Sapphire:Sessions:20180127
While sleeping, Shawna is given to know that the final bloodstone is 150 miles away. The bloodstone she holds has gained power, but is not a threat to her. The final bloodstone, though, is at least twice as powerful.
Chalker dreams of another consciousness with jumbled feelings of pain, power, exhilaration, eagerness, and the urge to be doing things again. He realizes these impressions are from the magic emerald he had bought from Harmon Brandt.
In the morning Chalker writes in the journey book to Rory asking for the crystal coordinates to a gate in Westerpine. This would put the group within a a reasonable distance of the final bloodstone. However, when Shawna plugs in the crystals in the Ridell gate, the gate does not function. The final bloodstone has somehow suppressed the gate connection. She closes her hand and disintegrates the bloodstone she holds, since she no longer needs to to trace the final one. Chalker obtains new coordinates from Rory which will move the group 50 miles.
The gate opens into a bedroom with attached bathroom. Lying on the bed is the desiccated corpse of a man clad in leathers. Splashes of dried blood are everywhere. Using his penetrating vision, Chalker determines that the man had died from a sword thrust to the heart. However, the corpse's heart, liver, and kidneys are not as decayed as the rest of the organs. In the bathroom there is dried dirt in the washbasin and dirty towels bearing the crest of Vetruvian, Grand Duke of Ordin. Chalker's emerald is vibrating with agitation/excitement. Shawna reports that a gatemaster had repeatedly forced open the gate without the use of crystals, and had done so three times in the past four weeks, most recently about a week ago. This gatemaster is human with some orcish blood.
Chalker looks through the floor, walls, and ceiling. In the ceiling over the bed is a cavity containing a 7' diameter hollow stone sphere. A crack in the sphere aligns with a crack in the ceiling. Shawna says the sphere is magical.
Chalker writes to Trace, who comes and creates a pluggable tunnel to the surface. This emerges into a bright, sunny winter's day in a pasture at the edge of the small town of Windhollow. The group walks to Windhollow and buys horses and supplies. Shawna speaks with some elven rangers who report minor bandit activity in the area.
After riding 25 miles, the group spends the night at a "way station", a cluster of huts intended as shelter for travelers. Again Chalker dreams of the emerald. He asks, "What's your purpose?" There is a mental gasp of astonishment, and a juvenile voice babbles, "It's a wizard!" ("A lucky person," replies Chalker.) The emerald's purpose is "to help, to do what needs to be done!" It urges Chalker, "Link with me and become one with my aura!" "What do you get out of the bonding?" "Fulfill my purpose! Learn stuff!" "Have you ever harmed the person you bonded with?" "Not intentionally! Not lately!" "What are you called?" "What do you want to call me?" "What were you called before?" The emerald gives a few names including 'Esmeralda' and eventually admits its first name was "Emmy, you know, for emerald." "Who was your first master?" Reflexively the emerald replies "Can't talk about it," then immediately does a 180 and says "Shelly Avar created me."
Chalker has heard legends of the Avar clan dating back to the beginning of the previous age; they were pivotal in the creation of several ancient kingdoms. Avar was known as 'elf-friend' at the time the elves were helping the humans emerge from the Dark Ages. The clan was blessed by Cor and granted extended lifespans.
The group rides to a small, pleasant city called Rosemill, named for its prize roses (there is even one plot of bushes in full bloom even though it is winter) and its impressive watermill. Ahn-Lee is the first to spot a man dressed in leathers and wearing a shortsword, who glances over at Chalker and does a double-take. Chalker in turn recognizes the man as Ty Pinton, who he had last seen in another part of the world almost five months ago.
After a moment's hesitation, Chalker beckons Ty over, then introduces him to Ahn-Lee and Shawna. Ty mentions that he's "doing scout work for my employer." At Shawna's prompting, he admits his employer is the Baron in charge of the Dark Guard.
