The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
08/21/04
SEGMENT 001
THE FORGOTTEN FORGE

THE GM
ANDY NARRATOR
VALE MATTERHORN
HUMAN CLERIC [Hired Healer] Searching for family within Mournlands
JASYN SYMTEX
HUMAN KENSAI ARCHER [Hired and trusted aid] Repaying a dept to Elderich
KIM ELDERICH
DWARVEN MYSTIC THEURAGE [Seeker of Artifacts and fame / glory that goes with it

THE PLAYERS
BILL
BODDYNOK GLINKLE
GNOME ARTIFICER [ War Forged Healer and Magic Enthusiast]
Dead ... a second time
BRELAND TASKERDOO
1/2LING DRUID / MAGE [Animal activist] Called away to deal with evil against nature
within Thrane
PEBBLES
Dwarven Battle Smith / Cleric "Hammer time!" KILLED by Warhulked Fighter Hill Giants
FLURRY
WARFORGED MONK KILLED
PELOR
HUMAN SUPER HEALER DIPLOMAT

JIM
KHORA
HUMAN CLERIC OF SOVEREIGN HOST [Team Healer and Force of Good Will ] DEAD
BANE
HUMAN FIGHTER [MONKEY GRIPPING BATTLEAXE BADAXE] DEAD
BALKROTH
1/2 GIANT PSYCHIC WARRIOR [FREAK] DEAD
DURACELL
Human Mage / Sorc / Arcane Master type

BJ
BONDS
WARFORGED BARBARIAN [ Destroy and Don’t Bother to Ask Why] DEAD
CHIEF
WARFORGED FIGHTER [ Destroy it all] DEAD
BLACK SAND
1/2 GIANT BARBARIAN [CHIP ON SHOULDER TYPE] DEAD- KILLED BY
ORCUS
IPPATAK
ELVEN ARCANE ARCHER "Whatever" KILLED

JEFF
TEMPER
WARFORGED FIGHTER [ Destroy then Ask why ] DEAD
ASUNDER
WARFORGED FIGHTER [EXCUSE FOR VIOLENCE] NPC BODDYNOC's AID
SHARSHEK
HUMAN FIGHTER [LEVEL HEADED WARRIOR] Wandering somewhere safer than around
Cedious
FIGHTER
WARFORGED FIGHTER [LOOKING FOR A NEW WAR] DEAD
TALON
GREMLIN (1/2 DWARF / 1/2 TROLL FIGHTER [LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE]
"That has to hurt!" KILLED by AXE-WHOLE KILLED
ZEN ELF ARCANE MAGE

CLINTON
CEDIOUS
HALFLING ROGUE [ Binge Drinker and general Trouble-maker ] LUCKY TO BE
ALIVE!!!! "I am my own GOD." MIA
BOB
THRI-KREEN PSYCHIC WARRIOR [Bodyguard for Cedious or had nothing better to do]
"Why name me that? clik-clik can not say it"
CLOROX
CENTAUR BARBARIAN FIGHTER WAR HULK [New Bodyguard] DM's new worst nightmare KILLED
WALL
PSIONIC DWARVEN DEFENDER

RYAN
(CIDER)
TEIFLING ROGUE [Know it all with attitude] New DM Toy BURIED UNDER TONS OF EARTH
(CAPIO)
ELF MAGE / WARLOCK [Searching for planar travel] New DM Toy BURIED UNDER TONS OF EARTH


CATHY
ARCANIS [LOVER OF ANYTHING MAGICAL] Regards Elderich as a god
THRI-KREEN RANGER

TIM
SHY-ANNE SHARD [PSYCHIC WILDER] OWES ELDERICH HER LIFE.... SEVERAL TIMES OVER
HUMAN
ANTON [LOVES ADVENTURER OF ALL SORTS] KNOWS ELDERICH IS A GREAT SOURCE OF ADVENTURE
HALFLING DRUID /
Today we begin this tale with the five adventuring friends returning from a party in the city of Sharn. It has begun to rain but it will take more than this to dampen their mood.

“Curtains of water fall from the sky as [they] traverse the labyrinthine walkways of Sharn. The stone and wooden paths wind around and between the towers and spires high above the ground, forming a complex latticework that can be very confusing on evenings such as this. The rain falls hard, running off higher walkways and balconies in drenching waves, making it difficult to see much more than a few feet ahead of you. The distant glow of everbright lanterns, barely visible in the soaking gloom, does little to light the paths on this warm, wet evening.”

The smallest of the group, Cedious, has lead the group onto the wrong tower. Even as the halfling tries to convince the others that they are not lost he tries to regain his sense of location. Bonds interrupts everyone as he looks onto the bridge he nears.

“[Bonds] spots a figure in a dark cloak moving quietly through the rain on the skybridge ahead. It seems to be avoiding the dim pools of light cast by the everbright lanterns, preferring to stay in the shadows. Lightning flashes, and you see a shape on the stone floor of the bridge in brief illumination. The figure quickly reaches the railing of the skybridge, then slips over the barrier and disappears into the darkness and the rain.”Bonds calls out to his friend what he saw thinking a thief is lurking ahead and looking for purses to collect. They move quickly to the spot where the dark figure was last seen.

“The skybridge ahead spans the distance between platforms attached to the sides of two different towers – Dalannan Tower and the Kelsa Spire. A body lies on the floor of the bridge, and you can see a mixture of rain and blood pooling around it. A leather satchel, still clutched tightly in the body’s hand, lies in the expanding puddle of water and gore.”

Bonds goes to the spot where the figure disappeared. Temper backs him up. Cedious runs over to the body wondering what the figure may have missed looting from it. Khora looks to possibly tending to injuries while Boddynoc looks around for any trouble.

Bonds leans over the edge of the skybridge which is suspended about 120 feet from the next platform below. The rain makes it difficult to see much then he spots the mysterious figure. A cloaked humanoid is moving hand over hand on a pipe along the edge of the bridge’s belly. Temper threatens the figure with his Masterworked Great Sword. Bonds moves along the edge trying to always keep a view of the figure. He pulls out his weapon. In doing so he loses track of the figure.

“He is dead” calls out Khora after looking to the victim’s wounds. He moves away to see what the two warforged are doing. The halfling begins to loot the body while Boddynoc pulls the satchel from his dead hand. The halfling finds a weighted pouch and quickly pockets it then pulls out his identification papers to see who this old man was.

Khora can hear a noise on the opposite side of the bridge from the warforged. He calls this out and Bonds spots an armored figure climbing up the edge wearing the dark cloak. Boddynoc looks up just in time to see Bonds weapon strike the figure hard and true. Pieces of metal seem to explode from the impact and the figure falls silently into the darkness with a soft thus far below. Boddynoc thinks he saw a fragment fly away but is not sure.

Cedious looks into what else the body now known as Bonal Geldem of Morgrave University has. It is now that he notices three more figures running up to him. Cedious shakes his head looking down. “Curse my luck.” He mutters with a slight slur.

“Two males and a female, wearing the green-and-black studded leather of Sharn’s City Watch, emerge from the rain-drenched night. The leader, a powerfully built bald dwarf with a close-cropped beard, steps forward, leveling his crossbow in your direction. The small ball of arcane light, hovering just above and behind his left shoulder, illuminates the area. To each side, a human male and female stand with halberds at the ready.”

“Olladra’s bloody nose!” the dwarf curses. “By the order of the Watch, drop your weapons and explain yourselves!”
It doesn’t take a genius to guess what he is thinking. Cedious backs away from the body. It is only now he believes he has had too much to drink on this gloomy and ill-fated night. The two warforged congratulate each other with weapons still out then stop seeing the authorities. They do not put their weapons away but do hold them at their sides, no longer raised and readied. Boddynoc and Khora quickly move over to Sgt. Dolom to explain the situation.

The Dolom knows of Cedious (drunken thief) but listens to the others. Khora is especially convincing as describes the attack as witnessed by them and how if they hurry, an armored and cloaked figure that may be a warforged is far below. After taking to them and taking names and places to locate them, Dolom allows them to leave. That is after getting the assurance they will escort the halfling home.

Once Dolom and his deputies allow them to leave they go and find a quiet and dry place to look at what they had. They open the satchel and find a small journal with well-made and stylish quills, inks and paper to write on. An Apple (which the Halfling decides to eat while looking at the pouch) was there also. In the pouch were a few gold and silver pieces.

Figuring the journal could be either useful for himself or have more incite to the reason why a warforged killer would strike down this old man, Boddynoc checks it out.

“This small journal, measuring about 3 inches by 6 inches and 1 inch thick, has a cover of dark brown leather with strands of mithral thread woven in a strange pattern. It bears no title, just the mithral-thread icon on the front cover. Inside, every page is blank, but the sheets have a strange feel; they don’t seem to be paper or leather, but something not readily identifiable.”The artificer looks it over further. It is obviously magical somehow but how and why? He asks the rogue what was in the pouch he took and what else were the identification papers. “Pouch…? What pouch?” He then recites the name of Bonal Geldem, a provost at Morgrave University with his studies being of Pre-Galifar Time.

