Christmas fun!

Indy related this fun tale of the time she came against the horrible snowmonster out in the north diamond golem country. This last Evening, she was out escorting a clanmate to the snowman village when the monster showed up and stomped all over this one snowfellow's carrot patch. As there were already several battling the moneter, she didn't think much of it at first, finally bringing out her wand for a couple of vuln-type spells. Then she heard one of the fighters complain that this monster had some amazing endurence. so when the monster came her way after a particularly well-cast spell, she brought out sword and shield to join the battle. It took quite some time to fell the beast, and quite a bit of assistance... then, before the troop could catch a moments breath, along comes Scorn the magma golem. Exclaiming to the clannie surprise at having to meet up with the golem again so very soon, she again launched into battle. afterwich, having oportunity to look on some of the corpses, they found coals and frozen gifts.

So it was a beaming Indy that met me at the villa, and in her arms, she held this sweet doll house! ahh.. now if we could just locate the holiday lights before the season is too quickly over!

Perhaps I should take a jaunt over the mountains to the snowman village this evening.

The portal Opens once more

Finally, the portal snapped back into some clarity and I was once more able to reach Dereth. Just in time for the Christmas season too! Snow lies thick all around the villa. It's so beautiful!

Someone has taken it upon themselves to install an icebox in the middle of the place.. head of the stairs, just off from my room, and I'm freeeezing!! After the first couple of minutes standing there shivering, I put on all the clothing and armor I possessed.. and I'm Still cold! Gotta get that icebox thingie OUT of the villa! It's frosting over the stairs! Whose big bright idea was it to put this thing in here anyway?!! *growl* when I get hold of whoever it was...

ANYway!
It IS good to be back.. although it somehow seems quieter then ever now.

Indy has picked up a penguin pet from somewhere. its perfectly adorible! I'm starting to think she's becoming obsessed though. If she starts trying to build a giant-sized "ship-o-critters" in the nearby lake, I'll consider shoving her through the next portal to Neopia. She'd prolly love it... likely she'd try to bring Pyxie back with her too.

Holiday blues and intros

The portal mess-ups continue, barring me from Dereth for quite a bit longer then I imagined. This is really sad for me, because I always seem to feel so... cut-off...bereft... when this happens. A bit, I think, like suddenly losing the use of one's thumbs might feel like.

I did get this rather nice letter from a friend of mine over in one of the many NWN server worlds. His name is Westlin...

Dear Sinshae,

Greetings to you from the sandy lands of NWN! It's been a bit since I have last written you, this is true. I have been searching for sometime now for another home where I would not forever feel like My poor lil gargoyley self is being hunted. Perhaps at last, I have found such a peaceful roost... and a couple of rather nice friends as well.
One of which is a vampire. her peculiar tastes in beverage notwithstanding, she has quite a busy personality, always up to something or off to somewhere exciting! but certainly quite pleasent company.
The other is called Kiku, a rather lovely gargie such as myself, I must say. Kiku is perhaps the only other such that I have ever seen in this land.
I have also made the aquaintence of a rather strange fellow called Meouh, who not only delights in trailing after me wherever I roam, but also to help guard my rather glosy-black self and carry whatever packs I give into keeping without a single complaint.
The wonders never seem to end!

Perhaps you might someday come to visit me here. I would be pleased to introduce you to some of the people and places in the area.

Wups, Meouh is gotten himself into a bit of a fix with several disagreable Stingers and needs my attention. More at a later time.

Care and Caring,
"West"

Thanksgiving..

Don't you just wish life were a bit like a game at times? so you could save your spot and if things don't work out right, you can simply return to that spot and start again? I sure do.

Portals to Dereth are not working again. Probibly due to the chaotic weather that is going on in my area. It certainly does make for some interresting times. Kind of keebashes my plans to meet up with an old friend in Sho town within the 14 day limit. I was so hoping to help get him aquainted with the lay of things too. Sure hope these portals get back to stability before the new month. It would be horrible to miss the best season ever. I love the fun to be had at the villa after first snowfall. Everyone breaks out the parkas and mits and has a snowman-making party in the yard.

