From the Journal of Hrogar

Well, we managed to survive the sea (once again). We were assaulted by what turned out to be a clever illusion of a storm. We made a break to try to get back to port, and were eventually attacked by the Sea Witch (or at least we think it was her).

Hrefna was able to illuminate our attacker with fairy-fire, and thus give us a target to attack. Kalidas and I were able to get a few shots at her, but it was Mistera who was able to land the most decisive blows with some powerful spells. We were then able to fish the body out of the water. We found a number of items on her, one of which was a crystal which Hrefna said might contain her soul, or something else that would cause trouble later, if it wasn't destroyed. Unfortunately, destroying it released an evil spirit that was able to escape into Fflam's body. As a precaution against it taking over, we tied him up and headed back to port.

When we got back, we didn't get a lot of success in finding someone who could get the spirit out of him. Most people simply suggested drowning him, or at least killing him and then raising only Fflam. Luckily Mistera was able to find an alternative solution (which will hopefully work, as 'Raise Dead' spells are not cheap).

However, before we headed out, I wanted to get some gear so that if we met the Kraken again we'd be prepared this time. For reasons unknown to me, A. Hab was completely against this. She refused to allow us to bring a few barrels, nets, harpoons, lances, and some rope with us because "it would take too much time and too much space" in spite of the fact that we had sufficient space and it would have taken 5 minutes to load the stuff but instead it was apparently better to argue over it for an hour!

We went back and forth on this with virtually everyone but A. Hab seeing the value of preparing. I might have resigned myself to A. Hab's experience in such things, but I distinctly remember just before this last time we went out, I had been talking to someone (I believe it was Hrefna) about how to hunt Krakens and I'd suggested using a net, to which A. Hab retorted "That's stupid! A net would never hold a Kraken!" and so I figured she knew what she was talking about, only to curse that trust when but two days later people were asking "Why didn't anyone think of bringing a net!" (When Mistera said that I seriously had to resist the urge to scream out "I did think of it, but 'The Expert' here convinced me otherwise!" But at the time I realized that wouldn't have helped our group dynamic).

Thus this time, I was less willing to simply take her word for it. A. Hab has the irritating habit of calling others retarded or stupid, in spite of the fact that she regularly makes foolish decisions. Instead of taking five minutes to load the gear, she felt it was better to argue against it and instead trust to the prophetic powers of "Wishful Thinking" that the super-smart Kraken wouldn't try something like 'Attack when we're neither expecting it nor prepared for it' because surely the Kraken would never think of that and it's totally worth risking our lives on that tenant to save five minutes!

A. Hab has done little but sabotage my every attempt to aid her in any way of attacking the Kraken, leaving those of us without magic to try swimming along after it in any fights we have (not even getting close to it's speed, as soon as we get near, it easily swims away), effectively leaving her as the only one with any real shot of engaging it, a task she is clearly not capable of doing alone. And the only benefit she seems to get from this is the ability to laugh at us for being unable to help! She is, without a doubt, one of the most incompetent adventurers I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with, and this coming from one who TRAVELS WITH TUPPER!!!

...

Unfortunately, now that we are no longer working with her, we no longer have a ship to go after the Kraken with (and I'm not just disappointed that we won't get a shot at it's treasure trove, although that is part of it). Perhaps we can find someone else to aid us. Or perhaps this is just an unnecessary distraction: with the Sea Witch apparently dead, the Kraken may simply leave the area and stop attacking ships. But I'd prefer to make sure the Kraken is gone before moving on.

Journal of Lt. Tupper, Day 232-234

Day 232
The good news is we escaped the temple without further confrontations with the drow. The bad news is that they evacuated the temple because of a horrible phenomenon that had enveloped the place. For a sizable area around the temple, the sun does not shine. Hrogar says he saw this sort of thing before at the Battle of Stonekeep. It took over two hours of wind-walking to reach the edge of it, and even assuming the other edge started at the temple, that makes for a very large… thing.

As for Leaf, Ragnar believes she is the actual power behind the Staff of Ehlonna, which would explain how she casually wandered off to a faraway town while we were discussing the situation. Ragnar wind-walked Chris and I off at this town to find her. We found the remains of a battle inside a tavern, and Leaf huddled up on the second floor. She says some drow ripped the place apart, though there's no drow corpses, or any corpses. Lots of blood and property damage, though. She also can't remember us, or the escape. If you find this journal abandoned next to a batch of bacon and eggs, that food may very well be what's left of me.

