My Dearest Menolly,
As I write
this letter, I have no idea how I will ever get it into your hands, as I really
have no inkling as to where I am right now (or even where you are). I hope your mission for you father has gone
well. I am so glad you were able to
retrieve the ruby dagger from the Vecna mine (Someday we must return to
Mantol-Derith and discover its true origin).
In the course of the mission Panril sent me on, the rest of the party
and I tracked down the source of a rift in time and space caused by my cousin
Revlis (I will tell you the whole story WHEN I see you again). The rift lead us to a strange land where we
now find ourselves deep in catacombs under a towering spire. We have found the object we were seeking but
we have no idea how to secure it and bring it out of the rift.
Earlier tonight I helped Valet
(a newly graduated Paladin, your cousin, Garain sent to help us on our
mission) draft a letter and I am sending
you a copy of it. In it, he sets down
details concerning Grizzlegar that I know you will find both heartbreaking and
hopeful at the same time. He also shares
more background on our mission.
I am also sending you a letter I found in the library we
are currently resting in, written by the goblin Numbilung ( the letter confirms
he is the one responsible for putting Revlis in the position that created the
rift in the first place). He was
here!!! He was bargaining with some
merchants over the object we all sought and if I had been able to capture him I
know he could have told us how to free the object (I’m sorry but I promised
Valet I would not refer to the object by name) from the dark fire it is trapped
in, but as soon as I had a hold on him he vanished into thin air.
Until
I see you again I remain always Yours
Gerard
.
************************
Gold Merchant Padrius,
I wanted to write and
thank you again for coordinating with my Goblin friends to furnish my escape
from that dolt Malek. Be assured
that the Kordian statue you procured for me (I can hardly believe it’s been 10
years ago) is in a very safe place.
Now I can tell you that another plot I’ve had simmering on
the back burner has finally come to fruition.
Unfortunately there has been a complication (but I’m getting ahead of
myself). Several years ago I saved the
life of a powerful Djin ( I will not go into the details here, suffice it to
say he found himself in my debt) and he gave me a wish granting potion.
Knowing Djins as I do I recognized I couldn’t use the
potion myself (such concoctions tend to grant wishes in the most appalling
ways), so I let the potion fall into the hands of two pups by the names of
Revlis and Refrus. I had no idea wish
one or the other of them would make but I knew whatever it was I could take
advantage of it I had a medallion
fashioned to let me know the moment the potion was used and the results were
beyond my wildest dreams. Revlis’ wish
created a rift in space and time.
This brings me to the complication I spoke of: I was far from Melinir when the medallion
notified me the wish had been invoked.
By the time I returned, I realized someone else had found the rift and
gone through it. They were acolytes of
the god of Cold, Winter, Death, and Sleep: Olu.
On the other side of the rift they found a spire guarded by a dragon
named Ashardalon. Using the power of their god, they
overpowered the beast and killed it.
They then went through the spire and defaced the Dragon’s Sigil with their
own Barren Tree Sigil. Before they left,
they placed a Thunder Moon Calf atop the spire to guard it. What the didn’t know was that their raid on
the spire had awoken vampire followers of a powerful Litch named Gulthias.
When the vampires discovered that Ashardalon was dead, they went through the
rift themselves and stole a certain object from a certain group of Mages. They plan to use the object to resurect the
Dragon but only Gulthias has enough power to use the object in question and as
of this writing, he is still incapacitated.
Even if Gulthias was revived, something else has awoken in the spire and
that entity stole object and locked it in a cold fire deep within the catacombs
under the spire. I know all this because
I was there watching from the shadows and I know how to unlock the cold fire.
I plan to take full advantage of this situation and will keep you updated
as these endeavors unfold.
Numbilung
************************
Master Garion,
As requested I am informing you when I have found the item in which you and Brother Shortankard have requested I follow this group and find. Second I am conflicted, it is true brother I am, for you have sent me to share and teach the word of Kord to these travelers and I fear I may have failed (may Kord forgive me). First let me tell you that all was well when we first arrived but then my loving brother Christic fell to this monstrous beast on top of this unholy of all towers! You know he was more then just a brother to me but my love and mate, losing him like ripping the very heart that beat in my chest out. But through the light and knowledge of Kord I continued with this group teaching when I could knowing that later I would have time to greave.
