Logs from May 18th 2009 update
3 August 1382 (12 Halane 730)
Minds Eye to an area in the woods on a rock close enough to the druid grove to grok. Party Link then we jump.
She is definitely connected via the druid grove and it extends at least through the Tethyr forest.
Strahd’s connection supports and keeps human beings alive but hers is eliminating humans via the connection. The nature of her connection is a little different. In his case, it is a direct connection to him to the land. In her case, it is the druid grove to the land.
She senses sickness, disease, insects in the nature. Nature is angry toward humans. Her anger has become nature’s anger; her intent has become nature’s intent. It definitely escalated after Darius’ request for her aid.
We took the carpet toward Trademeet. En route, we see a human being attacked by an ankheg. We kill it and retrieve our arrows. Tiriel tries to convince the farmer to leave with the Trademeet people and he figures he will still hang around.
We arrive to Trademeet and find that there is only about 150 people leaving. Tiriel speaks to the crowds trying to get them to leave. A noble woman requests an audience and tries to convince us to go fight the druid. Tiriel does a terrible job speaking to her and the woman gets offended and sends her guards after the mayor. Tiriel and the gang look tough and the guards back down.
We get back to the square and find out that the mayor and guards have run out. There are animals in battle with the guards. A giant scorpion, a giant spider and two wolves. Darius tries to talk to the wolves but they are in battle and don’t pay attention.
We shoot the scorpion and spider and retrieve our arrows. The mayor is not here. Darius goes west to search for him and Tiriel goes east. Darius finds the remnants of a fight. Tiriel finds the big battle with the mayor and guards fighting a bear, wolves, an ankheg, giant scorpion, spiders. Tiriel and Bob join this fray and then follow the mayor and his guard around to the various gates to battle the various critters.
Darius causes fear in the wolves she finds at the west gate and then proceeds around to the various gates and heals the two seriously wounded guards in the name of milamber. When everyone is back together, Darius takes the opportunity to express her grief in Sindarin over that evil druid bitch sacrificing the innocent animals for her cause against any reasonable judgement.
We cannot convince the mayor to come with us because his duty is there to the town.
At noon, 250 people go through Balm’s gate. Balm says things are weird so he doesn’t want to leave the sphere.
In Suzail, Captain Jonathan reminds us that we should give them some money to help them get started. We don’t have any handy so we have them show up at the church. Tiriel makes a pound of gold worth $5K. We give each person 20 gp and keep the rest for the church. Once that is settled, Darius calls Balm to check on him. He says he is watching some weird stuff and if they are not busy, he wouldn’t mind having them there with him.
We head to Chaos and Darius begins scrying using Violet Eye and Wisdom of Usela. She determines that an attack on the Fortress of Chaos is imminent, i.e. today, three attacks to be precise though she only gets info on two. Tzang is the leader of the first attack with 12,000 troops and they are currently 50 miles out. The second wave is 200 and is 55 miles out. The most dangerous is the 23 demons. There are chaos knights. Their goal is to overwhelm and destroy. Her information is that Mabelode is the force behind it. One of us remembers that he is one of the three Lords of Chaos, as referenced in the book that we used to research Black Razor about the Stormbringer stories.
Duke Tyr runs with the Chaos effect.
Balm pops Ahz to us at the sphere and then out toward the perimeter where the troops seem to be coming. He sees the horde of the first attack and the 200 big demons led by a demon named Quarl and the third attack which is pure gellified chaos that sweeps up anything in its path and tends to transform it unnaturally.
We decide to get the sphere out and not fight this fight. It is a fight that we cannot win and Milamber didn’t stay for it either. We recall that after Darius got catapulted into the future 6 years and Milamber wasn’t there to send her back or wasn’t answering, it was understood that Milamber of present day would have to go get her. Also, he knew something big was happening but didn’t know what. We think it might be Mabelode, ancient inhuman god of chaos showing up.
Darius makes a new Valgar out of the body bits he gave us. It is agreed that Soro will fly the sphere home. We teleport to the tower and speak with GAris.
Milamber had said to keep the church strong so we decide to give some parties. It is decided that we will mix things up a bit to stir some interest in the church. Garis is going to Waterdeep to head the new church there. Darius will take over at Baldurs Gate. Balm will go to Suzail and Tiriel will handle Nesme. Darius will still run interference with Maxor and King Ironfist.
August 4, 1382 (13 Halane 730)
We throw the Baldurs Gate party which is a huge success. We begin prep for Waterdeep’s party and Suzail’s party. Masked lord aids in clearing out problem inhabitants in our land. In between, Darius and Tiriel work on spells in the time warp. Darius is working on an Instill Skill spell to help Pauden beef up for the potential fight with the druid. Tiriel learns Extend.
