Enchanted Jewels - Revision history

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2024-02-08T19:50:13Z

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2024-02-08T19:49:51Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 19:49, 8 February 2024
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	===Chapter Two: In which a Hobbit throws a Thing into a Volcano===		===Chapter Two: In which a Hobbit throws a Thing into a Volcano===

	The Guild diviners checked us over and said that we were basically unharmed. The astrologers had a message for us: "Beware the wild beasts.~~â€~~ Wordsmith decided to spend some time in researching the area we would be exploring, while Ben healed up and I baked – eight batches = 64 cookies = 4000 sp. I also assembled ingredients for another eight batches. We learned that Palestrina was known for wine, citrus, silver, and marble; and was culturally insular. "Don't offend the natives, because they won't talk to you,~~â€~~ we were told. The inhabitants spoke their own language, Palanino; most did not speak common, except the traders.<br>		The Guild diviners checked us over and said that we were basically unharmed. The astrologers had a message for us: "Beware the wild beasts." Wordsmith decided to spend some time in researching the area we would be exploring, while Ben healed up and I baked – eight batches = 64 cookies = 4000 sp. I also assembled ingredients for another eight batches. We learned that Palestrina was known for wine, citrus, silver, and marble; and was culturally insular. "Don't offend the natives, because they won't talk to you," we were told. The inhabitants spoke their own language, Palanino; most did not speak common, except the traders.<br>

	5 Thaw<br>		5 Thaw<br>
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	1 Seedtime <br>		1 Seedtime <br>
	Ben and Anook noted more tremors. Then as we were camped, about 1pm, there was a shout of "Wormsign!~~â€~~ from the other side of the camp. We readied ourselves for battle, and erected barriers of ice construction, and a rune wall around us. Then giant worms escorted by a swarm of goblins, among them wolf-riders, and a number of giant beetles appeared. I looked into the spirit realm and saw spirits of the earth and of life arising. Ben began casting cast meteor showers, while Latron attempted to turn the ground boggy. The goblins continued to approach, most wielding spears, but some riding dogs with lances. A wave of magic accompanied them. Then the fire balls started as the goblins came closer. Wordsmith said there were mages riding the worm, and he was putting counters under them. Latron loosed a grenade of much pain among the goblins. The rune wall went away, and when I tried to re-cast it, I discovered the goblins had Namers too! The ice-constructions were going away too, dammit. It was time to stop doing that magic stuff and to start thumping. And then they were on us.		Ben and Anook noted more tremors. Then as we were camped, about 1pm, there was a shout of "Wormsign!" from the other side of the camp. We readied ourselves for battle, and erected barriers of ice construction, and a rune wall around us. Then giant worms escorted by a swarm of goblins, among them wolf-riders, and a number of giant beetles appeared. I looked into the spirit realm and saw spirits of the earth and of life arising. Ben began casting cast meteor showers, while Latron attempted to turn the ground boggy. The goblins continued to approach, most wielding spears, but some riding dogs with lances. A wave of magic accompanied them. Then the fire balls started as the goblins came closer. Wordsmith said there were mages riding the worm, and he was putting counters under them. Latron loosed a grenade of much pain among the goblins. The rune wall went away, and when I tried to re-cast it, I discovered the goblins had Namers too! The ice-constructions were going away too, dammit. It was time to stop doing that magic stuff and to start thumping. And then they were on us.
	The goblins were squishy even though they wore ring mail, but the giant beetles behind them were truly nasty, having an acid bite that attacked our armour. One of the other groups of defenders was overrun. Wordsmith was kept busy countering magic. And they, just when we were getting on top, they started to withdraw, sending in some exploding goblins in an attempt to take us down. One exploded in front of me, and I fell unconscious. I might well have died had it not been for my trollskin amulet,but instead woke moments later to find the goblins retreating, the worms heading back into their burrows.		The goblins were squishy even though they wore ring mail, but the giant beetles behind them were truly nasty, having an acid bite that attacked our armour. One of the other groups of defenders was overrun. Wordsmith was kept busy countering magic. And they, just when we were getting on top, they started to withdraw, sending in some exploding goblins in an attempt to take us down. One exploded in front of me, and I fell unconscious. I might well have died had it not been for my trollskin amulet,but instead woke moments later to find the goblins retreating, the worms heading back into their burrows.

