The Illusion of Pride

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Rise of the Runelords episode
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Episode no.	Episode 87
Date	2009
Game Master	Abbe
Characters	Honeypot Nathaniel Nell
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This is a work in progress.

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It's just an illusion - Imagination, New Romantic song

Velicia was very pådrivande att vi ska besöka pride.

She suggested once more that she would go in there alone. I thought that might be a bad idea, and Honeypot agreed, but still Velicia went in and us others stood outside looking to see if there were any traps. It seemed to go well. Honeypot grew impatient and followed her disappearing quickly down the very long corridor. It might have the weird distances we saw before below Sandpoint. Nathaniel and I followed. It turned out to be a maze where we immediately lost each other. Velicia had walked straight through it and a little later Nathaniel told us, using the telepathy, that he had exited on the other side too. Soon after we heard that there was a fight where two more Nathaniels had attacked and it was near impossible for Velicia to tell who was who. I tried to hurry through the labyrinth but illusions was making me run in circles. We heard how Velicia attacked Nathaniel, causing deep wounds.

I finally found a way out of the labyrinth and hurried down a corridor. I saw Nathaniel at the end of it fighting. Velicia screamed "Don't come out into this corridor." as I approached so I stopped and prepared to attack if anyone came close, warning Nathaniel via the telepathy. Still he came up to me and attacked another Nathaniel. I thought "I told you." and stabbed the one next to me. Nathaniel didn't complain so I guessed it was the right one.

Velicia put up a big blanket in one end of the corridor using a tern foot pole and her mage hand. I cartwheeled past the Nathaniels and to the other end of the corridor. There was a mirror that was almost completely invisible unless you knew it was there. Drawing my eternal chalk I drew big flowers on it. It looked like my drawing hung in mid air. It looked like a magical effect. While Nathaniel killed off the copies of himself Velicia took out a tent and started to hold it over my drawing. Even though it wasn't my best work, it wasn't so bad it had to be covered. She had trouble making it stick so I took out a couple of wedges and hammered one in place in one corner and did the same in the other too. Only the two extra Nathaniels ever came out of the mirrors so I guess we succeeded in disabling that mirror trap. Honeypot had still not found her way through the illusionary maze but we waited until she did and Nathaniel needed the rest.

When we all were ready we continued on, Velicia still first with the illusion of being safe from being attacked. The corridor ended in a very big room with ebony floor and strange boxes of constantly changing illusions slowly floating through the room. Velicia stepped in and a wizard appeared. He spoke to her in some language I didn't know. Velicia said through the telepathy that it said that the wizard had told us not to disturb someone, but Nathaniel put it in another way. He said that it had said that we were puny and not worthy to disturb. I thought the situation was getting worse so I tumbled out into the room and hid behind one of the illusions. It was obvious it was coming to a fight so I threw my dagger twice into another wizard to my left and hid in another illusion. Honeypot stormed the first wizard we had seen and confused them back with her own magic. There were a total of four wizards casting spells on us, but I had hid well enough to not be targeted. Nathaniel on the other hand was slowed by their spells and couldn't reach any of the wizards.

I threw my dagger again and hid in a new illusion moving through several. No one could know where I was.

It didn't matter. They all burst out waves of changing reality and I was thrown around in illusions and reality like I have never seen. We were all thrown around like leaves in the wind. I was dazed and my attacks missed their intended targets. It was hard to concentrate

There was hard fighting Honeypot further in ahead of us, while Velicia, Nathaniel and I fought more together. Not that good as the wizards bursts caught us all.

Nathaniel killed one of them. Construct of snow.

Red blasts and hit me. I got angry and Cloak of the Mountebank and thrown around.

Still dazed I threw my dagger in throat killing it straight out exploding in snow. 114hp

Nathaniel hit another and now I knew how to kill. I threw my dagger in throat killing it straight out exploding in snow. 82hp

Nathaniel hit another and now I knew how to kill. I threw my dagger in throat killing it straight out exploding in snow. 99hp

short rest

I found hidden room on the opposite wall

cozy room with chairs and table shelves books study

Smells bad. In corner corpse

It had been writing. Velicia and Nathaniel interested.

I wasn't

I found mask. Cool mask

They read aloud

Excerpts from Vraxeris’s Journal:
“The runeforge pool awoke! I first took this as a sign that Runelord Xanderghul had risen. When I arrived at the pool to investigate, it seemed that the others had come to the same conclusion. The foolish Wardens of Envy thought to disrupt the recrudescence, and with the aid of Kazaven, Ordikan, Athroxis, and that lovely creature Delvahine, we were able to defeat them utterly. Their Abjurant Halls lie in ruins. Our treaty was short-lived, though. Kazaven absconded with the bodies and that treacherous wench Athroxis nearly burned me to death before I made it back here.” “I was mistaken. Runelord Xanderghul still slumbers. It is that monster Karzoug who quickens and nears rebirth. Damnation! He must not be allowed to precede Xanderghul into the world, for he would rebuild Thassilon in his own inferior image, a testament to his own greed rather than one of pride in the work. He must be delayed or defeated!” “I have managed to escape this place, to a certain extent. By astral projection I can explore what the world outside has become. It is a brutish place, yet it pleases me to see Thassilon’s mark endures in the shape of our monuments. Still, the wilderness of the world vexes me. Gone is the empire I knew. Karzoug’s city of Xin-Shalast is now hidden high in the mountains, and when I finally discovered it, I found the spires where his body is hidden to be inaccessible, warded against astral travelers by the occlusion field around the peak of Mhar- Massif. As long as his runewell is active, I fear even a physical approach would be impossibly deadly. I must determine a way to pierce these wardings, and to send an agent in my place. No need to risk my own life before my clone is ready.”

Excerpts from Vraxeris’s Journal:
“I have taken steps toward an alliance with Delvahine. She may be able to escape this place, for she was not of the original blood. At the least, she can call upon agents from outside, and perhaps through them we can secure servants in the outer world. She seems uninterested in Sorshen’s return; all the better for Xanderghul, that.” “The runeforge pool is the key. As I suspected, the occlusion field around Karzoug’s fortress in Xin-Shalast has a flaw. His lack of knowledge of the intricacies of Sorshen’s and my own lord Xanderghul’s powers have left an opening. My agents must use components infused with our lords’ virtues, extract the latent magic within these components, and then anoint their chosen weapons with this raw power. The runeforged pool seems to have enough reserves to enhance no more than half a dozen or so runeforged weapons, but those enhanced with enchantment and illusion magic will be most potent against Karzoug’s defenses. They may even be pivotal in his defeat. For my own part, fragments of any of the mirrors in the Peacock’s Hall should suffice for a component. Delvahine’s... equipment... should suffice for enchantment, although one might be wise to cleanse them before they are handled.” “The search for an agent goes poorly. Delvahine seems more interested in her own lusts than aiding me. Worse, the lapses and fevers are increasing. I fear that I will be forced to see to Karzoug myself, in which event I will need to use the master circle I built into the Halls of Wrath to escape this place. Yet first, I must set aside my work on delaying Karzoug’s return and turn back to the final development of my 205th clone. I only hope I have time to finish before the dementia takes hold...”

Further in huge pile of bones.

Took a long rest.

Ate tried to sleep some, but hard. Could a little. Then play with illusions.

Getting bored Nathaniel took out a book I started to read.