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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dark Dragon" data-source="post: 3668656" data-attributes="member: 1115">No ticket!Well, today the party tried to enter the house  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> The tempest and the monk disguised themselves and went straight to the main entrance of the farm (NO checks like peering through windows or sneaking around the house  :\  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f615.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":confused:" title="Confused    :confused:"  data-smilie="5"data-shortname=":confused:" /> ) The rest of the party waited some 1500 ft. away on their Phantom Steeds.The two just tried to go in, but the door (with a peephole) was locked. So they knocked and some guy on the other side asked who's there, what they want and so on... The two made up a simple story but it didn't work. While the monk was talking, the tempest tried to open the lock. This didn't work either (it was a very good lock) but the guy in the house heard the noise and sneaked away to alert the master of the farm, the Red Wizard Karelam Darl, (I built an ench 5/RW 10/Mindbender 3). The wizard was just attending a fight in his arena deep under the house, and was informed by Ajuntis that the Shadow Masters possibly have a 'little problem' with the adventurers (i.e, they 'miss' their archmage) some hours before. However, Karelam was not in the mood to start an instant search, instead, he want to have all arena fights finished before and have some good meals in between._____________________Background:The alliance between the Shadow Masters and Karelam is a very loose one, Ajuntis provided new gladiators from time to time, and Karelam cast some spells for Ajuntis as a favor. Karelam's second in command, the young Red Wizard Ranus, is more ambitous and directly involved in Ajuntis' plans (he helped to find a temporary prison for the monk (after the monk was captured near the landhouse) but he is also afraid that his master or the adventurers find out that he is working with the Shadow Masters). Ajuntis uses the Red Wizard as a source for informations. Ranus is ambitious but also quite paranoid that his 'alliance' with Ajuntis may become uncovered. Ajuntis sold some magic items for a special price to Ranus.______________________The tempest used another given spell from the alienist (see earlier post) and turned into gaseous form to get into the house. She went through the door and entered a dark room. There she ended the spell and tried to open the door, but there was no key. But her appearance activated a Stone Golem that acted as a guardian. After the fight broke out, the rest of the party rode to the house to help. The monk smahed the wooden door to help the tempest. After a hard fight the golem was destroyed.Next problem was to find the arena. A spiral staircase lead down into a short tunnel. No secret doors, but the party knew from Jasmina's scrying spell how to activate the staircase's secret mechanism (Ajuntis activated it to get into the arena). They tried several times, but nothing happened (it was blocked by Karelam's guards from below). They checked first the rest of the house, but no person was there.So the alienist cast a Sphere of Ultimate Destuction and destroyed the spiral stair. The spiral stairs were intended as a lift, but after being destroyed, a 100 ft deep shaft opened to a now visible door at the bottom.The door was Arcane Lock'd, thus it was disintegrated as well. A narrow tunnel ended at the entrance of the arena (a large corridor opening into the main arena). The corridor was guarded by two large golden statues symbolising knights (they are brass golems) and a Forbiddance (CL 21, AL LE). When the party arrived at the corridor, a clapping arised, then a strong voice announced the new fighters. Karelam allowed the party to get to this position to see about who Ajuntis was talking. When the tempest entered the corridor she was struck unconcious (negative hp) by the Forbiddance (she is CN...) because she was badly wounded in the fight with the stone golem. The alienist tried to dispel the spell but failed. Then the party pulled the tempest back and the ranger healed her a bit.Now the foe of the party entered the arena: the orc Mad Bear. The monk had taken the tempest's position in the front line and was now the first target of the raging orc. The first attack was a stunning fist + power attack 4, the monk was heavily hit and FAILED his save...the orc pummled the monk but the alienist stopped the massacre by a wall of force, separating the two.The party retreated to the main entrance. The monk climbed up the shaft, attached a rope and the rest of the party slowly followed. Mad Bear was ordered to retreat, Karelam was busy to calm down the spectators who were furious about the aborted fight. He wrongly assumed that the party simply teleported away to the castle near Lake Murthil, Ajuntis had told him that the party has used the castle as a base some days ago. Karelam knew the castle (but nothing about the human inhabitants), so he gathered his Thayan Knight, one thug, Ajuntis, and Ranus and teleported to the castle (fully buffed, of course). I didn't want a TPK here, it would have been easy with Karelam's, Ajuntis' and Ranus' combined power.