An unlikely escape
Strange adventures we have had. After finally making our leave of the lady, we were followed by the pseudonatural Dire Tiger. However, for all its alien appearance it still seemed to have something of the nature of cats about it. The mute in particular seemed to have befriended it. Strange, but welcome.
We decided that our most likely way out was through one of the teleportation circles in the Drow complex. However, these require the use of a special dust. After some discussion it was agreed to go visit the lady again and, however unlikely it may seem, to ask her for some.
As it turned out, she had none, but said dust was an ingredient in her brain seasoning. She agreed to give us another vial of the stuff (and certain persons were restrained from the temptation to drink it), and we again bid her goodbye.
The potion, as a source of dust, did not work perfectly.
We were teleported to a far cold northern land, and specifically to a ruined castle there. A village down below was full of pale but dark-haired folk who looked distinctly like those who had captured Stonekeep. Jacob decided to investigate, and took an excessively long time to do so, stopping for drinks and whatnot, but upon his return verified that it was in fact a town of the same folk.
Using our ring from the lady Alis Gozen, we returned to her city.
Taking some stock of our raid, we had killed one high-ranking member of their house, several lesser folk, uncovered a traitor in their midst, discovered useful information, and captured a spellbook, a teleportation key, and a considerable amount of equipment. Not success, but on the whole not a disaster either.
Except for Alcander, may the gods commend his soul.
At our return, we were promptly invited into the presence of the lady Gozen. We presented our report and turned over to her the spellbook, key, other notable items, and much Drow gear. We kept certain magic items useful to us. Despite our failure to annihilate the corrupted Drow house, she was clearly pleased and invited us to return later to complete the job. Someday we shall. For my part, because my word has been given, and, because it is a piece of a great cause.
From there, we were teleported by the Drow to Umea to retrieve our horses and the cart, except for Miranda, who was sent straight to Izmir. Traveling south from Umea we found that more villages had been burned and that it was indeed the work of a dragon. In the first village not yet destroyed, though half-abandoned due to the well-founded fear of the people, we encountered a self-proclaimed Dragon Slayer. Though there were things that seemed odd about him, he seemed to know of what he spoke and we agreed to go with him to seek the dragon.
We shall see how this goes. I have some misgivings, yet nothing I can point to directly. Time will tell. May Pelor guide us and the gods keep us.
*A*
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Journal of W.E. Tupper, Day 123-128
Day 125
Where the hells to begin.
All right. First I should note, for the record, that our group has violated a vast swath of local and foreign laws. I have not raised objections on the bases that our investigation into the invasion of black longships reached a dead end and our actions served as a way to advance, and that contradicting a knight of the Order is not something a would-be lieutenant is wont to do.
So we start the day yesterday by arriving at the teleportation laboratory. We pop into the residence, and Alcander immediately starts yelling about how all the drow in the house should come and face us. They promptly do so for the rest of our stay, in varying numbers and abilities. We proceed to find evidence that this drow house is directly involved in whatever the hell the coral gateways and the city in the sea are. But what the hells isn't these days?
Alcander is dead, and I would regret his passing if he was actually gone. At one point I came under the effects of a sleep spell and met up with my persistent friends Lord Loincloth and his brand-new sidekick Shouty (also known as Heracles and Alcander). One of these days I am going to find a proper priest and ask him how to politely tell a god off.
We found a mute caged up in one of the drow prisons. He has already taken a dislike to me as, apparently, being unable to translate his wild flailings into a coherent language is evidence enough of being an imbecile. The irony is nigh-palpable.
But, despite all our glorious failings in the realms of hired goonery, our employers were pleased. They told us that the underwater city has always been submerged, that it is north of Jokelmeir, and that it has been affecting things strangely. That's all, that's it. I am now well and truly beginning to loathe the Drow. Ah, but now we rest in Oohmaya, with cold beds and a colder harbor. But at least we're alive. For the most part.
