The D&D Dynasty: The New Path of Alzar the Mighty

[Abe Sargent]

In the study, Alzar will find a letter addressed to Brother Nadir from Jamira, a major player in the thieves guild… Their fence prefers fresh brains, gray matter, and have some specimens available. They also mention they have recently moved their location to a more secure house n the northern edge of town.


They decide to head out and checkout that building Jamira mentioned after things are healed from a local Temple to Anu nearby…

Volcifar, a member of the guild, points out that they don’t have a guildhouse here, which is pretty strange. Volcifar takes to the roofs and does some scouting. He notices a fellow thief up here scouting people on the ground and making sure no one comes to the building. He returns to the party and gies them a heads up, there is a sentry above.

They walk up. Stamped on the door is a sign for Pepper, Spice, & Salt trading company. They knock and no one answers, so Volcifar picks the lock and they head on in.

After opening it up, there is a huge warehouse style room in here with a bunch of creates and more. Alzar’s Gem of Seeing shows some thieves hiding an a pair of traps. Alzar casts Chaos (instead of Charm Monster), and all but one of the thieves turn really nasty on each other or are dropping weapons and milling around and they just move through the area easily enough.

They move to a back door, skip past some traps. And Volcifar finds and disarms an alarm trap on the back door. He picks it, and it opens into a billets room, with about 21 beds in here for various thieves. There are a bunch of crossbows, and bolts with poison vials next to them and more, and there are a small number of thieves in here, also under the Chaos spell.

[Abe Sargent]

Back in the privy is a sewer grate that is disconnected and hanging loose.

There is a meeting room back here and an office behind it in a triple locked space. Traps, locks, yadda yadda. They pass by a ladder to the roof. As they open the room, Alzar’s Gem of Seeing reveals a hidden thief in the corner, the one they are seeking. It also reveals the same odd pattern in her face that Brother Nadir had. She must be hidden with something that normally his his INT immunity for 1st-3rd level illusions. He doesn’t react, and hopes that she doesn’t think she’s been found, but she rolls her INT (15) and doesn’t buy it and moves over to stab out.

She has used Dust of Disappearance, which allows her to attack and do other fun things, but not get revealed. She can even backstab. Alzar casts Continual Light at her and it works. She is blinded and they can aim at the Light.

They dole out 7 damage to her, and she can barely see. She misses. Alzar grabs his axe and craves her twice for 27 damage. Another turn and they kill her.

Everybody gets 1500 XP

[Abe Sargent]

Her body becomes visible after a while, and there are some key rings Alzar pulls off. They open a vault to the rear of this chamber.

The iron lined vault contains a number of ice blocks. 12 glass jars sit upon chunks of ice in the darkness, until Alzar tosses in a stone and….

There are 12 heads in the jars. All human, and all killed recently. This must be what happened to the extra people that are missing. Alzar can feel that one of the heads may be more than it appears. Volcifar approaches cautiously. It opens and screams, and that does 4 damage to Volcifar and it would act like a Shrieker, but no one is here.

Now that? That;’s a nifty little trick. Alzar reaches out and…..controls it necromantically.

Undead Head (AC7 in the bottle), HD 3+3, HP 30, DMG 1d6 from screech or 1d4 bite. Alerts everyone.

Alzar pockets the head. He’ll use as an alarm system back in Nadir’s tower he is currently using.

There is a secret door here that opens a trap door to a chest that opens to the keys with the lady. Inside are just 1400 gp worth of generic gems.

Detect magic reveals:

2 packets Dust of Disappearance
+2 yataghan
Bracers of Defense AC4


Alzar can ID all of the items with his nifty powers (he gets a 45% chance to ID stuff now for his class). He dons the Bracers and swaps them. He AC improves considerably.

[Abe Sargent]

On the office is a desk that says that “Shuluth demands more merchandise, “ and it’s signed by one of the captain of the brigands/town guard here in Khaibar…

Alzar begins to suspect something particularly foul. Brains eaten? Heads from bodies? A dark master from elsewhere controlling things? It could be a few different things. But if Alzar had to guess? Mind Flayers.

They check out the sewer while they are here. There’s a fetid aroma wafting up. It looks like they dumped the bodies here after cutting off the heads.


Yuck.


They are in a one-way tunnel, with the other side bricked up about 4 months ago or so. They begin moving out to explore. They pass by a gas pocket, and a few junction chambers and such.

A pipe junction, pockets of sewer gas, and a black pudding feeding quietly.

Then they turn the corner and see…

A pair of neo-otyughs, clamoring for food, and moving to attack our group.



Alzar moves up, ready to fight this with axe.

They have a THAC0 of 9 to hit Alzar . He needs a 6 back.

6 vs 8. Alzar’s axe carves into the first one twice for 28 damage. No one else hits. Alzar is attacked twice, hit a few times for 18 total damage fails one of the saves ,and is now diseased, badly. one for

Alzar 38/56

Neo #2 – 54/82

8 vs 9. Alzar slices again for 33 damage. A Sling of Seeking nails the injured one and finishes it. Alzar takes another 17 damage.

Alzar 21/56

6 vs 4. They have three attacks for 2d6, 2d6 and 1d3. The other attacks Alzar and rolls 1, 12 and 10. Hits for 3, 1, and 3. 7 more damage. Alzar casts Vampiric Touch and doles out 5d6 from it now, and absorbs that back. It takes 21. Back.

Alzar 34/56

Neo #1 – 45/66

5 vs 4. Alzar takes 17, hits just once for minimum 12 damage. He quaffs a pot of healing, the normal one.

Alzar 27/56

Neo #1 – 33/66

4 vs 2. It attacks and Alzar grabs another 12 damage.Alzar smashes twice for 28. No one else hits

15/56

5/66

6 vs 8

Alzar kills it.

They gain 8k in XP divided by 3.

[Abe Sargent]

They push through and go through several others places. It looks like the sewer was bricked up and then section cordoned off. Alzar heads up to the streets for a half hour to run to the temple and get healed and cured (-300 gp) and then heads back down.

About fifteen minutes later, they arrive near a chamber with a odd feel and an incandescent glow from it.

The sewer tunnel opens into a chamber 35 by 25, larger than any other area in the sewers they’ve encountered by far. Dominating it is a massive slab of flat obsidian stone, standing upright. Incandescent lines wave across it in odd patterns, similar to those on the faces of the people that were controlled. There is a human, long since mad, bound on the front and oblivious to anything.

A hideous, fluid, tentacled, obscene abomination emerges from behind the slab and rolls towards the party, its mind stabbing out at the party. Alzar is not familiar with this creature. He uses his Zoster, and casts Evard’s Black Tentacles to grab a hold of it and keep it from the party.

It works. The Phtisic and the Tentacles are currently wailing on each other. (Maybe he should have memorized Hold Monster after all instead of Chaos!)


For your information:

Phthisic – AC -3, HD 13, HP 100, THAC0 7, 3 attacks for 2d6, 2d6, and 1d4, can only be hit by +2 magical weapons, cold aura, bite drains 1 INT, 25% magic resistance, 12k XP when killed

Suspecting this is an axe battle, Alzar moves in behind the Tentacles. He’ll need a 6 to hit. As he closes he takes 3 cold damage. He’ll take 1d6 cold damage every round. (Tentacles aren’t getting killed by that though)

Alzar 53/56

4 vs 1. It attacks Alzar for 6, 13, and 4. What hit? Claw for 2d6 for 9. Cold aura for 4. Alzar slashes and rolls 4 and 14 and hits for 17 damage. Without knowing its HP he does not have a mental clock in its head (I won’t tell you how much it’s taken from the Tentacles). Locinda and Voclifar don’t even come in close

Alzar 40/56

3 vs 9. Alzar cracks it twice for 30 damage. Cold does 4. It claws and bites Alzar. He takes 10, and his INT drops to a really low 20. Nobody else hits it.

26/56

2 vs 5. Alzar carves it once, and misses once, for 17 damage. No one else touches it. He is clawed and bit for 9 and takes 2 from cold. His INT drops to 19

15/56

Alzar uses his Ring to win init this turn for sure. That rolls 6 vs 8., wouldn’t have needed it, but ah well. Alzar hits for…29 damage. It dies.

The foul creature falls away.

They split the XP and each get 4k.


As they check and search with the Gem/Star ,something happens…

[Abe Sargent]

Three creatures rack open an unseen door in the Obsidian slab and move to attack!! There are three illithids facing them. They are wearing damp black jumpsuits, and some sort of goggles over their eyes.

Illithid Strike Team Member – AC4 (with the suit on), HD 8+4, hp 48, 54, 68. THAC0 11, 4 attacks for 2 damage each from tentacles and they’ll grip a head too if they hit.

Locinda and Alzar move to one nearby as Volcifar loads another stone. They immediately used their Mind Blasts on the party, each one targeted by a Mind Flayer. Alzar is going this alone. The other two are paralyzed.

He still has his Zoster bonus from the previous battle, and casts Vampiric Touch to drain…24 from an adjacent Illithid

Strike Team #2 - 30/54

Alzar 39/56

Init 1 vs 4

Alzar wins and his axe is out. With an AC of just 4, anything other than a 1 will hit. He attacks once and twice and nails the Illithid for…5 (16 damage) and 5 (16 damage) and kills it. One tries to Mind Blast him again and he shrugs it off. The other uses an mentalist attack called Ego Whip and he takes 8 damage.

31/56

2 vs 1. They win init and one stabs him for 7 and the other tries to hit with tentacles, two connect for 4 damage and next turn, if still alive, if it can connect with all four tentacles the ne turn after it automatically pulls out his brain. Each attack gets bonuses are the ones that are already attached. Alzar stabs out with his axe and hits the one grabbing him for 29 damage and he can’t quaff a potion so his free hands grabs and pulls off the tentacles with a successful bend bars roll (with a strength of 18//00 that’s really easy)

20/56

19/48

3 vs 4. Alzar’s axe cleaves twice and kills the wounded Mind Flayer, quaffs that extra healing pot then takes 7 back.

38/56

8 vs 3. It Ego Whips him for 8. Alzar adds 31 damage.

37/68

Two more turns later, it’s dead and Alzar is at…

29/56


They split the XP and everyone gets 7k

[Abe Sargent]

The doorway is still open. Alzar uses his Crystal Ball to scry down, and it goes for about a quarter mile before arriving and is all clear. Looks like they have time.

Alzar teleports back to the College of Wizardry and inquire about any anti-psionics or anit-Mind Flayer stuff they have that he could borrow to use against the suspected Illithid lair. One casts a protection from psionics spell on him and another teleport other on him to send him back.


They head down.

