Vesath Morgandai

[eddiecoyote]

I've wanted to finally get something brewed, all I needed was some hops.  Where would I get hops?
  I cast invisibility on myself and out I went, roaming around and looking for hops.  Near  Port Hampshire I met a small goblin, or halfling, or gnome... I'm unsure really what he was... he was dressed in armor and had cast bark skin on himself.  I watched him cast a series of protective spells on himself and then charge toward a nest of giant ants.  As he was fighting them, I decided to send out some magic missles and rays of frost and such... help even things out.   After the short-lived fight he told me where I could find hops...
  ... on Rilarra.  Specifically near a village called Stone.
  I boarded my ship and sailed off for hops.  After much wandering I found the village and collected my hops.  While I was here I decided to look around.  I found a statue of a minotour, an odd gravestone inside a pentagram, and the Druid of Wolfwood.  I looked at the stags in the forest and wanted some of the meat, yet the druid's warning hung in my mind and I didn't want to incur her wrath.
  I found some Rakasha, just as time around me stopped.  What the!!!!!  As I came to, I was being targeted by a fireball.  I somehow began to run away, but made it into the path of another Rakasha who cast a confusion spell on me.  It paused me for just long enough for another fireball to come and blast me. (OOC... server crash... came back without inviso or spell shields and in the middle of it all)
  Blast!  I do not like what happened... and I want to go back and take care of  those cat men.

[eddiecoyote]

I must say, Rilarra is filled with nasty things!  After the odd warping of reality on my last visit, tricks of the gods it seems (more reason not to trust them) I spend some time in study and reflection.  I had some hops, and the rest of the ingredients for some Black Knight Ale.  I only had enough for one shot at making it... and with baited breath... PRESTO... ale.  In jubilation I ran out into the street and gave a bottle to the first person I met!
  Now I needed more ingredients... and it seemed that Rilarra was the place to go again.
  I took my time this trip.  Instead of merely running around wherever, I took notes and took notice of the stars for direction.  I've got a rudimentary map of the continent so far, but not all the areas are represented.  Thanks to the aid of many invisible spells I've mapped out the location of many useful resources, including some pipeweed, apples, and pears.  But I couldn't find the grapes!  I looked high and low, in mountains and swamps, and could not find any grapes.  I did find some demons in the mountains, several camps of Blood's warriors, and an odd race of humans that are... let's see... what does it say in the library book... pygmies.  Hmmm... odd.
  I learned a few lessons... one, the large animals outside of Blood Gate (to the south east) that resemble large lizards, can either see invisibility, or smell me, or sense my heat.  Either way, I was attacked and killed by one, yet was able to walk around a demonic looking fellow in the mountains easily enough.  Second lesson is that scarecrows are amazingly quick!  I underestimated their quickness and paid the price.  I must not do so again.
  This is good wine. *takes a sip of home-made wine*
  Oh yes, my wine.  Well, I continued to search high and low for grapes.  The trip from Hlist to Rilarra to visit a gravestone, TWICE, while encumbered left much to be desired.  Thanks to a polymorph spell and the strength of an umberhulk, I was able to speed up my trip to a near eternity.
  I found a portal to a place called misty wood, or forest of mists, or whatever... it is amazing that I can remember a continual light spell!  I've found walnuts and almonds and cranberries... but no cherries and no hazlenuts thus far.
  I made it all the way to the eastern edge of the continent...a long and dangerous trek, and went into the swamps on the edge... no grapes.  I came back and was going to stay in an inn and rest up for a second go at the continent, looking for hidden trails and passes that I might have missed... when I saw a sign that said "temple of Xeen".  Now, I've never met a priestess of Xeen before, but I've heard that they are quite enchanting and that they sometimes carry some wine with them.  The thought was to ask them where some grapes were. 
  And lo and behold... there were grapes growing all over the temple!  I paused to think if it was right to take grapes from the temple... but there wasn't anyone around... and, well... aren't Xeenites supposed to be about spreading happiness?  Sure, why not... they wouldn't mind if I took some grapes... right?
  Back to Hlint... a long and tiring journey.  But straight to the brewery and at work, I was too excited to stop.  I had ony enough for one shot at making will-o-wisp whiskey... and I managed to make it on one try!  I also made eight bottles of wine, and another four bottles of Black Knight Ale. 
  My jubilation was ended, however, when I stepped outside to share in my glory and met a some people talking about the Leilon Arms Story Teller's Night.  I mentioned that I had been once, long ago, and was told about it by Ayla.  I also noted how this was my first batch of ale, wine, and whiskey and that it was Ayla who told me about the barley field and how to get started long ago when I first made it to town.  That was when I was told that Ayla was taken by the Soul Mother.
  I have no words for this... I am at a loss.  The world lost a wonderful, warm, person when it lost Ayla.  It was she who helped me defeat the Rat Man and get my feet on the ground when I arrived in Hlint.  I will miss Ayla.
  I passed out my four bottles of Will-O-Wisp Whiskey and we all had a toast in honor of Ayla.  It was a good batch and I got tipsy.  I hope that Ayla is watching from somewhere and laughing.
  Now... I am interested in crafting some magic wands and such.  A wizard must have a proper staff!  Alnusa has offered to build me one... and I will probably take him up on it, but I also want to build my own as well.  It felt good to get out and roam about with a purpose.  I've not felt this good in months!

