Bort's Personal Journal

"When you fight only to better yourself, you will never better yourself" -Vectros
Paladins.....

I journeyed to the tavern I had seen near the cross roads. It was a nice place. I met a dragonborn, an eladrin, and another man each from nearby towns.

We decided to travel south to the home of Cran the dragonborn

I bruttally mutilated a kobolt skirmisher. He never stood a chance. The fools tried to ambush us but we cut them down. I launched a furious bolt splitting the skull of that skirmisher. Down in one shot. Later that day we happend upon another larger group of these creatures. We sprang out from behind cover and surprised them. Nothing like a bolt piercing your Chest to wake you up in the morning. I was hit by the skirmishers spear, but It is just a flesh wound. After finishing off the group, we rested.

Upon approaching the village we noticed they were being attacked by more kobolds, we ran and fought some off and the rest fled. I may have accidentaly landed a bolt in the back of that paladin... hopefullly his god requires forgiveness.....

We Met with the head of the dragonborn village. Pretty crazy guys. All about respect and honor. But they were pretty cool, a guy in the village agreed to enchant my armor. This is fantastic. I thought about letting him look at my crossbow, but I wasn't sure what he would say. After staying in the village for a day I decided to journey back home.

Entry II
First month of Spring. Day 20

I have been back in Bartopia for awhile now. I don't think anyone but my father misses me when I'm gone. He asked me about my travels when I arrived and I informed him of the Paladin I had met, the Eladrin, and the Dragonborn. He informed me that he had happened upon the dragonborn village several years ago, but he wished not to meddle in their affairs as they are a very proud race. He also lectured me about Eladrin and about Bahamut and whatever else he could think of. I did not even dare mentioned That I had taken his crossbow instead of using my own. I still want to find out what secrets it holds but I don't even know why he has it. He fights with a sword, and though I know he is capable with a bow, I've never seen him fire a crossbow.

So The town continues to grow. Father is happy to welcome in as many outsiders as want to enter but Titus's children seem somewhat weary of some of them. The talk of building the bridge has started again. Most of the people seem willing but there is still one curious man who tells stories of fierce armies of monsters nearby. I have still never encountered what He speaks of and i'm starting to think he is just a crazy old guy.

Grandfather has been out and about lately a little more than usual. I need to spend more time with him and see what I can learn. He tells some pretty amazing stories of far off lands but I'm more interested in the crazy myths he likes to talk about.

Second Month of Spring
Day 22

The crazy man who spoke of the monsters all around us is no longer with us. He was quite fearful of a pair of dragonborn who visited our village. Fearful to the point that you could say he became quite crazed. He drew a rusty short sword and attempted to run one through as they sat outside speaking with father, Titus, and Tiberius. He got close before he was stopped... in his tracks by a well placed dagger. It is amazing how useless your hand becomes when their is a blade in your wrist. I must have been practically a furlong away And then I interrogated him and learned he was hired by an evil demon and then he turned into the demon and Tiberius took off running and I stood there all by myself and fought him off with an epic slash of my sword because I picked up fathers sword after blinding him with a two bolts i fired at the same time and then I cut off his head and then the whole village bowed down to my awesomenesss.... He approached the back of one of the dragonborn when he suddenly stopped. I did not what was going on. His eyes turned from white to red and then I noticed blood start to come out of his nose and ears. Grandfather had stopped him with much ferocity. That man died a pretty gruesome death. I can't even remeber his name. I talked to some villagers and apparently no one knew very much about him. He tended to wander away from the village for days at a time much like myself. Father and Grandfather talked alone for a long time after that happend. We sent the dragonborn away with a pair of cattle. I recommended that If they wanted meat we could just push a cow into the river. By the time it got to their village it would be softened up quite nicely. Father ignored my comment. I broke into the man's hut that night(Yeah I've got skills) I found an interesting scroll he had hidden in his mattress but it was in a language I did not recognize(Grandfather could probably read it) The place had a strange aura but seemed normal enough. Besides the scroll there was nothing of any interest(and only a handful of silver)

Entry IV
8th month of Spring
Day 15

I had to get out of Bartopia for awhile, So I headed to Moe's. My original plan was to head towards the mountains and just do a bit of exploration, But I want to be in contact until I find out about that party thing. I went ahead and loaded my pack anyway(not that I need it. I could survive out here for weeks in the dead of winter.) I will probably head west into the wildeness. I have never traveled very far in that direction and I am curious as to what I will find. But I think I may travel to lightville. See what that place is like.

