3. If Troff Could Write

If Troff Could Write


  • _The battle scarred elf hefts his axe with a mighty heave to bring it down splitting the last zombie in two. The axe, a golden beacon that radiates light with symbols of Lathander up and down it. He rests the axe head on the ground, watching over the battered land making sure none of the corpses are moving or anything for that matter.

    With a nod, he straps the axe on his back, ready to be drawn at a moments notice. The axe looks huge on his back, clearly made for someone a foot or two taller than himself. Still it dose not weigh on him as heavy as it should, battle training and a few magic trinkets have him thinking of it as but a small burden and his movements reflect this.

    With the axe away he picks up a new weapon to battle a new foe int his land. A hoe, brand new and made of steel with a fine oak shaft and a good grip, to battle the weeds. They are small today and he moves swiftly between his plants in the garden, but easy work now would be hard work later.

    He stops with a sign as he notes a mar in his garden where some demon or devil had burnt away the earth and the vegetables ha had planted. Trading the hoe for a shovel he removes the patch having seen that such things carry blight with them occasionally._

    I have started earlier than i would have thought doing something I always figured I would end up doing. Being a farmer in Jiyyd and reclaiming my folks farm. I had always thought I'd move back some day, when the demons and undead were banished from my home.

    That doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon. So, I'll work around them. I'm living out of the rubble that was once my home. Storing my farm equipment there, all bought brand new from Peltarch since everything left in Jiyyd is long since rusted over.

    I hear Rith come in a-smiting and battling the demons sometimes while I'm working or resting. My fight is a quieter one than hers. I hide from most the demons, undead i clear away for the most part.

    I haven't abandoned my former duties. I still spend as much time as ever int he tower. Especially with the horrans doing whatever it is they do.

    The land is tainted and blighted and I've planted pretty much everything to figure out what'll still grow here. Then the undead and demons always destroy parts of my field. Still i plod on, plugging away. I've got plenty of time. Plenty of time to grow and create, and be a farmer instead of hacking and slashing like i have been. It's peaceful and comforting and not as much a part of me as my blades, but still a part of me.


  • We beat the Shadovar. At the very least beaten them back. It all started with a marshalling of heros in Norwick. Many answerd the call: Ronan, Raryldor, Aelthas, Ael'Que, Yngdir, Yana, Maria, Eluriel, and more i haven't forgoten but can't remember them all at once. Some i didn't know.

    We sat below looking to our leaders to inspire and guide us Fadia, Rith, and of corse Val. Rith did most the talking, issuing orders and speekign prases to the liight. But we were all inspired by the three of them standing strong shoulder to shoulder.

    The groups split into three. I ended up with our three leaders and Raryldor, among others. The plan was to take turns on the frontlines between groups to conserve spells and such.

    This was going fine as we made our way to Arnath, but we couldn't keep enough distance between groups and things were getting jammed up. That would cost us later.

    For now we powerd through the Quaggoths with relative ease, and found shadovar wating. They opend a portal into the shadow plane before us and were already making there way tot he artifact. We were runing behind.

    After preparing spells and resting a bit we were ready to make our way through. I said some things that needed to be said before we went in, and I'm glad i did with how things turned out.

    In the shadow plane we pushed hard up the mountain, at the start we had the shadow dragon lang among us scattering us. Weak shadows clutched at our skin but we cut them back. The 3 groups had melded into one giant blob. At the point of which was most often Me and Val. There were otehrs at times Rith, Aelthas, Raryldor. But it alwasye semd the 2 of us would find our way forward and to the front.

    The fighting got more intense the higher we climbed. Cresting oen ridge we were met with a baragae of tentitcles spewn from two tall black creatures. I rana nd managed to get out of them but Rith was held tight. I was circling arround themt rying to fall downt he hilla nd get back with the group when the Shadow dragon landed. There i was caught between 2 Nightwalkers and a shadow Dragon.

    I had to drink a potion of Heal then, and that saved my life. Raryldor came up the mountain and did battle with the dragon. Val rushed to Rith's side shortly behind him, and the others trickled up the mountain while i fell back nursing my wounds.

    Getting to the front again Val had somehow managed to save Rith. I thought for sure she was dead but Val had alwayse been able to do amazing things like that.

    Archers kept rainign fire down on us so we kept having to Rush up the ridge. At oen point it was jsut me and Maria up top fighting them whiel the others were being shot at. We were alone and seperated. She is a powerful arcanist though and we managed to kill a powerfull priestess and more before the others caught up.

