Destressing a bit

My life was full of stress, last weeks. So I decided to have one day to relax, to balance myself with the manasphere around us. I took some runes and food with me and travelled to the quiet shores of Edron. In total harmony with nature, I wandered around trough the woods north of the city, became friends with some bears, ate some delicious blueberries and roasted a rabbit on a campfire with some lonely hunters. We sang some old Elven songs together and I showed them how to make my famous Bunny d'Orange, slightly grilled bunny ears wrapped around orange parts. Then suddenly I heard some noise, and before we could jump on my feet, a skeleton ran trough our campfire, with a swift girl on it's tail. Surprised I ran after her, just to see how she fired two arrows at the skeleton with great skill, no idea how she did it but the skeleton scattered in bones on the floor with nothing else than arrows hitting it.
Then she turned towards me with a big smile, and greeted me with the secret greeting of the Rising Dragons! "Be greeted, mr. Borceforth! Nice to meet you here!", she said. Then suddenly I recognized her, it was Issa Lea, grown up now... She joined our meal, but then continued her hunt. Since I was there to find some rest, we agreed to hunt together sometime in the future. Alone now, I explored some more of the woods on Edron, following the coastline. Across the sea, I was able to see a city, and I knew that had to be Venore. More to the west the large fortress of the Orcs. Pensively strolling, I stumbeld upon a lady that was fishing there. Distracted, I greeted her, but she gave no reaction at all. She just kept fishing. Triggered now, I came closer, and greeted again. Nothing. So I stepped in front of her, but before I had the chance to talk again, I saw something strange... Her eyes where totally shifted, I could just see the white of her eye-balls. Alarmed I took her shoulders and shook her a bit. She just kept fishing, throwing the line with no bait in the sea over and over again. I decided she needed help and used my mental connections to the other Rising Dragons to contact my friend Jack, he lives on Edron. Not much later he arrived with the local psychiatrist, a strange man with an enormous, impressive blue cape around his shoulders. His diagnosis was quick, according to him she was slowly turning into a zombie. He told us that this mental disease striked many druids lately, and the medicine was not difficult: a forced vacation to a place with no water to fish. The cause of the probem was not yet known, so he asked us to watch out for those fishing maniaks and to report all of them.
Then they left me alone again. I stared a bit to the sunset, depressed now. It was time already to sail back to Venore...

Kazordoon's mines

Last days I was very busy to organize a rescue team, since I get more and more convinced about the difficulty of my quest: finding my niece Lorelain and set her free.
This quest will be expensive, of course. So Jack Bonecrusher and I decided to pay the dwarves a visit in their mines. For me a good opportunity to practise my magic attacks, and we expected to get some nice loot from this expedition. My most powerfull magic attack is casting a wave of pure energy. It is not very difficult to do so, but it is actually pretty hard to aim right. But I managed to use the spell very good, my mentor would be proud of me.
After a long battle with the dwarven guards, their elite warriors, we collected really a large amount of valuable things. I dragged a huge bag with me, filled will all kind of dwarven equipment, like battle hammers, battle shields, scale armors, steel helmets and double axes. We were in a good mood and happy that the trip would be a success, since we could sell this equipment for a lot of money. But then suddenly, an evil person showed up. coming from the dark, he grabbed our lootbag and disappeared in the dark. Of course we chased him a long time, but since the bag was way to heavy to just pick up and run away with it, he finally managed to get away from us. This was a real disappointment, and the whole way back to Venore we didn't say much.
Here is a picture of this shameless thief:

Entered by a Ghostship

After the disappointing raid on the headquarters of the Necromancers of Drefia, Jack and I returned to Darashia. There we split up, Jack had some urgent business at Edron, and I planned to gather more information about the Necromancers from Drefia. Since it was already late, I had to find a place to stay during the night. I could not sleep at all, so I wandered around trough the city, took a bath in the public bath, and catched some fish at the harbour. The next morning, I tried to talk to several local merchants, but they were unaware of the presence of Evil powers in Drefia. I also visited the local library, but all books were gone long ago. What happened to those books? Only the gods will know.
So around noon, I decided to travel back to Venore. I found a ship that would head for Venore later that day, paid a generous price to the friendly captain and decided to take a nap. Since I was really tired, I climbed on the highest deck on the ship and fell asleep within a few minutes.
I woke up because all was so quiet. Way too quiet. Alerted, I grabbed my backpack with still some runes left, and started to scan my surroundings. I noticed the ocean was all around us, but we didn't sail. There was no sound at all, an that scared me.Then suddenly I noticed that at starboard, there was another ship! I didn't notice it before, because it was not as visible as 'real' things. It was not transparent at all, but somehow, I did not see it if I did not focus on it. Quickly I went down, looking for my captain, to ask him what was going on. But I could not find him. Knowing that there was no chance that I could handle a big ship like this on my own, I had no other options left, I had to explore the strange ship alongside. So I took a deep breath, and stepped on the board between both ships. As soon as I entered the other ship, many undeads came from all corners and cracks, skeletons and ghouls, some with shreds of typical sailor clothes still wrapped around them. After the first moment of surprise, I runned to some nearby stairs, and with my back against the wall, I managed to parry most of their attacks, meanwhile eliminating them one by one with heavy magic missiles. Those undeads were probably sailing merchants long ago, since some of them carried lots of gold with them. I decided they didn't need that anymore and took it all. Wounded, I climbed the stairs, just to meet a ghost at the steering wheel. This must be the captain of those undeads, so I asked him the first thing that came in my mind: "What, in the name of Durin, happened to you and your ship?" I glanced at me with sad, transparent eyes, and answered with a whispering voice: "Yoooou really want toooooo heaaaeearr? Whooooo are yoooou to help meeee... You betterrr goooo now..." and he throwed some blue powder on his deck, which tranformed soon into a pulsating, magic portal. But somehow I felt pitty for the poor, suffering soul and I asked him again about the story of his life and death. Then he told me a story that made me shiver... Long ago, he was a merchant from Ankrahmun, and sailed the seas to trade with the people of Venore, Edron and Ankrahmun. Sometimes Ab'Dendriel. He always avoided Darashia, since there where pirates waiting for prey near the harbour back then. Barbarian times, I tell you. But once, he decided to sail west, because people from Venore told stories about a rich city called Thais. Some sketches and old maps made him believe that this city should be reachable by ship, so he loaded his ship with the finest trade goods from Ankrahmun, and traveled west, following the coastline. Soon he passed the mountains that were, as the people of Ankrahmun believed, the border of the world. Behind, he found a coastline with a wild jungle. Miles and miles he sailed, and then he found a bay with something that looked like a village, and throwed his anchor. With some of his sailors and junior merchants he went to the village, to find a strange tribe of people that worshipped skulls and big statues of pure gold. As soon as they saw this, his sailors couldn't control themselves anymore. They slaughtered the tribe, burned down their poor cabins, and started to dig out the big golden statues, trying to transport them to their ship. But then the horrible happened: an dark, skinny woman showed up at the borders of the jungle, and shouted with a high voice some terrifying words in a strange language, which made the crew from Ankrahmun shiver and feel a cold deep into their flesh, yes, even their bones felt frozen. Scared, they left the destroyed village, running back to their ship. But from that moment, they were unable to find a harbor, and they didn't die anymore. Some sailors tried to kill themselves, but their soul did not seperate from their dead bodies, and they became undead skeletons. Sometimes, they spotted a ship like ours, and tried to meet with the living people aboard to look for help. But always, the captain jumped in the sea and swam away, scared almost to death, and the passengers were mostly attacked by the hungry ghouls among the former crew.
I decided to help the poor ghost. We agreed that vaporizing his unearthly remains with pure energy would be the best, so I asked him to stand back a bit and focussed totally on the manasphere around me. Then I casted an enormous Energy Wave and he was gone. Somewhat exhausted, I stepped into the magic portal and was transported to the harbor of Venore.
The story of the ghost captain left me thinking. What if Lorelain was not kidnapped by Necromancers, but by the people that lived in the jungle? They seemed to be able to use never seen before magic... It made sense to me, and I decided to find a team that was willing to explore this jungle with me.

