DM Couyon

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 08:17 on Mar 08, 2002
Location: Mountainsoniatown

Present: Black Dragons - Storm, Rumiko, Aos, Crystal, Arisa, Rane

Summary: the party spends the following day in the streets of Mountaintown, gathering information on the tower and supposed necromancer. Storm and Rumi do a quick scan of the building itself and the surrounding area as Crystal, Rane, and Arisa spend the morning seeing the shops and purchasing food and clothing.

By days end the group has gathered back at the Pig's Eye, discussed the mission at hand, made a list of equipment needed, and began planning a late night recon of the location.

Treasure: none

Casualties: none

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, three hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 12:07 on Mar 11, 2002
Krewe of Brew

Location: a mountain valley southwest of Roame, village of Darbin

Present: Mister Reese, Edgar, Jozan, Farfrompukin, Quarion, Morgan Fletcher

Summary: the group spends more time freeing villagers from the plants dominating their wills.... braves the dangers of an immense garden suspected to be the cause of all the evils, and finally manages to put an end to the deadly plants at a hight cost of life and limb.

***************************************

Searching the large stone house on the edge of the village having once supposedly belonged to a secretive herbalist/sage, the party finds a well stocked lab and library with clues hinting to a process the old man was working on that would ensure him everlasting life as a new creature he called an Eternal Lilly.... they manage to uncover some stashed gold, rings, and high quality robes and clothing.

Another sweep of the village found the adventurers once again fighting off a dozen vines crawling out of the hight grasses in an attempt to attach themselves and control the men.... managing to fight off the weeds the group finds the children of the village held up in a small shack, all having been under the control of the strange vines...

Resting outside the village after returning the freed children to their overjoyed mothers, the group discusses their plans and decides on a thorough search of the huge almost unnatural garden behind the old man's home.... what followed was hours of exploring the huge maze of trees and shrubs, constantly fighting off more of the fiendish vines and villagers controlled by the plants...

By day's end the party found what they assumed to be the new form of the crazed old man seeking immortality, although his experiment obviously went very wrong as he now walked the garden as an insane shambling mound that attacked the group on sight..... a viscious battle ensued, with the beast being beaten back after nearly dropping Edgar and Farfrom... dodging into the walls of vines surrounding its lair, only to appear within minutes at the rear of its attackers. The rogue/fighter Reese took the brunt of the attack as his comrades worked to position themselves to fend off the monster.... the poor man had time only to shout out as the huge tendrils battered him silly before wrapping around his waist and snapping him in two...

Arrows and darts were tossed and fired as the creature charged, the poor elf Quarion falling prey to the vine-like tendrils as his limp body was tossed aside to fall next to the torm form of Reese.... with their two fellow adventures felled the group was able to muster the courage to launch more attacks on the shambling mound, finally hacking it into a small pile of foul smelling leaves and bark.

With the creature slain, the garden and the rest of the vine-choked village begin to return to normal... as the party is rewarded by the locals and hailed as heroes.

Treasure: a stash of coins found within the sage's house and garden along with valuable rings and clothing, and a well stocked lab.

Casualties: a half dozen of these Brain Vines, one poor controlled villager, the crazed wizard turned Shambling Mound, and the two brave lads Mr. Reese and Quarion

Experience: as per formula

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 08:35 on Mar 13, 2002
Location: Linderin Marshlands

Present: Adrianna, Gatheian, Astalin, Maya, Baoffer; npc's: Eleena, Packrat, Yoogeen, Garret, Hjolt, Krik

Summary: the party recuperates from the day filled with battle, injury and death... the main focus is on securing the camp, burying the fallen dwarf, and tending to Sir Gatheian who shows signs of a foul reaction to his contact with the Blood Statue; the man's eyes having now taken on a deep red tint, he sweats blood, and his saliva is a thick dark purple. Maya and Yoogeen use all their skills, combining divine healing with country remedies... although the numerous spells and even the bleeding with leeches show no sign of improving his condition..

