Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 983540" data-attributes="member: 1210">Questions and AnswersThe party's journey takes them across gloomy fields of tall dark grass and towards high mountains in the distance.  They learn from Zonzor that they're heading towards a land called Crush, apparently lorded over by a group of heavily-armored horsemen called the Knights of Crush.  Our heroes decide they'd rather avoid them if possible, and consider circumnavigating Crush entirely- but it will add days in the ominous-looking Grey Mountains to their journey.After an unfortunate encounter with a gaggle of humungous mastadons that the party manages to spook into a stampede, they ask a few questions about what sort of monsters live in these desolate lands, and- in the brief time that their interpetive magic lasts- learn that Zonzor doesn't believe in monsters. But it sounds like there are tons of extremely large animals.  In fact, they see a gigantic bird in the distance, hunting over the plains and the edge of the mountains.  It's enough to make them very nervous, but it doesn't come to attack them.  One of Zonzor's tales is of huge squirrels that are big enough to stuff a man in their cheek... the strangest thing our heroes have considered in some time, frankly, but that's what alternate planes are for, innit?They are quite taken with the horses, though.  They're a little bit bigger, stronger, and better-natured than garen.  Nothin' wrong with that.  Malford vows to take a few home, if possible.As they break for the evening the party does a few experiments and discovers a few of the limitations on their magic.  Indeed, they can't seem to conjure or summon anything; illusions last only a fleeting moment.  Healing is a problem, too; they're used to letting their wounds sit and healing them magically within a day or two of when they are inflicted.  But here, on Arba, the healing magic they've taken for granted turns the cuts and scrapes into aches and bruises but does not heal it completely.  The next morning, Sybele awakens a lot bigger.  She's as startled as everyone else; somehow, overnight, she's grown to about 8' in height.  As if the bat wings on Lester and the scarlet skin of Angelfire weren't enough, Zonzor and his lackeys are quite boggled by this event; and there are a few more of those emphatic "kill them" gestures from Zonzor's henchman.  But in the end, Zonzor socks his man in the jaw and yells in his face until he scowls and stomps off, agreeing (apparently, or maybe just for the time being) to keep guiding the party.  Still, Orbius looks worriedly after him; nobody wants a knife in the back in the middle of the night.A little work and the group traps some rabbits and a turkey.  Caging the bunnies for now, Orbius grimaces in distaste, but it has to be done.  He kills the turkey with a single slash of his dagger across its belly and allows its guts to spill forth, bending over them intently to read the lines of fate within.  It's the only way he can commune.What guards the Book of Olaf in the Halls of Greypeak?  Nothing.How many days travel is it to the Halls of Greypeak?  Four.What is the strongest creature that dwells there?  The Door Beast.Will we be able to defeat the Door Beast?  Yes.How can we avoid the Door Beast and still get to the book?  Easily.How do we cause the Door Beast to not notice our presence?  Easily.Who leads the Knights of Crush?  Lord Crush.Are we likely to encounter the Knights of Crush?  Fairly.Given our powers on this plane, what are our chances of defeating them?  Depends on which.What is the best way to avoid these knights?  Grey Mountains.What is the name of the most ubiquitous deity here?  Bron.What is his alignment?  Neutral.What is his holy symbol?  An image of a greataxe, head down, before a lightning bolt flashes through Orbius' mind.Has Lord Ruin noticed our presence?  No.What must we do to avoid the Door Beast and still get the item we need?  Nothing.How many days travel are the Halls of the Unbound from the Halls of Greypeak?  Ten or more.Has Felenga achieved the ability to locate Darkhold at will?  Unknown.What caused Sybele to grow larger?  Chaos.*The Eye relates what he's learned, and the group mulls their options; they decide that the extra few days in the Grey Mountains is probably worth it.  "Besides," Sybele points out, "we probably don't need to attract any attention.  We look a little out of place here.  Tee hee!"That night, on watch, Orbius and Lester hear something large moving in the trees upslope a ways.  A little investigation, and the Eye sees a large bushy-tailed silhouette.  One of the megalosquirrels, he realizes.  Should I tell Lester?  Or will that just lead to trouble we don't need?He holds his tongue.In the morning, one of Zonzor's men is gone.  Zonzor rages and considers going back to his keep to track him down, but is persuaded to wait for a better time.As the party continues towards the Grey Mountains, they once again see the immense bird hunting in the distance, but now it seems they've swung north of its main grounds.  And soon they're heading up, into the foothills and the mountains.  The trail they're following fades into a rough path and then even less, and they're relying almost completely on native guidance from the suspicious followers of Zonzor and the barbarian himself.  The journey becomes more difficult, with hard uneven ground leading up and down, up and down- but always, in the end, up.  Soon enough the group reaches snow and the cold bites deeper into their bones with every mile.  When night falls, cold and clammy, they shiver together, none of them expecting the chill to be half as bitter as it is (save, of course, Zonzor and his lackeys).None of them hate the cold as much as Angelfire, of course.Even wrapped in warm clothes and blankets, his teeth chatter, his body shakes, and steam rises off him constantly.  He feels awful in this weather- his flame-based physiology really kicks him in the jimmy here, that's for sure.  Only for a few days, he tells himself.  While on watch he jumps at shadows, nervously cocks his head at every noise.  His hand seems barely able to close on the hilt of his falchion.The next day the group slogs forward, the natives clearing a path as much as is required.  A large worm, adapted to the cold, tries to prey on them, but it ends up completely, lethally discouraged.  When the group stops to break for lunch, they share some pipeweed with a reluctant and suspicous Zonzor.  Angelfire drinks constantly, hoping the liquor will warm him in this cold clime, but it only numbs him.  Well.  That's something, anyway.In the distance, a mountain away, they can make out a huge ruin.Zonzor grunts something and jerks his thumb at the distant ruin.  Even without a tongues spell running, Orbius translates."Greypeak," he says.*She took a warrior of Chaos level for her 17th level, and her Chaos gift was a size increase.  Yikes!Next Time:  The Halls of Greypeak!  Zonzor tries to recruit a lackey!  And we meet a few of the Knights of Crush!</blockquote>

Verification