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Steves Basement - Must I?
Must I?
Enforced Captivity
It seems not to matter that I gave my word and kept it. All they seem to focus on is that I gave my word to a man who turned out to be a liar and a cheat. I do not feel I should be held to such rules, but they tell me it is their law and has been for some time, so I must accede to their will.
I have now been sold to a woman named Astarte. She offers us freedom if we will go somewhere and get something she wants. She also demands an oath. So it is that I gave my word and became a slave and now I must give it again to be free. I must learn more of the laws of this new land or I fear I will spend the rest of my days in constant flux, from slave to free and back again.
I shall give her my word and hope that the companions she has assigned me will give and keep their's as well. We shall see over the coming days.
Barely Noticed
We were slaves for less than a week. On the scale of Grumbar, that matters not one whit. Still, some of my compatriots are taking it poorly. At least one has proclaimed a need for vengeance against the smith who placed him in chains. It seems odd that a man who says he was wrongly accused of a crim would so quickly seek to commit a crime - perhaps it comes naturally for him and so it will be his nature to be in and out of chains for all the days of his life.
For my part, I am glad to be free. though it matters little. It is good to have my fate in my own hands rather those of a stranger, but the truth of course is that none of us is truly free.
One thing that I have wondered briefly - how valuable is this book that she could afford to buy seven of us just to get her hands on it only to turn us free on recieving it. Certainly she could have received better value for her gold unless of course the book was very powerful. It is of no real concern to me, but still I wonder. Hopefully Grumbar will not find this too great a failing in me.
Construction begins
Though I know it will matter but little to Grumbar, I have begun construction on a roadside shrine in his honor. It is good to work with stone again, even if only to put it in place rather than to cut it. My construction is going well and I have found a carpenter named Jason Tekel to help me.
The shrine will be simple, nothing but an arch with a few seats where one might sit while waiting for the ferry, but I feel better knowing that the wisdom of Grumbar will be here for travellers to see. There are two limestone columns which support a marble beam. The whole is trapezoidal and designed to properly frame Mt. Alleas, one of Grumbar's many wonders.
Always Striving
Vance is always striving to get somewhere and yet I do not think he knows where he wants to go or how to get there. He seems motivated to be rich and powerful, but does not seem to know what he will do if such a change comes to pass. So it was that we found ourselves heading south to fight a river monster which had been sinking barges.
Vance and his chums rode on the barge while Jaiger, by virtue of his horse, and myself, by virtue of my faith, chose to stay on land. Grumber did not make all this good earth that we might float upon it. I like water well enough, but I would never trust it as a place to spend several days. As it was, Jaigger and I were slowed down to keep the pace of the barge.
We came to a spot where it was clear something had been happening - an elf joined us just before that and he too observed the odd tracks. It appears that for a time some vandals were swinging a large log at the ships, but now even their own ship lay in ruins.
We searched for awhile, I even entered the water, but found nothing. At one point some large reptilian creature entered the water invisibly and picked me up. It regarded me for a time, then put me down. It left, still invisible.
Vance declared the monster dead and we began to return upstream. We stopped to check the slavers boat when there was a strange noise. Checking, we found a small boy named Erik.
The others continued their quest for gold while I gave Erik food, drink, and clothing such as I could. Like me, he is an orphan now and so will have to learn a trade and struggle to survive.
After a bit more poking around, we returned to town where Vance reported the monster was dead and collected more money. I got an equal share, though it all seemed a little unlikely - the only monster we encountered left without us even hurting it.
Young Apprentice
I spoke with Jason and he took Erik as his apprentice. Jason seems a fine man and skilled at carpentry. I don't think I could have found a better master for Erik.
I suppose I could have tried, but I do not think my life is at a point now where I could teach a boy a skill and keep him safe. I will do what I can to help the pair from the ridiculous monies which Vance gives me for doing little but healing him and his reckless friends.
Construction Halted
The stonework has stopped though Jason and Erik are still working on the wooden benches. I would have made them of stone, but many people are too soft to enjoy the comfort of Grumbar. Maybe after a time I will have both wood and stone benches near the shrine.
The others have learned of my shrine and have mocked it. They cannot see its purpose nor do they see the wonders of Grumbar which it should help them to find. At first I worried that it was my efforts that had failed but now I know it is their failing not mine.
I have jonied them for another trip to the waste. Vance needs to find some stone idol this time for an even larger retainer. I have decided to join them just for the chance to see a piece of stone which is worth 1000 gold.
The Waste
We spent several days trekking across the waste. It is a dangerous place, harsh and unforgiving. I think I like it. It really lays bare the bones of the earth and it reminds me of Grumbar - the tools are there to survive, but it is up to each person to best use them.
We were in the waste to find a box and a book for some patron of Vance's. Someone else beat us to the box, but we got the book. Along the way we rescued a couple of guys who who were working for the man who stole the box. We brought them into our group for now. I'm not sure they're really ready for our line of work, but I think I may have something for Lycos to do.
The Shrine
Because it was clear that Lycos was not really cut out for adventuring or pit-fighting, I thought it might be a good idea to offer him a different way to make a living. I asked him if he'd like to be the caretaker of the shrine at a modest salary and he agreed. I purchased the remains of his contract as a slave and freed him.
This week, we'll begin construction on a caretaker's cottage near the shrine. Lycos and his extended family will move to the cottage in a few weeks. Jason, Erik and I will work on the construction and Lycos and his family will help where they can.
Fruits of the Earth
As part of my effort to share the ridiculous amount of gold that Vance seems to feel is necessary for survival, I am working on a new idea to share the fruits of Grumbar. I am planning to arrange with one or more local growers to buy roots, tubers, and other vegetables which grow in the deep rich soil of Grumbar. I will then share them with the less fortunate.
I'm not yet sure how they will be shared and there may be multiple methods. My ideas so far include free giveaways at the shrine, donations to local orphanages, or donations to other temples. I'm least interested in donating to other temples since I fear they will fail to recognize Grumbar's contributions.
Hopefully this will work and respect for Grumbar will be the greater for it. I hope some day to make others see the beauty of Grumbar's tenets and gifts. At the very least, I will demand that Vance and his ilk give Grumbar his due.
Voices
Toby says the river talks to him and I believe him. He says the river wants to flow around the temple and so we dig. He says Grumbar will like it to and though I doubt that Grumbar will care about the actions of mere men, we do it.
I remember when Earth first spoke to me, telling me where to find Krieg, but I know now that Earth probably spoke to me many times and was ignored. I was afraid, for I knew even then that Earth did not speak to others, not even Krieg who loved Earth at least as much as I did.
I hope that if I support Toby when he says River speaks to him he will grow without fear. I think River will be a good teacher, much like Earth. Though it pains me to say so, River may be a better teacger than Earth for some. The memory of Earth is long, but Earth knows only what it sees. I do not know much of the memory of River but I do know that River sees more than Earth for River moves and is beloved by all. Men take Earth for granted, but they love and revere River for the life it brings. It is strange they do not see that Earth cradles and guides River, but men do not often look deeply at things. I hope that Toby will not be a wanderer as I am and so I think that River will bring him knowledge which I must seek from Earth.
The digging has gone well. Many others, out of respect for Grumbar's generosity, have helped us and the work is progressing quickly.
Grumbar's Veins
While we dug, the others were in town and, as they often do, found trouble. They discovered a building full of undead and beneath it a tunnel which runs north, beneath the city and far into the waste. It is said that these tunnels once belonged to Rosteau an evil wizard who used them to move his undead armies throughout Earth before attacking. His attack and the retaliation of Man is what led to the creation of the Waste.
We journeyed far north in these tunnels, more than a day. I could not help but be impressed by the engineering skill of the ancients who dug them. Though they have been unused for generations, there are few imperfections and the tunnels are stable. We do not yet know what purpose the tunnel will serve in the modern world. The others have purchased two of the access points, but already we have found two more. It seems that others must also know about them for we found an adventurer already.