Shortly after dusk drum beats can be heard coming from the direction of the cave... as the party prepares for retaliation from the local tribes, some planning on striking first rather than allowing themselves to be pinned down within the foreign marshes.

Treasure: none

Casualties: none

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, three hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 21:15 on Mar 15, 2002
Location: Northeastern Leseid Forest

Present: Efrin, Dekar, Orwin, Tolo, Krusk, Llewyn, Galnar, Swiftlenot, Edward, Emeril ; NPC's: Chuck, Zaccheriah, goblin scout TurnipSeed

Summary: the two groups of travelers share the safety of a larger camp and get to know each other... a former friend returns in the night, with trouble at his heels. Before the first watch was up the group was fighting off huge winged lizard men... loosing three of their number before taking out one of the lizards and driving the rest off into the night. The next day found them face to face with the mysterious IMG mage... and once again they felt the arcane wrath as they found themselves melting within a cloud of acid.

****************************************

After the two group of adventurers crossed paths in the woods and exchanged greetings, they settled in for the night and set up a watch to secure the camp as they rested from the strenuous journey through the woods (and some from the scars and burns received by the mage within the tomb). Shortly after dusk Efrin went off to investigate noises off from the camp... returning with a bruised and bloody former comrade - Alkier.

The poor lad explained that he was running from a pack of wolves that had set upon him and the hunters he had hooked up with.... after being questioned more the party readies for an attack, hoping the beasts are nowhere near the size or possessing the ferocity that Alkier spoke of. Most of the group secured places within the lower branches of the surrounding trees, as Efrin and Chuck added more wood to the fire and kept watch on the ground...


The attack came within the hour, but not in the form expected as Alkier screamed a warning having to do with the wolves approaching.... shadows soon flew from the darkness and landed among the branches to tear into the shocked party. A half dozen of these nine foot tall winged lizard men tore into many of the adventurers, focusing on the smaller within the party and those less armored...

Sometime during the attack, when things looked their worst, Alkier took the chance to backstab the same poor goblin by the name of Galnar who had helped him into the trees and supplied him with food and water... just as the two gnomes within the group, Llewyn and Swiftlenot, are sliced apart and carried off either dead or helpless...

Suddenly help came, in the form of three Giant Owls that appeared from thin air and begin driving off the flying lizards.... at the same time Turnip, Dekar, and Krusk managed to make it to the ground and avoid the blades and slashing tails assaulting them... with the help of Efrin's steel and Chuck's spells they manage to stun and strike down one of the beasts as the rest retreat back into the dark woods with their three victims....

Alkier shifted before their eyes, taking on the shape of a lizard, as the one beast they slayed begin a strange tranformation.... the goblin woodsman TurnipSeed stood in shock as he stared down at his own body stabbed with his own blade. The rest of the night finds the group on double watch, with many not sleeping at all in fear that the lizards might return...

The following day, while making for the northern edge of the woods and still following the tracks of the Black Dragons that had abandonned them days earlier, they came upon the IMG mage Emeril... the man was wounded severely and told of being attacked by the same lizards, asking for healing from the priests within the party...

Tempers quickly flared, half of the group remembering the magical flames from the day before that slew three new comrades and the crazed priest Alfonzo.... as cries for the mage's quick death went up, while others such as Chuck and Turnip backed up and tried to avoid any conflict...

Within moments weapons were drawn, the mage was struck down and revealed to be an illusion, as the real mage is shown - a wicked gnome grinning at the group... Efrin showed no hesitation as he moved in and struck a series of blows that sent the gnome to the ground in a dead heap... a moment later the air shimmers and a strange hissing is heard, as Efrin, Zac, Owen, Krusk, and Dekar are enveloped in an expanding cloud of acidic fog... screaming in pain and running for the edges of the mist, as the rest of the party looks for the source of this new magic.

