Written by: Gary Norton
Note: The diary is actually two books. The first occurs when the author is travelling through Maniria and Ralios and using the name Corona Stargazer...her Yelornan name. The second book takes place later, in Y1631, when the author has forsaken the Yelorna Temple for the Humakt Cult and has adopted her birth name of Glorianna. and is heading into the Lunar Empire.
The First Book:
Fertility Week/Waterday/Dark Season:
I complete my mercenary experience with the battle against the Lunars at Stone Cross. The Lunars win the battle with the help of the Crimson Bat. The allied forces are driven from the field of battle. Those that remain are instructed by Prince Argrath to disperse. We are ordered to go forth and gain experience and power. Then, when the time is right, we shall strike out against the Lunars and drive them from the Sartar region.
At this point, I join with two others. The first is a man by the name of Sunray. He is a Yelmalio Initiate. The second is a woman named Kumico. She claims to be from a land far to the east. That she is from a land far away is certain, for her facial features are unlike any that I have ever seen or heard of before.
Sunray has been charged with the delivery of a letter from Stone Cross to Nochet City. Kumico and I decide to go with him.
Fertility Week/Wildday/Dark Season:
We head along the hills to set up camp in an isolated area, to allow Sunray to rest before we continue on our journey. This evening, we encountered several Trollkin. They do not injure any of us, but we kill three of them, while one escapes.
Fertility Week/Godsday/Dark Season:
Several full sized Trolls find us in the mountains. They demand weregeld for killing their children, amounting to silver pieces per Trollkin. Sunray pays them and they leave us alone.
Stasis Week/Clayday/Dark Season:
After resting for a full week we set out for Arkat's Hold. We arrive there afely with no further problems. Sunray leads us to the Humakti temple. Once inside, the High Pruest wants to see Sunray. Apparently, Sunray is strongly affiliated with many runes besides those of Yelmalio.
Sunray meets with the high priest on a private basis. They talk at some length about some unknown subject. Sunray is asked to become an Initiate ofArkat's Cult. He chooses not to accept at this time. I must consider how to prevent him from doing so, as Yelorna was opposed to Arkat. I must learn more on this subject.
Meanwhile, Kumico and I are given excellent treatment by the Humakti. They offer us the chance to become Lay Members now, or any time in the future, so long as we are still allied to Sunray. I think about it but choose not to accept at this time. I want to concentrate on my vows to Yelorna.
Stasis Week/Fireday/Dark Season:
We set out from Arkat's Hold and arrive in New Crystal City. I'm home at last. I visit my parents' home. They are pleased that I have survived my mercenary experience, but are taken aback by my decision to continue adventuring. They wish me luck however.
I visit the temples...first the city temple, then I head to the Yelorna temple. Both Sunray and Kumico attempt to join the Yelronan Cult, but are both rejected. Sunray scares me a bit; it seems that he wishes to join many cults, whether or not he feels any sort of bond with the cult.
While we aretravelling through town, we see a group of Lunars parading through the streets. There is a Lunar noble accompanied by many guards and a scribe. They also have a slave girl with them. The slave girl silently begs us to help her. Sunray decides that we should do so. He asks me to ignite one of the bazaar tents on fire with my magic as a distraction so that we can grab the girl and run.
I am spotted casting the spell (it is time to take these foci off of wands and put them on something less obvious). Sunray calls forth a salamander with divine magic and kills the Lunar noble. I rush forward to grab the girl and get away in the town. This should be easy since I'm familiar with the streets.
The guards, however, wield Mobility Rune magic and easily catch up to me. Meanwhile, Kumico changes her head inot that of a dragon and kills the chief Lunar guard. The other guards close in on us. One hits me in the chest when I fail to parry his blow and I lose consciousness.
Stasis Week/Wildday/Dark Season:
I recover from my wounds in the Yelorna Temple after being healed. Kumico had been slain but was raised from the dead by a Chalanna Arroy priestess. Sunray had been poisoned in the battle and was recovering from his wounds.
We were told that we must go before the city elders to explain oursleves. Upon brief discussion, I learned that Sunray has taken a geas that he must always speak the truth. I've got a bad feeling about this, since we killed at least two Lunars.
Illusion Week/Freezeday/Dark Season:
Sunray has recovered and we go before the city elders. The Lunars claim to have bought the slave girl fairly, but the girl argues that her enslavement was illegal. She is freed. Apparently, Lunar laws are different than those of New Crystal City. Sunray is exiled from New Crystal City.
The woman, named Myrn, chooses to meet us and says that she is a noble from Seshnela, which lies far to the west. She claims that we will receive a large reward if we can return her home.
We decide to remain in New Crystal City for a time before heading to Seshnela (Sunray is lodging at the Yelorna Temple, which is outside the city boundaries) in order to get ready for our long journey. I earn 1800 Stars training others in advanced riding techniques. I pay off 1000 Stars of my cult debt and buy some horses for me and Kumico.
Movement Week/Fireday/Storm Season:
We set out for Nochet City. Myrn will stay in New Crystal City for the time being, since we will return here shortly to take her west.
Movement Week/Wildday/Storm Season:
While travelling across the wilderness, we are found by a flying Wyrm named Calagon. He wants to eat one of our horses, as our cost to pass through "his" lands. Kumico tries to speak to the Wyrm in Old Wyrmish, but does not speak it properly. Calagon does not believe her claim that she is aspiring to become a dragon. As proof of her intent, Kumico calls upon her rune magic to turn her head into that of a dragon. Satisfied that she may be of draconic descent, the Wyrm leaves. Whew!
Movement Week/Godsday/Storm Season:
We arrive in Nochet City. Sunray delivers his message to someone at the Lhankor Mhy Temple. Kumico meditates so that she may once again transform her head into a dragon.
Illusion Week/Waterday/Storm Season:
We leave Nochet City.
Illusion Week/Windsday/Storm Season:
We arrive safely back in New Crystal City. Sunray and Kumico will continue on to Arkat's hold for the Sacred Time. I will remain in New Crystal City and attempt to become an initiate of Yelorna. We decide to spend Sea Season in training, then we will head west with Myrn.
The Sacred Time:
I fail in my attempt to become an Initiate of Yelorna. My next opportunity will be on the high holy day of Death Week/Fireday/Dark Season, three full seasons from now.
I decide to pray and commit my soul to the Cult of Yelm as a member of Yelm the Youth. Hopefully I can achieve the abilities required to gain Warrior status next year. Those abilities are skill with a bow, tending wounds, and seeing what his hidden. I am already very good at seeing sneaking creatures.
