The party met with TD (a very large Griffin), she gave Dread a sextant and two books to aid in navigation.  The party then discussed whether to go recruit (hunt) more giants or to sail off, the majority seemed to want to find more giants, but Dread broke in with his quick estimates that Shift would want them at specific coordinates in roughly 10-12 hours and that he believes it will take 10-12 hours to get there.  Luckily the new cargo hold was prepped and ready to go.  Dreads captain skills seemed to be overlooked in the Queen’s navy due to the party easily getting to their destination in just 10 hours…

The party began discussing what to do once meeting the ship… T-chi spotted the ship off in the distance.  The party started moving away from the ship while T-chi and Gloria scouted the ship out.  T-chi observed the sailor in the crows nest somehow flung out into a sail (pre ripped) setting the ship (the Bounty) into flurry of activity, distracting them enough for the party to sail up to the ship without any long term warning.  The party sailed up with Dread (Leon, AKA) up front, the ship was about to raise the alarm when they recognized ‘Leon’ and welcomed him aboard.  Once aboard (the Bear was ‘tied’ up wookie style) Dread and Azul the minotaur captain went into the his cabin.  Once in the cabin a loud shriek was heard.  The crew and party went into combat mode.  During the next few rounds lots of arrows were shot and the party looked like it was in trouble.  Oddly enough a satyr (the crew was nearly ALL satyr) was not moving almost seeming in trance.  Zephyr summoned some small elementals to help the fight, while T-chi attacked the new sailor in the crow nest. After some intense fighting in the cabin with Gloria and Dread fighting Azul, they came out victorious onto the deck and the turned the fight into a slow slaughter of the remaining satyr.  Once the non moving satyr was damaged he cam out of his trance and started ‘paralyzing’ Grylls, then Dread but was then dropped with a group effort, since he was the only remaining crew member.  The party gathered up a quick list of valuable and started hauling crates into this ship.  Once the crates were noted as carrying halberd points, arrow tips and long swords.  Roughly ¾ of the way through loading the crates the party notice a known enemy watching them from a far. (Dread commented on how concerned he was knowing the Queen’s own familiar was observing their actions. *New info for the party*)  And if that was not enough a figure on a flying carpet flew up (with a golden monkey just behind him)  

Fireballing the deck while the monkey magicmissiled Brewer (YES there was some time/location issues, but the party as a whole need to be better at keeping their figurines in the ‘current’ location).  Zephyr summoned more small elemental, one of which (air) knocked the rider off his carpet, while fascinated by Brewer. At this point the monkey steered the carpet back to the figure in furs and was teleported away much to the monkey’s dismay at not staying and finishing these “fhgdfjkasghdfajkfsk” (monkey rant)

The party then finished loading up the cargo…

DM Time STOP

3-09-08 Return to Garma #7

The party starts on ‘the bounty’ just finishing loading cargo and TD lands on the bounty congratulating you on the successful raid, She (TD) asks what your plan is for the bounty and how she might be of further assistance.  TD leans over and a magical effect seems to remove the magic circle on the deck of the ship.  The party debates whether they feel the Queen’s method of tracking the ship is TRULY removed…  After some lengthy discussion the party sail BOTH ships in the general direction of Garma and then leave the bounty about 90 minutes off the coast. 

Upon returning to Garma they meet a group of mice led by Reepicheep (high mouse, knight of the lion and newly appointed high general of Roderick’s army) {Roderick being the son of Adam who attempted to recruit the party many adventures ago.}  Reepicheep noted the success and offered several of his mice sailors to help man the bounty until the tracking method could be clearly determined “off”. 

Once the ship was unloaded and some rest was had by the (5min work day) party; they realized that they had over a day before the next attempt and piracy could be executed, they headed off to hunt some giants.  The party started out into the forest ad saw some wild life, a rabbit, the a skunk.  The skunk quickly ran through the group and sprayed (giggling as he ran away).  The party now reeked and realized giants might be able to smell them coming.  Glori briefly tried to catch him… 

The party continued on trying to find some giants when they happened upon a giant sitting down with his back to them leaning against a tree.  At least one party member saw a trap potential as the party moved forward.  Suddenly two trap doors in the woods flipped open and four more giants came out, one had a sprite on his shoulder (w/ a skunk tail).  The party immediately entered deadly combat.  Unfortunately for the giants and the sprite 5 healthy giants was not enough, the party killed 2 giants and Sim (the sprite) in the final round.  Several magic items were located and it was discovered later that the bells missing from Brewer had been located on Sim.  Apparently Sim has been the cause of much trickery…

The party will resume back at the horse camp a few hours before ‘The Night Gaunt’ (a war /cargo vessel) is to be pirated…

Adv #8 Aslan’s Return (Roderick’s Fate / A New Direction)

3-23-08                      The players                        Grylls (Dave) a holy warrior bear           

Gloria (Brad) a socereress sprite    Brewer (Mark) a bard satyr

Dread (Brian) a minotaur fighter            TD (NPC/Cathy) a griffin

Zephyr (Jon) a druid centaur                T-chi (Zephyr) a hawk companion       

After defeating a giant, skunk/sprite trap the party came back to camp.  They rested and did some training.  Zephyr planted another Ericson acorn.  Once setting off to attempt another takeover on the high seas, the party discovered the Night Gaunt was a head of schedule, either Dread’s calculations were wrong OR something else was a foot.

