We reported our news to our Sea Elf guide, who was indeed pleased, and returned the earrings of water-breathing. One, the one we had found, we were allowed to keep. It will likely be useful.
We now await a ship to take us across the waters to the town of the Alfar. I have been practicing swimming, as this seems to be a most useful skill given the foes we fight. The others have whiled away the past two days in various manners. We have divided the gold and platinum, and have promised Grungar some beets when we are next in a place where they may be found.
Ragnarr is consumed by guilt over the creatures he summoned and especially the Fire Elemental. Though I think he did rightly, I know that these matters are complex, and offered to help him perform proper ceremonies for atonement. He rejected this, and seems to prefer to spend much time in private meditation. There are times when he baffles me. For rituals and forms are of great use in guiding our thoughts, words, and deeds in the direction of what is right, and of avoiding that which is perilous and unwise.
Moreover, Pelor is most forgiving and merciful. Ragnarr summoned servants of our lord in order to fight our lord's enemies, indeed the enemies of the very world. The Fire Elemental itself was on our plane only briefly, but in that time it helped defeat a vile foe associated with a corrupted form of the very element opposed to fire. Its sacrifice was one all who think rightly should be willing to make, when the time comes. Still - there is the matter of whether it had a choice at all. Lord Pelor knows the truth, and will act accordingly.
In the meantime, I think I must relax and clear my mind.
The times to come may be perilous, but for now, we have peace. I have purchased another bottle of the refreshing liquor Akavit, and invited the others to join me.
*A*
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Journal of Arcadius - Day 155
Victory at a Price
After futile efforts to explore the remainder of the keep, we realized there was only one way left to go... down, into the depths of dark well of water. Whatever was down there, we were in no shape to fight it, being short of both spells and health. We decided, despite the risks, to rest for the night at the keep.
There was also the matter of the abominations, the pseudonatural creatures summoned by the evil ones, for the purpose of sacrifice it seemed. I deemed that such sacrifices must not be allowed to continue, for whatever they were to achieve, it was an evil to the world. Moreover, these things belonged not in the world at all, and would be best sent back to their own vile plane. The others seemed less clear on this matter, but nonetheless I spent a part of the night dispatching the pseudonatural abominations.
Our night was otherwise uneventful.
In the morning, we investigated the depths. First, Jacob flew down with a set of ropes attached. Alas! The ropes did not hold and one of them fell into the waters below, sank, and was lost. In any case, it proved that the surface of the water was too far down to reach with such ropes as we had.
Thus, Jacob flew, carrying us down one by one. I was first, and illuminated by the light of Lord Pelor, saw something vast, dark, and moving in the water. The others followed and we prepared for battle.
Swimming down into the water, we encountered a thing like a gigantic squid, with dark choking tentacles. It was evil, and seemingly of malevolent intelligence. It was a fierce battle, with many of us caught, freeing ourselves, and then caught again. Jacob and Chris did much harm to it, while we armed with weapons helped as we could.
However, the battle seemed to go against us.
Most of us were gravely hurt, Chris was running low on powerful spells, while the thing fought on. At last, in a bold and desperate move, Ragnarr called upon Pelor and summoned a fire elemental... yes, a fire elemental, there in the watery depths! He summoned it forth near to the thing, and as sheltered by its bulk from the rest of us as could be devised.
It was devastating.
The unfortunate fire elemental, may Pelor have mercy upon it and honor for it, came apart in a spectacular explosion, the shockwaves of which ripped both through the squid thing and through us. Its vast noisome body absorbed most of the blast, but we suffered as well. Chris was knocked unconscious, and Grungar was gravely wounded, only to be brought to the very door of death by an attack of the creature moments later.
The rest of us fought on, striking as we could, each in our way. The thing, in its pain and wrath, seized Jacob and dragged him downward. However, this proved to be a mistake, for he with desperate fury launched one of his eldritch blasts straight into its body, slaying it at last. Truly, Jacob showed glorious courage in that moment!
