Strong of Heart: Lilly's Tales

[osxmallard]

I have just arrived in the town of Hlint on Mistone.  It was a fairly uneventful boat trip from Point Harbor to Port Hampshire, then another short trip to Leilon.  Growing extremely tired of all the boat trips, I welcomed my arrival on dry land and stayed at a wonderful inn in Leilon.  The next morning I joined a small caravan which journeyed an additonal few days to Hlint.

After arriving, I purchased some much needed supplies with the few coin I still had at the shops and trade stalls in Hlint.  My old equipment was either misplaced by others or washed overboard during the trip, so I was forced to wear some old hide armor I still managed to hold onto and also had to replace my scimitar with a new one of copper.  I much preferred the iron one I had before, but iron weapons are so cost prohibitive they appear to not even sell them in the shops.  Eventually I will have to find a weapons maker to forge me a new one when I scrounge up the coin.

I met a wizard or sorcerer (even he appeared not to know) who was able to help me kill some rats in the sewers.  He said his name was Nehetsrev Llun and he awoke in a patch of scorched earth near a broken altar not too long ago... apparently he lost his memory in the blast.

There was a bard named Freldo who looked eerily similar to the man that rented me the room in Leilon.  I ran into him East of town killing lizards for fun.  He is very different than me since I do not kill for fun, but rather choose to kill to purge evil from the world.  After he was done killing lizards, he took me to the swamps and I met a witch named Jasmine who gave me a kind of nice bone necklace for giving her 20 knuckles.  I was originally saving the knuckles for healers in the town since you can sell a box for around 300 gold, but this necklace is probably worth about that anyway.

This really cute elf named Nyyanna helped me explore the crypts.  At one point, I was so injured that I just collapsed right there on the ground and she went to get help.  She returned a short while later with a cleric named Erik who had enough skill to patch me up enough to continue.

Luckily I was able to collect enough gold doing odd jobs for people around the town and scored a real nice set of copper chain mail from a man working armors in the Smitty that was a bit nicer than the hide I was carrying.  Obviously the hide was worth much less than I originally thought since the pawn broker was hard pressed to part with more than 1 coin for the entire set.  The armorer was named Kyle Pandorn and he spoke of a wife named Ferrit.  He told me to come back when I was ready to try out armor a bit heavier such as full plate and he would allow me to trade in this old set for a small discount on the next set that I need.

On my first few days I have met many fine people already, all working towards purging evil from the world.  I cannot wait to meet others and maybe I will meet someone that has the same love of the scimitar that I do.

[osxmallard]

I continue to meet many positive influences in my life and am very glad that I came to Hlint.

One of my closest companions has been Vladimir.  He speaks with a thick funny accent, but his spells are powerful and true.  They have helped me best enemies that I surely could not face alone.  Magic overall has been a good thing and many people here use it to their advantage for a variety of things.  Clerics seem to use their magics for two purposes, to heal and to harm.  They must feel a good deal of conflict in their spells, knowing they have the power to heal someone to life or wound them to death... I never see sorcerers studying books like wizards do.. they just seem to know what to do.. as if it was a natural ability to shoot fire out of your hands.

I have been studying the scimitar quite effectively and am becoming even better with it's use.  A namless man was kind enough to show me a better way to hold the weapon and use it in battle.  My strikes have become much deadlier.  I still have to heft the blade with both hands, but it helps me to concentrate on the blade when not having to worry about a shield.  I know that if I do not use the blade as both an offensive and defensive item then I will not survive.  It really gives me balance.  I like that.

Freldo turned out to be the same man that owns the inn.  He must be very well off owning his own inn in such a large city.  Funny he doesn't dress like he is well off.

I even learned how to conduct a spinning attack maneuver.  It's quite fancy, but doesn't seem to be overly effective.  Perhaps if I am able to put a little more power behind my attacks, it can truly be deadly.  Right now, I just seem to fall over when using it... it does work against the skeletons.  Must be because of their low density.  Surely that technique cannot work against something as large as an ogre.

The most excitement I have had was helping Ox-master Granvil search for some missing oxen and a stablehand.  The adventure took us below the barn in Hlint and into some massive tunnels under the city.  There were much more powerful orcs than the ones North of Hlint.  Some that used powerful magics.  After defeating them, we found the oxen to be roasted and the poor stablehand dead.  The orcs must have been collecting animals for quite some time since there were pack animals of all kinds, including a mule with little tiny chests on it, a boar which hauled quite a pack, and some sort of racoon looking thing.  After climbing out of the tunnels North of Hlint, they seemed to cave in on themselves, possibly crushing all of the oxen left below.  