Ahz has been keeping an eye out for us on the goings on at the Fortress of Chaos. The horde et all has finally marched on the Fortress of Chaos but can’t get in. As the chaos goo hits some of the slaadi, they mutate to more demonic looking beings.
At some point, Mabelode shows up and enters the fortress. It sinks into the goo and a black fortress takes its place.
August 5, 1382 (14 Halane 730)
Various discussions lead to 6 reluctant priest volunteers and 8 volunteers from Baldurs Gate for Waterdeep.
Tiriel talks to the masons about construction at Waterdeep. An asshole living in the lands granted to Tiriel and the church of Milamber convinces the others to stay so Tiriel has to work on clearing the area. She goes to guards for help and a bribe later gets one captain to help. We provide 300 gp to simplify things.
Darius learns the spell Instill Skill by 4:30 and is still able to make the party. She does the secret service grok of the area for danger and neighbors. Wave detects a couple dozen people underground beneath our area. Her grok indicates that they are thieves and all living humanoids of some kind. Balm talks to the thieves guild about staying out of the party and our hair.
Garis has hired criers, Tiriel caterers. At the party, we give out holy water and food and drink. The party is a great success.
We fix up a building for our clerics to stay in for 50 gp.
Spent 1000 gp on party and furniture. Tiriel also spends 5 gp per day protectors for our clerics.
August 6, 1382 (15 Halane 730)
We plan a party for Suzail since Baldurs Gate and Waterdeep went so well. Darius starts the plans. She invites the King and Maxor, gets cateres, criers.
Tiriel and Bob head to Nesme, then on to visit the Prince of Melderyn. They then go to visit Drizzt and Cattiebrie in the forest. Cattiebrie expresses a strong wish to see her father, Bruenor. Tiriel goes to visit her mom and dad and makes arrangements for Bruenor, Cattiebrie and Drizzt to visit at her mom’s house in Melderyn.
Darius practices her spell by instilling skill of Milamber worship. One she crictically succeeds on and he is much enlightened, as much about her as he is about Milamber.
August 7, 1382 (16 Halane 730)
For our Suzail party, a rival church – specifically that jerk cleric of Luck – is sending out counter messages and trying to undermine our party. Darius and Balm counter with more criers and giving money to new immigrants from Trademeet.
The party was good but not great like in Baldurs Gate and Waterdeep. The city and country are in too much blight. The king shows up for the party. Tiriel hides away from him since they have never been on very good terms.
It is agreed that the Level 5 priest of Suzail will switch places with the Level 4 priest of Nesme to get new blood and give the Nesme guy a change of scenery.
August 8, 1382 (17 Halane 730)
Tiriel interviews with the masked lords of Waterdeep to become the new open lord. One set in the morning and one set in the afternoon. They discuss security issues and there is a private vote.
Darius visits Pauden to discuss the Hierophant’s request for him to come to him with the implication being that he must challenge Faldorn to ritual combat. She has Pauden discuss the nature of the ritual, how it will be done, who does what. It is agreed that we will boost his skills in the tower.
Tiriel boosts his Endurance and Strength by 3 each. Darius over the next two days boosts his aura and will by 2 each.
Ahz checks in and says that a Black fortress made of chaos goo has sprung up over the sunken Milamber’s fortress of chaos.
August 9, 1382 (18 Halane 730)
Tiriel heads to Nesme; No news so onto Waterdeep where she is announced as the new Open Lord of Waterdeep. The ceremony is scheduled for the next day.
Garis and Tiriel further the plans for the church.
Tiriel boosts Pauden’s dex by 1 point.
August 10, 1382 (19 Halane 730)
Pomp and Circumstance. Tiriel is sworn in as new open lord of Waterdeep. Goes very well. Tiriel brings in Mom and Dad for the ceremony. Laereal and Khelben there together. Maxor goes after Darius runs interference.
That night at the Tower of Chaos at Baldurs Gate, Tiriel visits with parents and it is agreed that they will be the neutral place for Drizzt, Cattiebrie and Bruenor to visit. Mom insists on sprucing up the place a bit. Tiriel gives her 1200 in gems to do so.
