Ni'haer Helvivirr - Journal of a Charlatan

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[INDENT][SIZE=32]The Journal of a Charlatan [/SIZE]

Journal Entry Number One  
 
Translated Into Common  
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[SIZE=13][INDENT]Only the cunning survive within the treacherous walls of Eilndar – wherein treachery takes form within the minds of each individual, conniving and scheming at every step to achieve more power. In terms of deception and manipulation, House Helvivirr claims higher ground for controlling half the territory through well performed and well executed subterfuge. Although, when the need is dire, relentless savagery is always a determining factor in order to obtain victory within the confines of the Dark Elf society.

My name is Ni’haer Helvivirr, son of Phaeryl Helvivirr and Vasriia Helvivirr; I am born of nobility in a world wherein even family members are vying for more power and control.  Born into a house that used trickery and deceit more often than direct hostility to meet its goals, and trained in the basic necessities to survive; as some would say, “A weak Dark Elf is better off dead.” My father had high expectations of me for his future plans; frankly, I beg to differ, I refuse to be his puppet, and I have other plans for myself. He taught me that the pursuit of dominion can only be achieved at the expense of others and not yourself; the lower races as well as your kin are tools for which you can consolidate and expand your control over others. Growing up in a harsh society, I eventually came to develop and use the lessons I have been taught to suit my own goals and reap the benefits. Perhaps in another world, my father would be proud, but I could care no less for his favor or this infernal hovel we call a city. I care not for the politics, or control over the Talthara; but rather I desire to benefit from the conflict created by these simpletons.

My matron and patron often treated each other with spite, although they would not show hostility directly at each other, they would scheme the demise of one another underneath the table.  Nonetheless, I revered them for their precise and well executed plans to vie for more power. Such ingenious and creative concepts often led to more chaos within the houses; one such incident involved an assassination attempt on my father, to his surprise, the assassin adorned the insignia of our rival, House Phyristra, this resulted into a futile skirmish. Eventually I found out that it was my mother who hired the assassin. Apparently it was not in her original plan to start conflict between the two houses, but rather it gave her a distraction and allowed her to sever a few potential threats. I find it funny that such naiveté could bring forth such chaos.

I never really had a beneficial relationship with my siblings, and they often reviled my existence. They were stuck within a web of death and treachery, and as I grew up I watched the demise of sibling after sibling. The only sibling I grew fond of was my older brother Liilirion, and he was a wizard, studying at the Eilndar Magthere. He often showed me the spells that he learned and hoped that I would be able to go into the academy as well. Amidst all that, he often delighted in setting things on fire, hurling fireballs at the goblin slaves amused him very much. While showing me magic, he would taunt me and encourage me to grow in power. Unlike the others, he never tried to harm me, but rather he wanted me to grow in power.

Roughly an infant to the eyes of elders, I was 96 when I discovered I had the potential for sorcery, at first I was fearful of my fate, but in due time I embraced my gift. I was tasked to oversee the slave quarry and see firsthand how they function. I was examining the slaves work when a Goblin slave suddenly came rushing towards me. The Goblin jumped on top off me attempting to claw me to death, I managed to push back the cretin, and eventually another Goblin decided to come and help. Tattered and cut, I ran towards the mineshaft knowing that the darkness will give me an advantage. To my dismay, the Goblin followed me inside, the Goblins cornered me and I tripped on a rock. I was trying to subdue one Goblin in an attempt to disarm the cretin of the rock and stand up; I was caught off guard when the other Goblin hit my leg with a rock. I was agitated and infuriated that in a sudden stroke of fate, a blast of cold ice, concentrated into a straight ray shot out from my hands towards the Goblin; thrown into the other side of the wall from the force, the Goblin was no longer alive. The other Goblin fled in fear, out of anger and through sheer force of will, I unleashed upon the Goblin the same blast of cold ice, thus ending its life. Bruised with a few cuts, I emerged from the cave as something with powerful potential, a sorcerer with the ability to manipulate the arcane through pure talent and will for lack of a better term. Word spread about my innate ability within the house, and things started to change; more people respected me as an individual and Liilirion grew spiteful and envious of me.

“One must have a purpose or be killed,” that is one of the many basic lessons my father taught me; fear is the weapon used to enforce such an ideal. My father often loathed the site of me honing my magic; he claims that my allegiances lie not in the Prince of Hate or my people but rather to my insatiable thirst for more magic. As punishment for this and in hopes of conversion, he would lash me before the daily temple rituals start, and as he was at the very momentum of his rage, he would stop and say “Pathetic, you will eventually serve your purpose for this house, you will become my weapon, and once you have fulfilled your duty, I shall have no more use for you. Soon, you will die, either by my hands or in The Test, and I shall be there watching.” Such a narrow-minded little man to say the least, eventually someone will kill him, and I will watch closely as the vicious cycle tears him apart.

I was considered to be an outcast of society regardless of how some respected me for my sorcery, although nobility, I was given no such treatment by my parents. I was a very distant child, indifferent if one would were to personify me; regardless of this, I was no different from my kin when it comes to ruthlessness and deception. I grew to be very perceptive of the surrounding world; perceptive to the extent of being inquisitive of things. This often led to me getting beaten by skeptical and secretive members of the clergy. In order to retreat from all the turmoil, I sought the company of Archmage Vesz and other practitioners of magic; I never trusted them regardless of how they treated me, they’re all alike and they all sought to destroy each other. The Archmage in particular interested me; he can be a formidable ally or perhaps a pool of knowledge ready to be siphoned. During my time with them, I grew to learn more about the arcane arts to be able to manipulate and unleash the magical energies in a more sophisticated manner as opposed to being unstable and inconsistent; at that point in time I considered myself a learned sorcerer. Although mediocre, one proves to be capable when one is able to get the job done with what little one has.

I was taught a wide array of things, all of which is required of a male Dark Elf – the doctrines of Baraeon Ca’Duz, the laws imposed upon the houses, the ideals of a Dark Elf, and the various languages that are essential to one. I grew tired of the priests constantly haranguing me about Baraeon Ca’Duz and his glory; frankly, it didn’t interest me at all. I excelled in the conceptual lessons that required trickery and cunning, which gave me an advantage during most times. Along with those lessons, I also enjoyed learning how to speak Dark Elven and Elven in a more educated and sophisticated manner. With those two languages, I reveled in learning the common language as well as the intricate postures of the Silent language so that I may use them during raids on the surface. Through these lessons, my instructors had high hopes for me as well as my fellow students to be sleeper agents on the surface, true enough that I would use such tools to spin webs of intrigue and deception. As much as I enjoyed their lessons, I couldn’t care that much about their desires.

Years passed and I adopted a hedonistic nature; unsatisfied with the world around me, I languished myself with every possible experience there is. A hole has grown within me so deep that it cannot be filled, not even the simple pleasures found in this pit. Eventually, I realized that I was sowing my own destruction, and that I forgot my heart’s true desire – magic. After this realization, I proceeded to tune my self-awareness in order to manipulate more magical energies into more complex and destructive forms – confidence and self-awareness makes a sorcerer.
I grew weary of the derelict city I called home, it’s always the same thing over and over again – someone would gain more control than the other houses, and the cycle repeats itself until someone gains more power. Even the magical society is like so, mages killing other mages in order to obtain bragging rights and spread fear. Although I condone this method of self benefit, all the senseless and repeated savagery prevented me from furthering my arcane development.

One day, I was woken up by the First Patriarch’s liaison, and as I feared, it was time for The Test. I was brought before the First Patriarch, I have never met him before, but I presumed he was like my father, blinded by zeal and numbed by faith. I was taken to the Hall of Poisons – a beautiful hall illuminated by an eerie green light that emanated from the cracks, embellished with ornate designs, and filled with webs and spiders. The First Patriarch stood tall at the end of the hallway but was veiled by the darkness. I approached him and to my surprise, it was not who I expected it to be – instead I found a statue of Baraeon Ca’Duz.

Out of the darkness, the clerics and the First Patriarch emerged while uttering a language that I am not versed with. Slowly, my body was becoming heavy, the floor I stood upon was covered with a spider web that glowed green, and the statue’s eyes glowed green as well. The First Patriarch and his clerics disappeared into the darkness, and I was left alone with the statue. The eyes of the statue steadily glowed until it focused its glow on me, my body stiffened and I was in a haze, as if I were in trance. At that point in time, I was under the shadow of the Prince of Hate himself. Under a deep haze, I fell unconscious; my life was handed over to Baraeon Ca'Duz, my judge and executioner.

I woke up in my chambers as if it was all a bad dream; apparently I passed for I was still alive. I was so weak, as if I was struck with a Feeblemind spell. I felt a sense of alleviation, as if I had just cheated death. But still, regardless of the outcome, I was still fearful for myself.

A week later, while observing two wizards banter about whose magic is more potent, I was summoned by the First Patriarch again. Apparently, I was not the only one to be summoned, a huge number of my kin were summoned as well; apparently, he was not finished with us yet. We were to take part in another test, perhaps this one isn’t as mind boggling. This made perfect sense, the First Patriarch is planning to eliminate all future threats, how shrewd; by minimizing the number of adult Dark Elves, all houses will lose a number of potential soldiers, ingenious indeed.

