GoCorral

This session was attended by Will, Trajan, Ben, Avery, and Jamie. Skype was used for voice and video chat while Roll20 was used as a virtual tabletop. Will got to introduce his new character! Woohoo!

The Game is His

Seeing that Phoenix was not currently invested the party decided not to investigate further.
But what to do instead? Should the party take time off from the stress of adventuring to sell their loot and upgrade their gear or should they press what little advantage they might have against the Xorians and accomplish more? Hektor’s voice won the party over. Perhaps the only thing they had on the Xorians was their speed and determination to win. They would continue completing quests that could help against the Xorians.

Which quest next? Tagenadi reminded everyone that Hades had asked them to find the Lots that were cast to divide the world amongst Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Hermes had the Lots currently. Speaking to a priest of Hermes seemed like the best way to contact him, only Hermes had no traditional priesthood. The party settled for speaking to the high priest of the Dalleer Cathedral who represented the entire pantheon. Danar stayed behind to study the library the group had collected from Bavastatner and the Lich Shade. He hoped to find some record of his descendants in the city of Sheerzen.

A large bribe/offering swiftly arranged the meeting with the high priest. The priest entreated the gods in the party’s name and their prayers were answered!

Tagenadi, Hektor, Amalius, and Eathirilu were teleported to a vast white space. The only ornamentation was a well carved table. Two gods sat at the table, one with the unmistakable gold winged hat and sandals of Hermes, the other has feathered wings of his own and a grim shadowed face. Hermes rolled a pair of dice on the table and laughed, “Two fours! Another win! You really aren’t suited for this game are you Zelus?”
The grim faced god spoke, “Perhaps not, but it would be a hard task to convince me you aren’t cheating somehow.”
“An unjust accusation! But look, we have guests.” Hermes turned to the mortals and said, “As you may have guessed I am Hermes, son of Zeus.” Hermes’ sandals flapped as he slid up out of his chair to take a slight bow in front of the party. “And this is Zelus.”
Zelus stepped up out of his chair, showing off his impressive chest and spreading his seraphic wings. “I am Zelus, servant of Hades, bodyguard of Zeus, incarnation of power, and son of Pallas the Titan of War and the River Styx itself.”
The mortals bowed deeply before the gods.
Hermes said, “Zelus, how about another wager? If you win you get my dice to have as your own. If you lose you have to serve these mortals for a year.”
“The stakes may be, but what is the game?”
“A set of challenges that I decide. To make it fair the mortals can assist you.”
Zelus eyed the group before him intently. Taking in every detail of each of the four people before him and processing it. After a minute or two had passed he spoke in a low voice, “Agreed.”
“Splendid! Shall we begin the first challenge?”
“Yes. Let’s.”
Hermes floated down to the table. He picked up the dice which the party now knew to be the Lots they sought. Hermes shook the old bones and tossed them on the table. As they rolled they seemed to grow bigger and bigger until they filled the party’s vision. Hermes’ echoey voice accompanied the rattle of the dice,
“The game is mine!
I cannot lose.
You too can win.
Just learn the rules.”
The dice landed on two fours. Hermes exclaimed as the scene faded to black, “Ooo! A hard eight! Interesting…”

Learn the Rules

The party found themselves outside of a busy hippodrome along with Zelus (Zelus is Will’s new character for those who haven’t figured it out yet. Yes, the party has grown strong enough that even a minor god can join their ranks!). Crowds streamed towards the stadium while salesmen shouted from their stalls that sold food, drinks, souvenirs, and flags of different colors. Many people gathered around the gambling desks where the odds for the winners were displayed. The racers were:
Lucius Felixus, the Green Roman
Targunus, the Blue Greek
Orilan, the Yellow Persian
Heshasumas, the Red Amazon
Finatolo, the Black Xorian
and Drosha, the mystery man in White.

