Tath's Contemplations

[ZeroVega]

Entry #19
    A few days ago, I met with Quin and Naga on the topic of war. We swapped information and the end result of putting the pieces together was not pleasent. Apparently Katrien, Brisbane, and Lalaith, have all been poisoned by the Soul Venom. The name alone is unpleasent, but with the ability to kill whenever it is activated, and with no antidote yet made, Plenarius, Celgar, and Talan are apparently out of the fight.
    Quin fears an assault on the surface by the drow, and perhaps an attack by Blood or the Dark Alliance. While I know that the latter is hardly possible at this time, Blood is always a threat. Therefor we have decided it best, even at the expense of the 'good' surface drow, to arouse hatred towards our race. We plan to get a hold of the Paladin's of Toran, the Wizards of Lucinda, and the Mistone Alliance if possible, and hopefully get them ready to move at a moment's notice. The small towns like Luck, List, and Melnon will not be able to stand, therefor I think it wise to evacuate them all into the larger towns, or fortified Forts. Quin shared my feelings and now we plan to act on them.
    I however, know the furiosity of my race. The forts will not stand without help from the adventurers of Hlint, many people will die, and as Naga so bluntly pointed out, many will not want to go. I suppose it is their choise to make, though I would suggest they keep a knife ready to end their own life should the drow indeed arrive.
    Dawn is breaking and I must find Synal'dur and Celgar, hopefully to have them arouse the followers of their Deities to prepair them for battle.

[ZeroVega]

Entry #20[/b]
    This week keeps getting better and better. First I speak with Quin about the happenings, then we attempt for formulate a plan for defending against my kin who will undoubtedly attack soon, then we are approached by a Necromancer of Lucinda named Talath’nathalou Slelilthirill who wanted to recruit my help again for the Temple of Lucinda in Spellguard, then a drow assassin attacked many in Hlint. [/i] [/i]    I’ll admit, things back home were exciting, but nothing like this. Killing, war, grudges, scheming, and assassinations were common place things in Olist Orbinn. Here those are also common, though slightly less so, but what truly makes the surface an exhilarating place to live, is the trust. People here, ask for help, they trust that you will help them and not betray them, and friendships are easily made, something, for better or worse I do not know, I was sorely lacking in the Underdark. [/i] [/i]    It seems that the Soul Venom has inflicted more people, and it is less a tool of death than a source of ultimate blackmail. Derrick, Raziki, Liam, Mong, Celgar, Lalaith, Brisbain, and Katrien are all poisoned with the venom, and those who are not poisoned are being threatened with the death of their loved ones should they fight against the drow in the coming war.[/i] [/i]    Olist Orbinn, the assassin the House of Tener’ev sent. Why? Did he have a name? And what interest should they have in the Va’lash’s?[/i] [/i]    This again takes me back to the day I accepted the book from my [/i]Mentor[/i], Rufus Coldfinger. He told me that in taking the book I would be bound to his service. I must find out the depth of his words... [/i]

[ZeroVega]

Entry #21
  *this first part is written in a slightly shakey hand, as if the writter is still excited from some previous exhertion*
    This has perhaps been the most chaotic week of all my time on the surface. Angry druids manipulating weather over a few fallen trees, seeing Milara and his pet Dracolitch speak with a Hag and what appeared to be her small undead force, trying to help an Artifact Collector and his little secretary find some gnomish invention, and finally attempting to return four items that would seemingly possess the ones who hold them to a girl who used them while controlling the elements a thousand years ago.
    Now I believed that may city Olist Orbinn was a chaotic and wild place, but thus far the surface has been much more pleasing. Here, you can get away when you want to, but there always seems to be somthing to do when you want it. It's exciting, and boring, and chaotic, and lawful, and good, and evil all rolled in to on open and excessively bright world.
  *this next part was written some time after the rest..... the writter seems to almost be carving the words into the thick parchment of the book*
    Celgar, Lal, Talan, Cole, Plenarius, Brisbane, Tom, Raziki, Liam, Derrick, Mong, Katrien, and the one named Rhizome, they're all done. There's nothing they can do against the on coming assault, at least not until a cure is found. I can only immagine Quin and Mirren will be next.... I have not seen them in a few days so for all I know they may both be dead or poisoned. They are trapped, they are all trapped. Like I am trapped.....
  *the writter seems to have taken a long pause here and let his hand trail a small thin line across the paper*
  .....I must find out the why, the how, the 'cure' this bondage. My Master has not been seen nor heard from for many weeks, so now would be the ideal time to look into it, I shall however wait a while longer to be certain that he is truly gone.

