998 Barrakas 26th - 4th Rhaan

998 26th Barrakas early night Fairhaven, Aundair

Upon our return to Fairhaven, I informed Lady Elaydren of the threat posed by the Shadowed One. I emphasized the unnatural creature’s combination of warforged and aberrant flesh. This unusual physiology along with our clashes with both the warforged of the Lord of blades and various Dragon Below cults causes the conspiracy theorist in me to speculate that there might be some sort of collusion these two disparate faith organizations. Perhaps the Shadowed One serves as a liaison between the two groups. I would conjecture even further a field and speculate that the Enlightened of the Dreaming Dark might also somehow be involved given that we were visited with a false prophetic dream that nearly tricked us into slaying innocents. As I said I WOULD suggest that the quori spirits of the Dreaming Dark were in collusion with the aberrations of the Dragon Below Cult, except that I have read that the Enlightened will ally with nearly anyone in order to keep a Dragon Below Cult from ascendancy. But there could be a deeper purpose here as the quori are unfathomable beings and I for one will take care with future prophetic dreams that seem to come from the Sovereign Host. In any case, the story of warforged priest of the Dragon Below, even if it were not believed, earned us at least a temporary reconciliation with Lady Elaydren. And this more than anything was the object of my tale. I truly expected no assistance in combating the Shadowed One from the Canniths but the items provided through the fair trading terms will enable us to defeat the evil priest, should we meet again.

From the Canniths we commissioned two minor wands that I can use to protect my companions, as well as an enchanted cold iron mace for Vaegar, and a magicked buckler for Elarin. We also paid for two healing wands from the Host temple in Fairhaven. These will enable me to keep my companions healthy for the foreseeable future. Of course it will be a number of days before the items are completed.

As we walked from the Cannith installation to the Host temple we noticed a hand bill posted by the faithful of the Silver Flame seeking “adventurers” to assist with some great undertaking. This meshed well with my own plans in that I have a great deal of sympathy for that faith and would like to ingratiate myself to its practitioners. My own personal theory is that the Silver Flame is merely the latest of the young gods and should be added to the pantheon of the Sovereign Host. Certainly their goals and our goals align almost seamlessly.

998 4th Rhaan late night Fairhaven, Aundair

When we entered the Silver Flame temple we were directed to speak with one Dyrjoran Barakis. She was a tall and attractive, if short nosed, fiery haired human female warrior-priest of the Silver Flame. After a brief discussion she informed us that she sought to “release” the spirits of a nearby haunted sanitarium known as Haverthold. Vaegar seemed reluctant to do so and was filled with trepidation. I, however, eagerly agreed to join this mission as this was a research opportunity of a lifetime. Incorporeal undead, that have not passed on to Dolurrh, are very rare in Khorvaire. This was a chance to learn more about the ghostly undead than I ever could from a book.

After we volunteered to join her expedition, Dyrjoran asked what skills we would bring to such an expedition. Clearly she had a low estimate of our abilities. After each of us told her of our specialized skills, Dyrjoran asked for a demonstration. I almost laughed for joy at the providence of such a request. For just the day before I had asked Zed to serve as a test subject for an new spell that I just researched specifically to defeat the Shadowed One. I wanted to know if my new illusion spell known as “phantasmal assailants” would work on warforged. It did and fairly well at that, as Zed can attest. The only problem being that the Shadowed One is a warrior-priest in addition to being a war forged so I still wanted to test the spell on a warrior-priest. And here was Dyrjoran volunteering to serve as a test subject! The Silver Flame priestess actually turned this event into a small spell skirmish. We cast a few spells at each other, to no effect, then I released my phantasmal assailants spell on her and she dropped screaming to the floor. Of course the spell would have no effect on undead, or even on the holy knights of her faith because it draws upon one’s own fears, but it seems to work quite well on warrior-priests. Thanks to Dyrjoran I now know that I can cripple the Shadowed One the next time we meet. It may take several assaults on the Shadowed One’s mind but I know that with perseverance I can eventually overcome the warforged priest’s mental defenses.

