Date: 7/27/97

Players: JC, Kathi, Bryan, Davy, Jeff, Kris, Tom, David

Characters: Rio & Glow, DM, Erin, Caland, Saunders, Bo'Malus & Shalmara, Beneton, Merlor

Merlor takes a special arrow, a stone-biter, and ties a thin silken rope to the end. Then he launches it up and after several attempts manages to embed the tip in the wall above. He climbs on up. Saunders climbs up behind him and locates specifically where the "treasure aura" is and tries to mold the stone away. Nothing happens so he tries detect magic. It's everywhere within this cubic area.

Rio and Glow, along with the others, stay below and keep an eye on the passageways leading out.

After a few minutes Bo and Shalmara climb up to check out the room but they also find nothing. Erin eventually makes his way up and bashes on the wall with Bo's hammer. After a terrific smash he rubs his eyes and announces that the wall isn't and reaches his arm into it as proof. Seeing this the others up there with him are able to determine that the whole room is somehow an illusion and that in reality it a normal stone room with Erin's bash point being a door. Merlor announces that their are no traps and goes ahead and opens the door. It reveals a small room lit by four floating globes that give off an eerie red light. There's a small chest, a couple of large copper kettle drums and an obvious spot where a large rectangular box, probably a coffin, was. Merlor examines the chest and determines there are no traps so he goes ahead and opens it. Unfortunatly the magical trap goes off and the halfling is polymorphed into a toad. Needless to say he isn't real happy.

However he did manage to get the chest open and those up there rummage through it finding coins and gems. As they dig through the chest they also find several pieces of jewelry. A nice haul. In fact there are several other items down at the bottom of the chest that radiate magic. A scroll, a pouch of dust, and a potion. Bo also gathers up the floating globes which cause the bag he puts them in to float.

We decide to rest for the night which passes uneventfully. In the morning we decide to head out. Rio accepts any small items the party wishes protected and then, once they reach the top of the 40 foot cliff, he turns into a german shepard and sets off ahead of the group with Glow to check on the horses. They head through the anti-magic section of the cooridoor without problem and return, in the direction we came, toward the horses. The rest of the group takes their time passing through the anti-magic section and Rio and Glow are able to make it back to the horses without incident. Unfortunatly the ghouls who were turned yesterday have discovered the animals and are having them for breakfast and lunch. Rio & Glow, who have not been spotted, hang back and quietly discuss what to do.

They decide that Glow will hang back and Rio will try to distract them by barking and lead them outside. Unfortunatly because it is daylight outside the ghouls do not follow. Seeing this Rio returns to the opening and barks up a storm trying to hold the ghouls attention on him rather Glow or any of the others returning to the entrance. Glow begins attacking with bow and arrow and if pursued will retreat back to the other party memebers who by now MUST have made it through the anti-magic cooridoor. She gets off several rounds, killing one before they come after her, but by that time the others have caught up and she steps aside letting Bo and Erin wade into melee with the last surviving ghouls. Rio, having returned to the underground passageways, attacks one from behind and rips out its throat, killing it. The last is quickly dispatched by Erin. Erin, Shalmara and Merlor are extremely pissed at the loss of their horses and take out their anger on what little is left of the ghouls. Then they torch the remains of the horses, and the rest of contents of the room, and then continue on.

As we are leaving Erin pisses on the owlbear shapped rock which surprisingly comes to life and attacks him. It is quickly dispatched.

We set off down the trail down the mountain. Rio leads with Glow behind him. As they pass under the strange levitated stream it collapses onto Bo and those on either side of him. Caland uses several "Dry" cantrips to dry those who've gotten wet and we continue on toward Leilon. It is a journey of close to nine days back to Leilon. The rest of the days trip passes uneventfully and we set up a small campsite complete with fire. Rio remains in dog form and curls up next to the campfire. Glow uses her "Body Control" ability to morph into squirrel form and curls up next to him for warmth. The two have agreed to take third watch.

During first watch the fire is abruptly put out by several hurled chunks of ice, one of which lands on top of Rio and Glow who each take 10 points of damage. Coming toward the party are three large creatures each of which are ten feet tall with two heads. Ice trolls !!

