I left Highpass today, for I had business in North Karana. It didn't take
long so I am now sitting under a tree to write a little. It is truly a
beautiful day, the sun is high, bright, and hot, yet there is a nice cool
breeze over the Karana's today. So where did I leave off…
About half way through my ninth season I was sitting on top of the hill to the left of the Black Burrow entrance as one would approach from the hills. As usual I was busy studing my spell book and enjoying the nice weather when my old friend Kargoth the Dwarven Cleric surprised me! He joked about what a poor Druid I was for not hearing him sneak up on me, but alas, it is much harder to hear while I'm wearing Zaharn's Coronet. Kargoth and I grouped up for a short while, oddly he was still in his fourteenth season, we chatted for a bit and ran around killing Gnolls outside the lair. As night fell we started walking back to the ruins when Gnasher appeared. It was well known throughout Qeynos and the Hills that a Ranger from Surefall Glade had placed a bounty on Gnasher's head. So the two of us, Kargoth and I, wasted no time in attacking Gnasher.
The fight, little more then a mere skirmish hardly lasted very long and we quickly severed the Gnolls head. I tucked it into a bag and I found a note in his hand so I took it as well and we continued to the ruins. There Kargoth stayed for awhile and we killed the many various undead that was repeatedly resurrected there. Besides us there were two others at the ruins, when Kargoth left for the night I noticed that someone from the other group had left, leaving me and one other. A Human Cleric, about the same as me in her Season's, she went by the name of simply, Thehealer. We grouped up and killed more skeletons but soon grew bored and ran into Black Burrow. She led me deep down into the lair itself and we spent some time killing snakes at the top of a ladder. A crooked staircase led up from where we were and at the top of that was a door. Ironically, behind that door, was the opened ceiling room with the pit full of spikes and snakes that I had found when I mistakenly got lost in here at Season 3! We chatted and talked as we killed, at times taking one other into our little group but primarily it was just her and I.
Eventually it was time for her to leave so I set out for Surefall Glade to collect my bounty on Gnashers head and find out about the note he had. The Ranger was ecstatic over finally having Gnasher's head but he soon frowned when I gave him the note. He quickly handed it back and said, "You need to take this to Captain Tillin in South Qeynos immediately! You'll find him on the balcony in the Warriors Guild, now run! Make haste, it's urgent he get this right away!"
So I ran, and I ran. I ran all the way to the Warrior's Guild in South Qeynos, just around the corner from the bank. Tillin thanked me for the note but quickly grew angered at what he read. He called out for an executioner who came running. Tillin barked a few orderes to her and she saluted, then marched off. I decided to follow. She went into Fish's Ale pub near the docks. It looked like a rough place and as soon as she stepped in the barkeep yelled, "Jacob! Their here! Run! Get out of here!" I heard a scuffling of feet and the executioner pushed the drinkers aside and leaped over the bar. I scrambled after her and heard someone in the back shouting at her, "You have no right! I'm innocent! I'll-" I stepped around the corner at that moment. A man cowered in the corner and the executioner had just taken a mighty swing and lopped his head right off. The head bounced into the floor and rolled over to me feet, the body still crouching. The executioner gave it a nudge and it too fell over, blood oozing out all over the floor. She then went and picked up the head, looked at me and gave a harumph sound and marched out. I followed her back to Captain Tillin who mounted the head on a pike just outside the guild hall as a warning. After that I went to the Lion's Mane Inn and got a room for the next. As usuall I attempted to determine the meaning of that feeling when preparing camp. I still can't explain it other then a feeling of as though being transported to some other world.
When I awoke, it seemed as though the world of Norrath had passed months in my absence. I ponder this for a bit but failed to determine an explanation and set out for more adventuring. I first went to the bank to change some of my lower coins in to larger, and to put some of my larger into my vault. I then went to North Qeynos to Sneed's Trading Post and there purchased some more food and water. I then set out for Black Burrow. When I got there I didn't se anyone I knew so I hunted a little on my own. As I made my way around I met a Ranger named Laowen and we decided to start up a group.
We worked well together and he even invited a couple others into the group. We got a Warrior in the group that had us all sit so he could pull Gnolls to us, which worked out quite well. We decided to make our camp on a ledge that a couple snakes slithered around upon. Above us was a bridge like formation and I suddenly realized that this was the spot I had been killed so many times over when I got trapped down here during my 3rd season!