[ZeroVega]

Entry #22
  Crayson, a Chronomancer who’s life began some six hundred years ago, apparently a genius wizard, who was one of the few to perfect time travel. He appeared in front of a group of adventurers, myself, a Miss Willow, an Alexander, and one named Dragon. Several constructs had appeared next to us and all under our control, then this Crayson appeared wielding a great axe and destroyed them all, mumbling about time ticking forward and back, and things being out of place.   
  He then disappeared and just as we were wondering who that was and what had happened, Talath'nathalou Slelitheril walked by, claiming to be on vacation and filled us in of what he knew.   
  I later spoke with Talath again, and had an interesting conversation with him. The first thing I asked is if it would be possible to speak with a diviner, an abjurer, and himself about binding spells, possibly how to detect and dispel them.   
  He asked several questions and seemed genuinely curious about it, but in the end it was decided that he would not only need the arcane signature of the wizard suspected of the binding but also he would need several spells to be cast in order to decipher whether or not a binding by that wizard was even laid on me. He said that most bindings are so personalized that the only way to find out if one is on you, is quite frankly to get the wizard himself to reveal it.    
  We spoke a bit more, greed, power, and positions of high authority in Lucinda’s Arcane Temple. In the end it was something he said that stuck me as interesting. “People hate us Necromancers because they fear and misunderstand us. I look forward to the day when Necromancy is just another school of magic.”    
  I should very much like to speak with him again, perhaps to secure myself a small position as a student to him, however this binding, if any, must first be dealt with.

[ZeroVega]

   Entry #23
    *this is written in Ink of Evocation, the words glow bright red, and seem to burn your eyes when you read*
      There was a meeting at Talan's house a few days ago.....a group of perhaps eight people went over all of the information that had been acquired about the recent events. We spoke of the poison, Navarre, the Diadem of Souls, and many other things.....
      I then later spoke with Chanda, Kit, and Caldiir for the first time in many many weeks. It was an interesting conversation. Kit, out of I assume a sort of loyalty to our race, told me all or as much as he could with little hesetation. Even a few things he let slip that I think he regreted saying later. Chanda on the other hand, seemed hesetent to reveal anything to me. She litterallly played dumb, something I had never seen her or anyone in the Alliance for that matter do.
      It was very interesting. During the current events I've felt no guilt in betraying my race, no guilt in betraying the Alliance, and no guilt in wanting to back out of my apprenticeship. But as of late, I've felt a sense of loyalty running through me, not to the Alliance or my Master, but to my race, and no matter how much time I spend on the surface I will always be a drow, always untrusted. Even by those who trust me most. Quin..... Quin trusts me more than anyone else, except perhaps Derrick, and yet I still feel that tension in him. Everytime a drow attack happens, anything odd involving the Alliance, and his eyes are back on me again. Always a suspect for murder for trechery even when I'm an ocean away.
      Is helping Quin and the 'lawful crusaders' a wise decision? I am betraying my people, and though most drow would not think twice about killing their parent or sibling, there is still a sense of loyalty to the drow race as a whole. 
  *This next part seems to have been written very close in time to the other entry* 
    I again spoke with Talan, bringing him the information I was able to get from Kit and Chanda. I received an interesting reaction with less surprise than I would have expected. It seems, it only solidified his suspicions about certain people and organizations.  
    Once I had briefed him on all I knew it was his turn to ask questions, and state facts. He first asked me if I’d seen the new constellation in the sky, the one of the Striking Cobra. I do not believe there is anyone that hasn’t, news of the constellation traveled fast through country land and reached the large cities where it then spread to all other continents. He said that two constellations, the one of the snake, and the one of the spider seem to be connected. He said that he believes Milara is playing Navarre and the drow for fools, that the drow in turn are playing the Alliance, and they are attempting at the least to fool ‘us’.  
    It was Talan’s belief that Milara is using Navarre and the drow to fuel his latest attempt at becoming a god. This was news to me as I thought Milara served Bloodstone, it seems however he is more of a rival, being kept watch over in a feeble attempt to keep him down.  
      Talan then told me of a riddle, one he had hear a while ago…..it spoke of ‘the great gold’ falling from the sky. Talan believes he has decoded it and believes that Milara will try to strike down the great Gold Dragon God Rofirein. I must sit back for the time being and do no further to aid either side. I must however meet once more with Talath, Head Necromancer of Lucinda and speak of the constellations. Perhaps we will be able to find what they are truly about.