[eddiecoyote]

hmm... a nice spot to sit near Haven... atop the hill overlooking the small pond.  A bottle of wine and my thoughts.
  I told someone today that I was wanting to make as many friends as possible, and depend on a few as possible.  Pandora is prowling the grounds below the hill right now.  I trust her, large black panther, hunter that she is.  I trust her with my life.  But she is all.  I've seen what trust gets you... killed.  Keep a haste spell and invisibility ready and when the wind changes, take off.
  No, not quite.  I've stuck my neck out for others and have helped those new to this land.  Side thougth, who is bringing all of us to this land?  Is it the dragon god?  If so, do the gods really act within our lives?  Then why allow my family to be killed by marauding orcs? 
  More wine.... yes... this was worth the trip to Rilarra.  I will have to set some aside and let it age.
  At one end of Mistone I've seen a sort of meeting place for Lucindites.  At the other end I've seen a crafting area for Lucindites.  I hear the name being called out from time to time.  I don't call out the name and I am managing to learn the ways of the weave... god or no god.  Yet, there is strength in numbers and perhaps joining this organization would help me gain strength.  I've seen the growing numbers of Blood's men on Rilarra and there have been attacks on Mistone already.  I need more magic!  Instead of spending my time on crafting beer, I need to be crafting wands!
  But what of this group?  Can I join a group for the lessons to be learned and the safety in numbers it affords and still maintain my freedom from the shackles of some god that doesn't care?  No, wait, this would mean that I would have to trust the others in the group.  No... not quite... aren't there groups of evil men that manage to band together and accomplish goals?  Are they towers of trust themselves?  I think not.
  More wine...
  I've met the Soul Mother, what is it, three times already.. I do not want to meet her again.  Yet if I do not grow in power before Blood arrives on this shore in full force, then I shall surely meet her when i am completely dead.  Or worse yet, I could become an undead in some crypt.
  I must be feeling the wine... I can't keep a single thought in my head.
  Where would I find some Amethyst at?  I've heard the Haven mines.  Yet my repeated attempts at infilitrating the killing the head chief there have met with failure.  I am told this is where Ayla fell as well.  What chance have I got in mining amethyst down there?  I wonder if Pandora has found a deer yet?  What about tailoring... I need some robes that hide me a bit better from the eyes of archers.  Bloody archers... I can't seem to escape their attention.  Of course a large fireball careening through the air, crashing in on their comrades does tend to grab one's attention.  *grin*
  More wine... oh, empty bottle.  Good thing I've got six more!  Ha!
  I wonder what is at the top of the mountains near Blood Gate.  Or what was in all the caves that I've encountered.  Surely there is some Feldspar or Amethyst in them somewhere.
  And what of Blood?  I haven't seen any blood pools... but I did see a nymph and fell in love with her!  But she wasn't interested me in one bit.  Life as a tree wouldnt' be that bad, would it?