They eventually reach their rooms above the Dancing Dove and find a cloaked figure is waiting for them. He looks up but his eyes are hidden in the shadow of his cowl. He raises his closed fist revealing a signet ring on his finger. “If you would know the truth of Bonal Geldem’s murder, go to the Broken Anvil tavern at dawn.” He then leaves quickly.

The warforged wonder why everyone seems to be bothering them tonight then return to their prior conversation of Freeball (a sport played in Sharn). Khora and the halfling go into their rooms to sleep. Boddynoc pauses and feels the fine leather of the recently acquired satchel in his hand. He has made up his mind. They go to the Tavern in the morning.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/21/04
SEGMENT 002
THE FORGOTTEN FORGE

The Broken Anvil Tavern is located nearby in the Mason’s Tower. House Ghallanda runs it. The halflings of the Hostelers Guild. It is quiet here being daybreak. Boddynoc was not going to miss a meeting with a House of Cannith member. As an artificer, he tries to follow what these makers of things magical were up to with great interest.

A halfling looks up to the warforged and the human. “Follow me good sirs” the hafling matron says to Boddynoc and Cedious. They go to a private room and the halfling knocks twice then announces that the guests have arrived. The party enters the room eager to learn what is happening and if there is any money in it for them.

“The human female in the dark blue cloak has delicate features, dark blue eyes, and sleek black hair bound with silver and turquoise ornaments. She wears a signet ring of House Cannith on her right ring finger and speaks in a soft but clear voice. “Thankyou for coming. We have important business to discuss that relates to the unfortunate death of Bonal Geldem. Please, sit down.”She offers the party food and drink before telling them her name. She is Elaydren d’Vown of House Cannith. She is an agent of the house.

“I have been working with Provost Geldem to recover a family heirloom,” Lady Elaydren explains. “We were to meet earlier tonight, but as you know, he never made it. I learned from the Watch what had transpired, and so sent one of my men to track you down.”

She continues. “The heirloom, according to family legends, was locked away in a foundry that dates back to pre-Galifar Sharn. Poor Bonal believed he discovered the location of the foundry in an ancient House Cannith journal. I was going to fund an expedition to go to the site, but without Bonal…” Her voice trails off. Then she leans close. “Perhaps you would be willing to recover the heirloom for me. For a generous reward, of course. “

She asks if the group has happened onto a small journal at the murder scene. Boddynoc picks through his bag and pulls out the journal. He hopes to get it back to discover its secrets. As she reaches out to receive the small book the mithral thread and her ring begin to softly glow. She sets the journal down and opens it. Blank pages begin to develop fine script and drawings. Flipping through the now scripted book, she looks for a specific page or entry. A satisfied look crosses her face as she reaches and fumbles for a piece of paper in her pocket. Look at the two she studies it. Both the halfling and gnome lean in to see what she has discovered.

“The location of the lost foundry is deep within the Dorasharn Tower.” Lady Elaydren proclaims. “Fifty-seven levels below the towers present-day sewer system. I offer you one thousand gold pieces and the good will of my house if you recover the heirloom and return it to me. Will you help me?”

“Yes” Boddynoc exclaims with more energy than he meant to show. The others, with less energy agree. Even the warforged whom find this room too small to be in for much longer.

“The relic I seek is an adamantine plate in the shape of a seven-pointed star about the size of your hand,” Elaydren explains. “It has no special power by itself, but is an ancient schema –a piece of a pattern used by the Cannith artificers of old to craft unusual items. Recover this piece of history for us, and House Cannith will be extremely grateful.”

Magic relics and magical mundane but wondrous items dance through Boddynoc’s mind. Money and leisure are on Cedious’ mind. Khora figures this to be a good means to raise funds quickly. To the warforged, if it means they can hack and slash without getting into trouble, than they are ready to leave now. They are impatient and want to go.

Boddynoc thinks briefly about the situation. “Where do we begin?”

“This map shows the way to reach the sewers of the Dorasharn Tower. Somewhere beyond the E-213 Valve Cluster you’ll find a sealed door with the same mark as the one on Bonal’s journal. Open the seal, and the tunnel beyond will take you to the long-forgotten level far below, where the foundry resides.”

“May we hold onto the journal to aid our expedition to the Foundry?” Boddynoc asks in a very convincing voice. Lady Elaydren stares hard into the gnomes eyes and measures the pros and cons of this decision. Reluctantly she slides it over to him along with a ring to allow him to read it. “I will NEED these returned.”

Boddynoc agrees knowing he will try to keep it somehow.

The party uses her map to wonder through the Dorasharn Tower and lower levels. Most of this tower has been closed off from wanders due to dangers within. Dangers both natural and unnatural.. However, even with the map, the group is uncertain how to proceed to the Valves.

“ The tunnels and corridors at this level of the tower are narrow and dark. An occasional window slit looks out upon the crowded walls and foundations of other towers, and infrequently placed torches sputter here and there, giving off pallid pools of light and clouds of smoke. Even so, rough and dirty people crowd the narrow corridors, and the smell of sweat and sewage permeates the stale air.
One tunnel opens onto a large chamber, where a mix of goblins, humans, and shifters gather around a small pile of garbage spread across three rotting blankets. One of the goblins shouts, “ No pushing! No pushing! There’s always enough for everyone at the Rat’s Market! “

Uncertain where to go, Khora suggests asking the goblin for instructions to the Value Cluster they are searching for. The misplaced five adventurers walk boldly up to the meager spread. Cedious looks at what there is to steal and finds nothing he would want. The prize item there is a sunrod which they have plenty of already. Everything else is broken, soiled and some have bloodstains on them.

“Could you direct us to the Valve Cluster E-213 good merchant?” asks Boddynoc politely but being sure not to touch or be touched by the market and it’s people.

The goblin quickly appraises the five as adventurers with money.

“I’ve got a rare stick of sealing wax, only partially used, for a mere sixty coppers,” the goblin merchant says. “Or maybe you could use this fine woolen blanket with just a hint of mildew? Only thirty-nine coppers. How about a skewer of boiled rat meat? For you, just five silver. Or perhaps, if I could point out the way to a certain valve cluster, what would it be worth to fine explorers such as yourselves? One hundred silver?”

“Ahhh…uh- so much from what a fine goblin like you would consider to be a minor and easy act?” Asks Boddynoc as Temper stares at the goblin. The other possible buyers move away which discomforts the now lone goblin. Bonds watches them walk away and notices a shifter watching the group with distilled interest. Deciding this is getting boring he steps up to the goblin. “Where…Is…Valve?” He says with intimidation. The goblin is no stranger to this and stands firm. “120 Silver to show you where it is.”

Noting the rising interest of their activities by others, Khora agrees and shows him the money- a few gold and silver.

The goblin merchant (Skakan) shows them a hidden walkway. It takes about twenty minutes to reach it. Khora is concerned. He is quite sure they made several wide circles before reaching here. He distrusts the goblin and the route they took to get here. As the goblin begins to move down the dark and twisting narrow stairway he passes on his concern to the others whom all admit they had the same sense. The warforged are eager to find what is at the bottom of these steps.

The party begins down “…a narrow passage that leads to a staircase that descends deeper into the into the tower. With each step down, the odor of mold and sewage becomes stronger, and you can hear liquid sounds increasing in volume as you descend.”

The goblin arrives at the base of the stairs and is struck down in a single blow.

Pausing for only a moment, the party rushes down the stairs if only in fear the warforged will knock them down in their eagerness to fight.

“A warforged strikes from the shadows. His rapier piercing the air with deadly efficiency. “You have the provost’s journal,” the warforged says. It’s not a question. “Give the book to me, and you can live to see another day. Refuse, and we will make your deaths slow and painful.”

“We!” says each warforged in unison and a smile,

The party members spill out onto a narrow platform that leads directly into the sewer waters. A warforge holding a rapier tries to taunt them as a shifter bares its sharp teeth.

As they rush across the channel of moving water, a second shifter strikes from a dark and hidden alcove.
Khora steps back and tries to defend himself. Boddynoc fires a crossbolt that strikes a shifter. Cedious feints then strikes the other shifter. The warforged come in. Bonds begins to enrage and strikes down the one shifter whom falls into the moving water. Temper tries to strike down the warforged.

The dead shifter floats down current until it becomes hung up on a grate. The other shifter goes down quickly leaving the warforged whom narrowly escapes several attacks. “How can you betray our people like this?!?” he screams at the two warforged warriors.

“Betray?” says the one forged as he strikes him down. “We have betrayed no one.”

