Ottokath's Journal #29
General Summary
We concluded the day conversing in a tavern we came across. I always could smell baked goods while on the road from rather far away. One of the things that kept me sane over the years.
I am not prepared to guide more individuals. Those I have taken to are sufficiently danger prone or even promptly out of sight. As such, I opted to try and scare off these new companions while Mavis was otherwise preoccupied. I told them of Mutt and his fate. Yet it was not the fact that I drove my dagger deep into his heart that preturbed them. It seemed to be the reason therefore that drew their worry. So I pressed. Yet they would not yield their companionship over this matter. Even more still, upon learning of Frank's attunement with the world, I opted to show him spirits made manifest. I am beginning to feel I am not very good at this "pushing away" business. I might need to learn from Art sometime, given the chance. Something Art could have learned from me, however, is to lie. She can do so sufficiently well, to the point were she may even fool me on occassion, but I have come to expect them to do so. To true trick to obfuscation of truth is the providing of another truth in a way that confounds the listener. If they believe the question to be answered, yet are convinced they failed to understand the answer, they will often be too proud to see through the haze. If my guesses are correct on her situation, I hope she will soon learn of this fact. I do worry for her.
We spend the night back along the road. Most of us seemed more comfortable that may, myself included. After a quiet night and a peaceful morning, we were surprised by a familiar face. Yoshitsu, the orc samurai we met weeks ago in the Sandan Emirates, greeted my gaze along the nearby dirt road. After joining us for morning tea, he explained of his vanquishing of some abyssal beast. This, he claimed resulted in him contracting a curse that would have demons decent upon him come nightfall. As such, upon his request, we agreed to accompany him for the day.
It was come evening that we came upon a residence along the road. Yoshitsu requisitioned the building from the residents, instructing us to prepare defenses. I communed with the world and had plants sprout all around us, something I would grow to have mixed feelings on. When our defences were in place, a companion of Yoshitsu arrived, beginning a ritual to summon aid.
A race against time began as leeches began to sprout from the ground. I accompanied Frank and Eilith at the front, providing my limited ranged support. When the creatures were finally upon us, after having dragged themselves through the plants, I called forth two direwolves to cover Eilith's back. It was then that Yoshitsu warned us of the danger at the back of the building. Some of the leeches had coccooned and were beginning to change. The area being covered in thick overgrowth would now come to haunt us. I jumped into the sky, shifting into the form of a giant eagle as I went, Mavis grabbing hold to mount onto my back. Together we proceeded to attack the coccoons. From the first set, hatched (Robin, please insert the creature's name here. Otto knows it but Mike doesn't), giant wolflike creatures with a capacity for leaping great distances. Yoshitsu burst through our barricades at the back of the building, sallying forth. From the next set hatched creatures with massive, gaping mouths and as I repositioned to engage the last coccoons with Mavis, its gaze shifted onto me. Inexplicably, the world went silent and the air began to rush by as Mavis and I began to fall. It had somehow reverted my form and muted my attunements. Landing hard, but gracefully, on the roof of the building, we found ourselves trapped among the plants before it. I lept clear, barely escaping the gaze, returning to my flying form. I quickly ascended, away from it's withering gaze. This regrettibly left Mavis alone on the roof. But a druid without nature to call upon is of no use to anyone. The my pleasant surprise, Frank had dealt with the last of the coccoons and Eilith had mostly secured the front of the building. Regrettibly, I lost my focus when I fell and the creatures I had summoned to our aid were lost with it.
From a vantage point on the roof, I reverted my form, surveying the fight from on high. Here I realised Mavis' perdicament. Trapped in a field of anitmagic, engaged with a creature they had little hope to beat. She might die there. She needed an out. I could provide one. I rushed into the building, proceeding as far to the wall nearest Mavis as I could. There I forced the stone apart, willing the gaia the move aside. Through this gap I stuck my arm, yelling for Mavis to grab it. She did not disappoint landing hard on my arm and I strained to pull them through. We were both overcome with psychic dread then as the thing beyond the wall exerted its will. To make things worth, the roof behind us gave way, one of the wolf things clawing its way in. Adding further to our worried, the wall to our side exploded inwards, revealing six leeches, ready to pour inside. I told Mavis to run then, as Eilith rushed through the door and engaged the wolf thing. When we got there I restorted Mavis to a reasonable state of health. To my frustration, Mavis then insisted on healing me as well. Then the scream hit. It hurt her badly, blood pouring from her ears. I doubled down with my powers, returning to her a good portion of her vitality. Then the ritual finished and aid beset our foes. Exhausted, I collapsed then and there, the battle won.
Report Date
28 Jun 2021
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