// Dezza quest - Cattle Rustlers;  Descrip: Who's stealing Oxen from Hlint? Can you unravel the mystery? (7/11/06) //

Off to search for adventure.  There is evil to purge from the world.  I'm the halfling to do it.  I shall master the scimitar before returning to Lannisport, this I swear.

[osxmallard]

I found out the most wonderful news when fetching oil for Juanita in the gray peak mountains.  There is in fact a master of the scimitar and a mutual friend knows him!  This man's name is Steel. Krys said he would introduce me next time they travel together, which is quite often.  I am so excited I could throw up!

I also don't know why Freldo started the journey into the gray peaks, said he saw someone that he refused to travel with, and then immediately left.  He mentioned that he dated a witch once, but there was no sign of any witches about.  Was there an invisible traveller with us on the journey?  The whole situation was quite odd.  I will ask him about working at his inn... I could really use some room and board.

[osxmallard]

I have determined that I do not like red trolls.  The green ones are bareable... but the red ones and tattooed ones are things to be found only in nightmares and the swamps of Ajari.  I was swarmed by a lot of red trolls when travelling with my new friend, Wren and Freldo the bard.  I also have decided I prefer unarmored ogres to the ones that spew cold and missiles.  

Freldo it seems, has an insatiable appetite for topaz.  I can only imagine he either bathes in it or eats it... He took me to a cave North of Valensk to seek the gem and we were met with a force of ogres protecting a few veins.  Once I had slain all of the ogre, he thrust a chisel at me and merely said "chip".  He makes me carry it too.  I'm not a pack mule...  I'm a halfling!

My collecting has paid off nicely.  I was able to trade a box of aloe and 4000 coin for a full set of jewelry to make me stronger.  Then, to top it off I was able to trade a box of silk and three boxes of corn for a pair of red gloves and a necklace of shield.  I'm going to make eggs next, I hear it is absolutely ludicrous what people will pay.  Maybe a nice weapon enhancement isn't as out of reach as I thought.

I have met a few nice people.  I caught Berri staring at me the other day and politely smiled.  There is too much work to be done destroying evil, so I will attempt to parry his advances if he chooses to make them.  I need to find room and board... I'm asking Freldo if I can work at the inn.  He did say that I was quite the collector and he would pay me well for things he needs for the business.

My blade work continues to improve.  I even managed to kill a giant near the Dire Wood, but it was an arduous fight.  One I shall not choose to recreate in the near future.  Maybe after I ask Steel about the finer points of the scimitar.

Another happy day in Hlint.

[osxmallard]

*a few notes scrawled in an jumbled print, as if written hastily*

When I tell people it is time to leave somewhere, it is because it is time to leave somewhere.. not because Lilly is paranoid or Lilly is crazy.  People die when they don't listen to Lilly... and Lilly doesn't like getting dead very much either.  And bugbears don't like Lilly for killing their Captain anyway, so just leave when Lilly says so.

If Lilly tells people to stay in the passageway to fight things like ogres or giants, it is because Lilly doesn't like being surrounded by giants and punched repeatedly with their "stunning fists".  Stunning fists hurt Lilly a lot.  I am not a giant punching bag... I'm a halfling!

When Lilly says it isn't smart to fight 3 giants that punch while the witchdoctor giant stands safely well behind them and throws fireballs and flame arrows at you it is because Lilly doesn't like being barbequed.  A better method is to attract attention of non-fireball throwing giants, hide around corner of tent or rocks (or down hill), kill them all expeditiously, and safely wait for fireball giant to wander over and see why all his friends are already dead.  If fireball giant doesn't come over, maybe they weren't such good friends anyway.

Deserts are full of bad things like snakes, scorpions, manticore, and giants.  I don't care for the weather there either.  Not going back.  Sticking to forests... plenty of neat animals to kill there.  Have new passion for werewolf.  They're funny.

I feel bad about almost getting Vlad killed today.  However, I did learn a very important lesson - Forest Renders do not like mages.  At all.

