Reinard's Memory Tome

[DiegoBastet]

Now I begin the diary of my great adventure toward becoming the greatest warrior mage of this world. Behold you who is not me, for you have to say the correct key-word int somewhat between two or three minutes from the time that you opened my diary, or else this magical tome is going to explode in a rapid flash that will obliterate both you and my written memories. If you don't know the key word, I higly recomend you to close this tome, for that would save you life, and my diary. Also, if I did not give it to you, it would be a better idea to put it aside, so that I won't find you with it and have to obliterate you myself, for I can do this with magics that won't harm my book, and with six feet of sharp stell through your chest.

Speak the word now or close the book, and you shall live. I've warned you.


First Day, Night
Things are not good to me today. I'm stuck in this city I don't know, without my itens, with only a dammed shortsword and a roguish-like leather armor. I walked around a lot, found some people that I think are adventurers, speaking about silk and other things, but i'm just lost in this place. At least I have some bread and water, but I don't have much money and don't want to spend in the Inn, so i think I'm gonna sleep here near the fountain. Hope that no one try to steal me... I'm gonna blast anyone who try.

Fourth Day, Morning
I already made some progress. Someone told me about this city, and I went to explore it myself. It's a fine place to be, if you have somewhere to sleep, I mean. Now I'm in the Inn, and just prepared my spells for the day. Yesterday I slept on the forest, and could not rest properly to ease my mind, so now I think I'll spend those three golden coins to being able to conjure spells today. It's really awfull to not have spells in my mind. No one that can't cast arcane spells know how is this. No, I think that sorcerers don't know this too. Anyway, it's like being exausthed, except that it is mentaly. My spells are part of me now, and I feel bad without them, as I'm feeling horrible without a greatsword in my scabbard. Speaking of this, yesterday i found a pretty lady that tried to help me with that. She helped me found the blacksmith or merchant of weapons, but I did not had the money to buy a greatsword, so she told she would buy me one. I awsered no, for I could not let a lady do this for me. Not the sword, as I could not let a lady buy me my grimoire. It's in my honor. Maybe it would be better to just let her buy me the sword, but like that my honor would be tainted, and I can't allow that. I think it was my lucky day yesterday, because one more lady helped me. I was in the public crafting house of this place -look, this place isn't SO bad at all!-, and I was looking for something or someone to help me find a job, after all, my money was running out, and then I found this lady. She was cutting some log, and told me to speak with the taskmaster, and introduced me to him. He told me to give a letter for a girl in town, and I must admit that I was very frustrated at that time. Let's say that I lost myself a little, remembering of my brother, but the lady stood by my side, and said some words that made me better. I'll never forget the "Warriors, wizards, greatswordsman, all of them do honest work.". Thanks lady, for I could not remember your name, but I know that thanking you in these pages someday someone will repay you. In the end, I delivered the letter, received another one to deliver in other continent, and received a quest to find some pelts for the fur merchant. I guess that this is a little better. Also, a little halfling bard told me to find a necklace for her, and I pretend to do that today!

