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• Cheery Tarken, the slightly drunken gnome druid ranger, played by Jeanne
• Lilbreth the eagle, Cheery's faithful companion
• Ourika, the unfortunately deceased Halfling rogue, played by Amanda
• Eldora the elven ranger, played by Amanda
• Donaman the antagonistic human wizard, played by Adam
• Donaman's viper familiar
• Lillian Blottnape the green-haired half-elf bard rogue, played by Emily
• Smolly the raven, Lil's illegal familiar

Little was recorded before the events of Episode 3. Cheery Tarken, a druid-ranger gnome, and her traveling companion Ourika the Halfling rogue are staying at the Blue Griffin Inn. Also at this inn are Donaman the human wizard and Lillian Blottnape, the half-elf bard rogue. They meet, they fight, they mess around and barely accomplish anything, but somehow they end up together. They go to see a local cleric of sorts, and then things start to happen. An evil sorceress shows up along with some nasty orcs (or were they ogres? you never could tell in this campaign), Cheery hides and the rest of the crew tries to fight them off. They succeed more or less and then go off to the forest, where something-or-other had been sighted. They fight some dire wolves and set up camp and eventually find an island with three doors with three labels and riddles. They are looking for a way to destroy the evil sorceress. They enter the door marked "The Book"鈥�

After stumbling through the door, Cheery slams face-first into the ground. Lillian follows behind and lands safely. Ourika and Donaman step in carefully and all observe swirly mist. The forest is like no other they've ever seen, having a menagerie of trees: palms and pines. There is no obvious trail, although Donaman notices a tropical parrot flying ahead, and to the left there are two startled looking panthers.

• Panthers: *growl*
• Donaman: Move very slowly away from the panthers.
• First Panther: *shifts its wieght*
• The Party: *all begin to back away*
• First Panther: *pounces at Cheery (seems she has no luck at all today)*
• Donaman: *steps back through the door and calls in a futile manner for them to follow.*
• Cheery: Lil, can you heal me? Feeling kinda exposed here!
• Lillian: Uh, okay. *heals Cheery 9 points to 20/30*
  • Adam: can I hear what's going on through the door?
  • Sarah: no. can I make an attack of opportunity here? Hmmm... what's your ac?
  • Adam: 12
  • Emily: normally???
  • Adam: yeah.
  • Emily: my raven has a higher ac than I have, isn't that sad?
  • Sarah: yeah
  • Adam: *because of the 7 hp he's supposed to take from the attack of opportunity, looks it up*
  • The rest of the Party: *waits... :(*
• Donaman: *casts invisibility on himself to prevent further attacks*
• Second Panther: *comes down from its tree and begins to sniff at the party*
  • Amanda: didn't use your birds this time?
  • Emily: no, they'd probably get eaten
  • Jeanne: do panthers like poultry?
• Lilbreth the Eagle: *Watches warily from its perch in a tree behind the party*

  The first panther is not particularly harmed and the second is not at all.

• Lillian: *steps to the forest's edge and begins to make use of her longbow from behind a tree*
• Donaman: *summons a "celestial badger" (to the amusement and disbelief of all), whom he names Steve*
  • Sarah:*due to the lack of a monster manual on hand, the stats are fudged from badger stats in the DMG*
• Female Panther: *seeing the badger, drags the male away until he starts resiting about 20 feet later*
• Cheery: *attempts to use Animal Friendship on the female panther but fails miserably by her inexperience*
• Panthers: *retreat up a tree*
• Cheery: Is there any way we can retreat now?

  Lillian notices a distinct noise of water in the distance resembling a waterfall. To the opposite direction is a larger clearing, and behind the door is a tall rock face.

• Donaman: Urge to climb rock wall rising
• Lillian: It might come to that, but not yet. If they're done attacking us, I won't pursue them. I'd like to go investigate that clearing.

  In the clearing, Lillian discovers that the rock face continues, but at the corner before it turns to the left there are two large oaks and a bright flaming object. The buzzing of insects surrounds her.

• Lillian: Hey guys come look, I think I've found something!
  • Jeanne: adam, if you ensue battle again, I'll hurt you!
• Ourika: *walks over to Lillian*
• Cheery: *runs to follow*
• Panthers: *stay in the tree*
• Donaman: *moves slowly to follow Ourika and Cheery*
• Lillian: Look at the shiny thing in the trees!
• Cheery: Shiny shiny? Shiny shiny? I like shiny!
• Lillian: Let's wait for the wizard, unless you guys know anything about it.
• Lillian: *starts to remember the place in a song from her youth*
  • Sarah: something about a garden
• Lillian: I think I've heard about this in a song.
• Cheery: A nice song?
• Lillian: Yeah, but it had a bad ending!
• Cheery: Hmm?
• Donaman: Go Steve!
• Cheery: *rolls her eyes*
• Lillian: What the heck?
• Ourika: *groans*

  The girls see the grass move and wonder if there is an animal they can't see. Ourika looks and can't see any animal, but she can see that the shiny thing is a fiery thing.

• Donaman: I so could have turned into that badger. I'm invisible and he is there.
• Cheery: My wisdom score of 16 tells me that you can't do that!
• Donaman: Don't make me summon an orc!
• Cheery: Meanie!
• Donaman: You wouldn't know, you drunkard!
• Lillian: Donaman, is that you? *follows Donaman*

  All approach the shiny flamey thing. Viewing it more clearly, they can see that it is floating, blocking the exit.

  • Adam: is it a flaming sword?
  • Sarah: yes.
• Donaman: My knowledge of religion tells me that we are in the garden of Gethsemane - uh, Eden - and it's a flaming sword.
  • Adam: *Smacks his head*
• Lillian: Why did the panthers attack us, and why is there a book supposedly here? I've sung of this many times.
• Donaman: We're not supposed to be here. I respectively suggest we do not fight it. Cheery, why don't you go grab it?
• Cheery: You can probably reach it better! grrr
• Donaman: You are short, huh?

  All follow the forest path from the meadow, and Cheery falls on her face trying to observe and sees only the bugs. Observation tells that there are no willows in the area. Donaman attempts to logically determine which direction the center of the garden should be.

• Donaman: I am not following the path, and I'd like to find the middle of the garden.
• Lillian: Please don't eat any fruit!
• Cheery: Fruit?
• Donaman: You should eat it, ignore Lil! Who's watching the door?
• Cheery: I will!
• Lillian: No, let's not get separated.
• All venture into woods as Lillian recites the chronicles of Narnia.
• Donaman: Oh, and if you hear a god speaking, cover your ears.

  Ourika hears a creaking tree noise and curiously suggests some follow the noise. Donaman stays behind and watches.

• Donaman: I didn't get where I am today by not being cautious.
• Cheery: I'll go look first! *runs like fool almost into an ape*
  • Adam: cheery, cheery, cheery of the jungle

  Cheery runs backward quickly as the ape lifts a rock to attack her. Both Cheery and Lilbreth the eagle attempt to attack it without success, but the raven Smolly scores a small hit. Cheery, however, being too close, is attacked first. A few hits later, the ape is covered in blood and sits in one place for a moment.

• Cheery: Donaman, do something exciting!
• Donaman: *hits the ape with a ray of frost, causing it to become clammy and fall over dead*
• Cheery: Guys, I'm not sure I'm excited about killing something in the Garden of Eden. So, where do we go now?
• Donaman: I can keep following my path.

