A summary of what happened during the game sessions:

May 11, 2001 - Session 8

The group prepared for the trek through the garden as best they could, and then stepped inside.

The garden itself was a "living cathedral", with vines, trees, and all manner of plants arching overhead 40 feet, filtering the light down to the ground so that it had a greenish tint. The grasses inside were knee-high, and the paths varied from 5 feet to 10 feet across. Three passages through the maze presented themselves - east, west, and northwest. The group decided to stay in single file, and so proceeded to the east with Ezhno in the lead.

Many dead ends and switchbacks later, they came upon a clearing wherein the light filtering down was red, rather than the green. This was caused by the colors of the leaves and plants overhead being different than the rest of the garden maze they had seen. After some discussion, Ezhno entered, and the rest of the group followed.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Ezhno and Martin (Rylan's familiar) were overtaken by something within the clearing, and wished to do nothing more than just sit and stare at the light and the plants. Everyone else managed to shake off the effect, and then tried to convince Ezhno to leave. Martin was picked up and draped over Rylan's shoulders (a weasel being particularly hard to manage when limp). Eventually, Sana managed to convince Ezhno to get up and come with them.

Rather than continuing on with this pathway, the group retraced their steps and checked all passages they hadn't yet explored on the east path, but came up with dead ends on all of them. Rather than risk another venture through the Red clearing, the group headed west, and began to explore those areas.

They came to another clearing, this one with blue light, blue flowers, and and blue leaves. Jon entered, with a rope tied around his waist to anchor him, so he could be easily retrieved, just in case. Four villagers, covered in chitinous mold, emerged from the growths at the side and came at Jon, shouting the usual "Help me!" and "Flee!". The group entered and fought off the vines, knocking the villagers out and then killed the main brainvine plants.

They repeated their own version of the tale told by those in town, but also said they had been forced to watch as the "plant monster" ate the people that had come through the village. The group escorted them out of the garden maze and to the other side of the house, not wanting to stay inside either while the group proceeded further.

More dead ends and explorations later, a yellow clearing came into view. In this clearing, a fighter awaited, with sword and shield and full suit of chainmail. He also called out to have the group flee while they could, and attacked. The attack was accompanied by five vines, but in short order, the group had severed them all and brought Brock around.

He told his own version of the tale, but also said that he knew where the other villagers were, where the "plant monster", aka Kurishan, spent most of his time, and where his "hoard" was. He volunteered to lead the group to rescue his villagers, and they readily accepted.

In short order, they came to a purple clearing. Two false plant-sized villager dummies were there, as well as two male villagers, the actual villagers covered in spongy mold. They were rescued and returned to where the other four villagers waited. The four had managed to scrape off most of the chitinous mold. The spongy mold had sloughed off right after the villagers had been freed.

Brock lead the group once more to where Kurishan had made his lair. It was a dark, dimly-lit clearing. A huge plant-creature stepped out of the shadows and attacked Jack. The battle was engaged quickly, but before they could destroy the creature fully, he moved into the hedge and was gone. Sana cast light spells around the clearing, but the creature was nowhere to be found. They decided to take the short trip to where Brock said that his hoard would be, and proceeded there.

The plant creature tried once more to attack the group as they came upon his treasure, but he was defeated with two hits, and fell to the ground, and began to decompose.

In this smaller clearing, a treasure chest rested on top of a large mound of dirt. The lock was easily picked by Jack. Inside the chest was a letter, 64 gold pieces, 468 silver pieces, and a gem. The gem was magical, but none of the other items were.

Sana read the letter, which was from Alvar, the man who had called them together. It read:

My friends,

If you are receiving this letter, then circumstance has brought you together, whether it be by my will or another's. The magicks within the tokens would have drawn you to each other eventually. If this was the case, then no doubt you are all on this adventure, unaware of where it will take you.

If this was not the case, and you were called to come, know that it must be the direst of circumstances, and I would not have made this call without desperate need. Only those few I trust implicitly know of these tokens, and you may place your trust in whoever guided you together.

I can only hope that you are all still well and able to take on the task I set before you. The magicks within the device made from your tokens will lead you to the places wherein I have hidden the parts of an artifact of great and terrible power, a relic from the Age of Legends. Each item in itself is a minor artifact in its own right, and should be handled with great care, and as little as possible.

I cannot say more in this letter for fear it may fall into the wrong hands. Trust, in me, what you know of me, and what your companions know of me, and please take on this task. The amulet will guide you as needed. It cannot be taken from you by force; you must willingly give it away, each of you in turn giving up your claim on the piece that I have given you. I must stress this again, do not allow this to happen!

When you have gathered all the pieces, the amulet will fall back into its original form, the tokens that I gave to you. Bring the pieces of the artifact and the tokens to Clearwater, to be kept under the guardianship of the Master of the Tower, Bresail.

To aid you on your task, I give to you the enclosed items. Kurishan agreed to keep these and the letter for me, to give you to if necessary. Please give him my regards, and let him know I will visit again when I am able.

I thank you for taking up this task. There are no others with whom I place such trust at these difficult times.

     Alvar Silvertongue
          aka Miles
          aka Isaac
          aka Ramiel
          aka Devin
          aka Alvar Greybeard

The chest was moved, and the mound was dug up. A larger, metal chest was within that, and inside the chest were magic weapons, one for each member of the group. A tag with the person's name as well as a description of what each item was called and did was affixed to each item.

The group decided they were well quit of this place, and headed back to the male villagers. As a large group, they all headed to where the women and children were staying, and camped for the night. Rylan identified the gem and discovered it was a symbiotic magic jar, which would attune itself to the bearer after 30 days of being carried, at which point it would become a magic jar receptacle for the bearer's soul should he die.

Just before they all slipped off to sleep (okay, okay, watches were set), Rylan looked at the amulet-compass. The direction pointed west.

No quote of the evening was recorded.