4/2/2005

Players: Kathi, JC, Chris

Characters: DM & Salaisee, Elendil & Cyrus, Billimiah (Billi)

After the battle, despite the late hour and cold temperature (or perhaps becuase of the late hour and cold temperature) Elendil spends some time at communion to replentish his spells and discovers that Tymora has granted him a measure of power beyond that which he held before and the cleric thanks Our Smiling Lady for the good forture and victory she has seen fit to grant upon him.

[Elendil has achieved 6th level.]

The rest of the evening is uneventful and in the morning, after only a few hours travel, the temperature actually reaches above freezing and the 8-10 inches of snow begins to melt. As it does the road becomes a muddy mess but we still manage to make Luvenhead by mid-afternoon.  The two guards at the gate, a human and a gold elf (Farquar and Pawl) challenge us to know our business, and make sure we peace bond our weapons, but they allow us to pass without other challenge.

We get to the Singing Stone, wiping our muddy feet at the door, and Bari asks if we want the same rooms we had last time. After consulting with Pari, Billi heads off to one of the farmhouses to try and replentish our supplys. He makes quite an impression on the moon elf (Llew) that answers the door and the two engage in a lively conversation before Llew takes him down to the root cellar where Billi picks from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The elf then directs the halfling next door for the purchase of some smoked meat where a bulky, well-muscled, quite ugly moon elf (Caerwyn) opens the door. The meat is still smoking but Billi procures several pounds which we will pick up in the morning when it's ready.

Billi is munching on an apple when he returns and Elendil says that he's welcome to take one to Sander if he wants to but to make sure that he only has one with him when he does as Sander gets very pushy if he thinks apples are being withheld.

Later that night after dinner, Billi entertains the crowd with the tales of our adventures at the Monestary of the Flaming Fist and at Ash Temple but he's a little off on his story telling and has to make up for it by buying a few rounds for the table. Llew and and Caerwyn are left to ask a few questions and during the conversation we learn of a second evil monestary, Lady's Peak, which is dedicated to Loviatar, the goddess of pain.

By the time Elendil retires for communion it has again started to rain (go figure) and the sound of the drops on the roof and against the window makes a pleasant backdrop for the evenings prayers. The night is unventful and in the morning we pick up the meat and head off under sullen gray skies. Given that it's still above freezing it should be rain that falls when the clouds decide to let loose but before they get a chance Elendil and Sander here a whooshing sound from behind. It looks like the thing Lady Moorwalker described as an abashai. It's large (huge actually), grey, has leathery wings and looks to have nasty claws, sharp teeth and a barbed tail.

MELEE 

Billi casts Magic Missle but the bolts go right through the creature which begins to fade into nothingness. Then Cyrus is attacked from behind by the creature which turns out to be much smaller and black. Fortunately none of the abashai's attacks hit as it passes and Cyrus begins drawing his crossbow. Elendil casts Searing Light but the creature is able to miraculously dodge the effect. Cyrus hits with a crossbow bolt following which it lands.

Next round it hits Cyrus with it's tail and bite and the fighter takes both physical damage from the blows and acid damage from the stinger in the tail. Billi hits with another Magic Missle, Elendil gets in one hit with his staff (using it as a double weapon), and Cyrus pounds it with his new great sword. However, once again Billi gets in the killing blow after hopping of of Sander and sneaking around for a flank attack.

Cyrus hastily removes his armor once the battle is over as it has continued to be eaten away from the acid in the abashai's tail. He shakes his head sadly as he watches it smoke into worthlessness on the ground. "Damn!" he swears. "I had that specially fitted for me." He goes over to the abashia and kicks it, moving the body nearly a foot from the blow.

We continue traveling after lunch and the afternoon is thankfully quiet. By the time dusk rolls around we start looking for a campsite and come upon a tipped over wagon with a broken axle. We strap our tarp to the edge of the wagon and just into first watch, as Billi has fallen asleep and Elendil is trying to figure out how he is going to with the halfling snoring, Cyrus hear whistling coming from the fire. Looking around he is quickly able to tell that the sound is definitely coming from the fire and after a moment the whistling stops replaced by a womans voice saying she is a paladin on the road behind us, has seen our fire and would like to approach and camp with us for the night. Cyrus thinks for a moment and replies that she is welcome to join us if she approaches in plain sight. However, he does wake Billi and Elendil just to be safe.

