A sticky end
Next stop was Tarvik. Rather than try to scry on all the potential targets, Yoyo suggested that we go and ask the paladin of Tarvik to come with us. She agreed, and also mentioned an upcoming eclipse which sounded like a good time for doing evil rituals to us.
With Quen Qui aboard the pyramid we headed next for New Tadirr, where we persuaded them to give us some scrolls, and make sure Keswin's daughter was well out of the way. Then it was time to start checking out potential ritual sites.
With the help of Stein from the Tadirran mages we narrowed it down to two possible locations (although Rik did insist on including a third). We decided to visit the floating island and see if we could get some help up there. After all, Dowvark's followers couldn't be all that keen for someone else to become god in place of their lord, could they?
Dowvark's follower (a bard) and wife (a mage) agreed to along with us to have a look at the ziggurat, and we're going there now.
The writing breaks off here, and continues in a thin and spidery hand quite unlike Calia's normal writing.
The ziggurat seemed to be deserted, but was actually surrounded by an illusion. When we stepped through we could see that the top had been prepared for the ritual - and Alleron himself was standing there.
Except Sarflex shouted that it was an illusion.
I was already flying at this point, and managed to avoid the spells that started flying. Yoyo managed to spot the invisible real mage somewhere in the air and got Donaus to dimension door him there. I flew up, and soon one of them managed to dispel his invisibility spell. I got up close to the edge of his force cage to shoot him through the bars. The others teleported into the force cage but were struggling to affect him at all, and a fireball killed Donaus. A prismatic spray hit most of us. I loosed a few more arrows, but then my bowstring broke. And while I was mending it he cast Hold Person.
Suddenly unable to flap my wings I began falling, faster and faster, and the last thing I remember is a moment of incredible agony as my body smashed onto the ground.
I lingered a little while as a spirit, long enough to see Goldy fly down to stand guard over my broken body, long enough to see Alleron dispel his own force cage and the bodies of my companions hitting the ground around me, long enough to see Dazed and Stripy (who hadn't been in the cage) take on Alleron, and Dazed open up the portal and let something out...
Now I seem to be in some kind of inter-dimensional limbo. I should be going to Zoxatics, but with things the way they are right now I don't know if I can get there or what's going to happen to me now. I'm trying to imprint my thoughts into my diary, so at least there will be some record of how I met my end. Maybe Goldy will carry it back to my family. If she doesn't, and someone finds this, send it to Thenin at Lady Wikibile's keep in Ashgrove, or to Mr and Mrs Miller and Blodwen in Angelton.
I'm sorry I failed you, Thenin and Thenin. My companions' wives will need you to look after them, but I'm sure my parents will help you if there's anything you need. I hope you can forgive me.
With Quen Qui aboard the pyramid we headed next for New Tadirr, where we persuaded them to give us some scrolls, and make sure Keswin's daughter was well out of the way. Then it was time to start checking out potential ritual sites.
With the help of Stein from the Tadirran mages we narrowed it down to two possible locations (although Rik did insist on including a third). We decided to visit the floating island and see if we could get some help up there. After all, Dowvark's followers couldn't be all that keen for someone else to become god in place of their lord, could they?
Dowvark's follower (a bard) and wife (a mage) agreed to along with us to have a look at the ziggurat, and we're going there now.
The writing breaks off here, and continues in a thin and spidery hand quite unlike Calia's normal writing.
The ziggurat seemed to be deserted, but was actually surrounded by an illusion. When we stepped through we could see that the top had been prepared for the ritual - and Alleron himself was standing there.
Except Sarflex shouted that it was an illusion.
I was already flying at this point, and managed to avoid the spells that started flying. Yoyo managed to spot the invisible real mage somewhere in the air and got Donaus to dimension door him there. I flew up, and soon one of them managed to dispel his invisibility spell. I got up close to the edge of his force cage to shoot him through the bars. The others teleported into the force cage but were struggling to affect him at all, and a fireball killed Donaus. A prismatic spray hit most of us. I loosed a few more arrows, but then my bowstring broke. And while I was mending it he cast Hold Person.
Suddenly unable to flap my wings I began falling, faster and faster, and the last thing I remember is a moment of incredible agony as my body smashed onto the ground.
I lingered a little while as a spirit, long enough to see Goldy fly down to stand guard over my broken body, long enough to see Alleron dispel his own force cage and the bodies of my companions hitting the ground around me, long enough to see Dazed and Stripy (who hadn't been in the cage) take on Alleron, and Dazed open up the portal and let something out...
Now I seem to be in some kind of inter-dimensional limbo. I should be going to Zoxatics, but with things the way they are right now I don't know if I can get there or what's going to happen to me now. I'm trying to imprint my thoughts into my diary, so at least there will be some record of how I met my end. Maybe Goldy will carry it back to my family. If she doesn't, and someone finds this, send it to Thenin at Lady Wikibile's keep in Ashgrove, or to Mr and Mrs Miller and Blodwen in Angelton.
I'm sorry I failed you, Thenin and Thenin. My companions' wives will need you to look after them, but I'm sure my parents will help you if there's anything you need. I hope you can forgive me.