The AGRP return in triumph to Phylothea. But, also to a surprise. The harbor is filled with ships! Onshore the city is packed with soldiers from all the neighboring lords. Overheard conversations tell a tale of a coming war with the humanoid kingdom of Getusia. The Dark Lord of the Gets has committed an unforgivable insult to the great king Agamemnon by capturing the Princess Melina and the murder of Prince Mylos.

Meeting for the first time with Lord Irus, the AGRP are royally congratulated on their victory over Zam. The Lord is understanding over the necromancer’s escape, and excited to discuss the upcoming war. The heroes learn how the Gets used dark magic to kill and impersonate Prince Mylos to enter the palace at Mycenae. Once in the palace they kidnapped the Princess and vanished.

King Agamemnon has put out a call to all lords to come and destroy the Gets. Lord Irus invites the AGRP to join him, and put the Blue Water Cutter at their disposal. He proposes a plan to coerce the cyclops Steropes, a brother of the Titans, to help in the battle for the walled city of Smyrna. Steropes has a herd of Bullettes also known as land sharks. Irus hopes to use them to breach the walls. Irus proposes that they capture Steropes daughter Dionysus. The heroes question the morality of kidnapping, but Irus points out the tendency of Steropes to eat humans, and the promise no harm would come to Dionysus.

A fast sail aboard the Cutter lands the heroes on the rocky barren shores of Katsiki. Leading a detachment of sailors and captain Xevos the party travels inland where they encounter their first landshark.

Present:

The divine monk - Clint

Nelly Bly - Mija absent

Zyva - Ron

Billett - Steve

Arcadius - Scott

The top of Bly’s Rock has a narrow area of flat ground with a few stunted trees. The ruins of one tower contain a shaft that reaches almost to the bottom of the rock. The Party scales up this shaft and explores the remaining tower. This tower still has three intact levels. The party enters from the ground floor thorough parchment covered windows. The first floor contains a laboratory with a collection of belongings from victims. Here Zyva and Nelly collect several arcane books on necromancy.

Descending below the tower the party finds a prison containing one occupant, Arcadius the toy maker. He tells a grim story of capture and the threat to be murdered and animated as a spellcasting undead.

Going upwards again; on the second floor Billet finds a pile of bones. As the rest of AGRP climb the stairs the bones animate as a whirlwind of bones! The team join forces and peat the bones into a pile again. Zyva tries throwing the bones out the window, but they come flying back in from another! Nelly notices some personal affects among the bones. Collecting them stops the pile from re-animating. The third floor is empty.

Going downwards again; Arcadius points out the necromancer occupies the floor below his prison. The AGRP had bypassed his lair! Switching to stealth the divine monk sneaks down the stairs. Below she finds a bronze double door guarded by armored undead. Bold plans are hatched, but not shared. Zyva turns invisible and flies into the room. Arcadius uses his powers to distract the undead with his toy. Billet charges into the room, and Nelly records the action.

Through a combination of luck, arcane, and bold reporting the undead are defeated. Zyva also learns about the balance of moments. Finding the double doors locked the party decides to ignore them. Instead they destroy a collection of animated maids. This distraction allows the evil necromancer Zam to ambush them. Zam uses a combination of hypnosis and sleep to even the odds numerically. For a moment things look grim for our heroes. But, the divine monk gains the upper hand driving the foul necromancer to flee.

Our monk abandons the chase to care for her companions allowing Zam to escape. With nothing left to do the divine one sets fire to the lair, while Zyva and Nelly scramble to collect any valuables. All that is recovered are four tomes, an enchanted dagger, some scrolls, a well made fauchard, a chest of coins, and a strange humming gem.

The blazing ruins summons the Blue Water Cutter and Captain Xevos.

Present:

The divine monk - Clint

Nelly Bly - Mija

Zyva - Ron

Billett - Steve

Arcadius - Scott

On the pleasant island of Phylothea an unexpected party occurred. Gathered together by the sharp eyed poet Nothon, the adventurers were summoned to the Crescent Moon Inn. Whether it would end in success or failure, the great storyteller knew the tale would be worth the effort.

First to arrive was the elven Monk of no name. Free of artificial constraints she knew the universe would provide. The nameless monk was followed by Nelly Bly, a noted recorder of the truth. Arriving together were the bosom companions Zyva the cursed, a being that carried the blood of fey and dragon kind, and Billet the light an Asmir cleric. Here at the Crescent Moon the Adventuring Guild of the Raging Phoenix (AGRP) for the greater glory of Lord Irus.

The first Labor of AGRP. The evil necromancer Zam has taken residence in the ruins on Bly’s Rock, sailors and ships have begun disappearing. AGRP go to the harbor to interview the only witness, Capt. Janis of the Screaming Eagle. After cruelly trying the captains patience AGRP learn that fishing vessels and other small craft have been found floating without a crew. The only victim found was strangle scared and spoke of a green fog before dying.

The next day AGRP sailed aboard the Bluewater Cutter a liburnian in the service of Lord Irus. The captain Xevos and the strange Pim greet the heroes. Within a day’s travel they arrive near the rock, but wait until midnight to approach. Zyva proceeds to fly up and scout the rock. The islet rose sheer from the ocean like a hand thrust up with a round tower. Zyva returned to her companions, and together they entered the sea cave known to access the ruins at low tide. In the upper cavern the first walking dead are encountered and dispatched by Billet. Wisely choosing to bypass the suspicious mechanical stairs AGRP climbed to an upper balcony. Here, elven eyes led to the discovery of a secret door. Behind the secret door was the undead power that drove the mysterious mechanical stairs. Also, the naked elven monk misread the universe and ended the undead existence of a poor slave.

The party chose to leave the rails and climbed to the top of the rock and entered the ruins from above…

DoomAmegedeon

DoomAmagedeon

Aramil- Eric (not present)
Clarity- Mija
Hesperose- Scott
Kita- Shawn (not present)
Shiffit- clint-Currently running the game.
Zyva- Ron
Billet- Steve
Iris- Mark G.
Yaher- NPC



Mija is once more cajoled into the reading of the last blog, and once again is over come with emotion.

Back in the town of Miocena, the party attempts to convince the town leaders to send a peace delegation up the mountain to meet with Sherman. The town leader point out a rich cultural history of ignoring the monster at the top of the mountain and how well this has worked out for them, and the fact that the party “the winners of the Elven Games” are the first people to come back down the mountain. After a few days of helping out with the work on the wall and fixing the boat most of the party heads back up the mountain to talk with Sherman the really big 'Ogre' They find Sherman playing his mountian-digeredoo and they have a nice chat about his eons on the mountain top; his memories of his creation, how the mountain was an active volcanic, and his years of music and cloud study. The party is unable to convince Sherman to go down to the village of Miocena, Sherman points out his rich cultural history of people coming up the mountain to try to kill him. While party members are talking with Sherman, Clarity excuses her self the the Loo, and goes to Sherman's' Loo. She then tosses in the thick gold coins, that are used in the rituals of the temple, that she stole when she made her escape from the Temple of the Oracle. The DM finds this far more entertaining than Mija, as he knows that the priests of the temple want their oracle back and have been using the coins to scry and track “their oracles” location.

They party heads back to the Celeste and finds that Aramil has been become more and more ill. The giant spider poison working its way deeper into tissues. Since coming back to the Celeste he has not risen from his bunk, and is increasingly feverish. After a few more days of working around the village Clarity goes and asks the village priests if they can heal Aramil, which they promptly do. Aramil thanks the party for finally getting him some help. He then heads off into town to revel in life, that he felt slipping away for so many days. (The players then have a discussion on moral relativism.)

A few nights later the party hears horns in the distance and sees the town of Miocena arming for battle. The party girds for war. Then waits, and waits some more. After an hour Hesperose decides he has had enough waiting and heads off into the night. Bilet, Shiffit, Zyva and Iris follow after Hesperose. Clarity, Yaher and Kita chose to hold the boat, Clarity then endeavors to try to figure out the ballista on the Celeste, and notices that Aramil is M.I.A. The party heading off into the night reaches the partially built wall of the town and finds slingers up on the finished sections and hopolites attempting to fill the gaps. It is a dark night, screams and horns are heard beyond the walls. The Miocenaens explain that the horns warn everyone that they are under attack. Then everyone in the country side races to the town for mutual defense. Hesperose asks after the individuals that can not out run the attackers, and the villagers and the party members share and uncomfortable silence. The screams are getting closer to the walls and a smattering of terrified people are running into the village for protection. Hesperose, apparently fed up with the waiting again, marches off toward the screams. The towns folk yell out “hold the line”, “were are you going?” and “don't be and idiot”, Hesperose marches on. With slight hesitation Bilet follows Hesperrose, with Significantly more hesitation Zyva, Iris and Shiffit head out as well. Bilet and hesperose form a two person phalanx, Iris readies her bow, Zyva stays invisible and flies over head, Shiffit stands besides Iris and is concerned about what might happen. The mounted creatures of darkness appear out of the night, chasing down the fleeing civilians.

