The Journals of Old Greyhawk and the Founding of NewHawk City
- Chapter Eighteen

Adventure Date: August 18, 2007
Last Updated: January 19, 2009

DAY 210

"We're so close to getting all the pieces ... I can't wait to find out what this last piece can do!" PW grinned.

"It better be something worthwhile," Agrona grumbled. "This whole 'coming-back-from-the-dead' schtick is wearing mighty thin."

"Ah, cheer up! You have all your fingers and toes, dontcha?" PW quipped.

"Yah, but when I came to, I was missing some items which you seemed to have acquired," Agrona replied dryly.

"I was just hanging onto those baubles. You didn't want some unscrupulous person to rob you blind?" PW asked innocently.

"I woke up naked with my fingers greased - hopefully to assist in removing my rings (I pray to goodness that that is the reason my fingers were greased!!!) - and SUCKER inked onto my chest! That's going a little beyond being a good Samaritan!" Agrona growled.

"Lighten up. We can all vouch that your body wasn't abused," Ebreck piped in. "Too much," he finished under his breath. In a louder voice, Ebreck turned to PW, "Give me a hand selling this Lion Figurine and these Gloves of Arrow Snatching. They seemed like such neat toys, but for what I want to purchase, I need some capital."

"Okay, on the condition I get 15% of the money," PW grinned.

"Fifteen percent! That's highway robbery!" Ebreck shrieked.

"Lighten up, Ebreck," Agrona began.

Hiding a smile, Xana spoke. "Let's get going. I think we all want to make some purchases. After the encounter with the drow, I think we need to rethink our possessions and their effectiveness."

As the day passed, many deals were made. Ebreck traded his Lion Figurine and Gloves of Arrow Snatching for Boots of Dexterity +1 and a Lesser Fiend Crystal. The gloves and figurine were insufficient to cover the cost of the boots and crystal, so Ebreck had to pay an additional 1830 gp. PW traded his Gloves of Swimming and Climbing for a Lesser Crystal of Cold Energy for his rapier and a Girdle of Health +1 to boost his constitution. Altogether, the pair recouped 6000 gp for their traded items. HHH spent 2340 gp to buy Gauntlets of Ogre Power +2 for himself. Xana bought a Crystal of Wisdom +1. With 436 gp left in the communal pot, Nuria purchased 3 100 gp pearls for future use in identification. Agrona purchased 20 Cold Iron and 10 Silver Bolts for PW and 10 Cold Iron and 10 Silver Bolts for himself.

"Well, while we're here, I guess I should do something with this white dragon hide we've been dragging around," Xana mused. Hooking her arm in Nuria's, Xana took the hide to a blacksmith. She procured his services to make the hide into a Masterwork White Dragon Hide Full Plate.

"It should be done in 2 weeks or so," the blacksmith stated, awed at the size of the hide. "You'll need to come back in a week for a fitting, and then it'll be a bit of short work to complete it for you."

"If there is any hide left, would you be able to make some bracers for me?" Nuria asked.

Scratching his chin, the blacksmith replied, "Sorry, lass. There will be just enough to make the armor, but there won't be enough to do much else with it. I can save a piece for your rat to gnaw on, though. Helps keep the teeth clean and freshens the breath."

As the day wound down, the party relaxed at the inn. With a glint in his eye, PW slipped away to his room and softly locked the door. "I feel ready for this," he said to himself. "I've been studying hard on the proper steps and vocal inflections, and I think it's time to summon my own companion. It should freak everyone out! The shock value alone will make the effort worth it!"

Taking on a somber air, PW focused his energy and began an elaborate pattern. Twisting and turning, he accented his hand and leg motions with a guttural chant. A single candle lit the room, and shadows leaped wildly about. At times, it appeared that his silhouette was shifting in counterpoint to his movements. An outside observer would have guessed he was doing some form of indigenous dance, and they wouldn't be too far off; though the purpose of this dance was to draw an entity from the stuff of shadows onto the Material Plane.

His dance reached a crescendo and PW gave a final, imploring cry. Covered in sweat, he collapsed to the floor. In a daze, he looked up. A piece of darkness detached itself from the shadows and moved towards him. It stopped at arm's length and seemed to study PW as much as he studied it. Suddenly, PW felt an overwhelming sense of empathy and belonging with the shade that stood before him. "Welcome, Gloom," he whispered. "We're going to get along very well, I think."

DAY 211

As the sun rose majestically, a dove flew into the room and alit on Nuria's head. Gently tapping to wake her, the dove cooed.

"Well, what do you know?" Ebreck cheerfully said. "Breakfast just flew in! This is like fast food service! Quick, help me catch him and we can have strips of tender dove meat!" Edging forward to grab the bird, Ebreck was suddenly stopped by an outside force.

"Hey Nuria, let me go!" he whispered in dismay. "We don't want breakfast to get away."

"It isn't me," Nuria said in confusion. Ebreck looked around to see who could be pulling this annoying prank, and noted that everyone else was as confused as Nuria. Glancing at the dove, its eyes lit up in hard anger. "Uh oh," he murmured.

The dove began to glow with a white light. Instead of feeling fear, the group felt comforted and welcomed, and knew that something wonderful was going to happen. With a blinding flash, the dove disappeared. Blinking their eyes to remove the afterimage, the party noticed a change in their environment.

"We're at the Mages' Guild!" Nuria exclaimed.

"Wizards are so strange," Xana growled. "They always like to flaunt their power and use flashy spells to get things done. Would it have been so hard to send a written message asking us to come to the guild?"

"Probably not," HHH mused, "but it wouldn't have been as fun. Just seeing Ebreck's expression when he got stopped in his tracks by a teeny, tiny bird made it all worthwhile."

A voice boomed out of the air, "Belgarath the White will see you now." A set of double doors opened up and the party walked through.

Reading over a scroll, Belgarath was seated behind a large, ivory table. "Sorry for the early meeting, but I had important news," Belgarath began. "Normally, we don't use such 'flashy' magic, but I needed you to be here as quickly as possible."

Feeling herself blush, Xana thought, "He heard everything we said. I'll have to remember that for future reference."

"Now to get down to business," Belgarath continued. "The fifth piece of the rod you brought us has some startling abilities." Scanning the scroll again, he started to dictate. "In and of itself, the fifth piece allows you to create a magical, invisible eye that moves under your command. I don't need to tell you the advantages of this, especially for infiltration and gathering information. You can use this Arcane Eye once a day, and it lasts for 23 rounds."

