Ben lunges at the fleeing Naga but manages to strike only the side of the crevice, a shower of sparks punctuating the Naga's retreat as its tails slips through the crack.

The crevice is about 5 feet wide and perhaps as much tall, gradually sloping upward to what looks like a smaller cavern some 15 feet distant.

Ben watches in dismay as the Naga slithers up and into the adjoining chamber, disappearing into shadows outside of view.

OOC: Bummer. Ben is in position to give chase, should be wish to.

"I think I see it's home!"

Ben sheathes his blade and leaps up into the passage in pursuit...

Ben leaps across the short distance from the golden pillar to the dark crevice and grabs holds of the ledge. The thief is a study in grace as he nimbly pulls himself up through the dark portal and begins creeping up the short incline in pursuit of the Naga.

It is a little steeper than a 45 degree angle, but no difficult task for Ben to ascend. Ben reaches the edge of the incline and peers carefully over the lip. A small roughly circular cavern about 20 feet wide with a low ceiling lies beyond. The Naga is coiled against the far well of the cavern, its dark orbs reflecting the light of Ben's enchanted coin.

The Naga chants lowly to itself...

OOC: All other PCs may post actions, but it will take at least a couple of rounds before any non-thief character will be able to climb the golden pillar.

Rath spots Ben slipping into the crevice above the melting pillar. He calls out to Saliq's and Galadel, "Get me up there! Ladder, magic rope, wings ... anything?"

Galadel hears Rath and almost instantly puts a hand on the warriors shoulder, "Don't resist this spell..." and speaks a few quick arcane words, and then points at the pillar, "Climb it, hurry, you are imbued with the climbing skills of a spider...quickly now..".


"Anyone else?  I can cast that one more time, and then I am out of useful spells.  Rothgar and Galafried, take your comrade and head out of here.  Beyond, you will find a chamber full of dead trogs, and a long staircase up.  Wait for us at the top of the staircase, if we don't show up in the next 30 minutes, we are likely dead, go back to the temple and relay all the details of what you've seen here, send this word to the Druid called Eagle as well, he'd want to know I think".
This message was last edited by the player at 15:57, Tue 26 Apr 2016.

Rath smirks, stows his trident, and scurries up the pillar, hot on Ben's heels.

Inas' mind is still clouded.  Perhaps the reason he cannot hit the naga is because it is so far away . . . in which case the only reasonable thing to do is . . . Yes!! Of course!!!  Choose a target that is not so far away!

Inas looks for an easier target, and his eyes fall first on Rath.  But he does not see Rath; he does not see his friend and comrade in arms.  All he sees is a target that should be easier to shoot than the retreating naga.

And Rath is easier to hit than is the naga.  (So very sorry.)  Both of Inas' arrows fly true, inflicting 11 points of damage.  (Again, I cannot apologize enough.)


__________________________________________

09:27, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 11 using 1d20 with rolls of 11.  Round 2: Save vs. spells (14; all adjustments cancel to zero).

09:28, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 70 using 1d100 with rolls of 70.  Results of failed save.

09:29, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 1 using 1d2 with rolls of 1.  Who does Inas Attack (1 = Rath, 2 = Rothgar).

09:34, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 16 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 14.  Round 2A: 14 to hit Rath (so super sorry!).

09:34, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 18 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 16.  Round 2B: 14 to hit Rath (so super sorry!).

11:29, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 6 using 1d6+2 with rolls of 4.  Damage, 2B.

11:29, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 5 using 1d6+2 with rolls of 3.  Damage, 2A.

Ben isn't sure what the creature might be chanting about, but he assumes it is worse that it's bite. Redrawing his blade, he charges forward, broadsword swinging, but finds himself barely able to hold onto the hilt, much less connect... Ben begins to doubt that if he fell over, he could hit the ground.

Ben charges forward with his sword, hoping to slay the Naga, but manages to slay naught but perhaps any notion he may have still clung to regarding luck. Particularly, his luck, which seems to have been in short supply of late.

The Naga sidles away from the thief as he approaches. The beast is obviously injured, judging by the trail of blood she leaves behind, but still nimble enough to evade her pursuer. The two are locked in a strange dance within the relatively small cavern.

