http://women.msn.com/48212.armx

The above is a rather scarey article, if you think about it.  People want all of the benefits of a marriage without any of the responsibilities.  Remind me to not date again if I ever get the urge.  I don't think I want to have to put up with that kind of a world.

Well, on the first of August we played Jackson's D&D game.  Jer had used the Palantir to track fifty of the escaping undead.  He told us of the whereabouts of the closest ones, and we aimed for the one in an abandonned ruins below us in the same mountain (mostly because it required the least amount of travel).  The ruins turned out to be a former monastery for monks of Ilmater. 

We explored the ruins looking for the incorporeal undead only to find an ice elemental in the well!  It was too powerful for Squig to Turn (even with a nat' twenty!), but it did convey to Squig in Aquan that it had been summoned there to bring cold and pain to all who dared be present.  It didn't seem to be too interested in leaving, and when we over stayed our welcome he tried freezing us like he had the former occupants.  We fled, only to stumble into a spike trap which nearly killed Rylis and Squig.  The traps were so old that they broke when they were sprung, leaving us traped in spikes from both sides.  Thankfully Skred is a half-dragon and was strong enough to crowbar the spikes off of us. 

As they were rescuing us, the undead creature passed by and dropped through the floor at a dead in.  The rest of the party tracked it, and we caught up to them as the rouges figured out the trick to opening the secret stairwell.   We went down only to discover a secreted, yet spartan, sleeping chamber.  The only things other than an ancient bed, chest, and more doors was a mannequin torso with magical studded leather. 

Zed jumped on the ancient bed, only to cause it to disintegrate into a cloud of dust which filled the whole chamber.  That was when the undead returned (while we were blinded!) and tried level draining a few of us.  Luckily, it was fled when we tried to Turn it.  Unluckily, we didn't get the chance to destroy it.  Squig used his Flask of Neverending Water to hose down the dust in the room, after which they had him remove the armour from the mannequin.  The rouges then opened the chest only to find a magical scourge.  Ryllis figured that in order to activate it, one probably probably had to suffer in the name of Ilmater.  When it didn't work for her, she suggested Zed try it.  After all, Zed's family is a member of the church of Ilmater in Waterdeep, and he has been resurrected by the church of Ilmater.  When it still didn't seem to activate anything, Squig suggested wearing the armour at the same time. 

THAT WAS A BAD IDEA!!  The second he was wearing the armour and used the scourge on himself, a ghostly apparition of Lovitar came from the mannequin and struck Zed, unraveling the skin from his body like the orange peel is unraveling at the Orange Stinger at Paradise Pier, DCA, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA, USA.  His muscles and internal organs then shattered outwards and struck all in the room.  Those that failed their Fortitude saves lost 1d4 permanent points from each of their physical attributes (that was Leone and Squig).  Then his bones clattered to the floor.  Zed had no saving throws, the poor guy.  Ryllis and Squig took their unintended murder of Zed rather hard. 

On the 2nd of August we played Pitcher's D&D game.  Jason, the roommate of Chris, Jon, Kristy, and Russ (from the old MSHAG campaign) joined as a human first level scout (Mercenaries book)/first level ranger.  He excells at ranged combat, obviously. 

Those of us on the circuit of the city outskirts completed it without incident and met the new guy and Master Lee back at the tavern.  The new guy was told by his mentor (who was unable to come to Dagger Falls himself) to report to Rodolpho Redd when he arrived.  Thus, we both share the same mentor.  After introductions were made, we learned that our next assignment would be to check out where drow bands were coming from that were harassing the dwarven porters at the falls for which Dagger Falls is named. 

So early in the morning we headed out to the falls and met the porters and their mule team.  We followed behind a mule team and started looking for places where the drow could likely ambush the porters.  We found a few likely outcroppings and caves.  So, after we reach the top and spoke to the porters up there, we returned back down the cliffside to investigate the places we had spotted.  The dwarves had told us of a bear so big that lived in one of the caves, that whole teams of dwarves had failed to return from its lair.  While the new guy and Cap were sent to watch the next mule team come down the cliffside, the other three went in and killed the bear while its drow master fled deeper into the cave system.  When we returned, Cap was asked to skin the bear and save what meat he could, which was easy enough. 

I'm only two sessions behind on each of those now.  I'll catch up one of these days.  Today I went to an early mass so that I could attend a Shadowfist event.  It was fun, but I'm not going to make it a habit.  I like the 17:00 hours mass much better than the morning masses, and Shadowfist isn't worth more than an occassional inconvience. 

The following quiz is from National Talk Like a Pirate Day. It was loads of fun.  Perhaps I should have wrote an entry here on that day. 

Do you remember the last time you took a chance? I do. It was when you decided to leave the security of your mother's womb and headed for the bright light. It's time to head for the next bright light, my friend. Creativity is not your strong suit. You are good at doing what you are told to do and that, in itself, is a gift. It's not a gift to you, mind you, but rather a gift to those who will be there to tell you what to do. You like long walks on the beach and cuddling, but would never admit that to your Guy friends who think you are okay but can't always remember your name. Tapioca pudding seems a bit extreme for a fellow such as yerself, what with all the bumps and stuff. It's a good thing ye be on a pirate ship, otherwise, ye'd would be walkin' because ye be positively pedestrian. Have a nice day.

What's Yer Inner Pirate?
brought to you by The Official Talk Like A Pirate Web Site. Arrrrr!

Good night everybody, and God bless!