August 11, 1382 (20 Halane 730)
Balm wants a new bag of holding because his was attached to Milamber’s realm and now the other end, the room in the fortress, is surrounded by pure chaos. For now Balm has buried the bag out in a field. Darius goes looking for one. At the Adventurer’s shop she finds herself a Hevards Haversack – a bag of holding back pack. The shop owner had a guy there that day trying to sell the bag of holding but it was too expensive for him to turn a profit. He gives Darius the name and she passes it along to Balm. While Balm is negotiating, Garis shows up in the tower, looking disturbed and calling for an emergency meeting. Balm pays the 50K gp and runs along to the meeting.
Garis was invited by Mabelrode to the new Fortress of Chaos and Mabelrode introduced himself as Milamber. He has a new line of instruction and he is not expecting Tiriel, Darius or Balm to go with it. He says that the dukes of Baldurs Gate will worship Chaos or they are out. We discuss options. Can we take pool to keep building for the real Milamber. Using the books we can grant the only two priests about 5th level spells so that the priests won’t notice the difference. Drum up story that there is a false god claiming to be Milamber. We call Ahz to us to consult. Mabelrode wants Garis to move the teachings of the church to the mainstream Chaos of yore. Do we call Faux to help?
We agree to keep worship pool directed away from Mabelrode using the books.
August 12, 1382 (21 Halane 730)
Soro shows up with the sphere. Darius and Tiriel each take a finger in case Balm loses his key.
August 13, 1382 (22 Halane 730)
Mabelrode snatches Tiriel and Darius during their perspective destinations. It is particularly impressive because these teleports were generated by their own power. He is clear that they had better start towing the Mabelrode line or else. Tiriel is pretty frisky but manages not to get zapped. Darius is clear that she serves personal freedom and life and does usually dispatch demons since they are evil. Mabelrode indicates that they should continue to teach as they always have.
The four high priests – Balm, Garis, Tiriel and Darius – meet to discuss the conversation. They agree that Milamber had told them to keep the church strong.
Darius warns Elminster that he should be aware of some changes a brewing. He says okay. It is noted that he didn’t pursue more information so he either knew it already, figured by Darius’ tone that she wouldn’t say anything more, or figured she couldn’t.
August 14, 1382 (23 Halane 730)
Tiriel pops up to Waterdeep to meet w Khelben and the Masked Lords (see email 4/5/09 on the history of the Masked Lords). They are starting to review the process of identifying the masked lords and then she will be working on learning the workings of the city.
Meanwhile, Darius and Soro take Pauden to the outskirts of the Unicorn Run. They hike in to the hierophant. The hierophant is cordial and appreciates that we didn’t’ interfere with the druids. He appreciates our forebearance. He expresses that he and Pauden will handle it from here. Pauden requests some Planar Contact sticks and Darius reminds him to call Soro. They spend the rest of the day being elves in the woods.
That night Soro wakes her to a noise. Darius can determine that it sounds like horses about a mile away. By the time they get there, they have left. She wonders if they are unicorns. After several hours of tracking, she and Soro get within 100 feet of six Unicorns.
Tiriel gets Bruenor and takes him to Melderyn and then she retrieves Drizzt and Cattiebrie.
August 15, 1382 (24 Halane 730)
Darius checks in with Baldurs Gate and Suzail and is not needed so she and Soro stay in the forest another day but that night heads back to the tower.
Tiriel continues her getting acquaintance process w Waterdeep. She also checks in with Nesme. A deformed, eyeless woman comes to the church to speak with the new head of the church there since she is a woman. She wants to sweep at the church and just hang out.
Balm sends Randolph back, the 4th level priest who has been here all along. He asks why the retard is here and Tiriel tells him she gave her permission to sweep.
Tiriel deals with the Mages and Protectors regarding the contract.
That night back at the tower, it is agreed that tomorrow they will go on a vampire hunt.
August 16, 1382 (25 Halane 730)
SOP – check on Pauden and check on Milamber
Pauden says he is ready to go after the Druid whenever she’s ready to pick him up. She tells him that not today because we are going after vampires so either tomorrow or the next day.
We pop to Waterdeep and check in with the church. Darius’ scrying indicates that the vampires think it was the Open Lord of Waterdeep that attacked them. They are planning an attack to overwhelm and destroy in Waterdeep. Though Darius doesn’t get a critical we wouldn’t doubt this since we know that they are building a vampire army.
After much discussion, we decide to pop into the sub level 1 area that we have already been to. There are three gates off this level. We pop in, all with some kind of invisibility. There is a human with a torch whose mind is blank just wandering around. Some minor undead and one major undead 30 feet below. We agree to go through one gate and find that there are some minor undead. Second gate has one minor undead. Third gate has a human guard, one major undead 60 feet above and some minor undead. Tiriel’s sleep attack on the human fails to take him down and he calls an alarm.
