Journal of Dragor Taliovic - Day 24
There's something I've not yet told the others. It started back in the ruins on the Evermoors. Something about that wild and strange place has disturbed my soul. I think the wild magic in me connected to something deep within that place and is working its insidious way through the core of my being.
There's a tune I keep hearing that I can't get out of my head. It's the same refrain over and over again. A fey music that stirs something deep within me, taunting my senses like an answer you can't quite grasp. You know that if you could just understand it, your mind would suddenly expand with revelation. I find myself humming it over and over.
I'm sure it will reveal its true nature soon.
Anyway, where was I?
Ah yes, the entrance to the temple of the oracle. Having no use for them, we sent the barbarians on their way, weaponless and defeated. One stayed behind however. A handsome woman by the name of Wyrmblod or something like that. I've never been good with names; I rarely have need of them to be honest.
She seemed to be a bit taken by our own barbarian, Barent, but he seemed strangely distant after the battle. He did not speak to anyone and just followed after us, eyes glazed and unfocused. I'm sure he's fine and will come back to us soon.
The giant, Harshnagg, made short work of the doors, thrusting them open with the crackle of ancient ice breaking apart on the other side.
We entered a peculiar chamber, with six giant statues standing by six portals set in the walls. Harshnagg told us that these were challenges that we must face without his assistance. He made himself comfortable on the floor and waited for us to solve this new mystery.
Each statue represented one of the giant gods so we decided to approach them in the order of the hierarchy, lowest to highest.
The first portal was given to the hill giants. Upon entering, we found ourselves in some strange marsh. It stank of stagnant water and rotting vegetation. Upon a hillock ahead, a statue of the Storm King himself listed at an angle, covered in damp moss.
We pondered over why a statue of the Storm King would be present in the hill giant domain. We eventually surmised that it was out of the hill giants' deference to their lord.
It was the canny rogue, Jaya, who hit upon the solution. She bade us all bow down before the statue as a mark of respect for this great monarch. The ranger had to bite back his pride for once and bent a knee to his hated enemy. No sooner had we all knelt, a mystical beam of light lanced out from the statue to strike the statue in the chamber behind us. It's lantern illuminated instantly.
We all looked at each other warily. Surely this was proving too easy?
Heading back in to the main chamber, we entered the second portal. This one was dedicated to the stone giants. Inside was a massive stone crater in the centre of which floated a glowing orb. Several of the party lowered themselves down into the smooth stone bowl and made their way to the centre. No sooner had they stepped onto the rock floor, than three stone creatures manifested at the far end and rumbled towards them.
I tried to use my shatter spell on one of them and, although chunks of it exploded into the air, it did little real damage. I decided to hold my casting back for when it may prove more useful.
Jaya dashed towards the centre to grasp the glowing orb but, just as her fingers were about to close on it, the druid transformed into a giant eagle and snatched the prize instead. One of the stone creatures launched itself at the rogue who only just managed to dive out of the way. The words she used to describe the druid's actions made my ears turn red! I'd never heard language like that before.
We scrambled back to the safety of the main room and the orb floated up to ignite the torch held in the hand of the stone giant statue.
The third portal was a freezing, desolate place. A place for the frost giants. A blizzard raged across a frozen lake. We drew our cloaks tighter about ourselves and trudged across the ice. We came to a wide crack in the surface, dark water flowed across, blocking our access to the other side where the next glowing orb floated.
Out of the snowstorm, a shaggy humanoid beast appeared. It roared at us and threw a rope across. The clever rogue figured this out too. The yeti wished to have a tug of war with us. Presumably the prize was the orb of light.
Rafeus, ever headstrong and unwilling to cooperate, raised his bow to try and even the odds. The rest of us cried out that he was being unsporting and, reluctantly, he put away his weapon and took the rope instead.
Amber, being the stoutest of us all despite her youth, formed the anchor of our team and set herself solidly at the back. Putting all of our strength into the task, we dragged the yeti perilously close to the icy torrent.
The shaggy yeti blew an icy wind at us which caused the two at the front to falter a little. That was it then. If our opponent was going to resort to unnatural means, then so would we.
Amber dug her boots into the ice and took up the slack. This allowed me a moment to let go and drop a shatter spell on the ice at the yeti's feet. The ice gave way and the beast slid into the murderous waters, defeated.
The orb of light floated towards us and we set this one in its statue too.
We were halfway there. The fourth portal was for the fire giant. After the chill of the frost giant portal, we were assaulted by heat and flame. We were presented with a corridor filled with jets of fire that lanced across our way.
Rather than risk any of us, I reached into my bag of tricks and summoned what turned out to be a massive brown bear. I sent it forwards but it was soon immolated in the furnace of the corridor.
