Journal of Arcadius - Day 42

Wonders and horrors underground!

After rest and preparation, we assaulted the foul undead in the form of a bloated and waterlogged corpse. Within its room we had the sense of suffocating, much like being underwater and drowning, yet it was not truly so. At first the battle went well as we were many against one. Alcander seems to have perfected his ferocious, incautious style of fighting, as he charged the thing and dealt it blows such as I have never seen him, and rarely anyone else ever, do. However, in an instant most of us dropped in suffocation, and crawled back toward the door. In the end it was only Oda and I, and then I dropped as well. Fortunately, Oda proved to have masterful skill with his strangely-designed sword, and dispatched the thing.

We discovered a magical basin of visions or scrying. Alcander without hesitation or forethought cut his arm and bled into it, assuming a blood sacrifice was needed, and so it was. He asked many questions and saw many things - most of them unhelpful. Perhaps little is to be gained by asking of the devices used by evil-doers. Pelor give us guidance!

After some further adventures, we came upon a prison hallway full of a fantastical array of creatures - some of them horrific as tales from nightmare. There were things of the underdark with tentacles for mouths, a Beholder - one of the dreaded Eye Tyrants of legend, the very floating naked-brained horror we had all seen in our dreams, and other creatures of evil. It seems they were captured by the Dark Elven former masters of this complex - or more likely THEIR masters, as they seemed not powerful enough to have captured some of the mighty beings trapped here.

Among the prisoners were nobles of a different realm of Dark Elves, these more honorable and reasonable than the ones we had just fought. One of them was a princess, astonishingly beautiful and astonishingly dignified despite the squalid conditions of her imprisonment. Another was her mother, Alis Gozen, who is either a queen or great ruling lady of her city of Alakh. She dealt with us gravely and with honor. These folk almost reminded me of my homeland, though I know the differences under the surface of their ways must be great. Still, for at least this family, the old tales do them injustice.

Seeking retribution upon her treacherous enemies, she offered us common cause. This must be considered by all the party. I myself must weigh what we would be fighting for and why. She is not evil and seems honorable, and her foes were evil in both aura and deed. These facts are worthy of weight. In the ways of my homeland it would be clear, but I see differently now. May Pelor guide me!

In the meantime, she presented us with a token, a magical device, to announce our choice once made.

I should mention that Marion remains lost in madness. We must do something and soon - take her back to Point of Origin, or at least Izmir.

*A*