Date: Today Is A Good Day To Diet.
I'd say that I really hate gnomes, but that would be racist, and I've gotten beyond that. The truth is, I really hate one specific gnome. He also happens to be an illusionist, and while I could hate all illusionists, I don't, because that would be similar to being racist, except with respect to a specific class. Would that make me a "classist"? Hmm, I'll have to ponder that for a while.
Anyway, the point is, I really hate that Gnome Illusionist. The one who made fools of us, and then after we sent him to prison he made fools of us again, got us thrown in jail for a night, and helped "liberate" us of a very powerful staff. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...
I guess what I'm saying is we can't fully blame the gnome illusionist, we also have to blame ourselves. Although I'd note the paladins didn't exactly have much of a choice. They have to obey the law. I'm not sure what else they could have done but give all their weapons (and the staff) to the guards when they were arrested. I blame myself. As one of the few who doesn't have to absolutely follow the law, I may have been one of the only ones who could have taken that staff and made off with it until the others were able to get out of there.
Not that they would have trusted me to do so. Probably would have just ended up with them all coming after me trying to kill me. And let's not get into how Pelor would no-doubt punish me by blinding me or something for breaking the law, even if it was for the greater good. Makes me wonder why I spend time with a bunch of people who'd sooner kill me than trust me. I'll admit, I've made mistakes, but that's what they were, mistakes. I'm not actively trying to be harmful or malicious. Perhaps I can do more good for the world on my own.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Letter of Recommendation for Grungarr
Hello, there.
I'm not so sure how to go about this letter writing thing, so forgive me if I don't do it so well. I'm a cleric, not a scholar.
Anyway, I'd like to recommend Grungarr for Paladin training. Heracles has been talking to him a bit, now. Though Grungarr calls him Dan. I'm not sure if that's really a problem. I've been assuming that Dan is some sort of secret name for Heracles or something, but he might just be a bit daft.
He's a brave fellow, though. Strong, too. Fearless in a fight, and damn useful, as long as he's following somebody's orders. I don't know if hell ever be much of a commander, but they can't all be.
And besides, that's why he needs the training. He means well, but his bravery is naive, and it's been known to get people killed. If the gods want him, I say it's better to let them have him, and make sure he's trained to use his skills in ways that will help folks.
If you doubt his skills, especially with a hammer, give the lad some fat beets. You'll understand.
-Ragnarr, Cleric of Pelor
Day: After Arrest
Pelor, forgive me for the misuse of your name I may have committed. I do my best to save my worst curses for occasions that truly deserve them. Please believe me when I say that this was one of those.
I have never felt any particular dislike of gnomes. The only one I met was that terribly small one, and she seemed a decent sort, but I'm beginning to understand why so many hate gnomes so much.
The staff is gone. Likely in the hands of our enemies as we speak. Which is tricky, for the paladins, because our enemies may be the rightful rulers of this city.
They arrested us in the middle of the night, woke me up from a lovely, deep sleep, to drag us to jail for having attacked and robbed the gnome. Of course they didn't ask us for our opinion. The word of an illusionist highwayman weighs far more than that of Paladins and priests.
I'd like to meet the judge who made that ruling. I feel he must have a punchable face.
Heh. That would make the Paladins happy.
Now we're left with fairly desperate options to even locate the staff. We'll find it, Pelor willing, but not without cost.
There is always a cost. I can only hope this is one I can pay.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Failure
Pelor guide me, because I can not seem to do anything right. I have failed my comrades three times in these past few days. First, we came across an illusion wizard and everything spell I cast seemed to do more damage then good. First I try and sleep the wizard and fail. Then later in the battle when he cast invisible on himself I attempted to use glitter dust to reveal his location, but I missed him and only blinded my allies. Thankfully Ragnarr was able to cast a spell that removed the illusionist’s spell because I was at a loss. I had no idea what I should do next.
The second failure came when I was on watch and the illusionist made it appear like he escaped. I was not able to see through or dispel his spells. Thankfully Aracdius was there and found a way to break the spell.
The third and the worst happened tonight. We were placed in jail by the people of Ismer and I failed to protect the staff we took from the enemy. The group gave it to me to protect and I failed them and now it is back in the hands of the enemy. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing how poorly my decisions and action have been lately. Warriors of Pelor deserve better then this. I am just not sure if I can do better.
The second failure came when I was on watch and the illusionist made it appear like he escaped. I was not able to see through or dispel his spells. Thankfully Aracdius was there and found a way to break the spell.
The third and the worst happened tonight. We were placed in jail by the people of Ismer and I failed to protect the staff we took from the enemy. The group gave it to me to protect and I failed them and now it is back in the hands of the enemy. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing how poorly my decisions and action have been lately. Warriors of Pelor deserve better then this. I am just not sure if I can do better.
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
To the reverend and pious prelates of the temples and to the honored masters of the orders. Wise lords in the City of Point of Origin.
Hail!
Before you stands Grungar, a warrior far more formidable than his youth would make it appear.
Know that he has traveled with me and with my companions to the far North, upon the frozen wastes, under the depths of the sea, and into ancient fastnesses, and there fought powers of evil and darkness.
Know that he has endured danger and hardship with a stout heart and a clear conscience.
Know that he is pure of heart, noble, and selfless.
Know that he is guileless, without pretense, and will listen to instructions and obey as duty commands.
Know that he has been called by at least one among the blessed gods, Lord Heracles.
I swear before my Lord Pelor, and the gods at large, that I believe he would make a fine Paladin.
Honor be to you, and glory to the gods.
*A*
-Ar-Khadesh, called Arcadius in these lands, Paladin of Pelor
Hail!
Before you stands Grungar, a warrior far more formidable than his youth would make it appear.
Know that he has traveled with me and with my companions to the far North, upon the frozen wastes, under the depths of the sea, and into ancient fastnesses, and there fought powers of evil and darkness.
Know that he has endured danger and hardship with a stout heart and a clear conscience.
Know that he is pure of heart, noble, and selfless.
Know that he is guileless, without pretense, and will listen to instructions and obey as duty commands.
Know that he has been called by at least one among the blessed gods, Lord Heracles.
I swear before my Lord Pelor, and the gods at large, that I believe he would make a fine Paladin.
Honor be to you, and glory to the gods.
*A*
-Ar-Khadesh, called Arcadius in these lands, Paladin of Pelor
Journal of Arcadius - Day ???
Accursed Gnome
I was in communion with Lord Pelor - my task is laid before me.
While I was such, we were attacked by a Gnome illusionist. WHY never became clear. However, he gave the rest of the party much trouble. Even once subdued, he kept trying to escape rather than talk to us in any way. One night, he turned invisible and seemed to have disappeared. I only found him by poking randomly with my sword in the area of the cart where he was likely to be.
THEN, in Izmir, when we turned him over to the authorities, he somehow convinced them that we were at fault, and we were arrested as highway robbers and only able to buy our way out with fines of 100 gold each.
Pelor give me the patience for mercy.
Then again, something else, something deeper and fouler, is at work.
The staff, the very piece of the staff of the gods, if legends be true, has disappeared!
When we were arrested, it vanished in the hands of the police. Some person or persons among them is in league with the evil powers from beyond. Curse them, betrayers of the world itself! This makes clear certain other strange things. For, why did the Kingdom of Izmir not react when its port of Umea was blocked by obvious magic? Why did it not react when a dragon was burning its towns, or raiders from the sea were roaming free, and more recently destroyed a city? A city we witnessed burning! And yet, there was no outcry, no army marched out, not even an alarm seems to have been raised!
Strange indeed.
In the meantime, Grungar is leaving us, and after some guidance from we who follow Lord Pelor, has chosen the most honorable path of the Paladin. He leaves shortly for Point of Origin, and I at least shall write him a letter of recommendation!
As for the rest of us, it seems our path leads far away again - this time to the South and East, beyond even my country. I have heard distant tell of the land we may travel to, and at least it is not supposed to be in the grip of vile demon-worshipers like our near neighbors.
Glory to the gods.
Honor to Lord Pelor.
Life for the world.
Defeat for its enemies.
*A*
I was in communion with Lord Pelor - my task is laid before me.
While I was such, we were attacked by a Gnome illusionist. WHY never became clear. However, he gave the rest of the party much trouble. Even once subdued, he kept trying to escape rather than talk to us in any way. One night, he turned invisible and seemed to have disappeared. I only found him by poking randomly with my sword in the area of the cart where he was likely to be.
THEN, in Izmir, when we turned him over to the authorities, he somehow convinced them that we were at fault, and we were arrested as highway robbers and only able to buy our way out with fines of 100 gold each.
Pelor give me the patience for mercy.
Then again, something else, something deeper and fouler, is at work.
The staff, the very piece of the staff of the gods, if legends be true, has disappeared!
When we were arrested, it vanished in the hands of the police. Some person or persons among them is in league with the evil powers from beyond. Curse them, betrayers of the world itself! This makes clear certain other strange things. For, why did the Kingdom of Izmir not react when its port of Umea was blocked by obvious magic? Why did it not react when a dragon was burning its towns, or raiders from the sea were roaming free, and more recently destroyed a city? A city we witnessed burning! And yet, there was no outcry, no army marched out, not even an alarm seems to have been raised!
Strange indeed.
In the meantime, Grungar is leaving us, and after some guidance from we who follow Lord Pelor, has chosen the most honorable path of the Paladin. He leaves shortly for Point of Origin, and I at least shall write him a letter of recommendation!
