Caelesti's notes

Date

10/21/2009

Log

The party returned to the natural pool the next day. This time, while holding Huld's mask, Carric cast Scrying. Huld, Blourbast and Pantiquod's son, sat in a luxurios room, complaining to his wife/sister, Huldra. They both wore outfits of gamesmen; he was a demon, and she was a witch (having abilites of beguilement, power storing, and flaming). Huld was whining about wanting to carry out some unspecified task.

Later, the party attended the singing contest. Queen Vorbold attended. Various singers performed prior to Brianna and Talon. Brianna opened with a fabulous tune on her lute, and Talon joined in with lovely vocals. The crowd listened in awe, and Brianna and Talon received a standing ovation. The Queen presented them with awards and had them join her.

Nessey dragged Carric to see Queen Vorbold. She asked the Queen if she could join the school, and showed her some new powers. Carric said that he was supposed to bring Nessey home, and that she didn't have permission to enter.

The next morning, the party met with Brianna and Talon in the common room. Brianna had interest in the elf that the party had met, because he had come through a portal that she did not have on her map. She proposed that they all travel together to Pfarb Durim to find the elf, and that Brianna would take Nessey home to her parents to get permission for her to enroll in Gamesmen school. The party would still get the reward for Nessey's return, and Mavis and Talon would help locate Arkhan.

The large group then traveled together out of Xammer. They first headed north to Schooltown, then northwest to Betand. On the way north toward Pfarb Durim, the group split up. Brianna and Nessey continued north, and the others headed west toward the Fire Hills.

Those traveling west had to cross the Haws River; Caric flew along the river and located a fjord. The party then traveled to the Firehills and started to skirt them to the north. The party camped for the night in a Tiny Hut that Talon cast.

In the morning, the party continued around the Firehills and camped near the hills of Shlaizy Noithn.

