ViraKhollarixJournal < CouncilOfThieves

Parego Dospera, or "Despair's Alter", is the ruined northern section of the city that has fallen into ruin. It was once known as Rego Plea, once home to servants, lesser trades, and house slaves.

Creatures

Part 1 - 7-29-11 - A Haunting, Salad, and Impalement

The scions began exploring Vira Khollarix. While doing so, they had several experiences with hauntings including a piano that played itself, a fire that shed no heat, a chessgame that played by itself, and the sound of a baby's crying. The Scions found a scrap of parchment (shown to the right) under the chessboard. While trying to locate the crying baby, Hunter and Huk were attacked in the kitchen by some sort of living vine. During the battle that followed, a women dressed all in black attacked the Scions from behind with the help of two thugs. The Scions managed to defeat her and her allies and although Hunter managed to escape the deathly clutches of the vines, Huk was squeezed to death in it's deadly grip.

The view from Kaelyn: I had just made it to Thesk when I ran out of money. I took all I could when setting off from Aglarond, but as a fisherman's daughter I only had so many resources to spend. Perhaps I underestimated the struggles i'd face leaving by myself. Trail rations weren't enough to keep me full each day and my feet hurt after less than a full day of travel. Finding shelter also came to the option of sparing a few coppers or safety. Despite the struggles, I still made it to Thesk and even had enough for a piece of bread at a local tavern called The Drunken Bishop. Oh, how I would have loved a taste of Aglorandan blood wine right about now.

But about Thesk - In Altumbel i'd only seen someone other than a human on passing ships visiting port. As they were business matters, I never really had a good opportunity to check them out. In fact, Altumbels were always quick to send any non-humans off on their way. The fear of magic and elves had been instilled in the land for years and things foreign or new were always looked at with hesitation. I was in no way prepared for Thesk when I got here. I'd never seen such huge, strangely colored people before. Overhearing conversations and considering scary stories I remembered from childhood that they were called orcs. And as different as possible, there was also a rather large population of tiny people with large, childlike features. I might have mistook them for children at first, but some had white hair, wrinkles and behaved in ways no child would.

The Drunken Bishop was almost too much at first with the vast array of patrons, but I took comfort in, what my people would laugh at now, a half elf. As much as I was hesitant to approach her, she was the closest I had to home and also a worker at the bar. Her name was Isa and we shared a bit between the two of us about our travels and what we were up to. She seemed to be working with a group on odd jobs cleaning up the city. At the offer of work, I didn't hesitate to offer my services, though she did look twice at my clouded vision and fauchard. I guess I don't blame her for doubting my sincerity. I probably didn't look like much with my hair a wreck, empty coin purse and the ravenous way in which I ate my bread.

The view from Amaya: As written in her journal: This blind woman would be less trustworthy if it at all seemed likely she were a spy. Why would they hire a blind spy, unless that is what they would want us to believe, however that is entirely unlikely, our cause can always use the help in any case. A woman with a glaive, warrior cultures make things so simplistic and to the point.

In my uncle's book there is a bit of magic noted as extremely useful to have in nearly all circumstances to resist inclimate or adverse weather, this is one of those days that could use it. The cold and rain caught us off gaurd and without much source of warmth, the walk out to the mansion was a miserable journey. I quite wish I were better prepared for variable weather. just another failure of mine-- fortunately in this case none of us much succeeded. Once at the mansion the haunting began. Clearly magical in nature, then again it could be something more. Maybe these were the grandiose enchantments left behind from the former lord's wake, it isn't like fire particularly kills a spell-- I wonder ever if spells attain a complexity that they think, the chess game certainly played itself and the harpischord responded to accompainment and seemed to express its own anger at being silenced. As there are intelligent beings of shazi, are there such of magic? Philosophical questions aside, Granthor was just as curious, we might want to work together as we probably have more in common than he thinks, assuming his head can be overcome.

As we searched the house, we were finding nothing -- not a single thing beyond the utterly creepy haunting, there was blood under the rugs and Hunter heard the crying of a child, if there were spirits about they want us out, I don't know why and I wonder what horror happened here to bring about vengeful ghosts.

A plant was found, a monsterous thing that had outgrown most of a room and entrapped us. We lost a good friend, Huk, who after loosing Small Boar it is only a shame. I had such hope for him, to find new happiness, but yet we found his body in the remains of the vine.

