Ugh.
I was just returning some stolen garments to my walk-in when I decided to shut the door, take a load off, and write in you, dear diary. (Corellan, I forgot I had you! The last entry is from, like, three years ago and about something shitty Ashleigh Oberholt did to Eugenium after Enthusiasm Squad.) Anyway, I don't have long before people will miss me. Yes, there's another party here in the Chalet! My parents will flip, but I really didn't mean to let this happen again.
These past two weeks have been totally nuts. I took the eldritch pact two weeks ago and my life will never be the same. In a way, it's good. The boring life my parents laid out for me is no longer possible. I'll never be somebody's demure little wife, running an estate and barking orders at servants. On the other hand, and just between you and me, I think my pact was with something evil and not with the fey like I thought. I should have known that when the ritual called for me to eat the raw brains from a goats head that meant it wasn't a feywild pact.
Ugh! Peer pressure!
Now I can feel all this power surging throughout my body. It's very... disturbing. And a little exciting? Also, the chalet is haunted because of my pact (we think.) I had a dream that the missing girl named Laird was here and the same night Chip, who was sleeping over, saw ASHLEIGH OBERHOLT IN MY KITCHEN!!!! This is getting so scary and everybody is talking about me behind my back.
Anyway, Chip and I went to L.V. to see the Smokin' Crystals. They were so awesome!!! I wish I was as tough and cool as those two women. Maybe I will be now that I'm a warlock. I can't wait to get out of school and adventure and shed the shackles of privilege. I'm off track again...
The party happening outside my closet door is for that girl Jara, who wants to take the eldritch pact. FUCK. HER. Ugh! I told her it was dangerous, but she just wants to be cool. Well, trying to be cool is what killed Yew Tosscobble and that first year boy whose name I can't remember. Chip and I bought some elixer to use during her "pact." We're going to make her get undressed and have Jana and Jacqueline rub it on her so they'll all sprout hair.
The bigger news, however, is that Jara has a spell that (hopefully) will let us contact Illander Illrune beyond the grave. Correlan, I miss him so! I guess some people are too beautiful for this world. We didn't have the proper componenets (saphire dust and a dire spider leg) so me and Eugenium and Pavel broke into my neighbor Illyabore's (sp?) tower and convinced him to give it to us. Ugh! He finally did after cutting off a lock of my hair and making us promise to replace the ingrediants within two days with a note from my parents. Ugh! How is that even possible? (I have some of the elixer on my head right now. Grow, bangs, grow!)
When i got back to the chalet there were about a billion people here. (I forgot to mention that the Smokin' Crystals are playing AT MY HOUSE! Chip is, like, dying.) Some bitches were trying to steal my clothes so I threatened to curse them. It's funny, I didn't realize until just now writing it that I ACTUALLY CAN CURSE PEOPLE.
Anyway, we're about to try the spell so I should go. I few thoughts.
1. Having power is scary.
2. I can make boys do just about anything.
3. I'm really lucky to have Chip for a friend.
4. Pavel wasn't wearing a shirt and he has a smoking body! OMG a totally have a girl boner for his abs.
5. I spent all my gold. Corellan, that means I have to ask my parents for me.
6. I think Eugenium disapproves of my power. I'm not totally sure if that matters to me? I just feel this weird connection to him because his cousin was my best friend for years and years and years.
7. I failed my Etiquette test. UGH!
Hearts,
Tamsen Larkspur
Showing posts with label laird. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laird. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Thursday, November 13, 2008
From the triple-locked journal of Lairdslen Sonoly
It’s the middle of the night…the blood of the Sahaguin we just killed is still fresh... I can’t get back to sleep. I know I haven’t written for a while now…writing in a diary seems like such a childish thing to me now. I feel so much older and beyond that. But here, I am, writing, on this chilly and moonless eve. It’s getting darker earlier as the season passes, and that only makes me more and more aware of how much I’ve aged this past month.
I think all of us have. Ashleigh, newly resurrected by the clerics of Malikar, even has a streak of gray in her hair. I offered her some of the henna that I use to blacken my (already dark)(I just like it to be extra black)(but it’s practically that way already) hair, but since she’s blonde, it didn’t make much sense, and so the gesture ended up being just an awkward exercise. I hope we’re still friends? Her friendship has come to mean more to me than I ever could have expected. I can tell she is straining to be her old self; but there cannot be any doubt that death, even after resurrection, changes you.
Maybe I died too, a little, with her. The next time I’m at a looking glass, I’ll check for gray streaks.
I wonder how mother and Nails are getting on? I wonder if they’re much older now, too? Nails must be getting tall. That day that the owl of the council flew in our window with that fateful letter…feels like eons ago. I wonder if I’ll ever see him again. The Dungeon Master is gone, stolen by dopplegangers (we suspect sent by the thieving, but powerful, lich of Malikar, Sadiq), and we’ve had to abandon its rescue in favor of more pressing matters. We may never get it back, so our line of communication to the Council – to Valon – is cut, and along with it, any hope of me getting a message to mother.
We are utterly on our own now, chasing down the visions of our dreams with no guidance from the Council, or anyone. Perhaps we are chasing our own deaths – perhaps the council is desperately trying to contact us to tell us, “Turn back! It’s a trap!” It DOES seem suspicious to me that the loss of the Dungeon Master (AND the amulets, and scrolls, and scythes, of the cult of Orcus) coincides exactly with the sudden appearance and infiltration of a VERY suspicious character in our close-knit group.
