A wizards journal

[Doc-Holiday]

*While visting the famous Wild Surge Inn in Hlint, you notice a young man in a blue coat chasing a very strange shimmering creature around the room. His table, abandoned in his haste to recapture the exuberant fey beast, sits unattended. Several books pile to one side of a half eaten plate of food, though one catches your eye. You move un observed through the din of voices, ignored by the frantic young man and his cohorts. Closer to the table the book is a journal, an idle breeze from passersby turn its pages. You feel it wouldn't hurt to take a peek, after all, it is open for all to see.*

[Doc-Holiday]

*A break in the numbering of days catches your eye, it seems to start over.*

Day 1

   I don't know how Grandmother did it, she knows I hate familiars and would rather practice magic without the "assistance" of one, never the less I am now the guardian of her fairydragon. I had forgotten how annoying and excitable the thing was, it talked insesnetly about everything on the road to Hlint. I wish I could remember the dismissal spell Grandmother used, not that it works that well, Oddpetal seems able to summon himself whenever he wants.

   Finally made it to the Inn here in Hlint. Grandmother had left most of her books with the Innkeep and I have almost settled in, still can't find her ledger though... must be in the care of Moraken the wizard who runs a laboratory near the city. Have a lot of unpacking to do.

[Doc-Holiday]

Day 6

  Found Grandmother's ledger, wish I had never asked that wizard Moraken. I think I am begining to understand my families aversion to other wizards, arrogant and rude bunch, not to mention dressed like gnomish bards.

  By the weave! Grandmother must have been brewing with the ledge nearby. Most of the Hlintian entries are damaged beyond recognition, there is no way I can read who owes what or how many orders are due... did find one name circled. Will have to visit this Aleister, seems there is.. or was... a large number of potions.

  Met a dwarf name Gulnyr today, seems he knew my Grandmother well. He showed me around town, good fellow... were going to the nearby forest of Sielwood, should be intresting.

[Doc-Holiday]

Day 7

  Sielwood was intresting, found several clutches of beetle eggs. Best keep an eye on them, full grown beetles of this type are rare and valuable for crafting some defensive potions. Meet a beautiful woman today, at least she looks beautiful, sounds like a man. Claims she's a pirate hunter, not the most graceful woman I have ever met. Alayna Redwater, proabably see alot of her.

  An official of Hlint asked me to get her ledger from the sewers, Gulnyr helped me. Gads the size of that rat down there... looked almost human. Got the ledger at least. Gulnyr isn't familiar with magic.. seems to really enjoy the enchantments though... best becareful not to accidentaly hit him with one.

  My studies have done well so far, Grandmother has returned home safely. Oddpetal popped into day and terrorized Alayna. I think he likes her, Oddpetal also had a parcel for me; seems Grandmother has continued to keep in the practice of sending me material to study. I think I have about mastered these lessons. Wonder what she will send next time.

[Doc-Holiday]

Day 10

  Found a letter in the back of one of Grandmothers books, looks like she ment to give it to me and forgot. Its damaged... but I can make out a name and description. Seems she wants me to help a particular Elven man named Rhizome... odd, there are some strange smudges on the back.

  Spoke to Rhizome this evening, he spoke well of my Grandmother. Rhizome explained the smudges... by the weave... how does my Grandmother ever get herself involved in such things... and so quickly. Well.. best go back over her books for more notes, need to keep my ears and eyes out for anything about these Drow.

[Doc-Holiday]

Day 23

  Its been sometime since I last wrote... I can't even be sure I have the right date on here. Wrote several letters to Rhizome about a lunar occurance. With so much danger in the air, I fear even to write much here. Oddpetal refuses to take any further messages to Rhizome. Tried a pidgeon, never came back... can't be sure it made it. I don't like the direction this is going... need to try something more urgent, and cryptic.

[Doc-Holiday]

Day 26

  I am to meet Rhizome today, I watch ever shadow now. Drow assassins poison more and more of the villagers. Grandmother left some notes on the subject, need to be careful about what I say and to whom.

  At least some respite from the weight of my knowledge. Rhizome and two others met with me in a secluded wood. After revieling what I had gathered and the direction I could figure out a woman appeard in a mealstrome of light and sound. She was a plane touched elven of Toran. Seems she has been aiding Rhizome and the others. Some tension at first though, one of those present blamed her for many things I find strange to even think a planar would do. After a parting of ways with the person, we spoke only a moment when the woman sensed impending evil. I prepared as many of my enchantments as I could, but I was not ready for what happened next. The ground seemed to open and a great many horrors came into phase. It was a pitched battle that almost when sour. Oddpetal appeared and attacked a great monster, confusing it with his fay magic. Rhizome felled the creature while the woman ended the unholy life of what appeared to be a succubuss. I had thought the battle over but when I turned there were to plane touched women, one dark and one light. The two fought and the battle was close, I tried to enchant the dark one but failed. Takeing aim with my crossbow I was able to get a lucky shot in and sent a bolt into the dark womans neck. I don't know if it was the bolt or the sword that cut her head nearly off that killed her. Should I think that enough, the dark armored woman shriveled into the corpse of a very elderly Drow. Examination showed strange symbols on her skin and some odd mushrooms in her pouch. I cannot tell much but they are definitly of the underdark variety, potent and with a subtle purple. They have been revield to me as being of an extreamely rare healing variety. I am to take them to a man named *ink blots the name* who is engaged in the production of an anti venom for the Drow "soul poison". Many things are understood now, and many more to be found out.

[Doc-Holiday]

Day 28

  Spent the last two days collecting reagents for more curative potions, need to be more careful not to mix beetle juices into curatives. Met with and dropped off the mushrooms with the healer, he worries me. A man so concerned with healing others he cares nothing for war and cares not which side wins this one. The man must be daft if he can't see there won't BE any world left if the Drow win. Never the less he is confident that which everside wins he will continue healing the sick, weather they be surfacers or not. Some how, I think he misses the point of war, to protect and support our homes and lives, he feels we have no right to say wich is right. What is right by him? He who has the most power? I will have to watch him, he may be prone to enemy manipulation. I pray he finds a cure at the very least, these Drow poisons are getting out of hand.