Twilight has fallen, and Chalker gets out his specially-made lantern, inserts six copper coins, lights the lantern, and sets it in the middle of the road. While the others conceal themselves, he stands waiting. Mentally he asks Emmy, "Can you hear me?" There is a faint "Yes" in reply.
Before long a mule-drawn cart comes into view, with six lizardmen arrayed around it. The cart contains a large crate. The lizardmen stop and stare at Chalker. Shawna is given to know that the bloodstone is in the backpack of one of the lizardmen, and inside the crate under restraint is an ancient, very powerful bale.
Chalker announces, "This is a robbery. Give me your jewels, gold, and silver, and you can go." The leader steps forward and hisses, "I, Gressik, will be the one that kills you." A Sense Foes spell is cast from somewhere. Shawna concentrates on the bloodstone. Chalker taunts Gressik, who readies his halberd. Chalker strides forward, raising his hand and calling out "Flame on!"
(The six lizardmen are Gressik (GR), Prass (PR), Kezzid (KE), Blizzik (BL), Narum (NA), and Yissik (YI).)
Chalker strikes GR's right knee, crippling and burning the leg. GR keeps himself from falling by planting the halberd like a staff. Shawna's prayers grant a bonus to her allies. Ahn-Lee fires his crossbow at PR but the bolt goes wide, drawing the attention of YI. GR tries swinging at Chalker, who taunts, "Change your mind yet?" KE charges at Chalker, swinging his great axe; Chalker dodges. NA pulls out a hatchet and hurls it at Ahn-Lee, who acrobatically dodges. YI, a priest, utters a prayer and GR is healed.
Ahn-Lee, running toward NA, draws and throws two knives, striking with one. Ty, running toward BL, hurls a lightning bolt which strikes the wagon. Shawna focuses her will upon the bloodstone and it begins to fracture (-10). GR, who Chalker judges to be an especially strong, expert fighter, swings and misses. KE swings his axe and Chalker is obliged to dodge the "perfect blow." BL charges Ty and misses with his halberd. NA charges Ahn-Lee and misses. Chalker steps forward and chops at GR's left wrist, which GR pulls out of the way.
Shawna continues (-6). YI hisses in his native language (which Chalker understands due to his white amulet), "Cursed holy one!" PR turns, runs at Ty, swings and misses. GR, readying his halberd, steps toward Chalker. KE steps around GR, swings at Chalker and misses. BL swings at Ty and misses. NA readies his halberd, which is glowing. Ahn-Lee showily fast-draws two knives, then lashes out with his foot and kicks at NA, who nevertheless dodges. Ty throws a fireball which strikes PR. Chalker hooks one of the heated coppers from his lantern and pushes toward YI's chest; YI moves and the coin singes his robes. Chalker shouts in lizardman language, "She's not cursed!"
Ahn-Lee stabs at NA's eyes; NA avoids being blinded, but Ahn-Lee's right-hand knife scrapes his browbone. Shawna pours her will into destroying the bloodstone (-15). The top of the crate explodes upward. Ty dodges back from BL. GR swings and Chalker dodges. KE swings, Chalker dodges. BL swings wildly at Ty, misses. NA swings; Ahn-Lee dodges. Chalker thrusts his flaming sword, YI dodges. Ty shoves a Fireball at BL for serious damage.
PR swings wildly, Ty dodges. GR swings and misses Chalker. NA, hissing at Ahn-Lee, readies his halberd. BL swings, Ty dodges. Ahn-Lee lets go of the knife in his right hand, pulls out a poisoned needle, and attempts to jab it into the gash; NA dodges, but Ahn-Lee adroitly catches the knife he just dropped (so he has two knives in his left hand). The bale stands up in the crate. Chalker pulls the coin against YI's skin and sets YI's robes smoldering, feints an attack on GR, then slashes KE; the blow stuns KE. Shawna continues (-13). Ty throws a fireball at BL who dodges; the fireball hits the wagon.