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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ZosKia" data-source="post: 775932" data-attributes="member: 8574">The diary of AOSAt last we begin to make plans for the overthrow of Tarkane. But still I leave Gaxmoor with a heavy heart. Not only was Heracules able to flee but also through our own stupidity we set his mother free of her imprisonment. I do hope we have not undone all the good work we had done previously.As we prepared to leave the city Lilliana came to me and asked if I would journey with her to Scornel, home of the High Priestess of Carthea. She said that apart from the priestess there was someone else in Scornel who I really should meet, and so accompanied by Celia, Xyzzy and Sigurd we set out for Scornel while Leo and the clerics Galak and Tarquin made for Whiton, a small town near Imarr.Celia did her best to raise my spirits but still I spent most of the journey brooding over our mistakes in Gaxmoor. I was only roused from my melancholy by being told the name of the person Lilliana wished me to meet; Erin Whist!The man is a legend. He is known as The Greatest Duelist in Imarr! On arriving at Scornel Lilliana was granted an audience with the High Priestess at which she was to tell of her quest to overthrow Tarkane and ask for the priestess’s help with it.  Following Lilliana’s audience the priestess addressed the whole group, telling us of Carthea’s plans for a post Tarkane Imarr, and debating theology with Celia and democratic values with Sigurd! It was at this meeting I met Whist. Like myself an outlaw from the Imarran justice. I was pleased that he had heard of me and my skill with a blade. Whist is a master of the Imarran long sword and buckler fighting style while I favour the Brittonic solo rapier technique. It was suggested we duel to prove whose style was best, never one to refuse a challenge I of course agreed. At last, a chance to prove myself against a worthy opponent. We quickly adjourned to the training hall, where watched by a crowd of Whist’s students, Carthean priestess’s and others we bowed, touched blades and leapt to the attack.Whist seemed shocked by the speed of my attacks and I quickly started to force him back, again and again my rapier snaked past his shield. Suddenly it seemed as if Whist had got to grips with my style as he started to force me back, long sword blows rained down, as my rapier was deflected by his buckler. I feel sure that without my magic bracers I would surely have been bettered, but eventually my superhuman constitution began to tell and Whist seemed to tire as my rapier again began to find its mark. Two or three more strikes and Whist, lowering his sword, yielded!“It seems I am no longer the greatest duelist in Imarr” he said as I offered my hand.”But you have been a most worthy holder of the post” I said, “I hope I will be able to live up to your reputation”. “Will you join us in the fight against Tarkane?” “I would be honoured to fight alongside you and together we would be unbeatable”Whist agreed to join us and together with our new ally we set out for Whiton.After a long river trip we arrived to meet Leo, Galak, Tarquin and also another new ally. A mercenary archer named Thana who is apparently Lilliana’s cousin. Thana is a widow whose husband was killed in a war leaving her with two young sons. The elder one, some 10 years old, called Arrick carries his late father’s rapier everywhere and claims to be me! I do hope the Bloodhammer Knights don’t hear him; they are stupid enough to believe I am a small child!Having been assured of Carthean support we now had to convince any potential ally. Lord Ulfius Bloodhammer, the head of the Thrinnian Knights. Bloodhammer is alledgedly Tarkane’s deputy but it is a fairly open secret that there is no love lost between them.Celia has told me much about Lord Ulfius but in the flesh he is possibly even more impressive than the tales suggest. A man of huge stature and great force of personality, I can see why Celia holds him in such awe.Uflfius confirmed that yes, while he could not be seen to personally lead an attack on Tarkane he certainly would not be opposed it!Ulfius agreed to one of his paladins accompanying us, as well as Celia and her ex lover Lord Arnulf. He also offered to trade the magic weapons we took from the demons in Gaxmoor but could not use for cash or enchantments from his court wizard. The prices he offered were very generous and everyone was able to acquire something of use to them. I asked the wizard to make my rapier keen and give it the ability to burst into flame. The Thrinnian mage is not the only person capable of creating enchanted items, Galak, the cleric, also has some skill in this area and has made a luckstone for me. Seeing mine Sigurd has also asked him for one.Bidding farewell to the Thrinnians we returned to Whiton. Leo the Wizard teleported to Imarr and persuaded the leader of the Carthean cause in the city to come and see us in Whiton. He is an advocate by the name of Adam Dickinson. It seems that the Cartheans are organised but not in a military way. The most vital information we gleaned from him was that there is a secret entrance into the palace, apparently unknown to Tarkane or his allies! At the moment our plans are to use the secret entrance to enter the palace and kill Tarkane; but first we have asked Sigurd to join the Bloodhammer guard to scout out the defences and hopefully create a diversion. We shall see.In the meantime we are spending all our time in Whiton. I am giving Arrick, Thana’s son, fencing lessons! I have bought a rapier, broken the top third off of the blade, blunted it and covered the broken end. It makes the rapier slightly unbalanced but easier to use for a 10 year old. If he can learn with a slightly unbalanced blade imagine how good he will be when he is big enough to use a perfect one! In 20 years time he will be ready to take revenge upon his father’s killer! Seeing Thana’s children seems to have had a strange affect on Celia. She was saying how the Thrinnians are quite keen to have children because all their enemies have a higher birth-rate than they do. Celia is very good with the children; recently, towards the end of one of Arrick’s lessons, Celia, who had been watching, gently took Arrick’s arm and began to guide his blows. Even with two they could not find a way past my defence and so Celia leaving Arrick to attack me from the front ran round behind me and, throwing her arms around me, wrestled me to the ground, at which point both she and Arrick leapt upon me, much to the amusement of those watching! It is reassuring to note that even in times of great seriousness there is room for lighter moments.AOS</blockquote>

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