What Happened Next

Some interesting events later and now we're back at the town. One thing I forgot to mention in my last entry was that we also met a wise man who did some research for us regarding the history of the town.

Anyway, when we left the town, we headed south for the waterfall mentioned by the elf at the inn where she had seen some kobolds. As we approached we came across an ancient magic circle, but nothing much remained to identify its use. We continued beyond the waterfall into what we found out to be the kobold's lair. After fighting off a few, I'm glad to say my aim had improved somewhat, we entered their main chamber and was greeted with a rather strange sight. The kobolds were being led by a goblin, who appeared to be controlling them with a withered hand he wore around his neck. Those vile little creatures will gather and hoard anything. Struck by a sudden inspiration, I cast my "Mage Hand" spell and removed it from around his neck. Well, after it was removed from him, the kobolds stopped attacking us. Well, I wasn't going to touch the hand, so I gave it to the paladin for safe keeping.

After dispatching the goblin, a kobold elder approached us and not only thanked us for releasing them from the goblin's control, but explained that their race had been taken as slaves to work for the goblins. He said that their leader had been taken to a keep in the north and they promised that if we went and released him, the kobolds would leave the area for good. Not the solution that the lord was looking for, but it suits his needs fine, and he doesn't have to know about our deal. We were then told of a restless spirit further down in the kobold's lair and were asked if we might try and calm it for them. This was all relayed to us by Grimshaw, as she was the only one who could speak draconic.

We descended into the lower sections and came across a strange idol hidden in an alcove. When it was touched, a voice mentioned an ancient ritual that had taken place here centuries ago and that it was part of a second idol that was being used to perform the ritual again. We reached the bottom of the stairway and found ourselves in a chamber that indeed had an ancient restless spirit. Talking with it, we found out some more information about this ritual that was revealed by the idol. We settled the spirit and left the lair and headed westwards to the old dragon burial site.

When we got to the site, there were several people there already, as well as a large tarp covering something in the pit. We were bid to come closer, but declined and were set upon by a couple of young dragon dog things as well as several attackers. After dispatching them, we discovered that the missing dwarf that was mentioned in the town was under the tarp. He said that he had been ambushed by the group and tied up. We accompanied him back to the town, which we found had had some rather interesting events take place.

First that an old woman who had died recently had suddenly become an undead and was walking around, much to her family's dismay, and when we met with the lord to advise him on what we had discovered we heard a rather loud crash, we were then rudely interrupted by his daughter who chose that time to begin practising her dramatic music on her piano. An owl flew into the window and bade us to follow it, so we did. Fortunately the daughter of the lord decided to follow us with her travel piano, playing for us some light traveling music. We arrived at the scene of our first battle, the road to the Brandenburg Gate, to find two people in the throes of battle, a druid and an older man. We helped them get rid of their attackers and they thanked us and introduced themselves. The older man was one of the purple blades, at least I think he said it was the purple blades. The other was a druid who had a rather unusual name, Weedyseadragon. She apparently can't remember anything from before the time she woke up recently. So now we have an extra person in our group, and we are headed back to town to conduct some investigations into the happenings to see where we go from here.

Finally!

After a week of travelling with the paladin, we finally reach the town of Brandenburg. Well, I use the term "town" very loosely. The grounds of my family's estate is bigger then this "town", but I get ahead of myself.

As we approached the Brandenburg Gate, we were greeted by two of the townsfolk, a city-goblin named Grimshaw and a dwarf by the name of Mortis, residents of the town or some such, I really wasn't paying much attention past their names, they are common after all. Anyway, after the introductions were made, we were set upon by a group of kobolds. I knew that my aim and training had been lacking, since the incident with the pelicans, and I had not practiced as I said I should have, this showed in our battle with the kobolds as most of my spells either sailed way overhead to strike something behind my target, or smashed into the ground in front of it. I must admit that Farol was great, being surrounded by the vile little creatures and taking them on.

The goblin on the other hand ran. She said she was going to fetch the town guards. It took a while for them to arrive, but in the end they did. In the interim both Farol and the dwarf inflicted most of the damage, while I did eventually score a couple of hits, but not much more then that.

