Mystara Game Journal JAN 2019

Zander provided an account of their past exploits to the Emperor. Adronius

presented the Wizard with a spell book found in Caracanomnous’ quarters. He then

made it known that each member would be the recipient of a boon and had the

evening to think over their choices. Senator Tibernos, Priestess Tassia and Cliam

joined them as they retired to sweet smelling bath chambers. After enjoying a hot

bath, they were provided with fine wine and clothing. The Wizard spent some time

assessing the recently acquired items before they all went to sleep…

DREAM SEQUENCE

They are all stood looking into an egg shaped stone hollow through one of its walls.
It seems to be about 50 feet in diameter and 80 feet tall with the large end at the
bottom. They are all aware that their friends are there as well, only they cannot see
them or themselves. Soft silvery moonlight somehow seems to be streaming in from
above but there is no opening there. In the center there is a large stone block about
6 by 10 feet and 4 feet high. Many heavy iron chain restraints seem to be broken
and lying on top of the stone table. Beside it stands an average looking, middle-aged
Milenian man wearing a sky blue Milenian style tunic of upper middle class design.
He wears a silver neck torque, large silver necklace made of coins cut as moon
phases, silver bracers, bracelets, headband, belt, and anklets… all of silver. He also
wears high quality worn-looking leather sandals with tattered white wings on them.
It is Asterius and he smiles and says: Thank you for coming, I have been unable to
reach you for several weeks now, as the Dark One was very close to you. When you
destroyed his closest minions: Icademus, Asternom, Vix and finally
Caracanomnous and Thravadofus as well as breaking the curse on Zander, you
greatly weakened his hold over Milenia considerably and temporarily over me as
well. He has receded for a time. Do not grow complacent, however. He is still strong
and virtually unopposed. Even now he is plotting his next move. He tricked all of
the other immortals save myself into venturing into the past … seems like no big
deal, since they should just be able to come back any time they like. Unfortunately
it’s a bit difficult to explain to non-immortals, but essentially it’s like this … when
we travel through time we must leave a marker so we can return to the point we left
from. Unfortunately Thanatos (Zargos, Death … whatever you want to call him)
moved the marker. We have to find it and bring it to the present. I am still trying
to figure out how to do that. You might think: ‘well YOU’RE an immortal, why
don’t you just take him out one on one?’ The actual fact is that we immortals sort
of have levels: There are bunches of Average Immortals like myself, there are dozens

of Greater Immortals like Thor (Donar) and then there are five Ultimate
Immortals: Ka the Preserver (Ultimate of Matter), Korotiku the Trickster (Ultimate
of Thought), Ixion the Sun Prince (Ultimate of Energy), Ordana the Forest Mother
(Ultimate of Time) and unfortunately: Thanatos the Destroyer (Ultimate of
Entropy). Of those five, Ixion and Thanatos are the most powerful and fairly evenly
matched … each of them is at least 9 times as powerful as me. If only Ixion had
stayed behind instead of me there would have been a better chance. At any rate we
have a little time to act without being hindered directly by the dark side. You need
to get to Nithia by way of the Cave of Bats to the north of Milenia. Not sure of the
details but I know that your safest way to Nithia is there. The reason for not
traveling directly to Nithia is … as powerful as Thanatos was in Milenia he has
established a far greater foothold in Tanagoro … which stands solidly between here
and Nithia. Going by ship to get to the cave I think would be wisest. You have met
several of the people of that cave a month or so ago … I think … time is not working
well for me now. The names of those you met were: Argaluin Moneygrower,
Kemenoth Sun-Bracer, and their subordinates Maiglos and Thalion. These were
the human men wearing strange looking plate mail that appeared to be clones of
each other. Remembering them will help you get where you need to go. You were
in a strange vision of sorts and were accompanying them on foot to the cave when
the vision abruptly ended and you returned to the library in the valley of the
Blacklore Elves. Use them … but … do not trust them! My vision still has its limits,
but I can tell you they are not at all what they seem or pretend to be. I will do
whatever I can to help you for as long as I can. Thanatos will find me again
eventually, but for now I can act covertly. You may also try summoning Gabbro the
earth elemental priest if you need help. He is still trapped in the Hollow World. I
can now allow each of you to ask one question, which I will answer to the best of
my ability, then I must go under cover, as it were.

Thromgaar spoke first asking where they could find this “marker”. He was told to

look for a glowing green bush. Karn went next and asked where they could find the

quadruplets. Asterius assured him the group would be placed in the correct area to

locate the four humans. Scüt asked if there were any worshippers of ‘Ka the

Preserver’ between here and Nithia. She was given a resounding yes. Zander asked

if Vix was still alive and also received an affirmative. Tamwyn asked where the

marker needed to go if it was ever found. On this Asterius was unsure. Finally,

Graness asked how one could strengthen the Gods. She was told by giving sacrifices.

The next morning Zander cast identify on several of the magical items. The glowing
blue short sword that Olynthos the Undying wielded was most impressive. It was +4
to hit, and once per long rest a successful strike would heal the wielder. There was a
large red ruby set in its pommel and was worth well over 7000gp. The Wizard took
possession of the fine weapon. Next was the polished black armor worn by
Thravadofus. It was cursed Plate Male +3 of Corruption which could only be
removed by a successful remove curse spell. It granted the wearer Darkvision up to
360’, inflicted asthma, and slowly devoured the
user’s limbs. It was decided the armor would be
destroyed. Boots of Levitation were handed to the
Ranger, and the Cleric received Boots of Striding
& Springing. The Emperor arrived early to join
them for breakfast. He presented the party with a
small token which identified the carrier as being
friends of Milenia. He also gave them two letters
to be delivered; one for the Pharaoh of Nithia, and the other for the Priestess of
Hutaaka. He revealed that he had procured the finest ship in all of Milenia for their
forward journey. The ‘Paralos’ was a Trireme, a large rowing war ship with a crew
of 170. After breakfast Zander ordered a backpack for Rusty, and the Paladin
requested to speak with a Priest of Ka. The Emperor then heard each of their boons.
The Wizard asked for access to the Arcane Library which was immediately granted
and he quickly departed. Thromgaar produced a cursed ring of Strength that he had
in his possession. The Orc asked if the curse could be lifted. The Arch-Mage took
the item and said he would get it back by the end of the day. The Ranger was next
and asked if her deer Sven could be awoken. Mumbled discussion resulted with the
Arch-Mage stating he didn’t think it very likely but he would get back to her. The
Paladin asked for an open discussion on the pros and cons of Milenian parents selling
their children as slaves, and to magnify more temples dedicated to Ka. The Emperor
was receptive and alluded to both being considered. The Halfling Monk asked if she
could remain in Milenia and join Captain Daskos and his order of Griffon riders.
Tamwyn’s wish was immediately granted as an interesting discovery had recently
been made. It turned out that the body inside Thravadofus’ cursed suit of armor was
in fact a missing Griffon rider. Deithryl asked for any armor that might be available
to help protect her frail body. The Blacklore Elf was presented with a shimmering
chain shirt granting +3 to her armor class. The Cleric went next and he regaled the

Emperor with a lengthy account of the party’s triumphant victory over the mighty
Vix before asking to take possession of the warriors chariot. The Emperor
immediately dispatched couriers to locate it. Finally it was Bookfondler and Cliam’s
turn. Bookfondler requested permanent residency which was granted. Cliam asked
for a home for his mother who had been rescued from slavery. She was gifted a
luxurious villa complete with staff. The proceedings were paused for a break and
reconvened at the end of the day. Waiting for Thromgaar was his +2 Ring of
Strength. Karn was advised that Vix’s chariot had been recovered. It would be
brought to the ship within a few days… accompanied with a yet to be determined
steed. Graness was handed a scroll containing the necessary magic to awaken Sven.
Lastly a quantity of healing potions were handed out amongst the party before they
were eventually taken to the dockside. On arrival they boarded the Paralos, a massive
three story Trireme Warship. Onboard they met the captain and his crew, with whom
they enjoyed a fine dinner. After their meal the Wizard handed out items he had
identified: a +3 Ring of Protection, a +3 Long Sword of Throwing, a +2 Staff made
of bone with a crude skull on top, and Gloves of Missile Snaring.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 7th October 2018

{Note - the group is now without the services of Tamwyn, the Halfling Monk ☹}

With preparations

nearing completion,

the Paladin visited

the couple that had

provided for the

party when they first

arrived in the city.