The creatures of darkness are mounted on trasmorgified creatures of darkness, who have grown to medium size, run on all fours, have much larger claws and fangs and have become more feral and bestial. The smattering of mounted units see the token force that is out from the wall and attack. The party defeats the mounted units and learn that the tranmorgified creatures of darkness are much more “worthy” opponents. Hesperose and Bilet both take significant wound, and Shiffit uses up his healing powers in an effort to keep them upright.

From out in the darkness a booming amplified voice is heard encouraging his troops onward, and shaking the hearts of the defenders, shouting out such lines as; “Death to all who oppose us”, “You do not know pain. You do not know hunger. Tonight you feast on man flesh.” and “We will cleans this island and claim it for our lord of darkness.” When the first sixty members of the invading force are see, marching out of the darkness the party members fall back to the wall. Except for Hesperose, who pulls his shoulder behind his shield and marches towards the leader, becoming a phalanx of one. Hesperose defeats a few of the first creatures of darkness that cross his path. The leader then sees the would be hero and commands his troops to let him pass, so he can meet such a worthy foe himself. Zyva starts plinking at leader type with sleep arrows, all of which he resists. A badly wounded Hesperose finally stands before the leader, who is mounted on a transmorgified creatures of darkness. A few rounds latter Hesperose is bleeding on the ground unconscious. Zyva then changes tactics and shoots at the mount, who fails its save and falls unconscious. Zyva then becomes visible and challenges the leader, in an effort to keep him from killing Hesperose outright. The leader then unleashes some of his divine might on Zyva, slightly damaging her and stunning her causing her to fall to the ground. The leader priest fails to finish off Zyva, who then flies away invisible. The leader then gets back to the business of rallying his troops to and striking fear into his foes, charging into the village. Zyva then flies back to the bleeding Hesperose and heals him in the nick of time.

In the mean time, the troops manning and filling in the gaps in the wall, fail to hold and fall back to form up in the village. Iris, Shiffit, and Billet fall back to the Celeste. It is pointed out at this time that the Celeste is not so much of a boat, but more of a raised platform. The sides of the hull are stacked in piles around the boat so the broken knees can be repaired. A plank is over the side of the deck to the beach below and there is a stair way from the open hold to the cabins aft of the main deck. Kita, Yaher and Clarity are still on deck. Clarity and Yaher have managed to get one of the Ballistas loaded. Iris and Shiffit walk up the plank to the deck. Billet takes up defensive posture at the bottom of the plank. Iris encourages the remaining party members to go and aid the fight in the village. Others point out that the deck is a good defensive position. Clarity points out that it would be an even better defensive position if the plank was pulled up. The debate continues, and Clarity continues to encourage the party members to pull up the plank. Many rounds latter a squad of baddies appears at the edge of the torch light. Bilet blasts them with her divine might, and retreats to the top of the plank. Two mounted units and their mounts survive Bilet's attack and charge. One heads up the plank and attacks Billet. The other investigates the open hold. Shiffit moves to hold the door closed that leads from the cabins to the deck, the rest of the party starts firing into the attacking beastie on the plank. Bilet, being already significantly wounded lasts only a few rounds and falls to the deck, the attacking beastie and rider fall shortly after. Shiffit then kneels down to try to stabilize Bilet and finds that Death has already claimed her. Clarity then asks who is holding the door? Shiffit saddened by the loss of a friend goes back to being a door stop. Iris then goes over and with a mighty shove, heaves the plank to the beach. It turns out the Shiffit is an excellent door stop and holds the door closed long enough for the party to arm three of the ballistas on the deck. The beastie beating on the door to get on deck has been reinforced with additional foot troops. The beastie then earns a place in legend, by rolling 3 natural 20's in a row, to knock down the door. The door flies off its hinges. Shiffit the door and the beastie fly through the air, crashing to the deck 20 feet away, making a deck, Shiffit, door, beastie sandwich. Shiffit moans. Ballista bolts and arrows fly as the baddies poor through the door way onto the deck. The battle rages across the deck of the Celeste. After several rounds of furious combat, Iris goes down. A round latter, suffering some attacks of opportunity, Shiffit breaks from his combat and tries to stabilize Iris and fails. The next round Deaths icy talons grip at Iris's heart, pulling her soul to him. Shiffit then remembers to apply pressure where the blood is spurting out, and Iris is stabilized. The remaining party members finish mopping up the baddies and this battle is won.

As dawn breaks over the village, it becomes clear that the villagers have won the day. Zyva returns to the ship dragging a still unconscious Hesperose. Clarity goes into town to see if the local priests are willing to raise Bilet from the dead. The villagers tell the party members that they have faced much larger forces of baddies in the past, but suffered worse losses this time. The village elders explain that the new transmorgified creatures of darkness are faster than the villagers and can hunt down their citizens as they are seeking the safety of walls and phalanxes in the village. Krustus, the village leader, acknowledges that the party must have caused the baddies to launch their attack prematurely, by cutting off their extra food supply. (with some help from Sherman “the Ogre”) The gods then smile down on the party as a 19 is rolled to see how thankfull the villagers are. A 19 is good enough for one raise dead spell and Billet is reintroduced to the land of the living.

Clint then hands the reins of running the campaign over to Ron.

And the cook too

Aramil- Eric (not present)
Clarity- Mija
Hesperose- Scott
Kita- Shawn
Shiffit- Clint-Currently running the game.
Zyva- Ron
Billet- Steve
Iris- Mark G.
Yaher- NPC

(Clairty saw it all coming, and her plan worked; the end.) The blog as written by Mija.

As typical, the gaming session starts out with the reading of last weeks blog and a reef of criticism reguarding my abuses of the English language. Steve also points out I left out the best part of last sessions game, where Bilet blasted the baddies at their own murder holes with divine noise.

The party picks it way past the pit trap, and continues winding their way down the passages. After some time the party comes to a large cavern. Zyva bravely scouts ahead, still flying invisibly. She spots a few scouts, hiding behind stalagmites, and largish groups of baddies set to encircle the party once they get into the cavern. Zyva flies back and reports. The party starts to try to hash out a plan. Zyva then enlarges herself to medium size, and with her permission picks up Iris and they fly into the cavern. Iris being visible quickly becomes a target and they retreat to the rest of the party in the passage. The party retires 45 minutes back up the passage to rest up for the night and heal.

The next day the party comes back to find the passage leading to the large cavern blocked with a pile of stones. The party, with some opposition, clears a hole. Zyva tries to fly through the hole and is nailed with a spear and falls back. But her second attempt is successful. Zyva then has a go at the baddies on her own with arrows and her greater invisibility. The baddies, having been attacked by an invisible Zyva before, are now ready and proceed to toss around bags of dust where the arrows are coming from, with minimal results. Having taken a few hits, and seeing that there are more baddies that she has arrows Zyva heads back to meet with the rest of the party, who have been discussing what there plan should be. After a good amount of debate about; what are the motivations and goals of the party, both small and bigger picture, the party decides to try another route altogether. The party having decided to head back, were discussing what kind of note to leave for Zyva, when she makes a dramatic entrance. The oracle is then given lead to pick the rout, and leads the the party to the surface. Once on the surface of the mountain island, the party faces little (none) opposition and hikes over to where some of the caves open up and smoke is coming out. The party finds the baddies smoke house where one of the baddies is supervising the smoking fires. The party captures the cook and a cow's head as evidence for the Ogre. They carry the cook and evidence back to the Ogre (which they name Sherman) Once back, Sherman listens to their tale and promptly; squishes the baddie cook with a finger and heads off. The party points out the cave opening where the baddies have been getting Sherman's cows from, Sherman blocks that passage with a 20' diameter bolder. Once down the mountain Sherman savages the cave openings, collapsing the openings, and impressing the party with his destructive power. On their way back up the mountain, Sherman agrees to leave the villagers herds alone as they were not the ones stealing his cattle. As a reward for finding the rustlers of his cattle, Sherman gives the party a tree to use to fix the broken knees in there boat.

With some minor incidents, stemming from the villagers trying to kill Iris on sight, the party makes it down to the village, and their boat, the Celeste.

Little did the party know that the DM had bag after ever increasingly horrible bag of evil tricks to play on them as long as the were blithely walking into this underground community.

First meetings

Aramil- Eric (not present)
Clarity- Mija
Hesperose- Scott
Kita- Shawn (not present)
Shiffit- clint-Currently running the game.
Zyva- Ron
Billet- Steve
Iris- Mark G.
Yaher- NPC
a random sheep with bell-would be victim/sacrifice

This evening's game starts out with the reading of the last session's blog. Mija starts out reading but is to overcome with emotion to continue on, Mark picks up the fallen banner of blog reading and dramatically carries on.

The party assess their wounds from the conflict with the spiders of unusual size, (which mostly entails trying to remember what happened). The party then continues down the winding passages, they come to a few branches, but continue to follow the cow sign/ tracks. After a full day and a half of marching the party attempts to find a defensible location to camp, sparking debate about multiple exits vs. avenues of attack. The oracle (Clarity) is quickly pulled into the debate and is asked to use her connection to the gods to help resolve the debate. Which starts a more heated and amusing debate about the validity of the oracle.

