• Fothas
• Lygan
• Ekkor
• Maervahr - Stoneskin, Phantom Armor, Invisibility
• Koriss - Stoneskin, Phantom Armor, Invisibility
• Timbraun
• Litlee
• Titus
• Thorgard
• Tatrin
• Lok-Vurn

Last time was the encounter with the Yellow Bile Tribe.

We are not located in Three Rivers.

Timbraun is seeking out the highest level Cleric in this community. This is a small town of 2,000 souls. They are mostly Human. The people who are visiting are double the size of the local population. During the best travel and trade months there are actually 4,000 extra people here.

Orlaf the Gray is an 8th level Cleric who is the henchman of Zorian, who's Domain we are in.

The weather is cloudy.

We will force march to Zorian's castle.

Hexes to the south west and south are irrigated farmlands that grow with a smaller amount of water, these count as plains. South east of Three Rivers is badlands, which cost 2 movement points.

We travel to the farmlands in the south west and check beyond. To the south west is badlands and south of that is plains.

The Hills to the west have a name and are the border of the Badlands to the Sea of Grass. South west is plains, more plains and mountains to the south east. There are old ruined buildings in the mountains. They remind us of the ruins in the big lake near the Institution of Understanding.

We head to the south west. There is marshland to the south. We continue on, crossing the river south of the Kashiya Burials, which are sacred to the Anakwa Tribe.

We arrive at Zorian's Tower in the evening. A sprawling complex around a tower. The Cleric of Mote opens the door and accepts us here, meeting us. He looks to Timbraun for introductions.

Timbraun introduces us. Orlaf the Gray introduces himself and offers to show us to the Guest House, where we can stay. There are stables for us.

The direction we are traveling are not safe and there are no safehouses along the way. We will be going south east from here.

All our drinks will be supplied to us.

The complex is sprawling and flat and not as big as a castle or a Cleric's Church. On the grounds here are planted mushrooms, ferns and vines. All bred for nefarious purposes. They are laid around fence like in some places. Venus fly traps move more quickly than we expect.

Inside is extremely messy and Zorian keeps seven Lemurs around the tower. The place smells like them and there are toys everywhere. There is a Fighter and a Druid here also, and a few other Henchman. The Fighter introduces himself as Aesud. Aw'shen is a Druid from the east.

Aesud is from the south, originally a river sailor along a river that goes east to west. There is a large Nile river that runs through the Cradlelands. Aw'shen is part of a druidic circle that hails from the east, in a jungle village. He has traveled here for purposes of his circle.

The map will guide us sufficiently though they mark some places. We will pass through an enclosed mesa in the badlands. There is a lake in a forest before it gets drier. We will go to the Yokho Basin which is where the rivers originate. The people of Senwick lead comfortable lives but have not sought adventure or travel into the Badlands. If we cannot convince an adventurer, we may be able to convince the Anakwa Tribe.

To the south east is the Chin-ne Tribe who may offer us a guide as well.

Because of our renown, we are known for one interesting story or deed. Zorian may have heard of us.

Timbraun will leave some gold behind that he does not want to carry with him and will try to get some rations. We can buy rations from Zorian's Castle as long as we don't buy 400 units of rations.

The distance will be 5 hexes before the border where the Chin-ne clan has a permanent settlement. We will go into the badlands and it will be about 20 hexes.

Three Rivers is the nearest settlement with a Cleric that can cast Raise Dead.

Zorian is a Magic-User under the tutelage of Tenser.

Zorian says that the road goes all the way to the Cradlelands but two stretches are controlled by Chaotic Evil Bandit Lords that are warring with eachother. Normally it is safe.

Zorian tells us that he laid a curse to bypass his rivals magical defenses. It would have sent the fool to the bottom where the Xorn all live. He made some sacrifices, where his rival may be inside stone now or in the labyrinth. It is a hollow column accessed by means of old teleporters of questionable origin.