Nineth Day, Night
Many things happened since I last wrote in this diary that I almost don't know where to begin... I went to the woods looking for the cave and the necklace of the bard, but was ambushed by some giant spiders. I could not do anything with a shortsword without being hit myself, so I tried to use a spell to blast it before it reached me, but...my spell failed... My armor destroyed my perfect gestures. I still can't believe that! I have trained so much, but it's still not enough! I guess that I need some FORMAL training with a spellsword before I can cast spells without failing... Damn it all. When I was...sttagered...because of the magical energy failing, the spiders got me. The chelicera pierced trhough this good-for-nothing leather armor and I almost died with the poison. As a warrior, I could not fall so easily, and then I landed a pretty blow on the vermin's eyes, and...I ran... I'll not speak about my shame or about this anymore.
After recovering from the poison, I found another interesting person in town. I asked this good-looking blond man about where the gate leaded, and he awsered me and introduced himself as Galan. He told me many things about being a young adventurer, asked me about my training, and I was ashamed because I still had not got my hands on a greatsword, but he told me that all adventurers pass for this. Like a trial, I think. He took me to the bank and offered me some armor and shield. It was hard for me to accept...in one side I had my honor, in the other side the promisse I made to my brother. I was defeated too three times, and had to run away, and my pride was no more... I decided to take the offer, and he gave me a fine half-plate and a beautyfull tower shield. ...he also gave me some food and gold pieces, for me not to eat grass and sleep on the floor again... I must admit that I nearly could not hold my feelings, but I was brave! He told me that he wanted to mine some kind of ore, and asked if I could be his bodyguard while he mined. That was good to me, after all I was in debit with him, and it was the same cave that I needed to go. He went to find some other people and I worked on the armor, for it to fit me. We were four as we went to the cave, then. Me, the warrior mage, an elf that didn't want to talk, Galan, that proved to be a Knight in Shiny Armor, just like my brother, and a nice half-orc not-so-gifted-mentaly. We went to the caves, passing running by the shadows without the spiders noticing us. I could not believe how they could run so fast with that heavy armor, for I had to wait until we reached the caves to put the half-plate that Galan gave me.
In the caves I can't say that I was useful... We fought some kobolds and other things, but that elf just went alone to kill the things and loot their corpses. My magic did not fail me this time, and I hit a bugbear that was about to cleave the head of the half-orc with his axe, using one of my Magic Missiles. That gave the half-orc time to notice the bugbear and fight back. I don't think that he noticed my magic, for he did not thanked me. Oh, well, no need after all... In the middle of the cave we even found a Gelatinous Cube! I don't think that they had the training to know what that thing was, but I was so excited! Galan and the half-orc made short work of it, wich made me think if I was really something... In the end, Galan mined much ore, and was not able to carry it all. I voluntered myself to carry some for him, and my companions were awed to know that I could use the armor, carry some more sixty lb. of stone and STILL fight well! Then it happened... That dammed BLINK spell that I had miscast while with only sixteen years old went away again, and I just disapeared from this plane! The hell with it! The dammed spell keep throwing me in some kind of demiplane with strange images! This time was violent, and I don't know how much time I passed there... When I was threw back in the material plane two days had passed, and Galan's ore had been taken from me. I don't know how I'm going to tell him that... Now I'm very tired, and decided to rest here in the Inn again. Tomorrow I'll try to find him, failing that I'll try to find those dammed pelts... My body hurts, and I can't sleep because of some crimson-clothed dwarves sitting and drinking for HOURS now... Damn!

[DiegoBastet]

10th Day, Noon
This time is for real! I can't take it anymore! I tried to fight some GOBLINS in the hills outside town and was BEATEN! I tried to fight some skeletons in the crypts, and was BEATEN! I tried to fight some strange bird beaked little guys that shot me, and was BEATEN! I was ambushed by halflings thieves and, how could it be, was BEATEN AGAIN! I can't take this anymore! I need my greatsword!!! I-WAS-NOT-TRAINED-TO-USE-THIS-DAMMED-ROGUISH-WEAPON!!! To Asmodeus with it!!! I can't even REACH the bad guys with it!!! AND my spells keep failing!!! I'm gonna buy one greatsword tomorrow, now that I managed to get the money together! My pride is no more, for I was getting lost money on the floor today, but everyone myst begin low, they say. Tomorrow I will buy the greatsword I want and will THROW it in the head of those DAMMED goblins. They will taste my stell! And I will BLAST their corpses until I can't even see DUST!!! ARRRRRRGHHHH!!!

