These days I am grateful to have companions to travel with. If not for these former strangers I would have been food for the beasts of this wood and the mud under our feet. After being crushed by that terrible crustacean I used a little magic to dry out my clothes. Not too much harm done there, after Burt came and tended to my bruises I was almost new. There was a new twinge in my back but that wasn't going to keep me from moving along. I decided to stick behind Belle and let the others lead for a while.
Our walk down to the river shore was quite short, the forest grew dense further from the rocky bank and thinned as we got closer to the rushing water. The muddy ground grew thin branches that sprouted the new bud of spring. Bright pinpricks of young green among the ruddy browns and murky greys of the swamp land. The river Graffen runs from the mountain snowmelt and is wild and cold this time of year. It moves past the city Landhaus, and that is why when we arrived to its shore we found it carrying the debris of the siege: the bloated dead, ruined trappings of civilization, banners of the fallen, now unrecognizable, being swallowed by the hungry earth.
While Burt tried again to connect to the divine energies I found there were far more of the arcane variety in the air. In fact the area was densely thick with the feeling of it. My arcanist's cuffs glowed red, I could smell it, taste it. Ozone permeated everything. Burt got no connection to his deity, whatever it is he worships. It may be better if we don't linger here too long, I have a strange feeling about the area ahead. If this much magic is about, who is to say what is causing it?
(player note: The dead body of Aurelia is emanating so much arcane radiation that the armlet glows Red. I had assumed Ulmyr emanated arcane energy because he Was the god of the arcane, but shouldn't all gods shed the energy of the divine? for Aurelia specifically I would expect her to radiate holy healing magic. Her corpse doesn't shed that. It sheds arcane radiation, numa. This leads me to believe that these big powerful beings are being killed by mortals, undead, or demons/devils. the thing killing them must cause a lot of arcane radiation. or maybe they are being turned into arcane energy?
So who or what out here is killing gods, and why? My current hypothesis's are that someone wants to usurp their power, remove their authority, or even just reap the spoils of their bodies; in that case the apocalypse is just a bad side effect. In any case those gods need to be preserved as long as possible while we try to figure this out.)
This place is haunted with the civil war. There is no place we can escape it. While the creature swam down the river I noticed the hanged bodies of Unterland soldiers. Deserters punished for their cowardice. It seems a strange direction to run from the battle, this swamp is dangerous, but perhaps the road is too obvious a route to take. I would have taken this ilk in camp blackwood. More bodies working is better for us, there is plenty to be done if the men are willing to do unpleasant work. A few of them could even take station in our brothel, not that I would have been able to enjoy it, but the thought amused me. Instead their disrespected corpses hang stiffly here and poison the swamp with the grief and horror of war.
The creature met us at the river junction. Where the river Graffen flows fast and white the river Osea is dark, lumbering. Their waters mix here. Somewhere below our feet the very heart of a goddess may lie. What an ill burial place for the lady of mercy. I had never considered taking to her worship until recently, it may be too late if her ladyship's heart cannot be recovered to her body, but her disciplines are relevant to my work, her presence seems more pressing and real than it had at the gate.
We all lingered here at the edge of tumultuous water talking about what to do. All of us were wary of the dangers that lurked here, crawling corpses, giant animals, it stood to reason that only the creature wanted to go below to look for her ladyship. Burt was struggling behind so while we lingered we also made ourselves comfortable, I grabbed a few of my curatives for him; the chewy honey resin, some of the muddled bitter herbs and a thin dose of vodka. His headache would pass quickly. He seemed to calm as well and got right back to his meditations. When it became clear that he would not be moving from his spot I returned to the cart where my children waited.
It was an agonizing walk into the woods with our load of goods on wheels. We made camp. Ate slightly warmed foods and rested. I slept better for having my children beside me.
With our day settled, I closed the book on this day, 9th Solar Aurelia 753
A bright light awoke me. Early this morning. Above the city in the far distance the divine symbol of Maligant could be seen flying above. Burt was awake, panicking, descriptively thank the mercy, about the trap set for the god of conflicts in Landhaus. The words of the lost coalesced into one phrase for Burt. "Don't go, there's a trap, Maligant!"; and that's when the symbol appeared. We picked up our little camp right away. No time for food or tea. We set ourselves to do something about the siege finally.
On our way home Burt sat with the eye in his lap and poured over the visions it showed him. There were symbols he could glean while pondering the nature of the divine trap, brass chains, a pool of blood, an skull etched with an 8 on its forehead. Those were the symbols of the Crownkiller, when I learned of this his coin sat heavily in my pocket. I could call on him for another game of chess. I could ask about his involvement, the thought made me sick with worry and dizzy with excitement at the same time. I wouldn't, not here, not when I was so poor of things of worth to offer him.
(player note: "Far to the east lots of blood has spilled" the demon misery said this to Valya at the hunters festival. She could have meant that a lot have just died in battle, but why would a random demon be into that? I suspect maybe the bloodshed has a demonic significance. Did the city of Landhaus kill their own to summon or appease a demon? Was it Tarlock? was it an official act or a citizen acting alone?)
On the day long journey home we talked endlessly about what could be done to assist the city, whether we would go ourselves or send troops, if we could take aid in camp blackwood and who we could call on to help. I knew there would be no way I could pay the Crownkiller to see him but the thought of asking weighed on my shoulders. Could I stop the divine trap by asking for his help? what had he been paid for his services?