Between the pulls we spent our time killing the giant snakes as they slithered out of a hole in the wall and soon the place reaked of the foul stenched that remains after a battle. We had piles of butchered and charred Gnolls heaped against the walls and we had skinned dozens of snakes. We were just planning a break so our Warrior could run to town and sell his loot when I received a message from Thehealer! She was nearby and on her way to Black Burrow. I sent a message back to her, explaining where we were camped and she soon came and joined us. She and I joked around a little as we waited for pulls and stuff but eventually we all had to leave and camp for the night. The next day I found myself grouped with Laowen again.
Ranger Laowen and I became good friends real fast in Black Burrow. At that time it was mainly he and I who organized the groups and instigated the raids we conducted. Things moved fast, I don't remember much neither of what all we did nor what all was said. Some days I ran alone, soloing the Guardsmen, on other days I joined with either Laowen, Thehealer, or both. Till one day the three of us decided we were ready for the real action. We planned a major raid deep into the heart of Black Burrow itself and planned to take out a whole room full of Elite Guards, rumor had it that even a refugee from another clan was often in attendance. Some even claimed a Shaman of the Sabertooth clan, which occupied Black Burrow, would show up to cast spells on the Elite's and place curses on those who would oppose them. This is how that first bloody battle went.
Laowen and I sat huddled in the corridor just outside the room. Thehealer had not arrived yet so it was just the two of us. We shouted for others to come and join us and eventually several did. We got a Gnomish Magician named Nortin, a Barbarian Warrior, and a Half Elf Paladin.
"I'm going to try to cast Harmony on them before we attack so you guys stay here for a sec." I carefully crept to the corner, peered around it and counted how many we had to deal with and came back saying, "Refugee's closest to the corridor, we got three Elite's and a Commander in the back. At my command you all take the refugee while I try to hold the others at bay, do it quick because I don't know how long I can hold them. Go for the commander next then move on the next closest."
Laowen patted my shoulder and wished me luck as I quickly cast a camouflage over myself, thanking Tunare for the spell as I crept into the middle of the room. The Gnolls couldn't see me. I had a special spell, being a Druid it made me invaluable in these situations. It was called Harmony. As soon as I cast it the room quieted as though the Gnolls mind's had been put to ease, fortunately because casting it caused me to lose my camo! I took a deep breathe to calm myself, knowing the mental link with these Gnolls was fragile. I quickly waved a hand at Laowen who knelt at the edge of the corridor waiting while at the same time calling out "NOW!"
The Barbarian was the first in, swinging his massive and heavy sword in wide arcs above our heads and shouting various curses and battle cries at the Refugee. The first swing spilt the refugee's right shoulder and I suddenly felt the tension in the room as my mental link with it was suddenly snapped. Next came Nortin, bless the little guy for he had with him one of the floating apparitions the Magicians keep as pets. The thing growled and grunted as it repeatedly swung at the refugee with its heavy arms. The Paladin charged in and started attacking then too as Laowen began to cast a spell to snare the refugee. I could feel the other Gnolls as they started to grow agitated and knew my link to them would soon be broken. I quickly turned and cast a burst of flame to envelope the Refugee. The barbarian took a serious blow to his head and I knew he had to be healed, fast. But once that link was broken we would all be dead anyway. The Barbarian began to stagger and I knew I had to act quickly, either renew my link with the other Gnolls before it gave out or heal the Barb.
I quickly renewed my link and was relieved to see Laowen step out of the fight to heal the Barbarian as Nortin began to work some of his own magic. The refugee erupted into a ball of flames and I wanted to retch from the smell of burnt flesh. The Paladin scored a serious blow when he just about severed one of the refugees' arms. It hung useless at the Gnolls side, hanging by a mere flab of flesh. It wanted to run away but Laowen had it ensnared. The barbarian kicked at the refugees' knees, causing it to stagger back a step and loose it's balance. Then Lao stepped in and ran his sword into the beast's back, severing its spine just as the Barbarian ran it through from the front. It dropped to the floor twitching like a fish out of water. My link started to weaken again.