Wave senses that several undead are heading toward us. Darius tries the Sunburst. All the minor undead are gone but the 60 foot guy is unaffected. Darius groks the major undead is Drak Blackraven. It turns out that 5 foot of stone will stop the Sunburst. We agree that going sunny side and pull him to us rather than lose him again. We find a secluded sunny spot and go to pull him to us. Darius puts Soul Boost on everyone.
Tiriel goes to pull him and he doesn’t come. We go back through the gates and Darius goes through the gate first and gets hit with a delayed blast fireball. She keeps Pro from Fire up and so it absorbs the damage. She uses sensitivity to note that there is another big spell effect. She marks the area so the mage group to follow us up will not walk into the trap.
We agree that we will hit another gate this morning. We find another vampire. Darius groks her to find out that she is only about 20 years into being a vampire and her maker is gone. We briefly discuss Drak being hundreds of years old and being an archmage and that this vampire army started only about a month ago.
The three humans we pick up serve the female vampire from this last vampire.
The other four humans serve Drak, one of them high in his counsel. This guy actually enjoys serving Drak. Aura Reading & Psychometry don’t work as well since he wasn’t traumatized by his work. Darius’ Usela’s Perception indicates that he is interested about how much he can get. Darius points out that they could just kill him and use Speak with the Dead. Usela’s P indicates that that actually scares him. We continue to discuss things with him back and forth. The head vampires are Drak and Luvagore. There are no big new vampires on the block. There have been changes on how the vampires have acted.
When asked if Myrkul contacted them, he wants to be deceitful but can’t figure out how to do it so he is honest per Usela’s and that he was not aware of any specific contacts. We know that he is lying and Tiriel fails her intimidation. Darius switches to the original scary thing and scares him into telling them that Drak keep in contact with his family from time to time, though they are not allied, they do interact. He acknowledges that the other vampires do as well.
He figures out that we seem to be able read his mind. We get some good information. What he does, where a lot of the gates, that the open lord is against them, who the other vampires of significance are. They have new info on the lich. Because of our involvement, the vampires have talked with the lich. The lich wanted to talk to them about keeping a lower profile. The vampires have become very concerned about the Open Lord and the city uniting against them so they are not as excited about swamping the town any more.
We agree that Tiriel will Torval’s Rest the servant and Darius will take the other 6 men to Baldurs Gate to heal them if possible. We also decide that we will aid Pauden tomorrow morning.
Tiriel meets with the masked lord on the possibility of a truce with the vampires. They think that the Myrkul-created undead should be removed. Her intrigue indicates that they don’t trust her to deal with the vampire because as a priest of Milamber. They think that she may be too lenient on the vampires. She suggests that they should also make overtures to the lich. They then change their tune and suggest that she should handle both problems.
During her conversation with Khelben, he suggests that she as Open Lord could invite the lich to the castle. None before her have been capable of facing him. She may or may not be able to handle it. They discuss the various issues.
Tiriel goes on to discuss the contract with the Mages and Protectors and speak to families of known vampires. She starts with the Blackravens. Next one wants their portal secured.
She can’t get the best sage to research the lich in the graveyard.
Bob takes her out in a parallel Cormyr that still lives in peace. Tiriel even takes off her armor and takes a bath. They have a wonderful dinner but agree to go back to the tower for the night. Bob tells her that he will have a gift for her in a few days. Then he sneaks off to a room in the tower and Tiriel senses him doing some kind of very large magical energy. She gets concerned and asks Darius to check. She didn’t sense it, strangely enough.
August 17, 1382 (26 Halane 730)
Balm, Darius, Tiriel, Soro and Bob go pick up Pauden and go to the druid grove to the challenge arena. It is evident that the forest has become evil. Everyone is a little put out because of the broach of protocol but eventually the challenge master is summoned. Pauden, Balm, Tiriel and Darius all give speeches on the matter. Everyone does well but Darius.
Finally, feathers are smoothed enough for combat to begin. It is a tough fight but in the end Pauden wins. Faldorn goes down unconscious. Tiriel wants to grock the grove but Pauden asks her to wait. She assesses the best way to handle it and gives Pauden her blessing as the demi-goddess of nature. Darius follows suit and gives him her blessing as the demi-power protector of life energy. They both succeed this time and things seem to be okay. Unfortunately, Faldorn will fall back to an arch druid since she lived.
We go to Trademeet to speak to them about setting up diplomatic relations with the druids. We are waiting for the townspeople to gather when Soro receives a distress call from Maxor. Darius calls him back. He says that the king ordered Balm arrested and they have and that she should come asap.