Afterward, we went to the tavern to meet with the lord of the town as well as some of the other townspeople. I was surprised to see an elf in the tavern. Meeting with the lord, who really could only barely just be called that, he told us that the town had been under attack by the kobolds or some-such, and some other things. I drifted in and out of the conversation. When he left, the four of us decided that it would be an idea of we investigated the problems of the lord, so before leaving the town, we decided to gather what information we could about the kobold attacks. I decided to speak with the elf, due to our common ancestry I felt I might have made more of a connection with her then the others. She did give us some interesting information, as well as a map of the surrounding area where some of the attacks had taken place and that some kobolds have been spotted toward the south of the town.

We also got some information about a recent visitor looking into dragons. But he hasn't been heard from since he left for a site near the town, southwest I believe.

So our course from here is to investigate what we believe is the kobold stronghold toward the south and from there head southwest to investigate the ancient site. I will write of our findings when we return to the town

An Interesting Development

It's interesting how one's fortune can change so quickly. The other night I was huddled over a campfire, patching up some wounds, and now I've not only got a companion, but I also have a direction and a destination. While I was walking along the road headed for the next city, I came upon another adventurer. A paladin by the name of Farol. It was an interesting meeting. He had no idea as to whom I was and he clearly had no noble blood that I could tell, little more then a servant really. But I didn't hold that against him. He mentioned he was headed towards a small town called Brandenburg. He didn't seem willing to divulge much more then that. I asked if he would like a companion as well as a mage for the journey and he agreed. So now we're headed for this, what I'm assuming, quaint little town. I can't wait to get there and see all the little people. In the mean time my new companion and I have set up camp for the night, but seems that I will have to still look after my own things, for when I handed them over to him to take care of, he just looked at me and then let them fall to the ground.

He says that we should reach Brandenburg by next week.

Blasted birds!

All had started out well. I left town and headed down the coast road. My plan was to follow the coast road south to the next city and see where things went for there. I decided to take my midday just off the road near to the sea. That will be the last time I make that mistake. While eating, the pelicans began to approach. I tried shooing them away but that didn't work, they just kept coming back. So I decided to try something with a bit more oomph. If you're going to cast magic missile at something, you'd better be damn sure it will hit them. I need to work on my aim.

The blast struck the ground next to one of the foul creatures and it seemed to take exception to my methods and began to attack me. At one point the blasted bird got ahold of my pack. I had to wrench it from it's beak. When I had it back, it nipped my fingers and arms before I managed to get off a good shot and blasted the cursed thing. So now I'm sitting beside my campfire patching up the cuts along my arms so they won't get infected. At least I've got some tasty fried meat to eat over the next couple of days, so it's not all bad.

If all goes well, I should be able to make the city in the next couple of days and I'll hopefully be able to find something interesting and fun to take my fancy. At the very least I need to find a way to make some more gold. Buying those supplies drained much of the money I got from father.

This Can't End Well

I knew when father summoned me that morning that it wasn't going to end well for me. I couldn't have been more right. Apparently he is fed up with the way I've been living my life and spending his money. He went on a tirade about how the family fortune wasn't mine to squander on frivolities and how our ancestors would be spinning in their graves if they saw what I'd been doing to the legacies of their fortune and name. I don't think I improved my situation with my comment about throwing open the doors to the family crypts and charging people to watch these spinning corpses in order to replenish the family coffers.

He told me that in a matter of a handful of years I'd burned through what was to be my inheritance, a considerable lot he "assured" me. In the end he gave me a bag full of gold, saying it was the last of any gold I would see from the family, that he would no longer coddle me and cast me out of the family estate.

So now, apparently, I have to make my own way in the world, without the benefits that a nobleman's name would provide. So I'll go about as just Ianis. At least I have my magecraft to fall back on. I wandered down to the town in order to purchase a few supplies before heading out into the world for some adventure as well as this journal in which I will chronicle my journeys. I may as well make the best of this situation, seeing as I've now no responsibilities to tie me down. So I guess I'd better begin and head off. I'll write more when I make camp tonight.