as told by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia himself.

Sunday, 23 Sarenith

Maemi, it turns out, was up on a 40′ high ledge, back away from the edge. It is unfortunate for her that she underestimated the damage we might do. She sent a few more erinyes after us, and these seemed overly fond of unholy blight. One sickened me for a bit, but I was able to maintain my focus enough to make it pay for that with its life.

Black tentacles sprang up to hinder our path to Maemi, but airwalk made that no hinderance at all.

The main instrument of destruction were “the usual suspects”; that is to say, Ivan’s arrows, my and Radella’s swords, Dasi’s songs, Kali’s spells (I swear she learns a new one every hour of the day!) and I wouldn’t want to overlook (heh) Zos’s equally impressive list of thrown bombs. We took out three erinyes just as Maemi summoned three more. Kali, that practical joker, had thrown up a very practical invisible wall of force in front of Maemi, and she was forced to suddenly place her summoned creatures at her elbow 🙂 The look on her face was priceless as she realized for the first time she might be outmatched.

15 seconds later Radella and I battled to deliver the killing blow, at Maemi’s expense. Radella took the honors, but Maemi took all the damage. We cleaned up the remaining erinyes, and gathered up loot.

There was not much. Being demons, they had little use for worldly possessions. We did collect, however, 7 more of

[760] longsword
[761] composite longbow (+5 str), flaming
[762] rope
[763] 7×20=140 arrows

and

[765] major crown of blasting
[766] jewelry and fine clothing worth 1000’s of gp

After a quick discussion, we decided to return to Sokai ceremonially, but then after marching up to him with Maemi’s corpse as requested, and then simply strike him down as well. A bit bold, perhaps, but we couldn’t think of another way to use the ruse to any better advantage.

His hezrou assistant was there when Zos’s tengus walked in carrying the body with us just in front announcing “it’s done” even as we attacked. Sokai had looked a little unusual like there was some sort of spell cast on him that made him or parts of him appear indistinct. That ended immediately as he became much larger with a decidedly non-human body. Fine. Easier to hit. 10 seconds later he was dead.

The hezrou took longer, but only because we focused on Sokai first. It fell quickly too, once attention turned to him. This level, so far as we knew, was clear of evil. We recovered

Soka
[767] robe of blending
[768] obsidian steed figurine of wondrous power
[769] ornate gold and jade ring (not magic)

I have taken custody of the figurine, at least until we return to town and sell it.

We took a moment to heal wounds, mostly with the wand of healing, and then … we will descend THIS waterfall and see what else awaits us.

as told by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia himself.

Sunday, 23 Sarenith

So the plan was to use control water to stop the flow into the well, but that was abandoned when Koya was confronted by the ghost of Onoka and chastised. Turns out that the holy water of the pond flowing into the well was the only thing stopping the whole well from instantly putrefying and going foul. So .. no, gotta deal with the noise and visual distraction of the waterfall.

However, knowing better now what were up against, we went prepared with a few different buffs. Haste and protection from acid were the two prime considerations. We got the haste, but didn’t have time for the acid protection. Kali conjured up a huge water elemental and with the extra speed, the extra attacker, and the fact that some had already been killed, it took surprisingly little time to finish off the rest of the omoxes. A new combatant appeared – a hezrou, which Kali said is another kind of demon or devil – but it was also dispatched, thanks to Ivan.

So the pool was cleared But there were shorelines on either sides of the pool, as well as a hole/cave up on the shelf. Zos and Dasi crept quietly into that hole and overheard a fragment of conversation:

“Thank you my friend. Keep me apprised of Meme’s actions.”

Sneaking a bit further in, they glimpsed an opulent throne room. Across from it was another room with swirling mists. They returned and reported this.

We concluded that we’d stumbled into a demonic turf war. The pool was likely something of a neutral zone.

Kali had the crazy idea that we walk into the throne room like we belonged there, and demand an alliance against the other. Then if/when we killed this rival, we’d have a “friend” down here.

Crazy .. but just crazy enough to work. Don’t ask me why, but it made sense at the time.

So Radella and I marched in there, and our audacity and brashness worked. He even gave us 3 hezrou to take with us. We had no doubts, of course, that if we succeeded in our mission we’d be killed, but forewarned is forearmed, right? We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

So it was that we and our three new “allies” headed over there. We’d been told that Meme had a wicked-good assassin as her BFF, and no visit like this would be complete without more demons/devils. We went invisible, at least to start, and with fly/air walk running if needed. As we silently scouted the room, one of the hezrou performed their first act of heroism by being the assassin’s first victim (having been sliced in two in one apparent blow.) Ah yes, assassin, that’s right.

