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Author Topic: Garadel Kamek - Knight of Ilsare  (Read 947 times)

Teo

Garadel Kamek - Knight of Ilsare
« on: September 13, 2017, 05:00:40 pm »
*Garadel opens his journal to a blank page. Scrolls trapped between the pages try to come loose as he does so; the lessons on organization from Palmiah have been all but forgotten in his first two days out of the caravan*Its been a long two days... Real fighting is much less forgiving than sparing. One mistake and your enemy smacks you over the head. Hard. Thank the heavens for helmets I suppose. My magic is progressing well, probably better than my swordfighting. The magical wards I have learned are remarkable. Blades miss me or pass through me without harm thanks to spells that turn me into a ghost-like figure, and magical shields help stop physical and magical projectiles. However, I need new equipment. Sharpening my old practice sword hasn't made it much more of a weapon, and my armor is already in poor condition from the blows I've taken. Not to mention some of the magical rings and such I've seen in the pawn shops... But all in good time I suppose. *Garadel snaps closed his journal and tosses it into his pack, leaning back against a rock that looks over the Ilsarian Temple. He had been drawn to Hlint due to the temple and was currently helping deal with the Goblins plaguing the city. But even heroes take breaks, he thought, closing his eyes*
 

Teo

*Garadel opens his journal to
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2017, 01:24:33 pm »

*Garadel opens his journal to the next page, and begins by sketching both combat maneuvers from the day's training, as well as spells he has recently learned, including the necromantic 'death armor'*

Full plate armor makes fighting easier by tenfold, but casting harder by just as much. I hadn't expected so much resistance from my plate with the somatic components of my spells. However, I've found ways to cast without the motions, although my more advanced spells seem all but impossible to do while holding still. All in time, I suppose. 

New spells are making the battle against these goblins far easier, although I'm beginning to wonder if the city will ever truely be safe from them. It seems as though they train warriors as fast as I can fight them. Thankfully the goblins aren't smart, I suppose. A society like they've created, with only crude armors, rusty weapons, and a complete lack of art, seems repulsive. Not to mention their lack of bathing. 

While I do have new armor, I am still wielding my practice blade from the caravan. Although thus far I have been able to make up for its pitfalls using magic, I suppose soon enough it will be time to find a new blade, wrought of iron. I have seen alchemical enchantments available that appear to be able to work in conjunction with my spells, which could be a potent combination. 

The goblins also horde gemstones in their caves, and I have seen thick veins of what looks to be copper. It would not be out of the question that I learn to craft something myself. After all, what better way to acknowledge the art of the sword than to craft a weapon truely worthy of an artist?

For now, I'll continue practicing casting without movement, so that I might be able to unleash spells on my enemies while fighting them with a blade as well. 

*Garadel chuckles and closes his book, going back to helping clean the Temple of Hlint*

 

Teo

*Garadel shakes sand out of
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2017, 01:44:00 am »

*Garadel shakes sand out of his pack as he pulls out his journal. His camp overlooked the Wandering Dunes, nothing but sand as far as the eye can see.*

I'm a long ways from home now, I know that much for certain. The Giants who wander these dunes present a whole new challenge, their massive spears proving just a touch more punishing than the knives of the goblins. But my magical wards have done me well thus far, protecting me and giving my sword the added edge needed to cut down these massive foes. Something about fighting a monster twice your size seems more heroic than battling goblins. The greater the adversary, the grander the tale. 

These Giants guard veins of silver and topaz as well. I've heard topaz is prized by wizards for its spellcasting properties. And as for silver, I could use it to hone smelting abilities. Silver is a beautiful metal after all, worthy of the art I should learn to do. 

A wandering knight, so far from his home,

Fighting off beasts with a blade and a tome. 

He dances and battles and sings of his victories. 

But what is his song without ears to be listening? 

I never was good at lyrics  

*Garadel looks around at his empty camp with a sigh, and lays back onto his bedroll, staring at Ilsare's constellation in the night sky*

 

Teo

*Garadel sits down on his bed
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2017, 11:10:16 pm »

*Garadel sits down on his bed in the Inn in Audria, laying out his whetstone and blade to sharpen it after combat with the desert giants, but opens his journal for a moment to record his thoughts.*

Once you know an enemy, it becomes far easier to defeat them.   I entered the desert using the same footwork and spells as I had been using against the goblins, and I was made to pay for it several times.   But staying more mobile on your feet is key against larger foes, as armor is less effective in stopping such large blades.   Death armor is also an effective spell against them, punishing them for hitting me while I resist their damage using Ghostly Visage. 

However, a constant I continue to use is blade enhancements.   They were some of the first spells I ever learned, and they remain potent and useful now.   A flaming sword has three virtues: First, it causes more damage with every strike.   Second, it illuminates dark cave passages with its flame.   And third, it makes the wielder look all the more heroic.   It draws attention to the hero.   When telling a tale of a group of warriors, the one wielding the flaming sword is clearly of some significance.

