Tess talking to Thora and T'saz about the Sundered Man
======================================================
* 1027/05/20 *
Tess found out some info on the Sundered Man recently. "I spoke to some
celestials in the Cage."

Thora: "Oh?"

Tess: "It is highly likely that a special material or special weapon is 
required to kill him permanently. I believe Alamir was making that weapon.
I've spoken to T'saz - the sword is not yet complete. T'saz is not yet 
skilled enough to complete it. She intends to go to the Hollow World and 
find out what she can about Alamir - e.g. talk to the Alphatian enchanter 
who was a good friend of Alamir's. Also, I asked a priest of Hades to 
perform a divination about Alamir, here is the result:

	Dead he is, 
	but his tongue has life. 
	Dead he is, 
	but his daughter has life. 
	Dead he is, 
	for that was the price.

Tess: Alamir didn't appear in the Dustmen's Book of the Dead. I believe 
his tongue is the sword, and his daughter is T'saz. 

Tess: "I haven't spoken to any of the others about this. I don't trust 
those who are undead or worshippers of Nyx ... not because they might 
reveal things intentionally, but others might learn things from them 
anyway. Alamir _made_ T'saz, and she was his servant."

Thora: "So how come she was alive before he died?"

We remember that T'saz once spoke of strange sensations which came over 
her after a period of time in Alamir's base. Unpleasant sensations. She 
described them, and you recognised them as boredom. She never had those 
'feelings' when her master was around. She has since discovered all kinds 
of 'feelings' too, some nice, some not so nice.


Tess: "Alamir's spirit is not in the sword. T'saz believed maybe that might 
have been needed to complete the sword. My guess is that T'saz has some 
spirit from somewhere, perhaps from Alamir's death (e.g. part of Alamir). 
Actually, T'saz's thought was the spirit might be in the sword, then she 
thought about it and said no it wasn't."

Thora: "Makes sense. And the sword? Does that have an intelligence as 
well?"

Tess: "I don't think so."

Tess and Thora go to talk with T'saz.

T'saz is pottering around her shop, moving things around happily.

Tess: "T'saz ... your feelings only started after Alamir died ... could it 
be that part of his spirit is in you in some sense?"

T'saz stops and frowns. "Maybe. I'd like to think so. But I don't think 
there is any magical basis for it, just my wishful thinking. I am 
definitely a construct. I have spells which only work on constructs, and 
they work on me. I believe I do have a soul, somehow."

T'saz: "The sword wasn't finished properly. It was...unsealed. It also 
leaked power during that long period of time. I recall we sealed it, which 
finished it at that point in time with the remaining power. It was 
finished, but it was, and is, less than it could have been due to the long 
period where it lay like that.Luckily my master expected it to lay that way 
for a while, so it wasn't disasterous."

Tess: "Any idea what is needed to bring it to full power?"

T'saz: "No. It's certainly beyond me."

Thora: "Would we be able to help in some way?"

Tess: "Would the enchanter in Alphatia be able to complete it?"

T'saz: "Probably, if I knew what to do. He could know what to do."

Tess: "You said they were contemporaries and friends. They may have 
discussed it ...."

T'saz: "They probably did."

Tess: "My suggestion then would be to take the blade to the enchanter and 
see if he can complete it."

Party trying to figure out what to do about Turia and Grey
==========================================================
* 1027/05/19 *
Tess informs Grey's Seneschal that Grey is dead. Tess teleports to Baratpur. 
"Grey is dead. There is a mercenary company based in Slagovich which is 
working for a dragon that intends to attack Baratkand."

Kanlar: "Yes, I have heard about them...what...Grey is dead?"

Tess: "There was a battle, they lost. We're doing what we can to sort it 
out. In the meantime, I suggest applying political pressure through 
Slagovich on the mercenary company which is based there. It would be very 
unfortunate if trade through Baratkand was affected."

Kanlar: "Ah....I'd not want to do that without Rani Turia's approval."