The group looked at one another in appreciation of this newfound ability. "Also, we have thoroughly examined the rods cumulative abilities. Though we lack the fourth piece, we were able to discern these abilities without it. When you do manage to get the fourth piece, the first 5 pieces give you the ability to see the true nature of everything you look at: you gain the ability of True Seeing once a day for 23 rounds. With any 5 pieces, you gain the ability to commune with any chosen deity once per day. Also, the 5 pieces will act as a formidable weapon: a Quarterstaff +3, though only on 1 side."

"That is truly impressive," HHH breathed.

"I think that I should carry the fifth piece of the rod," PW stated. PW began to pace. He was about to release a torrent of facts to support his statement, when everyone noticed that his shadow wasn't quite keeping up with his body.

"What is that?" Xana demanded. "Is it an enemy spy?" Preparing to lunge and realizing they had no equipment with them, the group paused. Only Belgarath seemed unfazed.

Looking around at what everyone was staring at, PW realized that introductions were in order. Happy at the stir he had caused, he proudly said, "Oh, I didn't present my friend? Meet Gloom everybody. He responded to my summons last night and he's my new companion. Don't worry, he doesn't bite." Not wholly trusting the capricious halfling, the group watched the shadow closely.

"Anyway, the reason I should hold the fifth piece of the rod," PW said, "is because it will help me scout out areas ahead in a safer manner."

Before he could continue his reasoning, Belgarath cut him off. "I agree with the halfling. The powers of the fifth rod will be best used in his hands."

Again feeling uneasy, the party let the matter rest. "But what of the fourth piece of the rod?" HHH asked. "Though you were able to discern the cumulative abilities without actually having it in your hands, wouldn't it be better to actually go out and collect it?"

"The fourth piece has not moved from the hands of the assassins. Though I don't agree with their methods, anyone who is foolish enough to try and steal the rod from them will meet a very brutal death. The sense I have of the assassins is that they realize the importance of the artifact they have but they are uncertain of what they should do with it. They could sell it on the open market or use it as barter to improve their relations with us. Right now, they wait to see the turn of events: If we gather all the other pieces of the rod, then they will have an even stronger stance at the bargaining table, for they know we will be more frantic for the last missing piece." Belgarath concluded, "For now, the fourth piece is well guarded and we know exactly where it is."

"As for the next piece of the rod, we will have further information for you in several days." Returning to his study of the scroll, Belgarath ended the audience.

Exiting the Mages' Tower, Nuria said, "It looks like we have some time to kill. I am going to return to my studies in the tower. If you need me, please let me know." With that, she turned and walked back into the entryway.

HHH turned to Agrona. "I think I need to increase my protection, but I'm short on gold. Since you and I are bonded, I think it is in our best interest if I don't get hit as often."

"Agreed," Agrona replied. "Let me help finance your next purchase." With that, he handed 1996 gp over to HHH who promptly went out and bought a Ring of Protection +1 for himself.

PW, feeling a little bored (the shock value of Gloom had passed) decided to go find some fun. Padding around, he "relieved" merchants of various wares. Feeling hungry and thirsty, he pocketed fruit from a vendor and pinched a wineskin from a guarded wagon. Seeing a shiny bauble, he reached for it when a clanging bell seemed to go off all around. "Uh oh," he thought as he turned to run. "I can't believe that they put up a magical safeguard for this crap."

Rounding a corner, he stopped short as he stared at a misplaced building. "The House of Cards? This isn't where it was before? Or have I run around the city this much? I must have, because buildings can't move on their own." Hearing the city's guard catching up to him, PW slipped into the building. Looking around for a place to hide, he slipped into a curtained alcove.

PW stepped into a very unexpected area. Instead of being in an alcove, he was standing on the edge of a gorge spanned by a bridge. Standing in front of him was an old man who seemed very familiar. PW began to blurt out an excuse, when he locked eyes with him. Mesmerized, PW's mouth hung open. "I have a proposition for you little one: Answer my riddle correctly and I will allow you to pass to receive a great reward. Answer incorrectly and you will receive…difficulties."

"Hey, I recognize you. What, you got tired of playing cards?" PW said. "Okay, I'll play your game. Lay it on me." With that, PW stepped forward.

"Stop! Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see."

"Ask me the questions, Bridge Keeper. I am not afraid!" PW replied.

"What…is your name?

"My name is Casidhe "Pennyweight" Gemsetter."

"What…is your quest?"

"To assemble the Rod of Seven Parts."

"What…is described by this?

I have a mouth but never speak.
I have a bed but never sleep.
I run smoother than any rhyme.
I love to fall but cannot climb."

PW thought for a second, and blurted out, "A river!"

"Right. Off you go." The old man waved PW to cross the bridge.

As PW reached the other side of the gorge, he felt energy envelop and enter him. He knew, instinctively, that he could now breathe water as easily he could air, though only for a limited time (once per day for 10 rounds).

As PW turned to leave, the old man caught his eye again. "Tell your friends and invite them to come see me," the old man cackled. Feeling an urge to comply, PW left the House of Cards. As he passed the threshold, he stepped in front of the inn he and his party were staying at.

Entering the inn, he found the rest of his companions sitting at a table planning their next move. Running up, he interrupted the discussion. "You are not going to believe what just happened to me! I walked into the House of Cards, or maybe the House of Cards pulled me in, I'm not sure…Anyway, I answered a riddle and now I can breathe underwater!"

"Sure you can," Agrona said in a patronizing manner.

"No. I really can. Watch!" With that, PW stuck his head in a nearby bucket of water and let his head sit there. Waiting for him to come up for air, the group realized that he wasn't and panicked. Pulling him out of the bucket, PW seemed fine, though a bit wet. "See! I told you I could breathe underwater! The rest of you should give it a try! Remember that old man who played cards? Well he switched professions and now he asks riddles! And they are really easy!"

Pulled in by his enthusiasm, HHH stood up to find the House of Cards and try his hand at riddles. Stepping out of the inn, he stepped onto a path that led to a gorge spanned by a bridge, guarded by a familiar old man.

HHH approached the old man. "Stop! Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see."

"Ask me the questions, Bridge Keeper. I am not afraid!" HHH replied.

"What…is your name?

"My name is Hook Hammer Henry."

"What…is your quest?"

"To assemble the Rod of Seven Parts."

"What…is half of dragon,
but has not a wyrmling's strength?
What is half of canine,
but has not a mongrel's length?
What is it that is of two halves,
but has but half to stand on?

"I don't know? Auuuggghhhh!" Feeling a pressure weighing down on him, HHH knew he had answered incorrectly. He knew instinctively that he would be hindered in all of his interactions with dragons (-2 circumstance penalty on all roles on saves and attacks versus dragons).

