Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"

The Marvelous Mister Meeessh.

Meeessh tromped through the rocky passage and out into the open bright morning. The diminutive grayish misty creature stood no taller than three feet. His tapered toes at the end of large feet paced through the rocky dirt leaving wet steaming footprints in his wake that half seeped into, half evaporated from the dry ground leaving no trace of his passing. Two bat-like wings, appearing too small to lift the creature’s body, protruded from his back. From the edges of these wings, as from the wispy looking brow that shielded large grey eyes, wisps of mist or steam trailed away off of the small being.

Meeessh grumbled to himself as he turned down the dirt path along the base of the mountain ridge. He headed towards the hot springs just slightly lower on the slope for some much needed rest and relaxation from his current plight.

“Cohhhlect the gahb-gahblesss, Meeessh. Bring me’sss sssstafffff, Meeessh. Nohhh taunt wahhhtersss, Meeessh.’ Pah!” spat the creature.

The creature arrived at the bubbling and steaming pools of the hot springs and stopped a moment to watch a plume of white steam hiss forth from a crevice if the ground. Meeessh smiled a twisted smirk on his broad thin line of a mouth.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Meeessh stepped into one of the boiling steaming pools and sat on its edge.

“Ahhhhhhsssss.” The sigh escaped his throat as from a boiling pot. Meeessh reclined with his arms behind his point-eared head. The master’s whims could wait a moment.

“Eh hem. Excuse me.” Came a voice behind Meeessh.

The creature’s eyes popped open but he did not budge from his position.

The steaming brow furrowed a moment as he looked upside down at a small being in a green tunic with blond bushes of hair on his feet.

“Wuht you wahhhntsssss?” questioned Meeessh with a scowl.

“Erm. Well, yes. Forgive the interruption, um, Mister…?” said the small hairy thing.

“Meeessh nohhht getting gahb-gahbblesss now. You waitssssss.” Meeessh shut his eyes again.

“’Gahb-…’ oh. No no. You see, ehm, Mister-er Meesh, I’m not a goblin.” Said the being.

“Meeessshh.” corrected the steaming creature in annoyance, emphasizing the extended sounds of his name. “Meeessh, on buhhh-reak. Geht yousssss later.”

“Well again,” continued the hairfooted intruder, “You see, Mister Meeeesssh, my friends and I are looking for a way into the mountain and we were wondering if you’d be so kind…”

Meeessh jumped up with a flutter of his wispy wings. He turned to face the intruder and burst out in irritation. “Meeessh nohhht care! Meeesh on buhhh-…”

Meeesh’s rant was broken to see the green garbed hairy footed being was now flanked by two human females in robes, each with a staff. “More mages!?” thought Meeessh. To his left a large armored warrior with drawn sword and an elf with a bow, lowered but nocked. His eyes darted to his right and there stood another armored man with a spear. He took two swift steps back toward the path he’d come down to see a leaf-shaped spear tip and wielder seemingly appear out of nowhere from the path-side brush and trees. “…on buhhreak ?”

The steaming creature’s shoulders slumped and he looked at the ground and let out another sigh, this one gurgling and hissing like a tea kettle. He shook his head from side to side. “Hhhhsssss. Noh noh nehhhver rehhhhst fohh Meeessh."


Haelan attempted to lift Meeessh’s spirits with a bright smile. “Mister Meeessh. Might I present my companions. We are on a mission of great importance and could surely use your help to find the item we seek.”

Meeessh raised a steamy eyebrow. “Meeessh hasss no itemssss. Noh hehhhlp foh youssss.”

“Would you be able to direct us into the mountain, you see we seek a black pearl to…” Haelan attempted to continue.

At the mention of the pearl, Meeessh’s thin mouth curled in disgust. The creature hissed loudly in a sound that could only be taken as disdain. “Noh hehhhlp wisss buhhh-lack bahl. Meessh neeeedsss noh moh mahsssssterssss. Hsssss.”

“Where is the black pearl, imp!” shouted Coerraine.

“Meeessh noh ihhhmp!” spat Meeessh. He jumped into the air. His steamy wings fluttered furiously for a moment before the he returned to the ground as all of the company’s weapons swiftly moved to the ready.

“Meeessh noh ihmp.” He said again softly and looked at the ground again.

“What is it then?” Haelan half whispered to Alaria.

“It appears to be a mephit.” Answered the magess. “A quasi-elemental creature, as I recall…Steam, in this case, would be my guess.”

“Yehsss. Yehs. Magusssss knowssss Meeessh.” Confirmed the mephit. “Meeessh hisss fihhhh-rend foh magusss. Noh hurtssss. Meeessh his fihrend. Hssss.” He cast a sidelong look at the young paladin and rung his steaming fingertips.

Seeing the opportunity to solidify a possible ally, Alaria stepped forward. “We have no desire to harm you, Meesh...nor to be your masters. We only need some information and direction. How came you to this island?”

Meeessh cast the R’Hathi wizardess a questioning glance. “Meeessh hisss rehhhhssssting plasssse. Meeessh hiss cohhme heeeeeresssss ahnd noh leeeeavesss now. The mahssster noh lehtssss.”

“Oh that’s so sad.” Said Haelan in all sincere empathy.

“yehsss.” Answered the mephit quietly.

“Who is your master?” Alaria asked, already suspecting the answer.

Meeessh looked to his left and right again. “Nohhh hurtssss, Meeessh.”

Alaria nodded and the majority of the band lowered their weapons.

Coerraine scowled in obvious disagreement, but the paladin had to admit to himself that the strange creature was not, in fact, “evil” according to his gifted sight.

The mephit leaned in a bit closer to Haelan and Alaria and answered in a hissing whisper, “Mahhsssster Trehhhsssssahhhhd. Noh lehts Meessh goh hohmesssss.” His eyes darted nervously about the area as if he were worried that he might have been heard.

“Why can’t you go home?” offered a sympathetic halfing cleric.

“Hsssss. Mahsssterssss buhhh-lack bahhhl. Hssss.” Meeessh’s mouth again twisted into a sneer of disdain.

“Meesh…” began Alaria.

“Meeeeessssshhhhh.” Corrected the mephit. The wisps of steam coming from the mephit's body seemed to increase when it got annoyed.

“Apologies. Meeessh. Can you take us to the black ball? We will take it from this place. You will be free.” Alaria said pointedly.

A steamy brow rose, seemingly nearly floating off of the mephit’s face. “Ihf Meeessh shhhhohhhsss magusss sssssehts freee?”

“Absolutely!” chimed in an indignant Haelan. “No creature should be held against their will.” The cleric thought a moment and then continued, “Well, except demons. Demons kind of have to be, don’t they? You’re not a demon are you Mister Meeessh? Because if you are, YEOW!”

