Discussion of rules on Caster Level for a Rod of Passage. It is 18th level Magic-User.

Several years ago, in Delbo, we recovered in an Elven Sarcophagus with a necklace containing a crystal obelisk. It was the key to an elven treasure obelisk. The elves construct them with powerful illusion and misdirection traps. You will always go off course if you try to go there. The only way to bypass it is with the key. The human was buried with this item and through research we found it was tied to an obelisk in Wun'ra. The Androsphinx Shin furnished us with passage to the Pyramid.

• Xrith'atiril - Stoneskin
• Fothas - Stoneskin
• Thorgard - Stoneskin
• Risten - Stoneskin
• Timbraun - Stoneskin
• Fandilas - Stoneskin

Fandilas borrows the Wand of Fear from Honji.

We are using the ROD OF PASSAGE to get to SHEEL'SADORIN. Thorgard has been to Sheel'sadorin.

Fothas hands the Rod of Passage to Thorgard and activates it. We will teleport to the Room with the Intelligent Apes.

The world changes around us rapidly. We are in a haze. We can hear Apes screeching. There are black and gold tapestries with beautiful furniture. There are 4 archways with ornate rope. Sitting in the furniture are 4 Apes in red robes. Their beverages are spilled on the floor with decorative chalices. They have leapt up in alarm and are screeching in rage.

One of the apes splashes wine into Xrith's face and one of them kicks us.

By the time we regain our senses, they regain theirs as well. He is admonishing us heavily for wasting their way. We interrupted them with our intrusion. We were expecting to arrive outside the door and the magic was not as accurate as we wanted, is what Fandilas says.

The one that was talking to us was wearing a platinum pendant with a huge yellow beryl on it. They have a huge decanter of wine that is lined with gems.

Thorgard uses his Medallion of ESP. He detects that the Ape wonders when we are going to leave. Thorgard also detected an image of a hallway, walking down the hallway, and then fading away like a disturbed cloud. Then another one of a large 6 Headed Hydra. It is resting on the floor, around an enormous ruby. The Hydra was a Pyrohydra.

We are talking about going to the Sleep chamber.

Xrith, Thorgard and Fandilas are on Doors.

Thorgard and Xrith both have Continual Light.

By the time we leave, the Apes begin talking in their language.

We open the door and head toward the Oak Tree room. We enter a 20' x 20' chamber, there is a single tree here growing out of the stone as if it was soil. Xrith looks in the tree and sees a hollowness inside. It goes down past the floor, into an area below the floor.

We go to the room with the stairs and head up. We are on the 3rd floor, we are casting Find Traps (Timbraun).

Planning on opening the south door. We open it and we are on 1 of 6 stone tiles, it is colored black. There are two colored white. There is a lounge chair, with legs of gold fillagree.

Timbraun can detect that the two white tiles are trapped mechanically. Furthermore, we detect that on the door to the south is a magic seal glowing with white energy and is made of stone.

We step on the black tiles and bypass the white tiles if we wish. Fandilas searches the cushions, but they do not contain anything. The legs look like thick gold, not an easy way for it to come off. Fothas, Thorgard and Xrith are looking for secret stuff on the walls. The white floor tiles shift dramatically when triggered.

We are not surprised.

• Fothas steps to the back and readies his bow.
• Fandilas draws his bow and aims at the door.
• Risten casts Shield.
• Timbraun braces for a charge.
• Xrith pulls out a bow and readies.
• Thorgard braces for a charge.

We get into position and the door opens, pushing it open are two Hell Hounds and look immediately at us. They are going to continue into melee.

Xrith does 4, Fandilas does 6 damage.

They leap onto the black tiles only. Passing into the room like a dream is a humanoid with hairless, oversized skull, made of white dust that comes into the room. He is fixed upon our group. He passes over the black tiles.

Everyone is in melee.

Xrith hits the White Sand creature for 3 damage. The arrow passes through it harmlessly. It is from this plane.

We save except for Risten who falls into a deep sleep. Xrith has 30% resistance to sleep.

• Fandilas shoots.
• Risten sleeps.
• Timbraun casts
• Xrith charges the sand creature with his sword.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas charges.

