Avaxa's Gate

The following adventures are the adventure's directly out of Adventures in the Northern Wilderness, do not read these adventures if your G.M. intends on doing these Mini-Adventures. Adventures in the Northern Wilderness was written by Palladium Books (TM) Buy the Book!!!

Switching G.M.'s, I am now the G.M. of the Palladium group, so Coren will be mentioned very little as to what happened to her, and her thoughts.

(Small note: This is a book adventure from "Adventure's in the Northern Wilderness" (TM) of Palladium books. However I have added parts in and so on. So if you see something that you didn't do when you played the adventure, it's just because it wasn't in the original adventure.)

State of the Group

All is well health wise in the group. Zero fatalities in the last adventure. Personality wise, we are slightly troubled, but the fix will come with time. Isle of the Southern Cross is still a high priority, and the group looks forward to meeting up with Lancelot again someday. Drog and Coren have decided to kinda join Sir Garland, Rand, and Rashidi on their quests. But first a little partying has to take place after our last victory.....

Terrellia

Drog and Sir Garland were in a festive mood so they hit the bars, and Rashidi and Rand tagged along. In the bars they saw a few cute girls (both human) sitting at the back table, and they had had a few drinks already. The piano started up and Drog and Sir Garland both asked to dance with the ladies. They accepted and they started dancing but they were having a hard time with the armour and everything, so they bought the ladies a few drinks and took off for a inn where they could throw their stuff. Meanwhile Rand was engaged in a game of poker, and was actually winning, while Rashidi just sat at the bar. Drog and Sir Garland (SG) found an inn, and got a room, and went back to the bar in more comfortable clothing. They went back dancing, and were having a great time... that is until the girls' boyfriends walked into the bar. They demanded that their girls get over to them right away. One walked over but the other clung to SG. The guy took threatened to beat the girl with his belt if she didn't come right away. That is when Drog stepped in, and told the boys to go home. They (very wisely) did along with the one girl, Shona. The other girl, went back with the guys to the hotel, and SG insisted on getting Shona her own room, which she took.

Rand realized early in the night that he hadn't seen Coren around and he was worried so he used Astral Projection, to go search for her. He found her in a different inn, and was returning when he heard a girl scream. He went and checked it out to find that it was Shona screaming because her boyfriend was beating her. Rand put a telekinetic forcefield around the girl, and went back to bed.

In the morning, SG woke up and put on his stuff, and he was walking outside when he heard a commotion going on out there. The others had woken up by now also. SG saw Shona surrounded by a bunch of people, and when he inquired to as what was happening, he was told that this girl was going to be hung for being a witch. That she had used magic the night before. SG tried to clear things up only to be accused as a witch himself. A fight almost broke out until once again Drog stepped onto the scene with the others and quelled the problem. Everybody decided to leave, after all, they could just kill her another day, and they flopped Shona on the ground. SG went to the stables to get his horse, and only Rand and Drog were around to notice that Shona's shirt was totally blood soaked on her back. Rand took Shona to the park to heal her, while Drog had some other plans in mind, and he stalked off to Shona's boyfriend's house. Rashidi went to an Alchemy shop. No one had heard from Coren.

Drog found Shona's "boyfriend" and the guy was obviously drunk, and he started calling Drog bad things. Drog took out his knife and killed him, used his axe to chop of his head, and he mounted the head by the door after repeatedly crushing it with his feet. Somebody saw him and raised an alarm. They went running for guards. Drog went wondering out into the main street to find SG, and after telling SG what he did, SG told him to wait outside the city for them. Guard's came running out and Drog hightailed it for the south city gate. They got the gate closed, but Drog leapt climbed up over the gate, and ran to the forest. From here on it was total chaos. No one could find anybody else, and people were running all over the place telling the story of how a blood thirsty, 12ft tall (actually 8ft), merciless, murderous minotaur came and killed an innocent man. SG found Rashidi, and they got outside the gates, when they were finally opened back up, and they went out and found Drog. Rand meanwhile, just found out about the commotion, and was leaving with Shona to find the others when he heard a guy shouting out his name. He went over to the guy, and the guy gave him a smirk, and told Rand he had a message for him. He said, "I was paid to tell you that your little companion girl, Coren, has been taken and that he thanks you for making it so easy." Rand used object read on one of the items that the guy had of the abductors, and found out that the guy was wearing a hooded black cloak, and was traveling fast over the ground with Coren. He also had only one earing, and had sharp elven like features.

The city started making a search of the grounds outside the city for the minotaur, and Rand went with them, along with Shona. SG, Rashidi, and Rand eventually met up, and SG threw all the searchers off track by telling him that he hadn't seen the minotaur around (Drog was a bit farther south, and was to meet with them later) After sharing stories, they found out from Sir Derek, the captain of the barracks in the town, that the night before, to guards had been killed at the north gate. The group immediately started north in hopes of finding Coren. They searched for a long time, going pretty far north, until SG and Rashidi were lucky enough to stumble upon her, by herself, just tied up, and gagged. The only thing they did to her she said was take a rune sword and drag it across her forearm, and that a little of her blood was left on the sword, nothing big, and then they literally disappeared.