A piece of metal lifts from the downed warforged rogue and it flies away rapidly. Boddynok and Cedious try to stop it but can not. Though he is uncertain, Boddynok suspects these are a means to communicate between warforged comrades. Neither Bonds nor Temper are aware of any such thing.

Searching the warforged body they find several useful goods but nothing to explain why he was here waiting for them. The one shifter has even less. Ever keeping track of potential money, Cedious looks for the third attacker. The body is missing but there is fresh blood on the iron bars. Something on the other side got him. Perhaps a crocodile or something much worse.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/28/04
SEGMENT 003
THE FORGOTTEN FORGE

“This sucks” laments the rogue wiping sewage off from his pants and boots using the cloak of the downed warforge.

“Where to?” asks Khora looking for answers from the emerging leader of the group – Boddynoc.

“I don’t know. I am not even sure what a Valve Cluster is much less where it is.”

Cedious then locates an iron plate on the wall. “E-213” he reads out loud. “We are there…er should I say here?” He longs for a short drink considering the mess they are in.

A value opens and sewage spills out and into the channel narrowly missing Bonds. He glares at the valve door as if to intimidate it.

Finding a place he believes will be safe from further sewage, Boddynoc opens the journal and holds the ring. The journal suggests more than he thought. It speaks of warforged creation. He even finds a drawing of a piece of metal that fits onto the hands that has magical and destructive abilities. He now under stands why she was so hesitant to hand the book over. He begins to copy as much as his small and aching hands can into a blank book he keeps to note ideas and theories of into. He also decides there has to be a means to keep the schema but is uncertain how.

Looking at the glow of the ring and book, the others get an idea. By using the journal, perhaps they can find the secret door and thus the foundry. Sighing, Boddynoc finishes his first session of copying the book before going down the sewer channel. Eventually, they do spot a symbol that softly glows as they near it with the journal and ring.

“A circular metal hatch, set into the tunnel wall and engraved with arcane runes, must be the sealed door that Elaydren told you about. In the middle of the hatch, a glowing circle of mithril depicts the same icon as on Bonal’s journal –the ancient symbol of House Cannith that predates the founding of the Kingdom of Galifar itself, a stylized anvil and hammer.”

After several failed attempts to open the seal, they discover that by using the journal it opens. Looking up as they enter, the rogue spots a means to splash something, a liquid of some sort, onto someone entering. He and the others try to commit this to their memory. They leave the door open hoping it will not lock them in.

Air freely flows here through small vents that lead to the surface and upper levels. The party moves forward.

“The vertical shaft is a mix of crumbling earth and ancient stone, and centipedes and other insects cover the walls like living decorations. The long descent takes you deeper into the bowels of Dorasharn Tower. Soon, the shaft begins to angle, and by bracing yourself you can actually walk along one of the surfaces. Farther still, and the shaft becomes a tunnel, and the footing is no longer difficult to maintain or treacherous.
The tunnel eventually opens onto a vast chamber, though it emerges about six feet above the floor. You can’t see the distinct walls in the darkness, and the ruins of nearby walls and building appear as deep shadows in the eternal tower night, but you can feel the change in air currents and pressure that indicate a large open space ahead of you.”

They begin to quietly enter this unknown space looking and listening for anything and everything. It’s a good thing too.

“A constant background noise rises from the walls and ruins around you. It takes a moment to recognize, but eventually the sounds of chittering and buzzing can be picked out from among the cacophony. It’s not unlike the sound of insects in the King’s Forest, except that the chamber seems to amplify and echo the noise in disturbing ways.”

“Uh-oh” whispers the halfling rogue as he sees something in the dark.

“A dark carpet slides across the dusty floor and moves towards you. No, not a carpet, but a mass of squirming, chittering, shiny black beetles that swarm towards you with hungry purpose.”

The halfling moves back and allows the bigger people to deal with this. The warforged begin by stomping and striking with their weapons. This fails. Next they try to literally roll around to crush the carnivorous beetles. All this allows them to do is bite at the entire body instead of just the feet. Boddynoc becomes sick to his stomach and moves behind the entire group. He tries to climb out and does so with Khora’s help. Cedious glammers up Khora’s body as the beetles nip at him. After a few strikes and other failed attempts that include trying to scare them away with a sun rod, he too, joins the two smaller party members.

Frustrated with the entire situation, the two warforged eventually climb up into the tunnel and follow up after the others.

Halfway up Boddynoc sat down to resumes copying the journal with an unhappy sigh. Cedious is trying for the door. The party sends Bonds after him and he catches up with the rogue at the door. Acid still smoking near the halfling whom had forgotten the trap. The door has been moved but that escapes the two party member’s notice. Shortly, the return to the others. Boddynoc finishes copying another page before closing it up. They discuss what to do and brainstorm. Fire. We need a torch. It is not the light they fear but the heat. They collect burning materials and return to the lost and forgotten chamber armed with a burning torch and several more readied to ignite.

No beetles…….

The party slowly advances. Cedious in the lead. He hears something that he knows is not the beetles. He takes cover in the debris while the others move in aware. The others now hear it and suspect it is not the beetles or the rogue. Weapons drawn, the warforged walk in and discover there are two horrid rats looking for food. They see the warforged and decide they may taste good and attack. The warforged make short work of them with the aid of Boddynok and Khora’s magical aid. “I led them right to you to destroy them” says the rogue with a smile as he comes out of the debris.

They next discover the remains of a temple. Khora identifies it as a temple of Onatar. Onatar was the god of the artifice and forge. A strange but tranquil feeling comes over the party as they enter the remains of the temple. Looking at it, they figure this is the safest place and most defendable to rest for a while. The two warforged stay on guard while the others rest. Boddynoc takes time to copy more pages and begins to understand what they have here. If they can find everything they need, they could rekindle and operate a forge to create sentient golems. Warforged beings. He wonders how he could create a copy of the schema if or when they find it. It was described as a non-magical blueprint. Copying it should not be an issue. He sleeps dreaming of creating things …living things.

The warforged hear some movement in the darkness during the night. The beetles are still around but do not enter the remains of the temple. Something else, bigger than the rats was there also. They can’t see it and it doesn’t bother them so they wait until everyone awakens before mentioning it. Deep in Cedious’ mind he thinks this is important but can not place it. Why is he thinking about the sewer and the door here?

Looking around they find several tunnel exists. Two are caved in and the third one ends in a dead-end. Strange but after not finding a means to open it they turn around and finish looking around. There are piles of tall rocks and boulders. Some of these appear to be rocks that broke free from the cavern roof and fell. There remains one last building. A very solid looking building. The front doors are made from adamantine and have a symbol that matches the journal. With enough confidence to consider oneself smug, Boddynoc walks up to it open it as he had the secret entrance from the sewers. Nothing happens. A deep and profound frown crosses his face. The others look around as the rogue hopes to open the lock. He breaks his favorite picks trying. The warforged find no windows or doors. Khora looks for secret doors and finds none. The rogue, knowing Khora has no talent for this looks also and finds nothing.

Bummer

They spend the next few minutes brainstorming. Finally one of the warforged decides to check the roof. Maybe there is a vent or entrance there. Temper tries to climb up but can not. Bonds tries next and after a few clumsy slips gets up there. He looks around and finds a hole was made either by decay or a piece of ceiling falling onto the roof. He calls to the others to come up. The rogue runs over to the hole to peer in.

“A large chunk of the ceiling has fallen in, crushing cabinets and shelves beneath the weight of brick and stone. The remains of what appears to be a metal dog that was also caught in the falling stones juts from the debris. Dusty shelves, intact, line the southern wall, and a huge forge and furnace fill the eastern part of the room. Neither appears to have been used in centuries. Two pairs of glowing eyes emerge from the far darkness, and you see two metal dogs creeping cautiously toward you.”

Boddynoc looks down and sees but one creature. “Iron Defender. You go first.”

The warforged looks at him with uncertainty. With everyone on the surface now they lean over and attack it with ranged attacks. Little is accomplished this way. They decide to send down a rope and attack it directly. Khora holds it for the rogue and the warforged. The warforged, too heavy for this tactic decide to jump down on their own. Temper decides to use the table to break his fall and still give cover from the metal guard dog below. He leaps down and the table splits in two under his great weight. He falls to the floor. The Iron Defender is thrown to the side from the crash. Even as he looks up, he sees there are TWO active Iron Defenders here. “Bonds –get down here!”

Bonds leaps down to attack while the others continue to attack with darts and crossbows. Khora holds the rope with a “well…?” look on his face. After a few short moments and lucky hits the defenders are beaten. By securing the line, the other three climb down into the hole to look around. Unseen by them, a lone figure peers from some debris not far away.