By all appearances, this “Helena” seems to be one of us, a Chosen One…she recounts the same dreams – of the Hyena Man leaving the Targnol Port cemetery, and of Jacqamule handing off a baby to a tear-tattooed man. Jacqamule claims, and this “Helena” reiterated, that SHE is the baby from all of our dreams…that Jacquamule sold her to Faradon (the tear-tattooed man) , a trafficker of babies from the dragon-ruled isle of Arkturan. But I don’t believe her. I ESPECIALLY don’t believe that she could be my HALF-SISTER??!!! Jacqamule claims that the woman who brought her the babe – Helena’s mother – had been the lover of none other than Valon’s most notorious, womanizing, egotistical, “celebrated” painter – my father. Helena’s mother had asked Jaqamule to kill the infant, and I wish she would have, as this story is CLEARLY (to me) a ruse to cover more sinister origins. Corellon, forgive me for penning such a dark thought, but I cannot deny that I feel it – I do not trust this “Helena.” I believe she is a changling, an illusion, possibly a doppelganger? Possibly sent by Sadiq, instructed to tear our party apart? Perhaps they have secret communications – perhaps Sadiq is gleaning the content of our dreams from the Dungeon Master and psychically communicating these visions to her minion, whom she has disguised as one of us. It is brilliant, really. That could really be it.
It’s not that I doubt that my father had other lovers – I know he did, I’m just one more of his bastards, with which Valon is no doubt sadly overpopulated. It’s that I do not believe that this red-haired, freckled, insufferably cheerful and optimistic girl could possibly be my relation. She is like my opposite.
Curses, it now occurs to me – we are already in the palm of this “Helena” ‘s hand! It is HER maps – which she just “happened” to acquire at a “library” – that we are following! Possibly to our doom?! We are bound for Tarnol Port in Viridistan, so from Malikar we sailed into Warwick (a huge but entirely uninteresting metropolis), and from there gained passage on a fishing boat to the village of Thelemy. We were hoping to get another boat from Thelemy to Maskholm, the next major city on the coast, and from there, strike out by foot to Targnal Port.
We were not able to get a boat out of Thelemy, though, so now we’re walking up the coast, hoping to encounter another village where we can catch another fishing boat going up the coast, and in this way make our way to Maskholm. Maskholm is said to be the domain of an evil illusionist, Bolosh. Corellon!! Perhaps this “Helena” could be one of Bolosh’s creations... perhaps she was, or IS, trying to lure us to him? I am definitely not ruling anything out. I will try to pay closer attention if the subject of Maskholm arises again, and see if her face betrays some secret charge.
Right now we’re camped out on the wet rocks of the coastline…Blech! There was no cover to be found (there was a cave, but it was occupied by a family of bears), so we just made the best shelter we could and are trying to stay warm and dry and possibly even get some sleep. I HAD gotten to sleep before, but was woken up when we were attacked by sea creatures , which Sadush said are called Sahaguin. They were welcome combatants after these last, grueling encounters with entangling vines, swarming spiders, and paralyzing venom. Nonetheless, I can't get back to sleep. I’m writing in hopes that, if I get all these thoughts and fears off my chest, I’ll be able to rest.
We will push on in the morning. I know Viridistan is where we need to go – my dreams could not be making it clearer. I just must remain vigilant in our journey there, and be sure that this “Helena” does not lead us astray.
I think all of us have. Ashleigh, newly resurrected by the clerics of Malikar, even has a streak of gray in her hair. I offered her some of the henna that I use to blacken my (already dark)(I just like it to be extra black)(but it’s practically that way already) hair, but since she’s blonde, it didn’t make much sense, and so the gesture ended up being just an awkward exercise. I hope we’re still friends? Her friendship has come to mean more to me than I ever could have expected. I can tell she is straining to be her old self; but there cannot be any doubt that death, even after resurrection, changes you.
Maybe I died too, a little, with her. The next time I’m at a looking glass, I’ll check for gray streaks.
I wonder how mother and Nails are getting on? I wonder if they’re much older now, too? Nails must be getting tall. That day that the owl of the council flew in our window with that fateful letter…feels like eons ago. I wonder if I’ll ever see him again. The Dungeon Master is gone, stolen by dopplegangers (we suspect sent by the thieving, but powerful, lich of Malikar, Sadiq), and we’ve had to abandon its rescue in favor of more pressing matters. We may never get it back, so our line of communication to the Council – to Valon – is cut, and along with it, any hope of me getting a message to mother.
We are utterly on our own now, chasing down the visions of our dreams with no guidance from the Council, or anyone. Perhaps we are chasing our own deaths – perhaps the council is desperately trying to contact us to tell us, “Turn back! It’s a trap!” It DOES seem suspicious to me that the loss of the Dungeon Master (AND the amulets, and scrolls, and scythes, of the cult of Orcus) coincides exactly with the sudden appearance and infiltration of a VERY suspicious character in our close-knit group.
By all appearances, this “Helena” seems to be one of us, a Chosen One…she recounts the same dreams – of the Hyena Man leaving the Targnol Port cemetery, and of Jacqamule handing off a baby to a tear-tattooed man. Jacqamule claims, and this “Helena” reiterated, that SHE is the baby from all of our dreams…that Jacquamule sold her to Faradon (the tear-tattooed man) , a trafficker of babies from the dragon-ruled isle of Arkturan. But I don’t believe her. I ESPECIALLY don’t believe that she could be my HALF-SISTER??!!! Jacqamule claims that the woman who brought her the babe – Helena’s mother – had been the lover of none other than Valon’s most notorious, womanizing, egotistical, “celebrated” painter – my father. Helena’s mother had asked Jaqamule to kill the infant, and I wish she would have, as this story is CLEARLY (to me) a ruse to cover more sinister origins. Corellon, forgive me for penning such a dark thought, but I cannot deny that I feel it – I do not trust this “Helena.” I believe she is a changling, an illusion, possibly a doppelganger? Possibly sent by Sadiq, instructed to tear our party apart? Perhaps they have secret communications – perhaps Sadiq is gleaning the content of our dreams from the Dungeon Master and psychically communicating these visions to her minion, whom she has disguised as one of us. It is brilliant, really. That could really be it.
It’s not that I doubt that my father had other lovers – I know he did, I’m just one more of his bastards, with which Valon is no doubt sadly overpopulated. It’s that I do not believe that this red-haired, freckled, insufferably cheerful and optimistic girl could possibly be my relation. She is like my opposite.
