Entry 1: Something New
My day started like many others: cleaning my master’s lab, studying in the library, practicing my sword work in the courtyard. Oslo called me to his study and after getting cleaned up, I went to see him. On the table behind him, I noticed an odd assortment of carefully-packed equipment suitable for long journeys. After getting my attention again (no small task, I assure you) he explained what he wanted me to do.
Now, Oslo is old. I don’t mean “elderly”. I mean OLD, like a musty tome, faded, tattered and covered in dust. He had me around his castle seemingly to do his bidding in return for teaching me about magic. (Not that I really had a choice in the matter, of course.) One of his former apprentice’s had been doing research into magic that could ease the wizard’s aching bones but they hadn't been in contact for almost two years. Oslo wanted me to meet him and retrieve whatever information I could.
The apprentice’s name was Fennic and he lived in a small village as a hedge-wizard, which means he helped make sure crops and livestock were healthy. He also preformed magic to improve the weather and to make life better for the villagers in general. That kind of life sounded pretty boring to me, but I decided not to judge; I had a job to do.
Besides basic provisions, Oslo gave me two other items of interest. First was an old battered-looking satchel that was enchanted with magic that preserved anything placed inside. He wanted me to collect any interesting reagents that could be used for alchemical and magical experiments. He especially wanted the hearts and other organs from live sentient creatures: goblins, orcs, and the like. When I started to protest, he assured me that he did not expect me to go on a wanton killing spree, but if I happened to be required to defend myself from such beings, he wanted to make sure nothing went to waste. Oslo is not an evil man; just practical and always looking to increase his knowledge. This, more than anything, has put me at ease with him.
The other item he gave me was a bracelet, gold and crusted with small diamonds and sapphires. The days of travelling with my father replayed in my mind and I found myself pondering its worth. Oslo explained that in a few days’ time, he would teleport me back to his castle to report what I had found. The magic within the bracelet would serve as a link to my location. If I found someplace to hide the bracelet or, better yet, found someone to wear it, I could be teleported back to where I had been transported from.
Oslo instructed me to finish my preparations for the journey. I dressed in my bland, but well-made travelling clothes, but I packed a few extra outfits as well. Clothing is important. They allow you to blend into places and keep people at ease. I find that sometimes, the simplest disguise is changing the clothes on your back. I also readied my weapons: a short bow over my back; a dagger tucked into a concealed sheath on my wrist; on my belt, the curved jambiya that my father gave me and finally, my grandfather’s scimitar.
Lastly, I secured my most prized possession: a straight, slender rod of polished oak; tapered to a point and ringed with bands of silver at the thicker end. It was a wand that let me cast a spell to completely disguise my appearance. I absolutely love wands. This, I tucked into another sheath on my left wrist.
Now, I must go back to Oslo and have my body sent through a magical vortex to a far-off land that I've never seen before to make discoveries, meet new people, and collect treasures and stories. I must admit, I really love my life.
Entry 2: A Cozy Little Village
I am currently sitting in my room at the tavern in Fennic’s village. It has been an eventful day as you will see by this entry. Tomorrow should be even more interesting.
I appeared on a well-maintained road and off in the distance was a set of small buildings that turned out to be the village served by Fennic. Recalling the maps in Oslo’s library, I was impressed by the range and accuracy of my master. The street was hushed and deserted with the exception of a glowering half-orc wielding what was either a very large crossbow or a small ballista. He glared at me suspiciously, but I smiled at him and walked toward what was obviously a tavern.
The inside was clean and rustic but had a pleasant, homey atmosphere. Some old-timers were playing cards in one corner of the large common room. The only other patron was a young blonde girl. I looked again and realized that she was actually a Halfling. Her clothing and equipment made it clear that she was traveler like me. The food smelled quite good but I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to eat some of the rustic fare.
The barmaid came over to my table and confirmed that most of their food was pork-based (which I do not eat). They had a vegetable platter and bread and the ale was surprisingly good. I chatted with the woman, who was well into her mature years, but still attractive and well-endowed. The general news about the town was alarming: the dead were rising and attacking townspeople. The cleric of the local temple was unable to do anything to affect these things.
When I asked what Fennic was doing about it, she confirmed my worst fears: Fennic was dead. He passed away months earlier, seemingly of a heart attack. I was immediately suspicious and my concerns grew as I learned that the “undead” appeared right around the same time that he died. I asked if Fennic had any enemies in town and learned that he did his job very well and was respected in the community. He helped everyone in town with improving the weather to help crops and driving away predators from the livestock. Even the tavern had an enchanted mouse trap in the kitchen.
After brunch and securing one of the two rooms available, I introduced myself to the Halfling girl (who had taken the other room). Her name was Lily and though I got the impression that she was a thief, I found myself trusting her immediately – almost as if we were meant to travel together. We shared a drink and talked about what was going on in the town. Curiosity was obviously a trait we both shared.
