Turn 61

The Druids of Dunore

Brief Recap: Last turn, Bibi met up with Ghotu and Bronk, and Mog fell into catatonia for unknown reasons. Bibi also got word that Azriel would meet her near her homeland, but she sent a messenger to him that she could not make it. Bibi, Ghotu, and Bronk headed south with Mog to find a healer capable of helping the orc.

Decisions

Bibi, Ghotu, and Bronk Beareye ride south, Mog being dragged behind Ghotu's horse on a litter. They head for Thedrickstand Keep, a few days ride south of Bibi's home in the forest. After having spent several weeks in the forest already, and communing literally hundreds of times, she feels like she is leaving home.

The terrain is hilly and snow-covered, and they follow no road toward the keep because none exist north of the keep. But eventually they see the large stone gate towers above the intervening hills. They arrive at the keep near dusk on the fourth day they set out.

On the journey, Bibi notes thankfully that most of Mog's bodily functions have nearly ceased, the shaman being in some sort of trance. This fact makes caring for Mog much easier, for he can do nothing but stare and drool.

Even though he seems unaffected by the bumpy ride, Bibi can hardly stand the sight of it. So, each day she carries Mog, letting her boots do the work for as long as they will last.

The party stays at the keep for the night (actually within the walled city surrounding the keep itself), and in the morning they head to the Temple of Yelm, the largest temple at Thedrickstand. There they are aided by a young acolyte who examines Mog carefully. But the cleric is grave when he informs them that neither he nor any of his brethren are capable of dealing with such a sickness. Such healing magic is now rare in the Northern Kingdom, and even rarer in the southern Free Cities, where religious magic has been largely pushed aside by the powerful Mages Guild.

Bibi is a little surprised by this. She knows that Mog is one of the most powerful mendicants she has ever met, but she also believed that the temples in civilized lands were manned by powerful priests to rival the leaders of her own religion.

She mentions this to the acolyte helping them, and he speaks with reverence of the `Great Druids of Dunore:' "Though my order is foremost among our pantheon, none of our priests rivals the Grand Druid in power. I have heard of the Great Temples in the far southlands, south of the free cities and beyond Trajia even. There you might find a healer or priest worthy of a challenge such as this," he says, indicating Mog. "But none of my order has magic potent enough to heal him."

The journey south just to the Free Cities will take the party months from their current location with Mog in tow. Bibi knows the Druids possess healing magic too, but she does not know if they will be able to help Mog.

Bibi also inquires about any magic user that may have the powers to teleport them to the Dunore. (If there is someone then they go see them. Otherwise...)

[DM NOTE: There are no mages in the Northern Kingdom but Humphrey as far as you know. Mages do not dwell there.]

[Anne, I deleted your post where you talked about finding a pigeon. You can alter it and add again or repost when you decide what you want to do. Micah's post follows:]

Ghotu and Bibi and Bronk discuss their options at this point. Ghotu speaks: "Bibi, the way I see it, we have no options. Everything we must do points toward Dunore and the Druids. For Mog's sake, time is most assuredly of the essence. If we go to Dunore we will have to pass through your homeland, but when they see you have the stone, I believe the malice they once bore you will no longer be there. And we will defend you if they do try to harm you. If you go to Dunore, you may be able to advance in your religion, which may make you able to use the stone to save Mog's life. And if you still can't help Mog, then maybe the Grand Druid can help him."

Bibi replies emphatically, wondering why Ghotu would think that she did not realize the importance of time. "Yes, we should go as soon as we can. But as for my people, I would prefer we avoid my homecoming be it welcomed or not. It would only slow us down and please believe me that Mog is my greatest concern."

(Does Ghotu have Bibi's horse. If he does then she attaches what ever it is that drags Mog to her horse and has it pull Mog without a rider. So, that if we are attacked the horse can flee with Mog.)

Bibi decides that when they reach her home she will take animal form so that she is not recognized.

[What does the party decide to do? Head south? Head east, toward the druids? Bibi's message has already been sent, so Azriel is unlikely to be at their meeting point when the party arrives if you go there. Farther east is Bibi's homeland, and beyond that is Dunore, seat of Druidic power, where the Grand Druid can be found. Such a journey is likely to take many weeks.]

_____

To Return a Blade

Brief Recap: Last turn, Blade ended up charging the monster, and Fyona unsuccessfully tried to communicate with it.

Attack!

Fyona tries to speak aloud to the monster, but it either does not hear her or ignores her. It moves to attack the archers who still harry it with their arrows, while Blade charges it from behind with a loud, "Consequences be damned!"

The monster, apparently hearing Blade's horse approach, turns to face its attacker just as Blade arrives. The fighter hacks at the beast while trying to avoid its claws and bite, hitting twice and wounding the beast [Blade does 14 damage total]. But the monster also hits Blade, swiping him once with a claw and nearly biting his leg as he sits on his horse [Blade takes 12 damage, down to 121/133]. The monster looks confused now, and does not like being attacked from multiple sides. Blade quickly decides he does not like the situation either as one of the archers' arrows strikes his horse [Blade's horse takes 4 damage]. The archers apparently don't mind firing into melee, as the arrow in the dead spearman attests.

Blade shouts at the archers, "HOLD YOUR FIRE YOU DAMN FOOLS!" as he quickly dismounts and rushes at teh beast on foot. He couldn't risk having his horse killed out in the middle of nowhere, especially by overzealous archers.

"Feel free to jump in anytime, Fyona." he says as he again attacks the beast. As he does so, he tries to position himself behind teh monster so it will shield him from any errant arrows the archers may still be firing.

Fyona kicks her horse, urging her toward the monster and raises her rapier again. She shouts this time to the archer. "Fire again and you will die next."