Tess: "Fair enough. I will see if we can contact Turia."

Tess talks with the party over the communicators, then in person:

Lani: "Turia will be some other plane. Probably the Cage."

Thora: "Grey will still be in Limbo. The dead don't travel to their final 
rest for around a month." [You have 28 days to resurrect them before this.]

Tess: "I've been to Limbo once before, it is dangerous. I'm willing to go 
with backup. I also know a gate in Limbo that goes to the Cage and what
they key is." [It's a one way gate to the Cage.]

Thora: "Personally, I'd say we ask Turia."

Lani: "Tess, Krick is still out there and planning something. I still think 
she is planning to attack Sind."

Tess: "Highly likely. They also seem good at keeping at eye on spies ... I 
am willing to check it out from a distance, but that may also break the 
ceasefire. A better approach may be to apply political pressure via 
Slagovich on the Company of the Blue Eye to stop working with Krikk."

Lani: "It's not exactlly a ceasefire. Are they that bound to Slagovich?"

Tess: "More or less."

Thora: "I'm not convinced that Krikk is planning to attack Sind."

Safranna: "Isn't Slagovich the other end of the trade route from east to 
west, the one that passes through Baratkand?"

Tess: "Yes, exactly. If trade through Baratkand is messed up by Krikk, then 
Slagovich loses badly. So it is to Slagovich's advantage to stop war on 
Baratkand."

Safranna: "Pity Grey isn't here. We should really talk to Grey or Turia 
before applying political pressure on his behalf."

Thora: "How about looking for Turia?"

No one can cast sending in the party.

Tess: "I need to talk to Turia before the Seneschal will arrange a 
diplomatic visit to Slagovich."

T'saz has no sendings memorized. A sending to Turia from Nemon fails.

Lani: "Odd. That just bad luck Nemon? Or do you think she may be someplace 
else?"

Nemon: "Could be bad luck. I'll cast another one. I have to charge you for 
this though, it's on a scroll." The scroll failed as well. "Odd indeed
unless she has also perished." [It appears that sendings to Limbo won't
work.]

Lani has Plane Shift to get to the Cage. 

Thora: I am happy to come to the Cage.

Thora casts the runes for advice on finding Turia. "I think Turia is in 
Limbo."

Tess: "Well, one way or another we should go there and get Grey and Turia 
back. If Turia went to get Grey, she may need help. Highly likely in fact - 
Limbo was damn nasty."

Thora: "I'm not convinced that I want to go there to retrieve Grey. Not 
when money will do it."

Safranna: "We could try and find out what happened to Turia."
Thora: "Yes. Finding out what happened to Turia sounds like a good idea."

Tess: "It was nicer than Niflheim, which is Hel's domain."

Tess: "We don't have 28 days. We have 9 days until the next meeting with 
Krikk."

Thora: "The thing is, I'm not willing to journey to Limbo just to avoid 
having Grey and Turia spending cash."

Tess: "We don't even know if Turia is dead."

Thora: "She could be on a quest for Grey."

Tess: "Yes, which is why I'm offering to help her ..."

Thora: "Besides, given that the sendings failed we can be fairly sure that 
Turia's dead."

Tess: "What if Turia has managed to recover some of Grey's equipment - e.g. 
the necklace ... but that wouldn't stop sendings ... hmmm." [Nope. Lani
has the necklace.]

Safranna: "I say we wait, and get Thora to roll the runes a few more times. 
I don't know what is going on, and I don't want to go to limbo if I can 
help it."

Lani goes off and comes back. "Just had a chat with a Priest of Nyx. Grey 
will go to her domain after Limbo."

Lani: "If there is one thing that would get Turia to risk her life, it's 
probably Grey."

Thora: "I think we use Grey's money to bring him back."

Safranna: "Lets go and pay those priests of Hades then."