Curses, it now occurs to me – we are already in the palm of this “Helena” ‘s hand! It is HER maps – which she just “happened” to acquire at a “library” – that we are following! Possibly to our doom?! We are bound for Tarnol Port in Viridistan, so from Malikar we sailed into Warwick (a huge but entirely uninteresting metropolis), and from there gained passage on a fishing boat to the village of Thelemy. We were hoping to get another boat from Thelemy to Maskholm, the next major city on the coast, and from there, strike out by foot to Targnal Port.
We were not able to get a boat out of Thelemy, though, so now we’re walking up the coast, hoping to encounter another village where we can catch another fishing boat going up the coast, and in this way make our way to Maskholm. Maskholm is said to be the domain of an evil illusionist, Bolosh. Corellon!! Perhaps this “Helena” could be one of Bolosh’s creations... perhaps she was, or IS, trying to lure us to him? I am definitely not ruling anything out. I will try to pay closer attention if the subject of Maskholm arises again, and see if her face betrays some secret charge.
Right now we’re camped out on the wet rocks of the coastline…Blech! There was no cover to be found (there was a cave, but it was occupied by a family of bears), so we just made the best shelter we could and are trying to stay warm and dry and possibly even get some sleep. I HAD gotten to sleep before, but was woken up when we were attacked by sea creatures , which Sadush said are called Sahaguin. They were welcome combatants after these last, grueling encounters with entangling vines, swarming spiders, and paralyzing venom. Nonetheless, I can't get back to sleep. I’m writing in hopes that, if I get all these thoughts and fears off my chest, I’ll be able to rest.
We will push on in the morning. I know Viridistan is where we need to go – my dreams could not be making it clearer. I just must remain vigilant in our journey there, and be sure that this “Helena” does not lead us astray.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Day ??, let’s call it day 10? Maybe -- Laird’s Triple-Locked Journal
I think…I’m going crazy. Do you know, necessarily, when you’re going crazy? Or is it when you’re convinced that you’re *not* crazy… that it’s totally conceivable that... oh, you just happened to bump into a 60 foot tall demon prince of the undead (who, by the way, doesn’t exist anymore)…maybe that’s the tip-off that, yes, you’re crazy.
So yes, did I mention that I went to the Shadowfell ?! And, you know, we fought and killed some demons, no big whoop, and then I was sneaking along, minding my own business, and I happened upon, um, ORCUS?! Who was standing there, not 20 feet away from me, surrounded in prayer (or something) by a vampire, a wight, and a demon? I couldn’t…believe what I was seeing, but I also wasn’t dumb enough to stick around for another heartbeat to either confirm or deny my vision.
I don’t even remember what I did next, it was like a dream…or a nightmare…I remember a lot of running and holding my breath. Then there was another ride in the bathysphere back to Malakar, I barely remember it.
It’s weird, I’ve been thinking moment-to-moment for so long now, I can’t convince my body or my brain to relax. Plus, I don’t feel like I *should*, even if I could. I don’t think the others believe me…what I saw…I don’t believe it myself. But what else could it have been?? And real or illusion, what could it mean in either case??
I swear, I never thought I’d be so happy to be trapped in an underwater Bathysphere with a re-animated dead body, a blabbermouthed and possibly psychotic alchemist, and of course the rest of the “chosen ones.” If you think about it, it seems so unlikely that the four of us could ever conceivably work together… if you take a step back for two seconds, it’s pretty funny, really…there’s me, a sarcastic and mostly useless (and possibly crazy) shoplifter, and we’ve also got a spoiled daddy’s-girl / leader of the Eladrin enthusiasm squad, a pimply-faced green suck-up, and a walking cliché of a brooding teen poet. But, work together we do…I have come to depend on Ashleigh, Saddush and Ileander to an almost inconceivable extent. I mean, I literally trust them with my life, and they’ve saved me when I thought I was a goner…more times than I can count already! It’s scary.
These last few days in particular… I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it out of that one to even WRITE in this journal! We are truly bound together now, for better or worse, to see the outcome of these sinister dreams out, for better or worse.
So we’ve come back to Malakar to see what we can uncover with our inquiries rather than our swords. We are just not powerful enough to face whatever evil is brewing in the Shadowfell. Some sort of cult or something? The lizardman who spearheaded (no pun intended, haha!) the ritual sacrifices / necromantic conversions of the halflings of Skaversmoore, we killed him, but now we see he’s just one figure in a larger plot. Some ancient evil is awakening in the tomb of the dragon emporer – some evil connected to an ancient Arushulan empire. Inside the tomb, we found a strange portal to the Shadowfell, where we saw countless evil beings wearing the same flaming-skull amulet (which I now realize is a reference to Orcus’ legendary skull-headed mace), and carrying similar scythes as our original adversary. We’ve all had dreams about a hyena man entering a mausoleum…an infant child being carried away by Jaquamule, the Eladrin poison-broker who Ashleigh and Ileander visited in Malakar.
My head spins with how all these things might connects. Actually my head just hurts. I banged it about 10 times when we were fighting these behemoths by the river…they had these mace-like tails, and they kept knocking me down, it was infuriating!! Anyway, I’d better get some rest and see if I can’t get rid of this headache. I just pray to Corellon to sleep peacefully, without dreams…or if I am to dream, let it be of frivolities of no consequence.
So yes, did I mention that I went to the Shadowfell ?! And, you know, we fought and killed some demons, no big whoop, and then I was sneaking along, minding my own business, and I happened upon, um, ORCUS?! Who was standing there, not 20 feet away from me, surrounded in prayer (or something) by a vampire, a wight, and a demon? I couldn’t…believe what I was seeing, but I also wasn’t dumb enough to stick around for another heartbeat to either confirm or deny my vision.
I don’t even remember what I did next, it was like a dream…or a nightmare…I remember a lot of running and holding my breath. Then there was another ride in the bathysphere back to Malakar, I barely remember it.
