Back On Solid Ground
A tinge, a tickling of a memory’s detail – the elemental companions had mentioned a place of refuge they were heading to once our paths diverged. A land west of here, and a camp of air elementals north along the coast. This place stuck in my head, as if I had seen it before in my imagination, but had resigned it to a teasing of fate. Maybe more friends awaited in this land, or maybe more allies, but for now the Von Cuthberts had answers that needed explanation.
Wallsard lay ahead in our path. We knew the Cuthberts had concentrated their power in a place called Gilsa, northeast of the peninsula. We took the Deep Mercy back to the surface to rejoin the ship, still anchored off shore near the Fangs of Wolfbron. Sahuagin corpses littered the surface of the water, floating silently as the waves rocked the ship back and forth gently. We erupted through the water, waving down the Magdalene, and started to float towards the crew and mother vessel.
Piling onto the deck, we collected ourselves eventually. Several members of the ship were covered in sheets, apparently laying down for a ‘long final nap’. I briefly saluted them for their valiant efforts to defend the quest and our endeavors. They wouldn’t be forgotten in vain and remembered for their honor.
We also noticed several faces we had freed from below, now quickly lending a hand to the boat’s errands and chores, and had made quick work of readying the boat for heading back to home. The Deep Mercy raised to the deck of the ship through the sheer might of the crew, attaching it to the main mast and securing it as it once had before our journey began.
To honor the fallen and welcome new friends, the crew had a party, breaking out the ale and rum to sing songs and chant lyrics to commemorate not only the great victory in the ravaged depths but the Feast of the Bright Star, an annual celebration that occurs with the alignment of the celestial bodies above. Despite my best efforts, I could not pry Randuraas away from his pesky report for the party. He felt compelled to complete the documentation of the adventure during his fresh memories before they fade. I still made sure to check in on him regardless. Some people need to be roped into a good time, and despite his cracks at my own journaling, I can respect the effort to log the entry as I frequently do myself.
Jakuul did acrobatic party tricks, Coro flirted with Neoon, Magnus drank his weight in grog and rum slurry mixtures, and Kico flitted about the room. The group enjoyed a moment of ease while we sailed back to the docks of Wallsard. The night was blurry after a time, but a lasting feeling of joy and well-being despite the looming unanswered questions and shadowy figures still at large. At the end of the evening, I turned back to find Randuraas asleep at his desk, his report finished as well as the rum I had offered him. I found a blanket and covered him as he slumbered and left his cabin with a wholesome smirk to find my own warm bed elsewhere.
We reached our destination after a major part of a week at sea along the shore. We disembarked and split up to run separate but equally important errands. Magnus tended to his horse at the stables, and Jakuul attempted to meet with the adventurer’s guild to claim our reward for clearing the fog of the land. Kico went to the accessories shop to claim her illustrious saddle she had ordered with her new riches, while Randuraas and I went to visit his friend Baldo to deliver his report.
We travelled through Wallsard to the far side of the city. The walk seemed to take hours, although I’m sure the dilation of time was due to never having seen it before. We rounded a corner and found an estate with a wrought iron fence, a main gate that opened for us as we let ourselves into the main doorway. The items along the walls were covered with a small film of dust, various trinkets from around the world of varying age, most of it older than myself.
A gnome bounded down the main stairway towards us, excited to see us and hear of our adventure, and especially overjoyed we had found a name for his underwater vessel. I took pride in relaying the name with a slight flourish of my hands. A rapid fire succession of questions flurried from the small man, and Randuraas did his best to answer, before deferring politely to his report as a well curated stack of papers. Throwing the small book down on a nearby study table, plumes of dust puffing up as it fell, Baldo devoured the information inside as we were offered various baked goods and tea as he spent some time perusing.
He poured over the book with great attention to detail, and after a while popped up and told us with a satisfactory tone that our business had been concluded very well. He then stammered slightly and bounded up the stairs, to return back once again with a small box. He opened it and showed us the contents inside, and explained that he never had much use for ‘these objects’ but thought we might like them as a gesture of appreciation. Inside there were lenses of varying colors, red, yellow, and other shades of vibrant hues. He held a wand in his hand, and told us to peer through the lens – the object remained untinted unlike the rest of the room.
He explained further that these were ‘aura lenses’ that apparently allowed the user to identify various sources of magic – divination for yellow, red and purple for evocation and illusion magics respectively. We were enchanted by the effect alone, and he again closed the box and pushed it towards us on the table. Randuraas accepted the gift and we both thanked him for his time while his servant escorted us politely towards the door. We then made our way to the stables to join the others and catch up.
We showed the others our new trinket and set of colored glass, which was a moment of wonder as we peered through them at nearby objects just to look. Randuraas noticed that Kico appeared in a strange tint with one lens, and a different tint under another – the yellow and purple lenses for Illusion and Divine magics identified our small fairy friend and her source of powers. After a few ideas of what we may do with the lenses or how maybe Randuraas could fashion them into a device of regular use.
Then we made our way to the adventurer’s guild to claim our just reward for clearing the land of the fog. We debated shortly what to do with a large stretch of land as the prize – none of us had ever owned land quite on this scale before. We thought at first we should just let it be a preserve, dedicated to our friend Blue, and took a vote to do so. Claiming the reward, a deed with a wax seal was handed over to us, with a note attached to the back side, written in familiar handwriting. I read the note aloud and half way through realized I was reading a correspondence from Blue himself, who narrated that he was very thankful for our help, glad to dedicate this land to us as a reward, and that the citizens of the neighboring Dade Woodland had agreed to be caretakers of the land and help farm any crops or livestock we would choose to raise there. Also included was a large sack of coins, totalling enough to split between the group quite handsomely.
