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Vincent's Laboratory Notes and Footnotes (Updated December 30, 2007)
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<blockquote data-quote="Altalazar" data-source="post: 3307542" data-attributes="member: 939"><p>Notes – Chapter Forty-Six – Troll Flesh is resilient, but ultimately weak</p><p></p><p> After my alabaster friends cleaned the meat and hung it to dry in the rafters of the tower (while we rested), Balor explored the courtyard. When he returned, we all went down to stand behind him while he opened up the door to one of the two main buildings in the courtyard. Inside, he found what at first seemed like some sort of warm food storage facility. It turned out to be a bit more than that, and most of the food escaped, but I will get to that later. </p><p> What drew my attention and fury was the other building, which soon disgorged four goblins and two trolls, who had the temerity to attack my friends! I had Blackberry and Brunt standing to guard the door to that building so that we would not be ambushed while dealing with the first building, and so Brunt took the brunt of the damage from the first troll. The second troll attacked poor Rolo after charging him. Rolo was hurt badly! His bones were about to snap. Quickly, I ordered Simon, Edgar, and Twig to start to surround the second troll, while Blackberry charged him from behind. That troll did not last long. Unfortunately, the first troll did. </p><p> Brunt stood valiantly against him. He held him off as long as he could before that horrible, evil, vile, disgusting troll snapped Brunt’s large bones like twigs and Brunt collapsed in a pile of alabaster inside a large chain shirt. </p><p> “Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” I screamed as I heard his undeath throes. I was not close enough to him to hear his final whisper, and that will haunt me for the rest of my days. In my fury, I conjured a ghostly hand and sent it to grab the throat of the remaining troll to ram a spirit worm down it’s gullet, but it moved and I missed. The hand hovered nearby while my companions and my friends assaulted the troll and took him down. Willow was busy putting fire to the troll that went down first to make sure it stayed down. As she and the others were about to do the same to the troll that killed poor Brunt, I stopped her. </p><p> “No, he’s MINE,” I shouted, and I ran to his corpse. I could see its wounds already starting to mend, and I knew it would be all healthy again. If we had more time, I would take his body, strap it down, and have my alabaster friends endlessly torture him for what he did to Brunt, secure in the knowledge that his regeneration would make him last a very long time. But time was short. Goblins, an elf, a gnome, and a dwarf had run out of the first building, and may have been warning those in the mine about our presence. They were all unarmed and held against their will, which was why I assumed it was a warm food storage building, but we later found a schedule that showed they were slave labor for the mine, so they really had a dual role. </p><p> In any case, I knelt before the troll that killed Brunt. It was interesting to see flesh that could repair itself so easily, though it still was ultimately weak because it could not repair damage from acid or fire. And it would repair no further, because I reached out my hand and touched it, calling upon the spirits of death. I felt the beast’s heart stop underneath my palm. “No fire for you,” I said to him. “Now you are mine.” </p><p> Blackberry, Rolo, Simon, Edgar, and Twig then dug a grave for that troll while Trosty started cleaning the other one plus the four goblins. After the grave was filled, I sat and waited until nightfall. I had Trosty sit beside me. I knew that once the Whistle had done its work, it would no longer control Trosty, so I weaved an enchantment I had recently learned to exert my own control (Trosty being too resilient for my to control directly). As I felt its bindings fall into place, I then blew the whistle over the troll’s fresh grave. He crawled out of the ground and stood before me, my servant. </p><p> “Your name is now Brunt’s Revenge,” I told him. His cold, lifeless eyes stared back at me uncomprehendingly. He had no mind. He needed my mentor’s enchantment. I missed Brunt so bad. I began to sob. Brunt would have known to hold me without my having to order him. Brunt’s Revenge had to be ordered to. Somehow, the rotting troll flesh, while thicker than Brunt’s alabaster, did not seem to comfort me as much. Especially not during Brunt’s funeral service. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Forty-Seven – Brightstone Mines – Necro Duel</p><p></p><p> After my rest in Brunt’s Revenge’s arms, I prepared my spells and we cleared the area of the keep. Only the mines lay ahead of us. Balor managed to open the complicated lock on its entrance, and we ventured into the darkness, Blackberry leading the way with his darkvision, Trosty following behind our group. I was still unsure about him. He no longer was under my direct control, but the enchantment I gave him should last at least three days. He seemed willing enough to be our rear-guard, but I decided not to press him. With any luck, we’d find enough riches in the mine to cover my coveted purchase of a phylactery that would allow me the power to command even him. </p><p> The entrance tunnel opened up into a large cavern. There appeared to be nothing there but columns of natural rock until Blackberry circled to the side and noticed several alabaster beauties standing behind them. We all surged forward, though no one attacked, as they let me pull out my skull and parlay with this new potential friends. </p><p> I held my skull aloft and called upon the power within me, but they did not stir an inch. Fascinating! Could these be some new, more powerful friends? But alas no, as I got closer, it was clear there was nothing special about them. This could only mean there was one well versed in the necromantic arts standing nearby, bolstering them. </p><p> Confirmation was achieved when the Mute Bard assaulted one of the skeletons and then an orc appeared and raised a holy symbol of his own. I could feel my control slipping away, but only over my alabaster friends. Blackberry and Brunt’s Revenge stood strong, showing their true loyalty to me. </p><p> Rolo, Simon, Edgar, and Twig now stood uncertain. They knew I was their friend, and yet this orc was now poised to command them. But I could not lose so many friends in one day! I already lost Brunt! I raised my skull aloft and tightened my control over them. They all quickly returned to my nest, though they still stood dazed for some time from the transition. </p><p> In the meanwhile, Blackberry and Brunt’s Revenge assaulted the orc. We soon had him surrounded. He was tough, but that did not change the fact that orc flesh is weak, and he was soon added to our list of provisions. His remaining skeletons still stood bolstered, so my research assistants dispatched them. It seemed like such a waste, but time was short, because we discovered another betrayal. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Forty-Eight – Makkal’s Image</p><p></p><p> We soon determined that Makkal’s flesh was gone, even as his image remained. He must have cast some sort of illusion magic. The last thing I remember him doing was running to the side of the cavern, near another tunnel, and shooting a crossbow bolt at the orc. Then he never moved from that spot. But I was too busy with the necromancer to notice much more. </p><p> We searched the other tunnels, and found the orc’s treasure in a chest by his living cave. It was all gems, which gave us hope that this mine was not completely depleted. We searched the tunnels for some time, and determined that there was still iron ore and gems to be mined, at least on this level. The way down into the deeper levels of the mines was through rope elevators, but the ropes and elevators were long gone. It will take us some time to fully explore the lower depths of the mine. </p><p> Willow said that Makkal’s tracks went down one of the tunnels and then ended. Either he teleported out or had some other means of traveling without leaving a trail. Whatever his agenda was, we still do not know. We may see him again. </p><p> We found the orc necromancer’s journal, which indicated he had grand plans to raise an undead army to take over the whole region. It was great reading. I didn’t quite understand why he would want to do it. It sounded very dangerous, and it sounded like he would lose a lot of alabaster friends if he carried his plans out. War is dangerous! How could he justify risking so many friends’ lives on something that seemed to have such dubious chances of success. Better to live in peace and prosperity, your alabaster friends all around you, safe and sound. </p><p> I did wonder how he was going to raise an entire army, one he could actually control. I will have to study his notes further, and we will have to explore this mine and see what secrets it hides. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Forty-Nine – Reg’s Reluctant Heroes</p><p></p><p> The keep and mines secure, we returned to town to collect our reward from Reg, the Paladin Sheriff. He did not seem pleased to see us. The town council was very pleased. </p><p> “I had you followed out of town,” he said. “I know who you travel with.” He then gave a huge sigh. “As much as I hate doing this, you have shown you are willing to put your lives on the line to help the community. We don’t have the forces to spare to man the keep, but we need it manned, so,” he paused, a pained look on his face. “Would you consider taking over the keep to help protect the area?” </p><p> The Marshall quickly agreed. </p><p> Reg responded, rolling his eyes as he did so, the town counsel pushing him forward. “Good to see ‘good’ adventurers such as yourself taking such responsibility for the good of our town.” </p><p> The town counsel leader behind him beamed and said, “Now that you will be the ones in charge of the keep, the area will return to good!” As he said his, Reg slapped his forehead and then, shaking his head, walked out of the chamber. </p><p> Before he left, Reg had expressed some concerns about how we could live there with all the animals gone, leaving minimal sources of food. I pointed out to Willow, though, that with the escape of the goblin slaves, there would be plenty of food to hunt, not to mention the orcs and goblins already curing. </p><p>Now we just need to figure out how we will man the keep. If only I could make alabaster friends of my own. I will have to visit my mentor in the woods. Unfortunately, I will need more coins, having spent them all (including the new ones found in the keep), because I’ve spent them all on my phylactery. On the positive side, now I have no problem controlling Trosty. Now where can I find some new friends?