"Sorry. Wrong answer. Tell your friends and invite them to see me. Oh, and the answer was kobold."

Stepping away from the bridge and the old man, HHH found himself crossing the threshold of the inn again.

"How did it go?" Ebreck asked.

"Not so good," HHH answered grimly.

"Well, lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place," Nuria said enthusiastically as she twirled her hair. "I'll give it a try."

With that, she stepped past the threshold of the inn and found herself at the gorge and bridge. She approached the old man. "Stop! Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side she see."

"Ask me the questions, Bridge Keeper. I am not afraid!" Nuria replied.

"What…is your name?

"My name is Nuria Darkfire."

"What…is your quest?"

"To assemble the Rod of Seven Parts."

"What…is described by this?

Fires of destruction praise my touch yet mourn my tears,
Though I am unseen you see my travels,
My voice is as quiet as a mouse, yet louder than thunder's roar,
I tread the very mountains with ease yet water is as impassable as stone.

"I don't know? Auuuggghhhh!" Feeling a pressure weighing down on her, Nuria knew she had answered incorrectly. She knew instinctively that she would be encumbered against all magical spells based on air (-4 to saves versus air spells).

"Sorry. Wrong answer. Tell your friends and invite them to see me. Oh, and the answer was wind."

Stepping away from the bridge and the old man, Nuria found herself crossing the threshold of the inn again.

"How was it for you?" Ebreck asked.

Nuria grimaced. "Don't ask. I'm going to bed."

DAY 212 - 214

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives….

DAY 215

As the sun rose majestically, a fancy, sealed envelope floated into the room and alit on Nuria's head.

"Showy mages," Xana grumbled.

Opening the envelope, it turned out to be an invitation to the Mages' Guild. As the group huddled in close to look at it, they were surrounded by a nimbus of light. Moving out of the circle of light, the party found themselves again in the Mages' Tower. Double doors swung silently open, and the companions strode into the next room.

"Was my summons more to your liking, Xana?" Belgarath asked with a smile.

"Uh oh," Xana thought.

Seeing her discomfort, Belgarath turned to more serious matters. "The sixth piece of the rod is found within the Helfurnace Mountains. It is rumored to be guarded by a red dragon, so you had best be prepared before you go. We know the location of the dragon's lair within 20 miles, so we can pass that information onto you. Do you have any questions?"

"What is the relation between Crimson and the Fire Giants?" HHH asked.

"There is no known link between Crimson and the Fire Giants," Belgarath replied. "We have done some perfunctory research into the connection between the two, but have found nothing." Looking around at the rest of the party, he continued, "If there are no other questions, then I would recommend using our libraries to gain as much information as you can on the Helfurnace Mountains and your quarry."

The party left Belgarath's presence and Nuria led them to the library. HHH turned to the group and said, "I don't think that all of us will be as useful doing research in the library. I'm going to do my own investigating and visit Thork Orccrusher to get his perspective and information on the Helfurnace Mountains. Anybody want to come with me?"

Xana's, Agrona's, PW's, and Ebreck's hands shot up so fast, they almost dislocated their own shoulders. "Looks like you are on your own doing the research, Nuria," HHH laughed. "We'll see you at the inn."

The adventurers traveled out of Greyhawk to visit Thork Orccrusher and possibly recruit him as a guide. Finally reaching Thork's home, they entered when there was no response to their knocks or hails. Worried, they started to search the house, but quickly found Thork in the kitchen area, dead drunk.

Shaking him awake, HHH addressed the formerly proud warrior. "Thork Orccrusher, greetings and salutations! We've come here seeking your help."

"Didn hear youse coming in. Sit. Sit. Have a drink o'me." His words were slurred and he peered at the adventurers with unfocused eyes.

"We need your help. We are going to the Helfurnace Mountains…"

Suddenly agitated, Thork began to shout. "I ain't goin back! You hear me! Nothing you can say will convince me otherwise! Now siddown and have a drink…"

"What did you see there?" HHH pressed. "Were there any red dragons?"

"Giants, lots and lots of giants. We didn even make it to their lair. And demons…Those soulless killers sprang up amongst our ranks. But I didn see no dragon."

"I know you are hurting, and it pains you to remember these things, but we need to know more. Could you draw us a map of the area?" Agrona asked.

"Sure, sure. Not that it'll do you much good, mind you," Thork responded. Grabbing a piece of parchment and a piece of charcoal from the firepit, Thork sketched out a rough map of the area. "Watch out for the paths. The giants patrol those regularly. Now I got nothin else to say. Sit down and drink or get out."

"Thank you, Thork," Ebreck said sympathetically. "I know how hard it is for you, but we will seek vengeance for our fallen brethren." With that, Ebreck led the party away from Thork's house back to Greyhawk. The group was pensive, obviously affected by Thork's appearance and attitude.

"We'll need to stock up on supplies," PW said. "Let's get some more rations." Heading to the vendors, the party bought 10 Iron Rations for each person.

"Let's get ready to go tomorrow," Xana stated. "I need to get out of this city, even if it is to travel to an unbearable environment."

DAY 216

Meeting up with Nuria outside of the Mages' Tower, the party went over their final checklist to ensure their readiness. Though they faced bad odds, they were all confident and eager.

"I'm fairly confident that I can teleport us to the Helfurnace Mountains without too much difficulty," Nuria asserted.

"What do you mean, 'Fairly confident'?" PW asked. "If you make a mistake, won't we end up in Tym-buctoo, as a best case scenario, or our various body parts could be scattered across all of reality, as a worst case scenario?"

"Don't sound so hysterical," Nuria chided. "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"We could be scattered across all of reality!" PW screeched. "I know you are an adept wizard, but you got a pretty low Wisdom."

"Well, let's see what happens, Mister Negative!" Before anyone could stop her, Nuria began the Teleportation spell. Agrona, HHH, Ebreck, and Nuria faded away, and with the faintest of 'pops', disappeared entirely.

"Well, at least they didn't take me the first time around," Xana said.

Seconds later, Nuria reappeared beside Xana and PW. "Safe and sound. The rest of the group is waiting for us at our first base camp: the cave near the Frost Giants' lair. You're next." Again the familiar sing-song chanting began, and then the world faded from view.

Appearing beside Ebreck, he joked, "Took you long enough!"

Dropping to his knees and kissing the cold, hard ground, PW was relieved to be on solid (and familiar) ground again with all of his limbs intact.

"Let's rest so Nuria can rememorize her spells so we can make the next leap," Agrona said.

"Next leap?" PW took on a green tinge as if he ate some very old mussels.