Lorelain kidnapped! (part II)

While Crom started a search in old libraries for information about Dark magic, especially involving Dark equipment, Kon started to gather a team for the quest. I knew this would take several days at least, and didn't have that much patience. So I asked my old strong friend, Jack Bonecrusher, to join me and pay the Necromancers at Drefia a visit. Since this place was well-known as a hideout for the evil sorcerers, I hoped to find Lorelain there.

We packed a lot of runes and bolts, because we expected to have some heavy battles. Plain firepower is most important against Necromancers. We sailed to Darashia, and from there we had to travel trough the Daramian desert to Drefia, a haunted, long abandoned city of ruins at the west coast. The only living beings there are Necromancers, and the stalkers they hired to guard the place and to warn them for approaching enemies. To have the advantage of a surprise assault, we waited on the edge of the mountain until we had spotted all stalkers in the area, knowing they would come together sometime to report to their leader about their observations. We used that moment to jump down and take them out, using an extreme ball of fire, a nice spell burned on a rune. Oh, I love to use those runes, they are spectecular. Without the stalkers to warn our enemy, we were able to sneak in the cellars of the main building, using some advanced magic that made us invisible for most creatures. On a deeper floor, we could hear the rumours of human voices, although raw and creepy. We decided to approach the Necromancers fast and with overwhelming firepower, so they wouldn't have a chance to see who or what attacked them. For that purpose, I created two elements of pure living Fire, able to do amazing blasts of fire and causing heavy explosions over a large distance. The plan was maybe a little to simple, since the resistance was more heavy than we expected. Some necromancers managed to summon some creatures battle us, mummies, ghouls and skeletons. But in the end it didn't help them much, we wiped out all what moved in their caves, even a strange cattle of black sheeps with red glowing eyes in a far corner. But we didn't find Lorelain, and my spells to sense human life made it very clear, she was not there, no, she had never been in Drefia...

My friends came over today

Lorelain, my most beloved, young niece, is kidnapped by, as it seems to be, evil Necromancers. I had no idea where to start searching, so I asked some friends to join me in the quest to save her.

Crom will do the intelligence part. He is the brain of our team, because although of little physical strength, nobody can beat his brainpower once unleashed. Normally he hangs around on Rookgaard, teaching and training new souls. He once was my teacher also. But for this quest, he left his natural habitat and joined me in Venore.
Also, my oldest friend, Kon, did not have to think twice before joining me. He hates Necromancers anyway. To be capable of using all required magic, he had to request a promotion in the profession of sorcery first. Now he has all licenses that are needed to use the most deadly "good" magic, something he avoided as long as possible. Although very skilled in the art of sorcery, he really wouldn't hurt a fly. Unless the fly is summoned by a Necromancer.
Crom and Kon are brothers, members of the respected Henceforth Family.

Lorelain kidnapped! (part I)

Something horrible happened! My niece Lorelain, a sweet little girl, growing up to be a lady, is kidnapped! And it is all my fault! My feelings didn't betray me, the Evil Forces have made a terrible strike and hurted me deep in my soul. I felt it comming for days.
Lorelain isn't an adventurer. She is one of those cute girls that chat a bit with the other girls in town, making fun and burning some runes to earn money.But for some reason, I thought it would be nice to take her on a hunt, to train here a bit so she would be stronger on later age. This world is though! So all people should learn at least the basics of survival. We went to an Orc outpost near Venore, after I equipped her with a basic equipment: a Dark Armor that I bought from a friend, plate legs, a Dark helmet and a firesword. She wasn't totally unskilled using swords, since she had practised that on Rookgaard. We slayed some Orcs, and actually we had a great time, she liked it more than she expected before. I thought it was a safe training.
But then suddenly she grabbed her head, and I saw how the Dark helmet was firm attached to the Dark armor. She glanced at me with eyes that seemed to be distracted by something far away, but we were in a small cave. I runned some steps towards her, not knowing what to do, but then the Dark equipment buzzed, and at the same second I appeared on a totally different place, surrounded with lava, in the middle of a fireplace. Totally in panic, I jumped out of the fire and tried to get trid of my burning clothes, meanwhile reaching with my mind for the thoughts of Lorelain. For several minutes, I was totally disoriented, and although I heard some phrases of what my niece tried to tell me, I couldn't react properly. This is what I remember: "Help! Men in black coats chase m..." "...aaah! Where are you WHERE AR.. HELP! help me!".
I never knew that it was possible to move people to another location, other than by divine power. But I remember that I heard rumours of what can happen when several Dark parts are combined...
This all makes me believe that she is kidnapped by Necromancers, and that is a terrible thing to realize. Somehow I have to rescue her.