While Rand was checking out Coren, to make sure everything was ok with psychic diagnosis, both his and Rashidi's 6th (friggin) sense went off, and before anyone knew what was happening, Rashidi leapt in front of an arrow intended for Drog (the minotaur). I guess one of the soldiers found them, and was thoroughly confused, and then he put the pieces together, and started running for the captain, that is until Sir Garland put a arrow into the back of his knee. The soldier fell, and Rashidi inserted a memory into the guys head, and Rand healed him, and they sent him on his merry little way thinking that they had just saved him.

The group continued to head North through the Wastelands where they dropped Shona off a small town, and into the Old Kingdom territory, in search of the guys who did this to Coren. They got to a small town where they saw a merchant telling of how a huge explosion took place in the Northern Wilderness, and how they're looking for people to check it out.....

(Next Update) In the small town a man by the name of Fredrick approached Sir Garland, obviously recognizing him from somewhere. Fredrick asked Sir Garland to retrieve a ring that was stolen from him by about 20 orcs, and that he'd find some way to repay Sir Garland and his friends. Sir Garland excepted and gathered everybody, and Fredrick pointed the way that the Orcs went with their new found treasure.

About 20 miles down the road the group came upon a small Orc village, that was mainly unprotected, but was surrounded by forest. The group walked right into the town and asked for the leader of the village, because they thought he had the ring. An Orc, assuming that the group wanted to trade something for the ring, brought them to their leader. The leader produced the ring and told them how he had taken it while the wizard was asleep, but the wizard didn't say anything when he did take it, so he thought it was ok. Rand, then used telekinesis on the ring that the Orc was holding in his hand and got the ring. The Orcs all got pissed off and after alot of running around, both sides decided to settle this argument with arm wrestling. Our strongest again theirs. Drog stepped up to the table, and muscular Orc did the same. They started. Drog got in the lead right away, but the Orc brought it back to even. Then Drog, using all his might slammed the Orcs fist to the table. The group then hurriedly left the Orc camp, and returned the ring to Fredrick.

Fredrick, in reward, offered the group his services. The group asked him to teleport them to the Great Northern Wilderness where the explosion had happened. Fredrick said he'd come as close as he could to where he thought the explosion would be, and opened a teleporter for the group to step through.

The Great Northern Wilderness

As the group stepped through the teleporter, they nearly went into shock with the cold that overtook them. SG pulled some furs out of his pack quickly, and the whole group made tracks for the Fur Trader. After visiting there, and buying some warm clothing they went to the tavern. At the tavern there were quite a few groups gathered as they had all come for the purpose of seeking out the reason for the explosion in the N. Wilderness. A man told them the story: "I was like a shock, the skies suddenly turned ashen as a wave of wind swept over the Algerian sea. That night children and adults alike had nightmares of the dead awakening." (or something like that). Rand, Sir Garland, Drog, Coren, and Rashidi decided they stay the night, and then find a way across the Algerian Sea in the morning.

The next morning they woke up and found a fisher man, who said he'd be willing to take them over for a small fee. They all agreed and then got into the boat, and sailed the sea for the next 1 and 1/2. They landed around noon, and found two trails in which to follow. SG and Coren took one trail, while Rashidi, Rand, and Drog took the other. They both followed their respective trails for a good hour or so, noticing very little life around. Everybody met up again when the trails met. They walked onward. And then something happened. A sudden flash of night, and skies went dark and their bodies seemed to shake until it stopped just as suddenly as it started. Confused and afraid, we continued on farther into the snow laden land, until we arrived at a huge crater. The site of moose literally frozen and flung into tree caught us all by surprise, not mention a gray door hovering a good 30 ft. over the crater. SG tied up his horse, and we all hopped onto the flying carpet, and Drog touched the door, and it lowered down to the floor of the crater. Drog touched it again and was sucked into the door, the rest had no choice but to follow.

Realm of Ice and Snow

As the group appeared on the other side of the door they fell 15ft to the snowy floor of a crater, easily 3 times to size of the crater that they had just left. All the around us lies a sea of pulverized debris. Shredded tapestries and shattered glass are strewn among once mighty stones. Wolves skulls are embedded in trees that have fallen all around the crater. 10 ft away lies a blackened humanoid skeleton that is still fresh, next to a chest. A gargoyle shivering stood next the chest, actually looking happy to see them.....

