From the journal of Lythande Syldorei
Sunday, 1st Rova
We leave the strange tower on Candlekeep Isle be for now. None that we know have the power to rid it of its evil taint.
Now we go to the east, to Lake Silverstep, in company with Zander's family and their clan as they seek a new home. Zander says that they have no permanent home, but while Maraleaf still holds the demon imprisoned within her they will remain near the lake.
Jubilost Narthropple and his team have only been near the lake, they haven't made a thorough exploration of the area surrounding it. They told us of two ruined towers, one overlooking the lake and the other above the pass across the mountains to Varnhold. There are rumors of orcs and trolls in those mountains, as well as a great black bird and possibly a dragon. If we are to expand the territory of Neotellus toward the mountains we should know what dangers we face.
Besides exploration we have other possible quests to complete while we're away. A local poet asked seeks a collection of manticore quills, though to be truthful I hope we meet no more of those. Bevan, the proprietor of the Knife and Frog Inn in Lorewynd, has decided he's like to have a challenge with other cooks to prepare an enormous egg dish, ideally made from roc eggs! And our cook at Castle Lorewynd desires some silver eels which he says can be found in Lake Silverstep. We've also heard of a missing nobleman we'll have to keep a lookout for, and there's someone who claims to have lost a wand, though I'm not sure how we'll ever find that.
Toilday, 3rd Rova
We followed the Gudrun River toward the lake. The river has few fording points along that stretch, but as we got closer to the foothills of the Tors of the Levenies, there are low cliffs over the river channel that may make good footings for a bridge someday.
The lake is a beautiful location. The water is very clear, which makes it possible to see how many different varieties of fish are swimming in it. Goldwing seems to quite enjoy catching fish. The hunting must be good in this area as well, as he flies off for a time and returns looking satisfied. There are many fey around the lake also, though none of them have been hostile toward us. My friends have been practicing speaking the fey tongue to let the fey know we mean them no harm.
Wealday, 4th Rova
We parted ways with the Tiger Lords temporarily. They are going north of the lake, while we will remain on the south side to explore. We plan to meet them in a few days.
Oathday, 5th Rova
There's been little sign of people every having lived near the lake. The towers looking down from the mountains are the only signs of past habitation. We had come to the area between the 'toes' of the lake, which according to lore was formed with the waters of the Gudrun and the mountain streams ran into the footprint of a vast dragon long ago. I've heard that the eldest of dragons are quite impressive in size, but I've never heard of one whose foot was as large as the lake. Perhaps they were larger in the age before Earthfall.
We came to an area that was unusually muddy, which seems to be connected to a spring. There was steam flowing out of the mud. Amid the mud we noticed the remnants of a stone structure, just a bit of fallen wall. Reislin and Maria wanted to examine it, so we all began to wade into the deep mud. Reislin of course took flight, not wanting to soil her clothes or wear herself out struggling through the mud. Zander set down the sapling so we could move with less difficulty. When we drew closer to the structure, Reislin stated that she thought the stones showed signs of elven work. But we were all distracted from the ruin when Maria pointed out that there was something moving in the mud.
As Maria spoke, a group of creatures rose up out of the mud. They were made of mud themselves, vaguely shaped like people. Chahana tried to speak with them to convince them we meant no harm and sought to parley, but they did not respond. While Chahana was speaking to them Reislin observed them closely from her higher vantage and told us through her message spell that these were mudmen, creatures from the Elemental Plane of Earth. She speculated that this mud flat was located on a weak place in the barrier between that plane and the Material Plane. The mudmen had no intelligence, being as simple as animals, and as elemental creatures they could best be harmed by enchanted blunt weapons, which we sadly lack.
I suggested to the others that perhaps we needn't fight them at all and could simply withdraw, but it was too late for that. The mudmen began hurling projectiles of mud at us. These solidified on impact, which I experienced myself when one of them struck me. Then the mudmen came closer to us and began to hurl themselves at us. One of them engulfed me. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe. I might have breathed my last under a layer of mud had not Maria and Chahana directed their attacks at the creature until it fell away from me.
I drew my mace and began to batter one of the mudmen that was threatening to get too close to Chahana, who was using her bow to fire arrows at them in rapid succession. Several mudmen surrounded Maria and Reislin caused many of them to fall with a blast of flames. Another mudman wrapped itself around me, but my arm was free and I was able to continue beating it until it released me. Zander had to do the same. Not all the mudmen had such good aim, fortunately, as several of them attempted to leap on one or another of us and fell short.
In the end we slew a dozen of the creatures. When they died they became almost indistinguishable from the mud flat where we had found them. Zander wondered if there was any way to strengthen the barrier between planes, as if we ever wish to create a settlement near the lake having it under attack by mudmen would not be desirable. Reislin said that she knows of no way to do this herself, but it may be possible and she will research this question.
Amid the mud we discovered the remains of a man. He had with him a strange silver figurine, which Reislin recognized as of Taldan make. The figure is not magical, and we have no idea why this lone man was near the lake.
