Campaign Log: Chaotic Pioneering

[coronatiger]

My name is Mister Bond and Mattea is my friend.
I’m nearly ten yards long if you measure from end to end.
I’m silken and I’m strong and my quality’s the best.
I’m coiled up in her backpack when we go on a quest.

I’m strung up ‘tween two poles when she wants to entertain.
She tumbles and she dances; the spectators go insane!
More skillful a performance is hardly to be seen.
Compared to other gymnasts, she really is a queen.

One night when it was dark was when I received my name:
Olivia had entered and wanted to play a game.
She tied Mattea down and I held her bound in place.
Olivia proceeded to sit upon her face.

So, you can understand, there is much that I can see.
In private and in public, it’s interesting being me.
But keeping all her secrets, however will I cope?
I beg you to remember that I am just a rope.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on May 8th

Foreseeing difficulties in entering the city, we agreed to meet up at the pond where I taught Olivia to swim last summer, and then I ran ahead. When I neared the road, two soldiers on patrol hailed me, and I approached them. I must admit I was a little insulted when they didn’t recognize me, the world-famous acrobat who had stayed in their city for quite some time during the last year.

They accused me of being from Tamburin, and I had no papers to prove otherwise. I could probably take them both, if I surprised them with violence, but I wasn’t keen on injuring or killing friendly soldiers, however stubborn they were. I’d have to run for it, instead. They wore metal armor, so I’d easily outpace them, but one of them carried a crossbow, so I needed to plan carefully. A bolt in the back could be lethal.

I stepped close to the crossbowman, sashaying seductively, and pulled down his pants. I thought if I gave him a push, he’d trip and be too busy to get a shot off before I got into cover or out of range. I forgot to take into account the Hunger, and fell to my knees, my hands and mouth taking on lives of their own. A couple of minutes later, the crossbowman declared that I could hardly be a Tamburin infiltrator with such skills, but I needed to convince his friend as well. I swallowed and set to work.

The guards at the city wall recognized me, and let me through. I ran to Karl Morgenstern’s office, but he was out. A smile to the right man got me his location; he was investigating something at some noble’s property nearby. The noble’s soldiers didn’t let me enter, but they were very nice about it, and we chatted companionably until I learned that Karl would remain inside for at least one more hour, perhaps as much as two or three. I fetched Marvin at the Red Mansion stables and returned, entertaining the guards with horseback acrobatics until Karl came out.

I returned to his office with him and explained the situation. He agreed to send one of his officers with me to escort the prisoners, so we could get them to the right place. Events last year had corroded my trust in the nobles around Garuk, so I had to have faith that Karl knew where the prisoners should be taken.

Karl mentioned the favor I owed him, and wanted me to report to him about my party’s doings, like Lady Karita had done. Actually, Lady Karita had reported directly to the family back in the Old World, but it would be easier, not to say cheaper, for me to send my reports to Karl. He’d take the cost of forwarding the messages across the sea. It sounded like a fair bargain, so I accepted.

Riding out to the pond with Karl’s underling, I found that Olivia and the others were already there. My business in town had taken quite some time. I handed Marvin to Ilzo so he could load the horse with baggage, and took Olivia off to the side. I asked if they’d had any trouble with soldiers patrolling the area. Relieved that she was unharmed, I confessed what had happened this morning. Olivia forgave my indiscretion and we hugged.

We took the prisoners to the governor’s mansion and learned that these weren’t the first spies to be taken captive. I asked Olivia if she could be so kind as to take Marvin and our baggage and check into the inn, while those of us who actually were Adventurers went to the guild to report. That’s why we left in the first place, after all.

We made our report and stayed for some gossip. The guild had stopped sending people into the mines, and hoped that those who had already gone down there came out again before the Tamburin army appeared. Based on our report, the guild master estimated that we’d have at least three days before the invasion.

Ilzo suggested that we enroll for military service. I thought that sounded like a terrible idea. Women and soldiers don’t mix, and I need to protect Olivia. It seemed to me that Ilzo had a very primitive idea about what war is, hailing from a tribal society.

I asked the guild master what the guild would do when Tamburin comes. He said we’d close down shop. The guild is multinational and its members are not obliged to partake in a war effort. Ilzo and I paid the monthly guild fee before going back to the Red Mansion to look for Leopold and Va’lyndra.

Our companions were out, which gave us time to get settled in our rooms. I repaid Olivia for her compassion for my weakness. During the prisoner transportation, Olivia had cut down our lovemaking to the barest necessity, just enough to keep me going, but now she let loose.

We met the others for dinner and exchanged stories. Leopold and Va’lyndra had only been studying while we were away, so they didn’t have much to say, except that Va’lyndra had noticed increased military activity in town these last few days.

After my performance, an ogre from the guild came over and bought us a round of drinks. He wanted our advice on whether he should travel east or wait out the situation. We didn’t know for sure that Tamburin had sent an army over the mountains, after all, it could be just scouts and spies. We didn’t know what to do ourselves, yet, so we had no advice to give. Ilzo said it was cowardly to flee, like goblins.


Thoughts on May 9th

At breakfast, we discussed what our next steps should be. There is scheduled a guild auction in less than two weeks, and I was loath to miss it. I had to explain to Leopold what kind of items would be for sale – magic items and high-quality weapons and armor – and realized I hadn’t obtained the list yet.

I headed over to the guildhall and got the list, but learned that due to the Tamburin threat, the auction may be cancelled. The guild master reminded me that I needed to hurry if I wanted to put items of my own up for sale.

Va’lyndra and I met with some of the auctioneers at a warehouse, and gave them thirteen magic staves, Lady Karita’s sword and the pieces of hydra skin that remained after Va’lyndra had her new armor made. We paid an elf to certify the magic items. The guild would also take a fee of ten percent of the sale price for any items that were sold at the auction. Unsold items would be given back at no cost to us.

Ilzo didn’t like the idea of being cooped up in town for almost two weeks, and wanted to go back into the mines to search for ritual sites. Leopold’s and Va’lyndra’s research had provided clues to their locations. I argued that if the Tamburin army arrived while we were down there, we might become trapped, and refused to go. Va’lyndra pointed out that other adventurers may have stumbled upon other ritual sites. It would be much safer to spend some time gathering information now, and returning to the mines later, assuming that our brave troops could repel Tamburin.

We headed over to the guildhall and asked around. Another party had discovered a ritual site, and were willing to sell the information to us. Va’lyndra fronted my share of the price, as I’ve stopped carrying coins in my pouch. Olivia and I decided long ago that I can’t be trusted with money.

Ilzo wanted to check out the new ritual site immediately, of course, and the rest of us had to spend some time convincing him otherwise. The risk of becoming trapped was just as big now as it had been a few hours ago.