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	<br>		<br>
	21 Blossom<br>		21 Blossom<br>
	We were greeted by one of the tattooed persons. The High Lord was pleased, but we had not used enough magic for him to unlock anything major in that. He could tweak our spells in some minor way or do something physical for us. It would need to be the same thing since we would be "all going into the tank ~~togetherâ€~~. They showed us the tankâ€¦ it was this big mechanician thing full of green gooâ€¦ and tendrils. We chose the physical change which would allow us to extend the maximum in certain of our abilities. Willpower was a favourite. <br>		We were greeted by one of the tattooed persons. The High Lord was pleased, but we had not used enough magic for him to unlock anything major in that. He could tweak our spells in some minor way or do something physical for us. It would need to be the same thing since we would be "all going into the tank together". They showed us the tankâ€¦ it was this big mechanician thing full of green gooâ€¦ and tendrils. We chose the physical change which would allow us to extend the maximum in certain of our abilities. Willpower was a favourite. <br>
	<br>		<br>
	28 Blossom.<br>		28 Blossom.<br>

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2024-02-08T18:24:03Z

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2024-02-08T17:41:21Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 17:41, 8 February 2024
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	===Chapter Two: In which a Hobbit throws a Thing into a Volcano===		===Chapter Two: In which a Hobbit throws a Thing into a Volcano===

	The Guild diviners checked us over and said that we were basically unharmed. The astrologers had a message for us: ~~â€œBeware~~ the wild beasts.â€ Wordsmith decided to spend some time in researching the area we would be exploring, while Ben healed up and I baked – eight batches = 64 cookies = 4000 sp. I also assembled ingredients for another eight batches. We learned that Palestrina was known for wine, citrus, silver, and marble; and was culturally insular. ~~â€œDonâ€™t~~ offend the natives, because they wonâ€™t talk to you,â€ we were told. The inhabitants spoke their own language, Palanino; most did not speak common, except the traders.<br>		The Guild diviners checked us over and said that we were basically unharmed. The astrologers had a message for us: "Beware the wild beasts.â€ Wordsmith decided to spend some time in researching the area we would be exploring, while Ben healed up and I baked – eight batches = 64 cookies = 4000 sp. I also assembled ingredients for another eight batches. We learned that Palestrina was known for wine, citrus, silver, and marble; and was culturally insular. "Donâ€™t offend the natives, because they wonâ€™t talk to you,â€ we were told. The inhabitants spoke their own language, Palanino; most did not speak common, except the traders.<br>

