Jeditventures

Updating the D&D Blog

2012-01-18T23:18:00.000-05:00

Hey all, just a test update.

In Rinos things aren't what they appear

2011-10-24T11:15:00.005-04:00

Just a little over a week has passed since I last wrote a journal entry, but so much has happened that it feels like far more time. Let me see if I can recall the correct order of events starting from June 26th and running until today, the 4th.

Thrur and I set off to the castle and were allowed in, sans Ayman's stick figure drawing this time. We were led in and announced to the royal council: Prince Bernard; Marcus, Duke of Sternhelm (the prince's uncle); Lord Cordy, the exchequer; Bishop Sirius; and Jacquio of the Eye, the spymaster (or something of the sort). I read the letter I bore from the mayor of Logging Town and was told that they would send soldiers to his aid. I was also informed that the duke's men would escort the priests of the Brotherhood of Dread to anti-magic cells (ha...). Afterward Thrur gifted the prince with his mithril crown and asked for permission to sail north to retrieve his people in order to work the once-goblin mine to the south; he was told by the prince that they would talk after he and his people returned to Rinos. After leaving the castle, SwampFox and I realized we were being followed by a beggar of sorts, but he fled before we could catch him. I ran into him one more time that day and realized he was staring at SwampFox, but learned nothing else at this time.

Meanwhile Linora, Vordb and Shocko went off on their adventure to the less savory parts of the city in order to glean information. Ayman went to the Temple of Apollo to search for books. We met up later at the castle where the entire party now met the prince's council. After telling him of some of our adventures, the prince spoke with us in private (private other than his guard Sir Rodney). There he entrusted us with important information: he did not know who he could trust but we were recommended by the guildmaster; he feared an attempt on his life and that his father's illness was not natural and that someone on the council could be the cause, but he did not know who. We agreed to help and our plan was to split up to try to retrieve information.

Digging up information took me all around the city as well as out of its walls. I spoke with the Head Messenger and, in short, was told that he knew and trusted the bishop; Edward is a Messenger, and an important one, so I trust his judgment. He also gave me a bit of news of something that had been troubling me for a while, so that was a relief, although his vagueness wasn't entirely reassuring. After this, I set off to figure out just what the beggar was that had been shadowing me and SwampFox. We tracked him down to the stables near one of the gates and discovered a great surprise: the beggar was SwampFox's tribe's shaman. This was particularly surprising because both SF and I had thought that he was the only orc remaining on this continent. WhiteBoar told us of what had happened to the rest of their tribe and gave SF his brother's war mask... thing. We took WB back to the Messengers' Mosque with us and fortunately he is allowed to stay there, at least for as long as I am in Rinos (we will take him with us when we leave). Next I snuck out of the city in disguise (it had been a very long time since I've used one of those!) and met with a group of brownies. They were somewhat helpful, giving me news of a green dragon flying through the area and where it had been seen, and also about the many people traveling the roads and the king building an army, which was a bit less helpful. Still, they were friendly and this gave me an opportunity to be someone else for a bit, so I consider it time well spent. Back in the city later, I was given a delivery assignment from the mosque and went to one of the taverns, where I met with the owner; he handed me and SwampFox crates of wine from Lord Cordry's vineyards. Lord Cordry was actually there at the time, playing cards with a few other men. The next morning I had a brief private meeting with my brother Kendric where I told him of our task from the prince; he warned me to be careful (he always warns me to be careful; is he like this with his other little brother, too?) and said that Lord Cordry owns many establishments in Rinos, some reputable, some not and that certain people are aware and turn a blind eye since he's shored up coin to finance the realm. Ken told me he'd do what he could to help my friends and I, but when I asked, was also rather vague on that personal subject I have been worried about. Sigh.

While I was running around the city, Ghost went off to train with the guard and soldiers at the castle, also apparently ending up with information from my brother. Linora, Vordb and Shocko continued their unsavory information gathering in the lower parts of the city. Ayman met with the bishop to talk about books or something of the sort and likely gleaned some information from him, then met with WhiteBoar at the mosque, and later snuck around outside invisibly to spy on gossip, running into Jacquio while doing so. He and Ghost then went with Jacquio to the castle and learned about the king's state of health and situation and the like from him.

The next day, Sir Thopas found us at the inn and asked if we had seen Dwight, who had not been seen since the night before. We went to the castle and discovered that none of the guards had seen him since the previous night, either, but that Marcus had been around this morning (Dwight had last been seen in his company). We learned from the steward at the castle that he had last seen Dwight touring the dungeon with Marcus the night before- this got us extremely suspicious, if we were not enough already. We headed down to the dungeon and told the guard that we would like to see the Brotherhood of Dread priests (while I asked my pet fox to smell for Dwight in case he was around). Once on the third level, my fox caught the scent and began pawing at one of the cell doors. We quickly got that door opened and rushed in to find Dwight gagged and tied up; we quickly freed him and Dwight said that the duke was not who he says and that the one priest of Dread was missing. While the rest of the group ran to the gate to try to follow “Marcus”, SwampFox and I went to find the remaining priest, who was still Charmed from my beguilement. I showed Tarus a map and was told that Ruger (the other priest) went back to their temple to the west, past the kingdom's border. After getting this information, I followed the rest of the group who had since learned that “Marcus” had come back twenty minutes before- without the two guards from before (one of which was Ruger, we know).

We rushed to Marcus' chamber, leaving Dwight at the gate. There we became blocked in by suits of armor/statues/whatnot that moved; a few of these remained moving pieces of armor, but some turned into skeletons of some sort. We began fighting and Ayman was able to ensnare “Marcus” and one of the skeletons in a magical spiderweb. We took out “Marcus'” guards, Shocko ran off to find the palace guards, and the fake Marcus finally revealed his true form: a doppleganger. Despite being caught in a magical web, he refused to give us any information until Vordb called rats to appear and begin biting at him; then he told us that the “Dark One” sent him here to get rid of the duke six months ago so that he could spy on the prince and to kill the king and prince with poison, and that Ruger had gone where Tarus had said- to their sanctum to the west and that the duke was there, as well.

During combat one of the suits of armor had slid into one of the walls, revealing a secret door. Behind this Ghost discovered a table filled with an alchemical apparatus, the items that had been used to poison the king. The guards arrived as I was healing the doppleganger from the damage inflicted when Ghost set the magical web on fire to destroy it and get him out (yes, he didn't deserve healing, but setting the web on fire in the first place was not the way to go about this, in my opinion, but what do I know, I'm just a good priest...). The guards took him away to the cells and we went to find Dwight and the prince before going to the king's chamber. Dwight, a paladin of great skill, with great effort healed the king, who was quite relieved to be healthy again. The prince led us to the throne room and his council, entirely confused. Ghost explained everything that had happened and Dwight said that it was a magical disease fed very slowly to the king. The king, feeling much better, gave us a new quest: retrieve the duke and go after the Brotherhood of Dread. Dwight was given a different task, though, that will involve heading east instead of west. The king gifted us a few items that we would need for our task and then sent for Tarus. Much to my displeasure, Tarus was told that he would come along with us and that if he assisted us, he would get a fair trial when he returned. When Tarus asked where we were going, sounding quite distraught, he asked for a black pearl, which we would need to get into the temple. This we were given.

Later that day we set out from Rinos, heading west. I asked Tarus about the pearl and was told that you can only get into the door of the temple on a night of the new moon, or the full moon if you have a pearl. There are enchantments guarding the door and that you cannot see it without that object; if there is no moonlight, the door is visible, however, and that the pearl is a cheat. When asked how we could get out, he said ever so helpfully, “Don't die”. Still Charmed, he was absolutely terrified of where we were going and said he would rather be back in the cell. Perhaps beguiled, he has finally acquired some senses; it is rather a shame that he is going to revert back to evil very soon, so I am keeping an eye on him should my spell wear off and I had his hands tied together and to the saddle of his horse. Charmed he may be, but I do not trust him.

The next morning Shocko made breakfast (surprisingly!), but we did not have the opportunity to try it. We heard rustling in the bushes and eleven huge, giant beetles charged out at us in their goal of eating our porridge. Ghost knocked the pot a few feet away and the beetles swarmed, badly injuring Shocko (who still smelled of honey) and Vordb, who was already injured from our battle with the doppleganger. Luckily I had already saddled the horses so we quickly fled away, stopping only briefly to rest. We met a farmer on the road coming the other way with a cart loaded down with corn; this is fortunate for him, and also us, as he led us to Cornwell, the nearest village. When we walked into the inn, the innkeeper saw the shape the party was in and found a doctor for Vordb and Shocko. He said Shocko just needed rest but that the claw marks on Vordb were very bad and healed him as best he could. The next morning we found a priest of Apollo in town and while explaining what had happened with the doppleganger battle, Tarus chimed in to say that Vordb desperately needed a priest who could cure diseases as this was most definitely fatal if not treated as soon as possible. (No wonder the rest of the group is starting to trust Tarus if he is being so helpful; I just wish they would realize this is temporary helpfulness.)

As there were no priests of this power in Cornwell, we fled back to Rinos, rushing Vordb to the Temple of Apollo in the city. The abbot was able to heal Vordb, and Shocko as well, and the next morning we set out once again. We traveled for another day or so until Tarus asked if we had planned on riding at the speed we were currently going to get there. It was here that we learned that we would need to reach the Brotherhood of Dread temple within four days and it would likely take us about two weeks at that rate. After debating how we could speed up, I cast a spell to make what we carried lighter for the horses and we rode hard, trading our tired horses for new ones with the help of my animal knowledge and Linora's... er... cleavage, I think. Hurrying on, we made it to Hightower, a town on the border, on the 2nd day of Brightmoon, leaving us about two days from the gorge. If we continue to hurry, we should still be able to get there while the moon is still full.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
July 4th, 2nd day of Brightmoon

We've reached Rinos, picking up far too many prisoners on the road

2011-08-01T19:34:00.016-04:00

Warning: long journal entry ahead. I apologize in advance.

We left Waterford and made our way to Luminar, passing a troop of clowns and watermelon merchants... or something like that, anyway. While resting for the night, Thrur and Ghost spotted small lights in the distance. Linora flew ahead (as a bat, of course) and discovered that they were heading towards us. Most of the group, sans Dwight's men and Ayman, headed off to figure out what the lights were. Eventually we reached them and saw a group of cloaked and robed figures carrying lanterns.

Ghost called out to them, inquiring who they were. Their response was "those who fell at your hand and were reborn" and that we'd "fall to the Brotherhood of Dread" and that they'd kill us like they did our wizard. They seemed taken aback when we explained that our wizard was perfectly fine, thank you. We fought what turned out to be skeleton creatures and after Vordb caused the non-skeletal duo to fall to their knees (defeat by itching; must have been rather embarrassing for them) and call back their minions, I was able to Charm one of them, which was enough to essentially control both for the time being.

We finished off the skeleton things and I asked why they keep attacking us and who sent them. Their answer was that we attacked them first (okay, possibly, but what are we, seven? Come on.) and that they were sent by their master, "the dark one", to go after us. I got them to drop their weapons and magic items; when the non-Charmed one tried to pull out a scroll (last time they teleported away with one, right?), Linora's dog tore it up. Ghost retrieved these items, minus the chewed-up paper. We tied them up and brought them back to camp. We learned that their names were Ruger and Tarus and while he was on watch, they tried to convince Vordb to join them. Wisely, our necromancer declined joining their Brotherhood of Buffoonery.

The next day we reached Luminar; on the way, Sir Thopas informed us that that was were he was from. Here we split up, Linora and Shocko going to the tavern (of course), Vordb and I to the temple of Apollo, and the rest to the keep. Vordb and I were led to the librarian at the temple, a fairly unhelpful priest named Teegarden, and the Abbott Aldebaran (I have no idea if I'm spelling any of these names correctly) found us a book on the Brotherhood of Dread, then went with us to the keep.

Meanwhile at the keep, most of our group met with Lord Renson (Sir Thopas' father) and our prisoners were locked up in the cells there. After dinner, we were escorted to the cells, where we questioned the priests again- or tried to. Ruger was so annoying that I quickly had enough and silenced him with a spell. Tarus, the Charmed and much more helpful prisoner, didn't tell us a whole lot more, however, mostly that his master thinks we're a threat to his order (okay, yes, we did destroy their temple and kill this priest twice, but they were asking for it). Vordb and I were able to get Tarus to tell us that the BoD is issuing currently from a stronghold to the east of the country's border, a few days from Haumar (and that you could see the mountain in the distance), and that this was their only temple since we'd destroyed the other (score one for us, I suppose). They'd been following us since we'd crossed the river. When we asked if they were aligned with any dragons, his answer was "Huh?" so I take that as a no.

Later I headed back to the temple to read that book on the Brotherhood of Dread and poked around at the library while the rest headed to the tavern (drunk singing about Linora slaying a dragon, her, Vordb and Shocko passing out... the usual). Ghost tried the ring of invisibility, but couldn't get it to work, and Ayman detected that the staves of the priests did radiate magic. Ghost then went to the temple, as well, asking about the items she now had in her possession; they couldn't identify them, but the librarian (actually being somewhat helpful for once), was able to find some books on staves, identifying them as a Staff of Striking and some sort of staff-into-mace weapon. Ayman did learn, however, that one of the rings was a Ring of Blinking and another was one of air elemental control.

The next day we set off again, our prisoners in toe (well, wagon), with a wagon team carrying fabrics that would go with us to Rinos. Tarus was still Charmed, so we gagged just Ruger. That night, Linora heard loud hooting in the trees; once again turning into a bat, she flew up to investigate and startled a person out of the tree by reverting back to human. We were quickly surrounded by a group of armed and armored men, the leader bearing a shield with a triple snake symbol. This one began talking and we learned that they were highwaymen and wanted the items in our wagons. The group agreed that they wanted no part of that and got to action. Ghost used her new Blinking ring, Ayman threw a web at them, I summoned eight bears (I love that spell!) and Vordb cast Irritation again while the rest did their attacks. They retreated, but between the bears and our fighters, we were able to get most of them and took eight prisoner. Ghost asked one of them what the snake symbol meant, but he didn't know.

The following day, we set off again with our rapidly growing collection of captives and reached Stonebarrow in the evening, where we dropped off the extras. While traveling the next morning, we began to see more mercenaries and fighters; Dwight said that it's likely the prince was raising an army, or something like that. Ghost flagged down one of them and asked what was going on. She was told that the king's heralds had been putting up fliers saying that soldiers were needed. Dwight informed us that the king has one brother, but in the priesthood, so there wasn't likely anyone who would contend the throne.

I seem to have lost track of what the next place we visited was- perhaps this was Stonebarrow instead? Anyway, at this town we found tents set up outside the city. Ayman asked someone as we passed by, and was told that they were heading to Rinos to join up with the army. In town their were two inns, but both were full; I was able to stay at the temple of Apollo, but the rest of the group were stuck camping. Ghost went to the constable to drop off our two captive priests and found that the jail was almost full (lots of people passing through town equals lots of miscreants), as well. At one of the inns, we started hearing many conflicting rumors: a vampire hunter in Rinos, the king's consorting with dragons, he speaks to the dragon, the king's an imposter controlled by a bishop (wait, wait, could that be the king's brother in the priesthood? I just thought of that), the king's preparing for war to the east, there's a vampire lurking around Rinos, the king was killed by an assassin... all strange and conflicting rumors that must have been recent because they hadn't reached Joven or Woodland yet. I believe Dwight may have been spreading rumors about himself, so hooray for even more discord and confusion. I approve. Linora, Vordb and Shocko got into a very amusing brawl while there before it was unfortunately broken up by the constable. (Hmph. I'd been enjoying dinner and a show.)

The next morning Ghost and SwampFox retrieved our prisoners and Vordb and Linora went to the fish market and the town hall to seek out rumors (the fish market? Really? Okay then). Dwight told us that he'd heard about an evil wizard leading an army to the east, that a hydra was under the castle and about that vampire. We traveled on and after lunch reached a traffic jam; three or four trees were blocking the road. Irking Linora because she wasn't able to use her super-human strength here, Ayman greased the fallen trees and I used the Ring of the Ram to clear them away (okay, I'll admit that it's nice to actually do something strong; otherwise I'd just be shoving twigs away or the like). It looked as though the trees had fallen over, rather than had been cut.

We traveled for a few more days with no more excitement and finally reached Rinos late in the day. We entered through the south entrance because Dwight informed us that it would be the least crowded, and passed the lake outside town. In town, I was impressed; there was not only a large mosque, but three smaller shrines, as well! I'm from Woodland, so I'm used to a good-sized mosque, but that was tiny compared to the one in Rinos, and never before have I come across shrines of my order. ... and I'm rambling. Sorry about that. We went to the inn to eat and get ourselves washed up, then Shocko, Vordb and Linora went (where else?) to the Sword and Spear tavern to game and drink. It being too late in the day to deliver my letter to the king, Ayman and I headed north, listening for any gossip along the way (we didn't hear anything), so I could report in at the main mosque. I dropped the Gate plans off with Edward, the Head Messenger, and explained to him how they worked (I'll help them out with this later), then met up with Ayman again to listen to the Van Hailenne minstrel show, where SwampFox joined us. We left him behind (he must like music. Who knew?) and headed towards the inner wall of the city, where I'd figured out that the army was stationed; I knew my brother, a lieutenant in the army, to still be in Rinos. At that entrance, the guards eventually let us in, involving a very believable stick figure drawing by Ayman showing that, yes, I was in fact related to Lieutenant Conroy, see the family resemblance? (No idea how that worked.) But at least it meant I didn't have to hurl a rock over the wall with a message attached to it since I had no spells at the ready to send over a messenger-bird.

The guards led us to the army barracks while I apparently speculated about hitting my brother in the head with small message-rocks, and Ayman and I met up with Kendric. It was wonderful to see him again! It had been years since I saw him last and I've missed him very much. He led us to that tavern where, amazingly, Linora and Co. hadn't broken the place down yet, and after he got his behind kicked by Linora at arm wrestling (hey, I've warned him that she's a very competent warrior!), the group began questioning him. Kendric actually verified one of the crazier rumors by saying that he'd met that vampire hunter- apparently named "Gordo Rojo" (Really? I wonder if he's making this up), and told us that the army has been training all those new people coming in, but he doesn't know why the king is calling for it. I think he mentioned that he thinks the prince may be involved. Vordb asked him if he'd know how to get to the hydra (dragon? Wyvern?) under the castle and, after getting much of a blank look from my brother, Ken's most helpful answer was "get thrown in jail". (Alas, I hadn't had a chance to warn Ken about Vordb, although perhaps it should be the other way around.) He also told us that the bishop has his own chambers in the castle and that it's possible to meet with him.

I'll continue this journal later, hopefully in a more timely manner. Needless to say, there is much I want to catch up with my brother with, but likely that won't be penned in this particular log.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
June 25th, 7th day of Darkmoon

On the road to Rinos, meeting much undead along the way

2011-04-07T15:40:00.004-04:00

While we rested in Logging Town, Ayman and I tried to make heads or tails out of the items we'd picked up in the mine; nothing was evil, but a few of the items radiated magic. We wrapped things up in town and headed north in the company of Dorian and his men and Thrur the dwarf. I know this area well so I was able to lead the group slightly east, shortening the trip back to Woodland.

Once in Woodland, we headed to the guild hall and met with Micah, telling the guild master about the dragons (the one we slayed as well as the likely-cloud one that had flown overhead), goblin king, troll, evil priests, etcetera. Once that task was completed, Ayman and I went to find Batts, the guild's token goblin. Our mage explained to him that we'd picked up Gribble in the mine and wanted Batts to keep an eye on him while he set up a wizard workshop (or something like that, anyway). I stopped by the mosque, dropping off the extra dragon bones I'd acquired and spoke with Armand, then went to the apothecary with Ayman and Ghost. Merton told us about a wizard making potions of disillusion (I have a feeling our black dragon control potion was such) and we left some items there for him to research. Speaking of research, Ayman took a look at the scrolls we'd picked up- two were spells (dig and fireball spells) and one was a scroll with instructions left by the skeletal wizard down in the mine.