DAY 217

"Who wants to test my knowledge and ability to get us to the Helfurnace Mountains without depositing the group in a pool of magma?" Nuria asked.

"Take the 2 in heavy metal armor and the ranger," PW volunteered. "If they get caught, the 2 in plate mail can be boiled up like lobster and the ranger will be a gamey snack, hors-d'oeuvre, if you like."

"Oh, Heironeous, how bad would it be to string the halfling up by the tendons in his limbs?" Agrona queried. A brief lightning storm appeared on the horizon. "Could you be a little more clear? Does this mean that you are displeased or that you are happy? Ah, forget it. Let's just go."

After a brief prayer, Ebreck, Agrona, HHH, and Nuria disappeared from sight. Materializing on a peak southwest of the Fire Giants' castle and the dragon's lair, the group quickly found a safe hiding place.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Ebreck commented, "This place is hot! I know, I know. Master of the obvious. But still…"

"I'll be right back, boys, with the rest of the group," Nuria said. With that, she vanished.

"While we're waiting, I'll summon Henrietta," HHH said. Henrietta appeared beside HHH and nuzzled against his arm. "We'll be seeing some action soon. Just wait for the rest of the group to show up."

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

"Do you think they're pulling a fast one, on us?" Ebreck asked.

"Where are they??????" HHH grumbled. "Are they expecting us to take on the dragon without them?"

"When they show up, we'll give them whatfor!" Agrona vowed.

SEVERAL HOURS PREVIOUSLY

After dropping the first half of the party off at the Helfurnace Mountains, Nuria reappeared on the wide-open, desolate tundra.

"Uh oh," she said. "I'm a little bit off my mark." (Understatement - 99 miles off her mark to be exact) "I guess I'll use my last teleport to rejoin the others in the ice cave where it is safer. I'm sure the others are doing fine."

At this point, HHH, Agrona, and Ebreck were oblivious to the fact that they wouldn't see the second half of their group until tomorrow, and hadn't started griping yet.

Teleporting back to the ice cave, Nuria gave the bad news. "I told you it wasn't the safest way to travel!" PW shrieked.

"We'll see them again tomorrow," Xana said soothingly. "I'm sure the others are doing fine."

Now, at this point, HHH, Agrona, and Ebreck were getting hungry. "Any of you know how to cook?" HHH asked.

"Naw," Ebreck replied. "Normally we get the women to do the cooking and cleaning." (I will now burn in hell for that comment)

"It's going to be a long night," Agrona moaned.

DAY 218

As the sun arose, Nuria, Xana, and PW appeared in the camp at the Helfurnace Mountains prepared by the others. Griping ensued. After all was said and done, the party prepared for their foray.

Taking a quick peak around, the heroes got a good idea of the layout of the area from their vantage point. A well-worn path traced between mountain ranges, with a formidable castle overwhelming the landscape in the center of the path. Several outposts dotted the path on either side of the castle. A large cave situated on the next range over spewed dark smoke.

"The fifth piece seems to be pointing northeast toward the giants' castle and the cave," PW stated. "Look!" Pointing at the path, the party could see a group of 4 fire giants moving from one outpost to another, obviously scanning the path for interlopers.

"Let's move further down our mountain range, past the giants' castle, and see if we can use the rod to triangulate the next piece's position," Xana put forth.

"Good idea," Agrona concurred.

The party moved along the ridge of their mountain range, moving carefully to ensure they stayed out of sight, past the giants' castle. Taking up the fifth piece of the rod, PW closed his eyes and concentrated. "The rod seems to be pulling towards the cave. I guess that's where we need to go."

"Let's try to avoid unnecessary combat," Nuria said. "It will deplete our resources and give warning to our enemies. Give me a day, and I'll use my magic to make us all invisible."

"Agreed," Xana said. "While we're waiting, I'll scout ahead." Transforming into a bird and putting on the Ring of Invisibility on her claw, Xana flew towards the mouth of the cave. Nothing in particular stood out, so she flew back and reported.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party set up camp.

DAY 219

"I have the Invisibility Sphere spell memorized," Nuria exclaimed.

"To avoid detection, wouldn't it be better if we were silenced as well?" Agrona asked.

"Do any of us have that spell?" Nuria asked. Seeing the blank looks on their faces, the party prepared to wait another day.

DAY 220

"Okay," Nuria began, "this time we are good to go!"

The party gathered around Nuria. She first cast Invisibility Sphere, centered on herself, and then Agrona cast a Silence spell on a pebble. Xana changed into a hawk and rested on Henrietta beside HHH. With that, they moved forward as a group. Their motions were methodical and they carefully stayed within the magical zone, lest they suddenly become visible and audible.

They managed to navigate the steep incline without mishap until they were in the valley between mountain ranges. There was a little bumping into each other, but no damage was done. As they crossed the path between 2 of the giants' watchtowers, Henrietta caught the fresh scent of dragon. Anticipating danger and wishing to protect the group, Henrietta lunged forward. Suddenly, HHH, Henrietta, and Xana were quite visible and could easily be heard.

"Uh oh," HHH thought. Looking about quickly, there were no fire giant patrols out. "Time to get out of sight." Tapping Henrietta on her sides, they hurried across to the other side of the path and quickly made there way to the cave. "I don't think we were seen."

The rest of the party held its collective breath, but there were no signs that HHH, Henrietta or Xana had been spotted. Increasing their pace, they rejoined the others at the mouth of the cave.

While Nuria and Agrona dismissed their magic, Ebreck immediately set about exploring and examining the cave.

"It's a natural cave, but someone has been working it to suit their needs. See here: The cave has been expanded to allow easier access for large objects. I'm assuming for the dragon itself. And here: The cave has been shored up to prevent any cave-ins." Pausing briefly, Ebreck turned back towards the spellcasters. "Check it out! There are runes carved into the walls right by the entrance!"

"Let's get ready, everyone," Agrona said grimly. Defensive spells were cast by Nuria, Agrona, and Xana, while the others loosened their weapons. HHH checked for evil, but detected nothing. Ebreck checked for tracks, and found some very recent dragon tracks entering and leaving the cave.

"I think we've hit paydirt!" he exclaimed in a whisper.

"That's not all," PW said. "The fifth piece is pulling like crazy towards the cave! Let's start our exploration. I don't want to run into the dragon head on so let's use some of the rod's new abilities."

Focusing, he summoned an invisible Arcane Eye. The Eye took the point with the rest of the group walking slowly behind it. As they entered the cave, the path branched into 3 openings. All the tunnels seemed to be roughly 15' in diameter. Using the rod as a divining rod, PW led the heroes down the right-hand path (3). They moved silently, not saying a word. The oppressiveness of the cave added to the menacing feeling they all felt. Moving slightly ahead of the rest of the group, PW and Gloom took the lead. Both moved in the shadows, hiding themselves as best they could.

