Virxalim’s Journey

21 Lamon 495

Finally out of that grubby hole. I still can’t believe they locked me up for defending myself. They just couldn’t stand the fact that that pathetic excuse for a caster couldn’t win a fight he started. Not that he got punished at all. No, mister well connected just got sent to his teacher and told to do better next time.
And as for those who claimed to be on my team. No visit. No attempt to get me out. Nothing but requests to stay put. So much for helping me. If it was any of the others they would have been getting them out straight away, keeping their well connected favour network going. But not me. Since I don’t have the right connections I’m barely an after thought for them.
All they’ve done is slow me down anyway. Well no more. I don’t have time to look for alternatives now, not that they were coming up with many, so it’s time to head out alone.

23 Lamon 495

Those worthless bearded thieves took all my coin. All of it. Not content with just locking me up, they took all my pay. It’s clearer than ever that I wasn’t wanted in that team. They probably used the gold to pay off the other three to make sure they didn’t get me out. Just proves that all their talk was just that. Talk. The only thing those three were loyal to was themselves and gold. It’s time i got out of this place but i need a map to where this ruin is.

2 Firmon 496

What coin I had hidden in my pack is quickly running out. These idiot dwarves seem to hate having anything as simple and clear as a map so I’m going to have to waste time hunting for drelkyte. At least the dwarves live up to their reputation when it comes to consuming ale and spirits. Gave me plenty of opportunity to stock up on supplies. Nowhere near the value that’s owed to me but there’s only so much I can take with me.

7 Firmon 496

It’s a good thing I made sure to prepare before setting out. If I’d left in the clothes I had, I’d have been frozen to death by now. The snow is making everything harder but I think I should be getting to a village tomorrow.
I still haven’t looked in the other journal. If I don’t see any new demands then I can’t be held responsible for not completing them.

9 Firmon 496

Stupid selfish villagers. They wouldn’t give me any food. Not even after I told them how vital it was I reach the mountains quickly. Can’t they understand how much more important it is that I be able to complete my journey than them being able to stuff themselves with food.
Since they weren’’t helpful of their own will I made them involuntarily helpful. Obviously I didn’t take more than I needed to complete my trek, along with the extra needed because of the delay they caused. I’m no thief after all. Maybe next time the fools of Wesser will have learned their lesson.

15 Firmon 496

After days trudging through the snow I’ve finally made it to the mountains. Since I was forced to come here on my own in the middle of winter I’ve no idea which way to go. My supplies are running low,; I shouldn’t have been so restrained in acquiring them from the village. I need to find the place quickly. I don’t have time to search for it. I’ll have to open the other book tonight.

16 Firmon 496

I got more than I expected from the book. I’ve a general idea of where to go but it’s it fairly useless as it didn’t tell me where I am. Fortunately I happened across a hunter who at least told me where I am. Of course as seems typical for the people around here he it took it badly when I asked him to share some meat with me. I swear these humans will get violent over nothing. I thought he might actually manage to strangle me, but in trying to fight him off my glove came off. When I grabbed him with the bare bones of that hand he suddenly went still and all colour drained from his face before he collapsed to the ground. Maybe the hand isn’t as much of a curse as I first thought.

19 Firmon 496

The hunter’s supplies have proved useful and I’ve now made my way up into the barriers. The cave I’m in is barely more than a narrow crack in the mountainside but it at least keeps me out of the wind. It’s too cold to be without a fire but it’s not like there is a load of convenient firewood lying around. I guess there were some benefits to travelling with the others after all.

21 Firmon 496

There’s been more snow and I’ve found myself more or less trapped. My supplies are running low despite coming across the remains and pack of another traveller. It’s too cold to go wandering around out there but I do have another option. Berrak wouldn’t approve but his preaching was just holding me back. It’s time to see what I can really do.

22 Firmon 496

It worked. It was like reaching into a pool of purple ink and scooping out a tiny vial of liquid which I then infused into the body. Within moments it had started moving and I was able to control it. Only simple commands so far, but I can at least get it to pick up and carry things. If only I hadn’t been held back by the others I could have been practising this for months, instead of having to learn in this situation.
I’ve set my new servant to clearing a way out for me. No need to worry about how it will cope with cold. If I can maintain control over night then I may be able to send it to find another potential servant. In the meantime I'm holding off on eating my remaining supplies until I feel too hungry. I've managed on short rations before I'm sure I can manage again.

23 Firmon 496

I’ve got a clear path out. This is what my natural talent allows me to achieve when I’m not being held back by those obsessed with their book learning. One of the supposed elite like Harazar would take years of study to achieve what I did in one day.
It would be good to have a few more helpers. If nothing else hey can hold back enemies while I cast or run. But I need to make progress, my time is measured in weeks rather than months now. It’s probably too long for that other candidate to still be intact so I think I’ll focus on getting to Drelkyte before time runs out. Once I’m done with that I can look at other matters, like finding a way out of this contract.
I haven't felt the need to eat anything since yesterday. It's different from when I've had to go without before. I'm not holding back hunger. I'm not feeling hunger at all.

2 Tend 496

I’ve found it. The entrance to Drelkyte. A few days of looking for this box and then I can get back to finding a new solution. The time between tasks seems to be increasing. I got 6 months for this one, so once I send the box I should have time. Damn it all through the layers of the abyss. I don’t have the materials for the ritual. The blight-cursed dwarves took them. Now how am I supposed to finish in time.
Can’t do much about it now. I’ve jus got to find the box. Then I can worry about sending it. Drelkyte was a settlement once, maybe I’ll get lucky and find what I need for the ritual in there. At least one problem has been solved. It's been days since I've eaten and I still don't feel hungry. Maybe using my true potential is allowing me to draw on magic rather in place of food.

3 Tend 496

First day of exploring this place and it has been easier going than I feared. The entrance wasn’t totally clear, but there was enough space for me and my servant to get through. Doesn’t seem like many animals have been inside so that’s one less thing to worry about. There’s a few dwarven skeletons around the place so I think I’ll add another to my entourage tonight.

4 Tend 496

There seems to be one clear path through the central tunnel, but most of the side tunnels and what the dwarves call buildings seem to be blocked by rubble. I'm starting to think this will be harder than I first thought. If the box is in one of the side tunnels then it will take forever to find. If only the team hadn't abandoned me then there'd be a few other options.
Still, the option I do have may work. When I was drawing power to create another servant it felt more like taking a cup of the purple ink rather than a vial. The power is flowing easier as I grow more accustomed to it. If I raise enough willing hands with it then I can still succeed in this search.

5 Tend 496

That's a dozen I've got working for me now. It would be more but I've lost some to rockfall. This place isn't as stable as I would like but then that's why I've got disposable labourers. I'm spending some of my time sorting through the boxes my tools have been bringing me. The pittance I was paid working as a soldier pales in comparison to the wealth I've acquired here. Once I find the box I need I'll have to give some thought as to where I can go to spend it.