Entry for 7/20 and 7/27

Chapter 57: Unpleasant Surprises

The morning after Will got a new set of limbs, he received a letter.  It was from Lord Buckbean, thanking him for allowing him to reunite with his daughter!  Lilly was in his hands again!  Will and I immediately began to plan a rescue, heading straight for the merchant’s primary business headquarters, the coastal city of Aeylon.  We gathered in the inn’s common room but when we went to outside to get provisions a group of ten monks met us in the street.

They were from the same order as Fasa and had come from Stormguard to secure him and take him back to stand trial for supposedly impersonating the Stone Fist Order’s founding father.  Impatient to rescue Lilly and unwilling to allow Fasa to be taken away on baseless and ridiculous charges, I refused to let them take him.  I argued that he was under contract with me as a bodyguard and had been paid in advance for his services.  Forcing him to break that contract would be an unlawful act.

They were not swayed but they did agree to let us talk over the situation.  Fasa was very worried that he wouldn’t get a fair trial in Stormguard, but we assured him that we would make sure he had the best advocate for his defense that we could find, even if we had to ask the Lord Knight himself.   We planned to accompany the monks and when we reached the Parched Forest, to move ahead of them as quickly as possible to get to Aeylon ahead of them to find Lilly and get her away from her father. 

The monks did allow us to get provisions together and soon, we were on our way.  We reached the Mushroom Valley quickly and bypassed an apparent ambush by the local Myconids.  After watching the monk leader reduced a wagon-sized boulder to rubble using his bare hands, they decided against attacking our group.  Soon after that, we came to the rainbow waterfall and called out for the Whatsit.  As the group visited with the large furry creature, I flew up to the top of the falls to see if the scene there was the same as Buster’s painting.  I did indeed find a ring of stones which were inscribed with runes.  I found a wand of shooting stars and took it, but the massive emerald sitting in plain view was just too suspicious.  I may be impulsive, but I’m not stupid.  I left the stone and flew back down to the group.  Someday, I hope to go back there when I have time to really study the area.

After a refreshing dip in the Rainbow River, we left the Mushroom Valley and camped on the edge of the Parched Forest.  During the evening, Will and the Elf monk got into an argument loud enough to wake everyone (though I am embarrassed to say that I was the last one up).  I don’t know what instigated the altercation, but the ultimate result was us telling everything that was happening and the monks agreeing to help us rescue Lilly before exiting the region.

We spent a week travelling through the desolate landscape where our only encounter of any interest was finding the camp of a deceased adventuring party.  They had some interesting gear, including a shrinkable trunk that would hold a sizeable amount of supplies.  Something odd among their belongings was a cloak that would induce terrible nightmares and eventually insanity.  The person wearing it, however, also wore a headband that would reverse the magic of any items he possessed.  It could come in quite handy.

Nothing else of interest took place on our journey westward over the plains, other than numerous arguments with the abrasive Halfling monk who went by the name “Sniperbane”.  Yesterday, we came into view of the city of Aeylon and were shocked and dismayed to see a cloud of smoke and a quiet aura of death over the entire.  As we approached, we spotted a large army approaching from the north.  They would arrive in only hours so we quickened our pace so we could get inside the scorched and cracked city walls before they spotted us.

A mile from the city, we saw something else of note.  A funnel cloud appeared inside the walls and swept up what looked like a large collection of wagons, chests and some bodies into the swirling column of air before teleporting away.  I had never seen the spell, but I recognized the magic.  It was Oslo’s!  Pulling out my message ring, I contacted him.  He didn’t seem surprised to hear from me.  When I asked him what was going on, he told me that Lilly was safe and with him.  They had just finished looting a major portion of the ruined city.

When I told him of the approaching army and how we needed to get away, he agreed to help, but unfortunately, he couldn’t do the same spell again.  He told us to be at the highest point in the city at noon the next day and he would get us all safely away.  Without another word, he cut off our connection and we rushed into the ruins.

Destruction and dead bodies were everywhere, on a scale that was almost mind-boggling.  Clouds of flies and the ever-present stench of decay made moving through the streets more akin to a nightmare.  We managed to find some useful items among the slain including a new bow for Will and an enchanted harp and a book of tales from the corpse of a bard surrounded by dead demons.  The supernatural corpses were everywhere and that they were still present meant that they had been summoned forth through a planar rift of some kind. 

We made our way to the temple district where the concentration of demon bodies was the greatest.  The tallest building in the city was (is) the temple of Desna and though the ground was no longer consecrated, we still found it to be quite secure as well as providing and excellent vantage point to observe the city and the army which was now setting their camp outside the walls.  Scouts would be entering the city soon, but the sun would be down within a few hours and it was very likely that the dead would rise.  The horror and trauma inflicted on these people would not allow them to rest easy.

After getting settled, we all decided on separate tasks: Victor, Fasa and I went to the Bloodsong Guild headquarters in order to recover documents and tomes that the guild would doubtlessly wish to keep from being lost.  Will and Aeron went the temple of Irori, presumably to pay homage to their god.  (I don’t know exactly when Will devoted himself to the god of knowledge, but he seems to be on the path.)  Victor and I recovered a trove of books, scrolls and maps, thanks to my haversack and an ingenious bookshelf of gnomish design that collapses into a cart.  After being Enlarged, Fasa was able to carry and push the cart back to the temple before it got dark.

Victor, however, took a side trip and wasn’t with is when we arrived.  Aeron and Will got back looking grim, but piously satisfied.  Just as nightfall was fully arriving, Victor rushed in with a smug look on his face.  He had recovered a number of chests from the thieves’ guild, but before he could spend any time working on them, the dead began to walk.  Shuffling shadowy shapes stalked through the streets and Aeron came to a grim realization.  As time went by, more and more bodies would rise and more powerful forms of undead would join them.

The only solution was to leave Desna’s temple and go to Irori’s.  She had consecrated the ground there in order to lay the slain clerics and paladins of the order to rest.  It was the only place we would be safe from the restless dead.  We gathered our things, moved quickly down the street, and got into the relatively quiet temple before anything spotted us.  The night passed uneventfully at that point and we all got a relatively decent night of sleep.

As I write this, Victor is picking the last of locks on the guildmaster’s chests.  He gave me a few new wands including a matched pair of dueling wands that shot forth, I do not jest, pillows.  He also had two “women” stored in the chests.  They were some kind of construct that could be disassembled and reassembled at will.  One was blonde, lovely and docile while the other was raven-haired with a poisonous touch.  The guildmaster here was undoubtedly a strange, depraved man – nothing less than what I’d expect in a city under the control of Lilly’s father.

Speaking of Lilly, I am looking forward to seeing her soon.  It’s been too long and I really want to hear the tale of what happened to her.  Even better, I’ll be able to use the circle in Oslo’s tower to teleport back to Stormguard and finally be with Tal and leave this whole country behind.

 Chapter 58: New City, New Continent, Same Crap

I’ll admit, I am having a very hard time staying positive at the moment, as the title of this entry would suggest.  Oslo teleported us successfully away but we didn’t end up in Zakhara.   Instead of a desert, we were surrounded by an unfamiliar jungle landscape.   The tower was different too.  I examined the circle in the floor of the entry hall and found no magic embedded there.  Oslo confirmed that there was no connection to the other towers or the Archways as this was one of the towers he built most recently and he didn’t have the strength for such a powerful and enduring enchantment.

Grumbling to myself at the thought that I was still separated from Stormguard and Tal, I asked Oslo about Lilly but found that she had left already.  We travelled over 100 miles across the plains of Rolonia to rescue her.   She had been with my mentor yesterday when I contacted him through the message ring.  She had to know that we would be here and she couldn’t even wait to say hello.  She left no message.  She had simply gathered up all of the loot she had taken from the slaughtered city and disappeared.   I have no idea what her role was in the deaths of the people of Aeylon, but even though I trust her with my life, taking everything and running made her look very guilty.

I was angry (and still am) but we had to make a plan.  We still had to get Fasa and the monks back to his temple.   Oslo pointed off in the distance and told us that the City of the Jade Claw was only a few days in that direction and that the Stone Fists had a presence there.  The monks agreed that taking our friend there would be an acceptable alternative.  Of course in the process, Sniper’s Bane managed to show off what an ass he was.  Oslo performed a shrinking enchantment on the gnomish cart I recovered and “accidentally” hit the Halfling with an errant burst of magic.  He is now pixie-sized with bright pink wings.   This was the only thing that managed to bring a smile to my face.

