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Post by Friedrich on Apr 27, 2010 20:43:29 GMT -5
I am worried that the star gem is close by and we will have difficulties searching for it once the Sheik takes command. Somehow we need to convince the Sheik to allow us to complete the search under the Sandvoyagers' Guild. Sounds like a job for Basil. Or maybe Basil could go with the Sheik's men as a representative for Tolnus. The soonest most of us will be ready again is the next night but Basil and Alfred could go now. Alfred will go back through that complex that we just sacked, preferably with Basil, to sift through rooms open desks, toss beds, etc. To Dana: 1. Dana, could you post a map of what we went through so I have a reference point to determine where I do and don't want to check? To the party: 2. Lee, Is Basil available to go back into the slaver's guild house? 3. Can anyone heal me? I believe I have 20 or so hp left out of 36 but my sheet is in the folder and the exact number is written on the back of one of the sheets, which I believe is at Lee's house unless Dana has it. 4. And finally, if I leave my bow can someone fix it. I know this is annoying but if the second one gets broken Alfred won't be worth much at all in a fight. Once this gets cleared up I'll probably go back in to see if we missed anything.
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Apr 27, 2010 20:55:25 GMT -5
Morvan asks Rensslaer's question, even though Rensslaer seems to have more than a passing acquaintance with the humanoid argot. For the bugbear: 1. Why are the drow here? Gnash Smutnose, the surviving bugbear, babbles when separated from the two dark elves. He'd really like to live and would be happy to do whatever is necessary not to be killed. He could carry things, kill things, ummmm, carry more things. Anything. He's pretty strong. When reminded of the question, Gnash (Mr. Smutnose?) says that the small dark ones sailed over the sky in a great cart. They fought in ruins against humans that summoned fire, ice, lightning, and other things. It was loud. The dark ones didn't come back, except for Kal and Zozo. Kal and Zozo made them walk, not ride in cart, and hide during day. Then they all stayed in nice caves with good food. They dug a lot! Almost all the way home! Then big fight happened, and they ran into the new tunnels and found new caves that weren't as nice. Big spiders there, but Zozo talked to them! Then humans beat him unconscious and make his head hurt with hard questions. Really, he'd be happy to carry stuff for you. Or kill something. Anything. Really.
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Post by Ginger on Apr 27, 2010 20:57:46 GMT -5
Everything will get healed and mended in due time. We're not going to have a fight until we've had a chance to sleep.
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Apr 27, 2010 21:16:48 GMT -5
I am worried that the star gem is close by and we will have difficulties searching for it once the Sheik takes command. Somehow we need to convince the Sheik to allow us to complete the search under the Sandvoyagers' Guild. Sounds like a job for Basil. Or maybe Basil could go with the Sheik's men as a representative for Tolnus. The soonest most of us will be ready again is the next night but Basil and Alfred could go now. Alfred will go back through that complex that we just sacked, preferably with Basil, to sift through rooms open desks, toss beds, etc. To Dana: 1. Dana, could you post a map of what we went through so I have a reference point to determine where I do and don't want to check? To the party: 2. Lee, Is Basil available to go back into the slaver's guild house? 3. Can anyone heal me? I believe I have 20 or so hp left out of 36 but my sheet is in the folder and the exact number is written on the back of one of the sheets, which I believe is at Lee's house unless Dana has it. 4. And finally, if I leave my bow can someone fix it. I know this is annoying but if the second one gets broken Alfred won't be worth much at all in a fight. Once this gets cleared up I'll probably go back in to see if we missed anything. 1. Here's a map. The unopened jackal head door is all the way at the top of the map. 2. Basil is currently interrogating the prisoners. Kazan is currently under the sandvoyagers' guild looking for magical items that might have been missed. 3. Morvan has only one clerical spell, which he is planning on using to speak with the dead. He is unable to heal you further. 4. Morvan will repair your bow after he sleeps 4 hours and memorizes for 15 minutes. It will take him that long to get the Mend spell. Attachments:
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Post by Friedrich on Apr 27, 2010 23:59:15 GMT -5
OK, Alfred will now go back down with Kazan and search for any treasure that may have been missed. This means that I will go through desks, drawers, beds shelves, etc. I will stay away form that door at the top of the map that we have not opened. I don't have any training at spotting traps or secret doors but I will still do my best. I am not concerned with mundane items. I will not attempt to open any locked chests or doors that I may fine as of now.