Herakles' answer to diplomacy involves chucking barrels at ambassadors ambassadors at barrels each other.


Day 233
Well, at least we don't have to worry about Leaf anymore.

Ragnar came back with the rest of the group and the prisoners today. The prisoners are being cared for at a Temple of Pelor. Went to report the ruckus at the tavern, and found that the City Guard is being led by a man with a crystal necklace and likely allied with the forces of the Spooky Underwater City/Kingdom. We will have to watch our actions carefully here, especially since Ragnar is now- but I'm ahead of myself.

Ragnar prayed to Pelor for advice on how to handle Leaf. Apparently, Pelor told him to take her to a city of doors, which can only be reached by travelling through the planes. Leaf has no problem planehopping, but a bit of an issue of remembering where to go. Ragnar has thusly volunteered to take her to the city, and Chris has volunteered to go with Ragnar. That they have set off on some epic universe-spanning quest before I even had lunch is more than a little humbling.

After saying our farewells and watching them phase out, we split up to comb the city for information and supplies. Managed to find some decent replacement lockpicks. Fflam loaded up on Alchemist's Fire. Ariella found somewhere else to be altogether, apparently. Mystera found a ship captain and two armed goons who say there's been a kraken attacking local ships and that we have to kill the damned thing. So tomorrow, instead of doing something useful like tracking down the final piece of that staff that could protect us against whatever the hell is out there, we are going out on a boat to carve up an angry overgrown squid. Business as usual.

Herakles thinks planehoppping means jumping around in a field.


Day 234
I hate the ocean. Always have, always will.

The morning found us on the ship alongside sea captain Anuschlockus ("call me Ahab") and our new friends Azan and Kalida. Kalida took up camp in the crow's nest, which I find is creepy as a hell. Tactically sound, as it turned out, but creepy. Pretty soon a storm started up and a large shadow appeared under the water. A lot of the others jumped off the boat to fight it, I stayed back since damned if I know how to swim, and Kalida… started attacking the storm. After a few shots into ostensibly the open sky, both the storm and the beast retreated. Mystera says the spells used during the battle could only have come from a fellow druid, which would also explain the control over the kraken. Since then, we have returned to port since Kalidas is temporarily blind and in need of clerical attention. Given my overall assistance today, I will be staying in town instead of going back out with the others tomorrow. I have a few ideas I wished to pursue, anyway.

Herakles once halted a blight upon a town by refraining from washing upstream from them.
I'm kidding, of course. Herakles never bathes.

Sit and wait

So after further investigation we have discovered that there is a wizard and a kraken. At first we thought it to be a kraken that could cast but after a confrontation we found out quickly that there was a wizard flying in the clouds. Since this encounter we have went back to port were we picked up a wizard named Revna. Apparently the group knows her from earlier this year. After being formally introduced we headed back out to sea. We decided to go to some islands that local sailors have suggested as a good place to start looking for the kraken lair. We should be there in a few days.

We have arrived at the island. Revna is utilizing some of her spells to try and locate the wizard and the kraken. Until she is done I will just keep a look out.

According to Revna the wizard is a few days travel by sea and the kraken is below us. We decided we should go after the wizard. Hopefully we will not need to fight the kraken. We are not prepared enough to do so.

After going under the water and exploring a abandoned ruin it was apparent that the wizard has left. Our quick encounter with what I can only assuming was the kraken last night alerted her that we were on the way, which was very apparent as we tried to surface and there was a layer of lighting preventing us from doing so. Fortunately Revna dispelled it in time so I could get back on the ship just in time to see the ship was on fire. With buckets of water and a very prepared druid we were able to put out the flames before any real damage was done. In the mean time Revna had determine the wizard is gone. I have no doubt in my mind that the kraken is on it’s way and an encounter is avoidable. So know we sit and wait. Pelor guide us and give us the strength to defeat this evil.

From the Journal of Hrogar

We heard rumors of a spell-casting Kraken that was terrorizing the local seaways. We investigated and found that it was actually a Sea Witch and a Kraken working together.

