Quills entry (after the fire)

CastleMac Dnd Shards
of amber

Quill Journal entry
1: A druid sees it all

Standing in the first battle I have ever been in, I stood not as confused as I thought I’d be. I had assumed I’d have more regret but I had none. There was nothing before this moment that climaxed the exhilaration of an actual battle. Ocel found the last blow. The land lay silent other than the crying of the five children that were to be sacrificed. I dropped out of his wild shape form, the children seemeds horrified of their captures as they did one of their liberators. un￼

derstood that. A Giant Hyena isn’t the best cliffside manner.

We were naturals.The Aasimar drove through the battlefield like a beetle stepping over ants. Ocel was held true to every word of a paladin I’d ever heard of. I’ve heard of the likes that can conjure fire from their fingertips but never thought I’d see it. Yip Yap raised havoc on the fort (a lot of fire may have been involved). Ive heard of a dwarf’s resilience but was surprised to see an old dwarf press through all odds to save the children. He was ready for his own death in the safety of the children. Our calling was for at this moment, verified.

With the children in tow, we made the two hour trip back to Cormyr. The city guard welcomed us like heroes. I have never been revered before. They ushered us through the crowd like royalty. Nasvy was the first little
girl to lead us to her humble home. The family was so relieved to
have their child. Ocel did all the talking and told of our triumph
and that they would not have to worry about those we had slain. Yip Yap covertly messaged Ocel to ask for compensation. The family gave us all they had. One gold and fifteen silver. Seeing that this is all
they had, I slid the mother of young Nasvy my last two gold coins. Seeing how sly I was trying to be, she played it off and accepted it.

Ozzack left us with two of the other children to speed the process up, for it was coming near dark. I hated it and asked to go with, but he declined and said that he’d meet us at The Tankard of Eels.

 The city bustled even as the torches had illuminated the streets. Whilst taking Peter home we came across a large crowd. In the center of this crowd was a gnome. I do so love gnomes. This one was magnificent. He was a
magician or illusionist, I knew not which or both. He was pulling ducks, one by one, through his sleeves and they flew off in all directions. He seemed to give us notice and precariously dropped his act and approached our party. Amazingly enough he introduced him self as “Zerrick the Magnificent.” He asked about our purpose and we gave him a swift gist. He asked to come along and Ocel allowed it. I
shered us through the crowd like royalty. Nasvy was the first little↵girl to lead us to her humble home.  The family was so relieved didn’t mind really. I laughed to myself at what a motley crew we
were.

We got Peter home
with the same type of loving embrace from his family. Then we had to
get the young Finn home. He was totally different than the other
children. He wasn’t excited, he was timid and quiet. He led the
troop to a marshy part of the city. This seemed to be the slums.
Approaching our group, in front a ramshackle of a house, seemed to be
a sluggish humanoid. It had been sometime but I deciphered quickly
that this was a zombie. I threw my Ice Knife. Yip Yap slams it with a
Firebolt and Zerrick flings his hands from his sleeves, spilling a
pool of grease onto the ground under the zombie. The zombie comically
slips and thrashes on the ground. Before I could let out a laugh at
the site, Ocel slams the sloppy humanoid with is glaive. Young Finn
almost ran in fear. Zerrick created an illusion of two puppies
playing vigorously on the ground around the zombie. Finn perked up
and stopped wincing and led us to his hut. I thought it a clever and
heartwarming move on “
part. Ha ha ha ha gnomes.

We get the boy home
to a haggard lady in her mid forties. She embraced the boy as the
other families had. The old maid then offers the party a piece of
bread. Ocel asked about the undead activity in the area. She swore
she knew nothing. As we inquired about Dulthran, she denied knowing
of anything about his whereabouts. I grew anxious and chimed in that
we must leave and get to The Tankard of Eels to meet my friend
Ozzack. The lady offers the bread again and Zerrick obliges her
whilst slipping her coin. Classy move! I could get used to this guy.
As we leave, I turn around to see through the crack of the door,
young Finn giving me a surly grin. My emotions got the best of me.
What an awesome day! We dispatched evil and delivered good. We are
truly on the right path.

