Possessions Aplenty

In Which We Discover that We Possess a Powerful Being, Find One of our Number to be Unhappily Possessed, and then Take Possession of a City

Being the Account of Events Seemingly Designed to Conclusively Demonstrate that Things are not Always as They Seem, as Related by
Lord Patele Michael Whorfin Greensleeves Kelekolio Alterio

or, as Marvin declares,

"Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Chaos"

We are Reunited and Hideously Surprised

Following tumultuous events related previously - including the acquisition of Sheemish, a small God - Abrac, Nomad, Zoltan, and Marvin the Piggy Fighter return to the Flying Giant Island. There they are reunited with Darla, the Quested Assassin, the Giant Who Is Our Host, and Alterio, who returned via a more direct route, that is, a quick trip down the River Lethe.

We rejoice and revel to celebrate our Reunion. However, Marvin and Sheemish were surprised to detect a quiescent demon, or perhaps, daemon, possessing Alterio. Fearing that others of our Party might well be similarly possessed, and sure only that Marvin is not, the two of them begin to hatch a clever plot to flush any demons out of hiding and save their comrades.

In the midst of the festivities, surprising the rest of us, Marvin's head burst into flame, and as the flesh melted off, revealing only a horned skull, he spoke. Claiming to be the brother of the godling we had slain, he vowed vengeance. He leapt up and sprinted for the Top. We gave chase, but he reached it and flew away before we could stop him.

In truth, of course, Marvin had simply used a hidden special ability to only seem possessed, and as he flew away, he kept in touch telepathically with Sheemish, who stayed behind, and they continued their planning.

We are Attacked as Marvin makes his Escape

Pursuing the Top, Zoltan had donned his Gargoyle Cloak and flown out after the Top, right off the Flying Island. By strange chance, it happened that a group of genuine gargoyles were nested nearby. They attacked Zoltan with a special hatred, perhaps because they perceived him to be of a hostile mutant gargoyle race, and Zoltan barely made it back to the Flying Island before collapsing. With the help of our rock-throwing Giant Host, the rest of us managed to beat off the monsters, but the battle took precious turns and effort. By the time we had won, the Top was long gone.

We Journey South and then North

In random fashion, with the Flying Giant Island as our magic carpet, we flew south to a small city, Avalon, at the mouth of a river. We used magic to scry Marvin, and we knew he was moving away at a speed we could not match. We sought teleportation magic to get to him and traded a magic mace for teleportation scrolls. Since Avalon was just a colony of a great Empire across the ocean, the scrolls would take almost a month to arrive. Until then, we chose to head north to Albany, an old city of the aboriginal peoples of this land. We chose this path, at least in part, after seeing certain aboriginal artifacts. Perhaps we were urged on in this direction by Sheemish.

We reached the old city and talked with elders there. Sheemish told us that he could sense Marvin nearby, but that time was of the essence. If we failed to rescue him soon, his soul would be lost forever. Of course Sheemish, in telepathic contact with Marvin, was manipulating us in order to bring us to Marvin at the appointed time. We journeyed north and west to a New City of Orcs, and found the humanoids in a tumult of activity.

Traveling, with a giant bear escort, through the woods near this New Orc City, we found orcs busily rebuilding the Old Trade Road. Sneaking invisibly through the city proper, we saw much other activity. Later Marvin related this account to us.

Marvin Conquers a City

Coming to this area in the Top, Marvin hired a troupe of leprechauns and, successfully challenging and replacing the orc leadership, took control of New Orc City. With the subsequent conversion of 10,000-odd orcs to the worship of Sheemish, the godling grew mightily in power. The symbol of the old evil god was adapted for Sheemish, God of Grim Justice. Together Marvin and Sheemish consolidated their rule over the orcs.

Marvin began to move the orcs from their formerly rapacious ways to respect for rule of law and commerce. An old and potentially profitable route through the mountains to a dwarf nation was reopened. And Marvin and Sheemish prepared for the arrival of their Eternal comrades.

Chaos Helps Drives out the Daemon

Although Alterio had been possessed this entire time, the daemon had lain dormant so far. Marvin, not knowing exactly who was possessed, had these goals:

To separate the remaining Eternals one from the others;
To analyze each and determine who was possessed;
To keep each Eternal preoccupied while this analysis took place;
To exorcise those Eternals that were indeed afflicted.

To effect these goals, Marvin recruited his leprechaun hirelings (paid with Orc gold) and created a "dungeon." Each Eternal was guided to a separate room, isolated, presented with an array of objects designed to befuddle, distract, and occupy him.

First Marvin and Sheemish analyzed Nomad and Abrac, clearing them of any threat of possession. Abrac underwent a "trial" as part of this process. Meanwhile, Marvin's knowledge of Alterio's history and person worked to distract and befuddle Alterio mightily. Reacting to his "trial" of isolation and confusion, Alterio retreated to a McChaotic approach, and his irrational and seemingly self-destructive behavior startled and frightened the Daemon possessing him. Then Marvin, Nomad, and Abrac entered in demon-guise. As Alterio ignored them and their threat of imminent death, the Daemon fled. It tried and failed to possess Abrac, and the triumphant Eternals destroyed it.

Our Enemies Come Home to Noose

Now, in taking control of New Orc City, Marvin had displaced not only the former leaders but also the deity formerly worshipped there. Well, these parties, holding for some reason a deep and aggressive grudge, sought to reestablish their preeminence. Our party was ambushed and grievously wounded by an attack by orc assassins and priests. After we managed to defeat these, the original Orc god appeared incarnate. Marvin was slain, and circumstances looked grim. But Marvin was resurrected, and with Sheemish's aid, we fought off the god.

Victorious, we rest and regain our strength for our next trial.

Site Map | 3 October 97