A Sign of Hope

Pavel is gone. Not just dead, gone. I overheard him say that he would correct his mistake. Then he laid his hands upon Claudia and traded his life for hers. Nothing was left but his material possessions. We still have with us the child.

No sooner had Pavel disappeared, we were attacked by dark armored warriors and soot spewing hounds of fire. A stone brazier belched forth a cloud of choking ash and slid aside. As the last hound fell I went to investigate the brazier. I found an opening in the wall. Another foul creature lurked in the space beyond, so I charged in to destroy it. It had great claws and a demonic countenance. It retreated and closed the opening, pushing me back and out of its lair.

I told the rest of the group what I had seen and they were eager to pursue. We found the switch to the door and took the fight to it. It did not put up much of a fight, I must have hurt it more than I thought. The brazier sliding back on must have banged my head, I thought that I saw four Animosus'. After it was destroyed Animosus and I examined a table that contained its ill gotten loot. I now hold many gems and a fine shortbow, while Animosus is keeping the potions, for distribution later. It seems that he and I have a different connection. I don't know if it is him or me that has changed.

Leaf has found a passage under the temple. Animosus and I took point. He went first and as he stepped past the doorway he was engulfed in flickering light, and then it stopped. It seems to have been a deadly trap that failed to do its foul work. I believe we may have tipped the balance of this struggle. We now fight as one.

Another Dark Temple

This has been a dark day. We found the risen temple of Bane, and were attacked by mist and illusion. When that cleared we found we were faced with a living being of mud. Animosus, Nemiseth, and I closed and battled it. It was resistant to our weapons, but was no match for our determination. No sooner had we dispatched it but a horrid orb of death FLOATED into our view. I ran to get a better vantage point on top of some black carriages and almost got stuck in some quickearth. Once on top, I fired some arrows into it. Pavel ran straight toward it and assailed it with his fists. The priest of Tempus finished it with a searing blast of Holy fire.

Our search for the entrance brought us to the opposite side of this foul structure. The bard had found some items in the carriages and used one to open the doors. He lost his finger as the price of entry, such foul things we have found. We entered, looked around and saw a strangely gleaming light. Claudia suddenly began walking toward it. She started screaming in agony, Pavel rushed to her, I could only hold the rope that everyone else was still using to get into the temple. By the time we reached them, words fail me.............................It seems that Pavel has killed her and brought forth a baby, from a woman who was not with child, in an ancient temple of horrific Evil. Ilmater save us all, what has he done!

Of Good and Evil

Things have gone from bad to worse. Pavel ran off, I don't understand the mind of this holy man. Lief and I decided to rejoin the rest of the party and let Pavel return when he was ready.

When we did find them Slyl and Kelestri were missing. They had gone back for something Animosus had tossed away. He did not remember doing that. ( Still worse!) We turned back to find them when Slyl came running at us, bloodied, a look of fear and determination on his face. He indicated that we should follow him and turned and ran back the way he came. Animosus wanted to attack him, fearing that Slyl had harmed Kelestri, but I advised we should find out what was going on before anything rash was done.

We found Kelestri apparently unharmed, and she had information. How she acquired it, I am still not sure, but it seemed to involve some swamp enchantress. We decided to camp, both to rest and to make it easier for Pavel to find us.

Before we could do anything though, we were attacked by great demonic troll. It went straight for Slyl. It was fast, and tore through our companion before he could act. I was too late to save him, but I was not going to this monster do any more harm. I put myself between it and the rest of the party, including Slyl's body. I traded blows with it and wounded it grievously. Kelestri helped to finish the troll.

What happened next I can only hope was a bad dream, though I am sure it was not. Claudia, a darkly pretty young priestess of Kelemvor, began casting a spell capable of restoring Slyl to life! Animosus began to argue that we should wait, that we were better off with Slyl dead. I was shocked to hear a paladin speak so of a companion. I had no idea their differences ran so deep.

His next action stunned me more. As Claudia was finishing her spell, Animosus leaped forward and knocked her back away from Slyl, ruining any chance of success. I tried to stop him, but he was too quick, perhaps fueled by hatred.

We found a place to camp, argued until the sun set, but came to no conclusion. I am guarding Slyl's body, so that no harm comes to it. Claudia says she can attempt to bring him back tomorrow. I must show Animosus why it is right to raise Slyl, I cannot abandon a comrade.

The Flooded Forest

Freedom is more dangerous than I imagined. I have fought savage lizardmen, a troll-like creature with strange powers, and priests and wizards of Bane.

The lizardmen were intent on killing, our efforts at peaceful negotiation were ignored. I am saddened that we were forced to inflict on them what it seemed they expected.

This Witch has been very hard to track down. At the first ruined lizardman village we were ambushed by a troll like I have never seen before, and hope to never see again. It was very difficult to injure and fought with a ferocity unmatched by any but the most fanatical of Thayan Knights. Two strange Baneites slew our guide, a lizardman shaman called Sheshak. We managed to escape a confrontation with them by pretending to ally with them. One seemed to be dissatisfied with his lot, we let him go. The other disappeared.

We rested in an underground chamber where we found a scholar, forced to work for the searching Baneites. During the night we were attacked by a magical melding of lizardman parts. It was horrible to see, and worse to battle. We were fortunate not to lose any of our party. We did acquire some magical items, I came away with some enchanted gloves.

Our rest interrupted, we soon were underway again, through fetid water anywhere from ankle to chest deep. Among old dead trees Pavel was attacked by a swarm of floating insects. I tried to swim to him and pull him away, but monks are tough to rescue. I decided to swim away from the biting swarm to get a better perspective. I swam into yet another monster. A huge snake-like creature with small tentacles ringing its mouth loomed before me in the water. I tried to touch it with the gloves, which could release a bolt of lightning, but I failed on my first attempt. It bit and stung me and I could tell that it had weakened me greatly. I released the magic of the gloves into it and started to rise for air. As I rose it bit me again while I drew my kukris. I knew I was wounded badly, and I called on Ilmater to protect my companions. With everything to lose I dove into battle with my blades. I struck it once, I struck it twice, the third blow was devastating. It sank into the water, a danger no more.

Then something very strange happened. It seemed that the rogue, Slyl had attacked Pavel from behind, leaving him paralyzed. Someone cast a spell on Slyl and he started to sink beneath the water. I grabbed Pavel so that he wouldn't do the same. Animosus and Kelestri seemed about to kill Slyl before he came back up. Animosus and Slyl got into a fierce argument, there are old wounds here. Pavel recovered, chastised Slyl, and stalked off. Leaf followed him. When they didn't return or seem to stop to wait, I felt the need to go and get them.

I am not sure how long I have been walking with the "mad" monk, but I worry that we are much too far away from the rest of our party. I don't know if I will be enough protection for this fragment of The Company of Light and Darkness.