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You forced Clutterstye from The Styes and interrupted the birthing ritual

You destroyed the hastendeath infestation

You saved all but K'karsh - who was infected with the spider eggs

You were able to save Antobury and his assistant, you rested, healed and then returned to Sereen to summarize what occured.

Town reward to group - 1,000 gp for your intervention

Magic items found on K'Karsh - Sereen indicates you can retain those items

Items provided by Sereen are for sale or have to be returned - reguar DMG price list

Any coins from Greyhawk - you will need to convert through Sereen

2,500 gp from Sereen for completing the mission

4000 xp per player

After we learn that Bleary Grimlet was assigned by Mr. Fist to sell the spider for 5000 gp. But sold it for only 100 gp. As it had died.

We signal for Wild Bony Bill our boatman to take us to see Mr. Fist to get more answers. As we approach Mr. Fist’s complex, we are confronted by henchmen of Mr. Fist outside the building. Mongo sends Raven off to fetch the Club Foot Dwarf (very ugly) to use as help getting to see Mr. Fist. Raven disguises himself as the Dwarf and as he approaches us, gets fired upon by the henchmen. We talk them down and provide a business deal for Mr. Fist to profit with the information we have about the spiders and  a possible plague.  Raven (dwarf) and Duffy are allowed to enter to talk to Mr. Fist.

Mr. Fist is ready for a fight but we talk our way through without (Gio bored at this point). Mr. Fist is a devil and looking for profit. We learn that Kacarsh is the leader of the bird people (Kenku) and they are our lead for finding the spider’s trail. They live in an old lighthouse called the Rigg on an island. They are also known as The Collectors gang.

“Taxi”, we call Wild Bony Bill again and travel to the island containing the stone and wood tower with a ladder system on its exterior. Mongo flies up while the rest climb up the dilapidated ladder cautiously. Once we reach top, weak flooring and a hatch is found. Opening the hatch and letting light into the tower makes some kenku unhappy. We all enter the tower where we find ropes and perches as this is a big bird cage. At the bottom of the tower is of course filled with foul water that a big bad ell like creature that we all have to battle but the kenku join in with us to defeat.

We talk to Chocka who represents the Kenku.  He tells us of the place the spider was brought from. On a graveyard island north of town called The Standing Tombs. So we plan to pilgrimage there to find a cure for the spider disease. Once we arrive there via Wild Bony Bill , we find a cave entrance leading to a room containing carvings and a 10’ shaft. A very long passage we take leads to a trap dealing cold damage and more ability damage adding to the ability damage we have encountered thus far is quite annoying. We entered the long (1,500') standing tombs and the end of the tomb opens up into a larger ending cavern. The cavern has a large rift in the ground with multiple cracks. A swirl of thick heavy spider webs twist up from the depths and cover most of this 60'x60' cavern. You here the clicking sound of chitinous legs echoing through the cavern - in the darkness you see 6 distinct shapes coming towards you - you are stopped in your tracks by these vile looking creatures.

You see a multi-skelton headed spider like creature, skeletons with expressions of pain and anquish, are eyes move from the skeletons to the number of sharp appendeges swinging wildly in the air above the spider all while dripping a disgusting green liquid - and the smell is ghastly.

Then we stopped for the night - sleep well

 

We wander down from our twin peaks adventure, and we are greeted by our lost companion, Duffy. Boy, has he got a tale to tell. He was approached by a celestial owl named Two Root. He was given a quest to rescue a troubled town, Prymp, which is a lovely Bay city that exists on a different universe, one conceived by a mad genius wizard named Gygax.

So we all meet Two Root, and his mentor, Sereen. This guy is a quest giver and even though he'll probably betray us, he's a powerful dude, an arcane giant with dark blue skin who is 13 feet tall. He's also a merchant of magic items who goes between worlds collecting expensive stuff. Hell, this sounds like the life to me.