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Altalazar, post: 3307542, member: 939"] Notes – Chapter Forty-Six – Troll Flesh is resilient, but ultimately weak After my alabaster friends cleaned the meat and hung it to dry in the rafters of the tower (while we rested), Balor explored the courtyard. When he returned, we all went down to stand behind him while he opened up the door to one of the two main buildings in the courtyard. Inside, he found what at first seemed like some sort of warm food storage facility. It turned out to be a bit more than that, and most of the food escaped, but I will get to that later. What drew my attention and fury was the other building, which soon disgorged four goblins and two trolls, who had the temerity to attack my friends! I had Blackberry and Brunt standing to guard the door to that building so that we would not be ambushed while dealing with the first building, and so Brunt took the brunt of the damage from the first troll. The second troll attacked poor Rolo after charging him. Rolo was hurt badly! His bones were about to snap. Quickly, I ordered Simon, Edgar, and Twig to start to surround the second troll, while Blackberry charged him from behind. That troll did not last long. Unfortunately, the first troll did. Brunt stood valiantly against him. He held him off as long as he could before that horrible, evil, vile, disgusting troll snapped Brunt’s large bones like twigs and Brunt collapsed in a pile of alabaster inside a large chain shirt. “Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” I screamed as I heard his undeath throes. I was not close enough to him to hear his final whisper, and that will haunt me for the rest of my days. In my fury, I conjured a ghostly hand and sent it to grab the throat of the remaining troll to ram a spirit worm down it’s gullet, but it moved and I missed. The hand hovered nearby while my companions and my friends assaulted the troll and took him down. Willow was busy putting fire to the troll that went down first to make sure it stayed down. As she and the others were about to do the same to the troll that killed poor Brunt, I stopped her. “No, he’s MINE,” I shouted, and I ran to his corpse. I could see its wounds already starting to mend, and I knew it would be all healthy again. If we had more time, I would take his body, strap it down, and have my alabaster friends endlessly torture him for what he did to Brunt, secure in the knowledge that his regeneration would make him last a very long time. But time was short. Goblins, an elf, a gnome, and a dwarf had run out of the first building, and may have been warning those in the mine about our presence. They were all unarmed and held against their will, which was why I assumed it was a warm food storage building, but we later found a schedule that showed they were slave labor for the mine, so they really had a dual role. In any case, I knelt before the troll that killed Brunt. It was interesting to see flesh that could repair itself so easily, though it still was ultimately weak because it could not repair damage from acid or fire. And it would repair no further, because I reached out my hand and touched it, calling upon the spirits of death. I felt the beast’s heart stop underneath my palm. “No fire for you,” I said to him. “Now you are mine.” Blackberry, Rolo, Simon, Edgar, and Twig then dug a grave for that troll while Trosty started cleaning the other one plus the four goblins. After the grave was filled, I sat and waited until nightfall. I had Trosty sit beside me. I knew that once the Whistle had done its work, it would no longer control Trosty, so I weaved an enchantment I had recently learned to exert my own control (Trosty being too resilient for my to control directly). As I felt its bindings fall into place, I then blew the whistle over the troll’s fresh grave. He crawled out of the ground and stood before me, my servant. “Your name is now Brunt’s Revenge,” I told him. His cold, lifeless eyes stared back at me uncomprehendingly. He had no mind. He needed my mentor’s enchantment. I missed Brunt so bad. I began to sob. Brunt would have known to hold me without my having to order him. Brunt’s Revenge had to be ordered to. Somehow, the rotting troll flesh, while thicker than Brunt’s alabaster, did not seem to comfort me as much. Especially not during Brunt’s funeral service. Notes – Chapter Forty-Seven – Brightstone Mines – Necro Duel After my rest in Brunt’s Revenge’s arms, I prepared my spells and we cleared the area of the keep. Only the mines lay ahead of us. Balor managed to open the complicated lock on its entrance, and we ventured into the darkness, Blackberry leading the way with his darkvision, Trosty following behind our group. I was still unsure about him. He no longer was under my direct control, but the enchantment I gave him should last at least three days. He seemed willing enough to be our rear-guard, but I decided not to press him. With any luck, we’d find enough riches in the mine to cover my coveted purchase of a phylactery that would allow me the power to command even him. The entrance tunnel opened up into a large