As we prepared to leave, Oslo dropped another surprise on me.  He told me to seek out my half-sister in the city.  This caught me completely off-guard: a sister?  Who was she?  How old?  If she was travelling on her own, she would have to be another child of my mother.  My father only remarried a little over six years ago and I was not aware of any other children born before or after me.  Thoughts of who she could be rolled through my head all the way to the City.  They were the only thing that distracted me from my anger at Lilly (and for similar reasons - Shane and Rish and Mak).  They had all walked out of my life with barely a glance back; as if our time together meant nothing.  I discovered that Lilly’s tube was in range so I drafted a letter and sent it off to her.

I know that many of my feelings are childish, but I can’t help myself.  It doesn’t help that my mentor hasn’t made contact with me once in months unless it was at my request and even then, he always seemed distant and rushed for time.  I’m worried about how much he has changed since reclaiming his youth.  I want to go back to his tower in Zakhara to speak with Nico about the situation.  I need to make sure that everything is okay.

And in the column under “unsure” I also discovered that Lilly had Tal moved out of Stormguard “for her safety” and she was currently staying at the newly-remodeled and reclaimed Feldor Mansion.  I don’t know when this happened because Tal had said nothing of it during our last dream meeting.  To be fair, very little in the way of words were typically exchanged, but if there were something that important, I have to believe that she would inform me.  Our next meeting should be in three nights, the day after we reach Jade Claw.  I wish she was in range of my tube or my teleport spell, but for now, I can only worry.

As usual of late, Oslo teleported away abruptly and seeing as we had many hours of daylight left and no compelling reason to remain, we set out on the trail again.  A group as large as ours seems to have scared away any predators or potential ambushes and our camp is quiet. 

Chapter 59: City of the Jade Claw

As we approached the city, I was struck by how large it was, possibly even larger than Stormguard or the grand cities of my homeland.  The city gates were flanked by enormous statues of a humanoid tigers.  Walls forty feet high surrounded the city and guards patrolled the tops of the wall.  We were let in without any incident and after securing rooms, we immediately went to deal with Fasa’s situation.  The order of the Stone Fist was housed in a large ziggurat-like structure.

On our way there, we witnessed an attack on the wall as a large construct of some kind.  The guards managed to dispatch the monstrosity but when we asked some people on the street, they said it had been happening more frequently lately.  A few of the creatures had even managed to make it over the wall to cause destruction and mayhem because the guards were stretched too thin.

We were brought before the head master or guild leader or whatever he’s called to answer to the charges against Fasa.  The charges were quickly dismissed and the leader was displeased at the situation in Stormguard.  Our friend was directed to stay at the temple to train and much to our amusement; Sniper’s Bane was ordered to do so as well because of his erratic and rude behavior.  Before leaving I mentioned the situation with the constructs attacking the city and suggested that the monks could be invaluable in helping to bolster the guards defending the walls from attack.  The guild leader seemed pleased with the suggestion and said that he would speak with the guards about rendering assistance.

We left Fasa there (for now) and wandered back to the inn.   Asking around a bit, we learned of the Hollow Mountain and what was termed as the “golem factory”.  It had plagued the area for a long time and even been a site where Shane and his group had visited.  (I know, what a shock!)  From the few stories we heard, they had a great of difficulty there and since then, a number of adventurers had gone in to deal with the factory, to varying degrees of catastrophe. 

Eventually, we left the common room to get some sleep but before I could fall completely to sleep, there was a knock at my door.  Will waited there and beckoned me to follow to Aeron’s room.  After we had parted, Aeron spotted something strange.  A dog had gotten up and walked out of the inn, but something about it made her suspicious, so she followed it out into the night.  Alone.  Without anyone else to help her.  (Will assured me that he’d talk to her about doing such things.)

The “dog” was lying on the small table and it looked completely normal as long as you ignore the gaping hole in its side which exposed a clockwork skeletal structure and greenish-silver “blood”.  Upon further examination, it had a steam-powered heart and the flesh was stitched and animated in a fashion similar to that of a flesh golem.  Aeron said that she had seen a number of other animals like this, all heading for the city wall.  The others had leaped over the wall, easily forty feet high, and run off toward the woods in the direction of the Hollow Mountain.

Seeing nothing else that we could do tonight, we went back to our rooms for sleep and in the morning, we gathered together to form a plan.  Will and Aeron were going to seek out information from the local woodland experts.  I suggested that Victor seek out alchemists in the city to find a way to neutralize the golem’s blood.  It could lead to an effective method of disabling the creatures.  I spent the morning studying the clockwork and steam mechanisms and taking detailed notes.  Tonight was my weekly dream meeting with Tal and though we had other things to talk about regarding the situation in Stormguard and our usual non-verbal communication as well; I could get some input from her about how to disable the constructs.

I decided to take a break from my research and go see about finding my “sister”.  Will had mentioned a foreign merchant in town so I figured that would be a good place to start.  I was directed to a caravan that was definitely Zakharan in origin and when I approached I found that the merchant was none other than my own father!  He didn’t recognize me at first (it had been more than 6 years since I’d seen him) but when he realized who I was, he greeted me with enthusiastic affection.   He had been very successful in recent years, but that success brought some notoriety that got him into trouble with a merchant’s consortium and he had been temporarily banished from our homeland.

He introduced me to his three wives, one of which I had already met when I left my father’s household to begin my studies.  I also met my little sister.  Her name is Loashia and she is adorable.  She asked to see my scimitar and though one of the wives disapproved, my father allowed it and I showed her.  She dreamed of becoming a Sword Dancer and as I showed her some routines, she picked them up quickly and easily.  She is quite skilled and not even six years old!  She was so impressive that one of the weapon merchants gave her a well-made blade for practicing.

During her family’s travels, she had been asking about me at every city they went to.  Since learning about me, she had been very eager to meet me, the big brother “wizard”.  I realized that asking for me could put her in danger so I told her that we would use a code.  I would leave messages for her at taverns I visited but under the name “Ackbar”.  (Thank you Alphonse!)  It feels really good to have contact with my family and having a sibling is definitely a new experience.

My father expressed concern about the golems in the area and was considering relocating his business.  I assured him that my friends and I were going to handle that situation and that he and his family would be safer in the city.  I had more research to do but assured him that I would return for dinner that evening.  I looked forward to a “home-cooked” meal, the smell of my father’s pipe, and good conversation.  I wished more than anything that Tal could be with me to meet them all.  I know she and Loashia would get along very well.  (And I was right, but I’m getting ahead of myself.)

I went back to the tavern where we were staying, but none of the others had returned just yet.  I went to my rooms and was greeted by a sight that was both unexpected and breathtaking.  Tal stood there, topless while cleaning off grease and oil from her clothing.  I rushed inside to sweep her into my arms and she reacted with surprise and delight.  Our reunion was a lengthy one and we got cleaned up in time to go to my father’s tents for dinner.  They were shocked to see that my lady was a gnome but there is no taboo in that regard in my homeland.  Tal and my sister did get along very well and spent at least an hour playing with swords while I talked with my father.  I told stories of my adventures but eventually we had to part ways and go back to the tavern.

There we met up with everyone.  And I do mean everyone.  Will, Victor and Aeron were present but also, Shane, Lilly, and Rish!  (who was accompanied by the half-dwarf Dwyer.)  I was overjoyed to see them all; though the circumstances were less than ideal.  Shane had been inside the Hollow Mountain years ago and knew how dangerous it was.  Rish had communed with Irori and had essential information to pass on.  The only sour note was receiving a return response from my letter to Lilly, from her associate managing her business affairs.  It was rude, insulting and harsh, but I didn’t care.  I was overjoyed to be reunited with my friends once more.   I did show the letter to Lilly; however, and she didn’t seem pleased with her lieutenant’s “tone”.

I would have liked to talk with everyone but it has already been a long day and we’re planning to go into the mountain tomorrow after we share our information and settle on a plan of action.  I was so anxious that I stayed up to write everything down but now I feel it is time to sleep as well.  Unless I meet my untimely end at the claws or jaws of some artificially animated abomination, I suspect my next entry will detail the results of our expedition.  Until then, good reader!

Double Entry 6/29 and 7/6

Chapter 53: Jungle Hell

It’s official.  This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on.  Before we left Stormguard, we received confirmation that the King had gotten rid of the scales and already, the capitol was returning to its normal peaceful state.  We also arranged a meeting to speak with my new shadow.  The woman was about as friendly as porcupine with hemorrhoids: wouldn’t tell us her name but she did say that she was hired to be my bodyguard.  (With Will and Fasa acting as defense for me, I’m starting to think I should be worried!)  She refused to say who hired her or why I needed guarding.  When I asked her why she was dressed in clothing from my homeland, she also refused to answer but she did admit that her clothing made her stand out.