After about 10 minutes or so, they arrive at a warm tunnel, with weird mucous on the walls and carved out of the rock recently, and by mental powers, not magical or mundane ones.

They arrive at a large trough of salty water with tadpole like creatures. These are babies. There is an Illithid here feeding them, and Alzar chases it, axe out. It uses Mind Blast which breaks off his shield. In three rounds it’s dead and Alzar took 4 damage from tentacles

They head into a thrall chamber, but the thralls were killed and eaten some time ago. Illithid chambers are empty, there are just five, and four have been killed. They heads into the fifth one and there is an Illithid here writing a report. It Mind Blasts Alzar in front, and after taking 33 damage back from a sling stone and two axe bites it teleports away.

[Abe Sargent]

The passage continues to large chamber. In this chamber is a large-than-normal Illithid and the wounded one that just teleported here. The bigger one is wearing a exoskeleton, has 2 more tentacles, and is wearing bladed tentacle extensions.

Shuluth – the Ulitharid – AC1, HD 11 + 8, hp 88, ThAC0 9 (7 with extensions), 1d4+4 for 6 tentacles.


Both fire Mind Blasts at Alzar and hey bounce off Alzar orders in Locoda ot melee it, and moves to the injured one. Shuluth moves in to attack.

1 vs 7. Alzar carves the wounded one and kills it. Locinda is hit…NOT ONCE. Are you kidding me? I just rolled 6 freaking d20s at once – and the nasty big guy needs a 7 to hit with the extensions. It rolls a 3, 2, 4, 4, 4, ,2. That just defies math! She misses with her magical weapon, Volcifar cracks the exoskeleton for 5 damage with his sling. Alzar heads back.

1 vs 6. Alzar’s axe hits once and misses once for 12 damage. Locinda hits for 7. It hits Locinda three times for 19 damage. Alzar orders her to break the tentacles open next round.

Locinda – 30/49

Shuluth - 64/88

2 vs 4. Alzar cacades twice for 15 and 18. 33 damage, but no one else hits. Locinda pulls off the tentacles and heads from melee range, Alzar is hit gain for 13 damage

31/88

19/56

7 vs 8. Alzar cleaves it for 8 and 3 (33) and it dies.

They each get 8k in XP

[Abe Sargent]

Locinda leveled:

Locinda
Lawful Neutral,7th level Fighter
HP – 57
THAC0 – 14
STR: 17, DEX: 14, CON: 13, INT: 14, WIS: 9, CHA: 8
AC: 0
XP: 71330 (level 8 at 125000)
25 years old

3 attacks/two rounds

4800 GP; 1 5000 GP Diamond

Weapons – Khanda, Javelin, Pesh-kabz, Gada

Proficiencies – Riding, Charioteering, Hunting, Mountaineering, Running, Rope Use, Swimming, Weather Sense

Fights with +1 shield, +3 chainmail, +2 khanda (1d8, 1d10+1 vs giants) too. Has +2 javelin for backup work. Has Potion of Invulnerability.


They find some prisoners in the back, and little else.

The Gem of Seeing shows nothing of import down here. They head back. Volcifar checks in with the guild about their dead sub-leader and gives a full report about the warehouse-ish place they found. Apparently the thieves were lied to by their leader about what was happening.


A few days later, astrologers have confirmed that the sun is brightening a bit. They suspect psionic involvement was to blame. The goal of the Mind Flayers was to dim the sun with psychic machinery, and then be able to emerge from the earth womb and dominate.


End of A Darkness Gathering

[Abe Sargent]

The module is nice and simple. Go and solve some stuff, and then as you do, you go and explore some other stuff. Mind Flayers are always nice, and we got a metric ton of XP for a triad. Alzar is closing on his next level really quickly. The seedy Khaibar certainly fits what’s going on here in this adventure, with a monster in the sewers and people disappearing. Now, the adventure isn’t exactly charting new territory with anything. There’s nothing that interesting behind the mirror. A monster in the sewer? Been done a bunch. A small cave for monsters to attack the city? Been done bunches. But it suffices.


A Mage and His Golem

After checking in with his people, Alzar discusses the Manual of the Golem he just got. He’s used one before to make a Flesh Golem. He would like to take some time with it. The college is more than happy to allow him that –it’s typical mage work after all, and he’ll swing by every other day to check in.

He heads back to Nadir’s Tower. He found the key to the tower, and now he can go in and out without forcing the Wizard Lock or other spells to end.

Alzar has done some research ,and the onyx used by Nadir is included in his notes. He created his two golems the old fashioned way, after hitting level 16. Alzar will be using the same notes to create the body of the golem.

It normally costs 60k in gp parts, construction and components. Alzar has a full golem assembly room, with notes research, stone, and, all of the tools.

What he wants to do is to use the materials that Nadir had, and then assemble a golem.

Two months later, he has assembled the frame of the golem. He begins to spend time polishing it, smoothing it down, repairing it when it broke, and so checking everything.

Another month passes. Alzar has spend just 15k on the golem.

After three months, and the intonations from the Manual are done, he burns it, puts the ashes in a mixture he has prepared, and then applies the mixture to the golem. Alzar is trying to make a really strong golem, one like Nadir made.

Because he is 9th level, there is a 10% chance of failure. Alzar rollsss…


45. He;’s good.


The golem begins to rise. After testing it, it’s not quite as strong as he’d hoped, but it’s pretty sexy:


Aegis –


AC – 2
HP - 70 (HD 14)
THAC0 – 7
1 attack for 3d8damage
Needs a +2 to hit with a weapon
Immune to most spells

Made of Onyx Stone, gives it a better AC and HP than a normal Stone Golem. Heals fully when a Transmute Mud to Rock spell is cast on it.

[Abe Sargent]

He has also de-magiced the spellbook and learns Transmute Mud to Rock, Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound.

This gives him an ally he can rely on from here on out. It’s like all of the undead, or other planar creatures, or others that drew to him on Thorasia, only here, he made the golem. He moves from Hold Monster to Transmute as his standard level 5 spell of choice in normal situations. He also created a scroll with the spell.

By the way, after testing it out, the Carpet of Flying can carry the golem, but it counts as two people due to its size. The Carpet is only limited by the size of the object, not its weight.

Alzar returns to the College and helps out for about 7 weeks, doing light research and helping out.

At the end, he has now spent the required amount of time and is now eligible to achieve full guild membership and wizard level.

The first thing he must do is research the Ritual of Renewal, a 4th level spell.

He makes his research roll. A 4th level spell normally takes 8 before rolling, it’ll be 4 for him. A month later, he tosses some dice. Yep, they work. No need to spend any money, all of the books needed are here. It’s a spell that is just used to renew the enchantment on a magical item he is about to be given,

He gains 2k.

The Last Trial is next. It requires the donation of a new magical items or a new spell to the group. As Alzar has already done this three times, creating specific spells, it is waived. Initiates never are tasked to do so, but he did on his initiative, and things are looking good.

Several folks gather to administer the Wizard’s Oath.

Alzar voluntarily fails his save and is given a stronger Geas/Quest thing than before. He swears:


To become a guild wizard rank. Currently the 12th one.
To teach at least one class/year. Classes last three months, and meet two/three times a week for an hour or so daily. .
To take on and mentor initiates and apprentices as appropriate
To not knowingly betray the Arcane Order
To give 10% of his findings to the Order.
To support and be a member for at least 10 years


He agrees. The Oath is administered, and a celebration is at hand. A feast is held., and Alzar is the first non-Hamedhi to make it to guild wizard.

Because of his proficiency with the school, Alzar will be teaching a Necromancy course once/year.

Guild wizards get a lot more free time, and don’t have to get clearance to do stuff, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their duties.

Guild wizards have full access, unsupervised, in the Sealed Archive. Spells 4th – 9th level, rare texts, and a lot more. Guild wizards are encouraged to adventure, and people like Aman Al-Raqib do so.

Alzar is taken aside by Japheth Arcane and given a Cassock of Precaution. This Cloak:

Cloak of Protection, +2
Can use Shield Spell once/day

Must cast Ritual of Renewal on it once/month or the magic fades. It has the unique look of the College as well, and is an identifying mark. Alzar will move to it.

[Abe Sargent]

Then Japheth gives Alzar a key and they teleport down rather than walk.

This is the entrance to the crypts. The arcane entrance to the area features four adamantine braziers with a blue-white flame, veins of color pulsing through the rock, a golden framework that resembles a pyramid. Several regents and guild wizards are here. There are even flesh golem guards here as well.

On a pedestal is a huge book, and this is the magical workshop and learning area for something secret the Arcane Order is working towards. It is the language primeval. It is a lingua magicka that goes to the root of magic. It was used to summon the Dragon of Shades, and one of the languages., the First Lore, was rediscovered by Japheth Arcane, a few decades ago.

Many powerful magic items have been made with the First Lore, and they goal of the Arcane Order is to find all five lores, or languages, of the Language Primeval, and bring them back into knowledge. They are scouring the Sand Mire for them.

The stone podium that holds the First Lore is a magical Lectern with command words that can only be spoken in the Language Primeval. Thus far, you can use it to read any book, scroll or text placed there, any nonmagical text from any other plane, any text read aloud in hearing distance, and a few protection spells while reading aloud from the lectern itself.

Using the First Lore, they have created a different way of funneling spells, they call the Spellcrux

It’s the pyramid shaped device here. One of the Regents came up with it. Basically it allows people to borrow spells from a common source.

There is a crystal vessel here that can house spells up to 3rd level. The spells in the Spellcrux can be called forth by any wizard who is properly keyed in to it, and to a personal focus as well that accommodates the transfer of the desired spell from the vessel into an empty spell slot in the mind of the wizard.

Apprentices are kept in the dark, and no non-College person is allowed to be informed. Alzar is given a focus – a small gem on a chain that can be worn anywhere. They key this focus to him and him only, now no one else can use it.

The rules are fairly simple. The link is intangible and operates at any distance on Hamedh. (But not on other planes)

A wizard in physical contact can simply concentrate for a round and is told about all of the current spells in the Spellcrux. Then the spell can be called for (takes one round per level of the spell). The spell arrives on the other side and can be cast the next round. A wizard cannot call for a spell unless they have one slot open in their selection that day. You still need the components and such. There is also a 10% chance that a spell can’t come at all and is lost to the ether.

Alzar can only drain up to three spell levels, and then it recharges one spell level per day. Alzar can also cast spells into the Spellcrux the same way. For example, at the end of the day, suppose he memorized and never cast Detect Magic. He could cast it into his focus, that spell transfers to the central crux, and he focus recharges one level.

An amount of spells are always in large number – Dispel Magic, Detect Magic, Wizard Lock, Cantrip, Identify, Knock, Read Magic, etc.