After the first battle, they escaped, and we returned to port. We asked around town and were able to find out where the Kraken and Sea Witch were likely based, and planned to head out to that area and look for them.

But before we left, lo and behold, Fflam met Hrefna in town! I'm not entirely sure what she's been up to, but I hope to catch up on the journey out to hunt down our enemies (she's apparently interested in helping out with the Sea Witch, and the gods know we could use all the help we can get).

*Later Entry*

So, here we are, out on the ocean, two days away from port, and about to fight a Kraken that we knew we were likely going to have to fight, but still we didn't buy any special equipment for it.

Halmyr will not be happy with me.

Still, I'm working on a plan to make use of what equipment we do have. It might work.

Kalidas: I'm On a Boat

I do not understand the ocean.

Home, in Baihata Hamdev, a single day might bring a dozen deaths. The invaders, their pleas for redemtion echoing in their every action, provided limitless opportunities for glorifying the Dark Mother. The only thing to slow down the sacred work was the need for caution, and the need to send off each penitent to their next life properly.

Out here, it was a days travel to find the kraken the first time. When found, he and the sky lady who we now believe employed him fled. So now we journey again.

A days travel to the kraken's isle. It seemed foolish to strike him first, to attack the servant instead of the master. The servant saw us, and we pursued the master anyway.

The kraken, in spite of it's size, proved to be as cowardly as it's master. A single arrow, and it fled. I wonder that I will manage to give a single death at this rate.

But still, I will try. It has been too long since I have sent a soul home to Kali, and will give the goddess her due, one way or another.

The mother be praised.

Musings of Mistera - The Casting Kraken

I was curious when I first heard the rumors of a casting Kraken, until I saw the ruse on the ship.

Kraken nowhere to be seen, and then tentacles sprout from nowhere. One successfully grapples me, but I twist out of it, shifting into a rat and squeaking away. I look around, still no Kraken, as a lightning bolt misses me by inches.

"But, that's a druid spell," I squeak out, scurrying across the deck and up the mast.

Arrows fly off into the clouds, followed by a woman's screeching. One of our new additions has found the spellcaster, who has since retreated through the stormy skies.

Casting Kraken... I knew I shouldn't have trusted paladins with spellcasting.

A. Hab's Log

Day 233:

Met an unusual group today. The group Poseidon told me would eventually come finally showed up. Fewer Paladins than I was expecting. Only 2. One Hrogar and one Fflam. Odd dwarf that Fflam. No hair. Then there is Misteria, a druid of Artemis. Tupper, a supposed Inquisitor for Point of Origin. And 2 companions they just met called Azam and Calada. I know not much of them. Except Calada asks of magic and the sea.

Tomorrow, we fight Krakken and hopefully we finally beat it.

Day 234:

Mistera and Calidas have discovered something most interesting. The spell-casting is coming from above, not the Krakken. They spent their time on ship fighting the caster.

Azan, Fflam, Hrogar, and I dove in for the Krakken. Alas, I was the only one who could get close quickly and the blasted bugger caught me. The others made a valiant effort, but swimming is so slow!

Alas! The bugger got away before we could do any real damage to it!

Tomorrow we will take it down!

From the Journal of Hrogar

We got to a large trading port and met up with Leaf, who had apparently "walked" there by taking a shortcut through some other plane of existence. When Ragnarr and the others who went first met up with her, she had no memory of us, the Drow Keep, or much anything at all. With her were found the bodies of many dead people in the inn she was found in. I suspect we truly do not understand who or what she is.

Ragnarr believes she is a truly innocent individual who needs to be taught ethics. He also believes (and I agree) that she needs to be kept out of the hands of our enemies. To this end, he and Ryan have taken the dangerous journey to another plane of existence (from what I hear, this didn't work out too well for Ragnarr the last time). Not just any other plane, but some place referred to as the City of Mirrors. While Pelor has assured him this is the safest place for her, I'm not sure it's the safest place for Ragnarr and Ryan. But I wish them luck and safety in their journey.

The part of the staff we recovered has been left with us, and I fear we have not the strength to keep it safe, although I do not know who I would trust it with.

But Ragnarr mentioned something that has been bothering me since he left. He mentioned the Staff may function by using up the very innocence of Leaf. And he questioned me (almost accused me) of whether I would ever consider using such a vile weapon. He left before I gave an answer, but the question remains. If it was the only way to defeat the our enemies, would I be willing to use such a dangerous and possibly evil weapon?

