The Soul Spire

The group decides that they had better complete the mission set to them by the old gnome woman, Madam Tuqill. In return for gifting the group some magical items, she had in return expected them to help a young man, who had come to inherit a tower from his great grandfather, the acclaimed wizard, Armaka Amun-Ra. Unfortunately, there seems to be some sort of malevolent force occupying the tower, such that the young man, Azim, is unable to take possession of the tower.

The group leaves their ship and travel through the city of Baldur's Gate and enter the upper city. Finding the way is easy as an odd tower which seems to defy physics and remain upright without toppling despite having a very lopsided appearance, appears far above the surrounding rooftops. Rumor has it that it has been occupied for some decades.

Squatter At The Soul Spire

They finally arrive at the tower. They see that within the small courtyard in front of the tower is a small tent. There is a slight glow which shows the shadow of a figure inside. Val uses detect magic and a couple of small glows emanate.  They finally tap on the tent to get the person's attention. A tall, thin olive skinned man emerges from the tent. It takes him a moment and then he seems excited.

He notices the uniform of the The Order Of The Obsidian Dagger. He inquires if the Order has finally come to aid him in gaining access to his tower. His right by inheritance. The group looks at each other awkwardly. He complains that he has gone to The Order many times with his plea and each time he has been turned away. He has spent years going through the legal work and finally the council has seen to grant him the rightful inheritance to the tower, The Soul Spire. He is a fledgling magician and wishes to access all of his grandfathers works so that he may someday become a great wizard, greater than his great grandfather perhaps.

Now that the Soul Spire is his. He cant even access it. There are creatures in there that bar him from entering more than just the foyer and there are noises coming from upstairs. No one is supposed to be here. It is his by legal rights!

The group tells them they are of the Order but they come here at the behest of an old gnome woman.
Azim describes the gnome woman and it would seem they are talking about the same woman.
He is disappointed. He had hoped that it was not the old woman.

It would seem after failing to get The Order to help. He was approached by the old woman who said that she could have the tower cleaned out for him....in return for his soul. He was hoping that once he had acquired access to the tower he could become a great mage, like his great grandfather and be able to fend off or even kill the old woman. Thus not having to pay such a heavy price.

He is willing to have the group help him but he implores them to leave as much of the spellbooks and items for him. He is counting on them to help him overcome Madam Tiqull.

The Foyer and It's Guardians


The group finally enters the building.
The enter a large open foyer done in beautiful marble with sun shining brightly through stained glass windows, even though it was grey and dim outside. In the center of the room is a large pool of water within a stone ring. Around the stone ring are several runes with mysterious shapes. Araxie ponders briefly if she should jump in the pool and swim. The others yell at her to not jump into an unknown pool in a wizards tower.

They are greeted warmly by a humanoid creature. Part mechanical and part magic. He introduces himself as Khalid. He tries to amuse the group while telling the group that the master is not in.
The group is curious. Is not the new owner outside? the great grandchild of the wizard.
No. that is not how the tower is acquired. The master cannot be presumed dead, simply because he has not returned. The tower also must be earned not inherited.

The group asks if they can look around. Khalid tells them that they can but they must first deal with the security...which is in the form of two death knights. The group decides not to test their luck against such formidable foes.

They are told that if they possess the key then they may move freely about the tower.

They look to the bottom of the pool in the middle of the room. There at the bottom in the middle lies a large golden key.

The Key In The Pool

Deshani grabs Khalid using bigsy's hand and tries to put him into the pool of water. Something prevents the jester from touching the pool as she repeatedly tries to push the creature into the pool as his body contorts violently as a field prevents his immersion.

Val tries to penetrate the force field with his hand. He can but stops just short of touching the water.

Maddox moves towards one of the two death knights. He has heard of such poor creatures. Heroes of a long ago age, forced into service, their souls not freed until they can complete a quest from when they were alive. Two red glowing eyes set deep within the armor follow him.
Maddox kneels in front of the knights and prays to his god, Tempest, to release these poor souls from their indentured labor.
Maddox is dismayed to feel an odd distance between him and his god. The power of his god is still there but distant and muffled. Maddox moves outside to see if the power of his god is being stopped by something in the tower but it is the same outside as it is inside.

A Distant God

Seeing Maddox's puzzlement, Deshani questions Maddox as to what's wrong. He tells her and she uses her near encyclopedic knowledge of arcana, lore and dieties to suggest that perhaps it is the effect of the infernal book he has been carrying. Perhaps it is to blame for their shared dreams of monstrous creatures. Perhaps it is the reason evil devils have been pursuing them. Perhaps it is the book itself which is actively been trying to mute Maddox's patron deity.

In the meantime, Araxie and Val been trying to figure out the pool. Val approaches the water and touches it. On top of the stone wall which incricles the pool are 13 runes. Val approaches one of the symbols and gingerly touches the water. The acidic burn of the water is torture and he pulls back with incredible pain. Acid. The group spends time investigating the runes and deduce that each of the symbols corresponds to a type of damage. Whichever one is pressed, the water will do that kind of damage.

Araxie approaches the same spot that Val had stood at beside the pool. She is resistant to acids.

Unfortunately, at the same time Maddox, curious about the runes takes his sword and takes a mighty swing at one of the runes. He hits a rune which looks like a hammer. He does this just as Araxie reaches into the water. She is immediately gravely injured and thrown 5 feet back away from the pool. She raises her head from the floor to glower at Maddox. Maddox puts away his sword and mumbles an apology.

