Can
Fray ask Christ to simply overrule Njord, Freya and other pagan
dieties?
Maybe. In future session he should consider asking for God's intervention directly in the form of a Dispel Magic from on high.
Was
his own casting of Dispel Magic successful in shriving Cruum of his
obligations to the Gods?
It
was not.
Did
Cruum successfully convert the altar of Blidoolpoolp to Njord?
He
did.
Having
cleared out the homarid temple and found what they sought in the sea
caverns, what did the party do next?
They
left the ocean for the dry land, and headed for the Cityport of
Aghione, capital of the island.
On
what date did they reach Aghione?
June
the 20th.
What
was their first order of business?
To
sell the jewels and treasure plucked from the depths and fill their
purses with silver.
And
their second?
To
get very drunk in the North Star tavern.
What
transpired at the tavern?
A
protagonist and his friends picked a fight with Fray.
How
did that go for them?
Not
well. The leader was the subject of a Hold Person spell in the first
round, and his allies were subsequently dispatched until the
remainder surrendered and soldiers arrived to keep the peace.
What
did the soldiers disclose to our heroes during the course of
drinking?
That
the city's recent festival air was the result of an impending
celebration three days hence in honor of the birthday of King Tarquin
II. Also that additional guards were needed for the maintenance of
order during this time, and that our heroes would be ideally suited
to such a position.
Did
the adventurers assent to the idea of becoming guards?
They
did. At the castle, Ser Osmond Dupre signed them up as guards.
What
were the stipulations of the contract.
Vaguely,
to uphold the integrity of the kingdom of Corsinia and to put the
safety of King Tarquin before all else. Specifically, to report to
Dupre on June the 23rd at 4 P.M.
Was
there any mention of the use of sorcery in the contract?
There
was not.
What
did the party decide to do with the rest of the day?
They
headed to the Port District, largely defunct since the involuntary
cessation of international sea-trade some 400 years previous.
What
did they see in the Port District?
A
fine building whose sign depicted a woman ravished by Zeus in the
guise of a swan, a sun-dappled and bepuddled alleyway containing a
mysterious figure, and a man in a grey cloak waiting by the sea with
his fishing vessel.
What
was found in Leda and the Swan?
A
gaudy house of ill repute wherein painted Stygian twin sisters
introduced the establishment's purveyor, a statuesque woman, over six
feet tall, bald and wearing a deep purple toga.
What
did Cruum request?
The
company of dwarven ladies, potentially bearded.
What
was offered in their stead?
The
company of Boudicea. This upset Cruum deeply as he was averse to
deception.
What
wonders did he miss out on for his prejudice?
The
company of the Empress Theodora, of Helen of
Troy, Cleopatra, Hypatia, Nausicaa, Arete and others.
After
leaving Leda and the Swan in a huff, did Cruum approach the grey
cloaked man?
He
did.
And
what was his deal?
He
claimed knowledge of a small island a few miles off the coast whereon
were certain strange ruins, almost certainly full of ancient
treasure. He offered to carry Cruum and the others there for a 50%
cut of any salvage recovered.
How
did Cruum alter the deal?
The
dwarf proposed that a 30/70 split would more accurately reflect the
asymmetrical risk of the proposed undertaking.
The
result?
The
party piled into a small fishing vessel, sans hirelins and henchmen,
and were carried to a small island with three hills dotted with
cypress trees.
And
the ruins?
A
marble post-and-lintel archway of seemingly Roman design, set into
the side of one hill, invisible from the shore.
Within?
A
slope leading down into darkness, terminating in an octagonal chamber
containing an altar set with the image of an eye, the pupil of which
was a small hollow depression suitable for the insertion of a
gemstone.
And
when such a gemstone was inserted?
Two
things happened.
The
first thing?
Four
flames, violet, red, green and blue sprung up upon the altar.
And
the second?
The
walls on either side of the adventurers slid inward allowing the
egress of two flapsails or dimetrodons which attacked immediately.
What
are the stats for a dimetrodon?
AC
4, MV 12''//6'', HD 5, AT 1 (1d10+5), SD Large size
What
was the result of the battle?
The
party was surprised, Andronikos felled, but the struggle was
ultimately won without fatality on the side of the adventurers.
What
ensued?
Experimentation
with the flames. Increasing rage on the part of Cruum. The
shattering of the altar by Cruum resulting in the dissipation of
three of the flames. Reticence on Baraldur's part to yield the green
flame to destruction. The demanding of the green flame as recompense
by the grey cloaked man. The killing of the grey cloaked man by
Cruum.
By
what means the latter?
With
a crossbow.
What
was the general mood of our heroes as they returned to Aghione in a
fishing boat?
Dejection,
anger, disappointment, frustration.
What
made up for this in some small part?
The
identification of a few of their magical items by an alchemist in the
Market District. By means of this Baraldur discovered that his
trident had the power to exert control over fish, and the felicity of
the green flame was made plain.
What
did the green flame do?
It
could be imbibed to grant a breath weapon attack, usable once.
What
did the violet flame do?
It
would have increased the power of any non-magical weapon placed
within it.
What
did the red flame do?
It
would have granted resistance to cold to any piece of non-magical
armor laid within it.
What
did the blue flame do?
It
was harmful if imbibed, but beyond that its properties remain
unknown.
Why
was Cruum so very angry?
Possibly
because he is a dwarf.
.