Back on the ship,

Tamwyn was

farewelled by the

entire group before

departure. The calm

flat seas provided

ideal conditions and

the war ship was a sight to behold. More than a hundred long oars moved in perfect

unison, and a stiff breeze filled out the boats main sails. Its stern was outfitted with

huge ballistae and at least a dozen armed
guards always stood on watch. The Wizard
and Cleric discussed learning an array of
different spells to aid them whilst out at sea.
Zander cast water breathing on the party
whilst Karn prepared a spell which allow for
walking on water. By late afternoon, Karn
had noticed a small land mass in the distance. A flock of large birds flew around it
and as the ship drew nearer, he could see it was in fact an island shaped like a human
skull. What he mistook for birds were actually flying dinosaurs, and they had noticed
the ship. 14 in total headed towards them as an alarm was sounded. Scüt and Graness
stood at the bow, whilst Thromgaar joined Karn at the stern. The Ranger fired a new
magical arrow from her bow, and a bright pink hawk suddenly appeared in the sky.
The Cleric blessed those he could see as the Orc and Tortle set off screamer arrows.
The high pitched noise was enough to cause panic amongst the Pterosaurs. As they
flew back into one of the eye sockets, Karn noticed a glint from within. The Paladin
enquired about the ‘skull’ island, but the captain could find no record of it on any of
his charts. They decided to forgo a visit and the ship continued on its course. The
rest of the day was uneventful and the captain released a messenger pigeon.

The next day the seas had changed, and
heavy clouds brought light rain. Crew
members noticed odd shapes surfacing in
the water near the port side. “We have
company” rang out as nearly two dozen
large sea turtles surrounded the boat. The
Paladin grinned as she quickly removed
her gear. The rowing came to a swift halt
as the Tortle jumped overboard. A heavy
fog rolled in and enveloped the ship. The
turtles in unison turned towards the stern
as a massive black turtle appeared
through the mist. The ‘Ancient One’
conversed with the turtles instructing them to clear a path. The ship was soon able
to resume rowing as the giant turtle guided them through a patch of dangerous reef
known as the World’s Spine.

The following day, the
mist had cleared and fairer
conditions returned. The
turtles were gone and on
the horizon they could
make out another land
mass. As they drew closer,
a gorgeous tropical island
took shape. The ship
entered a horseshoe
shaped bay, surrounded
by turquoise clear water.
Tall palm trees and
numerous grass huts littered a very long beach. Beyond it were lush green forests
and a cone shaped land mass with smoke coming from its top. Native inhabitants
were seen moving about the beach, while others paddled in the bay on long wooden
boards. The peaceful serenity of the landscape quickly descended into chaos. Dozens
of tattooed fighters in grass skirts suddenly appeared from the trees as conch shells
began blaring along the shore. However, it wasn’t the sight of the ‘Paralos’ that had
caused the commotion. Appearing at the opposite end were ten small ships, each
waving a black flag bearing a white skull with crossed swords. They were moving
at a lightning fast pace and appeared to be carrying roughly 30-40 crew, comprised
entirely of Halflings.

Perhaps it was the sight of nearly 200 Makai
warriors braced for combat along the sea shore, or
the large heavily outfitted Trireme Dreadnought
approaching, but for some reason the small armada
quickly stopped and made an about turn. The
party opted not to pursue, and the Paralos was
steered straight onto the beach. The inhabitants
crowded around the ship with curious looks. They
were humans with long black hair and suntanned
skin. The fighters wielded wooden weapons and
rectangular shields. Upon disembarking, the party
were greeted by Chief Kalawani, a rather large
heavyset man. He welcomed them to the island of Makai and was pleased with their

timely arrival. Zander spoke on behalf of
the group and asked if they knew
Zamora. Murmurs and hushed voices
followed before a huge burly man
walked forward. ‘Rangi’ was her
husband (or so he thought) and had long
wondered how she was faring. After a
brief exchange they learned that Zamora
was also Chief’s Kalawani’s daughter.
He then presented another daughter, as
if he was seeking a suitor for her. The Wizard handed the Chief a gift, a +1 Battle
Axe, which he was most pleased with and immediately announced that they would
join him in a large feast. They discussed the Halfling pirates, who were constantly
raiding the village, stealing their goods and women. They asked if there was anything
the party could do to help and the Chief asked if a message could be sent to Zamora.
He then pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers and ordered for someone
named Lorpin to be brought to him. He led everyone to the end of the beach and into
an enormous cave. The ceiling inside had a great height and was adorned with
glowing rocks that illuminated the cave. Ongoing was a festival of sorts that the
natives called a Luau. Attractive dancers twirled sticks of fire as rhythmic music was
played on instruments made of bamboo sticks. The party got comfortable and
enjoyed the food and fermented coconut juice. Eventually a pair of guards brought

the one known as Lorpin before them. According to the
Chief he had overstayed his welcome. He was a tall old
man, with wild eyes and matted white and yellow hair.
His clothing was nothing more than tattered rags, and a
small dagger hung from his waist. He was most
unusual…rather eccentric and was overcome with sheer
excitement upon seeing the group. Much to their
surprise, he spoke in common Thiatian and recognized
each race with the exception of the Tortle. As Lorpin
gave them his back story, he would often pause to speak in a whispered voice. He
would stare at his shoulders and swat at the air around him. The Ranger assumed the
old man was conversing with creatures of the Fae but it turned out he was merely
hallucinating. Originally from Thiatia, Lorpin had been on the island for more than
40 years. He was part of an expedition team, but the ship he was on sank in a large
whirlpool. After being held captive by Pirates for quite some time he eventually

wound up on Makai. Whilst he
knew nothing of any Bat Cave,
he had some knowledge of the
Hollow World and could speak
several languages. After dinner
the Captain addressed the
group, advising that he wished
to give his crew at least a day’s
rest. The Chief agreed to allow
them as much time as they
needed. The party then learned
more about the tropical island
and its inhabitants, namely
dinosaurs and other monsters.
As a measure of safety, the
natives had built a wall of tikis, tall statues that formed a boundary - which those
smart enough knew not to cross. Lorpin was then shown the party map. He made a
screw face, claiming it was all wrong. The Captain agreed that the party’s map was
not very good and he later provided them with a better version. The party went on
quite late into the night, and several of them took time out to accomplish a few
things. Graness produced her scroll from the Arch-Mage and Sven was finally
awoken. Karn spent time rubbing shoulders with the island’s ‘witch-doctor’ who
educated him on how to make a cleansing elixir which could possibly cure poisons.
The next day brought inclement weather, and by mid-day it was evident that a foul
weather storm called a typhoon was about to hit. Everyone quickly got to work in
order to protect the party’s ship. With a combination of the Cleric’s wisdom and the
Wizard’s leadership skills, hundreds of men successfully maneuvered the boat inside
the cave. Zander then created a large colorless magical sphere that could offer
protection from the elements to a select few. By the days end the cave was packed
with people as the islanders sought refuge. The powerful storm lasted a total of three
days, during which time the Cleric offered out rather bland rations he had created.
Once the weather system had cleared, calm sunny conditions returned. The beach
was scoured but nothing of value apart from the carcass of a plesiosaur was found.
The Paladin ordered Lorpin to cut his hair if he wished to join in their travels. As
Scüt began cutting the locks from the disgruntled senior, griffon riders were spotted
on the horizon…along with a flying horse.