As for the rest of us, it seems our path leads far away again - this time to the South and East, beyond even my country. I have heard distant tell of the land we may travel to, and at least it is not supposed to be in the grip of vile demon-worshipers like our near neighbors.
Glory to the gods.
Honor to Lord Pelor.
Life for the world.
Defeat for its enemies.
*A*
Journal of Arcadius - Day 175
Umea
After much travel from the farthest north to merely the far north, we have returned to Umea. The city is in even worse straights than before, as its trade has all but completely evaporated. We visited Stonekeep on the way back, and though I dislike it, we purchased useful supplies and equipment there, as it now flourishes. Curse the evil ones!
Our horses were very well cared for in our absence, and have grown a bit fat. We were gone for a long time, and I'm glad the innkeepers did well by the funds we left them. Alas, our horses will have no such ease in the days to come. We are getting ready for the trip to Izmir, and from there, to far parts of the world. We have done so much, yet in truth, we have only just begun this struggle.
The gods will it, and so we must do, for the sake of the world.
Yet strange is fate.
For Walter-Tupper is here, in Umea, and apparently is to rejoin us.
Pelor, I shall do your will, and be patient.
*A*
After much travel from the farthest north to merely the far north, we have returned to Umea. The city is in even worse straights than before, as its trade has all but completely evaporated. We visited Stonekeep on the way back, and though I dislike it, we purchased useful supplies and equipment there, as it now flourishes. Curse the evil ones!
Our horses were very well cared for in our absence, and have grown a bit fat. We were gone for a long time, and I'm glad the innkeepers did well by the funds we left them. Alas, our horses will have no such ease in the days to come. We are getting ready for the trip to Izmir, and from there, to far parts of the world. We have done so much, yet in truth, we have only just begun this struggle.
The gods will it, and so we must do, for the sake of the world.
Yet strange is fate.
For Walter-Tupper is here, in Umea, and apparently is to rejoin us.
Pelor, I shall do your will, and be patient.
*A*
Aurelia's Grand Adventure! or: How she came to join the party! Pt 2
Lucrezia and I have arrived in Stonekeep. Hercules has told me that this was a place where there was supposed to be a great battle, but the group showed up late. Apparently, there was no battle at all and as far as the townsfolk are concerned, there hasn't even been a change in regime. Rather interesting! From here he has directed me to get a boat to some small fishing village across the sea. He says that is the direction the group is headed and it would just be easiest to meet them there.
I hate sailing! I have managed so far to make it this far without a boat. I don't like the motion. It makes me sick to my stomach. Alas, Hercules says across the sea I must go, across the sea I go! Diana, Hercules may end up owing you when all is said and done!
I hate sailing! I have managed so far to make it this far without a boat. I don't like the motion. It makes me sick to my stomach. Alas, Hercules says across the sea I must go, across the sea I go! Diana, Hercules may end up owing you when all is said and done!
Aurelia: Day 172ish?
Hercules says this is a good idea, but I keep forgetting to write in this damned thing! I have missed many days worth of writing! Not only that but I have quickly lost track of which day it is exactly. We have long since left the small fishing village where I joined the group. We sailed to Stonekeep. I finally acquired for myself a magic weapon. From there we sailed to Ismere where they acquired their horses and I acquired one of my own. They are glorious beasts, but I am quite uncomfortable atop one. Alas, since I cannot travel as fast on foot as these beasts, I must ride. Lucrezia is having no problems keeping pace.
On the road from Ismere to Umea, we met a tricky little saboteur. The gnome snuck into the camp and set off the bandoliere of Alchemist's Fire that Fflam had upon his person. While everyone stared at the fire, I called the alarm on the gnome and started to persue. The bastard (forgive my language Diana!) was an illusionist and gave us quite the fight. A few people were blinded. Jacob mistook Fflam for the gnome. Grungar started attacking Jacob. Once we had the gnome tied up and Grungar under a rock (literally!) we patiently waited for the time we could let Grungar out and he wouldn't try to kill Jacob.
Once we reached Umea, we went to the Senechal to ask about going to the Grove. We were told that they must give us a pass, but they would not do so at night. While we cooled our heels at the Inn, I was the only one to hear the knocking. It was the Town Guard. We were promptly arrested because of the gnome, whom by the way, we had turned over to the Senechal! That crafty little bastard! Again, Diana, forgive my language!
Thanks to the help of Miranda, I believe her name to be, we were released the following morning.
On the road from Ismere to Umea, we met a tricky little saboteur. The gnome snuck into the camp and set off the bandoliere of Alchemist's Fire that Fflam had upon his person. While everyone stared at the fire, I called the alarm on the gnome and started to persue. The bastard (forgive my language Diana!) was an illusionist and gave us quite the fight. A few people were blinded. Jacob mistook Fflam for the gnome. Grungar started attacking Jacob. Once we had the gnome tied up and Grungar under a rock (literally!) we patiently waited for the time we could let Grungar out and he wouldn't try to kill Jacob.
Once we reached Umea, we went to the Senechal to ask about going to the Grove. We were told that they must give us a pass, but they would not do so at night. While we cooled our heels at the Inn, I was the only one to hear the knocking. It was the Town Guard. We were promptly arrested because of the gnome, whom by the way, we had turned over to the Senechal! That crafty little bastard! Again, Diana, forgive my language!
Thanks to the help of Miranda, I believe her name to be, we were released the following morning.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Journal of Grungar the Masher, Day 156-176
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today boat but not our boat.
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today not our boat.
Okay so today no boat.
OKAY SO TODAY I SEE DAN AGAIN AND HE TELL ME HE IS STUCK IN SHINY BALL AND I HAVE TO SAVE HIM OKAY also no boat.
Okay so today boat! We get on boat! It is our boat!
Boat has person from faraway! Other friends know him!
New friend is shinybuttons and skinny. His name is Tipper and he is grumpy. |:<
Boat is scary. If you fall off boat then you fall reely long way rilly slow.
But I stay on boat! I will find Dan again and free him again because I am good friend of Dan!! again
Okay so boat ride was rilly scary for journal, because journal hate water and WATER IS EVERYWHERE :O
But I keep journal safe, and now we at dragon-head keep so I can write in it again. :D
Everyone gone out and buy new things!
Okay so today we get on boat. Boat go to Uumiyah so we go to Uumiyah.
Maybe friends bought everything in dragon-head keep! hee hee! Now we go buy everything in Uumiyah! hee hee hee!
Hello journal! We get to Uumiyah!
Everyone got horses there! They are neat and smell bad!
Okay so today Fflam exploded.
Then REALLY SMALL MAN come to scare us so we go and hit him!
Then there was a dragon and a big mean doggy and the BEST RAINBOW EVERS and then the small man went away but he came back!!
Then JACOB WAS EVIL and SHOOTING FIRE AT FFLAM and FLYING so I chase him because he was evil!!!
I throw beethammer at him but he make it fall back down at me but Ragnar keep me safe with giant rockball!!!!
I had to stay in timeout until Jacob stopped being evil. :(
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today boat but not our boat.
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today no boat.
Okay so today not our boat.
Okay so today no boat.
OKAY SO TODAY I SEE DAN AGAIN AND HE TELL ME HE IS STUCK IN SHINY BALL AND I HAVE TO SAVE HIM OKAY also no boat.
Okay so today boat! We get on boat! It is our boat!
Boat has person from faraway! Other friends know him!
New friend is shinybuttons and skinny. His name is Tipper and he is grumpy. |:<
Boat is scary. If you fall off boat then you fall reely long way rilly slow.
But I stay on boat! I will find Dan again and free him again because I am good friend of Dan!! again
Okay so boat ride was rilly scary for journal, because journal hate water and WATER IS EVERYWHERE :O
But I keep journal safe, and now we at dragon-head keep so I can write in it again. :D
Everyone gone out and buy new things!
Okay so today we get on boat. Boat go to Uumiyah so we go to Uumiyah.
Maybe friends bought everything in dragon-head keep! hee hee! Now we go buy everything in Uumiyah! hee hee hee!
Hello journal! We get to Uumiyah!
Everyone got horses there! They are neat and smell bad!
Okay so today Fflam exploded.
Then REALLY SMALL MAN come to scare us so we go and hit him!
Then there was a dragon and a big mean doggy and the BEST RAINBOW EVERS and then the small man went away but he came back!!
Then JACOB WAS EVIL and SHOOTING FIRE AT FFLAM and FLYING so I chase him because he was evil!!!
I throw beethammer at him but he make it fall back down at me but Ragnar keep me safe with giant rockball!!!!
I had to stay in timeout until Jacob stopped being evil. :(
Journal of Lt. Tupper, Day 156-175
Day 156
There was a patrol around the caravan last night. They passed by every 5 minutes and the spell woke me up every single time. Fortunately it only lasted for TWO SOLID HOURS. I have not made friends so far today.
I keep thinking about what I did to the old gnome. Sure, his methods were nigh-inscrutable, and he had no respect for the citizenry, or humans, or really anything sentient above 3'6"; but if it wasn't for him, that murderer would still be on the loose. He taught me everything I know about locks, gears, and magic. And I sold him out, just like Krof the Swonker and Henny Bluefingers all those years ago. Is this law enforcement? Will this journal be used as evidence to convict someone else I know? Will I be required to rat out every friend I have at the drop of a hat?
Maybe it's just the company I used to keep. Maybe.
