*Posted with permission from the author Shadow Riter
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Daniel hurried into the room and got right down to business.
Last time some of you showed me some signs in the Brit mountains. A book was found in archaic cipher. It was Algenon’s hand writing. Did any of you manage to decode it?
Jocelyn and Moxxi both piped up “ I am not good at decoding”
Daniel looked at them and shook his head.” It is alright. I am not good at Potions. I have other skills.*flips a dagger out of nowhere and back again* as do you. We are all valuable in our endeavors. All skills are needed. Still we must practice all so we can be the best we can be. Can you fill me in on events this week? Have any of you seen any sign of Algenon since we last met?”
Rei put his quill down. “Let’s go look for him”
Daniel Ravens pulled one side of his mouth “ Amonos told me he was going to check out the hideout with the guard.I guess he really is lazy and didn’t”
The following conversation ensued.
Ansatsu looked up from his book.” We did that. We saw his work though. The bodies that were turned into stone”
Daniel Ravens: oh I do not think Algenon turns bodies to stone
Ansatsu: No it was a side effect of one of his potions
Daniel: was it in Ter Mur?
Queen Mum: Aye at the hut we found
Daniel Ravens: but there were no bodies there when we saw the hideout last time
Ansatsu: This was south of the hideout
Daniel Ravens: *scratches head*
Daniel Ravens: what potion has that side effect
Daniel Ravens: *thinks*
Daniel Ravens: not heal
Rei: invisibility potion
Daniel Ravens: perhaps
Queen Mum: there are stone bodies still on the ground though near the hut where the battle was
Daniel Ravens: cure gives you bad breath, all the garlic
Daniel Ravens: night sight makes you itchy when you make it. I do not like spider silk on my hands
Jocelyn:giggled itchy
Rei: wither gives you the runs. : =(
Daniel Ravens: really?
Rei: yes next day=(
Daniel Ravens: *makes note not to drink wither pot*
Daniel Ravens: mandrake makes you sleep: so often heal pot makes you feel tired
Rei: but to stone?
Rei: there isn’t a potion that turns you to stone
Daniel Ravens: I have never drunk explode. I would think it gives heart burn
Jocelyn: that's probably a good thing Daniel
Soul Annex: I solved the book! I have decoded it. Should I say what it says?
Soul Annex: I AM BEING CHASED. GOING INTO HIDING. I WILL NOT GET CAPTURED AGAIN.
Daniel Ravens: ohhh. Soul is very good at decoding
Daniel Ravens: There is book at the Brit moongate that speaks of Natasha. Do you know Natasha?
Some of the group shook their head. No
Daniel Ravens: I see
Daniel Ravens: I would like to find Algenon. I am worried. Let’s go to NuJel’m.
When we got to NuJel’m we head to the Mystical tavern. Two of the prodigies were chatting just outside the doors. We greeted them. “hello ladies”
Daniel Ravens: we are looking for your Master teacher
Alchemy Prodigy 1: I have not seen him
Alchemy Prodigy 2: nor have I
Daniel Ravens: where have you looked?
Alchemy Prodigy1: I have searched everywhere
Alchemy Prodigy2: AS have I. He is missing. Sarah has not seen him either.
Alchemy Prodigy1: If Sarah cannot find Teacher. No one can.
Ixtab: what about Emily ?
Alchemy Prodigy2: Yes she is meditating. I think.
Alchemy Prodigy1:yes by the water pool. She likes it there.
Alchemy Prodigy2: AS have I. He is missing. Sarah has not seen him either.
Alchemy Prodigy1: maybe someone has hurt him. You should investigate
Dance : We are planning to
Alchemy Prodigy1: good because he was looking very frail.
Daniel Ravens: ok then we go to the water
We left the city and head to the pool where the prodigies liked to relax. It was a lovely small pond in a clearing surrounded with stately trees. Emily was sitting cross legged under a big Yew tree.
Soul Annex: why are you hiding?
Daniel Ravens: I see you are in the shade hello Emily.
Alchemy Prodigy: Oh I am so upset
Soul Annex: why
Alchemy Prodigy: I searched for the master but he was nowhere to be seen
def: Emily what happened
Alchemy Prodigy: I do not know. I looked in all the places we would normally meet. I fear for his life.
Lord Buck: Why would you have this fear?
Alchemy Prodigy: People want to use him.
Seymore:I am sure he can care for himself. He is a grown man.
Alchemy Prodigy: He was very frail when I saw him last.
Moxxi: You promised to find him for us
Alchemy Prodigy: I know I said I would find him for you. Maybe he was kidnapped.
Kali: Where did you see him last?
Alchemy Prodigy:I saw him near the moongate in Brit.