Zorian tries to indicate on a torn napkin with a knife that it is a ridiculous place, a hollow cylinder carved by hands that were not human. This is the labyrinth. The teleportation spell would have shot in the center…here…though high or low, it would be in this general location. There are two levels besides the Xorn level.

He takes Maervahr's napkin, there are many platforms within the cylinder. The bottom level has the Xorns. The teleporters on the surface has attracted much attention. There will always be fresh spells inside no matter how many times it is cleared?

Senwick only has a population of 110. Fothas asks about the lake, which cuts 8 miles to the north west of the lake we currently see but that lake does not go all the way through the hills. THE HILLS OF MEZCAZ. The Badlands are called MAKHOSICA.

Senwick sell snails and fish. Lucien buys some little trinkets, statues or toys.

Zorian tells us the story, with Tenser and his henchman, They were on the far side of Afaris. From the sea came a great dragon, like a serpent, 100' long. It glides gently along the water. They saw it from a distance though they thought nothing of it until they were traveling along the Sea of Sorrows, when during the night when their ship laden with treasure, they encountered numerous lanterns of purple and gold. They thought they would be set upon with Tenser with him. Then they saw that same Serpent Dragon and it drove away the lanterns. Tenser was completely focues on the three ships whereas Zorian was focused on the Dragon. They never did figure it out.

We set out…from Senwick.

We head to the south east, plains for 3 hexes.

The Hippogriff riders are surprised but the ground party is not.

We approach the foothills of the mesas. We see coming from the south west emerging a group of tribeman, bearing the banners of the Anakwa tribe.

Lygan approaches after landing on his Hippogriff. Lygan and Ekkor will approach with his Ukhatu tribe knife prominently. He approaches on foot. He takes a -15 if they know who he is (Lawful) but they don't know who he is. He wears a crude holy symbol of Cine, which is a chaotic god and he gains a +5. Things go really well.

These are outriders that are well armed and armored. There is an adventuring guild or subset of a guild that is supplying the Slug men in the swamp to the south east with scrolls and weapons. There were 6 men in this adventuring party that they saw, plus Men-at-arms, and they have been supplying them for months now to get the topazes from the lair. The Chin-ne use these topazes in their rituals. The Slugmen can also read the scrolls with disastrous results.

They say they are people like us, but there were two Dark Elves with them. One of the Barbarians is a totemist Shaman. He was in the party that watched from hiding as this group parleyed with the Slugmen. He could smell their topaz and the air of creatures from the realm below the earth.

The Chin-ne take well to us and will show us a pass through these lands. In the hex to the south west are plains where they have their permanent encampment. Lygan and his entourage are welcome in their lands. The lands to the south east of the Chin-ne are mesas, nestled in there are also some badlands. To the northeast are some plains and north of the that more badlands. We are one north east of their camp. We cut through this area, it is hospitable to horses but is quick narrow. There are some dangers of ambushes here.

Lygan asks if they have heard of the Fools Labyrinth. This place that we call Yokho Basin, they have heard of. To the south, in this part of the world, there is the the Piaq-ha Clan (Anakwa) to whome the pools are holy. They have spoken to them two seasons ago but they say that the lion population is high and the eating was good.

Likewise, Lygan asks about a poison balm. That this is something of a game of their people to capture the knives of the opposing tribes. From his furry side satchel, he produces a tin case and opens up and there are 11 doses within.

It is called == Yoqqo Basin Fool's Laybrinth ==.

We have spent 6 of our 12 movement points.

The Chin-ne offer us a place in their camp to stay.

The Anakwa and Ukhatu are two of the Anakwa Tribe, the Chin-ne are a Clan of Anakwa.

Lygan has made multiple friends with the Chin-ne, and we head through the pass…

No trouble.

The other side of the Mesas is plains. We see scrublands and some swamp on the edge of a lake. Both paths are mapped out though there are no reason why we might want to go along the lake.

We head south into the scrubland, then head south east into plains. The next hex is badlands and there are mountains to the south.

The Hippogriff Riders are not surprised.