"Get the commander next!" I called out, "Hurry, I can't hold them for very long!"
Nortin wasted no time at all in working his magic on the commander, causing it's link with me to be severed. It started to charge Nortin but his pet swung into action and the others swarmed around it. This time it was the Barbarian who made the crippling blow as a hard swing of his sword cut neatly through the beast's right thigh, severing a leg. Being the Barbarian that he was, he followed his swing through and arced completely back around, swinging in a wide circle and cut the beast right in half, it's bowels spilling out all over the floor around us.
I renewed my link again as the group moved in to the closest Elite. Everything was going fine till then. The Elite's stood too close together. The fight turned out to be too much of a distraction to them. I struggled to hold them, draining my mana empty in the process till finally one of them snapped. I dropped to the floor exhausted, needing to meditate. But then the Elite I lost my hold on attacked me! Nortin turned his attention to it and sent his pet to my aid, working his magic and casting various spells and nukes on the Elite. It hit me hard in the side, knocking the wind out of me and I just managed to parry its next blow with my staff. I then swung hard and cracked the beast on the head. Blood splattered the walls and I saw the Barbarian stagger, knowing he was hurt bad. I tried to heal him but my attacker interrupted my casting, then Nortin's pet turned out to be too much for it to ignore so it turned to fight that.
At that moment the last Elite charged in, attacked the Barbarian, and killed him. The Paladin went running from the room, yelling at us all to run. Nortin did, leaving his pet behind as a distraction. I was weak, out of mana, and had two Elite's on me, so I too turned to run and yelled at Laowen, "Lao! Get out of here!"
I ran like Cazic Thule himself was on my tail, shouting out to warn people of the dangerous procession I led. An Elite gave a mighty blow to the back of my head which sent me spinning for a moment but as I got to the room with the spike pit it was too much for me. The Elite's had cried for help and pulled others in on the chase and I was soon down. Then… POOF! I was resurrected again outside the cave to Surefall Glade I sent messages to my group. The Barbarian was on his way back down from the Highlands near Halas in the north. The Paladin had made it out of Black Burrow, Nortin was still running, as was Lao. I ran for the entrance to Black Burrow. Laowen was there when I arrived but Nortin was not. The Elite's had caught him and beat him down mercilessly. He too was now running back down from the Highlands.
Every one regrouped at the spike pit and I cast a camo on Nortin and the Warrior so they could get their belongings back safely and we all ran back to the Elite Room. It was empty, a blessing from Tunare I believed it to be. I took a seat on a box against the wall, Nortin on the floor next to me, Laowen sat nearby and the Barb and Pally paced the floor. Then suddenly Thehealer stepped into the room and started poking me as I meditated. We rejoiced to have a Cleric in the group and quickly invited her in. The next battle went better, much better.
That wasn't the end of my days in Black Burrow, there were still many more ahead, I had reached my thirteenth season that day in the Elite Room. At one point during a major battle, no one noticed but an old friend suddenly poped in to say hi. A great monk by the name of Buddhisatva from the Warlord's of Steel guild. We had been sending messages since my infancy but I had yet to actually meet him in person.
He looked around the room and decided it would be better if he pulled an Elite off us. He jumped, whirled, kicked, and hit the thing till it ran from him. He chased it down and killed it. He sent me a message moments later, requesting that I urgently join him at the stone Marker at the cross roads going to Qeynos. I told my group I would be right back and went running to see what he wanted. He told a quick story of one of his recent journey's to a place in the north of Antonica. Said he found some special armor for me and gave it to me, the Foreman's Tunic it was called. He then threatened me not to lose it and introduced a friend he had with him, then suddenly drank down a case of beer.
He stumbled around the road in his own state of bliss speaking in a drunken language and occasionally collapsing to the ground. His friend and I chatted for a bit, joked about him being drunk and watched his drunken antics. In his drunken stupor he camped for the night, even though it was in the middle of the day! His friend and I said farewell and I ran back to my group in Black Burrow. Later, when I was at the Lions's Man Inn preparing to make camp for the night I thought about my adventures and knew there would be many more ahead.
