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Post by Mahungee on Feb 7, 2005 4:47:46 GMT -5
Chapter 0: The folly of Wizards
At some point in the past Mordenkainen and his compartriots faced and killed Eli Tommorast within Castle Maure.
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Post by Mahungee on Feb 7, 2005 4:52:06 GMT -5
Eli is returned to life and resumes his project within Castle Maure.
Modenkainen is instructed (by a shadowy group of "elders") not to intervene but instead to assist a forthcoming group of adventures.
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Post by Mahungee on Feb 7, 2005 4:55:08 GMT -5
Taken from the final journel of Marthok Thunderjaw
'Well that could of 'durn well worked out better couldn't of it? There I was traipsing through the northern Ice with me' faithful Halflinger; when suddenly blinding light everywhere; and then Bang, what's before me but a Holy Panetar!, servant and messenger of my Patron The Finder of Trails. Now let me tell you I ain't ashamed to admit I was rightly impressed by no small measure, fallin' to me knees and offering to do whatever was asked of me. But this Planetar was not all awe and righteous might, instead he conjured up a grand feast and we had a nice ol' chat.
Seems on another world there's this evil finger waggler who's diggin' through the bones o' some even more evil finger wagglers (as evil finger wagglers are wont to do) and left unchecked he'll release some devastating evil that'll threaten even Faerun' and the planes. Now this ain't the first time this finger waggler has done this kinda thing and last time the champions of his world put the right proper hurt on him. But they fouled it up with their own greed and so the high up's from around the multi-verse have had a powwow and decided to send in a bunch o' all-stars from around the planes, yours truly being one.
What else could I say but "Jes lemme at em"? and with that I found myself lying in a ditch on the side o' some road in the middle o' the night. With Fury (me Halflinger) munchin' on some of the grass, a pub down the way and a note in my hand. The note was from none other than Marthammor Duin himself, telling me some companions would arrive soon and that the the way to Eli Tomorast.(said evil finger waggler) was three miles south o' the this exact spot. No sooner had I brushed myself of when the other began to arrive.
First was another finger waggler (this one of the non-evil variety). Seems this human (going by the name Harmond Vido) had been trapped on a world named Aritheyan after a mighty magickal screw up by his master. This poor chap had been searchin' all over for a way back for many years, he thought he'd finally found one when a bunch o' high up's showed up to tell him it was a mistake and that they would help him get back to his world if he would help out against Tomorast. (Turns out his master was one of these high-ups too).
We didn't get much o' a chance to introduce ourselves when out popped our another human. This one weren't no finger waggler, instead he was one of them flashy unarmed fighters that I think they call monks, had some strange mental powers to boot too. Anyway this Landen Fhym had taken up our cause as part o' some final test for the Githzerai religious order he was part of; never did get it straight how a human ended up with them Limbo dwellers.
So some more introductions whilst we headed to the conveniently placed inn, a right nice place by the name o' the Moon and Six' Coppers. Funny thing was when we got inside we were ignored, not ignored in the rude sense but in they couldn't even notice we were there sense, all except some old finger waggler sitting by the fire, being ignored same as us. Now me and Landen weren't so quick on the uptake as to what was going on as Harmond, who made a bee-line straight for the old guy. So the old guy dose in fact notice us and proceeds to have a bit o' a chat with Harmond while me and Landen stand around quaking. Course the old bugger don't say much, just tells us he was the first to take on the Castle Maure (where the bones of the even more evil finger wagglers are held) and hands Harmond a funny looking (but boy is she well made) staff, saying that we'll need it. Then with a waggle of his fingers and he's gone and all o' a sudden everybody in the bar can see us, and a right shock it was to them to be sure.
Now Harmond be a finger waggler and all with a new toy, wanted some alone time right quick, paying five times the going rate for a room; course this also had the predicable affect on the barkeep, turning him for the right suspicious type, into or new best friend. So Harmond scurried up to his room where he learnt about the powers o' the staff (calling it the Silver Key of Potals), whilst I got Fury stabled and then me and Landen had a few pints to settle the stomach from all that cross planar mojo (course after tasting the mead o' the gods with me Planetar friend, this Human brew was hardly up to snuff). About an hour later Harmond arrived to tell us o' the SIlver Key, saying it would help him open doors and whatnot, then picked at his food a'bit and was gone back to his room, me and Landen weren't far behind.