Without hesitation, the second test was commenced; all of us were separated into pairs, and were blindfolded in preparation for the test. My blindfold was removed and I gazed upon a tremendous sight, we were taken to a balancing beam in a very deep chasm. Obviously, the main objective is to survive and dispatch the other; the moment the priests rang the bell, my opponent and I froze in order to maintain the balance. He stared at me with such a vile ambience, while raising his sword at me; he claims that the faster person will be the victor, perhaps he didn’t account for the weight of his weapon and armor. Apparently, he was wrong, because as soon as he ran for the edge, I made my way slowly towards the edge so as to shift the balance and obviously, the beam tilted, and as soon as it did, he fell into the chasm while I managed to grasp the edge of the rails. Such a pity, he was indeed fast, but an imbecile nonetheless.

After the first trial, they took us all into a colossal chamber with four passages; three are adorned with ornate symbols, and exuded the stench of blood, while one was the passage we came from. As soon as we reached the chamber, the priests exclaimed, “Sway from the path laid before you and you shall be torn apart by your own selfishness.” As soon as the priests were done, they all disappeared into the darkness. Baffled by what they just heard, nearly half the men went through the three passages. Once they got through, the passages were magically sealed shut, and blood flowed through the cracks. Only 6 of us were left, and obviously, the only way to go to is through the way we came, once we made our way out, the priest was already waiting for us at the amphitheater. He explained it thoroughly that to go against tradition would result to death; those who went through the three doors were either drawn to them or were just half-witted. I felt a cold chill up my spine; I realized that regardless of whether I make it to the surface or not, eventually my brethren will find me.

The amphitheater was trembling from the loud chatter of the spectators; apparently, we were to duel until the First Patriarch is certain that we have proven ourselves to the Prince of Hate. While waiting for the gates to be opened, we were separated into teams of two; I was teamed up with Laele, a cleric of Baraeon Ca’Duz and Njutar, a fighter, both of them from a rival house. In order to organize the team properly, Laele made it clear that failure will result in no quarter for all of us. A momentary truce was acknowledged by everyone and that after the final trial, we would all become enemies again. The bells clang and the iron gates were open; we descended outside slowly and cautiously, the air was still and filled with the stench of rotting flesh. The other gate opened and our opponents descended from the darkness, two brutish fighters and a rogue. The bells clang once again and the battle had begun, the two fighters immediately rushed towards us, one of them nearly cleaved my head but Laele parried the attack. Njutar and Laele dealt with the two brutes while I was to support them and incapacitate the rogue. If I didn’t do anything quickly we would lose our lives, running towards them, I cast a Light spell and managed daze the two fighters, giving Njutar a chance to deal the killing blow. Unfortunately, Njutar also exposed himself and was stabbed in the back by the rogue; the crowd roared in excitement as their bodies fell on the ground. Laele was concentrating very hard, and was inflicting magical wounds on his opponent. The fighter eventually fell on the ground, and I unleashed upon him a Ray of Frost spell which ended his life. After I cast the spell, the rogue managed to stab me in the back. I fell on my knees, and I was slowly weakening, but luckily, Laele was able to heal my wound, which gave me enough strength to cast a Sleep spell on the rogue. Laele was about to bludgeon the rogue when the First Patriarch called for a halt, sparing the rogue’s life and signaled that the savagery was over. I never felt so tired and exhilarated at the same time, as if the life has been sucked out of me and yet I yearn to move on; I commend the First Patriarch’s cunning plan, but it will take more than three trials to get rid of me.

Years passed, and I sought an escape from this world in perpetual struggle; I desired a place wherein I will no longer be hindered by these simpletons – I sought the surface world. I immediately devised a plan that would allow me to leave Eilndar and make my way through the surface world. I struck a deal with Matriarch Volthrae of House Phyristra; in exchange for unhindered access to the House she would give me the keys to the southern gate, which will allow me to leave for the surface world safely while at the same time stir enough chaos to keep the sentries pre-occupied. Of course, I expected treachery from her and I warned my family of an imminent attack on the compound. Believing that a surprise attack comprised of her and a few of her best would be enough eradicate our house; she foolishly entered the compound and suffered a savage ambush. As soon as the savagery was over, I quickly took the key from the matriarch’s corpse before the slaves cleaned up the mess. Seeing that it would be the perfect time to eradicate House Phyristra, my mother sent all of her minions to war. Bringing with me all the necessities I would need, I watched from afar as a battle raged on the streets of Eilndar. As I entered the new world, I placed myself at risk, I’m sure my brethren are going to hunt me, and by the time they reach me, I shall be ready to silence them one by one.
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[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Two  [/INDENT]

[INDENT]I left for the surface world in hopes of honing myself and understanding more potent forms of magic. For days I ventured from tunnel to tunnel until I stumbled upon the southern opening. I was struck blind as I surfaced from the cave; the bright light was too much for my sensitive eyes. As I regained sight, I was in a place unlike any I've seen - trees as tall as pillars, ground bustling with vegetation, and a settlement unlike any I've seen. Disgusting as it was, I would not let certain eye blights hinder me from my goal.

The settlement I stumbled upon was named Fort Vehl, it was bland, and was full of shady people; it was like the bazaar in Eilndar, except it was bustling with the lesser races. I explored the fortress and stumbled upon many interesting things, I sported a new robe that might blend well with my copper helmet, perhaps once I earn more money I can get a more elaborate disguise. Through my sight-seeing, I stumbled upon the jail, and a very disgruntled guard. Apparently, someone was jailed for reasons I do not know; the guard questioned me as if I were on trial, luckily I was able to disperse from the situation as soon as possible.

After the debacle in the jail, I stumbled upon an unfamiliar sight. I concluded that the person might have been a male Human paladin. He didn't seem to notice that I was a Dark Elf, which meant that my disguise was working perfectly, although we did have a little debate on how one view things within the perspective of a deity. I was tasked with recollecting mummy dust from the local crypt, and he was kind enough to accompany me for he needed some skeleton knuckles along the way. The crypt had a foul stench and as soon as we descended within its depths, skeletons emerged from every corner. I was roughened up and was on the verge of bleeding to death; luckily, the paladin is capable servitor. Such a cheeky fellow, very adept in the arts of swordplay, and was blinded by his faith, such a pity. I was very fortunate indeed to have eluded him, and I hope others aren’t as keen.

 We emerged from the crypt and I had completed my task, he had to go tend to his rituals and sought his deity's temple. As I was about to leave the crypt, I beheld a hooded figure clad with black robes walking towards me. I presumed that the person might not be a potential risk to me. In search of skeleton knuckles as well, I accompanied the person in hopes of being able to learn more about his mysterious demeanor as well as earn a loyal companion; a loyal companion or rather a social circle would keep me safe from those that would sought to kill me. After raiding the crypt, we sought for work from various townsfolk. Along the way, we met more and more people, and each one as colorful as the next one. Eventually, my companion had to take his leave; he was a mysterious fellow, shrouded by mystery and only revealing a few aspects of his persona to the public, often the most comedic ones.

 I sought to finish more tasks so that I may establish myself within the surface world slowly, and along the way I stumbled upon three travelers and a Troll. I’ve met the three travelers not so long ago; they were being halted by a bridge Troll which claimed the bridge for itself. As usual, a Troll will never be civil, and after being persuaded to take fish in exchange for safe passage, the vile thing demanded the female traveler. As always, hostility ensues and the Troll gets killed, such a pity, the fool could have avoided getting killed should it have let us pass freely. [/INDENT]

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[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Three  
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[INDENT]Somehow the surface world is not as ruthless as the Deep, but still there are risks. If one was to compare and contrast both of them, one would not have the courage to go wandering about unfamiliar territory within the Deep, whereas in the surface world, the risks are still prevalent, but the chances of experiencing a horrendous and mutilating death are fairly less. It puzzles me as to how these lesser races manage to do things on a daily basis; without any slaves around, apparently one must tend to matters of such minuscule importance. After a certain task, and as mind-raking and stressing it may be, I am always left with a sense of fulfillment within me. Perhaps I have been traveling with that Human for too long that I’ve become accustomed to his idealism. This is not good, and for the first time in my life, I am confused – confused like a young whelp in a dark cave.

I noticed that in this world, greatness is achieved by the effort one puts into furthering one’s self as opposed to destroying all competition and reaping the spoils in the Deep. I suppose it’s a mixture of both, eventually I may come across someone who may be a threat to my development or even my survival. Speaking of survival, more and more people have been questioning my birthplace, although I encourage curiosity, their curiosity might be the end of me. While on the outskirts of Krandor, I stumbled upon a bedazzling sight – a figure clad in black robes, female, and to my surprise it was one of my kin, for she flaunted her face freely as if she was Az’atta. I was awestruck, and after greeting them, I just stood back and watched as she exercised her freedom. With no one to hold you back, no one to discriminate you, one can accomplish many things and not be limited by certain restraints, perhaps one day I will be able to be powerful enough to exercise such freedom.

After my encounter with the Dark Elf female, I looked around for work, and was assigned to recollect the Oil of Vukas in the Hammerbound Peaks.  Knowing that it is impossible to accomplish such a task alone, I sought the help from two familiar faces – Bellethiel, an Elven ranger, and her companion Fehriel, a Human tainted by blood from the pits. Seeing as how a group of three will be insufficient, we enlisted the help of three more capable people. Apparently, a group of six was not enough to brave the dangers we faced; not even reaching halfway, we decided to fall back and concluded that the quest was too dangerous.