Amalius scanned the minds of the crowd and took note, “None of these people are real. They’re all automatons created by Hermes with no real thoughts of their own.”
Zelus said, “What do we do then?”
“I think we have to learn the rules,” said Hektor, “But first I’d like to learn a little more about you, your divinity. Clearly you are a being of immense strength and prowess, capable of many feats beyond the scope of mortal ability, but Hermes’ challenges will probably require us to work together. If we’re going to defeat them I think we all need to know what we can all do.”
Zelus replied, “I see what you are asking. I have occasionally watched your group from Mount Olympus and heard stories from the other gods as well. I am already familiar with each of your own skill sets. Mine remains the only unknown.” Zelus flexed his wings, “I can fly and my divine magic can bring both life and death. That is all you need know.”
Hektor pressed his lips together and nodded, “Alright then. Let’s solve this first challenge.”
The party talked amongst themselves about what the goal of the challenge even was. Were they supposed to pick the winner and bet on them or enter the race themselves? Ever the prudent one, Amalius suggested, “Why not both? One of us enters the race and we bet on them to win.”
Eathirilu said, “But who would enter? I can turn into a fast horse but I can’t say that I can drive one.”
The group looked amongst themselves. Many of them knew the basics of riding and driving chariots, but none had skills to rival the professionals in the race. Finally Zelus stepped forward, “I may fly most places, but I am the god of competition itself. If I can’t win a race that Hermes setup then no one can.”

The finer details of a plan were worked out. The party would supplement Zelus’s divine talent with three magically summoned horses and a wildshaped Eathirilu as the fourth horse. Their team would be further improved by buff spells cast on the horses and the driver. The group got directions to the race commissioner’s office and went there to enter into the race.

The commissioner greeted them, “Hello! What can I do for you gentlemen?”
Eathirilu said, “We’re looking to enter the race.”
“A last minute entry? That should spark some interest, shake up the betting…” The commissioner spoke half to himself, “I’ll allow it! Who’s racing?”
Amalius indicated their winged companion, “Zelus is our driver.”
“Excellent! And your horses?”
Eathirilu said, “We’ll summon some with magic.”
“Oh no. ‘Fraid not. Magic of that sort is strictly forbidden. Creates an unfair ad-van-tage.” The commissioner enunciated every syllable of the last word.
Amalius said, “We can buy some horses then. There were a few riders outside. It’ll cost, but we have the gold.”
Eathirilu said, “And I can shapeshift to be the fourth horse and enhance all of us.”
Hektor stared bug-eyed at Eathirilu. He’d given away their whole plan! The commissioner said, “Nope, nope. Can’t have any magically enhanced animals whatsoever. Can’t have a man turn into a horse either. This is all about the driver making his team work together, none of that fancy wizard stuff.”
Eathirilu muttered, “It’s druid stuff…”
Amalius said, “It’s fine. It’s fine. We’ll enter the race and Zelus will carry us through.”
“Great! Soon as you get those horses I’ll put you on the docket!”

The party left the commissioner’s office. To purchase horses, the party approached several nobles, who only parted with mounts after haggling for exorbitant prices. Amalius spoke to the party as they went from noble to noble, “We can’t use any lasting magic on the horses, but there may be another way to swing the odds in our favor. I can speak to the beasts’ minds before the race, impress upon them the importance of their task, and link their consciousnesses to aid cooperation.”
“I can help,” said Eathirilu. “Animals trust me. I can speak with them and tell them to follow your instructions.”

After acquiring the animals and a chariot as well, the two spellcasters carried out their plan. The team was told to follow the lead horse who was in turn told to follow the driver’s commands instantly and without question. This was supernaturally drilled into the horses until the will to follow was as strong as any behavioral instinct.

One final thing remained before the race began. Amalius took Defeat, one of the daggers (+4 Keen Icy Blast Adamantine Dagger with Truedeath Crystal) taken from Elijas in Nomingburg, and bet it on Zelus’s victory. Any payout from that bet would surely have high value! The race would be two laps around the hippodrome with a final sprint across the first straightaway once more.

