Lucky Ferret, an Inn in Peltarch (Frances' Tale).

Claire, a Bartrender.


It is that there's 'Lucky Ferret Inn' in the Peltarch's Docks area. Black Sails, a guild of pirates owns this inn in Peltarch, as well as a place in Oscura.

'Lucky Ferret' has backrooms, entrance to these costs 25 gold pieces. These backrooms have prostitutes, gambling hall, 'special goods shop' as well as the 'fighting pit' in which occasional fighting contests and bets are made.

Bought a three of 'Static Arrows' quivers today, 99 arrows each. These arrows are fairly cheap for me, and are enchanted with electricity that discharges after hitting the target. i still won't use them against lesser foes, not worth.

-- Frances, an Adventuress & a Witch of Darkhavens.




Gambling Hall.




Special goods' seller.




Fighting Pit.




Static Arrows.

Ash (Lomy's Tale).

A Well-Made Ash Longbow.


Dear Journal,

Fiendish spirit that guides me seems to come and go on his whim - sometimes i have extra powers of muscles, spirit and mind, surging through - another times i don't.

... it's exhilirating when he's here, but when he leaves i lack.

It's quite chaotic, as one could expect of the power coming from the Abyss.

On another note - i did trade my conjuration gems for a well made ash longbow.

Gems would be used only one time each, and a bow should last.

It's a well made bow, with a strong pull, and quite light to carry as well.

It's strong pull comes useful especially when a spirit is with me, other times i can still use it - but the shot's power is lesser by a significiant amount.

It's crafter and seller's name is 'Z', it took him about two weeks to complete.

My wailing arrows now have a proper device to propel them to their targets!

-- Yours, Lomy - an Adventurer and a Bard with a flighty demon spirit.




Trade.




Two weeks later - a deal.




Wailing Arrows.

Evil Servitude (Lomy's Tale).

Legend Lore.


Dear Journal,

Involved myself into a research & journey, into the Abyssal Fortress 'Tian Sumere', a fortress for Orcus himself should his ploys in Abyss fail.

Master of Peltarch's Bard College, Nathen Wingates did a Legend Lore spell & insights of wisdom overcame him.

He explained what he learned to us, i listened with envy to his great lore & storytelling skill.

He told us & vividly explained a plane of blood & fire, of undead & demons, of shadow-black raining from it's 'sky'.

There was a demon in a guise of a human mage called Kharsus who sought counsil of Glyphimhor, Lord of Orcusgate.

Their plan is to use Menhir Stones as a way to collapse the planes, to meld Abyss with Prime Material we live on ... then to start invasion.

They captured a powerful mage Maria, entrapped her so she can't defend the Menhir Stones across Narfell.

They captured a number of local druids & drain their energy to fuel the Plane-Collapsing Rites.

We went to investigate further & scry, saw a vision of demons plotting - then they detected us and attacked. Their lord told them to spare me, i avoided the fight.

During the fight i had a vision of demon asking for my loyalty for rewards of power & riches, i agreed in my Mind and bowed a little.

'i wish to serve you, to advance in your ranks, and earn proper rewards that way'.

i felt surge of fiendish energy going through my mind & body, was infused with evil spirit that shall guide me from now on, increasing my abilities as well.

My task is to befriend and infiltrate bards involved, i couldn't refuse the task.

Then fight stopped, we split the loot ... got magical 'Wailing Arrows', a few of powerful one-use spell-items as well.

After splitting the loot with others, i thanked them for an opportunity to gather the song-material - have to play sweet dumb to earn their trust.

Later when they talked about Bardic College, i asked about fee to participate in lessons - got in there for free. Master Nate got me key, assigned elf-hin bardess Atel as my Mentor - she will show me things as soon as i am ready & she has time.

Then i went to inn, for a night's reverie.

-- Yours, 'Lomy', an Elven Bard with a fiendish spirit.


P.S. i made a small sing-song, it's for Bards to hear.

'Orcusgate - flame and shadows,
The dark fortress of despair,
Of the demons and the undead,
Hesistate? You'll be slain.

Master Bard took the challenge,
To research demons ploys,
Abyss demons plan revenge,
If they win, all will be lost.

Who oppose are captured,
Who oppose are drained,
Their prison as a warning,
Their souls fuel spells.

Demons' plot is to collapse,
Abyss-Prime planes with,
Open gates for invasion,
Calling hellish demons in.

Our spirit shall not falter,
We'll oppose demon plans,
Demons have to be stopped,
They must stay out of our land.

Menhir stones we must defend,
It's from where fiends will pour,
We must travel to the Abyss,
To rescue the stolen souls.

