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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aust Meliamne" data-source="post: 965" data-attributes="member: 95">Misha’s Journal #5 14th Day of the Rotting The good life, lavish rooms, wealth beyond imagining, and a village of elitist snobbish elves all around us. Sometimes I wonder if I just live a charmed life or if I am just cursed. Much has happened since the last time I wrote in my journal. We have arrived in an elven village, and they seem to have close relations to Vallia. Which worries me greatly, especially that bastard of an elf, Tharmior, her betrothed. But I should recount from where I left off before I get ahead of myself. We had just entered the Dales, and were approaching through marshland amidst rain and foul weather. It was for the most part thankfully uneventful. The rain was bad enough, but slowly near the end of our second ten-day on the road we approached a small inn. It was called the “Smiling Spirit”, a welcoming name I wager. If it wasn’t all boarded up and looking in some disrepair and the fact that the animals looked malnourished did not help either. Out back there were shallow graves, and inside a corpse drained of blood, I could only fathom what type of calamity overcame this place. But the kitchen was stocked with food, and apples, so there was slight gleam of hope in my eyes at least. I had Gruush and Karanaj bury the corpse, while I went to see just how much food I could consume in the kitchen. It pays to be the leader at times. Kay I guessed joined them, not sure how much help she would be with her little arms, but I guess every bit helps. Vallia and myself went into the kitchen and we chatted while the others struggled to bury the corpse. Vallia was silent, and I suspect it was because of our last real conversation. I really did not want to get into at this point, but she seemed so sullen, I decided to relent. I am getting soft it seems. I almost got up the courage to say what needed to be said, when I heard Karanaj in my mind demanding assistance. Some strange creature was attacking him, and as usual he needed my assistance. Vallia and myself raced outside to find Gruush, Kay, and Karanaj engaged in combat with a creature made of some kind of strange slime or goo. It was not very pleasing to the eye, not that I expected it to be either. Karanaj had unleashed a magic missile into the creature; I so loathe that spell, just as I swung my longsword into the creature. Two quick swings of my blade and it seemed to “die”, or at least lose substance. As the creature splattered apart parts of the goo sprayed me and nearly instantly I became paralyzed. Sadly this would not be the first time this happens. My body as frozen, I could still breathe and thankfully think. So I was able to communicate with Vallia, and let her know that I was well for the most part. With all things considered, I could have been worse I suppose. Thankfully Vallia thought quickly and washed me off and then carried me back inside. This is far worse then the Darkness, at least then I had a chance to fight back. Once again Vallia, the love of my absolutely horrible life watched over me. For some reason she found it funny to tickle me while I was still paralyzed, and unable to defend myself. Well since we were there I decided that, that was as good a time to tell her how I felt. I had her read my journal, since it could say much more in words then I ever could, but I am not sure how helpful that actually was. I think it troubled her, but in the end she understood, I hope. Although Karanaj on the other hand, has become more and more of a bother, it seems. My faith in his judgement is wavering, and I am not sure where he stands with me, and nor at this moment do I care. Hopefully he will stay out of my way. I ma not sure what I expected from doing that, but I at least she knows how I feel. And that is all that matters I believe. Life is good, I suppose though, and I have been such a fool to not open up and let her in so soon. I can only hope that I can make good by her, I would loathe to lose her like Ellyn. Despite what that bastard, Karanaj may think I will make good on this promise. I will show Vallia my love, or die trying. Course my resolved was bolstered by the shower of kisses Vallia lavished upon me. I could come to enjoy that immensely. But she also troubled me, I think she is afraid that because of her my fate is doomed. She is wrong; she has opened my eyes to my blindness, my callousness and greed. I am not sure if I can change but for her, I will try, as best as I can. My feeling returned, thankfully. It seemed that more of those slime creatures were haunting the place, and it would not be an enjoyable night at all. If we had gone with my brilliant plan we would have left that place and burned it to the ground. But I digress, we decided to see if we could track down the rest of the creatures, then at least I could have a small modicum of victory and restoration of my pride. We returned to the common room of the accursed inn and Vallia used her divine magic to create a light spell focused on Kay. Kay making herself useful, you don’t see that every day. I lead the group down into the cellar, or basement, and scouted around the room. I noticed a barrel with a liquid pooling around it, but Kay assured me it was only wine. Of course it was then that the ooze rose up and attempted to strike at us. As I have said before I do not expect much from the halfling. We engaged the slime creature, with Vallia striking a powerful blow with her longsword. Karanaj used his sorcerous powers and unleashed magic missiles on the creature. (Even if it is helpful I still hate that spell.) Gruush followed that with a swing from his enchanted kama, while I used the powers of my bracers to deal a series of powerful attacks. With every attack the slime flew all across the room, and I soon recognized the folly of our actions. The slime landed on Vallia and she was struck down with paralysis. Soon both Gruush and myself followed suit. Luckily, and I mean this with all sincerity, both Kay and Karanaj had enough sense to stay away from the creature and use both magic and ranged attacks to force it to flee. Once again, I was helpless. Sometimes I wonder if would not have been better off just leaving Kathkallen to his own devices. Karanaj quickly cleaned us off and then pulled us into the common room. Vallia and myself spoke mentally, she was seeing how I felt being left paralyzed and unable to move. I enjoyed it immensely despite our current condition. I think at some point I must have drifted off, but I am sure that Vallia was the first of us three to awaken. She carried me back to my room and waited on me once more. She enjoys doing that. I cannot complain we had a chance to talk some more, and I welcomed that. She lay in the bed with me and soon my feeling returned thankfully once more. I couldn’t hold myself back, and kissed her, before she fell off to sleep. When she awoke after her four-hour