Lady Red (log)

This is an excerpt from the logbook of the long jurney from Sasserine to Farshore on the Isle of Dread, as it was written by Lady Red.

To End

Leaving Sasserine

Day 1

Early morning.

After all our preparations and having spent the last weeks studying spells, scribing scrolls and making magic items, it is with a feeling of relief we're finally setting sail.

It is a beautiful morning and a soft wind slowly bring our two ships out to sea, almost majestically. The stress to get everything done in time and to take care of all things to be left in Sasserine is slowly replaced by anticipation of the long journey ahead. The fabled Isle of Dread our destination, full of dangers, treasure and unknown knowledge waiting to be explored here we come.

Noon.

It took several hours of uneventful sailing before I began missing the library of the Witchwardens. Thankfully I have my alchemical laboratory. A few hours of moving stuff around, without really accomplishing anything, made me feel better. I put up a simple map of our voyage on the wall by my bed and marked our progress so far. It's not much more than a dot as of yet. I also made sure the nest for Rara Avis is set safely next to the window. Nighttime my dear peregrine falcon sleeps indoors with me.

The course is still north, and we're making good way. It's still a funny feeling to be travelling north when our destination is so far to the south.

Evening.

When the first day at sea was nearing it's end, the shocker lizard of Liamae, the Jade Ravens sorceress, brought a message from Lavinia Vanderboren in which she invites us to dinner this evening.

After midnight.

We took in most of the sails and lay alongside the Blue Nixie. Some ropes were tied between the ships and a seat was attached to them using a pulley. This was used to ferry the guests to the dinner and let the crews visit each others ships. I, of course, flew to the other ship. Jennikki was planning to swing over but somehow she managed to dive head first into the sea. I was mostly surprised she didn't just swim across in the first place. She's almost aquatic anyways.

The guests included, apart from our little clique, Avner Meravanchi, Skald, Urol Forol and Father Feres from the Sea Wyvern, and Lavinia, Captain Sarim Pepper, and the Jade Ravens from the Blue Nixie. Lirith was disappointed that she wasn't invited. I sensed that she has a better upbringing than she admits. It seems she's trying to hide her family background. I should know. Amella Venkalie stayed on the Sea Wyvern to keep an eye on things when we were off.

During dinner I sat between Avner and Father Feres. It's awful that my brother don't know of us being relatives. That womanizer couldn't keep his hands to himself. In the end I had to leave the table to get away from him. The father wasn't the most interesting conversationalist either. But everyone wasn't as unfortunate. Aiken flirted with Lavinia (or was it the other way around), Jennikki went for a swim with Kaskus Kiel, the druid of the Jade Ravens, and Blood seemed to get along all to well with Liamae. After dinner a few of the crew gathered with some instruments and there was dancing. Captain Pepper asked me, and I accepted immediately, to some extent to avoid Avner. Afterwards we conversed and I found him quite interesting. The old Captain has a lot of stories to tell.

When the evening was coming to an end and we were returning to our ship Aiken, the show off, were to walk on one of the ropes between the ships. When he was midway the rope snapped and he fell, not that far though, since he grabbed on to the other rope and avoided a big splash. At the same time something fell from the crow's nest on the Sea Wyvern. I flew over and it turned out to be a steam mephit. A quick web held it in place. It had the very bad taste of using an acid spray on me! I gave it a couple of magic missiles and then it cast stinking cloud. Since I couldn't see it, I couldn't harm it anyway so I flew out of the cloud and started dispelling it. When the stinking cloud was gone the steam mephit had died from bullets and bolts, Avner boldly bragged about how he had slayed it, although everyone knew it was one of Amellas crossbow bolts he held as proof of his deeds.

When we discovered that the rope had been cut through an investigation was started. Someone was behind these sabotages and we were set to find out who. My good bird of prey, Rara Avis, had seen a glass jar with a creature cramped inside in the crow's nest, but had no idea of when it appeared or how. My main theory is that someone with a way of using invisibility did it. Going through the ship with detect magic didn't give any results, but it's not that hard to hide magic items from detections. Lirith and Skald were among the suspects. We will have to keep an eye open for anything suspicious, but we kept the investigation to only the officers. It could damage morale among the superstitious sailors. Their world is full of bad omen.

Day 10

Afternoon.

Today we sighted a merchant ship. They told us about a ship full of goblin pirates that had demanded toll but let them pass when it was payed.

Day 13

Noon.

We will soon arrive at Fort Blackwell. I'm definitely looking forward to some fresh supplies to improve on the cuisine.

Evening.

As we entered Fort Blackwell, I really looked forward to visit a new town. It turned out that it wasn't really a town but rather a village surviving on the passing trade. Father Feres asked if anybody would encompany him to the Heironeous monastery. I and some others, but not Blood, did. It was a rather small missionary station, much smaller than I expected. The others stayed ashore, drinking and whatever it is sailors do during a short shoreleave, probably for the rest of the night. I returned to the Sea Wyvern and my bed.

Day 14

Morning.

We set sail early in the morning. As we now turn south we are finally traveling in the correct direction.

Followed by pirates

Day 17

Noon.

Rara Avis spotted a ship on the port bow, just beyond the horizon that is on a course that will intercept us. We suspect it to be the goblin pirates that we were told of earlier.

Evening.

The ship has kept it's distance but is now trailing us. It seems their ship can use the weak wind better than ours, but hasn't used this advantage yet.

Day 18

Morning.

The goblins are still following us, but keep their distance.

Evening.

They stayed behind us the whole day.

Day 19

Morning.

Skald noticed that during the night the goblin pirates, who's ship has blackened sails, had crept up quite close to us, but still didn't attack. They are now back at the same position as yesterday.

Afternoon.

