Queen of Peace - 09/11/2023 - Archie’s Extracts

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Aiding the Court of Sorcery in Removing an Unwelcome Harmful Leech

Sovereign Farleth had requested the aid of Dawnland adventurers through their contact, Zola.

At the Court of Sorcery - the wellspring of magic for all the courts (and more) - a smoke primordial with evil intent had managed to establish an unwelcome foothold and tether back to their own plane, and was up to no good, stealing magic from the Court of Sorcery.

We were able to undo the connection that Glastor, The First Smoke primordial, had put together linking the Plane of Smoke to the Court of Sorcery. This appears to have put an end to the on-going magic theft that Glastor was carrying out in the court.

However, though we put an end to Glastor’s mischief it appears a large part of his work was to act as a perfect ‘smokescreen’, so to speak, to cover up the work of another powerful primordial who shares Glastor’s plan to change the way things are. The other primordial, Phystal, The First Slime, has managed to establish a means of control to what is known as, The Staircase, a powerful plane and time shifting source of magic, aeons old. What trouble this will cause to the guardians of The Staircase is not known. I only hope the guardians are alerted to Phystal in good time.

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On Spell Preparation Differences Amongst My Fellow Spell Casters


Amble - Observing my gnome wizard colleague has persuaded me to learn the spell Phantom Steed.

I firmly believe one should include brisk walking as a daily activity for one’s health. But, I am not above magical means of fast movement for convenience. I enjoy using the Polymorph spell to fly over the city and get from one end to the other. I have also set aside time in the future to learn the spells; Teleportation and Plane Shift, too. In the midst of combat, however, none of the aforementioned spells will do for manoeuvrability. But, a Phantom Steed offers considerable manoeuvrability and speed on the battlefield, and the summoned quasi-real steed is remarkably durable.

My colleague put together an ingenious combination of spells; Dragon’s Breath (acid variety) and his Familiar, an owl. Amble’s owl-familiar became an acid-breathing attack bird. It produced an effect similar in kind to my Awakened Spellbook’s Manifested Mind when I cast ranged spells through it.

Because I can manifest an enhanced familiar in the form of my awakened spellbook’s manifested mind, I have no plans to copy my colleague’s clever combination. But, Amble deserves high praise for how important his acid-breathing familiar was in riding Glastor from the Court of Sorcery, and saving perhaps all our bacon.


Calla - My young wizard colleague Calla is a very interestingly multi-disciplined magic user. The Healing Word spell is not in my spellbook. Not because I see no place for it. On the contrary, it is extremely useful, but the magic for said spell is divine in origin, and cannot simply be learned. Calla, like Amble and I, are book-learned. But, Calla also appears to be divinely blessed, and in addition there are clear signs of eldritch influence to some of her magic. Calla and I have not had the chance to speak on how she has come by all her magic, but I should very much enjoy that conversation.

Calla’s versatility with the Healing Word spell was, like Amble’s creative magic combo, clutch in keeping our allies; Cechec, and Zola, beyond the grasp of death - multiple times in fact. Calla’s use of the Life Transference spell similarly aided our allies. Her cool head under pressure enabled her to gather information on the smoke pillar tethering the Plane of Smoke to the Court of Sorcery. In addition, her mastery of the Steel Wind Strike spell enabled her to support Zola in the frontline.

Steel Wind Strike is a magnificent spell, turning even the most range-based caster like myself into a lightning fast swashbuckler. It is not for me however. A younger person’s spell, I think. I prefer the security of my spellbook’s manifested mind which enables me to stand at a secure distance away from danger, casting spells from the mind’s location instead of my own.


Myself - My fellow wizard allies were on point with their Counter spells, and Counter-Counter spells especially as we ourselves were on the receiving end of counter magic from the smoke elementals.

Glastor himself had a particularly team-dividing, powerful spell that he made use of twice; both times directed at my fellow wizards. The spell incapacitated them in a field of smoke. The engulfing smoke caused them considerable harm, and kept them from fighting. While I uselessly out of range to be effective with my own Counter Spells, I was instead quite sharp with my Dispel Magic spell, successfully freeing my allies from their bind, returning them to the fight.

I made terrific use of Bigby’s Hand again, this time aiding Cechec fend off a smoke elemental.

My scrivener modified spells; Lightning Rays, Archie’s Little Lightning Orbs, and Wall of Lightning were all effective, whether cast from my own hands, or through my spellbook’s manifested mind.

