The Needs of a Tree

Scribe Notes

Summary

Adventure: The Needs of a Tree

• aka To Slavery and Back

GM: Jason Saggers
Season: Winter 802 WK

Party

• T'ana Starflower Mind Elf/Dragon Female
• Vanderhan Non-mage Human Male
• Arwen (first half) Earth Human Female
• Grendel (second half) Mind Human Male
• Rowan Binder Elf Female
• GoK Shadow Celestial Elf/Vampire Male
• Sau Rus Infiltration Saurian Male
• Basalic Earth Human Male (Scribe)

Time on adventure

1st Frost 802 WK to 18th Seedtime 802 WK

Employer

A Millennium Tree

Mission

Find two missing parts of the Millennium Tree

Plane

Rifts Earth

Places visited

Africa

A second Millennium Tree

An abandoned military base

Atlantis

Splynn

Dragcona

The Preserves

Major NPCs encountered

Millennium Druids - They tend the Tree

Odin, Thor & the rest of the Norse Pantheon

Wei Soo Ling - shapechanged Oriental dragon

The Master - an evil Intelligence

Two Atlanteans (became our masters)

Original Scribe Notes

Media:Snwi0205.zip

Part 1. On Safari in Africa

The mission I signed up on was, believe it or not, to be summoned to help a tree. The person who introduced it at the Guild Meeting was an old gentleman with grey hair, wearing dirty brown robes. He spoke in an odd accent which was, at times, hard to understand. My fellow adventures were: T’ana Starflower. 6'4" stern looking female elf, with long auburn hair, wearing grey plate mail armour. A Mind Mage. Vanderhand. Human male with shoulder length hair, black pants, white shirt. Non-mage. Rowan - 6'1" elven female auburn red hair. Binder Gok. - 6'5" stocky elf. Long black cloak and pallid skin. Long dark hair and a scar running down one side of his face. Shadow celestial. Arwen - 5'11" female human with waist length brown hair. Earth mage. And I’m Basalic. Human male earth mage/warrior. Anyway we were asked if we were the Life Givers. We were then told that it was a hot, dry, place that we were going to and were given some leaves that we were told to eat upon arrival. According to their aura, they came from the Millennium Tree and their Plane of Origin was Earth. We were told that the Giver of Life (presumably the Tree) had been under assault and were weakened. The sect, that our employer belonged to, were trying to put it back together. They wanted us to help them retrieve two pieces, each about 5 to 6 foot long. We were also told that it would be advisable to leave things like portable holes behind. So much for my usual weapon loadout. The departure time was to be tomorrow midnight. After some discussion, I became the scribe (no one else wanted the job), Starflower the military scientist, and Arwen the party leader. I put Lesser Enchantments on my companions and Arwen put one on me. I also found some mistletoe out of my own garden for Arwen. Astrology readings were done in order to obtain more information such as ‘What dangers await’ - Dangers are few and far between. Hmmm A vision was also obtained of a tree, located inside a crater, being struck by lightning. 2 nd Frost At midnight we were at the appointed place. The spot glowed then a tear appeared in reality. We stepped through and seemed to be travelling down a glowing tube at great speed. Finally we landed in a sandy area. A blue glow could be seen on the horizon. I had to extricate my foot from under Starflower. For some reason she had changed into a large dragon. Also, as per instructions, we chewed the leaves we were given. Starflower on discovering she is a large dragon - “I seem to have a small problem” Vanderhand - “Small?” I could also see that everyone was brighter - except for Vanderhand. Then there was a loud BOOM and a nearby tree exploded. We all dived into a nearby hole. As we watched we could hear footsteps, loud clanging and, occasionally, objects were flying overhead. One landed near Gok and sent him flying. Vanderhand used his crystal ball and could see two