3. Frances.

Frances.


  • Escorting Caravan.

    After buying spell crystals my funds were quite low.

    i've been fighting to gather more coins - and recovered some from hands of Kuo Toa and Kobolds; sold some coal to a crafter Gnarl Horst as well.

    Then an opportunity arrived, there was a caravan to be escorted for the House Hemway of Peltarch. We were hired by Lady Hemway with her attendant Alfred - whom curiously she did call every time with different name.

    We sought information how to reach our randezvous site, Regal's Fjord, and were advised by a horse seller to use ship; but the trip by water was not so uneventful.

    It was a hard fight against pirates, then lot of work by pumps to keep our damaged ship afloat - but we recovered their plunder coins after most of pirates were defeated; it was about 1000 gp for each of us. It was Umberlee-serving pirate casters with spells of bladewall & firestorm that damaged our ship.

    At fjord we were approached by Aurilite cultists, who offered us 'Enlightenment' if we undressed from our warm cloaks and felt evil godess of colds' - Auril's - 'kiss on the skin'. i didn't agree, for it was not a way to reach enlightenment - only to get cold & sick instead.

    Leeroy - a leader of our caravan - had troubles with a cart wheel, but after it was fixed we could leave.

    We rode on the carts pulled by the horses, it was fast and safe until caravan broke.

    We had such breaks three times in dangerous areas, we fought wolves, trolls and orcs while Leeroy kept repairing caravan.

    Orcs were toughest and most numerous of waves of encountered enemies, our horses were attacked - until Isolde had invisibility spell cast on horses and Leeroy.

    After defeating orcs our journey continued, with only two horses remaining alive to pull caravan's wagons.

    When we were mostly spent out of spells, our caravan broke again at Peltarch's gates.

    We were debriefed, paid and party split.

    Now i used up a few of potions, but coin-wise - have over six thousand in my purses.

    – Frances, an Adventuress and an Archer - Witch.


  • Tapping Artifacts' Powers.

    i had a vision & insights.

    There are nine powerful artifact crystals in a related plane-world, called 'Crystals of Time'.

    i've thought i'll offer certain powers, help to build these artifacts' powers with my nine spell crystals of the haste spells.

    i've prayed to divine to believe in the powers of 'Crystals of Time', to enhance these.

    The 'Crystals of Time', it's said, have abilities to put whole nations to a slumber, to wipe something from nations' memories - including memories of the gods they worship, or to kill whole nations.

    It's said that 'Crystals of Time' have lesser - but still significiant - powers as well,

    i feel i've gained a little of their abilities & powers, by naming nine of my spell crystals properly, by imbuing them with a time-related haste spells.

    Perhaps later i'll be able to proceed with more attunements & affinities that way.

    But there's a drawback as well - as i gain abilities from the artifact, it also gains powers over me.

    – Frances Darkhaven, a Witch of a Noble Oscuran origin.


  • Crystals of Time.

    i've bought a large number of spell crystals for a small fortune - 9 rough for 100 gp each, 11 standard for 300 gp each, 3 perfect for 700 gp each;

    It's 6300 gold pieces in total, what i have left is about 1800 gp.

    i've stored 'haste' spell in 9 of standard spell crystals - this will have uses as an aspect of greater magic of 'Crystals of Time', i should not use it in combat unless my life is seriously threatened.

    Rest of spell crystals i'll use as a reserve;

    Compared with scrolls these crystals have both advantages as well as faults.

    Scrolls are lighter, and are more worthy for wizards who can use scrolls to learn spells & copy to their spellbooks.

    Crystals on the other hand can be imbued with priestly, druidic or bardic spells as well, when i find someone willing to do this favour for me, but are heavier than scrolls.

    Anna Blake, a friend who sold me these crystals added a small gift to it - an amulet which increases a number of spells available each day to a wizard or a sorcerer.

    – Frances, a Witch & Adventuress of the Darkhaven Noble Oscuran Family Origin.


  • Rallying Troops.