[eddiecoyote]

Well, it just goes to show that stupid creatures can get you too!  I'm reminded of my encounters with goblins... but this time it was ogres.
  I've heard of where I can find some Amethyst and so off I go.  I've been in those mines before and I know the dangers.  Outside there was a small party that appeared as though they just exited.  They were ruffed up a bit and had that grave, ominous stare about them.  No jokes here!  When they found out I was going inside the mines, alone, they thought me mad and warned me as one warns a child about playing with a dog that bites.  I paid their warnings of doom no mind and cast invisibility on myself and off I went.
  Inside I finally found some amethyst.  The problem was that it was surrounded by several ogres.  I had thought about this prior to departing and had  memorized my spells accordingly.  I could have gone offensive, but since I really didn't know what the resistance would be, I went to another tactic... slight of hand.
  I cast summon animal and this really grabbed the ogres attention.  I instructed the animal to follow me and off we went, with ogres in tow.  I did this a few times and managed to get them away from the site of the minerals.  I then came and posted a guard and mined until I was severely encumbered.  I really am quite weak. 
  Thank goodness for polymorph self!  An umber hulk is quite strong and I had no problem carrying the weight.  Back to Hlint I went... no... wrong way.  I had started off the wrong direction and had to turn around.  As I entered a room I saw an ogre step into a narrow tunnel between chambers.  He then stood there.  I waited and waited and waited and tried and tried and tried and tried to squeeze through.  An umber hulk and an ogre will not fit in such a small passage.  My last invisibility spell was about to run out soon and I was still two levels deep!  I was engraged at the poor luck and the ignorant beast in my way!  Just as my spell began to fade, I lashed out at the ogre and killed him, and the one behind him, and took off running as fast as an umber hulk could run.  I was eventually caught by a group of ogres and beaten to death.
  Dim witted bastiges.
  I really really really need to improve my strength!

[eddiecoyote]

I came upon two adventuring lads, a human and a dwarf.  Really nice chaps save their need to rush into overwhelming odds in battle.  They were both on their way to gravestones in the Red Light caves.  Alnusa had showed up and wanted to go, and so off we went. 
  I buffered myself pretty well and memorized some fireballs for the trip.  Inside we managed to get to the grave stones with no problem and they wanted to continue.  Alnusa and I wanted to return to the surface. The two decided that the odds weren't that bad and continued down, and eventually one died, the other rushing out with a goblin behind him as I was outside the cave chatting with someone.  An invisibility on the two and I told them that they would be able to get to their graves.
  Azaria came by with Talon, who then sold me a pipe.  JOY!  Now I must make another trip to Rilarra for more pipeweed.  Alnusa showed again, and then the converstation turned to something about their trading company, how they needed a mage, it was good I was a brewer, and Alnusa petitioned for me to join, Talon was business-like, and Azaria showed off her fearsome helmet with horns. 
  It sounds good.  It appears as though everyone works and draws on the work of others, while providing work of the same, but yet where they all might work together for something, I didn't see where they all depended on each other for something.  I am a bit slow to trust, though perhaps deep down inside I'm aching to do so.  Maybe this is why I'm so friendly.  I don't know.
  Anyway, Alnusa and I went to look at the warehouse and then at the house in the grove, and then to Hlint where he made me a neat staff.  I wonder if I can figure out how to add a spell to it, much like my wand of burning hands that someone gave to me, though I forget who and when.
  I took out one gem and managed to make, on my first try, cut Amethyst, and then on my first try I made fine amethyst.  The chances of success were pretty low and I was amazed that I managed it!  I then went to Moraken's tower and had two attempts at making a daze gem.  I failed on the first try but succeeded on the second.  I am now the proud owner of a gem of daze, one use.  I suppose this is how I start out and eventually I'll be able to place charges on staves and such.

[eddiecoyote]

