Anyway, the last week of events has been rather trying. Let me see if I can properly order my thoughts and get them down accurately into this journal.
Well, after raiding the wyvern's lair, we proceeded onward, toward the spire continuing with our plan to destroy Lady Aborn and the vampire Azubahl. Near the base of the spire, we found the entrance that we had been seeking, which lead back up to where Azubahl kept his quarters. But, upon arriving at the cave, we were--as usual--attacked by Orgoshi. We dealt with them without difficulty, at least where the first batch of Orgoshi were concerned. But while fighting these Orgoshi, one of them rang a crude alarm in an effort to warn other nearby Orgoshi of our approach. Gideon, thinking quickly, tried to make himself sound like a goblin and called out to the preparing Orgoshi, claiming that it was a false alarm. But, for some reason, he made the claim in the common tongue, not in Orgoshi. It almost seemed like his bluff would work. We all hid in the dark, hoping to escape notice when an Orgoshi came downstairs, into the room where the alarm was sounded, apparently checking to make sure there was nothing to be alarmed about. We almost had him fooled, but then someone made some noise and alerted the Orgoshi, who then slammed the door and ran back up the stairs from which he came.
The Orgoshi tried to prepare a trap for us with a flammable, viscus liquid which they poured down the stairwell, but Constantine and I came up with the idea to trigger their trap early and cause it to backfire on them. The idea worked, and we took advantage of the surprise, allowing us to run up the stairs and attack very suddenly, but more Orgoshi were already waiting and prepared. We took them all out without too much trouble, but then an ogre captain of some sort came out with a pack of more surly looking Orgoshi than the ones we had just defeated. The ogre called out to us from across the room and told us that if we survived these next foes, that he would have a word with us. So, we killed them. Actually, it really wasn't that simple at all. We suffered some serious damage when we engaged them. They were very strong. In the meantime, the ogre walked off into another room, presumably waiting for us. After a very trying and dangerous fight, we destroyed the Orgoshi that the ogre brought out.
While I was looting the corpses of the previous battle, Gideon stumbled upon a trap (literally). Gideon's discovery nearly killed more than one of our party members and seriously wounded all but himself and me. We quickly got everyone dragged out of the blast radius of the trap (which turned out to be some kind of re-triggering evocation spell) and healed everyone. Then we got the idea to use the trap against our enemies by having Gideon open the door to the next room and lure the next combatants out into the room that we were in and Gideon would then trigger the trap while the rest of us were safely out of the blast radius. Well, it was a good idea, but it didn't quite work out that way. Unfortunately, when Gideon lured the Orgoshi toward the room after opening the next door, I ... Well, I guess I just was caught up in the heat of battle, and I rushed forward, into the blast radius of the trap, hoping to assist Gideon. Unfortunately, my hotheadedness almost ruined the plan, completely. Because I was in the blast radius, Gideon would not trigger the trap. He's really not as self-serving as he would have you believe. I mean, he could have just triggered the trap, regardless, in favor of saving himself--if not the rest of our party--from potential death. Truthfully, I probably would have survived the blast. I am quick enough to get out of the way of most traps. But Gideon, the friendly chap that he is, would not trigger the trap until I was out of the blast radius. At that moment, strangely, I envisioned myself as a steaming pile of goo. I am not sure why I had such a vision, but it wasn't vivid enough to keep my mind off of the importance of the battle. So, I shrieked, appropriately enough, and ran for cover. Gideon triggered the trap and, well, it didn't quite work out the way we wanted it to. Two of the approaching Orgoshi escaped the blast and charged after those of us that were covered from the blast, which nearly killed a couple of us. But, in the end, we conquered. And now I can look forward to a lucrative career as a specialist in sanitation, waste management and latrine regulation & safety.
As a side note, the viscosity of elements found in goblin latrines is rather disturbing. But Constantine has promised to give a detailed demonstration of how these elements can be properly managed, regardless of the governing custodial relationship of said latrine. As a result, if said demonstration is properly administered with the appropriate level of detail, I should have little difficulty migrating from wizardry to fecal-mucking. Perhaps I can use my knowledge as an evoker in order to assist in my
Back to the events that lead up to tonight.
So, after defeating the last Orgoshi warrior and debating where to spend the night before approaching the ogre who wished to speak with us, the ogre actually came out and engaged us in conversation directly. Or did we decide to go straight to him? I don't remember. Well, either way, we did not end up resting. Or, if we did, it was not very long. No, I am quite certain we did not rest. Anyway, we spoke with the ogre and he had a bargain to strike with us. His problem was this: Azubahl had stolen his (the ogre's) master's map. The ogre had killed Azubahl's "girlfriend", which turns out to be Lady Aborn, and had killed Azubahl numerous times, but Azubahl would continue to revive and return to "pester" the ogre.
The ogre wanted us to destroy Azubahl and return the map to the ogre so that he could then bring the map to his master. In return, the ogre would not fight us and would reward us generously. Seeing what arcane magicks encompassed the orge and the items that he wore about him, and considering his size and potential strength, it seemed very wise to not attempt to engage the ogre in battle. In addition to these things, we were already planning to destroy Azubahl, as well as his late "girlfriend," Lady Aborn. So, we agreed to enter the bargain with the ogre. The ogre then let us loot the corpses of his fallen Orgoshi brethren and provided us with a relatively clean place to sleep for the night. Gideon and I spent time conversing with the ogre and telling jokes and at some point that evening Constantine introduced me, for the first time ever, to a goblin latrine (hence the earlier reference). And at two different times of the night Azubahl made his way down to the ogre's lair and was quickly vanquished by the ogre, who spent so little effort destroying Azubahl with a single blow that the whole scene seemed rather comical.
