Dremdar's Journal

[GDwarf]

(('Ello all. I decided that I'd track my experiences as a new member in the form of a journal from my character's perspective. Here's hoping it's actually entertaining.))

Day 1: Well, I arrived in Sundren City today, it's nowhere near as impressive as Waterdeep, but it's larger then most of the two-tavern towns on the way here. My first order of business was to replace my robe and sword, bloody thieves assaulted me after I left the caravan. Fortunately they didn't find my coin purse, I'll have to thank Travil for installing that hidden pocket if I ever return to Waterdeep.

Night then fell and I found myself in the unfortunate predicament of having no torch. They do light the streets, but not well, I may have to complain to whatever governing body they have about that.

After going to every blasted shop in the place, and finding that none of them had even heard of torches (I wonder where the city buys them to put on those wall brackets they have everywhere, I'll have to ask a lamplighter next time I see one.) I gave up and spent the rest of the night in a tavern.


Day 2: I quickly grew bored of the city, I didn't leave Waterdeep just to stay cooped up in more buildings, and decided to go seek out some excitement. The guards reported that the nearby hills of...something (Or maybe that's the something hills, note to self: Spend time remembering location names, nothing quite as embarrassing as not knowing the name of major landmarks.) had some excitement, apparently there were armies of goblins attacking a mining camp!

So, I headed there and, sure enough, everyone seemed ready for battle. However, there was also a disgusting halfling (gnome? I didn't really look close enough to see) dissecting a man's corpse! After cutting him open the, uh, doctor claimed that the man's corpse was useless for his (her?) purposes, and then proceeded to pickpocket a nearby person. (I will never understand how the minds of the smaller people work.) when caught and confronted with their crime, they returned the money they stole and then left the camp.

Right then a...thing marched up and started shooting at the people in the camp! I and a couple others went to fight it, though most of the people seemed completely unconcerned. (Evidently this sort of thing happens often, though why they'd be unfased by arrows whizzing past their heads...) As soon as the creature was slain a wizard or druid or something like that ran out of the hills and started attacking. I killed him with ease, though my shoulder is still sore from his mace.

As soon as his body hit the ground people returned to talking, this must happen quite often, though no one would tell me who the man was, or why he was working with those creatures.

Evidently I've come to the right place for adventure, now to find out what's actually going on (Why are those creatures attacking, if doing so is quite clearly a suicide mission?) and who that man was.

[GDwarf]

Day 3: Well, today was most eventful.

I went back to the mining camp and talked to some people standing around the fire, they were interesting, and explained that the people aiding the goblins were followers of Bane.

After that I went to Port Avanthyr to watch the water for a bit. Upon returning to the mining camp I found the people I had talked to earlier gone, replaced by a most interesting elf.

I never did figure out what her name was, when I first asked she said 'Lisa', but she gave a different name to every person we met, and when I later called her 'Lisa' she insisted that she was 'Katie'.

However, this can likely be explained by her apparently precarious mental condition. She seemed to think that there were multiple people around her, none of which I saw, and generally talked oddly.

Regardless, we decided to see if we couldn't cause a bit of havoc with the goblins, and snuck over the hill. However, they were evidently expecting someone to try something, and they defeated us handily. The guards at the camp arrived just in time, saved us, and sent us back to the city to be healed there.

*ahem* Well, after that I started talking more with my new friend, confirming my earlier guess as to her... questionable sanity. However, she was friendly, and we eventually decided to return to the mining camp.

Upon our arrival there we encountered a group of adventurers who wanted to fight the goblins, some for no better reason then to see some violence. The bloodlust in these parts is incredible indeed.

Anyways, we ventured into the goblin territory, where 'Lisa' and I handily defeated any goblins that came our way.

Now my story becomes sad. While fighting through the lair of the fiends, Lisa was slain in combat. I blame myself entirely. She went back to the camp on my suggestion, and it was due to my negligence in allowing a goblin past myself that she was killed.

Vowing revenge on the monsters for this, in addition to many other crimes, I put her body in an out-of-the-way place so that it could be retrieved after the devils were killed to the last 'man'.

Venturing further into the caves we eventually encountered their chief, who we handily 'defeated' in combat. Upon exploring his cave his 'corpse' leaped up, his wounds gone, and continued the fight. Eventually we defeated him again, and this time he stayed dead.

Upon finding a secret passage out of the caves I returned for the body of my companion and carried it back to Sundren city, where I got the priests to revive her.

