*A portly female orc with wild hair and an odd leather mask walks into the Inn and looks around for Garret Maevers. Once she sees him, she quickly makes her way to him with a big, toothy grin.*
"Hey you... you still want hear story? I'm real hungry if you do."
*Grok waits for his reply, then clears her throat and begins to tell her tale in her usualy gruff voice...*
"After we find de Haven, we go off to find de otter Orc dat we loose ‘fore we cum to de Haven – de Haven dat big, tall skinny guy say dat have job. We no see dat guy ever ‘gain, but he right some… der is work and more people dan we see long time. So we look for otter Orc and Vug find girl and want stay wit her ‘til she ready cum de Haven. She die. She lot sick. Vug real sad; when we find him ‘gain we wander more. We go all over de land and I see lot of plant I never see ‘fore; some I eat and some make me real sick, almoss like Vug girl, otter plant make me feel real good.
"We travel all de time and go to place call Hoobree or sumting. Dere nobody dere, ‘cept dis old man dat tell us dat place old war ground. He say dat lot warrior go dere to talk to warrior spirit and learn from dem. Me and Jux say dat we want stay dere and maybe we learn but Vug say he talk to de spirit and dey say, “We dead long time, we juss bone. We not have notting to say… move on to warm place and place dat have more people.” So I juss knock out Vug and he go sleep. I talk long time to old man and he tell me lot stuff ‘bout my life and ‘bout otter people like me, not Orc, but sumting he call 'Shaman.' He say dat what I do now already Shaman, but I not know. He say dat Shaman use magic help people who need heal. I told him dat I no use magic, dat I tend wound and use herb – everyting I do by touch. He say dat dere magic in de herb, dat why dey work and he say dat after I learn how cut people open and fix dem, dat I learn fix lot people at same time (like De Lidd). I no know how do dat when I talk old man, but old man tell me he teach me how and dat he teach me otter way heal dat real quick. He say dat all heal magic, dat all life magic, dat even dead spirit dere in Hoobree magic… spirit talk to us and tell us stuff and I know dat true, ‘cause I do dat all de time, so he make sense. Next day, we wake up and old man gone. I no know his name even. Dat make me sad.
"I got make decision dat I want learn how gud heal, like De Lidd, but I not like idea torture. I tink about dis decision long time, but one ting he say dat make lot sense, dat you got learn ‘xactly how body works and what man torture do, so dat you can help heal dose dat got torture already. I tink dis make sense, so I find someone teach me.
"We spend most rest time wander ‘round and look for otter Orc and plant. Vug and Jux complain lot dat I like tree and plant better dem. While we go ‘round, we find otter clan Orc. Dey like dat clan we find when all de people dead dat Giddy One know, ‘cept dis clan not all dead… der some Orc dat need my help and I make dem better. Leader Orc and a few otter Orc live. Der we meet dere clan leader. She smart and know what do. She say dat she give me gift for help dem and dat we should stay gether. We tell dem ‘bout de Haven and dat gud place us go, dat we can go dere and be safe while we build up ‘gain, but dat we got be careful de Human and Elf, ‘cause dey try keep us out. So me and Jux and Vug we take dem to show dem what we find and den if gud, den de otter follow. And so we went…
"We got to de Haven late night, all six us. We drag in all stuff and go right to tavern. Nobody dere and I say bad idea set up camp, ‘cause we no know who live here now, maybe all de people we know dead… lot bad people travel ‘round and it seem like hard keep gud people. Jux and me fight and I say we should look Guild of Light or de Roland. I tell Jux, maybe everyone die and we need find out who here. But den we see people by de fire, so we go over. Dere we meet Cap’n Robin, she nice lady, and dere sleeping tree Dwarf on table next fire. De Lidd dere, too, I tink. We ask Robin, what wrong and she say someone make dem sleep, so I go over and wake dem – Robin try tell me not to, dat dey be mad and might attack, but I tink it no good leave dem sleep dere. When dey wake dey jump up and I say I no attack dem, I juss help. Robin try give ale, but dey no want, so we take. Den we go to Guild of Light, but after while, dey follow us and stop us hill base. Dey want talk us, but De Lidd dere, and dey no want talk by him. So me and Iza and Marg and Tahka go talk one Dwarf and he tell us dat we muss be de Orc in de Chalice and dat dey see us. Dat we muss be de Orc dat kill de old Elf, who make Cataclysm. Dey tell us dis Elf real bad and make bad magic, and dat if we no kill old Elf, dat ‘notter Cataclysm happen. Dey tell us dat dey give us hide and steel and otter ting we need, when we kill de Elf. We say dat we kill Elf, if Elf bad. Dey tell us where find dem in dere cave and go away.