We are now preparing an expedition to the Haverthold Sanitarium. This is a very different sort of expedition than my compatriots and I are used to. Being that the haunted sanitarium is only a couple of hours march from Fairhaven, we will not need to carry weeks of bland food rations and we will have a close safe refuge should events turn against us (as they inevitably will).

998 Barrakas 22nd-23rd

998 Barrakas 22nd after midnight the Village of Elton

The villagers of Elton were kind beyond our expectations. In gratitude for the rescue of their children the villagers feted us. Very generous and extravagant when you consider their limited means. We had precious little time in which to enjoy this honor as a distant crashing noise was heard outside. Given that we believed a Dragon Below Cult mage was still at large, we knew that a preemptive counter-attack on the village of Elton was possible. We quickly prepared to repulse the assault on the village. As we organized ourselves at the inn’s doorway, two of the bug-ogres burst from the forest and charged our company. This was something of a relief. Given the information we had from Erithel we knew there were more than ten still alive after our last raid. Ten would have spelled our doom as we could neither have defeated them nor would we have been willing to desert the helpless villagers. Two however was a threat that could be met. I employed my wand and shielded our warrior allies from the powerful blows of the bug-ogres. Vaegar retreated to the second story of the inn and began furiously sniping at the enemy. Once again Dorb Grittar proved his value to us by fearlessly laying into one of the bug-ogres with his cold sword. With Zed’s assistance, and minimal support from the rest of us, Grittar led us to victory as we slashed the bug-ogres to pieces. Although we won a decisive victory, a number of my company carried wounds serious enough to warrant immediate attention.

As I employed the healing powers granted me by Aurion, Boldrei, and the rest of the Host, a second wave of three bug-ogres burst out of the woods. Of far greater concern was that their “wizard” leader, the Shadowed One, followed the aberrations at a distance. Three of the bug-ogres were a serious threat and the powers of the black robed spellbinder were unknown but presumably great and therefore we feared for our lives. The three bug-ogres charged our small fellowship. One was blocked by Zed, another by Grittar but the third laid into Elarin and myself. I had little fear for Grittar and Zed or even Elarin, but with sympathetic magic protecting my allies my life was in serious jeopardy should I be seized with sympathetic pain and simultaneously sustain true physical damage. Therefore I began an orderly withdrawl to the inn’s interior. Elarin did his best to distract the bug-ogre with his elven rapier so I could escape but the soldier-sorcerer was getting far worse than he gave. Our warforged champion Zed and his bug-ogre were nearly equally matched so no help could come from that quarter. Then the black cloaked spellbinder, the Shadowed One, attempted to cast a paralyzation spell on me. I was very perplexed and disquieted at his selection of myself as the spell’s target. As any seasoned spellbinder knows, “priests” such as myself are very resistance to such magics. That meant that he was either very powerful or very foolish. And unfortunately he did not strike me as foolish. My fears were immediately confirmed when the Shadowed One cast a second such spell and overwhelmed my mental defenses. I was left helpless before the rampaging power of the adjacent bug-ogre. Furthermore this put my comrades in danger because, were I slain, the wand’s protective ward would cease to function. I thought I would die then but I resolved to protect my friends as long as possible. I would have died indeed but for quick thinking on Elarin’s part. With the elf warrior-wizard’s intimate knowledge of magic he quickly deduced what had occurred and he hastily scooped up my slight frame and ran for the inn. Elarin and I were only temporarily removed from the immediate danger. However Dorb Grittar came to our rescue after slaying his own bug-ogre. With the time Grittar bought us, I was able to fight off the spell’s paralytic effects and maintain the wand’s protective ward on my companions. It was at this time that the Shadowed One cast another paralysis spell, this upon Vaegar. As anyone trained in the arcane arts would predict our dwarven scout was overwhelmed by the Shadowed One’s power. Luckily Vaegar’s position on the inn’s second story roof kept him out of harm’s way. For the remainder of the skirmish Vaegar fought a losing battle against the power of the Shadowed One’s paralysis spell. Elarin took advantage of the respite offered by Grittar’s bold charge in order to launch his powerful firebolt spell at the Shadowed One. The spell stopped just short of the Shadowed One and it seems he just out of the spell’s considerable range. Instinctively Elarin darted forward and fired the last of his firebolt spells. This time he scored a clean strike searing the enemy “wizard”. At this point Zed had just slain his bug-ogre and joined Grittar against ours. It was now safe for me to cast my own spells so I placed a silence field on Elarin. As Zed and Grittar finished the last bug-ogre Elarin used his elven speed to charge the black cloaked “mage”. The one flaw in our unspoken plan was, of course, that the Shadowed One was not a wizard as we had suspected. This became readily apparent when Elarin engaged him at close quarters quarters with his deadly elven court sword. Instead of demonstating the expected fear, the Shadowed One drew a fighting pick from within his voluminous robes and drove the point deep into Elarin’s shoulder, parting the mithril links like butter. Another such blow would almost certainly have taken Elarin out of the battle in the happy event that he even managed to survive it. Elarin was forced to retreat. In the interim, our swordsmen Dorb Grittar and Zed had finished off the last bug-ogre and began moving in on what we suspect to be a warrior-priest of the Dragon Below Cult. Our entire party, with the exception of the paralyzed Vaegar, cautiously surrounded the Shadowed one at distance. As we did so the voluminous black robe slid away to reveal that the Shadowed One was no more a human than he was a wizard. We spied what seemed to be the living metal of warforged anatomy corrupted by application of Khyber-cursed aberration flesh. Just as we prepared to close our net around the abomination and bring him down, the Shadowed One used some sort of teleportation magic to escape us.

