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Story Hour
Erkonin (Campaign #2) [Session 45: Rajalmin's Agent]
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<blockquote data-quote="prabe" data-source="post: 8314448" data-attributes="member: 7016699"><p>Session 45: Rajalmin’s Agent</p><p></p><p>Dramatis Personae:</p><p></p><p>Aldalómiel - Wood Elf Ranger (Hunter Conclave)/Druid (Circle of Stars)</p><p>Elama “Lamie” Galanodel- Wood Elf Cleric (Tempest)</p><p>Vinya Anar - Wood Elf Monk (Way of the Sun Soul)</p><p>Marxine - Mountain Dwarf Fighter (Champion)/Paladin</p><p>Elderon - High Elf Wizard (Loremaster)</p><p></p><p>GM - Everyone Else</p><p></p><p></p><p>22 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 173)</p><p></p><p>We successfully crossed the lake during this day. In the evening we arrived at Terozzi on the other side of the lake and docked there for the night.</p><p></p><p>During the day we talked about the stuff that we found in the fallen tower. Elderron was interested in the Cloak of the Bat, so he got that. We decided that Marxine should get the Ring of Free Action, though that could be useful for anyone. We decided to keep the Hat of Disguise in the Handy Haversack, because it might be useful sort of situationally.</p><p></p><p>We overnighted on the iv-Nulis in Terozzi and the night passed without incident.</p><p></p><p></p><p>23 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 174)</p><p></p><p>Before we left town the next morning, the iv-Nulis took on another passenger -- an earth genasi merchant. We didn’t see any large quantity of goods being loaded as the genasi came on board.</p><p></p><p>He was introduced to us as Irahi Tulq and one of the crew told us that he’d paid well to be another passenger on the barge. (The iv-Nulis is much more a cargo barge than a passenger vessel.)</p><p></p><p>Irahi Tulq was very interested in talking about the things we’d seen and done. Over the course of the next couple of days we talked with him several times. Elama mentioned the fallen tower, which got him very interested. We told him about the things we’d fought and the furniture that had fallen. We mentioned that there had been some sort of time-stopping effect protecting things until the wizard died -- then the furniture started to decay. Vinya was careful not to mention anything about the library that we found.</p><p></p><p>Irahi Tulq: Why are you on the river?</p><p>Vinya: We were at Brush Bend. We were at Luxug’s Wall in Daqi, I don’t know if you know it, and saw that some naughty word was going down in Brush Bend. So we hurried over to help.</p><p>Irahi Tulq: That behavior just baffles me. You ran toward the danger.</p><p></p><p>Elama read his surface thoughts with her Helm of Mind Reading. He didn’t seem to be baffled at all.</p><p></p><p>Irahi Tulq, thoughts: (sarcastic) Of course they went to help.</p><p></p><p>Vinya kept back anything to do with demons, devils, fiends, and most especially Rajalmin. But she was willing to talk about anything else we’d seen -- including other floating towers and things we’d fought in various places.</p><p></p><p>In another conversation, we asked him what he traded in.</p><p></p><p>Tulq: It is best described as small but expensive items.</p><p>Vinya: You must have some significant powers to be able to defend yourself and your goods.</p><p>Tulq: They are not obvious. I found a bag of holding and use it to transport my items.</p><p>Vinya: Oh, man, we’d love one of those.</p><p>Tulq: It is not for sale.</p><p>Vinya: No, of course not. But we’d appreciate you letting us know if you see one for sale. If you have a way to do so.</p><p>Marxine: Why are you alone?</p><p>Tulq: I have found that one person on publicly maintained roads generally can avoid the notice of those that might be inclined to rob him. Security by obscurity.</p><p>Vinya: Have you been anywhere interesting? Can you recommend places for us to go?</p><p>Tulq: In Oldest Dhaqi there is the House of the Wind and Sand. They are all about flying and rapid overland travel, especially around Za’akesh. Their prices are, however, exorbitant.</p><p>Vinya: We traveled by the Shining Silver Tetrahedron. They were likewise not cheap.</p><p>Tulq: Teleportation rarely is. As I’m sure you know, the Tetrahedron also does planar travel.</p><p></p><p>It became clear to us that Irahi was only going as far as Rhe’ez -- a village a few days travel from Terozzi.</p><p></p><p>We traveled without incident (other than walking the horses along with the mules on the towpath and talking to Irahi Tulq) for a couple of days until we arrived at the next village.