Crowds of people packed the long hippodrome. Criers walked through the stands selling snacks, drinks, and toys. Hektor, Tagenadi, Eathirilu, and Amalius found seats high up, but along the starting line. They sat and waited for the race to begin.

You Too Can Win

The horses took their positions. The chariots were yoked to their respective teams. The drivers mounted their platforms and saluted the crowd. The starter climbed the ladder to the starting platform in the centerfield along the side of the racetrack. He raised the flag above his hand, “On your marks! Get set! GO!” The flag flashed down to the starter’s knees and the race was on!

Targunus the Blue Greek shot into first, followed by Zelus in second, and Finatolo the Black Xorian and Drosha the White Mystery vying for third place. Heshasumas the Red Amazon, Lucius Felixus the Green Roman, and Orilan the Yellow Persian brought up the rear.

The contest between Finatolo and Drosha for third place turned ugly at the first turn. Their wheels locked, preventing a turn. They went straight into the side of the racetrack, the first two wrecks of the day. Zelus slowed and stayed on the inside track, but Heshasumas and Lucius Felixus took advantage and passed him on the outside.

Hektor worried for Zelus as he was falling behind. He began to cast a spell, but as he intoned the magical syllables the crowd’s shouting took a violent turn. Hundreds of eyes in their section turned upon Hektor with murderous intent. Hektor abandoned the magic and coughed, “Wizard cough. Sorry.”

On the second straightaway, Zelus came alongside Orilan. Orilan began to whip Zelus, attempting to force the god to drop back. Zelus concentrated and cast a silent still shatter. The spell’s magic caused Orilan’s left chariot wheel to explode into a million slivers of wood. Shrieking, the Yellow Persian fell from his chariot, landing in the dust and sand as his horses slowed to a stop. Up ahead the other three teams rounded the turn with Zelus following behind.

As they started the second lap, Heshasumas the Red Amazon gave her horses their head. Her team pulled ahead alongside Targunus the Blue Greek. Zelus was able to pull up by Lucius Felixus. Heshasumas and Targunus began whipping each other at the front. The Red Amazon became absorbed in the conflict and missed the third turn. She sailed into the hippodrome wall to add to the wrecks. Meanwhile, Zelus took the inside track on the turn and pulled away from Lucius Felixus.

Targunus the Blue Greek was in first for the fourth straightaway, followed by Zelus, and then Lucius Felixus the Green Roman. Zelus’s lead over Lucius Felixus was minor. The god of agon, competition, wanted to cast another shatter spell, but he if diverted his attention for more than an instant to the spell he would lose his lead over the Green Roman.

Fortunately, Zelus possessed divine power in spades. He cast a silent still quickened shatter upon the left wheel of Targunus’s chariot. The Blue Greek, practiced in the dangers of chariot racing, calmed his horses and quickly moved to the side of the track as Zelus and Lucius Felxius raced passed him.

Zelus urged his horses on around the final turn. He and Lucius Felixus were the only ones remaining in the race. They came upon the last straightaway neck and neck. Zelus gave his horses their head and so did Lucius Felixus. Neither driver paid the slightest attention to the other. They passed the finish line and the starter shouted, “And the winner is Zelus by a head!”

The crowd roared in appreciation. Zelus flew into the sky to receive their shouted accolades. As he flew up a wooden box appeared in his hands. He opened it and inside was a potion containing a metallic liquid swirling with all the different colors in the world.
In the stands, a similar wooden box appeared in Amalius’s hands along with the dagger, Defeat, as payment for his bet.

“Congratulations,” Hermes voice echoed throughout the hippodrome as the crowd cheered. “Now on to the next challenge.”

Forced Choice

The crowd’s cheers receded and the party found themselves in a medium-sized, square, stone room. Two stone doors stood on the wall they faced. On the left door was written, “Dragon Spider,” and on the right, “Spider Dragon.” The room was bare beside the two doors.

