Varahami's Journal - Plot points and characters explicit

Setting: A fantasy forest with magic, elves, wizards, giant spiders and many other types of fantastical beings and people Characters: Bardrick - An adult white male, with a flashy tunic holding a lyre Jaxon - A small white male, holing a dagger with a bowler hat Varahami - A monk in a white robe, holding a staff Vaya - A white female magic user, her hands glow with magic Kelgon - A dark priest holding a wand and a diamond Giant spiders - spinning webs with poison dripped fangs Gnolls - Human-like wolf creatures with spears Aranda - Female magic user in a purple tunic holding a book Grizlak - Male illusionist in a green robe holding a wand Plot point 1: the characters arrive in the Rhelspean forest setting: The dark Forest The world starts to dematerialize around us as we blink out of existence. Disoriented, I’m still clutching Bardric’s lifeless body as I try to pour a potion of healing down his throat. The others regain their footing. Seeing that the battle was lost, Kelgon had teleported us to the forest hideout of the Unbroken Circle. The encampment was in the ruins of an old library, now completely overgrown. Plot point 2: Kelgon revives Bardrick Setting: Interior forest temple “All is not lost.” Kelgon brandishes a diamond. He lays Bardric on a stone pedestal. Soft but dark energy mists from Kelgon’s hands. The diamond sinks into Bardric’s chest and he gasps to life.

The necromantic ritual, that in proper magic circles would be forbidden, had no such restrictions here. We were all happy for that, as the night would have been quiet without the bard singing untrue stories. This time he had some good fodder though. Plot point 3: Kelgon talks of the war with the dark elves setting: Around the campfire Around the campfire that night, Kelgon tells us of the coming war. You’ve only heard stories of the dark elves, the drow? Never encountered one in the flesh? Well, you will soon. They now make incursions further and further west, out of the depths of the forest. I don’t know how their numbers have grown so much or what their plans are. They worship dark gods. They are merciless killers. And they are coming for all of Brugalla, mark my words. Plot point 4: The group ventures into the forest and fights enemies Setting: The dark forest We set out though the Rhelspeian forest in search of answers. Skeletons. It’s always skeletons. Until it’s not. Then it’s gnolls or ghouls or something equally vile. They all fall to fire, oak, bolt, and insult. Surprisingly, Bardric can even get under the skin of the undead… Vaya lights the last of the skeletons on fire just to make sure. Jaxon further defiles them with an arcing stream of urine. Plot point 5: the group makes camp scene: Surrounded by monolithic stones

We are surrounded by huge standing stones as we prepare to camp for the night. They tower over us ominously, yet there is something very familiar about this place. Almost like a memory of the past. Plot point 6: A spirit talks to Varahami scene: moonlit giant stones Shimmering to life in the center of the stone circle, a spirit now has our attention. “Monk. Obsessed with order. Obsessed with cause and effect. You think you can see the future if you look hard enough? You see nothing without seeing the past. We are your past. You must avenge us. Let us rest.” It fades to nothingness as fast as it came. I can see the future just like a game of chess. Many possibilities, few likely outcomes. I studied in the mountains for years to develop these skills. I observe the present and remember the past. Pieces of the future fall into place in my mind. Now I can see the truth of this place. My true ancestors. The Monks of Shudu Tempsa once lived here. My future lies in the abandoned monastery through the forest to the east. Plot point 7: The group enters the monasery scene: Ancient monastery with enemies Half a day’s journey takes us to the steps leading to the monastery’s entrance. In our cavalier style, we rush in. Greed, Jaxon’s giant mastiff smells something. Something in the dust of this forgotten place. We enter a room that looks like a barracks, following Greed’s lead.

Explosions of dust surround us as small creatures with long, angular faces, and a ferocious disposition bare teeth at us. They blow billowing clouds of dust at us. Jaxon and I start coughing uncontrollably as we breathe in the fine particles. These little menaces are dust mephits, creatures that live and breathe magical and non-magical dust. Greed runs in circles, pouncing on one then another mephit as they scurry around trying to avoid being crushed under the paws of such a large beast. Jaxon continues to cough. Eventually Greed jumps on him, licking his face and trying to help his master. This did not help. Jaxon continues to be completely incapacitated between the dust and dog saliva. I eventually recover from the coughing fit and Vaya, Bardric, and I get the situation under control. The final mephit puffs into a cloud of dust. By the third time this happened, I’m able to anticipate and shield myself from it. We dust off and move on. Plot point 8: The group fights undead ninjas scene: ancient dojo They sway in silence, but I can tell they still have the agility of their living selves. Undead now surround us. In the second story room with crumbling, delicate paper walls, we find ourselves surrounded by agile undead engaging us in martial combat. I block and counter their surprisingly deft strikes, and narrowly avoid their biting lunges. Fire flows from Vaya’s fingertips as another one burns.