Treasure: two finely crafted blades from the lizard

Casualties: one large winged lizard, the goblin rogue Galnar, and the two young gnomes Llewyn & Swiftlenot

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, five hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 21:21 on Mar 15, 2002
Location: Mountainsoniatown

Present: Black Dragons - Storm, Rumiko, Aos, Crystal, Arisa, Rane

Summary: the party spends the rest of the day and much of the night further investigating their target and learning more of the local happenings. They make friends with a few of the yocals and find other possible entrances into the tower, as a couple of them take the chance to toss down quite a few tankards at the Pig's Eye...

That night a minor tremor shakes the town, sending goblins and orcs screaming and crawling from their work in the sewers below.

Treasure: none

Casualties: none

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, three hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 21:30 on Mar 22, 2002
Location: Northeastern Leseid Forest

Present: Efrin, Dekar, Orwin, Tolo, Krusk, Asylym , Edward, Emeril; NPC's: Chuck, Zaccheriah, goblin scout TurnipSeed

Summary: the magical battle between the IMG mage with his illusions and vindictive powers left the group running to the four winds, and the elven warrior Efrin an acid tenderized meal for some magically summoned green lions. Before the members can regroup the battle crazed Tolo falls prey to huge predatory lizards hunting along the plains, and the priest Chuck is not seen again....

***************************************

Those caught up in the billowing cloud of acidic mist run for their lives - their backpacks melting and spilling the sizzling contents, bows and shafted weapons falling apart, and all clothing eventually just rotting and sliding off their smoking skins. All somehow manage to survive the viscious spell, minus a large amount of hair, nails, and a few layers of skin...

Efrin ended up becoming the focus of the mage's second attack, as a pair of huge green lions rush from the fog and pounced upon the elven warrior as he turned and attempted in vain to fend the beasts off.... in a matter of seconds the poor elf fell to the forest floor, where he then became a decent sized meal for the magical felines. Some of the party watched helplessly, as most of them just continued to run...

The priest Chuck was summoned back by the booming voice of the deadly mage, as his surviving comrades made for the edge of the woods.... Chuck was not seen again after the rest regrouped outside of the forest.

Asylym and Tolo escaped the woods, only to encounter a hunting pair of meat eating lizards.... Asyl called upon his magical talents and quick mind to cause a distraction and flee, as poor Tolo took a charge from one of the giant lizards... the only thing his comrade heard as he ran off into the night was the barks of the creatures and the tearing of flesh and bone.

The next day found the party regrouped in the plains north of the woods, along with a small party of travelers heading east.

Treasure: none

Casualties: elven warrior Efrin, and the crazed fighter Tolo

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, four hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 21:39 on Mar 22, 2002
Location: Mountainsoniatown

Present: Black Dragons - Storm, Rumiko, Nalia, Crystal, Arisa, Rane, Galternak; npc: Aos

Summary: after the minor tremors in the city the group makes for the Pig's Eye and decides to use the chaos within the streets, along with the misty skies and building winds, to break into the tower... Rumi brings along an old friend she met in the tavern, as Storm picks up and former comrade and leads them to a back window leading to the tower's kithcen.

While sneaking in,the hungover elven lass Aos, tripped on the slick wall... alerting the guards as Storm shoved the last couple through the window and led the armed men off down the back alleys while taunting their heritage and masculinity... alarms and whistles went off in the distance as the group set about searching the building's interior.

A half hour exploration of the first two floors of the tower reveal little but a hidden pentagram etched into the floor and standard furnishings and rooms...

Treasure: none

Casualties: none

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, four hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 23:33 on Mar 26, 2002
Krewe of Brew

Location: area south of Roame, Khardfee

Present: Mister Reese, Edgar, Jozan, Farfrompukin, Quarion, Morgan Fletcher; NPC's: Fechk, and members of the Watchers, local clergy, and sages within the city of Roame

Summary: party headed back to Roame, spent the loot gathered on bringing their fallen comrades back among the living and visiting the vendors within the city.... accepted a job from a local sage and discovered new info on maps they had previously found. Once leaving the city they fell victim to a midnight ambush by "beastmen" and ended up dragging their wagon, minus three horses, back to the city with two more dead.