Tied initiative. Fandilas shoots first but he misses. Thorgard hits it for 7 damage. Xrith hit the sand creature for 10 damage, it still stands.

Thorgard does not feel the wave of sleepiness this time. It seems like it doesnt return.

Thorgard and Fothas must save vs fire, Thorgard is immune and Fothas saves. 3 damage for Fothas. Fothas is missed as is Thorgard.

The humanoid reaches out to touch Xrith. He is missed! The creature resists the Ray of Enfeeblement!

• Timbraun passes.
• Xrith attacks.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas attacks.
• Fandilas attacks.
• Timbraun wakes Risten.

Timbraun wakes Risten successfully.

Thorgard hits for 5 damage. Fothas destroys the sand creature and it turns to dust.

Hellhounds are AC 4. They attack Xrith and Thorgard, but they save.

• Thorgard attacks.
• Risten casts Magic Missile.

Morale check. Thorgard hits for 5 damage.

They fail morale by a few points but they backup. We keep them engaged.

Xrith failed his save. So did Fandilas. We take 5 damage.

Our items save. Fandilas is hit, STONESKIN.

Fandilas does 7 damage, killing it, Magic Missile and Fothas kill the other one.

Xrith picks up some of the Sandman dust and puts it into a sack for Maervahr.

Xrith ties a rope around Thorgard as he throws a hell hound onto a white tile. It rotates on an axis and deposits it onto a sloped platform, and descends down a chute into places unknown. He throws another one on to the other tile, its connected to the same chute and disappears. It was a fast response.

We discuss going down the chute.

The high level adventurers could only find this place due to Maervahr's psionics.

Fandilas inspects the chair while Thorgard breaks off the legs.

• Gold Chair Legs (50 cn each).

We head through the west door.

Come to another hallway with two doors, one going north, east and it turns where there is another door in the south.

We go through the east door.

We pass into another chamber with furniture that is adorned. Seats 12 people but it is occupied by another dust creature and 3 Hell Hounds. Another Sand Man! It is wearing a silver ring with gems. We are in melee…

• Risten casts Magic Missle
• Timbraun cast MM.
• Xrith attacks the Sandman
• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas watches our rear.
• Fandilas casts Blink.

Fothas does not need to save. Xrith saves against sleep.

Magic Missiles go off, but it resists both spells.

Sandman attacks Fandilas but misses. The two Hell Hounds move to engage. Fandilas's spell goes off. The door closes. Actually it remains open. Thorgard misses with his second attack.

• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas charges.
• Fandilas attacks.
• Risten holds the door.
• Timbraun casts Mirror Image
• Xrith attacks Sandman.

Fothas does 12 damage, Thorgard does 8 damage.

Timbraun gets 1 Mirror Image. Fandilas attacks the Hell Hounds, does 9 damage from Shocking Grasp.

Hell Hound misses Fandilas. 2 on Fandilas and 1 on Fothas.

Breath saves, Fothas passes and takes 3 damage, Fandilas does not and takes 6 damage. Two bites on Fandilas. He takes a total of 16 damage.

Fothas is missed.

• Xrith attacks the Sand Man
• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas attacks.
• Fandilas casts Jump.
• Risten stays
• Timbraun drops his pack.

We lose initiative.

Thorgard hits the Sandman for 7 damage.

He attacks Fothas but misses.

3 Hell Hounds 1 on Xrith, he saves but takes 3 damage.

Xrith did 4 damage to a Hell Hound, Fothas kills the Sandman. Thorgard did 8 damage to a Hell Hound.

Fandilas casts Jump and flies out!

• Fandilas backs up and watches.
• Risten casts Magic Missile.
• Timbraun attacks with the rest of us.

Thorgard hits for 5, Fothas hits for 6, Magic Missile does 10.

The 3 Hell Hounds are going for Xrith and the others. 3 damage and STONESKIN!

Fandilas is holding the door now.

Xrith hits for 10 damage but the other one is killed!

The Hell Hound fails its morale and tries to retreat.

4 Damage from Xrith, Timbraun hits for 4 damage. We kill it!

Fothas picks up the ring.

