@meagloth maeglin female? well i just put my name into an elf name generator and got it. i wanted an elf name for my half elf and am unimaginative so I found Brandon=Maeglin
oh you have it slightly different as meaglin. well still there is my inspiration for you
The one slain in cold blood was Cythandria, the exotic beauty standing in the archway at the end is Tamoko. I didnt kill her off And ye, i did try to give you some glory even tho you were down for most of it, just felt better if you were the one to kill him. Maybe we can have a nice funeral for Yeslick too
@ChildofBhaal599 Yeah, the correct sindarin is meaglin and for me, maegloth, but I mistyped it one day and never looked back, so now I've got like 5 different online profiles called meagloth:) I just used meaglin for female becuase it sounded similar but not exactly the same. Maegloth means rose(or thorn tree) in sindarin, because meag means sharp or pointy, and loth means tree of flower, like lothlorien. Maegloth means piercing glance, and that is an actual name in the Silmarilion, meaglin, the son of ëol the dark elf and arehdel, the daughter of fingolfin. In the case of his name it's not maeg-Lin, which would mean piercing music, but maeg-glin, but they drop the second g.
- Once our hard earned victory was celebrated, and commendations were awarded by the Council of Four, now but three strong, most of us went our separate ways. After putting our honored cleric Yeslick to rest, Donathal, the wayward sellsword dwarf, set out to find his long lost clan once more with the generous purse he received from Kang, in recognition of his services these past few months. Maeglin and Imoen divulged little on their up and coming destination, merely indicating they were out to seclude themselves from further persecution from those that would once again stake a claim as the new Lord of Murder. Kang was of course all too eager to join them, he seemingly hasnt given up hope about winning Imoen's affections, unlike the rest of us. As for myself, I shall retreat to a more civilised region and work on getting this grand tale of heroism pieced together and bringing it out into the world for all to hear. From what I've heard, the trade port of Athkatla is one of the most busy cities this side of Faerûn, and it is less than a tenday from here. I suppose that it's as good a place as any to spread the word.
Here's a little intermezzo to bridge the gap, and give some more details on what happened to Andre on his solo tour of Athkatla.
- For several weeks after our party dispersed and everyone went about making their individual fortune elsewhere, I was emboldened by the series of hard fought victories we had won over the course of our adventures along the Sword Coast. With head held high, I regaled nobleman and peasant alike with heroic tales of our exploits, in the ever bustling marketplace of Waukeen's Promenade. While most men brushed me aside, as is common among the ignorant and dimwitted city folk, I can safely say I got through to the more delightfully educated Amnish noblemen. Struck a fair bit of gold from the telling, to boot. - For all it's splendour, my tale seemed to attract a more questionable audience as time went on. These last two weeks now, there were shady characters in the crowd, lurking in the back, apparently studying me. At first I thought little of it, a slew of less reputable entertainers looking to enrich their own repertoire no doubt. - My lighthearted suspicions were swiftly tossed out the window, when I was stopped during the night by a most unhealthy looking fellow, pale as the moonlight itself. He was quite rude as well, didn't so much as mention his name. All he managed to confer, was that my skills as an entertainer had been noticed by one very prominent member of the Athkatlan high society. The sickly looking servant, as I assumed he was, urged me to visit a mansion not far from the local graveyard, where this 'nobleman' would bestow upon me a king's ransom for a more detailed, and intimate disclosure of 'The Heroes of the Sword Coast'. - In my hubris, I hastily made my way toward the estate in question, hoping my days of financial woes would be done. While the windows outside indicated a presence within, the gloomy hallways inside were bereaved of light, slowly stripping me of my fleeting courage. The longer I remained inside, the more I got the feeling this place had been abandoned for years, what with all the cobwebs and the excessive gathering of dust on every surface. Just as my better judgement took over, and I made my way back to the door, I noticed the halls did not look the same. The trap was sprung, and I cursed my greed for blinding me from what was an otherwise obvious ruse. I spent another few hours in there, looking for an exit before I received a blow to the head, after which I awoke in the cell I find myself in now. - The torture is unbearable. And I dare say the psychological torture is worse than the fire or the lightning. I'm unsure how many days I've spent in this dismal vault, and I'm quite unsure as to why, as well. My captor has not uttered a word in my presence, he merely peers into my soul and inspects my bloody body as I writhe from the agonising pain he inflicts. I'm starting to understand why I was left a quill and an empty book. It is another form of torture, no doubt devised to give me hope, or some semblance of normality, before breaking me once more. I suspect this will be taken from me soon, both to see what I've written, and to see my hope shattered like the countless bones that surround me.
(I'm assuming Irenicus took my books and journals and learned of Maeglin from them, rather than ask me directly, Andre doesn't seem important enough to warrant speaking to, more one for the pleasure of torturing :P)
I decided to change it up a bit, dispensed with the whole date thing and i never liked the 'entry 1' etc, so I thought i'd just title my entries instead. Also I dont rly notice in writing that much, but looking back on my posts, they're getting longer every time... prepare for a three page comment come TOB if this keeps up :P
A Flight from Anguish:
- Much to my surprise, I awoke yesterday, surrounded by familiar faces. I had not believed it at first, but it seemed like our old gang was assembled once more, under the most dire of circumstances. Hardly a year has passed since our victory under Baldur's Gate, yet it seemed like many of us have changed quite drastically. I barely recognised Donathal at all, what with his newfound religion. They tell me he was the one to 'infiltrate and secure our rescue'... undoubtedly the reason he was locked up as well. I thought it wise to keep to myself the reason for my own confinement, and possibly theirs. - This perverse misanthrope seems to relish in all manner of ill-conceived precepts of suffering, as more than just mangled bodies reveal his aberrant aspirations. For all it's divergent purposes, his experiments do hold some merit, if only for the research value. I wonder if what he seeks could be achieved without this wanton waste of life. - Of one thing we can be certain; this misguided mage holds sway over many powerful and magical creatures, some more malignant than the next. We've bested his pet demon, his horde of Duergar slaves, and whatever in the nine hells that 'guardian' was... I shall have to look into that. Three destitute dryad damsels hailed us as we ventured on. They cried out for aid, which of course, we could not refuse, being heroes as we are. The lovely ladies also held the flask of a captive Djinn we'd encountered deep within this lair. In exchange for its freedom it relinquished to us the sword of Sarevok, no doubt stolen from Maeglin upon his capture, with the rest of his valuables, if any. - After a short and sleepless slumber, we marched on to find a chamber filled with interplanar portals, a researcher's dream this place, so much to behold. Meanwhile, there was commotion concerning a corpse, stretched out on a torture rack. I did not recognise him at first, but he turned out to be the husband of the Harper woman Maeglin picked up while we were apart. We had met once before, but I cant say I remember them too fondly. There was also a rather familiar woman, a clone she said, who seemed beside herself from anger. We had to defend ourselves in the end. Quite unfortunate, the extent of madness within these halls. - Imoen... well, I suspect she has suffered from the torture more than any of us, she seemed quite agreeable at first, apart from the unsound moments where she would go on about how enticing death had become. I can live with a spot of crazy, heck, I am a spot of crazy... but she took it to a whole new level while we were in there. Out of the blue, she put a knife to my throat and threatened to add a new smile on my face should I fail to divulge my role in their capture. I fear I do hold some responsibility in the matter, but I thought it best not to come clean at that very moment. I do so enjoy living. - Now, as we find ourselves in the free world once more, I feel somewhat uneasy about how we parted. I was never that close with Imoen to begin with, but she was a good sort, always looking out for others, never truly selfish in her exploits. She did not deserve to be captured as such. Her cloaked captors had best not harm her in any way. If anything can be done to save this innocent child from the clutches of evil, then, as I am partly responsible for her fate, I must do everything in my power to do so.
- Merely a street or two down from the promenade, bordering the slums, a gentle cooing could be heard, coming from a hooded cutthroat in service of the Shadow Thieves, culling us to his abode. None were too eager to take him up on his invitation to assist us in providing information on Imoen and the nefarious Irenicus. As we cordially declined, for now, and pressed for more time to explore other options, the thief seemed somewhat scorned, and looked upon us with yet shadier eyes than before. The gesture was returned by most of us, of course. - We attempted to parley with what appeared to be the chief cantrip caster once we arrived at the House of the Council of Six, but none there were too compliant. Tolgerias, one of the veiled villains that took the mage and our friend off to Gods know where, requested some convoluted quest from us before enlightening us on Imoen's current condition. He gave us no choice but to accept ere he would divulge anything, resulting in us being tasked with tracking down a murderer, and the mongrel could not even manage to give us a straight answer. I cannot let this stand, but I fear we will not be able to solve this the easy way. - Kang was growing more unstable by the minute, so we decided to move on, and seek help elsewhere. Once outside however, he couldn't help but goad them for their lackluster behaviour, and clear disregard for civil service... okay, I may be paraphrasing now, but I hope Kang thought of it this way at least. He cast a spell of protection on himself as he stood in the doorway, which was, of course, highly prohibited. As the guards drew closer and one of the wizards appeared by means of a dimension door, I urged all parties to calm down after immobilising Kang myself, lest they do anything worse. We stressed to the mageling that it was but a mistake, so we got off with a simple warning that time, but I do hope Kang reigns his rage in, or we might all end up like Imoen. - In the commotion we almost didn't notice the growing mob, surrounding the nearby pyre. The usual criminal scum being strung up for his crimes, I thought, but before long I noticed it was a drow, being burned for... well, simply being. The ugly nature of man, and his superiority, always directs itself to the helpless, and the fairly gorgeous, in this instant. The drow in question was one we'd encountered before, one whom Kang would have swiftly disposed of, were it not for Maeglin and I. Being indisposed as he was, there was but Donathal speaking up against her this time, readily urging the mob to light the torches. I can see why one would be averse to her kind, especially if they be a dwarf, but justice is not served by burning a person for being who they are, but for what they do. And I for one, could not stand by and let such a fair maiden be turned to ash without due course. - I did however handle the aftermath in quite a less favourable fashion, I'm afraid. The murderous mob quickly overwhelmed us as we attempted to minimise collateral damage, for if we are to live up to our previous reputation, we cannot be slaughtering ignorant peasants, regardless of their stupendous stupidity. The prison guards accompanying the executioner were quite adept with bow and arrow, with which they incapacitated me rather swiftly. How do these culprits always know that I am the key figure in our party? Perhaps it is merely my personal reputation which precedes me.
- Once my companions saw to my recovery, I noticed Kang had also regained consciousness, much to our chagrin. Where once there was an aspiring archmage, now there was but a shell of a man, wallowing in self-pity, cursing his inability to save Imoen. Of course he has always been more prevalent in his boasting rather than actual skillful displays of power, so if he does not regain his composure, I see little future left for our all powerful wizard. Some leeway can be granted, surely, for we all knew the place Imoen held in his heart, and her capture does weigh heavy enough on mine to understand his pain. - After a somewhat pathetic verbal assault on the unfazed obsidian beauty, Kang arrested his attempts and kept to himself for the rest of the day. I, of course, stressed to our new companion that he did not speak for all of us when he spewed his usual bigotry, and I was forced to defend her honour several times before the evening was through. Donathal will no doubt hold a fierce grudge for many weeks to come, but I shall have to persuade him to refrain from slinging the usual insults at fair Viconia, lest my boot find his sizeable backside. - Upon entering the slums' most prominent, and notorious inn, the Copper Coronet, Maeglin readily ignored my advice to keep a low profile, and got himself into a fight with some ruffians. Being a betting man as I am, I decided to put some money down on the fight. Seeing as the opposition was but a mewling child, boasting of his abilities, where clearly there were none, I of course placed a bet on the seemingly capable defender, Amalas. Fortunately I lost my bet due to Maeglin's cheating ways, for I was unaware that it was, in fact, a fight to the death. Inept though he is at times, I suspect I would have more use of his abilities, than the ten gold I lost. Well... I suppose it would depend on the situation. - Once tensions calmed down, and the corpse was cleared from the arena, we were approached by a young lady, claiming to be a noble from a nearby stronghold, which was in dire need of rescue. Her dubious disposition and lack of proper manners aside, we were in quite a state after what seemed like one of the longest days I've seen since the time of our Sword Coast adventure, torturing days aside. We assured her we would meet her at the outlying encampment the next day, once we've had some much required rest. I merely hope the keep will still be there, since she seemed quite expressive about the dire state of her home. - I had hoped Kang would drift off quietly into the night, and sleep off his growing depression, but he decided to drown it instead, which almost took a turn for the worse when he reverted to somewhat of a deviant, and started casting random magic indoors. Luckily no cowering cowls were present, for while his spells were more detrimental to himself than anyone else, this behaviour is exactly why these caped cretins capture and contain magic users in this city. He eventually calmed down and we turned in for the night. After some of Donathal's less amicable attempts at antagonising poor Viconia, we agreed to have our best man, me, 'guard' her room during the night. This way, the dwarf was at ease knowing she was secure, and I had the assurance that the lovely lady was safe from any intruders seeking to harm her in her sleep, which, apparently, is more of a trance, so I'm not quite sure whether my vigilance was required as such.
- On our way out of the city, we were waylayed by what looked like a group of bandits, attacking a helpless man out in the wilds. After swiftly disposing of the trash, the wounded man pleaded us to return him to his friends in the city, which, despite the urgent quest at hand, we could not simply ignore. Upon returning the withering supplicant to the harbour district, it turned out he and his friends were members of the highly secretive Harpers, an association which usually has quite a number of fingers in many a proverbial pie. Naturally we took the opportunity to inquire about our lost friend's whereabouts. Of course they required assistance with a local criminal in return... for bringing an ally back from the cusp of death is not enough, naturally. - This criminal turned out to be none other than the deranged Zhentarim necromancer, known as Xzar. We once met this crazed lunatic and his halfling cohort, in the early days of our adventures. Much as back then, we would not be seen consorting with such rabble, but as it stood, Those Who Harp would see us befriend this fiend, in a bid to discern his plans and, subsequently, foil them ere they could be hatched. - Being used is one thing, but being used as bait is quite another. It turned out that the halfling, Montaron, was being held by the harpers, polymorphed as a bird. We reluctantly bypassed, by which I mean brutally slaughtered, the Harper spectres, and proceeded to reveal the truth behind this cunning plan of theirs. As we returned the bird to the Zhent, we were not met with a stubby thief, but a nimble Harper assassin, who planted a blade neatly between the mage's shoulders. We bore no love for his ilk, but we could have avoided much toil and tension, had they but informed us of their plans. I suppose that's why they call them secretive, and why people tend to dislike them. - As we made our way back to the city gates, under cover of darkness, we expected our presence to go unnoticed for once. Unfortunately, our Fair Lady did not see us through this night undisturbed, for before we were even clear of the city, we were met with a most troubling scene. The streets were red with blood as we witnessed a ravening vampire viciously slaying a slew of cutthroats out in the open. We attempted to remain hidden but the creature had a most acute sense of smell, and quickly turned our way once we were noticed. Much to our surprise, Tymora still saw fit to bless us, for the thing didn't appear to be hostile, not to us at least. It warned us of choosing the 'right side' in the upcoming conflict, and quickly vanished into the night. We're not quite sure what conflict she spoke of, but I imagine we would rather steer clear of such entanglements if we are to make headway in our rescue mission.