Additionally, add Light, Unseen Servant, POrotection from Evil, Detect Undead, Sleep, Web, Forget, Fly, Protection from Normal Missiles, Suggestion, Detect Invisibility, and Summon Swarm are the sorts of spells that are always in fairly high numbers as well.

They don’t put offensive spells in, because they can be dangerous if saved in large numbers. Any spell that does damage, like Magic Missile, Lightning Bolt or Melf’s Acid Arrow are not allowed and are removed each day.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar spends the next three months teaching his course, and learning the First Lore – Aleph I. 8

Before casting a spell, Alzar can make a proficiency check. If he does, use of these lingua magicka may augment his spell with one of the following changes:

Range increase by 10 yards (or feet) per level
Duration lengthened by 1 round (or turn) per level.
Save throws at -2 penalty
Casting time reduced by 2.

Failing the proficiency check causes the spell to fail.

Other than spells, it can be used for research or new spell stuff. When done, it has a check of 15 rather than 8, and will add 10% to the potency of the time or spell or other research.

[Abe Sargent]

Return to Ascavalon


While studying and teaching, Regent Dirganun wants to equip and send a party to the ancient fortress of Ascavalon, suspecting that some aspect of the Language Primeval could reside in the home of Dargeshaad the survived the encounter with the Dragon of Shades.

He has asked the newest guild wizard to join him, Alzar is bringing his new toy to come and play. Dirganun has been unusually surly the last couple of days. Once Alzar caught a glimpse of a dim white face visible in the darkness of his Cowl of Darkness. Two other guild wizards, Sabina and Abyll Dolen are accompanying as well.

They have left Khaibar behind and are heading north of the trail to Ber-Gathy, in the Great Erg of Arir. The Sandvoyager’s route becomes lost, and they stumble off it for an hour or so.


As they do, they stumble upon a sinkhole, and in here is a adult desert dragon (a yellow dragon) with invisibility on, and it attacks!

It mentally casts Silence on Alzar in front and it works, so Alzar just moves in with axe and golem.

Battle Begins!

9 vs 6. The dragon breathes on the mages. Alzar and Golem are on the other side. It deals a hot amount of scorching sand. It does 31, save for half

Dirganun – 35/51
Sabina – 10/26
Abyll Dolen – Dead

Meanwhile Alzar’s axe does…one hit and one miss for 13 damage. The golem punches it for 13 too. (Alzar can see it through invisibility). Sabina Dimension Doors away and Dirganun casts a defense spell.

46/82 Dragon

The dragon roars and spins. It’s going to try and bite him. Alzar is crunched and then wing slashed for 21 damage. Alzar responds by slashing it twice for 15 and 17 damage. The Golem….rolls a 16 and…oit takes 8 more. Magic Missiles cascade into it, and two are sucked up by Magic Resistance, but there are still enough to kill it. Dead dragon

Alzar 21/56

The now-three group splits 11k. Dirganun teleports the body of Abyll Dolen to the College, where they’ll revive him.


Alzar uses the reverse of his spell to transmute rock to mud and carve out the area where the dragon is. Behind it was a cache of stuff all dragon-y.

They find:

5000 sp
2500 gp
5x500 gp gems
+2 club
+1 Plate armor
Scroll of Time Stop
7 Potions in a large case

Here’s how they divvy this stuff up.

Alzar gets scroll, armor, and gems.

They split everything else between the college and the three of them. They each get parts of the dragon as well.

[Abe Sargent]

They find the road again and spend the night two days hence at the Kasbah of Ber-Gathy and the head east.

A few more days pass with relative quiet – anything that came near easily scared off by a spell or two.


They have arrived at the ruins of Ascavalon.

A 5 mile wide depression reveals the anger of the Dragon of Shades. The ancient site was smash-hammered. All that remains is the hint of a former citadel. Faint traces of walls and such.

As they enter, the area gets a deathly feel to it. Not necromantic, but something else. Even now the power that the Dragon unloosed on Dargeshaad can be felt.

Dirganun leads on, everyone in his wake. He comes across some sand-covered stairs, and they begin to dig them. The golem digs a lot for a few moments. They head down and there is a door. Dirganun intones some archaic syllable that’s nothing like the Primeval Langue or any language he’s familiar with. Alzar asks and he mentions that he found a scroll in the sealed archives of Mathghamhna.

Who uses that old term? Alzar steps back for a moment and grabs his Gem while Dirganun moves forward, just to spend a moment checking him out. There is something…off…about him. Something not him in there. What might it be? Alzar keeps an eye out

[Abe Sargent]

They head through the passage, and Dirganun says he can mystically feel the call of another Lore down here. After a hour of traveling and moving the occasional rocks that came across the path, they reach a old crypt. Alzar feels the tug of the undead. Alzar moves in front and orders everyone to back off. He manages to…control three Spectres. Alzar uses them to flank things out. Nothing else in the crypt looks worth anything, and the Gem verifies it.

Three doors lead from here and two open into hallways that are quickly destroyed. The rest is open, and they keep on moving. (Alzar secretly has one Spectre always near Dirganun in case something odd happens).

They arrive at a wall. Behind it there is a source of something very, palpably evil. Now, Alzar’s in. But Sabina is reeling a bit.

Dirganun casts Passwall.

There is a rusted chamber of iron here. An obsidian pedestal stands in the center of the room, with shards of a broken crystal sphere on it. Debris litters the chamber in an untidy pile and a stench is still rough.

[Abe Sargent]

There are bodies on the wall. As Dirganun moves to the wall, a figure rises from the debris. Alzar passes his Necrology check. This is something he has always wanted to see, something to meet. A death knight.

In one hand glowing halberd and the other a bright shield. It commands the group to leave in the ancient tongue of the elders. Dirganun speaks back in the same language and moves into the chamber. The guardian calls forth 3 spectres and the Tongues spell Alzar just cast reveals that they are arguing over who should be the proper descendant of Dargeshaad’s Legacy. Apparently Dirganun thinks he is the long lost adjutant to Dargeshaad, Polhemus. There are a variety of ways that could have happened of course. Magic Jar spell, possession by a spirit undead, and more.

They need to bring out the ghost-thing. The Death Knight and its triple spectres are attacking Dirganun, and Sabina is helping the “Regent”. Alzar stands back and gives them a watch to see how things go. He actually wants the Death Knight to win. That will force out magic jars or possessed creatures.

As the battle continues, the Spectres are surrounding Sabina and about to break through her defenses. Alzar sends his own to run interference and she is now focus on them and the relief, not the two big guns. Alzar activates his Zoster.

The Death Knight has taken some damage, but a smash by the halberd penetrates his defenses, and the wizard falls. Dead.

As he does, a ghost floats up from the body and continues the fight. Alzar just needs a 16 to control it and…it fails. Ah well. The ghost tries to hit the Death Knight, but to no avail. Alzar’s axe smashes it twice (just need a 3 on a d20) for 26 damage. The halberd adds 14 more.

Next combat.

Polhemus turns and attacks Alzar with his aging + fear attack if he hits.
The Death Knight wants to halberd Polhemus
Alzar wants to axe Polhemus
The golem wants to punch Polhemus
Sabina and Spectres are just doing odd things away from view.

Three sides, three initiative rolls 6 vs 6 vs 8.

Alzar smashes his axe for 30 damage. The golem can’t hit it at all (immune to that sort of attack); the halberd carves into it and Polhemus has died.

Alzar turns and attacks the wounded Death Knight.

5 vs 4. The Death Knight stabs out and hits Alzar for 18 damage. It has a -3 AC. Alzar needs a 6 to hit (with the Zoster engaged) and he adds another 12 damage (his minimum) . The golem adds 9 more damage to it.

Alzar – 38/56

6 vs 5. Alzar takes another 15 damage. He again misses once, and hits once for 16. The golem needs a 10 and rolls a 19 and punches for 14 damage. The Death Knight cries out and its down. Alzar moves and controls the remaining spectres

So, here’s how we are doing XP. Survivors always split. Dead people never get XP no matter how much they may have contributed. They split 15k

He casts Detect Magic and both the shield and halberd glow. Alzar suspects he already know what these two items are – they are Dargheaad’s Legacy. It’s obvious. They are probably the shield and halberd he wielded.

Alzar claims them both, and they rig up something for their dead compatriot.

[Abe Sargent]

After they pull back out, Alzar tosses up the Carpet of Flying and they all four get on and fly back in two days.


They raise a certain Regent back, and everyone is happy again.

Alzar’s Halberd is easy enough to identify, a simple spell works on it:

Halberd of Mathghamhna, Redeemer - +3, +4 vs undead; +1d6 against otherplanar creatures; once/day can Redeem Death;


Each ally or companion of the use to have died in that battle counts as an extra +1 to hit and damage. (Max +10/+10). Lasts for a turn.


The shield is the Bright Barrier. It is exactly as seen in the various pictures and such. Some Legend Lore action is done. It’s easy to do research on it here with so many texts about its owner.


Bright Barrier of the God-King Dargeshaad

Alignment – Lawful

Large circular shield

Major Power: Purge – Drain 2 levels of HD from all non-lawful who can see it 3/day
Minor Power: +2 Shield, wielder can hold shield and cast spells simultaneously
Cast Command at will; Detect Lie 3/day; Deliver Shield Punch attack for 1d8+2 damage.
Dangers: Wielder ages 1d10 months any time activating major power is used. Major power also pushes user more and more towards and stricter and stricter alignment. Chance Dargeshaad will inhabit user if major power used.

So, it looks like the minor powers can be used without major issues. Those alone are pretty good.

With this, fighting with Alzar’s normal axe, but without the expected style specialization, he loses the -2 ac bonus from the style but gains -3 from the shield. That’s a net positive. Plus, he can get three attacks per round with Axe, Axe, Shield. He can keep the Shield while casting spells. Even if he never invokes a single power, that’s a very compelling set of effects.

The powers that be are excited to see the return of their stolen halberd to the auspices of the Arcane Order. While the scholars in them are happy to have an artifact like the Bright Barrier back onto the world, it’s history makes them squeamish and skittish, and they’ll watch Alzar.


End of the College of Wizardry

[Abe Sargent]

That’s the last of the mini-adventures in the College.


Alzar is getting close to level 10.

Total XP: 238,000 (Level 10 at 250,000)

There could be a lot of opportunities to get that level now, before anything major happens. Right now, the Master is recovering from Khalitharius’s attack against the western half of the region and the river Alzar replaced has begun to bring water down the valley the river once formed on the eastern edge of this section of the Sand Mire, and has already reached to the Sunken City of Pelar. The Efreet is gone, the princess restored, and a variety of fun ruins have been scoured and Alzar even has his first artifact here on Hamedh.