MELEE

Both Rio and Glow struggle to get up and get out of the way of big clobby troll feet. They are successful. Glow begins Molecular Agitation and Rio moves in to try go get an attack on the heel of the nearest troll. The trolls get in some good damage in on Erin and a couple of the others before they are summarily dispatched. Erin got in a MASSIVE attack on the last troll and just about chopped it in two with a blow that did 76 points of damage.

We travel on for several more uneventful days and come to a point where we are attacked by several carnivorous plants. Bo drinks a potion of Plant Control and commands them to stop attacking, which they do. After several more days a skunk wanders into the campsite. It seems to be react favorably to Rio, despite the fact that his animal friendship fails, and the Druid kneels down to let it check him out. Saunders casts "Speak With Animals" and carries on a brief conversation with it.

The next night around the campfire we are mostly surprised by a group of Manticore who attack us from above by flinging spikes from their tails.

MELEE

They do not come closer than perhaps 20 to 30 yards as they attack us from above. Beneton smokes one with a lightning bolt and it falls from the sky landing with a nasty, damage causing thud. It's dead. Rio "Commands" one to depart and it does. Beneton again casts lightning bolt but this time does not kill one. It takes a few rounds before they are dispatched or driven off but unfortunatly several of the party members have taken several points of damage.

We perform several cures on those who need them and then continue on. Then on the next day, the eighth day of travel during lunch, a stampede of wild horses come charging through the campsite. Glow levitates out of the way and Rio stands his ground, waves his club and calls out loudly so that they will go around us, which they do. Fortunatly they were merely galloping and not fleeing from some danger so they're not in a blind panic.

We get to Leilon the next day. The others stop and stay in town while Rio and Glow spend time investigating and living in the surrounding country-side. They promise to catch up with the group when they depart.

The two spend their time mostly in quiet meditation. On the third day Glow contacts Arial back in the High Forest. She spends almost an hour in the telepatic link with her daughter and after the sending is over she happily reports to Rio that Arial has cast her first druidic cantrip "Mist Plants". The two discuss their plans for the near future and agree that until it gets near to the time of Arial's returning home, they will remain with the current group and continue on Estarria's quest.

Later, on the solstace that marks the beginning of winter, Rio sits arm-in-arm with Glow by the side of a small stream. He revels in her soft touch and soon the two are lost in the passion of the cool night.

The next day Rio spots the group departing from the small city and he returns to Glow to gather her up so they can join the group. They catch up fairly quickly and learn that Shalmara has left the group to return home.

We're camped for the night after two days of travel when early during third watch a large winged reptillian creature swoops down on the camsite and snatches up Caland. Rio wakes quickly at the commotion and immediately becomes a falcon, leaping into the air in pursuit. Those that remain on the ground get off several missle weapons and actually manage to bring it down. Caland is able to free himself and fortunately is able to levitate before he hits the ground.

Several days later, on the fifth day out from Leilon, we spot a mountain lion sunning himself. The majestic creature watches us pass by. Erin takes this as a favorable omen.

Then on the eighth day as we camp on the side of a mountain there is a sudden rock slide. We all wake up quickly and see several LARGE creatures that seem to be made of stone coming towards us, one from each direction. They're twenty feet tall and probably close to ten to fifteen feet wide. We huddle while Saunders casts Prayer. Because the creatures are so slow Beneton is able to get a lightning bolt off. Caland casts "Enlarge" on Erin who grows to close to 11 feet tall.

MELEE

Rio calls for a "Flame Strike" on one and then moves to protect Glow. The next round Caland casts "Enlarge" on Bo who moves to attack the other large creature. Glow settles into arrow fire while Rio stands guard over her and the other mages. The large monsters really stood no chance against the enlarged party members and are soon dispatched

Two days later we are just getting under way when a large stag steps out into path. Rio approaches it but it bounds off. Erin is not happy with that turn of events and decides he wants it to have it for lunch. He gets of a couple good shots with his bow and arrow and brings it down. Rio isn't terribly pleased with the turn of events but understands the groups reluctance to continue eating the gunk theyíre carrying for food. Erin is quick and merciful and soon we have roasting venison.

END OF SESSION