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Kat's Chronicle
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Kat Mos’ Journal of adventure and danger... well,
mainly danger. 26th of Fireseek
Well this was our second time coming to Greyhawk, this time we are heavy one guide, I
think he’s a tout but I can’t be sure of anything other than the fact I
don’t trust him just yet, but none-the-less we have too, our life is in his
hands. He calls himself Telalore, if that is his real name? Sometime later 8-15-99
We were just walking done the road minding our own business, (I was
staying out of trouble like usual) when several little kobolds appeared in a
road block and asked us to kill a “ Black God”. Now to keep this in
prospective, the word ‘black’ never denotes anything pleasant or good. As
for the word ’God’? Well lets just say this made me wonder if VanGuard was
really that up to saving a village of kobolds...
Well, just two days into the stay at the village he proved me wrong. We
fought the Black God valiantly, at least VanGuard and I did while the rest of
the party wondered around in confusion, especially our new ranger friend Galen
who, for some reason just kept running in circles. Well, besides all of the
arrows and false blows dealt to the young black dragon, it was of course Van who
dealt the final death blow. I was of course just going to strike my first,
carefully planned blow as it went crashing to Oerth directly on top of him. Oh,
did I mention that we were in mid air? Tel
wasn’t in good shape, neither were some of the others.
The following day we received the promised booty for killing the Black
God and we left the village. I’ll miss my new friend the shaman, he didn’t
understand me much but thats alright. We covered our wagon with dragon scales
and we all took parts of the thing with us. But Mark Anthony Leaf had some sort
of obsession with the serpents blood and he took some in a bottle. Weird! Several days of long travel...
Then finally we make it to the Town of Nalb where we plan on each doing
our own thing for a couple of weeks. I really need to learn back what I lost at
that evil manor in the swamp, I’ve forgotten so much. My Haversack blew up
also, and all of my goods took some loss too. Mugs, clothing and a ring. I
don’t know what happened but I know I almost died. Anyway, Dora told me I
died. Oh, she’s the Bariaur cleric of Lugh. She also said after I was attacked
one of the times, I returned carrying my left arm, I don’t remember that. It
still hurts a little but Brianna says it’s all in my mind.
O’ Nalb. I thought I’d be training Tel in some... occupational skills
but I heard wrong, Mark Anthony and I are going to do it instead. This town is
nice so far, I sold my green linen for 750 in gold to the general store in town.
VanGuard is being secretive again, I’m having a hard time
trusting him when he does tell me anything that is being planned. He just split
the funds with the party and I got 2318 in gold.
After four weeks in this small town, we decided to leave after hearing
that there were marauders raiding the road to town. On the road we encounter a
dwarf traveler named Thrim. We all introduce ourselves.
Mark Anthony asked him many, many, many questions. Couple more days of travel...
We come to a heavily forested and hilly area, I had been making an aerial
survey when I landed. Almost immediately, we get ambushed in a gully by goblins
and giants. I got stuck with a bolt. Then, much to my dismay I looked up just as
Van gets skewered by a dragon, yes another one. A giant came up out of the road
and hit Brianna badly. Tel fell off his horse obviously hurt. Now, at this point
everything was a blur, light was cast at the dragon, then a lightning bolt
(which made me jump a little). Van and I somehow get stuck in the cart as it
starts to move wildly. Verrin apparently killed the dragon-wyvern thing. Some
archers are killed by some really neat flaming thing, I think Verrin cast
it.(He’s good using his magic)
8-22-99
I fell out of the wagon and helped Galen and Thrim kill some mutated
giant, Thrim is turning out to be a benefit, he jumped up to help us out in
battle right away. Boy, things weren’t good after battle. VanGuard wasn’t
around, Verrin, Tel and Mark were in bad shape. Galen wasn’t.
We went out to look for Van and got attacked by some wolves, I was at the
bottom of a 20’ tall cliff with Thrim waiting for everyone above. Using my
ring, Verrin flew up the side a cast some spell that he could control. He was
outside the battle just floating there, while I climbed: very successfully I
must say, to join the fray. When I got there, the majority of the wolves were
already dead, I never even got a chance to hit anything. Mark Anthony got some
sort of disease from the wolves but Dora cured him. Thrim watched the cart and
horses, the cart was broken. We finally found VanGuard in fairly poor condition,
it took almost no time for him to get up and moving. Verrin and Van fixed the
wagon axle even though I’m sure I could have done it better I’m sure.