I performed in the common room at the Red Mansion after dinner and tasted Olivia’s dessert once we were alone.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on May 10th

Leopold and Va’lyndra resumed their studies at the knowledge guild, and Ilzo and I decided to go to the adventurers’ guild to find something to do. On the way there, we heard a town crier announce that the Tamburin army was on its way, expected to arrive in three days. We turned around and sought out Leopold and Va’lyndra instead.

A sense of urgency suffused our party, and Va’lyndra tried to get information out of her superiors at the guild, but they clammed up. They did tell her that she could leave town if she so desired, and allowed her to borrow a book about magic.

Concerned for Olivia, I insisted we bring her along when we went to the adventurers’ guildhall. The guild master, a human, was staying, at least for now, but informed us that many members had left. Most were going south, towards Urdon, likely continuing back east along the main road. The guild master didn’t have any news regarding the auction.

Ilzo decided to fill his room at the Red Mansion with stones, ammunition for his sling. Olivia and I retreated to our own room to talk. Neither of us wanted to endure the impending siege, but I was looking very much forward to the auction. Maybe we could send the others ahead and slip away after the auction? “You might be able to sneak through the lines, Mattea,” Olivia said, “but not with horses and a heavy load. And I’m not as stealthy as you are. You wouldn’t leave me behind, would you?” Her lips trembled and tears welled up in her eyes at the idea. I pulled her into a hug and stroked her hair, swearing I’d always be there to protect her.

We stood in silence for a while, arms around each other. Olivia’s breathing steadied, her bosom pushing rhythmically against mine, tantalizing. Suddenly inexplicably heavy, my hands slid down her back and settled on her bottom. Her sudden shove took me completely by surprise, and I tripped over the side of the bed, landing heavily on the mattress. Olivia pounced and tried to pin me down, but my combat reflexes took over, and I rolled out of the way and bounced on top of her when she hit the bed. I teased, “My, my, are we feeling playful?” and soon had her squealing with delight.


Thoughts on May 11th

Guild master Gunnar had no more information for us this morning, but we found another party of adventurers who had seen a ritual site. Leopold marked it on our map.

We decided to leave town before the hostile Tamburin army arrives, so Olivia, Ilzo and I went to the market to buy travel rations. Prices had gone up, as expected, but we got what we needed.

We looked in on Karl Morgenstern, but the high human had left town with his family. I received instructions regarding who I could report to if I remained in Garuk, as well as an address in Surd where I could send letters.

Gathering up our companions and our belongings at the Red Mansion, we rode south along the coast. Leopold found huge footprints in the soil when we stopped for a meal at midday. Ilzo and Va’lyndra agreed that the tracks were one day old.

We camped on the open plains; Olivia camouflaged the camp as best she could. Va’lyndra insisted that Leopold should put away his books when it was his turn to keep watch. I repeated what he should do if anything came to eat us: Activate the light spell on Surkalpi and raise the alarm. If the danger wasn’t imminent, he could instead try to wake us quietly.


Thoughts on May 12th

Nothing ate us in the night, so we traveled onwards. We reached the dangerous forest that separates Garuk and Urdon, which Olivia and I explored with Lady Karita, Magnar and Kine last year. Neither Ilzo, Leopold nor Va’lyndra had been here before, and I told them we needed to watch out for blobs. Both Ilzo and Va’lyndra were familiar with the creatures, but I had to explain to Leopold about them, how they dropped onto your head and choked you to death. They’re afraid of fire, and Lady Karita had a repellant, which Va’lyndra had hidden inside a tree outside the checkpoint to the mines, and which we forgot to retrieve when we brought her out, unconscious. Darn! I told Leopold that the blobs come in two types, and that one of the varieties was harmless plant-eaters. Now, was that the red ones, or the green ones?

We rode single file, with Va’lyndra in front, her magic shield floating above her head. No blobs fell on us, but we entered an area full of red ones that spooked the horses, and we had to backtrack for a while, for the horses refused to go on.

When we exited the forest, we passed a wooden sign that told us we had traveled on the private land of someone named Balder. Ah, well… No harm was done, and we had seen no trace of habitation. We rode a little further before making camp.


Thoughts on May 13th

We reached our destination late in the afternoon, crossing the bridge spanning the river with Urdon proper on the south bank. The bridge guards recognized me, of course, and welcomed us to town. Our usual inn was filled up with adventurers and other refugees from Garuk, but there was one room left, with four beds. Now, there were five of us, but Va’lyndra easily deduced that we only needed four beds. However, the look Olivia gave me told me that she wasn’t sleeping in a room with men. I told the others to take the room if they wished, but Olivia and I would seek accommodations elsewhere. We found room in another inn, a tiny closet that we could have for free as long as I performed each night.


Thoughts on May 14th

Olivia and I went over to the other inn to have breakfast with Ilzo, Va’lyndra and Leopold. Then we visited the adventuring guild. Master Gnomus was still there, but with the sudden influx of adventurers from Garuk, all available quests had been snapped up already. Many of our colleagues talked about going to the plains between Urdon and Surd, to do something about the trolls that were disrupting the railway construction.

I convinced the others to remain until after the summer games. We agreed to meet from time to time until then, to make plans for after, but otherwise decided to each do our own thing. Leopold and Va’lyndra planned to study, and Ilzo surprised me by declaring that he intended to study as well. I would prepare for the summer games and perform at the inn, I told the others. Rocking the bed with Olivia was also on my mind, but that wasn’t any of their business.


Thoughts on May 15th

We met for breakfast. Ilzo wanted to fight trolls, but the rest of us weren’t as eager. It’s one thing to stumble across a burgh lion or a bunch of goblins or kobolds while seeking a meaningful objective, and having to fight. It’s quite another to go monster hunting.


Thoughts on May 16th

Good news emerged from the guildhall today: The auction has been moved to Urdon. I still have the list of items for sale, and discussed it with the others. I can bring the others as guests to the auction hall, so I don’t have to remember everything they want me to buy for them. I was a little worried for a minute that Va’lyndra would try to outbid me for a particular quiver of arrows that I had my eyes on, until I remembered that I would have to place the bids for the others, being the only Veteran ranking adventurer among our party. I trusted Olivia could keep me from overbidding myself.


Thoughts on May 17th

In between practice sessions and performances, I’ve tried to locate Karl Morgenstern, guessing that he’d come here to Urdon before possibly continuing towards Surd. My assumption was correct, but I was unfortunately too late; he had moved on towards the capital already. I had hoped he would stay for the summer games, but he apparently had urgent business in Surd. Luckily, he had provided me with an address there, where I could send a letter once we decide what to do.


Thoughts on May 18th

Olivia and I met the others for dinner today. Leopold had heard that the fighting in the south of the continent was over. I assumed that the undead had been defeated, and that Virendia’s allies were now free to provide additional support against Tamburin. More worrisome were the rumors of a plague come to Surd from the Old World. Olivia keeps two potions of disease block that I acquired at the guild, but they only last for a day each, not enough to keep us safe if we decide to go back east.