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> But the party hasn't left yet (they have a scroll of Teleportation, but the alienist fears the spell due to his paranoia and an earlier mishap). Instead, the elf Derx and his halfling friend Pooka (the former bodyguards of Lady Gallidy in Two Stars) showed up. They were still searching Ajuntis on their own accord, especially Derx wants to see Ajuntis dead. The party left the farm unhindered, and Derx gave the party some advice about stealthiness. Pooka told them that Lady Gallidy 'surrendered' to the Shadow Masters and that she thinks that the party is dead.Derx and Pooka proposed the party to keep a very low profile to let things calm down a bit. They offered assistance but the party was not willing to accept  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f615.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":confused:" title="Confused    :confused:"  data-smilie="5"data-shortname=":confused:" /> Derx said that he and Pooka would go to Rashemen since the hunt for Ajuntis was a desaster, hoping that the Shadow Masters are not working there. (So far, he is right)...He offers contact via Sending from time to time if important news are heard of (he has a stone of Sending) but it was barely thanked for by the adventurers... :\  Then the party went back towards the castle.In the meanwhile, Karelam quickly annihilated any resistance in the castle. Jasmina, due to her incorporeal status as a telthor, secretly observed the attack. Alone, she saw no way to stop the Red Wizard. She disguised the entrance to Mordenkainen's Magnificient Mansion where she, the baby and the howdie hid (it was located within the castle house and thus not directly visible from the outside) with a Screen spell. Then she cast a Sending and warned her friends. She proposed to meet near Lake Murthil. The party agreed, and Jasmina brought the baby and the howdie out of the castle via Dimension Door (emulated with a Limited Wish) and Wind Walk. In the evening the party was united again, the Alienist cast Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum and a short plan for an attack on the castle for the next morning was made. Karelam was furious about the failed search, he tortured all survivors of the attack to get all informations about the party (the people did not know anything about the MMM were the baby was). Then the Thayan Knight murdered the people, only two children hid in a secret place and were not found. The attackers waited until it was night, then they returned to the farm.The night passed without trouble. But the Aspect of Tiamat (I use a tougher, more powerful version, but it is not allowed to attack normal mortals unless it was being attacked by those free-willed mortals before) was informed during the night by Ranus (after being urged from Ajuntis) via Sending that the tempest gave birth a day earlier in the castle. Raging in anger, the Aspect laid a trap: She cast a Gate and summoned a Dragonflesh Golem made out of the parts of metallic dragons. She camouflaged the creature with a Screen, and ordered it to kill all intruders. Even if the party should survive, the group would be then weak and she could then sent her minions to deal with them. As the party was protected with a Private Sanctum, the Aspect could not find the group.Next morning, the adventurers fully prepared themselves for battle with a Red Wizard. They only 'found' the golem. After a hard fight, the monster was destroyed. The group was quite frustrated that the foes had already left (better so, Karelam alone is worth his salt !). But then a simple dressed but charismatic lone wanderer showed up (the ranger was irritated that he didn't notice the wanderer approaching  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />  ).This man was almost the first encounter of the party when the campaign started. He calls himself Alanor of Bahamut. Only the monk remembered that short, but friendly meeting months ago. Alanor is an Aspect of Bahamut and knows a bit of Tiamat's plans. Bahamut himself has sent him to find out what exactly Tiamat plans are but he has keep his hands out of the affairs of mortals. Alanor found out that the adventurers are a part of Tiamat's plans, especially the tempest and her baby. Due to his promise to Bahamut, he could not help the party, although he would happily do so. The summoning of the Dragonflesh Golem alerted and enraged Bahamut and he sent Alanor to kill the monster. But the party was faster  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> Alanor has all powers of a paladin level 15 and of a mature adult Silver Dragon (plus his Aspect powers). He wanders through the region polymorphed as a charismatic human of about 40 years old, he has steel gray eyes and black hair. He is very polite, forgiving, and it is very hard for him to tell a lie. His special mount is a female mature adult Silver Dragon who calls herself Autmn Rain (or Estanala). The two dragons are in deep love, and both hope that Alanor's time as a servant of the Platinum Dragon will allow some 'free time' someday.When the alienist asked Alanor if he is an emissary of a god, Alanor answered (a bit cryptic) that every sentient being is somehow an emissary of some god, and so he is himself... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> The party buried the dead people of the castle. They found the two kids (still shocked by the appearance of the golem and the murder of their friends) and left the castle to return to the lake.The appearance of Alanor thwarted the plans of the Aspect of Tiamat. Although the aspects of the two dragon deities recognise their counterparts even when disguised and would not hesitate to fight each other, the Aspect of Tiamat is too wary of a fight unless the odds clearly favor her. So she canceled the attack of her minions and looks for an alternative...</blockquote>

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