Millon Grail - Following Illin

[Juzzo]

Well, I must say that my first adventure was nothing like the ones detailed in great grandpa Illin’s journal. But, It was an adventure none the less. Shortly after arriving on Mistone, and drinking a little too heavily in celebration of a safe voyage, and adventures ahead, I woke in the small town of Center, with little memory of how I got there from the port district of fort Vehl. Aside from a little disorientation, and memory of a dream where I was running through shadows, I was fine, and shrugged the lost memory off as a result of not heeding my parents warnings about the dangers of strong drink.

Eager to get started along my chosen path of following Illin’s footsteps, I set about exploring the town. In an inn called the ‘Bulls eye’ I met the town’s undertaker, who asked me if I could find his lost lantern down in the crypts. Although searching for lost knick-nacks isn’t really what one would term as an adventure, I agreed, as he was offering payment, and my coin purse was getting light. I also found my way into a crafting hall, where the lady that ran the place offered payment for clearing some bugs out of the basement. Again…Not really adventurer work, but payment was offered, and I agreed to see what I could do. She directed me to a trap door in a back room, and I decided to take a look.

There were rats down there, and big beetles with pinchers that would cut right through the leather of my boots. My confidence quickly wore off as bite after bite tore my legs to shreds. I managed to work my way through the first few areas down there and found a passage leading deeper. Big basement! After descending, I was set upon by some sort of Ooze, which I sliced to pieces…Unfortunately right after it quit moving, a large group of those beetles surrounded me, and had their way. I was overwhelmed, and fell, bleeding and minus consciousness. Luckily I woke, and was able to flee back up to the storeroom, where I collapsed in a corner. I had contracted some sickness from one critter or another down there, and could do nothing else but curl up and sleep.

[Juzzo]

“Hello? Is someone back there?” accompanied by the creaking of a door opening were the sounds that roused me from my stupor.

I later found this person was named Andrea, and had arrived in Center under disturbing circumstances. She had been a part of a group that was bounty hunting out of Fort Vehl, and upon getting close to the camp of their prey (so to speak) had been knocked over the head, she still had bandages and a horrible gash up there, by an unknown assailant. Her friends were missing, although she had heard that one was responsible for getting her mortally wounded self to Center, she could find no sign of what came of them.

Andrea had muttered “again?” and something to the effect of the town being hopeless, after I explained what had caused my wounds, and why I had gone down there in the first place. She offered to give me a hand, which I eagerly accepted.  She was like a good luck charm, as my sword seemed to strike true more often than not with her along. In a short matter of time we were in the chamber I had fallen in, surrounded by beetle corpses. Through watching her skill with a blade and a little experimentation, I had figured out a trick with my own blade, where when a foe fell, I could carry the swing through to the next, and it came in handy as we descended further into the basement, and the number of bugs assaulting us grew.

Eventually, after passing through a doorway that we had to hack webs away from to get through, we came upon the source of the bug infestation. A nest, occupied by a giant (And I mean big!) queen. Her chamber was full of smaller insects and larva, which we easily dispatched, and despite her size, the queen quickly fell to our efforts as well. I took a chunk of her corpse as proof of our deed while Andrea set fire to the nest, and we headed back the way we came.

On the way out, we noticed a passageway we hadn’t explored; Andrea thought it would be a good idea to make sure there were no other queens down there, so we checked it out. It led to an area, after squeezing through a crack, that was totally unlike the rest of the basement. Its walls were crafted, and there were gateways leading to other passages. We decided to look around. Andrea went through one of the gates, and as I went to follow her, another gate opened and skeletons, somehow animated, poured through and attacked me, preventing me from following her. Luckily, It seems that skeletons are pretty frail, and I was able to easily hack them down, Andrea had run into a few herself, and suggested we take a rest.

It turns out we had stumbled into the crypts, and after knocking down a few more skeletons, and searching through the place, I was able to locate the missing lantern that the undertaker back in the Bulls eye had asked me to find.  

After finding our way out, and collecting my rewards from those who had requested my help, I contemplated my aversion to pain, and realized that if I truly want to follow Illin’s path, and see and do the things he did, pain would be a fact of life. (Honestly, I was almost killed by bugs, what will happen when I meet something like Storan?) After contemplating, I feel like I could probably handle a few more bites than last time, I think this whole little adventure has made me a bit tougher.

