The Lost City - Returning to School

"It is important that one never stops learning. Whether it be traditional studies through books and letters, or more practical studies of life and experience. The moment you stop learning... stop wanting to learn... is the moment you cease to be." 

The party seems adrift with Shalev gone. Despite all of the things they said about him and to him, they can not deny that he provided for us. It is interesting that with him gone, they seem to have lost interest in completing the tasks we have set ourselves to accomplish. They seem content to wander aimlessly, and I am reminded strongly of the moment we... I first encountered them wandering lost and ill-prepared through the middle of the desert. 

- Cora

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Previously in our story...

We made our way along the road, traveling west at a steady and uninterrupted pace. The roads here are scarred badly in places and not well maintained, but still passable. Travel is not difficult, and we see small farm houses scattered throughout the fields. There is a large forest off to the right composed primarily of nut trees, and I took the opportunity to gather some of these for our stores. It was slow going, but we were not traveling quickly, and eventually I was able to gather two full barrels of pecans and walnuts. The nuts were sweet and delicious, and I was thrilled to find such a bounty. I thanked the trees for their fruit, though I do not know if they heard or cared.

After about two weeks, we were able see the mountain clearly off to the right, and we used this as an additional guide in our travels. The roads were thankfully quiet, and we appeared to be the only travelers out and about. As we rode, we saw the corn fields that had stretched for acres end and a huge field of the strange crimson flowers begin. Recalling the earlier warning about the danger of these flowers, we noticed with some caution that the road branched off here and the road to the right went straight through the center of that field. The left hand path went off by the edge of the corn fields, and Jaeger agreed to scout ahead as a raven. 

When he returned, he told the party that the path through the flowers was much faster, potentially, than continuing on our current path. Still wary of the potential effects of the carmine fields, we elected to stay on our current path despite the additional travel time, and continued on the left hand path around the flowers. 

The next morning, the party awoke to what appeared to be snow falling, and as we began to bring out the winter gear, we noticed a humming sound in the air. We looked around to try to locate the source of the sound, and we saw a number of iridescent soap bubbles floating in the air in a northern direction. 

While this was, by far, not the strangest thing some of us had ever seen, it was enough to make us pause for a moment. When Jaeger reached out to touch one of the delicate bubbles with a curious look on his face, it popped with a small sound. The bubbles gradually increased in size, and one particularly large bubble was almost 8 feet across. This large bubble descended down right in front of where the party stood, and when it touched the ground it burst in a shimmering shower to reveal a human woman wearing long white robes.

The party watches her warily, and she looks long at the party, noticing each one of the magic users right away with a simple nod in their directions. After a moment, she comments that she noticed that we had chosen to travel around the flowers, and that this was wise. She asked us directly then what we intended to do to fix the land, asking KelLyn specifically if, as an archmage, could she not detect the imbalances? 

I remained silent at this, but raised an eyebrow, as this is something I had been telling the party almost as soon as we arrived. KelLyn murmured that she wasn't always an archmage, and then waxed poetic about balance and the nature of things. I looked at her with some amusement at this, and began to think that maybe - just maybe - she had been paying attention to what I was saying after all. 

The woman, who says her name is Glenda, tells us that the war has spread across the entire continent, and asked what our purpose here in this bowl was. As KelLyn had been singled out by her, she continued to speak, telling Glenda about our quest to restore the sylvan tree in the center of Emer, and the additional quests that we had to heal GranTier and locate Joffrey's library. 

At that statement, Glenda smartly quipped "which one?" and tells KelLyn that the library that we are seeking is most likely the one located over in the Krakafir mountain ranges. KelLyn ranted for a while about Joffrey breaking her things, and when she described her staff, Glenda took immediate notice. When Glenda expressed interest in this, KelLyn told the her about the desert being cursed, and then said "but I fixed it." Which caused Tobias and I to glare at her with some anger, because it was not she alone that helped to restore the desert, and had it not been for all of us, we could not have accomplished the feat. 

Glenda noticed our ire, and raised her eyebrow at KelLyn at the presumptive nature of her declaration, but then quickly changes the subject to ask her about her ability to do magic with water, as it was an uncommon gift. KelLyn mentioned Lan, and Lan began speaking animatedly about fish and water,and how she missed the ocean. She then stopped, mid-ramble, to ask what kind of fish hamburger was, and then started up about water again, and the strangeness of the fish there. 