For my part, I shall strive to be content with the exploration of the veins. There have been some natural caverns and the engineering has been marvelous. I only hope that we will prove worthy of whatever purpose Grumbar had for us when he revealed the Roads of Rosteau.
I have failed.
I have been less than resolute in my support of my new companions and now must apologize and hope that they and Grumbar will forgive me. I learned of a plot against the shrine and was told that Jaigger was behind it. I was angry with Jaigger and chose not to support the most recent trip north, instead spending my time studying some of the techniques used to build these marvelous subterannean mines.
While there I realized my error. I had assumed that what I heard about Jaigger must be true, but now I know it is what I was supposed to believe. These city dwellers are duplicitous in the extreme. I sometimes wonder if they would know the truth if it came to them.
What Grumbar showed me is that a thing well-wrought is a thing which will last. I have not known Jaigger very long, and he annoys me, but he has never worked against me nor I him. We are not yet friends, though many would see us that way. I am slow to judgement as He commands.
And therein is my failing. Jaigger is not yet my friend because it is not yet time to make such a choice - I must know more of him. And yet when confronted with a rumor that he might be my enemy I chose to believe it. Rumors are the whisperings of air, carried from ear to ear flitting about hoping to land somewhere and gain creedence. Like a fool, I believed what I heard from a stranger.
I can only hope the others will welcome me back and that Grumber will forgive me.
More Strangeness
Vance came to me to seek my help. A priest and an entire wagon full of goods had disappeared. The temple of Volturnus wanted him recovered quietly and had hired Vance for the job. I was along because Vance asked me I guess. He also invited Cormyr, which I think was good. He's not as flashy as Braack, but he's steady which can be useful too.
The cause was almost as mysterious as the original mystery. A road in the old city had a very large pit-style trap which allowed an entire wagon to be swallowed into the city's underbelly. We found it quickly and defeated some evil priest and his minions. The missing priest was found and returned, somewhat the worse for wear.
How such a thing could exist in the city without having been found before is something of a mystery and yet it was there. The tunnels beneath the ramp looked similar to those of the Roads of Rosteau. Perhaps some magic had hid the pit. I did some additional studying down there and some repairs. The priests were grateful for the return and the repairs. They granted each of us a potion or two.
All in all, it was a good week.
Paradox
When I first came to Volturnus I was imprisoned and enslaved for digging in a place where the person who told me to dig was not authorized. Now my friends and I are lauded for doing much the same thing only in the name of the city. It is odd to think that law is so whim-prone. I do not think Grumbar would be happy in Volturnus.
For my part, I find that I mostly am happy. My projects are going well, I have made good friends, and I have enough money to live comfortably and to help others. There are still, of course, things I miss. I have not cut much rock and I am not progressing on my original goals. I do not think Grumbar would be wholly pleased with my actions, but I believe he would see that just as the river may change the rock, so my plans must change to work with others.
The Future
I think many of my projects are becoming self-sustaining. The shrine could support itself and its staff. Fruits of the Earth could not, but other temples are taking up the banner and if Grumbar were to leave it would not be the end all. I do not plan to leave soon, but I must accept that I may. The Feast of Oathtaking is coming and I must determine what I hope to accomplish in the coming year. I suspect that I may be the only one of those I know who will celebrate the feast fully, but for the others there will at least be a party, a good meal, and a chance to learn more of Grumbar.
Resources
My first few days in Volturnus I was imprisoned for cutting stone that did not belong to me. It did not matter that I did not want the stone and that I was cutting it for another man, only that I cut it.
In our journey to the mountain we found woodcutters who were cutting wood to make a shape. As they cut it they burned it. I am not a druid, but I can see how they could be angry. To just cut trees and burn them when you do not need to cook or keep warm or even have light seems wasteful and wrong.
The strange part is that we were there because the citizens of this town wanted us to rescue the woodcutters. We did not succeed because they were dead before we arrived, but we did punish their murderers. I wonder now though if they weren't part of a larger lesson - giving their lives in a wasted effort of wasting the wood.
The Wedge
The woodcutters were part of the wedge. I call the plot which seeks to pit us against one another the wedge. They had plans and drawings which would have put a symbol of the beast lord on the side of the mountain. Vance says it would have lined up with the shrine perfectly and that Jaigger is to blame. He also says Jaigger has done some other things and that he can prove it.
I'm not as certain (though I once was). Jaigger is not a fool, as far as I can tell. We have done well adventuring together and to do this would put that at risk. I believe someone wants to drive us apart, but I don't know why it would be Jaigger. Sometimes I think it may be Vance who at times seems too clever for his own good.
Even so, until he speaks to me of this issue, I will not heal Jaigger. Vance and the others have given me reason to mistrust him. I cannot in good faith bestow the gifts of Grumbar on him while this issue hangs over his head. If he did it, he must atone. If he did not then he needs to say so.
How Long?
My head throbs and it takes a long moment to gather my bearings. I am in a dark place, probably underground by the smell. There is an earth smell, so there is fresh work going on here. I cannot see anything. All I can feel is that I am hanging from chains. By the strain on my arms, I think it has been at least a night.
My thoughts take me back to the night before. It was dark and I was on my way to the shrine for desert. I left Jaigger's pit after not finding him. He and I must speak. I walked alone through the darkened streets but I wasn't afraid. I have little worth stealing. I turned the corner and suddenly sensed something behind me. There was a flash of light and I remember a feeling of falling, but that is all. My next memory is here.
I try the chains but they are strong. I will not pull them from the ceiling. I have no leverage as my feet dangle without touching the floor. I can not tell if I miss the floor by inches or by yards. I could try swinging, but in the darkness I do not know if I would swing onto a spike.
For now, there is only the patience of Grumbar. I will wait here until my captors return.
Passages
It's hard to track the passage of time in this darkness. I've been conscious for awhile but nothing has happened. I haven't seen anyone, there is no light and very little sound. All I've heard is the scrabble of vermin and the occasional creak of my chains.
I did finally decide to try to swing, but it didn't help much. My chains must be long as I was able to swing quite aways before the pain became too much. I don't think I could put my feet against the ceiling even if I had the strength to do so. My stomach tells me it has been at least a day since I last ate and my thirst is growing.
I can only hope that Grumbar grants me His strength that I might overcome my captors when the time comes.
Contact
My first contact in what I think must be a day. I fell asleep in the chains. My arms still burn and it was not comfortable but there was nothing else I could do and I thought sleeping might restore my strength.
I awoke suddenly when something bit me. I couldn't see it in the dark, but I could feel it on my face and it had bitten my lip. I opened my mouth and bit back, but it wasn't a mouse, as I had thought. It was a scorpion and even as I bit it, it stung my nose. I crushed the little vermin and spit it out.
I listened and I don't think I'm far off the ground, it landed almost immediately. My nose burns now - I don't think the poison was strong enough to kill me, but my nose is swelling and I can no longer breathe through it. I think if I could see it would obscure my vision.
Still I wait. My captors have not revealed themselves and I will not call out to them. Knowing that the ground is not far below gives me hope that I can slip these chains and escape. Still I'd like to at least see the exit and know for sure that I can escapte.
Grumbar teaches us patience and so I wait.
Starvation
I'm no longer sweating, not even a little. I'm pretty sure this is a bad sign. My nose throbs, but there is little I can do. I am fairly certain that I will die hanging here, never knowing why I was captured or by whom. I make my peace with Grumbar and must now await the end.
Then there is sound. A door on creaky hinges. It opens and I reflexively turn to look towards it. I see nothing. I don't know if it is because there is no light or if I can't see. I suspect the latter. If Grumbar wants me to face my tormentors blind, then so be it. I struggle against the chains.