Day 157
Dreamed of the ghost woman again. I guess ol' Moana missed me. From what I can recall, the dreams used to occur close to that underground ritual grave site where her body is. If they're hitting me way out here now, then maybe there's more energy being pumped into that region than before. It's worth investigating later.
Criminals abound in the caravan today. A young girl approached me for help in finding the dire thief who stole her doll. After intensive review of the facts, scouring the crime scene for clues, and spotting her younger brother awkwardly trying to hide the doll between two sacks of grain, I reported my findings and was rewarded with the act of being ignored while she wailed on her sibling. Another job well done.
Finally got into Ismere, will seek the whereabouts of the others after rediscovering the joy of a real bed.
Day 158
Attempts to hit the dirt did not go exactly as planned. An old man in a bar stood up and saluted me. A woman asked me if I could find her missing son. The uniform really gets to people. It also makes normally chatty people go quiet, but I've learned to work around that (thank you Hat of Disguise).
Excluding one story of them flying up into the sky on the backs of winged donkeys, all signs point to their sudden lack of reappearance after they entered the druid grove. They may very well be dead, or trapped in a time hole, or eaten by trees. So the task became that of finding someone who could look into the state of the group without risking life or limb to do it. The best option? Magic. The best magical practitioners? Wizards. And there just so happened to be one in town. (Two, actually, but one of them sort of felt… wrong.)
The good news is, Tolliver the wizard can find my friends. The bad news is, he won't do it for less than 400 gold. The better news is, he has a job that requires my particular skills. About a week back, somebody sold him a big hefty chest; one that's laden with magical traps, dangers, and treasure, apparently. If I can open it, he'll cast the divination for free. If I can't, then I'm probably dead from the attempt. Still, it doesn't look too hard and it beats begging on the street.
Day 159
Any day you start by accidentally setting your employer ablaze is not likely to be a good day.
I worked out what magical function the goggles fulfill: eye protection. If it's not what they're meant to do, it is now. As my esteemed sciences teacher once said, "Having nothing between the eyeball and the universe is just inviting it to jab something sharp into it." Whether he meant the universe jabbing your eyes or the other way around was never actually clear, now that I think about it.
Ah yes, the chest. First there were the glyphs. While examining one on the back side of the chest, I set it off, lighting a nearby weapon rack on fire. Tolliver came in when he heard the ruckus, and triggered another glyph when he tried to put the flames out. Fortunately it was all extinguished before it could spread far, and he had some salve lying around for his burns. This was about the point I decided to move it outside.
After that were the dart traps, which kicked in after the last of the glyphs weredisab sprung. They were relatively easy, at least until one of them hit a cat. The agony of having to explain the situation to the animal's owner was slightly muddled when the damn thing woke up mid-apology and tried to claw my face off. Oh yes thank heavens little Publius is okay.
Next there was the acid trap, likely built to liquidate any assets inside if I slipped up on the locks. So I found a sturdy tree to suspend it under, broke out the ol' block and tackle, hoisted it up, dug a small ditch beneath it, and drilled a hole in the side. This, in retrospect, must have triggered the summoning of the gigantic badger. At first it was almost sort of friendly: it treed me fairly quickly, where it would shake the trunk once in a while. Then I shot it, and it got angry. Needless to say, I escaped alive; but the tree, two clotheslines, a fence, and a small cart died noble deaths at it's claws.
Finally, there were the locks. The locks did not go as smoothly as the rest.
At any rate the job was done, the treasure was bountiful, and the shop was mostly intact; and so Tolliver held up his end of the bargain and performed the ritual. He says they're alive and well on Emos Island, far off the coast of Point of Origin. Verifying the safety of the druid grove was not included in our deal; but since he's given me proof that entering it is not a death sentence, I'm sure I can check it out on my own.
…probably.
Day 160
Ye gods am I sore.
I panicked over nothing. First thing I see after I jump the fence into the grove (only one guard, another poor tactical move Mr. Chuck Sane-People-Into-Asylums) is Miranda at the ready to kill me with trees. She said she doesn't know of an Emos Island, but she knows of the area that the wizard described. However, without knowing exactly which island it is, a teleport to the wrong one could leave me stranded. But, she can (and did) send me back to Point of Origin where I can work it out from there. She was even nice enough to send the horse along.
After discreetly checking said horse in at the stables, I made my way to the docks and found a boat that stops in the region of the island on its way to Stonekeep (?! Well, technically they're not accepting trade from them…). The captain hasn't heard of Emos Island either, but he's willing to wait a day or so at their first port of call while I ask around about it. All for the low price of 100 gold, the last of my money. The ship leaves tomorrow at sunrise. It better be worth it.
Day 161
Dreamed of the ghost, again. There may be some kind of curse at work on me, I'll have to remember to consult a priest about it.
The boat is, well, a boat. Laden with crates of rubyred beets, fishing supplies, a bored crew, and a drunken old man known only as "Sad Jack." I do not normally enjoy travelling by boat; none of this rallies me to feel otherwise.
The crew don't know anything about Emos Island, which is strange. You'd think there would be somebody on board with knowledge of all those little islandlets or what have you.
~
EMOS = SOME. I am seeking some island.
No wonder nobody heard of it. Gods damn it, I am an idiot. That wizard sent me off on a dead turkey hunt and is probably laughing his hat off at me. Now I'm en route for an enemy keep and I can't afford a return trip home. Hells' bell, I can't afford a return trip to my cot. Damn it all.
Day 163
Religion and You says that "visions from outside your chosen deific-based praise-sources are Their way of being a useful meta-moralistic guide to what they omni-perceive to be your personal etho-concerns." My vision last night disproves this, specifically the bit about being 'useful.'
So… somewhere in the world is Alcander's immortal soul in an oversized earring. My task, as I understand it, is to team up with Fflam, a half-elf woman, and a small green barricade in an effort to free the soul from its place of imprisonment, which is inside a laboratory inside a cliff. No specific cliff, just a sandy one. Another sound reason to worship St. Cuthbert: he doesn't fuck with you like this. If I ever come across a Temple of Heracles, I'm going to beat their high priest with a map.
Bah, like I'm one to talk about maps.
Day 164
Thank you St. Cuthbert in all your infinite glory. I found them! They were practically waiting for me at the dock!
Mind you, they're still jerks. I've been away for over three weeks, and their first question to me is about the ghost woman. Oh I'm fine, thanks for asking, I've just been force-marched through sewers, assaulted by giant animals, and tasked with the impossible by a pantsless god, that's all. Only three people are left from the original group, and they've managed to find someone thicker in the head than Alcander. They've also accumulated another dwarf and two half-elves. At least the gnome and her damnable "Ballad of Tupper's Ghostfucking" isn't with us anymore. Of course, that just means she's out spreading the song around…
Ahh, it's good to be back.
Day 165
Another Moana dream. Maybe the others are right, maybe I have some repressed undead fetish. But how do you confirm something like this, outside of discreet deals with a necromancer and lots of soap? Is there a spell to discern it? Maybe I'm just blowing it out of proportion. Bah.
Also, the new dwarf has reportedly been feeding sharks to other sharks, and has felt so guilty about this that he requested the forgiveness of a sun god. I don't even know.
~
The half-ork made a sculpture of a dog out of beets. Just beets. It's surprisingly realistic, given the medium. I'll be damned if I eat it, though.
Day 169
Gods damn it this is getting to be too regular for my tastes.
We arrived at Stonekeep at last. Everyone except Grungar (the half-ork) has gone into town for supplies. Apparently it was a long and grueling three weeks for them as well. Also they're giving money to an enemy fortress, but hey. As for Grungar, he's been going on about how amazing 'Dan' is and how they're the best of friends. Apparently, Dan is a small child in a 'cold town.' Dan is also a fellow stuck in a marble somewhere whom he has to free, and also… a man wearing a loincloth that appears in his dreams and tells him what to do. I don't think I like the half-ork anymore.
Day 170
And we get right back on a boat. We're heading out to Oohmaya to retrieve our horses, and because a nexus of insidious evil is probably not the best place to use as a hangout. Kris, the wizard, was kind enough to foot my boat fare. At least this boat doesn't have that Jack bastard aboard. Ye gods, that man would not stop complaining.
Day 173
I don't know why, and I don't care anymore. I just want it to stop.
Day 175
Oohmaya! Still as ice-locked and depressing as ever, but now with less greenery. Likely the result of another spell meant to drive more business to Stonekeep. Tomorrow we ride forth to Ismere, presumably to ask Miranda if she can send usoffto the cliff. I've been paired up with Grungar since he doesn't have a horse. The little git made a squirrel out of cabbage for me in gratitude. Hooray.
There was a patrol around the caravan last night. They passed by every 5 minutes and the spell woke me up every single time. Fortunately it only lasted for TWO SOLID HOURS. I have not made friends so far today.
I keep thinking about what I did to the old gnome. Sure, his methods were nigh-inscrutable, and he had no respect for the citizenry, or humans, or really anything sentient above 3'6"; but if it wasn't for him, that murderer would still be on the loose. He taught me everything I know about locks, gears, and magic. And I sold him out, just like Krof the Swonker and Henny Bluefingers all those years ago. Is this law enforcement? Will this journal be used as evidence to convict someone else I know? Will I be required to rat out every friend I have at the drop of a hat?
Maybe it's just the company I used to keep. Maybe.
