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

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 104
“The Wooden Sword”

The Dire Wolverine splashes through the mud and muck and stops at the sword. “You didn’t touch it?” Asks Taskerdoo.

“Nope.” Cedious says too quickly.

“Wooden … that would suggest I can use it….” The druid says.

“Pull it out and see what happens!” Cedious says.

Looking at the halfling rogue from high on his animal companion, Taskerdoo reaches down and begins to pull on the sword. The ground begins to swell and he stabs it back into the ground. “Curious.”

The Wolverine snarls at the earth even as Black sands comes over to check it out. Sharshek submerges twice before the bees return to their logs. He wades towards them hoping there are no leeches within his armor. Vale slowly makes his way over as he checks out the area. He still hopes to find an exit other than the doors that float 35 feet up off the ground.

The island the sword was stabbed into is very dark and covered by many thick branches. It has dusk like lighting conditions. With one last look at the rogue, the druid picks up the sword. The ground heaves and the druid stabs it back in but at a different spot. A skeletal hand reaches up quickly and grabs at the sword.
The skull pops up next and the black bones begin to grow fat and nerves then muscles. “HEY! CLERIC!” he yells suddenly knowing what he had.

The vampire tears up through the earth and struggles to remove the sword from its stomach. The Wolverine moves away causing the druid to nearly fall off as he struggles with the reforming vampire. Black sands grabs the vampire and tugs him towards the sunlight. Being careful not to be overheard he whispers “turn me.” The vampire ignores him. Somehow the ½ giant and the vampire are at a deadlock. Not moving into the darker area nor into the light. The Wolverine grabs and begins to tug. It becomes a tug of war with the vampire being the rope.

“turn me dammit.”

None hear it due to the sounds of combat.

Vale arrives and castes Searing Light and ends the conflict instantly as the vampire burns and crumbles into the swamp.

Taskerdoo holds the wooden sword and they begin to wonder what kind of situation they have gotten themselves into.

“thankyou thankyou thankyou no more evil no more bad thankyou thankyou thankyou” Taskerdoo hears within his mind. He blocks it out.

Looking at some trees they see a means to climb the tree and using rope reach the door. They hope it is not locked or trapped.

It is not and the rogue is first through the door.

“ARRRRGH!”

Sharshek rushes to the door.

“Hi. Everything is fine here. Just cleared my throat.” Says the rogue laughing. Sharshek considers throwing him into the swamp. Instead he helps the others into the doorway including a Dire Wolverine that has a great deal of trouble leaping, snagging then scrambling into the doorway. It gives the doorjamb a bite once up.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 105
“The Trapped Hallway”

The rogue runs down the hallway. Like before, it is 75 feet long and 15 wide and high. As the rogue runs suddenly his foot rises very high. He manages to back pedal from it and stops. Sharshek is directly behind him and questions the rogue.

“I nearly fell …up…?”

Casting spider climb onto himself and thus his mount, the druid walks along the floor and begins to pass the rogue. Taking it as a contest, the rogue does a handstand and hand walks into the reverse gravity field and springs to his feet and runs on the ceiling ready any moment for the gravity to become “normal”. Sharshek frowns and leans onto the wall reading himself for the promised fall.

He and the cleric cross but look comical doing it. Black sands merely reaches up and when he reaches the reversed gravity area he falls all of about two feet. He tumbles over and walks with his arms up again. When he reaches the others he has but one thing to say- “Stupid.”

“What will be here behind this door?” asks the rogue who is more than ready to open the door.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 106
“Forest with Wood Bridges and Houses”

The rogue opens the door after checking it for traps and other dangers. A warm pleasant breeze comes in. The sounds of birds chirping and startled chickmunks can be heard. Opening the door more so that Sharshek may look they see large maple trees with green full leaves and a network of wooden bridges and homes within the trees. Looking down they see grass and dirt. The sunlight suggests it is mid day.

Looking straight down, Cedious sees a mound of dry leaves and strongly considered jumping onto them. Sharshek looks down and sees the rogue’s intention. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Let me say what is good for me.”

“Look again- there’s a rock within those leaves.”

Cedious looks again and frowns. He missed that the first time and that would have hurt a great deal. He shrugs his shoulders and jumps to the side of the pile. The incredibly graceful rogue lands and rolls to a stop and waves for the others to follow. The less agile ones that is. Then he freezes. From behind a large tree rises a long serpentine head. Then another. And another. And more until six heads of a hydra snarl at the lone rogues.

