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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jydog1" data-source="post: 5560565" data-attributes="member: 48156">Session #32 - May 9th, 2011 - No more Field of Dreams Jokes, PleaseNotes: back after a couple of weeks off, and it showed - we were chatty, distracted, and no doubt irritating to the poor GM.  It was also pretty much a watershed moment for Grezz as he finally found his mother and . . . well, I made an unusual decision on how to handle it which will be explained in post.  I was tired and out of sorts with concern about outside things as well, and not particularly pleased with my gaming for the evening.  Ah well.  that's what the next week is for, as we stare at a worst-case scenario and the reality of a possible TPK.  "It's 30 feet to Rhoswyn's throne room.  We're low on spells, our sorcerer is close to having a nervous breakdown, we're cutting deals with the Winter Court, there's an army of trolls and whatnot on the way here, and the Fae Queen is waiting for us in the center of her power."Hit it.From the journal of Grezzalik M'Rethen:Nothing easy.  Absolutely nothing can be easy.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />ing Medea could have warned me, although I should be grateful for what she told me about Loric.  Bastard.Before the gnome's body had even stopped twitching Londis took off through the salleyway and into Rhoswyn's citadel.  We ran after him, taking advantage of the chaos we'd created that was keeping the defenders off-balance.  A few spriggans launched darts at us, but nothing impeded us as we thundered toward the giant tree that was the fortress.  A pair of doors led into an antechamber.  Inside there were trolls and more spriggans in good ambush position, but after dispatching a couple of gargoyles and letting one of my web spells occupy the others we skipped the clash and, following Rob Everyone's directions, moved into a barracks.  The fighters crushed a couple of spriggans and we climbed a staircase to the third level.  A large terrace covered in greenery waited for us, and a satyr was lying in wait.  It garbled what i could only assume was a song at us, but nobody even blinked.  As we began to engage a giant shrub rose up from cover and grabbed Firendrin - I felt like I'd seen a picture of it in a book in one of my nature classes, but there had been this smoking hot evoker sitting next to me and I had spent most of the time staring at her instead.So when I got my chance I fired out twin rays of lightning, one dropping the satyr and the other hitting the bush and . . . making it much, much larger.  Ooops.   NOW I remembered, shambling mound, right.  Lightning heals 'em and makes 'em bigger.  Yeah, probably shouldn't have done that.That thought was echoed by both Tofa and Londis rather colorfully.  Sorry.  Did I mention how hot the evoker was?  I swear, she used to let her robes slip open on purpose to show some leg.Trixie took it out with a cold-iron tipped bolt, and as it died a door opened to reveal a well-dressed elf.  "Greetings.  My name is Siliwas and once you're done here, My Lord Loric Tinvallen asks that you would please come see him."Tofa looked over and snarled, "Who is dis Loric?"Before Siliwas could respond I cleared my throat and said, "He's the Winter Court Ambassador to the Fellnight.  There's also a chance he's my father."  I nodded to Siliwas and, when he turned, followed him out.  The others followed with mutters of apprehension.We were led through opulent chambers before being brought before a tall, distinguishing-looking elf.  I happened to glance at the others and saw them looking from me to Loric - the resemblance was impossible to miss.  But honestly, I didn't give a rat's ass about him, because there was someone else in the room - my mother.Holding something wrapped in blankets and cooing.  A baby.  I had a sibling?  By Shelyn's Grace . . .(OOC: okay, at this point I decided that Grezz had two courses of action - one, rushing over to her, which would be normal for Grezz, or two, kind of freaking out and instead going to all business as a way to cover up how freaked out he was.  To myself I set the DC at 15 to be normal Grezz and go over for hugs . . . and rolled a 2.  even with a decent will bonus I was far short, so I played it as him being freaked)My mother looked . . . not right.  her eyes were fixed on the bundle in her arms but seemed wrong, either bespelled or  . . . worse.  And I just stood there, uncertain of what to do.Loric cleared his throat.  "Well, welcome to all of you who have found your way here along with my wayward son and -"My eyes flicked to him and I growled, "Don't call me that."He smiled, unperturbed.  "Please help yourself to refreshments, if you like."  Only then did I notice the tables piled high with food and drink.  "I must say, you've done well to make it this far.  Most impressive.  And I believe we may be able to aid one another."Someone spoke up, not sure who.  I was watching my mother not notice me.  "Where are we?""You're in my chambers, which for all intensive purposes is the Winter Court.  It is a safe haven for you, for the time being.  I'm able to slow the passage of time somewhat but reinforcements are finally getting organized downstairs.  