Sea Season:
I buy four silver rings and begin engraving my foci on these, eliminating the need for my wands. I inscribe foci for healing magic, magic to bring fear to one's enemies, magic to ward blows, and magic to start fires on my rings. I carve a focus for enchancing my spear point on my spear. I carve foci for speeding my arrows and for cauing magical arrows to appear on my bow.
I train nobles to ride fine warhorses for several weeks and earn a nice total of 2200 Stars. I am able to pay the remainder of my debt to the Yelorna Temple. Afterwards, I take a class to learn to read and write Esrolian.
I am introduced to another Yelornan who will join me in my travels. Her name is Valary. The cult elders feel that what I need is a full Initiate to help me understand the cult principles better. She will join us on our trip to Seshnela.
Truth Week/Fireday/Sea Season:
Sunray and Kumico arrive from Arkat's Hold with two Humakti. One is Jorjal, an Initiate, who joins as a full member of our group. The other is Valsos, a Lay Member hired by Sunray. Valsos is very opinionated; I don't like her. We buy additional horses and supplies for the trip, including a cart. Apparently, Jorjal has a geas never to ride horses. Those geases are so limiting...this is getting ridiculous!
Truth Week/Wildday/Sea Season:
We leave New Crystal City. We camp for the night at the intersection of a major trade route. We hear noises in the distance. Sunray and Kumico investigate and find four Issaries merchants. They ask to share our camp.
They begin, of course, by offering to sell us their trade goods. None of us seem very interested in buying anything. Sunray begins casting some spells for some reason. As he does, one of the merchants exclaims that "the jig is up" and we begin fighting. We defeat all of them and I execute three of them for brigandry, and would have killed the fourth except Sunray stopped me. He wanted to question him. I could not convince Sunray otherwise. Sunray woke the prisoner up and the captive called upon his god to save him. There was a blinding flash of light and in the next moment all of the brigands were gone.
Valary had been seriously hurt during the battle. Her right arm was cut off, and no one had the spells to regrow it or to re-knit the bones and muscle. We were able to collect 23 Wheels, 662 Starsm 69 Clacks, a copper bracelet with a dragon motif, a silver anklet, and a blue quartz from the brigands before their god saved them.
Truth Week/Godsday/Sea Season:
We return to New Crystal City in order to regenerate Valary's arm. In compensation, the Chalanna Arroy Temple asks us to escort three Initiates to Taros Crossing, located at the crossing of the Trade Road with the River Ernalda.
A couple by the name of Harnover and Beryl ask us to guard them on a journey to East Town. It lies along our route of travel. Sunray examines their aura with magical sight and says that they have no evil intentions. We decide to let them accompany us. We also sell the armour from the brigards, earning 40 Wheels.
Disorder Week/Freezeday/Fire Season:
We leave New Crystal City. We pass several farmers who know who I am. Sunray gives them some coins, including a Wheel to one farmer, who rushes off with it in joy.
Disorder Week/Waterday/Fire Season:
Last night my silver anklet was stolen. We were unable to track the thief, as his footprints were lost in the middle of our campsite. During the day, Valary casts a spell to find silver and cannot locate the anklet nearby. We decide to have everyone lay out all of their silver onto the ground and we will let Valary see if anyone has any hidden silver on them. At that point, Harnover and Beryl disappear. We immediately give chase and attack. We do well in the fight, but they call upon their god to escape, and deep shadows suddenly arise and spirit them away. I still don't have my anklet back.
Disorder Week/Clayday/Fire Season:
We encounter a Wyrm flying overhead. It wants one of our horses. Sunray bargains a little bit but is unable to convince the Wyrm to let us pass unmolested. So we give it one of the horses.
Disorder Week/Windsday/Fire Season:
We find shelter at a homestead for the evening. When Sunray pays a Wheel for his shelter, the family treats us very well.
Disorder Week/Fireday/Fire Season:
Sunray's hawk familiar spots a Lunar ambush ahead of us. We begin fleeing to the south, looking for some cover. We find an old, small tower and a fort beyond. The fort doesn't look like it will provide sufficient defenses, so we move into the tower.
We find five giant spiders within the tower and begin fighting for our lives. We hope to kill the spiders before the Lunars arrive. Meanwhile, the Chalanna Arroy Initiates help tip our cart over, to protect the doorway. Kumico is slightly poisoned by a spider. Myrn puts an spell of sorcerous armour on Kumico.
Myrn begins casting some sort of sorcery spell, creating an illusion that the cart is afire. That buys us enough time to kill all of the spiders before the Lunars can burst in. Sunray, Kumico and I head for the top of the tower to defend with arrows, while Valary and the other Humakti will guard the doorway.
Myrn begins setting up materials to cast another spell. We begin firing arrows at the Lunars. Sunray goes downstairs. Kumico is shooting very well. She kills the Lunar captain with one shot. I struggle just to keep the Lunars busy.
After a few minutes, I decide to help out downstairs, since the situation sounds bad down there. Grabbing my spear, I charge into battle. When a Lunar guard keeps parrying my spear, I decide to kick him. My kick hits him right between the legs, and then I stomp on his neck and hear it crack.
Meanwhile, Myrn has been summoning a demon. Unfortunately, she is interrupted in her ritual when Lunar magic hurts her. The demon begins to break free and she quickly casts another spell to banish the nether fiend. Then she opens a magical doorway into the back of the tower and flees. At the front doorway, we are winning the fight. I call for Kumico to come downstairs. We kill or capture the remaining Lunars, except for one that escapes on foot.
We learn from Myrn that she rejected a certain Lord Izdun, a worshipper of Ikadz the Torturer. Izdun is from Ralios and Myrn rejected him because he follows the Stygian Heresy and uses both sorcery and spirit magic, something her people do not believe in. She also despised the cruel cult he belonged to.
I learn that Sunray was killed during the battle. Valsos' leg was also cut off during the battle. We loot the LUnars, finding 12 Wheels, 100 Stars, and 143 Clacks. We also collect several full suits of armour as well as eight cavalry horses with barding and a vial full of strange green liquid.
During my watch that night I see several people leave the keep and run away.
Disorder Week/Wildday/Fire Season:
Kumico and I ride with four horses and Sunray's body. We are heading for Taros Crossing so that we can resurrect Sunray as soon as possible. We encounter a dragon, who asks us what we are doing. We explain our plight. He offers to take Sunray and one of us to Taros Crossing, in exchange for our gold Wheels. We accept. The dragon knows my name!