Bardric can’t help but give himself a congratulatory melody each time he takes one down. Jaxon uses his small size to great effect, dodging their lunges and cutting the remaining tendons that the undead still need to stand. The last of the ancient ninjas fall to the ground, defeated. It’s at this point that I have a strange memory of Vaya being briefly surrounded by butterflies, her eyes filled with crackling magic. We move through the corridors of the monastery, finding and ending the last of the monks animated by ancient black magic. The air is still. The day is won. Plot point 9: Varahami examines the library scene: interior of ancient library There is a library in the basement of the monastery. Walls lined with books, covered in dust. I spend hours pouring over the tomes, searching for answers. My exhaustive search covers nearly the entire library, but has yielded three books. These are the essence of the Shudu Tempsa, the core of our order’s quest for truth through careful observation and knowledge of the laws of cause and effect. The books join the growing cache of equipment, supplies, random trinkets, armor, old rusty swords, a few skulls that Bardric wants to use as props, and treats for Greed in our Bag of Holding. It was a good investment. Plot point 10: the group ventures back into the forest scene: Dark evil forest We press on through immense trees, so tall that they block out the sunlight.

Drow can thrive here. And they do. Plot point 11: The group fights giant spiders scene: Dark forest I blink. A giant spider is in front of us, fangs lashing out. I dodge, Bardric parries, and Jaxon hits it with a bolt. I blink again. It’s gone. Only the faint smell of carbon and sulfur. Seconds later it’s jumping towards us again. This time I connect with several forceful blows, and Vaya sends a shimmering orb towards the spider. Fire erupts from the orb. Vaya is nothing if not predictable, in that regard anyway. The spider, severely burnt, flashes and disappears. I listen very closely this time. I can sense its presence just before it materializes. My staff is already whirling around to catch the spider across two legs. It goes down. One last jumping strike finishes the beast. It flickers in and out, until settling to its demise in our plane. Vaya informs us that it was a phase spider, living between the ethereal plane and ours. Were it not for it’s hunger and misfortune, we could have admired the beauty of the creature, it’s fine fur shimmering as the light filtering through the trees catches on the strands. “We could have ridden it like a mighty steed...” Bardric laments. Luckily or unluckily, there will be more spiders for Bardric. Plot point 12: Bardrick tells stories around the fire scene: campfire We sit around the campfire. Bardric starts to tell an interesting story.

We’ve been imbibing wine from our newly found alchemy jug, a many-corked monstrosity of pottery, which can deliver a multitude of varying liquids, from saltwater to acid to beer. Bardric is trying not to drink from the poison spout as he staggers to his feet. He is clearly drunk, and has completely forgone rhyme and timing. He’s just telling us a story now, but can’t help himself from walking around as if he’s on a stage, and gesturing dramatically. There once was a Bard and a recently widowed queen. She was filled with grief at losing the king, but she stood strong and continued to rule justly. It was all the bard could do to comfort her, with songs, poems, and whatever was needed, wherever he was needed. Whenever he was needed. It’s beside the story really, but the queen was immensely beautiful. Almost too beautiful. I guess there’s no such thing as too much beauty... Her eyes were the most amazing shade of green, and her poetry was exquisite… When she talked, everyone hung on each word… Then one day an outland noble showed up. The weasel infiltrated what was once a warm and loving court. Now whispers of dissonant melodies pointed to the bard and his allies in the court turned against him one by one. And then the queen! She finally married the damned weasel. The bard was forced to leave the court in disgrace.

