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

Marie's Diary - Notes of a travelling hin


  • The Eighth of Uktar, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: The Silver Valley
    Weather: Sunny

    Well, my training has finally paid off. Today, I challenged, and defeated, a Hin Fist Disciple of the Monastery here in the Valley.

    I was travelling through the Valley, catching up with friends when I heard some muttering between the guards about a new Hin Fist monk in town. I headed over quickly to the Monastery, and there he was, a fresh faced hin with an unusual name.

    I was given admission into the sparring room, where Mattie, the Hin Fist Disciple, had just defeated Ono Ryuko, the new hin. He looked a little sore, but otherwise okay, and definitely ready to learn more. We spoke for a time, about the realm and the difficulties involved in living here, and then we sparred.

    In the first round, I took him out with a single, well aimed strike.

    In the second, Mattie used a balm on him that turned his skin to stone. He lasted much longer that time, but he still went down and all he was able to do was graze my skin.

    After that, he sat back to watch Mattie and I spar.

    We prepared ourselves, and faced off, neither one looking away, focussed on the fight to come. I told her to engage when she was ready, and after a quick nod, she sprang into action, aiming a stunning blow at my chest.

    I dodged it, and we traded blows for a while. Finally, she managed to catch me a glancing blow to the head, stunning me for a few moments. She unleashed a flurry of strikes whilst I was helpless, hoping to take me down. Thankfully, I came around before she could finish me off and lashed out with my waterfall kick, knocking the wind out of her.

    Wasting no more time, I stepped in and used my rushing river move to bring her down, laying her out on the dojo matt, as she had done to me several years earlier.

    Once the match was officially over, I helped her to her feet, staying calm but feeling a great joy within myself, knowing that I had bested her at last, that I was strong enough to be considered a worthy leader.

    After that, we spoke for a time, and she spoke highly of my skill. It was a bit embarrassing to be praised so in a place of learning, but it made my heart sing.

    And yet the road before me goes on forever.


  • The Twentyfourth of Marpenoth, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: The Silver Valley
    Weather: Sunny

    I'm not sure why, but there seems to be a lot of undead around at the moment, or people trying to create undead. There's been that incident with the Legion and the broken statue… undead in the ruins of Jiyyd, and now, a group of unsavoury characters are trying to create more undead on the old war plains near Jiyyd.

    I met Kosef in the Peltarch commons, we chatted for a while and he told me that he was planning on exterminating the graverobbers that plague that old battlefield. After a while, Isenduil joined us, and the three of us made our way south through the Nars Pass.

    Kosef's a fairly new traveller to Narfell, he came from Damarra, says he used to be a soldier. He certainly carries himself like a soldier would, but his eyes are a lot cheerier than what I've seen on most professional men at arms. Probably something to do with the fact that he's his own man now, and not working under the service of some lord or another. He follows Kelemvor, the lord of the dead. It seems an odd choice, but I guess in his career he must have seen a lot of death, both at his own hands and the hands of his foes.

    Isenduil is a very odd elven priest of a deity called Fenmarel, a god concerned with exiles and feral elves. I guess he fits his god just right, but there's something about him that makes me uneasy. He's never said or done anything to upset me, but it feels like every time he looks at me, he sees a lesser being, something beneath him. That said, he uses his bow well, and is fairly open about using his god's blessings on his allies.

    Anyway, once we got to the temple of Kelemvor, we went inside so that Kosef could get some supplies and pray. The priests there blessed him, and our trip. But as we were leaving the temple, we came across a dwarf sleeping outside the gate, his spear and shield still in hand. Introducing himself as Stubs, he joined us and together we made our way across the Rift River on the ferry.

    Once out on the old war plain, we were almost immediately accosted by a woman in red and black armor. I stayed in the shadows, watching and waiting, in case I was needed, leaving the others to fight, they needed the combat experience far more than I do.

    Isenduil noticed some scavengers up on the hill of old ruined tower, so we made our way around to the ramp and I did a little scouting ahead. Six scavengers, and a man in red and black armor were there, patrolling backwards and forwards as if expecting someone. They didn't notice me, but I wasn't going to push my luck any further than I had to. So I went to the others and dragged them back from the ramp, giving them the positions and numbers of our foe.