Nasty Water
1,500 XP

Araxie approaches the pool again. She walks up to the Acid rune and depresses it, giving Maddox a side long glare. She tosses in her net in order to grab  the key at the bottom. Unfortunately, her toss was poor and the resulting splash sends drops of water onto her which immediately begin to burn through her. She collapses upon the floor, dying. Val steps in to heal her and she immediately scrambles away from the accursed pooled.

While Araxie recuperates, the others send Azim to their ship to retrieve fishing rods. After a bit of careful work the group is able to retrieve the golden key. Araxie controls the water still clinging onto the key to move it so that they can pick up the key. They move through the foyer and up the stairs all holding onto each other with Maddox at the front holding the key prominently so that the death knights will allow them to move freely through the tower.

The Wizards Bedroom & A Mimic
450 XP

Climbing the spiral stair case they the first landing they come to looks like the wizards personal quarters. The spacious round room has a large bed. There are many shelves, two large chests, a fire place and in the middle of the room a large desk with a floating pink crystal above it.

After Araxie nearly looses an arm to the treasure chest that turned out to be a mimic, a creature disguising itself as a chest, the group moves about the rest of the room looking for useful items and any other interesting bits. They notice a large clockwork celestial map on the ceiling which moves with intricate patterns representing the stars and various planes. A window looks out upon a mountain landscape midwinter. The scene is obviously not that of Baldur's Gate. A picture displays a summer picnic scene with a family moving about and enjoying the day.

Deshani inspects the pink crystal that floats above the table. It moves towards her and seems to be trying to communicate with her. It seems to beckon her to follow as it moves towards the stairs.

The Chamber Pot Of Holding

Val and Maddox look for magical treasure. Since the chest was clearly not a place to store any sort of treasure it must be somewhere else. They both look under the bed. All that's there is a chamber pot. Val pauses, then finally grabs the chamber pot and looks in. All he can see is a dark void within. He pulls it out and looks deep into the bowels of the chamber pot. He cannot see anything except blackness. He decides to tie a rope to one of the handles and the other to himself. For the next while he walks around trailing a chamber pot clanging behind him.

Eventually after much nervous experimentation. Val allows himself to fully enter the chamber pot. He enters a dimension of blackness. The little light there is glitters off numerous gold coins and a few gems. Val spends time trying to figure out how to maneuver around until Maddox pulls him out.

<DM Note: What the Fuck!?!? That was hilarious....and incredible. I didn't think anyone would find the treasure in the chamber pot.>

Deshani finally gives in to the pink crystal's beckoning. She follows it up the stairs. The next landing is clearly a library. Or was. Half of the room is destroyed. Bookshelves broken. Books torn apart. But the crystal beckons further up the stairs. Deshani is curious though. She enters the library followed by Val. She speaks out to Val but her voice echoes back to hear just delayed enough to cause her to stutter and falter. Odd. She tries again and calls out to the group below.

The Desecrated Library

Immediately the volume of her voice is echoed again and again at such volume that the two of them cover their ears and are just able to keep from passing out. They exit the library, returning to the living quarters where they tell the rest of the group about the library and warn them about being quiet. Returning up to the library, Deshani quietly investigates the shelves and central table. Most of the books are destroyed and sitting on the table is a small wooden box with holes along its sides.

But Deshani's little pink crystal continues to beckon to her. It wishes them to continue up the stairs. At the top of the stairs is a large circular door with a keyhole the size and shape of the key Maddox holds. Unlocking the door and continuing up the stairs they pass a floor with a massive summoning circle and then continuing upwards arrive at the top of tower which is open to the sky.

At the top of the tower they can see down onto the city of Baldur's Gate. At the center of the tower's roof is a massive telescope. It's metal construction bears many sigils and arcane runs covering the instrument as it points towards the heavens. As Araxie approaches to look through the telescope a tall gentleman with pale blue skin walks around from the far side of the telescope.

The New Owner Of The Soul Spire
7,200 XP

He introduces himself as Vassago. He is now the owner of the Soul Spire. When the group informs him of the great grandson, Azim, who awaits below, Vassago laughs. The Soul Spire cannot be inherited it must be earned....by killing the previous owner.

Araxie glances into the telescope. She sees the moon. More than the simple moonscape with craters and rocks, she sees a crystal structure, massive in size. Within the crystal structure is an old man slumped in a corner obviously gasping for breath. As Araxie pulls away from the telescope, perhaps to call the other's attention to what she has found, she sees the angered face of Vassago who begins to transform before their eyes.

In an instant, Vassago is no longer a tall thin human, albeit with blue skin, he is a massive djinn, who stands in a swirling storm of wind which holds him aloft. With a last glance into the telescope Araxie notices beside the crystal structure the words, carved in with perhaps a rock or a boot heel, "blue button".

The djinn attacks.

Deshani tries to grab the djinn with Bigby's Hand but the djinn is able to force his way out. He attacks by creating whirlwinds which catch Deshani and toss her like a child's rag doll. The rest of the group retaliates and Araxie pushes the blue button that she finds on a panel on the telescope. There is a rushing air sound and in an instant there is the same old man from the crystal structure on the moon standing beside Araxie bent over gasping for breath.

They cannot take the time to ask the old man anything, for the djinn is moving the whirling air storm that holds Deshani, over the towers threshold and she tumbles directly over the 200 hundred foot drop to the ground.

Maddox begins to bring massive damage to the djinn and finally the old wizard is able to stand and the djinn dissipates into mist and travel down the stairs towards the summoning circle. The whirlwind which was holding Deshani aloft though, dissipates along with the djinn. Deshani immediately begins to plummet towards the ground. She is able to stabilize herself quickly enough and casts Bigby's Hand once more and catches herself within the giant hand. Bringing the hand back up to the tower's roof the jumps off and onto the roof badass style.