It's strange how traveling alone leaves you alone with your thoughts, even as you fight against giants, mine silver and topaz, and search for shelter against the desert storms.   Wandering the dunes has an eerie calm to it.   Many things have crossed my mind in my travels, including the words to a poem or song I should pen.   But I cannot help but wish I had companions with which to spend my time in the dunes, to watch my back.   (You'd be suprised at how quietly a giant can come up behind you).   

*Garadel closes his journal for the evening, sharpening his greatsword and humming melodies to songs*

 

Teo

*Garadel lays back on his bed
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2017, 07:56:56 pm »

*Garadel lays back on his bed in the Bull's Eye Inn in Center, exhausted from the day's work*

Crafting is harder than I thought it would be. The elves of the caravan tried to teach me the basics of metal working, but I never took the lessons seriously. Why would I, when I could have been learning swordsmanship or the arcane arts?

The answer is in the fact that crafting an item you can then use on adventure is suprisingly satisfying. I've been developing a tallent in gem crafting, and while frusturating, I've made some rings that have been beneficial on my travels.

However, one craft I've found a particular tallent for has been enchanting. Much of the processes feel similar to that which I do on my blade before battle, although enchanting is a more permenant method of this. It melds well with gemcrafting and alchemy as well, creating enchanted rings and the like. 

However, I find myself eager to get back to adventuring whenever I am crafting. My art is in my magic and my blade, and perhaps it is my human attention span that continues to draw me out into the world of adventure, but life in the craft hall feels dull. 

 

Teo

*Garadel dips his quill in
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2017, 11:22:13 am »

*Garadel dips his quill in ink in an Inn in Leringard, having just returned from a trip to Krashin*

My fingers still haven't thawed from traveling through those blasted Kolbolds. It's cold up there, but the alexandrites were worth it. Not to mention witnessing a much greater spellweaver than I in action. 

Evelyn, a druid accompanied Torvald and I through the icelands. Although her powers came from nature rather than a spellbook, I saw the similarities from what she casted to what I am able to cast. However, despite her abilities to call lightning from the sky and petrify groups of kolbolds in stone, most impressive was her wards. The kolbolds were practically unable to harm Torvald as I as we charged into their ranks, spells bouncing off of her protections and arrows shattering against our skin. 

However, she had no blade wards, which I was disappointed in. I feel as if finding a more powerful mage than I to watch cast might be beneficial, much of what I've learned since I left the caravan has been by reading scrolls and guesswork. 

 

Teo

*Garadel dips his quill in
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2017, 12:10:55 pm »

*Garadel dips his quill in ink at the desk in his room of the One-Eyed Harpy in Fort Vehl*

I met another new adventurer today, another Evelyn. This one favored the greatsword as do I, and wielded it well. No doubt both her and Torvald will be better than I at the blade before long. I suppose if I stopped spending so much time in the craft hall and the Hall of Al'noth I might keep up with them. 

However, I think I'll always stay on-par with them, if only through magic. Some (the Voraxians) may deem it unhonorable, but I've found no adventurers who show distaste at my wards, be them for my own blade, or for the party. Evelyn was more more potent while wielding a flaming greatsword, and Torvald's enchanted axe was able to cut the undead beneath Vehl apart with ease. 

My own wards remain the strongest, however. While I can enchant some of their raw abilities or their blades a small amount, it seems as though casting on myself allows me to perform more beneficial enchantments such as Ghostly Visage, and Death Armor. Those spells, coupled with an enchanted blade, make me more than able to keep up with the raw tallent of warriors such as Evelyn and Torvald. 

 

Teo

?*Garadel leans a new blade
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2017, 01:14:00 am »

?*Garadel leans a new blade up in the corner of his home in Krandor and sits down at his desk to write*

Been busy lately... Not much time to write. Suppose its time to catch things up here.

The first (and arguably biggest) chance. I've finally found a perminant residence for myself. No more lumpy inn beds, no more finding room near the temple. 142 Krandor is my new home, and while it's not a grand castle, it's one I can be proud of. It has room to sleep, store goods for the crafting I've been so addicted to, and have a little living space to entertain friends. 

However, I've also found time to find new equipment for myself. New iron chainmail (I've chosen chainmail to keep my spells easier to cast in armor), some new gloves and a ring of strength. But most importantly is my new blade. I've yet to name it, although thus far it has served me well. It's natural fine edge is on par with what I can create with magic, although I am still able to enhance it with flames through arcane spells. 

I'm not sure how I feel about casting less wards on my blade before battle. Although it does allow me to remember more defensive spells, it also takes away a bit of the art and bond I felt I had had with my blade. Placing magical enchancements on a blade felt, in a way, bonding to the blade, and I miss that aspect a bit. I suppose soon enough I'll be able to empower my magic more, and still enchant my blade beyond what the iron is capable of on its own. 

*Garadel closes his journal and picks up his new greatsword, taking it into the room with a practice dummy he recently built*