But there will be more event coming soon.

Are there any rumors of anything nearby? Any major disruptions of trade or civilization? This is a harsh place, somewhere something has to be going on, right? Nothing obvious.

So Alzar decides to head somewhere close and kill some stuff.

[Abe Sargent]

Return to I9. Day of Al’Akbar

Alzar grabs a new adventuring set of spells for the following day and his golem, Aegis, his familiar Gilded Ears, and himself head down to Khaibar.

Like normal, as they approach you can make out the sewer system from out here. A Gathering Darkness saw Alzar head down into the sewers, but that was a section that had been disconnected with the rest of the sewers. Might as well head down into the rest of it to see what there is to see, right?

Alzar heads down and arrives at the main sewage drain for the city. Beyond the old worked stone is a point where the drain disappears into a small hillock that blocks view. A large iron grate protects the drain, still in good condition. The golem pushes it loudly up and they move in.

They are at a long drain tunnel, and here there is little sewage to walk/wage through, maybe a foot deep in the center. They ware wandering around, Alzar using Gem/Star to check things out. The sewers are laid out in a square grid. You can easily check them all by taking the first right, and walking along the wall all the way to the end head up a block, and then take the whole passage back. And just repeat. They do so and far down the passage, about 25 minutes later, There is a Lurker on the wall, and Alzar can detect it (1 in 10 chance of doing so, he got lucky). The axe is out, the Bright Barrier too, and Alzar moves in behind the golem. Alzar hits three times for 1d8+11, 1d8+11 and then 1d8+8. 13 +30. 43 damage. Blam! The golem finishes it with 12 more damage. (It had 49)

They check here and even carve open the Lurker in a few places and nothing. They head on

2000 XP

That’s right!

[Abe Sargent]

They reach the end, take the left passage, then left again and come back the way they came and suddenly something comes walking down an intersection in front, and its…

A thief and fence, slipping down here to conduct some business. Nothing here to see.


The head back to the first sewage drain they arrived at and then turn right, and right again. As they walk down a few minutes later they see a trio of carrion crawlers hanging from the ceiling, tentacles waiting to paralyze food. The golem heads down and kills them all.

+2 Studded Leather
320 gp

Alzar will donate them all to the Arcane Order after he took an artifact and halberd from the last expedition.

1320 XP

As they continue a few minutes a heap of trash, with a few blue flies is here. Alzar checks it with the Gem/Star and nothing special, but the Golem heads out and reveals it’s a Gibbering Mouther, a 7 HD one too, quite well developed. Alzar retreats as the Golem kills it without taking any damage.

1000 XP

2 Tourmaline, 500 gp each; Brilliant Topaz, 1500 gp;

[Abe Sargent]

An hour later they have continued to scour the sewers grid by grid, but nothing more.

They find a back section of the sewer where the ground is higher than the sewer water and it’s dry. Alzar heads down and as they approach, out comes three heads…


A Gorgimera

This has hindquarters of Gorgon, then lion and red dragon. It breathes….fire for 16 and save…. Alzar fails. They charge in. The foe does too.

Alzar 40/56

The Golem takes a few swings and it missed or hit for no damage. The gorgimera has 5 attacks, and two hit Alzar for 8. Alzar uses his Axe and hits once, misses, and hits with the Barrier for 25 damage. The golem needs a 5 and rolls it for 17 damage.

33/75

4 vs 5. Alzar drains it for 26 with V Touch, and the Golem finishes it. Dead creature.

Alzar is fully healed.

XP? 7000

That’s it, we’re there


The Gorgimera has a bit of a little home here, and there’s:

500 pp
Warp Marble
Oil of Acid Resistance
Chain Mail +2

Alzar will give the Mail and 100 PP to the College. He keeps the 400 pp and the two useful items.

The Warp Marble is very simple. Throw it at something (or touch, it doesn’t have to be an attack). If that creature fails their save, they disappear into the Marble, and whatever was in the Marble pops out.

The Gem of Seeing detects a secret door. But Alzar got what he came for, he heads on back. He swings by Ibrahim’s Mint Tea Parlor, and then to the local tower that’s been one of his homes.

[Abe Sargent]

He rolls a for HP its now 59. He can now cast an extra 2 and 5.

He heads back and spends a few days a the College. He hits up the spellbooks and learns a new spell – Itemmeld

It’s a 4th level spell. It takes two magical items, and magically links them together, so that they are just one item. Why is this important? Because on Hamedh, the more magical items you have, the more likely they are to not work together. Currently Alzar has on items that don’t work, because he’s wearing too much.

The Cassock helped, as a non-permanent item, it’s enchantment was weaker and the miscibility problems are reduced, and a certain artifact is fine too. But the rest…

So the spell takes two items, and melds them into one – they are still separate items, they just are melded magically.

This spell costs 500 gold in components - which is pretty rich. You can’t link any more. Alzar links his Bracer: AC4 and Ring of Free Action, Sandals of Speed with Ring of Quick Action, and Zoster and Girdle. That reduces his magic item total by three. Many of the issues begin to reduce.

That stuff cost him 1500 gold to do.


A few days later, Alzar heads back out to Khaibar. After searching for a while, he has finally found someone to trade his Tome of Understanding to, it’s an evil priest of a local deity, who would like the extra Wisdom. Alzar is given a Tome of Quickness of Action and reads it over a week and gains a DEX. It doesn’t help him in any major way, but why not?

[Abe Sargent]

Here’s Alzar today!

Alzar

Alzar on Hamedh
7th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 10th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 17
Dex: 13
Con: 10
Wis: 16
Int: 21
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 59
THACO: 14
AC: 2 (Bracers and Cloak/Cassock) (0 – Battle Axe Solo; -1 – Bright Barrier)
Total XP: 250,725 (Level 11 at 375,000)
Age 58, Body - 24

Race Abilities:

None Taken

Class Abilities (Cannot use as Fivefold Mage without losing XP gain):

Specialization
Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires)
3 attacks every 2 rounds


Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

Myrmidon Bonus:

Tactical History 14
Fire-Building 16

Riding 11
Swimming 12
Reading/Writing 15
Survival 14
Blind Fighting
Etiquette 13
Endurance
Heraldry 14
Hunting 10
Fishing 14
Weather Knowledge 10
Orienteering 15

As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage

Necrology 17
Netherworld Knowledge 14
Herbalism 14
Alchemy 15
Poison Use 11
Ancient Languages 10
Spellcraft 12
Ancient History – 14
Bookbinding – 16
Papermaking - 16
Sage Knowledge: Outer Planes, Inner Planes – 13
Divining: 15
Genie Lore: 16
Riding, Specialization: 10
Research: 13
First Lore – Aleph I: 8

Languages – Thorasian - Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa; Hamedhi – Arjuni, Sand Mire Common,


Traits:

Empathy
Fast Healer
Precise Memory
Obscure Knowledge


Weapon Proficiencies:

Bonus Kit Specialization:

Battle Axe

Battle Axe
One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat)
Crossbow
Battle Axe Weapon Mastery
Spear
Dagger

Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength


Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer, +1


Class Ability:

1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose.
2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path.
3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path.
4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15%
5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1.
6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance.
7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Alzar’s Father’s Ring)
8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month
9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6
10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5.
11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead.


Immune to starvation

[Abe Sargent]

Stuff:

530 gp
3925 pp
1000 sp


Gems: Diamond – 2000 gp; Topaz – 100 gp ; Ruby – 500gpx3; 17 gems – 50 gp each; 16150 generic gems; 100gpx3; 10 gpx17; 8 1000 gp gems; 2 Tourmaline, 500 gp each; Brilliant Topaz, 1500 gp;


Jewelry: Random jewelry worth 28580; Emerald Headband – 300 gp ; Ivory Earrings – 120 gp ; Ruby Necklace – 750 gp ; Gold Armbands, 500 gp ; Ruby Pendant – 900 gp ; Silver Belt Buckle – 100 gp ; Ivory and Jet Ram’s Head Amulet – 550 gp ; Pair of Diamond Earrings – 2000 gp ; Platinum Belt – 1500 gp ; Emerald Bead Necklace – 500 gp ; Necklace of Black Pearls, 4000 gp ; Jeweled Headdress – 1000 gp; Ornate Necklace – 500 gp; Gold Gemmed Ring – 500 gp; Gold Chain – 500 gp; Two ornate crowns – 5000 gp each;


Objet d’arts: 4 Gold Rods, 85 gp each ; 4 Silver Plates, 100 gp each ; Silver Comb and Brush set – 100 gp; Ornate Perfume Bottle – 50 gp ; Rare Pottery – 500 gp ; Relics from Neconolis – 1000 gp total ; Rock Crystal Bottle Stopper – 75 gp ; Silver Dagger with Ivory Handle – 250 go ; Gold Studded Leather Armor – 500 gp ; Coral Carved Horse Statuette – 550 gp ; Gem-laced elephant bridle – 1550 gp ; Jeweled Dagger – 1500 gp ; Silver Incense Burner – 600 gp ; Ornate Gold Scepter – 500 gp; Jeweled Scepter – 1500 gp;





Books and Library:

9000 gp library, generally
History of the Badlands Tribes (20 gp)
Encyclopedia of Local Plants (50 gp)
Diary of the Wizard, Zelligar
Meteorological Phenomena of Hamedh (75 gp)
Tribal History of this Duergar Clan
Yaghoub’s Journal
Three books of magical history
Illustrated Bestiary (250 gp)
Book on history of tower and residents
11 books on the nature of demi-humans – 250 gp
Creation of the Shade
100 Books from Bone Hill Study
Neconilis’s Book of Horrors
Deed worth 950 gp
Surrisk’s notes on undead, necromancy, and a spell Undead Familiar
1000 gp library of 300 general purpose books from Dungeon in Desert
6 Books on Worship of Nabilah
1200 GP of works on spell research for Scrollmend
Libram of Gainful Conjuration;
5000 gp research library from Nadir’s Tower
Complete Leather-Bound 10 Volume Set of writings of Japheth Arcane (5000 gp set)
Book of the Coming


Laboratory:

12000 gp lab generally
500 gp equipment from Dungeon in Desert


Magic Items:

Proficient Staff
Staff – 1 charges, Dancing Lights, Light for 1 charge, Lightning Bolt, 4d12 damage, 2 charges, Spark – 2d10, 1 charge – 30’ away
Staff of Healing, 24 charges, (1 charge for Cure Blindness, Disease, 2 for Cure Serious, Neutralize Poison)
+1 Pesh-kabz, Short Bow, Daggerx2, Gada, Club, Heavy Crossbow, Yataghan, Sling, Tulwar, Shamshir, Scimitar,
+2 Mace, +4 vs undead; Mace, +1 vs Lawful, -1 vs Chaotic; Spear, +1, +2 vs Giants, +3 vs Orcs, Ogres ;
+2 Battleaxe; Flail; Khanda; Macex2; Yataghan;
+3 Pesh-Kabz
+2 Trombash of Returning
+1 Shieldx3, +3 Shield; +1 chainmail; +1 plate armor;
+2 Chainmail, +2 Leather Armorx2, Plate Mail,

Potion of Neutralize Poison; Diminution; White Dragon Control; Poisonx3; Infravision; Invisibilityx6; Gaseous Formx3; Vampire Control; Growth; Sweet Waterx6; Speedx2; Polymorph Selfx2; Heroism; Resistance; Super-Heroism; Flying; 2 Oil of Slipperiness; Tongues; Flying; Sustenance; Fire Resistance; Free Action; Frost Giant Strength; Clear Thought; Mammal Control; Oil of Acid Resist;
Keoghtom's Ointment – 3 applications left
Wizard Spell Scroll: Create Spectral Wizard, Summon Shadow, Erase, Dispel Magic, Fire Shield, Strength, Dimension Door, Fly, Protection from Evil, 10’ Radius, Elonia’s Glamer, Globe of Invulnerability, Dazzle, Locate Object, Detect Invisibility, Fireball, Transmute Mud to Rock; Time Stop;
Cleric Spell Scroll: Prayer, Commune, Cure Critical Wounds, Spiritual Hammer, Prayer, Detect Lie, Cure Light Wounds, Sanctuary, Flame Strike, Tongues, Create Food and Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison,
Scroll - Protection from Undead, Possession, Elementals, Dragons,


Wand of Frost –2 charges; Wand of Salt - 22 charges; Fear - 4 charges; Fireballs - 5 charges;
Wand of Metal and Mineral Detection – 41 charges ; Wand of Wonder - 58 charges ; Wand of Lightning 21 charges;
Buckler Wand

Medallion of Defense
Amulet of Neconilis x3
Ring of Protection +1, Chameleon Nature; Cantrips; Quick Action**; Warmth; Coolness; Free Action* ; Beauty; Shooting Stars (12 charges);
Helmet of Underwater Action; Helmet of Reading Languages and Magic
Rock Jellaba
Scarab of Venom
Bracers of Defense: AC 7x2; AC: 6x2; AC4*
Dusty Rose Ioun Stone - +1 AC; Deep Black Sphere Ioun Stone (See in Non & Magic Dark);
Boots of Varied Tracks; Sandals of Speed **
Cassock of Precaution; Cloak of Protection +2; Cloak of Poisonousness (Cursed)
Girdle of Ogre Strength***; Zoster of Zeal***

Magic Jelly Beans – 1 Grey, 2 Green, 2 Orange, 2 Yellow (G Cube), 2 White (Crystal Ooze), 2 Black
Warp Marble
2 Tubes of Dust of Appearance; 2x Dust of Disappearance
Incense of Enlightenment; 3 Blocks of Incense of Meditation; Phylactery of Faithfulness
Crystal Ball with Clairaudience

Folding Boat
Carpet of Flying – 4 person size and capacity

Crucible of Melting ; Lens of Speed Reading ; Honing Stone 6 charges; Quill of Forgery; 3 Jars of Preserving
Pearl of Power, 2nd level
Kamencheh of Calming
Chest of Weightlessness

Bronze Horn of Valhalla, summons 2d4 Neutral Evil, level 2 fighters, AC4, 15 hp, spear or sword. Can only be blown by N, NE, LE, or CE Priest or Warrior.

Metal Platter (Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Pheasant) for four people once/day; Mug (Beer, Ale, Mead) six/day; Pitcher (Water, Tea, Wine), three/day.

Halberd of Mathghamhna, Redeemer - +3, +4 vs undead; +1d6 against otherplanar creatures; once/day can Redeem Death;

Amun-Re’s Staff of Ruling; Star of Mo-Pilar; Death Mask of Ptah

Skull of Garath – Powers only usable by evil clerics, non-evil people touching it take damage
Harness of Sekar – 5 charges, can only be used by good clerics

Cursed – Periapt of Foul Rotting, Helm of Alignment Changing,

Psionic - Lamp Without Reservation, 12 charges; 3 dampsuits; 3 flaregoggles; exoskeleton, 6 tentacle extensions

Artifacts:

Bright Barrier of the God-King Dargeshaad

Alignment – Lawful

Large circular shield

Major Power: Purge – Drain 2 levels of HD from all non-lawful who can see it 3/day
Minor Power: +2 Shield, wielder can hold shield and cast spells simultaneously. Deliver Shield Punch attack for 1d8+2 damage.
Cast Command at will; Detect Lie 3/day
Dangers: Wielder ages 1d10 months any time activating major power is used. Major power also pushes user more and more towards and stricter and stricter alignment. Chance Dargeshaad will inhabit user if major power used.



Unusual Items:

4 “Special” Torches
Brass Dragon Skin; Gold Flecked Ruby from Gold Dragon – 1000 gp; Strands from a Memory Web ; 4 Debbi Hides; Various Nasnas Parts;
Skin, scales, horn, blood, teeth, eyes, etc of a Vishap dragon; Yellow dragon;
Silver Knife, Spear, Shamshir
Crossbow, 50 bolts
Flask of Sleep Water
Multiple Vials of Poison
Destroyed and burned out Ioun stone

2 Divining Rods
Focus - Signet Ring

Stored Spells:

Protection from Good
Vocalize
Vampiric Touch
Charm Monster
Teleport

5 blank scroll pages, ready to be used
Many bottles of scroll ink
Wand, crafted ready to be enchanted

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar’s Spellbook: He can cast 5/5/4/3/3 spells.


1st Level:

Cantrip
Charm Person *
Chill Touch *
Comprehend Languages
Create Divining Rod
Detect Magic *
Detect Undead
Emrikol’s Question
Find Familiar
Hypnosis *
Identify
Protection from Good
Read Magic
Sleep *
Wizard Mark


2nd level:

Alzar’s Bookcopy
Alzar’s Bookmend
Baltar’s Lightening
Continual Light *
Continual Wind
Death Armor
ESP *
Forget
Ghoul Touch *
Hold Person (Hamedhi) *
Knock
Locate Object
Skeletal Hands *
Spectral Hand
Unpickable Lock
Vocalize
Wizard Lock


3rd Level:

Bewilder
Dispel Magic *
Fly *
Genie Contract
Haste
Hold Undead
Leomund’s Tiny Hut
Lesser Rhabdomancy
Sepia Snake Sigil
Suggestion *
Tongues
Vampiric Touch *


4th Level:

Alzar’s Scrollmend
Charm Monster *
Confusion
Dig
Evard’s Black Tentacles *
Itemmeld
Minor Globe of Invulnerability
Polymorph Other *
Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer
Remove Curse
Ritual of Renewal
Unburn


5th

Animate Dead
Chaos
Conjure Earth Elemental
Conjure Water Elemental
Contact Other Plane
Domination *
Greater Rhabdomancy
Hold Monster *
Mnemonic Negation – Sort of the Reverse of Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer, and removes spells from target’s memory
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound
Passwall
Summon Shadow
Teleport
Transmute Rock to Mud *


Other Spellbooks:

A blank spellbook

Evocation Tome of Beginners – All common 1st level evocation spells

Standard Spellbook – Feather Fall, Hypnosis, Sleep, Spook, Magic Mouth, Shatter, Dispel Magic

Sussick’s Spellbook: Magic Missile, Chill Touch, Spook, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Detect Undead, Cantrip, Wall of Fog, Find Familiar, Light, Tensor’s Floating Disc, Continual Light, Flaming Sphere, Death Armor, Hold Person, Levitate, Locate Object, Spectral Hand, Bind, Dispel Magic, Hold Undead, Item, Dig, Undead Familiar

Piyarz’s Book – Detect Magic, Find Familiar, Light, Magic Missile, Read Magic, Sleep, Baltar’s Lightening, Magic Mouth, Locate Object, Tongues, Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer

Lurg’s Book – Detect Illusion, Detect Magic, Emrikol’s Question, Identify, Phantasmal Force, Read Magic, Wizard Mark, Non-Detection, Illusionary Script

Porro’s Book – Change Self, Color Spray, Dancing Lights, Find Familiar, Detect Magic, Identify, Light, Read Magic, Wizard Mark, Hypnotic Pattern, Misdirection, Knock

Cipolla’s Book – Detect Magic, Read Magic, Sand Jambiya, Tensor’s Floating Disk, Wall of Fog, Invisibility, Ventriloquism


Spellbook destroyed by rat, just one spell left – Levitate (remnants of book were procured and owned)

Neconolis Spellbook:

1st level – Alarm, Burning Hands, Detect Magic, Detect Undead, Friends, Jump, Magic Missile, Protection from Good, Read Magic, Spook
2nd Level – Deafness, Detect Good, Ghoul Touch, Magic Mouth, Whispering Sound, Wizard Lock
3rd Level – Bewilder, Explosive Runes, Hold Undead, Non-Detection, Secret Page
4th Level – Curse, Emotion, Enchant Weapon
5th Level – Animate Dead, Summon Shadow
6th Level – Summon Least Yugoloth


Telvar’s Spellbook –

1st Level – Cloud Ladder, Charm Person, Detect Magic, Magic Missile, Protection from Good, Read Magic, Identify, Sleep, Shocking Grasp
2nd Level – Darkness, 15’ Radius; ESP, Flying Fist, Invisibility, Levitate, Detect Invisibility, Magic Mouth, Wizard Lock
3rd Level – Dispel Magic, Fireball, Fly, Protection from Normal Missiles, Feign Death, Monster Summoning I, Leomund’s Tiny Hut, Scintillating Sphere
4th – Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer, Wizard Eye

Crescent Witch Spellbook: To be decoded later:

1st – Run, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Identify, Charm Person, Shocking Grasp
2nd – Invisibility, Stinking Cloud, Darkness 15’ Radius, Baltar’s Lightening, Knock
3rd – Genie Contract, Protection from Good, 10’ Radius, Lightning Bolt, Dispel Magic
4th – Evard’s Black Tentacles, Unburn


Dervill’s Spellbook – Read Magic, Identify, Detect Magic, Wizard Mark, Hold Portal, Magic Missile, Chromatic Sphere, Featherfall, Web, Detect Invisibility, Misdirection, Audible Glamer, Haste, Protection from Normal Missiles, Dispel Magic, Nondetection, Item, Suggestion, Polymorph other, Wizard Eye, Daltim’s Flaming Fist, Teleport, Desert Fist

Nadir’s Spellbook –

1st - Read Magic, Identify, Wizard Mark, Detect Magic, Change Self, Comprehend Languages, Magic Missile, Shield, Erase, Conjure Spell Component
2nd – Melf’s Acid Arrow, Summon Swarm, Ray of Enfeeblement, Invisibility, Wizard Lock, Knock, Vocalize
3rd – Teleport Object, Dispel Magic, Fly, Lightning Bolt, Sepia Snake Sigil, Hover
4th - Fire Trap, Dimension Door ,Ice Storm, Stoneskin, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Phantasmal Killer, Leomund;s Secure Shelter
5th – Cone of Cold, Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound, Shadow Door, Teleport, Transmute Rock to Mud, Waves of Sand
6th – Antimagic Shell, Chain Lightning, Death Spell, Disintegrate, Globe of Invulnerability, Stone to Flesh
7th – Finger of Death, Prismatic Spray, Teleport without Error, Negative Plane Protection


Spellbooks not Decoded:

Alzar’s Others:

Undead:

3 Coffer Corpses
6 Ghoulstirges
Multiple Ghouls, Zombies, Skeletons
Undead Head (AC7 in the bottle), HD 3+3, HP 30, DMG 1d6 from screech or 1d4 bite. Alerts everyone.