</p><p></p><p></p><p>25 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 176)</p><p></p><p>We arrived at the next village, Onitri, on this day. Aldalomiel left the iv-Nulis to go look for ammunition. Elderron went to find fine paper and inks so he could start transcribing the spells he could readily figure out from the broken abacus spellbook.</p><p></p><p>Irahi Tulq disembarked and Vinya sort of generally followed him, going in the same direction without trying to be obvious about following him. He went to a market and went through some merchant stalls. He appeared to be looking for deals on small items that he could carry in his bag of holding. Vinya followed him for a little while, until he proved to be absolutely boring, then she returned to the boat.</p><p></p><p>We stayed on the boat, docked in Onitri overnight. And the night passed without incident.</p><p></p><p></p><p>26-27 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 177-178)</p><p></p><p>A couple of days passed quietly as we sailed from Onitri to Rhe’ez.</p><p></p><p></p><p>28 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 179)</p><p></p><p>We arrived in Rhe’ez late in the day and we’re told we’d be staying there overnight. Irahi Tulq disembarked as soon as the boat docked and was gone out of sight almost as soon as the boat tied up.</p><p></p><p>We asked one of the crew for a restaurant recommendation and were sent to the Sterling Dolphin for dinner. The food there was clearly inspired by or related to Dhaqin street food -- smoky, peppery foods, some moles, tapas-style small plates. We ordered a feast of small plates and tried lots of different things. All very good.</p><p></p><p>Vinya kept an eye out, but we didn’t see Irah Tulq.</p><p></p><p>After dinner, we returned to the boat and the night passed without incident.</p><p></p><p></p><p>29 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 180)</p><p></p><p>We left Rhe’ez in the morning on the iv-Nulis. We were informed by the crew that we were going to be traveling for a while between towns and were going to be traveling overnight.</p><p></p><p>In the evening after dinner, Aldalomiel was up on deck walking around, Vinya and Elama were sitting up in the bow watching things go by. Elderron was studying in our cabin down below. Marxine was down below trying to ignore the fact that we were traveling by boat. Still.</p><p></p><p>Around sunset, as we were going along, one of the crewmembers, who had been swabbing the deck, suddenly just fell over, drooling. Elama ran to him -- he didn’t appear to be breathing, so she gave him some healing. He sat up.</p><p></p><p>Elama: What happened?</p><p>Crewmember: (drools)</p><p></p><p>He was now breathing, but appeared to have suffered some sort of severe, traumatic mental injury.</p><p></p><p>Elama: Can you get Elderron, Vinya?</p><p></p><p>Vinya ran down to our quarters and told Elderron and Marxine what was going on and where Elama was with the crewman. Then she went to get Captain Luzin.</p><p></p><p>Elderron, to Elama: What’s going on?</p><p>Elama: He just fell over and was dying. I cured him but he’s still not right.</p><p>Elderron: There are some spells that leave no wounds but leave the victim stupid.</p><p>Vinya: Permanently?</p><p>Elderron: For a very long time.</p><p></p><p>Vinya and the captain looked around the deck and around the ship, but didn’t see anyone but us and the crew there. We got back to Elama and the stricken crewmember.</p><p></p><p>Elama: How far are we from Dhaqi?</p><p>Captain: About four days.</p><p>Elama: Maybe someone in the next town can help him.</p><p></p><p>Vinya cast see invisibility from the Rod of Alertness and looked around very carefully, walking around the perimeter of the deck and looking around. About 60’ off the stern of the boat, she saw a giant frog-like thing swimming along and keeping pace with the iv-Nulis. It was human-sized but frog-esque.</p><p></p><p>Vinya went and passed the word to Aldalomiel, asking her to tell the rest of the party, then tried to hide and watch it without letting it know it had been made. Unfortunately, when she got back to keep an eye on it, it had dropped back. It had apparently spotted her spotting it.</p><p></p><p>Aldalomiel spread the word amongst the party that there was a froggy, aquatic, invisible thing tailing us. She talked to the captain about whether he’d be willing to stop the boat. He said he would be, though his own inclination was to get to Dhaqi as quickly as possible. Elderron started ritual casting water breathing.</p><p></p><p>Vinya noticed that it was falling back -- not getting out-paced, but deliberately hanging back. Vinya passed that word to the others. Vinya started the crew making a hue and cry about the stricken crewman, Jorni, hoping that might make the frog-thing curious. .