With the newly resurrected Frosty flapping discreetly above our heads, we hit the streets of East Port.  Amid the hustle and bustle we saw none of the lewd behavior we had encountered that first day.  Although the blue glow was not as pronounced here, as it had been in the quarry town, it’s effects still seemed to hold sway. I noticed another bard playing the xylophone in the bar at the inn (The Cup and Copper), but with no passion whatsoever.  We enjoyed a leisurely lunch with Reginald, the caravan master that had lasted all afternoon.  He wanted us to stop by his agency before we left town:  He thought he could give us a lead on Redsith’s location.

 

We noticed a crowd had gathered in the middle of the street and decided to investigate it.  As we pushed to the front, we heard a voice that seemed to be berating the crowd and then we saw that it belonged to an older gentleman in tattered clothes.  He was speaking ill toward the Church of the Morrow (Yes, the one that Tomas had been connected with).  The crowd regarded him with disdain, and several people were wagging their fingers at him.

 

I felt sorry for the man (whose name we later learned was Oscar of the family, Grump) and cast a spell that made him more poised and his speech, eloquent.  The crowd was not impressed and soon disbursed. 

 

Although we had just eaten it was getting close to suppertime, so we invited Oscar to have a meal with us at the inn.  I soon realized that my companions’ (Kahalla in particular) only interest in Oscar was how much information they could wring from him.  My spell, even if it had done wonders for his tongue, had not abated his aroma.  So, as soon as he had given up the location of the Church of the Morrow, Kahalla sent him on his way, with the mistaken belief that we would find him again and take him with us when we searched for it.  Several hours later, when we did set off for the Church I chanced to look back and saw Oscar patiently waiting for us behind the trashcans at the inn.  I could only shake my head.

 

 

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Two sleepy guards greeted us at the entrance to the Church of the Morrow, so it was an easy matter for Arty to charm one of them while I used some bard tricks I had up my sleeve to charm the other.

 

From what Oscar had told us, we believed that people who had spoken out against the Morrow were being kidnapped and ‘dealt with’, in the rooms below the Church.  Once inside, we told the guards to go and take up their positions at the door, then Kahalla remembered that they might help us gain access to the lower levels so we called them back.  The now eager-to-please guard, stood at the organ, trying to remember the note that would open the secret door to the cellar.  He became frustrated and slammed his fist down on the keyboard.  As you might expect, the cacophony had the desired effect of opening the door but it had also awakened every monk in the building (or so it seemed).

 

At the end of the ensuing battle many monks lay at our feet.  The poor bewildered guards, who had just seen their friends massacred, gave us the room.  We took the dagger amulets that the monks wore around their necks (we had learned from the guards that these were used by the monks to sacrifice themselves, if another suitable sacrifice could not be found) then proceeded to search the cellar.  We found several rooms that appeared to be sleeping quarters and in each one was a statue that didn’t seem to want to be a statue. We surmised that these were actually people who had been turned into stone.  At the moment there was nothing we could do for them.

 

At the end of the hall we found a room that had a special lock.  My last clear thought for a long while was of Valla trying to pick this lock.  A fury bubbled up inside me directed at Kahalla for her treatment of Oscar.  Why did she always have to look down her nose at everyone?  But with this came a deeper hatred…Of  myself and my guilt that I harbored about not being able to save my sister all those years ago (I know I’m going to have to tell you the whole story of my sister at some point, Gerard, but I just don’t have the time or the heart right now).

 

Kahalla and Valla were shouting at each other and Valla was pulling Kahalla’s hair.  All of this was just too much for me to deal with so I collapsed in a ball in the corner of the hall.

 

Finally I think I shouted something and all the emotion drained away and I was calm.  Arty (who was the only one not effected by the spelltrap) had been trying to charm me the whole time but my hatred of myself must have been too strong for him to overcome.

