Session Recap - 2 September 2011

From Loranon

Session Recap
2 September 2011
Start Date	15 April 1002
End Date	19 April 1002
Adventure Locations	Wilderness, Oclaut
Previous Session	26 August 2011
Next Session	9 September 2011

Participating Characters

Heimdalsgate, Jalfrezi, Pan Oros, Therthyra Brutebeard

Onward to Oclaut

Leaving Mossoak and the druidic ruins behind, the party headed northerly towards Oclaut, a mining town. During the first day of their travel, another earthquake hit Northern Kandor. While the ground was shaking, the party noticed a strange black chain leading off to the sky in distance. It seemed to attach to an island floating in the air. As the earthquake settled down, the island and chain vanished before their eyes. The party took note of the floating island's location, but continued heading towards Oclaut.

During the second day of the trip, the party stumbled upon a large warband of Splittongue Clan orcs. The warband pursued the party as they fled deep into the Nomandi Mountains to the east. The party eventually shook the pursuers.

Orcs and large-bred worgs attack the party.

During their flight, the party stumbled upon some steps carved into a cliffside. Climbing the steps, they observed a closed stone door. After some effort to open the stuck door, the sun illuminated the room beyond to reveal a translucent, floating, vaguely humanoid-shaped creature. It was reddish-pink in hue and glowed slightly. It rose its head to look at the party, but simply bobbed slowly in place. At first, the party slammed the door shut without stepping into the room, but curiosity eventually guided them several party members into the room. The incorporeal creature became hostile, and sucked energy from Jalfrezi before the party retreated. The creature did not pursue the fleeing party members, and the party decided not to attempt further exploration.

The party prepare to enter the spirit's cave.

The party continued towards Oclaut, finally reaching the River Drearian. A quick haggle with a ferryman got the group across the river and they soon arrived in Oclaut.

The party arrives in Oclaut.

Whispers of the Wizard

Jalfrezi arranged a meeting with Afi Heitani, an aging wizard and merchant.

Afi Heitani:

So. What are you about?

Jalfrezi:

I was told by, uh, Fruitsnacks... Fripplesnacks...sticks...

Afi Heitani:

Are you talking about that gnome?

Jalfrezi:

Yes, that gnome! He said that you might be a good source about the wizardly arts. To give me some tips.

Afi Heitani:

Uh, you are aware that Boccorit is a short trip from here, right?

Jalfrezi:

Yes, I am from Boccorit. I feel like I have learned most of what I can from that... city.

Afi Heitani:

So, you have come to me to learn more than you can in Boccorit, the bastion of the arcane in all of Kandor?

Jalfrezi:

Yes.

Afi Heitani:

I don't understand.

Jalfrezi:

I was told by... that gnome that you would be able to help me. He didn't tell me anything else.

Afi Heitani:

Do you have a speciality?

Jalfrezi:

I am what you might call a controller... I am able to manipulate the battlefield.

Afi Heitani:

Controller, eh? You like to control the battlefield? Is that all you wish to control?

Jalfrezi:

No, I like to control many things.

Afi Heitani:

Why don't you appreciate a well-placed fireball?

Jalfrezi:

A fireball is a little too ham-fisted for my taste.

Afi Heitani guffawed.

Afi Heitani:

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. You amuse me. What is your name?

Jalfrezi:

Jalfrezi.

Afi Heitani:

Well. I am in skilled in control myself. I agree with you about the ways of many flashy wizards. You've come here to learn?

Jalfrezi:

I have.

Afi Heitani:

Hmm... It has been a long time since I have taken on an apprentice. Is that what you wish to be? (Derisively) An apprentice?

Jalfrezi:

I... uh... wish to learn from you so that I might be more than an apprentice.

Afi Heitani:

Ah! Yes! Someone who is looking out for himself. I make apprentices wipe up the dung heaps. I make apprentices go out and write contracts. I make apprentices do my shitwork. It sounds to me like you wish to learn.

Jalfrezi:

I do wish to learn.

Afi Heitani:

I think you'll understand that my methods of teaching are a little bit different than what you may be used to in Boccorit. I don't believe in sending a student to the library where he must read books for eight hours straight. I do not believe for you do to controlled experiment after controlled experiment on alchemical substances where you never see the light of day. My believe is that you learn best and gain the most experience when you are out in the field.

Jalfrezi:

I am fond of experience. Your methods of teaching sound awfully refreshing. I tire of reading in the library of Boccorit.