</p><p></p><p>The Captain pulled over to the side of the canal and tied up at one of the cleats left at regular intervals for the canalboats to use. When the boat stopped, the frog thing stopped and backed off some -- to about 100 feet away behind us. We noticed another barge approaching, from the other direction (from Dhaqi) -- it was about 100 feet in the other direction.</p><p></p><p>Captain Luzin: I’ll make sure they stop.</p><p></p><p>We decided we couldn’t wait, because that other boat was going to be in danger. Elderron stopped casting the water breathing and ran to the back of the boat to cast dispel magic. Elama was waiting there, ready to cast control water as soon as she could see it. Aldalomiel held an arrow shot, likewise waiting until she could see it.</p><p></p><p>Once Elderron cast dispel magic, he recognized the thing as a hydroloth, a type of yugoloth that steals memories. That memory-theft effect can be reversed with either greater restoration or remove curse. They often work as mercenaries for demons or devils. He relayed this information to the rest of us.</p><p></p><p>Marxine jumped off the boat onto the towpath and ran as fast as she could back in its direction.</p><p></p><p>Elama cast control water, moving the water away from the hydroloth and leaving dead center in a 100’ area without water. It had 50’ of dry canal bottom in every direction around it. Then she jumped onto the towpath and ran toward it again.</p><p></p><p>Aldalomiel fired her held shot, hitting it nicely.</p><p></p><p>Vinya jumped off the boat and ran as fast as she could, using some of her ki to run with the step of the wind. Then she fired two radiant sunbolts at it, hitting with one.</p><p></p><p>The hydroloth waved its froggy hands and tried to do some weird magical stuff, but nothing happened. Elderron got the sense that it had tried to dispel the control water and failed. Then it moved to Vinya and tried to grab her, but missed.</p><p></p><p>Elderron cast lightning bolt on it, upcharge, but altered the damage to radiant and the save to wisdom. It was a solid hit that did a lot of damage. Marxine jumped into the dry canal and moved and dashed so that she was right up in its face. Aldalomiel fired two arrows at it, hitting twice and doing a lot of damage. Elama ran and jumped into the dry canal, running and dashing to get as close as possible. Then she cast spiritual weapon, placing the little floating lightning cloud right next to it, but missed with that. Vinya shot it with sunbolts again, hitting twice (once a crit). She spent some of her ki to fire two more sunbolts at it, getting another crit. That dropped it.</p><p></p><p>The body began to deliquesce into a foul-smelling puddle.</p><p></p><p>Elderron: There are no more, are there?</p><p>Vinya, still seeing invisible things: Don’t see any.</p><p></p><p>Vinya walked up the side of the canal and tied a rope to a cleat, throwing it down to help the others up out of the canal.</p><p></p><p>Once Elama and Marxine were out of the canal, Elama released the hold water. We walked the hundred or so feet back to the iv-Nulis together.</p><p></p><p>Elama: We all think Rajalmin sent this, right?</p><p>Vinya: I sure do. He hired those oni, so we know he’s not above hiring mercenaries.</p><p>Marxine: And we just pissed him off.</p><p>Elama: He might have informants.</p><p>Vinya: I’m back to suspecting Irahi Tulq.</p><p></p><p>We got back on the ship and give the Captain the all clear, which he relayed to the boat going in the other direction.</p><p></p><p>Vinya: I believe that Elama can help Jorni.</p><p>Elama: Yep. Tomorrow.</p><p></p><p>When we’d resumed proceeding, Vinya went to talk to the captain.</p><p></p><p>Vinya: Have you encountered anything in the water that attacked people before?</p><p>Captain Luzin: No. Trade is too important. Dhaqi and Illhon, its trading partner, go to some lengths to keep the canal clear.</p><p>Vinya: Okay. So that really was weird.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the day and night passed without incident.</p><p></p><p></p><p>30 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 181)</p><p></p><p>First thing in the morning, Elama cast remove curse and undid the sailor Jorni’s memory theft.</p><p></p><p>Elderron explained to us that if it had gotten memories from someone in the party, it could have taken that memory to Rajalmin, so that he would have our memories. Elderron thought it could examine the memories it collects. So it knew that it had gotten a sailor and missed any of us.</p><p></p><p>Elama: I’m getting pissed. Rajalmin doing things to usis one thing -- but taking down random people and mind-snarfing them is not cool. I wonder if that thing was in brush Bend and followed us the whole way.