It’s weird, I’ve been thinking moment-to-moment for so long now, I can’t convince my body or my brain to relax. Plus, I don’t feel like I *should*, even if I could. I don’t think the others believe me…what I saw…I don’t believe it myself. But what else could it have been?? And real or illusion, what could it mean in either case??
I swear, I never thought I’d be so happy to be trapped in an underwater Bathysphere with a re-animated dead body, a blabbermouthed and possibly psychotic alchemist, and of course the rest of the “chosen ones.” If you think about it, it seems so unlikely that the four of us could ever conceivably work together… if you take a step back for two seconds, it’s pretty funny, really…there’s me, a sarcastic and mostly useless (and possibly crazy) shoplifter, and we’ve also got a spoiled daddy’s-girl / leader of the Eladrin enthusiasm squad, a pimply-faced green suck-up, and a walking cliché of a brooding teen poet. But, work together we do…I have come to depend on Ashleigh, Saddush and Ileander to an almost inconceivable extent. I mean, I literally trust them with my life, and they’ve saved me when I thought I was a goner…more times than I can count already! It’s scary.
These last few days in particular… I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it out of that one to even WRITE in this journal! We are truly bound together now, for better or worse, to see the outcome of these sinister dreams out, for better or worse.
So we’ve come back to Malakar to see what we can uncover with our inquiries rather than our swords. We are just not powerful enough to face whatever evil is brewing in the Shadowfell. Some sort of cult or something? The lizardman who spearheaded (no pun intended, haha!) the ritual sacrifices / necromantic conversions of the halflings of Skaversmoore, we killed him, but now we see he’s just one figure in a larger plot. Some ancient evil is awakening in the tomb of the dragon emporer – some evil connected to an ancient Arushulan empire. Inside the tomb, we found a strange portal to the Shadowfell, where we saw countless evil beings wearing the same flaming-skull amulet (which I now realize is a reference to Orcus’ legendary skull-headed mace), and carrying similar scythes as our original adversary. We’ve all had dreams about a hyena man entering a mausoleum…an infant child being carried away by Jaquamule, the Eladrin poison-broker who Ashleigh and Ileander visited in Malakar.
My head spins with how all these things might connects. Actually my head just hurts. I banged it about 10 times when we were fighting these behemoths by the river…they had these mace-like tails, and they kept knocking me down, it was infuriating!! Anyway, I’d better get some rest and see if I can’t get rid of this headache. I just pray to Corellon to sleep peacefully, without dreams…or if I am to dream, let it be of frivolities of no consequence.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Laird's thoughts as she floats between life and death
I’m floating in the darkness. It feels so nice here! Nice and warm and dark. There was a faint light earlier, but it’s just a pinprick now. I don’t remember any of my problems. Why isn’t everyone here, it’s so nice! How did I get here? Let’s see, the last thing I remember… (flashes of crocodile jaws, teeth, slits of eyes, tremendous weight and strength overtaking me) AAAAAH! No no, that can’t have been real. (Flashback of Ashleigh telling me to get away and shut the door) Oh, that girl! Oh now I remember! We were all on a quest together. Ashleigh? (Flashback of Ashleigh asking if I want to have a girl talk) She and the green guy…Saddush (flashback of Saddush, smiling, backlit cinematically by the sun)… were captured…but they’re ok after all! I think?
(Flashback of Ileander trying to heal me) Oh him, he’s so nice! Ileander? He came to my aid, he tried to save me. Oh Corellon! Does that mean I’m dead? I don’t feel like I am. I feel like I’d know if I were.
(Flashback of Arterious the Bear saying “You are the Chosen Ones.” It echoes: chosen ones…chosen ones…chosen ones…) Oh that’s right! Oh, smelly dungheaps! (Flashback of adventure thus far. Flashes of teammates. Flashback of Halfling tribesmen falling in battle.) I guess I have to go back. But…maybe not yet...maybe I can float here in this nice darkness for a while longer…
(Flashback of Ileander trying to heal me) Oh him, he’s so nice! Ileander? He came to my aid, he tried to save me. Oh Corellon! Does that mean I’m dead? I don’t feel like I am. I feel like I’d know if I were.
(Flashback of Arterious the Bear saying “You are the Chosen Ones.” It echoes: chosen ones…chosen ones…chosen ones…) Oh that’s right! Oh, smelly dungheaps! (Flashback of adventure thus far. Flashes of teammates. Flashback of Halfling tribesmen falling in battle.) I guess I have to go back. But…maybe not yet...maybe I can float here in this nice darkness for a while longer…
Monday, August 18, 2008
Day 3, Laird's Triple-Locked Journal
From the Triple-Locked Journal of Laird Sonoly...
Oh Corellon!! I know I should keep running, I've got to find Ileander and rescue the others, but I just have to stop for a moment... my heart is in my throat, I can't breathe... I'm pretty sure I'm not being pursued, so I think I can take a moment or two here to rest.
Ashleigh and Sadush have been captured by lizardmen, and taken inside some compound, through the legs of a giant dragon statue (the very statue from my dreams!). I am praying that the lizardmen don't sacrifice them, that we don't meet their bones later in the marsh, stripped of flesh, empty eye sockets glowing red. Such abberations of nature, such mockeries of life, ugh! That's a sight I won't forget soon: when we first approached the lizardmen's side of the island (we're on Skaver's Moor D'More Island, but more on that later), we found it guarded by the undead skeletons of some of the missing halfling tribesmen. We fought them competently enough, but in the thick of battle, lizardmen began emerging and joining the frey. We'd kill one off and two would emerge to replace the last... I barely stayed on my feet! I was hit with more arrows than I could count, but I'm also tougher than I look. Everyone fought bravely, with Ashleigh and Saddush doing most of the heavy fighting. Unfortunately, this also meant they were the first to be felled and captured, which is exactly what happened! Lizardmen grabbed them and *walked* over the water of the marsh-moat (which I later tried to swim and nearly drowned doing so) to their compound. I did manage to make it across the moat, even after an evil lizardman druid caused the vines and stalks of the marshes to come to life, wrapping around me and trying to take me down to the bottom of the water. Although I wanted to push past him and chase after Saddush and Ashleigh (whom I had just started to come to like), but based on the noise I heard beyond the dragon's legs...I have a feeling it would have been really foolish to run in there, alone, and nearly dead as I am. So I turned around, jumped back IN the moat, and swam back from whence we'd come, in retreat. Ileander had already fled, and I'm hoping I can find him after this. We've got to convince the halfling tribesmen to help us so we can wage a more balanced attack on the lizardmen -- we now have no doubt that they ARE up to evil ends, capturing and sacrificing the halfling tribesmen who they were supposedly friends with?