1 2 3
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As they progressed, the tunnel branched again. Checking for traps and evil, the party continued on the outermost path (5).

4 5
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3

Carefully checking for traps and evil, the party explored the path. Keeping the Eye ahead to find any creatures or surprises, the tunnels seemed devoid of any form of life. The tunnel eventually opened up into a seemingly empty 50' x 40' room. The walls had several unlit torches suspended from them, but overall, the room had nothing special about it. The room was scanned for any traces of magic and for any signs of secret doors, but nothing was found. Returning to the last fork, the party explored the other path (4). It too opened up into a 50' x 40' room. This one seemed to be filled with various mundane items - it was probably a storage room. The party checked for traps, evil, magic, and secret doors, but it, too, was bare.

The party backtracked to the larger fork and took the center path (2). It opened up into another 50' x 40' room, but this one seemed different. While the others searched for traps, evil, magic, and secret doors, Agrona carefully scanned the room, walking about and looking at depressions found in the floor.

"Nothing here," he heard PW call out quietly, but he wasn't convinced. The depressions in the floor made him feel that something was missing…

"I got it," he exclaimed. The rest of the party shushed him. In quieter tones, he explained his outburst. "This room seems to be used as a nest to hold eggs - really big eggs, like dragon eggs. It's empty now, so the dragon is probably in the beginning of a preparatory phase before the eggs are produced."

"Too bad there aren't any eggs here now," Nuria said.

"Yeah," Ebreck agreed. "I'm hungry too. I could really use an omelet."

Looking at him as if he had grown horns out of his face, Nuria went on, "No, no. That's not what I meant. We could have used the eggs as barter (ie: hostage) to get the next piece of the rod."

"Ohhh," Ebreck sighed. "I'm still hungry, though."

"Only one path left," PW said. "Let's get going." In each of the previous rooms, they had used the rod to point to the next piece. Each time, the rod had pulled in a direction beyond where the rooms were, though the pull indicated that the next piece was close. As they started to move down the left passage (1), the Arcane Eye disappeared, its time expired. Undaunted, the party moved on. The left tunnel extended much further than the others had and circled around them. The fifth piece of the rod kept pulling them forward. As the rounded a corner, the group saw a giant, metallic statue standing in the middle of the tunnel, about 75' ahead. Looking at each other, they all came to the same conclusion: 'Iron Golem'. Checking the area for magic, Nuria found nothing. Ebreck scanned the area for tracks and found some that indicated that a dragon had entered the area no more than 30 minutes before.

"We need more information," Nuria stated. "Last time we met a golem, PW disarmed it with a key phrase. We don't have any key phrase now, and I feel ill-prepared to face off against such a huge monstrosity. Where can we get the information we need?"

"Remember when we first entered the cave and I mentioned the carved runes?" Ebreck asked. Everyone acknowledged by a shake of their heads. "Did anybody bother examining the runes?" Blank stares greeted him.

"I'll head back to check out the runes," Agrona volunteered.

"PW and I will go with him to watch his back," Nuria said.

The 3 returned to the entrance of the cave. Closing his eyes, Agrona called forth divine energy to Comprehend Languages. Opening his eyes, he read the runes aloud softly: "'Here is the domain of Magnimus'. It doesn't have anything else. Let's go back and report to the others."

Rejoining the group, Agrona reiterated the meaning of the runes.

"That doesn't help us too much," PW contemplated. "Let's test the waters. Gloom, sneak past that golem and see what's behind it, but stay hidden."

Shrouding itself in deep shadows, Gloom glided silently passed the golem, which did not react at all. The tunnel opened up into a massive, 170' x 90' room. About 80' into the room lay a large red dragon sitting on a pile of treasure. The dragon silently watched Gloom as he skulked, and Gloom realized that he was not hidden from the dragon's senses. Rushing back to PW, Gloom relayed the information.

"Okay, so that may have removed the element of surprise," Nuria said, "but I rarely count on that. I prefer to approach a group of potential adversaries in a friendly manner, open up a dialogue, and then, without discussing it or warning my allies, launch a preemptive strike, usually in the form of a fireball. How are those eyebrows coming back, HHH?"

"I'm going to parley with the dragon," PW decided. Approaching the golem, he called out. "O great Magnimus, we are but humble adventurers who seek an audience with you. We are on a quest for a small, magical item that may be in your possession, and we are willing to trade for it."

"Enter, little one." The dragon's voice rumbled like an avalanche. PW stepped past the golem gingerly and approached Magnimus. Gloom, his ever-faithful shadow, stayed close to him. Stopping 50' from the dragon, he noted the treasure bed he lay on and was awed.

"Why are you trespassing into my lair?" the dragon asked.

"We seek a magic item that we believe is in your treasure horde. A short time before, we freed fire giantesses being held by the frost giants north of here. We have helped your allies, and would like some consideration for it."

"Faugh! Allies! Do not insult me. The fire giants are merely pawns. Leave now while you still have your life. That is the only consideration I will grant you."

"We are willing to trade for the minor bauble!" PW cried out desperately.

"What have you to trade?" the dragon's avarice getting the better of him.

"Well…some magic items, a little gold..."

"A drop of water in the ocean! You have seen my horde! Do not insult me!" Smoke poured out of the dragon's nostrils.

"Is there no service we can render, then, instead? We only seek a small piece of a rod. It is part of a larger rod that we wish to assemble."

"I know of the rod and it is part of my horde. 'Minor bauble'. You insult me again! Nothing you have would make me part with the rod." Furious, the dragon rose from its resting place. "My patience runs out. I grow bored. Leave." Turning to the golem, Magnimus called out, "Servant, remove this rabble." The golem activated from its resting position and strode towards the party.

Seeing that the negotiations had broken down (and secretly happy that they had done so), HHH spurred Henrietta and charged the golem. Connecting solidly, HHH's lance didn't even leave a scratch. Rearing up on her hind legs, Henrietta swiped at the golem's legs but missed.

Rolling aside defensively, PW used the fifth piece to try to pinpoint the location of the sixth piece. "If I can find it," he thought, "we can get the *!&# outta here!" As he focused on the rod, it pulled towards a spot underneath the dragon in its piles of coins.

