Carrying the bowl

Kalgeon, Neb, Kodiak and Bradrick start trekking through town with the big bowl.
Mr. Horn, Cereth, and KCorrell head off after the Efreet

A demon pops out of no where and runs Kalgeon through with a spear.
Bradrick bounds over and hits him, but does no damage.
Fight ensues – Kalgeon gets the worst of it. The others try and keep The Bubua flanked and surrounded, and finally wiped him out.
Decided to head back to the pyramid, as we were only a short distance from the pyramid, but still a good distance from the portal.

Rested, got spells and healing, and then started to head out again.

Went down hallway and there was the Efreet again. Wanted to give us three wishes for the pestle. Senseless banter followed and then the melee broke out.

Haste kicked in from Neb, Bradrick ran down the stairs and shot the Efreet one time. Kodiak engaged it in toe to toe, with help from Neb’s spells. Bradrick broke his bow and was stunned for 4 rounds. Kalgeon enlarged Kodiak so he could be more even more of a meat shield.
Kodiak beat him down finally and killed him.

KCorrell meets up with us and head through town. No Gnolls mess with us at all, nor are there any knolls that put resistance.

We get to the portal, and go through to get to the elves. We keep the other keys that were stuck on “our” side of the portal.

Elves are very glad to see us. Offer to heal us, give us a place to rest, etc. They would like an audience with us once we are rested.

Meet with Merselong Springlawn – very high ranking elf, but not part of the clergy. “Happy to help and very curious…” They want the key that we had to get to the Gnoll land, and they will offer goods in trade.

Kalgeon – Ring - +4 Concentration
Neb – Rapier (Hobbit sized) - +2, +4 to verify crits
Bradrick – Short bow sized – but when used it is a Long Bow - +2
Mr. Horn – Pipe of spell regaining – smoke it for 15 minutes and get one spell back
Correll - +2 ring of regeneration
Kodiak - +2 shield – 1x per day fires a sun ray – 5’ bolt of sun light
Cereth - +2 Ring of Dex

They tell Mr. Horn that they know of someone that has information on the lost city – a Great Silver Dragon named Argithix – he is in the mountains north of the mines of Tubal. It is said that he was at the battle of Ebin.

The elves offer to teleport us to a major city of our choosing. They state that they will keep the mortar and pestle if we so choose. They will not teleport us to more than one place and are quite clear that they have done all that was asked of them in their “message” from their god to offer us aid. After much discussion, they bring us to Aldenach.

Mr. Horn and Bradrick go to the gates of the Royal family asking for audience to discuss information about Treyfell. Corporal Kev at the gate decided that he was the smartest man in the world and didn’t care to listen for any buzz words. Someday he will end up cleaning diarrhea ward bedpans with his tongue due to his stupidity. He seems to lack the understanding that those at the gate with information should be granted the opportunity to speak to someone that isn’t restricted to having a one syllable name due to memory issues, but obviously not a member of the royal family. It seems Corporal Kev believes that that hierarchy is “peon, Corporal Kev (known in his world as ‘me’, King”.

The rest of the group headed to Pelor’s temple. Horn and Bradrick meet up with them pretty quick due to Corporal Stupid Kev and his crap filled head and his reluctance to understand that someone knows more than he does and is really trying to help the city.

We have meeting with the High Priests and leave the pestle and mortar – which will be guarded 24x7. They offer rooms, baths, great amenities. Mr. Horn is very upset with the Pelorian offers, but still defends the elves, much to the others chagrin.

The group heads out to a sleaze joint to check out the local action <wink, wink>. Mr. Horn stays that Pelorian temple (odd as they seems with his great disdain for them) waiting for word from the royal family. Sadly, due to Corporal Kev’s inability to connect the dots, Mr. Horn misses out on one dozy of an affair.

Some chick charms Neb and brings her upstairs to a room. Turns out to be a vampire, or vampiress, or vamp, but either way he didn’t realize she said she was going to suck his neck. After quite a few rounds of wrestling, the group realizes that things are not right.
We broke in and found Neb with his pants down, bloodied, and down a few levels – so far things looked like a normal romp for the little fella. He cast a glitter dust helped when she tried to turn invisible and the gaseous so we could see her. We tried to follow her, but she flew off and hid.

HEHE....I like the Corp. Kev rant.

Thanks Dan for taking on the job of keeping everyone up on current events, you should write a story now. I take it that Corporal Kev will not be a drinking buddy of Bradricks anytime soon. Perception truly is a funny thing isn’t it? I also find it major league funny that Mr.Horn was lots more upset with a jaded gate guard than an arrogant borderline ungrateful elf lord.