As we talked, another interesting person entered the tavern, a dwarf who had obviously been traveling by foot, judging by the dust on his well-worn boots. He was armed with a spear and had a pair sticks tucked into his belt which marked him as either a stick-fighter or a drummer. He ordered food and ale (of course – he’s a dwarf!) and asked about a room. The innkeeper told him that Lily and I had the rooms and soon after that, he joined us at our table.
His name was Fasa and he had traveled here from Storm Guard because the cleric of the town posted a job about clearing away the undead problem. Being a noble and adventurous sort, he was here to do the job, which paid a nice sum of gold and some healing potions. Since we were all interested in finding out what was happening (and because I suspected it might have something to do with Fennic’s death), we agreed to work together.
Later in the evening, the tavern got very crowded as the townsfolk arrived to drink and socialize. I told some stories and earned another meal and some spare coin. I find that people are always more willing to talk to you after you’ve entertained them. One of the older men in the crowd had recently been visited by the undead. It had walked onto his farm and killed a pig with a wooden axe and dragged it off into the woods. What was even more interesting was that the thing looked like a neighbor’s son who had died years ago, but he looked as healthy as he did when he was alive.
A brief brawl between two young men (over irrigation methods of all things!) was broken up by the half-orc sheriff. Other than that, nothing else of note occurred so Lily and I went off to our rooms while Fasa settled himself by the fire. Tomorrow, the three of us are going to check Fennic’s hut and then look in on Farmer Joe and his missing pig.
Hmm, there seems to be someone rattling my window…
No one there. Whoever it was, they weren't very determined.
Entry 3: The Hedgewizard’s Hut
I met Lily and Fasa in the common room and discussed our plans over breakfast. It was a brief put pleasant meal but I think we were all eager to be on our way. Following directions supplied by the innkeep and his wife, we made our way down the road out of town and north along a faint trail. We ended up at a run-down looking one-room hut. Definitely not the place one would expect to find a wizard of any skill or power.
Knowing that things are often not what they appear to be, I shifted my senses to detect for magic. As expected, there was powerful magic on the house. Well, to be exact, the door. Following an impulse (which I do with somewhat alarming regularity) I went to the door and said, “Oslo sent me.” Immediately, the door swung open to reveal…
A run-down looking one-room hut. We all looked carefully around the inside but everything was completely as it seemed: dusty floor, fire pit with cooking utensils, a small dining table and chair. Everything looked well used, but where were the wizardly implements? Where was the library full of scrolls and books? Where did he sleep?
Lily noticed something out of place. Foot traffic in the dust revealed that Fennic really didn’t move around this room very much. Just back and forth from the door. And that is when it hit me – the magic on the door was much more powerful than a magical trap or alarm. I closed the door, said “lab” and opened it again.
And stared at a block of solid stone and the passive face of a gargoyle. It opened its eyes and spoke. “You are not the master or an invited guest.” I asked what sort of guests the master entertained and it answered “beautiful, nubile women”. It seems that Fennic was a bit of a Lech. Following another impulse, I closed the door, retrieved my wand and disguised myself as a “beautiful, nubile woman.” It’s not the first time I’ve done that. Sometimes women can enter places a man cannot.
I opened the door and asked to enter but the gargoyle refused again. It told me that I was wearing too much clothing. Correction, Fennic was quite a Lech. Or maybe the gargoyle was… Either way, I closed the door, adjusted my disguise to be nude and opened the door again. This time the gargoyle swung back and allowed me to enter. I looked back at my companions. Lily shrugged and got undressed. Small though she may be; she is definitely both beautiful and nubile. Fasa declined and said that he would wait in the main room.
The lab was a fascinating place and I found a number of interesting items: a jar of vampire dust, some gemstones and powdered diamond, a scroll of Summon Nymph (LECH!) and finally, Fennic’s research notes for a spell to easy aching bones through a mix of Necromancy and Transmutation. I also found his spellbook which spawned a mouth that shouted, “I was fucking poisoned!” as soon as I touched it.
We checked for other rooms, trying different names. His bedroom had a bed that could comfortably sleep a moderate-sized family and I was covered in rich furs. I went through his extensive and eclectic wardrobe and assembled an outfit fit for any noble. We also found some items of note that he would no longer need: magic rings, a robe, earrings, and a staff. I knew that Oslo would be able to identify them, so we stored them safely away.
His Pantry was well stocked but uninteresting. Same was true for his Bathroom (though, we were all very interested in trying his tub). There were four other rooms which held a number of surprises. His Den had an incredible number of books on stories and histories. It also had maps and some notes tracking the site of ancient ruins and another set regarding a string of recent murders where the victims were all magi. I selected a few books of stories including one from my homeland and another ancient volume of elven tales.