We then explored. There were several passages leading out from the lair of the thing, one of which proved to have much treasure. More importantly, directly below the thing was a vast black mirror-gate, of the kind we have seen elsewhere. We considered passing through it to strike foes on the other side, but realized we lacked the needed key. Unable to use the gate, we knew we must smash it, and THAT was a job for Grungar.
He did so with enthusiasm.
As the gate cracked and was destroyed, shockwaves of instability flashed out from it. We sensed the keep beginning to shake and crumble around us. Wasting no time, we swam upwards, and were transported out of the water one by one by Jacob. From there, we made use of a mobile platform in the complex, intended for meats for the pseudonatural beasts, as a means to lift ourselves to the surface. We escaped moments before the entire coral keep crumbled into debris.
Praise to Lord Pelor, and to the gods!
Let the dark ones know, let those who would deal and treat with the horrors from outside know, that there are those who will resist, who will fight them! Though the war be long and this be but one battle, this battle at least is won.
*A*
After futile efforts to explore the remainder of the keep, we realized there was only one way left to go... down, into the depths of dark well of water. Whatever was down there, we were in no shape to fight it, being short of both spells and health. We decided, despite the risks, to rest for the night at the keep.
There was also the matter of the abominations, the pseudonatural creatures summoned by the evil ones, for the purpose of sacrifice it seemed. I deemed that such sacrifices must not be allowed to continue, for whatever they were to achieve, it was an evil to the world. Moreover, these things belonged not in the world at all, and would be best sent back to their own vile plane. The others seemed less clear on this matter, but nonetheless I spent a part of the night dispatching the pseudonatural abominations.
Our night was otherwise uneventful.
In the morning, we investigated the depths. First, Jacob flew down with a set of ropes attached. Alas! The ropes did not hold and one of them fell into the waters below, sank, and was lost. In any case, it proved that the surface of the water was too far down to reach with such ropes as we had.
Thus, Jacob flew, carrying us down one by one. I was first, and illuminated by the light of Lord Pelor, saw something vast, dark, and moving in the water. The others followed and we prepared for battle.
Swimming down into the water, we encountered a thing like a gigantic squid, with dark choking tentacles. It was evil, and seemingly of malevolent intelligence. It was a fierce battle, with many of us caught, freeing ourselves, and then caught again. Jacob and Chris did much harm to it, while we armed with weapons helped as we could.
However, the battle seemed to go against us.
Most of us were gravely hurt, Chris was running low on powerful spells, while the thing fought on. At last, in a bold and desperate move, Ragnarr called upon Pelor and summoned a fire elemental... yes, a fire elemental, there in the watery depths! He summoned it forth near to the thing, and as sheltered by its bulk from the rest of us as could be devised.
It was devastating.
The unfortunate fire elemental, may Pelor have mercy upon it and honor for it, came apart in a spectacular explosion, the shockwaves of which ripped both through the squid thing and through us. Its vast noisome body absorbed most of the blast, but we suffered as well. Chris was knocked unconscious, and Grungar was gravely wounded, only to be brought to the very door of death by an attack of the creature moments later.
The rest of us fought on, striking as we could, each in our way. The thing, in its pain and wrath, seized Jacob and dragged him downward. However, this proved to be a mistake, for he with desperate fury launched one of his eldritch blasts straight into its body, slaying it at last. Truly, Jacob showed glorious courage in that moment!
We then explored. There were several passages leading out from the lair of the thing, one of which proved to have much treasure. More importantly, directly below the thing was a vast black mirror-gate, of the kind we have seen elsewhere. We considered passing through it to strike foes on the other side, but realized we lacked the needed key. Unable to use the gate, we knew we must smash it, and THAT was a job for Grungar.
He did so with enthusiasm.
As the gate cracked and was destroyed, shockwaves of instability flashed out from it. We sensed the keep beginning to shake and crumble around us. Wasting no time, we swam upwards, and were transported out of the water one by one by Jacob. From there, we made use of a mobile platform in the complex, intended for meats for the pseudonatural beasts, as a means to lift ourselves to the surface. We escaped moments before the entire coral keep crumbled into debris.
Praise to Lord Pelor, and to the gods!
Let the dark ones know, let those who would deal and treat with the horrors from outside know, that there are those who will resist, who will fight them! Though the war be long and this be but one battle, this battle at least is won.