He is no longer waving them on. Now he is running away. The Wolverine leaps into the creature and Sharshek is next whom drops and rolls. The creature is very bad shape after having a one ton Dire Wolverine land on it and begin digging into its back. Vale drops and lands with less grace. Black sands looks at the creature and decides they have it under control. He instead leaps into the tree to work his way down.

The Hydra goes down very quickly as everyone piles on. Cedious is only slightly chewed up by several bites that did land.

“Find anything of use up there?” yells up the annoyed group to Black sands.

“Only a tree house.”

Cedious spots a wooden ladder to another tree house and runs to it. Sharshek follows him to the tree. They spot a halfling peering through some rails on the tree house. “Hello! Did you know you have a hydra here?” asks Cedious. He continues to watch the halfling. It doesn’t respond it merely steers.

Cedious begins to climb up the wooden ladder. Sharshek follows him. Suddenly a large stone falls from above onto the ladder! Cedious easily evades it and even Sharshek avoids it. It strikes the ground before the Wolverine and the druid. The ground caves in and crashes into a deep pit.

“Bastard!” yells Sharshek at the halfling whom continues to peer out.

“THAT …that would have hurt.” Says Cedious whom scrambles up the ladder while trying to decide which organ to pierce with his rapier on the halfling. At the top he looks at the halfling and sees only his face and arms. “Spirit?” Then he realizes what it is. An illusion and bate to climb the ladder. Then he can hear the druid yelling.

The now opened pit has something within it other than the rock and debris. Undead moans begin to emit from the darkness. “Ghouls” answers Vale in displeasure.

“Ghouls can turn us into ghouls … correct?” asks the Druid.

“Yes….”, says the cleric as he reaches for his holy symbol of The Spirit (think Pelor), “…but I can destroy them.”

The druid climbs off the Wolverine and it leaps in destroying a ghoul as it lands then tears them apart. “But NOT a Wolverine.” Smiles the druid.

The Wolverine climbs out a few minutes later. It is quite proud of itself.

Cedious looks around for any thing of use. Sharshek does so also after “cuffing” the illusion on the head. Cedious finds a lose board and pulls it up. Within are gloves with small hooked edges on the tips and webbing between the fingers. Having a pair of these already, he offers them to Sharshek. “They make you climb and swim better.” and he runs to the next bridge that leads to a new tree and dwelling.

Meanwhile Black sands is investigating a very large tree house. It is two stories tall and well made. He climbs in (tight fit) and finds the first level is completely open. Small furniture is thrown about and knocked over within this 15x15-foot space. The ceiling is 7ft high thus his discomfort. He spots a large batch of bloodstains before a plague. It is written in a language he can not read. He looks around some more and can hear the group yell about undead. He pauses for a moment but decides there is no fight worth having there, as there is no sound there after of battle. “damned cleric …ruins all the undead fun.” He quietly mumbles as he breaks a few boards looking for secret areas. Finding nothing he looks to go up the stairs. These stairs will not hold his weight so he is forced to back track and climb higher up the tree to reach the next level.

Cedious crosses the bridge, which is covered with vines. Vines of all kinds as it turns out. As Sharshek walks under a hanging vine it suddenly withdraws narrowly missing his head. “Damned thing tried to grab me!”

Cedious stops and looks up to see what he is talking about and spots something else in the tree branches. A long straight edged piece of wood. Perhaps a staff?

He climbs up there and finds the Assassin Vine is still coiling up and hacks at it. Then he grabs the staff and comes down. (Pocket Magica page 98- Loremaster’s Aid). He tries to identify it but can not. The cleric follows and also can not identify it. “Where is Black sand?” asks the cleric.

“That tree.” Says the rogue with little care.

“All of this time?” asks the fighter. “Shouldn’t we check on him?”

Cedious scrambles over and finds the two-story building. “wow….” He whispers. “Maybe I should have looked here first!” And with that the halfling investigates the dwelling. His eyes spot the blood and follow it to the sign. It is written in halfling.

This is the meeting hall of
The Tree Sliver Clan. We
Welcome any and all whom
Are peaceful and mean well

“Uh ….Black sands ….are you here?” He fears the “means well” part may lead to a curse against the ½ giant of questionable methods. The creaks above suggest the ½ giant is still there. Cedious takes to the stairs (designed for someone of his size and weight). He hears the half-giant growl and drawing his weapon.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 107
“Shadow Box”

Black sands looks around before entering this level. The room he enters is 7x15 and only 6ft tall. The half-giant has to hunch to enter and move around. This room has signs of a battle also. Not interested by this he checks out a door he sees. There are two of them. He searches the many shelves within this room and finds little except for a small sculpture of a dog (DMG 257 – Onyx Dog). He places that into his bag of holding (pack-ratting).