Ebreck drew back on his bow and fired a volley of arrows at the golem, but missed. Gloom, under directions from PW, glided towards the back of the dragon. The golem, sensing an aggressor, swung out at HHH and connected solidly. Agrona's body jerked violently as he felt the damage from HHH transfer to him. Meanwhile, the dragon decided to scour his cave clean of these impurities. Inhaling deeply, he released a torrent of fire towards PW. As the flames began to wash over him, PW seemed to slide between the wisps of flame, as if he was there and not there. As the fire died, the dragon was mildly shocked to see that the halfling was completely unharmed!

"We need some light!" Nuria shouted. Suddenly, the cave lit up with Daylight. Xana, still hanging onto Henrietta's fur, called upon the strength of a storm to smite her enemy. A dark thunderhead formed above the dragon, lightning dancing inside. As the lightning arched toward the dragon, it seemed to suddenly lose power and disappear just as it made contact with the dragon's scales.

"I need to get closer," Agrona thought to himself. Moving up towards the golem which blocked his path, Agrona released his own torrent of holy fire on the dragon.

Ebreck decided to move even closer to the dragon, but kept a wary eye on the golem. "The dragon is the key!" HHH cried out. Seeing his attack as being useless against the golem, he spurred Henrietta to charge the dragon. As they raced by, the golem's arm lashed out at them and caught HHH with a telling blow. Knocked off balance, his lance passed harmlessly between the dragon's body and its foreleg. Henrietta, angered at the damage done to her master, attacked the dragon ferociously. Clawing mercilessly into the dragon's body, she ripped and tore into its flesh as her teeth sunk into its side. The dragon's head reared back in a gasp of pain.

"The dragon's distracted," PW thought. "Now's my chance!" Hiding in shadows once again, he began circling behind the dragon in hopes of grabbing the sixth piece of the rod, at best, or backstabbing the dragon, at worst. Matching its master's intention, Gloom quickly circled behind the dragon.

Looking for close prey, the golem took a ponderous step forward and engaged Ebreck, who was aiming for the dragon. Taking a big swing, the golem staggered Ebreck. Smarting from Henrietta's attack and seeing her as the greater threat, Magnimus focused his attention on her. With a vicious combination of claws, teeth, and battering wings, Magnimus knocked Henrietta unconscious in one frantic attack. Sensing Gloom behind him, he lashed out with his tail, but Gloom just managed to turn incorporeal before the attack connected, thus saving itself from harm.

Nuria, still back from the battle, fired a volley of Magic Missiles at Magnimus. The missiles found their target, but bounced harmlessly off of his hardened scales. Though it tore her heart, Xana flew up off of Henrietta and moved to make herself less of a target. "The faster we can defeat this beast, the sooner we can heal Henrietta. Hang on!" Xana pleaded fervently. Focusing her mystical powers again, she launched another lightning bolt at the dragon, which connected this time. Moving forward again, Agrona assaulted the dragon with more holy fire.

Ebreck, assuming a defensive stance, rushed past the golem to come to the aid of his allies. Tears in his eyes, HHH dismissed Henrietta, knowing she would be safer back on her home plane. Sick with grief and full of rage, HHH engaged the dragon head on. "You are marked by my deity and you will feel his wrath!" he cried out as his warhammer, Miranda, smashed into the dragon's injured side.

Seeing the desperate situation his companions were in, PW finished circling the dragon, took aim with his crossbow and sniped the dragon's eye. The bolt flew true, but bounced off protective scales surrounding the orb when the dragon's head shifted slightly. Gloom glided silently up to the dragon and brushed its hand over its tail. The dragon's muscles stiffened for a second as an unholy cold washed over its body, draining it of its strength.

Still enraged, HHH swung his warhammer again and again, though he swung wildly. The golem moved onto its next closest victim. Stepping up to Nuria, it swung both its arms and connected squarely. Battered and bruised, blood pouring from her nose and ears, Nuria hung on stubbornly.

As the dragon prepared its next barrage, it let out a mighty roar. An overwhelming fear gripped the hearts of the combatants, though they continued to fight. Only Ebreck and HHH seemed immune. Unleashing its attack on HHH, he felt its claws and teeth tear into his flesh as he was hit with its wings. "I will not give in, butcher!" HHH screamed defiantly. Unperturbed, Magnimus swung his tail at Gloom and managed to catch the shadow off-guard. Hurled back, his body simply vanished.

"Noooooo!" PW shouted.

Nuria, wasting no time on healing herself, opened a dimensional door and stepped through it. She reappeared behind Magnimus and prepared her next spell.

HHH swung wildly again, but his hammer only landed a glancing blow. Knowing how close HHH was to dying, Xana summoned a large Earth Elemental to bolster HHH and distract the dragon. Agrona, near death due to his link with HHH, healed himself.

Ebreck launched another arrow at the dragon and managed to score between the scales of the dragon's neck.

HHH, breathing heavily, beseeched his deity to heal him and laid hands on himself. Feeling a flow of positive energy surge through him, he felt ready to kill the dragon.

Realizing that the dragon could detect him no matter what he did, PW changed tactics. Though it brought back painful memories, he used the surrounding shadows to create an illusion of another huge Earth Elemental to appear by the dragon. Firing again, Ebreck's second and third arrows failed to pierce the dragon's hide.

Though Ebreck had slipped past the golem, he was still the closest target in range. The golem took another ponderous step towards him and struck him with another stinging blow. Magnimus, believing he was surrounded, belched more fire out, engulfing HHH and the shadowy illusion. HHH staggered back, coughing out smoke, but the dragon's fiery breath had passed through the false earth elemental without harming it. "What is this?" Magnimus thought. "It's not real!" Swiping his claw through the illusion caused it to flicker and disappear.

Nuria struggled for breath as she nursed bruised ribs. With a grim smile, she summoned a cone of icy death to smite the dragon. Shocked, the dragon was rocked by the impact. Then he was hit almost simultaneously by a bolt of lightning summoned by Xana, club-like blows from the Earth Elemental, and a mystical barrier of force blades created by Agrona. Reeling now, the dragon bled profusely, but was still full of fight.

Ebreck, hurting quite badly, assumed a defensive stance and moved back past the golem towards Agrona. HHH, hurting again, moved behind the earth elemental for cover. PW, knowing it did nothing though it gave him a sense of protection, hid amongst the shadows again and moved towards Nuria.

The golem pursued Ebreck and struck him again. Overcome by his wounds, Ebreck was knocked unconscious. Immediately, his amulet glowed as it closed his wounds and staunched his bloodloss. The dragon shifted position, giving the Earth Elemental a chance to swing at his exposed side. Lithe as a cat, the dragon snaked under the blow. Then he bit the elemental on the shoulder, hoping to break off one of its limbs.