The next towns population wasn’t to bright. I went to the Carters Inn
but I didn’t enter, the fight swayed my decision to talk to traders. We stayed
at the locals Inn after Van paid for a week. I looked around for trade goods,
this town has nothing. A hermit comes around once in awhile but he hasn’t been
seen for years, he shows every two years or so.
8-29-99
We’ve decided to stay and train here for five more weeks, Galen is
going to train with rangers of the Knarly Forest. I think his skills are great
as they are but that’s my opinion. Van talked to the head of the rangers,
Luke, about the things that have been occurring close to Sobenwich. Those wolves
came from a bad cave that the Knarly rangers collapsed to keep those types of
things inside. 16th of Reaping /24th of Goodmonth
In the month of Reaping, I spent time with the traders at the Carters
Inn. I didn’t really communicate with the group this month. 17th of Harvester
We finally leave this little hole in the wall town, I never did catch
what it was called. We see some armored patrols on the road. Then we find this
tiny port called Dockport or something, basically it consists of two piers and a
building for docking barges on a river.
VanGuard rented a barge for 400 gold so we could travel to Dyvers, a port
town with a population of... well, alot. I went to the clothiers next to the
Cockatrice Reposed Inn to do some trading and I didn’t get very far in the
bartering before I realized that I wouldn’t get anywhere at all. I looked
around town for a shop that might deal in magic items, but I didn’t find the
Protection versus Undead that I was looking for, I think I’ll wait until we
get to Greyhawk.
Whenever we get to a town I worry that the other party members might get
themselves into trouble, especially Mark Anthony.
I feel kind of guilty that Verrin has been carrying around all of my
goods and such since the Manor House, I will sell off the goods as soon as
possible. I have just purchased a set of maps for use by the party and
my personal use later. The maps are of Dyvers, its Territories and Dyvineers
nautical charts. The day after I bought the maps I didn’t have alot of cash
on me so I went to the jeweler to exchange the gems, he tried to take advantage
of me and tell me it wasn’t worth what I knew it to be worth. But aside from
his rudeness, he gave me a piece of useful information, he told me who might be
able to purchase my dragon scales, he said someone at the college of magic might
help me. Well, I got there that evening when the Department of Acquisitions of
the college as closed for the night. I returned to the Inn late and exhausted.
The next morning, I went back to the college to make an appointment to
see the head of the Department of Acquisitions at noon. His name is Waldo and he
wasn’t interested in more than six scales at ten gold a piece, not a bad price
considering how we got the things. I asked if any of his schools items were for
sale or trade, nothing was for sale. I don’t know what to think of that,
everything has its price. After just two days we left, I don’t understand why
we waste a month in a small village but only two days in a large city! 8-29-99 Still!
One day out of Dyvers, we passed a small village called Marvins with
several small buildings. Second day out of Marvins, we come to another
village... well, really just five buildings. Eventually, we make it to river
that we will have to ford or cross. 9-5-99
VanGuard is apparently in some kind of hurry, I don’t know why when we
are this close to our destination. I feel at this point that while everyone has
been training in their relative skills, that I’ve just been tagging along not
learning anything. I just sit watching the party like... huh, a thief in the
shadows?! If I don’t make some profit soon, I may regress to my former
“activities”. Dora and Brianna want to set up some small shrine to Lugh at
the crossroads, close to watch tower, which I think isn’t to smart but oh
well. After creating the shrine we stay the night. By my account it is the 21st of the month called Harvester.
Today several party members, including myself, found some of our gold
missing. We are just one day from Greyhawk and we are discussing what is going
to happen when we get there. For a reason that escapes me, Dora wants to train
with a bone carver. I need to invest in small trade goods and a Haversack.
VanGuard reminds us that we are here looking for that trader friend of
Conner’s and to find the helm for jamming or whatever. “Stay out of
trouble?” I wonder what he means by that? I always stay out of trouble, it
just always finds me.
We make it to Greyhawk. the bad part of town scared me a bit, and we made
it through the Clerksburg safely. We look for mage we met before when we were
here, his name is Eleran. We stopped at the Blue Dragon Inn and were helped by a
guy called Wally. He took us to the wizard’s college to find Eleran.
