Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tokiwong" data-source="post: 33764" data-attributes="member: 961">Misha's Journal #9* I think this should suffice for now...Misha’s Journal #92nd day of the Drawing DownI look back on my journals, and I see that we have come full circle.  In these few months that I have taken to traveling with this band of heroes, one and all, we have demonstrated a distinct ability to succeed in the face of overwhelming odds.  Yet our journey is far from over, our enemies know of us now, and I am sure they have taken the measure of our resolve.  We saved Aliya from the clutches of the Zhentarim, and for that I am sure both Vallia and Karanaj are pleased.  But our journey shall take us back to Amn, to Athkatla, and face to face with a past that I sought to put behind me.  Yesterday morning I was up early tending to the horses readying them for the journey ahead.  I find the morning to be one of the few respites I have in the day, there is peace there, gentle and tender, and yet so fragile.  The others were inside, preparing, no doubt, if they had any wits about them of the dangers ahead.  My keen blade was sharp and my armor neatly polished, I was ready, I could only hope my allies were as well.  I returned to Aliya’s house to check on my allies and saw them all awake eating and preparing.  Vallia took the time to hand out a few odds and ends that would prove useful in our mission, cloaks and potions that would allow us to use magical trickery to pass ourselves off as humans.  Most useful for Nym, Vallia and myself, while Gruush could revel in his orcishness, as we attempted to sneak into the Zhentarim fortress and rescue Aliya.  She is a tricky one, my Vallia, and I was quite impressed with her guile and deviousness.Korbol arrived early that morning and once again tried to dissuade Vallia, he has a habit of calling her Elena though, from her current task.  I knew just as well as she that she would not falter, Vallia is many things, but never a coward.  Korbol reluctantly led us to the portal, which would lead us to the Zhentarim fortress.  He once again tried to dissuade Vallia, but I dismissed him, his worry was beginning to annoy me.  I glanced to the others and drank the potion that Vallia handed off to me, I was surprised to see myself looking my normal human self.  Magic is a strange, wondrous thing, I am finding, and even the minor divine magic I can employ amazes me.  Vallia took on the shape of a burly human female of warrior stock, while Nym took on the look of a thin unshaven man.  Vallia stepped through the portal first and I followed, the rest of the party following suit.We were whisked away from the drab and sparse brush land to a windswept cliffside overlooking bluffs. To the west the cliff top was bare and stony, while east of us a bluff of solid rock rose up before us, looming over us like an ancient angered deity.  A narrow tongue of natural stone connected the cliff where we stood to an opening in the flank of the higher bluff.  Beyond a 10-foot-wide crevasse, immediately inside the opening, was a wooden bridge attached to various levers and pulleys.  The bridge was fitted with an elaborate system of levers and cogs, with chains running from the mechanism into the bluff's walls.  The bluff sported paired arrow slits to the left and right of the opening.  Two pairs of sentries kept watch from behind natural battlements above the arrow slits.  For a brief moment, I wondered if we stood a chance against these Zhentarim.  (A brief moment, mind you.)Vallia approached the sentries before I had a moment to formulate a plan, and she says I do not think. Ha!  Her ploy was simple, to pose as newcomers from Zhentil Keep, a place I have not heard about except in stories, but the guards recognized it right enough.  It was easy enough to get into the gates, for which I was surprised.  Things were going well, much too well.  There were a few tense moments with the sentries guarding the portcullis, but surprisingly Nym was able to convince them to allow us passage into the main structure of the fortress.  Once inside the portcullis we trotted into the main hallway looking for stables to leave our horses and investigate the structure before the magic in the potions ran out.  Nym, Vallia, and myself each carried an extra potion but I was loath to use it unless fully needed.  It did not take us long to stable the horses and then set about as a group on foot. I must say at the time the task of finding Aliya in that fortress seemed daunting.  The layout was akin to a labyrinth more so then a military structure made for functionality.  I instructed Karanaj to use his spell of Bull’s Strength upon Vallia, Gruush, Nym, and myself, simply for precaution.  Besides, the duration was long enough that it should carry us through the length of our endeavor.Once prepared we began the slow journey through the structure, but have no doubt that many times I felt very much lost in this structure.  I do recall a few choice events that stand out in my mind, though, as we wandered those halls.  Early on in our search I tried to force a hatch open and was pleasantly surprised by a gout of water spurting out and knocking me flat.  It was rather painful, though not as painful as the bruise to my ego.  I do hate to look the fool, though Vallia claims I do it quite often.I do remember encountering a most peculiar weapon smith as well, who had a distinct love of his iron maiden.  He went by the name of Jebalek, and I have to admit I rather liked the strange smith, odd, but he had charm.  Vallia was the first to approach him, and he seemed personable enough, even if I was less then polite.  And he had a tongue loose enough to sink a thousand ships I must say; he related that a beautiful elven woman was being kept in the upper levels of the fortress and that there were anywhere from 50 to 100 Zhentarim calling the fortress home.  He also mentioned a name I have come to loathe as well, Mantatulus, a servant of Bane, and a rather powerful wizard, from what I am hearing.  He also mentioned a dragon-man, at the time I could only wonder at what those words meant.We spoke about Aliya at length and I do believe I rather disgusted him with my manner and crude behavior.  