We offered to let her do some shopping and while she was occupied, I took a jaunt through the portal to Hammerfell to visit with my cartographer friend, Brant.   Unfortunately, he only had one map of the region we were going to and it was only for Grundo, not Rolonia.   Also the map had a decidedly childlike aspect to it.  Still, it could be useful so I purchased it and told him that I would bring him maps and travel logs of the area when I returned.

As we finished our preparations, two tremendous bombs were dropped upon us: Rish was leaving our group.  With her memories gone she felt uncomfortable being around people that knew her so well when she had no idea who we were.  I offered to tell her the stories of our adventures together but she wasn’t interested.  So a good friend; someone to whom I owe my life just walked away: first Shane, then Mak and now Rish.

To make matters even worse, Lilly refused to join us on our trip.  She was staying behind in Stormguard.  I understand that she would be uncomfortable being back in her homeland, but we would be with her every step of the way.  I would do anything and everything to make sure she wouldn’t be found by her father.  She is my best friend, the closest person I have to a sister and for the first time since I met her at the tavern in Spearrow, she wouldn’t be at my side.

Tal was also staying behind to take care of our business deals.  Last night, she had given me an item to, in her words, “help me miss her less.”  Like that could be possible…   So three of the most important people in my life would not be with me on this journey; I suppose that more than anything contributed to my current predicament, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Will, Victor, Fasa and I met at the teleport chamber which led to the jungles between Grundo and Rolonia.   We stepped through the portal, one at a time and I stepped through last, straight into mayhem.   Guttural roars and fearsome howls of anger filled the jungle and before any of us could act, a large green-skinned humanoid hurtled toward us and smashed into the archway.  I stared in shock as enchantment faded quickly from the rubble.  We were stranded!

The fight raged on, however, and Will identified the battling beasts as a Night Ogre and a Greater Troll.  The ogre was of a much more powerful variety than usual and the troll, who had been completely lifeless moments ago, got back up on its feet, completely unharmed.  After I got smashed by a chunk of rubble while trying to fly Will and myself out of reach, we decided to get away from the scene before one of us got killed.  Not having a dedicated healer in our group made it essential that we get away from the hostile creatures as quickly as possible.

Lucky for us, the two giant-kin kept each other busy and we managed to escape with no further injuries.  We wandered through the jungle and as we camped the first night, I realized something very important: the bracelet was still with Lilly!  Which means, that I am currently vulnerable to scrying.  I tried my missive tube and learned that I was well out of range – something else I should have verified before coming half-way across the world.  Cursing my stupidity, I briefly thought of using my message ring to Oslo, but decided against it.  First, I knew he was still recovering from the battle at Stormguard and the terrible wounds inflicted on him.  Second, he was dealing with Nico and I knew that they needed time to work things out.   Last, I didn’t want to look like a fool to my mentor (both of them, technically).

We trekked through the jungle for weeks until finally; we emerged into the rolling hills and plains of Rolonia.  I had frequently flown up above the canopy to make sure we were heading in the right direction because being surrounded by the huge trees and undergrowth was completely disorienting, but there were no further mishaps of note. 

We are now camped under the stars and I can feel a burning sensation from my feet along with a distinctly unpleasant and uncharacteristic aroma.  Will says that it’s Jungle Rot.  Wonderful…    At least he is confident that he can guide us to village where he brought the children he saved.  Unfortunately, it is an incredibly long way there and we didn’t bring our mounts (another blunder on my part), so it looks like we will be walking.  I certainly hope I can find a healer before my feet are completely destroyed.

Chapter 34: The Flames of “Justice”

Yesterday, Will felt oddly compelled to lead us off of our northerly route.  Our supplies were getting low and the problem with my feet was becoming worse.  Eventually, we found ourselves at the edge of a village where a mob of people surrounded a woman tied to a large pole among a pile of oil-soaked wood.  She was drenched as well and there were chants of “burn the witch” echoing through the air.  A priest of Abadar along with two warriors of his order stood with the crowd.  A large opulent coach waited at the edge of town beside a sinister looking prison wagon.

Before we could come up with a plan of action, Victor pulled a set of documents from his pack and hurriedly scribbled over them.  Then he drank a potion which changed his appearance to that of a justice of Abadar and strode forward, declaring that he had orders to release the woman.  The priest was immediately skeptical as was the Paladin standing near the wagon.  He might have convinced them if it wasn’t for the Inquisitor who could see through the growing mass of falsehoods.

Grumbling under my breath, I knew I had to save the woman before the situation got worse.  After a quick casting of two of my spells, I became invisible and flew up behind her.  She was clad in a ragged dress and though her face was smudged with dirt, and her hair a snarled mess, I could tell that she was young and attractive.  No matter what she had done, no one deserved this kind of treatment.  I worked quickly, casting a Minor Image over her before casting Invisibility again and Knocking her shackles open.  I don’t think I’ve ever cast so many spells in such rapid succession but she was loose and no one was the wiser.  I lifted her away from the unlit pyre, leaving the image of her in her place and we flew away while keeping watch over what was happening below.

Victor had been taken into custody and was being placed into the wagon.  As soon as the clergymen and the villagers turned away to enact their “justice”, I saw him slip his bonds, unlock the wagon, and dive under the carriage without being seen.  Chanting began again and a torch was put to the woood, which immediately burst into flames.   I focused for a few seconds to make the image of the woman scream and blacken.  Satisfied that the illusion was in place, I flew us to a copse of trees at the northern edge of the village.

Fasa was there, but Will was missing because he had doubled back to go help Victor.  Groaning aloud, I handed a set of clean clothing to the woman after releasing her invisibility spell. Then I flew off to gather the other members of the group.  It took longer than it should have, but eventually we all met up again.  Victor was sporting a few extra bulges in his clothing, presumably from looting the carriage.  Will arrived with a set of gear that actually belonged to the woman.  Her name was Aeron and interestingly enough, she was a witch after all.  She also happened to be an inquisitor of Irori and to make things more interesting, the man who had been about to burn her alive was her father!  She agreed to join us, having no other way to go.   In a fortunate turn of events, she was able to use her magic to heal my affliction, so for the first time in weeks, I can rest peacefully. 

Chapter 54: A Town on a Lake and a Town on Wheels

After a few weeks of travel, our supplies were almost drained when the town of Octiviris came into view.  Will had been supplementing our rations as much as he could but we were running very low.  The town had no walls, but surrounding the cluster of buildings, there was what appeared to be a moat, forty feet across!   A series of bridges let travels into the city and as we passed over, it appeared that the structures could be retracted, effectively cutting off the town from all but aerial or aquatic invaders.  Judging by the size of the fish in the water, taking that route would not be advisable either.

The population was primarily made up of lllipers, humanoids with extended muzzle-like jaws and no nose.  We found an inn called the Fat Lute and we got our first view of an Octopede who ran the place.  Imagine a centaur but with an insect-like face and a segmented body from the waist down like that of a caterpillar.  The inn was lively and eager for songs and stories, so I obliged for a bit.  Will, Fasa and Aeron decided to check out the fishing in the lake and eventually I went to the smithy across the street with Victor. (He had taken a platinum holy symbol from Aeron’s father and wanted to melt it down.)

 Soon after that, a cheer went up from the direction of the docks.  Will had managed to catch and kill a massive predatory fish called a cutlass-fish and the town was planning a celebration in his honor!  The party was quite lively and I think even Will managed a smile or two; Aeron as well.  I lovely lady offered herself for a more private celebration, but I declined.  Victor had no qualms about physical attention and staggered off to his rooms with a girl on each arm. 

Eventually the party wound down and I slipped off into dreams to meet with my own lady through the magic of the item she gave me.  Though we could only meet once a week, it was better than nothing.    I still miss her terribly.  It’s really amazing how real dreams can be, especially when you share them with someone you love.  During these nocturnal visits, I had also learned that Lilly realized that she still had my anchor charm and was attempting to contact Oslo to get it to me.

We just finished having breakfast with the only wizard in town along with her druid husband.  We learned that Blackthorn Village and the surrounding woodland had been burned to the ground.  Merchant Buckbean had come in and rebuilt the town which had begun to harvest all of the fire-hardened wood.  He even named the place, Buckbean Village – such a terrible name.