The party used TD’s great movement rate to find and spy on the night gaunt.  Finding out that it had been turned into a slave ship.

The party eventually figured out a way for TD to carry them, bagging or polymorphing the larger members and dropping them off near the ship.  Zephyr disabled the ship by sending three water elementals to lock up the rudder while Dread and Grylls attempted a frontal assault.  Meanwhile Brewer Golria and Zephyr were all near by casting spells.

A deadly fight ensued with lots of satyrs and minotaurs on board.  The lead minotaur was actually a minoton which gave the party quite a bit of trouble.  During the fight Dread dropped and Grylls dropped shortly after… Luckily TD was swooping in and cured Grylls.  The party then slowly eliminated the remainders of the crew…

After accessing the cargo and finding some metal armor, the party spotted two ships approaching, their own vessel and the Bounty.  After agreeing to load up the Bounty and take the Night Gaunt as their ‘new’ ship the party was visited by The Great Lion.

Aslan has returned to Trell

(see brief excert from speech)

Aslan mentioned Roderick and his entire (minus Reep) group of military leaders betrayed their soldiers and joined the Queenwitch.  Aslan also directed the party to help a new knight of the lion, King Louis X.  He has been looking to return metal to it’s former ‘normal’ condition in Trell.  He had been searching for the cause with a praty of adventures, most of whom have disappeared (rumored to have been killed by a blood thirsty revenge seeking band of centaurs).  The party was asked to head north to Loc-Nar and seek out the King and help him in is quest.  TD KNOWS King Louis X, finding Aslan somewhat through her introduction (yes, one less for you to convert Grylls) 

The quest(s) were accpted and they seemed a little taken aback by their new found power from Aslan’s MANA. (DM note : Aslan has only graced you with his presence once…

Also, some details might be helpful on fool’s errand campaign links on trell website…

After looking at the map Grylls pulls out, the party desides to head north toward Deathwater, (possibly making a pit stop at their home island of New Freehaven), with their small vessel in tow.

(4-6-08) 11 / 09 / 122   #9       No longer just for Fools (Fool’s Errand being the title of a previous campaign that this group is inheriting after multiple deaths in the party)

The party began in their new vessel The Night Gaunt, which was empty.  When drums (see previous adv notes) are used the ship travels at 50-60 feet a move action.  The party had many options to consider: attack more giants(who were traveling in larger packs), go to their home (New Freehaven) so Zephyr could plant one of Erickson’s seed in his burned out grove, go to Death Water to verify their earlier work had taken root(pun intended).

Once the party decided to meet King Louis X ASAP, Zephyr decided to go on his own (well does two NPCs count, TD and T-chi).  He wild-shaped into a eagle (80 movement rate) and went to New Freehaven, planted a seed of Erickson while the party rowed.  TD did not want to go to Death Water due to her knowledge about the Queen Witch(QW) taking it over and knowing her on sight…  On his own (Zephyr) changed into a raven (of which their were many at Death Water) and flew in for a closer look.  The acorn that had been planted mere months earlier had grown at an amazing rate.  The tree was several feet across at the trunk and over sixty feet high.  It also was a living metal (silver) tree.  The QW’s minions had brought many devices to bear on the tree.  Many siege-type devices were strewn on the hillside in various degrees of disrepair.  Also a large number of crates seemed poised to be dipped into the pool with nothing metal packed up.  Several vessels were apparently waiting for new cargo that was not coming…

***

Just as Zephyr was leaving he saw a flash of light (reflected off of the tree) but has yet to fully understand the meaning.  (Every few days he has a flashback back to that moment and feels like he is getting closer to understanding.  The tree attempted to communicate with Zephyr) so far he has been able to understand that the tree calls itself Ishilandra and one of its goals is to protect metal as far as its sphere of control extends.  Unfortunately the immediate effect is to protect metal of the QW’s army, but her hope is to extend her influence…

***

Upon catching up with the party, Zephyr relayed his successful ‘solo’ accomplishments.  (TD and T-Chi had met up with the party earlier due to avoiding Death Water.)  Once close to the South gates TD brought Numskull (King Louis X^th’s Vizier) aboard.  She presented the party with a detailed LIST of possible causes for the lack of metal in Trell.  She detailed out the Kings quest to solve this riddle and return metal to its ‘normal’ condition in Trell. After some conversation, the party decided to travel to the last seen coven member (group of beholders). In route the golden monkey (see adv #7) and his lacky ambushed the party on the road to the King’s residence.  A fight ensued, where the wizard on the flying carpet was dropped by an arrow in round one and multiple high level spells were cast some heroes ran off and finally the monkey fell but only while dancing and mean jig…(Otto’s irresistible dance), then the party divided treasure.