Disappointed, I decided to leave for Fort Vehl, to look for someone that is more suitable for the job. On the way to Fort Vehl, while on the outskirts of Krandor, I witnessed a tower just off the road; it had an eerie feeling to it, surrounded by dead trees, apparently the only dead trees within the vicinity, and enveloped by fog. Somehow, I was drawn to it, and like minnows in a pond, time stood still for me. I felt a sense of peace as well as a creeping urge that was eating me inside and telling me to go towards it. I devised a plan that would ensure my safety; I summoned my familiar, Faer, and possessed him while leaving my body at a safe distance, that way no harm would befall me. I made my way towards the tower and to my amusement nothing harmed me; although I did feel a small tinge in my spine as I read the sign. Returning to my body, I immediately made my way towards the Tower of Darkness, as it was named in the sign; a little bit melodramatic to be honest. But to my dismay, the tower was locked; I was relieved that I did not have to enter it, knowing that my curiosity might lead me to my doom. Relieved, and with a heavy heart, I continued my course towards Fort Vehl.

Arriving in Fort Vehl, I was weary, and somehow disappointed with myself. Taking refuge behind one of the shacks near the crafting house, I took off my helmet and wore my old robes. I took a good glance of my face reflected off of my helmet, and I could not help but contemplate.

How far have you fallen; how long must it take before you are satisfied? Why must you risk so much just being indifferent? How long until they find you? If they do find you, what will you do? Will you be stronger by then? Or will your efforts prove insufficient?
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[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Four[/INDENT]

[INDENT]As I travelled from settlement to settlement, slowly I’ve become more situated within the local folk of the continent. Accepting tasks for a price, I hoped to learn more about the territory as well as find suitable rewards that may amplify my sorcery to a more substantial rate. I yearned to scour the continents of Layonara from corner to corner just to find certain locations and artifacts. Perhaps I digress from my main goal by seeking such things, but still, all in due time; I’m sure along the way I am bound to encounter forces that will put my sorcery to the test, as well as allow me to reach deeper into it.

Hoping to finish my task, I proceeded to collect some more corpses for the medicine man, and I managed to collect two corpses in Krandor with help from a passerby. I’ve managed to procure three corpses by then – two from my own doing, and one which was given freely by Fehriel. I still needed two more to finish the task, and since I already exhausted a few graves in Krandor, I made my way to the graveyard in Hlint instead. As I dug out the corpse, a silhouette burst forth from its chest – to my shock, it was an Allip. In hopes of escape, I enveloped the entrance of the graveyard in darkness and proceeded for safe ground in order to regain my strength. Hopefully, no one saw me perform such a feat. Ready to face the apparition, I made my way to the graveyard; but instead of an apparition, I saw a Halfling in its stead, apparently it was the Halfling paladin we asked for aid in our little expedition to the Hammerbound Peaks.  The Halfling slew the Allip and as I presumed was waiting for the culprit to be questioned, thus leading to a heated debate regarding society’s laws. Eventually, I had to run off seeing as how the Halfling will not stop at anything – he even resorted to watching the graveyard, that’s how relentless he is.

With the Halfling guarding the graveyard in Hlint, I made my way back to Krandor and check the other graves I missed. I managed to find two fresh graves, I proceeded to dig the first one and a Wraith came bursting from the soil; this time I came prepared with my panther familiar, Faer, and we managed to fell the phantasm. Only one more to go and I grew impatient, I rushed off and dug the next grave I saw, and this time a Specter arose. I was overconfident in my abilities and it led to my undoing. I was dead, and for a few seconds I caught a glimpse of the Specter as it slaughtered the cows, along with two figures approaching from a far. I fell into a deep void, I felt nothing, and I could not think of anything – basically, I was at a state of nothingness. A few moments later, I awoke in Hlint, next to the bindstone, as if I just woke up from a bad dream, a very bad dream. I was very disgruntled, flurries of emotions were flooding my system, and it rendered me incapable of thinking quite well. With little strength I had, I trudged back to Krandor, and like a hollow husk, I felt incomplete and weak.

By the time I reached Krandor, the Specter was no longer there, I suspected that the Halfling paladin was at work yet again. Although, my thoughts were still a bit hazy, I remembered two figures approaching from a distance before I was struck down, so the Halfling could not have been present. Regardless, knowing that the threat has been dealt with, I went on with my task and collected the last corpse. Regaining my strength and self-awareness, I made haste to Fort Vehl so as to avoid suspecting citizens or paladins. Perhaps my luck has been cut short today, cut short by the paladins or perhaps myself. Paladins, they will be the bane of my existence, if only they would be more cooperative.

Finally accomplishing the task, I sought to explore more of Mistone and maybe even get to see some more fascinating sights; eventually, I decided to explore the areas outlying Spellgard. Before leaving, I sported myself a new robe and a new hood so as to intimidate others, perhaps now people will think twice before they claim me as a cheap conjurer; although I think I may have added too much black which may lead to me being questioned more. As I reached Fort Llast, I stumbled upon a familiar sight; it was my mysterious friend, who calls himself “X” as I remember. In search of adventure himself, he accompanied me in my wanderlust. Seeing as how we already explored much of Mistone, he brought me to Mariner’s Hold, a harbor in the continent of Alindor. Seeking work and funds as well, we stumbled upon a farmer as we saw a majestic river, and apparently, the farmer requested his scarecrows to be eliminated. Perplexing as it is, I presumed it was the work of one who dabbled in necromancy, or perhaps other branches of the Al’Noth, as some may call it. Either way, we still attempted to do the task regardless of the risks. As soon as we entered the field, towering scarecrows came hovering towards us, somehow they emitted such a horrifying aura, we were obviously ill-prepared for what we faced. Seeing my companion run and tremble with fear I sought to buy him some time by drawing more of the scarecrows towards me while I plunge the area in darkness, giving him enough time to flee and cast an invisibility spell. The plan did not work so well for me, although, my companion managed to cast the invisibility spell, I was not too fortunate. I was cornered and trembling in fear, I fled, and in one fell swoop I was flanked and saw my surroundings fade into darkness, yet again.

Yet again I have been overconfident and got myself killed, but still, the Soul Mother was merciful and did not take a piece of my soul. Acknowledging defeat, and sticking to the original plan, my companion and I parted. As I write this, I cannot help but feel as if something is amiss.[/INDENT]

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[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Five[/INDENT]

[INDENT]Society’s laws have their ways of hindering you, and as always, there are loopholes to them. I received a parcel from package master Freya, and to my shock, it was to be delivered to Mo in Port Hempstead. Without hesitation, I immediately took a boat from Fort Vehl to Port Hempstead, and as soon as I got off, the guard began to question me. Such a brutish and uncivilized guard he was, with his tempers flaring, as if the city was under attack. I quickly thought of a clever ruse so as to elude the guard. I said that I was an envoy from Alindor who was not aware of the rules in Port Hempstead; with that, I was bound to specific rules, and if he were to touch me, he would risk plunging the two continents into conflict. After a heated debate, he allowed me passage to deliver the parcel, provided that he escorts me. These simpletons complicate things so much, but it amuses me so to twist them with deceit.

After delivering the parcel, I stumbled upon more trouble; it seems that I have a capacity for getting myself into trouble, and if I keep it up, I will most likely end up dead. I stumbled upon a group of people – Fleur, a Human mage, the Halfling paladin, and a cleric, both of which were in servitude to Toran. I approached them in hopes of having them as companions in some adventitious expedition. Instead, they asked me for my full name in order to finish filing their report; I was shocked at this insidious incrimination. I am well aware that I did something wrong and I hoped to pay reparations as well as fix the problem before it caused further damage; I even talked to the cleric after the incident, and he said nothing about filing a report. I analyzed the situation carefully, and obviously, after the report, a trial will be in order, and after that I fear that worse will become of me. In my defiance, I sought to delay them, and bluff as much as I can; I even resorted to giving out my fake alias, "Njurast Vhaj". When worse comes to worse, the hostilities heated up, and the two enforcers of the law grew impatient; I was being aggravated, and I was running out of tricks. Luckily, people came to my aid, two ignominious people along with X, arrived just in time. The two people defended me and placed me under their protection, I was in awe that such people would defend me.

Awestruck, I owed the two strangers my life; they both donned dark clothing, and rather ominous trinkets. They claimed themselves to be Lord Domino and Count Czukay, both of them hailing from the continent of Dregar. Explaining their view on society’s laws, I saw much of myself in both of them, if only I was as powerful. I was at awe, and so was X, for never have we seen such people, people who would stand up against the blind atrocities of the law. Since I first stood on the surface world, I wore a disguise to hide my features, and for the first time, I removed my hood to show my true face to the people whom I owed my life.

Although I don’t share in their philosophies, I could not care any less, I was more concerned with my life, and the probability that those two law enforcers will bring with them more company to bring me in. Nonetheless, I was at the company of kindred spirits, and they welcomed me with open arms. Regardless of all this hospitality, my Dark Elven instincts still linger, kindred spirits they may be, I shall be on the watch for treachery.