This whole conversation caused Glenda to blink, amused, but she was either very interested in what Lan was saying, or she was too polite to interrupt the selkie's chatter. The rest of the party, seeing no threat and deciding that we were not going anywhere any time soon, began to set out the camp again and relax. 

I watched, quietly, and listened as KelLyn and Glenda talked. KelLyn proceeded to lay out her entire life story for the unknown woman as if they were long lost sisters. During the course of the conversation, her goddess Leilanna was brought up, which made Lan chirp that she was her avatar. This sparked another long discussion about divinity, which ended with Lan wondering aloud if Leilanna could taste whatever she tasted, and promptly licking the ground. 

Again, Glenda blinked at the antics, and murmured under her breath about whether or not we actually HAD traveled through the flowers. After a moment, Glenda waved her hands and snow fell gently onto the blood colored flowers. She pulled out a wand, and I tensed at the action, but she only conjured a table with a smile and a statement that it was time for a break. I relaxed some at this, realizing that there was nothing we could likely do if she chose to harm us in any case, and in desert fashion, I offered to share food with her. Tobias brought out one of the older bottles of wine to share, and the food appeared directly on the plates in large portions. I noticed with some appreciation that the meal was individually tailored to each of the party members, and that the vegetables and fruits that appeared on my own plate were well spiced and seemed at the peak of their season. 

Jaeger pulled out his sword and laid it on the table, as was his custom to do. Half of his food vanished into the sword, and Glenda's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She accepted the wine that we had provided, and crystal goblets appeared to pour it into. She asked us about our next steps then, and KelLyn stated that our immediate goal was to repair or restore the sylvan tree. I was uncomfortable with the amount of information KelLyn seemed to be so carelessly sharing, and I shot her a warning glance as Glenda asked her how we knew it was still there. 

Glenda cautioned us that we would need to be stealthy to get back in, and tells us that the dragon would be quite difficult to deal with, as things are the way they are here for a reason. She says that the imbalance here is necessary, with a glance at me. KelLyn tells her about the blue dragon that we encountered and Glenda looks at her with some alarm. She tells us about dragon nobility, and the difference between metallic and chromatic dragons. She tells us also that we had gathered a large amount of power together in one place, and that those who sense magic could see us coming from a half mile away. 

This was not new information for us, as Jaeger had warned us before about his swords inability to mask it's signature. Glenda went on to say, with a note of ire, that those who had worked hard to control their destinies saw us as a wild card, and as a dangerous one at that. She added in a warning that we should be careful in our travels here, as we trod in a place where we could come face to face with our own destiny. 

Then, with a deep breath as though she were making a decision, she stated that if we continued down this road past "Hoppin John's" farm, that we would end up at Waglebug University where we would find information that would be useful. She reinforced the warning that the right fork should be avoided as it leads straight to Emer. She wished us well, and drawing a circle at her feet, stepped into the giant bubble that formed around her. She said she needed to depart to look more into the appearance of the blue dragon, as it concerned her greatly, and with that she floated away. The table disappeared with her, and the party begins to break camp and prepare to travel on. 

KelLyn asks Jaeger something, and they begin discussing in earnest for a few moments. She tells the rest of the party that she is (finally) looking into a way to mask our appearance to other magic users. She uses her Nature of things spell on her necklace to see if that would lend her any clues on how to cast a spell on the entire party, but does not come up with any useful information. She promises to continue to look into it though, and we begin our journey along the road once again. 

Another week passed before we saw anything other than flowers and corn fields. We came to a break in the fields where we saw a large, well kept farm, with workers out in the fields. We noticed that one of the workers was running towards the party carrying a pack on his shoulders.

The large man hailed the party loudly, and asked directly if he could join us to help kill the dragon. We looked wryly at the farm hand, and asked him pointedly who he was, and if he knew what he is getting himself into. He told us his name was Scott, and that his boss told him to go get hired on with a caravan. He told us that he was bored with farm life and looking for some adventure, then asked for a going rate of three silver a week. We chuckled a bit at this, knowing that he would soon have more than he likely would ever know what to do with, and with a glance at one another, agreed to let him join us. 