Afi Heitani:

Tell me of your experience thus far.

Jalfrezi:

I have lived most of my ilfe in Boccorit and done much studying there, but recently I have joined an adventuring party and we have faced many obstacles.

Afi Heitani:

Such as? I don't care what they did. I'm sure they hack and slash shit and heal wounds and fucknot. I want to know what you have done to control the battlefield, to control the foes you faced.

Jalfrezi:

One really cool think I can do. You know magic missle, right?

Afi Heitani:

Yes, I am familiar with that crude force bolt.

Jalfrezi:

Ah, yes. It is a crude spell. But I am able to trip things with it. I am also able to call stones from the very air itself to make the terrain difficult for my foes to navigate.

Afi Heitani:

Well, do you have any other wizardly aspiratations?

Jalfrezi:

Well, yes. I do wish to focus on earth-based magics. But I really just want to get better at control.

Afi Heitani:

So you want to learn under me?

Jalfrezi:

I do.

Afi Heitani:

Okay, then. Well, learning isn't free. I require my students to go out into the field, sometimes into life-threatening fields. Are you sure you wish to study under me?

Jalfrezi:

Yes, I do.

Afi Heitani:

Alright. I'm going to start you off with three tasks. After you have finished these three tasks, I want you to come back to me and we can discuss your future. Before I speak on these tasks, we must discuss tuition. For me to tell you what I am about to tell you, I require a certain amount of commitment. I don't need your money, but I find a good amount of money show commitment to finish things. Two of things that I'm about to share with you, very few people know. Your first payment of tuition will be 1000GP.

Jalfrezi agreed to pay the tuition and a servant carried off the gold.

Afi Heitani:

Okay, the first thing I want to tell you. If you are to be a master controller, you really need constant experience. As you continue your experiences to control both people and the battlefield around you, things will become easier for you, okay? So my first task for you is a simple one, one that you have been doing already. I want you to go out and control things. Show me that you have experience in controlling things, I want you to apply two hundred status ailments to creatures. Now, knocking things unconscious doesn't count, however knocking things prone does count as long as they were knocked prone because they were knocked unconscious. You can make things dazed, you can make things nauseated, you can make things sickened, you can make things prone. This is your primary focus. They have to be done in the experience of battle. I don't want you to go up to an innocent horse and start abusing the crap out of it. This has to be real experience. I don't want you do be a Boccorit asshole standing at a spellrange flinging spells with no sense of danger. For you second task, I'm going to share with you a secret. There is a spell that cannot be scribed into any spellbook. There is a spell that cannot be written to any scroll. There is a spell that can only be memorized from the walls it is written upon in some ruins beneath Mount Killris. I want you to go there and memorize this spell. You need to bring that spell back to me with it in your memory without casting it. I am going to give you a map and this map will guide you to the entrance to the ruins.

Jalfrezi:

Do you know what circle the spell is from?

Afi Heitani:

It is of the third circle. If you cast the spell before you get back to me, you will have to return to Mount Killris and rememorize it from the spellwall. Thirdly, there are certain wild elves in the Kharadin Woods that do pursue the arcane. I want you to go to the Kharadin Woods, to a village named Streamwind. Ask the wild elves there about the Arcane Focus of Control and they will guide you to a site far to the northeast of their village. There you will be able to focus, to attune yourself to the site. Now, you may be overcome with certain feelings. You need to fucking push those feelings down. You need to kill those feelings. When you come back to me, I will be able to tell if you are attuned. If you do not wish to return to me after you have become attuned, I will understand, and I will keep your tuition as forfeit. But if you are able to push those feelings down and come back to me after you have completed these three experiences, then I will be able to guide you into becoming a master controller.

Jalfrezi:

That sounds like a lot to do.

Afi Heitani:

I do need to tell you, if you reveal the location of the spellwall or if you tell anyone about what happens when you become attuned to the the Arcane Focus of Control, I have ways of knowing and I have ways of dealing with that transgression. DO NOT reveal the location of the spellwall. DO NOT reveal the results of becoming attuned. It is fine if your hack and slashy companions know where the ruins are, but do not tell them the purpose for going there. Tell them that is is for HACKING STUFF, and LOOTING SHIT, and KILLING THINGS, and HEALING WOUNDS. Do you have any questions about this course of instruction?

Jalfrezi:

No, I do not. It seems straightforward enough.

Afi Heitani:

Do not return to me until the experiences are complete.