We see a structure in the distance, quite a ways into the badlands. A domed, stone structure but it does not look particularly big, like the size of a modest temple. We cannot see any other detail from here. It is in the direction we must go but is way too close.

No encounters over night but it is lightly raining.

We leave in the morning, towards the domed structure and pass into the badlands. The Hippogriff Riders see at about a mile away, the base of the structure is squared but the front has a circular dome on top. We see that there are horses out front with figures on and around them. We count many men, 40 or 50 of them.

They are flying a banner of Crimson and Ivory in the sun. We cannot recognize it from here though they have many vehicles.

We avoid them and scout around, seeing plains and badlands around it. We go to the south east, seeing more mesas and a mountain. We then head into the scrubland.

North is medium forest, mesas and then plains. South of that is plains and then badlands then more plains. Then we head into some scrublands to the south east. South of that is badlands and north east is badlands. North east is mesas and south east is badlands. We continue on in the plains.

Mountains to the south east and plains to the south. To the south of that is a lake, then some mesas.

We are 5 movement points away from the basin. There is a river that comes off the far side of the lake that moves into a heavy forest on the far side, northwest of the lake. The river runs perfectly west.

We set up camp. The rain falls heavily…

The rain is only light rain in the morning.

We head south east into a plains and north east is mesas. To the south is mountains. The hex to the south east is plains. The hex to the north and north east is mesas.

We see pools of sparkling water, like jewels worn around the neck. Only in the hills where the peaks are sparkling closer to the mesas. Perhaps from meteorite strikes.

For the Hipporgriff Riders, we are surprised. The ground party is not surprised.

They are not surprised. We are in the plains before moving into the badlands.

We see at a distance of 14“, or 140 yards, a small pack of 6 Coyotes perched on a rock on a gradient hill. Some are standing some are sitting.

• Timbraun holds
• Maervahr joins the party.
• Koriss stays with the party. Invisible.
• Lucien holds and stays invisible.
• Titus braces as does Fothas.
• Thorgard tries to chase them off.

Thorgard swoops down and they retreat to the hollows…

We continue south east into the badlands.

The next hex is badlands and there are two Obelisks up ahead. As we come into the badlands, we see them rising up about 70', the dual pair of Obelisks made of stone. They were once connected. There is an open doorway on each face with an open archway. There is a shattered stub of a stone bridge. They were once connected by a bridge on the top. We see nobody outside. They rise from a dusty and blank area of the badlands, shrouded in shadow.

We approach and see two doorways. We also see the two broken connector, a former bridge. Down at the bottom is an archway entrance with stone doors in them, on both obelisks. Each door has a large crack in them. It looks like they are just hanging in their archways.

We need one more to reach the Yoqqo Basin. We see the tear drop lakes in the mountains to the south.

We go to check out the Obelisks…Maervahr approaches the stone door, the left most Obelisk. He notices two things. First, he can see a slight reddish ruddy tint to the stone. The one across the way has a cooler color but is similar stone.

He can also tell that they are thousands of years old and there were Hieroglyphs written across the archway but are imperceptible. The two stones on the door are just laying across the doorframe and could be toppled. Inside. There is a stone floor and an open area. A stone staircase goes up.

Maervahr studies the Hieroglyphs and…

Nothing comes.

Maervahr is now invisible as is Lucien and Koriss.

We head to the LABYRINTH.

The obelisks disappear over the horizon and we make it to the wasteland. We are approaching the rim of a peanut shaped basin that extends to the south west. We are approaching the northern most edge. There are hills and rock within the basin. There is not an abundance of water but there are a few creeks and some herd animals at the water site. It takes us to the north edge of the basin. There is a crude mark on our map, a blobby sketch of a structure…

It is a Gazebo. In the distance on the edge of basin is where it lies. On the northern edge we find a copse of woods, no more than 1/4 of a mile, just inside some dead land. There are some big boulders too. Nestled against a tree covered hill, a structure that is 30' across, however it is not made of wood, but metal. It looks like it has withstood many attacks and is bent in some places. It is in the shape of a gazebo that has withstoof the test of time.