As the dragon flies off, a small dragonewts sneaks up on me. He is awed that a dragon actually spoke to me. The dragonewt explains that he is seeking a man of Oouroboros. I decide to bring him along to let him meet Kumico. It seems that dragonewts also want to become dragons. The dragonewt's name is Hyssxhalvishleesh. While we travel, the dragonewts tells us a poem:
The Dragonewt Poem (with Human Translation in parentheses):
- (Silence, The Infinite)
O (Zero, or an exclamation)
OU (A Cry of pain; Ego)
OUR (Collectiveness, plurality)
OURO (Collective emptiness)
OUROB (Creation [Collective with an end-stop 'b'])
OUROBO (Closed Infinity, or Being)
OUROBOR (Birth)
OUROBORO (Nothing, emptiness)
OUROBOROS (S = 'Voice' [i.e. the sound a serpent makes])
Disorder Week/Godsday/Fire Season:
I am awakened by the sound of farmers working the land. The dragonewts and I see them and then we ride off.
Harmony Week/Freezeday/Fire Season:
I arrive a Taros Crossing. Sunray has been successfully raised from the dead. However, his body and sould have deteriorated due to the length of his death. I introduce the dragonewt to Kumico. I find a shrine to Yelm at a Temple to Ernalda, but am unable to locate a Temple to Yelorna.
Harmony Week/Clayday/Fire Season:
The rest of the group arrives at Taros Crossing. Valary is given three plants by the Chalanna Arroy priestesses, one to cure Soul Waste, another which is a poison antidote, and another that helps wounds to close. Kumico claims the vial of green liquid and learnes that it is potent blade venom.
I am attacked by a youth who throws rocks at us because he is afraid of the dragonewt that accompanies us. I discourage him with my fear magic.
We sell the collected armour from the Lunars for 300 Wheels and 500 Stars. I learn more Esrolian letters and find someone to teach me to aim my bow better. I also learn a spell to destroy the magics of my enemies.
Illusion Week/Clayday/Fire Season:
We leave Taros Crossing, crossing Ernalda's River (as an aside, the river used to be Taros River, but the influence of Ernalda changed the name and Taros was honoured by having the town named after him). We are entering the lands claimed by the city-state of Forlith. Three days from Taros Crossing is a crossroad. South of the crossroad is a village. The temple of Ernalda would like us to escort three of their pilgrims to the crossroad as they are travelling to the village.
Illusion Week/Waterday/Fire Season:
We spot a lion in the foliage. Investigating, we discover that the lion has killed a Chalanna Arroy Lay Member. We kill the lion and collect the man and what he was carrying: 6 Stars, 4 Clacks, and some preserved plant parts.
We arrive in the city of Forlith. We discover a sign written in Esrolian that gives a 30 Lunar bounty for Forlith Elves, 2 Lunars for Runners. It appears these Elves have been committing heinous deeds against the children of Forlith.
We return the body of the Chalanna Arroy Lay Member to the Chalanna Arroy Temple. They resurrect the man. The temple allows us to keep the plant parts and they identify them as various healing herbs, poison antidotes, and a ward against Brain Fever.
Truth Week/Clayday/Fire Season:
We leave Forlith to head for East Town. We estimate that it will take about three weeks to reach East Town. Rumours abound that the Elves to the west are harrassing people travelling through the forest.
As we are having dinner for the evening, we hear a whistle. Sunray sings a song (quite poorly) in response. A voice calls on him to stop. We meet a band of people who used to work for the "Lord of the Puppets", an entertainer troupe. The Lord of the Puppets died fighting against the Lunars. The remainder of the troupe is fleeing.
During the remainder of the evening, the troupe sings some songs, including a version of the Tale of Canaveil. Their version contains many differences from that given by Sunray. After the song, Sunray argues with the troupe, failing to convince them that he had participated in the story. Meanwhile, one of the troupe members has been talking to Myrn all evening.
Truth Week/Windsday/Fire Season:
Errapt, the man who had been talking to Myrn all evening, expresses a desire to travel with us, to remain close to his new love, Myrn. We let him join our group, and we soon leave the remainder of the troupe behind.
During the day, we pass a group of five grubby men who give us wide berth to avoid us.
Truth Week/Wildday/Fire Season:
We enter the forest of the Elves. Sunray leads us; hopefully, he will be able to pacify any Elves that might come across us.
Travelling into the forest, we are suddenly surrounded by some Elves, who demand to know our business. They decide to escort us to their home village. All but Sunray and the Yelornans must go blind-folded. The leader of the Elven village brings us before him
He denies Elven involvement in the problems afflicting Forlith. He asks us to investigate an area known as "The Hill". The Hill is the site of an ancient battlefield. Elves are not allowed to step on The Hill. Since The Hill is the only area in the forest that the Elves have not checked out, they suspect the trouble might be based there. We agree to go there. Errapt will go with us, but Myrn elects to wait in the Elven village. Two Elves will escort us to The Hill.
Disorder Week/Windsday/Earth Season:
We enter The Hill. On top of the hill, we find a tower and a wall. We decide to investigate the tower first. The only thing of interest on the first floor is a trap door leading down. We elect to check out the rest of the tower first.
The remaining floors contain little of interest. On the third floor, several rats have been caught, killed, and left on spears...possibly for food. From the top of the tower, we can see inside the wall. There is a building within that has a tower on each of its four corners.
We head through the trap door. The passage leads a considerable way down before levelling out. It leads into a large, cave-like room. The passage continues to the other side, with solid rock wall on the right. To the left, the floor drops about 4 meters to a lower level. Another exit comes from the lower level. As we pass through the room, we spot a grey humanoid creature on the lower level, who quickly flees into the far tunnel after casting darkness magic at us.
We decide to follow. Climbing down, the dragonewt is hurt. We heal him with some herbs. We go into the tunnel, attempting to track the creature. Unfortunately, we lose the trail, merely finding several dead-end tunnels. The dragonewts is attacked from behind and badly hurt.
I surmise that the creature lost us in the tunnels. It backtracked, ambushed the dragonewt, and then headed back up the tunnels to the shelf room, alerting the remainder of the complex. After checking the remainder of the dead-end passages, we return to the shelf room.
We are not surprised to find that the creatures are waiting for us in ambush. Errapt uses Player magic to become unseen. We attempt to attack the grey creatures, but they are adept at casting spells of darkness to blunt our attack. Sunray uses his Lantern magic to illuminate the room, but the creatures have gone in the darkness. Several of us, including me, begin to climb the wall. Sunray climbs up and finds the creatures waiting at the top of the shelf in another ambush.
Sunray is relieved to discover that Errapt has also climbed the shelf and is able to aid him. Kumico begins laying down covering bow fire while Jorjal and I attempt to scramble up the shelf wall. The creatures cast a Darkwall, making our bow fire less effective. Jorjal reaches the top of the shelf and joins the fight.
