Corba's Little Black Book

[Honora]

Wrenklin is doing slightly better.  Galen and Theo arrived yesterday, the lovely people of Stone are letting us stay in some temple rooms.  Galen and I consulted on his healing and I showed him how I'm "unraveling" the threads of the Weave snarled around his being.  I will draft a letter to send to the temple to Aeridin in North Point, this falls into their territory too.  At least Wrenklin's pain has eased a little.  This will be a long task.

I must write down what I remember of what happened with the old golum.  

Oh dear, Theo's dropped the salve...remember to write about Gilderad and Rhemus, self!

[Honora]

A long trip and a tiring one, for myself and my family who waited.  Galen did excellent work on Wrenklin while I was gone and his suffering has visibly eased.  It will take longer than I thought, however.  The learning though, the ability to see how the Weave is actually a part of a person - the weaving of it back into form - I'm glad I'm taking notes on this.  The Fallan Gis might want to know, if I can find anyone from there.  The halls at Spellgard are busier than ever but where are the teachers of the Gis?

Theo has just gone to sleep as I write, on my lap, and the cramp in my hand from stretching to the table is worth every moment of pain.  I was gone too long and he's too young for that yet.  He's delighted most of the gnomes here (although not all, it must be said).  He's curious and manifesting quite a talent in our Lady's power which pleases Galen to no end.  He's quite powerful with the elements already as if the waves in my tea and the bursts of flame in the fireplace weren't evidence enough.

I'm dancing around my subject here.  Galen was glad to see me but is gone now, angry, more angry than I've ever seen him.  I told him how we spoke with Lady Emberblade.  And all he could say was "A dragon?  You spoke to a dragon?  You walked right up?  What if she had killed you!?"

I know some of his anger is love but it shook me.  My pursuit into Gimbol and our meeting with him also frightened and angered him.  I told him Storold had the matter well in hand, neutralizing every spell Gimbol threw with arrogant ease, but still.  It's dangerous and I am the mother of a small boy and his wife.

Perhaps, hopefully, the repair of the machine will not be so controversial...or potentially deadly.

For my part, I fully intend to return to the Lady Emberblade and keep our promise to tell her the full tale.  I asked Miss Acacea to teach me how to better tell a story, and I should thank Miss Ferrit a dozen more times for thinking of that.  She probably saved us but I get the feeling she does that quite often.  Such a competent woman!

Until a safe place is found to tinker with the SEARCH, however, I am here, tending to my family and Wrenklin and finding out I really do like the gnomish people, bless them...but not so much their cooking.  I think it's time to make a batch of cookies.

[Honora]

I've learned more recently about Lucinda's gift than I have in all my years of living.  How magic links into a mesh, and how it can snarl and twist.  How one gnome in the middle of Lady-knows-what kind of magical explosion can have his very essence unhinged.  I sit in front of him on an interesting device the gnomes have invented to speed their work - a chair with wheels!  I rotate around him from time to time, with my hands just a hair above his pulpy flesh, coaxing and pushing the links of magic back together in what I hope is the right configuration.  Never have I had such an opportunity to actually touch a being - the spark, it seems, of the soul.  Perhaps we are all magical beings in some way.  I'm not sure.

But I am almost sure of what I felt just before I returned to the group and we recovered the SEARCH.  I have put off writing about it.  I was unwinding a snarled strand, following it as I put it right, and linking it to the next...in writing this I realize how strange it sounds.  But not stranger than touching a strand that seemed to pull away.  It "felt" near his heart, and I tried to follow it but could not.  It was bent, this chain, this strand.  Bent is the only work I can use - like chain with links open in many places.  But it was strong and intrigued me and so I followed and felt a hugeness...a blackness and an emptiness that was terrifying.  It went beyond him and toward this.

I have no idea if what I felt was real or a byproduct of spending so much time in touch with one man's Weave.  It shook me, and I stopped then and left the next day.  For I think I touched a soul strand.  I certainly am not sure, but it was frightening.  And...exciting.  What was it?  I don't know enough to know and I have never done anything this intricate before but I even as I fear it I want to know more.

Wrenklin is doing much better and this is going to be a long slow process, it's best to give him time to rest between treatments.  At least that's what I tell myself as I rest from a few hours of piecing together the SEARCH.  Galen has just about forgiven me for the Lady Emberblade incident...I suppose I should wait to tell him I'm going to have to go back.

Now where in the Lady's name is Emwonk going?  What wardens?  I'd better check my wards.

[Honora]

We have reassembled, tested, and used the SEARCH.  Gimbol has been confronted and driven back, once again by Acacea's song.  The salt guardian has been returned to Ezlab.  It was the most difficult fight so far and perhaps one of the more satisfying since we seem to have a direction now.

I am home, holding Theo as I write this so if anyone is reading forgive the handwriting.  Tonight I will be coming together with Acacea and Emwonk to try to put Wrenklin right.  

I can't do it alone.  I felt I could, and I have done some good.  But if he is to be saved and restored whole in Lucinda's mesh I need help.  I trust my friends can help me - Acacea's knowledge of the Weave, and Emwonk's abilities will tip the balance.  And maybe...maybe I can figure out what that strand was if it does not hurt Wrenklin.  I can't wait, regardless our combined power will help help him greatly.  Perhaps he'll be able to talk with ease, or even take a few steps!

I am excited as well because my Lady has blessed me with more power.  I know I am on the right course.  And the Protector Storold gave me a gift to enhance my powers further, Star Mage bless him.  We had a lovely chat near Stormhaven the other day where I brought him up to date on the elemental investigation.