(Next Update) - From the mind of Migway, the gargoyle shivering next to the chest) They approached me, like I was some sort of vicious beat ready to pounce, I suppose they see me as a gargoyle first, and who can blame them, I'm damn scary looking, although it seems I was nothing at all compared to my master, Avaxa....Look at them, all comfy in their furs, and here they sit, watching me freeze....I suppose I should make myself seem somewhat friendly in order to do what needs to be done....Damn that Lord Avaxa, screwing me over, I'm going to die as soon as the damn dimension of dead zones in on this dimension....I guess these guys are my only hope of surviving...how sad a day for Palladium it is indeed.

Well look, it seems like they've finally gotten the nerve to approach me, they also seem to demand respect all dressed up in armour, not to mention the dragon head on one of em....It's decided then, these fellows will be my little pawns in helping me save my own ass, like I give a rip about this damn world, I wasn't even supposed to be here....I remember it all so well now, Lord Avaxa sent me out to find the heart of a crystal dragon, like those are just floating around in the palladium world, so what if I happened to get it from another world, it was his fault for leaving the portal open, and so what if it wasn't even a full fledged crystal dragon...hey, the damn animal had wings on it, close enough you'd think....With the heart Avaxa started drawing circle upon circle, finishing off his lifes work, to get his final revenge on the warlocks who wronged him in the Palladium world...He summoned the four greater elementals, he did...and controlled them also...the spell was supposed to feed off of the elementals until they returned to their own dimensions, then something went wrong with the stupid crystal heart, and the entire keep erupted into a hurling ball of fire into the sky, luckily for me, I was away at the time. Now with the damn spell completed it seems the dimensional portal will shift once a month and most likely eventually zone in on Palladium, and then I'm screwed....I have to get the four elementals back together again, and get them to touch simultaneously at this spot...The only hope are these guys....maybe some of the gold will influence them to help, only I want my fair share also, I'd better get my fair share or else...

"Travelers, my name is Migway, I have a proposition for you......"

The chest was opened and they examined the log book of Lord Avaxa with great interest. They also perused the gold and gems in the chest, but to my surprise, didn't fight over it...in fact they left it there..for now.

After telling them the story, it seemed as though they were more then willing to help, and we had already decided upon going in two groups to gather the elementals as quickly as possible, before the damn dimensional door switches, that gives about 3 weeks. In my group is the minotaur, he might actually give me a decent battle, and a human, who looks to be weaker then the Minotaur and myself, but as with me, things are not always as they seem to be...

The other group consists of a small priestess, a guy who looks like he's actually been dead a few times, at least he's covered with enough dead stuff, and a warrior who seems to hold life in high regard as he was the first to except the offer to help save Palladium, he keeps one eye on the girl, and the other eye the other man. A strange combination, but that's their problem, not mine... We will go after the water elemental, they will go after the fire. Hopefully we will see each other again...

(A thousand thanks goes to Ash for writing this part of their adventures in the search for the Fire Elemental)

Playing with Fire: Sir Garland's point of view of the journey to retrieve the Fire Elemental

"I SAID NO, DAMN IT!!!" Sir Garland shouted telepathically to Deathkiss. Deathkiss shut up for the first time all day. Garland had no idea why, but ever since the escape from the Yin-Sloth jungles, she had been begging Garland to allow her to devour Rashidi's soul.

Garland would never even consider it. Despite his limited immortality, Rashidi was still human. Humans could be swayed between good and evil, and so after death they must be judged by the gods. By devouring a soul it stayed in Limbo for eternity, encased in the sword, therefore denying its judgment. Only creatures born of pure evil could be given the fate Deathkiss wished to deal. If Rashidi had to be slain, it would have to be the old fashioned way, but Garland hoped that that day would never have to come.

Sir Garland, Rashidi, and Coren had been walking half the day in search of the fire elemental, through very deep snow. Garland would give anything to have his horse, Tory, back with him now; he hoped that she was alright. Rand had envisioned a volcano, so they figured that would be their brake.

But now it was getting dark, so they dug a hole in the snow under a tree, and set up camp. Garland thought back to his conversation with Drog."I think that to be safe we should have two people on watch," he said "first Coren will sleep, then me."

Rashidi gave him a questioning glance but did not object. He must be sensing Garland's mistrust of him, but Garland didn't really care. They than ate a light dinner and then Coren went to sleep.

The next morning they resumed their trek and around noon they spotted a volcano and ran to inspect. From atop the valley they could see a volcano in the middle of a lake with a floating bridge connecting the volcano to the lakeshore. Eight wolfen warriors were chanting madly on the shore and eight more wolfen warriors were carrying a platform with a barely flickering fire elemental aboard, onto the bridge towards the volcano.

"Volcano mouths can often be dimensional portals." Rashidi quickly stated.

That was all the magic lessons Sir Garland stayed to listen to. He charged down the slopes and the other two were at his heels. He ran to the nearest wolfen on the shore.

"We need that elemental!" he shouted, "The salvation of Palladium depends on it!"

