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

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 114
“The First Clue Realized ”

DM NOTE: They asked to go through a door and I misdirected the outcome by accident. They should have reentered ROOM C not B. So instead of all rights, I had them take a 180.


“We should be entering a room we know if my idea or theory is correct.” Says Taskerdoo as they cross the hallway that connects the rooms magically.

“Which environment?” asks Vale beginning to sense what Taskerdoo is hinting at.

“I’m not sure.”

“What if the paths are linear? All of this figuring you are doing may be for nothing.” Cedious brings up as he pulls the door open.

“It is magic. Anything is possible.” Follows up Sharshek the human fighter.

“It doesn’t matter so long as we don’t get bored while doing it. Open the door runt.” Demands Black sands.

There is the familiar smell of water and a breeze that reminds them of the room where the elemental was. Looking out, it is that room. “We’ve been here before!” exclaims Cedious.

“No.”, says Vale. “Look at the clouds…. And is that rain?”

Indeed, it is the same room where they ran away from the water elemental but this time there is a steady rain with moments of wind gusts. It is dark and the moon is hidden by storm clouds. The clouds look to be thickening still. The smooth stone ramps are wet and covered with moving water from the rain.

“uh guys….that looks dangerous to walk on.” Begins the halfling rogue.

“I’LL GO.” Shouts the ½ giant barbarian. He steps into the rain and breathes in the air then runs down the ramp onto the level and low island and back up the ramp to the opposite side. He nearly losses traction as he reaches the next door and thus possible exit. He wonders what would happen if he left without them for a brief moment.

Not to be put down and overshadowed, Cedious begins to move out and immediately slips. He falls (nat 1) and rolls off the ramp to his left into the water from 30 feet up. He takes 11 (of 12) damage hitting in a tumbling belly flop. He surfaces in pain. “I’ll okay.”

Casting spider climb onto himself (and thus his mount) Taskerdoo walks out into the storm and down the side to retrieve the halfling. Sharshek steps out and slips but maintains his balance. He slides to the bottom wondering if he will drown trying to climb up the next ramp. Vale steps out and falls (nat 1) and also takes 11 of possible 12 points as he falls hard into the water. His BreastPlate begins to pull him under.

This is when Taskerdoo and Cedious see the forms rising from far below the surface. “Its okay to hurry if you can.” Offers Cedious as he pulls out his rapier.

The heads of several Sahuagin surface and their black eyes stare at them. “I have changed my- HURRY PERIOD!”

The Dire Wolverine grabs the rogue and spider climbs up the wet wall. From here Taskerdoo sucks in his breath. There are 11 heads now swimming towards them. One wears a dragon skull on its head with a necklace of shark teeth. An Adept!

Vale begins to cry out in pain as several Sahuagin begin to stab him with their tridents. Logan and Taskerdoo go to save him. Sharshek is fired on by the leader. The beam fires from a ring and misses but strikes the “sky” about 35 feet up. The illusion ripples and reveals stone work then straightens out to look like a stormy night sky again.

Sharshek finds himself in trouble as most of the creatures climb onto the low point where he is. Black sands begins to move down but slips. He slides down the ramp and decides to go with it. He bowls several of the dangerous aquatic humanoids over and back into the water. However, now he is surrounded and they begin to stab at him while he is prone.

Things get worse as Cedious finds himself back in the water next to the Adept. When he fell / jumped he narrowly missed striking a stone column rising from far below. The creature’s leader misses him with the ring and the water explodes behind him. Cedious wants that ring.

Vale’s vision blackens (HP=2 and going under) but Logan bites onto his collar and begins to pull him up but the sahuagin stab him. Enraged the Dire Wolverine attacks them and jumps in. He drops the body of the team’s only cleric.

Sharshek takes down a few creatures as he advances towards the ½ giant who has many injuries from the repeated stabbing he has received. Angered but now on his feet, he strikes back. Bodies fly off the ramp, sometimes cut in two.

Even floundering, the rogue stabs at the adept (nat 20 dammit…again!) and the adept goes down. Suddenly, within 6 seconds, the sahuagin went from 11 strong to 1. Undaunted, this one charges Black sands whom strikes it down with ease.

Cedious dives after the adept’s body and struggles with bringing it to the surface. (yes … a nat 20) Vale is brought back up and though beaten and badly injured will live. He heals himself and the ½ giant while Taskerdoo looks into detecting magic once more. Nothing has it but the ring but he notes spotting a glow far below at the base of the column. Taking a deep breath, both he and Logan spider climb down the wall and onto the column to a hidden shallow cave below. He finds a few stray coins, shells, a few freshwater pearls and a large emerald green gem.