Special Books Already Used – Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Libram of Ineffable Damnation; Tome of Understanding; Tome of Quickness of Action;

[Abe Sargent]

Yay!

Level 11 is easier to hit than a lot, Look at it this way – at level 9 to 10, you need 115k. From 10 to 11 you need 125k. That’s basically identical. Let’s compare. From 11 to 12? 375k. From 8 to 9? 45k. So you go from 45k to 115k to 125k to 375k. You can see the plateau there. Level 11 is a bit of a plateau in the XP chart.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar teleports over to the area where the River is now forming. He checks out places like Pezar and such, flies around to take a look, heads over to Bralizzar for a day, and then heads back when he is told that something major is happening in Khaibar.

He arrives at the college and speaks with them there. A plague has broken out the last few days in Khaibar. It’s nasty, and sweeping through quickly, and defies clerical magic and attempts to analyze it.

One way to clean this plague up would be find the Cup and Talisman of Al’Akbar, the ancient relics once take from the city when it was raided long ago. It’ll have to be done soon, there isn’t a lot of time. A few folks have already set out looking for the holy artifacts, so Alzar decides to do the same and begins to head down the hill to Khaibar.

He arrives at the gate a little over an hour later, and the brigand/guards let him and his golem through. He heads down into the sewer to check out that secret door from before behind the Gorgimera lair.

After an hour or so they arrive at it. It’s a very well crafted secret door, thanks Star/Gem. There is a carved corridor back here.

Alzar is hesitant to move forward, suspecting traps and such. There is a 8 foot wide corridor carved here that heads back. A tossed Continual Light rock reveals a odd looking chamber behind it.

He heads up to grab Volcifar, leaving the golem/familiar as a guard.

After the thief arrives, he finds a pit trap on the entrance, and disarms it by opening it and spiking it. Many people having dies here. They head down the right part and he finds another trap, a trap that releases gallons of acid from above. Volcifar triggers it, and then spikes it as well to keep it open.

[Abe Sargent]

There are areas of treasure in the room proper, but all are fake (illusions, painted, etc) as revealed by Alzar’s Gem/Star. There is a throne that skeleton sits upon. With a key in its hand, the throne is just gold over wood, looking better than it is. They search and find little. They move some things around, key over some chairs, and it’s not until they move the throne, which covers a key hole.

The key is apparently covered in something nasty, so the Stone Golem grabs it, brushes it off, and then Volcifar uses it to open up the panel beneath the throne. They do so, and they find a small chest. After picking the lock and disarming a poison needle trap, Alzar cracks open the chest, and inside is a small, faded book, hand written.

He uses the Helm of Reading Things of Various Sorts to understand it. It was penned shortly after the city of Khaibar by the forces from the north, just after Amun-Re fell, in that raid, the artifacts were taken, as well as lots more.

The Sultan claims to have secreted one of the artifacts in his palace away from the treasury as they were being invaded. It also names a triad of people who led the attack, Amhara the main one in charge, and his two lieutenants.

Alzar turns and casts Detect Magic by pulling it from the spellcrux and there is nothing other than a glowing ring on one finger of those at the bottom of the pit. Volcifar crawls down to retrieve it and Alzar smiles as he looks at it.

“This is one of my favorite magical items. Ever. The Ring of Sustenance.”

Here is what it does:

After wearing the Ring for a week of time:

1). You won’t need to eat. The Ring sustains you
2). You won’t need to drink. The Ring sustains you.
3). You won’t need to sleep as much – just hours is a full day sleeping

It’s one of the best examples of something subtle being a lot more powerful. These are the sorts of things he discusses in his book, The Fivefold Path to Power.

To use recent things as an example, compare the Ogre Strength item he has with a Wand of Lightning. A lightning bolt deals out 6d6 damage, save vs half. On the other hand, the Ogre Strength Gauntlets increase, by 15%, the chance of hitting in combat, and by 6 damage each time a connection is made. Which is better? Even with someone only getting one attack a round, the Ogre Strength brings out a lot more damage, doesn’t use a round to use nor a charge.

That’s why a spell like Conjure Earth Elemental or Animate Dead is better than damage dealing spells from the same level. Charm Monster is better than Lightning Bolt, because it turns a bad guy into an ally.

The Ring of Sustenance does one thing. It gives you time. Think about how many hours in a day one spends eating, sleeping, an drinking. 6? 7? 8? That’s how many hours Alzar gains, a day, while wearing it. It’s the Gauntlets of Ogre Power; Conjure Earth Elemental; of the magic Ring world.

[Abe Sargent]

They head back and Alzar spends some more time with the book. They verify it’s handwriting at the College of Wizardry with a few documents he signed in the Sealed Archives of the Grand Library. One thing they also note Is that the person mentioned, Amhara, only ruled for a short while after taking the artifact. The item disappeared after that and was lost to time. Maybe it was buried with him?

They begin looking for his crypt or tomb or burial chamber in research, and Alzar heads back to Khaibar to see if, perhaps, the first artifact is still in the palace. Again, it was thought stolen by Amhara as well, so no one was looking for it and it disappeared from history. It certainly could still be there.

Alzar has been inside the palace once before when coming out of Skarda’s Mirror. He uses his Crystal Ball to scry on it, and the teleports into the area when the coast is clear.

The palace has aged, with some places looking shined more than others. Having spent a lot of time in the Mint Tea Parlor with a lot of people that work in the Palace, he’s learned some details. There is a Harem on the east side, lavish bedchambers on the west, and places of business in the middle. He has begun on the west side, near some doors. There were no guards patrolling this section. It figures that the best place to start looking are the bedchambers of the major players, like Al’Farikh, who styles himself the Sultan (but is not related to him).

He guessed wrong, and is outside of three rooms of servant’s quarters. They see him, but don’t notice him. They can’t even speak (their tongues are cut out). Down this hallway is a locksmith, a smithy, and a food pantry that ends in a kitchen. He can see a bunch of soldiers in there. While he was never told not to enter, he was never allowed to as well, so he’d like to keep his presence on the downlow.

Instead he heads outside into a Hammam. This is a bathing and sauna area, that the wealthier elements in the palace here. There is a brigand/guard here, not one of the handful of better ones. Alzar calls him over and asks for help, and casts Charm Person. The guard, now a friend, welcome Alzar and gives him bearings.

After five minutes, Alzar now has his full headings and primary targets.

[Abe Sargent]

On the far side of the Hammam is the Mufti’s chamber, a priest’s chamber. The priest is not here right now, and there are a handful of items. This room has been converted to a non-specific altar and dedication to evil. (Alzar is not harmed by being here, like others would be) He secures a few items he suspect could be magical and continues. (They aren’t)

He skipped past the part of the Palace with the officer’s quarters and torture chamber and barracks and such….

He hits a pair of fancier rooms on the way to the “Sultan’s” bed chambers and does a quick search in each for stuff. Things like gems, a few items that might be magical, The Gem/Star is used too, so see if he can find anything.

He arrives at the corridor with his bedchamber, and casts Sleep on the 3 guards standing watch there.

Alzar listens and can clearly hear them talking about planning a party, (In the midst of the plague, how tacky). There are roughly three or four voices in there. He opens the door and casts Chaos as he does.

There are 4 guards, the “Sultan”, two administrators and someone else. All but two guards fails their saves. The two guard/brigands are moving towards Alzar, weapons drawn.

A quick Hold Person paralyzes them both (and an admin as well, who was nearby).


Alzar heads over and checks the room out. He binds the Chaos’d and paralyzed folks. Blindfolds them as well. He also reaches with the Spellcrux focus to grab Forget and after using ESP to interrogate the “Sultan,” casts Forget on him.

So, in the 6 rounds of interrogation, here is what he learned.


Sultan has no idea where the Cup or Talisman might be.

He is fearful of an impending coup, and thought Alzar was with it

He gave up where he stashes his personal treasury

He gave Alzar even better knowledge of the layout of this area.

And that’s it. Alzar pockets some gems, a pair of magic items, and jewelry from the Sultan’s private stash, then opens a secret door to the Harems, closes it, and leaves. He doubts the men will remember him enough to identify him, and the “Sultan” will be embarrassed by it.

[Abe Sargent]

Back here are the sleeping quarters of the women in the harem. They are prostitutes instead of the higher class quality concubines or wives you would expect to find, and the soldiers have “access” to the harem as a reward for doing good stuff.

Alzar uses his Gem/Star in here quickly and moves into the bath.

This large and spacious lounge of the harem includes a large pool, illuminated by underwater globes probably lit by Continual Light spells. The Gem/Star reveals…


One of those underwater globes is not a globe. As Alzar gets closer, he can see it looks a bit different than the other globes. He reaches down and pulls it out, and opens the globe – inside is a glowing magical cup.

The wall out is on the far side of the pool. All he has to do is scale it. Or fly over it with his carpet. He’s out and out.

He returns to the local tower after flying to the ground in a different direction and walking over. He inspects what he took:


Rod of Rulership
Ring of Protection +1 (will be given to College)
Gems worth 3350 GP
Jewelry worth 7500 GP

Nothing else was magical


Save for….

[Abe Sargent]

The Cup of Al’Akbar

Minor Benign Powers – Bless on contact; Cure Light Wounds 7/week

Minor Malevolent Effect – When the prime power of the Cup is used, or the Cup is kept in one person’s grip for two weeks, lose 5d6 pounds of weight.