The scroll read thus:
"To the finder -- I was naught but a hedge wizard with a
vendetta; all my preparations were for naught. Dear reader,
please carry my torch. You will know what to do with my
possessions. My wand answers to Eko, Eno or Esa.
Beware what lies ahead and avenge me!-- Roderick"

Since we'd done a pretty thorough job of vanquishing the evil in the mine, it's probably safe to say the man was properly avenged.

While in Woodland we came across a human necromancer named Vordb (I hope I'm spelling that correctly) who was excited to meet Ayman. (I suppose tall human wizards flock together?) Linora handed the goblin king's crown over to Thrur and learned that he wanted to come to Rinos with us while Vordb, Ayman and I headed back to the apothecary. After introducing the necromancer, we were told what the items were that we'd dropped off.

We stayed in town for the June Festival; our old friend Cornwallis put on a show and spoke with us for a while. He'd been preforming to the west and told us that tales of our deeds had reached almost as far as the desert (just wonderful...) and that he hadn't seen the man who attacked him when last we met.

The next day we set off to Joven using the Gate, which had been refined and seemed to function better this time, not setting Shocko's pants on fire (alas, that had been amusing), and left Gribble behind with Batts. Before leaving the mosque in Joven, I picked up a copy of the better-functioning Gate plans. We found Dwight and talked about our latest adventures over lunch. He informed us that he'd be coming with us to Rinos, which no one had a problem with. He told us some somber news: the king is gravely ill and his heir is still rather young.

We set off to Rinos that afternoon with two of Dwight's men and Thrur. We stopped for the night in Garrison where I sent a letter west to my brother, informing him that we'd reach the city in about a week. That night Ghost and Dwight caught a pair of men trying to break into the inn; they were apparently repeat offenders who had broken out of jail, as we learned from the sheriff.

The next day while on the road we came across a group of hooded figures heading our way, garbed in rough brown robes. When they didn't answer our greeting, they pulled back their hoods and we saw that they were in fact skeletons. I quickly Blessed the group as Ayman threw fire and our group attacked. I decided to try out that Ring of the Ram, and after some problems (who knew a ring of strength required... well, strength?), I hit two. Dwight exploded one with his sword and they turned to flee- Vordb was able to stop this by summoning bats and sending them at the skeletons. Eventually we killed (rekilled? Unkilled?) them all and piled them off on the side of the road, then continued on our way.

Around midnight we reached the town of Purewell. Dwight told us we were nearing Waterford, the town next to the river, and the next morning we set off again. Around noon we met with a group of fishermen and their wagon of fish (obviously). Most of us bought some and the men informed us that they'd heard about creepy monsters coming out of the trees at night. We thanked them for the fish and made camp that evening. While on watch, Shocko heard sounds to the north and Linora flew ahead in bat-form. She discovered a few stinking hunched figures in the bushes and flew back to awaken the rest of us. We started to attack and saw that they were a group of misshapen humanoids- ghouls. We dispatched the lot of them and when one ended up smelling worse than the others, Vordb explained that that one was actually a ghast (but was not particularly aghast by this news).

The rest of the night passed without event and we traveled on, eventually reaching the town of Waterford. In the Old Kettle Inn, the innkeeper was excited to see Dwight and sent a boy off to get the mayor and constable. He told us of a terrible problem: young townspeople (three children and two young women) had been kidnapped in the late evening recently. The constable had caught a glimpse of the kidnapper and told us that it had been man-height and had headed north. After forgetting just who my companions were and digging myself into enough trouble to need a shovel, Ghost left to use her tracking abilities. I asked to be shown the houses where the kidnappings had occurred to see if that would help, and discovered that two had been near the north wall, two at the inn just north of center, and one was to the northeast. The children had been taken from outside their homes and the two from the inn had actually been upstairs.

Ghost found that the tracks were clawmarks rather than human, and proceeded to lead us north into the hilly barrow downs where warriors from the orc wars were buried. The smaller barrows seemed undisturbed, so we headed to the large one in the center. The strongest members of our party got the door open and we entered to find the expected alcoves and slabs and the like, as well as piles of bones, scraps of armor and old weapons. We made our way through a few chambers to a larger one with a dim light, all the while hearing a thumping sound. Inside were about nine ghouls and a figure in a grey dress with long hair, holding something on its lap. The battle began, our fighters charging into the fray while Vordb and I summoned a tag-team assortment of rats and stinging insects. At this time the figure rose and charged at Shocko, shrieking and trying to claw at him. Vordb then greased the floor (it appears he's been learning from our mage) while Ayman instead created a large web. Dwight chanted and sent the remaining ghouls and that shrieking thing straight into the webbing. Everyone continued to attack and the paladin swung at the loud thing with light and the smell of brimstone, snuffing it out of existence (and leaving the room much quieter). He informed us that it was a wight, something that sucks the lifeforce out of you.

Still hearing the hammering sound, we followed the noise to find a cage in the chamber containing the missing, frightened children as well as a skeleton in full armor. This skeleton was banging on the cage, hence the sound. Ghost cut the cage open to free the captives and we gave food and water to the humans while the skeleton walked over to the door, obviously the guardian of the barrow. The wight had been sitting on a pile of bones, but the thing it had been holding was a black pearl necklace wrapped in a piece of silk. Unraveling this, we found that it was a tapestry of a young lady in a grey dress and a young noble clad in armor identical to that which the skeleton was now wearing. Dwight, being versed in this kind of subject, told us that this was Sir Maynard, one of the famous heroes of the orc wars, who'd kept the orcs out of Waterford while he and his men held the river. Maynard's name was not on any of the crypts, however, so we were unsure what to do with the tapestry and the necklace; Ghost tried giving it to the skeleton, but it did not respond, so she placed it on one of the crypts. As we left, Ayman put some sort of magic lock on the barrow.

Back in town we returned the unfortunate children to their parents who were obviously pleased to have them back. We explained that they had been taken by ghouls to the barrow downs and Ghost asked about Sir Maynard. She was told that after he died defending the town, his lady went crazy and fled town- we think that strange shrieking monster was likely her.

Tomorrow we continue on our journey to Rinos, hopefully meeting with less undead along the way.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
June 17th, 5th day of Bleakmoon

More with the goblin mine - we vanquish evil

2011-04-05T01:05:00.006-04:00

One of these days I'll update this journal in a timely manner. Possibly. Anyway, after some resting and plotting, we poked around (okay, looted) the king's chamber, tossing the weapons down the pit, then sealed it up with some broken doors and a chest. We left behind those too injured to help, taking Dorian, Katah, Ham, Lt. Thigpen and four others with us, and continued towards that underground lake. Along the way, we noticed that the dead hobgoblins and bugbears were now missing, as were the spear-bearing hobgoblins that had recently lined the windowed chamber.

We entered the huge cavern and noticed that it was lit by glowing fungus and moss. The floor appeared to be water with islands that we could step onto. Off in the distance we saw the large island with the fortress. Stepping forward, Linora called out to the dragon. It popped out of the murky water and hit her with a blast of acid. She quickly downed the potion of dragon control and attempted to get it to obey her; she learned that its name was actually Makulok, not Menulok, as we'd assumed, but she was unable to trick it into believing that someone had taken something from his hoard. Laughing and saying that he needed no help from any man, he sunk back into the water. Linora yelled at him to attack the castle, but instead he flew back and began spitting acid at us again. Obviously the potion was not effective. I tried Charming it into taking a nap, but that failed, too. All of us rather at a loss of what to do now, Ghost called out to Khrom-Vel (and the Master, as well) using her tattoo, which began to glow. As I began to Bless the group, both Ayman and Ghost heard a voice in their heads. As the group began attacking him, I cast Silence, momentarily stunning it, which seemed to help Linora. She chopped through his neck, slaying the evil dragon, and did a silent dance on the way back down to ground level.

Monster out of the way, we again rested- and again looted, this time the dragon's body. We located two long boats nearby and rowed across to the island with the fortress. Linora batted her way up to the fortress and found no one. Ghost went ahead and found doors on the other side of the island. We tied the oars under the dock in case anyone came by and made our way to the doors. Shocko was unable to pick them open, so Ayman wraithed through the crack and entered the building, then turned human again to turn the crank that opened the doors.

Inside we came to two doors; splitting up, we opened them simultaneously to a voice saying “What treachery is this?”. Yes, we'd located the goblin king, as well as a few others in a banquet hall. I cast Heat Metal at the king while Ayman put the goblins and a hobgoblin to sleep. The king began chanting something about thralls crushing our skulls and tentacles popped out of the floor, grabbing one of Dorian's men, Linora and Shocko. Ghost fired an arrow, but the king deflected it with his bracers then shot an acid bolt at SwampFox. I noticed the king's armor and dispelled its magic, yelling to the group to aim for him now. As Dorian's men and our fighters attacked the tentacles, Ghost fired more arrows at the king, who pulled off his crown as it was now burning hot. Ayman spooked one of the bugbears, causing it to run the wrong way to hide. Recovering, the king cast some sort of slowness spell, hitting everyone but me and SwampFox, who was finally able to free himself from the tentacle that had grabbed him. Unfortunately Linora got caught again and one of Dorian's men were killed, but Ghost continued to fire at the king. Trying to free my friends from their sluggishness, I cast a spell; it worked on Ayman and Shocko. Able to move at normal speed now, Ayman fired a dart at the king. Amazingly, that worked! The king coughed and fell to his knees and Linora set her dog on him.

The tentacles and other enemies gone, the king gasped that he wanted to be carried to his bed. Ghost obeyed and carried him upstairs as Ayman went ahead to check that the room was secure. As the king lay there, he explained that he had been a man once and that this was his curse. He was apparently slain and came back into this body, but didn't remember his original name.

Once the king was deceased, Linora flew off to try to locate the dragon hoard. We rowed the boats over and looted the loot, then headed back out of the cavern. Back in the armory in the mine, we gave the king's food to those injured, and I handed Dormaggs' staff to Katah's druid companion, which he seemed happy about. We made our way to the arena where we found that the slaves had tossed the goblins and hobgoblins into the pit with the troll. A dwarf named Thrur had become the leader of the slaves and we spread the news that the king and dragon were now dead. I went to retrieve our goblin friend Gribble while Linora showed the crown to Thrur, who said that it was mithril- what they'd been mining. The remaining goblins saw us (well, Linora) with the goblin king's crown and fled. Thrur told us that the dwarves would come to the mine so it would be cleared of goblins.

We made our way back to the surface; luckily it was night so we weren't blinded. We rested until daybreak, then made our way to Logging Town. We informed the mayor that we'd found slaves and killed the king and dragon, but that goblins were still there. The mayor gave me a letter to take to the king in Rinos, which I promised would get there. Comfortably back in Messenger-mode, I sent a message to the guild letting them know that we were successful on our mission.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
May 24th, 3rd day of Darkmoon. Or so.

((This is a good place to stop; will post the rest soon.))

Some letters sent from Joven

2011-04-04T23:14:00.004-04:00

Ken, June 14th
Friends and I are heading west in company of ex-traveling companion. I have message of some importance to bring to Rinos; once delivered, I shall seek you out. Have much I want to tell you and would like to introduce you to said group.

Still no word from R and am rather worried, hoping you have news.

See you in a week or so,
~C

This first letter was tied to a bird and sent off about a day's travel away from Joven.

----------------------------------------

This letter was sent north from Joven. Cyneric is from the south, but his parents have since relocated to the northern coast. This is quite to his liking, as it means he has an excuse for infrequent contact.

Father,
After spending my entire life avoiding what you tried to force me into, I've stumbled onto a path much like that anyway. Hope you are happy and thank you for leaving me so screwed up that I feel too guilty to enjoy it properly. You elitist snots can bite me.
... Where did THAT come from? He really needed to pay more attention to what he was writing as this clearly isn't what he wanted to say... although he'd sheepishly admit that getting those words out felt good. Crinkle that up and toss it into the waste basket. Try again with more tact.

I figured now would be wise to send you word as I am traveling through Joven and word would reach you quickly with the least amount of effort on the part of my brethren. No use asking one to travel far to where he won't be appreciated and likely will be thrown out on his arse as soon as he hands over this letter.
... Sigh. Crinkle that up, try once more. It's not like they'd actually do that. Probably. Possibly. Hopefully.

I am traveling through Joven and thought now would be a good time to contact you. As I've learned recently, word of the endeavors of my traveling companions and I has spread far, so I imagine you have an idea of what I have been experiencing, should you have cared to listen. Likely this is exaggerated, but perhaps now you will finally be pleased with your pacifistic, pariah son.
Crinkle crinkle, curse, grumble. One more try and if that doesn't work, he'll admit defeat and go back to pretending that his parents don't exist for a while.

Father,
I am traveling through Joven and, as I am relatively nearby, wanted to contact you. However, since it is west to Rinos my companions and I are headed, rather than north, a letter shall have to suffice. I hope that you and Mother are doing well and that the coast has proved an environment of comfort to the both of you.

Upon reaching Joven, I learned that news of my traveling party's exploits have reached great distances. I am not overly pleased with this, but I am going to assume that it means you've heard word of me, as well. Likely this has been exaggerated. However, yes, it means your clerical son has become an adventurer of some distinction. It is certainly not the path I wanted to end up on, but I am sure this is more to your liking than the thought of me toiling away in the backwaters, delivering mail from anyone who wandered into the mosque that day. I know you have always disliked that I entered into the priesthood (and this one in particular), so any amount of heroics is probably an improvement.

While in Rinos, I shall try to keep track of who is what and what is where because I know that sort of thing is of interest to you and Mother, but I have a feeling that Kendric is far better at relaying such news than I. Still, I will dutifully try to keep my eyes open.

We are setting out momentarily, so I must quickly seal this letter and ask one of my brethren to take care of it for me.

As I wrote above, I hope this finds you both well.
Your son,
Cyneric
Well, that'll have to do. It's unlikely his rather obtuse father would catch the contempt he felt, anyway, and this was about as civil as he could bring himself to sound. At least it appeared that he said all the right things, even if in actuality he'd either "forget" about that promise or give slightly wrong information, depending on what kind of mood he was in that day. Why did his family always have to be so difficult to deal with?

((Typing up the last few adventures now, but figured I may as well post these letters here as well as on my writing blog. What the heck, right?))

Into the endless goblin mine- a rescue mission filled with chaos and monsters

2011-02-16T12:18:00.003-05:00

Once again I have been lax in updating this journal, so this will be an incredibly long entry. I shall try to summarize as best I can to keep this short, but no promises. Where to begin...

After our druid was slain, we finally pulled back from the mine, unfortunately not soon enough for Dormaggs. After some time and heated discussion (er... largely on my own part), we decided to try locating a different entrance to the south. We were successful, but quickly became lost as the mine tunnel branched and turned every which way. Fortunately Ghost is a skilled tracker so we had something to follow.

After wandering for a bit, we came across a group of goblins: the first of many to come. We surrounded them from two tunnels and quickly eliminated all but one, whom I charmed in order to gleam information about the humans and halfling we were seeking (humans were downstairs, he hadn't seen a halfling). The goblin led us through more of the maze-like mine, but only to the stairs down. Leaving him there, we continued downwards.

Soon we came to an area where the floor appeared to be swept clean. Unsure of what to make of this, Ghost tossed a rope forward. When nothing happened but a "thud", Ayman cast Detect Magic and discovered a flask floating in the hallway. Shocko, being Shocko, stepped forward into a stinging blob and was pulled out by Linora- it turns out it was a gelatinous cube that had swept the floor. Ayman and Ghost teamed up to melt it into a stinking pile of goo and another cube nearby was taken down with yet more flame, and we began our search again.

Ghost located more tracks and led the way- into a shallow pit, as it turned out. She climbed out without much harm and we followed her on. Next we came to a lit room with a table, benches, boarded-up walls to the left and right, and an assortment of goblins, hobgoblins, and a bugbear waiting for us in alcoves to either side of the door (I'd have preferred more tables instead). We killed this group of monsters, too, and this time it was the dying bugbear I charmed for information- we'd have to "go deep, very deep" to find those we sought. We dragged the ex-monsters into the alcoves and poked at the boarded areas to no avail; likely it was just more rock behind them.

Wandering on, we came across another room like this one, minus the monsters. This time one of the boarded areas housed a secret door and a very dead wizard holding a scroll and quill in his skeletal hands. Unsure if the scroll was harmful, we had the illiterate Shocko take a look at it. He found it to contain three-quarters of a page of writing in a script he didn't recognize- certainly not Common. Another scroll the dead man possessed was much the same, but figuring now was not the time to read something mysterious, Ghost stashed these away. Detecting Magic on the body showed us some glowing objects, which I removed: a ring, two potions, and an iron wand. After saying a quick prayer over the body, we continued on, ever downwards.

Soon Shocko discovered another body, this time propped up against a large iron chest, in a cavern that smelled of old fire. The box was locked, so we decided to leave it alone. Finding this area to be a dead end, we backtracked and went a different way at the fork in the corridor. Here we found a room with stairs that led down about five flights into an unlit chamber. Hearing echoes, we decided to head back up the stairs and rest instead of exploring further.

Rested, we continued on. Well, down, then on. We left the room at the foot of the stairs and found our way into another one, where a piece of the ceiling suddenly decided that it wanted to squash Ghost. We took it down with the help of my air elemental and Ayman's Enfeeblement spell, but I warned everyone to try to not pop it- this was the creature I'd been seeking to create a mischievous item. After retrieving its bladders (don't ask), Ghost led us to another door- which proceeded to grab her and talk of how it wanted to eat her. Clearly this was not Ghost's day. Ayman attempted to Grease it, but only ended up with a slippery floor. Figuring the door was at least slightly intelligent since it was still threatening our elf, I used my Rod of Beguiling to charm it into dropping her. This turned out to work better than I'd expected, and we were able to get some information from the door: more humans than our party had been past and killed goblins, but it didn't recall any halflings recently. The door kindly moved aside and we went the way it directed us. Who knew doors could be so friendly? (Okay, yes, it was a mimic, I know, but a door sounds so much more amusing.)

Through more of the mine we went, and found yet more goblins, as is to be expected in a goblin mine. Once again we took them out and I charmed one to serve as a guide. Most of the group scouted ahead, finding more goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears. Gribble, my new goblin friend, informed me that humans were being used as slaves in the big mines in the warrens and that he could take us there.

As we followed the goblin, Ghost quickly got rid of a slumbering goblin guard and stole his keys, then used them on a nearby door, behind which she found a box of silver coins. Traveling on again, Gribble led us to a creepy room with bones in a deep pit and a single column in the center. We found planks to place across to the pillar and, as we crossed to the other side, the bones began to rumble below. This faded as we quickly left the room, none of us wanting to stay to check it out further.

Into another chamber we went, this one lit by torches on pedestals around a pit- and an open wall all around the outside housing monsters, which took Ghost by surprise. More hobgoblins and goblins, more attacking, more monsters slain. Exiting the room via a door at the bottom of the pit (Ghost using her newfound keys), we continued on to what turned out to be a room with traps in the ceiling through which goblins would drop things down on whoever tried to cross. This Linora discovered by flying up through the ceiling in bat-form, irking a few of them in the process. Instructing my air elemental to go up through the ceiling, it chased the goblins out of their hiding place and down to us. Chasing them again with the elemental, they turned and ran off the direction we were heading.

More tunnels, more traveling, another staircase down. Gribble carefully led us where monsters weren't... until he stumbled into a room filled with lots of goblins. More fighting, but this time the goblins again got away. The room now cleared, Ghost and SwampFox scouted ahead and found a group of hobgoblins. Hearing their shouts, the rest of us ran in to help, and cleared this room, as well.

