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Post by venger on May 31, 2013 23:36:14 GMT -5
The sage Dwelb Abuyelm presents the party with his findings – he is now certain that the Demonspore (Armageddon Seed?) is linked to something called the Temple of Elemental Evil and the Jezulein.
The Jezulein cult was born of the great cultural turmoil that rocked the entire continent over seven centuries ago. While the Old Empire fell into chaos, many scholarly individuals (especially students of sorcery) turned to the ancient, esoteric writings of Jezule the Nebbarite, a long-dead wizard-priest of dreadful reputation. (Surely you’ve heard of him?) His lunatic scrawling had been repressed for years by the Empire. In this new environment, the new Followers of Jezule (Kaia Jezulein, in their own language) flourished, converting many to a bizarre mix of wizardly mysticism and water and earth elementalism. It was the latter feature of their beliefs that earned them the disparaging label of “mud sorcerers.” Little is now known of the mud sorcerers, as information about their cult was guarded with fanatical secrecy. Their practices involved the worship of evil elemental forces and the performance of various anti-social acts in secret ceremonies. The Jezulein cult flowered in the political chaos that ruled the day and many new adherents were won as the cult grew in power. However the Jezulein were not ones to rest on their laurels. Through the use of forbidden oracles, the mud sorcerers probed the future. Exactly what they saw was unclear, but an audacious, insidious plan was agreed upon by the ruling council of the cult. A huge, labyrinthine complex would be constructed far beneath the earth; a great Temple of Elemental Evil. The political chaos would not continue forever and when the Rhunan Confederacy subdued the reigning anarchy and re-established the rule of law with the famous Compact of the Twelve Lords, efforts to eradicate the Jezulein began in earnest. The Jezulein had not anticipated the ferocity with which their cult would be stalked and those minions who had been trusted with the secrets of the cult were laboriously hunted down and put to the sword in what historians call the Great Purge. What happened to the Jezulein masters is unknown. Hundreds of years passed and the cult seemed destined to be nothing more than distasteful footnote in some obscure tome. Until now?
Dwelb Abuyelm will direct the party to a sage of his acquaintance named Fabius in the city of Pentadastion, who has expertise in history and theology, with a special interest in dead religious movements. He provides a letter of introduction.
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Post by Ginger on Jun 1, 2013 17:43:50 GMT -5
Temple of Elemental Evil? That's for levels 1-4. No prob.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 3, 2013 11:29:08 GMT -5
That sucks to lose Colby to a sleep spell for a year. However given that he is out of commission we should divide his things for the greater good of the party. Here is a proposed division of items*. Haddiq can of course veto this or suggest another division.
flying carpet - Mary ring of protection +2 - Mary (her +1 ring can go to someone else, Ingrid?) perfume bottle, aromatic PfG (7 doses) - Mary
bracers AC 8 - Youssef gloves of missile snaring - Youssef deep pockets robe - Youssef
2 rose colored potions (healing) - Haddiq sigil stone (dispel magic @ 20th level) - Haddiq
dagger of throwing (m) - Azhbar
a torc of heavy iron discs (PFG) - Mamnoon
spell books - QB bag of bones - QB a longsword with an ivory grip (Galgonan) - QB gold hourglass ring - lesser time reversal - QB scroll tube - QB scroll (fire wings) - QB scroll - evard's black tentacles - QB
*updated
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Post by Ginger on Jun 3, 2013 14:29:24 GMT -5
What is the plan for Colby's sleeping body if not to keep it on the carpet? Basmadoos will take the bag of bones, since he is rocking the bone armor and it seems fitting.
The bind wounds treatment was used this week, so that's gone. Colby was planning to write Evard's Black Tentacles but forgot, so he'd appreciate putting that in the box instead of giving it to Mary to use.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 3, 2013 14:48:43 GMT -5
I think it is better if we carry Colby rather than lose the benefit of the flying carpet. I could be overruled of course. I don't think putting a living, breathing person in the q-box is a good idea.
Youssef and Mamnoon could try taking Colby's body to Khaddil via the Elemental Plane of Air. That way he is not in danger of being fireballed while asleep.
It doesn't appear like there are many wandering encounters here. It may make sense to take some time and rejigger our spells. Knock, Find Traps, Unseen Servant, Detect Invisibility may be more useful than what we currently have memorized.