Some more grey creatures enter the area, led by a Dark Elf. Kumico is hit in the chest and falls to the ground. Forgetting the shelf wall, I pull Kumico to cover and heal her. Then I finally climb the shelf and enter the battle. I quickly dispatch one of the grey creatures.
Errapt and I choose to engage the new group of creatures while Sunray and Jorjal finish off the first wave of attackers. A shade is summoned around Errapt and me, its chill fear freezing our bones and making us afraid. We both flee from the shade and I use magic to dispel the fear it placed upon us. The creatures advance on us right through the shade and we begin to fight. I slip and fall to the ground, where I am hit twice and fall unconscious.
I am healed by Jorjal. He has won the battle. Unfortunately, both Errapt and Sunray were killed in the battle. Kumico was also knocked onconscious, while the dragonewt barely survived. Jorjal searches the creatures and finds a copper diadem with onyx, 14 Bolgs, 4 Wheels, 60 Stars, and 5 glass globes filled with sleep gas.
We gather the bodies of our friends, the treasure, and then leave the area, meeting the Elves outside. Once out there, we rest the night, regaining our mana and healing our wounds.
Disorder Week/Fireday/Earth Season:
The Elves ask us to get a head of one of the grey creatures so that they can identify the creatures and determine their race and origin. So we head into the tunnels long enough to cut off a head. Coming out, the Elves identify the creatures as goblins, creatures of darkness and Chaos.
We begin to travel quickly back to the Elven village. Hopefully, we can reach Forlith early enough to raise Sunray and Errapt.
Disorder Week/Godsday/Earth Season:
We arrive in the Elven village.
Harmony Week/Freezeday/Earth Season:
We leave the Elven village.
Harmony Week/Waterday/Earth Season:
We arrive in Forlith and head to the Chalanna Arroy Temple. They are able to resurrect Sunray. However, his body has deteriorated so badly that he elects to retirs and join a Lhankor Mhy Temple. The priestesses are unable to raise Errapt, and his soul was too strong to wrestle back into his body.
Sunray gives many of his possession to the group. He gives 4 cavarly horses with barding, a wagon, 10 saddlebags, rations, a magic shield that dulls an opponents weapon when it strikes the shield, a healing potion, healing herbs, a composite bow and arrows, a long spear, an Issaries statuette, 3 javelins, a closed helm, a chain hauberk, platemail vambraces, and cuirbolli greaves.
We then begin travelling back to the Elven village.
Harmony Week/Clayday/Earth Season:
We arrive back in the Elven village and begin resting for a full week.
Death Week/Windsday/Earth Season:
We leave the Elven village, heading back to The Hill. We hope to find the goblins' treasure, as well as proof that they were behind the attacks on Forlith.
Death Week/Godsday/Earth Season:
We re-enter The Hill. During our searching, we find several things of interest:
A large cave infested with bat guano guarded by a troll head on a pole. We expect to find a spirit bound to the head, but nothing happens to us.
A temple room where a baby has been sacrificed (one or more of the babies stolen out of Forlith).
We rescue what claims to be a human soul from the Second Age now trapped in a goblin body. Due to our mutual distrust of each other, he simply walks away mumbling something about being "an outcast in any time".
A room full of Elven war goods: arrows, armour, etc. Good stuff for impersonating Elves.
A cave with a river flowing through. Across the river, we spot something. I attempt to leap over the river to the other side. I fall in several times but am pulled out by Jorjal. Eventually, I leap across and find a very nice diamond.
A room that likely belonged to the Dark Elf. It is full of grown fungus. We find three flasks and a bowl that is made either of crystal or quartz. The bowl contains mushrooms.
A hidden treasure room with a chest, a saddlebag, and a wooden crate.
The chest contains a lot of coins, of which we take 10 Stars and 2 Wheels.
The saddlebag is trapped, but the trap is easily avoided. Inside are 4 sable horns, a parchment, and uncut gem, some incense, an old book, a copper amulet (with a fertility rune etched on it), and a scroll tied with a yellow ribbon.
The crate contains pelts and furs, 150 Stars, 10 Wheels, and a brass chalice adorned with some sort of black and blue gem.
A trapped room that dumps some foul smelling stuff all over me.
Fertility Week/Freezeday/Earth Season:
We leave the area of The Hill, heading back to the village.
Fertility Week/Clayday/Earth Season:
We arrive in the village.
Fertility Week/Windsday/Earth Season:
The others head to Forlith to present proof that the Elves did not cause the problems in Forlith. They will also seel the treasire that we recovered. We are all entitled to 500 Stars worth of training from the Elves. I am remaining in the area of the Elven village, since the foul smell has not yet disappeared. I begin to rest and enjoy the village for about a week.
Fertility Week/Godsday/Earth Season:
The foul smell finally disappears. The group returns from Forlith. The King of Forlith also comes with the group. He brought a peace party to officially apologize to the Elves for the misunderstanding. They have a banquet to which we are invited and the rules sign a couple of treaties. One of the treaties is to pardon the Elves for their acts of intercepting humans in the forest.
Many of the items we recovered have been identified and sold. The parchment was a Ralian invoice, useless to us. The incense belongs to the Temple of Ernalda and is donated to them. The book is written in Pelorian and is a biography of a Lunar Hero. The scroll is written in Fire Speech and contains training secrets for using bows. The diamond is determined to be a crystal that holds magical energy.
The bowl is crystal and is sold for 8 Stars. The sable horns are sold for 180 Stars. The uncut gem is sold for 12 Stars. The copper amulter is sold for 200 Stars. The chalice is sold for 100 Stars. The pelts and furs are sold for 200 Stars. The copper diadem is sold for 1200 Stars.
The total amount of Stars gained was 1960. The total number of Wheels amount to 26 (including 10 donated by Sunray). The total for each of us is 490 Stars and 6 and a half Wheels.
We split up the remaining treasure and magical items.
The magical crystal and some poison antidote are given to Kumico.
I am given the magic shield and the bow training scroll as well as some poison antidote.
Valary receives the potion of healing.
Jorjal receives some Brain Fever antidote and poison antidote.
We do not split up the five sleep globes. We are also still carrying the book about the Lunar Hero.
Stasis Week/Windsday/Earth Season:
I begin to train. I learn spells to detect magical energy and to detect enemies. This costs me 600 Stars.
Our next objective is to go to East Town. There, Valary and I should be at the Yelmalio Temple for the Yelornan high holy day. Also, I need to learn enough of Fire Speech to read the bow training scroll.
