The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) G'Leina - Fighter/Cleric 1st/2nd Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 2nd Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 3rd Level (PC) Hannah - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Wed - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Gelfant - Retired Mage 6th Level (NPC)
Locale	Ruins of the Vampire Tower
Date	8th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Midday

Jaron and Gimar discussed the fate of the horses, and decided to construct a lean-to type shed as close as possible to where they currently were. The horses were found to be well, if a little low on food. G'Leina, Rheaphlyndar and Wed ventured around the area, searching for marsh grasses that would be suitable. Hannah stayed at the campsight with Gelfant and occasionally glared at the prisoner. That night there were no encounters and the Biscuits had time to rest, reflect, and heal.

In response to a request relayed by the dwarven engineers to Sarana, Ansalon arrived the next morning. He was a priest of Boccob located in the area of Greyhawk, and one of his strengths was priestly divination magic. In turn he listened to each of you tell the story of the tower as you knew it, so he would be better able to filter out the known images from the unknown. Ansalon's divinations came in the form of dream images . . .

• A group of adventurers entering the tower, collapsing the tower, and exploring the rubble. They number six, and more arrive later.
• A group of adventurers entering the tower, exploring the archway with various magics, disappearing and reappearing again. They number twelve, and are dressed in various garb.
• A vampire comes to the tower, bringing his young protege, and settles in. Ghouls arrive shortly after with coffins. After a short while, the vampires and ghouls are defeated in combat and laid to rest.
• A lone adventurer, looking quite green with poison, staggers through the archway and collapses, dying on the spot.
• A group of dwarves enters the tower, slays the gnolls holed up within, and bricks up the entrance. They depart, carrying chests of golden trinkets found within secret compartments and trapdoors.
• A party of gnolls, finding the tower now abandoned and the door rotting, moves in. They destroy all interior furnishings and books for their cooking fires.
• In a scene where the level of the swamp is much lower than it currently is, a lone mage arrives through the archway. He casts various spells, then his various animated servants and golems begin to construct a tower directly next to the small building housing the archway. Upon completion, the mage moves into the tower and sets up a workshop. Occasionally he travels in and out of the archway with treasure. A long while later, the mage departs.

Ansalon rested the remainder of the day and throughout the night, rising only occasionally to take brief meals. There were no encounters that night, perhaps due to the snow which was now falling heavily. Jaron and Gimar completed a low shed, and stabled the horses within. G'Leina, Rheaphlyndar and Wed were able to find large clumps of marsh grass and figured the horses would be good for another three days.

The next morning, Ansalon returned again to divining, digging further into the three visions of persons using the archway. Upon closer inspection, it was found that a command word and some sort of token were used -- perhaps a coin. Wed and Rheaphlyndar volunteered to try out this theory, as Ansalon slumped against the wall, again exhausted.

Rheaphlyndar

Fakmu

Through the greenish-blue glowing archway, Rheaphlyndar threw the lone Gold Orb he carried. It vanished and the color of the archway mists changed slightly, to a Prussian Blue. Rheaphlyndar and Wed stepped through the arch . . .

Just a few moments after he did so, a golden coin came through the arch, bouncing on the floor. Shortly after that, a half-elf and a human stepped through and into the room.

Rheaphlyndar

Hey, didn't we just leave this party?

The party found that some of their coins produced the same result. The mists seemed (to Rheaphlyndar) to be approximately ten feet deep, and he did not discern any other person or thing within the mists. Although the command word fired up the archway any number of times previously, it was found that travel could only occur six times per day, at which point the command word would mpw produce no result. Also, the Prussian Blue colored mists lasted a bit longer (three or four rounds) and several persons could pass through the arch on one "coin".

That night the party was harrased by spiders again, but the excess torches were quickly lit and the spiders were scared away. Jaron wondered about their ability to travel during the cold and snow, until Gimar pointed out that six foot diameter spiders were not exactly natural anyways. A quick check on the horses at dawn found them well.

The next morning Rheaphlyndar remembered the coins that G'Leina was hanging on to in an attempt to find a coin collector. The warrior priestess pulled out her belt pouch and the coins were attempted. The tin piece worked as well as any of the parties other coins, leading only back to this portal. One of the Gold Eagles was tried next, only this time Rheaphlyndar did not return immediately. A few rounds later, the now-familiar chink of a coin hitting the floor indicated the activation of the archway, and Rheaphlyndar stepped through.

Rheaphlyndar	On the other side of the portal was a swamp. The archway was in a wall in a ruined building, with only two walls still standing. It was not snowing outside and was in fact considerably warmer. I didn't see any mangaroo trees either. Oh, I lost the Gold Eagle as well; the ground is mighty mucky over there.
Gimar	Very interesting, and possibly worth further exploration. But not while our horses freeze to death here in this godsforsaken swamp. I believe we need to return to Northbank and/or Greyhawk, train, and then make some decisions about this expedition.
G'Leina	Hey, that sounds good for me. I believe Jaron and I are in need of additional fighter-type training at this time.

In an attempt to slightly deter whomever would "arrive" through the portal, the group stacked up some of the fallen rubble and tower bricks. Rheaphlyndar traveled through the portal when this was half complete and reported it was like arriving at a low wall at the edge of the mist corridor -- which he then just jumped over. It was unknown what effect the finished "wall" would have, of course.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) G'Leina - Fighter/Cleric 2nd/2nd Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 3rd Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 3rd Level (PC) Hannah - Mage 2nd Level (NPC) Wed - Mage 2nd Level (NPC)
Locale	White Tree Tavern
Date	19th of Sunsebb, 584 CY (Common Year)
Time	Evening

It had taken three days of hard travel in the driving snow to get back from the Mistmarsh to the small town of Northbank. After that, Gimar went to work with Jaron and G'Leina, training them to become better fighters. Hannah and Wed studied with Gelfant and while they had not yet learned Second Level spells were able to pick up some new First Level spells for their growing books. They also spent some time swapping spells. Rheaphlyndar kept himself busy for that week as well, eventually finding a buyer for his Sphinx Hide armor, selling it for 42 Gold Orbs -- some of which he reinvested in having a custom throwing dagger harness made.

Rheaphlyndar

Another great meal guys. Now that we are onto the dessert tray, let us discuss the topic of "where to next".

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