6 Flamerule 1371
Dear Master Zorthaster,
In my last letter I wrote that we are off on a mission away from
our Zhent companions, trying to find the source of danger in the
Gap of Skulls. I don't think we've yet found the source, but we
have sure found danger.
We pitched a secure camp after the nomad tribe left us in the small
hours after the middle of the night. The Zhents had a clever hinge-like
device wherein they used metal bars and tubes to fasten corners
of the wagons one to another. After doing so, the wagons were all
linked strongly together in a defensive circle. The horses were
brought inside the circle and rubbed down thoroughly. Khemed heated
water in a large barrel using a metal bar and a spell to heat metal.
The cold of the night in the desert is deceptive. It saps the heat
from any living body very rapidly, especially if one is still covered
in the sweat of the daytime heat.
Xan noticed a skull move and alerted me. I detected the fading
aura of magic, rapidly dissipating and got the sense that someone
was scrying on us. We went to warn Vestele just as the attack came.
They came flying out of the inky gloom on bat wings. The monsters
were shrieking heads with ropy tentacles hanging below. One Zhent
trooper, overcome by the horror of the sight and sound was paralyzed
with fear. There must have been 10 or more of the things that we
later learned to call varguille. We killed all the abominations
in a short, brutal battle but not until after the paralyzed Zhent
had been injured.
Vestele relayed our report of scrying to Darvin, but he already
seemed to be aware of it. He raised his voice and said that we wished
to pass in peace and were willing to pay for the right of passage.
There seemed to be no response. After a pause, while Darvin waited
for a response, the wizard came back to speak with us. This was
unusual, as previously we had only learned our orders through Vestele.
We got our first up-close look at his hard eyes, lined face and
heard his commanding voice in person. He had the look of a warrior
about him. He told us to go on ahead in the morning and destroy
whatever is causing this problem. He also told us a little about
the varguille. They are small evil outsiders, likely from the plane
of Pandemonium.
In the morning we awoke to a commotion centered around Vestele.
There were several Zhent troopers gathered around one wild man.
It was the one injured in last night's battle. He was raving about
losing all his hair in the night. Suddenly he screamed and clutched
his head. Bat wings sprouted from his ears, and with a wet, ripping
sound, he transformed into a varguille before our eyes. The ghastly
thing was immediately cut down and everyone stood shaking in fear
and loathing and pity.
We learned that the trooper had complained about a terrible headache
after the battle and that he was highly agitated because the varguille
that attacked him had put its mouth over his and bit him, nearly
suffocating him. This deadly kiss must have poisoned the man or
given him some terrible disease.
The Zhents were on high alert, looking for more varguille as we
prepared to scout on ahead. We left the caravan at mid morning and
made our way cautiously through the huge black spires. With a bit
of investigating, we discovered that the spires were a pure form
of metal and that they were highly magical. We recalled seeing similar,
very strong metal in Coniferea but had not learned its name.
It was difficult to tell time in the gloomy darkness that filled
the air, but I estimate that it was near or just past mid day when
we came upon what appeared to be a well-guarded crossroads. We discovered
piles of skulls heaped up around bone posts. Each pile of skulls
with its own post was a construct that could summon in varguille
which immediately attacked us. I was very eager to blast the piles
to flinders with lightning bolts and fireballs. I suspect my aggression
was a way of releasing tension. I have been very uncomfortable traveling
with the Zhents and may have needed to blow off some steam.
Unfortunately, the noise caused by our destruction of the bone
pile gates and the summoned varguille attracted the attention of
other unpleasant inhabitants of the area. First was a pack of skeletons
that was easily dispatched by Primula. After that it became more
difficult. The worst was a trio of adventurers that included a winged
reptile man and a very fast, invisible mage. The wizard cast two
fireballs that missed me but killed Kerith. He had already been
injured by arrows and raked by the talons of the reptile man. The
fireball hit him before he had a chance to even reach for the healing
potion in his belt pouch. As Primula and I finished off the wizard
with a deadly combination of a fireball and a flamestrike,
a quartet of drow arrived.
Oskar and Shane took the lead in cutting these opponents down.
I tried magic missiles, but the infamous drow spell resistance
proved to be as effective as the legends say. My spells sizzled
into nothingness as they would have struck home. I think we killed
the drow quietly enough to avoid attracting any more attention for
the moment, but the bad guys are as thick as flies in here and I
don't know if we are going to get much of a chance to rest for a
while. We need to rest though so I can recover spells and so that
Primula can pray over Kerith and perhaps raise him from the dead.
I think it is time to be very quiet.
Your student,
Cedar
|