Princess: A Group Was Presented with a Problem

“Well, I certainly don’t want to be here a week without food and water and…” Inara looks at her zombie stained robes, “…a bath. Anyway, if we need speed, then let’s be speedy. If someone can be reasoned with, and they have just been smacked around by an… ettin, was it?... I’ll head in that direction.” Inara points off to the east.

“The library seems easy enough, but the bloodthirsty whats-it-fussies didn’t sound too pleasant. I suggest some stronger arms than mine head off in that direction. Shall we split in two, and when done come back here? We can then all sprint to the library and finish with this place.”

Inara involuntarily shivers. “I want done with all of this.”

“Remmy and I are headed east. Any of you want to join us? Or anyone want to volunteer for the planty-like-thingies to the south?”

Elby give an uneasy look at the floating head, "I suddenly feel rejuvenated. Do the rest of you feel the same?"

"If this princess is can be believed, then we should split up. Although Qwyn can be quite convincing, I think his his talents will be will be wasted when dealing with a dragonborn. But we will need some who are quick and gifted with a silver tongue. Radegast and Inara should be able to convince Gharash to join us. Stones could give Gharash the head if he needs additional convincing. And I will be able to scout ahead and get there quickly."

Pointing at the others in turn, "That would leave Alion, Qwyn, Voss, and Remmy to venture south and face the arboreans. Those four seem are best suited for any heavy melee. I don't think we'll encounter much resistance that Inara would require her bodyguard. What do the rest of you think of this grouping?"

Inara retorts quickly, "Remmy will not leave my side, Elby. He receives a handsome sum from a dwarven king to protect me, and I rather like having my friend around. Your bow, however, may be far better served helping to the south. Fighting isn't so much my thing. But I would travel with Stones, Radegast, and Remmy if you, Voss, Alion, and Qwynn would take the possibly rougher path. We re-meet back here as soon as we can? If we are first back, we will try to help support you to the south, and vice-versa. Agreeable with everyone?"

"If this is the path we must take, so be it, but I will voice my objections one more time, then be silent about it. We are trusting a prisoner, a prisoner who can conquer our very thoughts, put things into our minds, and heal our bodies. A prisoner who can float about, conversing and spell casting. A prisoner who wants us to free her on nothing but a few pictures and some pretty words. I would not trust this bauble. I would smash it on the ground and be done with this. But she is not in my hands, so I will say no more on the subject."

Noienna gives Radegast a look that makes her displeasure at this statement quite clear. "I heal you...I help you...yet I am the bad person?" Her high cheekbones somehow become tauter- as though her feeling have been hurt."

Radegast pauses for a moment. Deep in thought.

"Elby, your plan seems sound. The library must be approached carefully, and we must have time to explore it's depths before we depart. Please, we must be careful and not burn this to the ground." He shoots a quick look at Stones.

"Both parties should meet back here before approaching the library. On this I must insist. Are we agreed?"

Elby continues with Inara, “Perhaps he would be protecting you best by traveling south and capturing part of Karavakos's soul and getting us out of here faster. You're right, I am amazing with my bow. I am the best hunter of my village and probably all the surrounding land. However, I'm more inclined to deal with one or two foes at most. If it's a large battle, I don't think I would be very effective. Remmy on the other hand seems well suited for that type of work. What say you Remsfeld?"

"Elby, I think it best to let Remmy fulfill his obligations to Inara. But you are right, we must divide and conquer. Radegast, your feelings are clear...I understand your distrust, and we will be careful to not act with haste. Unfortunately it sounds like time is not on our side. I will go where I am needed, though negotiations are not my strong suit...people don't always like me for some reason. Not a fucking clue as to why, but there you have it..."

He turns to Radegast, "and never fear my friend, I will not burn this place to the ground until we are ready to depart!"

Voss finishes another swig of dwarven ale. He holds it out to the group. "Anyone want a sip? Nothing like a strong pull of strong ale after a bought. That, and saluting Krom for seeing us through.”

Voss continues. "As Qwyn, Alion and I have traveled and fought together, I am for the three of us combining our strength. But we could use one more, and, no disrespect to my friends, but we could use some steel strength. I would have Remmy at our side, or someone else handy in a fight. “

Voss considers once more. "Unless we three take the road of persuasion and you 5 handle battle.”

Inara looks both bemused and confused.

“Voss makes a strong point. As Remmy knows me... Voss, Alion, and Qwynn know each other. They must work well together. Let us split that way then. Voss, Alion, and Qwynn and one more sword go south. Myself, Remmy, and Elby go east. Radegast, care to join us to the east? Stones appears better armored for the south."

Inara moves eastward, Remmy at her side. She points to the ettin. "And someone made a good point. The head of the ettin would prove useful in negotiations. Remmy, could you get a clean cut with your sword to show our good intentions? Let us get this show on the road."