To recap yesterday's events: a list of all the crimes committed, or at least the ones I can recall or verify. And before my superiors ask, I am involved to one degree or another in all of these.
- Willful Aid and Abetment of a Foreign Power with Internal Affairs without Authorization
- Breaking and Entering a Residence
- Multiple counts of Petty Theft
- Multiple counts of Grand Theft, with at least two counts of Grand Theft Arcana
- Willful destruction of property without Authorization
- Potential First-degree Murder of a foreign dignitary
- Extraction of Prisoner(s) detained by Foreign Powers without Authorization (this I can live with)
- Willful Tampering with Arcane Ritual(s) without Authorization
- Willful and Flagrant Abuse of Magical Item(s) and/or Spell(s)
- Release of Hostile or Malevolent Being(s) or Person(s) (not the same as the unauth. extraction)
- Attempted Sale of Humanoid Organs as Foodstuffs
- Tired. There are more. I know it.
Day 126
We're going dragon hunting.
I must have missed the edict that demanded we drop the one slim lead we have and go fart about with smart-aleck winged lizards. So we pissed off to the sort of town that this one dragon is likely to assault, and lo and behold we find a dragonhunter in the tavern; a fellow named Ostrian. We recruited him to help us end the dragon because why the hell not. He knows where the lair is, too. So we're going to head over there and play at adventurer for awhile as the world turns into a corally-pseudonatural mush. Hooray.
Where the hells to begin.
All right. First I should note, for the record, that our group has violated a vast swath of local and foreign laws. I have not raised objections on the bases that our investigation into the invasion of black longships reached a dead end and our actions served as a way to advance, and that contradicting a knight of the Order is not something a would-be lieutenant is wont to do.
So we start the day yesterday by arriving at the teleportation laboratory. We pop into the residence, and Alcander immediately starts yelling about how all the drow in the house should come and face us. They promptly do so for the rest of our stay, in varying numbers and abilities. We proceed to find evidence that this drow house is directly involved in whatever the hell the coral gateways and the city in the sea are. But what the hells isn't these days?
Alcander is dead, and I would regret his passing if he was actually gone. At one point I came under the effects of a sleep spell and met up with my persistent friends Lord Loincloth and his brand-new sidekick Shouty (also known as Heracles and Alcander). One of these days I am going to find a proper priest and ask him how to politely tell a god off.
We found a mute caged up in one of the drow prisons. He has already taken a dislike to me as, apparently, being unable to translate his wild flailings into a coherent language is evidence enough of being an imbecile. The irony is nigh-palpable.
But, despite all our glorious failings in the realms of hired goonery, our employers were pleased. They told us that the underwater city has always been submerged, that it is north of Jokelmeir, and that it has been affecting things strangely. That's all, that's it. I am now well and truly beginning to loathe the Drow. Ah, but now we rest in Oohmaya, with cold beds and a colder harbor. But at least we're alive. For the most part.
To recap yesterday's events: a list of all the crimes committed, or at least the ones I can recall or verify. And before my superiors ask, I am involved to one degree or another in all of these.
- Willful Aid and Abetment of a Foreign Power with Internal Affairs without Authorization
- Breaking and Entering a Residence
- Multiple counts of Petty Theft
- Multiple counts of Grand Theft, with at least two counts of Grand Theft Arcana
- Willful destruction of property without Authorization
- Potential First-degree Murder of a foreign dignitary
- Extraction of Prisoner(s) detained by Foreign Powers without Authorization (this I can live with)
- Willful Tampering with Arcane Ritual(s) without Authorization
- Willful and Flagrant Abuse of Magical Item(s) and/or Spell(s)
- Release of Hostile or Malevolent Being(s) or Person(s) (not the same as the unauth. extraction)
- Attempted Sale of Humanoid Organs as Foodstuffs
- Tired. There are more. I know it.
Day 126
We're going dragon hunting.