After much discussion, X and I were pointed towards a tribe of Goblins that may be able to help us hone our skills. We were placed within the ranks of Mangle-Or and Grovel Foaming Wolf; back in the Deep, Goblinoids were enslaved, and to my surprise, these two showed a sense of intelligence and ability. At first I didn’t expect much from the two Goblins, but when I saw them in combat, I was impressed at their incredible powers; from then on I had a different outtake on both of them. Planning a little skirmish, we aided them in raiding the Red Light Goblin tribe’s caverns; convenient for me, since I was tasked with silencing their leader. Corridor to corridor, we fought Goblins, and slowly, I felt a twinge in my magic – this I realized when I attempted to use a drop of bat guano to ignite a flame, and instead I shot out a fireball, thus began my bliss in engulfing things in flames.

While in the last cavern, an old lady approached us as she emerged from one of the corridors. It was very unusual to have an old Human female in a cave infested by Goblins, and apparently, she was welcomed by them for being wise. Without proper introductions, she started questioning us why we were there, as well as blabber about wisdom and how we’re not wise; she even had the nerve to call me young, when she is but an infant to my eyes. She interests me, I presumed she was a powerful mage and was there to elude us; but to my dismay, she gave up and just left. Grovel seemed to like her and was eager to learn her secret to wisdom, which led to a futile attempt to reason with the resident Goblin leader; eventually, we slew the leader and reaped the spoils.

Today was very beneficial indeed, I made some new allies as well as some enemies; I will be seeing more of that Halfling and his friend from now on, and I hope I shall have my companions to protect me, for now I shall continue on my pace. Soon I shall be powerful enough to defy those two, and with my performance in the Goblin caverns, it appears that my progress has already bore fruit.
 [/INDENT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Six
[/INDENT]
[INDENT]I paid a visit to the bank and I noticed that I only have a mediocre amount of resources, if I am to procure more magical items I would need more. I was at the docks in Fort Vehl when I stumbled upon the crypts, and I remembered that most adventurers venture in there to collect skeleton knuckles for brewing potions; what kind of potions they brew, I’m not quite sure. I’ve been to the crypts twice and it amazes me at the amount of undead in there, it’s as if there’s a whole army of undead buried beneath Fort Vehl – unrelenting and undying. In hopes of gathering enough knuckles, I sought to practice my control over the Al’Noth – learn to react faster and target enemies at the right moments. Things went well, and surprisingly, I plowed through the frail skeletons without much effort. To my dismay, I’ve caused too much destruction with my fireballs, which in turn incinerated most of the loot some skeletons contained.  Such a pity really, I am becoming more dangerous as it is, even to myself; perhaps I should take different evocation spells, all in due time.

Looking for people to amuse myself with, I stumbled upon a group of adventurers in the Stormcrest Crossroads. A familiar sight, I saw Bellethiel and Fehriel together with a hooded figure; I presumed she was a powerful wielder of the Al’Noth. Her name was Mirren, and she excelled in the arts of conjuration; a craft that manipulates wherein one manipulates that uses the Al’Noth in summoning creatures to do one’s bidding. She was on her way to slay some Umber Hulks; her motives for doing so, I have no idea. I offered my services to her in hopes of observing her conjuration skills at their prime.

Fehriel and I accompanied her while Bellethiel stayed behind to rest. As we were about to journey onward, we were drawn to the sight of Bellethiel and an unknown stranger, because of this, Fehriel presumed she was in trouble. Apparently, it was nothing but another person seeking advances to Bellethiel and with this, Fehriel was perplexed. Frankly, I couldn’t care any less for their problems in mating for I have more important matters to tend to. Infuriated and confused, Fehriel immediately left the crowd, Mirren and I soon followed. Preparing for the brawl ahead of us, I was surprised to see that Mirren didn’t wield a weapon, but rather she just casts an Invisibility spell on herself and summons a creature to do the fighting for her – a celestial avenger named “Crunchy”. As we entered the caverns wherein the Umber Hulks resided, we saw a Xorn, a hideous creature with three arms and three legs; I’ve only seen a few of them outside the walls and caverns of Eilndar before, and they can be very dangerous. Hacking the Xorn into bits and pieces, the celestial made short work of the vile creature; I was impressed, and I learned to put more faith into conjured creatures rather than evocation spells. Deeper into the cavern, we encountered Umber Hulk masses upon each cavern. Fehriel charged towards the first Umber Hulk he saw but as soon as he lunged with his blade, he was overcome by the confusion. Umber Hulks are such fascinating creatures for they make use of a gaze that renders their prey confused before they rend their flesh. Near the entrance to the lower level, Fehriel and Crunchy were swarmed by a small contingent of Umber Hulks. Seeing that a few of more were slowly moving towards Fehriel and Crunchy, they would be outflanked. Without hesitation, I acted immediately and flung two fireballs towards the direction of the flanking Umber Hulks. It incinerated them at once, but at the same time I placed Fehriel in peril for he was hit by the blast as well; luckily, Mirren was able to heal Fehriel’s bleeding wounds. We didn’t bother to go to the lower levels for fear of more powerful swarms.

The cavern had an eerie feel to it; I presumed it leads to the Deep because of the Umber Hulk activity.  If that’s the case, then I am no longer safe anywhere, for my kin are only a few caves away. Suspicious to the law enforcers, and hunted by my kin, I am in more danger than I expected, as well as a danger to others. My power grows, and Fehriel’s wounds as well as a mass of dead Umber Hulks are a testament to such power.
[/INDENT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Seven[/INDENT]

[INDENT]After filling my quota of skeleton knuckles, I made my way towards Hlint to search for companions that I may offer my services to. Along the way, I saw a large group of people congregating near the farms in Port Hempstead. I saw some familiar faces like Fleur, Fehriel, Grovel, Maran, and Tabris. The only person that I was not acquainted with called herself “Goggles”; I presumed she wanted to keep a certain amount of anonymity and I left it at that. To my discontent, the Toranite cleric named Brandon was there also.

While conversing, a farmer named Pratt appeared from the southern part of the fields, seeing that he might require assistance, “Goggles” immediately called out to the farmer. Farmer Pratt was on his way to Port Hempstead to contact a healer to tend to his ailing chickens. In addition to this, his cows were disappearing, and it has led him to presume that Orcs have been stealing them. He requested our aid in watching over his livestock as well as find out the cause of the lingering disease.
We arrived at the farm and the only thing that we found suspicious at the time was the movements of the horses which indicated fright. We searched the whole area and eventually found the sick chickens, as well as a few odd statues. The druids immediately went to work and investigated the livestock, “Goggles,” Tabris, and I set up a perimeter around the fence to guard the horses. Two groups were formed; one was to investigate the two statues while the other was to examine the chickens and horses.

Taking into consideration that there are well capable people within the vicinity, the possibility of an attack on the livestock would be minimal, so we decided to go about and observe the others. I observed the Toranite cleric, Fleur, and Fehriel study the statue of a child; my conclusion was that the people were petrified by magic, and that a malevolent wielder of the Al’Noth was the culprit. As Fleur and I were observing the statue and feeling it for any magical signatures left behind, Fehriel and Brandon were going at each other like children. I found it convenient and enjoying at the time, and I sought to use the moment to gain another ally against the Toranite should he go to drastic lengths.

On my way towards the other group, I summoned Faer and ordered him to stand guard on the fence, that way I am made aware of any suspicious activity. I observed the Grovel and Maran as they went from animal to animal, often examining feces and cultivation, like the red mushrooms. Apparently, the mushrooms were of intrigue to them, and they collected many samples. Going back to the chickens, they concluded that it was indeed the mushrooms that were causing such illness. Afterwards, I made my way towards the other group to check for any progress, and to my shock, the statue of the child was shattered to pieces. The Toranite cleric attempted to restore the statue back to life with a Restoration spell, and instead of the desired result, the statue crumbled. I was in awe of such a tragedy, but still, I could not help but blame the Toranite; this gave me an advantage, and finally I had leverage on the situation. I watched as Fehriel, “Goggles,” and Brandon argue about the child’s death or rather, the statue’s demise.

Eventually, the other group arrived in hopes of lending a hand with the petrified people. I left them and went to check on my familiar, and as I called him, I noticed that the fences no longer contained any animals. Rather, from the haze, emerged monstrous creatures. I fled, and ran to my companions, beckoning them to stop their blabber and focus their attention to the creatures. Maran walked too close, and the creatures spewed forth a noxious gas that turned him to stone; the creatures were Gorgons. Luckily, their breath only petrifies the victim for a short duration, and eventually, my companions felled them. We celebrated all too soon when we saw more monstrous creatures, this time, in the form of Giant flaming horses and rabid chickens– Nightmares and Cockatrices they were called.  The behemoths wreaked havoc to the fences and chased us all around the farm, injuring most of us. Seeing that my spells deal no substantial damage to the creatures, I ran around casting Invisibility spells on those that were being chased after, giving them enough time to regain their strength. After much effort, the two creatures were dispatched.  

We entered the fence and saw another Nightmare at a distance, apparently we missed one. This time, they made short work of the vile creature by rendering it immobile and knocking it down on its legs. Grovel concluded that it was indeed the mushrooms that warped the once docile creatures into monstrosities, and that we should proceed to burn any mushroom we see. For once, my fireballs were or more use, and we proceeded to set ablaze every mushroom we saw. The mushrooms were incinerated but they set off a poisonous fume that afflicted a few of my comrades. We camped near the farm for a while to tend to our wounds and afflicted companions.