“Yes! Yes, we will set you free if you show us take us to the black ball.” Alaria quickly interjected as the butt of her staff came down swiftly on Haelan’s foot.

The mephit gave the group another long slow look before resting his eyes on the wizardess. After what seemed a very long pause, the mephit answered.

“Yehhhsssss. Yehs. Thihhhhsssss way.” Meeessh pointed back up path he’d come down and began to move, being sure to stick close to Alaria. As they passed the spear-wielding Redstar Knight, he shot Coerraine a defiant scowl.

The companions fell into line behind Haelan, Alaria and the mephit and began their trek up the slope to a small cave opening in the mountainside.

Next up: Into the bowels of Dragonbone

Led by the steam mephit, Meeessh, our intrepid band clinmbed the short distance up the mountain slope to a small natural passage. Alaria looked to the sky and was pleased with their progress, noting the sun not yet at its zenith in the late summer sky.

The band took a cautious order as they entered the mountainside. Haelan, his pinecone-shaped mace head alight with a soft glow traveled beside their mephit guide. Erevan followed singly until the the passage widened a bit and then was joined by Coerraine, the paladin insisting he be near their “captive” and in front of his charge, Alaria. Duor progressed on the elf’s heels carefully examining the natural rock walls as they passed and keeping a wary eye to the front should their new guide decide to lead them into a trap. Alaria and Waverider Trihna followed. The wizardess had likewise enchanted the tip of her staff to shed a soft illumination. Braddok and the druid, Fen, brought up the rear.

Meeessh was not a particularly speedy lead, but Haelan was pleased to have someone more his stature with the group. They moved as silently as their armor would allow deeper into the mountain.

After a short while, the passage narrowed again and the group was forced into a single file to slip through a natural crack in the mountain’s interior.

The new passage they entered was again wide and the group continued to follow Meeessh to the right and a winding passage that slopped ever deeper into the mountain. The air became more and more heated and thick as they descended.

As the group neared another junction of tunnels, the mephit stopped and raised a steaming arm as he seemed to float up against the tunnel’s wall. The rest of the group did likewise. The heat coming from the opening before them was noticeable and a orange glow seemed to pulse from the left of the opening.

“What is it Meeessh?” questioned Haelan in a hushed whisper.

“Hisss buhhhrning buhhhlacksss.” The mephit responded in his hissing way.

Haelan turned to look at Coerraine and Erevan. The paladin shrugged. Erevan’s right eyebrow rose slightly on his perfect forehead. The elf tilted his head ever so slightly.

“Oh gods.” Mumbled Duor under his beard to no one in particular. “The point-ear’s eyebrow is doing that thing, again, isn’t it?”

“How do we…” began Haelan.

“Meeessh do.” Said the mephit and walked towards the opening. After a momentary pause at the doorway, the small steam creature affected a casual swagger and entered the chamber.

“He means to betray us.” Whispered Coerraine in all seriousness.

“Wait.” Said Alaria as a menacing growl rose and echoed into the passage.

Out of view, the mephit’s voice rose louder than it needed to be, obviously so the party could hear. “Pah! Ssssstupid buhrning buhhhlack! Noh growl ahhht Meeessh!”

At this ferocious barks thundered the passage.

Duor and Erevan closed to the opening and carefully peered around the edge. The mephit stood just out of reach of two preternaturally large hounds of pure black. Flames licked from the beasts’ ears, paws and nostrils as they strained against large black iron chains.

“Bahhhd buhrning buhlacks!” Meessh shouted and threw a ball of steaming water that appeared to separate from his own hand. The ball struck the firy hound and hissed loudly as it evaporated in an instant. It seemed not to deter the beast in the slightest. The stub at the end of the mephit’s arm quickly seemed to flow and reform into a hand.”Bahd!”

Duor ducked back into the hallway. “Feorn’s beard. The steamy bugger is taunting hellhounds!” the dwarf rogue informed his companions. "We're doomed."

“Noh bahhhrk aht Meeessh!” shouted the mephit and threw his arms up in a forceful motion. Steam and mist immediately hissed up around the mephit and obscured any view of the hellhounds or him. The beasts bellowed loudly.

Just as Duor was ready to tell Coerraine he was right about the betrayal, Meeessh came jogging out of the steam cloud and motioned and hissed frantically to the elf and dwarf, pointing to the passage across the chamber.

With all speed, the party made their way across the small chamber. As the rest of the party hurried with Meeessh down the passage, Fen drew himself up against the wall of the opening at the edge of the chamber. His druid’s cloak quickly shrouding him and altering its color to match the rockface.

Braddok turned for a moment to see the druid fade from sight, appearing just another crag against the wall.

At the steam quickly cleared, the half-elf got to see the massive hounds who sniffed the air and peered around in confusion.

“Wow.” Muttered the druid. Then swiftly moved to follow the party.

Braddok, who had stopped in disbelief and was returning to the half-elf’s position jolted when Fen appeared to emerge from the rock wall beside him.

A surprised and annoyed look from the swordsman was returned with an innocent questioning look from the druid.

“What?” said Fen. “I’ve never seen a hellhound before.”

“Come on”, replied Braddok with a disapproving scowl. He grabbed the druid’s arm and shoved him ahead. “Don’t do that again.”

“You need to appreciate the wonders of this world of ours, my good warrior.”, answered Fen.

“You’ll be appreciating the tip of my blade if you bring us trouble, my good druid.” Said Braddok. There was no hint of humor in his tone.

A short distance from the hellhounds’ chamber, Meeessh halted the party again. This time he fluttered his small wings as he leapt about 20 feet ahead of them. “Carefffful heeeeeressss.” Said the mephit and pointed to the floor.

Haelan had stopped as instructed but saw nothing amiss with the floor. Duor carefully moved forward.

The dwarf’s underground senses were put to the test as he examined very carefully the floor in front of Haelan. “Douse yer blasted light, hairfoot.” Duor mumbled.

Haelan obliged but saw no reason for the dwarf to be so gruff about it. He tucked his mace into the folds of his cloak. After a moment, Duor’s eyes had adjusted enough to notice where the walls of the passage met the floor seemed…different…somehow.

Erevan crept up beside Duor and lent his own special eyes to the search.

Duor pointed out where he thought something amiss.

“Hhhhhurriessss.” Hissed the impatient mephit. “Guardsssss cahhhmessss ssssoonssss.”

Erevan tentatively poked at the floor near the wall with the tip of his bow.

At its touch, a ten foot stretch of floor before them from wall to wall disappeared momentarily, revealing a deep pit. When he withdrew his bow, the floor reappeared.

“An illusion.” Said Erevan.

“Well yeh might have said so, imp!” Duor chastised.

“Meeessh sssehhhd beeee careful. Meeessh naht do ev’reeeethingsssss.” Responded the mephit. The steam wisping off of the elemental creature seemed to hiss an increase. “’nd Meeessh nohhh eemp, nassssty beeeeardfasssse!”

