Excerpt from Zaaz's journal:
… The battle was joined and the Witchfire proved to be a difficult opponent. Its touch or bolt did engulf the one hit in a blast of sickly flames. Sickening and painful, we fought off its attacks and destroyed the hag. Once done with the creature, we examined the room and items in more detail. The large painting of a winged, donkey-tailed hag was Mestama, the demon lord of cruelty and hags. The long spear pointing east was a mighty weapon indeed. A Spear of Giant Slaying was more than welcome in a place infested with their cold hearts. A cold iron scimitar, a silver punching dagger, and magic pipes were also to be found.
Dalomar went and scouted forward again, reporting back a strange room of stone trees. Within this forest stood an Asura, a creature of multiple heads and arms. Believing it was time to consult the spirits as we knew little of this creature but its name, I remembered a find from earlier, seers tea. Brewing the tea I pondered over the leaves left and the question at hand. The creature didn’t look evil and we deigned not at attack it without need. Also, not knowing much of it, were we powerful enough to prevail. The leaves swirled and settled in the bottom and the answer of woe became clear. Low on spells for the day, we decided to revisit the creature later.
Soon we found ourselves in a room of crypts and statues. Ten of fearsome visage stood waiting. My excitement grew at this find, for surely these were the crypts of the previous caretakers of Artrosia. Who knew what pearls of wisdom waited within, yet who knew what traps. Examining the first, Dalomar determined that yes indeed they were trapped and a danger to our lives. Calling upon a luck hex, I cast it upon him and bade him to disarm. My cackles of laughter rang louder and louder in the dark place at the joy of maintaining such powers. Six of the ten he did disarm with little difficulty. Six magical traps did fade from their waiting. Six, but not enough. Soon the spirit of ghostly barbarian spirits rose up to strike at us. Sons of the spirit mother they were and their gaze was terrible. The ghosts mere look did damage to the body and mind. Incorporeal it proved difficult to even touch them. Still, soon enough they were defeated and the crypts stood open. Within we found some treasure, including a magnificent bejeweled Athame, yet not yet what I longed for. Where were the secrets whispered of? Where lay the power I hoped to gain?
Onward again and down a long and winding path deeper within. Dalomar reported that at the bottom a frost giant awaited us. In we went to battle and another of the hags appeared. Snori was cursed of much of his strength. Yoska moved up, but was struck for massive damage by the giant. Yoska closed further and called forth mirror images to befuddle the giant. I called upon my magic to summon a phantasmal killer, but the hag shook it off and turned invisible. Sadobras and his warg jumped down from above in what would have been a beautiful feat of acrobatics, had he not been struck half way down by the giant. Gretta showed him how death from above should work and jumped down upon the giant, striking him with the giant bane spear. Yoska finished off the giant as I flew above searching for the witch. Finding her again, I called down a bolt of lightning to her. Sadobras followed up with a much more successful charge and killed her quickly.
Within the room, enemies now dead, we search and found a giant mortar and pestle. The pestle was actually a magic great club. A magic broom of flying we gave to Sadobras to allow him to make his charges from the air. And then… What I had been looking for. The first of the secrets I sought. The Cookbook of Arcane Augmentation. A mighty tomb whispered of in covens and sought be many. With this book I could prepare one of my spells each day using the metamagic powers, yet not have to pay the extra power to empower such a spell. No need to study and practice to use the feat of power, just open the book, brew in the cauldron, and prepare the spell. Magnificent!
All being tired and the room looking defensible we decided to rest and I had the chance to study and use my newfound power. All know that spells and magic that change ones abilities don’t bestow the real benefits of those abilities unless they can be maintained. Now I can call upon the threefold aspect each day to extend the effect. Bringing forth the spell, I called upon the aspect of the crone. My body shook and twisted, becoming more frails and slow, but oh the power of my mind did stretch. I began to see the wisdom of the world in ways I never had before and I knew my power had become terrible in its strength. Mother, if you watch over me, your daughter sends her love for the wisdom you imparted.
Wisdom not granted to Snori. Once up, we decided to go back and revisit the Asura. With his typical desire to make the world his playground, Snori tweaked the Asura’s nipples. Literally, he went forward invisibly with Dalomar then flew up invisibly and did give them a pinch. Seeing the lights he also summoned and the cry of outrage from the Asura, I grabbed Yoska and Gretta and used dimension door to bring us close to the battle. The Asura, let loose some kind of strange rainbow pattern that fascinated some of us. While we fought off the effects of the spell it summoned several Adhukis to help it. Going invisible it let its minions move forward to attack. A massive strike of cold quickly takes on down as Tauvem casts invisibility purge to try to find the creature. Casting my see invisibility spell, I point out where she it, but then she uses other magic to disappear again. Snori tries to distract the remaining Adhuki, but it managed to hurt Gretta. Combining our strength we finish off the remaining Adhuki, but need to search more for the Asura.
Just as we are about to leave and search elsewhere, once again the rainbow pattern befuddles us. Flying above as I was, I’m unaffected. Dalomar runs up and hits her. Sadobras decides hops on his new broom of flying, intent to strike while his warg is fascinated. The broom flies up and in a loop, dumping him off, and begins to strike at him. A cursed item we should have expected. Sadobras begins to battle with the broom as Tauvum pulls forth his longsword and attacks. With nine attacks the creature is not one to be taken lightly. Hexing it with misfortune I manage to blunt many of its strikes. Tauvum calls forth inspiration on Snori who strikes at the creature in a critical hit. I cast again and again calling forth sleep, blindness, and whatever else I can to little effect. Still, the writing is clear for it, this is a fight it can’t win so it pulls back and teleports away.
On to the next room we go and find again a circle of massive meniers. Dalomar scouting tells us he can see some kind of hidden creature. Tauvum brings forth his still operating spell of invisibility purge revealing a dark night hag…
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