<DM Note: Nicely done. I was pretty sure Deshani was going to die. Did we bend the rules a bit?...maybe...but full points for creativity>

The Return Of Amun-Ra
1,000 XP

Introductions are made and the old wizard, Armaka Amun-Ra, thanks the group. It would seem that he had summoned the djinn in hopes of obtaining more power (and maybe a wish or two) but the djinn was able to trick him into being trapped in one of the wizards own traps. Apparently, the djinn, was trying to destroy the library in revenge for being initially captured by the wizard but perhaps the myna-rig was able to fend the creature off.

He offers Araxie the myna-rig as a gift. Who knows....perhaps she can make some interesting use of it. He notices that Deshani now is accompanied by the pink crystal which has taken to riding near her shoulder. Amun-Ra explains that it is an emerald eye, but it seems to have been cracked. Perhaps the djinn is responsible. Unfortunately, it can no longer talk but seems to communicate well enough with Deshani. He tells Deshani that it would seem the two have bonded, she should take it with her.

Maddox hovers around the wizard's room long enough for the wizard to give in and give Maddox something. He hands him a folded square of paper. He tells Maddox to unfold it when he needs it. It will turn into a paper version of a beholder. It will only be able to attack once before it goes up in flames...but hey....he's always thought they were fun.

Maddox asks if the wizard can teach him how to make them.

The wizard says no.

A New Ship, A New Threat

The adventurers wander the new ship. The decks are empty and clean. The construction and retrofitting are complete. They wander the the ship checking out the empty cabins. Each one picks his own. Maddox selects a cabin with the closest access to the stairs. Val searches for a cabin with a mirror. There is no way he is going on a voyage with no way to check his hair. He is relieved when he finds a cabin with a small round polished silver plate affixed to the wall of a small cabin. Droop climbs the rigging and makes a place among the ropes and struts on the underside of the balloon structure, and hides.
Araxie of course enters her massive captain's quarters and immediately runs a bath and soaks.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Droop spots glowing lights under the water at various places around the ship. The ship vibrates slightly, which alerts Araxie and forces her out of her bath.
Droop descends the rigging and sends his wolf to alert those below in the crew quarters.

When everyone is assembled they look into the water and see 6 different spots of blue arcane light deep below the water surface.
Val immediately jumps in the water. Water is freezing cold and dark. He uses his detect magic to see what seem to be ritual summoning circles being formed upon the sea floor. He is not able to see who or what is doing the summoning but can see the magic weave form from their hand movements. He targets that.
Araxie jumps into the water and sees two grey skinned creatures at each summoning circle performing some sort of ritual. She attacks swimming fast, trident in hand.
Droop summons giant octopuses which form upon the deck of the ship. Droop commands them into the water to attack whatever threat they find.

Ropers In The Night
8,100 XP

Within each summoning circle a large rock-like structure begins to emerge. By the time Val and Araxie are underwater two of them are already making their way towards the ship and begin climbing aboard. The other circles begin forming their own rock-like towering structure within.

The two rock-like, Ropers, using their long tentacles pull themselves up and over the ships railing and attack.
Deshani uses Bigbys Hand to grab one of the ropers and holds it above the deck and begins to crush it. Maddox attacks it using his sword.
Droop sees the other roper begins to attack.

Soon the first roper is crushed under the glowing arcane hand of Deshani's crumbling like crumbs of stone upon the deck.
That's when the third roper pulls itself up on the deck. Maddox takes a massive amount of damage from one of the ropers crushing rock-like tentacles.

Under the water both Araxie and Val have killed enough of the monks performing the rituals to interrupt the summoning. Several rock structures are stuck halfway in the sea floor and remain there.
After a while they finish off the monks with Araxie killing and dismembering them and the water fills with a black liquid ooze that spreads out.

On deck the last roper surviving grabs Droop and begins to crush him and then bites him several times. The little goblin falls unconscious, death being staved off only by his magical ring holding him at the brink of death.

Val, swimming at the surface of the water grasps onto the ship but is unable to climb out of the freezing water. He reaches for a potion of flying and floats up to the ships railing landing, hands on hips looking fantastic.

He sees the little goblin lying unconscious and near death on the deck of the ship amid a mass of stone rubble. He walks over and performs spare the dying.
Awaking, Droop hears the group debate over what exactly just happened. Maddox was hoping to inspect one of the bodies from the water. Droop calls forth his octopuses that he had summoned and tells them to bring one of the bodies from the water.

The octopus emerges dragging a grey mangled corpse. There is not a lot left. Araxie had done a lot of damage but clearly the body is decomposing quickly. so quickly one may call it disintegrating before their eyes.The creature's skin was grey and remnants of horns upon the head would suggest some sort of devil.

The group collectively turns away and heads back to sleep.

Library Heist
(yes...apparently nothing is above being robbed)

The next day, Deshani is found wandering the ship. There are no books on board. She is trying to figure out what is so important about Maddox's book that would attract such devilish attention. There are no books to be found. She is hesitant about returning to the Prism Library but she knows that that is the most likely place to find the source of information she seeks. Val and Droop agree to accompany her.

They head to the library. No librarian greets them. The only activity are the library automatons going about their daily work of sorting and organizing the books. Val decides that he would like to know how one works, perhaps even build or repurpose one. He asks one of them where he might find a book on automaton building and programming. It directs him to a shelf and retrieves a large tome filled with schematics and magic runes.