We sign a contract with Sereen: We are to meet with Antelberry, an employee of his, and we will be given a sweet signing bonus in the form of cash, potions and loaner magic items. He's going to give us more cash rewards for all magic we find in this world. ... We're told to leave our currency behind, because this town uses funky money created uniquely by this Gygax person. Please, don't use platinum out here. Oh, and we're on a time limit to save this Antelberry.

Party news now - Veronwe tells us he's off to do a solo career, and Stryfe expects he will be unable to adventure for a short time. We turn our backs on Zebith for a half second and when we look around again, he's turned into Mongo.

And Duffy has created a toy, an automaton gold dragon that flies and scratches and bites. He's named Butterscotch, and our party seems to have wandered into a weird Candyland-inspired phase of our careers.

Sereen gives us a special return magic item (activation phrase: "Two Root") and off we go to this new magic place. We're plane shifted into the middle of a forest and start marching toward Prymp. We have two weird fights in the woods - the first is with a set of trolls who can zip through space. Later, on the road, we find a group of fisherman in a battle with three squealers. We step in and save the lives of two of them (the fishermen, not the squealers).

So now we have an ally. His name is Brull, and the place we're going to that we thought was called "Prymp" is now called the Styes. It's a really lousy place. We get a lot of details of this sad new town, which the DM has shared on this blog. Brull helps us get past the surly guards and into the town. We hide Butterscotch in the bag of holding (he JUST barely fits) and go to Brull's place. Despite getting a bit of a reaction to the pollution in town, we're able to rest the night. Next day, it's time to do some gather information checks to find Mr. Antelberry.

Just when the battle is becoming hopeless, deep shadows suddenly engulf the grotto and Vfessyl is isolated in some sort of spotlight.  Also Stryfe appears out of nowhere and starts laying waste to the evil troops!  The foul leader becomes confused and disoriented, sparkling pink with faerie fire from Zebith.  He alternates desperately between commanding his troops and threatening the Heroes, allowing his foes to isolate and surround him:

“They’re over there, look hhwhere I’m pointing!”
 “Move out of it and attack them then!”
 “Use your toys to weaken Stryfe, you fools!”
“HHYOU are going to get blown ahhhway: HRaven!!”
 “Move behind them and flank for me!  Do it now!”
“No, blow away the darkness then!”
“HThomas ‘Pius’ the Second: you shall hhreap the HHHwhirlwind!!!”

Through it all the Heroes start to hear the sounds of swordplay coming from the direction of the staircase.  The din grows nearer, and you hear Gravelbeard’s voice suddenly call out from the shadows, “Earth kin: retreat from this madness!”  There is a grumble of stone, and the sounds of battle die down significantly.
Unable to hide or become invisible, Vfessyl’s attacks become feeble and he is finally overcome by the party’s combined assault.  His body drifts to the ground and piles into a pathetic, polluted heap of cloud-stuff, the glow of his eyes slowly fading.  After a moment of silence, a weak voice hoarsely laughs and begins to croak, “Well played, you are more resourceful than He said that you would be...  But, what has it gained you?  Absolutely nothing!  My passage from your world has been bought and paid for, by my wise master.”
He waves a wisp of arm and a small oily bubble emerges from his deflating chest.  It is the same size and shape as Gravelbeard’s teleportation sphere.  “Ha, merely popping the bubble will take my spirit directly to my master.  And then, I shall return to you with more troops.  ...and then more, and more, until you have been ground into dust!"  
He reaches out and eagerly touches the sphere.  Nothing happens.  Grasping it between shaking hands, he tries again, and again, to crush the oily skin.  The bubble squeaks and twists like a rubber balloon, but does not break.  “I... but... No, NO! ...hhnoooooooooooo...”  Vfessyl’s limp form finally breaks up, and spreads like melting smog across the floor.  It leaves behind a deposit of solid objects—loot—as well as the strange, shimmering green bubble.  