I have been spending idle moments with a small furry friend called Pyxie, over at Neopets. He certainly leads an interresting life, full of games and exploring. Its like a much cuter version of Dereth! :)

Hope you all are having a fun yet cozy holiday season this year.

A Very Magical Mistake

I'm afraid to say, I recieved a Derethan title for which I am rather ashamed. you see, there was this rather decayed fellow in town, begging for certain items.. I was warned by my Patron, that this creature would turn on us... and yet, I desided to help it out a little... giving it one of my precious oils.

Then, just as predicted, it turned with a grin and attacked us. I fled, trying to figure out just what was going on, I had naught but the most basic of protective spells on me and was not ready for an invasion of undead. I was pursued by several of the summoned undead, so I quickly jumped up onto something so I would be out of reach. looking over to the roadside, I saw this nasty creature which had asked for help moments before, casting some horrible spells at the quickly essembled warriors of Dereth, and couldn't keep myself for doing what I could to help. my spells landed with resounding thumps likely surprising me more then anyone.. or thing, else. This lasted several long moments, my delight in the successful spells obvious.. untill it turned to me with a snarl. I knew I was in trouble then... I saw the oncoming fireball fill my vision with red.. and then the swirl of the lifestone portal. There I stood.. still sizzling from the event, beside the gently turning blue stone.

So I called Indy in from where she had been hunting in the valley of death. Along with several of the brave warriors, including our own handsome guild member, Baldar, and two trips to the lifestone later, Indy helped to rid the town of the undead at last.

When I returned to regather my items a bit later, it was as if nothing had ever happened. birds twittered, butterflies floated on the slight breeze.. a silence broken only by the occational crackle of the statue fireworks, which were going off in a birthday celebration.

Afterwards, Indy finally managed to locate a "sezz gem" which she has been hunting for now, for weeks. She claims it will help her gain access to a newly descovered island.

I am happy for her, .. truely.. its just... I still feel a bit of shame of my blindly trusting nature... The loss of my oil.. and vitae to make up for all my eforts.. is all it brought me.

In rememberence.. for the future

There once was this fellow... I never really got to meet him, although I often heard his voice in my life's walk. He has now left us, yet his messages still stand ever as true today as they ever were.

Here is the evening's inspiration for you. Listen to what he has to say. Can you feel it also?
Link
--'-,@

Portal Patched and Welcome Homecoming

I finally got back to Dereth a day or so ago. People are still working on the better portal connection thing.. but at least I was able to make it back in one whole piece.

The first thing I noticed was all the scratched up walls and such in the villa. It rather looked like a clawed tornado had gone about attempting to scour the walls.

Then Indy walked in, followed by the sweetest little bear-cat I think I have ever seen. It rompt about the room while she caught me up on many of the happenings gone on since my leave-taking, including the very nasty presence of shadow forms near the town of Arwic. I am told that the portal to tou-tou is just about blocked off by something red and black with 4 arms... something that nearly killed her when she got near the portal. Nearly killed Indy? Just for getting close to a portal that for a long time now, has been an easy route to tou-tou? I think, at one point or another all of us have used that portal. including several loaded down members of the household! And hear I thought that many-armed flying ugly Grael had finally been taken down...and apart! If so, what are those critters still doing at the tou-tou portal in Arwic?

Making a mental note to avoid that whole area, I went off to figure out where Indy got the pet. After running about for about a half-hour on errands of message dilivery, I finally got my own little pet. a mushroom like critter who, if nothing else, is quite good at keeping up with me. (somehow I think Indy and I should have traded, since she is soooo much faster a runner then I am.)

I then ran into a sweet somewhat smaller version of a friend of mine thought to have left for parts unknown some time ago. Seeing my cute swiftly moving pet, it was decided lil H. might also like one sooo, Off we went on the errend once more. (I'm starting to think I need to open a delivery service.) and a new bear-kitty was soon to be had.

