Maze of Mists & Illusions.

Dear Journal,

... a few days ago, a group of adventurers - me included - went on a ship to seek hidden treasure ... we had a map.

... we found ourselves in a ... in a way ... beautiful place.

... shame of it was that it was full of lies, and deceptions.

... i've played my role in discerning truth from falsehood - and we did find a treasure.

... one of us, a bard named Mashal Marshallomin, composed a song - so i will just write it here, instead of my words-clumsy relations.


--
Misty Treasure.

Let me tell you a tale, of a long lost treasure,
A tale I shall spin over a drink for your pleasure.

A map was found with hidden clues revealed,
To a hidden location of lost riches once sealed.

Gather then did the heroes of many descent,
With blades and magic did they make the attempt.

Charter a boat they did, with a questionable hin captain,
Who's shady past history would return to bite them.

Cower did the captain when the pirates finally arrived,
Revenge they did seek for a betrayal once survived.

I was there you see, a young bard of little note,
Convincing them to leave, no blood for decks to soak.

The heroes thought naught, for steel was clearly quicker,
For heroes do not lie, over which they did bicker.

Why bother with word or lying silvered tongue,
If good old fashioned killing will get the job done?

So arrows were loosed, spells were then cast,
Pirates lay dead, with their ship sinking fast.

A lone survivor was saved, sinking from armor's weight,
A pirate named Paul, denied his ship's same fate.

For one life spared, did the heroes clear the books,
Of any possible guilt, to each other knowing looks.

Paul spoke then, of our captain's sordid past,
Of deals, backstabbing and ambushes amassed.

The heroes were undecided for which could be believed,
Both were of questionable character, at least to them perceived.

Finally were Paul's words heed, as we arrived upon land,
A hero's ambush prepared for the captain's hidden hand.

Let me tell you a tale, of a long lost treasure,
A story I shall continue weaving for your leisure.

Into the misty depths of the cave we entered,
Of triangle design the hallways were centered.

Ornate mirrors of ancient make lined the passage,
Hidden foes lying in wait within their vantage.

Goblins, minotaurs, undead of all make,
The heroes pressed on, foes slain in their wake.

Next a large hall did we enter into,
With multitudes of doors, infinite choice in view.

A crystal ball then, with a question to Savras,
For it is certainly easier, with a god chosen path.

A lonesome room did we enter, a single chest found,
Empty but for a message, a warning of doom bound.

Elementals poured forth from their watery portal,
Intent on drowning us like insects trapped in a bottle.

Dispells were cast, closing their gateway,
Their numbers cut down with hardly a spray.

Further investigation or perhaps out of greed,
For a hidden lever was found, another door did it lead.

Another chest beheld with two lizardfolk statues,
Admiring a held music box, with no crank, no muse.

Play did the bards, for what else could they do?
A captive audience! such opportunities were few.

On flute and on lute, did the bards begin their score,
When familiar portals appeared, elementals numbering more.

A hidden musical note, was the key to our success
In unison they played, a new door revealed for access.

Finally did we arrive at the dungeon's triangular center,
To be faced by ghostly mist and within it a specter.

It told us to reveal our true names and deepest desires,
And wait for a time there, as wishes were acquired.

For a time we did wait, but the truths provided nothing,
As this was a riddle, for only lies were worth accepting.

Faithful of Torm, why did you lie?
For treasures of Liera do we now spy.

Faithful of Chauntea, why did you deceive?
Your god is now saddened, your crops shall now grieve.

Treasure was found, collected and counted,
But at what cost, after all challenges surmounted.

Tell me again heroes, for what reason would you lie,
Not for the lives lost, for only greed comes the outcry.

A humble opinion from this here young bard,
With barely any experience or bodily flesh scarred.

For the sake of a life, a lie can be told
But don't sully the truth, for nothing but gold.


-- Yours, Chea Allin, an Adventuress, a Witch of Mists, Illusions & Truths.




-=- Ship. -=-




-=- Landed. -=-




-=- Isle. -=-




-=- Hidden Compartment. -=-




-=- Snake Statues, Enchanted Music Box. -=-




-=- The Lying Spectre. -=-




-=- a Treasure Chest. -=-

Diplomatic Relations betweeen Peltarch, High Hold & Thayans.

Dear Journal,

... after my report about Red Wizard Necromancer in Peltarch, Vick Blake - Far Scout Commander replied:


'I understand the Thayans are trying to get a trading contract with HighHold and the nearby town.