	5 Thaw<br>		5 Thaw<br>
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	1 Seedtime <br>		1 Seedtime <br>
	Ben and Anook noted more tremors. Then as we were camped, about 1pm, there was a shout of ~~â€œWormsign~~!â€ from the other side of the camp. We readied ourselves for battle, and erected barriers of ice construction, and a rune wall around us. Then giant worms escorted by a swarm of goblins, among them wolf-riders, and a number of giant beetles appeared. I looked into the spirit realm and saw spirits of the earth and of life arising. Ben began casting cast meteor showers, while Latron attempted to turn the ground boggy. The goblins continued to approach, most wielding spears, but some riding dogs with lances. A wave of magic accompanied them. Then the fire balls started as the goblins came closer. Wordsmith said there were mages riding the worm, and he was putting counters under them. Latron loosed a grenade of much pain among the goblins. The rune wall went away, and when I tried to re-cast it, I discovered the goblins had Namers too! The ice-constructions were going away too, dammit. It was time to stop doing that magic stuff and to start thumping. And then they were on us.		Ben and Anook noted more tremors. Then as we were camped, about 1pm, there was a shout of "Wormsign!â€ from the other side of the camp. We readied ourselves for battle, and erected barriers of ice construction, and a rune wall around us. Then giant worms escorted by a swarm of goblins, among them wolf-riders, and a number of giant beetles appeared. I looked into the spirit realm and saw spirits of the earth and of life arising. Ben began casting cast meteor showers, while Latron attempted to turn the ground boggy. The goblins continued to approach, most wielding spears, but some riding dogs with lances. A wave of magic accompanied them. Then the fire balls started as the goblins came closer. Wordsmith said there were mages riding the worm, and he was putting counters under them. Latron loosed a grenade of much pain among the goblins. The rune wall went away, and when I tried to re-cast it, I discovered the goblins had Namers too! The ice-constructions were going away too, dammit. It was time to stop doing that magic stuff and to start thumping. And then they were on us.
	The goblins were squishy even though they wore ring mail, but the giant beetles behind them were truly nasty, having an acid bite that attacked our armour. One of the other groups of defenders was overrun. Wordsmith was kept busy countering magic. And they, just when we were getting on top, they started to withdraw, sending in some exploding goblins in an attempt to take us down. One exploded in front of me, and I fell unconscious. I might well have died had it not been for my trollskin amulet,but instead woke moments later to find the goblins retreating, the worms heading back into their burrows.		The goblins were squishy even though they wore ring mail, but the giant beetles behind them were truly nasty, having an acid bite that attacked our armour. One of the other groups of defenders was overrun. Wordsmith was kept busy countering magic. And they, just when we were getting on top, they started to withdraw, sending in some exploding goblins in an attempt to take us down. One exploded in front of me, and I fell unconscious. I might well have died had it not been for my trollskin amulet,but instead woke moments later to find the goblins retreating, the worms heading back into their burrows.

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	<br>		<br>
	21 Blossom<br>		21 Blossom<br>
	We were greeted by one of the tattooed persons. The High Lord was pleased, but we had not used enough magic for him to unlock anything major in that. He could tweak our spells in some minor way or do something physical for us. It would need to be the same thing since we would be ~~â€œall~~ going into the tank togetherâ€. They showed us the tankâ€¦ it was this big mechanician thing full of green gooâ€¦ and tendrils. We chose the physical change which would allow us to extend the maximum in certain of our abilities. Willpower was a favourite. <br>		We were greeted by one of the tattooed persons. The High Lord was pleased, but we had not used enough magic for him to unlock anything major in that. He could tweak our spells in some minor way or do something physical for us. It would need to be the same thing since we would be "all going into the tank togetherâ€. They showed us the tankâ€¦ it was this big mechanician thing full of green gooâ€¦ and tendrils. We chose the physical change which would allow us to extend the maximum in certain of our abilities. Willpower was a favourite. <br>
	<br>		<br>
	28 Blossom.<br>		28 Blossom.<br>

Stephen: Text replacement - "â€“" to "–"

2024-02-08T08:27:19Z

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Bernard: /* Chapter Eight: In which there is a Conversation with a Dragon */

2016-06-11T04:07:01Z

Chapter Eight: In which there is a Conversation with a Dragon

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:07, 11 June 2016
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	27 Seedtime<br>		27 Seedtime<br>
	We arrived to the coast where there was a city-state called ~~Koekokoral~~, which was a divided city, the outer island city having a nice harbour, the inner city more dusty and closer to ~~volcanos~~. We knew the envoy had been here, and we decided to attempt to find out what he had done here. We went to the harbour, which smelt of much decaying fish, and looked for the harbour master, who was not hard to find, because he was busy shouting at the locals. The locals were not helpful. Eventually Wordsmith found a factor who remembered the envoy, who had been here, enquiring about shipping routes. But this was not the best place to organise a shipment of wood or gems. We needed to get closer to the source. We spent the night in a good inn with a bathhouse in the inland part of the city, not the island. <br>		We arrived to the coast where there was a city-state called Koulikokoro, which was a divided city, the outer island city having a nice harbour, the inner city more dusty and closer to volcanoes. We knew the envoy had been here, and we decided to attempt to find out what he had done here. We went to the harbour, which smelt of much decaying fish, and looked for the harbour master, who was not hard to find, because he was busy shouting at the locals. The locals were not helpful. Eventually Wordsmith found a factor who remembered the envoy, who had been here, enquiring about shipping routes. But this was not the best place to organise a shipment of wood or gems. We needed to get closer to the source. We spent the night in a good inn with a bathhouse in the inland part of the city, not the island. <br>