Just the same. It's good to be back in Dereth again.

Sudden Memory Clips 2

I remember... my dad.

He had his 'very cool' moments, my dad did. I remember him tackling the waving grass in the field across from our home... a task that took him days to complete,... simply so that the neighborhood children had a place to play ball.

The 'family project' every year, where we would go across the way to an older lady's house to stomp out the high thick grass/weeds there with mighty golf swings of our hand threshers... and the bitter grumbling from my brother, who had things he would much rather be doing.

Camping out at the lake... ah the beauty and fresh smell of an evergreen canopy coupled with the timelessness of the lake.. wavelets gently lapping the muddy shoreline and me, watching from where I sat on the shore, near the warmest bit of shallow water I could find, my toes curling into the soft mud under it all.

Taking me with him to work for a drowsey yet exilerating evening of working the plow and sander on the icy roads. The snow falling from the night heavens always seemed to facinate me, so much so that I invaribly got a crick in my neck from trying to watch as it settled on my cheeks and eyelashes. Once, he stood and watched it fall with me.. for a time. The silence of the moment seemed.. comfortable, I think.

What a bear he would become if he was desturbed while at work and how, if truely angered, you -seriously- didn't wish to be the one for whom his wrath was dirrected... often in the form of Roaring! and a doubled belt or stinging willow switch from the tree around back.

The night, one of the brood of our evil nasty neighbors, the 'paw-can's', threw a mushy apple through his window screen, thinking it was one of us kids... and dad's quick march through the living room, trying his robe belt with a jerk and snatching up a switch before heading out the door into the dark... and hearing just when the kid was caught, about 2 blocks away, by his agonizing howl of dismay and sudden pain.

His 'spring-chicken' exuberance, the bounce in his step and laughter in his eyes, his 'fainting fists' as if he were going punch you in the side, which we always took for a 'tickle' gesture... since it was, coming from him. and we would flinch away and laugh... everytime.

The many times he recited the cow-jumping-over-the-moon poem, which, for some reason, always got me to laughing myself silly. Maybe it was more his delight in having gotten me to laugh then the poem itself, that had the tears of laughter spilling down my cheeks. Delight was most certainly his best look.

New Years evening, when we would all gather snowsuits, boots, hats and blankets, and bundle into the sleigh for a dash across the midnight landscape to awaken our neighbors with whoops and squeals of joy in which to bring in the new year. then a final gathering at my Uncle Phil's house to help anounce the arrival with clapping, yelling, and great snow-dancing blasts followed by a sombering starwatch before heading back home... which I never seemed to stay awake for... and my dad would carry me, blanket, hat, boots and all, to bed.

The desperate saddness/stillness/stiffness that would overcome him at odd times after mom died. Missing her and knowing he still had to carry on for us... because we needed him, even though there were times, one or the other of us would deny it. He would sometimes say, he hoped to 'go home' someday to be with her again.
....He finally did too. I think, perhaps, with some of that childlike exuberence that brought him and mom together in the first place. I believe in the end result, he was truely delighted to finally be on his way. I am happy he finally got to see mom again after all this time... but there are times.. I really do miss him... its a melencoly thing, really. I'm glad I had the chance to know the man a little. He had this way about him... and some 'very cool' moments, which always seemed to pale the bad times into practical non-existance for me. He was a gruff back-woods stubbren old man whose good times, I think, were well worth whatever bad times we had.


