Journal of Arcadius - Day 148

A departure and an arrival.

With the funds distributed from our sale of the Ring of Evasion, we found ourselves newly well funded. Given the many evil foes we face, I felt it advisable to call upon the aid of Lord Pelor to increase the striking power of my sword against them. This would require help from the temple of Pelor in Point of Origin, as well as the powerful enchanter wizard here in Izmir. It would also require time, but thankfully we, for a bit, had that.

While we waited, two interesting events occurred.

First, while staying at the Dolphin, we found out there was a new entertainer: a half-orc who mashed beets (a strange purple-red root of these northern lands) into different shapes with a hammer.

At first, I thought it was some strange custom of Izmir I hadn't heard of before.

When we watched the show, however, I had to admit it was impressive. How he managed it, I'm still not sure, but with fists and a warhammer he molded piles of this root into amazing sculptures. I presumed he must be an artistic genius, and decided it was worth talking to him.

Most of the rest of our group did so as well. As it turned out, the half-orc, whose name is, appropriately, Grungar the Masher, doesn't sound like the artistic sort at all. Yet, there his works were. Strange. We should not underestimate him.

Grungar the Masher explained that he was looking for "friends of Dan". It appears my spoken common is not as good as I thought. I could not understand him, though some of the others took it to mean "Paladin". Sometimes the more obscure aspects of this uncouth language make no sense to me. Was this a Northern joke of some sort? Ah well.

In any case, we established that he was seeking to help fight the evil that plagues the world. He had certainly come to the right group of people, given all we've faced. But was this artist a fighter? Could we trust him? A few months ago I would not have imagined taking a complete stranger into our party so casually, but after all we've been through, it seems less strange. Besides, he SEEMED trustworthy, and wanted to join us on our noble quest.

We arranged for him to come spar with us, and even purchased permits from the town.

As it turned out the next day, he is a very good fighter. He was not willing to discuss HOW he had gotten so good for quite a while, but finally admitted he had been a brutal thug, and it appeared is now trying to make amends.

Meanwhile, something strange had happened...

Oda and the Mute had decided to spar as well. We didn't watch their fight, but when we looked over, Oda was completely disarmed, with his swords thrown far, and he himself entangled in the Mute's spiked chain. Oda is our greatest warrior, in my opinion. I was stunned! I find myself wondering what truly are the extent of the Mute's mysterious powers.

Shortly thereafter Shaft received a dream regarding his homeland, and specifically about his city, called, if I understood correctly, Motauoon or Ditroit. The dream warned him of his father's death by some murder or curse... and it seems his father was a king! The King of Motauoon! It seems there is a war or some sort of struggle going on. So, alas, Shaft had to return in haste to his homeland to put things to right!

He left almost immediately, though we did give him the evil Drow Adamantine box to take back to Point of Origin on his way.

So, we've lost one, but gained another.

Praise be! We had another dream from Lord Pelor! A vision of knowledge and the world, showing the thirteen places of power where the influence of the evil is centered. One is the sunken city. Of the others, some we recognized, most not. Still, what we have seen will be of great use to us, and now we have an idea of how to proceed!

Praise to Pelor!
Rightly, your light guides us!
For it is truth.

A visit to the Druid's Grove (the permits for which cost us an exorbitant sum from the Seneschal), revealed that Miranda was alive and well, and putting things back in order. She also revealed she could arrange the magic to send us to one of the places of power, in the far north.

We agreed

My sword is ready, with a wizard's magic and the blessing of Pelor upon it.
Soon we shall set forth.

May Pelor guide us!
May the gods give us strength!

*A*