In the north, the Tamburin army must have besieged Garuk by now, so that’s not an agreeable direction to travel. Ilzo mentioned going home to warn his tribe about the army that he thought were likely to kill or enslave them. Leopold and Va’lyndra didn’t think that the army would enter the wilderness; Tamburin would focus on objectives of military or commercial value. Va’lyndra recalled that on our last trip south, when we picked up Ilzo, someone had stolen a holy artifact from the temple of Elendus (before we could take it) and disappeared to the north. Maybe Tamburin had an interest in old relics? We pored over the map Lady Karita had made and decided to make a round trip of the temples we hadn’t had time to visit last time. We could even look in on Ilzo’s tribe on the way. I remembered that we need to gather the relics in order to contact Chaos to learn how to restore balance in the world.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on May 19th

The auction is tomorrow! Olivia reminded me that the whole affair was a guild secret, since many of the items use forbidden magic. Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t even have told her about it, but we keep no secrets from each other. I was so elated this morning that I couldn’t stop talking about it, while watching Olivia get up and rummage around the room. I didn’t even notice what she was up to, moving about, occasionally kissing my hands or feet, or caressing my arms and thighs. Not until she yanked on a rope, pulling my hands to the corners of the bed. She secured the rope, and I noticed my legs were bound as well. “Don’t go anywhere,” she admonished before leaving. I heard the key turn in the lock a moment later. I could have slipped out of the bonds easily enough, but where’s the fun in that? Olivia clearly had a plan.

She returned a few minutes later with a tray of food, some bread and fruit, which she put on the nightstand before straddling my stomach. “Are you Hungry, Mattea?” she asked. “Yes,” I replied with a coarse voice, the tray completely forgotten as I stared voraciously at her dress, a dress that concealed no undergarments.

Olivia kept me confined in our room all day and didn’t let me out until it was time for my performance in the common room. Then, she made me promise not to say a word in until we got back. If I remained silent, she’d let me turn the tables on her once we were alone again. I rushed through the show, smiling and nodding to my fans while keeping my mouth shut.

Back in our room, we undressed again, and Olivia lay down on the bed, spread-eagled. I picked up the rope to tie her, but the terror in her eyes evaporated my Hunger, so I dropped it again, and crawled carefully into bed next to her, pulling a blanket over us. Olivia clung to me like there was a man in the room, and I put my arms around her as we entwined each other in that comforting manner that we always use, that declaration of mutual trust and protection. No specter from the past could harm us now. Cold drops trickled down my neck as Olivia cried herself to sleep, her cheek resting on mine. I shed a few tears myself.


Thoughts on May 20th

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Olivia whispered again and again, raining kisses on my face once she realized I was awake. I protested that I should be thanking her, for standing by my side despite all my failures and indiscretions, but she would have none of it. I was her hero, her protector, the only one in the whole world who truly knew and understood her. I opened my mouth to protest again, but she covered it with her own and I felt her tongue probe for mine. My resistance melted away.

The auction took place in a building in the Sidel family compound. The first item up for grabs was a gold necklace that enhanced the wearer’s life force. It was a popular object, going far above the initial bid. Luckily, none of our party had a particularly strong interest in it.

The necklace was followed by a string of weapons and armor pieces, most of them sold after middling to heated contest, but without interest from our party. The water elemental that came next had no bidders, and remained unsold. Then two weapons of mass destruction were up. Va’lyndra checked them out and considered having me place a bid, but the things only worked once, so she felt it wasn’t worth the price.

Then a maul and a repeating crossbow followed, before the item I desired, a cornucopia quiver of sharp and precise arrows. Bidding started on eighty thousand, and I was quick to raise my hand. However, two other bidders forced the price up, and I let them battle for a while. When they slowed down, I jumped in. One of them overbid me, but I really wanted that quiver, and raised my hand again. I got it for one hundred and two thousand, an insane amount that nearly cleared me out.

The next item was a cavalry horse, strong, fast and fearless, according to the auctioneer. Ilzo checked it out and told me he wanted it. Nobody else put in a bid, so my initial bid prevailed.

A finger ring making fireballs was next, and then some more weapons and armor parts. I purchased an exploding arrow for Va’lyndra. A sequence of non-magical weapons followed, all of very fine quality. I bought a long knife for Leopold and a strange staff with a fork on one end for Va’lyndra.

Lady Karita’s jewel-encrusted, magical sword had an initial price of one hundred and ten thousand, seemingly too much near the end of the auction, for nobody bid for it. We managed to sell eight of the magic staves, leaving us with four. The hydra skin sold as well, and we cashed in over twenty-four thousand for that and the staves, after the guild had taken its fee. We immediately split the profits.

Olivia stated that she wasn’t sure she should feel concern or relief at her lightened purses. She had had nearly three full purses of gold when we entered, as well as a fortune in gems. She had five gems remaining, looking kind of forlorn in a purse of their own, and sixty-odd gold pieces. Still filthy rich, or at least I would have thought so a year or two ago. Performing for coppers in the evening felt strange.


Thoughts on May 21st

I got up bright and early, strung my bow and played with my new toy this morning. I discovered that the arrows I pulled out of the quiver vanished after one minute or when I put them back. I didn’t actually let loose any of the arrows, I was satisfied simply aiming at knotholes and other details I could see in our room. Neither the innkeeper nor Olivia would appreciate it if I made holes in the wall.

When Olivia woke up, she looked at me with alarm, concerned that the inn was under attack or something. She’s uncomfortable around weapons, so it came as no surprise that she proposed that I put away the bow and arrow and come play with her instead.

The summer games are only two days away, so we couldn’t stay in bed all day. Enjoying the fine spring, we walked out of town and practiced wife-carrying and other disciplines. We returned in the afternoon, so I could take a bath before the show, or rather so we could take a bath. Good thing I don’t have to appear precisely on time, for the bath dragged out…


Thoughts on May 22nd

Planning to leave the day after the summer games, we needed to make all our preparations today. Va’lyndra has been munching very fine rations on our latest quests, and Olivia and I decided that we wanted good food, too. We brought Ilzo along to the marketplace to fill our packs. Leopold is a gnome and eats rocks, so we don’t have to worry about food for him. Va’lyndra has those particular dietary requirements that all elves share, so she would get her own food, as usual.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on May 23rd

Today was the day! The festival commenced with religious ceremonies for all the common deities. The god of orcs was not among them, much to Ilzo’s chagrin, and he went off to have a private ceremony.