The Dwarves think this looks like the Easterlands design of Eastern Dwarves.

We notice nothing.

The basin has a few copses of trees surrounding and within. The hex to the south is badlands, northeast is plains and to the southeast is also plains.

We go to check out the Gazebo. It looks like it once had an elevated floor. Much of the floor is broken in. Wood of any sort is long gone. There is barely any place to stand but there is one thing of note in the center of the mess is a cylindrical platform. It is 15' in diameter and has sticking out of it a metal “water pump” but 3x more complicated. A metal rod with metal poles and two levers. It is completely filled with holes. The purpose is unknown and it is only 1' above the ground. It does look damaged but is in better shape than the gazebo itself.

The map only indicates the Gazebo. Maervahr sees a big lever and two smaller levers. The smaller ones are rusty but the bigger lever is not rusty. The platform looks heavily worn by activity. A flat plane of dull steel. He notices some clear markings in black and white streaks, along the rim of the platform.

He can tell these are burnins from out of tune spell discharges. It is like a magic circle that has not been maintained and been discharged recently.

Both Titus and Maervahr rolled successfully to determine the school of magic associated with the platform. He can tell that this is Alteration that has not been taught by instructors in this area ever.

Maervahr sees a strong aura of magic on the entire cylindrical thing. If there is any aura, it is weak. It is steady.

Timbraun casts Read Magic. He can tell that this is some kind of teleportation circle that is tuned that is unfamiliar to him. It is triggered by a mechanical movement and can transport 1000's of pounds of material. It is a short distance spell that has sacrified aspects for reliability. It will cause us to be stunned momentarily.

Fothas and Timbraun go invisible also. Thorgard applies oil to the levers.

We all stand on the platform and they pull the lever. The entire platform starts vibrating gently. It sounds like something charging up. REEEEEEEEEEEEEE BUP BUP. We are suddenly standing somewhere else, inside a hallway.

• Fothas, Thorgard, Koriss, Lok-Vurn and Ekkor teleport away.

They are in a 30' hallway on a platform with little bits around. The light of Lowir's blade shows a hallway where they are at the end. A door on the north and at the end of the hallway.

On the surface we see that 5 of our companions have disappeared. We fire it up again.

• Maervahr, Litlee, Titus, Lygan and Timbraun are transported.

Only Lucien and Tatrin are still above. Tatrin and Lucien reactivate the lever and we are rejoined in the chamber.

The third time it rattled more after the teleportation.

Maervahr makes an X on the wall and it somehow carves a line in his mind. He feels a psychic presnce in this area. Strong emotions at some distance calling out… This somewhat awakes him and he can find some sort of INFLUENCE all around. He cannot say any more than that. TITUS also has this feeling and has a look of interest in the area.

Fothas tries to determine how far underground we are. All the Dwarves are in agreement, they believe that they are around 120 to 180 feet below the ground and are probably below some elevation change or slope.

Litlee casts Endure Heat on herself, Timbraun and Titus. Maervahr casts Deeppockets.

Fothas, Thorgard and Titus are on doors.

Thorgard Lok-Vurn and Tatrin all have Continual Light.

Neither Psion has said anything and we dont know the direction of the presence. There are carvings on the wall running along the north and south of the wall. They run to the western door depciting two creatures: Floating Black Balls with arms coming out of them, merely mouths. They float in procession over humanoids, maybe Men walking in chains. This relief is cut off but the northern door, someone built the door later.

We open the west door and find ourselves in a long hall. It t's off and there are two doors. To the left it goes back the way we came. The ceilings are 17' tall, slightly vaulted. The wall is a common gray stone. All the doors have been wooden so far, hundreds of years old. There is a slight moisture in the air.

Timbraun checks the northern door. The first attempt to open fails but they get it. They find a bucket, mop and many containers of wood and clay, stoppered with wood or class. It is 30' long and 15' deep.

Timbraun finds a few spots on the shelves where containers were knocked over. There is slightly less dust for those.

