Diary of Zaaz Bloodfortune
Ready we were to head back to the hut,
yet is not hard work justifiably rewarded with some time of leisure?
Not for us it seems. Strife seems to follow us at every turn and
nothing seems to come easily. Still, hard work seems to have its
rewards. My patron has once again rewarded me with more power and
spells. New hexes and tricks with which to fight, torture, and
begile.
Returning to Hooftown we spread word of
the killing of the White Dragon and for three days the drinks flowed
like a river. Fun and frolic and pleasures of the flesh were our
reward. Three days to repair our equipment and search for more
supplies to help on our future journeys. For three days the itching
in the back of our minds we did try to ignore, to drown in fine
drink, yet the pull would not be ignored. The gaes of the black rider
forced us on and ensured us no real time of rest.
Packing up and saying goodbye to new
friends we returned to the hut. There a sullen Ratibor greeted us
again. Yet soon, that sullen attitude was gone as I had learned the
ritual to free him of his servitude. Baba will likely not be happy
with me for loosing her doorman, but surely he had served his time.
Into the caldron we put the dragon scale and nugget I had retrieved
at the cost of years and in moments the hut disappeared.
The room we were standing in had been
transformed into a gazebo in a place of strange nature. Clouds in the
sky above seemed oddly fake an in the distance walls of glass could
be seen. Paths wandered off in arounds ways and a wooded area was to
one side. A garden, a small shed, and five greenhouses were close at
hand. A tinny muted sound of thunder called our and water began
falling on parts of the forest.
The fragrance of the garden was
intoxicating and I quickly went over to look. Within was every kind
of useful herb and plant a witch could ever want. I had paid good
coin for far worse quality than was before me. I knelt down and began
cutting a sample to refill my herb pouch. Sadobras moved over to
inspect a well he had noticed, while Dalomar launches his strange
mechanical owl to scout. Snori flew into the shack and soon the
sounds of things being broken comes from within. Eventually, Snori
comes out and lets us know of various defoliants and potions within
that may or may not be now useable.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Snori
moves over to explore a mount of bushes off to one side and is
promptly attacked by a giant carnivorous plant. I think I had
previously seen a smaller version of the plant eating flies in a
swampy area. This thing is certainly much larger. It’s mouth
closes on Snori’s leg, holding him in place. Taking a break from my
harvesting, I shoot a bolt of lightning at the creature, not much
caring if I hit the plant or the troublesome flit. As my lightning
had little effect, Dalomar moved up and cut Snori lose. Just as I’m
wondering how we’ll finish the creature off, Yoska shows us all a
trick he’s recently learned. With a quick chant and gesture, he
creates the proper pattern and seems to shimmer with energy. There
is a sudden zzzittt sound and becomes a bolt of lightning that
strikes through the creature, then once more becoming Yoska. The
creature smokes from the bolt, which did well more than my poor
attack. Before it can recover, Sadobras and his warg slam into it.
Almost simultaneously, Tavum and Gretta strike with arrow and
javelin. Seeing Dalomar was ready to strike at it again, I cast a hex
of luck upon him. Before he could strike, the green gobbler tried to
pull him in. Finally, Yoska manages to slice it in half with his
sword. Snori is pulled free of the creature and I cast healing upon
those who had been hurt.
Peace once again returned, I went back
to my harvesting only to have it interrupted again as Sadobras is
attacked by some sort of shambling mound. Making quick work of that,
I would have thought that everyone had the sense to leave well enough
alone, but of course now. Snori flew into the woods and managed to
shoot a Treant. He tries to apologize, but made the mistake of
mentioning Baba yaga. Racing back towards us with the angry tree in
tow, I call a bolt of lightning down upon it. Yosaka moves up with
Gretta and strike at it. Snori moves to attack and gets hit as he
tries to harass it. Tavum, studying the tree and its sickly
appearance calls forth a healing on it, restoring the trees sanity.
Dawnbark, now healed talks with us. Evidently, he had been fooled by
Baba who invited him to live in Paradise. A paradise it is in some
ways, but one with a light that slowly drives him insane. He won’t
help us directly, but he does warn us of moonflowers by the path
leading towards a house in the distance.
Once again, I go back to my harvesting
and once again Snori is the cause of most trouble. Yes, spirits I
know we should tie him up. Dalomar mentions that bubu the owl saw a
strange cat on a tree stump in one area. Snori, curious as ever flew
over and talked with it. The cat tells him it was the familiar of
Yelizaveta, but that her mistress disappeared. Yelizaveta, of course,
being the queen before the current queen and child of Baba Yaga. The
cat seems to have problems and falls over. Snori investigates and is
promptly attacked by a mass of tentecles that fly out of the stump.
Dalomar comes up to Snori’s aid and manages to confuse the
writhering mass. Sadobras on his ward ride by, striking hard with his
lance. Sighing, I stood up from my harvesting, dusted off my knees,
and flew over towards the fight. Greeted by the sight of Dalomar held
by the neck and Yoska casting a ray of enfeeblement on it, I realize
it’s a great chance to try a new spell grrr has granted me.
Calling forth magic and energy I draw a circle in the air. Bending
the barriers I call forth a Cuestodaemon to do my bidding.
Frustratingly though, before it can do more than start to join the
fight, Tavum strikes with his bow and it dies.
Having a few moments left on the
summoning, I send the Cuestodaemon off towards the house mentioned by
the Treant. Going just a little ways down the path it is quickly set
upon by Moonflowers. Now, I have long been an admirer of flowers. As
a witch, I have certainly dreamed of finding a nice place in my
dotage to raise flowers and herbs of all kinds. However, I don’t
even want to consider what kind of fertilizer Baba Yaga uses to grow
plants like these. Huge and with long reach, a swarm of these mighty
plants advanced on us. Yoska blasted the group with a fireball,
killing one, but the rest advance. Getting close, the one in the
front stopped and with a sudden pulsing blasted the lot of us with
very bright light, blinding Yoska. Drawing Emberchill, my sickle of
magical ice, I call forth the ice storm within on two of them.
