Mage Point

   After a night’s rest in the largest Inn, the group gets cleaned up. Mending of clothes, cleaning gear, armor, weapons and grooming the horses talk up most of the morning, and by noon the group walks up the stone causeway to the blue castle of Tenser. Guards are dressed in azure blue livery with the symbol of Tenser - a black scimitar on a yellow field surrounded by red border. After passing the battlements, adorned with gargoyle mouths poised to spew flaming oil or worse on attackers, you enter into a central courtyard. Beyond the crystal globes mounted along the inner walls and dark purple crystals mounted on tall poles, the place looks like a formidable castle. A few craftsmen work at their trades and guards drill, but otherwise everything is serene. Waiting for you are three individuals.

1)One a slight older man with greying hair, dressed in darkest blue robes embroidered with golden stars, he still wears a golden medallion dedicated to Celestian, the god of the stars and night sky. Felnar, Shaft and Aardgal recognize him as the head librarian in town. He looks more imposing wearing the Mithral Breast Plate and a blue crystalline staff. He introduces himself as Agath of Thrunch. He seems to treat you with polite respect but answers most things with a single word or two.

2)A tall, powerfully built blond man, with a touch of grey at his temples. He wears Full Plate armor, a shield with three gray wolves on a red field. A black long sword and a fancy dagger with a platinum hilt are at his side. He introduces himself as Lord Yrag. He seems bored, and only seems engaged while meeting warriors, reading their armor and weapons, more than their faces.

3)Lastly, a young woman in her twenties. She is extremely attractive, in a dress of Baklunish design. Blue silk embroidered with gold dragons. She has medium cut black hair, and seems of Baklunish ancestry. She smiles and greets you warmly. She introduces herself as Ambrosia. She is delightful, and has a musical laugh. She easily makes up for what her two companions lack in social skill and grace.

  After introductions and a bit of chat, she guides you all into the keep and after a number of turns you enter into an expansive sitting room. The skulls of more than one gigantic dragon red dragon the walls, as do a variety of gigantic weaponry, bizarre and strange weaponry, a few stuffed monsters and the like.

  Ambrosia says: “I believe your group wished to speak with Lord Tenser regarding an artifact you recovered. M’Lord Tenser is very much interested and has returned from his trip. According to Celeste and your group has recovered an object very dear to a certain fiend, a portion of the Rod of Seven parts. Hmmm that would be M’Lord now.” 

  In walks a rather plain looking man in azure blue tunic, bearing a well used black metal staff. He is clean shaven and tanned, and without his robes or staff wouldn’t look out of place serving beer behind any bar. In with him walks a lithe elf, golden haired, wearing golden elfin chainmail shirt along with clothes of exquisite make, and a silver sword on his back. Lastly walks the youngish woman, in the attire of a lady of high station, a green and gold gown, and adorned with jewelry. You are taken aback, since you are used to seeing Celeste in city clothes.

  “M’Lord Tenser, Prince Melf Brightflame and the Lady Celeste.”

Lord Yrag
Ambrosia
Tenser
Celeste
 Prince Melf Brightflame

Reading the Apostolic Scrolls

  The group teleports back to Ellival’s mansion in Diamond Lake with Xil’s body. Ujjal heads to sleep, and in the morning prays to Trithereon ‘the Summoner’, ‘the Liberator and Avenger’ to help his friend Xil return to the living through a Raise Dead spell.

  Ellival’s few remaining staff are packing up his belongings, as he prepares to leave for Celene. He’s had to hire on a few of the local women to prepare for his guests, the clergy of Corellon and Fharlaghn who are preparing to help Ujjal cast the Apostolic scrolls. In attendance are Ilesphere ‘of the Celadon’ and Theramer, priestess and priest of Corellon, Aynwyck Cromwell, Liam ‘the Roamer’, Gideon Greysmare priestess and priests of Fharlaghn.

  During the night Edgrin greets the party, and isn’t surprised that another of the group has died. He confers with Morgrim, and tells him that his fellow traders from the Greysmere Consortium want him to come immediately to the compound. They have a sealed message addressed to him of some importance. Moregrim hustles off and returns within the hour, seeming troubled by whatever has occurred.

