Entry 5 -

I received a letter from Charbonneau today. I'm so glad to hear he is okay. Considering that siezure I had revived him from, I was concerned with not hearing from for quite a few days. I wrote back to him, saying that I'd like to speak with him.

I then headed off to see the wedding of Aspen and Erelad! Braeth was supposed to meet me there, but he did warn he may be late, and I warned that I had to leave early. Unfortunately, I had to leave sooner than I expected and thus we never got together. Which is too bad, because I'm sure Braeth would have liked to have seen me outside of my armor and in actual clothes.

Later on I was able to get together with Charbonneau. I really had a lot on my mind, and am glad that he took the time to listen to me and my ideas. It was a lot of help and I think through it I may have a solution to the debate of Our Temple vs. Town Temple. I told him of how I thought a town temple for various gods of good faith wasn't a bad idea, but Maddoxxx strongly disagreed. It was a relief that Charbonneau felt the same way I did. Maddoxxx did have some valid concerns I thought, but to me I thought it'd be a mistake to not support this temple planned by the town.

That's when a brilliant idea struck me. Why choose between one or the other? I think we should have public worship at the town's proposed temple, and then also form a guild dedicated to Tyr. In our guildhall, we could have a room set aside for private worship for guildmembers. Of course, that gives us more responsibility, but I do think it's the best way to go in the end. Charbonneau thought it was good.

Maddoxxx stopped by and I told him my idea. He thought my idea was certainly worth considering. Charbonneau also had an idea of having our temple in Nars Pass, to provide shelter for travelers against the bandits. A noble plan to be sure, but it means we need to really make sure the temple has good defenses.

I also warned Charbonneau about things I've heard about Alex. He agreed that we should be cautious. I think the big concern for our group is that Alex really isn't dedicated to Tyr. I'm not saying he follows a bad faith, for he is a druid of Mielikki, but I think we want our group to have people dedicated to the Even Handed god. There's also the matter of the looting accusation, but all I want is to hear it from himself to me that he did not wrong my dear friend.

Char and I spent the rest of the evening chatting about ourselves. I'm a bit embarassed to have mistook Char for a priest. He's actually a knight of Tyr. Still, I thought he does have a lot of wisdom gathered over the many years of his life, and I asked if he would mind being my mentor. While being on my own has done me a great deal of good in building my character, I do miss having somebody there to give me guidance. He was honored, but feared if he really should, considering the occasional attacks of the mind he suffers and his old age. I figured that I could end up helping him as well, by providing an anchor when his mind suffers. We did seem to have a connection when we first met.

Hmmm... I guess that's all that happened that is really noteworthy. Of course, I had run into a few friends through out the day, but we had only brief conversations. Karion and I went clothes shopping before the wedding. I hope Braeth doesn't get jealous.

Gee, a day without Braeth. If it weren't for the great conversation I had with Charbonneau, the day feels like it would have been dull.

Perhaps I still should surprise him by wearing clothes instead of armor tomorrow?

Entry 6-

I decided to wear that outfit I bought, hoping to surprise Braeth. He wasn't around immediately, but I got to see some other interesting people. First is a little girl by the name of Elsie. She reminds me of my playmate, Josephine, who I spent a lot of time with back when I was about Elsie's age. I also got to meet a priest of Tyr. And here I thought I was the only priest and the rest were paladins. Guir is a Battle Cleric of Tyr, and he overheard me talking about my group of friends and our plans to build a temple. He offered to help pay for the builders when we were ready to start building. I told him who else to contact in case he couldn't find me.

I did find Braeth. As I was talkingto Elsie, she noticed him and shouted a greeting at him. However, he did not stop to say hello to me! He just went past me. Must not have recognized me out of the armor. Of course, he was trying to tend to a militia matter as well. When he finally did talk to me, he did notice and complimented the outfit.

And that's about when we had a bit of a role reversal. There was a drow in town. Yes, a drow! He was a bit unnatural to look, the dark skin and white hair. And I've heard many tales of evil that drow have caused. So how can one be walking our streets? Braeth, with visible hatred, immediate began to question him. Gulir spoke up that the drow (I'm not sure if I caught his name) has been given permission to be in town by Jore and, I think, the mayor. The drow affirmed Gulir's statement. Justinia also spoke up that she sensed no evil in the drow, despite the fact that he is a drow. As a paladin, she should be able to tell. Braeth did believe our friends, but still voiced his distrust of the drow. He then demanded answers from the drow... about why his village was wiped out. Poor Braeth just slumped down to the ground, weeping about his village.