Dear diary, I hope that you understand why I did not write for several days. This all confused me very much.

Grey Days

Some days are grey. Dark and sluggish, not really bad, but there is something in the air... We just stared a bit over the swamps and enjoyed the swarms of mosquitoes. It wasn't very hot, but the swamps seemed to stink more than normal and somehow I felt fear for a great evil. There was almost no wind, nevertheless we could hear vague yells and screechs of the Orcs on Uldereck's Rock. Maybe their drums brought fear into my heart... From where we stood, the bright Ivory Towers of the Magic Academy on Edron seemed small compared to the huge Orcish fortress to the north.
I spended the day by burning the spell 'Ad Ori Vita Vis' on rune stones.

A day with the monks of Carlin

As you may know, near Carlin is a monastery called "Moonkeep". The most well-known order of monks resides there. Those monks have strange habits and are the cause of many rumours in the community, so my editor ordered me to go undercover and report about their business(I work as a reporter for TibiaNews, worlds biggest newspaper, didn't I tell yet?). It was not very difficult to get in there, since I am pretty skilled in using disguises. I joined a small group that just got instructions to search treasures in the desert of Ankrahmun. Just what I liked! So we traveled together, and on the way I made clear that I was a new monk and that I would like to learn a lot. They didn't talk much, though. After a long trip we arrived in the desert of Ankrahmun. There they took small shovels from under their cloaks and started to dig very fast trough the upper layer of sand. It was more like sieving. I didn't have a shovel myself, so I watched them a bit and gave them water (it was near an oasis). Then suddenly one of the monks gave a short yell, and while I looked up, a big creature came up out of the desert. It was green, shaped like a bug, but it looked very old and strong. The monks seemed to have been waiting for this, because as one man they started to attack the creature. And how! It was very clear, those monks were masters in martial arts! Faster than my eyes could follow, low kicks and sweeping fists, then some crushing sound and the beast lay down, green slime seeping from it's broken, convulsing remains. One of the monks grabbed his shovel and stabbed it deep inside the creature, just behind the first leg. Then he grabbed with his whole arm in the wound, and got a shiny coin out of it! He gave it to me to clean it a bit, and I saw that it must be a very old one. It was shaped to reproduce a creature like the one at my feet, and it seemed to be pure gold. So this was the treasure they searched for... The monks explained me how those creatures, they called them Scarabs, were the guards of the desert, protecting ancient treasuries and wisdom. We spend a whole day that way, just digging and killing many Scarabs, sometimes we found a coin in the sand, sometimes we found one inside one of those guards. In the end, it was very clear for me how those monks got their wealth: a matter of hard work. I will report back to my editor, but I doubt he finds it interesting enough to publish an article about it. And to be honest, if it is up to me, those monks should be allowed to search for treasures in peace, without readers of the newspaper from all over the world as competitors.

Getting old...

Tamed Demon Skeleton

I can't stand it if I get beaten by someone or something. So that adventure where a big red skeleton almost killed me, that bugged me a lot. Today I prepared myself for the fight and went back to that place below the ancient temple of Thais. As I expected, the skeleton was there, not dead anymore. I guess that's why they call them undeads.
This time I left no space for surprises. We battled long time, and I used all my converting magic powers to convince it. At last I tamed it.
I have to admit, it is just to satisfy my hurted proud that I force it to deal with the attacks for me when I hunt, for example, Scarabs. Since it is undead already, it can handle a lot of attacks with poison and fire, it seems immune for it. Anyway, I don't think I will use him often in the future, because I still don't trust him. Obeying my commands is not enough. I don't need a partner that is cute like a rabbit, but this red monster has a bad energy around it. I just don't like it.

Serina

Yesterday I wrote that I would tell all about the Love in my Life. But after sleeping a night, I think that it is better to keep most for myself. Maybe later...

