The Fire of Truth
3/5/00
Prelude
At Long Lake
What's that? No sunrise! Well, we'll have to see about that...The Manor
Where are they now?
Our spy reports they've headed north again, to the Shoulders of the World.
Good, good, we'll see what old Maguck makes of them...
Summary of the Adventure
The company descends into the volcano along a narrow trail which winds along the outside edge. Beneath them they can see lava and smoke and the volcano looks more active than any of them are comfortable with. Andivari takes point, with Androth and Harkonen close behind.
They travel more than an hour along the spiraling trail before they come to a cave. They pass through the entrance and are attacked while they try to decide which path to take. Their attackers prove to be a force of firenewts and their giant strider mounts.
The creatures breath fire, which has little effect on the group, but does unnerve them. Androth and Harkonen charge one group of four while Malz kills another of their patrols with a well-timed lightning bolt. Andivari and Daran remain alert for other dangers approaching from one of the many corridors, but none materializes. The group presses on, finding and killing eight more newts before determining they are in the wrong cave.
Continuing along the winding path deeper into the volcano, they company chooses to ignore a second cave and proceeds lower into the bowl. A few minutes later they are forced to scramble for their lives when the 'newts above them roll a huge rock at them. Several tense minutes go by as members of the company hang form the ledge, praying the rock will pass them. It does, but another follows. Malz grows weary of the interruption and casts a fly spell.
He carries Androth to a place above the second cave and the two of them injure most of the 'newts involved in rolling the rocks. Rather than face a further barrage of arrows from Androth, the 'newts take up fortified positions inside the caves. Ignoring the danger, Androth and Harkonen attack and are able to overcome the defenders thanks to a timely assist from Malz' web spell.
Hoping to avoid further conflicts, Daran renders the group invisible and creates an illusion of them. They advance down a corridor into a wider room where they are trapped between six mounted newts and six more behind a barricade. Malz uses his wall of ice to kill all but one of the striders. Androth uses his invisibility to get in the middle of the fight. Daran also joins the battle using a confusion spell to destroy their foes tactics.
The newts are killed, along with the salamander who led them, but Andivari is left in dire condition. An argument ensues when the other members of the company ask that Harkonen heal him. Harkonen believes that healing Shea will violate the tenets of his order and refuses to do so. The other members of the company become frustrated with Harkonen's beliefs but realize they won't overcome them. Andivari is healed as best as can be managed and dons some armor to help protect himself in the coming battle.
The group then finds its way to a bedroom in which they find Melius, who claims to be the caretaker of the flame. Despite the intense heat of the room, he is clad in winter wear, including heavy gloves. He explains his duties briefly, then says that Harkonen should not handle the flame. When Harkonen asks for answers, all Melius will tell him is that he values his life and so will not speak. He shows them through a previously hidden door to a narrow bridge over a river of lava. Inscribed on the door are the words:
Neither fish nor flesh,
nor feathers nor bone,
But still has fingers
and thumbs of it's ownBefore anyone can speak or even think, the door is open and Melius is gone, leaving behind only his clothing. The group enters the room and is confronted with an Efreet who guards the censer which holds the flame.
The creature invokes a wall of flame which burns several members of the company, but Androth extinguishes it with one wave of his sword and the battle is joined. The creature fights fiercely, nearly killing Androth, but succumbing to its own wounds first.
Several false starts follow, but none can handle the flame until Harkonen reminds them that the old man was the caretaker of it. Rooting through his clothing they find his gloves. Calidon dons them and is able to take the flame.
In Character Moment(s) of the Night
Harkonen (after drinking loudly from his waterskin): If I fall down dead, kill Jameson
Malz: Your God won't let you heal him even when you're on a mission to defeat your hated enemies?!
Player Moment(s) of the Night
Joe: It's okay, the main characters are here, we'll just leave the sidekicks outside.
Lou: I can't think of a more f'd up individual to give crap to. Oh. Wait, sorry Joe
The Spoils
Experience Summary
Experience Summary
Base experience for this adventure computed as:
Accomplishments Retrieving the Flame 20,000 Roleplaying 20,000 Assorted Monsters, including guardian 20,000 Individual Awards and Totals
Player Adventure Bonuses, penalties and what not Total Andivarai Shea 17,000 Heroic +2,000
“Glove” +5,000110,250 Androth 13,000 Heroic +2,000
Refusing Healing +1,000277,950 Brother Urbane 11,000 Not healing or providing options during quest -1,000
Standing up for beliefs +2,000150,500 Calidon 6,000 Missed most of game -4,000 108,850 Daran 10,000 139,000 Jameson 0 Did not attend 112,415 Malz 14,000 Excellent Spells +2,000
Calling out Harkonen +2,000142,750 