Just want to point out that this is not an account of 'truth' or 'fact', but simply a pompous prick's perspective on events past. Andre knows much, but he's not omniscient. :P
The Lord of the Manor:
- In light of our recent impediments on our way out of the city, we had been growing increasingly concerned at the well-being of the De'Arnise keep, and it's inhabitants. Once on the scene, our fears were unfortunately affirmed as we were met by the severed heads of the local guardsmen, mounted on pikes outside the gates. A quick scout around the crumbling castle however, revealed a minor encampment, still sporting a small host of resistance, among which we found the Lady Nalia. She urged us to make haste in sneaking into the keep, for this battle was not lost yet, if only we could find her father alive and well. I did not harbor such optimism, going by the look of the place, but we could scarcely refuse. - Making our way inside via a secret passage, we swiftly made a quick pass of the lower grounds of the keep. A frightened serf fostered hopes of us rescuing Nalia's aunt, Lady Delcia, from the clutches of the trolls that had overrun the place. I was inclined to call him on his poor manners, even when speaking of bandits, but as it turned out, they were actual trolls, invading the keep from the outlying wilds. There seemed to be little commotion at first, but as we ventured deeper into the keep they began to crawl out of every nook and cranny. We opened the gates first to allow reinforcements to secure the courtyard, after which we proceeded to the upper floors, in search for Lady Delcia. - We found the Lady of the house, but not before running into a Yuan-Ti wizard, much to our dismay. These scaled serpents, part of the lingering legacy of the long extinct Saurians, are generally believed to seek only destruction in service of the Carrion Lord, Typhon, though theirs is a race still mired in myth and controversy. They remained highly dangerous all the same, and this one was no different, giving us quite a run for our money. Lady Delcia was... grateful for our assistance, although she did not show it. We advised her to make haste in vacating the premises as we continued down into the dungeons, where, supposedly, Lord De'Arnise was being held captive by the leader of this troupe of trolls. - Sadly, our efforts were in vain. In the end, we bested the giant troll in charge, and his morose minions, but found their captive bereft of life, resulting in a most ruinous outcome of our quest. With a heavy heart we returned to Lady Nalia with a report on our 'victory'. While she did seem distraught, she remained composed and managed a word of thanks all the same, even more so, she offered Maeglin a deal in return for her inability to offer any recompense for our service. For a noble I must say she either has appalling taste, or an overwhelming sense of humor, for she appointed Maeglin as the new Lord of the Holdfast. Maeglin seems happy about it, since of course he has no idea what it entails. He is most likely just ecstatic about having 'servants'. Kang however, is growing increasingly unstable and volatile. We should make haste in securing Imoen's release, or his condition might grow beyond our control.
Yeah Andre is not the most truthful. Maeglin refuses to call them servants, since it implies them as lessers, and mostly took it to keep it away from the other noble house. Although he will use his title to tell people like Kang who is in charge in the group's power struggle
- Once all arrangements were made at the keep, we moved back into the city in search of some more tangible information on the condescending cloaks. Maeglin led us back to the coarse Coronet, despite my reservations, and proceeded to talk the ear off of that shifty innkeeper. As rumours would have it, this place was home to many a disreputable, and sometimes downright vulgar vice. Since I made it a personal mission of mine to pursue more agreeable amusement during my stay in the city, I had hoped not to sully my spotless sabatons is such a cesspool, but a true hero knows only sacrifice, as they say. Maeglin procured passage to the "entertainment" section of the inn, and all but coerced us into following him in. I dare say it was the smartest thing he'd done all day, for it seemed these ladies of easy virtue were the most honourable of the vile ventures one could partake in. One wrong turn revealed the true nature of this den of debauchery. All of a sudden, we were surrounded by guards as we entered what looked like a dungeon. Having no choice but to defend ourselves, we cut through the sorry lot only to make a startling discovery: they were keeping children locked up in the back on the inn. Amazed at such putrid profanity displayed in our presence, we confronted the people in charge and relieved them of their ill-conceived duties. As it happened, one of the prisoners, a man named Hendak, revealed to us, after gutting the proprietor, that slavers ran this establishment, using it to stage fights and trade servants to the "good and noble" people of Athkatla. Naturally, we took it upon ourselves to root out these despicable deviants, once we learned that many more children might be held captive elsewhere in the surrounding area. - Freedom is the only true treasure worth pursuing, that and fame of course, and if the weak are unable to secure theirs, then we, champions of justice, must take it upon ourselves to secure it for them. Unfortunately, despite clearly having multiple options, his "Lordship", Maeglin the Unmitigated, led us down into yet another sewer to achieve this goal. He claims Hendak assured him it would lead us to the slaver compound, but I'm not so sure. If I were a betting man, which I am, I'd say he enjoys wading in wretched waste. In the end, the distasteful jaunt yielded some fruit in the form of an enchanted blade. The magics imprinted on this weapon are quite foreign to me, but they do not seem at all malignant. It will, however, warrant further study. - Upon exiting the pungent passageways, we were immediately beset by the slaver scum, for as it turned out, my suspicions on Hendak's directions were unfounded. The opposition was more organised and well stocked than we had anticipated however. A host of mages accompanied the brigands, as well as another band of those Yuan-ti, of the pugilist persuasion this time. Their men were not as effective as their traps however, and with very little effort, we reintroduced the slaves to the ever fleeting favor of freedom. - Hendak was most appreciative of our endeavours, and offered us quite an appealing discount when dealing with his merchant friend Bernard. It would seem that the Copper Coronet might yet amass a minor shimmer upon its tarnished stature.
We proceeded to the Adventurer's Mart, a store for any and all foreign and exotic goods, in hopes of improving our dismal stock of equipment. However, once there, we noticed a stoic guard perched outside a tent of the visiting circus. I had teased fair Viconia earlier about witnessing the resplendent spectacle with me, but sadly, it seemed to fall upon deaf ears. Questioning the guard revealed a sinister plot, or so he would have us believe. - Next to the soldier stood a small child, crying for his mother. Apparently she had entered the tent and had not come out for the longest time. The flustered fool of a guard urged us to stay clear of the tent until his reinforcements could arrive, for any who had entered, had not been seen again. Whether this be a portal to the nine hells themselves, or merely an elaborate business plan to incite interest in their performance, this was unacceptable and in quite poor taste. Maeglin convinced the man to stand aside and let us handle the situation. He seemed quite smug when the soldier readily made room to let us pass, no doubt believing he had some form of authority, when it was clearly a mere disregard for our lives that granted us access. - Regardless of his lacking authority, Maeglin led us into what seemed like an endless sea of darkness, spanned by a narrow bridge, leading up to a lavish dome-like structure. At the center of the bridge, there stood a Genie, offering us a riddle in exchange for passage. Maeglin of course insisted in letting him solve the riddle, but after several failed attempts, Viconia stepped up and released him of his disheartening misconception of intelligence. Of course she had the right of it straight away, and the Genie evaporated, allowing us to pass. I, of course, would have also bested whatever mundane line of questioning posed by said creature, had I not been so enthralled by the increasing instability of my new blade. It remains unresponsive, yet seems to exclaim random desires of destruction at the most ill-timed moments. - With the way open, we moved through the pitch-black archway and found ourselves in a rather well lit garden, of sorts. Upon entering, we were addressed by what looked like an ogre, but sounded quite different than any ogre we had met before, both too delicate and eloquent for such a dimwitted beast. It proclaimed to be an elf, transformed by some nefarious gnome wizard, for reasons unknown. It also stressed that no monsters we would meet were in fact monsters, and that we should kill any peasants on sight. I had my doubts concerning this creature's sincerity, until we met a spider with a very similar affliction. It claimed to be the mother of the boy we met outside, trapped by the very same mage, whom she called Kalah. She also urged us to steer clear of the peasants, for they were not what they appeared. I discussed with Kang and Viconia the possibility that this was a ploy, tricking us into killing the peasants, for whatever reason, when suddenly, we heard sounds of battle. When we looked over, we noticed Maeglin had already slain the peasants... another fine example of why I'm here, offering wisdom. Sadly, it seems none have the patience to stand and listen, so I am forced to offer it after the facts. - A comely lass stood before the main entrance to what appeared to be the wizard's abode, yet she seemed distant, as if she were not even there. She welcomed us, and bid us to obey her master or die, after which she stood aside. We thought nothing of it, and moved onward. Beyond the doorway, we found a host of weres and shades appearing from the shadows and striking fear in the heart of... our less courageous companions. I stood fast, of course, and we quickly dispatched the foul beasts. Once before the illustrious Kalah, we had hoped for some sort of debate, a simple word of explanation, yet he set his fiends upon us, and seemed to ignore us completely after that. He and his minions were no match for our combined might, and once he fell, everything around us turned to dust and smoke. The veil lifted, and we found ourselves in a normal circus tent. It appeared this Kalah was but a common gnome entertainer who got ahead of himself in his quest for acknowledgement, resulting in his untimely demise. - The fair maiden, once ogre, and the other patrons were released from their spell, and they thanked us for our assistance, some more than others. Somehow we did end up inadvertently slaying the elf maiden's caretaker, but we cannot be held accountable for the aftermath of this vile gnome's misleading scheme. We saved the day once more, and that is all that matters.
- In the scrutiny following the festival fiasco, it appeared that Viconia was once again to be shunned on suspicion of purposefully slaying the slime in spite. I've managed to stay the enactment upon this growing bigotry for now, unfounded or not, but I fear it may make its recurrence soon enough. We finally made it into the Adventurer's Mart and managed to secure several tantalising trinkets from its vast stock. Most of Ribald's inventory was well outside our price range, for now, but heroes of our renown need no such elaborate equipment. Our prowess is well known regardless. - As we had been on the move for what felt like weeks without rest, many of us were starting to show visible signs of fatigue, so we made our way to the closest inn available for a well deserved night in lavish surroundings. The Den of Seven Veils is well known for its comfort and agreeable prices, as well as the somewhat more misanthropic manager. Aside from this cynic at the helm, the Seven Veils was the most prominent tavern in and around the Promenade, so naturally, it was the only option for us. - However convenient in our current situation, the Den's discretion also had a downside. One that was made apparent when Kang decided to inspect the rooms available to us. He soon found himself in an altercation with another group of adventurers staying at the inn. They did not seem at all amicable, but then neither is Kang, so naturally both parties resorted to flinging insults, much as surly simians do with their excrement. - Among the audacious adventurers were some surprisingly powerful individuals. Their resident mage might have given Kang a run for his money, were it not for my excellent marksmanship. As we dealt with the bulk of their scrapper section, a rogue most dapper stepped out of the shadows and almost took Maeglin's head clean off. Having cut down most of their party however, the trepidacious thief took no chances and decided to make his escape. Luckily for us, we have quite an assortment of debilitating cantrips at our disposal, so his flight was short lived, as was his life. - With the chambers sullied as they were, we were 'encouraged' to vacate the tavern and seek shelter elsewhere. With our options growing ever more limited, Viconia suggested we rest at the nearby Sea Bounty, one of the most shady establishments in and around the docks district. While it was the closest, and as a whole, we were looking a might less for wear, I was loath to accompany them, for my disdain for such inglorious locales is well known to all. Unfortunately I do not have the run of this group, so much like with Maeglin's sewer fascination, I suppose I shall have to concede. - Once inside, and we were all set to prop up our pedal appendages, a rather ill-mannered man muttered a deluge of insults at our resident Harper, Jaheira. Apparently they were formerly acquainted, though under quite undesirable circumstances. It seemed this man was once a slaver, bereft of his business at the hands of our druid friend. While this is of course a commendable feat, the danger in such endeavors lies in unmitigated retribution, for as she would soon realise, retribution at the hands of the morally ambiguous tends to be of the worst kind imaginable. - The Ployer man had put a hex upon our friend for 'old times' sake' and quickly made himself scarce. I was intrigued by this curse, for I had not seen its like thus far, so naturally, being a man of knowledge as I am, it is my duty to learn all there is to know so as to best combat these magics in days to come. Something that is easier said than done with our philistine company. They would coddle the victim and seek vengeance rather than search for answers to uncover a cure. I fail to see how asking Jaheira to keep notes of her deteriorating health is unkind, when it could clearly save her life.
- With our less than competent druid, now fully incompetent, we were forced to seek guidance from some of Ployer's former acquaintances to discern his location, and end the curse that was placed upon Jaheira. As it turned out, Bernard, storekeeper in the Coronet, has some very worthwhile, albeit vague information concerning his current whereabouts. Rumor had it that the fiend had a modest hideout not far from the inn, from which he would conduct his shady business with no impediment. With gusto, we barged into the former slaver's home and found the man not quite as surprised as we had hoped. It appeared he yet had some depraved plan prepared in the hope we would find his hideout, most likely so he could finish the job with his own grubby little paws. He raised his hand, upon which three mages teleported in and proceeded to precipitate a rain of fire and other assorted magical energies. - Kang, always boasting of how well he has mastered his craft, was the only one to really suffer at their hands, and had to be tended to by Donathal, for he would surely have perished otherwise. Once we had dealt with his cronies, the Ployer fool fumbled and vowed to alleviate Jaheira's affliction. His pleas for mercy were eventually ignored as she cut him down once the deed was done, a most ruthless act from one proclaimed to be so exalted. Perhaps the Harpers are even more vicious than the rumors would have us believe. - The demoralised druid did seem devoid of joy even with the thought of being free of the curse, but it would be another day before it had fully run its course, so we decided to return to the Coronet to secure our reward of reclamation and repose. Given the recent developments, and with tensions rising to never before seen levels, the drinks, and other, less reputable substances, were copiously indulged in, leading to some dubious behaviour by all. I decided to seclude myself from the group and the clamor of intoxicated commoners, to delve deeper into my research concerning the coarse and unresponsive blade I picked up the other day. An in-depth study of some of the markings, led me to believe that this curse holding the spirit within, was not as old as the blade itself. Several attempts at making contact had failed before I finally succeeded in cajoling it into a coherent conversation. - Lilarcor was it's name. Still not quite sure if that's the name of the sword or the spirit bound to it, but it seemed amicable enough, though not the most eloquent of spirits. It did however turn out to have an unhealthy thirst for blood, and quite frankly, it was incredibly rude. In exchange for 'sticking someone' it made a loose promise to divulge more on it's history in time, which will no doubt happen soon enough, given our chosen occupation. My only hope is that it remains but a voice and not a source of corruption to addle my brain... I am quite sure one such as I would notice such change before it was too late, so I've little to fear for now. - At the break of dawn, we gathered in the common room, preparing to set out once more in search for Imoen and her captor. The atmosphere was heavier than it usually was, and both Kang and Maeglin's faces seemed more troubled than I am used to. They seemed to throw impromptu glances in Viconia's direction, yet she seemed unfazed as usual. Perhaps I am just imagining things, but I can't shake the feeling something happened during the night.
- Granted a proper night's rest, our rag-tag band of adventurers was, despite the obscure vibrations in the air, once more ready to continue the search for clues concerning Imoen's whereabouts. Viconia, having provided us with questionable guidelines since her joining, was met with yet more suspicion upon prompting us about a possible lead that might help us with our quest. Chief among the disbelievers was of course the ever consistent Kang, who still apparently had some reservations about her role in previous debacles these past few days. Our stubby, and stubborn dwarf was not far behind in casting suspicious glares when she mentioned a mage that might have inside information on the Cowled Wizards. His name was Merkrath, and he was apparently last spotted in and around the central bridge district. - When first I heard the name, I was sure it sounded familiar, mostly of rumors I heard in the narrow streets of Athkatla. Those rumors mentioned an amazing circus act involving a host of squirrels. Now, while I'm sure none but our druid friend really have much love for these pesky rodents, it did sound like quite a show, so I urged our friends to take Viconia up on her offer, and cease their incessant paranoia. - Once on the scene, we were halted by one mister Aegisfield, a lieutenant in the city guard. Apparently, in recent days, there had been some gruesome murders taken place on the nightly streets in this area, and we were urged to bring any suspicious activities to light, if we should encounter them. Given our own limited time frame, we were forced to decline his plea for direct assistance, but since we had planned to scour the district for the aforementioned mage, we offered to keep our eyes open, at the very least. - Having spent the entire previous day idling to give Jaheira the time to let the remainder of her curse run its course, our arrival here was a nocturnal one, bringing with it a whole separate selection of issues. Firstly, we were quite quickly ambushed by some impudent pickpocket, prepared to pilfer our well-lined purses after bringing his brazen brothers in from the shadows. Common thieves should know better not to attack a fully armed group, especially if I am among them. They were no doubt emboldened seeing Kang with his comparatively weak physique and lavish clothing. Not but an hour had passed when we happened upon what was supposed to be a clandestine conversation among cutthroats and bloodsuckers. Being no fan of the latter, I was pleased to see the fiend slip into the shadows to let the thieves do the dirty deed of disposing of us. Luckily, as mentioned before, common thieves are no match for the likes of us, so they practically fell before they were upon us. - After a short stint of scrupulous scrutiny, we found little information on the mage, but surprisingly, we managed to unravel the mystery of the murderous miscreant roaming these streets. As it happened, a local lady of pleasure named Rose, with whom I had no relations whatsoever, pointed us in the direction of the local tanner. This scandalous scamp had apparently been using the skin off his victims to produce cheap leathers and line his pockets with 'impure' profits. Sadly, the slippery snake managed to escape our grasp and evade capture, so we returned to our original task of finding this Merkrath.