I say we ditch the automaton. Even if we take the time to fix it, it is not like we are going bring it along on adventures. And no one is likely to give us what it is worth. Alternatively we could deliver it to Khaddil when we take Colby. Then remove it from the box and deal with it when we are done.
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Post by venger on Jun 4, 2013 11:59:56 GMT -5
a torc of heavy iron discs (PFG) - Basmadoos Basmadoos doesn't want to be protected from good. Basmadoos will take the bag of bones Absolutely not. Youssef and Mamnoon could try taking Colby's body to Khaddil via the Elemental Plane of Air. This action is prevented by powerful (evil) elemental forces.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 5, 2013 8:33:26 GMT -5
Mamnoon will happily take the torc. That will keep those annoying elementals away from him.
Mamnoon will check if any of his other powers feel blocked.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 5, 2013 8:49:35 GMT -5
We gave the silver box to Trommer which gives him a PfE 10'. That is fine but then we should move Paavo or Trommer to the back of the group so that we don't waste the double effect on the first rank. Alternatively someone towards the back can take the box. Maybe Ingrid or Haddiq.
Not that we have anyway to test this, but does the PfE ameliorate the pervasive evil of this place? Do we still feel that turning is going to be lessened?
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Post by venger on Jun 5, 2013 9:52:38 GMT -5
Not that we have anyway to test this, but does the PfE ameliorate the pervasive evil of this place? Do we still feel that turning is going to be lessened? PfE functions as normal, +2 to saves and AC vs. evil, hedging summoned/conjured creatures and ghouls. The clerics can recognize that their turning power will be diminished as this place is obviously a "center of evil power."
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Post by venger on Jun 5, 2013 9:53:05 GMT -5
Mamnoon will check if any of his other powers feel blocked. He cannot plane shift or become ethereal.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 6, 2013 14:09:40 GMT -5
It would be nice if this geas put on us by the Green Man gave us some protection from being prevented from completing this task through magical means short of being killed. For example, being charmed indefinitely or slept for a year. You would think a god's power would be stronger than most anything else.
I guess the fact that we retained a lot of free will affords no additional protection.
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Post by venger on Jun 6, 2013 14:22:44 GMT -5
I'm going to post experience (which was considerable) and try to recap the events of last session. 100% chance of experience, 75% chance of write-up. It would be nice if this geas put on us by the Green Man gave us some protection from being prevented from completing this task through magical means short of being killed. For example, being charmed indefinitely or slept for a year. You would think a god's power would be stronger than most anything else. I guess the fact that we retained a lot of free will affords no additional protection. If anything it would be the opposite? If for example someone in the party was charmed indefinitely or slept for a year and no longer committed to the quest, they should technically die by the terms of the geas. The geas was put on the party by the Green Man so they don't weasel out of their oath to defeat the Demonspore, which was given in exchange for resurrecting Colby. Also the Green Man is a powerful immortal, not actually a god. Which is a minor but important distinction in the campaign considering I'm using a lot of BECMI materials.
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Post by venger on Jun 6, 2013 15:46:26 GMT -5
Though I could see it making you immune to further geasing, like how you can only be affected by one charm spell at a time.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 7, 2013 12:35:42 GMT -5
If we are taking some time to change spells we should review the items we have recovered so far. Some of them might be useful/powerful magic items. Can we get a list of what we have gotten so far?
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Post by venger on Jun 7, 2013 17:58:01 GMT -5
Ingrid's experience is posted, she makes 6th level fighter.
Items recovered thus far:
adamantine key wooden-handled shovel dirk short sword longsword platemail bone scroll tube w/scroll¹ potion potion scroll tied with dark blue ribbon (7) amber (5) tourmaline (3) coral peridot topaz platinum statuette of tiger-headed human gold ring set with topaz steel scroll tube w/scroll² suit of field plate w/strange gears key to the field plate manual of yarushyu's automaton ebony box red silk pillow dark-red clay ring obsidian dagger small piece of torn green silk four octagonal disks (4" in diameter) of gray marble, each bearing a mud sorcerer symbol
¹ "Dancing on the first great sign, calls lying blades for cuts unkind, the dancer finds another room, and suffers here a watery doom."
² "I delight in the service of my mistress. It is for her I live or die, whatever her choosing, may the gods of Earth and Water bless her every endeavor."
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 27, 2013 7:38:23 GMT -5
If David does not object can the DM go ahead and make the redistribution of Colby's items?
Is there a reason we haven't looked at the scroll tied with dark blue ribbon? If it didn't appear to be trapped then Paavo will open it up.