Once Victor finally dragged himself out of bed, we were off again, heading north.  After another week of travel we encountered a very strange sight in the distance: a long line of enormous wagons, at least one hundred of them.  As we approached the caravan, they had already moved into a circle and were beginning to unload.   By the time we got within hailing distance, a city of sorts had sprung up on the plains.  Will and Aeron recognized the group as the mobile city of Peo.  (I had heard stories, but they paled in comparison to seeing the place in person.)

The population, made up of gnomes, octopedes and mole-men, scurried around in an extremely efficient fashion, setting up shops, dwellings, stables, inns; everything one would expect in a mobility-challenged town.  After checking in at the Inn, we spent a little time exploring and shopping.  I found some artists who had heard of Buster, the octopede painter that Alair was interested in.  He lived in a town on the far side of the Parched Forest.  Sounds like a wonderful vacation spot – I can’t wait to go!

Okay, enough with the sarcasm.  It turned out that the mobile town was heading in the direction of Buckbean Village and the city leaders agreed we could come with them as long as we helped with set up and tear-down along the way.  It was definitely better to travel with such a large group: roofs over our heads, regular meals, safety in numbers, and interesting people with whom we could exchange stories.  Victor did some shopping and gave me a rare domingo egg.  I have no idea how to care for it, but I will do my best.  It sounds like a fascinating creature.

We parted company with the fine folks of Peo near Buckbean, but when we got there, we found wanted posters of all of use posted on the town gates.  We all decided it would be best to avoid the town for the time being and set off for the capitol city of Rolonus, where the children from the Village-Formerly-Known-as-Blackthorn had been taken to find new homes.  I admit, I am uneasy about going to the capitol city of this kingdom, but with our skills of disguise and stealth, we should be fine.

Chapter 55: Catastrophe in the Capitol

I really need to learn to stop making such wildly optimistic statements like the one at the close of the previous chapter.

Anyway, we entered Rolonus with no incident.  Moving unobtrusively through the streets of the Temple district, we learned something that was a bit disturbing: Aeron’s father was back in the capitol and he wasn’t just a priest of Abadar; he was the Hierarch!  We had to be more careful than ever, but eventually, Will found the orphanage where the children were being housed.   Many had been adopted into new families and the young ones who remained all seemed to be doing well.  I would like to find a way to reunite them with their family working in Stormguard but that is something for a later time - once we establish a way to return.  Unfortunately, as soon as we stepped outside the building, we were attacked by the same urban ranger who had been hunting Will.  I don’t know how he was tracking us down and traveling around the world so quickly: from Perch to Stormguard and now Rolonus!

He had a friend with him, a strange creature that looked like a lumpy pile of mud.   The bulbous creature managed to move quickly and Aeron recognized it as a mudblub.  Unfortunately for him, he was vulnerable to fire.  A barrage of scorching rays sent it screaming away but it didn’t get far before Victor and I took him down.   Will squared off against his nemesis and in a rare state of rage; my friend jammed his fist in the man’s mouth and popped his bow.  The weapon exploded out of the ranger’s head and the man’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Unfortunately, the attack raised alarms.  We had been spotted and recognized.   Members of the city guard and the church of Abadar closed in on us and we looked for a way out.  To the north of our location was a wooded area called the Park of the Gods.  After getting everyone disguised, I bluffed the first guard patrol we encountered and sent them off in the wrong direction while we moved calmly to the park.   The wooded area was quiet but people were beginning to mill about, curious and worried about the alarms and the heightened guard presence.  Though we were trying to keep our presence unnoticed, some performers noted Victor’s attire and asked if he would join them.  Of course he did, and soon a crowd was forming around them.  (A singer, a magician and a sock puppet – quite the odd show, I must admit.)  Fasa even got into the act as Will cast Jump on him.  The dwarf in wizard disguise (thanks to Fennic’s hat) bounded nearly thirty feet up into a nearby tree, to the delight of everyone.  As fate would have it, the crowd also drew the attention of some of the guards and I realized that Victor was breaking the law: permits were required for any public performances.

After informing my friends of the potential problem, I headed off the incoming guards while they snuck away.  I created an illusionary group on the next block and called their attention to it.  The pair rushed off, but another nearby patrol who had an Inquisitor of Abadar in their ranks was not fooled.  They chased after us and though Victor cleverly slowed the guards down by showering the crowd with (fake) gold coins, I realized that our only option to make it out of the city quickly was to take to the air.  I cast Fly on Victor, Will and myself while Aeron change into a large eagle.  I used my wand of Reduce Person on Fasa so Aeron could carry him and we flew out over the wall.

Immediately, riders poured out of the gates to give chase.  Since the flight spell doesn’t last very long, we had to figure out a way to escape.  Looking over the barren plains, that didn’t seem likely.  I had Victor carry me as I began to call on my innate ability to control the weather.  Ten minutes later, thick fog rolled over us, concealing us from our pursuers.  To prevent them following us, I pulled out a wand that I had been saving and summoned an illusionary red dragon.  Enough of the riders (and all of the horses) believed illusion that when the dragon breathed a massive cone of flame over them, they all dropped unconscious to the ground.

That gave us enough time to change our direction to make it harder for them to find us. The only rider that caught up to us was someone that Will knew, a slave like he had been.  Will convinced him to do what he did: escape and flee into the jungle to the east.  We continued to the southeast in the direction of town that Will knew of.   Eventually, we had to camp and I am currently writing this in the last light of the day while Victor and Will set up traps and alarms.  When I finish, I am going to add something to the perimeter: stones set up in the cardinal directions that are enchanted with Magic Mouth that will call out if anyone approaches.  I’ll be taking first watch so I can sleep in while the other spell casters prepare their magic in the morning.

----------

Well, the precautions worked out well and the two rangers that caught up to us have run for the hills thanks to a nice illusionary demon.  I’ll write more when we reach the town.  Hopefully, they will have horses that we can purchase.

Chapter 56: The Road to Green Hill

The town Will led us to was small (I don’t even remember the name) but we were able to restock our provisions there.  We purchased mounts as well, though not the type we were accustomed to.  Two were “sauruses”, long lizard-like creatures slightly slower than horses but easily capable of carrying two people.  We also got two other raptor-like mounts that were quite swift.  Will and Aeron, being the most capable at riding, took them while I rode one of the others with Victor.  Fasa planned to simply run alongside us, leading the second as a pack animal. 

We also met a pleasant but annoying girl named Gabby who followed us around talking incessantly and asking more questions than a fleet of interrogators.  Thanks to Victor’s ventriloquism spell, we finally managed to distract her long enough to leave the town and continue on our way to the Parched Forest.

The landscape shifted into something quite different.  The sun beat down on petrified trees occasionally dotted with brightly colored oversized flowers.  We saw large scaly creatures that we recognized as dinosaurs and we did our best to avoid them.  A loud buzzing noise caught our attention and we discovered an enormous wasp nest.  We stayed far away, but Will expressed concerns with leaving such a hazard on the main trail.  We debated how best to deal with the dangerous creatures, but Victor suggested the best course of action: posting warnings.

After making sure the trail was well-marked, we went around the nest and left the parched forest behind.  Soon our surroundings changed again.  The air became heavy and moist and everywhere we looked there were mushrooms of every color and size, from tiny buttons dotting the ground to others as large as trees.  Near the “trunk” of a fallen giant we spotted a strange little creature.  It had feet and a beak similar to that of a bird, but its body consisted of three red balls of fluff.  It greeted us pleasantly and six more of them appeared around us, each a different color of the rainbow.

They said that they were “fobs” and after feeding them some dried apricots, they agreed to lead us through the forest to meet someone who could help us, the “Whatsit”.   On the other side a wide, swift river we came to a waterfall where another strange creature was bathing.  It looked like a cross between a gorilla and a troll but was covered with thick purple fur.  The Whatsit greeted us pleasantly and graciously agreed to lead us safely out of the mushroom forest toward Green Hill.  Upon exiting the forest we said goodbye to him and continued on our way.

Unfortunately, nightfall was quickly closing in upon us and we had to make camp.  Though we made our usual precautions, we were still attacked by a strange creature.  Hazy and indistinct, the Pooka exists partially in the ethereal plane, making it almost impossible to see.  It also had the power to steal magic directly from the mind of spellcasters (which is likely what attracted it in the first place).  We managed to overcome it and slay the beast.  Being highly magical, I took the creature’s head and its liver which is used in a number of enchantments.  Victor filled some vials with its blood because it was a vital component in potions of invisibility.  Lastly, Aeron skinned the creature as its hide could be made into a camouflage cloak.

