from his belt pouch and walked through the dark opening.

Haimish’s vision stuttered and spun as his foot stepped not on stone or tile but on carpet as the rest of his body was pulled through the teleportation portal and joined his leg in the opulent bedroom. Heat came from a lightless fireplace to his right as he took in the sights, the floor was covered in expensive furs and pelts, some from creatures Haimish thought were made up in bardic tales that were so old they had no written version. The bed seemed to be carved out of a single enormous tree trunk; the silk on the bed looked ethereal in its near transparency.

Haimish then noticed the windows, the building had no external windows and yet here they were overlooking a green pasture with the sun rising in the eastern sky. Haimish thought it was either a masterful forgery or this room was nowhere near Highcastle.

“You’re right of course; you’re not looking out at Highcastle.” A newly familiar voice spoke in Haimish’s thoughts, the bard turned to see the forms of the wizard with what Haimish was beginning to call a void robe, the elderly wizard and the two assistants fade into view.

“My role as your guinea pig is over; Kalen blew up in a fireball of light last night.” Haimish announces

“Yes, we know. We watched the grand spectacle from afar, although your role in the event will likely be greatly overstated.” The wizard remarked

“I’m a bard it’s what I do, either way it makes for a great story about a group of nobodies who defeat a great evil. It’ll sell millions.” Haimish boasts

“I’m afraid that would still be a great work of fiction. I see that you have returned to the land of the breathing, have you become the guinea pig to another? Pity you seem to have typecast yourself in that role.” The void robed wizard answers

“Merely a favor for releasing me from an eternity of collecting bird droppings on my head for free nothing more, I don’t like the hot heads much, but I do respect them.” Haimish replies

“Eh, like all faiths they want to rule the world.” The wizard answers

“True, but at least those guys are upfront about it; some people have to show off out of sight and from afar. Heaven forbid they get their own hands dirty.” Haimish jibbed at the wizards

“How naïve a view you possess, my hands are covered with a stain that even The Styx could not clean.” The wizard brags

“Yeah, yeah, yeah more words and less action. You’re about as redundant as an azer with a fire resistance ring; your grand self righteousness bores me. When I need to be impressed I’ll go talk to a birthing mother not you guys.” Haimish postured

“Well, either your brief moment of stoniness has reinforced your backbone, or the Kadors casted the spell grow a set when they returned you to flesh.” The wizard replies

“I understand you guys weren’t rushing to my aid after I demo’d your product for the Kadors, which leads me to the question of why you didn’t tell me about Kalen’s little medusa friend before the party? Information like that would’ve come in handy.” Haimish inquires

“An unexpected complication and not the only one that was hurdled last night.” The wizard answers

“What’s that supposed to mean? It sounds as if you knew of some things and decided to not be forthcoming with the knowledge.” Haimish’s ire begins to rise

“Surely you know the adage knowledge is power, the less you know of the more I know, the less you affect me. For your information I did help a little, who do you think got rid of the goblins squatting in the back tunnel for your little fiendish friend? I assure you it took more than two spells to do that.” The wizard dismisses Haimish’s attitude

“Either way, I’m here for my promised reward. I’ll be taking that off your hands now if you don’t mind.” Haimish demands

“Certainly, my assistant here will lead you to the items. I look forward to doing business with you in the near future.” The void robed wizard stamps his staff onto the floor and blinks out along with the elderly man and one of the assistants.

The remaining assistant walks around Haimish and opens a large set of double doors behind him.

“I just came from there, that’s the alley don’t even think of trying to stiff me, or I’ll be really….” Haimish pondered his next word as he wondered what could befall of him here, the assistant even seemed to pause to hear what Haimish’s next word would be, “put out and fail to include the school in the ballads of my adventures.”

