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Message: <blockquote data-quote="James McMurray" data-source="post: 1108032" data-attributes="member: 743">From out of the Keep strides a burly armored figure. He introduces himself as Rikus Aran, the duke’s second in command. He has been ordered to accompany the party and provide aid when possible. The huge sword at his side is carried with ease, and it seems obvious that he is a capable man.With Cutter leading the way, the party traveled first to his village, where they found most people asleep in the streets. Even the animals were unconscious, with one horse left tied to the inn-post still hanging his head from the tethers. Spurned onward by the boy, the group headed to the Seer’s island, a small and barren field in the center of a wide river.Not trusting the rope and pulley hung to allow crossing of the river, the paladin and the samurai shuttle people across on their flying carpets, still stained with the blood from the Skull’s prophetic speech. On the other side, they begin to search the island, as it appears to be just a simple flat plain. Shortly thereafter the group hears Farlight’s startled cry as he falls through a patch of illusory ground and lands on a plush pile of pillows in a richly appointed waiting chamber. A beautiful elven woman comes up to him, “Welcome to the Seer’s island. What can I do for you?”Farlight calls back to the rest of the party, and they eventually find him. Meanwhile he talks with the woman, who directs him through a door. Once the party arrives, they move onward, ever paranoid that something will attack them. Rikus leads the way, the only party member not flying. In the next chamber is a large pool of mud spanned by a bridge. As Rikus crosses he falls through the bridge and into the mud, which doesn’t take well to being landed on. Several humanoid figures rise up out of the mud and attack the intruder, but the party rapidly fends them off. Not having experimented with their magic in this new era, there is one minor problem in the battle.  Tsura unleashes an ice storm on the attacking mud golems, but miscalculates the range and area. She manages to pelt the party, and kill young Cutter in the process. Farlight simply views it as a chance to test his magics, and resurrects the boy with a prayer. The boy awakens, seeming none the worse for wear, and the party directs him to return back to the entry chamber and await their arrival. He grudgingly leaves.The next large chamber is a vast amphitheatre. Atop a raised dais sits the largest gargoyle in the party has ever heard about, much less seen. Although they walk past fully expecting to be assaulted, they are not even looked at by the thing.Behind the door at the far end of the amphitheatre is an eve larger cavern. This one has no apparent exits except for an open pit some 30’ beyond the door. Lying calmly against the far wall is a 10-15’ long six-legged lizard, staring languidly at the party. Before they can decide whether to move onward again, a portion of wall slides aside, and Cutter walks through. “Hey guys! Look at what I found.” He sees the huge lizard and exclaims “Wow! What the heck is that?” The lizard looks his way, but doesn’t act aggressively.The party collects the lad and decides that it would be best to have him follow along. Aust expresses wonderment that they didn’t leave the child dead until this matter was resolved. Moving into the chamber, the party notices that the pit is actually a spiral staircase, and they move ever deeper into the Seer’s lair.As they reach the bottom, it is like stepping into another world. A vast desert stretches out to the horizon, and a clear blue sky opens above.  Gathered around an oasis are two large scorpions and a terrifying beast. If centaurs crossbred with scorpions, this would be the result. The three creatures scuttle towards the group, and the manscorpion speaks. “What do you want here?”Aust tells him they seek the seer, and asks the way. The manscorpion does not know exactly, but he points towards the West, and the party heads out. A few minutes later, Aust slams face first into a wall he can’t see. Deducing that the landscape is illusory, the party feels around and finds a door, which they open and step through.Down a dank corridor they enter another large chamber. The sound of water can be heard, and in the far corner is a waterfall dropping into a black pool. Beside it stands a huge black dragon, which rises up on its back legs and gives a loud battle cry.A moment later it is apparent that the dragon is only warning and not attacking, and the party gives it a wide berth, moving around the outside of the chamber and down a tight passageway into a room filled with gears, machinery, and wiring. Through the moving parts can be seen a few small “passageways,” each no wider than 3 feet at the most.Deciding to press onward, the party puts Rikus in the lead, hoping to avoid the brunt of the dangers themselves. A while later that it obviously not the case, as every trap they set off seems to hurt them all. A paralyzing acidic gas trap knocks out the paladin and scorches him severely. Gravity reversal sends party members falling into the gearing above, grinding flesh between metal cogs. Invisible stalkers don’t appear, but they do attack. Finally breaking through the place and stopping for  a break in a wide hallway, the party debates setting up camp here, as everyone is greatly hurt and the cleric is out of healing. They decide to do so, but poke their heads around the next corner first to see what lies ahead. What they see is a hexagonal room, the walls of which are covered in black tapestries. Woven in each tapestry in shades of gray are pictures of great battles. In the center of the room is a large kettle full of hot coals. Floating in midair next to the kettle is a large moldering book. Floating cross-legged behind the book is an old man wearing a black robe. A hood obscures his face.Speaking calmly and confidently in a voice creaked with age, the man says, “Greetings. I am the Seer. What is it you seek?”The party tells him that they are attempting to save the boy’s village. As Cutter steps forward to speak, the Seer corrects them. “You are attempting to save civilization, not just this boy’s village.” The Seer looks Cutter over and then nods. “The child should remain here. I am not sure why, but I sense that he is of great importance in this matter.” Cutter does not want to stay though, and after quite a bit of protest, the Seer relents. “Be careful with him though. Do not let harm befall him, although precious little can harm him.”“Why is that?” asks Farlight.“My sight is not perfect, I only see what I see.” Is the Seer’s cryptic response. “But you can stop this curse if you act quickly.“Ages ago a general of Alphatia bravely fought many battles in this land. But supplies were slow in coming from his homeland, and often he fought just to survive. His final battle was on the banks of this very river, where he was overwhelmed by the savages and their tribal shaman.“At he end, feeling betrayed and angry, he stood alone on the river bank. Raising his magic saber he called down a curse saying, ‘Let this land remain a savage and uncivilized wilderness for seven times seven centuries!’ Although the sky was without clouds, it seemed to shudder at his words, and a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck his upraised blade, dividing it in two.“The general and his weapon fell into the river and were never recovered. However, the shaman came across the hilt of the sword and, knowing that if the curse was to one day be lifted the hilt might play a part, kept it safe.“For years the curse was forgotten because noone cared to brave the wilderness, but for over a decade now the land has been gradually settled, and the curse is showing its power.“The saber hilt lies in the Tower of Terror in Flamesmouth Mountain. I cannot leave this island, but if you will go to the tower, find the hilt, and bring it to me, I will lift the curse. The way is dangerous, and you must keep young Cutter free from harm. But if you succeed the land can be saved.“You will recognize Flamesmouth when you see it. 4 leagues north it lies, a massive mountain of black rock, with smoke billowing from its top.”Being the heroes that they are, the party agrees to travel to the tower and return with the hilt.More to come shortly, but it was a long session two weeks ago, so I have to apologize for the sparsity of detail.</blockquote>

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