"We go up de hill and check Guild of Light, but no one dere. Den we go to cabin dat Roland stay, but no one dere eiter. So, we tink everyone from old Haven, but De Lidd, dead. We set up camp in de top cabin and wait for de Roland or someone dat we know and we check here and dere for de otter, but not find. I work on potion while wait. Late later, Artos and Corbyn and De Lidd come cabin and knock and we say come in and dey ask where we hide all night. We say dat we been dere wait for dem. Den dey go away after tell us dat some stupid bear dead. Dey crazy.
"We got wake by dese Ga’Vin dat attack us while sleep. Good ting, Marg up on de watch and he shout us wake up. We kill dem all and den later we hear more. We go outside look, but no see any, den we hear screaming down by tavern so we run down dere and find notting. But den Tahka see someting sneak by tree and we go up look. After run in circle, Ga’Vin name 'Gnomish' come run out wit my shield and we get him and beat him down, den take him home and ask question. He no answer, so we beat him down, den I heal him ‘gain and he answer dis time. He say dat he dere to kill Iza and dat all Orc should die, ‘cause dey always make war band and make trouble. He say dat Gnosh send dem and dat Gnosh big Ga’Vin who need homage. We say we got homage for Gnosh, but he need come get it. We let Gnomish go when promise dat he tell Gnosh we want meet and talk. We go back sleep.
"In de morning, Gareme de Gnome come to cabin and run off, den come back and ask we got food. We tell him “yes,” and dat he can eat wit us, he tell us dat he know secret where find food. He eat lot food and drink tankard wine, den he pass out. I sleep dis time and five minute more, Marg wake me and say dat I got look Gareme, ‘cause he real drunk and not look so good. I take one look and say he look great… for a dead Gnome. He not sick, he not poison, he not cut or bruise, but belly look real big, so I cut open and find odd lizard in stomach, it got more feet dan I can count. I keep de lizard and ask de spirit Gareme dat he know he got de lizard dere and he say 'yes' but he no tell me why it dere. Marg go bury Gareme.
"Little later, Marg tell me dat Giddy One look for me. I go find Giddy One and he tell me dat Goblin or Ga’Vin (he not know diff’rence) look for people in de Haven to help dem kill Orc and dat dey all tell dem “no.” He also say me dat De Lidd go village dat lot people sick wit plague and heal dem and want know I go, too. I say, 'yes,' juss tell me when. Den I ask Giddy One track where de Goblin go and we start down trail. We run to bug dat look like Human, but we no attack, ‘cause it no attack us. We follow it and it go back to nest in de ground and it get angry when we go near. Den weird Mole Men come up ground and attack de bug, so we juss watch and wait. We help kill Mole Men who attack no reason and dat try steal bug egg and hurt dere young. Den we run into Goblin who say dey gonna attack us and bring us to Gnosh. We say dat we look him and dat we got talk him. Dey say dey take us Gnosh, but dat we got surrender dem. We say 'sure.' We walk long time and come to big field with lot Goblin and Ga’Vin, more dan live in all of Final Haven. Gnosh sit in middle wit fiery ball in hand and inside circle. He talk us and say dat he no like Orc, ‘cause dey make warband and dat we muss say he leader and dat we do whatever he tell us. We say no way, dat we got leader, Iza, and dat we no do what otter tell us, only what we know right. We say we want be friend and dat we no fight him, he no fight us. He say us dat he want attack town and dat we got help him. We tell him dat we got attack Elder Elf dat Dwarf tell us and dat maybe we bring someting dat she got. Jux try say dat we got give Gareme lizard, but I say dat mine and I give Gnosh one potion heal. He make otter Goblin drink, who feel better and den he kill him and chop head off, like he did Gnomish. I find out from Goblin spirit dat Gnosh very strong arcane mage and dat he got army Goblin much more dan we see. Den Gnosh say dat we got help dem and we say dat we be friend, he see, and dat we send two more potion, send Goblin and pick up. Den we leave. I tell Jux we should just kill him, but Jux say dat we got wait for right time.