Even though the village of Elton is temporarily safe from Shadow One’s depredations, we could not claim a a true victory and move on. The Shadowed One and a number of his bug ogres remain at large in the cavern complex and we must face them once again and either drive them off or destroy them. I am beginning to suspect that the Shadowed One is beyond our power and is merely toying with us. But we must persist and do what we may for the innocent children of Elton, no matter what the cost to us.

998 Barrakas 23rd after midnight village of Elton

After the “Battle of Elton”, as the villagers call it, we rested ourselves and prepared for another assault on the cavern complex. When we arrived at Khyber’s doorstep it quickly became apparent that things had changed. Instead of being assaulted by multiple bug-ogres as expected we found only the silence of the grave. In minutes it became obvious that the only occupied area was what we suspected to be the Shadowed One’s lair. So with great trepidation we entered. The Shadowed One’s lair was in a medium sized, geometrically shaped, cavern (the shape of a flat topped house in cross section). It was clearly excavated and not of natural origin. The Shadowed One was on the other side of a seemingly bottomless abyss. I surmised that the pit descended straight down straight to Khyber (or even across dimensions to Xoriat). In any case, we dared not cross the pit because a fall would mean certain destruction. The Shadowed One was not interested in a physical confrontation and requested a parley. It seems that he desired to obtain the Xoriat-enchanted shard we obtained from the wreckage of the Cloudant. I was reluctant to hand the shard over even though my companions and I had discussed abandoning it on a number of occasions. I would not do so because I feared that the shard might be some fragment of a gate to Xoriat, or the key to such a gate. I also suspected that if we fought him without a significant tactical advantage we would surely be defeated. I stalled for time by threatening to destroy our backpack thereby severing the only access point to the extra-dimensional space which contained the shard. This was mostly bluff and bluster as my spell books were in the backpack and I would be powerless without them (though I would have sacrificed them to preserve our lives). When it became clear that we were at an impasse I hit upon a stratagem which just might have given us the decisive advantage we needed. I strolled to an acute corner of the cavern and slowly placed the shard on the stony floor. My thought was that if we could pin the Shadowed one in a corner and place a silence field on the fragment, we could defeat him and prevent his escape no matter how powerful he was. I had hoped my allies would guess what I was about and provide the noise and distraction necessary to pull this off but luck was not on my side. As I cast a silence spell upon the shard the Shadowed One guessed my purpose and effortlessly wove a counter-spell. I was sure we were about to die for my deception so I grasped at our only remaining hope: I threw the shard down into the pit, silently praying that it would fall all the way to Khyber (it was too much to hope that it would be returned to Xoriat). I knew this was a desperate act but I thought it was better than cowardly capitulation. Certainly Dorb Grittar did not support my desperate act. He went berserk, screamed curses at me, and charged at the Shadowed One, making an incredible leap across the bottomless abyss while fully armored. What then unfolded could only be named a duel between champions. Although we attempted to provide what assistance we might, we were unable to cross the chasm and take a direct role in the ensuing battle. Our efforts made little impact upon the unfolding tableau but Grittar did not seem to need us. He was a lion and fought as never before. The Shadowed One was hard pressed by the swordsman’s furious assault. In the end they grappled viciously near the edge of the pit and both tumbled to their deaths. However I am concerned that the Shadowed One had some magic that could potentially save him from the impact on that unseen bottom. Perhaps the teleport spell he employed in the previous battle, though it seems unlikely that one would be able to cast a spell while impacting the rocky walls of pit. We had no time to wonder or mourn because only a few heartbeats passed and then two bug-ogres crawled out the pit as if on cue and attacked. Fortunately we were able to retreat to the narrow access tunnel and with that limited front to ward us, we tore them apart. After looting the Shadowed One’s treasure we again journeyed back to Elton this time even more weary and heart broken than the last time, if that were possible.