Zyva scouts down one of the side passages, and if she were not flying would have been climbing down a step chimney; and sees a small reptilian green orange dog like creature climbing up. Zyva flying invisible and quietly manages to slip passed the creature unnoticed. Once on the other side of the small creature (close to Zyva's size) they enter into a discussion, where each tries to convince the other of just how powerful and afraid the other should be of them. After much posturing, Iris continues her climb up the passage and meets the rest of the party, prompting Iris to comment that this must just be the scouting party of Zyva's afore mention army of 600. Iris then spots Clarity and runs to embrace her, exclaiming that she has followed the oracles advice and that her pronouncements have lead her to these caves, and much struggle. Clarity states that this was all the will of the gods, and that Iris was supposed to meet back up with Clarity as to be her guardian. Iris states that she will do her mighty best to do her duty. Which of course sparks another round of debate. After much discussion and more marching the party eventually settles down for some much need rest.

The next day's marching finds the amount of forks along the path start to really increase, but the main path continues to be quite obvious. The party has their first encounter with the, small, black, pointy eared, red eyed, fanged creatures that may be raiding the Ogre's live stock. The creatures drop rocks on the party from hidden holes in the roof of a passage, some 25 feet up. Those few that have shields raise them as cover for all, and the party attempts to walk through the ambush. Clarity is donked on the noggin and stunned, falling to the ground. The rest of the party simply walks across with out difficulty, leaving Clarity sprawled out and subject to more falling rocks, sparking cries of protest from the fallen oracle. Billet gallantly uses her shield to go back and cover the oracle's crossing. After a brief examination of the murder holes in the ceiling BILLET SENDS A MIGHTY THUNDERCLAP AT THE BEINGS AND THEN the party continues on. The party had been looking out for traps and ambushes before and these efforts are increased.

The next ambush is more obvious and is easily spotted by Zyva, who has been flying ahead of the party using her invisibility. The passage's left wall falls away into a chasm. The wall on the other side of the chasm has a long low window cut into it. Zyva, trying to fly very quietly, explores the window and sees the 60 would be attackers, armed with mostly slings and two large pintle mounted and crewed crossbows. The party is duly warned and a plan hatched. Zyva attacks invisibly with her bow, quickly moving after her attack. The slingers let go with a volley of fire trying to hit there invisible attacker, with some results. The party then attempts to cross kill zone. A heavy bolt/harpoon is fired at the party and misses, sticking into the stone wall on the right. A rope is attached the the bolt/harpoon which is meant to pull the impaled victim in the chasm. Zyva lets go with her breath weapon of fire on the crew of one of the cross bows. With some harrowing moments the party makes in past the killing zone and hurries on. Just one bend past the attack the hurrying party comes to a abrupt stop as Iris fall in to a pit trap, and is impaled on 5 of the stakes at the bottom. Still barely conscious (0 hp) Iris moans in agony as her body starts to slide down the stakes she is impaled on. A cry goes out for a medic/ some healing. The party members all look at each other in a bit of a loss. After a pregnant pause Billet steps forward and says that if the party is relying on her for healing they are all screwed. Billet is able to use her divine healing and UN-impale Iris without causing her death. Zyva, who had been continuing to harass the attackers at the window, rejoins the party and points out that the party has lost the element of surprise and now has enemies at their front and rear.

The Ogre

Aramil-Eric
Clarity-Mija
Hesperose- Scott
Kita-Shawn
Shiffit-clint-Currently running the game.
Zyva-Ron
Steve -Billet

Yaher-NPC
a random sheep with bell-a would be victim/sacrifice



    The intrepid party continues up the mountain, at first afraid of their own shadows but quickly relaxing there guard.  As the continue to climb the mountain they are mildly impressed at just how steep the terrain is.  They find foot paths criss-crossing the mountain, and flocks scattered about.  Sheep and some goats at the lower elevations and then more cattle higher up.  They talk to some locals and learn little.  The party spends the entire day climbing up, exhausted they ask for shelter at some of the locals huts and are generally told to go and sod off.  The party eventually hunkers down behind a stone wall, to at least be out of the wind.
    The next day finds the party bickering about who is making breakfast (a running theme in the party) then climbing up the mountain again.  Just before (the traditional) 11:00 in the afternoon, the party comes to the bottom of a 20' cliff.   A quick reconnoiter finds a cut in the cliff and the party scales the cliff hoisting up the extremely reluctant sheep.  They find a very different land scape at the top of the cliff.  The top of the mountain is mostly flat and is a maze of mesas and canyons, which is shrouded in fog.  Zyva states that she will scout ahead letting the rest of the party after the climb.  Zyva, flies ahead invisible, and finds a good bit of 'cow sign'.  She does an impressive scouting job, and is damned lucky, when her ears pick up a strange rumbling music.  Sneaking forward she finds a  truly Colossal humanoid playing his didgeridoo, which is not a tree, but the cave system of the mountain its self.
    Zyva flies back to the party, once again luckily finding her way, and tells them that the Ogre is over 40 feet tall, has eyes where its ears should be and great antenna/funnels on the top of its head.  Billet states that finally she has found a worthy opponent, causing Zyva to question her grip on reality even more.  The party bravely/ foolishly goes fourth to meet the 'Ogre'.  When they meet the Ogre they demonstrate a un-before seen level of wisdom and engage in friendly parley.  They learn that “Long Ago” the one who created the 'Ogre' placed him at the top of this volcano and told him to wait for his return.  And that is what he has done, spending the untold centuries in cloud study and playing his music.  Recently “little ones” have come,  mostly they leave him alone, which is good.  A few come up and bother him.  They party learns that the Ogre tosses the bodies and equipment of those that bother him into his pissoir.  A few of the party members, lead by Hesperose, goes and snoops about the Ogre's cave.  Finding the pissoir they set aside all since of hygiene and deeply assault their senses of smells and rummage through the detritus, finding generally rot and corrosion.  As if by magic, two things are not destroyed by the horrors of the Ogre's micturition.  Apiece of red cloth 24” square and a spear head.  Hesperose asks the Ogre if they can take these items with them.  The Ogre agrees but askes that the party leave some of there weapons in the pissoir, as to have fewer weapons out causing pain in the world.
    The party eventually gets around to asking after why the Ogre has been eating the cows of the Islanders.  The Ogre states that his cows have been going missing and since there is nobody else on the island with cows, that they must be taking them.  The party offers to find out where his cows are going and take their leave with the Ogre's blessing.  They party once again demonstrates shockingly good luck and finds a cave entrance cleverly hidden behind some bushes.  Following the cow tracks they wind their way through the labyrinthine cave system, having a brief scuffle with some spiders of unusually large size.

Sheep for wood

Aramil-Eric- ( not present )
Clarity-Mija
Hesperose- Scott
Kita-Shawn ( not present )
Shiffit-clint-Currently running the game.
Zyva-Ron
Steve -Billet-( not present )
   
the trepid party having found a modicum of safety on the beach “harbor” of Miocena, breaths a sigh of relief.  After sailing the vessel solid for days, Hesperose heads straight for his bunk.  Only to be awoken minutes later by Yaher banging on his door.  The local ruler has shown up, and Yaher explains that it will not due for the 'Capitan' to not personally greet the politicos.   Hesperose with venom on his lips, greets the local rulers, who appear to be a group of well armed and armored men.  The Crew of the Celeste is invited to a feast in their honor.  The rulers take their leave as workmen set about unloading the shipment of weapons.
  The island that Miocena is on, turns out to be very rocky and appears to be a single mountain.  The party learns that the Miocenaens are descendent's of castaways, shipwrecked centuries ago.  The party reconnoiters the town suspicious of the villagers, (are we guests or food).  The party finds the town on the up and up, and discover a lack of topsoil and trees on the island.  The Miocenaeans have taken advantage of any likely spot to build terraces, but they are no more that scattered gardens.  The Miocenaeans rely heavily on their herds that eat the tufts of grasses growing between rocks and the prolific shrubs.  The party asks the locals with some help with the damage to the Celeste.   The locals are happy to take a look and finds some broken knees on the Celeste.
    The feast is set up in the local temple, which is pan-theistic and groups deities by the elements.(fire water earth and air)  Clarity chats up the local priests about their predictions of the future.  They tell her that their leader, Krustus, can not lead the expedition to punish the Ogre, for if he does the whole of Miocena will be DOOMED.  Krustus explains that the Ogre lives at the top of the mountain, and that he has been raiding the herds at 'Elevation'.  This puzzles the islanders as usually the Ogre causes them no problems.  The party promptly starts to interrogate anyone they can about information on the Ogre.  They soon discover that nobody actually as seen the Ogre.  They also ask after the beginnings of a wall around the village.  Krustus explains that about a year ago the priests foretold of a coming great conflict; so the already very militant society took it up a notch, starting a wall and procuring more weapons.  Krustus asks if the crew of the Celeste would go and “deal” with the Ogre,  saying that if they won the “Elven Games”; what is an Ogre to them.(Yaher had been bragging up the crew of the Celeste)   It is also pointed out that the party could find the wood they need to fix their boat, at 'Elevation'.  The party agrees, but only if they can have access to the extensive library.  A compromise is reached where the party does not have access to the stacks, but can request books on particular subjects.  With the agreement made, a great show of the military might of the Miocenaeans begins.  Turns out every able bodied male is in the “army”.  The crowning display is a weapons demonstration by Krustus, who knocks down 4 opponents in a single flurried attack with his flail.  The party is more circumspect in asking why the large military focus in this society.  The party now learns that the Miocenaeans are not the only ones on the island, that they are frequently raided by the “creatures of Darkness”.  The party is taken aback by this news.  The islanders describe the creatures of darkness as; about the size of an average 10 year old(human), round heads, pointed ears on the tops of their heads, red eyes and fangs.  The locals call them “creatures of Darkness” as they only attack at night.  Several times the Miocenaeans have tried to irradacate the “vermin” but they hide in holes on the other side of island.
    The night passes uneventfully, the winds die down some, the rains continue and the waves pound on the beach.  The morning has the party reading selected histories, focusing on the Ogre.  Several stories of armies and Heroes from lands all over coming to defeat the Ogre, they go up the mountain, and are never heard from again.   Reconnaissance is done and it is found the the mountain is in a cloud(fog) which greatly limits visibility.  A plan is hatched, a sheep procured, and a bell attached.  Zyva leads the sheep, with the bell around its neck, while flying invisibly ahead of it.  Hesperose explains that when the Ogre attacks the sheep the party can then launch a suprize attack on the Ogre.

