Hallbertha Fjellvind
Thoughtful dwarven wizard from Gammelkonge. Divination specialist.
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Third Friga of Sunna
Dear Diary,
Unfortunately the disposing of the glyph trapped chandelier in the theater was not without consequences. A ship was damaged in an explosion down by the river. To our knowledge no lives were lost, so at the end of the day there is a small victory in that, but I wish we hadn't had to resort to such a hasty maneuver. My first instinct in this is to seek power to match my opponents, but power in itself is not enough, as I have learned watching my peers in the world of wizardry. I must be better.
Eldove almost died. I did warn her not to wander off on her own after being bitten by a bloody vampire, but nobody ever listens to me. It seems the vampire's tooth had set off some kind of toxic shock through her system and she seemed to perish before our eyes over night. Emphasis on seemed, as she woke up a moment later. No, diary, she did not become a vampire. Testing with holy symbols, daylight and whatnot yielded no results. Instead, it seems that some entity called Omega, the Last, has claimed that reckless doofus as a warlock of theirs. Eldove already shows strange signs of (trans)mutations to her body, such as a symbol on her eye and tongue. Her magic has taken a change for the darker tone and she can now apparently summon weighless shadowy weaponry for herself.
I imagine there will be a price for her to pay for all that. The clergy aren't all too enthused about her situation either. All evidence points to that what religions we hold dear and this being in Pact with Eldove are not exactly on the best of terms. However she did get injured fighting for a good cause and I feel obligated to try and help her out of what appears to be a thoroughly awful situation that I wouldn't wish on anyone. I wish she didn't make it so difficult.
I held a card reading before our setting off to travel to White Path. Two of our group having the same prophetic dream cannot be a coincidence. So to that toxic wasteland we wander. I can't say I'm particularly happy about our destination, especially considering the locals hold the sciences in low regard. I suppose if you commit yourself to nonsense lies to control the masses and squeeze coin out of them, truth becomes inconvenient and gets in the way. Anyway, the card reading.
1) Mercenary: Inner Strength and Fortitude; Those who fight for power or wealth.
2) Evoker: Magical or supernatural power that can't be controlled; Magic for destructive ends.
3) Dictator: All that is wrong with goverment and leadership; those who rule through fear and violence.
High Deck:
4) Donjon: Isolation and imprisonment; being so conservative in thinking as to be a prisoner in one's own beliefs.
5) Innocent: A being of great importance whose life is in danger (who might be helpless or simply unaware of the peril).
The reading is in line with what they were saying about those prophetic dreams... and our destination. I'm trying to think positive thoughts.
Our travel was relatively peaceful. It honestly could have gone worse than it did. A bulette decided to try make a meal out of us, but that was that for violent encounters. Just some foolish peasants trying to make an easy coin on the road. If I ever become more than a pawn of royal courts and actually have some sway, I'm going to have them install a paid teacher in each town so even the dullest townsfolk can learn to read, write and do basic math. Running in to these dullards is just sad.
As a surprise to absolutely no one, the elves of our group are racist. I'll try to give Amariel the benefit of the doubt, seeing as she is a family friend and she hasn't voiced anything truly abrasive, but Eldove and Kon ashamed the rest of our group with some rotten behaviour toward a tiefling entertainer, that Eldove apparently knew and had some petty rivalries with. The world is miserable enough without us adding to it, especially for someone born to 'unfortunate circumstances', like this tiefling. Or me. Yes, diary, I'm allowed some self-pity sometimes. Maybe having been persecuted myself has given me some perspective, how about that? Anyway, it disgusts me that they had to behave that way and I hope they'll learn as we travel together.
In brighter news, we stopped by Dragon's Tail and the military academy library had the spelltome of a naval mage in their collection. The kind orcish librarian made a copy for me, so I have a ton of magic to study now. When we get our hands on some more gold I'll be able to scribe a good number of the spells contained therein. An absolutely groundbreaking find for me! I promised the librarian a copy of my studies as a diviner when I'm an established mage and I intend to make good on that promise when I have the means, time and I have made some breakthroughs I can be proud to show off. Right now that seems far in the distance, but one day I'll get there.