You see: blend
Rei: where?
Soul Annex: he was being chased
Daniel Ravens: hmm Kidnapped
Rei: kidnapped?
def: who chased you
Daniel Ravens: did any of you look by the brit moongate?
Alchemy Prodigy: I looked in all the places we would normally meet.
Vitamin: Perhaps we should go to the Brit Moongate?
Sataria: I think so too. Go to where he was last seen and look for clues.
Thus we headed east to the blue bubble and looked about.
Jocelyn: I think Q Elf Sandy looked here. I know she has searched several places for clues
Rasesar Wej: *picked up a book and read*. Looks like another book from Algenon but this is not in code.* he passed it around.
Daniel Ravens: last time we saw many of the: items near the old guard buildings in the pass. Shall we go to Ter Mur? : I should like to see these bodies.
Jocelyn: certainly
Ansatsu: yes
Daniel Ravens: lead the way
We led Daniel back to the hut. He was testing us as we knew he had been there before. As we approached the rock we were all surprised to see just a big boulder.
Daniel Ravens: no? ok, so you said they were south. How far south Ansatsu?
Ansatsu: Bodies were right there
Daniel Ravens: they are not here now. *looks about* no bodies
Ansatsu: They were around here. But now there by this house
Buck: west
Daniel Ravens: west?
We walked up to the hut ever on alert. We did not want another battle so soon. The last one had left me with hundreds of stitches in my left side. Once we got to the west side of the hideout we saw the bodies that once circled the great Boulder.
Daniel Ravens in a very matter of fact voice: hmm these have been moved.
Ansatsu: yes
Daniel Ravens: I wonder if the pattern means anything
Ansatsu: They were around that mountain
Daniel Ravens: mountain? You mean that little rock? Let’s re investigate the hut.
We entered and looked about. Everything seemed much as it did before. The pack still sat locked beside the north bed. Sleeping rolls were neatly places around the room. What is that under the bed?
Ansatsu: Recipe…Look under that bed. *He looked closer* alchemy recipe
Daniel Ravens: *nod* Do you recognize it?
Soul Annex in a hopeful voice: perhaps his underwater breathing potion recipe
Daniel Ravens: I should like that. It would be a useful potion. Buy Alas I doubt I would have the skill to prepare it.
Daniel Ravens: I do not see Natasha here. Nor do I see anything that would link her to here. I think she must stay at the Warehouse near the docks.
We stepped back outside into the bright light and looked around again.
Daniel Ravens: What do you think took place here?
Ansatsu: Rituals
Jocelyn: death and destruction
Daniel Ravens: these bodies are marble white
Soul Annex: looks like someone killed some granite gargoyles and arranged them nicely
Daniel Ravens: it is like there essence of life is gone
Jocelyn: *nods*
Soul Annex: looks like an arrow
Ansatsu: One of the bodies talked to us..
Daniel Ravens: oh
Jocelyn: it did? truly?
Ansatsu: I came with Amonos and the Guard. We were beset by Gargoyle guards and Revolutionaries. This one Spoke as he died.
Daniel Ravens: what did it say?
Moxxi: it said Help Us
Ansatsu: It was clinging to life but we did not have any healer with the skill to help it. Queen Mum tried. But it couldn't be saved
Jocelyn: oh dear!
Daniel Ravens: there is more here than meets the eye
Jocelyn: seems so
Daniel Ravens: you say they were by the rock down there circling it?
Moxxi: the rock caught fire
Ansatsu: yes they were all around this. And Moxxi is right The rock caught fire. Evil magic?
Daniel Ravens: rocks are important to Gargoyles
Daniel Ravens: the ground is well packed. There must have been several here for this ceremony.
Soul Annex: perhaps analyze a sample of this rock? Who has a pickaxe?
Jocelyn: *checks pack for pickaxe*I do not!
Some of us dug for ore to see if the mound had any special properties.
Daniel Ravens: looks like ore. Iron ore. Just a rock.
Daniel Ravens: BUT do you think this rock is shaped like a ghost? See here the head arms and feet. Daniel walked about pointing out what he described. Big tummy and arms
Lord Edward Manytoes: or a baby in swaddling
Daniel Ravens: perhaps it is significant. Maybe it is a rebirth ritual.
Soul Annex: could also be a burial mound maybe something buried beneath it
Daniel Ravens: oh, yes maybe
Jocelyn: could be
Daniel Ravens: this is a lot for us to consider
Daniel Ravens: WE have discovered much tonight...
let us meet again on Friday, November 25 here in the Serps Hold Guard Hall at 5pm PT, 6pm MT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET to discuss any new clues and what is should be our next plan of action.
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~Shadow Riter