The wolfen ignored him so he ran after the wolfen carrying the elemental across the bridge. For the first time, Garland noticed steam rising off the lake. That was some damn hot water. He grabbed the shoulder of one of the wolfen to gain his attention.

"We need that elemental!" he shouted in the wolfen tongue.The wolfen only seemed annoyed and continued on with the others. Garland didn't want to risk a confrontation on the rickety bridge over the boiling water so he followed the wolfen to the other side.

"Coren, wait on the bridge" he said. He really didn't want to have to do this. They were probably good men, but Palladium had to be saved.

He drew Deathkiss and charged the wolfen. He shoved one aside and blindly ran towards the elemental. The wolfen dropped the platform and were on top of Garland immediately.

The fire elemental climbed off the discarded platform and began crawling to the mouth of the volcano very slowly. What had he done? Sir Garland was an excellent swordsman but he was no match for this locke of frenzied wolfen fighters. The wolfen had him surrounded and they were so big! Debris from the volcano was raining down everywhere while he desperately tried to fend off attacks from all angles, but his trusty armor wasn't gonna be enough to save him this time. He felt metal cutting into him from everywhere. Where was Rashidi, that coward!

Just then from over the sound of steel clashing with steel, he heard Rashidi chanting, and suddenly it seemed the wolfen were in slow motion. No wait, it was him! Garland was moving with extreme speed and efficiency. He was fighting them off!

But a second later he felt a sword in his back and he staggered with the blow. His heart sank. It wasn't going to be enough; he was going to die.

Two wolfen screamed as they burst into flames. Rashidi! A second wind came over Garland as he battled the rest with a sense of hope.

Just then a hand raised over the edge of the volcano, holding a staff. And with it he shot a bolt of energy, blasting past Garland's shoulder. Then a roar of battle rose from the lakeshore. Garland risked a look back and saw five of the wolfen on the shore charging onto the bridge, towards the praying and vulnerable Coren.

"PROTECT COREN!!!" he shouted to Rashidi as volcanic ash rained down on them and as he slew the rest of the wolfen warriors on the volcano. Meanwhile the energy from the staff still fired at them. He pulled out his long bow, took his time, and shot an arrow through the forearm holding the staff, causing the man to drop it.

Sir Garland put away his bow and with Deathkiss in hand he circled the volcano and met the man with the arrow through his forearm. He appeared to be a wolfen shaman, and he retrieved his staff as Sir Garland charged. A bolt of energy blasted into Garland but he still managed to send the shaman to his grave with two hacks of the mighty Deathkiss.

Sir Garland stood, holding Deathkiss, his war torn plate mail armor covered in both his enemies blood and his own. Then he realized he was hurt! Cuts marked his body and he staggered to the other side of the volcanic hill.

Somehow all the other wolfen lay dead at the hands of Rashidi and Coren. But there was no time to ask how; they had other problems. All three ran to the elemental who continued to ascend the volcano.

"How do we stop it?!" Garland asked panicking.

"I don't know" Rashidi said quickly.

The staff! Garland staggered back and retrieved the staff. He was losing lots of blood. He got the staff and threw it to Rashidi. Rashidi touched the elemental with the staff, freezing it in place. He then lifted the staff and the elemental remained stuck to the end.

Then they turned around. One of the wolfen was still alive and was pushing the bridge away! Rashidi belched out a fireball and sent the wolfen aflame with deadly precision.

Coren then began to heal them and when they were done, they picked up and headed back, with a stronger sense of comeradery and their fire elemental in tow !!! (Thanks again Ash for this part of the write-up)

To Chase an Ice cube

Rand stepped through the snow with the Drog in front of him and Migway in back. His head being flooded with images of nice, warm, relaxing fireplace and maybe glass of ale. The biting cold seemed to eat through his furs, but the other two seemed to be fine, besides, he didn't want to seem like a wimp or show any fear to this gargoyle that they travel with. Not to say that Rand couldn't defeat him, Rand could take whoever he pleased whenever he pleased, just one the side-effects of being one of the great mages in the world, in fact the best mage in the world, the mage of the mind. That's right, trouble was his middle name and he could do as he felt, no one...hmmmp, his shirt, all sweaty and dirty pulled against his throat. What the..

"Wait up there guy"... Rand looked and saw a large circle of ice on which he was walking over not even noticing, and giant footprints also started in the snow seeming to have started dragging something away. Oddly enough, the ice stopped right here also. Upon mutual agreement the group followed the tracks until they came to the edge of a cliff. Below the cliff ran a river, and on the opposite side of the river lay a village on the beach, and across, on the other face of the cliff lay a cave, where Algor giants were. The footprints seemed giant, so it was decided to check out the cliff cave first, on top of the opposite cliff was a winch, in which one could lower yourself down to the cave.

The group found the narrowest stretch of the river, about 90 yards across, upstream a bit ways, and started to descend the cliff to cross over.