    Then we enterd the cave, the entrance to the dark dragons lair. We foguht through hoards of shadovar and Shadar-kai seeing the wrekage of battle between the two forces. That's when we ran into the main shadovar army, and everythign went to hell.

    I was in the very front closest to the army. I don't know how i survived. Lightning ran through me and into my allies as i started chugging healing potions. I knew i couldn't hold against so many. Problem was the retreat was narrow and we were many. If I could ahve held the front a little longer maybe they wouldn't have died. I drakn another potion of Heal and retreated with the rest taking damage along the way. I still had more potiosn of heal, i could have held out longer.

    But retreat was called and the fighting was hard downt he hallway. There spellcasters were the biggest issue. At the end of it Raryldor and Val layd ead among others. I picked up Val and carried her with me. While all the other bodies were hidden, i carried her. I couldn't stand the thought of her being taken away from us again.

    Then the dark enchantress showed, and i have foguth many things that day but seeing her i nearly wet myself. She ran ahead and all the shadovar died to her to the throne room. We stopped warily and wearily and prepared spells once more. It was a breif reprise.

    We endterd the throen room and there Valentos was standing with the General of the Shadovar. I'm sure they would ahve loved to amek some sodding speach, but with Val dead across my back I was in no mood for talk. Everyone else seemd to feel the same as well fell on them and destroyed them utterly.

    Then the Dark Enchantress showed up again. This time whe wanted the artifact for herself. We weren't about to let that happen. Here i only watched, as she was hit with spells and Rith stabed her. The the dark enchantress fell. But the dark enchantress is not soemthing that can just be killed, and I think she's still out there somewhere.

    I took up the artifact and held on for dear life. The magic in my ring i had to keep drawing on or the artifact would have surly killed me. Everything was a blurr as i struggled to hold on to my life.

    We got the artifact to the temple of Lathander and raised our friends in the end. Val came back withthem.

    Shadows have been driven back by the light.


  • Time to walk into the darkness and hope I make it out the other side alive.

    Fadia has doubts, and I don't blame her. I've though the same, about loss in this. But I've lost so much so many times that I'm almost used to losing.

    At least I'll put up one hell of a fight. Rith is all optomisim and trying to go forward strong. Probobally sick of being cooped up guarding the temple, now's her chance to lash out against the Darkness that has avoided her. It's comforting to know she's so confident, hope she's doing alright underneath it all.

    And then there's almost no one I'd rather be fighting beside in this than Val. The two of us together are a force to be reckond with on the battlefield. Maybe I'm not the best choice when it comes to planing grand strategy, but when steel meets steel we really come together.

    Shadows better part before us. I'm ready to dish out a little of the pain I've been taking. Shadows better run.


  • I'm back, and things are better than ever. Val's safe, gods I was glad to see her. I swear I heard her playing on the fuge and knew she needed me. So I came back.

    Bravly she cut out her own toung so the shadovar couldn't torture any secrets out of her when she was in prison. And now she says no magic will fix it. So I went with her to find her a magic blade so she could sing. I thought this blade would bring her voice back too, but it didn't. Still Val is happy and the loss hadn't brought her down much, she was alwayse so strong.

    She's even learning sign so we can talk. I had to do something to try and take a step towards being able to communicate with her better to. So, when I gave Diadne a set of magic armor she can cast in I asked her a favor. I asked her to teach me how to read and write, and she agreed. I feel a little guilty about how I asked her, and let he know if I get to difficult I'll find someone else. Still, she's been a great teacher. Real paitent and understanding iwth me even though I don't get it and am not pickign up very fast.

    Things seem much brighter now that I'm back. I reolize how many people do actually care about me. Like Lathander teaches I've gone through a renewel, a reberith.


  • Well I was wrong about not being more defeated. I've failed again.

    We finally, finally after way to long wating took the fight to Mintas. And it was hell. Magic stopped working, and we had all the heavy hitters with us. Shannon, Ronan, Jerrick, Fadia, Eluriel others so many others.

    It was hard fighting in the wild magic, but we still were strong. Then whent he magic got turned off, with no healing, and there spells still working, it was murder. We did manage to make it to the final room, top of the tower before we all got slaughtered. Jerrick says he saw Val up there, heh. So close.

    I've been beaten again and again and again. And I can't do it anymore. I've given up on living sitting ehre int he fuge. Haven't I earned my reward? I fought and bled for my home, against evil. Fought and died many times. My losses are many, cand I can't protect people. Every time I try it just blows up in my face.

    I'm sorry Val, I'm sorry Eli, I'm sorry to everyone I've failed and the people who think they need me. They can't count on me I only let them down. I can't go on, I can't keep fighting anymore.

