the Kyri Chronicles - last updated 22 Oct - Page 3

**Plane Sailing** · 21st January 2002, 03:22 PM

Amidst the black-painted walls there is a chamber of horrors - a tall robed figure is visible in the far corner of the room, chanting a spell - and between her and the top of the stairs is the escaped cabalist and a series of horrific, slimy be-tentacled creatures. Two of them are small aberrations which ooze noxious acidic vapours which harm everyone within 10’, and a third is a medium aberration with grasping tentacles surrounding a sucking, lampreylike mouth.

Ynnsfeardh moves first and strikes at one of the small aberrations with his kama - which promptly disintegrates in the acid body! Mentally he resolves to *not* use his fist on these creature! Lysander draws his spare dagger and strikes it into the same beast, killing the creature at the cost of a dagger. Crail moves to engage the cabalist and K’tal attempts to shoot the creature with his crossbow, since he no longer has sufficient psychic energy to perform concussions.

The lampreylike creature attacks Lysander and quickly latches on to him, and an awful sucking sound starts. Crails’ opponent concentrates on casting defensively and starts peppering Crail with magic missiles. Ynnsfeardh makes a magnificent tumbling leap over the heads of all the combatants and attempts to strike the leader of the cabal (who must be the one known as “the Blessed”) who responds by scorching him with firebolts - one of which is evaded but the second one strikes home, seriously wounding him. Lysander wounds his attacker, but it then sucks huge mouthfuls of his blood, seriously weakening him (DMs note: in my campaign blood drain attacks reduce Str first, and when that is all gone they reduce Con. Having them reduce Con straight away is too nasty for my liking ) .

Although K’tal is not being terribly effective with his crossbow, the odds don’t look terribly appealing to the Blessed, so she runs up onto the ceiling with her magic slippers and spends a round opening a trapdoor onto the roof. Another crossbow bolt misses her and she ducks out. Ynnsfearth moves to give Crail a flanking attack on the cabalist, but the cabalist hits Crail with another brace of magic missiles, seriously wounding him (and with the blood loss he sustained from the gibbering mouther, he falls unconscious).

Lysander manages to kill his creature just before it sucks him dry, and the remaining acidic aberration disappears in a puff of summoned smoke. The final cabalist falls to the company and they take stock of the situation. Lysander is drained and wounded, Crail seriously so and Azrin is hovering on deaths door.

**Plane Sailing** · 21st January 2002, 03:24 PM

They start to make their way downstairs but find their way blocked by a blazing fire that the unattended flaming sphere started down in the bookshop (Azrin is going to be mortified about the amount of information that has been destroyed!). The doors are all heavily barred with iron, so they get everyone up through the skylight and onto the roof, and then use rope that Lysander had been carrying to lower everyone to the ground and safety.

A crowd are gathering already, and a bucket chain is dousing the nearby buildings to prevent the fire spreading - but it is clear that the bookshop itself is not going to be put out until it is reduced to a shell. The crowd gather round and Lysander raises his voice, allows his Charisma to pour forth and tell people of the great victory that has been won.

The crowd recognise the company as the ones who had dealt with the wererat problem and hoists the heroes aloft, shouting their praises. Lysander sends a messenger back to the temple suggesting to Daros that tomorrows holy day ceremonies should probably have a good sermon, as he expects that there will be a higher than average turn-out! The heroes are carried back to the Queen of Cups where Barnabas is pleased to see them and sorts them out with rooms where they can rest and enjoy the toast of the people. Words get around that there will be a big feast arranged for Holyday afternoon in the heroes honour, tomorrow. In the meantime, they need to spend some time resting and recuperating from the battles of the day.

Before exiting the bookshop, a quick search did turn up the following things:

· A diary with writing in a language that isn’t familiar (Azrin can check it once he is conscious and active again)
· A wand which looks like a sturdy burnt twig with silver around the base. (wand of burning hands)
· A golden ring with a single ruby setting (both these from the defeated cabalist) (+1 protection)
· An arcane scroll (change self, invisibility, haste)
· Two potions, one of which is iridescent blue (the colour of healing) and the other effervescent yellow.