I have found my time in Stone relaxing and friendly, and developed a whole new appreciation of Beryl and her followers.  I see now why her Perfection and my Lady get along so well!  I might pursue an apartment here, I can see us visiting frequently.

Thank you Lady of Spells, for all your inspiration and guidance and love.  Thank you for my husband, and our family in your faith.

[Honora]

Men.  MEN!  A minor emergency with Theo, merely a broken wrist and children do that to themselves from time to time.  Boy child, tree, climbing, falling, breaking.  How many children did I heal in Spellgard?

I do appreciate that he got me word, but with the Gimbol mystery nearing some sort of conclusion and a Wrenklin visit in the works, it angered me to have to go home.

I feel shame for that.  This quest to restore Ezlab is consuming me.  When did being with my family become a burden on my time?  I'm lucky Galen is a wonderful and understanding father to Theo.  

Nevertheless, I missed the rebuilding of the SEARCH.  Thankfully, Emwonk was there for the whole thing and is now the expert at the machine.  I was able to copy notes for the use of it, and I'm very glad that Wrenklin was able to help us.  I have sent him a thank you note and I promised Theo we'd go back and visit when Gimbol is safely apprehended.  Or dead.

In the meantime, I have to think on what I've done.  I sang to a smoke guardian last night.  Or rather, I TRIED to sing to it.  I'm quite sure that what it (and the rest of the group) heard was not melodious at all.  Lucinda forgive me, I'm no bard.  Yet after I thought I'd failed, and we sent the guardian away, Emwonk was able to detect a shard of Ezlab in me.  At least we hope it is - they say I can sing the song now as Acacea does but I cannot hear it when I sing.  How odd...perhaps only a musician or someone attuned to music can feel it?

We tried to lure Gimbol back to use the new portion of the machine to trap him and he hurt us, badly, and killed Emwonk again.  I do fear that my friend is flirting too much with the Soul Mother and I worry about him.

But we did manage I think to bring him closer.  So, building on that, when we call what we hope will be the next guardian, the mages and clerics will combine powers to focus on Gimbol and target him without the need to see him.  His Weave signature is as bright and familiar to us now as a bonfire and his Weave lines radiate that elemental energy he's absorbed.  A downside to being so cocky and evil.  I think I could follow his Weave path in my sleep now.

Lucinda my Lady, forgive this obsessed and angry servant of yours.  I can't let this go.  It's...personal now.  He must be brought to your Church and made to answer for what he's done.  Thankfully, the group seems to agree this is the best path as Jennara points out, we have no proof that he's broken any secular law.  But to you, my Lady?  He is an abomination.

I will pray now.

[Honora]

I've slept for almost 12 hours.  I'll pick up where I left off - obsessed and angry.  Well, the Lady blesses me and those poisons have left my soul.  I am more thankful than ever that She gave me the epiphany I needed looking at Gimbol's sad, naked, broken form...pity, after all this time.

We defeated him.  Everyone played their part and we truly came together to remove his ill-gained powers.  The poor SEARCH though...did not survive the attempt.  I do believe Emwonk cried, the poor dear.  He was so proud of himself, and well he should have been.  He's certainly stretched himself and his abilities on this chase.  I took recognizable bits of the SEARCH and put them on leather strips for everyone.  Emwonk, I gave the lever to activate Gimbol's draining.  I kept the power dial for myself and am wearing it now.

Acacea called into herself the pieces of Ezlabeth that appeared.  What an effort...all of the Weave sensitive pulling, pulling, pulling the threads of Ezlabeth with the SEARCH's help.  The weapon experts fighting everything that Gimbol tried to throw at us...dear Krysthalien throwing himself into the vortex surrounding Gimbol to try to subdue him...poor Peanut getting tossed a mile when trying to help.  We all put forth our very best effort and I have never been prouder to stand with people of that quality.

Acacea says Ezlabeth has the power now to call the last few bits of herself, so the SEARCH is no longer needed.  Everyone is resting, however.  And Emwonk was almost sent to the Soul Mother again.  I believe we'll be in camp for a bit until recovery is finished.

But as for epiphany, looking down at Gimbol I could only remember over and over how I would have stopped at nothing for the very result I was experiencing.  Staring at him, defeated and exposed.  And in a flash I could sympathize with him...his obsession with gaining power, stopping at nothing to have more.  We were both caught in the grip.  Perhaps I had the moral edge - at least to me I did.  But our methods and motives were not so different.

His mind is broken from the SEARCH pulling from him all of Ezlabeth.  He has not woken and I do not believe he will for a very long time, if ever.  He's carefully covered and bound and I understand the group has agreed to take him to Spellgard for trial, if applicable, and keeping.  I will take an active hand in learning more about him I think.  And helping Arthur get his school active again if he wishes.  He can use our house, if Galen agrees.  A magic school in our home!  I'd like that!

I've sent notice to Galen that I will be home soon.  And when I come home, I will not be distant or pacing, waiting to leave again.  I owe him so much...

[Honora]

We're so excited!  We're working on the back room, and Arthur is very interested in starting up his University again.  This time, however, he'll have Galen and myself to help teach and no Gimbols running around misusing the Weave.  

Although Theo might come close sometimes.  And if you read this, my beloved son, you are NOT FORGIVEN for setting the bookcase on fire and get back to cleaning the lawn or you'll be grounded for a week!

There is so much to do...permits...schedules, materials, and more permits.  I'm not sure if Lor has to give permissions or the folks at the Castle?

So much to do!