Nessey's notes

Nessey: So, what time of day is it?
Nessey: Let us recap.
Nessey: It is afternoon. Carric needs to pray for spells. He has. It is later now. We have left Joumerie.
Nessey: Nessey was feeling steamed and went upstairs to brood, while her friends talk about her behind her back below in the common room.
Nessey: Talon goes off with Brianna to take a bath together and prepare for the song competition.
Mavis: http://www.hambo.com/misc/true-game-map.html
Nessey: It is the same day.
Nessey: Nessey purchases a new Nice Gameslady in training outfit earlier at market. Carric paid.
Nessey: Thanks, Carric.
Nessey: Ooops, the Song contest is tomorrow.
Nessey: Carric will nag Talon about doing Identify on his magic items. But she has the contest tomorrow. So she won't have time today to do Identifies.
Nessey: We fast forward to the next day?
Nessey: Does anyone want to talk to Nessey.
Nessey: Perhaps not. They have voted against her wishes and that is that.
Nessey: Carric prays for the usual spells?
Nessey: Do we want to scry Blourblast's son.
Nessey: Yes we do!
Mavis: Huld
Nessey: Huld?
Mavis: No, Huld.
Nessey: yes. Is son of Ghoul?
Mavis: Son of Blourbast
Nessey: yup.
Mavis: and Pantiquod
Nessey: And Pantiquod, his sister.
Nessey: Huldra and Huld are brother and sister and husband and wife.
Mavis rolls d20: (d20) : [12] = 12
Nessey: We scry him. He is wearing a half-helm with pointy ears, demon like.
Nessey: He is looking bored at a plate of fancy food.
Nessey: He looks like he is talking to a woman slightly younger than he but with a family resemblence. He is in his twenties.
Nessey: A luxurious room.
Nessey: Wait - Carric can hear.
Nessey: he is talking petty and having a spat
Nessey: He says, Huldra, I don't see why I should wait. They are moving. They are full of indecisions. Why should I wait?
Nessey: Can hear 10 ft in all directions.
Nessey: A magic sensor has appeared in the vicinity of the scry area.
Nessey: Huldra says, They still rule here. They tried to set you up above. That did not work. That does not mean it won't work in future. Bid your time. They still rule here.
Nessey: Huld - I have my own plans with King to NE who may be foiled this time, but I've got other options.
Mavis: You think your thalan, Mandor, will help you?
Mavis: He's already helping me.
Mavis: He's a Prince - but in MY thrall.
Mavis: Hmph.
Nessey: Huldra does not currently look pregnant.
Nessey: The conversation becomes more mundane, per food, etc.
Nessey: Huldra rubs against Huld and offers him "fruit" and they do things that emabarrass all but Carric.
Nessey: Mavis - so, what do you think, Carric, are they up to good or no good?
Nessey: Nessey - What is a Thrall?
Nessey: Carric - they are up to no good. Thrall is a slave, a lackey.
Nessey: Mavis - who is Mandor?
Nessey: Prince is slightly less persuasive than a King.
Nessey: Huldra's costume is similar to a gamemen we defeated who didn't pay at the Inn. Like the priestess, so self proclaimed, who was really a Witch.
Nessey: A priest or witch have same powers, but perhaps used for good or ill changes the definition.
Nessey: Power storing and flaming.
Nessey: Beguilement, power storing, and flaming.
Nessey: We advance to the early evening.
Nessey: Nessey puts on her best clothes. She is very much the gamesland lady.
Nessey: Nessey asks Carric to escort her to the dance, as her "brother."
Nessey: This is a really important evening for me, brother, as I need to make a good impression on the Queen so I can go to the school and become civilized again!
Nessey: We are recongnized and escorted to a table.
Nessey: Many pretty fancy dressed performers are trickling into the room.
Nessey: A horn bows. Everyone stands. In comes Queen Vorbold.
Nessey: Various singers come out and perform.
Nessey: All the performers are first class.
Nessey: Eventually Talon and Brianna come out on stage.
Nessey: Brianna looks at Talon and does a nice little tune on her lute.
Nessey: The Queen nods to them first to begin, of course.
Mavis rolls Brianna (A) Perform Singing (Females): (d20+34) : [10 + 34] = 44
Nessey rolls d20 +16: (d20+16) : [8 + 16] = 24
Nessey rolls d20 +16: (d20+16) : [12 + 16] = 28
Nessey: Talon is 26. Good, but not great like Brianna.
Nessey rolls d20 +16: (d20+16) : [18 + 16] = 34
Nessey: for playing instrument.