It then directs Val to sign out of the book. Val signs the ledger, "Maddox".

The automatons are a combination of clockwork and arcanic workings. As he tries to figure out what he is reading he looks to the automaton waiting patiently beside him and Val decides it would be way easier to figure out if he actually had an automaton of his own. He tries to figure out the off button from the book. He cant figure it out.

He asks Deshani for a bit of help. Deshani takes a quick break from searching for her book and flips to the index she finds the procedure to shut down the automaton. Val, then folds it as best he can and tosses over his back.

Deshani has collected a massive stack of books and Droop has collected a tower of random books he has found and the group looks at all of them wondering how they will carry all of them. It is then that they look to the other automatons going about their business. One of them opens the door on its chest reaches in and pulls out a book that clearly would not have had the space to fit inside it's body. The chest of the automaton acts as a "bag of holding". They load up Val's deactivated automaton.

They return to the ship.

The Ships Crew

Back on the ship, Araxie and Maddox watch as crew, recruited back by the former Captain MacKensey, file back aboard the ship. Some of them, knowing Araxie is the new captain, talk loud enough for Araxie to hear grumblings about having a female captain. It's bad luck to have a female aboard a ship, nevermind being captain. Araxie takes note of each and every offensive speaker.

When Deshani, Val and Droop return from their library mission. Deshani immediately heads downstairs to make sure no one has taken her quarters. Since the room she has chosen is actually intended for 4 people it is a large room....but she has no intentions of sharing.
Val drops off his automaton back in his room and decides it needs sprucing up. He spends his time applying detailed paint to depict a sparkling rainbow effect across the mechanical being. He stands back, covered in bright colors and sparkles to admire his handywork.

Topside, Araxie has assembled her new crew and begins to give a speech introducing herself and the other in her close group to the sailors. She is then interrupted by a howling screech from below decks in Deshani's voice "Get Out Of My Room!". Four sailors soon emerge from below panting from the run they have just made.

Araxie singles out the individuals she had overheard making disparaging comments about her. The other sailors back away forming a ragged circle around the seven sailors. Araxie explains she has no time for anyone who isn't willing and able to follow her orders. She tells them to get off her ship. When these seven sailors then look to the former captain MacKensey but this incenses Araxie further and she bellows at them. Aided by the sword of Maddox the seven make a quick exit off the ship.

Strange Visitors
7,300 XP

As these sailors depart, a distinguished elderly gentleman in fine robes accompanied by 4 very familiar tall robed guards boards the ship. He introduces himself as Count Taraka. He is in the employ of The Duke Of Baldur's Gate, Lundbaar Gnusbat, who wishes to apologize. He inquires if there are private quarters in which they can talk freely. Araxie and the others are suspicious but she shows them into her own personal quarters. The guards are told to wait outside.

Maddox sits at one end of the table while Count Taraka sits at the other. Count Taraka tells the group that Lundbaar Gnusbat apologizes for the rudeness of his request for Maddox's book. Clearly the group is not some ragtag group looking to make money selling a rare and powerful book. Lundbaar is an eager collector of such antiquities. His eagerness had simply overwhelmed his better sense. But clearly, the group does not fully appreciate the power of the book they hold in their possession.

The book's power to save the world is of utmost importance. If they do not know how to use it, then better it be given to those who can. In return, he is prepared to give each of them whatever it is they desire the most. All else pales in comparison to the sheer chaos that would envelop this world if the book should fail to be used properly.

The group as well as the interests that Count Taraka represents simply want the same thing. For the wicked to be punished and chaos to be exterminated from the universe. Surely what could the group argue against such pure goals. He turns to each and speaks to them individually, offering whatever it is they truly desire. To Val he offers eternal beauty and the adoration of people forever. They will speak of Val's beauty in legends. Val listens intently. All Count Taraka asks for in return is possession of the book. A book that the group can do nothing with. He will ensure the book is used to fight chaos.

Maddox uses sense good and evil  and studies Count Taraka. It shows a creature sitting across from Maddox, as clearly evil as anything he has encountered before.

The Theft Of The Book

Maddox swears that the Count shall never take this book. With that Count Taraka turns to Val with his hand extended. Val pulls out from behind his back the book, which he places in the Count's hands. Maddox becomes incensed and climbs upon the table and strides across it to stand in front of the Count, his sword imbued with arcanic energy. Maddox brings the sword down with terrible fury but the Count then opens a portal behind him and steps through, escaping the group.

The rest of the group swing the doors open and attack the guards. The guards once they realize that the Count is in possession of the book and has escaped, they too teleport away from the group. But it isn't long before the group hears shouts of surprise and excitement from sailors out on the deck of the ship. They burst out onto the deck to see the guards running away up the gangplank as well they see Count Taraka up on the cliffs running into the tower, Morkath's Seminary.

Araxie and Deshani lob spears and spells at the retreating guards while Maddox grabs onto Val who teleports them up to the school at the top of the cliff.

They burst through the door, hinges failing and dust flying everywhere. They stand in the swirling debris silhouetted by the outside light. All they see though is surprised students sitting at various tables with their studying interrupted.

Nothing looks out of place except for Maddox and Val.

The Reacquiring Of The Book 

Val uses his detect magic but the room is filled with various objects everywhere that give off a magical glow. He studies each item and person as best he can quickly. He notices that one of the students holds a regular notebook but using his magic sense, the book looks much larger and more powerful than a simple notebook filled with arcana.