</p><p>Vinya: I’m still suspecting Irahi Tulq.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the day and the night, indeed the entire rest of the trip, passed, though we had some fun celebration of the Feast of Sky, the midsummer festival, on the ship (on Day 182). Lots of drinking, though less than there would have been ashore and/or further north--there’s a tradition of drinking from sundown to sunup, trading off standing the rounds..</p><p></p><p></p><p>2 Sunnin 749 (Campaign day 184)</p><p></p><p>We arrived in Dhaqi right around dinner time.The first thing we did on our arrival was to go check in with Lt. Linnolim to get our guard badges fixed. He was happy to see us and that we had survived our adventure intact. We filled him in on what happened -- both what had taken us so suddenly out of Dhaqi to Brush Bend and what happened on the way home.</p><p></p><p>Vinya:We talked with your sister about the fallen tower.</p><p>Linnolim: Yes. They decided to travel more quickly to get there, because it seemed like a dangerous situation.</p><p>Vinya: Oh, they didn’t go by boat?</p><p>Linnolim: She and one of her librarians traveled by flying carpet there. They made arrangements to have a barge meet them there. There are going to be some librarians and laborers on the boat.</p><p>Marxine: Could it be the barge we accidentally stopped?</p><p>Linnolim: (confused look)</p><p>Vinya: We were attacked by a hydroloth we think was sent by Rajalmin. He was definitely involved in the situation in Brush Bend. Do you know an earth genasi named Irahi Turq?</p><p>Linnolim: No. I don’t think so, why?</p><p>Vinya: Random, free-floating paranoia. But he got on our boat, asked a lot of questions about what we’d been up to, then got off. Then we were attacked by the hydroloth.</p><p></p><p>Linnolim took our guard badges, which had gotten thoroughly marked with verdigris during our time away from the city, and gave us new ones.</p><p></p><p>Vinya: Is there anything we can help with?</p><p>Linnolim: Not right now, but I’ll keep an eye out.</p><p></p><p>We left the guard house and went back to our inn, Bultir’s. Bultir was apologetic, because he’d had to let our rooms in our absence. However, he did have new rooms for us.</p><p></p><p>Elama: Can you keep horses?</p><p>Bultir: There are stables in the Society of Guests.</p><p></p><p>We took our horses (Nibbles, Horse, Comrade II, and the unnamed horses belonging to Aldalomiel and Elderron) to the stables and made arrangements for them to be stabled there. Then we went back to Bultir’s and took rooms. Elderron considered whether he needed to rent a room for a workshop, but didn’t make the decision to do that right away.</p><p></p><p>We ate in the restaurant, then went to our rooms to rest. We had two rooms with a connecting door between them. Elderron spent a couple of hours learning the spell Alarm from the abacus. Then he ritual cast it on the doors and the windows.</p><p></p><p>The night passed without incident.</p><p></p><p></p><p>3 Sunnin 749 (Campaign day 185)</p><p></p><p>We ate breakfast in the restaurant at Bultir’s.</p><p></p><p>Vinya, as she finished hers: I’d like to go to Luxug’s Wall and see if we can learn more about this Irahi Turq person.</p><p></p><p>The others agreed and we went there after we finished eating. At Luxug’s we paid our money and took our numbered flag. Then we got coffee and sat down to wait for our report.</p><p></p><p>When it arrived, the report was short.</p><p></p><p>Irahi Tulq lost his soul to a succubus some 70 years ago. Since then, the succubus has been intermittently using him as a persona to assume.</p><p></p><p>Vinya: So it was the succubitch that reported our location. Then Rajalmin sent something big to deal with us. (an unpleasant realization dawns) Rajalmin knows how long it takes for a cargo barge to get to Dhaqi.</p><p></p><p>Vinya (to the desk clerk at Luxug’s Wall): Do you do extra-planar readings?</p><p>Clerk: It is more expensive and less reliable. And less complete.</p><p></p><p>Vinya and Elama paid for a report on Rajalmin.</p><p></p><p>Vinya, as we went to sit down again: I wonder if we get a refund if it turns out he’s on this plane after all…</p><p></p><p>A little while, and some very good coffee, later, we got our report.</p><p></p><p>Ughu Rajalmin Ard is a mighty rakshasa in the indirect service of Dispater. His lord is most interested in information, and Rajalmin mostly serves that need. On Erknonin, Rajalmin sates his lust for pleasure and undying revenge. His castle on Dis is full of fiends who serve him directly rather than taking part themselves in the Blood War.