(Praxis) Haldren Thul - Part 2
From Black Country Role Playing Society
19th Sypheros 998YK
Well my investigations into the blood sample provided by the watch has proved inconclusive, not that it hasn't turned up some information though. I am pretty certain we are dealing with some type of Lycanthrope, I will get a better idea of what we are dealing with by getting a closer look and it looks like that time has arrived. I have received a message by care of one of the house Vadalis gargoyles that asks me to meet up with the investigation team at the Silver Statue Tavern in lower Dura.
Only in Sharn could such an eclectic bunch of people end up working together. The one member of the team I had met before, inspector Wolfmoon of the Sharn city watch, didn't show his short bearded face, I almost thought it was some sort of dwarven joke. Never the less the other members of this special task force soon convinced me that they were here to deal with the problem.
The snobbish female, Alesia, took charge straight away. Not only is she a Thrane she is one of the Church of the Silver Flames exorcists. I'm not convinced she is all that sure of herself but that doesn't stop her following the typical Silver Flame mantra that they are right and everyone else is wrong. At least she will come in handy against Lycanthropes and the sort of monstrosities that are the likely cause of the disturbances.
Talin is a bit of an odd case. He is certainly armed well enough and has a look of an Aundairian Duskblade about him but he is no Aundairian. He says he was trained by a community of elves in the way of blade and magic but does not say which elves or where he was from originally. His lack of any battle experience from the last war leads me to believe he was a prisoner of the Valenar who used him as a combat plaything. Poor sod must have been tortured and his mind warped because he thinks of them as honoured masters! I am not even sure how he ended up being hired for this job but maybe our employers were desperate. I cannot shake the feeling I've seen him somewhere before though, I'll have to keep an eye on him.
Finally there was Hugh Jass, an assumed name for sure. He seems a bit of a useless fop that is just here for the fun of it but my guess there is more to him than meets the eye. Although he seems to lurk in the background a times he does put his oar in at just the right point to get us to focus on the task at hand and helps smooth over Talin and Alesia's bickering. Apparently he has some ties with the watch, my guess would be he is one of their undercover operatives.
20th Sypheros 998YK
Well after spending the evening at the Statue we were kicked out to await this predicted creature attack. It seems that the mighty power of the Silver Flame had been used to divine when and where the next attack would be. Looks like it can only do short range forecasts, as this was the reason for my urgent summons to the tavern. The attack is due to happen at 2am in this square tonight. Shame the tavern closes at midnight, guess we will have to wait in the dark and rain for the next 2 hours.
*As a side note, there is a strange alignment of the moons of Kythri, Daanvi and Thelanis. This alignment happened 2 days ago and will stay for the next 4 and will not happen again for 1000 years. I would guess this may have something to do with what is happening, I just don’t know what ... yet.
The hour of the attack came and went, a few of us cast spells to assist the upcoming battle but nothing appeared in the square. Probably because the Silver Flame had got it wrong and the attack was a quarter mile away in a different tower, typical. We had to run to the correct battleground only to be too late to help.
I arrived in the square a bit behind my companions (if I knew there was going to be running I wouldn't have worn this armour). They had already joined in the battle against what was certainly Werewolf type Lycanthropes. Behind them a shimmering Portal opened onto what looked like a forest. I knew that planar alignment had to have something to do with this! It is that very alignment which allows a portal like this to be opened. It didn’t open on it’s own though, and that is a worry.
The lycanthropes had been rounding up civilians but due to our confrontation they killed most of them and pushed the rest through the portal. It seemed as if we were beating them back, but I'm not sure we were the reason they were leaving. Only what I can presume was there leader remained, he certainly looked lycanthropic but also... dead. He too fled when he had held us back long enough but not without first inflicting a major blow upon Talin. With hindsight I believe this to be the creature from which my earlier blood sample was taken and I am convinced that he is a vampiric lycanthrope!
Hugh and Alesia were eager to chase the fiends down and ran through the portal. Why I followed is still a bit of a mystery to me, I knew it would be dangerous, unsafe and probably even a trap. Still, I guess it was curiosity that drove me forward.
The other side of the portal was strange, yet familiar. In a way it reminded me of Karnath yet I also felt as though we were no longer on Eberron. The remains of the civilians that had preceded us were scattered bloodily around but the werewolves had made a run for it. The portal back was still there but from this side our way was blocked by what felt like a wall of force. Looking around revealed a path and a sign pointing to somewhere called Barovia. After burying the bodies we decided to head to this Barovia, maybe we could get some answers or at least some rest and supplies.
Making our way down the path we came across a locked iron gate, which after some time and effort, we managed to push open. The path led on for some distance with the mists raising more. Although we could not see it we definitely went through a swamp from the smell but eventually after a few hours of walking we came to a village.
*I am sure I have heard the name Barovia before in relation to the outer planes. As far as I knew these places were inaccessible but I guess there must be a way as it looks like we may have done it.
The mists had become so thick that we almost walked straight into the tuned-over cart blocking the road just before the village. It was then that some critter bit me on the leg. Before I could prise it off my companions had dealt with it and the other one that attacked Talin. Carcass Eaters were what had attacked us; this place was starting to remind me of Atur back home.
The reason for the carcass eaters soon became clear, beyond the cart in the village was a slaughter as bad as any I had seen during the last war. That was not the worst of it though; the shambling forms of zombies were problematic. Alesia channelled the power of the Silver Flame and managed to turn the first 2 zombies. I recall thinking that her connection to the divine power must be weakened here or those are very powerful zombies, unfortunately it was the later. I soon noticed that Talin had been very inactive and to my dismay seemed to be paralyzed. I’ve never heard of the creature that was attacking him (I guess this will happen a lot here), some form of animated undead, but it was draining the life from him. Luckily I managed to burn it away with positive energy giving Hugh the ability to finish it off. After what felt like an age we eventually beat down the zombies, I hope there is some living survivors here after all this.
*As a side note it seems as that those of clerical ways can channel their deities’ power here, interesting. This could prove my belief that it is not the gods themselves but faith that gives the divine magic wielders their power. Better keep that to myself for now; don't want another theological debate with Alesia at this time.
**I will start documenting all planar attributes in addition to new species I encounter at the back of this journal.
(back to (Praxis) Haldren Thul - Journal)