I know Serina almost since the first day that I came to here. And I loved her at first sight. When she started to talk, I knew it was hopeless, I was predestined to love her forever and always. Her voice... sweet as Daraman honey, clear as the crystal ball that Brithael Hurgal uses to scam people. She is a bard that lives in Ab'Dendriel, but I know her from the time that she lived with her father in Edron. Her father, the famous scientist Erillion Talir, who invented the burst arrows, you know him. Quite a clever guy.

Serina and I already had many adventures together, and allways I felt attracted. But I am so shy... so unsure... Yesterday however, I did her a favour, something little, and she was so grateful, I thought it was not normal. Then I suddenly realized that she... she maybe liked me in return! So I went to Edron and bought two of the best red roses, (in case I would damage one on the trip), then I sailed to Ab'Dendriel and went straight to her little house at the Shadow Caves. It took all my courage to knock on the door and hand over the red rose, but from that moment I lived on a pink cloud. She sang for me! We had a great time doing nothing, and later we walked to a beatiful garden at the shores, on a high rock, and stared over the sea together. She is so lovely! Now I am back in Venore again, but my mood is still totally upwards, and I feel like cuddling every person that comes close! Even guys!

I told her that I will speak to her father soon to ask him for his blessings, so I can date with her without any rumours in the community. I am so happy!

Testing my Equipment

Since I have bought a shining Crown body armor, and a fitting shield, I waited for an opportunity to test them in a battle against some strong monsters. So I grabbed my Firesword and went to Darama as soon as my friend from Darashia told me that the caves in the desert there are invested with a colony of rotworms lately. I assure you, a Crown armor is HOT when you walk trough the Daraman desert, with a burning sun high in the sky. Releaved I jumped finally down in a cave where, as me was told, the rotworms awaited me. There were many, and they tried to bite me! It is frightning to feel the earth below your feet move and then suddenly, a mouth as big as a dwarf appears and tries to swallow you. I was prepared to battle one or two of those nasty creatures, but soon I was chased by many of them! Their short, barking sounds where terrible, resounding from all directions in the dark. In my panic, my torch slipped out of my hand and one of the worms ate it. Somehow I was able to reach the hole to the surface and used my rope to climb up. This was not a test of equipment, it was a survival in a horrible grinding machine!The whole trip back to the ship was a hell. I was wounded and starving. I just wanted one thing, an easy time of sparring in a cool environment. So I sailed to Thais and practised my skills on some stupid Cyclopses. No real test for my fabulous armor, but it was nice to spend some time there. And when three Cyclops in a bad mood try to squeeze you, some adroitness is required to avoid fractures.

Love in my Life!

Tomorrow I'll write all about it, but now I want to dream with this day fresh and pure in my memory...

This is why I am so rich!

I make a lot of runes, the most expensive kind. People love to buy them since my runes are famous for their high quality... And I deliver them in handmade backpacks, the finest leather from Kazordoons' rotworms.
With the money I earned, I payed my teachers for several expensive and difficult magic spells. Also, I bought myself an equipment that makes even knights jealous!

That was close...

Life is one big, astonishing adventure!
I would never expect my trip to become dangerous... What I planned to be a short trip to Thais turned out to be a nightmare. I barely survived! Oooh... look at this picture, they touched me real bad! While I was just there to get informed of the latest news, somebody convinced me to help him searching for his missing nephew. And because I am always looking for a good story, I decided to help him. I liked it less when we went underground in some scary ancient temple. Somehow I didn't trust my guide... His slipstream felt cold and unhealthy... But I decided to be brave and followed him deeper and deeper until we finally reached a coffin. There I found the dead body of a young person, that very well could be his nephew. I kneeled down, brass armor, brass helmet, just like me was told. But then suddenly the room turned black, goose bumps bumped and a scary sound made me almost faint. Quickly I rolled to the left and jumped on my feet, but I was too late to prevent that my guide sucked almost all my life energy from me. Somehow, he was transformed into a big, red glowing skeleton, cackling the nerves out of me. Dizzy and paralyzed I remember to grab an emergency rune from my pocket... didn't even try to aim well but just fired it into his global direction. Then I fainted. Some minutes later I woke up, because some ghouls nibbled from my shoulder and backpack. I survived! My rune had caused a very sudden death to this undead creature. Deep underground now, almost dead, I realized how scary my environment was. Somehow, this demon (IT HAD TO BE A DEMON!) had blinded my eyes, luring me deeper and deeper into his domain. I toasted the ghouls and crawled to what looked like a magic portal. "Every place will be better than here", I thought when I closed my eyes and ran into it. I remember my grandmother warning against using magic portals when badly wounded, but I didn't mind the risks. My whole existance was shifted, shaked, I felt heavy and light as a feather at once, I saw a creature of light that reassembled my body, and then all of a sudden I stood in some big void... it was AWESOME. There was nothing around me, just nothing and energy. A few steps away another portal, but I didn't feel like ever leaving that place. I stood there for DAYS! Just gazing in the dark, enjoying the pure energy, merging with the universe. Then I felt the minds of my friends reaching for me... it took some perseverance to walk the three steps towards the magic portal, but it brought me to an familiar environment, the Plains of Havoc near my hometown Venore. So here I am, alive and a whole experience richer.

