Chapter Text
21, Eleasis
There were undead further in! Astarion found and pressed a hidden button while we were exploring a large chamber. It revealed a secret room but also triggered multiple skeletons in the room to reanimate and attack. We handled them better than we had the graverobbers. Inside the revealed room was a massive, ornate sarcophagus. The temptation was too great, and I pushed it open, thinking something valuable may have been placed inside along with the deceased. I ignored the fact that we were now the graverobbers. There was no treasure inside, and I had a moment of dread as the corpse inside rose to regard us. We all braced for a fight, but instead of attacking it, he started a conversation. He was obviously undead and looked like a preserved corpse, but unlike the skeletons that had just mindlessly attacked us, he seemed very intelligent and peaceful. There was also an air of power to him that made us think a fight would not go in our favor. His name was Withers, and he asked me a few cryptic questions about the value of life. He seemed satisfied with my answers, said he would see us again, and then wandered off. We looked at each other, unsure about what had happened, but decided to enjoy our luck and finished looking through the place before leaving.
Not far from the crypt, we ran into a few tieflings who had something caught in a trap. It was Lae’zel. Upon seeing us, she used our link to telepathically command me to get her down. Not wanting to get into a fight if I could help it, I convinced the tiefling to leave her to us. Annoyed at her rudeness, I tried to get Lae’zel to say please when asking for help. That didn’t happen, but I still let her down anyway. She decided to join us and assured us that if we were able to find her people, we would get help. There was supposed to be a githyanki créche in the area, and they had the means to purify the tadpoles from an infected brain.
Much to our surprise, Withers walked into our camp tonight and acted like he belonged there. It’s a bit disconcerting, but he didn’t seem to mean any harm and has kept to himself, so I guess we are just ignoring him for now.
22, Eleasis
We stumbled into a fight between some goblins and a handful of humans and tieflings earlier today. The goblins were chasing the humans and caught up with them at this place called the Emerald Grove. I was very excited to find out that it was an actual druid grove. I had only read about them and had only met a few other druids in the past. My excitement began to waver the longer I was there and took in what was going on around me. There was a group of tiefling refugees taking refuge there. Their leader, Zevlor, told me the druids were about to expel them from the grove, and he was worried about their survival with all the goblins that were around. He also told me Haslon, the grove's leader, was the best healer around when I asked, but he had been with the humans at the gate and is now missing. He suspected the goblins had him. His apprentice, Nette, was still here though. While looking for Nette, we found the woman in charge of the place while Halson was missing.
This Kagha was in the process of threatening a tiefling child with theft. It was appalling. I am grateful her snake was reasonable, and he helped me calm her down. She wanted me to play messenger and tell the tieflings to leave before they were forced out. They were conducting a ritual to protect the grove. I recognized it as something called the Rite of Thorns. I didn’t know everything about it, but I knew it wasn't good. We snooped around a bit and found her belongings, and Astarion spotted a hidden chest. Before anyone noticed, he slipped behind a bookcase, picked the lock, and returned with a handful of suspicious notes and a meeting location in the swamp. He was very impressive.
We eventually found Nette, the healer Zevlor mentioned, and instead of helping us with the parasite, she tried to poison me! She had magically sealed us in the room with her, leaving us no option but to kill her. We took the circlet she had used to control the door. I felt sick as we hid the body and cleaned up the mess. We were in the middle of the grove, and no one could know what had just happened. I grabbed a jar on her desk with a live parasite in it, in case another healer could use it to help us. I have to wonder: What’s wrong with these people? They were not what I expected at all. This left me questioning if I even wanted to call myself a druid anymore. The animals around here seemed to like Halson; maybe if he returned, this place would be better, or maybe he’s just as bad as Kagha.
Something confusing just happened here at camp. I was both surprised and a little excited that Astarion was coming on to me; after all, he was way out of my league. Looking back on it now, though, I’m pretty sure he was not being genuine. I understand being flirty with no intent, but this didn’t seem to be the case. What would be the point of making me believe he was really interested? There is nothing for him to gain from it. Or maybe I’m overthinking. I guess if he really wants to flirt with me, I will just enjoy it as a pleasant distraction from the whole turning into an illithid thing.
23, Eleasis
Some kids stole my component pouch today with an admittedly good scam. I wish I could just let it go; if it had just been money, I would. I don’t care about punishing them or anything; I just want to get my belongings back. The trick will be finding them without causing a fuss in an already tense environment. I know firsthand how rough orphans have it and can’t imagine how much worse it must be for a tiefling.