*lets out a long sigh and closes her journal*

[osxmallard]

I met a new halfling that just arrived named Lyle.  He is searching for his great grandfather, also named Lyle, which he thinks lived in Hlint.  Apparently, his great grandmother bore a child from this man, and turned him away from shame or something.  Lyle doesn't really know more except he had some old journal entries written by his great grandmother.  Lyle is kind of... um... I don't know how to say this gently... a country mouse.  There, that was nice.  He doesn't seem to know much about cities and towns and grew up farming his whole life.  I will take him around as much as I can and show him the sights.  Oh, and he's a bard.  And he flatters me.  A lot.  Almost too much.  It makes him seem insincere, but at the same time it is really cute.

We searched for clues in the sewers and read through the tax records of Hlint.  We only found a book full of numbers and codes, no names.  After exhausitng that, we searched the crypts for a burial plot of his great grandfather but it turned up empty even after bribing the undertaker of Hlint with a vial of darksoul essence.  Perhaps there are more clues in the goblin caves or immediate areas surrounding Hlint.

-----

Other things I learned today, by Lilly.

*  Perfect party size for troll hunting is 5:  Lilly, bard, cleric, fighter, and caster.
*  Normal party size for troll hunting is 2:  Lilly, whoever Lilly can convince to go with her.
*  Bards that lose invisibility when surrounded by red trolls get killed real quick.
*  Lilly's that try to protect said bard get killed real quick too.
*  Lilly can outrun trolls but half giant friend, Growls, cannot.
*  Lilly doesn't like running very much.
*  Trolls must not like running either, because when they finally catch you, they beat you to death.
*  Clerics are way cheaper than potions.  Just have to put up with their religious talk, but it's free.
*  Harpies make you do funny things when they sing.  Today one made me fight him with a gem chisel and he still lost.  Har!  Perhaps I can become a weapon master: gem chisel.
*  Having one blue mage breathe cold on you hurts a lot.  Having two do it at the same time: real bad.
*  Lilly can outrun armored ogres but halfling friend, Lyle, cannot.
*  Freldo still thinks Lilly is a pack mule.
*  Amulets made of copper with a feldspar set in it are Lilly's new favorite thing to wear.
*  One of these amulets cost 2000 coin and half a box of corn.
*  Weapon enhancements cost 4500 for the lesser model and 13000 for one a little better.
*  You need an iron weapon to hit werewolves hard enough to kill them.  The werewolves seem to be able to absorb about 50% of the expected damage from copper ones.  Hitting werewolves with a copper weapon only makes them real mad at Lilly but does not kill them.  Mad werewolves bite hard.
*  The canteens they sell in town are complete junk.  Three leakers so far.  Must write to manufacturer.
*  Stag beetles have bad attitudes when you try to chop down their oak trees.  Their spider friends aren't too much better.  Treants really like their aloe.
*  Lilly really likes it on Mistone.

[osxmallard]

Well, life goes on and all that too. Turns out Lyle is a pretty sincere fellow and I am really beginning to like the guy. He is so sweet to my no matter what situtation we find ourselves in and he flatters me with praise every moment, even after going back to his grave following death. He is real amazing.

Let's see, I bought that nice weapons enhancement for my copper scimitar from a drow named Cym. Cost me 4000 for the second power one since I went without getting a visual effect to show the blade was cold. I know it's cold. Things I hit with it definitely know it's cold. Noone else needs to see it or think about it. Besides, I like knowing when the blade is enhanced with fire.

I traded a nice woman named Kat and a man named Jharl a half box of corn and 2000 coin for a new shield amulet. So now I have two. I think the perfect amount would be three... so I will be looking for one more.

I met an elf named Rodlin and he sold me an oak shortbow like the one I got for Kit, only a lot better. I'm glad Kit got the not so nice one and I have this fine piece of work... it's literally art. I do appreciate the nice helmet Kit gave me and the things it does, but she still got an oak bow and should be happy with it regardless. He told me I could come back and trade it in if I ever wanted something nicer like mahogany or yew, but that doesn't really interest me right now... I just need this nice oak one.

Went to mine some alexandrite. I sell them for 100 a piece now. I used to get 125 for them, but 100 is a nice round number and more importantly, one that Freldo is willing to pay. He was talking to a bunch of people today and ignored me when I gave him the last batch. He owes me 800 for them... and I have a lot of topaz, amethyst, and feldspar on me as well... I will catch him later and make the sale. I almost have enough coin to buy that nice iron scimitar I saw on the posting boards at the inn. I'd love an iron weapon right now. I'd even buy an iron one with a rod of the second power already applied if I could find a nice used one for around 4000. I'll keep looking.

