Ch 8 : The Diary of Lord Thraydin

[grey_starr]

*off to the side Benson listens, and equally quiet responds to Gilnes*

[1d20] = 12, [1d12] = 3, [1d10] = 6, [1d8] = 5, [1d6] = 1, [1d4] = 3

[GreyWolfVT]

Haerin is still awaiting that hand shake.

[Stonjuz]

"Ah, Lady Thraydin! An honor. I was just about to send a messenger. I have your book right here."

He hands her a small, worn leatherbound volume.
Talaseka signs for it's release and she turns to you all.
"If the legends are true....," and she lets the sentence go unfinished.

[Rukellian]

".... then the answers we seek must lie within these texts," Fezuul says softly as he gets up from his chair and approaches the paladin. He looks to everyone else with a smile, knowing that this must certainly be the book that was found in the tapestry.

[GreyWolfVT]

"I'm not much fer readin but if ya say so Doc have at it."

[Rukellian]

"I'm not much fer readin but if ya say so Doc have at it."

"I couldn't. I can read and write, yes, but it wouldn't feel right for me to be perusing someone else's family heritage. If anyone should read it right now, it is Talaseka; the book was meant for her after all, if you remember the cleric's words."

[GreyWolfVT]

"Eh listen yes remember sure. Figured a guy going by the name of Doc might know something about readin is all."

for DM sry i keep forgetting [1d100] = 68[1d20] = 19[1d10] = 7[1d8] = 7[1d6] = 6[1d4] = 1

[wolfpack]

Lady Thraydin if you could read it outloud so we all could hear.

[Majik]

Gilnes smiles at the eagerness of the montly-crew, but addresses Lady Thraydin.

He bows his head respectfully, "My Lady, if you would like some time alone... to reflect in private on the words of your honoured father... we" the elf pauses with a flourishing sweap of his hand to indicate the entire group including his campion Lafria the elvin cat, "are at your command. We will wait as long as you require us to, and are ready to confront these aggressors whensoever you are ready."

Gilnes finishes with an understanding smile while Lafria appears to utter a sniff of disbelief "pstt!" which sounds almost judgemental of the amorous elf.

For the DM: [1d100] = 41[1d20] = 16[1d10] = 10[1d8] = 5[1d6] = 1[1d4] = 2

[Stonjuz]

She looks up at you, from the volume's random spot, a single large tear drips from her cheek to the page and she says, "Thank you all for helping me. I will read it, alone, my friends. A volume of this size will take me about twelve hours. Greyhawk will have to wait."
With the now-fading 'curse' that had crippled her earlier, along with the tear-filled wrinkles, it makes it look like the age reversing effect has ceased, at least to some extent.

I think of Ann Margaret when I picture the aging Talaseka.
While the evil curse fading, it appears as if she is aging backwards.
When you first saw her, in the Whistling Fish, she was a teenage Bye Bye Birdie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWogtk1hB58
The second time, after the attack, was right about around Santa Clause 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhymCb_72Gg
Now, present hour, she looks like this, crying here too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEHOBVKSBcA
perhaps a day or two from now? she may look like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm8QLKhcY2s
My favorite song of hers......with elvis. Yes, I probably have a thing for Ann Margaret
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAtgAC1hUz8

Retreating back to the stair, she says that you can find her in her dormitory room, and that she would like at least one of you as guard, nearby, at her door.
(shift/schedule for twelve hours?)

[GreyWolfVT]

"If you are trusting of me I'd be more than happy to stand watch and be your guard." with that Haerin Strongarm makes a bowing gesture.

For the DM oopsy [1d100] = 88[1d20] = 5[1d10] = 4[1d8] = 8[1d6] = 5[1d4] = 2

[Rukellian]

Doctor Lokvin, still very much interested in the effects of the paladin's reverse aging, will try his utmost to be part of her guard for as long as he can, a doctor still on call. "If you don't mind, I would like to be within calling reach of her for as long as possible. I still know not the stability of her condition and for all we know, this spurt of age reversal could only be temporary and might reverse once more." The doctor quickly flips through is medical journals and nods his head as he reviews a few notes here and there. "Yes, I think she is safe for now, but better to be prepared then sorry when the time comes." He looks back up to the group with a serious face as he closes his medical journal and finishes his statement.

[1d100] = 38 [1d20] = 20 [1d10] = 5 [1d8] = 6 [1d6] = 1 [1d4] = 2

[Majik]

Gilnes nods and offers his most understanding smile to the Lady Thraydin.

And acknowleding the prudent logic of her request, suggesting that Algrim, Benson and Cobbler take four hours each with one other of the group as a company. Lokvin, Strongarm, and Branc acting as companions.

Gilnes suspecting some sort of infiltration by the cultist Thieves, begins a search of probable entry points.
Checking in with the "guard" and reporting whatever he finds.

