As I glance back, I note that though I am writing this journal for my own edification, I seem to be reporting as if to the Order. I am going to try to cut back on the blow by blow of each event and give a more informal account with my musings attached. It is hard to believe I no longer report to the Order even now. I am glad that they have moved to begin their new group of warriors, but it saddens me that the remaining six of our twenty-four was not kept on as instructors. Wouldn’t our experiences have been helpful? Or were we merely a first attempt and the Order wanted to start fresh? Did Pharasma order this or was the decision from mortal minds? It is for wiser minds than mine to decide. It is obvious from my encounter with Pharasma, that I am where I am supposed to be.
We continued to clean up the room, claiming silver tools as possible weapons, and I decapitate the werewolf corpse. Azra casted with her star knives and the moonlight bathes her with light. She then nicked each of our cheeks, all but Victor who chose not to participate, which granted us healing all but Victor. We chose to put the horses in the room. We moved the body of Estovian out and close up the passage so that the horses will be safe. Azra casted a spell to calm the horses and allow us to move them into the room
We journeyed up the stairs and to the ramp. Nathan and Kovun planned to sneak ahead, but wily Nara beat them to the chase. She announced the way was clear. We peered over the edge to find masses of werewolves vying for power below.
We then climbed the ramp to find three werewolves guard the stairs to the next level. Another werewolf unseen commanded them to kill us as we were trying to tell the guards how the Whispering Way was trying to violate their temple.
The werewolves attacked us, striking out at Nathan, Victor, and Amara. The one who attacked Amara nearly ripped out her rib cage. We volleyed with the werewolves. Amara craftily chose to attack back with the silver bone saw she had grabbed from the werewolf lab where we had found Estovian. On the werewolves’ next volley, they switched their attacks to Kovun, Nathan, and Victor, which is good, since I’m not sure Amara could have survived the next attack.
Azra finally killed the one on Nathan. Vlena slipped. The remaining two attack and Nathan kills the one on Victor. Vlena took out the last one.
We proceed up the stairs to a circular platform set up like an archaic observatory graced with stones. Matheus and another werewolf, later noted Cybresia, greet us; Matheus was bantering about how Cybresia needed to prove her loyalty and take us out. And yet it was Matheus who struck first. Most of us focused on Matheus, which is good, because Amara was able to talk in her nature druid speak tongue, is it really a language… I guess it must be… I’m not that sort of scholar, so I guess I should not judge. In any case, Amara was able to hold private words with Cybresia for a few moments. I’m not certain what was exactly said, but the result was that Cybresia realized that Matheus was traitorous, and conjured wolves to chase him. I then blessed Kovun’s sword and he attacked Matheus.
Matheus then attacked Cybresia after dipping his sword in some foul tonic. He struck her mightily. I then found the strength to lend my inquisitor judgement to Kovun, giving him the right to dispense Justice. He blasted Matheus with fire from his blessed sword. The battle continued. Cybresia was forced to flee from Matheus, turning into a wolf. He chased her. This allowed us to launch a few parting blows. Then that wily Nara taunted… yes… taunted a werewolf. I didn’t believe it when I heard it. Nara is more braver my eyes each day. Matheus heard her, and leapt to attack, tearing into her. Amara entangled him with vines. The others all attack mightily as I healed Nara. Nathan finally brought the evil dog-man down. From him, we were able to acquire 163 gold, 4 magical potions, a magical bastard sword, a masterwork dagger, a magical cloak, and a magical chain shirt.
Cybresia returned to her human form and reveals that since Matheus had not eaten the entire heart of the packlord, but instead gave some to the Whispering Way, he had corrupted even his true leadership. We gave her as much information as we had on what had transpired in the werewolf/cult deals. She told us that the Whispering Way had not made it up the staircase as far as she knew. She then chose to eat his heart in any case. Perhaps it will help her lay claim to power, though it may only put her on someone else’s hit list. And I thought the politics of the 24 was complicated and deadly. What we do in our chosen service to our chosen beliefs…
As Cybresia left, we then turned to the notion of the Dusk Moth. It was pointed out that we have a scroll of communion, but then Azra pointed to the megaliths and their runes. We then realized before we try any communing with gods, we should clean up and reconsecrate the temple. We steadily scrubbed until each of our gods or masters would be pleased. Even the cats, of whom seem not to have any higher power, cleaned. Azra, who had an affinity to Desna, then consecrated the temple. Nathan figured out how to activate the dusk moth. Desna graced us with her presence.
The goddess thanked us and showed us visions of the tasks ahead: a black boned necromancer casting, fighting tentacles under the sea, a female vampire, and a lich. I have to say, I hunger for those last two battles, and some for the first… but I’m not to excited about the sea creature… it is probably has a connection to the sea sage effigy. It’s not that I don’t want to help, but necromancers, vampires, and liches… I’ve studied them. I know them… and I want to kill them. It is my duty, the duty that many years of training and instruction have beaten into my blood. I have hated the undead since I could walk and talk, thanks to those blessed custodians of Pharasma’s will. But back to the vision, We realize there will have to be a noble willing sacrifice to stop the evil. This could be bad. Will it be Victor, the noblest of us all? Will it be Nara, the one who seems to have a hidden destiny? Or will it be me, since it is my duty to see the undead cease to exist? Or will it be one of the others for some hidden fate?
Desna then chose to thank Amara’s cat, Carmody. We heard for the first time what I guess Amara hears often, Carmody speaking. Desna caused him to glow and he became bigger and his markings more pronounced.
