Aura has rejoined the Troupe, bringing along her clockwork squirrel Muffy and her skills as a tinkerer. Now their journey takes them back south along the Trade Way. They are to go to Nashkel and recruit another priest before their next expedition into the Cloakwood.
26 Eleasias 1368
Our time on the Trade Way is uneventful. We meet no hobgoblins, or bandits, or cursed gibberlings. Things seem quieter in the Coast, though maybe it is just luck on our part. Or word is getting around about what happens to bandits who attempt to rob us.
The weather is clear, lending more ease to our journey. At dusk we hear cicadas chirping. It must be the season for them.
As we travel, Aura keeps asking to see what equipment we have in our Bag of Holding. She studies each item she pulls out with keen interest. Muffy sniffs at the items as she does so. I didn’t know automatons could have a sense of smell.
She doesn’t seem interested in treasure; it feels more like intellectual curiosity.
Aura: Hmm…
Aegon: You’ve been examining our gear for a while now, Aura. What’s so interesting?
Aura: Oh, well… I was just looking… I feel as though some of the things we’ve been carrying around could… use some improvements.
She reaches into the Bag of Holding and pulls out a large sword. I take a sharp breath when I realise it is Captain Brage’s former sword, cursed so horrifically it caused him to slay his own wife and child. The look of horror on his face when the curse was lifted and he realised what he had done is still burned into my memory.
I notice she’s careful not to grip the hilt. Perhaps she knows what she is doing.
Take this big sword for example… there’s a powerful curse on it, but I’m sure you already know that. I’ve been thinking of some way I could do something about it.
Aegon: Is that even possible? Can you do that?
Aura: I’m an artificer, remember? It’s my line of work to handle strange and wondrous items.
Tell you what, if there’s anything I might be able to work with, I’ll let you know after I’ve had time to examine it. And if you’re interested in how I might improve it, just give me a holler, got it?
We continue walking for a while, but as we approach the bridge to Nashkel I decide it might be worth improving the sword. I’ve been keeping it hidden up to now, so that no one else can be hurt by it’s curse, but if it could be removed…
Aura: How’s it going?
Aegon: Do you have time to work on something for me?
Aura: Sure, I’ve got time for a commission. What needs upgrading?
I carefully pull out Brage’s sword again.
Aegon: Can you do something about the curse on this two-handed sword?
Aura: Mmm, curses are tricky. I don’t think I’ll be able to remove it… well, I could, but not without stripping all the power from the blade with the curse.
She pauses for a moment, as if in thought.
Now, if I attached the right rune to it, on the other hand… I might have a few things I can try to make the risk a bit more manageable for the user.
Aegon: How manageable are we talking here?
Aura: Well, let’s put it this way. If you’re healthy, it should work like a normal, powerful sword. But I can only suppress the rage… so if the person swinging gets too badly hurt, well…
All that bottled up power has to be released somehow, you know? You’d probably become inhumanly strong, but… that sort of thing can’t be good for your body tissue. It’ll hurt.
Aegon: In other words, the wielder will be fine if they stay healthy, but they’ll go into an even more suicidal rage if they get hurt?
Aura: You got it right. I can’t say it’ll be safe… or cheap, for that matter. But it’d be more controllable this way.
It’s not perfect, but it would still make the sword less dangerous, and less likely to harm innocent people.
Aegon: Let’s do it. How long will it take?
Aura: Mmm… it won’t be simple. I’ll have to try a few things just to make sure the strain doesn’t just rip the user’s muscles apart. I’d say… give me a week at least just to be safe.
I’ll get to it as soon as I’m able. Oh, and I should remind you that I only have time for one commission at a time, so… you should be patient if you want something done in the meantime.
I wonder how much damage a gnome her size could do with such a large sword if she grips it wrong. Better not to think about it. If she can lift the curse, then the sword won’t harm any more innocents. It’s worth the attempt, no matter the risk.
We cross the bridge and go straight into Nashkel Inn. It is emptier than I expected, though there is one face who is excited to see me again.
Branwen: By Tempus, you have returned! Are we to join again and fight as mighty warriors should? Say it is so!
Aegon: That is a fine idea. We simply could not do without your fighting spirit.
Branwen: A triumphant day, indeed! I welcome your company once again!
I offer her any equipment she thinks she can use from the Bag of Holding before we leave for the Cloakwood. She pulls out the Rift Hammer, saying that Tempus would like hearing the sound of battle.
To complement it she takes an enchanted shield. As she uses a sling, she will always be able to use this for extra protection in battle.
She also takes a Heart of the Woods to wear around her neck. Though meant for druids, she is somehow able to use its enchantment. Perhaps the druids who made these were friends of Tempus.
She also takes a Potion of Perception and a Potion of Stone Giant Strength to keep on her person. We are about to leave, when she tells us she recognises Kivan. Apparently rumours of an elven archer seeking revenge have reached the Inn, and the stone cleric wants to know more.
Branwen: The winds whisper in mine ear that you seek blood out of more personal reasons than most warriors, Kivan. Would you care to clarify their mutterings?
Kivan: You know my purpose, Branwen. You do not need to know my reasons.
Branwen: Come now, noble ranger. Lend me your sorrows that we might purge them together in the glory of battle. Would it help if I offered the solace of my bosom?
I never expected a priest of Tempus to be so… forward. Kivan seems to agree.
Kivan: Your offer is not unkind, but I must decline. Have I mistaken a priestess of Sune for a priestess of Tempus?