We rested, but not for long. Ayman had cast the image of a giant wyrm in the doorway to keep monsters away, but it had the opposite effect: instead of scaring them away, they came well-armed and aware of our presence. They shouted at us to come out and we came up with a quick plan; Ayman cast Invisibility on all but Ghost, who went out as a decoy. She claimed that her group had left her behind and, when they came in to search the room, we were able to invisibly avoid them. This plan was not perfect, however, and Ghost was taken away.

Sneaking out, Gribble told us that they were taking her to the king in a big room to fight Gralla, a big monster that eats goblins and had never been defeated, and that she would be kept in a small cell until then. He also told us that humans had been pushed into a "snackrificial" pit (clearly we lost something in the translation) by shamans and were never seen again. He led us, still invisible, through a huge chamber where slaves were mining, which contained a big pit with seating all around, and through a small tunnel to a small, musty room that he informed us was secret.

Here we were able to rest, plan, and, in my case, pray for guidance. Hermes granted me a detailed poem of what we should do to rescue Ghost and those we came to save, and, armed with that information and an idea of what to do, we set off to get Ghost back. Still under Ayman's invisibility, we followed Gribble back to the large room and downstairs to the arena, where we passed a huge thing being brought in. Hurrying into the arena, Ayman tossed Ghost her sword and we beat a hasty retreat back upstairs. Once in position, we proceeded to cause as much chaos as possible; I magicked one of the large fires into a screen of smoke, then used the air elemental to dispense the smoke in a wider area. Linora, SwampFox, and Shocko attacked wildly, while Ayman yelled out confusing phrases he'd learned from Gribble, then Greased the stairs, causing hundreds of goblins to fall into the pit with the monster, which turned out to be a troll. The troll thus occupied, Ghost and the two men captive with her (a wood elf we'd met earlier and one of Dorian's men) were able to leave the arena and aid the chaos.

Linora and Shocko reached the bugbear goblin king (what I mean is the goblin king was a bugbear, not that he was a bugbear goblin), but he escaped with his guards, casting a giant hand to block the tunnel. Here the party split up again; switching back to bat-form, Linora flew off to follow the king, while the rest of us regrouped to head back downstairs. Ayman turned into a wraith to open the gate for us, we set the nearby slaves free, and proceeded down.

Here we reached a tunnel with goblins in rooms to either end. I charmed the one group to go after the other, thus saving us the trouble, and we continued on until we reached a room with four bugbears- exactly what Hermes' rhyming advice had told us to look out for. We killed them and stole their keys, using those to open the door they were guarding. Once on the other side, Ghost locked the door behind us so we could rest and those who were injured could recover somewhat. Soon, though, two hobgoblins came into sight- but our pirate captain had been following them, and we made short work of the monsters.

Linora told us of what she'd discovered during her time as a bat: an underground lake, a fortress where the king was now housed, and a dragon. These, too, were what Hermes had somewhat cryptically alluded to. Following Linora, we continued, with Ayman marking walls with ink should any of us get lost, to a room with more hobgoblins. These were behind small windows, wielding pikes, and blocking the way through. Ayman had the rather amusing idea to cast a spell on himself, effectively making ten Aymans, and distracted the hobgoblins while the rest of us crawled through to the other side of the room, where we discovered crawl-holes which the monsters had used to get to the windows. Those strong enough tried to grab the pikes, but this wasn't successful. With no other way to keep the hobgoblins where they were, I again used my charm magic to tell them to stay there and not follow us, at least giving us some time to get away. I was also able to learn that they'd never seen any humans, we'd meet large monsters if we went the wrong way, the dungeons were through the warrens, and some things we already knew- that the king was powerful and could do magic and there was a dragon down there.

Here we discussed it again and decided that instead of traveling on to face the king and dragon, we'd backtrack to try to locate Dorian's group. Retracing our footsteps, we headed back to the room opposite where I'd set goblins against goblins and found a staircase down. Here we found a thick wooden door; Shocko attempted to pick the lock, but had to rely on SwampFox breaking it down with his axe. On the other side we found a torture chamber, much to our disgust and anger, and another door that had to be broken down. Following the tunnel on the other side of that door, we reached a room with cells. Shocko and SwampFox worked together to get the cell doors open and we freed a group of Dorian's men. The lieutenant in charge told us that he'd seen Dorian dragged past, but he wasn't here. Leaving SwampFox and Linora's dog to guard those who weren't in fighting shape, we continued through the next door Shocko opened.

In this room we found a bugbear; he sounded an alarm horn and five more came at us. Not wanting to waste time on another battle, I charmed the group of them into dropping their weapons and giving us their keys and horns, and we locked them into one of the large empty cells. They told us that Dorian had just been taken away a few minutes before to the pit- not good! I volunteered to stay behind to free the rest of the prisoners while the rest of the group hurried off to follow Dorian, and I sent my fox to retrieve SwampFox and the dog.

I later learned that bugbear and hobgoblin priests had been about to shove Dorian into a pit, but instead got pushed into the pit themselves after our party killed them (serves them right). They successfully rescued the paladin and retrieved Ghost's possessions from the high priest's room, then came back to the cell area where I'd since freed the prisoners: the rest of the Joven party, Katah's (the wood elf) companions, and our friend Homer, the halfling we'd been seeking. We'd also located the armory, so the once-prisoners were now armed. Ayman explained to me exactly what the monsters' holy symbol tattoos had looked like, and I knew them to be priests of the cult of Skiggaret, the bugbear god of fear. Ugh, evil priests. Here's to hoping my friends exterminated all of them, but evil priests are like rats- they spawn en masse right where you don't expect them to be.

So here we sit, resting and plotting for a plan to take on the dragon and king at the underground lake. At least we now have the benefit of numbers, so that's an advantage.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
May 22nd, 1st day of Darkmoon... ish. Honestly, at this point I have no idea of the date. Just for the hell of it, I'm calling it Tuesday.

A letter to Cyneric's best friend

2010-06-22T00:18:00.004-04:00

Raff,
I hope this letter finds you safe and not getting into too much mischief, but I know you far too well to assume that wish to be at all likely. (That no one is catching on that you are the cause of the antics you wreak would be a more appropriate hope.) I have a great deal I want to tell you since my last letter, but much will have to wait until our paths next cross, partly because I don't want this letter to turn into a tome and partly because some of this information I do not feel safe sending even with our brethren. Yes, I know you are rolling your eyes and thinking me overly paranoid but I do have my reasons to be so worried.

I will give a vague warning here that I will elaborate on when I next see you: please, please be careful with a certain disguise. My party has become unfortunately high profile and as a result that disguise may no longer be safe for you to use on this side of the continent; in fact, it's probably not safe since being conspicuous means my group has made enemies. Once again, I am likely being unduly paranoid, but... well, please be cautious. And do not worry about me; you know I am not a risk taker, and traveling with adventurers has not changed that fact. I even have a bodyguard now who I trust to always have my back; he's an orc we met on the road who is bereft of his kin, so I'm hoping that traveling with my group makes him feel less alone. I know from experience that having friends can fill that kind of void, as you are quite aware.

So much has happened to me and my traveling companions lately that I can't possibly fit it into one letter, so I'll just give you a short summary. (Honestly, there are so many monster infestations around the area that I'm having some trouble keeping track of what's happening where and what the locations are that we're likely to be sent next; you know I have a horrible head for anything involving battle plans and fighting.) I mentioned earlier about being high profile; well, you know the dragon Khrom-Vel that I've mentioned before? We've become his champions (complete with uncanny wrist tattoo) after we helped heal him from a battle with two other dragons. I'm not entirely sure what this entails, but it seems like it means that we now can call on him if we have the need, and having a dragon on your side cannot possibly be a bad thing.

We've been traveling up and down the coast for a while; we were in Joven recently helping out Dwight, our old traveling companion, with a gnoll problem in that area. While there we also had an ill-fated encounter with a wizard that resulted in the death of one of our party members, the gnome Caleb. (I'm beginning to think that wherever we go, trouble is bound to follow close behind.) Our travels have finally taken us back to Woodland, but since the mosque has no assignment for me at the moment, I'll be going south with the rest of the group on a task set by the mercenary's guild. Between my duty and the tasks set by the guild, I'm rarely in Woodland anymore for more than just a quick stop over; I'm aware that sounds silly when you spend even more time away from there than I do, but I can't help feeling a bit homesick when on the road for an extended period of time. I know that soon enough I'll have permanent duty there, though, and will then yearn for all this traveling. Go figure!

Anyway, I've had an ongoing assignment for a while that you will find quite interesting. The Messengers in Port Town have developed a kind of magic... thing (I still do not completely understand it) that allows one to travel between mosques in a matter of moments, no matter the distance between them. It involves a stone altar-type thing and a canopic jar; the jar powers the Gate and allows it to function. (I think.) I have been dropping off the plans for this gate at each mosque I pass through and sending some along with those I deem trustworthy. Once every mosque has one, I'd imagine our assignments will be safer and quicker, but I'm still having mixed feelings about it since it means less traveling and that has always been what Messengers do. I can't say that I dislike being able to get home from, say, Joven, in seconds, though!

There is so much more I want to tell you, but, judging from the length of this letter, it will have to wait until I see you in person. Speaking of... do you think you could perhaps hint that you'd like some assignments that will take you back towards Woodland? I have no idea if the mosques you've been working through have any deliveries that have to come that direction, but I know you're quite good at persuading people to do things to your advantage. I'd like to give you a copy of the Gate plans to take back in that direction and have new information to give you for a disguise, but I'll admit that my wish to see you is not entirely (alright, not even close to entirely) duty or mischief-related; I miss you terribly. I'd joke that Hermes is having a good laugh over our assignments keeping us so far apart, but knowing Him, that's probably the truth. Hmph.

Sending my love,
Cyn

((I posted this on Cyneric's blog earlier today, but figured what the heck, I'll post it here, too, since we haven't had any other game-related stuff for me to put here. This isn't quite up to date since Cyn would have handed it to a Messenger heading west before the group left Woodland a few gaming sessions ago. It's also a bit chronologically wrong since I wanted to include some parts that probably would have gone in an earlier letter- that warning, for one.))

Logging Town, the Hidden Village, and monsters

2010-04-04T14:35:00.013-04:00

I just realized I've fallen behind with this journal again, so bear with me; this is going to be a fairly long entry.

Dallas finally came to in the House of Healing in Joven; the woman who was with her and also unconscious is still out, however. After finding her way to the Joven Messenger's Mosque, she was Gated to Woodland, where she was able to hitch a ride south to meet us in Logging Town. She shared with us a strange nightmare she'd been having about a creepy voice telling her to free it from an amulet. Ayman has an amulet on him, but we're not sure if that is the one that was meant.

Ghost and I wrote up a message for Dwight (about Dorian going missing) that I sent via a crow to Woodland in the hopes that it'll find its way to Armand, who can Gate it to Dwight. After the group tricked Shocko into a much-needed bath, we set off northwest, following the river for a bit, then though the trees. On their watch that night, Linora and Shocko found a group of traveling halflings, which she managed to get to follow her back to camp; the halflings introduced themselves as Old Pete, Lenny, Bruce, and George. During much drinking by most of the group, Ghost snuck off to follow their trail while I charmed them in the hopes that they'd give us more information while they were pleasantly drunk. The halflings told me that our friend Homer was in their village a few days ago, but wasn't there now, and that we should ask the sheriff. They then offered to take us to their village, but since I was afraid that they'd go back on their word once they were sober, I pried them for more information; they let me know that the village was a couple of hours north of here in the trees and camouflaged, and you need to say a password (which had been "ham and cheese") to a certain person.

The next day we set off north by northwest; we begun to see clouds rolling in (Dorrmags had been warned of a bad storm coming). After a while we noticed the ground starting to look tilled and doors set into the side of the hill (but painted to blend in), and the halflings led us back into the treeline. He knocked on a tree and gave a password ("old reliable"), and we were allowed into an elevator in the tree and taken up to the village.

Ghost inquired about Homer again and Old Pete told us that two weeks ago some of that group stayed and some headed back to Logging Town, but Homer stayed longer and snuck out of town in the middle of the night. We found the sheriff and we learned that he does not like Homer (our friend apparently doesn't pay taxes and also wanted to ravish the sheriff's daughter), and he and his daughter came with us to have drinks.

At the tavern, Ghost asked the barkeep about Homer- he knows him and had seen him last a moon ago, and that Homer had headed east. The sheriff informed us that Old Pete knows a way into the mine. At this time Dorrmags and the sheriff's daughter Edwina began flirting; not wanting to miss a great opportunity, Ayman and I decided to try to be mischievous and make Mags look silly, which worked almost perfectly. Meanwhile Ghost went looking for Old Pete, who told her more about that secret way into the mines.

We set off soon afterwards and traveled back through the forest, making camp at the river where an interestingly placed fish made for much amusement in Linora's tent. As the group was laughing hysterically, we noticed a random person laughing with us- it was the short man called "The Master" who a few members of the group had last seen in a tent under a cemetery. He invited us into his tent (always larger inside than out) where he told us about a new credit system he was starting and that he had seen Homer go east to the mine and that the paladin was still in there. Then, going into sales-pitch-mode, he told us that if we signed up he would give us a helpful item. The rest of the group quickly agreed and put their hands on a midnight blue orb he had put on the table, but I held back, not trusting this. Not wanting to be separated from my party or the like, I (and SwampFox) finally did the same; The Master chanted and lighting hit the orb. When our vision cleared, we were again sitting in camp and The Master's tent was missing; our left wrists also felt warm and when we looked, we noticed The Master's midnight blue symbol integrated with Khrom-Vel's before they faded again.

We spent the next day and night back in Logging Town, then headed east towards the mine. The rain began that morning and became a heavy storm the day after as we traveled. That night the lightning started and while on watch I noticed a crowd of something moving west. I sent my fox to look and woke up Linora so she could fly out and see while Ghost went off, as well. My fox came back terrified and unable to tell me what he saw, but when Linora came back we learned that the crowd were lots of howling shorter-than-human figures. Fog rolled over, then a huge shape (looking like a dragon) blasted the crowd, which stopped and the fog rolled away.

Meanwhile Ghost noticed her tattoo glow faintly as she went to look at the figures; they appeared to look frozen to death and were grey hairy things with manes and two toes. Even though the creatures seemed to be dead, I sent a messenger crow to Logging Town to warn them to be on the lookout just in case.

The next day it continued to rain but the storm stopped as we continued east for half a day until we reached the mine. Ghost informed us where the guards were stationed and the group made up a plan on how to get in. Unfortunately the plan went awry because of Ghost and some hobgoblins, and all hell broke lose when the enemy noticed us and sounded the alarm. Most of the group ran in every direction to fight after this (for some reason), instead of retreating and making a new plan, and Mags ended up getting killed by a pair of bugbears (luckily he was able to seal up the mine entrance with a wall of thorns before that unfortunate occurrence). After this nonsense had gone on for far too long, I yelled at the group that we had to get far away before the creatures inside made it out another exit or the wall went away (or was chopped through). Adventurers we may be, but we're no match for an entire mine filled with goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears, and who knows what else.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
May 17th, 3rd day of Bleakmoon

Logging Town- spiders, goblins, and a missing halfling

2010-03-08T23:01:00.002-05:00

We set off south the next morning (with a slight delay caused by Linora breaking Shocko's nose) and arrived in the area where we had once met with a werewolf. The party checked to make sure our spells and silver weapons were at the ready, but instead of anything "were" we came across large spiderwebs strung between trees, positioned to catch the unwary. Fortunately Ghost noticed these as she ranged ahead, but when Dorrmags sent his parrot up to check out the area, it got ensnared up in a tree.

Dorrmags climbed up after the bird while Ayman cast his favorite Grease spell on the tree tops, dislodging three things from the branches: the bird and two large, ugly spider creatures. As we fought the spider-men-things, six large regular spiders came down from the trees. We defeated all but one of the normal spiders, which Dorrmags decided to keep as a pet. (Ugh! Thanks, Mags.)

We continued traveling and reached the abandoned outpost we had fought at before; however, it wasn't entirely abandoned- we found a handful of goblins in the tower. We teamed up (I cast Silence on the tower and sent up some fire ants, Dorrmags sent his spider up, and Ghost shot arrows at the tower), then when Ayman cast a spell to frighten the remaining goblins, they jumped from the tower covered in fire ants. Goblins destroyed, we searched around the fort.

We camped in the fort that night and, while on watch, Linora flew above the trees and saw a plume of smoke to the southwest miles and miles away, in the direction we're heading. When I was on watch later that night I was surprised to see a kobold peeking in through one of the holes in the wall of the fort. He ran away, leaving his lunch behind (was he on a kobold picnic?).

The next day we made it out of the treeline and reached the plains, where we met with a group of centaurs. One of them told us that they'd seen a group with a paladin pass by a week ago heading towards Logging Town. He also told us that they saw a halfling with a war band going west; he thought it may be because the group was looking for a hidden halfling village in the trees.

We finally reached Logging Town where we heard the tale of Maxwell from the bard who was in the tavern. We asked around about Homer and Dorian and learned that the paladin was in town but went east, and some of his group stayed behind. Ghost and Dorrmags went to find the mayor and found out that goblins come every few days and that two months ago they saw a black dragon to the east (but not near the town). Meanwhile Ayman and I found the people who had been left behind from Dorian's party: two teenaged boys. They were left behind because the group didn't want to take them into the mines, so they're in town taking care of the horses. They told us it's been two weeks since the group set off for the mines, but they should only have been gone a few days. They sent a message to Dwight a few days ago, but as soon as we have all the information together, I'm going to send a message to Armand to Gate to Dwight so that the duke will learn of this sooner. It is definitely strange that Dorian has been missing for so long, and I'm wondering why Homer went west when he was supposed to go south.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
May 13th, 6th day of Brightmoon

Joven and Griff's Watch- Gnolls and Gates

2010-01-27T20:06:00.010-05:00

I apologize for my laxness in updating this journal; I'll summarize the recent events.

In Joven, our ducal friend Dwight enlisted our help for a problem in the area. His farms were besieged by an unusually organized tribe of gnolls who were hitting all the towns and farms in the area with the exception of Griff's Watch. We decided that was where we should head next, but on the way we stopped at Garrison and Hauksness. With Ghost's tracking skills (and some help from my fox), we were able to track the gnolls away from Hauksness. The trail curved in a way we didn't expect, but Ghost figured out that it was because the gnolls were planning to hit Griff's Watch from a different angle.

We were able to clear out the gnolls and rescue two people they held captive, but Dallas and the rescued woman Brianna fainted and fell to the ground. Dorrmags and I were unable to detect any magic or evil on either women, but we were not able to revive them. Fortunately our group did help heal the man we rescued (Brother John of Watch Hill).

Returning to Griff's Watch, we took the injured three to the house of healing, but the priests of Apollo were also unable to learn why the women will not awaken. We questioned Brother John, but he was unable to tell much about his horrible experience of being captive. He had been minding his own business when he was hit and knocked out, he also did know know why the women were unconsious, and he told us that most of the gnolls' sacrifice victims were humans with the exception of a halfling woman.

When we made it back to Joven, the priests at the house of healing were also unsure about our unconscious companions, but we left them there in the competent hands of the Hammehauk priests. We found Cornwallis still in Joven, and he identified a few found objects for us while Ghost and Ayman went to talk to Dwight to let him know what had happened.

The next morning we set out back to Woodland, only this time via the Gate my Brothers had built at the Joven mosque. They told us that the Gate is only one way at a time, so we were unable to toss something through to check if it was safe. We went through anyway, but as our large group went through, the canopic jar powering the Gate on the Woodland side exploded, resulting in the smell of brimstone and Shocko being shot out (with his pants on fire, if I recall correctly). While the group did whatever it is they do when we're home (I think Linora bought a dog), I spoke with Armand because I was curious about the Gate and the items we had found at the gnoll camp (I'm especially curious about that moon shield). Apparently the reason the canopic jar exploded was because the more people sent through the Gate, the more stress it puts on the jar. Somehow the Gates function by the jars remembering where the other Gates are; it sounds crazy, but it works. Well, except when henchmen are tossed out of them.

