Winds of change – 24 Sep. 2019 – Heret

23 Eleint, 1396 AR
at the same camp near Jarvenol, K’ul Goran

A hard day but successful for the most part. There were 3 fires. The closest was in large field of some crop resembling sugar cane but of yellower hue. Surprised to discover the fire-setters still present: 5 ogres! We slew them, but not without grievous wounds to S & T. Also some distress, it seemed, to A, who during the fight suddenly grew great leafy wings from her back and flew into the air, astonishing herself as much as the rest of us! She seemed greatly moved by this, I know not why. Having dealt with the ogres, our mages were able to extinguish the fire using the wands & their own abilities.

Next fire was much larger. Many locals were already trying to fight it with water from the nearby river but with little success, and even S, A, & Bo with the wands seemed unlikely to put out the whole blaze. So T, Bu, & I went to join a studious-looking group of K’ul Gorans on a rocky hillside close by to ask what more could be done. They told us they proposed to start an avalanche to smother the flames in the valley below, at which Bu immediately began some kind of ritual that went on for some time. The rest of us, not knowing her intention, waited for her to finish. The result was the appearance of a shimmering round shape like the top of a small table, floating a little above the ground. Before I could ask what this was for, she then gestured up toward the top of the rocky slope and the whole hill shook, and stones and boulders began to roll down toward us all.

I still know not the purpose of the floating table-top – I must ask her on the morrow. Whatever her idea, nothing came of it, for we were all quickly overrun by the avalanche. I was entirely covered in the battering boulders and found myself trapped in the rubble, struggling for breath and feeling blood drain from my wounds – in all directions! It seems the ground of KG drinks blood from above as well as below (though later when I tried to lift up one of the rocks and hold it against a cut on my arm, it did nothing, so perhaps the stones of this place thirst only when in contact with the ground). Anyway, with difficulty I pulled myself from the smothering earth, as did Bu & T & one of the local scholars. Our companions had hurried over by this time and I helped A & S to retrieve 7 more of the scholars – some barely living, some I think dead but A had some power to quicken them again. The last we could not find, alas.

The rocks has smothered most of the fire along with us, and the rest was quickly extinguished. By the time we reached the third fire it had already been put out, so we retired to the camp again, to return to Zot Goran on the morrow.

Gains:

• local coin & gems, val. ~120 gp
  
• 2 healing potions, more powerful than usual, val. ~200 gp each
  
• a large multicoloured gem, identified by Bu as an elemental gem of air and fire, val. ~1535 gp
  

To be divided in the morning.

Own conduct:

• acquitted myself satisfactorily in combat, protecting weaker members of the group and slaying 2 ogres;
  
• should have taken more control of the plan for the 2nd fire to prevent foolish errors.