  Eventually a clearing emerges with a circular stone structure, within which is an old decayed wooden bucket. Donaman spots a path on the opposite side and examines the bucket. Lillian notices that the stone structure is a well filled with crystal clear water.
  Donaman attempts to pick up the bucket and it is destroyed, but he uses a water skin to drink the water from the well. Donaman finds that he is healed.

• Cheery: Can I drink some? Oooo!
• Donaman: You have your own skin.
• Cheery: You're selfish!

  Following suit, Ourika and Cheery heal themselves, Cheery not entirely. Lillian fills a small vial to possibly pawn off later. Lillian detects magic, and all organic items around them are glowing.

• Donaman: Spiffy.
• Cheery: You're stupid for breaking the bucket. It was magic!
• Donaman: It's soaked with the water from the last 20 years!
• Cheery: The water's not glowing!
• Donaman: Oooo! Glowing vials.

  All follow trail and sing "the smurf song" until Ourika hears movement

• Ourika: I can hear something, but I can't tell from where.
• Donaman: *glares at the Halfling*

  As they start to move, three more apes spring from the trees.

• Ourika: *strikes first*
  • *Break*
  • Adam: you can only blast so many monkeys in a day
  • Sarah: you can rest
  • Jeanne: hit them with something
  • Adam: I have a quarterstaff *gonk gonk*
• Black Ape #1: *Attacks Cheery but misses*
• Black Ape #2: *Attacks Cheery and hits causing 6 points of damage*
• Lillian: *counterattacks and shoots an arrow at Black Ape #1*
• Lilbreth the eagle: *swoops for a smart chip from Black Ape #1*
• Cherry: *follows up with a killing slice on Black Ape #1*
  • Emily: ding dong the witch is dead, which is ship, the big black egg? or something
• Donaman: *puts Black Ape #2 to sleep*
• Donaman: The sleeping one is mine!
• Lillian: *shoots a critical miss, but her reflexes save her foot losing only 1 hp*
  • Sarah: your foot is effectively damaged
  • Jeanne: she'll be limping for the rest of the trip
  • Sarah: you'll be limping unless you heal yourself
• Donaman: Magic conquers anything! *coup de gras Black Ape #2*
• Cheery: *misses Black Ape #3*
• Donaman: Do I have to kill that damned dirty ape, too??
• Black Ape #3: *Hits Donaman for 14 points*
  • Adam: I'm effectively at 0
• Donaman: Little help here! Or I'll start singing about leprechauns!
  • Sarah: *laughs*
  • The rest of the party: *all others look quizzically*
  • Sarah: Out of game reference to another game. lewd leprechauns..
  • Adam: noooo!
• Donaman: *Drinks his magical water to heal himself*
  • *dm and adam disagree about if a potion takes a whole turn or not*
  • *dm finally agrees with adam who says it doesn't*
  • Sarah: attack of opportunity
  • Adam: you don't have to
  • Sarah: yes I do, I just read it, it's fresh in my mind
  • Jeanne: and she's bitter about being wrong
  • Adam: I'm gonna die!
• Donaman: *Staggers away- preventing the attack of opportunity and falls down at -1 hp*
• Cheery: *Runs over and heals Donaman for 1 point to prevent his unconsciousness*
• Smolly: *Attacks Black Ape #3 but it barely flinches*
• Ourika: *Attacks Black Ape #3 but again it barely flinches*
• Lillian: *Delivers a wound to Black Ape #3's throat killing it*
• Donaman: *drinks special water and heals* I think it's time for a trip back to the well

  No problems getting there, most drink and heal.

• Donaman: *casts the alarm spell as they make camp*
• Donaman: Any creature that passes will make an audible alarm unless they use the password, Vanessa.

  The night passes uneventfully.

• Cheery: *in the morning repairs the bucket*
• Cherry: I'd at least like to leave things as they were.
• Donaman: Onward and Upward? *still ignoring the trail*

  Cheery and Lillian skip and sing because it's a lovely day. They reach a river in a clearing (10ft from forest to river). The marshy river, which in current is not marshy, is fairly deep and fairly fast.

• Cheery: Dear wizard, do you have a levitation spell?
• Donaman: Not on me. Apparently we'll have to go up or downriver to find a bridge toward the path.

  Cheery and Ourika walk next to river, Donaman walks halfway between the river and the woods, and Lillian along the woods.

• Donaman: *Attacks the Mosquitos! *gonk gonk* = unsuccessful and almost hits Lillian
• Lillian: *topples off to the side to avoid getting hit by Donaman*
• Donaman: Urge to burn forest down rising. I need wand chucks!
• Cheery: Stupid
• Donaman: Urge to use wand chucks rising.
• Lillian: Urge to hurt Donaman rising.

  All look around. Cheery looks at sky noticing nothing but clouds. Ourika notices a crocodile lunge out of the water behind her.

  • Jeanne: am I in front or behind her?
  • Sarah: in front
  • Jeanne: good
  • Adam: Chain mail socks! Great invention, you'd never have to step in the boys' bathroom!
  • Adam: Who wants to jump on the crocodile and hold its mouth?
  • Jeanne: you should
  • Emily: like Steve Irwin?
  • Adam: I should summon Steve the badger!
• Ourika: *strikes the crocodile first, and then moves toward the forest*
• Donaman: *Whips out his handy-dandy notebook* Eat missile, evil crocodile of death!
• Crocodile: *Only slightly weakened by the Donaman's strikes moves to attack Ourika and Lillian*
• Ourika: *Takes the oppurtunity and hits the crocodile*
• Lillian: *Also takes the oppurtunity and hits the crocodile*
• Crocodile: *Reeling from the hits, attacks Ourika and lands a strike that knocks her unconscious*
  • Jeanne: you should have told me!
  • Adam: that's why I tell you now
  • Jeanne: because you're not paying attention!
• Ourika: *lies alone in front of the crocodile uncouncious, failing to stabilize, continues to bleed to death*
• Donaman: It's time to roast this crocodile like it ain't no thang!!!
  • Jeanne: that's totally so out of character!
• Crocodile: *Rolling over a bit and flailing, it rights itself and moves toward Donaman*
• Donaman: *fails to hit the crocodile as it advances on him*
• Crocodile: *successfully bites Donaman*
• Donaman: You beotch, beotch, beotch!
• Cheery: *attacks the crocodile, making it flail again*
• Donaman: *shoots acid arrow at the crocodile*
• Lillian: *drags the unconscious Ourika out of danger* The crocodile is very wounded.
• Donaman: You die next turn! Your life is limited!!!
  • Adam: can I make crocodile skin armor?
  • Sarah: If you have the skill
  • Jeanne: can I make adam skin armor?
  • Adam: if you have the skill
• Lillian: *Feeds Ourika's waterskin to her, so that she heals 2 hp*
• Donaman: *Deals the crocodile the final blow*
• Donaman: *Inspects the body, finding the teeth are filled with blood, and the skin has acid burns*
• Lillian: I'm getting a tooth!
• Donaman: *Borrowing Lillian's dagger, cuts off the crocodile's tail for dinner*
  • Adam: how much xp?
  • Sarah: 400
  • Jeanne: 4x a monkey!

  Cheery heals Ourika, her longtime companion, and they decide to continue toward a ford in the river.

• Cheery: Remember, I can't swim (-3!)

  Cheery continues to walk near the water as Donaman and Ourika walk in the center and Lillian by the woods. They approach a section where there is a dam where it is possible to ford.