While I was at the mosque, Ghost and Ayman spoke with the Guildmaster who told them that our halfling friend Homer has gone missing. He had been sent on a mission into the goblin mines, so he (the Guildmaster) wants us to find Homer and help complete his mission. During our short stop in Woodland, a green dragon flew over; this has happened about twice a month.

Setting out the next morning to head south, we found Shocko pantsless in a fountain; what is it with that man and pants? When we made camp tonight, we saw the shadow of a green dragon flying overhead, heading east.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
May 8th, 1st day of Brightmoon

Letter home to Are'thane

2009-08-31T19:10:00.005-04:00

Dearest Jihan,

As you know, I have encountered the great Khrom-Vel and have done so now on a few occasions. My companions and I had the honor of joining him in battle a few days ago in order to clean his lair of an infestation of wyverns. He has told me that he encountered Menulok far to the south of the town where my Guild is based. The dread black beast ensnared Khrom-Vel and imprisoned him, but not well enough because escape was not long coming. Though his luck did not hold, because in his flight he then encountered Goro-Sabaht and he was sorely wounded. My friends and I spent days attempting to return his health to him.

We journeyed north in our attempts to finish work for the Messenger's Mosque. Their priests have come up with a fine piece of magic even to rival those of the elven masters: a means of travel between towns without traveling! The means are a mystery to me, as it seems to entail stepping through a doorway in one town and stepping out of a doorway in another town. However it works, it would certainly be an easy way of transporting troops and supplies where they are sorely needed. I shall ask my friend to see if a copy of these plans may be included in my letter.

I have not been honest with my companions, as I feel the weight of my Guild to wish to place us in the South where most of the trouble lies. But it is to this town, Joven, that my heart wishes to be. Or rather, with a particular person. I am unsure of his family's wishes and the effect of my backround in their eyes. I have had enough problems caused at home and do not wish the very duty I escaped there to haunt me here. But know that this attachment is of my choice and while I am unsure of the return of my regard or the consequences of it, it is well earned and not once regretted wether it be fulfilled or no.

For all of my escape from an undesired fate in the elven lands, it seems here I have attracted more attention here than even I could imagine. It had originally been my intention to simply break the bonds of our society and make a living enough for sustenence, but to an odd twist of fate, I find myself under much scrutiny. The Mercenary's Guild has placed myself and my companions under observation for what we have accomplished during our travels. It seems small in our eyes, but a few well placed battles, friends, and discoveries have advanced us further than we all could expect. A few months ago, I was inducted into the Nighthunter's Guild in Port Town. And now it seems we have drawn the eye of Khrom-Vel, being given the honor of the title of his Champions. I live now under the boon that I am simply a mercenary and not bound to these lands and their laws, but the feeling haunts me that the choice may be soon in coming.

Please send word of yourself and our father to the Guild Hall in Woodland. Though I know I have lost respect in his eyes, please let him know I think of him often. I am not sorry for my choice, only that it has taken me away from you both.

Your loving sister,
Shallan

In Joven- problems caused by a wizard

2009-08-24T22:28:00.014-04:00

To sum up the adventure involving wyverns, we did finally defeat them and ended up with a good deal of treasure including three rings and some potions with the symbol of Apollo on them (healing potions, hopefully). Khrom-Vel was pleased and this is what he said to us:
"Friends, you have done me a great service, and even though I have granted you gifts I remain in your debt. Know that I will be watching your progress, and keeping an eye out for foul dragons and other creatures. Should I see anything, I will find you and tell you. Should you need assistance, you will know where to look. Additionally, I shall grant you this last service." At this point, a shiny dragon tattoo appeared on our wrists, but then faded away.
"This is the Mark of Khrom-Vel. My friends will know it, and I hope that it will serve you in your time of need. I declare you Khrom-Vel's Champions. Bear your title proudly, and I shall see you again." Our guide, The Breeze, was injured and stayed behind in the town at the foot of the mountain.

Nothing exciting happened the rest of the way to Joven, so I'll continue this narrative there. When we arrived we found that the duke (our old friend Dwight) was out of town on a task and would be back in two days. We decided to stay at the Diamond Dog Inn and Tavern and sort through our wyvern earnings to pass the time; while there, we met the newest member of our travelling party, a half-elf druid named Dorrmags. After meeting Dorrmags, a familiar face entered the tavern- Cornwallis the Conjurer, who, if I remember correctly, we last saw in Woodland. He invited us to his show for free, then agreed to help us identify the rings we found recently.

After we ate, Ghost and I headed to the local Mosque to deliver the plans for the Gate. The Mosque had been freshly whitewashed, so it looks like the Messengers are doing well there, too. We met with the High Messenger and I delivered the plans and let him know where the previous three Gates were being worked on (Port Town, Woodland, and the Walled Valley), and he gave us a little bit of information, such as the Gates having to be recharged after each use. We also lent him our recently acquired potions to see if he could identify them; he is going to get back to us about them.

On the streets, Caleb decided to fight a strongman and actually managed to succeed and win a good deal of coins (I wish I'd been able to see this! A gnome taking on a strongman and winning!). Ghost sold the scalemaille armor to the armorer and gained a little extra money for the party.

Later the party (minus Linora) attended Cornwallis' magic show; there were two of the duke's guards at the pavilion, which seemed a bit odd, and the audience was full of both commoners and nobility, all dressed nicely. During the show something seemed to be not quite right with Cornwallis' magic; it was as if something was affecting his spells because things kept going wrong with each of his tricks and Cornwallis certainly seemed confused about it. The reason for this was soon revealed- Roger, a man Ghost had spoken to before the show, walked up on stage and, with the backup of twelve orcs from the magic show, demanded money and valuables from the audience. Obviously we wanted none of that, so Ghost climbed on stage to let him know that would not be accepted. In response, he pointed his wand at Ghost and threatened her.

He then shot a fireball into the audience, badly injuring and killing many innocent bystanders. I sent my fox to fetch Linora, figuring that we'd need her assistance, and used my Rod of Beguile on Roger and a few surrounding orcs in the hopes of getting him to stop what he was doing; unfortunately, he was able to shrug it off. Luckily Ghost did get in a good hit with her poisoned dagger, causing his ring to turn red and shatter. He then vanished, leaving us to only have to deal with the orcs for now. While the rest of the group fought, I started pouring my water rations (luckily I hadn't left my gear at the Mosque yet) on the poor individuals who were aflame and Ayman tried to use his cloak to put the fire around Caleb out.

SwampFox put one of the orcs in a headlock at Ghost's request, and he asked the orc where Roger went; the orc wouldn't say, and all the orcs vanished. Ayman informed us that the monster summoning spell wore off. At this point Ghost and Dorrmags assisted me in healing the victims, but we were too late to save many, including Caleb. (Ghost made plans to send his body back to Treehome; I don't know what she did exactly, so I'll leave that for her to add.)

After the battle we realized Cornwallis was missing, and after some searching found him and his wine steward hiding, terrified, in a costume trunk. Ghost informed him that Roger had been countering his spells, and Cornwallis said that Roger's ring could have been a talisman of poison resistance. The group looked for fragments of the ring, but I am unsure if anyone found any. Cornwallis then cast a spell to see if he could find where Roger vanished to, but only was able to find out that it was a spell of teleportation and evocation (which the shattered ring triggered), and that Roger could be at least a mile away.

Needless to say, after all this Cornwallis was very upset (and subsequently drunk), but the next day he surprised all of us at dinner by both being extremely humble and not eccentric, and by having figured out what our rings were; none of us expected him to have even thought about our rings after all the excitement the day before! He informed us that the ram's head ring was a "ring of the ram" and that when an activation word was said, it projects a force like a battering ram. He did not know what the activation word was, however, but did say that the ring uses charges and that it was mostly full. The other two rings were rings of "feather falling", but the stone ring was strange and not like one he'd seen before.

That day Ghost had been tracking and asking around about the possible whereabouts of Roger, but only found that he was in town "on business", but that he hadn't been seen all day.

As I am writing this journal, we hear fanfare; the duke must have returned.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
May 1, 1st day of Gladmoon

A surplus of dragons and wyverns

2009-02-08T15:19:00.004-05:00

We left Montvale in the company of the bard "The Breeze" and headed up the mountain to Khrom-Vel's lair. We learned from The Breeze that the mountain was full of wyverns because Khrom-Vel wasn't able to keep them away; the dragon was badly injured by another dragon (Menulock, the black dragon) and then hurt further by a green dragon (Goro Sabaht, the one that had threatened us previously).

We traveled for hours and when the sun started to rise, we saw wyverns flying overhead; we avoided them then by hiding against the mountain and being lower than them, but when the returned from hunting, we were in their range of sight. Some of the party hide beneath their cloaks, but since that's not an option for me- bright red being extremely obvious, I cast "Tree" on myself, allowing the rest to hide under me (or in my branches, in the case of Dallas). The wyverns didn't notice, and continued past, hissing to each other. Linora, the draconic speaker, was unable to understand them.

We finally made it to the entrance of the lair, which was caved in; we went past to a cleft in the wall, and The Breeze found a hidden door. In the lair, all of Khrom-Vel's human sized furniture and things were covered in dust and cobwebs; obviously the dragon hadn't been able to shift to human form in a while. We found said dragon in his vault, laying on coins and with a huge wound on his belly. We gave him Goodberries and healing potions (all but one- I'm keeping one in case of emergency and wyvern battles) while Ghost bandaged him up, and his wound started to shrink. After he fell asleep, we all set about to clean and cook. SwampFox, Linora, and Caleb went hunting, Ayman cooked some soup, and I (and the hunters when the returned) cleaned up the lair.

When Khrom-Vel awoke, he thanked us and told us the story of how he had gotten injured. He had gone south to Woodland and met with the guildmaster (that had been with me and some members of the party), and learned about the goblin king allying with Menulock. He went in disguise with some mercenaries to the mines to the south, where they were led by Homer the halfling. They discovered the lair of the goblin king, but he was guarded by the black dragon who had been hiding in the shadows. Khrom-Vel transformed back to attack, but was beaten (all the mercenaries, with the exception of Homer who was small enough to escape, we killed) and thrown into the dungeon. Using all of his strength, Khrom-Vel subdued the guard and managed to escape.

While flying north, Khrom-Vel was attacked from below by Goro Sabaht, who wanted revenge; Khrom-Vel's cavern was once his, and he had killed his mate 300 years ago. Khrom-Vel used his icy breath to hold the other dragon off long enough to get home, but the green has been flying around the mountain, knowing that Khrom-Vel was injured. The Breeze had been hiding in Khrom-Vel's lair; the dragon got rid of his pursuers, and the man had been looking after him.

Ayman asked Khrom-Vel about the small (likely green) dragon that had been seen around, and Khrom-Vel told us that Menulock may have bred and it probably wasn't Goro Sabaht's. We also learned that our previous information had been incorrect, and that Menulock is actually a female dragon.

In return for helping him out, Khrom-Vel offered the party four sets of green dragon scale armor (Linora, Shocko, Ghost, and Caleb claimed these). He informed us that they belonged to the adventurers that had helped slay Goro Sabaht's mate (having come from her scales), and would definitely anger the green dragon.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
April 2, 5th day of Darkmoon

Correcting My Own Misinformation...

2009-01-25T22:43:00.002-05:00

During the game I had some trouble keeping my facts straight during Dorian's tale of the quest. I made a couple of changes to Cyneric's post below; it's mostly changing "Mirthar" to "Darthar" and "Crazy Ivan" to "Crazy Flip".

These things happen. You get used to them and move on.

Dorian's Adventure

2009-01-25T15:18:00.006-05:00

I see that Ghost has already recounted the latest of our adventures, so I'll fill in the missing part of Dorian's story.

After his title and status were stripped, Dorian left Joven and headed north in an attempt to discover his quest. He chartered a ship north to Gauss and arrived at the Temple of Gale; there they needed his help because of a rift that had opened in the frozen North. He hired some men in the city of Gauss and headed to the Mountains of Darthar; there he found a dwarven guide and headed north through the mountains. At the northern end of the Darthar territory, he and his men purchased yaks from a trader called Crazy Flip. They rode north from there, encountering polar bears, frozen trolls, and wurms that lived in the ice; eventually they found the cavern and discovered the rift, which was slowly drawing things in like a vacuum.

Dorian was unable to seal the rift, but had heard of someone who might be able to help. He took his party and headed further still to the north to find Ceneg the Arctic Mage. They discovered his castle in the ice, and were allowed entrance, but Ceneg would not offer his assistance until Dorian proved himself in a trial. After completing the trial (and losing his false leg in the process), Ceneg fashioned him a new one out of ice and agreed to assist the group. With his magic, they were able to seal the rift.

They parted ways and Dorian and his companions returned to the south. When they returned to the Mountains of Darthar, they encountered a man of the East, with a golden hand, riding a massive black horse. He would not permit them to pass, so Dorian challenged and defeated him. The man revealed that his masters tricked one of the priests of Gale into donning a suit of armor, a powerful artifact called the armor of chaos. It corrupted him, and they were able to use his powers to open the rift which led to the elemental plane of air. Their plans were thwarted once the rift was closed by Dorian and his companions. Having closed the rift and defeated this minion, Dorian's curse was lifted and his status as a paladin was returned to him, and he returned home.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
March 30, 2nd day of Darkmoon

Addendum: I just noticed that Ghost forgot one thing; it isn't all that important, but since I enjoyed it I'll add it to this entry. I cast "Summon Insects" on the inn in Montvale in retaliation for how the innkeeper treated SwampFox. The patrons left the building running and cursing, so I'm assuming that it worked well. Being mischievous is fun, especially when there's a good reason!

Dragons and bears and bards, oh my!

2009-01-25T01:56:00.008-05:00

Finally the party got underway and on the trail again once Linora stopped fooling around by trying to deface the forest.

As Ghost was scouting on ahead, she was almost bowled over by a wood elf running flat out like the devil was after her. Not a devil, but close. The great Goro-Sabaht, massive green dragon, had been surprised by Fiaro's hunting and was chasing her. Ghost saw the dragon, grabbed the elf, and dove for cover. Ayman and Cyneric made the rest of the party silent and invisible, whilst Goro-Sabaht taunted all of them, leaving them with the disturbing thought that he had better things to do than catch himself some crispy elf for lunch.

Since he had overflown the party twice on the way into Woodland and this was now the third encounter with him, they corrected their course towards Montvale, near where Shining Scale, the silver dragon, lived. It was the general opinion of the group that Shining Scale would like to know that a green dragon was in his territory and all were hoping to ask his help in defending the area. Ghost had been eager to meet with the party coming down from Joven and was looking forward to speaking with Dorian, but since they were correcting their course to head for Montvale, it was less likely that they would run into the Joven heir and his soldiers.

While scouting, Ghost and Dallas went ahead to check out campfire light through the trees. As luck would have it, Dorian had taken a detour through Montvale and met the group on the trail anyway. Ghost stepped from her hiding place and went forward to shake hands with Dwight's brother. He had brought about thirty men with him and they too had seen the green dragon.

The word that Dorian had redeemed himself was true, he had adventured in the north (Cyneric's journal should have more information) and gained back his Paladin status. He was calm and confident, and Fiaro took a liking to him, though she seemed even more interested at the mention of Dorian's wealthy and well placed brother, the Duke. Ghost, for a rare event, wisely kept her tongue still and let the comment pass. Wood elves of the Eastern Frontier, after all, are a bit more impetuous than the more cultured elves of the great western city of Are'thane.

Word of Dwight was that he was busy with his obligations, which Dorian could rightly claim to know full well the depth of responsibility, though he no longer carried the burden, and happy to be rid of it. Darik's condition had not improved, much to Ghost's disappointment. She asked whether the priests trying to aid him had considered allowing him to retake the Paladin trials, Ghost suggesting that perhaps Hammehauk would take pity on Her follower and show him a way to correct his wrong as She had done with Dorian. Dorian encouraged Ghost to pose the idea to Dwight, because it had not been brought up as a possibility. The rest of the night passed with most of the party catching up on sleep lost over Linora's last few nights of adventure, with Ghost and Shocko (Linora's henchman) sharing guard duty with Dorian's men.

Morning brought both groups heading off in opposite directions, but not without Ghost parting with a very valuable treasure. Most of her companions had dismissed the small innocent looking ring that Ghost had claimed as part of her treasure from their discoveries in the stronghold of Thoro Bel Telos, but she hoped it would do something even the great elven mages could not. Ghost quietly explained to Dorian the properties of the Ring of Regeneration, and how it was possible that it might regrow the leg he lost. She did not wish the qualities of the ring made common knowledge, not even to the rest of her party or his, but hoped it would help him. Though she did warn him it might not work. All she asked was that he leave it with Armand at the Mosque in Woodland if he could not give it to her himself. He thanked her profusely and said that if it did work, that he would owe her a debt of gratitude. Ghost, embarrassed of course, politely tried to dismiss it as only a small gesture on her part and not worth such fuss.

Dorian and his men left, Ghost never airing her concerns to him for what awaited her when she next met his youngest brother. That it had been over six months since she had last seen Dwight and she had no other inkling of his feelings for her except a single kiss. Six months was a blink to an elf, but sometimes seeming an eternity to a human. Had his feelings changed? Affairs of state could consume him, his affection gone elsewhere, or worse: the fate that awaited her back home should she ever return - a contracted engagement or arranged marriage.

Had Cyneric not insisted the trail north, Ghost would still be trying to choose between her Guild's need for her to combat goblins in the south and her feelings calling her north to Joven. But as Armand had unhelpfully Divined, "True trouble lies in the south, real responsibility awaits in the north..." The trail to Joven was stretching ahead; Ghost's steps both eager and hesitant.

In Montvale, SwampFox, Cyneric's orc henchman, was flatly turned out by the tavern owner. Ghost stalked out and was soon followed by an irate Cyneric, who spent a few minutes somewhat speechless in astonished indignation. Ghost pledged vehemently to spread the word through Joven and Woodland that a member of the Mercenaries' Guild was turned away in Montvale. Words like that will most certainly affect his custom for the next few months as Guild members begin avoiding the town.

But duty called, and purposes needed to be fulfilled.

Ghost stopped a nearby busker, a piper, and questioned him about the old man Calvin, the mountain hermit. With a little...then a little more sliver to loosen his tongue, he claimed that he had seen him about a week previous, but that he was not doing well. When Ghost expressed a need to get to him, the piper offered to get the group past the guards and through the gate and onto the path up the mountain. With Ayman looking for answers with Ghost's coin, Ghost liberated Ayman's purse and paid the piper his final few silvers with the wizard's coins. Meet him at eleven of the clock, the piper claimed, and he would get them past. All agreed, setting up camp by the treeline outside of town.

Ghost asked Dallas to do some reconnaissance and seek information about Shining Scale, revealing Calvin's true nature to her, and asked that she use her form changing hat to see if she could do so quietly and without too much notice. Dallas reported that attitudes in the town were becoming seriously anti-dragon, regardless of color.

With Luigi and Fiaro guarding camp, their new piper friend, The Breeze (which Ghost now suspects is a Bard) used his music to scare off the guards on the mountain gate. Dallas quickly dispatched the lock and at the insistence of Ghost, damaging it enough to need serious repair.

To be continued...(at the next adventure)

Setting off from Woodland on the way to Joven

2009-01-18T13:53:00.004-05:00

While waiting on messengers (small "m") to arrive in Woodland from Joven, we came across Fred at the guild hall. For some reason he was lacking in the wits department (nothing new in his case) and was terrified of vampires. There aren't many Undead in Woodland (ie: none), but for some reason he was wearing garlic and holding four leaf clovers. He then proceeded to eat the clovers, but I managed to "charm" him into thinking he was no longer afraid. Strange man.