Soon after, the darkness on the platform diminishes.  And then you see them.  Elven warriors by the dozens have emerged from the staircase behind you to come to your aid!  Rather than fly on their 'clumsy' eagle mounts, they have stealthily passed through the deep caves and shadow!  You hear earnest but clear sylvan voices as they expertly mop up the air minions with weaponry and wizardry.  They seem to have created all of the mysterious shadows, and their blind-combat skills are impressive.
A female druid emerges from the crowd and approaches you.  “Wanderers: as I told you before, the evil name of Vfessyl was carried to us on the wind.  And so we came to you where the wind could not speak of our passing: through the caves and tunnels behind us.  I hope that the gesture of our appearance is satisfying to you and your companions.  Indeed, we wish you goodwill and success in your travels.”  The maiden bows deeply.
Then Kithal-Kli steps forward and pulls aside the drow to speak with him in private.  “Zebith, I think that you, and you alone, may understand this next part.  I see by your actions that you are not wicked or jealous like too many of your people.  And so I shall share with you.  For your, and for my own, peace.”
“You may know that your people—the deep elves—were once called ‘dark’ elves, many thousands of years ago.  They lived on the world’s surface, and looked just like other elves.  It was only the magic of Correlon Larethian—whom we call ‘The Judge’—that finally stained their skin and sent them into flight from the sun.  Your ancestors, the Ilithiiri, were judged and sentenced for their part in millennia of bitter warfare and corruption by demons during the Crown Wars.“
“However, Ilythiir was formerly a nation of grace, art, and fertility.  In their prime, your ancestors shared kinship with the nation of Miyeritar, and also sent abundant colonies to neighboring surface lands.  Many of those expeditions were sent out because of a creeping greed, but others were founded on curiosity.  One group of explorers wandered widely, and came as far as the human realms and into the Great Northern Wilderness.  In their travels those colonists encountered many foreign beings, odd traditions, and strange magic.  They settled in these very mountains.”
“The truth is, some of those ancient ‘dark’ elves did not become ‘deep’ elves at the moment of the Descent of the Drow.  I do not know what protected them from Corellon’s magic.  Some say it was a weird abjuration they stumbled upon, or the remoteness from Illythiir, or the sunny, lightsome atmosphere that protected them from the judgment.  Many believe it was the wise leadership of Dae Orna—“Tallshadow” in your language—hence the name of their city and nation: Dae Ornaar.  My people are their offspring, and we have lived here ever since.
Long ago, our fate should have been the same as your people’s.  We should have been stained, driven into the darkest and most foul underground holes, shunned from all daylight and civilization, reviled, outcast.  We consider ourselves lucky.  Over our ‘luck’ or ‘providence’, my people’s relief and gratitude is often mixed with guilt and sadness.  Sadness… to be alone and slaves to atonement.  And a deep sadness… to be separated from… our distant cousins.”  She gestures with one hand over her heart, and places the other over Zebith’s.
“I do not know if my people will ever admit this to be true.  I do not even know if we will be brave enough to emerge from our hiding place and seek balance in a huge, complex universe.  It may take decades to decide.  I ask that you keep our secret, for now, and let us make our own decision.  I know that we will make the right choice.  The earth tells me that there will come a time—and soon—when all secrets shall come to light.”
    Kithal-Kli and the elves graciously prepare to leave.  You are given a whistle that you may sound anywhere within their realm, and the people of Dae Ornaar will come with mounts to transport you.  They are not happy to hear of your hopes to open a gem mine, especially if you hire outsiders to work it.  However, Kithal agrees to give you rights to harvest this mountain, and directs Elzdigor and his patrols to steer clear indefinitely.  You deposit Duffy’s statue in the central egg-shaped cavern.