I've got to press on and find Ileander, but in case I don't make it to write again...I want whomever to know, that I tried. I tried to do what was asked of me. I never asked to be chosen! I think I understand now, what Arterius the Bear meant, when he apologized for such a heavy burden being put on ones so young. Maybe it's *too* great of a burden. I don't know. But there's no turning back now.
Oh Corellon!! I know I should keep running, I've got to find Ileander and rescue the others, but I just have to stop for a moment... my heart is in my throat, I can't breathe... I'm pretty sure I'm not being pursued, so I think I can take a moment or two here to rest.
Ashleigh and Sadush have been captured by lizardmen, and taken inside some compound, through the legs of a giant dragon statue (the very statue from my dreams!). I am praying that the lizardmen don't sacrifice them, that we don't meet their bones later in the marsh, stripped of flesh, empty eye sockets glowing red. Such abberations of nature, such mockeries of life, ugh! That's a sight I won't forget soon: when we first approached the lizardmen's side of the island (we're on Skaver's Moor D'More Island, but more on that later), we found it guarded by the undead skeletons of some of the missing halfling tribesmen. We fought them competently enough, but in the thick of battle, lizardmen began emerging and joining the frey. We'd kill one off and two would emerge to replace the last... I barely stayed on my feet! I was hit with more arrows than I could count, but I'm also tougher than I look. Everyone fought bravely, with Ashleigh and Saddush doing most of the heavy fighting. Unfortunately, this also meant they were the first to be felled and captured, which is exactly what happened! Lizardmen grabbed them and *walked* over the water of the marsh-moat (which I later tried to swim and nearly drowned doing so) to their compound. I did manage to make it across the moat, even after an evil lizardman druid caused the vines and stalks of the marshes to come to life, wrapping around me and trying to take me down to the bottom of the water. Although I wanted to push past him and chase after Saddush and Ashleigh (whom I had just started to come to like), but based on the noise I heard beyond the dragon's legs...I have a feeling it would have been really foolish to run in there, alone, and nearly dead as I am. So I turned around, jumped back IN the moat, and swam back from whence we'd come, in retreat. Ileander had already fled, and I'm hoping I can find him after this. We've got to convince the halfling tribesmen to help us so we can wage a more balanced attack on the lizardmen -- we now have no doubt that they ARE up to evil ends, capturing and sacrificing the halfling tribesmen who they were supposedly friends with?
I've got to press on and find Ileander, but in case I don't make it to write again...I want whomever to know, that I tried. I tried to do what was asked of me. I never asked to be chosen! I think I understand now, what Arterius the Bear meant, when he apologized for such a heavy burden being put on ones so young. Maybe it's *too* great of a burden. I don't know. But there's no turning back now.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Day 2, Laird's Triple-Locked Journal
From the private, triple-locked journal of Laird Sonoly:
Oh Corellon, if *I* am one of the chosen ones, if *I*, out of all the humans and elves and half-elves and eladrin and dwarves and halflings and dragonborn in the whole world (??) was chosen to be some sort of great hero...well, I'm just really scared for the world, that's all. I am just pathetic. I feel like such a failure already. Maybe I shouldn't've been healed from the filth fever, maybe it's appropriate that that rat bit me. I dunno.
But, I *was* healed, and I guess I'm glad, I definitely do feel better...if I'd thought there was any romance to suffering from a wasting illness, far from home, I now know the truth. It's not romantic at all, it's just awful.
Anyway. So we went to the goblin's cave to retrieve the magicum core for the crazy inventor guy, the one who's gonna get us to Skaversmoor D'Moor Island (err, I hope). I finally got to one-up that know-it-all Ashleigh, because I *do* know a little goblin and no one else did. But of course she twisted it all around, I told her I knew it from my ex-bf (because he was a fence and he dealt w/ a lot of goblins), and she started joking that either he WAS a goblin, or that he and I read each other goblin love poems or some nonsense. Anyway. She can think what she wants I guess. I still messed things up right off the bat, though. I tried to trick the goblins into coming out to play cards with us, but I couldn't think of a fake name fast enough (I can think of like twenty right now, of course, but at that moment my mind went blank) and they saw through me and attacked us. And of course the head one wasn't even a goblin, it was a HOBgoblin, which, I mean I acted all, "Oh, they're pretty much the same thing," but, ah-NOOO, I know from Kenneth that they are smarter and tougher and I was like, crap.
Since I clearly totally suck at fighting (I couldn't even defend myself against a RAT), I figured I'd let the others do what they do best, and help *them* out by doing what *I* do best...or, what I thought I did best. I slipped through the battle and inside the cave to find the magicum core. Maybe I could redeem myself by retrieving it while they others distracted the goblins!? But, not so simple, turns out the "cave" was a whole complex. Not huge, mind you, but big enough that it wasn't just in and out. But thank Corellon no one was around, because I couldn't even pick a stupid lock to get through the first door, UGH, so ridiculous. And when I finally did, I was so pleased with myself, I walked right into a trap. A BABY could have seen that trap, I can't believe how much I spaced. I was just so upset about how badly I'd messed up already, but then I just made it worse by messing up more because I was distracted thinking about the first mess-ups.