After breakfast, three men on horses wearing armor and the crest of Joven arrived and we followed them to the guild hall. There we found out that the duke's brother (Dorian) and twenty five men would be here in three days to help fight to the south. Unsure of whether we should go south and help, or go north to Joven, Ghost and I went to see the head of my order, Armand, in the hope that he could tell us which direction we should go. After casting a divination spell and going into a trance, he told us "Real responsibility is to the north, but true trouble is to the south". With that message I knew I had to go north, and fortunately Ghost agreed. (Traveling on my own is not something I'd want to try, at least not before the Gates are all working.) Speaking of the Gates, I learned that it would take about two and a half weeks to build one.

The next morning we set out for Joven, accompanied by an elven fighter, Luigi, who Ghost had met in town, and Linora's new henchman Shocko. Linora caused a lot of problems that night, to say the least. First, she decided to carve on a tree, who just so happened to be a Treant who took offense to being carved; it attacked her and we had to move camp. Then, once we were settled again and Linora was back on watch, she got hit by a thrown rock. After following the creature who threw the rock, she found a camp of goblins and hobgoblins. Back at camp, she woke us up (or, more accurately, she woke up Shocko whose loud ravings woke up the rest of camp). Ghost set off to hunt said monsters, while most of the rest of the group set off soon afterwards. The monsters split up into two groups, Ghost killing the first group, and the second attacked our camp where Luigi, SwampFox, and I were not yet prepared. Fortunately, Luigi killed a few of them so I was able to recover from an interrupted spell and beat a goblin with my quarterstaff. The rest of the party (sans Ghost) then made it back to camp and killed the rest of the monsters.

Monsters vanquished, we went back to bed. Here's to hoping Linora does not bring any more bad luck!

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
March 24, 3rd day of Bleakmoon

Back in Woodland

2008-11-23T12:43:00.005-05:00

I just remembered last night that Ghost had been keeping this log, and with two party members going missing yesterday, I figured it would be a good idea to write down what happened so they can catch up. Unfortunately, I don't know what Ghost did, so I'll have to leave that up to her to fill in if she so wants, but I did catch some of what Ayman and Linora were up to.

First, we're still back in Woodland (hurrah! Home sweet home!), although we won't be here long since we'll be heading off North to Joven soon. More on that in a bit.

I had a chat with Armand, the high priest of my mosque, and let him know about what we had been doing for the past few months, as well as give him the plans for the portal that the Messengers in Port Town had entrusted me to pass on. Poor Armand is now one leg short, due to a gnoll raid that had occurred while we were gone. But good- no, great!- news; he has selected me to be his replacement when he leaves Woodland. Of course, this won't happen until I'm ready (I certainly don't feel ready yet!) but it's still great news; I've always wanted to be a head Messenger of a mosque!

Enough about me, I suppose. Yesterday Linora finally got the henchman she's been hunting for; his name is Shocko and he's... well, crazy. (And after hearing him talk [and talk] insanely, I'm certainly glad that SwampFox is both sane and quiet.) Although it leaves me to wonder what other candidates for henchman replied to Linora's request, if she ended up with that one. But I digress. Ayman also had some good news; it turns out that the card spell that he was hit with a while back has a range of effect, so he didn't lose his possessions that were back in Woodland. (Let's just hope we'll never have to see him naked again!)

And in far less great news, we learned that there are dragons and a renegade wizard on the loose. There is a new dragon nearby (not one of the known 7 dragons, so possibly the child of one) which is possibly black and is encroaching on the territory of the green one we had the pleasure of barely avoiding the other day. SwampFox told me that RedArrow had told him that he had seen a dark dragon, so I'm wondering if that one and the new black dragon are one in the same.

SwampFox was also immensely helpful in telling us about Baser (the Shadow-Man); it turns out that said man who had held SF captive is a corrupt wizard from Goth, according to Zolirian (the guild's master-at-arms). This wizard robbed the coffers of Goth, then sailed away on a stolen ship. Well, we know where he ended up, thanks to SF; he's now to the South-East on a high hill. This wizard is the reason why there are no longer many orcs around; he had held some of SF's clan captive to mine for rocks, and the rest of them have sailed away because "the land is bad because of the Shadow-Man". I'm thinking these rocks were to build Baser a stronghold, but that's just my own speculation.

However, we're not going to go straight to the South; Ghost reminded us of one of the tests in Dwight's trial, which involved fighting a shadow-man. So instead we are first going to go North to Joven to talk to the priests there, I'm assuming to see if we can find more information (although I think Ghost misses Dwight).

I'm sure I missed some things that happened to the other party members, but I'll leave it to them to fill in the blanks.

~Cyneric Conroy, Order of the Fleet Fox
March 21, 7th day of Brightmoon

The Friar Dilemma: RP Update

2006-02-12T16:14:00.000-05:00

1/21/06 and 2/4/06

Andre tracked down Cyneric and Ghost, offering them a job that he had heard about. The two track down Dwight and set off to the East, near the border to the Temple of Seriyu, accompanied by Friar Karl.

On their travels, things are more than a little relaxed. The group runs into Maxwell Thundersnout, a gnome inventor. Dwight and Ghost exchange a few well-meaning practical jokes, probably under the devious influence of Cyneric and his mischievious god.

At the Temple though, things get more than a little serious. The Friars had taken in a wayward man who had asked to bury his friend in their crypts. Being of a generous nature, the Friars relented...to their dismay. The man disappeared into the crypts and so did two of their number sent to look for him. As the party searches the ziggurat, they find a dead Friar and the rest sequestered in their rooms and more than a few skeletons wandering about.

The party defeats a necromancer in the tombs with a well-placed spell of Cyneric's. (Silence) The man is captured and questioned by the Friars as they put up the rest of the party for a few days. Our adventurers, with permission, plunder knowledge from the well stocked library at the Temple. Many thanks are given to Seriyu and his fine Friars, especially for their help in identifying Ghost's keen flame-tongued blade.

It is found that the necromancer calls himself Brother Roubert of the Brotherhood of Dread. This foul group has established a stronghold outside the farming community of Greytown, which lay North-West of Woodland. It seems that Brother Roubert is just one of many infiltrators who are looking to capture and defile other nearby Temples.

Friar Karl is not pleased with this revelation and agrees to hire the group to clear out this supposed Temple of Dread.

Thinking they'll need more help on this one, the group heads back to Woodland in search of their usual crew, informing the Temples of Apollo and Hermes to 'ware strangers and question recent visitors very closely.

Festival: RP Update

2006-01-23T09:54:00.000-05:00

While in town, a few days pass.

The party members discover that the summer festival is going to take place. There will be lots of performances, special blessings given by the temples, and an exceptional play right by the temple of Apollo. 'Horrid Lot' is rumored to be the best actor of the region and star of the play The Maiden and the Ghoul.

Meanwhile, Linora gets severely intoxicated and Dwight spends his off time sending off a message to his father in order to get his brother extradited to Joven. Ghost and Dwight spend some time practicing with quarterstaves, and for once Ghost comes out the better. Ghost finally secures a meeting with the Guildmaster, requesting that their party be thought of first if Darik is to be returned home. Ghost also expresses her interest in becoming a Guild officer.

Cornwallis the Conjurer makes an appearance during the festival, and Ghost seeks him out to identify the odd wand that Homer Slewfoot had gifted to her. Cornwallis merely finds out that it is a wand of paralyzation, not how to use it. She wished to also find out the nature of her sword, but Cornwallis' fees were too high.

After the play, which brought Ghost and Dwight to tears, the party relaxes in the Cleft Tombstone. As Ayman and Cyneric walk home, they are attacked by Ghouls. Quick thinking by a well placed grease spell by Ayman turns the tide until help could come.

Randomness, alias: Don't bother reading

2006-01-10T15:15:00.000-05:00

"Milady! Thou hast a sword!"

"My lord, you truly do weild a two-handed sword...may I unsheath it for you?"

"Yes! I win D&D!"

"Can I roll to see if I'm getting drunk?"

"Alas! I've sat upon my twelve-sided die."
"Wash this!"

Dinner and a movie

2006-01-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

Shallan felt, if anything, more uncomfortable than ever about this whole business. Confronting Darik had only raised more questions than it had answered. As they walked out side-by-side Shallan glanced up at her companion, "I need a bath and a drink, and not necessarily in that order."

Dwight pressed his face into his palm. "I could use both as well. Drink first."

Shallan nodded in agreement, wanting to wash this whole thing away, but a pleasant taste and something other than rations would go down well. As she pushed open the door to the tavern, she nodded at Edwin the barkeep and ordered two meals for them and a pitcher of mead and two cups.

Dwight was silent for several minutes, and finally said, "He tried to kill all of us."

She sat for a few moments in silence and reached for his hand, clasping it gently. "He was not himself. Nothing you told me could make him like that," she told him quietly, "He didn't seriously harm anyone and he can't do anything behind a locked door. We'll figure this out and help him."

"None of this makes sense. What trip was he talking about?"

"Didn't you say Donovan had gone for a trip to the East?" Shallan nodded her thanks to Edwin as he delivered their order. Shallan poured a liberal amount of mead for the two of them.

"Yes, but it was nothing extraordinary. He was going to talk about trade. Still, that was years ago."

She shook her head. "We have several problems here. One is the stability of the guild. Two is if we are going to find out what happened to your brother, we will either need to go East or to Joven. Third, how do we convince the others to come with us." She glanced up at him to gauge his reaction.

At that second, Dwight was draining the drink from his cup at an alarming rate. He set it down hard.

She knew this was difficult for him, though she couldn't imagine what was running through his head. She pushed his plate of food in front of him, hoping he would eat something to cushion the mead. Humans didn’t have the tolerance for alcohol that elves did. She sipped her own and was grateful of not having to eat those ration bars. "They can care for your brother at the Guild for as long as needed. He will be safe there and cannot hurt anything while locked up."

He saw his plate and took a bite of food, chewed it and swallowed. "I need to go home."

Shallan understood his reluctance to do so; she felt the exact same way about her homeland. "If you need me, I will come," she told him quietly.

He lowered his head. "We'll see."

He finished up the food on his plate and poured another glass.

She went back to her meal, eating slowly and enjoying every bite. Food always tasted better after a long time on the trail, especially when someone else cooked.

Dwight mumbled to himself a bit, gradually getting louder, until he was just audible. "Who is the blood queen?"

Shallan thought for a while and considered her own suspicions. "Perhaps someone of importance in the East."

Dwight sat up, looking a bit more like himself again. "Perhaps, though it is no noble that I have ever heard of. It is possible, then, that I may have to cross the sea to unravel this mystery."

"Cross the sea? For what reason?" Ghost puzzled.

"Well, as far as I know, Donovan is the only one of my brothers who has ever left the continent. He voyaged across the sea to the east. It's where he was when I... left home."

She nodded. "Do you think Darik lied about your other brothers being corrupted too?"

He paused. "I... do not know. However, speaking with them may answer my questions, despite my inhibitions.” Dwight inhaled deeply, then stopped, then inhaled again. "Wow, I do need a bath."

Shallan laughed. "You and me both." She finished off the last of the mead and stood. "I'll meet you afterwards if you like, I'll be in my room cleaning the road stench off myself and my armor." She smiled at him carefully. "We will get to the bottom of this."

Toys on the side

2006-01-09T23:34:00.000-05:00

2006

Happy New Year!

Josh needed a break, so the past two D&D nights were run by Meloch and myself. So no lengthy comments will be made as it will just be too confusing. We'll just leave you with these thoughts:

"The Never-Ending Five Hour Combat" while I slowly got buzzed as we tried to beat off a level 7 Drow mage and her party

and the

"Rescue the Princess with a Twist" Campaign, complete with crocs and a troll.

Long time no post...: RP update

2006-01-09T22:34:00.000-05:00

Things have been on the hectic side, but here it is! Just for Nature Tom. Unfortunately he's back from school but was shipped out west like a sack of potatoes just so he can go skiing. Skiing vs. D&D. No comparison. D&D should win every time!

We've finally gotten a new player who has promised never to eat Doritos with his feet upon pain of death. Meloch the Minstrel, our new elven spell-filcher (shh! it's a secret), and his human ranger escort Melinda are our new shieldbrothers. Meloch has tons of experience in 3.5 edition, but wanted someone else to take the lead. Everyone who DMs always says that! Sometimes they don't really mean it. Hahaha!

Summary of play:

---------------
11/6/05

The trip to the original outpost was not much of a success. Once Shallan got back from her ride with Drake the hippogriff rider there were two new arrivals sent by the Guild. They were hired out to find not only us but the other scouts as well, presumably sent along before the Guild recieved our distress signal.

There has been no response yet from our message.

A second larger attack comes that night: ogres and hobgoblins. While Dwight holds the gate, Meloch and Shallan hold the west wall. As Meloch hides up a tree and fires off his little pee-shooter, Shallan dispatches them. All of the party and most all of the scouts escape without serious harm.

---------------
11/25/05

Reaching a unanimous decision, at dawn the group orders Andre and his scouts back to Woodlandtown. The two rangers, Ghost and Melinda, set false trails and Cynaric sets a particularly ingenious fire trap on the outpost gate. Meloch busies himself with setting traps along the way. All flying scouts were sent on ahead, while the mounted remained with our party.

On the third day as the party reaches the plains, a zebra-striped centaur meets the party. Omata tells us the centaurs are leaving their home in the east because of wemics.

Once back in Woodlandtown, we find that all the scouts made it back safe, but the Guild Hall is closed and our 'beloved' Armsmaster is holed up in his personal dojo. The two guildmembers who had harrassed Bats (goblin guildmember) are there, guarding Darik's door. Meloch charms on of them, getting us into the dojo without incident.

"The Blood Queen will vindicate me!" Darik cries as he and Dwight jump into a challenged combat. Although it was sworn there would be no weapons, 'La Pugilista' (aka. Dwight the Hammerfist) begins getting the upper hand and Darik breaks his word, calling his sword to his hand.

Things get hairy from there on in as a helmed horror is awakened. Ayman calls in a swarm of bats to handle Darik and the helmed horror is taken down with some excellently timed teamwork by Dwight, Melinda and Shallan.

As Darik is knocked unconscious, the party assumes control of the Guild. Ghost names Dwight temporary Armsmaster, attempting to put structure back in place. The Guildmaster is still missing and now the Guild has no real ladder of leadership. A search of Darik's room provides no clues, though Meloch attempts to abscond with a few of his items. Ghost takes offense and reminds him that it isn't Darik who owes him his fee but the Guild itself, and Darik's belongings should rightfully pass on to Dwight.

There is discussion of taking Darik back to his family to return him to his right mind takes place, but the company is as yet undecided.

If Darik is corrupted, run Ghost's thoughts, in what situation shall they find Dwight's other two brothers? Are the Paladins of Jovin compromised?

Top Ten

2005-11-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

The Top Ten D&D Characters You'll Never See

10) Centaur meter maid
9) Orc manicurist
8) Drow crossing guard
7) Gnomish driving instructor
6) Halfling file clerk
5) Dwarvish janitor
4) Half-elven rodeo clown
3) Bean burrito
2) Wyvern mailman
1) Minotaur ballerina

Pffft..."I don't think I'll be checking for track marks now.": RP Update

2005-10-31T10:24:00.000-05:00

Again, no letter as we are in the middle of the wilderness and no way to get out a letter home.

What a night!

Despite most of the group being partied out from the birthday shindig and half the group reveling at the Ren Faire, we actually had a really fun night. I think it had something to do with the application of my special brew coffee to God. I don't make weak coffee. Ever.

Anyway, here's what's happened:

--

The scout outpost was in poor condition. All of the scouts had been enduring almost nightly raids on the post, trying to hold it. They had already lost one and had to relocate farther back from the mine, but the attacks are still coming on strong. This time, they had a little help from our group.

Ghost shared first watch with Andre. She was not at all surprised to find him nodding off and snoring probably an hour or two into the watch. Once Ayman came up the tower, Dwight called up from below that there were creatures at the gate. One of which he promptly spitted on the end of his sword. As the mage and ranger rang the warning bell and sprinted down the steps, the other party members were waking up and going after their weapons.

The gate came down as ogres and hobgoblins were chopping away at it, but by that time, Dwight and Shallan had taken care of the three ogres (Dwight's work) and five hobgoblins (Ghost's), so there wasn't much to come through. Ayman fired off a quick spell, repairing the gate and effectively locking Ghost outside. As she circled around, there came a call from the south, "They're over the fence!"

All of the scouts were engaged in a battle with more hobgoblins who had grappled over the fence and were trying to keep them at bay. Bats the goblin bounty hunter and Uhmvli (our big hairy guy) held off the Ogres outside the barricade while the rest took care of the hobgoblins inside. Ghost scaled the fence and joined in. It was a slaughter.

Next morning, Ghost had a chat with Andre. It was time to find out what was going on around us, so at her suggestion, Andre sent out three scouts to see if anything else was in the works for us. One came back with some bad news. While flying over the mine, he had seen a black dragon speaking to a larger hobgoblin-type and reading some sort of map, while more of the pseudo-hobgoblins stood around a huge pavillion tent.

The party suspects the dragon to be Menulok the Black, but his last reported sighting was in a swamp elsewhere in the kingdom.

Again, Ghost convinces Andre that someone needs to go out and send word back to Woodland. But Cyneric has a better idea. Being of the Order of the Fleet Fox, messages are his specialty. He enchants a peregrine falcon to deliver a message back to his superior, Armand, to ask Darik the Bronze for more help A.S.A.P.

In the meantime, Ghost convinces Andre there should be some reconaissance done on the older outpost to see if it were still in good shape. If the group could move to the first outpost, it might confuse their enemies enough to give them some sort of break. Drake, the hippogriff rider, volunteers to fly Ghost close enough to the first outpost at night to use her elven eyesight and see if this plan would work.

Tune in next week...

Pondering the sip consequences

2005-10-26T02:21:00.000-04:00

Dwight was taking advantage of the down time by leaning against one of the tower's support beams and wiping his brow. "This situation could easily become dire," he said to nobody in particular.

Ghost had been occupying her time by tending to the various wounds of the scouts. She was clumsy, but had tried her best. She tied off the last bit of bandaging she had and smiled at the scout before joining Dwight. With a quick glance around the enclosure, she asked, "I wouldn't mind a bit of cleaning up. Could you take me to that pond?" She gathered up the now-empty bucket she had asked him to fill.

Dwight pushed off of the beam. "Let me find a pole and some more buckets. We may as well pull some weight while we remain here."

Shallan nodded and gathered up a few more buckets. "The mounts will need water for the night too," she agreed.

Dwight left his pack in the care of Cyneric, taking only his sword and anything already tied to his belt. "Shall we be off?"

Shallan grabbed a scrap of cloth and some soap and tucked both into her belt, then shouldered half the burden of buckets. She nodded and silently followed him, armed only with her sheathed sword.

The two started off through the trees in the afternoon sunlight. The forest was quiet. "I don't think any of us are looking forward to this ordeal."

"I think there's something else going on that someone isn't telling us..." Shallan replied suspiciously. "I don't like being deceived."

Dwight nodded. "That makes two of us. The only reason I'm here is that it's an opportunity to keep the goblins at bay, hopefully for years."

She kept a close eye on the woods as they traveled, more than ready to dump her cargo and go for her sword. It felt strange not traveling with her bow strapped to her back. "So do I get to hear about your adventure the other night? How did you get rid of our pest problem so quietly?"

Dwight smiled and chuckled silently. "It's quite funny, really. The first two that strayed into the campsite weren't paying attention. I knocked one out and beheaded his friend when he wasn't looking. Assuming there were more in the area, I came up with a plan."

Her eyebrows raised and she glanced at him in between her scanning their path. Apparently, she was in store for another of his interesting tales. A hint of a tilt to the corners of her mouth appeared. "Tell on..."