As a reminder.. come morning I'll make some soap. I don't want to travel another week with these folks without proper soap for everyone.
The Second Saral of Sunna
14.2.3148
Dear Diary,
Eeeeeek! I met Tarja Lovesjel in person and she thanked us even for saving her husband and father-in-law! She is so refined, graceful and powerful in person. She just exudes the ancestral might and honor of Gammelkonge! What would I do to some day have the position of Court Mage to her rule!? Ooof but the endless politics and the niceties to people who don't deserve it. Agh it would be torture and torment and I imagine my life expectancy would be less than a human's.
I'm not ready to die. I have so much left to give. I realized that today, faced with a fiery death mere inches from my face. It was a massive candelabra that was rigged with glyphs of Fireball, set to blow at a verbal command. In getting rid of that and the clown golem assassins, I imagine we have stepped on the toes of a somewhat enterprising mage assassin and got in the way of their paycheck. Looking at the clowns we destroyed, I don't believe we are dealing with a "professional" type that will simply write this down as a loss. No, I except petty payback. My companions will call me paranoid, but I know wizards. The overgrowth of hubris is not an exception, but a rule. And sense has yet to become common.
To take a few steps backwards, we managed to thwart the assassination of one Mario Durante. He invited himself in to our hideout on the morn of his birthday and we discussed the events and the threats against him and his family. A short discussion later, we learned Vincent had been injured, but had make it to safety in the palace. Fortunately. At first I took him for a common dandy, but the man has tricks up his sleeve, much like our Kaerwyd if he cleaned up his act some.
Right, right, to the thwarting. We split our eyes and ears to different parts of the opera house and began our investigation of the premises. We found traps and preparations of conventional, alchemical and magical means, all of which points to that the assassins went to quite a bit of expense to get rid of the Merchant King. The aforementioned candelabra was beyond my means of disarming, even with the combined might of our priests or even the bard, which meant it had to be carried out. It was too large even so, and the quickest rational solution was to enlist working men to get it out. I sorely hope they threw that candelabra away as intended.
We also found a pouch of a substance that I believe consists of the alchemist's black powder and something else. I have no idea what, but perhaps I can study these substances now that I have the time. If I can trace what ingredients go to making this, I might sell the recipe for a fortu---
No. Absolutely not. I'm not about to become responsible for a new kind of alchemical warfare when we have the risk of War on our doorstep. No, these things must remain a secret for now. That perhaps makes it even more important that I figure out just what makes this blackish stuff so volatile and explosive.
ANYWAY. There were three assassins. A woman that seemed a traditional small blades expert, but they had some sort of shadowy magic powers and perhaps a capability for short distance teleportation. I was not there to witness her capabilities to be honest. She had left herself an Amulet of Preparedness on the scene to help in her endeavors, but we snatched it beforehand.
What I had the displeasure of fighting face to face were constructs of some sort of slimey substance, held together by their clown outfits, a mask and a Rune of Control or False Life as a heart. There were two of them and the second one self-destructed as it saw its chances of success freeze over in the hands of Amariel and yours truly. I strongly suspect they were being controlled from afar, perhaps from the audience. Their master had the sense to never show themselves.
The constructs were armed with magical items befitting assassins: Gloves of Scaling and a Dagger of Cunningness. I imagine the golems were not cheap to create if their master also had the means to arm them like this.
Lastly, we saw a monster in the guise of an elven man. A vampiric being, if our guesswork is correct. It got Eldove pretty good and the priests had the opinion that healing her was beyond their power at the moment. While I still don't like her, she was useful during the Opera play and I'm not so embittered as to wish for such a ghoulish fate for anyone. We will find a cure for her "infection". Silver has been known to have an alchemical effect with such magical monsters, and it is an ingredient in many medicines. Perhaps it will help stave off some of its progress for now? We can't help but try.