11th Day, Night
I can't believe it... First of all, I was a little angry about the shortsword... Well, I REALLY went to the shop and bought a greatsword, but also some nice clothes, because I thought that I was the only person in town that was using commoner clothes all the time, and some other aparatus. I REALLY went to the hills, cleaved some goblin scouts, and I REALLY threw the shortsword in the head of their shaman, before burning him with Burning Hands. I even skinned of of them and kept his ear. Call me weird, but that was relieving. I finaly won a fight, and I feel a little closer to the promise I made to my brother. I just think, however, that I must pray to the gods for what I have done. I just let myself go, and that was not honorable... I guess that I'll spend some days relaxing after that...

15th Day, Morning
Well, these were some nice days, until yesterday. I spent these days taking easy. I wandered around town a little to know some places and found a peasant girl near a lake. We talked for hours long, and I killed a kobold that tried to harm her. She was called Marlene, and did her daily chores while talking with me. She told me many interesting things about this city of Hlint, ans most funny of all, she taught me to cook a little. Well, I always liked to cook, mind you, but I can't say that I'm good at it. She taught me how to harvest barley, how to grind it into flour, and even gave me some ingredients and helped me make corn bread. Well, can't say that it was as good as the ones she made herself, but well, I liked that. I really think that I'll invest some time in that... I think that would be nice if in the night that a party rests in a dammed dungeon, the people could eat good food in place of that hard to swallow dried rations... Let's see if I can find some professional cook here in this town...
Well, talking about yesterday, I had just returned from the sewers smelling shit and fungus, gave a rat pelt to the fur trader and took a bath, and was walking in the town, a little tired, when I found an interesting person. it was a girl, with tight-fitting clothes, using a clock that would not let me see her face, and with...ahn...how could I say...wearing a "clothing-that-could-not-hide-her-breasts-so-vey-well". She was singing, and I sat to hear, when we begin to speak. I told her about me a little, and she introduced herself a Kinai, showing her face. She was a pretty girl with black hair, and had a cute voice to pair with that. She told me that she was a rogue, mind you! A rogue! I always wantes to meet a rogue! They can run in silence, hide in plain sight, kill faster than I can say "Bigby's Applauder Hand!", and well, she sang pretty well, was beautyfull AND cute! We talked for a little, and she offered herself to help me find that bat pelt. In the town she found some other people who would join us. There's a armored halfling that i think it's a cleric, a blue-cloaked man that isn't as funny as he thinks with those "I'm cold and serious" phrases, and a young fellow Wizard! I taught him my favorite spell, Bull's Strenght, and I think he will let me copy one of his spells. I think. Tomorrow we'll leave for tha woods, where Kinai thinks we will find Boars to get the pelts. I hope this will be good!

19th Day, Night
It wasn't. I was never so much humiliated. I don't want to speak about this, but I'm useless here. Now I realize that I need more experience before I can call myself a true Warrior-Mage. To begin with, I fought alongside them. Kinai was stronger than me! How could a cute anb pretty girl fight better than a WARRIOR? We went to those caves I went with Galan and there I was killed... Don't want to speak about that, but I did appear near that holy symbol in town... I found them again and they laughed at me. We found some spiders and I was useless. We continued in the woods, and fought many times together, Kinai always saying that she was not meant to be in front, and that blue-guy saying that the  warriors were not doing their job... Even the wizard started to ignore me... So I fought by their side in silence. I fought when I could, I ran when I couldn't. I tried my best, but they kept saying those things. These were the worst four days in my life. Okay, Kinai's a good girl, but she doesn't realize that she's humiliating me. The blue-guy realizes, and is doing on purpose. The young wizard finds that this is funny, since I can't do anything, and the halfling cleric is nicer; he heals me, talks to me, and don't make those jokes as Kinai make... She told me yesterday that I sould be more Mage OR Warrior. They don't realize that the two complement each other. Not even when I fight with sword and light the way, or when I fight a monster and cast a spell to help someone in the other side of the battlefield... They don't understand that I'm not as strong as they are!!! We found the "piggy-piggies", as Kinai would say, skinned them, found badgers and skinned them, and even enterede the goblin caves to find some bats. Kinai was happy. She killed them with little trouble, kept slashing them even as they were dead, and made fun of my familiar... When we got out of the caves I was relieved. We went to the city and I asked the young wizard about spells, and he wanted to "talk about price". PRICE? I taught him for free!!! Kinai lend me some gold for me to buy my certificate, but she was strange, saying that a tiefling -a demon!- would kill me for the money...I did not understand that... She then told me that she would get me better armor, that I would speak with the Count and all, and, hell, he wanted THREE THOUSAND GOLDEN PIECES for a piece of armor! I had only ELEVEN golden pieces in my pocket, and he was angry at that! He said that I made him lost his time and went away. Kinai looked at me with a bad face and went after him... We parted ways. I could not take those jokes anymore. I'll find a party that suffers as I do, or I'll even go adventure alone. It's not that I hate them. I like them. They saved my life. I just can't take the humiliation... I don't know if this is right, but I won't look for them again so soon. I'll become a good warrior-mage before that... I know that I don't need to be humiliated in a adventuring party... Nevermore!