“Armored?” Stones looks down at his black coat and complete lack of armor…”Hmm, armed perhaps, but I don’t like to be weighed down...” He attempts to smile but it comes across as more of a grimace. He then raises up the orb in front of him, to look the queen in the eye, “And I’m sure Radegast does not mean to sound ungrateful for this boon, but you must admit it is a bit odd to see…well, all of this…Radegast, my friend, do not fear the intentions of this Eldarin. I do not know them as a people, but even if she serves her own ends, for now she serves ours as well. We will defeat these foes, and return to Brin and the fat man soon. I cannot believe there is one in this place that can stand against all of us together.”

“Very well, I go to the South to confront these Arboreans. But beware the dragonborn. As the queen says, it is the priests that believe he can be reasoned with, and who the priest would reason with I would destroy. Now, I’m going to go burn down some fucking plants, grab some ‘soul fragments’ or whatever the hell it is we’re looking for…Qwyn, Alion, Voss…it looks like we will be delivering some pain. Shall Voss and I lead, and you can support us with your magics?” He has his sword in his right hand, the orb in his left, and seems anxious to depart. Stones seems to have also produced yet another bow from somewhere, which is now slung over his back.

Qwyn adds, "Well then. Let us be off." He steps toward the Southern passage way.

Elby holds up the bow that Stones gave him earlier, “I have an extra bow, if anyone wants it. It may come in handy depending on what we face ahead. It's an enhanced bow.”

Qwyn grins as he replies, “"Thanks Elby, but I could never figure those things out. I'd be more likely to shoot myself than my quarry."

Voss nods his agreement as he takes the bow, “Thanks Elby. I'll gladly take it. Does anyone need the bow I've been using?”

No one answers.

Inara looks distressed as Remmy exchanges words with her quietly. She nods, curtly, but does not look happy. She turns back to the group.

"Gentlemen, we have a fight, and a search, and we are wasting time. Voss, Stones, Remmy, and Qwynn, take the southern route. You have the majority of our strength. A lot of steel and magic to support. We have a fight in that direction. I, on the other hand, am not going to fight the dragonmen. We are going to reason with them. Radegast, Elby, Alion, and I will head east. We can offer them their ettin, as well as healing, since they just got thrashed, in return for their help. Whomever finishes their task first moves to support the others, likely to be us, but possibly you. Once done and reunited, we move on the library united and finish this thing. Tempus fugit, gentlemen. Go."

Inara turns, and heads east, looking rather upset.

Remmy unsheaths his sword and grunts, "Let’s go.”

No one else moves. Massive confusion.

Voss turns to the group. He adds his latest thought. "If we have little time to get the two pieces of her husbands soul, and one piece lies with the angry plant people to the south, the other lies in the Library to the north with all the additional information we'd need, why are we sending swords East to deal with dragon men?”

Everyone looks a bit confused, trying to remember what he or she heard the Noienna say.
"To recruit them against the plant people? Against the Priests? If time is a factor I say we go for the soul shards directly. If we run into dragon men who want to help, so be it."

Voss looks from person-to-person.

"Unless one among us can reason this differently."

“The dragon guys have a fragment of kukamunga's soul too. We’ve got to get all the fragments, put them together and then kill kukamunga....at least that's how I interpreted...” grunts Stones.

Voss acknowledges Stones words with an easy smile. “Oh. Then I did not catch that. I thought there were 2 shards, and she said the dragonborn were at war with the plant people, but nothing more. Was thinking if the dragon men have a shard and can be recruited to help get the plantmen's shard, then that can be tasked to one group perhaps. Let the other hit the library and get crackin, and come back to help should they finish early.”

The Princess blinks her doe-like eyes,"No. That IS what I said. The former, not the latter." She sniffs. "No one ever REALLY listens to a woman!"

"Off to the library then. Maybe they'll have some good books." Qwyn steps toward the Northern passageway.

Voss’s face shows absolutely no exasperation, having been through many battles and planning sessions. "Then the head speaks troo. I say we go for the soul shards directly. One group to the library. One to the plantmen of Arbor Day. If war with the dragon men has them looking over their shoulder while fighting us, then all the better. And if we meet dragonborn or they see us fighting their foes, perhaps they will join OUR cause rather than begging them for help. A couple of hours is not a lot of time to venture through unmapped corridors to find a leader who may not see eye to eye. We don't know how he'll react to us. If he'll help. “

Voss continues with his monologue. "The plant men have what we want and we'll be cleaving them with or without dragon blades beside ours. So lets get to it.”

"What say you?" Voss finishes. His words would be inspiring to most. Somehow they come out wrong, more like a commander barking orders.

“Can anyone see if we need light where we're going? Can we see torches on the walls or shall we bust out lanterns? That's gonna hinder wielding with two hands, unless you magic casters can cast with one.” Voss asks, deeply trying to peer through the fog.