We are not surprised.

We approach the south door and open it. This chamber has stone walls but the bottom has fine wooden paneling. There are two rectangular tables with backpacks and cloaks.

There are 5 Men with shortswords holding a grip that is foreign to us. They all have beards but no other distinguishing marks.

• Lygan says “Hey, we are all friends here”
• Timbraun remains invisible.
• Litlee braces for a charge.
• Maervahr stands back and watches with Koriss.
• Lucien waits.
• Tatrin holds the door.
• Thorgard and Lok-Vurn stay ready.
• Titus braces.
• Fothas waits.

The Men attack instantly.

They have a 10% chance to know where Fothas is. None of them can target him. Thorgard and Titus only are targeted, 3 on Titus.

Two attacks against Thorgard ineffectively bring down their blades. They transform into Wolfmen and set their claws upon him. They will hit on 18's. One hits Stoneskin!

Titus has AC 1. There are two hits, one against Stoneskin and the other is 6 points total, including disabling his Phantom Armor. He takes 1 damage only. They have the form of half-men, half-wolf creatures. They kind of look like Coyotoes from a while ago.

These are medium sized Lycanthropes. Fothas hits for 12 and 10 damage, he is no longer invisible.

One of the tables is knocked over and there is some glass breaking. It was in the backpack.

• Timbraun casts Magic Missile.
• Litlee hangs back.
• Maervahr casts Fly
• Koriss goes in and hides.
• Lucien does so too.
• Tatrin holds open the door.
• Lok-Vurn and Thorgard attack.
• Lygan and Ekkor charges in.
• Fothas attacks.

Lygan does 3, Fothas does 12, Thorgard hits for 8 damage, Titus hits for 9 damage. Thorgard kills one. 4 out of 5 are still standing!

Magic Missile goes off, one on each. 3 damage, kills one, 4 damage, 4 damage and 2 damage. Two are now dead. 3 are still standing.

2 attacks on Fothas, both miss. One on Lygan misses too!

Lygan attacks and Maervahr is flying for 9+1d6 turns. Lygan hits for 10 .

• Maervahr flies in.
• Timbraun and Litlee holds.
• Timbraun holds the door.
• Others attack.

Fothas and Thorgard both attack first. Fothas does 10 damage, Thorgard does 13 damage. Fothas nearly kills him as Thorgard kills him.

Morale Check for the Lycanthropes. They Surrender! They speak common!

Maervahr flies in and uses Detection of Magic, revealing a powerful magic aura at the side of the living two men. Additionally, he detects a weak magic aura in the backpack. It comes from a liquid in a glass vial. The vial is full of a pink bubbly liquid.

They heard that this place was full of treasure. They die hear and fall off the walkways. They couldnt figure out a way to get down so they stay here in eachothers stench.

They sold a treasure map to the Thieves' Guild in a town to the south, about 80 miles, across a river fork. They have seen two kinds of creatures, they have walked around the hall area a bit. They have seen people walking in the mist. They did not leave to avoid the people in the mist. There are Vampires here also. We were out looking at the outside of the doors into the mist. Two guys in a dark cloak smelling of roses took them and they lost consciousness. They were in a room filled with gold and a ceiling covered in mirrors. They could not leave until they paid their due.

Such powerful creatures told them all they had to do was knock on the door 4 times. They do not answer about why they attacked us. They made a spur of the moment decision based on not knowing who they are.

• Potion Flask
• Magic Sling
• 400 gp
• Silver and Platinum necklace.
• 250 pp stars.
• Gilded sacrificial dagger with an obsidian edge.

Nothing else of value is found. The Vampires were indicated further to the east.

Maervahr uses his Medallion of ESP…

The Weasel does not stack with the Ranger surprise bonus.

Phasing through the stone wall come three creatures 5' tall. They are three XORNS! They emit a vibrating drone like noise mixed with a chant…

They phase through with molecular rearrangement. We are surprised for 2 segments.