**Plane Sailing** · 21st January 2002, 03:26 PM

Late that afternoon Auriel returns from her time in the nearby grove, swapping information with a witch who had summoned her with an animal messenger. The nearby council of witches is concerned with rumours of continued evil-doing by the renegade Belak, whom Auriel had encountered with others way back in the early days. Apparently there have been sightings of strange, possibly undead plants, and the council would like Auriel and others to investigate in the near future.

Auriel is stunned at the amount of activity which has gone on in her absence, and helps them out with some lesser restoration spells to help alleviate the problems of blood loss suffered by so many of the party. They all rest up overnight at the Queen of Cups and then since it is holyday most proceed to the temple for the morning services, while Auriel hangs around outside and K’tan retires to his residence at “The Wyvern”.

During the service, Azrin appeals to Asura to understand the thoughts of people in the temple, and amidst all the general babble of voices he hears one distinct tone

“Not long to wait, this afternoon, and our plans come to fruition - Mwha-ha-ha!”.

He can’t pinpoint who this is, but takes note of a number of shady looking characters towards the rear of the temple and reports his findings to the others.

They know that this afternoon they have been invited to a feast in their honour, and suspect that a trap may be set there, especially since many of the top merchants will be there and at least one of the Cabal (the leader) has escaped. Azrin also tries to get another word with one of the local acolytes who had tried to tell him something a few days earlier - but despite the acolytes presence in the service, he doesn’t manage to speak with him.

They all decide to go along to the celebration in their honour, but remain watchful. This probably spoils their enjoyment a little, and the songs in their honour go unheard and the women who fawn over them go unloved.

DMs note: Ah, paranoia!

**Plane Sailing** · 21st January 2002, 03:27 PM

Late evening of holyday a messenger boy arrives - can they meet with someone up at the old bell tower. Suspicious, but they agree they must go. As they proceed up Chatterstreet a call is heard from the narrow alley they are passing “Hey, Heros!” and a sneakily aimed crossbow bolt pierces Azrins side. Before the ratman figure - it looks like Squim again - darts back into the alleys.

Lysander and Auriel charge directly after him, and Crail and Ynnsfeardh duck into the next alley along to attempt to cut him off. Azrin treats his wound and moves a little further into the alleyway.

Past the next junction, Lysander sees Squim and moves to attack him, backed up by Auriel - but suddenly two turbaned Mendonnan assassins appear out of the shadows, surrounding the two of them, and one gains a vicious flanking attack on Lysander. Their kris knives are poisoned and both Auriel and Lysander drink deep of the venom.

Meanwhile, two more cloaked rogues have leapt from doorways around Crail and Ynnsfeardh, striking at them, and Azrin (alone in another alley) suddenly finds himself flanked by rogues too!

**Plane Sailing** · 21st January 2002, 03:28 PM

Ynnsfeardh tumbles past Crail and his opponent, allowing Crail to get a flanking attack before stepping aside to prevent being flanked himself. Auriel gets a mighty critical hit with her spear and nearly impales one of the assassins, critically wounding him. He attempts to tumble away but draws an AoO from Lysander who breaks his neck with a snapping kick before continuing to whittle away at squim. Lysander uses his intimidate skill to attempt to enrage Squim, and is successful - the ratman hacks away with more determination than ever, but to little effect this time.

Azrin gulps down a potion of firebreath and breaths at one of the rogues flanking him - and uses the moment when the rogue evades the breath to dash past him and attempt to meet up with his friends again. Crail leaves Ynnsfeardh to handle their two rogues to go and protect Azrin, the monk downing one of his rogues at the same time. Auriel manages to kill the assassin behind her, and then runs back round to the fight near Azrin. She gets into difficulty as she is flanked by two rogues and seriously wounded. Lifting her arms up she transforms into an eagle and quickly flies up onto the guttering.

Lysander finally cuts Squim down, cleaving his head from his neck. Azrin invokes a spiritual scimitar of Asura to start hacking away at one of the enemies after calling upon Asura to bless his companions. Auriel returns to normal form and starts summoning four badgers, which appear and quickly kill one of the rogues.