"I can see in anything except total darkness, but that obviously doesn't help those who cannot." Qwyn says it with a casual shrug.

Alion chimes in, “I'll hold a torch. Haven't been swinging my morning star, anyways. And if one of you going to the library runs into trouble, you could do worse than set its books on fire too."
Stones looks horrified, “The library holds all the knowledge of my mentor, Suresh…I must make sure it is not lost. I would help kill the Arboreans, but cannot risk losing this knowledge…”.

Where he once seemed assured, Stones appears to be torn. “The library may be my last chance to save his life’s work and make sure that I carry on his legacy. I am sorry friends, but it is too much to risk. Not just his soul, but everything he is, and everything he may have hoped for me to be…”

Qwyn mutters under his breath.

Radegast nods. “Then my mind is settled. I go to the Library. Who else is coming with me?”
“I have ways to light the path ahead, so worry not about that, companions. No torches or lanterns in the Library until we have found what we need.” He pulls a small piece of cloth out of his pack and begins securing it around his nose and mouth. “The coughing should be lessened the more quickly we move down this hallway. If there are no other objections, I am ready to move.” He goes to stand by the corridor leading to the Library.

Stones continues to look confused, “uhh…a little voice in my head says I should go south despite my other feelings…so, I guess I’ll go there?”

He pauses once move. “Nah fuck it. I’m going North.”

Remsfeld steps back to the Ettin, casually decapitates one of its heads, holds it up and asks, “Are we going to need this or not?”

DM Note:
· Going North to the library I have Stones, Radegast and Elby
· Inara is standing at the east most corridor
· Going Southto the plant-people I have Remmy, Voss, Qwyn and Alion

The Princess: Once upon a time...

The smell of dead Ettin and feces nestles itself into all of your noses. Though the disembodied head of the Eldarin draws most of your focus.

Radegast pulls himself out of the pit, stands up, removes his cloak and shakes it out, beating it against the floor to shake out the dirt and dust from the pit.

Stones puts his back against the wall gets his feet against the Ettin, pushing with a certain amount of effort and gets himself dislodged. Stones moves himself so he is sitting on the edge of the pit holding the orb in front of him and staring at the disembodied head in her eyes. "Now, you wouldn't ask for something that couldn't be done, would you? So I assume if you want to be free, you can tell me how to do so. Out with it, then. And if you have no idea, please say so and don't waste my time." The last part comes out as a growl, far harsher than he intended.

The Eldarin head blinks her large eyes and thick luscious lashes back at Stones, "Well I never - I mean I did once though he was a dwarf so I'm not sure it counts for anything. Of course I know how to do it. Destroy the Portal of Marquis. That is all you have to do." The words tumble out of her mouth one after another.

"And while we're at it, how did you come to be here? Where are we? And do you know exactly where we are?" adds Stones, almost as an afterthought.

The Eldarin head licks her lips, though there is no lubrication so it is rather...uneasy looking, "So many questions. How...human of you." My name is Noienna Paressa, rightful queen to all existing Eldarin lands--" there is a particular triumph to her words when she speaks that part, "--and I have been imprisoned here for 300 years since my EX husband Karavakos made a deal with some devils that did not turn out well for...actually ME truth be told...I have spent the last 50 years being ignored as a prisoner of this stupid ettin. Though not so stupid that I could ever figure out a way to get--out--of--here."

The words once again tumble out except for the places she has dramatic pauses for emphasis and exactness. There is a long pause. Trying to remember a fact or opinion that has escaped her. Somewhere in the universe she finds it.

"Oh yes. The where. That is more complicated. My EX husband was looking for life immortal in my homelands of La Florida. He and his demon friends - long story really - let us just say immortality for a devil is to live between time and space. That is what my EX husband told me before he went and sacrificed me. This place you are in travels between worlds and time. Never staying for long. Sometimes it is found. Sometimes it is not. Though ever since those priests of Chlome found it we have been stuck here. I can FEEL when we move and we have no moved in years. I don't know what they did (her voice becomes saddened) only they are not useful worth a damn. Each day I can feel them adding others to where my soul is kept which wouldn't be bad if I could talk to them. Instead I was in a bag. THANK YOU by the way for that assistance."

Once again the words spring forth from her mouth.

Voss draws his cask of golden dwarven ale from his pack. It’s a magical cask that refills daily with crisp, cold dwarven ale. He pops the cork, takes a long swig and passes it offers it. “While needing to know moving forward, how sure are we we can get BACK to Ronak and Brind in the other room? Do we risk leaving them behind? Or bring them with us?”

"Ahhh.... that was.... gross." Inara brushes zombie ash off of her travel robe. "Um, Stones? Could you retrieve my two stars from the big thing's brain? Thank you, sir."