Day 157
Dreamed of the ghost woman again. I guess ol' Moana missed me. From what I can recall, the dreams used to occur close to that underground ritual grave site where her body is. If they're hitting me way out here now, then maybe there's more energy being pumped into that region than before. It's worth investigating later.
Criminals abound in the caravan today. A young girl approached me for help in finding the dire thief who stole her doll. After intensive review of the facts, scouring the crime scene for clues, and spotting her younger brother awkwardly trying to hide the doll between two sacks of grain, I reported my findings and was rewarded with the act of being ignored while she wailed on her sibling. Another job well done.
Finally got into Ismere, will seek the whereabouts of the others after rediscovering the joy of a real bed.
Day 158
Attempts to hit the dirt did not go exactly as planned. An old man in a bar stood up and saluted me. A woman asked me if I could find her missing son. The uniform really gets to people. It also makes normally chatty people go quiet, but I've learned to work around that (thank you Hat of Disguise).
Excluding one story of them flying up into the sky on the backs of winged donkeys, all signs point to their sudden lack of reappearance after they entered the druid grove. They may very well be dead, or trapped in a time hole, or eaten by trees. So the task became that of finding someone who could look into the state of the group without risking life or limb to do it. The best option? Magic. The best magical practitioners? Wizards. And there just so happened to be one in town. (Two, actually, but one of them sort of felt… wrong.)
The good news is, Tolliver the wizard can find my friends. The bad news is, he won't do it for less than 400 gold. The better news is, he has a job that requires my particular skills. About a week back, somebody sold him a big hefty chest; one that's laden with magical traps, dangers, and treasure, apparently. If I can open it, he'll cast the divination for free. If I can't, then I'm probably dead from the attempt. Still, it doesn't look too hard and it beats begging on the street.
Day 159
Any day you start by accidentally setting your employer ablaze is not likely to be a good day.
I worked out what magical function the goggles fulfill: eye protection. If it's not what they're meant to do, it is now. As my esteemed sciences teacher once said, "Having nothing between the eyeball and the universe is just inviting it to jab something sharp into it." Whether he meant the universe jabbing your eyes or the other way around was never actually clear, now that I think about it.
Ah yes, the chest. First there were the glyphs. While examining one on the back side of the chest, I set it off, lighting a nearby weapon rack on fire. Tolliver came in when he heard the ruckus, and triggered another glyph when he tried to put the flames out. Fortunately it was all extinguished before it could spread far, and he had some salve lying around for his burns. This was about the point I decided to move it outside.
After that were the dart traps, which kicked in after the last of the glyphs were
Next there was the acid trap, likely built to liquidate any assets inside if I slipped up on the locks. So I found a sturdy tree to suspend it under, broke out the ol' block and tackle, hoisted it up, dug a small ditch beneath it, and drilled a hole in the side. This, in retrospect, must have triggered the summoning of the gigantic badger. At first it was almost sort of friendly: it treed me fairly quickly, where it would shake the trunk once in a while. Then I shot it, and it got angry. Needless to say, I escaped alive; but the tree, two clotheslines, a fence, and a small cart died noble deaths at it's claws.
Finally, there were the locks. The locks did not go as smoothly as the rest.
At any rate the job was done, the treasure was bountiful, and the shop was mostly intact; and so Tolliver held up his end of the bargain and performed the ritual. He says they're alive and well on Emos Island, far off the coast of Point of Origin. Verifying the safety of the druid grove was not included in our deal; but since he's given me proof that entering it is not a death sentence, I'm sure I can check it out on my own.
…probably.
Day 160
Ye gods am I sore.
I panicked over nothing. First thing I see after I jump the fence into the grove (only one guard, another poor tactical move Mr. Chuck Sane-People-Into-Asylums) is Miranda at the ready to kill me with trees. She said she doesn't know of an Emos Island, but she knows of the area that the wizard described. However, without knowing exactly which island it is, a teleport to the wrong one could leave me stranded. But, she can (and did) send me back to Point of Origin where I can work it out from there. She was even nice enough to send the horse along.
After discreetly checking said horse in at the stables, I made my way to the docks and found a boat that stops in the region of the island on its way to Stonekeep (?! Well, technically they're not accepting trade from them…). The captain hasn't heard of Emos Island either, but he's willing to wait a day or so at their first port of call while I ask around about it. All for the low price of 100 gold, the last of my money. The ship leaves tomorrow at sunrise. It better be worth it.
Day 161
Dreamed of the ghost, again. There may be some kind of curse at work on me, I'll have to remember to consult a priest about it.
The boat is, well, a boat. Laden with crates of rubyred beets, fishing supplies, a bored crew, and a drunken old man known only as "Sad Jack." I do not normally enjoy travelling by boat; none of this rallies me to feel otherwise.
The crew don't know anything about Emos Island, which is strange. You'd think there would be somebody on board with knowledge of all those little islandlets or what have you.
EMOS = SOME. I am seeking some island.
No wonder nobody heard of it. Gods damn it, I am an idiot. That wizard sent me off on a dead turkey hunt and is probably laughing his hat off at me. Now I'm en route for an enemy keep and I can't afford a return trip home. Hells' bell, I can't afford a return trip to my cot. Damn it all.
Day 163
Religion and You says that "visions from outside your chosen deific-based praise-sources are Their way of being a useful meta-moralistic guide to what they omni-perceive to be your personal etho-concerns." My vision last night disproves this, specifically the bit about being 'useful.'
So… somewhere in the world is Alcander's immortal soul in an oversized earring. My task, as I understand it, is to team up with Fflam, a half-elf woman, and a small green barricade in an effort to free the soul from its place of imprisonment, which is inside a laboratory inside a cliff. No specific cliff, just a sandy one. Another sound reason to worship St. Cuthbert: he doesn't fuck with you like this. If I ever come across a Temple of Heracles, I'm going to beat their high priest with a map.
Bah, like I'm one to talk about maps.
Day 164
Thank you St. Cuthbert in all your infinite glory. I found them! They were practically waiting for me at the dock!
Mind you, they're still jerks. I've been away for over three weeks, and their first question to me is about the ghost woman. Oh I'm fine, thanks for asking, I've just been force-marched through sewers, assaulted by giant animals, and tasked with the impossible by a pantsless god, that's all. Only three people are left from the original group, and they've managed to find someone thicker in the head than Alcander. They've also accumulated another dwarf and two half-elves. At least the gnome and her damnable "Ballad of Tupper's Ghostfucking" isn't with us anymore. Of course, that just means she's out spreading the song around…
Ahh, it's good to be back.
Day 165
Another Moana dream. Maybe the others are right, maybe I have some repressed undead fetish. But how do you confirm something like this, outside of discreet deals with a necromancer and lots of soap? Is there a spell to discern it? Maybe I'm just blowing it out of proportion. Bah.
Also, the new dwarf has reportedly been feeding sharks to other sharks, and has felt so guilty about this that he requested the forgiveness of a sun god. I don't even know.
The half-ork made a sculpture of a dog out of beets. Just beets. It's surprisingly realistic, given the medium. I'll be damned if I eat it, though.
Day 169
Gods damn it this is getting to be too regular for my tastes.
We arrived at Stonekeep at last. Everyone except Grungar (the half-ork) has gone into town for supplies. Apparently it was a long and grueling three weeks for them as well. Also they're giving money to an enemy fortress, but hey. As for Grungar, he's been going on about how amazing 'Dan' is and how they're the best of friends. Apparently, Dan is a small child in a 'cold town.' Dan is also a fellow stuck in a marble somewhere whom he has to free, and also… a man wearing a loincloth that appears in his dreams and tells him what to do. I don't think I like the half-ork anymore.
Day 170
And we get right back on a boat. We're heading out to Oohmaya to retrieve our horses, and because a nexus of insidious evil is probably not the best place to use as a hangout. Kris, the wizard, was kind enough to foot my boat fare. At least this boat doesn't have that Jack bastard aboard. Ye gods, that man would not stop complaining.
Day 173
I don't know why, and I don't care anymore. I just want it to stop.
Day 175
Oohmaya! Still as ice-locked and depressing as ever, but now with less greenery. Likely the result of another spell meant to drive more business to Stonekeep. Tomorrow we ride forth to Ismere, presumably to ask Miranda if she can send us
Monday, November 16, 2009
From The Journal of Jacob Cayle aka Irwin Foster Dundee III
Day: Today.
So I'm not going to delve into how ridiculous we looked fighting a single gnome illusionist. Mostly because I don't actually know how we looked, as I was blind for most of it. Suffice it to say, I now hate illusionists, especially of the gnome variety.
And I don't want to remember this day any more, let alone talk about it. Maybe tomorrow will be a less sucky day.
So I'm not going to delve into how ridiculous we looked fighting a single gnome illusionist. Mostly because I don't actually know how we looked, as I was blind for most of it. Suffice it to say, I now hate illusionists, especially of the gnome variety.
And I don't want to remember this day any more, let alone talk about it. Maybe tomorrow will be a less sucky day.
Adventuring is not like the stories.
Ahhhh. I am so sick. What the hell is wrong with me? I keep throwing up. Where is Ragnarr when you need him? He needs to cure o crap…..
Man I hate this place. First I almost get die now I can not stop throwing up. I am going to go to bed. Hopeful some reset will help. O Pelor not again….
Well I am feeling better today, which is good since I am getting on the boat soon. Meet an older alie of Aradius and Flam. He goes by the name Tupper. He is kind of an odd fellow, not very confident either, but over all seems like a decent person. Well be interesting to learn more about him on the boat ride.