As Boddynoc and Temper look around the forge, the others search the shelves. Within old oil cloth there are a few things found worth taking to sell later. They find scale mail, a masterworked chain shirt and steel shields. Also found are several weapons and two sun rods. The rogue insists on having Bonds carry it all to the surface.

Boddynoc inspects the forge for traps and magic. Cedious briefly comes over and looks at it also. It is trapped then returns spotting the hilt of a sword on a low shelf overlooked by Bonds. Boddynoc finds three odd and out of place holes. One is star, one is a triangle and the other a square. Temper recalls seeing a star shaped rod pop out of a defender when he cut it down. With renewed eagerness, Boddynoc inspects the three remains and finds three rods near each body. The rods are indeed square, triangle and star shaped and of the same size as the forge inserts. He puts in the triangle and steps back in fear of a trap. Nothing.

The others finish their rummaging and come over to see what is keeping the gnome so busy. Temper puts in the square and star next. Nothing happens. Boddynoc looks up at Temper with a look of uncertainty when they hear a pop and hiss of old air. The vault slowly opens revealing a secret hidden compartment. The rogue somehow is the first to reach in and pulls out two small bags first. He has gold and silver pieces again. Also inside are 4 Ingots, several potions, and an old map and in oil cloth the star shaped schema.

Satisfied with their finds, they begin to climb the rope, Temper leaps up and catches the lip of the roof and hauls himself up …to see a warforged holding a crossbow at him. “Company …warforged company.”

Khora climbs the rope as he hears the bolt strike Temper squarely in the shoulder. The war forged attacker throws his crossbow aside and pulls out a faintly glowing Saber. “Give me the schema or die as a traitor to our race.” It commands. “I will kill you if needed to fulfill my mission to my master.”

Boddynoc fires his own crossbow throw the hole missing the attacker but this allows Temper to climb up and Khora to scramble onto the roof. Bonds tries to leap up but misses and breaks the table below completely now. Cursing, he gets up again to try once more.

Temper and the warforged above miss and defend against each other. Khora gets to his feet and motions for the others to climb the rope. Bonds leaps up and catches the lip of the roof. Cedious tries to climb the rope but can’t catch the end of the rope with the warforged kicking wildly so close to it. Cedious finally grabs the rope and begins to climb. Boddynoc gives them cover from below with his reloaded crossbow. Temper and the warforged with a saber trade blows but neither steps down. Khora draws a weapon to help Temper. Cedious tries to climb out and disrupts the rope. Cedious grabs his kicking legs to avoid falling. “Get off!” “Climb up!” they begin to shout aloud.

Finally, Temper and Khora take down the warforged. Even prepared for it, Temper misses the chance to capture the flying piece that leaves the dead body and flies into the darkness. Cedious scrambles up Bonds body and goes to inspect the body. With the halfling off his body, Bonds climbs up and helps Boddynoc on the rope. The sword is magical and two of the bolts can be set aflame.

The party climbs to the surface. Boddynoc finishes copying the journal while a copy of the schema is forged with a no questions asked rule. With incredible luck, Lady Elaydren doesn’t ask why it took so long. They give her the original pieces since she insists on the return of the ring. Boddynoc is happy to have taken the time to copy the journal and have a smithy make a duplicate of the schema.

Lady Elaydren also asks if can contact them again if ever she needs help in Sharn. The group agrees and arrangements are set. They can check on the local message station run by the gnomes of House Sivis for future jobs with her.

“Now…. What does this map go to?”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/28/04
SEGMENT 004
QUEEN WITH BURNING EYES

The five adventurers have decided to set up a new place of drinking and relaxation. Though they still live above the Dancing Dove, they now frequent the Broken Anvil Tavern. It is here that the next adventure begins…..

The party enters the tavern and goes to their favorite table. The bar maiden comes over with the standard drink order. 5 drinks. Cedious has the warforge’s drinks. A figure is that they do not recognize is sitting at the bar table. The waitress motions towards him alerting the group that he was looking for them. Finishi8ng his second drink, Cedious carries over his third and sits down next to the stranger. Boddynoc sits on the other side. He notes the man is dressed like a noble and has the latest copy of the Korranberg Chronicle on him. He has marked a section that is entitled “Missing cog workers never found”. He also notes that John Promise has once more disrupted an anti-Breland group known as the Venom.

The red head looks to both sides then smiles and introduces himself to Boddynoc. “I am Vestan ir’Simul. I own one of the factories in the lower levels known as the cog. I am experiencing some trouble and am looking for help. Help from someone that has been down there before. Do you know anyone that may help me. Did I mention there would be a reward in it?” He says when Boddynoc checks over this stranger.

“Allow me to buy you and your allies a round of drinks and talk further at your table.” The noble arranges the drinks and goes to the table. He introduces himself once more before sitting down. He tells his tale and his concerns to the group. Khora takes it all in. Temper rubs his metallic chin and paraphrases Vestan.

“So… workers from your factory are disappearing within the cogs. There are rumors of slavers, killers and even of a cult. Fearing this will lead to your workers leaving in fear you want someone to look into it and eliminate any trouble. For this we will get 500 gold now and more when we return with proof of ending the threat ..if one exists.”

“Yes”

“I’m in” the warforged answers then carefully leans back so as not to break his chair.

The group agrees and is lead to the cogs after picking up a few supplies including torches (damned beetle swarms) and food.

The section they go into smells of molten metals and forged minerals. This section of the cogs region molds iron tools that are required on the surface within the city and exported to other countries. By using the magical lifts, workers can enter and leave quickly. The goblinoid races are most common here along with warforged. Everything is dirty and smells here of metal and oil.

They ask several workers what they think the trouble is. Some suggest the Daelkyr are returning. These are abominations from the alien plane of Xoriat includes Khora. Others suggest more fiendish creatures are at work. One especially smelly goblin suggests it is Vestan avoiding paying the workers that are missing. All of the disappearances seem to suggest the cause is located in a recently discovered section of ancient tunnels and passages that are thus far unexplored and forbidden to enter.

The group agrees that this has to be where the bodies are going or the cause originates from and thus they go for it.

The ramp leading past the warning signs of danger and no trespassing leads into a rubble filled room. Cedious takes the lead. The conditions make it hard to move silently and with any speed. Cedious goes around a bend and finds it continues on.

“The artisan of the narrow passage changes dramatically here. Up to this point, the tunnel was crafted purely to provide access between one point and another. Suddenly, it seems to have been crafted by someone who actually cared about its appearance. It grows wider, and ornamentation is carved into the stone walls. The floor is littered with dust and rubble, but there might once have been tracings carved there as well.
This wider passage soon ends in a handsome doorway, its lintel holding a very worn relief carving. Beyond the doorway, you can see a rubble-filled room lit by torches.”

Studying the carvings and carved formations, Boddynoc decides this dates back to Dorasharn. Dorasharn was possibly the first human city to exist after the defeat of the goblin nation. This city was damaged greatly during the War of the Mark about 1500 years ago. Looking carefully around, they see a statue and a hole or pit leading down. Cedious waits for the others to catch up with him before going in. Once all five adventurers are in three goblins attack from their hiding places in the rubble and deep shadows. The goblins are dispatched immediately by sword and bolt.

They find various goods on the bodies. An amethyst and several potions are the most notable items found.
They then inspect the statue closer. It appears to be a depiction of a human noble. Bored with that, Temper and Bonds check out the hole. They call for the halfling rogue to come over. They plan on tying a rope to him and sending him down with a light.

“NO! I am not some worm to put on a hook” squeals the halfling whom can not help himself as he now peers over the edge of the pit to look around. They tie a torch to the rope and lead that down instead. Another rubble filled room. Cedious is first to slide down the rope with the others coming along shortly.

“The room below seems to be an even older level of ruins than the one above. Rubble chokes the floor of this wide chamber and the mouths of the six tunnels leading off from it. Two hideous statues face you from opposite ends of the room, each representing emaciated humanoids with whiplike tentacles extending from their shoulders.”

“Nice” says the rogue with fascination. Boddynok can not identify these statues but guesses they were bad news in their time. Before the others can say much Temper strikes down a statue. He is quite pleased with himself. Not to be outdone, Bonds pushes the other one down. “No! No! No! No! Yells out Boddynoc. “If anything is down here, we don’t want to alert it and all of its friends and family that we are here.”

The warforged merely shrug before moving to the center of the room. “Which way?” asks Khora.

The rogue’s keen ears alert him that something is coming and motions to the others this fact. Two grimlocks enter the room with raised battleaxes. They never get to even swing them.

“We go that way” pointing to the tunnel entrance the blind creatures came from.

“At the end of a short and rubble-strewn hallway, the space widens into an irregular chamber filled with dust. A few bones strewn on the floor indicate that something –probably grimlocks or goblinoids –ventured in here in the not-too-distant past.”