I suggested to the captain that we try to fool the pirates that we loose speed and get behind the Blue Nixie as they probably won't attack as we have two ships against their one. To make sure we still had a way of communicating, Aiken sent his parrot familiar to live with Lavinia on the Blue Nixie. The pirates didn't react to our ships getting further apart during the day.

Day 20

Late morning.

The pirates apparently got closer during the night but still made no move to attack. Perhaps just to make sure that they wouldn't loose us during the night. Father Feres has taken ill. It seems he has a fever and has been put to bed.

Noon.

Father Feres is getting worse. Since Jennikki is visiting the Blue Nixie, Blood has been trying to take care of him, so far with limited success.

Afternoon.

It turns out that Father Feres doesn't have the fever but is infected with a embryo of a magical beast, called blue slaad. I've read about those. They impregnate their victim and then their offspring grow within the host until they are bigger than the host body and burst out causing the death of the host in a messy way. Cinnamon flew off to get hold of Jennike and make sure she prepares remove disease for tomorrow. There's not much else we could do.

Almost midnight.

The pirates closed in on us again during the early hours of the night. The captain tried to use one of the very good tricks I suggested, but failed to carry it through. This time I think they saw through us and now they know we are trying to provoke them to attack and will keep thier distance.

Day 21

Morning.

Finally the pirates have left us alone. Jennikki used her remove disease spell with great effect. It seems we got rid of two problems at once.

Late night tentacles

Day 22

Afternoon.

We have reached the mouth of a greater river. We went upstreams to get fresh water, when the wind failed us. I levitated up to a high altitude to get a really good look at the river from above. I held on to a rope to make sure I wouldn't be blown away by a sudden wind. I found out a few inaccuracies of my otherwise very exact maps. I was joined by Rara Avis. It was a quite entertaining way to spend time with my familiar this way. Kind of in her element so to speak. A very thick fog slowly engulfed the ships below us. Soon it was impossible to see anything but tree tops and mast tops sticking out of and my rope disappearing into the soft, moist, white fog completely hiding the decks below. After contemplating the interesting scene I descended back down to the ship and adjusted the maps.

Late evening.

We anchored for the night on the spot and I had just gone to bed, but not fallen asleep yet when I felt a slight bump to the hull. I ignored it, but could not quite fall asleep. There was a nagging feeling that something was awry. When I heard sounds of fighting I hurriedly got dressed and went up on deck, well at least almost. A floatsome ooze was blocking the only exit to deck. When it was killed it had killed Skald, but I saved Soller Vark from the same fate. It cost us a potion, but that is a small price for a life. We retrieved Skalds body to make sure it would get a proper burial. We also salvaged some other things stuck in the ooze.

Day 23

Morning.

I have identified the items we got from the wreckage that the ooze brought with it. It turned out to be a pair of gauntlets of ogre power and a ring of mind shielding. At least the gauntlets might be useful. Skald also left a very strong magical bow. Father Feres suggested that he would take care of delivering it to his family. Until that time we decided to put it in the ships locker. It might still get used by the captain to defend the ship and that's when the gauntlets will come in handy.

Noon.

We got wind in our sails and went out to sea. Someone thought it would be funny to pretend to be the ghost of Skald. I'm growing tired of those tricks to lower the morale of the crew. We will make sure we get to the bottom of this. Is that a good phrase when on a ship? Father Feres held a sermon as we carried out a burial at sea. It was very inspiring and seemed to lighten the hearts of the crew.

Afternoon.

During supper our unknown saboteur tried to poison Cinnamon. I hadn't filled my mind fully with spells during the morning so I added detect poison to my repertoire for the day. It turned out to be arsenic in her fruits. I will use that same spell on every little space on this ship to find where the saboteur has hidden his poison so we can find out who it is.

Evening.

I have worked very hard to try to find out if there is any poison, or more specifically arsenic aboard this ship. Several hours spent detecting. There were some bad looks from some of the crew when I left the forecastle cargo hold after hours of searching and spelling for their good. To make sure that they knew I did what was for their own best I decided to talk to them. They didn't seem to get comforted. Well, they should learn to mind their own business, anyway.

Very late evening.

When I at last got in bed for my well deserved sleep after a particularly hard day of tedious spell casting, Cinnamon suddenly appeared with a wand and asked to get it identified. She had been following Father Feres all day and found out some suspicious facts. He didn't pray much. His prayer book was worn on the binder, but the pages were practically unused. After yet another hour of hard work I identified the wand as a wand of healing. I will finally go to bed now.

Day 24

Noon

The crew has finished making the new manhole to get a second exit, we did find to be needed during the fight with the ooze. We have tried to find ways to find that saboteur...

Day 28

Evening.

Jennikki has finished talking to fish and is now down below talking to the ships cats. I don't know if I should be envious that she can talk to the cats or if she's just gone nuts.

Day 29

Evening.

Today Jennikki and Cinnamon spent the afternoon swimming after getting really messed up from searching the dirtiest place they could find on the entire ship, the bilge.

Saboteur revealed

Day 30

Morning.

Finally it's come to searching the whole cargo hold. It's going to take the entire day. It'll be me with Aiken for heavy lifting, Cinnamon with Jennikki for the lifting and Amella with the cargo manifest.

Noon.

This is taking a very long time. Luckily enough Aiken move the heavy crates for me. I just levitate and point.

Afternoon.

About the same time as we found a crate that should have been very heavy but actually could be moved, I noticed that the sun that sipped through the trapdoors had shifted and the ship was taking the waves in a different way than it should had we stayed on the right course. It turned out that it was Rowyn Kellani who, disguised as Peter Blood, had ordered the new course straight for land. She kept the crew from realizing what was happening by using a bardic trick to keep them listening to her. We foiled her plans and after a quite hard fight we succeeded in subduing her. She's in an awful state. Her hair is a mess, her skin looks kind of sick and she's hurt from the fight, not to mention her mental state. She's all "you'd better kill me". She really needs to change her ways and straighten up. Somebody should make sure she gets a new look on life. And I meen someone other than Avner. Not that it wouldn't be a good project for him, but I'm not entirely sure of his intentions. I brought Rowyns books with me as I thought I would have a lot of time on my hands, but I haven't been bored enough to make me reread those works of questionable literary quality. Now I can at least return them to their former, if not rightful, owner. The crate mentioned is where she had been hiding for the month we have been at sea. Instead of containing a religious statue for a temple in Farshore it had been furnished to live in and lined with lead to avoid detection.