His Library was protected by another gargoyle and informed us that only Fennic could pass. Having been shown images of the man by my master, I placed another Illusion over myself and entered. It was stocked with an impressive collection of tomes of magic and arcane research. I selected one volume that contained spells developed by students at Radashil’s Academy of Magic. I thought Oslo might find it interesting.
It took some trial and error until we found his Study and here we found records detailing his interactions with the townsfolk: what he did for them and what he received from them in return.
The last and probably most important room that we found was the Vault. Lily wanted to go charging in, after checking for traps, which we found. Fasa stepped in and triggered a trap she didn’t spot and lost a good chunk of his spear in the process. After looking at the long hallway, covered in colorful tiles and flanked by a number of suits of armor which radiated strong magic and seeing the massive door with its equally massive set of nine locks, we all decided it would be best to leave this room alone.
We’re sitting down to some lunch before we head over to Famer Joe’s place to investigate the murder and theft of his pig.
Entry 4: The Bone Eaters
I’m currently sitting in the massive over-stuffed chair in Fennic’s den and thinking over of the events of the day. Lily diced me for the use of the bedroom, but she won. Fasa is curled up on the floor by the fire in the main room. I can’t complain, however, this chair is quite comfortable.
We left the Hut in afternoon, determined to find answers to the “undead” problem before nightfall. It didn’t take long to reach Joe’s farm. The village really isn’t that big. The old man showed us the pen where his pig had been. He gave us the wooden axe, still crusted with the animal’s blood. His description of the man made it unlikely that he was really what he seemed. His neighbor’s son had died three years previous but the man’s appearance was the same as when he was alive. Not likely that it was a zombie.
Then Lily and Fasa found tracks. Ghosts and the like don’t leave tracks, or wield wooden axes, or kill pigs and drag the body back into the woods. Following the trail, it led to a cave in a hillside, which was directly behind the cemetery, which was next to the temple. We all thought it would be nice to actually get paid to do the job we were about to do. We spoke with the cleric, a lovely lady named Sheila who was quite surprised that there was someone or something living behind the cemetery. She agreed to pay us the gold and healing potions and to also heal of us any injuries sustained in dealing with the problem. (Which was sorely needed as you’ll soon read.)
We went back to the cave and Lily stealthily scouted the entrance. This is, of course, an understatement. I think that a gnat would have been more noticeable than her. She spotted traps set up inside the small cave. Squatting around the meager, she saw four hunched figures wearing tattered loincloths. When she described the things to me, I had no idea what they were, but we quickly came up with a plan.
I used my minor telekinetic magic to drag the bear trap on the left side of the entrance to the right side. Lily went into the cave to spring the second trap, a swinging spiked branch, when the occupants were in position. Fasa climbed up over the cave mouth where he could attack with his spear. My part in the plan was to draw the creatures out into the open so I formed an Illusion of Farmer Joe, pitchfork in hand and hid in the bushes behind the phantasm.
Adopting an accent from this region, I began calling out to the “pig-stealing bastards”. Lily saw what happened in the cave and related it to us later. Each of the squat beings grabbed bones off the floor and chewed on them. As they consumed the remains they took on the appearance of the former owner of said bone. They headed out of the cave and one got stuck in the bear trap. Lily sprang the other trap and injured two others and the fight was on in earnest.
I drew two of them out to Joe’s image and focused my concentration on keeping their attention as long as I could. Fasa attacked one from above which began to climb up after him. But the two still in the cave went after Lily. I didn’t want to leave her without any help so with a final distraction from my phantom farmer; I rushed out and attacked with my scimitar.
Now, I’d like to say that I was dazzlingly effective but that would be a lie. I’ve been training in combat, but not extensively. I slashed and cut one of the attackers until Fasa jumped down and helped take my opponent down. We turned on the other that was now climbing back down from the rocks and dispatched it. About the same time, Lily walked nonchalantly out of the cave, with barely a scratch on her. Glancing inside there was one corpse riddled with arrows (which she borrowed from me!) and a second smoldering and sputtering near the fire.
The combat wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done and so, we returned to Sheila in the temple. After paying us, she examined the bodies and recognized them as Pasacha, which happen to be smaller, less intelligent cousins to the powerful and evil race of feline shapeshifters known as Rakshasa. The creatures could innately detect magic and were drawn to those who could wield arcane power. I surmised that these must have been the creatures responsible for the deaths of the magi between here and Storm Guard, probably even Fennic. (All they would have to do is appear as a beautiful and nubile girl and he would let them right into his home.)
So after getting healed, we headed back to the tavern for a night of celebration. We dealt with a pair of would-be thieves who were following some kind of "Adventurer's Correspondence Course". I think I may have to look into the publisher of those guides - they are rather ingenious.
Afterwards, we retired to Fennic’s hut which brings me back to the present here in my master’s former apprentice’s study. I think I’ll grab another book of tales and read until I fall asleep.
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