Thick cobwebs cover the corners and in some cases reach the floor. The rogue is not happy to be walking in this dark mess. Pulling at the thick webs he doesn’t notice the larger and thicker web until he strikes it and becomes stuck to it. “uh guys – some assistance here ..please.”

The others are checking out the bones and try to identify them when this happens. In horror –they see above the rogue the cause of both the bones and thick webs. A large monstrous Spider. The creature is attacked with ranged weapons and magic as Khora hopes to help Cedious get unstuck. Boddynoc drops the torch into the webs as the warforged more in to take the spider on up close and personal.
Though they can feel the damage of the bite and stinger, the warforged are immune to its poisons and hack into it with immunity. Several strikes later and it is dead.

“Everyone okay?” asks Khora.

Thump!

A few thickly wrapped items fall from the web onto the floor. One includes a weapon that Cedious had spotted while entrapped in the webbing. There are copper pieces and an hourglass here along with the strange weapon. It is a warhammer made of a purple metal. Boddynoc senses no magic but is aware that it may still be a special weapon of some sort. They pack it away for later inspection. There are no exists found except for the way in.

The group turns around and returns to the original central room.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/28/04
SEGMENT 005
QUEEN WITH BURNING EYES

Without even slowing down, the warforged barbarian known as Bonds walks over the broken statue he destroyed and enters the next section of ruin. The others follow with more caution. Bonds sees two exists. One has a door and one doesn’t. He decides to kick down the door without bothering to test the lock. The others now rush up to support him in case of trouble.

He narrowly misses being hit by a swinging scythe. He stops it from swinging then looks in.

“This rectangular room has a shallow alcove on one wall, in which sleeping furs are spread out, A statue in the far corner depicts a tentacle-faced humanoid devouring a goblin’s brain. Two short, scaly humanoids leap to the attack, while a third keeps its distance. They yip at you like dogs while brandishing their spears.”

Two small kobolds do their best to hold back the warforged and his allies. A magic missile released by the kobold in the back hits him. This makes him the target of the barbarian’s rage (game wise – not rules wise). The party steps in to fight the kobold warriors. Shortly after getting inside six more arrive from the other room boxing the adventurers in. Bonds takes another hit from the kobold sorcerer as Acid Splash is released. The kobold has caste his last spell as the TWO warforged team up on him. Khora and the others fend off and eventually defeat the kobolds.

They inspect the room and find a few things of interest on the bodies. A magic ring and a mahogany chest filled with 190 gold pieces. The chest itself could be worth more than that by itself. A scroll and lose weapons are also found. Cedious studies the trap that Bonds tripped and resets the trap with an evil grin as they leave. They check out the room the 6 kobolds came from. It is empty.

Once more finding no exits, they turn back and return to the central room. They go across the room and find a maze of twisting and interconnecting pathways. They go right to check it out.

“The corridor branches again, and both branches widen into rooms. It is possible that the two branches re-connect around the corners ahead.”

This room they first enter has a statue of a gaunt figure with tentacles growing from its shoulders. Boddynoc doesn’t even waste his breath as the warforged go to it breaking the tentacles then the head followed by the body.

The noise allows two grotesque creatures to approach unnoticed by the party. These short but squat figures have four arms but no head. On their chests is dual snarling faces that taunt the group. They run for it when the barbarian leaps at them to attack. Boddynok merely wonders how long this can keep up. So many creatures in such a small space……Cedious thinks they must be drinking buddies. The two chase after the cleric and the warforged.

The two creatures separate hoping to confuse their pursuers. Both warforged simply split and chase each one down. The barbarian narrowly avoids falling into a pit trap that was being set up for him. Now the two aberrations find they are trapped between an angry warforged fighter and their own trap with a cursing barbarian at the other side. Carefully, the barbarian edges along the edge of the trap to reach them. By time he reaches the other side, Temper has killed one and the other has several darts and a crossbolt in it from the others. Cedious finds some lose money hidden here.

“Do you really need to destroy everything before you? Some of these statues have great historical value. We could get money for them.” Complains Boddynoc.

“Will just the head do?” asks Cedious turning over a cracked head.

The party heads south wandering through the overlapping pathways. They come onto a new room.

“This room seems vaguely X-shaped. The darkness seems to gather menacingly in the corners of the walls, aided perhaps by the fact that the walls do not seem to run straight for any significant distance anywhere in the room. A noticeable chill in the air amplifies the sense of menace.”

As the group moves into the room they are attacked from the shadows. The very creature depicted on several of the statues is the attacker. Cedious comments that they may have PO’d the creature by destroying his statues depicting it.

Bonds is attacked by the creature’s tentacles. They burrow into his hard skin and he can feel it sucking at him, consuming him from the inside out. He howls in outrage (true rage rules this time). Caught in its grapple with the warforged barbarian, the others step in and quickly dispatch it. Bonds is royally angry now and in a bit of pain. Many of his numerous wounds are catching up with him now. The others are also a bit beaten down and tired now. “We need to either leave or hole up for awhile.” Suggests Cedious. The others all agree.

Looking to see what this creature kept for personal belongings Cedious spots a chest sitting in lichen. He moves quickly to it and once he steps onto it regrets it. His leg goes numb and he nearly falls into the lichen (Brown Mold). “Arghhhh!” he screams as his leg becomes partially frozen as the mold sucks heat from his body and boot. Bonds pulls him away from the mold while being careful not to touch the brown moldy stuff. “Torch.” He more commands than asks.

Boddynoc throws his torch onto the mass to burn it. Instead it rapidly grows and strikes Bonds whom is nearly overwhelmed by the pain.

“Not good” laments the tired cleric.

“Allow me” answers Boddynoc whom calls up a spell to gently push the mold off from the floor and chest. Temper rapidly grabs the chest hoping not to find out what it would do to him. Inside the chest are 200 gold and a golden goblet with rubies. Cedious appraises it for roughly 900 gold. Boddynoc suspects they could even get more selling it to a Morgrave historian.

Greed. It keeps the party together.

They now return once more to the central room. “Must we?” asks the cleric thinking about how many healing spells he has versus the wounds he can see on the two beings he can heal. Though he doesn’t say it, Boddynoc the artificer is thinking the same of the two warforged.

By looking down both remaining paths they decide it must be parallel paths that lead to the same room. They arrive at an old crypt.

“At the end of a long, rubble-filled passage, a large room opens out. Two huge stone sarcophagi stand in state before a hideous stone statue depicting some kind of slime or ooze covered in eyes and mouths and full of protruding bones. In the wall opposite, a heavy iron door stands closed beside another statue of a tentacled humanoid. Ahead, across more rubble-strewn floor, a passageway seems to lead to another room.”

Keeping to tradition (after a fashion) Bonds and Temper begin to break the larger statues. As they do this three pale and gaunt creatures leap out from behind the sarcophagi. The cleric of the Sovereign Host calls out a warning- “Ghouls!”. And begins to try to turn these undead.

The ghouls are crazed with fear as the goodness of the cleric bathes their undead evil. The warforged almost feel it was a mercy killing at this point and tells the cleric that at least they kill their foes straight out. No torture. (Bonds looks at Temper with uncertain disbelief at “no torture”).

Everyone spreads out to look around. Cedious discovers another scythe trap leading out of the room and disarms it. Boddynoc looks over the stone coffins of the goblin lords. He knows this is something special and would procure a LOT of money with the right person. The warforged begin to break into them with abandon. “Enough! Can you at least allow us to look at and examine the stuff before you destroy it!?!”
Screams out the gnome in utter frustration.

Inside the stone box they find nicely armored goblin skeletons. The great swords interest Temper though they look oddly mis-sized for him. Bonds gets a truly scary look on his metallic face as he reaches in. “Does anyone have some short pieces of rope or twine they are not using?”

To everyone’s horror and discomfort, Temper helps Bonds tie a goblin skull onto his massive shoulder pad. “You need help my ghoulish friend.” Answers the cleric.
“Neeeeat.” Says the rogue whom then turns away fighting back his last meal.
Boddynoc says nothing. These warforged have always been a bit strange and unsteady but this takes the cake. It must be shell shock from the war.

Boddynoc, still awe struck by their actions walks by the doorway heading south. Suddenly he feels his throat being grabbed and he is lifted into the air towards the ceiling within the next room. A creature, attracted by the noise, has snuck in to attack survivors. Cedious notices Boddynoc’s kicking feet as they rise into the shadows. They run over to save their leader whom is being rapidly strangled by this choking aberration. The warforged watch as the creature has moved beyond their reach. Cedious with his darts and Khora with his spells hurt the creature but it is not enough for the creature to drop the gasping gnome. Feeling a surge of panic and anger, Boddynoc begins to pull and fight against the creature. (Action Point) Incredibly, he forces himself free and the creature falls with him while still trying to grapple with the gnome. Raw and bleeding wounds surround the gnome’s neck and face. The creature tries to escape then but is killed by the gnome.