Day 31

Morning.

It's been decided that I should make some alchemical lead that Cinnamon then will add to some of the shackles on board. Those will then be used to keep Rowyn from getting her spells back.

Evening.

I've finished making the alchemist lead. It's good to be done with it, but now I have to decide how to handle this whole Rowyn affair. I feel responsible for getting her into this trouble she is in. It would be easier just to keep away, but Jennikki and my conscience keeps nagging. I might visit her anyway. Her books wasn't worth discussing, but she might have some interesting stories to tell. Maybe she even knows some spells I don't. She might even teach me, but that would make it look like I'm only after her spells. Maybe I should keep away, anyway...

Day 32

Morning.

I have made up my mind. She's in trouble and I have to help her. She might be evil, but who knows what lies ahead. She might get through this with a new look on life.

Ruins of Tamoachan

Day 36

Morning.

As Lavinia had promised Forol to explore the ruins of Tamoachan, an old olman city, we prepared to assist him in his adventuring. All of our clique, the Roses, will join him, or rather let him accompany us but stay behind until we will say it is safe for him to follow. We will not loose the only one on this expedition who has ever been at our destination.

Noon.

We followed Forols map and it turned out to be essentially correct. We did meet a basilisk as Urol Forol had been talking about. We were well prepared and it fell quickly. We entered the complex and found three more beings, a mumbling monster, a fire breathing giant bat and a willow wisp which we slew. Now I must record our findings. I will write more of this expedition when we're back on the ship.

Evening.

There were three different parts of the complex. The first we explored had a statue and a well. That statue was of the (comparatively) good god ??? of the olmans. We found some treasure in the well, that had survived the flaming sphere that burnt exceptionally hot this one time.

In the second part there was a firewall trap in a very interesting map room. The map was actually a model of a city that this structure once were part of. Sadly enough it had seen better days, as had the city, nowadays hardly more than ruins, but it was interesting to study anyway.

The last part also had a map room but far better preserved, but of an unknown city. I and Forol recorded it as well as possible. There was a sarcophagus in the middle that Cinnamon disarmed some trap on before it was opened. I also found an almanac in the form of a large circular stone table. There were also several interesting wall painting. Forol and I copied all of this between us. There's a lot of material to study, notes to compare and mysteries to solve.

Now I have something to do during this long journey, as if I hadn't before; talking to Rowyn and making sure she's doing well, researching my new spell, checking the navigational charts and correcting them if need be (It also makes sure Forol won't get us too far off course.), refining magical items in the laboratory. I just hope I get it all done before we get to Farshore. I will start on Aiken's gloves soon enough.

Day 39

Evening.

Aiken's gloves are finished. They turned out ok. I'm getting used to crafting magical items. I will have to improve my own eardrops of intellect.

Lavinia called for a meeting to discuss the tactics for tomorrow. The rounding of the peninsula marking the borders to the seas claimed by the scarlet brotherhood, known pirates, was the event that caused her worries. She suggested we split the ships up and try to sneak by one at a time. The Blue Nixie would go first. I thought that there would be safety in numbers but didn't want to make a fuss about it.

Day 40

Noon.

Early in the morning, as we were nearing the outer peninsula, the wind died down. Jennikki luckily had a wind spell prepared. She stood at the very stern, filling the sails with a formidable storm originating from her own body. Cinnamon flew around in it, heedless of any dangers of injury. Myself I stayed sheltered from the wind just forward of the quarterdeck. With this wind we made good way no matter of doldrums.

My trusty falcon was once agian the first to notice another ship on the horizon. It was further out to sea and had probably been patrolling the islands to the east. It turned out to be a galley trying to reach us before we could round the peninsula and turn south and south-west again. With their oars they hoped to catch sailing ships helpless in the calm seas. But they had no such luck with us.

I quickly calculated that we would never be close, but we would have rounded the peninsula and be far away, well before the pirates would get there. Content I looked at Jennikke when I noticed a sailor walking up to her with a drink of water. My shout of warning was completely lost in the wind. It took quite a while of fencing, bashing and spelling before the sailor, who actually was Rowyn in disguise, was dealt with. She was once again knocked unconscious and locked back into Avners cabin, where she had been put when the pirates was first spotted.

We didn't lose any significant speed from the fight.

Evening.

It's a good thing that Blood has joined Lavinia on the Blue Nixie, otherwise there would have been no way of stopping him from hanging Rowyn. He has already painted himself into a corner by telling the crew that if she tried anything she would be executed, not that he wouldn't like to do it anyway. I on the other hand can't let her be killed as it's mostly our fault she's in this mess. We should help her get out of it.

As most of Rowyns anger is directed at Jennikke she suggested that she'd fight a duel with Rowyn to satisfy her. Rowyn overheard this suggestion and said she'd gladly agree as long as it was to the death. Jennikke didn't seem to grasp how bad an idea that would be. Either she would be defeated and Rowyn wouldn't hesitate to kill her or if Jennikki won and didn't kill Rowyn, she'd probably be in an even worse mood.

We finally decided to maroon her, but not until she had healed some.

Day 41

Rowyn was in a better shape today. Physically that is. She's still in a terrible mood. We put her crate and some supplies on a beach and marooned her there. It's probably not a good idea as the ones most likely to find her are pirates and with her anger directed toward us, she'll probably persuade them to aim their operations at us. But it's better than any alternatives.