With all of the investigative and dirty work out of the way and the awful play at an end, and with a crowd cheering to bloody murder (who would have guessed), we were escorted to the palace to be congratulated by the Merchant King for our work. Which the Durantes forgot to pay for, making the asking of it rather awkward. But even more awkward was the presence of one Ergon Wintertree, a very very very creepy old man, who passingly confessed to the murder of an entire noble family line of Van Hallows in front of his king. I guess you get to do whatever you want if you have money and influence. I am rather certain of Wintertree's involvement in the assassination attempt, because he appears to be just the type of warmongering monster, that would attempt to spark another full blown war between the nations of Craterium. Why do I think someone tries to start a war? The king's men found a letter containing the assassin's contract and payment of a five numbered sum to the three individuals, and this was all signed by one Vice Mayor Carrill Lorzon of Stonesinger.
It's easy to imagine a group of power hungry politicians baking up a war together. Wintertree is part of this equation, I just know it.
I just hope Tarja makes it out okay in all of this. And that Vincent realizes that she is not some spy, but his spouse that requires the same support she gives him. Gammelkonge might have played our part in the wars, but dwarven honor does not approve the use of vampires and poison bladed assassins. Challar and Sunnari, if there is a thing I would pray for tonight, it is that you send a spirit like my beloved Aegir to look after Tarja.
We are to set off to new adventures with our newly acquired funds. It's not much. We need to make more. But it's enough to get set on to the road and to find greater fortunes. My companions proved themselves today out there and I believe that I can count on their abilities, even if not all of their judgement. When things started to get rough, we each had our backs. And I feel we are just getting started.
I would write more on things but... I have had a long day.
The Second Friga of Sunna
13.2.3148
Dear diary,
Following the prophecies of my family friend Amariel has led me, and the scoundrels I am travelling with, in to a pickle in Fourways. It seems that the local ruler Mario Durante is under a threat of assassination. In proper dramatic form befitting these people, they threaten him on his birthday of all days. Durante's son and the spouse of Tarja Lovesjel, Vincent Durante, seems to have taken the initiative and hired us to investigate and stop his father's looming murder.
For the sake of diplomatic relationships between my people and theirs, I truly hope we can do something about this. We don't need warmongering fools bringing down the peace we've built. Father, I wish I could ask you for advice, although I know what you'd say. You'd tell me to stay out of politics. And rightly so. Right now I'm almost certain I've bitten off more than I can chew and I'm just hoping I don't end up hanging from a length of rope with these criminals I've chosen to ally myself with.
Kon almost got himself added to the "hanging garden" by the gallows by listening to our criminally minded individuals. Even the priest Darvin got roped in to their plans. I truly hope he learned his lesson. The others had helped him steal artifacts from an auction we were at, but once the doofus got himself caught, they abandoned him to his fate. Honor among thieves my arse. I gave the guards a talking to and raised some hell on the very shady nature of the business dealings in their establishment. The establishment saved face by letting our monk go, but Fate doesn't weave many of these strokes of luck in the web of our lives. Sooner or later, luck runs out.
Oh well. At least I managed to convince Lord Vincent to at least give us some provisions to arm ourselves with. Seeing as these hopeless gits around me are more likely to gamble the money away than make proper investments, I'm sitting on our meager 'hoard' for now. Let them think of me as a fire breathing dragon if they wish. I believe everyone got something useful in the end, although I'm hoping that arming the gnome with traps and whatnot won't come to bite us in the rear in the end.
Speaking of lack of Honor. Eldove attempted to sell me another forgery of melf's acid arrow. Some day she is going to sign the sigils of a wizard that is currently alive and well and she is going to come to a very acute understanding as to why even thinking about forging magic scrolls is a horrible idea. If I don't get to her first, that is. She is doing everything in her power to enrage me. She even assaulted my mind with an Enchantment spell of some sort. Fortunately my mind is not some open door. This perfectly illustrates why the practice of hardening your will against mental attacks is so important to a wizard. It is because Enchantment spells are by far practiced by those who should never have access to magic to begin with. Manipulators, liars and immoral fiends that care nothing for anyone but themselves. I detest the idea of robbing someone of their own will, even if they have an arse for a face. Ugh, I'm reminded of that pervert Arnfinn Geving... I don't know if I can relax in a public bathhouse again. Here is hoping the absolute beating I gave him in our wizard's duel has smacked any sense in to him.