- With the murders now ground to a halt, these streets were as safe as they could ever be, granted those night stalkers do not steal away any innocent souls in the midnight hours. After we had reported our findings to the good lieutenant, Viconia pointed us at the nearest inn, where supposedly, these rumors of a powerful mage originated. Once on the scene, it turned out to be quite the sordid affair. A rambunctious band of brutes, bellowing, base and boorish, the kind of place I suspect only Maeglin could enjoy... birds and feathers, and all that. - Most of the drumming discord dawned from down below however, for this lowly watering hole was home to a notable, yet somewhat infamous theater, placating to the ignorant masses that cannot tell tripe from true talent. I suggested we took the time to visit said hall of entertainment, for seeing as we have quite a few mindless fools among us, I thought it would be the proper thing to do. One cannot always think of oneself, we are deemed friends after all. - The usher seemed at odds about charging us an entry fee, asking instead for a small donation to grant us access. We thought nothing of it, and gladly supported the lesser entertainers for their worthy, yet inevitably fruitless efforts. We took our seats and while I didn't not expect much from their performance, I must admit I was shocked at the level of incompetence portrayed by this group of so called 'actors'. It was so bad, it was almost on par with the level of stupidity frequently displayed by one of our own... I dare not mention names of course, for the dwarf might take offense, but it was quite appalling all the same. - Once the scornful scolding of the spectators was somewhat subdued, an oddly featured lady took the stage to offer apologies for their performance and plead for aid in a matter suited only for the very bravest of folk. It was as though Tymora herself brought us there, for the fair maiden could not garner more luck in having us present. Our Fair Lady showed her hand once more when the maiden, Raelis Shai, bid us to hunt down the very mage we were already looking for, albeit for more dastardly reasons than we would have liked. As it turned out, this Merkrath was not the squirrel tamer I had heard so much about, but more of a loutish sort, the abducting sort, no less. - I am, as always, fully capable and willing to help a maiden in need, saving their loved ones, even at the prospect of receiving no reward but that of doing the deed itself, but why does it always involve such loathsome locales? In what seemed like a foul flashback, we would set foot in yet another sewer, where apparently this creepy caster made his home. I cannot imagine the reasoning behind such a shameless selection of settlements, but not every wizard is wise of course, as Kang has proven time and time again. Among the gruesome goblins and mindless mercenaries that traversed these terrible trenches, we eventually came upon a hidden passageway, leading into a somewhat more bearable abode. - While The Lady is always by my side, she may not smile upon all of us equally, for once the stairwell came to an end, we were beset by a band of brisk beasts, no doubt in the wizard's service. Once they were dispatched, we quickly happened upon the victim Raelis mentioned, but he was bound by magic, mindless and constrained. It did not take us long to scour the remainder of this minute hideout and find the culprit lost in study, no doubt of something foul. Merkrath had no love for intruders and took a lofty tone as soon as he saw us, which of course could only end in one way. As my new found companion would so eloquently put it: we stuck him like a pig. - With his master no more, the slave, a tiefling named Haer'Dalis, seemed quite eager to join us on our adventures, clearly he has heard of me before and wishes to learn the ways of proper entertainment, but we respectfully declined and suggested he return to his friend at the Five Flagons.
- Having made our way back out of the sewers and to the relative safety of the familiar Coronet, we tended to our wounds and cleaned off the muck from our boots as we prepared to settle down for the evening. The jovial Joluv attempted to push his exotic and overpriced wares on us once more, and with our growing wealth, it becomes increasingly tempting to indulge in his offers. I assured the man we would return once we had less pressing need for our coin, and proceeded to enjoy some of the chef's 'fine' cooking. - I had been discussing my blade's behavior with it as I ate, for it had been rather bloodthirsty once more, when facing the miscreant Merkrath. It seemed as though it had but one thing on it's mind, seeing the life vacate it's victim's corpse. Addressing this lust for battle seemed to close it off to any further coherent conversation, so I was unfortunately unable to discern more about the origin of this contemptible conduct. - As per usual, I could see Maeglin and Donathal enjoying a few pints of ale at the bar, while Jaheira was sulking near the makeshift arena. No doubt reminiscing about her recent string of ill fortunes. My eyes wandered once more toward our dwarven cleric as he took a handful of flagons over to a table in the far corner of the tavern. I did not think much of it at first, but once I realised what I was seeing, I could scarcely believe my own eyes. - There were our resident wizard and his long standing enemy, Viconia, having what looked like a cordial conversation. Kang... speaking amicably... to a drow. My first reaction was of course that they were having an argument, as was customary, but on closer inspection, they were both calm and composed, one more so than the other. - Not two days ago, they were both quite non-characteristicaly standing beside Maeglin as though they were almost friends, and now they're having some sort of private get together? I must be imagining things, for it is almost inconceivable that Kang would ever agree on anything with a drow. Furthermore, why would such an obviously strong, independent woman, want anything to do with such a disgrace of a failed wizard? Is it not I who saved her and defended her at every turn? Does he not advocate her demise at his very own hands at least once a day? - It makes sense however, thinking back on events past, for I hardly ever receive any praise from anyone, even from those that would be lost without my expert guidance. Even all those months ago, I remember Maeglin, and the rest as well for that matter, disregard my every advice, rushing headlong into battle without so much as a plan or any preparation. Even going as far as blatantly ignoring me as I explained the nature of things, choosing instead to confirm my statements from some common priest. As though they would know better. I had hoped Viconia would be different, but it seems she is no more appreciative than the rest of this common rabble. If only Carsa was still with me, she would understand, she would no doubt agree with me that this party would have long since perished, had I not been a part of it.
- As we made our way back to the Five Flagons, to receive our reward for the menial task of setting free this pretender of a bard, I couldn't help but notice a distinct lack of idle banter in our group. Further indication of suspicious and clandestine behaviour, no doubt. Speaking of which, we came across what seemed like a secret meeting between yet another voracious vampire vixen and several peasant pickpockets. Apparently, some of the thieving scum mean to strike a deal with these bodacious bloodsuckers, undoubtedly hoping to stay their own untimely demise. Poor ignorant fools, they clearly know not what these deceptive deviants are capable of. - The drow now seems to placate me by applauding my performance at hunting down those few vampires that ran from the battle. My skills are, as ever, undeniable, of course, yet I need not be another follower of hers, deferring to her every whim. Seems to me like she has all the suitors she could want for already. Honestly, I've heard of the drow and their lust for pleasure and clear disregard of their victim's wishes, but I had imagined Viconia would have been different. She seemed uncharacteristically affectionate when we... I, rescued her from the pyre, yet that may have all been a ruse to keep our ire from joining that of her captors. I shall have to reassess my devotions to her, and this entire group for that matter. They will recognise me, or I will make them. - Once back at the Flagons, the tiefling vagabonds thanked us for our time and offered us a paltry sum in service of our skills. I would have settled for the word of gratitude but of course many of our group were not satisfied with the payment, given our current need for coin. Kang strongly voiced his disdain, calling it an outrage, or some such. It is a stain on the mind to listen to his ramblings, and quite a feat to ignore him altogether... something I regrettably fail to achieve time and time again. The man even prompted to steal their 'gem' - which I truly doubt it is - so that we might sell it for greater gain, instead of returning it to its rightful owner. - The tiefling troupe then confessed to be in graver danger than they first let on. They were apparently being chased by hunters from another plane, all for performing a play that was more than mere fiction. The Shai woman pleaded us to protect them from whatever was chasing them, by seeking it out ourselves before it could find them. They planned to open a portal to another plane, using the aforementioned gemstone, and we were to slay whatever stepped through. At any other time I would relish the thought of exploring the outer planes, or encountering all manner of exotic extraplanar emigrants, but we hardly have the time to indulge in such matters at this point. Besides, I doubt I would enjoy myself for any extended periods out there with this motley mix of misfits. - Having no say in any matters of true importance, my objections on safety and obvious misconception concerning the tiefling plans were thrown to the wayside, and soon enough, we were awaiting their portal to be opened. To no surprise, their plan backfired almost immediately. The intended targets came through the portal, but instantly detained the pathetic pair of performers and stepped back through the portal, daring us to follow suit. Against my better judgement, I urged the group to follow through on this plan, for while the danger was great, it remained our duty to help those in need. Having no real moral fiber however, the group needed some added motivation to step through, so I hinted at the possibility of great wealth beyond the portal. After considering this prospect, the group became a great deal more willing to go through with the rescue operation.
- As no doubt everyone was expecting, beyond the veil of the portal laid in wait and ambush of purported epic proportions, or so they thought. In truth, it was a rather abysmal assortment of asinine assassins that awaited us on the other side, flailing furiously as they met a band that knew the true meaning of proper combat. Once dispatched, the would-be headhunters yielded a wealth of valuables on their persons, among which were several intricate collars of sorts. Before meeting their end, they raved about how we were to be fodder for their demon overlord, or some such. Lies or no, a mere demon was nothing new for accomplished warriors such as we. - An obviously deranged gnome, wandering in the nearby hallway, pleaded for his life, seemingly assuming we were there to take it from him. He appeared to be wearing one of said collars, claiming it was by the master's orders. With our only exit closed behind us, we had little choice but to press on, find this demon and end his evil ways, not for glory, but for justice. Although glory never hurts. - Being in another prison did not fill me with glee, nor did the thought of possibly being stuck on this plane for all eternity, yet as we are true heroes, we could not let past traumas overcome our present needs. Working our way through the bowels of this, almost living structure, we slew dozens of mindless thralls, clearly possessed by means of those collars, all while avoiding dastardly traps that would suck people into other pocket dimensions hidden deep within. - After a vicious battle, the beast controlling the minds of all the prisoners housed in this devious deathtrap was no more. What remained of the slaves and guards alike, turned on their master and assaulted the demon lord alongside us. In spite of our privation, we managed to overcome this clearly elder demon and save ourselves from the fate of everlasting captivity. And for whatever reason, the senseless slaughter of nearly every prisoner in the place, which provided us with a slight - albeit utterly useless - distraction, didn't quite bother me as much as I thought it would. - The Shai woman professed her guilt in all of this and appealed to our better nature as she begged our forgiveness. Apparently her work was the reason for their woes and our need to step in. After bringing us back into the Prime, she paid our dues and made herself scarce after another array of ardent apologies. The tiefling bard offered us his services once more, for one would be eager to join such greatness, obviously, but given what we had seen so far, we readily agreed that no performer would ever outclass the likes of Andre the Magnificent. We declined his offer and contemplated our next course of action.
Sanctioned Slaughter:
- In the aftermath of our escape from the planar prison, several things were said that might not have had to be said, had we have had a half decent host of hardy adventurers. Our slow progress, and I assume also the fact that we didn't rob those poor tiefling entertainers as per his suggestion, had made Kang quite touchy after all was said and done. Yes, I may have also made a quip regarding a certain someone's lacking abilities in combat, and yes, it may not have been the most opportune timing on my behalf. I may have also called Kang an incompetent fool, ridiculed his very existence and questioned his worth in every aspect... but that's hardly a reason to be mad at someone. It is most definitely no ground for one to go on and assault a friend like he did. - After all these months I had assumed Kang was used to being incompetent, and seeing as I'm not one to shy away from telling the truth as much as I can, I had thought him to be accustomed with being reminded at how outlandishly inept he truly was. Shockingly enough, it turned out he wasn't quite as aware as I had thought, and I almost lost my head for it. I find it increasingly difficult to sympathise with him, mostly since he seems to antagonise me at every turn. - Now that our freedom was restored, and we had no inkling where that tanner troglodyte ran off to, we decided to take a less admirable path, but one that might give us more clues as to where the cowls took Imoen. The murderous ranger sought by the Cowls might prove to be a valuable asset to our cause, for if they wanted him dead so badly, he would no doubt possess some valuable information. - With that thought in mind, we set out to investigate his family estate down by the docks. Having received special privileges, by mandate of the cowls, to look into his disappearance, we entered the mansion, expecting it to be empty. I was pleasantly surprised to still find one of the family servants present, for in my mind, he might have garnered us with a wealth of knowledge leading to the aid of his former master. Sadly, Kang seemed beside himself and immediately began to threaten the poor man in an attempt to forcibly coerce him into divulging the whereabouts of the ranger. I strongly voiced my disdain concerning his coarse course of actions, but Kang continued his tirade by proclaiming his superiority and professed to pillage the entire mansion should the poor sod fail to cooperate. - I warned Kang that his current actions would not be looked upon favorably by anyone, regardless of any 'permissions' granted to us by the corrupt cowls, and as the servant called in the guards, clearly fearing this crazed wizard and what he might do, I quickly stepped outside so as not to be associated with such madness.
I took some liberties with Valygar's location during the harper thing, cuz it seemed kinda weird having to go back and forth like that
Harper Hardships:
- Once I returned from the adjacent temple of Oghma to survey the damage, I found Maeglin and Kang having a heated discussion regarding the numerous corpses littering the former Corthala estate. Kang did not seem to grasp the gravity of his actions, nor did he seem to care about the repercussions or the moral pitfalls he was navigating. Most, if not all of us, were somewhat shocked at the senseless slaughter but we chose to move beyond it for now, seeing that a hasty recovery of our target would be most prudent, given the recent developments. - Some documents found in the estate revealed the location of a remote cottage somewhere outside Imnesvale, in the Cloudpeak foothills. It seemed our best bet at finding our mark and whatever information he might hold concerning our captive friend, so we set forth on the short journey out in the wilds. Aside from the occasional ambush by local raiding parties our passage went mostly unnoticed by those that really mattered, save for one in particular. Not but an hour outside the city we were halted by a Harper named Meronia, carrying with her orders for Jaheira, demanding her immediate return to their Athkatla headquarters. Neither of them cared to explain the situation and without further notice, both Harpers vanished back toward the city. We had little choice in the matter so we continued to see to our own problems. - In just a few hours we arrived at Imnesvale only to find the local villagers in a state of disarray. Apparently, many of the villagers, including their resident ranger had gone missing in the last few weeks, sparking a widespread panic among the peasants. Many theories were uttered, ranging from wolves, to ogres, and even veritable witches, but in the end, we had more pressing matters to attend to at the time. - We ventured into the hills and it didn't take us long to track down Corthala, whom Kang proceeded to threaten with his life should he fail to cooperate. I urged Maeglin to keep his pet mageling in check before more deaths ensued, but Kang seemed implacable regardless. Fortunately he saw reason once the ranger explained, in detail, the predicament we found ourselves in. As it turned out, the Corthala family had some less than reputable history, but moreover, they were targeted by the cowls for the secrets held by one of Valygar's ancestors. - Lavok Corthala, a self-proclaimed master wizard with delusional tendencies - not unlike someone we know - had returned from a centuries old planar journey, and was now looming over the majority of the Athkatla slums. Fearing the reputation of his family would plummet with the return of this madman, Valygar was forced to slay several mages, as they seemed to seek access to Lavok's residence - something the ranger sought to do on his own, and deliver unto his forefather a long overdue death.
The Day the Harp Stopped Playing:
- With Kang becoming steadily more unstable, he is slowly but surely becoming a threat to the longevity of our quest. While he has always been one of the greatest advocates for our current cause, he may have also become the most deleterious to it. I voiced my concerns to Maeglin when we stopped to rest at the Umar Inn, and asked him to possibly have a word, or at least keep an eye on him, should things digress further. Upon my unusual request to kill him if the need should arise, I found Maeglin to be surprisingly willing to comply, given their long-standing relationship. Of course it is a last resort, but the time to end the unmanageable magus might come sooner rather than later, if prevailing practices persist. - Aside from Kang's arguable actions of late, it looked like Viconia had been acting rather dubious herself ever since we arrived at Imnesvale. Strange behaviour not withstanding however, I doubt anyone will be surprised if she were to suddenly put a knife in someone's back at any given time, so I chose to ignore her, as I have been trying to do for the last few days now. She distanced herself from the rest of us for most of the evening. - In the morning, we were met by our druid friend, Jaheira, who urged us to accompany her to the Harper compound in Athkatla, to discuss a matter of great urgency. Given recent developments, I can't say I was all too willing to return to their kind, for those that harp were not easy folk to entertain, and I was loath to walk into yet another prison, should we wish not to accept whatever they had to offer. Maeglin was, as ever, more than willing to trust Jaheira, a fault that might well be his undoing one of these days, but we reluctantly followed his lead and allowed the druid to escort us back to the Harper headquarters. - As the sun reached it's highest point, we reached the city gates, and made our way down to the docks. On our way back we made a stop at Maeglin's keep and left Valygar there for the time being, as it did not seem at all safe for him to be seen in the open while in the city, especially not in Harper presence. Once inside the compound, the local Harper leadership seemed quite interested in Maeglin's heritage and the implications his blood might have when unleashed unto the world in full. While most sane folk would agree that a spawn of the Lord of Murder running wild, would spell nothing but certain doom, nothing about Maeglin suggests he would be even capable of such destruction. - It soon became apparent that the Harpers never intended for Maeglin to leave the place ever again and before long their leader ordered Jaheira to detain him so that he might be imprisoned indefinitely. Fortunately for us, it seemed as though Jaheria attributed more value to her ties to Maeglin than she did to her Harper friends, and as such, she refused to cooperate. Enraged by her insubordination, and no doubt frightened of the outcome should Maeglin be left to roam free, the Harpers dispensed of all pretense and came at us with all they had to bare. While most of us came out unscathed, in the midst of the battle, Jaheira took a fatal blow to the head and could not be restored by mortal means. I held no particular love for her, but while no man could deny that Maeglin was to blame, her death might not sit well with him, given all that has transpired.