    Which apparently means Lathander wont ahve me either. Some avitar or soemthign of him spoke to me down here, give me the choice of the wall or picking myself back up and living. Heh, apparently getting down after lsoign so many times don't please Lathander.

    I've failed serving my god. No eternal reward, after all I've been through there's nothing for me. I just sit here with bones wating till I forget who I was or the wall takes me.

    I've given up. I can't go on. I'm ashamed. And for all that my friends I'm sorry.

    I'm sorry.


  • Betrayed.

    Fadia led a trip to fight those damn shadows, and we almost hurt them good.

    Found some cave in the Rawlins, apparently Eluriel and Fadia had never seen it before so that was strange. We went down it fighting bugbears, drinking potions.

    There was soem sword there, magic sword. I saw it and I wanted, no , needed that blade. So I grabbed it and with it in hand I felt I could take ont he world. Witht hat blade I'd have the power to beat the shadovar and save Val. It was a hopeful feeling, but terrifying once it pased, that I'd hurt my freinds because they were keeping the blade from me. Not my best moment.

    Deeper and deeper we found a dark black spot. To get through we'd all need a shadow orb, and to get back. We didn't have enough. Eluriel, Fadia, Dondiah, Rico, Elsibeth and myself all went through. We had Benji, Rasuil, Helena and another stay behind.

    Isnide the darkness we fought long and hard. I nearly ran otu of potions but int he end we foudn it. Some cursed thing that hurt those who held it. This was it. This was our Artifact, we'd stopped the Shadovar. Beat them to the punch. Or so I dared hope.

    When we exited that place of shadow, that sodding General again. He had our freidns beaten and tied with blades held to there throats by Shadovar. But I had eyes for only one person, Val.

    There she was in soem magic prison. I tried to reach her, comfort her but some magic kept me from her. She begged me to give the artifact to the general, turn it over. If I'd a had it I dont know what I woudl have done on impulse. I wanted to listen to her and help her so bad it hurt. She still foguht, and I told her to be strong.

    Then everhting went to hell as Fadia made a run for it with the pice. I tried to hodl the general off as long as I could. But it didn't work they kciekd our asses, took the piece, and made off with Val.

    I couldn't be more defeated. Fadia says we were betrayed, and she's probobally right.

    Val I'm coming for you, I don't know how I'll fidn you but I will. Just hold out a litte longer and keep the light alive, even int hat dark place.


  • Val. Not again, not int the same damn place I lost you before. I didn't want to go downinto the Barrows again, not with her. We had a few shadows attack in Pelt.

    Down in the barrows, that damn general took her from me. I couldn't protect her, again. Captured by the shadovar.

    My life now has one purpose: rescure Val and destroy the shadovar. Okay make that two purposess. I'll have help and I'll need it. Feckers, they went to far. I wont rest wont stop till she's back and I've made them pay.


  • Shadovar. Horrans.

    These seem to be coming up in every conversation these days. These seem to be my enemies. But they are both very, very different threats.

    The Shadovar are shades or shadows from far away. Evil undead things looking for something. Els got attacked by them, and apparently they took mys tending up to them as a sign of Norwick declaring war on them. Norwick will need all it's light to defend from them, even Rith. Who I've started to think isn't half as great as I used to give her credit for. She's as rash as I am sometimes. And she disrespected people who had just died, I mean who dose that? I can understand her making the mistake that got them killed, but then she got all huffy and spoke down on the people who just -died-.

    So yah Shadovar: evil, kill on sight.

    The Horrans are a whole different ball of wax. I mean, I know they lost there home and are trying to settle back into Narfell. But they are making the same mistakes there parents did. Antagonizing, banditry. I really want peace with them, I lost my home in Jiyyd liek they lost theres. Ama'bella doesn't seem to think I understand that. Thought she knew me better. I lost my home fer gods sakes, ever since then I've been layign my life on the line to protect other peoples home just like theres. I want to help those bloody horrans, but they seem determined to plug there ears and not listen. Really ticked me off when she talked down to me, treated me like a moron.

    Horrans: Diplomicy if possible, try and hold off this war they keep jamming down our throats.

    One person who hasn't seemed to tick me off lately that I've been spending time with is Yana. She was madder at Rith than i was… And it was nice of her to show me around Pelts docks, even though it didn't last long. She's busy a lot, so what free time she has she has to spend wisely. Meaning I don't see as much of her as I'd like. Oh well, at least she's around.

    Not sure where Gina and Gariel disappeared to. They were good friends. Hope they show up again someday.

    Darkness approaches, I've got to be a shield against it.