Sunday 14th October 2018

‘And I shall call him Swift
Wind’…As the Cleric took a few laps
about the sky with his new winged
steed hitched to the chariot, the
Ranger was at a loss for words after
being reunited with her fairy Petunia.
Senator Tibernos had made the
journey to the remote island and
instantly recognized Lorpin the Mad,
who was once an infamous pirate.
After recounting much of his past, the
old man announced that he wanted to
retrieve his prized possessions. Both
his armor and swords had been buried
in a precarious spot on the island by
his captors some forty years prior. The
party agreed to retrieve them the next
day before retiring for the evening.

DREAM SEQUENCE

In this dream you're flying through darkness. The air is full of squeaks and the
flutter of bat wings. Suddenly you collide with something large and hard. You can't
see it, but in the dream you know it's a stalactite, you're in a cave. You fall downward
in the dark, and the stalactite above you is growing down after you. It's making deep
cracking sounds as it grows rocky tentacles. They grab you, and you feel tiny balls
of fur along each tentacle. Bats! It's covered with small bats roosting on the
stalactite. The rock hand carries you down to the bottom of the cave, but you escape
somehow. Now you're flying down a tunnel with the hand stretching behind you,
trying to catch you. You see an underground lake and fly across it. The hand stops
at the edge of the lake. You feel safe, and you begin to nuzzle your wings.

The party set out early the next morning minus the Ranger who remained to watch
over the ever growing collection of animals. They hugged the rugged coastline and
after three hours found the jungle. After passing a herd of grunting dinosaurs, they

made it to the base of the volcano. As they
ascended, Karn noticed flocks of small
Pterosaurs, who were disinterested but grew in
size the higher they climbed. Lorpin had
divulged that his stuff was buried inside a cave
in a large chest. Arriving some thirty feet from
the entrance, the flying dinosaurs had now
become agitated by their presence. Thromgaar
bellowed as Karn cast thaumaturgy, a distraction as the Wizard dispatched Rusty
into the cave. Two enormous pterosaurs along with a huge chest were discovered
inside a large cavern. A hasted Orc entered and successfully distracted the pair as
the Wizard provided a floating disc for the heavy chest. Two simultaneous battles
broke out with Rusty being snapped in half inside the cave as the rest took on a large
group outside. The Paladin provided healing as Lorpin and Deithryl didn’t fare well
from the onset. Thunder and lightning dominated the skies, causing most to flee.
Their cries forced the pair of giant pterosaurs to attempt exiting the cave only to meet
a fireball and lightning bolt combo at its entrance. The monk finished the pair off in
merciless fashion and the group gathered for healing. A large wing was cut and used
to carry the remains of the iron statue who was still alive. The contents of the chest
were examined as Lorpin delighted at the sight of his pair of sabers. Amongst coins
and Lorpin’s possessions were four small copper bottles, a glass bottle labelled ‘rum’
and a very nice leather belt. During a short rest, the party examined the items. Scüt
learned that the rum was actually a magic potion of dream speech, and Karn held a
belt of Hill Giant strength. Zander identified the most unique item – the four vials
which had Galantrian script ‘Oak in Acorn’. A white powder found within could
magically reduce the size of an object to 1/60 of its size and be safely kept inside the
vials. Karn offered the prized belt to the Paladin who gave the Cleric a Token of
Sight in exchange. The party made it back safely without incident and began
discussing the pros and cons of having an old man that talked to voices.

Sunday 21st October 2018

Dispel Magic, Remove Curse and Lessor Restoration spells did nothing but remove
minor ailments from Lorpin. The crazy old man recounted more of his colorful past
before declaring he had no interest in further exploration but wanted to return home
to Colema instead. The ship’s captain consulted various maps but was still unsure of
the Bat Cave’s location. Karn opened the reliquary and sought clarity from the

magical finger. It pointed WNW and with that they were off in ideal sailing
conditions. Their journey wasn’t long and soon they found themselves staring at
another island, this one littered with sandy dunes and Spanish bayonet plants. The
magical finger continued pointing inland and the Wizard sent out his familiar. The
owl discovered a trail that led to a large cave opening on a small hillside. The Cleric
and Ranger boarded the chariot and flew out to get a closer look. An unusual odor
dominated the air which Graness determined was from red scarlet nettle plants. Upon
approaching a cone shaped hill, Karn immediately spotted a humanoid that looked
quite familiar. A man dressed in leather armor was sat outside the cave entrance, and
looked identical to one of the four quadruplets the party had met back in Colema.
Karn hailed the man only for him to look up and laugh. Suddenly a wave of fluttering
darkness erupted from the landscape below which accompanied a chorus of squeaks.
The chariot was surrounded by thousands of tiny bats. Karn cast Gust of Wind while
the Ranger hung on. The powerful blast of air was enough to clear a path and they
returned to the ship unscathed. The party parted ways with the captain and his crew,
and wished Lorpin the Mad all the best. Following the trail, they quickly found the
cave entrance. Standing guard were a pair of identical twins dressed in leather armor
and wielding spears. to the quadruplets from Colema. After explaining who they
were, the party learned that the pair standing before them were neither of the four
they had met previously. They were made to wait while one of them checked in with
the boss. At this stage the Cleric requested the Wizard miniaturize and secure Swift
Wind and the Chariot for later use. They were escorted into a large cavern that had
a very high jagged limestone ceiling. They traversed a rather wide ledge that

descended quite far down into earth, only
twinkling lights could be seen some one
hundred feet below. Upon reaching the
lower levels, they observed a multitude of
identical men all sat crossed legged
throwing rocks at nearby bats. It was quite
apparent that these men were all clones.
They stood at 5’6, had short cropped hair
and tanned brown skin. The party were
lead through an open air kitchen were
again it was a case of déjà vu. The cook,
who looked nothing like the clones, bore a
striking resemblance to the beheaded albino elves that had been discovered in the
belly of a giant wurm in Blacklore. The Ranger produced a light source which caused
the cook to wince. After eating some finger foods, the party finally met the boss,
only referred to as Teranic. Whilst he resembled the clones, Teranic was clearly
much older, and had a handful of scars about his face. He wore a rather unique
looking set of plate mail armor, and had a small unusual looking crossbow of sorts
hung on his waist. Teranic assumed the party were the “help” that had been requested
in dealing with some problematic elementals…the party
went along with the ruse. They were lead into an even
deeper recess of the cavern, passing by numerous rooms.
Some of the rooms held crates of weapons, and more of
this strange looking plate mail. Another room contained
what appeared to be a shrine. Karn’s hairs stood on end
when he noticed the carving of a feathered serpent, and
knew this to be the symbol of an evil God called
Atzanteotl. Referred to as the ‘Lord of Corruption’, he
was once an Elvish King who apparently fled to the
Mystara core. There he learned the Azkan ways, became
immortal and corrupted a group known as the shadow
elves. At the very bottom of the cave there were more
clones, this group found shoveling bat shit next to two
large tunnels, one marked ‘To Nithia’ the other ‘To
Isarthen’. A line of horse stalls housed giant snails who
fed on the bat guano. Governing a large portion of the area was a most impressive
cedar boat. A finely crafted flat barge that was over one hundred feet long that had

a large square hut in its center, the
windows of which revealed only grey
swirling matter. It was an Egyptian river
boat, only there was no river in sight.
There were two people at the rear of the
boat, a bald human man dressed in purple
robes, and a huge Minotaur – a giant
bipedal humanoid that resembled a
bovine with a pair of long horns. Also
present was a familiar odor – serpent
mint. There were big bags of it
everywhere. Teranic and the robed man called Kruthep immediately entered into a
war of words as the two haggled over the price of the mint. A trio of albino Elves
were close by observing the proceedings when a strange voice, emanating from
within the boats cabin, summoned one of them forward. As the cowering Elf stood
outside the cabin door, a strange incantation was heard. The Elf let out harsh screams
as his body began changing shape right before their eyes. It turned into a human,
then a flaming bird and many other things. It ended with the Elf becoming a slug.
Kruthep hovered over it with his foot ready to squash the helpless creature.

