4th of Summer Session Writeup (Jerome)

4th of Summer, I have finally arrived to the village of Aramore and  here I hope to find an end to my story. The people of the village are hearty, and the adventurers I have seen hold a universal gleam of hope in their eye. All wish for a better life, all wish for glory and fame, I only want my torment to end. I dreamed of my family again, my poor sister... I suppose they would have taken their time with her if she hadn't found Cassiel's peace by then...

I was told that adventurers gathered at the Golden Serpent Inn to venture out into these lands and so I sat and waited for others to arrive. Some time later, a gnome in robes, a grey-skinned Goliath, and an armoured dwarf came to sit by me. They discussed what they wished to find but I didn't care, I only wanted to find my end. Carsteel's last order... I might not be able to use the Terminus on myself but I can at least die trying to help the people here in some small measure.

Yet, before we could even set out on our adventure, a Hobgolin rider came to the village and threatened its destruction for a perceived slight. Dropping a severed head at my feat, my blood began to boil and I charged forward to destroy the creature only to see it flee back to its foul masters. No matter, if I see the thing again then I will crush it.

After a brief meeting with the Halfling mayor of Aramore, we headed West towards the mud flats to investigate the potential danger to a settlement there. Upon our arrival, we found the hamlet abandoned with a flesh-stitched monstrosity wandering its streets. The dwarf claimed that one of the faces stitched to its foul head once belonged to a village girl he knew. My rage at the unjust nature of this attack knew no bounds and could not be controlled. Again I ran forward with death on my mind and as I swung my blade I found it to be completely useless. Only magic could harm the thing and so I did what little I could against it.

Against all odds, we brought the thing down. After camping in the desolate village, we searched the settlement for signs of where the inhabitants might have gone and found a note that told to go West and find the ruins there.

 The Goliath was enraged at the idea of saving those who cannot save themselves. I held my scorn for his self-serving philosophy in check bust just barely. Perhaps because he himself hated what we were trying to do, we became lost and ventured to the wrong set of ruins where we found a strange black tower that sent the gnome mage flying with a touch. We then found a score of giant goats who were wounded but otherwise did not look for a fight. And though those goats might have brought me my peace, their death would have served the land and its people in no way so I let them go.

After circling back to the village, we found a small lake with a door inside. The Goliath tried to open the door but proved incapable of doing so. He claimed it could not be done but I doubt his veracity in the matter. Having reached the ruins, we find the people of the hamlet huddling inside for safety. They claimed to want nothing more than to hide there until the danger has passed but I convinced them to let us guide them back to Aramore instead.

Venturing out of the mud flats we found a grove of giant mushrooms where strange men who spoke with odd verbal tics offered us food and drink. I did not partake but I convinced the Goliath to try some to his great displeasure and the Dwarf had some of their drink. After our departure, we found that three of the villagers where missing and that their food must have been poisoned since the Dwarf promptly collapsed. Doubling back, I marched straight into the mushroom fields with my heart seething with rage at the foul deception. As we found them high attop their mushrooms, I began to slash and crush their frail bodies, the lord Cassiel's righteous hate guiding my every swing. The villagers where there, being kept for some unknown foul plot but having slain them all, we proceeded to bring the villagers back to safety.

They thanked me for my deeds, they called us heroes. I am no such thing, I am lost and damned. Yet, I am his sword as he is my shield, and I will end when Cassiel judges it fit for me to. May it come quickly, and be forgotten for a failed knight deserved no reward greater than peace.