#151 : Crossroads (April 12, 2017)

#151 : Crossroads (April 12, 2017)

Journal Entry – 6th of Maz’Relden

What a week!

Last week while Ronan, Chuq and Thorfus trained with Ericus, after their ill-advised alterations, I trained with the imperial wizard Allison.

(Margin note: Ericus’ training is quite brutal and without finesse – but seemed to do wonders with my companion’s ability to pummel an opponent aggressively)

It was a rough start, obviously she didn’t like me, but gradually she grew to tolerate and (gasp!) even grudgingly respect me. She even admitted that, “I’m ok for a half-elf.” She even offered to help me challenge her former school just for the laughs. Tempting, but business first.

With some gentle probing, I discovered that she worked with Grell for some time out of Angmar’s Folly and didn’t seem to know that there was more to that place beneath her feet. Coupled with Jardin’s lack of knowledge about the imperial findings there (glass-steel) I think that there may be large gaps or forgotten discoveries even amoung the Imperials.

Oh – speaking of folly – Ronan’s self-mutilation has resulted in his gaining some disturbing if not interesting abilities: he can polymorph himself into a seemingly random creature for a random amount of time, has somewhat scaly skin and can now spit acid, similar to the Thesselhydra we defeated.

(Margin Note: I should review the bioforge cube when I get a chance, I may have to reverse these in the future)

Early this week we had a meeting to decide our next move – recent events have put us at a crossroads:

a. Get parts from the skiff & rebuild a monkey

b. Go in search of the cloning machine

c. Return to Glavnone for Kalgunn

d. Return to Midmark and retrieve Jardin’s blood

e. Return to Mariantaxis and give him one of my portals

f. Check in on Thorfus’ mother – seems she may be in trouble

g. Return Emelia to Vargen and Canis

Between us we decided that the best course of action is to rebuild one of our mechanical helpers (while I secretly train with Wymark) then travel back to Vargen (Emilia wishes to return home) and Midmark to collect some blood from Jardin – and witness the mess we left in our wake after discovering what Sarathos has done. I fear the worst.

(Margin note: I should return invisibly – Marchmain and Admiral Sakandor are likely still interested in me)

While I trained with Allison, my companions returned to the skiff to collect the monkey parts and some other gear, taking one of my miniature portals for some testing. They arrived without incident, but found the barn door open, yet our skiff was undisturbed. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy as our skiff was adopted by some venomous spiders that nearly dispatched poor Chuck while the others began passing gear through the portal. Lucky for Chuck they pushed him through the portal allowing Lambertus to slow the poison while we scrambled for a cure. Luckily, Jagger sold us one.

Later that evening the gang returned and Ronan and I went to see Jagger – he to sell spiders I’m sure Jagger had many of and I to look at the library again – but really to speak with Wymark to see if he would train me.

As I referred to earlier, I reached out to Wymark last week to confirm his guild memembership based on Allison’s jab at him (and me) over dinner. It seems that Wymark is no friend of the Haberdashers, he alluded to the Hangmen and being a Follower of the Shadow… as only an “associate” of the Haberdashers I had no vested interest in taking him out. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I can ill-afford losing anymore time so I convinced Wymark I wasn’t here to kill him and that this was a strict business transaction. That out of the way my training began. His technique confirmed that he’s more a man of thuggery and murder than those I’ve trained with before. Though not as refined as those of my cousins – still very effective.

My final exam was interesting, breaking into the tower, but unfortunately in my haste I failed to notice a magical trap that caused Jagger’s singing statues to sound the alarm. I received a token from him, said I could use it to convince other followers to at least listen to me. Not sure how the Haberdashers would take the news – but frankly I don’t care there are bigger stakes – Aunt Fel would approve I think – then again I don’t think she held either group in high esteem.

My training with him was all business, but I managed to discover Finklemur is definitely under the Dark King’s control – that Jagger is afraid of the Dark King (DK threatened to destroy the tower). Also Marchmain wasn’t liked by him, but he supplied Jagger with the information required to use the bioforge – including the cubes – and he also supplied slaves to power the machine.