Ret's Rebellion

From Ret's Perspective:

I feels as though war is a constant in my life, no more than six months ago, I was shoulder to shoulder with my brethren fighting the goblin hordes. Now I am deep in the place I called home, The Greenwood, yet I barely recognize the place because it has been masked by the fog of war.

It's starting to feel as though Queen Faltha does not trust our group, she has strategy meetings with her generals and does not invite us to them. I do trust in their decision making skills...well at least two out of the three, I feel that Sybil, Hades, Treetus, Marcos and even Immerstal deserve to be in those meetings.

A lot has happened since I took a break from writing in this journal. There was an attack on our camp, specifically they attacked the Queen and her generals. This seems to have been an attack orchestrated by the High Marches. There is no limit to the evil they are willing to commit. It was a tough fought battle, we almost lost the Queen and the generals, but thankfully we were able to get there in time to stabilize them. The poison used on them was an exceptionally rare one. It was a hybrid of sorts. I’ve seen nothing like it. It seems as though no one can be trusted, the queen’s personal assassin seems to be the culprit for the attacks, but she was aided by the High Marches Battle Mages, what stood out the most was that they had a Minotaur mage. Besides Hades, I have not seen many Minotaurs around.

From Sybil's Perspective:

There was an attempt on the Queen's life today. Though we were able to fend off the High Marches off, it doesn’t change the fact that they were able to scare the hell out of the Wood Elven higher ups. After all we were all suppose to go to an emergency meeting. That's saying something as they didn't include us in their "important" meetings before this attack. I just hope that they finally are able to get off their high horse and let others help them, like Immerstal.

I still can't believe that one of the most powerful mages can still be just as much of an ass and act like a child. As much as Rhett needs me to deal with Immerstal, I'm not sure if I can actually do it. How the hell does Alandri do it? I asked her earlier today and all she says is that he only listens to people who have something "useful" to say. Vague as hell, that one. Not entirely sure she's human as well. 

Either way I hope the meeting goes well. And I hope Immerstal doesn't start running his mouth as well. 

From Hades' Perspective

It has been a while since I had a moment like this today. I thought I had learned my lesson about running into action so recklessly. It's just I saw the sorcerer in the middle of the room and didn't want a repeat of what happened with Stormcaller. I thought I could take them out and protect everyone. We were all chained up, Sybil & Ret were cursed. I lost Titanslayer. I think I'm going to apologize to everyone. They deserve that much. Maybe, we can make a plan for next time. I should also ask Immerstal about fighting mages. 

I also talked to Marcos today & gave him Talon. I've been wanting to connect more with Marcos & Treetus. They are still new. I think he can really help keep me in check. I hope he can help me out with this whole paladin of Kord thing. 

What is going on? We have found this bizarre tower where you say "up" and the platform goes down, and then it goes up when you say "down". And then Sybil went into a room that she said was full of different kinds of teeth. What kind of place is that? Whatever magic made this stuff, this is really weird. I thought this was going to be a war against the High Elves. I had no idea that it would play into what seems like high-level magic & time. I mean we were fighting those black dragon men with that knight of Heironious and then all of a sudden we were back in the same room, but the enemies' bodies were all dust. I feel like we went into the future... or the past? 

Ret gave me a talk today about staying together with the group. He told me to get to the door when we were in the weird sea area, so I did. I regret I didn't think of what I could do to help them through the door too till it was too late. I think Sybil is angry at me too. I keep messing up with them. I consider them like family. I can't mess up with them anymore. I can't.

I had no idea that Markos Heedin had fought mages before. He apparently had his own experiences in war. I am glad he heard me ask Immerstal & Cornelius about that. He has gratefully taken on the task of showing me how to face a mage in combat. I think our friendship is off to a good start. He even felt comfortable enough to go with me to the prisons in The Tower of the Lost and let me see the last prison cell that Immerstal, the Red and he took a look at. I have no idea who made those prisons, but they were capable of great magic. Man, magic is really potent stuff. I know Kord has graced me with some control over lightning when he wills it, but I feel like I am a bit outclassed here. I need to grow.

I have a lot on my mind. 

I've lost at every encounter with a mage. Not just with the High Marches, but with Stormcaller too. I don't know what to do. A single mage is a large threat. I am grateful for Markos being willing to teach me how to deal with mages. I have been really trying to figure out how to train myself to be a 'mage slayer'. But Immerstal is a mage, right? Alandri might be one too. I still don't know what Cornelius can do. I should ask them how they would feel about it. I asked Immerstal & Cornelius if they can teach me how to deal with them, but I guess I haven't asked how they feel about it. Persephone would have pushed me to ask sooner. 

I asked Cornelius about any materials that are resistant to magic and he told me about Dark Iron. Dark Iron is apparently easy to get in the west, past The Common Lands. But, it will probably take time & funds to acquire on our end. Maybe. Maybe this tower has a way to get to other parts of the world, so we could acquire things cheaper and faster. 