They bring the wounded artificer into the cleared room. “That door looks solid enough to keep creatures out. Maybe we should set up on the other side of it.

“What if there is something there already occupying the space and it doesn’t want to share?” asks Cedious already knowing the answer.

“We ask nicely only once.” Answers Bonds. Temper nods in agreement.

Checking the door, it is locked. Fortunately. Cedious has replaced his broken picks and successfully picks it.

“This room is in shambles, with a jumbled mess of furs, mining tools, rubble from the crumbling walls and ceiling, and a number of silver coins scattered across the floor in no apparent order. A statue in the far right corner of the room depicts some kind of tentacled worm.”

“A fixer upper.” Says Temper.

Several grimlocks move to attack the intruders. Tired and hurting, the warforged successfully defeats the blind creatures. “Lets look further.” They say still hoping for more destruction.

They enter the room where the now dead Choker lies on the ground.

“The walls of this room are lined with small shelf-like alcoves. Bones are visible within some of them, dry and brown with age. Two statues face each other from opposite corners of the room, depicting leering fiends of some sort, with huge fangs and sharp-looking claws. A large iron door stands closed on the opposite wall.”

This is another crypt room for goblins. Possibly the soldiers or guards of the nobles in the prior room. The warforged are trying to turn over a new leaf by not disturbing the bodies. They do think about it more than once before leaving the crypt. Bonds even figures he’ll maybe do it on the way out.

The next room the party knows is special and to fear by its appearance.

“A yawning pit, some twenty feet wide, dominates the center of this room. Around it, four runic circles are carved in the stone, relics of some ancient ritual practice. The room itself is not quite square, the walls refusing to run in straight lines. Four of the corners of the room hold grotesque statues depicting humanlike creatures with handsome faces but clothed in hideous chitin armor. A single door leads out of the room, to the left of the entrance.”

“This is baaaaad.” Comments the cleric. “This is a pit. A Khyber pit. Very dangerous and very evil.”

“A pit? Like there is a bottom? “ The rogue holds the torch over the edge and looks down. Curious, he releases the torch to see how deep the pit is and if anything is there. He is nearly tackled by Boddynoc and Khora for doing this.

“Do you have any idea what you could have done?”

“Revealed any threats?”

“More like attracted more threats.”

The warforged consider throwing the rogue down to attract more things and to punish the annoying rogue.
Deciding there is nothing else to do here, they move onward to next exit.

“This dark and crowded room reeks of blood, and indeed the rock of the floor itself seems stained with ancient gore…. The air is heavy with perfumed smoke that seems only to emphasize the charnel smell of the place.”

Then the rogue sees something. He sneaks in and goes around a wall to find- a large snake with a woman’s head! It strikes him down in one blow, which alerts the others to the threat.

The group goes in to destroy this creature. They are certain it is the cause of the problems that Vestan ir’Simul is paying them to stop. The warforged attack in flanking positions as the cleric becomes enlarged by wearing an infused belt given to him by the artificer. The creature gives as well as it receives but can not overcome the three large and strong warriors. It dies releasing a foul curse from its unnatural throat.

“No more. We can’t take anymore.” Whispers the warforged barbarian (at 1 hp). The group shamble back to their predetermined room to rest. The weak halfling looks at the pit as he passes it and wonders….
Then he sees it. A snuffed out torch on the edge. The VERY torch that “accidentally” fell in.

They unlock the door again and all go in. The warforged normally are the nighttime guards but now all they want is to sit down and be still. They are not tired from the activity but from the many cuts and wounds they have received. Only Cedious seems healthy and he walks with a limp as the feeling is still slowly returning to his frozen foot (he received immediate healing after being struck down by the Bright Naga).

And thus the team has survived yet another day of adventuring while consuming large quantities of soda, chips and jolly rancher candies.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/11/04
SEGMENT 006
QUEEN WITH BURNING EYES

The heroes (after a sort I guess ..I mean com’on – a goblin skull?) rest with no events occurring during the night. The artificer repairs the warforged as best as he can before going to sleep. The cleric heals the flesh and blood members before going to sleep. In the morning the artificer finishes his work on the warforged.

Boddynoc is still upset with the warforged. Continuing their destructive ways, they destroyed a statue that had a wand hidden within it. In doing this, they broke the wand also. The moonstone that was dislodged disappeared in Cedious’ pouch very quickly during the ensuing argument.

A lot of silver was picked up and put into any free pocket or space. They were doing well but becoming weighed down now.

Beginning the new day healthy and ready, they go into the room where the body of the ghouls was. It is gone. As is the choker. Something was out here they quickly surmise.

But they continue onward.

That is until a new threat attacks. Called on by the flaming torch, a Nothic has climbs out of the pit and has begun to wander through the halls.

The creature is large and gaunt with a single eye. It attacks the warforged with his gaze attack. They return with a charge that forces it into the corner. The two of them beat and pummel the creature until defeating it. Fresh injuries cover both of them.

As if knowing the truth, they both turn and glare at the rogue. “What!” He tries to act innocent. “It’s not my fault it attacked you.”

Before the group can properly throttle the rogue, they hear a “NO!”

They turn and see Vestan carrying a torch. Behind him are several thugs looking men and several young people in cloaks. Their finely cut hair and makeup suggests they are from rich families.

“Get them!” Vestan screams out in as much anger as distress. In a weakened state, the warforged hold their own but are no where as impressive as before. Once more becoming enlarged, Khora attacks the thugs. The rich and spoiled youth turn and run having no stomach for their harm. The warforged kill Vestan ir’Simul before Boddynoc can ask the simple question of “why?”.

“Does this mean we don’t get paid?” asks the rogue with stretched out pockets from the silver he has collected on the way.

Wearily the group reaches the cogs and hopes to put this behind them soon. A lone figure in deep shadows calls out to them.

“A handsome man with shifty eyes approaches and asks if he can talk with you for a moment. He wears a black studded leather armor and carries a rapier and dagger at his belt. His black hair is cropped close to his head, and he has a neat mustache.”

“May I have a moment of your time? A friend of mine wishes to ask you a few questions about your time here below the cogs.”

The human appears to be sincere and quite frankly, the group is too tired to deal with fighting him.

Boddynoc and Cedious walk over to the woman. She is well hidden in the shadows. She is dressed in green and purple. Several armored men are behind her. Boddynoc recognizes them as members of the Emerald Claw.

They are taken back by her appearance. She is an elf and has either become undead or has made herself look this way. Being an elf, one can not say without closer inspection. Boddynoc knows those soldiers would never allow such a thing.

“I care little for what you did below including what has become of that fool ir’Simul but I do wish to know if you procured a certain item, an amulet.”

“Can you be more specific?” asks Boddynoc.

“It is a round three inch disk. It has writing on the edges. The center has a series of lines and ridges. The backside has several protrusions and studs on it. It is worth about 100 gold but I would pay more for it. It is that important to me. It was stolen from me nearly a year ago. In that time, we have hunted the thief down to this area. He was one of the first to disappear in the cogs. Did you find it?"

“Sorry. I didn’t see anything like that.” Says Boddynok whom looks at Cedious wondering if he has it.

“If you do remember anything about it, I will be staying at the Rockache Tavern for the remainder of the week. I am Demise.”

The group leaves wondering what that was all about. If they had suspected she had a lie detection spell going they would have been even more curious.

If only the group had bothered to search the Bright Naga’s room for goods.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/11/04
SEGMENT 007
SECURITY MEASURES

This next min-adventure took place in Sharn as the group tried to sell their goods found below in Dorasharn. It was a clear reminder of tempting fate too often. It was also a day that several players could not arrive to play so I created this mini-adventure on the spot and on the fly. All in all- not too bad.

The next day, after a night of rest, the party splits in two. Bonds and Khora go to check on the local temples of the Sovereign Host and specifically Dol Dorn, the God of Strength of Arms. Cedious, Boddynoc and Temper go to the university areas hoping to sell goods for enormous amounts of money for historical trash (that is what Temper thinks of it anyway).

After a few “go away!” comments, the three sellers find themselves Upper Menthis where Morgrave University is. Cedious, being the character he is, begins to pickpocket the rich and inattentive on the way. He is doing very well as he collects nearly 25 gold and 50 silver within a few hours as the wander around and about. Boddynoc and Temper merely hold back and pretend not to know the halfling. Meanwhile, the gnome knows this money will go to him to create some magical goods. As he sees the profitability of this, he begins to magically aid the rogue. Temper merely hopes they are caught so that he can fight. He has not been in a fight in nearly 18 hours. “I wonder if there is a Freeball game near here?” he wonders to himself in utter boredom.