We traveled on for another few hours and then made camp for the night. That evening, Jaeger and Scott got into a wrestling match to see if they could prove who was stronger. I watched the male display for a moment, before shaking my head and returning to my studies, meditations, and tea. 

The next morning, I requested that we wait a while, as the season had turned and I wanted to do the rituals for springtime properly. I took the time and moved a little away from the party. I could tell that the ring of mushrooms surrounding this place still dampened my connection with my ancestors, and I felt the distance keenly. I was able to successfully complete the spells and rituals though, and their culmination made me feel some better. 

I returned to the camp in time to see a live goat fall from the sky with a bewildered bleat. Scott caught the goat easily and tossed it towards Osman, who was not so skilled at catching farm animals and instead caught the confused animal with his face. Both he and the goat toppled over with a surprised cry, but thankfully neither was overly harmed. Scott walked over to calm the goat down, and he asked quite confused where the goat came from. Osman sat up and explained that, where he comes from, once a year goats fall from the sky if you said the right words.

The rest of the party laughed at this, but I gave them all a disapproving look at the deception, making a mental note that I should not take any of them at their word when they spoke in Common. 

Scott and Jaeger got into another wrestling match, and while they grappled with one another, I made my way over to where Lan and KelLyn were sitting. We began to discuss how to potentially break the fairy ring here, and the ramifications that such an action might cause. I mentioned that I got the strong feeling that, while Glenda may have been one of those who had worked hard to control her own destiny, that she had aided us in her own way, and may not be so opposed to the return of natural order here. 

The next morning, we all woke up to the goat making a horrible racket right near Osman's ear. Scott looked at the goat with the critical eye of an experienced farm hand and promptly stated that the goat wasn't right in the head, but seemed physically healthy. Osman tried to talk to it, but this only led to more loud bleats from the goat, and confusion on Osman's behalf as he tried to figure out what his godsend was trying to tell him. 

The goat kept acting strangely, bleating loudly, stumbling around, and running into everything. We eventually decided to break camp and move on with the noisy animal in tow. Even the horses were eyeing the goat warily, and as we travelled, Scott eventually became fed up with the noise and threatened to knock the goat out if Osman couldn't quiet it. This, naturally, caused an argument to break out, and I took note of the aggression between Osman and Scott. KelLyn stated that the goat seemed to be magical, and as they argued, I watched the goat. After another moment of everyone yelling at each other, I calmly stepped in the middle of the argument and pointed to the goat, who was happily, noisily, and woozily munching on the crimson flowers that were growing near the roadside. 

The argument ceased then, and Osman quickly pulled the disgruntled goat away from his colorful feast. Osman put a muzzle on the goat to prevent it from eating any more of the addicting drug flowers, and travel afterward proceded quietly. It took an entire day for the goat to come down off of whatever it was in the flowers that made it so delirious, and it became obvious that if we had gone through the forest of flowers instead of taking the long way around, we would have been lost ourselves. 

Eventually we came to the fork in the road that Glenda had told us about, and we decided to keep to the straight path, feeling like we were not yet prepared to enter Emer itself. We followed the path until we came to an enormous and ornate wrought iron fence that surrounded a large and immaculately kept campus with several stately buildings scattered among the green grasses and shrubs. The presence of iron here was curious, and the sheer amount of it was impressive. It was obviously meant to repel and keep out fairies of all kinds, and Lan was distinctly uncomfortable.

We discussed it with her, and we all agreed that she should stay outside of the fence with the cart and the bulk of our belongings, as we did not want the presence of the iron to injure her. Scott agreed to stay with the cart, and Jaeger also offered to remain behind. Tobias, Osman, KelLyn, and I walked up to the decorative gate, and we are guided to the administration building. 

Once inside, a round little man walked up and welcomed us all to the university. He explained that the library was open to all who wished to study, and that they offered a variety of courses for those who wished to learn. He recognized  KelLyn immediately, and warned her sternly not to cast any magic anywhere on campus. He pulled out a lengthy liability waiver that he requested that she sign as agreement, and she grumpily agreed. 