I still berate myself for her death. She was under my protection, and I failed her. I hope that there is no lasting animosity, for I feel that she would make a stalwart friend.

Now I'm off to the nearest tavern to celebrate my 'victory' and mourn my failure. I find the local wine to be an excellent catalyst for both.

[GDwarf]

((It should be noted at this point that a 'day' bears little relation to any IG time, the events recorded here transpired over about two RL days, which must be at least a week, if not a month, IG. I just write these when I have enough interesting stuff and claim that it all happened in one day.))

Day 4: Good news! Lisa made a complete recovery, and claims that it wasn't my fault, which is good to hear.

Well, growing tired of Sundren City (The taverns don't have quite the same caliber of tale-tellers as those in Waterdeep, the stores are also rather less interesting (far fewer interesting knick-knacks from foreign lands) and what other purpose does a city have then to spread tales and provide a home for merchants?) I decided to do a bit of exploring.

I hiked cross-country to Aquor, a delightful little village up on the north of Sundren. The village is almost the perfect blend of wildness and civilization, if I ever decide to buy a house, it will either be there or in one of the two ports. (Missing the tales from sailors would be a blow indeed.)

Anyways, in the centre of the town is a giant crystal on a hand-shaped rock. It casts an amazingly bright light, it can be seen from anywhere in the town. I stared at it for what must have been an hour, something about it just attracted me.

I decided to see if anyone could tell me something about this crystal. However, it was late at night, so the city hall was closed. I decided to go to the local tavern and ask there, but none seemed to know anything about it. Walking back across the bridge I met a man, he rudely rebuffed me when I asked if he knew anything about the crystal.

I then slept for what must have been 12 hours. When I woke up and left the local inn I tried asking the new guards on watch if they knew anything about the crystal. They did not, but recommended I ask some wizards that were passing through.

I did so, only to find that they knew about as much as I, though they did have some interesting guesses as to it's nature. I also learnt that the local caves have crystals similar to the large one. If they weren't infested with giant insects I would have run right in to see if I could grab one for use in a pendant or amulet. However, I am bold, not foolish, and was forced to decide that staying out of the cavern was the wisest course of action.

I'll have to ask around to see if anyone has actually mined crystal from these caverns and, if so, if they'd be willing to sell me a piece of one.

[GDwarf]

Entry 5: Well, not much has happened since my last entry, my hunt for more information on these crystals has hit a dead end, none seem to know much about it, though apparently it helps keep the creatures around Aquor in their caves.

I have also left my name with a group of adventurers who were looking for new recruits. One of the reasons that I came to this land was to make friends and prove my mettle against the hordes of monsters, this company seems like an excellent way to do both.

Finally, the government of this place is asking for people to help them fight the Drow. I am not sure what to make of this. Back in Waterdeep I saw no Drow, they didn't seem to frequent the bars I did, nor did my parent's business ever deal with them. ((The underlined section has been scratched out.))

Of course I've heard the tales, the Dark Elves are obviously not to be trusted, and I do everything in my power to avoid being left alone with one.

However, for the most part the Drow here seem courteous. The same can not be said for some of the people, who attempt to use the law to bully the Drow.

I may not like the Dark Elves, but I detest bullies more, especially those that hide behind a higher authority. I fear that this call for aid will simply lead to yet more people hiding behind the laws and intimidating Drow who have done nothing wrong (Or, nothing that I know of, I doubt that any of them have done nothing illegal.)

I shall have to make sure that none see this journal until all of this is over, I don't doubt that those who hide behind the law would find this record a more then ample reason to fine or imprison me for sympathizing with the Drow enemy.

[GDwarf]

Entry 5:
Well, several recent events have caused me to alter my stance on the Drow. They have burnt houses, killed people, and become highway robbers.

On the other hand, at least one Drow has performed some very heroic feats, saving my life, and the life of at least one other, multiple times.

I'm inclined to agree with the general anti-Drow situation, they are a menace, and something needs to be done. However, the powers-that-be have decided that the best course of action is to simply ban Drow for the entire nation. No questions asked.

While I agree with the spirit of the law, I find it incredibly heavy-handed and far too general. I wonder if I won't find myself on the wrong side of an arbiter's sword someday soon, since I find the idea of persecution of all Drow, the good and the bad, despicable.

Regardless, this journal shall now not leave my sight, my musings in the current political clime will likely find me with a large bounty on my head.