*A*
Ragnarr: Day 157
I think I'm getting somewhere. I hope I'm getting somewhere.
I've spent a lot of time with Pelor these last two days. Pelor and a fisherman who still follows the old ways, hunts with a wooden spear and all that. I asked him to help me, show me how to use the damn thing. He did, patiently enough. He frowned when I practiced some of what Pelor had shown me with it, saying that it wasn't sporting to use magic to catch fish.
I tried to tell him that I wasn't going to be catching fish. We've never fought anything underwater that couldn't eat me whole, and I could use every advantage I could get. I told him about the great bloody shark, and he seemed to understand.
At least I've learned to swim a little. I still don't see why anybody created a world with so damn much water. Why cover most of the world in water if the finest creatures on it can't swim? Seems daft.
We're trying to get a boat. I'm doing what good I can here while we wait, but mostly it's been a quiet couple of days. The others are doing what they can to help make the next underwater battle a little less stupid, and hopefully between us we can avoid having to bring in a suicide fire elemental.
I've spent my days praying, spearing, and drinking at night. This village has decent liquor, even if they haven't seen a supply ship in a while. Perhaps once I get back to the mainland I can see about getting a merchant to come out this way. Somebody's got to want to buy fish, yes?
It's strange. I still feel terrible for what happened with the elemental, but I feel closer to Pelor than I ever have. Perhaps I've been leaning on him too much, and he wanted me to find my own strength, or some bollocks. I don't know.
What I do know is that Arcadius has just bought another bottle of akavit, and that means I have somewhere else to be.
With luck, we'll have somewhere altogether different to go to, too. I think I've come as far as I can on this island, and I want to see what gifts Pelor's given me.
This time, I'll make sure I've got a spear handy.
I've spent a lot of time with Pelor these last two days. Pelor and a fisherman who still follows the old ways, hunts with a wooden spear and all that. I asked him to help me, show me how to use the damn thing. He did, patiently enough. He frowned when I practiced some of what Pelor had shown me with it, saying that it wasn't sporting to use magic to catch fish.
I tried to tell him that I wasn't going to be catching fish. We've never fought anything underwater that couldn't eat me whole, and I could use every advantage I could get. I told him about the great bloody shark, and he seemed to understand.
At least I've learned to swim a little. I still don't see why anybody created a world with so damn much water. Why cover most of the world in water if the finest creatures on it can't swim? Seems daft.
We're trying to get a boat. I'm doing what good I can here while we wait, but mostly it's been a quiet couple of days. The others are doing what they can to help make the next underwater battle a little less stupid, and hopefully between us we can avoid having to bring in a suicide fire elemental.
I've spent my days praying, spearing, and drinking at night. This village has decent liquor, even if they haven't seen a supply ship in a while. Perhaps once I get back to the mainland I can see about getting a merchant to come out this way. Somebody's got to want to buy fish, yes?
It's strange. I still feel terrible for what happened with the elemental, but I feel closer to Pelor than I ever have. Perhaps I've been leaning on him too much, and he wanted me to find my own strength, or some bollocks. I don't know.
What I do know is that Arcadius has just bought another bottle of akavit, and that means I have somewhere else to be.
With luck, we'll have somewhere altogether different to go to, too. I think I've come as far as I can on this island, and I want to see what gifts Pelor's given me.
This time, I'll make sure I've got a spear handy.
Ragnarr: Day 155
Pelor, forgive me, for I am a bastard.
I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on myself. I might have saved everybody. But how I saved everybody, that's the problem.
We're not prepared to fight in the water. That's a problem, when we keep fighting in the water. The only bloody thing I've figured out to do is to summon poor damn fishes to come fight for us.
Fishes like the two that damn shark ate. Or the one I killed today, though at least that one was a different sort of fish, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same fish I got eaten the other two times.
And yes, I know that the fishes will reform on their own plane, healthy in body, and go about their business. I know the fire elemental will, too, bless his soul. But I know for damn sure that I'll reform some place nicer when I die, too.