Archery was the first discipline of the games. During the first three rounds, all we had to do was to hit the target in two tries. At five meters, I didn’t bother aiming. At fifteen and forty meters, I did aim; it wouldn’t do to get cocky and lose because of it. I only needed one arrow for each distance, but I had to borrow from the organizers, since using magic would get me disqualified or even arrested. In the final round, still at forty meters, we scored points according to how close to the center of the target we hit, and had three arrows to get as many points as possible. Only Va’lyndra and I participated from our party. Olivia doesn’t touch weapons, of course, and Ilzo’s ranged weapon of choice is a sling. Leopold doesn’t have any ranged weapons, as far as I know, and he didn’t seem very interested in any sort of competition. He kept Olivia company while I competed, but mostly had his nose in his notebook. Va’lyndra, on the other hand, is a competent archer, and got through to the final round as easily as I did, but she stumbled when it really counted, spreading her arrows all over the target. She still took fifth place. It came as no surprise that I won after putting three arrows in the bullseye. The first price was a silver arrow. It must be solid metal, for it weighs ten times as much as a regular arrow.

After the archery, it was time for dueling. I recognized many of the contestants as fellow guild members, but there may have been some soldiers or guards there as well. I was lucky and didn’t have an opponent in the first round. Ilzo and Va’lyndra had no trouble beating their opponents. Ilzo and I had easy opposition in the second round, but Va’lyndra struggled against an agile gnome and took some time to land a hit. The padded wooden weapons we used still struck heavy blows, so in the interest of not getting too many wounded, the first hit won you the round. The third round didn’t present much difficulty for any of us, but Ilzo was strained against a human in the fourth. I thought we were lucky not to draw each other as opponents, and we didn’t meet in round five either. This time, Ilzo was the one who drew an easy adversary. Va’lyndra barely made it against an ogre, and my opponent was a fungoid with two swords and two shields. I’d watched him earlier, and he seemed like a formidable opponent. I made a simple attack, just to test his defenses, but he seemed to outsmart himself when choosing how to block, allowing the blow to land.

I met Va’lyndra in the semi-final. As Ilzo, she and I were three of the four remaining contestants, even I was able to calculate that two of us had to meet now. With a staff against a long knife, Va’lyndra had a longer reach than me, and this caused me to make one tactical blunder after another. Unwilling to retreat from her attacks, thinking I needed to step forward to get her inside my reach, I just wasn’t agile enough to dodge when she made a deceptive all-out attack. What I should have done, had I had the brains to think of it in the heat of battle, was to retreat from the attack, then dart forward and around her, swiping at her unprotected back as I passed her. I’m fast enough to pull it off. Of course, an attack made while running is difficult to land, but even if I missed, I’d be in a better position after the maneuver.

Ilzo won his semi-final against a very skilled elf, by dropping his weapon and punching the unsuspecting opponent. I winced as the blow landed; Ilzo’s bare fists hurt far more than a padded stick. Va’lyndra beat him in the final. I blame her brains for the victory. Both Ilzo and I are more skilled with our weapons than her, but she thinks faster on her feet, adapting tactics to the situation. There were money prizes for the best four competitors, so I got something even having been beaten in the semi-final.

The other fighting discipline was team dueling, with three people on each team. Ilzo, Va’lyndra and I were favorites to win, considering how well each of us had fought earlier, only losing to others on the team. Ilzo almost messed things up in the first round, but as Va’lyndra and I scored hits almost immediately, we were able to team up against Ilzo’s opponent and take him out. The second round went smoothly, but Ilzo really messed up in the third round, taking a hit from the fungoid I met in the individual duels. Against Va’lyndra and me, who just as quickly dispatched our opponents, the fungoid crumbled, even with two swords and two shields. The skilled elf from Ilzo’s individual semi-final had teamed up with a gnome swordsman and a human halberdier and we met in the final. I made the same mistakes against the halberdier as I had done against Va’lyndra earlier today, but Va’lyndra poked him in the back just after he felled me. The elven opponent took out Va’lyndra just as easily, but failed to take into account Ilzo’s speed and reach and got a blow from behind. Ilzo had taken out the gnome when I didn’t look, so he was the only one still standing, taking us to victory! Ilzo, Va’lyndra and I split the prize money between us, but it didn’t divide easily by three, so Olivia and Leopold got a small share as well.

The next event was mud wrestling, but adventurers were banned from competing, giving the local amateurs a chance to shine. I took Olivia back to the inn for a quick wrestling match of our own, then we hurried back to the field for the wife-carrying competition. Competitors weren’t actually required to be married, but too large size discrepancies weren’t allowed. Like last year, I would carry Olivia. Ilzo was going to carry Va’lyndra. My jaw dropped when I saw that both of them wore armor. Even so, Ilzo won the whole race. I’m not complaining about Olivia’s weight – she’s just perfect the way she is – but she slowed me down. Unlike most opponents, I didn’t fall once on the muddy ground, but Ilzo beat me hands down; I didn’t even get close. His prize was a small bag with pills that increase the chance of pregnancy. I offered to buy them off him, and he sold me half, at one gold piece for each of the five pills that I promptly handed to Olivia.

Olivia and I have talked a few times about what life will be like after my adventuring career. I don’t intend to go treasure hunting for the rest of my life, I just need to save the world. Then we can settle down somewhere, and we’d both like to start a family. Obviously, we can’t have children together. The only way one of us would get with child, is to be with a man, something that Olivia won’t do, and of course, there’s the magic curse that has rendered me unable to conceive, so even with all my male liaisons, there’s no chance I’ll get pregnant. Therefore, we’ve thought about adoption. These pills, however… Maybe they can overcome the curse? I need to talk this through with Olivia, but there’s no rush; I’m not anywhere near saving the world, yet.

In the timber tossing contest, Ilzo was classified as an ogre, and had to toss a bigger tree trunk. I had no delusion that I might win, but I delighted in competing. At least I beat Va’lyndra. Ilzo took fourth place, behind two actual ogres and a human.

The penultimate event was the one I was looking forward to the most, the obstacle course! There would be four rounds, with progressively more difficult obstacles. I ran through the first round with ease, and Va’lyndra also made the cutoff, unlike Ilzo. The elf and I got through the second and third round as well. I was a little disappointed when they didn’t increase the difficulty for the finals. That would have cemented it in my favor, but I still managed to win. A box of half-baked wheat buns was the prize. They would be a nice supplement to the travel rations.

The last event of the day was a talent show. Va’lyndra decided to do an elvish dance while singing. I was obviously doing an acrobatic routine. We lined up for an audition in front of a panel of judges. I hadn’t prepared anything in particular for this event, but Olivia made some suggestions. Va’lyndra’s singing was dismissed by the judges, so she wasn’t allowed to perform for the crowd that was gathering, even as we stood there waiting. When it was my turn in front of the judges, they just waved me through. I wouldn’t have minded doing the audition, but being famous has its advantages.

