Delph II - Insect World
Summary
Adventure: The name of the adventure
GM: Greg Taylor
Season: Summer 789 WK
- Party
- Joplin (Party Leader) -
- Isil Eth (Scribe) - Ian W
- Kym - Eastern Elf, lady, fighter (ed. is this meant to be Kin?)
- Tawm thief - ?
- Camellia yuppie female,| Mind
- Frank fighter
- Pym (Epouminondas), Halfling, E&E withdrew at Delf - Caroline J
- Diandra E & E Withdrew due to death in family
- Time on adventure
- 5-5-1988 AP to 27-5-1988 AP
Scribe Notes
Introduction
At the Guild Meeting of January 1988 AP, a Lizardman of the Isle of Delf delivered a written message.
The Oracle of Delf requests the services of a party of Adventurers, for a short mission off plane to retrieve a magic item. Party has full rights to any other treasure found. Please report to the Oracle of Delf within one month.
Later that day the Captain of the galleon upon which the lizardman travelled to Seagate was invited to the Guild for discussions. He was able to furnish us with the following data:
Two galleons ply the Delf-Seagate trade route, his -the SEA TURTLE- is presently in harbour and due to depart after seven days. The Captain is religious, describing the experience as "seeing the Truelight", and adding that many Delphians share such beliefs. Joplin and I believe this to mean the True God has been resurrected (IE. either the Godmind or Oracle is in full swing). The Captain wears on his neck a symbol of an Eye.
Life on Delf has been good since we last visited. Good harvests and a down turn in the Military's popularity means more food all round. Not to mention a goodly number of visitations.
Luxuries on Delf are Grain and other dry growing foods, Silks and cotton, good metals. The Desolation of Oorts is becoming vegetated, and soon should be fully recovered.
The plane Railia, or railway, is known to be through the porthole at the top of Delf’s mountain. Each plane connects to Railia, the terminals being style kale Gothic "A" is the Rune for Alusia, and "The 42 Plane" is for Arabia.
The Voyage South
The Party boarded the Sea Turtle on 5/5/1988 AP. The Mate, Smith is a Water Mage and knows Wind Sail, Wave Riding, Waters of Healing.
The mew adventurers seem, well, rather naive though entertaining and willing to learn. For examples: Camellia went begging to gain money. Noting that her dress was far richer than any urchin's, she rolled in fresh Night Soil. This caused the beginnings of a following, and possibly a new cult.
On our first day at sea, Frank not to be out done by an intelligent looking albatross, suggested that we run a lottery for first travel nausea. Camellia suggested we wear clothes to dinner.
The voyage took fourteen days, allowing me to teach Camellia and Kym Healer 1, whilst learning ritual of curse removal, Seven days out we can no longer see land, though fortunately the weather is good. Tawm is often seen in the company of the Cabin boy Bob. They are usually deep in conversation with Bob staring idolizingly at Tawm. Meanwhile the crew are very interested in Frank, whom they follow if at all possible. Whilst the crew are very fond of stories, and Adventurers are known for their economy with the truth, it would appear that Frank's entertaining nature has won their hearts.
About twelve days out Joplin and I spied a distant peak reaching above the clouds. This is the mountain of the Oracle -Godmind, being one the better land marks I know.
Two days latter we sailed into a thick fog. Captain Zark explained that this is the season for fogs, though normally they lift by noon. Being a prudent man when profit is not involved (he is on a religious type quest) the Captain hove- to. By mid morning the fog had turned to a warm wet drizzle and we continued toward the coast. Eventually, with a lead line checking the depth of water, the beach was seen and the breaking of waves heard. By dint of luck the Master could tell where we were and turned toward the river, arriving at dusk on 17/5/88AP, There we anchored for the river is dangerous to navigate at night.
The air was rather unpleasant here for the heat and evaporation push the humidity up alarmingly and a stiff gale would vastly aid civic relations. The rising sun revealing a river in flood, allowing an easy crossing of the bar, and full of tree trunks. The (true) left bank has palm trees and wet-lands, whilst to our left are grasslands and bogs. Off to our right at some distance are a group of primitive tree dwelling people.
Their speech may have been one of the earlier Penjaree derivatives. They were very wary and mainly worried that we would invade their land. Why we might wish to is beyond me, for it was not very inviting. They wore fur cloaks, and have mammalian skin.
The next day we arrived at some sort of trading/customs complex consisting of a few huts and a wharf. Since we were "On a Mission from [their] God", huts were made available for our use. Food for this place is re-provisioned weekly.
That evening we had a visitor: a lizard; a green, four foot long, floating in the air type lizard. He was very cute, with a cultured air and a refined sense of decent humour. His mode of communication was by mind-speech and transportation by belt. Namely the gold magical one he was wearing. He told us that transport to the Oracle had been booked for eight o'clock the next morning. Seems the Godmind uses these gents as and when required. They are really rather ornamental yet practical: the type of being one may give to one who believes they have everything.
The ship meanwhile had anchored for the night in mid-stream, continuing on to Prophecy, the main city of Delf, in the morning.
Next morning our vehicle arrived. A whirlwind descended from great height with blue aura and lightening, complete with rumbling sound and wooshing noises. The youngsters appeared to be impressed and rather awed. Fortunately Joplin and [ had experienced this all before and hence the most extreme jitters as experienced by the others were calmed. Surprisingly there were no storm currents and the trip up was quite calm, even relaxing. Some had difficulty waking up upon arrival at the mountain peak, so comforting was the aerial journey. The date was May 21 1987AP.
The air is apparently thin, though there is no snow, a gentle wind and some mist. "You are on a square slab 100 feet aside with a ladder on a side" came to our minds. The "voice" had a neutral tone one associates with elevated fountains, it certainly was not overtly inspiring.
"God and Priestess are melded together and speaking together. Follow the ladder and find us"
I'm not for questioning Gods but one would think they could contemplate giving more reasonable instructions: follow a ladder? They go down or up. Or does this one walk? Close.
The ladder is stationary and one hundred feet long. Yes, it is an artificial cube built on top of the mountain. At the base of the ladder is a platform. The mist has cleared giving a spectacular view of Delf, the sea and some clouds. Pity the sky is so dark, almost black, and the sun so harsh. One could have realised the highest and most exclusive penthouse on Alusia.
Two large, ostentatious, and slightly ajar doors are set into the wall. To complete the setting, the doorward is an ambulatory mannequin of the whitest porcelain and, like all good servants, no distinguishing features. The Guild's Butler should come and study this.
Inside the doors is a predictably cubic room with a wide circular stairwell.
“Please excuse the poor decor. Follow the creature and nourishment will be provided. I shall join you there."
The mannequin moves without joints, but more importantly without noise nor expression of enforced servitude. The Guild must get one of these for its steward training courses. I was to learn that this being can carry fifty kilograms, has a TMR of 3-4, will not harm living things, is mindless and must be directed at all times, came from another plane and is of enchanted porcelain.
Some depth later we took a level platform, though the stairs continue down, leading to a corridor with two empty chambers on either side and one at the far end. The latter is illuminated by candles placed on a large table. The walls are bare, the table and chairs plain, each emphasizing the meats and fruits upon the table. Seated at the far end is a girl with long hair and wearing a grey diaphanous gown gathered at the waist with a silver clasp belt. Her well groomed fingernails identified their owner, if any could not guess.
We had met the Rank 11 Astrologer and Priestess Assia. She is formal, kind, and like all considerate hostesses serves no processed foods.