• Silver Ring with gems.

Fandilas is healed for 7 with 2 Cure Light Wounds spells.

Thorgard gives Fandilas a Cure Light Wound scroll. Timbraun casts it on Fandilas and heals for 8 hp.

Risten casts Invisibility on himself.

We open the Northern Door and are instantly overcome by powerful perfume scent. There are flowering plants of all kinds, some giant, others with colorful blooms. There is a tree in the north similar to the other one, with a squirrel hole. There is a blue glow from the fronds, coming from the ground.

There are two Sand Men.

THEY ARE SURPRISED!

• Fothas charges.
• Risten holds the door.
• Timbraun stays in the hall.
• The rest of us attack.

Xrith and Timbraun both failed their sleep. Fothas failed his save.

Thorgard and Fandilas can attack. AC 3.

Thorgard hits for 8, Fandilas hits for 8 damage too.

• Fandilas casts Mirror Image.
• Risten stays.
• Thorgard attacks and yells wake people up.

Thorgard hits for 9 damage, which destroys one! Fandilas has Mirror Image and gets 1.

The Sandman misses Thorgard.

Thorgard misses terribly next time.

• Risten wakes up someone.
• Others attack.

It misses Fandilas. Fandilas destroys the last one! The Ring of Shocking Grasp rolls against the Sandman's Magic Resistance but it failed anyway.

We wake up.

The blue glow comes from a magic circle that is a part of the soil that the plants are growing out of. It is 10' in diameter in the center of the garden.

The circle looks arcane, Xrith examines the tree and the squirrel hole. The Sandmen did not have any jewelry.

The tree looks the same as the other and the hole goes into the floor.

They are rolling to examine the magic circle.

Xrith approaches the tree, and he can tell that the scent gets stronger as he approaches, he feels sleepy but resists. The squirrel hole has some stuff.

• 4 Gems
• Rolled up Scroll.

There is a hollow section on the wall.

The circle glows brightly and there is a swirl of energy.

Manifesting over the air above the circle.

There are 5 Giant Honey Bees form in the room.

• Xrith pulls out his sword and attacks.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas only attacks if attacked.
• Fandilas attacks.
• Risten moves to the corner.
• Timbraun moves to the corner.

The large Bees begin moving around the room. Xrith cancels his attack as does Fandilas. The Bees fly around the room and alight on the plants and flutter their wings and gather pollen from the plants.

Fothas can see the wall can shift. Xrith helps and we search. Fothas finds a hidden stone in the dirt of the garden that depresses at an angle.

Timbraun casts Find Traps but sees no traps.

The wall opens into a circular chamber, 20' radius. The door was a secret door we opened. We see ornate furniture with several Alchemy supplies of good quality. This is a well stocked work room. In the center is a large bubble floating in the air with magic. It is 10' in diameter, nothing is holding it up. An elven woman is supended inside…

She has glittering effect on her. She is gently floating inside without any sound.

Around her neck is a platinum necklace.

The Scroll has Arcane Runes on it.

The Elf is exceptionally beautiful.

The alchemy supplies are worth over 1000 gp

• Potion Vial
• Clay Jar

Xrith taps on the south wall and finds that it is hollow. He finds a wall panel that can be pushed in. It opens to the lounge room the south.

We discuss popping the bubble.

We go to the south and open it, there is a spiral staircase going up.

Deciding to leave we head south. The door openers and feel an extreme heat. The hall is illuminated by an orange glow.

There are two large metal grates that take up the hallway. The glow comes from within the grates and we could walk on them. There is the sound of a fire burning.

Timbraun does not detect any traps.

We go forward and…

We are surprised.

Thee is a bright flash from down the hallway. A creature moves into the area of the metal grate.

Half-Human, Half-Snake thing, triangular thing that seeps rage, it has flared strands coming off its head, like a Lizard. In its hand its holding a flaming spear. with two other spears. It can hold its entire body up on a snake tail. It flings three burning spears at us.

Fothas and Risten are not attacked.

Thorgard is attacked, AC -2. or AC -4, it misses. Fandilas has AC 1, it misses. Timbraun is AC 10/10. It hits Timbraun dealing 2 damage plus 0 burning damage. The spear has lodged itself in his robe and continues to burn.