</p><p></p><p>Rajalmin has access to slightly more magic than most rakshasas, and is completely unafraid to step into combat himself with his greatsword.</p><p></p><p>The gate in the Well of Screams has on occasion led directly to his small castle on Dis, as has one of the portals in the Prince's Palace in Kiranamakir.</p><p></p><p>We left Luxug’s Wall and walked and talked about this. We already knew from Elderron’s research that Rajalmin goes after the families of the people who thwart him. And that he has all kinds of devils and yugoloths and fiends (non-specific) working for him. But no one has ever seen him working with demons.</p><p></p><p>Elama had a bit of shopping to do -- she wanted to get some additional diamonds so she’d have enough for four castings of Revivify. She also acquired a crystal ball for scrying.</p><p></p><p>We also went up to level 9.</p><p></p><p>And there we ended.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="prabe, post: 8314448, member: 7016699"] Session 45: Rajalmin’s Agent Dramatis Personae: Aldalómiel - Wood Elf Ranger (Hunter Conclave)/Druid (Circle of Stars) Elama “Lamie” Galanodel- Wood Elf Cleric (Tempest) Vinya Anar - Wood Elf Monk (Way of the Sun Soul) Marxine - Mountain Dwarf Fighter (Champion)/Paladin Elderon - High Elf Wizard (Loremaster) GM - Everyone Else 22 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 173) We successfully crossed the lake during this day. In the evening we arrived at Terozzi on the other side of the lake and docked there for the night. During the day we talked about the stuff that we found in the fallen tower. Elderron was interested in the Cloak of the Bat, so he got that. We decided that Marxine should get the Ring of Free Action, though that could be useful for anyone. We decided to keep the Hat of Disguise in the Handy Haversack, because it might be useful sort of situationally. We overnighted on the iv-Nulis in Terozzi and the night passed without incident. 23 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 174) Before we left town the next morning, the iv-Nulis took on another passenger -- an earth genasi merchant. We didn’t see any large quantity of goods being loaded as the genasi came on board. He was introduced to us as Irahi Tulq and one of the crew told us that he’d paid well to be another passenger on the barge. (The iv-Nulis is much more a cargo barge than a passenger vessel.) Irahi Tulq was very interested in talking about the things we’d seen and done. Over the course of the next couple of days we talked with him several times. Elama mentioned the fallen tower, which got him very interested. We told him about the things we’d fought and the furniture that had fallen. We mentioned that there had been some sort of time-stopping effect protecting things until the wizard died -- then the furniture started to decay. Vinya was careful not to mention anything about the library that we found. Irahi Tulq: Why are you on the river? Vinya: We were at Brush Bend. We were at Luxug’s Wall in Daqi, I don’t know if you know it, and saw that some naughty word was going down in Brush Bend. So we hurried over to help. Irahi Tulq: That behavior just baffles me. You ran toward the danger. Elama read his surface thoughts with her Helm of Mind Reading. He didn’t seem to be baffled at all. Irahi Tulq, thoughts: (sarcastic) Of course they went to help. Vinya kept back anything to do with demons, devils, fiends, and most especially Rajalmin. But she was willing to talk about anything else we’d seen -- including other floating towers and things we’d fought in various places. In another conversation, we asked him what he traded in. Tulq: It is best described as small but expensive items. Vinya: You must have some significant powers to be able to defend yourself and your goods. Tulq: They are not obvious. I found a bag of holding and use it to transport my items. Vinya: Oh, man, we’d love one of those. Tulq: It is not for sale. Vinya: No, of course not. But we’d appreciate you letting us know if you see one for sale. If you have a way to do so. Marxine: Why are you alone? Tulq: I have found that one person on publicly maintained roads generally can avoid the notice of those that might be inclined to rob him. Security by obscurity. Vinya: Have you been anywhere interesting? Can you recommend places for us to go? Tulq: In Oldest Dhaqi there is the House of the Wind and Sand. They are all about flying and rapid overland travel, especially around Za’akesh. Their prices are, however, exorbitant. Vinya: We traveled by the Shining Silver Tetrahedron. They were likewise not cheap. Tulq: Teleportation rarely is. As I’m sure you know, the Tetrahedron also does planar travel. It became clear to us that Irahi was only going as far as Rhe’ez -- a village a few days travel from Terozzi. We traveled without incident (other than walking the horses along with the mules on the towpath and talking to Irahi Tulq) for a couple of days until we arrived at the next village. 