Tarl's Bargain

December 14, 1005
Raven (and Damien), Zachery and Bellam. 4th level wizard (Raven 12th level) Hallucinary terrain - mid range on the outer skirts of that, nice to make a charm hit 20 miles south of Garrec Lassos' Jarl. Bellam uses his ring of mammal control to attract 30HD of mammals, in this case the caribou herds, to entrice a dragon feeding of 6 giant caribou at 5HD each, 6 total.

01-06 No patrol encountered
07-31 1.) Long range patrols - (120 miles +) 4: Dragon and ogre magi.
32-52 2.) Mid range patrols - (10-30 miles) 6: Lesser giant and ogre-kin.
***Short range partols -(1-5 miles) 10: Lesser giant and ogre-kin with some frost accompaniment.
53-65 No patrols encountered
66-78 3.) Hunting parties (5-30 miles) 5: major giants presence of patrols.
79-88 No patrols encountered
89-00 4.) Scavaging parties (10 - 40 miles) 3: Mostly trolls and trollhounds, some ettin and cyclopskin..
****Trapped, snow drift or surprise scouts (at least 30 miles out) ?????

69 - Hunting party - 8 frost giants, 20 lesser giantkin and ogrekin on a hunt.
81 - no patrols
90 - scavenging party of trolls and trollhounds 30 in number - 15% chance detection.

December 15
25 - dragon patrol moving overhead 5d10x10 in yards. Roll 280 yards overhead.
45 - Midrange patrol of close to 20 lesser giant and ogre-kin.
14 - dragon patrol moving overhead 5d10x10 in yards. ..37 yards above and approaching...
Raven and Zachery each declare charm monster - 4th level wizard.
Hitting patrol #2 very old white dragon - age cateogory 9 - 75ft body length, 68 ft tail length, AC: -4, Breath weapon 9d6+9, 2 spells, 25% MAGIC RES, +5 HD modifier, effective 16HD, 16HD for saves. Magic resistances both fail, saves 13 and 4, one fail. Low intelligence 7, effects charm monster spell, week charm duration before 90% break charm spell. Raven's charm spell is effective,strong resistance week duration noted.

Once the charm is established, dragon is left unmolested to feed, and all attention is directed towards finding the ogre magi rider. The killing takes a mere two rounds, and is a ferocious slaughter. The dragon pins two elks with two individual claw attacks, wounding three others with a bite, wing buffet and tail swipe. It then breathes twice, freezing the wounded around it. First the three, then the two pinned animals. Only then does it begin gnawing at the frozen carcasses.

Zachery casts an ESP 2nd level spell, on ogre magi search. Invisible, fly, polymorph, regenerate, charm person, sleep, assume gaseous form, cone of cold. The ogre magi is spotted in gaseous form, and basic surface thoughts detected. Zachery casts domination spell, 5th level on the subject. Save 5+2HD, 14 to save, roll 10, fail save vs. domination.

Zachery and Raven each cast tongue spells, and engage the prey. Mental questions begin with ogre magi.

1.) Are there any other individuals with your individual patrol?
We are one of four long range patrols, each composed of a dragon and at least one rider. We make contact with long range foot patrols every night.

2.) What are the names and indivisual descriptions of the three hags?
Ochlaka, Melzarda, Kosh-Koll are the three hags names'. Ochlaka has one bulging eye, Melzarda a missing ear, and Kosh-Koll is the largest of the three. They are all 'quite beautiful', like most hags.

3.) Can you rank them in order of power?
Kosh-Koll is the leading hag, and controls the most pools.

4.) Describe the pools, and what you know of them?
Each hag uses ice pools for there own intentions; Kosh-Koll controls three separate pool, in addition to the Cauldron. The hags Melzarda and Ochlaka have two inividual pools each. They weave the scrying magic, freezing spheres, and other hag relics in the pools.

5.) What do you know of the undead hags from Jukrel's Jarl?
Our sisters have returned as ghosts to ensure your death.

6.) To the dragon, what is your patrol route?
One day naps every 1-2-1 day patrol cycle. At least one rider. Feasting on herd beast gifts then back to the cave to sleep in six hours at the most.

