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Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 19 Dec 2005 03:09 AM |
On this day I commit to paper the troubling events of the past few days. I hope to one day read this journal and be proud of the choices I made, whatever they end up being.
My unceremonious arrival back in Vives some months back marked a significant change in my life - I did not realize that my skills as a wizard would soon grow to rival my skills as an alchemist. I also did not count on so much adventuring with the good folk of this world. My craft has of late taken a back seat to these adventures, and I have made many a friend along the way.
However, I do now suffer an inner torment, from two matters, one I commit to paper and one I would rather leave off, except for the most basic details, as, though the two are intertwined, I would not wish my untimely death, if it came, to have repercussions to the object of my unrequitted love.
My father, mother, and brother all met their doom before reaching old age, and long have I hoped that, when I do meet my end, I will be able to meet up with them again in the heavens. I have not been reckless in the risks I have taken to my own life, but neither have I questioned the fact that some day I must die. Never until recently.
I found myself falling for a woman, one of the long-lived races, and could not act a proper man in her company, eventually professing my love for her. Her response was, metaphorically, a cold dagger to my chest, but, in retrospect, perfectly logical. Why would any caring woman who will live through at least twenty-eight generations of humanity choose to live her life with one of us, watching him get old and wither as her beauty remains intact.
We must seem to them as dogs do to us, creatures for which we feel affection, and grow attached to, but which are soon to get old, die, and be replaced. I am, first and foremost, a creature of logic, and as my initial pain wore away, that undeniable logic replaced it.
Then I met Solus.
Working late one evening at the jewellery shop, I heard a gnome yelling at Omiga, and came out to see what the racket was. Standing in the room, threatening to rain destruction on Omiga for not offering a fair price for his wares, was an imposing gnomish wizard. I was later to come to believe that he had no business whatsoever in the jewellery shop, and was just using the first trick of illusion - diversion - to throw me off.
The gnome soon looked upon me and told me, in no uncertain terms, that he had business with me, as well. Assuming that he wished for products of my alchemy, I thought of my potions sitting in my room at the Four Winds, but, alas, that was not what he wanted. He said that the dead speak through him, and that one of the dead wished to commune with me. I accompanied him to a nearby cafe for a few ales and, mostly, listened to what he had to say.
I fear I have been indulging too much in drink of late. Either the horrors of dungeons, or heartsickness, or both, have made me vulnerable to the lure of drink, and I have not resisted it. Though I was in some state of intoxication for most of my meeting with Solus, I came out of the meeting understanding two things.
First, that one of the dead wishes to commune with me. I might not have believed his story so readily as a student at Ka'azim, but I have seen much since then to cause me to change my opinion. I had heard vague and hushed rumours of Solus from my days at Ka'azim, and if there is a wizard in the realms who can commune with the dead, it is probably him. I also cling to the hope that it is the spirit of my brother Leto, and that I will find out that he is happy in the afterlife.
The second matter, which I hesitate to admit, was raised by me. When the gnome went to shake my hand, he conspicuously extended his left to shake my right. This is not local custom, and when I looked to the right hand, it was wrapped in fine silk - in fact the entire forearm was. The gnome was soon telling me of how he single-handedly brought the art of necromancy back to Vives, and how for that was banished from Ka'azim. When I prodded him on the subject, he admitted that his skills went well beyond mastery of necromantic spells, to deathless mastery itself.
As I have already stated, recent events have caused me to despise my short lifespan, so I asked him about extending it. It can be done, he said, and offered to guide me through the process. I could not make so momentous a decision in the company of the gnome, and he did not ask it of me. He merely gave me a gray potion and told me to contact him if I planned to drink it, explaining in gruesome detail what it would do to me. I continue to walk the lands with this potion carefully tucked away in my pack.
I know that if I drink it, my soul will have ultimately gone beyond the point of no return. The gnome freely offered that magic is HIS, not from the gods, and that he neither fears nor follows them. What will become of his soul when death finally takes him? Then again, perhaps death will never take him.
I am conflicted in what my own decision in this matter will be. Life has a certain vibrancy that I would not wish to lose, and some of what he told me of his own life seemed grim indeed. Then again, why must we humans die so quickly, spending our short lives growing in strength and power that is so soon extinguished? Why must we have only short decades with our loved ones?
((To the "dead soul" that wished to commune with me, please send a PM for a time)) |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 20 Dec 2005 01:13 AM |
Halflings.
Mix one part fire beetle belly, one part mineral acid, and sixty pounds of flesh and entrails. Add ten drams of courage and two stones of luck. Let it mature for a few months in a mother's womb and...well, dear diary, you get the picture.
These creatures amaze me, so brazen and relentless they can be. The first fateful journey I took with halflings was a commission through the Kobai Desert with the brave Gynn and Slash the <a word is crossed out> underclad. I likely would not have successfully crossed the desert without the assistance of those two, yet Slash's fool decision to bathe with the elephants nearly got us all killed. It was only the bravery of Gynn in fighting off an army of undead and diverting the giant two headed ettin that allowed us a safe escape. Gynn. She was a mix of halfling courage with two doses of common sense.
A few days later a journey with Londo Bywater, halfling "knight", on what I had hoped to be a routine herb gathering mission, illustrated to me that courage is a double edged sword. All he had to do was accept an invisibility spell - my magicks would have been more than adequate, but A'mael <the ink is smudged here>, the powerful elven sorceress, could have protected him for the long walk through the troll infested lands with spells of great power. He decided instead to charge into battle ("What kind of a knight am I if I'm afraid of trolls," said he), chopped down mercilessly right at the entrance to the pass. A'mael had to cast an invisibility dweomer on him just so we could drag him to the safety of the elven healers.
Tomi Swiftfoot, renowned in the lands for stealing from Midor (I'll not hold that against him) then accompanied Garick and I (Garick deserves his own entry but, alas, not today) to kill some snakes that just happened to reside on a very ugly woman's scalp. One swing from the shadows and that nasty piece of work had been cleaved in two. This is not a particularly amazing feat, as my summoned spider can usually kill her easily, but when I went to the enchanting altar, nine of my ten enchantments went off without a hitch. The chances of such an occurence for an enchanter as inexperienced as I are simply too low for me to discount the possibility that the halfling's luck rubbed off on me.
Next, Garick and I ran into Cora Delving, a beautiful halfling woman who chopped her way through the abandoned mines of Port Royale in front of Garick and I, only to find none of the minerals we searched for. I would have thought her angry to have us waste her time, but she joined me for an ale (well, I believe she drank two and I had six, but nobody was counting) afterwards and helped me to triangulate the location of another mine that I have not yet had the time to visit.
Lastly, though, is this Sampson.
All I wanted yesterday afternoon was a companion to go with me to Midor, get an ox, and come back and mine some sand with me. 2,000 gold pieces I would pay, but there were no takers. Then I saw a halfling go running by me like the gods themselves were chasing him. I looked behind him, but saw no pursuers, so I followed after him, thinking I had perhaps found an oxen driver after all. I had not.
Instead I found a halfling who, barely twelve seconds after meeting me, began to ask me if I knew where, or how, to find a gnomish wizard wearing purple robes. Solus, of course.
This piqued my interest but the halfling began to prattle so quickly I could barely keep up. He needed to find out about his family, and the gnome made some promise about doing so, but then there were rebel paladins entering into his story, and I simply could not keep up, or understand what he was talking about. He did confide in me that he believed Solus was a liar, a cheat, and a thief, and that he desperately wanted to see Solus again, because Solus knew something of his parents.
Around this time a disfigured woman with an eyepatch and tatoos down her arms came strolling down the street asking about where to find missing guards. I don't know how, but within minutes she and the halfling were arguing about all and sundry. By this time, I would have much preferred some drink at the nearby cafe (the same one I met Solus in, in fact) to watching this debate, but I was curious about the halfling and, especially, about the assertion that Solus is a liar, cheat, and thief.