Having fairly recently converted to being a follower of Halmyr, the god of Strategy and Skill in Warfare, I'm not quite sure where he would exactly stand, but I can guess that he wouldn't automatically discard the idea of using the weapon as Ragnarr has. He is patient and thoughtful, and smiles on those who use planning and forethought, and that is what I must do. I'll admit, I haven't been as adept at using proper Strategy as I would have liked, but I must continue to hone my capabilities in that area.

On one hand, the staff is obviously very powerful, and was apparently instrumental in defeating this enemy in that age long ago. If it was the only thing able to defeat the enemy in an age where magic was far more powerful and common, it may be even more important to the enemies defeat this time.

On the other hand, it did not permanently defeat the enemy last time, and I would prefer not to simply delay our enemies for a few thousand years more and let some other poor group of Paladins fight it 10,000 years from now. I'd prefer to find a more permanent solution, if one exists.

Also, let us not forget that there many who have used the call of doing what is "necessary" to rationalize many an unnecessary slaughter of innocents. We must not become worse than our enemies.

Yes, I shall have to put much thought into this matter.

From the Journal of Hrogar

So, apparently Ragnarr pulled the staff from the crystal, and was knocked into a trance for the night while he had a vision. In the vision, he learned that the staff is sentient, and seems to want to be used. I agree with him, that such items are almost always tremendously dangerous. Also, apparently Leaf may be the key to using the weapon.

After we got out of the Drow stronghold, bringing the surviving humans who had assumedly originally been intended as food, we found that the sky was dark with an unnatural solar eclipse. The others seemed surprisingly disinterested in this. Perhaps it struck me as significantly more dangerous since the last time I saw something like this was right before the fall of Stonekeep. I still don't quite know what exactly happened, but I remember that all the mages were suddenly certain that the battle was lost and we didn't have a chance (and then I was knocked out by my well meaning friend before I could test this theory).

With help from Ragnarr, we were eventually able to get out from under the eclipse, but this makes me even more worried. If the eclipse wasn't focused on us, what was it focused on? The Drow Keep? Was there something in there that we missed, that our enemies are focusing on? Something that would allow them to ignore Leaf and the Staff? We never found where that teleportation chamber lead.

I fear we overlooked something very important.

Kalidas: The Day after the Kraken Fight

Kali, forgive me. I have failed you. I have done battle without death.

I met companions. The ones I was fated to find? I do not know. But they sought the death of a kraken, a spellcaster, and my master agreed to help and I joined him.

We were attacked. The kraken was only a distraction. The caster was above, firing from the clouds. The others who fought had gone below, seeking battle with the kraken. Of those who dealt death, I was the only one left above.

With your blessing, I could feel the caster's mind, hear her shrieks as I struck her with an arrow of your will. She blinded me, but still I could sense her, and I struck her again.

And she fled, taking the kraken with her. We all yet live, as do those who attacked us, with no blood yet drawn.

For this, I beg your forgiveness. And know that, if my master permits, I will do battle with this thing again, and again if it is needful, until your due has been given.

Your blessings upon your faithful servant.

Darkness report

I have a lead into the cause of the endless eclipse. A group of adventures went to the cursed temple. Apparently there are drow in this temple. They claim they have cleared it out and rescued some captured prisoners. I must say I am impressed that they took on a strong hold of drow. It is a small group only, only 5 adventurers. They are either very well trained in the art of fighting, it was a small drow force, or they are with holding some information. Either way I have decided I should follow this group and see if their cause is just or if they are a threat. Tomorrow they are planning to look into what is causing ships to disappear just off the cost.

Musings of Mistera - Such a Strange Little Girl...

I haven't paid too much attention to Leaf until Ragnarr told us about his vision while he was knocked unconscious from the crystal.

Leaf is a peculiar girl, very agreeable to follow instructions, although one must be very careful with one's wording. This had lead to some interesting results, such as an entire desk disappearing, leaving only its inner contents behind. She possesses immense power, so much that I am in awe and worry.

There are those out there that would take Leaf's power and use it for ill gains, and my new companions are adamant about keeping her and the staff safe. Two of them went with her to another plane to keep her safe, while the rest of us are here with a piece of the staff, with a second piece with some monks somewhere.