I met an amazing bard named Alfira among the refugees. She was trying to write a song in memory of her teacher, who hadn’t made it to the grove. I learned to play the lute several years ago in an attempt to earn some coin busking. I was never great, but I offered what little skill I had to try and help her. It was enough to push her past her block, and she let me keep the lute I borrowed as thanks. Maybe I’ll start playing again and entertain my new companions.
As if we didn’t have enough to deal with, Gale has another affliction we will need to deal with. He was pretty vague about the cause, but this sickness forced him to consume magic items. He also didn’t feel like elaborating much beyond the fact that it would be bad if we were unable to feed this weird hunger. It’s not like magic items are just playing around everywhere, so I don’t know what we are going to do.
I was still trying to wrap my head around an illness that ate magic when a devil appeared. An actual devil! This Rafael gave us a whole spiel about helping us out with the tadpoles. But at what cost? Gale, Astarion, and I all agreed we need more information but are not ruling this out as a possibility should all other options fail.
After that, we walked down by the river to discuss what happened but were interrupted as harpies attacked. They had been trying to make off with one of the tiefling kids. We were able to kill them and save the kid. I even got a lead on where my missing component pouch might be. That will be a priority tomorrow.
24, Eleasis
Well, fuck! He’s a vampire! I knew Astarion was hiding something, but I didn’t think it was that. My reverie was broken last night as I felt him climbing on top of me, fangs bared. He backed off quickly, explaining that he was a vampire and was in dire need of blood. Silvanus, help me! I gave in. Not only did I let him feed on me, I think I liked it. Being so close to him, the bite of pain and the rush of my heartbeat were overwhelming. I almost didn’t stop him, as I felt myself starting to drift away. The look and dazzling smile on his face afterward broke me a little. I want to see it again.
Our nighttime escapades did not go unnoticed. I had to talk down the rest of the party this morning. Everyone seems okay for now, as long as he keeps his fangs to himself. I’m a bit woozy, but I’ll live. Astarian does indeed appear more energetic, and I’m eager to see if this will make him a better fighter, as he claimed. We are going to have to find something else for him to eat, though. No matter my feelings, I don’t think I can do this every night. Am I a fool for still trusting him?
…
Correction: He is a vampire spawn. He shared a bit more about himself with me a little later in the morning. A vampire had made him and then kept him as a slave for years. This master had some kind of hold over him, taking away his free will, and the tadpole’s presence had broken that hold. It’s also given him the ability to walk in the sun without turning into ash. I’m now worried about what will happen when we find a cure. Could there be a way to let him keep this freedom without the tadpole? Surly turning into a mindflayer would be worse; things just got more complicated. Also, we’ve come to an arrangement; he can just munch on our enemies before we kill them. I might let him feed on me again every once and a while, you know, if we don’t run into anyone or something. Don’t judge me.
…
After talking with Zevlor again, I was even more convinced that Kagha needed to be removed. I know we have pressing concerns of our own, but this is getting to me. Zevlor offered compensation for our aid. Who knows what lengths we will have to go to deal with the tadpoles? Gold could help.
We uncovered and dealt with a few goblins hiding in a cave near the grove. It looks like the druids had a secret passage in and out of the grove.
After leaving the grove, we ran into a few people on the road with a dying man. As we approached, I experienced a strange sensation; it was close to the telepathic bond I now have with my new companions but darker. These people were looking for crash survivors; they were looking for us, on orders from this Absolute we’ve heard a few snippets about. Is this some new god? In any case, I wasn’t going to reveal ourselves to these two zealots. Interestingly, I found I was able to use the connection to exhort my will over these people. I didn’t even realize I had done it until it had already happened. I sent them off looking for an owlbear. Idiots. The man had passed away while we were talking, and I realized I still felt a connection. A tadpole crawled free from the man’s skull. I was about to squish it, but something held me back. I put it in an empty potion bottle instead. Astarion thought these new mental powers we are developing could be helpful, but Shadowheart doesn’t trust them. I’m leaning more toward Astarion’s point of view. We might as well use the little buggers while we are stuck with them. I’ll admit that being the person in power for a change has its appeal.
Magic is an interesting thing. The natural magics I possess are pulled from the hearts of Toril and Selûne (the moon, not the goddess). It connects me with my surroundings and is warm and comfortable. Gale gave me a peek at something different tonight; he introduced me to Mystra and the weave. It is hard to put into words; where druid magic feels safe, arcane magic feels thrilling. There is almost an addictive quality to it, one I felt quite profoundly when I let it slip from my grasp. I have a new understanding of the tales of power-crazed mages and their quests for more. Gale’s relationship with the goddess of magic is intriguing; there is more there than just the devotion of an acolyte. Perhaps it is just the nature of the weave, but the experience with him was far more intimate than I expected.