Rand felt something was wrong, just not quite right while they were going down, and as he looked around he saw a dragon heading full steam for the group. The dragon breathed on Drog, obviously causing him great pain, and then came for another pass. They ran down the cliff at a moderate speed, while Rand put up force fields to deflect attacks on the group. They got the river, and seeing as how the water was freezing cold, Rand put up a couple force fields to get across that too. Rand, getting extremely mentally winded finally put up a force field in which the dragon flew full force into. The dragon flew off, but Rand was noticibly mentally winded. Migway had seriously damaged one of his wings, and Drog had taken a slight beating.

The group slowly ascended the face of the cliff, being able to climb fairly easily until they reached the top of the cliff. Up here Rand felt the bitterly cold wind hitting him again, what he would do to get out of it, next to that nice, warm fireplace... Migway offered to lower Drog and Rand, but he would stay behind to tend to his wing.

They reached the platform leading into the cave unnoticed by the guards who were busily arm wrestling each other, and doing something called Bear Bombing. They snuck right past them into a hallway. They went quickly down the hallway passing a guard room and another hallway, all the way into the end room still unnoticed. They came to a storage area, and while Drog was looking around for something, he heard the voices of 2 female giants approaching. Drog leapt for cover somewhere in the back of the room while Rand hid underneath some scale armour on the floor, with a helmet just a bit of a ways off.

"Did you hear that Jerem is having dinner with his wife's friend while she's out of town?"

"No way! Don't know what he would see in her, she's an poor excuse for an Algor if I ever saw one, she reminds me more of Bear man!"

"(laughter) You crack me up Shirley. Now what did we come into storage again for anyway....oh yeah, you get the salts, and I'll go get a pick"

(Talking to herself) "I can't believe the mess these people leave in here, leaving armour spread out all over the floor, I'm going to trip and kill myself one of these days. (Picks up armour) Well, isn't that a weird position for the armour to be in, just being barely held up...who knows with these men around here. (Puts the armour up on the 4th shelf) Of course it wouldn't be complete if they didn't leave helmets lying around too. (Searching along the 2nd shelf from the floor and puts the helmet away, goes a few yards away and grabs a pick). (Out loud) You ready Shirley?"

"Yeah, lets go..."

Rand let out his breath with a huge sigh, and thanked Rachel again for giving him this ring of invisibility before she disappeared. Rand found Drog again an helped him get the stuff off of him. And they decided it would be best to get out of this room..fast. They went back down the hall, and took a right into the other hallway, and passed up some sleeping quarters, and passed a crisscrossing hallway, a kept following the hallway until they got to a guard station. They heard guys arm wrestling in there also, just then one of the guards gets up to go to the bathroom, and starts coming to the doorway.

Drog and Rand, not knowing which way the bathroom was, ran back down the hallway, and took a left into the crisscrossing hallway and went down it. Not until about halfway down the hall did Rand realize they're mistake. The smell was overwhelming as they pressed on, the footsteps of the guard only 50 yards away, still unaware of their presence. When they got to the room they found it to be just a huge pit with a platform going out to the middle. It was dark in here, but not dark enough to hide them well. Rand turned invisible, and Drog, having no other choice climbed into the crapper, as it was so affectionately called by the giants. Drog dug his knives into the side of the pit, and inched his way downward, out of view.

The giant came and went, and drog climbed out in a hurry. Rand saw Drog wiping off the moss and the spiders that were crawling on him, but by no means could he wipe off the fact that he literally smelled like shit. Nor could Drog ever wipe off all the abuse and jokes he'd take from the guys when Rand told them about this.

They left the pit and looked throughout the rest of the caveways until they finally came upon a huge room containing the water elemental, it was frozen solid. Also in the room was a throne. Two other hallways lead out of this room besides the one they entered through. One just led to a trophy room with the heads of animals displayed on the walls, and the other led to a fur doorway that was frozen shut. Upon inspecting the throne, they found a wheel behind it, that when they turned it, it opened up a secret passageway.

Rand looked into the passageway, and nearly wet his pants for the 2nd time that day as he saw a dragon inside the room guarding it's nest. Just then he heard guards coming down the other hallway into the room, he quickly ducked with Drog behind the throne and waited...

"What the hell! Why's the passageway open!"

"Settle down man, probably just some of the kids messing around, going to look at the drag...ah shit"

"Run man, come on.. Kids, get out of there now!...Hmm..I don't see anybody in here and the dragons look like they're at rest..."

"Ah shit...The passage way is clo.."

Rand looked at the mile wide smirk on Drog's face, and realized he had one of his own. 2 down... Now, how to get this damn two friggen ton ice sculpture outta here... Rand went to inspect the frozen furs again, and drog came with him. They started hacking away, and heard sounds, the sounds of battle taking place behind the snow and ice they were chopping through. Rand finally got a look at what was going on; bearmen were attacking the giants and they were back at the cave entrance. They kept on chopping, the bearman and the giants saw them, and a couple giants went after them.