"We get back to town after we see Robert men on de trail. Dey tell us dat dey knew Gareme, he real pest peasant village. Dey also know Gnosh, but dey no know dat he get so big and strong and dat it big problem Gnosh come to town. We get back town and peasant lady ask Gareme and we tell her Gareme dead. She tink we do it and long time later she listen us and we take her Gareme burial site (which Marg make right next privies like dummy). She make sign and tank us and go away. We go back tavern and Robert man say dat Orc should be in cage and make slave and we surround and show dat he wrong. Den we all go eat rest food dat we got dat Gareme no eat.
"After supper, Giddy One come cabin and say dat Jux got come to meeting, dat Jux tell us he go. Vug say dat Jux in privies and I say dat dat muss mean he be dere long time. Iza not dere eiter. No Iza. No Jux. Dat make Vug next, but Vug no like talk and I do, so I ask Vug I can go meeting and Vug real happy say 'yes.' Tahka and I go meeting and dere Donno, Artos, Cap’n Robin, Nuk, Rufun, den lot otter. Donno start say dat he Constipate and dat we got listen. He say dat we got land and we got make decision what do and how sell and make armory or no. I get confuse and ask where we get land. Donno say dat we got ‘cause it dere and no one claim and he claim to people. Artos say dat we got make decision how live, what law and do land. I say dat dere no problem, we Orc got law and we do juss fine. Den we get in big argument. We try say dat we got law. We tell dem law:
“'Finder Keeper' – Dis law say dat someone find someting dey not know who belong and dey try see who got, den you get keep. Dis also mean land, food and even women. Otter part law 'Me First' mean dat someone find someting first, it dey to keep or 'Dat Mine' mean when someting for sure someone, dey got give. Person who got wrong (wheter got stolen from or otter try take claim) got right punish otter, maybe mean death.
“'Liar, Liar, Beat You Silly' – Dat mean don’t ever get caught lie to Orc, lease not Broken Tusk Tribe. Otter can count on Orc not lie dem. We no lie anyway, we got no need to, we just tell you dat you ugly, stupid or dat we gone kill you. Get caught lie Orc and count dem attack you right dere. Otter part 'Deal is Deal' mean dat you got stick deal you make, else you liar. ‘Cept one trick dat you not got stick deal if otter person dead.
“'Might Make Right – Otter two law not work, den dere more one dat do work… pure force make right. Two people not agree, den dey got call 'Stomp Ground' and eiter call champion or fight dem. Combat stake made by person who got challenge and maybe head-butt or titty-twist contest or torture, death and war. Only rule dat dis combat got be say by both people and usu’ly fight open, but some tribe or clan diff’rent.
"Donno try open big mout and say dis and dat, den Artos say we got live by what moss people say. Dis argument go long and even I get tired lissen me talk, but dey no hear what I say. I say I see how Guild of Light and Phoenix Guild make decision, dey betray and lie and torture… I no live by dat. Den Artos get nasty and say dat majorly make rule and Donno agree. Now most town dere and listen, Jux get dere and I say, 'You want majorly make rule? We Orc will be majorly. You know want dat…' I got no problem kill dem dey try hurt us ‘cause dey no like dat we got law. Dey get real quiet. Den Robin say smart stuff and we all go away to tink and talk. First Donno and Artos say dat maybe we live like now and keep law each, but dat Orc no part Council. We say dat fine. We no need Council make us feel better or important. Den dey start say dat dey no defend Orc eiter. We laugh hard, ‘cause we always help dem and fix stuff. Dey not too bright and not do too good witout Orc. Den dey start make threat dat we no can stay and dis and dat and I say dat we juss kill dem. Den argument over. Dey get real quiet ‘gain. After long while, my brain start hurt, so much talk and we walk ‘round.