We are now resting and restoring ourselves at Elton. We must marshal our strength and bide our time but we will not let this crime go unanswered. If he still lives, the Shadowed One will face our wrath for his part in Grittar’s death. We all owe Dorb Grittar our lives. Perhaps revenge on the Shadowed One will help me forget my own culpability. Dorb Grittar would have been a worthier guardian for the shard than I. The Sovereigns grant that you find the peace you deserve, mighty warrior.

Dinnivan 6th level

Dinnivan d’Sivis Tomebinder
Rock Gnome 6th character level, 3rd level Archivist, 3rd level Wizard (1st Gnome Illus. Racial Sub. level

Lawful (84) Good (89) Birth Date 892 Vult 12th
Stats
S 6 (-2)
D 10 (0)
C 16 (+3)
I 19 (+4)
W 17 (+3)
Ch 11 (0)
AC 11 (15 to giants) hp 46 Speed 20’ Action Points 8 Experience Points 15,168
Melee attack: dagger -1 (-2 str, -2 flaw, +1 size, +2 wiz,&arch,) damage 1d3-2 19-20/x2
0 vs. kobolds and goblinoids
Saves

Fort +6/+8 vs. illusion (+3 con, +3 Archivist)
Reflex +2/+4 vs. illusion (+1 Archivist, +1 Wizard)
Will +9/+11 vs. illusion (+3 wisdom, +3 Archivist, +3 Wizard)
Skills (48 points Archivist 18 wizard)
Listen +5 (+3 wisdom +2 gnome 0 ranks)
Craft: Alchemy +8 (+1 rank +4 int +2 gnome +1 specialized)
Profession: Scribe +5 (+3 wisdom +1 rank +1 specialized)
Healing +7 (+3 wisdom +4 ranks)
Decipher script +9 (+1 rank +4 int +2 archivist +2 Sivis Dragonmark)
Speak Language: Goblin (2 skill points but 1 rank)
Hide +8 (+4 small +4 ranks)
Speak Language: Orc (2 skill points but 1 rank)
Knowledge Nature +9 (+5 ranks +4 int)
Knowledge Arcane +13 (+4 int +9 ranks) Magical Beasts
Knowledge Dungeoneering +13 (+4 int +9 ranks) Aberrations
Knowledge Religion +15 (+4 int +9 ranks +2 archivist) Undead
Knowledge Planes +13 (+4 int +9 ranks) Outsiders and elementals
Concentration +4 (+3 con +1 ranks)
Spell craft +15 (+4 Int +9 ranks +2 synergy w/ know. arcane)

