3. Marie's Diary - Notes of a travelling hin

Marie's Diary - Notes of a travelling hin


  • The Twentyninth of Mirtul, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    True to my prediction, I met another bear, and another wolf. Things are starting to heat up, and I don't think it will be long until I finally go on the hunt for Ong-Lameth.

    A merchant came into town, wide eyed and looking like he'd been through the hells. He told us of a giant brown bear, it attacked his caravan full of food. He ran off, leaving the guards to fend for themselves.

    As soon as I heard this, I knew what it was we faced. Another man-eater, another bear in the tribe of Ong-Lameth. Several adventurers went with me, keen to do what they could but not knowing anything of what they were about to face.

    When we got to the spot where the attack occurred, there was no sign of the bear, or the guards. What there was, was a destroyed wagon, two corpses that had been ripped apart and partially eaten, and a series of bear paw marks in the soft ground.

    We searched the area, and soon we encountered another wolf. Sniper of the Pits. He tried to give us a warning, but we were quickly set upon by the great brown bear, Kalin-Inogarr. His hide seemed to be impervious to magic, with any spell cast at him bouncing off his huge frame.

    He barrelled forward and attacked us. I managed to stun him for a few moments, but as soon as he came to he realised the danger he was in and retreated as fast as I could follow him.

    Devlin, Chasen and I pursued him until we lost sight of him, but his tracks led off into the gnoll woods. As we were about to head off and get the others, Sniper stepped out of the trees. Many of them started demanding answers, trying to work out what was happening, and why. Sniper's appearance didn't help that at all, as he looks like a hellhound, even though he is not evil.

    I did my best to explain what I could for them, and after a while they grudgingly accepted my explanations, then asked Sniper to track Kalin-Inogarr if he could.

    We headed into the woods together, Linn and Kaetlyn using their magics and blessings to augment Devlin, Chasen, and myself, whilst Shea and Kala stayed back and kept an eye out for trouble.

    Several gnolls tried to inconvenience us without success when we came across what appeared to be the entire forest's population of brown bears. It seems that Kalin-Inogarr had taken control of them, and was going to use them to defend himself. Left with no choice, we slaughtered our way through them all, until we finally faced him.

    A mighty battle ensued, his claws and bite taking out chunks of flesh as we fought to end his life and the tyranny that he brought with him. It finished with a flurry of fist strikes and sword arcs, as he fell to the forest floor.

    I'm not sure why, but at that time, there was something inside me that urged me to take out my skinning knife, and take his hide for myself. After evaluating that thought for a moment, I followed my urge, and presented the skin to Sniper of the Pits. He, in turn, told me to keep it, and do with it as I wished.

    After we returned to town, and dealt with the gruesome business of the dead caravan guards, I went to the craft hall, and spent some time working the hide, evaluating it and carefully measuring and cutting it. After a night's solid work, I had a new cloak.

    I can honestly say that this cloak is an absolute marvel to behold. I have never in my life seen anything as powerful as this, and it augments my own abilities so well, it is almost as if the gods are looking out for me.

    I'm not going to dye it at all, or change it in any way. I'd hate to ruin such perfection… and I can honestly say that I do not believe I will ever again make as magnificent a cloak as this one.

    I will wear it all of my days, in honour of Stormfang, who fell to the minions of Ong-Lameth.

    May his hunt be ever fruitful in the afterlife.


  • The Twentyfirst of Mirtul, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    Seems like the gods are testing me at the moment. Not sure which gods, or why, but I had something troubling happen today, all because I didn't know enough about the tallie gods.

    The day started off well enough. I was with Linn in Peltarch, sitting in the commons. She was talking to a guy called Braeth, who apparently had been gone for a long time, when a lady came along. Seems that she's been away a long time as well, and the two of them started getting caught up with what had been happening.

    They were previously married, so they seemed to hone in on one another and ignore Linn and I. I tried to start a general conversation, but that didn't work. So, instead, we made our way to Oscura to bother the Kuo-tua and see if maybe we could find some scrolls for Linn.

    As we got off the boat, we encountered a young lady who was being hassled by one of Mr Smith's men. Linn paid for her freedom before I could even get the coins out of my pocket, and we spoke with her. She seemed reluctant to talk to us at first, but after a bit of probing, we found out why.

    It seems that word has gotten around that the Sisterhood will bail out people who get into debt with Mr Smith, so there are some folks in Oscura who are getting into trouble and earning as much coin as they can, all the while expecting that we will save them from their own troubles!

    She herself was doing that, and she knew of several others who either had, or were intending to do the same thing. I tried to explain to her that all they had to do was come to us and ask for aid, and we would do what we could to help them, that there was no need for deceit. But I think it fell on deaf ears. She was more interested in the fact that she was now rather well off, and headed off to get a boat home to Damara.

    She did give me one useful piece of information though. If one was to go to the Wailing Banshee tavern, and sit at a table alone, with an empty box open on the table in front of them, one of Mr Smith's men would contact them about getting some work.

    I'm going to have to let Adelie and Reriana know about that one, I know they'll be interested in getting that information themselves.

    Anyway, once the situation with her was resolved, I spoke to Yuki briefly about the possibility of a special order. She had actually recently received a special order, from a retired purple dragon knight, and had completed the order for him, although she had no idea what a knight would do with something that can only be used by an unarmed specialist like myself. So, she recommended I seek him out, and perhaps he would part with it for a price.

    Linn and I found him in the back of the Mithril Mug tavern. He was sitting with his comrades and drinking quietly. I approached him and asked him about the special order, which sent them into fevered whispering. After a while though, he advised me that he would give it to me, in exchange for a sword that a former comrade of his had borrowed and never returned. He gave me their location and name, so we headed to the Oscuran Temple, and found ourselves in the area devoted to the worship of Shar.

    Now, prior to this I had never heard of Shar, nor had any experience with her followers. The place seemed forboding and weird, but much of Oscura seems that way to me. Linn had said quietly that she thought this was a bad idea, but I had no idea why she was saying that.

    In any case, I approached one of the priests there, and asked him if he knew where I could find the man I sought. He replied, that in exchange for a sacrifice to his mistress, he would aid me. And an acceptable sacrifice was not coin, but rather, a well guarded secret.

    With my worship of Brandobaris, there is much that he concerns himself with that is secret and hidden, so this didn't seem too unusual for me. I approached the altar as he directed me to, and whispered my secret to the altar. It seemed to be acceptable, because after a few flashing lights had gone off around me, he advised me that he would go and get who it was I sought. The altar itself felt… wrong... although at the time I wasn't sure why. As soon as I felt that, I should have turned around and walked out, but I didn't. Celestia only knows why I didn't.

    A man in fullplate, covered from head to toe with not a single inch of skin showing, came out with the priest after a few minutes. We spoke for a time, him asking me why I wanted the sword, who had sent me, who I worshipped, and so on. It never clicked for me why he seemed so confused as to why I would do so much for a simple item, and why I follow a god like Brandobaris if I am seeking power. There was something unnerving about him, the way that he spoke, and even the way he listened, like he was weighing up my words very carefully before he accepted them as truth.

    Finally, he asked my name, and once I gave that to him, he handed me the sword and said his farewell. So Linn and I made our way back to the Mithril Mug, handed over the sword, and in return I received a magical cloak that helps protect my mind better.

    When we left, Linn told me that I had made a mistake. When I asked her about it, she explained for me that Shar is a very, very evil goddess. Honestly, if I had known that, I would have walked away rather than go into her worship area. No item is worth the cost of dealing with one such as her.

    I still have the cloak, but I'm not sure what I should do with it. There's a part of me that wants to destroy it, to punish myself for being so reckless and willing to deal with powers unknown simply to attain a magical item, when I didn't even know what it did. There's another part of me that wants to give it to someone who has a need for it, so that some good might come of all this. Regardless of what I do, I know I can't keep it.

    I've resolved to spend what spare time I have now in the libraries of the region, learning all I can about the different gods. I don't want to get caught out like that again. Linn was very upset about it, and I can understand why, now that I know what I do.