He took one last look at the queen before disappearing into the shadows, never to be seen again... Bardric then finishes the rest of the wine from the jug, and says “God save the queen”, and stumbles away. Which god did he mean, I wonder? Plot point 13: The group ventures back into the forest scene: Dark forest The next day, the overgrowth remains oppressive. The trees feel like they are closing in on us constantly. Jaxon, scouting ahead finds tracks. Perhaps ten or twenty soldiers have been traversing this area. Along with... something else… We stake out the camp. Eight of them. There are humans clad in the armor of the Sparrowshire Platinum Militia. Several of the soldiers are drow. There is a corral for some horses nearby, but we see no signs of cavalry. Chaplain Kellman’s true allegiances are on display. His men aid the drow, and there is no mistaking their alliance now. The decision to attack is made quickly and unilaterally by Vaya as a fireball explodes in the middle of the camp, sending wood and burning pieces of cloth from the tents everywhere. Several of the soldiers and a drow are incinerated immediately, and several more are badly burned. Bardric and I rush in. Engaging them head to head, bones break and armor is crushed as my staff and fists connect with the soldiers’ bodies. Plot point 14: The group fights the drow, their enemies scene: Enemy encampment

Bardric slams his hands together and a deafening clap of thunder envelops the soldiers standing in front of him. They fly backwards as the nearby trees splinter. Jaxon finds chinks in their armor, landing bolts in kidneys, hamstrings, and necks, taking more than one of the soldiers down. Plot point 15: The group fights giant spiders scene: Spider infested forest It wasn’t horses. The webs were hidden in the darkness. I catch it out of the corner of my eye. The giant spider’s back legs guide the large strand of web as it descends from the trees without a sound. It drops the last ten feet, revealing a drow rider. Now at an eight-legged gallop, the drow and his arachnid mount pounce on us. Vaya casts a multi-colored orb toward the beast and it explodes in fire. Bardric blocks its fangs and stabs with his rapier. The drow rider is knocked off and the giant spider scurries away. Plot point 16: Interrogation of the enemy soldier scene: dirt clearing This is the last of the soldiers at the camp. We spare him and begin interrogating. He spits. No answers. Vaya threatens fire and he opens up somewhat. They had been tailing us for days, following our movements. We lost them in the forest. He shifts in his binds. A hidden dagger that cut the rope and now comes towards Bardric. “Lolth damn you!” his guttural voice, sharp as the dagger.

This battle must be won, and we must rally allies to help in the war.” The wooden gate of the compound shudders, then explodes. Drow and gnolls charge through the raining splinters of wood and into the compound. Behind them, a contingent of Platinum Militia moves in. The gnolls’ yipping battlecry fills the air, their long hyena-like snouts lifting as they howl. They beat their crude weapons against their armor and shields as they move in to attack. More gnolls flow in, and another contingent of drow, this time with several battle mages. The Unbroken Circle’s illusionists are now severely outnumbered. A great flash of lightning, crackling, chaining between three gnolls. They disintegrate immediately, but the others continue to charge, undeterred. Kelgon, frantically throwing spells, takes to the sky for a better vantage. He takes in the full scope of the attack. Calculating, he begins launching fireballs and sending lightning wherever they will do the most damage. Hovering for too long in the same place, he doesn’t even see the spear of energy as it hits him in the back, enveloping him with light. He flashes into dust. I see the gnoll leader holding a wand, now smoldering from sending out the disintegrating ray that was Kelgon’s end. Plot point 20: The illusionists retreat scene: interior of the temple The illusionists are in full retreat now, some flying over the wall and scattering into the forest, some teleporting, but most retreating for a final stand in the central building.

We stand with the Unbroken Circle illusionists as drow, gnolls, and Platinum Militia close in around us. This will be our last stand if something isn’t done immediately. Continuing to retreat up to the second floor, more illusionists fall. The gnoll in front of me gnashes his teeth as he comes in for another strike. His deflected battleaxe falls to the floor as I break his arm, then his knee with a swing of my staff and a powerful kick. Vaya, nearly exhausted, uses the last of her magical energy to send a fireball into the nearest contingent of gnolls. The ones that survive flee, their fur aflame. Plot point 21: The group finds Aranda and retreats scene: Small room with teleportation spell ritual on the floor We stand shoulder to shoulder on the stairs, slowly retreating. The illusionist closest to me, I recognize. Her name is Aranda. She was disguised as the squirrel in the leadup to our battle with the Chaplain. “Come with me. All is lost for the Circle. You are our only chance.” I can see the loss of so many comrades in her eyes. “Grizlak knows the spell we need.” We retreat to a room with a teleportation circle as the sounds of battle continue to rage on the lower floors. Plot point 22: Grizlak teleports the group out of the illusionists camp Scene: Dark interior room The circle begins to pulse as Grizlak moves his hands with purpose.

The sickening swirl of a teleport spell stops as we materialize in a dark basement. “CopperReach” Grizlak snarls. “You were the death of us all. I shouldn’t have saved you. The drow followed you and your recklessness broke the Circle… I hope you realize what you’ve done.” He clasps his head in his hands as Aranda comforts him.