====== Sixtieth session - 19 August 2005 - A Dangerous Message ====== [[Voyager59|(Previous Session)]] [[voyager#session_notes|(Back to Voyager Index)]] [[Voyager61|(Next Session)]] In attendance: | Chris | [[Roderick]] | Cleric/13 | | Dave | [[Aramil]] | Ranger/13 | | Jim | [[Bigby]] | Wizard/13 | | Ken | [[Vincent]] | Rogue/10, Ranger/1, Wizard/1 | | Kurt | [[Pavo]] | Dwarf Sorcerer/1, Fighter/10, Dwarven Defender/1 | | Val | [[Bria]] | Half-elf Psychic Warrior/12 | ==== October, 1108 ==== The party settles in to a routine at the commune and three uneventful weeks pass. On October 28th, [[Pavo]] arrives at the commune, having just traveled from the elven city of [[Farflen]]. Along with him is a half-elven woman named [[Bria]]. She has come to learn more about her psionic abilities, while [[Pavo]] is seeking out [[Arundel]] on some arcane matters. The next day is [[Creation Day]], and a celebration feast is planned for the evening. However, [[Sorgul]] has urgent business with [[Cale]] and must teleport away shortly after breakfast. While he expects to be back in time for the feast, he makes no promises. Elsa, the commune's liason with the elves (and [[Vincent]]'s Hippogriff trainer) receives an urgent message from the rangers. One of their two-man aerial patrols has gone missing only about a mile from the commune. She convinces the party to investigate, though [[Pavo]] remains behind. At the specified location, they find a pair of Abyssal Greater Basilisks that unfortunately turned one of the Hippogriffs to stone in mid-air. The rider survived the fall for a short time, but died soon thereafter. The other rider (and mount) were turned to stone after they landed. After careful planning, the party manages to defeat one of the evil beasts without being similarly affected. Before they hunt down the second one, though, they send word back to the commune requesting that [[Pavo]] join them. He does so, and also reports that there was some unusual activity in the upper, guest rooms and that [[Lashmere]] has vanished. With [[Pavo]]'s help, the second Basilisk is dealt with swiftly and nobody is turned to stone (although [[Bigby]] briefly succumbs while in his Magma form - and finds that the crystal provides a limited defense against the effect). The party then investigates the appearance of the Basilisks and comes to suspect that they were plane shifted in by somebody riding a Nightmare (as they spot a quartet of scorch marks on the ground that resemble horse hooves). When the party learns of [[Lashmere]]'s disappearance, they begin to suspect that the Basilisks were just a ruse and that the whole point was the abduction of the young man from [[Etenaî]]. That evening, [[Sorgul]] returns and is told of the day's events. The group sets down to the (already planned) feast in a somber mood - but before they can even get started, the magical lights in the building dim and a booming voice comes from the courtyard, "Solgar!" Everybody heads outside into a field of shadowy darkness. Sitting on a flaming mount in the center of the courtyard, and flanked on all sides by ghostly creatures sits an undead rider. He emits an unholy evil that sends magical shivers of fear down the spines of those caught off guard. He then announces that he is here to see "Solgar". When [[Sorgul]] steps forward, the creature explains that he has been sent by our "Lord" and delivers a "scroll" of still bloody human flesh, tattooed with the following contract: In the presence of witnesses, I beseech the Unseen Lord of the Underworld and Host of Many to anoint this contract with His assent and seal. Upon delivery, a binding contract shall exist between Sl'engeld, the Governor Warden of Prison Plane 121 and the mortal-bound soul of the Great Lord's servant, known as Solgar, as well as any creatures who witness its delivery. Whereas the Prison Planes numbered from 366 and below are under the jurisdiction of the Great Host of Many, and Whereas Solgar is known to be an expert in matters of Chaos and of the denizens of the plane of Limbo, and Whereas in the year 1093, Solgar swore fealty to the Unseen Lord and remains bound by that oath despite his more recent transgression back to the mortal existence, and Whereas the primary (and only) prisoner of Prison Plane 121 requires an extensive level of security and secrecy which could be compromised by relying on the normal investigative resources available to the Governor Warden, We therefore request (and the Unseen Lord demands) that Solgar or his competent second(s) travel to Prison Plane 121 in order to investigate the recent occupation of said plane by exodus forces, ostensibly from Limbo. Due to the nature of our request and the expected unwillingness of the subject to assent to the orders of the Unseen Lord, we have been authorized to provide suitable payment upon successful completion of the required task. This payment shall consist of the following: 1) An invitation to travel to Prison Plane 121 in the form of a tuned fork to be used in Plane Shifting (attached); 2) A bound promise (for up to thirteen souls) of freedom from harm by the duly and criminally enforced prison guards while on Prison Plane 121 and executing the terms of this contract; and 3) The safe return of the soul and mortal body of a marker which has already been chosen and secured by the messenger of this contract. Payment items 1) and 2) shall be provided immediately upon delivery and acceptance of this contract. Payment item 3) shall be provided upon presentation of a detailed verbal report to the Governor Warden. Said report shall include the reasons for the occupation by Limbo of Prison Plane 121, as well as reasonable recommendations for the removal of said occupying forces. Validity and Acceptance of this report is left to the sole discretion of Governor Warden Sl'engeld or his successor(s). To the blessed hoard of the dead and to the endless deep of the underworld, we pledge our consent to this contract. Signed: Witnessed: XP awarded: 2,100 to [[Vincent]], [[Pavo]], and [[Bria]]; 1,500 to [[Roderick]], [[Aramil]], and [[Bigby]].