    Am I useful in Gnoll Conflict?

    No, just and only because I have no troops.

    I've been trained to signal the attack or rally the troops, making them stop fleeing… by Darkhaven Family in Oscura, in case of a Battle.

    With 'True Strike' Spell, which needs some work to be useful, along with 'Flame Weapon' cast on arrows, I could signal attack on Gnoll Leader to start battle.

    But they won't trust me, I think.

    ... perhaps better that way, anyway.

    -- Frances, wandering disgraced noble of Oscuran Darkhaven origin.


  • Unarmored.

    • Frances fighting Kobolds, Unarmored. -

    i've been fighting unarmored, with sword & spells.

    that way spells don't fail in combat.

    this works against lesser opponents such as weaker types of kobolds, in this land.

    but even such as i can contribute to a team somehow, sometimes… but not greatly, it seems.

    -- Frances, a Noble Flame.

    P.S. Unarmored Combat has it's uses - not everywhere armour & weapons are welcomed well. it's rare to be useful, perhaps as an escort to people against smaller of threats.

    • Reflecting. -

  • Trained Worgs.

    i've been hunting lately too much.. to the point of being not thrilled enough with goblins as to engage worgs, large wolves trained by orcs near Peltarch… With new around these parts - but well experienced in combat - adventurer named 'Ozi'.

    Worgs are quite a menace for an archer - they run fast, knock opponents down with with their body mass and sharp teeth. We defeated few, i was injured but had enough of discipline to resist few of their knockdown-tear-with-teeth attempts, despite shock of being wounded so bad in so short amount of time.

    Without Ozi's healing magics i'd be dead.

    -- Frances, experience-hungry and unwise a witch.

    P.S. Later, with Ozi we ventured to slay hobgoblins... on way there i almost hit him with an arrow, goblin necromancer's fault knowing magics of this land - a little joke of mine. After dispatching goblin necromancer to hells he deserves, we pressed on to hobgoblins, and killed many, avoiding unsuspected danger of the Slaadi. I do not know what they did there at all.


  • …


  • After recovery from last trip, i ventured south and into Howling Woods. Found glowing mushrooms and woman who hired us. Gave her one mushroom and exchanged few words. Other mushroom i kept for a possible magic item enchanting.

    On another day i went south again, this time detracting from Howling Woods path on my Witch's instinct, and going deeper south into Old Norwick Ruins. Was attacked by few or several possessed swines so i ran looking for help…

    Then found her, druidess who started fight. Undead are known enemies to nature.

    After casting few spells i've joined fight and helped to close it.

    She was wounded, i gave her 'ambush plant', or fruit as it was indeed.... She ate it and it healed her, just as i suspected.

    She didn't speak a single word.

    Then we ventured onward to Hobgoblin area in the Rawlins, passing two strange ruined statues from the past on the way. A hint of 'Lost City', most terrible place that kills most heroic fast, a remnant of the Old Narfell Empire and legacy of Demonbinders that thrived in it's 'glory'. Full of Powerful Undead. Lost deep, deep in Rawlins and in time, after terrible dangers by itself on the way.

    With druidess' help, expeditious retreat and flaming arrows fight with hobgoblins was short and succesful. We came back to the Norwick Town wounded.

    This day i was sentimental.

    -- Frances, thrilled witch.


  • On my another Howling Woods trip i've almost fell into a cheesy ambush trap.

    Found rare healing plant that can be used, practically only, by nature's experts… and a wounded Hobgoblin Reaper around.

    Thankfully i heard him in advance.

    I did cast flame weapon on arrows and shot him, finishing with one hit.

    Then i've retreated, restraining my greed for a while.

    -- Frances, richer and alive, with an ambush plant.

    P.S. Hobgoblin Reapers are very dangerous, deadly even. Their fighting style with Scythe can criticize most 'valid' defenses and kill in one blow. Especially when paired with Hobgoblin Magickers that disable opponents with their spells.


