December 601
12-14-01 (Friday)
Where was I today? Kalrich is permanently dead because of me! I should have
warned everyone. I should have told them... I had meant too...really. Why didn't
I?! Diakaryu had said he would kill them, my friends. He said he would, and he
did. I had been waiting for his rotten corpse to show up so I could face him
again, and hopefully destroy him, but that did not happen. It seems he came in
the darkest of the night and was not alone...Garn was with him. Garn can be as
bad, if not worse then Diakaryu, in my mind, and I cannot think of why he would
have been there unless destruction and chaos were involved. It seems that
Diakaryu also had his play doll out with him to maim and murder at his will. I
shudder to think it was made in my image. It will be destroyed...as he will be.
Kalrich, I am sorry. There is no more I can say but that, and even then, my
words sound hollow in my ears. I could have been there, and I could have stopped
this. This cannot be allowed to happen any longer! They will try to stop me, as
they have said they would, but I will do what I must to bring this to an end...
That is my promise.
12-15-01 (Saturday)
The Beholder who has been in the goblin caves these last few months must be
destroyed tonight! It seems the orcs and minions of this creature have been
digging tunnels underneath the city of Nunverhill and laying traps. If we do not
stop it, the town will most likely not be here to see the light of the morning
sun. We have been trying these last few days to weaken the beholder's compound
by blowing up support beams and collapsing parts of the cave. We did what we
could, but the town is in danger, and so it it time to continue our search for
it inside. It saddens me to think on this, as the last time I went to do this,
Kalrich led the charge...and now... No matter, there is nothing I can do about
that right now. I will deal with that another time.
willow and her group had gone to gather items to create a substance that might
allow us to defeat the Beholder with better chances of survival. It seems that
when all the items are mixed together, it creates a tacky substance we can
throw. Should it land on the eyes of the Beholder, it will keep them shut, thus
keeping it from using it's abilities. Or so the theory is... We will see. It is
not as if we have a choice.
As the time drew near for us to leave, we gathered up at the Guildhall. Lord
Tiberius and his group were there and Willow arrived shortly thereafter with the
substance. She was missing an ingredient, but all was not completely lost...it
would work once. So we had only once chance to hit the eye. If we missed, we
would deal with the consequences then. We did not plan to miss though, and Kiril
set a few of us up to practice throwing. The target was small and set out a
great distance, so that he could watch and pick from the best of us. This person
would get the substance as they had the best chances of striking the target. The
night wore on and we were all getting anxious to go, but walking in the front
door would have been a death wish on us all, so we began concocting plans, and
finally Symkin suggested something. A Fae had been around earlier and he would
ask him to 'pook' him into the Beholder's lair. Once inside he would gypsy curse
him, and then 'pook' out. He hoped this would draw the creature out of the cave
where we had better chances to fight it. We agreed to try this and so Symkin set
off to find the Fae. We began gathering everyone together as we wouldn't have
much time once Symkin accomplished his task. It was then that Tiberius told us
he would not help. WHAT! His town was going to be destroyed and he would not
help us defend it! What kind of noble is he?!? His answer on why disgusts me... Apparently
before he received his title to the crown, he had made a deal with the Fae. He
would not be involved with anything that dealt with Fae, and since Symkin had
gone to get help from the Fae, he would not help us. Grrr... So in other words,
this situation was a conflict of interests, and he chose to side with the Fae
instead of his kingdom. Pitiful... I am sure the King would be so proud of
him... Well at least we know where his loyalties lie.
Kiril was grasping at controlling his anger at Tiberius and his group by this
time. It was obvious that it was difficult for him, and so we went to find
willow and begin our task. We looked and looked, but she was nowhere to be seen.
GRRRRRRR... She had left town, and taken the substance with her! OMG! Can you
trust no one anymore these days?! It seems you cannot! Now Kiril was really
having difficulty, and so we just yelled for those who would come to follow and
we set off. Twelve of us there were, and when I looked at out motley bunch, I
truly expected to see them all next in a circle. How did we ever plan to defeat
this creature? My companions this night as I walked into battle were, Kiril,
Yr'lie, Calypo, Bovie, Valhalla, Danrick, Cerebus, Spindle, Symkin, Gus, and
Tanis. Good luck to us all...