Still fighting, eh? Feed and water him announces a gruff voice. A few minutes later someone else enters and the door slams. I can not escape. She hums gently, trying to keep me calm I think. It is a she, I can smell her hair.
Free me! I cry.
I cannot, for I am but a slave myself.
She raises a ladle to my iips and helps me to drink slowly. The she feeds me as if I were a child. As she does she tells me that her name is Erlina and we are both prisoners of the cult of Shamash. She does not know why I am being held, but she is used to cook and clean.
I ask how she came to be a slave but before she can answer the door opens again and she leaves.
Questioning
Not much time passes before two men enter. One is the high priest, the other may be the leader of his guards, but I am not sure. The priest doesn't give a name, but tells me that I have been guilty of transgressions against Shamash. I don't recognize the name, but I do not tell him that. I ask what I have done.
A strong blow to the gut accompanies the lieutenants reminder that I am here to provide answers, not questions. They begin to question me. At first the questions are about the Temple of Volutrnus and I think that perhaps they are involved with the evil cult Vance and I defeated. Then they change topics to ask about Fruits of the Earth, then Vance, then the Roads, then Astarte. I do not know what they want from me, but it is clear they know more about me and my friends than I would be happy with.
They question me for a long time and never seem happy with the few answers that I do give. They leave, telling me I should think things over if I hope to live.
I do not tell them that I already know I will die. That is my strength and I do not want them to take it from me.
Left for Dead
They were gone for awhile, an hour or two I think. They left me to think about things I guess. When they came back, they launched the same barrage of questions. They wanted to know about Vance and Astarte and they asked some questions about Jaigger and the woodcutters too. I'm still not sure what they wanted to know. I answered a few of their questions with information that anyone would know. I didn't answer the rest. They tried beating me but Grumbar granted me the resolve to not speak. I was certain that if I told what I knew, they would kill me.
I was not entirely ready for what came next. The high priest decided I should be put to death. He wanted to sacrifice me to Shamash. His partner wanted to use me as a breeder. I don't know what they're breeding, although I was surprised they could use a male breeder. They argued for some time, I think to instill fear in me. I still can't see.
In the end they asked a few more questions, then decided to make me a breeder. One of them came in and forced a potion down my throat. I felt woozy and I found I could not really control my body. After a few minutes, they left and the chains lowered me to the ground. I was still in chains and I could not even marshall the strength to stand. I could hear their laughter as they walked away.
A few minutes later I heard a different door open and then the sound of scrabbling on the hard floor. I didn't understand what it was until the first bite. They were scorpions, only larger than before. I don't know how this made me a breeder, but I knew I would die. I called on Grumbar to grant me the strength to face this and then prepared to accept my fate.
Metamorphisis
I lay there expecting to be eaten when suddenly the word breeder echoed through my head. They were not killing me or biting me, they were laying eggs inside me! Not only were they going to kill me but they were planning to use my body to breed the next generation of some hideous monster. That would not do!
As I gathered my resolve to fight back, I felt the strength of Grumbar fill me as it never had before. Suddenly my vision began to clear and I could make out blurry outlines. There were four creatures like scorpions only much larger. I was still chained, but the torpor which had gripped my muscles was fading too. One of them struck me with it's tail and somehow it failed to penetrate my leg.
I cast about for a weapon of some sort but there was nothing and my chain was too short. If only the earth itself could strike down these foul cretures! Suddenly, as though granting my wish, a hail of fist-sized stones pummeled the area, including me. The scorpions were not killed, but they were injured and they rapidly retreated. I lashed out at one with my chain and killed it; the other three escaped.
I struggled to my feet, the heavy chains and my aching muscles making every move agony. I hobbled to the door where I could sense there was a guard. I waited for him.
Sure enough I heard him fumbling with keys. He had heard the noise inside and was planning to investigate. He opened the door and light streamed behind him. He came in and I looped my chain around his neck to strangle him.
At first I thought it was a typical humanoid, but it wasn't. It's stinger hit my arm and left a bruise but did not penetrate. I could see that it was half-orc and half-scorpion. I released my grip on the chain while pusing it further into the room. It turned to sting me again and I kicked it hard in the chest. The stinger hit me and drew blood this time, but thankfully I was not poisoned.
I leapt backwards through the door and slammed it shut. The creature began shouting and I began running as fast as I could manage in my chains. As I moved my vision came back, but the ache in my arms and legs grew worse - it was born as much of tiredness and strain as of poison. At last I came to a place where the stone could shift. I shifted it and went through into a darkened area. The smell told me I'd entered the sewers beneath the city.
I headed down stream certain that I would come to the river and be able to escape. A few minutes of this would be all I could manage. I could hear others behind me already. I ran as best I could but the sewers were slick and it was dark and I was tired. I slipped and fell banging my head as I entered the dark waters.
The last thing I heard was the soft voice of a child singing or maybe humming.
I awoke with the dawn, laying in the shrine of Grumbar. I do now know how I got there although Toby says he asked Suryiwan to look out for me and She delivered me as a favor to her Brother. I still did not feel well and I soon learned why - there were four large cysts on my abdomen and two of them were pulsating slightly in the dawn.
Toby fetched me a sharp knife and some dressings. I cut the cysts off my body. They were not cysts, they were, as I had feared, egg sacks. Each held a small scorpion-looking creature. I crushed them with a rock and we burned the remains together.
With that done, Toby helped me to my feet and we went in to see Lycos about some food. He seemed surprised and happy to see me. His family made a great fuss about my wounds which Grumbar was able to heal after I had properly rested.
The flesh is restored, but the spirit is another matter. I owe these Shamashi something and I plan to do something about it. Tomorrow is the feast of oath-taking and I know what my oath will be.
Aftermath
My friends came to see me to join them on another adventure. I told them about the Shamash and they were mildly interested although they seemed far more concerened about the girl who had helped me and what she might know. A few minutes were spent searching the sewers but ultimately they are too big and too dangerous for an easy search.
Abandoning that plan we headed North to retrieve a tapestry called Creation of Falling Waters. I was somewhat excited as it brought us very close to my homeland.
We journied north but it was strange. I get the feeling no one trusts anyone. I do not know exactly why. I think it is clear that Vance wants to be seen as a powerful leader and that Jaigger wants to be known as a shrewd trader. They seem to be somewhat at odds. I think Jaigger is a proud man who does not like to be in anyone's shadow, whether they put him there or not. I hope we can work things out, but I have my doubts.
This time we entered an old tomb and fought some minor undead. We killed them all and looted the place.
Now we may be going to Falling Water (or at least very close). On our way North we rescued a gnome named Grond and we are planning to guide hmi back to his village. It will be good to be in a gnome village again.
and back again...
It is odd to think of all that has happened in the short time since I left Falling Water. I have been a prisoner, a felon, a slave, a free man, and a land owner. Some might even add hero or father to those titles.
Yet beneath all that I remain Hod (or at least I imagine I do). I think this is the lesson of Grumbar - though we may seem many things to many people we are at our core the same. Just as Earth does not change, so too we do not. I think this needs to be something I work on.
I have focused on the inward side, remaining true to myself though my role changes. Now I think I need to work on the outward side. I have friends, associates, servants, contributors, rivals, and enemies. Each of those labels describes a role, not a person. Just as I may be defined by my role, so I may be defining others by their roles. I must strive to see the truth of the person rather than of the role.
I had thought I would take my oath against the Shumash. Instead I will take an oath to see the Mountain and not the man in my dealings with others...
Seeing the Mountain
Already I begin to see things differently.
Jaigger has more pride than I had realized. Any affront to that pride seems to bring a predictable backlash. The only problem is that sometimes his pride is offended by things that might not bother others or that are beyond their control. He seems to resent the fact that Vance is seen as our leader. Perhaps too he dislikes my repute as founder of Fruits of the Earth. Seen in this way, his actions make more sense. I shall endeavor to give him more respect in the future.