I've been to the Dragon Islands and had some really close run in's with death. Died once in a cave of minotaur. You see, there are these big armor plated steer looking things that breathe this petrification gas. When you breathe it in the wrong way your flesh turns right to stone. It's like stoneskin, except all of your insides get it too. It's right nasty. So, you have to stand there, all petrified and stuff while these big armored cows poke you with their horns. A halfling can only take so much poking from a big armor plated steer looking thing before you just give up and die. That gas is so powerful even the minotaur shaman I was running to beat on was standing right there petrified with us. It was a sight to behold. I wonder if he killed those armored cows when he became unpetrified.

Poor Lyle. I must be responsible for about 4 of his deaths. And that was just today. Anything with the word Isles or Islands in it is somewhere I shouldn't be taking him.

I met Steel. He is a man of few words. In fact, a man of no words. He just grunts and points and motions for you to do stuff. And he's kind of scary, so you usually just do it. Krys translated for me at first since they have travelled together a lot, but over the past few weeks I have caught right on... pretty much where Steel points, I just follow. Works fine. Just being with him has really helped me watch a master of the scimitar. Even picked up a few pointers to work into my own style. Steel, Krys, and myself are becoming quite the formidable team. I love travelling with them.

Things I learned, by Lilly:
* I would rather walk across an entire continent then splurge and spend 300 coin to use a portal.
* I cannot fight 2 Angry Treants, 2 Gorgons, and an Owlbear simultaneously with any success.
* Stand clear when Lyle decides to cast any spells.
* I plan to personally wipe a species off the map and by the time I am done hunting them, Dire Bears will be extinct.
* They discriminate against halflings at the Freelancers. I am filing a complaint with whoever cares.

[osxmallard]

Lyle is such a goof.  He's always making up songs and singing them at the weirdest times.  But, he's my goof.  His arrowmaking and my smelting are coming along nicely and I have made it to the point where I cannot possibly learn anything from bronze and have instead switched to iron.  I think he will take up instrument crafting since all he has now is an old looking mandolin.  It would be real nice if he could make some instruments for himself.

The only problem with collecting the iron ore is that I cannot safely harvest it on my own (those ogres are mean!) and need to gather a group to assist with the mining.  Usually finding a group to dive the mines is not a real hassle since there are many adventurers that wish to go there, but the tactics and methods some groups use are not wise.  It doesn't take a genius, since I am certainly not one, to know that it is better to stand at a doorway and let one or two ogres through at a time to meet their deaths than to charge into the center of the room (or even on the other side of the doorway), and allow the ogres to surround you.  There is an exception to this rule... I met this half giant named Gunther and he can run out in the middle of the room all he wants.  Wow, he hits those ogres hard.  They really hate him.

Turns out Freldo is a wanted man in Pranzis so he ignored me for a reason.  I'm still not happy about it, but it's fine since I don't need him getting imprisoned or killed.  So, when we went to Pranzis he had to wear this awful disquise and pretend to be a fellow named Wilson.  The only thing worse than the outfit he was wearing was the phony accent and lisp that he used when talking to people on the streets.  Anyway, he apologized and everything is all good now.

He gave me a key to his room and let's me stay in this nice corner with comfy pillows and a privacy screen.  He said the man that used to live in the room had a halfling friend that stayed there and it was her corner.  I still think it's weird that a halfling and a human would date, but who am I to question love.  Maybe someday I can meet this halfling and ask her why she was in love with a human and lived in his room.  Speaking of which, after I told Lyle that I stayed there, he accused me of being in love with Freldo.  I almost laughed myself to death when I explained that I would not love a human, and if I ever did, it wouldn't be Freldo!

Collecting resources is still a lucrative form of income.  I am mainly dealing in gems, ore, silk and aloe since they seem to be in the highest demand.  I was feeding chickens for a while, but with the amount of corn just one chicken can pack away, it's not really worth the hassle for 3000 coin.  Plus, with the amount of competition for the amount of corn that grows on Mistone, it makes the task even more tedious.  Sapphires net a good profit, but it takes a high amount of risk and a sufficiently sizable party to get to the gems past all the heavy calvary that guard them.  If I find a suitable group of adventurers, we will face the calvary and get the sapphire.  Until then, I find it much easier to get past the kobalds that guard the alexandrite, so I will continue making sales of that gem as I gather them in the caves.  I'll keep pack muling til it quits paying.

