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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Aust Meliamne" data-source="post: 980" data-attributes="member: 95">Words from the dead....  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />Misha’s Journal #6 Continued…17th Day of the Rotting 1372 DRI had to take a moment to reflect on my journal for a moment, I had always intended for it to be a chronicle of my adventures, of my trials and travails in this life. But one never sees that their life could be so terribly brief, till the end has long passed. I am not the man I used to be, not on the surface, and in many ways under the surface. But I should explain from the beginning, so as to not jump to the end of the circle, without first starting at its beginning.The pleasant afternoon was an interesting break from all of the problems that still hovered over us, like a dangling sword. But as with all things it had to end. Vallia seemed content to stay forever, but we had much to do and so little time to do it in. Before I had a chance to really concentrate on the events at hand I heard a ruckus outside; a wounded elf was approaching the manse. The guards, after a mighty scream from my better half, allowed the elf entry into the manse.The elf, which I would come to know as Nym much later, had found traces of a scout named Talor in the woods, the trail leading away merely an hour old at best. Vallia was renewed with vigor, as Nym related the location to her. Now all we had to do was deal with Thamior and we would be off. Of course true to form, Thamior was less then pleased, and even attempted to stop us. But Vallia put him in his place, and had the wedding postponed till the morrow. One more night, maybe that would be enough time to figure a way out of this mess. Though in that briefest of moments, Thamior glanced at me in rage; he knew something, about Vallia and me. Sometimes hatred can be a beautiful thing, he was the source of our problems, and it was simple really how to solve them. Thamior had to die…Vallia led us into the woods along the trail to seek out what hidden troubles preyed on the elves of this village. I have to admit that, for an elf, Vallia was less then silent, as we stalked through the forests. Thankfully Vallia’s keen senses heard something in the brush and she gave chase; we followed quickly until we heard her scream “Stop!” which brought us all to a halting stop. Vallia, though, was not talking to us, but to a kobold she was holding at bay with her blade. The party followed me into the small clearing just as I heard a voice in elven speak “well, well”; things were only going to get worse before they got any better.Kay rushed into the brush despite my warnings against such move, I cursed at myself for not stopping her. The situation worsened as I heard her scream and then fly back into the clearing, lying still on her back. The trap was sprung, and five kobolds and two elves with ebon skin rushed us, the drow, as I have come to know them. I was overconfident, I know that now. At first I planned to take them with my bow, but they moved into melee. The elves were quicker off the mark, one rushed Karanaj and the other Vallia, both wielding fine long swords. They were clumsy fighters at best, I suspect, and missed their attacks. Gruush tried to use his crossbow to kill one of the kobolds but his shot went wide, as I moved into melee with the drow attacking Karanaj. My first slash barely penetrated his armor; on my second slash my sword slipped from my hands, skittering across the clearing. Karanaj was able to land magic missiles on the drow attacking him, piercing their natural resistance to magic. Vallia, bless her soul, was able to take the head of the drow attacking her in one mighty slash. The kobolds advanced on Vallia and Gruush, they cause Gruush some harm, but miss Vallia, her armor protecting her more so then her agility.Karanaj took a step away from the attacking drow and fired magic missiles, a spell I know well and loathe, though not as much magical lightning, at the kobolds attacking Gruush. He did not take any down but he was able to harm them; they continued to attack Gruush as best they could. Gruush kicked one of the kobolds in the skull and sent the little thug flying lifeless. The drow turned to flee into the woods and I drew my daggers and flung them after it, once again my luck was less then stellar. One blade simply went wide while the other nearly caught Vallia in the back. I grimaced at my dismal luck as the battle raged onward. The kobolds continued their assault and slashed Vallia lightly, just as Karanaj impaled one of the kobolds on the end of his spear. Gruush tried to kick at the kobold but missed once more, as the kobold taunted him again. I drew two more daggers and advanced into melee with a kobold and stabbed it multiple times as I sent