    I apologised to her, for being so foolhardy. She, in turn, told me that it was okay, as long as I did my best to not make the same mistake again. I don't think I can afford to, a soul can only take so much darkness before it falls into the depths, and that is a place I do not want to go.

    May all the gods protect me from my own foolishness.


  • The Thirtieth of Tarsakh, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Norwick
    Weather: Raining

    I won the boxing contest at Fight Night! I'm still pretty surprised that I did, and I know that I wasn't competing against the toughest boxers in the region, but I still won, and for now I'm the champion. I even have a belt that proves it.

    I was in Norwick just as the registrations were being accepted for the boxing, and it was then that I found out that Yana, Dietrick, and Telli would not be competing this month. So, once the rules were confirmed for me, I took the ring and defeated all comers. I only had to fight twice… my first opponent disappeared before he even entered the ring! In the final, I took on General Lyte, a very tough swordswoman. She got in some good hits, and she had defeated Devlin to get there, so I definitely feel like I earnt the title.

    As I stood in the ring with her, it felt like that time that I took on the Hin Fist disciple in the Valley Dojo. My mind was buzzing with possibilities, and my fists itched, ready to bring all my skills to bear. But this time, I was more prepared. I had watched her fight Devlin already, so I had some idea of her fighting style and skills, and I was determined to go in as hard and as fast as I could. This time there would be no stunning blows, no tripping attacks, just a flurry of precise shots to exact as much punishment on her body as I could in as short a time as possible.

    I focussed my sight on her, and channeled all of my ki into my body, focussing on my fists and feet. To move like water, rushing quickly from blow to blow, to strike like rain on a stone. And to move with her blows, absorbing them and reducing their impact, in the same way that a moment after a rock falls into a calm pool, all that remains to show its presence is a ripple.

    Finally, I felt time slow as Aramuil called for us to begin, and I moved with speed towards her, striking a mighty blow to begin my attack. She reeled slightly, not expecting the power behind it, but quickly returned her own blows. She struggled to land a hit on me initially, but once she worked out how I was dodging, she had some more success.

    But, I did not relent. I did not give her an inch. For just as the waterfall strikes the boulder without cease, eroding it over time, my blows were able to wear her down, eventually bringing her to her knees.

    Aramuil presented me with the winners belt, and I went back to the crowd, still a bit daunted by the whole thing. But it reminded me of a talk I had with a new friend less than a week prior...

    Her name is Shea. She says she's a wolf, even though she looks like a human and uses blessings like a druid. Alexi tells me that it's not impossible, so accept her for who she is and worry about other things later.

    She travels with a wolf that she says is her sister, and the wolf's name is Kala. Both of them seem very nice, and open and honest. Shea cares for Alexi as if he was "of her pack" as she calls it, and I'm glad that there's someone else who does that now. I can't always be there for him, so to have another set of eyes on him is welcome.

    In any case, we were talking in the Peltarch docks when she mentioned something in passing about Istishia. He's the god of the waters, and he's also the one that the spirit of water that is bonded to me worships. But it seems that she follows Istishia, as her whole pack apparently does. Now, I've not met a follower of Istishia since I made my bonding, and I've felt a need to find out more about him for a while because of that bonding.

    So, I took her to the bathhouse, and she shared with me about Istishia, about what his concerns are, how he interacts with his followers, and what he expects of them.

    I've followed Brandobaris and Sheela Peryroyl all my life, and I never even thought about why I followed them before this day. But I do know that for quite some time, my prayers have felt more hollow, and I struggle to place my faith in them. I feel... disconnected, in a sense.

    Maybe I never really followed them at all, I just did what everyone else in my family did without thought.

    But as she spoke about Istishia, I felt it resonate within me, like it just felt right. Like it was something that I was missing.

    She told me though, that Istishia does not act for his followers, he instead encourages them to act on their faith, and to prove themselves. The gifts that his followers have, are a result of their own faith, not something bestowed to them from on high. Everything they have, they must work for, everything they want they must obtain themselves.

    My victory in the boxing was not a gift from a god, nor was it something that they have guided me to.. rather, it was something that was earnt through hard work and dedication.

    I still believe that the gods have put us all here for a reason, and that everyone has their place, that we all have a job to do. That everything that happens, happens for a reason.

    But maybe there's more to it than just accepting life at face value.


  • The Twentysecond of Ches, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    The weather's starting to warm up again. With it I see the signs of new life around me, in the plants and creatures of the realms, and in the people that live here.

    I saw Juli again today, and Nure. It's been good to catch up with some of the Sisters, to know that they're still around and willing to be a part of things. Seems like Juli's been working on her poetry and rhyming skills at the college.

    I gave Terren the boots he needs to make a magical set for me, as well as a second pair, should he need them for anything. I hope he can use them in enchanting for someone else, it will help him make a bit more coin. And if Myeil ever pulls herself out of the Spellweaver Keep, I'll pay for the set she was supposed to be making for me as well, and find someone who needs a pair.

    I also got to catch up with Marty. Seems she's been away in Kara-Tur on a diplomatic mission for the last five months. She saw a lot of interesting things, and has picked up some new ideas and trinkets. I hope it was worth her time away from the Sisterhood, we really need her leadership at this time.

    Oh, and I had an interesting trip with Adelie and Linn. They were headed into the Underdark, to take out some Duergar. Having never been there, I asked if I could tag along, to which they agreed. We travelled to Oscura and made our way into the old mines… but as we were about to head in, Caldor joined us.

    I'm not sure if he's suicidal, or just isn't aware of what he's doing, but he went in with us with very few potions, and then drew monster after monster away from Adelie and onto him. Now... he's not a melee fighter. He's an archer, and he's even squishier than I am, so that's not a very smart tactic. Won't keep you alive very long either.

    Adelie got upset with him after a while and went silent, focussing on the task at hand and largely ignoring him. He seemed to get the point until we were deep in the Duergar caves and had to engage them at range, across water so that we could cross a bridge that they were guarding. Adelie called for him to aid her with his bow, and he stepped in as she requested, but he didn't seem to take any notice of the arrows flying into his flesh.

    Each time he fell back, he was near death from wounds and blood loss. In the end, I had to give him some of my own potions just to keep him alive... and that doesn't count the ones I had to use on myself to heal the damage that he dealt to me when he "accidentally" shot me with an arrow himself.

    Eventually though, we got out alive and well. I managed to help out Adelie and Linn by tripping over some of the duergar, and even killed a few of them. I also kept the healing going as much as I could for Adelie... even with as tough as she is, she needed a fair bit of it.

    I hope I can go back there with them some time soon, I learnt a lot watching the way that they fight, and the few combats I got involved with really stretched me. A few more trips down there, and I know that I'll get better with my fighting technique.

    The trip also taught me that I'm never going to be able to match Adelie in combat. She's just too strong. Even with all the magic spells on me that a high level mage or priest could cast, she would be stronger than me, and certainly hurt her foe a lot more. So, I guess I need to work more on the different techniques that I use, to work out how I can aid her in combat, rather than trying to do what she does.

    So, tripping monsters over, stunning them, and hit and run tactics seem to be the way forward for me. A stand up fight just isn't going to cut it.

    It's trying to fight like a warrior that will get me killed.


  • The Nineteenth of Alturiak, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Norwick
    Weather: Sunny

    I'm getting closer and closer to mastering my ki. The spirit of water that resides within me has granted me another boon, protecting me from the flames that I oppose.

    It happened whilst I was in the Underdark with Benji, Albryanna, Nure, Belma'r, Devlin, Theon, Lyte, Yana, and Alexi. Benji wanted to get some kind of stone that the magic eaters body contained, and so he had organised a party to go and retrieve one. Apparently it's for a new invention that he wants to try and make.

    So we travelled from Norwick through the cemetary and into the underdark, to that large underground lake. There we were attacked by umberhulks and hooked horrors, but it was nothing that the party couldn't handle.

    But as we continued on our trip, I could feel something within the lake calling out to me, as if it recognised some part of me as being kin to itself. I stayed as close to the water as I could, and opened myself to it's influence.