Eventually I found my mind fatigued by the very idea of helping the city. This war, it isn't mine, it threatens what is mine. I should like to defend camp blackwood from harm. If only I could have gone to help with the siege sooner. If only I could stop it myself.
With buzzing brain, I close the book on this day, 10th Solar Aurelia 753
We arrived in camp. Not a single inch of peace here, but I will start my work despite the chaos. I am leader of camp blackwood, I suppose it is my role to do so. I sent word to lady Alten. My team wanted to help the citizens of Landhaus, I wanted her help.
Message sent: Landhaus in peril, camp assisting, trap for Maligant. Can you send aid? Needs support for citizens.
We received: No support possible, scorched earth retreat to Earlfurt. Those beyond 57th line left.
Sometimes I hate this country. Sometimes I am filled with utmost despair for its people. Why am I their best hope? Rage filled my veins for several minutes. No support. No help to the suffering. The useless lords of this land were hardly worth the earth they stood on. Wastes of space, wastes of flesh! I made it pass. It had no place in all this, it would be better used as motivation for all to come. Life will be hard soon. It may not improve for days or weeks. Just stay focused, you are depended on.
There will be no reprieve for the people at Landhaus. Two legions siege the walls from the south. Unterland's forces have sieged through the winter. There has been no news. The scorched earth retreat is meant to starve the army, keep them from marching further. In months time it will starve the whole region.
While my team prepares for our next move, I attend to personal matters. there is someone I need to speak to before mortal perils are faced. The ring in my pocket weighs heavy in my mind. I go and speak to Yasera first of course. I made a promise to her, I wouldn't speak to anymore demons, but her father is a terrible liar and a breaker of promises. I told her about my intention, that I needed her there to help me. She wasn't happy. She frowned, she wouldn't meet my eye, but she complied and came to assist me. My poor girl, she endures all of my foolishness, what have I done to earn her love? how on earth can I repay her loyalty? We went to the great hall and I spoke to Hyganthe. She was not surprised, she was apprehensive; there were some precautions she could help me with, but they were not going to be much. There is no real safety in speaking with the infernal, only fences to protect the others around you. We both know this, it is why Yasera insists on my abstinence from this kind of task.
If there is a chance that I can persuade this demon in the ring to be calm and not hurt my family I will take any risk, even this one.
We went to Hyganthe's dwelling, hypocritically she has a summoning circle she uses frequently hidden under a rug here. It's runes can be used for protection if filled with holy salt and water. I try to ease Yasera's worry. She is still angry with her father, she has every right to be. Its times like this a feel the most wretched creature on this earth. I run my hands through her hair, she pulls away.
With a heavy heart I step into the rune circle. The ring is on my finger, it is warm and heavy. The fruitive encyclopedia opens to the right page under my touch, I trace the spell circle with a finger and already I can feel magic rising and numa collecting on my skin. I breathe deep and on my exhale I cast the spell to peer into the mind inside that gemstone.
My world goes dark, I am drawn into the world of the thinker. This is not how it goes. The mind of this thing must be massive, I am stood at the foot of a hill, a cathedral in the distance, a blood moon overhead, my path in every direction obstructed by ominous red thread. I don't even know where the thinker is. I could step forward into certain oblivion, the string is a ward of some kind, I speak out. I am in the thinker's space, it can hear me if I speak.
I call into the void, introduce myself, tell it I am the carrier of the ring it lives in.
Instantly I am brought to the center of this place. The tower of the church looms darkly, so does the impressive bone demon before me. Its giant form sitting across the the steps. On its head is the skull of a dragon. Its burning eyes bore into me. It's the moment of truth, I want to give the right impression.
Unafraid, confident, soothing and most importantly not an enemy.
I told the demon who I was, that Tarlock had given me their ring and that I had something to ask of it.
It didn't seem threatened by me, but it did warn me. I shouldn't be in their realm. Other demons were scared of hearing its voice. I was doing something dangerous simply by being there. The still feeling of the air lingered over my skin, numa was thick here. As dangerous as this might be, I wasn't going to be leaving getting what I wanted.
I told the thing my purpose. I needed it to spare my family. If it ever emerged my daughter and son were the most important to me. I was certain it could feel the anxiety radiating off of me. That was how demons operated, It could drink down that drowning feeling, I hardly cared at this moment, all that mattered was if it could save me the grief of losing my children
It looked at me with those burning blue eyes. No feeling at all. Then it feigned some sadness, or perhaps it was genuine and reflecting back what I was feeling. It's contract meant that it did not emerge from the ring. When it was summoned it simply released its power, there was no way to preserve the life of one or the other, just as a flood did not discern whom it crushed, this force did not discern who it killed.
So there was no hope, it seemed. The only way to avoid the flood was to never trigger it. The demon sensed my despair I think. It seemed to soften slightly. Before I went I asked its name. Knows All Words bid me goodbye and I told it I would return.
With a start I woke. I was on the floor, the encyclopedia tumbled out of my grip. At once I opened my eyes and Hyganthe smattered my face with salt and holy water. I almost choked, there was a devil here and she was pouring water on a stunned man....
Yasera was still looking upset with me. I would need to do something for her soon. This was no way for a father to treat his daughter.
For now, I close the book on this afternoon, 11th Solar Aurelia 753