  In the wee hours of the night, two cloaked figures meets with Aardgal, Quomara, the half green dragon, half elf, and her half sister, the elf Ilyana Starmane, scion of House Starmane. They meet in private and then they leave. Quomara meets many of the group for the first time, and she flirts with Lath and Shaft. When Ellival reproaches her she laughs at him and takes her leave.

  The dawn comes and with it the prayers of the faithful. Felnar travels to Hardby with Aardgal’s fiancée Isolde, along with a detailed message for the Holy Mother. The two return after a few hours, having teleported there and back with the Apostolic Scrolls and a few other items for Aardgal.

  Ujjal casts a Raise Dead on Xil and then a Restoration and curing spells to bring him to full strength. Xil swears a blue streak, and thanks Ujjal. "Where's my stuff."

  With all in readiness, the group sees Amariss and the clergy of Wee Jas. They bring forth a hooded and cloaked figure, Terra, and in the central courtyard near Ellival's fountain, she kisses Felnar and prays to Obad Hai, Wee Jas, Corellon, Fharlaghn, and Trithereon. They the clergy remove the cloak and as the morning sun touches her she begins to wail and burn. Within the minute she is ash. It is heart rending.

  Ujjal and the rest start to pray, ward and read. Ujjal's strength of conviction allows him to comprehend the words of the scrolls as they twist and blur. Reading them takes something out of the young cleric. Reading the words of the divine and profane twisted together tries his soul. His hair whites a touch at the temples...

Bloody Diamond Lake

  As the town of Diamond Lake slowly begins to rebuild, the group headquarters at the estate of Ellival Moonmeadow. He tells the group that he will be leaving Diamond Lake in a month, likely for a long time. He plans on returning to Celene. He has sold 49% of his mining operation to the Starbrow family, a wealthy and influential family of elven traders and merchants based in Greyhawk City. He seems pensive and seems to little relish the prospect of returning to the elven nation.

  Under Aardgal's advice, the group stays together at the estate. For Celeste, the angel, had warned  that the forces of hell seek the fragment of the Rod of Seven Parts, which the group possesses. Since Felnar's lady, Terra, is in the safety of the Shrine of the Green Lady, he is fine staying with the party, rather than returning to his observatory on the hill.

   After some strong words between Felnar and Ujjal, Ujjal agrees to cast from the dangerous Apostolic Scrolls. Seeing as they are being held by the clergy of Wee Jas in Hardby, a trip is in order.

  Edgrin, having agreed to seek information for Morgrim, has already left for Magepoint, the coastal home of Tenser. Aardgal had asked Edgrin to spy out the place, since the group would likely trade the Rod fragment in the near future.

  The rest of the group leaves for Greyhawk to sell treasure, cast identify spells and otherwise get clean and rest.  The group has a notable encounter on the road*, which leaves them spooked, and upon entering Greyhawk, they keep a low profile and seek out an old ally, 'Uncle Bump' to find a discreet safe house. Almost immediately Aardgal and Felnar teleport to the High Temple of the Ruby Lady in Hardby and then teleport back with the Apostolic Scrolls. He makes a point of leaving the artifact fragment behind in Greyhawk with the group.

  After two weeks of trading, buying and selling, the group leaves Greyhawk, and rides back to Diamond Lake, where they meet Edgrin.

   The town is starting to slowly come to life, but the folk are beaten down. Drunken brawls, fighting and bloodletting are the norm now. Everyone stays out of the groups way. An election for Mayor has been set by agents of the Oligarchy for next month, and most assume that Edgar Tilgast, will win.

  Edgrin meets with Morgrim privately, then relates what he found at Magepoint. Prince Melf 'Brightflame' of Celene is there, and he had an audience with the Prince. In attendance was Celeste. At the meeting he expresses surprise in the discovery of the artifact fragment, and thought Tenser would be willing to buy it from the party. Tenser and some colleagues are away, but are expected back imminently.

  Aardgal seems relieved to have a decent way to rid the group of such a dangerous artifact. Perhaps muses Ujjal, we could have the trade include the casting of a True Resurrection spell...

  While in town, the clerics of Fharlaghn and Corellon are beginning to reassemble for the protective warding needed to cast the Apostolic Scrolls. The assembled clerics are still missing one, and a priestess of Beory, the Flannish earth mother, has been enlisted to fill the needed 6th place.  

  Morgrim is quickly sought out by the dwarven traders from Greysmere, where he is given a message and other urgent news.

The group travels north to Magepoint to meet the archmage Tenser.