***************************************

The party spent one day in the small farming village of Darbin... healing their wounded and packing their loot gathered and fallen comrades aboard their cart. With notes in hand telling of their deeds and promising that the crops would once again start flowing north, the group made their way back north to Roame.

A brief encounter with a viscious nightly scavenger taught the young warrior Farfrompukin that the quality off one's blade often determined the outcome of a battle, as his massive two handed sword did little to slow the creature that appeared a cross between serpent and octopus. In the end it was a single stroke from Edgar that split the beast in two with the scimitar he had purchased from Olaf.

Arriving in Roame they find the plague is still ravaging the land, as they were not allowed to bring their dead within the walls. They spoke with the Watchers representative, and old dwarf named Marrick, and showed him the fresh fruits and sealed notes as proof of their success in Durbin... as they told of the fate of the farmers and their near brush with death due to the results of the former mage within the village dabbling in the arcane arts.

With the gold, jewels, and lab equipment gathered in the home of the dead mage, the party was able to secure help from the local clergy to bring their fallen comrades back to the world of the living.... while waiting the week and a half for the ceremonies and healing needed, the adventurers took their time visiting the city's shops, smiths, and forges.

Spending the rest of their coin securing better armors and weapons, including a fine silver axe for Farfrom that cost well over six hundred crowns; sealing the warrior's permanent position in the party as front man during future combats.

During their stay they were summoned by and old sage within the city by the name of Gendall, finding that the man had been following their exploits and wished to hire them for a future excursion, once they had proved themselves a bit more worthy... assigning a quiet foreign looking dwarf to the group, the sage paid them for information they freely shared, as well as the arcane gem and notes gathered down in Darbin...

They learned of the location of a hidden tomb from one of the maps found earlier, and also something of the history of the concealed pit they unearthed after the death of Lucky.... the sage explained that he would pay for interior maps and notes of each of these structures, as well as for any other books or scrolls found. As he instructed the taller thin dwarf to watch over the party and report back their worth and prowess.

Unfortunately they would be tested sooner than expected, as they were set upon in a late night ambush just a day's ride into the mountains south of Roame... feeling confident with their fallen friends along and armed with newer weapons and fine armors, they faced a half dozen "beastmen" that attacked beyond the light of the fire with volleys of arrows...

The battle was a frantic fight for survival, with a few of their mounts falling first to the missile fire... Jozan finally summoning a wall of wind which led to a charge by both sides and eventually the death of the paladin Edgar, as well as his newly summoned mount, and the warrior Farfrom.

In the end they were lucky to escape with their lives and remaining mounts... managing to only slay one of the beastmen and run the rest off, although they only kept their distance and continued to pelt the fleeing party with arrows and howls of victory....

Treasure: none

Casualties: three horses, including the paladin's summoned mount, the holy warrior Edgar, and the expert bladesman Farfrompukin, as well as one wild Beastman

Experience: as per formula

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 00:07 on Mar 27, 2002
Location: Linderin Marshlands

Present: Adrianna, Gatheian, Astalin, Maya, Baoffer, Xevious; npc's: Eleena, Packrat, Yoogeen, Garret, Hjolt, Krik

Summary: the party investigates the drums, encounters viscious warrior frogmen led by a powerful shaman, and free an imperial mage awaiting a fiery death as a ritualistic sacrifice... the mage Maya manages to get captured while do extra scouting, as some in the party prepare to leave the fortified camp and attempt a desperate rescue effort.

***************************************

After burying the fallen dwarf Grablor, trying to heal the wounded Gatheian, and tending to the cuts and bruises on Packrat, Maya, Hjolt, and Astalin; the party hears the distant drums coming from the cave area.... afer a brief discussion it is decided that the most nimble would go to a quick reconnaissance, while the rest secured the camp and prepared for a possible attack.

