Pelor, thank you.
When I look back on what I might have done in that keep, it makes me cringe. The very thought of being stuck in that battle, of having to heal innocent boys who just needed the money, only so they can get up and go get hurt again, it just... I don't think I could have taken it.
Pelor would never ask of me what I cannot give, and this is no exception. Pelor didn't ask me to heal idiots fighting stupid wars, didn't ask me to encourage the bastards. He asked me here, to help this bloody irritating group of bastards and keep them alive long enough to do whatever it is they think they need to do.
At least that's what I'd thought. When I joined these lads, I thought I understood. I thought that Pelor had sent me here as a healer, to keep the lads alive while they did whatever it was they knew they needed to do. And that was what I did, or at least tried to do: to stay out of their way, let them make the decisions Pelor asked them to make and stay out of their way.
But I'm beginning to think that, perhaps, Pelor put me here for a different reason than I'd thought. I'm not just here to keep them alive, to point out where they ought to make a decision and sit back.
These poor bastards haven't the slightest idea what they're doing. Paladins are fine lads, but there's a reason why they don't run things. They don't have much sense of the big picture. You point a Paladin towards a fight, and he can't say no.
And it's admirable, aye. It makes them noble, and damn good at a lot of things. But when we've got a world to save, they're just as apt to forget saving the world because one puppy needs saved.
That's not to say they're not good lads. They're great lads, and good people.
It's just that they lose sight of what we're after, here. They cannot see the cave for the rocks, and that's a problem.
Or it would be, if they had to figure all this out of their own.
And that, I think, is why I'm here. It's to heal them, aye. But, more than that, these lads need guidance, somebody thinking about more than the next fight. Perhaps, even, somebody who'd rather not have the fight at all, if he can help it.
So here I am. Perhaps right where I need to be. Where Pelor needs me to be. Where these lads need to me to be.
And where I suppose I'll stay, until Pelor tells me otherwise.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sztuczka: Day 210
I have been so busy that I have not had time to write yet again! I have been requested all over the city due to my musical prowess and my stature! I adore being in the spotlight! But out of nowhere, I suddenly missed the adventuring. I could not do much for them but sing, yet, I feel the Paladins got more out of my singing than any courtier in any palace. I mean, yes. The Paladins did greater in battle with my tunes to carry them through, but they seemed more genuinely appreciative of my abilities.
I am starting to feel like an oddity here. Plenty of other Bards, but no gnomes! Traveling did not place me in the company of gnomes, but there were at least dwarfs! No dwarfs around here either.
If I were a human and not a gnome from the east, would I be as popular as I am?
Sometimes I can feel the stares. Especially when I am climbing a human-sized bar stool to get a drink. There are two people at the top of my list to punch. First one is the next person who says, “Need any help getting up there, little girl?” As if I am a child playing in her parent's tavern and not the amazingly awesome Bard who just had them in tears with the Ballad of Tupper and Mona! The second on the list is the next guy who tells me what I can do while I am “down there”. Just because you pay me, does not make me your whore. I earn my money with my violin, not because my head is at a good height! Next guy who says something like that will get punched in the marriage tackle!
As humanity crushes my faith, I almost... ALMOST... wish I were back with the Paladins, seeing the good fight fought!
I am starting to feel like an oddity here. Plenty of other Bards, but no gnomes! Traveling did not place me in the company of gnomes, but there were at least dwarfs! No dwarfs around here either.
If I were a human and not a gnome from the east, would I be as popular as I am?
Sometimes I can feel the stares. Especially when I am climbing a human-sized bar stool to get a drink. There are two people at the top of my list to punch. First one is the next person who says, “Need any help getting up there, little girl?” As if I am a child playing in her parent's tavern and not the amazingly awesome Bard who just had them in tears with the Ballad of Tupper and Mona! The second on the list is the next guy who tells me what I can do while I am “down there”. Just because you pay me, does not make me your whore. I earn my money with my violin, not because my head is at a good height! Next guy who says something like that will get punched in the marriage tackle!
As humanity crushes my faith, I almost... ALMOST... wish I were back with the Paladins, seeing the good fight fought!
Journal of Fflam
Day 218:
Many interesting happenings over the past few days. Arcadius suddenlly called away, Jacob fleeing this kingdom after some unexplained run in with the authorities, the return of Hrogar (with a new account of the happenings at Stone Keep). Tupper and Ragnarr captured by gnolls, only to miraculously escape minutes later (albeit in different directions).
And perhaps just as miraculously, we did not commit suicide by gnoll in an attempt to break a siege on a city we've never even heard of before. No, instead Ragnarr found himself on the inside and was politely told that we should "shove off".
