Journal of Lt. Tupper, Day 252

Day 252
As we all have yet to be horribly mangled by either powerful monsters or incompetence, we rode out to investigate the island today, on giant rainbow-colored seahorses, in the apparent hopes of changing this.

The island itself is covered in fog and mist, which obscures a fortress. This place serves as the base of operations for a cult that claims to fight against the same forces we do. Nothing suspicious about this setup at all, especially since they were so reticent to introduce themselves that we had to blunder about their trap-filled hallways and smash one of their golems before they would even talk to us.

They are led by an eerily-familiar woman who calls herself the Seneschal of the Keep, and who evades inquiries as to her proper name. They claim our mutual foe is called the “Isphit,” the unmakers of all things. As our group consists almost entirely of blithering idiots, our quest to find the final piece of the Staff of Ehlonna was laid bare before her. She told us of three temples where it might be found, and in return we must gather plants and slay horrific beings for her. We are allowed to stay in the keep as guests in the meantime.

Then there was the vision. Yes, once again Herakles failed to take a hint and smacked Nogori and I with another puzzling and pointless dream. This time, we saw some ghostly form of Arcadius fighting a dragon followed by Alcander jumping off a cliff into the ocean. Nogori got more out of the experience than I, likely because she and Herakles are on the same mental level. Also I learned far, far more than I ever cared to know about her sexual interests. If believing yourself to be a princess and lusting over sparkly vampires aren’t clear signs of insanity, I would like to know what is (but not personally).

Oh yes, and we met a monk from the previous monastery named Dantro who was investigating the fortress as well. I don’t remember him, but he says he remembers Hrogar and I. That we just so happened to be in the same isolated location far from anyone who could confirm his identity, and that he came to this place via an obsidian gateway, make him very suspicious. I don’t anticipate sleeping well tonight.

The fact that Herakles can easily travel about with such a dense and immovable object on his shoulders is proof enough to steer clear of him.