Maddox strides to the student in question, and grabs the notebook out of the students hand. He blasts both the book and the student with Moonbeam from his chest piece. The result is several students fall unconscious in the blast but the book no longer looks like a notebook, it is the book that was stolen from Maddox. Gone too is the student. In his place a broad humanoid creature with the features of a tiger.

Before Maddox or Val can react, a shimmering portal opens up beneath the creature. Visions of a burning plain filled with the stench of sulfur come from the portal. Count Taraka screams in agony and protests that he has done his part. That it isn't his fault. But his screams of protests are cut short as the portal closes.

At least they have the book back.

Library Of Untouchable Books

After winning the gladiatorial battle of K-Ball, the group, some of them quite battered and beaten, leave the arena. They immediately call for an audience with the Duke, Lundbaar Gnusbat. They want their money.

They enter into the meeting room they were in before and soon the Duke, a grey skinned gnome enters the room. The group demands The Order's money. The Duke explains that it will take time to accumulate that much money. They will have their well earned money by the evening.

He offers them a chance to become the house's new gladiatorial team, which they quickly decline. The Duke pauses, he seems to be thinking or even sensing something. He inquires to Maddox about perhaps a book in Maddox's possession. He inquires as to whether Maddox wishes to sell the book. He is a collector of such odds and ends. It would be of no use to Maddox. Maddox declines.

Curious About The Book

He says that he would even pay for the privilege of seeing such a rare item. Maddox declines. The Duke thinks for a minute and decides to end the meeting. The group is welcome to their best room to have as much food, drink and companionship as they may desire, until their meeting this evening. He leaves and the watch captain, Gad Skymane, escorts the group to the area of the casino in which the luxury rooms are.

Gad, along with four security guards escort the group down a long corridor which ends with a large door. Gad produces a large cylindrical key and opens the door. The door, massively thick opens to reveal a lush and beautifully large room. On one side of the room is a long table piled high with an assortment of food and drink. On the far side is an area with beds, each with a sheer curtain separating the beds from each other and the rest of the room. On the side opposite the food table is a bathing area, again separated with a sheer curtain. In the center of the room is a depression which holds many chairs and couches for lounging and entertaining.

Gad, bids them do as they please. Companionship can be arranged, female, male or beast, according to individual desires. Gad and the guards leave.

The Lap Of Luxury
3,000 XP

Araxie heads to the bathing area and immediately doffs armor, disrobes and jumps into a large bath of warm water, which itself is bathed in the warm light of a chandelier above.

The rest move about the room looking at all it has to offer. Deshani moves to the food table and begins to eat and to pocket food away for later. Maddox collapses onto one of the couches to tend to his many wounds, both light and grevious. Val wanders around the room looking at the many pictures lining the walls. Each is an oil painting depicting multiple bodies writhing together in various states of undress. The expressions on the faces could either be that of exquisite ecstasy or excruciating pain. He notices along the wall, at floor level, there is steel grating. This all bothers him. He thinks to himself...."I should probably stop breathin..."

That is as far as he gets as he collapses to the floor. At the same moment Deshani falls to the floor food clattering out of her hand. Araxie's body slips underneath the water and her chest no longer rises and falls with breathing. Maddox feels the room spin and is just able to resist the urge to sleep. As he falls to his knees upon the floor he puts his hand to his chest and pushes healing energy into himself with lay on hands. Feeling his constitution return, he stands and quickly surveys the room. The room is quickly filling with a white mist. He sees his companions fallen and has to choose which ones to run to first. He moves as quick as he can to Val and performs the magical healing spell again. He then runs to each as best he can.

Goblin, Man's Best Friend

Outside the room and down the corridor, stands an invisible goblin, Droop. He has snuck into the casino via the sewer system and is now looking at four very tall hooded guards, standing at the door at the end of the hallway, peering into it using some sort of crystal.

He has come to work with and for The Order. He was there in the sewers while Maddox and Val came into the production area of Wonder Ale. He had heard Maddox tell "Mother" Gug that the goblin clan works for The Order now. And he heard "Mother" agree. So he is off to fulfill his life's mission. He downs a potion of invisibility and makes his way through the sewer system he knows like the back of his filthy hand.

He peers down the corridor and watches the four guards. In the other direction are 2 more guards about 100 feet away. He conjures several wolves and sends attacking the four guards while casting silence so as not to alert the other guards.

The battle is fierce but eventually the two warring parties decimate each other until he is able to slip near the guard holding the key. Slipping the key off of the guard he opens the door and opens it hiding behind the now open door.

Some mechanism must have kicked in because there is a whooshing sound and the mist is visibly being pulled down and into the grates along the floor. Soon the air is clear and the characters stand looking towards the door as Droop begins to appear and introduces himself.

As the group digests the information of this newest uninvited member of their party, they discuss what they should do. They move the bodies of the guards inside the room. Maddox moves towards the door. As he closes the door he looks closely at it. The door is made of heavy steel, six inches thick with numerous locking bolts along its height. He takes the key and closes the door. Inserting the key into the door on the roomside he decides how best to break the key off in the door. The key is solid metal and quite large.

Please Don't Touch Anything

The silence in the room is abruptly broken by a loud crashing sound as they all turn towards the bathing area. There they see Droop holding his staff above him towards the ceiling and a large chandelier, which used to be above the goblin, now crashed down on the floor. Droop shrugs and immediately begins to pick out the best and pretties glass crystal pieces and place them in a sack, all the while smiling away.

