GOOD DEEDS

• Slew a foul necromancer with the aid of three noble companions

UNWORTHY DEEDS

• Accidentally brought an attack by undead down upon innocent townsfolk through careless behavior

So…kind of a wash really.

PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT
Do not listen next time Imdarr Relvaunder says it’s okay to just hang on to something.

The troubles in Red Larch appear to be only symptoms of some much larger evil, as would be expected for something that could arouse the interest of a deity.

I have found several allies, as promised. The dragonborn seems a very decent sort, and a capable fighter. The aarakocra appears to share the thirst for knowledge. He questions everything, sometimes in the most bizzare ways. I think we could become great friends, if I can only figure out how to interact with him more successfully. I’ve also met a quiet elf who appears to share some interest in the area. While a bit standoffish, she looks like she could be a very loyal friend as well.

We’ve slain a necromancer at Lance Rock that was causing some local trouble, but I’m not sure he’s connected to the larger issues. Still good to save the innkeeper at least some trouble. He had an interesting gem in his “home” – I need to learn more about that. The innkeeper also suspects something is happening at the Mellikho Stoneworks. I think I’ll focus on gathering information about it tomorrow, as my background should be useful there. I asked Xa to watch it for part of the night to see if I can learn anything useful before going in.

Vallivoe pointed us to an odd skull a bit farther away that seems more likely to be connected to the larger issues. According to Genri, the arrow that was pinning it to the tree registers as evil. None of us have had any of the visions he spoke of – seems like just stories of scared travellers. Genri is keeping the arrow, as the one with most experience with such things. We’ll need to purify it somehow, but I want to learn as much as we can about it first. I’m going to let Xa take the artifacts we recovered today to Vallivoe while I focus on the Stoneworks tomorrow, and compare notes later in the day.

Addendum: We had the visions Vallivoe spoke of at midnight, and worse, actual skeletons rose up to attack us. The arrow seems the most likely source – we’ve all handled it, and the skeletons came only for us, no one else in town. It’s even more important to learn more about this now. I think I can learn a fair amount with the powers Deneir has granted me, if the party agrees to help me a bit. Xa subdued a watchman at the Stoneworks, but doesn’t seem to have learned much useful beyond confirmation that something requiring a hysterical watchman is happening there. I still want to check it out tomorrow if possible.

We all one day go Below, to live in the worm kingdom, to be reborn into the green and growing world. This is the way of things.

Someone in the hole has been blocking off the path to the Green, has been stealing from the worm kingdom, has been waking those in the dreamless sleep.

This is rude. This is not the way of things.

The dragonling has a cleansing shout. It restores dreamless ones to better harmony.

The hole is congested with sadnesses. It coughs-coughs, forces travelers out.

The afternoon sun is not the moon, but it is warm and it is glad and it is yellow-orange alive.

The sun sees that the travelers are weeping red that dreams of below, seeks to return to below. The dwarf must rest that he may make his many consolations.

The bird man climbs down from the sky, laden with little joys. He is a lucky thing, a blessed thing. He is not of Below.

Friend is restless. It is time to go back into the hole. To right the sadness, bring clean breath.

The Lord of Lance Rock must go the Green.

GOOD DEEDS
• Greeted fellow travelers along the road with courtesy and offers to share supplies
• Provided informational pamphlets for the benefit of many souls that heretofore existed in the darkness of ignorance with respect to Pelor’s light
• Pursued word of the criminal Bastian Thermander with determination, thus uncovering new leads
• Investigated local troubles at the request of her host
• Entered a spooky cave with the intent of rendering aid to the sick
• Liberated the souls of several undead for their journey into the world to come
• Made new friends of sundry and diverse origin

UNWORTHY DEEDS
• Failed to prevent her companions from handling tainted items
• Failed to exercise judicious restraint in the exhalation of sacred fire

PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT
I shall meditate on my failings, praying as always for guidance and courage to redress them.

May the rising smoke carry this account to Pelor, the true judge, whose mercy shines on the just and the unjust alike.

I am keeping this correspondence in accord with the tenets of Master Nansen, who nearly killed the cat.

I am Paack, and all of my feathers are in order. I have checked MANY times. I have no more excuses.

Master Joshu saved the cat by taking action. Actions are what my companions are taking. I will also take actions. But I will not take the opportunity to enter this ground hole. Gargoyles live there, I am certain.I was not chosen to fight the gargoyles, I was chosen to learn from Joshu atop an offensive protrusion.

I must think in the sky now. I will watch for my flock.

If I am not entering the Earth Prince’s cloaca, I will help my companions. I will soothe their wounds when they return with dirt in them.

The time before feathers was a time of many mixed nourishments. When I did not have feathers, there were many nourishments I did not choose. One does not choose when one do not have feathers.

My new companions do not have feathers.

I shall choose their nourishment for them like it was chosen for me.

I have wings, and I am choosing nourishment for my companions. These are red berries with pungent flavors that numb the tongue. I pierce them, then put them in the sac and adjust the gravel.

I have found a tall wood box that those of this place keep their walking food in. Light caught my glance, and I have checked with both eyes to see bottles on a shelf. I have been taught to share, so I left scrolls in exchange.

Now I carefully place the nourishment in the bottles. Most of the nourishment. My beak was not made for bottles. As my allies drink the nourishment, my crest feels full, but I keep it flat.
Perhaps I have saved a cat in my own way.

many arrows
the bow whose name is “Friend”
the mouse whose name is Tolliver like the boy who was Tolliver
eyes of gold
the sword that curves like the moon
the shield
openers for many things
biters that poke the feet
a petrified robin’s egg
the small knife that left the bounty hunter to stay with me
short hair, not for grabbing
things to eat or not eat
water to drink
a cheese with a rind that smells of manycherries wine
the best map of Waterdeep, with all the secret secrets
a string of many colors
tough feet
the smell of the feywild always
the sign of the harp
the scar from that time
the burned piece from the game we used to play
the name Bastian Thermander
a paper that asks “What is the color of wind?”
the alleys and sidestreets, the forest of stone
debts to pay
debts that cannot be paid
breath
life

I am keeping this correspondence in accord with the tenets of the Grand Master Joshu, who saved the cat.

I am Paack. I am not from this place and I am especially not from Red Larch. I am chiefly from a place that is all sky, and I am also from an offensive protrusion where I met Grand Master Joshu after the sky didn’t want me anymore.

I have been giving thoughts to the people from Red Larch as I was instructed to do. I have not yet found enlightenment, despite looking with great detail at the conversations I have.

I cannot find the insides of these words like Master Joshu can.

I have met these people on my pilgrimage. There is an especially shiny walking jewel, a quiet one that is not like the others with a mouse that is not food, and a short one with ill-preened chin feathers. I have decided to accompany them to do things because some of the things we do are complimentary and Master Joshu told me to “see the journey for what it is, and its parts, for enlightenment can be found in a grain of sand on the beach, a grain of rice for breakfast, or a grain of friendship.”

These scrolls are heavy on my back, and I do not like this ground mouth I am looking in to. Is this enlightenment?