Ot vs Ot: The Sinister Within

I'm scribbling this down before going downstairs and into town for the day.  Last night Ot was visited by a very strange and dark creature.  I awoke to blasts and tumbling next door and found Ot battling himself. One Ot dressed as a cleric his current vocation, wrestled with the another Ot dressed asa warlock.  Cleric Ot was nearly dead.  Uttering "Lytheria Nyralim", the majestic words of the old elven tongue which roughly translate to draw sustenance like the trees roots from the earth (and recently I have learned that it also suggests that in drawing strength from the trees and their cycle with the earth one moves like the leaves with those cycles.) Lucien was letting Ot wrestle with his own demons for surely in the end Ot's path must be of his own choosing.  Seeing my friend nearly decimated, with my arcane elven uttterances I also pulled him from the room to safety.- whether he liked it or not.  I then blasted the abyssal creature in a thunderous shout of triumph.  Lucien then loosed a few arrows into the creature but not until Ot once again tried to reason with the wild-eyed irrational beast that it transformed to before it dissapated.   I must have a hear to heart with Ot.  He is a friend. I understand his desire not to harm but I do not want to see him harmed.  

A School for Youth?

Just about to go to bed.  The festival is beginning tomorrow.  When folks are in town it is crowded.   I am enjoying the people watching.  I had a blast entertaining at the inn tonight.   Feel like it's been ages since I've been so publicly jovial.  I do wonder about Lits though.  Iv'e been thinking, partly based on the recent happenings with Lits, partly based on my own less than ideal homelife and partly based on Binden's reaction to me that perhaps I have something to contribute long term.  What if I founded a bardic school for kids particularly kids without good homes.  We could teach them music and the arts ;and the ever important skills with weapons.  I think I realy love this idea.  Anyway, its a long way off but it's something to apire to.

Detente

We didn't rest.  We didn't follow Varg's advice or idea to sleep or take an extended rest. That proved nearly deadly.  After questioning the picos and finding out that a warband was edge-bound, we started towards home sans our horses which seemed to gone missing.(Funny that I am so quickly adopting the edge and able to call it home now).  My aural orientation did nothing to prepare me for the monstrous wolves that crashed through the brush.  I tried to get out of its path but in fact found myself hamstrung;my leg a chew bone for the ferocious caninine. Prof B once again saved my hide by blasting them into the forest.  I had never seen wolves the size of horses.  A shifter pack clearly used them as mounts.  They are a fierce bunch.  Each side fought bravely, the shifters and our band of heroes from beyond the edge.  We managed a tense detente when Varg  heaved the newly acquired dragon's head at their feet.  This earned some respect and the right of passage.  Fortunately we traveled home safely and manage to get Litsvo his needed care. 

Dragon Slayer

Now caves are the home for many a thing
And when entered you don't know what they bring

Whether pits and picos or simply rubble
One must always take care: near is trouble

We entered the cave and searched wall to wal
careful to miss the pits and not to fall

We found the bodies of very dear friends
scattered remains did great evil portend

We discovered a cube made of jelly
And in our battle some toured its belly

In th e end all's left was a pool of liquid
and it seemed as though the creature was rid

Deeper in we went traversing the cave
With Lucien in shadows alone and brave
f
He spotted a few huddled in the back
We set up and ambush, we set up our attack 

Before we could act on our ingenious plan
Out from the rubble a dragon doth ran

Granted it was not a full ancient wyrm
Was still large enoough form most men to squirm

We tried to reason but it would have none
soon thereafter the fight had begun

With breath, bite and claw the party savaged
quickly through our ranks  the dragon ravaged

Gallant Varg with the beast stood toe to to
Grace to good Lucien with his golden bow

Prof doth propelled it across cavern's space
I too met its maw and stood face to face

Those who were wounded near down for the fight
welcomed Ot's saving and radiant light

In the end great Lucien lodged shaft in head
and down went the creature lifeless and dead

The best part of all was Litsvo alive
with the resilience of kids soon he'd thrive

That's the tale of how we slew a dragon
drink up my friends and fill up your flagon.