Packrat, Maya, Hjolt, Garret, and Eleena moved out... the elven serpent cloaking herself in invisiblity and flying overhead.... they soon find scores of what appear to be frogmen hodling some type of ceremony outside the cave where Gath slew the bloody statue, and a poor human male tied to a stake among a pile of brush piled up as if to set the man aflame.

Eleena works up a quick plan, telling the others she would create her own diversions and then swoop in to carry off the man... they agreed to train their bows on the frogs and secure her retreat. The rescue went off without a hitch, with Eleena using blasts of arcane color sprays to scare and confuse the frogs as she used other spells to hide the doomed man before she lifted him up and away.

Unfortunately for those watching the chaos, they were suprised by a set of four crazed frogmen scouting the perimeter.... a battle which was filled with poisonous darts and blades versus the axes and scythes of Garret and Hjolt, Pack and Maya using their skills to bring down their assailants. A blast of lightning from Maya singed some more of the slimy warriors rushing from the camp, as they rushed to reinforce their kin.

The poison from their wounds now slowing Pack and Hjolt, the old dwarf and gnome quickly call for a retreat. They flee back to the camp with Garret guarding their retreat and Maya hiding among the reeds to observe the enemy...

Arriving back at the campsite, which Astalin and Yoogeen had continued to fortify with more low wood walls and shallow pits, they tell of their battle... Eleena having already arrived with the prisoner and finding the poor man was the last survivor of a group of Imperial troops sent to track down a rogue mage terrorizing southern Alderd. He told of the poisons the frogs use and the magics cast by their leader... he also shares information he gathered while locked up within the cave, telling of what he thought to be an ancient arcane portal hidden at the bottom of a hidden set of stone steps.

Maya took far too long returning, as suddenly fire lit the night sky a half mile off, followed by a huge boom that drifted across the marsh... the elf's bird goes crazy, cawing about fire and pain. As the party assumes the lass has been captured... Eleena flying to investigate, soon confirming the poor girl was being dragged either dead or unconscious back to the cave.

Gath leads the argument for an immediate attack on the frogs, believing that no man or woman should be left to such a fate. Some others are ready to follow the warrior into battle, as others in the group hesitate and speak of remaining within the safety of the camp.

Treasure: none

Casualties: four frog warriors

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, four hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 22:20 on Mar 29, 2002
Location: plains north of Leseid Forest

Present: Dekar, Orwin, Krusk, Asylym , Edward, Urso, Gu'Thrak; NPC's: Zaccheriah, goblin scout TurnipSeed, Robert Barfield and his mercenaries

Summary: the newly met group of lost travelers meets on the plains north of the ancient woods... push through the day to find a road and spot a caravan camped in the distance... as their scouting of the camp went afoul and they were captured and stripped of their weapons.

***************************************

After surviving the many dangers of the woods, the remaining party members regroup on the grasslands north of the forest and meet up with a pair of orcs moving towards the border to lend their blades to the orc tribes attempting to battle the invading dwarven settlers...

Under the guidance of TurnipSeed they push on the next day and into the night until they come across a road, the goblin stating that it would take a good week but they could reach Traders Ferries if they just followed it. That evening the glow from a fire was seen off in the distance, as Asylym and Edward volunteered to scout it out...

The two ended up being suprised by a perimeter guard and taken to the caravan master and his hired mercenary guards, led by Robert Barfield. Although the young bard managed to entertain some of the men, Robert did not buy their story and sent his men and some of the younger guards off to investigate...

They soon returned with the rest of the party under armed guard and stripped of their weapons... the warrior Owen showing a gash across his chest received after his harsh words with one of the mercenaries... .

Thanks to the honesty of the Anthorian among the party, they are allowed to stay the night within the camp until they can each be questioned the next morning.... the head mercenary questioning the priest in detail as to the members of this rag tag bunch and past adventures, associations, etc...

