A summary of what happened during the game sessions:

March 29, 2002 - Session 28

After bidding farewell to the caravan, the group waited for Sana's and Rylan's return. They did not wait long...a day later, the two reappared, full of news and items, identified and purchased.

The rings and the rod had been left with Phae, for her to study for further identification. The rod, possibly being an artifact, might have to be used to determine what it could do, and that would definitely take time. Sana had sold off what they did not want or couldn't carry, including a rug and other non-magical items that had been taken from various points along the way.

It turned out that the gauntlets Sana had been using were the cause of her cannabalistic tendencies, and Phae had told her that a person of sufficient will could overcome the desire to eat the flesh of the newly-slain, so Sana kept them. Phae was unsure if it would have a detrimental long-term effect, but Sana was willing to take that chance.

Other items were given out to people who thought they could use them, and Sana had purchased a leather shirt and shortsword for Zel to use. They also discovered that the potion bottles had most likely contained potions of Barkskin, which would come in handy in the desert, for it makes the drinker's skin tougher without needing heavy armor.

After another day's rest and time to recover spells and healing, the group set out once more at night. Another day or so of travel would bring them into centaur lands, Tallis said. And as night was turning into day and they were setting up camp, the group was attacked by manticores (as Ezhno identified them), flying creatures who could launch nasty spikes from their tails.

The battle was over a short time later, with damage being dealt on all sides. A lone manticore tried to escape, but was shot down as he flew off. Zel kept to Tallis' instructions and protected Margaret the whole time. Tallis, meanwhile, had flown up into the air to attack one of the manticores directly. He took a good amount of damage, but did kill the one he faced.

After the battle was over, Margaret set to healing those who were injured. Tallis refused her healing, trying to avoid her altogether, but the cleric was not to be diverted. Jon intervened, and Tallis revealed a secret -- he could not be healed by the Light. Margaret was a cleric of The Lady, who was of the Light. Still unconvinced, Margaret tried to heal their guide, and the spell failed. Tallis said he had some potions, and would use one of those.

Jon wasn't much pleased by this however, and called Sana over. The whole group had gathered by this point, and it was becoming quite the spectacle. Sana's magic as a bard, not as a half-celestial, could heal, and she asked Tallis if he wanted to be healed. Though she could see that he wanted to say no, he relented and accepted her healing magics, which did work.

Ezhno, meanwhile, was trying to find the lair of the manticores. Borrowing a spyglass, he spotted some rock outcroppings in the distance, and thought they might have their den there. The group decided to check it out when they moved on again, after the day's rest. It should not take them more than a few hours to get there.

No quote of the evening was recorded.