While Lysander comes round to the main body, Ynnsfeardh finishes off his opponent and Auriel leaps 20ft from the building, attempting to hit the remaining rogue - she misses and nearly knocks herself out! While Crail prepares to send the rogue to his maker, Azrin steps between them and with a perfect leopard punch kills the villain.

Phew!

The party take stock. Whilst all seriously wounded and many of them poisoned, they are all alive. It is worrying to see the assassins from Mendonna here, they are known far and wide as experts in dealing death. Even more worrying, all of the rogues who attacked them have the shaven heads and soft features common to Singharese - just like Azrin and Lysander. What is this, an invasion from Singh or what?

**Plane Sailing** · 22nd January 2002, 10:35 AM

Query: is it better for readers if I post in short segments, or would longer segments be better?

Should I use longer segments until I'm back to the current position and then return to shorter segments after that?

Feedback appreciated!

**Plane Sailing** · 22nd January 2002, 10:37 AM

They retrace their footsteps back to the Queen of Cups, and Lysander flags down a guard, and asks him if he can find out whether Squim escaped from custody, or was released. The message comes back a little later - he was released on orders from the Baron...

Barnabas sets them up in a couple of his best rooms that night, and his wife Maria tends to them with her healing skills.
In the early hours of the morning, both Lysander and Azrin wake, with a sudden feeling of wrongness. They quickly rouse their companions and check the inn, but there is nothing to be found. Crail can see a strange glow from over in the east, and these three decide to pay a visit to their temple.

Storm season has clearly come in with a roar, as rain lashes down and the wind howls around them as they make their way along the main boardwalks towards the temple. They encounter some city guards who have orders to clear people off the streets, but Lysander is determined to make his way to the temple of his god. The guards are torn between their loyalty to the baron and their respect for the Jazumai, and in the end agree to escort Azrin and Crail back to the inn, leaving Lysander to proceed alone.
He finds the temple doors locked.

Shinning up the side of the building, he has a strong sense of evil from within the dome, the sanctuary of the temple. Returning to the ground, he breaks down one of the back doors into the temple. He starts to creep down the passageway when with a howl two hell hounds leap out of the hall in front of him and an evil acolyte, wearing hastily donned armour and with a huge flail appears behind him. He is engaged in combat, and despite his skill the fiery breath of the hounds and the cleric who boxes him in behind are quickly whittling him away. In desperation he calls upon his new sorcerous talents and defensively casts “Daze” at the priest - and then uses his movement action to dart past the dazed opponent and back out into the rain.

Incensed at the obvious desecration of his temple, even more angry that he had to retreat from the battle, Lysander returns to his friends. They decide that it is not safe to remain at the Queen of Cups because enemies at the temple will be on their guard and may be preparing a counterstrike. They leave quickly in the night and return to the old belltower, where Crail once more picks the lock and lets everyone in. They settle down for the night and attempt to heal their wounds and prepare once more.

Come morning, Crail hears trumpets being blown up at the keep, summoning the townspeople for an announcement. While the others pray and prepare, he goes and mingles with the crowd, moving to listen to the announcement. Up on the battlements, he sees the well-known figure of the Baron, giving a proclamation. In the background, Crails keen eyes make out a tall, robed figure standing in the shadows - not the Blessed, but with a head shadowed by a large hood.

The Barons announcement is shocking. Apparently, because of the breakdown of law and order, as exemplified by the assassination attempt on the brave adventurers, but seen also in the fire up on west hill, the wererats killing guards and the general disruption caused by the street festival... so he is declaring martial law. Carrying of weapons will be punishable by death. Alkanar, Lysander and all of the acolytes from the temple are to be arrested on sight, since their temple has failed the town - and the temple is now given over to new forces of law who will be maintaining order in the town. Able bodied men should report to the militia. The town gates will be sealed and nobody will enter or leave the town.

As he finishes, an enormous, skeletal fiendish humanoid appears on the battlements beside him, lifting aloft a huge scythe and lashing the air with a terrible scorpion sting.

Old One · 22nd January 2002, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Plane Sailing
Query: is it better for readers if I post in short segments, or would longer segments be better?

