21st of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We continued walking and run into that salesman we saved before. Vanderderp bought a bedroll and Vondal nearly blew his top - but instead bopped Vandederp on the head. I will never understand them. We also bought a bag of holding. I suspect that will be rather handy if we continue on our trips!

We got to the gates and the guards don't believe our stories or that the other guards said we should go in and speak of the bug monsters, but they do bring us to the guard captain. It feels typical to be marched through town like guards - I wish people weren't scared of me, I don't want to hurt them.

This place is so BIG! There are so many people and alleys and even garbage! And then we get to a square and there are more roads and they are huge, and crowded. And I am already lost - if there wasn't so much new stuff I would believe that we had walked in circles. We arrive at a stone building with a statue of Tyr in front. We enter, and go to the back  and enter an office with the Captain and a clerk (Gilbert). The guards leave, and we speak to Captain Darren about the giant ground bugs, as Orrig, Sylvia and Jereth have asked us to. The captain says that Jereth is actually distant family, so he hears us out - and asks if we would be willing to hunt them down. Of course Vondal and Vandederp jumped at the opportunity. So after we stock up our rations, we head back out of town. Barnaby, the guard we met when we entered, mentioned that if these bugs were real, his cousin would like to study the stomach juices, and handed us some vials. We head out to night and set up camp.

20th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

During the night, Jereth fetches us, saying that the Hughes farm had been hit by a giant bug. We head over and kill it. After we head right back to bed, though we may have left them some interesting topics of conversation, as Vorest turned into a bear for this fight. In the morning, Jereth invites us to breakfast. We thank him and head on our way, for the remainder of the day, it is uneventful.

 

19th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Overnight we were attacked by giant wasps. This is not quite the fauna I was expecting coming up on a bigger city. We beat them, and rest a bit before we continue walking. We start seeing farmland, we must be getting close, it's hard to keep track of how far we have come with the distractions. We also found the road Boris mentioned. As we were walking down the road we heard shouting for help. We head over, and find a couple of farmers (Jereth and William, we found out later) facing a couple of the bugs from the ground. We fought them off, though we could not save their cow. We met a couple more patrols after the fight, Orrig and Sylvia, and they told us to talk to their captain, Captain Darren. Jereth offers us dinner with his wife Anita. It was lovely, and after they mentioned we could sleep in their barn. Vorest was excited to sleep with the cows.

18th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

The hills turn to grasslands. It's a nice walk when it becomes quiet, and a giant bug erupts out of the land, grabs me and bites. I react by setting it on fire. I think someone else also hit it, killing it. A pretty terrible morning if I do say so myself. As we walk along, we see a cloud of dust, which turns out to be a patrol out of Kelethoen. They challenge us, and we explain that we would like to research at their library - and they do not believe us. We also mention the giant bug, and I guess that makes us good guys and that he approves of our work. Said to say Boris approves our entrance.

17th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We are still walking through the hills, I am sure my legs are getting stronger with all these hills! We have run into some gnolls - they shot  us from a great distance and were pretty good shots, unfortunately. Fortunately we were able to defeat them, even if we appear to be better at hand-to-hand combat.

16th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We continue walking in these beautiful rolling hills. We heard some clashing and clanging - so of course Vondel and Vandederp go running towards it. I believe I shall fear for their health the day they stop chasing danger! There were a bunch of goblins attacking a gnome and his donkey. So we wade in and save him - and then Vondel starts trading with him! As if nothing had even happened. It is a strange world, though I am sure he will appreciate his new bedroll, and the mending spell would be handy for that obsidian bowl they found.

15th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We continued walking through the forest and ran into an owl bear. He was crashing everywhere and destroying the forest, so we killed him. I think people are getting more comfortable with their new skills, even if some are kind of strange. We left the forest and are back into hilly terrain.

14th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Had a long rest. We ran into another bunch of needle blights. Vondal threw fire. I caught the needles they threw at me! I was so surprised, and in reaction, I threw them back into his face! He looked as surprised as I felt. And then Vorest shouted to not run into the moonbeam. It's noon? And then, there was a moonbeam. After we beat them, Vorest talked to a bunny and announced that the forest was still "wrong" and we needed to fix it. So we walked and came to a clearing with more dead trees, those needle guys. And a weird viny guy. At the other end there was a truly horrible tree. After the fight, Vondel burnt the tree down, with Vorest's blessings. Vorest healed me, since I still seem to be getting hurt like crazy. We found a mass grave with some interesting treasures - Vondel and Vandederp are fighting over some gloves. I hope they can figure out a way to settle it - I can't imagine much use for them if I took them.

13th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

The attack from the kobolds was bad enough that we rested the morning away. We got in an argument about whether to hunt them down, and Vondal went and tracked their lair. We followed in case he needed help, but when he entered the lair, we could not follow easily. We waited to see if he would scream for help, but he came back with a couple of dart injuries and a defeated expression saying the tunnels continue for a long time. While I'm sad we can't get them, I'm happy I don't need to go in  the tunnels.

We headed back towards our last campsite and settled down.

Once again, during Vorest's watch, we are attacked again. This time by "needle blights" which look like spiky people monsters. Vandederp and Vondal were amazing with these! 

12th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We are still in the forest. All of a sudden it grew quiet, and a web shot out between Vandederp and myself. To the side was a creepy bug, grey-purple, shaped like a person, but with a bug head and pincers for hands. Vorest said it was an ettercap. The remainder of the day was uneventful.