• Cheery: Lil, can you carry me?
• Lillian: No, afraid not!
  • Sarah: you could try to swim
  • Jeanne: -3, -3 *points at self*
  • Sarah: *laughs*
  • Sarah: can you jump?
  • Jeanne: -2?
  • Sarah: what CAN you do? You can try to throw her.
  • Jeanne: *rolls an intellegence check for Cheery and gets a 13*
  • The Rest of the Party: *Roll intelligence checks and get 8, 7 and 4*
• Cheery: Uh, guys? Don't logs float?

  All float across.

  • Adam: when the wizard gets a 6 in intelligence, you know the world's not right
  • Sarah: one too many hits to the head today

  Across, the river, the path re-emerges, and they spot a one-story building. In observance, Cheery faces the wrong direction and says, "Where? Where? I don't see a building!" The building has a large archway door with expanding wings and one window on the left extension. Cheery, turning around, approaches the building hastily and attempts to open the door.

  Lillian looks in the window and sees an ornate room. Also, she sees a slightly used path to the left and another doorway. Cheery opens the door, which moves silently, and steps inside, seeing a pulpit in the center of the room with two steps leading up either side. It is very dusty; there is an outline of where two books used to be on the pulpit. Ourika and Lillian enter, and Ourika spots a set of tracks in the dust that goes up the pulpit from the first door and out the second.

• Lillian: Will you come with me and help me track on the path?
• Cheery: I'd be honored!

  Confused, Cheery and Lillian soon get turned around and follow the tracks back to the building.

  Inside the ornate room, Donaman moves in to find the floor inside shifting. He reacts quickly and dodges four giant spikes. Noticing that it came on a red square, he pokes another red square. The other colors, orange, green, etc except for black all bring spikes. Jumping from black to black, he misses once and is hurt, but otherwise reaches a hallway on the other side. With a lit torch, he inspects the hall, seeing a door at the end and one at the left but nothing on the walls and ceiling and floor. Going to the door on the left, he enters a greenhouse full of thousands of plants.

• Donaman: Is there anything that would eat me?
  • Sarah: mmmm? No.

  Seeing golden things across a ways, he sees them to be golden lawn ornaments and attempts to bend them to see if they are real gold. A huge viper approaches.

• Donaman: AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!
  • Adam: why didn't I see it?
  • Sarah: searching is looking for out of the ordinary. it's green, it blends IN

  Hearing a scream, Lillian decides to go around the building. Cheery considers going through the room, but decides that because she can't jump worth shit she will also go outside. Ourika follows.

  • Sarah: the back door will be here
  • Emily: we can hit it in the butt
  • Jeanne: or bite its tail?
• Donaman: Back you foul beast! *strikes and hits the viper*

  The viper approaches him from around his fire. Donaman realizes that he has cast a fire sphere in a greenhouse, which will soon be on fire. The viper attacks and harms him for 3 hp and is poisoned (-3 constitution). Immediately spider climbing the wall, the wizard cannot move the fire sphere. Now on the ceiling, he sees the viper climb the pillar in the corner as the fire spreads to 16 ft2.

  His compatriots open the door, are confronted with flames, and close the door. Donaman moves the flaming sphere to attack the snake.

  • Sarah: hmm? complicated. How do I figure this out, exactly?
  • Adam: I'm sure there's a calculus problem, but for now just figure it burns
  • Jeanne: I think it doesn't
  • Sarah: oh fine, it does
• Cheery: *Opens the door and conjures 4 gallons of water in order to enter the room a bit*
• Cheery: Good job! Stupid Donaman!
• Donaman: You are the ones that stayed back
• Cheery: Donaman, if we'd come with you, we'd all be dead
• Donaman: no, I wouldn't have had to resort to magic!
• Cheery: Yes you would have
• Donaman: Stay out of it!
• Lillian: Okay

  Donaman breaks the ceiling as the viper dies in flames and climbs out, earning a few scrapes. The rest of the party exit and close the door.

• Lillian: We'll spread a catching blanket!
• Donaman: I'm fine, don't worry. *walks down wall*
• Cheery: So Donaman, did you find anything?
• Donaman: Yeah, I found these! *waves golden lawn ornaments*
• Lillian: Was it worth it?
• Donaman: Yes
• Lillian: Do you need healing? You can drink potion
• Donaman: Let's wait until it's critical. Let's go back in.

  Re-entering, Lillian tries to go to the corner with the four black squares, all follow. They find a black handle and a small door appears. They examine with a light and find an earthen passage. Cheery enters first and Lillian follows with Donaman on the ceiling and Ourika behind. They go up a set of stairs and go in the trap door. A large room is inside, looking like a storage room. Donaman detects magic, finding everything glowing except the metal on a chest. Spending 3 rounds to detect the strength and location of each aura, he finds the earth to be the most magical. Cheery casts detect traps and finds nothing as Lillian and Ourika try to pick the lock on the chests. Succeeding in opening all 6 they find;

  • 700G
  • 200S
  • 2 shields glowing with magic
  • A ring glowing with magic

  Donaman finds that the potions include:

  • 2 vials of cure light wounds
  • 1 hide from animals
  • 3 hide from undead
  • 1 spider climb
  • 3 black ones
  • 3 pure white ones
  • 4 empty-looking ones
  • 2 bluish swirly ones

   

• Donaman: Hand me the ring.
• Lillian: If you promise not to keep it, just check it.
• Donaman: I promise.
• Ourika: Here, Cheery, you can use this small shield.
• Cheery: I need Donaman to check what it is first. Donaman, will you look at this for me?
• Cheery:Donaman: Here, have a vial of cure light wounds, and a hide from animals. Ourika, here is another cure light wounds. Lillian, here is the 3 hide from undead. The shield is a shield of faith. And the ring is a Chameleon power ring, to blend in with surroundings. *puts on to demonstrate* Look, Lillian.
• Cheery: I think we should vote.
• God: *strikes Donaman with lightning for being difficult*
  • Sarah: she wrote it, we do it. Take four damage.
• Ourika: Yeah, we should vote.
• Donaman: *charred and wiggling on the floor* I should get it. I killed the snake, killed the monkeys, burned down the greenhouse鈥�
• Cheery: That should be negative.

  The party tries to see him, but after failing, Donaman gives the ring to Lillian.

• Donaman: Just remember who figured it out.
• Lillian: I will.
• Cheery: I won't.

  The party returns to the spike room and goes back to the hallway. Going to the unchecked door, Donaman opens it and Cheery jumps in. Lillian casts light and observes merely a plain gray floor. At the far end are two faint glow marks spaced at 3 ft spacing.

  • Em: eye glow marks?
  • Sarah: I'll tell you now, they're not eyes

  Cheery runs up to the marks as everyone else approaches cautiously. Something passes in front of the lights that is indiscernible. The lights become candles as they approach, sitting on 2 copper holders and an altar and a box. A form is seen vaguely moving about the room.

• Donaman: I'll check the box while you all watch my back.

  The box is 8 ft long and too skinny to be a coffin. Donaman tries to open the case, which opens. There is a huge sword on velvety cushiony padding. Unsuccessfully, he tries to discern what the sword is, including 2 handedness and such. Lifting it out of the case, it is heavy, and there are design inlays upon the blade and handle. He checks for words, such as Eat at Joes, Bob's Bargain Bin, or Made in Taiwan, but finds only the sign of Chord, the Brawler.