Day 49

Fort Greenrock burnt to ruins by lizard men!

Dangerous waters

Day 53

Noon.

It was time to fill our fresh water supplies again. There was a very high waterfall falling of the cliff side into the ocean. As we approached I left the the boat and flew out to take in the magnificent view. It's a wondrous feeling levitating slowly up a waterfall, watching the water fall in front of you. Jennikke started waving and the small boat put in the sea to get the water was brought back on board. I returned to see what was going on. It turned out Jennikke had been talking to some animals living there. There were some kind of monster living where the waterfall hit the sea. I deducted that it was most likely a hydra living there preying on unsuspecting sailors. We set up an ambush and killed the monster. It never hit any of us but it took a long time to kill it, especially since it regenerated the damage caused to it. Finally it was killed by a fire ball and a cannon ball from the ships cannon. At last it had been tested in combat and it worked well.

Day 59

We reached Renkrue today. In the harbour there was a ship looking very exotic. It was from (Greyhawk India). We met a woman from that ship called Balame Theron. Curious about their culture we talked to them and found out that they were looking for a statuette of a tiger. Apparently they weren't allowed to travel further into the unholy lands so Balame was set on continuing by herself. We offered to accompany her upstream along the river.

Before we left I ordered some scrolls to learn new spells of.

Day 60

Noon.

Early morning we set out up the river. We held a slow pace sailing upstream. It was very hot and the slow steady wind was also hot and gave no relief. After noon we met a strange man who wanted to barter, or rather try to fool us into buying something from him at ridiculous prices. Apparently someone of the others got something useful out of him.

Evening.

During the afternoon we got attacked by archers on the river bank. They were hard to make out in the woods, but I got them pointed out and Rara Avis helped too. I got some of them in my fire balls and they retreated. There were several arrows on the deck and when I checked them out I noticed that they were poisoned.

Late night.

Just before dusk we choose a place to anchor for the night. It was a flooded swamp which had turned into a shallow lake. Jennikke dived in shape changed into some animal and swam around. After a while it turned out she had encountered some kind of monster resembling a lobster that very nearly killed both Jennikke and Cinnamon who were the first to notice Jennikkie predicament and rushing to her help.

Day 61

Reading of spells from an altar.

Day 62

A ceremony was held where Balame Theron rewarded us for helping her to get the tiger back. We were presented no less than the folding boat we had been travelling up the river in. We were a bit surprised but came up with the idea to in turn give her one of our rings of mind shielding. It turned out well in the end.

Day 63

Off again. After some discussions the others finally understood the importance of visiting one of the smaller islands to find a good spot for a teleport. I choose Ruja, which is the northernmost of the two small islands.

Dragon hunt

Day 66

Noon

Early in the morning we prepared to set off from the boats. There was a constant fog surrounding these waters resulting from a hot stream meeting a cold stream. We choose to ride summoned hippogriffs, boosted by several spells to incredible speeds, to find the island chosen by me to be the way station for teleporting. With my sure guidance we flew straight to the island and took a short tour over it. We noticed a clearing with a palisade and a few houses by the northern coast. We landed on the beach outside the palisades and hailed the guards. There were a few half built ships on the beach that seemed very crude. We got to talk to a female lieutenant. She let us enter to talk to the prince who was the leader of the small colony. I noted that they were dressed in old fashioned armour and seemed to be from the old kingdoms of the east.

When we met he plainly told us they had problems with a dragon trying to destroy their colony. He drew us a map of where their patrols had gone into the jungle and told us to kill the dragon. Only then would he listen to whatever we wanted. I answered "Yes, my liege." to which Aiken responded as we left "But he's not your liege." I answered sarcastically "No, but he didn't seem to know that."

We left the prince's adobe and noticed that most of the huts seemed to be built by lizard men. We asked how they got there and was told that a ship apparently had dumped them there after the princes mother had given the order to deport him as far away as possible. We also got the story about what had happened concerning the dragon.

Apparently a huge lizard had charged the walls and almost knocked it down. The soldiers had put lots and lots of arrows into it, but it hadn't been seriously wounded anyway.

There were some debate about what to do. I suggested that we should follow the trail and try to talk to any sentient races we could find in the jungle. I guessed it'd be lizard men. After some more argumentation we did it my way.

We left the camp and followed the trail of the earlier scouting party. After about an hour we came upon a wooden stand where the armour and clothes of at least one soldier of the colonists were attached. There were no trace of the body.

Some time later we came to a place where someone had put a lot of fruit on the ground. When we approached a lot of monkeys scurried up into the trees around us and screamed at us. I suggested that it was an improvised alarm, but the ranger and druid had to investigate it anyway and didn't come up with any other explanation.

When continuing we got aware of something stirring in the jungle and that we approached an ambush. Before walking into it we stopped and tried to talk to whoever was out there. It turned out to be some kind of bear men that wasn't really in the mood for talking. There were some entangle and web that hold them until the druid finally struck them down.

After the combat someone talked to us from the bushes ahead. It turned out to be some sort of zebra-centaurs.

Big explanation...

I was somewhat annoyed that Jennikke seemed to like human eating totally savage bear men more that humans, that admittedly wasn't the best of people, but could be reasoned with. She was very bloodthirsty and wanted to kill the prince. At least she, unlike the bear men, could be reasoned with and saw the wisdom in my suggestions. We decided to get the remains of the giant lizards young, and return it to the mother. Then we would talk to the son of the centaur and tell him that our goal was to get the colonists away from their island.

To make a long story short my plan worked. The great thunder lizard or tyrannosaurus got her dead child back and was healed. She grew fond of Cinnamon and followed her wherever she went. To find the centaurs son we had to enter a temple, left from an old civilization reminding me of the olmans. At the request of the centaur mother we didn't take anything from the temple, not that there were anything worth taking except maybe knowledge of the old civilization. It contained no valuables at all, probably due to plundering of the pirates in those waters. There is no reason at all for anyone to ever go there.