   

OOOga

Aramil-Eric

Clarity-Mija

Hesperose- Scott

Kita-Shawn (not present so Kita spent a lot of time pondering the mysteries of the sea)

Shiffit-clint-Currently running the game.

Zyva-Ron

Steve-Billet

After all the damage the Celeste had received in the last session, the crew started out with a day of mending and fixing. This proved problematic as repair supplies where in short supply and the lack of applicable skills amongst the crew, but progress was made. Things went better the next day, with a few 'mend' spells from Aramil. It was discovered that the Celeste started taking on a good bit of water, as her timbers had been savagely worked, with the tormenting of the spirits. Shiffit was tasked as being the primary bucket schlep/ bilge pump. Aramil was kind enough to lend his 'bag of holding', which proved far more effective that the bucket Shiffit was using. Hesperose had his mind blown with the utter lack of physics involved. The days went by quickly and some of the party members, who were in the know, started to really really get worried about the approaching storm season. Hesperose, the defacto Capitan, asked Yaher if they were going to make their destination in time. Yaher said, only with extremely favorable winds, and added that there were no other safe places to land in time.

An island was then spotted along there course. Yaher says, “Excellent, I know just were we are now. Captain go ahead and sail well around the Island.” Of course that is exactly what does not happen. After a brief discussion the party chooses to not alter course in the least, as to save time. Yaher comes unglued, yelling and stopping, in a most uncharacteristic sort of way. Calling Hesperose an ass-hat and that he is going to get them all killed and eaten. Clarity and Yaher enter into a discussion about how delicious Yaher must be. Zyva flies ahead to the island and sees a largish war party setting out in canoes, on an intercept course for the Celeste. Zyva (who is flying around inviable) casts an illusion of a sea monster coming up out of the see. The canoes quickly turn around and beat it back to shore. Zyva flies close enough to over hear the islanders. She does not understand their language but is able to get the gist of what they are saying, 'row the flip faster, you flipping nugget'. Realizing that they will very doubtedly make safe harbor before the storms come, the crew sends Zyva to reconnoiter the island. Zyva finds out that the islanders are the sort who,(in the best star-fleet tradition) throw spears and ask questions later. The party chooses to sail on and brave the storms, rather that play 'try not to get killed and eaten' on the island.

The next day a piece of debris is noted, and a slight course correction is made to investigate. A human female is found on the bit of floatsome. Zyva flies out to take a look. Turning visible she introduces herself to the human bobbing along in the water. Belitte(a human female with a high chraisma, very little of it coming from her personality) looks up and sees a flying, be-scaled fey creature, and the most unlikely crew aboard a coastal boat. Seeing that these folks could not possibly be the crew of a boat, Belitte assumes that the lack of food and being in the sun for so many days has finally put the zap on her noggin. She then has a good bit of fun chatting away and letting herself be rescued by the figments of her imagination, often wondering what part of her mind thought up these bizarre creatures/personalities, and why are they asking her so many questions? If they come from her mind shouldn't they already know the answers to their questions?

The next day Belitte starts to believe that this is in fact reality, and is even more perplexed. Yaher continues to inform Hesperose that they are truly deeply screwed, seeing as how the ship is already leaking, and the storms are coming and safe landing is still several days away. Hesperose continues to tell the rest of the party, “every thing is Fine, no problem, don't worry.' That evening the Seas change to flat black, and the crew notes that you don't have to be a oracle to know that is a bad omen. The next morning the the seas are blue again, but towards evening the storms start up. Several days of harrowing sailing ensue. Hesperose makes several sailing rolls which determines how difficult the saving throw is for the Celeste. The fates are truly on the side of the Celeste and her crew for she makes every saving throw, some times just matching the difficulty.

So with some additional damage, the Celeste reaches her destination. Where they find not a true harbor but rollers set out on the beach. Yaher guides the Celeste through the reef and up to the rollers. People on the beach throw up heavy ropes to the crew of the Celeste who look at them in askance. Yaher tells them to secure the cables to the Celeste. The party continues to look at Yaher with blank expressions and no action. Yaher then directs the crew of the Celeste, with many comments on their short comings. If Hesperose had not been completely exhausted, by his days and nights of storm sailing, he would have then realized why Yaher hired his boat. A full size blue water ship would not have been able to use the rollers to be pulled out of the sea and been safe from the stromy weather coming.

Deus Ex Machina

Aramil-Eric

Clarity-Mija

Hesperose- Scott

Kita-Shawn (not present)

Shiffit-clint

Zyva-Ron

   -- Clint currently running the game, and trying to get the party members to think out side of the box about what options lay open to their characters.

The party started the day out wisely, with a good hearty breakfast. They then put there plan to experiment with the spears in to action. Unfortunately Zyva and Aramil chose to try to lower the launch with 4 spears in it to the sea. In the finest D&D tradition, they fumbled. 3 of the cursed spears fell into the sea, and 1 stuck in the launch. When the 3 spears hit the water, a mighty geyser shot fourth, blasting Aramil, Zyva and the launch into the air. Zyva caught flight at the apex of her trajectory. Aramil, lacking wings, made a poor landing in the water and took a fair bit a damage. The launch landed on the Celeste's cabin's roof, and the entire aft section was staved in. Worse than losing the launch a great many spirits were released and started screaming of their; loss, pain, frustration, agony, and indignation. The spirits went streaming through the rigging and creating much havoc on the ship. Whenever a spirit passed though a person, they would have the breath frozen out of them and they would fall down stunned. The party tried to communicate with the spirits, and found that all semblance of intellect had long since left the spirits, leaving only emotion. Much blame was passed back and fourth between Clarity and Yaher. With a little help from Zyva Aramil gets back a board the ship, which is starting to take damage from the Ghosts. The Party appears to be at a loss as to what to do about the spirits. They decide to search the rest of the crates and see if any more cursed spears can be found. They find 6 master work spears that match the 4 they assume (correctly) are cursed. Kita examines the elven markings on the spears and with a healthy Bardic knowledge check learns their history.

Several centuries ago an elven tribe turned against their kin, in an attempt to rule over them. The tribe that tried to subject their kin was known as the Drow tribe. At the start of this war a neighboring elven tribe had its army destroyed. With the civilians unprotected, the Drow marched on the village and at spear point drove the inhabitants over the sea wall to the waves below, and to their DOOM!!! The Drow were eventually defeated, and driven below ground, but the spirits of the murdered elves bound themselves to the devices that drove them to their DOOM!!! And the party discovered that Yaher bought some of these cursed spears, and brought them aboard. When the spears were plunged into the sea, the spirits took unkindly to this repeat of their ill fortune, and are taking vent of their feelings on the only things around, the Celeste and its unsuspecting crew.

With more of the spears found, Hesperose, who people are now calling Captain, uses one of the four ballistas to launch the spear into the ocean. Another geyser springs fourth and more spirits join the chorus of screaming souls around the vessel. The party continues to try to problem solve with the ship slowly starting to come apart around them. Hesperose, in frustration, starts to cock a ballista to chuck another spear into the sea, and Zyva suggests that will only make matters worse.

About 30 black flying shapes are then spotted flying toward the ship, and some of the crew prepares for action. When they get closer Yaher tells the party that they are harbingers, and are not to be trusted. Zyva fires a warning arrow through a wing of one of the harbingers, who turn out to have the body of large vultures and humanoid heads. The harbingers proceed to taut and jeer the crew of the Celeste, which is a unpleasant melody to the screams of the tormented souls. The harbingers then ask that the party give the cursed spears to them. The crew then does a quick, 'you give them the spears, No you you do it, I don't want to you do it, Oh no you had the spears last you do it...' The party, en masse, (correctly) assumes that the harbingers are up to no good and that they should not give them the spears, but give them one anyway. (which deeply puzzles the DM). One of the harbingers then takes the spear and quickly flies away. The murder of harbingers continues to badger the party for the rest of the spears. The newly dubbed Captain, Hesperose, then takes the rest of the spears and dumps them overboard. Another geyser bursts fourth, the number of spirits tearing through the ship increase, and the harbingers take wing laughing hysterically, knowing that the crew of the Celeste is now deeply screwed, having lost the focal point/ foci, for dealing with the spirits.

