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The Redemption of Ariel The Redemption of Ariel Wyndmere We gathered at the Brazen Monkey Tavern to prepare to find the Wand of Soul Command. The diligence of XMackenzie had paid off and Juliana, the renowned healer of Minoc, had at last been located. Listening to the pleadings of the Justice Alliance, she at last decided to give us a map showing where the Wand had been hidden away. Now Jock examined the map using his abundant skill in cartography to determine the location. "T’is a level five," he warned. "Prepare fer a real donnybrook."We gated to the site and hid ourselves away while Jock dug up the chest. " Do not touch the wand," Telos warned. "To do so is to place in jeopardy your very soul." Soon we found ourselves beset by powerful spawn of every kind: daemons and lich lords, poison and blood elementals. A Dark Slayer appeared and set upon the beleaguered warriors of the Justice Alliance. Soon it seemed there were more ghosts than living upon the scene. At last though the virtues prevailed and XMack journeyed to the bank to safely secure away the pouch containing the Wand of Soul Command. Soon all gathered at the Brazen Monkey to hold a wake for our recently departed comrade, Spyte the Knife. The Monkey had been his favorite watering hole and it seemed the right place to remember him. Imagine our shock then when Spyte himself walked through the door. He confirmed Deminzata’s tale. He had indeed been laid low at Duncan’s hand, but a wandering healer has returned him to life. We were overjoyed to have him back among the living, but concerned, for his flesh had taken on the pallid, greenish hue of one under the influence of the Wand of Soul Command. Telos Agralia asked Spyte and myself to walk with him. We went to the nearby farm of Beetchel Kire, the brave and gentle farmer whom, together with his wife, the Undead had so foully murdered. Spyte seem weak and ill and we set him down upon the bed. Telos warned Spyte he was under the influence of the Wand and begged him to don the enchanted Verite Plate of Shielding. In this way we hoped to free our friend from the Wand’s evil influence. Spyte did don the armor, but immediately upon doing so, he vanished in a crash of lightening. Recalled, we can only suppose, by Scaramandine. The armor now in Scar’s possession, Telos was forced to trade it back to Scar the Wand of Soul Command to regain the enchanted Verite Plate of Shielding. Spyte is now reportedly held at the Daemon’s Temple on Fire Island.The next evening a frantic call came to me. The graveyard at Britain in Trammel was under siege by the followers of both Artarion and Scaramandine. Many brave warriors descended upon the scene, beating back the massive amounts of powerful spawn brought there by these two nefarious evil doers. Lazarus appeared to confront Scaramandine and using a potent spell, Scar revealed Lazarus, for a moment, in his true form--a dragon. Meeting with Lazarus after the battle, it was suggested we retire from the tumultuous scene to the quiet of the Whispering Pines Tavern in Edinburgh. We had scarcely time to remove our helms before Ariel Wyndmere appeared outside. We exited to try and convince the woman to come to Felucca where she might be persuaded to don the enchanted plate. This time the weight of Martel Nevarre’s words were added to our pleas. He told her the truth. The only way she might be rejoined with her consort of old, Agisto Fyrebrant was to don the Verite Plate of Shielding that her soul might be freed. At last Ariel consented to go with us to the Brazen Monkey. Once there, Martel gently persuaded her to don the enchanted plate and the poor woman’s soul at last was freed, the plate clattering empty to the floor of the tavern.One minion of Scaramandine now remains, Istan Magrul—former Captain of the Guard in Minoc. He will prove a wily opponent. I send prayers to the Goddess that the virtues may guide us to triumph over such a one. Aeife Sorceress-- DOJ
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