With all of the money I have been making from my sales and travels I was able to purchase another lion bag (7000 gp), a third shield amulet (box of aloe and 500 gp), that nice iron scimitar (7000 gp), 2 cougar bags (box of eggs), and a special courier box (box of eggs).  I also traded 6 platinum ingots, 19 silver nuggets, and some bronze to a crafter for a nice set of bronze full plate armor.  It's fit is much nicer than the copper I was wearing and I feel bladed weapons sometimes sliding off more often than the copper plate.  The only disadvantage to the armor is that it weighs about 20% more, however I feel the added protection is very much worth the encumberance.

I went on a dangerous expedition into the Battle Fens near Velensk to mine some rare platinum ore.  The trolls there are quite a bit more hardy than their cousins in the Ajari swamps and require much better planning in order to defeat.  After losing our half giant, Grawls,  to a shaman near the cave we wished to explore, we reorganized, made a solid plan and regrouped, entered the cave and successfully mined until we couldn't carry a single nugget more.  We beamed at our success.

The next day, I travelled with a guild called the Crimson Shield.  They went to dangerous places on Mistone to help some adventurers, including me, complete tasks that require a group.  We faced a undead leader named Storan, recovered ashes for little Nicky, and retreived an eyestalk for the Witch of Seilwood.  Quite a night of adventure and danger.

I will keep on smelting so Lyle can make his arrowheads and chopping wood so he can make his arrows and bolts.  He gave me some really nice bronze ones made with stirge feather tails.  I am afraid to put them in my quiver since they are so nicely made and look very valuable.

[osxmallard]

* Lilly sits quietly huddled in an apparently deserted back room of a cave deep under the desert of Anuroch, carefully sharpening her blade and checking that her armor is ready to absorb some serious damage.  She pulls out her journal to scribe a few notes. *

Well, this is going to be fun.  Guess it wasn't too wise to be seperated from the group that wanted to mine this cave... I can hear the giants moving around in the passages and rooms all around me.  My only hope is if I catch these fellows off guard maybe they won't know who or what hit them and I can make my escape towards Saudiria.  What I wouldn't give for a nice bed and a good nights rest at the Phoenix right now...

* She quickly crouches down behind a spire and watches a giant stroll by, oblivious to her presence. *

That was too close.  No time like the present.  Better strike while the iron is hot so to speak.

* With that she shuts her journal, slides it back into the nice pouch from which it came and cautiously approaches her first victim with her scimitar drawn. *

C'mere big fella...

[osxmallard]

Escaping the desert was quite an adventure in itself.  Glad it has passed.

I have stayed away from the lands of Dragar and have focused my exploration efforts into the lands and nearby islands of Mistone.  There are many islands a short boat ride away from Mistone... leaving the port of Leilon one may sail to the barbarian isles, the land of ice and snow to find some wonderous caverns made completely of ice, as if carved from a single piece by a great artisan.  These caverns hold many treasures desired by the craftsman of Mistone and I am more than happy to collect them.

These adventures have not come without a great cost, however.  Deciding against my better judgement, a decision I have since regretted with all of my heart, I took a small party to harvest a gem used in the creation of heal potions and cold enhancements.  I knew we would face fierce calvary warriors and that only a truly prepared crew would survive their attacks and cunning ways.  Having entered the cavern to find the gem, some party members refused to listen and take my guidance and direction.  Once the cleric travelling with us decided to go solo on us and become quickly overwhelmed, I made the decision to leave.  Informing my party of my intentions to depart with Lyle, I assumed they would follow, knowing that their ranks would not be able to continue deeper into the cavern.  However they did not and their screams of anguish forced me to return.  There were many dead when I arrived at the bottom of the cave... there was nothing I could do for them... it was far too late.  The evidence that the soul mother was there was more than evident on the faces of the few survivors.

The dragon isles also continue to intrigue.  With all the talk that Lyle does about dragons, I figured he'd feel right at home over there and should take him with me on some future expeditions.  A large group I was travelling with explored many caves including one with were creatures and another with drow imprisoning lizardfolk.  We tried to free the lizardfolk after slaying the drow but they refused to come with us to safety.  I can only hope they came to their senses and snuck away after we departed, but captivity has a strange effect on the body and perhaps they remain there, prisoners of their minds.