Stones nods along with Inara as she speaks to Qwyn. He plucks the throwing stars from the ettin and hands them to Inara, seeming almost surprised to have done so without even thinking.

"Qwynn... didn't you say you can sense portal thingies? There seems to be some fog down these three hallways. I'm happy to scout ahead, but I don't want to walk into something like what I think we just walked into once already. Could you check out the hallways before I go down one?" Inara smiles as she says it. Her most charming smile.

Remsfeld snarls, "No sneaking around, Inara!"

Elby walks around the room picking up arrows and cleaning them. "I'm with Inara, if any of you can sense the portal, then let's go that way. Otherwise I'm willing to scout down this hallway heading south." Elby nods his head toward the hallway.

"I see the sentiment is to move from this place, but I would remind everyone to take stock of our situation." Radegast is calm as he speaks. "We did not get enough rest last night, we began the day in a new city, spent the afternoon at a funeral, burned a tavern to the ground in the evening, holed up in a castle and then traveled through a portal to this temple in the middle of the night. I have had many days in my travels, but few as long as this day."

Qwyn looks careful at each hallway. "That fog in the passageways may unintentionally help us. It looks like Enemies Chortle. It's designed to make breathing things cough so we should be able to hear if anything is approaching.

"A coughing gas?" Inara looks distastefully down the halls. "Well then I imagine that means it would make me cough as well, so people will hear me coming. So much for scouting."

“I'm for resting up and taking first watch. Yes Qwyn, if you could check for portals.” Voss says it as he continues to drink the ale that no one else seems interested in.

“To get out of here, in all likelihood, we're going to need to figure out how to reactivate a portal back to where we came from. Unfortunately, most portals do not remain open but require some kind of key to make them active." Qwyn looks back toward where you all came in.

"Qwyn, are you saying if we go back down that corridor we entered, we will not find Ronak and Brind?” Voss looks concerned.

“I believe the answer to that is no, we are stuck here, but I could be wrong ...” the words trail off into the semi-spoken thought.

Inara eyes the decapitated heads with disgust, Remsfeld close behind. "Any one want a cleaver?" Remsfeld takes the cleaver from her, wordlessly tosses it into the pit, recognizing a useless weapon when he sees one.

Elby continues to pick up the arrows. "Stones, Rad, you two OK? Thanks for the bow, this one works almost as well as my last one."

Stones turns to Elby, "Keep the bow if you wish, I have another...unless yours is more suited to your needs. You're a better shot than I am anyway. And Voss, that sword you gave me has a minor enchantment.”

Elby nods, "Thank you Stones. It's always good to have a back up." Elby sits down and begins to restring his original bow

“Let's not forget the two carrion crawlers that escaped. Maybe they'll return - with reinforcements? That pit hides more than bones.” Allion, forever thinking, forever pondering adds in his thoughts.

"From what I've read, Carrion Crawlers are faster runners than the French. Don't think they'll be back any time soon." Qwyns looks toward the pit as he says it.

"Queen Paressa," Stones says, almost sounding respectful. It is a surprising turn for such a brusque man. "We will destroy this Portal of marquis. We will set you free. But please, tell me, do you know any of these trapped souls by name or nature? My...master, well, these fucking...I mean the priests, that is...well damnit, these bastard of chum have trapped his soul and it sounds like it is for the same purpose your EX" stones provides the emphasis as well "husband had in mind.

Stones looks almost hopeful, anticipating her answer, and not the least bit put out that he may at that very moment be floating between space and time...

Radegast kicks one of the Ettin's hands, draped over the edge of the pit, back down on its stinking corpse lying below. "I believe we must act with a certain amount of haste, but a few hours sleep will do us all good. Perhaps we could use that nook to stack our supplies and get a few hours of sleep before moving to the next bloodbath." He looks at the Halfling. "Elbeneth, you have my gratitude and protection. Your words during the melee gave me the courage to continue. I am at your service."

Elby smiles at Radegast. "My friend, Radegast, it was the least I could do for the help you gave me when I was struck down by that poisonous dart. Considering all the rest I got while recovering, I feel well enough to venture on. The sooner we're out of this...whatever it is, the better I'll feel. It's not natural to be stuck in some void like this."

Inara cleans her stars and returns them under her robe. "Look, I understand the need to rest. You guys did that watchy thing during the night while I slept. I'm fresh; you're not. But we seem to have several passages here. This place looks like it could be frequented quite often. Judging by the pit... very often. Resting here seems... bad. Not to mention that we have an out of shape, fat, self proclaimed former paladin and a child by themselves. On the plus side they won’t run out of food because THEY HAVE MY BAGS... we, on the other hand..."

Inara sighs.

"So unless you all can magically create food and water, and can also protect a hidden room that the priests may be looking at very soon now that we set off some sort of trap... I suggest we move on. As to which direction..." Inara looks around confused.