Eathirilu opened the discussion of which door would be best. The mention of a dragon made it clear they would have to fight whatever was behind one of the doors. What was the party best suited to fight? The choice seemed irrelevant. What was the difference after all, between a dragon spider and a spider dragon? Amalius flipped a coin and the group chose the Dragon Spider door.

Opening the door teleported the party to a large cavern with lava covering the lower floor. Pillars, platforms, and bridges rose out of the hot sulfurous liquid. Each of our stalwart adventurers appeared on a different pillar clustered near the edge of the room. At the far end of the room was a gigantic red spider. The arachnid’s scaled carapace was covered in spines and wicked barbed mandibles clacked together as the party appeared.

Tagenadi jumped off his pillar onto the nearest platform. The party was fortunate that they were all warded against fire due to Eathirilu’s daily protections. The heat rising from the lava would inconvenience them no more than it did the eight-legged beast who called this place home.

The spider scuttled forward, its huge legs straddling the different platforms in the lava. Mandibles widened and the beast spit forward a spray of fire. The flames were hot enough to burn through a portion of Eathirilu’s protections, scorching the party. Luckily they were used to this sort of thing and shrugged the damage off without complaint.

Hektor stayed on his platform and began casting a summoning spell. Eathirilu leaped forward off his platform and started a summoning of his own. Amalius turned invisible and flew to a new vantage point in the cavern. Zelus stepped off the platform to cast a healing spell on the party, removing any burns caused by the spider.

The spider angled its spiked mandibles, moving them like a farmer would move a piece of straw in his mouth. SHUUMP! Both mandibles shot forward away from the spider on tendinous strings. One glanced off Eathirilu’s armor but the other impaled itself in his leg. Eathirilu felt a pulling force. He heard a winding noise as the spider’s sinews began to retract the barbed mandibles. Luckily, Eathirilu had placed a freedom of movement enchantment on himself. The barb slipped out of his leg, leaving a nasty wound. The injury caused Eathirilu to cry in pain, ruining his summoning magic. The mandibles returned to their positions beside the spider’s mouth.

Tagenadi moved forward and gained the spider’s attention. This allowed Eathirilu to sneak round behind the arachnid to flank it. Hektor completed the summoning of his own gigantic spider which attacked the dragon spider ineffectually. He also cast an acid fog that enveloped their enemy’s front. Behind the beast, Eathirilu saw the spider began to flash between green and red coloration.

Amalius souped up an electric energy wave and threw it into the fog. The green mist crackled with lightning. Blue was added to the mix of colors flickering on the spider’s exoskeleton before Eathirilu’s eyes.

Zelus pumped negative energy into the dragon spider, causing cracks to appear in its armor. The spider began to step out of the fog and bit into Eathirilu. The druid’s training helped him to resist the poison as it coursed through his veins. Eathirilu transformed into a T-Rex and joined Tagenadi and Hektor’s spider in attacking the dragon spider back. Hektor attempted a disintegrate spell but found the spider resistant to its destructive magic.

Amalius and Zelus joined in throwing negative energy at the spider. The beast clacked and waved its legs in pain. It turned on the biggest collection of party members, Tagenadi, Hektor, and Zelus, and breathed upon them. This time it was not just fire, but electricity and acid, that left its mouth. The same elements they had used to previously damage it! The party was not so well protected against all these elements and took more damage than before from the attack. More attacks from Tagenadi, Eathirilu, Amalius, Zelus, and Hektor’s spider eventually resulted in the dragon spider’s death. It collapsed on the platforms and slipped into the lava below.

Hermes appeared in the air above and applauded the party, “Well done! Your next task is something that even the great hero, Hercules, had difficulty with, stealing a golden apple from the Garden of the Hesperides. Be warned, the Garden is guarded by the hundred-headed dragon, Ladon.”