Episode 3: That Wizard Came from the Moon

Summary
''Up high above you, the sun out of time drifts overhead. It is white and yellow, and red, it is small, and large, and bloated, taking up a quarter of the sky, all at the same time. Next to it in the distance, you see a vision of a blue and green planet, swimming in the black void. Lush greenery cushions you under you back. Soft grasses, hyacinths, roses, snowbells, and more. As you look around, you rest in the center of three prominent features; a tall white tower of marble, with doors of pearl, and stained glass windows, a placid lake, sparkling blue under the rays of the sun, and a great oak tree, hory and overgrown with ivy, with a large hollow just out beyond head height. A woman steps forwards, stepping gently towards you over the grasses. She has pale, iridescent skin. She is large and soft. She is wearing a pale, grey peploes, like the draped Grecian gown often seen on urns or statuary. She has a round face with sparkling gold eyes, and soft pastel pink hair, in Grecian ringlets around her face, crowned with a wreath of night blooming jasmine. She smiles at you and says; "Welcome. It's so good to see you. I do hope you will return often. I am Selune."''

They all wake, except for Enkara. Some of the adventures recognize this woman as the Goddess of the Moon. Sarrek, for a split second, panicks and checks his possesions, making sure he had all of his belongings, not finding anything missing. The Goddess explains how she carried them to this place, upon dying. She mentions she brought them here because they had a Tear of Selune, and if they brought her more, she could take the power from the tear, and invest it within them. She however, says that her powers are limited, especially when it comes to the future and the matters at hand. They are told they can return their world, if they only gaze into the reflecting pool. They can also return to the Gardens of the Moon, through a ritual

Sarrek asks about the tower and the tree, learning that the tower has been barred for some time, and Selune does not remember how to enter. The tree is home to a beaked trickster who resides in the hollow and could procure them different goods. Upon hearing this, Sarrek walks over to investigate the hole in the tree. As he bgins to look inside the hollow, a silver-white crow launches it's head out of the tree with a sudden shriek, causing Sarrek to fall back, onto his ass. The crow stares it's moonstone eyes at Sarrek and in a screchy voice, says; ''"You give shinies, Shinies for Mane." ''Interested, Aya asks Mane for powerful artifacts, namely, ones that can call power from elder gods. She takes a few coins, tosses it up, and the crow deftly grabs it between his beak, and returns to within the tree. After a few shuffling sounds, Mane comes back up, and drops a leather bag, containing a pair of bone dice, which has skulls in place of the side usually having six pips.

While Armaros, Sarrek, and Aya peruse the crow's Wares, Enkara wakes up, and is greeted by Selune, and briefed by Aya. Finished with shopping, Selune continues explaining what she can do once the party brings her back her tears, she also can identify an items magical properties. She reaches into the sky, grabs the corners of the sun and pulls four long needles of sunfire from it's rays, and asks the party to holds out their hands. One by one she pierces the needles into thier hands, lengthwise. Now, when the come across a Sunfire braziers, they can place a hand on it, and speak a secret the sun hasn't seen, to ignite the brazier, and return to the moon to ressurect fallen companions.

Sarrek walks off towards the lake, which is where they were told the way to return to the world they came from is. In the pool is a reflection of the room they last investigated, with a lit Sunfire brazier, a dragon sculpture, a fireplace, and a table surrounded by chairs, with a card game on top. Upon looking in, he then looks around, already in the very room. The others join. The whisper of the Jailer greets them once again. They all agree to go after the Jailer, wanting revenge. First, they go out to the portcullis area, where the Tear of Selune was dropped. There they see a lone spear guard, standing. Aya quickly and mercilessly vaporizes the guard with an Eldritch blast. Armaros grabs the tear, as Sarrek ponders the possibility that the spear guard they just dealt with, maybe the same guard they killed before they went to the Gardens of the Moon. He walks to the left and looks out through the portcullis, and on the drawbridge they see the three guards they encountered before visiting the moon, standing. Sarrek tells the rest, and they question whether or not the Jailer will remain dead if he is beaten.

Before they attempt the Jailer, they decide to return the tear, in hopes of being imbued some of its power. Returning through the brazier, and talking to Selune, she finally specifies that she needs three tears to distill enough power for them. The party is so displeased, Selune decides to bestow the power of a single tear amongst the four of them, which seems to have no effect.

They return to the room, and Armaros quickly dispatches the same guard that Aya had dealt with earlier. They then attempt to quietly make their way down to face the Jailer, the one that had sent them to the Gardens of the Moon for the first time. They can see the Jailer, whispering as he always does, to a figure in one of the cells. The left-hand wall has a slimy sloped hole leading downwards. They light a torch to initiate the combat. As Armaros and Enkara begin the assault on the Jailer, Sarrek tries to stealth grabs the key, but instead, awkwardly grabs at the Jailer's waist. The Jailer easily takes Sarrek out with one blow, but the other party members quickly end the Jailer shortly after.

They take the keys that the Jailer had, as the prisoner begins to beg for his release. He says he was suspected of thievery. Enkara has enough insight to know that he is an absolute liar, but the party agrees to let him free in exchange for a bright red, pristine ruby. Sarrek believes he has nowhere to go, as the portcullises are closed, and the other door is barred. The prisoner leaves and Aya inspects the ruby, which eventually appears to be a rock that holds an elaborate illusion to look like a gem.

Sarrek goes up the stairs and investigates where the prisoner had gone. No doors are opened, no tracks in the sand or dirt. He goes out to the portcullis area, where he hears a creak, and a thud, followed by the gurgling sound of burning oil falling towards him. He manages to dodge most of it, but still weak from the jailer, it's enough to drop him. The party tends to his wounds and helps him come back to his senses. After a rest and a quick snack, they decide to go down through the sloped hole from the room of cells. They reach a large and natural room, in the center, a set of blood oozes rest in a low pit, surrounding a giant blood ooze with three eyestalks. In the pit is a collection of objects; a set of scintillating red vials, two in a leather casing, a scroll case, a lantern, and a coiled rope. Along the wall, hangs upside down, prisoners with paley wax skin. The wall in the far back, about 60 feet away is a faint blue glow, sparkling. Above the blue glow is a hole in the ceiling. The large ooze in the center forms a mouth, and bellows; "HUN-GRY!"

Main Characters

 * Armaros
 * Aya
 * Enkara
 * Sarrek Bashaa

NPCs

 * Selune
 * Mane
 * The Prisoner

Special Enemies

 * The Jailer

Cumulative Statistics
Statistics that track across the entire series.