Nothing else attacked us and the next morning, we arrived safely in Green Hill.  This community is quiet and pleasant, filled with artists of all kinds.  We found rooms at a quaint inn and after taking a long, hot bath, I am currently enjoying some tea.   Victor, Aeron, and Fasa went out to do some shopping.  Will and I plan to go meet Buster later this afternoon.

Chapter 56: Fine Art, an Unexpected Visit, and the Removal of Limbs

Will and I found Buster’s studio.  His house was decorated an amazing mural that made his dwelling completely blend into the landscape.  He was definitely an artist of incredible talent.  The octopede greeted us pleasantly and eagerly, offering us tea as he showed us his work.  His current paintings were nothing short of amazing.  He was attempting to paint sound.  As I looked at one of his works, I could sense a faint aura of magic and within moments, I realized that I could hear a song captured on the canvas among the swirls of colorful brushstrokes.

I sang the song of the painting and suddenly, it came to life!  A birdlike creature sprang from the canvas and flew around the room before escaping through an open window.  Buster was in awe and very pleased that his work was successful.  I apologized for letting his painting escape but he assured me it was fine.  I am very interested to see if I can recreate that image.  The bird was incredibly beautiful and unique.  If it has intelligence, it might even serve as a familiar.

We asked buster about purchasing a painting for Alair and he knew exactly which one the elf would want.  It was in the museum in town but he warned us that it was expensive.  We left the artist to visit the museum before it closed and found out that he was right.   The painting was an astoundingly life-like image of the waterfall where we met the Whatsit but the point of view was from much higher and there was a circle of stones in a clearing at the top of the falls.  The curator quoted the price at ten thousand gold!  I didn’t have that kind of coin anymore, but Will did and paid it without batting an eye.

I knew I had to do something in return for him and last night, I believe we repaid that debt.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

When we walked back to the inn, painting carefully rolled up and stowed in my haversack, Oslo was waiting outside for me.  He looked so different that I almost missed him at first.  He didn’t appear old enough to be my father, let alone my great, great, etc grandfather.  There was an aura of power and vitality surrounding him that I had never seen before, not even when he had consumed the essence of the vampire.  He had very few words for me but handed me back the anchor bracelet.  Lilly had contacted him and asked him to get it to me.  Though, I was afraid that he would disapprove of my recent activities, he said nothing.  I gave him the pooka liver, and he seemed pleased, and requested some mushrooms from the nearby forest.   Then, without another word, he teleported away.  I’ll admit; I am worried about him.  We need to have a long took, sooner than later.

Victor and the others were waiting inside and they were looking very satisfied.  They told us of the merchant they had met and some of the wares he had.  One thing in particular stood out in my mind: an herb that could cause incredibly fast regeneration.  I glanced down at Will’s arm where the slave brand was hidden and smiled.   We purchased the herb from the shadowy merchant and adjourned to Will’s room.  After taking remedy, his eyes began to glow green and a euphoric expression slid over his face.  Holding him steady, we hacked off the arm with brand and watched in amazement as the limb quickly grew back with no trace of the brand.  Looking down at the other arm where the (decidedly inferior) bow was embedded in his hand, we lopped that extremity off as well.  The hand grew back quickly and Will smiled drunkenly.  Eventually the light faded from his eyes and he fell peacefully to sleep.

I’m still too anxious to sleep.   I miss Tal fiercely and dream ring won’t be ready for a few more days.  I could try to arrange a visit through Oslo, but somehow I don’t think he’d appreciate me calling on him for using his time and magic for something so personal.   So, with nothing else to occupy my thoughts, I’m taking this opportunity to write.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

(So next Entry will include the letter that Will received from Lilly’s father and the confrontation with the monks of Fasa’s order.)

6/22/13

Chapter 51: Resolutions

The first issue resolved is that Nico is no longer haunting.  Actually, he never was.  When I left the lute in my room and went back to Stormguard to have lunch with Tal, I noted that the ghost was gone!  Going back to Oslo’s tower, I found him still there.  He was bound to the Lute, not to me!

Seeing the opportunity to discuss matters in private with Oslo, I teleported back to my apartments and left the lute back in the armory before returning to Oslo.  My master agreed that it would be best to leave Nico with him.  It had been centuries since he had been able to speak with his son.  As we spoke, a feeling of dread washed over me.  I had the lute with me when we went to the Dao Genie which means that he was with us when we freed the Genie kings from their painted prison!

I told Oslo of my fears and he agreed that a warning should go out.  He would contact his wife in the Courts of Air and tell her.  This gave me pause because I had no idea that Oslo was still married… to a genie… my great (great, great, etc) grandmother… the Djinn King’s favored concubine!  I was shocked.  I had no idea they were still in contact but he assured that they were.   I’ll admit that I was upset that I had never gotten the chance to meet her, but Oslo assured that me that someday we would.  She was busy dealing with the repercussions of the king’s return.

Guilt washed through me at my part in the chaos she was going through, but Oslo assured me that the fault lied squarely on the Shugenja that trapped the genie monarchs in the first place.  The only reason the man was still alive was because he was immune to the magic of genie-kind.  I managed to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest, just barely.  The man was still alive!  For over ten millennia!  I had traded in the ire of a 400 year old djinn-blooded master mage for what could potentially be retribution from a 10,000 year old mage who could imprison the most powerful genies of all time.

Olso reassured me that spells were woven into my blood that would warn us if he or any of his agents were nearby.  Seeing nothing further that I could do, I retrieved the lute and left it in my room at the tower.  Nico and I had a civil conversation where I forgave him for trying to enslave me and he forgave me for destroying over a century of work and effectively causing his death.  He also told me that he did indeed form the Blood Song guild.

Saying goodbye to my ancestors I headed straight for my library to pick out any volumes I could find on the history of the genie courts and the disappearance of the kings.  When there is more time, I will have to continue my research, but for now, I had a promise to keep and a woman to save.   First, I contacted Fasa and asked him if he would be willing to act as my bodyguard.  I needed someone to watch my back on a more regular basis and I was pleased that he agreed.  As an initial payment for his services, I purchased a ring of lightning resistance for him.  (Working closely together, it was likely that he would get caught by some of my spells and I wanted to lessen the damage to him.)

We went to the wizard’s guild and I paid a hefty fee to one of the diviners for the location of the Sahuagin city.  After that, I went back to Tal’s place since it was nearing dinner time.  I agreed to meet Fasa back here in the morning and he a very pleasant evening.   The next morning was a bit of an eye-opening experience.   Unbeknownst to my lady, I had been learning the gnomish language and as I sat reading, she and her sister were having a conversation.  Until today, I had never been able to pick out more than a few words and phrases but now I could.

Erra was quite open in her questions to Tal about a number of very sensitive topics regarding out relationship and our activities, especially the quality and frequency.  They even discussed the customs of my homeland of men having a harem and whether Tal would be a part of that.  I did my best to keep from choking on my coffee or from blushing too badly.  It was especially difficult when Tal asked if she would be interested in me so that if our relationship does continue, they could be sisters under one roof.

This entire conversation happened as if they were discussing what to have for breakfast, which in fact is what they did next.  Tal said that she was getting tired of the daily routine of bacon and eggs and without a thought; I suggested that I go get crepes for everyone.  Tal said that would be lovely but Erra looked at me and asked bluntly, if I found her attractive, which I undoubtedly do.  Tal smiled and asked if I had thought of courting Erra.  The conversation continued regarding marriage and the future, but before anything was decided, I left to get breakfast.  No, I did not flee as fast as my magically-enhanced boots could carry me.  I swear.

Luckily, the topic was left alone for the rest of the day as we made preparations for our trip to the Sahuagin city.  Since the attack on the city, I have been studying the language of the aquatic people and I practiced taking their form with my Alter Self spell.  I went to Quint and purchased a variety of water breathing items, including a very stylish belt for me.   While the others were getting ready, I took Tal to the docks and I spent a few hours with her under the water practicing Illusions that would be convincing.

Lilly had secured a crew for her ship and I had created a compass using Francine’s hair and dewing needle to pinpoint her location.  Tal gave us a set of weapons that would be extremely useful under water, including two repeating harpoon crossbows, a trident and a set of bracers with retractable punch daggers.  We planned to set out the following morning, but Will expressed concerns that we didn’t have a solid plan for getting in and out of the city.