So I sat down against a nearby tree and watched the war of words ensue. It seems that the halfling took up with some rebel paladins, that he hopes to one day be a "knight" (seems a popular aim for these halflings), and that he was confused about some of the Midoran customs. The woman, on the other hand, appeared to have been in Port Royale to do little other than bring the word of Midoran to the streets.
It was a dreadful sight to watch, and was not shedding any more light on what the halfling knew of Solus, so I decided to interject, donning my new green rings (of my own manufacture, I might add), and gaining, if not great confidence, then at least the desire to interject in this discussion and move things along. Though the night was wearing on, I still harboured dreams of taking an ox to Mystique.
Well, my newfound confidence seemed to have had one rather nasty side effect. While I joined in the barbs and criticized Midor, I let slip a little of what Solus had told me. Enough in fact, that the halfling became very suspicious and drew his sword. Drew his sword! I had done nothing to deserve this, and quickly cast a dweomer to make my skin as hard as stone, which, thankfully, resulted in the halfling sheathing his weapon.
It appears that Solus had played this halfling for a fool (which gets me to wondering exactly what his intentions with me are). After a brief discussion with the Midoran about the story Solus told me of how Midor had intervened at Ka'azim to suppress the art of necromancy, the elf Radra came along and decided to offer up her opinions on the subject. She in fact took enough of the Midoran woman's time for me to have a quiet discussion with the hin. I do not wish a confrontation with the gnome, though the halfling appears to harbour no fear of him whatsoever. What I do wish is to understand whether Solus can be trusted. I am debating whether to show the halfling how to call Solus, though I fear that I might spend the rest of my life living in the swamp and eating flies if I do so.
I will need to meet with him again to determine the correct course of action. The halfling seems determined that Solus will help him find his mother; given that Solus's peculiar power is that he can commune with the dead, I presume, though he refuses to believe the possibility, that the halfling's mother is deceased. I have my own reasons to wish to see Solus; I would like to hear from Leto, and I am yet to make a decision concerning the "gift" he offered me. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 21 Dec 2005 02:08 AM |
Relentless.
The halfling could only be described as relentless. Oh yes, and bold, of pure heart, and sure of his goals.
My day started off as my last. Sand. I wanted sand. Lots of sand. I met up with Torim and we travelled together to Midor for oxen, only to have them both come up lame on the journey back to Port Royale.
Torim, though, carried 500 pounds of sand without it slowing him down. Who needed an ox?
Torim has the makings of a true friend and I must not jeopardize that. I will never again suffer one of these fools to make fun of him, or call him an animal. Today I found out that it hurt him to hear people say that. Now if only he would stop snapping and sniffing at them.
Though I would like to speak at length of our fellowship, weightier matters require my quill.
While I was gathering sand, a seagull came to me bearing a message. It simply said that the halfling Sampson sought me out, and then, a rather silly postscript "it's not about Solus".
Of course, when Torim and I arrived on the docks laden with sand, the halfling was there. Of course, it WAS about Solus. "How can I contact him?", he asked yet again. I shudder to think of whether I will even be allowed back to Ka'azim with all the association between my name and that of Solus, but at this moment that is of no consequence.
What is of consequence is that the halfling hunted me down and went with me to Doc's; what is of consequence is that the halfling convinced me that Solus is a liar who led his friends to certain death; what is of consequence is that the courageous young halfling was willing to risk his life to face this villain again. All to find out about his parents.
What could I do? He just came back to it, over and over again...I wish to summon Solus...I wish to meet Solus...again and again he asked me.
So I related to him what Solus related to me.
"If you wish to summon me, write a letter in your own blood. Include in the message the phrase 'Utterigus Fortunas recto Romulus-sah.' Then leave the message on a fresh grave"
Tired, bleary eyed, and recovering of the drink was I when I told the halfling the secret he so yearned for. I sat and watched as he prepared to march off into the wilderness with nothing but a green half-elven fighter at his side and, against my true nature, decided to accompany him. Though I feared Solus would destroy the halfling (and me) for summoning him, I could not simply let him march off to his death. His noble spirit did not deserve that.
So I followed him. We were to find a "safe" graveyard for him to draft his message, and then put it on the grave. We travelled to the Sunix Woods on the advice of that fool ox driver Jusin, only to have bears nearly tear the little man to pieces. I did what I always do when facing danger. Made me, the half elf, and the near-dead halfling invisible, and fled. The half elf carried Sampson to the infirmary in Midor, upon which I did something I did not expect of myself.
I wrote the message. I nearly fainted at the sight of my own blood, but I decided then and there that this noble warrior was not going to face Solus alone, and would not be stopped from his quest. I may not have known this at the time, but my business with Solus was at an end. We went straight to the graveyard west of Midor - yes it was infested with undead, but at least I could find the blasted place.
After dispatching the undead, I placed my note on the grave, and Sampson and I drank down what I thought was going to be our last ales. Soon enough, Solus did show up. He justified his half-truths to the halfling as being a trial to separate out the "true" men of steel or some such. I watched as the halfling berated the admittedly patient wizard before making a simple choice.
I had laboured over this decision for some time, but watching the fire of this noble spirit battling with Solus convinced me of the path I wished to walk in. I removed the grey flask from my pack and returned it to Solus. He explained that the potion he had given me was nothing but bull's milk and water, and would have proved harmless, which means that Solus either covered the truth with a lie, or ended a lie with the truth. Either way, it proved yet again that Solus dispatches truth only when he sees fit.
The halfling received something of his history from Solus, but that is his story, and I'll not tell it here. I will let the soul of Leto rest and not use Solus to trouble him. I can't believe good can come of that wizard's foul magicks. I know not whether I have a purpose in this life, but as these events have unfolded, I have at the very least learned what I do not wish to become.
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 23 Dec 2005 01:29 PM |
Another day has gone by, and I find myself looking to the future - a future in which I am unsure of my place.
People were burned alive in Midor; many of my compatriots are afraid to enter the city; paladins fight against forces of truth and good. I am happy to have missed the Purge, as I'm sure I would have watched impotently as the four were burned alive, though I am troubled by what I have learned from those who were there.
Best I keep track of who I spoke to, and what they agreed on:
The half elf Cay refuses to enter Midor. He said that Midoran watched with approval as the four were burned alive. This was confirmed by the paladin Ulalame, though she of course did not question her god's motives.
Many of Midor's former residents fled the city. Again, both Ulalame and Cay told me this. Ulalame characterized it as "fortification"; that by making an example, Midoran kept the faithful in the city and forced the faithless out.
Ulalame and the paladin Cedrych told me of their confrontation with one who is ostensibly a leader of some sort of rebellion, a woman by the name of Lillian. She invoked an ancient rite allowing Cedrych to strike her down if it was Midoran's will. Cedrych's sword was stayed, and he could not strike her down. Unfortunately the dwarf Balthor Mountainhand arrived before I could hear more of this story, and there was a confrontation between Balthor and Ulalame.
Balthor claimed that Midor now hunts him as well, although he seemed unperturbed by this. I have on one occasion witnessed Balthor saving the people of Port Royale from an attack by giants. I don't think him evil, and his own words, to the extent I can trust them, are that he walks in the path of righteousness.
Ulalame, nonetheless, tried to arrest him on the spot, an action as foolish on her part as Sampson disparaging her God was on his part. That is another story, and I fear I have neither the energy nor the ink to rejoin it today.
Ulalame went to the red guards for assistance, though they did not come.
After the Day of Light, I met a well-spoken half-orc calling herself Seeker. She said she followed the Code of Aristi, a code that sounded much like the code the paladins follow, though she professed to worship no god. She had spoken out against Midoran on the Day of Light; I am curious as to whether she is somehow linked to Balthor and this Lillian.