Speaking of boredom, Bonds is in a temple about goodness and peace and it irks him. Dol Dorn has boring god friends he mutters as goes outside to sit and think about the 101 ways to kill a goblin with a lock pick. Last he remembered, he was at 67. Khora finds a few priests of the temple whom are willing to listen to his stories of adventure deep under the settled city levels.

Cedious spots a very wealthy and arrogant man dressed in a fur coat with possible magical vestments. He is rude to other people on the street and becomes irritable, as he can not find an item he is searching for. Cedious moves in shadowing the man. Seeing what is happening, Boddynoc intercedes to create a distraction. The man curses as the gnome and makes a few racial comments about his short size while Cedious helps himself to a heavy money pouch.

The man goes on his way as Cedious and Boddynoc reunite a few buildings away. Temper tries not to care but leans over them to see what the halfling rogue just got. 50 gold, 2 platinum and 35 silver. Good. But what is this? Cedious finds a purple coin that is in mint condition. On one side is an eye with a picture of a bat-winged lion with a semi-human looking head on it. The flip side has a balance on it. Cedious tries to figure it out but can not. Fearing the worse, Boddynoc inspects it. It is magical. How it is magical he is uncertain. He pockets it to figure it out later.

During Cedious’ wanderings, Boddynoc and Temper had managed to sell some of the goblin treasures of old and for a very pretty coin. They traveled to the Mekdall Gallery and Window on the Past. The last stop they wish to go to is the Cloud Antiquities. He had heard this shop buys items based on beauty instead of importance or use. A gold goblet should do well here.

Once Cedious steps into this shop a floating red light begins to blink and a soft but obvious alarm goes off. The two owners immediately yell thief and chase him out. Boddynoc scratches his chin. He figures that the only possibility for an alarm to go would be this strange purple coin in his pocket. He feels around and finds …no coin. That darn thief!

Meanwhile ….Khora and Temper are interrupted at the temple by a rude and obnoxious man dressed in furs. “I was robbed and want someone to stop him!” he demands of the priests. The priests whom are more of attendants and custodians of the temple than spell casters only shrug their shoulders. Fearing what he knows is true, Khora asks about the possible thieves without giving his own name. The description fits Boddynoc and Cedious. Time to go.

In a few towers away, within a darkened stairway, the two confused short guys try to figure out this item. Temper grumbles “Security system.” Boddynoc winces at the obviousness of it. To test a theory (Cedious SWEARS he did not steal it even though it was found in HIS pocket) they give it to Temper. After a few minutes, Temper checks his pouch and it is gone. “Great- it’s cursed to return to the original thief’s hand also.” Frowns Cedious. Even with knowing what this means, Boddynoc is curious about the magic involved. He looks at the images again. The balance is now obvious. It is a symbol of fairness and justice. The eye is most likely a symbol of ever watching. But the monster…? Where has he seen this before? Part man, part dragon and part lion.

The man is now looking around for guards and anyone that will listen. He is even screaming at complete strangers in his frustration. This has been his third time pick pocketed in the month. Khora follows him to a large bank. Outside are a large robotic guard and several statues of Manticore. These creatures (part dragon, lion and human) are symbols of House Kundarak, the Dragon House of Warding.

As Khora can over hear, the arrogant man bought a security token from the dwarves. If this token is ever removed from this man’s pocket by anyone but himself a cursed spell is released. The coin will always return to the thief, not the originator. The token is then keyed in to security systems. If “activated” and brought into a store that has paid the dwarves enough money, an alarm is sounded. This man has not finished paying for his magic token and suggested not paying it when he picked it up. The dwarves are not in a hurry to track down the activated coin without the FULKL payment with interest is paid. The man has no money, the thief has it. 

VERY angry now, the man storms out of the bank and nearly walks into Bonds whom is more than prepared to beat on this man. Khora informs the Warforged Barbarian of what is happening and they leave to find Cedious.

Within the hour, they catch up with each other. The only possible solution they can think of is to replace the token (and the token only of course) into the man’s pocket. Within the hour, they can hear the man bellowing with a hoarse voice. He told the police they were unprofessional which did little to encourage them into action.

Soon, Bonds and Temper distracts the man and Cedious places the token back into his jacket and runs for it. Even after an hour, the token has not returned.

And thus the pick pocketing has stopped …for now.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
9/25/04
SEGMENT 008
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

A few weeks have passed since the party went into the dungeons below Sharn. During this time they have sold some goods and bartered for others. Boddynoc has attempted to create a few things and with much success. However, as always, their collective monies are running low and Sgt. Dolom seems to be watching Cedious more and more ….

Boddynoc has had no luck discovering any secrets from the journal, fake schema or the map he has.

Following a hunch (and a prayer to any god that will listen) they venture to the Barmin Tower to the House Sivis office. They are hoping against hope that Lady Elaydren has left a message of employment for them. It has just begun to sprinkle lightly when they near the office in question.

“Thunder rumbles in the distance as you cross the rain-slick skybridge that leads to Barmin Tower. The rain falls at a steady pace, causing waterfalls to spill over the sides of the slanted rooftops and balcony railings. Ahead, the door to the House Sivis message station hangs open at a strange angle, one of its hinges separated from the doorframe. Lightning flashes, and you think you hear a groan from somewhere inside the otherwise quiet shop.”

The warforged warriors leap to defensive positions. Khora begins to look for trouble. Boddynoc pulls out his crossbow and Cedious shrugs and walks into the office with little thought of consequence. He can see small feet behind an over turned table. Papers are scattered everywhere. Boddynoc steps in and looks around.

“The tables and stools within the message station are in disarray; some are overturned or smashed, others have been forcefully scattered from their usual places. Behind the counter, lying atop a spilled shelf of scrolls and parchment sheets, is the gnome clerk who runs the station. She moans, unconscious but apparently still alive.”

Still flanking the door, the warforged watch the streets as the human cleric enters the room. He looks around and sees what looks like blackish-purple footprints and looks into it. Boddynoc tries to revive the cute gnome girl by spilling water onto her face and chest. (what has the world come to?).

”The message!” she cries. “I have to check on the messages!”

…and she sits upright quickly startling the gnome artificer. She turns over and begins to grab loose papers that are on the floor.

The warforged fighter and barbarian step in now. They look around not at the room so much as for any dangers. They spot many pebbles and sling stones on the floor. They note the clerk is alive and wonder what Khora is staring at.

“Kobolds.” Says Khora looking at the three toes clawed footprints made by a kobold when it stepped in over turned ink. “..and a much bigger brother.” He says looking at footprints nearby now. These prints were made by rain soaked feet; not ink. They are large and two toed. The warforged know them as they have the same foot print. “Warforged.” Boddynoc looks at them with renewed concern. Cedious is checking out the now wet shirted female gnome. She is rushing about collecting papers and muttering to herself how this will never do.

“What happened?” asks Boddynoc picking up a piece of paper addressed to Mr. Nicklestone. She grabs it in a rush dropping most of the papers she had just gathered and tried to organize.

“The door crashed open and a bunch of kobolds rushed in causing a great commotion and knocking over papers to be filed. I demanded them to leave at once but …they wouldn’t leave.” She nearly breaks down but stifles the sob and sighs as she spots a paper addressed to Lucan Stellos from a Grilsha Stellos. Picking up the paper she stuffs it into the middle of her armload of shuffled papers.

She stops and leans on a desk touching the lump on her head. A clear bruise has formed on her head from a pellet shot by a kobold. “What are you here for again?” She asks quietly while trying to find some comfort in “business as usual”.

“Can you describe everything to us in detail?” asks Boddynoc now getting out a piece of paper and a quill to write with. He dips the quill into the overturned ink and begins to write notes. “What of the possible warforged? What did he do or say?”

“The stranger had a deep, rumbling voice that was strong and threatening, and the kobolds followed his direction without question. He asked if there were any messages for you,” the clerk admits … It was an amazing coincidence,” the clerk explains. “because I had just transcribed a message for you from the speaking stone. I must have glanced at the scroll I was holding, and the next instance the man in the cloak had snatched the scroll with one hand and hit me with the other. That’s the last thing I remember.”

“Are you sure? It could be very important.” Asks Boddynoc with incredible concern and sense of importance.

Looking down at the mess at her feet and suddenly stepping back when she sees she is standing on a letter meant to arrive at the Morgrave University that afternoon she reluctantly remembers whom sent it.

“It was from Lady Elaydren d’Cannith.”

She drops all of her papers to the floor as she spots the speaking stone on the floor. She picks it up and inspects it for damage.

“Anything else?” inquires Boddynoc.

She melts looking at his trusting and pure innocent eyes ….

“I remember something about the Broken Anvil Tavern …”

The warforged wait a moment as the other three exit the office. They are honestly expecting and hoping for trouble at this point. They head for the Tavern to find answers to the many questions they have.