We found the Speckled Bear Inn that we once stayed in was converted to a
boarding house, now called Madam Felesten’s. We waited there until it was time
to go to dinner at Eleran’s. There he tells us where we can get a guide who
goes by the name of Keg, a thin dwarf. Verrin and Van stayed at the college
while we found the guide. 9-11-99 23rd of Harvester
Tel and I tried to negotiate payment for Keg for his help around the
city, he wanted two gold for his trouble. Huh, Tel talked him down to fifteen
silver a day. Of course I had to pay, I don’t like touts much but I could
learn a bit from Tel, he’s alright.
Thrim and Keg seem to get along well, maybe they know each other. Tel, Mark and I have some errands in the upper market, and
Dora and Brianna want to find some temple or shrine of a traveling God or
wanderer related to Lugh called Farfargon or something of the like. We were
wandering in the Dwarven part of the city when Thrim decided to go to some
Temple. The rest of us chose to go to the upper ward, I made a good deal with
the clothier to sell both the blue linen and the silver metallic for 9500 gold
and two sets of clothing done by a tailor friend of his. I only lost 2500 from
the deal but at least it lightens Verrin’s load. I’m happy with it, ‘Good
deals make for heavy purses’. I looked around for the rest of the party that
was with me, they all just wandered off, if they get lost it’s their own
fault! Anyway, to complete this deal I found VanGuard and he told me that Verrin
was at the college. So I went to the college, the person there wasn’t helpful
because I didn’t know magic or something so I went to get VanGuard brought him
back with me, I finally got the fabric from Verrin’s Bag of Holding. At this
point, I’d been back to the Inn four or five times that day. I went back and
finally completed the deal. Galen and I went to the gem changers office however
Galen was not sure if we should go alone so we got the others together and went
there in numbers. I exchanged at the customary ten percent for 8550 in gold and
had it made into 50 and 100 denomination gems. We all headed back to the Inn and
call it a night.
The next morning, Brianna and Dora went to the shrine of Fargonalan.
Verrin has got more of my gems, they are in a small bag separate from the ones
in the boxes. I went down stairs in the Inn and everyone except Mark Anthony
were gone and then he left for a while. I’m just sitting here alone, writing
in this when Mark gets back. Boy, how exciting! La-te-da. The rest of them
return, minus Brianna and Dora, their still at the Temple apparently. I was then
to learn of more information; Verrin and VanGuard wish to stay to train in the
college of magic here. Wow, how great for them! At least they’ll have
something to do while we’re here. Verrin suggested that I gather information
about the merchants that deal in odd goods, that I might find out about the helm
or a map of something called the Grinder. I did find two merchant houses that
receive shipments of semi-odd goods at semi-unusual times. Mark Anthony and I
spend two weeks especially on those houses to get more news to tell the group.
Also checked out map shops but didn’t find anything.
I sold the last bolt of fabric for 850 and exchanged for 765 in gems.
After getting back from there, Verrin asked if he could borrow 5000 to pay for
his tuition at the college, I of course said “Okay”. It’s for a friend and
for the cause of the party, besides it’s something else to do with my money
for once. 9-18-99
Any information on Spelljamming or the Grinder (what Verrin was looking
for), seem totally impossible to find. Hopefully VanGuard found something. We
heard something about a helm, like the one we need, I was sure it could be
bought but of course it’ll never be just that easy. I will purchase those maps
of the surrounding areas I saw, at this point every bit of knowledge will help. I released Keg from the retainer we had and agreed to get him
at the end of Patchwall if we needed him.
At the end of the two weeks, I found out when the shipments arrive at 6
am and 11pm. I really want to acquire an invoice or port authority list of
ships. I talked to Tel about it and he seemed wary of it but willing to think on
it. Van found some books on space or something on planets, we
also talked about someone building a ship capable of the type of travel we need.
Frankly this is sounding more and more dangerous, I don’t want to trifle with
something we don’t understand. Verrin and VanGuard took Keg with them to the
observatory to learn more. The next morning...
I headed out with VanGuard to the merchants house, we both went in and
saw many odd and rare things. There was a “star metal” made into jewelries
that interested me a lot, I think when we get back I’ll buy some. Another morning.
VanGuard suggested that we head for the Geoff Embassy, we want to get the
reward for exterminating the giant kin that have intruded into the territories.