Know yourself, then know enemy,
Then prepare our plans,
We must fight with good strategy,
We must fight till they are gone.'




Kharsus.




Gate.




Fortress.




Audience.


       

Treasures Found.




Abilities Increased,
... as infused with a Fiendish Spirit.




Peltarch Theatre's Key.

Dragonslayer's Leather Armour (Frances' Tale).

An enchantment,
... final moments.


... i did it.

After i am not sure of how long time of rite-casting, my enchanted leather armour is done.

It's worthy of a dragonslayer, for it protects the mind, especially against fear ... and Dragons are symbols of fear, have fear auras.

It also helps in spell-casting, without hindering at all.

One could argue that such a light leather won't protect against Greater Dragon's mighty claws nor breath ... but let's consider - there are also lesser drakes, as well as Dragons' minions - against these, this leather adds a layer of protection as well.

-- Frances, a Witch of Oscuran Noble Origin, a Dragonslayer, an Adventuress.





Enchanted Leathers.




Frances in her Leathers.


---
(( Enchantment request to Narfell's Staff - DM Team - made by blog's author; enchantment roll succeeded, so item was made on first try ... it still cost 2200 gp, enchanting components' costs as well as a part of Frances' life force - 6000 1e xp. )).


Character name: Frances Darkhaven.
Character receiving item: Frances Darkhaven.
50-50 XP Hit: N/A.
Caster Level: 8.
Enchanting Facility: a Laboratory Room in Oscuran Library.
Spells Used: Resistance, Light, Cat's Grace.
Materials Used: Padded Armour, Oil Flask, Light Scroll, Resistance Scroll, Cat's Grace Scroll, Dragon Eye Gem.

Item Level: 7.
Next Enchantment: ?

A Light Leather of Fearlessness.

Arcane Failure Chance -5%.
Saving Throw: Will +1.
Saving Throw: vs. Fear +3.
Free cantrip (0-level spell).

Costs: 2200 gp, 6000 1e xp.


Description: A black leather armour with a red lining, enchanted to not hinder casting & to enhance wearer's willpower, especially against fear.


--
After reserving time in laboratory & paying the fee, Frances prepares for a ritual of empowerment.

She visualizes (visualization in this context is a form of imagination) a dragon protector form, a symbol of magic & will, of protection, of understood fear & of fearlessness.

She makes a wish of using leather armour for noble deeds of protecting her friends, allies, future family & lover(s), as well as Friendly Dragons, Cats, Owls & associated spirits.

She purifies her Light Padded Leather Armour by draining unneccessary energies from it, casts a 'Light' cantrip spell to invoke the lights of magick, burns prepared scrolls then forms ashes into a cone before her, then spends energy.

She meditates, deeply visualizing her spirit teacher, a dragon, as she intends to impart it's properties to a padded leather armour & it's wearer(s), speaking mantras (spells) that imbue item with dharmic (arcane) blessings.

She adds a little of the oil to the scrolls-ash cone, crushes a gem & mixes that as well.

She smears scroll-ashes, gem-dust & oil into armour, spreading the mixture evenly.

Mantras she uses are: Agility Mantra, Protection Mantra.

Spells she uses are: 'Cat's Grace' for casting without a hindrance, for casting nimbly in this armour, Resistance for will, fearlessness & protection, Light for invoking a spell-power.

Form she meditates on is called a Dragon Protector. He appears before her and send energy rays around that build up into powerfield (mandala).

Frances oversees energies as they flow, speaking mantras as neccessary and correcting errors as they arise. After a proper amount of time, when all energy points are opened and joined with energy channels, she uses forms that give appropriate properties on each of them, then closes enchantment, finishing.

She offers them to her teacher in her mind and is allowed to use them.

Armour is ready.

She cleans laboratory, showers, dresses, wears her newly-enchanted armour and goes to take her familiar for a walk outside the cave-town.

She will check the item in real combat.

Demons of the Swamps (Lomy's Tale).

Embark.


Dear Journal,

i've hunted for a song material, for a real combat.

Found a dwarf who agreed to show me his tricks, in echange for a praise-song. Then elven guardswoman joined, without revealing her name.

We went swamps to hunt kobolds, but met the fiendish Tanar'ri of the Abyss.

Almost dying, we retreated to heal our wounds - but i feel drained still ... as if a part of my soul was sucked into Abyss.

Elven guard's sword-arm & divine powers was what kept us alive.

Stayed a while in commons to compose a song, to share it with a dwarf ... and met another, a strong & full-plated human woman.

It seems that demons dwell in the swamps for a quite while, she encountered them before. She also did reveal elven guard's name - it's 'Mint'.