----
And as a footnote to the evening.. a personal note to the big bearded fellow who, one time in history, tossed me out through a door and locked it, growling that I had no idea... like something out of an old Nancy Drew novel.
I know this, mystery brute, the past as we know it, is still ours. My grandpapa knew it too, thats why I wanted to look. You.. what you did... more supported his words, in my mind, then not. What was it, I wonder that you sought so hard to cover up? Was it more then the words in a dusty old book? More then my family's tight-lipped silence, perhaps? Is the skeleton truely dead and buried yet? I think not. I think my Grandpapa knew the truth of it.. and my dad did too. Even you seemed to know more then you were willing to share. Mystery, I'm afraid, fuels curiousity in me. Are you still somehow watching, I wonder. lol! Well, I certainly hope you didn't think I just... forgot about the incident. That would have been very clueless of you.
Perhaps I will share more of this at a later time. Watch this space, friend. One never knows... does one. :) Besides, it might be nice to hear from you again, when next I manage to ping a nerve, eh? Otherwise I might truely have 'no idea....'

God Bless America... America Bless God

The big event in Icewind Dale was something of a bust as we couldn't seem to get past the magical ice door no matter our eforts of killing nearly everything that moved within the temple, (and even a few things that didn't) and searching every nook and cranny over the length of several floors. So I was allowed to return to town and see if my transport back to Dereth had shown. It had not. It seems somewhere.. somehow, someone forgot to import the code needed to cause the needed pole to go active, so now there's another wait for someone to finally take the initive to activate the pole so I can return back to Dereth's shores.

On the other hand, I did manage to get a short message from Kita. she said something about a 'pet kitty' ravaging her room while she was away to town. Sounds like I'm going to need to purchase a sturdy lock for my own door! Maybe a few thick pieces of wood for a brace as well, if it's the 'kitty' type I'm thinking of... They grow rather large in Dereth.

In other news, I hear a fellow, rather famous for tangling with toothy crocs, had died of recient. Truely I am sorry to hear this. He was something of a marvel with how he delt with some of the more ferocious critters out there.. not with power-over-another attitude many seem to have in great abundance, but rather, with great respect for not only what the critters could do, but seemlingly, for what and who they were. Although, certainly, he didn't leave this realm within the jaws of the repiles he was famous for, at least he died doing what he loved and lived for.

And since I'm on the subject... This is also the aniversery of a horrible event I would hope would not be forgot anytime soon as it might serve as a reminder that our lives within the realm of the real world and especially here in America, is precious indeed. This country was brought together by admirable men and women with a solid belief in a Godly nation with freedom for its people. We can vote for changes, We have the rights and freedom to speak, publish, and assemble. ++
We, as well, have a basic right to exist.. Thousands of lives were lost in the span of a single crushing day, not in an accident or in a known 'war' where we knew the risks, but by the vile and low tactics of a hidden terrorist group across the sea. After the dust settled, and the silence rang on for a time, stun turned to outrage.. and outrage turned to reaction. No longer could we stand by and watch as our own people, our very lives, as well as everything we, as a country, stand for, be rolled over and crushed like that. Several song quotes says it well for me....

"From the sound up in Long Island out to San Francisco Bay And ev'ry thing that's in between them is our home. And we may have done a little bit of fighting amongst ourselves, But you outside people best leave us alone, Cause we'll all stick together and you can take that to the bank That's the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks. You just go and lay your hand on a Pittsburgh Steeler fan, And I think you're gonna finally understand" -Charlie Daniels

"I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free, And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me, And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today,'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land, God Bless the U.S.A." -Lee Greenwood

"My country, 'tis of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims' pride, From every mountain side Let Freedom ring." -Traditional

"O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain. America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea." -Traditional

"God Bless America. Land that I love Stand beside her, and guide her Thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies , To the oceans, white with foam. God bless America My home sweet home." -Irving Berlin


++ quick reference: 1st amendment
www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

Its the ol Back n Forth

Today we spent meandering about and heading back to the store, then back out.. and back to the store again, in what felt for sure was an unceasing cycle. It got so I couldn't figure which one is was they I couldn't stand to see next, the snow or the store. ugh! yeesh those frozen templites sure carried a lot of junk on them!
I'm kinda missing the folks back in Dereth. I have heard they are having issues with a giant black spider thing.. I certainly don't miss that! but I have heard there are a few more people stepping through the portals now, .. something about points of interrest, and.. oh! a new island has been descovered as well! I mean another new island of course. a bit less dangerous perhaps then the first two 'new' islands to have been descovered within the last year. ahh well, perhaps I might just be headed home toward the end of the month or somesuch. keeping fingers crossed, as the saying goes. :)

Sudden Memory-Clips 1

Every once in a while I seem to suddenly recall a snapshot of memory.. from when I lived beyond the shores of Dereth. Since I feel that these moments might be important to me or to someone as yet in my future, I'll recount them here.