  • I went to the elf party. Really didn't want to go for a long time. Figured I'd bring everyone down, that and I don't really like my elven past. After all is it wasn't for elven bonding…

    Anyway I had fun, mostly. Amabella drug me out onto the dance floor, which was nice of her. People started to leave the dance flore alone for a while, and I didn't want Ama to feel bad about not havign anyone dancing so I ended up dancing with Tindra, then La'ali for the final dance.

    La'ali has alwayse seemd a bit weird, but hey I thought druids were all bunch of werdos 20 years ago.

    Rith was there, gave me a pritty warm greeting, asked me how I was aobut my sun. But that's Rith for you hot or cold.

    Yana was ther too. But on guard duty. Which she didn't seem to pleased with. I think working all the time is getting to her, I know how that gose. She's said before that as long as she's in pelt she's never off duty. Figure I'd try and take her mind off it, show her a good tiem sometime. She said I shoudl be able to find her in the Docks. No idea what we'll do but I think she could use a little breather.

    So. Surprising good party.


  • What do i want?

    A simple question, with a simpel answer. But for some reaosn when Jerrick asked it, I couldn't give him an answer he'd take. First thing that sprang 't mind was Adriell of corse, but he said it takes two for that and it has to be comething I want for myself. What do you want Troff Legion?

    Myrrah sees things. Sees what people are I think. She said I am a wolf. Which I thought was nice, then she added that I was a lone wolf. A sad lone wolf at that. Heh.

    Galriell has been a comfort when she's arround. Almsot as much of a mess as I am.

    Thorn has been kinda distant. I remind him of her, and that she's gone. At least I think so, not sure. Most the time Thorn just goofs arround. Which is good. Keep things light, heavy things git hard to carry.

    What do I want?
    Think maby I want to stand my ground. Do what I've alwayse done for other people, stand up for myself and defend my thoughts, feelings ideas. Sounds good doesn't it?

    What do I want?


  • Theres some ghost girl south of Norwick. I think she needs help. Undead always show up after she appears and attack everything. She gave Thorn and Jerrick (of course them again) visions of where she is. Her soul is trapped in a jema nd we think its in the cold caves.

    Jerrick led a trip out to go check it out. We started with a good group of us but slowly peoe had to leave till it was Albryanna, Jerrick, me and Diadne. Well I got beat to hell by the gnolls before we even made it to the cave. And I've been runing low on potions, and spending a lot of gold. So I took Diadne and left before we even made it to the caves while Jerrikc and Albreanna pressed on.

    I think that was a mistake.

    Jerricks made some comment about me not thinking saving her is important enough, about abandoning him. And Rith took some shot at me before we left on our next trip to the cold caves about nobody turning back once we got started. Great, our relatiosn with each other are even mroe rocky.

    So I set out with Rith, Thorn, Fadia, and Albyana this time to the cold caves. We fought our way to the bottom then all hell broke lose. Undead ogers. I nearly died, Rith ran out of healing. And she used up all her potions. Val saved us though, she had given me a crystal to turn us all invisible long ago, I broke it near the exit to escape the ambush of gnolls.

    Hopefuly that whole trip was a little nudge to better things between them and I. Trust needs to be earned I guess, so I'll earn it the hard way. With my steel. Just hope I don't run out of gold to buy potions.

    Adriell I miss you. Even if we can never be together, I miss you and want you back here with us. I want you happy, and home.


  • Only took a tenday in that godforsaken place to find her. All curled up in a ball and scared, blood everywhere. I grabbed Val and led her out of that hole. Stayed with her till the dawn and then some.

    I've lost to many friends. To many loves. To many people I care about. This shadow man is still after her, and he scares her. But he can't have her, I won't let him. Val, I'll be there when you need me, hold you closs and keep away that darkness.

    You are to great a person, to important to the world, to important to me.

    It's my own selfishness driving my stubbornness. I'm glad I saved you, just wish it was for the right reasons. My friends, the ones I have left, I need them. I'm going to fight to keep every last one as close as I can to me. Especially you Val. Especially now.


  • Val. Not you too. I can't lose you.

    We were going to the "barrows" the old crypts below pelt, Sy, Eluriale, Val, Havon and myself. To smite undead. We found undead but not the kind we could smite. Spirits opening doors, creating blood, locking doors behind us. It unnerved us all, but Val had seen it before and it was doing -something- bad to her.

    We should have left sooner. She stripped off her armor and ran through the crypts. The spirits took her somewhere.

    I' need to keep looking. I need to find her. Val, I won't abandon you to this madness. Eluriel, Havon and Sy all thought I was crazy, let them. I've lost to many friends already to lose her like this. Lost to many times.

