Summary after the break.
Day 7 – Leyf, Calyx, Amarouq + New Player; Tamris, Shifter Druid (SRG)
Ammaroq was pissed and fireballed the Imps, They died. Then they nabbed the crystal and went back to Lek. Leyf and Calyx cosplay = bonus XP. They notice a disturbance and find a game of Liar’s Dice going in a corner of town. They join in and lose in order until Amarouq notices that their opponent is cheating. Cue chase scene with Tamris (Originally a make character, but everyone kept calling it “she” – the newbie is a girl) running from Amarouq, running with Leyf and Calyx, running from a viciously angry mob. Cue Benny Hill theme song. Tamris transmogrifies into a sparrow, and Amarouq responds by turning into a raven. Tamris shifts into a large jungle cat, and Amarouq tries to morph again, but he turns into some awkward Bird-Cat hybrid. While Tamris is laughing, Amarouq and Leyf rope her up and sneak her into an alleyway. Before long, they glimpse an exhausted dwarf running past, followed by the viciously angry crowd. Calyx hides in a barrel of ale.
After some subsequent drunken roleplaying on Calyx’s part, and some Good Cop/Bad Cop/Drunk Cop shenanigans, Tamris gives Leyf back his money only and aquiesces to being taken to the police station. They do so, and she’s put on the wait list for community service (SRG had to leave early). All in all, an excellent character introduction.
The remaining three (L,C,A) head to the government building of the town. They turn in Glacerus and the two crystals, and are compensated. They then go off gallavanting through the city, spending their money on loot. So far, the important things bought are some Dragonfire Tar, some Potions of Healing, and some weapons. They all hit Level 4 last meeting, so Jimmy, the Enchanted Amulet grants Calyx extra bonuses.
The Desert Rats, 6th of The Nine, the strongest squads in the country, are instructed to grant the Raven squad (now rank 17?) safe passage to the Desert of Acumon, in search of the lost red crystal. They navigate the dunes with ease, their Australian-accented tour guides pointing out striking features of the landscape. Then they come to the entrance to the subterranean structure where they believe the red crystal to be housed.
While Amarouq decodes and translates a Draconic inscription written in Iokharic characters, Leyf and Calyx, along with Chuck and Clyde (two Desert Rats) go around the entrance to head off a band of bandits that they overheard. Making short work of them and the two Dust Devils whom they wake, They return to the entrance to find the inscription decoded: Secret Fire On The Stone, If You Want To Go Through. Amarouq casts Scorching Burst, which does nothing. They detect residual dragon magic, and Leyf uses his Dragonfire Tar on the inscription stone, unlocking the hidden door. The group proceeds, followed by the Desert Rats and a strange escort, clothed in black, sporting a blood-red hawk on his shoulder.
Inside, they pitch a battle with two Runespiral Demons and four Rupture Demons. The Rupture Demons power up the Runespiral Demons when slain, so they change their plan of attack to target the Runespirals first. After all is said and done, Amarouq tries to bust down a magic forcefield. 32 in Arcana just doesn’t cut it sometimes. Calyx peers through a doorway to view a room nearly flooded with lava. They opt not to go that way. Instead, they take a second passage, down a hallway filled with Sandfishes.
Amarouq summons a giant rock-platform. Calyx and Leyf paddle the stone across the sand like a rowboat, with Amarouq casting Magic Missile at every fish (12) and spider (1) that tries to get onboard. Then, Leyf throws himself upon a large chest. Now, the fun happens – it’s a Level 8 Object Mimic! While the trio lays down some impressive fire, the tentacles grab at Leyf, then at Amarouq, snatching the latter and sucking him inside (it transforms into chest form). Before it can digest Amarouq’s last few hit points away, Calyx smashes it open. Better than Leyf’s suggestion of setting it on fire. Cue a massive argument between Amarouq and Calyx. Topics include “It doesn’t take any skill to cast Magic Missile,” “Since when do I ever miss my attacks,” and “You think my beard-braids are funny? Your mother taught it to me.” Of course I award them XP.
They continue on to find a pathway through the previously seen lava room. Some nasty Magma Claws and Magma Hurlers keep lobbing flaming balls of molten rock at our heroes. Thankfully, no one is seriously injured. They never even fall in the lava at any point in this room.
Oh, I forgot: We spent an obscene amount of time playing Liar’s Dice, intermittently throughout the day. Of our timeframe (1:30 to 6:30), I’d say at least half-an-hour of those 5 hours was spent playing, if not 45 minutes. It’s SO ADDICTING!
AKR, gimme some input!