Drawing some distance between herself and Ben, the Naga rears backwards and looses a barrage of her own magical bolts, all of which strike Ben, nearly buckling the thief with their force!

Meanwhile, down below, Inas continues to be confused by his surroundings and takes aim at his companion, Rath, whom is now scaling the golden pillar to aid Ben. Rath is struck several times, but remains determined in his task--get to the Naga as quickly as possible.

Aided by Galadel's magic, Rath quickly closes the distance, in time to see Ben pummeled by magic missiles.

Rothgar does as instructed and escorts Waladel and Galadel out of the large cavern, back toward the troglodyte lair.

Saliq, Galadel and Inas remain in the cavern with the golden pillar.


OOC: Ben took 15 points of damage.

Inas must make another save vs Spells (-2 to the check, not including any bonuses you may have due to spells, etc.) against a Confusion spell. If he fails, he will act randomly during this next round, as determine with a d100 roll (go ahead and roll for yourself if your PC fails)

01-10 - Wander away for 1 turn
11-60 - Stand Confused for 1 round
61-80 - Attack nearest creature for 1 round (friend or foe)
81-00 - Attack Naga for 1 round

Phantasmal Force (illusion) on Ben, Inas, Rath and Rothgar, Resist Cold (Galadel), Resist Fire (Galadel), Prayer (all PCs). Locate Object cannot be used on creatures.

Ben is next to the Naga. Rath is about 20 feet distant from the Naga. Inas, Galadel and Saliq are the cavern with the golden pillar. Rothgar, Galafried and Walafried have retreated to the troglodyte's lair.

Pserkepsis the Naga
AC: 1
HP: Dead


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Ben      7   06/34   0   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2
Galadel  4   17/17   2   18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8
Inas     2   40/60   0   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Rath     2   32/56   1   14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6  5  4   Invisible
Saliq    7   19/19   3   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2, Invisible


Spells in Effect:
Prayer: +1 to PCs/NPCs attacks and saves, -1 to enemies' attacks and saves
Resist Cold and Fire: Galadel
Invisibility: All PCs/NPCs
Phantasmal Force: Over Ben, Inas, Rath and Rothgar.

Rothgar, Priest of the Order
AC: 3
HP: ??/??, Invisible [Private to GM: (30/30)]

Galafried, Holy Warrior of the Order
AC: 2
HP: -18/??, Invisible [Private to GM: (30/30)]

Walafried, Holy Warrior of the Order, Charmed
AC: 2
HP: -27/??, Invisible, Bound with Rope (Ben) [Private to GM: (30/30)]

PCs are UP!


This message was last edited by the GM at 03:54, Wed 27 Apr 2016.

Feeling totally screwed by the fates, Ben spies Rath iout of the corner of his eye, and moves in such a way as to place the naga between them if he can, then he swings his blade, once thought blessed, now assumed cursed... and again misses miserably.

his only hope was that Rath would distract the beast...

OOC I gave my healing potion to Galadel, but I think someone gave one to me, does that ring true?

The cobwebs melt from Inas' mind.  Horror washes over him as he realizes what he'd done.

He takes no action this round, as he tries to cope with what he did and to understand what is going on.






21:46, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17.  Save vs Spells (14; all adjustments cancel).

This message was last edited by the player at 03:45, Wed 27 Apr 2016.

Rath glares at the naga. Inas' arrows protrude painfully through some chink in Rath's armor, barely noticed. He hefts the trident Devilsbane. Rath doesn't know if Ben will survive, but he knows Pserkepsis won't.

Without hesitation, Rath closes the short distance with confident strides and plunges the trident's tines where he thinks the naga's heart might be, if she has one, and with casual expertise pulls forth the fork and stabs her again in the throat, attempting to pin the naga to the ground. He meets her gaze with a bold smirk. That's got to hurt.



Two hits for 25 damage. I hope this wraps it up!
20:33, Today: Aldo Rathmus rolled 21,16,12,13 using 1d20+2,1d20+2,3d4+4,3d4+4 with rolls of 19,14,2,2,4,4,3,2.  two trident attacks.

Rath viciously drives his Devilsbane into the Naga's heart and the monster screams out in anguish as it reels backward, its muscles failing. The Naga's head lolls over to the side and the mighty fighter follows through with a sharp blow to its neck, pinning the beast to the ground, its heads thrashing about spasmodically, spraying a stream of dark fluid onto the cool stone floor.

