There will be no HackMaster tomorrow due to a prior engagement elsewhere.

We had a Philly Cheese Steak pizza.

++++ START OF SESSION ++++

To rewind a little before the party left off, our Players looted the chamber where they killed the two Leucrottas. Of note they found the skeleton of a dwarf with a suit of chain mail (Dwarf size of course AND detected as magical) which was taken over by Grok, the newest party member and Battle Mage. This put him over the "Severe" threshold of Encumbrance so he decided to "lighten his load". Mostly we transferred most of his stuff to Honda's Bag of Holding. This still left him .4lbs above "Lightly" Encumbered, so he the last half pound of his flask of water. Which is curious rule that makes sense, if you drink the water you are carrying, you are no longer encumbered with it. But you weigh the same! Anyways ...

The party reminded itself it needed to properly bury Blake. They decided NOT to perform a Raise Dead spell on him. (The owner of the character moved out of town.) They ended up stuffing him in the crack where they found the dead Dwarf and his chainmail, and decided to come back and bury him later.

Fast forward to, "Fee, Fi, Foo, Fum..." in walks in a Hill Giant that I told them was approaching last week. "Hi guys, watcha doin'?" The Giant apparently recognized the purple robes and had not been warned about interlopers.

The Party goes from "get ready for combat mode" to "negotiate mode".

"I'm headed to the dining hall for lunch.", says the Giant, "How about you?"

In agreement, the party followed the Giant, down the hall, a left turn and down some stairs exchanging some minor pleasantries along the way. They learned the Giant's name was Scorpp, or so he said. At the landing they passed a shelf holding some pamphlets underneath a sign saying "Welcome to the Greater Temple of Existential Evil. Enjoy your stay." Jacko took a pamphlet.

Joined by another stairway on the left, they found themselves in a double-wide hallway and some more stairs going down. The Giant turned left into a chamber guarded by four black-clad Trolls, who (forewarned about possible purple spies) drew their weapons. Scorpp intervened, "Naw, don't worry about them, they're coming with me for lunch!"

"That's OK, you go on ahead." the party said in unison, "We'll catch up with you later. We have some questions to ask our friends here."

Apparently disappointed, Scorpp sulked off, but sped up after getting a whiff of the delicious stew Yak stew boiled in dingleberry sauce further onward.

Getting a reprieve from suspicion, the party inquired whether there was a female human prisoner passing this way within the last hour. To which they were told by the Trolls, "Why yes gents, they passed just beyond this curtain not too long ago."

(Thereby solving the Detect Evil problem as to her whereabouts by duplicating the effort with creature interaction.)

Almost obligingly, one of the trolls parted the dark jacquard weave and let the party into the next room. Half the Party entered, Gnomex, Aerys, and Huang's Monk followers stayed with the Trolls.

Upon entering, they found Vixine barely conscious on the floor surrounded by several characters, three of which were clad in purple, the other two in black.

Combat followed, but rather than to through hit by hit, here are some of the highlights:

- An enemy spellcaster sent Magic Missiles at Huang.

- Jacko cast a Darkness spell for a 15 foot radius, causing the enemy to fight in the dark.

- Grok cast a Charm Person spell successfully, on one of the enemy spellcasters though somewhat diluted by the next spell. He ended up wandering in the dark.

- An enemy spellcaster cast a Silence spell for a 15 foot radius. Though it had the intent of preventing further spells cast by the party, it also prevented the Trolls from hearing any combat sounds and coming to the enemy's aid. Per the above, it also prevented the charmed enemy spellcaster from receiving any verbal instructions.

- Jacko voluntarily dispelled his Darkness spell, after he got a few hits in.

- Coincidentally, one more enemy spellcaster cast a Dispel Magic ostensibly to negate the Darkness spell. Due to a initiative roll it took effect AFTER Jacko stopped his own darkness. (More on that later.)

- The rest was all physical combat, no critical hits. One of the enemy spellcasters escaped into a closet. In the dark.

Meanwhile in the back with the Trolls. Gnomex cast an Enthrall spell and regaled the four Trolls with tales of Gnomish family history, including power point presentations of their vacation to D'Vine's Tree Hugging Theme Park. Aerys also performed a sensuous dance in case their collective minds wandered. (I think the spell must have also affected the Monks.)

Gnomex, Aerys, and the Monks remained keep the Trolls occupied as long as the Enthrall spell can be kept up.

After combat was over, the Charmed enemy spellcaster led them into the closet. Finding just a closet, they made another secret door check and of course this closet, had a secret back exit. They prevailed upon their newly charmed friend to reveal how to open it and shortly thereafter, the party came out of the closet.

++++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR ++++

++++ DEBRIEFING ++++

More "stuff" was found in the Leucrotta room than I remember telling the party about. Will review next session with the players.

Forgotten die rolls. The Dispel Magic cast by the enemy has other effects. Potions within the area of effect need to make saving throws.

The song "Fee Fi Fo Fum" could be a major clue.

BT







BBBB

++++ CHARACTER ROSTER ++++

PART 2.

(Double spaced in the eMail version, due to webmail eating carriage returns. It will guarantee at least one new line.)

CHARACTERS (New players on top.)
Grok the Dwarf, a third level Doughboy (Battlemage subclass).
Jacko, an Albino Dork Elf, a Probe (an Infiltrator, Thief subclass).
Aerys, an Elvariel, a Larcenist (Thief class).
Count Elefus, a human Abbot of Heimdall (Cleric class).
Baronet Huang - a Master of the North Wind of the Stone Tiger Order, (Monk class).

NPCs:
Baronetess Honda - a Human Datai Samurai, Steward of Catan (formerly Temple of the Frog)
Gnomex, a Gnome Brother of Geardal Ironhand (Cleric class.)
Sum Dum Gai - Brother of the Winds (Monk, Fighter subclass).
Gangnam Bang Mi - Sister of the Winds (Monk, Fighter subclass).
Sum Ting Wong - SheMale Brother/Sister of the Winds (Monk, fighter subclass).
Tanzen (new) a Fae-Born first level Pinger. (Fist level Invoker, a Magic User subclass).

MISSING or CAPTURED CHARACTERS (PCs or NPCs)

Vixine Numar, a human Sigil (a Chosen One, Cleric subclass).
Gargoyle (Elefus henchperson, demoted from Sidekick, out of town on business, acting as courier to BlackMoor).
Numrendir - a human Conjurist (a Conjuror, Magic User subclass) - Gone off to BlackMoor to check his Investment Account.
Junkbot Jackson - a human Tracker/Adept (a Ranger, Fighter subclass and Cleric).
Gerry Castagere, human Fingersmith, (Thief class) and ever loving devotee of Elefus.
Fundisha - a half-Elf Swordsperson/Tout (Fighter and Infiltrator, a Thief subclass).
Sir Weasel, human Guild Soldier, Warlock, & Champion (Thief, Magic User, & Fighter classes) he stayed back in BlackMoor.
- and nine Pilgrim henchmen of various levels. (They wear hoodies.)
Slade Wilson - Dwarven Professional (a Bounty Hunter, Fighter subclass) Left behind at Catan.

BT







BBBB

++++ RECORD KEEPING ++++

PART 3.

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