Tobias inquired about what classes were offered, and after hearing the descriptions, expressed interest in some. He was informed that those he was most interested in were already in session, and it was too late to register for them. He chose a biology and a monster knowledge class, and he was ushered off to where the classroom areas were located. 

I expressed my simple desire to visit the library, and I was shown the way to the great gold doors. Osman follows me to the library, and once through the doors I approached the librarian to ask for guidance in my search for knowledge. 

The librarian looks at me kindly, and asked what I was searching for, and I requested - to start with - a history of this area, and any information they could find for me about the sylvan tree. He disappeared among the books and scrolls, and after a while came back to me with a cart full to overflowing with texts.

I am able to learn much of what happened to create this place as it is now, and only a little about the tree. From what I learned, the elves that were here had arrived early after the crater was formed, and planted the sylvan tree over the wellspring at it's heart. The elves were loathe to share the sight of the tree with anyone else though, and were loathe to leave the tree unguarded. They built a wall around the city to protect the tree, and over time become complacent, and were central in provoking conflicts between the four quadrants. 

The city was impossible to take, with the wall that the elves had built, importing rocks from Al-Auld mines, which were now known as the "Border of Death." The dragon came down from the caves to the north, and seeing the city, dug up the entire road to prevent easy access to the city, and carried the hoard of gold to the center of the city which he made his dwelling. 

The tree in the center was crushed by the fae dragon and the dragon used the sap to encase a man who had attacked him so that he wouldn't rise up against him again. I recalled the ghost castle where the knight encased in sap had rested, and did not tell the librarian about what we had done.

the librarian goes on to tell me that the dragon continued to monitor the treasure he had gathered at the center of the city, and that as a fae, the dragon was susceptible to iron. Magic was generally unreliable here, and each quadrant was essentially now an empire of their own. The entire crater was under an extreme amount of magical tension. 

Among the texts and writings was also a detailed map of the entire area, and I asked the librarian to have the map transcribed. They agreed to do so, and when I offer to pay for it with some old platinum coins from my own purse, they sternly tell me that platinum is cursed and that they will not accept it. I relay this information to the party, recalling the warning that Shalev had given them when they picked up the platinum bars from the ghost castle. They made a sound of derision when I told them my own concerns, mirroring the thoughts of both Shalev and the librarian, and I tried to get them again to avoid using the platinum. An argument about finances broke out, and I asked simply if they wanted the map, or not. They grudgingly said that they did, and so I used some of the party funds to purchase the map, staying well clear of even touching the platinum bars that had been picked up.

I returned then to the library with the gold required, and returned as well to my studies of the area. 

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Sidetracked...sort of.

Was I ever young?
Those memories have long since faded from me.

I have no visual memories of my family. My parents, my siblings, my mate, my children... all lost to the insatiable void of time. I had a brief moment of hope, when we met the Maker, that he might be able to give me some answers; but all he left me with was more questions. The block to my memory is still puzzling and troubling to me. I can not remember beyond the desert, and it's almost a physical pain for me.

The Maker says I have forgotten to sing... and that makes me wonder what else I have forgotten, and if those memories will ever be restored to me.

This is part of why I am so intent on doing what I can for the sylvan sapling - if possible. My connection to the Sacred has returned, I can hold out some hope that in restoring the tree might allow me a glimpse behind the block in my memories. Having a direct physical connection, not only to the Sacred, but to the wellspring itself might allow me to see behind that veil that perplexes me so.

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It is the propensity of the very young, I suppose, to be insistent that the universe centers on them. It's an illusion that is, quite often, a hard lesson to learn.

We waited at the warding walls there at the edge of the Old Woman's forest for a time. We were waiting to see if the knights would pursue us,  taking the time to rest, and using the opportunity to hunt and gather provisions. While we waited and rested, Lan worked with KelLyn to bring her out of the depression spiral she was caught in.

Thankfully, the knights did not pursue us out of the Old Woman's forest. Tobias revealed that the last time they were encountered, that they were able to teleport somehow back to their home on the other continent. So either they have returned home, have decided to turn back and return to the little fishing village, or they are lost to the Old Woman's forest. Either way, they are now only a peripheral problem.

