Ortyne's Journal

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=185 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="15ab9c00dduajq.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id145.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Battle of Watchtower Hill"><U><B><IMG SRC="00309110.png" border=0 width="9" height="17" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>       </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="17" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="17"><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="17" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="17"><B>       </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="17" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="9"></div> <div> This is Ortyne's journal with a day by day account of the campaign from the "Villain's" Perspective.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Journals and Songs</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id143.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Noras Journal Session One"><U>Nora's Journal - Session One</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id223.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Noras Journal Session Two"><U>Nora's Journal - Session Two</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id145.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Battle of Watchtower Hill"><U>The Battle of Watchtower Hill</U></A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c899ccff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ortyne's Journal</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I>Ortyne's Journal</I></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=430 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="3a696963.jpg"> <div> <I>Ortyne's Journal          </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#663300" FACE="Georgia" ><I>(Written in Abyssal)</I></FONT></div> <div> <I>4th Cycle - 413 to 414</I></div> <bR> <div> <I> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="602" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 2672 WIDTH="596"><div> <I><B>1st Day of Nythoria:</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>16 Hezam 413 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>I have discovered that Nora Fencerunner, that creature who most reminds me of a mosquito in her size and ability to annoy, has stolen an amulet from Master Arrazim's chambers. Oh, my Master's library is tempting to everyone. But each time she visits with her own Master Sheppen, I have had to prevent her theft of my Master's work and, of course, my own. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>This time I was not so fortunate. I was otherwise occupied and was unable to prevent her ravaging the library. Yvek said that when she realized there was a hidden compartment in the old reading stand, she practically broke the thing to pieces trying to get it open. And she claimed her booty: an amulet and a piece of parchment. This may be what I have been looking for…after all this time, it was not in his books, but in a book stand. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>This will require further investigations and for this, I have the perfect ally…Yvek, my familiar and friend. Nora has no idea what she has gotten herself into.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>3 Jialos 413 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>Of course, it did not take long to figure out what she had found. Yvek kept a watch…and he was able to confirm the amulet's purpose with his allies in the beyond. It was in some way linked to Tenimos' keep. I think that Nora knows about the books…and who know what else…that Arrazim allowed Tenimos to take away to the keep. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>I have come to Cormeer, the nearest human habitation to what was Tenimos' keep. The trip took over a week. The roads at this time of year are terrible, treacherous. The mud and ice make riding a horse a trial of one's patience and dedication to task. There are creatures of all sorts looking to interfere with my journey; most of these I dispatched with little difficulty. I find it shocking that the outlying roads to the chaos of wilds, both beast and roadside ruffian. I must submit a complaint to the proper authorities. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Fortunately, Cormeer has a warm, comfortable inn in which I can rest while Yvek searches the countryside for the keep. I…acquired one of my Master's scrolls enabling me to disguise myself while here. I must be cautious.</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ò</div> <div> <I>One of my wards in Arrazim's house has been triggered. I had set it to alert me if Nora returned to the scene of her crime. I have had to divert Yvek from his search of the countryside and have sent him back to Thrune to investigate. This will prolong my stay in this frozen waste but I must know what she is up to. Imagine her gall: stealing from us and then coming back to steal more.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>4 Jialos 413 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>After suffering these many years under that madman, I am outraged to think that an irritating Halfling could so easily steal my rightful inheritance. She must be punished. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The evidence of her treachery is clear:  she did not surrender the amulet or the letter to Arrazim. No, she pocketed the amulet and never made mention of it on her return visit. Instead, she inquired about Tenimos and his keep. Interestingly, Yvek overheard details of Tenimos' desire for lichdom…is it possible that he was able to gain immortality?  Arrazim seemed not to think so, but that madman has been wrong before. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>I must know…if Tenimos has become a lich, then I will make an offering of Nora to him and perhaps win some favor of him. A lich as an ally could be extremely valuable to me in my purpose. Yet, perhaps the madman is correct and Tenimos' bones rot in the keep. I will send Yvek out to discover the truth and then retrieve what rightfully belongs to me. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>To do that, I must get that amulet and get to the keep before she does. Who knows what powers she will have if she gets there first? But if I get there first, I might finally have the power I need…and Nora will be the first to learn about my good fortune. Oh how I will relish relieving her of her mortal existence. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>That amulet must have been sitting there for years…while I toiled around it. Oh, eventually I would have found it when the Master went to Odan for judgment. Of course, plans regarding the Master will have to wait for now until I take care of the miserable wench. It is just eating me up inside to think that Arrazim gave away valuable books and other things to that idiot, Tenimos. It is all mine and I </I><I>will</I><I> have it back.