The centaur son understood that our plan was the best way to get rid of the colonist without unnecessary bloodshed. They still demanded a price to avenge their fallen leader. It turned out that the prince was destitute. I was about to pay up, not for the princes sake, but to avoid a bloody conflict, when the idea to use loot from the dragon treasure came up. It was just enough to buy peace.

All of the outcasts were put aboard the Blue Nixie due to space restrictions on the Sea Wyvern.

Evening.

I used the rest of the day to sketch as much of the temple as I could. It's a great way to familiarize with a place, to also try to get to know all of it's history and culture.

Day 67

Late morning.

Both the Blue Nixie and the Sea Wyvern entered the bay this morning where the 30 or so colonists were to board the Blue Nixie for transport to another but better colony, namely that of Farshore. Since it will take most of the day to load everyone on-board I will get back to the temple.

Day 70

The ceremony of crossing the equator.

Day 74

Early morning.

Late yesterday night the weather started to worsen. The new day brings us a full storm.

Journeys End

Day 75

Early Morning.

When I woke up it was finally still. Very still. Looking out the window I noted what looked like seaweed covering the sea. I was told we were stuck in a sargasso. Once I had prepared my spells I joined the others in planning the days activities.

Journeys end...

Ships found: Rage, Sea Lion, Sea..., ???, Corpulence, Seagull

Mother of all.

Reaching Isle of Dread

Day 80

Afternoon.

After careful study of my maps and taking readings on the sextant I deduced that I should be able to see land about mid-day today, and sure enough, I did. The captain had a strange idea that I should drink of that horrid rum just for being first to spot land. I went along, even though it tastes awful. I really can't understand why the sailors consider it a privilege to drink it.

Day 81

Afternoon.

Rara Avis once again showed his value by spotting a large creatures close to the northern part of Isle of Dread. It turned out to be a dragon turtle when studied at range. We made sure that our course would not take us any closer to it when suddenly a storm appeared centered on us. It blew directly toward the high cliff sides of Isle of Dread, but we tried to ride parallel to the coast, with moderate success. Jennikke summoned lots and lots of small air elementals to work the rig, but the captain couldn't keep the course I suggested.

Evening.

There is almost no visibility at all, but I have calculated our position and I am pretty sure we have drifted dangerously close reefs on the north-east coast of Isle of Dread. The storm has changed direction and is still trying to blow us toward the coast. Not more than an hour after we got a message to the captain about avoiding the reefs did we hit them. It was when one of the bigger waves had lifted the Sea Wyvern unusually high we came down hard on the reef. Even though everything had been strapped down and tightened several items broke loose and the ship made some creaking noises that was heard over the deafening storm. The pumps were manned but it wasn't enough. At the same time Cinnamon, who were in contact with the captain, told me that there were a giant worm in the water, taking bites out of the ship. Aiken was in the water using the cloak of the manta ray we found earlier and tried to attack the worm but not to much effect. A cold fireball or two seemed to get it to reconsider eating the ship and it swam away. Finally the captain managed to get the ship off the reef, but we were taking in more water than could be pumped out. He decided we had to moor the ship. Fortunately there were some sand banks and a sand beach within reach that broke the otherwise steep cliffs of the coast.

Day 82

Morning.

Waking up after a hard night, during which the storm gradually had lessened, but lasted most of, I looked out of the tent. There were activity on the beach and sailors were salvaging equipment out of the Sea Wyvern using the small row boats. After choosing spells for the day I joined on the beach and was about to suggest celebrating the arrival at Isle of Dread when a tyrannosaurus rex broke the tree line. Some fireballs and magic missiles aided by some sword work and an exceptionally well placed shot from Blood´s musket felled the beast. Jennikke made sure it would survive and when it later recovered enough to move, we made sure it retreated into the jungle. Finally I could celebrate reaching the Isle of Dread by opening one of the three remaining bottles of good wine I had left. I offered some to Aiken and after being inquired I also offered some to Avner. It has survived the journey very well and is an excellent wine, or perhaps the circumstances improve of it's appreciation.

Evening.

I levitated up to look above the tree tops and to see the lay of the land, but as soon as I got up there I could see several large flying predators that I decidedly didn't want to fight and quickly descended again. Instead we spent most of the day preparing for a journey on foot across most of Isle of Dread. We figured it would take about one week so we prepared for ten days.

By foot through the jungle

Day 83

Noon.

We started into the jungle early in the morning. It was much easier to travel through that it had appeared from the beach. Our ranger captain also used some spell that might have had something to do with that. I had decided that flying might be a little hard in the jungle so I used phantom steed instead, not for speed but so I wouldn't have to walk. After about an hour we reached an enormous crater. It was filled with very big dinosaurs grazing the vegetation in the water filled, overgrown crater. We decided to take a closer look. I, Jennikke and Cinnamon went straight through it and searched for meteorite minerals or metal. We found quite a lot and Aiken seamed to be really interested to use that for an new blade for his rapier.

A few hours later we left the jungle and reached an old olman ruin city. There were a lot of cob web covering the entire city. Cinnamon scouted ahead and returned to tell us of lots of spiders of different sizes and a throne at a square. We decided to enter the city and see if we could find anything interesting, and when we got to the throne an old woman was sitting there. She was called Lithira and spoke an old dialect of olman. I realized that she spoke the old olman language I have studied, not the more modern dialects that the tribes around Sasserine speak today. It was very interesting to hear that dialect used compared to written and I even learned new ways to express superiority and even godhood. We had an educating discussion until Jennikke or Cinnamon said something Lithira didn't like and she turned into a large spider and left.

Afternoon.