Sunday 28th October 2018

The Ranger’s invisible fairy didn’t agree with what was happening in front of her
and cast a sleep spell. The now comatose slug was scooped up by a hasted Paladin
who quickly found herself surrounded by walls of stone. Kruthep didn’t appreciate
having his amusement taken away from him. Teranic stood back with his unusual
weapon drawn, aiming it back and forth at both groups. What was once a negotiation
over the price of some weed had quickly descended into absolute mayhem. The
Cleric and Wizard stood in disbelief as the rest began battering the stone box
surrounding Scüt. A loud audible alarm sounded, set off by another albino Elf.
Thromgaar immediately bashed the Elf’s head in with a single blow, but it was too
late as eight armored clones quickly showed up. Sensing things were quickly
spiraling out of control, Karn and Zander commanded order be restored. Karn
pleaded for Teranic to lower his weapon, while Zander persuaded both sides to stand
at ease. Teranic put his weapon away and the alarm was silenced. He yelled out “Oh
Great one… let us get this deal done” before ordering his guards to go and get the
‘prisoner. Scüt, still holding the slug, watched in amazement as it turned into one of

the clones. “Auger get the mint, we’re leaving” said the voice in the cabin. The
Minotaur began loading bags onto the boat as the guards returned. Gasps were heard
as the chained and muzzled prisoner was Xaptika, the Hutaakan priestess who once
served as their faithful guide. Kruthep let out a wry smile and informed them that
she was to be his bride. Karn and Zander demanded her release at once and Kruthep
mulled over his response. He agreed to remove her bonds so long as they stood guard
over her during their journey. She promptly spat at him as he snapped his fingers
and turned into a 7’ Hutaakan with black and grey fur. Karn enquired into the length
of their journey and was told five days. Kruthep retired to the cabin as Auger
motioned for everyone to board the back of the boat in preparation for their
departure. The journey was a remarkable one. The boat hummed as it passed
effortlessly through earth and stone, the occupants protected by an invisible spherical
shield that surrounded the vessel. The Wizard spent a great deal of time observing
the workings of the boat as the rest questioned the Hutaakan priestess over her
presence in the Hollow World. She was part of an envoy that had taken the long
route in…via an actual stairwell. Two months of darkness ended in suffering as the
rest of her group were killed by vile Elf creatures. She eventually wound up in
Kruthep’s hands as a reward. Zander was convinced the boat was magical as they
occasionally passed red molten lava, and rich veins of gold and other precious
metals. Scüt was determined to discover just what was inside the cabin, having
detected a fiendish presence onboard. She would occasionally hear ‘help me’ coming
from within which was always followed by a sinister ‘stay out’. Auger was
questioned about his boss’s identity. The Minotaur referred to him as ‘the little one’
and divulged that he was a friend of the King Pharaoh in Nithia. Scüt took her
investigation one step further by consuming a shot of the magic rum. Reaching out
through her dreams, she encountered Prince Udon Axe Thrower. Something
powerful and evil was controlling him. The goblin pleaded for help before being
interrupted once again. “My name is Koresh Teyd, now leave him alone”. The
Paladin shared her knowledge and the Orc Monk immediately knew the name. Well
over two hundred years ago, his monastery were given the arduous task of guarding
two evil spirits, both trapped magically inside iron jars. To this day no one knows
how the pair broke free. Auger was questioned about the elementals, and he revealed
that there were two types – earth and fire that worked for his boss. The boat
eventually slowed and rose up into broad daylight. They came to a stop at the top of
a very long desert mesa. Resting on the edge of a huge hollowed out space, the party
watched in awe as multiple large purple worms slithered about below. A long line
of Earth Elementals carried large chunks of metal fragments. Kruthep, back in

human form, finally emerged from the cabin. Zander determined that he had used
alteration magic to alter his appearance. Auger reached into the darkness of the

doorway and came away carrying a tiny
red creature, reminiscent of a spikey
leech. Zander followed the Minotaur off
the boat as it descended into the pit. Auger
jumped onto the back of one of the worms,
slapping the spikey creature onto its back.
It inched its way forward, settling inside
the worm’s mouth. Instructions were
given and the great beast began
channeling down into the earth. The cabin
door opened once again and this time a
new face emerged. The source of the
voice was a small emaciated goblin, who
looked quite frail. His eyes bulged and he
walked hunched over. Attached to his
spine was a long grotesque brown slug
with bright yellow veins. Thromgaar’s eyes widened as a familiar iron cylinder
swung from the goblins neck.

Sunday 4th November 2018

Koresh Teyd examined the metal the Earth
Elementals carried. He was not impressed with their
work rate and voiced his dissatisfaction. He
addressed the party and said it was up to them to
motivate his work force. The Paladin ventured out
amongst the crew, far enough so that the goblin
couldn’t hear what was being said. ‘Pyrite’ was
spoken with whilst the Cleric was asked to recall the
name of the great Earth Elemental that had once
spoken to them in the past. ‘Gabbro’ replied Karn, the
name immediately brought forth a wave of emotions from Pyrite. Looking shocked
and saddened, he recalled how Gabbro was once among their ranks but had
disappeared. Scüt persuaded them to work a little faster, and it was quick enough to

impress Koresh Teyd. Seeming to be in a better mood the goblin spoke briefly of his
past, regaling of the time that he was an Elf in Gallantry. He informed the group that
he was taking them to meet his employer, but before that he needed to resolve the
dispute over the priestess. He ordered a duel to take place at once, between one of
the party vs Kruthep. The bald wizard looked quite alarmed at the announcement
and quickly retreated to the cabin. Moments later a clone appeared, dressed in a set
of the unique armor. A brief discussion was had amongst the party before Karn
volunteered to deal with what stood before them. The goblin grinned and proceeded
to elevate up into the air to watch. The wizard hasted Karn who proceeded to cast a
Shatter spell. Magical energies surrounded the suit and began to swirl around it with
no effect. Kruthep returned with a swing of a staff that looked very similar to
Thromgaar’s. Brushing off the first blow he had received in ages, Karn rushed
forward and proceeded to swing his hammer. Back and forth the combatants went
for what seemed like forever. Eventually the cleric struck a heavy blow and an empty
armor fell apart before him. Karn was not impressed at the trickery used but was
content with his victory. The whereabouts of Kruthep was questioned but Koresh
would only say that he was away somewhere recouping. Zander examined a piece
of the armor before it was quickly taken away…it was clearly anti-magical. The
magical river boat set off once again, this time to meet the great Pharaoh of Nithia,
King Ramos IV. They arrived in the dock room, its painted walls depicting wizards
performing magical incantations. As Koresh Teyd prepared to depart the Wizard
demanded their payment and was handed a large sack of gold coins by Auger.
Having ascended a stair well the party ventured for the through great halls passing a
series of large pleasantly scented rooms. Vanilla and cedar stood out as they admired
huge murals of the Pharaoh. Hordes of people filled out the halls, painters’ sculptors
and scribes to name a few. They were eventually discovered by the guards who wore
leather armor and sandals, wielding carved longswords. They were taken into a small
room where they met the Pharaoh’s high priest Tothmes. He was a middle aged short
bald man, and was keen to learn more about Koresh Teyd. He revealed that the

