Meditations of Cymeran Vrinn:

[AeonBlues]

My hands are clean yet unclean at the same time.  My hands glitter just a bit, from the residues of silver and topaz, gold and alexandrite.  Generally a bit brighter then now, as I just finished preparing healing potions in Az’atta’s temple.  The priests always harass me a bit about the “tainting of holy water,” but I just raise my arms up, inadvertently tossing sand on them.  They know by now that I am a dusty man.  Sand follows me everywhere I go.   The Sands of the Anuroch desert, walaaman, slips into my armor, binding with my cloths.  Sand chafes my legs until I cast a stone skin spell just to dispel the pain.  Sand bonds to my scalp, and falls from my head.  Sand is in the corner of my eyes.  I have spread the sands of the desert all over the world.  Everywhere I go, a bit of the Anuroch is left behind me, and thus a bit of Az’atta, for it is her spirit that I see in every grain of sand.

I look over the sea, the sky is covered with dust.  This dust, is not the kind of dust that I admire.  Where has Zanarith been?  She is always gone when I feel most alone, but then I never feel alone when she is near.  The dust.  For months now, this dust has covered the sky.  Even the walaaman grows strangely cold during the day, and strangely warm at night.  The dragons swarm and the undead rise.  Bloodstone is dead, but I no longer feel innocent and free.  I feel as if there is no escape from our future.  Like the first symptoms of a dreaded disease, I struggle to over come denial.  I feel enslaved by doubt.  

Reports reach my ears almost daily now of new undead outbreaks.  First I must say that I never met a zombie that I liked.  No mummy, no vampire, no skeleton, and especially no lich…  They all are cursed abominations which must be laid to rest.  Never have I felt remorse when slaying one of these beasts.  A morbid guilt covers me when I slay giants ogres and trolls, for theirs is possibly a soul which could have found redemption.  When I slay undead, I feel a certain sense of righteous joy.  The people of Layonara must be protected from these foul adversaries, and they shall find redemption at the end of my sword.  Zanarith was there when we destroyed Storan.  Zanarith was there when we fought against that horrific beast in the grey peaks.  He traveled with the fog, always the fog…  I must go into the fog…  I must find Zanarith…  I must also find Silverhand… Together we battle the never ending rise of death…  Every day, there are more mummies, more shades, more death…  The dust…  The world is dying around me…  I must not let the undead take over this world…  I must protect the living at all cost…

[AeonBlues]

Silverhand, Eredel, and my self have been eating Storan’s crypt for breakfast and dinner.   It is very good practice, as there is a wide variety of undead.  I love the feeling that courses through my body as I cast healing circles.  My ally’s wounds fade, as the mummies buckle under the divine power of Az’atta.  Eredel has a pixie that can open the locks.  This mostly works good.  Sometimes the pixie gets smashed and we end up not getting into Storan’s chamber.  We are talking of putting to gether a box of Storan rings, and auctioning them off for charity.

I truly feel that my calling in life is to be a great undead slayer.  It would be a great honor to both my church and to few good drow of this world.  I was able to speak briefly with Maev, and she said she would help me find a mentor for proper training.

Speaking of charity though…  Jennara Creakskipper approached me today and asked me if I could craft hundreds of fire enchantments.  Hundreds!  I have always felt shunned by her, and many others who work to benefit the needy.  I see this is as a great opportunity to both help protect the good people of Rodelm, and to share efforts with people who I have always respected from a distance.  Now Jennara has come up with a genius idea of using fire enchantments to make permanent torches to keep people warm.  Absolutely brilliant.  Makes me wonder if we can create sun towers, that would provide enough light for the farmers of our land to stave off all this dust.  I suppose this will keep me busy for a while.  I hope that many people will donate supplies and help gather materials for this order.  We will need thousands of bags of sand.  Hundreds of fire opals, lumps of coal, and bags of corn flour.  Oh, and wooden staffs, need those too.  Hundreds more bags of corn flour if we have to make them look good.  

I have been blessed with many great paths before my eyes.  I chose to walk them all.  How could I resist any of the great deeds which lie before me?