Mavis rolls Brianna (A) Perform Singing (Females): (d20+34) : [20 + 34] = 54
Nessey: Brianna will sing.
Nessey: That's great together!!
Mavis rolls Brianna (A) Perform Singing (Females): (d20+34) : [6 + 34] = 40
Nessey rolls d20 +16: (d20+16) : [3 + 16] = 19
Nessey: Nessey's singing is getting worse. Brianna's playing is getting worse.
Nessey: But when Talon plays and brianna sings - Viola
Nessey rolls d20 +16: (d20+16) : [9 + 16] = 25
Mavis rolls Brianna (A) Perform Singing (Females): (d20+34) : [8 + 34] = 42
Nessey: Brianna really shines overall!!
Nessey rolls d20 +16: (d20+16) : [15 + 16] = 31
Mavis rolls Brianna (A) Perform Singing (Females): (d20+34) : [17 + 34] = 51
Nessey: When we sing together - we also do really, really well.
Nessey: End in perfectly harmonized duet.
Nessey: When done the hall is silent and then applause, and then thunderous applause.
Nessey: They beam and bow.
Nessey: The song about Gamesmen and Great Battle and about how a Queen won.
Nessey: Nessey - okay, Carric, go up and sing.
Nessey: Others perform.
Nessey: Some are individually as good as Talon, but not as good in concert with their companions.
Nessey: The Queen consults and announces the winners are new people who have never performed at this contest before. She awards prize to new comers. She calls Talon forward.
Nessey rolls d20 +20: (d20+20) : [20 + 20] = 40
Nessey: Talon is ultra diplomatic and charms the Queen, as does Brianna who is also called foward and is also very engaging and glowing.
Nessey: Mavis eggs on Nessey to go talk to the queen.
Nessey: Nessey is hesitant.
Nessey: Nessey asks Carric to accompany her.
Nessey: Nessey takes Carric's arm and leads him over to talk to the Queen.
Nessey rolls Nes - Diplomacy: (d20+9) : [16 + 9] = 25
Nessey: Nes 27 diplomacy
Nessey: Nessey curtsies and asks for introduction to Queen.
Nessey: Brianna makes the introductions.
Nessey: Carric says it is an honor to meet the Queen.
Nessey: Carric rolls a will save.
Carric rolls Save/Will: (d20+9) : [3 + 9] = 12
Nessey: Carric is head over heals impressed with the Queen.
Nessey: She is in her 40s.
Nessey: But Carric thinks she doesn't look a day over 25.
Nessey: Vorbold looks and asks about Brianna's friends.
Nessey: Brianna says they are from her homeland.
Nessey: Nessey rattles on about Barbarian ways and need for Gentrification.
Nessey: Queen asks if Nessey's parents sent her?
Nessey: Carric says they need to go back and ask their parents.
Nessey: Carric says we need more funds.
Nessey: Queen says Nessey is not from around here
Nessey: Nessey says she came from another continent through a portal.
Nessey: Nessey explains in great length how she wants to fight for good against evil.
Nessey: Queen thinks Nessey and her parents want to declare game on Blourblast.
Nessey: The Queen says Nessey is talking too loud and fast for her.
Nessey: The Queen says Nessey clearly needs some training.
Mavis rolls d20: (d20) : [11] = 11
Nessey: Nessey does telepathic project on her by 2. Queen resists.
Nessey rolls 1d10: (1d10) : [9] = 9
Carric rolls Save/Will: (d20+9) : [13 + 9] = 22
Nessey: Carric flinches from Nessey's Mind Thrust.
Nessey: The Queen says Nessey was messing with her brother's mind.
Nessey: Carric says Nessey is out of line.
Nessey: Queen tells Nessey to slow down.
Nessey: Nessey obeys.
Nessey: Nessey says she has a little Precognition too.
Nessey: The Queen says she is impressed, but concerned that Nessey's parents did not send her and she needs verification from her parents.
Nessey: Nessey explains that her brother is very fickle and is jealous of her talents.
Nessey: Does Yoshi hear this or not. He thinks he does, but can it be?
Nessey: The Queen says to Nessey - I can not accept you as a student against your parents will, but if you come back with their permission and necessary fee, you will be accepted and you certainly need some traiining, especially against declaring Game on Blourblast - in public especially is most unwise.
Nessey: Nessey agrees.
Nessey: Nessey makes her regrets and drags Carric back to the table.
Nessey: Mavis - so, what was that all about, Carric?
Nessey: Carric - I had fun until Nessey attacked me with some sort of brain blast - which I managed to shrug off. Fortunately the Queen told Nessey to get her parents' permission.