I have been helping Lyle with his crafting and harvesting fine woods for his instrument making as well as continuing to collect ore for my smelting practice.  I hope to soon start selling ingots of fine metals rather than nuggets.  The finest metal I can smelt with relative success has been silver, although I only make about 6 out of every 10 ingots I attempt.  The success rate with the lesser metals are perfect and I can learn no more from creating them.  Iron is darn near perfect and I rarely fail.  With gold I make about 8 out of 10, so that's probably what I need to keep practicing with for now... well, that or platinum.  For platinum I need a hearty crew to assist with the mining.  In the past I have found giving up my share of the coin collected from the trolls has allowed me to keep a larger portion of the platinum nuggets and smelt the entire lot.

For purchases, that set of resistances has finally arrived and I put them on my rings and gloves.  We got a really good deal since me and Wren went in and ordered 2 sets, one for each of us.  Each set wound up being 11000 coin, a slight discount from the 13000 a set I expected to pay.  I sold my worn copper armor to a dwarf I met named Ke Koa for 1000.  It's better than letting it set on my ox waiting for it to rust.

I cannot wait to get together with Vlad and check out that dungeon West of Haven.  He seemed very excited about something inside.

[osxmallard]

I have been working on my smelting quite extensively and am able to smelt silver with a low chance of failure.  Perhaps all of the nuggets and ingots I have stored can be traded away for some things that I still need.

I saw something unlike I had ever seen before in the topaz cave outside of Saudiria.  In a back room of a cave where I was removing some alexandrite, there was an open door.  Unliking the unknown, I stepped inside... and nearly lost my mind.  Oh, and my life.  Blue dragons do not like when you poke your head into their lair... so I did what any normal halfling would do... ran like heck.  And I didn't look back.

Safely inside the silver mines, the ground began to shake.  Fearing a cave in, I ran all the way to Saudiria to find out what was going on and to see if the locals had any information about the earthquake.  The pawn broker stated that the dragon tended to burrow under the caves and frequently the ground would move when she did...

With that said, another place is added to the list of places Lilly doesn't like to go...

Caves near Saudiria
Mountains West of Fort Hope
Broken Halls
Where the humongous scorpions are
Ruins of Madness
Bugbear Island
Singing Forest
Tauren Hills
Swamp of Lost Souls
Broken Forest

[osxmallard]

It has been a long time since I have written.

I have been adventuring quite a bit lately and really working hard on my smelting and weapons making.  I sold a bunch of iron weapons to some people that commissioned me to create some fine works and found the extra coin to finally be worth the effort I have applied to the craft.  I just started making adamantium weapons and have a fairly good chance at making the smaller ones and about a 50/50 chance of making something of medium size or larger.

Lyle is doing quite well in his instrument crafting and is becoming a recognizable name for new bards looking for instruments.  I collected a bit more mahogany for him and I do hope he is able to make a set of matching violins for us soon.

----

What the heck was I thinking when I agreed to this?  I was sold at a slave auction today in Olist Orbinn to a drow patriarch.  I am not sure who he is or what he does, but he has a very large house and it doesn't look like there is any easy way to escape.  The guards looks very organized and capable as fighters.  I think I see acid on their blades.  Two others were sold in our attempt to get into this city for something Lia is after... I do not even have a good idea of what that may be... yet I agreed to this.  I will get my head examined at the earliest opportunity.  I am not sure why I trusted Mith.

Ralinda and Rhynn are down here somewhere also sold into slavery... the maze of caverns was immense when they brought me here, yet I am coherent and may be able to find my way back if I escape.  The problem is that I have no equipment at all and have no real means to fight my way out.  I'd kill myself and hopefully I would reform at the bindstone, but that is the cowards way out and I know they will come back for me.  Any minute now I will hear their voices at the door, or the sound of blades piercing drow as they valiantly come and get us out of here.. I just know it.  If not -- I shall plot my escape.

Here comes the slavemaster.  She appears to be a fairly delicate woman... I would be able to easily overpower her.  I will bathe and dress as they requested and play along with this for now.  Being a slave can't be all that bad.  Is that a collar?  Ouch.. it is very tight and there is some sort of needle on the inside edge.

----

Collar tight.
Poison?
Memory fading.
Where am I?
Don't touch collar.
Lock?
Serve in kitchen.
Time to cook.

[osxmallard]

Time has no meaning in the underdark.  I could have been here for days, months, or even years now.  Days flow into one another like molten metal forming hazy but brief memories in my subconcious.  I will never get out of here alive...