Vance is living in his father's shadow and wants a name for himself. Perhaps he can't see that he already has one. His goal seems to strive against that of Jaigger, I'll suggest to them they work together on some things rather than having Jaigger do the work and Vance get the credit (as Jaigger sees it).
Braack's mountain is not so easy. I do not think he has a clear driving force beyond his next meal and a place to sleep. He doesn't like wizards, which makes me nervous, but he seems able to tolerate them. Still, I think I will be caustious when using magic around or especially on him.
Into the breach
Our latest adventure went very smoothly despite a rocky start caused by me. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I decided to step through one of the gates. Luckily my friends decided to follow after a few minutes. Working together we learned about the undead army from an ancient red dragon.
After that one of his servants showed us another gate which took us to Falling Water. We didn't have much time there as we had need to return to Volturnus with information about the army of the dead.
On our return trip we were attacked in a well-coordinated ambush by a human wizard leading a dozen hobgoblins. After a pitched battle, we prevailed by working together.
Unreal
I have come to the conclusion that we have been cheated by Astarte. Everything about the last commission she gave us makes little or no sense. She hired us to help her friend Lisette become chieftain of some clan that she had no desire to be chief of. Supposedly this was done to deny the would-be chief, but then he was killed and his suffering ended.
What seems clear is tht Astarte took us deep into the lands of the Iron Kingdom bearing an artifact of great importance to them. Before we levt, the King forced us to give it up with no reward and no recompense. I think everything was a trick except the plan to relieve us of the sword. Looking back our opponents were never even close despite familiarity with the land, they even seemed to know what monsters we would and did overcome. My conclusion is that they were part of the ruse.
I do not much care as I had no interest in the sword, but it is interesting to find where Astarte's true loyalties are. Hopefully Vance will remember this in his future dealings with Astarte and Lisette.
Not Quite
We headed out to try to retake Bloodstone Keep, but I'm not sure why. Our reward was cash and the keep which appeared to have been abandoned for a long time. The strange part is that I don't think Braack, who was promised the keep, has any real desire to leave Volturnus.
The keep was full of undead, orcs, and other foul works of necromancy. I do not understand why some cannot just return the dead to Earth so that Grumbar can take them.
We overcame many foes. We did not overcome our blindness when it comes to Astarte. It became clear in the description of the keep that a wizard would be very useful. For some reason, we brought along Astarte. Vance said she owed us one. In truth, I think we may owe her one. Some might say I am rushing to judgement again, but I do not think this is so. Every time we have dealt with her she has gotten the better of us. I believe she considers us her servants.
Bright Stone Redux
We returned to the keep, but things were very different this time. Most of the monsters were killed or had fled. We did fight a slaad, but it seemed that most of the conflict was internal. Jaigger and Braack both seemed to be spending more time fighting inner demons than anything else. At one point, something created a girl and a bag of gold for Jaigger. Whatever it was he was supposed to do he must not have done since both diappeared a short while later.
We went through an arch to a place called Peace Home. It was nice there, very tranquil, but we did not enjoy it much for we knew we needed to return to Bright Stone Keep and finish our work.
We returned, but it was too late for the keep and the villagers. As near as we could tell we had been gone for a year. Time in Peace Home must be different. The keep was further in ruins and everywhere we could see things had been decimated by an acid rain. Only the works of Grumbar remained unchanged.
We made haste to Volturnus but there too we were too late. The undead controlled the city, ruled by their necoromantic master. Even the high priest of Volturnus had been slain.
Oathtaking
I must pary to Grumbar for forgiveness. I do not think it is my fault, but I have faied to keep my oath for one year and to make a new one for the next. My time in Peace Home was good, but it came at a price. I hope it will not cost me my faith - I fear it will be sorely needed in the coming conflict.
Swept along
And so now do I see the wisdom of Grumbar, though I find It hard to follow. We are being swept along by events greater than ourselves and we scarcely have any free will left.
The choices that are left to us are only illusions. It does not matter if you go left or right when all paths converge. So it is with us. We seem mere pawns in the path of history. I wonder if it is always thus for heroes...
Of course, we may not be heroes yet. Then again, maybe this lack of choice is what happens to a hero. We continue along the path not even pausing to wonder why Jaigger talks to himself, who sends women and gold to him from thin air and why he can handle evil artifacts and spells with so little trouble. It is as if the company of our adventure has been set and we cannot turn it back anymore than we can turn from the appointed path.
I don't mind the path, but I wish the oath were my own.
Questing
I am off for a few days alone. I must find the heart of the mountain within me and I must complete the ceremony of Oathtaking. There are those I might invite among my companions but more I would not. I would that I could do it in Volturnus where those I call family now live, but such is not my lot.
We freed the gold dragon, but were nearly killed by a red in the process. Only the strong arms of Jaigger and Braack saved us from destruction. Grumbar's magic was helpful only in keeping the others alive. Useful, but not the sort of thing heroes are made of. I wonder now if I am meant to be a hero at all.
HeartFire
My quest led me to two visions, one of myself and one of a sword in a stone. I discussed my vision with the others of my group and we resolved to go to the mountain and find it. The battle was hard and confusing. We fought kobolds who had taken the upper reaches and ultimately had to fight an aboleth.
We found the sword and rescued a dwarf who had been captured and enslaved by the aboleth. In the end, Kalid retreived the sword.
We have gathered more of what we need, but there is still much work to be done. I do not yet know if I shall achieve my vision, but for now I know that we are on this path and I do not desire to leave it.
Resting
We have had a hard fight today. While I attended to business of my own, the others became knights, squires and thieves. We learned that someone called the Dragon Master was going to control Dumnorix. Abraxis bade us warn the elder.
It seeemed easy, but Dumnorix was not that impressed with our warning. After some discussion it was agreed that we would attempt to kill the dragon master first. He was laired nearby with Fire Giants as guardians. We attacked fairly well, with Balent providing somem much needed ranged attacks. We slew many fire giants and were nearly slain ourselves by a mixed contingent of well-disciplined fire giants with troll vassals. We slew them but it left us weakened and now, at the moment where we should be pursing the dragon master, only Braack has the stomach for it. For myself, I have nothing left to aid the group save that strenght of my arm wielding my hammer. I give it willingly, but I know it will not be enough.
Strking a Blow.
I did strike a blow against the Melted One today. In Dumnorix' lair there is an alter to the thrice-cursed god. I blessed it and purified it and Grumbar's strength and pleasure was such that he split the very stones of the alter in two.
Jaigger seems less distracted now. I can't tell if it's because the voices have subsided or because he is now completely in thrall of the melted one.
Strange journey
We returned from the mountains and headed into the waste to find the villagers that we had heard could help us. They led us to another portal, which we went through.
It took us to another world, a lush green place where the trees were hundreds of feet tall and everything seemed alien save the earth itself.
We found avillage of intelligent apes who trded with some men in a sky ship. the men gave us passage to a place where we found shards. it was not an eays fight, but we won and collected many shards. Unfortunately, Vance died, but one of the shards saved him. We terutrned through a different portal and wound up in the center of the town square of Volturnus where Beerman had gathered the last of his forces for a ritual that wold reshape the city to his liking.
At What Cost?
We have won. Beerman is dead and Orcus is, at least it seems, vanquished.
But at what cost? Vance is no longer truly human, Braack died and came back, Kalid used his wishes, and then there is the orb.
We have an orb of dragonkind and dragons hate it. There are no fewer than 6 which may be converging on the city even now. The city itself is in ruins, the people fled and more than 50,000 died.
Now we face the rebuilding and I fear it is a task beyond our skills. I can build a wall or a castle, but I cannot build a community. The people here need to feel safe and to feel safe they will need leaders they can trust.
Who among us can they trust? Vance the plant man? Hod the rock man? Braack the orc? Jaigger the slaver and beast lord who even now seems to hear voices of the damned?