I know I asked this before but can you remind me what our motivation is here? Are we looking for clues regarding the location of the main temple?
Paavo will examine the potions, how do they look, feel and smell?
Can we get images of the mud sorcerer symbols?
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Post by Ginger on Jun 27, 2013 9:28:15 GMT -5
I don't object to you guys picking over my body for the good of the group.
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Post by venger on Jun 27, 2013 11:06:03 GMT -5
If David does not object can the DM go ahead and make the redistribution of Colby's items? Sure. Is there a reason we haven't looked at the scroll tied with dark blue ribbon? If it didn't appear to be trapped then Paavo will open it up. A scroll of protection from golems.I know I asked this before but can you remind me what our motivation is here? Are we looking for clues regarding the location of the main temple? Basically the party is following up on the only lead they have and any clues pertaining to the mystery of the cult and this "Demonspore" would be helpful. As you know... The Jezulein were an evil cult that flourished in the chaos after the fall of the Old Empire. They probed far futures with their forbidden oracles and set into motion some unknown, dire plot that would span long centuries. Their ancient writings spoke of a great Temple of Elemental Evil, carved in the depths of the earth, a shrine to the Archomentals, - the Princes and Princesses of Elemental Evil, where was planted the Armageddon Seed/Demonspore. Whatever the seed/spore is and whatever their plan, the ambitions of the Jezulein far out-spanned their mortal lives and so the dread masters retreated to hidden sanctums to wait, in timeless slumber... However most of the cult was systematically purged by the Lions of Mitra (a largely defunct paladin organization) their writings and sorcerous texts burned, their places of power plundered. Only a few such sites remain. Fabius, the sage in Pentadastion, had a map to one conveniently located nearby. He requested samples of any writings discovered in exchange. He indicated that there was a means of magical conveyance these "mud sorcerers" used to travel to their great temple. He also noted some recent signs, portents and omens - strange confluence of the stars, crocodile-headed proto-deities born on the muddy banks of the Indulapar, etc. indicative of the cult. And provided the four Mud Sorcerer symbols (below). Paavo will examine the potions, how do they look, feel and smell? One is a rich, rose colored liquid. The other is clear and cloyingly aromatic. Can we get images of the mud sorcerer symbols?
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Post by Wolfgar on Jun 28, 2013 15:12:13 GMT -5
Protection from Golems is a little odd. Most of those protection scrolls allow you to launch range attacks and spells from within the circle of protection. For the some part golems are immune to thrown weapon and most spells. Also typically we would rather just destroy them for the xp. I doubt there are going to so many of them that we need to hedge some of them out while we concentrate on a couple. Still next time we face some stone or iron golems we should use it. Someone in the second rank who can extend the area of effect to include the front line fighters is probably best. Do we know the radius of the protection?
The rose colored potion sounds like healing. Paavo will try to compare it to the healing potions we have. I'll wait for the game before sampling either potion.
And what were the names of the symbols?
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Post by venger on Jun 29, 2013 10:11:10 GMT -5
Protection from Golems is a little odd. Do we know the radius of the protection? All you can determine from your cursory read of the scroll is that it is a scroll of protection from golems. An identify spell is required to learn specifics. The rose colored potion sounds like healing. Paavo will try to compare it to the healing potions we have. I'll wait for the game before sampling either potion. The rose-colored potion looks similar to the other rose-colored potions, being both potions and rose-colored. This one is a little deeper in color. And what were the names of the symbols? They are called the Kaia Jezulein Braeu Majorum ~ which translates to "the major mud sorcerer symbols:" 1) Convergence of Earth & Water 2) Earth Dominant 3) Water Dominant 4) Harmony of Earth & Water
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Post by Wolfgar on Jul 2, 2013 8:36:01 GMT -5
The large magical feather we got from the Silver Princess's Castle, does it act like Quaal's Feather Token FAN? It was used to move the ship while in the Ethereal Plane.
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Post by venger on Jul 2, 2013 12:36:45 GMT -5
It doesn't NOT act like that...