despicable being was in possession of one of the
Pharaoh’s prized possessions and it bothered him
greatly. The party imparted what they knew as
Tothmes lead them into the throne room. A
ridiculously large hall, which had the appearance of
a holy temple, was full of people. Two thrones
holding simple white cushioned seats were
positioned on top of a pedestal. Sat alone on one of
the thrones was a stunningly beautiful woman. The
Pharaoh’s Queen was enamored at the sight of the
three men in the party. Zander made the
introductions and moments later a loud gong
announced the King’s arrival. A large musical
procession lead King Ramos to his seat. Zander
announced that they possessed a letter from
Emperor Adronius and sent Rusty forward. The
King was so impressed by the animated metal statue
that he thanked the now confused wizard for his
gift. Ramos announced that they could ask him
anything. The Paladin sought clarity on the pit of
purple worms and the involvement of Koresh Teyd. Ramos knew of the great
creatures but was unaware of any danger they presented. He was more focused on
the large forces of Tanagoro that were gathering on his borders. He spoke highly of
Koresh, declaring that no Nithian could rival his magic. The Cleric asked about the
missing Deities. Ramos, alluding to his own immortal status, revealed that he had
frequent conversations with Pflarr and Rathanos. He cared not about the
misadventures of the rest. He denounced Zanathos but dismissed any notion that he
was up to anything. Ramos moved on from the topic by announcing he had a pressing
issue that required the party’s immediate attention. He spoke of ill tidings, reports of
a race of Scorpion men who had become a menace in the desert. The party agreed to
investigate before retiring to very plush sleeping quarters. Tothmes produced
pyramid energy collectors for each of them. The unusual device, which was shaped
like a large coil, drew mysterious powers from the great pyramids. After receiving
instruction on their use in performing basic household magic, Karn proceeded to
braid his beard and dyed it sky blue. Tothmes was quizzed about his knowledge of
the Scorpion Men, but he knew as much as they did. After a short rest the party went
in search of supplies and magical wares in the great city’s markets. The Wizard’s

attention was drawn to the first stall they happened upon as Deithryl had spied an
item that peaked her interest. The vendor, Achmed, waved about a magic paintbrush
that could create three dimensional none magical objects. After a display of
impressive bartering skills, Zander walked away with the brush, a magic carpet that
hovered and held a sizeable weight, a lamp that produced light, and two healing
potions…all for two black opals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 11th November 2018

The party spent the entire day visiting multiple vendors, dispensing with an
exorbitant amount of money. A Hammer of Thunderbolts, Wand of Polymorph and
a cube of Instant Fortress highlighted some the many items acquired. In the evening
they attended an elegant feast courtesy of the Pharaoh. Afterwards, whilst enroute to
their sleeping quarters, the Wizard ‘bumped’ into a rather clumsy cleric carrying a
bundle of interesting looking scrolls. As Karn distracted the apologetic scribe,
Graness managed to stash one of the scrolls down her shirt. Back in their room,
Zander used a comprehend languages to decipher the story contained within. The
scroll, missing it’s bottom half, documented the history of the Goblin brothers. They
were once Elves, a powerful cleric and wizard, from the Province of Ranak. Zander
took the torn scroll and located the clumsy scribe outdoors - burning all of the
unwanted scrolls. Despite his best efforts, the wizard was unable to find the missing

half of the scroll. However, he did learn that the brothers were the creators of a
powerful spell known as the Grasping Dark.

Overnight, the party were
attacked by an unusual pairing
of creatures. A severely injured
Sphinx seeking out Elf flesh
was turned into a box tortoise
by Deithryl whilst Thromgaar
made short work of a giant
python that fell from the
ceiling. The Ranger spoke with
the sphinx turned tortoise and
discovered that the creature had
recently been captured and tortured. During his captivity he was drugged and
convinced he was to consume Elves. Tothmes was summoned and the High Priest
was appalled to learn of what had occurred. The creatures were taken away as extra
guards arrived to stand watch.
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Sunday 18th November 2018

During breakfast with the Pharaoh, Tothmes announced that as a result of the attack
on the party, swift enquiries were carried out. It was discovered that four priests
working in the temple were in fact worshippers of Thanatos. Whilst consuming a
date, the Queen began choking. As Karn performed his best Heimlich, Scüt cured
the fast acting poison afflicting the gorgeous woman. Karn examined the date and
announced it was indeed laced with a harmful substance. The Pharaoh rose and
demanded to know who would poison his queen. Tillio observed a maid making a
quick exit. Thromgaar gave chase and returned with the deviant. After banishing her
to the dungeons, the Pharaoh spoke of the ongoing war between the Nithians and
Tanagoro. By means of a magical triangle shaped device, the party observed live
scenes of the battle. There was a glaring difference between the two factions, one
side clearly well advanced in terms of technology. Tothmes returned with a
diplomatic contingent – more than a dozen Hutaakan priests. They bowed at Xaptika,
who returned in kind, but she did not know or recognize any of them. Their
ambassador, Baxata, rose and addressed the room. They had come with offerings of
additional troops for the war. Karn rose and handed him the letter from Emperor
Andronius before excusing himself. The cleric returned with the reliquary and

presented it to the ambassador. He was most grateful and offered recompense before
their departure. It was announced that Xaptika would part ways with the party and
leave with this group. After breakfast the party went out seeking their desert guide
Hohet. Enroute they encountered a large crocodile attacking a poor fisherman along
the river bank. After healing the wounded man, he offered Zander a magical scarab
from his loin cloth. The party eventually locate Hohet who agreed to be their guide
in return for a reasonable sum of gold. He revealed that he was actually from the
outer world and had been the recipient of some ill fortune. He knew vaguely of the
race of Scorpion men, recalling they inhabited an oasis out in the desert. The party
returned to enjoy another dinner with the Pharaoh. During this event the Hutaakan
Priests gave Karn three scrolls (Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds, and Raise
Dead). The party learned more on Koresh Teyd – his brother was named Simm,
carried a monkey on his back, and was in the company of an elderly woman from
Galantry named Irila Kaze. Irila was a former teacher, a specialist in magics against
the dark arts. The trio were said
to be involved in the study of
magics beyond 20th level. The
next morning the group bid
farewell to Xaptika before
heading off to see Hohet. Their
guide was well prepared. He
had readied sufficient supplies
and the party set out on camels
for their long desert trek.

