Season 3: Episode 19: The Flames Card Report

General Summary

Date: The Month of Intuition 27th, 997 AC (Tuesday).   Running across the plateau, away from Riktor Town, Grandad pulls a card from the deck of many things.   In an instant, Kobble blacks out and hits the ground, Thia misty steps behind Cecil, while Mimzy, Righteousness, Cecil, and Grandad continue running. Commander Leaflet and Nikle move as well, leaving Sally and Knuckle near Grandad as a blast of fire engulfs Grandad's exact position. All are not seriously injured, other than Sally who burns to a crisp in an instant.    While unconcious, Kobble meets with Erif; their discussion revolves around Grandad.    Kobble awakens as Thia and Cecil come to check on him. Thia returns his rock as Cecil accuses Kobble of being in cahoots with Erif.    Continuing on, the party follows the remaining gaurd down from the plateau, past a disassembled carriage, and up the valley to the grassy path that turns to cobblestone. Cecil recalls everyone needs to make camp in order for the hedge maze to appear.    While resting at camp, the party hears Commander Leaflet's anxious rambling about their mission. Kobble opens his big mouth and says he knows the Crazed Mage is getting ready for an attack, but Little Town will be safe as the Crazed Mage has family ties in town. Trying to backtrack this can of worms, the party tries to convince Leaflet that the family is long gone. Leaflet has Nikle write notes so that they can report back to Captain Risingsun. Without Distain, Cecil pretends to send a message back to Risingsun. Satisfied, Leaflet returns to his tent to rest for the evening.   Thia sends a message to the Reverend to look over Opal and the kids...he is of no help, so she also sends a message to Sherrif Marcus.    Date: The Month of Intuition 28th, 997 AC (Wednesday).   After a long rest, some of the party indulges on potions. Kobble has one that allows him to hear animals temporarily, and another that allows him to know where Isaac is at all times temporarily. Thia drinks one that makes her glow with ethereal energy.    Going to the maze entrance, there are two identical statues of Ellisar hovering his foot over the Kilstrom castle. In the entrance there is a seated statue of the Craze Mage; one hand on his face as he painfully laughs, the other cupped forward as if waiting for something to be placed in his hand. Cecil determines that a special object may be used as a way to bypass the maze, but they don't have that. Thia recalls the path they took through the maze before, and leads the party to the end.   Commander Leaflet takes the front and looks around the exit of the maze; he sees dozens of soliders and instructs Nikle and Knuckle to start taking notes for their report.    Righteousness goes frustrated and just suggests they go in and kill everyone. This sends Commander Leaflet on a rant about how The Crazed Mage is so powerful they needed to trap his powers in an item. While raving, Cecil says clock. Leaflet pauses, immediatly suspicious. Luckily Cecil recovers and says he said "lock" they needed a lock for his power. Leaflet continues ranting on about needing a new item to bind the Crazed Mage's power to.     Cecil manages to convince Leaflet to leave the rest of the investigation to the party; Leaflet leaves with Nikle and Knuckle to return to Little Town.    Thia uses her arcane eye to explore around the castle; Cecil stays by her side in case anyone comes into the maze.    Grandad, Kobble, and Mimzy go invisible and start traveling together. While walking by soldiers they hear grumbling about Ellisar and doing so much cleaning.    Righteousness goes invisible as well and goes off the radar from the party.   Thia takes her eye into the throne room and see's the Crazed Mage laughing on the throne. He stops suddenly and everyone in the room freezes. Ellisar comes out of a side hallway, whispers into the Crazed Mage's ear and that throws him into another laughing fit. Ellisar goes back down the hallway and Thia's eye follows him into a dining room. The table is covered in books and Ellisar drinks from a tea set.    Thia moves her eye around more and finds a room she believe belongs to the Crazed Mage; the room is dusty and there are hectic writings in a book on a messy desk. All of the other rooms are in pristine condition. Other than the one Mimzy and Kobble go into; the glass is shattered inward from when Righteousness was tossed in by Cecil. They go out onto the balcony and look to the maze.   Grandad returns to the maze. Thia leaves her eye and starts planning with Cecil and Grandad. She sends a message to Kobble and Righteousness to make it to the dining room so that they can kill Ellisar. Righteousness says she is already standing behind Ellisar and will wait.    Kobble goes back to the throne room hallway with Mimzy; there is one guard present. One door led to an empty dining room, the other into a full barracks. They close that door and kill the guard in the hallway. They drag him into the empty dining room and return to the hallway.   Kobble and Mimzy stand outside the doors to the Throne Room, trying to think of a way to gain entry. The rest of the party starts making their way into the castle, ready to get to Ellisar.   TO BE CONTINUED...