Duor crossed, carefully clinging to the real rock of the walls. Erevan leapt across. Then Coerraine. Using a rope secured by the fighters at each end, the rest of the party carefully moved across the pit.

A few more twists and turns into the mountain and the mephit brought the party to a large oblong chamber, obviously carved from the mountain.

Three passages, including the one they had entered through led from the place. At the end of the chamber, away from the passages, was a half-circled cistern, about twenty feet across, filled with water that glimmered with an unnatural light. Torches, lit with green flames lined the chamber.

Across the water was a simple ledge that appeared to be of natural rock. Upon the ledge rested a large black orb. The pearl pulsated within with a sickly light swirling in putrid violet and green hues.

Trihna stepped forward and withdrew her location orb. The small water-filled globe shown brightly, offsetting some of the disturbing illumination in the chamber. She quickly returned the item to the folds of her robe.

“That’s it.” The water priestess said simply.

“Finally.” Said Braddok.

Alaria surveyed the chamber briefly before focusing on the pooled water. She outstretched her hand and spoke the simple incantation. A sphere around her hand flicked with a violet light. To Alaria’s eyes, the torches were surrounded by a similar violet glow.

“No kidding.” thought the wizardess. The pearl was surrounded by a similar but much more intense corona, as was the whole of the cistern and the water within.

“Be alert,” said Alaria. “The water is magical.”

“What’s the plan, boss lady?” asked Duor.

“Get the pearl and get out of here,” was the wizardess’ simple response.

Two updates in two hours. Nice!

Tamlyn said:

Two updates in two hours. Nice!

Click to expand...

LOL. Thanks Tamlyn. I was actually being rushed out of the cafe at the end of the second poist...so you'll forgive me if I re-write the tail end of the last post.

I'f you'll forgive he slight rewrite, I'll reset the scene a bit better (in my humble opinion).

Now, onto what horrors await our intrepid company in the bowels of Dragonbomne Isle.
--------------------------------------------

A few more twists and turns into the mountain, the companions passed a tunnel that forked off to their right. A similar orange glow and blasts of heat came up from the tunnel. The mephit, Meeessh, took the left fork without a word.

Finally, the party was brought to a large oblong chamber wider at one end than the other. Three passages, including the one they had entered through led from the place at the wider end. Lit torches lined the cavern.

The walls were arched, forming what appeared to be a natural dome. The walls themselves, however, seemed unnaturally smooth. Duor whistled his amazement at the "construction" which he asserted was not "dwarven make."

At the narrower end of the chamber, away from the passages, was a half-circled cistern, about twenty feet across. The basin was filled with water that glimmered with an unnatural light. Set within and above the water, was a natural looking ledge that jutted from the wall. Upon the ledge sat a black orb that pulsed with eerie sickly greenish light.

Along the left and right walls similar hemispherical “altars” were set, but held no water. Upon the ledge to the right was another blackened orb glimmering with the slightest white light.

Trihna stepped forward and withdrew her location orb. The small water-filled globe shown brightly, offsetting some of the disturbing illumination in the chamber. It was evident the orb above the pool of water was the pearl they sought. She quickly returned the item to the folds of her robe.

“That’s it.” The water priestess aid simply and gestured to the orb above the filled cistern.

“Finally.” Said Braddok.

Coerraine and Haelan each seemed dazed for a moment. “I need not my lord and god’s special sight to know this place is an affront to all things good.”

He placed a gloved hand to his temple and attempted to shake off the oppresive weight of evil on his soul.

“I feel it too.” Confirmed Haelan. “As though an evil force is pressing upon me. I can only sense the graces of the Hill Mother like a whisper here. Trihna, do you sense it?” He also rubbed a hand across his brow and looked to Alaira with pleading eyes. “Let’s not overstay our welcome here.”

Alaria surveyed the chamber briefly before focusing on the pooled water. She outstretched her hand and spoke the simple incantation, “Arcanivis” <mage spell: Detect Magic>

A sphere of violet light flickered into existence around her outstretched hand. To Alaria’s eyes, the torches were surrounded by a similar violet glow. “No kidding.” thought the wizardess. Both orbs were surrounded by a similar, though significantly larger and brighter, corona as was the whole of the cistern.

“Be alert,” said Alaria. “Don’t touch the water. It is magical also…and that orb as well. ”

“What’s the plan, boss lady?” asked Duor.

“Get the pearl and get out of here,” was the wizardess’ simple response.

Erevan and Braddok quickly went to check the other passages. The one had a palpable heat coming from it. Erevan supposed it led around to the passage they had passed a way back. Fen was quick to point out that given the obvious volcanic activity it could be a different chamber all together.

The other passage they had not entered had a musty damp earthy smell, according to Erevan. Braddok simply noted it had no heat wafting from it.

Duor edged his way toward the cistern. Fen went with the dwarf, being sure to let the attentive rogue survey their steps. The evil that Coerraine and Haelan had felt was now being noticed by others in the group. It was a confining feeling, like the very air pressed against them from all sides.

“Meeessh brihng heeeere. Now Meeessh beeee freeee.” The mephit said with a somewhat demanding tone.

“Yes, Meeessh,” replied Alaria, “ very soon. These things must be handled with care.”

Duor hesitated a moment and moved cautiously around the room’s perimeter to the edge of the short stone wall that contained the flickering pool.

The instant Duor laid a hand upon the wall’s edge (intending to climb up and over the water to obtain the head-sized pearl) the light in the pool flashed and swirled into a putrid green that cloaked the room in its sickly hue.

“Orcass!” shouted Duor as he swiftly backed away from the wall.

All of the company’s weapons came to the ready as a serpentine form rose from the water. In a moment, the form of a great snake-like head formed at the end of the ribbon of flailing water. Two glowing green “eyes” flared into existence and the “water snake” surveyed the room before letting forth a booming “roar” like the crashing of a waterfall.

Fen, closest to the creature, swiped his leaf-bladed spear through the whole of the creature’s “neck”. Other than splashing some water out onto the floor, it seemed to not effect the creature at all. The druid looked horrified at the results of his ineffectual attack.

“Ohhhh bollux.” Muttered the half-elf.

Immediately therafter, a shaft from Erevan’s bow streaked across the room to pass harmlessly through the same watery stream and shatter harmlessly against the chamber’s back wall.

“What is it!?” cried Haelan.

“What’s it look like yeh yellow-bellied hairfoot?” shouted Duor. “It’s a magic fraggin’ water snake…thing.”

Alaria focused her mind with trained ease. It was indeed, as the dwarf had said, a creature of magic. Elemental in nature, she presumed, and thus not of their immediate world. “Only magic will harm it. Fen, Duor, get back!” the wizardess commanded. She dropped her staff and outstretched both arms forcefully, fingers spread toward the creature.