Then Grizzelgar, the very one I was sent to aid and convert was bitten by one of the unholy beasts in this tower! As taught, I tried to purify him while he slept but to know avail, I watched him change from human/gnome ..to something else. Looking for some way to save him from the death grip that he was cursed with I told him how unholy it was to create life in his mate without the holy blessing of Kord to bind them. I hope Kord will forgive me for this little lie but I needed a way to cast a binding spell on him to save what little of humanity that was left in him. So in the name of Kord I wed Grizzelgar and his mate Pax in a quick ceremony in which I hid the casting of the holy binding spell. They both said I do and I bound Grizzalgar to Pax; and every bit of humanity that was left in Grizzels soul was transferred to her. Had there been another way I would have gladly done it, for Pax is a holy cleric of Kord and to deceive her in this way has left my broken heart weighted with guilt.
Onward we continued and search for the item through undead curses and empty rooms. How this group managed without me before hand I will never know for it was I they looked to, to open all the doors and to open and investigate the tombs. We found and saved a young girl whose very study of this tower brought her ruin as the undead fed upon her stealing her life and leaving her but a shell of the studious mage I'm sure she once was. At first Jerro took her under his wing but her abuse in the hands of the unholy left her full of fear and her screaming and crying became to much for him. I have to say too of my failing to this poor woman as I was so concerned with the party and their needs and health I failed to see she too was being consumed by the darkness of this place. To late did I notice as she tried to bite the young Jarad in the heat of a battle. I tried to purify her later that evening while the others slept but I do not hold much hope for her. The very group that rescued her voted to send her away..or worse! I stood up for her hoping that the things I did to help Grizzelgar I could do for her..but I have yet no one to bind her to. I am afraid all her humanity may become lost if it hasn't already. Perhaps when you come to help retrieve the item you can help also this poor young mage.
As I have said we did find the item at long last and as Jarad tried to free it from where it hung to bring back to the temple of Kord the others went up and discovered the very one we chased was in a deal to sell the H..item! Of course this blood thirsty group attacked first them thought to ask questions later. It was I that said "why must we kill this person?" and I saw Pax with her own humanity and that of Grizzelgars asked "yes why?" but it was too late for the others Jarad was distracted with getting revenge of Numbelung for the problems he had given to his nephew, and Grizzle; was in some sort of blood lust along with young Yesha. to make matters worse the trigger happy wizard had set fire to the far side of the place and killed one of the men on the field injuring many others. If ever a group needed the word and order of Kord it was this chaotic group! The woman/buyer was willing to give us the price of the item and I admit I became charmed by all the treasures that appeared when I allowed my curiosity to over take me and open the sack. I am ashamed at how it charmed me and tried to pull the others from battle not because of the will of Kord but because of the power greed and desire.
The he..item itself is in our procession/ or us in its, as it is hanging in a black flame above a library in a size that could not fit in any of our bags. I hope Brother Shortankard can come with some of the mages to release the curse it is in and help us bring it back to the temple. Be warned there are Vamphires here that follow this powerful mage/vamphire Gunthris. This guthrias worships and follows the ancient black dragon that was found dead at the top of the tower. Gunthris believes he can use the item to bring back his beloved Ashardalon and restore the dark unholy power of this tower. His belief that we would help him, helped us go untouched through the tower but it is only a matter of time before he discovers we have no intention of handing him the item. Please hurry. I will try to delay all things until you and your wisdom gets here. below is a sketch of the area we traveled along with directions of how to find us in the Library. There may be a short cut from the standing stones to the Library, and be far less dangerous then trying to make it through the maze of the tower and catacombs.