Twelve hours later they happened upon an impressive sight. A small box shaped
canon filled with jewel encrusted palm trees that resembled diamonds. Several were
convinced it looked real as Graness let loose an arrow at it. As they drew closer, the
sounds of soothing crystal wind chimes could be heard. Scüt, Graness and
Thromgaar ventured forward towards it whilst the rest remained back. Scüt’s mount
suddenly became excited and trotted forward. The Paladin was forced to unsummon
her steed, as an invisible fairy left the shoulder of the Ranger and flew towards the
pretty canyon. The jeweled trees arched and focused a beam of light at the trio,
striking the Paladin. The Orc became enamored with the sight and ran forward. The
wizard cast a fireball at the trees and they took noticeable damage. Scüt chased after
the Monk, grabbing ahold of him she began dragging him back. Thromgaar broke
free and ran towards the pretty trees once again. The wizard hasted the Cleric as

Deithryl transformed the Ranger into a humungous ape. Before the duo could reach
the others, a massive ray of fire lit up the entire canyon and all those within. A
severely scorched Thromgaar collapsed in a heap whilst the invisible fairy was
reduced to ashes. The Cleric reached the fallen Orc in a flash, tending to his wounds.
The Paladin and Wizard destroyed the remaining unique palm trees. They
disintegrated into a fine glittery dust which resulted in two tumble weeds rolling
away from the area. The Giant Ape gave chase, smashing the pair into the hot desert
sand.
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Sunday 2nd December 2018

Traversing the vast rolling sand dunes,
the party were finding the never setting
sun to be an annoyance. Thankfully the
Wizard had purchased the ‘instant
fortress’ which provided some respite
from the blazing heat. Overnight
Thromgaar observed a group of large
reptiles, a cross between a lizard and a
frog, passing their location. The next
day, the party encountered four of the
same creature, half hidden under the
sand. Hohet announced they ate camels
before Deithryl unleashed a fireball.
Two of them avoided the blast, scared
shitless they quickly fled the area. Later
that same day, they encountered a
familiar sight, a large Purple Worm bursting out from the sand. Hohet fired from a
weapon known as a pepper-pot. A collective effort eventually saw the dying worm
begin to flee. A much stronger Karn pulled the 70’ dead creature out of the sand and
it’s lower intestines were opened up. The contents were nothing short of a treasure
trove. Gold coins, multiple gems stones and several unique jewelry items were
cleaned off whilst the rest of the worm was cut up for future consumption. Shelter
was sought once again as a sand storm kicked up out of nowhere. Day three saw the
party skirting around a posse of undead creatures known as mummies, and then a
group of desert star fish. Day four found the guide questioning himself, and it was
determined the sandstorm had thrown them slightly off course. Day five saw the

sand storm return with a vengeance, forcing the party to wait it out. An unseen
servant was put to work removing sand from the fortress. On day six, they resumed
their journey, Hohet thanking the Cleric for spotting their marker – a large smoking
volcano barely visible on the horizon. On the morning of day seven the keen eyed
Dwarf once again spotted something unusual. In the distance was a patch of greenery
and a glint of water. The owl familiar was sent forward and spotted a small crystal
clear pond surrounded by various fauna and drinking animals. The party approached
cautiously to within a few hundred feet. Their guide was convinced it would be best
to allow his camels the opportunity to drink from the pond, and the group found
themselves momentarily in a peaceful oasis. In a blink, their surroundings changed
and a dozen Deinonychus dinosaurs suddenly attacked the party. The wizard
deduced that the creatures used some sort of Psionic ability to create the illusion. A
lightning cloud coupled with the presence of a giant ape saw off half of the group
and the remainder failed their morale and fled in terror.
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Sunday 9th December 2018

The party spent the morning of day
eight being harassed by an
occasional fictitious rain cloud. The
remaining Deinonychus, which had
followed them at a distance,
eventually were distracted by fresh
lizard meat. The rest of the day was
uneventful, and they had closed the
gap between themselves and the
volcano. Early the next morning they
awoke to find themselves surrounded
by the diamond palm trees. Scüt cast
Moonbeam as Deithryl sent down a
fireball and everything changed at
once – the annoyance known as the
psionic dinosaurs were at work once again. The ball of flame killed one as the rest
ran off. The rest of the day was uneventful and that night the party had another
dream…

Dream Sequence
You're walking across the desert toward a high stone cliff. You hear the flapping
of wings overhead. You look up see feathered serpents, hundreds and hundreds of
serpents in numbers that darken the sky. They're all flying toward the cliff. So,
you start running toward it. There's a bad smell in the air, like rotten eggs. You
cover your mouth. Then, without any warning, the cliff face breaks apart!
Boulders fall away, and dust rises from the rubble. Then the dust clears. And
standing there before you, filling the horizon, is a gigantic brown scorpion. The
sun glints on its carapace. Its mandibles clack. The tail's stinger lowers toward
you, and the claws extend to grab you. You run away down a long tunnel, but the
air is too hot. There's a red fire ahead; it's so hot, you catch fire yourself, you're
burning up! You scream —And the scream wakes you up.

The next day the party go and investigate the partial presence of a pyramid, off in a
different direction from the volcano. Tillio had earlier scouted it, noticing mirrored
panels on one side, and some scatter action by a few large ants. Enroute to the
pyramid the party were approached by a tiny troupe…ants being ridden by armored
ants wielding spears. The insects known as Refractors had brief words with the
Wizard after becoming alarmed by his owl friend’s earlier presence. The knew
nothing of any scorpion men and kindly asked the party to journey elsewhere. The
group resumed their initial heading towards the volcano. By early evening the terrain
changed as sand dunes turned into a flat rocky surface. A rocky outcropping was
spotted a few miles away just prior to the smoking volcano. Tillio was sent out once
again, spotting an area of lush green surrounding a clear pond, the area appeared to
be inhabited by different plants and animals. A familiar chirping and barking was
heard and as they drew closer, flying snakes they had encountered once before in
Colima were all about. The Cleric asked the Ranger to converse with the creatures
present. She found a resting snake who asked for assistance to a nearby tree. Hanging
in abundance were hundreds of cocoons, a protective covering that the flying snakes
were covering themselves with. A red feathered serpent, very similar to the one the
Colima Shepperd had, was seen breaking out of a now empty cocoon. As they
continued looking around, two 7’ tall humans were seen in the distance. They were
both waist deep in shrubbery, each carrying a cocoon. They wore a burnoose and
one wielded a glaive, the other a long bow. Several of the party dismounted and
took cover, crouching forward in the deep brush. Karn remained mounted on his
camel and slowly trudged forward, noticing that each wore an iron ring on their
thumb. He hailed them when he got with fifty feet and seemed to catch them by

surprise. Clearly perturbed by Karn’s presence, they replied in an uneducated voice.
The wanted him to leave, threatening that an army was on its way. Karn threw out a
few random questions before settling on the goblin’s name. The two men knew
Koresh Teyd, alluding ignorantly of his possible presence near an underground river
of lava. They reverted to threats once again, forcing the Cleric to reveal a few gold
pieces as they approached. They accepted the coin and said they had to seek out
permission from their chief before they could allow him further passage. The pair
headed toward a concealed cave entrance. One of the two ventured into an opening
hidden by thick brush, whilst the other remained. The pair eventually stood guard
outside the entrance. The dwarf grew impatient and proceeded forward once again.
The pair reverted to ignorant threats before one of the two suddenly charged forward.
It was now apparent that their lower body wasn’t human, but the body of a scorpion.
Two pincers and a sharp tail struck the Dwarf. The hidden made their presence
known and unleashed a flurry of blows on the scorpion man. The one at the cave
entrance let loose a few arrows before Deithryl turned him into a tiny pink snail.
Tillio scooped up the slimy grub and took for the skies. Falling some two hundred
feet, the creature didn’t survive. The two creatures were searched, Karn retrieving
his gold. The wizard cast detect magic, and the two iron rings illuminated. They were
rings of greater fire protection. The entrance to the cave was checked, and five feet
inside was a crude curtain with a circular symbol emblazoned on it. Two fangs inside
the circle drew curious stares but the Cleric determined it was a religious symbol of
some kind. Beyond the curtain was a putrid smell. Sulfur coupled with carrion stench
was too difficult to breath. They searched the dead once again, this time finding a
curious necklace on each of them. They were clean air talismans, simple snake skulls
(asp) wrapped in leather worn around the neck as a choker, they filtered out airborne
toxins for the wearer. Returning to the cave, Tillio scouted out the entire upper level,
noting several squalid chambers. Only one chamber was clean, a temple of sorts,
which was occupied by an old scorpion man. In another chamber were two women
scorpions with several younglings. The party took a short rest before venturing
forward, a few having to fend off the foul stench. They headed straight for the temple
chamber, encountering the old scorpion man who was near an altar chanting. He was
quite an ugly sight and wielded no apparent weapons. Karn dispensed with
pleasantries, opting to dash forward producing his spectral friend. No sooner had he
done so however, the Blacklore Elf waved her new favorite weapon, and turned the
aging scorpion into a pink snail. As she scooped up the slimy creature, the rest
observed their surroundings. A single ray of light illuminated the room. The walls
were covered in crude drawings depicting groups of the scorpion men slaughtering

the race of man and animals. More interesting was another group confronting Koresh
Teyd. There was also a conveniently drawn map outlining their complex, as well as
a passageway to the lower level leading to a river of lava. The party returned
outdoors to a waiting Hohet who remained guarding the camels and animal
companions. The snail was dropped from great heights once again, this time crashing
into the pond. Thromgaar swam out to collect the remains of the dead elder scorpion.
The ring and talisman were removed after the remains were scanned for magical
items.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 16th December 2018