Earlier while investigating the surrounding area, “Goggles” mentioned something about a cave, and that we should investigate the insides. Grovel insisted that we should, for there might be more mushrooms inside. Preparing ourselves for whatever it is that may be inside, we entered the cave. The entrance to the cave was very narrow and had two halls opposite the entrance. Once we entered, Orcs swarmed and outflanked us from both sides; we were stuck and forced to fight at such a congested playing field. I killed as many potential threats as I can with my Magic Missiles; I was hoping that we would be able to finish off our attackers so I could fling a few fireballs on the remaining shamans. Everyone was in a tight spot, and Grovel did a tremendous job of unleashing his magic. Our efforts proved useless when eventually most of my companions fell to the ground and that only Fleur and I were left. Out of spells and outnumbered, we managed to escape merely because of our Invisibility spells.

While applying bandages, we organized our battle plan – while under the Invisibility spell, we were to save as much as we can by mending their wounds and casting Invisibility on them. All stitched up and ready to go, we descended into the cave, and witnessed an eerie montage of death. We attempted to heal as much as we can, but our efforts were in vain for we were not healers. Instead, we resorted to drag the bodies outside and call for a healer to raise them. One by one, we dragged the bodies and piled them, and luckily, the farmer arrived with a healer. We urged him to raise our fallen companions regardless of the fact that he was an animal cleric in servitude to Prunilla. He managed to raise them with the help of his deity, and one by one they all rose on their feet.

After everyone was pulled back from the void, there was much talk, and as it turns out, the two statues were already petrified before we even arrived. Frankly, I was displeased at this unfortunate information; but still, I will find a loophole within the system, there always is. If the farmer had not said it, I would still have leverage over the Toranite. It wasn’t a total loss though, now I know that there are more potential allies to be found; I’ve already found one, and he proved to be quite useful.  
[/INDENT]  

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Eight[/INDENT]
[INDENT]While walking along the outskirts of Hlint I stumbled upon a person by the name of Gats, he seemed friendly and looked like an unaligned fighter. I accompanied him to the local Goblin cavern; unfortunately there were only two of us so we didn’t go that far. Looking for more sights of interest, we went to Alindor to begin our search. Before reaching Alindor we stumbled upon Fehriel who was in need of help; apparently he was doing the same tasks that I also had, so we immediately obliged. Upon reaching Alindor, we also met more familiar faces; Fehriel went ahead, while I stayed behind and asked help from Fleur and Maran. Maran was an exceptional druid, and he dealt with the scarecrows as well as the griffin with finesse, sad to say, I was a bit debased to see him do all the work, but still, I was amused.

Tired and disgruntled, I made my way back to the derelict port I came from, and to my dismay, I forgot that I did not bring any money. Without access to a bank, I was forced to sell some of my reagents for boarding tickets; it doesn’t matter really since most of my reagents were quite easy to get. Arriving in Fort Vehl, I replenished my quota of skeleton knuckles and then made my way to Hlint. Along the way, I met up with Fehriel and Melana; together we decided to take a stroll inside the Red Light Goblin cavern. As we reached the Goblin wasteland we stopped to rest and wait for our other companion to arrive. While sitting near the campfire, Melana disclosed with us her past; such a tragic past, it interests me so to see how so much can happen to a Human, seeing as their lives only last for so long.

Once Melana was finished with her tale, I harangued Fehriel to share his, luckily our companion, Mirren came just in time. She was quite tired herself so we obliged her to rest for a while with us. As always, she was expecting company as well, so we conversed while waiting for our other companion. After much idle talk, our awaited companion finally arrived. His name was Elinmire and was a powerful wizard like Mirren. Well rested and complete, we raided the Goblin caverns with haste. Elinmire and I cast our protective spells on Melana and Fehriel, turning them into efficient killers. Elinmire commended my sorcery and I was greatly amused, he was the first wielder of the Al’Noth to have complimented me in such a way; it seemed that someone noticed my progress; I was very much pleased with myself.

After raiding the caverns, we returned to camp while Elinmire departed to scribe some scrolls. On our way to the camp, we saw X and invited him along.  Taking a break from the daily hassles of combat, we took a break and conversed with one another; frankly I quite like idle conversations, although it’s not really helpful to me, it’s very relieving to talk to surface dwellers and listen to their peculiar conversations. Soon, trouble arose, and a man named Brian came and caused quite a stir. I presumed he was Mirren’s mate for he gave her a bouquet of roses; threatened and upstaged, I felt that X saw the man with spite. Rude words eventually led to hostilities and Brian taunted X into dueling with him. I feared for X, and seeing Brian wield his weapons, I feared for the worse.

Eventually, the mindless rabble ceased and the two brutes grew to be tolerant of each other; I wish I could say so for myself and some surface dwellers. On our way towards another adventure, we met “goggles” near the road to Fort Llast; to my shock, Melana called her Tyra, and I presumed that was her real name. She didn’t seem too friendly, and as I was trying to say something insightful, she immediately saw my face beneath the hood; such remarkable eyesight, I’ll give her that. Since she unveiled who I really was, I proceeded to remove my hood, and to my surprise, my companions didn’t bother. At that moment, my faith in surface dwellers grew as well as my abhorrence for some. She loathed me with a passion, and as if I was going to murder her, she grasped her sword at the ready. Melana and Brian defended me adamantly and eventually led to senseless talk. Yet again, my enemies grow in number, this one is no exception, if they get in the way I shall silence them.[/INDENT][/SIZE][/FONT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Nine[/INDENT]
[INDENT]I made my first expensive purchase today, and to be honest, I’m quite pleased with my new robe. The merchant bedazzled me with more items of interest and I was deeply entranced. As I saw each item of value, I was motivated to make more money seeing that I no longer had any. I met up with Grovel and he showed me around the spots where I could collect reagents, as well as a few druid groves and temples of interest. I had wonderful time with the little whelp, and after exploring we even proceeded to raid the Red Light Goblin caverns again. We didn’t go too far since we would be severely outnumbered, instead, we decided to go back to camp to meet up with Grovel’s brother, Nonac. Together we ventured into the cavern again. Upon reaching the second level, we were swarmed by a considerable number of Goblins that even they could not handle.

I bled to death, and a part of me was taken by the Soul Mother, with that, I felt enraged and lonesome, as if such loneliness enveloped me. I mourned my loss and felt something within me change, like a fire that was slightly extinguished. Like a missing limb, I was incomplete; I never expected it to be this demeaning. I was way over my head, and I never expected this to happen, considering the fact that I have yet to travel the world and hone my skills. I composed myself, and while still feeling a bit fragmentary, I proceeded to continue my gathering of reagents. Soon, I shall be stronger, and by then I shall have forgotten the Soul Mother and her icy grasp. Eventually, I composed myself and rose to my feet; feeling renewed, I set off to gather more reagents and companions.

I met Fehriel in Fort Wayfare, as well as a few eager adventurers – Maran, Fehriel, Leisa, and Droog, the pie meister. Apparently, someone was causing quite a stir; a guardian of Rofirein came into town looking to enlist the aid of a few willing individuals who might be able to escort him to a town named Folly. He didn’t really care much for abilities but rather the background of the person sufficed, and with that he asked for proof that one has accomplished certain deeds for the kingdom. He questioned everyone relentlessly, and when he came to question me, I knew he would require me to remove my hood. I willingly obliged for I didn’t really care, seeing as there weren’t any Toranites within the vicinity. He judged me by my actions and enlisted me, although this fat pie maker detested and demanded that if I were to talk to him, I would have to write it down in triplicate; quite amusing at first, eventually he learned to keep his tongue behind his teeth. There was also this Halfling who seemed to fear me; frankly, I didn’t mind them that much, and I was focused more on the task required of me.

We boarded a boat to Folly, and once there, the guardian went to work. Starting the trial, the townsfolk claimed that a commoner’s son was sent to the caves to touch a shrine dedicated to Beryl, and that the child’s father wagered against another commoner. Knowing that the cave housed monstrous creatures, we were tasked to locate the child, dead or alive, and regardless whether or not the child touched the shrine. Well rested and prepared, we descended into the cave carefully. We entered cavern after cavern, fighting monstrosity after monstrosity, and eventually we stumbled upon the child’s body. The child was killed by an Umber hulk, and to our surprise, his belongings weren’t with his corpse. Spotting a hole on the ground, we descended deeper into the cave so as to find out how the child died. Finding his belongings in a corner, we noticed another corridor and decided to check it out to see where it led. The corridor led to another hall, this time with a small narrow passage that seemed to seep into another section of the cavern. Senseless talk ensued, and whether or not we should go into the passage was debated. We were not tasked with exploring the cavern, and I didn’t risk it. Rather, Maran, Droog, and Leisa ventured off, while Fehriel and I stayed behind. Waiting for them to come back, only Leisa returned, she left the two seeing as they were blinded by temptation. We made our way back to the surface, and to our surprise, Maran came back panting, unfortunately, our fat friend didn’t come back with him. As Maran claims, Droog entered a mirror portal of some sort and was sucked right in; such a pity really, perhaps that will teach him to think before he acts. [/INDENT]
[/SIZE][/FONT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Ten[/INDENT]
[INDENT]I finally managed to complete my quota of Aloe and silk, perhaps now I can sell them to free my load. I made my own route so that things would be efficient; I would start off at Silkwood and gather Silk, afterwards, I would end up in Hlint and then make my way to the Treant groves for some Aloe. It’s a tiring and somewhat dangerous procedure but someone has to do it, and hopefully someone will buy my reagents. Along the way, I stumbled upon X, and he showed me a few more places where I can gather more reagents like the spider cave near the Gnoll tower as well as the kobold camp near Port Hempstead.

