12 Doddul, 1507 TH

We have decided to follow the trail of destruction back to find where the gnashers first appeared. Phargath also wants to make sure there is no chance of a repeat performance.

As we left, Ramen settled himself down on the barren ground to begin his repairs of both the Physical and Astral Planes. Lucky gave each of the bear cubs one last friendly nip and we were on our way - to where this time, I'm not quite sure...

13 Doddul, 1507 TH

Phargath marked the valley on his map, so we can return and search further at a later stage. He thinks there might be an undiscovered kaer about. We moved a long way away from the gnashers' trail to make camp.

14 Doddul, 1507 TH

15 Doddul, 1507 TH

We found a young human male, with a very strange creature on his head, lying beneath a tree. Gem assured me that the creature was not responsible for the man's wounds, so I didn't attack it. I now can say that the human stands six foot tall and has the longest hair pieces I have ever seen growing from a Namegiver's upper lip. The creature on his head and covering his back is quite dead and seems to have been made into some sort of animal-hide armour. Its yellow hair colour almost matches our new acquaintance's own.

After being brought around, the first thing the man did was call Sho'Larna a Passion. When his brains had reorganised themselves, the human told us his name was Godfrey Tyrus and that he had been in an accident in Kaer Gislen. His companions were still trapped and he had been looking for help to get them out. The Warrior had some nasty wounds down the right side of his body where a heavy beam had fallen on him. Godfrey, though weak, was determined to get back to the kaer and rescue his friends.

The Warrior said one of his friends' name was Cal-lok - a name known to us, especially Phargath and Heather. The Troubadour had trained the pair in Item History the last time we were in Bartertown. Phargath was particularly anxious to get us moving after discovering that.

With the Warrior's help, Sho'Larna back-tracked his path and we came to the entrance of Kaer Gislen. On the way, Godfrey had explained that his party - the two humans and three dwarves - had gone there in search of the journals of a pre-Scourge band of Adepts called "Malwin's Protectors". As they had entered the kaer, its roof had collapsed, burying the dwarves completely and trapping Cal-lok under a heavy beam. Luckily, though hurt, Godfrey had been able to free himself and had tried to seek help.

Cal-lok called out when he heard Phargath's voice, as we made our careful way into the mouth of the underground kaer. He sounded very relieved. The human was trapped by the legs under a heavy wooden roof truss. In the limited space, Godfrey, Larna and I manged to lift it high enough so the others could pull him out. Cal-lok had broken ribs and other wounds, but was in reasonably good condition considering. The two humans were determined to see if their dwarf companions could still be alive, so Gem volunteered to crawl in, since she was the smallest and lightest and less likely of us to bring more roof down.

The Wizard squeezed through a little gap and found the bodies of the dwarves. Cal-lok called to Gem to see if see if she could find the female dwarf's backpack as it had healing potions in it. Thankfully, most of the containers had survived and the windling brought them out. Cal-lok and Godfrey wanted to dig the bodies out to give them a proper funeral and we agreed to help. The rest of the day was spent clearing the entrance to the kaer.

After the ceremony, Cal-lok asked us one more favour: would we help him complete the mission and find the journals in honour of his friends memories? It seemed the proper thing to do, so we agreed.

16

17 Doddul, 1507 TH

The Death of Phargath, Elementalist

Our party of nine entered Kaer Gislen early in the morning, feeling invincible. What in its right mind would try and attack such a large group? The windlings spotted a pit trap not far in, just before Godfrey and I stepped on it. With a little observation, Laz was able to point out the safe way across.

The outer door of the kaer we found smashed inwards. A sure sign the kaer had been breached some time during the Scourge. Stupidly, we went on. The second heavy wooden door also lay off its hinges and had been shattered, in spite of the powerful runes upon it. The passage opened out into a mighty cavern and we peered into the darkness at the underground town of Gislen.

Afterwards, some of my companions described a strange feeling in their heads at that time. Gem said it had been like something brushing past her mind. Everyone was surprised when a voice announced out of the darkness: "Lovely little food has arrived - come in!"

By rights, we should have all bolted at that moment, but most of us had probably been Horror-marked. (I had no idea though!) A ball of brilliant light flew down from the rooftop and hit me square on in the chest. In that moment, the entire kaer had been lit up and we saw, all too clearly, a bloated form floating near the ceiling. It was shaped like a huge bladder and covered in a leathery-looking skin. Two long tentacles hung down from the lower part of its body. It had eyes, I think.

Laz's skin seemed to ripple in a strange way and he let out a horrifying scream. That made everyone decide there could be no allowing this thing to survive and we went into battle.

The Horror was so sure of itself that it told us its name - Ch'toh'hiz - so we would all know who had destroyed us. The Horror used both its tentacles and spells against us. Gem tried desperately to give us some protection against the latter with a spell of her own. The tentacles were what I was interested in but I just couldn't seem to be able to hit the damned things. When I look back now, the only person to do any real physical damage to the creature was Heather with an arrow. Ch'toh'hiz had targeted her after that, knocking her unconscious early in the fight with a bone shattering spell.