Just thinking about what kind of slimeballs wield actual magical might in these so called civilized societies makes me furious.
In brighter news, I have taken the time and the all too valuable inks and components to scribe down the Alarm spell. And I'm making progress toward my modifications on Melf's Minute Meteors. I call it Halla's Glacial Comets. Quite similar in practice, but drawing from the Elemental Cold instead of Fire. The geometry of the runes and sigils still require some tuning, as I haven't been able to create a shard of ice that would hold enough elemental energy to be anywhere near dangerous, and I would need at least six of these, hovering around me at my will. The theory is solid however. I think I'm getting closer.
As a side effect, I'm getting some practice in fine tuned elemental manipulation of water, which might be useful in itself once I get a good hang of it.
I've also put some time aside to study Alchemy in practice while my companions are out investigating this lead we have on a troupe of actors that are supposed to perform during Durante's birthday. It's a great logic exercise and a good distraction from the otherwise worrisome situation. And I firmly believe that the pursuit of these natural sciences is going to give me a broader view of magical phenomena as well. Simply put, Knowledge is power.
And it doesn't hurt if I can make some scented soap for my companions.
Since we are such a numerous bunch, I've given some thought to travel fortifications in the wilderness. I call this design the Rimefort.
The dark squares stand for 5 foot blocks of earth.
The letter H stands for a 5 foot hole in the ground.
With some practice it should take me some two and a half minutes to create or dispose on a suitable patch of terrain.
It features 5 foot inner walls of earth and a moat that can be manned and used for shelter and patrols and sparsely placed outer walls for increased cover against outer threats. And one could stick hooks and lanterns on those blocks of earth for increased vision.
The moat makes it difficult to climb the inner wall, as ten feet is quite a bit more than five.
And the Alarm spell should reach the outer walls, making our little fort more secure.
I'm pretty happy with this one. I will show it to Grandpa Sven when I next see the old codger.
[See image below]
https://i.imgur.com/NHhIpdj.png
The second Werga of Sunna 11.2
2nd Werga of Sunna
Location: Captain Tom O'Malley's ship
Dear diary,
I have finally found the honorless cur that sold me the rotten forgery of the Scroll of Melf's Acid Arrow, that cost me weeks of hard work. This slithering salamander is named Eldove Relynn and she has quickly become the bane of my existence. It is hard enough for an aspiring female mage to make living, without the connections of my Esteemed Collegues over at the Circle of Brown Noses, without being fleeced and conned, laughed at and belittled every step of the way! Challar and Sunnari please forgive me for my bathing in my tears of self-pity, but the injustice of it all infuriates me. Perhaps that others do not appear to care infuriates me even more. How are we to build a better world wh
Aegir just put his head in my lap and demanded my attention. I had a moment to collect myself and gave him one of those bones I bought. There is a wisdom in that creature that I've come to rely upon. On some instinctual level he seems to know when others are in Pain and he sees his place is to ease it and to guide others to see the positive side of things. I think that is why he has been spending so much time working the case of the Sinnaran priest Darvin Helder, an interesting man that we came across again. I met mister Helder previously some time ago as I was tracking my father and bringing his maps up to date. I don't mind Aegir spending his time with the man, seeing as the needlessly feared and shunned priest could probably use the companionship and Aegir won't beg me so much for scratches, because I have things that need doing.
I met Amariel, a priestess of Metsulahaba, on the way to Merchant's Rest, which is nice. Amariel is of course a family friend and therefore I took her words of prophetic dreams with utmost seriousness. Remember: Four Rivers Run Red. Last I saw her was some 30 years ago, which in elven counting is probably something akin to last week. For now she has been very helpful and reasonable in every turn, which I did not expect of an elf, but there you go about prejudice.
