Notes from 5 Feb 2000

After a week of wandering Kethor, gathering information and supplies for the trip north. The group gathers at Mrs. Biddle’s Boarding House. Lexus is reluctant to go north to the mines. He suggests going back to the Isle of Light instead. Bornt wonders who will make the trip north. Sylvain volunteers to go as does Pudge. Sylvain assumes that Bornt, Lexus, and Yolanda will go as well. 

Once again Lexus wonder why everyone wants to head north. Sylvain explains Mrs. Biddle needs to have her mine reopened and the area could use a few less orcs. Bornt chants the adventurer’s slogan, “Mo money, mo money!” Lexus joins the chant then asks if anyone has talked to anyone from the refugee camp. 

Apparently not hearing Lexus, Bornt asks if they were walking to the mine to which Mrs. Biddle responds, “unless you rent a cart and driver.” 

Sylvain answer’s Lexus by saying that she only heard of the camp today. Bornt agrees that he also only just heard of the camp. 

Lexus says the group might find some useful information there and Bornt heads for the door. He meets Daralie coming in and the two exchange pleasantries. As do she and Lexus.

 Distracted by the lovely Daralie, Lexus turns to Sylvain and asks what is known about D’Wederi Circle.

 Before Sylvain can answer, Lexus asks if anyone is ready for lunch. Pudge and Daralie agree they should go to the Inn before they go to the camp. Sylvain has only heard of the Circle’s name and wasn’t aware it was in this area. It is a double circle of standing stones with eight outer trees and one inner one. She has not visited it as yet.

 Lexus and Daralie head to the Inn. The rest of the group follow.

 As they walk, Lexus asks when does everyone want to go then suggests early tomorrow. Yolanda agrees as does Bornt. Bornt then decides to head for the Blacksmith’s shop where he buys a shovel customized for his unique size (Furlt snaps the handle of a normal shovel in half and still charges him 2 gp for it).

 Lexus, Pudge, and Yolanda continue to the Inn for lunch while Daralie and Sylvain decide to seek out Lady Limbid.

 Daralie and Sylvain find Limbid working on a wine vat in her basement. They are led in by Limbid’s housekeeper, Nurilla. The house has dark blue morning glories growing everywhere. The flowers are closed during this time of day.

 They exchange pleasantries and then the two help her remove mites from the vat using boring tools. As they work, they talk about things and eventually Daralie is given permission to plant a vine in Limbid’s garden. They discover that Limbid does not grow her own grapes but buys the grape juice from local farmers. It is her blending that makes her wines so special. They are also given an invitation to attend the meeting to plan this month’s ceremonies in honor of Nature, or the Goddess as Limbid calls her.

 As Daralie and Sylvain work with Limbid, the group in the Inn see the elf that was watching them from outside Mrs. Biddle’s is sitting and watching them once again. Lexus’ lady friend, Lialla, is in awe of the elf and tries to seduce him. She does a good job of it but the elf resists and Lexus, applauding the efforts of Lialla (who has exited in a huff at not being more successful), moves over and sits down with the elf.

 They exchange names and a few quick quips about Lialla and the elf’s willpower. Then Lexus asks what brings an Elf away from the Isle of Light. Vyusher Liha’irden of the house Kal’enedral answers that his family took a dim view of his profession. When asked what profession that might be, Vyusher answers, “I find things.” After a few more exchanges, Lexus rises and sets off to seek out Bornt.

 Lexus and Bornt set off for Old Toryesh, followed by Vyusher. They don’t notice him while in town but spot him easily after they pass Teshford Orchard. Toryesh was destroyed during the Cedrin Wars and much of the stone from its buildings has been used to build Kethor’s walls and other buildings. There used to be a lighthouse in the old town, along with an inn and a few houses.

 As they walk, Daralie explains to Limbid that she is a member of a group thinking of heading north to reopen Mrs. Biddle’s mines. Limbid advises against it as the last eight groups did not return from there and rumor has it the Drow still use the mine to reach the surface. When asks, she reveals there is one mine opening and at least three air shafts, though it has been a long time since anyone has returned from there.

 Daralie sees Sylvain and Limbid exchange a few whispered comments just before running and shouting is heard from upstairs.

 Bornt, Lexus, and Vyusher have been digging in Old Toryesh as Daralie and Sylvain work on the vat. Digging in the ruins of a building in the northeast corner of the burned-out town, they have found an old cellar and in the wall of the cellar – a LARGE (7’ x 4’ x 4’) rusty box. It has a lock on it that is in perfect condition. Digging the box free, they drag it out of the ruins and onto flat ground. There they break off the rusty hasp that has the non-rusty lock passed through it. They then carefully tip the box onto its side and allow the lid to flop open.

