Osgood,
I have just a few brief minutes to fill you in on events before we leave Shadowmount, with the intention of heading home. After the events of my last post, we awoke the next morning and had breakfast with the two gentlemen we met in The Gutted Candle the night before. A cleric named Uhule, and a fighter of sorts named Marnar. Both fine men with very interesting views on their role in the world.
We talked for quite a while and we told them what we found below this inn. Uhule is quite fond of exploring old tombs, and crypts and destroying evil. That seems to be his life goal. As for his partner, it is about finding treasure. Not even keeping it, but finding it and viewing the results of his search. But what really resonated with me, Osgood, was their respective views on heroism and death.
Uhule openly stated that his mission on this earth was to destroy evil, and he was not afraid to die in service of that goal. As he was an Omnian he viewed that as an honorable action, and the action of a hero. In the spirit of fairness, I should tell you that when I went in to explicit detail regarding the Marquis' actions in his "laboratory", he seemed to back track on his death holds no sting rhetoric and hid behind the legitimacy of the Marquis' position in regional politics as a reason to not defeat that specific evil. A little disappointing, but a very human argument.
Marnar stated that, while he had all the wealth he would ever need, he still intended to die in a dungeon. Whether it is being devoured by some awful beast, or at the hands of a clever trap maker, or well armed foe, Marnar had no intentions of dying with boots off.
I could tell, listening to these men talk, that I had a lot to learn about being heroic, and battling evil. The argument that being cautious now might allow me to save many more people later is valid, but how many souls am I comfortable carrying on my conscience before I decide to look death head on and accept whatever may come. That seems,to me, to be true service to "good". If that had been the end of it, I might have been able to put it out of my mind, but something else happened that moved this issue into the forefront of my consciousness.
After talking with the two adventurers and agreeing to accompany them into the tomb below, Bajol and I headed off to Ellacor to retrieve his new armor. First off, let me say that Ellacor is quite the smith. The armor is durable, amazingly well crafted, and quite beautiful to look at. Bajol got quite the steal, indeed. While we were talking Bajol brought up the Marquis and the apparent bad blood between the two of them. Ellacor hinted that they new each other in "another life" and that the Marquis steered clear of him on purpose. The more I learn about this Marquis, he doesn't seem to be this all powerful embodiment of evil we might have pegged him for, but more a viscous, opportunistic, bureaucrat who is only interested in maintaining his hunting ground. . I mean, I'm sure he is not an easy mark, but maybe our assumptions that have equated him with someone like the necromancer are way off base.
I told Ellacor about my hands, or he noticed, rather. He said he could fix them for me if I wanted him to, or I could get out of town remove the protective necklace, and face the Marquis once and for all. His words fell on me like a ton of bricks. I could very well take the easy way out. Being able to move freely from town to town without drawing attention to myself, or expending an inordinate amount of party resources to keep the problem hidden would be a fantastic thing, no doubt. Granted I would be looking over my shoulder from now until the time I actually witness his demise. And who knows how many more people he will have tortured in the meantime. If I face him I may die, but I will die protecting those who could not protect themselves. I will die with honor, and not live in cowardice.
You know, Osgood, we never really talked about who I was a decade ago, but as many can verify - I was a coward. I tried to desert the army when I was conscripted, tried to sneak off in the middle of the night and leave my friends to face danger for me. I was comfortable with allowing them to face possible injury and death while I was lying back in my bed at home. When faced with battle, I hid. I hid behind those who were willing to protect me. Those people valued my life when I, apparently, did not value theirs enough to help in the battle. The first time I took a life was to extract revenge for the destruction of a book. A book, Osgood. Not someone's life, no higher principle than this creature destroyed something I wanted. I am ashamed to write that, but it is true. Even when facing down the Necromancer, I did not stand against him. No, I pilfered his repositories, and that, luckily, seemed to aid in his demise. Had it not, I would have run and hid as soon as I had the Archana I was looking for. Even upon my return, my goals were motivated solely by fear. Not heroism, or a sense of obligation to our creator, but staying alive and becoming powerful. Powerful enough to keep myself alive.
Why do we seek knowledge and power? Why do we go looking for adventure and glory? For Marnar it was treasure, for Uhle it was to destroy evil. I think for me it is to keep safe and protect those who cannot protect themselves. What if my unit had left me to fend for myself that night? What would have become of me? Isn't it my responsibility to fight for those who were once like me, eminent death be dammed? I have come to the decision that it is.
We have just returned from defeating the things that were in that tomb with relative ease, and have just parted ways with Uhule and Marnar. Our next stop is to the stables to gear up our horses and head back to Halvenspring. Once we get out of town, Osgood, I am going return Feydor's necklace, and let the Marquis come and find me. I cannot ask the party to stay and fight this . . . abomination, but I cannot live while carrying the lives of all those my cowardice allows him to torture.
If this is goodbye, then I trust that you will keep our work safe and continue our research. The tower and all of its contents will pass to you, but if you do not hear from me in 4 days, destroy the bookcase, as the Marquis will be in possession of the box to which it is tied. In addition, I will ask Kyros if he will return to you and aid you however the two of you see fit.
Osgood, this means that you will become chiefly responsible for providing Frumious, Bajol, Feydor, and Fyn with the information and magical support they will need to fight Vespacious when he returns. I trust that you will not falter in this duty.
Well, Fyn is coming with the horses, so this is where I need to end this entry. Say nothing of this until the 4th day has passed. Except in prayer. Prayer is appreciated. Greatly.
May Omnos guide and protect us.
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