"Den old lady Elf come. I go see need heal or help and I talk lady and figure dat she de Elder Elf dat Dwarf want us kill. I tink no good kill old lady, but I tink maybe she not what she seem, so I ask her question and she get nasty and guard try stop me talk her and I tell dem I kill dem dey no back off. Den she answer question and say she no cause Cataclysm and Corbyn say dat she truth tell. I ask more question, but she no answer, den she give bless to Corbyn. Later Guild of Light take her dere cabin and she disappear. Dey got answer now, if she bad lady and we no get trut. Dwarf not show up to see we kill her. I tink maybe trick, but not sure.
"For little time more we sit and talk. Eli Elf and Giddy One dere and Jux and Vug and Iza and Robin and Nuk and Robin and I ask why dey in Guild of Light, when Guild of Light do bad tings, like make Dragon blank promise and use torture chamber and make Dwarf sleep dat come Haven lass night. Dey tink real hard and not easy answer. Eli Elf say dat he stay ‘cause he Elf; Giddy One stay ‘cause he make Crabby Lady Katryn blood oat. I say we juss need kill Crabby Lady, den oat gone. Giddy One get mad. Big Black, later name Atrum, say I no should say dat. I say it juss joke, but dat way deal done… no can keep deal wit dead. I no want Crabby Lady dead, she nice after crabby, but Giddy One need see how stupid promise made. I say Eli Elf and Giddy One travel Orc and see real group dat got honor and do right ting. Dey agree and stay wit Orc, even stay same cabin dat night. Giddy One got take Artos to Druid friend, so he go away little time, but Eli Elf stay and we go cabin get potion dat done and he teach Iza stuff. Den we hear scream, so we run down hill and dey got fight Golem. Jux and Vug knock up real bad, so I fix dem.
"Little time later, tree people come to town dat real nasty and scary some otter. Dey say dey need tree people go dem and truss dem. I stand lady and say, “I got you truss right here.” She turn me and nasty smile and say go wit her. I tink, she gonna kill me, she no tell me, but someting else not right in head. I know she not kill me, ‘cause I not wrong, 'Might make Right,' she try kill me, I win. She not scare me, I need help lady. She try make me scare and talk like she kill me; she take me bad place and sit fire and she no answer question, she no talk only get angry and yell me. Den Roland come, den Giddy One. I guess we only tree people de Haven dat try help dese nasty people. Den we go ugly House and see weird slimy undead and dey scare us lot. We fight lot and den find box, Roland take and we fight more, den we run out wit box and den House and nasty people change better. Dey kneel and tank us and say dat dey curse and need truss back, else dey curse long time. House make better and we go back tavern and me and Roland and Giddy One split stuff, like shiny acorn. I tink it funny dat we only tree people try help otter, clearly tree of best good people in de Haven.
"Den we go tavern and Atrum make say dat Donno get smart and Iza get old and dey got cake eat. We all eat and den box come dat blue and I reach down grab it, but go away to cloudy hall like Haven. Jux and Iza and Nuk and Roland dere, too. We start circle, go long, see circle, see Dark Elf, see parchment, see circle, Nuk read someting, see circle, go long, see circle, see tavern. I tell Nuk keep parchment, Guild of Light try take like all de else and we go back eat cake. I not know what happen and want cake more so I no care. Lot more talk ‘bout Council, law, guild and house and I hear bad ting dat Artos say and dat Bloody Baroness Crabby Lady Katryn do and I get sure dat we need kill, so dey no hurt otter no more. I decide I need kill dem. I go to Guild of Light cabin to look dem and tell dem dis, but dey not dere. I guess dey go by when I not see dem and Roland find out dat I real angry and he stop me and say dat I no kill dem and Atrum, Robin, Nuk, and Iza talk me long time. I’m glad I no yet kill dem, ‘cause Artos do good ting next morn.
