Second Saturday in July

7-10-04, 12-6 pm. Well, it must be summer. Of my 10 players (give or take), only 4 made it to the D&D game. A concert, work, no answer, a family vacation and life in general are happening this time of year, and I understand. But it was a great session. Roddy, Robby, Carson and Shane played Revan (3rd Lvl. H Pal), Joseph Prax (3rd Lvl. H Cler.), Taito (3rd Lvl. H Mnk) and Flegal (3rd H Rgr). The party had finished the previous month's session in Moporia, one of the biggest cities in my post-Tenneous Aarde campaign. For this group, I haven't driven home just how nasty the Purple Order (high elf invasion) can be, and I've still got a ways to go. Revan had the greatest suspicion of Priestess Tillaplum (The Plum Priestess) of the Amaranth temple when she offered to teach the party any crafts or skills they wanted for nothing more than a bit of help making things, since the elves there were few, but with lots of skills and much to do and make, just needing some extra hands. The party agreed to come with her, above Revan's initial impression. "She's a WITCH," he said for no apparent reason. But Taito wanted to learn about Brewing, Joseph was interested in Armory and Blacksmithing related skills. Flegal wanted to learn more about herbalism and apothacary supply. So Revan was convinced he would learn a skill, and he decided on Rope Use. The NPCs, Geena (3rd Dw. Ftr), Telpin (2nd gn. Brd) and Mick the Gangly (2nd H Ftr) went along with the rest of the party, into the temple. Everyone learned some skills, a rank or two, though it was more difficult for those without the Int bonuses, such as Taito. Only later, after a week or so, was the problem discovered. The elves would not allow their "indentured servants" to leave. And each of them was armed with wands of charm person, which they used repeatedly to keep gaining the benefits of free labor, the fruits of which were products being sold in several neighboring markets. Those who could resist were told they would be allowed to leave the next day (or anything they wanted to hear to keep them until they fell asleep), given beer and wine (and maybe a Forget spell or two), and the next day, they woke up in jail cells. From the jail cells, a few were taken (in their sleep) for experimentation by evil elvish wizards and clerics, or tortured. Revan was transmuted into a female elf, and unspeakable acts were done to her by at least one of the guards. Joseph Prax finally prayed for 3 shatter spells (his god is good, but also a god of vengeance and destruction and grants shatter). Three guards used their wands of charm person on him, but he resisted. He then cast sanctuary, an underrated spell. Now they needed to make saving throws to attack him. Because they had not yet stripped armor off of the prisoners (so as not to wake them when they put them in their cells) even the attacks that could be made on Joseph missed. He then shattered free 3 of the others, they fought the guards, took their maces and keys, and eventually battled their way to freedom. They captured the transmuter who had changed Revan into a female elf, and after some consideration of advantages and disadvantages, Revan was convinced to use the opportunity to change back into his original human male self. Telpin and Mick the Gangly are now 3rd level, and the party found multiple potions of undetectable evil, several wands of charm person, and monetary treasure that worked out to 900 gp per person.

My next session is the Wednesday group, in two days (Wednesday 7/14/04 6-9 pm). I need to put my brain back in underdark mode and get a good session ready. Until next time, keep hack'n & slash'n... - Dave