Well on the high seas. Our plan is to try and get to the desert area in our vision. We are going to head to a town called Ismer, there is a druid there that might be able to teleport us to the desert. If she can not it is on the way so not all is lost. Well we have several days of travel ahead of us. We are going to dock in Stonekeep, hopefully I can get some spell items there. I need to start making some more scrolls. Anyway, I need to go do my part as a crew member. Man I miss my days of just studying.
Well we are not far from Ismer the local land does not look like what the group had described it as. There must be something going on. So far the journey has been quite, which is a good thing. Keeping watch is a slow and boring thing. I wonder if there is a spell I can learn so I can spend more time studding instead of looking for things that are trying to kill us. Anyway looks like my watch is over.
Man I hate this place. First I almost get die now I can not stop throwing up. I am going to go to bed. Hopeful some reset will help. O Pelor not again….
Well I am feeling better today, which is good since I am getting on the boat soon. Meet an older alie of Aradius and Flam. He goes by the name Tupper. He is kind of an odd fellow, not very confident either, but over all seems like a decent person. Well be interesting to learn more about him on the boat ride.
Well on the high seas. Our plan is to try and get to the desert area in our vision. We are going to head to a town called Ismer, there is a druid there that might be able to teleport us to the desert. If she can not it is on the way so not all is lost. Well we have several days of travel ahead of us. We are going to dock in Stonekeep, hopefully I can get some spell items there. I need to start making some more scrolls. Anyway, I need to go do my part as a crew member. Man I miss my days of just studying.
Well we are not far from Ismer the local land does not look like what the group had described it as. There must be something going on. So far the journey has been quite, which is a good thing. Keeping watch is a slow and boring thing. I wonder if there is a spell I can learn so I can spend more time studding instead of looking for things that are trying to kill us. Anyway looks like my watch is over.
Ragnarr: Day Gnome
I'm not a violent man.
I mean, really. I got into serving Pelor to help people, heal people, do good in the world and all that.
I'm not an adventurer, not really. A nip down a road to a new town, maybe, once I've done all the good I can in the last one. But once I find a place that needs me, I'm happy to install myself as a fixture in the inn between doing whatever good needs done.
I hadn't the foggiest notion of why Pelor chose me to help these Paladins along. I thought perhaps he'd gone daft, confused by the shininess of my armor into thinking that I knew what in blazes I was doing. I heal folks. Perhaps do a bit of light augury, weather reading, that sort of thing. But adventuring?
I think I understand, now. Pelor is forgiving, he's loving, all that. He'd like nothing better than to help folks, same as I would.
But there's another side of him. The side Arcadius gets, that I've never really known. The side with a temper. The vengeful side.
The thing is, before that big damn fish, I didn't get it. I looked at Arcadius and figured that he was chosen by Pelor, sure, but that I was here to maybe calm him down a bit, get him to deal with things without smashing them sometimes.
And that may be. But more than that, I think maybe I needed to work out how to step in myself. How to get my own bloody hands dirty when there's a fish so big the bastards I might heal can't even touch it.
How to beat the bastards down when it's what's called for, without having to summon some poor bastard spirit to do it for me.
Today I learned. If I had stuck with healing, I could have watched as the idiots I'm supposed to protect bludgeoned away at each other. There would have been nothing I could do but listen to the laughing of that damn gnome as he toyed with the weaker minded of us.
Instead, I could act. For a change, I learned what it feels like to be the fist of Pelor's vengeance. To feel his anger at the mistreatment of those he has chosen to protect.
And I'm still angry. That gnome hasn't nearly seen his fit punishment.
That is my question, now. What sort of punishment would fit this crime? What geas would Pelor deem righteous to purge this illusionist of his sins?
Of this, I am not sure. But I'm sure Pelor wants this lad punished, and that I'm the bastard to do it.
I can only pray that Pelor guides my punishment rightly.
I mean, really. I got into serving Pelor to help people, heal people, do good in the world and all that.
I'm not an adventurer, not really. A nip down a road to a new town, maybe, once I've done all the good I can in the last one. But once I find a place that needs me, I'm happy to install myself as a fixture in the inn between doing whatever good needs done.
I hadn't the foggiest notion of why Pelor chose me to help these Paladins along. I thought perhaps he'd gone daft, confused by the shininess of my armor into thinking that I knew what in blazes I was doing. I heal folks. Perhaps do a bit of light augury, weather reading, that sort of thing. But adventuring?
I think I understand, now. Pelor is forgiving, he's loving, all that. He'd like nothing better than to help folks, same as I would.
But there's another side of him. The side Arcadius gets, that I've never really known. The side with a temper. The vengeful side.
The thing is, before that big damn fish, I didn't get it. I looked at Arcadius and figured that he was chosen by Pelor, sure, but that I was here to maybe calm him down a bit, get him to deal with things without smashing them sometimes.
And that may be. But more than that, I think maybe I needed to work out how to step in myself. How to get my own bloody hands dirty when there's a fish so big the bastards I might heal can't even touch it.
How to beat the bastards down when it's what's called for, without having to summon some poor bastard spirit to do it for me.
Today I learned. If I had stuck with healing, I could have watched as the idiots I'm supposed to protect bludgeoned away at each other. There would have been nothing I could do but listen to the laughing of that damn gnome as he toyed with the weaker minded of us.
Instead, I could act. For a change, I learned what it feels like to be the fist of Pelor's vengeance. To feel his anger at the mistreatment of those he has chosen to protect.
And I'm still angry. That gnome hasn't nearly seen his fit punishment.
That is my question, now. What sort of punishment would fit this crime? What geas would Pelor deem righteous to purge this illusionist of his sins?
Of this, I am not sure. But I'm sure Pelor wants this lad punished, and that I'm the bastard to do it.
I can only pray that Pelor guides my punishment rightly.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Journal of Grungar, Day 155
okay so not today. I mash me becauze I hurt inside.
Then I mash a spooky kitty!
Then spooky guy make eyes go dark.
Then stuff happened I dunno.
OKAY SO TODAY. Ragnar turn on lamp in eyes!
Then we go down into spookydark water and fight bigcale kalimary.
It give bad hugs. Very bad hugs. :{
Then we find big plate full of evil. I break it good! I am good friend of Dan! ):D
Place was bad, it did not like breaking bad plate and it exploded.
We leave fast and meet with elflady again. She is happy and gave us a shiny!
This is best day evers!
Then I mash a spooky kitty!
Then spooky guy make eyes go dark.
Then stuff happened I dunno.
OKAY SO TODAY. Ragnar turn on lamp in eyes!
Then we go down into spookydark water and fight big
It give bad hugs. Very bad hugs. :{
Then we find big plate full of evil. I break it good! I am good friend of Dan! ):D
Place was bad, it did not like breaking bad plate and it exploded.
We leave fast and meet with elflady again. She is happy and gave us a shiny!
This is best day evers!
Journal of Lt. Tupper, Day 155
Day 155
Should have figured they wouldn't just let me leave town.
A note was waiting for me with the innkeeper when I got down for breakfast; I was to report to headquarters immediately. They briefed me on my 'new' mission (I don't need to file regular reports any more, but I do need another new journal), gave me some documents to sign and important papers to give to Arcadius, and then they sent me down to the armory… for my own official suit of Sable Lions armor. To think I used to loathe the sight of it. All those shiny copper rivets… the signal whistle alone is like some exotic tin treasure.
(Also, those 'sewer' goggles that the old gnome gave me are apparently magical too, though Churm wouldn't go into details without money. So I got that going for me.)
After all of that, I managed to catch up with the caravan after sunset. Tried casting a spell before settling down for the night. Hardly had to look at the spellbook to boot (less than anticipated, anyway). If my translation is correct, this will trigger a silent alarm when anyone within… let's call it 20 feet, approaches me without saying the password. I'd try out the other spell I've been working on, but the first one was tiring enough and there aren't any cliffs near here anyway.
Should have figured they wouldn't just let me leave town.
A note was waiting for me with the innkeeper when I got down for breakfast; I was to report to headquarters immediately. They briefed me on my 'new' mission (I don't need to file regular reports any more, but I do need another new journal), gave me some documents to sign and important papers to give to Arcadius, and then they sent me down to the armory… for my own official suit of Sable Lions armor. To think I used to loathe the sight of it. All those shiny copper rivets… the signal whistle alone is like some exotic tin treasure.
The day was uphill from there. They found the thief that stole from my room, but not before he had a chance to buy his buddies a round or twelve. Still, I got most of it back and well, with a constabulary horse, being a bit more late wouldn't hurt; besides, carrying around lots of money has already proven to be bad luck… so I popped into Churm's for a minute. And there it was, sitting on a fake dragon's head, something I've wanted on-and-off ever since I was a boy: a Hat of Disguise.
This is one of my better ideas. Magic things, as I understand it, give off an aura that wizards and the like can detect. Now if you're an arcane scumball looking for your next mark, and you see a guy on a horse with shiny new Sable Lion armor, a big crossbow on his back, and an illusion-type field coming from his head, you're probably going to figure he's some smarmy merchant playing at being a big bad blackcat. You swoop in for an easy score, and end up bound and laid out on the back of my horse (well, maybe). Of course, if you're just a regular scumball, all you'll see is an armored rider who can shoot you before you can get into range yourself, and hopefully deduce that it's not worth the effort. Admittedly my cumulative magical-aura field will probably give me away, but the inclusion of a illusion field should cast enough doubt. After all, what kind of crazy scooper buys an expensive magical item and doesn't use it?(Also, those 'sewer' goggles that the old gnome gave me are apparently magical too, though Churm wouldn't go into details without money. So I got that going for me.)