I fear we may have driven out the evil but that it will return when we cannot bring the good back. And still there is the matter of the rain.
After seeing what the shard did to vance, I am not sure we want to use one on our world. For all we know, we will also get 300' trees and villages full of apemen.
Rebuilding
It seems that Grumbar has blessed the city of Volturnus and made its people stalwart and enduring in the face of hardship. Not all have returned of course, but many more than I would have guessed have done so and the city is coming alive again.
There are problems of course. A strange creature stalks the shadows killing evil-doers. Most of my friends are being watched as is the temple of Volturnus. We do not know who it is that watches, but it seems sinister enough and so we live in a state of constant vigilance.
For my part, things have gone well. The fruits of the earth have come back strongly. The alchemist's suggestions combined with the power of the Druids has resulted in a bumper crop and many are eating better than they did before the rain. The rain continues though and that seems odd since Beerman is long dead. It does fall less often now and it is not as strong so perhaps it will fade with time.
The walls of the city are strong again and the Shrine is good. The roads are now a strength not a weakness and there is much to be happy about.
Still fully a quarter of the city is unoccupied and there are signs of other dangers.
Several members of the town council now have their own private forces and for the most part, those men are loyal to their councilman first and the city second. There is a chance the city will be plunged into a civil war. It would almost be worthwhile to have a common enemy for all of us to be against.
At the same time, there are strange stories of wicked beasts on the river and the Beastlands are alive and on the march. Jaigger seems oddly happy and that too may be a bad sign.
I pray that Grumbar will grant us all the patience and endurance we need to outlast these trials.
Hothior!
It seems that the girl Melissa lied to us. She was not the daughter of an ambassador. She is the Princess of Hothior. Her father has threatened war unless we return her.
For reasons I do not understand, we have decided to return her and then help her to leave. It seems clear that we will be suspected immediately but that is the plan.
It works out well for we have learned that the Dread Throne can be destroyed only by throwing it into a volcano on the island.
That is the worst news. We must travel there by ship. 4 weeks on water. I pray that Grumbar forgives me and holds me safe.
The Melted Chair of the Melted God
Our trip to Hothior went very well. Only two death threats and one sea monster. Braack, Cedric, and I teleported from the ship to the volcano where we carried the throne down and put it in the volcano. I watched it melt. I worry now that it was too easy. Nothing tried to stop us, not even Jaigger. I fear it was not the true throne.
The throne gone, we returned Melissa. Things went well until the King announced that she would return to Volturnus as the wife of one of the heroes. Luckily Sir Cedric accepted the challenge and the pair were wed three days later.
Fool me twice...
With Cedric married, it was time for our return to Volturnus. We were eager to get underway since the last time we’d been gone this long the town had been taken over by a foul necromancer. As we made sail, Vance came to us and reminded us that we had left some strange creatures behind at the volcano. He also claimed there were rumors of a large treasure there. After a brief discussion Vance confessed that he was really chasing some book that had belonged to his father. Satisfied at finally hearing the truth, we agreed.
We got there quickly when I teleported us in. We made our way into the lowest levels of the crater. There we encountered a fire giant who was poised to drop a large rock on us. I moved onto the crust and then swapped places with him. He floundered as he broke through the crust and sank into the lava - Braack and Jaigger poked at him with long sticks and soon he was dead. Meanwhile above them a weird worm came after me and crashed into a large gong alerting everyone in the cave to our presence (or so we assumed). Kalid and I killed the worm then we all made our way in.
What happened next, I don't think I can explain. Somehow Jaigger convinced the prince of the Salamanders that we should resolve our differences with a battle of champions. Jaigger appointed Kalid our champion and the salamander apponted a fiery humanoid as his. The fight did not last long and once Kalid was victorious the Salamander kep his word and allowed us to explore.
We soon discovered the truth. Vance's father had been here and had, apparently, tried to cheat the Salamanders. They had let him take a mace but he wanted other items as well. Vance was likewise greedy but we eventually reached an agreement.
Later as we examined the booty it became clear that Vance had lied to us again. His father's book was there but his true pursuit had been a set of scrolls that would make the reader more nimble. He tried to deny this claiming the book was important and the scroll was just a bonus. We will probably never know the truth, save that it seems a safe bet to assume that Vance has not told us.
He lied to us twice. First he said we were on a missions to help Hothior, then to recover some book of his fathers and then his true goal was revealed: a book to increase his thieving skills. I think we all agreed he could keep the book, tough it seems his theiving skills, at least as applied to his friends, are top-notch.
Playground Bullies
We returned to Volturnus and things were still running smoothly which made for a nice change. We were met by a gnome who asked us to come with him to Mishrak’s Playground. A group of hill giants had taken up residence there and were more than the gnomes could handle. They came to find Braack, since he was a known giant-slayer and Hod, since he had lived there long ago.
We didn’t waste time. I teleported us to the giant’s keep in the space of two days and we mounted and assault. There appear to be a lot of giants and some other creatures. We killed about 40 orcs, a score of wolves and a half-dozen each of the giants and ogres.
We came back the next day and they were ready for us. They had humans tied to giant grinding wheels. I collapsed the wheels and we rescued the humans, but there are mny more giants and an unknown number of captives.
I am not sure how to proceed. One thing seems clear: the giants must hve an able leader or follower somewhere. They seem to have made their walls using magic, earth magic. I fear I will find another earth mage here and be forced to put him to death. That would be a shame, the world needs more followers and teachers in the way of Grumbar, even if they have corrupted his teachings.
I hope I do not fight the wizard myself. It would be a hard thing to kill another of my kind. I hope he escapes or better still sees the error of his ways.
No Twists?
It feels strange to come to the end of an adventure and not find that we have somehow been lied to or cheated. I guess this is what it is like when Vance is not around. I kind of like it. We went, we killed giants, we rescued some people. It feels like we've done a good thing.
Of course, there are unasnwered questions. Who was that Drow woman? Where did the dwarven stairs go? What happened to those two giants she snapped away? None of them matter.
What matters is that Earth remains.
Below, below
We followed the dwarven stairs to the bottom and found ourselves in a large forge. The stone was odd - unlike anything I had ever seen before. There was a strange pattern and sheen to it and it prevented me from teleporting or tunneling through it.
We explored an entire dwarven ruin, which might once have been a temple. From what we could tell we were the first people to see it in centuries.
I think I want some of the rock from here. I'd like to study it and see if I could learn how it's magic works. First, I'd like to know how to defeat it, so that I could move around and through it the way I normally do and second, I'd like to use it in Volturnus. There are places there where blocking teleportation and tunneling would be very valuable.
Alas
I have done some research over these last few days and found many things, some of which I actually was looking for. I returned to the volcano and confirmed that the throne was in fact there and hand been destroyed. That was a load off my mind but it leaves me wondering what else Jaigger must have in mind to have let this throne slip his grasp so easily.
Word reached me that he and Vance are both quite eager for news of the thrones. It may even be that Vance's father chases the same dream. Time will tell.
The rock of the dwarven forge is apparently a magic beyond my ken for now. I have learned that spells like it were common in the waste before it became the waste. Some believe this unnatural warping of Earth may have caused the waste to exist at all. Earth has a long memory when wronged, something many who walk upon it would be wise to remember.
Beyond that, there is but the daily existence. Grumbar did not want the rock of controlling Earth eleemntals and bade me keep it for now. I fear i must hide it away from my companions for Braack has already guessed that it might work on me.
We will travel north soon to see what chaos has infested the land. There is talk of giant fish and strange beasts and a forest grown tall and strong overnight. I fear there can be only one source and I do not know if it is for good or ill.
Research?!
It is as we feared. Jaigger has taken the green stone from that strange world and introduced it here. He says he did it as research in preparation for reclaiming the Waste using the same magics. It seems that this might be a plan that could work, but a better test site, such as a small flower garden might have been better suited to the task.