From here on Rands mind becomes shaky in it's weakened state, and all he can remember is constantly running up and down hallways, hiding in various spots, and running some more from the giants. Then Migway came, saved his and Drogs life, by taking out two giants. Migway went into the room with the elemental, and between the 3 of them they tipped it on it's side, and started sliding it along the the ground until they had a good speed going. Rand and Drog hopped on top of it, with Migway in the rear, and they came bursting through the cave entrance catching one very unfortunate giant off guard, and started to plumit downward off the side of the cliff. Migway's trying to hold it steady and get to the opposite shore, but with his hurt wing, and Drog and Rand both sitting on it, it looks like they might all take the plunge in the ice cold water river........

(Next Update) Rand, through his power of psionics makes the Water elemental lighter for Migway to carry, but it's still too much so Drog had to jump off. Rand rode the giant Ice cube until Migway plunged into the beach with it, just nearly missing the river. Rand, only taking minor damage, went to see how Migway was doing to find him unconscious on the ground, he then ran to find Drog.

When Rand arrived Drog was soaked head to toe with the ice cold water, and was furiously ripping of his wet clothing before the full effects of hypothermia could set in. All of Drogs fingers were going numb, and was probably saved because Rand happened to have a fur blanket with him, which at least gave him some heat. Rand ran back over to Migway, and by now saw a huge lump on Migway's forehead. Rand put his hand on Migway's cold forehead and tried healing him using up the very last of his psychic energies, but Migway wouldn't wake.

Just then Rand realized the giants were streaming down the cliff, and were starting to put together a pre-made bridge across the river, also bows and arrows were being handed down. Drog ran over, and they tried with all there might to push the frozen water elemental up the slope of the cliff, but were making very, very slow progress. The giants came with in 70 yds. and Rand took up one of his magic staff's and casted Sandstorm on the giants. The giants quickly retreated back to the shore as there bridge came loose and part of it went downstream. The giants then took out there bows and started raining arrows on Rand and Drog. Another giant was flapping his arms, a sure sign of...a call for a dragon.

Rand and Drog tried everything they could thing off but couldn't budge the elemental. They were about to push it into the water, when Migway woke up and with all his might warned them about pushing it in the water. "No, Por..." He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as he went unconscious again, maybe this time indefinitely.

Then it came, the dragon! Rand and Drog started running away, abandoning their elemental for the moment. The dragon went right after Rand, as Rand took off upstream. Drog started scaling the cliff feverishly.

Drog gained the top of the cliff, and had his own problems with hypothermia setting in. He ran into a forest about a half mile away and started a fire as best as he could manage. Drog stayed the night there, drying off his clothes and fighting off the effects of the cold. That night was the last time Drog was to see Rand or Migway. They'll both be missed.

The next morning Drog went to edge of the cliff to see what was up. He saw the Elemental already on the other cliff, no sign of Migway, and no sign of Rand. In his weakened state, and armourless, Drog headed back to where the others should be.

The Earth-ling

Rashidi, Sir Garland, and Coren arrived back before Drog, and were unsure of how long it would take the 3 to get back so they decided to leave Coren to guard the Fire Elemental at camp, and they'd go after the Earth Elemental.

Sir Garland and Rashidi headed south following the gigantic footprints in the ground. When they stopped for the night Sir Garland had a Drakon fly up an land on his shoulder. The same one as earlier, and Rashidi had one of his own fly up to him. Surely a sign of good luck they thought. Sir Garland went to bed while Rashidi stayed up for the nights watch.

The next morning the two traveled onward until they came up a path and saw around 100 dwarves working a giant quarry.

He saw them coming, 2 travellers coming up the path. Not often they get travellers around here, that is unless they're looking for work at the so called silver mine for a little while. Life's been easier since we got that Earth elemental to do our bidding, but we haven't hit the silver yet, I know it's down here somewhere. Thank god our ancestors had made those magic chains to hold the stone giants in place while they did their work. Well, I was about to approach them when it happened again. Stupid giant, always trying to get free.

The giant whipped the Dwarf holding him a good 20 ft. and began digging into the cliff to escape, only to be brought to it's knees be Dwarven picks being hacked into him.

They approached me and introduced themselves as Sir Garland and Rashidi (Like I'm supposed to care), then they said the strangest thing about our world being overrun be the Realm of the Dead. What a couple of nutcases, even better, they wanted to buy our Earth Elemental "To stop the flow of evil".

They started offering me prices and I didn't know what to do so I got the captain, he always knows how to swindle a great deal. Sure enough the shmucks decided to pay the outrageous price of 50,000 gold to borrow the earth elemental, and as collateral they left a rune dagger! Then the captain made them pay an extra 5,000 or so for the chain that holds the elemental. Hahaha, what fools. They could have him for half that much for all I care.