After all of that, I managed to catch up with the caravan after sunset. Tried casting a spell before settling down for the night. Hardly had to look at the spellbook to boot (less than anticipated, anyway). If my translation is correct, this will trigger a silent alarm when anyone within… let's call it 20 feet, approaches me without saying the password. I'd try out the other spell I've been working on, but the first one was tiring enough and there aren't any cliffs near here anyway.
Monday, November 9, 2009
From The Journal of Jacob Cayle aka Irwin Foster Dundee III
Day: it's night-time not day-time, stupid!
Dear Diary,
So, I just woke up from this bizarre dream, and I had to tell you about it!
It started out with this sarcophagus, and so initially I thought it was like any of my other sarcophagus related dreams, where I gain UNIMAGINABLE POWER!!!
But then I realized there were no sexy devil chicks dancing around like there normally are in such dreams, so I realized this was something else. As I watched, some scared elf guy tried to escape some creepy elf chick, who would refer to him as “Beloved” but was all like “Your sacrifice will not be in vain” and “This is how it must be”. I notice that when people say stuff like that, they rarely say it about themselves. It’s almost always someone ELSE who has to make the sacrifice or whatever. BLOODY BASTARDS!
Anyway, the short of it is that she casts this powerful spell (and I’ll note, the guy who she was “sacrificing” was no magical slouch himself, I haven’t heard of Thaumaturgy (blood magic) being used in some time. It’s both damn powerful and damn rare. Only guy I ever knew who seemed to know much about it was this jerk named Victor I knew years ago. I never quite trusted him. I mean, seriously, they say I’m obsessed with gaining knowledge and power, but this guy! But I digress…)
So this powerful chick who the powerful guy is terrified of performs this ritual that lasts for three days and nights. After she’s done, she takes this crystal which appears to have been altered by the ritual (and no doubt has been filled with a metric-crap-ton of arcane energy) and puts it with this staff, creating the mythical staff that we’ve now found one third of! (It was in the cave that the giant squid was protecting)
And then she buries his body and leaves. And then I woke up. Weird dream, huh? I wonder what it meant? Probably that I shouldn’t eat so much calamari before going to bed. Anyway, now I’m going back to sleep. I’ll write again later.
Dear Diary,
So, I just woke up from this bizarre dream, and I had to tell you about it!
It started out with this sarcophagus, and so initially I thought it was like any of my other sarcophagus related dreams, where I gain UNIMAGINABLE POWER!!!
But then I realized there were no sexy devil chicks dancing around like there normally are in such dreams, so I realized this was something else. As I watched, some scared elf guy tried to escape some creepy elf chick, who would refer to him as “Beloved” but was all like “Your sacrifice will not be in vain” and “This is how it must be”. I notice that when people say stuff like that, they rarely say it about themselves. It’s almost always someone ELSE who has to make the sacrifice or whatever. BLOODY BASTARDS!
Anyway, the short of it is that she casts this powerful spell (and I’ll note, the guy who she was “sacrificing” was no magical slouch himself, I haven’t heard of Thaumaturgy (blood magic) being used in some time. It’s both damn powerful and damn rare. Only guy I ever knew who seemed to know much about it was this jerk named Victor I knew years ago. I never quite trusted him. I mean, seriously, they say I’m obsessed with gaining knowledge and power, but this guy! But I digress…)
So this powerful chick who the powerful guy is terrified of performs this ritual that lasts for three days and nights. After she’s done, she takes this crystal which appears to have been altered by the ritual (and no doubt has been filled with a metric-crap-ton of arcane energy) and puts it with this staff, creating the mythical staff that we’ve now found one third of! (It was in the cave that the giant squid was protecting)
And then she buries his body and leaves. And then I woke up. Weird dream, huh? I wonder what it meant? Probably that I shouldn’t eat so much calamari before going to bed. Anyway, now I’m going back to sleep. I’ll write again later.
From The Journal of Jacob Cayle aka Irwin Foster Dundee III
Day: After Yesterday but Before Tomorrow
Dear Diary,
We totally kicked that squid's ass! (Do squids have asses? I'll have to ask a Ranger and/or a Druid about that the next time such an opportunity presents itself).
First, the squid was all like "I'm totally going to kill you, grrr!" and Arcadius was all like "Oh no you didn't!" and then he flailed around for a while because he's not actually all that well trained for water combat. Not that any of us is, I mean seriously, you'd think at least one of us would have taken swimming lessons back when we were kids or something, but apparently we were all too busy training for skills we thought would be useful for lives as adventurers when we were kids. That must be why I'm only good at things like knowing answers to arcana and spellcraft related questions. Stupid wasted childhood!
Anyway, so we were all trying to fight the squid and generally sucking at it, on account that we were having a hard enough time with not drowing, in spite of having magic earrings specifically designed to keep us from doing so. I drew its attention by hitting it with an eldritch bolt and then failed to do anything for the next minute, dividing my time equally between being crushed by a tentacle and failing to swim.
So Ragnarr did the most good by dividing his time between keeping us healed and summoning things that could actually swim. I tried to do that too and finally managed to swim long enough to summon a Large Water Elemental, which worked with one of Ragnarr's sharks to actually fight the giant squid, but it was kicking both their asses (I'm not sure if Water Elementals have asses either, but that's another question I'll leave for the sages to answer).
So the battle was going sucky, and then Ragnarr had the bright idea to summon a BLOODY FIRE ELEMENTAL into the fight, right next to the squid. Do you know what happens when you summon a fire elemental into water? It blows all the hell up, that's what it does. I'm totally going to have to try that next time I'm underwater.
Anyway, that did some major damage to the squid, but unfortunately finished off the shark and the water elemental. So the squid was still coming at us, and I was getting crushed (yet again), so I decided to stop fighting against the tentacle and take advantage of the fact that while the squid was crushing me, it was also keeping me from needing to swim. So I took aim at it and blasted it in the face! And that was enough to finally finish the bastard off. Hmm, makes me hungry for calamari.
Anyway, now the squid is dead, and we found treasure (which is always nice) and apparently one third of a really powerful staff (which for some reason no one trusts me with, I don't know why. I bet if I studied it long enough I could figure out how to do some really awesome stuff with it, but that's a hypothesis for another day).
Anyway, now we need to figure out what to do next, but I'll let the Paladins figure that out.
Dear Diary,
We totally kicked that squid's ass! (Do squids have asses? I'll have to ask a Ranger and/or a Druid about that the next time such an opportunity presents itself).
First, the squid was all like "I'm totally going to kill you, grrr!" and Arcadius was all like "Oh no you didn't!" and then he flailed around for a while because he's not actually all that well trained for water combat. Not that any of us is, I mean seriously, you'd think at least one of us would have taken swimming lessons back when we were kids or something, but apparently we were all too busy training for skills we thought would be useful for lives as adventurers when we were kids. That must be why I'm only good at things like knowing answers to arcana and spellcraft related questions. Stupid wasted childhood!
Anyway, so we were all trying to fight the squid and generally sucking at it, on account that we were having a hard enough time with not drowing, in spite of having magic earrings specifically designed to keep us from doing so. I drew its attention by hitting it with an eldritch bolt and then failed to do anything for the next minute, dividing my time equally between being crushed by a tentacle and failing to swim.
So Ragnarr did the most good by dividing his time between keeping us healed and summoning things that could actually swim. I tried to do that too and finally managed to swim long enough to summon a Large Water Elemental, which worked with one of Ragnarr's sharks to actually fight the giant squid, but it was kicking both their asses (I'm not sure if Water Elementals have asses either, but that's another question I'll leave for the sages to answer).
So the battle was going sucky, and then Ragnarr had the bright idea to summon a BLOODY FIRE ELEMENTAL into the fight, right next to the squid. Do you know what happens when you summon a fire elemental into water? It blows all the hell up, that's what it does. I'm totally going to have to try that next time I'm underwater.
Anyway, that did some major damage to the squid, but unfortunately finished off the shark and the water elemental. So the squid was still coming at us, and I was getting crushed (yet again), so I decided to stop fighting against the tentacle and take advantage of the fact that while the squid was crushing me, it was also keeping me from needing to swim. So I took aim at it and blasted it in the face! And that was enough to finally finish the bastard off. Hmm, makes me hungry for calamari.
Anyway, now the squid is dead, and we found treasure (which is always nice) and apparently one third of a really powerful staff (which for some reason no one trusts me with, I don't know why. I bet if I studied it long enough I could figure out how to do some really awesome stuff with it, but that's a hypothesis for another day).
Anyway, now we need to figure out what to do next, but I'll let the Paladins figure that out.
A Bright Light (Chris)
I thought my life was at its end. I saw a bright then everything went quite and black. I figured Pelor himself had come for me. I was wrong. It was just a fire elemental that Ragnarr summoned. The summoned elemental apparently caused a large explosion and shockwave that almost killed me and is the reason why I can not hear anything right now. Ragnarr decided to summon it when it looked like all of us were going to die. We were fighting an octopus of sorts. This creature most of us grappled and surely one of us was headed for it’s month very soon. Pelor must really want us to succeed because with out his help I believe we all would not be here anymore. I well say this thou, Ragnarr needs to be careful or he will never be able to summon a creature again. All of his summons end up dead.