This time we did something different, instead of going to the usual Goblin caverns, we explored a bit and went to Silverdell grove, and afterwards, we raided a Gnoll settlement near Haven. Strategically speaking, we were effective, and my targeting has somewhat improved; I was practicing my Fireball targeting as well as experimenting with the Endure Elements spell. As long as I keep my companions warded, I can unleash one Fireball spell on them before the ward collapses. Soon I shall get access to more powerful spells; for now I shall bide my time and invest it in spells that conjure creatures, in the future, I shall balance my sorcery and shift towards far more lethal spells.

Triumphant, we went to Blackford castle because Melana wanted to show me something in there. The castle was like a labyrinth of hallways and rooms, eventually we arrived in a library, and in it, was a portal. We entered the portal, and to my amazement, we were in the Great Library in Voltrex; never have I thought that I would be able to visit the library, more so for being able to stand on Voltrex. At first I was hesitant and feared that someone might see me and kill me on sight, but then I realized I had Melana and X with me. The library was vast, countless eons of information stored in it, and it would take two lifetimes for someone to be able to read everything in it, Human lifetimes perhaps, as for myself, I shall take my time. Countless books on everything, even some for Dark Elves, I find it funny that some people from the surface world claim to know so much about my kind. [/INDENT][/SIZE][/FONT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Eleven[/INDENT]
[INDENT]I was very pleased with myself for I managed to purchase a substantial amount of magical items, and Ferrit was gracious enough to offer me a discount on multiple purchases. Such a delightful day, and with the magical items, my magic is amplified providing me with more spell usage. Along the way, I met up with Fehriel and Mirren, they were headed to the Umber Hulk caverns again and I decided to come along. They engaged a Xorn once we entered the cavern, and it shook the ground with its tremendous powers, I was mauled unconscious by a boulder; apparently my new magical items were insufficient to save me. I died, and I was sent back to Fort Vehl, but this time, I evaded the Soul Mother’s embrace. Pondering on my death, I saw Fehriel along the way, apparently, he was killed by the celestial Mirren conjured. Apparently the celestial fell to the madness of the Umber Hulks and killed Fehriel in confusion. I never thought that a celestial could fall prey to such a thing, only made me doubt the power of the heavens even more. Putting aside the celestial mishap, I focused more on the Xorn and how it killed me. Such tremendous power it unleashed on the earth, if a person was to harness that power and unleash it, one could level cities and shape mountains.

Taking my leave, I went to Fort Vehl, hoping to catch a glance of the accused Dark Elf, and as I reached the town center, guards of Rofirein formed in front of the jail. To my dismay, I never got a chance to take a glance at the fool, and instead, I stumbled upon Annie, and her two associates – a Lucindite, and an orc, a fascinating pair. I joined them into the Gloom Woods for I have not yet been there, and to my amazement, it was sprawling with undead as well as mutant Humanoids; all of which I presumed were the machinations of a darkweaver. As we plowed through corpse after corpse, we were accompanied by a bard that went by the name of War Singer, like me, he veils his face so. Completing the task, we stayed for a while at the mercenary camp, wherein War Singer and I shared a few stories. He was very timid, and in one occasion lied about his upbringing; I presume he’s a Goblin by the way he speaks, no Halfling would speak in such a way. He even cringed when I hinted at the sight of a Dark Elf mercenary within our midst.

Going back to Fort Vehl, Annie and her two companions bade farewell to us. As we arrived, we were welcomed by a familiar sight; the whole wargpack was there, along with Melana, Fehriel, Rose, Marius, and a Halfling that I wasn’t acquainted with. The Halfling seemed to be a rather agile fellow, and at the hint of caves, the Deep, and Dark Elves, she showed quite distaste, how quaint. We made our way back into the Gloom Woods and raided a few corpses, and when we came back to Fort Vehl, I saw the creature which called herself “Goggles”. This time I composed myself and remained civil; she didn’t speak that much, wise choice actually, lest the wargpack unleash their fury on her.

We took a boat to the Dragon Islands to visit the caves and raid a few Minotaurs. I have never been to the islands, nor have I heard of tales about it, and as soon as we thought of a battle plan, we were faced with such monstrous creatures – a forest full of mutant Humanoids, forest renders, and hostile Myconids. Reaching the cave, we plowed through wave after wave of Minotaurs, and our strategy seemed flawless. Although, on the way back, we were outflanked by a few Minotaurs and sadly, Grovel was wounded beyond healing.

Slowly I gain more allies who will protect me for now, and soon I shall gain more. For now, I shall lie low as I continue to hone my abilities and live with limits. That Dark Elf was a fool, and apparently lacked the intelligence to make use of the lessons taught to him. Such a pity, I could have used him as another servitor.
[/INDENT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Twelve
[/INDENT]
[INDENT]For months now I’ve been wandering the surface world in hopes of honing my skill, and slowly I’m becoming impatient with all the unnecessary work. On the surface world, power is gained through hard work, and not by one’s cunning. I feel myself slowly becoming one of them in their ideals, and frankly I don’t like it. I realized that no one on the surface world is striving to compete against me, because there is nothing to compete for. I left my city because I wanted something more for myself, selfish indeed, but the idea of a vicious cycle claiming me did not amuse me very well. I realized then and there that I was better than my kin. They wasted their ideals and talents blinded by faith and on simple desires; houses wage war against one another, and even then, individuals from every house seek to usurp more power. I am on a far greater horizon now, and through cunning and ruthlessness will I gain power and be able to fend for myself; no longer will I hide behind my allies, no more hiding from the law, and I shall be able to silence those who harass me, if the need arises.
 
Speaking of the law, I have heard rumors that the Dark Elf was tried guilty. Years of servitude under the Toranites, so I’ve heard, I’m not quite sure. Such torture for the poor thing, I would rather die than be subject to such punishment. They think they’re so pure but they merely bask in the grandeur of their false god, such blind zeal will be their demise; I shall enjoy toying with them in the decades to come.

Putting aside idle chat, I managed to finish my quota by the end of the week; so far I have four boxes total – two boxes of Aloe and two boxes of Silk. I’m still thinking of what to purchase though, perhaps a new hood, a new cloak, and a belt; all imbued with magic of course. Once I am satisfied with what I have, I shall focus more on alchemy to try and make my own potions, that way the temples won’t benefit from my wounds.

Pleased with myself, I went on a stroll to Fort Vehl to purchase a few guides on crafting, and along the way I met a man who seemed to be like every other Human. Taking a break from my journey, I took a seat near the campfire in the Stormcrest Crossroads with the man and conversed with him. His name was Idoran, he seemed to be a man of faith, and to my relief, he worshipped Deliar, so he wasn’t that big of a threat. His arm was limp, as if the muscles were torn apart, and as his story deepened, it explained why. Together with a group of individuals, his group raided the Deep in search of a shadow dragon. They sought to ask the dragon some questions that would help benefit the current state of the world. Apparently the dragon has marked them in some sort of way, and that they were no longer safe. Such a dreadful thing happened to these individuals, and it intrigues me more. Taking my leave I set off for Fort Vehl to buy my crafting supplies.

On the way back from Fort Vehl, I rested my feet and sat down with Idoran and Fehriel. Conversing with them, I learned more about Fehriel and his horrifying dreams. Shedding some insight to his situation, I realized a few things about myself as well, things that bothered me very much. A few days ago, X and I met a woman that refused to give us her name, she was very mysterious and even spoke Elven. She said that I had lost my touch, it disturbed me for a while, and I just realized what she meant by that statement; it daunts me so, perhaps she was right, if so, then I refuse to lose myself. [/INDENT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Thirteen[/INDENT]

[INDENT]I dispatched a small group of Bugbears while on my usual experimental runs, and I’m getting better at my strategies. After my practice runs, I stumbled upon Ferrit and delivered my last stock of Aloe and Silk in exchange for a few supplies that I may be able to use.  While negotiating, we were rudely interrupted by “goggles,” and she divulged that I was a Dark Elf. At first, I was enraged and wanted to confront the interloper, but to my surprise, Ferrit didn’t seem to mind. I was relieved and luckily no one else was there to hear the tramp. I must maintain my composure, if I give in to her taunts then I will have damned myself; soon my powers will grow, and if she crosses me, I shall have a little game to play.