The room had about 10 erines scattered about, and somewhere there was an apparently invisible assassin. I could probably make her appear, but not without dispelling the invisibilty that in our party were still using to good effect.

We were trying a new tactic with Suishen this time. Since he has inherent telepathy, he was going to act as a switchboard for our silent directions to each other. That’ wouldn’t work very well for an extended conversation, but for short, positioning statements (“Olmas will take the one on the left” we thought it might work.

Some of the erines had tangling ropes. The hezrou seemed amazingly ineffective against the erines, but we had some success at hitting and killing them. And when the assassin appeared again, this time to attack another hezrou, Kali was ready with a glitterdust. That made her no longer invisible, and not too long after that, not being invisible made her dead at the points of Ivan’s arrows.

in the end, all the hezrou died, but we ourselves weren’t too bad off. And around the corner lies the ruler of this northern beach …

as told by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia himself.

Starday, 22 Sarenith

Well, the greeting for the bridge was not very pleasant. The bridge itself was kind of beautiful, being of some sort of translucent material. But the sign …. the sign said

Only those close to death may visit the spirits of the past emperors.

So what – we had to be on death’s door? We had to know Death? We had to be a relative of Death? Really good friend?

Not that it mattered, really, because we WERE going …

With extraordinary caution, alert for traps and wards, Suishen ablaze, we gingerly crossed the bridge.

Before us stood a gazebo populated by four instruments carefully placed into poses they might assume during intermission: a drum, a flute, a mandolin, and a samisen. All appeared to be of fine, perhaps masterwork quality. We stared for a moment, perhaps waiting for them to magically reform into some sort of monster that would attack us.

But they just sat there.

Dasi remarked these instruments might make a fine orchestra for a dirge.

Kali cautiously approached them and inspected them. Finally, she stood. “With the right command word, yes, these will provide appropriately somber music. Unseen servants will take them up and play them.” She turned back to them, mumbled something, and sure enough – the instruments were picked up by invisible hands and began to provide soft but sad music.

Off to the north, there was a building that looked like it might be a crematorium, and several other small building were both north and south of us. Zos and Dasi entered the apparent crematorium. In response, a large humanoid figure with a fiery abdomen stood up and approached them. Zos quietly but quickly exited the room but Dasi upped the ante by casting displacement and starting a hearty song of courage. And retreating some.

The rest of us started running towards the commotion, just in time for Radella and Dasi to get hit by a bolt – a wall? a line? – of fire emitted by the creature. Dasi and Radella tried to withdraw, but Radella didn’t go far enough and it grabbed her and tried to stuff her in the furnace that was its abdomen. I challenged it, and struck it a solid blow, but it was not easy to kill. Eventually, it took a cluster of arrows from Ivan to dispatch it.

We had a brief discussion about the wisdom of splitting the group, with many solemn nods.

Some of the smaller buildings were either shrines or, in a couple of cases, small vaults. We found one that seemed to house the body of Empress Amatatsu Onoko. Ameiko entered and briefly offered a prayer, with no apparent reaction.

But it was when we entered the main mausoleum that things got interesting. This appeared to have five chambers, one for each of the five royal families. It didn’t take long to encounter the cantankerous soul of Emperor Shigure. His body, he claims, was thrown down a well which he now labels “The Well of Demons”. He demands its retrieval and a proper burial before he’ll offer a blessing to Ameiko (or anyone, for that matter).

No news what the well was named, or IF it was named, before it was befouled by dead bodies and evil demons. It has been a long day, even though it is but 4pm. Tonight we will strategize, and we will rest, and tomorrow we will take on demons. Supposedly.

as told by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia himself.

Starday, 22 Sarenith

Musician he, collected blood,
And spent some time inspecting
“Inquisitor!” he shouted out
Truly, what we were expecting.

The wizard, then invoked her spell
And made the dead one speak
All raptly watched and listened close
to hear the oni freak.

“Okay!” she said, rubbing her hands
The sea of watchers parted.
“We only have the questions four
and ought not stop once started.”

“The first,” she said and stared it down
“is where are nobles kept?”
The dead one squirmed and wriggled
I swear, his eyes – they wept.