- In the absence of our former druid companion, Maeglin seemed overly distraught. We sent for Valygar, so that by nightfall, we could proceed with our more prevalent assignment, and put this loss behind us. Sadly, as we waited in the Copper Coronet for the ranger to arrive, Maeglin turned to drink and kept moping over the death of Jaheira. I considered lifting his spirits by offering some comforting words, some tripe about how he was not to blame, how nothing could be done, but I was never that keen on telling such blatant lies to a friend. - Kang, as usual, sullied the already filthy inn with more rancid arachnids, quickly permeating the air with unwelcome magical energies. As one would expect, one of his spiders ran rampant, obviously from lack of any form of commanding presence, and as I lent my assistance by firing an arrow at the wayward pest, Kang took it as a personal assault of sorts, hexing me with uncontrollable fear. Quite uncouth if one were to ask me. - As I regained my senses, I found myself upstairs, covered in grease, standing outside Kang's quarters. He was positively livid as he sent his remaining pet at me and seemed to be preparing some nefarious spell. I had no clue as to what was going on, and attempted to reason with the madman before he did something I would not come back from. Of course, reason was not a word with which Kang was at all familiar, so before I could coherently voice my plea for peace, I was struck by a volley of magic missiles, leaving me bleeding profusely as I stumbled down the stairs. - Viconia and Maeglin were sharing more intimate moments it seemed as I called out for help. After a much needed restoration by our capable elven cleric, I urged Maeglin to keep Kang under serious supervision, for his insanity would surely result in an untimely death for some of us, sooner, rather than later. My concerns were largely ignored and passed off as more of the same, despite bleeding all over the tavern floor and narrowly escaping death. I decided to leave the fools to their delusions and retire, for I was quite exhausted by the experience. I will simply keep Kang at a distance and keep my bow drawn and pointed in his general direction, in anticipation for the next assault. I fear the evils we chase may be rubbing off on our party of weary adventurers, and I'll not be victim to their whims. If the worst comes to pass, at least I shall be prepared to strike down Kang and end his lunacy, for the good of all of Faerûn, no doubt.
- Once Kang was sufficiently placated, after an attempt to brush off his blatant attack on my person as justified for imaginary assaults from my part - which, of course, none found credulous - we set out to dissolve the Corthala situation. A wizard's ire is rarely desired, so whether it be deserved or not, one would do well not to invoke such devastating disasters onto oneself. - After I had a quick and clandestine word with our fearless leader, we made our way inside the imposing sphere, which was resting precariously atop the shoddy rooftops of the slums district. The air was quite cool inside, and a foul stench was carried upon it. I urged my fellows not to interact with anything so as not to alert anyone to our presence, but before we had a good look around the entrance hall and what looked like an observation area, Kang swung open a door with aggravating apathy. Whether by coincidence, or by design, the first and only door triggered a tremendous tremor the moment it was opened. The fact that Kang was the one to spark said shaking of this spherical contraption, roused several suspicions, but his involvement was soon rebutted when the event's effects became apparent. - Where the map in the adjacent room had been a portrayal of Athkatla and it's immediate surroundings before the vibration, it was now a dark and ominous looking land, seemingly inhospitable to the average adventurer. Whatever the reason behind it, we could all agree this was anything but a favorable turn of events. Some of us feared a repeat of Lavok's disreputable past, being whisked away to spend centuries lost in the endless Astral Sea, or simply stuck on a hostile plane with no escape or means of return. - While this sphere might provide us with the means of survival, Valygar pointed out that only one man could assure our safe return within a reasonable time frame, and that was Lavok himself. We decided to make haste in our search, for while the consequence of time was relative to whatever plane one found themselves on, the Prime Material, and those upon it, including Imoen and her captor, would remain unaffected by any such existential privileges. Of course, being a learned expert on interplanar travel these days, I was convinced we would be back in time for dinner. - As we entered the next room, we encountered several battle hardened knights claiming to hail from a world beyond Abeir-Toril, called Krynn. They introduced themselves as Knights of Good, proud warriors of Solamnia. Trusting strange folk in such a dire predicament might not seem the most prudent of choices, but their story sounded believable enough to warrant cooperation. - Every room we entered seemed awash with warriors awaiting woeful wanderers to slay. First we found a host of serpent folk, aquatic people not uncommon on our world, and certainly not a friendly bunch. Reyna, leader of the Knights of Good, also warned us of a tribe of heinously deranged halflings not far from the center chamber. We proceeded most prudently, so as not to be surprised again.
- In disposing of the cabal of cannibalistic cutthroats, our newfound ranger friend regrettably fell to the diminutive miscreants and their monstrous ways. Having come all this way to set right the wrongs wrought by his ancestor, and seeing as we had no out, other than through the mage in charge of this place, we decided to follow through on our quest, if only to honor our fallen comrade's final wishes. - After the challenging charge set by the Solamnic knights was done, we came across a most troublesome contraption. A golem forge that looked almost as old as I assumed this sphere might be. Naturally, Kang immediately attempted to claim it as his own, despite the group's collective reservations. The man was a menace in his own right, none of us dared imagine him with an immortal construct at his back. - Some objections were uttered, and several threats were issued, mainly by my close traveling companion, Lilarcor, whom I've affectionately come to call, "Pokey". Not aloud, of course, for I fear I might not survive the telling. At any rate, many of us were somewhat uneasy at the prospect of Kang growing ever further beyond our control, especially given his recent behavior, and as such, my stannic sidekick offered to release us from the burden that was Kang... again. While it was not wholly differed by anyone present, it was perhaps in poor taste, at the time. As I, of all people, defended Kang, slightly, in light of our current troubles, I was able to convince our most competent fighter, my sword, to stay his... blade. If we were to escape this wretched place, we would require all that was available to us, even our wayward wizard. - Further investigation deeper into the heart of this vessel revealed what I can only assume was the engine room. Donathal, being his usual unseemly self, had been gathering lumps of coal and other refuse to "turn a profit", when we returned home. One would gather that a dwarf would recognise the value in things unlike any other, but I suppose his time away from us did not just alter his faith, but his common sense as well. With some clever persuasion, we managed to relieve him of his "treasures" so we could stoke the fires, hoping it would spark this sphere into moving. - On many occasions, we strategised that Maeglin would take the lead in combat, given his propensity for covert carnage, affording the rest of us ample opportunity to mop up from a safe distance. As usual, however, any design or plan to ensure longevity, was wasted on our witless wizard. With great gusto, Kang trod forth toward the entrance of the furnace, all the while summoning a horde of minions to all but Viconia's dismay.
Petrifying Predicaments:
- Before we could fuel the fires, there was a small matter of clearing out the current tenants. The furnace room was far from empty, housing more halfling horrors that charged us as soon as Kang and his following passed through the door. Being out of position, as he always is, Kang then made himself close to untouchable, leaving the rest of us vulnerable. Since we were used to such intolerable tactics by now, most of us took position behind our mage to let Maeglin salvage another of Kang's debacles. - These halflings were smarter than the average rabble we came across earlier, for they ignored all pretenders, like Kang, and aimed straight for our most competent combatant. Being as close to a legend that any modest person cares to admit, I was of course the focus of their vile magics and sadly became a victim of a spell most foul. I felt my body seize up and solidify, and but for a moment in time, my vision darkened. Since petrification halts time for any victim of such incantations, I was but momentarily incapacitated on my end, while the battle raged on. - Once the deed was done, and all pint-sized reprobates were disposed of, Kang returned me to my natural, and dare I say, most handsome state, but he stressed that it was under heavy duress. He also went on to mock my ineptitude and proclaim himself as somewhat of a saviour. I rarely enjoy arguing with the ignorant or deranged, so I left him to his delusions and ignored his poor attempt at degrading humor, as we proceeded to ignite the fires. - Not entirely unexpected for a place such as this, the fires did not simply produce energy, but from the flames flowed fiery elementals, setting ablaze what remained of our diminishing composure. Hardly an arduous task, defeating these creatures took little time, granting us a well deserved moment of reprieve once the room was cleared. - A quick search in and around the furnaces, revealed the last remaining parts of the magical golem Kang had been collecting while we were hard at work. He grabbed said parts and stormed out of the engine room and headed for the forge straight away. Somewhat unsettled by Kang's eagerness and disregard for the instruction manual that Maeglin uncovered, we followed suit, hoping to stop any undue disasters. Sadly, if Kang has his mind set on something, it is like a force of nature, unstoppable, and ultimately destructive. He pieced together the earthen construct, and uttered a few words before any of us could even follow, let alone stop him in his tracks. A loud crackling followed, and by the time our party was fully assembled in the forge, the golem stood up, proclaimed a state of alert and barged out the door, completely ignoring Kang's frantic instructions.
I didn't realize you guys were still working on this. It sounds like Kang is taking kind of a dark turn, @Heindrich , or is that just @Liberelli 's character's point of view? I know you're busy with another playthrough of your own, but it might be fun to have a post or two here from Kang to get his side of the story if you can find the time, or if not, maybe just remind us about how you're playing the character currently.
I didn't realize you guys were still working on this. It sounds like Kang is taking kind of a dark turn, @Heindrich , or is that just @Liberelli 's character's point of view? I know you're busy with another playthrough of your own, but it might be fun to have a post or two here from Kang to get his side of the story if you can find the time, or if not, maybe just remind us about how you're playing the character currently.
to answer: yeah, he is going a bit dark, so that is not entirely just Andre. he seeks power, and would put the group at risk for it, but would run from it himself so he may have said power and still be able to rescue Imoen. the events following Andre's last update are great and I hope he gets around to continuing it soon after our next meet!
I've thought on multiple occasions of trying to get back into writing these, but Maeglin has fallen greatly behind and with college I want the rest of my time at home available for gaming rather than writing about our game. everything Andre says should be taken with a grain of salt, though, and so that does make me wish to provide a more... truthful interpretation of our adventures. still, Andre gets the basics down and is entertaining to read.
edit: also, Maeglin hid that instruction manual on purpose. It wasn't too obvious in his writing, but Maeglin did so as he is taking any chance he can get to stop any of Kang's plans.
@BelgarathMTH I think @Liberelli will agree with me that Andre's account is not the most object version of events, especially after he decided to roleplay the corrupting influence of Lilacor's evil, which occasionally possesses Andre for short periods of time.
For example in the above account of "Kang's unprovoked attack", Andre (at the encouragement of Lil') sniped a shot at one of Kang's summoned spiders (Kang has become quite paranoid and summons spiders to stand guard whilst he sleeps, a practice that does not go down well except with Viconia), causing it to go out of control and had to be put down. In retaliation, Kang cast Spook on Andre, a typical "punishment" whenever somebody does something he disapproves of, (and not lethal), before storming off to his room.
When Andre recovered from the effects of Spook, he (presumably still under the influence of Lil') retaliated by throwing Grease into Kang's room... and yes, Kang has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards rescuing Imoen, and ever more short-tempered. Thus in a significant escalation of the petty squabbles that has plagued the party from its very inception, Kang launched a barrage of Magic Missiles at Andre to teach him a much more painful lesson. Up until this point, intra-party squabbles have all been verbal and/or non-lethal/damaging attacks.
Kang has always been a much more arrogant and ruthless version of Jin (hence Neutral rather than Good). You will remember from my LP that Jin also sought power to rescue Imoen, and to be able to protect those he cared about and prevent further tragedies like Khalid and Dynaheir. Kang just takes it further.
For example Kang's most controversial moment thus far was at Valygar's home, when Kang bluntly demanded the resident give up Valygar's location and allow him to search the premises, leading to a bloody escalation as Cowled Enforcers and soldiers arrived, and Kang was forced to kill them in self-defence. Jin would be horrified by such unnecessary bloodshed, whereas Kang blamed the victims for getting in his way, and didn't consider himself having done anything wrong.
Since then we have a running joke of sorts in that "Kang isn't evil, he has been only been responsible for one massacre".
Oh, and yes, we've kept this game going from Candlekeep until the Planar Sphere thus far. With the exception of a break for Christmas, we have been playing once a week almost every week. It's already becoming a bit of an epic.
And as you noticed, I had a significant AWOL period earlier this year when I was really busy, hence no attempt to resume Kang's journals. At this stage, it has been so long since my last journal that I can't see how to restart it...
OOC: it is time that we get another point of view again. We only play once a week at the moment and it makes it very slow and easy to keep up with the events. I've also been a bit less busy lately that I am going to try and resume. I've learned a lot in this time on writing and realized to not focusing so hard on stressing his traits as if people wouldn't catch on otherwise, and I think this will be a lot better than what I originally put out.
*Maeglin awakes early in the morning before the rest of the party and puts on all his gear. While checking inventory he found a few items tucked in the bottom of his pack from the days up North. Golden Pantaloons, the message from Gorion that revealed his past, and the journal he had long since forgotten about. He opens it and looks back to a time where he was a scared child, and he read on to a time where he was becoming a leader, and then a killer. Seeing as he doesn't keep anything on him for writing, Maeglin sneaks into Andre's room to borrow a quill and ink and starts writing on the next page.*
It's been many months since opening up these pages. I look back and see what I was becoming, and see how it translates to my writing. I know Andre still finds time at the inns we visit to write, but if I am to be remembered by my own writings, then I can't leave it to end the way it did. If I am to be remembered by anything, I would of course prefer it to come from me. Perhaps I should start out where I left off.
As we adventured around Baldur's Gate I had become increasingly more violent. This I know, and I regret it all, but it was something that wasn't going to be easy to control. We found that the man who was trying to kill me, Sarevok, was a Bhaalspawn, and my half brother. As a spawn of murder myself all this death seemed to have gotten to me. I never started killing the innoscent, thank the gods, but I became more and more cruel to those who stood in my way, no matter if they surrender or have a chance at change. It is something I have started to control after it was revealed to me in a note from gorion. Trying to retain some sensibility, I led the party to get better equiped and prepared before we returned to Baldur's Gate and defeated Sarevok, an event I am sure is well recorded and I don't need to go into.
Following the defeat of sarevok the party grew apart, and I was left with Kang and Imoen. Branwen had left us and was replaced by Yeslick, who died in the battle with Sarevok. Donathal went to find his clan. Andre went out to seek fame with his own tales of our adventure. Shortly after our victory we met Khalid and Jaheira again, who joined our group now that they no longer had their own business to handle and we could use more friends. This new group continued to battle lesser evils and enjoyed we fame we achieved within the city for stopping Sarevok's plot. However, one day we met a rather shady character for a job to clear out a few bandits near the city. The job seemed simple enough, we'd killed many bandits in our travels, but this was a trap, and we fell for it.
I awoke, caged in a dungeon, to an elf. He said it was time for him to resume his "experiments". It seems he had already started in the time I was unconscious, however long that may have been, as I was aching all over and found it hard to stand up when Imoen showed up to free me. In this room we were also able to free Jaheira, Kang, Andre, and Donathal. It seemed he had an interest in me, that he would take all my friends, even those that had left on their own journeys. Khalid was not found in this room, but was found dead later on, an upsetting event for Jaheira, and another blow to my morale after losing Yeslick. Upon escaping Imoen was also taken by the cowled wizards, who interupted Irenicus' battle and took the two mages. So began my journey to rescue my childhood friend.
In this journey we met an old face, a Drow named Viconia that we met near Baldur's Gate. Seeing as she was in trouble and we recently knocked Kang out to pacify him, we were able to rescue her and make her a part of our group. Of course Kang would not be happy when he awoke, but I think Andre couldn't send away a pretty face, and I just couldn't judge her based off being a Drow. Honestly, I hadn't imagined I would fall for her as Andre had, but as time went on I guess things happened. Viconia is wise, and I had listened to her on multiple occasions as she makes good points. At one point it seemed I may have been wrong after she apparantly killed an innoscent behind our back in a circus tent, but I think I've made it clear and I understand after all her stories of her life in the underdark why she ended up as she is, but I am just not sure if she is truly evil. Since this event, she seems to be more in line with this parties morals, rather than what she percieved it would be like to travel with a spawn of murder. I understand she is probably just more worried about her own survival chances alone, but I believe I have a chance to turn her around.
