Deeper Swamps (Frances' Tale).

Deeper Swamps.


went to kobold swamps area, deeper again this time.

this time with my newfound tricks it was easier ... faster work with longsword, shield & a longbow combined with spells did dispatch all i met fairly easily, quickly & efficiently.

i was careless however, so i stepped on a snake ... got poisoned with a weakening poison.

still fight was fairly easy, despite that ... returned safely.

if i wish to challenge kobolds, lizardmen & other critters of the swamps ... i can proceed boldly now ... just have to be careful of the poisonous Stirges & Snakes.

... but in truth, nobody knows for sure what can be met anywhere in Narfell.

-- Frances, a Witch & Adventuress of Darkhavens.

Culling the Weak (Frances' Tale).

Supremacy dictates the doctrine of natural selection, of survival of the fittest, that requires occasional 'culling the weak'.

Weak members of society are killed to not endanger stronger, 'healthy' ones.

-- Frances, a Witch of Darkhavens.

'Hobgoblin Supremacy' (Frances' Tale).

In Narfell there's a lot of suprematic & barbaric humanoid forces ...

Garagossians, barbarian, hobgoblin & related, bugbear, orcish, ogre, troll, giant, gnoll, minotaur, etc ...

Their behaviors are suprematic (dominating enemies), automatic (trained to fight as automatons) & bureaucratic (with key figures holding key positions & ranks in society).

They use weapons, wild beasts as wolves & other as well.

Magic is fairly rare, often is primitive & shamanic.

There are others as well, hobgoblins would say ... 'in their places'.

-- Frances, a Witch of Darkhavens.


P.S. in a case of Narfell's Hobgoblins, Axe Throwers are most numerous, then Thugs, Magickers, Reapers, then Taskmasters with their whips & other stronger of Hobgoblins. of these, Thugs are arguably easiest to defeat, then Axe Throwers, Magickers, Reapers, Taskmaster then other stronger as Sharpshooters, Soulstealers or Warlocks ... Magicker with Reaper are a strong combination, as Magicker casts Stinking Cloud spell to disable enemies, then Reaper follow with a head-cut attack with his Scythe ... Reapers occasionally hit very hard & precisely.

Fencing (Frances' Tale).

i've been training this at occasions a many ... defensive fencing with a longsword & shield, slowly gaining basic expertise at that.

it's very useful ability i read, especially in a team.
- to stay alive in melee combat for a few of more seconds, while friends dispatch dangerous foes that attack,
- to block passage of enemy as friends shoot with arrows, bolts, spells or other ranged weapons,
- occasionally it also gives advantage in plain one-on-one melee ... when enemy is not prepared for a very solid defenses or a rather long combat (for example when his or her spells are waning, their fire fades fast).

i also learned many of a trick that amounts to a much faster work with weapons ... especially with a bow, but not only ... sword & shield as well.

other weapons as well.

-- Frances, a Fencing & Bowshooting Witch of Darkhavens.

Garagossan Infiltration (Frances' Tale).

... at Witch & The Seer.

a Gather.


... another part of Mor'Salen-related happenings proceed that way.

Orders were changed, we got to infiltrate & scout Garagos' Base accessible via long & winded tunnels in Caves next to Peltarch.

We met at Witch & the Seer Tavern, to prepare, don proper robes & insignia, to be briefed ... then we went to the Caves under guidance of Varus, a Red Knight Scout Commander, if i am not wrong.

Tunnels got us to their place, Varus left us just at the entrance.

In base's tunnel we got received by Garagos' Priestess who questioned us.

We gave her a tale that we agreed priorly with Varus ... that at Manderville town we got recruited by 'brother Jerome' of Garagos & sent there.

A few of veiled threats or tests & under escort of Guard we got to the Initiation Chamber.

There we were greeted, received a glimpse of 'Garagos Glory' from mouth of his Priestess ... and with other Acolytes we were put to a test.

It was test of conviction & courage, those who faltered died.

There was a mention of 'Conversion Chambers' as well, we never get as far.

One of us, Leena, was made to lick blood off' Priestess sword ... as Garagos does revel in blood drinking.