The paladins are my friends; the halfling is my friend. Burning someone alive on a pyre is not an act of kindness or compassion; the paladins, although clearly troubled, defend Midoran's will. These dichotomies trouble me.
I need more information, and I must gather it carefully. If I am drawn into a confrontation, as I nearly was today, I would like to know on whose side I should fight. Perhaps it is best just to stay far from Midor.
The Four Winds has fine ale and I have gathered enough raw material for my enchanting practice for some time. If a battle is coming, perhaps it is not mine to fight. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 24 Dec 2005 03:12 PM |
I made the trip to Ferein overland again today, acting as something of a guide for that bard Evanna. A number of good friends made the journey as well, including Garick and Sampson. I nearly died on the way, as the pressures of keeping a large party invisible and keeping them moving meant the dweomer wore off in Bloodwood Forest. Luckily a couple of rather powerful chaps were with us until Brandibuck, Drogar the white wizard and a dwarf whose name eludes me right now. He cut down his opponents as though they were kindling.
Then I nearly killed Cay trying to dry my robes with a fireball. You'd think when a man walks off half naked to a secluded spot he might want some privacy, but I guess in the end perhaps I should have given some warning.
The best thing about Cay by far is his mushroom wine. I don't know where he gets it, but it sure packs a kick. I may have to trade some rings for more.
On the way back to Brandibuck, I went through some caves invisibly to see if I could find out a bit for Big John. I will need to join with a larger force if I wish to help, of that I am sure. I also found out on the way through the desert that traders want their "Stinger" problem solved. That may be easier than the trolls. Either way, it sounds a good cause and, though I do not relish the conflict, I could use some coin in my purse, and a strong party could make short work of them.
Against my better judgement, I agreed to manufacture 50 enchanting oils for the dwarven wizard Balthor. This will hamper my own enchanting, but the gold will be most welcome.
On the way to Ferein, the halfling began talking of this "Lillian". When I have time, I must find out more from him. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 28 Dec 2005 07:34 AM |
<The entry below is a barely legible scrawl, in contrast to the neat script of the rest of the journal.>
Perhaps I shouldn't be drinking so much.
As I write this, I wonder whether I am simply relating the events of a dream through the looking glass of my mind's eye, or whether they really happened. If they did happen, below is a brief chronology.
I met up with Sampson again a few days ago. The halfling was filled to bursting with information. Solus had put him up to raiding a temple to Gukathul in order to obtain a few items that would somehow help Solus do something for the halfling. My tolerance for the halfling's stories was not what it should have been today, for I didn't even bother to ask what Solus offered in return. Seems the halfling has delusions that the fates of both Midor and Vives rest on his shoulders.
Sampson and Ulalame confirmed that this Lillian, and a compatriot of hers by the name of Tomas, were indeed of good heart, because magic stayed the swords of Ulalame and Cedrych when they tried to strike them down.
It sounds far-fetched as I write this, and it is perhaps wishful thinking, but I followed a trail of Belladonna sprigs a few days ago and found A'mael at the end (it didn't exactly happen that way, but I paraphrase). She then went to the Four Winds and proceeded to scowl at me as I drank my ale. It seems something is missing from this account. Did I speak to her? Did she speak to me? Did she appear out of nowhere like an apparation? I know not, only the empty feeling inside me as I write this, and the feeling of hope I felt when I first saw (or thought I saw) her.
Did I truly meet a stunningly beautiful orc eating a bagful of goblin hands? If so, she was a friend of Sampson's, by the name of Dana, though I wonder if she was an invention of the drink.
Someone emptied both kegs of ale at the Four Winds. Drank every last drop of ale. I know this because I am writing this entry with no ale in my hand. Uwe needs to keep a closer eye on his patrons.
Jane has stopped talking to me. She just calls me "stupid wizard" and flies away. Next time I go to Ka'azim for exams, I think I'll see about getting a familiar that doesn't talk.
When the ale ran out, I went to Mystique Island and mined sand. I now have enough flasks for Balthor's order. Best I don't mention that deal to Ulalame. I think she chastised the halfling for doing business with him. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 29 Dec 2005 02:00 PM |
I'm not sure I can correctly describe my frame of mind right now, but I write this entry with a heart less heavy, and a mind somewhat clearer, than I have for some time.
I met up with Tomi Swiftfoot a few days ago, and the halfling generously offered to show me a few places I had never been. I must admit there is a certain feeling of comfort in travelling with one so powerful. We met up with Drogar the halfling, a wizard or sorceror of sorts, and later with Brodie the dwarf, who I now remember as the dwarf who chopped the way clear in front of Evanna and her party as we made our way to Ferein.
Little of consequence happened in the crypts, aside from me learning that my skills in solving riddles are not great. Tomi and I were to later perform a good deed for Ender that netted us some gold and the affections of one of his wives, an offer I did not take up (probably could not have, given that I was three sheets to the wind for the entire time I was in the desert).
Tomi seemed a bit on edge for much of our travels, concerned that there was an assassin hunting us, and Drogar was concerned that some "entity" had tried to control his mind. Just as we slayed the leader of the Stingers, a rough looking elf appeared out of nowhere and asked Tomi if he had experienced anything unusual while "embracing the shadows". Tomi replied that he had, which got me to wondering whether Solus's pet project for Sampson, the aim of which was to send the shadows "back", might be linked to this. Tomi had apparently been part of the group to receive Solus's "ingredient list", and he seemed to share my concerns.
We were then to run into Sampson, and of course the entire focus of the mission changed. As is always the case, Sampson had his "mission" to accomplish, which was to find skeleton knuckles. I had managed to purchase a thunderstone and gargoyle skull for him, so at least we did not have to brave a crypt to find those. He started playing with the thunderstone and, of course, dropped it, infuriating Ender and making us rather unwelcome in his tent.
We went on to a dangerous crypt to look for Sampson's skeleton knuckle, whence I was to learn that Tomi's bravery does have limits, limits which would not have needed to be tested had I memorized the right spells. We were accompanied by the elf I saw talking to A'mael a few days back at the Four Winds, and the stout and brave Brodie.
We seemed to have chopped up legions of skeletons, but Sampson was not satisfied with the quality of any of their knuckles, so we left the crypt and began brainstorming to find another place to get skeleton knuckles. The elf wanted no part of it, called me empty headed for even bringing up the possibility of going to certain other crypts, and left in a huff.
After this failed mission, the party scattered and I returned to Port Royale, where I worked at rendering the large amount of animal meat I had accumulated while travelling with Tomi. I will soon have enough to meet Balthor's order, and then I believe I will be leaving the enchanting oil business, or at least the bulk sale business. Everybody wants it, but there are only so many hours in the day.
I met up with Radra and Garick after this, and Radra proposed a business partnership. I suppose I came across as lukewarm to the whole idea, largely because my appointed task in this partnership would have been to...make enchanting oil. I did show her where to get clay, and she gave me the location of a mine that I much covet, so I suppose that we did conduct business, of sorts. She has a strong personality, and though I hate the feeling of being caught in the wake of those with such charisma, following in their paths while not choosing my own, it seems that I often am.
I then went to Ka'azim, which is the reason I am writing this entry with a clear head. It is time to take my exams, yet when I arrived, I was barred entry. I was told in no uncertain terms that wizards do NOT come drunk to the door of the wizard tower to sit through lessons or take exams, and that I would not be advancing if I could not learn some self-control.
I guess I made something of a scene after that, saying that I was smarter plastered than nine out of ten of the preening sycophants they tried to educate. Needless to say, this did not go over well, and I was made to drink a potion that had the effect of turning alcohol to poison in my mouth. The potion's effects will wear off, but it did make me sober, and, though I had planned to go back to Ka'azim yesterday, embarrassing as that would be, events, not altogether unpleasant, conspired to keep me away.