Anyways, It looks like we are going to be here for a while. It is going to be a while before we can take a boat back to the main land, which I am willing to wait. I have had enough with water combat to last me a life time.
Hopefully Ragnarr well heal my hearing tomorrow. I want to take a closer look at some of the items we found in the tower, but I am having a hard time doing it right now because all I hear is an annoying ringing in my ears.
Anyways, It looks like we are going to be here for a while. It is going to be a while before we can take a boat back to the main land, which I am willing to wait. I have had enough with water combat to last me a life time.
Hopefully Ragnarr well heal my hearing tomorrow. I want to take a closer look at some of the items we found in the tower, but I am having a hard time doing it right now because all I hear is an annoying ringing in my ears.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Dream: Pelor Group
((Those of you on Team Pelor (Jacob, Chris, Ragnar, Arcadius, Fflam) will get this vision while waiting for the next boat.
Fflam, you get to see both visions. I'm thinking your manliness and self-sacrifice with fire has earned you a place in either camp for the moment.
You will have two days in town after the vision before the next boat leaves.))
Before you lies a ring of basalt stones, engraved with unfamiliar images of a god who's name has long been forgotten and overrun with vines and moss. In the center lies a stone sarcophagus, runes etched along both the inside and out in an elaborate pattern. A thick carpet of ferns blankets the ground, and while there are no trees to speak of there is a great deal of shorter foliage all around. ((History: 10 + Religion: 5 or Religion: 5 + History: 10 may give you more, email me for details if you meet these requirements))
Beyond the clearing you see mountains in all directions ((Geography or Maps: 5 will give you more here, let me know)) and along a passageway through the mountains there are two giant statues standing guard, each facing the other across the only evident path into the clearing. They are huge guardians, monuments of a cat-like creature with large wings, standing eternal watch.
There is a deathly peaceful feel to this place, as if it has not seen a disturbance in hundreds or even thousands of years. Not a single animal moves, no birds sing, no insects so much as click or cry out. There is no breeze, no movement, and all is perfectly still.
A moment later, suddenly, there is movement. The rustle of leaves as something moves, and in the silence the sound echoes for quite some distance.
An elven man stumbles into the ring of stones. His skin is scarred with sigils that were cut into his skin long ago, twisted images that look vaguely like the runes and glyphs common to various forms of magic, but twisted and misshapen. Not just from the inexpert and awkward hand that must have cut them, but as if the author were deliberately trying to distort their purpose. He wears clothes that look as if they must once have been made of the highest quality silk, now tattered and stained beyond all recognition. His hair is matted and caked with blood, and his eyes appear wide and terrified.
The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a knife. A basic-but-functional instrument that on close inspection appears to be shimmering and shifting as he holds it. Looking around anxiously, he makes a long cut along the ball of his thumb and chants several words, the magic binding to his blood and causing a shimmering haze to fall over the land, when the haze lifts he is gone. ((Spellcraft 10: this is a form of blood magic, very rare, but extremely potent)).
Time passes, and a woman appears in the clearing. She doesn't teleport in or appear to step in, her body doesn't seem to materialize. It is as if you blink and then she is standing there, radiating a sense of quiet calm. She is a Drow with an extremely noble bearing, porcelain skin that is pale even by the standards of the Drow, and jet black hair that drops below her waist. Where her eyes should be appear pools of glimmering darkness. She is clothed in loose-fitting traveling clothes, which hint at her lithe frame while not explicitly revealing it, a pair of leather boots, and a black silk hat. It all appears to be in perfect condition, as if she had just put it on minutes before and checked herself over in a mirror minutes before.
She speaks softly, her words lilting elegantly, "My beloved Dannar, did you really think that the stones here would protect you, or that I couldn't see through your blood magic?" Despite the elegance of her language, her tone has a flat affect to it, entirely devoid of warmth, anger, or any form of passion. Without speaking a word, she waves her hand and a shimmering curtain forms and parts to reveal the man standing perfectly still, his eyes wide, as if paralyzed by fright.
The barest note of sadness enters her voice, "I am sorry my beloved, but you know that I need the blood of someone of your caliber to finish the Work. Your efforts to retrieve the last piece and the sacrifice you are making here will not be forgotten."
She takes him by the hand and guides him to the sarcophagus, he comes along placidly, as if not in control of his own will. With each step, the vines and moss seem to recede, stones that were previously fallen over stand upright, and cracks in the sarcophagus seem to patch over. She releases his hand and, eyes still wide, he lays down in the sarcophagus. She kisses him on the lips, then draws a crystal from one of his pockets. It shimmers and changes colors continuously from the inside, as if its very material were being reworked and reformed continuously. "This will not be in vain," she whispers, taking a step back and the lid of the sarcophagus slides into place.
Lights flash all over the now reconstructed ruins, and energy seems to slowly be drawn out of the sarcophagus into the surrounding stones. She pulls a nearly completed staff from a pocket of air and fits the third and final piece--the crystal--into the crosspiece at top. Gliding gracefully, she sets the staff into a slot in one of the rocks, where it just catches the light, and begins to chant.
The vision fast forwards as the woman continues like this, casting the ritual spell, for three days and nights. At the end of this time, the energy slows to a trickle and then, finally, stops. She stands, picking up the staff and using it for support, obviously tired from her efforts, and walks toward the sarcophagus which opens to her approach. Inside there is the ruin of the man that had been here three days before: he is curled into a ball with his skin is shriveled and pallid, and his fingers appear to be gnawed off. The woman leans over and brushes her lips against his forehead, then closes his eyes with her hand. "I am sorry, we both know why this had to happen."
The woman--drained as she is--proceeds to dig a grave, marking it with a small stone and putting the body in it. She then removes a ring from her finger and puts it in the grave with the man before replacing the soil and walking off in the direction of the statues, carrying the now complete Staff of Alayna with her.
As she walks away you can see the stones return to their former places, the cracks reform, and the carpet of plants move back into place. In the end, the only evidence that the couple was ever here is a grave dug off to the side and marked with a piece of granite.
Fflam, you get to see both visions. I'm thinking your manliness and self-sacrifice with fire has earned you a place in either camp for the moment.
You will have two days in town after the vision before the next boat leaves.))
Before you lies a ring of basalt stones, engraved with unfamiliar images of a god who's name has long been forgotten and overrun with vines and moss. In the center lies a stone sarcophagus, runes etched along both the inside and out in an elaborate pattern. A thick carpet of ferns blankets the ground, and while there are no trees to speak of there is a great deal of shorter foliage all around. ((History: 10 + Religion: 5 or Religion: 5 + History: 10 may give you more, email me for details if you meet these requirements))
Beyond the clearing you see mountains in all directions ((Geography or Maps: 5 will give you more here, let me know)) and along a passageway through the mountains there are two giant statues standing guard, each facing the other across the only evident path into the clearing. They are huge guardians, monuments of a cat-like creature with large wings, standing eternal watch.
There is a deathly peaceful feel to this place, as if it has not seen a disturbance in hundreds or even thousands of years. Not a single animal moves, no birds sing, no insects so much as click or cry out. There is no breeze, no movement, and all is perfectly still.
A moment later, suddenly, there is movement. The rustle of leaves as something moves, and in the silence the sound echoes for quite some distance.
An elven man stumbles into the ring of stones. His skin is scarred with sigils that were cut into his skin long ago, twisted images that look vaguely like the runes and glyphs common to various forms of magic, but twisted and misshapen. Not just from the inexpert and awkward hand that must have cut them, but as if the author were deliberately trying to distort their purpose. He wears clothes that look as if they must once have been made of the highest quality silk, now tattered and stained beyond all recognition. His hair is matted and caked with blood, and his eyes appear wide and terrified.
The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a knife. A basic-but-functional instrument that on close inspection appears to be shimmering and shifting as he holds it. Looking around anxiously, he makes a long cut along the ball of his thumb and chants several words, the magic binding to his blood and causing a shimmering haze to fall over the land, when the haze lifts he is gone. ((Spellcraft 10: this is a form of blood magic, very rare, but extremely potent)).
Time passes, and a woman appears in the clearing. She doesn't teleport in or appear to step in, her body doesn't seem to materialize. It is as if you blink and then she is standing there, radiating a sense of quiet calm. She is a Drow with an extremely noble bearing, porcelain skin that is pale even by the standards of the Drow, and jet black hair that drops below her waist. Where her eyes should be appear pools of glimmering darkness. She is clothed in loose-fitting traveling clothes, which hint at her lithe frame while not explicitly revealing it, a pair of leather boots, and a black silk hat. It all appears to be in perfect condition, as if she had just put it on minutes before and checked herself over in a mirror minutes before.
She speaks softly, her words lilting elegantly, "My beloved Dannar, did you really think that the stones here would protect you, or that I couldn't see through your blood magic?" Despite the elegance of her language, her tone has a flat affect to it, entirely devoid of warmth, anger, or any form of passion. Without speaking a word, she waves her hand and a shimmering curtain forms and parts to reveal the man standing perfectly still, his eyes wide, as if paralyzed by fright.
The barest note of sadness enters her voice, "I am sorry my beloved, but you know that I need the blood of someone of your caliber to finish the Work. Your efforts to retrieve the last piece and the sacrifice you are making here will not be forgotten."