The party headed straight to the
scorpion’s nursery where scores of
babies littered the floor. A dozen
toddler sized younglings were
guarded fiercely by two large
female scorpions. After briefly
discussing how best to dispense
with the venomous creatures- who
were now pleading for their lives,
one of the mothers instigated a
brief skirmish by reaching for a
spear. Deithryl turned Graness into a giant ape which grappled one mother. Babies
were squished, unintentionally, as younglings scattered for cover. And just as
quickly as it all started did it end. An earth shaking chime rang out and time suddenly
stood still as the great celestial voice of Kha began speaking. “Contingency 1A
conditions met…endangered species rescue initiated”. The scorpions vanished
before their eyes. The remaining rooms were searched but no more scorpions could
be found. Seventy serpent cocoons were discovered in another room. Scüt and
Graness gathered and moved them safely outdoors. They returned to the ‘Chamber
of Ages’ where the Cleric destroyed an altar, retrieving three magical rings of fire
resistance from inside it. Zander discovered and translated a series of odd elvish
symbols which he deduced were instructions for operating the Pharaoh’s boat. They
descended the remaining passage, entering a large cavern that contained a river of
lava. The Pharaoh’s ship was conveniently present alongside a cedar dock. Everyone
boarded the boat and entered the cabin for the first time. The small room was empty

save for a large chair in front of controls.
Zander took a seat and got the vessel moving.
He let curiosity get the best of him as he slowly
removed his ring of fire protection. Intense
heat began to singe his body and he quickly
put it back on. They travelled one way for an
hour and stopped at a lava fall. Travelling in
the opposite direction for four hours, they
were forced to stop as a large passive earth
elemental blocked further passage. ‘Pumice’
seemed pleased to hear the name Gabbro. He
announced with a series of winks that he must
guard the passage and fight any who try to
pass. Karn, stood on the bow, poked the pile of animated rock. Pumice faked great
pain and distress as he fled. The boat arrived in a massive, perfectly round room.
They stopped at another cedar dock, which strangely was not affected by the heat. A
dozen fire elementals paid little attention
as they went about molding shapes of
armor. The Paladin hailed them and
asked for Koresh Teyd. ‘Shining
Effulgence’ said very few words,
revealing only that they were governed
by him via a holy ransom. The party
descended a set of stairs and entered a red
lit room. Inside were two familiar foes,
Kruthep the wizard, and Auger his
minotaur companion. The pair were
interrogating a large 8’ winged serpent
that was restrained and hung up by large
metal hooks. They found the evil mage
very hard to hit, while the Minotaur was sent into a deep slumber by Zander. Deithryl
attempted to polymorph Kruthep but the spell’s magic swirled continuously around
his armor. Fearing the worst, Karn dispelled it as Kruthep released powdery dust
into the air, slowing both the Paladin and Monk. Zander cast Haste on Thromgaar to
offset his slow speed while the Cleric blessed everyone. Deithryl turned Graness into
the giant ape once more as the rest surrounded Kruthep who was now wielding a
staff similar to the Monk’s. No one could manage to land a blow, meanwhile

Deithryl chose to remove a ring from the sleeping Minotaur’s finger. Auger briefly
reverted to human form before turning into ash. The Ranger, in giant ape form,
swiped at Kruthep, successfully grabbing ahold of a magical cape that was protecting
him. With his protections now removed, Kruthep was on the receiving end of a
merciless beat down by the Monk. Zander, performing his unique sword dance,
stepped in and sliced Kruthep in two.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 6th January 2019

Scüt examined an unusual oil found inside a large barrel as Karn healed the injured
serpent. A small cage on the floor contained several orange spikey looking creatures
- the same as the one used by Auger to control the great purple worms in the sand
pit. Zander carefully examined the items found on the body of the dead wizard,
which included a locked spell book, a bag of holding and a staff. The Paladin poured
some oil from the barrel onto Kruthep, and his remains turned into gelatin. The
injured snake and a crate of serpent cocoons were carried back to the boat before the
party returned to the scorpion cave. Back outdoors, they arranged with their guide
Hohet to wait at the oasis for another day. Zander cast knock to open up Kruthep’s
spell book as Karn continued healing the serpent. Feeling better, a magical mouth
formed on the snakes face and it began conversing. ‘Melaporn’ and the party had
crossed paths once before – back in Colima. The party travelled back to the scene of
the Kruthep fight, where Graness struck up a conversation with the fire elementals.
She arranged for the anti-magic armor worn by the evil wizard to be remolded to her
size. A pair of mage hands twisted open a large circular handle on a metal door. A
long tunnel opened up into a large room made of world shield metal with loads of
piping overhead. It was occupied by more fire elementals who seemed busy

attending to a series of levers and dials. Also
present was a translucent sphere, a movable
miniature globe of the planet. Scüt spun the
globe, observing parts of the hollow world.
The wizard assessed the room and concluded
its purpose was to control the temperature of
lava and assist the elementals in the creation
of the world metal armor. Without warning
Koresh Teyd appeared, clad in a set of the
anti-magic armor and wielding a staff.
Hanging from his neck was a vial, a magical

canister known to entrap creatures. He laughed at the group, announcing that soon
the shield between the two worlds would crumble, pointing to glowing veins on the
globe. He revealed that he would continue the great work started by his brother who
had attempted to pervert the sun a year earlier. He ordered the fire elementals to
attack whilst waving the vial at them. They obeyed his command, but try as they

might, their flames could cause no harm.
Thromgaar charged the goblin, grabbing the vial
and ripping it from his neck. He tossed it to
Deithryl who interpreted only two words on the
outside – ‘Capture & Release’. She attempted to
capture the goblin, but his armor protected him
from the vial’s magic. The Ranger downed a
potion of Giant Strength and grappled the goblin.
Koresh Teyd was pummeled until his frail body
went limp. A brief pause was followed by
curious looks. Had they defeated him that easily?
Deithryl discovered that the vial contained other
beings and released two enormous elementals. The pair were royalty, one a fire and
the other an earth, and they carried their young child. They were relieved to finally
be released from their prison. The Cleric, convinced he knew what he was doing,
ripped the slug from the limp goblins back, tearing flesh off in the process. The slug
was secured in the vial while the wizard examined the impressive staff the goblin
wielded. Scüt located a secret room which contained an odd contraption that
appeared to be designed for cloning a goblin’s body. A second room was found,
fairly empty save for a door, a large panel and a desk. Zander cast a knock spell to
unlock one of the desk drawers. Four viles of ‘Oak & Acorn’ were discovered and
handed to Karn.
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Sunday 13th January 2019