We may want to move this on up to those working more closely with High Hold politics.

It could be that certain Thayans are trying to open trade and we could be getting overflow of unwanted attention,

... or they coudl be testing the waters in surrounding cities and towns.

I will have the Far Scouts keep an eye out as they move about the lands, and report any movement of Thayans they might come across.

Vick Blake
FarScout Commander'.


... i've replied again:


'One thing i should tell, i hope it reaches higher ranks of Peltarch rulers.

Lord of High Hold has its own troubles and expenses with establishing High Hold, and Red Wizards try to become 'helpful' in that ... he tolerates them because of this reason.

Thayans trying to establish 'enclave' there as well - place where laws of Thay hold, where animating dead, other forms of necromancy are allowed, and where slavery is allowed too.

If we want to have something to say about Red Wizards in High Hold, we should make some efforts beyond 'meaningless words' ... perhaps Peltarch can at least try to establish our own presence in High Hold - either in form of shop, politicians in their court, or something else.

... i think we should help the Lord of High Hold, not only with occasional deeds as scouting or recovery missions, but also with helping him build the High Hold itself.

... perhaps we should invest coins, perhaps crafting and other forms of labor/work are needed too.

... perhaps we won't be able to stop Thay from establishing enclave in High Hold, or perhaps we will be able to stop them ... in either case, our Peltarch presence could be useful there.

... can we afford to ignore High Hold before it's too late?'


-- Chea Allin, Cerulean Star 2nd.

Skrying Mirror.

Dear Journal,

... i've been fond of TAROT, Skrying & Divination Magick since a while.

... today did find a nice Skrying Mirror in Cerulean Knights HQ's chest.

-- Yours, Chea Allin, a Witch, a Cerulean Knight, a Seeker of Enlightened Energies.

Thayan Disguise.

-=- Chea in a Red Wizard Disguise. -=-


Dear Journal,

... as time progress, there are more and more encounters in Narfell with Thay.

... recently came across a Red Wizard - Thayan Archmage's expensively looking robe, and also got a Raumathar Battle-Wizard Staff.


Who are Raumiviri, people of Raumathar?

Raumathar was established by the Raumviran people in -900 DR, setting their capital as Winterkeep.

Raumathar was a great eastern empire that spanned the northeast and eastern regions of Faerun over the span of ~800 years. It included the lands that eventually became the nations of Rashemen and Thay.

The Raumviran people were known to be powerful battle-wizards, capable of wielding both sword and magic against the demonic forces of Narfell they so-often fought.


Being a Witch by myself, Rashemen peaks my curiosity ... and being a Cerulean Knight - trying to keep notes of Thayan moves.


It is spoken that Red Wizards of Thay are utterly evil, unhesistant of deploying darker arts of necromancy, unhesistant of using slaves, ruthless magocracy to it's core, with it's ambitions unbound.


Dear Journal,

... i am suspecting - but am not sure - that conflicts with Thay will increase, so considered using these items i've mentioned earlier.

... i have no hope of infiltrating their ranks - their customs are unknown to me, so they would discover me as a spy very quickly.

They are mostly Wizards, i am a Sorceress witch, as well.

They have women in their ranks, so perhaps this guise can be useful for Charm Person interrogation of Thayan people outside the Red Wizards caste, or just as a means to gain initiative for suprise first-strike attack, when needed.

-- Yours, Chea Allin, Cerulean Star 2nd, a Witch, an Adventuress.




-=- Red Wizard Archmage's Robe. -=-




-=- Raumathar Battle-Wizard Staff. -=-

Thayan Necromancer in Peltarch.

-=- A Guard. -=-


Dear Journal,

A night of duty for a cerulean knight star 2nd.

Guard came to me saying about a man, a crafter named Samson Lightwood being killed, then raised as a zombie ... it seemed murder investigation for a cerulean that i am.

With a fairly known wizard adventuress - Verika - we went to morgue and asked older person there for a corpse of Samson.

Detect Magic spell hinted Necromancy about, and Verika pointed to back of his neck - where black onyx, so called necromancer's gemstone - was placed.

... i've removed it and we went to Cerulean HQ to skry for more information.

The large skrying mirror was pulled and put in place, my scarf on floor before it ... three candles and incense alight ... and a water-full silver chalice in front of a mirror as well.

... i've cast Eagle's Splendour spell, then Clairaudience/Clairvoyance and entered skrying trance.