“The place, you know, the quiet place
The place of meditation.”
His face contorted in a snarl
A common affectation.

The second question, hard and fast
With little pomp or show.
“That place of meditation …
Among you – who would know?”

The face again, that ugly face
Squinted, leered and cried.
“Commanders all would know that place
Until such day they died.”

With pity none, the wiz went on.
“When captured, prisoners new,
They’re taken where?  End up where?
The place now! Tell me, true!”

The oni would have struck the wiz
And tried to spit right at us.
“The new ones – AARGH – the place they go
Depends upon their status.”

Both looked exhausted now but yet
One question still remained.
“Hey Minion – now? You must reveal
Your true commander’s name!”

If looks could kill then all would die
But that’s not how this works.
“SOKA” it gasped, its face contorted –
Then silent.  At last, a perk.

Four questions asked and answered,
In one exhausting session.
Beware the day she says to you
“Got time for a quick question?”

I guess I’d never really watched a speak with dead that closely.  Or maybe this oni was particularly reluctant.  But I’d never noticed the (pointless, in the end) resistance that the subject still puts up.  Even if it cannot win, the victim still clearly resists answering the questions.  It kind of made me look at Kali in a new light … it seemed every bit as much a battle as any I’ve fought.

Dasi’s blood bio didn’t surprise us, but we were a little surprised by the answers from the dead oni.  They were surprisingly helpful, despite its obvious reluctance.

We talked a bit away from Ameiko.  Who should go to the island?  Ameiko, obviously.  And we theorized that if Ameiko went, Shalelu would too.  But what about Koya?  She might prove a valuable healer …   but she was also relatively frail and vulnerable.  She could easily swing from healer to victim should anything attack us.

And let’s face it – if the visit to the island was required to take the throne, then the Jade Regent would know that too.  If would be foolish NOT to assume there would be obstacles awaiting us.

Koya offered to do a commune spell which would allow us to learn more about the Jade Regent’s world.  Kali wanted to know more of the lineage of the Jade Regent and hoped these questions would provide her that – nut we were limited to yes/no questions this time.

Is Meida pregnant?  (Yes)
Is it the JR’s child? (Yes)
Is she keeping this a secret (Yes)
Is the JR’s mother still alive (No)
Did Anamurumon have her killed? (Yes)
Is the JR’s father still alive? (No)
Did Anamurumon have him killed? (Yes)
Is the JR a descendant of Anamurumon? (Yes)
Does JR know this (No)

So if I understand correctly, this has several implications.  The JR does not know his heritage, and there are some who find that to their advantage.  We know this because Meida is pregnant with the JR’s child, yet she is keeping this secret.  Why would this not be a joyous moment for the proud parents?  Because the physical appearance of the child may reveal more to the JR (or the court) of his true heritage.  That is, the child likely will not be human.

Kali believes that this information will be invaluable in the hands of the Emerald Branch and will lay the groundwork for a more legitimate heir.  Should one appear, for example.

She will see if she and the Branch can stir the pot.

Meanwhile, we also learned more about the island.  It allegedly is surrounded by five gates, which must be traversed in a particular order – both Suishen and Dasi suggest clockwise – while presenting the orb.  So much for secrecy – presenting the orb is the equivalent of blowing a horn for the Five Storms and painting a target on our back.  But I guess we’re pretty much at that point, aren’t we?

There were discussions about who would be captain, and what kind or size of boat to get, and what prep (spells) we should have in effect as we approach the island.

And finally, around noon, we left.

We arrived and passed through the gates with little problem, circling the island and reappearing at the nondescript pier we first saw.  However, now there appeared to be an outbuilding just beyond the dock, and a path from the dock.

We disembarked without incident, but upon entering the building discovered shrines to Pharasma and Takeo.  Further within we discovered two sisters who has been sent to deter us.  These lovely ladies, it turns out, had 20′ long necks and a poison bite … not exactly a perfect date.  They apparently could produce an aura of silence and darkness easily, but Suishen cast Daylight, which at least negated the darkness.

From the conversation we overheard as we quietly approached, it seems they were here precisely to prevent the quest we are on.  Unfortunately for them, they failed.

A blood bio on their bodies didn’t reveal anything we hadn’t already figured out in combat.

