Through the Looking Glass... Session Seven

Date: Saturday, January 19, 2002
Players Attending: Dave, Ike, Neil
Characters Introduced: Milo, halfling monk
NPCs Introduced:

• Herl, local ranger
• Gethrame, lonely old hag
• Nathiel, charismatic ranger
• Jarra, a red-haired sorceress with an alien beauty
• Gariela, anti-social elf
• Darkral, indifferent elven monk
• Korungra, clean and orderly half-orc priest of Hedrada

The party advances very little at the first, waylaid by a far-too-sarcastic DM. Soon after frivolity can be set aside, HARK! There be progress on the horizon! From there on in, sailing was a lot smoother. They discover new things about Quinn, meet a rival adventuring party, and receive much gratitude from Voril (see below). They are then asked by Herl for help, which they provide, getting into some trouble with ratmen while they're at it.

Local legend has it...

1. Runic and Jaroo awaken to the smell of bacon, and the breaking of their fast commences with great vigour.
2. They finish up their breakfast and argue awhile over which of the locals they would like to visit first. Runic wants to see Quinn, and Jaroo wants to see Voril, so they come up with a masterful plan to go separate ways. Ingenious.
3. Arialle is sitting and talking with her father while he works, and they both welcome Jaroo cheerfully. It’s not hard to notice that Voril is indeed a happy man now that his daughter has been returned to him. Jaroo decides to investigate the scorpion for awhile, but cannot glean any more useful information out of the various pieces that are lying about, so he goes about his business, bidding Voril farewell. Voril does the same, but seems to be hiding something from Jaroo’s view…
4. Runic discovers that Quinn has become quite a crotchety old man since he’s last talked to him, but his voice can’t hold that nasal tone for long and he returns to normal. He begins detailing Eralion’s journal (which I hope to post soon), and soon after Jaroo appears. Quinn then describes to them the nature of the papers they found on the floor where Eralion’s body was, stating that someone gave him an immortality spell, but hidden carefully inside of it is ANOTHER spell, one which would’ve turned Eralion into the shadow creature the party confronted.
5. Feeling much enlightened, and with many more questions, the party departs from Quinn’s and goes to speak with Shandril. They all hear a commotion going on to the northeast of the town.
6. Upon investigation, it appears that a rival adventuring party has completed the task of slaying the manticore. The townspeople are much relieved, and the group leader Nathiel makes quite the first impression on the party.
7. Runic helps the half-orc Korungra and the elf Gariela to dispose of the manticore’s body, while Jaroo is smitten with the human sorceress Jarra. Her flaming red hair have no doubt burned it’s way into Jaroo’s heart…
8. Runic and Jaroo have lunch with this rival party, being joined by the charismatic Nathiel. Jaroo tries to gain the favour of the lady Jarra, but to no avail.
9. Milo makes his entrance to the Drunken Cockatrice, hungrily devouring two whole legs of mutton! Meanwhile, Jaroo and Runic happen to notice a cowled character sitting by the fire, watching them…
10. Runic introduces himself to Milo, and they hit it off fairly well. Jaroo and Runic really can’t stand to listen to much more of Nathiel’s extravagant boasting, so when Milo comes down from his room, they both make an excuse to see him and get up from the table.
11. Milo, having told them briefly where he was from, and why he was here, asks about the Monastery of the Standing Stone. The party remembers Lasha, who is from that monastery, and they depart for Shandril’s.
12. They decide to side-track a little to see their good friend Kath. The burly priest expresses his disapproval for Nathiel’s all-consuming ego, which is readily echoed by Jaroo.
13. Shandril greets them pleasantly as they knock on her door, and they ask for Lasha. Lasha comes out and asks what they would like, so Milo states his case. They take a brief walk, and Lasha asks Milo a great many things about the pursuit of enlightenment and such other interests of a monk.
14. Runic notices once again that this cowled-character who was in the Drunken Cockatrice is in the marketplace, and he seems to be watching them again. They begin to wonder…
15. Arialle approaches all three adventurers and asks them to follow her, barely suppressing her excitement. Once they reach Voril’s, he presents to Jaroo a set of three gorgeously-crafted silver darts, with some improvements to the existing design. For Runic, he presents to him a very stout but light metal shield, with the dwarven runes of victory etched onto it’s surface.
16. Marvelling over these new treasures, they are confronted by the cowled man. He introduces himself as Herl, which the party knows of by name, and asks them to walk with him.
17. Herl tells them again, from his perspective, the sad tale of Gethrame. While the party feels another plea for help coming on, they realize that having an old woman in the middle of nowhere, with an old half-elf who’s too much in love to intervene, might not produce the best results. Herl asks them directly to see what is troubling his love, as he cannot bring himself to reveal his presence to her.
18. The party accepts, somewhat grudgingly, and they set out as soon as they can gather their things. Jaroo makes a quick stop at Glendol’s shop, who agrees to sell him his last two Alchemist’s fires IF he promises to bring some back another time.
19. Leaving under the red of dusk, the party makes it’s way to the keep, but they circumvent it and go farther north. Herl shows them the cave where Gethrame lives, and they can hear her lonely, painful moaning.
20. They decide to approach her openly. She greets them, although not in altogether a friendly manner, and they question her as to her grief. She stalls at first, but breaks down and tells these pleasant strangers. Her staff is missing, and without it she’s better off dead (as far as she’s concerned, anyways).
21. Deciding to help the old lady find her staff, the come back to Herl and relate the news. Herl is dumbfounded as to why ratmen would want anything to do with Gethrame, in particular her staff.
22. The party makes it’s way to the lair of the ratmen, which is somewhere in the vicinity of a great, gnarled tree. They realize that a midnight assault may not be to their advantage, so they make a cold camp.
23. On Runic’s watch (the first of the night), he hears many creatures approaching off in the darkness. He alerts his companions, who are immediately surrounded in a hail of arrows!
24. The battle begins! Milo climbs a tree to give himself an advantage, and Runic uses his newfound bond with nature to cause a wide swath of vegetation to rise up and grow. Jaroo takes cover behind some trees.
25. They all hear a struggle near them, like something who’s caught in thick bushes, and more arrows fly.
26. The ratmen finally close, although a few are caught in the tangle of brambles that has grown (with Runic’s help). The party sees two others approach, who aren’t as large and seem to carry some greater power…
27. Many attempts are made by the ratmen witches and their soldiers to overcome the party, but none prevail. The enemy force is soon defeated.
28. Licking their wounds, the party decides to move the camp away from the ratmen lair (wherever it may be), and rest up to begin their investigation the next day!

