"from up here you can see forever"

[cellio]

April 9 (Monday)

I sent a message to Lord Marius last night. It will probably be some time before I hear back from him.

Bertolf is an interesting fellow. Even though I don't know anything about armoring, listening to him talk about it is interesting. It sounds like he's going to make something special for Liandra once he is able to work again.

Prolix disappeared last night and returned this morning. He said something about "last-minute errands". It sounds like he's really going to attempt to retrieve his spellbooks from Melisande. I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper, let alone safer, to just relearn the spells. But that's Prolix for you.

April 10 (Tuesday)

We arrived at the lake of Optalis today. This place is amazing! You really can see to the ends of the kingdom!

The lake is a good three miles in diameter, with a black spire rising from the center. The waters are clear, and we can see creatures moving in the lake. We probably should have gone diving for pearls for Bertolf first, but as we neared the lake we saw that we were being followed by floating eyes amidst the flowers, and we were concerned that something hostile might be living in the center. So we decided to go to the center first.

Magical flight does not last long enough to cross to the center, so some of us shape-shifted into flying creatures and, when we got close, some teleported. This should have worked. But alas, the hideous many-eyed monster that did, in fact, live there managed to dispel our shape-shifting magic, and several of us spent the next little while trying to swim to the center. Argh! I was having a lot of trouble with this, but fortunately, I can hold my breath for a long time.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing the beast did. It managed to confuse some, charm others, and cause others to flee in fear. Thanks to Agondre I was able to resist these effects, so once I could keep my head above water I could hurl fireballs at it. Liandra, too, seemed to be resisting, and she too threw spells at it. Eventually it dropped down into an opening in the tower.

We eventually managed to collect everyone and get to the shore of the tower. We didn't know if the beast was dead or just hiding, but eventually Liandra and I flew up and were not attacked. We got everyone up to the top of the tower, where we found that part of the floor had caved in. Someone climbed down and confirmed that there was a monster carcass down there.

While we were investigating, we heard a voice from below us, calling out for "my lord". We froze. Prolix drank a potion of fast-talking and then told the voice that his master was injured, but we were here to help. He then explained that two vampires had attacked his master and they had gotten away. Before too long a creature arose from a hole in the floor; its eyes were quite confusing, but Prolix convinced it to cover them with a blanket.

The creature told us that it has continued to develop the tunnels and "we are nearly ready to attack the lurker below". Oh great; more company. Prolix asked what lurker this was (which, in hindsight, wasn't bright), and the creature said it was the beast of 1000 eyes.

So it was probably already suspicious when Turok and Kyle surprise-attacked it. Once that happened there was nothing to do but join in. Unfortunately, it dove into the ground -- right through the stone floor! -- so that wasn't entirely effective.

We prepared to climb down through the hole to go after it, but it suddenly appeared in front of me and attacked me with its huge pincers. I fired missiles at it and Kyle and Liandra moved to attack. I could see that its eyes were very distracting, so I did my best to avert my eyes. Prolix created an illusory Garrett and the creature dove into the floor again. (Unfortunately, Turok didn't see Prolix cast the spell...)

Since it appeared that this thing was moving through rock, Liandra turned herself into a giant badger and began tunnelling after it. Some others followed her in; I stayed above in case it came up here again. I heard quite a bit of fighting and screaming in the tunnel that did not seem to involve the creature; it had apparently managed to confuse everyone. Definitely not good -- and while I hated to sit out the fight, I thought it would be wise to make sure at least one member of our group was not under the creature's control.

Eventually, though, it sounded like the creature wasn't coming up and I had to go down. I saw Kyle and Prolix fighting each other and threw a web over them, but unfortunately they both wriggled free. The creature had disappeared, and Kyle and Turok ran off down a corridor with Kyle attacking Turok. Turok was in bad shape, so I tossed him a healing potion and then started throwing rocks at Kyle to draw his attacks away from Turok. Turok went ahead, and I was able to lure Kyle back toward the tunnel, where we saw Prolix get knocked down by Turok. I brought the healing power of Agondre to Prolix, but too much -- he jumped up and began fighting again. Next time I'll know to just stabalize.