Having done so, we encountered a group of the gnolls, perhaps scouts. That's fine, we can handle a few gnolls, but then the armored Hellhounds appeared among them, and oddly enough, first attacked the gnolls themselves! The rest scattered, leaving us to deal with the hounds, which we eventually did, but not before they got a hold of Tupper and killed him.
Now, Tupper hasn't always been as handy as he says he is in a lot of situation, but that's not really the point. The point is, he's a good souled person aiding us in the fight against the Great Evil (which we shall have to come up with a name for...). So we found ourselves returning to the sieged city in hopes that they could resurrect the poor guy. Fortunately they could, even given the valuable materials required.
Now we're resting and recovering, helping out as we can in the city. Which is just as well, since it never seemed right to leave them here with a far larger, much better organized and equipped gnoll attack than they have ever seen. They say there are reinforcements coming up from the south, and when those arrive they shouldn't have any problems with the gnolls. Perhaps we are only a few blades and arrows in a large and well stocked keep, but this feels like the same evil we have seen all across these lands, and so it seems right that we are here, whatever may happen.
Many interesting happenings over the past few days. Arcadius suddenlly called away, Jacob fleeing this kingdom after some unexplained run in with the authorities, the return of Hrogar (with a new account of the happenings at Stone Keep). Tupper and Ragnarr captured by gnolls, only to miraculously escape minutes later (albeit in different directions).
And perhaps just as miraculously, we did not commit suicide by gnoll in an attempt to break a siege on a city we've never even heard of before. No, instead Ragnarr found himself on the inside and was politely told that we should "shove off".
Having done so, we encountered a group of the gnolls, perhaps scouts. That's fine, we can handle a few gnolls, but then the armored Hellhounds appeared among them, and oddly enough, first attacked the gnolls themselves! The rest scattered, leaving us to deal with the hounds, which we eventually did, but not before they got a hold of Tupper and killed him.
Now, Tupper hasn't always been as handy as he says he is in a lot of situation, but that's not really the point. The point is, he's a good souled person aiding us in the fight against the Great Evil (which we shall have to come up with a name for...). So we found ourselves returning to the sieged city in hopes that they could resurrect the poor guy. Fortunately they could, even given the valuable materials required.
Now we're resting and recovering, helping out as we can in the city. Which is just as well, since it never seemed right to leave them here with a far larger, much better organized and equipped gnoll attack than they have ever seen. They say there are reinforcements coming up from the south, and when those arrive they shouldn't have any problems with the gnolls. Perhaps we are only a few blades and arrows in a large and well stocked keep, but this feels like the same evil we have seen all across these lands, and so it seems right that we are here, whatever may happen.
Giornale di Aurelia
We are going in search of the soul of a follower of Hercules. If we rescue his soul and return him to life, will he be rejoining the group? If he does, will Hercules require my services any more or will I be able to return to my lovely Turino?
The only sure thing I can say is I will have to wait and see.
Traveling through this land saddens me. As a follower of Diana, I am not only trained in the hunt, but I am also expected to honor the ways of Faunus and do no harm to nature. Being in a place where magic destroys the lands makes me think that Faunus has given up on the world. The wilderness I am from has slowly shown signs of neglect as well. The deer are not as numerous and the birds do not sing as much.
Man has left such marks on the Earth, that it may never recover. That is why I adore ruins. The Earth taking back what once was its.
I hope we reach a more hospitable land soon.
I hope the siege breaks soon so we may be on our way.
The only sure thing I can say is I will have to wait and see.
Traveling through this land saddens me. As a follower of Diana, I am not only trained in the hunt, but I am also expected to honor the ways of Faunus and do no harm to nature. Being in a place where magic destroys the lands makes me think that Faunus has given up on the world. The wilderness I am from has slowly shown signs of neglect as well. The deer are not as numerous and the birds do not sing as much.
Man has left such marks on the Earth, that it may never recover. That is why I adore ruins. The Earth taking back what once was its.
I hope we reach a more hospitable land soon.
I hope the siege breaks soon so we may be on our way.
Giornale di Aurelia
What in the name of Pluto are Hell Hounds doing here?!
It started as a nice little fight with a random group of gnolls. We were outnumbered, of course. We set in to fight and the hell hounds came out of nowhere! They took down a few gnolls. The rest ran away. We were left with two very ugly Hell Hounds to face. Difficult as... well, the underworld to defeat. Somehow we managed. Most of us survived. Although we did lose Tupper. We also looted some very nice armour.
Combine the price we got paid for the armour with a donation from Ragnarr and one from me, we were able to get Tupper brought back.
Ah yes, and to bring Tupper back, we had to go back into the seiged city. It would seem the Gods want us here for some unknown reason.
There is not a lot to do in the town but wait. I am too tired to write any of my thoughts now. That will have to wait for next time.