 

Valla suddenly remembered that one of the statues had a key in his hand, so she ran to retrieve it, thinking it would unlock the door.  We heard a noise coming from the stairwell at the other end of the hall and when we went to investigate, we found a hooded figure standing at the bottom of the stairs with her back to us.  Kahalla whispered to me that it could be Lady Gahgah (This is the first time I had realized that the sorceress might have had bad dealings with the carny hag as well) 

 

At the thought of having my tormentor cornered I quickly grabbed for my sword and was about to launch myself down the stairs when Kahalla put her hand on my shoulder and motioned for me to look at some thing.  There were more of the statues lining the wall behind us. It started to sink in; just who we were dealing with. Kahalla quickly came up behind the figure and pulled down her cowl.  The figure turned and met the sorceress’s gaze.  This was a Sister of Medusa!

 

Kahalla was turned to stome.

 

The next thing I knew, Arty had jumped on top of the Sister and cut her head off in what seemed to be one liquid motion.

 

With the Sister dead, not only Kahalla but all the statues around the walls came back to life and we realized that they had already been chained to the wall when the Sister turned them.  We started to free them but they protested, saying they were there as willing sacrifices.

 

And then we heard a commotion from the hall above us and soon found Valla wrestling with tall man in a long flowing robe with the sigil of the Morrow on it.  I realized that this was one of the statues come back to life and I also noticed he was missing a finger.  So Valla had resorted to extreme measures to recover the key.

 

He told us his name (while still struggling with Valla) was Master Simon and it was imperative that he use the key to unlock the door at the end of the passage.  And that he would need Arty’s help once we were inside.  More of Simon’s followers poured into the hallway, subdued Valla, and took the key from her and unlocked the door.

 

Inside the room another of Simon’s followers was standing in one of the Morrow Bowls with a Dagger Amulet to Oscar’s throat.  Simon said he needed Arty to charm Oscar so he would willingly submit to being sacrificed.  Arty refused and in a matter of seconds had sent Simon to meet the Morrow.

 

Even with Simon dead, his followers continued to fight.  But it was Frosty who ended the battle when she was able to kill the follower standing in the bowl with Oscar.  The ground shook and the bowl split in two.  The blue glow faded.

 

Now we knew the secret to destroying the bowls:  An unwilling sacrifice must be killed inside the bowl.  Kahalla wanted to go right then to the Monastery of the Morrow and destroy the Master Bowl there.  But we had a few loose ends to tie up or untie as the case may be.  We found that the sacrifices on the wall were not so willing with the blue glow gone.  Arty picked up the Medusa head and took it with him.

 

Back in town we have found the people much changed.  Their passion has returned but not the erratic behavior.  Kahalla still wants to go straight to the Monastery of the Morrow, but I have reminded her that Reginald wants to see us before we leave town.  Hopefully with the caravan master’s help we will be one step closer to completing our mission and afterwards maybe I can complete my own personal mission.

We are Shipwrecked!!!

 

The sea became more and more torrential until our ship was run aground.  I’m no sailor Gerard, but I’m sure if you had been here, you would agree with me that the storm (or whatever it was) that our ship encountered was not natural.  Fortunately, we have reached the Western Continent and have taken refuge in a small quarry town right on the coast.

 

The first thing we noticed as we entered the town was that no one seems to have any inhibitions; practicing various forms of lewd acts right out in the streets.  According to the mayor, that’s not the only problem his town faces at the moment.  All sorts of monstrous beings are roaming the outskirts of the city.  We ran into some of these creatures on our way into the town.  The mayor thinks the source of the infestation is the quarry itself.

 

I am writing you this from a local inn and the bard who is playing on stage is absolutely marvelous.  I feel compelled to join in with him.

 

***********************************************

 

I cannot tell you how exhilarating that was!  I finally had to stop, but the bard just continues to play; nothing distracts him.

 

Perhaps I should backtrack and tell something of the people who signed on with me.