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>10 Jialos 413 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>I am on the road back to Thrune and have stopped at a small farmhouse to take shelter from a storm. The family has welcomed me, though I had to send Yvek off so as not to frighten them. The storm is quite intense. I used magic for a while to keep clear of the snow but eventually I became unclear of the path. I hope I will not have to spend too long here…it is such a terrible waste of valuable time.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Oh, what I have learned in this past week has changed my life and made it all the more necessary for me to defeat the Halfling witch who enrages me so. I </I><I>must </I><I>have my amulet! As I knew in my bones, the keep is not uninhabited. No, not uninhabited at all. I have made an alliance with its occupant, one that will work to our mutual advantage…and to the disadvantage of Nora and the little town of Cormeer. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>I know such an alliance is risky…I wonder if I am powerful enough to avoid becoming its minion. Yet what I seek can only be accomplished this way. The amulet must be the key to finding my property. Once I have my amulet back and have retrieved the books and whatever else belongs to me, then I can reconsider this alliance. I hope.  </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>19 Jialos 413 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>I have made it to Luskan, finally. Five days snow bound with that insufferable family in a one-room house was enough to drive me as mad as Arrazim. The three children would not leave me alone and the parents were no help whatsoever. The only solace I found was figuring how they could help me in my plans to recover my amulet and destroy that horrible witch once and for all. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>I have hired two thugs in Luskan who will be my bodyguards…at least that's what they think. The gold I paid them was real and for that they would probably attack their own father (if they knew who he was). But they will be a key to ambushing Nora; for my plans, I had to scrape the bottom of the morality barrel. But they will suffice. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The weather is turning again, but I think I will be able to make it to Thrune. I have been gone most of the holy month of Jialos. I hope this has not raised Arrazim's suspicions. He is so hopelessly mad that I doubt he even noticed I was gone. He probably has been talking to me the entire time. Soon, I will be free of him and be able to take my rightful place in Thrune society. All will tremble at the sound of my name when they know that I have defeated Arrazim!</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>23 Jialos 413 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>Finally, I have reached Thrune. Arrazim did notice I was gone, but he thinks I was away for a few days at my brother's in Almraiven. I have been gone for nearly a month and he thought it was a few days. He never concerned himself with why I was not bringing him his food-he thought he was fasting during the holy month. It's hard to believe sometimes that he was once a great mage. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Yvek tells me that the witch has posted a notice to hire a few adventurers. She had better hire an army. Yvek and I discussed his joining her lot…a thought that nearly made me laugh myself silly. Still, I need his eyes to go where I cannot, so we will have to be satisfied with my plan. They are to leave early next month, perhaps as early as 3 Nythoria. That makes timing important. I must arrive at the farmhouse in advance of them. I will wait another week, I think, and if necessary, I will send Yvek out to slow them down. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>2 Nythoria 414 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>Yesterday being a high holy day in Valithra, I had to wait another day or risk being lynched for traveling. Also, I had to wait until I could take my leave of Arrazim without raising suspicions. I told him that my brother in Almraiven is sick and that I must attend to him. I even left him a note so that when he comes to find me, he will find the note. Oh, his mind is so fleeting. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The witch and her company seem to have formed and have been equipping themselves all week…with all the subtlety of a fireball. I believe it is their plan to leave either tomorrow or the day after. The good news is that they will have a wagon, so I should be well in advance of them on my horse. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>5 Nythoria 414 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>Of all the luck…I was nearly to the farmhouse when a storm rolled in…wet, heavy snow that made continuing impossible. I have made camp in the woods and sent Yvek out to delay the witch's progress…and perhaps steal the amulet if the opportunity presented itself. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Everything seems to be at the ready. I took all that I could think I would need for the ambush from the library. I have two scrolls of raising undead-these were not easily acquired-I intend to use one as they bury the family in the graveyard, thus raising the skeletons buried there </I><I>and</I><I> the family as zombies. With arrows fired by the thugs, there should be sufficient confusion to allow Yvek to incapacitate the witch and get the amulet. I am hopeful that most of her party will die in the process, but that is a wishful by-product. Once I have the amulet, I will use dust of disappearance on me and the thugs (if they survive) and off to Cormeer we go. How sweet our victory will be.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>8 Nythoria 414 4C</B></I></div> <div> <I>All has gone poorly. Oh! The luck of that witch. She must have a saint watching out for her. Or perhaps Roe himself. How else could they have won the day? </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>There were a few tactical mistakes, but all went off as planned. There was a cleric with them who was going to Send the family, so I had to act quickly. I raised the skeletons and had the thugs fire at them. The thugs were all thumbs with their bows…well they died for that, I'm happy to say. And the cleric reduced the skeletons to dust. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Though I was able to scatter their party, Yvek failed to penetrate the witch's shield and strike her. The only truly wondrous moment of the day was the look on her face when Yvek appeared in his imp form before her. I thought she would burst a blood vessel on the spot and save us the trouble, but no such luck. Still, my mind is soothed by her bloodcurdling scream still echoing in my mind.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>After that, I got the family raised and that kept most of the witch's minions busy for a little while; still Yvek was unable to acquire the amulet.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>I had no choice but to flee and fight another day. I am in Cormeer today and will go to the keep tonight to consider a new plan. This time, the witch's death will figure prominently in the plan!</I></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Page last updated on 07 October 2001.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>