I'm waiting to see what my exact role in this scenario will be. I'm with a group consisting of two paladins, a quiet ranger and a clumsy rogue, all whom seem inclined to "The Power Of Good And Happy," which isn't realistic. There must be balance in all things.

Who knows, maybe it would be better if both Leaf and the Staff were destroyed.

Giornale di Aurelia

Well. We made it out of the keep alright. When we emerged it should have been morning. Instead we came to find a curious eclipse. After much brain-wracking, it was discovered that Jacob had seen this before at Stonekeep. Right before the battle that did not happen. That means that it is either something to do with us or with the keep we just left. Leaf had gone ahead of us. Ragnarr told us she was going to be instrumental in the battle against these things? Or something.

And along the way she dimension hopped. So Ragnarr took some of the survivors, if they can be called that, and part of our group and went to the port we were heading towards.

When he came back for us, we took the rest of the survivors and joined up with everyone in the port city. Ragnarr talked to Pelor and received an actual answer that was helpful.

He and Chris have now gone away to another dimension with Leaf. So in the past couple of days, we gained a druid and lost our healer and mage.

Hopefully the Gods have not abandoned us and will send us help.

Journal of Lt. Tupper, Day 231

Day 231
Well, not dead yet.

We managed to escape the jail cell this morning, and proceeded to check in on the other prisoners. Most of them were there for very good reasons. One of them was a little girl named Leaf. After that, we located the kitchen for the prison area, including live humans as food for the nastier inmates. Apparently there was an illithid locked up, emphasis on "was". Leaf said she looked at it and made it 'gone'. Grand.

From there, we came across a murderhole-and-archer-slot-laden room which led to a door. Leaf opened the door for us by blasting a hole into the wall. Naturally the next room held a number of surprised and angry drow elves. After a brief kerfuffle, which led to their tactical withdrawal, they were beset upon by wolverines led by a mouse. I would like to make a note to my superiors reviewing this journal that I was perfectly sober at the time of these events as well as when I transcribed them, however, I really wish I hadn't been. When all the drow either had fled, died, or were mind-wiped to docility by Leaf, the mouse revealed herself to be a friendly druid (relatively speaking) named Mystera. Apparently she and Ariella worship the same god under different names. That seems… dishonest, somehow. A desk in the room provided us with notes on the danger that Leaf presents, proving that the drow are a foe far more competent that we are.

While wandering about the place looking for the exit and almost getting my brain fried, we encountered more drow; whereupon Mystera launched a gigantic bear at them, which in turn was made to flee by the drow. Turns out they were guarding another prison area, this one with about 18 people in it and no readily-apparent mindflayers. Following the swath of destruction cut by the bear led us to a heavily-scarred door that Leaf was kind enough to disintegrate for us. This led to even more armed drow, naturally. All very scintillating in retrospect. At one point, my hand was almost digested by goop when I tried to open a liquor cabinet for Ragnar. Fortunately he cured the condition by lighting my hand on fire. He was kind enough to forgo my assistance on the next container of alcohol and got Leaf to vanish it for him, which left the bottles to fall and break on the floor. I probably would have cackled at this had I thought to.

Then we found the hatch. Inside was a crystal and a cross-piece from a staff. Also a zombified Alcander, but I didn't actually see much of him while he was moving. Needless to say, he is well and truly dead now. Ragnar, being insane, was first to pull the cross piece away from the crystal, and so was knocked unconscious. Since actually leaving this place was not regarded as smart move by the others, we have currently set up camp inside the actively-defended drow fortress, bringing the prisoners from the upper level down to stay near us. Tomorrow, barring a 'surprise' attack by the locals, we will evacuate to a safer point outside. It is now, in the stillness of the night, that I wonder why the flopping sandal of St. Cuthbert on a cliff are we keeping the small child of mass destruction around. Ragnar spoke of teaching the little monster of morality and ethics, but I don't know if any of us could live through the attempt.

Herakles once authored a bible to guide his followers. It made for quite a bookmark.