Elby heads to the NW section of the room and checks the angles from there down the hallways. Then heads over to the SW corner and checks the angles from there down the hallways.

"Considering what we just went through, some rest can't hurt. I'll take the first watch with Voss. Don't worry, there are few things that can sneak up on me unnoticed." Whatever has ravaged Elby’s body in the past is definitely gone.

"Places are not my thing. People are my thing. Remmy? Any of the stonework look more central? Travelled? Used?” Inara looks hopefully at Remmy.

Remsfeld shakes his head at her. “How many times I tell you? I am not that type of dwarf!”

Stones absorbs the multiple conversations and says, “I can make a portal, but I don’t have to supplies…if we happen to stumble across the rare chalks I need, then perhaps…However, these priests of chum must have a way back. I care not if we rest or move forward, but if we will move on we should decide quickly, but most importantly we must not become separated. We can toss some dice to see which route we take unless anyone has a better suggestions…

“Radegast, you took many mighty blows, are you ok to carry on. Perhaps you need to spend a healing surge before we carry on..”

Radegast is stooped over, cleaning his axe. He looks at Stones. "Careful, swordsman... I'll surge that crystal ball up where the gods never intended it go to."

Radegast adds "I am fine to go on if we decide that is best.”

Radegast continues to look at Stones, carefully studying the trapped Eldarin Queen. "Stones, my friend, my new brother of the battle, if you would be so kind as to consider returning this bauble to its bag, so we may speak in private. I have known many an Eldarin in my travels, and only one in a hundred speaks plainly, and only one in a thousand has pure motives. Be very wary of making promises to this princess in a jar. It may well be she was put there for a reason. Regardless, we are here for other reasons. I would suggest one thing at a time."

"From what I know of these priests, there is a certain member of this cult who we need to be on the lookout for. He will look like the others in garb and manner, but will carry a ring of many keys. If we find this keymaster, we must take him alive. He can lead us to the archives, where we will be able to find not only a way out of this stuck portal, but perhaps answers to more questions, such as where the souls of friends are hidden, why queens are frozen in balls of crystal, and why bars must burn so fat men might die. Find the man with the keys, and we find our way to vengeance and freedom, for all who deserve it."

"What say you all?"

Radegast looks around the room. His words have a certain wisdom to them.

Noienna's eyes bulge as lets out a shriek, "Bauble? Bau-BLE? BA-U-BLE?!" She manages to turn the word into three enraged syllables. "Listen ha-lf hu-man--" her haughty emphasis makes the words the most cutting insult you've ever heard, "--I can smell the death on the weapon you carry with you in the name of friendship. I wouldn't--wouldn't..." Noienna regains control of herself, her voice suddenly becoming overly sweet, "The library. You don't need keys. You know nothing. Less than nothing apparently."

"We'll what the fu--...I don't know what's what, who's right, or which way we are headed but I do agree with Radegast. We need rest. And we need to collect our thoughts and form a plan. Queen Paressa, perhaps you can help us in our original quest," he turns to Radegast, "as it seems our interest may coincide somewhat with her needs Radegast. Perhaps a rest for all is in order...and then we find all the trapped souls."

Stones looks down each hallway. "Many ways into this room, perhaps too many. Paressa, do you know where they lead? Have you seen other ettin or any other creatures come this way?"

The Princess shrieks again. “What have I seen? What—have—I…I will show you.”

A blue light comes from the orb, overwhelming eyes and slipping directly into your mind.

Time itself plays backward – your lives, your births, the stories that you have heard about in the years before you existed. The view pulls away from Cull itself to give a bird’s eye view of what you know to be the world. The world itself turns, suddenly your view plummets toward the ground.

The following story unfolds before you.

In centuries past, a tiefling wizard named Karavakos was a steward of the country of Spain. Madly in love with the highborn princess of Spain Eldarin Noienna Paressa – and she with him. He went before the Queen of Spain asking for a quest to prove his worth. The Queen, having no interest in a tiefling relative yet afraid of his awesomess wizarding power sent him on the quest for the Land Immortal. A rumor of existence in the newly found land of La Florida.

Karavakos did not find it, thwarted by the Feywild who called this area part of their home.

Yet his love for Noienna Paressa was deep so he made a fatal bargain. In desperation, Karavakos summoned a devil and asked for aid. A legion of infernal soldiers came to march under his command, and he stepped up his efforts to make La Florida his domain.

The legion of devils came at a very reasonable price. They would fight on his behalf and obey his orders without question. If he ever led them to defeat, however, they would abandon him and he would be cast into eternal captivity. Only an error made by the wizard could result in the devils’ defeat—no army in the world could defeat them on the field of battle.

Karavakos led his legions on one conquest after another. What had been a small kingdom grew into a mighty nation to rival Spain itself.