"I go back to cabin to sleep and funny man come. Giddy One say dat he no smell, not like anyting, but Eli Elf also talk and I forget. We all fall sleep and next morn Artos come door and knock. I say come and he come wit good food dat Azaria make (she good cook, even still got big mout). Artos say he come 'peace offer' dat he make lot mistake, like torture chamber, dat Eli Elf tell bad and dey tear down. He say dat he greedy and dat he open trade and teach for free and give spell and recipe potion to all town. We talk long time and I ask him ‘bout bad ting otter I hear he do and he say no. Odd, I believe dat Artos tell trut. Artos say dat Orc right, we live good, witout law for all and dat only bad happen, Pentupanguish and Don Mayo kill Loose Woman and dat any law say dat bad. He say dat he need let go law and dat maybe Orc law good, maybe we live dat or all diff’rent law. He start come ‘round our thought and I tink maybe he not so bad, juss real dumb lot… kind like Donno. I know Donno not bad, he just too dumb see what he do to us and too worry ‘bout self make ting better. Artos come cabin no weapon. I pour drink and tink maybe put poison dere, but I tink not good idea. Artos come to talk. Always listen talk. I tell Artos I tink kill and he say understand. Artos say Guild of Light and Guild of Hope got lot stuff work on and we can teach dem. I tink ting get more better now..."
A Tale for Garrett Maevers
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Garet Maevers
- New in Town
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:42 pm
- Location: Final Haven
- Contact:
If you're not currently occupied, Garret, I'd be happy to recall for you what I know of recent events.
*When given the go-ahead:*
Well, Garet, the vampire destroyed by the defenders of Haven several moons ago seems to have indeed been the dreaded Master. He must have been too distracted by our warriors to bring his full might against them, or perhaps he was drained of power from the earlier battles. Regardless, he is gone, and my heart rejoices.
I have taken to maintaining a journal, as I am fortunate to have a book. As you know, the value of a written history is immeasurable, and I would be remiss by not keeping one, given the tools available to me.
However, I have debated on what time reference should be used. I have completed my second year in this town. Before I arrived, I spent an undetermined amount of time wandering the wastelands following the cataclysm. Thus, having lost track of the years, and feeling as though Haven represents a new beginning, I have placed my personal chronological reference point, temporarily at least, at my arrival in Haven.
So my Journal starts in the fourth month of the third year since my arrival – on the second page. The first was removed and gifted to Mara, to ply her artistic talents. Thus, with a written reference, perhaps the accuracy of my accounts will improve.
A villager gifted me with a scroll in ‘payment’ for having healed his son following a rather messy, but ultimately superficial, accident involving a plow. The scroll was found amid bolts of cloth purchased from the Guthrie caravan that passed this way some months ago. It details the plight of a town known as Brokehill. The inhabitants were afflicted by a plague that sounds most unnatural. It attacks and kills the eldest and youngest of each family, the ghosts of the victims arising shortly after death to haunt the living and prevent them from fleeing the area. The scroll describes the plague attacking twice in a single season. Who knows how often it struck since its writing? The scroll is roughly 15 years old, and I maintain it in my possession.
The Guthrie caravan arrived in Haven from the South – the only clue to Brokehills location. I hope to travel that way soon in the hopes of finding this town and determining the fate of its inhabitants. If the Guthries could obtain the scroll and move on, unhindered by the undead, then the situation described by the scroll is likely long past. Still, it bears investigation.
However, during the night, the confrontation with Bear came to an abrupt end. Having perfected his transformation spell or potion, he set about capturing villagers and changing them into bears to build himself an army. Roughly 30 people were claimed this way. We occasionally encountered these bears, and though we did our best to limit casualties, some villagers perished in the skirmishes.
Scouts discovered Bears lair, and the Guilds of Light, Hope, and Phoenix attacked in force. We again strove to save any villagers whom were downed, and were mostly successful. In the end, Bear was overwhelmed and slain and the villagers were returned to normal.
The method used to save the villagers was fascinating, if somewhat disturbing. Village seers discovered a spell to undo Bears manipulations that must be focused through living crystal. They also learned where to find such crystal. A party set out according to Elder Quetzal’s directions, and eventually discovered a crystalline dog and returned with it, bound between three glowing gems. By moving the gems, we could move the dog where necessary, thus, during our attack, we positioned the dog just out side the entrance to Bears lair. Elder Quetzal performed his ritual, which took some time, focusing his magics through the living crystal of the dog. The process inflicted suffering upon the dog, though it did survive the process. When complete, the captured villagers reverted back to normal, and the dog was freed of its bindings. It quickly ran off into the woods.