Darius tries to Planar Contact and Minds Eye but both are blocked at a god level, even a critical success doesn’t pop through. After updating Garis, Faux, Baldurs Gate people of these circumstances, then we start discussing the problem. We go to the Tower to be stronger.
Darius contacts the church and can’t find the head priest. It is blocked too. She Minds Eye’s the church and sees a low level priest who shows her the battle. Darius looks through the memories of the low level priest earlier and saw the battle. The Helmian priests and several guards waited in the church for Balm then tried to arrest him when he popped in. He fought with Black Razor and his other weapons and people died. They hit him with some spell and he went unconscious. This rendition is per the memories that Darius viewed from one of their priests. Both Faux and Garis had said that the spell they used to take him down was Command. Balm’s use of Black Razor pretty much eliminates him ever not being charged with death by Helm. The high priest was grabbed as well but didn’t resist arrest.
Darius calls the next highest priest at Suzail who tells her again what happened and how things are now. He inquires whether or not they shouldn’t get out since there are some in the church that could go against Balm’s case if searched or seized. Darius and Tiriel agree that they should get the hell out of dodge but not be obvious about it. He said that he and Balm had contingencies for just this sort of thing.
It is agreed that Bob and Tiriel will both try to pull Balm to us at the same time with extra power. Luckily they threw a bunch of points each and were able to pull Balm to the Tower. Balm is relieved. He is able to discern that the naveh priest that poses as a Milamber priest in Harn is somehow involved.
Darius out of her personal friendship with Maxor feels that she needs to speak to him since she isn’t going there. It is agreed that she needs to be able to be honest with her friend so Balm alters her memories so she doesn’t know he is free.
When she speaks to Maxor he informs her that Balm has broken free. She is genuinely pleased to hear it, she says she was surprised that they had even captured him so she isn’t surprised that he could get free. Maxor isn’t exactly thrilled with this. She asks him what happened because everything has been going so well. He says he genuinely doesn’t know and he doesn’t recommend that she come to Suzail until he speaks with the king. The king ordered him arrested along with this guy walking into town (the Naveh priest) and the king doesn’t need a reason.
Darius offers to bring back the dead, if it will help the cause. Maxor says that there is reason to believe that they were soul-sucked. Darius says that even if they were, she can bring them back and that is assuming that they were soul-sucked.
Darius rah-rah’s the Baldurs Gate group with some success while Balm who is down to 60, Bob who is down to about 50 and Tiriel who is down to 21 go into the time warp to regain strength.
In less than an hour, Maxor is able to tell Darius that Helm ordered Balm arrested via the high priest of Helm; he was told to bring as many as they could. They were also told to arrest this guy coming in the gates at that time. He had assassin types of stuff on him, including a sticky stuff that they think is poison. He isn’t talking.
Darius consults with Maxor about hiring a litigant to represent the high priest since he isn’t being charged with anything. Maxor says it is a good idea and gives her a few recommendations.
Darius calls the next highest priest (3rd in the Suzail chain). He says that almost everyone is gone and taken much of the money with them but he has enough to secure a litigant for the high priest. Darius discourses with the litigant who seems much better disposed to help once he learns that she isn’t planning on hiring him to protect Balm.
Darius calls Trademeet and speaks with the mayor. He said that he was able to give the speech about the druids and that we have been awarded special awards from the city as Defenders.
Darius calls Pauden to check up on him. He tells her that Faldorn has decided to become a hierophant rather than stay with the grove. Darius tells him about laying the foundation for diplomatic relations with Trademeet and them being more environmentally friendly. She also says that Cormyr still needs druids.
We wake up to our clerics telling us that the rumor mill is that the dukes are giving the church back to the Helmians. We decide to confront the duke because he asked for it back because we weren’t going to be building a temple any time soon. We gave it back with the stipulation that it couldn’t be used by Helm or his church. He agrees that there will be a clause in the deed stating that and it was intended to go to secular use.
Before confronting the duke, Darius spoke w Pauden to clarify that Faldorn’s decision to become a hierophant wouldn’t mean that she would challenge the existing hierophant in combat to the death to achieve her ends. Pauden said that it doesn’t involve anything like that. She is a free-roaming druid at that point. Darius adds checking on Faldorn periodically as part of her normal routine.
She checks in with the litigant who says that the Helmians are questioning the stranger and under their spells he is spilling his guts, indicating that Balm had inspired him to go hunt for a third party assassin. The litigant indicates that our priest will be questioned a little later so she says she will call him later.