	28 Seedtime<br>		28 Seedtime<br>
	We flew along the coast to Gambay. Here we could see ~~lumberyards~~. The problem now was that a suitable shipment of lumber cost well beyond the monies we had in hand. And none of us were lumberjacks â€“ except Ben. We learned that there were fantastical monsters in the forest, which needed dealing to. Wordsmith thought some might be horror-tainted. We found a reliable merchant who would pay a bounty of a thousand silver per proven kill, plus a thousand per carcass as a start. He would in lieu of this payment consider sending the load of hardwood to Pasifika that we required. There would be interesting rare herbs in there as well. We spent eight days hunting, finding a number of giant snakes and certain chimeric beasts, worth perhaps 20000sp to the merchant. But there was something else in there, something that was evading us, showing more intelligent behaviour.<br>		We flew along the coast to Gambay. Here we could see lumber-yards. The problem now was that a suitable shipment of lumber cost well beyond the monies we had in hand. And none of us were lumberjacks â€“ except Ben. We learned that there were fantastical monsters in the forest, which needed dealing to. Wordsmith thought some might be horror-tainted. We found a reliable merchant who would pay a bounty of a thousand silver per proven kill, plus a thousand per carcass as a start. He would in lieu of this payment consider sending the load of hardwood to Pasifika that we required. There would be interesting rare herbs in there as well. We spent eight days hunting, finding a number of giant snakes and certain chimeric beasts, worth perhaps 20000sp to the merchant. But there was something else in there, something that was evading us, showing more intelligent behaviour.<br>

	===Chapter Nine: In Which We Get into a Fight===		===Chapter Nine: In Which We Get into a Fight===

Bernard: /* Chapter Seven: In which a former Dwarf is nearly Eaten by a Plant */

2016-06-11T04:04:24Z

Chapter Seven: In which a former Dwarf is nearly Eaten by a Plant

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:04, 11 June 2016
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	21 Seedtime<br>		21 Seedtime<br>
	This time Anook made snow simulacrums in the form of wyverns. I still had my efreet. About midday we spotted a manticore cruising along, matching our course, perhaps 500ft away. One snow wyvern headed that way. And there was something tailing us. Then, there were five manticoresâ€¦ so we decided to land. We travelled on foot for a while. By dusk we were perhaps ten miles from our objective. And camped. A giant pitcher plant tried to eat Wordsmith. Anook sent an ice monster to deal with it, and it got squished. I was able to salvage some herbal components from it.		This time Anook made snow simulacrums in the form of wyverns. I still had my efreet. About midday we spotted a manticore cruising along, matching our course, perhaps 500ft away. One snow wyvern headed that way. And there was something tailing us. Then, there were five manticoresâ€¦ so we decided to land. We travelled on foot for a while. By dusk we were perhaps ten miles from our objective. And camped. A giant pitcher plant tried to eat Wordsmith. Anook sent an ice monster to deal with it, and it got squished. I was able to salvage some herbal components from it.
	Ben summoned a leopard and got into cat-grooming with it. Then we questioned it. It had seen a dozen or so humans maybe two weeks ago. They had weapons and magic. Then Ben read its aura â€“ which was avatar strength. Wordsmith learned that it was a demonic duke. ~~Abares~~ â€“ the Leopard Duke. He thought some of the other party were promising, because they had fire magics. There were questions he could not answer, because the entity in charge of this place had forbidden it. He wanted the sandy-haired desert man, and the dark-skinned tattooed man.		Ben summoned a leopard and got into cat-grooming with it. Then we questioned it. It had seen a dozen or so humans maybe two weeks ago. They had weapons and magic. Then Ben read its aura â€“ which was avatar strength. Wordsmith learned that it was a demonic duke. Havres â€“ the Leopard Duke. He thought some of the other party were promising, because they had fire magics. There were questions he could not answer, because the entity in charge of this place had forbidden it. He wanted the sandy-haired desert man, and the dark-skinned tattooed man.
	The rest of the night passed relatively uneventfully.<br>		The rest of the night passed relatively uneventfully.<br>