Enough on that though. Too much has happened on this journey to go into great detail before our next adventure. Jaheira is, sadly, dead, and we now have a ranger named Valygar with us as we prepare to enter a planar sphere today. In it we will face his ancestor, Lavok the necromancer, and end his evil existence. I fear for what will happen on this mission. Kang has become increasingly unhinged the longer Imoen has been away from us, yet he will not trust the thieves guild's offer to help and would rather trust the cowls' offer. If they find out we entered the sphere and with Valygar alive then there will be problems getting help from them, and unless we can convince him to take the alternative option, I am not sure he will remain sane at this point. I've advised Andre to be ready to take the shot if he ever loses it completely, but I'll have to stress this to him before we enter, seeing as the danger we are in when the cowls likely find out. I hope for the best, but I fear the worst with Kang.
Comments
@ChildofBhaal599
oh you have it slightly different as meaglin. well still there is my inspiration for you
And ye, i did try to give you some glory even tho you were down for most of it, just felt better if you were the one to kill him.
Maybe we can have a nice funeral for Yeslick too
- Once our hard earned victory was celebrated, and commendations were awarded by the Council of Four, now but three strong, most of us went our separate ways. After putting our honored cleric Yeslick to rest, Donathal, the wayward sellsword dwarf, set out to find his long lost clan once more with the generous purse he received from Kang, in recognition of his services these past few months. Maeglin and Imoen divulged little on their up and coming destination, merely indicating they were out to seclude themselves from further persecution from those that would once again stake a claim as the new Lord of Murder. Kang was of course all too eager to join them, he seemingly hasnt given up hope about winning Imoen's affections, unlike the rest of us. As for myself, I shall retreat to a more civilised region and work on getting this grand tale of heroism pieced together and bringing it out into the world for all to hear. From what I've heard, the trade port of Athkatla is one of the most busy cities this side of Faerûn, and it is less than a tenday from here. I suppose that it's as good a place as any to spread the word.
- For several weeks after our party dispersed and everyone went about making their individual fortune elsewhere, I was emboldened by the series of hard fought victories we had won over the course of our adventures along the Sword Coast. With head held high, I regaled nobleman and peasant alike with heroic tales of our exploits, in the ever bustling marketplace of Waukeen's Promenade. While most men brushed me aside, as is common among the ignorant and dimwitted city folk, I can safely say I got through to the more delightfully educated Amnish noblemen. Struck a fair bit of gold from the telling, to boot.
- For all it's splendour, my tale seemed to attract a more questionable audience as time went on. These last two weeks now, there were shady characters in the crowd, lurking in the back, apparently studying me. At first I thought little of it, a slew of less reputable entertainers looking to enrich their own repertoire no doubt.
- My lighthearted suspicions were swiftly tossed out the window, when I was stopped during the night by a most unhealthy looking fellow, pale as the moonlight itself. He was quite rude as well, didn't so much as mention his name. All he managed to confer, was that my skills as an entertainer had been noticed by one very prominent member of the Athkatlan high society. The sickly looking servant, as I assumed he was, urged me to visit a mansion not far from the local graveyard, where this 'nobleman' would bestow upon me a king's ransom for a more detailed, and intimate disclosure of 'The Heroes of the Sword Coast'.
- In my hubris, I hastily made my way toward the estate in question, hoping my days of financial woes would be done. While the windows outside indicated a presence within, the gloomy hallways inside were bereaved of light, slowly stripping me of my fleeting courage. The longer I remained inside, the more I got the feeling this place had been abandoned for years, what with all the cobwebs and the excessive gathering of dust on every surface. Just as my better judgement took over, and I made my way back to the door, I noticed the halls did not look the same. The trap was sprung, and I cursed my greed for blinding me from what was an otherwise obvious ruse. I spent another few hours in there, looking for an exit before I received a blow to the head, after which I awoke in the cell I find myself in now.
- The torture is unbearable. And I dare say the psychological torture is worse than the fire or the lightning. I'm unsure how many days I've spent in this dismal vault, and I'm quite unsure as to why, as well. My captor has not uttered a word in my presence, he merely peers into my soul and inspects my bloody body as I writhe from the agonising pain he inflicts. I'm starting to understand why I was left a quill and an empty book. It is another form of torture, no doubt devised to give me hope, or some semblance of normality, before breaking me once more. I suspect this will be taken from me soon, both to see what I've written, and to see my hope shattered like the countless bones that surround me.
(I'm assuming Irenicus took my books and journals and learned of Maeglin from them, rather than ask me directly, Andre doesn't seem important enough to warrant speaking to, more one for the pleasure of torturing :P)
A Flight from Anguish:
- Much to my surprise, I awoke yesterday, surrounded by familiar faces. I had not believed it at first, but it seemed like our old gang was assembled once more, under the most dire of circumstances. Hardly a year has passed since our victory under Baldur's Gate, yet it seemed like many of us have changed quite drastically. I barely recognised Donathal at all, what with his newfound religion. They tell me he was the one to 'infiltrate and secure our rescue'... undoubtedly the reason he was locked up as well. I thought it wise to keep to myself the reason for my own confinement, and possibly theirs.
- This perverse misanthrope seems to relish in all manner of ill-conceived precepts of suffering, as more than just mangled bodies reveal his aberrant aspirations. For all it's divergent purposes, his experiments do hold some merit, if only for the research value. I wonder if what he seeks could be achieved without this wanton waste of life.
- Of one thing we can be certain; this misguided mage holds sway over many powerful and magical creatures, some more malignant than the next. We've bested his pet demon, his horde of Duergar slaves, and whatever in the nine hells that 'guardian' was... I shall have to look into that. Three destitute dryad damsels hailed us as we ventured on. They cried out for aid, which of course, we could not refuse, being heroes as we are. The lovely ladies also held the flask of a captive Djinn we'd encountered deep within this lair. In exchange for its freedom it relinquished to us the sword of Sarevok, no doubt stolen from Maeglin upon his capture, with the rest of his valuables, if any.
- After a short and sleepless slumber, we marched on to find a chamber filled with interplanar portals, a researcher's dream this place, so much to behold. Meanwhile, there was commotion concerning a corpse, stretched out on a torture rack. I did not recognise him at first, but he turned out to be the husband of the Harper woman Maeglin picked up while we were apart. We had met once before, but I cant say I remember them too fondly. There was also a rather familiar woman, a clone she said, who seemed beside herself from anger. We had to defend ourselves in the end. Quite unfortunate, the extent of madness within these halls.
- Imoen... well, I suspect she has suffered from the torture more than any of us, she seemed quite agreeable at first, apart from the unsound moments where she would go on about how enticing death had become. I can live with a spot of crazy, heck, I am a spot of crazy... but she took it to a whole new level while we were in there. Out of the blue, she put a knife to my throat and threatened to add a new smile on my face should I fail to divulge my role in their capture. I fear I do hold some responsibility in the matter, but I thought it best not to come clean at that very moment. I do so enjoy living.
- Now, as we find ourselves in the free world once more, I feel somewhat uneasy about how we parted. I was never that close with Imoen to begin with, but she was a good sort, always looking out for others, never truly selfish in her exploits. She did not deserve to be captured as such. Her cloaked captors had best not harm her in any way. If anything can be done to save this innocent child from the clutches of evil, then, as I am partly responsible for her fate, I must do everything in my power to do so.
Cloaks Abound:
- Merely a street or two down from the promenade, bordering the slums, a gentle cooing could be heard, coming from a hooded cutthroat in service of the Shadow Thieves, culling us to his abode. None were too eager to take him up on his invitation to assist us in providing information on Imoen and the nefarious Irenicus. As we cordially declined, for now, and pressed for more time to explore other options, the thief seemed somewhat scorned, and looked upon us with yet shadier eyes than before. The gesture was returned by most of us, of course.
- We attempted to parley with what appeared to be the chief cantrip caster once we arrived at the House of the Council of Six, but none there were too compliant. Tolgerias, one of the veiled villains that took the mage and our friend off to Gods know where, requested some convoluted quest from us before enlightening us on Imoen's current condition. He gave us no choice but to accept ere he would divulge anything, resulting in us being tasked with tracking down a murderer, and the mongrel could not even manage to give us a straight answer. I cannot let this stand, but I fear we will not be able to solve this the easy way.
- Kang was growing more unstable by the minute, so we decided to move on, and seek help elsewhere. Once outside however, he couldn't help but goad them for their lackluster behaviour, and clear disregard for civil service... okay, I may be paraphrasing now, but I hope Kang thought of it this way at least. He cast a spell of protection on himself as he stood in the doorway, which was, of course, highly prohibited. As the guards drew closer and one of the wizards appeared by means of a dimension door, I urged all parties to calm down after immobilising Kang myself, lest they do anything worse. We stressed to the mageling that it was but a mistake, so we got off with a simple warning that time, but I do hope Kang reigns his rage in, or we might all end up like Imoen.
- In the commotion we almost didn't notice the growing mob, surrounding the nearby pyre. The usual criminal scum being strung up for his crimes, I thought, but before long I noticed it was a drow, being burned for... well, simply being. The ugly nature of man, and his superiority, always directs itself to the helpless, and the fairly gorgeous, in this instant. The drow in question was one we'd encountered before, one whom Kang would have swiftly disposed of, were it not for Maeglin and I. Being indisposed as he was, there was but Donathal speaking up against her this time, readily urging the mob to light the torches. I can see why one would be averse to her kind, especially if they be a dwarf, but justice is not served by burning a person for being who they are, but for what they do. And I for one, could not stand by and let such a fair maiden be turned to ash without due course.
- I did however handle the aftermath in quite a less favourable fashion, I'm afraid. The murderous mob quickly overwhelmed us as we attempted to minimise collateral damage, for if we are to live up to our previous reputation, we cannot be slaughtering ignorant peasants, regardless of their stupendous stupidity. The prison guards accompanying the executioner were quite adept with bow and arrow, with which they incapacitated me rather swiftly. How do these culprits always know that I am the key figure in our party? Perhaps it is merely my personal reputation which precedes me.
Respect's Recession:
- Once my companions saw to my recovery, I noticed Kang had also regained consciousness, much to our chagrin. Where once there was an aspiring archmage, now there was but a shell of a man, wallowing in self-pity, cursing his inability to save Imoen. Of course he has always been more prevalent in his boasting rather than actual skillful displays of power, so if he does not regain his composure, I see little future left for our all powerful wizard. Some leeway can be granted, surely, for we all knew the place Imoen held in his heart, and her capture does weigh heavy enough on mine to understand his pain.
- After a somewhat pathetic verbal assault on the unfazed obsidian beauty, Kang arrested his attempts and kept to himself for the rest of the day. I, of course, stressed to our new companion that he did not speak for all of us when he spewed his usual bigotry, and I was forced to defend her honour several times before the evening was through. Donathal will no doubt hold a fierce grudge for many weeks to come, but I shall have to persuade him to refrain from slinging the usual insults at fair Viconia, lest my boot find his sizeable backside.
- Upon entering the slums' most prominent, and notorious inn, the Copper Coronet, Maeglin readily ignored my advice to keep a low profile, and got himself into a fight with some ruffians. Being a betting man as I am, I decided to put some money down on the fight. Seeing as the opposition was but a mewling child, boasting of his abilities, where clearly there were none, I of course placed a bet on the seemingly capable defender, Amalas. Fortunately I lost my bet due to Maeglin's cheating ways, for I was unaware that it was, in fact, a fight to the death. Inept though he is at times, I suspect I would have more use of his abilities, than the ten gold I lost. Well... I suppose it would depend on the situation.
- Once tensions calmed down, and the corpse was cleared from the arena, we were approached by a young lady, claiming to be a noble from a nearby stronghold, which was in dire need of rescue. Her dubious disposition and lack of proper manners aside, we were in quite a state after what seemed like one of the longest days I've seen since the time of our Sword Coast adventure, torturing days aside. We assured her we would meet her at the outlying encampment the next day, once we've had some much required rest. I merely hope the keep will still be there, since she seemed quite expressive about the dire state of her home.
- I had hoped Kang would drift off quietly into the night, and sleep off his growing depression, but he decided to drown it instead, which almost took a turn for the worse when he reverted to somewhat of a deviant, and started casting random magic indoors. Luckily no cowering cowls were present, for while his spells were more detrimental to himself than anyone else, this behaviour is exactly why these caped cretins capture and contain magic users in this city. He eventually calmed down and we turned in for the night. After some of Donathal's less amicable attempts at antagonising poor Viconia, we agreed to have our best man, me, 'guard' her room during the night. This way, the dwarf was at ease knowing she was secure, and I had the assurance that the lovely lady was safe from any intruders seeking to harm her in her sleep, which, apparently, is more of a trance, so I'm not quite sure whether my vigilance was required as such.
Harrowing Harp:
- On our way out of the city, we were waylayed by what looked like a group of bandits, attacking a helpless man out in the wilds. After swiftly disposing of the trash, the wounded man pleaded us to return him to his friends in the city, which, despite the urgent quest at hand, we could not simply ignore. Upon returning the withering supplicant to the harbour district, it turned out he and his friends were members of the highly secretive Harpers, an association which usually has quite a number of fingers in many a proverbial pie. Naturally we took the opportunity to inquire about our lost friend's whereabouts. Of course they required assistance with a local criminal in return... for bringing an ally back from the cusp of death is not enough, naturally.
- This criminal turned out to be none other than the deranged Zhentarim necromancer, known as Xzar. We once met this crazed lunatic and his halfling cohort, in the early days of our adventures. Much as back then, we would not be seen consorting with such rabble, but as it stood, Those Who Harp would see us befriend this fiend, in a bid to discern his plans and, subsequently, foil them ere they could be hatched.
- Being used is one thing, but being used as bait is quite another. It turned out that the halfling, Montaron, was being held by the harpers, polymorphed as a bird. We reluctantly bypassed, by which I mean brutally slaughtered, the Harper spectres, and proceeded to reveal the truth behind this cunning plan of theirs. As we returned the bird to the Zhent, we were not met with a stubby thief, but a nimble Harper assassin, who planted a blade neatly between the mage's shoulders. We bore no love for his ilk, but we could have avoided much toil and tension, had they but informed us of their plans. I suppose that's why they call them secretive, and why people tend to dislike them.
- As we made our way back to the city gates, under cover of darkness, we expected our presence to go unnoticed for once. Unfortunately, our Fair Lady did not see us through this night undisturbed, for before we were even clear of the city, we were met with a most troubling scene. The streets were red with blood as we witnessed a ravening vampire viciously slaying a slew of cutthroats out in the open. We attempted to remain hidden but the creature had a most acute sense of smell, and quickly turned our way once we were noticed. Much to our surprise, Tymora still saw fit to bless us, for the thing didn't appear to be hostile, not to us at least. It warned us of choosing the 'right side' in the upcoming conflict, and quickly vanished into the night. We're not quite sure what conflict she spoke of, but I imagine we would rather steer clear of such entanglements if we are to make headway in our rescue mission.
The Lord of the Manor:
- In light of our recent impediments on our way out of the city, we had been growing increasingly concerned at the well-being of the De'Arnise keep, and it's inhabitants. Once on the scene, our fears were unfortunately affirmed as we were met by the severed heads of the local guardsmen, mounted on pikes outside the gates. A quick scout around the crumbling castle however, revealed a minor encampment, still sporting a small host of resistance, among which we found the Lady Nalia. She urged us to make haste in sneaking into the keep, for this battle was not lost yet, if only we could find her father alive and well. I did not harbor such optimism, going by the look of the place, but we could scarcely refuse.
- Making our way inside via a secret passage, we swiftly made a quick pass of the lower grounds of the keep. A frightened serf fostered hopes of us rescuing Nalia's aunt, Lady Delcia, from the clutches of the trolls that had overrun the place. I was inclined to call him on his poor manners, even when speaking of bandits, but as it turned out, they were actual trolls, invading the keep from the outlying wilds. There seemed to be little commotion at first, but as we ventured deeper into the keep they began to crawl out of every nook and cranny. We opened the gates first to allow reinforcements to secure the courtyard, after which we proceeded to the upper floors, in search for Lady Delcia.