Eventually, the others caught up with me and bailed me out. Ashleigh of course was able to get some laughs at my expense. I was like the punchline of a joke, sitting there at the bottom of a stupid 10 foot pit. Things got a little better after that, we encountered more goblins, and this time I stayed and fought, and actually did some damage! I think I even felled one, with a shot from my crossbow! Saddush did most of the heavy lifting, though, he is just inSANE. I mean, not insane, he is just really really good. And modest too, unlike Ashleigh! Ileander did a lot of fey warlock stuff, he just whispered words to a bunch of the goblins, and they cringed and fell and shrieked. I wonder what he said?? I kind of envied those goblins a little bit, I don't think I'd mind if Ileander were to whisper in my ear, it looked kinda sexy in a dark way. But then he got caught in an avalanche when one of the stone walls crumbled on top of him. I wanted to do something, but what could I do?? Nothing. I just froze and stared helplessly. Thank Corellon he ended up being ok, but I know he's mad at all of us, even if he keeps it to himself.
Anyway, eventually we got the goblin leader to surrender, and he gave us the magicum core just like that. It didn't look like I thought it would, it's just, like, a cylindar of regular stone. I think I thought it would look like a sparkly brain? Not sure. We got it back to the guy, who was SO out of it, he didn't even get it when we told him that the goblins had been *hired* by some wizard he apparently knows! And he almost forgot all about the bathysphere and us, too, but we reminded him. Hopefully we'll be going in the morning! I say hopefully, but really I should say "dreadfully." I'm sure I'm going to mess up a bunch more stuff tomorrow. I just pray to Corellon that I can have my wits about me and not be a total doof again!
Oh Corellon, if *I* am one of the chosen ones, if *I*, out of all the humans and elves and half-elves and eladrin and dwarves and halflings and dragonborn in the whole world (??) was chosen to be some sort of great hero...well, I'm just really scared for the world, that's all. I am just pathetic. I feel like such a failure already. Maybe I shouldn't've been healed from the filth fever, maybe it's appropriate that that rat bit me. I dunno.
But, I *was* healed, and I guess I'm glad, I definitely do feel better...if I'd thought there was any romance to suffering from a wasting illness, far from home, I now know the truth. It's not romantic at all, it's just awful.
Anyway. So we went to the goblin's cave to retrieve the magicum core for the crazy inventor guy, the one who's gonna get us to Skaversmoor D'Moor Island (err, I hope). I finally got to one-up that know-it-all Ashleigh, because I *do* know a little goblin and no one else did. But of course she twisted it all around, I told her I knew it from my ex-bf (because he was a fence and he dealt w/ a lot of goblins), and she started joking that either he WAS a goblin, or that he and I read each other goblin love poems or some nonsense. Anyway. She can think what she wants I guess. I still messed things up right off the bat, though. I tried to trick the goblins into coming out to play cards with us, but I couldn't think of a fake name fast enough (I can think of like twenty right now, of course, but at that moment my mind went blank) and they saw through me and attacked us. And of course the head one wasn't even a goblin, it was a HOBgoblin, which, I mean I acted all, "Oh, they're pretty much the same thing," but, ah-NOOO, I know from Kenneth that they are smarter and tougher and I was like, crap.
Since I clearly totally suck at fighting (I couldn't even defend myself against a RAT), I figured I'd let the others do what they do best, and help *them* out by doing what *I* do best...or, what I thought I did best. I slipped through the battle and inside the cave to find the magicum core. Maybe I could redeem myself by retrieving it while they others distracted the goblins!? But, not so simple, turns out the "cave" was a whole complex. Not huge, mind you, but big enough that it wasn't just in and out. But thank Corellon no one was around, because I couldn't even pick a stupid lock to get through the first door, UGH, so ridiculous. And when I finally did, I was so pleased with myself, I walked right into a trap. A BABY could have seen that trap, I can't believe how much I spaced. I was just so upset about how badly I'd messed up already, but then I just made it worse by messing up more because I was distracted thinking about the first mess-ups.
Eventually, the others caught up with me and bailed me out. Ashleigh of course was able to get some laughs at my expense. I was like the punchline of a joke, sitting there at the bottom of a stupid 10 foot pit. Things got a little better after that, we encountered more goblins, and this time I stayed and fought, and actually did some damage! I think I even felled one, with a shot from my crossbow! Saddush did most of the heavy lifting, though, he is just inSANE. I mean, not insane, he is just really really good. And modest too, unlike Ashleigh! Ileander did a lot of fey warlock stuff, he just whispered words to a bunch of the goblins, and they cringed and fell and shrieked. I wonder what he said?? I kind of envied those goblins a little bit, I don't think I'd mind if Ileander were to whisper in my ear, it looked kinda sexy in a dark way. But then he got caught in an avalanche when one of the stone walls crumbled on top of him. I wanted to do something, but what could I do?? Nothing. I just froze and stared helplessly. Thank Corellon he ended up being ok, but I know he's mad at all of us, even if he keeps it to himself.
Anyway, eventually we got the goblin leader to surrender, and he gave us the magicum core just like that. It didn't look like I thought it would, it's just, like, a cylindar of regular stone. I think I thought it would look like a sparkly brain? Not sure. We got it back to the guy, who was SO out of it, he didn't even get it when we told him that the goblins had been *hired* by some wizard he apparently knows! And he almost forgot all about the bathysphere and us, too, but we reminded him. Hopefully we'll be going in the morning! I say hopefully, but really I should say "dreadfully." I'm sure I'm going to mess up a bunch more stuff tomorrow. I just pray to Corellon that I can have my wits about me and not be a total doof again!
Day 1, Laird's Triple-Locked Journal
From the private, triple-locked journal of Laird Sonoly:
All I can say is...what?? Just happened? One day I'm babysitting my little brother while mom is at he market and the next day I'm off fulfilling some prophecy and nearly dying of fever on a pirate ship off the coast of Malakkar!