I met up with Cedrych in Buckshire, he being hot on the trail of Azrael to bring him to justice for murder. I did not think on this at the time, but Azrael did in fact save my life once, and I am unsure that this is as simple a matter as was portrayed by Cedrych. Nonetheless, I, and Nathan when he arrived on the scene, helped look around for Azrael, who may have been travelling under the cover of invisibility.
I used a spell to see through the dweomer, but by the time I did, Azrael was gone, if he had ever been there. I did, however, come across A'mael, travelling under the cover of invisibility, as she so often seems to. I nearly ran right over her, but she dodged me with lithe grace as I stumbled into a patch of weeds. What she initially said to me was a repeat of much that I had heard in the previous few days.
She told me I was a fool to keep drinking ale like that, that she would give me no respect if I would show none to myself, a refrain embraced by both Jane and Ka'azim. We had a long discussion, and though I know that I am never fated to win her heart, I can at least call her a friend, assuming that I stay sober. Perhaps I should get a large supply of those potions. It is rather stupid for a wizard, of all people, to drink as I did.
When I returned to the Four Winds, it was with great sadness that I read of the death of Torim Kael, my barbarian friend. I offer him a small prayer to Theus, or to his God, though I know not Who that is. He was a brave and noble soul.
One last matter of note: it seems I did not invent the goblin-hand eating orc. Her name is Dana, and she is quite fetching, though voracious and loud. I had to endure her educating Tomi on the relative merits of green hands versus the greyish ones (for the record, the green ones are meatier - she throws the grey ones away). |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 01 Jan 2006 06:42 PM |
((I'm not sure who actually reads these posts, or the reasons that those who do read them choose to. I usually read people's IC posts because I either enjoy the quality of the writing [and there are a LOT of good writers on these forums], and the story, or because I have a narcissistic desire to see Lucius's name in print. For those reading this who are of the narcissistic persuasion, give me a bit of time. I am probably summarizing about 24 hrs. of my IG time in the next few posts, and I hate to leave people who played a part in Lucius's story out.))
I write the following entries shivering in my room at the Four Winds, having caught something of an illness on the boat ride back from Ferein. I doubt that I have the disease of the elves, for it seems a simple cough and sore throat. Though the problems in Ferein seemed momentous, I will write of them in a later entry, because I would like to keep the events of the past few days to a tight chronological order.
I awoke the day after my meeting with A'mael sober and in reasonably good spirits, heading out to the hunting trails near Buckshire to stock up on meat for my enchanting oils. Along the way I met up with an elf named Yggsdrazil, who near immediately began telling me of his magical prowess. Suffice it to say that his "wand" is bigger than mine. He is also an alchemist, and, again, sounds to be rather better at it than me. I was, however, quite a bit taller than him, and he seemed even poncier than I, perpetually casting strength spells just to carry his pack.
Anyway, I digress, and when I re-read my last paragraph it looks a bit childish, but I haven't the parchment or the ink to start anew. Yggsdrazil (who was later to agree to me calling him Eegs, seeing how my elvish sounds worse than Sampson's whistling) and I travelled to the Midor outskirts before going our separate ways. He was kind enough to assist in providing information on where to find a mine that I have long coveted, though I now perhaps rue having learned of it before I was really ready to go there.
After leaving Yggsdrazil, I spent a great deal of time exploring the lands near Icy Vale under the cover of invisibility, an endeavour that nearly killed Jane after a trap blew up. I managed to triangulate the locations of many of the materials I have long coveted: titanium, cobalt, gold, and amethyst being the most noteworthy. My map is becoming a messy scrawl that I will have to re-do, but there are only so many hours in a day.
My mistake was to believe that it would be wise to return to the mines with a party. This always seems to be my mistake. I could have gone in under cover of invisibility and snuck out with my amethysts and even a few nuggets of gold, but I was greedy, and returned to Port Royale, whence I found Garick, Radra, Sampson, and Dana, all of whom seemed quite interested in the gold mine.
Suffice it to say, it was an ill-fated mission, and I am beginning to believe that EVERY mission I conceive is an ill-fated mission. The five of us travelled together to Icy Vale and then went West to the lands of the fierce Snow Orcs, and this foolish wizard failed to think of what it might mean to Dana to go killing a bunch of orcs. After the battle was won, I looked back and saw that Dana wasn't with us. Sampson started launching into his "I told you so" routine and then ran after her, leaving Radra, Garick, myself, and an elf by the name of Vinduil, who had met up with us in Icy Vale.
We argued the merits of chasing after Dana and Sampson, with Radra in her usual callous way suggesting that Dana was a fool that we didn't need. Her view won the day, much to my chagrin. I didn't know the way to M'Gok Tokar, and the lure of gold was too much for all of us. We took the dungeon without the help of Sampson and Dana, killing some ferocious bears rather easily. Sadly, the meat was so strong and sinewy that it was no good for rendering. Then, while the elf Vinduil was Gods know where, I suggested we take out a party of underground dwarves who were dangerously close to one of the gold deposits. They probably never would have heard us, but I also desired safe passage to a deeper part of the mine.
The assault was a disaster. These dwarves had powerful spell casters, powerful warriors, and powerful archers in their midst. First Radra fell, and then, when Garick and I returned to pull her limp form to safety, Garick was assaulted and also fell. I turned myself invisible and fled.
Vinduil was standing outside the cave complex, and said he had lost us. Lost us? How does an elf just lose us? ((as a note, this was due to comp crash. Just taking dramatic license))Anyway, I bit back my anger, and asked him to help carry out the bodies. I don't know how the slight elf did it, but he hauled Garick out of there, and I carried Radra. We went on to the healer near the Icy Vale Hot Springs, which I must admit took some courage on my part, knowing that once Radra was revived I might very well experience the loss of some of my digits.
She was a powerful healer, and did revive my two companions. The first words out of Garick's mouth were: "Ah, I remember the golden rule - never listen to Lucius". Surprisingly, Radra aimed few barbs in my general direction, simply making some sage comment that is not worth committing to paper. I gave the healer the paltry contents of my purse, and each of Garick and Radra paid her as well, and we left the hospice.
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 12:10 AM |
((this entry continues the previous one))
As we were leaving the hospice, Balthor showed up looking for enchanting oils. I sold him what I had and said I would meet him at the Four Winds to give him the rest. When we walked out to the glade of the Icy Vale Hot Springs, Dana and Sampson were there.
I lost count of the number of times I apologized to Dana, but my apologies were tempered by Radra, who had decided to take a swim in the Springs, explaining how she would do it all again, because the orcs attacked us. The debate raged for some time until finally Radra announced that she was tired and wished to retire. Garick said the same, so I returned with Sampson and Dana to Port Royale via Ferein.
We stopped by Dana's room at the Broken Mask to pick up some things that Sampson was selling to Balthor, and then continued to the Four Winds. On the way, I was to learn from Dana that she doesn't have one iota of orc blood in her; merely that she was raised by orcs. It is clear to me that her mannerisms and difficulty with the common tongue hide a deeper intelligence that those who don't get to know her never see. Yet again, it seems that Sampson was the one with the wisdom to befriend her, and I was just lucky to be following in his wake.
She clearly felt that Sampson had not made the best possible deal with Balthor; maybe the halfling will let her do the negotiating next time. Anyway, all the deals were done with Balthor (mine and Sampson's), and I was getting ready to retire for the evening when Solus showed up.
Sampson of course assaulted Solus with questions, requests for help, and promises of assistance. I really hate wading into the chaos of one of these arguments, but I was concerned about this wild chase Solus had sent Sampson on - looking for skeleton knuckles, gargoyle skulls, thunderstones, some chalice, the scream of Vidus Khain, and the Gods know what else that Sampson hasn't told me about.