    Stepping back into the shadows, I made my way ahead of them to the old ruined tower entrance to stop anyone trying to enter or exit the tower, and watched the fight unfold. Stubs went down, hit mightily by the man in red and black, but I was able to get him up and going again with little more than a few seconds out of his life missing. The six and one were defeated, and we had not been discovered by those within the tower ruins, so we stopped for a minute to regroup ourselves.

    Tactics were discussed, potions given around to make the others harder to hit. Healing was used, and tasks given out... it was almost as if we were a crack unit there for a specific mission, sticking to parameters and working cohesively.

    Sticking to the shadows, I moved inside ahead of the others to position myself, watching to see how the fight would unfold. Again, they had no idea of my presence, continuing to move around their room uneasily, seemingly still expecting someone. They referred to him as "Captain", but whether the title was a military one, a naval one, or merely an earnt moniker, we would never find out.

    Kosef and Stubs burst into the room, weapons bared and shouts of challenge ringing in our ears, Isenduil coming in quietly behind them, his bow promising swift death. The toughest looking enemy in the room was my target, and I stunned him from the shadows. He never saw me coming, and he never saw my fist as it hit him in the head, making his eyes water and his head spin.

    The others worked their way through their foes quickly, Stubs going down again whilst Kosef moved from foe to foe, ending up in front of the stunned warrior just as he came to his senses. I brought Stubs around again, and stepped in to help out Kosef, ending the life of the brute before us.

    We searched the room, finding freshly dug up corpses and black onyx, to be used for the creation of undead. And the man they called Captain was still to arrive.

    Getting ourselves into position, we prepared for his entry. Stubs climbed inside a crate, hoping to leap out and catch him by surprise, whilst Kosef stood in the middle of the room, Isenduil crouched behind some discarded wooden beams, and I hid in the shadows near the door.

    We waited, and watched.

    After a time, the sound of one approaching in fullplate could be heard. We prepared ourselves, and then a huge man walked through the door. He looked big, and he looked mean, like he'd sell his own grandmother for a few gold if he was given the option.

    He and Kosef traded verbal abuse for a few seconds, then I lashed out at him with my lasoo, holding him in place whilst the others moved in. He was tough, and hard to hit, but we persisted. Isenduil managed to stop him with a Hold spell, and Kosef called for us to halt so that he could be bound.

    I thought nothing of it, tying up this so called Captain, and passed the rope off to Kosef. After all, he was the one who started the mission, and it was something he lusted for with a religious zeal. Stubs took the opportunity whilst Kosef had his back turned, to kick the Captain in the mouth, teeth and blood pouring out freely as he screamed... and yet it didn't worry Kosef.

    We moved outside... and Kosef yammered on about the dead in the battleground, how they wouldn't be disturbed any longer... then went to draw a sword to execute the Captain.

    I cried out, alarmed that he would take such an action, but it was too late. He loosened his grip on the rope, and the villain ran off, shouting curses at us.

    We gave chase, and blows were traded back and forth, but in the open he was able to use magics and potions to evade us, eventually leading us into the swamp where we lost his trail in the mud.

    The others seemed to think nothing of running through the old Jiyyd ruins and into the swamp, but I knew better. I had to defeat a large bug that had picked up their scent, I'm not sure how they would have coped against it themselves, but they listened to reason and we abandoned our search, preferring to live than to wander aimlessly in a deadly swamp.

    We returned to the tower ruins, recovered the dead, and gave them a decent burial, leaving nothing of the bandits that we had defeated.

    I tried speaking with Kosef regarding his intent to execute the man, a prisoner, a man with no way to defend himself, but he would not listen. He sees it as his religious right to enforce the will of his god, regardless of the laws of the land, or what would be honourable.

    I hope that the next time that he and the Captain meet, that whoever loses will find death in battle and not outside of it, because I fear that the winner will not be merciful, nor honourable with the defeated.

    In any case, after all of that was finished, I made my way here, to the Valley. I used a few tanglefoot bags trying to recapture the Captain and needed to restock on them, plus I wanted to come somewhere quiet and peaceful to think on things.

