Brave World- Chronicles of Carl

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- Session 1

So i got this letter, well i pulled it from a board, anyways I basically have decided to pack up my life as a busker and seek fame and fortune, maybe i could swap the fame for more fortune, and head out to cutter's port.

After stowing away clumsily in the back of a wagon and sweet talking my way on to a ship I get there, cutters port that is, its a nice place i suppose but my true location is Moldad!

I've been asking around for a little while and been given the direction to where i want to go, but I'm running early so I'm going to hit the tavern and see if the yokels like my playing, and if I'm lucky i won't have to pay for board!

So I walked into the town hall, and when i got there everyone else had already arrived, Rita, Tam and Arthur all of which looked like they would be pretty handy in a fight. Well that was good I'll let them do the charging whilst i take them out from the side lines!!

The town itself is more of a small village which is almost integrated with he forest, I'm surprised they don't just chop more trees down to make room for me houses, but then again island people to think differently from others.

Introductions were brief we shook hands and were spoken to by the mayor/elder or whatever he is, so apparently there have been wolf attacks and i was hoping for some kind of monsters like the story tells, ah well!

Just got back from examining the dead body of Mr. StockTack the medicine man seemed to sort of know what he was ding and claimed that there was some kind of numbing poison, it didn't;t last very long but managed to paralyze the victim of the wolf for long enough to end his life.

We saw it! In the middle of the night we were awoken by crashing and shouting, one of the monsters were going after the young stocktack, we rushed to his aid and Arthur slew the beast, my bullets doing very little against them, the battle was short but exciting, i think this calls for a drink and a song!

This morning we interviewed madame stocktack, she was grieving and her son was shaken but we did our best to get any information out of her that we could, apparently there was a man which passed through recently and paid in these massive gold coins.

Tam ha stayed to make sure there was no further grief and their wasn't, and when everyone was settled we headed into the forest with Tam in the lead tracking the beasts passage.

I'm beginning to think that their maybe be somewhat of a link between the gold coins the man gave out and these beasts as the late Mr stocktack did have one clenched in his dead hand.

We are in a clearing, everything is quiet and there was a ready made camp, or at least a well used site. We are in the final hours of sun so we...

More beasts, they came from the trees, we made pretty short work of them but it seems that they are a lot more than we first thought, Tam also mentioned something about chanting, it looks like we are getting close! This will make a good story one day!

After trekking into the forest we came to nothing, the tracks ended abruptly Arthur thinks what ever was here transformed, but there were no off leading footprints. Then a man began to speak, he was pretty well hidden but i spotted him, sat upon a tree stuttering things like "how are you still alive" and the such, needless to say that he was obviously the person causing this madness as he started chanting and several of the beasts appeared! I was charged but put a bullet between in to its Head, though it didn't stop it from sinking its teeth into my legs and injecting its paralysis venom into me.

the next thing i remember is I'm on my feet shouting at the man with he sword, i called him weak, told him he didn't stand a chance and the sucker bought it. He dropped into a blithering mess on to the floor, Arthur took his finely made sword. Apparently the wolves are called abbbashi, or something was hard to tell with the stutter.

We managed get out of him that the abbbashi were designed to hunt magic, which considering that it only exists in stories was kind of hard to believe and we also managed to get him to say the name of the man he worked for however in doing so he dropped dead. I've never seen a man die before, but after all the chaos he had cause maybe it was better this way.

That name was Iori

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- Session 2

The day went well enough, after a successful adventure we returned to town and I was finally left to my own devices, so i decided to get my flute out and have a good time.

/*scrappy handwriting*/ Overheard people talking about bandits, between here and some place called feeth, ha! also... something about pandas killing bandits and.. /*teh rest of the writing is illegible*/

Last night I ended up relaxing with the local townspeople and having a merry drink, then I remember throwing up horrendously over both myself and the ground outside the tavern then was told that i was too sleep in the tavern, i have a feeling I visited my fellow adventures at some point but there is quite a lot of blank space about last night. Note to self, easy on the drinking, on he plus side however i managed to make enough money to pay my way.

News of a 'fun herb' festival reached my ears today, now that sounds like a very good place to go next!

Met up with the guys and Rita, and we are now on a cart heading towards feeth, which according to my scribbles from last night have something to do with bandits and some pandas?

So as I feel awful with hangover and despite brushing my teeth, showering and changing my clothes still feel rough, and this bumpy ride is doing nothing for my stomach.

Tam is a very serious man, he wears a bear cloak and seems to know everyone, he is always asking the right questions and almost always gets the information we are looking for and seems to have placed himself as leader of the group, which is fine by me because that is far too much work though i would be better in charge.