Meanwhile, the creature had yelled out that it would flood the passages before allowing us to plunder it. Turok managed to scoop up some stuff that was lying around as the water began to pour in, but we were more focused on getting everyone out safely. The water was not fast or deep, but we didn't want to be down there.

So the creature is, we think, badly hurt, but it's still alive. I hope it does not have friends.

The confusion eventually wore off. Prolix complained that he was perforated, but he didn't get much sympathy from the rest of us.

We climbed back up to the top and told Bertolf (and Slade and Hrolf) what had happened. Bertolf helped to heal those of us who were injured.

We did not have enough magic to leave this island, so we have no choice but to stay tonight. This will allow us time to study the land in some detail, assuming we are not attacked again. Tomorrow, we will dive for pearls for Bertolf.

April 10, much later

Wow. Just wow.

I have been studying the land for the last several hours, partly to see how friends and family are faring, and partly to learn some areas well enough that once I figure out the spell I'll be able to teleport there.

I looked first to Shepford, and was eventually able to spot dad, Hal, and Brion. Brion looks somewhat worn and the crops don't look good, but in general people seem to be going about their business. I checked in on my secret tree; it is not blooming nearly so much as last year, alas. While Garrett's blight is attacking all the land and we have much bigger things to worry about, I'll be sad if my tree doesn't survive.

Turok spotted Garrett's keep. Such a gloomy place I have never seen before! Alas, it is also very close, if distance here can be judged at all. I hope they do not come to us tonight while we are stuck here!

Prolix was the first to spot the flying city of Aulos and point it out to the rest of us. It is far to the east and appears to float hundreds of feet above the land. It's hard to tell for sure, but it does in fact seem to be drifting, not fixed in place. Wow! I wonder how they did that. I would love to go there and learn more about magical flight; I think I will get my chance, because we believe Elys' is trapped there. Prolix and I spent a while looking for potential landing sites and studying them.

The three armies have moved to the edges of Cardior and seem to be fighting monsters, but no one has taken the city. Stupid people! Go home; you have much bigger worries than this fight. There is nothing for you in Cardior. I spent some time studying the area in and around the palace; I found an out-of-the-way courtyard where I think I could teleport without drawing too much attention. I did not succeed in spotting Tobin. I hope he's ok.

I looked to Oakhame, and Beliaberith, and Drannekin, all places we have visited before. I saw nothing unusual there, beyond a general worn-down-ness among the people.

I think I spotted Colm's new inn in Covanion, though the angle is such that I can't read all of the sign to be sure. Nithelin's huge glowing signpost nearby is hard to miss. When did he add spotlights?

Seeing Beliaberith reminded me of something. Tonight when it gets fully dark I want to make a study of the stars. Anarion implied that the elves came from there, and I'm curious about what I can see. I don't expect much, but I have to try!

I have also been making a careful study of this tower, so that in the future I may be able to return here more easily.

Tomorrow morning I will also collect some of the water from the lake. It might help me make sight-related magic. Pearls may be better and I hope to get some of those too, after we take care of Bertolf's needs, but water can't hurt.

April 11 (Wednesday), morning

Prolix said we were scried again last night, somewhat after dark. Great; now Garrett and Melisande know that we are close and can possibly see them. (We have not seen them, however.) Fortunately, no one attacked last night.

Prolix vanished this morning and re-appeared a few minutes later, gasping for air while smirking and clutching a sack. He says he recovered his spellbooks without encountering Melisande. He said he also found and smashed what he says is Melisande's scrying mirror. That's good news if that's what it was; I guess time will tell.

It is my hope that today we can restore Bertolf's sight and get away from the tower before nightfall. Now that Melisande has seen us here, I don't want to be here when she can next safely teleport.

Comments

[ralphmelton.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, no one attacked last night.

This is actually wrong, I'm sorry to say.

See you tomorrow. :-)

[cellio]

Oh. Whoops. Obviously I misunderstood what you said at the last game. (I hope everyone can reconstruct spell state.) Ok, hold that thought and see you tomorrow. :-)

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

I hope that garlic doesn't turn out to be too perfect. ;-)

And I told Ralph that I object to a night attack, for what it's worth.

[cellio]

The use of garlic was not accidental. :-)