March 22nd, 2015 - 23rd of Harvester to the 25th of Harvester (High Summer) 580 CY
The group finds themselves surrounded by a jumble of elemental earth. The room they are in is cavernous and unstable. The caves of the Node are a crumbling mess of sinkholes, cave-ins, and falling rocks. It is then that they notice Sir Rennard of the Hart and Zohar the Invoker are missing. Whether they were not within range of Melath and the power gem and left behind, or were transported to other domains, no one knows. The Moat House Men are, for the time being, comprised of Rivermist the Druid, Neirdre the Pelorian, and Melath the Multi-Tasker. Aelfric, Cleric of St. Cuthbert, has been a true ally of the group as well. The adventurers take stock of their situation. The priestly members begin to realize that various element specific protection spells will work in a more generalized manner in the Nodes. The priests pool their resources and cast protection from fire spells upon the group. The environmental damage is stopped, for the moment, while the party rests and heals from previous encounters and ordeals.
The party chooses a random tunnel and forges onward. Melath soon scouts a group of, what he refers to as, "hedgehogs from hell". The party surprises the beasts and falls upon them. The creatures turn out to be much heartier than first expected. One of the monsters attaches itself to the chest of Zaltar and wounds the efreeti with what seems like relative ease. Melath concludes that the genie is too proud to beg for healing. Aelfric is wounded severely. The loamy creatures are taken down eventually and Zaltar is brought back from the brink of death by the Pelorian while the Druid attends to Aelfric's wounds. The party returns to the "entrance" cavern and moves on.
A good deal of extra time is spent dealing with travel through less-than-ideal environmental conditions. Eventually, the spelunkers find a larger sized cavern containing a gate to what might be the Air Node. Off the cavern and down a short corridor they spy what appears to be the feeding ground of a pair of gorgons. The area is a large cavern hollowed out by the monsters themselves. While the party discusses tactics, they realize that they might avoid the death of everyone in the party if they were to retreat to the gate cavern.
A plan is soon devised and the party acts, confusing and surprising the great bulls. One of the creatures is dispatched quickly by Aelfric's flame strike and Neirdre's electrical bolts. The remaining gorgon is trapped within a ring of fire summoned by the efreeti. The beast nevertheless survives the barrage and breathes forth a green mist which petrifies to stone the hapless Druid and the Cuthbertine. It turns out this was also one of the bull's last breaths as it falls to the ground, mortally wounded. Melath searches the area and the others puzzle over what to do about their rocky brethren.
Melath comes across what seems to be the last of the four power gems. Neirdre determines that it might be worth their while to open the bellies of the great beasts. They find a number of valuable gems and some time is spent bickering over the values of a few of them. Conversation then returns to the statues of their companions. Neirdre divines from Pelor that a solution might be buried underneath their very feet. A spell is cast and the floor opens. Melath chimneys down the narrow void and finds at the bottom (with Scritch's help) a stone bowl containing a lump of clay (q.v.). He returns to the top of the rapidly crumbling pit and the group wonders what to make of their find. Melath sees runes from what might be an ancient language inscribed upon the bowl.
Invoking his magical ability to parse the unreadable, Melath determines that the item is a magical device used to render fossilized flesh viable. It seems also that they have enough clay to revivify a total of four individuals. The Pelorian speaks the command words, molds the clay and the cold visages of their friends are brought back to life. Prayers and orisons are wiped clean from the memories of Aelfric and Rivermist as the transformation is nearly too much for them to bear. They are, however, otherwise intact.
Melath, with the taste of success possibly emboldening him, decides to extract the Golden Orb from it's container and grasp it with bare hands. With a twinkle in his eye, the half-drow speaks: "Genie, I have a proposition..."
The group finds themselves surrounded by a jumble of elemental earth. The room they are in is cavernous and unstable. The caves of the Node are a crumbling mess of sinkholes, cave-ins, and falling rocks. It is then that they notice Sir Rennard of the Hart and Zohar the Invoker are missing. Whether they were not within range of Melath and the power gem and left behind, or were transported to other domains, no one knows. The Moat House Men are, for the time being, comprised of Rivermist the Druid, Neirdre the Pelorian, and Melath the Multi-Tasker. Aelfric, Cleric of St. Cuthbert, has been a true ally of the group as well. The adventurers take stock of their situation. The priestly members begin to realize that various element specific protection spells will work in a more generalized manner in the Nodes. The priests pool their resources and cast protection from fire spells upon the group. The environmental damage is stopped, for the moment, while the party rests and heals from previous encounters and ordeals.
The party chooses a random tunnel and forges onward. Melath soon scouts a group of, what he refers to as, "hedgehogs from hell". The party surprises the beasts and falls upon them. The creatures turn out to be much heartier than first expected. One of the monsters attaches itself to the chest of Zaltar and wounds the efreeti with what seems like relative ease. Melath concludes that the genie is too proud to beg for healing. Aelfric is wounded severely. The loamy creatures are taken down eventually and Zaltar is brought back from the brink of death by the Pelorian while the Druid attends to Aelfric's wounds. The party returns to the "entrance" cavern and moves on.
A good deal of extra time is spent dealing with travel through less-than-ideal environmental conditions. Eventually, the spelunkers find a larger sized cavern containing a gate to what might be the Air Node. Off the cavern and down a short corridor they spy what appears to be the feeding ground of a pair of gorgons. The area is a large cavern hollowed out by the monsters themselves. While the party discusses tactics, they realize that they might avoid the death of everyone in the party if they were to retreat to the gate cavern.
A plan is soon devised and the party acts, confusing and surprising the great bulls. One of the creatures is dispatched quickly by Aelfric's flame strike and Neirdre's electrical bolts. The remaining gorgon is trapped within a ring of fire summoned by the efreeti. The beast nevertheless survives the barrage and breathes forth a green mist which petrifies to stone the hapless Druid and the Cuthbertine. It turns out this was also one of the bull's last breaths as it falls to the ground, mortally wounded. Melath searches the area and the others puzzle over what to do about their rocky brethren.
Melath comes across what seems to be the last of the four power gems. Neirdre determines that it might be worth their while to open the bellies of the great beasts. They find a number of valuable gems and some time is spent bickering over the values of a few of them. Conversation then returns to the statues of their companions. Neirdre divines from Pelor that a solution might be buried underneath their very feet. A spell is cast and the floor opens. Melath chimneys down the narrow void and finds at the bottom (with Scritch's help) a stone bowl containing a lump of clay (q.v.). He returns to the top of the rapidly crumbling pit and the group wonders what to make of their find. Melath sees runes from what might be an ancient language inscribed upon the bowl.
Melath, with the taste of success possibly emboldening him, decides to extract the Golden Orb from it's container and grasp it with bare hands. With a twinkle in his eye, the half-drow speaks: "Genie, I have a proposition..."
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