    Finally, it happened. We were almost upon the magic eaters when we came across something called a skindancer. Seeing that my allies were split between several targets, I stowed my sling and leapt into melee with the skindancer, dealing it a series of savage blows.

    As it lay dead at my feet, I felt the water within my soul moving, encircling me and lifting me up, empowering me with the strength and speed I needed to continue on my path. Now, I fear no flames, and I know that the time is coming where I will complete my bonding to the water spirit, that it and I will truly become one.

    In any case, from there on in for the rest of the trip I stood in melee as much as I dared, aiding my allies with the defeat of two magic eaters. We all made it back to Norwick safely, and departed on good terms.

    Benji is ecstatic that we got not one, but two of the stones he sought, and apparently they are fairly powerful stones as well. He's asked me to hold onto them for the moment, keep them safe for him.

    I know now that the fire that was previously within me has gone, replaced with the light bonding of the water spirit. It speaks to me, guiding me in my actions and in my movements.

    To be like water.


  • The Fourth of Alturiak, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Cold and windy

    I met the most singularly unusual animal that I have ever come across today. Who would have thought that a wolf would learn how to use tools?

    I had travelled south to the Spider Woods, to get some large hides for the cloak for Attentus. Sneaking past the spiders went fine, and then I got to the Cat Cave. They didn't notice me there, so I snuck through and only killed the ones I had to.

    I was almost to the centre of the cave when I smelt blood ahead of me, and wet fur. Peeking my head around the corner, I could see dead cat bodies everywhere. Cougars, Krenshars, even Crag Cats. And in the middle of all the corpses was a massive brown bear.

    He caught my scent, and gave out a large roar, charging towards me. I tried to stun him, my aim was true, and yet I could not even get through his thick hide with my punch, let alone hurt him. Realising that I was in dire peril, I turned on my heels and ran, the giant brown bear on my tail and roaring at me, as if trying to get me to stop so he could eat me.

    I managed to gain some ground on him, and drank a potion of invisibility. Partially to see if he could still track me then, and partially because I hadn't harmed any of the cats that I hadn't had to, and the last thing I needed when on the run from a vicious bear was to be cornered by cats.

    I eventually managed to make it outside, but he still continued on my trail, determined to turn me into a tasty hin sized snack. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large and extremely agile Winter Wolf appeared. He held in his mouth a sickle, and seemed to bounce from tree to tree, gaining height, then diving down with the sickle to cut at the flesh at the back of the neck of the bear.

    After maybe a minute of this, the bear gave up and ran off into its cave, leaving the wolf and I to our own devices.

    Thinking that perhaps this wolf was allied with Ragefang, I offered him my thanks for his rescue. He responded in common, and we talked for a time. It seems that he and his pack were once servants of a monk temple, working there as attack dogs. They were treated as holy animals, and the monks trained them as best as they could. It was from this that they developed their unusual fighting skills and intelligence.

    But, the bears came and killed their masters, so now the wolves of his pack have sworn revenge for this injustice. Once I heard what had happened, I swore to aid them in their task.

    It seems that the packs are still gathering, still consolidating. And I have a feeling that I will meet all five bears, and all five pack leaders before a final confrontation occurs… this has all the hallmarks of destiny and fate.

    The Winter Wolf departed into the trees, jumping from branch to branch until he was up in the canopy. Once up there, he proceeded to run across the branches, staying safe high above the forest floor.

    I myself proceeded to leave, sneaking out past the spiders again and made my way back to Peltarch.

    And as luck would have it, I managed to make that cloak for Attentus on the third try. So I won't need to travel down there again for a while, unless the wolves call on me to aid them.

    I hope when the time comes, that I'll be strong enough.


  • The Twentyninth of Hammer, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Sunny

    Again, I feel conflicted. Things seem to go up and down like a frog that can't decide which log he wants to be on. Backwards and forwards, up and down, never stopping here or there.

    I was in the commons earlier where I was treated to a hilarious dance by Aelthas that he swears he never did… even though his wife Lycka sat there and laughed with the rest of us. After that, she gave us a taste of a performance that is going to be coming up soon at the Theatre... even though she's pretty heavily pregnant she could still give a great showing.

    Alexi, Nora, and I then went west to get Nora some hides for her crafting. I got to see worgs for the first time, and winter wolves. Both are pretty nasty, and the worgs seem to scare Nora a fair bit. Neither really bothered me, even though the winter wolves breath this blast of cold at you when they're cranky.

    Alexi had a lot of fun though, running around and bopping things, calling out "Merchant Punch!" and other such silliness. It was great to see him in such a good mood... it's the Alexi that I first met, and definitely the one I fell in love with.

    After that, we headed back to the fire to cook the meat, and he treated us to a show of merchant powers, including the merchant tumble and slip, the merchant leap frog, the merchant explosion, and the merchant cooking show.

    Nora headed off to do some crafting, and I went to get a little shut eye. When I woke up, I asked around and a guard told me that he'd seen Nora, Alexi, and Nure headed out west again, and that they'd been saying something about orcs and a cave.

    So I headed out there and found them, but to my horror something nasty had happened. Alexi had come across a pair of boots that were cursed, with big rusty nails pointing into the sole of them. Of course, when he touched the boots they magically jumped onto his feet and drove the nails in!

    We walked as a group back to town, him getting paler and paler with every step until we got to the temple, and they were able to remove the curse. His good mood was gone, he was obviously in pain, and then he still had to remove the boots. It was all I could do to hold his hand and not watch as they were taken off his feet, blood and fluid flowing freely from the wounds. Some of them were so deep I'm surprised they didn't come all the way through the top of his feet.

    But he didn't cry out... he barely flinched at all. I'm not sure how he managed that... I know I would have screamed the place down.

    We went together, the four of us, to the bathhouse. There, we relaxed in the water whilst Alexi bathed and treated his feet. He wouldn't let me look at them, let alone touch them to aid him... like he was worried how I would react to seeing how badly he was hurt.

    I bought myself a bathhouse membership, a set of red bathers, and some rose scented massage oil for Alexi's feet. I gave it to him, and promised to rub his feet for him when they were healed enough for me to touch. I think he understands.

    We spent several hours there talking and trying to keep Alexi company, keep his mind off the pain. After a while though, he left, saying that he wanted to walk some of the tension out of his feet.

    He came back half an hour later, with a new lady. Said her name was Sofhina. She joined us in the bath, and then Alexi went around giving us each a massage, and a small coin purse to enjoy ourselves on a "ladies only night".

    He's in horrible pain, and all he can do is think of others.

    She agreed to work with him, seeing his kindness and generosity, as well as his honour. There were four of us in there, all ladies in swimsuits, and he wouldn't look below our necklines, even when giving us a massage.

    Alexi was about to head off to get some rest when Reriana came in, looking horribly lost. She couldn't remember any of us, couldn't even remember her name... said she was Yarah, and that she got out of prison in Waterdeep only a week ago.

    Alexi helped her to remember things momentarily with his powder, but once the effect wore off, she forgot everything again.

    Seems like her past life before coming to Narfell has caught up with her emotionally. Nure and I did our best to explain things for her, help her out, but she was determined to travel back to Waterdeep and "take care of unfinished business". She gave me her Sisterhood Gloves and asked me to return them to get some of my coin back, but I'm going to hold onto them for when she gets back. She said it'll probably be a year until she comes back, if she's ever going to.

    I gave her every invisibility potion I had, and gave her a hug, to say goodbye. I hope that it doesn't end like the last time something like this happened. Nure says that she'll definitely be back, but I don't know. If she can't remember who she is now, or anything that's happened since that time in Waterdeep, then how will she know to come back to us?

    I already miss her.


  • The First of Hammer, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    I've had five things happen since my last entry that I need to write about. And they all happened one after the other, so this is probably going to be a long entry.

    I was in town in the commons, relaxing one early evening, when Merial, Attentus, and Adelie came in, laden with treasure. I joined them on their way to the market, and we were able to catch up on what had been happening.