As Magnimus gnawed on the elemental, a purple, sick-colored cloud engulfed him and his rocky foe. Breathing in, the dragon felt his vitality drain. The elemental swung but couldn't get enough leverage to land a telling blow. "It's time to even the odds," Xana thought. Closing her eyes, she called forth another large Earth Elemental to assist the first.

Agrona, seeing the golem turn towards him, healed himself again. "I know Ebreck has stabilized, so he isn't a priority for now. The golem seems to attack moving targets and ignores fallen foes. I may have to keep this thing preoccupied so it doesn't attack the rest of the party."

HHH moved towards a corner of the cave which gave him some cover. Unstoppering a flask, he drank a potion of healing and felt revitalized. PW scanned the treasure trove for the sixth piece. He shouted out, "If I can find what we need, let's get out of here!"

"What about Ebreck and Agrona?" Nuria shouted back. "They're out of range!"

Hearing the exchange, Magnimus stated, with conviction, "None of you are leaving my lair alive!"

"Don't worry about Ebreck and me," Agrona shouted. "I'll get us both out of here. When you need to go, just go!"

The golem moved slowly towards Agrona in an attempt to trap him. Magnimus renewed its attack on the first Earth Elemental. Both elementals struck at the dragon, but only the second one managed to land a solid blow. Meanwhile, another bolt of lightning struck the dragon. Slamming its wings into the first Earth Elemental, Magnimus shattered it into thousands of pieces. Agrona assumed a defensive stance and slipped past the golem towards Ebreck. The dragon smashed the second elemental with his tail.

Anticipating a rapid departure, HHH moved towards Nuria while scanning the treasure trove for the sixth piece of the rod. Seeing nothing, he kept scanning. PW moved towards the treasure and tried to spot the sixth piece as well, but saw nothing.

The golem engaged Agrona and struck him with both fists, dealing a crushing blow. Hanging on by a thread, Agrona gasped for air. Magnimus turned towards PW and Nuria and breathed fire on them. PW tried evading the damage, but was only partially successful. Nuria, having cast her defensive spell against fire on herself in anticipation of this, felt nothing as the fire washed over her. As the dragon turned to breathe fire, the Earth Elemental flailed at his back, but its blow was impeded by the dragon's tail. Nuria, seeing the dragon approaching, cast another volley of Magic Missiles. Her heart fell as the missiles failed to penetrate the dragon's armor. The second Earth Elemental swung out at the dragon but couldn't cause it any significant harm. Xana, hoping to stop the dragon's advances, created a storm of ice and sleet to slam into the dragon. Agrona needed to live long enough to reach Ebreck, so healed himself.

"We're not going to be able to get the sixth piece unless we do a thorough search," PW yelled. "That means we have to get rid of this sack of suet first!"

"No problem," HHH replied. Changing his direction, he rushed the dragon. PW, hurting from the dragon's breath weapon, pulled back to ready his next move. The golem moved to intercept Agrona and struck him with crushing blows. Though severely injured, he was almost at his goal. Then, the dragon savagely beat HHH. Agrona, feeling the blows, collapsed from the shared damage and sunk into unconsciousness. "Uh oh." The Earth Elemental swung and missed the dragon, while Xana's next Ice Storm failed to cause any appreciable damage. The dragon swung out at the last Earth Elemental with his tail; large cracks appeared in its body.

All the combatants were struggling for breath and covered in blood, theirs and their enemies. "This is it," HHH panted. "One of us dies now!" His voice raised to a shout, his warhammer whistling as his last resources of energy jolted his muscles. HHH smashed Miranda into the forehead of the mighty dragon, the hammer crashing into and through the bone. Magnimus shrieked in agony and everyone's ears rang. PW, seeing his chance, danced in and slammed his blade home. "That's for Gloom!" Magnimus, thrashing from his injuries, left an opening. HHH, chanting to Gaerdal Ironhand, swung Miranda again and crushed the dragon's skull. With a final shudder, the dragon collapsed. The golem froze the moment Magnimus died.

"Swiftly, Xana!" Nuria shouted. "Get to Agrona and Ebreck and tend to their wounds!"

Winging over to both of her comrades, they were an awful sight to see. Though battered badly, Ebreck's wounds had closed. Agrona's wounds were horrible and were spewing blood at an incredible rate. Not heeding the blood that smeared her feathers, Xana healed Agrona. Having found the sixth piece, Nuria rushed over to help with the healing effort. Using the rod, she returned Agrona to consciousness.

"Did we win or are we all in the afterlife together?" Agrona asked in a weak voice.

"I'd smack you in the back of the head if I didn't think it would kill you," Nuria replied. "Of course we won. Was there any doubt?"

"I'm not that far gone yet," Agrona asserted. "Gather everyone around me. I'll heal our wounds." Standing took some effort, but he managed it with a minimal amount of pain. As the others gathered around, Agrona beseeched his deity for assistance and was rewarded with healing, positive energy that mended their wounds.

"Let's set up camp," Ebreck said. "We need the rest, and the impression I get is that no one, other than the dragon, frequents these caves. Let's rest up before we head out."

"Agreed," PW said in a distracted manner. "Plus, we have to check out the loot!" Saying this, he nonchalantly palmed a jewel.

Gathering the treasure, Nuria pulled out sacks from her robe and distributed them. Separating the magical items from the mundane based on Nuria's say-so, the treasure was separated into 2 neat piles. Collecting the treasure, they prepared to load it up onto Henrietta the next day. While they were waiting, Nuria started identifying the potions. Setting up a watch, the party waited for night to pass.

DAY 221

Summoning Henrietta, she got loaded with the sacks of treasure. Meanwhile, the others searched for secret doors and other surprises in the lair, but found nothing. Seeing that PW and Ebreck were moving stiffly from their wounds, Agrona approached them and healed them of their wounds.

"Time to go," Nuria declared. "This time, I'll be able to get us back straight to the City of Greyhawk." Taking HHH, Xana, and Ebreck with her, Nuria cast her spell. When their vision cleared, they were welcomed by a horrifying sight: Instead of being greeted by the sight of the powerful and impervious Mages' Tower, all they could see was burning rubble.

"…" Words failed them. Nuria returned to the dragon's lair to get Agrona and PW. Seeing she was shaken, they asked her what was troubling her. Nuria didn't respond and cast her spell mechanically. When Agrona and PW saw the state of the greatest city in the realm of Greyhawk, they understood Nuria's strange attitude.

Getting a hold of themselves, they realized that they were in grave danger. Nuria was the first to speak. "The only thing left standing is the House of the Flesh and Blood Society. Either they were spared because they had part of the rod or because they helped in the destruction…Either way, the pieces of the rod we have now act as beacons. Our foes can trace us using them. We have to place them in a secure place, but where?"