Sampson was looking to venture to increasingly dangerous places for this fool's quest, and when I discussed it with Solus he said that it was a test - that Sampson, me, and the remainder of that motley group of companions were not yet powerful enough to be facing the ills that were plaguing the world, making me wonder if he will do nothing with these items other than use them to spruce up the spartan living conditions in Gorlath Keep.
Solus seemed to take offense to something in either my line of questioning or Sampson's, because he suddenly felt the need to show us what we faced. We went outside the Four Winds and, I presume, Solus opened a channel to the Negative Energy Plane, blasting Sampson and causing him to collapse. So ended Solus's demonstration.
I suppose I should mention that some twisted notion of honour and living up to "agreements" caused Sampson to offer himself to Solus. Rather than let the chap be duty bound in servitude to the evil gnome in perpetuity, I promised Solus my assistance in the matter of the shadows, but once the affair was concluded, he would have NOTHING to do with Sampson. He agreed.
While this was happening, the elf Sylindrine showed up, as did A'mael. The three of us carried Sampson back into the Four Winds, whence A'mael and Dana tried to revive him. The scene became one of Solus reviewing Balthor's new arm and golem construct with something bordering on awe while completely forgetting the halfling, and the rest of us worrying over Sampson.
He seemed oddly troubled when he awoke, and wouldn't look me in the eye, but was otherwise in good health. When he arose, A'mael took her leave of us; her farewell sent shivers up my spine.
Before I was able to retire, I had to endure yet another round of being told that I made a foolish decision - this time yet again by Sylindrine. She was at least less caustic than she had been in the crypts in the desert.
With that, though I thought I would be able to sleep I found that I needed to go to Ka'azim to take my exams. Having had no sleep in what seemed like days, I journeyed to the mage tower. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 08:47 PM |
Radra.
I was to find out a great deal about her today, and though by far the most momentous event was finding Torim, still alive, buried in a shallow grave with a sword through his belly, it was the events surrounding Radra that have caused me to question my opinions about the caustic elf.
My day started with me literally running into her. Bleary eyed after taking my exams at Ka'azim, I nearly walked right over her on my way out the door. I'm not sure whether it was her idea or mine, but we decided to head to Mystique for sand. It was a nice trip, and Radra seemed quite keen to explain the finer points of sailing to me.
What a sight it must have been to see a poncy wizard and a slight elf trundling wheelbarrows full of sand to the tinkers afterwards. While I was with her, she told me her age, and though it would be indelicate to write it down here, suffice it to say that she is older than near all the cities in the north of Vives.
After the sand, I got an idea. That was my first mistake. My second was to act on my idea.
I never should have made any promise to that Big John, but he appealed to my vanity.
"Powerful wizard like you should be able to find my girl," he said. "There might even be treasure in there"
I suggested to Radra that maybe it was time to come to Big John's aid. Surprisingly, she seemed agreeable to the idea, suggesting simply that we go to Port to pick ourselves up a few warrior-types.
So we headed to Port and met up with a huge crew of people. Cerno and Alis Rapidshall were there, as was Garick, an elf by the name of Baeleth, and Solus.
My third mistake was not to listen to Radra.
Radra took one look at Solus and said that she would not go if that necromancer went. She left the party and stalked away over the issue, and, fool that I am, I thought that Solus's power would somehow make up for everything that Radra brings. I was wrong.
Things went well initially. Our assault flattened the trolls on the hills, so we entered their cave complex, and quickly dispatched a number of ogres, ogre wizards (an oxymoron, might I add), and battle-crazed trolls, before coming upon a troll wizard and some guards. It was a tough battle, and Cerno fell.
In my defense, since these pages seem riddled with examples of me organizing a party that marches off to their doom, it all would not have ended quite as badly if we had simply picked up his body and carried him out of there, but Solus, or maybe it was Garick, found a chest.
"Perhaps there is a spell in there?" Solus suggested. "Maybe one that can raise the dead."
Now what do you suppose the odds of that would be? He could just as easily have suggested that there might be roasted almonds in the chest. In any event, Garick walked over to the chest, put his hand on it, and then shot across the room, with little Garick pieces landing nearby. It was a horrible sight.
He was still alive, however, and Solus was still insistent on opening this chest, so I asked Jane to go take a look at it. She flew over and looked at it for a long time before coming back and suggesting that we cut our losses and run. That was enough for me, but Solus, who seems to have near superhuman constitution, walked up to the chest and opened it.
((okay I know it didn't exactly happen as follows, but there was a server crash in the middle of it all, so if any of you want to come up with a better story, I'll edit this post))
How it didn't rip Solus to shreds eludes me, but the evil mage survived and even laughed. I did not. Alis and Garick were both too close to the explosion, and lay, lifeless, on the ground, leaving only Baeleth, Solus and I to remove the bodies to safety. Solus, however, had ideas of his own, and trundled out of there without us after we rejected his offer to "revive" the bodies.
Luckily, Baeleth has some ability as a wizard, and was able to turn himself invisible, as was I. We dragged the bodies out of there unseen, since the only remaining trolls were deeper in the caves. I found myself back at the healers begging to get my friends revived - again.
I am sure that if Radra and Garick were to read this, they would both agree with the morals of this story:
(1) Never, ever go with Lucius when he has an idea; and
(2) Always take Radra's advice.
Postscript: Well, they would probably both agree on the first point, at least. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 08:56 PM |
((I'm not sure who actually reads these posts, or the reasons that those who do read them choose to. I usually read people's IC posts because I either enjoy the quality of the writing [and there are a LOT of good writers on these forums], and the story, or because I have a narcissistic desire to see Lucius's name in print. For those reading this who are of the narcissistic persuasion, give me a bit of time. I am probably summarizing about 24 hrs. of my IG time in the next few posts, and I hate to leave people who played a part in Lucius's story out.))
(( Just wanted to let you know I read your posts, and I enjoy them a lot. My eyes light up when I see the numbers go up on this posts count... Though I do think Torim should get more than just a brief little blurb... )) |
Torim
Me beast walk upright, me clomp you. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 09:58 PM |
((I read them too, mainly because these journals revolve around people I RP with on a regular basis, so it's fun to see them from a different point of view And, well, I *do* enjoy seeing my character's name in there :D)) |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 10:05 PM |
Torim.
I had thought the barbarian dead, but clearly the Gods thought him more trouble than he was worth, leaving life in a body that in no uncertain terms should have been feeding the maggots.
I had mentioned his tale to lead off my last entry but, alas, I ran out of time and space, so I commit it to parchment now. The tale starts off with Radra, rather smug about having missed the misery of the trip to the Gladden Hills, and Sampson, and I, enjoying an evening of fine discussion and, probably, though I don't remember, rain, in Port Royale.
The wizard Salt was there as well. He does not seem to be appreciably shorter than me. Rather unfortunate, that.
And a hardworking guard. Another new hardworking guard in Port Royale. Imagine that. I don't know what happened to that Nather, but I personally found it refreshing to see the chap doing his rounds.
When he suggested that Candy get off the streets, however, Radra suddenly got very angry. She threw all kinds of arguments at the poor guard about freedom, laws, the need to make a living, and on, and on, and on.
The poor green guard did his best to stand up to Radra, and even asked her to put away her weapon. How you put away a long bow eludes me, but I didn't much want to inflame things. Radra, however, did. Literally and figuratively. She unstrung her bow and strapped it to her pack, then took out a sword, and, just for effect, lit it on fire.
Well, the unfortunate chap came back and asked Radra to put away her sword and, at that, I'd had enough. I took my leave of her and left. I went into the Broken Mask and was about to order a very large (and very deadly) ale, when Radra came running in to tell me that she had perhaps been a bit brash.