    Seems that they'd been out in the Kuo-tua, looking for scrolls for Attentus and Adelie. We chatted whilst they split their takings, and Attentus asked me if I knew anyone who could make a fine cloak so that he could enchant it. Of course, I replied that I can make such a thing, and he's agreed to make me a magical ring for the cost of the reagents only in exchange for it! So soon I'll have another ring to add to my collection. If he has time later, he's also willing to make me the rest of the set I'm after, so now all I need to do is wait and I'll eventually have a ring of every energy type to protect me against magics.

    He went and got some rest, and once he came back, Adelie asked if we would join her for a trip to the kobolds to get some copper ore for her to practice with. Of course, Attentus and I were only too willing, so we headed south.

    It's the first time I've been to the spot where I died since that time. I was a bit nervous, but Attentus used a lot of magics on me to protect me and make me stronger, so things turned out well. That, and Adelie took the point position, leaving me as flanker. Exactly where I need to be. Whilst in there, I was lucky enough to find a set of cold damage monk gloves to replace the ones I gave away to Rowan, so now I have all the different types that can be found in this land again.

    We found the ore that Adelie was after, and she mined what she could, the three of us sharing the burden of carrying it. I was initially surprised that Attentus was going to be carrying ore, seeing he's a mage and all, but then he told me he was going to turn into an umberhulk to carry it!

    I've only ever seen an umberhulk when I was in the underdark with Benji, and they weren't exactly friendly. This time I got to look at it more closely, and I have to say I'm impressed with their claws. I think that with a bit of work, Benji could probably turn a set of them into some nasty gloves. I'll have to mention that to him.

    Anyway, we made our way out slowly, the kobolds leaving us to our own devices. When we got about half way, Attentus put his claw down for me, and motioned for me to climb onto it! I did, and he lifted me up and sat me on his shoulder. The view was great from so high up, and it was a lot of fun to ride something so big. Plus, it meant I didn't need to carry the ore out by myself.

    We went back to town and to the crafters hall, where Adelie spent a day and a night solid crafting, practicing her weapon smithing. After that, she was exhausted, and went to the inn to sleep. Attentus too went off for some rest, and I thought I was going to be alone for a while, when lo and behold, I find Alexi in the commons, waiting for me with a smile on his face.

    He told me that that day was the day that we could finally go out for our picnic. I was so happy, I felt like things were coming together again in just the way I wanted them to. So we stopped by his storage chest and collected our picnic basket, then made our way out of town to our secret hideaway.

    He lay the blanket out, and put the food and drinks down for us, then motioned for me to sit next to him. I happily padded over and sat, then he picked me up and put me in his lap!

    We spent the next few hours cuddling and talking, playing and feeding one another. It was more than I could have hoped for. I know now that there's nothing that can take us away from one another. Nothing.

    I affirmed again my love for him, and I think that he feels the same way I do now. I know I have to wait, to see what the future will hold, and yet in my heart, things could not be better. He's as much a part of my being now as my mind, or my soul.

    But, we didn't get to finish our picnic, in fact, we never got past the first course. I was about to pour Alexi a drink when a giant white bear wandered into the cave. Alexi tells me that it was a polar bear, and I could tell it was a particularly big and cranky one from his reaction to seeing it.

    I didn't know what to do! I'd taken off all my jewellery, my boots, my gloves, even my belt, because I was relaxing and having a quiet picnic. Alexi tried to talk to it, but it ignored his words and instead charged at him! He pushed me off his lap and bore the brunt of it's brutal attack. It just about disembowelled him with a few lazy paw strikes before I managed to stun it so we could escape.

    We ran out of there as quickly as we could, leaving it sniffing the air, looking for us. But then, we heard a chorus of howls on the wind. It seemed to hear them too, and lumbered off into the Giantspire Mountains, away from the howls.

    Alexi and I followed cautiously to investigate, unsure of where the bear was going or why. We weren't able to find it in the mountains, but we were attacked by a manticore that found us. So we headed back out of the mountains, and were about to make our way to the safety of town when we were approached by a pack of wild dogs, led by a great silver hound.

    Unsure of how to react to this, I left it to Alexi to advise me. Well, you can imagine mine and his surprise when the silver hound spoke to us in clear common! He told us that he and his pack, and the other packs that are all under his leader, are hunting several bears, including the one that attacked us. Five bears in total, great in size and power. They are man hunters, and vicious in the extreme.

    Alexi and I agreed to aid them, fearing what would happen should the bears attack travellers in the realm who would be caught as unprepared as we were. So, in a months time, we will go together to the mountains to aid them in the hunt. We need to wait for the other packs to join them, so that they will be strong enough to face their foes.

    So… with that all sorted out, the wild dogs departed into the Giantspires themselves to find shelter and rest from their long journey. Alexi and I collected our belongings that we left behind in our hideaway, and we went back to town.

    Alexi has assured me that we can have another picnic soon, but I know it won't be until this threat is removed. And I have to agree with that, as much as I would love to go back there right now and climb into his lap. It's not worth the risk of being eaten alive by an angry polar bear.

    I just hope that we're able to remove this threat before someone dies.


  • The Twentyfifth of Nightal, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: The Druid Glenn
    Weather: Dry and sunny

    I'm not sure what I can write about today. Things have been pretty quiet for me since the last entry. I haven't really done anything asides from meet with people and travel for the last few days, which is very unusual for me.

    The Grapevine Inn is finally running smoothly again. Now that Kresha is spending so much of her time there, it's freed me up to do more of my own work outside of Norwick. The books are looking a little healthier, and although a lot of the Sisters have been busy and unable to spend time together, I think that the Sisterhood is moving forward well.

    I'm not sure the same can be said about the Hin Defense League. I haven't seen, or heard anything from Dietrick for a long while now, and he is really the only one that has had anything to do with it for me since I joined. He seemed to return from wherever he was like a whirlwind, get caught up in things, and then depart just as quickly. I love the Silver Valley, and I want to see my people protected, but without leadership, direction, support, or anything else that is required, I don't think there's much I can do. I certainly can't protect the whole thing by myself.

    Work with Alexi has been slow, ever since the incident with Lia. I know he's still sorting himself out to a degree, and that there are always things that take precedence over one of his outings, but I worry that he is becoming weary of his life here.

    And yet, I feel a closer bond to him than before now. It's not what is said, but the things that pass between us without words; a glance, a shared thought, an incidental touch. Perhaps there is more than his duty now that keeps him here?

    In any case, I do miss a lot of my Sisters. I haven't seen Shade in a long time… she wrote to us and said that she would be away for a while due to problems back home. Reriana has been feeling down about life and has kept to herself... I guess she feels at a loose end, unsure of where to go next. I lent her some coin to help her out, she's always giving to others without thought so the least I could do is help her out.

    Marty's still stuck in town hall, busy with her paperwork. Molova has disappeared completely, rumours say that she's departed for another realm. Julinda has been busy with her work with the Bardic College, Silmiel is busy adventuring and spending time with Hedia, Adelie has been doing a lot of mining and work with the defenders, and Danika seems to have gone on walkabout.

    Kitty joined us and then moved on, seemingly following the will of her god. I also haven't seen Nyda in a while, and I can't recall ever meeting Coravel or Rilia. Yana, well, she's doing her quiet work in Peltarch as a guard, and doing her best to watch over the ladies who live and work there, especially in the soup kitchen.

    Alestra seems to have taken to her work in the Norwick Militia with what passes with her as joy. A lot of her time is spent guarding the gate, speaking to travellers as they move through the town, and generally doing her best to make things work. I still struggle to connect with her in some ways, but of all the Sisters, she's the one I've spent the most time with lately. Everyone else seems to just be caught up in something else.

    Nure has been busy, and yet never where I am. And of all the Sisters, she is the one that I should be closest to. I worry about her... something seems to have changed in her lately, and not for the best. With all the troubles lately with Mr Smith, she's taking things personally and far too harshly.

    I finally caught up with her for a bit today, she even brought me to the Druid Glenn to show me the fey that she had found living here. We kept a respectful distance as we watched them frolic and play together. Here, for them, there is no separation of family, no sounds of sorrow and heartache. They laugh and are joyful, they relax and find peace in their surroundings.

