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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cloudgatherer" data-source="post: 199187" data-attributes="member: 66">Fiery Unification"We agree," Star boldy addressed Ambros, the cleric of Valeya, outside the Cloak and Dagger.  Canthor had joined his companions at the table and was being updated as Star returned with the meeting time and place of the Phantom informant.Without delay, the party set out to meet the informant.  Star crept into the appointed alleyway while his companions remained in the street.  An old man asked for some spare change, to which Star provided.  The old man asked if Star watched the birds fly at night, and picking up on the innuendo, Star stated he did."Never thought you would be a hired killer," stated the "old man", who revealed himself as Ellison Lance in disguise.  Phantom, and once an enemy of the Outsiders, Ellison Lance is a capable assassin, but tonight he is an information broker."Well, you know how it is," Star remarked.  "You wouldn't happen to know Varrius' next target?""A couple aquans might refresh my memory..."Commander Idar Haslof, a high ranking Polarian Army officer, was staying at "The Hunted Lord" tonight.  Around 1 AM, Varrius is scheduled to slay the officer in his sleep.  Idar will be staying on the 4th floor of the inn, with a small company of guards.After exchanging some lore about poisons, Star emerged from the alleyway and filled his companions in on the situation.  The party debated warning Idar, but decided against it. Even if they were believed, the party is not high on Polary's list, not to mention what they do to clerics of Bryle...Stealth was the action of the day, as the party set up around the inn.  Star crept into Idar's room, hiding among the shadows as the Commander relaxed in the room's bathtub.  Remus took his rods and positioned himself on the roof, so that he might be able to see a bit better.  Canthor positioned himself outside his own room's door, acting like a guardsman for someone important, as two to four similar guards were doing for Idar.  Meanwhile, Rax had assumed his dragon form and took to the skies.At the appointed time, a shadowy figure approached the inn by jumping rooftops.  Stopping at the back of the inn, the figure drew his blade, a finely wrought katana, and with a single leap jumped into Idar's room.Right about the same time all hell broke loose...Star peppered Varrius with arrows, Varrius caught most of them, but was then confronted by an invisible form attempting to grab onto him.  He was hampered by the adventurers as Remus joined his allies and proceeded to attack Varrius as Idar's guards burst into the room, followed by Canthor shouting warnings and orders to the men.His opportunity ruined, Varrius leapt out the window, and took off with astounding speed.  The party attempted to run and gun him down, but Varrius easily leapt over barriers, obstacles, and even up onto buildings with ease.  After evading the party, wounding Rax, and catching several of Star's arrows, Varrius retreat to the Phantom Estate.The party stopped in indecision.  Do they follow the wounded assassin into what is most likely the most dangerous place in Aera? At Star's urging, the party broke into a second story room.  Fortune was with them, as it was unoccupied.The party attempted to find Varrius within the mansion, however Star used one of his detection powers to pinpoint Varrius behind the mansion, in the training grounds.  Here the battle started anew, as Varrius had had time to heal himself with numerous potions.For several minutes the party exchanged blows with the trained killer.  His defensive and offensive capabilities were excellent, however he was at a stand still as Canthor continually healed his companions and used his tower shield to protect himself from harm.  Finally, Varrius disengaged from the battle, fleeing once again into the mansion.  Quite upset, Star set fire to the building, and Canthor used a pair of flame strike spells as well.  This brought a small contingent of people, who opened fire on the party as they ran, and the Phantoms now were fighting the fire.As people started to arrive at the scene to fight the fire, the party waited for Varrius to come out.  He did not, and Star once again used a medallion detection ability to locate Varrius' medallion piece.  Against Remus' better judgment, Star entered the burning building, a fire he had created, and followed the feeling of the Medallion piece to the main feasting hall.  It was there he could feel the Medallion piece close by.  Taking a few moments to pinpoint its location, Star found it resting on Varrius' table with the head Phantom nowhere in sight.  Snatching up the piece in victory, Star left the burning building and the party spent the night camping outside of Kilinay.  In the morning, the party assumed the form of clouds, and swept across the sky toward Mydrana to free the archmage of Mydrana from his imprisonment and hopefully save Aenith...Assembling the pieces together, the Medallion of the Gods hang around Katrina's neck.  The Mithral Hemisphere (Bryle) contained the Platinum Circle (Loraloren) and the arrangement was held together by the recently acquired Adamantine Pin (Valeya).  Inside the Platinum Circle, the Oak Leaf Pendant (Mist) fit snuggly, with the Glowing Sapphire (Edina Runeway) in the center of the arrangement.  Lastly, the Fire Chain (Balahnin) attatched to the Adamantine Pin, holding the Medallion on Katrina's neck.She was happy to do the honors when Remus asked if she would like to be the one to release Cloud.  Arriving in the clearing of Mydrana, the party assembled the Medallion and gave it to Katrina.  With a firm voice she commanded the Medallion to release Cloudgatherer.Energy rippled through the clearing as a blue ring appeared above it.  Reality seemed to give way as a massive, scaly form with tremendous claws landed soundly upon the ground.  It's ugly fish-like head appeared twisted, and almost immediately it raised its clawed hands and started to approach the party.  A hasty spell could be heard from behind the party, but as the creature was about to crash against the party in mortal combat, it was swept up in a powerful gust of wind and energy, flung back through the closing gateway that had brought it here.Lugtee Hardroc strode forward, smiling at the company.  The party stared dumbfounded, and noted the Medallion had not scattered in its six pieces as it would if it had performed one of its functions.  Trying to make sense of the arrangement, Lugtee pulled a scroll from his cloak, and started a quick incantation.  Pressing his hand to the ground, a white circle enveloped the ground and a naked human form started to emerge.  With another quick spell, Lugtee covered the naked form in illusory clothing.The unconscious form of Cloud fell upon the ground, supported by Lugtee.  The party ran over to the pair, and Canthor and Katrina started to summon their powers of healing..."Save your strength," Lugtee ordered, starting to read a limited wish spell from the same scroll.  He fused the archmage with healing energy, and color returned to Cloud's face."Hi guys," the recently healed wizard spoke, blinking repeatedly."You should really be more careful, Diram," Lugtee said with a smile, "but at least I can drop this disguise now..."Slowly an illusion faded from around Lugtee, revealing the true form of the wizard as (the real?) Cloudgatherer.  Katrina, Remus, Star, Canthor, and Rax stared on in shock...</blockquote>

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