I am still mad, I was useless, a cold painful piercing and the smell of bile, steel is such a terrible thing-- what am I doing here, I can't even defend myself, I wish I had the skills to use magic. I've only just gained a little potence in the art, but where to apply it. I am proud to have used my family's shazi, but it was against a plant-- any adept would recognize that shazi is brought to death by wu, it stands in defiance to the storm. We are still here, maybe I can be useful, help search this place when we are not under thread of sword, maybe my servants will be useful and clean this place up. What am I saying, this sort of thing is useless, I should talk to Ganthor but he has.. headed off into the night with his meal. That head of his worries me.

Part 2 - 8-12-11 - A Shocking Discovery

The scions continue to explore Vira Khollarix. A illusionist named Rale steals Belya's body away, tries to scare them off with further hauntings, and ends up attacking the Scions with the aid of his lightning lizard familiar after they refuse to be scared off. Defeated, he fled under the cover of invisibility.

The first thing to note is the discovery that Kaelyn, the blind woman, can see better than myself in most of these rather uncivilized circumstances. I suppose that this end of the world is more dark and its inhabitants have adapted, unfortunate that I am from the lighter end of things. The second discovery was a small girl, who like Shadow has a habit of appearing out of nowhere, unlike him however she doesn't remain silent and hidden very often--maybe her mannerisms will grow on me but that I find her immature is just as well. She offered a gift of healing, some sort of magical endowment that turned to be the blessing of some god. At least there was nothing I could mock to any effect, but that will be a subject of future research.

While most of us were distracted by this Elefa's appearance, Kaelyn was the only one to watch over this woman we found, Bella. Now writing this I cannot discern why this would be thought as wise or prudent to have the blind woman watch a probably dangerous prisoner, but as things happen to be our prisoner vanished. Now this was the start of yet another bad evening, it continued abruptly by an unfortunate incident of light. It always feels like a personal failure when some trick using Wu deceives me, the al Quardi's arts are rather clever tricks to play. Granthor and I should have seen that this 'haunting' was only a ruse perpetrated by someone on the roof using simple cantrip to dance us around an lead us out chasing phantoms. The blind see, and the furious orc has the best temper, maybe I should wear armors and blade for all the good it may do because I cannot by Mystra see any of this magic. Not these tricks or the ones later in the evening with that stupid mirror and that false ghost.

I might have saved Shadow but I did not do my family's name any sort of justice, there was no fire from the sky to smite our foes, there was no intuition or insight, only last minute thinking to survive my own mistakes and that is just unacceptable. Hell, that man even had a shanwen with him, even nature mocks me.

The third discovery this night was that Shadow is a despicable creature of caves and darkness, I guess that isn't much a discovery as a logical conclusion, but I have saved him one too many times so I might as well continue with my poor judgment on the matter.

Part 3 - 8-26-11 - A Flaming Finale

The scions finish exploring Vira Khollarix and rest for the night. Realizing from clues found that the leader of the rogue band, Niccum, will be returning in the morning, they lay a ambush for him orchestrated by a clever illusion from Amaya. Niccum returned on cue with a dottari captain Eraltis in chains. At first falling for the deception, Niccum realized that he was being deceived while entering with Hunter. A battle erupted in which Niccum called his bound devil to defend him. In the fierce fighting, much of the building was destroyed. One of the lone Scions left standing, Vrok managed to drive Niccum away. The Scions discovered the Khollarix ring in the boarded up study, which was infested with vargouilles. After destroying the vargouilles, the Scions recovered the Kollarix treasure as well, and now must decide what to do with the treasure.

The view from Elefa: Since permitting myself to be adopted into the group - the Scions, I'm told, though no-one has explained to me what that means - I had been feeling sorry for the ladies within it - myself included - that we were attended by three such strapping males who yet gave so very little attention, despite our elegant company, to their own grooming! Seeing everyone in involuntarily extended repose after the battle with the dopey wizard and the devil - I saw my chance to help the gents out.

Shadow, all bundled up for as long a time as I understand I he had been, had perhaps throughout not once viewed himself in a mirror - or likely even owned one. Fortunately, to restore himself, I saw he needed only a good haircut and a shave - which, as best as possible with implements available, and admittedly conforming to my own taste – I was able to accomplish.

In my acquaintance so far with him, I have the sense that Granthor does not understand women very much - or he could not believe that his present visage, without any adornment - however appealing it is - would inspire enough confidence from the opposite sex to entertain his affections. However, resourceful as I am by temperament, I managed to concoct - from one of the other ladies’ garments - some pretty ribbons, enough to wrap a pert little bow around each of Granthor’s dainty serpent heads.