large glittering metallic looking figures with smaller ones in a gully nearby. Suddenly something exploded nearby and we’re showered with sand and metallic fragments. We then saw a man beckoning from behind a nearby tree. We were about to go over when another explosion sent me hurtling in that direction. After following him for about ten minutes he walked into a medium sized tree and we followed onto a stairway going down. After what seemed like 15,000 steps later we reached a corridor and were lead into a room. We were given the opportunity to freshen up. I discovered that I was seeing magic auras around items. Also, since Starflower wasn’t able to use her chain shirt any more, I borrowed it. The rest of the night passed without incident and the next morning I discovered the joys of showering and singing in it. Have to figure out how to build one when we get back. An empty potion bottle was filled up with liquid soap. After breakfast, which consisted of a collection of cereal derivatives we were introduced to the people who needed our aid. They were known as the Millennium Druids and they tend the Tree. We were led to another room. On it was a pile of stuff, an item that looked like a rifle with no trigger, an overcoat of very resilient material, two acorns and two leaves each. Both the leaves and the acorns came from the Millennium Tree. The leaves gave us the equivalent of a Force Shield for 30 minutes while a single acorn would heal. Two together would resurrect. The surcoat would absorb damage while the rifle is a technowizardry device that would deal it out. Once we collected those we were led back to the first rooms and given some sort of history lesson consisting of moving pictures. From what I could understand there was a war that led to a terrible cataclysm and everything changed. We are now in the Phoenix Empire, somewhere in Africa. The giant things of armour were Glitterboys and there was a human inside them and there were also juicers, soldiers that were drugged up out of their minds. The Tree had been subjugated by the Empire who were taking bits of it for their own use. The Tree called for us as it was believed we could do what the Druids could not. .2. Lunch time was the basic fare, cheeses, fruits and bread. Afterwards we were taken to the training grounds, so we could learn to use these ‘rifles’. This involved several corridors and stairs, finally through a big iron door, then up a ramp to the surface. Outside we could see some disguised buildings and what looked like archery targets. Vanderhand’s ‘rifle’ was slightly different than ours. His had a ‘powerpack’ attached since ours were powered by us drawing mana as we were spellcasters. Since Vanderhand was a non-mage he had to use a different source. So we spent the whole afternoon blasting at targets and figuring out how to use them properly. The next couple of days was also spent practising. 5 th Frost Other preparations also had to be done. A city called Rana was mentioned at some point, otherwise known as the City of Doom. It was ruled by a Phaeroh with a necromantic fetish. It was also rather hot so I ditched the drow half-plate in favour of the leather. Besides, I may need to at least attempt to cast magic. That night we were guided out by three druids in front and three behind. After going outside we were led to a spot between two trees and told to wait until it was safe. A few minutes later we were waved through. Soon we were out of the oasis. I could see two large blue walls on either side of us and they seemed to converge up ahead, where we were going. It was a long journey and several times we were told to hug the ground and stay quiet ad objects roared overhead. We also had to duck when our guides heard footsteps. It was like we were avoiding contact with anything. Finally, 4 to 5 hours later, the sand underfoot gave way to grass and I could feel a tingling in the