A few violent thrashes later and all life vanishes from the creature's dark orbs and it eventually yields to death, a few impulsive whips of its tail fighting against fate before the creature ceases altogether.

The Naga is slain!

Rath still holds the trident in place. He glances at Ben. "You want to cut her head off?"

Ben does indeed...

"Thanks, though to be fair, the Naga is only acting as a surrogate for my unhappiness with my own ineptitude."

he wonders momentarily if any bits of the creature would be of value to the magical sorts of the party, but once he cleans and sheathes his blade he drinks the healing potion (if he has one) then begins to search for any more tangible treasure.

The small, low-ceiling cavern does not hold anything of note. Rather, this is simply a hidden retreat where the Naga likely slept. There are a few bits of scat here or there, but little else of interest.

Fortunately there is a large amount of treasure piled up below, in addition to the three golden disks and the three missing Order members. It seems the heroes are victorious in their mission and will likely return to Stormhaven as trusted allies of the Lord Mayor and saviors of the Temple of Pelor.

The party has come a long way since their humble beginnings at The Rusty Nail Tavern!
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:36, Wed 27 Apr 2016.

After the party has returned the discs and their rescued hostages, Ben spends quite a bit of time at the temple to his lady, trying to figure out why she seemed to have abandoned him.

During the day he would go about his business, trying to buy up a few more small shops in the poor part of town if he can, and setting up a small shelter for the homeless.

He will of course invite Prince Saliq back to his house for dinner, their last efforts at relaxation being less than everything it could be. He invites the rest of the party too if they wish to come, but he makes sure Saliq gets to sit next to his sister, who has become quite smitten by the exotic adventurer.

Feeling nostalgic, he attempts to invest in the Rusty Nail Tavern, a ten percent share, but he wont push it if there is no interest.

The nights are spent within the temple however, trying to learn more about her dogma, and ways to please her. He will also, should the blade be willing, dedicate the blade to his goddess as well. For no real reason he feels as if the blade has more potential to become a useful ally, he hopes the temple is the place to explore this possibility.

Most seriously, Ben will see if his youngest brother has any interest and any potential, attempting to get the youngster enrolled at the mages guild. He will ask Saliq for help in this, and even though it is a second thought, due to the short time of their acquaintance, he will ask Galadel to help as well.

His mother badgers him to take a wife, and he does feel the time is right, but when has he had time to meet any women? His mother will act as match maker, and he will go on several dates during the peaceful interim...

Rath announces victory to the group below by kicking the naga's severed head through the crevice to bounce around on the floor below the pillar. Shortly afterward, Rath himself descends, all spidery and agile, down that same pillar, with a grim scowl.

He passes by Inas and, reaching around behind himself, plucks out the two arrows with a wince. He hands them to the ranger. "These yours?"

Rath stops near Saliq. He shrugs. "You know what they say about the best laid plans. Would have liked to see you turn the tables on that thing." To Galadel, he adds, "That wasn't the plan. Nice blasting, but that wasn't the plan."

In a move known by the others to be exceedingly rare, Inas fully removes the hood from his head -- the better to face Rath eye-to-eye.

His scarred face appears more twisted than usual (and that is saying something) but it is not hard to tell that the cause is anguish and not the scars.

"Aldo, my friend -- if I am still permitted to still call you that -- I am not a man of words.  I cannot express the hatred I have at myself for what did.  I cannot even imagine what I could do to make up for it -- it is feeble, I know, but I have no choice but to leave it to you: whatever you would have of me, name it."

Rath turns to face Inas, scowling, looking him in the face without flinching from his ugliness. Rath growls, jabbing a finger repeatedly into Inas' chest, "You ... sure, you can call me friend. But only my Mama calls me Aldo. Got it?"

Rath's bluster fades, and he gives Inas a weary, faint smile, clouded by some unspoken thought, and claps him on the shoulder. "You don't owe me nothing."

Gal winces a bit at Rath's comment, but only offers to heal him and anyone else, at least a small amount (he has 3 CLW's left).   Walking over to head of the Naga, stares at it a moment, there is a haunted look in the young man's face.