The Celeste, a coastal sea vessel with no business out in these waters, starts to list and buck. With her ships timbers groaning, Clarity calls out to one of the goddesses of the sea. Clarity, curiously calls out to Umberly, who is NOT, really NOT known for mercy; more known for vengeance. Strangely though the ship starts to calm. Seeing their first positive response to their actions since breakfast, Aramil and Clarity call out to Corleone Lothlorien, the god of the elves[Family takes care of Family] for mercy. An Avatar of Corleone Lothlorien descends on the ship, calming the spirits. The Avatar more fully explains the situation they are in, stating that the spirits must be calmed, and balance restored. They party then agrees to pledge to help right the wrong that these spirits have suffered. The Avatar snaps its fingers and a very disgruntled creature appears. Half quatzequatel and half elven, and all sorts of pissed off. He gives vent to his anger about not being at the beck and call of the Avatar, which he clearly is. The half quatzequatel and half elven creature hears the pledge of the party and says, “it will be good to hold you souls by this string”, and -bamph- disappears. The Avatar warns the party to not break a pledge give in front of 'The Verdant One' and fades away. The party members, and Yaher notice that they have green check marks on their cheeks. The party laments their “lamest gang sign ever”, and Yaher yells at the now departed Avatar, that he is not with this these other idiots.

                --The Pledge--

“We pledge to protect those who are good, and who can not protect themselves from harm until we have saved from harm as many as there are spirits haunting this boat.”

sit right back and you will hear a tail

Aramil- Eric(not present so Aramil spent a lot of time in his bunk...strange for an elf)

Clarity-Mija

Hesperose- Scott

Kita-Shawn

Shiffit-clint

Zyva-Ron

   -- Clint currently running the game.  –

The games started out with a dramatic reading of the blog, to refresh memories as to what happened 2 weeks ago. When Scott gets to the part about 'the tid bit not get passed along', Mija looks up and says, 'wait, what did I miss'.

With Hesperose at the wheel the sailing was going smoothly. Yaher was beside Hesperose, pointing the way to their port of call. With lots of idle time, Hesperose attempted to pump Yaher for information about' what was in the hold, where exactly were they going, what kind of island were they going to, what were the dangers in these waters, what happened to his last ship, what other ports were around, what happened to his past ship and crew.... Yaher appears fourth coming about most items except is steadfastly obtuse about locations. Zyva casts detect thoughts, and Clarity senses motive. Zyva gets that Yaher misses his ship (lost at sea) and is feeling loss at his crew being left behind (some left on the island, where others were bobbing along not so nicely on the sea). Clarity is unable to get any real sense of what this little man is all about, not being able to get past his smiling cheeriness.

Hesperose decides that he wants to look in the crates, he ties off the wheel and Hesperose, Zyva, Clarity, and Yaher head down to the hold. Apparently the fates are involved, as the crate they choose to open is the one that Clarity is hearing the muffled screaming of children from. With the lid off, the screams are no longer muffled. Clarity has been hiding in the back, shying away from the presumed horror. With the lid off and Hesperose and Yaher examining the long spear, handing them back and fourth; Clarity's curiosity over comes her fear and she reaches for the spear. Upon touching it, she is thrown backwards, landing on her backside stunned. Zyva and Hesperose are quite alarmed, Yaher looks at Clarity in puzzlement. Zyva casts detect evil, and sees a miasma of evil hanging in the room. She quickly helps Clarity up and they head above deck. Hesperose demands an explanation of what just happened of Yaher. Yaher fobs it off on the dramatics of flim-flam artists like oracles and palm-readers. Hesperose throughly examines the spears and finds out, yep they're spears.

Up on deck Zyva and Clarity confab with Kita and a plan is hatched. When Hesperose and Yaher come up from the hold Zyva easily distracts Yaher, and Kita and Clarity go below to examine the goods with their owner not around. When back on deck Hesperose notices that the winds effecting the ship seem to be slightly less powerful than their surroundings (a really good roll). After distracting Yaher, Zyva is flying about the ship, looking for anything out of place. She also notices that the winds about the ship lessen about 50-80' out (another really good roll). Zyva then turns inviable and flies below decks to see what Kita and Clarity are up to. She sees Kita handling the spears, but when Clarity handles a spear she is blown on to her six. Clarity asks Kita to remind her not to do that again, and promptly handles another spear, this time with no apparent effect. But the third spear she touches, sends her tukus over tea kettle. Kita notices that the two spears that effected Clarity are both master work quality, and pulls out a dagger to scratch the butts of the spears, to mark them for future reference. With the first scratch Clarity goes down, like a marionette with the strings cut. Zyva undetected by the others (still inviable and moving silently), states that something really needs to be done about this.

Further secret confabbing goes on and new schemes are thought up. With the sun going down the winds die away completely. After a big supper Zyva lures Yaher into the launch. Once a bit away from the ship, Yaher asks Zyva if she is going to, fish or keep cutting bait. Zyva laughs a flies back to the boat. Yaher laughs back at Zyva and starts to make his way back to the ship. With Yaher in a disadvantaged position, Hesperose demands information about the spears and what does he know about this curse that is slowing their progress. Yaher continues to maintain that everything his is doing is above board and that any so called curse is just the non-sense of the fortune telling flim-flam artist. But he does agree to let the party do some simple tests, like put the 'so called' cursed spears in the launch away from the ship to see if that changes the wind. He also staunchly defends his rights to his cargo, and suggests that Hesperose's reputation is at stake in these dealings. Zyva flying inviable behind Yaher, not so subtly suggests that Yaher also disclose the information about locations; their destination and other ports about. Yaher spits back that he knows that with out him guiding the ship, the crew of the Celeste would be in dire straights, and that he knows it is very much in his best interest to keep it that way; as a unscrupulous crew might decide to steal his cargo, his jewels and send him to sleep with the fishes. Hesperose makes sure that Yaher is agreeable to the experiments on his cargo and lets him back on board.

Yaher pretends to not notice the veiled threats and turns in for the night, as does most of the crew. During the third watch, everyone is awaken by a jolting of the ship. Everyone scampers topside, and are unable to find any apparent cause. Clarity express that they must lift the curse that now resides on the Celeste, Yaher suggests, with a yawn, that there is a whale with a new lump on his head.

A new Journey

Aramil- Eric
Clarity-Mija

Hesperose-Scott (not present, so being run by clint)

Kita-Shawn

Shiffit-clint

Zyva-Ron

   -- Clint currently running the game.  --

A New Journey (the proper title would give to much away)

Clarity wastes no time in befriending team Shiffit on board the 'Celeste', she also warns the party that “DOOM!!” awaits them on this island and that they should leave with all haste. Hesperose states that he very recently came close to death from thirst and starvation and that they must provision the ship before undertaking any voyage. Clarity explains that they gods are not always clear with her, and that there may be time to provision the ship in the town where the tournament took place but that they should not linger in this harbor. A plan is put into action, Clarity carefully surveys the waterfront and says that she must go below decks to meditate, and Hesperose cordially shows her a cabin.

     Hesperose is a satisfactory sailor, but the rest of the crew is just this side of hopeless. Only due to they kindness of the wind, and at the slight cost of some rope, the untrained crew get the Celeste out to sea. the voyage around the peninsula to the tournament city is blessedly uneventful. The party realizes that the weather is due to change in roughly 11 days, and that a safe harbor needs to be reached before the seas are to dangerous to be upon. The party wastes no time getting provisions for the voyage and themselves, with little discussion they set off on their shopping, leaving Shiffit and Clarity on board. Shiffit and Clarity spend the time discussing the value of friendship.

    Kita is shocked to discover what shop keeps are asking for a spy glass.  In an antique store, He deftly redirects the shop keeper toward the musical instruments when the telescope receives his five feathered discount. The shopkeeper notices that spyglass is missing from its shelf and signals the city guard, delaying Kita by pontificating on the provenance of the various musical instruments. When the guards arrive, in force, it is only their desire to not tarnish the image of  “The Games” that keeps Kita out of irons. With his welcome used up, and under close supervision, Kita makes his way back to the Celeste, stopping off to buy an eye patch, made of squid hide.

     The shoppers return to the ship and are chatting on deck when Hesperose returns with a very short and stout man. The halfling deftly strides up the gangplank and is introduced to the crew. Hesperose explains that Yaher has assumed the debt of the Celeste's repairs, and will forgive the debt after this single cargo run. 82 stevedores are making quick work loading the 20 crates aboard, and Hesperose supervises the stowing of the load. Hesperose knows that the cargo run involves; delivering these 20 crates for another load of cargo, which they will then take to the final destination, but in the haste to cast off this tidbit of datum does not get passed along. Aramil and Clarity are suspicious that so much debt could be offset with a single cargo run, but keep their cards close and don't share their suspicions. 

    Upon asking, Yaher says that the crates contain weapons, mostly long spears. Clarity listens to the crates as they are being carried past, and hears the screaming of a small child. With some subtle gestures, from Clarity, Zyva starts to flirt rapaciously with Yaher, asking about his bold displays of wealth about his person. Yaher is more than happy to prattle on about his ostentatious jewelry, helping Zyva get a more accurate appraisal of its worth, between 4k-6k in gold pieces. With Yaher's attention fixed upon Zyva,  Aramil and Clarity sneak into the hold and listen carefully and knock on some crates. Clarity continues to hear the screams of a child. She asks Aramil what he hears and he says that he hears nothing. They do not open any of the crates and Clarity explains that sometimes her actions will not make since to others.