He goes to the next room. The air is cooler in this corner but he misses this fact as he grabs the door handle and opens it. There are more shelves and several shadows. MOVING SHADOWS! He snarls at this threat and pulls his sword.

Cedious climbs the stairs quickly and sees him fighting shadows. One is destroyed and he sees him destroy a second one. The third is destroyed as Cedious charges to his ally’s aid (and to beat him to any treasure).
“What do you want?” asks the barbarian as he looks down at the rogue.

“Oh nothing. Thought I would help …but I see you don’t need it.” Cedious notes that he has the bag of holding out.

Using the trees closest to a floating doorway, they leave without incident.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 108
“New Background Players”

Zoberraz was troubled.

The Blue Dragon was placed in charge to observe several artifacts. She watched over powerful magics that included the Sword of the Behir, The Hammer of Eberron and the Ring of the Mind. Another artifact she was placed in charge to oversee was a small piece of adamantine metal called a schema. By itself it was useless. But if pieced together with the other parts and brought to it’s home the artifact would become quite dangerous.

Her wards were broken in Eldeen.

This could have been happenstance. Maybe others were there looking for any of the other powerful magics or identities held within. Except she learned other wards were broken. Someone was gathering the pieces!

Zoberraz took flight. She wanted to know what she was getting involved in. She didn’t understand what this assembled artifact could do herself. She had heard many rumors within the dragon councils but she was uncertain.

There was only one family that could shed any light on the subject.

Cannith.

She lands outside of Wroat and carefully changes form and shape to blend in with the common races. She carefully buys her ticket and takes the electric rail into Sharn. She doesn’t want to alarm anyone or alert them to her presence. She makes her way directly to the Cannith Tower. The two Warforged guards stop her. She convinces them (through magic) to allow her to pass. She encounters more guards, and more guards and even more guards. Is this a home or a fortress? She wonders. Then sees someone she recognizes.

“Hally d’ Cannith. I bid thee well.”

The woman turns to her. She is dressed in a blue and white tight suit with padding. Several wands are visible. A long cloak also of blue and white color swirls dramatically as she turns. Her adventurous nature is visible within her eyes.

“Do I know you?” She asks with one hand hovering over a Wand of Storms.

Zoberraz briefly allows her to see her true shape and form. “I wish to speak to Merrix, your uncle.”

“He is ...unavailable at the moment. What can I do for you mighty Blue?” Her hand moves from the lightning storm wand to a maximized wand of fireballs.

After ten minutes of blatant lies she left. Merrix is involved.

Her attempt to scan Hally’s mind failed. She was shielded even from her attempts. But she did detect one word


XEN’ DRIK

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/20/05
SEGMENT 109
“Even Warforged Have Nightmares”

The dead dust blew in circles and blocked all sight. He wandered through the bleak landscape looking for something. But what? He had similar dreams to this one. It is how and why he is what he is.

THE LORD OF BLADES

A large stone cliff came into view. He knew what this meant. The vision he needed to see … to learn was important and terrible to behold. His mind was trying to shelter him from it. He was not going to be stopped. Even by his own mind.

He began to climb the cliffs. Using his many abilities and skills he was a good climber. While climbing the winds picked up speed as if trying to tear him from the wall. Then they went quiet. He still felt the wind on his armored hide but he heard it not.

Instead he heard names and voices. Cannith, Boddynoc Grinkle, Aurum, Emerald Claw, Cedious, Bendorrow, Garrow, Xulo and Breedaernxen. He understood they conspired against him and needed to be stopped. They endangered him and his god.

Ignoring any further names or references he continued to climb. Suddenly the sandstorm flashed black lightning. He ignored it further. Then finally at the top he stopped and bellowed in rage and triumph at the storm own fury.

The storm began to subside and he watched as the cloud shrank and shrank. It shrank into the valley before him. There …there he saw a giant. No, not a giant …a god. And he feared.


“Ahhhhhh!!!!” exhales the ruler of Steel Nation.

Hilt looked up to his creator, master and everything that was. Still standing with the whetstone in one hand and a blade in another, the Lord of Blades looks around.

His visions always caused disorientation. It would pass. It always did. But this vision remained. He knew most of the names already. He knew they were foes to be crushed. Even the dragon. But who was the new name? And who was that in the valley? He knew but could not accept it. The stone has already been caste. He can not stop the events from occurring. He ..had made a mistake.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 110
“Forgotten Crypts: Trapper”

DM NOTES: Clinton (Cedious) has officially tied the most natural 20’s rolled in a row during this session. He rolled 5 in a row, then a 19 (crit), 16 to confirm, then 2 more 20’s. He can be uncanny at times and yes, I watch the rolls and have looked at the dice.