Dwight cleared his throat. "Well, I figured they would come..." Dwight took a drink from his waterskin. "... looking for their friends. So, when I heard some rustling in the bushes, I laid down near the fire and placed all of my gold on the ground in plain sight. When I heard one picking up the money, I reached out and snapped its neck. The next two also fell for it." Dwight stifled a laugh. "It reminds me of a joke that my brother Dorian used to tell."

She sighed and shook her head. Amazing how he fought so well only when they weren't in combat together. "Amazing," she commented. "I hope this joke is not about fireflies."

"No, it's about goblins. It seems there was a halfling who was in the woods, jumping up and down next to his fire-pit, saying 'seven, seven, seven.' A goblin saw him and asked what he was doing. The halfling replied, 'For a gold piece, you can try.' So the goblin gave him one and began jumping up and down saying 'Seven, seven, seven.' Suddenly, in mid-jump, the halfling kicked the goblin into the fire, where it perished." Dwight began to snicker. "Then the halfling pocketed the gold piece and started jumping again, but saying, 'Eight, eight, eight!'" Dwight let out a great guffaw at this point.

Shallan laughed quietly. "You'll have to tell that one to Ayman, I believe he'll enjoy it..." She looked up and saw the glint of reflected sunlight. "I believe we're here."

The pond ahead shined in the sun as it began its trip downward over the horizon. The water was clear enough that one could even see several small fish swimming near the surface.

"How tranquil!" said Dwight. He began to fill some of the buckets he had brought along. "Would that I could stay here all day. Alas, work to be done. But I don't see why we couldn't sit for a minute."

Shallan filled her buckets and drew out her soap. She was not as clean as she usually liked and used one of the buckets to wash up in. "If we weren't using it as drinking water, I'd jump right in for a bath. A week on the trail does not leave the scent of roses."

Dwight chuckled again. "Don't concern yourself. I don't think anybody has noticed, nor is it foremost in our minds."

Shallan peeled off the top layer of armor, revealing a cloth shirt underneath. She glanced up, "Keep an eye out. Bandaging is filthy work." She dumped a bucket of clean water over her head, gasping at how cold it was. She wrung the water out of her hair and sat back, running her fingers through her hair to separate it to dry. "That felt good," she sighed. She thought for a long moment, trying to decide how to broach this subject with her companion. "Dwight...how much military training did you receive before you left home?"

Dwight straightened up his back. "From the time I was eight years old I was trained both as a soldier and a noble."

"I mean no offense! Only..." She grimaced. "I am concerned with how your brother seems to be handling the Guild. I see no signs of the Guildmaster, and yet I see your brother sending messages and directing guild members as a commander. I'm hoping my concern is unfounded, but my concern still remains."

He splashed his face with some water. "I'm concerned as well. I have heard others asking about the guildmaster. I'm curious as to where he has been myself."

"I believe we're getting in over our heads, but I think we need to do something about this once we return to Woodland." She leaned back and propped herself up on her elbows. "I'm dreading the fact that it seems the man we need to start with is your brother." Her eyes glanced up at him, "I do not wish to cause you distress, so I would understand if you did not wish to confront him with me. Especially with his treatment of you lately."

Dwight looked puzzled. "Lately? How do you mean?"

She frowned. "I do not know how he has acted with you in the past, but I was not impressed with his manners each time I have witnessed you two together. His attitude belies his nobility."

"Well, it has been some time since I left home, so I cannot tell what evoked the change. However, he does not act fully like himself. He seems too..." Dwight grasped at words. "... Underhanded."

Shaking her head, she looked troubled. "Were that I held a higher position in the guild. Then perhaps, I would feel more informed." She glanced up at him again. "I feel as if I am placing this burden on you, for he is your brother. I do not mean to cause you pain, but you know him best, and his manners and habits. I am sorry if it is uncomfortable for you. If you wish it, I shall not trouble you with this again."

"... No." Dwight stood up. "Perhaps I should have a talk with my brother." He gathered the buckets and filled the empty ones. "And perhaps it's time I sent a letter home."

Shallan took that as a sign he wished to return. She plaited her hair and fastened her armor back on. After refilling the bucket she used, she stood straight, stopped cold and looked at him carefully. "I'm sorry, Dwight," she said sincerely.

Dwight looked hard back at Shallan. Slowly, a smile grew on his face. "Come on, let's get back. There's probably several thirsty people who would be happy to see us."

She nodded and shouldered her burden, taking a moment to steady herself. She wasn't used to lifting, and weightlifting was certainly not her specialty. "Just so long as I can make it back without getting soaked..." She grinned at him and started back the way they had come.

Shoupty Jiltens: RP update

2005-10-24T08:09:00.000-04:00

Bad news. No letter from Ghost this week. It will be kind of difficult as we are in the middle of the forest and stuck at a scouting outpost in the South. Next time we arrive in town, there will be a new letter. This update will be OOC only.

Not wanting to be caught in town should a lycanthrope attack come upon herself or Linora, Shallan decides to head out and continue their message delivery. The first day out was mild, where we found Uhmvli (aka Big Hairy Guy) and during Dwight's watch, he takes down five goblins without even waking the rest of us. Second day, we avoided an encounter and wound up annoying God by doing so. Full moon appeared and no ill effects, so Linora and Shallan are safe.

The next few days were fairly uneventful, with only an ogre to entertain us. We easily dispatched him and again annoyed God by just lopping the poor ogre's head off. (I think he had something more planned.) While on the way, we had checked that mine we cleared out earlier and it seemed empty, so good news on that front.

The outpost was in not so great condition. Andre the scout greeted us among the broken remains of the outpost gate. The men there were tired, hungry, and stretched way too thin. The message we delivered was orders for them to hold position until reinforcements arrived. Shallan vehemently displayed her distaste for the form those reinforcements were to take: army regulars. Meanwhile, the party took up fishing, hunting, and tending wounds, trying to bolster the outpost members. They've been attacked practically every night, and the night previous the gate was broken. Hobgoblins and goblins have been causing the most trouble. Scouts are not meant to hold down the fort, but they've been forced to by the situation. With a newly-repaired gate thanks to Ayman, Andre fairly well asked for help, which was freely given.

Shallan's respect for Darik the Bronze just fell down a few more pegs.

Behind the scenes

2005-10-22T15:16:00.000-04:00

Oh, what a difficult thing it is to learn something new. Especially something complicated...

I've been fortunate enough to have a cousin offer to teach me to sew. And she's leaving me the tedious parts of cutting out patters and fabric. Aside from that, I've only done long seams, very little work on sleeves and I'm far from doing a zipper. But I'm learning slowly. How I wish I had taken some form of household course while in school. On the other hand I'm very excited because I found a pattern on sale for Carrie. So she shall now be able to dress the part of the pirate that she plays. I've begun work on my Renaissance costume and I plan on outfitting my little Jedi soon. Wouldn't it be so simple to do it the D&D way: I choose the sewing proficiency!

Game comments:
I try to pride myself in forseeing plots and subplots, and the DM's little ruse the other week with the silver dragon/eccentric old man almost had me fooled. For about two seconds. It was amusing to watch the others become impatient, and very difficult for myself to remain patient, as elves have a different perception of time than humans. But I managed. I had approached the old man after the first day and asked him, addressing him with the dragon's name of course, if we were meant to travel the entire mountain. I didn't let on to the others that I suspected who/what the old man was. The others were kind to him and were exceptionally patient themselves, so I think we all got bonus points for that.

This last adventure got me rattled a bit though. Starting innocently enough, taking a message to the scouts in the South sounds easy enough. I remembered that we had run across the werewolf down there once before, but I did not know how many or if it was still in the area. We hadn't even scratched he/she/it last time. I wasn't surprised when it showed up. I WAS surprised that I was able to hold my own. The difficult part was that I actually got hit this time. When we battled the wererats in the sewers under Woodland, I wasn't hit once. I credit my doing as as I had to the new sword that the DM refuses to let me find out what it does. (I had asked him another time if I could try to purchase something akin to those sweet blades of Legolas, roughly short sword in size, but no cross-brace.) I've come up with my own name for it, and really enjoy the unique design of the blade. On the other side, I don't want to find out and be slightly disappointed if it turned out to be a +1 blade with no backstory. I have figured out it is magical in some sense, otherwise it wouldn't have damaged the werewolf at all.

This coming week will be interesting. The whole Guild seems to be headed towards all-out war with the goblins. Fitting bounty hunters into army regulars won't be pretty, and the Armsmaster seems to be taking the Guild in that direction, with the Guildmaster so far out of the picture as far as we can tell. Most bounty hunters choose that way of life because of their aversion or lack of ability in organized combat. Meshing them or molding them into it won't fly too well, I suspect. Mix them into a established company of army regulars, and there is sure to be chaos. With the Armsmaster being a nobleman and Dwight's brother, there are so many layers of complications, it'd take pages to write out my thoughts on it.

Once we get down south, I might have to check things out a bit on my own.

Removing a curse

2005-10-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

*THUD**THUD**THUD*

Shallan opened the door, a little worse for wear, and still not feeling her best. The fight with the werewolf had knocked a little more than the stuffing out of her. "Yes?"

Dwight stood as upright as he could. "Milady, are you all right?"

Shallan grimaced. "Scars will heal. What I'm concerned about is the infection. I'm not entirely sure the apothecary's antidote worked, he recommended that I see your brother."

Dwight grimaced back. "Well, as much as I dislike saying it, that may be a desirable course of action. The hands of the paladin can be quite powerful, but with an illness such as this, I would not recommend waiting."

Shallan nodded. She had hoped the antidote would work, but she would rather not take the chance. "I think you're right. The hard part now would be to find him..." She glanced up at him quickly, "I understand if you'd rather not come along."

Dwight momentarily looked surprised, but composed himself. "I... didn't think you would want me along anyway."

She smiled up at him, "Why else would I invite you along on all our adventures?"

Dwight blushed, a stark contrast to his pallid complexion and manner of dress. "Er... um... I meant that this was a personal matter, nothing more."

Shallan shrugged, "I wouldn't mind you along, but if you are busy or would feel uncomfortable, I will understand."

Dwight stood at his full height. "No, not busy at all."

She stepped out into the hallway and locked her door behind her. Her movements were stiff, as the damage done by the werewolf had not yet healed completely. "I guess the best place to start looking for him would be with Mel or Fred." She started off, feeling much more comfortable with Dwight along.

"Hopefully, we shall find him tonight." The two headed directly for the guildhall; upon entry, they discovered Mel lazily reading over a few scraps of parchment. Dwight cleared his throat.

"Whuh...?" said Mel.

"Mel, I need to see the Armsmaster immediately. Do you know where I can find him?"

"uh... yeah. Uh..." He waved his hand in some unrelated direction for a moment, then woke up suddenly, and scrawled something on another loose scrap of parchment. "Take this up to the guard inside the main doors, I think he can help you." Then he slumped over the counter again.

Shallan grabbed the note, giving it a quick scan. She gave Dwight a slightly annoyed look, but thanked Mel. After finding the guard, she handed him the note.

The guard led them up a stairwell and down a long stone corridor. Dwight whispered through gritted teeth, "What was that look for?"

"Apparently there's a protocol for everything, even for bounty hunters..." She sighed, but seemed to be in a better mood as it seemed they were getting somewhere.

Dwight responded with a "Hmmm." The guard took them up two more flights of stairs, and rapped at a door at the top of the final flight. "Enter," a voice called from within.

Shallan nodded thanks to the guard and stepped into the room.

Darik's chamber was fairly large for one man. It resembled the dojang where Shallan had been once before, only smaller. Weapons of many varieties lined the walls, from common to exotic. Darik himself was seated on the floor at a low table, drinking a cup of tea. He did not rise, but finished his beverage and looked up at the two. "And what can I do for..." He broke off for a second, realizing who was in the room with him. "... For you?" he continued.

The urge to turn and check on Dwight was difficult to ignore, but Shallan did not step so far into the room to abandon him. She did take one measured step forward though. "I need help. On our last mission, we ran into a werewolf." Most of her wounds from that fight were still visible. "I visited the apothecary who tried some form of antidote, but I am unsure if it worked. I don't know where else to go, but the apothecary suggested you." This time she did glance back at Dwight, though it was more for her own need of strength. "Please, can you help?"

Dwight was stone-faced, staring directly at his brother.

Darik stood up and approached the pair. "Well, normally I am not needed to tend to wounds." A smirk grew on his face. "However, this IS a special case." He took Shallan's hand, then looked at Dwight. "And I suppose any friend of my dear brother's is a friend of mine." He turned again to Shallan. "I do need to see the wounds."

Shallan rolled up her one sleeve, and lifted the tail of her shirt to show the rough bandaging job she had done. "A claw across the stomach that my armor couldn't quite cover, and a bite to my arm..." Even after four days, it still hurt, but two of those days had been traveling back to Woodland. She had been in no condition to continue on with any rough traveling at that point.

Darik looked over the arm wound in detail, and glanced at the other. "I see. Well, it has been a few days, but I will try my hand. Please, come in." He directed Shallan toward the small bed against the far wall. "I need you to lie down and relax your mind in order for the treatment to work."

Dwight entered behind Shallan and stood inthe center of the room.

"It couldn't be helped. We were two days out, and once we got back, I was not in the best of shape." She lay down on the bed, a little uneasy at being asked to get so comfortable in a strange man's room.

Darik removed his left glove and moved to the side of the bed. "Now," he began as he held out his hands, "Concentrate on purging the disease from your body." He closed his eyes and placed both hands on Shallan's arm.

Shallan did as she was told, closing her eyes to concentrate. It felt odd, but if it helped, she would do as he asked.

After a moment Darik opened his eyes and looked down at Shallan, frowning. "No good," he muttered. Then he looked across the room. "Brother. I need your chi."

Dwight looked stunned. He began to stammer. "B-but... you know about... that I cannot..."

"It doesn't matter," replied Darik. "You have our father's blood. Come join me, I need your energy to heal her."

Shallan looked up at Dwight. She would not beg him and would leave the decision to help her up to him. Although, knowing him, she knew what to expect already.

Shallan's instincts were correct. Dwight uneasily joined Darik in the cleansing ritual, and by and by it was as though they were both well-practised in the procedure.

After several minutes, both men backed away. "How do you feel?" said Darik.

Shallan sat up stiffly, and looked down at her arm. "I don't feel any different. Should I?"

Darik had a serious look on his face. "Well, the woulds won't just disappear. We were trying to purge the illness from your body, to remove the werewolf's curse."

She stood, a little unsteadily, a small crack in her usually cool and collected manner. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to feel like. I guess I'll have to wait two more days and see what the full moon brings..." She paused then added quietly, "Thank you for what you've done."

Dwight drew a sharp breath. "Yes... thank you."

Darik once again had the smirk. "Please be careful in the future. You were fortunate that I had energies to expend. Another day and I may not have been able to help you." He turned toward another table with an unrolled map and several scrolls scattered about it. "Now, I hate to brush you off, but I have many things to attend to before I am able to call it a night."

Shallan left the room without another word, and began walking back to her room. She was more than a little distracted and wasn't aware if Dwight followed her or not. She was concentrating enough on trying to keep her hands from shaking.

The guard led her out of the fortress and to the gate.

As she walked, she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Milady, how are you feeling?"

"I...don't know." She glanced up and around, looking to see who was watching. Satisfied they would not be overheard, she continued. "I'm afraid, Dwight. I do not wish to be..." She broke off and her gaze cut away. She didn't even want to think it, let alone say it.

Dwight grasped at words for a moment, unsure if anything he could say would be helpful. "Darik is... capable. I do not know if the ritual can cure such a disease, but I have never seen it fail before." He steadied himself and stood at hs full height once again. "And should it not work, I promise we wil find another way to help you."

"I hope so. I think...that I'd like to go back to my room now..." Usually she spent most of her free time at the Cleft Tombstone just simply watching the crowd. But at the moment, a crowd was the last thing she wanted to face.

"Understood. Do you require an escort?"

Shallan nodded, "I would feel more comfortable. Please."

"Agreed." Dwight smiled and offered his arm.

She gently tucked her hand under his proferred elbow, the contact giving away the slight trembling she was trying to calm. Of all the things to unsettle her, this had shaken her worse than she had meant it to.

The walk in the brisk evening air was a short one. It was quiet; other than a brief nod at a prior from the Order of the Fleet Fox, the two encountered nobody.

They arrived at the barracks and Shallan's room. It took her two tries to open the lock, but eventually the door swung open. "Thank you, Dwight. I know it's difficult for you to deal with your brother, but I appreciate what you did for me."

Dwight smiled and took her hand. "It was the least I could do. If you need me, you know where to find me."

"No, actually, I don't..."

Dwight looked puzzled. "Um... my quarters."

"Where are they? So far I've found you in the tavern, at Appolo's temple, and on the streets. And that's about it..."

Dwight looked thoughtful. "Why, you're right. I don't suppose you have seen my quarters. They are in the southeast barracks, in the center of the north side."

She nodded. "I will find you if I need you. Thank you again." She pulled his hand down gently, and standing on her tip-toes, kissed him lightly on the cheek. With an unsteady smile, she closed the door to her room.

Dwight stood stunned for a moment. He pondered on the number of times that evening that things had taken him by surprise. By his count, this was four.

Ghost's Letters Home

2005-10-19T16:13:00.000-04:00

Dearest brother,

It is a wondrous thing, to ride a-dragonback. If it were not for the reason behind it, the experience would have been perfection incarnate.

The humans are mobilizing. It appears that even our insignificant little guild has been recruited into bringing down the Goblin King and his army.

We had been hired to deliver a message to the great Khrom-vel, the shining silver wyrm. Along the way we picked up a strange creature, completely covered in hair and a lover of silver and gold. He was a true help, and even assisted us in finding some decent treasure. I myself acquired a fine sword, which I now call Dragontongue. Traveling to the town of Haumar, we were led far and wide across the mountain by an old man whom I had suspected all along to be the dragon in disguise. My guess had been correct, and what followed was a ride that I will remember to the end of my days back to Woodland Town. There, Khrom-vel went into seclusion with the Weaponsmaster and the Guildmaster, I can only assume in a council of war.

Meanwhile, us common folk were distracted by a nest of wererats in the town sewers. Following, the Weaponsmaster, Sir Darik, spoke to the entire Guild about our responsibility in hunting down the Goblin King. It seems all efforts of the Guild are being focused down south, to the mines, where they suspect his stronghold lies.

Once again, we were hired for messenger duty only just the other day. This time to the scouting outpost in the south. We ran into a werewolf, which I must admit, hurt me more than I let my companions realize. I held my own against him and had nearly defeated him, but lost the kill to my companion Linora and her well-aimed sharpened silver piece. We returned back to town instead of completing our mission, victorious but grieviously wounded. I hired the apothecary to create me an antidote, for I am fearful of contracting the curse myself. I even paid a visit to Sir Darik, for the scare of this affliction rattles me to my core. Sir Darik and my companion Dwight tried their best, but only time will tell if the foul beast has infected me. I pray to Solonor that my luck holds. Dwight has been very kind and has offered to help me in any way he can.

I send my best to you and to father. Nae saian luume'

Shallan

Dragon dreams

2005-10-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

After being woken herself, Ghost goes to wake Dwight for their watch with a hand on his shoulder.

"Ach! No! Not so hard!... oh, is it our watch?"

Shallan nods silently and jerks a thumb at the two climbing under their respective blankets for the night. "Sleep is for the innocent and the dead. Time to get up and watch for beasties." She softens the odd comment with an amused expression on her face.

"Understood. Give me a moment."

Dwight slides himself into his suit of chain. He then grabs a small
pouch and fastens it to his belt. "Can't forget this."

Shallan nods again and begins fastening the rest of her own armor. After belting on her scabbard, she glances up and watches.

"What dry weather we hae been having. How very comfortable." He looks over. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting Woodland's climate to be so dry. I spent some time in the west and was hoping for a change... but this is still nice. Cooler."

