Events+of+Alturiak+24-Alturiak+25+1374+DR

The party had encountered a purple worm that had burrowed it's way to the surface. Altroma was almost eaten, but the teams strength proved too much for the beast and it quickly became a huge lump of dead flesh. Not too long after the creature died however, two strange beholder-like creatures, much like the ones described to them by the Harpers, found there way to the surface via the Purple Worms tunnel. Just as the party engaged these hideous creatures, a man on Hippogriff back joined the melee.

//I spotted the battle when I was near-five miles distant. I made way, on account that purple worms aren't seen with great regularity, and It's always interesting to see how a party dispatches them. If need be, I could lend a hand from the air, but that wasn't what I was here for; I was seeking to capture one of the plague–monsters for further study.

Cocoa was uncooperative as usual as I wrangled him into a low pass, and I was sure i'd have great difficulty strafing the worm. When the party below dispatched it, I was pleased; I wouldn't be using any magic on the affair. As I flew closer, I noticed the party was dressed in Shaaran garb around, and concluded I'd rather the worm had gotten the better of them; more bandits, as if Blacksaddle hadn't had its fill for the year. Just as soon as I veered away, two of the plague–monsters burst from the worm's tunnel. Like it or not, I'd have to fight them with Shaaran bandits as allies, if I was to take one alive.

I readied myself, closing the last band of altitude as I concealed my presence in the saddle. A man in a wide-brimmed hat transformed wholesale into an eagle with what I knew to be a druidic trick, and swept over the creatures to deliver an 'energy vortex,' a spell notable only for its similarity to the psionic arts in its flexibility of damage. He proved his skill at the art was amateurish, as the creatures turned invisible while he unleashed his spell. There was no way to tell if he'd effected any damage to the creatures.

I dropped from the saddle and gave Cocoa a kick that I hoped would send him back up to a safe altitude, while i scurried up to a rise where I could see the druid-eagle, vulnerable in his close-earth position. Behind me, I was aware of the other two bandits, but I held confidence that they wouldn't see through my beguilement. When I watched the druid whacked asunder by the beast, however, I couldn't help but cringe for him. He fluttered away, confused, reeling from the blows. He'd had the intelligence to freeze his skin into stone, at least, before leaving himself so vulnerable.

With the creatures invisible, I faced a choice: should I divine their location for only my eyes, or conjure a wave of glitter that would reveal them to all? Not knowing how dangerous the beasts were, I resigned myself to the possibility that I'd have to trust the Shaarans to help. I glittered the beasts. No sooner had I done so, however, did a shower of arrows pour into the beast that led it to explode, just as a sword-swinging Shaaran charged in. The arrows pierced the flesh of the beast, triggering its explosion and coating the Shaaran in a shower of mucus. The other beast, torn asunder by the nearby explosion, likewise burst; leaving me with no captured beast.

The Shaarans, in fact, were too effective. Their self–introductions, however, were less than effective, in my estimation. I introduced myself cordially enough for outlaws, and recieved salutations in return from a gentleman I learned to be Jesús Ricardo of the Eagle Tribe. I wasn't sure If i should credit him with a great deal of gall for announcing his status as a bandit, or pass it off as the move of an utter Dolt. In any case, his introduction was so blunt that I must have been stunned, as I have no memory of the other two Shaarans introducing themselves.//

After their introductions the newly formed team proceeded to Blacksaddle Keep. Variska however was called away by a sending. The message stated that her Tieflings were giving the local militia trouble. Jesus, Simba, Altroma, and the newly met Aledon made good time to the Keep and with the flash of an official document they were allowed inside. Wasting no time they proceeded straight to the Lord Wizards Tower.