The hallway contains no problems or hazards as they leave one area and enter the next. “Is there any sort of pattern or the such to this “Trap?” “ Asks Taskerdoo.

“Doesn’t much matter …so long as we destroy things and get rich doing it.” States Black sands.

Cedious inspects the door then opens it. He looks back at the first door and notices it is closed. He doesn’t remember closing it behind himself. Leaving the door open he goes back to it. As he nears runes glow brightly. There is no doubt the door is magically trapped and Cedious figures it is not worth the effect and rejoins the group whom is looking out onto a step pyramid.

The doorway opens up at the base of the pyramid. Steep stairs made of plain stone lead to the top. The top is within 15 feet of lichen covered ceiling. The lichen softly glows creating an eerie aura. They look around and climb to the top. Black sands and Cedious find two stone doors that appear to enter the pyramid. Cedious searches for traps but finds nothing. He tries to push the heavy stone door aside but can not. Black sands easily pushes it back. Cedious squeezes past him to investigate first.

Cedious finds himself entering a 15x15-foot room. The walls are a dark blue shiny material with gold leaf mixed with silver and mithril geometrical designs. The edges of a hatch on the floor can be seen leading down. Cedious goes for this when suddenly the floor spreads over his feet and the walls and ceiling drop onto him like a collapsed tent. It begins to crush, smother and pommel him immediately. Black sands waits a moment to first inspect for more dangers then to watch what happens.

The others are slow to arrive since Cedious was not given a chance to yell out and Black sands has yet to raise the alarm. Cedious finds himself in a very bad spot as it begins to crush him further. Finally Vale happens to peer down and calls for help. Black sands does his best to look like something had happened to him thus why he could not call or act on Cedious’ behalf.

Sharshek runs in and attacks the mound. A muffled cry comes out as the rogue is also struck. The Dire Wolverine squeezes in and strikes causing more sounds of pain.

“Our attacks are harming him also!” yells out Vale.

“It’s a mimic-like creature. It mimics his voice to cover its own cry of pain.” Suggests Black sands as he reaches down to rip and tear at the creature with his bare hands. Between this tactic and Cedious’ squirming, he falls free and crawls away in a bloody pulp. (went from full to 2 hp in two rounds) Once he is out, the others attack without concern and wipe out the creature. Cedious stabs it repeatedly in anger even after it has died. Embedded within its malleable form are a few gems and some gold coins.

Breathing hard, Cedious calls out to the cleric- “Need healing…now.” Black sands, who was struck once also wants help.

Vale Matterhorn reluctantly heals the ½ giant. They need his great strength.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 111
“Forgotten Crypts: Goblin Nobles”

Moving to the next door, Black sands pushes this one open also. Air hisses as it rushes out from the broken seal. Inside is dark.

Cedious peers in but is much more cautious about rushing in. The painful memory of the Trapper is still very fresh in his mind. A bare stone room of 15x15 is exposed. A door leads further inward. Cautiously Sharshek steps forward. He prepares for the very walls to attack.

Beyond the smaller room is a large room about 35 x 20 feet. There are four large stone sarcophagi. Looking around first, Sharshek enters the room and looks at trying to open the stone box to the far left.

Taskerdoo and Logan squeeze into the room’s entrance and try to push off another lid. Black sands tries the one to the right. The lids prove very heavy. Cedious goes in to the final sarcophagi. Vale has little use robbing the dead. Cedious inspects his site and spots a large crack going up from the floor to the lid. Not caring he pushes and succeeds where the others failed. (yes- another natural 20).

Peering he sees a skeleton of a small goblin dressed in clean dress that seems to shine when the torchlights reflect on it. He also spots a ring on the finger of the small goblin. Cedious begins to strip the body of the dress and ring. He figures them to be magical.

Black sands pushes off the lid and finds another small goblin skeleton but it is dressed in a clean dress and submerged in green fluid. Using arrows he tries to pull the body free of the fluid but the arrows keep breaking or the bones slide off the arrow tip. Not one to give up he continues to try. While trying he sees a ring on this body.

Logan finally knocks the lid off even as Sharshek nearly pinches his fingers while wrestling with his lid. A full-grown goblin skeleton is dressed in an elegant dress. Again, the body is submerged in green fluid. Inspecting the body, he also sees several rings with odd shapes to them. Using the wooden practice sword he works on the body to get it free of the potentially dangerous fluid.