When we talked about Shadowy Cloaked Form that fought us under a magical darkness spell, she mentioned that we were touched by the 'Shroud of Orcusgate'.


'... out of Abyss, did they come?
Now the Swamps are their home.

... mighty dwarf, still held a line,
We survived, it's divine.

... elven lady, unknown name,
with her sword they were a-slain.'


We were lucky to keep our lives & return, i should add.

-- Yours, 'Lomy' Lomyriomendur Nain, a drained elven bard.




a Demonic Appearance.




a Strange Spell.




'Shroud of Orcusgate'.




Considerations.




Return.

A Nightmare Encounter (Lomy's Tale).

'Lomy', a Smokin' Nacht-Elf.


Dear Journal,

Dis nacht' was a hot 'spirience.

Finally went outside the Inn to chill 'n' smoke, then to explore a bit.

Nothin' unusual, 'cept a horse - a dark horse flaming at night, a Nightmare, a truly.

Fed it, praised, petted, promised to sing 'a' song ... probably no one at inn will believe anyway.


A Nacht-Hors,
A Nightmare,
Flaming Hot,
So Bizzare.

Look Nacht-Hors,
In the eye?
Can You look?
It's the way.

Met by Druids',
By Nacht-Elf,
Lomy's Yours,
In the end.


Hopefully this a horse will meet me again, i am curious of what's brewing anyway.

We long-livin' Elves can be patient, i should add.


-- Yours, 'Lomy', a Nacht-Elf, a Bard, a Ranger of Erevan Ilsere.


P.S. Would forget to mention that finally i did master a 'Charm Person' magickal trick, as well as 'Daze' & 'Cure Light Wounds' treats.

P.S.S. Discovered a talent for enchantment school of bardic magick in myself, should pursue it more as i progress as well - i'll strive for learning as many 'charm', 'hold' & 'dominate' spells as i can, i think.




A Nightmare.




Sitting, Chilling.

Leather Armour Enchantment (Frances' Tale).

Lab.


i've made steps toward enchanting a light padded leather armour, to not hinder in casting anymore - as well as for strenghtening my will & fearlessness in combat.

i've reserved & paid for the enchanting laboratory room in Oscura's Library part.

-- Frances of Darkhavens, a Witch & Adventuress of the Oscuran Noble Origin.

Living Iron & Jewelry.

Sharing.

Dear Journal,

i was idling in the commons, when Master Z came - offering a few of ingots of the Gazuendheit's golem we slew.

It was not mined so he could share - otherwise it would be against Crafter Union's charter.

He also did offer to craft some jewelry off it as well, in future, for a small gold amount - it was nice of him.

It'd be probably an amulet & a ring, considering amount of ingots at that.

i've offered him a help in future for that.

Considering materials & quality of his work - these items will be enchantable as well, i think.

-- Yours, Chea Allin, an Adventuress, a Witch & a Seeker of Enlightened Energies.

A 'Constructive' Gnome.

A Druid.


Dear Journal,

... i was standing chatting at the commons, then something changed.

... a tree near me started to shudder, sending little bits of dead leaves cascading downward - then a tree-bark itself started to shudder, flowed & molded into a doorway.

An old hooded man appeared from within, he lowered his hood to reveal a thick, bushy beard and a smile.

His name was Ronan Addams, he was a druid ... he knew one of us - a druidess Leena Lynn Rayfe, one of daughters of Jerrick Rayfe. After short talk we were enlisted to a rescue mission - to free druidess Fiona Apple from the evil hands of a gnome illusionist-mage named Gazuendheit & his minions. A second of goals was to recover the sacred wood named 'Living Steel' that gnome used to create a construct that regenerates itself after being damaged or destroyed.

To find a hideout of a gnome i've used my silver chalice filled with water as a mirror, combined with a clairvoyance spell to scry. In a short vision i've found woods patrolled by gnolls who could not pierce a veil of illusion - so parts of the woods & caves were unseen to them.

Soon after we went onwards, leaving the city. I've admired druids' & onion union's efforts to plant trees & nature outside Peltarch.

In the gnoll woods we fought gnolls, constructs & chimeras - then descended into the caves that we found using two of my potions of true sight that allowed us to pierce the illusions.

In caves we fought constructs, demons, enslaved beings & mutated beings ... we had one casaulty to a construct smashing one halfling on the wall - her name was Roslyn, but we managed to free some hin slaves at least. Roslyn was resurrected later by magistrate Shannon D'Arneau as well.

At lowest level of the caves we engaged gnome mages & their construct of the living steel, Gazuendheit fled through a 'portable hole' portal device, and the other evil gnome mage - Arachnomancer - was slain. Machine was dismantled by our weapons, then spells came to prevent or delay it's self-regeneration. We did succeed with a delay & took the pieces of living steel with us.