Just south of the city there were a tunnel going under the mountains so we wouldn't have to climb them. When leaving the tunnels some sailors were complaining that Avner ate more than his share. There were some large crabs in the way so Jennikke summoned a giant shark that ate two of them and I cold fire balled the last one. It was delicious meat and was enough for the whole crew and more. I have had a feeling of being watched during the day and when I asked Jennikke and Cinnamon of it they hadn't seen anything but would keep their eyes open.

The captain thought it time to give the crew an extra ration rum. He poured some for me too, and this time I noted Jennikke using a spell on hers and it was purify food and water. I asked her to do the same with mine before I drank it. Enough is enough.

Late evening.

We found a nice spot to spend the night and put up the camp, using several tents. I, of course, have my own I only share with Rara Avis. We have several guards during the night and even I had a short time of guard duty early this evening, but now it's time to go to sleep.

Suddenly there were darkness in the middle of the camp. I immediately dispelled it, and we could not find any real reason for it, other than testing our defences. Cinnamon found a small stone which radiated evil. Blood commented that it probably came from a swampier area inland. My own vast knowledge include some things about demons and that is what I gather is haunting us. The darkness spell-like ability and teleporting capability fits well with the vague description Jennikke could give of a strange creature she got a glimpse of. I just remembered that Lithtira, the were-spider, said some thing about four-eyes watching us. I have a feeling that that name has something to do with the demon that is watching us. I know I have read something about this, but I'm too tired to remember now.

Day 84

Morning.

I slept uneasy tonight. I had bad dreams about demons with glasses and umberhulks, even demonic umberhulks with bat wings.

Noon

We still have a feeling of being watched as we carry on along this road along the coast.

Evening.

We got attacked by four gargoyles. They charged down from the cliffs above us. Two went straight for Avner and two for sailors further to the rear of our caravan. Jennikke was right next to Avner to help keep Thunderstrike under control, should Avner fail to do so himself. I sent more magic missiles into the two gargoyles attacking Avner than I have ever done in a short time ever before, but still one of them survived and grappled Avner and flew out to sea. Jennikke flew after and got hold of them both. I fired even more magic missiles and downed the gargoyle holding Avner. However annoying he ever gets, he still is my brother and I have to make sure he survives this trip without any too ugly incidents. The last remaining gargoyle fled out to sea and probably back toward their peninsula. I fired even more magic missiles and fire balls after it, but it got away. Hopefully it will tell any other gargoyles that they'd better not mess with us.

We were setting up camp when Cinnamon found a pool of fresh water where a waterfall had hollowed out the rock. Most of the crew used this opportunity to take a bath. It sure was good for moral.

Late evening.

I took a bath when most of the others had had theirs. It was a good feeling to have cleaned up a bit before my short watch. Then I went to bed, and here I am, trying to go to sleep. I still am bothered by thoughts of four-eyes. There is something nagging in the back of my head. Four eyes... Maybe it's not a head with four eyes... maybe it's two heads... a demon with two heads... like demogorgon... Demogorgon! Let's really hope not!

Day 85

Early morning.

I slept awfully. My dreams were full of demons and especially Demogorgon.

When we had woken up and was about to break camp the demon harassing us caused an avalanche of stones and human skulls. My tent was under a cliff overhang so I hoped that nothing really dangerous would happen and continued to study my spell book. When I finally emerged everything was calm but Cinnamon. She had accompanied Radore to the pool for a morning bath when it all happened. Afterwards she was gone.

Jennikke could not find Radore with circle dance. Lay of the land detected a strange area that Jennikke could not penetrate. When she described it I suggested that apart from magically protecting a large area from detection spells it could also be extra planar rifts that prevented her from detecting anything there.

Elevator... Blood fall 140' into the water.

Another attack by gargoyles.

We set up camp just outside planar phenomenon. We girls went scouting but returned to the camp as soon as I had determined that it led indeed to an evil plane.

Shrine to Demogorgon

Day 86

Entered extra planar area.

Found ruin with undead.

Found temple.

Candles - thrones - mirrors

Noon.

Cinnamon entered the mirror and disappeared as expected. The telepathy with Jennikke was still working and Aiken followed into the mirror. Suddenly Jennikke shouted that Aiken and Cinnamon was being attacked by demons and skipped her place in the queue and leaped through the mirror. Next were Blood and he ordered his wolf to follow. I pushed my way ahead of it throught the mirror to see a baboonlike demon grabbing Jennike and disappear, but Jennike remained. So they want to teleport away with their victims. Aiken and Blood was in a corner fighting another of those baboon demons. There was an upper level in the room and sounds of fighting came from up there too. I flew up and left a fire ball behind me, well away from Aiken and Blood who were in the other corner. A strange yelp told me that I caught at least one demon that I hadn't seen in the blast, but aware of their protections I was sure I didn't do much damage. Jennikke and a summoned unicorn was fighting a bigger demon on the second level and I fired away with magic missiles. All of them struck home penetrating the demons magic defence. It seamed to have had enough and teleported away.

We all gathered around some double doors and opened them. There was a naga in a pile of bones. Jennikke charged into the room and engaged it. I stayed outside still using magic missiles. Aiken protested that I attacked it. Obviously he had been affected by some form of charm by the monster. It was unusual of a bone naga to charm its opponents. More probable of a spirit naga according to what I have read. It moved further into the room and despite Aikens protests continued to attack it with my magic. After it died the others became their old selves again. There were two fountains and I searched one and found a strange iron baboon arm and a copper bone on the bottom of it.

There were another pair of double doors decorated with strange scenes of baboon demons. Beyond there was a room with two statues missing one arm each. We turned our attention to the other end of the complex to see if we could find the other arm. Listening on a door we heard strange noises from within. The druid and ranger talked about it and came to the conclusion that it was filled with fiendish baboons. I was impressed, but it is their field.