I did not care much really; I was through with him, as it were.  He had told me all I needed to know at the time.  Karanaj was less than pleased with my words about Aliya; surely, they were all in jest and character at the time.  Frankly, I have had little contact with our wayward elven wizard, but I am sure she will make a welcome addition to the group.  But I am stepping away from my recounting; as I was saying, we pressed on with our journey after that rather interesting encounter.We investigated the structure at length, the kitchen yielded little of value.  We searched the rooms of Mantatulus, and the dragon man, I suppose; we had a few encounters with some of the crude thugs the Zhentarim employed, and what not.  It was not fruitful, but interesting, to say the least.  During this time I had to use my second potion, the spell had begun to wear off while we were in the kitchen, much my consternation. Luckily I was able to step away and consume the second vial.  Somewhere along the way, I procured some gems and a wonderful necklace, which once again I have forgotten to mention to my party members.  I must admit I am a tad bit forgetful.  The necklace would look lovely on Vallia; perhaps I may pass it on to her.I must say that I was doing a wonderful job of getting us hopelessly lost in the fortress and luckily Vallia was able to guide us to stairs that led upwards.  She has a good sense of direction, I will give her that, and she is starting to prove herself more and more useful.  Well, very useful, I will admit that much.  We moved from the stairs into a room with a door across the way, directly in front of us.  I remember approaching and listening at the door and hearing voices, which alarmed me.  After long moments of deliberation, I wanted to be stealthy with our entrance but had not the means; we simply opened the door and entered.  Inside we found, shackled to the wall, Aliya, at last we had found her.  Of course it was then that the dragon-man, who I now know as Kalanthor, moved to attack us, bolstered by Mantatulus hiding in the shadows.  Kalanthor had a striking resemblance to Karanaj that I will have to speak with him about.I moved faster than Kalanthor and engaged him in melee, my keen blade dancing upon his skin, ripping into him with a flurry, even as he stepped back and unleashed magic missiles into my chest. I truly hate that spell.  Mantatulus took that moment to use his magic to hold Karanaj in place, which worked and took him out of the vicious melee.  I pressed my assault even as Nym flanked and dealt grievous damage to Kalanthor; the dragon-man had seen better days that was to be sure.  Gruush rushed past Kalanthor and made for Mantatulus, who in turn unleashed more magic missiles upon me.  I truly loathe that spell.  I had to retreat to heal myself while Vallia and Nym pressed the assault against Kalanthor, until Mantatulus used a fear spell upon Nym, sending him running.  Once healed I moved quickly and rolled, then flipped, past Kalanthor and rushed Mantatulus, slicing at him. He simply turned his attention to Kalanthor and moved to grab the half-dragon. I slashed at him, but to no avail, and the two of them teleported away.  Obviously we were being toyed with, but for the moment we had carried the day.  Victory was ours, for the moment.  I moved to watch for anyone coming, and while Vallia and company worked to free and then heal Aliya, I had a plan of my own.  I drew out one of my water skins filled with oil and emptied the contents in the room adjacent to the cell.  I then took a vial of a particularly flammable substance that Karanaj had been holding onto and tossed into the room.  Thankfully Aliya, being a mage, was able to use magic from scrolls, along with Karanaj, to teleport us back to her home in Ashabenford.  Another harrowing day done.I took a moment to just relax and I remember falling on my back in exhaustion, my stamina is not what it used to be, not when I was a human at least.  Karanaj escorted Aliya to her room and Vallia went to care for her, I am not sure when I stood, but I am sure I did.  Lying on the floor was not as enjoyable as I had imagined.Vallia returned and she hugged me, I enjoy her touch and it reassured me that we truly were through with that chapter of our journey.  But we still have a long road to travel.  The Zhentarim still have Jewel, and they still have a means to track us down, no doubt, but we have both Aliya and Vallia.  They need them alive, that is our trump card, and we will have to play it as best we can.  We will leave this village soon, for Amn, more precisely, Athkatla, where our journey began.  To seek the knowledge of the Shadow Thieves…The Shadow Thieves, I thought I had long left them in my past.  But they return to haunt me, though I shall return to them in a form they will not recognize.  I wonder if Vandal still lives, grown fat on the misery of others.  I have many ghosts in Amn that haunt me; I love that land, I do, but I do not long to stay there for the rest of my days.  That is the land of a Misha long past, I can only hope that our stay is quiet and quick.  That, I am sure, will not come to pass.I told Vallia before retreating to bed that we should see her mother, and bring her news that Aliya is alive and well.  I am sure she would be pleased, and it would give me a chance to make a proposal to the Queen that she might find amicable.  A proposal of marriage for Vallia, so that the elven line may have the pure blood they desire, though pure in this case is a misnomer.  But my blood is elven at least.  A human scoundrel as King of the Elves, though I am human no more, has such a simple twist of irony in it that I rather enjoy.  Vallia was shocked and visibly pleased by my words, and I have to admit I like her being pleased.  Corellon watch over me, I believe this is the path you wish me to travel, I will not falter nor shall I fear.  I am not sure of the obstacles ahead, but if it is your wish, I shall be King, and Vallia my Queen.  A scoundrel for a King; Corellon, I do not doubt your choice, you could have done worse, though not much worse, than myself.  Now all I have to do is convince the Queen I am worthy of her daughter, a simple task of Herculean proportions I am sure. -Misha “Burning Rose” Koldun</blockquote>

Verification