25 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 176) We arrived at the next village, Onitri, on this day. Aldalomiel left the iv-Nulis to go look for ammunition. Elderron went to find fine paper and inks so he could start transcribing the spells he could readily figure out from the broken abacus spellbook. Irahi Tulq disembarked and Vinya sort of generally followed him, going in the same direction without trying to be obvious about following him. He went to a market and went through some merchant stalls. He appeared to be looking for deals on small items that he could carry in his bag of holding. Vinya followed him for a little while, until he proved to be absolutely boring, then she returned to the boat. We stayed on the boat, docked in Onitri overnight. And the night passed without incident. 26-27 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 177-178) A couple of days passed quietly as we sailed from Onitri to Rhe’ez. 28 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 179) We arrived in Rhe’ez late in the day and we’re told we’d be staying there overnight. Irahi Tulq disembarked as soon as the boat docked and was gone out of sight almost as soon as the boat tied up. We asked one of the crew for a restaurant recommendation and were sent to the Sterling Dolphin for dinner. The food there was clearly inspired by or related to Dhaqin street food -- smoky, peppery foods, some moles, tapas-style small plates. We ordered a feast of small plates and tried lots of different things. All very good. Vinya kept an eye out, but we didn’t see Irah Tulq. After dinner, we returned to the boat and the night passed without incident. 29 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 180) We left Rhe’ez in the morning on the iv-Nulis. We were informed by the crew that we were going to be traveling for a while between towns and were going to be traveling overnight. In the evening after dinner, Aldalomiel was up on deck walking around, Vinya and Elama were sitting up in the bow watching things go by. Elderron was studying in our cabin down below. Marxine was down below trying to ignore the fact that we were traveling by boat. Still. Around sunset, as we were going along, one of the crewmembers, who had been swabbing the deck, suddenly just fell over, drooling. Elama ran to him -- he didn’t appear to be breathing, so she gave him some healing. He sat up. Elama: What happened? Crewmember: (drools) He was now breathing, but appeared to have suffered some sort of severe, traumatic mental injury. Elama: Can you get Elderron, Vinya? Vinya ran down to our quarters and told Elderron and Marxine what was going on and where Elama was with the crewman. Then she went to get Captain Luzin. Elderron, to Elama: What’s going on? Elama: He just fell over and was dying. I cured him but he’s still not right. Elderron: There are some spells that leave no wounds but leave the victim stupid. Vinya: Permanently? Elderron: For a very long time. Vinya and the captain looked around the deck and around the ship, but didn’t see anyone but us and the crew there. We got back to Elama and the stricken crewmember. Elama: How far are we from Dhaqi? Captain: About four days. Elama: Maybe someone in the next town can help him. Vinya cast see invisibility from the Rod of Alertness and looked around very carefully, walking around the perimeter of the deck and looking around. About 60’ off the stern of the boat, she saw a giant frog-like thing swimming along and keeping pace with the iv-Nulis. It was human-sized but frog-esque. Vinya went and passed the word to Aldalomiel, asking her to tell the rest of the party, then tried to hide and watch it without letting it know it had been made. Unfortunately, when she got back to keep an eye on it, it had dropped back. It had apparently spotted her spotting it. Aldalomiel spread the word amongst the party that there was a froggy, aquatic, invisible thing tailing us. She talked to the captain about whether he’d be willing to stop the boat. He said he would be, though his own inclination was to get to Dhaqi as quickly as possible. Elderron started ritual casting water breathing. Vinya noticed that it was falling back -- not getting out-paced, but deliberately hanging back. Vinya passed that word to the others. Vinya started the crew making a hue and cry about the stricken crewman, Jorni, hoping that might make the frog-thing curious. . The Captain pulled over to the side of the canal and tied up at one of the cleats left at regular