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Post by Wolfgar on Apr 28, 2010 7:40:20 GMT -5
Did we ever find the keys for the prison? Alfred - you should check all the bodies again as well as Thurnas's room. If you find the keys then you can check the cells for anything we missed. See if Rensslaer will let you borrow the Star Gem to help in your searching.
Have we used the Star Gem inside the compound other than around the temple? There may be additional trap doors leading to the back section of the underground map. Maybe Alfred can use the Star Gem in the early morning to check out the rest of the compound as well as the rooms of the Inn.
The bugbear seems to corroborate the dark elves' story. Still anything that is an affront to their deity can't be bad for us.
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Post by venger on Apr 28, 2010 8:39:17 GMT -5
See if Rensslaer will let you borrow the Star Gem to help in your searching. No.
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Post by Ginger on Apr 28, 2010 8:52:16 GMT -5
See if Rensslaer will let you borrow the Star Gem to help in your searching. No. That's not being a team player, Mister Lawful...
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Post by venger on Apr 28, 2010 9:09:42 GMT -5
Nobody goes around unaccompanied using the Star Gem. There's dark elves, powerful wizards, evil sheiks, efreetis, etc. all running around looking for these things.
Someone else has to go with.
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Post by Friedrich on Apr 28, 2010 9:11:29 GMT -5
Dave, you beat me to it. I was going to say we should add team player and respectful of leadership to his title as well. Did I miss the the session where the party decided that this artifact was Rensslaer's toy. (Serious question, btw. I know I left early one session, so if it was then, please just let me know). Per Dave's suggestion I will check for keys as well.
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Post by venger on Apr 28, 2010 9:22:11 GMT -5
This from the guy who picked up the magic ring off the ground, put it on and wouldn't take it off. Which is ironically the way it seems to work with magic items in this party.
There's no way it would have been in character for Rensslaer to just acquiesce and hand over the Star Gem to the new guy, c'mon.
Sure Alfred can use it but Rensslaer will take it back when he's done.
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Post by Ginger on Apr 28, 2010 9:29:22 GMT -5
Kazan is also in the warehouse, so he's not unaccompanied. And it's just 20 minutes.
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Post by Friedrich on Apr 28, 2010 10:05:13 GMT -5
Ok, I will look through the star gem for secret doors and traps, as well as keys and treasure.
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Post by Wolfgar on Apr 28, 2010 13:27:04 GMT -5
Kazan will keep an eye out for Alfred and won't leave underground until Alfred has finished his investigations.
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Post by Friedrich on Apr 29, 2010 18:17:42 GMT -5
Off topic here. Coud somebody post a link to the wikiboard that has has the party log on it? Thanks
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Post by Ginger on Apr 29, 2010 20:32:23 GMT -5
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Apr 29, 2010 20:32:55 GMT -5
After securing the Star Gem of Mo-pelar from Rensslaer, Alfred hoofs it over to the Sandvoyagers' Guild. The bloodied corpses of the slaver guards have begun to draw bugs, but the gruesome sights are nothing to Alfred, having seen far worse in the cold North. He clambers under the sandsled and slides down the ladder to the cellars beneath. Calling for Kazan, he begins to look at the walls with the star gem.
Alfred calculates that it will take about 25 minutes to look at all of the walls in the underground section of the room. It is an arduous task, but better than listening to the others prattle in foreign tongues. Kazan, holding a small bag, hikes down to the torture room where you wait. "Ink," he says.
Putting the star gem in its tube up to his eye, Alfred starts to scan the walls.
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Post by venger on Apr 30, 2010 7:15:59 GMT -5
Version 2 because Version 1 died horribly.
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Post by Friedrich on May 3, 2010 13:56:31 GMT -5
Are we waiting until Sunday to go any further with playing out the 1/2 hour before the Shiek awakens?