After we left the mud flat behind, we met with the Tiger Lords. They've found a good spot to settle for however long they stay. There is plenty of water, game, and fish. Naturally they are not concerned that more mudmen may appear. I suspect they may send people to visit the mud flat in the hope that more will be there.
We decided that our next act would be to find a way up to the two ruined towers. This proved to be easier to say than to do. The tower that overlooks the lake, which Jubilost has named Talon Tower because it resembles a claw, proved to have no method of accessing it from below. There is no path leading up to it, no cave indicating that there might be a tunnel or stair from beneath, no handholds for climbing up the sheer cliff on which it stands. It is at the pinnacle of a narrow spur of rock, making it very difficult for any threat to reach it that isn't flying or able to transport itself magically.
Zander wanted to climb up, but the rest of us were not enthusiastic about climbing such a sheer rock face. We are not skilled climbers. We decided instead to go to the second tower that overlooks the pass to Varnhold. This tower also proved to be difficult to access, as we could find no passage to it. Reislin agreed to fly up to it to take a closer look, keeping us in communication all the while with her magic.
When she reached the promontory where the tower stood, Reislin told us that she could see Varnhold from that vantage. She was surprised by the size of the town. It had fewer farms surrounding it than Lorewynd has. But Maegar Varn had never intended to make himself a lord of a territory. He only sought a base of operations where he would not be subject to taxation by any kingdom.
Reislin also spied a path to the east down below the tower, which she traced out for us. We followed the path up to the tower. This one had the look of human construction, possibly Taldan. We could find nothing to indicate why it had been abandoned. Perhaps it simply lacked an adequate supply route, as there are no signs here of old roads. It must have lain on the westernmost limits of the territory Taldor claimed, as it faces toward the lands we are now claiming for Neotellus.
After we left that tower we turned back to Talon Tower, still hoping to find some way up. Once again Reislin flew to look at it, while I watched the sky for any threat. Goldwing had left us, indicating to me that there was something in this area that would hunt creatures like him. We found out soon enough what it was that he feared. Just as Reislin flew over the tower, an enormous black bird raised its head to look at her and then took flight.
Reislin identified it as a roc. They are no more clever than an ordinary bird, less intelligent than Goldwing but far more dangerous. Reislin used a spell to reappear on the ground with the rest of our group and the roc swooped down on us with a screech that shook the trees. Reislin gave us all greater speed. I shouted for everyone to get to the cliff and waited while the others ran. We pressed ourselves against the base of the cliff to make it more difficult for the great bird to snatch us up. Despite this one of its talons that were as long as I am tall caught Reilin and she was swept away by the terrible creature.
I had been prepared to strike with my spear, but I realized that I would never get close enough. The roc could strike with a talon or its vast beak if I drew close enough to stab it, and it could have easily swallowed a horse or a griffin in one gulp. Reislin had attempted to distract it by summoning a horse, but the roc paid it no mind and the terrified horse ran away. I dropped my spear and drew my bow. Chahana stood beside me, firing arrow after arrow. Zander had taken flight and gone into cover among some nearby brush. Maria doesn't use a bow and kept her sword at the ready, though her eyes were wide. The roc was indeed frightful.
Reislin had given flight to Maria as well as herself before the roc snatched her up, leaving myself and Chahana the only members of our little group who were not able to fly. The roc swept to one side of the pinnacle on which the tower stood, and Maria and Zander joined to flank it, while Chahana continued to fire many arrows into its huge form. I also kept firing at the roc, but because I couldn't fire as many arrows as Chahana could I was blessed with fewer successful hits. It was difficult to penetrate the roc's massive feathers. But penetrate them we did, praise the Dawnflower. The roc released Reislin from its grasp, turning on Zander and Maria, and our combined attacks finally brought it down.
When we were certain that the roc was dead and our wounds had been healed, Reislin flew back up to the tower and found that there was a nest containing four eggs within it. At first she wondered if we might be able to raise the roc chicks to act as defenders for our realm, but then she recognized that the roc had no mate and the eggs contained no chicks. Determining how to remove the eggs proved a bit difficult. Reislin cast a spell on Zander to make him capable of carrying more weight than he ordinarily was capable of, and he used ropes to help him bring the eggs down from the tower. We took them to the Tiger Lord camp and shared one egg with the tribe.
The following day we decided we would practice fishing in Lake Silverstep to fulfill the cook's request for silver eels. I'm afraid none of us are skilled as fishers. It took us three days to catch enough eels to satisfy the number the cook had asked for with a few to spare. Goldwing is much better at catching fish than we are.
Wealday, 19 Rova
We returned triumphant to Lorewynd to hand over our spoils to Bevan and the cook. A second roc egg was used to prepare a celebratory breakfast, accompanied by some eels. It was quite a tasty repast.
I have written to a saddlemaker in Iadara to seek a saddle for Goldwing and am awaiting a reply.
Next: part 34, Troubles and Bounties