air. After avoiding more potential trouble, we finally saw the Tree, or at least an 800ft tall skeleton of one. There was an intense ‘glow’ around it and it looked broken and scarred. There were very few leaves left on it. The trunk was 200 feet wide. When we arrived at the base, the druids started talking to it then introduced us. The tree then communicated back to us in dreams and feelings, all except Gok. He didn’t pick up a thing. There were two distinct carved items we had to find, each 4 ½ ft long and were quite nasty items. Basically they were corrupted staves. The Tree had been tortured and abused by the Phoenix Empire into this state. After two hours we snuck back. 6 th Frost Slept most of the day. Starflower was able to find some very old, pre cataclysm, maps and located the first one to the south of us on the same landmass. The second one she had to get a complete world map and discovered it was somewhere in the ocean to the west. However, upon questioning the druids we discovered that the new continent of Atlantis was located there. .3. Late that afternoon we took off from the archery range using various flight spells and headed south. Starflower turned into a rather hungry looking dragon. A couple of hours later she unexpectedly shapeshifted back in midflight and fell. Fortunately Gok was able to get a set of wings on her and we continued on. Starflower - “I’ll cast Mind Speech cause sometimes it provokes trouble.” A short while later I spotted a magical burst in the air and we changed course to avoid it. The air felt warm and tingly, then the air around the burst began to be whipped up. So we changed course to the west in order to get out of the area of effect as quickly as possible. Half an hour later we flew out of the periphery. Behind us a whirlwind had formed. The air still felt charged but was not magical. The burst of light got brighter and bulged outwards as we increased our distance from it and I could still see magical energies around it. Fortunately it did us no harm and soon began to fade. Two hours later, we landed and made camp as dawn arrived. 7 th Frost It was very hot. A person on a dune was spotted watching us and Arwen thought it was her god Odin. I found that hard to believe. Gods making personal appearances? I think not. My thoughts on the subject were immediately stopped when both Starflower and Vanderhand reported the sound of shifting sands. When we went to the top of a dune to look we saw no less than three large, 120ft long, sandworms heading in our direction. Naturally we immediately broke camp and took off, Starflower in dragonform. According to their aura, they were ‘Blow Worms’ and as we flew away one of them spat at Vanderhand and covered him in sticky goo. Mid afternoon and we reached savannah country and changed course to the south east.. As darkness fell, the temperature fell and the goo around Vanderhand began hardening. At nightfall, we found a forest and landed. We tried to get Vanderhand out of the goo but soon realised we required strong acid. Starflower found a plant that had acidic juices but as she did, a vine hit her. Meanwhile we were towing a gummed up Vanderhand using the sphere of weightlessness. Someone referred to him as a Vanderzepplin. Meanwhile Starflower sliced the vine but another had a go at me and I ended up upside down. Starflower cut me down but not before the vine drained a lot of my magic potential. Finally we started negotiating with the plant. It wanted sunlight in exchange for the juices. As Rowen had a golen carefully dig the plant up, Arwen was sure Odin was watching again, and this time I was also getting the feeling that I was being watched. Arwen then summoned a 50ft tall elemental to move the plant into the clearing. Once it was in place, it grew another ten feet. We then tapped it for acid and got Vanderhand out. There was enough left for one decanter full.