“What have you got?” asks Cedious hiding the ring.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/03/05
SEGMENT 115
“Back to The Beginning”

Logan and Taskerdoo swim around the other tanks hoping to find more goodies before coming out. They find a goblin’s skull that has been worked to form a cup and several old coins. The entire area has columns rising from the bottom. These columns are 5 to 20 feet high. It creates an ideal ambush setting. The druid is happy the Sahuagin were all killed before he swam within these pillars.

They carefully climb out to a door and exit.

Finding no traps and other dangers they stay here to mend and relearn spells. Taskerdoo dries out his scrolls where he is writing his notes. Though the ink is smudged he looks at it and begins to see the beginning of a pattern but can’t quite figure it out.

Needing to think about something else, he studies the green crystal. It is like an emerald but it is not one. It does register faint magic.

Once rested and ready, they leave the safety of the hallway and open the next door. Within this room is …sculptured walls?!?!

 

[megamania]

And for those that don't know what kind of trap they are in, here is a map of what they have done thus far-

 

[megamania]

And here some of the rooms- A and B

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 116
“ Living Stone & Spun Webs”

Even as Cedious begins to climb down from the doorway nestled within the mass of sculpted stone mouths, faces and body parts, several sets of eyes watch him. Once down he waves the others to follow. Once everyone has climbed down they stop to discuss which door to use when suddenly several sculptures rise and swoop at them. Five gargoyles strike from their hidden perches.

The creatures make the mistake of landing. Cedious is quick to recover and strikes at the closest creature. Logan, the crazed animal companion Dire Wolverine pounds another creature into the ground. Soon, four of the five creatures are destroyed leaving only the one. It goes down quickly after that. Cedious finds a Platinum and gold Bracelet worn by one of the creatures for some strange reason. At this point nothing surprises him.

They decide on a door and exit this room.

The magical hallway that connects the rooms together seems simple. Cedious searches for gravity traps carefully as he crosses it. Even the others walk softly just in case up becomes down and down becomes up.

The door opens and they find a forest setting with thick webs suspended between the trees. “Spiders.“ says Cedious almost in boredom. He begins to reach for his Handy Haversack as Taskerdoo looks over his shoulder while on Logan. “Are those bodies within the webs?”

“Yup ….at least for the moment.” Cedious pulls out the Decanter of Endless water. He points it at the closest webs that do seem to have three small bodies within it and releases a geyser of water into the webs. The high-pressure water stream tears and tugs at the webbing until it rips free of the trees and itself. The three bodies fall loudly to the ground in a rain of web and water.

Cedious turns the volume down to show the others what he has done. They look and see more bodies and objects within the largest tree before them. Items range from tiny to large; a few inches to ten feet. “Must have been big spiders to haul some of that in here.” Says Vale looking from the doorway. Taskerdoo looks and adds, “By the looks of those spiders, I’d say they teamed up on a few people.” Cedious pops his head back out and sees four then a fifth large monstrous spider appear within the webs and the trees.

“Water didn’t do it- maybe this will.” Says Taskerdoo as he concentrates.

“What are you up to?” says Cedious with some concern. He knows that the druid / mage was working on new spells….

A green bead forms before the halfling druid / mage then streaks into the large tree. FROOOOOOSH! And squeals of burnt spiders pierce the air as webs, spiders and anything within the webs catch on fire.

“Nice.” Says Cedious as he turns the water off completely and prepares to enter the room.

Testing a new theory on the rooms, Taskerdoo recasts spider climb onto himself / Logan. They calmly walk down the illusion-covered wall. It appears they are walking on thin air.

The spiders however recover and most attack by charging down the trees to the three on the ground. Taking a page from Taskerdoo, Black sands leaps down onto a spider. Its burnt body cracks opens under his ½ giant frame. Sharshek fires a longbow but misses. Vale comes up to him and motions for him to go first.

Cedious has mixed luck with the spiders but Logan wades through them. Black sands is distracted as he searches the webs for treasure. Sharshek drops to the ground with a loud sound of air escaping his lungs on impact. Vale is next but slips and falls (slipped on water no doubt) to the ground below. He seriously hurts himself. Sharshek covers him as he checks on himself.