A bit brash? She had been obnoxious and dangerous to a stranger just trying to do his job, but I was willing to take this admission from Radra. We went back to the guard and Radra made an apology, such as it was.
He then got on the topic of Torim's death, and where the barbarian was buried. Radra, Sampson, and I accompanied the guard to the grave, whence he launched into a rather grisly description of how Torim had died. The grave was simply marked "unknown barbarian", so I took out my crafter's chisel and rectified that.
((Some dramatic liberties below, but the story was going to be outlandish any way it was told))
The guard left, and after he did, Radra, Sampson, and I stood quietly over the muddy soup of his grave for some time. Then Sampson noticed something "shiny" on the grave. When he tried to pick it up, it wouldn't move. We were to soon find out why. It was the hilt of a sword.
The barbarian had barely been buried at all, Port Royale's lazy guards dug a hollow scarcely deep enough to plant potatoes in and threw in the barbarian without even removing the sword from his belly. We uncovered him with plans of putting the body somewhere more permanent. Before we were able to give much thought to this, though, the halfling notice that Torim was still breathing.
Radra, as usual, had the bright idea to light the sword on fire while we removed it (I swear that woman has a fire fixation). She said it would help the wound "heal", though I was a bit dubious about how the barbarian could possibly be alive.
((end of dramatic liberties, I think))
He was alive. He had been tortured to near madness in Midor (which left him missing an ear), from which he returned to Port Royale and had some trouble that caused him to take his own life (or try, I guess).
I have looked long and hard, and found nothing, anywhere, that states that wizards are not allowed to have red blood.
I was furious. Abosulutely furious. I had decided that it was time to make Midor pay. I would go there and unleash hell on the city (never mind that my magic always fails there, I had forgotten that little detail).
I guess the anger was showing on my face, because as I stalked away, the blasted elf ran after me and threw all 80 pounds of her at my angry form, which, unfortunately, was enough to knock me to my behind. I, however, got up, made myself invisible, and continued on.
Two things I like about Radra:
(1) She is much shorter than me; and
(2) Though she may try, she has great difficulty dispelling MY spells.
It is the second of those two things that I came to appreciate on this evening.
Torim, however, did find me, and hauled me into the Four Winds, upon which I was to find out a bit more about Radra.
There was a bit of a dichotomy there. In between words such as stupid and fool and idiot I seem to recall her mentioning how sad she would be to see another friend die, but then returned to the theme of a discussion we'd enjoined on our sand trip - what it's like to live for a long time.
Her opinion was unequivocally that she is happy to be nearing the end of her life, as watching generations of friends pass on has worn at her. She also sat hopelessly at the table, asking what is the purpose of life.
Though the word 'procreation', the first lesson at Ka'azim biology classes, was on the tip of my tongue, I bit it back. Instead I gave her something that I hope sounded heartfelt, since I often wonder the same thing, though with a lesser level of despondency that she.
Friends, I said. Our friends make our lives worth living. I hope it sounded profound, because when I next looked at her, she was asleep. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 10:07 PM |
| ((Patience, I said. Read on. Torim does get more than one little blurb. One problem with this journal is that it doesn't start when Lucius first stepped out of the Four Winds, but instead when he first met Solus)) |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 02 Jan 2006 10:39 PM |
Lucius's adventuring ideas always end in tears. I need to commit that to memory, don't I? The emphasis here should be on the word ALWAYS. Not usually. ALWAYS.
After the events outside Port Royale, after Radra fell asleep, and after Torim left the Four Winds, I found myself alone with Sampson. This tends to be a dangerous combination. His courage and my poor judgement.
He got on to the topic of skeleton knuckles, and although I do so hope it was his idea and not mine, we decided to go to the crypt beneath Port Royale's sewers. Things actually went well, for a time. We killed some skeletons and, joy of joys, got some intact knuckles that would be acceptable to Solus.
But Sampson wanted more.
So we went a bit deeper. Jane went further in and disarmed a few traps, but I sent her away, as it was oppressively dangerous for a pixie. A bad decision, that. Not long after, I walked over some trap that nearly killed me, and Sampson engaged some frightening skeleton that looked to be masked in shadow. Sampson and my bear were able to give it a few whacks but it tore into them like pies at a halfling picnic.
I turned myself invisible, thinking that I could haul Sampson out of there, but the blasted thing gave me a thunk. It could see right through my invisibility dweomer. I cast every spell I could think of...to run fast, be strong, dodge the next thunk...then dragged the bloody heavy chap out of there as fast as I could.
The evening ended at the Seven Sisters. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 03 Jan 2006 05:55 AM |
((Well, if nobody other than Ranger has posted about the events related to the dead druid in Buckshire, this is my take on them. Also, please be aware that these events took place between 12:00 and 4:40 AM in my time zone, so I was dead dog tired at the end. If my recollection is different than yours, maybe mine is wrong.))
Elves.
It was A'mael who once told me that we humans accept the help of the elves when we need it, push it away when we feel we don't, and are in general ungrateful for their assistance. The irony of that.
I do, however, get ahead of myself.
My day started off with me rather hot under the collar still about what had happened to Torim. This was not the best time to run across Cedrych and that reverse anagram of a paladin Enacra. I treated them to what must have been about the last piece of my mind not already spoken for before charging off into the wilds to kill near any living thing I could find.
Note to self: Anger is not a bad frame of mind for gathering animal meat.
Covered in blood and carrying a skinning knife, I returned to civilization.
When I returned, Yggsdrazil was standing outside Doc McGillicutty's Tavern and accosted me as though that had been his sole purpose there. He explained that Sampson had given him some things to pass on to me, and also had a message.
The items he had left were beautiful: a powerful magic amulet for Dana, a red ring for "Red", which is what he calls Ulalame, and a ring blessed by my very God, Theus. How the halfling got his hands on those things is beyond me. His message was that he was headed to Gorlath Keep to uphold the promise he had made to Solus.
As I was preparing to go pull the halfling's behind out of that fire, an elf in green robes came upon the clearing outside Doc's, walked into the tavern, and collapsed. I was not able to do much other than observe this before running off after the halfling. I did intercept him, and agreed to whatever fool request it was he made of me (something about not stopping him when he goes back, a promise I don't intend to keep). I then returned his items and we made our way back to Doc's together.
The elf had died, and a large party was gathered there debating what to do with the body. The assembled group included Cedrych, who was holding the body over his shoulder, Yggsdrazil, a woman I had never met by the name of Sylune, Evanna, Sampson, myself, and a pleasant enough elf I had met earlier that day by the name of Tae'Nari.
Everbody seemed to have an opinion, but eventually a decision was made for them. Another elf, Gwyn..... <the writing continues and is then scratched out>. Blast it, my elvish is bad, I shall just refer to her as Gwyn. This elf showed up wearing the same green robes as the dead one, and summoned us to bring the body to Ferein.
We all boarded the boat to Ferein and landed without incident, though this Gwyn appeared to be weakening and needed some assistance walking by the time we arrived. I had briefly lived in a room in Ferein's High Quarter, so I know the area reasonably well, and have an idea of where we went after we arrived, though I was really just following this Gwyn.
Our first stop was an area that I believe is simply called the Temple Grounds. In there, all the elves were afflicted with a terrible sickness, wracked with convulsive coughing fits and looking pale and wan. This affliction also began to affect Tae'Nari. Cedrych placed the dead elf upon an altar and Gwyn began uttering an incantation which I presume was intended to bring life back to the woman, though, not speaking elvish, I can't say this for sure.
The attempt at revival, if that is what it was, failed. Gwyn laid back, stunned, her breath shallow, with a look of utter shock on her face. It was a long while before she had the strength to stand, and in the intervening time the body of the dead elf was burned. When Gwyn was once more able to stand, she needed assistance to get to our next destination, a place that I believe the elves refer to as the Sacred Grove.