    I wish that everyone could live such happy and peaceful lives as they do.


  • The Twentyfirst of Nightal, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    Well, the last few days have been much better. I got to spend some time with Linn and Adelie, and that always means some good training and coin.

    We started with the orc cave, the one where they have those nasty spellcasters and the elf slayer? Well, Caldor joined us for that one, and his bow was very helpful. It got hairy at times, but I think we all worked well together.

    At one point, Adelie rushed a spellcaster who had thrown up a tentacle field. She got hit by one of the tentacles and get held in place, unable to move. Seeing that she was in trouble, I ran in and knocked the caster over. I kept him on the ground and pummeled him until he died. Adelie was able to get back and into things again, but her thanks afterwards reassured me that I was right in acting as I did.

    Whilst we were in there, we came across a vein of copper. Adelie took some time to mine it, and we headed back to town, our packs full of loot and ore.

    We spent a while in town after that… Adelie practiced her weaponsmithing and Linn and I chatted about things. Caldor headed off to get some rest, seems he was pretty tired. He certainly wasn't his bubbly, normal self, it was like something was bringing him down. I do hope that he doesn't let the set-back of his death the other day keep him down too long.

    Linn's been able to spend time with Kama lately, and is feeling a lot better for it. I'm glad for her, I remember how hard it was for me to not see Alexi whilst he was out of town. You always worry about them, trying to think the best but fearing the worst. It's like the gods knew the joy that partners can bring to one another, and so they put doubt in the hearts of mortals to offset it.

    I don't doubt Alexi's intentions, nor his actions. Never have. But I still worry about what if something were to happen to him. He's a gentle soul, but when things really go badly, if he's alone? I'm not sure he can get himself out of trouble.

    Anyway, we were in town for maybe a day, and then Adelie and Linn wanted to head out to the ogres for some exercise. So we packed ourselves up and headed out again, but this time I stopped by Lennys and got myself a ring that absorbs fire. I am NOT going to be caught out like I was last time, and the absolute last thing I need is to be fried to a crisp.

    Once we got there though, the difference between how the three of us work together, and how I've worked with others became very, very apparent.

    Adelie ripped the ogres apart like they were training dummies. Linn stayed hidden and buffed her with spell after spell, whilst I joined in where I could and grabbed all the loot that I could see.

    It felt glorious to come out of there alive and knowing that we had triumphed over them again. So much better than my last two trips out there. There were no unpleasant surprises, no big problems. I'm getting closer to where I was before I fell, I can feel it. My body is starting to speed up again, my reflexes are getting sharper... soon I'll be back in full fighting condition.

    And yet, the road goes on forever ahead of me.


  • The Twelth of Nightal, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    Well, I almost died again… but this time it was due to no fault of my own, nor anyone elses... rather it was just a very, very tough situation.

    I was out with Adelie, she wanted to go to the Kobold caves. I hadn't told her yet about how I fell, I decided to instead jump straight back into it and do my best to not let that one mistake hold me down.

    So we made our way in, and had cleared the first section when we heard a loud rolling of thunder, and the ground shook as if something very powerful was moving.

    We headed out of the cave to try and see if we could work out what was causing it, and down to the south, above the crossroads and the hole that was Sam's Hill, we could see a huge bank of billowing, grey and black clouds. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and there were even blasts of fire!

    Adelie wanted to check it out, so I tagged along, figuring that at the least I could stand at the back and take notes as she did her thing.

    When we got down there, it seemed as if others had come to investigate the storm as well. Raul was there, and so was Belia, and Caldor. The wind was howling, the rain was bucketing down, and I felt we were lucky to not get hit by the lightning or the strange fire bursts. But the strangest thing was that the storm seemed to be summoning elemental spirits from somewhere, and they were not happy about our presence there.

    We were attacked again and again... I was hit several times by a fire spirit and had to step back and heal myself or I would have fallen.

    Eventually we found what we thought was causing the storm, a druid who was the one calling the spirits out. He told us that he and his circle were under attack by a cabal of red wizards, and he told us that if we took them out for him that he would dismiss the storm.

    The others seemed to think this a fair deal, so we followed his directions and headed to the north and west, towards the gnoll woods. As we got closer, we could see that there were elemental spirits there too, but the spirits of air and water were fighting the spirits of fire.

    There was a red wizard there as well, he was the one controlling the fire spirits. Adelie led the charge in to battle. I'm not sure how or why it happened, but we were outclassed. Belia, Raul, Caldor and Nora all fell... I almost fell but retreated to heal myself. I was able to bring Nora back from the brink with a healing berry, and Raul seemed to get up a few moments after he stopped breathing, full of vigor and life. Adelie herself was bleeding really badly, but we defeated the wizard and headed into the woods after I took the bodies of the fallen, and their goods, up to the legion tower for safe keeping.

    As we were about to head in, Theon came down the path. We explained the situation to him, and he quickly joined us, hoping to end a vile threat. So together with our numbers reduced and our resources dwindling, we walked into whatever was awaiting us.

    At the entrance of the woods, we were confronted by several red wizards. Adelie asked to speak with their leader, and so she was led away to negotiate.

    Raul stalked after her, staying out of sight of the wizards with the intent of watching her back. He came to us after a few minutes, and motioned for us to move forward, but stay out of sight.

    When we got close enough, we could hear the negotiations. Adelie agreed with the wizards that we would help them defeat the druids! Turns out that the druids were followers of Talos, and so they too were evil.

    Unsure of why the turnabout in our plans, I silently followed the others and joined the mages in their defensive position, waiting for the druid attack that they knew was imminent. We didn't have to wait long... they attacked one at a time with their elemental spirits. And one at a time, we defeated them.

    Then, when the wizards thought all was done and dusted, Adelie turned on them and called for us to do the same.

    We defeated them as well, and once we stood triumphant over them, Adelie explained that she gave her word to both sides, and kept it as well, intending on defeating both foes to remove their evil from the land. She's a crafty one, and it's thinking like that that Brandobaris would be proud of.

    Once we had gathered their things, we made our way to the Legion Tower, and Theon was able to bring back both Belia and Caldor. Then, we split the meagre posessions that the wizards and druids had, and parted ways. I was able to get the mage's staff, and a belt with some alchemical properties, as well as a few potions and a weird helmet.

    I gave the staff to Alexi as a present... I figured it might help him drum up some business. The belt I gave to Siril, as it was something that was right up his alley. The helm, well, I gave that to Alexi to sell, I figure he might be able to find someone who wants it.

    I felt bad that the others fell the way that they did, but at the same time I'm glad that I didn't. Even if my actions in some way contributed to their deaths simply because I didn't stand and fight when I knew I was in over my head, I don't regret it. I doubt that they would have even thanked me for standing my ground and dying.

    Dying without a purpose earns me nothing, so why do it?


  • The Fifth of Nightal, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    No need to worry about anyone else getting me killed, I can do that all by myself.

    I was in town here and ran across Linn. She wanted to go hunting in the kobold caves for scrolls and what have you, and to give Creampuff some time out.

    So we headed out, and things were going pretty well. We got to the big room, and for some reason I still can't work out, I ran in alone, without planning what we were doing, or how we would do it, or anythign at all.

    Waiting for me was six kobold spellcasters.

    I think the last thing I remember before I died was my eyeballs melting in their sockets from the acid arrows that I had been perforated with.

    When I woke up, I was in the temple in Peltarch. Linn was there… she brought me back.

    I'm glad she survived. She told me that she managed to take them all out with a single spell. One single spell.

    I died, because I didn't wait for her to cast one spell.

    In the history of the world, I'm not sure that there's been a single hin fist monk who has done something as blatently stupid as I did, with no reason for it, and no understanding of why they did it. If I was doing it for honour, or vengeance, or Mama's homemade custard tarts, then that would be acceptable. Not brilliant, but at least there would be a reason.

    Instead I died and reduced myself for no reason that I can come up with. Definitely a low point in my career, I can say that without a doubt.

    Maybe in future I'll be a bit more careful.


  • The First of Nightal, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    I had my first trip out to the ogres in more than a month today… it went about as well as I had expected, meaning that we all nearly died.