Fun on the Plans

This adventure is getting very exciting. I would have never had guess it would lead to me heading to the outer plans that a vision telling me to go help some paladins would lead to traveling to the planes. It is thou. Ragnarr and I are going to the outer plans in a bit to help protect a young, but very old girl named Leaf. Leaf is very powerful and could easily be used for evil. So we decided we would part ways with the group and go hide. I think it will be for the best. Hopefully the group can push on and make this world safe again and we can come back, but we hide. The only nice thing is I am going to learn some very interesting thing while being out there. Who knows maybe there is magic out there that I have never heard of. This could be a lot of fun.

Ragnarr: Waiting for Dinner

Pelor was right. I can't imagine any place safer than Sigil for Leaf to hide in.

It's the loneliest, most isolated place we could possibly have come to. Unique architecture, I'm sure. A fascinating populous from all parts of the planes. Complete neutrality and walls that make any keep on Earth look like they just weren't trying.

A lonely place, though. Not a lot of dwarves in the plane-hopping business. Out this far, frankly not a lot of anything I'd recognize. Any Prime Material Wizard would go crazy with glee at just the number of new things to learn.

And Ryan has. I've never seen him so excited. He's never had so much to learn from so many people, and he's a polite enough lad that most folks seem happy to teach him. If it's ever safe to return home, he'll be able to live a long and wealthy life just letting other wizards copy the obscure knowledge he's got in his books.

If. It's a big if.

I spend all the time I can with Leaf. She never remembers anything past a few days ago, which makes it hellishly slow to teach her something as simple as "Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you." Especially when you have to start with "being obliterated from existence would not be a fun experience."

And I gather she hasn't aged in thousands of years. She may never be ready to make her own decision as to whether to join the fight or not. The best I can hope for is to keep her safe, here, and do what I can before I die an old man.

From what I gather, all that might happen in an afternoon back home.

But the girl may be key. She's the staff-makers daughter, it seems. If the staff was made for Elaina, I can only imagine her daughter could wield it, too, if she's ever ready to take up that mantle.

I just don't know that she'll ever be.

I'm so far gone from home that Pelor doesn't hear my prayers out here. Except, perhaps, that he show me where the good liquor is.

Because the liquor is fine. And some nights, it's the only thing that will let me sleep in this damn city of mirrors.

Giornale di Aurelia

I write this after a most interesting fight. I have a few moments of respite before we get the hell out of here.

We made it further through the place with minimal fights. Though we did have some invisible enemies that it took forever to find! Misteria called forth a mist to hide our locations. Then Chris figured out how to cast and he made everyone sparkly, so we at least knew where everyone was. It took a lot but we managed to clear our path. I scouted ahead while Misteria waited for the mist to clear. It apparently follows her. After scouting ahead, I found the front door. That means the only place that our goal can be is down that dark hole.

We made it down the hole only to find an undead Alcander. I would say this is the place. It took a lot of effort and many near deaths. But UA was defeated. On the far side of the room was a crystal with another part of the staff.

Most of us went back up the rope. Ragnarr and Misteria are still below in the hole. They are going to see what they can do about the staff.

And as I write this, a peculiar voice has come booming up from below. Does this mean Alcander is back amongst the living? Am I done with this silliness of Hercules?

Musings of Mistera - Woes of the Weak

I do not know what to do with Tupper.

I've heard from some of his comrades that he's a good lad, but I'm not convinced. He's evasive, cowardly and clumsy.

I had some doubt in my first impressions until the middle of a Drow battle, where a Dire Wolf was summoned in the middle of our party. Tupper was knocked over by the wolf, and I came to his aid, swinging my quarterstaff overhead to crack the wolf's skull. The wolf deftly evaded, then swept his powerful paws, claws raking into my flesh and knocking me clean to the ground next to Tupper.

I continued to swing. Tupper ducked and hid, shifting the wolf's attention to me.

Coward.

If he does it again, I swear, I'm cracking his skull clean in twain.

From the Journal of Hrogar

I helped kill Alcander.

That is to say, I helped to kill him again.

I'm not sure if I should feel good about that or bad. I'll simply state that I'm happy he's no longer a Death Knight and that soon we should be able to release his soul from being controlled by the Drow (hopefully, one should never assume dealing with magic will be easy, especially powerful magic). After that, we'll have to figure out where to go next. We could chase after the Drow, but that seems like an unnecessary diversion.