As it stands, he has implanted the strange rock in a jagged peninsula between two rivers where they feed into a third, the largest river for many miles. Whatever toxins spew forth from the stones are on their way south now, may Grumbar help us all.
Earth itself does not seem changed, but that which grows from it and walks on it is. I am neither alchemist nor beastmaster, but a fish as tall as a man is not normal and is not one that you should eat.
For his part Jaigger protests his innocence as always, saying only that it had to be done for the greater good of his people. I do not know how the Beastmen count good, but it must be by a strange way indeed if Jaigger and his works are on the positive side. For my part it seems he has once again done us a great evil in the name of good.
Labyrinth
We headed deeper into this strange land and found an odd labyrinth made of densely packed plants and covered in thick vines. It was impossible to navigate the maze without walking it. Luckily, Jaigger was able to use his magic to locate the shard. From there Grumbar took us from one sport of earth to another.
We encountered a dryad. She was beautiful, as they all are, and her voice was beguiling. Jaigger, his beastial insticts barely if ever in check, eagerly agreed to her suggestion of an assignation. The two left, leaving us to look at the strange twisted tree which grew from the center of the maze.
Looking down I could see that it had many roots but the most massive was a taproot which plunged almost straight down destroying rock and earth as it went. This would not do!
I turned the area of the planting from rock to mud and Braack began pulling the twisted tree up by it's root and bringing the remains of the shard with it. As we pulled, it slowly came up, speeding as we drew the rock closer to the surface. The woman seemed to sense her peril and cried out, leaving Jaigger to fend for himself.
Luckily the woman must not have bargained for too many to make it this far into her labyrinth without being severely wounded. We fought for a time but when things started to get too crowded, we teleported out and away from the middle of the maze.
We do not yet know if the woman was a dryad made evil or an evil made like a dryad. There are so many unkowns. I called in some friends from the Druid Council who agreed to investigate. We'll have to see how that turns out.
Waiting and Wasting
I feel we are waiting when we should be moving forward. I know that probably sounds odd for one as opposed to change as I am, but the truth is there are many changes afoot in the world and I fear our inaction will allow them to gather speed like a rockslide which can be stopped in the first minutes but not in the last. In Mutara they may still be in the first few minutes and yet we do not commit. It is the same with the cursed change which has been unleashed by Jaigger.
Even as great events come together and conspire I see now that we stand on the sidelines, destined perhaps to be only footnotes in history: "while the old world was being destroyed, some of it's most powerful heroes were busy at a festival and could not be bothered".
Mutara I do not care so much about, but the change is different. Many kingdoms of men rise and fall before Earth changes and yet now things grow where they never did before and the things that grew there before are no longer the same. We must put more effort into understanding this and into deciding if it is something we can and should resist.
For my part the second question is easy. When plants break Earth in weeks for things that should take years, something must be done. We cannot afford to allow fundamental changes to Earth. Even my companions, who do not understand Earth as anything more than rocks and stones, must see that this is dangerous...
Trival tasks.
While I wait, there are many things I wonder. Some minor, some very important...
I have heard that in our absence slavery was made illegal by the council. I have not heard the exact law nor its intent. No one seems to know if the law applies to buying, selling, taking, or trading. One assumes that slave trading is illegal, but what of slaves owned before the passage of the law. Do they remain slaves? Cna people sell themselves into slavery or must they become apprentices or indentured servants?
I wonder about the health of the Shrine. I have not had much time their of late owing to pressing business elsewhere. I worry about the view from the arch and the lives of those whom I have entrusted with its care.
Is the Fruits of Earth program still going strong or do I need to once more take a hand in daily tasks to build it back to its former glory?
I think I shall spend a day assessing these before I move on to harder tasks.
Oath taking
The time of oathtaking approaches once more and I am at a crossroads.
I do not think I need to swear any oath for Volturnus, it seems clear that if they want my help they will ask for it, but that many of my contributions are not valued. Even my hard work on the roads has been undermined by the return of Albrecht. It seems clear that Volturnus has no more need of me than I do of it.
That leaves me with, I think, three possible oaths. To end the war in Mutara, to determine the nature of the growth and either embrace or destroy it, or to create a holy item in the name of Grumbar.
The first is easily dismissed. Grumbar has little care for th wars of men and this one, I am sure is no exception.
The other two are more difficult. I do not know the nature of the change or how it is seen by others. I perceive it to be bad, but I see most change as bad. I do not know what to do. The creation of the Maul of Grumbar is an item I think whose time has come. I have noticed that most gods have one or more relics which are held up as proof of the god's concern for us. Lacking such an item, I fear that Grumbar does not get the attention he deserves.
I shall speak with my friends and with Grumbar before taking my oath.
Trivia Resolved
I have since discovered that the Shrine and the Fruits of the Earth program have both gone very well. Other priests of different gods are now participating and have turned Fruits of the Earth into much more than I ever could have. This is good news.
The news about slavery is more troubling. After being legal for many years, it was made illegal for any citizen of Volturnus to own or trade in slaves. This seems almost clearly a politically motivated attack on Jaigger. He is, of course, a noted owner of slaves. He considers it a natural turn of events. I think he's wrong, but that may not be the key thing.
The key thing is that if you are not a citizen, you may still own slaves. It seems clear to me that the entire thing is motivated by a desire to once again ostracize Jaigger. He is forced to make a choice between his livelihood (owning slaves) and his council position (if he is not a citizen, could he be on the council?)
It seems that the remaining council members are not as grateful as the recent freedom festival implied - they have no use for the "Heroes of Volturnus" save as political puppets and to quell the odd disturbance.
This bothers me only slightly as I don't disagree much with their desire to not have Jaigger on the council. I turned down such a seat myself knowing it would be a problem. On the other hand, the longer they say one thing and do another, the more convinced I am that they are no better than the old council and only slightly better than Beerman who was, at least, open in his machinations.
I think I too have been treated thusly by the council. When I think about the Heroes Welcome awarded to Albrecht, who abandoned Volturnus in its time of need, I cannot help but feel that my days of service in the tunnels meant nothing.
Perhaps that is how it was meant to be. Perhaps this is a sign that Volturnus is not meant to be my home. I do not want accolades for my work, but nor do I want it dismissed because some old coward has decided it is safe for him to return home.
The Oath
My oath is now clear to me. The Mutarans are on their own for now. It is clear that Volturnus has no need of my services save as a sometimes monster hunter. The leaders have made it abundantly clear, at least to me, that they have no love for those who freed their town from Beerman. The truth is probably that they welcomed some in order to gain the respect of the people. Once they have completed their power grabs, I expect to see the others removed from the council just as they attempted to remove Jaigger, first openly and then by guile.
My oath then is to remove the curse of the crystal which now haunts our land. I have a few ideas. The first will be to somehow stop the spread of the growth, at least through the river. I have a couple of ideas on how to do that. The first is with a filter, composed of steel strainers and living water plants. My hope is to use the gates to keep the plants safe from predators and then to use the plants to remove the remnants of the crystal from the water. This will not be easy I think, but it will be easier than the other choice.
The other choice involves creating a new spell. I believe the charm which renders food and drink pure could be modified to remove the crystal, which is an impurity, from the water. The big change would be to somehow make it long lasting and affect water as it passes through an area. A sort of water purification dam.
The second spell I think I need is one to purify Earth. As a child there were ceremonies I recall which were done to ensure a good harvest. A ceremonial blessing of Earth that it might help the plants to grow. This is what I will research too, a spell which purifies Earth and leaves it ready for the growth of crops. This spell must be researched and will, I hope, prove fruitful in removing the crystals from the land.
If neither of those work, then we will have a much harder task before us. The only other way the crystals have been destroyed is by putting them in the heart of a volcano. I know where to find such a volcano, but I never trust Fire to do as it should or even as it says it will. Even then we will need someway to gather the crystals from the land and from the creatures. It will not be easy.