The deal consists of ten thousand and one item from the spoils. Giants, ogres
and trolls, this doesn’t sound good. It better be worth it.
The people that have info on the giants say that the giants’ city seems
self-sufficient.
My friends and I go talk to an experienced seaman about travel by sea.
Dora’s not fond of the water so I agreed to let her use my ring to make her
feel better, I can’t say I’m fond of the idea myself, her sense of comfort
is very expensive.
VanGuard is trying to contract to build a ship. 9-26-99
We sit around for awhile to discuss how we will be able to help on this
ship, we have three weeks before departure to learn what we want that will help.
I went to apprentice at the tailors shop. Later, the group and VanGuard went off
to the ambassador of Geoff’s manor to plan out our trip to his conquered
kingdom that we hope to help retake. Those giants, I still don’t like the
sound of that at all! 9-26-99
Three weeks pass, then we meet with Captain Silver, in four days we are
supposed to meet with him at pier 16. Well, we departed as planned with a crew
that, including us, consisted of 38. 12th of Fireseek...
The air has a cold bite to it on ship. Four weeks have passed since I
last wrote, but all I’ve been doing are mending shirts. We arrive at port and
are well met by the embassy and we’re given an escort to palace. Tomorrow we
will talk about the goings on in the area. 13th
Grand Duke Owen told us that he had a total of two hundred men spread
throughout the countryside. The town of Hochoch is held by some of his military,
a minimal force. Lady Flora, one of his advisors, told us the most current
intelligence and the movements of the giants. The elves of the Dimwood, the way
I understand it, seem to use guerrilla tactics or resistance. I think that they
seem sneaky enough that I might want to meet them. Verrin and VanGuard spoke to
a very jittery wizard that has been scrying the area where the giants live but
he hasn’t been able to see much because of the...haze, I guess that is what it
is. He is called Yosum, Head Mage, he seemed nervous when speaking of the
giants. I can’t say I blame him!
Preston is an Elven city in the Oyt Wood that is now controlled by the
giants.
For our trip the party is given healing remedies, Lugh knows we’ll need
‘em! They give the party two scrolls of heal, each member receives an ointment
that is called Keogtoms Ointment and a plain old healing potion. Boy, for what
these items cost, we could rent ourselves a cleric for a day or two. 10-3-99
We have left Greyhawk for the liberated city of Hochoch. Thrim didn’t
return from the Temple so we left there. I guess all he wanted was an escort to
town, the weasel!
We hop a boat and ride for a while, then we stop and take a cart.
We have traveled for three weeks in this cart and the most excitement we
had was a sighting of a pack of dogs, that was a nice change of pace. However,
during our trip one of the caravan guards did seem a little bit nosey for his
own good, I think he was one of crew on the boat as well. He calls himself
Roberts. He’s very unattractive for a human! I didn’t trust him at all so I
talked VanGuard into sparring with him just for a kick. I feel bad now, Roberts
was so badly out schooled and humiliated. It was fun though! We sort of ask
Roberts along for the trip, he got a bit greedy when we mentioned treasure. He
knows he’s greedy, at least he admits it, Mark Anthony doesn’t even do that.
We arrive in Hochoch at the only remaining building standing, the
Garrison, which has even repaired recently. The entire city has been flattened
as though a long fought battle had ended in the middle of town. The leader,
Captain Ulrich is seasoned and quite knowledgeable about the current situation.
He tells us of refugees of sorts have traveled through Hochoch but not recently,
they were mostly slaves. 15th of Readying
Keg wants to look at the remains of the city, at take everyone along. We
find out that the giants lived and kept slaves in the city. I haven’t really
been part of the planning process but hopefully we can help the revolutionaries
in the Dim Wood and the out lying areas.
Brianna told us that she had a bad feeling about the Dim Wood, she said
it didn’t like her. Now, from my experience, as limited as it is, when
something doesn’t like a Priest that’s never a good thing.
The Captain says the gnomes in the southern part of the
forest have been fighting the giants for years now.
The canopy of the Dim Forest is dark and thick with no undergrowth. Galen
is showing us how to travel in the forest without disturbing it. At dusk, we
reach a river and set a cold camp. I thought maybe it would be best for me if I
stayed in the trees for the night... I mean best for the party. VanGuard and Keg
were up with me during I believe it’s second watch, but for some... reason...