The assistant turned back to the door and beckoned Haimish to follow, with a defeated “sigh” the bard feel into step behind the apprentice and followed the man through winding hallways and down two staircases.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to teleport there?” Haimish asked, annoyed with the length of time it was taking to get to where Haimish wanted to be, in the back of his mind a small thought began to grow, that maybe this would turn out to be a four hour red herring chase to nowhere.

The apprentice said nothing to Haimish, even when directly asked a question. Haimish thought the man must be mute even after the bard went through his comedic routine trying to illicit a response and got nary a chuckle out of the apprentice. Haimish began to regale in the hallways they walked down hoping that he could annoy the apprentice enough to respond to him. However, that only served to get Haimish a dry throat and no audience.

After three hours of walking and wearing his patience to a nub, Haimish’s guide pulls up in front of a sturdy wooden door. He fumbles with the wooden beam lock in front of it and pushes the door open. The room inside is dimly lit, but Haimish can make out an open coffin lying on a mound of freshly dug earth.

“Uh, joke’s over, this looks a little morbid to be picking some minor magic items through grave robbing.” Haimish nervously states

The apprentice grabs the bards arm and drags him inside the room. Haimish quickly yanks his arm free and brandishes his longsword in preparation for a fight, “You’ll not get me in there with you coming with me.” Haimish declares

The apprentice ignores him and makes his way to the coffin; he retrieves a glass jar from a nearby table and scopes up some dirt from beneath the coffin and seals the jar with the dirt within. The apprentice then approaches Haimish and extends the jar to him.

“What the? You walk me all this way for dirt? What kind of crap is this? How about I kill you and take your heart? That’s got to be more powerful.” Haimish yells

“Shh, take this treasure; it will be worth more to you than anything my master was willing to give.” The apprentice finally speaks

A skeptic Haimish stands astonished by the actions of the apprentice and studies the man looking for anything make may be construed as deception. After resigned to the fact the man is most likely telling the truth, Haimish reaches out and grabs the jar. In an instant he finds himself on the steps of the School, holding the jar in his right hand. Confused, Haimish places the dirt filled jar in his backpack and returns to the Temple of Kador.

“What magic did you get from the wizards?” Kessen inquires as Haimish strolls into the temple.

“I got more questions, I hate when that happens.” Was Haimish’s reply and the bard saunters off to ponder his visit to the School.

Xanthos finds the seediest bar in town and shifting to his wealthy noble look, puts out the info that he’s looking for some discrete silencing of a rival, in hopes it leads him to an assassin guild representative he can bribe for info about the party last night. He is approached by two low life scum of men who tell Xanthos they can set up a meeting with some people who can do this. Xanthos agrees, and is told to get a room upstairs for the night and their contact will meet him later tonight.

Xanthos also asks around about Lord Palmere, but gets nowhere in the poor section of town and decides to report what he’s been able to set up thus far with the rest of the party back at the temple.

Turgar however proceeds to the Courts of Maal and hears the charges levied against Lord Palmere.

Destruction of private property as some of the slaves turned to stone were owned by another merchant lord, Lord Burghondy

De-beautification of surrounding landscape, brought on be the horde of manes as they raced out of the collapsed home of Lord Palmere

Unauthorized summoning of nuisance creatures, again with the manes

Failure to properly complete a signed contract, apparently Lord Palmere’s current stoned form prevented him from paying Lord Burghondy for the rental of his slaves.*

As Turgar listens to the charges his mind begins to form his own prime suspect for the events of last night and he returned to the temple to report what he had found as well.



*The city is ruled by a very Lawful-Evil overlord.

Hairy Minotaur said:

“Well, either your brief moment of stoniness has reinforced your backbone, or the Kadors casted the spell grow a set when they returned you to flesh.” The wizard replies

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That's great! You can consider that line stolen for my own game.

Jon Potter said:

That's great! You can consider that line stolen for my own game.

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Oh there's a much MUCH better one coming up that Xanthos says to Doopa, it's grown to a cult-like standing in the group since Xanthos uttered the words.... heck I'm laughing right now as I type this. You're going to love it!