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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greybar" data-source="post: 812627" data-attributes="member: 4938">"Lit by the loneliest light", part one[Disclaimer: This actual gaming session took place in July of 2001.  As such, I'm liberally putting words in the character's mouths from memory and notes.  My players may chime in and remind me of things that I'll edit in later. -john]Awake.  Dark.  Water.  Drowning!Moments ago they were dreaming, moments before that they were confronting a huge giant who supported on his palm the Matriarch Gorkana.  He laughed at their resistance to him, laughed at the lizardmen and the humans, and with a wave of his hand turned them all to stone.  Stone no longer, now water threatens to fill their lungs.Splashing they fight to the surface of the water, and grope out the rough rock edge of the pool they had been submerged in.  Each still wears the same equipment they wore unknown time ago.  For Daphna, this means her leather and metal cadre armor.  Normally it protects her life, but now it threatens to drown her.  Karrinkas pulls himself out onto the stone pool's edge.  His highly trained ears take in the splashing and shouting bouncing off the enclosing walls of a small cave around them.  His eyes adjust to the sole source of light, a small candle set several feet away from the deep pool that the others are still struggling to emerge from.  With a quick dive, he is back in the water to help Balius lift Daphna out.  Samus drops his heavy greataxe in the pool so he can get his arms over the lip of the pool, and hopes he won't need it again too quickly.  Arlissa's staff clears the water, leading her into the light."Ahhhhwwww.  More stone!" Berke screams.  He clears the edge of the pool and sees himself trapped in stone - a cave with no exits.  He smacks his broad hands against the walls, searching for passages and finding none.The others crouch at the edge of the pool, gasping for breath.  Balius and Arlissa cautiously approach the lone candle and the oiled pouch wrapped next to it.  It contains a few candles, flint and steel, ink and quill, a set of simple clothing, two scraps of paper, and a battered metal ring. Arlissa picks up the first of the notes, which looks worn and faded.  She reads aloud:“The oldest six stonesTo end the longest reignEach in secret poolsMingled with life's watersLit by the loneliest light”Samus' voice comes from the pool.  "Umm.  Did the rest of you notice the body?"Arlissa leans forward and calls the blessings of Llassa, Daughter of Light, upon the tip of her staff.  White light shines against their eyes, cuts through the water, and throws the rough stone walls into sharp shadows.  Indeed, a body does lie at the bottom of the pool.  A naked sunborn of perhaps 30 years, wearing only a metal belt to which are attached large stones.With some effort, her body is extracted and laid upon the shelf of the pool.  Her wrists and ankles are sliced and bloody, but a smile is on her face.  Daphna points out three small teardrops tattooed on her shoulder - the sign of Abanta."I hopes that my sacrifice is not in vain, and that you of the prophecy will end the long time of darkness.", Balius reads from the other note, "Thanks be to Our Lady of the Lost and her Sisters, for I fear that Matriarch is growing yet darker and more powerful.""This one's ink is still wet", he says."And the candle has only been burning for ten minutes or so". Arlissa's long years of religious study under blessed candles make her an expert judge of such things."Damn it, why do people have to assume we know what's going on before they go and kill themselves.  Couldn't she have written a bit longer note!" says Samus, half in humor and half in frustration."There's no way out!" Berke shouts.  His breath is deep and fast, his eyes wildly darting around the small cave.  "There!"  A small pool in the other corner is just big enough for his frame.  He takes a deep breath and dives for it, disappearing under the cool waters and leaving the rest standing around a naked corpse and a dwindling candle."Wait!" Arlissa shouts.  She's used to her directions being obeyed, but Berke is already gone.  Her shoulders drop with an exasperated exhalation.  It won't be the first time.</blockquote>

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