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on May 3, 2010 18:30:28 GMT -5
Are we waiting until Sunday to go any further with playing out the 1/2 hour before the Shiek awakens? Nope, I've just been busy. Alfred and Kazan pace around the lower level, looking through the star gem. In the first few minutes, the value of doing this becomes evident! Directly adjacent to the portcullis in the torture room is a hidden panel revealed by the star gem. It is about four feet off the ground and about three feet square. Peering around inside the cell that it backs onto doesn't show any additional hidden objects, but Kazan finds that the cell is notably less deep than the others when he measures it with his spear. Kazan and Alfred leave the hidden door and continue their search throughout the finished portion of the sandvoyagers' guild. No other hidden or secret doors are located. Based on the amount of time it has taken them to complete their search, Kazan, who is good with these sort of things, estimates that it will take the two of them almost the full amount of time before the sheik arrives to search the remaining walls with the star gem. Searching with the star gem is very efficient, but moving to get a good look down the whole wall is time consuming. Plus, Alfred gets a bad headache if he moves while looking through the star gem. Kazan and Alfred have at least three options before them, as I see it: 1. Continue searching the walls with the star gem, finishing about the same time that the sheik might arrive. 2. Go back and search the secret door found in the torture room and then wait for the sheik to arrive. 3. Go back and search the secret door found in the torture room and then finish searching the other chambers, potentially being discovered/interrupted by the arrival of the sheik. On the attached map, areas in purple are those searched with the star gem. Attachments:
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Post by Wolfgar on May 3, 2010 21:05:32 GMT -5
Kazan opts for the first option. (He assumes that Alfred will not argue with his superior experience and standing in the party.) As they proceed Kazan will explain that the secret door is likely related to the opening of the portcullis to the prison from the outside. It is more important to gather information about the rest of the complex while unwatched by the Sheik's men.
Thinking out loud to himself Kazan will muse that Tolnus should explain why there is a prison below the Guild. Clearly the slavers used it to house slaves but what did the Sandvoyagers use it for? It does not appear to be new construction. Surely there must have been better uses for the space.
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Post by Friedrich on May 4, 2010 1:19:40 GMT -5
Given Kazan's seniority and experience, Alfred will most definitely go along with whatever he feels is the best course of action given the gravity of this situation. In addition, Alfred will stand guard and keep watch if Kazan wants to take the Star Gem.
All of this desert magic seems to be giving him a splitting headache, anyhow. Kazan's greater wisdom may make this a quicker process and Alfred can stand ready with a silver arrow ready in case anything or anyone attempts to sneak up on us.
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Post by Wolfgar on May 4, 2010 7:22:30 GMT -5
We'll take turns using the Star Gem to reduce the strain. Also we want to avoid any confrontation if at all possible and get back to the Inn before the sheik. The last thing we want them to do is confiscate the one Star Gem we do have because they think we found it under the warehouse.
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on May 4, 2010 20:21:30 GMT -5
The last thing we want them to do is confiscate the one Star Gem we do have because they think we found it under the warehouse. Drat! Foiled again!
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on May 4, 2010 20:33:05 GMT -5
"We should continue to search," says Kazan. "This small secret door is likely related to the opening of the portcullis to the prison from the outside. It is more important to gather information about the rest of the complex while unwatched by the Sheik's men."
Alfred accedes to Kazan's greater wisdom and experience. "You should look through this gem too," suggests Alfred. "It gives me a headache."
Kazan and Alfred begin to move out of the sandvoyagers' guild and into the rough-hewn tunnels. "Why is there a prison below the Guild?" muses Kazan aloud. "Clearly the slavers used it to house slaves but what did the Sandvoyagers use it for? It does not appear to be new construction. Surely there must have been better uses for the space. Tolnus has much to answer to." Alfred has no answers for Kazan's questions.
With Alfred guarding his back, Kazan uses the star gem to look for hidden objects. Like Alfred, Kazan finds that moving while looking through the gem causes him to suffer blinding head pain and that the only approach to using the gem is to move to a location and then look. It is time consuming and more than a little frustrating.