Darius gets worried that the Milamber book is in enemy hands. She punches through with a double-powered Minds Eye to see where it is. Around the Book is most of his stuff. Darius and Bob combine to pull all his stuff there.
When speaking to the litigant she gets the scuttlebutt. A horde of chaotic neutral demons attacked a holy shrine in Arabel of Helm but the priests held them off. The stranger indicated that he used Tiriel’s instructions to come over from another world and the authorities will probably want to speak with her.
Darius is informed that clerics threw stones and roughed up some Helmites. She lectures them on their behavior and why it is important to be the good guys to win over towns folk. These people are not Helm the pain in the butt god.
August 18, 1382 (27 Halane 730)
Maxor calls Darius via Soro. Maxor tells Darius that Arabel has been attacked again, this time the priest has been slain. The demons were slaadi and came back in bigger numbers. He asks if the church of Milamber is involved. She said that her church of Milamber is not involved, this she knows. When she asks, he does indicate that she should probably not come to Suzail for fear that she will share Balm’s fate. She offers to go to Arabel to resurrect the priest. He indicates that she may be arrested there as well. She hints that there is another power of Chaos out there.
We discuss whether or not to bring a 3rd party into our problems with Mabelrode. Darius and Tiriel think that we should at least spread the concept of a different force of Chaos so Milamber doesn’t get blamed. Also, the chosen of Mystra may have a better idea of what is going on. It is agreed that Tiriel will speak to Khelben about it in relation to their being a new power of chaos in play right now.
Tiriel pops to Waterdeep and speaks w Khelben. She says that she wants to speak to problems with the Helmian church and her being the Open Lord of Waterdeep. He says he wants to speak to her about this as well. She explains that the Helm church in Suzail arrested Balm and some stranger who turned out to be an assassin from her home world. He said under truth spells that Balm told him to come to assassinate the assassin of the king. He had her book of travelling the planes and used it to get here.
Khelben seems to let go of his concern that she is lying or implicated. Once they get passed that part. He says he doesn’t want the city of Waterdeep to have to go to war if their Open Lord was arrested by a foreign power.
She goes on to say that there is another player in the realm of Chaos. He comments that Elminster had said something so that he would pursue it with him and doesn’t press her for more info. Of course, secretly, Darius at least is hoping that they can find out more information than she can.
Bob and Tiriel then go to the church of Milamber. Bob grabs his sword after sensing danger. A green slaadi pops in and asks for an audience with Lady Tiriel. The slaadi says that he is a messenger from Mabelode. There has been an event going on with Helm arresting our priest. Mabelrode is concerned that we are not acting as his priests. Tiriel groks the slaadi and determine that he is a slaadi and is volunteering to serve the new power of chaos w/o being adoring. The slaadi got the impression that Mabelrode sent a messenger because he seems to know that we don’t like meeting with him alone.
Meanwhile, Darius calls the high priestess of the elven god that we are friends with and asks for a bit of her time. She travels to speak with her and pick her brain on the elven perception of Chaos and Law. She had already called her a few weeks ago regarding this issue and there was no specific prophecy or story about it but now with real problems coming on, she wants to speak to her again. Plus we need to restore our supply of elven wine.
The elves pretty much deem Mabelrode as a human problem. Then a red slaadi poses as a big deer. He says that he is a messenger from Mabelrode who is concerned that we don’t have his back with Helm. Darius says she is glad of the opportunity and says her piece about building the worshipper base with an understanding of the worshippers themselves. Bullying or unprovoked attacks could actually work against building a worship pool. At first he doesn’t seem to understand and suggests that he take her to Mabelrode. She declines and re-explains. This time he gets it enough.
About a half hour another slaadi to speak to Balm.
Later, after playing with the elves for a while, she goes back to work. She and Soro pop to Waterdeep and the gang goes to the house to destroy the gate. We experiment with it to find out how it works on the permanent gate. A touch from the Sunsword takes down 1/20th of the gate; a slash takes down 1/10th of the gate. Each touch or hit stops the gates briefly and then it comes back weaker each time.
Darius speaks with the litigant who says it would be easier to represent them if they were present. Darius says that that can’t be helped. Balm hires a litigant to represent the assassin so they don’t just outright kill him. He was hired to stop an assassin.
That night we meet at the tower to discuss the Mabelrode issue. We all basically agreed with the messengers. Darius and Balm have an idea but Tiriel doesn’t agree. He may be changing his message to keep the priests in line. Tiriel (who failed her roll) thinks that he is just being a chaotic butthole.