 

My Friend Binden

'Ive a new friend. His name is Binden. Upon awakening, I rose to dress and gather my gear only to surprisedly find that it was missing. My heart was racing but I did not panic. There had to be an explanation, after all, Sariel's equipment was still in her chest. I left my room ready to alert Lucien or Professor and lo and behold across the room I spotted a young boy polishing Crimson Claw and my short swort. The boy is incredibly sweet. He called himself Binden and was mesmerized by my feats on the battlefield. I could not burst his bubble of the numerous mistakes I saw in my own battle prowess. I will need to see that he and his mother whom he mentioned are well taken care of during the winter.

Dreams of Fields

Before I went to bed I was combing my rather knotted firestorm of a tangle of hair and reflecting  on my journeys thus far.  Where I had come from and where I had landed.  I thought about times at home with fondnesss; walking the estate with Ellis and other moments. I even remembered father chiding me "not to be further suillied so" but it was not with my usual disdain or dread nor was it with homesickness for I would not call it that - that bridge of childhood is gone. There was a sweetness to it.  With those memories near, I curled up into the first warm bed of many, many months and drifted off.

I then had the strangest dream.  I am writing this the morning before I head down to the town hall that has been called.   The dream was clear and I could remember all of it like it had just happened.  It was very unusual.  In it I was walking along the Tollefson estate, our family estate planting seeds in the loam a Lucienctius bush had taken root as well as a Samarenth plant.  We seemed to be planted in the proper places and taking solid root.  Sadly, the Bronnticus berries and Katrinicus Paladius plant had been spoiled by vermin.  The Avatar's presence was all around.  I asked if there was anything else it wanted me to plant. " Yes, Blood Song - perhaps these will flourish" It then called to me and sang in tunes of soil and bumble bees.  And it asked us to prevail and not let the vermin spoil everything.
The Avatar hummed the tune of  Western Redoubt as I planted Vargendrias root and the tune of Cipher of Around as the Hanethium flowers bloomed and a fine ecavaladris nightshade to the tune of the Burning One.

When I awakened in the morning my mind was blown. I was well rested but incredibly eager to be on with the day. Not that I understood the meaning of my dreams but I was eager to tell my friends about them.  After all each was in my dream.   It was then that I noticed the my gear was gone.

Settling In at the Edge

We had finally arrived.  They set us up at the inn, gave us rooms and thanked us.  We visited his holy Jerberz but he was tending to the injured. We helped for a little while then came back and got some food and drink.

Later the Edge held a service for those who had died during the a apparition's assault and for Katrin.  His holy Jerberz, wise and wizened, frail and potent at the same time, presided over the cerermony.  To my surprise the lovely and very unassuming elf with whom we were speaking earlier in the tavern turned out to be the leader of the Edge.  She is powerful but has the simplest of manners.  She asked me of my family and other matters and of my familiarity with a bow.  Slightly embarassed, I said knew it a little  but was more skilled with the crossbow.  She responded "ahhh yes, from your father the human side" She also asked if I knew of my "cloud" and was forgiving when it was clear that I was baffled and dumbstruck.  She smiled gently and told me there was much to learn about my proud elven heritage.  I felt less embarassed and more at ease though I must admit that at first I was suspicious.  I am not used to being treated nicely from the start.  I feel like I have had to earn any courtesies and niceties from others (with Sveta and Ellis as the exceptions).  It became clear though, that she was genuine.  She also gently suggested that I write a letter home for it might take a while to get back.   She seemed to have the kind of well-meaning concern that a mother might have.  I do not know why, but I want to do well by her.  She is right of course. I should write home.  I shall try to tackle this but I will have to write in code it in case it is somehow intercepted and falls into the hands of those who would wish me a less than bountiful existence.