As she settles down for their watch, she puts her back to the fire for the night.

Dwight stokes the fire a bit. "The trees at least keep the heat off during the day. That desert sun can be brutal."

"Desert?" she asks curiously, only just becoming aqainted with certain parts of the country. She knew of the desert, but had avoided it in her travels. She was surprised to hear he had been there.

Dwight looks up. "Yes. Before I came to Woodland, I spent two winters in the Great Desert."

"I...don't think I would have enjoyed that. No trees." She softened the obvious disagreement with a smile, and thought back. "What was it like?"

Dwight pondered it for a second. "Well, bartering for water was definitely exciting. I must say, it's certainly a commodity that we take for granted in the east. Travel was also a bit... different."

"Different? You mean getting sand everywhere?"

"Well, that was part of it. What I meant was that travel in the hot sun was more strenuous than anything I've ever experienced. Even seated on a bactrian, the sun takes its toll."

"What's a bactrian?" She had seen sand before, but never in such quantity as a desert before. The only sand she had ever known had ended in forest on one end and crashing waves on the other.

"Bactrian camel. It's... like a horse. A desert horse. It doesn't have to drink as often." He chuckles. "They also smell much worse."

She wrinkles her nose. "I thought horses were bad enough..." The image she places in her mind makes her give a small chuckle. "What brought you to the desert?"

"Happenstance, mostly. It was in the direction I was heading. Since I didn't have anywhere else to go, I figured I would find my fate
there."

She glanced up at him, meeting his eyes, "And did you...?"

Dwight let a smile grow. "You could say that. At the very least, what I found kept me occupied."

His mood was a little infectious. "And what did you find that occupied you?"

Dwight clenched his fists. "A challenge. I found work as a prizefighter."

She tried to contain her laughter, but was only slightly successful, as her words stuttered with coughs that only barely covered her mirth. "I...simply
couldn't imagine... How on earth did you get into that?"

Dwight thought for a moment. "Well, I had just used most of my money to purchase a camel. As I was loading it up, somebody tried to snatch my pouch." He patted the pouch fastened to his belt. "I was pretty angry. I keep some important keepsakes in here. Fortunately, the thief was not very adept. Unfortunately, he was armed with a khopesh, and I had nothing."

"You astound me, Sir Dwight." She grinned at him to take the mocking tone from her comment. "An armed man? What would need such protecting that you would thrash a man who held a weapon
against you?"

"A gift from my mother. Something that I used once or twice to get the best of my brothers in training."

"Since I doubt you would cheat, what treasure would a younger brother use to best his older brothers?" Her insatiable curiousity was peaked, and it seemed he was purposely drawing it out just to tempt her along.

Dwight paused again and squinted at Shallan tentatively. "Well... I suppose you can have a look."

She grinned, but added seriously, "If you wish it to remain your secret, I promise it will remain so unless you wish it otherwise."

Dwight reached for his pouch. "I think I trust you." He opened it and withdrew a shiny, silvery set of metal knuckles. The knuckles had jewels inlaid along their face--six of them, each about a centimeter and a half in diameter, alternating between rubies and sapphires. Along one of its edges were Elvish letters...

Reading 'La Pugilista.'

"'La Pu-gil-ista'? That is no elven word..." She studies his face. "I didn't know things like those were legal in prizefighting..."

"It's not. I never used it for prizefighting."

"What does it mean? It doesn't seem elven-made, but someone did take care with it, and the words are written in Elvish script."

"I don't know. I received it on my tenth birthday from my mother. She said that it was a treasure given to some great fighter by the elves, but she did not know the story behind it."

"Well, I've never seen the like, nor do I recognize the word put upon it. I'm sorry, but the mystery of its origins will have to remain so." She shifted and listened to the sounds of the forest around them, checked the fire once more, then turned back to him. "Did you do well in your prizefighting? I'm assuming so, as it seems your nose is where it should be..." She winked, "though one never can tell with you humans."

Dwight sighed. "I certainly won more than I lost. I must say, I think I gained some small degree of notoriety. ... Forgive me. I sound like a braggart."

She replied quite happily, "Not at all! I should like to hear of it."

Dwight straightened up a bit. "Well! I shall tell what I remember. As I was saying, a man tried to rob me, then brandished a weapon. I was unarmed; the only weapon that I had bcarried with me I was required to sell when my money ran out."

"Out of necessity, I avoided his attack, and knocked him out, bare-handed."

She sized him up. "Impressive. So you went from a street brawler to a prizefighter?"

"Something to that effect. After the thief was dragged away to be locked up, a man came up to me, told me he was impressed with the way I handled myself, and asked me if I would like to use my skills to make some money. I won't say that I jumped on the opportunity, but in my state of affairs, it took little convincing."

Ghost agreed, "I can't imagine, though. How did you take to it?"

"At first, it was quite the rough life. I must say, I was quite nervous in my first fight. My opponent was quite the brute. I am fairly certain he had never bathed. I was fortunate enough to win the bout. The ringmaster spoke with a heavy dialect and cound not quite understand my name, so he mistakenly called me "The White." Paired with the fact that I was the palest face among those many sun-bronzed men, the name stuck after the fight. After that, my promoter, Sorj, and I traveled between towns, and I would fight one or several others for a purse of various amounts. I think my notoriety really came after I lost a few fights, though... nobody wanted to watch me fight after that. An easterner who could not hold his own! How unexciting to them."

"How would you become famous for losing?" Ghost dug into her pack and handed a ration bar to him, then took one for herself.

"Thank you." Dwight took it. "Actually, I arrived in one village where the turnout for the fight was very large. The reason for that is that, during the fight, the locals found great pleasure in hurling vegetables at me. Despite the distractions, I managed to win. After that night, my luck picked up a bit. My opponent was another foreigner who called himself Takash. He claimed to be from the continent to the north, but wouldn't say from where exactly. After our bout we discussed much about combat. I actually stayed several days in that town; Sorj's camel became rather ill, and he was forced to trade for a new one. I fought a few bouts for money and performed some odd jobs for the villagers, and would always join Takash for a drink in the evenings."

"He sounds like an honorable man, despite losing a fight to you."

"That he is. I was quite disheartened to have to leave his town, but there was no more money to be made. From the north to the south, for a few months, I had a long string of knockout wins... It was to the point where people would be waiting for The White to come into town, just to size me up so they could bet on the matches."

"So if things were going well, why leave and come to Woodland?"

Dwight sighed again. "Because the money always ran out fast, thanks to Sorj. He was not particularly good with our finances. He frequented disgusting places when he wasn't in my company, and I often saw him with some rather unsavory women."

She sighed, "I can only imagine. There were places like that to the south, not so much in my homeland...but they were there, just in a slightly different form."

"I believe it to be universal, alas. The worst came at the end, though, when I realized that Sorj was no true friend."

"What had he done?"

"He set up a fight so that I would surely lose, then bet against me. After the fight, he left the town with the warrior who had defeated me, probably to swindle him down the road as well. He also took my camel and most of the salable things I had when he left, and once again I was reduced to nothing."

She shook her head, "I was lucky for running into Jacob once leaving Navarene." Ghost glanced at him, "Is that how you came to Woodland?"

Dwight looked around himself briefly, then rubbed his face with his hands. "By and by. I actually became lost in the desert briefly, due to some bad directions and a camel that I bought on a very tight budget. However, fortune smiled on me once again, as I had an opportunity that few have, and that I am recreating only now."

"What would that be?"

"I came face to face with a dragon."

"Hopefully an honorable dragon?" She grinned, fully entranced in his tale.

"Indeed, it was none other than Thanacc, the brass wyrm of the Great desert. I am most fortunate that it was not another desert dragon!" He laughed a bit at this.

"Agreed." Her imagination ran rampant. "What is it like meeting a dragon? No one I've ever met before has seen one, let alone met with
one."

"Quite frightening at first. I believe he thought me to be a food item at a
glance."

"I would feel to be nothing more than a snack, I think..."

"Verily! However, he proved to be very kind. He revealed to me that he probably would not have eaten me anyway, and rather preferred the dews and moisture provided by the scant desert flora. I was near death when he found me, but the days I spent with the dragon helped me regain my strength, though I was nearly bored to tears listening to him drone on about himself."

"But the stories he could tell! There are few creatures that can rival the lifespan of one of my people..." She glanced off to the west. "It would be almost like being home."

"Well! Perhaps one day I shall take you to meet Thanacc."

"I think I would like that...and perhaps some day, I would take you to my homeland. To see the ocean, and the elven forests, the city among the trees." She smiled slightly, sadly, knowing that his lifetime would end far faster than hers. "Perhaps we should take one adventure at a time."

Dwight smiled at the sentiment. "Well, I can make no promises... but should our travels take us to that place, it would be worthwhile."

"So tell me of your dragon friend. Besides telling boring stories, what was he like?"

"Well, he mostly complained about two things. One was the fact that the females of his kind are elusive, at best. The other was Rel."

"Rel?"

"Another desert dragon. From what I understand, his influence is more potent in the northern parts of the desert. They do not get along."

"Ah. Well, then I'd expect that. I thought I heard mention of a female dragon elsewhere, but the conversation seems to be eluding me for the moment."

"He made it sound as though there are more dragons than we think, maybe many more. I suppose they do not want to be found."

"Alot like the elves. Great pains are taken to disguise the cities, so that even if you were to pass through the heart of one, you would not even know."

"So secretive! I often wonder just how much I cannot see."

Shallan shakes her head. "I wonder sometimes that I see too much..."

"I beg your pardon?"

She shifts her position a bit to glance back at the fire then away into the darkness. "There is so much evil in the world... I have seen probably far more seasons than any man could hope to, and wether it be elves or men, the sins really don't change." She glances down at her hands, clasped together, feeling the calouses gained by her weapons training.

Dwight falls silent.

"I can only hope that things will change for the better, and even more so within your lifetime rather than mine." She glances up and chuckles a little, making light of the conversation.

Dwight smiles a bit also. "At least there's hope. Goodness."

"Instead, tell me more of dragons..." She nudges him gently with her elbow. "What can you tell me of the dragons in this area?"

"In this area? I only really know what Thanacc has told me about himself and Rel."

"Of course, he told me a great deal, so it's at least substantial."

"Tell me, we've got a few more hours of our watch..." She grins, more than happy to listen to another tale.

Dwight sits back and takes a swig of water. "All right." He cleared his head for a second, recalling the words of the great dragon. "He told me of one ferocious battle with this dragon Rel, one that I have also heard about in stories told by the other denizens of the desert. It was territorial, and it is the reason that Rel is confined to the northern part of the desert..."

Three whole weeks!

2005-09-28T09:42:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's true. It had been three whole weeks since our last game. I had been going through a severe withdrawl. There had been scheduling problems between the others, since the Ren Faire is going on, and the biggest problem was no one wanted to give up their sleep in order to work early Monday morning. Due to a personal need for restraint in order to maintain a positive gaming environment, my comments shall be reserved.

SO. Back to the game.

I must say it was a marked improvement over what we had been doing. For the first time, I broke my bowstring and was stupid enough not to have purchased a replacement. On a better note, I was responsible for stapling a full third of the mosquito/bats that attacked us. My best shot was knocking one off of the cleric's arm. I think the best was the lack of bathroom breaks. We took one or two group breaks, but didn't have trickling away from the table, and I think that helped immensely.

The following night

2005-09-27T21:03:00.000-04:00

The two are awoken for their share of the nightly watch and Dwight finishes a long session of stretching.

"Well! I'm thirsty."

Shallan pulls out the half-full waterskin she carries and holds it up in offering. "This is just about all I have left."

Dwight goes for his. "I think I have plenty. Just stating my intentions. I could do without wine for a few days, though... after yesterday, a nice hot
tea would do just fine."

With a hidden smile, she takes a sip of her own water and stoppers it back up. "I apologize, I sometimes forget that these spirits affect humans much more so."

Dwight settles onto a log and chuckles. "Is that so? So much I don't know about the races. I find humans quite complicated enough."

"Some are good and some are evil, just as any race. It's the details that can overwhelm you."

A moment goes by.

"You've hardly said a word. Something on your mind?"

She shakes her head and evades the question, "Nothing of consequence..."

Dwight quickly tries to change the subject. "So where exactly are you from?"

"Navarene, the elven capital. It is a beautiful city, though I doubt most in your country would even know it is there... Everything is very different, houses and dwellings are blended in so well, one could walk entirely through without even knowing they had passed through the heart of it.” She closes her eyes. "The scent is of a thousand flowers drifting on the breeze." She opens her eyes and looks over uncomfortably. "But
it is no longer home, so..." She shrugs and lets the image fade.

Dwight waits a moment. "Did... did you have to leave suddenly?"

She considers the question for a long time. "It would have happened eventually. I was the apple tree among the flowers, and things were
uncomfortable for a very long time. When I left, I finally found happiness, doing what I love to do."

Again, nothing is said for a moment.

Dwight takes a drink, mulls it over for a bit. "What is your family like?"

She smiles. "My family has been Captain of the Nyssa guard for well over a thousand years. My brother stands to take my father's place." The smile fades, "He had the same upbringing you did, training and drilling with Guard regulars from the time he could walk."

"A thou..." Dwight starts, but stops. "Ah yes. Please, go on."

She nodded. "Four generations. But I was never offered the same chance given to my brother. Or my father, or his father..." She meets his eyes with a sad look. "As in your family, most likely. Father to son."

He gets a stern look on his face. "I guess some things don't change no matter where one is. So you didn't get the same opportunity?"

"No, not in Navarene. Not even in Are'thane. I had to cross over the border where a very good friend was able to help me. My brother
most of all, did the best he could, sharing what he learned at my father's hand. But...my studies and my domestic skills suffered and it was difficult hiding what I was doing. A disastrous house will do that..." She
chuckles, but most of the humor seems drained from it.

"Disastrous?"

"There is no time to stock the cupboard when you are trouncing your brother. Floors cannot sweep themselves while you try to outfly your
brother's arrows." She sighs. "Don't even ask about embroidery. Sword and bow string blisters are difficult to hide whilst weilding a sewing needle."

"Hmm. So they expected you to keep house." Dwight chuckles again, to
himself. "I can't imagine you in an apron. This seems to suit you much better. Of course, I am biased."

"Thank you," she says quietly, content with the acceptance she has found with her group of companions. "For a time, I served at court as well. Father thought it would keep me from daydreams of joining the Guard. It was something to do, and I became quite good at it. It is where I learned to speak and read the common language and I could converse with some of the visitors from other lands. And in between errands, I was able to catch glimpses of the Guard. It worked for a few years, but again, I failed him. A visiting noble was very rude, and demanded I be let go. He claimed I ruined his favorite cloak, when the slob spilled his own wine."

Dwight smirks. "Nobility can go to one's head with ease. I've heard more than one high-born buffoon bellowing at their servants with no provocation."

"At first, I thought it was an inborn trait that went with their noble blood. I am happy to see you do not suffer from that affliction." Her eyes studied him with a pleased curiosity.

"Well, it's hard to be a protector of the people if you equate the job to
sheepherding."

"I find it a pity that most see it that way. A friend of mine would equate it to just like that...only he really did herd sheep as well, to help the local farmers." She laughed. "He was an excellent woodsman, an excellent mentor, and an even better friend."

"A friend of yours from elven lands?"

She shook her head, "A ranger of the wilds, a human, Jacob Buckthorn. One morning he just appeared by my campfire." She indicates the
burning coals of their own fire. "It was the best surprise I had ever received. And my first and only friend."

He gives her a quizzical glance. "Surely you had some friends during your upbringing."

She shook her head and shifted uncomfortably. "When not studying, the boys had weapons training. The girls were given 'womanly instruction'. Since I very much preferred the former..." Shallan glanced down and seemed to intently study the ground before her, tracing elven script into the soil with a stray twig. "After a while, finding a mate and settling down were not to my liking, although my father tried to help..." She bit off the last words bitterly, not really willing to go on.

Dwight took the hint. "... What did you just write?"

She looked at the lettering, not even really paying attention to it. "The beginning words of most elven tales, 'When the wind was young and the
land just born...' " She scratched it out with a slightly unsteady hand, clearly trying to hide how emotional this discussion had gotten her.

Dwight takes another drink. "Mother used to tell us stories of the west. They always made your people sound like they swung from trees and played tricks on unwary humans. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to meet a real one, and now I've seen two. Every day I find that the
things I see become more and more incredible."

She was quiet for some time, simply letting the silence stretch. She stared at the fire, letting the years fade back to where they belonged, in her memory and not the here and now. After collecting herself, she gives Dwight a tight smile, "My most difficult time is getting used to your strange ways. I have been in your lands for some time, and I still find things to surprise me."

He lets out a good laugh. "I have been in my lands for some time, and I still find things to surprise me!"

This time the smile is genuine, and Shallan relaxes a little, leaning back a little. She glances up at him, then sketches a few other elegantly shaped scripts in the soil. "...The honorable and most noble protector of the realm..." she reads.

Dwight grins, and also relaxes a bit into his seat. "I'm curious. How would you write 'friend?'"

She scratches out what she has written and replaces it with something much smaller. "Mellon..." she gives the word a softly singing sound,
speaking her own language.

He lets it sink in. "Mellon. It's very nice." He places his hand on Shallan's shoulder. "May I... call you that?"

She pauses for a moment, slightly startled, then answers solemnly, "Amin harmuva onalle e' cormamin, mellonamin...I shall treasure your gift in my heart, my friend," she translates. She takes care to speak slowly,
emphasizing the use of the word she had shown him.

A grin crosses Dwight's face. "I am glad to be able to call you likewise." He squeezes her shoulder lightly and lets go.

She leans forward, dropping the stick into the fire, steeling herself. She convinces herself it is right and just, considering what she had put him through the night previous. "You asked before what troubles me..." Though the words come with difficulty, she tries to find the easiest way to present it to him.

"You will tell me? I wasn't going to force the subject..."

"I...do not know the customs of this land so well, and am unsure of how this would..." she searches for the correct words, "affect your opinion of me."

Dwight stands up and kneels. "I give you my word as a knight that I shall not judge you by your past deeds."

"I wrote to my brother weeks back, as I first came into Woodland city. And have written him twice since. No word has been sent, and I fear..." She takes a deep breath. "I said before my father tried his best to occupy me, to keep me from trouble." She continues much more quietly, not meeting his gaze, "He signed a marriage contract. One I did not
honor."

He returns to his seat. "Even in my culture, that is a serious matter."

"Arranged marriages are common in our lands and forced marriages are not unheard of, though they are rare. Even more rare is a soul-pairing. None would dare to deny the last. Even a marriage of state would be dissolved to unite a soul-bonded pair." She still refused his gaze, instead focusing on some unseen point on the ground. "Palis was ambitious, seeking to gain my father's good graces, and eventually his position. My
father knew none of this, though Palis saw me as his way to gaining my father's trust. A political coup, very profitable for himself and his family, a place of honor and note in court."

"It sounds like he was the one who was not acting honorably."

"Again, what he was doing was not unheard of... Father thought it a blessing sent by the gods, finally something he could do to settle me down. A marriage offer would settle me down, and perhaps father thought that Palis would finally be able to contain me." She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, though the night seemed warm. "There is a custom, old as the earth but not used in the last centuries, not even in my great-grandfather's lifetime..." She paused, trying to think of the best way to explain. "Elves are not a prolific race. There have been at the most three children in most families..." She steeled herself, but looked to him for some sort of strength. "To ensure that a union will be fruitful, it can be demanded that this be proven before a marriage will take place. Palis demanded this of my father, and he agreed."

Dwight replaces the hand on Shallan's shoulder, and waits a second to talk. "I can see why it might remain unused. It sounds like a dreadful custom."