Clouds have suddenly filled the sky over the Karana's and thunder is rumbling in the distance. So I suppose I should put my quill and parchment away. I should Gate back to Highpass Hold and make my camp. The rain starts to pour down as I cast my spell. A Griffawn flies by just as I vanish away. The story will continue…
About half way through my ninth season I was sitting on top of the hill to the left of the Black Burrow entrance as one would approach from the hills. As usual I was busy studing my spell book and enjoying the nice weather when my old friend Kargoth the Dwarven Cleric surprised me! He joked about what a poor Druid I was for not hearing him sneak up on me, but alas, it is much harder to hear while I'm wearing Zaharn's Coronet. Kargoth and I grouped up for a short while, oddly he was still in his fourteenth season, we chatted for a bit and ran around killing Gnolls outside the lair. As night fell we started walking back to the ruins when Gnasher appeared. It was well known throughout Qeynos and the Hills that a Ranger from Surefall Glade had placed a bounty on Gnasher's head. So the two of us, Kargoth and I, wasted no time in attacking Gnasher.
The fight, little more then a mere skirmish hardly lasted very long and we quickly severed the Gnolls head. I tucked it into a bag and I found a note in his hand so I took it as well and we continued to the ruins. There Kargoth stayed for awhile and we killed the many various undead that was repeatedly resurrected there. Besides us there were two others at the ruins, when Kargoth left for the night I noticed that someone from the other group had left, leaving me and one other. A Human Cleric, about the same as me in her Season's, she went by the name of simply, Thehealer. We grouped up and killed more skeletons but soon grew bored and ran into Black Burrow. She led me deep down into the lair itself and we spent some time killing snakes at the top of a ladder. A crooked staircase led up from where we were and at the top of that was a door. Ironically, behind that door, was the opened ceiling room with the pit full of spikes and snakes that I had found when I mistakenly got lost in here at Season 3! We chatted and talked as we killed, at times taking one other into our little group but primarily it was just her and I.
Eventually it was time for her to leave so I set out for Surefall Glade to collect my bounty on Gnashers head and find out about the note he had. The Ranger was ecstatic over finally having Gnasher's head but he soon frowned when I gave him the note. He quickly handed it back and said, "You need to take this to Captain Tillin in South Qeynos immediately! You'll find him on the balcony in the Warriors Guild, now run! Make haste, it's urgent he get this right away!"
So I ran, and I ran. I ran all the way to the Warrior's Guild in South Qeynos, just around the corner from the bank. Tillin thanked me for the note but quickly grew angered at what he read. He called out for an executioner who came running. Tillin barked a few orderes to her and she saluted, then marched off. I decided to follow. She went into Fish's Ale pub near the docks. It looked like a rough place and as soon as she stepped in the barkeep yelled, "Jacob! Their here! Run! Get out of here!" I heard a scuffling of feet and the executioner pushed the drinkers aside and leaped over the bar. I scrambled after her and heard someone in the back shouting at her, "You have no right! I'm innocent! I'll-" I stepped around the corner at that moment. A man cowered in the corner and the executioner had just taken a mighty swing and lopped his head right off. The head bounced into the floor and rolled over to me feet, the body still crouching. The executioner gave it a nudge and it too fell over, blood oozing out all over the floor. She then went and picked up the head, looked at me and gave a harumph sound and marched out. I followed her back to Captain Tillin who mounted the head on a pike just outside the guild hall as a warning. After that I went to the Lion's Mane Inn and got a room for the next. As usuall I attempted to determine the meaning of that feeling when preparing camp. I still can't explain it other then a feeling of as though being transported to some other world.
When I awoke, it seemed as though the world of Norrath had passed months in my absence. I ponder this for a bit but failed to determine an explanation and set out for more adventuring. I first went to the bank to change some of my lower coins in to larger, and to put some of my larger into my vault. I then went to North Qeynos to Sneed's Trading Post and there purchased some more food and water. I then set out for Black Burrow. When I got there I didn't se anyone I knew so I hunted a little on my own. As I made my way around I met a Ranger named Laowen and we decided to start up a group.
We worked well together and he even invited a couple others into the group. We got a Warrior in the group that had us all sit so he could pull Gnolls to us, which worked out quite well. We decided to make our camp on a ledge that a couple snakes slithered around upon. Above us was a bridge like formation and I suddenly realized that this was the spot I had been killed so many times over when I got trapped down here during my 3rd season!
