IC III

[thirdkingdom]

Sixthmonth, Seventeenthday
Hex 231.117?

Girding their loins, the adventurers break camp and return to the obelisk. Ribar casts his spell, and observes the writing. Divine lenses float before his eyes, translating the script into something he can read. Where before it read:

"ਇੱਥੇ ਬੋਰ ਹੋਇਆ ਜਾਦੂਗਰ ਵਿਨਮਾਰਮਾ ਦਿ ਵਿਕਟ ਹੈ, ਦਿਨ ਦੇ ਅੰਤ ਤੱਕ ਅੰਦਰ ਸੀਮਤ. ਉਸਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਨਾ ਬੋਲੋ ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਖੋਲ੍ਹਿਆ ਜਾ ਸਕੇ."

it now reads:

"Buried herein is the sorcerer Wynmarma the Wicked, confined within until the ends of days. Speak not his name lest the doorway be opened."

[VonAlric]

Gardo

He leans over and takes a look at the drawing Mardan Cy holds up. "Say... that is a right smart picture there. You really do a good job of shading, makes it look like it could come off the page. You know, you should do a drawing of me battling something big, with me beating it down. Oh! Did you see me battling those orcs riding on the giant pigs? Could you make.."

A cough behind him makes Gardo stop and turn. "What? I'm saying that it would be a goo... Don't look at me like that. You know it wo... Really? You are going to keep looking at me like that, Mariusz?" A few seconds of silence passes. Gardo finally throws up his hands. "Okay! You really should be more supportive of me." He turns back towards the others. He whispers to Mardan, "Let's talk later."

Looking at Ribar, "So, anything you can tell us about?"

[shaidar]

Ribar writes down the words, being extra careful with spelling and making sure he doesn't mouth the words as he writes. Once done he leaves the clearing and rejoins the others.

"You were right to be worried about reading it aloud. It says...Buried herein is the sorcerer man's name the Wicked, confined within until the ends of days. Speak not his name lest the doorway be opened".

He really will say "man's name" rather than Wynmarma. I might be laying it on too thick but Ribar has a low INT and was illiterate until recently, so I think his read and writing will be a work in progress

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"I wonder if that mystic inscription has any sort of range, like if this gentleman's name can be spoke anywhere and his prison will open up? I'm usually spoiling for a fight but perhaps we mark this spot, try to gain a little knowledge of the inhabitant first, and then return fully prepared. I would think some of the local nobles would want this mess cleaned up and they may be willing to pay for that kind of pest removal service."

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

"I wonder if that mystic inscription has any sort of range, like if this gentleman's name can be spoke anywhere and his prison will open up? I'm usually spoiling for a fight but perhaps we mark this spot, try to gain a little knowledge of the inhabitant first, and then return fully prepared. I would think some of the local nobles would want this mess cleaned up and they may be willing to pay for that kind of pest removal service."

There's only one way to find out!

[shaidar]

Newton

"Good work Ribar. I agree, let's note this and move on. I don't think we're currently prepared to take on a magician that was so powerful he was confined rather that killed. We can ask Telemachus for advice and get Reker Nus to do some research for us."

[Leitz]

Ardath

Will support the group, but his player is a bit clueless and brain-dead at the moment...

Before bed, Ardath casts another continual light on a rock, and puts it in his pouch.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus points his horse away from the clearing and rides onward.

TK - Looking at our map, does it look like The Hidden Treasure of the Bandit Queen Datziznaid still lies to the west?

Leitz - let us know what you're feeling confused about. Admittedly this is a game full of stuff so I get the challenge of joining.

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus points his horse away from the clearing and rides onward.

TK - Looking at our map, does it look like The Hidden Treasure of the Bandit Queen Datziznaid still lies to the west?

Leitz - let us know what you're feeling confused about. Admittedly this is a game full of stuff so I get the challenge of joining.

You think so. As best Newton can tell you are in Hex 231.117. The tomb should be in Hex 226.117. So, you're about 30 miles away (or a day plus a little).

[VonAlric]

Mariusz

As the group begins to head west, Mariusz speaks up. "Members of the Scarlet Warriors, I gotz to speak. As youze knows, I am Gardo's close advisor and oldest friend, he and I'ze go way back. Usually, we speak about tings and then he letz youze hear them but dis is one time no misinterpretation can be hadz. We, me and Gardo, used to work for people who liked to getz all sortz of info. Nowz, they wasn't all bad, some were even good on most days. But, we'ze learnt one ting that they all did. If the right amount of money showz up, they will sell that info faster than a troll can healz up."