We were a bit stumped as to what to do next. We could see our prize at the far end but could not work out how best to reach it. Slowing my breath and concentrating, I studied the flames. As I did so, that mysterious tune began to play at the back of my mind. Strangely, the music seemed to help me focus and I began to perceive a pattern to the jets of flame.
Excitedly, I relayed this information to Jaya, who was the only one of us quick enough and agile enough to make it through. With effortless grace and skill, she danced down the corridor, untouched by the fire.
She pulled a lever at the far end, cutting off the flames, and retrieved the orb. The fourth statue was lit.
Outside the fifth portal stood the statue of the cloud giants. We could hear the whistling and buffeting of the wind even on this side of the portal. Cautiously, we tied ourselves to our ropes and entered the other side. In the centre of this place an iron ring was set but we could not perceive its purpose. All around us, a hurricane raged. The wind tore at our hair and tugged at our cloaks. This was going to be dangerous.
We sent Therutir into the centre, attached by rope. He dived through the iron ring and launched himself into the racing wind. He instantly shot up into the air where the orb of light floated but could not lay his hands on it. He was buffeted and tumbled about so much, he could barely catch his breath.
The ranger and Romero the paladin ran in to rescue him but they too were swallowed up and thrown about by the wind. They collided with each other and I could see the druid had lost consciousness. He had become nothing more than a meat kite.
Lashing myself to the rope, I made for the iron ring, thinking that it may somehow reveal the secret of how to solve this room. As I got there, the wind seemed to ease regardless of my actions and stopped entirely. I had but a moment to think and cast a levitate spell at the nearest of my companions. The paladin floated gracefully to the floor while Therutir and Rafeus plummeted to the ground in a tangled heap.
We retrieved the orb from this place and were left with one more challenge. The portal of the storm giants.
We'd all taken a bit of a battering after the other portals though so we deemed it prudent to have a good rest before attempting the final challenge. As I rested, the haunting melody returned and I started humming it over and over. It felt stronger this time, as if it was all about to make perfect sense. It still wasn't quite there though and clarity remained maddeningly out of reach for now.
After our respite, we set out for the final portal. Going through, we found ourselves on the deck of a pilotless ship, lurching side to side at the whim of a fierce storm.
No sooner had we steadied our feet, a many-headed sea serpent attacked. We assaulted it with spell and steel but it was a sturdy beast and took all of our attacks with little to show for it. Amber attempted to grab the wildly spinning helm but she missed and got flung towards the edge of the deck. Only Rafeus's quick reactions saved her from going overboard into the seething waves.
Just as the sea monster started to weaken, the sly beast disappeared beneath the surface and out of our reach. It was quickly replaced by a band of fish men who clambered over the side of our vessel and continued the assault. I destroyed two of them with a well placed lightning bolt, calling on the very power of the heavens above to do so.
The others managed to dispatch several others and we were left with only four stood at the far end of the main deck. Fortunately, they were all within range of my shatter spell which I gladly dropped in the midst of them. It hurt them a lot, I could tell. Scales spun off in all directions but it wasn't quite enough to kill them.
Jaya and Romero, who had lashed themselves to the mast, were nearest to these four but instead of pressing the attack, they ran in the opposite direction. It didn't make sense to me. However, the fish men followed and suddenly all screeched in agony, falling to the floor stone dead. I have no idea what happened but some magic must have been at play. I shrugged, unperturbed. Dead is dead.
At that moment, the wretched sea serpent appeared at the stern of the ship and struck Amber and myself with its barbed fangs. We managed to take the hits but we wouldn't be able to handle much more. That thing hit hard.
Fortunately, before it had a chance to finish us off, I flung another lightning bolt at it, each one arcing from head to head in a crackling chain of electricity. The heads exploded, showering us all in foul smelling meat. I fought down the urge to heave.
The battle was won and the final challenge had been completed. We returned to the main statue chamber with the final glowing orb. The sixth statue lit up.
Exhausted, we dropped to the cold floor of the chamber to rest. Again the song entered my consciousness and I found myself humming its infuriating tune once more. It seemed stronger now, more insistent. If I couldn't get it out of my head, I was sure to go mad.
In a flash of inspiration (or just a fanciful whim), I reached into my pack and withdrew the crudely carved whistle I'd crafted from the trees of the deep forest back home.
Putting it to my lips, I tried to play the tune that haunted me so. It was faltering at first but, as I played, it grew in strength and clarity. The notes seemed to dance and mingle in previously unheard counterpoints to each other. A mere wooden whistle could not create such complex melodies as these. There was some power at work here.
I played on, my mind started to open up in understanding. Small motes of witchlight began to emanate from my instrument, weaving intricate patterns in the air.
The others were watching me in wary fascination, unsure what to make of it. As the music continued though, we all seemed to grow slightly, hearts lifting and feeling stronger.
Reluctantly, I stopped and withdrew the whistle from my lips. I looked at its rough and simple form.
There is power in the music. I must study this further...