7.) Give us a good physical description of Garrec Lassos so we may recognize him on sight.

The Frost Jarl Lord Garrec Lassos wears a full helm, encasing his head in an iron mask like helmet, with silts for eyes, nose, teeth, giving the impression of a skull-like visage. His long white hair is pulled out of them helm's top like a pony tail. He wears bone-quilled bracers, and a green sash around his biceps as a sign of warrio/priest rank. He wields a large battle axe, and a harpoon of dragonbone tip. Often his belt holds three particular boulders, each resembling a giant crystal marble, which he often employs to bowl over smaller opponents.


Bio on the ker ghosts from the Necromancer:
A ker (plural keres) is a malignant undead spirit that seeks revenge against the living. It looks like a horrible black winged ogre hag with gleaming fangs and long pointed nails. The ker wears blood stained robes and carries a scourge, a wickedly barbed whip.

An attack by one ker is usually a spirit of some monster or person seeking revenge for its death. An attack by three keres is often retaliation visited upon characters who have become overly bloodthirsty or greedy. The element of fate is prominate in most attacks by kers. Keres have distinct memories from when they were alive, and often still follow the dictates of their original culture. Sunlight does not harm keres, but the prefer to attack at night. It can travel in various polymorphed minute guises to surprise its prey.

Attacks by ker ghosts inflicts normal damage, as well as on ocassion: bad-luck, aging and disease. It often fights to the death. If victorious, the ker will drain the blood of its victims, tear the corpses into pieces, and devour them bones and all. Nothing of the victim will remain to raise or ressurrect. It requires +! weapons or better to hit, with a fearless morale. They are highly intelligent and of any evil. It has been recorded, past ker attacks in a dreamlike landscape, where the victim is forced to fight the jeres on a battlefield alone. This does not apppear to be a regular attack, but does occur enough to warrant mention and warning.

It is decided to move. The Raven and Bellam wisp the ogre magi thru the demiplane to a good table with ample pen and paper to map the fort. The dragon makes a safe-hole in the snow and tree coverage, to lie in for Zachery's discussion, and the ogre magi's return. In the basement of one of the temple's on the demiplane, the ogre magi begins scribing the fort and its interior. Game time map is provided.

Door chime and door securities
Four great doors open eastward from the open inner courtyard into the heart of the fort. They can be barred and each in several ways trapped, usually mecahnical. The fifth entryway to the north is also a large iron double door, and leads to the great frost giant hall. It has magical protections, traps, and a door gargoyle barring its entry. Other central doors can be barred and locked. The giant temple is heavily trapped in its very construction, and is considered, much like the giant hall, a death trap to invaders.

Basic routine, checking in and out
2 days out, one day in. One day out, one day in is the usual shedule I hold when flying on patrol. Other riders take a similar schedule according to their preference.

Tower description
The 200-ft towers are multi-levelled with three entrances along its length; top, middle and bottom. The top and bottom face inwards towards the fort, the middle faces out towards the surrounding forest. A dragon rider usually departs from the top-6th level and returns in the middle fourth level. The dragon lairs in the fourth and fifth level. Humanoids guard the sixth and first thru third levels. The bottom entrance is 30-ft above the ground in the courtyard, and interconnects to the wall ramparts surrounding the towers and fort.

General relation with downtime
We are on high watch and can be called on at anytime for battle or a mission. The enemy is devious and requires constant vigilance. Other than that, the downtime is my own. I quarter alone and maintain an active competition with my fellow flyers of hunts and kills. I ogrekin are worthless, at least the wintermist trolls and mephits comprehend our rank. The frost giants are difficult, but we as magi serve the Lords of the Dark Ice for our own reasons. Contact with them is limited to maintaining order and special cermonies to aid against the enemy, of which there have been many of late with the coming of the ker sisters.

General relation to ogre magis
The orge magi employ the same internal passageways utilized by the mephit and wintermist trolls, as we all travel in the mist of the glaciers' wake. The tunnel system is spread like plumbing throughout the fort, to maintain its frigid temperature, pumped by the heart of the 'frozen one who sleeps' below.