Nessey: There are more performances, though not for competition.
Nessey: Talon continues to talk to Queen.
Nessey: Brianna goes over and sits at table between brother and sister - Carric and Nessey.
Nessey: Yoshi is admiring himself and his physique.
Nessey: Brianna invites us to meet her in the Common Room in the morning. She says the talk with Carric and Nessey and Queen was very interesting.
Nessey: Yoshi says we would all be honored.
Nessey: Brianna says she has some ideas.
Nessey: Brianna says Talon and she will be down mid-morning for a little conference.
Nessey: The party goes on and eventually breaks up and we all wander home.
Nessey: Talon and Brianna, looking pleased and glowing, join the party.
Nessey: Brianna recaps.
Nessey: Brianna is interested in an elf who came through a portal she does not have on her map.
Nessey: She wants to make progress towards separate goals, then come together again.
Nessey: She wants to find the missing elf. She will start looking Pharb Durim.
Nessey: She wants us all to travel up to Pharb Durim together and she will take Nessey with her to seek out the elf and will take Nessey home to Rowansmeade and back to Xammer too, if so instructed.
Nessey: Nessey is enthusiatic about this plan and is certain her parents will want to send her back to "finishing school."
Nessey: Caelestic asks about fate of Mavis.
Nessey: Brie says Mavis should stay with party and continue to trade goods.
Nessey: Mavis does not object.
Nessey: Mavis assumes the parents will still give Weapons the fee.
Nessey: Mavis complains that Brie might "cop" the fee.
Nessey: Brie rolls her eyes. It is small potatoes to her.
Nessey: Carric says to give "Mom and Dad" his regards.
Nessey: Nessey looks at him.
Nessey: Brie is exciting about finding a near portal back and forth.
Nessey: Thinks it will come out much closer to Rowansmeade - but in elfland - per us - per what we thought the elf said.
Nessey: Carric asks if Nessey would like to be rolled into a carpet. Nessey offers Carric another Mind Blast.
Nessey: Nessey explains to Brianna that Carric is "always joking."
Nessey: Nessey and Brianna look forward to sharing stories.
Nessey: Brianna suggests we set out today.
Nessey: Our prize was a gold medalion and a chain and box of special things - for Talon and Brie only to know about.
Nessey: Talon scoots closer to Brianna and squeezes her hand.
Nessey: Brianna says she needs advice on how to deal with Nessey.
Nessey: Talon promises to do so later.
Nessey: Talon - tell her you are hunting for rabbits and she has to be quiet. The Amazons taught her that.
Nessey: We find the price we paid for the Inn is Top Notch! Top Notch Inn and Top Notch price.
Nessey: We none of us have any problem with that as we are all relatively rich.
Nessey: When they clean up Yoshi's room, they find his bed was never slept in. It was too soft. But they might assume he was in someone else's bed. Nessey: We go north somehow on some road or another
Nessey: Betand might be our crossroad.
Nessey: Where do we go from there?
Nessey: Talon wants to investigate the Fire Hills.
Nessey: Caelesti wants to tango with Huld, if possible.
Nessey: We stick to the most inhabited areas on the way to the Fire Hills.
Nessey: Brianna and Nessey split off and head to Pharb Durim while the party passes by and on north.
Nessey: Talon expects Carric to provide 2 100gp pearls so she can do Identify for him on his new stuff.
Nessey: Carric tells Mavis to give Nessey her share of the gems from Bridgetown. Mavis holds out a bag and hesitates and very, very reluctantly gives up a full bag.
Nessey: There might also be other cash - from those we have defeated.
Nessey: If so, we can settle up for Nessey later. Meanwhile, Brie is keeping Nessey in the manner to which she has become accustomed and not even noticing.
Nessey: Talon identifies Carric's stuff.
Nessey: His gloves allow him to admit bright silvery radiance and cast magic missile, just to remind us.
Nessey: The goggles with reflective gold lenses - render him immune to blindness and dazzling effects and sacrifice 3rd level spell and cast fire ball.
Nessey: The necklace with seablue gem - when wearing he can hold his breath up to 12 hours - requires no activation. 2x a day can sacrifice 4th level spell and do Freedom of Movement.