[ZeroVega]

Entry #24
    Milara is using Navarre,
    Navarre is using the Drow Houses of Olist Orbinn,
    The Drow Houses are using the Alliance,
    The Drow of the Alliance are fooling the Cult of Corath,
    And caught in the middle of this struggle for power is Quin, Talan, Celgar, and their resistance.
    Navarre wants his bride, the Mistress of the Dark for whatever reason. Milara wants to defeat Rofirein to become a god, but to what end? The Drow Houses of Olist Orbinn want to reclaim the surface world that they were driven from so long ago, crushing rivvil un darthirii as they do so. The Alliance wants to be counted as a force to be reckoned with to gain a seat of power. And the Drow of the Alliance are just waiting for everything to fall appart so they can stab their counterparts in their backs.
    I will take no part in this trechery, odd as it may be..... a Drow, not wanting to betray, to lie, to deceive? No. I still have loyalty to my race, but I also have a hatred of our stupidity at moments like these. I will sit back, perhaps give certain sides a little push or shove to keep the show moving, but I will interfer no further than I am, unless.....
  *Tath, forgetting that he was even writting closes his book and puts it away. He quickly finnishes his wine, pays the barkeep and rushes out quickly*

[ZeroVega]

Entry #25
    A peice of my soul has been torn away this day. By the constant death and ressurection, my soul has finally began to wear. I shall have to be much more careful.
    My attempts to steal the Key of Corath were unsuccessful. The man at the docks whom I payed so much to take the key from Synal'dur failed. Two attempts both failing mainly because of Kobal. I won't take chances next time, I will not fool around with common mercinaries. I do not want him dead, I do not wish for the death of my friend, I could not. But according to my Master I must take the keys, or slow them down, and until I have found a way to detect or break this binding I must do as he asks.

[ZeroVega]

Entry #26
    The Magician's Gauntlets, magical amplifiers that are so powerful that when a spell is cast while wearing them they will litterally add enough power to change the spell it's self. Fireballs become Hell Balls, Magic Missiles become Greater Missile Storms, and a simple Holding Spell will bind the most powerful creatures.
    The gauntlets themselves were aquired and under a binding magical contract delivered to the Layonara Traders Guild. What we did not know at the time however, was that the gauntlets are useless without their power core. The core can only be used in the gauntlets and likewise the gauntlets will do not more than make your hands creak without the core.
    We were then hired several weeks later by a man named Methas Tabs. He claimed to work for the Guild of Seven Stars and Three Eyes whatever that is, and he was our first contact that told us that the gauntlets had two parts. He sent us off after the second part, and after defeating a rather large demon to acquire it we brought it with him to a ship where we then found out that he was not of the Guild he claimed but of the Mistone Alliance.
    Before handing the core over and claiming our reward I was allowed to study the power core and found when I did just how the core worked. Apparently it is something of an energy gatherer. I suppose when it is activated it pulls magical energies from it's surrounding and increases it's power. The Gauntlets themselves then must be the only way to release that power and in order to do so a spell must obviously be cast. Quite an ingenious invention of whomever created them. We'll see how this plays out, I have a feeling our work with these gloves are not yet over.

[ZeroVega]