In my case a firm nod to a question was enough ... apparently my 'silent, sure of herself thug' role was fitting the Garagos' ideals.

Then our group was split, humans were assigned a task of participating in motivational speech by their Leader ... to be assigned to training later.

I went there, sight was disconcerting ... over a hundred of soldier-murderers in black plates, with a fiery blood-red swords stood in ranks, as in Defilade.

There were also priests, leaders & someone called Darius, Avatar of War glowing in sinister red light.

During leader's speech we learned that in their hands is second shard, they are preparing to attack Peltarch in a few months.

There was a reward of a cartful of gold & 'love privileges in excess' to be given to the one who will provide a Red Knights' Leaders' head, probably Shallyah's.

Audience with Leader was also a part of reward, she agreed to that.

Talks of Glory of Battle & Bloodthrist, Domination of Enemies & Sculpting Peltarch to their will ... Then we slipped unnoticed.

We did rejoin with a rest of our group at Initiation Chamber, short talk then one of acolytes went to alarm priestess ... we were supposed to be in other chamber.

We played dumb for a while, then one of us was recognized as an enemy who slew many of the Garagossan with her Martial Arts.

Combat ensued ... after escaping a near-death experience with sword in my stomach ... managed to cast invisibility, drink a few of healing potions, summon a Shadow Mastiff, cast few haste spells & shoot few of fiery arrows ... combat with priestesses & warriors was over, but we heard lot of troops coming our way.

We ran, we lost them in a long, winded tunnels with Varus' help ... there's no better guide in the area than him it seems.

We went to 'Witch & the Seer', got congratulated, debriefed ... rewarded.

Apparently there are about a five hundred of Garagossan murderers about, but Red Knight faced overwhelming forces since beginning of her battles ... it's her strength to succeed against odds, as history teaches.

Reassured we left & dispersed in different directions after a short talk.

-- Frances, an Adventuress of Darkhavens.




a Journey.




a Cave.




Received.




Acolytes.




Failure.




Frances' Test.




in the 'Speech Chamber'.




Speech.




Tongue.




Revealed.



Fight.




a Win.




... out.




... back at Tower,

'Witch & the Seer' Tavern.




a Powerful Amulet of 'Mind',

a Reward.

Mor'Salen & Shards (Frances' Tale).

Wait for a Team.


Rumours got me informed about Mor'Salen progress happening ... so i've contacted rest of the team.

We went to Mintas Rhelgor, by teleporting next to the temple, past wards area.

There we were briefed with more of intelligence informations.

i've learned that our team did something in Glaciers that delayed Garagossans' progress ... probably attacked one of their outposts, now four remain.

Red Knight followers also covered tracks of our team's proceedings, so enemies may think it's only savage wild beasts or unknown forces that killed their companions.

We have also learned more of Mor'Salen's Shards.

These are named parts of artifact, bearing names of:
- Carnage, dealing with sphere of Blood, now in hands of Garagossan forces,
- Destruction, dealing with sphere of Fire, it's secure & guarded in Bahamut's realm, we don't know how well,
- Void, dealing with sphere of Negative Energy is somewhere in Prime Material Plane ... someone does have it, but so far we don't have many of informations ...

Another of informations passed was that Garagossans have ancient & powerful allies, beings older than most of Elves & Dragons, very well informed as well.

We were given a task of attacking one of 'Shrine Altar Camps' of Garagossans, when a word arrives. One of us also contemplated idea of enlisting allies to our side.

After attack we'll have to disable the altar with 'Orb of Nullifying', an artifact that severs connection between altar & it's god.

There's also a camp called 'Bloodhorn Camp', but it's too well guarded to attack as of yet.

After the briefing, we were let out for a teleport back.

-- Frances, an Adventuress of Darkhavens.


P.S. Seems that one of us called Walter is dad of a girl present at the camp ... her name is Kaitlyn, perhaps she's Shallyah's daughter as well.

P.S.S. Shallyah is leader of Red Knight's forces stationed at Mintas Temple & nearby.




Teleporting.




Escort.




Ward.




Brief.




Preparing for Return.