The five large spiders are destroyed but hundreds or even thousands of smaller ones fall from the trees. Cedious washes them away using his water canon. Once they feel safe and Vale has used some healing magic on himself they look into the three small bodies first. The dried husks look to have once been goblins. Cedious now investigates the large form. He looks carefully and sees that it is moving.

“Uh….guys….”

A large and thick hand covered with webbing moves freely through the webs. Between the water, fire and this form’s great strength, the form becomes free and falls to the ground with a thunderous boom. Slowly it gets up on two feet. It is as wide as high (10 feet) and moves forward.

“Great….” Mutters the halfling rogue as he prepares to battle this new foe.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 117
“The Guardian Revealed”

Taskerdoo studies the hulking figure before him. The smell of raw earth and webbing makes Logan’s nose twitch.

“It’s a golem of some sort.” Says Taskerdoo.

“A big one.” Follows up Cedious. He hates golems. They are immune to his special attacks.

The group gathers around the large form as it frees itself of the webs. The large gray simple figure moves to block or attack the group.

“Clay Golem.”

“What else do you know of it?” asks Vale as he is drawing a blank about this guardian.

“Strengths? Weaknesses?” continues Sharshek.

“It can move very quickly in spurts and hits very hard.” Says Taskerdoo.

The golem strikes at Black sands whom is struck very hard. He slices at it but seems to get no where. Cedious stabs at it with his rapier with less effect. Each takes a turn but it seems to absorb the blows. Black sands is hit again and now is forced to back off even though he is enraged. Then Taskerdoo understands. Bludgeoning works better. After a few more moments of surrounding and beating at the earthen guardian they succeed in defeating it.

Vale Matterhorn, the cleric of The Spirit (Pelor), tries to help the ½ giant barbarian. His first spell doesn’t seem to help. He inspects it further and realizes the wounds are enchanted (or cursed if you prefer) and will not heal correctly.

Cedious looks around while the ½ giant is being helped. It a smaller tree he finds a piece of smooth glass coming through the tree bark. Looking at it using a lantern, he can see a red crystal “X” shaped figure within. He thumps on the glass but nothing happens.

The druid comes over along with Sharshek.

“I bet Black sands can remove it from the tree.” Suggests the human fighter.

“I have a better idea.”

The druid dismounts and studies the tree then begins to caste his spell. Meanwhile, Vale gives up trying to help the ½ giant for the moment.

Without speaking, Taskerdoo speaks.

[Hello. I am Taskerdoo. Breland Taskerdoo. How are you?]

a few moments go by.

[I am well.]

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 118
“When Lost, Ask a Native”

[What is this place?]

[A holding cell]

[What does it hold?]

[Dangerous old things]

Taskerdoo thinks for a moment. No one else knows what is happening. They can only guess since he stares at the tree.

[How old are you?]

[over 150 rings]

[and here?]

[older]

[what is that within you?]

[a reward]

[For a reward, it seems of little use to you]

[It is an reward for others- not myself]

[A reward- for me?]

[if I see fit to it]

[Do you?]

[I am uncertain]

[what does one need to do to be rewarded?]

Cedious wanders around. He is picking up lose coins that have fallen to the ground and squishes the smaller spiders under his feet. The others watch and guard the druid whom stares motionless at a tree with a glass globe within it.

[impress or overcome I]

[How would I do that?]

[By acts of strength and destruction, by acts of thought and wisdom or by acts of kindness and care]

[I fear many would use force. I would prefer to avoid this]

[already you should wisdom]

[kindness. What would a tree want that I can give?]

silence

more silence

[I fear …them]

[them who?]

[them]

Maybe it is a small breeze or just their imagination, but branches shifts. A small insect falls. It is white and orange in color. It is vaguely ant-like and about four inches in length.

[we could remove it from you]

[why endanger yourselves?]

[to help you and your seedlings]

[most kind. I agree]

[agree?]

[If you can remove the creatures I will give you the reward]

[thankyou. What do these insects do?]

[they eat at me and my brethren daily. We heal and recover as it is the way of this environment but we still feel the pain]

[very well]

[perhaps we can work out other deals]

[perhaps]

Taskerdoo shakes a bit as his mind reverts to understanding spoken language once more.

“The tree will help us if we destroy these insects.” Even as he says this Logan roots at the earth disturbing the nest that lies within the roots of the tree. He howls as several bite his tongue and lips. The bites swell and discolor quickly.

“Cedious- ……”

The rogue hops on back. “Can you wash away these insects?”