Strange Tidings
I was quietly researching my new spells when word reached me that Braack had urgent need of my help to quell a civil war in Brightstone. It seemed odd that he would need me, but he has never refused to help me, so I went, despite the urgency of my own errand.
The civil war turned out to be a dozen half-orc brigands who had moved in and started bossing residents around. The rebellion was put down in a matter of moments. Gorm then told us there were ankheg to the northeast and we went.
We slew the ankheg and then heard of a dragon. We went to his lair, found he was gone and recovered some cold weather gear, a ring, and a map to a location in the wastes. There we also heard of a trail we should follow. On the trail we were beset by drow who attacked us without reason and with little chance to win.. We killed them and found another map to the same location in the wastes.
I do not think this is coincidence. At the same time as all this happens, we suddenly find that Vance and Jaigger, who have long had an uncomfortable truce, are on the verge of open war.
I believe someone, possibly the dark god, possibly someone else, seeks to distract us from our mission. I will not be dissuaded. From here, the others may go to the wastes, but I return to my work by way of Mt. Salea where I will swear my oath.
Nothing can be a more pressing threat than the strange crystals and the plants they infest. They threaten to break the very Earth. if the ohters cannot see this it does not matter to me. Just as they do, I must do what I think is right.
Grumbar be Praised
My first spell is a success. I determined that the charm which makes Water safe to drink would remove the crystal. I then prayed to Grumbar and sought his guidance and developed a new spell which can be cast by either an arcane or divine caster, though divine casters find the magic easier. The spell, Purify Earth, removes all traces of the strange crystal from the soil.
The problem now is that it only works in a small area. I was able to clear my planter with the spell, but that is not nearly enough. Now I must research a version which will affect a much larger area.
The other thing which needs to be done is to modify the charm which purifies Water so that it can work on River. I fear to succeed I will also need to create some sort of item that will hold the charm for a long time, perhaps a dam which purifies the water as it passes over. I must speak with Toby about this as River may object to the dam.
Always Complicated
My plan from here was simple. Finish the spells, work with the dwarves, start clearing the Wild and then see about the waste.
The first two went pretty well and the spell seem to be very popular. I have some concern that they are too popular, but that's a different issue. I'm worried that some idiot from the cultlands will try to create a reverse spell. Of course, any practitioner worthy of the name would realize that purifying earth is a blanket while trying to spoil it in a certain specific way would not be so easy. We shall see.
I got the dwarves started then joined with a team from Volturnus to see what we could do Braack was still busy in Brightstone but the others were along, including Balent. Vance got Astarte and two of her apprentice to join us as well.
Things got complicated almost immediately. Jaigger insisted on taking his 'besat shape' and made more than a few of us nervous. We found the maze was gone and the dead dragon but it had been nearly 8 months.
We headed to the next central crystal but along the way we encountered an unspeakable evil which seemed almost to toy with us before it finally departed.
It has told me the truth though. If you go prepared for war, you will get war. I wonder how much easier things would be if I just went by myself? certainly the wild is dangerous, but as a lone walker, how many would bother with me and how much notice would I draw before I cast my spell?
It is something I must consider.
Misjudged
The events of the past few days are difficult to explain. It seems that Kallid used powerful magic to make Jaigger's fur in his beast form pink, with a single yellow stripe down his back. He justifies this as an embarrassment no more severe than those Jaigger has visited upon us in the past.
I do not know if the punishment fits the crime nor even that there was a crime, but the magic he used was powerful and it seems it could have been put to better use.
Jaigger was understandably unhappy with this turn of events, though we did not at the time know that Kallid was the author of his misfortune. Once we defeated the last guardian of the sleeping city, he departed, attempting to take the body of an evil priest with him. I believed he was after the priest's magic to harness its evil, but have since heard that he says he only wanted those items to trade for the cost of removing the enchantment on his fur.
I do not know the truth for if there is one thing Jaigger excels at it is the blurring of lines between right and wrong, good and evil, just and unjust, friend and foe. The rumor from District 12 is that he is now chosen of the gods for his fidelity. I do not know if it is true, nor do I know which god has chosen him. I can only hope it is one who will help im became a better man.
Steely Resolve
All this business with Jaigger and Vance and now Jaigger and Kallid reminds me of one thing. I have one mission, the removal of the crystals. First Jaigger and Vance squabbled to distract us, now it is Jaigger and Kallid. Jaigger placed the crystals in the first place and is trying hard to keep them there.
I do not wish to make him an enemy, but I believe he is either trying to distract us to gain time or that some greater evil is using him to do so. I will ignore him and his machinations and focus on one thing alone, the destruction of the cryatals and the restoration of the lands to normal.
Enemies Beware!
The tremendous power of Grumbar is like an avalanche. From far away, it is a mere curiosity, something to think about or even watch from safety. Up close though, its force is irresistible and nothing can stand before it.
Over the last few weeks, we have unleashed that avalanche and now we have recovered every stone save one. That one keeps Vance alive and seems not to hurt anything or to change him any further so we chose to let it stay. The changes cannot be undone and there is still much work to ensure everyone has a place to live and safe food to eat.
The Cursed City
Why is it that men so often think the solution to their problems is to bury them?
Grumbar cares little for the problems of men and so he does not work to solve their problems even when they are forced upon his door. Instead the problems are often held and left for a later generation to solve. This rarely turns out to be a good plan. The evil which now sleeps beneath Earth has time to grow in power and to turn in on itself, becoming even worse than before.
So it is with the city of Milosch. We ventured there and found and slew some number of the evil inhabitants, but in truth it will make little difference. In a city of the damned slaying one creature only means another will rise up to take its place. We will be back in Milosch, I can feel it.
In the meantime, we now seem to be heading to s small village which is being attacked for reasons unknown to us. We also have a map into the waste. I am not sure which of these should be our priority. In addition, we have a book which appears to be half a set of books from Milosch. A powerful lich escaped with the other tome.
Epiphany!
One of Grumbar’s secrets has been revealed to me!
It is not that Grumbar does not care, it is that Grumbar chooses not to show what he cares about and so is made the greater for it. If only I had learned that lesson earlier and shared it with my companions! Who knows where we would be now?
We have not been shy in making clear what we care about and our enemies have long used this against us. If we kept our hearts closed and not made it so obvious, we would have avoided many distractions. More importantly, we would have put our friends, loved ones, and allies in much less danger over the course of the years.
Our latest mission found us traveling to some town which we had never heard of until now. It was threatened by a seemingly insane wizard from the waste who sought to destroy it in the name of Vance Vandel. His plan was and remains apparently to lure us to his lair in the waste. If he knew less about us then such a plan would not have been possible.
As it happens, his plan was ill-conceived save for one thing. The forces he assembled, while they would probably have ravaged a town with little difficulty. Against us, they were the work of but a few minutes. We laid waste to the fire giants and their mounts in only a few minutes, sustaining minor casualties, but nothing particularly life-threatening. Against the orcs we fared even better, slaying over a hundred with two spells and the last 20 with a few more spells. I took the only wounds in that encounter, when a few arrows struck me and burst into flame.
Now there is a difficult choice. We know that if we head into the waste we head into a trap. On the other hand, if we do not go there, then we may be putting others at risk.
I think we will go there, but after this, I will play my cards closer to my vest. There is no need for everyone to know who or what I care about so they can’t use those against me. I shall endeavor to be more like Grumbar, a worthy goal for any man.
Grumbar Prevails
We chose to beard the wizard in his den. It was not an easy fight, but thanks to teamwork and quick thinking, we were able to put Garreth down like a mad dog.
What we couldn't know is that he was in a place of madness where a creature known as the devourer lay waiting. When we slew him, the beast appeared to be released, although I think the timing may have been as much coincidence as design.