We opened the door and I put a fireball in the middle of the room. It was soon followed by a lighting bolt from Cinnamon. Then all was silent. There was a throne room with pillars and a hole in the floor. It was covered by a locked lid. The pit seemed to be a feeding pit and from the bones on the bottom Cinnamon reported that their diet was mostly Olmans. The throne could be moved, revealing a hidden room behind. There were two lead lined chests with coins and some items in. One of the items were the other iron baboon arm we were looking for. The coins had stamps from lots of different places.

We returned to the double doors and by putting the baboon arms in the statues we got the doors opened. Cinnamon went ahead scouting. There were several baboon statues in the corridor beyond. Cinnamon disarmed the traps along the left wall that were placed on every statue. Jennikke dispelled the unicorn and summoned it again on the other side of the traps where another set of doors led into a huge room with four big baboon demon statues and an even bigger statue of a two headed, four armed or rather tentacled, baboon demon, actually prince of demons as it had a distinct likeness to Demogorgon. In the middle there was a big fire pit burning hot, giving the room a flickering light. Radore Adoss hung naked chained to the roof high above the fire. As we looked into the room the chains started to rattle and slowly lower her. Jennikke flew up to her and told her of our plan. Cinnamon quickly used her wand of benign transposition and switched places with Rodara.

The big demon from earlier jumped onto the chains striking Jennikke fiersly. I sent maximized magic missiles into it and once more they bypassed it's spell resistance. The demon left the close combat easily avoiding any blows while passing by and jumped to one of the statues. Blood fired one of his last cold iron bullets into it hitting it in one eye. I hit with my orb of force and dealt a lot of damage, but It was still going strong. The baboon demon used a ring of bull rush??? to try to knock Aiken into the fire. He took some damage but avoided falling in. Jennikke and Aiken attacked it but it teleported away.

We gathered in the end of the corridor with a view over both the room and the corridor. It had teleported to the room at the end of the corridor and when Jennikke went down the corridor and attacked it it charged past all our fighting men and attacked Cinnamon just to teleport away the next second. Once more we all stood watch and waited for it to make it's next move when it suddenly appeared in the room where I watched. A maximized magic missile felled the demon and Aiken and Blood quickly ran up to it and made sure it was dead.

The fire died down a little and the room quieted down. It was disturbed by a strange sound when the statue of Demogorgon started moving.

It took a couple of long steps and ended up next to Aiken. It's tentacles flailed at him and hit. The snared him and the construct dragged him close. Aiken made several desperate tries to get lose but it was an impossible task. We all struck at it with whatever we could, magic, missiles and strikes. It was damaged, but Aiken was running out of time, being crushed by the tentacles. That's when I had an uncharacteristic moment of heroism. I ran up to him, letting the tentacles strike, but they hit one of my mirror images, I reached out touching Aiken and used dimension door to take him to safety next to the unicorn. It used it's ability to cure him and Aiken quaffed a potion or two. The battle wasn't over, but I felt as if I could breathe again. Cinnamon used more of her magic while Jennike and Blood fought with it. Unfortunately its dangerous tentacles got hold of Blood too. I fired an orb of force striking it hard and it was really starting to fall apart but might still kill Blood before being destroyed itself. That's when Aiken used the ring he picked upp from the dead demon. It struck the tentacled monstrous statue hard, braking it.

The fight was over and while Jennike and the unicorn healed those injured, I and Cinnamon searched the room. We found some items, but I also noted that the complex was loosing stability. The whole place would cave in. I quickly calculated how much time was left and started using my reproduction spell to copy the walls. This chamber was much older than the rest of the complex and pictured troglodytes doing rituals in the honour of demogorgon. I told the others to leave me as I would catch up as soon as I had copied all the walls for studies later. Cinnamon put a telepathy to me before the others left. When I was finished I joined the others and we were all out of danger.

Now the food is ready and I will eat. Not that I'm that hungry...

Afternoon.

The sky cleared after a while and it seamed as the planar influence lessened.

Day 87

We have made good progress through the jungle although it's not as fast as when we used the road along the coast.

Day 89

Noon.

We have reached the wall. It's in a bad shape but has been repaired. It's guarded by Olman tribal warriors, who showed us the way to the nearest village.

Afternoon

Today Avner got another bad idea. He wanted a trophy of a flying dinosaur. Out of all his bad ideas this was the one most fitting for a spoiled little brother. I did not like the idea of him being my spoiled little brother. We all said no almost in one mouth. As expected of a little brother denied a toy, he sulked.

These olman villages are very strange. They are constructed around a temple in the middle and several smaller villages dedicated to a totem built in a circle around the temple. There are fields within this circle with walls to keep wild animals off the fields. One of the small villages is actually a burial groud and the temple in the middle is a place where they keep old ancestors as undead mummies walking around. They are kept in controle by a zombiemaster.

Their old shaman told us that she knew we were coming and told us that she had foreseen that we would come from the jungle and help the neighbouring town of Mora.

Temple of the dead

Day 90

Late morning.

We were up with the sun early in the morning. I was very eager as I felt that we would soon reach the jurneys destination, Farshore. It was just us, the Roses, that would head out to help the town of Mora. Jennikke summoned three hippogriffs that we used to fly there in just over three hours. This southern peninsula had much less wild life and according to the olmans much less dangerous than the rest of the Ilse of Dread.

We still flew low to avoid attracting flying predators but we also lost early warning from others flying low. A flock of flying dinosaurs dived behind tree tops to appear just a hundred feet away. I cast a fireball in the middle of them and a few crashed through the tree canopy to disappear below. Aiken tried to take control over the hippogriff he flew on but fell off as it charged into the dinosaurs. Cinnamon quickly used her wand of benign transposition to put Aiken beween me and Jennikke. I used my fly spell to just lift off from the hippogriff to make sure it wasn't overloaded. I cast another fireball at them and a few turned home wounded. Jennikke summoned more hippogriffs who joind the fight. Aiken used magic missiles and soon the dinosaurs turned their tails and fled. All but one who got grappled by a hippogriff. It was still alive and in pity I cast non-leathal magic missiles to knock it unconsious. Jennikke sent the hipogriff with the dinosaur specimen back to the village where Avner and the crew stayed. He still gets every thing he wants but on the other had he can hardly get more spoiled anyway.