Bernard: /* Chapter Two: In which a Hobbit throws a Thing into a Volcano */

2016-06-11T03:58:02Z

Chapter Two: In which a Hobbit throws a Thing into a Volcano

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:58, 11 June 2016
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	9 Thaw<br>		9 Thaw<br>

	We left Toronto, and sailed for ~~Magidika~~. It took a week, and was a bit cramped, but was otherwise uneventful.<br>		We left Toronto, and sailed for Magadika. It took a week, and was a bit cramped, but was otherwise uneventful.<br>

	Latron: People who donâ€™t build coastal cities to resist tidal waves get what they deserve.<br>		Latron: People who donâ€™t build coastal cities to resist tidal waves get what they deserve.<br>
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	16 Thaw<br>		16 Thaw<br>

	When we got to ~~Magidika~~, first the mage current stopped, and then a pilot boat arrived and towed us into harbour. When we got in, the harbour master looked at us, determined that we were adventurers, (I realised that we really were an odd bunch, no two of us of the same race) and then asked for a 6000sp safety deposit. He also recommended an inn. Nobody here knew anything about the missing envoy. The people knew magic, but it was more hedge magic than actual colleges. <br>		When we got to Magadika, first the mage current stopped, and then a pilot boat arrived and towed us into harbour. When we got in, the harbour master looked at us, determined that we were adventurers, (I realised that we really were an odd bunch, no two of us of the same race) and then asked for a 6000sp safety deposit. He also recommended an inn. Nobody here knew anything about the missing envoy. The people knew magic, but it was more hedge magic than actual colleges. <br>
	We flew up the local volcano. There were signs of magical beasts, but we avoided those. We got to the top, and ~~Anook~~ chucked the mysterious box into the crater andâ€¦ missed. It didnâ€™t make it to the lava, and was stuck part-way down. Ben went and got it, and then ~~Anook~~ tried again. This time it worked. The box vanished into the lava. Nothing else happened, to everyoneâ€™s relief. We then flew back to the city.<br>		We flew up the local volcano. There were signs of magical beasts, but we avoided those. We got to the top, and Anooke chucked the mysterious box into the crater andâ€¦ missed. It didnâ€™t make it to the lava, and was stuck part-way down. Ben went and got it, and then Anooke tried again. This time it worked. The box vanished into the lava. Nothing else happened, to everyoneâ€™s relief. We then flew back to the city.<br>

	17 Thaw<br>		17 Thaw<br>

	We left ~~Magidika~~. We sailed through the straits â€“ and it seemed to take much longer than it should have. But it was ten days to our next destination. I found myself learning more than I wanted about boats â€“ mainly they were cramped, uncomfortable, detestable things.<br>		We left Magadika. We sailed through the straits â€“ and it seemed to take much longer than it should have. But it was ten days to our next destination. I found myself learning more than I wanted about boats â€“ mainly they were cramped, uncomfortable, detestable things.<br>