They took the elemental and strode on back down the road...Ah well, back to work.

Back to the Watery Grave

Sir Garland and Rashidi traveled back to the camp with their second elemental in tow. Upon arriving only Coren and Drog were at the camp. Sir Garland asked where the water elemental was, knowing in his mind that something wasn't right. Drog said that he lost the other two, and that he himself almost died.

Sir Garland knew that they couldn't be dead, just knew it! It couldn't happen to his friends, no way...

Everybody decided it best to go back after the water elemental together, so they traveled for a few more days back to the cliff. Upon reaching the cliff the water elemental was no longer there. Drog told everybody everything about what he remembered from the inside of the giants lair and Rashidi was told to go scout out the lair to see if he could find any sign of Migway, Rand, or the water elemental. Rashidi, using fairy wings, flew over the cave invisible, and searched it inside and out only being able to find the water elemental which was back in the same room it started in. He flew back and reported his findings to everyone.

Now Sir Garland took control and told Drog to stay back and guard the two elementals, while he, Coren, and Rashidi went to retrieve the water elemental. Drog grudgingly agreed.

The 3 descended the cliff, and were having troubles finding a way to get over the river, so Rashidi thought he'd give the bearmen village that lay just across the river a try. He flew over,and was greeted by the chief of the bearmen. The chief seeing the great opportunity for a little payback to the giants accepted. A bearman was sent across the river to pick up Sir Garland and Coren who were busily chatting with each other.

Upon reaching the other side the chief greeted them also, and offered the little group 3 of his finest warriors to help them. The 6 ascended the cliff, and went over once again to the winch system that would lower the group to the platform. 1 of the bearman warriors lowered them all down where it was decided that they would make a surprise attack. Coren, Rashidi, and one of the bearmen were to kill the guards past the entryway, and Sir Garland and the other bearman would run straight for the elemental and push it onto the platform so the winch could raise it up onto the cliff.

The plan was put into action and the guard giants were killed / held off long enough for SG and the bearman to push the elemental out onto the winch. The bearman, SG, and Rashidi then caved in the side of the cliff partially. The elemental was too heavy for the one bearman, so the other two bearman climbed up the rope, and pulled the elemental and Rashidi up. The giants were just getting through when the rope was lowered the 2nd time. SG grabbed Coren by the waist and they were pulled up the cliff just out of the reach of the giants. With everybody safe on top of the cliff they now face the same problem as before. How do they get the elemental from one side of the cliff to the other side?????

(Next Update) Sir Garland, in all his genius and creativity, decided that they would slide the elemental down this cliff into the water and it would slide along the river bottom and pop up on the other side where the earth elemental could take it. A very good idea in theory. Nobody could come up with something better, so Rashidi signaled Drog from across the river and had him take the earth elemental and wait for it, and then Sir Garland and the rest pushed the water elemental down the slope. The elemental went down and into the river...and didn't come up...and didn't come up.......

After, a few very long moments Drog, and the others saw it raise to the surface of the river, towards the center. Sir Garland, Coren, and Rashidi ran for the bearman village to try and get a boat to head it off as it was flowing very slowly down stream. Drog went to a turn in the river farther downstream, and waited to see if the Earth elemental would get a chance at grabbing it. Meanwhile, bearmen in a boat went ramming into the huge iceberg, and got it to turn just minimally towards Drog.

By now SG, Coren, and Rashidi had grabbed a boat, and were rowing their hearts out after it. The elemental floated close enough for the earth elemental to have a chance at grabbing it, but the he missed!

Drog ran farther downstream to hear the rushing of water, and the elemental was gaining speed, but so were SG, Coren, and Rashidi.

Sir Garland's muscle's running on adrenalin alone were pumping the oars into the water. They were slowly gaining up on the elemental, but it too seemed to pick up speed. Sir Garland pulled the boat up right behind the elemental, and then pulled out to the side of the elemental. And then he saw it, the waterfall!! He quickly notched a hole in the elemental and tied a rope through it and then throw the rope with all his might to Drog and earth elemental. Then he hopped up on the elemental, as did Coren, but when Rashidi tried he slipped off, and was lost in the waves.

Garland's knuckles turned white as he gripped the elemental that was slowly being hauled into shore by the earth elemental. The boat and Rashidi went over the waterfall, and his fate wouldn't be the same. Finally the elemental reached shore, and Sir Garland was off right away to see what happened to Rashidi. The others waited up by the other elementals.

Sir Garland climbed down the waterfall side as fast as he could and by the time he found Rashidi a little bit ways downstream another person was with him already. The elf introduced himself to Sir Garland as K'traal as SG approached. K'traal said he had a fire back at the cabin that Rashidi could literally thaw out by. Sir Garland agreed, and said he'd be back in a second, he had to tell his friends quick.