“I have not come so far to be foiled by this wyrd,” said Trihna and charged forward. An invocation to her goddess forming on her lips as she neared the creature.

“Celradorn, protect your valiant servants!” Coerraine asserted as he, too, charged the creature. As has happened the previous night, a golden aura momentarily appeared surrounding the Redstar Knight, Trihna and Alaria, the others being too far from the paladin to be effected by his protective power.

With the snapping speed of a cobra, the water creature’s head flashed forward and sharp teeth slashed through the half-elf druid, tearing leathers and flesh.

“AAAAAGHH!” cried Fen as he dropped to the floor. Blood mixed with water splattered across the floor.

“Imberil everx REX!” shouted Alaria. The air swirled about her as it often did with the working of her magics, rustling the magess’ robes and dark brown tresses. Her hands flared with blue flames for a moment before the fans of fire launched forcfully forward and streaked across half of the cavern.

The magical fire encountered the water creature of produced a violent hiss of steam and a cry from the toothy fluid maw. For a moment, the creature’s formation seemed to falter and streams of water dropped back into the cistern. The head disappeared and, a moment later was reforming as the a second “neck” seemed to reform from the where Alaria’s spell had struck the creature.

“Duor get the pearl!” shouted Alaria.

The dwarven rogue ran as fast as his short legs could carry him but was halted mid stride as a second serpentine head came into form and let forth its pounding roar in the dwarf’s face. Only the dwarf’s lightning reflexes and a quick vaulting tumble to the side saved Duor from a watery decapitation.

“Feorn’s beard! Get it yerself!” called the dwarf. The companions looked on in horror as the swirling water formed two “necks” and snake-like heads rising from a common base.

“Now there’s TWO of ‘em! Great plan, boss-lady.” Duor retorted. He withdrew from beneath his leather vest, the dagger he had pilfered from the harpy’s treasure.

To Duor’s surprise, as much as his companions, the blade immediately flared with a soft green light. “Well I’ll be dipped in dragonsteel…” mumbled Duor to himself.

“We’ve got company,” called Braddok as he and Erevan rushed forward to Alaria’s position.

Half of the companions, including a horrified halfing cleric, turned to see two of the massive crab-men entering from the passage where the heat had been eminating. Their bulbous claws clacked and snapped. Their demonic faces showed no surprise as they took in the multitude of intruders. With a slight pause at the passage way, both monsters rushed for the party.

“Hill Mother,” began Haelan, “we’re going to die here.”

“Perhaps, Haelan,” a thoroughly annoyed Alaria answered, “your next prayer might be a bit more effective.” The magess from R’Hath gave up her own short prayer to the goddess of magic, Manat, that the halfling be incorrect.

Pearl Jam

“Deisa Faerantha, dicteus beneficia spiritos y tiem paras.”<cleric spell: Bless, “Holy Faerantha, bless your loyal followers in this time of need.”> Haelan called out, his arms outstretched over his helmed head.

He felt the difficulty of connecting to his goddess’ graces through the blanket of darkness that oppressed the ether of the chamber. Still, the halfling priest received a glimmer of hope as he perceived, in his spirit, a sensation like a cooling summer breeze blowing over a grassy knoll. At the completion of his appeal, Haelan’s mace as well as the weapons of all of his fellows became surrounded by a golden honey colored light.

Braddok barely had time to notice the enchantment of his blade as he dodged one massive claw and strained to stay on his feet as the second bashed into his shield. Braddok returned the assault with a decisive strike of his own. The magicked blade was able to crack the demonic crab-man’s hard-shelled shoulder. A slight stream of black ichor seeped from the new wound. His enemy let out an airy cry of, what Braddok presumed to be, surprise and anger.

Coerraine, similarly, did not waste a moment with his newly enchanted weapon. Having moved into a position between the fallen druid and the watery serpentine creature, the blond paladin jabbed with his spear. The golden light of the blade slipped into the liquid form and tore thrown supernaturally formed wyrd. With a forceful swing to the left, the blade severed the creature’s neck enough to cause the neck and head above it to collapse back into the cistern. The Redstar Knight had a moment to be thoroughly pleased with himself before steeling himself in position as two more “necks” rose from the pool and quickly formed glowing-eyed-tooth-filled serpentine heads.

Duor, stil surprised by the apparent magic nature of his pilfered dagger struck out with the green-glowing blade, effectively knicking the neck attached to the head that had, moments before, almost took off his beard. The dwarf was happy to see the blade did seem to wound the creature, as it withdrew from his reach, but did not damage it enough to create yet another head. “Hey Pally, look at that. Maybe if we just hurt it without cutting off the heads?”


Alaria rushed for the cistern. Perhaps, she reasoned, with the water-hydra-thing’s heads occupied by her companions, she might be able to get to the pearl. Her reasoning was somewhat askew as one of the newly formed heads turned its attention to the spear-wielding paladin protecting the water and nature priests. The other, unfortunately, was keenly aware of the magess’ movement and lashed out in her direction.

Alaria was terrified as a living stream of water flashed before and behind her and in the blink of an eye, found herself constricted and lifted from the ground and pulled towards the cistern pool, a watery snake-ish face hissing at her face-to-face. The pressure holding and carrying her was crushing.

The wizardess’ mind swam with the options of spells available to her, but her arms were wholey bound and the crushing force barely allowed her to take the shallowest of breaths. It seemed the creature meant to pull her down into the magicked pool. She would drown, surely.

Despite herself, her consciousness faltering, Alaria’s mind turned to the stories in her training of the old tortures of witches in the Lost Ages, before R’Hath’s formation, by dunking suspected spellcasters into water…”Shall I float or sink?” Alaria wondered. Then shouting filled her quickly clouding mind.


Noting the effects of Haelan’s casting, Erevan quickly quivered his bow and drew his slender longsword from its sheathe. The elegant blade glowed with the honey-colored blessing of the halfling’s nature goddess. The sword’s hilt was shaped of ivy leaves and vines that twined their way up the blade, a common decoration for elf-made blades.

Erevan remembered the soft spots among the joints of the giant crabs and a couple of well-placed joabs later, the crab-man he faced was oozing black fluid from his waist and one elbow. The elf’s natural grace and dexterity saved him from a series of would-be crushing blows. Erevan took a moment, ducking another snapping claw to survey the room.

Braddok seemed to be making some progress against the other crab man with his momentarily enchanted sword, though the dark-haired warrior was bleeding from a nasty looking wound in his shoulder. The battle raged at the cistern at the other end of the chamber. A barely perceptible moment of fear crossed the elf’s face to see the magical water beast now sported three heads. Coerraine’s invoked defenses seemed to help keep one of the heads at bay. The knight covered the druid as the water-priestess cast her healing magics. Duor was lunging and tumbling, deftly avoiding another head’s lashing attacks.