revelry I nodded off to sleep. But my dreams were troubled, I dreamt of Ellyn, and the times we spent together. I felt a pang of guilt, well up inside me. Thankfully Vallia awakened me, though it seemed things had only gotten worse. I dressed quickly and returned to the main room to see the walls coated in the slime-like creatures, this was the curse that affected this place so. I smiled inwardly, and Vallia knew exactly what I planned to do. Burn the inn to the ground, and thankfully I already had the oil to get it started. I bade the others to flee and I started the fire amidst the writhing walls of slime. But before I could leave I rushed into the kitchen and grabbed an armful of apples and then fled. I just love apples. Vallia was of course less then pleased with what I risked my life for, but I was happy. We left that accursed inn and traveled on some more until we reached the forests of Cormanthor, it seemed peaceful, although Vallia was visibly troubled. She spoke of drow; I guess a band of evil elves, from what she said. I can think of nothing less then horrid then a band of evil tree-hugging elves, but she fears them nonetheless. Selune watch over me, I can only pray we never cross paths with such creatures. We had not been in the forests long when a male elf approached our caravan. He thought of himself a leader of sorts and spoke to Vallia directly; they seemed to have a history. A rather close history and of course instantly I did not like him. The elf, Tharmior, was snobbish and very disdainful of humans and seemed to have a noble superior attitude. Vallia did not like him much either. I smiled inwardly as they spoke elven, I understood every word that pompous bastard of an elf spoke. “I was sent here by my father. You know that the drow and the Zhentarim still threaten the elves that live in these woods. They seek to inquire of Evermeet, and my father sent me as emissary. On the journey, I found out about Aust’s death, and Aliya’s disappearance. The two of you should have stayed in Evermeet, where it was safe. Father was very unhappy you left, as were Tharivol and I.” Yeah they were close friends; not sure how close, but Vallia assures me there was and is nothing between them. Works for me does not mean I have to like him. But if he could supply us with shelter for a night then I could get along with him. (He touches Vallia and I will gut the pompous elf prince where he stands.) Not that I am the jealous type, but a man has to look out for his woman I guess. “Nice company you keep, princess...half-orc, some scruffy humans.... And a halfling? What would your mother say? Perhaps I should accompany you, protect you from these...men.” Now this is when I really start to dislike him. But scruffy humans, I am not that scruffy. I have a modicum of nobility when needed, and from the looks of this fop he couldn’t protect Vallia in a bleeding nursery. I still think I should have gutted him when I had the chance, but I am turning over a new leaf. Even if it kills me, I will not act rashly without Vallia’s express permission. Tharmior led us to his village, him and his entourage of twenty pansy elf warriors. The village was quaint, and he whisked Vallia inside a large dwelling while the rest of us decided on a course of action. I decide that we follow and that for now we break off the ruse we had been portraying. We don’t need the tree hugging elves suspecting that Vallia or myself could be involved in any way. It could damage her career as an elven princess I wager. We were lead into a large dining hall and seated, I took a seat across from Vallia. (I mean the Princess.) She talked with Tharmior about the current situation here, and it turns out that things are not well. Somehow I am not surprised by that, our little group seems to flock to danger like moths to a flame. Tharmior and his men were the last men in the village, it seems some terror has been killing their best hunters nearby and consuming the local populace. Oh the horror, well not really, but instantly I sensed a chance to make some coin, be heroic, and score some points with the nobility all at once. I began to portray a ruse that Gruush, Kay, Karanaj, and myself were part of a mercenary troupe. Kay strangely enough caught on almost immediately; she is not as dumb as she looks. Gruush followed as well, he is good at following my leads, and the smartest damn half-orc I have ever met. I named Karanaj as our boss, despite himself; he has a strong sense character and is rather charismatic. (For being a bastard.) We were able to wring 500 gold for each of us for dealing with the threat plus elven weapons and armor. Not too bad a deal if I must say so myself. Vallia was less then impressed with my ruse, but it worked and saved her the trouble of explaining her traveling companions. She left us for awhile to do prissy elfy things I wager and we enjoyed ourselves with wine, food, and fanciful stories of our conquests. Vallia returned, and she looked in a word magnificent. In another word, radiant. Or to quote myself, “wow.” Well not an actual quote but I was thinking that. She did not waste time with words and showed us all to our rooms, much to the consternation of Tharmior, and the elven attendants. Vallia showed me to my room, along with Karanaj and then spoke to us on some subjects I had already gleaned for myself. That Tharmior was betrothed to her and his brother Tharivol was betrothed to Aliya. Though what I did not know was that she suspected their father to have something to do with her own father’s death. Seems elven politics can be just as wicked as street politics. (Just more elegant I reckon.) This pained her and I could see and feel her thoughts, which pained me as well. I try to comfort her as best as I could with a kiss, but it was bittersweet. Karanaj I noted did not like this, I wonder if his concern for Aliya has not spilled over into feelings for Vallia. He is a bastard after all and I would not put it above him now. I will have to watch him, closely. Of course Vallia also was not happy with her crown and tossed it to the floor. It must be noted that a royal crown must be worth something, and the thought danced across my mind fencing the priceless headdress. This troubled Karanaj even more, though I meant much of it in jest to lighten the mood. Course the temptation lingers on. Karanaj dismissed himself at that point, and I spoke with Vallia privately. I was unsure of how to console her, but looking into her green eyes, I knew I had to try. I am not sure if it was love, lust, or something combining both, but we finally consummated our relationship. It was in a word, beautiful, but now I know that our fates will be intertwined. Even now as I write this I recall our passionate tryst, and I feel for her. We love each other and yet our love could doom her. But I will not falter, my course is set and I will stay the course. For myself, and for Vallia. And for Ellyn. -Misha “Burning Rose” Koldun</blockquote>

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