We did a pile of “treasure” but an inspection left us feeling this was either grave-robbing or altar-robbing, and we made a note to keep an eye open for plundered gravesites.  Ameiko felt it might be okay for us to borrow items that were not consumable and did not leave the island. To that end …

[751] light steel shield +3
[752] magic feather (treefeather token)
[753] strand of prayer beads (lesser)

We passed through another gate (did not seem to require the seal) and entered a graveyard.  There was a kiosk at the entrance with various incense.  Dasi took some, suggesting as well that those carrying ancestral weapons may wish to also take some.  Olmas and Kali did.

But we hadn’t gotten too far into the graveyard before we found ourselves surrounded by 9 shadows.   Literally surrounded – this did not seem to be a chance encounter.  Kali came up with a brilliant idea to protect us all from deadly strength drains.  She created an anti-magic field around her, which extended to protect our party.  As an artifact, Suishen was unaffected by the anti-magic field, which meant he could attack any shadows within the field.  Not being particularly smart, they did enter the field … and that meant that their draining effect had no effect.  Although other magic such as belts and cloaks were also disabled, that proved to be little impediment.  The shadows, eventually, were dispatched.

Shadows aren’t known for carrying a bunch of belongings around with them, so no treasure.  Doubtful that they have many victims on this island, either.  I suppose it is possible these are shades of the dead here, but it seems more likely to be another Jade Regent laid trap.

It occurred to me, as well, that perhaps without the seal being out we were really triggering defenses of the tomb.  I thought if we ran into another obstacle, perhaps we should identify ourselves.

I had a chance to test that theory just scant seconds later.  As we approached the end of the graveyard and a small bridge over a creek, some of the gravestones and debris around them all gathered together, taking a monstrous vaguely bipedal form which blocked our paths.  I took a couple of respectful steps back and announced “Please make way for the rightful heir to throne, the Amatatsu heir.  We come only to honor those rulers who came before us.”

And then it attacked. Sigh.

But before I could close with it again, Ivan shot it full of arrows, Kali zapped it with a disintegration ray and Zos had some sort of controlled panic reaction which looked like five or six bombs went off all at once.  It died.

We healed the group, and looked ahead to the bridge.  What else was awaiting us?  It has been a busy day.

as told by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia himself.

Wealday, 19 Sarenith

Upon Ameiko deciding that feeding the city was at the top of our todo list, and that the best way to do that was break into the city granary, we decided that first scouting the granary was of utmost importance.  After sunset, around 9pm, Ivan and Radella sneakily made their way to the granary and gave it a good once-over, noting what guards were where.  They watched for a while to see if things changed much and were a little surprised to find they did not.  There were guards scattered throughout the streets in a pattern similar to elsewhere in the city, but there were no apparent guards at the granary itself.  At least, until Ivan noticed that 4 impressive marble statues of large cats (like leopards or tigers) outside the granary radiated magic.  It seemed likely those were the guards. Kali commented they were a form of golem.

While they were discovering this, we were discussing with Isao how best to distribute a granary full of rice.  It was doubtful we’d be able to move all of it – we weren’t even sure if it were bagged or loose – but even moving a substantial part of it would require some significant support. Isao suggested ordinary utility wagons would adequately serve if only they could be protected from attack and/or retribution as they disappeared into the city.  That, we thought, might be where the Emerald Branch might be of some use.  Would it be possible to put all these pieces together?

Isao thought we could, although with the night already spent it could not happen until, at earliest, Oathsday night.  That would give us all Oathsday to spread the word, and he assured us that would be sufficient time.

And these marble guardians would prove troublesome.  Suishen is quite the formidable weapon against oni, but I had to break the news to him that against marble he’d be significantly less effective.   I would need adamantine to make substantial damage to marble.  Suishen was somewhat miffed when I told him I’d start with whatever adamantine blade we could purchase tomorrow, but seemed a bit soothed when I told him I’d pull him out as soon as I could.

Isao thought he could sell some of the family belongings to raise money for adamantine weapons for both Radella and I, and have them by Oathsday evening.

As if this all wasn’t enough, Dasi spent some time with the samisen to learn a bit more about the history here.  According to Dasi and Kali, there is a seer in the palace who predicted an heir to the Amatatsu line would possess the family seal.  That was enough to start drawing attention to Ameiko and the seal.  This seer, named Meida, descends from some other troublemakers in Minkai history.  Kali says that when you read the diary we got from the House of Withered Blossoms and start comparing dates, things start to connect and add up.