[AeonBlues]

I am a whirlwind of chaos.  A great sand storm surrounds me, and it feels so good.  My friend Silverhand is in the church of Toran.  This is good, as he offers another voice working to help me get the training I feel that I need.  It is hard communicating my calling to the Toranites.  Some have a hard time distinguishing between the Undead Slayer profession, and the Undead Hunter order with in their church.  No, I do not want to convert.  Az’atta is perfect for me, and my only desire is to bring glory to her name, and champion her beliefs, as her beliefs are my own.  Maybe I am mistaken though.  Perhaps if I slay enough undead, and have a strong enough desire, then Az’atta will bless me with the powers I need to defend the living people of Layonara from the undead.   Still, my friends Silverhand and Eredel are definitely on the same page as me.  When last we ventured, we cleared out the undead in Storan’s crypt before meeting up with members of the Crimson Shield.  We cleared out Storan’s and the Crypts in Krandor.  It was very educational to visit those crypts again.  I have not been there since that arrogant man Celgar gave Nepp and myself a guided tour.  It was very interesting to combat undead that fill the air with acid vapors, rather then the drain and rot types.  I think I will make small exertions there more often in the future, to better hone my skills.  I must be wary though, as Crimson Shield members are very powerful, and could make me overconfident when they are not around.

I also encountered my love Zanirth Nûr Drichtsarr.  She came strolling into Hint as if she had no care in the world.  She said she had been hiding out in Sielwood after the Velensk incident, where she adopted a black panther cub.  We partook in an expedition in the Haven Mines.  It was good to fight by her side once again.  I have not seen much of her since the fall of Pranzis.  I had been waiting for months to propose to her.  I tried to get her to go fishing with me, so we could find a nice private spot, but she would hear none of that.  So, when we got out of the Mines, I spoke to her in the drow tongue.  I explained to her that the silver topaz ring I made for her, was the first silver ring I ever made, and it was exceptional quality.  That when making this ring, it was my intention for it to be an engagement ring.  I just didn’t mention that part when I gave it to her, because I didn’t want her to feel over whelmed.  She was so nervous, she spoke back in the high elf language.  So there we were, surrounded by grimy adventures, who neither of us know very well, confirming our love and commitment to each other while speaking two different languages.  Cymeran Drichtsarr, I like the sound of that.

[AeonBlues]

I met with Zanarith, yay, and we traveled to Saudiria together.  “Just a cozy cabin for two.”  Was my last words before that stomach turning two week voyage to Hurn.  The waves were relentless.  In Saudiria I met up with a group of adventures who wanted to help a gypsy woman find her lost Mauler cat.  We sailed to a near by island, where we fought lizard men, and little pygmy people.  We negotiated a bit with their leader, and he allwowed us to venture through a waterfall where we met the cat, who was actually a sailor bewitched by the gypsy lady.  She was using a magical cloak to change inocent men into big cats.  I think she was a bit troubled in the mind, and had some relationship issues there, but that is just my opinion.  We saved the sailor, and confronted the gypsy, who ended up escaping.  She won't be using that cloak anymore though.....

Az'atta has blessed me with greater powers as a cleric.  I can concentrate my own holy symbols now.  I dug that old bone necklace out of a box, and concentrated it, so now I can finally where the durn thing in battle.  My new summons, the greater hound archon, is quite a bold fellow.  He cuts though mummy's with great speed.  As it turns out, he is trained as a paladin.  I suppose Az'atta does have a few paladins in her service.  You just have to be an outsider....  Actually I am still confused as to why all her outsiders lawful minded.  I am not complaining though, the archons are very good.  I study his tactics in battle.  He hits hard and often until his enemy is done for.  Not fancy but effective.

I met with Quantum Windword while entering the craft hall in Hint.  After some discussion he agreed to train me to be an undead slayer.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I was figuring to be lucky if he assigned the task to another slayer in the church of Toran, as he is a busy man.  My impression is that he is a kind and humble man.  A good example and role model for everyone to follow.  Most people get a bit big headed when they have as much power as he does.  He asked me to write up a letter detailing everything I know about undead.  I am guessing this is so he knows what he needs to teach me.  I look forward to my training with great anticipation..

