Bargain of the Century (October 23rd / 30th)
Nov 7, 2018 22:19:14 GMT
Varis/G'Lorth/Sundilar, Malri 'Taffeta' Thistletop, and 1 more like this
Post by Demik / Code on Nov 7, 2018 22:19:14 GMT
Extracts from Demik's Research Log.
After weeks of several expeditions with little result, I've recently came across a promising lead carved on The Headed Ettin's wall: Granny needed some help, and offered generous compensation.
Rumours about this figure circulate Daring Heights. Some of the earlier arrivals to the town speak of a dangerous hag who people should stay away from. However, in order to push knowledge forward, one must take risks, and I was willing to take this one.
Most of the people in Daring Heights did take this popular wisdom into consideration, as the only people mad enough to come along were three newcomers, and Lady Sunday (no surprise there).
Making our way to the Feywild through a portal in the Guilded Mirror, we found Granny's house quite easily. Let's say that her architectural choices do not blend well with the rest of the Feywild...
The aim of the expedition was clear: get a lich's phylactery. For our service, we would be allowed to make a deal with Granny. One of our newest companions (Mr. Wei I believe his name was) immediately offered to construct a temple to Granny in Daring Heights. I suspect Mr. Wei may not be familiar with the concept of haggling.
(Note to self: record that last bit on the Puns Log)
We were transported by Granny to the desert beyond the western mountains in Kantas, where we found a large necropolis. I must say, that was truly the work of a professional. Very impressive indeed.
We've made our way into the very depths of the place, where we found the lich. It turned out that she was a friendly businesswoman providing assisted death services, when it became apparent that we were not there to purchase said services, the tone changed dramatically.
The lich was very powerful, separating both Lady Sunday and I from the rest of our companions. I did not see what happened to them, but we were faced directly with the lich, and the fight was surely going to be life threatening. Indeed, after less than a minute into the battle, the lich transformed into a gigantic T-Rex, and it was at this point that I had the opportunity to witness something that nobody else in Daring Heights has dared to do.
As we faced the monstrous creature, Lady Sunday called upon Cyric for help. A large skull surrounded by purple light emerged from her back and she landed a destructive blow to the T-Rex with her maul, decapitating the lich with a single hit.
Kantas has provided me with sights beyond my wildest dreams, but that moment will forever be burnt into my memory. Even though I do not like to resort to the help of deities (damn those sabotaging scoundrels!), the sheer power the mark of Cyric has provided us leaves me quite excited about the possibilities, but also very concerned.
At this point, the giant statue on the far end of the wall detached and started moving towards us, we grabbed the phylactery and ran as fast as we could, passing through a set of traps in the corridors leading to the exit. In one of these traps, Hlung (one of our companions), fell down a set of moving stairs and was hit by several rotating metal bars, killing him instantly.
Upon arriving closer to the exit, we were confronted with a horde of undead, so we proceeded to fight our way out with a bit of help of some undead of my own. Lady Sunday stayed behind, fighting the statue with reckless abandon.
Besides poor unlucky Hlung, we all managed to return to Granny, and strike a few deals with her.
Mr. Wei now has a new patron for his temple (l still fail to see exactly how does this benefit him), Lady Sunday had a bunch of souls removed from her maul, and I was given a very important piece of information in exchange for 10 years of youth and a favour to Granny. I am not keen on being indebted to a hag, but one cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs.
I was handed a sealed envelope, containing the name and location of an individual who knows a ritual capable of extending one's life span for 600 years. It's still not eternal life, but this is 600 years of time which would allow me to push my research even further, hopefully to its ultimate conclusion.
On our way back, we were approached by a figure in leathery wings and bone hair who introduced herself as Keladry, asking us to send her regards to the more veteran adventurers of Daring Heights. Although I have never met her before, I remember seeing her name mentioned on the books I've reconstructed after the destruction of Nowhere's library. I should re-read some of those.
The overall experience has left me quite concerned, maybe the fact that I am in my 30s now (for the second time), is starting to get to me.
I guess people who make deals with hags should not cast moral judgments, but I am getting worried about Lady Sunday. She has never shown any signs of evil intent, but the way she throws herself into deathly battle with childish glee, combined with her wild mood swings, are not a good sign. Although they were always there, they are getting worse, as if a pendulum violated the laws of physics and reached a greater height with every swing.