intervals for the canalboats to use. When the boat stopped, the frog thing stopped and backed off some -- to about 100 feet away behind us. We noticed another barge approaching, from the other direction (from Dhaqi) -- it was about 100 feet in the other direction. Captain Luzin: I’ll make sure they stop. We decided we couldn’t wait, because that other boat was going to be in danger. Elderron stopped casting the water breathing and ran to the back of the boat to cast dispel magic. Elama was waiting there, ready to cast control water as soon as she could see it. Aldalomiel held an arrow shot, likewise waiting until she could see it. Once Elderron cast dispel magic, he recognized the thing as a hydroloth, a type of yugoloth that steals memories. That memory-theft effect can be reversed with either greater restoration or remove curse. They often work as mercenaries for demons or devils. He relayed this information to the rest of us. Marxine jumped off the boat onto the towpath and ran as fast as she could back in its direction. Elama cast control water, moving the water away from the hydroloth and leaving dead center in a 100’ area without water. It had 50’ of dry canal bottom in every direction around it. Then she jumped onto the towpath and ran toward it again. Aldalomiel fired her held shot, hitting it nicely. Vinya jumped off the boat and ran as fast as she could, using some of her ki to run with the step of the wind. Then she fired two radiant sunbolts at it, hitting with one. The hydroloth waved its froggy hands and tried to do some weird magical stuff, but nothing happened. Elderron got the sense that it had tried to dispel the control water and failed. Then it moved to Vinya and tried to grab her, but missed. Elderron cast lightning bolt on it, upcharge, but altered the damage to radiant and the save to wisdom. It was a solid hit that did a lot of damage. Marxine jumped into the dry canal and moved and dashed so that she was right up in its face. Aldalomiel fired two arrows at it, hitting twice and doing a lot of damage. Elama ran and jumped into the dry canal, running and dashing to get as close as possible. Then she cast spiritual weapon, placing the little floating lightning cloud right next to it, but missed with that. Vinya shot it with sunbolts again, hitting twice (once a crit). She spent some of her ki to fire two more sunbolts at it, getting another crit. That dropped it. The body began to deliquesce into a foul-smelling puddle. Elderron: There are no more, are there? Vinya, still seeing invisible things: Don’t see any. Vinya walked up the side of the canal and tied a rope to a cleat, throwing it down to help the others up out of the canal. Once Elama and Marxine were out of the canal, Elama released the hold water. We walked the hundred or so feet back to the iv-Nulis together. Elama: We all think Rajalmin sent this, right? Vinya: I sure do. He hired those oni, so we know he’s not above hiring mercenaries. Marxine: And we just pissed him off. Elama: He might have informants. Vinya: I’m back to suspecting Irahi Tulq. We got back on the ship and give the Captain the all clear, which he relayed to the boat going in the other direction. Vinya: I believe that Elama can help Jorni. Elama: Yep. Tomorrow. When we’d resumed proceeding, Vinya went to talk to the captain. Vinya: Have you encountered anything in the water that attacked people before? Captain Luzin: No. Trade is too important. Dhaqi and Illhon, its trading partner, go to some lengths to keep the canal clear. Vinya: Okay. So that really was weird. The rest of the day and night passed without incident. 30 Bluzzimin 749 (Campaign day 181) First thing in the morning, Elama cast remove curse and undid the sailor Jorni’s memory theft. Elderron explained to us that if it had gotten memories from someone in the party, it could have taken that memory to Rajalmin, so that he would have our memories. Elderron thought it could examine the memories it collects. So it knew that it had gotten a sailor and missed any of us. Elama: I’m getting pissed. Rajalmin doing things to usis one thing -- but taking down random people and mind-snarfing them is not cool. I wonder if that thing was in brush Bend and followed us the whole way. Vinya: I’m still suspecting Irahi Tulq. The rest of the day and the night, indeed the entire rest of the trip, passed, though we had some fun celebration of the Feast of Sky, the midsummer festival, on the ship (on Day 182). Lots of drinking, though less than there would have been ashore and/or further north--there’s a tradition of drinking from sundown to sunup, trading off standing the rounds.. 