A guard has shown a liking to me...  If I traded away my dignity and show him affection would he take off this collar and help me escape to the surface?  I long to see the sun... even a glimpse of it through the overcast skies would be better than the darkness slowly consuming my soul and my will to live.

My body is growing weaker.  I welcome death.  End this servitude.

[osxmallard]

We are out.  Free of the underdark and Lesnar.

Time in captivity was over a month.  My bruises from the beatings and cruelty from the drow will slowly fade.  What they did to my heart and soul will always remain.  I feel withdrawn from the world, a shadow of what I was before.  Rawkwin tells me not to blame Mith... Ralinda and myself wish him dead.  But, it is also our fault for agreeing to the plan in the first place... it is his fault for coming up with the plan and then not returning for us immediately.  Rhynn obvisously escaped earlier.. she claimed the collar killed her.  The dose was only enough to control us and make us sick... if the drow wanted us dead they could have killed us at any time.

The only good drow is a dead one... and even that is questionable.

[osxmallard]

Lillian searches for the small metal item in her packs and slips her key in the front door of the Leilon Arms.  The lock turns freely and she lets out a small sigh of relief.  Pushing the door open and dragging her gear, she ascends the stairs hoping to find Freldo at home.

However the room is cold and dark, reminding her of somewhere she has been recently.  A fire is made, the flint sparking the tinder, filling the room with a sudden burst of light.  Discarding her armor in a heap and tossing her slave robes into the fire, she watches them burn to ashes.  She looks at her corner of pillows and then at the inviting bed, deciding on the latter.  As quickly as the fire burns it turns to embers and she buries herself under the feather-filled bedspread.

She softly whispers to noone, "You better come home soon Freldo.  I miss you my friend."

With that, she cries herself to sleep, her sobbing echoing off the darkness in the room.  The inn remains calm.  She is still alone.

[osxmallard]

Once again Lillian returns to find the inn cold and dark, it's heart and soul missing.

She carefully places an adamantium rapier, forged by her own hands, into his personal chest near the foot of the bed.  I hope this serves you well someday.  Choking back a tear she climbs into his bed and buries herself under the covers.

I saw you a few days ago... and today Yard spoke of a trial... and a possible execution.  What did you get yourself into?  The way he spoke, I don't have a chance of getting to you and freeing you from the prison which holds you.  I would fight the guards.  The many thousands of them.  I would.  If there is no hope and I need to stand by and watch you die, I shall take claim of your body.  You will be raised by the highest clerics I can find.  Safely we.. I mean you... can start a new life somewhere.  Away from here.  Away from this inn and the problems and things that come with it... a new beginning.  This was never ou.. your home.  

I also do not care if I should not love a human and should not want one as my betrothed.  I love you.  I always have.  I always will.  And I shall die ensuring you live long enough to love me in return.

[osxmallard]

Freldo is safe.  For that I am glad.
My friends are all well.  For that I am glad.
I continuously have to avoid or lie to Lyle.  That breaks my heart.

I have spoken to Treana at great depths the weight that rests on my shoulders.  She has told me to tell him the truth, but I will not.  I cannot.  I travelled to the temple of Corath in Arabel, the shadiest place that I knew of to confirm my worst fears.  Although the cleric would not commit and validate my fears without conducting additional 'tests', he had a great deal of certainty in his voice when he told me of my fate.

Captivity does terrible things to the mind.  It makes you go insane with the waiting and longing for freedom.  Any hope to escape becomes a shining beacon of faith... a way out of the hell.  Perhaps I saw that beacon in the dark face of the guard.  It was for naught.  Just a week after, I was rescued.  I am faced with a horrific decsion now.  One that could change me for the worst.

[osxmallard]

Daralith and Bakee.  Everyone I travel with always asks why I travel anywhere with Daralith.  I always have to say that it's just business.  But somehow in my heart I do not believe it is...  he is a follower of Baraeon Ca'Duz.  Bakee follows Pyrtechon.  Certainly not the folks a semi-faithful follower of Deliar would want to be associated with on a daily basis.

Perhaps it is the loss I am feeling from the memories of people I no longer encounter.  It started after captivity.  Lyle drifted away and is probably in search of his grandfather somewhere.  Freldo has gone back to the halfling villages to relax and take some time off.  Again.  I despise my old village of Lannisport.  They never respected me there.  It's why I wrecked the inn that day.  I felt a burning desire to kill that waitress as she stood.  Perhaps that was the start of these feelings.