He dodged and slashed again, but his sword made no contact.

Haelan appeared torn. Frozen in place between the two clashes, his glowing mace-head slumped to the ground as the halfling’s large eyes, filled with fear, darted from their companions at the cistern to the monstrous crab-men.

“Haelan, aid Braddok.” Erevan called. “Remember the giant crabs? Your mace is our best chance against the creature’s shell.”

This seemed to snap the cleric from his indecision and he charged with what could, kindly, be called a battle cry to slam the crab-man in the knee. The golden light surrounding the pinecone-shaped weapon flared on impact and a loud crack echoed through the chamber, followed by another hissing bellow of pain.

Turning his attention back to the motion at the fountain, Erevan was surprised to see Alaria being lifted from the floor before his senses were blasted by the pain of a huge claw crushing his waist. The elf cursed his distraction and returned his focus to his adversary.


Braddok made another telling blow against his foe with the glowing sword.

“This was a great spell, Haelan. Well done.” Commended the warrior. He withdrew his black ooze-covered blade just in time to see the honey colored glow of Haelan’s enchantment flicker for a moment and then disipate.

“Of course,” muttered Braddok.

He looked from his now mundane blade to the toothy maw of the crab-man who, Braddok was sure, grinned from bulbous black eye to bulbous black eye before smacking Braddok halfway across the chamber with a monstrous claw. The fighter landed with a heavy thud and had the wind knocked from his wounded body. A short distance before him on the right was Fen, Trihna and Coerraine. To his left, a water-snake wrapped Alaria was nearly at the cistern’s short wall. The magess seemed to be faltering in consciousness.

“Hey!” shouted Haelan, “That was my friend.” The indignant cleric swung again and with the last remaining divine might of his spell, the mace landed a solid blow on the monster’s abdomen. The pinecone shaped head crushed shell and sinew, black ichor gushed from the opening and the creature, looking as surprised as a demon crab-man’s face can look, the monster slumped forward to lie at the blond-tufted feet of his less-than-half-sized foe.

“So there.” Haelan said with a victorious nod.

It was then, Haelan, Erevan, and the rest of the company heard the unnatrual sounds, or was it that they “hyper-natural”, echoing through the chamber. The syllables, what could have been words, assaulted the ears of the party and their crustacean foe.

Yes, thought Haelan, they are words…but not words…

Erevan took the momentary distraction of his foe to regain his footing and turned to the source of the oddly familiar, yet not at all, sound.

From the ground behind Coerraine, Fen lay with arm outstretched towards the serpent drawing Alaria in to the pool. The young red-headed druid was the source of the bizarre words. They came from his lips but seemed, almost, to be coming from the very walls and air of the cavern itself.

“--/./…][--.-…--!” <druid spell: Reversed Create Water. Druidic magic is cast in the secret language of the druids. It is unknown and incomprehensible to any not initiated in the Ancient Order.>

As Fen spoke, his hand was surrounded by a greenish blue light which increased with his “words” to flash out of existence at the climactic sounding finale.

The length of the water-beast’s neck which was pulling Alaria to the pool burst in an explosive manner, separating the magess from the pool. The other two heads of the creature let out roaring cries of obvious pain.

Alaria dropped to the ground, as did all of the water surrounding her. She coughed and sputtered from the impromptu shower. Alaria quickly swept her soaked tresses from her face and twisted in sopping robes to face the cistern, completely expecting to see two more heads forming before her. When they did not, Alaria noticed the unnatural glimmer within the water that had held her, now surrounding her on the ground, had disappeared. The completely normal looking water quietly seeped into the dry dusty earthen floor.

“My thanks, again, master druid.” Coughed Alaria. “Trihna, can you do anything about this creature?”

Trihna had only brought the druid back from the brink of death, she thought to herself. But replied unphased to the soaked mage, “My initial spell to control the waters of the pool utterly failed. The power of the tainted pearl is simply too strong for me.”

“’The tainted pearl’…” the words resounded in Alaria’s head. “That’s it! Trihna you are brilliant.”

Pleased as she was by the compliment, the water priestess thought their situation still on the dire side for such a celebratory tone.

While Duor continued to slash and run on one of the wyrd’s heads the other continued to attempt attacks on Coerraine, its attacks hedged off by the paladin’s protective invocation. Fen rose with Trihna’s help and sought a decent angle to again attack the creature. Haelan moved to aid Erevan in bringing down the last crab-man and Braddok also rose and moved to helpthe magess to her wet feet.

“Do you have any more of the Tidemaster’s Pure water?” Alaira asked the warrior at her side.

“Well yes. But how are you going to defeat water with water?” Braddok handed over the half-full waterskin. Without taking a moment to answer, Alaria uncorked Braddok’s flask and her own nearly empty flask.

“We must get closer. Defend me.” Alaria said. The swordsman took a defensive stance between the sorceress and the water creature as the two came to the very edge of the cistern.

Another stab with his magic dagger and Duor cursed to see the creature destabilze and two new necks quickly streamed into formation.

“Extermiz maguuz” <mage spell/cantrip: Mage Hand> A spectral greenish mist coalesced into the form of a three fingered hand linked to Alaria’s own. She placed her own flask into the magical appendage and the hand floated over the cistern to the ledge where the pearl sat, pulsing its unnatural energies.

“What is this?” came wheezing cry from the back of the chamber. “Stop them!”

Braddok turned to see, at the passage at the very rear of the chamber (the one which had smelled of earth) a hunched form with a grey beard clad in layers of black robes and cloaks. The figure leaned upon a staff engraved with markings the warrior could only assume were magical in nature. Upon the figure’s head, a reptilian looking skull sat over his hood and shadowed most of the man’s face beneath the toothy-snouted visor. Two more crabmen rushed into the room at the figure’s command.

Erevan lay at the feet of the remaining original crab-man. He saw the elf’s figure move slightly in a failed effort to rise. Haelan stood in defiant defense over the elf only to be casually swept aside by a massive claw. The halfling tumbled end-over-head over the body of the fallen elf and the crab-man charged forward toward Braddok and Alaria. The warrior looked worriedly at the giant liquid hydra then to Alaria who was concentrating, seemingly unaware of the foes about to be upon them.

The spectral hand poured what little remained of Alaria’s pure water onto the pearl. The orb hissed and seemed to bubble and fizzle where the water touched it. For a moment, Alaria noticed the color of the light pulsing within the pearl shift to a clear blue-white before being again consumed by the sickly green.

The three-headed serpentine form shifted all of its attention to the mage and warrior. Coerraine, noticing his charge in imminent danger moved to stand with Alaria and Braddok. He arrived just in time to throw the creature’s attacks from them, hedged to the side by his protective field.