- We found the Lady of the house, but not before running into a Yuan-Ti wizard, much to our dismay. These scaled serpents, part of the lingering legacy of the long extinct Saurians, are generally believed to seek only destruction in service of the Carrion Lord, Typhon, though theirs is a race still mired in myth and controversy. They remained highly dangerous all the same, and this one was no different, giving us quite a run for our money. Lady Delcia was... grateful for our assistance, although she did not show it. We advised her to make haste in vacating the premises as we continued down into the dungeons, where, supposedly, Lord De'Arnise was being held captive by the leader of this troupe of trolls.
- Sadly, our efforts were in vain. In the end, we bested the giant troll in charge, and his morose minions, but found their captive bereft of life, resulting in a most ruinous outcome of our quest. With a heavy heart we returned to Lady Nalia with a report on our 'victory'. While she did seem distraught, she remained composed and managed a word of thanks all the same, even more so, she offered Maeglin a deal in return for her inability to offer any recompense for our service. For a noble I must say she either has appalling taste, or an overwhelming sense of humor, for she appointed Maeglin as the new Lord of the Holdfast. Maeglin seems happy about it, since of course he has no idea what it entails. He is most likely just ecstatic about having 'servants'. Kang however, is growing increasingly unstable and volatile. We should make haste in securing Imoen's release, or his condition might grow beyond our control.
In Pursuit of Freedom:
- Once all arrangements were made at the keep, we moved back into the city in search of some more tangible information on the condescending cloaks. Maeglin led us back to the coarse Coronet, despite my reservations, and proceeded to talk the ear off of that shifty innkeeper. As rumours would have it, this place was home to many a disreputable, and sometimes downright vulgar vice. Since I made it a personal mission of mine to pursue more agreeable amusement during my stay in the city, I had hoped not to sully my spotless sabatons is such a cesspool, but a true hero knows only sacrifice, as they say. Maeglin procured passage to the "entertainment" section of the inn, and all but coerced us into following him in. I dare say it was the smartest thing he'd done all day, for it seemed these ladies of easy virtue were the most honourable of the vile ventures one could partake in. One wrong turn revealed the true nature of this den of debauchery. All of a sudden, we were surrounded by guards as we entered what looked like a dungeon. Having no choice but to defend ourselves, we cut through the sorry lot only to make a startling discovery: they were keeping children locked up in the back on the inn. Amazed at such putrid profanity displayed in our presence, we confronted the people in charge and relieved them of their ill-conceived duties. As it happened, one of the prisoners, a man named Hendak, revealed to us, after gutting the proprietor, that slavers ran this establishment, using it to stage fights and trade servants to the "good and noble" people of Athkatla. Naturally, we took it upon ourselves to root out these despicable deviants, once we learned that many more children might be held captive elsewhere in the surrounding area.
- Freedom is the only true treasure worth pursuing, that and fame of course, and if the weak are unable to secure theirs, then we, champions of justice, must take it upon ourselves to secure it for them. Unfortunately, despite clearly having multiple options, his "Lordship", Maeglin the Unmitigated, led us down into yet another sewer to achieve this goal. He claims Hendak assured him it would lead us to the slaver compound, but I'm not so sure. If I were a betting man, which I am, I'd say he enjoys wading in wretched waste. In the end, the distasteful jaunt yielded some fruit in the form of an enchanted blade. The magics imprinted on this weapon are quite foreign to me, but they do not seem at all malignant. It will, however, warrant further study.
- Upon exiting the pungent passageways, we were immediately beset by the slaver scum, for as it turned out, my suspicions on Hendak's directions were unfounded. The opposition was more organised and well stocked than we had anticipated however. A host of mages accompanied the brigands, as well as another band of those Yuan-ti, of the pugilist persuasion this time. Their men were not as effective as their traps however, and with very little effort, we reintroduced the slaves to the ever fleeting favor of freedom.
- Hendak was most appreciative of our endeavours, and offered us quite an appealing discount when dealing with his merchant friend Bernard. It would seem that the Copper Coronet might yet amass a minor shimmer upon its tarnished stature.
Illusions of Grandeur:
We proceeded to the Adventurer's Mart, a store for any and all foreign and exotic goods, in hopes of improving our dismal stock of equipment. However, once there, we noticed a stoic guard perched outside a tent of the visiting circus. I had teased fair Viconia earlier about witnessing the resplendent spectacle with me, but sadly, it seemed to fall upon deaf ears. Questioning the guard revealed a sinister plot, or so he would have us believe.
- Next to the soldier stood a small child, crying for his mother. Apparently she had entered the tent and had not come out for the longest time. The flustered fool of a guard urged us to stay clear of the tent until his reinforcements could arrive, for any who had entered, had not been seen again. Whether this be a portal to the nine hells themselves, or merely an elaborate business plan to incite interest in their performance, this was unacceptable and in quite poor taste. Maeglin convinced the man to stand aside and let us handle the situation. He seemed quite smug when the soldier readily made room to let us pass, no doubt believing he had some form of authority, when it was clearly a mere disregard for our lives that granted us access.
- Regardless of his lacking authority, Maeglin led us into what seemed like an endless sea of darkness, spanned by a narrow bridge, leading up to a lavish dome-like structure. At the center of the bridge, there stood a Genie, offering us a riddle in exchange for passage. Maeglin of course insisted in letting him solve the riddle, but after several failed attempts, Viconia stepped up and released him of his disheartening misconception of intelligence. Of course she had the right of it straight away, and the Genie evaporated, allowing us to pass. I, of course, would have also bested whatever mundane line of questioning posed by said creature, had I not been so enthralled by the increasing instability of my new blade. It remains unresponsive, yet seems to exclaim random desires of destruction at the most ill-timed moments.
- With the way open, we moved through the pitch-black archway and found ourselves in a rather well lit garden, of sorts. Upon entering, we were addressed by what looked like an ogre, but sounded quite different than any ogre we had met before, both too delicate and eloquent for such a dimwitted beast. It proclaimed to be an elf, transformed by some nefarious gnome wizard, for reasons unknown. It also stressed that no monsters we would meet were in fact monsters, and that we should kill any peasants on sight. I had my doubts concerning this creature's sincerity, until we met a spider with a very similar affliction. It claimed to be the mother of the boy we met outside, trapped by the very same mage, whom she called Kalah. She also urged us to steer clear of the peasants, for they were not what they appeared. I discussed with Kang and Viconia the possibility that this was a ploy, tricking us into killing the peasants, for whatever reason, when suddenly, we heard sounds of battle. When we looked over, we noticed Maeglin had already slain the peasants... another fine example of why I'm here, offering wisdom. Sadly, it seems none have the patience to stand and listen, so I am forced to offer it after the facts.
- A comely lass stood before the main entrance to what appeared to be the wizard's abode, yet she seemed distant, as if she were not even there. She welcomed us, and bid us to obey her master or die, after which she stood aside. We thought nothing of it, and moved onward. Beyond the doorway, we found a host of weres and shades appearing from the shadows and striking fear in the heart of... our less courageous companions. I stood fast, of course, and we quickly dispatched the foul beasts. Once before the illustrious Kalah, we had hoped for some sort of debate, a simple word of explanation, yet he set his fiends upon us, and seemed to ignore us completely after that. He and his minions were no match for our combined might, and once he fell, everything around us turned to dust and smoke. The veil lifted, and we found ourselves in a normal circus tent. It appeared this Kalah was but a common gnome entertainer who got ahead of himself in his quest for acknowledgement, resulting in his untimely demise.
- The fair maiden, once ogre, and the other patrons were released from their spell, and they thanked us for our assistance, some more than others. Somehow we did end up inadvertently slaying the elf maiden's caretaker, but we cannot be held accountable for the aftermath of this vile gnome's misleading scheme. We saved the day once more, and that is all that matters.
No Rest for the Wicked:
- In the scrutiny following the festival fiasco, it appeared that Viconia was once again to be shunned on suspicion of purposefully slaying the slime in spite. I've managed to stay the enactment upon this growing bigotry for now, unfounded or not, but I fear it may make its recurrence soon enough. We finally made it into the Adventurer's Mart and managed to secure several tantalising trinkets from its vast stock. Most of Ribald's inventory was well outside our price range, for now, but heroes of our renown need no such elaborate equipment. Our prowess is well known regardless.
- As we had been on the move for what felt like weeks without rest, many of us were starting to show visible signs of fatigue, so we made our way to the closest inn available for a well deserved night in lavish surroundings. The Den of Seven Veils is well known for its comfort and agreeable prices, as well as the somewhat more misanthropic manager. Aside from this cynic at the helm, the Seven Veils was the most prominent tavern in and around the Promenade, so naturally, it was the only option for us.
- However convenient in our current situation, the Den's discretion also had a downside. One that was made apparent when Kang decided to inspect the rooms available to us. He soon found himself in an altercation with another group of adventurers staying at the inn. They did not seem at all amicable, but then neither is Kang, so naturally both parties resorted to flinging insults, much as surly simians do with their excrement.
- Among the audacious adventurers were some surprisingly powerful individuals. Their resident mage might have given Kang a run for his money, were it not for my excellent marksmanship. As we dealt with the bulk of their scrapper section, a rogue most dapper stepped out of the shadows and almost took Maeglin's head clean off. Having cut down most of their party however, the trepidacious thief took no chances and decided to make his escape. Luckily for us, we have quite an assortment of debilitating cantrips at our disposal, so his flight was short lived, as was his life.
- With the chambers sullied as they were, we were 'encouraged' to vacate the tavern and seek shelter elsewhere. With our options growing ever more limited, Viconia suggested we rest at the nearby Sea Bounty, one of the most shady establishments in and around the docks district. While it was the closest, and as a whole, we were looking a might less for wear, I was loath to accompany them, for my disdain for such inglorious locales is well known to all. Unfortunately I do not have the run of this group, so much like with Maeglin's sewer fascination, I suppose I shall have to concede.
- Once inside, and we were all set to prop up our pedal appendages, a rather ill-mannered man muttered a deluge of insults at our resident Harper, Jaheira. Apparently they were formerly acquainted, though under quite undesirable circumstances. It seemed this man was once a slaver, bereft of his business at the hands of our druid friend. While this is of course a commendable feat, the danger in such endeavors lies in unmitigated retribution, for as she would soon realise, retribution at the hands of the morally ambiguous tends to be of the worst kind imaginable.
- The Ployer man had put a hex upon our friend for 'old times' sake' and quickly made himself scarce. I was intrigued by this curse, for I had not seen its like thus far, so naturally, being a man of knowledge as I am, it is my duty to learn all there is to know so as to best combat these magics in days to come. Something that is easier said than done with our philistine company. They would coddle the victim and seek vengeance rather than search for answers to uncover a cure. I fail to see how asking Jaheira to keep notes of her deteriorating health is unkind, when it could clearly save her life.
Nocturnal Discourse:
- With our less than competent druid, now fully incompetent, we were forced to seek guidance from some of Ployer's former acquaintances to discern his location, and end the curse that was placed upon Jaheira. As it turned out, Bernard, storekeeper in the Coronet, has some very worthwhile, albeit vague information concerning his current whereabouts. Rumor had it that the fiend had a modest hideout not far from the inn, from which he would conduct his shady business with no impediment.
With gusto, we barged into the former slaver's home and found the man not quite as surprised as we had hoped. It appeared he yet had some depraved plan prepared in the hope we would find his hideout, most likely so he could finish the job with his own grubby little paws. He raised his hand, upon which three mages teleported in and proceeded to precipitate a rain of fire and other assorted magical energies.
- Kang, always boasting of how well he has mastered his craft, was the only one to really suffer at their hands, and had to be tended to by Donathal, for he would surely have perished otherwise. Once we had dealt with his cronies, the Ployer fool fumbled and vowed to alleviate Jaheira's affliction. His pleas for mercy were eventually ignored as she cut him down once the deed was done, a most ruthless act from one proclaimed to be so exalted. Perhaps the Harpers are even more vicious than the rumors would have us believe.
- The demoralised druid did seem devoid of joy even with the thought of being free of the curse, but it would be another day before it had fully run its course, so we decided to return to the Coronet to secure our reward of reclamation and repose. Given the recent developments, and with tensions rising to never before seen levels, the drinks, and other, less reputable substances, were copiously indulged in, leading to some dubious behaviour by all. I decided to seclude myself from the group and the clamor of intoxicated commoners, to delve deeper into my research concerning the coarse and unresponsive blade I picked up the other day. An in-depth study of some of the markings, led me to believe that this curse holding the spirit within, was not as old as the blade itself. Several attempts at making contact had failed before I finally succeeded in cajoling it into a coherent conversation.
- Lilarcor was it's name. Still not quite sure if that's the name of the sword or the spirit bound to it, but it seemed amicable enough, though not the most eloquent of spirits. It did however turn out to have an unhealthy thirst for blood, and quite frankly, it was incredibly rude. In exchange for 'sticking someone' it made a loose promise to divulge more on it's history in time, which will no doubt happen soon enough, given our chosen occupation. My only hope is that it remains but a voice and not a source of corruption to addle my brain... I am quite sure one such as I would notice such change before it was too late, so I've little to fear for now.
- At the break of dawn, we gathered in the common room, preparing to set out once more in search for Imoen and her captor. The atmosphere was heavier than it usually was, and both Kang and Maeglin's faces seemed more troubled than I am used to. They seemed to throw impromptu glances in Viconia's direction, yet she seemed unfazed as usual. Perhaps I am just imagining things, but I can't shake the feeling something happened during the night.
Hide and Seek:
- Granted a proper night's rest, our rag-tag band of adventurers was, despite the obscure vibrations in the air, once more ready to continue the search for clues concerning Imoen's whereabouts. Viconia, having provided us with questionable guidelines since her joining, was met with yet more suspicion upon prompting us about a possible lead that might help us with our quest. Chief among the disbelievers was of course the ever consistent Kang, who still apparently had some reservations about her role in previous debacles these past few days. Our stubby, and stubborn dwarf was not far behind in casting suspicious glares when she mentioned a mage that might have inside information on the Cowled Wizards. His name was Merkrath, and he was apparently last spotted in and around the central bridge district.
- When first I heard the name, I was sure it sounded familiar, mostly of rumors I heard in the narrow streets of Athkatla. Those rumors mentioned an amazing circus act involving a host of squirrels. Now, while I'm sure none but our druid friend really have much love for these pesky rodents, it did sound like quite a show, so I urged our friends to take Viconia up on her offer, and cease their incessant paranoia.
- Once on the scene, we were halted by one mister Aegisfield, a lieutenant in the city guard. Apparently, in recent days, there had been some gruesome murders taken place on the nightly streets in this area, and we were urged to bring any suspicious activities to light, if we should encounter them. Given our own limited time frame, we were forced to decline his plea for direct assistance, but since we had planned to scour the district for the aforementioned mage, we offered to keep our eyes open, at the very least.
- Having spent the entire previous day idling to give Jaheira the time to let the remainder of her curse run its course, our arrival here was a nocturnal one, bringing with it a whole separate selection of issues. Firstly, we were quite quickly ambushed by some impudent pickpocket, prepared to pilfer our well-lined purses after bringing his brazen brothers in from the shadows. Common thieves should know better not to attack a fully armed group, especially if I am among them. They were no doubt emboldened seeing Kang with his comparatively weak physique and lavish clothing. Not but an hour had passed when we happened upon what was supposed to be a clandestine conversation among cutthroats and bloodsuckers. Being no fan of the latter, I was pleased to see the fiend slip into the shadows to let the thieves do the dirty deed of disposing of us. Luckily, as mentioned before, common thieves are no match for the likes of us, so they practically fell before they were upon us.
- After a short stint of scrupulous scrutiny, we found little information on the mage, but surprisingly, we managed to unravel the mystery of the murderous miscreant roaming these streets. As it happened, a local lady of pleasure named Rose, with whom I had no relations whatsoever, pointed us in the direction of the local tanner. This scandalous scamp had apparently been using the skin off his victims to produce cheap leathers and line his pockets with 'impure' profits. Sadly, the slippery snake managed to escape our grasp and evade capture, so we returned to our original task of finding this Merkrath.
In the Absence of Rodents:
- With the murders now ground to a halt, these streets were as safe as they could ever be, granted those night stalkers do not steal away any innocent souls in the midnight hours. After we had reported our findings to the good lieutenant, Viconia pointed us at the nearest inn, where supposedly, these rumors of a powerful mage originated. Once on the scene, it turned out to be quite the sordid affair. A rambunctious band of brutes, bellowing, base and boorish, the kind of place I suspect only Maeglin could enjoy... birds and feathers, and all that.
