The events of the last couple a days are a bit blurred. I remember leavin’ Diamond Lake for the monastery (was it really a couple days ago?). I got a vague recollection of an old Monk askin’ me riddles. I got a crystal clear picture in ma mind about what the Censer of Symmetry looks like. I got no memory whatsoever of what specifically transpired in the monastery. Was I successful? Did I unlock the potential I’d hoped? I don’t know, but I feel somehow, more easily distracted now. I wonder what that kalamanthus root did ta me.
23rd of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
The walk back from the monastery was easier than it was gettin’ there. Another side effect of the kalamanthus root?
We left Diamond Lake today, escortin’ Allustan ta Blackwall Keep. No one did a proper job of preparin’ for the trip while I was away. I left Storn in charge, but he arranged fer nuthin’. So, we got off to a late start as we got together some last-minute supplies. Allustan was less than thrilled.
We ran into a kalamanthus “merchant” on the road. He was headed ta Diamond Lake, but had no news of the road behind him that helped us at all. Although he saw signs of Orc activity (that we already knew about), he didn’t actually see any Orcs.
24th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
We discovered a ransacked caravan today. The only survivor was a little girl named Dora. We were wonderin’ what ta do with her when a band of Dwarves came down the track headed ta Diamond Lake. After exchangin’ pleasantries, they recognized me from some shows I did in Waterdeep! I gave ‘em a private performance (nice to know I ain’t lost my touch, what with all the blood and carnage I’ve been involved in lately) and then we convinced ‘em ta take Dora with ‘em ta Diamond lake. So, that worked out well.
Toward dusk, we found another wrecked caravan and several dead bodies. The corpses all looked to be members of the Cult of Final Passage! We could hear Orc war drums comin’ from some nearby hills and before we could decide what ta do, Hine was runnin’ towards the sound. We quickly followed him and we all snuck up to a small hill very nearby.
Nestled in a tiny valley was a band of Orcs celebratin’ their latest victories. The presence of a war drummer, a shaman, and a war chief (complete with banner) let us know we had just stumbled upon the Orcish command element we’d been warned about. They also had three prisoners: Hine’s mom, Hine’s whore/girlfriend, and one other member of the Cult.
Had it just been Hine’s girlfriend, I woulda argued against gettin’ involved. There were just too many Orcs. There had ta be a score of them plus the leaders in the camp they had made with gods know how many more nearby. However, with two other innocents there, we decided we needed to act. Surprisingly, even Allustan insisted on helpin’.
I know Allustan used to be an adventurer like the rest of us, but I just didn’t think he’d be up to it at his age. How wrong I was!
Allustan started the battle (this was far more than a “fight”) by blastin’ a group a Orcs with a Fireball. Five Orcs died immediately and several others were wounded and trailin’ smoke. Hine shot an Orc. I moved to Hine’s right, trying to line up Orcs for a Lightnin’ Bolt while Alobron (he’s been tryin’ to get us all to call him Bob for some reason), Carenthal, and Tyree (a new recruit) all moved out form behind a nearer hill and charged the Orc position. Storn, with his slower speed, charged along a clearer route, hopin’ to get a chance to run up.
Allustan got out a wand and was staring intently at the shaman, waitin’ for him to cast a spell. Hine killed the Orc he had shot moments earlier. Then the Orc drummer (a Bard, I believe) changed his toon, emboldenin’ all the Orcs. The shaman started to cast a spell (trying to Call Lightnin’ I think) and Allustan blasted him with Magic Missiles from his wand, but the Orc was able to maintain his concentration. The Orc war chief flew into a frothin’ rage and ran down the hill to block off access to the camp. Two more Orc Barbarians came up from behind the far hill and ran to head off Storn. Tryee flew into his own battle rage (I didn’t know he could do that) and charged the leader. Now the leader was a really big Orc (must have had Ogre blood) and was able to hack into Tyree before Tryee was able to hack into him. It wasn’t quite an even exchange. I didn’t want the shaman getting’ off his spell, so I conjured up some of the darkness I’d aquired below Dourstone Mine and blasted him with a Fel Drain Magic Missile. I discovered that I had indeed learned somethin’ at the monastery! My spell produced more Missiles than ever. The shaman maintained his concentration, but the negative energy I channeled into the spell stripped the spell from his mind before he could complete it. Suddenly, nine Orcs came out of the woods on our left, flankin’ Alabron, Carenthal, and Tyree. Carenthal blasted the shaman with a volley of his own Magic Missiles (I bet that poor shamn wished he’d had a Shield spell right about then) and Alabron protected himself by conjuring up a handful of illusory Mirror Images of himself (I’ll have to learn how he does that). Storn moved towards the Orc Barbarians and another band of Orcs (these ones were Half-Fiends to boot) charged out of the right side woods and moved towards Storn who was all alone.