We reached the storm we had been told of covering a valley where the town of Mora was supposed to be. It was impossible to fly in the storm so we landed and prepared to walk down.

Noon.

We entered the storm and immediately we felt it's power. There were heavy rain and strong winds tearing at our clothes. Cinnamon held tight to Jennikke to avoid beeing blown away. We slid down a mud slide ending up at the end of fields with a few roads disappering into the gray blurr of the storm. I used a prestigitation spell to clean up my dress, but even rid of the mud it still was a sorry sight. Actually we all looked like soaked kittens as the rain slowly washed the mud of the others. I wish the Endure Elements spell would not just let you ignore the effects but actually make sure you woun't get wet. When looking around we realized that we were standing in the remains of one of the villages compleately covered by the mudslide. I really hoped that the inhabitants had had time to evacuate before it hit.

We started down a road that we guessed led to another of the villages. Someone of the others said they saw some human shapes wandering at distance in the storm.

Cinnamon god. Turtle village to boar village. Old leader murdered by mind controlled son.

We have just freshened up and are about to leave for the temple in the middle.

Afternoon.

Jennikke turned into a tiger and Cinnamon rode on her neck. We left for the temple. Before getting there jennikkes summoned unicorn stopped. It couldn't continue due to a protection from good effect. We felt an ill mood coming over us as we headed on without the unicorn. There was another effect too, unhollow. The temple was a pyramid ontop of a small hill. We climbed the stairs leading up the pyramid. Almost as we reached the top we were ambushed by bullywugs. Even though they surprised us, they had a better position and they were much tougher than the ones we encountered back at Lavinias, the fight was quickly over.

There was a small roof above a drum on top of the pyramid. Beneth the drum there were a hole with a wooden ladder leading down. It was too small for the tiger-Jennikke so she changed back and used the Bite of the Werewolf spell instead. Everyone was in a hurry to get out of the storm and I ended up last. When I slowly descended down the shaft I started my light spell. At the bottom there were a small tunnel with the floor covered bu a foot or two of water. I flew above it instead. I was tired of being wet and hoped to dry up a little. There were alcoves with old corpses along the walls. It was catacombs we walked down. I wasn't at all pleased to be rear guard. As we suspected some of the corpses suddenly attacked. One came at me but hit a mirror image. I hit it with several maximized magic missiles but it was still standing. Jennikke let down lighting from the roof that stuck it down.

We continued onwards and now Blood took the rear guard. Cinnamon was ahead scouting and reported back that at a crossroads there were zombie arms sticking out of the walls flailing around after her Dancing Lights. I used cold fire balls. It took three of them until the arms were still. We choose one of the tunnels and headed on into it. There were some movement and I was called up to the front to put a fire ball in the area, so I did. As I prepared to follow it up with another as the cold smoke and ice crystals disappeared a bullywug stood hurt in the tunnel and called out "No more, please!". It looked soo pityful standing there beaten and sad that I felt sorry for it and just moved to the side to let the others pass. They talked to it and found out that there were some eel-like creatures that attached to the base of the skull of another creature and controlled it's actions. We told them how to get out of the caves and left them. That tunnel had been a dead end but there were branches. We continued to follow right and came to a cave. I got called to the front and started it off with another fireball. The others charged passed me and cleared the room of dangers. Cinnamon found a hidden tunnel behind a boulder that Aiken and Blood moved to the side combining thier strength.

Beyond were another tunnel sloping down into water. Near the end a scorcerer zombie with his head replaced with a turtle head. We dispatched of him and the others continued by diving under the water. Both Jennikke and Cinnamon offered to help me use Dimension Door to avoid the water. I trust Cinnamon more so I let her guide me. It was obviously the correct choice as I arrived perfectly and Jennikke had a disapointed look on her face. There was a door infront of us. It was the first one we've seen since arriving to the olmans. When opening the door the fight broke out immediately. It was hard and fast and no one of us got injured. Inside there was an awful skull with large horns that I realized was the origin of the protection from good. When it was smashed it became apparent that it had hid the entrance to another tunnel leading downward. We followed it. There was a stink of salt water mixed with rotting flesh. The tunnel lead into a cave where most of the floor was water that probably were connected to the sea. The water had a pink hue. There were several corses missing their heads with trails of blood leading to large boulders below the entrance of another tunnel across the room. Cinnamon flew along the wall to the other side. She noticed a sea chest in a small alcove. Blood followed her using his boots of spider climb. Jennikke grew wings and flew across. I grabbed Aiken and Silver, Bloods wolf, and used Dimension Door to get across.

We looked into a small chamber with four eel-like creatures standing around a thick round brass block with an inscription. I put a fireball into the room just before the rest of the Roses charged in and slew them. We looked around and found the block to be very strong magic. There were cracks across it. It had been destroyed before but the three pieces had been put together well enough for it to activate again. By using wedge and hammer we split it up again. That seemed to end the unhallow effect.

We looked through the rest of the dungeon, but had no problems at all destroying a couple of zombies when both the protection from good and unhollow effects had ended.

We brought the three pieses and hid them on separate places around the village.

Day 91

Early morning.

I woke up with a mixed feeling. We have rid the village of an evil threat. Now they will get a new zombie master and continue with their awful necromantic rituals.

Today we will go back for the rest of the crew.

Later the same morning.

We just noticed a faint sound of an explosion and loocking over the water you could see a plume of smoke rising from what can only be Farshore.