Unfortunately during that same night, a scuffle occurred between a trio of Dwarves and members of the Guilds of Light and Hope. Arthos believed the Dwarves possessed a chalice necessary to confront a dark sorcerer threatening Haven, and questioned them about it. However, the Dwarves angered him with their rude, secretive, and uncooperative manner. He thus incapacitated the Dwarves with Endera’s aid. He searched the unconscious dwarves, but did not find the chalice. He placed a bottle of ale among them, in way of appeasement, and departed with a party to obtain the living crystal necessary for the Elder’s spell.
A new arrival to Haven, Robin Steele, and I stayed with the Dwarves to protect their inert forms and to offer them a formal apology upon their awakening. The Dwarves, however, refused the apology, and stormed off swearing to slay everyone upon their return. Robin, however, appeared to work out a personal arrangement with the Dwarves before they departed.
Later that night, as I walked through the village, the sounds of combat filled the air. I rushed to source of the commotion to discover adventurers fighting against the undead. I aided as best I could, using bolts of concentrated life energies to destroy the foul things, but was soon overcome by a ghoul. I awoke to the attentions of my companions to discover the ghoul had eaten part of my leg before it was dispatched. Sickened by the thought of the filthy, unearthly thing feasting on my flesh, I checked myself over for taint, and found the wounds indeed festering. I cured myself of disease before seeing to the restoration of my flesh. I then retired to the Guild Hall for some much needed rest.
The following morning a hostile bear entered town. Haven’s defenders subdued it, I healed it, and we carried it out into the woods in the hopes that, once it awoke, it would not return to Haven. As we traveled, we came across a cloaked figure in the wilderness. We set the bear down and approached; though the figure ignored all hails. At last, it turned and began moving toward us, arm extended as if in greeting, yet the figures face was hidden in an unnatural darkness within the cloak. Summoning life energies, I banished the creature, only to see five more behind it, moving toward Haven. We were fortunate to have discovered them in the wilderness, and were able to destroy the undead monsters before they could reach the town.
Afterward, a party assembled to seek out Brokehill – mostly members of the Guilds of Hope and Light, and also Robin. Robin’s story is an interesting one. Perhaps she’ll agree to recall it for you, Garrett, but I digress.
After travelling far south, in the direction from which the Guthrie caravan came, our group discovered a ruined Inn along the road. Upon investigation, we learned the trees growing from the rubble were roughly a dozen years old, which would place the fall of the Inn shortly after the events described in the Brokehill Scroll. An unlikely coincidence, the doom of the town and the Inn are almost certainly related.
Beneath the Inn we encountered creatures that appeared half-ghoul in nature. The were alive and carried no diseases, yet craved flesh and lacked intelligence. Their mouths were large and distended, their teeth sharp, their skill pale. Rumor indicates eating a ghoul will create a ghoul. The Brokehill Scroll tells how the village grain stores rotted away, and the surviving residents could not escape – blocked by the specters of the dead. Perhaps these survivors were forced to eat their fallen. Perhaps the unnatural disease infesting the corpses imparted ghoulish properties upon those who consumed them. Perhaps we fought against the very survivors of Brokehill.
Regardless, given the state of the Inn, the town of Brokehill was likely well beyond our aid. Concern for the welfare of Haven while so many defenders are away began to weigh heavily on us, and thus we returned.
On arrival in Haven, we learned the Orc tribe, Broken Tusk, had encountered a Gavin Chieftain called Nash. Nash apparently commands an army of Goblins and Gavin, and wishes to plunder Haven. However, before he does so, he wants the Guilds of Light and Hope destroyed. He ordered the Broken Tusk Orcs to do this. Fortunately, the Orcs chose to warn Haven of Nash, instead.
A town meeting was soon convened. All Guild heads attended, along with Constable Donnavan and the Orc leaders. Several other town members also chose to be present.
Unfortunately I cannot tell you precisely what went on during the meeting, for I was not in attendance. I’m afraid I have no taste for politics. However I can tell you discussion soon gave way to shouting and anger. A disagreement over town laws seemed to wedge a division between the Orcs and the rest of the town. Some townsfolk began to threaten rash actions, but fortunately all parties continued to face the disagreement with continued discussion. By the next morning, all seemed well once more.