Attached to the crystal holding Alcander's soul is a part of some powerful staff the group has apparently had some dealings with previously. I'll have to ask them more about that. I think I heard them say there was more to it. Perhaps we should try to find the rest of it? Alternatively, we might want to go after another of the strongholds of the Enemy.

Either way, I should send a message back to my mentor and family back in Point of Origin, they need to be kept up to date on what's happening. I'm curious if the city leadership is aware of the current threat from the Enemy and if they are doing anything about it. I would hope by now that the answer is yes to both of those questions. But I fear that the Enemies influence extends far and wide, and may be working to tie up the city with other distractions.

Let the spells commence

So I determine how the Drow were casting spells. It seems the wands that they carry allow them to pull the energy for spells from elsewhere. I am not sure where it is drawing it’s magic from or how much it can draw. So I am going to take it easy with the spells. I will try and stick with some of my weaker spells. There is no reason why I should risk it. So no fun spells like fireball or lighting for now, unless we have no choice.

I think we should be fine we have just killed a death knight and we Ragnarr is going to try and release the spirit in the crystal. So hopefully he can break it and we can be on our way. I do not want to be here much longer or there might be some reinforcements on their way and we are running low on healing spells. We also will not be able to dispel to many more darkness spells.

Ragnarr: The Trouble with Leaf

If there's one thing I can't complain about, it's boredom. The gods have certainly made certain I'm not that.

They've sent us a new one, it seems. A mousy sort with a temper better suited to wolverines.

Did I mention she's a druid? She seems to spend half her time as a mouse, and likes to summon wolverines. Useful, certainly, and she seems quite good at what she does, but she has a shortage of patience with some of the others, Tupper in particular, that I worry about. I mean, I'll be the first to agree that Tupper's a wee bit of an idiot sometimes, and certainly she's angry with him for good reasons, but he's a good lad. I'd hate to see him eaten.

Though it may be a kinder fate than what we're in for, I imagine.

We also met a girl by the name of Leaf. A little girl, though she might be older than we imagine. And innocent. I mean truly innocent, to the point of not really understanding what this whole "death" thing is or why anyone wouldn't want to go there. We found her, we thought, kidnapped by the Drow, though it seems she asked them to take her instead.

Frankly, she terrifies me. She has power to rival damned impressive wizards, but with none of the morality, none of the experience that might tell her not to blast the frog into a million pieces, so to speak.

To make matters worse, I had a vision given to me by part of that staff we found a piece of, earlier. A vision of it's power, of what it could do. And a whisper, from it. "All this could be yours."

I've heard one too many stories about magic items that want to be used. Sure, you could argue that they're just stories, but there's some things that would seem too damn silly to pass on if you didn't sugarcoat it. And pretty much any story you like says the same things: stay away from those items. They'll be the death of you every time.

Particularly given that, if I understand the vision right, it works by channeling Leaf's powers. We'd have to turn the poor girl into a weapon, to make her a killer on a scale she'd never dream of.

And for what? We'd win the war, aye. Perhaps even save the world. But what a bunch of bastards we'd have saved the world for, if this is what we're willing to do to save ourselves.

But what other choice is there? The staff exists, and our enemies are looking for it. I frankly don't even know if we could destroy this damn thing.

And Leaf? What are we to do with her? Our enemies would love to get our hands on such a girl, and who knows what they would teach her. We can't turn her over to an orphanage, or even a foster family. She makes the family dog disappear, obliterates the family house, and then what? At best, she's not welcome with that family any more, and at worst, she's burned at the stake as a witch.

Gods, I'd hate to see what was left of the village that tried that.

One way or another, perhaps we need to care for this girl, to try and instill her with a sense of morality, to perhaps bring her to a point where she can make the choice, to be a weapon or not. If that's a choice she'll ever be able to make.

But it's a dangerous road we travel, and I'd hate it if something should happen to her, or is she fell into the hands of our enemies. I could never forgive myself for that.

And the staff? Do we use it's power and perhaps risk our souls?

Aye, that's a matter I'll have to discuss with the paladins. That and the matter of Leaf, and whether it would be better for one of us to take her, try and teach her, vanish into the mountains and hide until she's ready.

Ready for... whatever it is she needs to do. Damned if I know.

Pelor, if you're listening: I know you like to let me find my own way, but if you've got any advice here, I wouldn't say no.