 

Besides Arty there’s Valla, who is a monk but has a rogue’s soul.  We also have Tomas, another monk who belongs to the Monastery of the Morrow, located at the top of the highest mountain on the Western Continent.  And then there is the Lady Kahalla, a sorceress and I believe apprentice to the Lady Serina of your Mage Isle.  She gives the impression of someone used to the finer things in life. Her demeanor takes a little getting used to, but she seems more than proficient with her magical skills.  She has a little dragonlike familiar named Frosty

 

Speaking of Lady Kahalla, she is very suspicious of this bard, who has continued to play even as I have been writing this.  She thinks he has the crowd under some kind of spell (it’s hard to tell; the entire town seems to be under some kind of spell).  She and Valla are approaching the stage and I believe I heard them say Valla is going to try to break one of the bard’s lute strings to stop him from playing…….Well, she’s fallen on top him.  That stopped him from playing, but now the crowd is becoming awfully surly.  Valla has gotten to her feet and it looks as if she and Kahalla are headed for their chambers.  That sounds like a very good idea.  I think I shall retire for the evening myself.

 

Well what do you know; the bard has started playing again.

 

***********************************************************

 

 

When we woke up this morning, Tomas was gone.

 

Kahalla didn’t trust him from the start even going so far as to suggest he was Redsith himself.  She asked me back on the ship if I had a detect evil spell but I only have detect magic.

 

We found out from people in the bar that he (Tomas) came down early had breakfast and then left for the quarry (the bard was still playing. There’s no question now, he himself is under a spell).

 

At the quarry we encountered more of the monsters that have plagued the town.  We fought them off and went inside where we found a crystal temple behind a secret door (while opening the secret door Valla triggered a spelltrap that temporarily turned her into a boy.).

 

Inside the temple we were faced with even more vile creatures.  Finally we came to a room and inside we found Tomas standing in a bowl that was filled with some kind of liquid. He had a knife to his throat.

 

Before any of us could do anything, Tomas mumbled something about bringing the peace back and then he slit his throat.  He fell back into the bowl and his body started to writhe.  A strange radiance fell over the room.  The walls and floor were glowing blue.

 

And then we realized that something was happening to Tomas.

 

He transformed into yet another monster and that monster summoned two minions to do his bidding.  Using team work (especially from Kahalla, who was able to slow the movements of one of the minions), we defeated all three.

 

After much inspection of the bowl we concluded that there was nothing we could do so we returned to town.

 

Outside the quarry we realized that the blue glow was everywhere and this was also true of the town.  People had stopped cavorting in the streets.  In fact no one was doing much of anything but eating and working.  As we passed the inn I noticed that the bard had finally stopped playing.

 

The only person in town who seemed the least bit happy was the Mayor.  He was thrilled that we had brought the peace back to his town, but that didn’t stop him from trying to haggle down the price we had agreed he would pay us. He went to the window and peered out.  Turning back to us he said he might have more work for us after all.  The caravan was back in town and its next stop would be East Port.  He wondered if we might help guard it for him.

 

 

*****************************************

 

I’ve just returned to Kahalla’s magical tent from an embarrassing encounter with Arty. We have been traveling with the caravan for about two days. Apparently I had been sleepwalking and he woke me up.  This stems from an event that occurred to me in childhood. I don’t feel like relating anything more but it does connect to that repressed memory I spoke of earlier.

 

Arty was speaking with one of the caravan workers named Reginald and he was telling Arty that there are quite a few other bowls of the type we found in the quarry.  The largest of which is kept by the monks of the Monastery of the Morrow.  I’m sure he had told Arty much more about them before I showed up.

 

********************************************

 

One of the caravan workers (Billy) was killed last night and Kahalla and Valla seem to think Arty had something to do with it. They have asked him to tie himself down for the night from now on. Strangely none of the other caravan workers appear to suspect him.  I don’t know what to think.