With winter’s arrival, Karavakos called a halt to his campaign of expansion. He returned to his palace with the Spain where he claimed his eladrin princess, who was to be his bride. Together, he proclaimed, they would rule a new empire, and with spring’s dawning his armies would march into the Feywild, extending their rule across two worlds.

When spring came, the devil armies marched through the thin border between worlds. In the Feywild, though, the devils met their match. Invincible on the battlefields of the natural world, the devils had no such protection once they stepped into the Feywild. Fey spears and arrows felled the legions, putting an end to Karavakos’s dreams of conquest—and severing his diabolic bargain.

Karavakos was imprisoned in the very land he sought his soul itself torn asunder. The Land Immortal, his eladrin princess at his side. The Land Immortal took Karavakos between worlds, always attaching itself to the part of whatever world is traveled to. Those who died within the Land Immortal lent strength to the pyramid itself.

Karavakos built a portal which would enable himself to talk to others only it would not work. To power it he needed three souls: one of greed, one of innocence, and one of power. The greed was easy to find as the Land Immortal exists beyond space and time, appearing in multiple places in the world and planes beyond. Greedy people are always among those who would explore.

The one of power was part of his own soul itself. The innocence…his eldarin princess. It was through his portal he encouraged many to enter the Land Immortal always for the purpose of adding to his own power. It was also this way he met the Priests of Cholme.

Priests who were able to secure the powerful Land Immortal to their own world using its powers themselves. How they hold the Land Immortal is unknown. They have made the Land Immortal stronger thanks to additional sacrifices: one of greed, one of innocence, and one of power.

The words reflect in your ears. You find yourself back in the Ettin’s chamber.

The Eldarin princess finishes her story, talking to you all in real time.

“These people passed through the Ettin’s chamber always cloaked to not hear my cries. The Portal is in the sanctuary of light. Karavakos is the key. His soul has been split. A piece of his soul – split apart it hides among the areas and…well that information is held in the library. The library contains every bit of knowledge of every person ever put into the portal. Reuninte Karavakos’s soul and then kill him. THAT is what will destroy it.”

She pauses. Everything has been almost stream of consciousness.

“I was asked earlier of what sits down these hallways.” “The library – directly due North. It contains every bit of knowledge of every person ever put into the portal. It also contains part of Karavakos soul. It is part of the key.”

“To the East is Gharash. He is dragonborn, along with his people a recent arrival. He sent men to attack the Ettin. They lost. He can be reasoned with...or so the Priests say.” Another deep breath. Her story is long but almost complete.

“To the South." She shakes her head. “Savage arboreans, bloodthirsty humanoids who believe the spirits of their ancestors reside in plants. There too is a piece of soul among them. They openly fight against Gharash.”

She sighs. “There is a problem. The priests of Chlome came through earlier today. Once a week they come through to make a sacrifice and then leave. If you do not stop them today you will be hear a week…that would be…bad. No one can open the door to the Pyramid of Light without a key. A soul begs to be reunited with its body so it can die. Karavakos will open the door. I believe you have two maybe three hours. To get the souls…you will have to split up.”

It is then you finally notice it. A freshness to the air. Muscles that feel loose. Minds that are clear. Whatever the Princess did has refreshed you as though you had a full days sleep. Actions points are at two. Daily powers have returned. And options are in front of you.

DM Note

• Call it the exposition post
  

The Pit: You Can't Cleave a Disembodied Head

If a spider-monkey crossed itself with an eel then maybe there would be a creature capable of emulating Radegast's twisting contorsionist manuever. One second he is barely visible beneath the giant the next he crouches atop the giant's wide shoulders.

No one is quite sure how he got there.

Having been completely ignored by the Ettin stones takes one last opportunity to slam his sword into the giant's body. Stones retracts his sword, now heavily covered with his opponent's blood.

Elby the bone bow smooth in his hand nocks an arrow. Silently he lets fly an arrow. Perhaps it is the sudden quiet that has fallen over the battle, or perhaps it is heightened senses from battle, but the THUNK of arrow digging deep into the Ettin's chest is heard by all in the room.

Inspired the party feels extra lucky this round with the attacking blows. Where Stones failed earlier Elby has proven successful with the power of the bow.

From behind Stones continues working over the Ettin in a purposeful yet brutal manner. He sinks his sword into an already exposed cut then turns the blade on exit creating a "triangle" cut. The type of cut that does not naturally heal.

Radegast steps off the Ettin's shoulders and directly into flanking position.

Bad move.

CRACK.

The Ettin's hand shoots out automatically catching Radegast. Once more Radegast bones scatter as Radegast is knocked. He slams backwards against the edge of the pit, a sharp pain shoothing through him where his back meets the spot where pit intersects the floor (3 hp.)