  Cheery, while searching for the movement, is drawn in attention to the cracks in the floor, while no one else is able to see anything either. A black, voidless thing attacks Lillian.

• Lillian: How do you hurt a shadow thing?
• Donaman: Poke it as much as possible.

  Lillian puts on the chameleon ring, but the shadow touches her, draining her strength. Donaman swings at the shadow with the sword and inflicts a bit of damage, likely reinforced by the sword's magic. Following suit, Cheery slams her enchanted shield against the shadow for a slight damage as Lillian runs behind the altar for cover. Donaman finally deals it the final blow and it dissipates, visibly lightening the room.

  • Sarah: I think I just broke a dozen rules with the sword thing

  The party goes back to the hallway and follows it to a wall. All continue outside and walk to search the ashes. All that is found are tarnished (burnt) pots.

  Cheery and the rest of the party return to try and follow the faint trail leading out of the house. Cheery manages to pick up the tracks, and they are followed into a meadow/savannah.

  • Adam: dammit I hate this Shriek!!!! I erased it all!!!!

  As the savannah emerges, Cheery does a check to see if there are any monkeys named Rafiki.

• Donaman: Asumtesama, squash banana...

  Cheery is side-tracked by ants as everyone else sings "the ants go marching". After a short camp (which the dm decides is too much work and says, okay you camped, you healed, you figured out the vials: cure serious wounds, levitation, cure poison, and empty = invisibility: 1 to everybody, 3 cure serious wounds to all the girls, and a levitation for Cheery). Cheery discerns north with a spell. Coming from the south, forward is north, and the path is found again.

  Cheery, during a spot check, is transfixed with a blue speckled rock and cuts her other cheek (after falling on the first). Everyone else sees a giant tree in the distance, and Cheery detects lionesses with a spell. Being very scared by lionesses, Cheery actually sneaks with the group to two very large trees.

  One has a gold trunk and obsidian flowers and the other is a silver tree with normal green leaves.

• Cheery: I like the silver tree!

  Under each is a book. The one under the obsidian tree has a white cover, while under the silver is black. Both are open, and the words are indecipherable. Donaman considers reading the books with his comprehend language spell, but hesitates. The party discerns that the books are the ones that have been removed from the building. Lillian picks up the white book, and Cheery looks under her elbow.

  Donaman picks up the black book. Neither person can tell what the covers say. The ground begins to tremor.

• Donaman: Put down the white book! (still tremors) I'll put down the black, then. (tremors stop).

  The party pick up the black book, the white book put in its place does not help.

• Cheery: Let's tie a rope around it and drag it.

  Trying it, the leathering starts coming off as the dragging works. With each bump, the ground shakes. Lillian carries the white book as Donaman makes a basket and continues to drag the black book in it. The party moves SW.

  • Adam: I can't wait to fight enemies. Pick up the book and they shake shake to the ground

  Distractedly, the book hits a large rock and a crack appears in the ground behind. The crack increases with each bump. Looking back, all things behind are dying.

• Donaman: I'm sure things will be fixed when we return it.
• Lillian: Right.
• Donaman: Let's check it.

  Circling the crack, Lillian goes back over with the white book. Nothing happens. Finally Donaman decides to figure out the nature of the black book but fails.

• Donaman: Anybody adverse?
• Cheery: I am鈥�
• Donaman: wah wah wah, it's done.

   

  The black book says, "order and birth" and the white says "life and death".

   

• Donaman: I say we detour back, nah鈥�
• Cheery: I think we should make a run for the door.
• Ourika: What are we supposed to do with this book?
• Donaman: Read, the cleric wasn't specific.
  • Emily: why does this remind me of army of darkness?
• Donaman: Clactu Barata Nicktoe! [sic]
  • Adam: *proves his geekiness*
• Cheery: I still think we should head for the door.

  The book is written in Hebrew, and Donaman uses his decipher spell to read the black book, which is an elaborate story of creation. "In seven days, God created the heavens and the earth鈥�" Mentions specific places and times鈥� Reading the light book, he finds a continuous history of the various hardships of everything.

• Lillian: Are we in there?
  • Sarah: No.

  The end discusses the end of the world, including the sword flame going out and the death of the angel, the house of the lord crumbling into flame

  • Jeanne: the greenhouse!

  Donaman drags the book to the trees, finding the end is mass chaos in the end of the world.

• Donaman: How long have we been here?
  • Sarah: To you, three days.
• Donaman: How are the trees?
  • Sarah: Dead
• Donaman: Fricknut.

  Picking up scraps of the dead trees, the party makes a run for the door. The crack gets bigger and bigger and bigger, Cheery almost falls in. Lillian catches Donaman.

• Cheery: Can we kick the book along the ground?
• Donaman: I'm missing something. At least we'll get across the river easily.

  Dragging the book again, things turning black, Donaman feeing bad, they still head toward the door. The animals are going crazy, killing each other. Halfway back to the door, Lillian has aged 2 more years. Putting the white book on the black one and dragging both, they approach the river. Donaman makes a crack for the water to fall into, and all can ford the river. Continuing, they reach the door, finding the panthers dead, fallen from the tree.

  Donaman looks to see the flaming sword, which is out. Unable to take the hot sword, he returns to the party.

• Donaman: This place is screwed, let's go.

  The book is last to come through the door. All come out and the organic material disappears. It is now winter. Out of curiosity whether she will age in the other world, Lillian takes the white book. Donaman picks up the black book, nothing happens, so he puts it in his pack.

Stepping out into the sunshine on the island, the party looks about. They stand in front of the 3 doors and look at each other.

• Cheery: What now? I'm not liking the dragony sounding thing.
• Donaman: 'Ajar' *opens the door behind him again and sees the swirly mist*
• Donaman: Anyone have rope?
• Cheery: We all do.
• Donaman: Lower me in.
• Cheery: Ourika's lighter.
• Ourika: Hey!!!

  All agree to send Donaman down on rope. Tied securely and leaving the books, he steps through the door and starts to fall.

  • Adam:aaaah!
  • Sarah: you fall 5 feet!
  • Adam: oh.

  Observing the same rock face, he sees a vague landscape with a crack in the ground. Pulling on the rope, he returns and relays the idea. Lillian reminds the party of the three things needed, and they debate on their next move. Donaman notices that his potions are gone, as are everyone else's.

  • Donaman: No, not my vile of Spider Climb!
  • Cheery: *raspberries*
    • Emily: Do I still have crocodile teeth?
    • Sarah: When did I? oh. No, not anymore.
    • Emily: NOooooo!

  All organic material disappeared, they decide to continue. Donaman walks to the dark door and reads the new riddle:

  I heard of an invading army, liquid quick conquering everything. With it came darkness. Humans hid and soldiers came smashing, eliciting life as he died. When the army advanced, the land was green and growing refreshed.

   

  • Cheery: That sounds like the place we just left.
  • Donaman: Unless we're an army.
  • Lillian: A storm! *stands on doorstep* I'm stupid. *leaves to read 1st*

  Dragon riddle:

  I saw a dark thing long hard and straight preparing to discharge its load of lives.

   

  • Cheery: Train. Donaman tries train and the door opens.
    • Emily: there's no trains!
    • Adam: I rolled a 23 on arcane knowledge.
  • Cheery: *jumps through the door headfirst*
  • The Rest of the Party: *follows Cheery*
    • Adam: Cock!
    • Emily: no popcorn.
    • Adam: Rooster!
    • Sarah: 2 damage
  • Cheery: *jumps through door* Whee! *sees with a semi-aerial view, hits the roof and tumbles over the edge, falling into water*
  • Cheery: *Swimming* C'mon in, the water's fine!!!