[DiegoBastet]

22th Day, Night

I think that I made wrong conclusions about that blue-guy... I went to the crypts today, so maybe I could finally do SOMETHING, as the undertaker asked me some evil essence...and then, down there I found a pretty girl. man, I mean, pretty. She was an elven cleric, a little shy, maybe, but very beautyfull. I tought she was a fellow arcanist, but then I saw the truth, when she helped me. It's not like I was feeling useless, it's just that she spoke some words and then, puff, the zombies were gone. I did fight for her, for she was not strong enough to beat them. I guess that this is right: She is too beautyfull to spill blood on herself. Sara is her name. In the middle of the crypt, just appeared to us that blue guy from the other day, I can't remember his name, but now he was much nicer? I think that he was that nasty with me because of Kinai's influence... He seemed to be a good guy. I did well in the crypts, with two clerics, mind you, and fought what they could not. You know, now I'm feeling like a real adventurer, being GOOD at something. I came out of there covered in (my) blood, slime and smelling rotting flesh, but I'm happy. I wasn't useless.


31th Day, Morning

Gods, It's been some time since I last wrote here... I guess that this is because these last days were so full of things... I think that the people around here are somewhat crazy... In all those days I wandered a lot. I went to the goblin caves and found some ladies, can't remember the names, that were fighting the goblins. One seemed to be one those holy warriors, a Paladin, and the other was another rogue. Man, that was strange, for the rogue turned herself into a big monster. A Umber Hulk, mind you! Those giant insect-like aberrations that can confuse the mind of anyone and daze enemies with that chipping sound! Rogues ARE strange, and after Kinai, I'm weary. We beated the goblins, wich made me feel much better, for THIS TIME I had a reason to get his head!
Some other things happened in those days, as Marlene caught me polishing my new greatsword and talking to Ocali. We three spent a nice day together, while she spoke of her life and taught me this time to make some oils. I guess that this part of the life is just fun to live. Of a FULL basket of berries I only could made ONE bottle of juice! AND I stained my armor with that purple juice! Besides this little frustation -oh, what would be my life without a little frustation- it was a great day. She is a fine girl, with those pretty eyes... Hope to see her again soon, and it will be without the blood that was on my clothes...
Beside this, I wandered a lot, I took my vengeance on those DAMMED mercenaries, cleared that part of the road, and learned more about the geography of the place. Speaking of this, it was very interesting how I made my greatest trip since I came here. I was walking in the road, looking at the new design I hade remodeled my sword into, and a dwarf came to me. He said that the people were scared of me. I don't believe this! With this many adventurers running here and there and they were scared of ME? ME? C'mon... Well, anyway, he was a good man, or dwarf, I think that he called himself Stonebreaker or some kind of name like this, and I asked him where could I find a cougar pelt. Well, he said that he could take me there. Man... it was FAR. We went to outside the city and found a mage that agreed on going with us. I wanted the pelt, and the two wanted some ore that they could find in a nearby cave. We walked. AND walked. Man, I've never seen those places. We ran through hills and plains, taking some turns I could never remember would not I had marked the trees. We reached Leilon, and my, I had never seen such a big place. It ws beautyfull! Many houses, people, sounds and things to see. Too bad that my companions wanted to run through the place... We took boat then, and went to...Port....Hamp-something, and from there ...damn...from there we would go to a swamp, when