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Post by Wolfgar on Jul 3, 2013 13:08:26 GMT -5
Items recovered thus far: adamantine key wooden-handled shovel dirk short sword longsword platemail bone scroll tube w/scroll¹ potion potion scroll tied with dark blue ribbon (7) amber (5) tourmaline (3) coral peridot topaz platinum statuette of tiger-headed human gold ring set with topaz steel scroll tube w/scroll² suit of field plate w/strange gears key to the field plate manual of yarushyu's automaton ebony box red silk pillow dark-red clay ring obsidian dagger small piece of torn green silk four octagonal disks (4" in diameter) of gray marble, each bearing a mud sorcerer symbol ¹ "Dancing on the first great sign, calls lying blades for cuts unkind, the dancer finds another room, and suffers here a watery doom."² "I delight in the service of my mistress. It is for her I live or die, whatever her choosing, may the gods of Earth and Water bless her every endeavor."Next time we get a chance to rest, Youssef will use some detect magic dust to check the items we have recovered so far. In the meantime, Trommer may want to let Basmadoos (or Azhbar) borrow a magic sword so he has something that can hit creature that require magic weapons. Who got hit by those mummies? Paavo will cure disease on them. Maybe he already has as they have most likely already benefited from some cure wound spells. Not to meta-game too much but it is possible the ring we got in the box with the snake is a ring of wishes which we can use to wake up Colby. If the dream stone doesn't work we can give that a try. I don't know if these scrolls are going to be useful but I am guessing the "watery doom" is the trap Mamnoon fell into while wrestling with the tapestry of smothering.
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Post by Ginger on Jul 3, 2013 14:05:52 GMT -5
"Dancing on the first great sign, calls lying blades for cuts unkind, the dancer finds another room, and suffers here a watery doom."
We were in a small room and touched the 1st sorcery sign, which triggered a blade barrier traptrick. It teleported us to another room with a pit of murky water in the center. I suspect this was designed to warn us in the predicament in which we just found ourselves.
Basmadoos has a +1 flaming sabre, so he's ok with a magic weapon. Azhbar got a +1 scimitar from Mamnoon after his +1/+3 vs demons was destroyed. I remember saying we were going to do it, but maybe it didn't get recorded.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jul 6, 2013 5:41:54 GMT -5
I like your interpretation better. Of course standing at the edge of a murky pool of water in a tomb of the mud sorcerers doesn't sound all that wise to me to begin with.
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Post by venger on Jul 8, 2013 11:55:50 GMT -5
begemmed phylactery made of gold (2) pair of gold earrings set with sapphires (2) simple gold ring etched with various mud sorcerer symbols (10) bronce mace (2) bloodstone w/1st mud sorcerer symbol (1) carnelian w/2nd mud sorcerer symbol (1) citrine w/3rd mud sorcerer symbol (1) onyx w/4th mud sorcerer symbol (1) massive gem (2) message scrawled on rotting linen¹ (18) platinum (26) gold (73) electrum (105) silver (161) copper
¹ "Colored stones to thee bequeathed, bitten tight in priestly teeth, each a key to Tzolo's Wall, sign to sign will make it fall"
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Post by Ginger on Jul 10, 2013 13:03:41 GMT -5
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Post by Wolfgar on Jul 12, 2013 13:02:37 GMT -5
Youssef will comment that Fog Cloud looks a lot like Cloud Kill as he gets out the Peacock Feather in order to blow away whichever Cloud is coming towards us.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jul 23, 2013 10:27:56 GMT -5
Can we get a list of the items that we have detected as magic?
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Post by venger on Jul 23, 2013 10:47:32 GMT -5
Magic: adamantine key (column activating animal-headed golems) basalt key (basalt pillar) iron key (automaton) copper key (secret door in stone face) wooden-handled shovel dirk short sword longsword platemail potion, clear scroll protection from golems platinum statuette of tiger-headed human red candle dark-red clay ring bloodstone w/1st mud sorcerer symbol (1) carnelian w/2nd mud sorcerer symbol (1) citrine w/3rd mud sorcerer symbol (1) onyx w/4th mud sorcerer symbol (1) silver necklace wand of frost (frigida)
Undetermined: suit of dark field plate with strange gears at the joints (left) ring of 20 keys Hortencia's bones (2) platinum coins scepter of ivory and silver filigree topped with a large diamond gilded & bejeweled girdle spinel scroll fragments "depth... Leads... rest... perturbed" (2) ornate silver daggers black pearl sapphire wooden bowl with the 3rd mud sorcerer symbol, water dominant scroll protection from water elementals scroll protection from earth elementals scroll w/ gust of wind & disintegrate @ 20th level scroll w/ project image & tenser's transformation @ 20th level silver ladle
3 clay golems rising from the earthen plots (camel, pig, hippo...)
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