  All others are standing on a tower of a tall house surrounded by water. Straight across, 7 other towers are to be seen attached, one with a clock saying 2:51. Seeing no way into the tower, Lillian and Ourika lower their combined ropes and lift Cheery from the water, who shakes like a dog in front of Donaman and soaks him. Looking at the island house, Donaman finally notices the roof. Cheery jumps the 5 ft down and starts to walk toward the center clock tower.

  • Sarah: You'll have to climb.
  • Adam: Spider wizard, spider wizard, does whatever a spider-wizard-can!

  Donaman comes up with a better idea, casting spider climb on self and on his familiar, who scouts the towers. Parsel-tonguing, they discover that there is no door to be seen. All follow him up the nearest tower with rope and approach the rope bridge. The light characters walk across the bridge, Donaman spider walks over and Lillian climbs back up on the middle tower. The party crosses the stone bridge to the center clock tower. Cheery runs, bashes into the clock face and hits it like a vertical belly flop, taking damage. Cheery and Lillian, trying to find a latch to the clock face, only find each other. Pressing the found latch, it opens. Edging around, they open the glass.

  Again, Cheery and Lillian stare at each other trying to search. Donaman finds scratches around the 6 and tries to open it by speaking to it. Swinging the 6 around with a screech, the face moves open inwardly. Stepping in slightly more cautiously, Cheery is the first into a round room within the tower. There's a bunk with 3 beds, tables, and stairs. They also notice 4 skeletons.

  • Emily: Ooooo, who shared a bed?

  Looking down the stairs, Cheery glances down the stairs as Lillian inspects the skeletons to see how they died. Garbed in soldier gear, the skeletons show no physical damage but appear to have died in midmotion.

  • Lillian: I suspect magic.
  • Donaman: I do more than just suspect magic.
  • Lillian: How do I best use detect magic?

  On his advice, Lillian steps outside the door for a more complete cone. Cheery inspects the bodies for useful items and puts on a dusty, feathered tri-corner hat from under the bed.

  • Donaman: *with an annoyed look* Look, Cheery!

  There's something shiny down there outside the tower, go look at it.

  Sending his snake down the stairs to investigate, Donaman monitors its progress telepathically. Lillian detects magic everywhere except the bodies, with no suggestion of its killing the soldiers. Ourika continues to glance around as Cheery dances around in her hat. Donaman's snake senses coldness alone, besides more chairs and such.

  • Donaman: Okay, further down. Nothing here of interest.

  Lillian solely finds magic in the air and notices that it is not harmful, though they are breathing it in. The soldier's clothing is saturated.

  • Lillian: Cheery, your hat is saturated with magic.
  • Cheery: Wowwww...

  She discerns that the magic stops time, and that her pocket watch has not changed.

  • Adam: I could spider climb forever!!!

  Donaman puts some air in a vial.

  • Adam: Do I get some time-stopping air?
  • Sarah: No.

  All go down the stairs, and they find another barrack with playing cards, which are quickly given to Ourika. The backs are simply pure black. Cheery walks down the stairs with her lamp, seeing first lots of spider webs and then a monstrous spider inching toward her.

  The spider bites Cheery, and she is poisoned. Ourika steps up and strikes it with her dagger, hitting critically. Lillian proceeds to cast sleep, but fails. Donaman shoots the spider with magic missiles as Cheery casts Delay Poison on herself. Lillian finally kills the spider, and Donaman pokes it with his quarterstaff. Lillian notices that the cobwebs are thicker in one area but not terribly thick, suggesting that it had not been there long. Continuing downward, they find the source of light, seeing two torches. A closed doorway is checked by Ourika and is found to be locked, which she quickly opens. Donaman takes a torch and all walk through the door behind Cheery to find a displacer beast.

  The beast, a bluish black panther with two tentacles instead of a tail and 6 legs (two thirds of a band aid). Cheery hears a noise and is lashed by the displacer beast for 10 damage. Both birds fly out to attack the beast, and Smolly is the only to connect, swooping down to catch the edge of the tentacle.

  • Cheery: Donaman, how do we kill a displacer beast?
  • Donaman: Draw it in so I can shoot it.
  • Cheery: Come out and shoot it here.

  Donaman moves behind Cheery and tells her to move. The beast bites Cheery too. Cheery casts obscuring mist and moves away. Donaman jumps ship. The eagle crashes into a wall.

  • Donaman: Withdraw to the upper room where there's no fog!
  • Cheery: *sticks her tongue out at Donaman*

  Lillian backs toward the stairs. The beast comes through the door around Ourika, and she retreats back with Cheery, who feels the walls for a door. Donaman descends the staircase and casts invisibility on himself. Lillian attempts to hide, but gets caught on the cobwebs. Cheery opens a door in the hallway and goes inside, where 8 skeletons look at her and Lilbreth the eagle.

  • Emily: *draws a ridiculous picture - too fat?*
    
    

  Donaman casts lightning ball at the displacer beast from the edges of the fog and fries it for 19 damage before stepping backward into the mist and closing the hall door behind him. Lillian continues down to the spider room again.

  Cheery finds a horde of undead moving toward her and exits the room, attaching a grappling hook to the door and pulling with all her might to prevent the inward opening door from opening.

  Donaman casts a fireball and Lillian debates how to cross the room without drawing attention to herself. Cheery comes over near Donaman, who shoots the beast through the door.

  • Donaman: Cheery, there's a huge displacer beast on the other side of the door!

  Lillian shoots an arrow at the beast, who then hears her and jogs in her direction. Lashing with its tentacles, it hurts her severely.

  Cheery runs through the door and slices off the tail, knocking the beast unconscious. Donaman runs through and tries to coup de gras the beast with his quarter staff, upon which its head falls off.

  • Donaman: *sarcastically and forced* Good job, Cheery.
  • Cheery: *smiles*
  • Lillian: And me?
  • Donaman: *less forced* Yeah, you too.

• Yay for Sarah the dm's pretty pictures!!!
• Now we can actually see where we are!
• (and Emily won't get confused and lost - wait, she's always like that)
• (After image of bad Mona story fades.)

Their battle with the displacer beast finally over, Cheery and Lillian cast healing spells on themselves.The strain of the fight pushes the party to decide to rest.In a sudden flash of wisdom,Cheery takes her rope and grappling hook and uses them to tie the door leading further into the depths of the building shut.After dividing the watch between themselves, all but Lil go to sleep, tired from the struggle.Lil's watch passes uneventfully, as does Cheery's.Donaman hears his partners' snores, but other than that, nothing as well.

The next morning, between bites of hardtack and the gathering of their supplies, the party discusses their next move.After a fierce debate, they decide to continue their exploration. They enter the open door across the hall.Inside they find a broken axe, a low table, a basket and a pile of filth.A horrible stench permeates the room, the stench of decay and death.Lillian looks inside the basket only to pull back and retch. There are rotten fingers and a decomposing head.Inside the pile are rags, filthy and covered in muck; pieces of body, rotting and gory; metal oddments;old pouches; and a trio of giant rats.

