Game Date: 1-4 Browning, 994 KC; Play Date: 3/31/2001
1 Browning (Browning Day): Darra wanted to get rid of the obsidian disk that she had found on Taroq's body, so showed it to Pelmark. He said that it was definitely magical, and took it to analyze its enchantments.
2 Browning: Pelmark met Darra the next day to report his findings. The disk acted as a Powerstone for necromantic magic; was resistant to damage; inflicted the Death Vision spell on anyone touching it; and grew cold to the touch when spirits were within 30 feet. It also had one other spell that was unfamiliar to him, that he believed had something to do with summoning a spirit--perhaps to animate something? (He did not speak about the Death Visions that he surely had while analyzing the disk.)
Pelmark suggested giving it to other priests for further study; those clerics would then destroy it. Darra mentioned that Ruqayyah wanted to experience the Death Vision for herself before the disk was destroyed, so she will keep it until then.
Ruqayyah and the Duz arrived at the vineyard around dusk, to find that her friends and the Asanos had been moved elsewhere. She asked directions to the new site, and sent a message to Mistress Theolodia at the temple: she was back, with three Duz, to stay as long as needed (or until recalled by their tribe), and would meet the Celestians in the morning.
Afla told Ruqayyah that she could go in search of her friends while the Duz rested here, so she shifted to owl form and found the new site with little difficulty. It was a small shrine in a larger compound. Well-armed Crescent Moon clerics stood guard. One of these saw her land on the wall, and immediately shone a jet of light upon her. She resumed human form to identify herself and climb down. The priest recognized her name, and took her into the shrine.
Pelmark and Darra were on watch within. The bundle with the Asanos had been placed on a stand in the center of the small sanctuary. Darra informed Ruqayyah that Naima was nearby and that Laylah was in the city, studying with Mistress Theolodia at the temple. Ruqayyah described her mission's success (somewhat disjointedly, because the full moon had not quite passed yet). In turn, she was told that Theolodia and Pelmark were gathering several Celestian priests (including Master Volan and Mistress Dagni), but had had no breakthroughs yet.
Ruqayyah decided to spend the night with her friends, and go back in the morning to bring the Duz here.
3 Browning: Ruqayyah and Darra brought the Duz to the shrine. Theolodia and Laylah (along with Norris and other minor priests) met them there. Ruqayyah made introductions, and Theolodia formally greeted the Duz in their own dialect.
Theolodia informed the visitors of recent developments: She and Pelmark were gathering several Celestian priests (including Master Volan and Mistress Dagni). They had attempted some preliminary analysis, but the object was resisting them. Some of the analysts had been a bit overwhelmed, as contact with the item was frightening. They were not sure that they could analyze its magic in its current state, so were trying to find other methods of inquiry. Theolodia was optimistic, but the effort would take much time and hard work.
She and the Duz spent the morning discussing how the Duz could help. Afla knew both Desert and Krithian ways, so would act as liaison; Murshid could monitor spirit activity in the area, and help with the analysis attempts; Qutaibah would contribute his hex-breaking skills and other miscellaneous magics, and continue Ruqyyah's training.
Darra and Naima expressed their plans to leave soon. Ruqayyah asked to see the obsidian disk, so Darra produced it, and Pelmark repeated what he had told Darra. Ruqayyah asked if the Powerstone could be "fixed," and was told that only a new enchantment, or removing this one, would change it. Removing enchantments was a very rare and difficult form of magic, requiring a master wizard. (Perhaps Modok [whom Pelmark had mentioned before] would know something of that magic, as he is a powerful enchanter?)
Darra felt the urge to leave soon, so cornered Al-Zaki alone to discuss their upcoming travels. They decided that Al-Zaki would fly, with straps rigged to hold Darra on. They would first go to the steppes, where the dragon could hunt, then cross the desert as quickly as possible to the Landrings, then follow them south to Yantos's cave. (Al-Zaki expressed a wish to avoid the Ongrica Mountains and the dwarves who lived there.)
Darra then returned to the shrine to let Ruqayyah handle the obsidian disk. Ruqayyah touched it, and felt that it was very cold. She saw the room go dark. A shadow poured out of the Asanos, then coalesced into Ormenlind, who picked up one of the idols (Rashira's?!) from the altar and flung it straight at her head. Darra saw her tremble and shake, and knocked the disk out of her hand. Ruqayyah jerked, ducking as it went over her head. Darra picked up the unbroken piece of black glass and wrapped it once more.
Ruqayyah described the vision, and sought out Murshid for more information. He explained that the spell gave a vision of a possible death, which on a future exposure might change if another death was more likely. Ruqayyah was disturbed that both Death Visions involved "this thing doing what it cannot." He replied that in order to restore the Asanos, the demon must be removed from it. It will resist this, and might manifest during the conflict. The priests were still trying to determine whether the three spirits (man, horse, snake) were separate entities, and which was in control. Murshid took this conversation as an opportunity to teach her more about the Sense Spirits spell. However, her paranoia about other spirits ruined her concentration, so she went far away from the Asanos and practiced her new illusion spell. When she had calmed down a bit, she tried to create the best image she could of the three spirits.
Darra was curious about the disk's spirit-sending power, so risked touching it near the Asanos. She saw a snake ooze out of the Asanos and strike at her. The wound was like fire, but she eventually snapped out of it--unhurt, with the Asanos unchanged and the disk ice-cold. She took it to Pelmark, told him Ruqayyah had seen it, warned him not to touch it near the Asanos, and to do what he liked with it (preferably destroy it). She planned to leave the next day.
4 Browning: Ruqyyah learned that Darra, Al-Zaki and Naima were about to leave together. She said goodbye to Naima and Darra, then found a private place to say goodbye to Al-Zaki. With the meager fragments of Draconic that she had acquired, she said she would miss him, and looked forward to seeing him again someday. He replied that he felt the same, and offered her a parting gift: a small blue Powerstone on a silver chain.
Darra asked Pelmark to arrange for Ruqayyah to see the sea. He agreed. The three travelers departed on foot, heading towards the steppes.
[The remainder of the session was spent in creating Christine's new character.]
[Next Session] [not yet available!]
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