The following morning we all went on our way to destroy Azubahl. When we arrived at the main foyer (if you can call anything in a cave a "foyer") that lead to Azubahl's sleeping quarters inside the creepy well, Azubahl was standing there, as though he was waiting for us. He looked glum and sulky and he spoke to us directly. He asked if there was anything he could do or say to convince us to turn back and leave, but Constantine made it quite clear that he could not allow Azubahl to live. So, Azubahl attacked us and we quickly returned the favor. Azubahl, however, was significantly stronger than when we last fought him and he had some new and deadly talents which used on us. By only touching us with his bare hand, Azubahl was able to drain what seemed to feel like the life-force of Constantine and myself. I felt ill and weak and almost as though part of my soul was simply gone. We dispatched of Azubahl rather quickly and then proceeded into the well to retrieve Azubahl's coffin. We destroyed the shadow creature that was guarding the coffin and hauled the coffin out into the daylight. We then destroyed the coffin with fire and, with the dissipation of the vampire's remains, we found an amulet that was actually the very map that the ogre was seeking.
Now, this amulet/map is very unique. The amulet either harnesses arcane energies or is comprised of arcane energies. The map that is the amulet appears to be constantly moving, never being stable and is a bit disconcerting to look upon. But what is most unique and intriguing about this map is that, as I recall from old histories, it has something to do with the legendary Crystal Tombs that lie parallel to (or outside of) our realm. As I remember it, there were five tombs and they date back to some time around the start of The Empire. And I think they might have something to do with The Empire specifically, but I do not know what. I don't remember much, I don't even know if I read of the Crystal Tombs in books, but something about the map and amulet bring these thoughts to mind. Maybe it has something to do with butterflies from Bromon's Well.
Anyway, we decided to honor our bargain (for the time-being) and returned the map to the ogre. After returning the map to the ogre, he honored his part of our bargain by awarding us with a great deal of platinum Orgoshi currency and not attacking us. Understandably, Constantine wanted to know who the ogre's master was, since he claimed earlier that he was going to bring the map to his master, and Constantine wanted to know how the ogre's master was going to use the map. The ogre was reluctant reveal any further information, but he was honest about the fact that he and his people were working to bring down the empire and he did not want to divulge any further information. The ogre offered to let us travel with him if we could "keep up" with his pace. But, we needed to rest and we were not certain that we wanted to travel with him. So, the ogre prepared to travel that afternoon, but first cast a spell on me with the use of a scroll and an amulet around his neck which alleviated the affects that Azubahl's touch had on me. After that, the orge took to traveling and we spent the night in the ogre's lair. Once we woke, Constantine was determined to track down and destroy this ogre. He claimed that the ogre was evil. I suppose Constantine is more likely to be an authority on good versus evil than anyone else in our party, but if I were in his position, I could just as easily say that "rocks are evil." Actually, he did claim that rocks were evil. I'll have to think about this more. Anyway, in the end, we all agreed to track the ogre and, at least, approach him again and decide (when the time would come) what to do about the ogre.
So, we tracked the ogre for six days and pushed ourselves to our limits in order to catch up with him. On the last day of tracking, we came to a small wilderness village filled with hunters and trackers and rangers. They were kind to us and sold us a great deal of food and fed us. Then they kindly--but firmly--escorted us out of their village and perimeter. On our way out of the village, Constantine asked our escort if he and his people would be willing to help us destroy the ogre. But our escort informed us that, though they are not allies or friends with the Orgoshi, and though they generally despised the Orgoshi, they had somewhat of a peace and pact with the Orgoshi where their tribe is unharmed by the Orgoshi and they, themselves, pose no harm or threat to the Orgoshi. He further added that for them to attack the ogre they would destroy that peace and that they were not willing to put their village at such risk. So, alone, we pushed on to catch up with the ogre.
When we finally caught up with the ogre, we all prepared for battle. I was really not looking forward to fighting the ogre and was already beginning to dread the decision we made. At the last minute, we decided to go forth and destroy the ogre, at which point I used some spells to defend and prepare the party.
When we entered into a clearing in the woods, the ogre was patiently waiting for us, but he too was prepared for battle. He attempted to convince us to turn back, to not attempt an attack, but Constantine put it quite simply that we (or he, really) could not allow the ogre to bring the map back to his master. So, the ogre threw a bright, red, burning boulder at us. At that point, I used a spell to increase everyone's speed except for Brom's (Brom was too far away at the time) and we all flew into battle. The battle was fierce and perhaps the most deadly battle we have yet to be a part of. I set myself up to levitate and then I had to drain the strength of the ogre, which turned out to work quite well. I then increased Nel's strength and cast a few offensive spells at the ogre. Nel delivered a few nasty blows to the ogre and Constantine hit him with a few spells of his own, but it was Gideon who really conquered the ogre. Gideon delivered several deadly blows to the ogre, and the ogre then focused on Gideon and hit him so badly that, for a moment, it looked like Gideon was dead. But then, when everyone was just trying to stay alive, Gideon got up and, in a blur, cut the ogre in so many vital places that the ogre bled to death within instants.
I didn't really feel good about killing this ogre and I voiced my feelings clearly to the rest of the group. So he was evil. I don't know about this "good versus evil" game. All I know is that the ogre held to his end of the bargain and then we killed him and took from him what was his payment for the bargain. I think everyone else in the group (except, maybe, Gideon) feels similar to the way I feel. Normally, I would not care quite so much about the breaking of a deal, but the way we did it just seemed so dirty and despicable.
Well, we're resting now, but there is concern that more Orgoshi will soon come to find us, because when the ogre drew his last breath, his amulet fired off what might have been a warning "flare" into the sky. So, we'll be moving on very soon, I think.
I think I will start wearing more black.
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