Braddok readied to begin a new battle with the wounded crab-man, not having the faintest idea how they could outlast another two of the ogre-sized monsters.

Again the air around them charged with an unfamiliar force as Fen, leaning heavily on Trihna, cast again. He purposely subdued his volume to spare his companions from the assault of the eerie tongue of the druids.

As the two new arrivals neared Haelan and Erevan’s position the earth between them and the halfling cleric, fully engrossed in his healing prayers over the elf’s limp body, erupted with roots and sprouting vines to fully entwine the monsters’ legs. Their flailing claws were soon, similarly entangled and they set to snapping their way free of the magically induced growth.

With the water-hydra’s attention now firmly on the wizardess, swordsman and paladin, Duor took the opportunity to climb up onto the cistern’s short wall and leap onto the back of the nearest neck. The green-glowing blade sank easily into the watery form, slicing it in twain for the majority of its length as the dwarf’s weight pulled him down its “back” and into the pool. As expected, two new necks formed and the two new heads turned their attention to the dwarf, now, up to his chest in the enchanted pool.

Alaria sent the magic hand back to the ledge, this time with Braddok’s much fuller flask. The serpentine heads paid the spell no mind, entirely focused on attacking the bodies before them.

Braddok stepped outside of the paladin’s holy protection in an attempt to draw the heads away from Alaria. The ploy worked, too well. One of the necks whipped around the warrior and, as easily as it had Alaria, lifted the armored warrior from the ground. Being as near to the cistern as they were, Braddok didn’t have a moment to think before finding himself pulled into and under the pool of water.

Chanting from the back of the room, behind the entangled crab-man, told the party that the dark-robed arrival was casting something. The incantation came to an end as the pure water from the flask began to strike the pearl.

Haelan watched as, for a moment, the entire far end of the chamber was enshrouded in darkness.

Erevan rose, wearily taking up his sword again. The elf saw the darkness spell drop upon their friends and began to half-lead half-drag the daelvar priest toward the passage they had entered.

Then, from within the inky black cloud, a silver light began to pulse, then flicker, then glow steadily, rising to a strong shine. The impenetrable darkness dissipated in a moment. Ribbons of blackness gave way to the growing light until none remained.

The form of the water hydra simply stopped for a moment, as if held, before the waters fell, losing all form, lifeless back into the pool.

Duor quickly grabbed the half-drowned Braddok. Gasping for breath, the warrior grabbed the gleaming blue-white pearl without a thought. The two climbed out of the pool as fast as possible.

Braddok handed the pearl over to Trihna, who simply held it out in front of her, at something of a loss for what to do with it. She was soon filled with feeling secure and overwhelmed with the grace of her goddess.

Haelan, similarly, felt a renewed connection with his goddess as the oppressive evil that had flooded the chamber seemed to shred even as the magical darkness had.

“You shall not deprecate the power of the Ocean Mother with your malignancy ever again, evil one.” Called Trihna across the room. She neither knew nor cared if the dark robed figure heard her.

The chamber was filled with the sounds of roaring waves crashing upon a shore, the blues of the water-priestess’ robes again swirled and churned, looking for a moment, like she was clothed in the sea itself.

High-pitched shrill cries escaped the three remaining crab-men as they seemed to strain against some unseen pain. Then the three explored in columns of water and bursts of green flame, leaving nothing in their wake but puddles, quickly claimed by the dry earthen floor.

As the shrill cries trailed off as the puddles were quickly claimed by the earthen floor, the shining silver light returned to a glimmering pulse within the large black pearl.

“Meeessh beees freeeeeeeee.” the steam mephit clapped in adulation before his form and voice trailed off and disappeared in wisps of steam and mist.

“Bye Mister Meeessh! Thank you!” called Haelan to the quickly dissipating form.

With the light levels returned to normal, there was no sign of the robed-figure.

“Let’s get out of here,” commanded Alaria. “Hurry, that evil priest will no doubt return with reinforcements.”

Duor ran over to the orb on the other ledge and splashed it with his remaining pure water. Sure enough, the orb fizzed and hissed and the blackness of the orb seemed to trail away into the empty cistern surrounding it. This orb, Duor was pleased to see, was definitely not a pearl. It appeared to be made of quartz or other clear crystal of some kind. “Hey look.”

“Just grab it, Duor. Come on!” was Braddok’s curt reply.

The companions hastened through the passages through which the mephit had led them. The less wounded aiding those more so.

They had little choice but to simply sprint through the chamber of hellhounds. Trihna hoisted the black pearl menacingly over her head and, whether it was the grace of the goddess of the seas or simply the creature’s defensive posture, the chained hounds backed off as the company sped through their guardpost.

Breaking forth from the mountain into the early afternoon air, Alaria insisted they not stop until they’d reached the boat or night fell.

“But what about the harpy’s treasure?” cried Duor in horror. “Yeh can’t just mean to leave it!”

“We may return to it when we are rested,” Alaria sternly replied as she helped the still badly wounded Erevan to carry on as fast as they could. “But for now, safety is our first concern.”

“Besides,” added Coerraine, “it would seem you have availed yourself of more of that treasure than we knew.” The paladin gave the dwarf an accusatory scowl and nodded at the enchanted dagger, still in the dwarf’s grasp.

The dwarf, heartbroken, was completely out voted and without the detour to the harpy’s lair, did reach the beach and their small vessel by shortly after sundown. They camped upon the moored ship and spent an anxious night binding their wounds and making plans to leave the following day on the first available tide.

Of all of the company, Trihna seemed the most at ease, full of confidence that by regaining the pearl, they need fear nothing upon the sea.

Shades of her belief in their ‘Shoal spirit’, no doubt Alaria thought. But the R’Hathi wizardess finally settled in for some much needed rest and the assurance that the next day, their errand to Welford could be renewed.

Just a small wrap up on the group's adventure on Dragonbone Isle...(not that they're totally out of the water, so to speak, just yet

I don't want to get into too much (well, any, really) "crunch" as this is not a "mechanics" kinda story hour.

But here's why I LOVE running low level groups and/or starting at 1st level.
Following the last scene/on the run, the crew looked like this:
Alaria: 1hp
Fen: 2hp (after being healed from -2 by Trihna)
Braddok: 2hp
Erevan: 3hp (after being healed from 0 by Haelan)
Haelan: 5hp (reeeally got off easy. But given he nearly died with the harpies, I didn't mind so much the dice giving him a break)
Coerraine: full hp (the guy's just damn tough to hit! Also, his "Protection from Evil" field was UBER useful against the elemental)
Duor full hp (let's hear it for Dexterity bonuses and great rolls. Definitely kept him out of a world of pain.)
Trihna (NPC): full hp

I'll also take this opportunity to lament, as a DM, the encounter with Meeessh. If the party had not encountered Meeessh (or if it had gone badly) they would have had to enter the mountain via the "front door" cave that Fen knew about. It would have been a VERY different (and I daresay, more deadly) adventure...*disappointed sigh*. My own fault for putting him in there.