     The crew struggles with the sweeps to get the boat launched that very evening, choosiness not to waste anytime, knowing that time is pressing hard against them.

Side post

Welcome travelers,

Some things to know about these seas is that these islands loosely are based around the islands of southern Greece.

Hesperose came from the island of Karpothos (Carpathos) and the city he hailed from was also called Karpothos (Poseidium).  The kingdom of Madea where the tournament took place is on Crete where Phaestus is located.  The Oracle of Premulus is located on the same island where Cydonia is located.

Hesperose has only knowledge of lands to the east such as Rhodes and Cos and has no knowledge of these other lands.

This is the beginning idea for a map and new game masters may drastically alter the map.

Further, I've begun with the calendar based on the Sicilian Hellenistic calendar:

• Thesmophorios (~October)
• Dalios
• -
• Agrianios
• -
• Theudasios
• Artamitios
• -
• Badromios
• Hyacinthios
• Carneios
• Panamos

These are not necessarily months of a year but rather periods of traumatic times during the year.  Panamos is marked by strong storms and angry seas and usually lasts about two weeks.  Then, for a few weeks calm weather is the norm until the Thesmophorios begins, when another calamity takes place.  Shipping, trade, exploration and war usually takes place during these epic event periods.  What causes these events to happen is unknown.  Some say the the gods are fighting, other say great beasts are the cause.  Yet others believe there is a rip in reality under the seas and chaos spews forth like geisers when the pressure has grown too strong.  Whatever the reason, the islanders judge time by when it's safe to travel by sea and when it's time to hunker down and take shelter when the world becomes cranky.

Coins, coins, coins.  Different kingdoms only allow certain coins to be used as money.  You have a could stash of gold coins but if they do not have the right heads and tails upon them, they may be denied, considered contra-ban or even a reason for imprisonment.  The practice of melting coins is greatly frowned up.  Changing and sculpting metal is often left up to guilds and special practitioners.  One may melt a lump of silver and make a cup but appraisers may discover this fraud and contact the authorities.  It has also been said the coins from one island and taken to another island bestow curses upon the owner.  But these may just be rumors.

This world is old, but new to our characters.  The ideas of this post are not to be considered as a framework but as the beginning pieces to an expanding universe.  Where one game master adds a kingdom, another may introduce an invading force.  Where another game master adds a dragon which is mighty and rare, yet another game master will have a realm where dragons are constantly used as domestic forms or transportation.  The world may change in confusing ways but the main constant are the characters in the story.  Some spells will change depending on the game master's whim.  AKA the great emanation/burst debate.  :)

Game masters will hopefully announce limitations, exceptions and alterations to canon rules.  I, for instance, give out re-roll rewards, exact attack rolls to AC do half damage, bless is a burst effect that lingers when characters are out of range from the caster and allow 3 critical checks to be an instant kill/KO.

So with this I give some overview of the world that I have started and some inclination of how things work.  Clint, the next grand poobah for the game, may turn everything upon its head and have a new calendar system, a new way the money works and may (gasp) change the bless spell to be a moving emanation spell.  With this, I hope, everyone playing easily bends to the direction the wind is blowing and will refuse to break.  Even if one becomes quite despondent, please be patient.  Here in Shiffit's world the winds will change... but still be right in your face.  :D

It's not about the world we're creating, it's about the characters and a series of stories.  The over-arching world is going to have a lot of inconsistencies but for the most part we should be able to say, "Remember that one time when..."

~SCI

Bait and switch

Shiffit (war-forged) - played by Clint
Zyva (gold-dragon-pixie) - played by Ron
Glauca (old man wizard) - played by Maija
Hesperose (human mariner) - played by Scott
Aramil (elven wizard) - played by Committee
Kita (kenku) - played by Committee

With the barbarian half-orc retired, the fight continues.  Zyva lays down a patch of entangling vines and bushes only to find the barriers in the arena impede the spell to some extent.  The druid spots the pixie in flight and illuminates her with fairy fire causing the once invisible Zyva to glow in a pale violet outline.  The ranger quickly loosens an arrow and the sorcerer sends magic arrows that plunge into Zyva.  She reluctantly flies closer to her enemy and lets loose a cone of fiery breath upon two of them.  The cleric swings a morning star toward the now very close pixie but misses, leaving the weapon impaled into a wall.  The ranger however uses expert marksmanship and fells the tiny fey.  Seeing the pixie is close to death, the enemy cleric lays a hand upon Zyva and helps her heal from the brink of emptiness.

Elsewhere, after Hesperose gets some healing from Shiffit, he hears the cry of Zyva's fall and heads out into the fray yet again.  Hesperose makes it to the edge of the entangled field where he takes an arrow from the ranger to the head and goes down to a knee.  After some self-inspection and finding himself alone on the battlefield, he retires.  

Then the enemy wizard, who has been invisible, reveals herself as she sends a blast of fire at Shiffit but misses.  A line of fire now burns behind the hulking construct.  Shiffit is angered by the damage to the grass and charges the wizard.  Shiffit attempts to grapple the wizard but misses.  The druid appears from the brush and casts an entangling field of her own catching both the Shiffit team wizards.  The enemy wizard and the druid then retreat back into the dense foliage.  Shiffit undauntedly chases the team members.  The wizard casts a blast of magic projectiles into Shiffit but he continues his charge.  Raising his scimitar, the war forged demands the wizard retire, which she does fearing that the weight of the mighty behemoth would easily crush her.

The sorcerer has made her way to the far hill from the rest of the battle and spies the wizards.  Aramil loosens many arrows at the shifty sorcerer but a magic barrier seems to cause the bolts to miss their target.  The sorcerer unleashes bolts of arcana of her own that strike Glauca.  Finding himself rather defenseless, entangled and without a brute meatshield available, Glauca resigns from the game.  However, he is rooted to the ground and cannot leave the field.  The crowd boos the old man.

The sorcerer now turns her attention to Aramil and loosens yet more streaks of magical might.  Aramil is hit hard but refuses to yield.  The sorcerer continues to loosen magic arrows that unerringly strike Aramil bringing him to near death.  With great reluctance and great effort, Aramil holds up a hand in submission.

Kita has been pelting arrows at the druid to little effect until he accidentally breaks the string of his bow.  Shiffit emerges from the brush and makes an intimidating request that the druid submit or face the wrath of nature.  The druid takes note of the balancing of nature, taking place and knows she is on the dipping end of the scales, lays down in retirement.

While this is taking place, the crowd begin to boo the enemy cleric and ranger who have yet to advance from their perch for some time.  The king motions to a couple of guards and they encourage the combatants to engage the enemy with two well placed arrows.  The ranger takes a brutal shot the back of her neck and retires out of anger.  She expertly took out two members of team Shiffit yet the crowd turned against her?  She did not think this was fair and storms out of the competition.  The cleric also seems annoyed and finds her only route into the fray would be a long flanking motion around the far side of the arena.  Zyva's entangling field has really split Team One's cohesiveness.

The sorcerer seeing no enemy in sight slowly makes her way around the arena.  Eventually the enemy cleric and the sorcerer find each other but do not know the whereabouts of their ally wizard or the druid.  Shiffit unleashes yet another field of entanglement (a third in the arena) catching the cleric and the shifty one.  After a couple well places spheres of fire the final two Team One members are forced to acquiesce.

The crowd erupts in cheers and the king's guards bring all of Team Shiffit to the king's box and he introduces them all.  Great sounds of acclaim are made for each name, less so for Glauca, and the king doles out the rewards to the characters.  Each receives a thick gold coin with a leaf on one side and an image of an eye on the other.  They are told to go to the temple of Premulus and give the tributes to the Oracle of Premulus.  Great festivals and parties take place.  Team Shiffit and Team One agree to break bread together and talk about their experiences in the tournament.  One unfortunate member has to sit next to Glauca and gets grappled.

Shiffit asks Hesperose if he can find some way to gain help in repairing his vessel.  Hesperose rolls a natural 20 and the town of Madea rolls out the red carpet. A handsome loan is offered by the bank and a crowd of elves donate their trade in repairing the Celeste.  In no time (a week) the ship is in tip top shape and the team heads toward the port city of Premulus.  The weather is very agreeable and even seems to assist in the quick trip to the city.

They dock the ship and make their way up to the temple which is found at the top of a rocky hill overlooking the city.  As the team ascends the carved stairs, they see pilgrims ritualistically making their way up and guards in white cloaks with golden spears.  They reach the entrance of the temple, display their tribute and are brought into the foyer.  Eventually they are brought further into the great hall where the team is allowed through a door to visit the Oracle, one at a time.  Hesperose enters first.  After a few minutes, he comes back through a door escorted by two guards.  As he walks past the party Shiffit wants to intervene and stop Hesperose.  However, Shiffit notices Hesperose slightly nod and motion not to interfere.  Eventually, each team member enters the well guarded chamber and has a discussion with the Oracle and then they individually make their way back to the boat (except Glauca).