Ilzo made a spectacle, and scared the judges into fetching armed guards. He claimed that his talent was to frighten people, but that didn’t make him any more popular. Va’lyndra and I had to defuse the situation, and Ilzo had to go back to the inn, so he missed my performance. I won the talent competition, unsurprisingly, and received a set of winter clothes, made by someone called Aunt Olga.

Having won four events, I was declared overall victor this year, too. Guild master Gnomus painted a portrait of me again, and last year’s picture was taken down and given to me. Olivia and I borrowed a bathtub back at our inn and washed the sweat off. We celebrated my victory long into the night.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on May 24th

Like us, most other adventurers had remained in Urdon only for the summer games, and were now departing. The great exodus headed east, either in search of trolls to slay on the plains, or to return to civilized parts on the east coast. The south road was nearly empty, so there wasn’t much of an audience for my horseback acrobatics. I left a letter in Urdon to be sent to Karl Morgenstern in Surd: “Hi. We’re going to visit temples in the south. Maystatea Viashniskaya. PS, I won the summer games!”


Thoughts on May 25th

Olivia and I had the last watch as usual, and learned from Va’lyndra that Ilzo had spotted goblins during his watch, but they had wisely disappeared without causing any trouble.

Entering the wilderness, travel was slower, and Va’lyndra scouted ahead. In the afternoon, we heard her whistle a signal, and I seemed to recall that it meant we should stop and wait. Olivia and Ilzo didn’t remember the bird call, and Leopold wasn’t with us when we agreed on the signals last year. Va’lyndra came back to us after about fifteen minutes and told us that she had signaled “danger”. Said danger had passed, but she had expected Ilzo and me at least to come forward, in case there was need for violence. We went through the signals again: “Danger”, “hide”, “come here” and “be careful”.


Thoughts on May 26th

Boogeymen snuck up on the camp and launched arrows at Ilzo during his watch. He raised the alarm, and I pulled Scorchmark and burst out of the tent. The orc hadn’t remembered to make light, so I activated Surkalpi, flooding light over the fleeing boogeymen. They were too far away to do anything about, so I turned off the light and returned to the tent before Olivia could complain about my public display of nudity. We entwined and I declared that the danger was gone.

I had just fallen asleep when Ilzo woke us with orcish curses. I hurried outside, and could see the backs of two boogeymen running away again. Ilzo was fuming, literally and figuratively. I noticed a brown stain on his pale bone armor and recognized the stench. These boogeymen apparently soiled their arrows before firing. I asked Ilzo if he wanted to track them down and kick some boogeyman butt. He replied that he was only waiting for me to ask. I dressed and armed myself, and instructed the others to remain alert while the two of us were gone, in case the boogeymen looped around. Leopold took Ilzo’s place, but Va’lyndra hid, ready to ambush the ambushers, should they come back.

Ilzo brought Surkalpi, for I would need light once we engaged the boogeymen in combat, although we moved out in darkness. Ilzo found their tracks, and we were off. I followed his dark shape, bow in one hand, the other hovering near the quiver. He stopped after a while, and I wondered if he’d lost the tracks, but he showed me two straight branches sticking out over the path in ankle height. “Careful, sharp!” he admonished. Once I got closer, I could faintly discern that the branches were in fact swords that the boogeymen had tied to tree trunks to make a crude trap. The foul odor rising from them dissuaded us from trying to disarm the trap, but now that we knew it was there, it was easy to step over the blades.

We continued for a couple of minutes, and suddenly Ilzo shouted “Charge!” and rushed forward. I drew an arrow, calling after him, “Light!” and heard the crack of a breaking branch somewhere in front of Ilzo, and when I could finally see, there were two boogeymen about forty meters ahead of me. One of them was aiming his bow at me, but the other was frantically drawing a knife, his ruined bow lying on the ground.

I fired at the bowman, and he had to dodge, thus losing his aim, but he shot back at me before my next arrow was ready to loose. He missed. The knife wielder stuck the tip of the blade into a pouch at his waist, and was ready to parry when Ilzo reached him, but the wild swing from Surkalpi missed its mark. The knifeman struck Ilzo’s torso on the counterattack, causing the orc to curse again, more for the insult than the pain, I imagined.

I aimed and shot again, but the bowman dodged again. Bother! Ilzo swung Surkalpi again, and the knifeman parried. The knife snapped under the heavy blow. The third time’s the charm, as the saying goes. My third arrow felled the bowman, and Ilzo’s third swing decapitated the former knife fighter. From a distance, I wasn’t sure my arrow was lethal, and I asked Ilzo if he could be ever so kind and cut off the other one’s head, too. He wasn’t hard to ask. Ilzo picked up the heads, and I convinced him to put them on spikes here instead of doing it back in camp. That would have upset Olivia. Remembering that the knife fighter had scored a hit on Ilzo, I bandaged the wound before we returned to camp.

When we got back, Olivia complimented my bandaging, but removed it so she could wash out the wound. Va’lyndra sprayed Ilzo’s armor with her water jet. Olivia borrowed Scorchmark to cauterize Ilzo’s wound, before putting on fresh bandages. My fire-enchanted knife turned out to have a medical use!

We went back to sleep, Va’lyndra taking over the night watch. When she woke us for our turn, she reported that everything was quiet. Nothing happened during our watch either, except for some innocent fooling around. Olivia was a stoic guard as usual, and prevented me from going distractingly far.

Nothing much happened when we continued south. A mountain range loomed ahead, and we discussed if we wanted to go around on the west side or if we should try to cross. Going around would be twice as far, but the easier terrain would allow for faster travel. We decided to continue straight on, as that would probably save us some time.


Thoughts on May 27th

We continued towards the mountains today. There wasn’t anything interesting to look at, except for the others, who could enjoy the view while I practiced acrobatics in the saddle. Poor Va’lyndra scouted ahead.


Thougths on May 28th

The mountains ahead grew as we plodded steadily closer, and in the afternoon, we started ever so slightly to move uphill.


Thoughts on May 29th

Today, we started climbing in earnest. The vegetation gave way to gradually more rocky ground, and Ilzo had to open the fodder packs when we made camp, for grazing was poor there.


Thoughts on May 30th

We continued rising, and noticed that the air was getting chillier around us. There was no need to dig out our winter clothes, although Olivia put on her cloak. She wasn’t wearing armor.


Thoughts on May 31st

The first signs of a lightening sky was visible on the horizon when Olivia screamed, pointing at our tent. I leapt up and activated Surkalpi, and saw giant centipedes, about the size of my foot, crawling about. I drew Scorchmark and started cleaving the insects. Va’lyndra cast a spell freezing the rest when she got out. I picked the frozen centipedes carefully out of our belongings, for Olivia said they were venomous. We were fortunate to have watch duty when we did. The thought of waking up with these buggers in my hair made me shiver.

After breakfast, we continued through the mountains. When we made camp in the evening, we made sure to check for cracks and fissures in the ground; that’s where the centipedes came from.