Thanks again for this Dan. I think Corporal Kev did us a favor though. The Arshuran Empire may be the "good guys", but that doesn't mean that the emperor or his staff or his family are good guys. They might find that heroes working on behalf of an authority other than their own to be a threat rather than a potential ally. They might see our party's existence as a power play for the "Pelor faction" and decide to trim our sails a bit. Pelor's priest told us we should be very careful about who we talk to about our mission. I suppose that could be a power broker trying to keep his ace-in-the-hole secret, but if you really believe that, what are you doing risking your life for them?

I said it jokingly at the end of the game, but the truth is that we have to be careful. Empires in decline tend to spawn despotic emperors, and political instability. We know nothing about the emperor. We haven't asked about him and Ron hasn't volunteered anything. I think it would be good for us to objectively examine what is known about a person or group before we trust or attempt to ally ourselves with them, whether they are the Imperials or the elves.

Somehow, Barnabusanuffalupagus needs to curb his pathological impulse to hump the leg of the nearest authority figure who is not an angel of Pelor. It's dangerous and not very dignified for an older gentleman and tower owner of some note. And the rest of you have to stop encouraging him (this means you Brad). I know it's fun to wind the geriatric energizer dust bunny up and watch him go, but if the wrong folks bother listening to him and happen to have taken Gibberish in high school, he's going to get his neck tapered and what are the chances anyone will believe he's the only roach behind the drywall? I know it's just human nature to want to find an adult to entrust your problems with, but we have to accept that we have all the authority, approval and supervision we need in Pelor. If you really need someone else to take responsibility for your actions, be efficient and latch on to that. I mean this for everyone, and am in no way singling out any named Brendan or playing wizards named Barnabus. Any resemblance between characters in this story and actual people are unavoidable and impossible to ignore.

"It is a shame, What, that you are the only other intelligent creature that understands the plight of this world and you choose only to sit idly by on my shoulder and suppress that all-too-evident-to-anyone-that-knows-you grin beneath that crooked beak. You must fall from your perch just entertaining the thought. Now what approaches…far too flamboyant to be a palace dignitary. Not even they wear such gaudy attire…Pardon, sir? Who are you?"
"Why I'm REG, don't you recognize me?"
“I have never met a REG, so no, I don’t recognize you.”
“REG…? Random Encounter Guy? Ring a bell?”
“Oh yes, yes, yes. I’ve heard of the likes of you. You hover about lesser worlds, but most certainly would not meet your fate in this world. Far too much about for the likes of you. Spit off, now. You’re just bad herbs in my pipe, just a figment.”
“If I’m a figment, Bucko, then how do you explain…HIM?”
“Oh perfect. I’ve also heard of the likes of you. Never quite understood the draw, but to each their own.”
“Don’t you talk about FEG that way. He is real and he exists, Bitch.”
“And he’s your…sidekick? Probably hangs about in dusty bars, trolling for bad storylines?”
“FEG does not just hang about in bars, you…you…old guy! You’re just jealous. You…you’re like Obi Wan! Just jealous!”
“Jealous? Of Free Experience Guy?”
“Yes! Jealous! You want to slather FEG all over your old body like the rest of your pals!”
“Well if that’s what they’re doing, I’m quite content to catch up on my reading while waiting for SPG to show up.”
“Oh. Funny. That’s just so very funny. And you know what’s even funnier; Story Progression Guy has no lines in this play. So how do you and your…awful bird like that?”
“Not exactly true, my brassy friend. There have been plenty of SPG sightings. This is not one of your tawdry footholds in worlds created by small minds. This is Esteria, a land of far better expectations than the likes of what you are accustomed.”
“…..mmm…Maybe! But that doesn’t mean SPG has lines in every chapter! Like this one. No lines…biiiaaatch.”
“Just as well, but if it’s all the same to you, after I replace my Elfweed in my trusted pipe, I’ll continue about my evening and patiently wait for an inquisitive palace messenger to make his way about.”
“Well, then you’re just silly AND old. Corporal Kev-Ron should have told you that that tranny isn’t showing up.”
“Pity that and disappointing. But just as well, I’ll keep myself about until something Orcus steps onto the stage.”
“Something Orgus? Like you’re even saying anything. You are so dumb. We’ve never even heard of an Orgus. And we’re not even going to talk to you anymore. Come on, FEG, lets go find an alley someplace and hide and wait for some sexy adventurer to stroll by. And you can kiss him all over…I hope it’s a BIG fighter…”
“What. My tobacco. Go bird.”

Wow that was very entertaining. I had to read it twice and I’m still not sure if I’m being complemented, insulted, bitched at or finally understood. Rock on Mr.Horn, at times logic is truly a matter of perception, now where is my bag of flour.

Ron... it's amazing. When you commented on Bren's post, your post became incomprehensible as well. It was like infectious babbling. Do you realize that, eventually, Bren's writing could create a modern-day tower of Bable, with nobody able to communicate at all? I don't know why I'm bothering, since this will come out equally unreadable.

Helmet fish.