In better news, we had met something absolutely legendary today. It appeared like a snake but much larger & with wings. This creature was named Omel. It was beautiful & absolutely saved us today from Abithrax the red dragon from Morgaath.  I guess it had followed us from the island. I fear that means that Rugarix must be here as well. I mean it has to be right? I am still new to this time manipulation thing but the Knight of Heironius said he was here to slay something that goes by "Eclipse" and "Midnight".

I also quipped a bit at General Idoth today. He doesn't seem to like us very much. That probably didn't help. But... he is a general for a reason. Maybe if I ask what he feels we should do as far as the war goes from here, we can persuade him to accept our presence here and move on.

We also heard the Ballad of Galosir from Trellara Moonshadow today. I had no idea her voice was so amazing or that she knew so much. I guess that is what it means for her to be the High Singer of the Katori. I wonder what other history and tales she may know. I think I'll ask her if she knows anything about what my ancestors did when they fought against the mages on the Isle Toro.

Wow. A champion of Kord. I would have never thought. 

This is about 2 months overdue. Where to begin.

Mara. It was Mara. Mara came close to taking Immerstal's life. All while she was disguised as Treetus. I am so confused. 

And... Jorr Natherson sacrificed himself for us. Trellara Moonshadow, Killian Swiftarrow, & he stormed the prison to save us. We met James & Prometheus, ANOTHER MINOTAUR!!! 

I asked Idoth for some advice today. He told me that they did warn us against going into that trap. He also told me that I am not considerate of those around me & how just because I can handle walking right into the fight, it puts the lives of others who can't at risk. Figured he would able to help me figure out how to become one who can lead & become a reliable presence in the Rebellion. 

We explored the rest of the tower. We apparently have a huge target on our backs, so Queen Faltha Estelya decided it would be best for us to explore the rest of the tower.

I am sorry for Treetus. I really am. 

We made our way to Brightport today. It was my first time in a big city since Bayhaven and Calenhad. Honestly, the shocking thing about today was the line to get into the city. There were people who would actually pay money to each of the people in front of them to move ahead. I don't blame them. Patience is something I am not a resident expert on anyways, so we wound up doing that a bit ourselves. 

We talked to Death. Well, more like he came to us and spent the whole time figuring out what was going on. He appeared like a skeleton in a wispy black cloak. You could see the skull and bones in his fingers. He had enormous horns in his own right. I wonder if Death appears this way to everyone else. I kind of embarrassed myself by thinking he was Nerull. He was not. He told us to touch his outreached bony hand. I touched it first, because who am I to refuse Death? Then somehow, he took us to this dark space with swirling clouds of gas, a large tapestry, a tower, a bunch of spiders, and a LARGE swirling cloud. He let us know that Feretu Volsairressurected Treetus, but in a very messy way. He gives us a resurrection ritual that's supposed to be way cleaner.

I don't know about all of this stuff. Thankfully, I haven't passed before. But, the idea of being brought back to life is sounding stranger and kind of bizarre. I know Markos, Treetus, & Lux have each passed before and have been brought back. I can't help but wonder how much of their deaths have been my fault.

I must keep on. I failed to protect Persephone Asteron, my love. I failed Thomas and abandoned him. I failed Duncan Marbrand and had swayed from the path of Kord until he sacrificed himself to set me right again. I will take care of Codrus Durane wherever he lurks. I cannot pass until then. Sybil doesn't want to be brought back. Ret & Treetus won't refuse the ritual, but would rather not risk our lives to do it.

Then we talked to Alandri about the resurrection ritual that Death showed us. She confirmed the details about the 3 "basic" materials needed for it but was shocked that we were informed of such powerful magic. She tells us that the ritual will only fail if the soul being baited does not want to return, in which case, the door is still left open for another soul to come through into the body. This is the part that Sybil Loreweaver was worried about the most. Apparently, it takes an item or object of great magical power to even attempt the ritual and it gets consumed. That's it. It's gone forever. She lets us know that the part of Ret's soul that is inside Treetus will stay there until we accomplish what Treetus set out to do.

Sybil also told us that Claurion Merilimbem is possibly her father. That is crazy.

Today was the day. We avenged Jorr Natherson and took on Abithrax. 

Later that night, each of us grew in our own ways. Ret was given the Circlet of the Defender by Queen Faltha Estelya, which was traditionally given to the prince of the Wood Elves before battle. Sybil had a meeting with Lord Kerden Jarmaath, was gifted a broach that helped with her sneaking, and given the title to Drelin's Ferry. She is now a Lady! I woke up tingly and saw new runes had formed on Titan's Fury. I had to go to Cornelius & Alandri to figure them out. Kord had granted me new powers to be immune to Lightning Damage and absorb it into my blade. Treetus had a really strange dream. He was turning into different animals that ate each other. He said he could turn into animals now which is great for him. I've never even heard of anything like that before.