I sat by him and held him, but I could not offer anything to say. How could I? Braeth had told me that his village was wiped out, but he didn't mention that it was drow that did it. The visiting drow (I really wish I could recall his name... Narl-somthing I think... I'll go with Narl for now) didn't answer the questions. I'm not sure if anything he said would have made things better for Braeth, and I think Narl thought the same way. Instead, he did ask to hear what had happened. So Braeth told of how his village was destroyed and how he was the only survivor. The images the story conjured are horrifying. Such a senseless act of violence I've never heard before. May Tyr see to it that the evil drow meet just as gruesome of an end. Narl listened intently, and did seem angered at the devestation his brethren caused.

It was a bit strange for me throughout that whole incident, as it was for Braeth. He's not usually the one to break down so emotionally, and he was a little embarrassed by it. It's completely understandable that he did. I can only imagine the grief he must have felt when it happened. Thus, I had to be the strong one and support him, which is not a role I typically take.

After he felt better, we went and found some friends of his. Jade, Wilhelm, Reginald, some others I can't remember now... Braeth kept trying to introduce me to people, but each time I had already known the person, having met them through Reginald. "Know Reg and soon you'll know half the town," I said to everybody's agreement.

I got to talk to Justinia about the temple. I still think the best route is still build a temple as a guildhall, and show some support for the multi-faith temple that is planned. I told Justinia about my idea, but she still seems to think that just our temple would be best. I just don't want to have people think that we feel we are turning our noses up at them. We all will have to get together at once and talk it out.

I was starting to feel very relaxed. I'm out of my armor, with Braeth and friends, having a good time... Of course it would have to get ruined. A short while after Jade and Reginald left us, this man approached us looking for Jade. I'm pretty sure I've done goblin-hunting with this man before, his name is Jubei. It shocked me to hear that he was looking for Jade to kill her. It was a greater shock to hear Justinia say she sensed much evil in Jubei. Braeth and the others had a huge debate with this man, Braeth indicating that he should not make open threats in town. Soon Braeth ordered all but a few of us away from the matter.

As far as I heard, Jubei is hired by the Red Wizards to kill Jade for a murder she commited. I can't say for sure if she did or didn't, but the way a few people reacted it seems she did, but not for evil reasons. Anyways this ended up causing a huge fiasco which ended with Jubei dueling Jade's defender... the defender lost his life. While I sat away from the ordeal, Jade came up to me asking where everybody was, and I told her to be careful because a man wanted her dead. She freaked out and ran to see what was happening.

After THAT mess, another popped up which I'm not entirely sure of. I think somebody got attacked, but I didn't bother to get details. I was just so disgusted with the rest of the evening that I headed back to the Inn.

Entry 7 -

When I headed toward the well today, I had gotten a message from Braeth that he was out deep in the woods hunting goblins. I sat and talked with Cera, and some others that she was with. One man, who's name eludes me, mentioned that he had amnesia, and this is something that regularly occurs to him. I suggested that he try keep a diary, but he said he was to poor to by one. Another man named Coin offered him some coin (hee hee, what a silly sentence), as did I. But the amnesiac refused, because he feels he should only accept money that he has earned. I accepted the refusal, but Coin was angered by it at first. He seems quick to anger.

Soon enough, Braeth had returned from his adventure. He boasted how his party took on some umber hulks. I've only heard a few things about the beasts, but from what I know, they certainly aren't creatures to be taken lightly. Martin also made an appearance, wanting to tell me a story when I had the chance. Thus we all sat down and had a nice little chat about various things.

The drow showed up again, and I finally caught his name. Nail. I know it's a shortened version, but it'll do. Braeth seemed to be accepting of having the drow in town, because many friends he knows and respects have vouched for Nail. Martin also stated he knows of Nail. Others weren't so accepting, which is to be expected. While I accept Nail walking among us, I shall be keeping an eye on him. My blessing I say to people, "May Tyr watch over you," has a double meaning and when I say it to the drow it will carry both meanings.