That’s already been researched pending the need for the artifacts. Apparently the Cup and Talisman need to be a full set to unleash their power. The Bless and Cure come with no disadvantages.

[Abe Sargent]

Two days later, they’ve found Crypt of Amhara. It’s pretty far away, so Alzar is the target of Teleport Other to arrive there, a few hundred ,miles away, on the north west part of the Sand Mire, in the territory of the Master of the Desert Nomads.

There is an illusion here at the Crypt of Amhara, making it look like a normal hill. Alzar sees it and walks through.

There is another illusion inside of the corridor of a giant demon telling people to leave or be killed. They continue.

Alzar wants an ally, so he casts Conjure Earth Elemental. The Elemental will go ahead of him. He’s always had a fondness for Earths over the others.

There a fake corridor, a trap the Elemental triggers, There’s a pit in front of the hallway as it twists and winds its way, and at the bottom is a Black Pudding all ready to carve up folks that fall down. The Earth heads down and smashes it dead.

Dead Black Pudding – 2000 XP

[Abe Sargent]

A few traps are sprung and such. A door triggers a Fire Trap (as per the spell) and the Earth takes damage (magical fire) 19 damage:

Earth 26/45

They arrive in a large, octagonal room with a bunch of doors, including some secret (yay Gem/Star)There are dozens of crystal spheres mounted on the walls and ceiling and pour forth brilliant light. Thousands of gems are here too. Is this the missing gems from the city, raided long ago? No coins, just gems, gems, gems.

On the back of the room is a life-sized statue of a local deity in silver. Behind it are ingots of gold, silver, or platinum. The gems appear to be smaller, flawed, and such. Alzar enters the room and the secret doors mostly open up and out come 6 mummies. He’s going to need a little more help. He grabs the Warp Marble, tosses it at the nearest one. It fails it’s save, and out pops Aegis, the Stone Golem, as the Mummy heads in.

The Stone Golem flanks on the right and the Earth is pulled back. The Mummies move in, Alzar’s axe at the ready. Alzar kills a mummy with axe and sheild, and takes 6 back.

(Random.org to fast sim this)


Results – 5 dead mummies, one trapped


Aegis/Stone Golem – 54/70
Earth 26/45
Alzar – 42/59

Typically creatures that can only be hit by magic (certain undead, demons, elementals, golems) can hurt those that can only be hit by magic.

18000 XP

[Abe Sargent]

There is a table with four cursed magical items Alzar will donate to the Collage. There are some lesser uses for cursed magic items.

A secret door that didn’t open for the mummies is cracked. Down the path is a major trap the Stone Golem triggers.

This is a large square room, illuminated by the same crystal blobs as before. There is a door with a pentagram etched on it on the other side. In here are many shelves and items, labeled with papers and words. Alzar’s Helm tells him there are war charts, maps, journals, and more, as well as some magical items, labeled.

1 jar of Keoghtom’s Ointment
Cleric Scroll – 2x Raise Dead; MU Scroll – 2x Stone to Flesh
2 Potions of Extra Healing
Anything Ring
Sling of Seeking +3
Wand of Lightning (22 charges)
Amulet vs Undead
Vorpal Yataghan
2x Chest of Weightlessness

They penetrate the door and arrive at a trapped room, now popped. This was a spike trap and a spear trap from the area that it seemed to break. The rooms starts to rotate, but breaks the gears and the room stops. There are multiple false doors, and hallways, They then arrive at a riddle room. 8 different riddles are given, and Alzar can’t advance across the next 1/8sth f the room until answering it. His 21 INT auto makes these and moves on.

[Abe Sargent]

A stuck door bars their way, and the Stone Golem punches and pushes through, and some rot grubs and ear seekers fall to the floor from it. They are quickly smashed.

After another 75 feet, they arrive at the Tomb.

A carving announces that this is the most holy place of Amhara. They open the door and head in.

Inside is a crypt, with a creature on top. A Crypt Thing. Alzar used to have memorized the spell to make them so he can identify it. It uses a teleport spell on the Elemental and it pops away (a few doors away). Alzar can’t control, so the Golem moves forward and kills it. 975 XP.


There are a few items in here, and Detect magic reveals just one, the Talisman on the wall. Alzar grabs it, it’s the Talisman of Al’Akbar. He casts Transmute to heals his golem, tosses the Warp Marble to capture the Stone Golem, and then slays the Mummy that pops out, and uses the Cup a few times cure light wounds himself back to healthy.

He heads back, collects all of the various items into the two light-chests, including the maps, journals, war plans, and other various books into one chest, and have of another, with magical items, cursed items and some of those gems.

Over the next few days, he’ll pop over occasionally to grab a bunch more gems. (The gems here are 2 gp weight for each 1 gp in value. Less efficient that coins, but easily changeable into heavier coinage.)

Alzar arrives with the Cup and Talisman, and they give it to local priests. When combined, they get a lot more powerful. Water poured into the Cup will turn into healing water, the Talisman cures disease by touch, etc.

The plague is clearly up a few days later. Alzar gets 8k in prizes and such.


End of I9. Day of Al’Akbar


On Thorasia, Alzar had a bunch of undead, and summoned creatures from items like demons or elementals to help him out. Here it’s a golem and an Earth Elemental from a spell but it still works. And carrying around the Stone Golem in a Warp Marble works too.

[Abe Sargent]

Temple, Tower, Tomb




This is an eminently forgettable module from 1994 that won’t make the top-of lists for, well, anything. What it does give us is a few things – one, I’m tying it into the adventure decently, much like I did with the Curse of Xanophon (in this case, quite literally). It suits the environment, and should prove to be a decent enough between-major-plotlines module to keep things going.

[Abe Sargent]

A little over a week after the plague has been cleared up, and Alzar hailed as a hero by the people of Khaibar, Dhakiy Dreschul arrives in the College of Wizardry to connect with his former sponsoree. He tell him that Alzar needs to talk to him. “Wait, what?” “Sheikh Alzar.” Ah yes, guy who runs the Kasbah of Ber-Gathy.

Because of its location and the ability it has shown to throw off the grip of the Master and his nomad tribes, increasing pressure has been brought to bear against it from points west and north. Seeking a way to even the balance, they want someone to head out and bring back three major magical objects from three different places.

Alzar teleports out and meets up with the Sheikh and his Vizier about an hour later.

They give him the details. Since he was successful in finding the lost artifacts of Al’Akbar, he is their first choice. There are three magical objects they seek, and the Vizier fills him in:

1). In order to fight against forces more powerful than you, you need knowledge. There is a nearby ruined outpost, the Temple of Amnissos, where in there should reside a Crystal Ball that combines with a Gem of Seeing. When you use the Ball, you see everything true, as it is – perfect scying knowledge.

2). In order to outpower the forces, you need strength. In a nearby abandoned Tower of the Lord of Eternal Night is a Rod that combines the powers of numerous other ones. It’s extremely potent.

3). In a nearby Tomb of the Faceless One, built a few decades ago to house a wayward Sheikh, there is a helm so powerful it was designed to defeat multiple enemies.

Alzar needs to go into these three place, Temple, Tower and Tomb, and then recover the major item.

They offer him 10k, but he remains them that it’s just him, plus if he’s giving some of the items and gold he finds to the College of Wizardry, and some to them, there’s not a lot left over. After some negotiation this is the final deal:

A. Alzar will turn over the three items they want after heading into each place
B. Alzar will be given 8000 gp worth of gems and jewelry
C. Alzar will keep all magical items and coin/gems/jewelry/other items of value
D. The College will be reimbursed, from Ber-Gathy, 10% of the full value of the items and gold found. For this mission only, Alzar won’t need to turn over anything

They force him to do a Geas spell to secure it.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar wants to head over to the Temple of Amnissos first. None of these places are more than one day away by flying carpet. After spending a day preparing new spells and such, Alzar flies over to the Temple.

Amnissos is an ancient god of decay and chaos who is no longer worshipped as his death-loving cult was destroyed after the high priest chose to align himself with the eventually-doomed-Dargeshaad who tried to carve out an empire and was smashed by the Dragon of Shades. The cult fell to obscurity, and this head temple of theirs was one of many, many ruins that fell across the Sand Mire.

The temple where they made their home was originally dedicated to Ptah. They ousted the priests, cleansed it, and made it the home of their evil order. One of the most powerful item the cult had was the Hesper, an item that combined a Crystal Ball and a Gem of Seeing.

Alzar arrives a few hours later. About 70 yards ahead stands the discolored and pocked ruin of the Temple. The front portion of the temple is ringed by a crumbling 12 foot high pillars and inside is dimly lit from the day’s sun and the tiled floor is cracked all over. There is a stature with the body of a man with a vulture’s head, and clawed feet. A snake is twinned round its right arm and the skeletal left one is bare.

That is one ugly looking god.

[Abe Sargent]

As the bottom of the statue are some glyphs that Alzar’s Helm reads:

“Amnissos welcomes all to his realm who ask.”

There is nothing else here. No stairs, no entrance, nothing else. Just the ruins on top. Hmm… The Gem/Star shows nothing either…

Alzar tries using some passwords and phrases as suggested by the glyphs. He asks, he asks Amnissos, etc, but eventually asking the specific question, “May I enter the realm of Amnissos” works and the statue slides to one side and reveals some stairs heading down


Alzar casts Conjure Earth Elemental before heading down. Since it takes longer he in Hamedh, he’d rather be prepared. As before, he has Aegis in the Warp Marble, ready to pull out if needed. The Earth leads down the stairs. A few crack under its weight. They arrive at a sub-temple that’s unlit, with a stone tossed showing the way and out from the back comes the noise of snakes and an order Alzar recognizes as a medusa. He closes his eyes and orders the Earth Elemental forward to kill as many as are here. It’s immune to paralyzation (as a creature of earth would be), and the one is killed.

2000 XP for Alzar

[Abe Sargent]

The Elemental blows through some traps, and some haunting spells that were supposed to cause it fear or to run away. The room opens into a large hall of victims – people who were petrified by the medusa. There are 23 statues/victims here.

On statue looks a lot different though. This one is of a young women dressed in a flow gown, blindfolded arms extended. In her left hand she holds a flail, right hand palm face up with a bag in it. Having been to the Pyramid of the Illustrious One and fought against four of her priests, this is Ptah’s statue and image After starting at the statue, it speaks, mentally to Alzar:

“This is my gift. Choose which you shall have.”

Alzar thinks, then chooses the flail. The hand releases the magical flail to him. The flail is likely more magical and thus more valuable than a bag which could have gems or gold or who cares.