    These spirits think they're haunting me, as I search and search and search again these crypts. But they'll soon learn I'm haunting them. I won't stop. I'll keep looking till I find her or Lathander takes my soul.

    I won't lose you Val. I can't.


  • Well… Rith and I aren't friends. It's not like she hates me or I her or anything. We just... never got that close? It's weird, she feels important to me. I was feeling all, neglected like she didn't want me around, and well that's because she doesn't. At least not when she's trying to relax with her friends. She still feels important, I just don't have any expectations of her to feel the same.

    It makes me worry other people I care about don't really feel the same. I guess I've a habit of feeling things for people that just don't feel them back. It sucks. But at least I don't feel like Rith is being a bad friend anymore, she just.... isn't one.

    I'll have to talk to Thorn about it. He's sort of my friend. Things are really weird between us, they probably always will be, but he's one of the few people I know cares about me. And he's closer with other people than I am. Not on the outside looking in.

    I don't really do much anymore. Just ride back in forth from Peltarch to Norwick over and over looking for my friends. Need to find a hobby, something to do.


  • Some wounds just don't heal.

    Another bad part of being this broken is no one wants to be around it. It's like im a leper or something and I'm driving anyone away. Can't blame them really, I don't want to be around me either.

    There's always Eli but she's always been closer with Thorn than me. Everyone seems to like him or love him more than me. I've nothing for me and now I just drive people away.

    Oh well. Life sucks. Suck it up, trudge on. My sunrise might never be yellow, but that doesn't mean I need to make everyone elses black.


  • Well I don't feel better, and I don't look better, but I sound better. I've come to accept how things will turn out, nothing I can do about it.

    Talking with Rith helped even though she scared the hell out of me by giving me a "quest". Put a sun on my hand and my quest is to "be happier each day than I was the last". When I'm happier than yesterday the sun will shine yellow, when I'm not, well, then it goes dark.

    Since she's put it on I've only had it light up for one day, and that's all thanks to Eli. She understands I think. We're going to make the most of things, enjoy our friendship.

    I'm glad I talked with Rith, got my faith straight. More glad still that I talked with Eli. Fadia has been a good help to, but I don't think she can take to much of seeing me like this. Can't say I blame her, 'm one hell 'f a mess and a reminder and she's trying 't put this all behind her.


  • Seeing them together reminds me of how Eli used to be. When Thorn cam back. Suddenly it seemed like it was just the two of them talking and me well just hanging out.

    I need to find Eli soon. Have some things I need to say and can't tell anyone else. They'd well, don't matter what they'd do I know Eli can keep a secret. For me.

    She calls him pet names and I look over thinking she's talking 't me. She frets over him just like she did me. It's like he's always been the better me. Or maybe I'm just a worse him.

    I think people are getting sick of my hurting. Ignoring it. Thinking maybe it will go away.

    Just don't know what to do.


  • Well I have something I've always wanted, since childhood.

    Sleep. Dreams even.

    They are everything I thought they would be. Only when I'm around her or only when I'm asleep do I find comfort from the pain. I haven't reveried since I heard the news and eventually, I guess I just collapsed from exhaustion.

    Oh the dreams so sweet. I dream of things that have happened, the past with Adriell, the night I first admitted my feeling to her and to myself, us holding hands, her mauling me, long walks, hard fights, making love, holding her as she slept.

    I also dream of things that aren't or never were, things as they should be things of the future. Her still loving me, the bond never being formed, her sweet feral grin, children, growing old. Thorn is even there sometimes, and those dreams are disturbing but nice.

    I always wake up though. Then the reality hits me, the horrible impossible crushing reality.

    Don't know how much longer it will last…


  • I met Thorn today. On the road.

    I stalked up to him with white hot anger, but as soon as I got near I just collapses at his feat babbling "why?" over and over again. Thorn didn't have any answers, only pity. I can't hate him, especially since now the woman I loves soul is part of his. Adriell worries about me, but she's a good person like that. Of course she worries. But she doesn't love, at least not like I do.

    I'd do anything for her.

    Can't stop loving her, and she won't love me back.
    Not now.
    Not anymore.

    Unconditional.
    Unrequited.
    Unbelievable.
    Love.


  • Adriell and Thorn are bonded. Just like that.

    I've cried every day, almost every hour. I've cried blood. It feels like a piece of my soul, all my soul has been ripped right out of me. Nothing but pain. I can't stop loving her, I love her with all my being. Then poof one little bit of elven magic and she loves him more.

    Pain.
    Love.
    Pain unending.