During the night, during Vorest's watch, we were attacked by kobolds (I am learning to strongly dislike these pests) and some flying kobolds. Those might have been fun if I could have gotten up a tree at them!

11th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We head off to Kelethoen again. We head into the forest. Today was uneventful. While we were resting for the evening, I learned how to use the slippers. With the right situation, they might be fun!

10th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We are still here, and we are going to go further down in this foul place. We found more skeletons and zombies - perchance my skills are improving, as I killed more skeletons than before, and once I hit what seemed faster than normal. I guess all this practice is improving! While we were down there, we found the fellow who wrote the letter somewhat explaining this insanity - Hondal. He explained that he was extremely hungry, and Vondal  gave him a set of rations. It didn't seem to ease his hunger, so we loudly suggested that it would be handy if the bear could turn "human" and create some goodberries. It is so odd how quickly something so bizarre becomes commonplace - as with Vandederp's firebreath. Did I mention this previously? It appears his draconic nature leaves him some benefits.

Hondal tries one of  the berries, doubt clear on his face. As he chews, his face changes to euphoric and he comments on how amazed he is to not feel hunger, a beast that has been in his belly for DECADES. I can not even imagine. He says when the undead came, he tried to plea for his life and protection to Loviatar, and she laughed and granted him a sort of immortality, for he cannot die, though he has tried - by his own hand, and by fleeing the zombies and skeletons. In thanks, he told us of a secret passage (though not the traps that lay within) and ran off into the distance - far from this place. I hope he chooses a good life after the trick his god played on him, I would not like to find him again, and have him my enemy.

 

His secret passage led to a treasure room, where magic slippers let you walk on walls and ceilings. The group decided that I would make best use of them, so I shall need to meditate to learn their ways. We also found a mace that Vondal was quite excited to use against the skeletons. Oh, and a significant amount of coin - it will be good to replenish our food and supplies.

We took a bit of a break to rest and heal up a bit. We also finished the goodberries.

After our break, we continued down the passage and found an absolutely destroyed laboratory. I am curious as to what they were doing, but this makes no sense to my mind.

 We are done the basement and on heading to the floor above, we are told that there is only one place left - the place that went up.

So we go there, and find the formal entrance to this place. There are columns dedicated to Loviatar, and they would be beautiful if I admired this god. We go to the exit and head back to the village. We will probably find somewhere to rest for the night.

9th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

We continue down the next hallway. We found doors that are beautifully - if horrendously - carved in honour of Loviatar, Mistress of pain and suffering. In front of the doors were a bunch of dead people. We opened the doors to a "church," and zombies and skeletons.

Then Vorest shouted "I'm a bear, suckers!" and changed into a bear! What!?! She seems more powerful than I previously thought.

After dealing with these, we found another room with more beautiful and horrendous friezes. We found cells of people, and a note explaining that they were the cause of all these undead. I shall show it here:

These undead are everywhere! I can understand his fear.

We took a break and then found some bedrooms, and a basement. The basement continued, so we'll explore that tomorrow. We are resting tonight in a room that suggests torture and prisoners. I look forward to leaving this place of pain, zombies and skeletons.

 

8th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Today we found a very old abandoned village. While looking around, we found a graveyard. Skeletons came up and started attacking us. While fighting, we found a cave, and Vondal and Vandederp chose to follow it. Since I don't wish to be left on my own, I suppose this is my path now as well.

We go down into the cave and it turns out that it is actually a room with a pit. There were graves that were dug up, but the skeletons were dead. Vandederp threw a torch down the pit, and we are guessing that it is about 40 feet deep. So, he went down to get it and woke more skeletons. He got hurt, but managed to escape. It didn't look like they could escape, so we went out the tunnel on the far side, and found a room with an incinerator. There was a Mephit trapped in the incinerator and he asked us to free him, which we did. Thankfully Vandederp and I aren't as hurt by fire! While we were undoing his collar, Vondal yelled something about a shield to the face, so we ran out and found him collapsed on the floor and a skeleton over him. We killed it, and then the remaining skeleton in the pit.

 

7th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Today we ran into a pack of kobolds - they appear to not like the sun. I managed to kill one, I don't know why I am fighting so poorly! It is so very frustrating. Perhaps I need to meditate a bit.

 

6th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Today, we ran into giant weasels. It was very interesting - they attacked us and Vorest started talking to them! And they listened! Then, she created berries out of thin air - "goodberries" - and fed them, which caused them to leave. She then fed us the extra berries. She said they have minor healing powers. When we ate them, it felt as though we had sat for a good meal.

5th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Thankfully, today was less eventful than last night. Thank goodness, as everybody is a bit cranky from last night.

 

4th of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Today was uneventful. But these prairies are turning into hills.

Overnight was exciting - unfortunately our fella on watch was not paying as much attention as he should have been, as he thought the giant bat-mosquitoes were possibly horse flies! I was woken to one of the beasts biting me and trying to drink me dry. I managed to smack it dead, right as it got me. I feared myself dead, but luckily Vorest has healing magic and managed to bring me back - after they destroyed the other monsters!

3rd of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

Today was more exciting than the previous days. We ran into a web of giant spiders. I fought atrociously - it was like I forgot I had a tail. Thankfully, my companions fought much better than I. I hope I can prove my worth in the future.

 

2nd of Ches, 1376, Year of the Bent Blade

This 2nd day of walking is uneventful. These people are so unlike me, but I believe that I like them. The true test will come when we are facing a challenge.