Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Expeditionary Journal of Xarnagan Vrokk: Sage and Scholar of Societies, Structures, and Stars


Here I sit in the dampening mist, scrawling on a bit of back paper. I have traveled here, into this Forbidden Mist Valley, knowing full well of its hidden and hideous dangers that lurk and loiter in the thick shadow of the Bornite Mountains. In order for my sovereign to have landed in such a place I will let you know that I have followed this band of mercenary ruffians led by a dandy-ish Tikalg man and the lack-bearded, cloud-minded Hobab of the Lhoyg.

The gentleman Hobab, whose interesting story is truly what led me here, has been leading us in circles for what would seem a parsec to a gas giant but an eternity for any sane Agogite who can remember which way to buckle his boots in the morning. What interesting story pray'd he? Well, that of a fallen ship. Yes, the at first seeming earnest Hobab had seen a ship enter this valley, take samples and then fly away only to become somehow compromised and fall from the sky into this aptly named Forbidden Mist Valley. And now it seems Hobab's memory has become compromised as well! Nonetheless, we have had some very interesting encounters so far. On our way here through the Prismatic Wastes, I spied quite a large quantity of Prismatic Ore. I aptly noted its location immediately. This small fortune will definitely add to the fund of my future manse, library, and Cosmotorium. Other than this thrilling find, our journey through the Prismatic Wastes proved rather uneventfull. We were however, detoured toward the Melted City.

It seems the party had a fallen member amongst the debris of some Gargoyle warren and found it integral to retrieve said man. Hobab and Vroomish, the Tikalg man, were rather in a huff over this, but the party's bargaining skills won out in the end. After a short while of trekking we came to the lair amongst the glass shards and multi-coloured melted monoliths where the Gargoyles were said to reside. At once the party was set upon by the stone-skinned beasts. Nary a moment after much sword flashing and claw ripping that Rodan the Scrounger fired a few laser pistol rounds and was taken down by a mighty blow. At that moment Kalervo withdrew a curious object from his person. In his hand he held what appeared to be a bronze sphere, he fingered a depression within the object and in an instant a field of impenetrable force seemed to surround the cactoid Kalervo, Buzz Brazelhatch, the halberd swinging Nightbreaker and others. The party then took to crumbling the Gargoyles one by one.

All in the meantime Dickie Dee the bone-man sorcerer and the metal-nosed child soldier Radar O'Reilly snuck off into the lair. It was there that they found their fallen comrade Monster Monagin and brought him back to life with yet another Eye of the Ancients. Awakened and within his magical armor, Monster Monagin and companions tore the lair apart in search of any meaningful object. Brutes. I would have taken the time to carefully catalog the whereabouts and placement of each item in such a strange place. Knowledge, my friends, is the silent, sturdy companion of life's many journeys.

Their ransacking proved fruitful, however. They came trotting out of the lair happily holding three new items of some substance. One, a copper scroll endowed with the power to protect those wielding it from the undead, the second treasure was that of a spired crown of green jewels, and the third, the most wondrous of all, a glowing sword with the ancient tongue spelling out "Sorcerer Slayer" down its blade. The crown and sword were put into a common bag for later dispersal; I took the scroll for safe keeping.

We then began our journey in earnest. The Bornite mountains loomed ahead in the distance. We traveled safely through several hillock and across many a mountain foot. All the while the sounds in the distance continued getting slightly stranger. It wasn't until we trekked through a tight spot in the Bornites that we found ourselves here in this Forbidden Mist Valley full of fungus! Yes, all with two ears had better hear that there are strange species of fungi in these damp places.

It was but our first few steps in that I and the party spotted the strange beings known as the Mulg; infamous among the moving fungi as beings whose sensory motives are direct and immediate, but lacking in true wit. I communicated this information and Nigel Nightbreaker took it into his mind to shoot an arrow off and away into the mist. The tentacle-headed lumbering fungi immediately began shuffling toward the spent arrow and we casually passed by. I took the moment to make a few quick sketches of them in my notes here, the chiaroscuro in these parts is akin to priceless elixir and must be savored, evr'y drop!

Our adventures passed as time did like-wise. Once we saw quite a large crystalline cube slide along the moss and through the mist; Oh the magic of the Wilds! Then, in the most recent of memory, we came across quite a large fungal creature; beget to us by the generous wanderings of Hobab. The striking thing took quite a toll on some of the party members, but they fought bravely and genuinely. Even Hobab put up a brave battle before he got wollaped by a thick tentacle and lost his cup-full of gumption. The bruises and bleedings were many, the spoils though, are quite wonderful indeed; yes, three purple and iridescent sporous puffballs were seen in the mass of fungal pulp left post-ravage. I have taken the time to identify two as such so far, using up the last of my precious incense and herbs: One seems to be endowed with the ability to shrink a being, the Other seems to possess the power to control animals and beasts. When my strength is regained from slumber, and I am able to meditate and draw upon the power of the dark moon Thoggyu (Greatest of Moons, Sultan of Satellites), I will then try and identify the Third of the sporous, and now seeming perhaps naturally sorcerous, puffballs. Most likely I will have to put patience to the test and wait until I can manifest sufficient efflorescent greenery for said identification work.

Oh, where will Thoggyu find me now?

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