Entry #27
    I've been traveling around Dregar for some time now..... it is sad, I miss my old friends. Quin, Derrick, Michaelis. They never doubted me, not that I would ever blame them for doing so, but since coming to Dregar I've only seen Derrick and it was usually only for a short time.
    What of Olist Orbinn, my kin, Navarre, Milara, the Alliance? I've heard almost nothing, again not that I would have expected it to make it's way all the way to Dregar just so I could know but still. Everything was so open for a time, people ten leagues from Hlint knew of the happenings and now nothing. I will need to return soon, it will be good for me to see them again.
  *Tath pauses his writting a moment, thinking very hard and then slowly and in a very mechanical manner writes the next lines*
    I saw Master Coldfinger for the first time in many months a few days ago..... he grew angry at me for not having the swords or at least the keys to unlock them yet, striking me across the face seemed to cool him down but not before he stated that the swords were in my charge, it is now solely my task to accquire them.
    He calmed down even further when I gave him the scroll he'd been waiting for and then we parted. Little information was actually swapped, it seemed more like a stand off..... who would reveal the most and most important information? The twitch of a muscle, the raising and eyebrow, a slight exclamation in one's voice. He revealed nothing to me, and I believe I did not reveal anthing to him though he had accused me of several things.
    Having dealing with Kobal and the 'Grey Circle'. Dealings with Kobal perhaps, but the Grey Circle I have not heard of. Knowing this dwarf it's probably his own little group of cronies bent on purging the world of everything they don't understand and is labled 'evil' by the public.
  *pauses and sighs before continuing*
    We parted ways when I was approached by Caldiir, he wanted to know what of the Alliance, something I didn't know. Our conversation was short consisting of all business and nothing fancy.
    Dregar is now my current home though I do not intend to stay there for long..... it is odd, I came here a year or so ago and felt great resentment for all surface races calling them all fools. Though I do not deny most are... *shakes his head and laughs as he thinks of the overconfident Shiva* ...some I have found to be quite wise and I have come to rely on many.
    The surface seems like a vacation from the life of the Underdark but I grow weary, weary of the surface, the sun, it's inhabitents, this war everything! If I lived in the Underdark I would have either lived until I was old and brittle and died of old age or I'd have probably died by now, but this. Being bound to this damnable stone, being brought back death after death, fighting every day. Like the work of an hour glass, sand dripping down at the same pace, grain by grain. I need somewhere to go, somewhere that I cannot be disturbed. Somewhere that I can be alone in seculded peace without war, rivvil, darthiiri, or the riddles of these conflicts. I feel old and tired and this rouse is becoming harder to keep up. My cheerfulness is starting to wear on me...
  *closes his eyes, then without thinking closes his book and lays his head on it falling into a peaceful sleep*

[ZeroVega]

*weary and badly dressed, Tathnolu walks out of Pranzis in great confusion after being told by Ozy that Quin is dead and his soul harvested... sitting by Corax lake he pulls out his journal and slowly writes out his confusion*
  Entry #28
    Quin is gone. Harvester's of souls. Demons and Devils. Never to return to this world.
  *sighs as he looks back at what he's written and rewrites it to try and make sense of it*
    Ozymandias has told me that Quin is dead, his soul harvested by a demon after a fight high in the Sword Rust mountains. He spoke of a soul harvesting ritual that took place and involved cutting out his heart...
  *closes his eyes for a moment as if trying to picture the spectacle of the fight, Quin's fall, and this ritual*
  ...his body dragged back to town, where he was still not revived by the Bindstones... he is dead. Never more will I be able to betray Quin only to empower him once more by betraying those who oppose him, no more will I be stared at by him as he tries to decide whether or not I tell him the truth, and no more will I have someone who would put his trust in me whether he knew I was lying or not.
    Now I have to ask myself... is it worth it? Is what I'm striving for worth it? What is it I'm actually looking to gain? Power? Freedom? Controll? Wealth? If it's true that these demons can truly harvest souls than I must be cautious and make good of my time. I can no longer keep these 'friends' I must work towards my goals and acheive them before I am taking by bindstone or demonic ritual.
  *Tath lays down his quill for a moment and waves his hand through the air in a fluid motion while muttering a few words... a small rapier made of negetive energy appears in the air for a moment then quickly fades*
    I have a new goal.....

[ZeroVega]

Entry #29
    Several days past, an expedition was made to the lair of the great dragon The Long Storm. She is a mighty blue dragon, with power such that I could not immagine. Even with certain protections, she left me with an unpleasent parting gift...
  *quickly turns his head and snaps his neck*
  ...a storm of electrical energies that stole the life from my body. I was however lucky enough to be ressurected by a near by cleric, a man Gloin reffered to as Quint.
    This spectacle of power made me realize how feeble my life is, and how little power I actually hold in this world. I may be strong for an adventurer, stronger than a giant, or troll, but against a creature of power... a dragon such as the one I faced... a demon such as the one that harvested Quin's soul, how much power would I truly hold?
    My Necromancy power has grown, though not so much thanks to the teaching of my master as the fear I have of him. He is backed by the Dark Alliance and The Black Wizards, a group that is not bound to the simple dealings of my master, but who's goals are many, and vary from wizard to wizard.
    I have come across them in several cases, and though I have fought them it was unknowingly, and their power then and even now far too great for me to overcome alone. Since my master's return from Xantril, he has taken a more active roll in my learning, and I hope to continue this learning from him... perhaps more than just knowledge of Necromancy will come from this apprenticeship aswell... perhaps I will gain a seat among the Black Wizards... perhaps I will be one to weild one of the Twin Sisters. Perhaps I will even find the power source to the Underdark magic... that, would be a feat to accomplish.