Nessey: If wearing 2 items resistence to elements and stacks with racial bonus. He has a subAasimar racial bonus of +2. (+5 cold bonus and if wear 3, then also +5 electricity.)
Nessey: Once we get back to Rowansmeade, Yoshi might be able to get Rags of Restraint.
Nessey: Yoshi has given us hints that he wants them but won't buy them for himself, he will just keep giving us guilt until we buy them for him.
Nessey: Caelesti is not sure she is jealous of Carric or not. So she doesn't hit on him.
Nessey: Carric is grateful. He will bribe the DM more in future!
Nessey: we know nothing of the 4th item.
Nessey: Carric knows only that there is a 4th item - somewhere.
Nessey: We are on our way. On the road. We pass School Town. Carric recalls pretty lasses. Mavis recalls profitable pocket picking.
Nessey: Yoshi recalls how he stuffed his ears with cotten during the festival.
Nessey: We pass by the road to Bannerwell.
Mavis rolls Brianna (A) Gather Information (Females): (d20+27) : [10 + 27] = 37
Caelesti rolls Skill (Gather Information): (d20+8+2) : [4 + 8 + 2] = 14
Mavis rolls Mavis Gather Information: (d20+2) : [6 + 2] = 8
Nessey rolls T - Gather Info: (d20+3) : [13 + 3] = 16
Carric rolls Stat - CHA: (d20+3) : [10 + 3] = 13
Anonymous rolls Ability:Charisma: (d20+0) : [18] = 18
Nessey rolls Nes - Wisdom: (d20) : [17] = 17
Nessey: Brianna gathers that road down south to Bannerwell - leads to a Prince named Mandor.
Nessey: Nessey - but he's a lackey.
Nessey: Nessey - should we go meet him, Caelesti.
Nessey: Brianna - what mean you?
Nessey: He's the lackey of Huld.
Nessey: Brie - why seek trouble.
Nessey: Nessey - because we are here to fight evil.
Nessey: We had stopped at an Inn on crossroads where we heard of this. At least Brie heard of it.
Nessey: Brie - we need to get to Betand and then to Pharb Durim.
Nessey: We agree not to divert.
Nessey: Next day we make it to Betand.
Nessey: No Pombis attack us on the way.
Nessey: When we reach the gates of Betand - the whole routine is different, more relaxed and we are all allowed to say who we are - even the men.
Nessey: The statue of Yoshi, being built to an ideal, is still under construction.
Nessey: Is has been only a few weeks since Yoshi was here.
Nessey: Nessey - Yoshi, don't you want to go see your lady, in her delicate condition?
Nessey: Nessey - don't you think you should marry her?
Nessey: Yoshi - what lady?
Nessey: Nessey - the lady you spent the night with. And then the unborn was about to be born.
Nessey: Carric - I think you are confused about these things.
Nessey: Brie - I'll explain the facts of life to you on the way to Pharb Durim.
Nessey: Talon gives Brie a jealous and suspicious look.
Nessey: Talon trips Nessey's horse.
Nessey: We pass through Betand without issue or notice.
Nessey: We travel along some more until we get to crossroads where we must part.
Nessey: We part.
Nessey: Nessey tells her friends how much she will miss them and tell everyone they are not evil slavers after all and that Caelesti is not an evil mastermind after all.
Nessey: Caelesti - yeah, you almost had everyone convinced - esp me.
Nessey: Now that illusion is broken.
Nessey: Talon embraces Brianna before she leaves, "I'm so glad I still have the bracelet."
Nessey: Brie reminds Talon of her goals.
Nessey: Kiss, kiss, lingering hug.
Nessey: Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Nessey: The rest of the party heads west over the River Haws.
Nessey: We head across the plain and the pass through the hills and across the river - and see hills rising up in the distance.
Carric rolls Survival (above Gnd): (d20+1 : [14 + 18] = 32
Nessey: Carric gets lost on the road, but is okay in the woods. But we have to leave the road now and cross the country.
Nessey: We need to cross the River Haws. There is not a handy-dandy bridge.
Nessey: Carric points out that one can only lead a horse to water.
Nessey: The water is pretty deep.
Nessey: Talon points out that Carric has magic and can breathe underwater and so can carry the mules across on his back.
Nessey: Carric says he can become a shark, porpoice or dolfin or crocodile.
Nessey: Carric could also become an octypus.
Nessey: Talon - I don't know that the mules would be comfortable with that.
Nessey: Carric - should we build a mule raft?