- Most of the drumming discord dawned from down below however, for this lowly watering hole was home to a notable, yet somewhat infamous theater, placating to the ignorant masses that cannot tell tripe from true talent. I suggested we took the time to visit said hall of entertainment, for seeing as we have quite a few mindless fools among us, I thought it would be the proper thing to do. One cannot always think of oneself, we are deemed friends after all.
- The usher seemed at odds about charging us an entry fee, asking instead for a small donation to grant us access. We thought nothing of it, and gladly supported the lesser entertainers for their worthy, yet inevitably fruitless efforts. We took our seats and while I didn't not expect much from their performance, I must admit I was shocked at the level of incompetence portrayed by this group of so called 'actors'. It was so bad, it was almost on par with the level of stupidity frequently displayed by one of our own... I dare not mention names of course, for the dwarf might take offense, but it was quite appalling all the same.
- Once the scornful scolding of the spectators was somewhat subdued, an oddly featured lady took the stage to offer apologies for their performance and plead for aid in a matter suited only for the very bravest of folk. It was as though Tymora herself brought us there, for the fair maiden could not garner more luck in having us present. Our Fair Lady showed her hand once more when the maiden, Raelis Shai, bid us to hunt down the very mage we were already looking for, albeit for more dastardly reasons than we would have liked. As it turned out, this Merkrath was not the squirrel tamer I had heard so much about, but more of a loutish sort, the abducting sort, no less.
- I am, as always, fully capable and willing to help a maiden in need, saving their loved ones, even at the prospect of receiving no reward but that of doing the deed itself, but why does it always involve such loathsome locales? In what seemed like a foul flashback, we would set foot in yet another sewer, where apparently this creepy caster made his home. I cannot imagine the reasoning behind such a shameless selection of settlements, but not every wizard is wise of course, as Kang has proven time and time again. Among the gruesome goblins and mindless mercenaries that traversed these terrible trenches, we eventually came upon a hidden passageway, leading into a somewhat more bearable abode.
- While The Lady is always by my side, she may not smile upon all of us equally, for once the stairwell came to an end, we were beset by a band of brisk beasts, no doubt in the wizard's service. Once they were dispatched, we quickly happened upon the victim Raelis mentioned, but he was bound by magic, mindless and constrained. It did not take us long to scour the remainder of this minute hideout and find the culprit lost in study, no doubt of something foul. Merkrath had no love for intruders and took a lofty tone as soon as he saw us, which of course could only end in one way. As my new found companion would so eloquently put it: we stuck him like a pig.
- With his master no more, the slave, a tiefling named Haer'Dalis, seemed quite eager to join us on our adventures, clearly he has heard of me before and wishes to learn the ways of proper entertainment, but we respectfully declined and suggested he return to his friend at the Five Flagons.
Trust, Unworthy:
- Having made our way back out of the sewers and to the relative safety of the familiar Coronet, we tended to our wounds and cleaned off the muck from our boots as we prepared to settle down for the evening. The jovial Joluv attempted to push his exotic and overpriced wares on us once more, and with our growing wealth, it becomes increasingly tempting to indulge in his offers. I assured the man we would return once we had less pressing need for our coin, and proceeded to enjoy some of the chef's 'fine' cooking.
- I had been discussing my blade's behavior with it as I ate, for it had been rather bloodthirsty once more, when facing the miscreant Merkrath. It seemed as though it had but one thing on it's mind, seeing the life vacate it's victim's corpse. Addressing this lust for battle seemed to close it off to any further coherent conversation, so I was unfortunately unable to discern more about the origin of this contemptible conduct.
- As per usual, I could see Maeglin and Donathal enjoying a few pints of ale at the bar, while Jaheira was sulking near the makeshift arena. No doubt reminiscing about her recent string of ill fortunes. My eyes wandered once more toward our dwarven cleric as he took a handful of flagons over to a table in the far corner of the tavern. I did not think much of it at first, but once I realised what I was seeing, I could scarcely believe my own eyes.
- There were our resident wizard and his long standing enemy, Viconia, having what looked like a cordial conversation. Kang... speaking amicably... to a drow. My first reaction was of course that they were having an argument, as was customary, but on closer inspection, they were both calm and composed, one more so than the other.
- Not two days ago, they were both quite non-characteristicaly standing beside Maeglin as though they were almost friends, and now they're having some sort of private get together? I must be imagining things, for it is almost inconceivable that Kang would ever agree on anything with a drow. Furthermore, why would such an obviously strong, independent woman, want anything to do with such a disgrace of a failed wizard? Is it not I who saved her and defended her at every turn? Does he not advocate her demise at his very own hands at least once a day?
- It makes sense however, thinking back on events past, for I hardly ever receive any praise from anyone, even from those that would be lost without my expert guidance. Even all those months ago, I remember Maeglin, and the rest as well for that matter, disregard my every advice, rushing headlong into battle without so much as a plan or any preparation. Even going as far as blatantly ignoring me as I explained the nature of things, choosing instead to confirm my statements from some common priest. As though they would know better. I had hoped Viconia would be different, but it seems she is no more appreciative than the rest of this common rabble. If only Carsa was still with me, she would understand, she would no doubt agree with me that this party would have long since perished, had I not been a part of it.
Planewalkers:
- As we made our way back to the Five Flagons, to receive our reward for the menial task of setting free this pretender of a bard, I couldn't help but notice a distinct lack of idle banter in our group. Further indication of suspicious and clandestine behaviour, no doubt. Speaking of which, we came across what seemed like a secret meeting between yet another voracious vampire vixen and several peasant pickpockets. Apparently, some of the thieving scum mean to strike a deal with these bodacious bloodsuckers, undoubtedly hoping to stay their own untimely demise. Poor ignorant fools, they clearly know not what these deceptive deviants are capable of.
- The drow now seems to placate me by applauding my performance at hunting down those few vampires that ran from the battle. My skills are, as ever, undeniable, of course, yet I need not be another follower of hers, deferring to her every whim. Seems to me like she has all the suitors she could want for already. Honestly, I've heard of the drow and their lust for pleasure and clear disregard of their victim's wishes, but I had imagined Viconia would have been different. She seemed uncharacteristically affectionate when we... I, rescued her from the pyre, yet that may have all been a ruse to keep our ire from joining that of her captors. I shall have to reassess my devotions to her, and this entire group for that matter. They will recognise me, or I will make them.
- Once back at the Flagons, the tiefling vagabonds thanked us for our time and offered us a paltry sum in service of our skills. I would have settled for the word of gratitude but of course many of our group were not satisfied with the payment, given our current need for coin. Kang strongly voiced his disdain, calling it an outrage, or some such. It is a stain on the mind to listen to his ramblings, and quite a feat to ignore him altogether... something I regrettably fail to achieve time and time again. The man even prompted to steal their 'gem' - which I truly doubt it is - so that we might sell it for greater gain, instead of returning it to its rightful owner.
- The tiefling troupe then confessed to be in graver danger than they first let on. They were apparently being chased by hunters from another plane, all for performing a play that was more than mere fiction. The Shai woman pleaded us to protect them from whatever was chasing them, by seeking it out ourselves before it could find them. They planned to open a portal to another plane, using the aforementioned gemstone, and we were to slay whatever stepped through. At any other time I would relish the thought of exploring the outer planes, or encountering all manner of exotic extraplanar emigrants, but we hardly have the time to indulge in such matters at this point. Besides, I doubt I would enjoy myself for any extended periods out there with this motley mix of misfits.
- Having no say in any matters of true importance, my objections on safety and obvious misconception concerning the tiefling plans were thrown to the wayside, and soon enough, we were awaiting their portal to be opened. To no surprise, their plan backfired almost immediately. The intended targets came through the portal, but instantly detained the pathetic pair of performers and stepped back through the portal, daring us to follow suit. Against my better judgement, I urged the group to follow through on this plan, for while the danger was great, it remained our duty to help those in need. Having no real moral fiber however, the group needed some added motivation to step through, so I hinted at the possibility of great wealth beyond the portal. After considering this prospect, the group became a great deal more willing to go through with the rescue operation.
On Familiar Ground:
- As no doubt everyone was expecting, beyond the veil of the portal laid in wait and ambush of purported epic proportions, or so they thought. In truth, it was a rather abysmal assortment of asinine assassins that awaited us on the other side, flailing furiously as they met a band that knew the true meaning of proper combat. Once dispatched, the would-be headhunters yielded a wealth of valuables on their persons, among which were several intricate collars of sorts. Before meeting their end, they raved about how we were to be fodder for their demon overlord, or some such. Lies or no, a mere demon was nothing new for accomplished warriors such as we.
- An obviously deranged gnome, wandering in the nearby hallway, pleaded for his life, seemingly assuming we were there to take it from him. He appeared to be wearing one of said collars, claiming it was by the master's orders. With our only exit closed behind us, we had little choice but to press on, find this demon and end his evil ways, not for glory, but for justice. Although glory never hurts.
- Being in another prison did not fill me with glee, nor did the thought of possibly being stuck on this plane for all eternity, yet as we are true heroes, we could not let past traumas overcome our present needs. Working our way through the bowels of this, almost living structure, we slew dozens of mindless thralls, clearly possessed by means of those collars, all while avoiding dastardly traps that would suck people into other pocket dimensions hidden deep within.
- After a vicious battle, the beast controlling the minds of all the prisoners housed in this devious deathtrap was no more. What remained of the slaves and guards alike, turned on their master and assaulted the demon lord alongside us. In spite of our privation, we managed to overcome this clearly elder demon and save ourselves from the fate of everlasting captivity. And for whatever reason, the senseless slaughter of nearly every prisoner in the place, which provided us with a slight - albeit utterly useless - distraction, didn't quite bother me as much as I thought it would.
- The Shai woman professed her guilt in all of this and appealed to our better nature as she begged our forgiveness. Apparently her work was the reason for their woes and our need to step in. After bringing us back into the Prime, she paid our dues and made herself scarce after another array of ardent apologies. The tiefling bard offered us his services once more, for one would be eager to join such greatness, obviously, but given what we had seen so far, we readily agreed that no performer would ever outclass the likes of Andre the Magnificent. We declined his offer and contemplated our next course of action.
Sanctioned Slaughter:
- In the aftermath of our escape from the planar prison, several things were said that might not have had to be said, had we have had a half decent host of hardy adventurers. Our slow progress, and I assume also the fact that we didn't rob those poor tiefling entertainers as per his suggestion, had made Kang quite touchy after all was said and done. Yes, I may have also made a quip regarding a certain someone's lacking abilities in combat, and yes, it may not have been the most opportune timing on my behalf. I may have also called Kang an incompetent fool, ridiculed his very existence and questioned his worth in every aspect... but that's hardly a reason to be mad at someone. It is most definitely no ground for one to go on and assault a friend like he did.
- After all these months I had assumed Kang was used to being incompetent, and seeing as I'm not one to shy away from telling the truth as much as I can, I had thought him to be accustomed with being reminded at how outlandishly inept he truly was. Shockingly enough, it turned out he wasn't quite as aware as I had thought, and I almost lost my head for it. I find it increasingly difficult to sympathise with him, mostly since he seems to antagonise me at every turn.
- Now that our freedom was restored, and we had no inkling where that tanner troglodyte ran off to, we decided to take a less admirable path, but one that might give us more clues as to where the cowls took Imoen. The murderous ranger sought by the Cowls might prove to be a valuable asset to our cause, for if they wanted him dead so badly, he would no doubt possess some valuable information.
- With that thought in mind, we set out to investigate his family estate down by the docks. Having received special privileges, by mandate of the cowls, to look into his disappearance, we entered the mansion, expecting it to be empty. I was pleasantly surprised to still find one of the family servants present, for in my mind, he might have garnered us with a wealth of knowledge leading to the aid of his former master. Sadly, Kang seemed beside himself and immediately began to threaten the poor man in an attempt to forcibly coerce him into divulging the whereabouts of the ranger. I strongly voiced my disdain concerning his coarse course of actions, but Kang continued his tirade by proclaiming his superiority and professed to pillage the entire mansion should the poor sod fail to cooperate.
- I warned Kang that his current actions would not be looked upon favorably by anyone, regardless of any 'permissions' granted to us by the corrupt cowls, and as the servant called in the guards, clearly fearing this crazed wizard and what he might do, I quickly stepped outside so as not to be associated with such madness.
Harper Hardships:
- Once I returned from the adjacent temple of Oghma to survey the damage, I found Maeglin and Kang having a heated discussion regarding the numerous corpses littering the former Corthala estate. Kang did not seem to grasp the gravity of his actions, nor did he seem to care about the repercussions or the moral pitfalls he was navigating. Most, if not all of us, were somewhat shocked at the senseless slaughter but we chose to move beyond it for now, seeing that a hasty recovery of our target would be most prudent, given the recent developments.
- Some documents found in the estate revealed the location of a remote cottage somewhere outside Imnesvale, in the Cloudpeak foothills. It seemed our best bet at finding our mark and whatever information he might hold concerning our captive friend, so we set forth on the short journey out in the wilds. Aside from the occasional ambush by local raiding parties our passage went mostly unnoticed by those that really mattered, save for one in particular. Not but an hour outside the city we were halted by a Harper named Meronia, carrying with her orders for Jaheira, demanding her immediate return to their Athkatla headquarters. Neither of them cared to explain the situation and without further notice, both Harpers vanished back toward the city. We had little choice in the matter so we continued to see to our own problems.
- In just a few hours we arrived at Imnesvale only to find the local villagers in a state of disarray. Apparently, many of the villagers, including their resident ranger had gone missing in the last few weeks, sparking a widespread panic among the peasants. Many theories were uttered, ranging from wolves, to ogres, and even veritable witches, but in the end, we had more pressing matters to attend to at the time.
- We ventured into the hills and it didn't take us long to track down Corthala, whom Kang proceeded to threaten with his life should he fail to cooperate. I urged Maeglin to keep his pet mageling in check before more deaths ensued, but Kang seemed implacable regardless. Fortunately he saw reason once the ranger explained, in detail, the predicament we found ourselves in. As it turned out, the Corthala family had some less than reputable history, but moreover, they were targeted by the cowls for the secrets held by one of Valygar's ancestors.
- Lavok Corthala, a self-proclaimed master wizard with delusional tendencies - not unlike someone we know - had returned from a centuries old planar journey, and was now looming over the majority of the Athkatla slums. Fearing the reputation of his family would plummet with the return of this madman, Valygar was forced to slay several mages, as they seemed to seek access to Lavok's residence - something the ranger sought to do on his own, and deliver unto his forefather a long overdue death.
The Day the Harp Stopped Playing:
- With Kang becoming steadily more unstable, he is slowly but surely becoming a threat to the longevity of our quest. While he has always been one of the greatest advocates for our current cause, he may have also become the most deleterious to it. I voiced my concerns to Maeglin when we stopped to rest at the Umar Inn, and asked him to possibly have a word, or at least keep an eye on him, should things digress further. Upon my unusual request to kill him if the need should arise, I found Maeglin to be surprisingly willing to comply, given their long-standing relationship. Of course it is a last resort, but the time to end the unmanageable magus might come sooner rather than later, if prevailing practices persist.
- Aside from Kang's arguable actions of late, it looked like Viconia had been acting rather dubious herself ever since we arrived at Imnesvale. Strange behaviour not withstanding however, I doubt anyone will be surprised if she were to suddenly put a knife in someone's back at any given time, so I chose to ignore her, as I have been trying to do for the last few days now. She distanced herself from the rest of us for most of the evening.
- In the morning, we were met by our druid friend, Jaheira, who urged us to accompany her to the Harper compound in Athkatla, to discuss a matter of great urgency. Given recent developments, I can't say I was all too willing to return to their kind, for those that harp were not easy folk to entertain, and I was loath to walk into yet another prison, should we wish not to accept whatever they had to offer. Maeglin was, as ever, more than willing to trust Jaheira, a fault that might well be his undoing one of these days, but we reluctantly followed his lead and allowed the druid to escort us back to the Harper headquarters.
- As the sun reached it's highest point, we reached the city gates, and made our way down to the docks. On our way back we made a stop at Maeglin's keep and left Valygar there for the time being, as it did not seem at all safe for him to be seen in the open while in the city, especially not in Harper presence. Once inside the compound, the local Harper leadership seemed quite interested in Maeglin's heritage and the implications his blood might have when unleashed unto the world in full. While most sane folk would agree that a spawn of the Lord of Murder running wild, would spell nothing but certain doom, nothing about Maeglin suggests he would be even capable of such destruction.