This will be a notable 24 hours, I think.

Oathday, 20 Sarineth

We’ve decided to do this in the darkest of the night, two hours after midnight.  Technically, that means 21 Sarineth will go down in history, not 20 Sarineth.  Shrug.

Isao was able to obtain two admamantium katanas, which matches nicely with my katana skill already in place for Suishen.  It will be mildly awkward for Radella, since she generally uses an elven blade, but it will do.  When it comes to the stone kitties, we will be the primary weapon.  Kali promises she’ll have other tricks up her sleeves too.

The Emerald Branch has agreed to assist, but only in the peripheral action, not the main attack on the granary.

In going over the plan, Kali raised the question of who (important) was in the palace, and we were mildly surprised to hear of the Raven Prince.  It sounded vaguely familiar, like I’d heard it before but forgotten it.  (When your primary task is to kill oni, names really fall down the list in importance.)  Apparently he is the Royal Assassin (why did he hire a surrogate then to come after us??).  Kali thinks we can make use of this.

Actually Kali has lately been full of ideas to get inside people’s heads, so much that I wonder about her.  I mean, I remember her showing off the encrypted notes she’d send to her parents but this is taking things to a whole new level.  She wants to send a note to the Raven Prince suggesting he join us, and she’s doing all this lineage work with the Amatatsus and Anamurumon, and Meida and she’s trying to get inside their heads, wanting to send them messages both overt and subtle.  It all sounds very complicated and unnecessary to me, but then my forte is battle strategy, not confusion and misdirection.

Hatsui has volunteered to manage the (eventual) wagon train.  Dasi will leave a little early to see if he can detect any thoughts from inside the granary (that is, are there more guards inside?)

Fireday, 21 Sarineth

Wow, that was exhilirating and scary and awesome all at once.  But that’s because we were (essentially) completely successful; there were several points where things could have turned ugly quickly.

First, Kali cast a spell called “greater magical weapon” on the admantium katana Radella and I had, and this made them powerful magical weapons for a relatively short period of time.  This was a big advantage because prior to that all they were were masterwork.  We gained dark vision, and haste, and blessing of fervor.  I asked Suishen for protection from cold.  Ivan Enlarged me to make me a bit more formidable against the stone kitties. And lastly, I drank a potion of displacement to make myself a bit harder to attack.

Dasi started singing.  Kal summoned an earth elemental.  Zos deployed his tengu constructs.  We’d done everything we could think of to improve our chances.

Myself? Walked up to a stone statue and hit it with my adamantine katana, taking a large chunk out of it.  it proceeded to pick up the enlarged me in its mouth and try to crush me.

A spell from Kali, and a flurry of arrows from Ivan, freed me.  Dropped to the ground by the dead construct, I picked myself up and moved towards another.

Radella destroyed a second, and out popped one of Zos’s tengus.  Apparently it had been engulfed when I wasn’t looking.  One moved towards me, giving me a free attack, but then bit me and held me in its mouth like my previous opponent.

Kali shot, I think a disintegration ray at the kitty mauling me and it disappeared into dust.  Although the displacement potion didn’t seem to be helping me as much as I thought it would, i was successfully occupying the kitty’s attentions to make them easy targets for others.  About this time I could have sworn I heard a voice say, “halt! you are out after curfew!”  Really?

A squad of guards/oni had shown up to order us back home.  Mindful of my promise to him, I pulled Suishen and went to work.  To Suishen’s delight (if it is possible for him to be delighted) every guard was an oni! Turns out there were a couple more inside.  Yawn.

Suddenly Ivan said something with alarm in his voice and Kali moved near him and they both disappeared.  What?

Perhaps 30 seconds later they returned with an injured Hatsue and some stranger.  Ivan did some healing on all of us, including them, and Zos (or was it Dasi?) fired off the fireworks which were our signal.

The wagons appeared and the rice flowed.  Ten minutes into the distribution there were flying magic mouths or something advising the population to return to their homes.  These were summarily ignored.

We collected the spoils of the battle.

[747] agate (+1 luckstone)
[748] naginata +2
[749] +3 do-maru
[750] 8 +2 steel lamilar

There was also a collection of 8 MW longbows, 8 MW katanas, and 8 MW wakashazi.

I don’t recall if the granary was emptied but it was at least noticeably diminished.  It had been a productive night.