I...can’t ... stay...awake... 10-10-99 On an unknown day...
I found myself on a thickly clover covered mound or hill, buck naked with
my hair longer than I remember it. There was perimeter of toadstools at the base
of the hill. At equal intervals around the base were five black toadstools, I
tried to cross the line but there was some dome of force holding me inside.
Oh, there was also that incessant laughing, that terrible
laughing coming from everywhere. But it stopped when I started pulling black
toadstools. I got to the third one and the laughing turned to murmuring. Then
the fourth and even the murmuring stopped. Right when I started to pull the
fifth I asked who was there and the laughter returned, so I pulled the last one
and there was a loud pop and then it went silent.
Oh, I walked the perimeter of it before I started to pull out stems, it
took me twenty minutes or so to do so. The trees canopy was so thick that even
light was struggling to get in.
Almost immediately upon touching the final toadstool, I was suddenly back
in the forest, dressed, no one around, no pack, no rings and no pouches. I was
facing away from the forest, just inside the tree-line, so I turned around to
head back into the forest to look for my rings and my pouches, rings can be
replaced but still, 100,000 gold for one ring?! My pouches had 2000 Greyhawk
gold and my other three had the equivalent to 5000 Sigilian gold. While into the
forest I found a frozen Brianna, well not really frozen just not responsive. So,
I raked a Nexian ‘K’ in the leaves next to her and an arrow pointing in the
direction I go. At twenty-minute intervals, I leave another K but it starts
getting dim in the forest. A half an hour passes and a translucent hand appears
to be waving back in the direction of the tree-line, I don’t know if the party
sent it or not so I’ll follow it out of curiosity. I found camp and there were
only a couple of people on watch so I snuck up on Mark who was on watch and
scared him silly, he had to have jumped acrossed the camp, heehee. I saw my pack
and checked inventory but nothing was missing. I finished and went to bed, soon
after VanGuard decided to ask me something but I rolled over and went to sleep.
The following morning, Keg agreed to teach me spoken Oerthian if I taught
him how to haggle. He’ll be learning from the best. It’ll be the middle of
Coldeven before we finish.
The fog, that seems to be a frequent recurrence, is lifting some-what.
There is a very loud crashing coming toward us, so we move from camp and it
smashes through the center. It just looked like two large white pillars moving
through the forest. It was probably a giant, on the bright side, it won’t be
difficult to track.
VanGuard seems to have a little friend attach to him, looks like some
sort of forest dweller, I heard the word dryad from someone. We left her in the
woods, VanGuard promised her that we would return, his mind must be clouded
because he was with her all night.
When we came to yet another river, Dora refused to cross so Van cast a
Tenser’s Disc, which I think is a pretty damn cool spell, and it carried her
acrossed. VanGuard just simply walked across and tied off a safety line, the
rest of us used it to ford the river.
In a day or so we find a city that seems to be free. There is a large,
well maintained road outside the city that is not heavily used by the humans of
the city. We speak to some of the people of the city and they tell us a strange
story of how the city is being defended by a giant named Seshe. He agreed to
keep out all the other giants if the residents or travelers give him a tax of
all the silver.
Brianna doesn’t detect anything right now, no evil or malice.
We had been talking to one of the farmers out in the fields of the city
when we were found out, only three of our party were known in town because most
of the party were elves and the town is wary of elves. So the three humans went
in to speak about Seshe or Geoff. The party found out there rules when talking
to Seshe, don’t say anything about the other giants. Francois is not sure if
we should talk with Seshe, who is a Fog Giant. Maybe that is why there is such a
high concentration of fog in the forest around the city and areas surrounding
it. I was the last out of the forest when we were asked to come into the city.
We are taken into the city and told by Jean Paul the rules in meeting
Seshe, apparently he wants to find a wife, and he has the jewelers in town
making silver jewelry.
Our trip to Hochoch is cut short when we are told the city is abandoned.
While we are waiting, I want to train to become a journeyman tailor.
Everyone else in the party seems to want to stay at this point, but we must be
under some kind of time constraint because VanGuard seems to be stressing about
it.
We’ll be leaving soon enough.
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E-mail me @ xthulhu@crosswinds.net Planescape, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Etc... are the Trademarked property of TSR Inc. a subsidiary of WOTC |