Nessey: Talon - why doesn't someone who can turn into an Eagle fly along the river and look for a shallower place to cross.
Nessey: Carric gets the hint.
Nessey: Carric turns into an Eagle and seeks shallowest area. 3 miles up - finds a fjord.
Nessey: Yoshi says - good idea, Talon! You are so Talented.
Nessey: Talon sends Yoshi a run on sentence with a flirtatious glance.
Nessey: Thank you, strong, handsome man whom I have missed adventuring with, Yoshi, I feel so safe and warm when you are near.
Nessey: Yoshi smiles. He does not blush. Mostly he does not understand the subtext.
Nessey: Talon doesn't have to know he doesn't get subtext - since he did smile.
Nessey: We manage to cross the fjord and head up into the hills and wonder why called Fire Hills.
Nessey: And then, eventually, we smell sulfure and see spouts of flames bursting up - highly volcanic.
Nessey: Talon - perhaps we should go around the hills?
Nessey: Says Talon and Carric almost at the same time.
Nessey: Carric says we would have to go way north or way south to avoid this area.
Nessey: Mavis - how bad could it be?
Carric rolls Kno Nature: (d20+11) : [8 + 11] = 19
Nessey: Carric says we should avoid the lava.
Nessey: Talon - what about the fumes.
Nessey rolls d20 + 10: (d20+10) : [16 + 10] = 26
Nessey: Talon's Knowlege Nature check is better than Carric's.
Nessey: Talon agrees avoid the flames and fumes.
Nessey: Talon says why don't we move away from the hills and camp for the night?
Nessey: Carric looks at Resist Energy Mass.
Nessey: He says it would help us all for 90 minutes.
Nessey: Or Endure Elements, suggests Yoshi and Caelesti.
Nessey: It would take a day or two to get us through the hills.
Nessey: There is a bowl shaped depression in a hill that looks safe and sheltered.
Nessey: Talon thinks that's a place that gases will collect.
Nessey: And liquid rock might burst out at any time.
Nessey: Talon wants to go around.
Nessey: Yoshi needs to be reminded of Talon's talents.
Nessey: She is a little Dragon Disciple and a lot like a Bard.
Nessey: Carric leads us away from the hills to a safe place to camp for the night. We head to the north to camp.
Nessey: We head far away from the bowl shaped depression hill.
Nessey: We find a safe place.
Nessey: 20 ft radius and 16 hours.
Nessey: Talon's friends are delighted as she casts a spell for Leomud's Hut and a 20 ft radius orb appears to shelter us and keep us warm and protected from the elements.
Nessey: Do we need to set up watches?
Nessey: We can lie here and see the stars, but the stars can't see us.
Nessey: Caelesti is comfortable enough to sleep naked.
Nessey: Carric likes this hut!
Nessey: We decide we do not need to set up watches.
Nessey: Talon gets out her silk comforter, her dragon stuff animal, and her cloud pillow and makes herself comfy. She asks when others want her to turn out the low light?
Nessey: They say now and she does so. Only Yoshi and Mavis do watches.
Nessey: There is nothing to prevent something from stumbling through it, if they do desire.
Nessey: Mavis and Yoshi wake up after 4 hours and watch each other in companionable silence.
Nessey: We pass the night peacefully.
Nessey: In the morning, Talon dispells us.
Nessey: Others can go in and out freely, but Talon can't leave without dispelling the hut. She has to stay inside and pee behind a mule.
Nessey: In the morning we decide to definitely to go around north and avoid the flaming hills.
Nessey: Caelesti wants to abandon the mules and fly over the flaming hills.
Nessey: Talon does not want to adandon the mules nor all our trade goods.
Nessey: We fear we might have to go back into the Fire Hills to get to the portal.
Nessey: Talon - Brianna will help us.
Nessey: Caelesti - Brianna is not here.
Nessey: Talon - she will be by the time we are ready to go back.
Nessey: Mavis _ I'm sure Brianna is having fun in Pfarb-Durim.
Nessey: Caelesti - yeah, lots of fun, with Nessey...
Nessey: We travel again and camp again.
Nessey: We pause here.
Nessey: As we go to the West and look to the South - we see a line of hills without volcanos.
Nessey: We stop and camp for the night and Talon does Leomund's hut again.
Nessey: There is still a tale to tell of Igor and Veracity, too.
Nessey: Since Zhaji, Veracity doesn't feel guilty about Igor, nor Brianna feel guilty about Artuat.
Nessey: Next week, usual night.