Golem statues within the fortress
Ice crytal golems guard the cauldron chamber and the great frost giant hall. I have never seen them move, but the sheer translucence of their material makes them near invisible, and suggest the rooms are held up by glass pillars. The giant hall is checkerboarded with blue and clear tiles. The clear tiles are liquid ice whose pools descend to the heart of the fortress. Ice weirds defend the board at a moments notice, and to step in the pools unprotected to the cold is fatal.

Vagities of ogre hags quarters and levels below
The magi passages are protected from enchantments placed ages ago by the ice elves of the Burneal Forest. Their purpose of non-scrying and utterance has proved useful, so it remains undispelled. I know little else of it at the moment for some reason, I can't seem to represent it in illustration or words at all.

Guard routine, ogre magi stationing between fort
Of the twenty five ogre magi, no more than 10 remain in the fort off duty at one time.
Of the 10 commanders, five. This leaves 15 ogre magi and five commander spread between patrol and watch. Of this, two-thirds are on rider/patrol duty.
Giant commanders and breakdown
25 frost giants, then 10 commanders and Garrec Lassos, with a third on patrol, the rest guard the fort.

Where the mass numbers are stored
Below in the great cavern beneath the fort, just below the innner gallery of cave chamber used by the inner sanctum of Garrec Lassos. The great cavern is huge, and much of our natural resources taken from the area are stored and frozen here to float back to Mok-Turoknin via Bane Huterren north along the river. The central leaders' comlex is comprised of a circlular series of inner-connected chambers, for Garrec and his 5 best chieftains.

Spell-list and items checkout, Bellam and Zachery prepare to travel inwards for an up to two day incursion. They (hopefully) will follow the ogre magi and dragon to bigger prey. Dimunize and dust, concealed between the ogre magi and the dragon. "Staying with the dragon in his lair. setting the dragon on sentry to the approach any creatures" is the plan.

Two dimunizations cast by Raven, each with a 60 round duration. Raven then dusts the migit warriors, then into the saddle with dragon and ogre magi. They proceed towards the fort. The dragon takes flight, passing over the bear, owlbear and elk skins strung the length of the walls. Skulls of past attackers top each wall spear set in place. You are in the top level of the right tower nearest central fort.

The name of the charmed very old white dragon is T'sultak. The dragon proceeds to his layer immediately, sniffing about and inspecting her frozen hoard. The ogre magi rider quickly dismounts and awaits instruction. His normal routine is to check back in three hour to put to rest his mount. He will mention nothing of this plot, and report of the events transpired to our satisfaction. The dragon tabulates her hoard, and brags it in excess of 9,000 gpv. This seems about right. Bellam and Zachery inquire what other riches inhabit the fort. The dragon has detailed information on this. He asks for a topic. Other dragon hordes range from 3,000-10,000 gpv. All treasure values are revealed on request.

Those of particular:
Previously enchanted elven circle magic, preventing all memory and scrying of the area, now inhabited by the ogre magi, and presumably the ogre hags as well.

Crystal Ice golems, wintermist trolls, liquid ice weirds, liquid ice transport shafts from the floor of the chessboard of the Frost Giant Hall to the ceiling of the lower chambers, breather, spouter and grandfather plaque garoyles, mist tunnels, summoning of evil elementals; snow golems, elemental vermin, mist and ice mephits, ice para-elementals, mihstu, and of course the ker hags.
Relations of the Wyvern Rider and Garrec Lassos. His developments with the acquisition of the dragon lance, and his arrangement with the captain of the phaseship. Two very old dragons killed, their hordes confiscated, and treasures divided between Garrec and Tarl and then Garrec, Tarl and Nakhon Nayok.

The ogre magi returns, after travelling to the riders' hall for some relaxation. A few of the other riders were engaged in some cold heavy brew, while talking of the hunt for the assassins. Each also asked it they had spotted the phaseship, and one of the riders' noted he marked it just above the lowest cloud line three nights before, and then two days ago again hidden in the path of the sun. As the drinking continued, some commented that the hags had taken bed with three of the riders in the last week, and they bet who would be next. Soon after, it was time to check on his mount, T'sultak.