Feats
Free- Scribe Scroll
Flaw- Augment Healing (+2 per spell level)
Flaw- Sivis Dragon Mark (comprehend languages 1/day +2 decipher script)
1st Trivial Knowledge (2 dice rolls knowledge checks)
3rd Spell Focus: illusion
6th Leadership

Flaw
Non-combatant (-2 melee)
Shaky (-2 ranged)
Traits
Specialized (+1 alchemy -2 all other crafts)
Specialized (+1 Scribe -2 all other professions)

Languages
Gnome
Common
Burrowing Mammal
Dwarven
Elven
Draconic
Giantish
Orcish
Goblin

Racial Abilities
Low light vision
Innate Spells (at wizard level due to 1st level gnome illusionist racial substitution level):
1/day 1st level Speak with (burrowing) Animals, Ghost Sound, Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation

Class Features:
Archivist:
Dark Knowledge (4/day, move action, 60’, 1 minute, know roll 15=+1 attack, 25=+2 attack, 35=+3 attack)
Illusionist:
Shadow Shaper (hide is class skill but lose bonus feats)
Immediate Magic: Brief Figment 4/day (immediate action, 1 mirror image, 1 round, but lose familiar)
1st level Gnome Illusionist Racial Substitution level: Gnome Illusion Spells:
gnome gains wizard level as level of racial spell-like abilities and -1 spell level on the following spells 0/1st Silent Image, Ventriloquism; 1st/2nd Leomand’s Trap, Minor Image; 2nd/3rd Illusionary Script, Major Image; 3rd/4th Illusionary Wall; 4th/5th Persistent Image; 5th/6th Programmed Image
But has penalty or -1 caster level on Transmutation spells

Archivist Prayer Book
0 All Clerical
1st Cure Light Wounds, Protection From Evil, Summon Monster I, Sanctuary, Hide From Undead, Resurgence, Command, Summon Nature’s Ally I, Entangle, Night Shield, Obscuring Mist
2nd Lesser Restoration, Silence, Hold Person
Archivist Spells Prepared 4/4/3 (save 14+ spell level or 16+ spell level Illusion)
0 level Detect Poison, Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds x2
1st Obscuring Mist, Cure Light Wounds x2 (1d8+5), Summon Nature’s Ally I
2nd Silence, Hold Person x2

Illusionist Spell Book (restricted: conjuration and necromancy, Transmutation caster at level -1)
0 all except conjuration & necromancy plus Silent Image & Ventriloquism
1st Minor Image, Color Spray (p210), Charm Person, Magic Missile, Net of Shadows, Ebon Eyes (trans), Repair Light Damage (trans), Disguise Self, Shield, Reduce Person, Identify, Sleep
2nd Mirror Image (illusion), Flaming Sphere
Wizard (Illusionist) Spells Prepared (4/4/3 save 14+ spell level or 16+ spell level Illusion)
0 level Silent Image, Ventriloquism, Repair Minor Damage, Prestidigitation
1st Color Spray (Illus)x2, Magic Missile x2
2nd Mirror Image, Flaming Sphere x2