Bort carried out 1 launched of one d20 :

13

+ 10
I decided to sneak up and see what I could find out about Lightville. This place seems nice but I don't feel like making friends today. Lets see if I am still the ghost I try to be.

Bort's Personal Journal
Entry V
4th Month of Spring
Day 14

I have traveled west of the crossroads. Was not much to see at first. The woods were lovely as they always are this time of year. I traveled towards the valley where lightville is located. I very stealthily approached the city. I didn't want to do anything bad, I just enjoyed looking around. The town is very nice and the valley is very green. That village should have no problem prospering. This place seems rather void of outside activity. Probably why they chose the area. I Continued west through some hills in the forrest and ran into a bear. Against my better judgment I decided to engage it. I killed it without taking a scratch. I kept its head, claws, and some meat. Hopefully I can sell those for a little bit of gold. I decided to head back towards the crossroads.

Bort's personal journal
Entry VI
6th month of spring
Day 15
Vectros the Paladin has come to Bartopia. I'm curious as to what he thinks about a place where bows are as common as swords. It is true this place offers a little bit of everything, but growing up hunting in these forests will have an effect on the inhabitants. He stayed in town a day and I showed him around. Unfortunately father was out on a hunt and grandfather did not want to be disturbed. I told him the fastest way to get to Kran's village is by hopping in the river but he did not like that idea. I gathered a few special supplies and then we headed out via the crossroads.

Bort's journal
Entry VII - Epic Adventure!
7th month of Spring
Day 1

Second Adventure with my friends!

We went with Kran after a guy in the village who had gone missing. We found him in a net. i cut him down and then we were ambushed. They were easy pickins for our weapons. He spoke of a cave and we followed his directions and found it.
A kobold patrol came through and we ambushed them. We went into the cave. I snuck up ahead and saw a large number of kobolds along with a bunch of gold and bones. I came back to tell everyone and they were not much for my idea of battle tactics.... We heard some outside so I said we should charge out and take them out. We ran outside and killed two patrols. My allies were so taken over by the heat of battle that we simply charged into the cave. There were many minions around their worm priest. Desmond using some of his Eladrin magic brought him within of sword's reach of my allies who then quickly cut him down. I continued to pick off the minions one by one. Vectros was quickly surrounded by minions so I may have thrown an alchemical fire at him.... He didn't look too happy when the pot burst into flames against him but as the kobolds collapsed around him I'm sure he didn't mind too much.

After killing the last of those we searched the treasure in the middle of the cave. There was much gold. I also took a magical stone used to enchant an item. While gathering the gold, we were surrounded my a massive amount of kobolds but before they could shake a spear a blue dragon descended the cave and utterly destroyed them. This "dragon" was no other than Kran's father Zorai. My allies decided to head back to town after that. I stayed behind to search the kobold dwellings. I found nothing of any real value and decided to just burn crude structures. As I was preparing to leave I heard another dragon above and hid myself it. A young red dragon descended the cave. The fires I had lit must have hid my smell. He looked rather angry that his treasures were gone and flew off.

I headed back to the village. I asked Zegi about the stone i had found and he said he would gladly enchant my weapon with it. I then asked if only he could do it(which he seemed to think was an odd question)but he said anyone could bond this stone with a weapon if they wanted to and explained how it worked. After resting in the village for a couple of days with my allies I decided to head back to Bartopia.

