Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="frog" data-source="post: 1638787" data-attributes="member: 714">Day 5 (5 April 99 A.C.)I asked Master Marallan if I could accompany the elvish embassy to Simmur as a guide. He was quite upset that I had not come to him earlier with the information that they were here.  He seems to believe that they can be used to his advantage somehow.He has given permission for me to accompany them. Before I left, he told me to take his familiar, a nasty, fat old toad, along with. I must be very careful not to give myself away on this journey. If his toad reports back that I do know magic, Master Marallan will not hesitate to trumpet his victory in the wager to the whole University. At that point I become a liability soon to be disposed of. Perhaps I should take some time to describe my companions on this journey. I have already written of Molly and myself, but I have said little of our companions.    The stories of Elves are many and varied, but all have a single thread in common. The Elves are ancient, ageless, and beautiful in their majesty. Wise beyond humankind, their magic is powerful and second to none. What these stories have forgotten to tell is the insufferable arrogance which accompanies them like a second skin.The first of our Elven companions is the priest, L’Rani. For someone who purports to be a Priest, he certainly lacks the demeanor that I would expect to see from one of the cloth. I suppose it has to do with the fact that he is an Elf. He behaves as if it is his divine right to behave as if we short lived creatures are beneath him. To him we are as ants to be trodden on…or perhaps more like livestock to be cared for only until our usefulness is at an end. Behind his eyes one can see the debate rage. Is it better to save the magic to heal one of the People or should I use it on these lesser beings for now? Always calculating, always figuring the odds. This is one who bears careful watching.A second elf there is, dour and taciturn, yet golden as the Sun. Carandra. She is a warrior of some kind, but nothing like anything I have ever heard of before. She carries a chip on her shoulder the size of the Great Tree of Life that the priests sometimes speak of. She is angry at the world. If honor comes up in the conversation she immediately bristles like a porcupine. She carries two strange swords that she treats as if they are holy relics. In truth they look more like works of art than swords. Their blades like steel leaves from a deadly tree. She allows none to touch them. She has sworn an oath, although she refuses to say what it is. No calculation hides behind her eyes…only iron, and pain.Setting out on this journey could be the best thing that has ever happened to me…or the worst.Day 6 (6 April 99 A.C.)We left Simmural early this morning and traveled hard all day, breaking every couple of hours for a rest. Carandra began teaching Molly how to use her weapons during the breaks. Something about her possessing the right kind of “Spirit” for the blade that she carries and bringing herself into harmony with it. Foolishness. Everyone knows that common blades do not possess spirits. Molly is entranced by the thought though. I do admit, she is improving with the blade. Perhaps these Elves can serve some use after all.L’Rani does not speak much, but he looks disapprovingly on Carandra’s teachings to Molly. He feels that she is wasting her time casting pearls of wisdom before swine. Swine are we? We shall see my dear Elf lordling…we shall see. Day 7 (7 April 99 A.C.)Today we found a strange hole dug in the ground. It was six sided, and led down into the depths of the earth. The elves ignored it and pressed onward. Do they have no curiosity? How can a race that deems itself so wise be so utterly unconcerned about a mystery such as the one we found? Bah. I am surrounded by inferior minds and yet must continue my simpering role. Master Marallan’s familiar is proving to be no burdon after all. I have simply stuck it in a sack and put a blanket around it to muffle the sounds from outside. I check in on it occasionally to make sure that it has not perished. It would not do to anger Master Marallan by inadvertently smothering his familiar. Day 8 (8 April 99 A.C.)Egads…what a night!  Molly and I took the first watch and what should come barreling out of the bushes but a wild boar. I experimented a bit by using a minor cantrip in an attempt to blind the beast, but it must have looked away as the flash went off. Molly was seriously injured. Luckily Carandra and L’Rani were there to finish off the beast and heal Molly. No more trail rations…roast boar tonight!!Day 9 (9 April 99 A.C.)More of those strange holes in the ground. I suggested that we go down into one, but was overruled by Carandra. She will brook no delay in accomplishing her orders. It is a matter of honor.Upon camping tonight, another disturbance arose in the bushes. This time it was no ordinary boar or wild beast but a pair of giant ant like creatures. They rushed the camp, for what purpose I did not wait to ascertain. I let fly with my most powerful dweommer of the First Valence and they instantly collapsed into a deep sleep. We debated whether to awake them and question the beasts or not. Molly wanted to discover what they were doing and who they were…Carandra replied “These are the same beasts that attacked our party before you met us…they have shown themselves to be our enemies and shall have no mercy!” She rather unceremoniously beheaded them both. We tracked them back to another six sided hole in the ground. Well, we at least know what is digging them. Carandra refuses to go down into the holes to ferret out this danger. It is not her mission. We moved camp a couple of miles away from where we were attacked. No other disturbances roused us from our slumber. We are about two to three days away from Simmur. What happens when we get there is anyone’s guess.</blockquote>

Verification