I remember...

leaning over the side of a blue wagon and drooling icecream over it's side as I tried to somehow to keep it all together under the hot summer sun. ohh what a mess!

sitting in a 'covered' wagon, playing card games with my eldest sister, (was that hearts or steal-the-pack?) and wondering what was yet to come.

sitting on the bedroom floor playing stuffed animals with my big sister (not the same as my eldest sister) and whiling away hours and hours without the slightest notice.

skipping home in the early thaw. ahh springtime! ...pausing near a puddle of slushy ice-water and looking up the still somewhat snowy street at the houses nestled there along the side of the road. ..of delighting to see the now dead and smushed fall leaves being unveilled once more from under a snowbank. .. the wet sidewalks.. ..smelling the fresh and yet somehow earthy scent I always seemed to assosiate with the season. ..hearing the constant dripdripdrip of the snow melting off the trees and the cool sound of dribbling water. .. of smelling the rich scent of evergreen that I only ever seemed to notice so much at this time of the year. ...of taking my first leaps outside the door in my summer shorts and skidding out of control across the snow in my sandals. WeEeE!!!!

Half-Wits, Half-Dead and Total Distractions.

Morning dawned beautifully in this mountains today, the only peace I have had all day.. and it was too soon over as we sally'd forth (without any sally) to tackle the keep entry. This of course was after sweet snake managed to charm the local druid-types.. not without fatalities though. We then got some even sweeter revenge on the stinky half-draco ijit who killed the druid's sister.. and got in our way.

It would have been nice though, if we had managed to actually put together a working plan before walking into the room, out of the room, into the room, and out again. I hate milling about when something is shooting at me! I expended -all- of my heal spells.. yes, even the little cure lights, on the group, running to and fro while they wandered about sliding on the ramp and getting themselves debuffed or somesuch silliness.

After that, we settled down for the evening next to the fellow who got himself swallowed by a big bug (mm bug burgers... uch) and Snake told us this odd story about this paladin, who had gotten captured by a deamon and soul-forged with a dark knight who then had to work at escaping together. From the odd look of revulsion of Kish's face, I'd guess she might have actually known the paladin in the story. It makes me wonder a bit about the whole good-bad thing.

Well enough is enough, and I'm beat. Time to sack out and hope tomarrow sees us inside this overnight glacier and quickly out the other side.
(Hhehe better here then in the South's raging heat wave, thats for sure. I think My poor PBTC (person behind the character) is likely melted completely away by now. See if you can picture it.... Snow, Ice, Cool breeze! Don't you all feel just a bit better now? :)

Bear with me now...

You Are A: Bear Cub!

Bears are strong and independent creatures who roam in the forest in search of food. Bears are usually gentle, but anger one and be prepared for their full fury! Intelligent and resourceful, though lazy at times, you are a fascinating creature of the wild.

What Cute Animal Are You?

My pals and me got all the way up to the mountain where the dwarf dumped us in the snow. Now that we are here, we are wandering about looking for wherever the town's rescue party got themselves to that they should need rescuing from us.

I tell ya, those huge white bears are not the friendliest of chaps. About as how-do-you-do as the giants have been. humph... its not like we threw the first boulder or anything.

Glad, I am, to have brought along a pair of fuzzy snow boots, or I'd be shivering to beat the band like Pip has been... nothing like a healthy teeth chatter to ruin the plans of the sneakiest of rogues. Lol!