After some questioning, the magi-rider notes that - The frost giants man this fort under Garrec Lassos' stead, as a vassal guard of Mok Turoknin. They collect fish and game from the area, log heavy timber, and seek to find ''the cold heart of the one who sleeps below'. As now the southern-most fort, their newest charge is to catch and kill the assassins. The fort systems, now on high alert, have been in place for the last twenty years, but only in the last five have they been heavily manned. The are part of the Blood of Thrym's furthest pillages in the Burneal Forest. The elven enclave the fort is bulit around is much older, and was incorporated recently into the fort's defenses. This fort has had many more additions and remodeling by the giants than Jukrel's fort. This is not necessarily uncommon as giants, when not at war or on the hunt, are often building and reconstructing defenses; there size and strength makes massive construction possible in a short period of time.

He checks on T'sultak, sees all is well, and heads to his quarters to bed down. He will return in about 12 hours when T'sultak awakens. T'sultak, with your permission, curls up on this frozen treasure mound for a nap. Zachery begins rest for re-memorization, while Bellam keeps watch. A 1 roll in d10 by Kevin determines the hags visit our rider that night. 8 hours of rest by Zachery, with the rememorization of some lost spell and exchanges, total time 11 hours.

Rings
Zachery : invisibilty, protection
Bellam: spellturning, invisibilty

Bellam: p. 152 Bands of Denial
Protection vs. all detection/scrying/location. Armband, smooth circle of black cloth.

Lassos and 3 subordinates
5 hill giants
mist pipes: orge hagi, and hagi ker
10 ogre magi, 5 magi riders, and a horde of wintermist trolls

Phaseship at the entrance
Tarl Cabot, the Captain Nokhon Nayok, and crew aboard.

Zachery moves (invisibly as shade in optinum shadowly light conditions, shadow-walking when possible) to the fourth level. With his winged boots, he move out under the ship. The dragon moves around the tower, with Zachery and Bellam in close tow. Three figures jump to the 6th entrance and the dragon and Bellam comes into site. Combat erupts on the on the sixth entrance; with clean kills sounds. Thhe approach gaint and mist party behind begin moveing quickly out the corridor to the walls to get to the towers. The shyshark turns in portholes, ballistas charged, on the dragon Tsulstak. Zachery moves Bellam from the dragon a bit to cast a fly spell.

Dragon attacked with ballista fire
Dragon breaths
Dragon takes flight toward the ship
Giants motion for missle fire.
Ship moves toward the fourth entrance.

Battle insues, heavy damage to the ship, several crewmen dead, two dragons - old and sub-adult killed, giants enraged. A meeting is formed for a trade, the artifact for information and an introduction to the Cult of the Dragon, with the goal to slay Mok Turoknin.

Its a trap, board the ship if you want to live
Zachery and Bellam board, take shelter in the phase
Bargain agreed

Tactics for attack
Reinforcements arrived thru the pools with wintermist trolls. Scouting with your ship? - that depend on the repair, it would require more time than in terms of difficulty.

Artifact was at Diescroth. Paraswarn came with Exorix, Danubius- check history. Encased in a protective container, then wisped to Keep Ermanarik, the Black Chapel, and stored in the one of vaults of the Order of the Eclipse, this particular vault coincidently ?under? Keep Ermanarik, under guard by the Drakeer.

At meeting for Raven with the Order of the Eclipse and Zachery with the Sv'uess. Fire fundimentals lanterns must be exchanged. Zachery and Bellum part the Shyshark, use the stone to contact Raven, open it up - lots has happened. Sword of Tarl and Seeing Stone of the Hextorites exchanged.

Zachery begins briefing Raven. Tarl and the Skyshark will be in touch after 12 hours, following your five hour parley. Zachery begins remorizing for teleport to Sv'euss. Raven teleports to the Order of the Elcipse for audience with Parawarn or whoever will listen. Within the Citystate, under the circle teleporting diases of the Order of the Eclipse, four windward giants in each corner, Raven arrives. Right outside the Laberrynth and the Black Chapel. Within three blocks of the Fallen Path. Raven enters the courtyard of the Cy K'Merga, Archives of the Seven Moons, and onto the yard of the Great Orders.