Branwen narrows her eyes. I can feel the tension in the room. I could draw a blade and cut through it.
Branwen: This priestess offers her humble apologies if she has offended you. She meant the remark only in jest.
Kivan: I am unfair to you, m’lady. I do not take jests on the subject lightly, and if you must know why… I seek to avenge my wife, Branwen. We were beset by bandits, and Deheriana was slaughtered.
He turns away when he says her name, trying to hide the reaction on his face.
Branwen: Say no more, elfling! I understand your meaning well enough, there is no need to recount a memory that obviously pains you so. In pain your beloved was struck down… and for my part, I swear to it that in pain those who struck her down shall pay an equal return.
Tempus always grants his might to those who would seek to avenge the defenseless, and whatever your spear sees fit to pierce in righteousness, my hammers will likewise crash down upon with the fury of all the slain who cry for justice.
Kivan: Thank you, Branwen. I seek no sympathy, but thank you. There is a simple and unyielding demeanor about you, but your heart is gentler than your looks.
Branwen: Mayhap you think my heart is as hard as the stone I once was? You yourself are cloaked in less than charitable expressions, Kivan. Let us recognize that all that is without is not all that is within, and be good to one another.
As the others leave I pause in reflection. That’s why he seeks out Tazok. His wife was murdered by his bandits. Tazok is working for the Iron Throne, for the Armoured Figure. My father’s killer is responsible for Deheriana as well. How many others has this monster hurt? How many more need vengeance?
My goal has become more important now. I’ll not only avenge father, but all those who have lost loved ones on their behalf.
I follow the others out of the inn and find Branwen looking at some of the scalps we have taken from bandits.
Branwen: Ah, there’s nothing like the smell of fresh blood to bring a tingle to the nose and a smile to the face. Scalps make good trophies. Ugh, this one could have stood to have washed his hair once a tenday.
We should probably collect a bounty on these before they go rotten. Or rather, more rotten. Aura mentions that she saw over thirty suits of chain mail in our Bag of Holding. They must have gotten lost deep within. So we pay a visit to the Nashkel Store to sell the armour and claim our bounties for the rotten scalps.
Perhaps we can use some of this gold to buy new equipment. Though it’s more likely we will need it for more resurrections.
Now that we are prepared, we make out way out of Nashkel back to the North. Eventually, we will allow ourselves to be swallowed by the shadows of the Cloakwood once more.
28 Eleasias 1368
It takes us over a day to return to the woods. The sun’s light is hidden from us more and more as we wander into the trees. We attempt to make our way around the spider’s lair this time. Our efforts are in vain, however. Spiders still find their ways into the cracks in our armour, and our skin literally crawls with them. They don’t bite, but there are so many we could scratch until we bleed and they would linger still
Out of nowhere, a web trap launches, sticky strands of silk explode, catching everyone but myself. I was lingering behind so managed to avoid getting trapped. Unfortunately, that’s the moment I’m ambushed by four ettercaps, tearing into my flesh quicker than I can defend myself. I pull out a Potion of Healing ready.
The others struggle their way out of the webs as I hold the beasts off. Aura, Keiria and Kivan break free, and the archer sends an arrow straight through the skull of one ettercap.
Kivan kills a second ettercap as the others escape from their webs. I’m getting tired, and I’m forced to use my divine powers to keep myself alive.
Kivan gets his third kill, and Branwen finishes the fight. We stop for a moment, while I heal myself once more. Some of the smaller spiders are already swarming around the corpses.
The ettercaps carry a few gold coins and some trinkets. A cut zircon gem with its pale blue shade, a tiger cowrie shell necklace studded with gems, and a polished greenstone ring. We quickly move away from this area, keeping a look out for any webs that may still infest these woods.
29 Eleasias 1368
As we have travelled, Aura has pulled out Brage’s sword every time we stop to rest. She tinkers and meddles, as her clockwork squirrel runs in circles trying get her attention. I notice her carefully drawing lines in chalk on the blade. Their solid angled lines remind me of dwarven script, only there’s something different about them.
I’m a little concerned after what happened to Breagar. I don’t want her to lose a hand as well. We are approaching the Shadow Druid’s part of the woods. We are friends of these druids for now, so this area should be relatively calm. I feel like this is a good time to ask Aura about her skill with runes.
Aura: How’s it going?
Aegon: Where did you learn your ability to inscribe magical runes from?
Aura: My uncle Marius – have I told you about him? He’s one of the few master arcanists who calls Lantan home.
When I visited my younger brother, who studies at his tower, I used to peek at my uncle’s spellbook when he wasn’t looking. Well… I’ve always had a good memory, so I tried inscribing what I saw on magical runes and trying to use magic myself.
I got caught before I could cast a single spell, but my uncle was delighted at seeing how quickly I picked up on the skill, just by observing. So he taught me how to do it properly, and it’s been a skill I’ve been developing since.
Aegon: Would you be interested in becoming a proper mage?
Aura: Well… I’ve considered it. It’s a nice thought, but… my talents are in creation. I know that. I wouldn’t abandon my current skills, even for magic.
If I had been born under different circumstances, that may have been a path I would’ve taken, but… that’s not me. I’m happy with what I do, so… I don’t think it’ll ever happen. Though I still like to imagine it sometimes.
Aegon: That’s all I wanted to ask.
Aura: Alright. We’ll talk later.
So she’s a natural. Well, hopefully her tinkering won’t lead to another explosion as it did with Breagar. Perhaps her temper and curiosity will keep her safe.