    I was in the commons with Raul, Caldor and Devlin. Caldor wanted to go out and test his bow against them, Devlin agreed and Raul declined. I decided to go with them to help as I could, not that I can face them alone at all.

    It started off well enough. We snuck past the giants and manticores, over the bridge and into the caves where the traps are.

    I could still see where Marty had marked them from before, so it was no issue for me to step around them. We took out a few ogres before we got to the first turn in the tunnel, where the raised stone platform is.

    And that's where it all fell apart.

    The plan was that Devlin would rush into melee and keep them focussed on him whilst Caldor peppered them with arrows, and I did whatever I could. We executed it as planned, but the ogre shamans have learnt a few new tricks that really turned the tables. Spells flew in the air around us, and they kept setting me on fire!

    Sooo not impressed with that.

    In the end, Devlin and Caldor ran for their lives, and left me perched alone up on the stone platform, surrounded by ogres.

    DEFINITELY not impressed with that.

    Once I had gotten out (thanks to a potion of invisibility) I sought out Caldor. I hadn't seen either his, or Devlin's bodies, so I assumed they lived. I was right, thank goodness.

    Caldor apologised for leaving me behind. Seems he thought I was in front of him... and yet he didn't stop to wonder why all the ogres were leaving him and Devlin alone. He gave me a few potions to replace some of the ones I had used to survive as way of recompense, and we parted on good terms.

    I don't think I'll be going up there with anyone except for Linn and Adelie anymore... I just can't trust others to be wise in how they do things. That's the second trip up there in a row that has proven too dangerous for anyone to be able to handle, and the second time I've almost fallen there because I trusted the words of another.

    Next time I might not be so lucky.


  • The Seventeenth of Uktar, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Somewhere between Oscura and Peltarch on a boat
    Weather: I'm in an underground water cave, so I have no idea

    Well, I finally gave up on waiting for Myeil to finish my boots and bought myself a set from Yuki. They reduce my defences against magic a bit, but for now I really need that boost to my dodging. I'm sick of getting hit by monsters, and every little bit helps.

    While I was down there seeing her, we chatted about this and that. She asked how the soup kitchen was going, how my training was moving along, what I hoped to achieve, and so on. Hearing where I was at with my training, she smiled as if coming to a decision that she was pleased with, and reached down into a crate below the bench. She pulled out what looked to be a belt wrapped in linen.

    She said that I had finally earnt it… and in exchange for my brown belt, and a little bit of coin, she would give it to me.

    I nodded and unclipped my belt, trusting her, as well as the coin she asked for. She in turn unwrapped the new belt, walked around her bench and presented it to me with a bow.

    A black belt.

    I wasn't sure if I would ever be worthy of one. My master back home has one... he said that the day I earnt my own I could consider myself worthy of taking on a student, if I wish it.

    It's a little larger than the brown belt. It's wider, the leather is tougher, and it has markings inscribed on it around it's length. Yuki tells me that they are Kara-turan symbols for strength, agility, perseverance, and wisdom. In this way, they help to symbolise what it is that the wearer of the belt must have in order to be worthy of wearing it, and to warn others of what it is they face should the wearer be provoked into action.

    I know she might just be having me on... using a confidence scam to get coin out of me, but I don't think so. She's always seemed genuine with me. I think part of it is because she knows of the good I do with the Sisterhood, and also partly out of respect, from the fact that I continue the old ways that she knows from her homelands when so few do.

    I also stopped into the odds to get some more fruit and berries. He keeps offering me drugs, which I always decline to look at, let alone purchase. There's something creepy about that old man, the way he looks at me, the way he talks... it's like he's looking right through me and seeing something else.

    Guess that's what happens when you sample too many of your own wares.


  • The Fourth of Uktar, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Norwick
    Weather: Raining

    I've just spent the last few days with some young adventurers, helping them get a start. It was nice to be able to relax a bit and take on something simple for a change.

    Siril was there. Apparently he was the one who raised the alarm about the attack on the gates that Alestra was part of the defense of. He got hit by a huge beetle and had to run for his life… spent several days and nights resting up in the Grapevine to recover his strength.

    He's got a scar from the attack, as well as an irrational fear of beetles. Hopefully he also got some wisdom from it as well.

    I also saw Ghorag again... he's a young half orc who's very simple, but he means well. He's very easily led though, so I hope he doesn't fall in with the wrong crowd.

    The third and last young adventurer in our little group was a female hin called Akai. Apparently she's from Oscura and has decided to try the life of an adventurer.

    We sat around the southern campfire together, chatting for a while, getting to know one another before I suggested that we go out. Giving them all some healing potions and some defensive ones as well, for "just in case", we headed out the hole where the gate used to be, and went east to the graveyard path.

    There, Siril got to confront some beetles. He went pale, and seemed to panic a little, but we defeated many of them and he didn't take a single scratch. From there we moved on to the graveyard, and then the old Norwick ruins.

    We worked together well, with Ghorag taking the melee position and Akai and Siril using ranged. I lent them some of my ranged weapons to make things a bit easier for them, I think it did just that.

    When we had finished, several days later, they all seemed tired but happy at their accomplishments. No-one fell, and no-one took any really bad injuries.

    Only drawback was the cost in potions... probably a thousand gold worth spent, but I think it was well spent coin, and it's not like I struggle to earn it nowadays. There's just not that much for me to buy, asides from potions. Maybe I need to look at giving more to the Sisterhood. I've already given ten thousand gold this year, but the coffers are lower than I'd like them to be.

    After we finished, Siril and Akai went to get some rest, and I went to the Silver Valley to restock on the potions that I had given out. Ghorag came with me, so I bought him some nice things. A Fenberry pastry, a lollipop, a toy wind up soldier, and a new outfit that suits him much better than his old one. He was so happy, like all his birthdays had come at once.

    Doing things like that always makes my heart glad.


  • The Thirtieth of Marpenoth, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    After a tenday or more of trying to find the time, and locate her, I've finally caught up with Alestra.

    Apparently there was a massive series of attacks on the southern wall at Norwick. Four nights in succession there were foul beasts and their masters trying to gain entry, and for four nights they were beaten back.

    I was lucky (or is that unlucky) enough to get there as the fighting finished and the corpses had been taken away to be burnt on pyres. And there was Alestra, standing alone in the middle of the ruins of the southern gate, guarding the town.

    By herself, after four days of guarding and four nights of fighting.

    She was exhausted. I offered to take her place, but she refused, stating that it was her duty, that she had to do this regardless of how tired she was. So instead I stayed with her to talk.

    We spoke of the Rift River Chasm incident… what had led to her harsh words, why I reacted the way I did, and what happened after that. I also told her of my father, and my mother.

    That was hard. Opening up to someone who had hurt me like she did, sharing intimate details of my past. Telling her of that hurt, the pain I feel whenever I think of home.

    I also told her my story. How I came to be in Narfell, what happened in the first few years of me being here, and how I met Alexi. I think she needed to hear the truth, and to know why it is that he and I are so close. She doesn't understand as far as I can tell, but she accepts that it is, and that's a good start.

    She doesn't know how I long for him, but that's something that I keep between me, Alexi, and my diary. No-one else knows, and no-one else will ever know.

    But... even with everything I shared with her, it didn't seem to affect her very much, if at all. It's like she took it in, processed it, and stored it for access later if needed.

    She also confided in me that she did things that are against the teachings of her god, Torm. She called Lia's soul to this plane and allowed it to speak through her, she interceded for Lia with Correlon Larethian...

    She fears that she will lose her paladinhood for these actions. And she says that she took them because she loves Alexi and me, more than she has ever cared for anyone else before.

    But... we never asked her to do these things. I know I didn't, and Alexi says that he didn't either. I know that Alexi was beginning to move on from the pain of losing Lia in such a way, and I know that I had. Whilst her death was still senseless, and tragic, her soul was gone and could not return. We mourned her, and then we move on with our lives, and never forget her.

    Instead she's been returned to us, without her memories, by one who by her own admission should not have done it. If she feels that way, then perhaps she shouldn't have done it...