[Juzzo]

I traveled with Andrea, the next day, to Fort Vehl, her home…well, her previous home, as after getting there and showing me around, she mentioned that she hadn’t a place to live there anymore. We split up and went in search of work we could do to earn some coin.

(Note to self: it seems that a good job to get if deciding to settle down in mistone is that of an undertaker or crypt-keeper.  Seems the job description would read “Stay out of the crypt and send adventurers in”..Seems like a pretty easy way to make a living.)

I met a crypt-keeper who wanted some dust from a mummy down in the Vehl tomb. Andrea was game so we headed in. The place was big, and the upper layers full of skeletons, which were, as before, pretty easy to dispatch. As we worked our way deeper, we started coming across more fleshy undead, and worse, creatures that were quicker and stronger than the other things we had run across. Although tougher to fight, we shifted our tactics. Andrea would fire her bow through doors, which I would stand by and block the creeps from getting through if they managed to get that close, at which point I would engage them with my sword, and chop em’ down. In this manner we made it into the deepest reaches of the crypt. In the final chamber we came across a creature that although our confidence led us to charge at, was upon approach so fearsome that we could do nothing else but flee its presence. We made no progress in fighting it, and ended up fleeing, running as fast as we could out of the crypt.

[Juzzo]

Back home on the farm, we were far enough away from Hurm that only occasional patrols made it out our way. Inevitably, when there was trouble, be it bandits or some other type of critter causing the locals trouble, soldiers were never around to help. Members of the community, in the same manner we would band together to help a homestead raise a barn, or dig a well, would form a group to dispatch the cause of any disruption to our way of life. On the other hand, come tax time, the tax collectors were always there on schedule, knocking on doors and collecting.

There are those that think laws are what hold society together, I happen to think they are quite unnecessary; in the same way a pack of animals work together, people need no rules to teach them that killing and theft is wrong. Seems to me, laws are a form of control for whoever it is that thinks they need it. Larger farms are able to donate to war efforts, or building projects, and thus influence laws to favor themselves, be it less tax at market for those with larger stock sold, or any other manner of ways to get the upper hand through seemingly harmless or reasonable laws. Aside from laws that state the obvious, which again, I feel people know innately, most harm one groups living in favor of another groups prosperity.

Although the knight that expressed concern at the creature that chased us out of the crypt was impressive, and his skill and pointers towards swordplay were invaluable to my further improvement with blades, as he had me lead him back down to it so as to dispatch it. I really can’t see myself following a path such as his…Knowing the laws I enforce would be beneficial to only those who put them in place.

Another had gone back with us although I didn’t catch his name. A dark and quick fellow with a confident (past the border of cockiness) air. This one probably did the most damage to the frightening thing down there, although the Knight and myself did get a few hits in. I am proud to say I managed to overcome my fear and engage the creature the second time I encountered it. Upon exiting the crypt and saying farewell to the Knight who returned to the nearby temple, I went over a few things in my mind, and figured out just how Andrea had been knocking down the occasional foe with her shield. I think the skill will come in handy in the future.

[Juzzo]

Clogged sewers?!?! Sounds like my kind of adventure!! “Sure, Ill take a look!” I told the sewer-keeper.

Well, let me back up a bit.

After my encounter (Twice) with the scary thing down in the crypt in Fort Vahl, I realized my purse was getting pretty heavy, and decided to go see about storing some of my loot in the bank. After dropping most of the coin off with the banker, and realizing I had quite a bit, I went poking around the local merchants shops. I found a smithy run by a couple dwarves that had a nice suit of half-plate that was in my price range, so I ran back to the bank, got all my money back out (the banker did give me an exasperated look when I asked to withdraw everything I had just handed him a few minutes before) and snagged myself a nice new (Metal!) suit of armor. (Id like to see a bug that can bite through this!) It is a bit uncomfortable, and in order to get any rest I have to go through the process of taking it off, but it should afford better protection than the leather I had been running around in.

Feeling a bit lost and unsure as to what my next move should be, I traveled back to Center, I remembered a job board in the crafting hall that may have some work I could tackle. The job board directed me towards Port Hempstead, which, following the well placed signs on the road, was easy enough to find.

