Norse Log 2003/12/27
====================
Result of Legend Lore on the Staff of Life when we got out of the Hollow
World: "Mystana stops the fight, Tinyeri channels the health, 
Binnari brings life through the occult." Longest (50%) is Mystana, Tinyeri
is 30% of the staff, Binnari is the top 20%.

Mystana: Hold Person at will.

Tinyeri: Heal, giving a strength penalty of -6 to the recipient and the
wielder.

Binnari: Resurrection, using many spell slots from the wielder.

Grey asks Tess for his help. Tess goes to Grey's palace. Lani teleports
in to teleport Tess to the aircraft carrier. They've run into 
Dark Pyrondians, which are similar to Dark Elves. They don't use Mystaran
magic. They use magic to modify living creatures. The Seekers are going
to one of their privateer settlements to find out where we can find 
larger groups of Yuan-Ti and to find out information on their strain of
magic. Tess will be counted as an officer and get the same share as others
in the Seekers. Lani is still undead.

The aircraft carrier is big. Living quarters at one end. Marines wandering
around. Store rooms, etc. Room for one galley ship at the end. Many guns.
The ship is shaped like a hammerhead shark. The ship is temperature and
air controlled - the void is cold and doesn't have air. Big chunks of the
void have air, they're just really cold. Some areas of the void have
poisonous gaseous environments. There's no gravity in some of the turret
areas. The crew speak Thyatian and say, "Hello sir." There's pegataur
marines and a pegataur shaman. Horibun the Sage, a Nagpar, from the
Serraine Council shares the position of head mage with Lani. Turia is in
Baratkand. The Captain is Knight Baronnet Titua Alder, Rajah Kvana the
Grey, Master Skyfarer, Senior Pilor Richter von Manhoften, Knight
Bachelor Ralph Werner, Mistress Lani Cloudmantle / Councillor Horibun the
Sage, Knight Bachelor Lars Brenner, Richier Jie van Rannah (medical
officer - Syndi priest) - in order of ranks.

Sometimes there is an attached Heldanic Warbird. The Falcon is here as well.

Corsha had a life shaper make a creature that excrete iron ingots. Tess 
spends the week learning the cover of the Dark Pyrondian - Mizar. 
Pyrondians - green skin (Elvish), Pyrithians - green skin (Human), the
Dark Pyrondians look like Drow. They are working with a Dark Pyrondian
called Corsha. Their ships are living and tend to be old - Animal Handling
is required to coax them and so forth. The ships are empathic. Most of the
food for ships came from Damocles, but Damocles has been destroyed.

Information the party wants: where are the Yuan-Ti, where are the Mind 
Flayers, info on Life Shapers, and the name of the creator of the Dark 
Pyrondians (who created them from the Pyrondians).

The privateer meeting place is a bare rock. There are 4 other ships
attached to there currently. The name of our captured living ship is the 
Troy. The wind blows strongly through the void here.

The Dark Pyrondians in the tavern are being served by Pyrithians. This 
place is fairly rough. The Pyrithians here are slaves. There are several
bars here, a brothel, and a place for resupplies. Tess finds out the
location of a major Mind Flayer base - it's the one the Seekers already
know about. The Dark Pyrondians think there are a few hundred Mind Flayers
there and thousands of slaves. The Yuan-Ti were almost made extinct by the
destruction of Damocles. Someone here has seen a Yuan-Ti ship heading
towards the third moon of Valerius. There are no Life Shapers here. There
are no priests here. There's no history buffs here. Most of the Life
Shapers lived on Damocles. The Yuan-Ti are a lifeshaped race - they were
created by the Pyrondians to attack their enemies, Myrshock their reputed 
deity is probably the one who created them. Some Life Shapers probably
survived on a fragment of Damocles.

The privateers talk about wanting to take out the Pirate Captain Zale, who
the party took out. There is a major Pyrondian base that is now isolated
and cut off, because of Damocles destruction. It is reputed that the
Pyrondian base has rich loot there. It's a sector away.

Tess looks at Pyrithian slaves. Young and old, mostly young, male and
female, good specimens. Most of them are resigned to their fates. The
Dark Pyrondian singles out the troublemakers and the dexterous ones.
Most of them are from various Pyrithian outposts that were cut off when
Damocles was destroyed. Some are born and bred slaves. The carrier can
take a couple of people. The ones who are not broken, were not born
slaves. Tess singles out 6 slaves: 2 dexterous females, 1 older guy who
was a scribe, 1 guy who was skilled with weapons, and 2 laborers.
Number 1 was a house wife, she can cook, her husband was a baker.
Number 2 is a baker. Number 3 is a strong laborer, who was a cook.
Number 4 is a strong laborer, who worked as a laborer. Number 5 the
older guy was second in a command of a mining outpost. Number 6 was a
watchman on an outpost - his job was as a policeman and to defend against
threats (only two of them acted as watchman there). Tess buys number 5 and
number 6, Raen and Mir respectively. We also bought Number 1, Number 2, 
and Number 3, respectively called Salla, Missa, and Denvan.