	27 Thaw<br>		27 Thaw<br>

	We arrived at ~~Nawardhimish~~, having avoided sea dangers. There were clouds above the city, and the walls were gleaming. We decide to sail in, and were met by what looked like knights on giant killer-whale squids. We explained we were looking for harbour, and they sent us in. Again the mage current dropped off and a pilot on a killer-whale squid led us in. There were mostly dusky-skinned humans at the docks, together with some dwarves and some elves. <br>		We arrived at Nuwadhimash, having avoided sea dangers. There were clouds above the city, and the walls were gleaming. We decide to sail in, and were met by what looked like knights on giant killer-whale squids. We explained we were looking for harbour, and they sent us in. Again the mage current dropped off and a pilot on a killer-whale squid led us in. There were mostly dusky-skinned humans at the docks, together with some dwarves and some elves. <br>
	We trawled the bars, and found an innkeeper who knew about the envoy from New Alveron â€“ but didnâ€™t know where he went. So we went to see several traders, beginning with one that dealt in wood golems. The envoy had shown interest in these. They were made in the wood foundry â€“ and he pointed up at one of the clouds. Each was somehow bound to a control rod. They were really expensive (it was 100,000sp for a butler golem). Then we went to the gem merchant. He also remembered the envoy. He said the envoy was going inland with a trade caravan to a tribal gathering at Lake Kyne (it is in about a month, and it takes a month to get there). The trade caravan would have caliphants (camel elephants). <br>		We trawled the bars, and found an innkeeper who knew about the envoy from New Alveron â€“ but didnâ€™t know where he went. So we went to see several traders, beginning with one that dealt in wood golems. The envoy had shown interest in these. They were made in the wood foundry â€“ and he pointed up at one of the clouds. Each was somehow bound to a control rod. They were really expensive (it was 100,000sp for a butler golem). Then we went to the gem merchant. He also remembered the envoy. He said the envoy was going inland with a trade caravan to a tribal gathering at Lake Kyne (it is in about a month, and it takes a month to get there). The trade caravan would have caliphants (camel elephants). <br>
	We learned that there were lost empires in the hinterlands where valleys had magically folded in on themselves. These should be avoided. Flying into one would be very unhealthy. It was old magic that did this, some of it godless, some of it going back before the War of Tears. The quickest route inland was not the straightest. There were wild creatures in the massif which fly down and attack caravans. <br>		We learned that there were lost empires in the hinterlands where valleys had magically folded in on themselves. These should be avoided. Flying into one would be very unhealthy. It was old magic that did this, some of it godless, some of it going back before the War of Tears. The quickest route inland was not the straightest. There were wild creatures in the massif which fly down and attack caravans. <br>

Jacqui at 04:05, 22 November 2015

2015-11-22T04:05:12Z

@@ Line 238: / Line 238: @@
 We met five woodsmen on the way, who were the rest of that team, heading back, laden with weapons and gear. The trail ended at a pair of long-huts. We carried on, following a series of fresh cuts on to the logging site. We searched around and spotted a couple of claw nicks about 10ft up on a branch, a paw mark on the ground, and brushmarks heading west. There were no drag marks or bloodstains. We followed the trail west for an hour, when we came upon a small abandoned hut. Ben pulled the vines away, disturbing the birds in the roof, and the snake in the wallâ€¦  Then he pulled away the entire wall, and we could see the wood was mostly rottenâ€¦ the vines formed a roof. Ben could see the husk of a body in one corner. Anook made a more solid floor out of ice. Wordsmith read the aura of the corpseâ€¦ it was only two hours dead! And was a desiccated husk, the flesh stripped off the bones first. And the clothing reduced to rags. I could see the tatters of a spirit as I approached. I spoke to the spiritâ€¦ I could hear whispers, but it was plainly too weak to communicate. The aura of the corpse indicated it had died from massive trauma. The last magic cast on the plants was blessing on crops. Anook determined that the man had been killed, then feasted on, both physically and magically. <br>
 I summed my totem, my bear spiritâ€¦ which told me, among other things, of a ruined tower nearby. This, we concluded, was most likely the source of the problem. There was a clearing, and as soon as we stepped into it, we found that it was much bigger than it looked. One of those rifts? Eventually, we made our way round to where we could see the door. Which took an hourâ€¦ Seeing the door, we approached, and then shadowy panther creatures came up behind us. One bit Wordsmith and almost broke his neck. And we fought back. More appeared and attacked from our rear. It got nasty before we changed shape and started chewing on them.<br>
+<br>
 ===People===
 Shahed;  Merchant owning 3 Calephants that the party is protecting.