First thing in the morning, I went to check with Alair at the Bloodsong guild.  When I laid out the issue to him, he had a suggestion: he could cast a delayed teleport on my group with the destination in the Temple District followed by a teleport to the location which he could scry for using my compass.  All we had to do was arrive at Francine’s location, grab her, then teleport back approximately a minute later.  He did ask one thing in return, a favor for a favor.  He wanted a painting created by a specific artist: not a specific painting though, any would do.  Anytime within the next year would be acceptable but there were two complications.  (Aren’t there always?)  His name as Buster and he was of a race known as Octo-pedes which lived in the jungles near Ilonia, the same area where Lilly is from.

I gathered the others and told them Alair’s suggestion and they all agreed it would be best.  We had Lilly’s ship and crew standing by in case we were blocked from returning.  At 10 AM, we gathered around the elf wizard with our water breathing gear and weapons ready.   In a flash, we appeared in a set of pens surrounded by people in rags.  Moving quickly we gathered them all close and prepared ourselves for any guards, but none came.  The time we arrived corresponded to the middle of the night for these people.  No one was alerted and in another flash, we arrived on Temple Street with Francine and 66 other people who had been kidnapped from the city.

One of them, a mage described what the Sahuagin were working on: a massive coral golem that was to be covered in a cloth golem (which Francine was working on).  The construct would be 40 feet tall when it was completed and effectively be two golems in one.  Destroy the cloth golem and there would still be a second even stronger golem underneath.  We called on guards and members of the clergy to take the people back to their homes while I personally made sure that Francine was reunited with her family.

Once she’s ready for more work, I will commission a new tunic using the Elf fabric I purchased but for now, after all the chaos we have been through in recent weeks, I believe that it’s time that we had some rest and relaxation.

Chapter 52: Vacation

Three weeks…  Three wonderful weeks, we’ve spent relaxing on the beach, playing with animals at the familiar farm, and training together as a group.  During that time, the first batch of Missive Tubes was completed and half went to the Lord Knight and half are staying with me.  He is very happy with the items and has already commissioned 30 more sets.  Though my initial profit was meager, I have hopes that this deal will be quite lucrative for all involved.

I gave two of my tubes to Lilly to use in her business dealings.  I kept the major tube for myself and gave another to Tal, leaving me with two unspoken for, at the moment.   I did spend some of my vacation time in the city to work on the business arrangements with Tal, but we spent most of our nights together in the “beach house”.  During the day, the others were there two but other than training on combat maneuvers, our only excitement came in the form of a brief visit from a shark.

At the Familiar Farm, a group of over-sized praying mantises got loose from their enclosure and we spent a chaotic afternoon gathering them up without hurting any of them.  I think Will might have even cracked a smile or two.  Now if only I could get him and that cute wizardess Violet to spend a little alone time together; I think it would do him a world of good!  He could use a good animal friend too.  I know he’s afraid of getting close to people, but holding everyone at arm’s length is no way to live your life.  She’s a little bit shy and reserved, so perhaps Victor would be a better match for her.   The woman’s skill with nature spells and her affinity with plant-based creatures could rival that of a druid. 

On our last night together, there was a rather impressive meteor shower.  I was reminded of the hours spent at the observatory unlocking a new Rune that allowed me to expand my spellcasting abilities.    Something else darkened my mood, however.  In my last few trips into the city, I spotted a woman following me. Though she was clothed entirely in black, her face covered, I could tell that she was Zakharan.  There was a jambiya on her belt along with a wicked-looking hand crossbow.  She took no threatening actions and judging by the fact I was able to spot her, she is either not very skilled or she is not worried about being seen by me.

I asked the group to help me confront her, non-violently if possible.  Will joked with me that perhaps she was a “fan”.  I highly doubt that.  Her behavior is definitely not what I would expect from someone who enjoyed my performances.  And how would someone from my homeland know much about me?  I was not well-known when my performing career was interrupted by my service to Oslo.  We’re planning to take a trip to Ilonia so Will can check on the children from his village.  While we’re there, we’ll also look for Buster the artist and maybe search for the lost city of half-genies.  I look forward to the adventure, but I am going miss the city, especially Tal.  I hope my newly made tube can reach from where we’re going…

Entry 6/15/13

Chapter 48: Remnants of Evil

The day started innocently enough.  I sought out a tailor whose reputation suggested she could make an outfit with my new fabric in any style I chose.  In her neighborhood, a man ran up to me and before I could say anything, he said that we were friends and he’d been with me for the last hour or so.  Blinking in surprise, I narrowed my eyes and asked why I should help him.  He handed me a very nice-looking mace just as some guardsmen ran up to us.  They were looking for someone who’d been looting in the area.  Putting two and two together, I realized what was happening and for some reason, I helped the thief.  I really have no idea why, but I said convincingly that he was my friend “Alphonse” and he replied that I was his friend “Ackbar” and we had just come from having breakfast together.

Luckily, neither of the men recognized me and accepted the story before moving on to search for the culprit.  Alphonse thanked me and handed me a wand: elm wood decorated with silver, gold and numerous gems.  It was ridiculously expensive but enchanted with a weak form of Dispel Magic.  As he left, he told me that it came from a nearby shop called El’Shara’s Magical Emporium.  During my recent shopping excursions, I had heard of the place.  It catered only to the richest of nobles and the owner was the snobbiest woman I’ve ever encountered.  I pulled out a piece of parchment and used my teleport spell to send a message to Lilly.  It’s not ethical, I know, but this woman charges prices that are criminal.  Lilly and I each have business projects to fund.

Speaking of projects that need funding, I found the tailor’s house/shop soon after.  It wasn’t difficult.  Though it was similar in style to other buildings in the neighborhood; it was masterfully painted to look like woven fabric.  I knocked on the door, but there was no response.  When I checked the door, it was locked and barred.  Though the blinds were drawn, I could see the house was dark.  Feeling uneasy, I went around to the back door, which was also barred and then to the side door which was completely unlocked.  I entered into a hallway. 

The house was quiet and eerie and there was a pervasive smell of wet dirt that hung near the floor of the entire house.  I summoned my dancing lights to see in the gloom and in the middle of the hall to my left I found a solitary dining room style chair.  When I sent a bobbing torch down the other direction, I saw the kitchen.  Next to the back door was a small stool, just the right size for someone of Tal’s stature.  The bar was partially lifted but I saw nothing else out of place there.  I checked the rest of the house and the only other item of interest was a large coffee table resting on the bed.  I went back to the main room and opened my senses to the presence of magic.  Immediately, I spotted strong auras of lingering Transmutation energy; from the hallway, the kitchen and the master bedroom.

The Furniture!  The three items out of place were polymorphed people.  I pulled out the garishly decorated wand I had just received and used it on the chair in the hallway.  A wavering veil seemed to fall away there stood and thin, older gentleman, looking confused and upset.  The butler followed me back to the bedroom and the table became a very large man who began to swing a thick club at me.  I avoided the attack from the tailor’s husband and convinced him I was there to help.

Looking around at the furnishings, a flash of inspiration dawned on me and I realized that the stool in the kitchen must be the couple’s child.  We rushed there and one more use of the Dispel wand revealed a girl, maybe eight years old.  She had been trying to run out of the house, but couldn’t quite lift a bar when a man cast a spell at her.  There had been fish people as well, Sahuagin.  The husband, a massive man who I learned was related to the Sheriff and Baker from Benic, said that they had come up from the basement.  He didn’t know what happened to his wife, Francine.

Down below was the tailor’s workshop (her name, I learned was Francine).  Looking back on the events, I realized how stupid I was, not calling for any of my friends to check this out with me.  However, since I am writing this, you realize that I emerged from the ordeal in one piece, more or less.  Francine’s husband opened the basement door and held his daughter close.  As I walked down the stairs I entered the tailor’s workshop where she kept all of her tools of the trade, including a loom that was magically weaving fabric by itself.  In the middle of the 15 by 15 foot room was a large circular patch of disturbed earth on the floor.  I could sense magical energies lingering in the air.

When I stepped off the stairs and knelt at the edge of the muddy patch a roar shattered the silence.  I turned to find an eight-foot tall monstrosity emerging from under the stairs.  Thick chitinous armor covered its body and its face was a nightmarish mix of humanoid and insect.  Glancing down at the hole and back at the creature, I realized it was an Umber Hulk, a subterranean creature capable of burrowing quickly through rock and soil.  Before I could act, it charged me and ripped a gash along my left hip with one massive claw

I knew I didn’t stand a chance against this creature alone.  I let my dancing lights flare brightly for a second, making the light-sensitive beast wince as I rushed back up the stairs and left an illusory duplicate of myself downstairs and directed it to huddle against the far wall, cringing in fear and holding “my” injured side.  The creature recovered and blinked at my image before rushing at it with another heavy claw attack.  I couldn’t avoid the strike, but I made a convincing enough injury as I moved quietly to the top of the stairs and motioned for the family to get outside.