 As the box tilts, a shadowy figure rises from the ground underneath it. Wide-eyed, the group backs away from the box. It is a human-looking ghost dressed in a shadowy nightshirt and it swings a ghostly arm at Lexus. If not for his quick feet, Lexus would have been grabbed. Vyusher continues to back away as he draws his daggers. Bornt steps to the side and also draws his daggers. Lexus turns and races to where he laid his maces.

 The ghost tries once more to grab Lexus but the young man’s quick feet take him out of reach too soon and it misses. Bornt swings a dagger at the thing but he misses the floating creature. Vyusher, realizing the danger the group is in turns and races for town and help. For a moment Lexus considers grabbing his maces and continuing to run. Then with a sigh, turns back and attacks.

 As Lexus runs back, the ghost turns on Bornt and tries to grab him. Bornt dodges to the side of the box and catches a glimpse of a shining suit of armor lying partially out of the box. As he dodges, he slashes with a dagger in each hand but his movement and the ghost’s floating take it out of reach.

 Rushing up, Lexus takes a massive swing almost connecting with the dodging creature. Bornt has stopped for only a moment to stare, distracted by the gleaming metal of the armor and doesn’t see the ghost grabbing for him. It touches him and he can feel a chill seeping into his bones. He backs quickly away, then turns and runs screaming back toward the safety of the town having aged twenty-five years.

 Lexus, trying to distract the creature from following after the dwarf, takes three quick swings. These miss but catch the creature’s attention.

 Vyusher has reached the town and runs to the nearest guard. He explains what is happening and the guard runs to get some more men, then races from the town.

 As the creature turns toward Lexus, he dances away from the grasping claws and swings with both maces. Off-balance trying to avoid the grasping arms of the undead thing, he misses both times but ends up too close to the creatures reaching fingers. It grabs him by the arm and Lexus yells as he feels the life draining from him. He has lost nineteen years in a matter of moments. Wrenching his arm away, he dances toward the relative safety of the box.

 The creature moves to put itself between Lexus and the box and that is when Lexus attacks. Swinging once, twice, three times; he charges in and past the creature. It reaches for him but he is too quick. Its dark fingers close only on the air and dust swirling in the dance of Lexus’ feet.

 Bornt, still feeling the foul touch of the thing, has entered the town, heading for the Pool of Thunder. He passes six guards that are racing out of town. Vyusher has continued on seeking more help because he knows that six guards are not going to be enough.

 As the creature’s fingers are closing on the air following Lexus, he dances back and swings once again with both maces. The first misses but the second slips in underneath the creatures arms to collide with his chest. Or at least it should have. Instead, it only passes through the creature, doing no harm at all. It calmly reaches down and grabs Lexus’ arm as he stands wide-eyed in surprise. He is quicker to pull free this time, losing only eight more years of precious life. As the city guard pounds closer, Lexus turns and runs, screaming of the horrors that have infected his short life. The guard, seeing how fast Lexus is running decide they need more men. They turn and follow him.

 Unable to find anyone else to help his new-found friends, Vyusher runs back toward Toryesh.  Lexus zips through town. In the commotion, Vyusher has not seen Bornt nor Lexus rush into town The six guards have taken the road to the Drezor Gate because it is closer to the barracks. Seeing no one, Vyusher enters the burned out town as the sun starts its slide into the sea. He rushes toward where the fight was, both daggers drawn and senses crying out at every whispering blade of grass or turned stone.

 Bornt has reached the Pool of Thunder and splashes his way through it. Still feeling the death-touch of the foul thing, he staggers up and out of the Pool and heads out the T’Warl Gate just as Lexus passes him. A quick quip about only having to outrun the dwarf comes to Lexus’s mind and he giggles hysterically as he races past the Keth Tower.

  He passes a group of clerics, bearing gleaming staves, as they race out of town just behind thirty of the town guard.

 When Limbid, Daralie, and Sylvain climb out of the basement they find the housekeeper yelling at a passing guard. The guard yells back that some men have been attacked out in Old Toryesh. Rumor has it something unnatural has been dug up and it is killing men out there. Sylvain rushes away to alert the priests at the temple of Zeus.

 An hour later, the guards and clerics come staggering back into town. Several of their number are carried in on stretchers. Six men also carry in a large metal box.

 Pudge wanders out of town but is not allowed into Toryesh. The guards are keeping everyone out until Lord Kethor returns from his hunting trip.

 Eventually, the three return from their run. Settling in at Mrs. Biddle’s they recount the days activities then head for bed. Events will surely be interesting in the morning.