    I trust Kosef, and I get along with him well, but his religious fervour is something I hadn't seen before. It's like what I saw in Dietrick, a flame within him that rises to the surface in the right circumstances, uncontrollable and consuming.

    A flame that will destroy all it touches.


  • The Seventeenth of Marpenoth, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    I got to see Alexi again today… after such a long time apart it was glorious to be with him. We talked and played, chased one another around, teased, and did all the normal things that we do together.

    It felt like... how can I describe it? Perhaps like the way that I can see Mama looked when Papa came back from a market ride to the coastal towns... he'd be gone for weeks and then when he came back, she'd just get this look, and it was like emotion poured out of her. Relief, happiness, love... It was at those times that I knew that they loved one another, no matter what difficulties they had.

    He told me that he'd been watching me from the shadows, looking after me, keeping an eye out for problems... and that he would always be there, watching over me. It was reassuring, but at the same time, it doesn't relieve the loneliness that I feel when he's away. He's a part of me, more than most could ever understand.

    He's not going to be around much it seems... there's something pulling him away. He won't talk about it, but I know that he'll keep coming back to me, regardless of what happens.

    Oh, how I wish we were both free of our responsibilities, so that we could be together now, but there's so many things that come between us, and work to keep us apart.

    No point dwelling on it though, this is our lot for now, and we have to deal with it and keep going. Can't just curl up in a ball and complain, it won't solve anything.

    One day though, things will be different.


  • The Twentyeighth of Eleint, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Snowing

    I've spent a fair bit of time with Terren lately, getting to know him, mucking around, and so on. He's a really nice guy… definitely not someone that I'd want to be in a relationship with, but a nice guy nonetheless. I don't think I could handle his wandering ways... there's a lot more to life than sex, and I think that there are times when he forgets that.

    In any event... the reason this came up is that I gave him a full massage at the bathhouse... took me an hour. We chatted whilst I worked his muscles into a stress free state. Hedia was there for a while too, watching and listening. I don't mind, she's nice enough, but like Terren. Too focussed on sex.

    After a while, she left, saying that she had things she had to attend to... and Terren and I spoke about Hedia. He thought that she liked me quite a bit, and from there the topic moved on to other, more intimate topics. I could tell that she wasn't the only one interested in me. He pretty much said that he would like a wife like me, as if trying to subtly hint that he wouldn't mind adding to his family, even though he knew I wanted children and that he could never give them to me, let alone anything else.

    When I had finished and he sat up, he had to cover his lap with a towel... seems like the discussion got him all hot and bothered.

    I'll happily count him amongst my friends, but anything more than that, well, I'm just not interested. There needs to be more subtlety, more playing... more intimacy. And less wandering, even if no-one else has a problem with it.

    The man I eventually marry will be faithful.


  • The Fourth of Eleint, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Snowing

    It's the middle of Summer, and it's snowing in Peltarch! I know the land used to be like this, but it hasn't snowed here in years, and then it starts up in Summer!

    I got off the boat from Norwick and wandered into the commons to find folks throwing snowballs at one another, and marvelling at the wonder of this most unusual scene. Belma'r had even made a snowhin!

    I took the time to play and relax in the snow, having only ever seen it up high in the Giantspires. It was a little cold, but nothing that I couldn't handle. So I took the opportunity to sit under a tree and meditate. Ronan was also sitting there, we spoke for a time quietly, whilst he read a journal or something similar. He's an interesting fellow, but from what he said to me, he seems conflicted, perhaps in a way that he doesn't realise.

    He said that he stood apart from others, that he was unique, forging his own path. It's interesting that he said that, considering some of the things I've heard about him and the assassins that are after him. I get the feeling that there's a lot about him that he doesn't share with anyone, either from fear, or arrogance.

    He's powerful, but power isn't everything.


  • The Eighteenth of Eleasis, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Peltarch
    Weather: Raining

    I finally have my boots!

    Sitting in the commons, waiting for Linn and Adelie to arrive, I was talking with some adventurers when Terren arrived with a pair of boots that were smoking, like they'd just been steamed or frozen really, really cold. He had a big grin on his face, and he smiled at me, happy with himself.