When we got there, something of a discussion took place with numerous elves who I presume were decision makers in Ferein. All the discussions were in elvish, so by this time Cedrych, Sampson, and I became nothing more than shiny (or in my case, dirty) accoutrements. Luckily, an elven chap who looked a little wet behind the ears came over behind me and was kind enough to translate quietly. Beluril was his name. I managed to get Sampson's attention, so he came over and listened to the translation as well, but Cedrych was too engrossed in these matters to see my wave.
What I learned is that the elves are waiting for a call to come out from their Princess to open the gates to the Old City of Ferein, an area that is currently walled off. An evil of some sort is rising from this Old City, and the elvish God Elbereth, who they refer to as the Mother, has removed her aid in other matters in order to protect Ferein. The elvish Seer had spoken to Salt Sower, the human wizard, about these matters, and, though I am unclear on this, perhaps needed to see him again.
While all of this was happening, a human cleric who apparently also follows Elbereth showed up. I don't believe his name was mentioned, though perhaps I simply didn't hear it. That haughty elf Elvalia also showed up, though looking sick and wan herself. Beluril went over to say something to her and, it appeared, earned a rebuke of some sort for whatever it was.
By then I was falling asleep on my feet. Cedrych, who had been carrying a body for a large part of that day, and wearing a suit of armour, had already excused himself for much needed rest, as had Evanna and Sylune, ostensibly with hair and wardrobe concerns. I was worried for the few elves who I truly look upon as friends, but it was becoming clear to me that, though things were in dire shape here, the elves, aside from Beluril, were not going to share their concerns with me. I took my leave of Gwyn and left, as did Sampson.
Things were terrible in Ferein, and I suppose that I can't fault the elves for being more concerned with solving their problems than enlightening we outsiders on their story, but we had offered our assistance. No. We had not simply offered our assistance. We had given it. We had chartered a boat from Buckshire to Ferein and even paid the costs for two newcomers (elvish, I might add) who could not afford passage. Cedrych had carried the dead elf. The three of us left, never once having been addressed in the common tongue and never having heard the two words "thank you".
I write this entry while waiting for the boat to ferry me out of Ferein, and I realize now that I am still covered in caked on blood from my hunting trip the Gods know how many hours or days ago. I probably don't smell all that well, either. Maybe that is why the elves acted so...elven...towards me. Then again, I believe that Sampson and Cedrych were treated to a shoulder of a similar temperature, so maybe personal hygiene had nothing to do with it. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 04 Jan 2006 03:46 PM |
The Salad Invasion - Part 1
A few days back Sampson had told me, in his excitable way, about a 'salad' invasion threatening Buckshire, and that we had to do something about it - now.
I assumed he meant that great shambling mass of muck that comes from the waters of Buckshire Marsh from time to time, and it had been long since I actually faced the creature, so I felt I was up to the challenge and agreed to accompany him.
We dispatched the creature with no problems, and a number of nasty toad-like critters that popped out of the marsh as well, but Sampson then informed me that these weren't the 'salads'. He said there was a giant green salad waiting at some portal beyond the marsh summoning these reddish salads in order to assault Buckshire.
I shrugged. I had fire spells. A 'salad' couldn't resist those, I thought.
We were attacked by nasty invisible demons and some reddish devil on our way to the green salad. It was this devil that Sampson referred to as a 'salad'. This should have been my clue that things were perhaps a bit more difficult than I had initially believed. Nonetheless, the halfling's skill with a sword has progressed much, and we made short work of our enemies - until we faced the green salad.
It kept summoning more and more red salads to fight us, and eventually ripped Bruin (my bear) to shreds, then was looking to do the same to Sampson. That was when I raised my battle cry.
"Run!" I yelled. "Lets get the Hells out of here." Good on Sampson that he had the same idea. I had my customary invisibility spells ready so we got out in a hurry unmolested.
The moral of the story: Stay away from a salad that has gone bad.
((To those who find any humour at all in this - and it's probably lost on anyone who has never been to the Buckshire Marsh - it really belongs to Sampson. I had a hard time fighting the first red salad we ran into because I was nearly peeing my pants laughing)) |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 04 Jan 2006 04:25 PM |
| ((Heh heh heh, Lucius' battle cry... :D *Definatly sees the humor in all this*)) |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 04 Jan 2006 04:58 PM |
The Salad Invasion - Part 2
Never organize an expedition, it will always end in tears. There is something of a Lucius jinx out there. Have I told myself this before? Yes, I believe I have.
The day started off innocuously enough, with me heading out of the Four Winds on a meat hunting trip. I heard a ranger yelling "Ants!" from the direction of the Standing Stones, so Bruin and I headed over there to see if we could lend a hand. Ulalame was there chopping Giant Ants into neatly shaped lawn furniture. My assistance was definitely not necessary, but we headed through the ant cave together anyway and Ulalame was even kind enough to share some of the gem haul with me.
I was so impressed with her swordsmanship that it got me thinking of the salads again. When we later bumped into Cedrych, I suggested we rid the world of those salads once and for all. When Zahn walked by, it seemed as though the Gods Themselves had fated this expedition, so we loaded up on supplies, got magicked up, and headed into the Swamp.
All went well until we got to the green salad. Cedrych yelled to concentrate on it and ignore the red ones. The green one must have taken offense to this comment, because it shot Cedrych through with some nasty magic and he fell, not to be revived. We did manage to fell the green salad, though, only to find that there was a festering grey salad behind it - which shot lightning that was to fell Ulalame. Somehow Zahn, Bruin and I managed to fell the grey salad, but the day ended at the Sisters for our comrades.
I will, henceforth, remember the golden rule: Lucius was not meant to organize expeditions. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 04 Jan 2006 05:49 PM |
The Undercity
A long time back I tagged along with a few adventurers to the Undercity of Port Royale. Most of what it held was beyond me, but I remembered there being a silver mine down there. Though I seem to spend most of my time talking and little of it working these days, I still harbour a wish of getting to the silver mine again for my own account.
I ran across the rogue Tomi, a somewhat shady halfling, but nonetheless an associate, who knows his way around the slums. He agreed to get me a pass to the Undercity for the admittedly exorbitant sum of 10,000 gold.
On our way down there, he told me something of what has happened to the Guyver store, to which I remarked that Cora had just become the most eligible lass in town. He chuckled about that, but I saw in his eye that there was a bit more than just humour in his emotional state. I let it be.
I find it curious that I have met only two halfling lasses in all my travels through Vives - Cora and Gynn. They were both attractive by human standards (I don't quite go for the duck feet, though). They must be beating back the halfling men with clubs. There just don't seem to be enough halfling women to go around.
A bit more happened during our trip to the undercity, but I'll talk about THAT later. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 05 Jan 2006 02:54 PM |
Silence
I have heard it said that the wise say little but convey much. Perhaps I should in future try to act like the 'wise'.
I just finished two eventful days in and around Port Royale that involved me talking but doing little else. I wish I had said less.
I awoke at the Four Winds late in the morning, headed downstairs, and was greeted with the welcome surprise of two beautiful silver eyes looking at me over the spine of a thin leather-bound book. A'mael was there, reading, curiously, a book on halfling cuisine.
We spoke for a time on the matters that had happened in Ferein, and I was much relieved to see that A'mael, at least, appeared healthy. I fear that I dwelt overmuch on my feelings of exclusion, though she did not show that it bothered her. Radra then showed up and also enjoined the conversation.
She did not look well. Her face looked tired and she was coughing a great deal, which also acted to dislodge her glass eye, a sight I still find disturbing. We discussed a little more and then A'mael took here leave of us, and Radra and I headed to the herbalists at Port Royale. While we were there, we met up with Ygggsdrazil, who came to me asking if I knew the whereabouts of Salt, the human wizard.