After some confusion and somewhat dismayed by their audience with the Oracle, Shiffit notices an out of place figure making its way to the Celeste.  At first thinking it is Glauca, he quickly determines it is actually the Oracle herself and helps her board the boat.  They ask where Glauca is and she replies, "His future takes him elsewhere, for now."

Enter Clarity, the Oracle of Premulus, played by Maija.

The fight to not lose

Shiffit (war-forged) - played by Clint
Zyva (gold-dragon-pixie) - played by Ron
Glauca (old man wizard) - played by Maija
Hesperose (human mariner) - played by Scott
Aramil (elven wizard) - played by Eric
Kita (kenku) - played by Committee

After the Elven council made their decision Shiffit approaches Team One.  They consist of two human females, one seems a follower of divinity and the other rather shifty, literally, with a weasel about her neck.  There are three elven maidens, one with a quaterstaff, one with flowing robes and one cloaked along with a longbow.  Finally, there is a female half-orc, big, strong with a huge scythe in her hands.

Shiffit awkwardly approaches the human cleric and offers a handshake.  The cleric seems wary and asks where Shiffit comes from.  At this point, Glaucus begins to check the female team out and makes a few derogatory comments.  He flirts with the wood elf which seems to upset the half-orc.  "She's mine!" she yells into his face.  The cleric tells her team to leave.  Shiffit seems dejected in his offer to be friends.  He wanted to agree on some niceties and sportsmanship.  Team One doesn't trust Team Shiffit and they think Team Shiffit are trying to get them to pull their punches.  Team One wants to win the tournament the way they want to, with full effort. 

Team Shiffit spends the rest of the night learning the rules, talking about caviar, throwing Glaucus into the water, talking about what spells everyone can cast and the like.  Glaucus describes his unseen servant and Hesperose takes offense.  "I'm right here!" and then leaves the room.  Glaucus also calls Shiffit a metal head, Zyva tries to intercede but Shiffit point out that his head is in fact metal. 

Heralds come and go to the Celeste, bringing reminders and answering questions.  The team is allowed to practice in the Arena and to get a feel for the landscape.  They learn the odds around town have Team One as favorites, 5-1.  They also learn about the history of Team One.

Eventually the final day arrives.  The team is instructed to line up at one of the entrances and when the music stops, the King of Madea will make a speech and the Queen will then drop her neckerchief symbolizing the beginning of the final round of the tournament.  The music stops, the King begins his speech and Zyva begins casting spells, as does Shiffit.  Some of the crowd notice this and begin booing.

The garment hits the ground and the crowd cheers!  Zyva has turned invisible and creates a clone image of herself.  She moves the illusion forward and then mimics a mirror image spell so there are now six Zyvas flying to the center of the Arena.  Hesperose begins his slow advancement.  Kita begins to sing.  Shiffit settles into a pool of water.  Aramil sends forth a dire wolf to take down the shifty human.  Glaucus directs the team from behind.

Two arrows plunge into wolf but it continues to advance.  The shifty human takes refuge behind the half-orc.  The rest of Team One disappear behind the dense foliage in the Arena.  The wolf runs past the half-orc, who misses with a slice from her scythe, and bites the shifty human and successfully trips her to the ground.  The half-orc composes herself and swings again, splitting the wolf in two.  Zyva's illusion expands into the horde of Zyvas summoning another wolf.  Glaucus summons a real wolf and sends it forward, also after the shifty human.  Two more arrows plunge into the second wolf.  Before it can reach its target the half-orc again splits this wolf into two.  (Natural 20's on both beasts)

Aramil sees the half-orc and expertly places an arrow in her neck.  This really seems to upset the half-orc.  She probably thinks all humans look the same and so this wizard is Glaucus, who she already hates.  She begins a bee-line to Aramil, ignoring Zyva's horde.  Hesperose attempts to block her path, taking arrows from the enemy archer and magic missiles from the shifty human.  Enough that he contemplates retiring early.  Aramil supports Hesperose with some magic missiles of his own and damages the half-orc.  This act reinforces Hesperose's resolve and he continues on.  He gets two passing blows as the half-orc trudges toward Aramil and she begins to bleed profusely.  Shiffit then castes a spell that begins to heat the half-orc armor.  Taking all things in, the half-orc realizes her dire situation among the enemy with no allies to cure her mounting wounds, and holds up a hand in submission.  She begins to walk off the battle field but not before Glaucus can get a couple zingers in.  Kita picks up on the insult and begins to sing, "Half-orcs are easy, Half-orcs are easy.  If you ever need some pleasy pleasy, remember, Half-orcs are easy."

Mumbles can be heard throughout the Arena.  Many are surprised the barbarian is out of the fight already.  One can hear the odds makers call out the new odds, Team One, 4-1.

(To be continued)

The second challenge, Can you succeed in a game without dice?

Shiffit (war-forged) - played by Clint
Zyva (gold-dragon-pixie) - played by Ron
Glauca (old man wizard) - played by Maija
Hesperose (human mariner) - played by Scott
Aramil (elven wizard) - played by Eric
Kita (kenku) - played by Shawn

The team goes back to the Celeste.  Hesperose goes fishing.  Glaucus joins him.  Zyva, Aramil and Shiffit go back to town the next day to learn about the second round of the invitational.  They get some advice and blow it off.  :)

Not much happens until the tournament.  Shiffit fails a climb check (another natural 1), which is the highlight of the training period.

The team arrives at an empty stadium and they enter.  They are instructed to go to a tent at the center of the arena and await their turn to be judged.  They see a team exit the tent bickering at one another with criticisms.

When they go in the tent they find a circle of elves including the King.  They are then asked to choose two members to perform the first task.  Kita and Zyva bravely volunteer.  They are seated back to back and Zyva is told to describe three shapes to Kita who then attempts to draw the figures.  One turns out pretty well.  (This challenge was to test team communication.)

The team is then asked to describe the vision of a successful group.  Somehow the vision statement revolves around taking orders from Glaucus.  (This challenge was to test team unity in achieving goals.)

The next phase of the challenge involves a hypothetical situation where the team must choose who would live or die in a drastic situation and then decide the importance of the survivors.  The team mostly chose the survivors using moral judgements of good "people" and even allowed a wealthy merchant to live after negotiations and compromise within the group.  (This challenge was to test the heart of the team and their values.)

The team is the put in a zone of truth and draws cards.  Each card requires the team to describe moments in a character's past.  The team has yet to really learn about one another so the answers were mostly guess work.  (This challenge was to test team intimacy.)

Finally, each team member was asked to act out their favorite animal.  Shiffit played a keen role in identifying animals, except for animals that he has recently summoned.  Nonetheless, the team flew through this challenge like an African swallow through European swallow airspace.  Or something else that was fast and unimpeded.  (This was to test how well the team members are willing to go out of their way to succeed in a group effort.  "Would you die for one another... even if it's dying from embarrassment?")  The team was then asked to leave.

The council of elves then exited the tent and announced to all the teams which team won each round of team challenges.  Team One and Team Shiffit each won two of the challenges in the council's eyes and they will advance to the final round which involves combat.

Rules: Players on each team can choose when to retire from the battle.  Combatants may not attack a player who has retired.  Elven clerics will heal the retired combatants but they will not resurrect players from the dead unless cheating is involved.  All combatants must stay inside the arena.  If a team loses all team members to death or retirement, that team loses the battle.  The team that doesn't lose, wins!

Team One consists of  a human cleric, a wood elf ranger, a high elf wizard and a half-orc barbarian, an elven druid and a shape shifting sorcerer.

Let the games begin!

Shiffit (war-forged) - played by Clint
Zyva (gold-dragon-pixie) - played by Ron
Glauca (old man wizard) - played by Maija
Hesperose (human mariner) - played by Scott
Aramil (elven wizard) - played by Eric
Kita (kenku) - played by Shawn

Team Shiffit spends most of the evening discussing the tournament on the Celeste.  The various characters decided to chose challenges that they could individually accomplish and then chose secondary challenges that may possibly need cooperative efforts.

Details about the Madea Invitational:

• No weapons or tools are allowed in the arena... (someone can attempt to smuggle contra-ban into the arena but there may be consequences.)
• Each contestant may only possess one flag at a time.
• Each team starts at the center of a round arena, where the table is located.
• When a signal horn is blown, the team has 10 rounds to gather as many flags as possible.
• Each challenge is located around a circle 60' from the table and the adjacent challenges.  (Running and speed flying is double your base move.  This is to scale for the size of our map.  Basically it will take one full round to reach a challenge or the table.  Getting a flag and placing a flag on the table counts as an action.)
• Eight teams are in the competition.  They each take a turn in the arena.
• After 10 rounds another signal horn is blown and each team counts the number of flags on the table.  Flags in possession of a contestant but not on the table do not count.
• The four teams with the most flags advance to the next stage.  The remaining teams go to the loser's couch.