    Of course, I jumped up and ran over to him, and he gave me the boots. I had thought that they would make my feet move faster, or improve my reflexes somehow, but he made them do something slightly different. When I put them on for the first time, they kept smoking… but it was more like a mist than smoke. But that wasn't the strangest thing... they increased my peripheral vision so much that I can see behind my head!

    The sensation of being able to see everything all around me was disorientating at first. I almost fell over! But Terren helped me to a seat, and as I sat there, swinging my feet and turning my head this way and that, I slowly became accustomed to it.

    After maybe an hour, I decided to go for a walk, test out how they worked in combat. Every step I took was like I was floating, barely touching the ground. My feet slid forward as if in a dream, and I could see in all directions at once, sometimes even as if I was in the air, above the ground.

    The orcs sure weren't expecting the changes that they made to my combat ability. They didn't land a single blow on me. I can only imagine what I must have looked like to them, a small, speeding, red ghost of doom.

    I hope it gives me the edge I need.


  • The Twentysixth of Flamerule, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

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

    I went out and spent some time on the shores of the Icelace this week. I felt like something was calling me to the waters edge, to come and meditate there.

    So, I made my way out past the orcs and to the sandy beach below the cliffs. I told no-one where I was going, and took only what I would require; my clothes, some fresh food and water, and my diary. The rest I left at the Grapevine.

    The orcs didn't see me… they never do now unless I want them to. It's almost as if I can pass them like an underground stream, never seen, never heard.

    Sitting on the sand, my legs folded and my eyes closed in meditation, I opened my mind to the water and reached out, hoping to find some kind of presence there, or at the least a message that might have been left for me.

    Instead, all I could hear was the slow washing of the waves against the shore.

    I forced myself to calm further, and waited.

    And waited.

    A day and a night passed, and I sat there, unmoving. Waiting.

    I assured myself that I needed to be like water, to be patient and wait for whatever was in my path to be removed by my presence.

    So I waited some more.

    Another day and night passed.

    I took a little food and water at dawn the next morning, no more than I would need.

    Another day and night passed.

    As dawn approached for the third time since my arrival, I was close to passing out from exhaustion. I was cold, I was hungry, I was sore...

    And then it came to me.

    Is it that I am seeking to be like water so much that I am not allowing myself to learn from it?

    Here I was, sitting on the edge of the shore, trying to outlast the water, to wear it down.

    But water is what wears down all things, what outlasts all things. No matter how patient I am, no matter how powerful I become, no matter what obstacles I overcome, I will still never be truly water, for water will always defeat me. Like the sand beneath my body that was once a mighty cliff or boulder, before the power of water I am reduced to little more than grains of dust.

    My lesson learned, I travelled to my grotto, and curled up to rest, too exhausted to think any more on the subject. Nothing disturbed me, and I slept for a day and a night, awaking just before dawn today.

    Since then I've stepped outside once. It was raining, a sign to me that I am on the right path still. The water is within me, I can feel it welling up. And I am becoming stronger, although the progress seems slow.

    I watched the dawn through a cloudy and rain soaked sky, then returned to my grotto to eat and drink, and to write this entry. As I write, I'm reminded of where I started when I came to this land, and how much I've learnt, how far I've come.

    I was right before to think that for every step that I take, another two are added. Because water is eternal. It has no beginning, and no end. No matter how far I progress down the path, no matter how strong I become, no matter how fast, or how wise I become, I can never attain the perfection that I sought.

    I can never become water itself, but maybe I can become more like water.

    So there was a message for me in the lapping of the lake. A message that lay within the very essence of the water. A finite being cannot understand the infinite, and it cannot become one with the infinite. It is like trying to hold a river in your hand.

    Maybe I'm not failing after all, I've just been looking at this the wrong way.


  • The Fourth of Flamerule, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: Norwick
    Weather: Raining

    Fight Night this month was interesting. Painful, but interesting.

    I arrived in time to see the semi-finals and finals of the teams event. Adelie and Linn were in the semi-finals, but they were defeated with what I unfortunately have to call ease. Ronan was the one who defeated them. I say Ronan, and not Ronan and Drob, because Drob was really only there as a necessary attachment for Ronan to enter the competition.