Raven enters the Halls of the 36 Invisibles, and proceeds to the antichamber of the Viser Demontra, Exxorix. You are greeted by a the Black Drakeer guard. 2 black dragon heads, 9? (5 recently) white dragon heads.

Marut guards the arched door of the antichamber. One skeletal warrior stands guard over Errorix. None of the Drakeer are present. 2 spectral wizards as assistants who handle personal arrangements, experiments, etc. He is immediately available for your council once he completes his rejuvenation with a xeg yagi.

Information on Tarl, deal, artifact exchange. No new information. 3 days, then 21, then 11, then 20... until the artifact can be removed safely by the phases of the moons. He recommends we left for the Black Chapel immediately. Raven, Exxorix, the Skeletal Warrior and one spectral wizard proceed to petition Paraswarn the Red.

In the Private dark hall of Keep Eramarik are the Stone Forges of the Circle of Saros. Presently in company of the Archmage are two Allies of the Council: Worleb Ukkru an Azer rogue (Elemental kin, fire Azer MCAnnual 1), and the Archshadow Gazarituss.

Paraswarn welcomes Raven, Exxorix and company, "I take it this will not wait". Raven explains in detail the present situation to the north and the offer of the former Wyvernrider Tarl Cabot. He delivers the firewing lantern to Raven and the Hextorites. You are informed that Sv'euss, Exxorix, Myrn Myndyl, Kistokain all have similiar firewing laterns. Forged by the family of Worleb Ukkru, two laterns remain in the hearths at the private dark hall of the Archmage. He offers a dragonhead per additional latern, plus two bonus spells. One dragonhead as a fee for artifact storage.
Total in exchange 3 heads - total 12 history.

Create Baneguard
AC Annual 1
6th-level Priest Spell
Sphere: Necromatic
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: 1 skeletal body
The casting of this spell transforms an inanimate skeleton of size M or smaller into a baneguard, gifted with a degree of maliciuos intelligence. Only one baneguard amy be created at a time with this spell. The baneguard is capable of using its abilities in the round following creation, and it needs no special commands to attack. The material components of this spell are the holy symbol of a priest and at least 20 drops of blood from any sort of true dragon.

5?-?-7th level magic user spell
Dread - skeletal arms that attack. Useful in the defense of the Hextorite treasure pit.
Paraswarn will summon a tasked oathbinder genie for the trading of the artifact. Divinations of the ogre hags and the runecasting of the frost giants. Warns of the presence of Ku Lebrow, the para-elemental ice lord of the Burneal Forest. Raven teleport back to the swamp for the midnight call of Tarl Cabot along the seeing stone exchanged for his Graz'zt bastard sword.

At midnight of November 15th, the seeing stone glows with a radiant light. Raven answers, "Good evening Lord Tarl Wyvernrider, it has been a while since we last encountered one another". He responsed, "Lord Raven, I presume. " Lt Zachery informed positions of player have changed. You might let bogones be bigones.

-For the right price, the tables can turn diffinitively in your favor. Do have the artifact?
As is most always the case in life, the best things can aways sway one's head. Yes, we don possess that item of which you speak.

-I have outlined to Zachery, what I offer in return for the Orb. An alliance forged on the assassination of Mok Turoknin, with a contact meeting with the a representative of the Cult of the Dragon. Do you agree?
I have met with Zachery and listened to the offer. As well as spoke with some of the other parties concerned with particular item. I will hesitate making an exact agreement, I will say I am more than intrigued with you offer. An feel with a meeting that will iron out some of the details, I feel we can come to an agreement amicable to both parties.

- Lord Raven, I am here to negotiate. What details concern you?
Since I've spoken to the other parties involve. epsecially since I've spoken to Zachery, you understand the item can not be broken out immediately. In speaking with him, he has outlined a timetable for the items delivery. He has also arranged a more formal oathbinding between are two parties.

- You speak of other parties and allies, of whom do you speak? Zachery was brief in his description of other individuals controlling the Orb. Please enlighten me on your partners, the timeline, and this oathbinding formality?
Since as you probably know, Diescroth, as impressive as it is, is still in its infacy and still not a choice place to protect the item. Your time in this area, but our ties with the Cy K,Merga and the Order of the Eclipse, requires there assistance in storage. Thus being the case, it protective location will not be accessible conveniently until 24 days.
Therfore, I propose that we meet to discuss the wording of our deal, to our parties satisifact, as well to convene a war stategy against Garroc Lassos.