SunnyElf on Vacation

I should have known Kish had something up her sleeves when she invited me out to thier place for the summer. I mean, alright, I knew Icewind would be chilly... and packed for it.. but I should have realized Snake, Flick, Kish, Zack and Pip had some adventure planned. Sure enough, I wasn't there a day when off we went.. trying to save some township from a goblin invasion. Kish was in usual paladin form, doing the 'noble' thing and refusing rewards right, left, and sideways. It makes it a bit of a cramp when trying to aford better armor, let me tell ya. Then off goes pip trying to show up some of the town militia with his OooO amazing xbow abilities! ...Took him several tries to do any -real- damage to that barrel in the first place, but, I suppose his much more amazing fast-talk abilities were what really won him that bow. and well.. it was rather nice of him to give the bow to me afterward. It's been of better use then that ol sling Zack seems to get such a kick out of.
I have to admit also, the snow is a bit of a relief from Dereth's opressive heat spell. Whew!
It's also rather nice to have such a close group to share time with, I can always be sure someone will pick up my bod and drag it back to safety (and a healer), rather then having to run across hostile landscape from the lifestone, looking for I last left myself at and hoping the critter that killed me isn't still there waiting to do it again. Lol!

Btw, did you see the skysparkles this year? I nearly missed them this time around. Wow! those twisty dracos up there sure looked like they were having fun.. diving, as they were, in and out of the clouds and spouting all those different colored sparks at eachother.

Slowing down a bit.

Not a whole lot has been going on of late.
I have been doing a fair bit of gardening to welcome in the summer months.. but for the once not long ago now, where I spent a little bit of time buffing in Sho town... completely by hand these days, as whatever help I had in the past with banes is no longer in correct function. :(

Indy went hunting a bit ago now, and was tossed back to the lifestone several times in a row by the lag beast.. so she hasn't seriously wanted back out there... hoping for a better connection soon. Her ability to take the better pictures has also gone by the wayside of late... need to contact the previous owners for that.

All in all, I guess things have slowed down a bit with me... there has been some interresting trivia chat now and again. Got into a funny conversation with sir F, and sir L, the other day about suited ducks and space operas. Perhaps I'v gotten -too- used to the idle moments. Lol!

oh right.. Even though she typicly refuses to admit it, Diamond Kate sure misses her husband a great deal. Hope those two can find a way to hook up soon. She's been driving her household up a wall with all the grouching. Leave it to a drydocked sailor to be able to raise the roof with nothing but words.

Tenacity and Expansion

All of our perseverence and dogged keeping with it.. and eachother.. has possibly earned my guild family bigger digs. The villa was good, and served us well, but a few more storage chests wouldn't go amiss, and actually being able to add portals to our common area is worth cheering over.
So for the last little bit now, we have been running maddly about gathering items needed and writs and notes to pay for a hopefully furnished mansion. Everyone is really excited about the prospect and having a high time of it. I can still hear the giggles and see the bouncing about from here, and to think how quiet we normally are! and very like the family we profess to be, everyone is pitching in to help out... even if its simply the eager waving brooms and dustmops of the youngers.
Admetus is probibly cheering loudest of all because at last he has a chance of getting rid of some of the packs full of doodads and armor bits Indy has been collecting forever and anon.

Now, the best news of all is.. because of this, we might actually get a visit from the guild monarch.. who has been missed a great deal. It will be wonderful to see her again. :)

Disatisfaction

Indy got to go on an amazing quest the other day... it was a search for ingredients to make something called Prismatic Oil... which was being given out by a "Chandra".. or somesuch..
I understand it was white the undertaking, partly because the lag monster was rather insistant on chewing on her kneecaps throughout the whole ordeal.. and partly because the creatures, called Essences, who had the needed items, were quite insistant that the group not have anything at all... but a few death spells, which they freely handed out. After the 4th and last creature died (and a quick dash back from the lifestone), Indy rejoined the group with all the needed things and went to visit chandra.. and wouldnt you know it.. the woman wouldn't give her anything but words for all of her effort. So after logging a complaint about the horrid woman's attitude and waiting around in hopes for a reply from her superviser.. which never came, the day ended.