 

********************************************

 

A band of marauders tried to attack the caravan.  We killed most of them and the others fled.

 

********************************************

Just outside the city limits of East port, we fought a purple worm.  Arty Valla and Frosty were swallowed by it then somehow the worm died and spat our friends out.  Arty was barely hurt but Valla was near death until I healed her but Frosty perished.  Kahalla is hoping to find someone in East Port that can resurrect him.

First of all Gerard I wanted to say thank you for putting in a good word for me with Arty.  So far he seems to be a very competent leader.  We made good sail and have not run into any trouble yet.  

 

I on the other hand have been troubled; that you might think me ungrateful for what you and your party did for me on Mantol-Derith, 

 

The truth is that I never wanted to become King.

 

I would have been content to live out my life as the humble bard of Blingdenstone just like my father and his father before him.  They tended to the Singing Stones but were never able to make them sing.  That is why I am so grateful to the Lady Menolly and the rest of your group for bringing me the stones that completed my family’s life’s work and allowed the stones to sing. 

 

As I said I could have lived out my life as a humble bard, but that was not to be.  Pingtu made the Speaking Stones speak and they said that I should be King.

 

And so I tried to be a good. King.

 

I proclaimed there should be a trade mission to the surface of the island.  Everything went so well in the city of Mantol, we easily banged out at trade agreement So I had high hopes for Derith..  They were soon dashed.

 

The first thing we noticed upon entering the city was that a traveling carnival was in town, but I and my bodyguards paid it little attention then (I had gone against the council’s  advice and only taken two bodyguards with me). 

 

I should have known that something was amiss when the ambassador of the city refused to remove his hood or cloak.  Turns out he was a mind flayer and he made mincemeat of my poor bodyguards’ minds and then he turned his probing eye on me.

 

The next thing I remember I found myself locked in a cage and the name of my tormentor was Lady Gahgah.  I am sad to say she had her way with me….many times.  And when she tired of me, she dumped me in that chamber at Stony Point where the Spider-Creatures webbed me up and I would have surly died if it wasn’t for you and your party.

 

I have no idea what the council at Blingdenstone has made of my disappearance, but I can’t go back there yet. During the mind flayer’s probing of my mind he unlocked a memory that I had long repressed and the answer to that memory lies somewhere on the Western Continent.

 

The waves are starting to get choppy, so I’m going up on deck to see what’s going on.  I will write more later.

For what seemed like an eternity, Jerro and I stood in the stairwell staring down at the dead beholder.  In reality it had probably only been about five minutes since Pax had left for Thunder Rift with Grizzlegar (I still can’t believe he’s dead). 

 

“Do you have a dagger I can borrow?”  Jerro finally asked.

 

“Here, you can keep this one.  I never use it anymore.”  And I handed him my Dagger of Venom. 

 

The wizard descended the last few steps into the chamber, stood over the lifeless beast, then cut off one of his eyestalks.

 

“Maybe if I study this, I can figure out a way to defeat the creature faster.”

 

I nodded agreement but I certainly hoped to never need that information, and I knew Jerro was only searching for a way he could have saved Grizzlegar’s life.

 

“Let’s get out of here.”  I prodded the wizard.

 

We found Chavis and told him the beholder had been vanquished.

 

“That’s marvelous!  Once we clear and clean that chamber our part of the complex will be completely secure.  Tonight’s feast will honor our fallen brothers.    You must stay and help us celebrate their lives!”

 

That’s when we had to tell him about Grizzlegar and how we needed to get back to Rocky Harbor to escort the children back to their homes and then finally return to Thunder Rift.

 

As we left the complex, I confided to Jerro how I had wanted to visit Captain Trovebane’s grave on the other side of the island.

 

“But I guess we won’t have time.  We need to get back to Rocky Harbor as soon as possible.”

 

“Not necessarily.”  Said the wizard.  “I found this in the chamber, while I was hiding from the beholder.”

