Noldair - 5:

Anjani

The group summons the genie our of her lamp. The sole purpose of this summoning is to release her. She questions if the release will be unconditional. When the group informs her that it will be unconditional, she gives her name has Anjani. Bono, the current owner of the lamp, states his desire that she be released from her bound to the lamp. The lamp crackles and falls apart. In return for her release, she offers one service. While the group discusses what task they will ask of Anjani, she reveals that the dwarves were attempting to conquer Noldair when the humans destroyed the city.


After much discussion and consternation concerning the task to assign to Anjani. The usual suspects are mentioned, killing Baron Randolph, retrieving one portion of the rod, but the group finally decides upon having Anjani find any relic that would allow Sol to communicate with his god, Shatterstriker.
She informs the group, if such an artifact does exist, she will find it and return it to the group. Once the task is assigned, she takes off in a blast of water.

More Searching

The group heads back out into Noldair. Their first target is a squat square building just southwest of the palace. To reach the building, the group has to climb a rubble hill, approximately 15' high. The building is a perfect cube with a door on each side. Rondax jumps onto the roof and finds a corpse. It is a male human wearing leather armor, daggers, and a pouch. He was apparently dropped by a large flying creature that can barely be seen high in the sky. Looking around the building, the group finds his tracks and determine he was heading west when he was caught. The group heads to the south. Bono opens the door there and they find a room filled with blue light.


Rondax and Tyke enter the building and discover the room is illuminated by a glowing blue cube, radiating cold. The room is filled with frozen meat, the equivalent of a freezer. There is also a human female corpse in a coffin. She is wearing a ring and has a scroll case nestled next to her in the coffin. The scroll is grabbed and the writing is identified as Serenite. There's also a heavy crate on the floor. Bono goes into the room and opens the crate. Inside the crate, he finds some old bottles. The corpse begins to move. Bono hands her the bottle thinking she's guarding the crate. She freezes the bottle immediately. Everyone inside the room, quickly exits. The begins to come towards the door. Sol, already outside, searches for the door release but can not find it.

1				2
	JL	Wait			Sol	hit, 13 dmg
	Tyke	Wait			Mummy	Misses Sol, Rondax, & Prentice : Bono & Herman hit, suffer freezing pain
	Sol	1 hit, 15 dmg			Bono	Insightful Strike, 8 dmg
	Mummy	Sol: 24 dmg			Rondax	1 hit 14 dmg
	Bono	miss			Prentice	Flaming Sphere, flaming oil, 3 dmg
	Rondax	miss			JL	Divine Favor, Smite Evil 27 dmg
	Prentice	Flaming Sphere: 6 dmg			Tyke	Magic Missile 18 dmg, dead
	Herman	Reading the scroll

The scroll says she was a priestess of a cult, part of the Serenite religion that worshipped an Ice Demon. The group also discovers she was wearing Half-Plate of mail under her dress.
As the group checks the mummy, the creature lands on the building.

The Flying Creature

The creature that lands and the group finds themselves confronted with a Copper Dragon. The group stands its ground, with the exception of Rondax who falls victim to the dragon's fear effect. The dragon speaks to the group. He states his hope that our group is more entertaining than the human he already dispatched. Bono steps forward to speak for the group. The dragon questions Bono as to why he has not adopted his true form. Bono informs the dragon of the groups exploits. The dragon thanks the group for taking care of the Beholder. The dragon viewed it as a minor nuisance, but really wasn't concerned about it. He also informs the group, he may be moving into the palace as he sees fit. Tyke amuses the dragon with stories of Astronomy and his time spelljamming. Bono tells a story about Tyke's exploits. The dragon claims are lives are forfeit, with the exception of Tyke who will stay with the dragon, Mithrocrax. He also says he will spare one life for Bono due to his inexperience in dealing with other dragons.


He stops Rondax from running with a single claw and releases both Bono and Herman from their wracking pains. Once Rondax calms down, Mithrocrax releases him. He announces that he is beginning to grow bored with the group and is preparing to kill those that will not be spared. Rondax recommends a game of chess. Mithrocrax agrees and the two play to a stale mate. Attention turns to Prentice, the dragon mentions shrines built to the Britigit priests taken by the Divine Fire, a condition he calls pyrolepsy.


Mithrocrax's attention turns to JL. He says he is tired of armored men coming after him. Group disagrees with him, they are not after him or his treasure. An argument over dominion and right to rule ensues. While Mithrocrax claims dominion over Noldair, JL states that Mithrocrax is not the rightful ruler of the city. The group also brings into the argument that two others have announced their own dominion over the city since they arrived.


Mithrocrax tells a story from his own past. Several generations ago, approximately 80-90 years, a Ghantran came into Noldair on his own. A magus of some power, approached Mithrocrax with a deal. The Ghantran wanted to explore the city for "historical" reasons and in return, he left a spell book. The dragon confirms that the Ghantran was a Stormslayer. JL believes it was either Albert Stormslayer or Anton Stormslayer (Baron Randolph's grandfather).


The discussion moves to Sol and what his plans are since Sol has been so quiet during the discussions. Sol says that there is almost nothing he knows that Mithrocrax does not already know. He has little in the way of stories, but the two do share some similiarities. They both claim rulership over a destroyed city. They also discuss Sol's plans for the dwarves, the lost citites, and the orcs. They also discuss the differences between the orcs now and with Mithrocrax was last in the world.