Groan.  I cannot believe the smugness, the insanity, the shallowness... I am in shock!
  I find a message on the board in the Wild Surge Inn about how Stone has fallen to Blood's goons.  I have recently discovered Stone in my searches for ale ingredients.  I was just there!  I hurried off to see the damage for myself.  Along the way I met the usual lot, accomplished adventurers who are happy prancing about in their reputation, talking to anyone who might do something as though they were a child.  It's my life, I'll take my own risks thank you.  No, no, don't go to Stone, it is dangerous and some creatures can see invisibility.  As if a wizard wouldn't know that little fact.  Besides, i've come across creatures that can see me just fine when I am cloaked... gargoyles and earth gliders being two. 
  Ignoring the prophets of doom and gloom, I go to Rilarra and then to Stone.  Before I even get there I find Belgear Hills the scene of a big battle.  There are fires everywhere, a siege engine on the hilltop, and an impaled body.  I found two gravestones also.  I could not get the impaled body off of the pike, nor was I able to burn it off.  I had to leave the descecration be.
  I went into Stone and found it deserted.  I was expecting an army of demons.  Instead I found the tree in the courtyard had been burned, acid raining from the sky, cows and chickens roaming around, and the temple to Beyrl, who whoever it is, blocked by stone.  I investigated Sunspear Castle and found no sign of attack.  I also investigated the immediate surroundings of Stone and found no demons. 
  I went back to Hlint and told who I could find.  Those I told happened to be the survivors of the battle and they were very tired and wounded.  I was weary also from my quick and long voyage, so I got a room and went to sleep.  When I awoke I found a note calling for aid to retake Stone, followed by messages of the same prancing heroes, telling how we must think about the issues here, that taking Stone would accomplish nothing, and to basically concede the slaughter.
  I do not care about the gods.  They've not been there for me, and they continue to ignore the pleas of dying people.  If anyone is going to help the people on Rilarra... and eventually Mistone and the rest of the world, it will have to be us.  US!  We are going to have to get off of our butts and do something... we cannot await for some mytery army or savior to come and fix everything... and there are no other causes that need to be looked at.  People were killed... period.
  I look around and listen and watch for the call from the paladins in their righteous glory to combat this evil deed.  I look for the guards, for the people, and most of all for the self stylized pompoustacracy to put their collective monies where their mouths are and show me their power.
  My faith in people have been building as of late, with the generosity of Alnusa, Azaria, and Talon in welcoming me into their circle.  But the actions of many of the heroic adventurers in crying about how dangerous Blood is and "don't do that... it 's dangerous" show me how one can only truly trust nobody to be there for you when you need it. 
  Should anyone doubt me, I'll direct them to whoever might still be alive within the temple at Stone, awaiting for rescue and food.  It's their downfall that they must depend on others to come to their aid, for aid is not coming.
  Instead we must study the problem and be careful.

[eddiecoyote]