Darius uses Violet Eye to see who the best surface contact for the lich is. The answer is the sage with the extraplanar beings in his basement. Tiriel decides to invite the sage to come to see her. She sends word ahead that she wants to meet him tomorrow at one.
Darius groks Baldurs Gate to get an idea of the dukes and some general information about it, including that there is a substantial thieves guild here.
Bob presents his surprise to Tiriel this night – the phenomenal bath tub. It is obviously done with god magic and has relaxing elements, running water and protection. After her bath she is feeling pretty randy.
Darius and Balm discuss covering her Purple Dragon stuff with her own symbol. She decides to speak with some artists. One of her worshippers says that he and one of the Milamber worshippers were already discussing a symbol for her.
August 19, 1382 (28 Halane 730)
Darius and Soro take her one worshipper to Waterdeep. Upon the tour of the city, she passes by the Plinth and greets the Pelor priest. The Pelor priest begins asking her about the Sunsword because he had started thinking about it after he met her last time. They discuss it and that it is a holy artifact of Pelor. Darius explains the evil world where it was and that she fixed it and that Pelor is aware that she has it but it is a secret that she currently holds it.
Her priest says that the Trident isn’t what she is really about; she is about protecting. The Milamber priest who is an artist is one of the Garis’ chaos priests. But he points out that Milamber is also about protecting, protecting personal freedom.
The meeting with the sage goes very well. He is quite happy when Tiriel says that she would like a meeting with the lich to discuss a working truce.
Tiriel and Darius discuss more of the Mabelrode problem.
Balm relates that the litigant he hired is doing a good job because if the assassin was going after the criminal who was going to kill the king.
Grok indicates that a Helmite spying on the situation. He has discovered that Tiriel has plans to meet the lich. He doesn’t have enough time to set up a trap but figures he will hang out so he can find out what is going on. Tiriel decides to grab him but he tries to teleport away. She is able to overcome his teleport and pulls him toward her. He is a high level Helm priest. She turns him over to the guards.
We meet the lich at the appointed hour and place. He says he observed her handling of the situation and thought she handled it well. They exchange pleasantries. He is the arch mage, Dhakadrassa. He has long wanted such a meeting. He refers to the vampires and the ill-fated meeting. She references his many years and his stabilizing influence. He references the times of Myrkul and evil Khelben. He references the Sunsword to take out gatherings of Shadow Wraiths.
Tiriel says she doesn’t want us to question or aura read the Helmian who tried to kidnap her. Back at the Tower, Darius does her own research
VE – the high priest at the temple of Suzail ordered the Helmian to go after Tiriel
VE – his home church is Suzail
VE – they don’t want her just for questioning and I am sure of it.
WU – Their goal is anything they can get
VE – Most specific charge – no answer
WU – What is she charged with – None
God WU – the high priest wants to find out information
August 20, 1382 (29 Halane 730)
Darius calls Maxor about the information she has and he doesn’t know anything about it. She suggests that they send an emissary to ask questions rather than try to kidnap her. It is bad politically. He says he needs to go ask about it and they agree to get back together on it later in the day.
Meanwhile, Darius goes looking for an artist and Tiriel goes to work. The judges and Lords decide to hold the trial for the Helmian at noon. Darius is requested since she has information she researched. After being questioned, he refuses to answer anything that might incriminate him. He accepts his sentence of death without questions. Darius is very concerned about the harshness of the punishment and expresses such to Tiriel via telepathy in Sindarin. Tiriel then asks the judges about it and they feel that they should send a strong message. Darius calls Maxor to alert him. She has to use punch through the castle protections to reach him. He requests that they hold off until he has time to investigate. She passes this on to Tiriel who requests a day reprieve which is granted.
Tiriel groks indicates that he is just a Helmian priest here to be a Helmian priest, not sent by the church. He lucked upon the meeting with the lich and wanted to turn it into an advantage of the Helmian church. He inquired down south for help but they didn’t have time. He wasn’t sent here but he was planning on kidnapping Tiriel and the response wasn’t that it was illegal; it was that they didn’t have time to help. It was the high priest that he communicated with.
Darius calls Maxor to let him know above. She then pops back to the tower for the high powered time warp and by 10 pm she has learned Silver Tongue (Tongue of Bykwon) critically success.
August 21, 1382 (30 Halane 730)
Darius takes the day off to enjoy being Darius and hanging out in the grove and visiting locals and helping the local farmers. Tiriel does research in the morning before heading up to Waterdeep to work.