She takes him by the hand and guides him to the sarcophagus, he comes along placidly, as if not in control of his own will. With each step, the vines and moss seem to recede, stones that were previously fallen over stand upright, and cracks in the sarcophagus seem to patch over. She releases his hand and, eyes still wide, he lays down in the sarcophagus. She kisses him on the lips, then draws a crystal from one of his pockets. It shimmers and changes colors continuously from the inside, as if its very material were being reworked and reformed continuously. "This will not be in vain," she whispers, taking a step back and the lid of the sarcophagus slides into place.
Lights flash all over the now reconstructed ruins, and energy seems to slowly be drawn out of the sarcophagus into the surrounding stones. She pulls a nearly completed staff from a pocket of air and fits the third and final piece--the crystal--into the crosspiece at top. Gliding gracefully, she sets the staff into a slot in one of the rocks, where it just catches the light, and begins to chant.
The vision fast forwards as the woman continues like this, casting the ritual spell, for three days and nights. At the end of this time, the energy slows to a trickle and then, finally, stops. She stands, picking up the staff and using it for support, obviously tired from her efforts, and walks toward the sarcophagus which opens to her approach. Inside there is the ruin of the man that had been here three days before: he is curled into a ball with his skin is shriveled and pallid, and his fingers appear to be gnawed off. The woman leans over and brushes her lips against his forehead, then closes his eyes with her hand. "I am sorry, we both know why this had to happen."
The woman--drained as she is--proceeds to dig a grave, marking it with a small stone and putting the body in it. She then removes a ring from her finger and puts it in the grave with the man before replacing the soil and walking off in the direction of the statues, carrying the now complete Staff of Alayna with her.
As she walks away you can see the stones return to their former places, the cracks reform, and the carpet of plants move back into place. In the end, the only evidence that the couple was ever here is a grave dug off to the side and marked with a piece of granite.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Aurelia's Grand Adventure! or: How she came to join the party! Pt 1
Hercules suggested I buy a journal when I went into town today. He said it would help me in ways I have yet to understand on such a long task. So I suppose I should start at the beginning.
A few nights ago, around Day 119, Diana came to me. Most would call it a vision, but it is more real than that. She appears by your fire and shares in your food. As a follower of Diana, you take from the land only that which you need. When you share what you have, no matter how little, it is a way to honor Diana. The one exception is if a vile creature is harassing a village, then you must protect the village first. Of course, there are non-violent ways of ridding a village of pests, but I am digressing.
I have faithfully followed Diana since I was 15. Now, almost 15 years later, I am one of the hunters she approaches with some of her more daunting tasks. She knows me to be reliable and good at what I do. Even I was flabbergasted by what she asked of me. She owed Hercules a favor. From what I gather, a large favor. He has interest in a group fighting evil from the sea. Diana has asked me to go and aid in the looming battle.
And so it was, earlier today I set forth from the mountains outside Turino. Lucrezia and I entered the town. I had to get special permission for Lucrezia to accompany me to the Druid Grove. I also had to leash and muzzle her when I went into the shops to acquire ink and a journal. Poor Lucrezia. She is not used to being leashed and muzzled, she usually waits for me outside the town. My only other option was to leave her behind. She is my faithful companion and also beloved of Diana. Where I go, she goes.
Diana had arranged with the Druids to send me to Izmir through some sort of magic I have not seen before. They opened a door in a tree, we walked through, and were in Izmir's Druid Grove. The Druids in Izmir are not followers of Diana, but all the Druids I have met have deep respect for any Deity of the Wild. Oddly enough, I have found out that in a way, that includes Bacchus, since his followers include Druids with amazing abilities to grow various plants.
The Druids directed us to an inn where Lucrezia would at least be welcome to stay in my room. I left her there, unmuzzled and unleashed, while I went and gathered some supplies. I had brought most of my own supplies, including my bow and armour, but required things like trail rations, et cetera. Not knowing the area in which I am about to travel, I am not sure what sort of hunting and gathering there will be to sustain me and Lucrezia.
From what Hercules has told me so far, his disciple in the group is one called Alcander, who very much resembles Hercules. Interest in the group is also given by Pelor, the Sun God. As long as Pelor does not spout poetry like Apollo, sweet Diana's brother, I believe I will get along with his followers at least enough to fight along side them.
I must turn in now. Lucrezia and I have an early start in the morning. We have a long distance to travel and a vague destination. Hercules has promised to let us know when we are there. He said he may not know it until he sees it. This should be an interesting journey.
A few nights ago, around Day 119, Diana came to me. Most would call it a vision, but it is more real than that. She appears by your fire and shares in your food. As a follower of Diana, you take from the land only that which you need. When you share what you have, no matter how little, it is a way to honor Diana. The one exception is if a vile creature is harassing a village, then you must protect the village first. Of course, there are non-violent ways of ridding a village of pests, but I am digressing.
I have faithfully followed Diana since I was 15. Now, almost 15 years later, I am one of the hunters she approaches with some of her more daunting tasks. She knows me to be reliable and good at what I do. Even I was flabbergasted by what she asked of me. She owed Hercules a favor. From what I gather, a large favor. He has interest in a group fighting evil from the sea. Diana has asked me to go and aid in the looming battle.
And so it was, earlier today I set forth from the mountains outside Turino. Lucrezia and I entered the town. I had to get special permission for Lucrezia to accompany me to the Druid Grove. I also had to leash and muzzle her when I went into the shops to acquire ink and a journal. Poor Lucrezia. She is not used to being leashed and muzzled, she usually waits for me outside the town. My only other option was to leave her behind. She is my faithful companion and also beloved of Diana. Where I go, she goes.
Diana had arranged with the Druids to send me to Izmir through some sort of magic I have not seen before. They opened a door in a tree, we walked through, and were in Izmir's Druid Grove. The Druids in Izmir are not followers of Diana, but all the Druids I have met have deep respect for any Deity of the Wild. Oddly enough, I have found out that in a way, that includes Bacchus, since his followers include Druids with amazing abilities to grow various plants.
The Druids directed us to an inn where Lucrezia would at least be welcome to stay in my room. I left her there, unmuzzled and unleashed, while I went and gathered some supplies. I had brought most of my own supplies, including my bow and armour, but required things like trail rations, et cetera. Not knowing the area in which I am about to travel, I am not sure what sort of hunting and gathering there will be to sustain me and Lucrezia.
From what Hercules has told me so far, his disciple in the group is one called Alcander, who very much resembles Hercules. Interest in the group is also given by Pelor, the Sun God. As long as Pelor does not spout poetry like Apollo, sweet Diana's brother, I believe I will get along with his followers at least enough to fight along side them.
I must turn in now. Lucrezia and I have an early start in the morning. We have a long distance to travel and a vague destination. Hercules has promised to let us know when we are there. He said he may not know it until he sees it. This should be an interesting journey.
Aurelia: Day 155
We opened the cabinet with the rune on it. It seems to be a meat locker with cuts of cattle in it. Most likely food for the creatures we have found.
Then, with nowhere else to go, we went down the grate. Jacob floated down and determined there to be water around 120 feet down. He kindly aided us all down, since we did not have rope to get there. Once we were in the water, we found a large sea creature. It had 30 feet of tentacles and was as wide as the opening below.
After a long and arduous battle, in which we almost lost Chris and Grungar, we finally defeated it. Jacob fought impressively and the Cleric called forth a fire elemental, which did an amazing amount of damage both to the creature and to us, but at least it gave us the edge we needed to defeat it. I do not like this fighting underwater. I am forced to use a spear, which Chris kindly lent me. I also am not fond of having anything other than firm ground beneath my feet.
We came upon an obsidian portal. Having no key with which to open it, we allowed Grungar to smash it. That is when the Keep literally began to fall down around our ears. In a blur of motion, we made it up to the dumb waiter and out of the Keep. We were able to make it clear of the Keep before it completely collapsed. Now we are back in the village for some much needed rest. Lucrezia definitely enjoyed her time outside while we were in the Keep. I hope she was not too worried for me.
Hercules, I must honestly say you have sent me to join some inspiring companions, even if they are men.
Diana, when I next get the chance to hunt, I shall make sure to offer some of the game to the fire to thank you for your patronage.
Then, with nowhere else to go, we went down the grate. Jacob floated down and determined there to be water around 120 feet down. He kindly aided us all down, since we did not have rope to get there. Once we were in the water, we found a large sea creature. It had 30 feet of tentacles and was as wide as the opening below.
After a long and arduous battle, in which we almost lost Chris and Grungar, we finally defeated it. Jacob fought impressively and the Cleric called forth a fire elemental, which did an amazing amount of damage both to the creature and to us, but at least it gave us the edge we needed to defeat it. I do not like this fighting underwater. I am forced to use a spear, which Chris kindly lent me. I also am not fond of having anything other than firm ground beneath my feet.
We came upon an obsidian portal. Having no key with which to open it, we allowed Grungar to smash it. That is when the Keep literally began to fall down around our ears. In a blur of motion, we made it up to the dumb waiter and out of the Keep. We were able to make it clear of the Keep before it completely collapsed. Now we are back in the village for some much needed rest. Lucrezia definitely enjoyed her time outside while we were in the Keep. I hope she was not too worried for me.
Hercules, I must honestly say you have sent me to join some inspiring companions, even if they are men.
Diana, when I next get the chance to hunt, I shall make sure to offer some of the game to the fire to thank you for your patronage.
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