Arthur is quite like Tam except he seems preoccupied with something, I vaguely remember him being at the bar yesterday but instead of sitting and having a good fun drink instead he seemed grumpy. Still undecided on our ebony maiden she seems withdrawn from the group but invaluable in combat, obviously to early t..

Ha! so whilst writing that above passage we were attacked, i manged to fling myself out of harms way but the action was over as soon as it began, a quick start and quicker finish and a finish that was signaled by my hurling, ha ha its all good to be honest with this hangover I probably would have shot myself I got some pretty mean looks but oh well!

Part way to the village we had a run in with some strange but very combatant travellers, by that i mean they killed the rest of the bandit but there were only there of them mostly wearing black and blue, its is beginning to be come apparent that I need to step up my fighting game, we'll see.

By the time we actually goto to feeth i had attained another pistol, always god considering reloading these things took an age, we helped the stocktacks out and then me and Arthur hit the bar whilst Rita and Tam did whatever it is they were going to do.

Managed to give Arthur the slip a little while after we entered the bar and i realized that this crowd wasn't going to appreciate some good tunes, so i hit up a busy corner and played an hour or so away, after that the guys and Rita found me and i passed them bag of gold the stocktacks had given me, then i carried on but this time it was me AND Rita bringing in the coin.

We started off to a rocky start but eventually got into the swing of things and managed to make some coin to find ourselves a room for the night, though not without some persuasion on my part. tomorrow will be a new day, i do hope the adventures will continue.

Total Bard earnings
10 -mordad
9 - feeth corner (solo)
7.5- feeth corner (+Rita)

Total Spendings
10 -mordad fun night
10 -feeth room

total balance +6 better than a minus I suppose.

[hybridmerc]

<---reserved---->

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- Session 4

After collecting our weapons and allowing Tam and Arthur to rest up for it while we finally descended into the glowing blue fissure. Which basically required just climbing down a rope, I've never been one for climbing and that became apparent as my grip failed and I ended up burning several layers of skin from more palms. but i made it look like i meant to do it, so its all good.

I knew right away that this wasn't where we thought we should be, the walls were crafted not dug out and their was a door at the end of the walkway. This wasn't a mine craft, but despite this obvious revelation we proceeded with care. A huge stone door barred our bath but fen and Tam easily pushed it open.

Through the first door we were faced with what i imagined was the entrance hall or reception room of what ever it was we were in, a hexagonal room with a single door, and murals along the wall depicting a rather morbid scene. A sign above the door leading to the next room read "only for the selfless and selfish will their door remain locked, though the door below was hefted rather easily by Fen. This was starting to feel like a real adventure!

Then the voices came, i didn't notice it at first but from the pale expressions on everyone's faces i imagined that they heard it first. I stood strong and tried to hide my fear, but it shook me. Heck it must have shaken everyone that is if they heard them, i didn't say anything and neither did everyone else.

For the next few hours we went through a series of hexagonal rooms, each one had between 3 and six door and they each had jewels in them. Tam took it upon himself to investigate the jewels, which after touching them, seemed to cause him pain. I didn't volunteer of course but from the way he grunted i imagined it really smarted.

Seeing that mindlessly pressing jewels was probably going to end up doing more damage than explorational progress we back tracked to a couple of corridors which sat opposite each other yet were identical, each of them watched over a plinth with a dagger dug into it.

The voice came again as i approached, it warned me away, at this point I was far from comfortable with this new entity in my mind but i heeded the words and so advised the party to let it rest. However there was an inscription reading "death to magic" With my curiosity peaked by the mention of magic i quickly changed my tune and was soon carrying it and using its blade to poke open doors!

We wondered through what I have now decided was some kind of tomb for several hours, it was alright, except form the voices. even now in the safety of the tavern in my slightly intoxicated state i feel as though they are lingering with me...

We eventually came to a room, a strange glowing star on the floor, probably the cause of the initial glowing we saw form the mine and then everything went black and something, red maybe even crimson floated in front of me. it did real have a corporeal form ad it offered me something and in exchange anything I could desire.

Maybe all thee stories I knew growing up and reciting in taverns have some kind of footing of truth. There was fear, i tried not to show it but every time i stop for a second, or close my eyes i can see it, i can hear it... maybe i wasn't cut out for this adventuring, it is a lot more serious than i thought.

-------------------

Brody arrived in town today, half dead walking on pure force of will alone. Tam and Arthur rushed to his aid whilst i was still eating breakfast. I hardly slept last night, and part of me is wondering if i ever will again, how do they do it?