I assume you're here to kill Rhoswyn?"I turned back to him, ignoring Trixie's nudges toward my mother.  "Kill or defeat, whichever.  I assume that fits in with the desires of the Winter Court?"Loric chuckled and picked up a flute of wine.  "We would not be opposed to it, no.  I would ask that you not irrevocably harm the World tree, though.  This place was built as a prison, and taking it down would be unfortunate."Londis snorted.  "Why should we help you?""Well, I of course can't act directly against Rhoswyn.  Not that I'd really want to in her throne room, but you've made doing the impossible a tad commonplace, it appears.  I could hear the Queen raging from here when she learned you'd destroyed the dragon."  He took a slip, paced a bit.  "For you to undertake this task I would offer you as much information as I have, an escape route when you're done, and also be willing to offer you protection from any and all machinations of the Winter Court, for the length of a mortal's life.""Why would the Winter Court be interested in us?"He shrugged.  "It's not my place to opine on the thoughts of Mab.  Having such protection would unlikely ever be a bad thing to have.  In return I'd ask for the elimination of Rhoswyn without the destruction of the tree.  Oh, and you can take anything of hers you like, of course, aside from the scrying crystal in her throne room.  That would stay here, unharmed.""Under the watching eye of the Winter Court, no doubt," I said sourly."Indeed, son.""No," I said in a low tone, "you don't get to call me that."  He smirked and started to answer but I cut him off.  "Now isn't the time or the place."Trixie, meanwhile had edged over by my mother and started to sing a quiet little song.  Shamara looked up and smiled, then tickled the baby and said, "Oh, Grezzalik, isn't that a pretty song?"Oh, just wonderful.  A fight against a Fae Queen looming, low on spells, and I also had to worry about my mother being batsh*t crazy.  To make it worse, she shifted and I could see that the baby wasn't a baby at all, but rather a few balls of yarn.  Terrific.  Bloody terrific.Trixie altered her song a little and cajoled Shamara to look at me, which she did after a few seconds.  Her brow began to furrow and she looked confused. "So," said Loric, "have we a deal?"   We did.  "Splendid.  Let me tell you what I know."It wasn't pretty.  Rhoswyn's powers were tied to the tree and she was most powerful in her throne room, where we'd have to go.  She specialized in shadows, illusions, and mind control, and would use tree stride to hide in the eight large columns present. Her staff was from the tree and greatly enhanced her power - I instantly wanted it for my own.  She'd likely be guarded by her personal stone troll named Gruglok, and perhaps others. I rubbed my eyes as my fath - as Loric spoke.  This was bad. I was okay on spells, maybe at half power, but she'd likely be prepared to absorb my electricity, and fire was tough to make here.  I'd probably be best off trying to counter her spells.   Trixie, after glaring at me for quite some time, showed off her cleavage to Loric - no, that wasn't creepy at all - and asked him to tell her about the chimes we'd found in the dragon's hoard. They turned out to be Chimes of Harmonic Agony and at another time I would have made a joke at Trixie's expense, but I wasn't in the mood and she was clearly angry with me for not going over to see my mother.  As if it were her business!  I was upset about it enough as it was already, and the last thing I needed was to go over there and have her not recognize me.  More distractions when going to fight a bloody Fae Queen would be a bad thing.I turned to Loric, who was watching me with a odd expression.  "Good info.  Since we're the ones doing your dirty work, do you have anything a little more material to help us out?"I saw what looked like approval flash across his face, and after a moment he nodded.  "Of course."   he rummaged in a chest and produced an enameled box.  When he opened it Calfalas gasped, the first time I'd seen the Cerulean Guard show surprise.    "Cold iron.  Fae bane.  A most apt weapon for here."Londis stepped forward, eyes glittering as he took in the short sword.  "If nobody else objects, I'll use it."  Nobody did.   Loric muttered something to Siliwas, who nodded and left the room.  "I've asked my aid to . . . delay the reinforcements, but you should probably go do what needs to be done.Trixie was glaring a bandolier of daggers at me as I got myself organized.  I met Loric's eyes and said, "When we're done with Rhoswyn you and I are going to take care of all this," I said, gesturing toward my mother.  "Clearly things to be discussed.""Of course, son, you -"I shook my head slowly, feeling green lightning involuntarily crackle between my fingers.  "Don't.  Just don't."  With that we went to kill the Queen of the Fellnight.More notes:  Trixie is disgusted with Grezz for not going to talk to his mother and has OOC said she won't heal him.  My OOC reply is that Grezz doesn't give a flying fig what Trixie thinks.  Poor Grezz, no luck with women no matter what the context.  And we didn't level!  Arghhhhh it would be so much easier!  'Here Rhoswyn, catch this RHINO!'</blockquote>

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