"Magic users are a complete pain in the ass" he says to no one in particular and then turns and leaves, goes and tells the men of the Order the battle has been won and releases his hold spell if it is still active, telling them the man is probably free of his charm now that the thing is dead, but they might want to be sure before they undo his bonds.  He will say they should come back and help move the Sun Disks.

Finally, he will cast, this time uninterupted, a locate object spell and slowly turn around the room, looking up into the chamber above as well as below.

ooc: he is looking for a book.

Inas slowly returns the hood to customary place over his head.  He doesn't say anything.

Eventually, he will seek solace with other worshippers of Melora.  In the meantime, he shows little interest in much of anything unless something is specifically called to his attention.

With the Naga now defeated and headless to boot, the party gathers up the loose coins and treasure scattered about her makeshift temple. Into sacks they go, and many are needed, for there is nearly 20,000 coins of various origin to collect. Not a bad haul for a day's work and more profits to heap into their already overflowing coffers. In total, the party possess nearly 60,000 gold pieces in coin, gems, jewelry and miscellaneous treasure, to say nothing of the real property they own outright. With their work accomplished, the party makes the treacherous trek up the chasm staircase, wary to not allow a careless footstep plummet them to their deaths.

Ben leads the way, as he is most knowledgeable of the wandering tunnels and sewer canals underlying the sprawling city. The party proceeds through these with little incident, stopping every now and again to ensure they are not being followed or walking into sudden peril. Eventually the party emerges onto a dirty lane in the Temple district, not too distant from where they initially entered, but not the same. Apparently there was a wrong turn along the way, but little does it matter. The party arrives back at the Temple of Pelor and is most joyously received by the High Priest and his attendant acolytes. There, the High Priest hears the adventurers account of their adventure and each is offered gracious blessings for their service to the Shining Lord and the City of Stormhaven. For his party, Brother Rothgar extends heartfelt thanks to the adventurers, as he and his men were likely doomed to a life of servitude to the evil Naga had the heroes not intervened.

Following their reception at the Temple, the adventurers accompany the High Priest to Stormhaven Keep, where they are greeted by an appreciative Lord Mayor. Here, the heroes are treated to a magnificent feast in honor of their service to the city, complete with the appropriate pomp and circumstance. Such a spread of exotic and expensive culinary delights is laid out for the heroes, the likes of which perhaps only Saliq has ever seen. Certainly such fare would be altogether unknown to Ben, Rath and Inas; while Galadel might have seen similar affairs, but only those of Elven variety, where the tastes in delicacies is not altogether congruent with those in human lands. Still, accommodations are made here as well and a tasteful selection of Elvish delicacies are on the offer as well.

Basking in the glow of their success, the heroes enjoy another evening of excess, perhaps a little disoriented by how their respective lots have considerably improved before embarking on their first adventures, all those years ago. But arrived they have, rising stars in a city of many thousands, each dreaming of their own shot at fame and fortune. This is no easy feat to be sure. Stormhaven is not for the faint of heart. It is the sort of city where heartbreak and disappointment is the norm. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Few are those who break this vicious cycle, whether through luck, merit or circumstance. In the heroes case, a little of all three can be held responsible.

Whatever the case, new opportunities will be afforded as the heroes move forward. Fortune favors the bolds, they say. And bold these men are.

In the coming years, learned scholars might put these heroes names to fine paper, illuminated with magnificent renderings of their exploits. There are already many tales lending to such endeavors, but others will follow.

The tale of the scrappy thief pulling himself out of the dredges and muck of The Narrows District. Through prudent business ventures and cunning guile, Master Scristos would go on to establish himself as a power-broker of consequence within the largest Thieves Guild in the Known World.

The tale of the foreign-born illusionist come to Stormhaven for his own motives, but always conscience of troubles at home. He would go on to learn a great many things about his chosen art, which would prove instrumental to reestablishing his family name among the gilded minarets of those distant lands.

The tale of the local mercenary and strongman who made good of his effort to go it alone. He would go on to attract and retain a sizable body of men-at-arms to his keep, whom he would employ to great effect securing the precious trade routes to the northern Hinterlands.