I must have missed the edict that demanded we drop the one slim lead we have and go fart about with smart-aleck winged lizards. So we pissed off to the sort of town that this one dragon is likely to assault, and lo and behold we find a dragonhunter in the tavern; a fellow named Ostrian. We recruited him to help us end the dragon because why the hell not. He knows where the lair is, too. So we're going to head over there and play at adventurer for awhile as the world turns into a corally-pseudonatural mush. Hooray.
Poison: in this land
There is a poison spreading through this land. It is running rampant and I am at a lost on how to stop it. The source of this poison is the land which lies under the sea. They have means to either replace or influence high officials. They also have followers that are traveling through these lands. We meet one of these followers the other day by chance. We were looking into the dragon attacks on towns and came across a gentleman who claimed to be a dragon slayer. With his help we tracked down the dragon, but that is when things got interesting.
The dragon informed us that he was attacking villages trying to track down none other then the dragon hunter. The dragon claimed that the mad was working with the people from the sea and he must be killed. Just as he told us this we turned around only to see him running away. Jacob and our new companion had the most success in slowing him down, which I must say they both posses very odd and useful abilities, but it was the dragon taking off and eating him mid flight which put an end to the dragon hunter. The draw back to this is we have no more information about these people. We need to find out more information on these people or they will succeed in taking over these lands.
The dragon informed us that he was attacking villages trying to track down none other then the dragon hunter. The dragon claimed that the mad was working with the people from the sea and he must be killed. Just as he told us this we turned around only to see him running away. Jacob and our new companion had the most success in slowing him down, which I must say they both posses very odd and useful abilities, but it was the dragon taking off and eating him mid flight which put an end to the dragon hunter. The draw back to this is we have no more information about these people. We need to find out more information on these people or they will succeed in taking over these lands.
Shaft's Dream
Distant drums. War drums. My town. We locals call it Motown, outsiders call it Detroit.
My dad, Shutchomouth, recently elected Meanmutha, lies bleeding in the street. My brother, Dolomite, and my cousin, Blackula, try to help him.
Big Mama and Foxy, my sister, are crying. There is a funeral pyre in the center of town, and the pageantry of the associated ceremony is fit for a Meanmutha. The traditional drink for the funerals of Meanmuthas, schlitz malt liquor, flows freely. Funk is heard throughout the town.
Motown appears to be under siege. It needs a Meanmutha. Shutchomouth must be avenged. And then Heironeous tells me, "Power to the People, Muthafucka." By using that traditional honorific (Muthafucka) I know he's calling me home.
*I wake up*
*I leave a note for Arcadius*
*I hit the road*
*Damn*
My dad, Shutchomouth, recently elected Meanmutha, lies bleeding in the street. My brother, Dolomite, and my cousin, Blackula, try to help him.
Big Mama and Foxy, my sister, are crying. There is a funeral pyre in the center of town, and the pageantry of the associated ceremony is fit for a Meanmutha. The traditional drink for the funerals of Meanmuthas, schlitz malt liquor, flows freely. Funk is heard throughout the town.
Motown appears to be under siege. It needs a Meanmutha. Shutchomouth must be avenged. And then Heironeous tells me, "Power to the People, Muthafucka." By using that traditional honorific (Muthafucka) I know he's calling me home.
*I wake up*
*I leave a note for Arcadius*
*I hit the road*
*Damn*
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Mute: Day 130
Lessons Learned
Questions for Further Study
- Drow use dust for teleportation.
- Certain non-magical amulets glow in the presence of dust teleporting circles.
- This form of teleportation is unreliable.
- Lands to the North are cold in this land, too.
- Jacob is slow.
- Some Drow are better hosts than others.
- Some Drow are more generous with gifts, but less so with their libraries.
- Tupper is an imbecile.
- My travelling companions are indecisive.
- Somewhere, an underwater city has risen.
- Umea is a port town.
- Their port is frozen over.
- The lands around Umea are under assault by bandits.
- There are dragons in this land, too.