This week has been full of death for me, as if I never left the Deep, and the only difference were the circumstances. X and I went on a raid to test a few tactics, and they all proved flawless. With my one fireball, I wiped out a whole Kobold clan, while X finished off the stragglers that I missed; we were lethal but still we retained our flaws. X and I parted ways, and I met an enigmatic dwarf in Fort Vehl, he went by the name of Gladyus, he even accompanied me in gathering a few skeleton knuckles. Once I collected the amount I needed, we set off for the Black Dogs Moors for my reward and along the way he only demanded that he get a share of the loot. He was not that talkative, mostly speaking with single words to deliver one complete thought. Once we reached Hlint, I met his master, Kahzrag, and he seemed to be like some of my ominous associates, Lord Domino and Count Czukay. I noticed that they wore veils on their faces and often cringed at the sight of sunlight, just like me, and most of all, they worshipped Sulterio, which only meant that they were Deep Dwarves. I was a bit alarmed as well as relieved to see another somewhat sentient being that came from the Deep. Together with my new Deep Dwarven associates, we met up with Rak Ramhorn and sailed to Alindor to slay the Bugbear chieftain. I was a bit embarrassed because I could only offer a few spells to my companions since most of my spells were offensive spells. Gladyus even called me weak, I took offense to that, and that dwarf better watch his words or else he won’t live to speak again. We had a very effective strategy and slowly we felled Bugbear after Bugbear, that is, until we reached the chieftain. I just stayed behind them, remained invisible, looted the dead, healed them, and cast protective spells on them. Eventually, Rak was overwhelmed and was slain, and so did Kahzrag right after he killed the chieftain, Gladyus was being chased by a Bugbear right when Kahzrag was killed. I took the chieftain’s severed head that way our trip would not be in vain, and I ran to the stairs to look for Gladyus. I found his bleeding body on the floor and I mended his wounds, but shortly after, he ran immediately before I could even cast an Invisibility spell on him. Unfortunately, the Bugbear saw him and was struck down, and this time the wound proved fatal. With nothing else to do I ran back to Mariner’s Hold and boarded the next boat to Fort Vehl. It amuses me how they were all slain when they were executing such a well thought plan. Although their deaths were not a total waste, they served their purpose and in the end, we were triumphant in accomplishing our task; they just merely spilled their own blood to do so.
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[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Fourteen[/INDENT]
[INDENT]Leaving my room, I noticed a pile of books near the bar at the Caring Hope Inn. I was intrigued and in my search for a book that fancies me, instead I found a note that had writing on it which seemed familiar. The note baffled me, and it had a few details regarding our trip to the backwater town of Folly. I immediately sought companions that may accompany me to the location as stated in the note. Eventually the group didn’t find any clues so as to unravel the mysteries that surrounded that town, so we all decided to just wait until more information surfaces.

I stayed behind to help Azaionna, Marec, and Kenelm in their suicidal attempt to persuade the goblins near Hlint. It amuses me how Azaionna still tried to reason with the goblin even when it’s already trying to stab her; such foolish dedication. Goblin after goblin, she was only met with hostility. Luckily, Gladyus was inside the caverns, mining some Greenstone I suppose, and he decided to lend us a hand. The deeper we went inside, the more goblins we faced, and eventually we were overwhelmed. While luring a few goblins in to ambush, someone rushed in and they were all swarmed. Luckily, Gladyus and I managed to escape the carnage. It amuses me how the female is so vigilant in her attempts for diplomacy, foolish, but still, it’s fascinating to see how far she’s willing to go, maybe even to the death.

Meeting with X and our new companion, Mandalorian, I felt a surge of magic within me, as if my blood was curdling. Trudging onwards, I felt as if the magic within me was becoming erratic, with it I continued casting spells on my companions and watched from the horizon as they wreaked death. Eventually, I realized that I have felt this feeling before, and that I’ve always dealt with it by meditating and playing with the Al’Noth. Leaving a trail of death, we felled Bugbears, Umber Hulks, and mercenaries all across Mistone. I could not take it anymore, and we all decided to part ways. On top of a hill in Haven, far from the sight of commoners, I meditated and honed my magic. My magic grew as if the collective emotions I’ve kept triggered something and amplified my magic just like before, and with that I was able to cast a new spell. Pleased with myself, I tested my new arsenal of spells, for now I will exercise restraint and use more protective spells to help my companions, that way they won’t die as fast. [/INDENT] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Fifteen[/INDENT]
[INDENT]I sailed off to Leringard and amused myself with the local card game called Demon Cards, wherein I find an escape from the world within the confines of the game.  When immersed in the game, one is able to command a wide assortment of creatures with one goal at hand – destroying the enemy. I found myself omnipotent and commanding a multitude of creatures left me with some sense of security. I dared not to lose myself to the game, and in convenience, Gladyus wanted to take me to Hurm. I’ve only heard of tales about the port city, and I’ve taken a liking to the tales about the Sea Elf sightings.

We made our way through the outskirts and eventually we came across a massive desert as vast as the labyrinths of the Deep.  We raided the outlying caves within the desert, slaying the local Giant populace; it was quite amusing, seeing as how one by one they fell to creatures half their size. We made quite a pair, and with enough enchantments, I turned Gladyus into a machine of death. He would strike the Giants’ tender points and make them bow on their knees, while he finishes them off, and on occasion, I would fling a few fireballs on the ones that would swarm. The dwarf spoke more to me on that trip, and maybe if I gain his trust he can be a formidable ally; he even gave me a name, I’ve forgotten how he called it in Dwarven, but it was “Dragon” in the common tongue. A very amusing and flattering name, and henceforth I was “Dragon”, a living weapon capable of unleashing death.
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[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Sixteen[/INDENT]

[INDENT]Earning enough money, I went inside the Toranite temple against my best wishes to purchase a few bandages. To my amusement, the convicted Dark Elf was there. How I pitied him, caged and forced into servitude; fallen he has to be like the slaves we had in the Deep. He did not speak much, but rather he maintained his pacified state due to the presence of the clerics. He amuses me, such strength and willingness to endure, he is a potential ally, and I’ll need as much as I can. My presence there was short-lived, and I did not expect to meet him, regardless of the risk, I attempted to talk to him. I tried to give him the impression that I was a liaison of some group, but his pride and boorishness denied me. His defiance will be his doom, seeing as to how it got him into this predicament. I expected much from him and his many talents, but I was disappointed, within all that strength and wit, he wastes it so by being so foolish. I must take precaution, he can be a great threat, and if he does I shall be prepared. He is a weapon, and I hope to unleash him, provided that he still maintains his sanity by the time his sentence is over.

I made my way to Hlint, and as I expected, Gladyus was there raiding the caverns yet again and as always we were off to some faraway place. We sailed to Mariner’s Hold and met up with Kahzrag. We were supposed to turn in the head of the Bugbear chieftain, but unfortunately, Rak didn’t show up. Instead, we made our way to Hurm and paid a visit to the Giants that took refuge within the desert caves. Gladyus and I were already a handful for the Giants, but with Kahzrag, we laid waste to them faster. I’m quite pleased because people are starting to acknowledge my capabilities, and hopefully I won’t have to rely on these brutes in the future.

We parted ways, and I went to Spellgard to use the portal to North Point. I have heard of rumors about a sea creature wreaking havoc within the local townsfolk so I decided to lend my abilities, and maybe even witness the creature at its prime. I witnessed a very intimidating sight, and a very large group of adventurers were gathered near the campfire to investigate as well. I was way out of my league and while conversing, the adventurers were talking about Dark Elves and how they despised them so. I remained quiet and kept any insight to myself, and only when in trouble did I speak. We boarded a boat and sailed off to the town of question and we were welcomed by the commoners with much expectation. My companions were powerful but were quite witty and arrogant, their chaos secured my safety. Nonetheless, I commend them for their skill seeing as how they annihilated an army of Goblins with their swordplay and incredible magic. After much bickering and tracking, we found the creature hidden deep within a cave. The druids demanded that it was to be left alone; a wise course of action indeed, I would not dare face such a thing. We left the cave and hurried to think of a plan for the Grey Caps were upon us, and if they do, hostilities are bound to ensue. A cunning ruse was developed, one that instilled fear and deceit in the enemy; the mage whom they called Savin was to change into the shape of a Dragon and we were to flee in terror.  The plan worked flawlessly and the Grey Caps fled in terror, leaving the creature unscathed. I was hoping to gain a few more associates, but I was disappointed for the majority were pompous and drudging. Regardless, I was satisfied by the sight of such a creature, hopefully I would see more of it in the future, and perhaps even domesticated into servitors.
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[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Seventeen[/INDENT]

[INDENT]Fehriel and I had a short conversation, and I divulged how I was feeling; thoughts of fear and uncertainty troubled me so. Perhaps that trip to the Toranite temple was not wise, as well as meeting that boon. Somehow I feel that he is conspiring against me, no matter, I shall leave him be and if ever his taskmasters detain me, I shall use the law against them. If they want to harangue me, I shall give them reason to. It’s quite amusing knowing that you can use their own ideals against them, for now I shall let the Dark Elf rot in his prison, and once he is released I shall deal with his defiance myself; I want his head, and I shall play with him for the time being. Aside from my machinations, it amused me how Fehriel maintained his civility, it’s as if he’s no longer tainted by the blood of Demons. This could probably be of an advantage for me, lest he try something against me.

Aside from all this chaos, I feel more powerful now, and soon I can master more spells; I can feel the Al’Noth twinge with my very emotions. Maybe it’s because of that Dark Elf, he aggravates me so, and even though it helps, he fuels my rage. Dwelling on this matter, Gladyus and I cleaned the Giant caves in the deserts near Dalanthar. Wave after wave of Giants, they all slowly fell to my fireballs and Gladyus’ fists; it’s quite impressive that we’re able to kill most of the Giants. Will the Toranites be as easy to fell as these blundering behemoths? I must delve on this further and bide my time.[/INDENT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Eighteen[/INDENT]
[INDENT]While on my way to Leringard, I passed by Fort Llast as always, making my way, I noticed a memorandum posted outside the temple of Toran. Curious as to what it said, I took a glance at it and read it with haste. I was struck by a flurry of emotions and I immediately departed from the vile temple and made my way into Leringard. Boarding the ship to Hurm, I could not help but contemplate on these emotions that swirled within me like an unending vortex. I was happy, amused, and somewhat disappointed, knowing that Sion is being petitioned for execution and that I wasn’t even able to toy with him. I offered him safe haven and he spat on me, such a pitiful creature to be executed. I wonder though how they might end his life entirely since he is bound to the stones.