On way back our crafters found some noble metal veins, as we fought way out. On the last suprise Gazuendheit appeared once again in the illusory form asking us a question 'Where's she !?!'. Magistrate Shannon's sword has dispelling properites, so he cut through this illusion with ease.

In Peltarch Roslyn was Resurrected, then we shared the found treasures.

-- Yours, Chea Allin, an Adventuress, a Witch & a Seeker of Enlightened Energies.




Scrying.




Onwards.




Gnolls.




Construct.




Caves.




Living Steel.




Way Back.




Sharing.




Apprentice's Staff.




Periapt of Illusions.




Cloning Concoction.




Gnomish Mines.

'Oh Nain!' (Lomy's Tale).

Die Bar-Frauen.


Dear Journal,

i've attracted too much of attention, recently.

A local barmaid Taena asked me:
- 'Oh mister - what's your name? ... and - can i seduce You?',
- 'Nain.' i've answered and left.

Went to a fireplace to think quietly of various advantages and faults, then she persisted again, coming with a bottle this time.
- 'Do You wish to try a local wine?'
- 'If it has Oscuran scent, Natürlich.' - answered coldly for her.

She did return to my company, with another flask then.
- 'One last question, mr Lomyriomendur',
- i've looked at her with a disdain - 'Yes?',
- 'It's about Mr. Cirden Ev'Riana, i've seen him not ... for years - do You know what's he preparing?',
- 'Ein Lightning'.

She left puzzled, daring not to ask any-more.

i drank containts of a bottle, it had indeed traces of an 'Oscuran scent', this time.

-- Lomyriomendur Nain, a Bard of Erevan Ilsere.




... Natürlich.

About Demons & Devils, About the Blood War.

Dear Journal,

... i was hesistant to write or even think about Demons, Devils & the Blood War they wage across the countless Planes, for Souls, for Feelings, for Minds, for Lives, for Energies ... often causing bystander casaulties & tragedies on the mass scale.




A Succubus Demon.


Demons are Chaotic Evil Outer-Planar creatures of the Abyss & related Planes of Existence.

They are also called Fiends.

They spread fear, tortures, terror & panic, they feed on chaos resulting & the beings' misery & torment.

They feed on Souls & Sins as well.

Examples of significiant Demons are Succubi, Vrocks & Baalors.




An Erinyes Devil.


Devils on the other hand are Lawful Evil Outer-Planars, of the Baator Hell & related Planes of Existence.

They are also called Baatezu.

They seek to enslave & dominate, to enforce their laws, to torture mortals ... they also feed on the suffering resulting from that, as well as on Souls & Sins.

Erinyes, Kyton, Pit Fiend are examples of more significiant Devils.

First contact with Evil Outsiders happens in Mind, it's when it's either fought, summoned, bound or banished. When i have to battle them, i use Protection Mantra & Wisdom Mantra first - so i can - under Protection of Enlightened Energies - learn the Wisdom of how to defeat them ... then i make a Wish to execute what i learn later.

After an initial Mind-contact, duel falls on the Speech & Body levels, more of the battle, rites or service follows externally as well.

Problem is - the more one knows about Evil Outsiders, the more power they have over one as well ... it's a mutual danger escalating, Mind is polluted with presence of related ideas as well, there's more of ego's stiff ideas to defeat.

There are also spells to summon, weaken, bind, kill, or banish the Evil Outsiders.

They cannot enter the mortal planes unless invited or summoned, so they seek that opportunity actively, offering power or other privileges - or scaring into submission.

When an Outsider is killed on the one of the Material Planes, it's spirit returns to Outer Planes, only killing them at their home plane destroys them forever. It's very difficult task, often not as simple as slaying powerful Outsider, often the way is far more complex - other factors have to be considered as well.

Evil Outsiders often use other evil creature servitors or undead as well, more significiant ones are very intelligent at that, using infiltration, illusions & deceptions as well as the Politics.

it's argued that these are not real living beings, that they do not have Mind, that they do not have their own Souls as well - but personally, i do not know if it's so simple or completely true.

-- Yours, Chea Allin, a Witch, a Seeker of Enlightened Energies, an Adventuress,
a Cerulean Star 2nd as well.

P.S. My Master Attentus was for years tortured by a Vrock Demon - he defeated it with power of Compassion & Patience eventually.

P.S.S. Patience is important when fighting Evil Outsiders - not all of Wisdom is revealed instantly, after speaking Wisdom Mantra. Compassion, Honesty & Truth also help in countering Evil Powers & Influence.




A Vrock Demon.