Cursed Tomb

Since last week, Aeona was very nervous. When we asked him about his sorrows, he told us a terrifying story. To protect his privacy I cannot tell all details, but it was about vampires and burling blood.
To save his life and that of many innocent girls in Venore, we had to get some specific information about his curse.
We found a guide, Jack Bonecrusher, who showed us a cursed tomb. There we had to slay some poor transformed people that tried to kill us. I am not sure if Aeona got the information he needed, I guess we will notice in the nearby future... As you see, another boring day.

Old times return: slaves

Many words are not needed, we made a big step back in the progress towards civilization. Today I witnessed how people were sold for plain money. Of course this happened in Ab'Dendriel, city of anarchy.

Women are Wonderful

Today was a day of big contrasts. I met a fine lady, and ate cookies with her. Lady Sorayah from Edron and I had a nice evening together. I say, one of the finest ladies of Tibia.
When I was back in Venore and wandered a bit around the city, daydreaming about all new impressions and information I got, I was suddenly attacked by some hysterical females. Later I realized that those were probably Amazons, but it doesn't matter. Normally I try to behave like a gentleman, but when a woman tries to kill me I use deadly force to prevent that.

Tame Fire Devils are good partners

My grandmother once learned me how to tame Fire Devils. Sometimes I tame one (just to practise it), and then I take it on a hunt. Today we roamed some tombs close to Darashia. Many mummies haunt there, and it doesn't harm to toast them a bit.
When hunting with a Fire Devil you have to use a special tactic: You are the bait, first you annoy some monsters so they start to chase you. Then you lure them past the Fire Devil that is hiding somewhere in the shadows. Best is if the Fire Devil can attack them from behind, because they are not the bravest partners and will flee when a monster comes too close. With some practise, Fire Devils can save you a lot of magic missiles!

Rumours said Ferumbras resurrected...

...and after some discussion, those two brave warriors decided to join me and defend the city of Venore against this evil sorcerer. So we grabbed some runes together and left the town.
On our way to the south, we met some dragons, killed a lot Giant Spiders and even a lonely Orc Leader that wanted to be cuddled.
But after wasting many runes on nothing else than some undeads and nasty big spiders, we decided to go home again. That we will be feared in the memories of Giant Spiders for many generations!
It seems that we will continue our quest against evil soon, maybe we can convince some other Rising Dragons to join us.

Mr. Borceforth

Be greeted, my astonishing diary!
From now on, I will try to keep you informed of all important things in my life. Maybe even the not-so-important things. I will abuse to write away all my frustration of the day, the thrill of asthonishing adventures, I will complain about my own failures, I will brag about my evil jokes. Oh yes, you will suffer.
Maybe you find it important to know who I am... Well, my name is Hen Borceforth, and I live in Venore. Because the Gods forced me to choose a vocation, I said that I would be sorcerer. But between you and me, I am not very interested. I spend my days making some runes, an easy job that doesn't take much of my brainpower. Maybe I explain you later how I became the person who I am now, it is a long and sad story.
I am proud to be a member of the Rising Dragons, a respected guild, as they told me. That means that I am not evil-minded, and actually I am indeed a nice person. But nobody needs to know that!