TG308

Boundaries and Chains

Episode Number: (TG308)
Original Airdate: 9/2001

The party, fresh from victory and loot, heads over to the rooms east of the WorldRose chamber. The first door opens up to reveal a room full of writhing chains. A flock of stirges swoop down and attack, aided a moment later by a pack of hellhounds coming from another room. A chain-monster of some kind appears to be controlling them, and attacks the party with chain spells, and with the chains hanging from the ceiling.

After the chain monster flees, the party begins to self-destruct in interesting and intriguing ways.

Treasure Watch:

Nothing new.

Plot Points:

The chain monster may or may not be some kind of undead. It definitely has spellcasting ability, a new group of spells related to chains.
Arlemis may or may not be undead. Sendant's Invisibility to Undead spell affected Arly, and then Sendant turned Arly. Aldamar is arguing that it is an effect caused by some trap in the dungeon.
Another near miss with the Tasan.
More saving throw goodness for Leny, who is currently an earthworm due to another lovely reflex save.
Tierney narrowly avoided death in another damn force-wall water trap. Exactly what he was doing alone in the room with the loot is anyone's guess. And Gryff, in particular, appears to be guessing.

Unanswered Questions:

Where did the chain-monster go?
Is Aldamar telling the truth?
If Arlemis is undead, why doesn't clerical healing harm him?
What did Arlemis mean when he yelled "Damn you, Kaelith"?

Analysis:

Ah, you have to love the little character bits. Tierney traipsing off on his own after the treasure. Arlemis getting turned. It was fun for everyone. And Sendant got to be useful and get some stuff done, which was nice. It's good to see his character develop to the point where he's actually turning other party members.

The title refers to the obvious, of course -- the force wall boundaries and the chains that came down from the ceiling and killed people. It's also a metaphor, because I'm the kind of nasty person who'll take a metaphor and run with it if given the opportunity. What party members are putting up boundaries, not telling the rest of the party important bits of information? And what party members are bound by chains, of guilt or implication or responsibility?

Gryffid Speaks:

If Tierney is trying to endear himself to me, then he's failing. Now I can understand going after your own goals 'n all, but he took it to an opportune extreme here, letting his own greed get the better of him. I would expect a bit more from the witty silver-tongued lad. If he were going after the loot, perhaps he could have been a bit more careful about it, instead of just running off on his own. I'm certainly not perfect when it comes to foresight, but I at least remember the lessons I've been taught. Tierney apparently likes to flirt with what's coming to him. One of these days, he may actually get it. Or, perhaps more accurately, it may get him.