Should I use longer segments until I'm back to the current position and then return to shorter segments after that?

Feedback appreciated!

Use the longer ones to get caught up...then switch to the "nibbles"

!

Old One

**Plane Sailing** · 23rd January 2002, 11:33 AM

Ah, you spoilt my attempt to have the longest thread with no comments

I'll post in longer chunks until I get current - although with the old boards still closed it is a little difficult to remember where I'd got up to!

Cheers

**Plane Sailing** · 23rd January 2002, 11:37 AM

The crowds run from the square in some panic, and Crail moves along with them, making his way back to the bell tower. He doesn’t like the sound of this *one bit*

After his companions finish their praying and spell preparation they all hear the town criers repeating the Barons words - apparently flanked by a pair of enormous goblins with glowing purple eyes. Azrin recognises a fiendish creature from Crails descriptions, and he surmises that a gate must have been opened to a fiendish plane from somewhere in the vicinity. That would match up with the extreme sense of evil that Lysander sensed at the temple the previous night! But how to close such a gate? It is beyond Azrins planar knowledge at the moment - but he is sure that there are a couple of books within the temple library which will give him the answers he needs. Of course, the temple seems to be overrun by fiendish creatures and probably an evil subcult of Asura...

First, they need to find allies. Crail goes off to make contact with K’tal, sticking to the back routes. Even so, he sees the bony fiend with a number of frightened militamen terrorising a baker out on his rounds, and then later narrowly escapes from a huge, fiendish megaraptor stalking round the back ways. K’tal has heard the news and is happy to join up with the company in attempting to bring true order back to the town.

In the meantime, Auriel takes her own walk around the town - much quieter now, with far fewer people around. She notices a couple of turbaned, hawk-nosed men in one of the streets and doesn’t pay them much attention - but they apparently recognise her and shoot at her with their hand-crossbows, poisoning her slightly again. Thankfully she manages to escape and work her way back to the bell tower. It definitely isn’t safe out at the moment, and the enemy have good descriptions of them to work from.

They spend a considerable time planning how to break into the library and collect the necessary books - a frontal assault is out, since they wont have the time to look through the library if they are trying to protect themselves from the cultists, yet somehow they have to get Azrin in there since he’s the only one who knows what books to collect.

A plan is drawn up. That night, Auriel and Azrin sneak up to the temple, to the wall adjoining the library. Auriel casts stone shape and makes a hole that can be wriggled through. Azrin then quaffs the potion of invisibility which was recently found, and works his way into the library, taking off some of the books in order to get into the building. The library is occupied - Felgar is sitting at the table, regarding the doorway and idly tearing pages out of one of the books.

Holding his breath, thanking Asura for luck, Azrin creeps around the back of the library, selects the books he needs, then carefully wriggles out the hole once more. He replaces the books in the shelf behind him as he leaves, and then he and Auriel camouflage the hole and return to the bell tower.

The books have the answers he is looking for. This kind of planar gateway can be closed by channelling energy into it - although it needs to be a concerted effort, as it will be a difficult task, especially if the temple has been desecrated as they anticipate.

Meanwhile, Crail and Lysander move carefully round the town to visit some of the houses of the more devout worshippers from the temple, to see if they can track down what has happened to Alkanar and the temple acolytes. Soon they find a household where one of the acolytes, Sheena, is being sheltered. The other two are at locations further a field in the town, although nobody is sure of the whereabouts of Alkanar. It seems likely that he is being kept prisoner somewhere for a future sacrifice at a major holyday ceremony which would be in a couple of days time. With assurances of faithfulness, the worshippers agree to spread the word to the other acolytes

Crail then goes to attempt to locate some of his friends from the old thieves guild, from before the ratmen came. After a days searching he follows up rumours of the girl Laidly, and makes his way to an abandoned warehouse near the Chatterstreet gate. He picks the complex lock to gain access, and is nearly turned into a pincushion by crossbows, but Laidly recognises him and holds their fire. A short reunion ensures, and although the band of rogues will not aid in any direct assault, they are happy to provide a distraction up at Westgate, to draw attention away from the temple end of town.

