Then she (the fox), made a break for the door, and I had to zap her again. This time, she went down for good. Of course, we had a hard time convincing everyone else what was going on, especially those who hadn't seen her transformation. It helped a lot when we found the pit of bones in the forest where she'd been burying the people who'd "left" . Left for her stomach that is! We found some stuff down there that we were able to identify as coming from people the rangers knew, and that finally convinced them. But I don't think Chicot has gotten over it yet. We made our way back to town, and spent some time waiting for Milque to train, again. That deck must have taught him a lot about magic, because his boss said he was ready to learn some more advanced stuff. Glug went and bought some property near the center of town for his future orphanage, and meanwhile, the rest of us tried to figure out what to do next. There was word around town that guys with scars on their hands were looking for me, so I kept as low a profile as a local hero can. "Hey, look! It's Silk!" Sigh. I guess fame has it's problems, although most of the time I've been able to Milque (sic) it for all it's worth. We finally decided to head off to see if we could do something about the cult's other two strongholds, starting with the one to the North in the goblin kingdom. Get them before they get us, I guess. I'd like to not have to watch my back all the time, in any case. The terrain on the way there is pretty rough, but we figured we'd be able to handle it.
Damn. This journal is becoming less and less of a diary, and more and more of an obituary column. Things started out well enough. We had a leisurely day's travel to the north, and camped out near the river we planned to ford the next day. That, however, turned out to be a mistake. We were attacked that night by a band of what we later learned were river ogres. Tougher and smarter than their land brethren, they attacked in two waves. We handled the first wave reasonably well at first, until Chicot got slammed really badly by one of them. He retreated, calling to Glug to heal him, as he was near collapse. Glug, however, was wrapped up in the battle, and thought we were about to mop up the rest of them, so he fought on and ignored Chicot's call. This turned out to be a fatal mistake, as the second wave of ogres put in their appearance. About this time Milque's bowstring broke, taking away his main weapon. We started to retreat, but they were as fast as we were and smelled our fear.
At this point I started letting loose with the wand of lightning, as survival was more important that conserving charges. I blasted a few of them, which put the fear of Silk in some of the rest, but I wasn't fast enough. Quicksilver was hit hard once, and almost went down. As he and Glug tried to retreat, he stopped to help Glug mount his horse, and was hit again, hurling him to the ground. I quickly tried to blast the remaining ogres, hoping we could bandage Quicksilver and keep him alive, but the lead ogre had other plans. He scooped our comrade up to use as a shield against my wand, and headed for the river. Glug tried to come back and help us, but his frightened horse had carried him too far afield, and Chicot was too injured to help as well.
That left Milque and I, neither of whom are great at hand to hand combat. I had used my magic missiles, and couldn't use the wand for fear of hurting Quicksilver. We tracked the ogre to the river, each trying to attack him from behind, but we couldn't get him to fall. He dropped Quicksilver at last as he dove back into his watery home, but it was too late. Too much time had past and his wounds had bled too severely. Quicksilver had fought his last. He was a noble comrade, and in the end he sacrificed himself that Glug might escape. If only... Well, I won't start on that. But I wonder where we'll find a fighter as skilled with the blade to take his place in our party.
We feared to bury him so near the river, as the ogres might return to feast on his remains, so we decided to burn his body and send his spirit on wings of smoke into the sky. We salvaged what he could of his gear, and debated what to do next. Heading on was out of the question, without another fighter amongst us we'd stand no chance against the cult. Heading back to town was our only option, and as none of us were likely to sleep well so near the river ogre's lair, we started back at once. Chicot found us a glade an hour or so journey back where we could spend the night, with Glug healing and sleeping in turns.
It didn't work out quite like I planned, however, as Chicot decided to follow some goblin tracks into the woods on his watch. And since he can't see in the dark, he fell into a pit trap! So it wasn't until I woke almost in the morning that we realized he was gone. We had Blink follow his trail and found him unconscious at the bottom of a pit. Fortunately the goblins didn't find him first. We hauled him to the top, and Glug healed him again, and we went back to camp. By morning, we were better able to continue, although somber and weary. The walk back seemed interminable, and we hiked for the most part in silence, each wrapped in our own thoughts. At last we reached the more settled lands around Basimar, and finally the city itself hove into view.