Allustan dropped another Fireball on the group of Orcs behind our assault group and killed all of them in one fiery blast! Hine started shootin’ at the Orc Barbarians, wounding one of them badly. The war chief hit Tyree hard and the Barbarians finished closin’ with Storn. Storn hacked into the wounded Barbarian and yet another Orc (this one obviously older than the rest) clambered over the hill to stand beside the drummer. Six more Orcs came out of the right side woods and moved immediately towards Allustan, Hine, and me. Tyree slashed into the war leader with a vicious cut that would have killed him if not for the rage keepin’ him on his feet. I launched a Chain Missile spell into the wounded Barbarian, killin’ him, and sendin’ bolts out to wound five or six of the Half-Fiend Orcs. Alobron finished off the war chief with a tremendous blow that cut through the large Orc’s leg and into the chest of another Orc (killin’ that one, too)! Several Orcs attack Alabron and Tyree, but while Tyree was down and close to death, the Orcs only managed to slay images surroundin’ Alabron. Carenthal closed in on the fight and cast a Close Wounds spell on Tyree, bringin’ him back to consciousness. In the meantime, the Half-Fiend Orcs start to hack Storn to pieces while two of them peeled off to move toward me!
Allustan fired off a pair of Scorching Rays into the Half-Fiends, but their innate resistance to spell foiled his attack. Hine started firin’ into the Half-Fiends comin’ at us and wounded one. Storn killed the last Barbarian and one of the Half-Fiends, but he was still surrounded by the devilish Orcs. Tryee chopped at the legs of an Orc form the ground and I quickly found myself in my own passel of trouble as the six flankin’ Barbarians had me all but surrounded. My options were quite limited. I could still retreat, but that would have left Hine completely undefended with Allustan next to fall. So, I grit my teeth and did something foolish. I can past the line of surroundin’ Barbarians (spendin’ spell after spell to deflect axe blows that would have certainly killed me otherwise) and blasted the lot of ‘em with a Lightnin’ Bolt from my wand! Down at the camp, Alabron killed three more Orcs in what looked like just two blows while simultaneously avoidin’ all their counterattacks. Things were lookin’ good for us, until the Half-Fiends hacked Storn to death in the middle of the killin’ field.
Allustan cast a Deep Slumber spell on the Barbarians near me, droppin’ five of them into what looked like death (I’m sure) to their companions. Hine killed one of the wounded Barbarians with an arrow, but then accidentally shot and woke one of the sleepin’ Orcs. That Barbarian got up and hacked at me with his Greataxe, but I managed to deflect most of the blow with my Spell Shield. In the camp, the shaman stepped up an killed the Cultist with a curved dagger (it couldn’t have been the whore, of course) and looked ready to move on to Hine’s mom! Tyree killed an Orc while still lyin’ on the ground and then gained his feet again as Carenthal arrived and started healin’ him. Usin’ another new trick I must have picked up at the monastery, I blasted the shaman with an Empowered Magic Missile, but didn’t hit him hard enough to kill him. Alabron took care of it though as he charged up and finished off the shaman and continued his blow to decapitate the old Orc who had come late to the fight.
Allustan seared the last Barbarian with a pair of Scorching Rays while a pair of Hine’s arrows missed their mark as tears of relief for his mother blurred his vision. The drummer tried to club Alabron with his drum mallet, but slipped on the shaman’s entrails and Alabron killed him before he could recover himself. The last Barbarian seemed intent on me, slashin’ madly at me, but again my Spell Shield help him at bay (granted, I was almost out of spell energy to power my shield by that time). Carenthal started runnin’ in my direction, but I managed to kill the Barbarian myself with a Magic Missile right in the face!
The Half-Fiends, seeing all their leaders killed in a heartbeat by a still screaming Alabron and Allustan and I still castin’ spells from the hill, fled. As soon as they hit the trees, however, Carenthal caught them all in a magical Web. The clean-up process was grisly, but necessary.
We brought the rescued prisoners and our dead friend back to Diamond Lake. As I write these pages in the comfort of my own room, I am overwhelmed by emotions.
I cannot believe that Storn is dead. Although far from gregarious, he is a sure friend and mighty warrior and I cannot be but impressed with the way he stoically held off the Half-Fiends for as long as he could, acceptin’ his own death with the same quiet (sometimes grumpy) reserve. Storn saved my life today, as well as the lives of Hine and possibly Allustan. I certainly hope the Cult of Final Passage appreciates his sacrifice – although they will probably just see it as him reachin’ his final reward at his appointed time.
Allustan seems to think Valkus is powerful enough to raise the dead. The question is, will he expend such power on a non-follower of Tyr?
So I grieve for Storn. I also feel guilt. Storn should not have been alone out there. If not for my poor plannin’ and even poorer leadership, Storn might still be alive. I should have convinced everyone to wait long enough to formulate a better plan. I think that if we had all charged up on the left, we would have fared better. The Half-Fiends and extra Barbarians would have had father to run and we would have all been together to support each other better.
I vow to be a better leader from this day forth. I must remember to talk to Jasper when we return from Blackwall Keep. I want him to instruct me in strategy and tactics.
In addition to grief and guilt, however, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride as well. We did an amazin’ thing today! We annihilated a powerful and large Orc command element and probably saved the lives of dozens if not hundreds of innocents that the Orcs would have killed over the comin’ months. Not to mention the lives of garrison soldiers we probably saved.
And that, of course, makes me think of Machella. Am I just happy to be alive or do I really feel as strongly about Machella as I think I do. Best not to gush, I think. Best to wait until she responds to my letter before makin’ a fool of myself.
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