    But I'm not sad that Lia is back. I'm still struggling a bit with it, but I'm glad for what it means for Alexi, and for what it means for Lia. I wanted her to be able to have a fresh start, and now she truly has one. She can be anything she wants to be, with no ties to the past.

    Now I can help her, like I wanted to months ago and never got the chance.


  • The Eleventh of Marpenoth, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Sunny

    I looked back over my last diary entry… I can't remember writing it, but it sheds a little more light on what happened for me.

    I remember seeing Lia at the Mermaid (which is where I am now). I remember having a meal with her. But what I don't remember is what happened after that.

    I must have run to the secret grotto, because that was where Alexi found me. It was also where I wrote that I was, for my last entry. I think I must have snapped, lost my mind for a time, or something similar.

    Alexi has told me that when he found me, I was running around naked, splashing in the water and acting as if I was a penguin. He tried to speak to me, but I ignored him... and when he approached me, I ran off, squaking.

    Apparently he managed to calm me enough so that he could approach me, and used his dust on me to bring me back to my senses. Turns out that I buried my clothes in the sand before I started swimming... so I dug them out, shook as much sand out of them as I could, and got dressed, very very embarrassed.

    We talked for a time... he told me that Lia was back, that he was there when she returned to the living at the Temple of the Triad. He's not 100% sure that what has come back is Lia, but for now he's going to watch and wait. I'm not convinced that she's not a doppleganger, or a demon that's come back in Lia's form to do some kind of horrible evil, but I trust Alexi, and if he tells me that she is most likely who she says she is, then I'll wait until something proves otherwise before acting.

    We went back to town after that, apparently Alestra was the one who initially thought something might have been wrong with me. She told Alexi and Linn that I was missing, and then Alexi made her stay behind whilst he looked for me.

    I'm glad he did, I think that things would have only gotten worse had she found me before he did. But, that's caused more problems now. Alestra was horribly upset when we came back, so much so that she swore at Alexi, told him that she was through being a doormat for other people, she was sick of people using her and abusing her...

    I don't know where she got that idea from. She says that I go off at her when she tries to do something for Alexi, and that Alexi goes off at her when she tries to do something for me... I honestly have no experience as to what in the hell she's talking about. But I guess when you're feeling emotionally drained, you say and do some weird things.

    I sat with Juli in the inn, chatting a little and sharing a drink whilst Alexi and Alestra tried to sort through things. The two of them went upstairs for a time to chat, and then she stormed out of the inn, Alexi following her with a very upset look on his face.

    We waited for maybe ten or fifteen minutes, and they didn't return.

    So, feeling drained from everything that happened, I went upstairs to have a bath and get my clothes washed, then have a nap. I was covered head to toe in sand, my clothes were full of sand, I think I even swallowed some sand.

    I've done all that now, and I'm waiting for Alexi to come back, so I can give him a hug and a rubdown, and see how things went with Alestra. I'm worried about him. He cares so much, putting himself in the way of all their hurts, taking it on himself to try and help them become better people, to learn from their mistakes... and so often it gets thrown back in his face.

    He told me that what Alestra said, out on the edge of the Rift River Chasm, was her way of trying to cheer me up. I don't know why she thought that it would cheer me up, but if that's the case, then maybe she really just needs to learn how people work. If she actually does care about me, maybe Alexi is right and she needs our help.

    In any case, I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with Lia being back. It's not something I was prepared for, nor is it anything that could normally happen within the bounds of the laws of the universe. Seems like the gods have interferred again for her... I just wish I knew why it is that they are so willing to do so much for one such as her.

    Sometimes I think I'd rather be back on the farm with my family, even with all the heartache and hard labour that that entails. At least life was simpler then, and I didn't have to worry about such confusing and difficult situations.

    But then I wouldn't have met Alexi.


  • ((This entry has been scribbled a lot more hastily and wrecklessly than the others preceeding it))

    The Ninth of Marpenoth, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: A secret grotto (Not telling)
    Weather: Warm and dry

    Well, after my last entry, guess what happens?

    Lia's back.

    I don't know how, or why, but I'm not sure I can deal with it. After everything I went through when I lost her, after all the pain and sorrow and heartache… not to mention what it did to Alexi...

    She said that she woke up in the Temple of the Triad, and that she doesn't remember anything before that except for her name. Alexi was there, and he told her some things, filled her in apparently. But he hasn't told her everything, left things out. Hurtful things. Shameful things.

    When I saw her, I almost ran out the door of the inn. There's a part of me that doesn't believe that it's really her. She's dead... I know it for truth. She was buried, her soul would not return. She committed suicide, for goodness sake, on an altar to her god. I'm not sure how much more dead you can get.

    But... there she was, standing in front of me, looking scared. So instead I took her over to the bar and ordered her a meal, and we sat and talked.

    Maybe I'm going crazy. Having a meal with a dead person.

    In the end, she went back upstairs to rest, and I came here. I need to think, and writing helps me do that, helps me steady my thoughts and my hands.

    I'm just not sure how much more of this I can handle. I thought I was getting better, I had my plans all sorted out, my ideas and my way forward organised... and now I sit and eat pancakes with a dead woman.

    She wasn't very hungry, which isn't surprising really. Never seen undead need to eat anything... well, they do want brains, but I think that's just an animal instinct kind of situation.

    Maybe she's a doppleganger, sent by someone to try and drive me insane? I wonder who it could be. Maybe Dietrick did it, to get back at me for trying to teach him to be more wise... heh, he learnt something then I guess, not that this was what I wanted to teach him.

    Well, next time I see that doppleganger, I know just what to do.

    Punch punch, bye bye doppleganger!


  • The Seventh of Marpenoth, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Norwick
    Weather: Cold and windy

    Things just seem to be going from bad to worse. Death surrounds me, and anger, and violence.

    I travelled north to Peltarch from the Grapevine, and stopped in the commons to catch up with some friends. Linn was there, and we started chatting about this and that. It was nice to see her again. After maybe half an hour of that, there was a flash of light and a loud boom, then a female mage appeared in the middle of the commons. Some people were on the ground, others were stunned, or deafened, or a combination of the three. I myself was stunned and deafened for a time… which did not impress me in the least.

    The mage then giggled, and strolled over to flirt with someone she knew, as if nothing had happened! Seems that she's known for doing this sort of thing, and yet the town officials who were there, and were affected by it, did nothing other than warn her that she couldn't keep appearing like that. The mage then pranced around, laughing about how she couldn't go to jail, and that there was nothing they could do about it.

    I don't know what made me angrier, that she did such a reckless and stupid thing, or that the guards ignored the rules they have sworn to uphold simply because she is a mage. If Ludo had done such a thing, they would have thrown him in jail without a doubt. But for some reason, this Leanna character is above the law.

    I went into the Mermaid after that, thoroughly disinterested in watching her continued display of defiance. Alestra followed me in, and tried to cheer me up. After a while, Alexi showed up as well, and he did his best. Anyway, soon thereafter, we headed out to get him some deadwood for his crafting.

    I gave Alexi something I'd put together for him: a picnic basket with food and drink that he enjoys, a blanket, cups, and cutlery. He initially seemed surprised and disinterested, said that we could go out on a picnic if I wanted to...

    it was a surprise for him, a gift. I thought he'd be happy to receive it, and that he would see the thought and effort that went into it. I scoured the realm for the goods in that basket. I fought the kuo-tua for the nuts. I defeated the kobolds for the wine. I travelled to the Valley and hunted down fresh Fenberries. I returned home and baked fresh apple pastries. I even got some fresh springwater for him. It took me days to organise it all.

    Instead, he deferred to me, to ask if I wanted to do something with it. Maybe I really have bollocksed things up for good. Anyway, he put the picnic basket away in his storage chest for the time being, and we continued west to the orc plains.

    The orcs fell to my fists as they always do. Alexi took too many hits, as he always does, and Alestra seemed determined to punish each orc she hit for something that was on her mind.

    We continued north until the plains were silent, then she revealed to us that she has buried Lia's body on the northern most cliff overlooking the Icelace Lake. Right near that lovely cave, and in the midst of all those orcs.