• Cheery: Ahhhhhh!!! *jumps back*
• Rats: *screech in anger at being disturbed from their meal, tense themselves and attack*
• Raven: *attacks and misses, flying into a wall*
• Lillian: *attacks one of the rats with her dagger, hits and deals 3 damage*
• Eagle: *misses*
• Cheery: *misses*
• Rat #1: *attack but misses*
• Rat #2: *attacks Lillian and hits for 4 damage* squeak squeak chomp
• Rat #3: *attacks and misses as well*
• Donaman: *misses*
• Raven: *attacks the injured rat #3 and hits killing it by dealing 2 damage*
• Lillian: *hits rat #1, this time dealing it 1 damage*
• Eagle: *hits rat #2, dealing it 2 damage*
• Cheery: *attacks rat #1, hitting it for 4*
• Rat #1: *misses its attack*
• Rat #2: *attacks Donaman and bites him for 2 damage*
• Donaman: *swings at rat #2 on his ankle but misses, leaving the rat hanging on his ankle*
• Raven: *hits a rat #1, for 1 point*
• Lillian: *knicks rat #1 dealing 1 point*
• Eagle: *swoops in and kills rat #1*
• Cheery: *hits rat #2, dealing 2 damage*
• Rat #2: *bites Donaman, for 4 points*
• Donaman: *swings with his staff at rat #2 but misses, bruising himself*
• Donaman: Get this damn thing off me!!!!!!!
• Raven: *kills the remaining rat!*
• Lillian: Bird power!!!
• Donaman: *dumps out the basket but finds nothing* The things I do for magic!

  Lillian and Donaman pull out the pouches, and Lillian gets herself covered in gore.Donaman finds 3 pouches and Lillian finds two.They contain money, as well as a necklace and a dagger.

  • Lillian: Wipe it off on my pants!!!
  • Cheery: Stoooop!!! You're mean!

  They explore the corridor, finding another doorway on the right hand side, within which are two lit torches.There are two empty jail cells, a table and three holes.They find the keys to the cells inside the desk, and inside the first hole there is a cracked glass covering.The second has little blue dust particles. The third hole is darkness incarnate.The glass cover is leaning against the wall. Donaman drops a torch down the hole, but the darkness absorbs it.They attempt to cover the hole. The room lightens. They remove the cracked piece, putting it on the desk.The bottom of the hole is out of sight. They lower a lamp down in order to see the bottom.Something rips the rope and lamp out of their hands, and the darkness returns.The party moves over to the second cover, and Lilian tries to detect magic in order to discern what the blue particles are. While she is busy with her spell, Cheery dances and Donaman finds a needle in a haystack.There is only magic from the black hole. Strong magic. Evil magic.

  Donaman once again suggests that they open the 2nd hole.Cheery hides behind a desk, while Lillian and Donaman open the second hole.The blue particles cause the pair to cough, and as they fill the room, Cheery begins to choke and her Charisma is hurt.They return the cover. Donaman: Obviously we shouldn't do that again!

  • Lillian: So what are we doing here anyway then? We haven't seen any dragons.
  • Donaman: Uhh? I wouldn't be so sure of that.
  • Lillian: What?
  • Cheery: I think a dragon ate my lamp!!!!

  They decide to leave the room. Lillian wants to rest and recover from the rat's attack. Donaman suggests that they go back and kill the undead. Cheery and Lil rip off the legs of the desk to use as clubs after Donaman tells them that blunt weapons would probably be more effective. They go the opposite way down the hallway, follow it and find another door. The door is intricately decorated. Donaman knocks on the door, but there is no answer. Lillian, after several attempts, picks the lock. Cheery enters, followed by Lil and then by Donaman.

The room is lavishly furnished, with another door, couches, chairs, 2 fireplaces, candelabras, and a desk.A scarlet color scheme predominates. There are 4 huge rugs and 2 beautiful stained glass windows as well.

• Cheery: *Tries to pick up a candelabra, and is burned for 4 damage*
• Lillian: *Goes and sits down on the couch, only to have the couch bite her for 4*
• Donaman: *Investigates a desk which slams into him for 7*
• Raven and Eagel: *attack, trying to claw the enchanted furniture*
• Donaman: *runs over to the fireplace, dodging furniture in the process*
• Donaman: *After seeing that the burning wood would not make good weapons, he casts burning hands at the couch, catching it on fire dealing 11 damage*
• A Chair: *attacks Donaman and hits him for 4 points*
• The Candelabra: *attacks and hits Cheery dealing 6*
• The Couch: *attacks Lillian but misses*
• Lillian: *runs across the room to the other doorway and then casts ventriloquism, trying to throw her voice to the fireplace.*
• The Fireplace: Come to Me
• The Couch: *Believing the fireplace moves right in front of the fireplace*
• Cheery: *throws the candelabra at a chair, damaging the candle 2 pionts, and charring the chair for 5 points*
• Eagle: *Attacks a candelabra dealing 2 damage*
• Raven: *Misses*
• Donaman: *Retreats to the first doorway*
• The Couch: *Realizing that the fire-voice was simply a trick and begins to stalk towards Lillian*
• A Candelabra: *Runs away*
• A Chair: *Tries to attack Cheery and misses*
• Lillian: *Again commands the furniture toward the fireplace*
• The Couch: *Wise to the talking fireplace trick stays put*
• The Chairs: *Follow her command and walk up to the fireplace*
• Lillian: *Draws her bow and prepares for battle*
• Cheery: *Tries to kick a chair into the fireplace, but misses and falls (think Charlie Brown), ending up on her back.*
• Eagle: *Misses*
• Raven: *Attacks and scratches a chair for 1 damage*
• Donaman: Damn furniture, damn you to hell!!!
• Donaman: *Casts fireball and engulfs the room for 20 damage, hitting all the furniture and Cheery in the process*

  A window shatters because of the heat. Only a single table remains.

• The last Table: *Hits Donaman, for 5 damage, knocking him unconscious*
• Lillian: *Shoots at the table but misses*
• Cheery: *Attacks table but also misses*
• Eagle: *Kills the table, by dealing it 3 damage*
• Lillian: *Heals Donaman for 10 damage*

They search the desk. In one drawer there are quills, ink, and paper,and in the other is a compass and 2 cure light wounds potions.He and Cheery drink them, and each gain 2 hp.Through the broken window, they see that it is sunset, and as the sun sinks beneath the horizon,Cheery compares the compass to the sun and comes to the realization that the sun sets to the east.The vast ocean of water surrounding the building reflects the sunset in a breathtaking sight.

Cheery moves over to the unopened doorway. It opens easily, and the group gathers as Cheery attempts to open it. The door resists because something is blocking it. Something mutters, and a voice sounds: What is it, I'm busy!!!!?!?! Cheery forces the door. Inside there are hundreds and hundreds of piles of books! (Jeanne: It's Adam's room!!!!) The bookkeeper is frantically trying to straighten them; however, there are so many that it is a nigh-impossible task. The bookkeeper is old and eccentric, 60 with black and white streaked hair and beady eyes. Donaman is awestruck by the wealth of information. They split up, each searching for books relating to their professions.

Lillian tires of her books, having learned most of her stories orally.

She tries to talk to the keeper, but he ignores her, only telling her to help organize.

Cheery, perusing the book on lycanthropy, finds a section on weremoose.

She tears out a section; in response the keeper makes an almost deranged attack and grabs the book from her.

She puts the pages in her mouth. He hits her. She takes the pages out and sticks them on the windows to dry.

The group questions the old man for info, and he keeps muttering until Donaman threatens to knock over a particularly large stack of books, when he says,

• Old Man: It's down there...big...
• Cheery: Dragon?
• Old Man: Sure *pauses* no time...