We all rose early and were soon out the door after a quick breakfast. Just like the note said, three miles to the south we found a tunnel entrance; hidden under a bush among some trees on a small mound o' dirt. Now we lined up and got ready to delve, with me leadin' the way for the poor dark-blind Humans, when suddenly I'm looking in the eyes o' a massive Orc woman (though she did in fact turn out to be but Half-Orc). Now I right surprised to be sure, and quickly put a hold person on the girl, giving me the chance to grab her axe before she snapped out of it. Some harsh minutes went by, me not really up for trusting the pig-girl, but it turned out she'd been sent by some pagan god of hers called Kord to help us out; even had a little charm that looked like Harmonds new staff to prove it.'inutes after
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Post by Mahungee on Feb 7, 2005 4:56:54 GMT -5
'With the introductions me and Kurga (being the Half-Orc girl) lead the humans into the bowels o' Castle Maure. Took us about ten minutes to get to the end o' the tunnel, where we came to an intersection with an odd star design chiseled into the floor, much like some big fancy tileshad been taken out from their settings. The wiz brought up his light but even with colour we couldn't make any importance o' the star and heading down the south tunnel (the north one being only ten feet to a blank wall). South for some 200 feet before arriving in a room with a massive set of doors at the far end. The doors had much scratching and scrapping around their base, making me think others have tried, unsuccessfully, to force pass them in the past. Kurga tried her hand at pushin' em in, and for sure it was a mighty effort, but it didn't produce no results. Instead Harmond brought out his new toy, and with just a touch had the doors glidin' open as if by magic (which it durn' well was).
The doors opened to the left side of a massive chamber with a funny glowing chalice floatin' in the air near it's centre. A passage lead north and south to our right, funny little holes in the wall the hole way 'long, and there was a door across the way. We took to the chamber first, finding that the chalice sat on a pedestal in the middle of a bubbling pool. Funny thing about the chalice is that it glowed in ever changing hues, and even more strange is that not everybody sees the same colour at the same time; took us a while to figure that one out I ain't ashamed to admit. We eye-balled it for a bit, me and the lass going off a short way to investigate a strange noise. and then decided it would look nice in our collection; so I took to the air by the grace i' Marthammor and had a bit o' a look around before snatchin' it up right and nicely. Whilst I was doin' this the others were givin' the pool the once over, finding that somethin' at-least is livin' in there. Not finding the chalice to be the trigger o' some deadly trap or nothin' I chucked it in me pack and we made our way over to the west wall to see what the deal with the little holes was. Turns out there are hundred's o' the little buggers and the ones we looked in didn' have naught but bits o' smashed off pots, so we followed the wall north, coming to a wall not made like the others (turns out it was an artifice o' wizardry) with two symbols and a fist sized hole chiselled into it. Despite one of the runes denoting danger we pressed on, Harmond using the staff to open a man sized hole in the wall, revealing a door just beyound. The door opened to a little room with a bunch o' holes in the floor and apparently a strong aura of enchantment magic. Harmond entered bravely but quickly fell to the might of the mind-trap, forcing him to drop the SIlver Key of Portals into one of the holes, which then tried to crunch it. Lucky the Silver Key is something beyound mortal magic, 'cause surely any lesser item would have been ground into paste.