they attacked. Giant Ants! Master Stonebreaker was farther away looking for footsteps, and four of them reached to me. Don't know where did they came. I remember hacking one of the dammed things head, and acid spilling on me. I fought, but they were many, and I was nearly devoured! I reached the city gates in time, and closed them behind me, but in the other side there was one of them, like in a nightmare... Maybe it was... There was blood everywhere, and I can't remember... But I think that it was not a dream, because I remember listening a "Wake ya lad" or something like that, and the cold stone floor on the point of my right hand's fingers... I...my head still hurt from that, but the next thing I remember was to find myself on the floor, blood all over me, my hand trying to reach my sword that was some feet away from me, and the sound of the ants dying on the other side of the gate... Master Stonebreaker came to me and prayed at my side, and used some magic to heal me. Another cleric, I think. We spent some hours until I could stop trembling, and he asked me to forgive him for his impatience of going too fast... After this we went to near Fort Valensk, and the two pointed me the cougars in the middle of the plants. Pretty creatures, those cougars, much like Ocali. It's good that I had not summoned her, or she would be sad of what we did. With the pelts, I parted ways with them. I was feeling uselles again, and this time that place was a little too much for me. Well, in Fort Valensk I found some good people that spoke of the place to me, including about a dead volcano near there, where the gems got together and simply lived, wandering around (I can atest that this is true, since I, obviously, went there to see by myself and could not even SCRATCH the golem-like creatures!). In this place too a man helped me with corn, and well, I made quite a good harvest! He told that I could go there if I wanted more, but I would need to divide with him what I harvested. Good for me, good for him!


33th Day, Night

Damn it. By Mephistopheles!!! I'll just NEVER fight a lizardman again! I'm stuck in the middle of this gods-forsaken swamp, hidding by this night from patrols and patrols of lizardman! I stopped bleeding just some minutes ago, as the frist aid in my leg started working. This hurts so much, and I can't even take out the arrow at my shoulder, since it did not passed to the other side. I know that I can't sleep, or I'm gonna wake with the mouth full of ants, and I know that I can't run to Fort Valensk, since they got two guards at the passage... They want my blood...damn... I'm cold, and can't light a fire, I don't carry trail rations, so I'm creating courage to eat this wolf meat raw, and I am really, really worried, as my vision is starting to blur. I hope that I don't fall unconscious... I don't want to die... By writing this I hope that I can keep my concentration... I'll swear now to myself, that if I get out of this one alive I'll donate ALL the money I have to some charity institution. I SWEAR. Please gods, allow me to live this night... Now I'll eat this bloody meat and hope the better...

[DiegoBastet]

34th Day, Night

It's done. The gods heard me. I'm safe. I was not eaten, and I did not wake up with my mouth full of ants. My shoulder still hurts a little, even after Jaspar healed me, nad I just gave all my money to a church. Well, that was wuite a sum, since I had exactly 895 trues in my bank account... Well, promisse is promise I think and a promise to the gods is a greater promise after all. Now I'll just sleep here outside the crafting house, using Ocali to warm me. I'm broken again, still feeling my shoulder, and still not believing how things turned, since a female paladin appeared on the swamps, killed the lizardmen and saved me, but I can say I'm happy. I'm on day with my honor, and this is pretty much. Guess I'll give the fur trader the cougar pelts I got and hope for some money... I don't want to eat grass anymore.