I imagine that East Town will be our last opportunity to be in contact with our respective cults. From there on, training will probably be difficult. I need to ask Myrn how training is accomplished in the West. In our native lands, most training is accomplished through one's cult, but the Western culture appears to be set up differently. I guess new magical spells will be difficult to obtain, but weapons training should be available.
We also need to find a dragon temple for Kumico. Until she can repay her cult loan, she is unable to obtain training. Regrettably, we have found no suitable temple. The dragonewt has no idea whether a temple might lie to the west. I guess we should have asked the dragon we met outside of Taros Crossing, but I didn't think of it then.
I am quite impressed with Jarjal. He is quite a fighter, although I am quite surprised that he accidentally chopped off Errapt's head in the middle of our battle with the goblins. I am even more surprised that he admits to it, but he claims it was all Errapt's fault anyways. Maybe he has that same geas that Sunray had about always telling the truth.
Meanwhile, I daydream away by trying to decide whether I should one day apply for the priesthood of Yelorna or as a Runelady. It is all idle wondering as I have a long way to go to be accepted for either.
Illusion Week/Fireday/Earth Season:
We leave the Elven village. They warn us not to be travelling around during Dark Season. We hope that we can arrive at East Town fairly quickly.
We hear the rain striking the trees above; however, the forest is so thick that we do not even get wet.
During the middle watch, we encounter at least two creatures that are spying on us in the dark. I think that they might have been Runners. They warn us to leave the forest as soon as possible.
Illusion Week/Wildday/Earth Season:
We spend a second day in the forest. Through the night we notice that there are creatures watching us (Runners again?).
Illusion Week/Godsday/Earth Season:
We leave the forest. We pass to the north of a citadel or fort that is on a hill. We avoid it. The road begins travelling in a slightly northern direction while still mainly heading west.
Truth Week/Freezeday/Earth Season:
We meet some traders who are travelling west. We buy some fresh melons from them and exchnage news. There is a festival in East Town that we will be arriving too late for.
Truth Week/Waterday/Earth Season:
The day is miserable as it rains all day long.
Truth Week/Clayday/Earth Season:
Three bears knock a tree down over the road. We pacify the bears by giving them one of our melons. While they are busy, we move the tree and head past.
Truth Week/Windsday/Earth Season:
This is truly a miserable day. Not only is it raining, but it is quite windy. During the night, we find it difficult to keep the fire alive.
Jarjal relates some strange happening during his watch. He heard a strange rythmic chanting and saw a weird mauve cloud in the distance. We elect not to interfere with whatever is going on.
Truth Week/Fireday/Earth Season:
While we are looking for a campsite, we see two men lugging a wagon full of barrels down the road.
Truth Week/Wildday/Earth Season:
The weather is mild. While travelling, we see a wagon that is akilter. Two men, directed by a third, are attempting to move the wagon out of a dicth. Their leader offers us 50 Stars to cast repair magic on the wagon. Jarjal decides he might be able to remember an old spell if he has time to think about it. While we wait we learn that the merchant is a worshipper of Lokarnos. After a few hours Jarjal gets the old spell right and repairs the wagon.
Later that afternoon, the dragonewt sights a flying creature...a manticore. It attacks, not seriously hurting anyone. I manage to kill it with a strong spear thrust through its heart.
Disorder Week/Waterday/Dark Season:
We pass by some forests to the south, known as the Border Forests.
Disorder Week/Clayday/Dark Season:
We spot a figure in the road ahead. It is a solitary person wearing an iron chainmail hauberk. The being is obviously tainted by Chaos, as its skin bubbles up strangely. It won't let us pass unless one of us defeats it in combat. As the best fighter, I volunteer to fight it.
I close with the creature, who is obviously well skilled with his blade, as he quickly slices opn my abdomen before I can even get a blow in. My life is saved only because of magic to ward blows that I had cast beforehand. The creature lets me retreat to heal my wound.
This time, after healing, Myrn casts a very powerful sorcery spell to ward blows. I enter combat again with the foul creature. It blocks all of my spear thrusts easily, and its blows continue to rain down on me, many of them hitting me but bouncing off of Myrn's magic. I try a trick and thrust high while I kick it in the knee, hoping to crack its knee bone. My kick hurts it because it drops to one leg immediately. The creature then demands the right to retreat and heal itself, as I was allowed.
As it heals itself, I realize that the only reason I hurt his leg was because his skin literally bubbles right through the joints of his armour in places, and he is quite vulnerable when this happens. On the down side, it seems he is able to slowly regenerate damage.
We enter a third round of combat. The first is short as I wait for a skin bubble to appear in its neck and then deliver a high kick to its exposed throat. The creature falls down incapacitated. Claiming victory, I attempt to finish it off with my spear. His familiar, a snake, hurls vile magic at me while I stick my spear through the creature's throat. Kumico kills the snake with an arrow.
After the creature is killed, its spirit rises out of the body and attempts to devour my soul. It's soul is very powerful and corrupting, and I feel myself starting to succumb. Jorjal calls on Humakti divine magic to ward my soul and we flee from the body. Fortunately, the spirit seems bound to the body and cannot pursue us. We stop a short way and ponder how to get that iron armour from the body.
Disorder Week/Windsday/Dark Season:
We decide to rest and prepare magic to fight the Chaos spirit. The spirit wails and shrieks at us so that although we can prepare out spirit magic, we get no sleep. I challenge the spirit to a battle of the souls. It hurts me and I flee. Myrn then steps forward to challenge the spirit. They fight furiously, sould against soul, and both are weakened severely. Myrn retreats and Jorjal uses his will to finish off the spirit and send it back into the Spirit World.
We then loot the body. In addition to the iron hauberk, we find a diamond embedded in the head and an opal embedded in the chest.
We are seriously exhausted, as we did not sleep at all last night. Despite that, we decide to travel that day.
While on the road, we hear a loud pounding from behind us. The dragonewts is screaming "Ouroboros" excitedly and tries to run towards the voice. We try to restrain the dragonewt and outrun whatever is coming, but it seems to be approaching fast, and with the dragonewt struggling against us we decide to wait and see what is coming.
What approaches us is a procession of dragonewts. There is a huge triceratops, a rider with a snake-like head, two dragonewts priests, ten beaked dragonewts, twenty crested dragonewts, a slave-master dragonewts leading twenty slaves, twenty demi-birds, and a wyrm flying overhead.
The serpent-headed creature claims to be the Inhuman King, Sibylent of Ouroboros. He claims to have come through Dorastor and is proceeding to Fronela to the City of Sog by way of Ralios.