Coin again got angered at some comments another passerby made about the drow. Personally, I don't blame the passerby for not willing to trust the drow at all. If it weren't for some certain people I have a lot of respect for, I wouldn't trust him at all either. I worry that Coin's anger shall get him in trouble, though.

Martin, Braeth, and I headed over to the waterfall to have a private chat, since Martin had a story he wanted to tell me. Just before he began, an announcement was made that Reginald was going to perform a tale. Braeth decided to go hear it, but I wanted to hear what Martin had to tell me instead. I know that Reginald is a great storyteller, having heard a couple myself, but some instinct told me to stay with Martin. I just didn't think that what he had to tell me was so important!

He was with Charbonneau the previous night (yes, they are friends), when Charbonneau suddenly started to cry out that I was in trouble. He and Martin headed north to the mines, where Charbonneau said I was beset with bandits. They made their way through the mines and found no sign of me. Other townsfolk in the mines also said they didn't see me. Of course they didn't see me, for I definitely wasn't there. As they were leaving, Charbonneau suddenly collapsed into a fit. He recovered, but Martin said he had a different look in his eyes. He brushed Martin off and told him to leave him alone, and then headed for the crypts. Martin tagged along, worried for his friend, but again Charbonneau demanded to be left alone. Instead, Martin used a trick he learned from one of his animal companions and changed himself into a badger. The two made their way through the crypts until they reached a spot where Char suddenly threw down his sword and shield and started to rant and rave about being fallen from Tyr and an imminent attack of undead.

This story worried me greatly, as I'm sure it worried Martin when it happened. I told Martin of how we met and a few things that Charbonneau told me of himself. I figured if we all the information we both have on our friend, then we could figure out what is going on with him. My theory is that Char was having another of his attacks, and this one looks to be worse than the one I revived him from. Because he accepted me as his student and the connection he felt when we first met, the attack started with him deluding that I was in danger. Then the full force of the attack hit, causing fits. When he recovered from the seizure, he began to think he was his mentor.

I must see Charbonneau as soon as possible. I fear he needs me more than I would ever need him.

Entry 8 -

I met up with Braeth again, who was hanging out by the well with Reginald, Jade, Wilhelm, and Maddoxxx. Aspen stopped by; she's enjoying married life very much. Reginald professed some jealousy at the rest of us, for he still has no companion to spend time with. There is Braeth and I, Erelad and Aspen, Wilhelm and Jade, and even Maddoxxx is courting Justinia. Braeth and Wilhelm picked on Reginald about some person that outwitted the bard.

Suddenly there was a bit of a commotion. Sherk had fallen while battling a sorceror in the crypts, most likely a vampiric sorceror. Most of the friends rallied to go and retrieve his body so that he may be raised. I stayed an elven mage advised that only strong people should go. This was the same mage I met in the Fugue, the one that changed into a spider when I first met. He almost never speaks, preferring silence, so I knew he was dead serious. I know I'm not a weakling, but I could tell that Maddoxxx and Braeth both wouldn't want me to take the chance, so I instead waited for them back at the Inn.

Not that they needed me anyways, for they were successful in getting the body and raising him. I left the inn and found Charbonneau at the well. Praise Tyr that he is alright! I started yelling at him about how Martin told me of Char's delusion about myself in danger and subsequent fit. I know I was probably being a little to vocal about something that embarrassed him, but I couldn't help it. I'm much like my father in that I worry too much about people I care about.

Charbonneau pretended he didn't hear me correctly and kept trying to change the subject. After a couple of tries, I started to get the message, and instead offered to go to the Inn to talk in private. However, he declined and asked if I'd like to go with him, because he wanted to show me a lesson. He also asked if Braeth was around, and if he would want to watch. I accepted his offer and we went to get Braeth, whom I last saw at the Inn.

Just as I entered, Braeth sped past me! We followed, and found a commotion at the well over a strange man with horns. People were wary, thinking he had demon blood in his veins, although the man said he was human. Braeth, of course, got involved since he's with the militia, and then Charbonneau decided to do a Test of Conscience on the man. Many people were about, trying to see what was going on. The noise bothered me, so I yelled out to Braeth and Char that I was going down to the waterfall.