That doesn't mean that I'd be thankful if some unprepared, desperate bastard ripped me out of my life and forced me to die an awful, painful death from the thing I despise most, just so that I might explode and harm something that somebody wasn't prepared to fight.
That poor fire elemental. It was never meant to be summoned in water. It made a hell of an explosion when it did. Probably saved us all, though it ripped apart the fish I had summoned, and nearly killed Chris in the bargain.
Thank Pelor I can say "almost." I couldn't bloody live with myself if I'd dragged him out of his tower, just to get him killed unleashing forces that I don't really understand.
And all that just to get myself nearly killed when Grungarr needed my help. I can't heal anybody if I'm dead, but it was a near thing. Even with my idiotic, not thought out, needlessly cruel spell, Grugarr and Chris both might have died, anyway.
And it's all because I couldn't think of anything better to do.
There's got to be something. Some way I, that we, can be better prepared. Some way that we can fight some damn fishes without getting half the souls in heaven killed in the bargain.
Tomorrow I'll spend in prayer to Pelor. Arcadius offered that he could help me with a ritual if I needed it, which shows how little he gets it. This isn't about rituals, it's about my soul and what the hell I'm doing. This one is between me and Pelor.
With luck, he'll show me something in myself that will be useful next time.
Next time. By Pelor's beard, why did it have to be me that got called to go adventuring? This isn't what I'm cut out for. Give me a nice town with a nice plague and a few broken arms, maybe a glass of ale, and I know what I need to be doing.
But adventuring? Hell, I don't know why anyone does this on purpose. But the gods call us to where we need to be, and Pelor says I need to be here.
So here I'll stay. And if I'm to be here, I'll not be the cause of another poor bastard ripped from his home to be eaten or blown up.
What I shall do instead, I can only hope that Pelor will tell.
I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on myself. I might have saved everybody. But how I saved everybody, that's the problem.
We're not prepared to fight in the water. That's a problem, when we keep fighting in the water. The only bloody thing I've figured out to do is to summon poor damn fishes to come fight for us.
Fishes like the two that damn shark ate. Or the one I killed today, though at least that one was a different sort of fish, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same fish I got eaten the other two times.
And yes, I know that the fishes will reform on their own plane, healthy in body, and go about their business. I know the fire elemental will, too, bless his soul. But I know for damn sure that I'll reform some place nicer when I die, too.
That doesn't mean that I'd be thankful if some unprepared, desperate bastard ripped me out of my life and forced me to die an awful, painful death from the thing I despise most, just so that I might explode and harm something that somebody wasn't prepared to fight.
That poor fire elemental. It was never meant to be summoned in water. It made a hell of an explosion when it did. Probably saved us all, though it ripped apart the fish I had summoned, and nearly killed Chris in the bargain.
Thank Pelor I can say "almost." I couldn't bloody live with myself if I'd dragged him out of his tower, just to get him killed unleashing forces that I don't really understand.
And all that just to get myself nearly killed when Grungarr needed my help. I can't heal anybody if I'm dead, but it was a near thing. Even with my idiotic, not thought out, needlessly cruel spell, Grugarr and Chris both might have died, anyway.
And it's all because I couldn't think of anything better to do.
There's got to be something. Some way I, that we, can be better prepared. Some way that we can fight some damn fishes without getting half the souls in heaven killed in the bargain.
Tomorrow I'll spend in prayer to Pelor. Arcadius offered that he could help me with a ritual if I needed it, which shows how little he gets it. This isn't about rituals, it's about my soul and what the hell I'm doing. This one is between me and Pelor.
With luck, he'll show me something in myself that will be useful next time.
Next time. By Pelor's beard, why did it have to be me that got called to go adventuring? This isn't what I'm cut out for. Give me a nice town with a nice plague and a few broken arms, maybe a glass of ale, and I know what I need to be doing.
But adventuring? Hell, I don't know why anyone does this on purpose. But the gods call us to where we need to be, and Pelor says I need to be here.
So here I'll stay. And if I'm to be here, I'll not be the cause of another poor bastard ripped from his home to be eaten or blown up.