it screaming into the afterlife. Just then the wounded drow returned with a horrid creature, half-spider and half drow, a macabre blend of evil and nastiness. Vallia named it as a drider, and yes, I was very afraid. The drow attacked me with his blade but I was able to twist out of the way. Vallia finished off another kobold, she is good with her blade, and I will give her that. Gruush attempted once more to kick the kobold, but it twisted out of the way, mocking him even more. It moved to stab Gruush but slipped and impaled itself on its half-spear but mocked him in death still spouting its final words, "At least you did not take my life... scum."The drider advanced on Vallia wielding two blades and a venomous bite, but Vallia was able to keep the beast at bay. Karanaj pressed his assault against the drider, loosing magic missiles into it just as Gruush attempted to finish the wounded drow, failing miserably. I grimaced, seeing myself at a disadvantage with my daggers, and spotted the dead drow’s weapon. I rolled and then flipped to the side and landed by the drow and took his weapon from his dead hands. I then slashed the sword quickly at the drider, which I was closest to, and bit into it deeply with two savage slashes. The drider returned the favor as I dodged its bite but was slashed by its sword, I was less than pleased. But Vallia, seeing the opportunity, unleashed a powerful slash into the creature and gutted it where it stood. The wounded drow turned and fled into the woods. I quickly dropped my sword and took aim with my bow and fired two arrows. One hit its mark but it was enough as the drow screamed, then died. The bloody melee had ended. I went to gather the drow and smiled at my skill. I returned quickly and gathered my daggers and my sword, then set about to finding Kay.Much to my horror, Kay was dead; the one person who had a sense of life in our party was now dead. Sure she was slower than rock, but she had her moments, and she was so endearing. I held her close; trying to hold back my tears, I wanted her to scream at me again, call me “Dark-boy”, anything besides silence. Vallia and Karanaj both were less then comforting, at least to me, I had lost a friend, and a traveling companion. She made me laugh despite herself. I wanted to scream, I wanted to take her place, she was a better person than I ever could be; she was a good soul. Why did she have to die, why her and not me, a man with a past as dark as night, it did not settle with me. And I became angry, at myself, at everything, at the world… The drow and their minions would pay; death was too good for them.The rest of the party searched the dead and I mourned, I was not thinking clearly, even money meant little to me. I am tired of everyone around me that I get close to dying. I am so tired of this curse that I have, kill me and get it over with, before Vallia is taken away from me. Vallia coerced me to don the elven chain mail and take the elven sword, which is magical I presume and of fine quality. I also received a ring that Karanaj named a Ring of Protection. Oh, and I must say Karanaj mighty ridiculous in armor, never seen anyone place it on backwards before. Bastard.We gathered what we could and began the journey back to the elven village; I carried Kay close to me in a wrapped blanket. I had not the heart to leave her, she deserved a proper burial, though I had not the knowledge of her patron, I decided I would honor her as a child of Selune. We traveled for some ways when we heard chanting. Karanaj and Gruush fell asleep and Vallia and myself soon followed. Things are never easy, never easy, I swear we flock to trouble like a moth to a flame.We must have been asleep for some time, when I came to I had been stripped of my armor and weapons, and all of my worldly possessions. I was chained to both Vallia and Karanaj, while Gruush was chained to Vallia, by thick iron anklets connected to each leg by a heavy black chain. This was embarrassing to say the least. Goblins and bugbears and worse creatures surrounded us, they outnumbered us by a great amount. In my usual fashion I casually told our captives that I don’t listen to stupid goblins. The thrashing I received at their hands was less than pleasant but it did not break my spirit. The pain only served to fuel my growing rage and anger.We were ushered forward some ways, as we watched a small band of goblins walk away with our worldly possessions. They would die later, I would make sure of it. We marched for some time before our captors, who had ambushed us, were themselves ambushed, allowing us a chance to escape. First we prudently took cover, and then we all stood and ran, following my lead, of course. We ran through the countryside towards a gully and tried to jump it, but Karanaj lost his footing and we all nearly tumbled in, if it were not for Gruush getting a firm