It's true! Just the other morning I was playing hide and seek with Nails, when an OWL flew to the window, like, seeking ME! It had a letter addressed specifically to ME from the COUNCIL of TWELVE?! They wanted me to come to the Nimbus Apparatus in like an HOUR. (I've been to the Nimbus Apparatus before, but I've never gotten that close, but this time I had, like, an official invitation!) But of course mom wasn't home when she said she'd be...ugh! But that's ok, I found her at the market and gave Nails to her 'cuz I had to GO! At first she didn't believe me that it was a real letter, she thought I forged it. Which, probably every OTHER time would probably be true, but not this time.
I got to the Nimbus Apparatus and there was this dorky green-skinned pencil-neck exchange student named Saddush, he had a letter too. The tight-assed dwarf let us up and the next thing I knew, we're flying straight up on a cloud! I acted like it was no big deal, but I was FREAKING OUT. Not so much 'cuz I've never been to Upper Valon before, but, hello, flying cloud! And then the NEXT thing I knew, we were standing in front of the council of 12! And another guy and girl were there: this sorta-cute-in-a-tortured/deep-sorta-way eladrin, Illeander, but also, UGH. This CLOWN of a eladrin, so ridiculous, I think her name is Ashleigh? Or Ashley or Ashlee? In any case I'll try to forget it. ANYWAY. So the next thing I knew, Arterious the Bear (apparently ashleigh is his granddaughter, so aha, then it became clear what was what) was bowing to us all and giving us presents. I got burglary gloves! Which is so ironic! I mean, aren't the council of 12 supposed to be encouraging me to be all lawful and stuff?
But they say there's no free lunch, or free burglary gloves anyway, and so A. the B. started into his speech. And finally all the weird dreams I've been having make sense, because he said we're all Chosen Ones, we've ALL been having those dreams, and they hold the key to, like, really important stuff. And he talked about what a big responsibility and burden this was, we have to be all secretive and work together and take this crystal ball called the Dungeon Master and, for starters at least, save these halfling tribesmen from my (and their) dreams? I don't really understand all of what he was saying, or what it means...what any of this means... all I can say is, if I am bound to 3 other people for the REST of my LIFE, I can't believe one of them has green skin and one of them is named Ashleiiighyeyyyyyy. Kill me NOW. But Illeander is ok, he took care of me later on the pirate ship when I was hurling my lungs out from filth fever and seasickness. But I guess it's the least he could do considering he's the one who EXPLODED a giant rat on me and covered me in disgusting hot rat guts (<- aka, "essense of ashleigh"). UGH.
There's SO much more to tell, but I'm getting tired now, I'm still recovering from being so sick...I got healed in Malakkar (which IS as cool as everyone says!) but I'm still feeling a little iffy. I don't know if all of this is for real or what, but for now, it's fine by me to get out of V-alone for however long it's gonna be. I just wish i could have said goodbye to mom and Nails, but, it's not like I'm never going to see them again, right?!
All I can say is...what?? Just happened? One day I'm babysitting my little brother while mom is at he market and the next day I'm off fulfilling some prophecy and nearly dying of fever on a pirate ship off the coast of Malakkar!
It's true! Just the other morning I was playing hide and seek with Nails, when an OWL flew to the window, like, seeking ME! It had a letter addressed specifically to ME from the COUNCIL of TWELVE?! They wanted me to come to the Nimbus Apparatus in like an HOUR. (I've been to the Nimbus Apparatus before, but I've never gotten that close, but this time I had, like, an official invitation!) But of course mom wasn't home when she said she'd be...ugh! But that's ok, I found her at the market and gave Nails to her 'cuz I had to GO! At first she didn't believe me that it was a real letter, she thought I forged it. Which, probably every OTHER time would probably be true, but not this time.
I got to the Nimbus Apparatus and there was this dorky green-skinned pencil-neck exchange student named Saddush, he had a letter too. The tight-assed dwarf let us up and the next thing I knew, we're flying straight up on a cloud! I acted like it was no big deal, but I was FREAKING OUT. Not so much 'cuz I've never been to Upper Valon before, but, hello, flying cloud! And then the NEXT thing I knew, we were standing in front of the council of 12! And another guy and girl were there: this sorta-cute-in-a-tortured/deep-sorta-way eladrin, Illeander, but also, UGH. This CLOWN of a eladrin, so ridiculous, I think her name is Ashleigh? Or Ashley or Ashlee? In any case I'll try to forget it. ANYWAY. So the next thing I knew, Arterious the Bear (apparently ashleigh is his granddaughter, so aha, then it became clear what was what) was bowing to us all and giving us presents. I got burglary gloves! Which is so ironic! I mean, aren't the council of 12 supposed to be encouraging me to be all lawful and stuff?
But they say there's no free lunch, or free burglary gloves anyway, and so A. the B. started into his speech. And finally all the weird dreams I've been having make sense, because he said we're all Chosen Ones, we've ALL been having those dreams, and they hold the key to, like, really important stuff. And he talked about what a big responsibility and burden this was, we have to be all secretive and work together and take this crystal ball called the Dungeon Master and, for starters at least, save these halfling tribesmen from my (and their) dreams? I don't really understand all of what he was saying, or what it means...what any of this means... all I can say is, if I am bound to 3 other people for the REST of my LIFE, I can't believe one of them has green skin and one of them is named Ashleiiighyeyyyyyy. Kill me NOW. But Illeander is ok, he took care of me later on the pirate ship when I was hurling my lungs out from filth fever and seasickness. But I guess it's the least he could do considering he's the one who EXPLODED a giant rat on me and covered me in disgusting hot rat guts (<- aka, "essense of ashleigh"). UGH.