Vrok’s teeth - and, in particular, his tusks, that should have been so glorious - had bothered me from the start. I wondered if, in his life, he had even once undertaken to brush them, so green and gray they were - but, with my patient scrubbing, they regained the whiteness of their babyhood - and a wax and buffing has made them shine.

The view from Kaelyn: I woke to find that both Hunter and Shadow were alive. While the discovery of Shadow's secret has been enough to put me on edge, I was glad that Niccum's devil claimed no lives. I had watched the devil maim Hunter's body and was certain she hadn't made it... I was certain that I hadn't made it either, but here I am writing of my accounts. It was perhaps the most pleasant reward of that experience, though this chess set isn't too bad either. And the ring is pretty shiney.

As for the others, well. I can honestly say that Amaya's clever plan to disguise herself as Belya, while not entirely thought out, did prove her to be quite the leader when neccesary. She managed to also distract the devil for a moment with an amusing illusion and held her own until the moment I fell. She's proven to be more than the delicate flower that she appears, though her insecurities, I imagine, are part of her struggles. I hope that her demonstration proved it not only to the others, but also to herself.

When we returned the ring and treasures to their rightful owner, we were rewarded handsomely with 400 gold to split amongst ourselves. That was 50 gold on top of my onix and jade chess set. Certainly enough to continue on my way if I so desired. Though, considering the challenges we faced, I am not convinced it was worth it. I might be alive, but I imagine i'll have nightmares for years. You can't unsee your comrade being ripped apart.. I'm not sure if it's even more frightening that she still walks amongst us, in perfect health.

We all went into the Drunken Bishop, fitting to end my adventure in the same place it started, to have a few drinks. While Vrok seemed impatient with our discussions, Amaya and Hunter seemed eager to discuss recruiting both Elefa and myself into some sort of organization. We found a more private location for conversation and talked things over with their boss. Their goal is to clean Tefflamm of the corruption of Thay, an honor I most happily obliged with. I had intended to make my way to Thay in order to serve my country, but not unexpectantly, Thay came to me.

The view from Amaya: We survived, somehow, and even got everything out. This is somewhat amazing that I can write this here today. We recovered a scroll of unspeakable and dark power for me to study, at least this might be something I am good at.

I will say that I owe Rale something, he did give me ideas, he showed me how to use these arts more effectively and I refuse to write any of the damn cliches that old men will prattle on as any sort of insight. I did something useful with my uncle's book, I fooled a rather dangerously insane man, his rather bloodthirsty demon, and stole his hostage from him without conflict. Then everything fell to pieces and there was a hell that I am amazed to have lived through, I don't think I will forget about that, seeing my friends torn open by vicious creatures and sharp objects has become too common for me.

But this is the life I was supposed to have, being there to summon the mighty powers of nature, these things are just the result of my failure to be anywhere as powerful as my blood.

Power, I have this scroll now, I have seen demons and devils, and met people who tamed them, all to get this power. Just like my clan, that is all people focus on, to be the most impressive. This house that we were rifling through, the previous owners were just like that too, all they sought was to throw the biggest party, to show off their own wealth and splendor. And I hate them because I feel so powerless.

After our tricks failed, we were forced to fight, and that demon was just too much. We are getting in over our heads, we bungle about somehow surviving but never really succeeding. I think that if we were ever to tell these tales, we'd need to embellish them, the adventure of being beaten thrice by anarchists and surviving to tell about it because we managed to injure them just before we died, doesn't have a heroic ring to it, the Scions need to be powerful, how else would they gain the respect of the people.

Kaelyn joined us, claiming a debt of honor. I just don't know what to say, how pitiful and backwards it is, I had hoped that I had escaped these things when I left Shou behind. Maybe it is a noble foolishness that we all share, maybe this is why we aren't in charge.

Feel free to add descriptions from your character's point of view or added comments of any kind.

Attachment	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
ViraKhollarixPlayer.jpg	manage	127.9 K	2011-08-10 - 14:12	JosiahKnight
handout2.gif	manage	132.9 K	2011-08-10 - 11:36	JosiahKnight	A scrap of paper found under the chessboard.

Vira hollarix

NPC Roll-call

Locations

Creatures

Part 1 - 7-29-11 - A Haunting, Salad, and Impalement

Part 2 - 8-12-11 - A Shocking Discovery

Part 3 - 8-26-11 - A Flaming Finale

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