[NOTE: Blade's horse can still carry him, but it is wounded and won't be able to carry him for too long without aid of some kind. Horses only have 3 HD, remember, so your horse has lost nearly 25% of its HP.]

[NOTE: I decided Fyona saved her attack this round, since you didn't post any attack or other action.]

_____

The Crown of Acererak

Brief Recap: Last turn, Humphrey discovered a visitor in his new home, his old friend Nepal...

Why are you here?

Nepal and Humphrey still sit in Humphrey's manor house drinking tea. Humphrey has just finished relating the story of the Company's adventures since Humphrey joined them, so many months ago, or years it seems. Then again, thinks Humphrey, very little time has passed now that the timeline has been reset. In fact, it is still winter, and the old timeline would still be playing out, and the siege of Heklamar would be just about to begin. Humphrey remembers that battle. Many died, and though the city was taken, the delay had served its purpose. The company had bought enough time to achieve their ultimate goals, and the gith are no longer a threat--at least for now.

Nepal digests all this information. "I suspected some kind of time travel, but dismissed the possibility since no human mage had ever accomplished it before. But then, no mage ever had an item like this obsidian stone to work with, either. Egmund again shows that he is most clever. And you say King Ozrik allowed this girl still in her teens to keep the stone? Amazing..." he says as he sips his tea.

"But this brings me to the other reason I sought you out, old friend. As you know, I too traveled back in time, though I ended up back in my tower when Egmund's device had done its work. Now that I know what has happened, I have a favor to ask of you.

"In the previous timeline, just a few weeks from now in fact, I was (or rather, I am) scheduled to make a trade with a sorcerer named Jalabi bin Saud. He is from the far south, or so he claims. Well, as you know, I have already lived out that trade once, before you and your friends altered the timeline. And this Jalabi double crossed me. I was trading two of my newer tomes for one of his older ones, and I made the trade in good faith. However, as I was leaving, his minions ambushed me. He has powerful servants, and I barely escaped with my life. I lost both my original tome and the ones he was to give me.

"And now, I get to relive that trade. Except this time, I have the advantage of foresight. I know his trap. And though knowing is half the battle, as they say, it is not the whole battle. If I go to that meeting again, the same thing will happen, and though I escaped last time, it was only by luck, to be honest.

"I want you to accompany me, old friend, and help me give this traitor what he deserves."

I would be glad to accompany you, but I must make some careful preparations. I must show you another of the treasures I procured in my recent quests." Humphrey shows him the Demon's head. "I am not sure what I am to do with this monster, but I certainly couldn't leave it in the hands of a Rasheman! They would have been worshipping it before the winter season." He laughs a hearty laugh unlike any he'd done in quite some time. He is obviously glad to see his old companion.

[Note--If Nepal agrees, Humphrey has some preparations to make before you put us in that situation.]

Nepal grins sardonically and says, "What did you have in mind?" He looks at the demon's head with interest, trying to gauge what type it is. "I assume it's still 'alive?'" __________

Telegaming Summary

Following is a summary of the telegaming session conducted between Anne, Keith, Micah, Rob, and me on April 19, 2003.

First, we went to Blade and Fyona in the midst of melee. The two were headed south from Heklamar on their way to the southern Free City of Pastille, where Bruce Tyrlan makes his home, where Blade intends to return the Dragonslayer Sword he "borrowed." The journey from Heklamar to Pastille is several weeks.

When the two were just about a week south of Heklamar, they heard a melee, and investigated, which led them to find a winged lion-like creature with a human head fighting several humans.

Before they entered the melee, the two heard a voice in their heads telling them to not attack. After Fyona unsuccessfully attempted to talk to the creature, Blade attacked it. Two human archers also attacked, one of them (accidentally?) hitting Blade's horse.

But before the combat went very far, the creature told the two adventurers that it was not their enemy, and that it had been attacked by the humans. Blade questioned one of the still living humans and found out that they had all been hired by the mage, who wanted to kill the creature for unknown reasons. The mage was the first among them to die.

One of the humans was still alive, without a mount. Blade started to help the spearman, but his sword indicated that the man was an enemy. Deciding not to help him therefore, Blade and Fyona left him at the mercy of the monster, who called itself Lamassu.

Next, we followed the adventure of Bibi, Ghotu, and Bronk who were trying to help Mog. They had journeyed south to Thedrickstand keep, where they learned that no clerics in the region would be able to help Mog. They decided to try for Bibi's homeland and the Grand Druid there.

They journeyed eastward, eventually reaching the High Stone Alter, which overlooks the northern sea of ice. from there they entered the Forest of Dunore, where Bibi's people dwell.

Scouting as a Bird, Fyona saw scouts of her people. The scout agreed to take them to their settlement, in the hopes that their druid (Azriel) could help Mog.

When they arrived, Bibi revealed herself. Though Azriel was unable to help Mog, he agreed to take them to Dunore, where the Grand Druid dwells.

On the journey, the full moon approached, prompting Bibi to reveal to Azriel that she had found the Obsidian Stone.

Once in Dunore, the company had an audience with the Grand Druid. The Grand Druid agreed to help Mog, and also asked Bibi to return the Obsidian Stone to the care of the Druids. Bibi reluctantly agreed, with the assurance that the Druids would present the stone to her if asked.

The Grand Druid also asked Bibi if she had heard news of her father. She said she did not even know he was alive, and the Druid suggested he might be. When she pressed him for more information, he revealed that her father had been given the Obsidian Stone because of a service he had rendered to the Druids, a service that involved a demon and which ended up giving her father the affliction which she carries.

Posting Instructions: Please add as you like, and feel free to revise any actions I have portrayed you as taking.

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