I held a card reading because I happened to have the eyes and ears of two clergymen, hoping to gleam some wisdom about what the future might hold for us, besides the grave implications of Fourways becoming a bloodbath. I had the two priests shuffle my deck in the hopes that it would help get the divine involved. The reading came up as follows.
Dictator: All that is wrong with goverment and leadership; those who rule through fear and violence.
Missionary: Those who spread wisdom and faith to others; warnings of the spread of fear and ignorance.
Philanthropist: Charity and giving on a grand scale; those who use wealth to fight evil and sickness.
Beast: Great rage or passion; something bestial or malevolent hiding in plain sight or lurking just below the surface.
Marionette: The presence of a spy or a minion of some greater power; an encounter with a puppet or an underling.
The foretelling omens right now, beyond the readings and prophecies, are all coming up horrendous now. And yes. The ship I'm working on as a navigator was attacked by pirates. It was an inside job too. We had pirates hiding amongst us, no doubt informing their comrades on our exact position every hour. I think we would have been sunken too, if it wasn't for the intervention of our ship's diplomatic passenger Grandmaester Auron of the Xanatonian empire, who appears to be quite learned in the arts of Conjuration. Reminder: Do not eat octopus.
I made attempts not to shame my clan in the face of an old enemy, but it was made difficult as I travel with scoundrels. Fortunately, the pirates being complete and utter fools, launched a hunk of Starstone at our ship. I think that hunk would have allowed for a early retirement for atleast a couple of those scurvy ridden morons, had they just put their thinking caps on. Little did they know we had a monk named Kon on our ship, who somehow managed to stop that spherical piece of flying death with something akin to a Shield spell, but not quite. Monks are an enigma wrapped in mystery. I managed to gather some highly useful components off of it for later use. And with some gentle nudging and guidance, managed to get the elven monk to trade his incredibly heavy ball of Magical Catastrophy, Madness and Death, for something that is more practical to adventuring life. I even got a magical staff for the trouble!
Unfortunately, it's a Xanatonian elven staff. I dread going through chronicles about how many of my ancestors have fallen to this very staff in the wars of old. Fortunately, it is not entirely vile in its properties. It allows me draw upon it to restore some of my magical power each day. Whatever this staff is responsible for, I will work to redeem its name. Let it be known that there is no destruction others can wreak that a proper dwarf can't fix.
Well, that was arrogant. And factually challenged. But dear diary, you know what I was going for. Because you are me. And also me from the future. Speaking of which, future me. You better appreciate that waistline, because I haven't had any sweets in a good while and I'm cranky as hell.
Speaking of cranky, one of the pirates slipped their cell in the brig. The captain, no less. Lena "Red" O'Hara, that Sneaky Cunt, managed to pull a fast one on me. She had a ring that masks the presence of magical objects on one's person and magnifies the presence of the ring to magical detection spells. Which is how she managed to somehow sneak a Key of Dimension Door in to a brig, gods know how. That Utter Bitch is going to regret ever making herself known to me when I learn some higher divinations, because now I have something of hers. I will find her and I will ruin that fish smelling barnacle diddler. She cost the lives of good men and women on that ship, lives that will be avenged. I will have to remind my new travelling companions that a pretty smile and a pair of over exposed mammaries does not make one any less a murderer.
What else? Ah yes, the gnomes. Always forgotten by history. That slimy maggotmuncher Eldove has a partner in crime called Kaerwyd. He is a gnome. I haven't noticed anything missing from my things as of yet, and I have been dilligent about checking that, but I'm sure that little imp is up to something. He and Eldove are looking to score something big. It's obvious. And I won't get fooled again.
Lastly, I obtained a scroll of Alarm from a mage that tried to fleece the uninitiated Kaerwyd with prices more akin to robbery and banditry than anything closely reasonable. I should study the scroll now that I have means to, especially because of that gnome.
Reminder: Get to know Kon better and thank him properly. Hopefully he will be an ally when we curse the scoundrels' sudden, but inevitable betrayal.
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