**The following letter was dispatched to Quantum Windword via courier hawk**

General understanding of undead:  Undead are lifeless bodies and spirits which gain energy from the negative plain of existence.  The people who animate and summon these creatures are amoral at best.  All undead are damaged by positive or divine energy.  Spells like Searing light, Hammer of the gods, Healing Circle, Heal, and Cure wounds spells are very effective against undead.  So are vials of holy water and silver plated weapons.  Healing potions do not have the desired effect, though parts of undead are used in brewing them.  I believe this is because the necromatic aspect of a knuckle or tooth is used to bind the positive energy to the fluid.  It is the nature of positive energy to expand and disperse, while negative energy draws and consumes.

Undead types that I am familiar with:

Skeletons:  Animated bones.  Easy to turn.  Swords are not so effective with these, best bring a bashing weapon.

Zombies: Slow moving animated dead that still hold rotting flesh.  The attack with claws and sometimes weapons.  They are easy to turn, and swords work good on them.

Ghouls: These are quick agile, and smelly.  They claw, bite and spread disease.

Shades and Shadows:  These are undead which have been summoned from the plane of shadow.  They can be difficult to turn.  They are hard to hit, as they form is not entirely on the matierial plane.  They typically rob the living of energy from muscle tissue, making their opponents weak and crippling them.
Many can cast spells.

Bone Ogres: They offten reside in the Dire Woods cave, and look more dangerous then they are.

Bone Golem:  These are big, nasty hard hitting brutes.  They can take a beating, and dish it out too.  They also make an aura blast which causes fear.

Wraith:  This is incorporeal spirit..  They do not hit hard, but are hard to hit and drain energy from muscle tissue.

Zombie Lord: These undead cast spells, and attack with hand weapons.  They are slow moving.

Reverent:  I am not sure what these things were in life, some type of swashbuckler perhaps.  They are fast moving and hard hitting.  They attack with swords, and they take a lot of damage.

Bodak: They look like a variation of a shade.  They voice causes death to most that are not warded.  Though a really stout person can survive them.  Other then that, they are easy to destroy.  I harvest their teeth to make healing potions.

Storan's Defenders: Basically a skeleton soccer monk.

Mummy:  An ancient rotting form wrapped in bandages.  They are very strong, but slow moving.  They have an aura that causes fear.  They attack with claws, and spread disease.  I know they are resistant to iron swords, even ones with silver enchantments.  I am not certain what kind of metal, if any, works well on them, but fire brings them down very quickly

Lich: I learned from Ozy that these were once beings of great power.  To escape death they separate their souls from their bodies.  To destroy a lich, you have to find the item that it's soul is bound to, and destroy that also.  Otherwise the lich will regain form.  These being are extremely dangerous.  Besides being undead, they also have the power of their spells.  I understand that they are general psychotic.  I am not entirely certain if they can drain life or use death magic.  I just assume they do those things, and use proper wards.

Krandor Crypts:  I have only been in there a couple of times.  I not knowledgeable of these abomination.  They are skeleton like.  They resemble the storan's defenders.  They spew acid into the air.  Elemental shields are very important when venturing into the Krando crypts.

Vampires:  Quick, agile, strong, powerful undead, that feed on the blood of the living..  They are intelligent, and often exist in small packs.  I seem to remember Ozy saying something about these being difficult to permanently slay.  I can't remember exactly what it was....

More or less this represents my knowledge of undead in their various forms.  I am greatly eager to learn everything I can.  Consider me an empty vessel waiting to be filled.

Yours truly,

Cymeran Vrinn
Cleric of Az'atta

[AeonBlues]

I'm getting so tired.  Training, charity work, endless chores.  I have planned a spiritual retreat.  I am going to climb a distant, and mist covered mountain, where I shall meditate for, oh a couple months at least, on my life, the world I live on, and the virtues of Az'atta.  After this, I think I will find the gypsy camp where my mother resides, and pay her a visit.  I have not seen her since I was just 108 years old and the Dragon summoned me.