Roland: "I have an idea. Lets get Grey and/or Turia back, and let _them_ 
worry about paying for it." At the Temple of Hades, it fails on both Grey 
and Turia. Grey refuses to come back...Turia isn't actually dead.

Tess: "Okay, now we need to go and help Turia in my opinion."

Thora: "Oh damn. In going after him, she has shown herself to be more than 
I thought. I'm willing to go."

A flicker of amusement will flicker across Tess' face briefly at Thora's 
comment, then be replace by his usual composed expression. "Okay. Let me 
tell the Seneschal what is going on, then let's go."

Tess heads back through the gate to Baratkand, informs the Seneschal, 
suggests again placing political pressure on Slagovich in the meantime - 
given we have only 9 days - and heads back throught the gate to Serraine.

Tess: "Limbo is the place you have to go to recover someone who has died."

Thora: "The runes could perhaps have been mislead by powerful magic, but it 
seems unlikely. It's also the place spirits go when they die. Hence my 
initial comment about her being in limbo, but my being unable to say if she 
was dead or not."

Safranna: "To be honest, I don't really want to go to limbo."

Thora: "I don't either."

Lani: "Bloody Grey!"

Thora: "If we go, I would use a lesser casting of the runes first to see if 
it's a good idea."

Tess: "Grey may not have wanted to return if he was in Turia's company 
already. There may be other reasons. Sounds like a good idea Thora."

Lani: "He's got an agenda. And he hasn't told us what it is. I'm not 
impressed! Being dead is no excuse!"

Thora: "If he's dead he probably can't tell us. But I'm especially hesitant 
about going because of who he worships."

Lani: "Does it really matter who he worships? He is still Grey."

Thora: "Yes, because us going after him could attract his deity's 
attention. And do you want Nyx's attention when we're in Limbo. I sure 
don't!"

[Sophie, Zim who is still recomposing as a lich: "Of course it matters!
Then again, I am sure she would be pleased if we brought him back." Leo is
still around.]

Tess: "While I share your reservations Thora, Grey has done much to help 
the Seekers, even to help Mystara itself against the invasion."

Thora: "In Limbo Nyx's power would be stronger than on this 
plane. Good point. That's the only reason I'm contemplating this at all."

Safranna: "If we could only talk with Turia."

Tess: "It is likely as Grey is a worshipper of Nyx, that Nyx would not 
hinder us returning him to life."

Thora: "Nyx is evil. Don't assume what a being like that will do."

Tess: "It is not to Nyx's advantage if Mystara is destroyed by an alien 
invasion."

[Sophie: I think we can assume that most deities would prefer their priests 
to be "alive" and active. Besides the best way for her to draw us into the 
"dark side" is to keep Grey alive and amongst us.]

Lani: "I know some 'good' people who are quite hard to predict too."

Lani and Safranna are still undead at this stage.

Tess: "In any case, those who are interested in helping Turia and Grey lets 
go. This is a personal decision for you Thora, we're not going to change 
your viewpoint. It's your judgement call based on what you know of them."

Lani: "Well there does seem to be ways out of this whole being undead for a 
year thing. Depends on the god you worship and how much sway they have."

Tess: "There is an artifact that can return you to life." [Tess and Thora
later recovered this - it is the artifact known as the Staff of Life.]

Thora: "I will need something of Grey's first." 

Tess gets one of Grey's smelly socks from Baratpur. Tess hands over some 
socks to Thora a little while later. "These are some of the older ones ... 
as you can see from the odd darned hole or two."

[Sophie: He may be Rajah of Baratkand, but he still has socks with holes.]

When will Zim be back. Could be tomorrow, could be a week. Thora: "In other
words we can't afford to wait."

Tess: "Let's get moving then, we'll leave a message for Zim. ('So long and 
thanks for all the fish. PS: Avoid the smelly socks.')"

Lani: "Will I need to memorise any transportation magic Tess?"

Tess: "Memorize a planeshift to get us back to Mystara. Teleport as well 
for within Limbo, if we need it."