The Ettin throws its body backward, catching Stones between the itself and the wall (7 hp.) The disembodied head floats outward through the giant's body - not causing any damage - though definitely providing an odd sight.

"Get me out of here!" the female voice notes.

Staying where he is Voss fires two arrows in rapid succession. The two arrows pierce the giant's skin - where the giant was fast before it is now slow. Where it was strong it now seems weak.

Qwyn steps into the room - the final member to move out of the hallway. He makes sure to stay far clear from being adjacent to the zombie.

"Hey ugly -- you'd think with two heads you'd have enough common sense to know when to die!" He points his rod at the Ettin, once against elditch blasting the creature.

Allion whispers a soothing word, once again the holy symbol that is sewn into his armor becomes alight. Strength and energy rush through Radegast's body (25 hp.)

Remsfeld continues to guard Inara. Keeping a sharp eye out for anything coming out of the pit. He leaves the remaining zombine alone though feeling that is poses no real danager.

Inara turns back to the battle. "Well that failed..."

She looks around feeling the zombies are well under control. Although Radegast's situation seems to be deteriorating. "Let's hope my aim has improved." Inara drops the cleaver, reaches into her armor and draws out two throwing stars; she launches them both at the Ettin.

THUNK.

Right into one of its four eyes.

The Ettin lifts its cleaver one last time. It looks around unable to know whom to attack. Its eyes settle on the woman's head in front of him.

"What the--"begins the woman.

He swings. The cleaver passes through the floating head. You cannot cleave a disembodied head.

THUNK.

Inara's second throwing stars goes into an eye on the Ettin's other head.

The Ettin's swing finishes, the follow through smashing through bones and armor. The giant comes to a sudden stop, held up by the bones surrounding it. Oddly held up, blood flowing freely from its wounds.

The light dims in the creatures remaining eyes. With a resigned sigh it makes one final noise as the breath leaves it body. Stones, pinned against the wall, feels the creatures body go limp.

A terrible smell reaches your nose of the Ettin defecates itself. The final bit of waste passing from its life.

The last remaning zombie disintegrates.

The room remains silent. Eerily silent.

DM Notes:

• Initiative:Stones, Voss, Alion, Elby, Qwyn, Inara, Radegast, Remmy


• Map later
  

A Baker's Dozen of Usless Random Factoids

Rick asked me to track number of hits, damage percentage, et al; I said no. Mostly since I had not done it before and I don't want to start coming up with weighted hit percentages (you hit a zombie with an 8 and kill it. Congratulations. You hit the Ettin with an 8, it grabs your sword and uses it as a tooth pick.)

But hey, maybe I will. I have some of them already set anyway and it COULD be useful for amusing myself.

I may try to figure out a natural D20 roll so I can see if Rick really does roll super low. Anyhow...

1. Single most damaging blow the entire game belongs to Voss. The second most is Qwyn.
2. Highest hit percentage Qwyn. The second is Elby.
3. Highest melee hit percentage: Remsfeld. The second is Voss.
4. Most friendly fire damage taken: Remsfeld
5. Most damage taken (cumulative) Voss. Radegast is catching up quickly.
6. The least damage taken Alion. The second is Qwyn.
7. Most women saved: Qwyn
8. Most dead women saved: Stones
9. Most bars burned down: Stones
10. Most awesome role-playing moves where something else has happened to screw up the move: Inara
    
11. Number of accidental Rick's: Rick and Rob with one each
12. Number of redone moves by the DM: 2 1/2 (the 1/2 me adding additional moves to the top of the next post)
13. Best "It Never Happened" moment: Voss uses a parrying special power to save Radegast from at least 20 hit points of damage and paralysis
14. Number of hours spent playing: Too much and not enough

Wayne

The Pit: Pile On

Six zombies. One Ettin. Radegast in the pit. All hell breaking loose. The light in the room emanates from the ceiling itself, most likely magical in some shape or form. The air itself is stale with the only movement coming from the flight of arrows, swinging of weapons, or the breathing of the combatants.

“Want your head!” cries out one of the Ettin’s head’s. The meaty un-cleavered hand of the Ettin propels downward toward the, only coming to a stop with an audible thwack of Ettin fist meeting Radegast’s face is (13 hp). Bones scatter further as the force knocking Radegast toward the middle of the bone filled pit (E10.)

The Ettin looks perplexed for a millisecond as Radegast is beyond his reach. It compensates for this inconvenience by leaping from the edge of the pit toward Radegast its remaining cleaver held high.

As Elby holds his prized but useless bow in his left hand he effortlessly draws his sword forth with his right, his blow aimed at the nearest zombie (G12.) He is as efficient with his sword as he is with his bow, reducing the zombie to a pile of ash with a single swing.

Elby calmly bends low to place bow onto the ground while yelling, “Stones, throw me a bow!”

