Shadowdark: Bloggah's Blog Part 5

Damnit, where's my tablet? Oh, there it is, under the couch. And why does it smell like sulfur?

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...this card game on this magic book is clearly rigged...

Oh hi. 

So we left the shrine after not being attacked by undead, bears, or anything else. The forest around the hills was pretty thick. We looked at the map we had. It's pretty vague, but we figured out where we should? be... After a lot of armwaving and pointing, we decided to go north, or what we though was north. 

It wasn't north.

Fine. We found a small cave to huddle in, the day lost. At least nothing was living in it. We had Columbo sleep by the entrance so he could block it up... He said he saw some flash of light that night, but I think he was just lighting his farts.

We got back at it the next day. Travel was uneventful. Thankfully. We saw some deer, but left them alone. They're scary.

click

The ground was marshy, and we noticed some gray tendrils of fog in the trees. Best to avoid. The trees opened up and we found a grassy area with a bunch of half-buried stones. Elinar tried to read the scratchings on them, but no luck. Turns out Jer-Jom had some book-learning, too, but he skipped class that day. Columbo dug around, and found a line of stones, with their flat sides facing east. At least we have our directions figured out. It was getting late, so we retreated under the trees to camp in the drizzle. I was on watch when something moved around in the grass. 

It was just a harmless little boar, so I let it be...

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Next day, we reviewed the map, got back on track. The marshy area we'd been in got a bit more mucky, with creeks that didn't seem to really go anywhere. While we were poking about, tryin not to step in any holes, Elinar suddenly stared off into space. Tatiana must be on speaking terms with her again. Then Elinar told the boys to behave, 'cause she didn't want to give one away. I don't know how tough love works with elves. Anyway, she sent her raven out to look around for us (would have been nice if she'd done that when we were really lost...) and the bird led us to a ruin. 

Interesting. There's a fire going, and an old well that glowed blue. I scouted forward. Hmm. Fire's an illusion. Cold magic. And the well. No water in this well. Just magic. It's like in the stories. Elinar and I poke around in it. It's almost like its full of magic. We can't carry it off. I can't even collect it with my special fork. There's runes all over, just like on those stones back there, but legible and glowing. Ooo. Looking at it, I get a sense of how all those shapes and patterns I imagine when I make things happen work together. Columbo and Burns (one of the boys) go poke around in the ruined tower. Actually it's more like a gazebo. Maybe a pergola. They're over there walking in circles. At least they can't get into trouble. I hope. This place looks like it's on the map at least.

Oh no. Those tendrils again. And they've brought a friend.

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They reach out, and Elinar and I get these visions and memories of the last couple of weeks of explorations. Has this thing been watching us? It's like when you go into a trading post and the owner offers you a new waterskin, just cause you were talking about getting a new one with your buddy yesterday. Creepy.

Anyway, Gunrey (the other boy), seems to be paying attention, too. Jer-Jom and the other two don't pay it no mind. The spirit thing walk-floats by us and goes to the well. It waves the three of us over. "Drink" it says. Um, I guess it would be rude to refuse. Bad guests and all... Whoa. That's some good stuff. I feel closer to my magic, like it's easier to use, almost, dare I say, safer? Elinar feels something similar. And Gunrey's looking around, like he's found his special purpose or something. Anyway, the spirit tells us to "serve the forest well," and spirits away. I wasn't even aware we were to cook it.

We settle down there for the night. Oh yeah, I found a magic lantern hanging from a post. While we bed down, I noodle around with it and those crystals that Cass-Crow and I found. Looks like I can make the lantern glow brighter. That's helpful. Columbo wants to know the secret word to make it glow. Just in case anything should happen to me. Why would he think that? Such negative waves, man.

Next day, we are back on track and headed to the barrow. Nothing to worry about. Just dark, foreboding forest. I sing a cheery song. That always helps. We see a torchlight. Some bedraggled half-orc, half-out of his mind. I give him some food. Says there're worgs and things. Ate up his companions. Oh good, they're full, then. We let him go, since he doesn't want to stick with us. Weirdo. 

We hear some drumming. Elinar sends out her raven, who turns right back with a getthefuckouttahere look. Into the trees we go, snuffing out the magic lantern. Marching and clattering below us. That's a lot of skeletons...

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The live play is here for those following along at home (not sure why I can't embed the video). Anyway, enjoy our struggles...