Mark's Journal #7: First Ones

Mark’s Journal 11/06/09

I’ve always been a lighter sleeper than my companions, especially Leviss. I spend many a late night busy in thought or in writing my journals. One thing I learned in all my years living in a temple was the power of a focused mind. Awaking early the next day, and feeling unproductive, I crept outside the inn. The nights are the worst time for me. My low-light vision makes many a darkened night a bit brighter, thank Erathis, but the night reminds me too vividly of where I came from, and how easy it could be to slip back into the darkness. There are times, when I am bloodied and enraged, that I feel that primal power trying to break free of the cage that I’ve built for it, but so far I have been able to use this power without losing the control. This night was different. Dreaming of light turning to darkness, and the White City falling, I had to tackle the early morning, feel like I could strike back the shadows with my sword, and settle these dreams. Finding an isolated spot not far from the inn, I began my forms. Spinning in place, stabbing, and shield sweeping, just doing something with precision and accuracy made me feel better, made me feel better prepared for whatever comes next.

After everyone woke up, we reviewed the job board. From the library came a posting about some recent geological activity revealing a possible temple outside of the city. Unfortunately, it is currently inhabited by goblins that have already killed one person.

Finally, something to do. Saddling up, we made our way to accept the job and then to the northwest to find this cave. Arriving at the mountains, Avaron’s familiar Jello made itself useful by demonstrating tremor sense. Sensing that something was down in the cave, but unsure of what it was, we made our way in. What should have been routine, ended up being quite dangerous. Ambushing us, we were easy prey. I ended up falling in some kind of oil, which ignited, burning my face, and fur…again. I tell you, it is a good thing that it grows quickly, especially when I longtooth shift, or else I would be very angry at such a mistake as waltzing into a trap. My candid attitude should reveal that while we were caught off-guard, we were not defeated, and that my vanity was not injured too greatly.

After fighting through two cavernous rooms, we found a statue. Taking up an entire wall of the cave in height, it appeared to be a giant drake, blue in colour, staring at us. It was menacing, terrifying even, exuding power, old power, with a tenacity that I would not have thought possible in a statue. Unable to do anything but stare at it, I was unaware of Leviss reaching for the blue orb at its base. Upon touching it, he was thrown back to the back of the room. When he woke up, moments later, he could only mumble something about the “first ones”.

Making our way back the library, licking our wounds so to speak, we informed the librarian who gave us 500 gold for our trouble. As a result of all this adventure, Avaron was late for class, and so we accompanied her, albeit late. Her instructor, an evocation expert, so I was to learn, was a grim faced man with a sardonic wit, and a presence that demanded respect and focus. His first lesson, intended to give Avaron a feeling for control involving moving in a way similar to one of my martial forms. I call it, the Cycle of the Town Square, it involves a sweeping motion of both arms while stepping. Performing this over and over is meant to focus your body and mind and make your moves repetitive and controlled. Leviss and Tori grew bored of it quickly, and I, too used to the actions, stopped shortly after they did. Repeating it over and over, Avaron seemed to display a knack for it.

Magic, and being ambushed, either one would be enough to make me angry, but for both to happen, and to such a degree as it has, I rest lightly, hoping for better days.