8th Frost

It was after midnight by now by the time camp was set up. Arwen had the elemental build us a fancy stone fortress complete with fortifications. Later on there was a localised light spotted in the clearing but nothing was picked up on telepathy. However we could see a figure standing there, 7ft tall with the head of a hawk. It was just standing there, watching us before wandering off again. We decided to rest up the day. That night we saw figures coming out of the clearing. .4. Everyone was woken up as four skeletons headed out of the bush. Arwen fired a warning shot but they ignored it. Then all four of them glowed. I could see a point, equidistant from each one where they were drawing mana from. So I told Arwen where that was and she shot at it. As the arrow contacted, lightning arced forming a small sphere at that point. They fired some sort of energy discharge at us, twice, and Starflower shot a lightning bolt back. Unfortunately that had the effect of charging them right back up again. Vanderhand was nearly knocked over the wall by the next blast which also splattered against Starflower’s forceshield. Arwen conjured up an Earth Elemental but that was destroyed in quick succession. Starflower then tried a telepathy and detected overwhelming hatred and evil from something further out in the forest. . Also one of the skeletons had a mind. So Arwen conjured up another elemental but kept it below the surface until it was near them. The skeletons advanced. I was trying to get Armours of Earth on people when another blast knocked me halfway across the keep. Vanderhand retaliated and succeeded in blowing a skeleton up. The nexus point immediately shifted to a new equidistant point from the remaining three. Starflower tried sending a phantasm to the skeleton with a mind but it was taken out. Just then all three skeletons and the nexus were surrounded by a glowing wall. Rowan passed out as we were hit by a magical effect. Meanwhile Vanderhand’s next shot went right through the wall and impacted on a skeleton as Arwen sent the elemental to drag another down beneath the earth. The nexus was dragged down as well. Another shot blasted Starflower as the elemental mashed the skeleton and the nexus popped back up between the remaining two. I was beginning to wonder what would happen when there was only one left. Arwen grabbed a skeleton in a Hands of Earth and everyone fired on it while the free one went around the moat to the back of the keep. It then teleported across the moat and entered the keep. Meanwhile the elemental munched the held one, causing the nexus to co-exist with the last skeleton. The skeleton attacked Gok, who collapsed, and Starflower, Vanderhand and I charged down the stairs to meet it. Starflower walloped it with Severer and a leg fell off. A new leg immediately took it’s place. So she tried Monopole. To her surprise the sword vanished out of her hand and landed on the ground nearby. Arwen had figured out how to get a triple burst out of these rifles so she used that to blast the thing to bits. There was a huge flash of magic as the nexus went ‘pop’ and dissipated. Arwen then got the elemental to fix the holes in the keep. We could sense that the evil was still out there - watching. From what we could figure out, that group of skeletons was called a Triumverite .5. 9 th Frost We flew off the next day. Gok was trying to take advantage of Starflower’s draconic shadow but Starflower wouldn’t let him. She then flew down and sucked on a grazing animal. We flew around a big lake then followed a chain of little ones before landing in a hollow by the last lake. Starflower killed an impala so Vanderhand and I skinned it. Rowan preserved the meat for later eating. Gok was still complaining of voices in his head and he was looking decidedly vampirish but his Generic True Name was still Elf. I decided to check it every so often - just in case. Arwen - “If you get yourself eaten by Starflower, I’m NOT paying for your resurrection and I’m NOT going in after you.” Night passed without incident. 10 th Frost We flew on both day and night. 11 th Frost By now the landscape had become more hilly, with lots of small streams and a wide variety of plentiful animal life. Starflower spotted something interesting among a pride of lions then suddenly changed back to an elf. Again Gok was quick enough with the wings. A bit later we landed. Starflower’s GTN was checked and it was discovered she is now an Ice Dragon. Only six hours per day, of her choosing, could she become an elf. She could cast in dragon form and had an icy breath weapon. We flew on into the night, now going north west, as per Starflower’s directions with the Finding spell and the maps we were making of the areas around with Vanderhand’s crystal ball. Finally we had mapped the right area. The missing branch was located in jungle near a junction of four major rivers. 12 th Frost We travelled closer to our target. More precise mapping told us that the staff was located north of the junction in very dense forest, with a canopy made up of interlocking trees. We could not find anywhere to land nearby. 13 th Frost We stopped at the tree boundary and Starflower could detect something 19 miles away in the forest. The canopy looked rather solid and definitely interwoven. .6. When we got closer to the forest it looked like the area had been tended and we were getting the feeling we were being watched. Occasionally we caught glimpses of small creatures in the branches but they were very fast and quick at hiding. We did however manage to determine that they were tree people. Gok - “Let’s kill one and see if they retaliate” (A statement that proves why he keeps being nominated for Stupidest Adventurer) After a while it got darker as we got deeper into the forest. It also felt like that there were more entities watching. I was feeling it the most for some reason and was starting to get twitchy and paranoid. Then Odin showed up, following us. Thor appeared a short while later, followed by the rest of the pantheon. This was getting really too strange for comfort. We carried on, trying to ignore them but I was wondering just what they were doing here and why they were here. It turned out they had prepared a camp for us in a nearby clearing, complete with banquet and feasting hall. We were feasting and I was discussing various topics with Odin, Thor and Arwen (who worships Odin), plus any others of the pantheon that cared to join. These guys proved to be my type. Note to anyone else: Never try to outdrink Thor. I do remember taking part in a ‘toss the axe competition’. 