The tale of the mysterious ranger, drawn to the city against his better judgment in search of promising leads. He would go on to roam far and wide, ever the defender of those needing protection against bastions of evil, many are the tales of his exploits.

The tale of the the elven mage-priest of Ioun, thirsty for knowledge. He would go on to be high ranking member of the Wizard's Guild, where he would gain access to a vast repository of lore on a wide ranging number of subjects.

Of course, this is but a cursory overview of of the exploits of Ben Scristos the Thief, Saliq Musfara the Illusionist, Aldo "Rath" Rathmus the Fighter, Inas Eoinsson the Ranger and Galadel the Mage-Priest of Ioun.

Numerous are the colorful tales of Stormhaven: City of Adventure!

~The End
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:24, Thu 28 Apr 2016.

Galadel returns from the battle with the Naga a changed man.   Soon after his return to the city, he leaves and spends almost a full month with his parents at their vineyard, spending much time alone wandering the hillsides of his parent’s farm.   He has frequent nightmares and spends much time in deep discussions with his parents about his future.
The power he has so long studied and knowledge gained has turned him into something he never intended, a destroyer.  The Naga and even the Vampire were evil by most standards, but what made him judge and jury to destroy them.   He had burned an entire group of Trogs without so much as a warning or chance to surrender.  Again, evil but they had lives, mates, children, and to themselves those were of worth.
Was he to be any better than they, if he continued to walk the world, gaining in destructive power and using it to gain more power, more wealth, and more fame.   But would not evil win if good men did nothing, did not sacrifice to protect the weak.  Often in his dreams, he saw the slain Naga, but with his own face in place of hers.
All he ever really wanted was to study, learn, teach and find a good woman and to raise a family.  And so, at long last he returned to the Stormhaven Wizard’s Guild.   There to research but mostly to mentor young wizards.    He takes a vow to use his magic for good, but only in support and protection, never again in aggression or attack.   In time, he trades spells like fireball, or lightning bolts, for walls of ice, and walls of iron.  He becomes more scholar than hero, but occasionally, the need is great enough that he answers a call.
It takes many years, but at long last, he meets that special lady.  An elven woman, a young druidess in training with the Master Eagle.   He is swept away by her intelligence and the peace she seems to be able to bring him.   The rest is, as they say, history.

Saliq returned from the Naga's layer in triumph, but a little melancholy. In some strange and indefinable it felt that a chapter of his life was closing. Not long after he left Stormhaven, though not before helping Ben's brother join the Magicians Guild.

There where other adventures of course, travels that saw the exiled prince travese the known world. In the Wilderlands he sought out and exchanged secrets of magic with the wily copper dragon Cyriax and together man and wyrm discovered the lost city of Askos beneath the silt.

In the Dread Islands Saliq used his magic to trick and defeat the sea hag Thesia who had enslaved the islanders for a generation. To his misfortune the hag turned out to be the daughter of the sea goddess Melora and he bore curse for months before he performed a difficult quest on her behalf, the nature of which he never after spoke - save that ever after his hair and beard was bleached of colour and he carried with him the faintest scent of the sea.

In the furthest east of the Old Kingdoms he was forced to use his magic to take the form of Princess Meifeng to defend the young woman's public reptuation after she fell in love with a bandit leader. For fourteen months until the royal brat came to her senses a magically disguised Saliq held court in the city of Hsing-Lao, forced to come up with ever more inventive excuses for so beautiful a princess to evade marriage proposals.

Returning west he was seen again in Stormhaven for the first time in years. Much of the fortune he had gained had been lost in his travels and travails but he had enough left, and enough gained from selling some of his lore to the Magicians Guild, that he could settle into his tower and renew his friendships with his old comrades. It was in Stormhaven that he married the sister of his dearest friend Ben - though it is said by some bards that the goddess Sehanine wooed him first and had to be gently turned down. Then again bards will say anything.

In time Saliq and his bride left Stormhaven for the Empire of the Shifting Sands, where after many strange and difficult times he restored his family to their rightful place. Yet even so the illusionist never quite lost the love of adventure and in his fifth year of his rule as Sultan he appointed a regent and with his wife and friends led an expedition in search of the vanished Library of the Gods, said to lie somewhere beyond the Trackless Sea.

Perhaps they are searching still.