Whilst it was not pleasing undergoing the condition I outlined in the casting of my Contingency spell, it was, however, very good to have successfully field tested the spell. Not least because it saved my life, as was the intention!
After being burned to within an inch of my life from an immense Fireball that Glastor had casted, one of his smoke elementals nearly killed me with its slashing and burning attacks. If not for my earlier prepared Contingency spell set to cast Polymorph and turn me into a giant-ape, if I was brought to death’s door; then it would not just have been Zola making a trade for her life later. Given my near fatal experience, and the success of the Contingency spell with Polymorph as the contingent spell; I shall continue to prepare this combination, and perhaps seek out even stronger and larger beasts for me to polymorph into? A dragon perhaps?

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On Allies of the Sword


Cechec - Surrounded by strong magic-users, I feel it would be understandable to feel intimidated. This did not appear to be the case for the gold-dragonborn rapier master, Cechec.

I have allied with Cechec before. He impressed me then, and he appears to have refined his sword, nay, bladesmanship further. Not only was the point of his rapier finding its mark with precision, his dagger throws were equally on point, his aim incredibly steady. His uncanny ability to dodge returning fire is equally mesmerising. But, alas, even his dextrous talents could not keep him entirely from harm as the battle drew on, and our enemies surrounded him. Tactically, we had made an error, being so spread out from one another. I was lucky enough to have my spellbook’s manifested mind close by, so despite my distance from Cechec, I could still see him, and aid him with magic cast through the floating spellbook’s mind. We were especially lucky Calla was able to cast healing magic.


Zola - As always, Zola was a hurricane of radiant smiting slashes.

Zola took out several of the subordinate smoke elementals herself, and dealt the most punishing blows to Glastor - not only directly, but indirectly too. By cleverly using the Banishment spell, Zola banished a central piece of Glastor’s tether to the Plane of Smoke, causing him immense pain, weakening him severely.

However, even after the loss of the connection back to the Plane of Smoke, Glastor remained plenty powerful. Glastor attacked Zola continuously, and though Zola’s magically charged armour and tactical positioning shielded her from most of the onslaught of damage; strikes aimed at her eventually landed, and Zola began to miss her own attacks. She was bleeding badly. It looked like she would win the battle of damage attrition, but the missed strikes put Glastor ahead, and he killed Zola. If not for an acid breathing Familiar owl, the battle may not have ended in our favour. At the time of the fight’s end, with Zola dead, our success felt hollow. We rushed her back to the Sovereign.

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Revivification

The spell Revivify, whether this was precisely what the Sovereign of the Court of Sorcery used or not, is another spell I will not be able to learn. Much like with the spell Healing Word, unless a deity were to bless me with their divine magic, the Revivify spell will continue to be absent in my spellbook.

I do, however, see the Revivify spell as a contingent part of any future longevity protocol. While most attention should be given towards extending life, and health spans - protocols for emergency aid will still be required, even in a time when humanoid longevity has been largely solved.

For now, the Clone spell is my own best life-prolonging plan - as well as an emergency life-saving protocol. At a population level, however, the Clone spell does not present itself as a feasible solution. At present, the material costs for the spell, at 3,000gp, is prohibitive for the vast majority of people, let alone entire species of shorter-lived humanoids.

One thing in the Clone spells favour, however, It does come without any apparent trade-offs to the beneficiary, unlike the revivification that my friend, Zola experienced, due to the added cost of her revivification including a Fey Bargains.

It was the case that Zola had to agree to a fey bargain with the Sovereign to rejoin us in the living world. I do hope Zola will not regret whatever memories she has traded in order to secure her life. Whatever the consequences will be, I felt it important that Zola knew I was pleased she had rejoined us alive, so I told her. I am, through conversation with Kavel, aware of Zola’s troubled decision making. But, she has good intentions (as well as her highly capable talent with swords) and I saw her make a terrific decision when she set aside her blades to use her divinely gifted magic instead, and banished away a key part of Glastor’s tether to the Court of Sorcery, weakening him in the process, and facilitating his defeat.

The Sovereign was most pleased with Zola coming to their, and the Court of Sorcery’s aid. It seems a shame that her revivication could not be provided pro bono, as a consequence, so to speak. Nevertheless, the Sovereign was genuinely pleased with Zola, and the party whole, for all that we had done. We were rewarded 1,000gp each.

I now have the funds for the Clone spell’s components.

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