Encumbrance
Light <=15, Medium <=30, Heavy <=45 Equipment (current 12 lbs) Scholar’s outfit (worn) 0 lbs Everburning shuttered lantern 2 lbs (carried) Satchel 1.5 Map of Sharn 0 lbs Traveling Papers 0 lbs Potion of Mage Armor 0 lbs 3 Scrolls of Net of Shadows 0 lbs Wand of Cure Light Wounds 0 lbs (16 charges) Wand of Repair Light Damage 0 lbs (34 charges) Wand of Shield Other 0 lbs (38 charges) Letter of Introduction from Morgrave University 0 lbs Ornate Scroll of Resist Energy 0 lbs 2nd arcane (learn on board ship) Eberron Dragonshard (20 spell levels) 0 lbs Belt Pouch 1 lbs 41 gold pieces 8 silver pieces 10 copper pieces Dagger 0.5 lbs Spell Component Pouch 2 lbs. Flame Touched Red Iron Holy Symbol 0 lbs Heward’s Handy Haversack: Carried for Vaegar 5 lbs total Main Pack: Max 80 lbs - size 8 cubic feet (used 79.5 lbs) 10 Sling Bullets (Zed) 5 lbs 70 arrows (Elarin) 7 lbs 65 bolts (Vaegar) 6.5 lbs 3 bedrolls 15 lbs 50 foot of silk rope 5 lbs 24 Days Rations 24 lbs 3 water skins 12 lbs Right Pouch: Max 20 lbs – size 2 cubic feet (used 20 lbs) Extra clothes/boots for Elaren 5 lbs Extra clothes/boots for Vaegar 5 lbs Dinnivan 2 Spell Books 6 lbs Spell book 3 lbs (100 spell levels total, 0=1, used=34) Prayer book 3 lbs (100 spell levels total, 0=1, used=26) Broken Dagger 1 lbs Dinnivan’s Journal 3 lbs Left Pouch: Max 20 lbs – size 2 cubic feet (used 14.5 lbs) 6 Potions: 1.8 lbs 3 Holy waters 7 cure Mod 2d8+5 1 anti-toxin 1 fire acidic 1 red potion 1 grayish silver potion 2 fire resistance 1 silver sheen Ever Bright Lantern 3 lbs Healer Kit 1 lbs 3 sacks 1.5 lbs 6 days of Iron Rations (Vaegar) 4 lbs Letter of Credit to house Lyrander 0 lbs Hobgoblin spell book 3 lbs 1st-Level Spells Magic missile, shocking grasp, alarm, grease, mage armor, shield, sleep 2nd-Level Spells Ghoul Touch, Blindness/deafness, Web, Bull's Strength, Mirror Image 3rd-Level Fireball, Haste Glamour Weave courtier outfit 2.5 lbs Brief Personal History: Graduate of the Library of Korranberg’s College of Tabernacles (religion and philosophy). Scion of the Dragonmark House of Sivis. Worships the Sovereign Host with special focus on Aureon (LN god of law, knowledge, lore, and magic) and his wife Boldrei (LG goddess of community, hearth, villages, homes, marriages, and government appointments) Description: Hair color- dark gray, Skin Color- light brown, thin arms and legs, small potbelly, Height 3’4’, Weight 46 lbs, Age 106 Future Feats Sudden Widen>Sudden Maximize
Sudden Widen>Energy Substitution: electricity>Born of the 3 Thunders
Practiced Spellcaster: wizard
Craft Wand
Magic of the Land
Craft Wonderous Items
Improved Spell Focus: illlusion
Draconic Archivist (dragons and constructs)
Archivist of Nature (giants and fey)
Arcane Defense: illusion
Feat Plans
9th level Craft Wand
12th Improved Spell Focus: illusion*
15th Elven Spell Knowledge
18th Draconic Archivist
21st Magic of the Land
Skill Plans
Bluff 4 ranks (level 17)
Use Magic Device 5 ranks (+2 synergy w/ spell craft to decipher spell scrolls)
Decipher Script 5 ranks (+2 synergy w/ use magic device involving scrolls)
Spell craft * ranks (+2 synergy w/ use magic device check when one rank in it)
Spells for illusionist (restricted: conjuration and necromancy)
1st True Strike, Sleep, Feather Fall, Scorching Ray
Adept Spells for Archivist:
1st Burning Hands, Obscuring Mist, Sleep
2nd Bull’s Strength, Cat’s Grace, Bear’s Endurance, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Resist Energy, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility, Web
S. O. P.
1. When leaving dungeon Vaegar scouts exit to check for ambush.
2. If DM rolls attack roll and damage at same time Din will use immediate figment for every attack unless otherwise noted.
3. Din is always hiding in the shadows and moving silently unless the movement speed of the party prevents it.
The description of the Knowledge skill indicates that in general, the baseline DC of checks to identify monsters and remember one bit of useful information about their special powers or vulnerabilities is equal to 10 + the monster's HD. Every 5 points by which the check result exceeds the DC yields another useful piece of information (PH 78).
As a general rule of thumb, a DC 15 check or higher will reveal all of the base creature's type and subtype traits as defined in the glossary. This often includes information about energy resistance or various immunities. For instance, a DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) check reveals that dragons have high hit points (12-sided HD), all good saves, and have darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. They eat, sleep, and breathe.
Information specific to the creature, such as its type of damage resistance, spell-like abilities, or immunities come with the high DC check results