Cedious rolls his eyes. Sometimes the druid goes too far worrying about trees and other burnable things. He fishes out the Decanter and begins to wash the insects away. Then the forest floor suddenly seems alive with them. “What are these?”

They swarm bite at his legs. Since the water is not working he tries something different. He escapes the swarm and pulls free his bedroll. He throws that onto the swarm and then ignites it.

“What are you doing?!?” asks the druid in alarm. He is uncertain what kind of insects these are and fears the fire may make them more powerful (due to color and general meanness). The roll heaves ahead them the insects sweep out from under the burning cloth and they attack the wolverine that yelps in pain from the burning bites.

Black sands, still weak, and Vale, busy studying the wounds from the golem, are caught unaware by the swarm. Black sands flees the area and Vale stumbles back as each are bitten many times. A burning sphere is released and destroys the strange insects.

[FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!]

Taskerdoo cancels the spell and turns to the tree. [In Wisdom I ask before acting. In kindness, I helped you.]

The bark withdraws and slowly the globe rolls free of the bark and wood that once held it.

[thankyou. You spoke of other deals]

[I have information that may help you]

[what may I do for you?]

…and the others, most with bad sores that require mending since they will not heal, ignore the druid and the tree as they commune.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 119
“What Is Drogan and His Trap?”

[I wish for Drogan’s friend and my friend to be buried in the earth]

[where and who is your friend?] Taskerdoo hopes it is not the golem he and the others just destroyed.

[I know not his name. He is a large person and hangs within the webs two trees over]

[if I do this act of kindness what can you do for me that is wise or kind?]

[I know of things. You may ask me freely of them]

Taskerdoo turns and sees Black sands is cutting the head of the golem off. His bag is there for storing it. Cedious is off and away exploring the trees for anything of use. Sharshek watches the trees in case of more golems or spiders. Vale sits and inspects his own insect bites, which look inflamed.

“Cedious- is there another large person within the webs there?” the druid calls out.

Looking around he spots a figure. “Yup!” Cedious pulls out his Decanter of Endless Water and begins to blast the webbing from the figure. It takes a few moments before it falls to the ground. Carefully Taskerdoo and Cedious remove the webs as Sharshek tries to dig a shallow grave using whatever tools and weapons he had on him. Black sands joins him after a placing the heavy golem head into the oversized bag of holding designed to hold Beth d’Cannith’s guardian- a Warforged Charger.

Though dead and most moisture has been taken from the figure, the person resembles a purple / dark pink ogre. Taskerdoo rises an eyebrow. He has heard of ogre’s that are naturally attuned to magic but had never seen one before. Cedious removes most of the Ogre’s gear. He has a Quarterstaff +3(lg), Hand of the Mage (lg), Ring of Protection +1, Ring of Ram, and another ring.

It takes time to bury the large mage. Taskerdoo returns to the tree.

[thankyou]

[who was that?]

[a friend of Drogan and myself]

[who is Drogan?]

[the builder of this space]

[what is this “space”?]

[it stores and protects dangerous things.]

[it is referred to as a trap.]

[it is a trap]

[how so?]

[once in, it is very hard to escape. Time and space means little here]

Taskerdoo thinks this over carefully. His spell should be over but isn’t. Perhaps something to do with the trap and its environment. Perhaps the tree itself.

[how many rooms are there?]

[I do not know. I exist only within this room. Drogan spoke of several existing]

[Have you seen me before?]

[No]

This confuses the druid. With too much to think about already, he thanks the tree and returns to his friends and tells them what he has learned. “Not much.” Is Cedious’ answer.

They leave the room now that they have learned the wall exists, it is much easier to leave.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 120
“Traps and Poisons”

Once more they find themselves within the 15x15x75-foot hallway. Cedious searches for traps while the others suggest stopping and resting. As Cedious makes his way across the room he misses a seeing a trigger and steps on the footpad. “uh-oh!” and suddenly a lone arrow fires out of a hole that didn’t exist a moment before.

The arrow strikes him. He turns and can not find the portal. It is hidden by an illusion much like the walls within the main rooms. There is icor on the shaft but he feels okay. However, Vale looks pale.

“I need … to sit down and …rest.” And the cleric slides down the wall and plops down almost unconscience.

The druid goes to him and notes his joints look swollen and red. “Did he get hit by a trap or something we missed?”

“The swarm of large white and orange ants?” suggests Sharshek.

Looking at their wounds, each insect bite is red but nearly as swollen. Taskerdoo can not identify the sickness but knows it is bad.