There's SO much more to tell, but I'm getting tired now, I'm still recovering from being so sick...I got healed in Malakkar (which IS as cool as everyone says!) but I'm still feeling a little iffy. I don't know if all of this is for real or what, but for now, it's fine by me to get out of V-alone for however long it's gonna be. I just wish i could have said goodbye to mom and Nails, but, it's not like I'm never going to see them again, right?!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Day 0, Laird's Triple-Locked Journal
From the private, triple-locked journal of Laird Sonoly:
So I live in Valon, big WHOOP. If you removed the V and added an e, the name just as easily becomes the word ALONE. And that's what I am. I live in Valon but I might as well live up a dwarf's butt. Mom says I'm lucky to live in such an "enlightened" city, where everyone is treated "equally" and knowledge and the arts are "valued." A city where there are so many "opportunities" for "young" people, like that I get to go to school with all the hoity-toity eladrin from ooh-la-la UPPER VALON. Like I'm so lucky that that hag Gilthoniela from the Council has a thing for "dad" and she pulled some strings to get me admitted, despite my "half-breed" (her exact words, THANKS) status. I hate school. I hate everything about school. Except I guess Mistress Illinewyn, the Fine Arts teacher, she's ok I guess. For my self-portraiture assignment last fall, I stole one of my dad's paintings from the headmaster's antechamber and painted it black and turned it in, and he was going to expel me (please DO!!) and make me pay for it because it's supposedly worth like so much money, but she talked him out of it, and she even gave me a pretty good mark for that assignment. She said that as a portrait, it reflected a "poignant disregard for legacy and an internal struggle for belonging." Well, whatever. So yeah, she's pretty cool except I really would have loved to have been expelled. If only so I don't have to smell that anorexic twit Ashleigh's stench as her soul decomposes in front of me in history class. I can't believe they don't expel HER, she is so mean and everyone knows it. She even told Nails that I wasn't really his sister because he has a different dad than me. He's only 8, he doesn't even know what "half-sister" means, he started crying because he thought they were going to cut me in half.
Anyway, thank Corellon that I have some escape. If I couldn't sneak out at night and explore the city on my own, I don't know what I'd do. I only got caught once, when I ALMOST stole an antique helmet of the sylvan guard (WHY do I need an antique helmet of the sylvan guard? I don't!) from Seneschal Evershine and I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for her stupid dog. (I got out of that one by acting like I was under a drow Hypnosis spell, she totally fell for it.) I'm not gonna go out tonight, though, I'm too tired. I haven't been able to sleep in class like usual (ha ha) because of these weird dreams. So annoying! Maybe tomorrow though. I want to climb up Astronomer's Tower and write backwards on the outer lens of the big telescope, so when they look through they'll see it says "I pee rainbows" or something. Ha ha! They'll never know how that got there.
So I live in Valon, big WHOOP. If you removed the V and added an e, the name just as easily becomes the word ALONE. And that's what I am. I live in Valon but I might as well live up a dwarf's butt. Mom says I'm lucky to live in such an "enlightened" city, where everyone is treated "equally" and knowledge and the arts are "valued." A city where there are so many "opportunities" for "young" people, like that I get to go to school with all the hoity-toity eladrin from ooh-la-la UPPER VALON. Like I'm so lucky that that hag Gilthoniela from the Council has a thing for "dad" and she pulled some strings to get me admitted, despite my "half-breed" (her exact words, THANKS) status. I hate school. I hate everything about school. Except I guess Mistress Illinewyn, the Fine Arts teacher, she's ok I guess. For my self-portraiture assignment last fall, I stole one of my dad's paintings from the headmaster's antechamber and painted it black and turned it in, and he was going to expel me (please DO!!) and make me pay for it because it's supposedly worth like so much money, but she talked him out of it, and she even gave me a pretty good mark for that assignment. She said that as a portrait, it reflected a "poignant disregard for legacy and an internal struggle for belonging." Well, whatever. So yeah, she's pretty cool except I really would have loved to have been expelled. If only so I don't have to smell that anorexic twit Ashleigh's stench as her soul decomposes in front of me in history class. I can't believe they don't expel HER, she is so mean and everyone knows it. She even told Nails that I wasn't really his sister because he has a different dad than me. He's only 8, he doesn't even know what "half-sister" means, he started crying because he thought they were going to cut me in half.
Anyway, thank Corellon that I have some escape. If I couldn't sneak out at night and explore the city on my own, I don't know what I'd do. I only got caught once, when I ALMOST stole an antique helmet of the sylvan guard (WHY do I need an antique helmet of the sylvan guard? I don't!) from Seneschal Evershine and I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for her stupid dog. (I got out of that one by acting like I was under a drow Hypnosis spell, she totally fell for it.) I'm not gonna go out tonight, though, I'm too tired. I haven't been able to sleep in class like usual (ha ha) because of these weird dreams. So annoying! Maybe tomorrow though. I want to climb up Astronomer's Tower and write backwards on the outer lens of the big telescope, so when they look through they'll see it says "I pee rainbows" or something. Ha ha! They'll never know how that got there.
The Players
Sadush Seaborn...........................................Adrian
Shipwrecked Young Sailor of Viridistan, now Soldier of Valon
HUMAN FIGHTER
Ashleigh Oberholt.........................................Zach
Valonian Noble, Leader of the Eladrin Elite Enthusiasm Squad
ELADRIN WARLORD
Laird Sonoly.................................................Zoe
Daughter of a Bohemian Painter, Subversive Adolescent
HALF-ELF ROGUE
Illander Illrune.............................................Josh
Valonian Noble, Aspiring and Melancholy Poet
ELADRIN WARLOCK
THE DUNGEON MASTER.........................................Jeff
Shipwrecked Young Sailor of Viridistan, now Soldier of Valon
HUMAN FIGHTER
Ashleigh Oberholt.........................................Zach
Valonian Noble, Leader of the Eladrin Elite Enthusiasm Squad
ELADRIN WARLORD
Laird Sonoly.................................................Zoe
Daughter of a Bohemian Painter, Subversive Adolescent
HALF-ELF ROGUE
Illander Illrune.............................................Josh
Valonian Noble, Aspiring and Melancholy Poet
ELADRIN WARLOCK
THE DUNGEON MASTER.........................................Jeff
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