Val resurrects the guards into his personal zombies. The creatures stand, their robes in tatters from the wolf attack and no longer hooded their frightening faces are revealed. They appear as some sort of devil with series of sharp bony horns covering their faces. They stand slightly swaying awaiting for Val to give them a command.

Araxie begins to don her armor. There is a fight coming and she isn't gonna be caught unarmored.

As Maddox stands near the door readying his sword to break the key in the door, there is a polite knock on the door. The group stands looking at each other. Eventually, Maddox opens the door. Outside is the captain of the guard. He is accompanied by four more guards, each in their robed garb. They all enter and Gad Skymane makes his pleasantries.

An Awkard Position

Two of the guards move around the room in opposite directions as Gad speaks. Soon one of the guards pulls back the curtains to one of the sleeping areas. There in front of him are four zombie versions of himself. His hand goes to his sword as he looks back to Gad.

Gad raises his eyebrows and asks, "care to explain."
Without missing a beat, Val says "you said anything goes." "We can do whatever freaky shit we want"
Gad shrugs. Yes....that is what the rooms are meant for.

Gad then produces a scroll. It is the promissory note they have been promised. Maddox opens it and inspects it. The Order is now the holder of some 300,000 gold.

Money Reaquired
1,000 XP

The group thanks him and moves off. They are done here.

They return to the Order's keep. Once there Maddox allows Droop to take an oath to serve the Order. Droop looks confused and shrugs and says "we'll see" and lays down at Maddox's feet. Maddox not feeling completely comfortable with this creature loose in the keep, ties him up.

Planar Nightmares

The night is filled with visions for each of the group. Dreams and nightmares of flashing images of a huge beast. Feet crushing the bones of people. Walls and buildings crumbling from a large tail. The screams of people and animals as they die horrible crushing deaths. Each of them have a final image of being engulfed in a giant mouth and falling down into blackness.

Each of them awake from the nightmare. Deshani begins to quickly jot down details of her nightmare before it eventually fades. She immediately decides to run out to the city's library, Prism Library. On her way she meets up with Val. They walk together in silence for a while until they both turn into the library. They pause, look at each other curiously and ask simultaneously why they are coming to the library. They then simultaneously explain to each other about the dream. They had the same dream and both had decided to come to the library to research what they had seen.

The Library Of Untouchable Books
5,000 XP

The enter the library, a vast building with a soaring ceiling. Book shelves stretch off into the distance and a small gnome walks towards the two mages, his feet padding softly in the silence of the library. They ask to see a book which would explain the creature in their shared dream. They describe the visions and the librarian, Ponkoss Gnokmoss, says no, he has no book like that.

Something in Ponkoss' manner, catches Deshani's suspicious nature. She demands why he is hiding the book. Ponkoss is visibly nervous. A wooden and metal creature on spindly legs approaches and in a mechanical voice, asks the group which book they are looking for. They tell the automaton the same criteria given to the librarian. The automaton begins to tell of the book but the librarian cuts it off. He gives in and says, ok there is a book but they can't get it yet. The library is being renovated in that area. After several attempts at subterfuge and Deshani offering various levels of threats Ponkoss gives in.

There is a book like they describe but the book resides in a place in the library where no one can go. Decades ago the previous librarian, a Bardyl Gylex, was tasked with protecting the books of the library. He discovered a scroll which would create golems which would protect the books from theft or damage. He set about to create them and once created he gave them the command "don't let anyone touch the books". Golems being simple creatures followed his command slavishly. When Bardyl went to retrieve a book, they killed him. He assumed they would understand that he could still touch the books.

Now no one can access the books in that area. No one.

Vall and Deshani decide to test this out. They drag Ponkoss along with them as he directs them to the spiral metal staircase leading down to the level where the book in question is kept. Val says he has a plan. He tells Deshani to stay at the top of the stairs. He grabs Ponkoss and together the two descend into the dreaded wing of the library.

Down in the next floor, the library floor is made of cobblestone and the walls polished rock. The corridors are lit with glowing orbs lining the walls. Ponkoss nervously directs Val towards the desired book. Once in front of the book, Val looks around...no sign of any golems. He casts a portal to outside the library and prepares to grab the book. Ponkoss grabs on to the back of Val's garments and holds on tight. Val deftly grabs the book and immediately the large empty room is filled with the noise of rocks grinding on rocks. The cobblestones of the floor begin to pull together quickly and in a shower of grit and dust, a 10 foot tall golem made up of the cobblestones from the floor reaches for Val and the little librarian.

Val jumps towards the portal as he feels stone hands rake across his back. He jumps through the portal grasping the book to his chest. When he and the arriving Deshani look back through the shrinking portal they see the golem with it's hand smashed flat on the floor, and Ponkoss' arms and legs just visible among the viscera and blood that is smashed beneath  the golem's hand. Dusting himself off and adjusting his book under his arm, the two of them stride up the stairs and sit on the large stone steps of the library and open the book.

An Interesting Read

Finding the appropriate section, after a bit of looking, together they read of The Tarrasque. The World Ender. A mythical creature spoke only of in legends and fairy tales. A creature summoned from the Outer Planes to descend upon a land and devour and destroy it entirely. The Tarrasque which is unkillable, unstoppable, unthinking and unreleneting. The summoning is a terrible and horrific affair but such a ritual is only hinted at and not written of in this tome.

With a shudder both Val and Deshani look at each other before closing the book. Perhaps they should share this with the others.