Between the pulls we spent our time killing the giant snakes as they slithered out of a hole in the wall and soon the place reaked of the foul stenched that remains after a battle. We had piles of butchered and charred Gnolls heaped against the walls and we had skinned dozens of snakes. We were just planning a break so our Warrior could run to town and sell his loot when I received a message from Thehealer! She was nearby and on her way to Black Burrow. I sent a message back to her, explaining where we were camped and she soon came and joined us. She and I joked around a little as we waited for pulls and stuff but eventually we all had to leave and camp for the night. The next day I found myself grouped with Laowen again.
Ranger Laowen and I became good friends real fast in Black Burrow. At that time it was mainly he and I who organized the groups and instigated the raids we conducted. Things moved fast, I don't remember much neither of what all we did nor what all was said. Some days I ran alone, soloing the Guardsmen, on other days I joined with either Laowen, Thehealer, or both. Till one day the three of us decided we were ready for the real action. We planned a major raid deep into the heart of Black Burrow itself and planned to take out a whole room full of Elite Guards, rumor had it that even a refugee from another clan was often in attendance. Some even claimed a Shaman of the Sabertooth clan, which occupied Black Burrow, would show up to cast spells on the Elite's and place curses on those who would oppose them. This is how that first bloody battle went.
Laowen and I sat huddled in the corridor just outside the room. Thehealer had not arrived yet so it was just the two of us. We shouted for others to come and join us and eventually several did. We got a Gnomish Magician named Nortin, a Barbarian Warrior, and a Half Elf Paladin.
"I'm going to try to cast Harmony on them before we attack so you guys stay here for a sec." I carefully crept to the corner, peered around it and counted how many we had to deal with and came back saying, "Refugee's closest to the corridor, we got three Elite's and a Commander in the back. At my command you all take the refugee while I try to hold the others at bay, do it quick because I don't know how long I can hold them. Go for the commander next then move on the next closest."
Laowen patted my shoulder and wished me luck as I quickly cast a camouflage over myself, thanking Tunare for the spell as I crept into the middle of the room. The Gnolls couldn't see me. I had a special spell, being a Druid it made me invaluable in these situations. It was called Harmony. As soon as I cast it the room quieted as though the Gnolls mind's had been put to ease, fortunately because casting it caused me to lose my camo! I took a deep breathe to calm myself, knowing the mental link with these Gnolls was fragile. I quickly waved a hand at Laowen who knelt at the edge of the corridor waiting while at the same time calling out "NOW!"
The Barbarian was the first in, swinging his massive and heavy sword in wide arcs above our heads and shouting various curses and battle cries at the Refugee. The first swing spilt the refugee's right shoulder and I suddenly felt the tension in the room as my mental link with it was suddenly snapped. Next came Nortin, bless the little guy for he had with him one of the floating apparitions the Magicians keep as pets. The thing growled and grunted as it repeatedly swung at the refugee with its heavy arms. The Paladin charged in and started attacking then too as Laowen began to cast a spell to snare the refugee. I could feel the other Gnolls as they started to grow agitated and knew my link to them would soon be broken. I quickly turned and cast a burst of flame to envelope the Refugee. The barbarian took a serious blow to his head and I knew he had to be healed, fast. But once that link was broken we would all be dead anyway. The Barbarian began to stagger and I knew I had to act quickly, either renew my link with the other Gnolls before it gave out or heal the Barb.
I quickly renewed my link and was relieved to see Laowen step out of the fight to heal the Barbarian as Nortin began to work some of his own magic. The refugee erupted into a ball of flames and I wanted to retch from the smell of burnt flesh. The Paladin scored a serious blow when he just about severed one of the refugees' arms. It hung useless at the Gnolls side, hanging by a mere flab of flesh. It wanted to run away but Laowen had it ensnared. The barbarian kicked at the refugees' knees, causing it to stagger back a step and loose it's balance. Then Lao stepped in and ran his sword into the beast's back, severing its spine just as the Barbarian ran it through from the front. It dropped to the floor twitching like a fish out of water. My link started to weaken again.
"Get the commander next!" I called out, "Hurry, I can't hold them for very long!"