Kumico does all of the talking to the Inhuman King. He deonstrates weapons similar to those of hers, though his are made of dragon bones, which are at least as sturdy as weapons of iron. Kumico repays her loan to her cult by giving gifts and wealth to the Inhuman King.
The Inhuman King offers Kumico a chance to travel with them on their quest. She decides to accompany them. She takes her magic crystal with her but leaves the globes with sleep gas to us.
Our two groups travel in a similar path, but they pull away to the north after a while.
We later encounter three humans who are on horses. One of them is wearing some iron. They are all rich-looking and claim to be searching for a sorcerer by the name of Hristomillo. Jarjal tells them about the ceremony that he heard about a week ago while on watch. The leader of these searchers is named Dougal Bradine.
Disorder Week/Fireday/Dark Season:
We pass another merchant in a wagon. He heads south off the road, avoiding us.
Disorder Week/Wildday/Dark Season:
We spot a draconic shape high in the sky flying in the general direction of the dragonewts army.
Disorder Week/Godsday/Dark Season:
We arrive in East Town. Jarjal heads off the to Humakt Temple. Myrn wants to stay in an inn instead of a temple. We leave her and the wagon at the inn, paying a total of 30 Stars for an advance of ten days.
Valary and I meet two Yelorna Lay Members in the streets. They offer to guide us to the shrine, saying that the priestess has been expecting us. However, they mistakenly believe that I am an Initiate. I barely realize in time that they could not be from the temple, because the priestess, if she knew me, would know I was a Lay Member.
One of the pair throws a net at me, which I knock aside. Then they advance on us. They are quickly joined by a member of the guard from the gate. I kill the guard and knock one of them out while Valary seriously hurts the third with a number of spells. Valary is badly hurt during the battle, with one of her legs so wounded it cannot support her weight. I heal her with magic and we take the two fake Yelornans to the Yelmalio Temple and the Yelornan Shrine. There we meet the priestess, who is wearing an iron chainmail hauberk.
My soul is quite drained from the magic used during the fight, and so I retire to get some seriously needed rest. Valary goes to get Myrn, because we believe that the agents of Lord Izdun are aware of our arrival. She is probably in some danger if they can locate her.
I am awakened by Valary. There has been a big fight at the inn where we left Myrn. I grab my weapons and we head over to the inn, asking the priestess to help us. When we arrive, the situation has been resolved. Two people have helped Myrn. One is Asil, and Orlanth Initiate. He was joined by a young street urchin named Thelev. They had fought a Runelord of Krarsht and his aide. They defeated the Chaos worshippers, but not before the Runelord called upon his dread goddess to help him escape.
Harmony Week/Freezeday/Dark Season:
There is a meeting of the leaders of several temples: Yelmalio, Yelorna, Orlanth, Humakt, and Lhankor Mhy. They are deeply troubled by the events of the previous day. They resolve that they need to find the innkeeper, as he was obviously in the employ of the Krarsht Runelord.
I begin to take a long rest while the temple leaders search.
Death Week/Freezeday/Dark Season:
I stop by the Chalanna Arroy Temple and ask for some lessons on bandaging wounds. The priestesses agree to teach me for a small donation.
Death Week/Fireday/Dark Season:
It is the Yelorna High Holy Day. I am taken before the priestess and tested for Initiate status. I am accepted and in answer to my prayers of devotion my goddess grants me protection from evil spirits.
Death Week/Godsday/Dark Season:
We leave East Town, heading west. The trader elects to no longer travel with us and pays us 15 Stars for our previous escort.
At around noon that day, we see columns of bedraggled people coming towards us. They claim to be fleeing from their village. The village has been invaded by Malliants. We decide to avoid the village and travel on around it.
During my turn on night watch, I spot a group of dragonewts heading north, apparently trying to catch up with the dragonewt army.
Fertility Week/Freezeday/Dark Season:
It is a warm day, all around us are lovely rolling hills.
Fertility Week/Waterday/Dark Season:
at the end of the day, we spot a city in the distance. We should arrive there early tomorrow morning.
Fertility/Clayday/Dark Season:
We arrive in the city of Ghankil. We realize that we don't have enough provisions for the rest of the trip. We make a short stop at the Issaries Temple. There we buy provisions for five weeks for six people and six horses. The merchant is a duck, apprenticed to a priest.
About three hours out from the city, we are accosted by cavalry men of Lord Ghanimous. They search our wagon for contraband. After they leave, we search the wagon to ensure that they did not plant anything in our cargo.
While we are eating dinner, we are attacked by three dark trolls and three trollkin. They are quickly driven off after we kill two of the dark trolls. Amongst their effects we find 26 Clacks and 6 Stars.
Fertility Week/Fireday/Dark Season:
Towards noon we spot a man galloping on a horse towards us. He goes by the name of Axeosh. He claims that there is an ambush of Lord Izdun's men ahead on the road, including a score of archers. He points in the sky to a hawk flying above the area and claims it is a familiar of the ambush force. He asks us to meet his master, Lord Ghanimous. Apparently, he has some sort of offer to make to us. We decide to return to Ghankil and join with Axeosh's companions and head back to the city.
Fertility Week/Godsday/Dark Season:
We arrive back in Ghankil. We are quietly escorted to the Lord's castle, so that we are not spotted in the city. Our horses and cart are taken away, after we remove our valuables from the cart (i.e. our iron armour).
We are taken through a number of secret passages and meet Lord Ghanimous. He claims that there is a reward of 10,000 Lunars on our head for our capture and delivery to Lord Izdun. However, he hates Lord Izdun and wants our help in a plan to destroy Izdun.
The plan is for Lord Ghanimous to pretend that he has captured us. He will demand an unacceptable ransom from Lord Izdun and flaunt his prisoners before the jealous Lord. Lord Izdun, in anger, will attack Ghanimous. Then the other petty kingdoms of Ralios will be forced to attack Izdul (the land of Lord Izdun) because of the Pinnacle Pact. This pact calls for all nations to respond against the aggressor in any conflict between city states. We need only to stay in restricted areas of the castle and to allow emissaries of Lord Izdun to see that we are indeed prisoners. Once the attack comes, we may even join Lord Ghanimous on the field of battle.
We discuss the offer over food and wine that Lord Ghanimous has provided and we elect to take up his offer. We are escorted up to our tower room and await events.
Stasis Week/Dark Season:
We rest and cool our heels for the entire week.
