Experience Points:
PLEASE UPDATE YOUR CHARACTER SHEETS INDIVIDUALLY, NOTING THE LAST DATE YOU UPDATED EXPERIENCE IN YOUR CHARACTER SHEET.

If you receive a wisdom bonus, please also add that as one of the numbers.


Back in the semicircular room (Room 7), the gnomes have not given in to the temptation to open the doors.  They do state that the chattering of the beetles came by the north door once but went away.

Even better, the gnomes have set up a pot, started a fire, and made a stew.  They offer for you to sit down and eat with them.

Gnomes: 6 remaining.



Here is a description of the room again for you again:

 This semicircular room has three entry/exit points:  the door you entered, a door on the south side of the west wall leading west (which is slightly ajar), and a door inset into a small niche in the eastern wall (see map).

 On the wall behind you (the west wall), there are intricate carvings, which read:

  "THE TEST OF THE FAITHFUL. Only those who prove true may transcend and descend.  Only those who prove true are worthy.  The seventh test revealed below."

  A tapestry is hung on either side of these engravings.  Though they must be old and are filled with dust, they are in impeccable shape, obviously preserved through magic.

  The left tapestry portrays the back of a black-cloaked man standing atop a mountain, his hands held high.  At the bottom of the mountain, hordes of followers bow in obeisance.

  The right tapestry portrays a silvery dragon with piercing blue eyes, its tail winding around a black-cloaked figure.  In each of its foreclaws, it also holds a black-cloaked figure, and yet another is crushed between its teeth.  The dragon peers out from a cave in a mountain, and at the top of the mountain, you see the small figure of the cloaked man, hands still raised.

  Below the wording and in between the two tapestries, there is another "shelf" that is closed to viewing.  You imagine it will open if the right conditions are met.

 On the curved section of wall in front of you, words are elaborately carved into the wall with gold insets.  There are three words on the left, and three words on the right.  Each word is repeated multiple times in several languages.  In order from left to right, the words are:

  1) DARKNESS
  2) CONFUSION
  3) MADNESS
  4) MIGHT
  5) FEAR
  6) EVIL


  The words DARKNESS, CONFUSION, FEAR, MADNESS, and MIGHT have a glowing luster to them that the others do not, as if they are magically lit up.

  Under each of the multi-lingual translations, you see a square area where there is obviously some sort of shelf or casing built into the stone wall.

You already placed the gem in the Darkness, Confusion, Fear and Madness shelves and retrieved the magic items.  Now, under the glowing word "MIGHT," the "shelf" has rotated down 90 degrees, revealing a small indentation the same size as the gem you recovered, and an item just above that indentation, back in the shadows of the wall cavity.

"Let's get that gem on the shelf, eh?" Borimer realizes he has no idea who has the gem.

Tahldar sits with the Gnomes to get something to eat and to converse with them in their native tongue.

Looking up from his repast he says to Borimer, "The might gem must provide something for you my burly friend."

Vuzyl sits down by the fire and looks blankly in to the flames. He still had almost no idea who he was or even where to start looking but figgered the people who saved him would be worth tagging along with for now. Besides this kind of activity was fun, whoever he was a stay at home tradesmen was not it.

Leo sits down near the fire, nods his thanks at the offer for food, and waits patiently.  "I don't remember who has the gem either."

Shae

Borimer's stomach growls. He accepts some food and eats while still standing next to the gate. Between mouthfuls he talks with Shae "I'd like to put the gem on the shelf, unless you wanted to have all the fun..."

Kahan tries to assess the damage done to his companions as he administers healing checks to anyone wounded. He uses a CLW on Shae after his bandage job, asking how she feels after.

Shae will put the gem on the shelf, thanking Kahan for looking after her.

As you settle down, place the last gem and prepare to rest for the night, you are reminded that two of the gnomes are suffering from the Black Curse.  Without healing, they will die tomorrow or the next day.  The blackness has crawled up their fingers and extremities, and their ears are starting to turn black as well.

When the slot for the last gem opens, it reveals a bundle wadded.  At first, it looks like there are a bunch of animal skins, and then you see that it is a patchwork cloak made from different animal skins.  Wrapped inside it is an antlered helm and a sack with 10 seeds.

You take the time to identify these as (meant for Shae):

Cloak of the Beasts:
This plain brown cloak bears patches of many different animal skins. A character who speaks a word of command while wearing it instantly becomes transformed into one of the patched animals for 1d6 hours. The cloak and the person's other clothing become part of the new form.  The nature of the change is identical to a druidic shapechange.

Upon returning to normal, the wearer regains 10% to 60% of any lost hit points (10d6). The cloak cannot be used again until 12 hours pass.

Antlered Helm of the Stag
This metal-reinforced leather helm, adorned with a stag's antlers, allows the wearer to run like a deer, with a base movement rate of 18. Moreover, stags and deer see, hear, and smell wearers of an antlered helm as if they were stags, and react accordingly.

Serpent Seeds
Normally available in a packet of 1d3 seeds, a serpent seed springs up into a 20-foot tree one round after being planted in an inch of dirt, watered, and told to grow in the druids' secret language. A serpent tree has no branches; its limbs are 1d8 brown serpents with green eyes, barklike skin, and wooden fangs dripping with poisonous white sap.

While the tree cannot move, its branches can reach out up to 20 feet and follow the druid's orders. Each serpent-branch's bite is poisonous. A person who fails to save vs. poison becomes incapacitated within one turn; the character does not die, but slowly becomes transformed into a "serpent of the tree," a nonpoisonous version of the branch-snakes.

Despite its barky appearance, this new creature resembles nonpoisonous snakes of the region in appetite and attacks. While serpents of the tree are not attached to the serpent tree, they remain subject to the druid's orders, just like the tree itself.

A victim can be restored with a cure serious wounds or heal spell administered within one day of the bite. On the second day, the transformation to a serpent of the tree is nearly complete; only a wish can return the victim to normal then.

The serpent tree remains permanently where planted and stays loyal to its maker as long as it exists.

Serpent tree: Int Low (5); AL N; AC 6; MV 0; HD 6+6; THAC0 15; #AT 1/limb; Dmg 1d4/limb; SA poison changes victims into serpents of the tree; ML 8; SZ H; XP 875.
Serpent of the tree: Int Animal (1); AL N; AC 5; MV 15; HD 2+1; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1; ML 8; SZ S (5 ft.); XP 90.