Thoughts from the party...

Runic's View

Jaroo's View

Strangely, and to my horror… I think I am becoming accustomed to killing…

Granted, the creatures we have as yet run up against have been orcs, gnolls and now, these ratmen; evil creatures all. I know that if they did not die by being crushed by Runic’s axe and hammer or Kath’s strong arms, or peppered with my tiny weapons like some kind of walking pincushion, they could go on and do more evil. And if we are ridding the world of evil, then we are doing good… but even knowing that, I never enjoyed it, never condoned it. I would have preferred to have avoided a single drop of blood spilt if I could have.

Until tonight.

When the arrows came, I acted on instinct. It seems like this always happens. I am not certain if it is the same for Runic; he has such a deep connection to nature that he probably never feels truly unsafe in the forest. For me, every battle begins with me cowering behind some tree or stone, squinting through leaves and darkness to spot what is shooting or roaring or loping or looking for me. Last night was no different.

But even though I could not see Runic or Milo, I didn’t feel the fear that I usually feel. No vice squeezed my heart and chest and lungs until I felt I couldn’t breathe. I did not crouch there, my chest heaving as I suck in great breaths of air. I was still afraid, but it wasn't the near paralysing fear of the previous few weeks. I just took cover and waited patiently. After a time, a couple of ratmen wandered close, and I killed them.

It probably wasn’t graceful or impressive to watch, but I shot one from my cover, and then stepped out, daggers and darts close at hand to meet them.

Before, when we battled the Gnolls, I was angry when Runic killed the last one, which was weaponless and hurt. I was angry at his rash actions, and angry at me, because I did nothing to stop it. I pondered on that late into that night. I think of it still sometimes, although I no longer blame Runic.

But tonight, after the battle was over and I rejoined Runic and Milo, both satisfied with the fight that they had won, I just felt happy that I was alive and us three were safe(for a time). It didn’t occur to me until just now that I had murdered two creatures and felt not a speck of remorse for them.

This had happened really only once before, when I shot the Orc Cleric, Tavik, in the keep with the scorpion… but those were slightly different circumstances.

It’s strange how quickly some things change… but I’m reminded that I am still me every time I feel my life, or the lives of my companions, are in danger.

Hopefully, I will not dream of Ratmen tonight.