During one of the hunting trips, Fife encountered a very large deer-like creature, and was able to successfully kill the beast. I have never seen a creature like this, and while it does resemble a deer or perhaps an elk, it is much more massive. Once it had been killed, I touched it gently, in a gesture of honor and respect for giving it's life to sustain ours. We fed Amit his choice of the animal, took the horns, hide, and bladder for trade goods and waterskins, and prepared the rest for cooking and preserving. Lan caught some large salmon from the river near by, and I was able to also find a selection of wild roots, mushrooms, fruits, and herbs. We even found a small grove of apple trees, and were able to harvest a good number of the ripe fruits as well.

We all ate well, and were able to greatly add to our provisions, which makes Shalev rest a little easier. I admire his dedication to insuring that the party is well provided for, although I wonder at times if the other party members - Tobias aside - realize just how much his forethought to supplies and provisions is necessary. Looking at them, and how much they do unconsciously rely on others to do for them, I often wonder how they made it through the desert in the first place, those many years ago.

The party discussed options now, and as we had no idea where the red mage KelLyn was chasing had gone, we decided to follow the road to see if it would lead us around the mountain and closer to a city where we could stop to get our bearings and then directions to Ambralia, and then to Qualton. Our other choice was to turn back and go once again through the Old Woman's forest, and we all agreed that was a less than desirable course.

KelLyn expressed her extreme dislike of the fact that we decided to follow the road, instead of following a cold trail to go after the red mage.  I am thankful to see that she has come out of the depression that plagued her, but her anger and acerbic nature has come to the forefront once again. I am concerned that the in-fighting between the party members will end up becoming.... lethal.

So, with her fuming not-so-silently about the decision to travel on the road, we continued our watchful travel - still keeping a wary eye out for the knights in case they decided to pursue or circle around ahead. After a few days, and off to the far side of the road, we discovered the remains of a party of 7-8 people. Nothing but skeletal remnants, and long dead, there was nothing to be found save evidence of a brutal fight that was the cause of their demise.

After about another week or so, we hear horns being sounded ahead of us, and we come across a large stone fortress. Shalev and I rode a little ahead to approach the gates, and we all enter the main gate unmolested by the guards. We find an inn called the Swallow's Rest, and we secure lodgings for a few days to allow us to resupply, and look for information. Almost as soon as we are settled in, we are approached by a courier from the main castle, summoning us to meet with the Count (John) the next morning. We agree, and Fife, Ishmael, and KelLyn  then venture over to a seedier looking establishment, most likely for a desire to be away from Shalev, Tobias, and I. KelLyn still seems rather angry that we are here, but then she is angry about everything these days. So they go off to drink with the promise that they will be ready in time to meet with the Count before morning court.

I decided to spend the evening in quiet contemplation at the Swallow's Rest. A good bath, clean clothes, a hot meal, and a mug of the Philosopher's Tea. All together a relaxing and somewhat luxurious evening. I spent some time just watching the people come and go in the common room of the inn, and then after my ablutions were complete, spent the remainder of the evening in study and deep meditations.

The next morning, around 4th candlemark, we were roused and made preparations to meet with the count. Shalev, Tobias, and I exchanged travel and adventuring attire for court dress, and Ishmael, Fife, and KelLyn - appearing somewhat the worse for wear- made themselves presentable.

We met with the clerk who was to be our escort, and are told of the troubles on the southeastern roads, of brigands and a mysterious old man who appears as a harbinger to the attacks. People dragged off, and whole caravans that have disappeared. When we reach the gates of the castle, we see a smaller band of adventurers leaving, with a distinctly dejected look about them. The courier...cleric.. that was escorting us to the Count made some sort of comment about "not passing their interview".

Looks of caution were exchanged between the party members - those not too hungover to care anyway - and we proceeded onward somewhat more warily. We met with the Count who asked us what our... qualifications as adventurers were. Shalev introduced himself, and the rest of the party with aplomb, and the cleric standing beside the count - probably to truth-say and provide verification of honesty - asked if KelLyn were the one wanted by Penicia for the destruction of the mage school.