- One of them is burning villages near Umea.
- There is a man named Osdrian who claims to be a dragon slayer.
- He is working for the underwater city.
Questions for Further Study
- What sort of dust?
- Is the poor teleportation a reason for the Drow's bad mood?
- What is this underwater city?
- Have Umea's rulers lost the Mandate of Heaven?
- Why is Umea still populated?
- How does one ally with a collection of buildings?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Journal of Arcadius - Day 125 - 3
I have been pondering the matter of our situation, my oath, and my duties to Lord Pelor.
It seems to me I may be too hasty. My oath to Lady Gozen did not specify a time in which this mission was to be accomplished, and we now know for OTHER reasons that we must destroy this house - they are involved in the great evils of the world. At the same time, Lord Pelor has chosen me for a purpose, and that purpose is surely not to die needlessly. Perhaps it might make sense after all to retreat, having clearly failed in our mission, and return another day. Indeed, we MUST do so. It may still be that my purpose is to cover the escape of the others, so that they may return in victory. We shall see.
***
Why cannot they learn respect? This noble lady may be mad, and our foe, but even a foe may be worthy of respect. Simple and polite. Is this so difficult? By the gods, the time...
At least Fflam is now awake. He seems disoriented, but at least not inclined to willingly feed his brain to an Ilithid.
***
(hastily written scrawl)
At last! They've done it! Ah wait... the tig e . r
It seems to me I may be too hasty. My oath to Lady Gozen did not specify a time in which this mission was to be accomplished, and we now know for OTHER reasons that we must destroy this house - they are involved in the great evils of the world. At the same time, Lord Pelor has chosen me for a purpose, and that purpose is surely not to die needlessly. Perhaps it might make sense after all to retreat, having clearly failed in our mission, and return another day. Indeed, we MUST do so. It may still be that my purpose is to cover the escape of the others, so that they may return in victory. We shall see.
***
Why cannot they learn respect? This noble lady may be mad, and our foe, but even a foe may be worthy of respect. Simple and polite. Is this so difficult? By the gods, the time...
At least Fflam is now awake. He seems disoriented, but at least not inclined to willingly feed his brain to an Ilithid.
***
(hastily written scrawl)
At last! They've done it! Ah wait... the tig e . r
Monday, August 3, 2009
Darkness approaches (Oda)
I sit here while my comrades attempt to show the proper respect to the eldest lady of the house. It shocks me that these people are so uncultured. Anyways, I feel a darkness closing upon us. The longer we stay here the stronger I can feel it. I believe it to be death coming for me.
I feel it trying to grab a hold of me. I wonder if it will be around the next corner waiting to strike me down. I have a strong belief that I will not make it out of this place. This however does not frighten me. I am will not allow these Drow to shake my spirit. I will go out fighting and take as many of them with me. They will learn that you should never underestimate Samurai. Even with our back against a wall we will not back down. We only know how to go forward. There is no retreat.
Hmm, it seems as if it is getting loader in the next room. I wonder what they are up to. Hopefully they have not insulted the elder and have forced us into a meaningless battle. They need to hurry up we still need to find Fflam. He deserves to prove himself on the battle field. The tricks these Drow play have taken this right away from him. I will not allow them to rob this from him.
I feel it trying to grab a hold of me. I wonder if it will be around the next corner waiting to strike me down. I have a strong belief that I will not make it out of this place. This however does not frighten me. I am will not allow these Drow to shake my spirit. I will go out fighting and take as many of them with me. They will learn that you should never underestimate Samurai. Even with our back against a wall we will not back down. We only know how to go forward. There is no retreat.
Hmm, it seems as if it is getting loader in the next room. I wonder what they are up to. Hopefully they have not insulted the elder and have forced us into a meaningless battle. They need to hurry up we still need to find Fflam. He deserves to prove himself on the battle field. The tricks these Drow play have taken this right away from him. I will not allow them to rob this from him.
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