I met a captain of the guard upon entering who asked for my help with some kobolds that had some sort of magic stick. Only problem was, he wasn’t that clear on just where these kobolds were located…Fields somewhere, and he walked off before I could quiz him about it. So, I set out exploring the port. Big place, with lots of statues and memorials to this hero, or that god, or some group or another. I wonder if I will ever accomplish something grand enough to warrant a statue of my own. Illin never did, as far as I know, but he did do some great things…Those with memorials to their deeds must be some type of heroes indeed!

It was during my explorations that I ran across the sewer keeper who had asked for my help with a clog.

[Juzzo]

With my first adventure in the basement in mind, I entered the sewers with a bit of caution in mind. Although I had learned quite a bit since reaching Mistone, none of my dubiously grand adventures up to this point would I have been able to get through alone. Ready to flee at the first sign of bugs that looked able to bite through metal, I was a bit relieved when I was set upon by rats which appeared out of nooks and crannies. Easily dispatched these rats…I did have a bit of experience fighting the things, and I was happy at the protection my new armor was providing…I reached a stairway leading lower with just a few scratches, where the rats had found openings in the joints of my armor.

In the lower level, I ran across more rats, big spiders, and another Ooze like the one in the basement back in Center. (All critters I had an idea of how to handle.) After working my way through a few chambers, (Nasty green gas clouds down there, I avoided them, but the smell…Ug) I came to a doorway where, through it, I could see flames burning and man shaped figures through the gloom. Rats were scurrying about in large numbers, and for some reason I caught a whiff of a fishy smell. I backed up and took a little rest before heading in.

I was swarmed by rats, and one of the man-shapes noticed me in the doorway and charged. The rats were mere distractions as the figure got near enough to make out. It was a cross between a man and a fish! It had a spear, and there was no question as to what it intended to do with it! It got a stab in on me, which hurt, as I dropped the last of the rat horde, and carried my swing on the now dead rat through to return the blow. In hindsight, I think what I saw on its face was a fish man’s version of fear as my blade struck home, and my second swing felled the thing. Encouraged by the victory, and with adrenalin pumping I charged into the chamber, to be met by more rats, and another fish man. This battle went as the first, and I was soon standing over their corpses.

I heard some chanting, and towards the back of the chamber saw yet another of these creatures. He cast some type of spell on himself as I charged him (It?). Although I wish I could write a bit about an epic battle, farm-boy verses fish-man wizard, my first swing almost killed the thing, it cast another spell which caused the gash I had provided it to start pulling itself back together, which I was only just noticing as my sword lopped its head off.

These fish men were, for whatever fishy reason they had, damming off the sewers down here, I collected some evidence of their deeds, and my ending of said deeds and returned to the surface.

After collecting another reward, I took a sit in a nearby alley. Although this adventure didn’t provide me with any new insights towards fighting, as had my earlier ones, it did provide me with some confidence, which I was sorely lacking.

I think that after I find and deal with these kobolds, I will try to find my way to the small town of Hlint which Illin wrote so much about. From what I have read, It is a lot like Center. Not that much could have changed since he walked these lands, could it? Maybe ill run into one of these dark-elves or dwarves he wrote about..I hear they live a long time.

[Juzzo]

In days previous, I have heard quite a bit of things along the lines of….
“One of these days Ill introduce you to Honeybee.” Or, “Have you met Honeybee?” or, “You need to meet Honeybee!”

Well, today I met Honeybee!

Having finally found the Kobolds that the Capitan back at Hempstead had asked for help with, and learning that my successful adventure against the fish-men that had a problem with properly flowing sewage was an exception to the seeming rule that I can’t go at it alone. I had returned to Center and plopped myself down on a log by the fire pit (That, someone seems to keep fed, as it is always burning).