SG ran back up the waterfall face, and down again taking a small breather here and there and Rashidi was thawed out enough to move by the time he returned. SG asked K'traal if he'd be willing to track for the group, because now they were going after the air elemental and they needed all the help that they could get in closing the dimension to the realm of the dead. K'traal agreed to help them even though he was still unsure if he believed them or not.

The 3 of them traveled back up the waterfall face for a final time, and met with the others. Sir Garland decided it best to return to their original camp, just in case Rand had come back to it.

After another couple of days the whole group finally reached back to the camp, all the while Sir Garland was doing his best to try and talk Rashidi into giving up necromancy.

The Palace in the Clouds

(Next Update) We stayed at the "camp" over night and the next day Sir Garland, Rashidi, K'traal, and Drog all started to head North leaving Coren behind to watch the fire and water elemental

K'traal had been walking straight through the day, nothing unusual for him however, after all, he was a ranger. After walking for what seemed to be endless hour he finally had the group stop and set up camp for the night. Hopefully they'd have better luck tracking the Air Elemental tomorrow, that is if he even went North.

The next day they all woke up and traveled North farther until Drog said he sees something floating in the sky, a palace of sorts. K'traal had the group do double time as they hurried to the Cloud Palace.

Upon arriving they saw a huge chasm below the Cloud Palace and there was no stairway or ladder up to the palace. Rashidi offered to fly up, while the others took the Earth elemental down into the chasm to maybe find a way up. K'traal saw Rashidi go up, and he and the others busy tried to find anything to let them up.

A little while later Rashidi came back down on a flying carpet and told them that the Palace is the home of something that floats in the air, and has offered to let them stay at the palace a few days. However the guy is also and arrogant asshole.

K'traal, SG, Rashidi, and Drog flew up to the palace and landed in a patch of clouds. Rashidi hopped off into the clouds, and after a while the rest tentatively stopped off on onto the cloud floor. The floor was really squishy, but still held their weight. The palace was a beautiful Arabian style palace with the front gate and the whole works.

They went through the front gate and and into the castle where they met the owner. K'traal recognized him as a Jinn (Jinn's in Palladium are the same as our genie in the lamp guys) The Jinn was green and introduced himself as Al-Kazin. He motioned around the palace and asked if it was beautiful, and if his guests would like to see his majestic artwork. SG and K'traal were the only 2 willing to suck up to him, so they were invited along.

The Jinn showed them his sculptures. He showed them sculptures of anything and everything, and then finally brought them to some special rooms where he had a life size sculpture of an Earth elemental, next he brought them to another room where he had a real size fire elemental sculpture that was magically on fire. And then he whistled and an air elemental came whizzing up to him. This one however was the real thing, only in it's weakest form. The only one he was missing...

"How would you like a chance to have a sculpture of a water elemental in here?" Sir Garland offered.

"I'd love too. That's the only one I'm missing".

"What if I said we had one, would you be willing to give up the air elemental you have there for a chance to make a replica of our water elemental?"

"I'd rather have the water elemental, but if need be you may have it back. You'll have to wait a week while I make my sculpture, and then you may have the air elemental."

"Could we borrow the flying carpet to get there and back ASAP?"

"Sure"

With that, K'traal and SG went out of the room and found Rashidi and Drog wondering around, and then they all got on the carpet and flew back to where Coren was.

Coren was there waiting when the group returned. They had the Earth elemental pick up the Water elemental and they then flew back, taking turns with walking with the Earth elemental. Coren stayed behind once again, this time only with the fire elemental.

A week later, the Jinn displayed his marvelous creation to the players, the one the Jinn made looked even more life like then the real thing, and the 4 travelers returned with back to camp with the air elemental trapped in a magic bottle the Jinn made.

With all four assembled Rashidi was the lucky soul who was told to touch them all together because of that little immortality thing he has going for him. Meanwhile all the other guys stood back and watched the fireworks.

Rashidi touched them all together, and a giant silver door in the air started spinning as it was draining energy from the elementals, as if they were being sucked up into it. Magic sparks flew over the heads of all the players as the door spun faster and faster until there was a bright flash of lightning with no sound, and then pitch black.

When the light of the sky appeared again they found themselves in a pit 3 times smaller then the one they left with Sir Garland's horse still tied to a tree and their old magic carpet laying on the ground next to them. Sir Garland ran to his horse and greeted him and the others slowly built up a camp because they were really tired. And then they all went to sleep except Rashidi who mulled over what he wanted to do with his life.....

(Quick G.M. note: I'd like to congratulate the players on completing this hard test of your abilities and your characters abilities, yet I also hope you learned a few things too - Rehlman)

The stories of our travels are far from finished.. Continue reading our latest travels in "The Necrolite" over at the Current Exploits page.

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