GM: Mike Miller

Date: 03/10/2002

Campaign Date:Uni 11 - Tul 13 IY 480

Characters:
K'Leif , elf ranger-13 CG, Charles Tillinghast
   Tozi, elf monk-3, druid-7 CG, cohort
Sir Ostler, human cleric-13 LN, Joe Fryar
   Mathis LeBlaque, human paladin-10 LG, cohort
Angus McNasty, gnome illusionist-13 CN, Dave Nelson
   Beavis McNasty, gnome barbarian-10 CN, cohort
Rannos, human fighter-13 CG, Bob LaForge
   Scagnetti human sorcerer-10 CG, cohort
Whitefire, human wizard-12, rogue-1 CN, Chuck Fleurie
Iscariot, gnome wizard-8, loremaster-5 CG, Andrew Smith
Yahron, human scout, Dean Norman

Log:

Uni 11
After ten years, the heroes of Blacksword reunite at the place where it all started, Granny Holdbean's in Ludwig. The group finds it just as they remember it. Poor food, poor service, and poor accomodations except for the addition of Granny Holdbean's attractive granddaughter tending the bar and waiting tables. Angus arrives fashionably late as usual with his usual theme music and fanfare flanked by a pair of gnomish retainers Beavis McNasty his bodyguard and Zeppo McNasty his tobbaconist. Ragnar does not arrive but sends word by a messenger from his store that he will catch up with them later, and Lady Adia sends her regrets but is not able to attend because her mother has taken ill. Gabriel was supposed to have arrived by no one has heard of him since Ostler sent him to investigate the slaying of the Bishop of Vekmar.

Much merrymaking follows as the heroes begin to tell one another tales of what has gone on since they were last all together. Their reverie is disturbed by a gnomish academic who asks for a bit of Whitefire's time. After a bit of flattery and a round of drinks, the gnome finally gets to talk to the powerful wizard. The learned gnome introduces himself as Iscariot, an acclaimed historian and philosopher. He explains that he has in his posession a book written before the Empire of the Seven Swords by an individual named Titus McNubbins. He explains that The Mad Rantings of Titus McNubbins originally seemed to be just another book of fiction until many of the events in the first couplets started coming true and making sense. The poem written in a bastardized form of blank verse seems to detail the travels of a renegade elven bard from the high-elven island of Estlon who somehow manages to be pulled back in time along with his servant Dathiest. It tells of his travels into the past during the rule of the Acherousian witch-kings in order to search for seven artifacts created by the mad undead elf lord Ambitrax before he warped the original five races into the myriad of forms that now populate Caedes. The poem ends with a warning that Whitefire will set off a chain of events that will cause the apocalypse. Interestingly, the other heroes of Blacksword completely believed the book's story and were not skeptical at all that Whitefire could cause the chain of events that might start the complete destruction of Caedes.

Just as Iscariot finishes telling his story, a very tall elf clad in magical plate battle-armor wielding several weapons appears with a cadre of Drastin (deep elves) and two monstrous black humanoids that appeared to be a cross between the Drastin and a giant hyena. These two beasts had two sets of arms and at least one was capable of casting wizardly spells. Many of the heroes of Blacksword identified the armor and weapons on the tall elf as being the Arms of Morpheus. After insisting that the heroes "give up the gnome", and then passing on taking Mr. Fabulous (much to that monarch's relief) the tall elf wades into battle wielding the Trident of Morpheus. The heroes of Blacksword battle the group of Drastin and manage to slay many of them. Things looked grim for the heroes at first until they are aided by a quiet woodsman who happened by Granny Holdbean's on his way to the frontier. The tide of the battle turns, and the heroes emerge victorious although the tall elf and the two monstrous humanoids teleport escape.

Granny Holdbean's is ruined. The furniture is destroyed, the bar is in ruins, and the West wall of the tavern is torched from the Bludgeon of Hellfire. In that ruined wall, Iscariot spots a chest with his symbol on it. He retrieves the chest, and inside he finds several items. There is a note, written in his own hand, that says the chest was left here for his earlier self almost five-hundered years ago. It tells Iscariot that the apocalypse is upon them, and that the heroes of Blacksword are needed in the past. The note also mentions Yahron, the mysterious woodsman. The chest also contains two rings for each hero, crafted by Iscariot himself in the past. One is a ring of non-detection which the note explains will keep the tall elf and his cohorts from tracking their progress. The second is a ring of isolation which will prevent the heroes actions from disturbing the time stream and doing serious damage to the future. After a quick discussion, the party decides that in order to stop the end of the world, they must locate the Citadel of Eternity, enter it, and then determine how to undo whatever it was that Whitefire had done. Apparently, the only known route to the Citadel is through the underworld. Furthermore, the only known entrance into the underworld is through the old Temple of the Unnamed One in the city of Vetulet.

Uni 12-14
Thanks to several shadow walk spells cast by Mr. Fabulous, the heroes are able to make it to Vetulet in the nation of Western Venkmar in record time. Vetulet was once the seat of the most powerful wizard in the empire of Acherousia. However, now the city has fallen into ruin. The swamp encroaches into the southernmost part of it and throngs of beggars and thieves rule its twisting, crumbling avenues. The heroes identify that the Temple of the Unnamed One once stood in the center of the city's common square. However, once the heroes arrive they are unable to locate it. There is only two piles of rocks. After harassing some of the local unfortunates, the heroes discover a hidden door. After discussing how to open the trapped door way for what must have been fifteen minutes, Yahron points out that the latch has "undone itself" and pulls the trigger. With a mighty roar, the Temple of the Unnamed One rises from the smaller pile of rock. A black basalt edifice carved in the alien and arcane archetecture of long forgotten Acherousia. The heroes enter the temple.

The doors of the temple close behind the heroes, and the entire temple descends into the earth for almost fifteen minutes. Eventually, the descent stops and the doors open into a tunnel that slopes gently down into the bowels of the earth. The heroes follow this tunnel.

Uni 14-30 Tul 1-11
At almost six weeks later, the heroes finally begin to see signs of life. They have reached the Underworld of Caedes. First they happen upon some of the helios and lunar lichens that light the underworld. Next, they meet some Iggers. Finally, they happen upon a herd of Yithlacs. The heroes happen upon another mark of Iscariot. Hidden near the mark is an overview map of the underworld with a mark of where to find the Citadel of Eternity.

Tul 12-13
One day later, Mr. Fabulous has the characters ready to walk down to the Citadel. As the heroes begin their quick trek, they happen upon a young man with a broken leg. He tells the heroes that he has wandered away from his village and managed to hurt himself. Ostler heals the fellow and tries to send him on his way. However, the young man (who reeks of good magic) refuses to leave the hero's side and instead insists on joining the group. Sensing treachery, Mr. Fabulous keeps a close eye on the fellow. However, the young man eventually leaves the group to enter the Citadel on their own.

The group eventually finds the place marked on the map, only to discover a featureless cavern with only a well in it. "Find the Citadel of Eternity through the Well of Forever". "Well, does it go on forever?" "No, really only about twenty feet. " The heroes figure out the well's secrets and find themselves standing at the great giant-sized double doors to the Citadel of Eternity.

The heroes enter and find a statue of an axe wielding giant and six monstrous lions guarding the way. After several attempts to push past the statues, Rannos attempts to chop the giant down with his axe. As the blade bites deep, the giant and the lions attack. The battle rages but the heroes are easily victorious. However, their celebration is cut short by some giant, scuttling, insectoid noises coming down the passageway toward them.