The Ship Formerly Known As The Mirasandra

Meanwhile, Maddox, Araxie and the groups newfound goblin speak with the mage in charge of the retrofitting of Araxie's new ship. Maddox offers him the promissory note of money which is owed to the Mage's Guild for the ship. The old mage beckons them to follow him to Captain Araxie's new ship. After a long and slow walk to the docks controlled by The Order, they approach a tall tower structure on the cliffs looking down onto the sea....and a large wooden ship with many workers bustling about it giving it the final touches.

Above the ship is a large balloon structure floats anchored to the ship with numerous ropes and metal wiring. They descend a gangplank onto the ship. They are given a tour with it ending in the quarter-deck's hold. There in the center of the hold is a vast crystal sphere. Inside is a roiling, swirling mist. As the group approaches it...the swirling mist quickens and then quickly forms a face filled with rage as it smashes against the inside of the crystal sphere as it seems to be trying to attack the group which stands in front of it.

Surrounding and coming off the sphere are many metal wires, conduits and tubes, each leading along the walls and ceiling trailing off onto unseen parts of the ship. They are told that this crystal sphere holds an air elemental. The energy of this creature is siphoned off and sent to various parts of the ship. This is the ship's power source.

A Magical Song And Dance

Maddox meanwhile has been feeling left out, being the only one who hasn't been able to visit the old woman's magical shop. He has heard tell from the others and he feels he should be deserving of a enchanted magical store visit. He implores Val to show him how do call upon Madam Tuqill and her magical emporium. Val tells him that it requires singing and dancing.

Maddox reluctantly agrees. Val begins his song and dance amid the crowded streets of Baldur's Gate. He sings while swinging on lamp posts in front of shady dockside taverns. He kicks and turns, prestidigitating showers and rainbows all the while signing gracefully as greasy and crooked men turn to watch. Maddox follows suit as best he can. Kicking and twirly awkwardly in his armor. Maddox's voice begins to fill in beside Val's and the dockside spectators even begin to join in. Soon the magical music swells and men, women and children along with Maddox and Val are dancing in choreographed synchronicity down the wet and dirty streets. As the music and dancing come to a crescendo, a crooked wooden house comes into being seemingly sandwiched in between two buildings.

The music fades and people return to their daily drudgery. They will speak of this in hushed and awed tones for years to come until it too fades into myth.

They see again the crowded little shack, with it's odds and ends and brick-a-brack stacked and shoved into nooks and crannies. They find in the center a large table with stools for each of them to sit. Val goes to sit in the large ornate chair only to find it occupied by the small woman, Madam Tuqill.

She looks to Maddox and admonishes him for being late. He should have been here long ago.
Deshani soon infuriates the old woman to the point where she snaps her fingers and the rug beneath Deshani's stool moves and wraps Deshani up nearly smothering her.
Maddox respectfully ask for something magical...armor perhaps. She tells him to look around. Eventually he finds a shield with the image of the moon etched in excellent detail. He nods approvingly and takes it. Madam Tuqill reminds them of the task she had asked of them.
Deshani meanwhile continues to berate the old woman and soon the group finds themselves outside near the docks again, people bustling around them and the emporium no where to be seen.

Morkath's Seminary & An Disgruntled Ex-Captin

The group leaves and returns to the cliffs and the large tower building nearby. As they approach they see many young people move about in small groups, many with books in hand. The name carved in the stone lintel above the door says the name of this building is 'Morkath's Seminary'. Entering the building they come to a large common room with many long tables with groups of students clustered in various areas. Off to the side is a long table where Araxie and H set off to settle the cost of the firearms that H outfitted onto Araxie's new, as of yet, unnamed ship.

The negotiations are fierce and begin to heat up. Tensions are not helped by the half drunken unwanted attentions of a sailor who approaches Araxie. Hearing her talk of huge sums of money the sailor, who introduces himself as Captain MacKensey...well, just MacKensey now. The Order took his ship from him and gave it to some female. Some bitch.

Araxie introduces herself as said bitch.

MacKensey apologizes and as a peace offering allows Araxie to buy him a drink. Araxie decides to recruit MacKensey in aquiring some crew for her new ship. As it will be needing some men and woman with naval experience. Her only crew so far being Orson Goosecry who she believes will be of absolutely no use once they set sail. But she'll find a purpose for him.

The Duke Of Baldur's Gate

The group has just finished killing of their former friend troll, Jabir. His deformed and corrupted body lies in the middle of the street. Tendrils of corrupt vines lie strewn everywhere connected to his blackened body.

One of the group thinks back. There was another of the troll family that had fled. Maddox's presence had frightened it so much that it fled down the street and out of sight. They should probably pursue.

As they run down the streets they soon pick up on the sounds of screams and people fleeing. Araxie runs at full speed towards the running and crying troll. Maddox decides to move down a different street in hopes of cutting off the troll.  As the troll, Sligo, realizes it's caught between the very scary Maddox and the raging barbarian Araxie it freezes.

Enter Deshani

It is then that they see a strongly built, grey skinned woman step out of a building. She seems excited by the activity and the possibility of battle. She begins to lob offensive spells towards the troll as Araxie runs up to the troll and slices with such fury that the troll hasn't a chance to even retaliate much before it falls.

Leaving yet another troll body in the middle of the street (someone will clean up this mess...right?) they leave for The Order's keep with their new mage friend, Deshani who follows along in hopes of more action.

As they walk along towards the keep, the townspeople who eventually and hesitantly exit their buildings stand in awe and horror of the sight of the huge troll bodies which now lie just outside their doors. A few quickly dive back into their homes after they see the tendrils which come off the trollish body of Jabir begin to move and drag the body away.