We came upon the cave, as we had done several times before. Symkin had seen the
Beholder and cursed it, and so I prepared for the creature. Every trap I had at
my disposal was laid out in front of the entrance. If all went well, these would
hopefully stop it. If not destroy it, at least slow it down... We waited, and
then suddenly, orcs poured forth from the entrance of the cave. The first few
waves went down easily as they blew themselves up in the traps I had laid for
their Master. I was slightly disappointed in the fact that now I had nothing to
use on the Beholder, but that lasted only a moment once I realized the sheer
number of orcs we were to fight. And fight we did...We literally built up a wall
and charged ahead, the broke off into smaller groups to pick off the orcs one by
one. The fight seemed to last for hours... We would take turns fighting, and
then stepping back to be healed. Others would fill our spots as we moved back to
rest or readjust. As someone said, we were a well oiled machine. Kiril gave us
the courage to continue with periodic moral boosters. It was as if we could do
anything at that moment. Even Calypso, while adjusting his armor, would give a
speech like no other. It was enough to give my heart hope that at least one of
us would return to tell of this battle! Finally the orcs, ilithids, and walking
brains began to thin. It was then we became truly scared...
Out from the depths of the cavern came a rumbling. one as such I had never heard
before. The walls began to shake, and then suddenly we could see it! The
Beholder, for which was the very purpose we had come here. We all stopped for a
moment to gaze upon the very largeness of our foe. It was so huge, in fact, that
it could not leave the cavern. It was trapped, so to speak, in the entrance.
This meant that our next plan of action was all for naught as well. We had
planned to draw it out so that we would have the trees and the bushes to help
shelter us from it's deadly rays. Now it had the advantage really. We would have
to come to it, and walk directly at it, in order to destroy it. We were now just
asking to die... The eye stalks began to rotate toward us, and sure enough, it
started out Obliterating people. Thank goodness that many of us our agile, but
even that did not save us in the end. I remember as we pushed forward, my
companions all hitting the ground one after another as they were hit with this
deadly ray. Yr'lie and Valhalla ran to each of them as they ducked and
sidestepped trying to avoid being caught themselves. Calypso and I ran up toward
the front and began throwing every globe we had. I threw nausea after
nausea...at least twenty or so, trying to weaken the creature. I cold here the
fighters on the other side as their swords struck the beast over and over again.
Once I was out of globes, Calypso stepped in to take over. Now that I had
weakened it, he threw the instant deaths I had given him earlier for this
specific reason. He never missed I don't think, and slowly but surely the
Beholder fell to the gasses and the blades of our little group. We all drew in a
deep breath as we surveyed the carnage. The healers were at work even now
bringing back these heroes from death and healing those who still stood. We had
defeated it...finally, and not without loss. Several times we had all almost
died and seen the circle. Yes, we had won, but I had used much in the process
and so had many others. I began to take inventory of what I had left. After all,
we still had to get back to town did we not? It was at this moment the creature
stirred back to life. NO! How did this happen? Was it not dead just moments
before? I did not have time to react before the fighters were on it. Their
swords were sharp and their aim good. This new battle did not last long, though
it was as scary as the first. I heard cantrips mentioned...so it could use them
as well. I shook my head at the thought, and congratulated myself for being in
the company of these fine men and women. For without them, not only would I have
surely died here this day, but the town would have as well. They are all truly
heroes!
We walked back into town, weary, war torn. We did not expect a party or coins
thrown at our feet, but then, we did not expect the jeers and ridicule we received
either. Had these people no shame? We had just saved them all and they could not
even open their mouths to say thank you. It was a sad sight. I vowed to let my
companions know that they were better then this. They did not deserve what they
were getting now...
12-16-01 (Sunday)
Kiril was obviously angry about the incident last night as well, as he posted a
message calling all those who betrayed us cowards. I must agree with him. We did
what they would not, and in doing so were branded badly ourselves. Tis a shame
when those sworn to protect are the very same who hide under their covers and
weep in fright when death comes knocking at their door...