Black sands is mildly concerned. His wounds from the golem still are raw and the cleric promised to fix him when next they rested. “Is he going to die?”

“Black sands …..” Taskerdoo cuts himself off before yelling at the ½ giant. “I don’t have a spell or ability to treat him now. Once I rest we can treat him …and you.”

“Better.” Mumbles the ½ giant as he looks into his bag and his macabre collection of trophies.

They rest and then try to heal Vale. “I think I know what this is.”

“Can it be fixed?”

“He is not a warforged Cedious. But yes, I can help him.”

It takes much of the day and lots of treatment and attention but Vale seems better that night. The swelling has gone down and his breathing is more regular.

Whenever he is not treating Vale, Taskerdoo studies his notes and map of the trap. A pattern is forming but he can’t place it. So close yet so far away. Vale awakens but is weak. Another night is spent resting. The next day he is ready and Black sands is impatient to go so he doesn’t have the cleric look at his wounds.

Cedious studies the door and looks back. “What will it be THIS time?” Not giving Taskerdoo a chance to answer, Cedious opens the door.

“You have to be kidding” Cedious says as he stares into the dark room.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
09/17/05
SEGMENT 121
“DRAGON TURTLE!!!!!!!”

The wind is howling and the rain comes straight down in sheets then suddenly horizontal as the wind blows. As bad as the waters and the ramps looked before, this is MUCH worse. “You have to be kidding” Cedious says taking it all in.

The others stare in disbelief. There is a fierce storm here. Waves crash over the ramps and center island. Lightning crackles in the distance. “Who is going first?” says Cedious with a smirk.

“Before going- which door?” suggests Sharshek whom is looking pale.

“Straight ahead. Use your momentum to climb the ramp.” Offers Cedious.

“Makes sense to me.” And Taskerdoo casts Spider climb onto himself and thus his Animal companion / familiar- Logan.

Surprising everyone, Sharshek goes first without asking or saying he is going. He charges down the ramp praying to any god that doesn’t fall in. A large wave crashes behind him as he reaches the lowest point then begins to step higher as he climbs the ramp up to the next door. He clings to the door when he reaches it.

Surprised and happy that he made it, he waves for the others to come. Cedious is next. His luck runs true as no waves crash by him or does he slip.

“Don’t you dare open that next door yet!” Shouts Taskerdoo. He remembers that when opening one door the other magically closes. He suspects Black sands and Logan will not have the strength to hold it back.
Vale goes next and nearly falls as he climbs up the opposite side. With a quick balance check and strength created from desperation, he holds on and crawls up the last five feet.

Black sands smiles and goes next. A wave crashes at his feet and uproots him instantly. He is caught with a wave as he falls and is smashed into the stone ramp and dragged under by the undertow. Logan and Taskerdoo are quick to give chase. Even with spider climb, it is hard to manage the climb with the wind, crashing waves and other natural problems related to a storm.

Logan and his rider enter the water (how Logan hates this) and find Black sands stunned and about ten feet under the water’s surface. As Logan gets him, Taskerdoo spots a large, no a HUGE, figure swimming towards him. The figure is lost from view as a heat vent releases a burst of hot air into the water!

Riding the boiling water, they surface in pain as the vent releases then shuts off. “Volcanoes also….?!?”
Then the thing he saw rising reaches the surface. A huge spiked shell explodes and thick armor-plated limbs with claws grab the lowest section of the ramp. A mutated turtle with steam rising from its body climbs onto the island. If the storm bothers it, it doesn’t show.

“Task!” shows Cedious as he looks down onto the creature. This is as bad as it gets he thinks. He needs to help him but what if he gets thrown off the ramp?

Black sands goes to attack but the heavy armor protects the creature well. It opens its mouth and a jet of super heated water and steam comes out. He is badly burned and even the Dire Wolverine and rider feel it. The claws strike the ½ giant next and suddenly he finds himself thinking this is too big for him to face.
(really?)

Sharshek tries to fire arrows at it but the wind alone makes it impossible to aim. Vale casts Cat’s Grace onto Cedious (Reach Feat) and Cedious is able to keep his footing as he sneak attacks the creature. If it hurt the creature, it doesn’t show it. Logan is hit next and nearly castes him into the water along with his rider. The others continue to attack as they can. The creature opens its mouth again to use its breath weapon when they finally take it down. Logan drags the badly wounded ½ giant over the armored and spiked body and slowly to the doorway.

“THAT SUCKED!” screams Cedious over the storm. They open the door to escape the storm.