Between her constant dialogue of things probably better kept out of a character interview, and Lan's unbelievably short attention span, it's amazing that we made it as far as we did. But the cleric - somewhat wide eyed - verified the truth of our statements, and our characters apparently met what ever criteria the Count was searching for; because Shalev began negotiating with the Count for provisions, a guide through the mountains, giving KelLyn access to a private collection of magical items left over from long ago, and our pick of whatever treasures we found in agreement to take on the task of traveling along the southeastern road to deal with the brigands as well as whatever...evil...we should encounter along the way.

We were then ushered through to the main hall wherein we were able to interview those affected directly by the brigands and attacks. We learned that the attacks seem to be premeditated, and forewarned somehow, as the brigands seem to target the most powerful warriors first.

During this discussion, Lan mentioned quietly that she felt someone scrying the party, and KelLyn took action to stop it from happening. She successfully cast a Dispel, and felt the scrying attempt stop. This apparently was not expected, and the table in front of the Count burst into flames in an attempt to kill us all before we could even get started.

Ishmael used his gifts to douse the fire, and KelLyn immediately targeted one of the clerics to the side as being responsible. The impostor cleric looked panicked at being discovered, and threw some sort of powder into the air, which caused him to disappear. Fife took immediate action, and snatched a knife from Shalev's belt to throw at the impostor cleric - or where he was a second before. He made a successful hit, as the dagger also disappeared, and there was a sound of pain from the impostor. The guards quickly moved to close the gates, but it was too late and the impostor managed to escape unseen and with no further injury.

Lan used her ability to heal to bring the Count back to full health, and to make sure that there were no others who were gravely injured.

Shalev then, in a moment of divine inspiration, cast Dispel Evil on the area, and discovered the unprotected area that allowed the impostor to enter and leave; as well as completely removing the remaining scrying efforts.

The Count then promptly agreed to the terms Shalev had set for our agreement to proceed, and we made plans to head out in pursuit as soon as possible.

Who...whatever.. is behind the attacks now knows that we are coming, and knows - to some degree - who we are and what we are basically capable of. We do have some advantage, however, in Tobias, my fleet-footed hunter, as he can sense evil, and had not revealed his talent for speed. Whatever we face also does not know of the party overall, nor of the efficient destruction that we can cause when given incentive to do so. But they will discover soon enough.

Away for far too long

One of the downsides to being in seclusion for as long as I have been, is learning to be among society again.
Of the 7 immortals, I am unique in that I voluntarily venture out among civilizations from time to time.

Once our time in the mining city of Grolsh was complete, we continued on the road towards the library, and it was with a happy sigh that I left that enclosing city of stone. After about a week of uneventful travel, we came upon the city of Tir na' Friar. An elven settlement. City. Beautiful as it is, with its curving wooden structures and shining layan gates, it is still very much a city.

We were stopped on the road before we reached the gates by a patrol of guards with weapons drawn. I lowered my hood, and let myself be seen; motioning for Tobias to follow suit, and reveal the Imperial layan armor that he wears. They asked, somewhat pointedly, why I travelled with such company. I introduced my companions with honor that they deserve;
Ishmael - Renowned Weaponsmith and metallurgist
Tobias - consort and Imperial guard
Lan - Avatar of Leilanna
Kellyn - the Archmage
Fife - Swordmaster
and Shalev - my accepted student, and paladin of Ma'at; and his animal companion Amit

and said that I had agreed to help them with various quests. They were less hostile after that, and offered  us escort into the city, which we  accepted graciously. I mentioned that it had been quite a long time since I had the opportunity to be in a city of my people, and requested advice on acquiring a place to stay for the length of time needed to rest and resupply.

They gave me a basic introduction to the city layout, and then said that I could request hospitality from the 4th tier of the city.
We entered the city at that point, and explored the craftsman's circle, where I commissioned a new set of leather armor that would not affect my dexterity and movement when worn. The leather worker there agreed to the commission, and said that it would be ready in two days. After that, we continued on toward the 4th Tier, and once there, I approached a group to inquire about hospitality.

Have I been out of civilization for so long, that my own people no longer recognize me? Apparently so. The elves here are very young. Young enough to have either never heard the stories, or perhaps they simply paid them no heed. One of them called me "grandmother", although I am not certain if it was meant derisively or not.