The doctor was able to stabilize Brody but he was in no state to be interviewed so we decided to track him back to the ruined city. We were greeted with what seemed like some massive black powder explosion, which see consistent with Brody's injuries. A dead Azool also lay on the floor and had a piece of paper which read:
"ONE IN UNGER VESSEL, ONE IN SABELS LAKE, YOU ARE TO HOLD THE WEAPON UNTIL KOHINAE ARRIVES"

That name! wasn't that the name of one of the Azools we met on our way to feeth? but now isn't the time for such connections to be made, there is a thunderstorm hammering unger at the moment i think it would be a good idea to get them to take shelter in the mine...

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- session 5

Despite the weather still being horrendous, in fact if anything the thundering booms and the down pour is getting worse. But its not like a little bit of rain is going to stop Tam and this Brody fellow seems hell bent on getting to where he wants to despite the fact that his innards are barely on the inside!

We have a horse drawn cart so we are able to make some serious progress, and i am officially out of coin. I've not really been having the chance to make any coin.

I got to talk to Brody on the way just to really find out more about him and the Azool, to say that he didn't want to talk is an understatement but i managed to find out more about the gates he was babbling about last night as Tam dragged him in from the rain.

So they sound serious, ancient, probably magical, 'gates' that have some kind of demon inside. After our little visit to that strange crypt in unger mine i have a strong feeling that we are responsible for whats happening, though i think it is better if i keep my mouth shut for the time being, there is always the possibility that them azool are responsible. Either way Brody and his group were put in place to protect them from the likes of the azool sharugee.

My head was foggy through lack of sleep so i decided to sleep the rest of the journey.

Just got back from the lake, and I'm still shaking. I don;t know what happened, we were nearly killed! We engaged the Azool after a brief stop in m.p. village we managed to pick up their scent. They were at the lake when we got their but before we could stop them heading into the lake we were attacked by the large one, THRASH.

The battle was horrendous and bloody, Arthur opened with a good hit instantly crippling the armored ogre before heading off in pursuit of the one that had set off into the lake, that's when the sniper showed himself and literally blew a hole through him. Tam and Brody fought with the crippled Thrash, which despite his injured leg still put up a fight. All the whilst I, with the help of Rita, managed to bring down the sniper, thus clearing a way for Tam to head off into the lake after Rita put a bullet through Thrash's mouth.

I decided to make sure that the wasn't feigning death or anything and then that is when it happened, when ii got to him eh was still live. Definitely an azool but half clockwork or machine or something. His entire right arm was an amazing apparatus of .. something! My mind was awash with the heat of battle, adrenaline and hazy with the sight of my comrades' blood and as i looked down on the man that was pleading for his life. He revealed the sign of the azool, and he claimed magic, I remember the words now but I don't think I was listening at the time.

The man drew a sword even from lying down on the floor, oh god I can still see his eyes as i pulled the trigger, he didn't even see it coming, I didn't see it coming... and so as I try and drink away the expression on his face as he saw the gun go off, I sit here and wonder too myself, who have i become?

On a lighter note we all survived, though when Tam and Arthur emerged from the lake they were in serious need of a doctor, im not as tough as they are and they i wish i knew what went on down there. I am asking myself again... am I cut out for this?

[hybridmerc]

--interlude--

So two weeks, nothing to do but relax and get friendly with the ladies, hmm... sure there is another way for me to spend my time...

I've go to get my performing kit back, not really sure where I left it...

Al right so I met Medicine man Carlos down the bar the other day and we got a chatting, we were talking about the night me and the others first came here and I filled him in on what went down in Unger and we had a good time, and then out of the blue he offers to show me how to find my way around a medicine bag.

At first i thought he was joking but then i remembered the brutal injury Arthur took, how he had survived was beyond me and then i thought of Rita getting smashed by the hammer, and i realised then just how lucky i have been.

Needless to say I took him up on his offer....

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- Session 6

This break from adventuring has been good and the time for learning has been even better, if it hadn't been for the constant scrawling of notes and findings from working with Carlos I may have had time to write something....

Brody came and we headed to cutter's port, i Hit the bar and now I'm on a boat, maybe ill challenge Rita to a knife throwing competition, just to ill the time...

Met this arrogant pompous upper class snob which would absolutely not at all engage me in conversation even after we threw knives together, broke my flute after failing to accompany Moira (Tams wife), Arthur is Sick so no light hearted banter AND I have to share a room with his diseased ass!, sheesh its been a crummy day, ah well hopefully ill be inspired by my dreams...

The rich guy's sister came by my room last night chattering about me killing someone.... talk about a crummy day moving onto a crummy night.