It has been a long, long week and I am positively tired.  Perhaps I should look for a wagon to travel by...
  I've discovered that sharks, those big nasty fish with teeth that swim around in the waters off the coast of Dregar, are easily slipped by whilst invisible, but when you take pop shots at them with magic missle and fireball, they become attuned to your scent and invisibility latter on does not suffice for safety.  Oh well... you die and learn.
  So I've found that there is a rather large town of open housing available in, where was it again... Praxis?  Wherever the temple to Toran is located on Dregar.  There is some really nice archetecture there and I was particularly interested in the tower on the island.  That one, unfortunately, was already bought.  I've placed a note on the board in the Wild Surge to find roommates to purchase a house.
  MilAnna met me in Hlint and suggested we go hunt ogres.  I sensed she was anxious for adventure.  Since I need gold, and I harbor a grudge against ogres (and goblins, and now assasin vines.... more on this later), and I need the gold for a house, I agreed to come.  Silool, overhearing us, joined us and managed to up our party by inviting Dax along as well.  We harassed the ogres in Haven mines a bit, met Kutayai in the mines, and headed out after finding much resistance to our efforts.  We then chose to seek out the ogres guarding topaz in a cave near Dire Wood. 
  Along the way there was trouble.  Why?  Griffons.  I say... they are more problems than anything else I've ever encountered.   Why?  Not because of they themselves... for they are easily handled or avoided by any but the greenest of adventurer, but because whenever I am part of any party, there is always one that would rather see griffons alive than people live.  Perhaps this is an overstatement, but I've seen people stand by while the griffons attack them, saying "they don't mean any harm".  Whatever floats your barge.
  Such was the case with Kutayai.  I hope I spell her name correct, I cannot spell elvish names well.  Kutayai became quite angry when others attacked the offending griffons.  It was the griffons that attacked first, not us.  Kutayai was furious and took out her anger on the rest of us, who were defending each other, saying that the road went through the griffon's nesting area, that they were there before the road.  It seems to me that the griffons are stupid creatures if they have a nest in a busy area (lots of traffic of merchants and such on this road) and have to expend more time defending their nest than searching for food... unless of course they win their fights by killing most of the merchants that pass that way, which of course would seem obvious to me, but not Kutayai and other greenies like her, that the griffons should be forcibly removed!
  Anyway, Silool doesn't want to deal with the wackiness of it all and leaves the party.  I try to follow, but she is a nimble minx and I was unable to keep up.  So I returned with the party.  MilAnna and I were left by Ku and Dax who apparently went to Fort Velensk.  We entered the Battle Fens to follow, but MilAnna took a wrong turn and ran right into a party of lizard men.  I tried to get to her to cast invisibility on her, but wasn't fast enough.  They chased her out and killed her on the doorsteps of Velensk.  MilAnna returned to the gravesite, but it seemed prudent that she not follow us into the caves as she was too slow.
  Now, on to something funny.
  There were now three of us, Dax, Ku, and myself, and we were in the outskirts of the Dire Wood.  We had skimmed around some roving dwarven mercenaries and were sitting in a circle, going over our plans.  A summoned wolf that I had, had picked a fight with some nearby dire badgers.  Not wanting to start another hissy fit from Kutayai about the natural world and all (aren't we all part of the natural world?) I immediately unsummoned the wolf.  The now angered badgers came rushing down the hill.  Kutuyai managed to calm one of them, but not the other two, and the chase was on.  Two badgers chasing her all around the hill, with one friendly one chasing her, apparently wanting to be petted or something.  I just stood by and laughed and laughed and laughed.
  The amount of resistance inside the caves was more than we anticpated and we departed soon after.  We travelled back toward Hlint but disbanded near Krandor.  While there, alone, I polymorphed into a troll.  I've killed the assasin vines that inhabit the area of the wood before, easily enough, but I wanted to test out this troll form, how strong was it, how much regeneration would I feel, etc... stuff you don't read about in the books of the library.  Seems that vines are a good defense against trolls as I was quickly overwhelmed.  I ran out of the vines but instead of running away and using better tactics and spells... I continued to fight in troll form.  I thought I had a reasonable chance at beating them.  I believe I did kill one of them, but the vines got me again and I was unable to get out.  Dead... by a vine.  How smart is that?

[eddiecoyote]

In being a lone wizard I've had to do what I can to learn what I can.  Brewing was easy to get into.  But after a while it was a distraction and I was spending more time finding ingredients and trying new brews than anything else.  When a party assembled in Hlint and left, I had already tried two bottles of new brew.  Tyrian asked me to go, but was disappointed in my behavior.

what happened to me?  I had become jaded with the heroes of the world, the lack of influence by the good gods, and there was only me.  Her words stung.  So I left and immediately changed my robes, and bought books on alchemy and enchantments.  I then began to travel the world to find what I needed for a weapon enhancement.  After much work I made my first one, a flame enchantment for my staff.

But something curious happened.  While searching for a cave that was rumored to have the fire agates in it, I came upon two people.  Creighton and Tyrian, the same two people that offered a spot for me on an expedition to the Haven Mines, now was unaware of who I was (that drunk they encountered earlier).  We were spotted by a giant who chased us out.  Creighton and I realized that Tyrian was behind and both of us went back in to her rescue.  Creigton fell and I stayed with Tyrian while he returned.  It seemed like the right thing to do.  I was not honest in telling them I was the same drunk that they encountered a few days earlier... I was starting a new lease on life.

Part of this lease in life was trying to go out with groups of people.  Trust... it's hard to do.  It is easier to go out alone... I know where I stand and what my limits are.  Yet with others one must learn limits and such.  I was always doing too much at the wrong time or too little at the right time.  Timing is important in group combat... much much more so for wizards than for mere fighters who simply sling a sword and trust in armor.  I can start a long spell casting where I started with a clear target but by the time I finish two fighters have charged into a group of five giants.  Must all fighters charge so?  Can't they let the fight come to us while mages lob spells overhead?

Myself and another young mage joined an expedition of four experienced veterans who went deep into the Behegast Mountains.  I expressed my unnease with group settings and they were accomadating, allowing the other mage and myself to get involved.  It felt great and if this is a sign of what adventuring is like in a group then my appetite is whetted for more.

Note to self... be on the lookot for boots of speed.