Looking downstairs, the umber hulk a flurry of claw attacks and a brutal bite.  I knew the image wouldn’t fool the beast any longer so I released the spell, slammed the door shut, and pulled out a wand to place an Arcane Lock on the door.  Unfortunately, while the door might hold, the floor didn’t.  I ran to the front door and turned, pulling another wand.  The creature was pulling itself out of the hole it made in the floor.  I released the magic of Fennic’s mending wand.  The hole in the floor sealed shut around the umber hulk but the magic didn’t stop there.  The creature froze as it suddenly turned to wood, the same material as the floor.

I had only been hoping to stop the beast so the family could get away and I could deal with out in the open until reinforcements could arrive.  I made sure that the two halves of the creature were loaded onto a wagon and delivered to my midtown address.  Then I went down to investigate the basement again.  The hole there filled quickly with sea water as I tried my Move Earth wand.  Nearby, I found an emptied wand of Aquatic Transformation.  Whoever had kidnapped the woman used the wand on the Umber Hulk so it could tunnel from the ocean, many miles away.  The wand’s owner and the Sahuagin obviously escaped back through the tunnel.

I promised the woman’s family that I would do everything I could to get her back as quickly as I could.  I received a message from my friends to meet at the Hobbit House, so I hastened to meet with them, hoping they could help me fulfill my promise.  Lilly and Fasa were there along with another human that I had never met.  He introduced himself as Victor and I recognized his accent as that of the region known as Thregalia.  Trained as a rogue and alchemist, he also admitted to performing stage magic.   I admit - I was a bit of a showoff as I used a bit of Sleight of Hand to upstage him.  I feel bad, but he seemed to take it well.

We enjoyed a meal and talked about what was happening in the city.  Rish and Will were missing because they were dealing with a magical threat to the city.  During the chaos of the attack, the Mother of Monsters, revered by the Cult of the Devourer had left five demonic seeds in the city; something completely unheard of as two of these seeds had never been placed within 100 miles of each other and never at the same time.  Will had been infected by one as the group was cleaning out portions of the city.  Rish had him hidden away at the Temple of Irori because many of the other temples had wanted to kill him on the spot.  As I understand it, that is the safest way to deal with these seeds, but Rish had communed with her god and found another way: which was why Tal was busily building the five elaborate clocks instead of eating with us.

As our meal wound down and we discussed what to do next, a man stood up to perform for the house.  He was of decent talent but his choice of material was a bit ironic.  He sang of the Fall of the Fire Giant Slavelord, the first original tale I had performed so long ago based on our encounter beyond the Caves of Madness.  Shane was changed to a Knight using enchanted armor to make him invisible. Lily wasn’t mentioned at all and Fasa was an axe-wielding warrior.  There were a few other more minor inconsistencies which I decided to overlook, but Fasa spoke up.

The minstrel took offense at being corrected in front of the crowd, until he realized that we were the ones he was singing about and that I was the one who wrote the song.  He had purchased the song from a man near the city gates.  When I get a moment to myself, I will have to find this person and see about correcting his version and collecting my royalties.  The minstrel was skilled enough and one of the performers from the Baron’s Theater Company (many of whom were regulars at the Hobbit House) told him to come by for an audition.

I took half of my food to bring back to Tal since she often forgets to eat when she’s working on detailed projects.   After making sure she had a few bites and getting a progress update on the clocks, I met up with the others at the temple to discuss the situation with Rish.  They had found and hidden away the four victims of the seeds left behind by the cult, but the fifth was still missing.  There was a ritual involved that drove a family member insane and in a fit of murderous rage, they would kill their entire family.  The violent energy would coalesce into a seed of pure evil and the next person to arrive on the scene would get implanted with that seed.  That is what happened to Will.

The group of us went to the Wizard’s guild to ask them to scry for the site of the last ritual.  The guild member we spoke with agreed to help, but only if the city would lower the fines against the guild for the destruction they caused in their attack against Oslo.  Since we didn’t have the authority to make that decision, I teleported a message to the Lord Knight.  Within minutes, he arrived and he was livid.  A threat of this magnitude against the entire city and the wizard would dare to attempt to get out of paying for the damage that they caused, especially when that destruction occurred because of a vendetta against someone trying to help the city.

The wizard was banished from the kingdom but the head Diviner immediately agreed to help so no further punishment would befall the guild.  He gave us the location immediately and then turned to me and gave me the banished wizard’s Truename and the aliases he used here and in Lunaria.  I was shaken that I would be given such a thing, but it clearly showed how sincere they were to help.

We met Will and some other priests at the site of the last ritual.  It was a upper-middle class home, but all of the cleric-types immediately detected the evil within.  Will offered to go inside since he was already infected.  Rish declined and began a ritual of consecration.  As she worked, we were attacked by a group rushing out of the house across the street.  We took them all down and discovered that many of them were hobgoblins disguised by illusion magic.  I made sure that one of the attackers survived for questioning.  Soon after, the consecration was complete and the seed exploded in a cloud of violet smoke that shook the building.

We took our prisoner into the building where they had been hiding.  The family inside had been murdered so they could watch the house.  Using my bardic music, I put the hobgoblin into a trance so he would answer all of our questions.  Will stayed outside to keep watch and Rish stayed with him to watch over him.   I learned that this group was to learn the identity of whoever became infected and their leader, a mage of some sort, would use a spell to create a portrait of the victim.  Then they were to go inter the sewers and exit the city through the Duergar tunnels and meet their leaders at the Lighthouse.

On an interesting sidenote, the dark dwarves have a new chieftain and he is very distrustful of clerics and goblin types.  In order to travel through their tunnels, the cultists had to bribe them with a chest full of gems.  (Which were stashed nearby and lucky for me, I was able to reattach my hand before any permanent damage could take place.  Moral of the story: always have the rogue-types check the chests for traps. )  There were only four real gems inside.  I can’t imagine the fakes would have fooled the dwarves, unless they’re careless or not very bright.  

Lastly, I asked about the tailor who had been abducted.  He hadn’t been a part of that, but he heard that she had been kidnapped and taken to the Sahuagin city under the sea to the east.  She had been taken in order to make golems.  A tailor?  Maybe flesh golems that needed to be stitched together?  That gave me hope that as long as she was useful to them, she would be kept alive and hopefully not mistreated.

After turning over the hobgoblin to the city guard, we rushed Will back to the temple.  According to Tal, the clocks will be ready in two days, so the final preparations for the cleansing ritual are underway.  Two days of waiting and worrying.  For now that’s all I can do.

Chapter 49: Evil Seeds and Revelations

The day is here.  The ritual is happening.  I spent the last two days playing my lute, studying the stars and trying to find a location or a map to the Sahuagin city.  The best lead I turned up was an underwater salvage group that worked near the docks: the Wharf Rats and I had heard rumors that they were very pleased that the Royal Navy had arrived in the city.  When I learned that they worked at the Ice House, the same place where the alcohol-tainted ice served at the Lord Knight’s party, I became even more alarmed.  I asked Erra and her group to watch them and alert me if they did anything suspicious.  After the ritual is done, I will find out more about them. 

I visited Francine’s family and told them what I had discovered.  I also promised them again that I would find her and bring her back.  I know her husband understood that I couldn’t promise to bring her back alive, but I would do my best.  I saw a picture of the woman: a pretty fair-skinned human with blonde with gray eyes.  Before I left, I also collected some of her hair and one of her most used sewing needles.   I was inspired by Rish’s tracking device that she created to find the master slave collar, but that will have to wait until after the ritual.  Time to get everything ready.

…..

The ritual was successful and everyone ultimately escaped unharmed; although, my life will never be the same.  Dramatic I know but after what I just discovered, I am entitled, but before I get into that, the ritual itself.