998 Barrakas 20th-21st

998 Barrakas 20th morning Aundair

The remainder of our journey to the village of Elton was nearly without incident. The nearly being that Zed was apparently attacked last night by some sort of ghost-like undead while digging a grave for the ill-fated Borin. From what we were told the spirit had no chance against our warforged champion due to his golem-like physiology. It seems Zed is immune to the death touch which many such creatures are able to wield against the living. I count myself blessed to have such a mighty ally.

998 Barrakas 20th late afternoon Aundair

We have arrived in a small village in the Farcry Hills known as Elton. As soon as we arrived the villagers reported that three children had been kidnapped as seemed to be implied in the prophetic dream. One of the three victimized children seemed to be, potentially, the child of the prophetic dream. Though this Airithel is thirteen and the child in the dream was a babe, we can safely assume some level of symbolism in dreams sent by the Host. In any case, we cannot stand by while children are in danger. We must succor them dream or no dream.

998 Barrakas 21st sometime after midnight Elton, Aundair

Though we have won a decisive victory, I count our rescue mission a failure. Our village guide had led us to a tunnel complex in the Farcry Hills. On the journey he told us of the horrible raiders that have plauged the villagers. Our guide told us of these mighty “bug-ogres” and I assumed he referred to the huge abominations known as “umber hulks”. I assumed peasant ignorance of things academic. As it turns out his identification of the threat was far better than my own.

We had only traveled a short distance underground when we came to our first barrier, a stout door of oak. Just prior to entering the cave, I employed my wand to place a protective ward on my three companions and Dorb Grittar. We saw no one at first so Vaegar began utilizing his skills as a locksmith to breach the door. Then suddenly two of these Xoriat warped bug-ogres dropped from the dim recesses of the cavern’s ceiling and assaulted us. “Bug-ogres” was actually a very apt appellation for those monstrosities as the creatures were larger than horses, had six massive limbs, and were armored with chitin-like carapaces. And yet they walked on their back legs like a man and used their top four limbs as a man uses his arms. Wielding long spears and great swords they inflicted grievous wounds on our fellowship. Had it not been for the protective magics cast with my wand, we almost certainly would have lost one of our company. Even then the empathic feedback caused by the wand’s warding power nearly killed me as the creatures beat mercilessly upon my companions. I was able to keep the spell up long enough for my friends to inflict debilitating wounds on the bug-ogres. But in short order the pain did indeed force me to sever my protective connection to my companions. Thanks to Dorb Grittar and his enchanted ice sword, the time I bought with the empathic ward was enough to ensure a victory.

By the by, as noted earlier, I originally thought “bug-ogres” a peasant’s vernacular for the Xoriat spawned creatures know as “umber hulks”. This was not the case. It now seems likely that these creatures were indeed true ogres at some point and that they were warped by Xoriat magic into their current forms, probably by the Cult of the Dragon Below.

