In the past two days, I have lost and gained allies and stood in the presence of a god. To keep from overwhelming you, Journal, with the highlights, I shall start at the beginning.
On the first day, we wandered the streets of Wellspring in search of more crime scenes. We were called to an alleyway by the sounds of gurgles and growls. Before we knew it, an abomination was upon us, and gave us quite a fight.
As we rested and tended to our injuries, the Lord of Dragons himself appeared to address his child Talos. He commanded Talos to seek out the Tear below the city. He even suggested two entrances to the underground chambers: through the sewers, or through a secret passage. He then suggested we speak with a sage in town who may know more.
It is rare that a deity intervenes so directly in our affairs. That's how I knew this quest was important. After all, that's how I know I am important.
We decided to seek out the old man and hear his secrets. So, after speaking with the locals, we arrived at a tiny hovel where a snide young man answered the door, and called for the old man within. He was very impatient and hesitant to release any information until we agreed to help him with some home improvements once we vanquished the evil that ravaged this town. Upon hearing this, he warmed up to us and explained that the statue of Estered in the town square doubled as a passage to his secret laboratory.
Shortly afterward, we found ourselves creeping into the tunnels below, where we stumbled upon several thralls and an assassin. We were struggling in this battle when a little Halfling sorcerer wandered into the battle. His every step, though quick and nimble, erupted in a boom as he scurried into the room and began blasting our enemies with wild, uncontrolled magic.
Though the assassin escaped, we searched the area, where I found some interesting scraps of paper. We ventured further to a room split by a trench of slow moving, viscous sewage and a rusted water whee. We were attacked by a gang of mutated humanoids and a terrible amphibious beast. Luckily, we were able to get the waterwheel spinning and I shoved several of the monsters into the wheel where they would become entangled and drown in filth.
We took refuge in a hidden room to rest. Our new friend introduced himself, though I have forgotten his name. He said people who knew him called him "Without." This little man, who spoke in an alarmingly loud voice, intrigued and disturbed me. He's quite dangerous, no matter his intent. He carried with him an orb which he calls his "Wandering Eye". He claims it is sentient. He might be mad.
I had just finished my meditation when we were startled by a loud roar. I urged the others to rest a while longer as I stood alert awaiting any dangers that threatened us. Luckily, nothing else threatened us until the others had fully rested. Incidentally, we all had visions of an ominous red orb as we rested, and, when we were finally ready to move out, we saw that all but Terrion and I had mutated during our rest.
We pressed on to find the mind-flayer, and after a short battle with his gelatinous sentry, finally made it to his chamber. We battled his lackeys for a while until he appeared, and we then threw everything we had at him. In his attempt to escape, Without triggered the power of the orb, and nearly killed us all with a wall of scorching flame. The sorcerer was zipping around the room, speaking too fast for anyone to comprehend, then, all of a sudden, there's fire all around us. I must remember to have a talk with our new friend. We finally defeated the mind-flayer, but as he died, he cursed us for stealing the Tear.
Then it hit me: the scream during our rest! Someone had gotten to the Tear before us. I don't remember my feet ever hitting the ground. I tore through the halls of the sewers and up the stairs into the streets. I burst through the doors of the Mindspire, and fell at her side. It was Dierdre, lying mutated and beaten beside a fluctuating portal. Her ritual had completed, and she had gotten too close to the Tear and suffered its ill effects. As she lay in my arms, she said the Tear was snatched from her by agents bearing the red hand of Malachi.
It was then that Talos struck her dead. In my moment of anguish, I almost lashed out at his impulsive piety, but composed myself at the though of the mercy she had just been given. She needn't suffer anymore. I laid her on the altar of Ioun. He will be proud of the lengths she went to serve him. I will miss her greatly.
The portal was a passage to the Shadowfel. There was no turning back. Alyana and Diogi led the way. We wandered around the town square of this distorted Wellspring, where the tower was but a heap of rubble and the street's cobblestones stuck out from the earth in disarray. Finding little to go on, we allowed Alyana to track our prey.
We followed a faint trail into the nearby dead forest where we were ambushed by wild creatures of the Shadowfel. Skeletons, wisps, and harpies attempted to make quick work of us, but were struck down. Talos and I take great joy in punishing the undead.
We pressed onward until we ran across a few gravestones from an ancient war. Our diversion was not without consequences, however. Our curiosity caused us to lose the trail, so we had to backtrack.
As we retraced our steps, we came across a Lich wizard and a band of ghost soldiers. Their attire was unfamiliar and seemed ancient. We fought as hard as we could, but the Lich was powerful. As dealt the final blow, he erupted into a fine powder.
When the dust settled, we saw that we had lost Terrion. The punishment he endured was too severe. Even in death, his spirit endured. I could sense the life force in him clinging to this world. He was a fierce warrior, and I am proud to have stood beside him.
Talos said a short prayer as we laid him to rest in a hastily prepared grave. It was here we decided to sleep for the night.
As I sat beside Terrion's grave in mediation and prayer, I was alerted by moaning and scratching coming from a nearby grave. I alerted the others, and we stood ready as a Dwarven holy man awkwardly dug himself out of the ground. We interrogated him immediately, weapons ready, and minds on edge. He introduced himself as "Diesa", a cleric of Moradin, sent by the father of the Dwarfs himself in pursuit of the Lich we just neutralized.
We sat late into the evening talking, until the others surrendered to their exhaustion. Dawn is breaking now, so I must end my rambling. May Corellon bless me and give me strength. These are trying times.
May we meet again, Journal.
