April 10, 2004

Hook

Adventurers needed for exploration/reconnaissance mission. Meet Barnabas at the Stopover Inn at noon.

Plot Synopsis

Once some of the adventurers are done making sure no one is following them, the meeting begins, and Barnabas explains that when attempting to open a portal to another dimension/planet, something went wrong, and the portal linked to a different planet. He is a merchant, and he wanted to open up mining operations; even though the portal malfunctioned, he still wanted to see if he could make a profit from it. The adventurers were told to scout the area for dangers and minerals/metals. They were offered 750 silver plus more if they acquired mineral samples and/or were in excessive danger.

The adventurers arrived to find the portal surrounded by rocks protruding out of the sand and a sandstorm wailing outside. Khelek climbed to the top of the largest rock face and looked around. Realizing they were in a vast desert, Gronk returned through the portal to get desert survival gear (and a horse). Afterward, the group began traveling to some rocks to the southwest. On the way, they were attacked by sandworms, one of which severed Von’s head (and swallowed it). Thanks to Von’s butt brain (and his ability to speak through it), he teleported himself away and cast a mutate for a new head. After a long battle with the sandworms, Von returned, and the party made its way to the next big rock outcropping. Some hacking and casting occurred at the rock, and the party found some iron-like material and gold deposits. Darkness fell eventually, which lasted much longer than on Jaern. A sandstorm blew up again and then dropped off.

Next stop: green blob in the distance (that Dom and Von said smelled like plant). Not wanting to walk another day and a half, Gronk managed to make a decent-looking Origami Terodrako. A shadow Terodrako carried them the rest of the way. During the trip, an earthquake rocked the ground beneath them, thrusting up more rocky outcroppings and basically messing the place up.

Upon arriving at the green blob, they find it to be a large, cactis-like plant with large, curving leaves; the whole plant was some 15 feet wide. The party treated it like a gazebo, keeping their distance from it and throwing stuff at it (a rock, but they debated throwing Ellit). It, being the plant it is, did not respond. Not wanting to disturb the plant further, the party returned to the portal to rest on Jaern.

The next day they traveled to a nearby coast, noting the salty water and shark-like creatures lazing in the water and the odd reptile/heron creatures clustered along the shoreline. After some hem-hawing around, Khelek noticed what appeared to be tracks not too far away. Investigation revealed a tent camouflaged like a rock. Khelek, who has effect fluency, yelled down that the tent didn’t look much like a rock. After some rustling, a lizard-like creature came out (wearing dark goggles) and asked who they were and what they were doing. A brief conversation results in the creature becoming more annoyed (as his sleep was disrupted, as well as his mate and child’s, and the party’s asking about things of which he didn’t want to speak). The adventurers traded a tarp and a roll of duct tape (which the creature found fascinating) for a religious book the creature was carrying, and then they went along their way, with Khelek flipping off the creature as it watched them fly off.

2500 XP.

Notable events: Von lost his head over some worms.

Noteworthy Postgame Events