Thoughts on June 1st

Va’lyndra returned from scouting after spotting a mountain giant. She told us it hadn’t seen her, and explained that they are stupid but aggressive creatures. I thought it would be wise to go around. Ilzo, on the other hand, wanted to test his strength against it. Leopold, who I had considered intelligent until now, wanted to go and talk to it! I groaned, but the others wouldn’t budge, although I managed to convince Va’lyndra to sneak up on it with me, covering it with our bows while Ilzo and Leopold exercised their foolishness.

Leopold got a bottle of brandy from Va’lyndra, to bribe the giant, and then we moved out, leaving Olivia with the horses and baggage. When we neared the place where Va’lyndra had seen the giant earlier, she cast a spell on our bows, bestowing them with the power of ice magic.

Leopold and Ilzo made themselves known to the giant, who shouted something incomprehensible and pointed at them. Leopold put down the bottle and they retreated a few steps. The giant, disappointingly no larger than an ogre, didn’t seem interested in the brandy, so Leopold went forward again, to pick it up and hand it to the giant. The mountain giant rushed towards him and lifted a foot to squish the gnome, but two icy arrows pierced its chest before it could stomp. The giant fell on its back, but started standing up again immediately, coughing blood in Leopold’s direction. Ilzo shouted “Run!”

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on June 1st (continued)

I hurriedly drew another arrow as heavy footsteps crashed towards the ridgeline in front of us. Ilzo and Leopold rushed to get back to Va’lyndra and me. The first giant just stared at us. Then two more showed their faces. I aimed at the largest one, although it wasn’t that much larger than the others.

Va’lyndra and I had taken cover behind some rocks on either side of the path, but she couldn’t have had a clear line of fire to the giants, for she stepped out of hiding. We released our arrows almost simultaneously, but when the giant dove to the ground to dodge, my arrow was the only one to strike its intended target. Va’lyndra’s zipped over the giant a fraction of a second later. Two more giants appeared, and one of them threw a rock at Ilzo, striking him in the back. He turned immediately, brandishing Surkalpi and howling with rage as he looked for the culprit. Leopold hurried past us.

I fired another icy arrow, courtesy of Va’lyndra’s spell, and brought down another giant. Va’lyndra put an arrow in my previous target, to stop him from getting back on his feet. Then she shouted “Get away!” and danced a spell dance. She must have done something wrong, for hail started pelting us, making it impossible to concentrate enough to aim accurately.

I stood up and shot at the closest giant, who was still outside the hailstorm, but he dodged the arrow. Ilzo ran forward, towards the giants; Leopold ran in the other direction. I also went forward to get out of the weather, but angled to the left, to maintain the distance between me and the giants.

Most of the giants had taken at least one arrow wound, and they turned to flee. Ilzo tried to engage one, but I plugged it with an arrow and told him that we had defeated them, he could let them run.

We regrouped and started back towards Olivia and the horses. Leopold commented on the poor communication in the group. Why didn’t we run when Ilzo told us to? I explained to him that the order had been for him, so that he and Ilzo could stay out of combat a while longer while Va’lyndra and I softened the giants from cover. I admitted that I thought that Va’lyndra’s retreat order before she made the hailstorm was stupid; couldn’t she see that the giants were on the verge to break? Va’lyndra corrected me and said that it was the sudden, unnatural hailstorm that had terrified the giants and caused them to flee.

I told Olivia what had happened while we continued south. Va’lyndra’s words made sense, but I still didn’t understand why the hail had struck us, and not the giants.

We emerged from the mountains and entered the lowlands again. The terrain was damp, and the insects annoying. We’re nearing the swamps.


Thoughts on June 2nd

Except for having to swat bugs constantly, travel was uneventful. Va’lyndra and Leopold claimed that we might reach the love temple tomorrow.


Thoughts on June 3rd

Va’lyndra spotted humanoid tracks crossing our path, and pointed out the deep claw marks in the soil. Digging through her knowledge of New World natives, she concluded that these must be “crocodile heads,” some kind of human/crocodile hybrid. Ilzo asked if they were strong. I asked if they were dangerous. Leopold asked if we could go say hello. I rolled my eyes when he got off his pony and started following the tracks. Ilzo hurried after him. “Well, I’m staying here,” I declared to their backs. Olivia asked if there was anything she could do, and I responded loudly that we’d wait here while the two idiots did their thing. Va’lyndra started to prepare herself to go after them, but decided that it would be wiser to remain with Olivia and me. Leopold needs to learn his lesson.

Leopold and Ilzo returned two hours later, spattered with blood. Leopold informed us that the crocodile heads didn’t want to speak with him. Ilzo had a gash from a spear that Va’lyndra bandaged, although it had already stopped bleeding. We rode on once she had gotten him to relax for a little while.

We didn’t reach the temple today, but we arrived at a river in the evening, and on the other side, half a mile downstream, we could see ruins. That could be the temple; we have to check it out tomorrow. The river smelled bad, so we retreated a short distance into the forest and made camp there.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on June 4th

Va’lyndra warned us that she had noticed movement in the forest when she woke Olivia and me for our watch, but all was quiet until morning. Once the others were awake, Va’lyndra and I went to look for tracks. That is, Va’lyndra looked for tracks while I provided protection. I’m no tracker. The elf, on the other hand, is a skilled one, and she found that half a dozen crocodile heads had been there. They were long gone by now.

We packed down our camp and headed downriver, looking for a place to cross the twenty-meter-wide stream. There was no ford between our campsite and the ruins, but a wide pillar rose from the water mid-stream. There was a bridge here, once, and some stone-work remained on either side of the river.

We decided to make a new bridge, so we could bring the animals across. With crocodile heads in the area, it might be risky to leave Olivia alone with the horses while we went exploring. Each of us undertook a task according to our skill set. Ilzo started chopping down trees. Va’lyndra shaped the logs so they’d fit together, and Leopold molded the stones remaining on this side of the river, so the logs would be secure. Olivia looked after the horses, and I wandered around on my hands, discovering cobblestones under the turf; a road had once started at the bridge and followed the river further south.

When the logs were done, I took a running start and jumped over to the pillar in the middle of the river. It towered three meters above the water, so I had to grab hold of the pillar when I landed on its side, and climb up. Ilzo and Va’lyndra toppled three of the six logs into the water with great splashes. They made sure the logs landed upstream from the pillar, so the current didn’t drag them away.

I made a loop at the end of a rope and tried to hook it around one of the logs that rested against the pillar. I had to drink a potion of strength to hoist the end of the log up to where I stood on top of the pillar. I repeated the feat with the other two logs, and held them as steady as I could while Leopold and Va’lyndra joined me on the little artificial island so they could fasten the logs to the pillar. We manufactured the other half of the bridge in a similar fashion.