"Put them on Henrietta," HHH said grimly. "I'll return her to her native plane. If anybody wants to get the pieces of the rod, they'll need to storm a celestial plane to do so, which is nigh impossible." Looking around, his eyes watered. "Or I would have said that until I saw this devastation."

Seeing no other way to ensure the safety of the rod, they placed all the pieces on Henrietta and HHH dismissed her back to her celestial plane. Before she left, Nuria lifted some of the treasure off of Henrietta so she could identify them. She needed to keep her mind preoccupied so as not to dwell on the horror they were witnessing. Thinking to their own safety, they searched for a place to hide. Ebreck located a secure hiding spot in the nearby forest and the party set up camp. Despondent, the night passed slowly as everyone dwelled on the dire situation they were in. Their friends and allies, what remained of them, were all gone. And the same questions passed through their minds: Who, or what, could cause such mass destruction? And what chance do we have to stop it?

As dawn broke, the heroes were exhausted, emotionally and physically.

DAY 222

Pulling Agrona aside, Nuria asked for his assistance in identifying the scrolls they collected from the dragon's hoard. Having done that, they teleported to Leukish in the Duchy of Ursnt. All they could do was hope that it too hadn't been reduced to a pile of rubble. When they arrived, their appearance didn't even cause a stir. The city was in such a manic state, as citizens and soldiers hustled and bustled to prepare the city for war, no one noticed their sudden appearance in the middle of the main road. Needing information, the party forced their way through the crowd towards the Duke's palace.

The guards at the gate stopped the heroes. They were very much on edge, but once they recognized them as the liberators of the Duke's daughter, they gave them immediate passage. Running into the Major-Domo as he organized his army of servants, they inquired about seeing the Duke.

The Major-Domo's face fell. "The Duke…is missing," he said in a broken voice. "He was in Greyhawk when it was attacked and has been missing since. His daughter, who you saved from that cult, is also missing. Right now, the Regent is in charge until the Duke returns or his daughter."

"What details can you give about the siege on Greyhawk?" HHH asked in a subdued voice.

"All we know is that there was a horde of many creatures that assaulted Greyhawk, including demons."

"Were there any survivors?" Agrona asked.

"There were few. Some managed to reach here and others went to other cities. That is all I know."

"We need to see the Regent as soon as possible," Xana stressed.

"He is unavailable for now, but when I will relay your request and you will be the first to see him. I promise."

"While we wait, let us help prepare the city's defenses," Ebreck declared.

Thanking the Major-Domo, the party set about to see what assistance they could render.

Nuria visited the local Mages' Guild and purchased an arcane focus for her newly acquired spell, Analyze Dweomer. Though it cost 1500 gp, they would recoup the cost very quickly. On her way out, a tome caught her eye. "May I borrow this?" A mage waved an assent in a distracted manner. Leafing through it, Nuria made a pleasant surprise: Two new spells à Arcane Lock and Water Breathing. Transcribing them quickly to her own spellbook, she felt a very small measure of contentedness.

HHH went to visit the troop of paladins. Helping reinforce the walls and gates, he asked about the battle. One paladin put down her load and turned a somber face towards HHH. "It was an epic battle. Our brethren fought bravely. Though most were raw recruits, they fought with faith and conviction and destroyed many of their foes before they fell. Though they died in the end, their sacrifice may have saved the rest of the realm. They caused so much damage to the enemy horde that the demons were forced to retreat to regroup. This gives the rest of us time to gather our energy and supplies, and plan our strategy. I wish the Duke or his daughter was here, for they would hearten our ranks, but we don't know where they are." Turning back to her duties, HHH reflected on her words.

Agrona went to the temple dedicated to Heironeous. Meeting with the faithful, he noted that there were very few ranked clerics amongst them. Helping prepare the temple's defenses, Agrona asked a cleric about the battle. "There were few survivors, mostly peasants. The clerics and their fighters formed the vanguard to lead Greyhawk's defenders. They instructed the non-combatants to flee and warn the rest of the realm, in case they failed. I never thought they could fail, but, by all accounts, as the refugees turned back to look at the city, it was rocked by massive explosions centered on the House of Heironeous. No one could have survived that. What's worse, we have received no signs or guidance from Heironeous. It's as if he has turned his back on us." Finishing in a sob, the cleric seemed to crumple in on himself. "Do not despair, for that is the true enemy. Trust in your faith, and you will be rewarded. I will commune with our deity," Agrona assured the cleric.

Moving around Leukish, no new information was gained. They met up at an inn to decide their next move. "Let's take stock of what we have gained and then decide what we should do," Nuria said. Summoning Henrietta and unloading all the treasure, except for the pieces of the rod, the party identified all the items they received.

Gathering in their newly-rented room, they talked in a subdued manner. "What now?" The question hung in the air…

TREASURE

23000 gp (in pp) + 9200 gp (in gems) = 32200 gp

32200 gp - 1500 gp (arcane focus) = 30700 gp

30700 gp - 700 gp (for kitty) = 30000 gp à 5000 gp/person

KITTY= 436 gp - 300 gp (3 pearls) - 25 gp (rations)
= 111 gp

= 111 gp + 700 gp = 811 gp
= 811 gp - 500 gp (scribing Arcane Lock and Water Breathing in spellbook)
= 311 gp

Potion 1 - Invisibility
Potion 2 - Blur
Potion 3 - Hide from Undead
Potion 4 - Tongues

Arcane Scroll -10th level caster level
-Arcane Lock (level 2)
-Water Breathing (level 3)
-Wall of Ice (level 4)
-Feeblemind (level 5)

Divine Scroll 10th level caster level
-Darkness (level 2)
-Wind Wall (level 3)
-Spike Stones (level 4)
-Insect Plague (level 5)

Necklace of Adaptation

Ring of Mind Shielding

Ring of Protection +3

Ring of Water Elemental Command
-Water Walk (unlimited)
-Water Breathing (unlimited)
-Create Water (unlimited)
-Wall of Ice (1/day)
-Ice Storm (2/week)
-Control Water (2/week)
- -2 on fire based attacks
-ANY OTHER ABILITIES?

Rod of Metamagic Extend (Normal) 3/day

Steel Light Shield +2

Dwarven Waraxe Thrower +3
-has dwarven runes à "Waymaker"
-1d8 damage/1d8 x3 when thrown
-gives Survival +1
-Cleave 1/day
-Find the Path 1/month
-Stone Shape 1/week

FOR NURIA à Mage Armor Scroll she created was CURSED


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