Shortly after the battle with the two bug-ogres, we continued on and came upon the library of the ogre-mage known as Brath the lesser. Inside we were greeted with a horrifying sight. The young man, Airithel, the object of our quest, was crucified upon a stone table. We carefully freed him and then I healed his hurts. We supplied Arithel with a bow and arrows so that he would be able to defend himself should the need arise. After this we examined the books in the library. They were all tomes of forbidden knowledge, many dealing with the Cult of the Dragon Below. It was a dilemma of the conscience. The knowledge contained in these books was a great evil and must needs be destroyed. And yet destroying knowledge makes me little better than those I appose. As I set the books ablaze, I ruminated on the bitter irony that a priest of a god of knowledge and the written word would be forced to stoop to book burning.

After the library was a roaring inferno, we continued on until we located the actual study of the ogre-mage Brath the lesser. As we approached Brath bid us enter and treat with him. I used his ploy as a pretense to draw as close as possible to the evil ogre-mage. When we had approached as close as Brath would allow, I cast a silence spell on my warforged compatriot Zed. I was operating under the (as it turns out probably faulty) assumption that Brath was a powerful Xoriat worshipping spellbinder and thus I employed silence to counter his reality bending and mind warping spells. The battle seemed to quickly turn against us as the ogre-mage used illusion magic to turn himself invisible and he thus escaped our trap. Brath’s two Xoriat-spawned pets (originally in the shape of huge hyenas) shape-shifted into tentacled monstrosities and attacked our company. The single bug-ogre guard joined the abominations against us and we were sore pressed. It was the warding power of my wand’s empathic connection that turned a fight for survival quickly into a rout. Protected by the wand my allies laid into the creatures of the madness realm with a vengeance. As the battle was winding down, Brath sought to parley. Of course, keeping to form, he sought to force peace by threatening the life of an innocent child. Because of the silence field I placed on Zed, I was the only one of my company that could hear him. The ogre-mage ordered me to drop my silence field or he would murder the child clasped to his breast. I counter offered that I would drop the spell if he gave me the child. I said this hoping to save the child’s life even if it meant risking my own. I did not trust him to keep his word though I would, certainly, have kept mine. Sadly I had greatly miscalculated his rationality in that he killed the child with little further parley. I shall carry the crushing weight of this failure to my grave. Senseless. We would have spared Brath had he asked for mercy and had he not harmed the child. As it was, I was determined that he not see another sunrise. After rallying my allies, we surrounded him and laid him low. Easily. Apparently he was not the powerful spellbinder we took him to be. Just a cowardly killer of children.

After we defeated Brath, we asked Airthel to take us to the remaining child-hostage. Airithel lead us only a short ways before we surprised a quartet to the massive bug-ogres. Four of the aberrations was almost more than we could handle. After only a few moments of combat I was forced to drop the wand’s protective magic as the pain of my comrades’ wounds was more than I could bear. Even without the protective spell, Zed and Dorb Grittar were able to hold their own against the mighty bug-ogres but Vaegar and Elarin were grievously wounded and fighting for their lives. Only Grittar with his enchanted ice sword was able to quickly defeat his opponent. Had it not been for Dorb Grittar we would likely have lost the battle and perhaps even our lives. After finishing off his bug-ogre Grittar then teamed up with my compatriots to defeat their opponents. While the battle was raging, Airthel was supporting our warriors with archery from the back ranks. Inexperienced though he was, Airthel was still able to strike one telling blow on a bug-ogre that seemed to heading in the direction of the last hostage-child. As Grittar led us in an eleventh hour decisive victory, Arithel began to undergo a transformation. His hair fell out and he turned emerald green. Of course at first we feared he was turning into a monster of Xoriat. But then he grew wings and it became clear that he was a fallen angel from Syrania. When the transformation was complete Airithel helped us rescue the remaining child and return him to the village. Then the most awe inspiring event occurred! Arithel’s angelic father (?) came down from the heavens and spoke with us. I genuflected in humble abasement. Such an honor to speak with one of the mighty servants of the Sovereign Host!

Now back to the grim reality of a village still in mortal danger. We need to rest and strengthen ourselves so that we can return to the tunnels and exterminate those vile abominations once and for all.