Rish and I set up circles of protection around the four victims (Will, the town guard, a pick pocket and a fruit vendor) who were positioned directly behind one of the clocks.  At the same instant, the ritual started.  As the cleansing magic surged through them, the seeds were vomited up and absorbed by the clock, which would then be powered by the evil magic until it ran down harmlessly.  One clock worked perfectly.  The pick-pocket’s clock lurched suddenly and almost fell over as a spring popped out.   I moved forward to right the clock and the seed dropped into the device, which seemed to work correctly.   The fruit vendor, however, convulsed and the seed missed the clock completely.  It sailed through the air, directly at me, but Will leaped forward and interposed himself.  The seed buried itself into his chest and he dropped to the ground.

 All we could do was reset everything and try again – this time, only with Will.  The three others were checked over and sent away with some of the priests.  They seemed to be fine if somewhat harrowed by the experience.  Will unfortunately was not done and his task was made even more difficult by the pair of seeds buried inside him.  We reestablished the protective circles and restarted the ritual.  He vomited forth the seeds and they each dropped into the clocks but one of them would not start.  Making sure it was safe to enter this time, I moved to the clock, attempting to get it working.  It finally did and there was a sudden backlash of powerful transmutation magic. 

Rish was struck by the wave and began to falter and struggle.  The magic had partially transformed her into one of the creatures in the seeds.  Her heart was now that of a wyvern and the beating organ was quickly threatening to tear open her chest.   An idea flew into my head: if she could be polymorphed into a wyvern and then changed back to her normal form, it should save her.  I began to draft a message to the wizard’s guild to send someone, but Tom stopped me.  He assured me that he could do it and I knew from the last time we merged on the Negative Material Plane, that he had powerful enough magic to do it.  He couldn’t polymorph her but he could Spell-sing her shape back to normal.

As he merged with my body, something nagged at my mind.  The strains of music sounded very faint in the darkness surrounding me but the song was so familiar.  Then it struck me: Tom Nice – Nicotem!  I railed at the cage surrounding me as fear welled up in my chest.  Nicotem was controlling my body and he may never relinquish control!  I fought in vain against the magic when suddenly, I was back in control.  Tom floated next to me, looking as ghostly as ever.  Something in his eyes told me that he knew.

I asked him bluntly if he suspicions were correct and immediately, his attitude became cold and distant. Why was he doing this?  What was the connection between us?  His next words shattered my world even more.  He was Oslo’s son!  That made him my distant uncle!  We had the same blood.  I felt angry and betrayed as I realized that Oslo must have known and he didn’t say anything!  Nicotem said that he would give me space, but if I didn’t behave in a heroic manner, he would take my body for his own.   If I descended into corruption and laziness, he would destroy me utterly.  All I could do was be silent.

So now I sit at my desk in the Study, surrounded by notes of my travels, snippets of songs, images of my friends and loved ones.  I no longer think of this place as Fennic’s.  It is mine.  I have earned it and I am not going to let some bitter, arrogant, hypocrite from the past destroy everything I have done and stop me from doing more.  I will find a way to put Nicotem to rest, but until that time, I have to tell Tal.  She shouldn’t be caught in the middle of this.  I know that I love her and I will tell her so, but if this is too much for her deal with, then I will let her go.

Chapter 50: Betrayal and Departure

No, regardless of the title of this entry, Tal neither betrayed me nor departed; quite the opposite, in fact.  Though she isn’t ready for any permanent commitment, she said that she loved me too and she would be at my side through whatever comes.   More than ever, I realize how lucky I am to have people like her and my friends in my life.

The day after the ritual, I knew I had to continue to search for the location of the Sahuagin city.  Regardless of my issue with Nico, I had made a promise to Francine’s family and I was going to honor that promise, no matter the cost.  My “uncle” had been strangely, but thankfully, absent; though I was certain that he was still around.  As part of my morning ritual, I picked up the Lute to practice but realizing the connection it had to him, I set it aside.  I will not rely on any power that comes from him.

 After breakfast with Tal, I went to meet my friends down at the docks.  Mak was leaving soon as acting Admiral of the Royal Navy (after executing his predecessor for treason).  While there, I first checked in with Erra and learned that the Wharf Rats rarely exited the building and they were working inside on some kind of anchor.  Since they dealt with salvage, I didn’t think anything of it.  (Big mistake!)

 At the docks, Mak was talking with others already when suddenly there was a series loud “crack”s from the docks.  The ships were sinking!  Will and I rushed out to the nearest ship which happened to be the flagship.  Just below the water line I could see a large hole where water was pouring in.  I got as close as I could and used my Mending wand.  The gap sealed immediately and we went to check the other ships. Knowing what to look for, the knowledgeable crews scrambled quickly to save the ships, but the furthest one down was almost beyond the ability to be saved.   We rushed out there and I used the Mending wand again, just in time to prevent it from completely sinking.  Under the water, we spotted a large chain that was attached to a set of thick hooks, almost the size of anchors.  The chain led to a heavy winch at the bottom of the bay which was obviously used to tear the holes in the ships.

Spotting one of the “Rats” on the dock, we grabbed him before he could run off.  Mak took the man into custody and began to do what he is famous for: brutally torturing people for information.  I immediately rushed off to the Ice House along with Will and Victor.  When we got there, Erra was confused because her group hadn’t seen anyone come or go.  We broke in and found out why.  There was a large trap door in the floor that dropped down into the sea.  A breathing apparatus was hooked to a winch and the chain was still reeled out.  Victor went to check the offices while Will and I turned the crank to bring the divers back to base.

A minute or so later, the diving rig bobbed in the water with six men, looking very confused.  Seeing the lightning dancing over my hands, they didn’t make any aggressive moves.  I questioned one of the men to see who they were working for, but he refused to cooperate.  Victor returned a little while later with helpful documents indicating that they were hired under the authority of the Crown Prince himself!  We summoned the guards to take the men into custody and then headed back to the docks in time to see Makausk taking a man into custody.  Lilly told me that she had overheard him attempting to speak into a message ring.   Unfortunately for him, Lilly had just stolen said ring and his message was only heard by her.  Mak began a new round of interrogations to elicit a confession and my stomach turned at the sight.

When I looked around, I noticed that Rish was gone as well.  I looked out over the city and spotted a yellow and red flare, a distinctive pattern that I recognized as Tal’s!  I grabbed the others and rushed off in the direction of the flare, running as swiftly as my new magical boots could take me.  We all reached

I rushed to Tal’s side.  She had a few minor wounds, which I healed and she told us that she and Rish had been attacked by a group of “clerics”.  (Yes, she used finger quotes and everything.)  After taking out the first group, more had shown up and Rish leaped to the rooftops and lead them away.  The men had training similar to Fasa and Rish and they had climbed/jumped up to the roofs to chase her.  Not typical for clerics of Imodae.

Lily pulled out her carpet and told Will to hop on.  Victor and Fasa rushed off down the street and after stealing a quick kiss from Tal and making sure she was alright, I followed after them.  A few blocks later, Victor and Fasa hailed a carriage and when the driver refused to stop, they jumped into the driver’s seat and the man was sent tumbling onto the street.  I jumped into the cab and glanced back to make sure he was okay.  I could tell by the fist he was waving and curses he shouted after us that he was not seriously harmed by the fall.

I had a pleasant conversation with two young men who were out for a night on the town, but the ride was soon over as we reached the scene of the attack.  I called out to a man on the street who looked like he could use some work.  He assured me that he could drive a coach and I paid him a gold to take the men wherever they wished.    We got to the scene in time to see Lily and Will riding on her flying carpet as he fired on the men chasing Rish, who performed an incredible rooftop leap across the main thoroughfare.  Lilly dropped a bag of marbles on the roof behind our friend which sent one man falling to the street where he landed in a crumpled heap.  A second went down to arrows from Will’s amazing new bow.

The final two soon realized that they couldn’t escape and since they were posing as clerics and we were now standing in the temple district, they surrendered.   We turned them over to the priests of their supposed temple and that was that.  I went back to find the carriage driver and paid him a tidy sum of gold for his trouble.   Though he was angry, I also assured him that we really had been on business for the temple of Irori.  He still seemed angry but I also told him where he would likely find his coach.  (The men had told me what their plans were for the evening, and if the man hurried, he should be able to catch up with them easily enough.

Now I am back in my apartment and as soon as I finish writing this, I am going read through the book I found on Nicotem.  Though he has been silent all day, I am sure that he is still lingering and I have no desire to have him following me any longer.  I have to find a way to break this connection we have, to stop him from haunting me any longer.  Tomorrow, I will go to the Wizard’s guild and pay the diviners for the location of the Sahuagin city, but first, I am taking Nico’s lute back to my room in Oslo’s tower.  I will not keep it with me any longer, no matter how useful it may be.