* 1027/05/20 *
Thora will cast True Resurrection to get us to Limbo. Tess makes sure
they take some clay with them, as it is the key to the gate.

Thora casts the runes. "The turns don't say anything, although this casting 
is limited." Thora casts True Resurrection. A grey, swirling portal opens, 
the other side is not visible. Tess steps through. Thora will step through 
last. Remus will move through after Tess (if no-one gets in the way). 
Safranna and Roland move through weapons drawn. 

On the other side, we appeared in a sea of waving grass, nearby are a group 
of very large demons. They look like a little bit like minotaurs, about 10' 
at the shoulder - when they are on all fours. There are five of them.

Lani waves and smile to them. Tess moves away from them quietly. Remus
considers charging. The grass is 3' high. The demons turn and prepare to 
charge. Turia jumps out of the grass and says "Hey!" Turia is wounded, as 
is one of the demons.

Tess will say in Cage: "This is unnecessary. We have no wish to destroy you." 
to the demons, and then "Good to see you Turia." Thora stops, looking 
confused.

Turia (in Cage common): "Hold it guys, friendlies! That is, not friendlies 
you can eat either." Turia reaches down and pulls Grey to his feet. He 
looks...out of it. Remus lowers his sword, uncertain of whether to be happy 
or not. The demons have stopped and are grumbling to themselves - they look 
annoyed, but not hostile.

Lani: "These things with you Turia?"

Turia: "Yes, friendlies. Well, fairly friendly."

Tess mentions he knows of a gate. Turia: ""You know a gate? Great, we are 
kind of lost. Ran away from a couple of bad things."

Thora: "Planeshift won't work."

Lani: "What's wrong with Grey?"

Turia: "Not sure."

Thora: "It's not Grey. It's his spirit."

Thora: "Teleport? Don't know. Planeshift might work, but Grey wouldn't come
with us."

Tess: "Can his spirit go through a gate?"

Thora: "Bringing him through that gate will be fine." Tess describes the 
location of the gate. 

Lani: "I don't know if Teleportation will work of not here. We may be 
better off walking."

Turia (in Neathar): "Well they are expendable, if need be." That is, if
we can't take the demons along with us. "Although that will bump up the 
price."

Thora_GW frowns and hopes the demons didn't hear that.

Tess releases Aldara to scout, but doesn't find anything. He was trying
to spot the lie of the land with Aldara. Tess has no idea where they are.

Thora casts Find the Path to the gate that Tess described. (It works.)
Tess will be keeping low, a bit apart from the party, trying to remain
hidden. After walking for 2 hours ... we come to a depression. In the 
depression is a circle of standing stone. Next to that is a shady shape, 
lurking, it rumbles ... and moves away, seeming to bow.

Tess passes out the clay to activate the gate and they leave.

Tess wonders what the shady shape is. Turia: "Don't know, but I lost a
demon to one of them."

Lani: "And it's learnt a bit of respect to you by the looks."

Turia: "I would hope so. Ugh, I just want to get out of this place."
She looks very tired. Turia drags Grey over to the gate, and walks through. 
When she walks through, they disappear. Tess goes through and Lani follows,
then Roland and Safranna, and everyone else, including the demons.

The Seekers appear on a street in the Cage. People walk around you, not 
interrupting their conversation. Thora pauses to give thanks to Freyja.
Grey is now at full health and with any remaining spells.

Turia explains she got a sending cast to Grey yesterday morning, then a 
divination, then a TR from a priest of Hades, then another TR from someone 
else. She was been adventuring in Limbo since yesterday. Grey doesn't trust 
the priests of Hades - or who the priests of Hades could be working for.
Turia dismisses the demons, who wander off

Turia explains where she went to get away from the battle with Krikk. 
Wherever it was, it wasn't the cage, it was some kind of ice plane. She 
holed up until the next day, when she used the amulet successfully and 
arrived in the Cage. [Amulet of the Planes presumably.]