 

Jerro pulled out what looked like a blue rug.

 

“It’s a flying carpet.  With it we can travel anywhere on the island in a matter of minutes.”

 

“I don’t know Jerro.”

 

“Aw, come on,  I’ve always wanted to try one of these things.”

 

So I held my breath most of the way, as we flew to the southern end of the island.  We found the wreckage of the Crimson Hawk just as we had left it with the bodies of the creatures we had fought scattered around it. Up the beach, about a quarter mile and in a clearing, well back from the high tide mark, I located Captain Trovebane’s grave.  Jerro stood off respectfully as I looked down at the makeshift marker I had raised. 

 

In my head I carried on a conversation with the man that had taught me so much over the years.  How all my courage had fled from me on that stairwell as I stared down at the limp body of the most courageous man I had ever known, Grizzlegar.  And of course somehow Captain Trovebane found just the right words to say; at least the words I thought he would have said.

 

We went back and searched the wreckage one more time just in case we had missed something all those months ago but found nothing.  The wizard however made a disturbing discovery on the beach.

 

“My carpet, it’s gone!”

 

I realized what had happened immediately.

 

“The tide must have come in while we were gone and washed it out to sea.”

 

“Aw…Well at least we know now where to go to get put up for the night.”  The wizard brightened and indicated the familiar path we had taken to the inn called The Butchered Calf, where we first ran afoul of vampires.

 

“That won’t be necessary.”  A snarky voice said from behind us.  We turned and saw a very tall blonde woman standing there with an impatient look on her face.  She carried a light bow and a small dragonlike creature hovered above her head “I am the Lady Kahalla and Lady Serina sent me to retrieve you two hooligans.  The children are waiting and we have a schedule to keep.”

 

“How did you find us?”  I asked.

 

“That is none of your affair.  But if you must know, I’ve been following you since your party decided to go back to Stony Point.  The Lady Serina was displeased that you would desert the children for such a foolish errand.”

 

“We fought and killed a beholder and lost one of our friends in the process!”  I bristled.

 

“I am well aware of what happened and I am sorry for your loss.  I even gave you an appropriate time to grieve, but then, when I thought you were ready to return to Rocky Harbor, you take off on a flying carpet going south.  I had to dispatch Frosty here to follow you while I went around the Island in a skiff.”

 

Jerro and I looked at each other not knowing what to say.

 

“Actually The Butchered Calf is sounding better and better to me all the time.  What do you think Gerard?”

 

As much as I wanted to agree with the wizard, I knew we really needed to get back to Rocky Harbor, so we all piled into Kahalla’s skiff and headed north.

 

Although I pretended not to notice, about mid journey up the coast, I saw Frosty purloin the eyestalk from Jerro’s bag and hide it where Kahalla later retrieved it.  I was impressed by the little creature’s stealthiness and the unspoken communication between it and it’s mistress..  Jerro noticed none of this and I decided not to tell him.  The truth is I had been uncomfortable with the latent power of this object and was glad to be rid of it.  Let Kahalla deal with it if she was so inclined.

 

At Rocky Harbor, Jerro broke the news to Arty about Grizzle’s fate and gave him my Dagger of Venom.  We showed Leore the scrap of paper that seemed to indicate something was afoot on the Western Continent and after much discussion (we concluded that Redsith was the probably the culprit), it was decided that Arty would head up an expedition there, while Jerro and I would escort Serina and the children home as planned

 

While preparations were being made for both ventures, I was approached by Gurmadden Stonesinger, the bard turned King that we had met on Mantol-Derith.  He sheepishly told me that he had been among the captives we freed from the webbing at Stony Point.  I told him we would gladly drop him off at Mantol-Derith. But when he learned of the excursion to the west, he seemed oddly drawn there (I would later find out why) and decided to sign on with Arty.

 

What follows is a series of letters he sent me from the Western Expedition………………