Ohhwell.. At least she didnt have to stay home for the spring cleaning. At least I'm sure Admetus feels a bit better for euphoria of having to lug slightly lighter packs then usual. Certainly I do. I was feeling very distinctly overburdened... which is not to say, I don't still but.. a bit lighter now anyway. :) *sniff* I think I'm allergic to dust.

Swampy Tromp

Indy got her scroll, and the whole house goes wild with cheers! Huzzah! :D
Why am -I- so happy? Although I have been safely ensconced at home, Indy has been out mucking about in the black swamp mire area with friends and guild family, looking for "perty scrolls".

...and 'perty' they are, let me tell you! Today she shared one with me and wow! a spell to benefit the whole fellowship! How wonderful! She also gave me a very nice staff with a red 'eye' gem on the end. It's a very nice staff and goes well with my dresses. (can't go wrong with that!)

And while I was around home.. I helped coach a few of the guild's younger souls. It's the very best way I have found to make friends.. and I really enjoy casting, you know. It's pleasing to be of so much help.

Oh yeahh.. Kita extends her profound thanks to lady H. for escorting her safely into the viam wilds for a bit of fine exp. Kita has been sorely in want of an outing just such as this.. for a very long time.

Ehh

I still havent gotten good enough to wear that beautiful dress waiting for me in the villa chest. It, of course didn't help that I moped around all day today. I didn't even get it together to go out to market looking for portals or ancient armor pieces.

Indy went out again today looking for gem critters... and found none but a trip to the lifestone awaiting her... and sir T2 as well. It only seemed to dampen her spirits a little tho. sir T2 had given her a special pair of gloves and didn't seem to mind in the slightest following her about in dangeous lands. Perhaps I should warn him about her always getting lost and in over her head.

She has hopes of joining a quest to get that scroll in a day or so. I'm sure that would do wonders for improving her mood.

As for me, I really need to start speaking with someone about sir F's great desire to see the queen bug. I'm sure the bug hasn't been forgotten by Dereth's people. Just locating those going hasn't been easy since all the viam land has opened up with all those new opportunities. Perhaps the minx or KK's people have someone interrested in going.

Theres a sign up ahead, "Watch for SnowMonsters!"

Today was a rather long day for the entire house.
I was up early pulling duty in town as a spellcaster for the needy.

First Indy went walk-about down south, and ran into a rather nasty snowmonster. Which chased her every-which-a-way, so I'm told. Then, after a quick trip to the snowman village, she returned home with this beautiful globe of snowflakes! What a wonderful gift!

Then she ran off to fetch a few writs for our villa and sir T's. When sir T2 showed up, she zoomed off once more, only to get lost in the wildlands of the western dires. Fortunately none died. Unfortunately, they did not locate the beasties they were after which are reported to hold a special portal gem they have need of. Likely they will try again tomarrow.

There was a bit of celebration as not only did sir B strengthen himself to equal that of sir T2 but also.. was finelly in total tip-top shape. I only wish Indy had managed to get a picture of the fireworks!

Then, with a few donations in pocket, I came up with several scrolls that were needed by other members of the clan. So I was most satisfied indeed to be of help. Now if I could -just- fit into that special dress!

As a medium to the close of the day, Indy tried working picks on several key pieces and hearts sir M had gathered... and mostly failed. I suspect the moment she thinks she has learned enough of the lore of the land for a time, she will take to better pick practice!

Recovery

The torchlight mystery has been solved at last. It was the fault of someone's new hand lotion that had been bought on a lark at the market. It caused the whole issue with the torch sputtering and such. Can you believe it?

Lume, it turns out, has finally figured that 99% chance of success in cooking, simply isn't good enough and has been totally obnoxious with the jubulent laughing and bouncing about since he was 'finally' able to fit the nice cooking shirt he has been pining over for no less then for-ever.

