The Howling Horde -
Part I
An
excerpt from the journal of Lilly Johnston
Although I am doing my best to hide my
new affliction I do feel weaker and more vulnerable than before. I
don't want my fellow comrades to know that the elven bard's condition
truly has me concerned for my own health. I know I was naive to think
that I would be able to resist what ever evil the crown contained, I
was arrogant to think that being a priest made me invulnerable and
truly this mus be my punishment from Bridget.
Finally, I thought our luck in adventuring had
changed as the weather was beautiful for our journey, a blessing of
Bridget I am sure. We made it to the ruins of Viseraz in
excellent time but that is where our luck seems to have
ended. I have no idea what I am supposed to do or even if
Ariel ment for me to actually find a way to stop what has already begun
or if she wanted me to do as much good as I can with the time I have
left.
No sooner than we arrived and started to set up camp
for the evening than three gnomes (of all the creatures to run into I
never thought I would actually see one let alone three) came crashing
into our camp with a pack of gnolls hot on their heels.
Unfortunately, one was already dead when they arrived but the other two
proved to be quite useful in a fight. We quickly dispatched the
mangy animals and learned that a particularly Large and vicious gnoll
has united all the packs in the area and besieged the Gnomes'
warren. This would explain what happened to Restwood; burned to
the ground with not a soul left to tell the tale. Such Despicable
creatures! We have agreed to help the poor gnomes but what we
mere five (and Sparrow) can hope to accomplish against hundreds I am
not sure. Our best hope is to eliminate the pack's leader, who is
no doubt firmly rooted in the center of their camp. On our way to
the warren we discovered there was only one entrance left accessible to
creatures of our stature, unfortunately the gnolls where also aware of
its general location. It seems the tales of Gnomish magic are
true as the door was magically concealed along with its opening
mechanism. We also discovered that there are ogres working along
side the gnolls. What rotten luck, Bridget mush want a great deal of
atonement from me!
I am very blessed to have the friends that I do and
I am glad that if I do not find a cure I will be surrounded by the
people I have grown to love as my own family...yes even Roderic.