14 th Frost Next morning they’re all gone. Even their tents and stuff. Strange. Midday and we arrived at the river. It was somewhere between three to four hundred feet wide . So it was decided we’d go along until we reached the intersection. A bit later in we noticed something was stalking us. Just then a large lion with a snake like tail, a chimera, jumped on Vanderhand. Starflower dragged it by the tail off him and got fire breathed on, three times. I went to rescue Vanderhand who appeared to be in real danger but that turned out to be a near fatal move. The rest of the party opened fire with their rifles. After Starflower and I got caught in the next few fire blasts, I decided to back off and open fire as well while Starflower was still dragging it by the tail as well as kicking at it with her claws. Finally we brought it down but my surcoat was completely damaged. Starflower’s was also damaged but had some protection left so I used it instead. Vanderhands surcoat was also completely destroyed. The chimera was skinned and the skin repaired for later conversion into armour. A collection of bones and other useful parts was also gathered. Gok to Starflower - “You’ve already got scale armour”. As it got darker there was more rustling in the trees. There were also insects galore so we all had a rather uncomfortable night. 15 th Frost We carried on. Pathways could be seen in the trees above and we could see people with blowdarts on the other side of the river. That night Arwen constructed another pillbox but that didn’t stop our stuff from being rifled through during the night. Nothing was taken though. 16 th Frost The river widened as we kept moving. So we decided to backtrack to where we had first encountered it. .7. Starflower decided to stop being the Military Scientist as she had realised she was thinking more like a dragon and less like an adventurer. So I ended up with the job. Starflower had also discovered she could shapechange into other things so she turned into a monkey - a rather heavy one. Just then Gok fell over. And a magical aura built up around him. Some sort of Intelligence, something called the Master, was trying to summon him. The summoning failed and, when Gok recovered, he told us he had been trying to talk to the voices in his head. We told him to ignore them. Night arrived. Fortunately there was a lack of insects. 17 th Frost I managed to backfire one of my spells and caused some damage. It took the healers two days to fix it. While we waited, Arwen sent an elemental prospecting and it came back with black diamonds plus gold and silver ore. 19 th Frost Crossed the river using an elemental dug tunnel and reached a clearing on the other side. It looked like a savannah area and was covered completely by the tree canopy. According to what we could determine, the branch should be in the clearing but we can’t see it. Rowan sent a golem in and it looked like it was dodging invisible trees. Arwen got the elemental to tunnel under the clearing. It vanished. Arwen went through the tunnel and also vanished. We could hear her and pass notes but she could not return. Also Gok got pain from trying to enter. We all entered, in standard tunnel formation and reached a blank wall. We were able to go through by touching it but two hundred feet further on, it was as if we had been turned around, at least according to the ranger’s direction sense. Three hundred feet and we ended up on a wide grassed area with small clumps Behind us was another Millennium Tree, 1500ft high and much larger and healthier than the first one. Starflower thought that the missing branch is underneath it. Just then a small party of short people came out and asked us if we had come for the part. When we said yes, we were told to follow them. We were taken to the tree then led through a network of chambers and tunnels inside it. Finally we reached a meeting room. A tall lanky female called Wei Soo Ling arrived as well as two other men. Ling was actually a shapechanged oriental dragon and was going to help Starflower deal with her dragonside. Apparently Starflower is only a baby dragon. Gok was also put into protective custody for his and everyone else’s safety. We received the missing branch/staff and discovered that the other two men were Atlantians and they had information that would be useful. Basically it’s a slave driven culture run by a group called Splugoths, or undead slayers and we would be treated as interdimensional slaves. Splynn is the capital city where the Splugoths spent most of their time. There are also dragons there who are mostly in Dragcona, the city of dragons. The population is 3.7 million plus 19 million slaves and 1 to 6 thousand dragons. We would also require several barrel loads of money to buy ourselves out of slavery. .8. When we left the Tree we found ourselves outside the clearing - and there was no sign of the tunnel that had been dug. So Arwen sent the elemental prospecting for more mineral wealth A couple of days was spent doing this and by the end of it, we had a hoard of diamonds, gold, and assorted other gems and minerals. The pile was now ten times bigger and valuable than before. The last elemental that Arwen got turned out to be a rather intelligent one who told us that there was a cache of stuff one-fifty to two hundred miles away. However it had to leave us quickly as his wife wanted him. Now I’ve seen everything - a two hundred foot tall henpecked earth elemental.