  • Three of us, little adventurers, went on long trip to Howling Woods in Rawlins.

    We've cleared Goblin Cave out of numerous goblins, wolves and hobgoblins.

    I had to meditate to regain spells and rest… in a half lotus position.

    On way out we were suprised by Goblin Assassin and other of his kind. He dropped one of us, i shot him with flaming arrow that exploded incinerating him. He lived and started fleeing, so i pursued bypassing other goblins on the way as i shot not caring for wounds. In the end i got him barely.

    Out of greed and battle insanity, i tried to take his thin-bladed dagger and run away - but was brought at knees by pursuing goblins. Help arrived in time as i bled... teammate used enchanted balm to save me.

    We returned fighting more goblins on the way, then shared spoils and loot. Thin-bladed dagger turned out to be mine in a fair loot split, and i took it as a trophy.

    -- Frances, richer witch.


  • A Witch hired me and another person to escort her hunting for glowing Mushrooms.

    After a briefing i introduced myself formally and was nicknamed boldly 'red'.

    Warrior was blind in the dark, so i cast lightspell on him, he his reaction was strange, he had to face it.

    I've shown off my poor spellcasting and bowshooting, but we didn't face anything scary indeed.

    We found none of the Mushrooms.

    Woman had to leave quick, didn't pay anything, and we had to return to places from which we came.

    Under her protection spell it was easier.

    At town, a warrior used words that kept triggering certain mantras, that positively affect speech, if used well.

    'Ah'

    i replied with:

    'Om Ah'


    • Watching the gate -

    It seemed like a quiet watch.

    I told them to prepare and fired arrow strongly into the night.

    After some time i took two arrows, turned hand backwards fired, then reversed and fired again.

    • Animal watch -

    Nothing came in response, except for a hostile badger. It would not leave. I tried to shoot it but it hid under gate where i had no line of sight.

    We played games for a while, he seemed afraid to run. So i sent familiar toward him, he had another chance to run away and chose to fight, familiar won.

    Then falcon came.

    • The inn -

    I got completely naked, washed myself and rested with knife in hand.


  • I went slaying hobgoblins with dwarf named Gnarl.

    He tried to protect me and allow me to earn coin even if it was difficult for us both.

    He lost lot of coin, but no one died.

    I gave him a gift. Ale, coal and arrow of eternal rest to use against enemies.

    And I learned efficient way of defeating possessed swine. Smack her ass hard with my masterwork quarterstaff.

    😄


    • Night is Oscura -

    Wretched incompetent slave thought that he can serve me. I tested him. We went to Lizard men, he died, i managed to run away. His incompetence costed me some of my sanity and precious resources, but then i had my revenge and got his gear. I had to use them, my father would be very disappointed if i died. It was close, several times.

    I will talk to them if they come for his gear.

    I recovered what was lost, said prayers and mantras.

    His equipment is mine, i earned it. I will probably sell this, except one thing - claw.

    Worst of it was that i had to avenge him. But in reality i did protect him.

    • Travel -

    I wore victory robe, sword drawn in hand, i ran past snakes to Norwick.

    • Day in Rawlinswood -

    I was lost there. Goblins swarmed me. It didn't help that i shouted away. Loud clear message made them swarm me even more. I used even more resources. It was shock. I lived and felt that someone helped me somehow, as they started to run away at some point.

    "Whoever you are, thank you"

    Without thinking i continued and found a man lost in wood, sinking in mire. I was shocked he wasn't saying anything. I told him and had to repeat this louder that he should take my hand. He did and i pulled him away. He was free. We talked about brave man that died in oscura, brave but stupid… He was avenged, but won't return... he wasn't happy here. I have his gear, i will use it, i owe him this. He's now in more fitting place, fugue is but a transition to other planes.

    I felt better helping one man and talking about death of another man.

    He said.. that he's glad that i recovered some of my old self that i helped him. But in truth... i never lost it. All i lost was pity.. And I got much more.

    We parted, alone i sat a while and cried silently.