As you pick through the aftermath of the final battle, you find a small collection of useful loot.  When you come to the oily bubble, you see that it glows with a moderate conjuration aura.  As you draw within a few inches of it, the bubble begins to hum and its color fades from pale green to sky blue.  A white, cottony image appears floating above it, and resolves into a blurry human-shaped cloud.
The creature’s voice is strangely familiar, although you’re sure you’ve never heard it before.  The creature speaks with a calculating tone: smooth like a stratus cloud, but masking a great and violent evil.  “HSo at last, I perceive thee!  Hummmm…”  The image studies you for a moment, and calls out each of your names contemptuously.  “Do not think that hyou are free, foolish ones!  I have no need of Vfessyl the Haze, except to deliver this hmessage.  So he is now hhfinished!  Hm hm...  But he was hcorrect that this isn’t over.  I will be hwatching you, and there will be other loyal servants that I hsend!  As long as you live, hyou shall hnever again sleep in peace!  
“Furthermore, I have collected from you a trinket, a mere trifle.  A certain 'thin blade' that one of you may care for!  I hold it presently.  As a matter of fact, the sword that hyou hold is a masterful hcopy.  Do hyou like its craftsmanship?  I think that it was quite well-done.  Hm hm.”
The blurry cloud glares at you.  “Oh, how you are going to suffer!!!  I declare that the air you breathe is no longer your right to have, and I shall withhold it, violently!  Count every breath you take from now on, for it may be your last!  If you survive long enough in this game we are going to play, and when you have had enough of it, then you may come, and you may find me!  Activate this bubble and you will enter my realm!  And oh…, I will welcome your arrival!!!  You shall rue the day that you first heard my name.  For I am Eliseth the Great!  Eliseth the All-Wise!  Eliseth the World-Binder!"
"Activate the bubble: if you dare!"

A roundup of 3 weeks worth of serious gaming!

Here's what's been happening, a useful guide to anyone who hasn't been here for some time, or for future historians who will be wondering what we did every Wednesday night, and why we didn't have a video game system running.

May 23
We continued our adventure in the Land of Thar. We finished the tomb of Kursk one-tusk, collecting a nice bit of treasure and a strange key that looked like a broken emerald.
* Traveling east on the road, we saw large groups of orcs scouring the land. Army-sized groups, getting ready for a thumping.
*We approached a tower whose name I can't recall, and which I'll call the Tower Not Related to the Plot.
*On the way up the tower, Veronwe managed to step in each room with monsters, being attacked by shocker lizards and skeletal winter wolves as we explored.
* At the top of the tower was a magic pool, and we treated ourselves to a lovely spa treatment.

May 30
*We come down the tower pretty quickly, fighting a crazy cloaker who had a lot of bat friends. 
*Out on the road, we encounter a group of slaughtered humans. They seemed to be farmers, and we gave a nice burial to them. 

*The humans were killed by a marauding group of barbarian orcs. They have another spellcaster type with them. We make some quick vengeance. 
*We get to the chamber of bone (the tomb of Vorbyx) and solve a tricky riddle involving angry faces and vowels. A secret door swings open and we head deeper into the tomb.

June 13
* The chamber has six statues in it: dwarf, human, bearded devil, orc, ogre and beholder. We get the willies around these, just certain the statues will animate and attack us.
* We disrupt the tomb and are attacked by an undead troll. A magic mouth tells us that we're in a false tomb. (Is anyone keeping track of these? I think we've explored three of these already.) And we ain't getting the bastard sword here.
* We avoid a group of six warrior orcs. This is really unlke us.
* At the ogres' stronghold, they actually are reasonable - 10 g.p. to get in. Stryfe offers to wrestle with one to get in for free, but loses.
* They're convinced no one can open their sealed door. So convinced they leave their treasure right by the door. We steal some of their treasure. Then we prove them wrong about the door. I believe the seal and our key disappear completely to reveal a magic portal. In we go.
* There's a raised platform here with the impression of a sword. We need to assemble the sword up on the stone to "unlock your fate," the inscription reads.
* Next room has a gibbering mouther. Holy crap, that mother was a tough one.
* The room of gems would be a pirates' dream, but the gems can't be removed. Argh! Instead, by covering a weapon with blood, three of us are able to soup up our weapons to do extra elemental damage. Raven, Stryfe and Sharky tuck in.
* We break with ogres and/or orcs on the way into the room to ruin our fun. Ugh.