She, the goddess, then offered to grant each of us a boon, using up the last of the magic of the dusk moth. We wake from the communion trance as the dusk moth fades. I felt my understanding of all things and their interconnection increase. I then noted all of my companions’ eyes had turned a pale silvery shade. They said mine had as well. I can’t imagine the true violet red I once held, which marked me from my Drow bloodline being gone. Perhaps this is redemption to separate me from my evil bloodline?
We continued to clean up the room, claiming silver tools as possible weapons, and I decapitate the werewolf corpse. Azra casted with her star knives and the moonlight bathes her with light. She then nicked each of our cheeks, all but Victor who chose not to participate, which granted us healing all but Victor. We chose to put the horses in the room. We moved the body of Estovian out and close up the passage so that the horses will be safe. Azra casted a spell to calm the horses and allow us to move them into the room
We journeyed up the stairs and to the ramp. Nathan and Kovun planned to sneak ahead, but wily Nara beat them to the chase. She announced the way was clear. We peered over the edge to find masses of werewolves vying for power below.
We then climbed the ramp to find three werewolves guard the stairs to the next level. Another werewolf unseen commanded them to kill us as we were trying to tell the guards how the Whispering Way was trying to violate their temple.
The werewolves attacked us, striking out at Nathan, Victor, and Amara. The one who attacked Amara nearly ripped out her rib cage. We volleyed with the werewolves. Amara craftily chose to attack back with the silver bone saw she had grabbed from the werewolf lab where we had found Estovian. On the werewolves’ next volley, they switched their attacks to Kovun, Nathan, and Victor, which is good, since I’m not sure Amara could have survived the next attack.
Azra finally killed the one on Nathan. Vlena slipped. The remaining two attack and Nathan kills the one on Victor. Vlena took out the last one.
We proceed up the stairs to a circular platform set up like an archaic observatory graced with stones. Matheus and another werewolf, later noted Cybresia, greet us; Matheus was bantering about how Cybresia needed to prove her loyalty and take us out. And yet it was Matheus who struck first. Most of us focused on Matheus, which is good, because Amara was able to talk in her nature druid speak tongue, is it really a language… I guess it must be… I’m not that sort of scholar, so I guess I should not judge. In any case, Amara was able to hold private words with Cybresia for a few moments. I’m not certain what was exactly said, but the result was that Cybresia realized that Matheus was traitorous, and conjured wolves to chase him. I then blessed Kovun’s sword and he attacked Matheus.
Matheus then attacked Cybresia after dipping his sword in some foul tonic. He struck her mightily. I then found the strength to lend my inquisitor judgement to Kovun, giving him the right to dispense Justice. He blasted Matheus with fire from his blessed sword. The battle continued. Cybresia was forced to flee from Matheus, turning into a wolf. He chased her. This allowed us to launch a few parting blows. Then that wily Nara taunted… yes… taunted a werewolf. I didn’t believe it when I heard it. Nara is more braver my eyes each day. Matheus heard her, and leapt to attack, tearing into her. Amara entangled him with vines. The others all attack mightily as I healed Nara. Nathan finally brought the evil dog-man down. From him, we were able to acquire 163 gold, 4 magical potions, a magical bastard sword, a masterwork dagger, a magical cloak, and a magical chain shirt.
Cybresia returned to her human form and reveals that since Matheus had not eaten the entire heart of the packlord, but instead gave some to the Whispering Way, he had corrupted even his true leadership. We gave her as much information as we had on what had transpired in the werewolf/cult deals. She told us that the Whispering Way had not made it up the staircase as far as she knew. She then chose to eat his heart in any case. Perhaps it will help her lay claim to power, though it may only put her on someone else’s hit list. And I thought the politics of the 24 was complicated and deadly. What we do in our chosen service to our chosen beliefs…
As Cybresia left, we then turned to the notion of the Dusk Moth. It was pointed out that we have a scroll of communion, but then Azra pointed to the megaliths and their runes. We then realized before we try any communing with gods, we should clean up and reconsecrate the temple. We steadily scrubbed until each of our gods or masters would be pleased. Even the cats, of whom seem not to have any higher power, cleaned. Azra, who had an affinity to Desna, then consecrated the temple. Nathan figured out how to activate the dusk moth. Desna graced us with her presence.
The goddess thanked us and showed us visions of the tasks ahead: a black boned necromancer casting, fighting tentacles under the sea, a female vampire, and a lich. I have to say, I hunger for those last two battles, and some for the first… but I’m not to excited about the sea creature… it is probably has a connection to the sea sage effigy. It’s not that I don’t want to help, but necromancers, vampires, and liches… I’ve studied them. I know them… and I want to kill them. It is my duty, the duty that many years of training and instruction have beaten into my blood. I have hated the undead since I could walk and talk, thanks to those blessed custodians of Pharasma’s will. But back to the vision, We realize there will have to be a noble willing sacrifice to stop the evil. This could be bad. Will it be Victor, the noblest of us all? Will it be Nara, the one who seems to have a hidden destiny? Or will it be me, since it is my duty to see the undead cease to exist? Or will it be one of the others for some hidden fate?
Desna then chose to thank Amara’s cat, Carmody. We heard for the first time what I guess Amara hears often, Carmody speaking. Desna caused him to glow and he became bigger and his markings more pronounced.
She, the goddess, then offered to grant each of us a boon, using up the last of the magic of the dusk moth. We wake from the communion trance as the dusk moth fades. I felt my understanding of all things and their interconnection increase. I then noted all of my companions’ eyes had turned a pale silvery shade. They said mine had as well. I can’t imagine the true violet red I once held, which marked me from my Drow bloodline being gone. Perhaps this is redemption to separate me from my evil bloodline?