• Fandilas charges.
• Risten

The grates are trapped mechanically.

• Fandilas fires his bow
• Risten kicks the spear off.
• Timbraun takes cover
• Xrith fires his bow.
• Thorgard fires his bow
• Fothas fires.

Timbraun takes NO DAMAGE actually because of Stoneskin.

Fandilas missed with his magic arrow.

The creature throws another spear that it grabbed from behind the wall.

The Spear misses Xrith, nearly hits!

• Xrith taps on the north wall.
• Thorgard moves back, to get out of range.
• Fothas gets back around the corner.
• Fandilas moves to the north hallway.

It flings another spear at Thorgard. He is hit and the spear is lodged onto him.

Thorgard takes 1 damage and its attached. He takes 0 damage due to Ring of Fire Protection.

He takes 2 damage from ripping it out.

We can hear the creature exhale loudly like an enraged tiger.

Risten casts Invisibility on Fandilas and then casts Fly.

We will use Passwall on the black tile wall. We activate the ability from the Rod of Passage. The hole is 8' and reveals the entire room.

Fandilas stayed behind.

Inside the room is a large furnace that roars with extraordinary force. There is a lever on the wall. We are standing on the black tile

It is not surprised.

• Timbraun holds the door open.
• Xrith charges the Salamander
• Thorgard charges.
• Fothas charges.
• Fandilas will charge.
• Risten stays back.

Thorgard does 7 damage. Fothas does 11 damage. Fandilas will get a +4 for being invisible. He hits for 10 damage.

He retaliates by jabbing with a spear against Fandilas. It misses and uses its tail to wrap around Xrith. IT HITS! He is constricted now.

Thorgard hits for 9 damage. Killing it!

Xrith collects parts for Maervahr. Salamander scales and body parts.

They see a roaring fire down below the grates. There are 8 more spears cooking in the furnace. They are big metal spears that are super hot. We pull out the 8 spears.

Xrith pulls the lever. There is a releasing of pressure and the grates drop open. Then I reset it.

Xrith and Thorgard search around the walls. We are all searching. There was no treasure on the body. We thoroughly search and find nothing.

Fandilas will Fly down the chute. It goes down about a 10' width and zig zags, going down a few stories. He comes to a dead end. The wall in front of him is hollow as he taps. The wall moves so he will push it open.

The wall opens and the deposit is straight down to a hole. It drops 20' into a large cavern. The cavern appears to be empty and the air is cool but there is a huge fissure in the ground, going straight down into blackness. There are two Hell Hound corpses down there.

Fandilas flies back up.

Thorgard will give the Ring of Fire Protection to Fandilas who will fly down and check for hidden things. The furnace is not deep. There is an obvious door in the back that was concealed by the flames.

Fandilas opens the door. There is a grinding sound of metal as the grate opens, there is a hidden cache:

• 500 gp
• 250 pp
• Platinum belt buckle with gems.

He returns with the items.

We go to the spiral stairs and Timbraun casts Find Traps. No traps detected so we head up the stairs.

As we ascend the spiral staircase, we arrive in the center of the room. Another staircase goes up. 4 Crystalline domes are 15' high, very crystalline with tons of facets, distorting the image of what lies within. Humanoid shapes but very distorted. The color of the dome causes them to appear blue. There are 6 shapes in each dome.

In the corners are 4 trees that look like the the squirrel holes but have the crystalline appearance, like tree trunks. The central domes are fragile.

There are 12 Giant Squirrels perched on the trees doing squirrel things, they are crystalline blue too. Shapes move along the domes. 2 images on the domes moving around. They appear to be humanoid but ghostly.

The shapes are fully formed and look like a specter, but have no thickness. They do not look like any undead we have seen.

• Fothas readies his bow.
• Fandilas nocks his bow.
• Risten stays where he is.
• Timbraun turns undead.
• Xrith pulls out his bow.
• Thorgard has his shield and weapon out. He says “were friends” in Elvish.

The shapes coalesce into the corners and stretch out with arms that materialize toward us. They are stretchy enough to reach us.