The Tankard of Eels
had no sign of Ozzack. I hated it. We took our same table as our
morning meal. I had no coin anymore, so I smoked on my pipe. As the
others dined, I kept my ears open for any useful chatter and eyes
gazing about slowly, wishing to see Ozzack pop in at any second. Ocel
buried his face in his plate (deservingly so) as the others sipped
their beverages and nibbled away. I asked the waitress if she had
seen our dwarf friend and she passed us a note from him saying that
he had to take care of some business and would meet back up with us
in a few days. My heart sunk. Not that I wasn’t enjoying the
company I was with, but I was missing the kind old dwarf. Zerrick
tried to ask Rolf “the Looter” (Yip Yap) for some coin to eat.
Rolf scoffed and suggested he ask Ocel, for “he may lend money to
gnomes.” I internally laughed. His dislike for gnomes seems to be
surfacing.

I over hear some
talk about Dulthran and the undead. I baited the city guards sitting
next to us sheepishly into conversation about it. One was reluctant
and called me out for not believing that they were doing their jobs.
I meant no ill will. Ocel assured them that we were in the business
of killing those that were unnatural. Another guard silenced his
comrade and had us meet him outside to discuss. They pulled us to the
side of the building out of sight of anyone. They gave us the
location to Dulthran’s last known residence. We worked out a wage
of 25 gold per undead dispatched and 100 if we bring in Dulthran
alive. I hoped to watch the Kobold burn him alive. I hate conjurers
of the unnatural.

We stayed at The
Tankard Eels that night. I graciously slept at the end of Yip Yaps
bed on the floor. The fireplace crackle and the gentle snore of a
Kobold was actually quite nice. I may have learned to love him. I got
a full belly in the morning thanks to Yip Yaps generosity yet again.
I will have to pay him back graciously. We finally made our way to
Dulthran’s old home in the outskirts of town. Ocel approached
first. As he tried to put a shoulder into the front door, I got out
my dagger and broke the rest of the glass from a large, already
broken window and slid in. I unbarred the door and opened it smiling
at the frustrated Paladin.

I went ahead
stealthily with the aid of the “Zerrick the Discreet” and his
invisibility spell. Very useful I thought indeed. I went to the back
of the house and unlocked the door in case of a fast getaway. I then
snuck upstairs finding nothing useful until I found some loose boards
in the ceiling. I called to Ocel and he boosted me easily to the
ceiling where I removed to wood and pulled myself up.

Here is where my jaw
dropped. I asked Ocel to get the others. He boisterously barked down
the stairs for them to join. I whispered “not so loud.” Canvas
drawings of humanoids and creatures were spliced together. The others
didn’t know that I almost vomited. It would be hard for me to not
kill Dulthran if we find him. It would almost pleasure me to let Yip
get his hands fired up per say. Parchments were placed into my
satchel carefully as not to rip a fragment. Still disgusted I pulled
myself through the ceiling. I gently pulled out what I had found and
shared it with my comrades. Not all shared the same disgust. Our
jolly gnome friend seemed to find the journal and drawings
fascinating. First time I thought I’d have to watch this fellow.

We went downstairs
and noticed another humanoid presences down there. Ocel jokingly said
“who left the door open.” While still invisible, I raised
toward it and smashed my staff into it. Ocel wasted no time, swinging
his glaive into the side of the creature. As I swept up, I hit him
with my staff again and his body crumbled. OHHH! Ocel and I are in
sync. My heart raced and I thought how I wished Ozzck had seen that.

We stood in the
doorway and observed an old tree tangled and dead. A zombie crawled
out of the marsh. I thought “haha lets go.” Yip passed us and
fire bolted the zombie as I called onto my ice knife and threw it,
killing the zombie. I saw another zombie rise from the marsh. Ocel
rushed in and got hit by the newest zombie. Zerrick threw his knife
past my face and hit the zombie that had hit Ocel. Yip hit the
undead with a fire bolt. As he did, another zombie sprung from the
marsh.

 In retaliation, I
conjured a moonbeam of ghostly flames on both of the undead. Zerrick
placed grease at their feet and fumbled two of the creatures. Yip Yap
then shot out a raging fire (as he does), and brings two of the three
to ruin. Ocel at this point “The Ender,” cleaves three of the
four zombies heads through their bodies. Zerrick and I had some help
in weakening them but “hell,” I’m cheeky, to say the least. My
moonbeam had obviously wore them down. I’m pretty happy that we as
a team burned through them. Zerrick then hit them with a bolt that
I’m unfamiliar with and wore them down.

As our party
inspects the burning bodies, I sauntered to the tree. Its beyond
dead. I look up and see Ocel walk past distraught and looking for
something. I gaze toward Yip Yap and his face looks puzzled as if he
had seen something unbelievable. I don’t think I’ll have to pry
it out of him.

-Quill