For the DM: [1d100] = 96[1d20] = 11[1d10] = 4[1d8] = 2[1d6] = 1[1d4] = 3

[ragnboneshopper]

Strangarm having listened to the words fully stands and offers his handshake as a gesture of friendship to the half-orc. "A friend indeed I like to steal my friendships with a handshake if you will friend."

Smiling in his snaggle-toothed way, Agrim readily shakes hands with the dwarf. "We may n-n-need all th-the friends we can get before th-this is d-done," he says.

Agrim's misunderstanding about the book melts away after it is delivered. "I th-thought..." he begins, then falls silent as discussion ensues on what to do next. He gladly takes a turn at watching so that Lady Talaseka need fear no harm while she studies the diary.


[1d100] = 58, [1d20] = 10, [1d10] = 10, [1d8] = 3, [1d6] = 2, [1d4] = 4

[grey_starr]

*Benson, still with nothing to add, picks a wall and leans waiting*

[NJWilliam]

Branc Temugen, Wild Mage

Branc carefully looks around the room for anything that seems out of the ordinary or of any curiosity.
Nodding, he says, "Pairs is good, and those as good as any. We need not stray far from here even if we are not the ones assigned to watch, no?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Strongarm will pick a spot on the wall on one side of the outside room door and stand at his post. In doing so he looks almost as if he has done this before. He is like a statue un-moving and it is hard to even tell he is breathing other than the movement of his facial hair as he breathes out his nose. He stands with his flail in one hand resting on his other arm as he stands there arms crossed ever vigilant.

[wolfpack]

Cobbler will take whatever guard shift the group wants him to, he isn't picky.

[Stonjuz]

"I found it.", Talaseka comes out of her room after only four hours. "Gather around."
The biggest box-text in the history of TSR i would imagine.......

She begins to read aloud, but not too loud.....

We have finally put an end to the menace that threatens Greyhawk. Gods willing, we will never be forced to fight such an evil again. We all feel fortunate that we learned of the cult in time, before it became too powerful.
The cult was discovered by Nymman, one of the priests here in the city.
He received complaints from his parishioners that their teenage children were being recruited into a ‘club’.
At first, the parents were not worried much, but as the behavior and attitudes of their children began to change for the worse, their concerns grew. They asked Nymman to speak to the club leaders and learn what was happening.
Nyman arranged a meeting with the club. Afterward, he told some of the parents that the club had no intention of slowing or stopping their activities. Nymman informed the club that this would not be the last time they would hear from him.
The following evening, Nymman’s room was broken into and he was severly beaten. His attackers told him not to meddle in the affairs of others and the club was not of his concern.Some of his parishioners found him and took him to the main temple for aid.
Nymman told his story to the clerics and that he felt this was no ordinary club, that there was something deeper and darker involved.
They decided to investigate the club formally, by assembling a party to investigate and, if necessary, put an end to the club.
The clerics who investigated began at the place Nymman had his initial meeting. Whn no one could be found, they examined the room and found a secret passage leading to an underground chamber. A small room was found, filled with cloaks, hoods, black candles and foul smelling herbs and incense. They knew that these to be of evil intent, as related to me. On the other side of the room was a doorway leading to an enormous chamber. This was not a natural chamber: it had been hollowed out of the earth recently. But what had terrified the clerics most was the enormous unholy symbol of Iuz that stood in the front of the chamber. It was surrounded by black candelabra, draped in filmy black fabric. An altar also stood in the front of the chamber,which appeared to be carved from the same rock that made up the floor of the room. It appeared that as the room had been excavated, a great block of stone had been left behind, which was in the process of being carved into an altar. The was of great reassurance: perhaps their powers were still weak.
The investigators hid in the chamber in order to learn more. Eventually, a woman entered the chamber, examined the altar closely and made some notes on a parchment. Then she checked the candles and the symbol, looking pleased. As she prepared to leave, the clerics approached her to speak with her. She became angry immediately and told them to leave. Before the clerics could even move, a lightning bolt issued from her fingertips, wounding all of the clerics severely. She transformed into a falcon and flew from the room.

She looks up, to make sure that all are still following on every word.
Then she continues.....

The clerics escaped with their lives. The second time, more powerful clerics were sent to investigate. They entered the large chamber and observed the flacon woman and three clergymen. Together, the clerics examined the altar, the unholy symbol, and the candles, talked amongst themselves and finaly knelt before the symbol and began to chant. This went on for several minutes. Before they were finished, the clerics of St. Cuthbert launched an attack but the woman again transformed into a falcon and escaped. The clerics battled her assistants but were forced to retreat when badly wounded.
The temple clerics decided that stronger measures were needed and selected myself and Elliman to lead an attack on the cult. Elliman and I had been acquainted many years. We we told to select two others to accompany us: men of our own choice and who could be trusted implicitly.
We did not need to debate long to decide who our fellows would be. We chose Quevell and Zalen, both mages. They readily agreed to help us.

Talaseka again pauses as if searching her thoughts for any reference to the names mentioned.

[GreyWolfVT]

Haerin gathers nearer Talaseka.