Recently I was able to train with Quantom Windword.  It was a very good lesson.  We traveled to the Krandor crypts and then to the dire woods.  In our company was Maev, and Sakura, who are both under Quantom's apprenticeship also.  While I go train in these places with just my greater hound archon as company, it was both inspiring and educational to see a true master at work.  Against the vile abomination that hordes ashes, he did something called a cleansing.  He someone sacrificed his health to destroy this accursed beast.  He said in time this is a skill I will acquire.  I imagine that appropriate timing on this one is of utmost importance.  He then led us to the dire woods, where I typically walk my doggy, and pick up dropped gold.  Had our group of seven or so stay put at the tree line, then he ran all over that section of the forest, rounding up all the wraiths, specters, and bone golems, to hoard them into us in one large mass.  Not offten do I expend a diamond dust to cast my undeath to death spell, but at the site of 50 or so undead coming at me, I made the sacrifice.  Everyone survived it, though I did have to cast a few healing spells to keep some of the young pups from falling in battle.  Quantom seemed a bit disappointed that he did not destroy more of the dead on this trip, but I am sure that is just a tribute to his excellent skills as a teacher.

Oh and speaking of undead slaying, I encountered an abomination that I have never encountered before.  I identified it as a bone Medusa.  I spotted it while coming out of the Berghan mountain cave.  I almost dropped it with a searing light spell, and then a brave dwarf in our party rushed up and finished the job.  I was singing praises to Az'atta that no one ended up becoming a statue.  On our way back to Velensk, we were ambushed by a party of Drow.  Since I was serving a brigade of mostly brownies and halflings, I did not stop to reason with them.  With out even a second thought, I dropped a hammer of the gods on the dark elves, and they were quickly slain.  I then was praying for their lost souls, when an invisible mage summoned a demon!  In retrospect that was kind of a stupid move on her part.  I used my special Az'atta training to turn the outsider, and then the mage was promptly added to the pile of dead dark elves.  Being the first time that I had encountered dark elves in combat, I was greatly sadden by the killing of my own people.

I led an expedition to the frost giant cave in Mist, which went well.  We gathered enough fire opals and coal for me to construct 25 of the ever lasting torches that Jenara Creakskipper has requested.  This was a lot of work, as my companions only helped dig enough sand for six of them.  The manticors almost killed me on my first treck though the desert, and I decided to let them keep the sand they guard so well.  There is lots of sand in the desert, I'll just avoid them next time.  I got tired of digging sand, and broke into my personal supply of crystal rods, allowing me to provide 5 torches of greater intensity.

I have had many good outing with my love Zanarith.  She has raised a fine black panther, which has a bit of an Oedipus complex.  After some tense interactions, and many pounds of fresh fish, he seems to like me well enough.  I am looking forward to the time when I return from my spiritual retreat, so that we can plan our wedding.

[AeonBlues]

I have been back from my spiritual retreat for several months now.  Since then I have been training very had to slay undead.  I clean the Krandor crypts atleast twice a week.  The first two chambers of Storan's also.  Recently I traveled with Silverhand and Eredel to slay vampires.  The Malar was more challenging then the vampires.  I have learned much on undead slaying since I began my training.  I can more offten then not clean the Krandor crypts without a summons.  I only wish I could find Quantum, but he seems to be a very busy man.  On the ocasions I have trained and spoken with him, he does seem impressed with my slaying skill.

I have also been very busy advancing my crafting skills.  I must have made a couple hundred platinum arrow heads, and now I can craft level 3 crystal rods.  I made a diamond fox ring, and have advanced my alchemy very nicely with all the black mushrooms I have harvested.

I suppose this is the life of an adventurer.  Endless chores, and constant training.

[AeonBlues]

Often I wish I ad been born a dwarf.  This is the inner voice in me, which is a grumpy, rude, brawling of cleric of Vorax.  Ahh, but that is not my role in life.  I love the dwarfs, their hearts are bigger then their heads, and this is the way people should be.