I think Yggsdrazil is probably of a good heart, and I'm sure the fate of his people weighs heavily on his shoulders. I don't know why I fail to appreciate this until it is pointed out to me, but I do. I made something of an elaborate show of explaining my view of how he was asking me to play a part in this affair without sharing any details of it with me. More was said, but it simply consisted of me layering details on the basic concept above. Then Radra - Radra of all people - made me apologize. If Radra is asking me to apologize to an elf, then a line has truly been crossed.
I did make a half-baked, face saving apology to Yggsdrazil, upon which Radra collapsed. Ulalame had joined us at some point before this collapse, and the good paladin immediately made to tend to Radra's sickness.
I noticed that she has taken to wearing a robe of brown - neither white nor red - I think it would be indelicate to ask her why, but I do find it curious.
Yggsdrazil, Ulalame, and I accompanied Radra to the Seven Sisters, where she convalesced, ostensibly, for some time, as we were eventually asked by one of the sisters to leave here room and let her sleep.
I told Yggsdrazil my understanding of the matters concerning the elves based on Beluril's translation, and he confirmed the translation, saying that he knew no more. I don't know if that is true or not, but as I write this now, a few days later, I know that it doesn't really matter. The reality is that many people more knowledgeable and powerful than I are working at curing this disease and are committed to fighting back the evil in the Old City of Ferein, and I have perhaps already played my part, small though it was.
I thought that my day would end with Radra sick at the Sisters, and us leaving her there, but it didn't. Torim showed up.
He immediately began growling and snapping at Ulalame in a threatening manner. I really didn't want to see these two powerful warriors, both friends of mine, fighting it out in the middle of the hospice, so I made Ulalame invisible and she left. Torim then argued with me about the merits of my friendship with Ulalame, in his way. It was an argument I was not destined to win.
Torim was right that the paladins support the white city, he was right that no justice has been done for the torture he received, and I happen to be of one mind with him that justice 'will' be done.
Garick walked in on this argument at the wrong time, thinking that I somehow had plans to incinerate Ulalame, so I ended up having to placate him...I wage a never-ending war to cover the damage done by my mouth.
((part 2 of Silence to be continued in next post)) |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 05 Jan 2006 03:38 PM |
Silence - Part 2
The day after these events I met A'mael again - in the Port Royale Plaza, if I remember correctly. Radra had also showed up as well, still looking ill, I might add, and we were exchanging what I thought were light-hearted barbs about all manner of things. I made a joke about how it was perhaps a predilection of elves to sneak around and observe us humans no matter how mundane our activities. After all, both Radra and A'mael have done that to me on more than one occasion.
Perhaps my queue to close my mouth should have been the look that A'mael shot me when I said this, but I didn't.
A short time later, our paths crossed with those of Cerno and Alis Rapidshall, who, I must say, make a very handsome couple on the streets of Port Royale bedecked in their finery (though I fear such attire is not for me - more on that later). It seems that Alis, who is half elven, has contracted the elven disease, and they were asking me what I knew of it. Though I would have told them of my admittedly minimal knowledge, they were in something of a hurry, and my rudeness to their compatriot Baelryth probably hastened their departure.
He began speaking to A'mael in elvish, and, sensitive as I am to that, I cast him a rather murderous look. She and he finished their discussion quickly, and then he and the Rapidshills were off.
In retrospect, that might have been a good time for me to take my leave as well. Certainly any time before A'mael and I were standing there alone would have been a good time to take my leave, for when we were, I was treated to her opinion of all that I had said in her company in the past two days.
"What is so wrong with the elves wanting to keep matters in Ferein secret," she asked, "when there are many enemies out there, both known and unknown. Is it so bad for one to speak in her native tongue," she near seethed, "to exchange pleasantries with her brethren? And do you think me nothing more than a 'sneak' - an elven sneak at that? It is bad enough that I suffer such barbs in my homeland, but to suffer them at your hands as well..."
With that, she made herself invisible, and I simply stood there, dumbstruck, wondering what it was I had said, which was when Radra popped out of the shadows.
I was tired and had little fight left in me. I simply asked Radra not to spy on A'mael and I and left it at that. A man is entitled to some personal life, such as it is...or was. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 06 Jan 2006 02:51 PM |
Macha
Events in my life took on a brief hint of normality, and dare I say, civility, on this day, though I know it is not to last.
The day started off innocuously enough, with Torim and I heading off for a hunting trip, but getting waylaid along the way by Tomi and Natalyia. Torim doesn't much like Tomi, what with Tomi calling him an animal and all, so Torim growled at Tomi a bit and then left before we were able to actually go hunting.
It turns out that Tomi is organizing an expedition against something known at "the Gathering", a grouping of mind-controlling creatures, and I was much pleased when he suggested that his group would need a powerful wizard. A moment later his words sunk in...'powerful' wizard. Oh well, maybe they still need someone to carry the snowshoes and bring home unattached body parts.
I took my leave of those two, did my hunting alone, and returned to Port Royale with Tomi to see the undercity (which I have already written about), but before we were able to, Garick and Macha showed up.
Macha. I believe I have seen her before, but we have never spoken. I get a little bit tongue tied in the company of beautiful women, and she certainly made things no easier on me, wearing some revealing leather outfit and calling me Sir Lucius and Sir Edmonds. I could feel the heat in my cheeks and ears from about the first second we met to the moment Tomi and I went underground.
When we returned, Macha and Garick were still there talking, so I excused myself and did a bit of alchemy. I came back and we talked some more, only by then Garick and Tomi had gotten it into their heads that I wished to spend some time alone with Macha, and they kind of 'suggested' that I ask her to accompany me somewhere.
In my awkward way, I asked her if she would like to go watch the fireworks and, surprise of surprises, she said yes, but requested that I dress more...appropriately. Imagine that. I thought wizards were expected to wear wizarding robes, but these folks had other ideas.
Next thing I knew, Tomi and Garick had me down at Aramani's trying on some ridiculous costumes that they referred to as 'suits', and some of the most uncomfortable footwear I have ever worn - at outrageous prices. Garick actually paid for my suit when I made a big scene with Aramani - but I could purchase 1,500 wizard robes for the price he wanted for the Gods forsaken thing.
When Tomi and Garick were both happy with my attire, we returned to the square, and Macha and I travelled by ox-cart to Buckshire and made our way to the fireworks, whence I found out a bit more about her.
She is an elven bard, and apparently left home after writing a ballad that questioned whether the man she knew as her father was truly him. Perhaps she was always as 'cultured' as she seems now, though it did sound as though she had something of an adventuring career before joining Port Royale's high society.
We sat at the water for awhile as we talked and then the wizard Salt came along. I passed on the message that Yggsdrazil sought him, and the news I had from Ferein, and left it at that, but he and Macha had a further discussion about the Tears of Elbereth. It was difficult to follow for one who has spent most of his life mixing potions, but it appears that this problem in Ferein is linked to one of these Tears being tainted by Gukathul himself and lying, festering, in the Old City in Ferein.
Macha and Salt spoke a bit more about the history of the Tears and I write this down for nothing more than posterity:
-One was taken by Valinor
-One was taken by Gorlath
-One was taken by Gukathul
-One shattered
At that, Salt was gone, and Macha and I also left after she gave me a brief lesson on the purpose of some wretched silken garments known as 'socks'. It turns out there is a tree right beside the fireworks that she likes to visit. At that tree, we parted company and I went on my way. |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 06 Jan 2006 05:30 PM |
| ((I really like these, please keep up the great posts)) |
- Solitaire, Wizard
- Ilyana Fiirhaart, High Priestess of Naruth |
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Re: Lucius Edmonds - Personal Journal
Posted: 06 Jan 2006 05:32 PM |
| ((Thanks. That was nice, esp. from someone I only met IG 2 seconds ago)) |
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