Date At Start Of Game: 12/23/206

[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 21st session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]

Lucky Lady

Even though Gray Pine’s branch is pointing to the Tokaji Provence the PC decide that the best course of action is to find the Keepers Of The Light so that Po and Cillian can be cured. They also realize that they have a lot of information that the Keepers would desire. To that end the PC look for a ship to take them to the area. They are led to a bar called the Sea Bounty and a man named Captain Tegamo. After chatting with the Captain they discover that he has a small ship that he is willing to take on the journey. They hire him for a modest fee, a lucky charm from Po, and a couple of “thrown” hands of cards that Oren and Cillian “arrange”.

Captain Tegamo’s ship is named the Lucky Lady. It is a low keeled ship with an overly large sail. When the PC board they are met by the crew of the Lucky Lady. Captain Tegamo’s crew consists of three Tree Frog Kin. The leader of the trio, who is the only one who speaks Ape Kin, is named Pomi. At this point the PC are told that, like the crew, they will be asked to sleep on the deck for the journey. After leaving port the PC find that Captain Tegamo and his crew are not only a great team but close friends. Weather is good until the night before they reach their destination. That night the weather is rough which leaves many of the PC seasick.

The Keepers Of The Light

Once the boat is docked the PC investigate how their weapons will work underwaters. Most of the PC resort to asking Pomi for the loan of some harpoons that they can use them while in the water. As Cillian’s power that allows others to breathe water only lasts for an hour they decide to let Cillian find the complex before they all jump in. Under a coral canopy Cillian finds a passage leading into the rock. Guarding the tunnel is a strange shark creature that looks like it is part porcupine and part shark. With that Cillian returns to the group and uses his power on the PC. When Cillian uses this power, which the PC did not know he could do, his skin turns a light blue color as it fires off. After using his power on the party the PC venture towards the coral canopy. Oren decides to get the sharks attention once Cillian sneaks up. As the shark emerges from the cave and circles closer Cillian moves into the tunnel. At this point the PC outside of the cave take down the creature while Cillian explores. Inside Cillian finds a large room with a whirlpool in the center. After making hooks for himself from the magical clay the young theif decides if he wants to try and climb past it. Meanwhile outside Oren and Bilby make quick work of the shark. Po heals the shark to stop it from bleeding to death as the PC don’t really want the Keepers as enemies.

At this point the PC meet up at the whirlpool room. When they see guards on the other side of the room Cillian lights up a flame on his hand and attracts them. After a few moments a contingent of guards start swimming over. The PC lower their weapons and try to talk the men. The leader of the guards is a massive Killer Whale Kin armed with a pike. The rest of the guards are either Shark Kin or Dolphin Kin armed with spears or tridents. At this point the PC notice that the guards are paying a lot of attention to Po. Bilby overhears the Killer Whale Kin telling his men to watch Malotoch and to kill him if he even twitches. Apparently the guards believe that Po is Malotoch!

The guards bring the PC deeper into the cave complex. Leading into the main chamber is a set of magical bronze doors depicting the four elements around a sun. The main chamber of the Keepers Of The Light is a spectacle to behold. It is decorated with intricate mosaics that appear to light the room and keep everything dry. The residents appear to be scholars, guards, and residents. The Killer Whale Kin leads the PC to a Lobster Kin who introduces himself as Hu-Lin. Hu-Lin holds a wooden staff with one end that is covered in barnacles and small sea-life. Hu-Lin takes the Whale Kin, who he calls Captain Baleen, and the rest of the PC to a back chamber where they can talk.

The PC hold a long conversation with Hu-Lin and Captain Baleen where they discuss many topics. At first the conversations are guarded but eventually they relax. The PC explain how they came to be infected and the path that led them to killing Malotoch. They also tell the PC of Anselem and his escape with the secret of Nombrian magic. Hu-Lin promises to use his resources to help find him. The PC also reveal that they are avatars of the Great Tree which impresses the Keepers. At this point Captain Baleen reveals that he is an avatar of something called the Vast Ocean. The Vast Ocean avatars are spread across the world and work independently.

Convinced of their good intentions Hu-Lin reveals that the Keepers do not have a cure for the sickness as it inflicts the users soul but that they have rings that will suppress the effects for the user and that they have information on a possible cure. Years ago they found reference to a magical rod known as Donovan’s Mate that could apparently cure any illness. Until recently it was thought lost but they have managed to track it down. They believe that it is currently in the possession of a dragon known as Cragspine. Cragspine lives in the mountain peaks over the city of Tokaji. At this point Hu-Lin shows the PC a picture in a book. The picture shows a glowing rod held high by a shadowy figure. The rod is roughly a meter long and is covered in black and white puzzle like shapes. Holding the rod up with one hand is a Fox Kin wearing a black and white jester’s costume.