They spend the next day, Waxday, resting up and contemplating all that has happened within the last week. Lysander re-dedicates himself to the path of the Jazumai, practicing his swordplay and prayers more. Crail turns his thoughts from roguish ways to more direct combat and Azrin concentrates on new prayers from some of the books which he took from the library.

Current roster:
Lysander: Jazumai 5 / Sorcerer 1
Auriel: Witch 5
Crail: Rogue 3 / Fighter 1
Azrin: Priest 3 / Monk 1
Ynnsfeardh: Monk 4
K’tal: Mage Savant 4

**Plane Sailing** · 23rd January 2002, 03:16 PM

Moonday dawns, and the company assemble in a side street near the temple an hour before dawn. Azrin and Auriel meet the acolytes and pray for their spells, and then the company casts preparatory spells and advances. Lysander drinks the potion of Eagles Splendour and his force of personality visibly increases.
Auriel uses stoneshape to wreck the hinges of the great stone doors into the temple dome, and the party leap into the central atrium. From the middle of the hall, where the altar used to be, a pillar of fire reaches upwards, scorching the roof of the dome overhead. Beyond it can be seen the skeletal fiend.

Azrin casts “consecrate” to dispel the desecration in the temple, and Lysander, assisted by the three acolytes, attempts to pour sacred energy into the gate. Focussed and hyped up on adrenaline, the four of them pray their hearts out and the fiery gate visibly dims. Others launch attacks on the fiendish osyluth, with K’tal being especially successful, blasting a concussion past its spell resistance and wounding it quite badly. The Osyluth responds by creating a wall of ice between the party and the gate, but Azrin whips out his new wand of burning hands, and invoking the name of Asura the consuming fire demolishes the ice wall, turning it into steam.

Next round Lysander and the acolytes continue to pour sacred energy into the gate and Asura hears their petitions and the gate swings shut, snuffing out the infernal fire. The Osyluth roars its rage, and teleports into the midst of them, missing Lysander with its scythe, but impaling one of the acolytes upon its sting; Sheena is flung aside like a lifeless rag doll. As the rest of the company moves to encircle it, the creature teleports to the other side of the dome, shrugging off further attempts at concussion by K’tal which fail to penetrate its spell resistance.

Not willing to allow it to escape or regroup, Ynnsfeardh, Auriel and Lysander charge across to it and continue to press the attack - and as Lysander calls upon Asura to allow him to smite evil, despite his personal failings, he lands a mighty blow which severs the creatures spine, and it collapses into a mass of stinking, festering bones.

The gate is closed. No more fiends will be coming through to the city, although there are plenty that seem to have already entered through the gate. And what about the evil cultists still occupying the temple?

“Enough!” cries Lysander. “This temple needs to be cleansed!”

Azrin runs over to the door into the east wing, and blocks it while covering the opposite door with his crossbow.

Suddenly a great, pointy eared figure with blazing violet eyes appears on one of the balconies overlooking the central atrium and casts a spell at Lysander. "Stay where you are, my friend!" it cries out, and Lysander complies. Another appears, and projects a terrible feeling of despair which is shrugged off by all except for Auriel, who starts to wonder what the point of it all is.

Ynnsfeardh vaults up to the balcony, but fails to land a blow. Crossbows are fired at the creatures, but pass harmlessly through their bodies. What kind of monster are these? Then, hungry for blood and souls the Barghests leap into combat, shifting into their wolf-forms. K'tal launches one more
concussion successfully, then fights with his crossbow, shooting into the various melees.

With the most powerful combatants either charmed or despairing, a hard fight ensues while the remaining party members attempt to fend off the barghests - and Azrin can hear the sound of someone breaking down the door which he is holding closed.

On the far side another hell hound bursts through from the west wing, shrugging off an AoO and lightly wounded by a crossbow as it charges towards Azrin. Both Barghests have taken significant damage by this point, and decide that it isn't worth hanging around, and dimension door away.