On seeing our return, the people clamored for news, but I put them off with a few words about our comrade's death and a promise to tell them more later. We had time, it turns out, as Milque was once again ready to train. It seems he'd been very close last time, and the ogres had put him over the top. Glug, as usual, got drunk. I set about trying to find another fighter who could take Quicksilver's place, inquiring at the Adventurer's Guild and with Danelle, but most fighters were either helping rebuild the town, or were off doing other things. I went back to talk to Glug about what I'd been doing, and found him passed out on his lot in town, surrounded by empty kegs and "disciples". Sigh.
I hung out hoping to get him to wake up, when I saw a mountain moving towards me. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but not by much. A person, I *think* human, was coming towards me, who was larger and uglier than anyone I'd ever seen. He was at least a foot and a half taller than I am, and I'm not exactly short. He was dressed in chainmail, or some custom made equivalent, and had what looked like a round tavern table strapped to his back as a shield. That, and a sword that I wouldn't even try to lift with two hands, but that he would later wield with one! I was more than a little nervous as he approached, and did a quick check for scars on his hands. He didn't have any, but that didn't comfort me a lot, as he could easily have been hired muscle. A *lot* of muscle.
He asked me where he could find Glug, as he'd been told this was where Glug lived. I pointed out the comatose figure on the ground, and said that being as Glug was indisposed, perhaps I could help him. I was really amused by his reply. He'd heard Glug was a nice guy, and wanted Glug to talk to Silk for him, to ask if he could join the party! I grinned, mentioned I happened to *be* Silk, and asked him about what kind of experience he had. Some, it turns out, mostly bashing goblins, which could be really useful where we were going. Elo probably wasn't as experienced as Quicksilver had been, but with his stature it might not matter much. I got Glug to do a Know Alignment on him later, just to make sure he wasn't evil, cleared it with Milque, and signed him up. I want him on my side, thank you! We got him settled in the stables near us, as no bed would fit him. Then Glug asked for all his money, which I reluctantly handed over to him. Sigh. I hope I don't have to bail him out. But he said all he needed was a stake and he'd be set. I thought that was all the recruiting I'd need to do, but I was in for a little surprise.
By the time Milque had finished training, Glug had gone and started himself an orphanage! Somehow he'd scammed the town council into giving him a building to house it in, and with the money I'd held for him he'd gotten it up and running. We went to see him, and found youngsters running three card monte games out front, and playing dice by the stairs. Blackjack, as I understand, was in the basement, and the lottery was run out of the kitchen. I kept a very close hold on my purse as we went upstairs to find him. He broke the news at that point that his adventuring days were over. Foolishly, I didn't think to ask him for his ring of fire resistance, which he's probably pawned by now.
I left him with a notice we got from Groat, which showed that the head priest of Sylvania there had taken over the town, turning it into a sterile and colorless den of good behavior, sobriety, and boredom, and he promised to set up a satellite orphanage there as soon as possible. But this, however, left us without a healer. And I was not going adventuring without a healer. A quick check of the local temples was depressing. Only straight arrow Sylvania had healers, which meant we were stuck with a lawful good priest in our midst. Chicot probably wouldn't mind, and I don't know about Elo's feelings on the subject, but Milque and I were not very happy. Blink seemed to think this was a great idea. Milque and I visited the temple in search of a cleric, sending Chicot and Elo off to practice two sword fighting outside of town. We gave Elo Quicksilver's enchanted longsword, which is a shortsword as far as he's concerned. A fighter with a two handed sword and a longsword at the same time. Now that's frightening.