Nortin wasted no time at all in working his magic on the commander, causing it's link with me to be severed. It started to charge Nortin but his pet swung into action and the others swarmed around it. This time it was the Barbarian who made the crippling blow as a hard swing of his sword cut neatly through the beast's right thigh, severing a leg. Being the Barbarian that he was, he followed his swing through and arced completely back around, swinging in a wide circle and cut the beast right in half, it's bowels spilling out all over the floor around us.
I renewed my link again as the group moved in to the closest Elite. Everything was going fine till then. The Elite's stood too close together. The fight turned out to be too much of a distraction to them. I struggled to hold them, draining my mana empty in the process till finally one of them snapped. I dropped to the floor exhausted, needing to meditate. But then the Elite I lost my hold on attacked me! Nortin turned his attention to it and sent his pet to my aid, working his magic and casting various spells and nukes on the Elite. It hit me hard in the side, knocking the wind out of me and I just managed to parry its next blow with my staff. I then swung hard and cracked the beast on the head. Blood splattered the walls and I saw the Barbarian stagger, knowing he was hurt bad. I tried to heal him but my attacker interrupted my casting, then Nortin's pet turned out to be too much for it to ignore so it turned to fight that.
At that moment the last Elite charged in, attacked the Barbarian, and killed him. The Paladin went running from the room, yelling at us all to run. Nortin did, leaving his pet behind as a distraction. I was weak, out of mana, and had two Elite's on me, so I too turned to run and yelled at Laowen, "Lao! Get out of here!"
I ran like Cazic Thule himself was on my tail, shouting out to warn people of the dangerous procession I led. An Elite gave a mighty blow to the back of my head which sent me spinning for a moment but as I got to the room with the spike pit it was too much for me. The Elite's had cried for help and pulled others in on the chase and I was soon down. Then… POOF! I was resurrected again outside the cave to Surefall Glade I sent messages to my group. The Barbarian was on his way back down from the Highlands near Halas in the north. The Paladin had made it out of Black Burrow, Nortin was still running, as was Lao. I ran for the entrance to Black Burrow. Laowen was there when I arrived but Nortin was not. The Elite's had caught him and beat him down mercilessly. He too was now running back down from the Highlands.
Every one regrouped at the spike pit and I cast a camo on Nortin and the Warrior so they could get their belongings back safely and we all ran back to the Elite Room. It was empty, a blessing from Tunare I believed it to be. I took a seat on a box against the wall, Nortin on the floor next to me, Laowen sat nearby and the Barb and Pally paced the floor. Then suddenly Thehealer stepped into the room and started poking me as I meditated. We rejoiced to have a Cleric in the group and quickly invited her in. The next battle went better, much better.
That wasn't the end of my days in Black Burrow, there were still many more ahead, I had reached my thirteenth season that day in the Elite Room. At one point during a major battle, no one noticed but an old friend suddenly poped in to say hi. A great monk by the name of Buddhisatva from the Warlord's of Steel guild. We had been sending messages since my infancy but I had yet to actually meet him in person.
He looked around the room and decided it would be better if he pulled an Elite off us. He jumped, whirled, kicked, and hit the thing till it ran from him. He chased it down and killed it. He sent me a message moments later, requesting that I urgently join him at the stone Marker at the cross roads going to Qeynos. I told my group I would be right back and went running to see what he wanted. He told a quick story of one of his recent journey's to a place in the north of Antonica. Said he found some special armor for me and gave it to me, the Foreman's Tunic it was called. He then threatened me not to lose it and introduced a friend he had with him, then suddenly drank down a case of beer.
He stumbled around the road in his own state of bliss speaking in a drunken language and occasionally collapsing to the ground. His friend and I chatted for a bit, joked about him being drunk and watched his drunken antics. In his drunken stupor he camped for the night, even though it was in the middle of the day! His friend and I said farewell and I ran back to my group in Black Burrow. Later, when I was at the Lions's Man Inn preparing to make camp for the night I thought about my adventures and knew there would be many more ahead.
Clouds have suddenly filled the sky over the Karana's and thunder is rumbling in the distance. So I suppose I should put my quill and parchment away. I should Gate back to Highpass Hold and make my camp. The rain starts to pour down as I cast my spell. A Griffawn flies by just as I vanish away. The story will continue…