I collected the ears of drow after I escap... was rescued.  I threw the strand of drow ear into the lava of firesteep on a recent journey so that I would not feel the hatred inside me bubble up and overflow.

I am a good person and help others when they have need.  I collect things for them. I lead them into dangers and bring them back alive.  These are things I want to do and it fills me with some semblance of accomplishment.  I want to start living life to it's fullest for myself.

[osxmallard]

*blows a thick coat of dust off her journal, hearing the spine crack as she opens it*

Has it really been 4 years since I touched this book?  So much has happened.

I am beginning to take Daralith's advice to heart.  I checked in the temple of Brandeback to speak with an elder.  Their philosophy seems to directly correlate to what I am feeling as a person.  Why shouldn't I be able to take what I deserve from those I find evil?  If they are weaker than I, then I should be able to take it.  Take what I want.  It is just so much in conflict from what I have done all of my life.  But they are evil... so... shouldn't I be able to take it?  It isn't as if I am taking from those that have none... or those that are good. *sighs*

I told Lyle I would marry him.  Been avoiding him ever since by keeping my travels where I can't possibly run into him on Belinara.  I essentially live at Fort Miritrix now, an unknown face by most that pass through.  I join groups of adventurers as they come up and invite me along.  I guess they see some good worth in my blade.  I certainly know the quality of people able to make it to Miritrix is certainly high enough to travel with.  There are many epic heros of Layonara I have met that way and really enjoy seeing the Birdman and Miss Reventage.  They are most impressive and always awe me with their sheer presence.

I have gladly taken on an apprentice.  Her name is Peanut.  No real self worth, always putting herself down.  Hardest thing to train out of a lass.  She looks very like me, might even mistake her as a sister if I had one.  She carries a scimitar like mine, so I gave her the first trial.  The easy one to start the training.  The same one that dwarf miserably failed.  I wonder what happened to him anyway.  Told her to collect me 5 mushrooms, one of every color except white.  Speaking with her, she has no idea what she is really in for... she may even quit the training process.  If so, then maybe I was never meant to teach... or she was never meant to be my study.  We shall see.

Freldo is still Freldo.  Been helping finance and keep him supplied for crafting.  Seems to get most everything on his own now with the exception of some larger quantities of ore.  Even set myself up a room at his place at 107 Hlint so I can duck in and duck out from time to time.  Just trying to keep out of Ranewin's way when she is home as well.

[osxmallard]

Frabo quietly counts out the last of the items, looking at Lillian approvingly.

"Three hundred and twenty seven thousand, Miss Dartforth.  Quite a nice donation for the temple and in honor of Deliar", she says quietly, handing Lillian a small receipt.

"Thank you Frabo, I've always admired the temple's beauty.  Be well in all that you do", Lillian replies before pulling up her hood and heading back out into the night.

A worn mithril scimitar dangles lifelessly at her side, gently tapping against her cloak in the warm summer rains.  Port Hempstead sparkles with a fresh air, the streets muddled by large puddles throughout the center of town.  People are unaware of her as she quietly departs on the roads leading towards Fort Wayfare.

The old lock clicks effortlessly in the cavern, the massive door swings open widely, exposing the hall to the dampness in the small entrance void.  She slowly walks inside, lighting small sconces as she goes, breathing life back into the great halls and suddenly bringing back the great memories of those that built the fine structure underneath the hill in Fort Wayfare.  Running her fingers over the armors and weaponry standing idle in their holders, a flood of emotions overcomes her and she feels her tears flowing freely.

"I miss you all", she says to noone inparticular, "We did so much when we were younger, and perhaps more reckless."

"Riley, my knight in shining armor, you weren't bad for a Toranite."

"Dorax, crafter of my first blade, how I miss your chuckle and constant bickering with Rodlin."

"Esimon, I wonder if you died as you lived, under the rubble casting spells as easily as speaking someone's name."

"Doc, so young and foolish, but so brave and caring."

"Miss Firith, one of the only Dark Elves I'd ever trust."

"Glenn, one of the finest bowmen I have ever known.  I miss you greatly, along with Miss Silool."

"Kavil, I know you still have some life left in you.  And Rodlin... oh Rodlin, you'll never die.  And that's a good thing."

Eventually the tears subside, her memories return to their small urns inside her head, and she quietly sleeps in peace.