    He defeated Linn first, then Adelie. After that, he defeated Theon and his partner. Theon is a mighty hin priest, but Ronan cast him aside like he was nothing. Once he was declared the winner, there was a special exhibtion match where he and Drob took on a hooked horror, the biggest one I've ever seen. And yet, he defeated it without taking a single hit.

    I've never seen a mage with the combination of flawless tactics and such powerful magics. If I am to take on one such as he, I'm going to need to become a lot stronger, and I'm also going to need to become as impervious to magic as I can.

    Once the exhibition was over, they started the boxing. As the reigning champion, I was called on to defend my title. First up I took on Benji. My first strike stunned him, and he never recovered from there. I defeated him without taking a single hit. After that, I took on Adelie. I dealt her many mighty punches, but she was able to weather my blows better than I was able to weather hers. I couldn't stun her, I didn't have a hope of knocking her down… in short, I was outclassed. And she's not even had monastic training!

    I stepped out of the ring, defeated by a mighty warrior, and yet I was not upset. Her and I have different paths to follow, different callings. I knew that my victory at the previous Fight Night had been because the mightiest warriors in the realm had not contested the title, and my defeat confirmed this for me.

    The only other contestant was Linn, and Adelie defeated her easily. Adelie was declared the winner, and given a set of glowing green gloves as her prize. I have to say I feel a little short changed, as when I won, there was no prize for me other than a belt that I had to return, but it doesn't really matter.

    The final event was the archery contest. I entered, knowing that I wouldn't progress very far. I was right, and Benji won the event for the umpteenth time.

    The whole night left me feeling a little hollow. I knew before this that I certainly wasn't the strongest warrior in the realm, and I knew that I had a long way to go in my training, but it's starting to feel that the mountain I must climb gets bigger and bigger with every day that passes. Every step that I take along my path is replaced by another two steps that are added at the other end.

    Is it that I am only now realising how difficult this is going to be?


  • The Seventeenth of Kythorn, 1509 by Dale Reckoning

    Location: The Rift River Chasm
    Weather: Sunny

    This week I've taken some time out to focus myself again, to practice my forms and work on the flow of my ki. Life's been pretty busy of late, and if I don't keep myself in form I could lose my poise in battle.

    I came out here and went beyond, to the old battlefield. A place of death and yet there is still a form of life there, beyond the reach of what passes as civilisation in this realm.

    I told Alexi of my victory over Kalin-Inogarr, and he told me that I spoke of him with too much anger, that he was a beast of the land, just as any other is. He is what the land made him to be.

    Do I judge these beasts harshly because they are man-eaters, or because I fear them? I admit to a certain amount of fear when I face them, but it is not because of that fear that I seek them out. Rather, it is to protect others, so that they do not have to face the steely jaws and vicious claws of these dangerous animals.

    There is also a level of respect as well. Respect for their might. They are great hunters, without peer in the natural world. I have not seen any that could stand up to them alone… even I must hunt them in a pack with others.

    So now, I am here, going through my forms and clearing my mind of all distractions.

    _Stand tall.

    Bow.

    Long step.

    Right arm strike with left arm defense.

    Turn about.

    Double fist flood strike and grapple head.

    Release grapple and backflip into flying knee strike.

    Land and turn about.

    Rear kick to front kick.

    Tumble to the right.

    Left arm then right arm raging river strikes.

    Left leg spinning whirlpool kick.

    Rushing river strikes for five blows and five steps.

    Stop like the lake.

    Turn about.

    KIAAA!

    Three fast long steps into mighty waterfall headbutt.

    Tumble back.

    Backflip into flying knee strike.

    Land, then step into double fist flood strike.

    KIAAA!

    Stand tall.

    Bow._

    And yet, no matter how many times I go through this form, it feels like there is still something missing to it. Something I have yet to understand, or to implement fully.

    I hope that when Master Dwarf finally contacts me again, that he will have an answer to this conundrum.

    For now though, I repeat this again and again, for the chance that perhaps mastery will come through repetition. It never has before, but there are many things that we do not understand in this world, and many things that have no clear answer.

    _Stand tall.

    Bow…_

    With time, all things are revealed.


  • 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?