When Va’lyndra tried to take Hungover across, the poor horse slid, and she was unfortunate enough to push it over the edge when she tried to help it up. Ilzo and I dove into the water to help the panicking animal. Ilzo discovered that he didn’t know how to swim, but managed to pull himself back to the shore without swallowing too much of the fetid water. Leopold ran downstream on the east side to find a good place to bring Hungover back on land. Va’lyndra followed on the west side, casting a spell to guide Hungover to Leopold. The frightened horse panicked even more, and it was all I could do to keep its head above water. Leopold had to find another landing site further downstream, for the current was strong and pulled us past the first one. I got us ashore there, and Va’lyndra hurried over the bridge to soothe the animal. Leopold and Olivia got the other horses across without any more accidents.

Olivia made camp, hidden among the trees outside the ruins, while the rest of us went exploring. All the buildings lay in ruined heaps. The statues outside had felt the ravages of time, too, but it was still possible to discern their motifs. All of them were shaped like orcs, and they were … inspiring. Each piece of art had two or more orcs doing exciting things to each other. I found myself checking them off on my mental list: “Done that … done that … hmm, what’s he doing? Ah, done that, too.” If we determined that the area was safe, I planned to bring Olivia inside when the others left, so we could celebrate our love.

Va’lyndra cast a spell to look for magic, and I fetched the pregnancy pills from Olivia to ask the mage if they were enchanted. Va’lyndra said no, which was quite a disappointment. I didn’t think a mundane herbal concoction could overcome my curse. Va’lyndra asked what the pills were, but I didn’t tell her. It felt too personal.

We searched through the temple, lifting some rocks and doing some digging, but we found no treasures, and no holy relics. Leopold used his magic to determine that there was no hidden cellar under any of the buildings, and sat down to make a sketch of how the temple might have looked before it collapsed.

We discovered a statue that seemed important, although it too had fallen into pieces. It was an orc with three faces exhibiting various moods, but its most interesting feature was that it had both boy parts and girl parts, proudly on display. Ilzo suggested that Olivia and I “did our thing” next to the statue, while the others retreated out of sight. That had been my idea, too, but I had no intention of blabbing about it. What Olivia and I do in private should remain private, although I’m aware that the others know exactly what’s going on; the walls of our tent aren’t very thick. We try to be considerate, at least most of the time.

The stupid orc decided to propose his thought to Olivia, since I didn’t reply. He didn’t tell me first what he intended, and subjected me to the most heart-shattering sound I’ve ever heard, the sound of nightmares that has torn me awake, covered in cold sweat, on several occasions: Olivia’s scream. This was a howl of anger, but the undertones of terror deafened all other sounds in my ears. I dashed back to camp, where Olivia was glaring at Ilzo. I stopped between them, protecting Olivia behind my back while I shrieked up at Ilzo, towering over us as he was, then I whisked Olivia away.

We found a hiding place among some bushes and sat down, clinging to each other. Once our hearts stopped racing, Olivia confessed she had tried to kick Ilzo in the groin. Her dress and lack of fighting experience had caused her to miss with both her attempts, before Ilzo overcame the surprise of her uncharacteristic behavior. Even while frightened and angry, Olivia knew that picking a fight with a ready Ilzo was a bad idea.

Va’lyndra tracked us down after a while and told me she wanted my unique perspective on things in the temple. With a protective arm around Olivia’s waist, I followed her back to the temple. It turned out Va’lyndra didn’t really have any ideas about what I should look for or give an opinion on, so we just wandered around haphazardly. Va’lyndra returned to camp after a while, having seen all the sights already.

Feeling inspired by the statuary, I found a secluded spot and appraised Olivia’s emotional state. She seemed to have put Ilzo’s effrontery behind her and responded positively to my careful probing. I held her hands tenderly and tilted my head up slightly, so I could reach her mouth. Her sweet lips met mine. I determined to go slowly, to let delicate Olivia set the pace. When her tongue darted out and her hands fumbled for the straps of my leather armor, my resolve dissipated. My last coherent thought was that I should let her remain in control, but I knew I couldn’t.

Olivia had the foresight to keep her cloak close so she could cover us while we lay resting afterwards. Other articles of clothing were scattered around us, and one of my shoes had taken flight, settling between two embracing stone orcs a few meters away. It took some time to locate, once we decided to return to camp.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on June 5th

We had slipped quietly into our tent last evening, having the latest watch this morning and not feeling very talkative, at least towards the others. Ilzo asked at breakfast if we’d noticed something in the temple last night, and I responded that we didn’t – why should we? “Wasn’t that why you had sex there?” Ilzo blundered. Olivia blushed, and I kicked the orc. He wore his armor, so I don’t think I hurt him. I certainly didn’t get him to rethink his line of questioning, for he kept talking about sex. I huffed and took Olivia back to our hiding place.

We stayed there most of the day. I returned to camp to get some food for us and noticed that the others were doing another search in the ruins. Olivia told me that she had been thinking, and that she had decided to pursue a career as an herbalist, once we decided to put our adventuring days behind us and settle down to a more ordinary lifestyle. Adventuring has made us rich, and we expect to continue to amass wealth, so I could see no reason why Olivia shouldn’t be able to do exactly as she wanted. The next time we’re staying in town for more than a couple of days, we can look for a teacher for her.

I took Olivia back to the temple again in the afternoon, when the others had retired for the day. I can’t say I noticed anything supernatural while we made love, but then again, I was completely focused on the task at hand. I don’t even think I would have detected Ilzo coming to have a look at what the noise was all about, although Olivia would have. And then it would be hell to pay for the orc.


Thoughts on June 6th

Va’lyndra reinforced the bridge with her plant magic before we crossed it again. I rode Marvin, Lightfoot, Snowflake and Bluebell across, trusting more in my skill at directing the horses from the saddle than I did in their own senses. Leopold brought the other horses across. He has an even better hand with horses than Va’lyndra or Olivia.

With all the horses on the west side of the river, Ilzo and I fetched the packs, running back and forth while Va’lyndra and Olivia loaded the animals. Then we headed south, following the overgrown road I’d discovered while the others prepared the bridge.


Thoughts on June 7th

I took Ilzo aside, today, and reminded him that Olivia is very sensitive. If he did anything or said anything to upset her, that would make us react badly. I don’t think he received the message, but I overheard Va’lyndra explain to him later that in civilized society, there are certain subjects that one doesn’t discuss, like sex. I’m not certain he understands, but he’ll hopefully behave more politely in the future.


Thoughts on June 8th

We came across the ruins of an ancient village today. Olivia and I watched the horses while the others checked it out. They found nothing of interest to us, as I expected.


Thoughts on June 9th

The river we’ve been following turned east, but the road continued straight ahead. We shouldn’t be too far from the temple of perversions now. Hopefully, the road goes all the way there. It’s slightly easier to travel along the road than it is to go through the woods. I seemed to remember that we followed a road like this on our last trip down here, but it was so overgrown, we eventually lost it. Olivia didn’t recall that, so maybe it was the fear of it happening that stuck to my mind.