Jacqui: session 9 notes

2015-11-12T00:37:24Z

session 9 notes

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:37, 12 November 2015
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	We flew along the coast to Gambay. Here we could see lumberyards. The problem now was that a suitable shipment of lumber cost well beyond the monies we had in hand. And none of us were lumberjacks â€“ except Ben. We learned that there were fantastical monsters in the forest, which needed dealing to. Wordsmith thought some might be horror-tainted. We found a reliable merchant who would pay a bounty of a thousand silver per proven kill, plus a thousand per carcass as a start. He would in lieu of this payment consider sending the load of hardwood to Pasifika that we required. There would be interesting rare herbs in there as well. We spent eight days hunting, finding a number of giant snakes and certain chimeric beasts, worth perhaps 20000sp to the merchant. But there was something else in there, something that was evading us, showing more intelligent behaviour.<br>		We flew along the coast to Gambay. Here we could see lumberyards. The problem now was that a suitable shipment of lumber cost well beyond the monies we had in hand. And none of us were lumberjacks â€“ except Ben. We learned that there were fantastical monsters in the forest, which needed dealing to. Wordsmith thought some might be horror-tainted. We found a reliable merchant who would pay a bounty of a thousand silver per proven kill, plus a thousand per carcass as a start. He would in lieu of this payment consider sending the load of hardwood to Pasifika that we required. There would be interesting rare herbs in there as well. We spent eight days hunting, finding a number of giant snakes and certain chimeric beasts, worth perhaps 20000sp to the merchant. But there was something else in there, something that was evading us, showing more intelligent behaviour.<br>

	6 Blossom <br>		===Chapter Nine: In Which We Get into a Fight===

			6 Blossom<br>
			After resting overnight, in the morning as we were planning the dayâ€™s hunt, we heard a commotion down the far end of the camp. One of the loggers said that he and his mate had been chopping down a tree, when as he turned to pick up his axe, he heard a thump and a muffled gargle. When he turned back, his partner was gone. We followed the blazed trail to the logging encampment, six miles away.<br>
			We met five woodsmen on the way, who were the rest of that team, heading back, laden with weapons and gear. The trail ended at a pair of long-huts. We carried on, following a series of fresh cuts on to the logging site. We searched around and spotted a couple of claw nicks about 10ft up on a branch, a paw mark on the ground, and brushmarks heading west. There were no drag marks or bloodstains. We followed the trail west for an hour, when we came upon a small abandoned hut. Ben pulled the vines away, disturbing the birds in the roof, and the snake in the wallâ€¦ Then he pulled away the entire wall, and we could see the wood was mostly rottenâ€¦ the vines formed a roof. Ben could see the husk of a body in one corner. Anook made a more solid floor out of ice. Wordsmith read the aura of the corpseâ€¦ it was only two hours dead! And was a desiccated husk, the flesh stripped off the bones first. And the clothing reduced to rags. I could see the tatters of a spirit as I approached. I spoke to the spiritâ€¦ I could hear whispers, but it was plainly too weak to communicate. The aura of the corpse indicated it had died from massive trauma. The last magic cast on the plants was blessing on crops. Anook determined that the man had been killed, then feasted on, both physically and magically. <br>
			I summed my totem, my bear spiritâ€¦ which told me, among other things, of a ruined tower nearby. This, we concluded, was most likely the source of the problem. There was a clearing, and as soon as we stepped into it, we found that it was much bigger than it looked. One of those rifts? Eventually, we made our way round to where we could see the door. Which took an hourâ€¦ Seeing the door, we approached, and then shadowy panther creatures came up behind us. One bit Wordsmith and almost broke his neck. And we fought back. More appeared and attacked from our rear. It got nasty before we changed shape and started chewing on them.<br>


	===People===		===People===