Image appeared of an middle-aged man, dressed in expensive-looking Red Robes of Thayan Wizards, with magical bracers on his wrists, with bald & tattooed head ... it seemed he was relatively high ranking member of Necromancers, those who serve Zulkir Szass Tam.

He was 'working' on another corpse at the moment ... relatively young girl, with no apparent cause of death.

He was in a small room, with very large table ... behind him trapped doors. On one end of the table a throne, on other end - another throne, with an urn and magical skull floating above the urn.

By girl's looks seemed she was Narfell's native, so whole 'affair' was perhaps very close.

Mage turned the girl around, put onyx in back of her neck and started animating her ... then my skrying spell's duration ended.


Then we went to Ashald's Park where zombie was found and put to rest.

... it seems that Martin the Gardener keeps coming to work there by night, working secretly - as city offices does not want to pay for extra hours.

... he said that he saw zombie coming and screamed for guards.

... guards came and chopped undead with their halberds.


Martin said prayer to Selune and when i positively responded - he offered to go for a drink someday.

... told him that someday we can ... he was enthusiastic at that.


Leaving Ashald's Park i've cast detect magic spell again, followed traces of necromantic energies ... that led us to a house.


... inside the house it was as in skrying vision, large table, red wizard.

... a battle of spells ensued, we won against Red Wizard without having casaulties on our side.


Where this leads, Dear Journal?

... is it an act of war from Thayan Red Wizards?

... is it Casus Belli, a Cause for War?


... i'll write report for the Cerulean Offices tomorrow, and paint the Red Wizard as i did remember him from vision.

-- Chea Allin, Cerulean Star 2nd.




-=- Skrying. -=-




-=- Martin. -=-




-=- a Spell-Battle. -=-




-=- Collapsed Ruins of a House. -=-

The Ice Witch of the Coldstone Mountains.

... this started when a group of crafters gather up on a resource-harvesting expedition ... and i was invited to go with them.

We went south, past ruined Jiyyd - it seemed that Demonic threat is mostly gone, except for occasional hit-and-run occurances.

Then something unusual happened - waves of winter wolves and undead ... also snow goblins ... it was a challenge still ... but still nothing very serious considering battle-worthiness of our group's members.

We went onward quite far, then found dwarven-monks cave where they lived and meditated during times of calm.

Now, however the sight was different - we found them battling against undead, and after we helped them to get rid of that wave - they greeted us and invited inside, mentioning they have been fighting for days.

... inside, there were more of Dwarven Monks, Order of the Endless ... and a sleeping gnome.

Gnome's name was Miranda Greywing, and dwarves were caring for her.

She seemed ill, poisoned ... and dwarves related that she told them about The Ice Witch and her Coven, dwelling nearby.

One of us cast the 'Heal' spell on Miranda, she felt for a while better then vomited.

We had a short talk with her ... she told us that this Ice Witch was once her adventuring companion - until was lured with strange power found near-by ... now she seems to be content on a nothing less than dominating, ruling, ... or killing every life form in the area.

After a while, Miranda turned pale and screamed that she must be out of cave ... turned into werecat, then jumped to exit.

To cut long story short, dear journal - we followed trails, fought Fel Orcs, Wolves, Ice Trolls, Animated Ice Statues, Snow Shamblers, etc. - as we made progress towards blizzard-covered mountaintop, from where Corrupted Druidic power emanated.

Was it related with Defiler, ancient druid of Rawlinswood, ancient druid with corrupt powers that proved to be threat to Narfell years ago?

We passed through land, we passed near strange menhir stones - was it that ancient power source that Ice Witch succumbed to?

With aid of Air Elemental we flew to mountaintop, where we found and fought Ice Witch, her Corrupted Coven.

The trees nearby turned to be treants, awakened by Ice Witch's power, to fight us.

Ice Witch was defeated, her Corrupt Coven as well ... Miranda Greywing was rescued.

After the fight, our crafters found rare woods ... including Darkwood.

We have helped Miranda reach Norwick, and Master Z did arrange for her inn room, and mentioned something about employment after she recovers.

We found some gold, and enchanted items ... i took my interrest in a tiara, simple and beautiful silver headband with a green gem covering forehead. This headband seemed to awaken energy centers and energy channels - not only thrid eye center and crown chakra center ... increasing wearer's wisdom, fearlessness, clarity and focus.

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