The door behind Azrin bursts apart, and the Acolyte Keltar burst in, swinging a great flail at Azrin who runs over to the other side of the chamber. He misses, and receives a brief stab in the kidneys from Crail who had moved into a flanking position in anticipation. As Auriel also moves into the attack Keltar retreats back to lick his wounds and two hell hounds burst past him into the room. One of them engulfs Auriel in flames, but she smiles grimly as they lick harmlessly around her thanks to her spells. One of the hell hounds is downed, then Crail receives a very nasty bite and burn which takes him down.

Keltar appears again and touches one of the severely wounded hell hounds - and as the distant tolling of a bell is heard the hound slumps lifeless and more strength flows through their foes arms. He scores a mighty critical hit on Auriel (rolled 2d10+10 and caused 30 points damage!) Still Keltar is now
outnumbered, and despite causing some serious injuries is soon killed himself.

In the moments hush, the party is quick to rouse Lysander from his stupor. Then they hear a shout from the west wing:

"Lysander! I challenge you to a congress of blades"

**Piratecat** · 23rd January 2002, 03:39 PM

I think people are more likely to read a story hour when the individual posts are shorter. I'm not sure why, but it seems to be the case.

But who cares? I'm having fun catching up. Now, if the old boards would just reopen, so that we can get to our archives....

**Plane Sailing** · 23rd January 2002, 05:04 PM

I know that I am more likely to start reading a storyhour with short segments - I think if I see a smaller bit of text it is easy to think "oh, I can manage that one"

Any idea when the old boards will reopen, PC? I would have been more careful to get everything transferred before open day if I'd realised they were going to spend so long closed

At least I've got my original source document to work from, which is something.

Cheers

**Piratecat** · 23rd January 2002, 06:19 PM

They'll reopen as soon as activity here dies down a bit; with lots of registration, the server will complain about the additional load, even if they're read-only. I'm guessing within two weeks!

**Plane Sailing** · 24th January 2002, 10:47 AM

Felgar steps into the room, clad in half-plate armour with the other dark-eyed acolyte as her second. She has issued the traditional Jazumai challenge to a duel, a one-on-one fight between Jazumai in which no outside interference is brooked.

Lysander replies "to the death, naturally!"

"Indeed, to the death. You may take a few moments to prepare yourself. I have long looked forward to testing myself against someone of your mettle".

Lysander takes a moment to heal himself and cast a sorcerous magic weapon on his scimitar, then the two Jazumai square off in the centre of the room.

Disconcerted that he cannot cry "my god is better than your god" since they both serve different aspects of Asura, Lysander launches into the attack and draws blood immediately - but is then surprised as Felgar takes two slashes with her scimitar and then spins around and lands a crushing blow with her foot, nearly knocking him over! Dms note: Felgar is a Ftr1/Jazumai5. She is not as strong, dextrous or charismatic as Lysander, but her base attack bonus gives her one extra attack per round and she has two weapon fighting to enable her to use her unarmed attack alongside the scimitar swipes.

The battle rages as standing toe to toe the scimitars whirl. Lysander scores a critical hit! Felgar fails to knock him over with her kick once more. Lysander scores another critical hit! DMs note: I couldn't believe it. It seems clear who Asura really favoured in this battle! Felgar calls upon Asura to heal her wounds and then redoubles her assault on her opponent.

Finally Lysander scores yet another critical hit and cleaves the wounded Felgar in two.

The remaining acolyte charges across the room and attacks Lysander with his great flail, crying out, but Auriel and the others are able to enter the fight now and despite a couple of awesome blows, he is soon cut down. While the injured tend to each other and somebody remembers Daros ability to raise dead so Felgar is decapitated, Azrin moves off into the west wing on his own to search for Alkanar.

yep, you heard that right, he went off on his own into the unexplored area while severely wounded.

Azrin quickly runs round the rooms in the east wing of the temple, looking for Alkanar the high priest. He finds damaged books in the library, and the robing room was clearly used by some of the hell hounds as a nest.

While the fight with the acolyte continues in the main hall, he runs up the stairs, and peeks into Alkanar’s room - in the process of being desecrated by a foul imp. The imp flies at him and he hobbles through the doorway that leads to the balcony - and comes face to face with Daros, armoured and glowing with magic.