-Lets put aside the giant war for now. Can we not discuss our deal here on your crystal, or is there some time limitation with these devices?
Non time limitations, do you have any questions as to our deal?

- First the oath. What exactly do you propose?
Paraswarn is still the unoffical head of the Order of the Eclispe. He has been guarding the Artifact for us. However, it can be convienently extracted for 24 days, he has also offered to provide an oathbinder to officiate the transation. Therefore, I'm sure at sometime between that happening the exact language of the deal between us.

- Agreed. I will meet with Paraswarn, your company and the genie-binder only we have negotiated the details. I have offered my sword, and trust we can reach an agreement. I have made clear my part of the bargain. Lord Raven, speak freely, the past is done. Please voice your concerns.
I have no concerns of the deal offered.

- Let put off the 24th - immediate future with Garrec Lassos. We have attacked these forces along the river. I don't want to leave anyone at their backside. My particular forces are ready to take this fort done. Especially with your assistance to aid them. I propose, if you are willing, you are more than welcome to assist us and learn to work with each other for upcoming battles.

- The Shyshark will need imediate repairs. Coincidently, I too will be unavailable for the next twenty four days, as my participation is required to reconstruct the hull. This is my priority and obilgation to Naykon Nayok, as he followedmy risky suggestion of offering a deal to you, and a betrayal under the allliance with Garrec Lassos. Garrec's boulder berage was well placed, he nearly killed us. Our escape was near a thoousand to one. It not for our protections, the hull would have buckled under the six dragons' weight. The Captain requires a particular wood, havested and treated by wood giants, and finally blessed by a spirit of the forest under a moon lit sky. Perhaps you could help.

I propose that yes our magic assistance will be granted, yet I think we could take with a day and a half with or without your assistance. Lay dormant for that day and a half. You could still participate in the attack. Protection of the Shyshark will be provided.

- The ship is on an escape heading , as our moment is to a bare minimum, and we vulnerable to Mok Turoknin's cloud giant allies, dragon slaves, and mist hordes. At the moment, that heading is Diescroth. We have been marked, and I expect and attack within as soon as the next two days. I was hoping I would have poseession of the artifact to ward off the attack. You see, I am a known quantity, not so well protected as your ghostly assassins. We need the repatriate the crew. Four of your best suited followers would do nicely. This would satisfy the ship captain enough for use to consider anything else but the ship's protection. You have methods of teleportation travel, can you transport the ship to Diescroth faster than our present minimum speed?
No teleportation, head to the ship under the river. How long?

-six hours. See you then. Bring my sword?
Of course.
Zenar, Helm, Bellam and Skell prepare all the fighter, mage and priest core strike units for activity. All are to appear ready for battle assignment in the temple in five hours. In that time period, Zachery will teleport Raven to boat. Raven takes the key sphere. Zachery takes the Rod, and teleports to Sv'euss.

Zenar and Reghell reamain at Diescroth. Kushzakar, Mansurian, One Eyed Jack Guzl and Podinae will become part of the Shyshark crew. All thirty core strike classes, the above mentioned, and Nagordak, Ogie, Ardon, Skell, Bellam cross to the demiplane with a potion of acid resistance. Raven has one potion of acid resistance with Zachery's transference to the boat. Raven opens the sphere to the demiplane at the parthenon, with Helm taking all of the Hextorian army to the pantheon. The crossing of the desert between (3 in 10) has a small new feature of interest. A skull pile of thri-keen heads of some three feet high lies in the path. "That quite a few thri-keen heads." Recently killed, they have a swarm of desertoid insect scavengers crawling about it. The heads have been riped, bitten, slashed and bashed off by a powerful creature. Some are partially digested and dissolved. Acid attack is a possiblity, but also some regurgitation bile fluid is evident. The crossing is otherwise clear. Raven eats a bug, spits it out in digust, and moves on. All the Hextorian army is lead to the boat.