[ZeroVega]

Entry #30

Rufus' Gift

 

   *Tath walks over to his desk in the middle of the night and runs his fingers over a book. The Book seems worn around the edges as if it has been opened many times but still looks fairly new. It is bound in black leather with a symbol on the front. The symbol is of a white skull and a white spider that seem to be fusing together, spinning in a sort of artistic distortion.*
    *Tath then closes his eyes and begins to write in his slightly ashy journal...*
    "Many months ago I spoke to Quin. He told me trouble was brewing, and I offered to help him against the forces of the Dark. I was then called to my first meeting with my Master, and to my dismay saw the Dark Priestess herself, Chanda."
  *Tath takes a deep breath before continuing to recount the memory in his journal*
    "It was at this meeting that my first act of betrayal since I left the Underdark took place, I betrayed Quin that night. When the meeting was over, my master handed me a book..."
  *Still tracing the raised art on the cover of the book Tath shudders at the power it eminates*
    "This book... 'In taking this book, you will be bound to me'... those were his words and I took the book. From then on I progressed as his apprentice..."
    "We met at a later date, several weeks after the meeting. He asked to see my progress and I showed him. He seemed less than impressed at my power, but satisfied with the progress I was making, but before we parted I asked to see real power, the power he was to teach me when I was ready..."
    "We walked over to the ogres... 'stand back' were his only words, and with three spells, he obliterated them all. He called the spell Wail of the Banshee, and said I would learn it some day..."
    "Again I met him just a month ago, at a tavern in Hampshire. He gave me council on the matters of the Twin Sisters, and compensated for the gold lost in my attempt to gain the keys. I scribed him a single scroll, and for the first time since I've ever known my master, he was happy, I hope I never see him that happy again..."
    "I am to meet him today... possibly for more learning, possibly not. We will soon see..."

[ZeroVega]

Entry #31
  *Nearing midnight, Tath enters his house at 210 Lorindar, quickly and without hessitation he stowes away all his things and moves over to his collection of books, pulling out his journal and spell book, and begins to write in the latter*
    Usstan tlun duul'sso! L' wanre uriu doera natha faern, fridj natha faern! Usstan tlun sei'lor duul'sso dal l' valbylis d' Rufus Coldfinger, ussta screa'in xun! Usstan tlun nin loril pholor 'zil biu ilthy'eo!
  *a smile comes to Tath's face as he realizes that he absentmindedly wrote in drow*
    Releasing me from my apprenticeship Rufus Coldfinger handed me a pair of gloves. They are marvelous to look upon, a gift for the completion of my training. I now have freedom. I had it when I came to the surface though I was bound by my power in the arcane to where I could go, but now. Now I have gained considerable power, and my freedom.
    Rufus then spoke to me of how he had benifited from my apprenticeship. Never immagining he would teach a drow, I was the person he'd ever taught at all, drow or no, and now it's over.
    He invited me to come with him to Voltrex, to find a fountain or a well... he said that it is the key ingredient in the cure for the Soul Venom. It will be dangerous, natha ilythiiri ulu sei'lor ur'ac pholor l' thac'zil d' ussta Eldalie kaovehen wun olt ehmtu zhah sreenath, but to travel there, two wizards alone... I do not expect to come out of there without resistance from my darthiiri cousins. Though, I cannot say that I wouldn't enjoy it.
  *Takes a moment and flips open his spell book, then after looking over it for a few moments closes it and continues to write*
    My Necromancy skills grow still. The seventh circle has been unlocked, and instant death, energy so pure that it will push the very soul from your body, the spell that was all but a dream to me, is now in my graps and at my disposal. Next I will have to learn, not so much to controll the negetive energy, but the undead that are reanimated with it... My next move will be to head to Lucinda's Temple in Spellguard... there I know the wizard Talath'nathalou Slelithirill the Head Necromancer of Lucinda... he is who I shall resume my learning with... but this time, without any strings attached.
    Also, I was pleased to hear from Rufus, that the Alliance will be no more, and that Lilthany Delmir wants Chanda dead for her faliure. Instead we will be simply a group of people working towards a common goal, without name, or title, or binding obligations of any kind. Rufus, Chanda, Kit, and Myself will be the ones in it, perhaps Marcus aswell, but as far as the world is concerned, the Alliance is gone and Chanda dead. Rufus finds her to great an asset, and too important to the Mad God, to get rid of her yet, so we will keep her... but for how long?