As the traveler approaches we hear booted footsteps and see a tall woman in silver armor coming towards us on the path. She tells us her name is Havarian and that she is a Paladin of the Light Talons which is an order that fights for the good dragons. She is travelling alone looking for Hoondarrh who is a ruby (red) dragon. She intends to vanquish it and tells us she has fought with dragons before. Billi offers her the last bit of stew (which she greatly appreciates) and at our offer of shared shelter she graciously accepts and curls up under the bearskin after removing her armor.

The remainder of first watch is quiet, as is second watch and Elendil wakes Billi and Havarian for third watch. He tries to be polite and not stare as Havarian dons her armor but the woman is not unattractive and that combined with the fact she is obviously a powerful paladin make it difficult.

During the day it starts to sleet and Elendil is overcome with the sniffles, chills and a rising fever. When he starts to fall behind the others stop and Cyrus helps him to climb up on Sander (behind Billi) and the cleric wraps himself up in one of the thick bearskins. When we find some shelter in a copse of tall trees Elendil casts Endure Elements on himself.

We decide to cease traveling for the day to allow Elendil to rest and Billi makes a fire and cooks a hot broth for ailing cleric and a good meal for the others. Before first watch Elendil settles near the fire for communion and then casts Remove Disease on himself and instantly feels better.  The night is uneventful and shortly after we set off in the morning we come upon a caravan driving a small heard of cattle towards Lhuvenhead. We inquire about conditions on the road ahead and are warned to be on the lookout for a wyvern which attacked the caravan the previous day.

Later that afternoon we come across a group of poachers that have pinned a great eagle under a net. Another, presumably its mate, is attacking the group trying to prevent them from reaching the nest further up the cliff side, but it also is very badly wounded. Elendil goes to heal the eagle trapped under the net casting Cure Moderate Wounds.

MELEE

We engage in a ranged battle exchanging a barrage of Magic Missles, arrows and crossbow bolts for several rounds. (Fortunately the Magic Missles all come from Billi and are aimed at the opposing party.) At one point the eagle still battling literally rips the head off of one of the poachers screaming in triumph as it drops the bloody head towards the others. Elendil casts Entropic Shield on himself and then casts Speak w/Animals. However he is surprised to find it was unneeded as the eagle's reply to his urging for calm is in a fairly clear common. Elendil sets to the work of freeing the trapped creature from the entanglement of the net so it can rejoin the battle but by the time he does the fighting is over as the last of the poachers has been killed by the other.

The two great eagles are greatful for the aid, naming us friends, and promise to return the favor if there is ever a chance. Before departure Elendil casts Cure Moderate Wounds on the other to help insure their survival and that of their hatchlings. At this point Billi wonders aloud if perhaps he should have become a druid (as opposed to a rogue) but both Elendil and Cyrus agree that it would been a bit out of character and that the halfling is best just the way he is.

Travelling on it is late afternoon when we can finally see Everlund in the distance but by the time we actually get there the gates are closed for the night so we find the Inn of the Grinning Cleric which is outside the city walls. As we approach a young lad runs out to greet us saying he was told to wait and make sure we were taken care of.

Salaisee is waiting within, naturally surrounded by by dozens of admirers, and she seems genuinly glad to see us complaining quietly that while the baths were certainly nice, the local polital scene rapidly deteriorated to the point of utter boredom and that we are never to allow her to leave the group like that again. She also says she has presents for us beginning with Billi to whom she gives a nifty book which details many of the intricacies and technical details associated with locks, lockpicking and traps. For Cyrus she has purchased a beautiful black warhorse, and she presents Elendil with a pair of standard dice on which the one spot is the circular holy symbol of Tymora.

"They promise to be extra lucky!" she says after hugging Elendil with genuine affection, a gesture he is only too glad to reciprocate. "Especially when you use them."

Night of 14th, get up and shop on the 15th of Eliant.

End of Session.

Next Session 4/23/2005