Alfred resolves the mystery of the dead bugbear corpses when he heads down the tunnels to the right. The tunnels quickly terminate, and three bugbear corpses and their gear are stowed somewhat neatly in one passage. They lack any valuables but have their heavy morning stars, ring mail jacks, and wooden kite shields piled with them.
The other ruins are creepy, with strange sounds that reverberate the air and a sense of foreboding comes over Alfred and Kazan. A close examination of the jackal mouth, where the dark elves were fought, reveals the same small keyhole deep in the back of the mouth. The runes in the second chamber, where the spiders were fought, hide no secret message, still reading:
It is the passage between the two that is the most interesting. The room off the passage hides nothing, but the ends of the passage, by the door and in the alcove, both conceal craftily hidden doors!
Alfred urges Kazan to open one of the doors, but Kazan demures. "I think we are close to being overtaken by the sheik's men," he argues. "We want to avoid any confrontation if at all possible and get back to the Inn before the Sheik arrives. The last thing we want the Sheik to do is confiscate the one Star Gem we do have because he thinks we found it under the warehouse."
Alfred can find no argument with that thought, and, given Kazan's seniority and experience, Alfred goes along with Kazan's lead. The two of them head back toward the Wayfarers' Home, Alfred guarding Kazan as Kazan stows the Star Gem of Mo-pelar.
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on May 4, 2010 20:33:34 GMT -5
Map with secret doors Attachments:
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Post by Wolfgar on May 5, 2010 7:31:55 GMT -5
Kazan will warn Alfred not to mention what we have discovered in the presence of anyone except the Champions. It is likely that no one here understands the Northern tongue but it is best to play it safe. We will have plenty of time after we have met with the Sheik to discuss what we found before returning to investigate.
It is not clear how these ruins are connected to the temple of Set that the cultists reach under the monolith. Maybe the "gate" is actually a Gate. I would say we ignore that for now until we have searched the secret doors. We want to avoid getting embroiled in any internecine struggles among the Symbayans. The most important thing right now is to find the Star Gem of Khan-pelar. It would be good to find Shadalah but I still contend that the Princess was taken by the Efreeti. So we will need to leave the Oasis to find her and the last Star Gem. If the Sheik wants to confront the cultists over the disappearance of Shadalah he should have the men to do that. We will have to wait and see what comes of the meeting.
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Post by Ginger on May 5, 2010 8:07:22 GMT -5
I have a Speak with Dead, Death's Door (and Dispel Magic!) still memorized. It's funny how you end up with a lot of spells when you spend a long time in melee, paralyzed or unconscious. What should we ask Tolnus? 3 questions for an 8th lvl cleric. 1. Who are your contacts among the cultists? 2. Where do you believe the Princess is? 3. Where do you believe the wizards are?
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Post by Wolfgar on May 5, 2010 8:23:24 GMT -5
You mean Thurnas. Tolnus is who we found in the prison.
Do we want to let the Sheik take over the interrogations? There is some sort of priesthood associated with the Oasis. Maybe we can have them question the dead and use detect lie. If it turns out that the followers of Set abducted or planned to abduct the Princess and Korus is a member of the cult then it is best if we don't get involved. Let the Symbayans sort it out amongst themselves.
Regarding the Wizards, they were either captured/destroyed by the Efreeti or they have gone off to look for another one of the gems. We will either run into them later or not but I don't see what Thurnas would know about them.
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Post by venger on May 5, 2010 9:36:29 GMT -5
We're obliged to turn all these folks over to the Sheikh for whatever justice this land has. If the dark elves had surrendered to us, I might see it another way.
Then we tell him what we found out about the Netmaster's slaving ring and the various plans to kidnap the Princess. And how we suspect she was possibly taken by the Efreet (or wizards?).
We ask for permission to search the cool ruins beneath the Sandvoyager's Guild. He says "no, not until you rescue the Princess." I haven't really figured it out from there.
If we give him these folks they're going to tell him (under torture) about our interest in the Star Gems. And the potential location of the Star Gem beneath the White Palm.
I'm less interested in talking to Thurnas Netmaster now. But if I had two questions they would be -
1) Who is behind this (slaving) operation? 2) Where are they located?
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