hold of the edge. We pulled ourselves out and pressed on through the woods. We ducked into brush and began the work of freeing ourselves. Gruush was the first to get free just as a bugbear and two goblins came chasing after us. I was able to free myself, just as Gruush moved to engage the bugbear in combat. Vallia and myself used makeshift weapons and were able to beat the goblins into submission while Karanaj and Gruush finished the bugbear off. I took its morning star and we continued on to find our gear. Karanaj bolstered our strength with a Bull’s Strength spell, a mighty handy spell I must say.It did not take us long to find the goblins with our gear, they had set up for camp and were going over our possessions with a curious eye. I smiled as Vallia commented about not shedding blood, I had Karanaj cast a sleep spell, and we advanced on the sleeping goblins. We were able to gather our gear and equip ourselves accordingly; I looked down at the goblins and knew what had to be done. I had Karanaj bind one of them while I slit the throats of the rest. It brought me little solace, but Kay would have her justice even in death. There was a dark place inside me that wanted them all dead, every last goblin. I watched Vallia try to reason with it, and I lost myself. I walked over and grabbed the stupid, ugly, horrid creature by its scraggly hair and threatened it with death. Frankly I did not care if it told the truth, its life by the very fact of being a goblin was forfeit. Vallia kept me from the brink, but I was not pleased, I know she let that horrid creature go, I just know it. She has not the heart for the dirty work that must be done at times.I went to sit by myself, leaving Gruush and Vallia to see to the goblin, while I cried to myself. I have not cried since Ellyn, it is strange to feel this wash of emotion. I was doubly pained that I was unable to retrieve Kay’s body. I am sorry Kay, I truly am, I never got to tell you how much I appreciated your love for life, how much you made me smile with your antics, you were a part of this group, things will never be the same. Karanaj tried to comfort me; he is not the bastard I say he is. I have never seen him as a bastard honestly, he is a friend, one I am glad to call friend. I can see then that I was very angry, but mostly with myself, and not anything else. I said some things that may have hurt Vallia, I did not mean to; I was angry with myself, not her, but she was an easy target. I hate myself for that.We returned to the elven village. I was in a daze for most of the way, wallowing in my pain, my self-pity. My grief was all that mattered. I do remember arriving in the village and being brought into the presence of the Queen, but I did not stay long. I excused myself and went to the rooftop to pray, I had much to atone for and much to speak with Selune about. I began with a soft prayer for Kay:"Selune... watch over Kay's spirit as it leaves this world to the next... she was a good soul... better then me your humble child... give her a place under your light... keep her safe..."I would have continued if I did not feel a second presence close to me. I whirled, standing, my hand on my blade, only to face Thamior. Lucky for him, my rage was still very close at hand, and it only grew as I watched him. He spoke to me as almost an equal, I was somewhat surprised, but he knew I was not as foolish as I portrayed myself to be. And he knew Vallia and I were in love and that we had been with each other. I could see he hated me for that, not out of love, but that I had touched his toy, his plaything. Our conversation was tense and neither wanted to give ground, Vallia was at stake for both of us. I told Thamior that if he laid a hand on Vallia I would cut his heart out, a pity I did not get a chance to hold true to my oath. He wanted to postpone my death, but I gave him no quarter, I was enraged, and attacked. I leapt into a vicious duel with Thamior, I slashed at him twice fairly quickly drawing blood across his chest, but he only stepped back smiling, and I knew then my mistake. He unleashed arcane lightning into my body, painful and hot. I advanced and waited for him to use more magic, my mind racing. Both Karanaj and Vallia wanted to know where I was, but I had not the time, I was fighting for my life. Thamior acted to cast magic and I slashed at him once more, but I did not disrupt his magic, the lightning coursed into me. I felt my soul burn, then growing darkness and Selune grew closer, I could hear her call to me. I uttered the word that came to my lips, though it came out as only a thought, “Vallia”. In that final moment, I died. I know that now. But little did I know the path Selune had chosen for me…-Misha “Burning Rose” Koldun<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /></blockquote>

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