35th Day, Noon

You know, I think that I really made some mistakes... I spoke with Jaspar more today, and he taught me a faster way to Fort Valensk. We ran and fought griffons together, he healed me, helped me and all. We also spoke many things. He is a good man, cleric of the Lady Doom. I respect his goddess, for she has such a fine servant. He may have a sharp humor, but he's good man, pretty loyal friend... Speaking of this, we both have a strong opinion about that brat Kinai, and I really think that he's the onlye FRIEND I have in this place. I asked if I could call him friend, and he was happy to awser yes. I am not more alone, I have a good friend, and I'll defende him, anything that happens! I'm just happy that I'm writing this! Now I'm going to head to the lake and play with Ocali again once we get there. Well, sometimes I just have good days!


36th Day, Noon

I'm lost. I don't now how could I come here... I don't know. I was wandering around the city of Leilon, and someone jumped from the shadows and hit me in the head. When I woke up I was in this strange city, City on the Point, I think, and my money was gone... I only have three golden coins that I stored in my boots... I walked around here, but the people of this city aren't very accepting of newcomers, I think... I tried to walk around a little, but there's only a big forest outside here. I don't know where I am, I don't know how to get out of here, and a blue snake nearly ate me alive some hours ago... I guess that I will wait here by this Holy Symbol and hope that an adventurer pass here... If someone come I'll ask for help... Man...how can this always happen with me?


42th Day, Night

I'm weak... hungry. I don't know how could I fall this deep. I'm wandering in this city by all these days now, and the people think that I'm just another beggar. I woke up with some coins on my feet one of these days. I don't have money anymore, and I don't eat now for three days, only water... I did not see any adventurer here, and the local people don't help me. I'm weak and my hand's trembling, but I WON't steal. I could have stolen from some people around here, used my sword or magic to intimidate, but I'm no mugger! I won't take honest people money just because I'm hungry. I'm luckless, but I have honor! The casting of little tricks has got me some money, but not anymore. I'll... I don't know. I guess that now I'll just stay here. Am I to be confused with a beggar? Is this the way that I end my adventure? If someone don't come, I'll go to the forest and fight my way out of there. I WON'T eat trash!!!


45th Day, Night

I was saved. How can I begin...can't even remember everything... Well... No one came, so I went to the forest, as I wrote. I did well, until an arrow hit me in the chest. Looking around an elf was behind a tree, holding a bow and preparing another arrow. I did not had time to cast my defensive spell, and three more arrow hit me in the chest... I fell on the ground, and my vision was darkening. Can't believe how he did no kill me. Must have thought that I was gone already. I was dying, since everything was getting cold, but I did not let myself die. Guess that my willpower worked, since I just did not die. I was too weak, hungry, thristy, and my body was numb, so I waited. Don't know how much hours have passed. Time ceased to exist. I dreamed. I saw dragons, golden ones, flying in the sky, clashing with red dragons that had double the numbers. I was in the back of a dragon, holding a protective spell for him... I saw Ocali, and I saw also a lizardman grinning at me... Don't know when, I finally got myself up, and sttagered to town again. There I feel at the square, and started to rain. It was good to feel the rain on my chest, and I just tried to get myself alive a little more. Then she appeared. Lady Elohanna, an elven wizard. She healed me, spoke with me, gave me food, listened to my complains...she was good to me. I won't speak of this, since these memories hurt me, but I can say that I was at the death's door, but she caught me and brought me back... She gave me some passes for ship, and told me about some friend of her that make armor and things, and she even said that they could sell me something without me paying right there and paying another day... I'm just thankful... She invited me to go to ther house and choose something for me. There another good sir, Omer, another elf, helped me choosing something and even enchated my greatsword with lightning strike. Now here I am, with some little money in my pocket, in the Inn, preparing my spells and writing my diary, with an enchanted sword on my scabbard. I can't stop looking at it... I have a magic weapon! I am a true adventurer now! My enemies will taste enchanted steel and arcane might!!!
Speaking of this, I must find a wizard that casts in armor, as a friend of Kinai told me... If I even remembered his name, the Spellsword path would be closer...