Daros sees his badly wounded condition and quickly casts "death knell' and strikes Azrin! Remarkably, Azrin saves (on a 20) and leaps straight past Daros and over the edge of the balcony - a 25' leap, made possible by the potion of jumping which he had imbibed earlier.

Lysander and the others are astounded to see Azrin land amongst them, and all the more astounded when an Unholy Blight explodes amongst them. Auriel is untouched out of range, as is K'tan, Lysander shrugs off the worst of the blast but the others are all mortally injured, and only just save vs dying.
Lysander calls out to Daros

" Either fight or leave now!" - somewhat of a bluff, since the party are in no condition to take on the high priest - but Daros doesn't know that. He airwalks off the balcony and hangs above the party, before booming out

"You have slain my chosen Jazumai. I will have to raise up another. My plans here are ruined, and it seems the voices in my prophetic dreams were mistaken - but I have other eggs a-hatching, and I must tend to them. Beware when we meet again, I may not be so merciful'. He then airwalks out through a hole in the temple dome.

Lysander breathes a sigh of relief - he knew that they were in no condition to take on Daros, and he managed to bluff him out of the picture.

They party quickly tend their wounds, then turn their minds to the other large problems facing Knightsbridge. Apart from the fiendish creatures currently walking the streets, and un-investigated problems in Southspur, it seems clear that the Baron is under some kind of control. Furthermore, it seems likely that that is where Alkanar the priest is being kept captive...

**Plane Sailing** · 24th January 2002, 02:39 PM

The Baron spends most of his time in the villa rather than the gatehouse, and so the heroes plan their rescue attempt carefully. Crail goes to find the remnants of the old thieves guild once again, and for the price of a platinum ring which Azrin gave him, he procures from them a set of plans for the villa.

Clearly, their best route would be to enter through the top of the tower. Auriel flies up to the top in bird form, and lets down ropes which the others use to assist their climb. The wooden trapdoor at the top of the tower is cunningly locked and barred, but Auriel calls upon magic to shape the wood and makes it openable.
They proceed down the narrow spiral staircase in single file, Crail and Lysander in the lead and the others bringing up the rear. They find the door to the bedroom and carefully swing it open. Inside is a richly appointed bedroom and a tattered figure lying on the bed...

While Crail and Lysander enter the room, Azrin calls upon Asura to reveal thoughts to him, and he scans around the room, attempting to pick up the mental voices of anyone who is hidden. While most of the others enter the room, Azrin completes his scan - and detects some thoughts from another entity in the room - coldly thinking “now I’ve got them”.

Azrin calls out “there’s something else in here!” when suddenly a terrible blast of freezing cold sweeps through the room, and a horned ogre magi appears over at one side. Azrin runs out of the room to cast a prayer, while Lysander, Crail, Ynnsfeardh and Auriel move to attack the ogre. Crail misjudges its reach, and is caught by a mighty two-handed blow, but the others press the attack and the ogre lacks the room to use his full manoeuvrability.

Shocked to find itself near death in a matter of only eighteen seconds, the creature turns gaseous in order to escape and regenerate - a ploy that is foiled as Azrin dashes back into the room and uses his domain spell - burning hands - to destroy the fiend.

Congratulations all round, the party think about seeing to their wounds and checking the frail body on the bed - indeed, it is Alkanar.

Suddenly, they all find their heads filled with an awful, awful screeching sound - mind numbingly painful, all of them reel stunned except for Lysander, who resists it by the grace of Asura - and is horrified to see a creature phase into reality next to Ynnsfeardh and grab him. Lysander launches an attack, slightly wounding the creature that looks at him with pupil-less white eyes and speaks into his mind

“Bull or cow, the cattle shouldn’t raise its hand against the farmer; the world that you knew is doomed. And I will remember YOU in particular”.

Then with mounting horror he sees the hooded creature phase out once more, carrying the stunned Ynnsfeardh with it!