But them's the gaming breaks, aren't they? Players will always figure out some way around your most well thought out, detailed and planned encounters (...as they should!). C'est la guerre.

It's ok though...Tresahd will live to rear his bone-crowned head another day which, while not originally being in the "plan", is just fine with me. Bwahaha.
--SD

Recurring villains for the win. I always like to have the masterminds get away (when they can, I don't cheat for 'em). The players are always so stoked to finally nail down someone that's been plauging them for a while...

Joy to the Pearl

No sooner had our battered, bruised and nearly bereft of spells band hunkered down for the night when they all bolted up right at the sound.

“AWOOOOOOOOOOooooo.”

It hauntingly eerie howl echoed through the night. The sound unlike that of a normal wolf or dog, a preternatural edge sent chills down the spines of everyone.

“They are not far off.” Erevan stated. None questioned the veracity of his elvin ears.

Alaria’s face showed visible concern in the shimmering silver and green light from the waning greater and waxing lesser moons. Her ability to work any serious magic was spent for the day and if these were, indeed, the hellhounds they had seen earlier, she knew she had not the strength to stave off such supernatural creatures. Reluctantly, she drew the slender white wand from its holster and began barking orders.

“Braddok, sever the line. Trihna, get us out of here.” Said the magess.

“We are beached, Alaria. I will not be able to…”the priestess replied apologetically.

“Use the pearl!” commanded Alaria.

Taken aback by the curt command, Trihna did take up the sacred orb of her faith and sat beside the tiller with it in her lap. She closed her eyes and almost immediately, the flickering blue-white light within the pearl began to pulse.

Braddok, Erevan and Coerraine readied weapons at the boat’s prow, scanning the tree line for their expected arrivals.

“They don’t like the water, do they Alaria. Maybe we’ll be safe here on the boat?” Haelan questioned wearily. The daelvar cleric from the Free Hollows had had about all of the adventure he could stand the past couple of days. Harpies, hellhounds and a watery hydra was plenty enough for him.

“I’d rather we be safe than sorry, Haelen.” answered Alaria without looking at the halfling.

“AWOOOOOOOOO….” Came the cry again. Even non-elvin ears could tell it was definitely closer than the first. Again chills went through the group in anticipation of a battle they had little hope of winning.

As the sound of the waves around them seemed to increase, everyone watching the beach steeled themselves as a pair, then two, of bright orange flaming eyes could be seen in the shadowed forest.

“Whenever you’re ready, Trihna.” Shouted Braddok from the prow.

The sea priestess seemed not to notice. Her face was passive, eyes closed and lips whispering some chant to her ocean mother the others could not hear.

“Maybe you could use this, boss.” Offered Duor. The magess turned to the dwarf holding out the crystalline orb he had pilfered from the other altar in their hasty retreat.

“I don’t know what it is or does, Duor.” Alaria replied in annoyance. Honestly, she thought, does the dwarf not understand anything about the workings of the arcane?

“Well I don’t either! Give it a shot!” said the dwarf. The worry in his voice caught Alaria by surprise and she turned in sympathy to take the orb from him.

Alaria could feel the energies pulsing about the device and a swirl of wind seemed to surround her for a moment. Then the wind all around the ship grew and rose, coming off of the water. The sound of crashing waves increased more and the ship lurched up as the increading sea gathered beneath the vessel.

Just as the two black hounds burst from the treeline, their flaming eyes and maws seared the souls of the party with fear, the wind turned to come off of the land. The ship lurched again as a great swell of water and strong wind heaved the small ship out into the cover andbeyond the breaking waves.

The hounds stopped just short of the waterline. One yelped in fear, and perhaps pain, as the edge of a wave washed over its flaming paws.

The hellhounds let out a combinations of frustrated barks and howls at their prey, far beyond their reach in the accursed water.

“Blessed be Her depths.” Said Haelan loudly with a broad smile at Trihna. The priestess smiled back at the halfling, “Well said, brother Hilltender.” She turned to Coerraine and Braddok, “Raise the sail if you would, brave warriors. It seems we shall be departing this night, afterall. Erevan, might you be able to take the tiller for a while. I am so very tired.”

With a deep bow, “It would be my pleasure, Waverider. You’ve done your goddess, and we, great service this day.”


Trihna nodded weakly and smiled. She rested herself below the aft section and as she was passing off to blissful sleep, a light hand ws on her shoulder.

She turned to see Alaria’s face. “Thank you, Trihna.” Said the wizardess.

Again, Trihna smiled weakly and simply said, “Blessed be Her depths, magess.”

The night dragged on and hours later, the two moons low in the sky, Trihna was back at the tiller. The elf had not slept that she had noticed. Instead, he had been at the prow since she had risen, scanning the sea and sky. She had mused at the breezes causing his silver grey hair to flow and glitter in the moonlight, almost like waves itself. She discreetly got Erevan’s attention, not needing to make much sound to catch the elf’s ears notice. With his inherent grace and balance, he wove his way through their sleeping companions to the back of the ship.

When he’d arrived, Trihna said softly, “Do you see there, master elf? That bank before us…can you senses pierce the fog?”

Erevan turned to the large fog bank on their horizon. “I am afeared not, Waverider. Though it seems peaceful and quiet and lovely in the moonlight.” His violet eyes turned to the human priestess and he smiled a small smile on his handsome ageless face.

“Lovely, it is.” Admitted Trihna, not seeming to notice the elf’s flirtation. “But that is where we should be coming upon Shoal. The temple should be in view though I see nothing but the mist.”

“You sense some doom has befallen your village.” Erevan stated. It was not meant as a question.

“I do not. The Shoal Spirit and Tidemaster Kama keep the village safe…”the priestess paused a moment, “Though I can not, in my life there, recall ever seeing a fog over our waters.”

“While I dare not suppose to know your waters better than you, in my homeland, a morning mist is quite common.” Replied Erevan. “In fact, they are an almost daily pleasure. The young of my people use them to play a game that helps to train and heighten the vaunted “elvin senses” you humans are so fond of remarking about.” Erevan smiled again. “Do you think we should stop here?” he asked. “Surely, in the morning sun, they will disperse.”

“Perhaps that would be wise.” Trihna replied. Again, she seemed to be paying the elf’s subtle displays of interest no mind. She left the helm and tossed the small anchor overboard.

Erevan turned to again look to the fog. Perhaps, he mused, the water priestesses are not allowed the pleasures of the body. He understood many of those in religious orders seemed to be denied the pleasure in human lands. A sacrifice of their bodies to their respective deities, as Erevan had once been told. A sacrifice, indeed, thought Erevan. But he did not press the issue and returned to his place at the prow.