It started with “Hello, I haven’t seen you here before, are you new in town?” I had glanced up at this, and for a moment was confused as I saw no one, Then glanced down and saw a little woman preparing a fish for cooking. I was a little taken aback at her size, Ive never seen someone so small. “Im going to cook up this salmon, and you are welcome to have some…In fact, I have some chests back over that way where I keep a lot of food that you are welcome to if you are ever hungry.”  (To give the reading justice, read that with no pauses)

Honeybee is a joy. She is pretty much a little bundle of helpfulness, and chatter, and questions, followed by some more chatter and a few more questions. Can’t help but like the little critter. I wasn’t in the mood for fish, in fact im not sure if I ever will be again. After the ‘unclogging’ the scents of fish and sewage seem inter-tangled in my mind. As she cooked, another showed up at the fire. She rode up on a horse and came over and had a seat. This was a female elf named Xanya. Who had some surprises in store for both Honeybee and myself… Xanya had some of the fish.

They were both interested in my story, so I explained what had brought me to this point. Which led to the Kobolds. Honeybee offered to help me “If you don’t bleed too much, I can probably keep you healed.” Xanya was of a mind that Honey and myself would benefit from the experience, and agreed to come along to give pointers and bail us out if we got in over our heads. (Which we did)

Xanya had the most incredible sword. Lightning seemed to dance across the large two-handed blade, Honey and myself admired it. Xanya took it in stride, “Yes its enchanted” she had stated offhandedly.

Honeybee, it turns out, is quite the little priestess. She made me stronger, cast a spell that make me more able to see openings in my foes defenses, and actually put magic flames on my sword. Which I couldn’t help waving around and admiring (Almost forgetting about the Kobolds nearby).

Our first few fights with Kobolds, as we worked out way through their little village went badly, and Xanya needed to step in and save our hides. Some of these little creatures knew magic, and I seemed especially weak against it. But Xanyas tutelage and advice paid off, and by the time we reached the last group of them I knew to charge the magic users first, they did fall pretty easily once you started chopping on them. Honeybee had given up on her sling and wielded a little sickle and charged into the fray alongside me. The mages went down quick, and the warriors surrounded us, the battle was heated, but the kobolds we no match for us, I saw Honeybee dodge a blow and drop one of the warriors with a quick skillful slash to the throat as I cleaved down the last couple beasties on my side of the battle. We hadn’t needed Xanya’s help, and we both felt pretty good about it.

[Juzzo]

Xanya could turn into a bear! Hunting wood for Honeybee, the day after the Kobold battle, we had run across a large group of mercenaries. I think Honeybee was of the same mind as I, in that I was thinking we should turn back, when Xanya had asked to be excused and walked ahead....A few moments later, she transformed into the biggest bear I have ever seen and tore the whole band of mercenaries apart in a matter of moments! Xanya was aloof about it later when we questioned her about it. Come to think about it, For all our questioning, all we really got out of the impressive elf was that she was in Center hoping to run into others she hadn’t seen in a long time. She did end up running into them, I was fortunate enough to be there for it.

First came Sekhy, another elf, his bow was of incredible craftsmanship with carvings of an archer in various scenes covering it. From what I could gather, as these two shifted between elven and common, was that he, for one, was an adventurer of note, beyond that a craftsman of jewelry, cloth, bows, potions, and lately, meals... As well as knowing a bit of magic in the realm of illusion. They talked of adventures they had shared at some distant point in the past, and, I may be reading into things too much, seemed a little more fond of each other than friendship alone.

Later, another couple showed up, more elves, Robin and Eghaas. They seemed inseparable. And had a rapport with each other that could only be the result of a deep understanding of one another. Wither lovers or the closest of companions, I couldn’t tell, as most of what they spoke was in elven as well. I was left mostly to observation of mannerisms. They both seemed very confident, and I have no doubt that they are formidable opponents individually, let alone together as you would more than likely find them.

I didn’t mind not understanding most of the conversations. This was the first I had heard of the elven language and I found it almost hypnotic. I drifted in and out of awareness as the syllables dropped from their tongues, wishing I could understand, but content to only listen.

  Foresta showed up a bit later, Honeybee knew her and introduced her. She was very sure of herself, and not interested in small talk. Seemed a 'to the point of the matter’ sort. She also seemed at least as formidable as the others. She was concerned with the problems with crops plaguing the area around Center, and stories of a witch the people have been telling. I actually hadent known about the crop problem, and had tried offering advice to a farmer outside of Center, as to how we got our crops to grow healthy back home. He had told me off, and warned of me returning, on threat of violence. Anyways, Foresta was dead set on getting to the bottom of the problem.