I requested direction to a quiet place for my companions and I to stay for a space of time, and one of them lead us to a rather run down looking house on the edge of the tier. Again, I caught a hint of implied insult from the youngsters, but ignored it as the childish thing that it was.

 The woman who owned the house is named Ma'tron Pon Mar, and she graciously accepted us into her home. She is stooped with age, although she is only 150 or so, and seems... fragile. I forget that I am unique in my agelessness. (hmph. Grandmother indeed.) Her house and lands were in obvious need of repair, and she just as obviously wasn't capable of doing it herself.

I spoke with my companions and requested that, as thanks for opening her home to us, that we work together to improve her lot as much as we could. Tobias, Fife, Shalev, and Ishmael immediately set to work on repairing and cleaning her house. Lan, Kellyn, and I worked on the yards and the gardens.

I inquired about her injury, and asked if she would allow Lan to see if there was something that we could do to heal her. She agreed, and Lan was able to cast a spell that helped to straighten her spine and allow her to move freely again. A healing draught took care of any residual injury, and she is once again whole, much to her delight.

As work continued on the house and lands, I spent many moments conversing with Ma'tron over tea about old stories and legends. Tea! At last I have tea. It's a comfort to me, and something familiar. Shalev and I both were able to take a handful of cuttings from the bushes in her gardens as we worked to bring the gardens back to some semblance of order. It will be a challenge to keep them strong and alive so that we may replant them elsewhere, and another challenge to see if they will flourish in the desert climes that Shalev and I are used to.

Strange though, that here in the gardens, my druidry has no effect. I tried to cast a simple spell to make the gardens healthy, only to have it fail. This is troubling to me, and I need to spend some time in meditation to find out why I was not able to do this, or what might have interfered. I worry that I will not be able to do anything further with this until I can discern why.

During their repairs, Tobias, Ishmael, and Shalev discovered some extensive damage to the outer walls of the house, and they trekked into town to see if they could arrange for a trade of materials to help with the refitting of the house. Elven cities are traditionally trade based, and do not often deal with money as the humans do.
Shalev was able to trade some cooking spices for the lumber required, and it was delivered to the house later that day. Amusingly enough, by the same youngster who (insultingly perhaps?) lead us to stay here in the first place. He looked surprised, and a little abashed. Perhaps he learned a valuable lesson here, although time will tell.

Kellyn requested that I ask about the presence of a library here, and Ma'tron opened her home further to us, showing her personal library, where the records of her travels with her husband were kept. It came to light that Ma'tron and her husband were at one time adventurers of some renown, and that her husband was .... other. Not human, nor elf, and Kellyn suspects possibly even a dragon. To ask or suggest such a thing would be terribly uncouth, however, so the mystery of what her husband is or was will remain. In their travels, they searched for artifacts and items of power, as well as learning to create said things. Ma'tron herself was... IS.. a mage, and a powerful one. This captured Kellyn's intense interest, as Ma'tron gives off no sense of magics whatsoever, and the two were soon lost in conversations about magic and Fyrewerian. Kellyn agreed to teach Ma'tron what little of Fyrewerian that she could while we were here.

Shalev inquired about trading his compass Leah-noa for a magical blade, and was promptly handed the layan-bladed greatsword that hung proudly on the wall in Ma'tron's library. He took it with awe, reverence, and a little disbelief, and spent quite some time simply looking at the blade. There are a few other items of interest in her library - namely the mage's staff, which Kellyn is quite obviously interested in; and a green-dragon scaled shield.

We will be here for a while longer, I think, as there is much to learn from Ma'tron, and I am quite enjoying her company. She mentioned, in our tea time conversations, that there is a Great Court to be held in a month's time. I would be interested in staying for this, as if I am indeed, back in the civilized world, it would probably be expected of me in any case. I've been out of the world for far too long. It's time to make myself known again. I will need to visit the clothier to see about having proper attire made for me to attend a High Court function.

While we are here, we will continue to help improve her home and her land, as much as we are able to do so. It's the least we can do for her hospitality, and for the knowledge that she has - and will potentially - share with us. Perhaps she can even shed some light on the objectives we currently have? We shall see.

In the mean time, I will continue to look forward to our tea time conversations, and simply being among other elves for a time.