Dawn came and the sun rose to mid-morning. The fog did not disperse. Nor, noted Erevan, had its position or size changed at all in the increasing heat of the day. It was, unquestionably, not naturally formed. After some discussion, and Trihna’s assurances that she could unerringly direct them back to the temple, it was decided that the party would press forward.
A short time passed and the small ship came out of the fog bank into the bright sunny day, in full view of the village and the temple of Tyris upon the high rocky outcropping. Alaria studied the fog from the “inside” and could see that it seemed to create a ring, extending beyond the shoal, to encicrle the waters beyond the village.

As they neared the temple dock, they could see a throng assembled. The long white beard of Tidemaster Kama was unmistakeable, even at a distance. The high priest was flanked by his twin acolytes. Several others, most in the blue and green wraps and robes of Tyrisian garb, were there also.

“Hail to the champions of Tyris!” proclaimed Kama. A great cheer went up as the ship pulled up to the dock. Dihm and Suhm, the twins, leapt aboard the ship and deftly secured lines as another lesser cleric laid out a gang plank for the returning adventurers.

The group disembarked to more cheers and adulations.

“Tyris, blessed be Her depths, is greatly pleased by your success, brave souls. The Shoal Spirit reported the taint of the crab-demons are gone from our waters. You have done us a great service.” Tidemaster Kama proclaimed.

“We are humbled by your praise, Tidemaster. But, I fear, we could not have succeeded without Waverider Trihna’s excellent aid.” Alaria replied and stood aside as Trihna presented the black pearl to the Tidemaster.

As the aged priest took the artifact tears formed in his eyes. He stared at the pearl for a moment before turning to the crowd and raising it above his head. “Praise to the heroes of Shoal. Praise to the Ocean Mother. Long blessed be Her depths!”

“Blessed be Her depths.” Came the communal response. Then the crowd swarmed the heroes and as a wave of humanity, led them back up the outcropping to the temple grounds with great cheer, dancing as the music of woodwinds and flutes rose from somewhere in the assembled crowd.

The companions were taken to quarters within the temple to wash and clean themselves as a lavish feast was prepared and brought out. All members of the village were present with much music and dancing, drinking and merry-making both around the temple and in the village below.

News of the heroes return spread quickly and soon Elder Bundo and the other Elders arrived at the temple’s courtyard to share their respectful thanks and congratulations to Alaria and her band.

As pleased with the reception as Alaria was, she was ever mindful of the work before them. She repectfully requested the use of the temple library and Tidemaster Kama’s help in identifying the magical items they’d found. She also wished to speak to him about the other strange orb, its properties and purpose in that evil place.

Tidemaster Kama granted her request for access to the temple’s limited resources and simply smiled in reply to the R’Hathi mage’s next barrage of questions.


Finally, he said, “My dear young wizard of R’Hath, your thoughtfulness is to be admired. However, you must learn to enjoy the ride of the waves when they crest. ‘Ere they are lost on the ebbing tide.” The elder priest winked at Alaria with a smile and raised his goblet of sweet wine to her.

Alaria smiled in response and clinked his goblet with her own. “Indeed, Tidemaster. I apologize for any unintended insult. The festivities and hospitality you have shown us are most welcomed.”

“You have returned to us a great treasure, Alaria.” Kama replied. “As you shall to many others.”

“Indeed? Has the Shoal Spirit told you this, Tidemaster?” asked Alaria in mild jest.

Kama leaned in close and whispered in the magess’ ear, “Not all treasures are of gold and magic, after all.” With a smile and nod of a bow, the long-bearded cleric turned and disappeared into the crowd.

The following day, Alaria spent her time with Tidemaster Kama and the young priest in charge of the temple’s library pouring through scrolls and tomes and casting various divinations on the items she knew to be enchanted, including the dagger that Duor had reluctantly turned over for examination.

Braddok, Coerrine and Haelan went down to the village to take up the shopkeeper, Patty, on his offer to resupply the band insofar as his wares could.

Fen explored the village nd its surrounding woods, stopping often to chat with the locals about the various plants and herbs to be found so near the coast.

Duor nursed his hangover with the remains of the ale leftover from the previous day’s festivities. It was a watery concoction, but enough of it did the job. The rest of his time was spent wandering the temple and waiting for Alaria to return his new prized weapon.

By the end of the day, it had been determined that the potions in the small coffer included one to heal, one that could neutralize poisons of all types and the electrum flask embossed with vines had something to do with the growing of plants…though, Kama apologized, they could not specify exactly its use or application. All of the vials in the coffer were above average size for such elixirs and the temple’s librarian supposed there were two or three draughts of each liquid.

As to the hematite ring it could only be discerned of being protective in nature. Alaria donned the ring as her own. After an initial tingle as the magic of the ring flowed over her body, the magess felt nothing.



Haelan’s shield and Duor’s dagger were each shown to possess the mildest of enchantments, though the dagger possess something “more.”



Of the crystalline orb found with the pearl, they were unable to discern any specific properties...other than it was, most definitely, enchanted and contained magic of a magnitude significantly higher than their other treasures.


Kama and the librarian were very sorry their expertise could not be more specific. Alaria admitted, and also apologized, her own craft was also unable to achieve (what she would have cinsidered) sufficient answers. Still, she thanked the clerics profusely and offered the librarian a token of a few coins as "donation" to the temple for his time and help.

It was suggested by the librarian, that Alaria might seek the aid of the elves at the trading post of Silver Falls. They were known to maintain an enclave of elvish sorcerers to aid the passing of the Miralosta trading skivs up and down the falls to reach the Whitegull Bay and proceed on to their trade in Hawkview.

The following day, fully equipped, and presented by Kama with a small shallow ship of their own. They thankfully took on the provisions of fresh skins of Pure water and a map of the coastline north which included the river D’Evand and the Laklans.

Despite their supplications, which included a sizeble donation of their found gems and gold, Trihna was unable to continue on with them. The Tidemaster explained that since she had used the pearl it was to be her new duty to be the keeper of the pearl’s shrine and to further explore and master the pearl’s power.


The Waverider did take a moment from her new duties to see the party off, hoping they would not be long in their quest and looking forward to seeing them again soon.


After many long hugs and thanks the party, clumsily at first, set sail for the river D’Evand, to the Silver Falls and, it was hoped, on to their destination in Welford.

I really enjoyed the purification of the pearl being the real key to the fight. Also, the water-elemental-hydra was a very cool foe.

Either the party level is higher than I thought or you're using some unusual stats -- do you mind sharing?

And I like the celebration. Always nice to make the heroes of a story FEEL like heroes. The best 'treasure' I ever handed out in my Rise of the Runelords game was a day of celebration in the party's hometown to commemorate their victory over the goblins..