Your humble servant Valet Paladin in the Light of Kord
As requested I am informing you when I have found the item in which you and Brother Shortankard have requested I follow this group and find. Second I am conflicted, it is true brother I am, for you have sent me to share and teach the word of Kord to these travelers and I fear I may have failed (may Kord forgive me). First let me tell you that all was well when we first arrived but then my loving brother Christic fell to this monstrous beast on top of this unholy of all towers! You know he was more then just a brother to me but my love and mate, losing him like ripping the very heart that beat in my chest out. But through the light and knowledge of Kord I continued with this group teaching when I could knowing that later I would have time to greave.
Then Grizzelgar, the very one I was sent to aid and convert was bitten by one of the unholy beasts in this tower! As taught, I tried to purify him while he slept but to know avail, I watched him change from human/gnome ..to something else. Looking for some way to save him from the death grip that he was cursed with I told him how unholy it was to create life in his mate without the holy blessing of Kord to bind them. I hope Kord will forgive me for this little lie but I needed a way to cast a binding spell on him to save what little of humanity that was left in him. So in the name of Kord I wed Grizzelgar and his mate Pax in a quick ceremony in which I hid the casting of the holy binding spell. They both said I do and I bound Grizzalgar to Pax; and every bit of humanity that was left in Grizzels soul was transferred to her. Had there been another way I would have gladly done it, for Pax is a holy cleric of Kord and to deceive her in this way has left my broken heart weighted with guilt.
Onward we continued and search for the item through undead curses and empty rooms. How this group managed without me before hand I will never know for it was I they looked to, to open all the doors and to open and investigate the tombs. We found and saved a young girl whose very study of this tower brought her ruin as the undead fed upon her stealing her life and leaving her but a shell of the studious mage I'm sure she once was. At first Jerro took her under his wing but her abuse in the hands of the unholy left her full of fear and her screaming and crying became to much for him. I have to say too of my failing to this poor woman as I was so concerned with the party and their needs and health I failed to see she too was being consumed by the darkness of this place. To late did I notice as she tried to bite the young Jarad in the heat of a battle. I tried to purify her later that evening while the others slept but I do not hold much hope for her. The very group that rescued her voted to send her away..or worse! I stood up for her hoping that the things I did to help Grizzelgar I could do for her..but I have yet no one to bind her to. I am afraid all her humanity may become lost if it hasn't already. Perhaps when you come to help retrieve the item you can help also this poor young mage.
As I have said we did find the item at long last and as Jarad tried to free it from where it hung to bring back to the temple of Kord the others went up and discovered the very one we chased was in a deal to sell the H..item! Of course this blood thirsty group attacked first them thought to ask questions later. It was I that said "why must we kill this person?" and I saw Pax with her own humanity and that of Grizzelgars asked "yes why?" but it was too late for the others Jarad was distracted with getting revenge of Numbelung for the problems he had given to his nephew, and Grizzle; was in some sort of blood lust along with young Yesha. to make matters worse the trigger happy wizard had set fire to the far side of the place and killed one of the men on the field injuring many others. If ever a group needed the word and order of Kord it was this chaotic group! The woman/buyer was willing to give us the price of the item and I admit I became charmed by all the treasures that appeared when I allowed my curiosity to over take me and open the sack. I am ashamed at how it charmed me and tried to pull the others from battle not because of the will of Kord but because of the power greed and desire.
The he..item itself is in our procession/ or us in its, as it is hanging in a black flame above a library in a size that could not fit in any of our bags. I hope Brother Shortankard can come with some of the mages to release the curse it is in and help us bring it back to the temple. Be warned there are Vamphires here that follow this powerful mage/vamphire Gunthris. This guthrias worships and follows the ancient black dragon that was found dead at the top of the tower. Gunthris believes he can use the item to bring back his beloved Ashardalon and restore the dark unholy power of this tower. His belief that we would help him, helped us go untouched through the tower but it is only a matter of time before he discovers we have no intention of handing him the item. Please hurry. I will try to delay all things until you and your wisdom gets here. below is a sketch of the area we traveled along with directions of how to find us in the Library. There may be a short cut from the standing stones to the Library, and be far less dangerous then trying to make it through the maze of the tower and catacombs.
Your humble servant Valet Paladin in the Light of Kord
No comments:
Post a Comment