Sharshek finally topples the lid (with Cedious and yes another 20) with a loud grunt and a thoom as it falls out of control to the floor. Logan snorts at him. Sunken in green fluid is a goblin skeleton dressed in a fine chain mail tunic and a hefty belt with a platinum buckle. A golden headband is easily seen. He studies it and notes that Black sands has pulled the body free of the fluid and now handles the damp cloth with no ill effects. He reaches in and grabs the body and pulls it out. No harm.

With the body out, Taskerdoo finds a gold headband that was on the body. He pockets that and looks at the six rings he has found with interest. Each ring is shaped to be animals. There is a Snake, Weasel, Goose, Fish, Cat and a Lizard. He calls up Detect Magic. He finds no magic on anything but the clothes and chain mail. Each are a +1 and the chain shirt also has Cold Resistance 10.

Joining Vale outside they try to decide what to do next. Black sands collects the bodies for possible later use (?!?).

Taskerdoo, Vale and Cedious discuss the rooms. They are looking for a pattern. Why is this referred to as Drogan’s Trap? There are so many traps and dangers within here. Cedious answers it- “How do we get out?” Drogan’s Trap is possibly in reference to once you enter- you can never leave. Taskerdoo begins taking notes on turns and descriptions of the rooms. “All traps can be disarmed Cedious. You should know that. We just need to understand the trap better.”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 112
“Water Room”

The door slowly opens and dampness drifts in. “I smell water.” Says Cedious with obvious curiosity. He steps out onto a 5x5-ft platform. Ramps lead 30 ft down from the left and right along the wall and straight to an island. Each of the four doors is like the one they have existed. This forms four pools of water. It is dark, as the sun has just gone down. Clouds seem to be blowing in.

Nervous about not being able to see into the dark waters, they slowly inch along the ramps. They have no rails or walls. It would be easy to fall in. Grates are built into each “ramp” leading to the center. Looking down, they see dozens of small fish that are attracted to the light.

Bubbles begin so they decide to quickly get out of the area. As they open the door to leave they see a water elemental rise from water to reach them.

“I don’t know about you- but I didn’t want to fight something that didn’t bleed or break when I ravage it.” Comments Black sands.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 113
“Are You a Were-creature?”

DM NOTES- BJ metagamed here. He saw I had my werewolves out and assumed full moon meant them. In time BJ, all in good time.

They stop within the hallway connecting the rooms and rest. Vale prays for his healing which was largely used up due to the trapper encounter. Taskerdoo continues to try to fathom the rooms and how they fit. He notes that space seems to be alter. The original box-like building was smaller than these spaces. It was 60x40x20. These rooms seem to roughly 75x75x75. He recalls how when reaching past the doors that seem to float in space there was something keeping them from going past it. Something solid. Perhaps powerful illusionary magic. He considers what each door was made of and how they were placed within the rooms. The fairy seemed to know time passed on but sometimes it seemed time was different.

He closes his book sharply in frustration and goes to sleep.

They wake up. They do not know if it is day, night or something else. Time is different here. It is all enclosed and based on magic. As normal, Cedious inspects for traps then opens the door. The air is cool and crisp. A faint vapor can be seen from their breath. Crickets chirp then suddenly stop. “Us or something else?” asks Cedious out loud. He has to explain his question to the others, as they can not hear the crickets or their sudden silence.

Cedious looks up and sees a FULL moon that comes in and out of hiding behind slowly moving thick clouds in the night sky. Below is tall grass and shrubs. Trees are here also. A forest. He shrugs his shoulders but once then drops out of the doorway and softly and quietly falls to the ground. The others do so also except for Logan and his rider- the halfling druid. They leap into the tree and noisily clamor down it. As they hit the tree, it rains armor and bones onto Cedious and Vale whom were below. Dead bodies of armored humans within the tree? They pick up anything they can and wait for Logan to stop digging around. He stops suddenly and Cedious points to a tree nearby.

“Full moon …werewolves?” asks Black sands. He wonders what it takes to become one.

“There is something over there.” And Cedious points at the form. Suddenly the dark form charges out and races into the group. The form is like that of a large elephant given humanoid status. The tusks tear into Sharshek and throw him to the ground.

The Group begins to attack without question except for Black sands. “Are you a were creature? Can you turn me?”

Everyone begins to seriously wonder if the strangeness of this area has finally snapped the ½ giant’s mind. At least he didn’t want to be a vampire. (heh.)

Unknown to them, this Maelphant is very insane and has lost its mind. Otherwise, the magic abilities it possesses would have been used. It was never given a chance to use its breath weapon. Looking around, they find several dead bodies. All have been dead for a long time but how long is very hard to say. They find lose money and a Longsword+2.

Done with this room and the notes taken, they leave by tree and line.