It seems there has been a lot of tension around drow as of late.  My good friend Nepp allegedly ordered his wolfy to attack.  I do not know, I was not there when it happens.  He denies these allegations.  This has cause an increase in racial tension, which I have moved quickly to counter balance.  While this is blowing over, I have my good plots brewing.  

This might annoy some people, but I am a cleric of Az'atta.  It is my duty to promote a good imagine of her name.  It is also my duty to protect and aid people when ever possible.  It is my duty to help the redemption of people who are struggling with with their hearts..  It is my duty to fill peoples hearts with love, because love caries our greatest power.  A power that no undead could ever have.  Fullfilling my duty has been a never ending struggle.  From he time my mother took me from the underdark, and raised me with gypsies, the surface people have given me no end of hatred and grief.  I have always wondered why they where the masks of their enemy.  I have spent my entire life on the surface. I have discovered that helping people breaks through this barrier without effort.  

It is my sacred journey to follow the path of Az'atta.  To be a shining example, that all drow are capable of following her steps.  We can all feel love, and break the chains and spikes, and hammers that fill our hearts with shame and scars.  We can all betray our masters and our gods.  If our masters and gods are evil, then to serve them is to be evil, and to betray them is to be good.  I say let all drow of this world know that this path is free and open to every drow.  

The path of Az'atta is a dangerous and difficult path.  When you start, everyone in the world, becomes your enemy.  The drow will hunt you, because they are clever and malicious.   The people will shun and ridicule you.  Even since I was summoned by the dragon, I was sneered at, puked on, insulted, and ignored.  I have even been threatened to be run out of town by a 300 pound barbarian, because I stepped on her boyfriends toes.  So, I follow in Az'atta's foot steps.  I provide protection and aid for others.  I do good deeds for others when ever possible.  Through my devotion to following Az'atta's trail, I have made many alies, and friends.  I have earned the respect of many common people, and even world leaders.  When the soul mother takes me, my goddess shall take me in her arms, and her trail will be a bit brighter and bit easier to follow.

[AeonBlues]

So there I was ,dieing.  Looking up at Storan standing over me.  In that moment I remembered Quantom's first lesson.  Be afraid.  Perhaps if I was afraid, I would have remembered that Storan was much more powerful then his minions.  Perhaps I would have remembered that he casts elemental spells.  Perhaps I would have even remembered that a searing light spell works much better then running up to him with a shield amulet on.

[AeonBlues]

We were in the great rift.  There was a ramp leading up, and Ael had led many giants and drow onto us.  Ael got separated, he was above the ramp, while the rest of us were on the bottom.  I did not see him fall, but I saw the soul mother come down like an explosion.    For a moment, I froze.  My first thought was, “We are all going to die.  Right here, right now.”  

It was in that moment that I remembered Quantom Windword's second lesson.  “Do not show you fear.  If you show your fear, then everyone will falter.”

I already had a battle tide, and a holy aura on me.  I knew I was going to have to heal everyone, so I cast my divine sanctuary spell.  The true blessing of Az'atta.  I think Wren was almost dead, so I cast heal on him.  I moved up the ramp.  About half way up, I realized that I was very close to falling myself.  I cast heal on myself, and then resurrected Ael.  I moved back down the ramp, cast Heal on Wren again, a Regeneration on Sahala, and then a couple of healing circles for Eredel and the rest of our party.  Ael was there with us, killing the last giant.

[AeonBlues]

*Cymeran Vrinn sends two copies of this letter by couirior hawk.  One address to Sallaron Tempest, and one to Zanirth Nûr Drichtsarr.*

I regret to inform you that the soul mother paid me her ninth visit.  This adventuring is risky business you know.
Let this be my official will.

I, Cymeran Vrinn, leave my Frindah'ls Battle Cleaver Axe to the Explorers guild.  All members of the guild who desire may partake in a contest of dice, to receive ownership of this axe.

My Bindings of Flight shall be given to my love Zanirth Nûr Drichtsarr.  I am so sorry that I was not able to full fill the commitment I made to you.

I wish to be buried with my Defender's banner, and my flag of Az'atta.

Cymeran Vrinn