Brief Recap: Last turn, the adventurers bickered over breakfast and eventually Humphrey gave the Stone to the party. . .

Resume the Quest

As Humphrey prepares to go back upstairs and as Blade strides out the door, a horn is heard in the distance. A cold chill runs down Blade's spine. He has heard that horn before, in Heklamar--it is the war call of the Githyanki.

Bells start ringing all over town as people begin to respond. Blade wonders how close the Gith must be. Standing at the entrance of the Inn, he grabs the sleeve of a passing worker and asks, "What's happening?"

The man replies, "It's the `larm! The Gith is comin'! Where you been, out to sea?!" He then runs off.

Blade sees a shadow slide across the ground and out of sight. He looks up in the air and sees a wyvern rider skimming the rooftops of Galay. Others can be seen farther off.

Everyone in the party begins to move. They first run upstairs to gather their possessions. Humphrey says, "We must get to the Keep. That is where we will find Egmund."

[DM note #1: who took the Stone? Last I heard, it was sitting on the table. Please post what your characters do about it. If you want Mog to carry it, please say so. And please give your answer without referring to events that happen in this new post--your characters wouldn't have known the things to happen in this turn while at the breakfast table last turn.]

[FLASHBACK to last turn:

When Humphrey sees no one going for the stone, he says, "If we cannot make a decision regarding who should hold the stone, I suggest Bibi herself keep it. It is her heirloom--and on her now rests the weight of the world."]

After discussing it with Mog Bibi reluctantly cares the stone to Egmund. She can hardly believe that she has come this far and is now putting it in her pocket. She asks Mog to stay close until they get the stone to Egmund.

[End FLASHBACK]

A few minutes later, the company is assembled outside the Inn ready to leave. They dash through the narrow cobblestone streets of Galay, witnessing the frantic preparations of the city's remaining inhabitants. Groups of fighters sit atop roofs with heavy crossbows and arbalests, firing at the wyvern riders.

Everyone else is headed to the city walls and watchtowers.

Ghotu wonders how the Gith intend to reach the island. Surely they can't fly their entire force onto the island with wyvern. They must have ships or powerful magic in their service to reach the island. The confederate navy of the Free Cities is formidable, and Ghotu wonders what the Gith have done to overcome it, for surely the free cities would field every ship they could to prevent the fall of Galay.

As if in answer to Ghotu's unspoken questions, a passing mage of the War Cabal climbs atop the dais of a statue in one of the intersections, grasping the statue with one hand and shouting in a magically loud voice, "THE GITH ARE ON THE ISLAND. THEY HAVE

TELEPORTED THEIR ENTIRE ARMY ACROSS THE BAY. WITHDRAW TO THE KEEP IMMEDIATELY. ALL REMAINING CITIZENS ARE ORDERED TO WITHDRAW TO THE KEEP IMMEDIATELY!!!"

Humphrey is astounded by this news. He knows of no Wurldly magic that could transport an army onto the island, for there are massively powerful wards made by the guildmages to prevent such things. A century's worth of wish spells made by the most powerful mages to ever walk the guild halls (or the Wurld for that matter) protect the island from just this sort of attack. Nothing less than a god could unbind such magic.

A large explosion at the gates of the city, about a mile from where the company is, reminds Humphrey that the Gith are led by just such a creature. She must not be a mere demon, thinks Humphrey, but an actual goddess.

The company arrives at the Keep just before a great throng of people. Explosions and cries can be heard throughout the city as the gith invade. At the entrance to the keep they see Oorialith, the aged healer of the guild who gave Bardock and Fyona their salves to protect them from their gith tattoos. He recognizes the company and waves them toward himself, saying, "Quickly, inside! Egmund awaits you!" He then calls to a man-at-arms, saying, "Boris, escort these to Egmund immediately! They are the ones he has been waiting for!" The group crosses the narrow span over the chasm that separates the keep from the city proper.

* * *

After a twisting journey through the keep, they arrive at Egmund's chambers. They enter and see, to their surprise, King Ozrik and Bruce Tyrlan talking with Egmund. There is also another mage whom the party does not recognize. Egmund holds a device that looks like a truncated scepter in his hand. The object is silver and about a foot long with a ball on one end, the entire device having knobs and buttons all over it. In the top of the ball is a small depression--for the Obsidian Stone.

Egmund says, "At last, they made it! King Ozrik, I believe you already know these men and women. There is no time for further introductions. I must instruct you on the use of the device. Do you have the Obsidian Stone? Did you succeed in your quest?"

[DM NOTE #2: Please refer to DM note #1, above, about who took the obsidian stone after Humphrey gave it up.]

Before anyone can answer, a loud "WOOSH" is heard outside Egmund's windows. Air rushes in and is then sucked out, snuffing the flame from all the candles and lanterns. An instant of darkness follows, then the crack of stone can be heard. The entire outer wall of Egmund's suite is yanked off the keep itself, exposing the party to open air. The floor near the edge crumbles, and King Ozrik (who is nearest) begins to fall. It is many hundred feet to the ground.

And there, floating, with a nebulous purple aura, is Thae-Rune Ibn.

"Give me the Stone!" he commands.

Blade whispers to Bibi (or whoever actually has teh stone) "I'll distract him. You get the stone into teh time device." He then theatrically pulls a pouch from his belt, walks toward Thae Rune Ibn, and says loudly. "Here is what you desire, you ugly pustule! If you want it. you'll have to kill me to get it. But I warn you, It will be no easy task. Perhaps you'd care to test your luck. " He draws his sword and readies for the coming attack that is sure to follow.

Bibi moves toward Egmund with her hand on the stone in her pocket. once she has reached him she will take out the stone and put it in the machine.

Fyona draws her weapons and stand were she is watching Blade and Thae Rune Ibn. The desire to join Blade and try to kill him now is strong but she resists. Wait for the day when she will be the first to attack (assuming they go back in time before he attacked her). She watches Blade very carefully and waits to save him from Ibn or himself.

Ghotu would rather be fighting the gith than in such close proximity of so many magus. He hasn't the grasp of magic he has of fighting, and has been on guard since entering the building. He was ready when the floor fell. "Dont let me fall Bronk," he yells. The net is already in flight, after Ozrik.

If its not feasible to haul Ozrik back up hell try to deposit him on next floor down. Plot point available if needed.

Humphrey dissappears.

On the second round, while invisible, Humphrey reads a scroll of Prot. from Fire 15' radius.

Posting Instructions:Please post your actions at this point. None of you knows how the time machine (Edmund's scepter) works, though it seems obvious that the depression in top is meant to house the obsidian stone. Egmund holds the time machine.

HOME