As I record this log entry, I am staring to the sealed envelope given to me by Granny, wondering what the next step in my life's quest will be.
After weeks of several expeditions with little result, I've recently came across a promising lead carved on The Headed Ettin's wall: Granny needed some help, and offered generous compensation.
Rumours about this figure circulate Daring Heights. Some of the earlier arrivals to the town speak of a dangerous hag who people should stay away from. However, in order to push knowledge forward, one must take risks, and I was willing to take this one.
Most of the people in Daring Heights did take this popular wisdom into consideration, as the only people mad enough to come along were three newcomers, and Lady Sunday (no surprise there).
Making our way to the Feywild through a portal in the Guilded Mirror, we found Granny's house quite easily. Let's say that her architectural choices do not blend well with the rest of the Feywild...
The aim of the expedition was clear: get a lich's phylactery. For our service, we would be allowed to make a deal with Granny. One of our newest companions (Mr. Wei I believe his name was) immediately offered to construct a temple to Granny in Daring Heights. I suspect Mr. Wei may not be familiar with the concept of haggling.
(Note to self: record that last bit on the Puns Log)
We were transported by Granny to the desert beyond the western mountains in Kantas, where we found a large necropolis. I must say, that was truly the work of a professional. Very impressive indeed.
We've made our way into the very depths of the place, where we found the lich. It turned out that she was a friendly businesswoman providing assisted death services, when it became apparent that we were not there to purchase said services, the tone changed dramatically.
The lich was very powerful, separating both Lady Sunday and I from the rest of our companions. I did not see what happened to them, but we were faced directly with the lich, and the fight was surely going to be life threatening. Indeed, after less than a minute into the battle, the lich transformed into a gigantic T-Rex, and it was at this point that I had the opportunity to witness something that nobody else in Daring Heights has dared to do.
As we faced the monstrous creature, Lady Sunday called upon Cyric for help. A large skull surrounded by purple light emerged from her back and she landed a destructive blow to the T-Rex with her maul, decapitating the lich with a single hit.
Kantas has provided me with sights beyond my wildest dreams, but that moment will forever be burnt into my memory. Even though I do not like to resort to the help of deities (damn those sabotaging scoundrels!), the sheer power the mark of Cyric has provided us leaves me quite excited about the possibilities, but also very concerned.
At this point, the giant statue on the far end of the wall detached and started moving towards us, we grabbed the phylactery and ran as fast as we could, passing through a set of traps in the corridors leading to the exit. In one of these traps, Hlung (one of our companions), fell down a set of moving stairs and was hit by several rotating metal bars, killing him instantly.
Upon arriving closer to the exit, we were confronted with a horde of undead, so we proceeded to fight our way out with a bit of help of some undead of my own. Lady Sunday stayed behind, fighting the statue with reckless abandon.
Besides poor unlucky Hlung, we all managed to return to Granny, and strike a few deals with her.
Mr. Wei now has a new patron for his temple (l still fail to see exactly how does this benefit him), Lady Sunday had a bunch of souls removed from her maul, and I was given a very important piece of information in exchange for 10 years of youth and a favour to Granny. I am not keen on being indebted to a hag, but one cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs.
I was handed a sealed envelope, containing the name and location of an individual who knows a ritual capable of extending one's life span for 600 years. It's still not eternal life, but this is 600 years of time which would allow me to push my research even further, hopefully to its ultimate conclusion.
On our way back, we were approached by a figure in leathery wings and bone hair who introduced herself as Keladry, asking us to send her regards to the more veteran adventurers of Daring Heights. Although I have never met her before, I remember seeing her name mentioned on the books I've reconstructed after the destruction of Nowhere's library. I should re-read some of those.
The overall experience has left me quite concerned, maybe the fact that I am in my 30s now (for the second time), is starting to get to me.
I guess people who make deals with hags should not cast moral judgments, but I am getting worried about Lady Sunday. She has never shown any signs of evil intent, but the way she throws herself into deathly battle with childish glee, combined with her wild mood swings, are not a good sign. Although they were always there, they are getting worse, as if a pendulum violated the laws of physics and reached a greater height with every swing.
As I record this log entry, I am staring to the sealed envelope given to me by Granny, wondering what the next step in my life's quest will be.