During the night, we were assailed once again by flesh golems, presumably courtesy of Florin. As before, they were difficult to defeat, indeed, many, including myself, nearly perished in the battle, But prevail we did. Florin appears to be testing us with his creatures – perhaps observing our strengths and weaknesses. I do hope we find a way to stop him before he feels confident enough to mount a full offensive against the town.
Why he attacks us, I do not know. Perhaps he only seeks to cause destruction. Perhaps he hopes to kill us simply so he’ll have more dead minions to command. I fear any attempt to understand the motivations of a necromancer is doomed to failure.
*When given the go-ahead:*
Well, Garet, the vampire destroyed by the defenders of Haven several moons ago seems to have indeed been the dreaded Master. He must have been too distracted by our warriors to bring his full might against them, or perhaps he was drained of power from the earlier battles. Regardless, he is gone, and my heart rejoices.
I have taken to maintaining a journal, as I am fortunate to have a book. As you know, the value of a written history is immeasurable, and I would be remiss by not keeping one, given the tools available to me.
However, I have debated on what time reference should be used. I have completed my second year in this town. Before I arrived, I spent an undetermined amount of time wandering the wastelands following the cataclysm. Thus, having lost track of the years, and feeling as though Haven represents a new beginning, I have placed my personal chronological reference point, temporarily at least, at my arrival in Haven.
So my Journal starts in the fourth month of the third year since my arrival – on the second page. The first was removed and gifted to Mara, to ply her artistic talents. Thus, with a written reference, perhaps the accuracy of my accounts will improve.
A villager gifted me with a scroll in ‘payment’ for having healed his son following a rather messy, but ultimately superficial, accident involving a plow. The scroll was found amid bolts of cloth purchased from the Guthrie caravan that passed this way some months ago. It details the plight of a town known as Brokehill. The inhabitants were afflicted by a plague that sounds most unnatural. It attacks and kills the eldest and youngest of each family, the ghosts of the victims arising shortly after death to haunt the living and prevent them from fleeing the area. The scroll describes the plague attacking twice in a single season. Who knows how often it struck since its writing? The scroll is roughly 15 years old, and I maintain it in my possession.
The Guthrie caravan arrived in Haven from the South – the only clue to Brokehills location. I hope to travel that way soon in the hopes of finding this town and determining the fate of its inhabitants. If the Guthries could obtain the scroll and move on, unhindered by the undead, then the situation described by the scroll is likely long past. Still, it bears investigation.
However, during the night, the confrontation with Bear came to an abrupt end. Having perfected his transformation spell or potion, he set about capturing villagers and changing them into bears to build himself an army. Roughly 30 people were claimed this way. We occasionally encountered these bears, and though we did our best to limit casualties, some villagers perished in the skirmishes.
Scouts discovered Bears lair, and the Guilds of Light, Hope, and Phoenix attacked in force. We again strove to save any villagers whom were downed, and were mostly successful. In the end, Bear was overwhelmed and slain and the villagers were returned to normal.
The method used to save the villagers was fascinating, if somewhat disturbing. Village seers discovered a spell to undo Bears manipulations that must be focused through living crystal. They also learned where to find such crystal. A party set out according to Elder Quetzal’s directions, and eventually discovered a crystalline dog and returned with it, bound between three glowing gems. By moving the gems, we could move the dog where necessary, thus, during our attack, we positioned the dog just out side the entrance to Bears lair. Elder Quetzal performed his ritual, which took some time, focusing his magics through the living crystal of the dog. The process inflicted suffering upon the dog, though it did survive the process. When complete, the captured villagers reverted back to normal, and the dog was freed of its bindings. It quickly ran off into the woods.
Unfortunately during that same night, a scuffle occurred between a trio of Dwarves and members of the Guilds of Light and Hope. Arthos believed the Dwarves possessed a chalice necessary to confront a dark sorcerer threatening Haven, and questioned them about it. However, the Dwarves angered him with their rude, secretive, and uncooperative manner. He thus incapacitated the Dwarves with Endera’s aid. He searched the unconscious dwarves, but did not find the chalice. He placed a bottle of ale among them, in way of appeasement, and departed with a party to obtain the living crystal necessary for the Elder’s spell.
A new arrival to Haven, Robin Steele, and I stayed with the Dwarves to protect their inert forms and to offer them a formal apology upon their awakening. The Dwarves, however, refused the apology, and stormed off swearing to slay everyone upon their return. Robin, however, appeared to work out a personal arrangement with the Dwarves before they departed.
