Hrogar Journal: Days 9-13

Day 9

A chance-encounter this morning allowed Alcander to try to interrogate the orc shaman again. He didn’t get much out of the fellow, however, as the shaman was none to talkative. Alcander then decided to start following the shaman, in broad daylight, doing nothing to hide himself. Sometimes I wonder about Alcander. His heart is in the right place, but at times he acts very naïve. I suspect this is due to being from a foreign land and culture. Some day I would like to visit his homeland and see if all his countrymen are as honest and straightforward as Alcander.

As some of us tried to dissuade Alcander from his chosen path, the shaman transformed into a falcon and flew away. This led us to consider that instead of werewolves, we might be looking for druids. We went to the cleric of Thor who had helped us before, and asked him about the druids of the city. Apparently they started leaving the city about ten years ago, about the same time that the twisted black trees started to show up. The last of the druids left about five years ago. We ask about rangers, and are told of two we might speak with. We plan to speak with them later.

Before that, there is a grove in the city where the druids used to congregate. We decide to investigate it, and find it empty and overrun with growth. Entering into a labyrinth of vegetation, we eventually discover a fountain. While searching the fountain closely, we discover a secret passage under it, with a ladder leading down into the shadows. We descend, and find a tunnel that appears to have been dug within the last five years or so, the floor covered in water. Following the tunnel, we find a large, round room. In the center of the room is the great, black trunk of a giant twisted tree, rising from the floor and up into the ceiling! The tree gives off a great, evil aura, even though it does not glow. Also in the room, we find alchemical equipment, with strange plants and animals. We also find a strange book; written in a language none of us can read. We also find a secret door, but are unable to open it, and one of our number is injured in the attempt. Also, Fflam tests what happens when he pours some holy-water on the tree, and it causes a small explosion and blows him back. Fflam seems not to have the best of luck with these evil trees. Above, Alcander and Arcadias tell us of an evil presence, and we decide it’s time to depart.

The Evil follows us, but we manage to escape the labyrinth, the evil staying just within the grove boundary. As we emerge from the grove, we notice that more time has passed outside of the grove than seemed to pass within the grove. Though The Evil is obscured by fog and floating in the air, Alcander manages to strike the evil with an arrow, thus proving it is an enemy made of flesh, and that it can be hurt. Desiring to press our advantage, and deciding that if we are to do so, we cannot hesitate, I charge in after the enemy, Arcadias and Alcander following me. A foolish action, I know now, and one born of excessive zeal and a lack of forethought. Still, I wish those who were not injured had not decided to simply abandon us to our fate. While I understand their reasons for not wanting to follow such a foolhardy example, they could have stayed outside the grove and offered more calculated help, or at least waited to see if we emerged. At least I know that I can depend on Alcander and Arcadias when the going gets tough.

The evil quickly escapes us, but we are lucky enough to find our way back out without excessive trouble, finding out then that the others are no-where in sight, and eventually finding them back at the inn. We show the book we found to the clerics, but it is trapped, and injures Markus. We take care of the wounded, and decide to find someone else to try to aid in the opening and discerning of the book.

Day 12

We have discovered more of what is contained in the book. After going to one wizard whom we discovered to be evil and untrustworthy, we found a second wizard who is at least a reasonable and non-evil businessman, and is able to unlock the book for a price. With the clerics taking turns reading the book, we find is that it is a description of a blight similar to that affecting the local trees, with seeming info on how to go about creating such a disaster! I am hopeful that sufficient interrogation of the book may lead to a description of how to stop the blight, but only time will tell.

In addition to working on decoding the book, we spoke to one of the rangers. He does not know what or who has been causing the blight. He also confirms that the last of the druids left about five years ago. However, upon some further investigation, I find that no one actually saw her leave. She just stopped being seen, and most people assumed she had left. This troubles me. I wonder if she was in fact murdered, and that the locals failed to investigate and just assumed incorrectly. If so, could similar have happened to the missing paladins? Perhaps all the druids even?

Logically, it’s quite possible that the paladins were following a line of reasoning similar to us, investigating the blight and the murders. If so, they may have attracted dangerous attention, and in doing so, sealed their own fate. We must be cautious and vigilant; for if we are not, I have no doubt that we shall share their fate. I shall have to speak to my comrades about trying to be more discreet in our investigations, and share my concerns and hypotheses.

In the meantime, Alcander has spoken to a bard, and learned a tail of a similar blight affecting a distant land, with disastrous results. Truly this highlights the importance of finding the cause of this problem and finding a solution to it. Indeed, we will want to go back into the grove and see what’s within the secret passage we found, and see if the being who was working down there can be found.

Before that, however, Alcander agrees to help the bard he spoke to in returning to him a horn he lost in some nearby mines. This seems like a reasonable task to perform, and good training for the group. We will head out tomorrow.

Day 13

We head out to the mine, and it is uneventful for the first portion of our journey. However, as we get close, we notice a group of goblins walking up the path. While most of us hide, Alcander, may the gods bless him, loudly hails them. The goblins immediately charge us. Battle ensues, and in the end, we are victorious, the last of the goblins running off. Prudence and Markus then get into an argument over what to do with the injured goblins. Prudence argues that it is more merciful to put them out of their misery and end their lives quickly. Markus argues it is better to heal their wounds and leave them for their comrades to collect later.

Markus seems to frequently get into arguments like these with the other members of the group. He comes from a family of paladins, but has sworn to follow his own path, much to the chagrin of his family, I would guess. While unorthodox, I respect his decision to follow the path of pacifism. It is not an easy path to follow, but he has shown great integrity in sticking to his beliefs as he has.

Of the goblins, Prudence quickly finishes off two of them, while Markus heals two. It is on the fifth and final one that they come to their argument. My vote is with Markus on this matter, for if he desires to heal them, I believe he should be left to do so. While an argument can be made that it is good to put enemies out of their misery, and not force them to suffer, if there is one in the area willing to heal them, I feel we should allow it.

To kill in the heat of battle is one thing, but to do so cold-bloodedly is another matter. And to finish them off, when healing is but moments away, seems more like murder than mercy. Although this leads me to consider, would I heal my enemies as readily? Should I? Doing so may be more likely to create future allies, such that future battles might not be as likely in the future. On the other hand, our enemies are not necessarily going to be as reasonable as I’d prefer, and may use such regained allies to attempt another, future attack on us. This is something I shall have to consider in future meditations.