I was stood there naked, I tried to fight her off but she overpowered me! She also branded me, i have this strange symbol on my shoulder and my god it hurts like hell, i went outside, i dunno if i was following her or just trying to get some air and i collapsed, well i think i did.

I had a dream, whilst on the deck of the boat int he cold night air. In this dream i was in my house, well it wasn't my house but it was, i don't know if it was a dream or a memory but hen something came through the door. it wasn't friendly and try as I might i couldn't;t escape from It, it was some kind of statue a moving one. Was it magic like the tails of old? was it just a story inside my head unraveling in the fear and regret of what i did to that sniper?

I don't know... but what i do know is that it wanted to kill me, but in the dream I didn't let it, i got their first, i was already half dead before it attacked, i don't know what I'm going to do....

I was half frozen when i awoke, i think i made it back to my bed I'm not sure, my head is pounding... gunna need to get something to keep me awake.

Caught a glimpse of the bitch that branded me whilst i was stood with the other, i was thinking of telling them but how could i? I got overpowered by a woman then was branded then had a nightmare! I would be a laughing stock, besides I can't imagine there is any room in this group for a weak person, its all right ill stay stong...

That's what I need! I need to get strong! Much stronger, like as strong as Tam, I'm sure if that bitch tried to brand him he would take them claws and carve her a new set of breathing holes.

I may not be strong but my god you should have seen the look on her face when i spoke to her the before departing, sure i couldn't take her in a fight but that doesn't;t mean she'll ever forget me. I gave her a sweet farewell, of sorts... but its time to move on, It would be naive of me to blow off the dream as a mere nightmare... got to get strong, ill hunt down a swordsman in town.

Now looking for someone called the grave robber, we arrived at a collection of mausoleums, thousands of graves both named and unnamed, this chap basically has been rooting through here looking for something of value.

After searching for what seemed hours around both the burial grounds and the surrounding shanty we finally struck gold. This place looked damn sight miserable but maybe it could be a site for a pilgrimage, ah imagine that traveling thousands of miles to arrive at possibly the most depressing place I've ever been.

So this gold, wasn't actually gold but notes detailing a guy called Thaddeus and something called IOI, and a really detailed map, me and Rita were able to piece together what we needed and found the last diary entry which was in site 6!

Just finished chatting to the legendary grave robber himself, he has let on quite a few interesting details, apparently the brotherhood are looking for pirate artefact's, and Rita started talking about Viz? or Vise? or something like that. Needless to say we have to find this sword which is apparently one of three objects of incredibly significant power, i am starting to wonder why they are wanting to collect all these items...

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- Session 7

Graverobber was long gone this morning so we packed up shop and headed to thaddeus' old shack but despite our cautiouness Tam still maanged to step on some caltrops, interesting tool, we handed them over to Rita for safe keeping. It was mostly a waste of time and we quickly came up with nothing, except this strange wooden medallion which had an eye carved on to it.

the way back was about at interesting as a plank of wood, ha! now that could be analysed anyway ya want really. I imagine a plank of wood has much worth to a carpenter they could probably tell all sorts of things about it, I'm no carpenter so the figurative piece of wood wasn't very interesting. So i'm just sat in this bar getting my relax on whilst everyone goes off on their errands.

Everyones gone out so me and Rita will just kick back and feed the local economy, on her pocket of course.

Just finished having a conversation with Brody though from the sounds of things he was hard to get a hold of, Tam and Rita went out and so did Arthur and the new guy! Ahh the new guy is a barrel of laughs he has a sense of nobility about him and I remember the name, a family that is obsessed with gambling. Well to each their own, he is carrying some crazy boxes, I'm curious to what is in there but I don't fancy crossing swords with him, his noble swagger probably means he has been formerly trained.

We left Norran when everything was prepared and came upon a town on the outskirts of a place called the HIVE! it seems pretty serious and the brotherhood reckons that we will be able to find Thaddeus there, and also there is a weapon collector which goes by the name of Neage...

This innkeeper is a good crack though not much of a cook, the town that we are resting up in is desolate, i'm getting a bit tired of these empty roads and dead taverns. Whens a brother gunna get to bust out some tunes. We are setting off in the morning, into the hive, I hope things go well, so far the titan in my dreams, yeah thats what i have called it, well haven't seen it again. I gotta ditch my fear though...

[hybridmerc]

Chronicles of Carl:- Session 8
We entered the hive, and it wasn't long until we got into trouble, we had barely traversed a few floors of this ever reaching set of spires when we stumbled upon the feeding grounds of Grave Robber Thaddeus.

A man was talking to him when we entered the store everything got a little crazy, before i had time to blink a man was upon Arthur clucthing him by the throat...