Instead of taking the crossroads, I decided to blaze my own path through the wilderness. The woods were especially thick around the bluffs making this path rather difficult(even for me....) It took longer than I expected but I still got underway. At my first camp I decided to try this magical stone thing. As I neared the stone to the crossbow the inscription glowed brightly but the stone refused to bond. I will be sure to try again when I get home

Bort's Journal
Entry VIII
First month of Summer

Another one of the villagers has began acting funny(I think his name is Gander...) He has started wandering around at night doing who knows what. During the day when he walks around,(which is becoming less and less) he yells at people who get too near to him. He thinks everyone is trying to kill him(which will end up being true if he keeps acting this way). I think he is planning something. Not long ago(when he was only slightly paranoid), he started building a "house" a little ways into the woods. Now he goes into that shed for days at a time. I planned to have a look around one day when I knew he would be busy, but father sent me to the crossroads to purchase some things for the village. Talos came with me. This is the first time I had ever spent much alone time with this hellion. He may in fact be part demon. I think the reason he goes on the hunts so often is simply because he loves to end lives(not that I don't enjoy it sometimes....) While we were in the crossroads I spotted a man on a horse with a strange look to him. I spoke with him and found out that he was from the Raman empire. I tried to ask him about his business here but he was not interested in talking. Talos and I stayed the evening at the inn and then headed back home. I'll have to tell father about this man.

Bort's Journal
Entry IX
Second month of Summer

Gander was preoccupied with other business so I decided to break into his shed and see what I could find out. The lock on the front door turned out to be somewhat difficult, taking longer than I thought it would, but, I got it open and hurried inside. The bastard had rigged the place. Some sort of concussion stone exploded when I walked in(I don't even know how I tripped it) sending shrapnel and some sort of acid in all directions. I tried to dodge and turn but it was unavoidable. My right arm and leg got kind of cut up. I knew I didn't have long until he would be back(he probably heard the blast), so I just grabbed a pair of these devices that were lying on a table and I hobbled off. I pulled my cloak around my head as i went out and just headed for the woods. Someone saw me walk out but I don't think it was Gander. I spent awhile picking pieces of iron out of my armor(and my leg). I waited until it started getting dark and snuck back home.

Bort's Personal Journal
Entry X
Second Month of Summer
Day 17

I decided to just get out of town for a bit. I don't think anyone knows for sure what happened but there aren't really that many people in town who would be suspected of breaking in somewhere...... So the devices I grabbed are little mechanical bombs. They can be set to explode after a short delay. I may have started a small fire in the brush when I figured this out. I still have one of these things and i think it could be very useful.

Bort's Personal Journal
Entry XI
4th month of Summer

Grandfather entered my abode today needing to speak with me. The first thing he said to me was that I need to leave Gander alone. I tried to tell him I was just curious and even told him about the device I had found but he simply remained stern and asked that I do not bother him further. (I guess I got lucky. Getting caught breaking in somewhere else could be much worse....) I agreed. Before leaving, grandfather laid eyes on the crossbow I had been carrying. I had put a piece of cloth around it to cover the inscription. He picked it up and removed the cloth and I then noticed that the inscription was glowing. He asked me where I had gotten it. I simply said that I had found it. Then he smiled and spake telling me that it had once been his long ago.... I started to ask about the inscription but I found myself unable to speak. He was still looking at me and it felt like his eyes were piercing right through me. I try to speak again, but nothing was heard. I start to feel shaky. His hand comes up from his side and without thinking I jerk away taking a step back, but as I do this a dagger seems to come unbound from my harness and then quickly glides to his hand. He steps toward me and my arm goes up as if to block him. He takes hold of it with his left and hand and delicately instills the tip of the dagger into my arm. I want to shout out, but I cannot. My arm is frozen in place. My body seems trapped. I feel as if I am bound tightly, not being able to move at all. He slowly withdraws the dagger and then picks up the crossbow. The tip of that dagger, he uses like a quill and seems to inscribe on the weapon. He finishes and lays the crossbow down... I startle myself and jump up. I am alone. The events seemed like a dream, but there is blood on my sleeve and I am missing a dagger. Also, As I take hold of my crossbow, I can see the inscription glow, and I can feel the weapon in my hand like I have never felt it before.

Bort's Personal Journal
Entry XII
6th month of Summer
Day 11

I think Gander has left town for good. Four men walked into town with him a few days ago with a cart. They packed it with things from his shed and house and then headed out along the road. I had planned to follow them but grandfather reminded me while they were working that I had agreed to leave him be. Probably won't take too long for another crazy person to move into town, so I can have someone else to bother.

I saw a dragon fly by last night. The sun had gone down, but the moon was bright and I could see the glitter off the scales. Probably a young one. He was flying North. I wonder if he is the one I saw last season in the cave.