Thorgard attacks and does 11 damage. It is not destroyed. But sees a crack straight down the form and runs rapidly up the dome, which has a crack.

Fandilas does 10 damage with Shocking Grasp. The lightning goes to the dome and it Shatters!

When the dome comes tumbling down, the other creatures attack first. The other 6 creatures attack.

1 on Xrith. he is missed. 2 on Thorgard, both missed. 3 on Fandilas, all miss!

These creatures have the same appearance as Shadows but they are blue.

The 6 creatures are Troglodytes, one is in Shamans garb. They look around in a daze.

Xrith shoots a Troglodyte and hits for 6 damage. Troglodyte is still alive.

Timbraun turns ALL OF THE SHADOWS!

The Shaman has a golden armband with gems.

• Timbraun overbears the shaman.
• Xrith braces for a charge.
• Thorgard braces and then charges.
• Everyone else charges.

Fothas hits for 12 damage, Xrith hits for 9, Fandilas hit for 8, Thorgard hit for 8.

The Shaman is killed, 2 Troglodytes are also dead.

The other Shadows flee past us.

9 damage from Xrith, 9 from Thorgard, 9 from Fothas. They are obliterated!

There are now 5 Shadows moving along the dome to the other side.

Xrith saved against Trogolodyte poison. The Troglodytes attack with claws. There are only 2 alive.

Thorgard is attacked, AC -2, they miss. Fandilas is attacked, all miss.

The Shadows have retreated…

The Squirrels on the trees, all except the North East tree. It comes down and looks at the fight.

• Fandillas attacks.
• Timbraun holds
• Xrith attacks.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Fothas attacks.

12 damage from Fothas, Xrith does 6 and we kill the two remaining Troglodytes.

We see that the crystalline squirrels are on top of the domes, they are using their teeth to break the domes.

Turning lasts for 3d4 rounds.

• Xrith pulls out his bow and shoots a squirrel.
• Thorgard moves to engage the Shadows.
• Fothas moves to engage a Shadow.
• Fandillas flies to the Shadow and kills it.
• Risten hangs out.

Xrith misses with both arrows.

Fandilas takes a swing and misses. Fothas and Thorgard finds the Shadow is on the dome. The squirrel shatters the dome and falls through. Inside of the dome are 5 Troglodytes and a Shaman.

They get swings at the Fleeing Shadows. Thorgard hits for 6, Fothas hits for 5 damage. Neither are destroyed.

The other two squirrels have caused huge cracks with the squirrels.

• Timbraun charges
• Xrith shoots the Squirrel
• Timbraun attacks.
• Risten moves to the top of the stairs.

Xrith does 1 damage to a squirrel.

Fothas did 12 damage to the Shaman, Thorgard does 8 damage.

This Shaman has a Jade Clasp on his ear.

The other squirrels shatter their domes. One survives and the other shatters as it falls.

5 Troglodytes will Morale check next round.

2 on Thorgard, both miss. 2 on Fothas, both miss. 1 on Timbraun misses.

There are more Troglodytes in the other domes.

1 Troglodyte with a morningstar and a hand axe.

Thorgard misses his second attack.

Risten is at the top of the stairs.

• Fothas attacks
• Fandilas casts Confusion.
• Risten casts Slow.
• Timbraun
• Xrith moves to engage the morningstar wielder.

Confusion is 4 segments.

Thorgard hits one for 7 damage, it lives.

The Troglodytes charge.

There are two attacks on Timbraun. One bites for 4 damage. Two chargers on Fothas, one hit Stoneskin Final one on Thorgard, one hits for 4 damage.

Timbraun attacks with a weapon and misses. Fothas is missed, 1 claw for 2 damage.

Timbraun is hit by 1 bite and a claw, 8 damage.

Final one all hits, for 7 damage. Timbraun is at -2.

6 attacking Xrith. Leader is using a Morningstar. They miss. The other Troglodytes, 1 hit, claw and a bite. He takes a bunch of hits, absorbing 6 points of damage.

Confusion affects 14 of them. Slow goes and 5 Troglodytes are Slowed.