Deciding that playin' with that room anymore was a fools game we headed back south along the wall to another door that opened to a room full of rubbish and a god awful stench. Landen and me poked around a bit while Harmond and Kurga headed to yet another door that ended the pasage. Course finding nothin' but crap an' rottin' meat we soon joined the others. This door lead to another little room with four exits (the north most one being the door across from our original entrance), each door havin' a right preety painting of a armoured human on it and a small candle burnin' bright in front of it; could of told ya then and there finger wagglin' was involved here, but Harmond confirmed it by tellin' that each painting had callin' magic on it. Harmond thought maybe destroyin' the door was the best course of action, Kurga obliged right quick, smashin' it apart with her massive axe in two mighty blows. Turns out he was right, the paint melted away harmlessly and the candle in front went out. Course this made an awful noise so we thought maybe it was better to go for the candles instead of the doors, Landen and Harmond takin' the south and north doors, with Harmond blowin' out his candle first. but this now was actually the trigger and no sooner was the candle out than a big ol' mean armed up human steps out o' the door and begins takin' swipes at the mage, and o' course Landen whips around to look at the ongoings causing his own to go out; when it rains it pours I'll tell ya straight.
Kruga was quick off the mark whippin' into tha room and battered the first paint monster before it even got off a good swipe at the mage, cause the thing didna' much like that and gave her a few nasty swipes back. I charged in ta help Landen whilst he was pullin' himself together and gave the beastie a good lick of me own (and got one back in the process too); not quiet as good as the Half-Orc girly I'm ashamed ta admit. Landen tried his tricky kickin' and a flailin' but it weren't much good against good ol' steel plate; well paint pretendin' ta be steel atleast. Now ya may be thinking what about that last candle; well o' course it decided all the commontion was reason enough to go out, so now we had another paint man on our hands, and being pretty cluey for a walkin' blob o' paint it charged at Kurga. Harmond got the jump on the newcomer, sending of three bruning rays o' heat; givin' it a nasty fryin'. Kurga then switched inta high gear and took out the first and third paint men no trouble. Not ta be outdone I gave the second another whack; still didnt take the bugger out though. Landen's kickin' an' screamin' finally came through; course this made the beastie turn on him and carve him nicely with three hits; damn for a scrawny lookin' fella he can take some punishment. Kurga rushed in just then and finsihed off the bugger with in a mighty splash of paint. We cleaned up a bit with Mathammor's healin' touch bein' passed around freely by yours truly.
Headed south next; finding a short passge that had another do half way down. Harmond reckoned there was magic behind the door so we let him go in first; turned out the power was from some arcane scribblin' all over the walls. Harmond tried to read it but it was to much for him, so we left. East from the painting room; back to the big chamber, we decided to look in the rooms that ran along the south. The first one turned out ta be a store room for some big rugs (don't ask me), one of them havin' some mighty magic on it. Turned out the rug istelf weren't maigc, instead it was the little fancy pin stuck in it, being used to old a crotchety old air elemental. Course Harmond pulled it and broke the binding. As the giant bugger filled up the room and started yellin' at us, I thought "ya can stick this" and let out with a flame stike, burning him up good (beat that axe girl). Really pissed now it started pummelling Kurga and Harmond (cause it couldna' reach me). Kruag faught back with her axe while Landen charged up some of his mojo and Harmond tried to get off a spell; but the pressure got to him and he fumbled it. I called on the divine power of Marthammor to aid me in battle and got into the fray; takin' a big airy fist ta the face for me trouble. Kurga too took another hit and this made her go absolutely flamin' bonkers, smashin' away like a girl possessed by some tanar'ri; course I'm not complainin' since it carved the bugger up well. Back against the far wall Harmond let out a charged up magic missile (classic that one) while Landen did some more kickin' and screamin'. I gave it some swipes but couldna' find no purchase. The beastie punched us up some more (nearly doin' Harmond in). Kurga's axe did its work again while Harmond got off one last spell before faintin' dead away and me and Landen hit nothin' but air again (course not the air we was aimin' for); and then Kurga did it again and poof it was goners: damn that girl could figh; real shame to lose her; even if she was half pig.
Made meself useful with the ol' healin' touch, and quick as a flash we was off agin, heaadin' through the south door to find that a big curtain stretched the whole ya cross the big chamver we'd been workin' at. We peeked past the curtain and my o' my the sight we did see: another even bigger chamber, this one lit with a massive spell; two stands o' seatin' along the sides, a bunch of craved pillars runnin' cross ways and a massive throne with three statues hangin' bout (or least we thought they was statues); course all this didn't draw our attention so much the big arse Ogre Magi standin' before the throne all dressed up in fine robes and armed to the teeth.'