It started as a nice little fight with a random group of gnolls. We were outnumbered, of course. We set in to fight and the hell hounds came out of nowhere! They took down a few gnolls. The rest ran away. We were left with two very ugly Hell Hounds to face. Difficult as... well, the underworld to defeat. Somehow we managed. Most of us survived. Although we did lose Tupper. We also looted some very nice armour.
Combine the price we got paid for the armour with a donation from Ragnarr and one from me, we were able to get Tupper brought back.
Ah yes, and to bring Tupper back, we had to go back into the seiged city. It would seem the Gods want us here for some unknown reason.
There is not a lot to do in the town but wait. I am too tired to write any of my thoughts now. That will have to wait for next time.
Journal of Lt. Tupper, Day 218
Day 218
I have seen the end. I have seen the life that awaits me after this, and it is a Hell more foul than any that I could conjure. It is very clearly apparent that I have not redeemed myself for my previous actions, although is it comforting to know that I no longer need to censor my opinion about the god Herakles (may he rot in an alley).
So we went forth to meet Ragnar as he left the city via a secret tunnel, and found that Hrogar has returned from his… thing. And then there were these gnolls. They wanted to know the secret way into the city, we refused to give them a straight answer, and that's about when the giant flesh-eating mastiff tore into me. Now I must confess that this was the first time I've died, and it's a lot less pleasant than I thought it would be; nevermind that a greasy half-naked backwoods hillbilly of a god that was waiting for me on the other side.
Fortunately, the others pooled their funds together and paid for my resurrection back in the city. I am now severely in debt (moreso than before, that is) but I am alive and very, very, exceedingly grateful about it. Once we're out of the area, I'll have to make an inventory of items I can hock to pay them back. In the meantime, I'm going to find a quiet place to curl up and whimper.
I have seen the end. I have seen the life that awaits me after this, and it is a Hell more foul than any that I could conjure. It is very clearly apparent that I have not redeemed myself for my previous actions, although is it comforting to know that I no longer need to censor my opinion about the god Herakles (may he rot in an alley).
So we went forth to meet Ragnar as he left the city via a secret tunnel, and found that Hrogar has returned from his… thing. And then there were these gnolls. They wanted to know the secret way into the city, we refused to give them a straight answer, and that's about when the giant flesh-eating mastiff tore into me. Now I must confess that this was the first time I've died, and it's a lot less pleasant than I thought it would be; nevermind that a greasy half-naked backwoods hillbilly of a god that was waiting for me on the other side.
Fortunately, the others pooled their funds together and paid for my resurrection back in the city. I am now severely in debt (moreso than before, that is) but I am alive and very, very, exceedingly grateful about it. Once we're out of the area, I'll have to make an inventory of items I can hock to pay them back. In the meantime, I'm going to find a quiet place to curl up and whimper.
Monday, February 22, 2010
From the Journal of Hrogar
Having had time to think about it, I'm wondering now why a pair of well armored Hell-Hounds attacked the gnolls like they did. Hell-Hounds aren't exactly "natural predators" for this area.
I never did quite find out why the gnolls were attacking the city in the first place, and as my earlier mentors and my recent sensi taught me, rarely is a conflict one sided. While there is certainly evil in the world, one shouldn't automatically assume that the opposing side is serving the foces of darkness, and even if they are, more often than not, they are doing so through careful manipulation of those forces to believe that their cause is in fact Just. Some of the greatest tragedies in war have been the fault of those who felt they were serving the greater good (a lesson I must always examine my own actions by).
That being the case, I must return to the question at hand: why are the gnolls attacking? Could they believe themselves to be defending their people against a malevolent threat? Could they be blaming the townspeople for the actions of Hell-Hounds such as these? I wouldn't put it past our "enemies from the deeps" to foster war and chaos by such tactics. I believe the one called Ragnarr has spoken to the gnolls. Perhaps he knows why they attack. I shall have to seek him out on this matter.
I never did quite find out why the gnolls were attacking the city in the first place, and as my earlier mentors and my recent sensi taught me, rarely is a conflict one sided. While there is certainly evil in the world, one shouldn't automatically assume that the opposing side is serving the foces of darkness, and even if they are, more often than not, they are doing so through careful manipulation of those forces to believe that their cause is in fact Just. Some of the greatest tragedies in war have been the fault of those who felt they were serving the greater good (a lesson I must always examine my own actions by).
That being the case, I must return to the question at hand: why are the gnolls attacking? Could they believe themselves to be defending their people against a malevolent threat? Could they be blaming the townspeople for the actions of Hell-Hounds such as these? I wouldn't put it past our "enemies from the deeps" to foster war and chaos by such tactics. I believe the one called Ragnarr has spoken to the gnolls. Perhaps he knows why they attack. I shall have to seek him out on this matter.
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