Movement Week/Freezeday/Dark Season:
We are asked to make ourselves look like prisoners, by putting dirt on ourselves, giving ourselves minor cuts and bruises, etc. We must also wear loin cloths and fake slave collars. We are then taken before the emissaries of Lord Izdun. The emissary offers an additional 2,000 Lunars of his own coin on the spot for Asil because Asil spits on him. Asil and Thelev are slightly hurt by Ghanimous' guards (who are not in on the scheme) because they resist their incarceration a bit too much. It is a great acting job though.
Movement Week/WilddayDark Season:
Axeosh informes us that the plan is going ahead as scheduled. Uz mercenaries have been gathering in the Skull Horn area. Lord Izdun has recalled its army from its other borders in order to mass them against Ghanimous. He is also trying to appease or bribe the other city ststaes into not honouring the Pinnacle Pact.
Illusion Week/Dark Season:
We have been bored cooped up in our tower, and so Myrn teaches Seshnelan and Ralian to us.
Truth Week/Clayday/Dark Season:
We are to be taken before another emissary of Lord Izdun. It appears that Lord Izdun is trying one last time to extract a resonable price for us from Lord Ghanimous. While we are awaiting the guards to take us before the emissary, I fall unconscious. I awaken in a wooden cage. I have been bound by metal shackles that have been pounded around by ankles and wrists. We are all in these cages, being carried by soldiers of Lord Ghanimous, led by Axeosh. We are being carried along the side of a river.
I begin wondering what it was that Lord Izdun offered to Axeosh to betrey his master, Lord Ghanimous.
I am able to break one of my feet out of the shackles. Pins that I had smuggled ate still in my hair. I attempt that evening to pick the locks of my restraints, but I fail to do so. I am stuck here.
Truth Week/Wildday/Dark Season:
The soldiers of Lord Ghanimous turn us over to the soldiers of Lord Izdun. Axeosh continues with us, confirming my belief that he has betrayed Lord Ghanimous.
Truth Week/Godsday/Dark Season:
We are taken along a road. The road leds up towards a hill.
Disorder Week/Freezeday/Storm Season:
We taken up the hill to a castle. We are then taken inside the castle to a large keep. There we are taken before Lord Izdun, who cannot keep his eyes off of Myrn. Lord Izdun tells Axeosh to thank Lord Ghanimous personally for the "delivery".
Lord Izdun turns to us and addresses us. His strange sense of "honour" and wounded pride dictates that he recover Myrn because we freed Myrn from the Lunar to whom she was sold in slavery. This excuse sounds very flimsy, and either Izdun is insane or he has an ulterior motive for wanting her back.
Meanwhile, while Izdun is lecturing, a voice in my head tells me to be ready to break out of our chains. It further tells me that there are daggers hidden inside our loin cloths, as well as our foci for our magic. I recognize the voice as that of Axeosh! Apparently, all the others in our group hear the same inner voice.
Suddenly, our bonds break open. Lord Izdun is surprised to say the least. Jarjal and I charge at Lord Izdun, attempting to kill him before he can gather his wits and defend himself. Asil and Valary turn to attack the soldiers guarding the room. Thelev turns invisible. Myrn begins casting some sorcery spells.
Jarjal and I are unable to even touch Lord Izdun, as he is a very potent warrior. After a short fight, Jarjal is slain. However, Myrn casts a spell of domination and takes control of Izdun's mind. Lord Izdun calls upon his men to stand off and let us leave. We quickly flee with Myrn, leaving Jarjal's body on the chamber floor behind us. Myrn casts a spell of flying and we fly out of the castle. From there we flee into the hills.
We are forced to find shelter in the hills. We find a cave, but there is some sort of green fog or smoke coming out of it. We quietly sneak in and awaken a dragon. The dragon asks us to give him a good reason not to kill us. Asil and Valary offer to tell him stories. Thelev offers to be his jester and perform pratfalls. Myrn promises to amuse him with sorcerous illusions. I volunteer to hunt for his meals. He demands that I go out and return with a troll within 24 hours to prove my worth as a hunter. During that time, I luckily run into a bankd of trollkin. I am barely able to kill one of them and return it to the dragon. The dragon is pleased and agrees to let us live if we serve him for a full Season.
Disorder Week/Clayday/Storm Season:
While I am out hunting for food with Thelev, we spot some soldiers of Lord Izdun that have followed out trail. They head off towards the dragon's cave. We follow them at a distance. Since they are mounted, they move on well ahead of us. Arriving at the cave, we spot the carnage of a dragon enraged. It has killed several men and horses. The dragon returns to the cave shortly thereafter, claiming to have killed all of the men.
We are now able to make up some clothing for us from all of the dead men. We also have enough food (i.e. horseflesh) for the remainder of our time, and so I need do no more hunting for the dragon and for ourselves.
We also find 29 Stars, 55 Clacks, 2 large shields, 3 throwing axes, a bastard sword, a scimitar, a medium shield, a light mace, and 3 suits of passable armour.
Harmony Week/Clayday/Storm Season:
While we are waiting in the cave, Myrn attempts to enchant some sorcerous tattoos she is drawn on my head to ward blows. The ritual fails however.
Death Week/Wildday/Storm Season:
Valary and I follow a trail of elves. We join forces with them (though they are very nervous about having us around). We attack a group of trolls, including a dark troll and six trollkin.
We gather enough troll meat to feed the dragon for the rest of the year. We also gain some troll sized hide armour.
Stasis Week/Clayday/Storm Season:
valary and I meet some Sable Riders. We share our horse meat with them.
Movement Week/Windsday/Storm Season:
Asil and Thelev are allows to leave for seven days to worship Orlanth. They barely return within the seven day time period. They talk about finding a Daka Fal ceremony, and while they could not worship Orlanth they did at least make peace with their ancestors.
Illusion Week/Godsday/Storm Season:
We appeal to the dragon to allow us to leave a week early in order to go to our temples for the Sacred Time. He rejects our pleas.
Sacred Time/Clayday/Week One:
The dragon appears to be in a trance. Right before he slips into this trance, he orders us not to take his treasure and to leave right after the Sacred Time.
Sacred Time/Clayday/Week Two:
A tribe of baboons moves into the cave with us, apparently unafraid of the entranced dragon. They mark off an area as their own and guard it fiercely. We leave them alone.
Sacred Time/Godsday/Week Two:
The baboons leave the cave.
End of the First Book.
The Second Book:
1 Sea 1631:
Today it was revealed that the Temple of the Reaching Moon was successfully completed in Boldhome. It was quite a day of celebration in the streets. This impacts my plans for travelling within the Empire. I need to return prior to the invasion of Esrolia. I expect that Whitewall will fall this year. Rumour has it that the Emperor will declare a year long holiday after Whitewall falls. I hope that this is true. It will give me more time before I must return home.