Treasure: none

Casualties: none

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, four hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 22:26 on Mar 29, 2002
Location: Mountainsoniatown

Present: Black Dragons - Storm, Rumiko, Nalia, Crystal, Arisa, Rane, Galternak; npc: Aos

Summary: the exploration of the tower continues, those within making it up to the third floor and still not finding the object they were hired to retrieve... althogh they did find some ghastly creatures protecting the top floor lab and nearly lost Crystal and Galt to the beasts. It was Nalia in the end with her magics that saved the party, and managed to alert the guards in front of the building with a arcane bolt of lightning that shattered the windows and set the workbench and books aflame...

All this while Storm contiues to dodge those pursuing him in the city streets... only to return and find his friends now within the tower, but surrounded by two dozen city guards alerted to the intrusion...

Treasure: a small arcane stick found within the sage's wardrobe

Casualties: seven smelly "melting" humanoids

Experience: 25xp/lvl/hour, four hours

[Scionist]

Couyon
DM
 10:59 on Apr 10, 2002
Location: Linderin Marshlands

Present: Adrianna, Gatheian, Astalin, Maya, Baoffer, Xevious; npc's: Eleena, Packrat, Yoogeen, Garret, Hjolt, Krik

Summary: the pary decides to make a quick attempt to rescue Maya, using magics coupled with brute force they attack the frog men and through some miracle save the elven lass right as she was about to be sacrificed. Further examination of the cave finds a concealed chamber with Maya and Xev's gear as well as a mysterious wall with what appears to be some type of magical portal to who knows where.

****************************************

After finding out that Maya was indeed captured the group argues over their next actions... in the end it is decided that although the elf may have brought this upon herself that no one deserved a fate such as what awaited her. Leaving the camp and moving to the clearing within the marshes that bordered the cave, the party was cloaked in invisibilty by Eleena (all except Astalin).

A very quick and simple plan was worked out, involving the rogues and Eleena sneaking past the guards and the rest drawing the frog warriors out while an attempt to save Maya was made. What followed was five minutes of pure chaos and all out battle. Packrat, Adri, Eleena, Hjolt, and Bao moving within the cave while Astalin, Garret, Xev, and Gatheian battled the frogs that rushed out to keep them from entering and disturbing their shaman.

Within the cave Maya was spread out buck naked atop the bloodied statue that Gath had defeated the day before, the priest standing over her chanting and tracing lines in the air with a huge decorative dagger. Without waiting for the others Eleena launched an attack from above, tossing caution to the wind and sinking her fangs into the priest as Pack, Adrianna, Hjolt, and Bao finally ended up engaging the few guards left within.

The amphibian priest made one attempt to halt the battle by threating to cut Maya's throat if another healer was not sent in and the combat was stopped immediately... the young halfling rogue within the cave saw this as an opportunity to make a pin cushion of the priest as the frogs seemed to go insane and fight with renewed strength. Maya was stabbed repeatedly, only thing saving the lass was Eleena and Yoogeen (now rushing into the cave to save the elf) who visciously attacked the priest and finally tackled him and kept him from striking the final killing blow.

In the end Bao and Maya were both left bleeding and on death's door... many of the rest of the group showing dozens of cuts and were suffering from the poison that coated the frog warriors' weapons, Astalin feeling more of the toxins than most as he has trouble placing one foot in front of the others and not falling flat on his face...

After securing the cave and healing Maya and Bao, at least enough to get them on their feet, they search the stone steps hidden in the rear of the cavern and find a large half moon shaped room containing the gear of the rescued mage Xev as well as Maya's belongings.... along the back wall of the room strange symbols and sketches were seen as well as a strange archway filled with a midnight black stone surface... some testing and much guessing led the party to conclude that it may be some type of arcane portal, possibly even leading to the land of the Sythian mages or at the very least created by them in the past.

Treasure: various weapons from the frogs, seven mysterious smelly vials, and one map case

Casualties: seven viscious frog warriors and their shaman

Experience; 25xp/lvl/hour, four hours