Darius talks to Maxor who says that he will speak to the church but doesn’t indicate to stop the execution. The general crowd feeling toward the hanging is what the heck was the Helmians thinking by trying to kidnap their open lord.
Later that day, Maxor calls Bob to try to contact Tiriel directly to set up an appointment to ask her questions. He gives her assurances that no attack would be made. She said she will discuss it with the lords.
We call Ulraunt to follow up on Pelor and Darius discusses the problems at hand with the vampire, Strahd. She then calls the elven forest but finds out that our friend, the high priest of elven gods, is dead. She has been killed by Drow attack. She and about 100 others. She offers to do some re-con and they warn her that there is still a strong Drow presence.
Her friends are the ones who got hit, the very night after she had left. She calls Tiriel and Bob to go on re-con. She uses VE to determine that the Drow are planning another attack tonight and she is certain of it. We teleport to the party site. We find a dead friend hold up in a cubby hole. We pick her and take her with us. We stealth up over the hill and a mile down the valley is a large area of darkness.
We do find some tracks of one of the raiding parties but that is about it. Rather than take any further risk we decide to pop into the forest and do some scrying. We speak to the elf from the funeral who gives us coordinates to find one of the elven leaders, Lt Tomwin. We pop into that area and coordinate with the leaders. Tiriel offers to grok in the mind link. Darius does some scrying first. She determines that they won’t be using any other vents, mainly the big crack in the valley. There are 350 combatants, with 80 mages, highest level 12th and 20 clerics of Shar, highest level 14th. We prepare to teleport to the burnt spot.
Darius’ Notes:
Call Drizzt for advice. Get extra copies of our Milamber treatise. These chaotic elves are in need of alternative god to think about.
VE/WU — most dangerous attack by high priest and strongest mage
VE/WU — what is the goal of these attacks? Are they just kiling for fun? Do they want to establish a base here? Do the elves have something that these beings want?
Balm — How probably is it that the Sun Sword will shine through their magical darkness?
We know that they throw fireballs (all to well) — fire protection — clerical for Tiriel and Darius, Tiriel’s Ice Armor, and Darius’ Pro from Fire
We know that they use poison — clerical slow poison (2nd) and neutralize poison (4th). Albruin can neutralize poison.
How do we defend ag. command spells?
What about mass heals?
The elven force: 250 elves, with 40 spell casters
We teleport w Lt Tomwin to the burnt spot. Darius puts soul protection on Tomwin and Tiriel then party link. This is an elven forest but not a lot of underdark. The crevasse has widened recently under natural forces. No drow scout surface. There is surface elf child hidden and afraid to come out nearby though. There is combined effect. It is smoke and enchantment that is keeping it in the area in darkness. A multi-hour effect that has to be maintained. Beneath the smoke there are a number passages some of which have been widend. There is a maze of passage ways overcomplex so designed that way with arrow slits in various places. A big trap. No other vents. A force near the entrance and staggered down through the complex.
We rescue the child and return to the army. We agree that Darius will try to use earthquake to shut off the vent but the army will begin to marching anyway.
Meanwhile, Tiriel takes charge of the child. She tells her story how she was running around when the drow attack came. She hid immediately and didn’t see much of the attack. When Tiriel approached her, she turned out her warm and fuzzy nature goddess-ness which makes the girl feel safe. She groks the girl. Father Orihork Starseeker, Mother Dauridella Starseeker and the child is Tamzethiana. Tiriel asks Darius to find her folks. Darius determines that they are alive and well. She calls them to let them know that Tamsethiana is safe with us at Baldurs Gate and that they are expecting an attack in the forest again tonight and that they should be prepared. The kid will stay with us. Tiriel introduces the elf child to the Bath.
Darius goes into the time warp to regain her points and prepare for the potential battle.
At about 8 pm, we check in with the army and then teleport to the burnt spot. Tiriel has learned Earthquake too.
We stealth up to the 360 foot length. We put up a wall of force to keep any spells or missiles coming. Tiriel and Darius start their spells and both succeed 10 minutes later with a big kabloom. The passage collapses and 20 drow warriors die and 15 survive above ground. Tiriel groks and discovers that they knew we were here but as a whole but isn’t sure what they knew. She finds the high level cleric. They are currently not aware of the attack in the back.
We stealth away as the drow on the surface start heading out to the wall of force. One group figures it out where we are sort of so we teleport to the other side. There, Tiriel finishes her grok and by now they know that they were attacked. The head cleric has said that there is a high level cleric on the surface casting Earthquake and to get them. They are digging out and will be out soon.
It is agreed that Darius will cast another earth quake while the group starts working on s