“The Broken Anvil is located in the Mason’s Tower, carved into a bend in the tower wall. Inside, everbright lanterns at either end of the room provide flickering illumination. A round table is set to either side of the entrance, and three longer tables are scattered throughout the room.
Today the Broken Anvil only has one customer, a woman in a worn brown cloak. She sits at a table at the far end of the room. As you enter, she raises her hands if to cast a spell, then stops and pulls back her hood. Despite her disheveled hair and the dirt that covers her face, you recognize her. She is Elaydren d’Cannith, the woman who hired you to explore the depths of Sharn.”

Several of the party members instantly become distrustful by the Lady Elaydren’s drastic change of style and dress. The others recognize it as cover a disguise.

“ Quickly, quickly!” Elaydren calls in a strained voice. “Thank Olladra that you’re here. There is no time to waste.” [She and the PCs step into a private room out of sight of the main chamber.]
Elaydren lifts a leather backpack off the floor and places it on the table. The leather is worn, but its brass fittings are still bright. It appears to be light, almost empty. “There is no time to explain,” Elaydren says, her fear-filled eyes darting from you to the door and back again. “Instructions, gold, and supplies are in this pack. Take it and go. The letter in the left-hand pocket explains everything, but you must go now! Trust me. If you can accomplish this task, the reward will be vast.”

Cedious is thinking vast is very very large. Boddynoc is thinking she can deliver. Khora is quiet and the two warforged sense a fight coming. Boddynoc tugs on the bag to check it out when……

“Suddenly the door to the street bursts open. Four [I used eight] small figures leap through the doorway –kobolds! They move in pairs to each side of the chamber, clearing the space in front of the entrance. A fifth [ninth] figure steps into the doorway, a broad humanoid in a dark, hooded cloak carrying a light crossbow. “

“Find them.” The figure coldly commands to the kobolds.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
9/25/04
SEGMENT 009
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Boddynoc pulls on the bag provided for him. Questions are racing through his mind. He is also a bit annoyed. He had just spent some of his money buying a Bag of Holding which he suspects he has just been given. Maybe he can sell it to the warforged.

Suddenly Bonds stiffens up as he hears plates crash to the floor in the main room. “Trouble.” He smirks and moves out of the room. All but Boddynoc go to inspect the source of the noise that now includes screams.

A kobold is stepping onto and spilling the soup of a customer that arrived after the group did. It holds a short spear to the trembling and crying man. Two other kobolds harass one of the bar maidens. They watch the pitcher of drink that was to go to Lady Elaydren and her contacts. The bouncer is crumbled up on the floor. Two kobolds poke at him with their feet holding their cross bows at him. Near him is a tall figure holding a cutlass sword dressed in old robes. He looks up and glares at the group from across the chamber. “Whom are you flesh-things?”

He stares at the two warforged for a moment. Then even as the human cleric comes out he seems to recognize them.

“Butchers! Butchers and two traitors! Kill them little flesh things. Kill them all.” Yells and growls the warforged fighter waving his sword before him. “But leave the traitors to me.”

Bonds and Temper don’t even flinch as they begin to rush across the room. A kobold squeaks when overrun by Bonds. The man that had just sampled his soup before the kobolds burst in screams and dies as the kobold stabs him without mercy or thought.

Boddynoc goes out of the room to see what the scream was. Thick mist appears from no where. Concerned that the kobolds were a distraction, Boddynoc returns to the room where he left Elaydren. Lady Elaydren has left the building. “Rats!”

Bonds and Temper try to corner the warforged leader whom evades them as he tries to get a better and more defensive location. Khora hopes to reach the dying man quickly and save the waitress whom is trying to defend herself from a kobold using her serving tray as a shield. Cedious throws darts at a kobold on the table. It dies falling onto the pool of soup it created.
Khora begins to mop up the place with Kobolds with Cedious doing all he can to attack at range. Boddynoc arrives in time to fire his crossbow at a kobold sneaking up on him.

The warforged leader runs out of room and faces the two “traitors” to his race. He gives as good as he receives but in the end is brought down as Bonds cuts him down. Taking no chances, Temper gives him another hit or two once down. Another piece of flying components leaves the leader and escapes them.

Knowing something like this will bring the authorities, the group take to the wet streets and look for a place to check out what they have been given and found on the leader’s body.


I hope you are enjoying this as much as the Players.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 010
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Hiding in an entrance to a tattoo parlor a few levels down, the group looks into what the warforged leader had on him. A nice lightly glowing Longsword, a crossbow with a few bolts, a traveling cloak (not taken) and a backpack. The pack is largely empty except for a few lose trivial items and a rolled up piece of paper. It reads-

“My friends,
The object you recovered for me from the ruins beneath Sharn is a schema, a piece of a pattern used to create items both mundane and magical. I have learned that another schema connected to this pattern was being studied in a secret Cannith workshop in Cyre called Whitehearth. I wonder if this research is tied to the Day of Mourning?
Parts of my own house seek this pattern for evil purposes, and I do not know whom to trust. So I turn to you. I need you to travel to Cyre, find the workshop, and recover the second schema.
The location of the workshop was a closely guarded secret lost when the patriarch of House Cannith died in the destruction of Cyre. You must travel to the House Cannith outpost in the town of Rose Quarry in Darguun to recover a record of all of Cannith’s hidden workshops.
In Rhukaan Draal, find a man named Failin in the Bloody Market. He can provide you with transport to Rose Quarry. From there, travel into the Mournland to find Whitehearth and the second schema. It is an adamantine plate in the shape of a diamond about the size of a human’s palm. Once you have retrieved it, return to Rhukaan Draal where I will meet you. Succeed, and I will see to it that you are well rewarded for your courage.
Lady E.”

“This must be the message taken from the Sivis message station.” Comments Boddynoc as much to himself as to the others. He turns his attention to the bag given to him by Lady Elaydren.

“Hmmm neat.” Says Boddynoc as he peers in.

Cedious and the others wait for what is inside.

“Heward’s Handy Haversack.”

Cedious looks up in confusion to the human cleric.

“Magic”

“Oh…” answers Cedious. Then he looks to see what it has that is so magical.

Boddynoc begins with the center pocket.
80 arrows
80 bolts
50 ft of silk rope
3 bedrolls
3 waterskins, filled
9 days worth of trail rations

Cedious checks each item out before placing it back to the steps that they sit on.

Right Pocket has even mundane items within it. Cedious lets out a long and loud sigh at it.
1 everbright lantern
1 flint & steel
1 healer’s kit
5 torches
3 sacks

Left pocket has “goodies”
Letter from Lady Elaydren
3 vials of Holy Water
3 potions of Cure Light Wounds
A tiny rod of Blue Metal, 3 inches in length, with a sapphire embedded at one end
1 pouch with 150 pp
1 casket containing 500gp
A letter of credit for House Orien and House Lyrandar to cover passage to Rhukaan Draal.

Khora takes the key away from Cedious as he attempts to palm it. He gives it back to Boddynoc along with the other goods to replace within the bag along with a few of their goods.

“Looks like we have a choice- by water or land.”

“?” says the look on Cedious and the other’s faces.

“House Orien runs lightning rails and House Lyrandar controls the fastest ships. It’ll be quicker to go by ship I believe.”

That morning they go to the docks and head out by ship. They are unaware of the watchful eye of an old fisherman. This same old seaman whom sometimes sells information to the Emerald Claw and Venom.

The group travels by sea through the Hilt onto the edge of The Thunder Sea. They sea the usual seagulls and other birds of the sea. A few Dolphins race their ship then leave. They see many ships heading due south towards Xen’drik. They see none returning from the continent of giants and ruins. The ship moves along at a good steady pace. Magical winds drive the ship along with the ships on elemental powers. Soon they pass the shores of the gnomic lands (after a brief stop in Korranberg) and enter Darguun waters. By time they reach and enter Kraken Bay Boddynoc has finished his latest edition of the Korranberg Chronicle. It was a slow issue this time. Nothing that caught his attention.

They go downstairs to sleep except for the two warforged. They are bored but require no sleep. It has been three days and nights now.

“Sea travel is for sailors- not warriors.” Laments Bonds in boredom.

Temper can not comment one way or the other. He thinks the others are lucky that they sleep. At least then the trip goes by faster for them.

“The night is warm and quiet, and the trio of moons in the sky reflects ghostly light onto the water.” A slow but thick fog as much grows as forms around the ship. Neither warforged think much about it as they lean over the rail watching the glowing white fish swim by the boat just under the surface. Then Bonds hears a scratching sound. Could they be about to run aground? Adventure at last!

Then he sees it, the fish disappear and a humanoid shape seems to reach up from the bottom and catch the bottom of the ship. They are about to be boarded! He turns in excitement, ready to tell Temper of what he saw when Temper yells- “Skeletons!”

There is no fear in his deep voice. Only joy.