Scüt and Thromgaar were intrigued by the large panel in the corner that had four
large levers. Moving each one to observe its effect, they eventually opened a
doorway that revealed another long passage. Another lever opened a screen on the
wall, behind which was a solid glass window. Peering through, they could see a huge
cavern that was occupied by the largest, fattest worm they had seen to date. The
creature was meticulously placing blob shaped creatures into crevices along the cave
walls. They discovered the tunnel lead into the cave, its floor covered in murky green

water and filled with young purple worms. Clusters of eggs were seen along the
walls, and inside some of the crevices were comatose earth elementals being
consumed by worm larva. The gargantuan worm was one of the Old ones according
to the elemental prince. Thromgaar was convinced it was his duty to capture the 500’
long creature. The party obliged and the Monk was suddenly buffed by a variety of
spells. A hasted Orc flew into the room and spoke the command word as he aimed
the vial at the mother worm. There was a sudden whoosh as the creature was
magically sucked into the device. The wizard cast Fly on Karn who ventured into
the crevices and cast lessor restoration on an earth elemental. It awoke and shuddered
at its surroundings, before proceeding to smash the larvae into a pulp before waking
the rest of his kin. The party decided
to rest while waiting for the
Ranger’s new armor to be
completed. It wasn’t long before it
was finished, and Graness looked
most impressive. As a token of their
appreciation, the elementals agreed
to move the boat up to the surface, a
direction the wizard had yet to
figure out. Safely returned to the
surface, the party were quickly
surrounded by flying serpents. Their
Queen requested their presence, to
receive gifts of thanks for their great
deed. The colorful snakes flew them
quite high above the clouds, and
onto a floating continent shaped like an island. They set down in vast grass land
surrounded by rolling hills. Walking the rest of the way, the party’s attention was
drawn to an abundance of berry fruit, blossoming in a variety of colors. Karn and
the two wizards observed with interest as the others began consuming various fruit.
The Paladin disappeared, having become ethereal. Thromgaar was convinced he
could breathe underwater, while the Ranger began to glow. They waited an hour for
Scüt to reappear, who proceeded to eat a different berry which doubled the tortle’s
size. Graness’ deer companion ate a single berry and was no longer hungry. The
Paladin was thoroughly enjoying the moment and downed another berry to no effect.
Her gaze caught a weevil burrowing in the earth, and then it was suddenly turned
into a pebble. Their long jaunt finally brought them before the entrance of a large

cave, the exterior surrounded by many flying snakes. Inside they descended a wide
passage, the walls of which were made of colorful crystal bubbles. Almost
immediately, the snakes serving as their guide voiced grave concern. The place was
devoid of activity and was eerily silent. A crackle and buzz sound echoed in the air.
They arrived in an enormous spherical chamber, home of the Queen mother. She
was present, her great colorful scaly body outstretched and bound by a series of long
metal cables that resembled webbing. She had been the recent victim of a lightning
attack and was in poor shape. She had just enough strength to utter a few words “Fly
away…save yourselves!” A series of lightning crackles broke out as a flying Koresh
Teyd appeared once more. He let out a wry smile… LEVEL UP (Party are now level 8)
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Sunday 20th January 2019

A case of déjà vu? Not quite.
This time, the irate goblin
wore a colorful cape made
of serpent feathers. In one
hand he held a colorful egg,
and in the other wielded a
powerful staff. An intense
battle of epic proportions
broke out. Sven the deer had
its first turn at being the
great ape, but it wasn’t the
only giant to make an
appearance. KT dropped the
egg, and two gargantuan
spiders, each as big as a house, suddenly appeared over the Queen’s body. The party
were still a good distance away, and several levels above her location. Zander hasted
the Cleric, who dashed forward to make up ground. A 12’ Paladin followed suite but
lost her footing and ended up falling prone. Suddenly several KT clones, wearing
multicolored hide and carrying pepper pots, began emerging from adjacent tunnels.
To add to the difficulty of their task, a bolt of lightning whizzed about inside the
cavern, appearing and then disappearing as it ricocheted through the tunnels. Sven
turned Giant Ape leaped forward and swatted at KT as he hovered, snatching him
out of the air. Deithryl let loose a huge fireball at a clone. The globe of red flame

incinerated the goblin where it stood but rebounded off a mirrored pillar in the
process forcing several to take evasive action. Karn went to work on another clone,
smashing it’s head in with his powerful hammer. Thromgaar waded into the deep
end, jumping on top of one of the spiders. As he dished out a series of impressive
blows the other spider grappled him hard. Graness buried her sword into the spiders
legs, and a series of sharp hairs fired back in reaction. Scüt quickly returned to her
feet and produced an act of sheer genius. She dropped one of the magical berries into
the mouth of the Queen who became ethereal and disappeared. The Paladin turned
and unleashed her fury on one of the spiders with her magical trident, and poof it
was gone. No longer grappled, the Monk finished off the other spider. KT managed
to break free from the grapple and fired off a disintegration spell at the giant ape.
The crude ball of energy sent shockwaves through Sven’s system, but by the grace
of the Gods it somehow survived. The Wizard had seen enough and fired off five
magic bolts at the goblin. It sent KT into a tail spin sixty feet up in the air. As the
ape steading itself, the monk ordered Sven to throw him at the prone goblin. A flying
Thromgaar plucked KT out of the sky and floated back to the ground in true monk
fashion. Karn, on the receiving end of several bullets, dealt with the remaining clone.
Scüt stomped the ground with her trident as she stepped up and gazed at KT’s
stunned body. She swiveled her weapon and thrust it straight through his head. There
was a sudden blue flash and his body was gone. She downed an ethereal berry and
went looking for the Queen. There was another crackle as the annoying lightning
bolt appeared from a tunnel and headed straight for the Ranger. Graness whinced as
she braced for a jolt. Opening an eye, she let out a sigh of relief as it swirled around
her. Deithryl revealed to the rest that KT’s fading was very much reminiscent of the
time the party projected themselves in the library room. Meanwhile an ethereal Scüt
located the Queen and the pair had managed to find the real Koresh Teyd. The goblin
was in a room at the end of tunnel curled up in a fetal position, completely comatose.
For good measure she knocked him out again and removed his belongings. A large

spell book was retrieved along with his cloak, staff and
dagger. Back in the main chamber Karn and Thromgaar
found themselves having to remove shield metal bullets
from their bodies in order to properly heal. Zander went
about collecting the four pepper pots and a total of 98
shield metal bullets. The weapons were examined and
found capable of firing 7 shots at once. The Paladin
returned and Thromgaar immediately produced the vial. The slimy slug was safely
captured, however the host goblin remained. The Cleric healed the lifeless body, and

the creature awoke. ‘Prince Udon Axe Thrower’ was weak and tired, his emaciated
body requiring nourishment. He was elated and relieved to no longer be under the
control and torment of the slug. The Prince promised the party a great reward once
he returned to his home in the Broken Lands. Karn was quick to question the goblin
on a many number of things. Axe-Thrower and his brother, who he suspects is now
dead, had been captured long ago by a very old and powerful wizard woman named
Irila-Kaze. He revealed that the slug (Koresh Teyd) and monkey were most
definitely servants of the dark lord Thanatos. The Queen Serpent then addressed the
group, announcing she had two rewards. First, she offered each of them the chance
to become like her, the ability to turn into a flying serpent at will. She gashed her
side with a fang and as a line of blood ran down her body she asked them to drink it.
Everyone recognized the benefits and drank the Queen’s blood. Afterwards she
directed them outdoors where they collected purple berries. They each ate the fruit
and found themselves experiencing unique vision. The Queen directed their gaze
toward a place they recognize as Colima. Peering through mist high above the village
they spied Guardians who stood watch. Finally, their gaze came to a stop at a crash
site. Resting high atop a mountainside, lay a damaged airship. “This may help you”
said the Queen.
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