Cillian approaches Hu-Lin about his necklace. He tells him that it can stave off Nombrian magic. This intrigues Hu-Lin who now mentions that he will venture to contact the Great Tree about the situation. When the PC tell Hu-Lin that there is not really a Great Tree he tells them that Gray Pine is the current Great Tree. Hu-Lin also mentions to Cillian that he should get his “condition” examined. This is the first time the PC heard Cillian’s magical aura referred to in this fashion.

Po shows Hu-Lin the link of chain golem that he has been keeping. The Lobster Kin seems intrigued and asks Po if he may cast a spell on it. Po says that it fine and Hu-Lin proceeds to cast a fairly short spell. After a few moments he says that the creature is driven to return to some room that he has to guard. The PC realize that it must have been the last order that the creature was given by his master.

The Lobster Kin leader of the Keepers Of The Light asks the PC how they found out about the place. They tell him that the stick from Gray Pine led them to the complex. At first he dismisses them but later he confronts the PC about it. He claims that he has knowledge that they were told of the Keepers by a Dolphin Kin named Bishop. According to Hu-Lin he has some non-precise magical way to “monitor” Bishop. At this point the PC tell Hu-Lin that Bishop is a Great Tree avatar like themselves and that they just meant to protect him. This is a revelation to Hu-Lin and in some ways a comfort to him. Hu-Lin off-handedly mentions that he thought about wiping Bishops mind when he left the complex but now he is glad that this did not occur. Captain Baleen then tells the PC that Bishop is a friend of his and asks them about his health.

After staying for a night in the complex the PC bid the Keepers Of The Light ado and start to swim back to the Lucky Lady…

Date At End Of Game: 12/26/206

Date At Start Of Game: 10/22/206

[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 20th session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]

The Temple – High Temple

After felling Malotoch/Kai, Po and Oren approach his body carefully. Po uses his spirit sight to look for anything magical. He finds a magical juju bag which helps for Nombrian magic and another Dark Lord tile (i.e. the one that infected Kai). Cillian searches Narduhl and finds some small gems but nothing else of any value. Searching in Malotoch’s room reveals a small chest with a bundle of loose paperwork tied up with string. The paperwork is from two different sources. One describes how to create a cursed shadow coin and the other talks about a spell that makes people forget about the caster. Both have handwritten notes from Malotoch. Also in the chest is a communications amulet like the one the PC found on the Black Fly Kin shaman long ago in the glacial lair. When Po wears the amulet he finds the following recorded entries:

Red Door
[Shows a room lined in red silk. On one wall is a mosaic that shows The Dark Mistress with her hands over a fire and blood leaking out.] “In another few days I will have enough blood to complete Crimson Tears. At first I had some fear that the drugs I have given Ember Firenose might be fading but that is not the case. With it’s power we will be able to fell armies! Hail the Dark One and his high priest.”

Blue Door
[A ceiling of black crows with glowing eyes comes into focus.] “You have done well Scorpion. Fallen soldiers will provide fuel for Anselem’s Necromantic magic…slay one army then create our own from the corpses. Lovely.” [Snickers.] “Anselem is also working on another spell to turn vast numbers of people into Rooks. If this can be accomplished we will have even more ways to quickly grow our numbers. This is working out well. My only fear at this point is from an obscure group of Dolphin Kin from the southeast. They call themselves Keepers Of The Light but what they really do is safeguard the secret of Nombrian magic. Guess they didn’t do too good of a job huh!?” [Hehehe.] “The Dark Lord burns in your spirit Scarlet Scorpion.”

The Temple – The Forge

After examining the high temple the PC return to the forge room with the intent of destroying the tiles and Crimson Tears. Oren examines the forge and finds a strange flue that does not appear to do anything. He then questions Xander and offers to leave the wall partially pulled down if he cooperates. Xander explains that when the flow is started a strange mixture of tar and bones will pour down through the open flue. This “goo” magically stokes the forge. He does not know how the Rooks start the flow but knows that the switch is in the room above. Xander also warns the PC about a trap on the door to the room.

On the first floor of the temple the PC open the trapped door and see the disgusting pool of tar and bones that was described by Xander. Below the lip of the landing Po finds a round tunnel that bores in the rock. Po investigates and finds a strange mechanism that appears to release flow of the tar into the flue. Bilby and Po wait in the room with the mechanism while Kanga waits above on the landing. Cillian and Oren go back down to the forge with Crimson Tears and the tiles.