[ZeroVega]

Entry #32
    Last night, after a meeting with a Legendary Dire Bear that was less than fun, I spoke with Shiva about a few things that no one else wished to speak about. The question that I ask, but none answer. The mask that covers what a truly want from all including me.
    We spoke of good and evil for a while and eventually came to the conclusion that I initially started with. Good and Evil are titles that are defined by the ruling power at the present, nothing more. Therefor they mean nothing. Something deemed evil at the time is simply misunderstood, feared, or envied by those who call it evil. So, because we can never have a difinitive definition, people throught the space of time will call things evil, same as they will call them good, but in doing so will render these titles utterly meaningless.
    As Shiva put it, Necromancy and Fire are no different in the philosophical sense. Both can be used for destruction. Both can be used to give life, though I argued with her that Necromancy could destroy life, perhaps prolong existing life, or create somewhat of an illusionary life via, animation of a dead corpse. Fire does the same, it can destroy and whither one's skin and body yet still it can prolong life by warming the blood.
    I have, since that conversation come to realize that my Necromancy skills are 'evil' only because the people that hold power, the Paladins of Toran, Kobal Bluntaxe, and a million other do-gooders fear it and do not understand it.
    I do not know what I wish to acheive in this life, whether it is power, godhood, riches, or King-ship. Quin, my good friend, was lucky in that aspect... he knew exactly what he wanted from life... to Love.

[ZeroVega]

  Tathnolu snapped awake, beads of sweat glistening on his face like stars against the endless depths of the black night sky. He stood, thinking hard as he and paced the room, his mind working furiously like a roaring fire incinerating all thoughts other than one. Flames licked at the back of his eyes, his deep red and blood shot eyes, red and stinging from many sleepless nights spent pondering the answer to the question yet to be asked. The question that would make sense of the answer he’d received in this premonition of a dream.  
    His heart beat in a steady rhythm as did the pounding pain that shot through his head, as he moved to a dimly lit corner of his room. Book shelves towering above him, made taller by the candlelight shadows thrown against the wall, loomed down at him ominously as he scanned over their contents looking for one black book.  
    His breaths shallow and slow he plucked the book from the shelf laying it on his desk and lifted his quill. Slowly and deliberately as if in a dream like daze, though quite alert, he wrote ‘the answer’ before falling back into a deep reverie still sitting at his desk… 
                                                                “It never ends.”[/i]

[ZeroVega]

  *Standing before an arcane altar in the house numbered 210 Lorindar, Tathnolu breaths deeply as he prepares for his summons spell to be cast. Slowly and carefully he takes the necessary precautions for such a spell. Warding himself against evil, and placing a small barrier on the altar, a circle of diamond dust infused with magic to hold the creature he will summon...* 
    *Closing his eyes and mumbling arcane words in a low guttural tone, Tathnolu made long sweeping pasts over the altar with his hands, his fingers winding smaller shapes and symbols, shimmering magical webs sweeping out and holding in the air, creating an intricate cluster of magical strings until at last the chant reached it’s crescendo… a flash of light erupted from the middle of the altar, the dust bursting to life in flame and then dying out as quickly as it has lighted, the webbing of arcane symbols faded and the air was still.*  
    *Sighing Tathnolu walked out of the room and through several doors, warding, and locking every one as he went until at last he was back in his bedroom. Taking a seat at his desk he opened his journal and began to write…*                                                                    









Entry #33

    My third attempt has also failed, but I feel this went better than the last two attempts to gate in a demon from the abyss. The first time I was unfortunate enough to gate in a Bugbear Shaman from a few hundred miles away instead of a demon from another plane... The bugbear of course, was not under my control and nearly killed me as we fought...[/i] [/i]
    My second attempt was almost as disastrous, as I gated in half of a Giant Witchdoctor, though to my surprise it looked as though it had only a few moments earlier been cleaved by a great axe, dwarf most likely. [/i] [/i]
    This time however, as the passes I make become more defined, as the words begin to feel more... ‘right’ and as I begin to run out of the regents I supposedly need for such a spell nothing. I will try again some day, but I fear that Rufus Coldfinger dispelled my apprenticeship too soon, perhaps there is another I can learn from...[/i] [/i]
    *This next part seems to have been written a few hours later in a clearer, and more fluid writing, most likely after some deep reverie of the writer* 
    Chanda and Rufus have made public, or as public as can be the [/i]Alliance[/i]’s end. Though this is old news to me, I assumed they would not be so blunt in their announcement to Kit, Caldiir, and Marcus, that is of course assuming that I received the same letters as the others. But it matters not, new alliances are forming...[/i]