The Questioning Of Goosecry

Back at the keep Maddox questions Orson Goosecry as to the whereabouts of all of The Order's money. Orson explains that during their civil strife within The Order, he decided it would be wisest to keep the money somewhere safe. Somewhere where no one but him had access to it. The Order could have easily fallen to the machinations of the followers of Ondine. Orson asks Maddox to keep this in mind, the fact that he had saved the Order's resources, before Maddox lets his anger get the better of him.

The money is being kept in a very safe vault. The vault in question is in a casino, a very secure and reputable casino, The Duke Of Baldur's Gate.

Unfortunately, since he was in the casino he decided it would be fun to try a little gambling. He had of course heard of people spending time and money in such places and wanted to see what pleasures it could possibly afford. Well, it would seem a lot of pleasure and a lot of money. He had lost all of his own money....none of The Order's of course. And now the Duke wanted him to reapay....in the form of participating in the gladiatorial games. This he cannot do. He was not made for battle. He is not like Maddox and the others.

They head off towards the casino.

The Duke Of Baldur's Gate

They soon approach a vast building. The building is made of solid stone and looks like many buildings all attached to one another. Entering they find a pretty woman behind a desk. They ask to see the Duke. She asks if they have an appointment. When that subterfuge fails, Vall steps up and says that the Duke and him are old friends and The Duke will be pleased to see him. He tosses his hair back in a slow motion film way and the woman says off course...she kind of recognizes him. Go on in.

Inside the casino the main floor is a hubbub of activity. There are dozens of gambling tables each with it's own crowd around it. The floor is covered in a thick luxurious red carpet and the walls are done in a rich dark wood. As they move through the room near the center they find a massive opening ringed with a metal fence. Inside the ring they see a vast sand filled arena several feet below them.

Araxie's Growing Wealth

Araxie heads off to gamble some of her vast treasure store....and ends up winning more.

Deshani watches a gambling table where a scrawny greasy young man, against all odds, keep tossing and winning on the roll of a couple of dice. The crowd is gathering and cheering. The table's croupier becomes more and more agitate. Until he signals for security. As the security, two very tall robed and hooded figures, approaches, the greasy man turns to leave. He bumps into Deshani and quickly gives her the dice before he runs away. Deshani pockets the dice and walks away.

Deshani's Odd Little Dice

The group looks around for someone in charge. They see several of the same security figures, all dressed in the same robes and hoods. They also see a large human, a regal looking cape covering thick plate mail armor. They approach him and introduces themselves as from The Order....and they want their money.

He leaves them after explaining he will discuss the matter with the Duke. He soon returns and escorts them into a lavish meeting room with a long table. After four guards, two for each door enter, a small grey skinned gnome enters. He is dressed lavishly and has many chains of gold and other jewelry. His hair and beard are shocking white which makes his grey skin more pronounced. He climbs a set of small stairs which leads to his ornate chair at the end of the table.

Maddox informs him they have come for The Order's money.

A Little Grey Gnome

The gnome, Lundbaar Gnusbat, tells them that they are holding on to The Order's money as collateral. It would seem Orson Goosecry cannot repay his debts and it will be held until he does. Maddox offers to pay the debt, but Lundbaar, the Duke, tells him the debt is no longer money. Orson must play in the gladiatorial games. That is what his customers demand for entertainment.

Lundbaar allows, if not Orson, perhaps the group would fight on his behalf. He will forgive the debt after that. The group continues to try to negotiate but eventually give in. They will fight in his game.

They are taken to a lower level of the casino. Here the walls are no longer luxurious. The rooms no longer plush. The walls are bare stone and often blood stained. The room they are put in is sparse and has no furnishings whatsoever. They talk until they hear the sounds of an announcer building up the excitement of the crowd. He announces the casino's home team of gladiators, The Sea Foxes. He introduces each one by name which is accompanied with a loud roar of approval from the crowd above.

Let The Bloodbath Begin

The group is then ushered into the arena.

As they walk up the large ramp the noise of the arena hits them. They walk into a sand filled vast arena area. Above them, spectators stand around the fence ringing the open ceiling looking down onto the arena floor. They see several of the spectators purchase what seem to be scrolls.

They are put into a corner opposite the other team. The other team is a group of six woman. Some of the woman are broad shouldered and are swinging steel spiked balls on chain. While others lean and sinewy juggle three axes with natural ease.

In the center is a zigurat, a stone stepped pyramid. Atop which sits a kruthik, a metal multi-legged creature which is struggling against the chain which is spiked into the top of the pyramid holding the creature there. Off on the sand sits, halfway between the two groups is a what looks to be a steel ball.

They are told the steel ball is actually a kruthik hatchling put to sleep. The first team to return the kruthik hatchling unharmed to the writhing scything arms of its mother will win. Just be careful, if you jostle the hatchling too much it will wake and will be painful to carry. All else it allowed.

Welcome to K-Ball.

4,000 XP

The battle is quick and almost a total slaughter. But the battle is made harder by spectators tossing random spells down onto the contestants below. As well the groups spells often go awry for some reason. The piratey woman even though they are physically unmatched quickly take the advantage by using magic to move the ball directly from it's original position to a woman standing just below the adult kruthik. They are physically between but the Sea Foxes are about to win, one of the woman holding the hatchling reaching up towards the mother.

Maddox bellows out the command "drop it"...and she does. The battle continues.

Vall, who continually uses detect magic, is always seeing small points of light flicker always around one of the Sea Foxes. Soon enough the group learns that they are fairies....using invisibility. Vall targets them and they burst in small explosions of gore and glittery dust.

After retrieving an escaping and writhing