They appear standing amongst our party. Their droning coalesces to a point and they tell us that we have entered the Realm of the Xorns. We will deliver 1/2 of the metal on our persons… They tell us to pay or die.

• Timbraun says “ZUG WAP” releasing the Fire Elemental.
• Litlee throws her belt pouch.
• Maervahr floats up.
• Koriss hides.
• Lucien casts Spectral Force.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Tatrin casts Light.
• Lok-Vurn attacks.
• Titus attacks.
• Fothas attacks.
• Lygan attacks.
• Ekkor attacks.

Out from the locket tears a Full Size Fire Elemental that illuminates the room in flame. Tatrin casts his spell. Litlee throws her coin pouch along the floor.

The Xorn tries to shield themselves from the light, but they receive their attacks. They must hit AC -2/3.

Thorgard hits for 12 damage and his sword drains a level. Ekkor hits for 6. One Xorn has a lower HD and he loses 6 hp. The Sword is ID 96.

Ekkor is attacked, Titus is attacked twice. They have 3 arms and a bite. One claw hit Titus for 1 damage. The second one hits with 1 claw, taking 2 more damage. Spectral Force goes off and he creates a vibration in the room, creating cracks in the walls and ceiling, dropping chunks of the ceiling into the Xorn. Lygan did 4 damage on his second attack.

The Xorn notice the crack as Light spell goes off and they save. It has no effect.

• Litlee casts Light
• Maervahr casts Light
• Timbraun uses the flask to collect a Xorn.
• Lucien concentrates.
• Tatrin attacks.

Zug Wap happens first and it is a straight save. One of the two Xorns is pulled into the locket as the Fire Elemental attacks.

Maervahr's Light spell does not blind the Xorn. The Fire Elemental strikes a Xorn. Thorgard did 11, Fothas did 12, and Lok-Vurn did 9 damage. The drained Xorn is slain, one is pulled into a locket.

Lok-Vurn attacks Lok-Vurn. He is saved by Stoneskin! Xorn have average intelligence so they are somewhat suspicious of the Spectral Force. The Xorn reacts to the crumbling ceiling by molecularly fading itself. The Xorn takes 12 points of damage from the Spectral Boulder. It phases its lower body off!

We run down the hallway and push open the door. We find ourselves emerging from the building onto a stone platform. The Fire Elemental goes to a stone platform before a wall of billowing blue mist. The wall breaks in two spots but runs as far as he can see. The Fire Elemental runs before it.

The mist has a dull illumination. They call out for the Vampires, which sounds like they are shouting into a large void.

Timbraun hears a voice coming from the roof of the building, above the upper lip of the door. It is the voice of a mountain man, gruff and rough. It calls from a farther distance as the open air carries it.

It shouts, “Who before us calls upon a Vampire to slay and stands with the Fire Elemental?” “Timbraun, priest of Mote, defender of all that is good” “If what you say is true, call back your Fire Elemental”. “Who am I speaking to?” “Our names are for us alone”.

Timbraun does not Detect Evil. He walks out and looks up to the sky.

Timbraun can see that he is on the edge of a platform that goes around the perimeter of a building that looks like a castle. He can see quite a distance, presumbably the entire length of the building. The mist wall goes around the corner too. He can see the top of the building and can see the silhouettes in the mist. They are 4 legged creatures with great wings.

They are Two Shedu! One bears a great glimmering golden shield and have jewels and gems hanging from their lips.

“See you have nothing to fear.” “Do you know of any Vampires?” “They have not heard Vampires but came because they thought we might slay evil.”

Timbraun asks about the evil in the area. The Fire Elemental returns to its own plane as Timbraun dismisses it. The Shedu stand before us.

They do not know the goal of our quest but they seek the evil blade PATHBREAKER, which dwells in this place. Evil seeks it now. The Lycanthropes are not slain.

Thorgard shows them the Obsidian Dagger and that is not Pathbreaker, which is an evil longsword.

Maervahr could use his Medallion of ESP to see if they were lying about the Vampires.