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Post by Mahungee on Feb 7, 2005 4:58:56 GMT -5
'We decided to try and sneak up on the big bugger but didn't get very far with Harmond rustling his way cross the floor in his silly wizards robes. Didnt even get to past the line o' pillars before we was sprung. Now this fine dressed fella didnt immediately go for his bow or spells instead he seemed happy ta talk as long as we didnt come no closer; so talk we did. Didn't find out much; names Arley the Weaver (though what type o' weavin' a Ogre Magi dose is anybodies guess) and he lives there and knows Eli (even told us he was on a much deeper level surrounded by demons and whatnot); it's not clear if he works for Eli cause he said he was quiet happy for us to continue lookin' around (though he was standin' just shy of activatin' the golem and did tell us how interesting it was); with that he turned invisible and flew off; course Harmond had those magic eyes and watched him the hole way.
With the Magi gone we went to have a look see at the throne; one massive statue on the throne and a wizard and a warrior statue on either side; respectively. Harmond said the weapons o' all three had some powerful auras on them. Course by then Kurga had already begun clamberin' all over the steps and this, quiet naturally, set the bloody golem off. I guess your wonderin' by now what's this flamin' golem I keep goin' on bout? Well I tells ya; turns out the big blighter on the throne, with both a magic whip o' petrification and a magic sword thank ya very much, is some type o' super iron golem, soon as it got up it took a couple of piddly hits from Kurga and then let rip with a roarin' breath ' flame; cookin' up both the gril and Harmond too. Then the bastard stepped in quick and sliced the girl to pieces right in fron of our eyes.
Seeing that WE though maybe fleein' was a good idea and Harmond came a runnin', cloak still fizzlin', back ta were me and Landen was standin'. I healed the boy a bit whilst we watied for see if the golem would come down from its perch. As this was goign' on the place had changed somewhat I should tell ya; the stands had suddenly become full of all manner o' beasties and sundry; some angelic, some demonic and some even undead; all of them cherrin' and booin' at pur doin's; also the statues carved inta tha pillars had come to life, not mivn' round just talkin' mongst themselves bout us; I swear I even saw one or two place bets. Anyway the golem did come down alright; liftin' off and floatin' round and all, didn't move very fast though. It whipped the mage before we had time to move and right on the spot he turned to stone! That was it for me I don't mind tellin' ya and off I took back through the curtains; I was thinkin' Landen would follow but last thing I saw was him turn on the golem and go in for the kill; I didn't see what happened but I guess he's either a statue too now or else craved up like the poor girly: brave lad but ya gotta know when ta quit.
Not much more ta tell now; I got past the curtains and inta the main chamber, when I got hit by and almighty cone o' cold spell; turns out Arley went so nice after all. With nothin' ta lose I let rip with every bit o' god gievn magic I had left; he messed me up real good and nearly did me in before I managed to drive him off. Bleedin' me hearts blood now I made for the tnnnel out; I swear I say some thin human like things skulkin' in the shadows just after me fight with Arley, but they didnt bother me so I had no mind for more investigating. Hit daylight, saddled up and managed the inn just before nightfall.
Been three days now, sittin' in this room on the second floor; been healin' up but for some reason some o' the wounds wont respond ta healin' magic, though their slowly comin' good on their own. Tthere's been no sign or reinforcements and nothin' from Marthammor but a coldness when I pray and take me spells. I fear that he and whatever forces set me and the others on this course are sorely disappointed in us and that he may soon turn from me. I pary hourly that this ain't the case, lost in this world so much like me own but not; without the wayfinder ta guide my steps I don't know if I could continue....Neverttha'less this is me account o' what has gone on I'm gonna leave it with the inn keeper, as I plan ta leave in a few days time in search o' a temple ta Moradin, in case other do arrive ta continue tha quest.
Marthok Thunderjaw Volamtar'
Here ends the last recorded writtings of Marthok Thunderjaw
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