2 Sunnin 749 (Campaign day 184) We arrived in Dhaqi right around dinner time.The first thing we did on our arrival was to go check in with Lt. Linnolim to get our guard badges fixed. He was happy to see us and that we had survived our adventure intact. We filled him in on what happened -- both what had taken us so suddenly out of Dhaqi to Brush Bend and what happened on the way home. Vinya:We talked with your sister about the fallen tower. Linnolim: Yes. They decided to travel more quickly to get there, because it seemed like a dangerous situation. Vinya: Oh, they didn’t go by boat? Linnolim: She and one of her librarians traveled by flying carpet there. They made arrangements to have a barge meet them there. There are going to be some librarians and laborers on the boat. Marxine: Could it be the barge we accidentally stopped? Linnolim: (confused look) Vinya: We were attacked by a hydroloth we think was sent by Rajalmin. He was definitely involved in the situation in Brush Bend. Do you know an earth genasi named Irahi Turq? Linnolim: No. I don’t think so, why? Vinya: Random, free-floating paranoia. But he got on our boat, asked a lot of questions about what we’d been up to, then got off. Then we were attacked by the hydroloth. Linnolim took our guard badges, which had gotten thoroughly marked with verdigris during our time away from the city, and gave us new ones. Vinya: Is there anything we can help with? Linnolim: Not right now, but I’ll keep an eye out. We left the guard house and went back to our inn, Bultir’s. Bultir was apologetic, because he’d had to let our rooms in our absence. However, he did have new rooms for us. Elama: Can you keep horses? Bultir: There are stables in the Society of Guests. We took our horses (Nibbles, Horse, Comrade II, and the unnamed horses belonging to Aldalomiel and Elderron) to the stables and made arrangements for them to be stabled there. Then we went back to Bultir’s and took rooms. Elderron considered whether he needed to rent a room for a workshop, but didn’t make the decision to do that right away. We ate in the restaurant, then went to our rooms to rest. We had two rooms with a connecting door between them. Elderron spent a couple of hours learning the spell Alarm from the abacus. Then he ritual cast it on the doors and the windows. The night passed without incident. 3 Sunnin 749 (Campaign day 185) We ate breakfast in the restaurant at Bultir’s. Vinya, as she finished hers: I’d like to go to Luxug’s Wall and see if we can learn more about this Irahi Turq person. The others agreed and we went there after we finished eating. At Luxug’s we paid our money and took our numbered flag. Then we got coffee and sat down to wait for our report. When it arrived, the report was short. Irahi Tulq lost his soul to a succubus some 70 years ago. Since then, the succubus has been intermittently using him as a persona to assume. Vinya: So it was the succubitch that reported our location. Then Rajalmin sent something big to deal with us. (an unpleasant realization dawns) Rajalmin knows how long it takes for a cargo barge to get to Dhaqi. Vinya (to the desk clerk at Luxug’s Wall): Do you do extra-planar readings? Clerk: It is more expensive and less reliable. And less complete. Vinya and Elama paid for a report on Rajalmin. Vinya, as we went to sit down again: I wonder if we get a refund if it turns out he’s on this plane after all… A little while, and some very good coffee, later, we got our report. Ughu Rajalmin Ard is a mighty rakshasa in the indirect service of Dispater. His lord is most interested in information, and Rajalmin mostly serves that need. On Erknonin, Rajalmin sates his lust for pleasure and undying revenge. His castle on Dis is full of fiends who serve him directly rather than taking part themselves in the Blood War. Rajalmin has access to slightly more magic than most rakshasas, and is completely unafraid to step into combat himself with his greatsword. The gate in the Well of Screams has on occasion led directly to his small castle on Dis, as has one of the portals in the Prince's Palace in Kiranamakir. We left Luxug’s Wall and walked and talked about this. We already knew from Elderron’s research that Rajalmin goes after the families of the people who thwart him. And that he has all kinds of devils and yugoloths and fiends (non-specific) working for him. But no one has ever seen him working with demons. Elama had a bit of shopping to do -- she wanted to get some additional diamonds so she’d have enough for four castings of Revivify. She also acquired a crystal ball for scrying. We also went up to level 9. And there we ended. [/QUOTE]
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Erkonin (Campaign #2) [Session 45: Rajalmin's Agent]
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