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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2294597" data-attributes="member: 1210">To the Isle of Vuivui7/30/371 O.L.G., 9 a.m., the Isle of VuivuiAs our heroes appear on the Isle of Vuivui, the first thing they notice is how far off the sun’s path they have come.  It appears not in the ecliptic they are used to, but off to the south, arcing low through the sky.  It takes only moments before the orbs start to rise from behind the large flat hills towards the isle's center.A strange thing, a massive orb with eyes floating independently in the air all around it, is accompanied by things that can only be described as three-headed beholders.  Our heroes gulp and eye them warily as Lillamere steps up and attempts to use his considerable skill with diplomacy to talk to the weird gibbering orb.  When asked, it admits that it is Caercolli.  “Why have you come here?” it asks in many voices at once.“We come in peace, seeking only access to the fruit of Vuivui,” Baron Lillamere declares.The gibbering orb mutters and then says, “You wish the blessings of Chaos?”  Its eyes linger on the shield of Graz’zt that Veil bears.  Veil bows.  “You serve the cause?”“I serve Chaos, and Lord Graz’zt,” Veil replies. “You will undertake a great task,” rumbles the gibbering orb.  A multitude of other voices rises up from it, sighing and laughing softly.“Very well.  Follow me into the center of the isle.”The group mass flies up and over a shielding range of hills, dotted with trees, and then down into the center of the isle.  There are short tufts of greenish-yellow grass here and there, and a few shrubs and bushes.  Lester notes that when he was here before, it looked considerably different, and there weren’t any three-headed beholder guardians.  Indeed, in the island’s center itself- there is no tree.  Veil feels a profound disappointment.  Instead of the Tree of Vuivui, our heroes find a small pool of glimmering, scintillating color.  As she examines it, Veil can feel a tension around it, a potentiality.  The liquid in the pool, Veil suddenly knows, is some sort of Chaos oil.  “If you will undertake to storm the Bastion of Law,” the gibbering orb’s many voices say as one, “you may each bathe an item in the pool of power.”Lester steps up next to Veil and starts stripping off his armor.  She reads his mind- he means to wash his armor in the Chaos.  Inoke shakes his head.  “I don’t think this is such a good idea,” he states firmly.  “Can we get this over with quickly, please?  I’ll stand guard, but this whole thing makes me uncomfortable.”  He moves a short distance away.Veil watches as Lester reverently places his armor in the pool, then pulls it out, rubbing it down.  The armor seems to have achieved a new sheen, shining glossily.  Veil grins and pulls her sword.  She plunges it deep within the oil of Chaos, holding it in with her hand up to the elbow.  When she pulls it out, it seems to waver in her vision for an instant.  Within it, she can feel a new, powerful energy seething and waiting to escape.Most of the others hesitate.  Who knows what effect this will have on their items?  It is Chaos, after all.  Not to mention the commitment they are being asked to make!Alcar takes a deep breath.  He is no servant of Chaos, but the forces of Law have used and rejected him.  The damn bureaucrats!  He owes them one anyhow!  He pulls his holy symbol of Galador from around his neck and plunges it deep into the pool.  He can feel the tingling of the Chaos oil as he prays with all his devotion.*  Oh Galador, take this moment to show me whether you approve of my path.For a moment, there is a flare of light from deep within the pool.  Alcar snatches his symbol from the pool and kisses it. “Can we go now?” complains Inoke. ***8/1/371 O.L.G., 3 p.m., VarOur heroes have returned to Dorhaus.  The three of them that bathed an item have retired to try to ascertain the effects, while Horbin has determined that a commune of his own is in order.  Thus he lights some incense and casts his mind into a state of deep prayer.Is ‘Unknown’ the name of a demon? Unknown.Am I speaking to Dexter? Yes.Has the demon I have been asking about deceived Dexter before? Unknown.Did Desgren break the rod of resurrection to keep if from an enemy? Yes.Was it a lich? Yes.Lester told me that Dzaram the Lich was involved in the battle that led to Desgren’s vanishing in a prismatic spray, thinks Horbin.  So he’s probably the lich in question.  But what if he was involved in the dreams too?Was the lich either angel in the dreams of Desgren?  Unlikely. Does Fillestrea know the name of the demon? No.Do any of the companions of Dexter know of it? No.Have we, the party, encountered an agent of this demon in the past month? Unknown.Does it have fairly sophisticated protections against divination? Unknown.Should I keep an eye on Sybele? I guess so.Horbin sits thinking hard about this.  Who can we ask about this? he wonders.  He starts to get a few ideas.***Outside the Temple of Elemental GoodLester tries to miracle a Tree of Vuivui for Veil, but unfortunately, it withers and dies in only moments.  The fruit looks unhealthy, to put it mildly, so Veil again gives up in disappointment.  Really, though, she is more than satisfied with the trip; her sword fairly hums with chaotic power.Then Horbin sends over the link, Hey- anyone want to go to Gorel?  Lester and Alcar, especially?Lester relays the question to Alcar, who is not a member of the permanent telepathic bond.  Soon the party is assembling.***5 p.m., above Gorel“What’s the plan, man?” Lester asks.“I want to talk to dome dead people,” Horbin replies.  “I figure, maybe they can tell us something about this demon I’m seeking.”“Dead people!” exclaims Alcar.  “My brother!”“Possibly,” admits Horbin.  “And possibly Farenth, too.  We’re going to the location of the death of Farenth, which should be near Cyrax’s death site too.”“We should bring my brother back,” Alcar urges.  “He betrayed us all; it led to his fall,” Lester reminds him.But their trip to the old pirate lair on Yafall (an isle just off the coast of Gorel) is unsuccessful.  Though they find his body, Cyrax’s spirit seems trapped.  Alcar is frustrated but helpless to do anything else about it.The party decides to walk through the jungle for a while in the hopes of drawing out something to take their frustration and aggression out on.  So through the jungle they tromp.  As the evening deepens and the sun sinks towards the western sea, Chakar catches a glimpse of something large and reddish-white, moving amongst the trees.  The dwarf nudges Gerontius and points.  Then some of the most savage beasts our heroes have ever fought burst out of the jungle!Next Time: Our heroes fight big jungle nasties!*He also burned a Wyrd, which is sort of like a fate point.</blockquote>

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