- It soon became apparent that the Harpers never intended for Maeglin to leave the place ever again and before long their leader ordered Jaheira to detain him so that he might be imprisoned indefinitely. Fortunately for us, it seemed as though Jaheria attributed more value to her ties to Maeglin than she did to her Harper friends, and as such, she refused to cooperate. Enraged by her insubordination, and no doubt frightened of the outcome should Maeglin be left to roam free, the Harpers dispensed of all pretense and came at us with all they had to bare. While most of us came out unscathed, in the midst of the battle, Jaheira took a fatal blow to the head and could not be restored by mortal means. I held no particular love for her, but while no man could deny that Maeglin was to blame, her death might not sit well with him, given all that has transpired.
A Lapse of Friendship:
- In the absence of our former druid companion, Maeglin seemed overly distraught. We sent for Valygar, so that by nightfall, we could proceed with our more prevalent assignment, and put this loss behind us. Sadly, as we waited in the Copper Coronet for the ranger to arrive, Maeglin turned to drink and kept moping over the death of Jaheira. I considered lifting his spirits by offering some comforting words, some tripe about how he was not to blame, how nothing could be done, but I was never that keen on telling such blatant lies to a friend.
- Kang, as usual, sullied the already filthy inn with more rancid arachnids, quickly permeating the air with unwelcome magical energies. As one would expect, one of his spiders ran rampant, obviously from lack of any form of commanding presence, and as I lent my assistance by firing an arrow at the wayward pest, Kang took it as a personal assault of sorts, hexing me with uncontrollable fear. Quite uncouth if one were to ask me.
- As I regained my senses, I found myself upstairs, covered in grease, standing outside Kang's quarters. He was positively livid as he sent his remaining pet at me and seemed to be preparing some nefarious spell. I had no clue as to what was going on, and attempted to reason with the madman before he did something I would not come back from. Of course, reason was not a word with which Kang was at all familiar, so before I could coherently voice my plea for peace, I was struck by a volley of magic missiles, leaving me bleeding profusely as I stumbled down the stairs.
- Viconia and Maeglin were sharing more intimate moments it seemed as I called out for help. After a much needed restoration by our capable elven cleric, I urged Maeglin to keep Kang under serious supervision, for his insanity would surely result in an untimely death for some of us, sooner, rather than later. My concerns were largely ignored and passed off as more of the same, despite bleeding all over the tavern floor and narrowly escaping death. I decided to leave the fools to their delusions and retire, for I was quite exhausted by the experience. I will simply keep Kang at a distance and keep my bow drawn and pointed in his general direction, in anticipation for the next assault. I fear the evils we chase may be rubbing off on our party of weary adventurers, and I'll not be victim to their whims. If the worst comes to pass, at least I shall be prepared to strike down Kang and end his lunacy, for the good of all of Faerûn, no doubt.
Recurrence to Normality:
- Once Kang was sufficiently placated, after an attempt to brush off his blatant attack on my person as justified for imaginary assaults from my part - which, of course, none found credulous - we set out to dissolve the Corthala situation. A wizard's ire is rarely desired, so whether it be deserved or not, one would do well not to invoke such devastating disasters onto oneself.
- After I had a quick and clandestine word with our fearless leader, we made our way inside the imposing sphere, which was resting precariously atop the shoddy rooftops of the slums district. The air was quite cool inside, and a foul stench was carried upon it. I urged my fellows not to interact with anything so as not to alert anyone to our presence, but before we had a good look around the entrance hall and what looked like an observation area, Kang swung open a door with aggravating apathy. Whether by coincidence, or by design, the first and only door triggered a tremendous tremor the moment it was opened. The fact that Kang was the one to spark said shaking of this spherical contraption, roused several suspicions, but his involvement was soon rebutted when the event's effects became apparent.
- Where the map in the adjacent room had been a portrayal of Athkatla and it's immediate surroundings before the vibration, it was now a dark and ominous looking land, seemingly inhospitable to the average adventurer. Whatever the reason behind it, we could all agree this was anything but a favorable turn of events. Some of us feared a repeat of Lavok's disreputable past, being whisked away to spend centuries lost in the endless Astral Sea, or simply stuck on a hostile plane with no escape or means of return.
- While this sphere might provide us with the means of survival, Valygar pointed out that only one man could assure our safe return within a reasonable time frame, and that was Lavok himself. We decided to make haste in our search, for while the consequence of time was relative to whatever plane one found themselves on, the Prime Material, and those upon it, including Imoen and her captor, would remain unaffected by any such existential privileges. Of course, being a learned expert on interplanar travel these days, I was convinced we would be back in time for dinner.
- As we entered the next room, we encountered several battle hardened knights claiming to hail from a world beyond Abeir-Toril, called Krynn. They introduced themselves as Knights of Good, proud warriors of Solamnia. Trusting strange folk in such a dire predicament might not seem the most prudent of choices, but their story sounded believable enough to warrant cooperation.
- Every room we entered seemed awash with warriors awaiting woeful wanderers to slay. First we found a host of serpent folk, aquatic people not uncommon on our world, and certainly not a friendly bunch. Reyna, leader of the Knights of Good, also warned us of a tribe of heinously deranged halflings not far from the center chamber. We proceeded most prudently, so as not to be surprised again.
A Lil' Deviation:
- In disposing of the cabal of cannibalistic cutthroats, our newfound ranger friend regrettably fell to the diminutive miscreants and their monstrous ways. Having come all this way to set right the wrongs wrought by his ancestor, and seeing as we had no out, other than through the mage in charge of this place, we decided to follow through on our quest, if only to honor our fallen comrade's final wishes.
- After the challenging charge set by the Solamnic knights was done, we came across a most troublesome contraption. A golem forge that looked almost as old as I assumed this sphere might be. Naturally, Kang immediately attempted to claim it as his own, despite the group's collective reservations. The man was a menace in his own right, none of us dared imagine him with an immortal construct at his back.
- Some objections were uttered, and several threats were issued, mainly by my close traveling companion, Lilarcor, whom I've affectionately come to call, "Pokey". Not aloud, of course, for I fear I might not survive the telling. At any rate, many of us were somewhat uneasy at the prospect of Kang growing ever further beyond our control, especially given his recent behavior, and as such, my stannic sidekick offered to release us from the burden that was Kang... again. While it was not wholly differed by anyone present, it was perhaps in poor taste, at the time. As I, of all people, defended Kang, slightly, in light of our current troubles, I was able to convince our most competent fighter, my sword, to stay his... blade. If we were to escape this wretched place, we would require all that was available to us, even our wayward wizard.
- Further investigation deeper into the heart of this vessel revealed what I can only assume was the engine room. Donathal, being his usual unseemly self, had been gathering lumps of coal and other refuse to "turn a profit", when we returned home. One would gather that a dwarf would recognise the value in things unlike any other, but I suppose his time away from us did not just alter his faith, but his common sense as well. With some clever persuasion, we managed to relieve him of his "treasures" so we could stoke the fires, hoping it would spark this sphere into moving.
- On many occasions, we strategised that Maeglin would take the lead in combat, given his propensity for covert carnage, affording the rest of us ample opportunity to mop up from a safe distance. As usual, however, any design or plan to ensure longevity, was wasted on our witless wizard. With great gusto, Kang trod forth toward the entrance of the furnace, all the while summoning a horde of minions to all but Viconia's dismay.
Petrifying Predicaments:
- Before we could fuel the fires, there was a small matter of clearing out the current tenants. The furnace room was far from empty, housing more halfling horrors that charged us as soon as Kang and his following passed through the door. Being out of position, as he always is, Kang then made himself close to untouchable, leaving the rest of us vulnerable. Since we were used to such intolerable tactics by now, most of us took position behind our mage to let Maeglin salvage another of Kang's debacles.
- These halflings were smarter than the average rabble we came across earlier, for they ignored all pretenders, like Kang, and aimed straight for our most competent combatant. Being as close to a legend that any modest person cares to admit, I was of course the focus of their vile magics and sadly became a victim of a spell most foul. I felt my body seize up and solidify, and but for a moment in time, my vision darkened. Since petrification halts time for any victim of such incantations, I was but momentarily incapacitated on my end, while the battle raged on.
- Once the deed was done, and all pint-sized reprobates were disposed of, Kang returned me to my natural, and dare I say, most handsome state, but he stressed that it was under heavy duress. He also went on to mock my ineptitude and proclaim himself as somewhat of a saviour. I rarely enjoy arguing with the ignorant or deranged, so I left him to his delusions and ignored his poor attempt at degrading humor, as we proceeded to ignite the fires.
- Not entirely unexpected for a place such as this, the fires did not simply produce energy, but from the flames flowed fiery elementals, setting ablaze what remained of our diminishing composure. Hardly an arduous task, defeating these creatures took little time, granting us a well deserved moment of reprieve once the room was cleared.
- A quick search in and around the furnaces, revealed the last remaining parts of the magical golem Kang had been collecting while we were hard at work. He grabbed said parts and stormed out of the engine room and headed for the forge straight away. Somewhat unsettled by Kang's eagerness and disregard for the instruction manual that Maeglin uncovered, we followed suit, hoping to stop any undue disasters. Sadly, if Kang has his mind set on something, it is like a force of nature, unstoppable, and ultimately destructive. He pieced together the earthen construct, and uttered a few words before any of us could even follow, let alone stop him in his tracks. A loud crackling followed, and by the time our party was fully assembled in the forge, the golem stood up, proclaimed a state of alert and barged out the door, completely ignoring Kang's frantic instructions.
I've thought on multiple occasions of trying to get back into writing these, but Maeglin has fallen greatly behind and with college I want the rest of my time at home available for gaming rather than writing about our game. everything Andre says should be taken with a grain of salt, though, and so that does make me wish to provide a more... truthful interpretation of our adventures. still, Andre gets the basics down and is entertaining to read.
edit: also, Maeglin hid that instruction manual on purpose. It wasn't too obvious in his writing, but Maeglin did so as he is taking any chance he can get to stop any of Kang's plans.
I think @Liberelli will agree with me that Andre's account is not the most object version of events, especially after he decided to roleplay the corrupting influence of Lilacor's evil, which occasionally possesses Andre for short periods of time.
For example in the above account of "Kang's unprovoked attack", Andre (at the encouragement of Lil') sniped a shot at one of Kang's summoned spiders (Kang has become quite paranoid and summons spiders to stand guard whilst he sleeps, a practice that does not go down well except with Viconia), causing it to go out of control and had to be put down. In retaliation, Kang cast Spook on Andre, a typical "punishment" whenever somebody does something he disapproves of, (and not lethal), before storming off to his room.
When Andre recovered from the effects of Spook, he (presumably still under the influence of Lil') retaliated by throwing Grease into Kang's room... and yes, Kang has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards rescuing Imoen, and ever more short-tempered. Thus in a significant escalation of the petty squabbles that has plagued the party from its very inception, Kang launched a barrage of Magic Missiles at Andre to teach him a much more painful lesson. Up until this point, intra-party squabbles have all been verbal and/or non-lethal/damaging attacks.
Kang has always been a much more arrogant and ruthless version of Jin (hence Neutral rather than Good). You will remember from my LP that Jin also sought power to rescue Imoen, and to be able to protect those he cared about and prevent further tragedies like Khalid and Dynaheir. Kang just takes it further.
For example Kang's most controversial moment thus far was at Valygar's home, when Kang bluntly demanded the resident give up Valygar's location and allow him to search the premises, leading to a bloody escalation as Cowled Enforcers and soldiers arrived, and Kang was forced to kill them in self-defence. Jin would be horrified by such unnecessary bloodshed, whereas Kang blamed the victims for getting in his way, and didn't consider himself having done anything wrong.
Since then we have a running joke of sorts in that "Kang isn't evil, he has been only been responsible for one massacre".
Oh, and yes, we've kept this game going from Candlekeep until the Planar Sphere thus far. With the exception of a break for Christmas, we have been playing once a week almost every week. It's already becoming a bit of an epic.
And as you noticed, I had a significant AWOL period earlier this year when I was really busy, hence no attempt to resume Kang's journals. At this stage, it has been so long since my last journal that I can't see how to restart it...
*Maeglin awakes early in the morning before the rest of the party and puts on all his gear. While checking inventory he found a few items tucked in the bottom of his pack from the days up North. Golden Pantaloons, the message from Gorion that revealed his past, and the journal he had long since forgotten about. He opens it and looks back to a time where he was a scared child, and he read on to a time where he was becoming a leader, and then a killer. Seeing as he doesn't keep anything on him for writing, Maeglin sneaks into Andre's room to borrow a quill and ink and starts writing on the next page.*
It's been many months since opening up these pages. I look back and see what I was becoming, and see how it translates to my writing. I know Andre still finds time at the inns we visit to write, but if I am to be remembered by my own writings, then I can't leave it to end the way it did. If I am to be remembered by anything, I would of course prefer it to come from me. Perhaps I should start out where I left off.
As we adventured around Baldur's Gate I had become increasingly more violent. This I know, and I regret it all, but it was something that wasn't going to be easy to control. We found that the man who was trying to kill me, Sarevok, was a Bhaalspawn, and my half brother. As a spawn of murder myself all this death seemed to have gotten to me. I never started killing the innoscent, thank the gods, but I became more and more cruel to those who stood in my way, no matter if they surrender or have a chance at change. It is something I have started to control after it was revealed to me in a note from gorion. Trying to retain some sensibility, I led the party to get better equiped and prepared before we returned to Baldur's Gate and defeated Sarevok, an event I am sure is well recorded and I don't need to go into.
Following the defeat of sarevok the party grew apart, and I was left with Kang and Imoen. Branwen had left us and was replaced by Yeslick, who died in the battle with Sarevok. Donathal went to find his clan. Andre went out to seek fame with his own tales of our adventure. Shortly after our victory we met Khalid and Jaheira again, who joined our group now that they no longer had their own business to handle and we could use more friends. This new group continued to battle lesser evils and enjoyed we fame we achieved within the city for stopping Sarevok's plot. However, one day we met a rather shady character for a job to clear out a few bandits near the city. The job seemed simple enough, we'd killed many bandits in our travels, but this was a trap, and we fell for it.
I awoke, caged in a dungeon, to an elf. He said it was time for him to resume his "experiments". It seems he had already started in the time I was unconscious, however long that may have been, as I was aching all over and found it hard to stand up when Imoen showed up to free me. In this room we were also able to free Jaheira, Kang, Andre, and Donathal. It seemed he had an interest in me, that he would take all my friends, even those that had left on their own journeys. Khalid was not found in this room, but was found dead later on, an upsetting event for Jaheira, and another blow to my morale after losing Yeslick. Upon escaping Imoen was also taken by the cowled wizards, who interupted Irenicus' battle and took the two mages. So began my journey to rescue my childhood friend.
In this journey we met an old face, a Drow named Viconia that we met near Baldur's Gate. Seeing as she was in trouble and we recently knocked Kang out to pacify him, we were able to rescue her and make her a part of our group. Of course Kang would not be happy when he awoke, but I think Andre couldn't send away a pretty face, and I just couldn't judge her based off being a Drow. Honestly, I hadn't imagined I would fall for her as Andre had, but as time went on I guess things happened. Viconia is wise, and I had listened to her on multiple occasions as she makes good points. At one point it seemed I may have been wrong after she apparantly killed an innoscent behind our back in a circus tent, but I think I've made it clear and I understand after all her stories of her life in the underdark why she ended up as she is, but I am just not sure if she is truly evil. Since this event, she seems to be more in line with this parties morals, rather than what she percieved it would be like to travel with a spawn of murder. I understand she is probably just more worried about her own survival chances alone, but I believe I have a chance to turn her around.
Enough on that though. Too much has happened on this journey to go into great detail before our next adventure. Jaheira is, sadly, dead, and we now have a ranger named Valygar with us as we prepare to enter a planar sphere today. In it we will face his ancestor, Lavok the necromancer, and end his evil existence. I fear for what will happen on this mission. Kang has become increasingly unhinged the longer Imoen has been away from us, yet he will not trust the thieves guild's offer to help and would rather trust the cowls' offer. If they find out we entered the sphere and with Valygar alive then there will be problems getting help from them, and unless we can convince him to take the alternative option, I am not sure he will remain sane at this point. I've advised Andre to be ready to take the shot if he ever loses it completely, but I'll have to stress this to him before we enter, seeing as the danger we are in when the cowls likely find out. I hope for the best, but I fear the worst with Kang.