What I shall do instead, I can only hope that Pelor will tell.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Aurelia: Day 154
We set out, back to the keep today. It was very interesting to see these men fight. The cleric, rightfully so, spent most of the day healing. The Wizard Chris seems unsure how to use his powers in a fight. I assume that saved the rest of us much injury. I am thankful he has a clear head. They knew our weaknesses and used them. One used a wall of iron to prevent Jacob using most of his powers, thankfully Jacob found a way to get more of us into the room. The thing we were fighting escaped through a portal. We started to follow, but being unsure when it would close or where we were, we returned to the Keep and must now figure out a new plan of attack.
Unfortunately, I must look into getting a magical weapon. This is the first I have dealt with something with the power to knock my arrows aside like a child's plaything.
Unfortunately, I must look into getting a magical weapon. This is the first I have dealt with something with the power to knock my arrows aside like a child's plaything.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Journal of Arcadius - Day 154
(hastily scrawled note)
Much fighting. Enemy well prepared. More foul dark-robed mages, perhaps undead perhaps not. Definitely in league with alienists. Gravely wounded or perhaps destroyed one, through the grace of Pelor. Another nearly trapped me with an illusion. May I be wiser and more cautious in the future. It then escaped through magic. Third foe was well defended in a room, we assaulted and broke through, but it too escaped through portal to cliffside complex of the alienists. Advised others to retreat quickly and we did. Found room full of caged pseudonatural creatures. Found some information and some potentially useful items, but we are getting low on magic. Retreat to regain magic only buys them time. We could press on, but where are they? What to do?
*A*
Much fighting. Enemy well prepared. More foul dark-robed mages, perhaps undead perhaps not. Definitely in league with alienists. Gravely wounded or perhaps destroyed one, through the grace of Pelor. Another nearly trapped me with an illusion. May I be wiser and more cautious in the future. It then escaped through magic. Third foe was well defended in a room, we assaulted and broke through, but it too escaped through portal to cliffside complex of the alienists. Advised others to retreat quickly and we did. Found room full of caged pseudonatural creatures. Found some information and some potentially useful items, but we are getting low on magic. Retreat to regain magic only buys them time. We could press on, but where are they? What to do?
*A*
Playing with others is hard. (Chris)
It seems I need work on picking better damage spells to work with this group of adventures. They like to run up and engage the enemy, which prevents me from casting fun spells like fireball. I would hate to hurt any of them. Now do not get me wrong, I love their enthusiasm and I prefer them to get the attention of the enemy then the person or creature to be pissed at me. So I need to do some research so I can assist them in defeating these people that work with the creatures from the sea.
I will say my spells that are not design to do damage I have been very fortunate with. The dispel spells and glittering dust really came in handy today. A wizard used an invisibility spell that would have made fighting extremely tough if I was not able to cover him with dust there by allow the others to continue attacking him.
But enough about spells, let talk about the wizards we faced recently. They were some very powerful wizards; these wizards used spells that were very powerful and not all of them where “boom” spells. I can really appreciate the work that went it all of the defenses that they had setup. I need to do some research on runes. They are very powerful and I can see it being very useful for me in the future. Hmm wonder if there is any place near by where I can get information on them.
Well I need to do more research on this as well as digging up some information on this ancient threat o and I need to talk to the paladins. They seem to know things about the place we went to, when followed the wizard for a while though a dimensional door. I would like to know more about these people.
I will say my spells that are not design to do damage I have been very fortunate with. The dispel spells and glittering dust really came in handy today. A wizard used an invisibility spell that would have made fighting extremely tough if I was not able to cover him with dust there by allow the others to continue attacking him.
But enough about spells, let talk about the wizards we faced recently. They were some very powerful wizards; these wizards used spells that were very powerful and not all of them where “boom” spells. I can really appreciate the work that went it all of the defenses that they had setup. I need to do some research on runes. They are very powerful and I can see it being very useful for me in the future. Hmm wonder if there is any place near by where I can get information on them.
Well I need to do more research on this as well as digging up some information on this ancient threat o and I need to talk to the paladins. They seem to know things about the place we went to, when followed the wizard for a while though a dimensional door. I would like to know more about these people.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)