Donaman and Cheery get extra points by reading books, while Lillian really doesn't care about the books.

They continue to question the keeper, and now Cheery threatens a stack...history of the house?

• Old Man: My name is Tittles, I've always been here.
• Cheery: How come you got old?
• Tittles: I've always been this old. Always been here, must continue to order...
• Donaman: Do you have a grail?
• Cheery: *Pokes Tittles and knocks over stack of books*
• Tittles: *Kicks her in shins*

Donaman asks about the other room and tries to get him to see other room, but Tittles has never been out of this room... They trip him, carry him, toss him out, close the door, and hold the door shut. Nothing is heard. They peek out...he's not there. He's back in the room. They try throwing him out window...he's back in the corner of the room. Cheery and Donaman carry him out of the room, and he disappears as soon as he walks out of the room.

• Donaman: That was fun, let's try this again.

  Cheery tries to throw the books out of the room; now they're in the other room.

• Donaman: *continues questioning Tittles* cave, beach, down there, big

  Donaman was in corner where he reappears, so the eccentric guy is on his shoulder now.

  

  In unique curiosity, the party tries to place books in the next room, which changes nothing but perplexes Tittles.

  • Donaman: *pushing lightly on a stack of books* What's below, for real this time?
  • Tittles: Nothing, nothing, a beach a cave, nothing!
  • All: Cave???
  • Donaman: *Casts spiderclimb, climbs down to the beach*
    • Adam: Spider Wizard, Spider Wizard
  • Donaman: *Begins to inspect the tracks, suspecting that they belong to dragons*
  • Cheery: *Conveniently with dragon book in her hand yells down to request a description*
  • Donaman: Throw me the book!
  • Cheery: No, it's mine!
  • Lillian: Here, tie your rope here, I'll watch it, and you can go down.

  Cheery climbs down the rope and begins to inspect the tracks (after a discussion with the DM whether she's qualified or not despite her tracking feat, tracking class feature, and the book in her hand.) She discovers them to belong to a young red dragon that has recently come by. Donaman instantly tries to persuade the group to return upstairs, but Cheery disagrees, and Lillian climbs down to prevent further yelling back and forth.

  As soon as Lillian reaches the bottom, the rope tumbles to the beach; it was cut. Donaman looks up scornfully at the window and spiderclimbs back up to torment Tittles further as well as tie him up. (Tittles, tittles, tittles, tittles, tittles....)

  Finally, the group proceeds to a cave upon the beach, where Donaman climbs across the ceiling with invisibility and Lillian uses her chameleon ring to walk along the floor. Either way, Cheery unwisely follows, not invisible but not caring a hoot anyway. Thirty feet inside, the tracks stop, but the party continues slowly, leaving Donaman behind in his not-seeing-in-low-light-ness. The girls come across three dark shapes, and the impatient wizard storms up by them with a torch.

  They discover the shapes to be treasure chests, of which the left two are unlocked, containing silver and gold. Lillian pulls at the third chest but to no avail, upon which she attempts to unlock it.(goot goot) Inside are two scrolls, enchanted gold, and unenchanted jewelry, which Ourika and Cheery divide,the former with a red jeweled ring and the latter with a tri-jeweled onyx necklace.

  • Donaman: Cheery, you should take a piece of gold. Then we try to kill you. If you don't die, it's enchanted.

  Cheery flicks him. Lillian removes some enchanted gold and nothing happens visibly. All look at each other and, stowing their treasures, make off for the depths of the cave.

(the beginning of Emily's notebook, the end of Jeanne's webpage accounts...although something appears to have happened in between the two...)

Vague memories tell the scribe that after entering the cave, they passed through multiple tunnels, some of which were quite smooth and seemed frequently used. They ran into a dwarf named Thor and battled orcs/ogres on rock faces and bridges over an underground river. Later the group boldly raided storerooms, and Donaman smoked some funny green stuff and got pretty stoned. Somewhere in there they found a room with a giant black obsidian rock, through which they could enter other worlds, including one with dinosaurs. Then they found a lake and a dragon...after which they found some studies with letters indicating correspondence between this house and the evil sorceress, somehow exited the cave, explored some more, and found a guard...

The guard gives a map to Cheery to guide the group to the study on the opposite side of the tower, where the book they need is located. The guard says, "Peace be the journey." They retrace their steps down the hallway and back through the round rooms, the second of which has fire damage from the dragon, the next of which is the key room. Next is the main house hallway, where they turn right around a corner, for once stifling their curiosity and choosing to ignore the door and stick with their quest. Cheery and Lil heard a rustling noise above them - two huge spiders.

Donaman casts sleep on both of the spiders. Lil shoots for 1 damage, while Cheery slashes for 3 with her sickle. The spider attacks Ourika, taking 3 off her constitution. The other spider fails to hit Cheery. Lil's arrow hits the spider for another 6. Cheery hits for 4. Both spiders miss Cheery. Lil kills a spider, and Cheery misses. Ourika hits for 2. Cheery loses 2 constitution, but gets it back after a high fortitude save. Donaman hits with his staff for 4, and huzzah, it's dead. Cheery casts delay poison on Ourika.

They continue to a door on the right side (below where they came in). Cheery beautifully opens the double oak doors to a spiffy ornate library. Ourika looks at the book on the desk, a deep maroon book with gold lettering. The quill in the book looks as if an invisible hand is holding it. The labels are only dates; Donaman says that it's the history of the entire universe. "Vashmir and Twilder taking over the house; preparing to cast a spell to..." it stops. 1232-1838 are the dates on the book. Donaman flips back pages and reads out loud, looking for Vashmir. He moves the quill and writes, but nothing appears on the paper - there's no ink. He writes "to call the master of the house back." Nothing happens. It just records history; it doesn't make it. Donaman looks for the birth of Vashmir, who was born in 1288. He scratches it out - now there are no more references in the book to him. The group looks for Umbar. Donaman says the name Umbar, and the book turn to the correct page. He scratches out the name. Then he says Cheery just to infuriate the gnome. Most of the references are gone, but despite the scratching out some of them remain. New pages, over 100 or more, appear with the group added - when they were born, captured, Donaman healing sick people and losing Vanessa...it says that the adventurers erased Vashmir from history, but not Umbar. Donaman yells about ruining history. They leave well enough alone. It does say that the last of the soldiers were killed off. Vashmir was never born, but he/someone else did stuff. They wisely don't take the book. Donaman glares at the gnome's door opening. They go back to the closed door.

Inside this door is darkness. On the right there is a bed with a trunk at the end of it. A black wispy form hovers in Cheery's face, dealing her 5 damage. Battle ensues. Lil is oblivious due to a natural 1, while Ourika gets a natural 20. It hits Donaman, damaging his strength. They run away or hide (Lil is reminded to appreciate her chameleon ring). Donaman destroys it with a lightning bolt. Ourika opens the lock on the chest - inside are clothes, a velvet cape, two pairs of woolen socks, twill pants, and a little box with family jewels (a pearl necklace, earring, diamonds, and a signet ring). Donaman takes the cape, Cheery the ring, Ourika the necklace. Cheery sits on a weakened Donaman (quit fighting, you two). A ray of frost hits Cheery's head. She sends a flaming sphere to him. They go back towards the door, out the clock, and out of the door. It is now spring and no longer snowing. They go to bed, recovering health.