I could smell the antiseptic incense as we entered the temple, and the haughty aura of the clerk behind the foyer desk was palpable at 10 paces. I guess my reputation as a city savior hadn't reached through the gilt doors of Sylvania's temple yet. I stated my request in as courtly a manner as I could, saying that we were in search of a healer to join our quest to defeat the evil of the Red-Robed cultists. After much hemming and hawing (in a holier than thou tone of voice, of course. Come to think of it, he was a lot holier than me, but he didn't have to rub it in), he said there was one priest who might be interested, but that we probably didn't want him. Further discussion revealed that he was boisterous and not at all suited to the monastic life. Exactly what we were looking for.
The clerk cast a Know Alignment spell on us, and sniffed a little, but said we could talk to this troublemaker. Brother Thadeous was summoned forth, and after talking for a while we agreed to meet for dinner so he could make the acquaintance of the rest of the party. Naturally, Elo was something of a surprise to him . And to the barmaids, who were nervous about even serving him. I acted as intermediary, and got him a sturdier chair and a serving bowl of the deer stew. Which he promptly told me was called venison. I once again reminded myself that big doesn't equal stupid. Elo may not be as bright as me, but he was far from an idiot. Ignorant, perhaps, ugly, certainly, but not stupid. I unrolled the map, and proceeded to knock Elo's beer into his lap. Fortunately, he's also nice, once you get past the face, and left my arms attached to my body. I was thankful for this, as it helps with both spellcasting and lockpicking to have arms.
Once I described it, Elo said he'd actually been through the Pass of the Mouth, although it was about 15 years earlier. We decided we'd at least take a look, before going the long way around through the not so savory forest to the east. Milque could sneak in to scout. If I made him invisible, with his sneaking talent no one would detect him.
Thadeous was eager to get started, so we agreed to meet the next morning and head out. He was waiting, dressed in shining plate mail, bright and early, when we got downstairs the next morning. I might have guessed. A morning person. It's sinful what monasteries do to impressionable young people. Save Glug's, of course.
This time, we were smarter, and camped farther from the river. So instead of water ogres, we got hill giants instead. Chicot hates hill giants. As soon as he saw them, he charged, sword drawn, into the fray. Well, technically, he started the fray, but I guess it would have happened anyway. This time I wasn't taking any chances. I cast a mirror image for protection and immediately pulled my wand out. I called for Elo to help Chicot, and blasted two of them with a lightning bolt. Milque also mirror imaged and pulled his bow out, maneuvering to get a clear shot. Tad, eyes ablaze with a fervor at this chance to fight evil, charged in to fight at his side.
Chicot, of course, immediately got knocked to the ground. Sigh. I stayed back. That didn't keep one of them from charging forward and whacking at me, however. I must have missed something on that mirror image spell, because he picked me out first time. Ouch. That really hurt. Tree trunks are large and heavy, and should stay rooted in the ground, not be swung at me by big hairy guys who haven't washed recently. I returned the favor by making all his hair stand up very straight, and then watched him topple like a tree. Meanwhile, Milque was busy pumping arrows into the giants near him, and Elo had engaged the giant standing over Chicot, which gave him a chance to rise.
I pumped magic missiles at the one by Milque and kill him, and Elo killed the one he and Chicot were fighting. This leaves one, which between Milque's arrows, Blink's teeth, and my missiles doesn't last long. I complement Elo on his fighting, and tell Chicot that he'd be more successful fighting giants with a little more strategy. I doubt it did any good though. The next day we quickly reached the river and made our way across. Milque shape changes into a form with wings and flies across, but the rest of us just hitch a ride on Elo's shoulders. The water was only up to his chest! The rest of the day went uneventfully, save for a brief encounter with a band of ogres. There were only six of them, and they were the land based variety, so they didn't cause us too much trouble. Elo killed two fairly quickly, and Milque killed a couple. Even Chicot killed one! It must have been a runt. Chicot never kills anything. He didn't even drop a weapon. Come to think of it, he didn't the night before either. Wow. Maybe he found some tar for his gauntlets while we were in town. Anyway, the last one ran, but Milque chased it down and killed it, so it wouldn't alert anyone else. Of course the fire drake that flew overhead probably took care of that. We'll need to be very careful approaching the pass.
On to Journal Fourteen