As much as I don’t care about the commoners, I loathed them even more after reading the note. I am being aggravated by these nuisances, and they keep making things harder for me. They referred to Sion as well as my kind as animals, and yet they’re not that different from my kind; rather they prey on Sion because they outnumber him. Instead of harassing the defenseless creature, why don’t they venture into The Deep and wage a war against all the Dark Elf houses? If they can fight as much as they prey on the pitiful creature, why don’t they mount a counterattack instead of unleashing all their hate on their little scapegoat? Obviously they can’t, for they have such minimal numbers and frail bodies, they have no other talents aside from their mediocre crafts. Now I have to think of more ways of subterfuge to make my way through the continents; these commoners are such a nuisance, just like the Toranites. If I am identified, I shall give them a more elaborate reason to fear my kind, and I shall treat them like the animals they are.[/INDENT] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Nineteen[/INDENT]
[INDENT]That woman amuses me, and she shows such hostility towards me; although, unlike the others, she is steadfast and focused, quite hard to play with so I’ll avoid her for now. She was with another companion, almost knifed me though, and I only wanted to play; I say hello and they both wield their weapons, uncivilized brutes. She is of no concern for now, although she is an imminent threat, she poses only as a minor annoyance, and besides, she cannot touch me so long as I stick to what Fehriel said.

Leaving the two brutes, I stumbled upon Fehriel and his new companion in the Kobold camp near Port Hempstead. Upon leaving the camp, we saw a majestic sight, a person wielding a Trident and had the features of an Elf, and to our amazement, we had a Sea Elf in our midst. His name was Tiall’alu, a cleric of Shindaleria. He didn’t speak common that well so we resorted to speak in Elvish. We proceeded to show him around, and unfortunately, Fehriel’s other companion disappeared. While conversing, we tried to learn more about him and why he left the sea, to my shock, he knew what I was and where I came from. I questioned him and he claimed that someone told him about me; who his informant was, I never found out. He was really calm regarding the matter while I was in an outrage. He interests me so, and with proper training, he could be a fine investment.

I sought a reprieve from the world through the card emporium in Leringard; I’ve become fond of Demon Cards lately, and playing it only enriches my knowledge over strategies and tactics. But still, firsthand experience always outweighs that which you could learn from a game. I was not alone when I entered the card emporium; there were two males inside, one wore an ominous mask dressed in black and red, while the other was dressed in garbs of yellow and white, probably a servant of Rofirein, but I may be mistaken. He challenged me to a game and after three games, I was victorious, the Rofireinite was a formidable opponent, almost having the same cards that I had.

Eventually I grew tired of playing games, and I boarded the next boat to Fort Vehl to resupply in the arena. Someone was training with the combat dummies and I just minded my own business; the man looked familiar, and it was Idoran. I sought to see his potential seeing as how he was supposed to meet someone for training purposes, I decided to stay a while and observe. Idoran and I sparred while waiting for his companion; it’s always unfair if a mage is to duel a fighter, unfair for the fighter that is, seeing as how a mage can summon a substantial amount of creatures and amplify their lethality significantly. I managed to defeat Idoran three times in a row before his companion arrived. It was the man who wore the ominous mask in the card emporium, they immediately began their lessons, and he was very skilled in swordplay as well as wielding the Al’Noth. I didn’t learn much but I had an enjoyable time, Idoran’s companion interested me, somehow he exudes an aura of power and respect.

Parting ways, I embarked on my trek to Fort Wayfare to heed the call of Folly once more. Farmer Syton was in need of our special skills again, and this time he’s offering a cow as a reward, as much as the reward is beyond comprehension, I answered his call out of curiosity. I was already acquainted with most of the people that came along; namely, Gladyus, Leisa, Maran, and Yvale. All except for a Halfling who arrived late and he insisted that he be called Dogboy so I eagerly indulged him. At the break of dawn we made our journey towards Folly, and upon arriving we met with Farmer Syton, who was at the height of his success. He wanted us to retrieve the mirror that trapped our fat companion so that he may prove to the townsfolk that his son has found something that may be significant to the town, and in exchange, we get a cow. Not wasting any more time, we made our way to the caverns and then to the mirror. Most of the time was spent into examining the mirror without touching it as well as bickering amongst ourselves. The mirror was missing a few devices that were to be placed on the sides for it to function. I offered my cloak so that it can be used to cover the mirror, that way our gaze won’t lead us astray, but unfortunately, the cloak was sucked in as it touched the surface. Leaving the mirror alone, we set off to scour the cavern for the missing devices, and after hours of searching, our efforts yielded nothing. Going back to the mirror, Gladyus examined it, and found four details below the mirror, each depicting a god and required amulets of a certain size and age; the four gods were represented by a clover, a dagger, a compass, and a wolf’s head. The clover represented Deliar, the compass for Rofirein, the wolf’s head for Folian, and we presumed that the dagger represented Corath, but Leisa thought otherwise. Concluding that the amulets would be somewhere on the surface, we took the path that required passing through the shrine of Beryl, where we found the child’s body. Maran was throwing a fit and accused Gladyus of desecrating the shrine. He claimed that Gladyus poured some sort of poison on the shrine and that it would anger the gods. Leisa examined the statue and concluded that the liquid was benign and was coming out from the cracks of the shrine. Thinking that it would contain the devices, Gladyus and I wanted to break the shrine to see if our assumptions were correct. Instead of invoking Maran’s anger, Leisa examined it once more, and it was not hollow nor did it contain anything. Maran took our reactions quite seriously and was very disgruntled; frankly, he was very disgruntled the whole trip. Reaching the surface, we set off to look for these amulets, and yet again, our search was in vain. Instead, we set off to go back to Fort Wayfare until we can gain more knowledge regarding the town of question.
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[geloooo]

[INDENT]Journal Entry Number Twenty[/INDENT]

[INDENT]He called me Daralith, and to my dismay he was not who I thought he was, but rather someone more, someone powerful. He was a sorcerer just like me and was capable of unleashing a vast array of spells – his name was Skabot, a squire of Count Czukay. Knowing that I was under the protection of Lord Domino and Count Czukay, he took me to his home in Prantz to bestow upon me a few magical items that would be of use. He outfitted me quite well and gave me a number of magical items that I could use, and even placed me under his tutelage. I was not afraid of him, and to my relief he did not care that I was a Dark Elf. We had the same view on things, and on how we use our sorcery; at first I was reluctant to believe that one is still required to empower one’s companions with spells as they progress. I wanted to be able to kill things on my own with my magic, unleash death from a far, take life without all the bloodshed, and to be able to fend for myself. I was wrong, but perhaps I shall live long enough to prove that I can be as powerful as I want myself to be. I was comfortable with him, and he reminded me much of Archmage Vesz back in Eilndar. We conversed about different things, but unfortunately he had to tend to some other matters so I left through one of his portals to Fort Wayfare. Hopefully, I will see him again, and by then I will be as powerful as he is, perhaps even more.

I took some time to scour Mistone for the clues I needed to understand the mystery of Folly, but to my dismay, I found nothing. Unaccomplished and tired, I decided to leave for Fort Vehl and maybe stop by the Stormcrest Crossroads to rest. As I reached the pub, there was a group congregating near the fireplace and I decided to see what was happening. I saw a few familiar faces, faces that I have not seen in a while – Brian, Ayana, Mirren, and a creature with the torso of a humanoid and the lower body of a lion. She was a Wemic, and her name was Raska, she could not speak common but she did understand a few words. Luckily, Ayana can speak the language of animals so she was able to communicate with her. Ayana interpreted for us, and claimed that Raska was brought to Fort Vehl by slavers, probably to be auctioned to some rich noble. We persuaded her to come with us to Fort Vehl, that way we can properly outfit her with armor and weaponry. Geared and prepared, we showed her to the crypts to see the extent of her abilities, and of course, I aided her with my magic, making her powerful and enchanting her weapon. She managed well against the skeletons, and if trained well, she’ll go far on the surface world, maybe even a new addition to our little army.

Leaving the tomb, we stumbled upon a cheetah, one that looked like Grovel and Maran’s transformations so I assumed it was a druid. His name was Elgon, and he was Ayana’s brother. He had to speak to Ayana about a pressing matter, but before he did, Ayana and I spoke about her little friend in the Toranite temple. I warned them to keep their friend on a leash, that way he’ll stop sending his slavers after me. If what Llane said was true, then this Lance person must be Sion’s taskmaster. If he knew what’s good for him, he’ll back off and leave me be, I already have enough enemies as it is. If they don’t silence Sion, then I shall deal with him once he is released from his sentence. Hopefully she’ll talk to the brute and knock some sense into him, maybe even some manners. I left them and bade farewell to Raska, giving her a few parting gifts, they were not much but perhaps she’ll be able to use them when the need is dire.[/INDENT]