They go into the dark door, and Cheery tries to push Donaman in. It works. Inside is stone in the strange smoky not-darkness. The gnome and the wizard keep fighting until a lightning bolt from the DM intervenes. Torches have only half their normal illumination here. They're in a stone corridor with a black flame. They pick up one of the black flame torches and continue onward. A door on the left reveals a completely dark and completely empty room. A clicking noise is heard as they continue onward, as well as a slight movement at the end of the hallway. A boulder tumbles down, hurting Ourika and smashing against the back wall. After some hard thinking they realize that it was weight-triggered. Another door on the right reveals a roughly dug tunnel with empty chairs. Around the corner is a troll, who swings at Cheery. The DM thoughtfully itches her eyebrow. Mucho fire, and Donaman finally kills the troll. Everyone sleeps.

They enter Umbar's room, and Donaman lights her robes on fire. After a lengthy battle, Donaman reads the book, and flames consume her. Donaman takes some scrolls, and Lil gets a flying doll's rug. Cheery gets a fake beard, and Ourika gets a spyglass. Okay Cheery-o. They go out, and the Dark door disappears. The books are thrown back into Eden. It is now noon at the beginning of summer. About 11 months have passed. They go back to the cleric in town, stay the night, get drunk, level up, etc. Huzzah!

Shopping was done while the adventurers were making use of the cleric's hospitality. They go to the Blue Griffin Inn to get the elf a drink. Lil sings of their adventures, Cheery drinks and dances while spilling mead on her fake beard, Donaman casts detect magic on his rubies, and Ourika drinks at the bar. The rubies glow when they're around something pure, innocent, and good (aka not around this group of adventurers). The magic coin multiplies - if it is put in a bag and spent, it will replace itself with one more coin once a day. Donaman buys wine with his coin, and there are drinks all around. He gets a bit drunk and is baited by the DM. Cheery fails in charming Donaman.

Lil looks out the window and sees...a green dragon. Drats. Donaman looks out the window and offers a pitcher of wine to the dragon. He gets a mangled hand for his pains. The dragon flies away. Donaman and Ourika go back to the cleric's house while Cheery and Lil investigate the dragon tracks. Eww Donaman blood. Then they sleep.

Donaman leaves the next morning, and the rest follow to torment him after eating the cleric's yummy stew. Lil sees a unicorn, and Donaman summons a horse. The unicorn has a gleaming white coat and velvety eyes. It is so pretty, but they can't get close. They go back to the road and continue on until they reach the town of Morgessberth. Donaman's horse is white with red spots. He names it Steve. There's an obelisk (a tall windowless tower thingy) in town. Donaman goes to the wizard's guild. Inside he sees an old wizard, and Cheery tells him that she's a wizard, pointing to her lovely fake beard. Donaman ruins the disguise and asks for information about power and Vanessa. He is told that there is a meeting in five minutes. The green dragon flew around the obelisk yesterday. Cheery calls Donaman a sorcerer... grr... argument ensues...those stupid...bluff, bluff, bluff. The obelisk is hollow and can't be entered because of a creepy wind blowing around it. There is a door occasionally, but only when the winds die down. They say that Lil and Cheery are men. The Ministry of Winds was there at one time and they built the obelisk and thought the world would be destroyed. Fifteen years ago Neveve and another disappeared. Only wizards are allowed in the meeting, so Donaman and Cheery "the wizard" go in. If they can get in the obelisk and find out what's in here, the group will get 850 gold pieces per person and a magic item. Donaman volunteers the group. They decide on a magical haversack that can hold 140 pounds but weigh only 5 pounds. They learn that the door only appears when only natural wind is blowing (about once an hour for only three minutes). "A man? You said I was a MAN?!?!!!" exclaims Lil.

They go up toward the obelisk as far as they can, waiting for four hours before the door is visible - a thick oaken one. They can't pick the lock, but Donaman's open lock spell opens it. Cheery leads everyone in, but Steve the valiant steed leaves. The door is suddenly gone. They are in a dark chamber with carvings, hard floors, and high ceilings. There's a pictogram with wind pictures, a trapdoor on the floor, and an opening in the ceiling in an alcove. They go down the stairs in the trapdoor and see two forms - a minotaur and a barghast. Lil puts her chameleon ring on. Cheery casts barkskin on herself and runs after the fleeing minotaur. A sharp wind strikes Cheery when she enters the door - she can only move half her speed, and the minotaur escapes her to the other end, passing 10 alcoves. Inside the alcoves are statues. A statue swipes at Cheery for 14 damage. She runs back out into Donaman. Now the statues are live zombies. Donaman hits six with a fireball for 21 apiece, killing one. Cheery, Ourika, and Lil hit the zombies and kill a couple. Lil gets hit by a charging zombie, but her reflex save reduces the damage to 13. Cheery kills one with a flaming sphere while Lil revives Donaman and he kills another with a crossbow bolt. Cheery uses a fireball to kill another. Ourika shoots and hits, but Lil misses. Donaman hits with his crossbow. Ourika gets hit. The fireball strikes again. Lil misses again. Donaman and Cheery both score hits. Fight fight fight. Ourika dies in battle. Another zombie dies. Acid and fire rain down. Healing. Arrows. Dead zombies. All finally dead. Ahhh...they rest.

They lament Ourika's death and pillage her effects. Donaman takes her spyglass, Cheery gets her ring, and they split the money. They go through the wind corridor and open the door to find another hall with large fluid carved alcoves. They read that the Ministry of Winds returned to life and use winds to conquer the world - the scepter of clouds. Cheery opens a bedchamber (currently in use) and takes a ruby. Lil opens another - the same thing minus the ruby. Donaman eventually gets a pearl and Lil an amethyst. The minotaur and a male sorcerer are in a locked room. Combat happens. Donaman kills the minotaur with a lightning bolt, and Cheery kills the sorcerer with a flaming sphere. Eldora the elven ranger appears out of the sewers and joins us. A lightning bolt gives everyone four damage. They fight the barghast and a female cleric elf. Cheery kills both. On the table in the room is a book with documentary about the winds - spirits possessed four enemies, who fought. They find;

• 7,549 cp
• 3,922 sp
• 1,210 gp
• the scepter of clouds (worth 1,400 gp, a sacred relic of religious/symbolic significance)
• a scroll of windwalk
• a dark blue vase worth 50 gp
• a broken figurine of a bird worth 250 gp
• vials of holy water
• and three smoke sticks.

Cheery puts all in the haversack, and they rest.

They go upstairs in the obelisk and fight a xill. Eldora and Cheery go unconscious, but Eldora kills the xill after she and Cheery are healed by Lil. Cheery gets blown around the obelisk. The wizard's guild pays the explorers 850 gp apiece as was promised. A cleric heals them and takes the scepter. They go to find Eldora's noblewoman employer and travel towards Mizumi. Donaman breaks down and shares the Vanessa story. Cheery annoys him, and he shoots three magic missiles at her. The four are going toward a gnome village, but it grows dark and they camp and share stories. Then four rogues attack the camp. Donaman roasts one with a lightning bolt, but his next spell triggers one of their fireball necklaces to explode (whoops); all rogues die and everyone takes 17 damage and become grouchy, singed, and irritable. They move and camp again after healing the unconscious Donaman. Continuing onward, they reach the gnome village. There is no one there. They enter a tavern and find liquor. A gnome comes in. They are healed and then randomly get hit by a lightning bolt. Donaman fails a will save.

And thus ends the story of our beloved adventurers... or so everyone thinks...