    She went on and on about Lia, about how she was at peace now, and how she wanted to put her body somewhere that she could feel close to home. All I could think was that it was a gross desecration. She's dead and gone, she fell from her gods graces and killed herself. Then, someone she's never met takes her body and buries it without the blessing of a priest of her god, in an area infested by a race that hates her own race with a fury that defies description, and somewhere that the dead have been known to be raised from the earth, both by the orcs and by other malign spirits.

    She kept going and going, eventually I couldn't bear it, especially to see how it was affecting Alexi and the way it all felt so very wrong. So, I left. Walked back to town, and left the two of them.

    She's gone, she won't be coming back. Why can't Alestra just let her spirit rest, and the memories to fade back from the pain they still evoke?

    After maybe another hour, Alexi and Alestra came back to the city and found me. Alexi asked me to go with him, so I nodded and fell in behind him. Alestra travelled with us.

    We travelled south and then east, to the Rift River. There's an old hollowed out tree there, nothing more than part of a stump still standing, but it's massive. Big enough for five or six men to stand in.

    We took shelter there, and sat down to talk. I told them about my feelings, about how it feels like I eventually fail at everything I do. Initially Alestra was supportive, but when she felt like she couldn't get her point across, she stormed off for a bit.

    Alexi and I kept talking, and I started to feel a bit better, then she came back and started verbally abusing me, telling me that I needed to deal with it and move on, that life is hard and I need to toughen up.

    All I could see when she spoke like that was my father, standing in her place.

    It felt like I'd been slapped across the face with the back of his hand. Here was someone who called me friend, who I had done my best to protect, to help, to look after, to guide and share my life with, treating me like an impudent child.

    I took my leave there and then, and headed across the Rift River, to the old war plains. It was either that, or unleash my emotions on her, which would have helped no-one and solved nothing.

    They didn't follow me. I think that Alexi knew why I was upset, and kept her away, for her own safety, and my own mental well being.

    I stayed over there for several days, away from all intelligent contact. The bugs learnt very quickly to steer clear of me, and the corpse thieves who roam the area were very wary of my presence. I took shelter in one of the now abandoned tents of the doomed soldiers. The whole place feels like the land of the dead to me... is it wrong that I found this comforting? No-one there to hurt me, no-one there to point out my flaws. In death, all are equal.

    My thoughts roamed backwards and forwards like a restless spirit, going this way and that. Friends I've lost, allies that have fallen and I never even knew their names. Bad choices that I've made that have led to pain, loss, and suffering for myself and others.

    At the end of my stay there, I felt a bit better. Certainly not cheery and thankful, but I think there was a determination there, to see things through for better or worse.

    Before I left Alexi and Alestra to cross the river, Alexi told me something important. When we fall, we get up and try again, not out of pride, or self respect, or even because of duty, but because otherwise we can never correct the mistakes we make. And there's some truth to that.

    I came back across the Rift River and headed north, hoping to dust myself off and try again, as it were. I found Marty in the commons, trying to organise a party to head west to the ogres. I agreed to go with her, knowing that if nothing else I could carry whatever it was she finds of value.

    Several others came along too. Tom, Nure, Chasen, Caric, and Mialee. She discussed what roles we would all be taking in our trip, and we set out.

    As soon as we hit the orc plains, I knew something was going to go wrong. Where normally the groups that I go with would avoid the orcs as much as possible, instead this group seemed determined to start their killing spree with the orcs.

    I instead snuck ahead to wait for them. After a time, I guess they tired of that sport and joined me, and we headed further west again.

    Now, I have never been with a group that when heading into the ogres will stop to fight the giants and manticores first.... until now. Caric seemed determined to kill everything that stood against him, regardless of how much pain it would inflict on him and everyone else. I nearly died defending Nure when a giant that he attacked ignored him and ran for her.

    At that point, she decided to head back. We spoke briefly about what was happening, and she slipped me a few potions, just in case the worst was to happen. By this point, I had already expended all of my own natural healing, and was down to potions.

    We continued on, eventually making it into the ogre cave. Again, I have never been with a group that attacked the ogres that guard the bridge first. Until now.

    A badly bruised and battered party made it's way across the bridge eventually, stopping to recover with some more healing potions before continuing. Marty marked some traps for us so we'd avoid them, and we engaged the first enemy. And when I say we, I mean Caric.

    I had scouted ahead a little, to warn the others of what was ahead, when I find him already attacking an ogre berserker alone. On either side of him was a fire trap, ready to go off with the slightest movement in the area.

    Not wanting to see him fall, I ran in and helped him as best I could do dispatch it. Again, more healing needed, more potions drunk.

    Finally we got to the bend in the cave, where the raised stone platform is. Caric rushes in again before we can organise a plan. Around the corner from where he stands, fighting two ogres at once, is a horde of ogres including a berserker and a shaman, as well as several axe throwers and warriors.

    Utter confusion reigned, as the sounds of battle rang out in the cave. Several of us nearly died, and Mialee fell. Whether it was to a fire trap, or an ogre, I never saw... I was too busy trying to save my own life.

    Where she fell was right on top of the trap though, and no-one else was willing to go in there to grab her things. So I volunteered, stepped in, and dodged the flames as they spewed forth, gathering what goods she had on her at the moment of her demise, and we started to make our way home.

    Unfortunately, that's not the end of the saga.

    Several of the ogre warriors were badly hurt and had retreated down the cave, towards the exit that we were headed to. Someone in our party fired upon them, and they ran at us, fury in their eyes. They knew they would either be victorious, or die trying.

    I tried to intercept them, to give the others what time they could to sort out their attack plans. But as blow after blow fell upon me, I knew that I could not stand any more, or I would fall myself. I took a few faltering steps, and I knew I would not make it... but then Tom stepped towards me and cast a spell, giving me the speed I needed to get away.

    I ran out of combat and started chugging healing potions, in the hope of being able to get back in there to help the others.

    But... I was too late. By the time I was back in one piece and I had started to move back in, the ogres were down, and so was Marty.

    The others didn't even seem to notice that she had fallen. They were on their way out of the cave, as quickly as they could move. So I dragged my beaten and bruised body over to her lifeless corpse, picked it up, and gathered up her things.

    I trudged my way back to the exit of the cave, and there Tom made me invisible, allowing me to pass unnoticed through the giants and manticores, past the orcs, and into town. I then made my way to the temple, and raised Marty, gave her her things, and headed south, thoroughly disgusted with the whole venture.

    Two people fell on the one trip. Two. One was a dear friend, and the other was a mage who was there to support her boyfriend. I wasn't fast enough or strong enough to save either of them... hells, I nearly died three times myself.

    I guess I'm just not strong enough. But, what is strong enough? Will I ever reach that point? Or am I just screaming into the wind, wasting my time with endless chatter? Whether or not it's possible though, I have to try.

    I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't.


  • The Twentieth of Eleint, 1508 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Norwick
    Weather: Raining

    Well, I told Alexi about what happened, between Linn and me. That was hard to do, I felt like curling into a small ball and hiding, but I know he deserved the truth.

    The worst thing was the way he smiled at me afterwards, and told me that he had expected something like this. He had expected me to fail at keeping my word… and I know it's made him sad, and probably hurt too.

    When Linn told me that she couldn't play anymore because she was in love, I realised that I'd made an awful mistake, but by then it was too late. I hadn't thought about it until then... that what I did would affect Alexi, even though we aren't together.

    He told me to not worry about it, that things were still okay between us, but I feel horrible, to think that I could do something like this to him. And to have done it in such a way, when he was away mourning.

    I'm such a fool. No wonder things haven't gone any further between us. Every time I do or say something foolish, he gently chides me and tells me that he knows better because of how old he is, and all the hurt he's suffered.

    He must feel like he's dealing with an irresponsible child most of the time.

    I want to find a way to make it up to him, but I'm not sure what I can do. It feels like I've ruined everything, with one simple choice. Maybe with time we can move on from this, because I know I don't want to let him go.

    Why does my heart cause me so much grief?