Radegast can see the hairs that help make up the armor of the Ettin as it hurtles toward him. Radegast pulls his Axe-Hammer to his side, slipping it seamlessly into a loop on his belt.

Normally, Qwyn would want to go see what's up with the damsel in distress talking out of Stone’s , but with the Ettin roughing everyone up the tiefling gives his attention to the two-headed creature.

"You, ugly, are hearby are granted a license to Ill." Qwyn sketches a glowing rune in the air with his rod. Lines of eldritch power slash across the Ettin’s body in the same shape as the rune.

The Ettin screams in pain induced fury as it comes down hard on the prone and now seemingly unarmed body of Radegast. Its cleaver swing – its aim thrown off by Qwyn’s attack – turns from precise violence to uncontrolled chaos, coming in far too high to be effective, though the Ettin’s arm pit goes directly in Radegast’s face as the warrior disappears beneath the mass of the giant creature (4 hp).

It is difficult for those not in the pit to see clearly, but just as the Ettin's body was about to crush Radegast, a burst of flames explodes from the end of the downed warrior's fingers, engulfing the underside of the giant and casting a momentary burst of shadows across the ceiling above the pit, and then with a crash as the two bodies are lost in darkness.

The Ettin is so large that you can still seem him clearly over the edge of the pit.

Alion calls forth Zoltar's spirit to weaken the Ettin and heal Inara, Remsfeld, Qwyn, Radegast and himself. He whispers gravely,"I hope the Ettin has not eaten Radegast.”

A burst of green and blue divine energy grows forth from Alion. The energy moves out like a wave in all directions (3 squares in each direction) washing over friend and foe alike. Radegast, Remsfeld, Qwyn, Inara and Alion himself all feel strengthened by what has happened (6 hp each – if you are at max hit points then nothing).

The Zombies caught into the range and the Ettin appear slightly weakened. A radiant energy lingers around Alion’s holy symbol even after the wave dissipates.

Remmy swing his reproachful greatsword at the nearest zombie. The sword passes cleanly through the enemy rendering it no more than a pile of bones and dust.

The Zombie closest to Stones rushes forward, bouncing ineffectively off Stones’s clothes as it tries to smash him.

With his left hand Stones reaches into his bag, pulling out a small black ball – the bag in question is a new adornment that hangs from his belt and the black ball is an orb small enough to fit into his palm. His ball action happens just as his right arm whips sideways, flinging the bow in Elby’s waiting hands.

It arcs beautiful with Elby catching the bone bow without hesitation. Stones draws his own sword.

In front of Stones you there is a sight none of you are likely to forget. The disembodied head of an elderin woman – in her late 20s in human years – fades into view. In a sing-song voice she says, "We may get out of this yet! If you hold me I can definitely help."

Stones takes a step, launching himself into the pit--

"Where are you going?!" cries the woman.

--bringing his sword down on the Ettin’s back, striking his enemy hard.

The Eldarin woman continues to float in the air. A disembodied head with a strong voice.

You all hear the snapping of bones. No not from the Ettin. From underneath the Ettin as he and Radegast are pushed further into the bones (2 hp.)

Voss steps around one of the zombies (I9) away from the pit, just out of its prying hands as it gets a free shot at the ranger. He slashes and stabs at his surrounding foes with unbound fury, knocking them off balance with thrusts and leg sweeps.

Two more zombies turn to ash when he is done.

The zombie next to Alion smashes at him. With almost no effort Alion avoids the blows.

Seeing that the Ettin is still atop Radegast in the pit Inara lets out a loud scream, "SHIT. REMMY!"

Inara bolts around the entire group to the edge of the pit where the Ettin overbore Radegast. As she dives in (G12) and Stones on the other side she is actually flanking the Ettin.

She screams something out in Giant-tongue, brandishing the cleaver in one hand and the sword in the other.

Whatever she said, it was enough to get the Ettin's attention. The creature rears up ever so slightly to look behind with one of its heads. Half a heart-beat before Inara lands in the pit – certain to do some serious damage to him – his hand shoots out and swats the beautiful woman away as though she were a fly.

And fly she does.

Straight out of the pit hurtling straight toward Elby. His eyes widen in surprise though he manages to drop himself flat to avoid being splattered. It does not do much for Inara though as she finally return to Earth – most people would do a face plant as this point – instead Inara turns it into a neat forward roll, gaining her feet and stopping her momentum half an inch from the wall. So close she could kiss it.

Everyone continues to breathe in the stale air. It never tasted so good. Under the Ettin you hear bones shift: Ettin v Radegast round 3 – give it to the Ettin. After all he IS crushing Radegast.

The Eldarin woman gets the last word in as she haughtily says, "This is not how to treat a lady!"

DM Notes:

• None
• New initiative: Elby, Stones, Radegast, Voss, Qwyn, Allion, Remsfeld, Inara