Later that night, as I walked through the village, the sounds of combat filled the air. I rushed to source of the commotion to discover adventurers fighting against the undead. I aided as best I could, using bolts of concentrated life energies to destroy the foul things, but was soon overcome by a ghoul. I awoke to the attentions of my companions to discover the ghoul had eaten part of my leg before it was dispatched. Sickened by the thought of the filthy, unearthly thing feasting on my flesh, I checked myself over for taint, and found the wounds indeed festering. I cured myself of disease before seeing to the restoration of my flesh. I then retired to the Guild Hall for some much needed rest.
The following morning a hostile bear entered town. Haven’s defenders subdued it, I healed it, and we carried it out into the woods in the hopes that, once it awoke, it would not return to Haven. As we traveled, we came across a cloaked figure in the wilderness. We set the bear down and approached; though the figure ignored all hails. At last, it turned and began moving toward us, arm extended as if in greeting, yet the figures face was hidden in an unnatural darkness within the cloak. Summoning life energies, I banished the creature, only to see five more behind it, moving toward Haven. We were fortunate to have discovered them in the wilderness, and were able to destroy the undead monsters before they could reach the town.
Afterward, a party assembled to seek out Brokehill – mostly members of the Guilds of Hope and Light, and also Robin. Robin’s story is an interesting one. Perhaps she’ll agree to recall it for you, Garrett, but I digress.
After travelling far south, in the direction from which the Guthrie caravan came, our group discovered a ruined Inn along the road. Upon investigation, we learned the trees growing from the rubble were roughly a dozen years old, which would place the fall of the Inn shortly after the events described in the Brokehill Scroll. An unlikely coincidence, the doom of the town and the Inn are almost certainly related.
Beneath the Inn we encountered creatures that appeared half-ghoul in nature. The were alive and carried no diseases, yet craved flesh and lacked intelligence. Their mouths were large and distended, their teeth sharp, their skill pale. Rumor indicates eating a ghoul will create a ghoul. The Brokehill Scroll tells how the village grain stores rotted away, and the surviving residents could not escape – blocked by the specters of the dead. Perhaps these survivors were forced to eat their fallen. Perhaps the unnatural disease infesting the corpses imparted ghoulish properties upon those who consumed them. Perhaps we fought against the very survivors of Brokehill.
Regardless, given the state of the Inn, the town of Brokehill was likely well beyond our aid. Concern for the welfare of Haven while so many defenders are away began to weigh heavily on us, and thus we returned.
On arrival in Haven, we learned the Orc tribe, Broken Tusk, had encountered a Gavin Chieftain called Nash. Nash apparently commands an army of Goblins and Gavin, and wishes to plunder Haven. However, before he does so, he wants the Guilds of Light and Hope destroyed. He ordered the Broken Tusk Orcs to do this. Fortunately, the Orcs chose to warn Haven of Nash, instead.
A town meeting was soon convened. All Guild heads attended, along with Constable Donnavan and the Orc leaders. Several other town members also chose to be present.
Unfortunately I cannot tell you precisely what went on during the meeting, for I was not in attendance. I’m afraid I have no taste for politics. However I can tell you discussion soon gave way to shouting and anger. A disagreement over town laws seemed to wedge a division between the Orcs and the rest of the town. Some townsfolk began to threaten rash actions, but fortunately all parties continued to face the disagreement with continued discussion. By the next morning, all seemed well once more.
During the night, we were assailed once again by flesh golems, presumably courtesy of Florin. As before, they were difficult to defeat, indeed, many, including myself, nearly perished in the battle, But prevail we did. Florin appears to be testing us with his creatures – perhaps observing our strengths and weaknesses. I do hope we find a way to stop him before he feels confident enough to mount a full offensive against the town.
Why he attacks us, I do not know. Perhaps he only seeks to cause destruction. Perhaps he hopes to kill us simply so he’ll have more dead minions to command. I fear any attempt to understand the motivations of a necromancer is doomed to failure.
Learn the past. Observe the present. Guide the future.
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Garet Maevers
- New in Town
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:42 pm
- Location: Final Haven
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