Indy has brought several good quality friends onto the guild fold. One of which has brought much questing expertise with him. This of course has been a cause for more celebrating and general milling about then I have been witness to in some time now.

Today, sir T2 had the clan out for a jaunt across the blueskin islands. People came for out of the woodwork to be a part of it, and really, it didn't seem to matter much when a few folks hit the lifestones once... things were reclaimed and the quest finished with good success.

Then he took me out for a toss past the crazy "foowey" dungeon to get me the single bit of exp I needed for a chance at wielding better wands. this was a real treat for me, since I -never- thought I'd get the opportunity to handle one of the 'new' wand types.

All in all, I'd say its been a wonderful week and I am looking forward to the next one. :)

The Trouble with Torchlight

Today very little was acomplished other then Indi's lag-death somewhere to the south of the obsideon plains, Tan's sudden fear of the future, and my on-going trouble with the villa's flakey torchlight.

Somehow I just 'know' Lume is involved in the constant torch sputterings that have plagued our villa since the onset of winter. I don't know just what he did, but he simply -Has- to have a hand in it somehow. He's always been one for these things.... making gaping holes in the walls, hacking green smoke that took hours to dissapate, how about when he tried to turn all the armor pink (or day-glo orange!), or the time he was behind that nasty hand rash that would suddenly spring up at the mere thought of the word 'work'? and well.. He has been awfully quiet of late. So I know he can't be guiltless. I'll catch him..sooner or later, just you wait.

The fish who came to dinner...

Today wasn't too bad. I got to see a friend sir L. this evening and caught up a little. It wasn't all pleasent though. It seems sir M has left the fold, too bad, He was a joy to have around.. although, I suppose I rather expected it.. sooner or later... it really was too quiet for him.. I also got to speak with lady A and sir J who, it seems, have rejoined old mates and have been 'lying low'. No wonder I lost track of them! Well, it's good to know they are still about somewhere in the land.

I managed to be rid of a pair of lesser gromnie armor that had been hanging around. Good to think they might be of use to someone. Then, after I was done standing about town, Lume got busy making arrowheads for a clan member and Indi went shopping in Moarsville for the fish-muck Lume has been wanting (for 'another' of his experiments.) Sure hope he avoids putting another big ol' hole in the villa wall. The last one had us freezing the nights away untill Bel could get it patched up. Thankfully he has an 'in' with the wood golems of the area...

Lume seems certain Admetus is up to something. He keeps grumbling about untrustworthy blue-skins and this evening he(Lume) was near fit to kill Admetus for the theft of his room key. (Turns out, Tan was the one who stole the key, after having locked the door. Tan gave no reasons as to why he would suddenly do such a thing.) ...as for Admetus, he just grins.. I shall have to keep a better eye on him from here on out, I think.

This little mage went to Caul...

I got to quest this evening and I didn't die... both of which are very nice things to my way of thinking.. but thats where the 'good parts' ended. I was only going to go along on the first part as kind of a "fill-in" and let Indi take on the rest... but the group, it seems, were unwilling to wait. Considering the extreemly dangerous area I had to run through, I wish they had been willing to wait a bit.

This land we got the scroll for wasnt someplace I would be willing to travel to.. for any reason I can think of really. It was a nasty place filled with hundreds of very nasty high-level creatures strewn across the mountainous... blackened... landscape. ...every couple of feet.

I was nearly done in by this little flying lizard (that sounded much like it was calling me a queeksnart in a grouchy voice) as I beat feet past it, trailing after the group in a very serious panic of becoming lost on this entirely violent island. Then, just when I was given a small measure of comfort at seeing the portal to the dungeon, our destination, we had to jump across a slew of platforms with a make-it or start all over attitude. I am thankful I have been practicing my jumping skill of late, as I had great need of it.

So, now I have the recall scroll that Indi has been pining for and I am unable to give it to her as the ability to return to the horrid island has been 'attuned' to me only. -sigh- I am not looking forward to telling her the news.