Shortly after I sat down, the other two showed up with Martin in tow. Unfortunately, my head didn't feel well, the noise of all those people still rang in my ears. When my mind started to clear up, I noticed Vashere had also joined us, and there was talk about scouting out a location on Nars Pass. The Legion is looking for a place to build a fort, and were thinking of about the same area that Char was suggesting for our temple. So Vashere was offering that we both work together and build the fort and temple together. I think the idea has a lot of merit, as does Char. Yes, the Legion is a guild of mercenaries, but they only take on jobs that would be for the greater good. Considering Braeth is a Knight in the Legion, I would think that our ideals of justice is very much compatable with their ideals. We'll have to see what the rest of our group thinks.

So the five of us traveled halfway up Nars Pass, to where Vashere was considering. I think that the locale is and ideal spot to provide shelter and defense, as it is at the crossroads between the two nearest towns to Norwick.

All the more reason for me to get all of us together to work things out. We also need to find others for our cause, so that we can register ourselves as an organization and gain some benefits thereof.

Am I ready for all this responsibility I've taken on myself?

Entry 9 -

As I made my way to the well to see if any friends were about, I heard many murmurings of a half-demon in town. This place is certainly seeing a lot of strangeness lately...

I did learn some good news though! The witch, Vinessa, has finally been caught, executed, and her body burned. Praise Tyr! However, Reginald mentioned the remains of the body were taken. Not a pleasant thought. It could be a sign that we have not seen the last of that evil soul.

As I was talking to Braeth, I saw Charbonneau limp by, covered in many serious wounds. As I was about to perform a healing spell, about five others blasted him with healing magics. Can't they at least let the worrisome student help her mentor? Char headed to the Inn for some food, and invited Pip, Martin, myself, and Braeth to join him. It was odd to see Martin in the Inn. He's a true Druid, preferring outdoors, so I take it as a huge sign of friendship for him to come indoors to spend time with us.

After Pip and Martin had left, I decided to again ask Charbonneau about his recent attack. I could tell he would rather I not make a huge fuss over it, but I just can't help myself. I'm like my father. If I see somebody I care for in trouble, I fall to pieces.

As we were discussing Charbonneau's condition, my thoughts wandered. I again thought about things that have happened to me, and how I could see that people will come to be depending on me for something very important. Tyr certainly couldn't have sent me back to do something mundane! I've got a destiny before me. But in the corner of my mind, lies a fear. Am I ready? I need to be strong, to stand up for others sake, to set great things in motion. Can I do it? Can I really be ready to bear the weight that will come down on my shoulders?

There's another side of this fear that sits in me. I voiced it back at the end of the first entry of this new diary. So much has changed for me in a short time, and more changes are to come. I see the "little girl" I was slipping away. I fear losing her, because it feels like I'm losing myself. Yet I know I have to change into a stronger person, and fear that if I don't change, I'll be too weak to do what is needed.

I really must have looked bothered by these thoughts that plagued me, as both Braeth and Charbonneau were asking if I was alright. I bared a deep part of my soul to them. Words came spilling out of my mouth, telling of the fears that gripped my heart.

They gave me many words of encouragement that night, and I feel much better from it. They've shown me that I am strong, and I can face the changes that come. For I am not alone. My faith in Tyr and the love of my friends will always be with me to lift me up when things seem down.

Aye, the fears are still there, and they always will be. But I shall not let them overcome me.

After seeing that I was in a better mood, Charbonneau bid his farewells and headed to bed. Braeth again offered to take me to see a place within the woods, and I accepted. It was a beautiful place, even if goblins often came to bother us. Seeing Braeth in front of the campfire, telling of how invigorating it was to be back in nature, reminded me of Tyger.

Good ol' Tyger. He's an elven ranger that Papa had travelled with many times in his adventuring days. I could never pronounce his full name correctly, much less spell it. Tyger periodically would invite me to his camp and share stories with me. Some were about my Papa, others about his home, or stories of nature. I think Tyger treated me as a god-daughter of sorts, for he had a lot of respect for Papa.

I could feel Mielikki in the small clearing when Braeth offered his prayers to her. It was nice being there, very peaceful, except for those pesky goblins. Braeth setup a lean to, making sure that it was well camoflagued, and we both slept the night there, his arms holding me tight.

Such comfortable sleep is hard to find in even the most expensive of inns.