They were from Damocles. Damocles was a flat disk. There were on mining
asteroids when Damocles was destroyed. The Pyrithians were the domiant
race there. The last war on Damocles was between the Grand Druid of the
Pyrondians, the High Trunk of the Pachydermians, Empire of Pyrithis (major
nation), and Damoclides (major nation) all allied against a Dark Pyrondian
army. Pyrondians came out to mine the void. The Dark Pyrondians in the
void are scattered pirates. The army of the Dark Pyrondians were mostly of
creatures that were life-shaped. The Dark Pyrondians on Damocles had arcane
spells and used it. The creatures were weird and misshaped: e.g. Mongrelmen,
Gibberlings, small creatures with wings (Urd - winged kobolds), and Yuan-Ti.
They made Yuan-Ti out of the Pyrithians they captured. The war went on for a 
long time. The Dark Pyrondians were winning before Damocles blew up. The
fighting was even more intense in the last few months before Damocles blew
up. The leader of the Dark Pyrondians was Pheazar, a Dark Pyrondian. They
were trying to kill him. Most Life Shapers, these days, are Pyrondians.

We're not from the Belt, we're explorers. None of them are shapeshifters.
All of them came from the Empire of Pyrithus.

Salla is not very strong, a great talker, but brainless. Faintly lawful evil.
Missa is very small, fast on her feet, reasonable good at everything, not
great at anything. Knows how to bake bread.

Denban is strong, but comes down with a wracking cough after a while.
Denban doesn't talk that often, but when he does he is worth listening to,
he is quite smart.

Raen is an older guy, and was a clerk on a mining outpost.

Mir was a watchman and has PC quality stats on 3d6, he's strong and fast
and could be a good fighter with better training. He's about Warrior 1. 
Faintly lawful. His preferred weapon is a crossbow, and he would like to use 
a longsword.

Their behavior towards each other is very human. Sally and Missa don't
like each other. Denban doesn't like Raen - sees Raen as a guy who doesn't
work and would give Denban orders. Raen and Mir get along ok with everyone.
They are stationed on the living ship with Lani and Tess.

It takes 10 people to fully man the Troy - 2 on each gun (4 guns), 2 on
the bridge.

The Day of Dread (Day of No Magic) does not occur out here. We go to 
Valerias, a green and gold planet. The third moon is greenish and bluish
with clouds - a quarter of the size of Mystara. There are small dots of
light on the ground. The party lands the Falcon near a small village. The
village is Pyrithian. They speak Pyrithian and dress simply, wearing a lot
of wool. The sky looks grey during the day.

The villagers take Tess to the tavern. Dragons are legends here. A dragon
died up at the Dragon's Breath Basin, and occasionally breathes fire. In
the pools around the dragons body, there is said to be the treasure of
the dragon. Sometimes other dragons leave gifts there in the dark of night.
If you give the dragon 3 pieces of sunwarmed gold, you'll get 3 wishes.
There is a big town with a thousand people nearby. Somebody went missing
last week - they were leaving in the company of a young woman. Life here
is idyllic. They've heard legends of fierce monsters, but noone's ever
seen one. They don't have divine or arcane magic. Tess saw hunting bows,
but no other weapons.

The name of this guy is Vizenvidarned, he is here for the wishes, as is
Tess. He says he's from a village that he's here for the wishes, but he's
scared. The stone here is pitted. There is a massive stone, serpentine,
statue in the pool. Bright flecks of gold lie around the statue's base.
This chamber is a bow's shot across and is humid and acrid. The statue
moves, and a ghostly golden shape moves out of the statue. Vizen bows and
scrapes to the statue. The dragon says that we should not have come here
bearing arms and asks if we intend harm. There is magic coming from the
ghost. Violence begets violence.

Vizenvidarned has faint illusion magic on him according to Lani. There is
a dark skinned red-haired humanoid, he says, "Help" in some language. There
is a 10' tall creature with flaming red skin approaching us. The creature
says, "I don't know who the hell you are, but you're dead now." Vizen pulls
out a scimitar. The 10' tall creature appears to be dripping water. These
two are a Jann and an Efreet. They've been here many turns. They got sucked
through a vortex and ended up here. They were making some profit selling
wishes. They're from the City of Brass, and were trying to raise themselves
up a bit. The statue was here when they got here. We collapse the entrace
to the area.

We go to a large settlement. There are 6 people missing from this town.
Town drunks and derelicts went missing first, then more important people
went missing - the son of a prominent local merchant family. Half of the
missing people have gone missing in the last 10 days. The son of the local
merchant family was seen leaving the Stony Gaze Tavern with a young woman.
The last two missing people were seen or near taverns in the East Gate
section of taverns. 

Lani made the items to Detect Shapeshifters, the spell came from a Sindhi 
priest. Sind was once overrun by Dopplegangers, they used the spell to get
rid of them.