The knight from the temple next to the crypt in Vehl showed up shortly afterwards. I caught his name as being Therhcha this time around. He was seeking a person named Rose in conjunction with a murder of one of his number.  The elves as a whole, Foresta as well, all seemed to hold the Knights laws in contempt and as the night wore on they questioned the logic of his beliefs. He stood unshaken, almost welcoming the challenges.

I had been up for most of the night, and my attention was constantly being drawn back to the beautiful elven tongue as Xanya and Sekhy whispered to one another nearby. I decided it would be better to retire to a private place and catch some sleep, than risk passing out and snoring or something in front of the elven heroes and adventurers. I bid farewells, and made my leave.

[Juzzo]

I woke the next morning alone, and spent the days following exploring Mistone and honing my skills with a sword. After various little adventures, and misadventures, I do feel that I have reached a new threshold of skill with the thing.

A few places of note:
A cave by the sea, right outside Center, full of waste deep water, and more fish-men. They have snakes as pets that are pests as they attack your legs from under water. I managed to work my way through this cave until reaching a large cavern. It seemed that there were possibly submerged passageways here, but myself not being very able to breath under water (As in not at all), I decided to leave it to the fish.

A forest that seems to have died at some point in the past but is currently recovering. I found a grave that seemed old, yet recently dug up, and someone had gone through the trouble of chipping all the writing off the gravestone. I didn’t stay long, the wood was a little creepy, and although it didn’t move, I swear one of the trees nearby was mumbling to itself. It sounded angry. Pretty unnerving. (Although not as unnerving as the other forest I came across, seemed the ground was stained with blood. Would have meant a lot of blood, and I turned around and left right after entering)

Right outside of Fort Vahl, I found an area with a lot of cotton growing wildly. Honeybee had given me a big supply of bandages, and I figured she might be able to put the cotton to good use. I was collecting some when I heard a voice behind me. “Tell ye what, keep the cotton, we’ll take that coin purse.” Mercenaries. I wasn’t willing to part with my true, and the fight went badly for the blades for hire. I must admit, I had fun with them after I realized I greatly outclassed them in swordplay, and ended up keeping the cotton, and their true. I battled other bands of these foul individuals when I stumbled across their camps in my explorations afterwards. Worrisome how many there are, and how close many are to population centers, and major roads.

Yesterday I had returned to the forest outside Center. Can’t have Mercenaries living so close to the place I have started thinking of as a home of sorts, and I decided to make sure their camp was still empty. I wasn’t but my sword fixed that. Honeybee had expressed a concern of hers back when I had met her, that being her need of wood, and a lack of miniature axes, so while I was there I felled a few trees and gathered the wood. Seems she does an awful lot of helping. Sure she would appreciate a little on her behalf. I left one of her donation chests full to the brim with wood and stuff I had collected, and headed over to the camp fire for some rest.

[Juzzo]

It has been almost two months since I have had time for my writing. Much has occurred. I write to pass time as I recover from grievous wounds received from a dark-elf when helping with an investigation of a small village that was found basically destroyed, most of its residence missing. I will write of that story another time, as I am still thinking events through in my mind. The commoners (Am I no longer one of them to think of them such?) refer to them as witches…These mysterious women showing up around Center… Ive never met a witch, but from what I have seen of these poor women, Im not sure the description does them justice.

Ive been to the temple of Aragen on Alindor seeking answers to the clues I have found. A sister at the temple, after I had mentioned that I though myself a nobody really, had said that only thinking such makes one such. I had traveled to Mistone, seeking to see the places Illin wrote of, and maybe have an adventure or two of my own, and can remember his tales being all I thought of for a very long time, and that there was no way I would ever measure up to the man. It seems so long ago, although a short few months. His writings have been far from my mind lately, as my own adventures have taken their place. I am still learning. I need to learn more. I was foolish with the drow and but for my companions, could have lost my life. Yet I feel good, excited, and look forward to where my own path will take me.  

That Halfling with a cat in his bag approaches, Alestir (He talks to it with the respect of a servant, strange. The one time I tried to pet it, it hissed at me, the rotten thing). I have things to talk over with him.