Adventure Journals

1 Gahmil

This is what being a hero is about. After I/we banished Circadias we returned to Travar amidst cheering crowds (and the fiery ruin of the black ship). Added to this we were able to return with a chest full of gold, Circadias's sword and armor, an elaborate mirror that I'm reasoning has powers that allow traveling over large distances, a short sword, a pouch of stones that the creature in the kaer traded to us, and of course the Tome of Banishment itself. It didn't take long to determine that the spell to banish the Rakken was much simpler than the one to banish Circadias. (Only five threads? Please.) All in all, a heroic haul indeed.

Except that, in the tales, heroes don't hurt from countless small (and large) wounds. I'm not in good shape, but compared to Rensil, Dorra, Silar, and Ulm I'm pretty healthy. Even the mighty Mica showed some red. Heroes also don't scorn people who try to help, like Kathleen. Instead of encouraging her to develop her talents I tried only to protect her. I was incensed when she stowed away on the Passions' Wind, but it was too late to change that. As a Wizard I should have dealt with actuality instead of trying to shame Kathleen by showing off. Thinking logically, I can't even blame her for stowing away. It was an incredibly brave act. I don't know if I would have dared. It is Kathleen who should be seen as a pride to the Discipline of Wizardry.

5 Gahmil

We left Travar today. The others seemed anxious to return to Valvria, to home. I admit to wanting to return to Throal, but is it really home? To Dorra and Rensil, yes. To Mica and Ulm it is if they choose it to be, neither has a current home. Silar already has a home with his people, but Tomas? I've never though of any one place as home. All of my life has been spent traveling, with my master Ahriman Nightscribe or alone, never settled in one place knowing that I will be there again tomorrow. I wonder what it's like?

The last three days have been fascinating. Air Marshall Drimsby allowed me to keep the Tome of Banishment, on the provision that I make a copy for the city of Travar. I was hesitant to let such power fall into the hands of the public, but Drimsby assured me that the Tome would be kept protected in his office so I made him a copy. I now know more than I ever had about Horrors (more than I want to know). There were descriptions of general Horror types as well as passages on individual Horrors like Circadias. This may give me nightmares.

7 Gahmil

The ship approaches Throal. I've spent most of this journey in deep thought, not meditation. I've been brooding over my treatment of Kathleen, and suddenly I realized there was one I had wronged more than her: Rensil.

Don't get me wrong, I still think the elf is a complete flake. Between his listening to the trees and his "Blanket of Barsaive" I have to wonder about his sanity. But not his courage, dependability, or ability. The sight of him sneaking among the cadaver men, all alone on the black vessel sticks in my mind. At first I was annoyed that he wasn't aiding in the battle with the stone dogs and giants. He just didn't have the spells. I never have trusted him enough to loan him Listnar's grimoire. I never knew if the group could count on him to be there when we needed him. Now, I no longer question him. When we get "home" I'll let him have the book.

On the trip Dorra approached me. She said that it was a common occurrence that operatives of the Eye of Throal get assigned to individual parties of adventurers and wanted to know if I objected to her traveling with us full time. I don't, and I told her so. In fact, I find Dorra a better companion than any of the others. Rensil is just too odd to feel comfortable with. Mica, while I love having his sword on my side of a fight, seems a bit shallow. His one-day-at-a-time philosophy grates on me after a while. For short periods of time he's fun to be around, but he doesn't shine as a conversationalist.

Silar is both better and worse than he used to be. He's finally coming out of the shell he's been in since finding T'skriss R'scrimmon. I'm just not sure that's a good thing. He seems less focused now than before, almost aimless. I wonder if he may adopt a new Discipline. His hero complex can be irritating at times, but he's a good sort. So are Rensil and Mica, don't get me wrong. I'm sure their complaints about me are twice as harsh and twice as valid.

The one that there may be real trouble with is Ulm. Ulm absolutely refuses to accept anyone else's advice on any subject. Ulm will do as Ulm will do. Case in point: In the windling kaer we stopped to rest and recover. Ulm wanted to check out the ruined city, so he wandered off to do it. When Dorra suggested that we stay together (wise counsel, I thought) Ulm dismissed the idea and carried on.

I wonder what Ulm said to Dorra about joining the group?

16 Gahmil

Life has settled into some sort of routine. Once we settled into the house at Valvria everyone sort of went their own ways. I believe each of us sought training for circle advancement. I, of course, went to Yistane to see the Wizard Arkayz -- he was more than happy to relieve me of my silver. I did get some nice spells from him, though.

Dorra has been dropping by regularly. While she is still billeted elsewhere, it seems she was correct about being assigned to this party. No one, not even Ulm, seems to mind.

Life here has been expensive. In addition to the training costs and living expenses we've been trying to get the house furnished. I had a nice bookcase made for my quarters, with brackets to hold the "magic" mirror from the black ship. (I still don't know what it does. Dorra said she was learning the Item History talent, so perhaps she can learn about it.) Tonight Ulm made a discovery about the broadsword we took off Circadias. It's called a Sword of Slaying, specifically designed to kill Name-givers. While it would (I'm sure) fetch a pretty penny in Bartertown we all agreed it would be better off destroyed. Ulm is going to take it to his forge and destroy it.

Today I also started learning Elementalism from a colleague of Arkayz. The basics of Elemental Thread Weaving are the same as in Wizardry and Illusion. "Seeing" into the whirling strands of energy that we call the astral plane is the same. The difference is in recognizing which whirling strands are used to power Elemental spells and how to handle each type of strand to combine it with the other strands needed for a thread. There are five Elemental strands: Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Wood. These correspond to the five Illusion strands: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, and Sound. Wizardry has six strands (perhaps this explains our innate sense of superiority): Reason, Will, Belief, Imagination, Personality, and Expression. Perhaps the lesser Disciplines each have a sixth (or seventh?) strand that will work with existing strands. My own attempts to synthesize Wizard and Illusion strands have been utter failures. Whenever I bring strands of different Disciplines together they absolutely refuse to merge into a single thread. I can hold the strands together for as long as I want, but they never create any power. I fear that Elemental strands will prove just as resistant to cross-weaving.

It was interesting to watch Mica weave a thread to the sword Smoke. The techniques he used in creating the thread and attaching it from his pattern to Smoke's Pattern followed all the basic precepts of other Thread Weaving, but it seemed to be random strands that he used. I'm sure to him the strands looked different from the others, but not to me. The elaborateness of his weave impressed me, but for a permanent thread it was necessary.

30 Gahmil

It's almost time to get back on the road. Silar and Mica are almost out of money. Silar bought a pair of "Lightning Bolt Earrings." As a party we put down 1000 silver on a magic vial that produces booster potions. The vial represents a commitment from each of us towards being a single party. Dorra has started talk of a deeper commitment -- forming a group pattern. Right now it is still speculative as Ulm still doesn't know Thread Weaving. I think we also have some party dynamic issues that need to be addressed before taking that step.

Everybody is looking forward to Earthtime. I wonder how much Mica will drink? I have too much studying and experimenting to do to celebrate too much.

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