3 Sea 1631:
I managed to find someone who knows something about the White Moonists. He gave me a map to a location outside of town. I will go and check out the area tomorrow.
4 Sea 1631:
It took me about three hours to find the place. The area is a circular depression in the ground. I found a cave entrance concealed behind a rock. Unfortunately, I did not bring any exploring equipment to check it out. I'll have to return tomorrow.
5 Sea 1631:
I returned to the depression again. The rock was in a slightly different position. It appears that someone was here since I was here yesterday. Exploring the cave, I found a large room. I saw an ark-like object that was covered with a white porous rock. There were also a number of ceremonial items, some scroll, and a few other items. After I learn to read New Pelorian, I will need to return here and read some of the scrolls to see if I can learn something. I must explore the tie-in to Sunray and the Tale of Canaveil.
6 Sea 1631:
I went back into town and found the guy who gave me directions. He said to meet him there on the 11th after Yelm is descended.
11 Sea 1631:
I travelled out to the depression. Once there, I discovered that there are a number of people already there. They were all wearing white robes that they got from the cave. I hid my spear and went to join them. A woman named Shandra introduced herself. She was very kind and introduced me to many of the others. I was given a small piece of the porous white rock. Then the altar was brought out. A priestess wearing a white hood with eye holes came forth. She preached for a while. The key points of her sermon were:
Shandra urged me to return. Frankly, she seems to be a bit of an airhead (to use a Yelmic turn of phrase). The entire ceremony seemed rather pollyannish. I remember a little bit from Sunray's telling of the Tale of Canaveil. He said they went to another plane of existence and he saw a white moon in the sky. This is really strange. I cannot imagine how something from the north of Balazar got to the Empire in the form of a new religion. I need to learn more, but I don't know if I can handle being around such naive people for much longer. But I still don't understand why the Empire hates them so much when they are normally quite tolerant of other beliefs.
22 Sea 1631:
An Etyries Priest, by the name of Gillian, came to offer me a job. Although he was disappointed that I wasn't blessed by Humakt to see the aura of assassins, he led me to a merchant who feared for his life. Apparently, this merchant took something from the Issaries in Sartar. He wants to analyze it before selling it. In the meantime, he is sacred to death that the Issaries are going to try to kill him. In my opinion, he seems to be paranoid. He thinks Issaries are worse fiends that even the agents of Lord Izdun were. Poor guy. However, the pay is good at two Wheels per week. This should be a breeze of a job.
23 Sea 1631:
A sage came by today. He is a young fellow wearing a fake beard. Who is he trying to impress with that beard? Anyways, it appears that the scroll the Eyries merchant stole from Sartar is written in Ritual Tradetalk and has a number of secret trading instructions and rituals.
31 Sea 1631:
Last night two ruffians attacked the merchant and me. They cut through the roof above us, crashing into the room. Initially, I only saw one and sought to capture him quietly. Unfortunately, his invisible accomplice started throwing darts at me. I shot the first ruffian, wounding him in the arm. Then I turned to attack the second. He had drawn his scimitar and shield. However, the sight of a warrior woman charging unarmed at him must have unnerved him enough for me to solidly connect with a kick to his chest. His sternum snapped and sent slivers of bone into his heart, killing him instantly. Meanwhile, the merchant was fighting the first ruffian. I picked up my spear and charged into battle, killing him.
Investigating upstairs, I found that the ruffians had ruthlessly killed a peasant couple in their home. Apparently, they had tricked them into letting them use the room above, for there was no sign of forced entry. Such a waste of human life.
This morning, the sage came by. I told him to get the town guard. They soon showed up. I explained the situation to them, but the merchant did not want to go with them. I tried my best to convince him to go with the guard, but they eventually had to wrestle him to the ground. the guard released me, after deciding I was not at fault for anything that had happened. I returned one of the Wheels that the merchant had paid me as an advance. I didn't want anyone accusing me of theft of the merchant. It looked like the guard was taking him away for good. Perhaps all is not lost. The sage took the scroll to study it.
40 Sea 1631:
Kali the Teelo Nori Priestess and I had a long talk this evening. I found out a number of important things:
42 Sea 1631:
I feel really good today. I mastered the Obsidian Rock and Fleeting Shadow parts of my soul and have brought them into closer harmony.
I have decided that it is time to move on from here. I am going to travel to Jilaro to check out the legend of Hwarin Dalthippa, the COnquering Daughter. I hope to find a link to the Yelorna Cult.
44 Sea 1631:
I left Cafol today with a caravan travelling to Jilaro. I have signed on as a guard at the rate of one Lunar per day.
46 Sea 1631:
Last night the horses of the caravan were attacked by vampire bats. We were able to drive them off fairly easily, although I accidentally hit one of the horses with a stray bow shot. Fortunately, one of the merchants knew a spell to heal horses. The other guards really don't seem to be very proficient. If the Empire had soldiers like this they would really be in trouble.
We arrived in Jilaro. I went to the Yelm Temple where I was well treated. They had shrines to Dendara, Yelmalio, and Yelorna. However, there was no Yelornan Priestess there, although I did meet some female warriors.
Tomorrow I will go to the Teelo Nori Temple and ask to help them. I would like to teach the children and teenagers of the city the art of first aid. Additionally, I would like to help out in the soup kitchens.
I also plan to make contact with the White Moonists here. I want to integrate myself into their group. Perhaps I can learn more of what they really want and how this worship came to the Empire.
What I don't understand yet is what it is in the White Moon religion that people are willing to die for. I don't see how a simple pacifistic religion would have that strong of an effect on these people. Perhaps there is some strong central religious leader motivating them, but who could that be? All of the people that were at Canaveil were simple mercenaries except for the Elven Vampire.
Once th epeople see that believers are willing to pacifistically die for their beliefs, they will draw even more believers. But there must be more here that I have not yet seen. The real question, though, is whether the Empire will make a concerted effort to stamp out the cult. They may be able to do so, but that could affect their fighting capabilities in Dragon Pass. If the Empire does not make a concerted effort to wipe the White Moon Cult, but keeps making martyrs, that will likely lead to the quickest growth of the cult. If the Lunars finally accept the cult, it will probably never receive the attention it needs to blossom. Thus, it seems the Lunars are their own worst enemy in this case.
It is clear the White Moon Cult ties directly into the Lunar religion. I'm not sure how the White God(dess) is related to the Red Goddess, if at all. In theory, this Cult could be part of the overall plan of the Red Goddess, though I don't expect that. It could also be some move by the barbarian gods against the Red Goddess.
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