Her fists balled in barely supressed anger, her voice quiet and dangerous. "My father only did what he saw was best, as no other would have me... I did not know of any of this, and even if I had, I STILL wouldn't have agreed." She was tense, as if a spring wound too tight. "The contract was signed, and Palis asserted his right. It was a legally binding contract. When I refused to comply, he hit me. Once."

He inhales audibly but says nothing.

She gave a tight, controlled smile. "He did not raise a sword for many months after that, I think. My training with my brother had paid off much better than I could have ever thought." She looks down and consciously relaxes her clenched hands. "What I fear...is the disgrace I have caused my family. I left not long after, kissed my father and brother goodbye. As I said last night, a visit is all I shall probably be allowed, and then not for many, many years."

Dwight gives a small chuckle. "Forgive me. Just thinking it was something we had in common."

She closes her eyes and rubs her hands on her face. "It would have happened eventually. Perhaps it was my fault for not leaving earlier..."

"Perhaps not. But we cannot alter the past."

Shallan takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. "I do not regret my decision. I regret the consequences I left behind, but once I met Jacob, and then being here, I have never been happier."

Dwight also takes a deep breath. "I guess you could say that you didn't leave bad circumstances, but rather you came into better ones?"

A relieved but tired smile lights her face. "Heruamin, ‘my lord’..." she bows her head. "Your friendship comforts me, no matter the road ahead, or the road behind."

Dwight puts his arm around Shallan and squeezes briefly, then lets go. "A
worthwhile sentiment. But I fear we should be more concerned about the road ahead, based on what we've seen over the past two days. We have many concerns in front of us, especially dealing with a dragon."

Shallan nods, and stands to stretch. "Agreed. In the meantime, get some sleep. I shall wake the next two." She moves off to do just that, but turns back only slightly to whisper, "Kaima eithel, Astalder."

(Sleep well, Valiant one.)

A shared nightly watch

2005-09-27T19:46:00.000-04:00

As bounty hunters, they go where the money is. And this time the largest payment included a dilvery to a Silver dragon, handed down by the ArmsMaster himself. The Order of the Fleet Fox was being employed to help find a messenger, and the group volunteered, confident they could complete the delivery. Two days passed, and the nagging worry that their sometime companion was troubled bothered Shallan.

After beng plied with the finest vintage carried by the Cleft Tombstone for some time that watch, she finally dropped the small talk and outright asked why he was not pleased his brother was made Armsmaster of the Guild, Dwight finally relented instead of turning the question aside.

"There's a lot that people don't know about me,” he began unsteadily. “The reason for that is that I've been trying to hide as much as I could. Darik coming to Woodland was the bombshell, though... and I guess I can't keep it a secret forever... I've already told you where I'm from, a city called Joven, to the north, about 200 miles north of Mount Willow. I've also mentioned that Joven is my surname. My family owns the land that the city sits on, as well as the surrounding peasantry."

Shallan nods slowly and refills both of their drinks from the wineskin. Sometimes the application of alcohol broke down barriers.

"For over two hundred years, my ancestors have been the sworn protectors of the people of that area. The paladins of my bloodline defended our city honorably against any intruders. They also took care of the common folk. They kept themselves above, but treated them as equals. My grandfather was such a man, and I loved him very much for it. My father, however, got too wrapped up in his nobility. Now, I am the youngest of four brothers. Darik is a few years older than I."

"And Donovan, the oldest? Darik told me when I went for training at the Guild Hall..." She had been coming at this conversation obliquely, quizzing him on the coats of arms and lineages of the human realm for the past few days. An innocent enough topic, but one that would eventually lead to his own family, exactly where Shallan wanted him to go.

"Oh? Have you?"

"Yes, he beat me quit soundly." She indicates the slowly fading bruises, a raccon’s mask the lasting result from her bout.

"Always the charmer, Darik. I'll admit he is a smooth character."

"Except for him being a bit short with his errand boy, he seemed fine."

"He gets that way with his help. He takes after my father a good deal."

"I've run into the recieving end of it myself more than a few times."

"Oh?"

"That is why I decided to try my luck elsewhere. I would never be Armsmaster in court, I'm the wrong sex. So I do what I love and write when I may, and see where my feet will take me next."

"You sound as though you were free to leave, though."

"Yes, and someday I may return. But only for a visit."

"I don't think I ever want to do the same."

"Your grandfather is gone?"

"He died nobly many years ago, performing his duties. Not long before my mother, actually."

"But leaving your family over a difference in attitudes for treating those of a lower caste? There must have been something more than that to make you leave?"

"... there was..." He pauses for quite a long time, then takes a long draught of the wine. "Like I said, from the time I could hold a sword, I, like my brothers, was groomed for my place among my ancestors. Now, Donovan and Darik both take after my father, although I admit that Donovan is much more dour. They are all very serious men, at all times. My other brother, Dorian, is a lot more like my mother. He isn't uptight. He can laugh at things. I so wanted to be like him."

"Where is he?"

"When I last saw him, he was at home, with my other brothers."

"That still doesn't seem like a good reason to leave. Dorian seems like a very good reason to stay." Shallan could empathize. She missed her brother terribly, but returning in the next century was not very likely.

"The breakdown started when my mother died. She cared about us more than father ever did. She understood much better than he did that our people were real people, not just a burden to bear. She kept him in check. While she was around, I did not fear the consequences of making mistakes in training. I would be resolved to try again. Once she was gone, I had no chance to make up for any slip-ups. All I would hear was, 'You're a failure, Dwight. A whelp like you could never find his way through the citadel.’ Father... my brothers... Dorian, after mother was gone... he changed. Eventually it was too hard to go on. I lost my focus. I began to become ill for no reason. They thought I was faking, but it was all too real."

"I am not sure exactly what is worse, being given your training and not meeting standards, or beating the standards but never being offered the proper training."

"I can't say. The feeling of failure was awful, though."

"What I don't understand, is why would your brother come down to Woodland, if he was charged with protecting Joven?"

"I don't know. I was very surprised to see him again. It's not something I expected to happen."

"He was not unforgiving of my lack of skills, albeit a little rough during my training session. But nothing beyond what I've gotten in training before."

"I can't guess at his motive for coming here, or taking such a position."

"I felt it odd for someone not of the Guild to arrive and secure such a place so quickly. Don't they usually choose someone from the Guild membership?”

"I know little of the Guild's bureaucracy. It's possible that this was handed down by the king."

"I had not considered that." Human customs were still something she was getting used to. Not all positions of consequence were given to nobility where she came from.

"Woodland City and Joven lie within the same boundary and answer to the same sovereign. I was really hoping that Woodland would have been far enough to go."

"I would not recommend the Elven lands either..." She gives a quiet, throaty chuckle. It seemed nobles the world around held the same predjudices.

He echos her laugh. "You must pardon me. I know little about the ways of the elves. In fact, it was the short one, Slewfoot, that informed me that you are much older than you appear. ... No offense."

"Not at all. I have probably seen three of your lifetimes, perhaps more... And yet I am finding that things change little given time and distance."

"I had at least found that I could hide myself from the thing that I am ashamed of."

"Of being a failure? You are far from it. Perhaps you are thinking that the standard we all live to has raised a little for you? I left to find what I am truly capable of, perhaps that would fit you as well?"

"No, not being a failure... being a coward. I haven't actually told you why I ran yet." He takes a much longer drink this time. "When a Joven man comes of age, he must complete a final task, the culmination of his training. He has to face the citadel. The Citadel is both a hallowed and feared place. It is a true test of a warrior's wits, skills, courage, and fortitude. It lies on our land, surrounded by the burial grounds of our ancestors. Each of us was to venture through the citadel, face the terrors inside. Upon reaching the final chamber, one is presented with his sword, and emerges a paladin. At that point, he is designated with a color, in order of his birthright."

Shallan unconsiously raises her eyebrows at the ritual, and the result. But she says nothing and allows him to continue.

“Donovan, for example, is called the Gold. Dorian, being second in line, claimed Silver. I remember well the day that he was given his colors. He was so happy on that day... we all were. He seemed like the old Dorian. Darik was named the Bronze, as you know. As for me, I do not know, as mine was the first generation with four sons."

"And you are White, no color?"

"We were clothed in white during our years of training. That was supposed to change when I made it through the citdael. When my day came, however, I felt ill again, for the first time in a year. I knew something was wrong, but I also knew I had to face what was ahead. Everyone watched as I approached the citadel. People were lined up on the streets, like they always do when a man goes to that place. A friend, a huntsman who I knew well and saw after I had fled, told me that he could see me entering the citadel, heard me scream, and saw me run back out. What I saw there terrified me so much that I just kept running. Since that day I have not returned to Joven."

"You must forgive me, but you have to understand you now have baited my curiousity. What was there?"

He empties the remaining wine down his throat. "I saw death. I saw my father murder my mother. I saw one brother pierce the eye of another and bring him down. And then I saw myself, with all of them around me, coming closer and closer. I didn't give them the chance. I fled then and there. Since then I have been trying to forget what I saw there, and trying to prove my courage to myself." He gives a hiccup. "Hunting monsters was a way out. So now you know."

"I do. And I think none the less of you. Because you know what it is you must do. I shall be honored to be there the day you decide you must finally do it."

"You think I should go back."

"No. I think you should go forward. You've been backwards and all it has brought you is pain."

He begins to chuckle again. "Isn't it funny though? I can descend into caves and battle with inhuman horrors, on the edge of life and death, and not break a sweat. ... But I can't face a room full of spooks."

"Yes, but you are afraid of being hurt by those you love because they have hurt you before. That is all the images showed you. Nothing more, nothing less. You can either face the fear or run from it. And you can face your family or run from them. But they are always there, inside your heart. It is not your sword arm that needs strengthening, it is your heart."

He draws his sword and lays it across his lap. "I suppose you're right. And I still dream of joining them. Lion's Heart. Shadow's Wail. Heaven's Riot. I should be wielding such a blade alongside them."

Shallan pulls out her weapons, even the elegant elven bow, and lays all down on ground in front of him. "Am I a warrior?"

"That depends. Why do you carry these things?"

“Because I do not wish to die on the road. But I wield them to protect others, no matter their birth caste. I carry no weapon as I stand here, and yet I am a warrior. Weapons do not make the warrior. If I were to lay them down, or to carry none, my heart would still call to protect those who could not protect themselves.” She quirks a crooked smile. "And it does not hurt that I get paid for it!”

He gives a smaller, similar smile. "Then I would agree with you. You are a warrior. Why is a warrior so different from a thug? It is not the steel thet he carries. One fights with a purpose, the other for the love of the deed."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, there is pleasure in a pure combat form. But if there were no more need of my skills, I would happily lay my sword down to rust."

"As would I."

"I protect those I can, and my heart feels for every soul I am unable to defend. But I know, when I lay my head down, that I could have done no more than I could."

"...I'm empty."

"So who was that old woman in town the other day?"

He gropes for the wine. "Oh, I was walking through the town and this old woman came up and asked me if I'd help her carry some things. "She had purchased more than she could manage herself. Then a woman living near her asked me to fetch a few things for her, and I spent the next hour doing odd jobs."

"Ah." She nods sagely and pokes him gently in the chest. "The seed has been planted. Now it needs only water and sunlight to grow into the mighty oak."

"... I'm not sure I follow you."

"Your honor is there. At the citadel you were presented with a trial that you were not prepared for. Your honor will overcome it, as it cannot deny your need to help even an old peasant woman with her shopping. Courage will grow, as the oak, if given time and the right nurturing."

"I see now."

"But sometimes, as the oak, you don't get to choose when water and sunlight will come your way!" She gives a genuine laugh, thoroughly amused at her analogy.

Dwight laughs along.

"Be patient. The day will come when you are ready, wether you choose to return, or find peace with a different choice."

"Well, thank you, Shallan... And now you know so much about me, yet I still know so little about you."

"There is little to tell." She shrugs slightly and smiles. "Nothing tragic, just simply inconvenient."

"Well, I should like to hear of it, but perhaps another time. I believe it is time to awaken that rather roughly-hewn woman and the other elf so that we may rest." Dwight stretches and yawns.

"I'm glad you're with us." She leans over and gives him a light kiss on his cheek, then walks over to lay out on her blanket. "And you can wake them up!”

He pointedly changes the subject quickly as he stands to wake the others for their watch, "I'm surprised that that hairy creature's snoring hasn't done it yet. What a din he raises!"

(September 2, 2005)

Ghost's Letters Home

2005-09-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

Dearest Jihan,

My training continues. I had the opportunity of being able to practice with a few members of the guild. Whilst far from the best, I am also not the worst of the lot. Many thanks to you, my brother for your instruction.

Through all my adventuring, I was able to purchase a bow crafted by our own people. It was costly, though the merchant had undervalued the bow when I returned to pay the balance, I corrected him and paid him what he was due. The artisan of such a fine piece of weaponry should not be shorted what is deserved. The bow recieved a few appreciative looks, as is only right for one crafted with such beauty. I almost feel unworthy of weilding such a fine bow, my training session went so poorly. I am here to learn, so I hope to soon do the craftsmanship of our people justice.

But I know that my efforts are at least not in vain. Our rescue of the halfling Slewfoot from the goblin mine proved valuable. He was able to give the guild information about much of the goblin activity in the South, and now there has been a bounty posted for the goblin’s leader.

Not even a few days later, there was yet another attack, this time on our own tavern in the heart of town. And ogre and a handful of goblins attacked the Cleft Tombstone. How the fiends evaded the gate guard and made it through the town unnoticed is difficult to fathom. I slew two of the disgusting creatures easily before they escaped me. The resulting search had the entire guild combing the city and even Micah the Guildmaster and Darik the Armsmaster were assisting in the search. It proved fruitless.

The country here seems overrun, and if nothing is done, this pestilance can only spread into our own lands. I ask Solonor to bless my quest and to guide me in my ways.

Your loving sister,
Shallan

RP update

2005-09-27T19:44:00.000-04:00

I have been besieged by the dark bane of Tup’ware!

Being a glutton for punishment, I scheduled way too much today and entertained a ‘knight of the road’ in the house for the early afternoon. The usual crowd is coming early to revel in the birthday feast of Linora and Nature Tom. And continuing my self-appointed torture, a gaming session. Not that the latter half of the day is painful, far from it. It’s the preparations. And the cleaning. And the cooking. And the standing. Did I mention the cleaning? I pity the manor house cooks who do this for a living...

It was a bittersweet night. Nature Tom, known to all here as XLS, will be leaving for his journey of enlightenment come the end of the week. It should take him until Spring to return, assuming the scholars are not so difficult on him.

Once the troupe arrived from their day at the faire, we settled down and enjoyed a little entertainment and some delicious food. Once the cook had done his work, the evening’s feast was superb. Everyone had their fill and then some. Even the basement trolls appeared once or twice to gorge, then slithered back into their dark realm.

Our night of role playing went slow. Everyone was tired and even God was yawning. None of us could think clearly enough, due to the late night previous and God and Nature Tom had partied all the night previous. All in all, it was a leisurely evening, and I quite enjoyed myself with my two puddles of goblin goo.

(August 21, 2005)

Ghost's Letters Home

2005-09-27T19:41:00.000-04:00

Amin toror’,

My search continues for the reason behind the abundance of monsters in the human realm.

The mercenary guild does its best clearing out what we can while Andre and his gryphon mount have been out tirelessly, searching for disturbances. We hear tell of strange beings all over, and my heart is torn. These humans are being overrun, and yet our people are safe, confined to their own kingdom either unawares or turning a blind eye.

I have slowly been gaining the aquantance of a few guild members, who exchange assistance in fulfilling bounties posted almost daily in the guild hall. My usual companions number four, all humans. A rakish woman, Linora by name, a devout religious Cyneric, a wild naturalist, Thomas, and Ayman, mage student.

So far, our adventures have brought us far and wide, through a goblin nest, and clearing Corling town of bandits. There, Thomas met up with his superior, Garth.

Recently, there was an attack on Woodland town, and I fear that the monsters are either becoming more brazen or are being encouraged by something or someone we know not. Ogres, giants and goblins overran the town, being held back by a few regular townsguard and the guild itself. Many buildings were damaged in the resulting fires, but serious damage was avoided thanks to the nearby lake. The attack coincided with a Guild banquet hailing the retirement of Zachariah, the former Master at Arms. Darik the Bronze was named his successor, also brother to our sometimes companion Dwight the White, both descended from long lines of Paladins from Jovan. The timing of this raid causes me the most worry.

Our latest adventure has not lessened it. We cleared out a goblin mine to the south, freeing a Halfling slave by the name of Homer Slewfoot. Upon returning, we found a hobgoblin among our collected bounties. Locals claim to have extinguished that particular menace, so the signs are dark indeed. While meeting with the Treant Wormroot was a pleasure, his finesse in dealing with a two headed giant impressed me greatly.

Edwin, the barkeep at the Cleft Tombstone and inactive Guild member, has been a font of information. I plan on taking full advantage of his expertise. I have also had the privelidge of training with the new Arms Master, and have found him to be well trained and highly honorable, despite his slightly harsh attitude to his young errand boy.

We shall see what the new dawn brings, and hope that it’s light shall reveal more than today’s.

Ilya amin mela,
Shallan

The continuing adventures of a D&D geek

2005-09-27T19:39:00.000-04:00

The game has been going well, and we’re finally getting some personality into the characters. Our only drawback is that Nature Thomas, our druid is leaving for parts unknown. So, in order to continue with a fairly balanced campaign, we’ve been advertising for a replacement player. Preferably of the male persuasion, as God would now be completely alone. (Although, it is FAR more rare to find players of a female persuasion.)

Our first applicant, Brognor, was excellent. A bit of a nerd, proposing a standard rule and all at the end of our session. We must say the basement trolls had much chuckling going on when they heard him. But the game was exciting and full of adventure. God had a run for his money when Brognor had a better accent than Dwight the White.

The second applicant made me cringe. Tom and I, Ghost that is, interviewed him and were blown away. Usually someone at an interview only wants the best known about them. This wasn’t the case.

Usually, there are questions asked on both sides. Information about us, information about him. All of the information flowed one way, us asking him. Zargash had no interest in finding out what we were doing and how we did it. He commented that he hadn’t heard back from other groups in a few days, and I could see why. Most especially, his mention of his man-boobs and the leftover munchies in his computer keyboard really tipped the scales. God later commented that Zargash sounded like a rules nazi and was probably too caught up in reminiscing about former games. Living up to a former 5 year campaigner would be tough for anyone. My thoughts turned to finding odd things in the restroom following a night of bogged down role play. Not a pleasant thought.

Needless to say, with one abstention, the rest were in complete agreement. Zargash was a dud.

(August 17, 2005)

Jeditventures

Updating the D&D Blog

In Rinos things aren't what they appear

We've reached Rinos, picking up far too many prisoners on the road

On the road to Rinos, meeting much undead along the way

More with the goblin mine - we vanquish evil

Some letters sent from Joven

Into the endless goblin mine- a rescue mission filled with chaos and monsters

A letter to Cyneric's best friend

Logging Town, the Hidden Village, and monsters

Logging Town- spiders, goblins, and a missing halfling

Joven and Griff's Watch- Gnolls and Gates

Letter home to Are'thane

In Joven- problems caused by a wizard

A surplus of dragons and wyverns

Correcting My Own Misinformation...

Dorian's Adventure

Dragons and bears and bards, oh my!

Setting off from Woodland on the way to Joven

Back in Woodland

The Friar Dilemma: RP Update

Festival: RP Update

Randomness, alias: Don't bother reading

Dinner and a movie

Toys on the side

Long time no post...: RP update

Top Ten

Pffft..."I don't think I'll be checking for track marks now.": RP Update

Pondering the *sip* consequences

Shoupty Jiltens: RP update

Behind the scenes

Removing a curse

Ghost's Letters Home

Dragon dreams

Three whole weeks!

The following night

A shared nightly watch

Ghost's Letters Home

RP update

Ghost's Letters Home

The continuing adventures of a D&D geek

Pondering the sip consequences