**Plane Sailing** · 25th January 2002, 10:33 AM

Gradually the company recover from the dreadful results of the mind blast, and wonder what they should do. Can they rescue Ynnsfeardh? Should they retreat from the villa now, in their wounded state, or should they press on and attempt to rescue the Baron from his foul captors before a replacement for the Ogre Mage can be arranged?

Looking to the bed, Lysander checks Alkanar and finds that he has been severely affected by both Devil Chills and Cackle fever, leaving him weak and unable to pray for even the most simple of aid from Asura. Lysander calls upon the power which Asura has granted him to cure disease, and drives the worst of the infection from the high priest. Auriel then picks up the frail old man as they decide to make their exit.

In the meantime, Azrin was checking out documentation on the table, to see if he can find any clues - the only notable thing is that all of the account ledgers haven’t had any entries made in the last three weeks - pretty much since the start of the fair and the start of the troubles in Knightsbridge. Crail on the other hand, was investigating a bureau and found a secret compartment with rubies and sapphires which he surreptitiously pocketed.

Their plan is to continue down into the villa and out through the front - moving down another level they come out onto the villas mezzanine, where they can see some comfy chairs set around a table. In one of the chairs facing them sits the Baron with glazed eyes, another figure is in the chair with his back to them.

Crail sneaks up, intent on sneak attacking the man whose face is obscured - and is taken aback to find Ynnsfeardh slumped in the chair. Worse, he is covered in blood, and there is a gaping hole running from his forehead to the crown of his head. Something terrible has eaten his brain!

Ziggy · 25th January 2002, 11:02 AM

Hi Plane Sailing!

I've read it all, and it's good. I like the plot and the narrative, and I'll try to keep up with it (but reading story hours is putting a serious dent on my spare time these days).

I would like to see a bit more dialogue and "behind-the-scenes", but that's just my personal preferences. Keep up the good work, I know how hard it is.

.Ziggy

**Plane Sailing** · 25th January 2002, 12:41 PM

Thanks for taking a look, Ziggy!

A lot of the early stuff was written retrospectively by several months, so I could remember very little dialog by the time I was writing. I'm attempting to write things up fairly soon after the event nowadays, but I'm still a little behind (and the storyhour has quite a way to go before I catch up to the present day)

I'm very glad that you've enjoyed what you've read, and I think it is encouraging for all story-hour writers when readers post anything encouraging at all!

Cheers,

**Plane Sailing** · 25th January 2002, 05:32 PM

There isn’t time to mourn the loss of their friend, and the party help the passive Baron to his feet, and guide him down the stairs and to the front door. Opening the first set of gates they see two guards who are understandably surprised - Lysander’s attempt to bluff them fails because the guards know that Lysander is a wanted man with a price on his head - and Lysander and Crail find themselves engaged in combat by the halberd - wielding guardsmen.

One of them manages to wind his alarm horn, despite Azrin’s attempt to knock it from his hand by casting his chakram - which ricochets madly around the tiny area but doesn’t injure anyone. One of the guardsmen is severely wounded and slumps down unconscious, but the other is threatening Crail severely so K’tan concentrates hard and launches a concussion - and the guardsman explodes in a gory heap (DMs note: I use concussion as a ranged touch attack - and he got a critical hit and rolled extremely well on the damage).

Although a key to the front gates is quickly found, the sound of alert guards on the outside attempting to get through the portal is worrying - whether or not the party is able to deal with them, they are not willing to decimate the Barons guards who only think that they are doing their job.

Azrin had prayed earlier that day for the ability to locate secret doors, and he now calls upon Asura to honour that prayer - and as he turns and scans the room, he sees a secret doorway hidden within the fireplace! Auriel protects herself from fire and then moves the logs and ashes out of the way and opens the door. Closing the door behind them they follow the narrow passage to a secret opening on the outer wall of the villa, and make their escape into the dark.

They plan to meet at the Bell tower, and split up - Crail is to attempt to borrow some additional clothes from known supporters of the temple (to use as a disguise for the Baron if necessary), while the others travel home. On the way they spot and are spotted by another one of the Mendonnan assassins who escapes from them but starts trailing them. They decide not to return directly to the bell tower but to go to the temple and then use the secret tunnel they had made in the library to duck out...