The challenges:

1. A locked iron box.  A flag is located within.
2. A well with a bucket and a line of rope.  The flag is located under water.  You will need to be good at swimming and holding your breath.
3. A thirty foot covered shoot shaped as the letter "C" with hot coals making it difficult and painful terrain.  The flag is pinned to the far wall.
4. A blink dog with a flag tied around its collar.  It may change its position around the arena as warranted.
5. A punching bag connected to a contraption.  Punching the bag sends a peg up a runner.  The goal is to ring the bell which will open a box next to the punching bag with a flag inside.  (You cannot open the box in any other way.  You cannot carry the box.)
6. A 60' high smooth pillar with a one foot diameter.  At the top is a flag tied to a loop.  (It is usually quite gusty at this height at the arena.) 
7. A 6' square cube with a cylinder 6 inches in diameter hollowed out through the cube.  Half way through the cylinder swings a flag on a pendulum.  There is a post on the far side of the cube.  There is a long bow and arrows located 15' from the front of the cylinder opening.  The bow is tethered to the ground and cannot be moved more the 5' from its original location.
8. A staircase leading to a 30'x30' pit with an undead humanoid tethered to the wall, by a chain, opposite from the stairs.  There is also a flag pinned to the far wall.  There is a net covering the pit.  (The undead creature is rumored to paralyze any creature it touches.)
9. A duelist with a flag tied to his/her belt.  The duelist is highly skilled and armed.
10. Two doors with magic mouths.  They ask you a riddle and then you choose a door.  If you solve the riddle and open the correct door, it opens to reveal a flag.  If you fail the riddle and open the incorrect door, your team loses one flag from the table.

Kita plans to sneak in tools to pick the lock to the iron box.  Zyva seemed nervous about the possibility of getting caught and the ramifications for the whole team.  Hesperose seemed more favorable for taking the risk to get the reward.  Kita would then take on the riddling doors as he has much experience with stories involving riddles and solutions to puzzles of the mind.

Aramil looked deep into his elven heart and chose to take on the archery challenge.  He could have chosen to use arcane powers to assist him but instead decided he will use the innate gifts inherited by his ancestors.  Upon completion he would then go to the well and provide assistance.

Shiffit decides he can overcome the hot coals challenge and then plunge into the well, as he does not need to breathe.  He does mention that he will need some assistance getting out of the well and that others may need to take the flag to the table for him.

Glaucus announced that he would have his servant take the flag from the duelist's belt and then solve the riddles of the doors.  He tried to inspire the team into accomplishing the tasks but came off rather bossy.  He also mentions how great he is at leadership and business ventures.

Zyva decides her strength is flight and speed.  She will soar to the pillar and then using her invisibility she will by-pass the undead creature in the pit.

The party asks what Hesperose will do and he confidently flexes his muscles and says he could win the punching challenge easily.  He could then use his armor to brush off the undead in the pit.  Zyva says she has that challenge covered.  Hesperose then decides he can try to capture the blink dog.  He then sits back, smiling, saying he's got it all figured out.

Shiffit seems quite surprised by the confidence of the team.

The party takes to their bunks while Shiffit travels to the rear deck of the ship jutting out into the water.  He summons an eagle, gives it a command, and plunges into the water.   Thud, Shiffit makes an excellent anchor, face down onto the seafloor.  He sits up and summons a porpoise and asks it to take a rag up to the surface.  The summoned creature does as commanded but by the time it reaches the surface the eagle has dissipated back into the ether.  "Ummm... guys.  I think there is a hole in my plan."

For the rest of the week the team practices their skills and timing.

Alas, the day of the tournament arrives.  The town has been abuzz.  The various teams take to the arena as the party sits in a room until their chance at the event.  Cheers, sneers, boos and chants greet their ears as they wait.  Finally, the team is taken to the center of the arena.  Glaucus says to the team, "Don't let me down."  Shiffit thinks he means he needs a lift and picks the old wizard up.

1. The signal horn is blown and Shiffit drops the old man and quickly trudges toward the tunnel of coals (casting a helpful spell beforehand).  Glaucus, remarkably, lands on his feet and heads toward the duelist.  Zyva has altered her size and zips up toward the pillar.  Hesperose moves to the punching bag contraption.  Kita takes on the locked iron box.  Aramil moves to the bow tethered before giant stone cube.  One can hear, "They're splitting up!"  "That's different."  "Never split the party!" from the crowd.

2. (Initiative is determined)  Zyva successfully hovers over the loop with the flag tied to it and then also successfully unties the knot.  She heads back to the table.  Aramil successfully get the timing of the pendulum with a flag attached inside the hollowed cylinder inside the massive block... but his arrow misses the mark.  Glaucus yells, gyrates and makes demonstrative hand gestures toward the duelist, summoning an invisible servant behind the master swordsman.  The servant however does not retrieve the flag from the duelist's belt.  Kita squawks and flaps his winged arms and secretly retrieves his tools of thievery.  He barely brushes the box and it pops open.  The crowd cheers the silly birdman.  Hesperose punches the bag with all his might and... well, that was odd, the runner goes up the pole and rings the bell.  The box next to him opens and he retrieves the flag and heads back to the table.  The crowd not quite sure what they just saw.  Shiffit walks into the tunnel of hot coals, easily retrieves the flag at the far end, and walks back to the entrance of the tunnel.

3. Zyva gets to the table and sets down the first flag.  "One!" shouts the crowd.  Aramil takes a deep breath and loosens a second arrow.  Perfect timing again and this time pins the flag to the post behind the block.  He goes and pulls out the arrow and takes the flag in hand.  Glaucus shouts at his dimwited summoned servant and this time it works.  The sevant takes the flag from the dumbfounded swordsman and the flag seems to be drawn to Glaucus' outstretched hand.  The crowd cheers, "Way to go old man!"  Kita arrives and the table.  "Two!" as the the spectators cheer.  Hesperose places his flag upon the table.  "Three!" the crowd is getting louder.  Shiffit makes his way to the table.

4. Zyva turns invisible and heads to the pit's entrance.  Aramil makes it to the table.  Glauca, with flag in hand goes to the table.  Kita runs to the doors.  Hesperose goes to the blink dog.  Shiffit places his flag, "Four!"

5. Zyva flutters to the flag, the undead blindly swinging his arms which Zyva is able to avoid and take the flag.  She heads back to the table.  Aramil sets down the flag to a roar of "Five!"  Kita listens to the riddle as both doors say, "One of us always tell the truth and the other always tells a lie.  You may ask one of us one question and then make your choice."  He ponders this as if he has come across this riddle before...  Hesperose kneels down and says, "Here doggy, doggy."  The hound refuses to heed the request.  Shiffit makes his way to the well.

6. Zyva makes it back to the table.  Aramil heads toward the well as well...  Glaucus places the flag down, "Six!"  He heads to the doors.  (Somehow he gets to the doors and tells Kita to get the flag for him.)  Kita asks the door on his right if the other door has the flag.  The door says "No."  He opens the door and the flag is waiting inside.  Hesperose this time pulls some steak out from a pocket and offers it to the blink dog.  The dog remains reluctant to move.  Shiffit takes hold of the rope and plunges into the well.  As he settles on the bottom he feels the flag and successfully unties it from the loop.

7. Zyva turns visible and places the flag, "Seven!"  She heads to the well.  Aramil looks into the well, water still sloshing around from Shiffit's jump.  Glaucus tells Kita, "Run you fool!" in his best Gandalf impression.  Kita does just that and heads to the table.  "Get over here you lousy mut," and Hesperose finally attracts the blink dog to the food in his hand and grasps the flag before the dog can escape with its treat.  He heads to the table.  Shiffit summons a porpoise and instructs it to take the flag to the surface.

8. Zyva attempts to grab the flag from the porpoise and misses, flying into the water instead.  Aramil attempts to grab the flag with a magical hand but misses.  Glaucus strides back to the table with arms up in triumph.  Kita places the flag, "EIGHT!"  Hesperose places his flag, "NINE!"  Shiffit murmurs at the bottom of the well.

9. Zyva zooms out of the well, grasping the flag from the porpoise and streaks to the table.  Aramil looks down into the well as the porpoise fades like smoke.  Glaucus reaches the table egging the crowd to praise him more.  Kita breaks out into a song of joy.  Hesperose just kind of stands there.  His contribution was accomplished.  Shiffit looks up and sees light at the end of the tunnel.  He attempts to go to the light and (rolls a 1) earns an inspiration point for tragically failing to climb anything.

10. Zyva places the final flag on the table.  "TEN!!!" the crowd yells.  Fireworks and such explode above the arena.  The party heads back to their room as the challenges are reset for the next team.

Finally, the party is sent back to the arena with the other teams and the winners are announced.  "Team One, 10 flags!  Team Two, four flags!  Team Three, three flags!  Team four, seven flags.  Team five, 1 flag!  Team Shiffit, 10 flags!  Team Seven, seven flags!  And Team Eight, four flags!"  The dejected teams leave the arena.  The remaining teams receive the applause.  They are then told the next competition will take place in two days.  The theme for this event will be "Cooperation" said in the finest Sesame Street voice.

[DM notes: for challenges with two components I made the first challenge a 12 difficulty and the second a 15 difficulty.  With one challenge the difficulty was 17.  The exception was sneaking thieves tools into the arena, which was difficulty of 5.  The tools are tiny and the crowd is far away.  The "no tools" rule was for larger obvious items such as ladders, breathing tubes, poles and such.  I should have explained how the blink dog was used to being chased from the other competitors so being offered a treat was something different... but oh well.]