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Joalill sits in her room and removes a medium sized leather bound book and ink quill, she dips the quill in black ink and begins to write on a blank page.
It has been only 5 years since my experience, since my life and vitality have been altered on that twisted day of fate, east of Waterdeep, past the Ardeep Forest, in the secluded crypt of one I never wish to know again. A place of macabre magic, where the very air I breathed even seemed to lie stagnant and lifeless. Daunting memories still flood my mind even as I write these words, it's as if I am there again, the smells and sounds come rushing back, perhaps it is the gem that makes it so. That cold, draining gem that I cannot find release from, but do I want it's release? It seems my resolution to do so becomes just as cloudy as the gem itself, like a smoke that has no escape, no windows to ventilate, and now I do not feel the same urges as before the incident. I have noticed that I now revel in the slaughter of my enemies, a joy that was not there before, or at least it was less. It seems I've lost my natural elfin affinity for life, I only wish those useful to me live, and the others, they may be made into ogre stew for all that I care....
Joalill stops writing, and her face shows slight agony.
...I just felt another flash, a remembrance of the cave, the cries and screams of men being torn apart by ghostly apparitions, blood red axes and swords wielded by white bones, and rotten animate flesh... The flippant thieves chose the wrong tomb to plunder, and in that case, so did I... How many dead bodies did I step over on my way to the pedestal? It must have been dozens, and that chill that swept into the very core of my bones when I heard the hissing laughter emanating from the darkness of the crypt. I am surprised I did not stop then, but once I saw that dimly glowing ruby perched upon it's pedestal, I continued. I was mesmerized by it's magic, I could feel the tingling pulse flow through my body, I felt compelled to reach out, to take it. I inched my hand forward towards the ruby and as my slim fingers grasped around the beautiful stone I felt a pain like I have never experienced before. I screamed and it felt as if I was being drained, as if someone was tearing me apart from the inside out. The ruby intensified and it molded itself into the center of my left palm, burning away the flesh and creating a perfect socket for itself. I collapsed from the pain and fatigue, when I awoke I heard no more screams from the rogues that accompanied me, only a direful silence. I was beyond frightened, I stood up and began to run for the exit! That's when I heard that deep hissing voice shout after me, screaming for it's prized gem and threatening me with more than death! It said it knew who I was, that it was going to find me, and I would be unable to hide anywhere in fearun or outside the material plane! This is why I've made my journey to the medium sized city of Sundren, so far it has treated me well but it seems the entity's hissing voice did not lie. It is rare, but I have had to destroy a ghastly wraith outside the city of Sundren, which was promptly put to dust with a well placed firewall and a few wards. But it knows where I am, and that is proof, I must be vigilant at every hour, I cannot be taken by surprise.
Joalill Lo' Rell.
She closes the book, almost shaking she looks at her left palm, then studies it for a moment and says. "Why?"
It has been only 5 years since my experience, since my life and vitality have been altered on that twisted day of fate, east of Waterdeep, past the Ardeep Forest, in the secluded crypt of one I never wish to know again. A place of macabre magic, where the very air I breathed even seemed to lie stagnant and lifeless. Daunting memories still flood my mind even as I write these words, it's as if I am there again, the smells and sounds come rushing back, perhaps it is the gem that makes it so. That cold, draining gem that I cannot find release from, but do I want it's release? It seems my resolution to do so becomes just as cloudy as the gem itself, like a smoke that has no escape, no windows to ventilate, and now I do not feel the same urges as before the incident. I have noticed that I now revel in the slaughter of my enemies, a joy that was not there before, or at least it was less. It seems I've lost my natural elfin affinity for life, I only wish those useful to me live, and the others, they may be made into ogre stew for all that I care....
Joalill stops writing, and her face shows slight agony.
...I just felt another flash, a remembrance of the cave, the cries and screams of men being torn apart by ghostly apparitions, blood red axes and swords wielded by white bones, and rotten animate flesh... The flippant thieves chose the wrong tomb to plunder, and in that case, so did I... How many dead bodies did I step over on my way to the pedestal? It must have been dozens, and that chill that swept into the very core of my bones when I heard the hissing laughter emanating from the darkness of the crypt. I am surprised I did not stop then, but once I saw that dimly glowing ruby perched upon it's pedestal, I continued. I was mesmerized by it's magic, I could feel the tingling pulse flow through my body, I felt compelled to reach out, to take it. I inched my hand forward towards the ruby and as my slim fingers grasped around the beautiful stone I felt a pain like I have never experienced before. I screamed and it felt as if I was being drained, as if someone was tearing me apart from the inside out. The ruby intensified and it molded itself into the center of my left palm, burning away the flesh and creating a perfect socket for itself. I collapsed from the pain and fatigue, when I awoke I heard no more screams from the rogues that accompanied me, only a direful silence. I was beyond frightened, I stood up and began to run for the exit! That's when I heard that deep hissing voice shout after me, screaming for it's prized gem and threatening me with more than death! It said it knew who I was, that it was going to find me, and I would be unable to hide anywhere in fearun or outside the material plane! This is why I've made my journey to the medium sized city of Sundren, so far it has treated me well but it seems the entity's hissing voice did not lie. It is rare, but I have had to destroy a ghastly wraith outside the city of Sundren, which was promptly put to dust with a well placed firewall and a few wards. But it knows where I am, and that is proof, I must be vigilant at every hour, I cannot be taken by surprise.
Joalill Lo' Rell.
She closes the book, almost shaking she looks at her left palm, then studies it for a moment and says. "Why?"