The windlings, Laz and Sarena, were able to get up at the Horror's level to fight one on one. Most of the battle was very confusing - arrows, spells, swords and tentacles went all over the place. I got to feel what a Skin Shift spell does to you and sympathized with Laz's pain with a scream of my own. Nothing I did would work. I tried Taunting it, but failed. Sarena succeeded. I couldn't hit it, yet Lucky managed to bite it. And I certainly had no spells to throw against it.

Many of us fell unconscious during the fight, but I was still up to see the end. Phargath produced from somewhere the elven book given to him by Heather's parents and started enscribing a circle on the ground. A glowing yellow shield of light arose around the Elementalist from the ground where he had marked the circle about him.

The Horror saw this and began directing quite a few attacks against Phargath then, as if it knew what the Elementalist was doing. A spell hit the shield and it shimmered but blocked whatever evil Ch'toh'hiz had thrown at him. The Elementalist had put the book down on the ground in front of him and it had begun to glow a bright white. It looked like the pages began turning themselves! In the meanwhile, the Horror just laughed at our futile attacks and promised to extract much pain from us all.

The Horror realised the barrier would stop all spells so it tried a more direct attack on Phargath. Its tentacle slid easily through the yellow shield and struck the Elementalist a mighty blow, but Phargath did not stagger and more damage seemed to be done to Ch'toh'hiz, judging from its scream of pain.

The Elementalist cast his spell.

A thin blue beam of light shot up from the book and hit the Horror. Ch'toh'hiz screamed again, then page after page of the book tore themselves loose and flew up the light and began smothering their target. Page after page after page - forty Gem said in all had been in the book. They seemed to burn their way into the Horror, doing incredible amounts of damage. The bloated form collapsed in on itself from the attack until it sizzled away to nothing.

Gem, watching it on the Astral Plane, claimed she saw the same thing happen to it there - completely destroyed, nothing left!

The book was also destroyed, all its pages gone. And even as we watched, Phargath's hair turned white and he aged a hundred years. The massive amount of strain from performing the spell was killing him and we could do nothing! "We'll take care of Heather!" I cried. "Your son will grow to be a fine man."

And with that, Phargath died, the words: "My son", the last thing on his lips.

Heather regained consciousness and when she saw her dead husband, she started screaming hysterically. I felt like joining her (and still do), but I knew it would serve little purpose. Who knows what was still in that accursed kaer. Sho'Larna started shouting at Cal-lok as if he was to blame. Though ridiculous, none of us made much of an effort to stop her. I led Heather outside and the others carried out Phargath's body.

As we stood around Phargath's pyre, I made an oath that his bravery and sacrifice would never be forgotten. I swore that I would take the journal of the Storm Wolves to the library at Throal and Passions help them if they refuse it, I will shove it down their throats!

We all mourned his passing in our own way last night, but I feel that many of us are still getting over the shock. Yes, we can die.

I write this journal today, waiting with Heather and Sarena while the others have gone back into the kaer to find the journals. Heather had learned from her husband the way to cook food that makes us heal quicker, so our wounds are on the way to recovery. (Our minds shall take a little longer though.) We await the party's return.

. . . Our friends returned late into the afternoon. They found Kaer Gislen's library still in reasonable repair and brought out from it a large number of books and other items. The company called "Malwin's Protector's" members included:

Malwin - male human Warrior
Daynel - male elf Elementalist
Listette - female human Nethermancer
Sif - female windling Wizard
Thalen - male dwarf Thief
Fellenna - female elf Swordmaster
Drunhilde - female dwarf Troubadour

They had left behind fifteen diaries, carefully describing their most prized possessions, as follows:

"Sapphire's Dream" - an amulet of sapphire stones
"Caskin's Copper Gauntlets"
"Thalen's Helper" - a small leather pouch
"Dow's Miracle Cures" - a small red vial of brownish liquid
"Ice Breaker" - a green crystal battle axe

The items, as well as their names, had a description of what they do and how to use them. As well as the journals, there were books on cooking, growing plants underground and general life within the kaer. Gem took the first two to add to her growing collection, as well as the late Wizard Sif's grimoire. There was also a number of elemental coins and gold.

We all agreed that the gold and payment for retreiving the journals would go to Heather. She will need much funds during her time of pregnancy. We asked Heather if she wished to return to Yellow Springs or continue on to Bartertown. She decided that Bartertown will provide better medical facilities for the birth of their child. Heather is going to send word of what had has happened to her parents and hopefully they will be able to come and stay with her.

20 Doddul, 1507 TH

Cal-lok plans to write a song about Phargath's death. Laz looks like he's going to become an Elementalist. I will train Sarena to Third Circle. I am also going to learn to ride a horse properly. Sho'Larna has forgiven Cal-lok and Godfrey. I think Godfrey will be joining us for a while. I get the impression he's a bit of a loner so if he wishes to travel with us, he shall have to grow out of that in a real hurry.