Thoughts on June 10th

After noon, the terrain started sloping slightly upwards, and the forest thinned. Ilzo found a bone that he put into his pack. A short while later, a spire rose over the ridge ahead of us. More bones lay scattered on the ground, and Ilzo gathered a few.

Not much farther, we found a few half-rotten goblin corpses, and Va’lyndra commented that we should keep double watches tonight. Leopold declared that he didn’t want to make camp in this area. Since we had plenty of daylight left, the rest of us – well, at least Ilzo, Va’lyndra and I – argued that we should proceed further uphill and check out the building, and decide whether to retreat or continue afterwards. Just then, a gust of warm, foul wind struck us from up ahead, and disturbed the animals. That made our decision for us. We turned around and set up camp a distance below the first bones.

Va’lyndra looked around the campsite, and found humanoid tracks nearby, probably goblins. Olivia asked what she should do if someone approached the camp while we were up there tomorrow, investigating the presumed temple. Leopold told her to get on her horse and get out. I corrected him. Olivia should get on my horse and get out. Marvin is faster than both Snowflake and Bluebell.

[coronatiger]

Thoughts on June 11th

We kept double watches. As Va’lyndra is a lot more observant than I am, I busied myself with Olivia. I had my weapons ready, of course, but felt that I couldn’t add much when it came to keeping lookout. I grunted loudly with annoyance when Va’lyndra disturbed our tongue wrestling, but she told me to be quiet, and Olivia to watch the surroundings. She had heard something, and wanted to follow the noise.

Va’lyndra trailed a group of goblins up to the temple. She didn’t follow them inside, but after a while, she heard sounds of battle. It all went quiet, and a little later she heard faint splashing noises. She returned to camp, and asked if anything had happened while she was away. “Nothing that’s any of your business,” I responded, although Olivia had actually tried to pay attention to the forest. I didn’t think I had disturbed her too much from her duties.

After breakfast, Ilzo, Va’lyndra, Leopold and I walked uphill to the temple. Va’lyndra exhorted us to be careful. I wondered out loud if the goblins had walked into a trap that made them think the others were goblins, and started fighting among themselves, like Ilzo had done in the mines a few weeks ago. I realized my silliness as soon as the words left my mouth.

The temple had ten towers, one on each corner of the outer wall, two flanking the outer gate, and four on the corners of the main building. All wooden doors have long since rotted away, but the stone structures remained standing, surprisingly solid-looking, actually. We walked up to the hole in the wall that once was covered by some kind of door. Its sides were smeared with blood, probably from last night, for the blood retained the impressions of our touches.

Ilzo and Va’lyndra poked their heads through the gateway while I climbed one of the gate towers. I could see that there was no rear wall, for the temple was built on the edge of a cliff, overlooking an ocean or a great lake. I saw nothing inside the arrow-slits of the tower, neither did Ilzo, who looked in through the ground level doorway, only stairs.

We looked around the courtyard, and I had a look down the cliffside. It was a hundred meters down to the water, and the temple stood on an overhang. I don’t think the others would have been able to climb that rockface. Behind the building was a ramp leading out over the water, and a back doorway that could grant us access to the interior, if the main entrance was blocked.

We went back to the front of the building. Va’lyndra cast a spell to see if the entrance was trapped, but detected nothing. Inside was a corridor, parallel to the front wall, almost as long as the temple was wide, only stopping short of the towers in the corners of the building. Statues lined the corridor, goblins and trolls, and a four-armed orc. The statues and the walls were spattered with blood, and there was fresh blood on the floor, and drag marks going to the left.

Three openings led to another corridor going alongside the first, and we entered through the left-most one, following the drag-marks. Stairs led up to the second floor on both ends of the corridor, which was a little wider than the first. Apart from the towers, the building was over eight meters tall, but judging by the height of the ceiling, there were only two levels, unless there was a cellar. On the left end of the corridor, it turned towards the back of the building, where there was access to the left rear tower. A doorway in the middle of the corridor opened to the main temple room.

We heard a startled scream, and two goblins appeared at the top of each of the two staircases, pointing arrows at us. One fired at Ilzo, who dodged easily, but another forced Leopold to throw himself to the ground. I pulled an arrow from my cornucopia quiver, watching Ilzo run towards the bottom of the stairs nearest us while Va’lyndra ran directly towards the archers. She swung her forked staff at one of the bowmen, taking him squarely in the chest. I fired at the other one while racing for cover behind the corner of the corridor. I don’t have much practice shooting while I’m running, so I missed.

Ilzo ran up the stairs and lashed out with Surkalpi, but he failed to connect. Two more archers emerged from the entrance to the rear tower and shot at Ilzo, but he was running so fast they missed. One of the archers accidentally hit a friend. Two goblins, armed with swords and shields came down the stairs and engaged Ilzo, who was wearing his metal armor, so the hit on his chest glanced off. The other attack was a miss.

The goblins on the far end of the corridor were shooting at Leopold, who finally had regained his feet, but the distance was too long for the goblins, so the arrows whizzed past him. Leopold ran to me, around the corner from the far archers.

Ilzo took a step down the stairs to get his opponents in optimal reach for Surkalpi. The naginata flashed rapidly, missing the first goblin, but cleaving through the shield of the second one, nearly taking his arm off, too. The wounded goblin followed Ilzo, but his colleague said something in their language and withdrew up the stairs. Va’lyndra engaged the goblins who had been firing at Ilzo’s back and now hurriedly switched targets. One of them hit the elf, but the arrow failed to penetrate her armor.

I kept firing at the archers, but again I missed, although the goblin took a dive down the stairs to get out of the path of the arrow. That had to hurt. Ilzo skewered his opponent, ignored the goblin tumbling past him down the stairs, and followed the retreating ones, cutting one of them in half.

Va’lyndra charged the goblins in the tower entrance and landed a solid hit on both of them. I drew another arrow and asked Ilzo whether there were any goblins around my corner; he was the only one with a line of sight down the corridor at the moment. He answered that he saw no-one, and continued up the stairs. Leopold followed him, shouting that we shouldn’t get too far away from each other. Va’lyndra ignored him and started up the tower stairs, but I ran towards the middle of the stairs, two jumps taking me up to the second floor on Ilzo’s heels.

Ilzo called out to Va’lyndra, who replied that she was on her way up the other stairs. I spotted three goblins up there, the layout being almost identical to the ground floor, except for two small rooms on the left side of the corridor between us and Va’lyndra’s tower. One of the goblins was running away from us, but the other two, the ones who had been shooting at Leopold, moved slowly towards us from the other side of the building, aiming. I aimed my bow back at them, but in the corner of my eye, I registered a huge, green head through a hole in the wall.