Another burst of light and Sadobras is also dazzled while Tavum,
Gretta, and I manage to finish off the ones remaining.
Deciding that perhaps a bit more
caution is necessary, Dalomar decides to scout out the house. Within,
on one side of the entryway he finds a person searching through a
room. Opening desk drawers and such he looks innocuous. Strangely
enough, while Dalomar saw this person as a strange creature, Snori
saw it as a human. The rest of us moved up to see what was happening.
Talking a bit with him, he told us he’d like us to meet his master.
After calling for his master, Dalomar, seeing him for the twisted
being he was, attacked and did minor damage. Calling out again a bit
louder, “Denizen of Leng!” we could hear movement elsewhere in
the house. Striking at Snori, he was knocked hard. The door in the
hallway opens and out steps an old man. The old man waves his hands
and soon Gretta is staring fascinated at a pattern that persists in
the air. Knowing this can be no ordinary old man I strike with a hex
of agony, truly a fearsome magic, but to no effect. The old man seems
to be able to resist my power. Sadobras and Dalomar both attack,
while the Denizen of Lang casts confusion that seems to effect
Gretta. Yoska moves up and looks in the door the old man came out of
and starts screaming like a little girl, “Moooooooon
Beeaaaaaasstt!”
Wondering to myself, what in the world
is a moon beast, I try casting a hex on the original one we
encountered, but again to no effect. Snori, strangely effective for
once manages to locate several arrows with holy water tips and uses
them to kill the original foe. Sadobras also manages to hit the one
in the hallway. A Fireball comes out of the room and strikes at all
of us while Gretta, shaking off the confusion, manages to charge and
push the Denizen into the room with the moon beast. Yoska moves up to
support her while Sadobras manages to find enough space to charge.
Just as things are starting to look in our favor, the moon beast
casts a spell at Gretta, telling the dominated warrior “I am your
only true friend. Kill the others!” I manage to cast sleep upon her
before she can do much damage to us and soon we’ve managed to kill
off the two foes. Looking through their things we find that one had a
rather large gem. When looked at closely, it appeared to have a small
person inside. Deciding to wait a bit on investigating this, we put
the gem away.
We began to explore the house and soon
realize that it is just another version of the hut. Upstairs we find
the cracked bowl with the hens egg, a pitcher, and cauldron. From the
porch windows we can see a strange and different vista. Soon a raven
appears to us and tells us that baba has gone on to see her only son,
but left breadcrumbs behind, if the breadcrumbs we can find. At our
feet he drops a stuffed 2 headed eagle, an iron spur, and a drinking
horn. Then he also drops in another pile an elephant tusk, a small
hand mirror, and a bearskin rug. Once he drops the items, the raven
disappears and once again I curse the vagueness that seems to go hand
and hand with being or dealing with witches.
The hut in its current state now fully
explored we bring things back to the gem. Breaking it open we are
confronted by a very tall, blue, creature of a species we don’t
recognize. Introducing himself as Zalvazaraat, he tells us he’s a
merchant that travels the various dimensions and offers us the pick
of some of his items in thanks for freeing him. Instead, we work a
deal with him to sell some of our goods for us at a good price and he
gives us a way to call for him should we need to buy or sell more.
It won’t be instant, but having our own personal merchant should
make the travel a bit easier.
Soon, we all exit the hut and make our
way up to high ground, to try to get an idea of where we are. Gretta
and I notice that the local plant life is not familiar to us at all.
We must have travelled quite a ways I imagine. When we get to the top
of the hill we notice the sun is low in the sky, indicating that we
are perhaps quite far north. With little warning a red dragon flies
overhead and we all prepare for battle. It lands off to the side and
we notice someone on top of it. The dragon also seems to wield a
halberd. Getting closer we see the rider is actually a dragon-kin.
Eventually we are able to communicate and learn that she doesn’t
even recognize humans at all. Through our talking we learn that she
calls this world Triaxis and that there is a major war going on.
While talking there is mention of the
Iron Spur and two headed eagle we received and it takes some luck and
diplomancy to bring things back to friendly terms. Luckily Sadobras
and Bescaylie get along well and we learn that she and her mount,
Efrixis, are looking for reinforcements. Her keep, Spurhorn, one of the outposts of the alliance referred to as the SkyFire
Mandate, is under attack by Drakeland forces under General Malacinder,
a silver dragonkin, and in dire need of help. Her commander actually
has a two headed eagle as well which leads us to believe the clues
from the raven have led us to her.
We made arrangements to go with her to
the keep the next day after we have had a chance to prepare. Back at
the hut, Tavum tells us that Snori is going off for retraining for a
few days. The next day we head over to the peak again and cast fly to
try to race past the defenders. Unfortunately due to magic being
used, a teleport just won’t work. On our way in we are attacked
first by a group of Frost Drakes and then by a group of Cuestodaemons.
The first group, the Frost Drakes are not too difficult aside from ice
blasts. Slumber works quite well and knocks one from the sky. Yoska,
Gretta, Sadobras, and Dalomar also rampage through the group. The
Cuestodaemons with their ability to dispel the fly spells on us are
much more difficult. At one point Tavum falls from the sky, but I
manage to catch him. He imbues me with shadow strength to help me
carry him. The feeling of the strength is so intoxicating that I
almost conteptuaously call agony down upon one and knock him from the
fight. Yoska and Gretta taking out one and Efrixes and Biscale
turning another into a red mist, we break through the defenders and
head on towards the keep….
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