In our battle with the wizard, Cedric, Kallid and a demon were caught in the grip of a reality vortex and spit out somewhere on the home plane of the god Volturnus. From him they learned where we should go next. It appears that to kill the devourer we must first destroy the last temple which is located in the frozen north. To do that, we must first kill the Lich, Lord Lindros. Once he is dead we cn destroy the last temple of Thanatos, the melted god. With the temple gone we can rid the world of the Destroyer.
I fear that the destroyer is more than we can manage, but we shall find out soon enough.
The Destroyer
I haven't made any effort to learn more about the Destroyer. I do not think it will matter. Volturnus has said we can slay him once we destroy the last temple. I think destroying the temple is worthwhile as a goal of its own, not that my thoughts matter over those of a God.
Once we destroy the temple, then we'll have to find the destroyer again. I cannot help but wonder if the destroyer is the same beast or a relative of the creature that was to be released in the Cult Lands.
I try not to show that I care, for I am certain that if I do, something bad will come of it. Better to maintain a stoney facade just as Grumbar would.
Truly there is nothing one cannot learn from Earth.
The City
They call us knights now, though I have declined any such office. Knights are bound to act in a certain way, expected to protect othes and to serve their patron.
I may serve the city of Volturnus, but I do so only because it also serves Grumbar. I would not be a knight of such a place. Not only would it be limiting, but in truth it would reveal compassion for the people of Volturnus, something I feel is waning from me, filled with a new radiance of Earth.
I wonder if they know of the Destroyer. I'm sure they do, Vance and his hooligans will doubtless have told the tale over a thousand ale cups. These people do not need more fear. The undead army was enough, now another threat is coming and they will again be all but powerless against it.
Politics as Usual
We are confronted with another great enemy, perhaps the one that all the others we have fought have prepared us for, perhaps even one that many of them helped to bring to the fore. We have need of haste, for we must first rid the world of the Lich Lord Lindros, then cleanse the last temple of the Melted God, and then we can slay the Destroyer. Time is of the utmost importance to us as we pursue these objectives. The destroyer is awakened and he walks the land, leaving death and destruction in his wake.
Meanwhile, in the town of Volturnus, Vance must stand trial for hitting a guard and for theft. As we prepare to save this world, we are delayed while some old man complains about his statues being for sale in Vance’s shop. I do not know if Vance stole them or not. He says he did not and I have no reason not to believe him. I don know that if we fail, the old man and his statues will just be more fodder for the Destroyer.
As we sat waiting for the long-winded trial to finally commence and then conclude I lost my patience and threatened to destroy the man’s house if he did not let the matter go. Vance was more generous that I would have been, returning the statues even though he did not know they were stolen. The old man tried to press his case to force Vance to find two more statues that would complete his collection, but there I drew the line and after a bit of arguing it was agreed that the return of the statues would end the matter.
Of course, there had to be more discussion about the striking of the guard. There it was decided that Vance should pay a fine and then be lashed publicly. To his credit, he did both, allowing us to get back to the important business facing us.
All of it was too political for me. I suspect there are still unseen forces working against us in Volturnus. I suppose if I cared at all I would dig into the matter more, but I find it to be trivial at best in the grand scheme of things.
Volerem
It was a difficult battle to be sure. I don't know how old the creature was, but it is safe to say he was centuries old, old enough to have become one with the mountain, old enough to ignore all but our most powerful attacks.
I am said that we had to slay him, but it is his own fault. If he had been one with Earth, he would likely have been fine and lived many more years. He had to bind himself also to Fire and that is never a good thing. Earth and Fire, while they can work together, are often an explosive and volatile mix.
It is no surprise that he became greedy and grasping and too consumed with his own power, for those are all traits of Fire. In the end, Fire is the most destructive of elements and it was the undoing of Volemer as surely as were our weapons and spells. I will weep for his loss, but I do not mourn him.
One thing about Fire is that it often destroys to bring the chance for renewal. The phoenix is the most famous of those symbols, but even the forest must burn to allow new trees to grow. I wonder and worry if the mountain will miss Volemer and seek a new creature to befriend.
It could be, on the other hand, that Volemer's death will bring the chance to renew the world and destroy the Melted God once and for all that we might live to see the Destroyer vanquished. I hope the latter is true.
Strange feelings
Since the death of Volerem, I have had strange sensations welling inside me. It does not help that since leaving his mountain, we have encountered nothing but Ice and more Ice. Frozen Water is treacherous in the extreme. It mocks men and Earth by seeming solid when in truth it is naught but an illusion, waiting to attack the unwary.
The others seem unconcerned by this, even poking fun at me, but I know the truth. I can feel the alien sensations here as I am denied Earth. We walk into a trap, one which I do not know if we can escape.
Thus far, luck has been with us. We overcame the several guardians of the tomb, laying to the sword many ogres, some wolves, and a pair of dragons. The hardest foe of course was the frost giants and when we faced nearly a score, I felt something strange...
It was as if Volerem somehow remained with me. Perhpas it was his spirit which had made me so uncomfortable with our icy environs. I know I would have found it strange on my own, but this seemed more.
Suddenly as I realized that perhaps for the first time in many years Earth could not help me, I realized that molten Earth could. I transgressed. I summoned Earth and Fire together. Not once but thrice. The giants were slain to a man, but deep inside, I knew that I had failed myself and , more importantly, Grumbar.
Poltroon
It is a name I must wear. I knew it the moment I gave into the fear of the ice giants and called forth molten Earth. I gave into the fear and so I have failed myself and Grumbar. My friends do not understand this. They celebrate our "victory" and wonder why I have never unleashed such power before.
I have always known they did not understand, but never before has it been so clear.
We ventured forth from that frozen hell and found a lich. He required that one of us be labelled coward if we hoped to succeed in our quest. I looked around the group and realized it had to be me. Not only had I just proven it true, but none of the others could accept such a label. Perhaps Kumatei, perhaps not. Certainly not Braack, Balent, Cedric or Kallid - not only would it be wrong but such a label would break their resolve and leave them mere shells of themselves. Vance, well, Vance most likely deserves the label and thus could not volunteer for it.
I alone could wear it, knowing that I deserved it and, more importantly, assured that it would not matter. What cares Earth if man thinks it cowardly? Though others judge me coward, it will not change who I am any more than calling a dog a sheep would make it so.
I took the book and the globe and was gone. I psent some time reading and understanding and know now that we are only at the beginning of the dark. We must see this mission through and we must do so quickly. We have 3 days to find the lich and destroy him and the last temple to his god. Then, with globe and book and the power of magic we can call forth the melted god and he can at last be destroyed, taking the Devourer and the Waste with him.
I only hope there is time.
It is done
It was not an easy task. First we gathered together the greatest spell casters of our age in preparation for the spell to make the god mortal once more. As we did that Balent appeared and confirmed my greatest fears - the lich was alive and the temple was not yet destroyed.
He and I went to the temple while the others made the circle ready. Working with the others, we put the lich at rest and destroyed the temple by shattering the altar with the Mace of Grumbar.
We then returned to the waste and awaited the moment we could cast the spell and force the Melted God to take mortal form in the body of the Devourer. That battle was the hardest fought of any I can remember. Luckily, with so much magical might and the greatest warriors of our age, we were able to overcome him and the Devourer died, taking the Melted God with him.
Aftermath
With a task such as this, there are bound to be things which remain to be done. Towns to be rebuilt, friends to be thanked, alliances to be renewed. None of those matter very much to me.
I think I will find attonement is required. I have committed two acts which I think will be considered grievious sins. First, against the giants, I combined Fire and Earth, something I have never dared do before. Second, against the Devourer, I used the weapon of another god. Not just the weapon associated with another god, but the actual, probably an artifact, weapon which once belonged to the god.
I shudder to think what atonement will be set for these crimes.
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