When Cillian and Oren reach the forge they decide to try and break the tiles without the tar. After two good strikes on each tile Oren is able to break them. This sends waves of relief to Po and Cillian. Next Oren pulls out the Crimson Tears that Bilby was holding. After sticking the blade into the forge he feels the weight shift and starts to see it smoking. Something is wrong…this is not Crimson Tears! It is a normal sword with an illusion over it! Oren is upset when he realizes that Po must be at fault. Cillian then pulls out his normal looking sword and explains that it is really Crimson Tears with an illusion over it. Oren sees through the illusion then calls for Po to start the tar flow. After heating the Granite Head Forge hammer he prepares to take a ferocious blow on the sword. Before swinging Cillian puts his Great Tree necklace on Oren then backs away. Oren summons all of his power and skill and sends a mighty blow down on the blade. A hairline fracture appears then the sword splits in a cacophony of Nombrian energy! The energy is devastating and throws both Oren and Cillian away from the anvil. Without the Great Tree amulet Oren may have suffered potentially life threatening wounds. As the sword shatters Po and Cillian feel better but they both realize that to their dismay they are still infected. Most of their taint has subsided but they are still infected.

A few minutes after starting the flow Kanga sees a huge tar creature emerge from the pool! It notice him then heads down the pipe! Kanga beckons to Po and Bilby who race to hide. Po casts a spell on a blanket so that it looks like the rock wall then stealths against the wall using the blanket as a cover. Bilby takes to the shadows on the ceiling. When the creature enters the room it scans around not seeing the pair! The creature stops the tar flow then slowly returns to the pool. After waiting a few minutes Bilby and Po leave the cave and return to the forge room.

At this point the PC search some of the remaining rooms. In rooms that belong to Anselem they find some intricate models, a hidden cache of books, and a magic bag. The books detail several Necromantic spells. They are very detailed. The bag has some magical clay. By shaping the clay it can be made into items or various types that stay in their current form for several minutes.

Epic Tale #8 – Hook, Line, And Sinker

After leaving Granite Head the PC briefly speak to the Once Romu father and son. They tell them of their accomplishment then start their long trek to the east. The stick is leading strongly to the east and Po believes that the source is very far away.

After roughly 5 weeks the PC reach Torin City on the east cost of the main continent. At Torin City they try to book passage to Tokaji. While waiting for their ship to be loaded they are approached by their old companion Bishop! Bishop is dressed in a hooded cloak. He seems upset and wants to speak with the PC in private. Once in a private room Bishop tells the PC that he has detected that Po is “infected” then asks the PC what they know about the “condition”. Po then explains Nombrian magic and the sickness. Bishop is not happy when he hears this information. He then asks the PC if they are the only ones who know about Nombrian magic or if there are others. The PC mention that Anselem, an evil Necromancer, has the knowledge as well. Bishop comments that he must be stopped. He then beckons for Nessa to appear. When the ghost of his sister appears he forcefully asks if she was the one who leaked the information to this Anselem person. Facing the other way with her arms folded Nessa explains that she got heavily into debt. She got into so much debt that the gambling establishment wanted to make her an indentured servant. Not wanting to be a slave Nessa offered up information on a “secret source of magic power”. A nearby magician who she would later find out was called Scarlet Scorpion offered to not only pay off her debt but to reward her handsomely for the information. At that point Nessa gave out the information and was reimbursed as promised. At this point Bishop practically screams at Nessa for being so stupid. He rants about how many deaths releasing this information has caused…including his killing her. Bishop then tells the PC that he and Nessa were born into a pod of Dolphin Kin who are pledged to safe guard the secret of Nombrian magic. He discovered that Nessa had leaked the information and was told to take her life and that he would be branded a traitor and banished. Bishop then tells the PC where the secret lair of the Keepers is located. It is in underwater caves not too far to the southeast. He also warns them of monstrous guards that they use to defend the caves. According to Bishop the Keeper Of The Light are likely to be the only ones who know how to cure them of the Nombrian infection. With that the PC talk about their next course of action…

Date At End Of Game: 12/23/206

My Spirit Storm campaign has recently switched from Hero 5th edition to Hero 6th edition. I have uploaded new copies of the Hero 6th edition characters to the Spirit Storm campaign site. It was a pretty painless move although three of the characters went through some changes during the transition. One tough decision that I made was to reset the Total Points. I used a bit below the Total Points of the PC that transitioned with the highest cost as the baseline then had everyone reset to that level. I think it worked out fairly for everyone although some folks probably lost some experience as they had not spent everything and their PC may have transitioned over at a lower total. Overall I think it will all come out in the wash. 🙂