cavern. There appeared to be nothing there but columns of natural rock until Blackberry circled to the side and noticed several alabaster beauties standing behind them. We all surged forward, though no one attacked, as they let me pull out my skull and parlay with this new potential friends. I held my skull aloft and called upon the power within me, but they did not stir an inch. Fascinating! Could these be some new, more powerful friends? But alas no, as I got closer, it was clear there was nothing special about them. This could only mean there was one well versed in the necromantic arts standing nearby, bolstering them. Confirmation was achieved when the Mute Bard assaulted one of the skeletons and then an orc appeared and raised a holy symbol of his own. I could feel my control slipping away, but only over my alabaster friends. Blackberry and Brunt’s Revenge stood strong, showing their true loyalty to me. Rolo, Simon, Edgar, and Twig now stood uncertain. They knew I was their friend, and yet this orc was now poised to command them. But I could not lose so many friends in one day! I already lost Brunt! I raised my skull aloft and tightened my control over them. They all quickly returned to my nest, though they still stood dazed for some time from the transition. In the meanwhile, Blackberry and Brunt’s Revenge assaulted the orc. We soon had him surrounded. He was tough, but that did not change the fact that orc flesh is weak, and he was soon added to our list of provisions. His remaining skeletons still stood bolstered, so my research assistants dispatched them. It seemed like such a waste, but time was short, because we discovered another betrayal. Notes – Chapter Forty-Eight – Makkal’s Image We soon determined that Makkal’s flesh was gone, even as his image remained. He must have cast some sort of illusion magic. The last thing I remember him doing was running to the side of the cavern, near another tunnel, and shooting a crossbow bolt at the orc. Then he never moved from that spot. But I was too busy with the necromancer to notice much more. We searched the other tunnels, and found the orc’s treasure in a chest by his living cave. It was all gems, which gave us hope that this mine was not completely depleted. We searched the tunnels for some time, and determined that there was still iron ore and gems to be mined, at least on this level. The way down into the deeper levels of the mines was through rope elevators, but the ropes and elevators were long gone. It will take us some time to fully explore the lower depths of the mine. Willow said that Makkal’s tracks went down one of the tunnels and then ended. Either he teleported out or had some other means of traveling without leaving a trail. Whatever his agenda was, we still do not know. We may see him again. We found the orc necromancer’s journal, which indicated he had grand plans to raise an undead army to take over the whole region. It was great reading. I didn’t quite understand why he would want to do it. It sounded very dangerous, and it sounded like he would lose a lot of alabaster friends if he carried his plans out. War is dangerous! How could he justify risking so many friends’ lives on something that seemed to have such dubious chances of success. Better to live in peace and prosperity, your alabaster friends all around you, safe and sound. I did wonder how he was going to raise an entire army, one he could actually control. I will have to study his notes further, and we will have to explore this mine and see what secrets it hides. Notes – Chapter Forty-Nine – Reg’s Reluctant Heroes The keep and mines secure, we returned to town to collect our reward from Reg, the Paladin Sheriff. He did not seem pleased to see us. The town council was very pleased. “I had you followed out of town,” he said. “I know who you travel with.” He then gave a huge sigh. “As much as I hate doing this, you have shown you are willing to put your lives on the line to help the community. We don’t have the forces to spare to man the keep, but we need it manned, so,” he paused, a pained look on his face. “Would you consider taking over the keep to help protect the area?” The Marshall quickly agreed. Reg responded, rolling his eyes as he did so, the town counsel pushing him forward. “Good to see ‘good’ adventurers such as yourself taking such responsibility for the good of our town.” The town counsel leader behind him beamed and said, “Now that you will be the ones in charge of the keep, the area will return to good!” As he said his, Reg slapped his forehead and then, shaking his head, walked out of the chamber. Before he left, Reg had expressed some concerns about how we could live there with all the animals gone, leaving minimal sources of food. I pointed out to Willow, though, that with the escape of the goblin slaves, there would be plenty of food to hunt, not to mention the orcs and goblins already curing. Now we just need to figure out how we will man the keep. If only I could make alabaster friends of my own. I will have to visit my mentor in the woods. Unfortunately, I will need more coins, having spent them all (including the new ones found in the keep), because I’ve spent them all on my phylactery. On the positive side, now I have no problem controlling Trosty. Now where can I find some new friends? [/QUOTE]
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