A young woman comes on to Tess in a tavern. Her eyes aren't the same shape
as a Human's or Pyrithians. The eyes are almond shaped, with makeup to 
hide it. There is another woman watching this and is pissed at the woman
who hit on Tess. There is one shapeshifter in the tavern. Her name is
Saralinda. Tess uses Slippery Mind and foregoes his save on charm and then
makes it on the next round. Saralinda takes Tess on a nice walk out of 
town. She takes Tess to a secluded spot, and then tries to bash me over the
head with a rock. Tess whacks her with his sword and then knocks her out.
Her skin color is green, she does not appear to be pure Pyrithian. Tess
found a magical ring on her - faint Abjuration, it is a Ring of Mind
Shielding - prevents Detect Thoughts, Detect Lies, and any discernment of
alignment. She also had a key (a room at the inn), a note, and some money. 
Note: "Meleena, please ensure all meals brought to the crumbling tower are 
strong and healthy, preferably weak-minded. They're no good to me cold. 
- Kalivilya." 
** Ring of Mind Shielding - Tess **

Lani casts Tongues and Charm Monster on the Yuan-Ti. Meleena takes Lani to 
a crumbling tower on a hill. Two Pyrithians and a big black dog come out
and meet Meleena. The dog is a Shadow Mastiff and they can smell. The gait
of the people walking over is wrong - their features are drawn and pinched
and they don't breathe.

Message from the Captain. They have encountered dragons and are maneouvring.
Don't expect help from them. Lani paralyzed Meleena. Then one of them comes
over to Lani and Meleena, and Lani says Meleena went inside to warn the
others and Lani is coming over to help. Lani attempts to paralyze the undead 
guy and he asks her what she did. She then casts a thunder spell on him. 

Tess whacks the Shadow Mastiff three times as it fades into the shadows
near him. There was a flare of light from Tess' blade as he cleaves through
the Shadow Mastiff. Tess' sword is glowing brighter than it did before
after destroying the Shadow Mastiff. Tess cleaves through a vampire that
was attacking Zim. Meleena got away.

We subdue two Yuan-Ti and get equipment from them. Lani then paralyzes them.
** ring of protection +1, slippers of spider climbing, 
3 shortswords +1, 2 potions of Cure Moderate Wounds **

Tess detects poison on the ring that opens the trapdoor, and hears snakes
moving beneath him. We are attacked by a giant fiendish snake. Tess is 
grappled by it and fails to escape. Grey killed it with four attacks.
Lani summoned an Invisible Stalker. Zim cast projected image. They advance
as Grey heals Tess with Cure Light Wounds from a wand. Then Grey and Tess
follow.

A humanoid puts on a blindfold before attacking Zim with a flaming sword. 
Zim is not petrified by a Medusa. Grey attempts to Bull Rush a Wolf, and 
fails. Tess searches the room with the big snake, as there isn't room to
go and help.

** magical: chain shirt, scimitar, small bag - from medusa **
** magical: scimitar, potion, chain shirt - from yuan-ti **
** 40 masterwork arrows, 2 masterwork longbows **

Tess used the Sunblade to destroy two vampires. Grey attempted to 
disintegrate the Sunblade. Tess teleported away. Grey and Lani teleport
away with the vampire that lived, who had previously been a scribe (sounded
pretty evil once it was free willed). Tess agrees to return and continue 
helping, if he gets a double share within the party.

The others take 4 Yuan-Ti prisoners back to the Starseeker. Tess stays in
town the night. The dragons come from Valerias and live on Valerias, which
is inhospitable to others. The dragons are the protectors of this moon of
Valerias. The dragons have been unable to prevent all the Yuan-Ti ships
getting to this moon. Most of the dragons on Valerias don't care what
happens off Valerias. No missions to Valerias until negotiations with the
dragons have progressed. A few dozen Yuan-Ti ships have come here in
vessels large and small.

There is a reward out for the merchant's son, with a description of the
son. Tess feels the magic go through him, runs out of spells in memory,
and the magic falters as he tries to resurrect one of the people from
the coffins. Zim lost 86 levels of spells as he uses Binnari on the
merchant's son. Tess returns the merchant's son to the town.

Remove Curse or Remove Paralysis is needed to remove a Lich's paralyitic
touch from someone. Sevestrin, a captain Yuan-Ti, became a lover with
the vampiric medusa Kalivilya. The call has gone out across for the
surviving Yuan-Ti to collect on this moon as their new home, and
potentially use it as a point to attack other places from. Mystara is
the promised land, but they will regroup here first. The big snake and
wolf were here before, and were minions of Kalivilya. Meleena will become
more like a Yuan-Ti over time - she was a local before being turned into
a Yuan-Ti. A ritual is used to make someone a Yuan-Ti. Special religious
materials are used to make some a Yuan-Ti. The call went out three weeks
ago. It took us two weeks to get here.