Magical Flail


The statue sends him another message as he moves away:

“May it see you safely though the hardships to come. In exchange for this gift, I entreat you to release me.”

Alzar heads away. He doesn’t want to free any of the statues, he has just two scrolls to do it with – those are more of emergencies. A door from the chamber opens into an old purifying chamber. The room smells heavily of mold and rot. In the center is a tile-stained pit and scattered throughout are urns haphazardly strewn. Many are smashed and broken.

A room would not smell like this unless there was something alive here, not after all this time, so Alzar’s Elemental does some exploring, and finds some brown mold, and kills it dead with its feet. There were a few corpses under the muck. A few rot grubs are smashed too. A few items don’t show signs of their age or the severe muck and stain here – a sure sign of magic. They are brought over to him:

+1 spear
Priest Scroll – Cloak of Bravery, Neutralize Poison
Shield of Fear (Same as Plate Mail of Fear)
1000 gp sapphire

[Abe Sargent]

There are two doors out. One is the normal door, the other a secret door, both to the south. They take the secret door, head down some stairs, find another secret door at the end of this corridor and arrive in a small room. They open the door here into a long hallway with a bunch of doors. Glyphs reveals that this is the Hall of Relics, and the various symbols of Amnissos are all over.

The door across from Alzar has a bunch of locks, and is kicked open and broken by the elemental. An iron portcullis is past that, and a continual darkness spell is on the room past the portcullis. Alzar grabs his new Iuon Stone and can now see in the darkness.

This is the priesthood’s main treasure chamber - five locked chests, two statues, three thrones, and a few rugs are all in here. Alzar has the Elemental bend the bars of the portcullis open and they move in.

A Gem/Star reveals a few Glyphs here. (In fact, the text description says, of multiple glyphs here that only a Gem of Seeing will detect it) Alzar walks around it and the Elemental guards. Alzar heads to the chests and checks the items in here for magic – not wanting to carry them all out.

Magic items:

2 unidentified potions (Human Control, Cold Resistance)
Oil of Slipperiness, Oil of Disenchantment

That’s it.

Alzar takes 7 damage from a pair of traps.

In the area, there are some valuable and pimp items as well:

Statuette – Elephant – 18 inches high, massive gems and workmanship, 25,000 gp value

Odd terra-cotta statue of griffon, Ugly thing, worth nothing Alzar hears something inside and breaks it open:

Statuette – Griffon – Silver and gold, 15 inches high, 8,200 gp value

The thrones and rugs are pimp too, but not a lot of space to take them out. Alzar secures the statuettes in his backpack for later though.

Alzar 52/59

[Abe Sargent]

They head back out and move to the next door. A trap hits the Elemental for nothing and inside is a pillar with a pedestal on it and a whistle on top of that. Alzar makes his ID check and it’s a nice little thang:


Whistle of Golem Control

Blow it, and a Golem must save vs spells or be controlled for 1d6 turns. You may not have more than one golem under control at a time, and you won’t know when it ends and you may use it just once/day.


Nothing else here. They next room is empty, then another has a bottle with Oil of Fiery Burning in it and an Altar with a book on it, etched in runes.

Alzar grabs it, knows he will not be damaged.

Book of Vile Darkness

It will give an evil cleric a level like his Libram gave him one.

The next room opens and there is a magic ring on a pedestal that leaps ot Alzar’s hand as he nears it. It can’t work (too many Rings) but it’s

Ring of Regeneration

That’s the last room in the Hall of Relics. They head out the front way and there is a corridor north and south. South it is.

[Abe Sargent]

In a few moments, Alzar’s group arrives at the end of a long corridor. The door opens easily

In the tile floor surrounding a central altar in this large, decaying chamber, are the same for symbols found around the upper temples. The altar, pillars, and walls are covered in scenes of plagues and famines. Decay and rot. At each end of the room are two massive statues, to the left one of stone and to the right one of iron. A brass key is on the statue’s neck, and a brass door in the opposing wall.

The Gem/Star reveals a secret door in a pillar, another behind the iron statue, and the stone statue is a stone golem.

He moves forward, and the golem animates. Alzar blows the Whistle of Golem Control and it rolls a 14 and saves. The Earth moves forward. Alzar grabs his axe and the two will carve into it.

Battle begins

7 vs 6. The golem attacks and punches the Elemental for 16 damage. The Alzar hits it twice for 28 damage and the Elemental misses.

7vs 8 Their team hits for 39 damage total. The golem punches and smashes the Elemental for 19.

6 vs 4. The golem kills Alzar’s summoned elemental, and Alzar finishes it off and gains…8000 XP.

He opens the secret door in the pillar and there is a skeleton in a jail cell, and on it is an ancient non-magical diadem worth 2200 gp. The diadem has the mark of Ptah on it.

Alzar grabs the key and opens the brass door.

[Abe Sargent]

The smell of death still lingers in this dusty chamber as six large urns are arranged in two rows, forming a corridor down which someone must walk, and at the end is an odd looking tripod.

Alzar gets a vague feel and reaches out with the spellcrux, grabs Detect Undead, and uses it. Inside five of the urns is a undead creature. There are a few other undead in the Temple to the west. Alzar’s axe crashes into the nearest urn with all of his strength, and does 3 damage to the mummy within.

Animated by magic, they all break out of their urns – one is a weaker mummy, and 4 regular ones. Alzar’s Warp Marble nails one and the Stone Golem pops out.

Battle begins. Random.org ends it


Alzar – 47/59
Stone Golem 65/70

12420 XP

In the Urns were a variety of non-magic treasures. For now, Alzar takes:


230 pp
400 gp opal
5x 1500 gp diamonds
3x 600 gp goblets

At the end of the hallway is a globe on a tripod. The globe is huge – 45” and weighs a ton. Alzar’s Gem of Seeing showed that it’s a fake, illusion of a mystical object, and just a non-magical thing of glass.

[Abe Sargent]

They head back and take the secret door from the room and it winds and wends into the smooth cut rock. At the bottom is a doorway the golem opens.

There is a line on the door about consulting the Hesper.

The door opens and inside is a large jade bowl, held by skeletal fingers, with a red liquid and floating in it is the eye of a Cyclops. That’s just too weird not to be the Hesper.

Alzar won’t be able to take that back on his Carpet without spilling it. He heads back out with the diadem. After looking at the statue, there is a place on top where a diadem would fit, two slots. So Alzar places it on the statue. It animates, thanks him, and leaves.

(In the module, characters who are good/neutral get 20000 XP each for the animation, and evil 10000XP. Why punish evil, that doesn’t make sense?) Alzar gets 20000 XP for it, and he also gets a permanent +2 to his saves against all fear and awe effects.


(Also, all of the rest of the undead in the dungeon have gone down, namely a ghost – it’s now creature free.)

The rest of the temple include rooms to live in and stuff like that – not a lot. No major items.

Alzar grabs the Hesper and teleports back with it. Then he grabs his Flying Carpet and heads back to the dungeon. He’ll load those chests onto it and fly those babies back and come back with:

4600 gp worth of coins of various sorts.


He has finished the Temple of Amnissos

[Abe Sargent]

The following day Alzar memorizes his spells, and flies over to the Tower of the Lord of Eternal Night. This is supposedly where the Fasces lies, a powerful combination of a variety of rods.


As Alzar approaches the Tower, he notices something he didn’t expect. This place advertises itself as the home of the Dead King, Behrang.

Behrang was the one that turned his apprentice into the Spectral Wizard that Alzar killed over near Arjuna. Behrang apparently set up shop here. That means this is not an abandoned tower. There’s a powerful lich here.

So Alzar heads to the door and knocks.

After waiting for a while, the door opens and an undead servant is there. It welcomes Alzar in, and the master will come down shortly. In a minute, the lich walks downstairs, intrigued about who would knock and enter his tower.

Alzar introduces himself, and the lich recognizes him as the person who was rumored to have killed his spectral wizard and servant. As Alzar suspected, the lich doesn’t take it personally, and the Dead King and Alzar sit down.

They talk about many things. In fact, they trade spells a few times back and forth, opening up spellbooks. Behrang wants to turn Alzar into a Spectral Wizard and to take the place of the one he killed, but to no avail.

Alzar tells him that he has been sent ona quest by Ber-Gathy to gather up a magical item called the Fasces for them. Behrang admits that he has it, but there is little he would trade or sell it for. Of course, everything is for sale or trade, nothing is out of bounds. Alzar offers to trade and puts a few itmes on the trade block:

Alzar trades for the Fasces:

Libram of Gainful Conjuration; Book of Vile Darkness; Cloak of Protection +2

Alzar also gained these spells:

1st Level:

Spoil Holy Water


2nd Level:

Embalm


4th Level:


Summon Lycanthrope
Wall of Evil


Alzar leaves, with a fellow lawful evil ally in the area.


He returns the Fasces to the town.

[Abe Sargent]

Next, the Tomb of the Faceless One, which is just a few miles away from Ber-Gathy. He flies over to check it out.

The Sheikh of Ber-Gathy went a little off-track and donned the Annulus to help. He was pushed further and further away from sanity. The younger brother, unwilling to kill him, placed a death-mask on him that would put him into temporal stasis. After that, they built this tomb around him

That was a little over 30 years ago.

Alzar’s role is to penetrate the Tomb, find the former-Sheikh, pull off the death mask and face him, and then bring back the Annulus he is wearing.

They even have a map of the Tomb, and a key for the locked doors, since it was made recently, and Alzar studies it as he walks over.


There is a huge mound that rises from the ground. Alzar casts Conjure and the Elemental arises.

With the key in hand, using the various doors will prevent the various traps from firing off. The door opens, and they go through a secret door into the Hall of the Gods. There are more than 10 animal headed statues in the room. The secret door slides shut behind them. The walls are covered with frescoes to various gods.

[Abe Sargent]

There is a fake door with a teleportation trap on it, and a pit trap over a door on the far side of the room. The Gem/Star reveals the statues are constructs of some sort.

Alzar may need a little help. He tosses the Warp Marble at the nearest statue, which puffs away. The other 11 statues animate, and 11 minor stone golems move out. This is going to be a problem. Alzar uses the whistle as they close but….it works and he makes and ally.

They get ready. Random.org time:

Alzar – 22/59 – Uses potion of Extra-healing
Earth Elemental – 10/49
Aegis Golem – 33/70
Controlled Golem – 2/30

He gains 7500Xp

The pit trap is disarmed and they move to the door.

It opens into a long hall of frescos with a bunch of hungry giant rats, scurrying about. Alzar orders in his golems, shuts the door as they kill them all without taking any damage

750 XP for the lot