Mithrocrax also speaks to Tyke further about spelljammer ships since the group believes the orcs are now being ran by orcs from space. They talk about the spelljammer ships and how they function.


Rondax offers a mutually beneficial service. The group will continue its search of Noldair, removing pests as they search the city. In return for their lives, they will give whatever treasure they find to Mithrocrax. He quickly agrees to this proposition.

Moving Day

Once Mithrocrax takes his leave, the group heads back to the Palace. Once there, they warn the others of the potential for Mithrocrax to take the palace. Everyone packs up their belongings and move to the warehouse cleared of the Nagas. While moving, Herman continues to harp on his desire for JL to kill Mithrocrax. He's so adamant about going after Mithrocrax, that the others believe he may be under some spell. They reinforce the warehouse over night. A contigent of dwarves will remain at the warehouse to guard it. During discussions, Namo says he knows that the dragon is in the North East, the Restored Quarter. He offers to guide us around the city. The group hesitates to accept the offer due to Namo's predisposition towards evil.


The next day the group heads back to the library. Along the way, they hear the other group of adventurers. Bono sneaks ahead and confirms it is the other group. Prentice, Tyke, and Herman hide while JL, Sol, & Rondax attract their attention. Their rogue slides in next to Tyke who cast invisibility. The other group approaches JL, Sol, & Rondax. The group lets the other adventurers know about the dangers of Noldair, including the dragon and it's probable location. The other group takes 2nd group's word with a grain of salt and discuss it between themselves. They speak with the rogue using magic. Tyke overhears the conversation. They believe 2nd Group was sent by Mordack, most likely to kill them. They are expecting 2nd Group to double cross them. The mention they don't believe 2nd Group knows about Silene, a second mage who is hidden. It is obvious that they do not believe 2nd Group.


The other group feigns thanks for the information and takes their leave of 2nd Group, closely followed by Bono. Their rogue retains his position watching over JL, Rondax, and Sol who are joined by Prentice and Herman. Bono overhears the other group talking about a Father Timothy who they should tell about the false paladin stomping around Noldair. Bono also overhears them talking about the preparations they will make for pending attack from 2nd Group. The other group continues to attempt to rationalize 2nd Group's existance and composition. The members of 2nd Group that are in the open begin to head out. As they depart, Prentiss spots the other group's rogue and waves. The rogue immediately takes off towards his own companions. Both Bono and Tyke make it back to the group without being noticed.

The Library

The group arrives at the library, the door is wide open. The musty smell of books permeates the air. There is also the odor or Dianabis. The building is still in disarray, however the books are still in good shape. The group spreads out searching for books on dragons, they need the knowledge if they choose to take on Mithrocrax. Herman determines the books are in reverse alphabetical order by color.


The group splits up to cover more area.

Sol & Prentiss head off. Prentiss finds a few books of erotic art. Sol finds a shelf of ancient dwarven texts. Of the set, the most interesting is a recipe on how to make Dwarven warbread, 9 texts of Dwarven theology, and 1 rubbing of a stone tablet, also dealing with dwarven theology.


Tyke & Rondax head off down another row of books. Together they find quite a few books on dragons.
- "Flight of Dragons" containing 2 spells, Dragon Wing and Iron Wing
- "Known Wyrms of the North"
- "Care & Feeding of Wyverns"
- 3 Species Guides, of a set of 7. Mad Lead, Crystal and Steel were found.


Bono, Herman, and JL set off down a third set of shelves. Bono finds a set of books titled "The Comprehensive History of Noldair." Herman finds a book from the species guides, the Savage Iron dragons. JL finds a quiet study room. Inside is an 8' foot tall creature, very thin but possessing 6 arms, two of which are holding a stack of books (one might be the book needed), and in one of the other hands a small discoid. JL goes to find Prentiss. Bono approaches the creature, attempting to sneak up on it, but is noticed. The creature leaves the books, but retains the discoid. JL is unable to determine if the creature is evil.


Prentiss arrives and casts tongues. The creature wants to know if we are human. The conversation is disjointed, the creature appears to be speak to its own kind using telpathy.

It asks about eyes, how we use them. It displays it own way of learning as it pulls words right off the pages of a book. It recognizes this as a dead place. It keeps asking about eating, and calls for reinforcements as it becomes agitated with Prentiss. 2 more of the creatures appear from other areas of the library.


JL allows one of the creatures to touch him. It grabs his head and inflicts a painful jab, but his mental discipline repels the attack. Sol remembers an old story of tall creatures. They would appear from no where, attack anyone who attempted to stop them, driving the victims made. They would then take some books and disappear without a trace.


After some time, Prentiss realizes the creatures view any non-magical being as broken. They become agitated when Prentiss says they are not broken. They insist on seeing more magic so they can copy it. Prentiss refuses. The creatures open a portal to another plane.


Once the creatures have departed, the group returns to its search.

Rondax finds volume 5 of the species set, Copper Dragons

Prentiss finds an old Britigine Prayer book

JL find a peerage listing of Noldair

Bono finds a codex, the path of shadows, ways of working in darkness

Sol find a book on orcish Ethnography, the tribes and customs of the central tribes

Bono: Brass book, spell book from Westeria


The group leaves the library and returns to the warehouse.