"Now, if we goez on and get someone to look up info on whoever that was back there, they'ze gotz some knowledge they didn't have. So, I say we'ze best be careful to pick people who don't have money to gain from it and will invest in making sure whatz buried stays buried. You know what I'm sayin'?"

He looks over to Gardo, whose mouth is agape. Mariusz shakes his head a little. "I told youze that I'd let you do the talking unless it was real serious like . I never told youze I wouldn't speak to them. I just didn't want another bad mistake like that time youze was supposed to get the address of that place of female companionship, remember? How we ended up at that other place?" Mariusz visibly shivers. "Dem people all runnin' around wearing those animal hides, it t'wasn't natural!"

[Rex]

Shmara

Shmara follows along, her spare horses in tow. "What signs are we looking for that might indicate the treasure?"

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"It's a balancing act. We represent society re-opening vast swathes of the wilderness that have been partially forgotten. Within that wilderness there is much that was left behind and which we are encountering - like that wizard's prison back there. The way I look at it, all of these places might be a jackpot, but some - like that prison - are not necessarily guaranteed. And some might be simple to deal with and some won't be. I remember one time we stumbled on some trolls at a burned out old farmhouse. One fireball later and there was just a burned out old farmhouse and some treasure. That wizard's prison though - might not be an easy target and it might not have much of a reward. How do we fix that? We find out whatever we can about the wizard to up the odds so to speak...and then we get some local royalty to pay us a little extra so that we know it will be worth our while.

Now I say all that and this place we are going - The Hidden Treasure of the Bandit Queen Datziznaid - is little more than an X on a map which may or may not be where it's supposed to be. Nobody is paying us and we know nothing about this person. Maybe we all just feel better about raiding a bandit queen's lair than we do in freeing an imprisoned wizard."

[Rex]

Shmara

"As someone trying to aid society in advancing out of the darkness and into the light I am less concerned with the reward and more concerned with the consequences. Rewards are nice and I suppose we need a certain amount to survive and allow us to continue our work, but it should never be the primary deciding factor."

[Leitz]

Ardath

Ardath listened to Shmara and Feargus, nodding. "Fighting evil is good. Defeating evil is much better, since the evil isn't around to spread itself. I've only been with the group a short time, myself, but the goal is building the ability to defeat greater evils. Our skills and strength currently allow us to defeat some things, but we have no idea about that wizard. Building skills and strength requires money, time, and effort. Hence the current journey."

He nodded to Ribar, and added. "I can seek divine wisdom occasionally, and we can do that while safely back at the village. You did great work back there. Gathering information like that helps when seeking the best course of action."

[thirdkingdom]

Sixthmonth, Seventeenthday
Hex 226.117?

The adventurers make notes to investigate the tower later, then head westward through the verdant forest. It is just past midsummer, and the air is hot and humid, and thick with gnats and mosquitoes. No doubt it would be worse out from under the canopy.

They've gotten a late start, but on horseback they make good time, and around 3:00 pm Newton announces that he thinks they are in the general vicinity of the tomb, although there is no sign of it. It is a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, given the vagueness of the map and the vast tract of forest they find themselves in.

Encounter on 1-2:: 1d6 5
Nature of roll redacted:: 1d100 90

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"We may need to be somewhat methodical in finding this place. In the morning I think we start some kind of search pattern, kind of like we did once upon a time when we were clearing that area around Rhea's Ford."

I'm talking about clearing the hex - I think we have a procedure for doing that right? Of course we're not positive which hex we're in which may be a challenge too .

[Rex]

Shmara

"A search pattern sounds good."

[shaidar]

Newton

"Agreed, a methodical approach. If we get stumped I can start asking animals, but with an area this size it's hit and miss whether they will know anything"

[VonAlric]

Gardo

"Yeah, sounds good. Do we search for a little bit then camp or the other way around?"

[thirdkingdom]

Sixthmonth, Seventeenthday
Hex 226.117?
Ardath

Ardath speaks up. "I thought I could leave my partner behind and set out into the world, but, I must confess, my heart yearns for her soft embrace, and I fear I must bid you farewell and return to her. 'Ere I go, however, allow me to commune with my patron and see if I can narrow the search." The cleric sits cross-legged, makes a few pious gestures and mumbles a few words. "You have three questions. Tell me what you wish to know and I will see if I can help. But beware! The questions must have a yes or no answer!"