Bort's personal journal
Entry XIII
7th Month of Summer

Vectros had been complaining about bad dream and fearing that they may have meaning he gathered Kran and Desmond and headed towards the ford North of Bartopia. I joined them and we traveled down a fresh trail we spotted. We passed a cart as we got closer and I was sure that this path was made by the same men who I saw leave Bartopia not long before. We eventually came upon the entrance to what looked like a mine. I had seen this place before but had never been inside as the entrance had collapsed long ago. The men must have blasted it out. The amount of supplies just sitting around the entrance makes it appear obvious that they were planning on spending some time here. We traveled inside and found some more supplies and their bedrolls. The mine was not a mine at all. It was some sort of old dungeon or temple or something. Possibly built by the Ramen empire many years ago. We went further and encountered a few men. The paladin charged at them with his sword drawn and Kran shouted and roared with his ferocious dragon voice. I don't know if they would have attacked us, but they certainly were after that. We killed most of them without much trouble. The mage fell, but he was still alive. We managed to wake him, but he was frightened and dying and did not really give us much information. I put him out of his misery. We traveled into a large round room. The floor was damp and there was an odor around. Something did not seem right but we traveled on and Kran walked right into a Gelatinous cube. We slayed the beast easily and traveled on. We travel down another hallway with a door at the end. One of the fools in our party decided to bang on the door. We heard people inside but when we opened the door they were gone. We traveled down a stair case and found another locked door. After a couple of tries, we broke it open. Gander was there with a couple of mages, guards, and a couple of lackeys. Kran was outstanding during this battle. He easily resisted the poorly conceived trap of Gander. He ripped apart his mages, easily resisted his lighting attack, and then finished off Gander. A soldier tried to flank him and did land a blow on his arm, but the rest of us cut him down before he could do more. After killing them, we looked around the room for a bit. There were statues of several races around the room, but in the center was a much larger sculpture of a dragonborn. Clenched in its jaws was some sort of orb or stone. We Desmond and Vectros each tried their luck in removing the stone, but were unsuccessful. I somewhat suddenly grabbed Kran's bleeding arm and forced it against figure. He quickly withdrew it giving me a strange look. I honestly don't even know why I did it, but to our amazement, the teeth withdrew and I easily removed the sphere. I think it was the blood that did it. We could all feel the magic from the sphere, but Desmond seemed slightly worried about it. I told them that I would hang on to it for now. Vectros did not seem to like this idea very much at all. (I think he gets a little upset when I accidentally shoot him.... Not even I am accurate every time.....) But I insisted and they accepted it. We found a journal on Gander. He sounded like a crazed man. He had be hearing voices and having visions that had led him to this place. Which I guess is when he started building those bombs and eventually hired these people. I asked Vectros about his dreams and asked if one day he was planning on going crazy and finding some old ruins to run around in. He was not amused. We left the place and traveled to Moe's so we could all enjoy a brew.

Bort's Personal Journal
Entry XIV
Time is relative

Where to begin. I am Bort, but that should already be known to you. Who are you? This is my journal, and if I am still well on this world and did not give this to you to read than you are possibly and enemy and I have nothing more to say to you. Good day. Wow. I really need to get out more. Okay, let me think. The sun is shining, the weather is warm, and I am sitting alone. I have not written in here for years. I am quite glad I found this thing though. Some memories come floating back. I read my last couple of entries. I sure have grown up a lot. Not that anyone would ever believe me if I told them. Okay, lets talk about what is going on. Bartopia is thriving. The keep is splendid. And I basically have access to anything I want when I am there. Strangely though, I have no desire to stay there. As far as I know I am still honored as the great occulta militum praefectusque, but who knows if anyone would actually follow me. I'm still not sure if the position even exists for any more reason than to give me a title when father correspond with the empire. He has been doing that more frequently of late. I knew things had been worsening but father seems to think it will collapse completely. Who knows. So I forgot how much I liked being out here alone on occasion. Staying in Moetown is quite different. Yeah, and I'm rambling. I guess I will go now. I am headed back to Moetown again already. Saria said one of those groups of ruffians had been getting a little more ambitious as of late so I'll probably watch them for awhile and pick off a couple of them if they cause any trouble. Better than letting her take care of it and we end up with half a village burned down....