We returned our thoughts and plans towards our next steps – We felt compelled to rescue the child Gwindolyn and free her from the Von Cuthberts. But, would they know about our deepwater exploits, and would they be waiting for us to dispose of our burden of knowledge? What about the other shards the Sahuagin were looking for? Should we consolidate the shards in the wild before confronting the brothers and whatever they may have?
Deciding to continue our deliberations in a finer setting than the dirt road, we headed towards our old familiar tavern The Laughing Sprite to find Jorund and Brannigan. Drinks and food served, we again debated our wisest next steps. A veritable feast to keep us well-fed, Jakuul began to spin a tale over the table.
He began to stammer as he visibly struggled to recall details of his past. A group of researchers in the Utancia region in Gyte had experimented on Jakuul when he was younger. Torturous from his memory, poking and prodding, and he had not been the only one – however he had never had the opportunity to talk to the others. Blurring between sleep and lucid moments, he had only flashes of their scaly skin and painful procedures. It all seemed a little too familiar to my own experiences as a younger child. Considering my own origins from the south seas and the deeper south continents, we agreed there could be a connection between not only our own heritages and pasts, but that it could be related to the aethermirror shards and their experimentations on our bodies and or kin.
We also discussed other possibilities. Perhaps the elementals in the northwest from Wallsard, and the disturbances we had driven off in the Dayde Woodlands had been just the surface and worth revisiting. Perhaps time was of the essence and all we needed to do was confront the brothers Von Cuthbert before it was too late, either for our answers or our child friend Gwindolyn. All valid and worthy threads to pull, but which first? Which was the most urgent?
We debated, mulled over, and thought about the details until our heads were foggy, and decided to investigate reports of elementals in Wallsard as much as we could, while ultimately setting out for the Von Cuthberts in the morning, to play coy to their intentions and follow up on their promised previous award. As we began to solidify our notes and intentions, a vibration started and grew more violent from within my bag. Neoon noticed it at first, so I retrieved the object from my personal equipment and offered it to her to inspect – it was one of our shards.
She obscured the attention by ducking under the table, the rest of us obfuscating her make-shift partition with our silhouettes and the partition Brannigan had already provided for our personal privacy. The light under the table snuffed out, red and black emissives emanating from the shard as she held it in her hand. The shard turned jet black, absorbing all the light and slightly dimming the lanterns in the tavern, making it hard to even tell she was still under the table. Her eyes also grew solid black as she appeared to have a vision, and began to tremble and sweat. After a few moments fell unconscious collapsing onto our legs and feet and crumpling helplessly, dropping the shard.
We would have to wait till she awoke to discover what she saw, but in my heart I knew it was time to confront the Cuthberts now that we were back on dry land.
Anduro's Journal Ordered oldest to newest
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Long Nap, Big Dreams...
14 Mar 2021 06:05:07
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The Forest and the Fog
11 Apr 2021 08:15:32
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The Windy Warrior and The Westward Journey
16 May 2021 07:49:54
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Dwarven Delvings & More Answers
30 May 2021 10:55:25
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Tal-Higek and Tall Tales
13 Jun 2021 08:13:54
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Circling Caravans and Brazen Bandits
27 Jun 2021 08:19:05
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Hangovers and Handaxes
05 Jul 2021 09:11:19
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Twisting Tentacles & Torrential Tides
11 Jul 2021 08:27:17
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The Race to the Rescue
01 Aug 2021 05:22:49
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Two Weeks and Twiddling Thumbs
09 Aug 2021 02:16:57
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Drunken Duels and Seafaring Shanties
29 Aug 2021 09:09:35
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Fierce Fishfolk & The Bubbling Depths
12 Sep 2021 09:08:30
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Battle of the Bubbling Depths
26 Sep 2021 09:11:46
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Back On Solid Ground
24 Oct 2021 09:13:11
14 Mar 2021 06:05:07
11 Apr 2021 08:15:32
16 May 2021 07:49:54
30 May 2021 10:55:25
13 Jun 2021 08:13:54
27 Jun 2021 08:19:05
05 Jul 2021 09:11:19
11 Jul 2021 08:27:17
01 Aug 2021 05:22:49
09 Aug 2021 02:16:57
29 Aug 2021 09:09:35
12 Sep 2021 09:08:30
26 Sep 2021 09:11:46
24 Oct 2021 09:13:11
The major events and journals in Anduro's history, from the beginning to today.
Dark Paths and Visions
06:12 pm - 14.11.2021Investigating the ties to Qolijo
04:29 pm - 14.11.2021Investigating the ties to Qolijo
04:29 pm - 14.11.2021Back On Solid Ground
A tinge, a tickling of a memory’s detail – the elemental companions had mentioned a place of refuge they were heading to once our paths diverged. A land west of here, and a camp of air elementals north along the coast. This place stuck in my head, as ...
09:12 pm - 24.10.2021Armies of the Briny Deep
05:08 pm - 24.10.2021Armies of the Briny Deep
05:08 pm - 24.10.2021Battle of the Bubbling Depths
The caverns dimmed with foreboding silence, as the two elementals crept forward into the chamber where we held our breaths silently. Neeon muttered an incantation and the light from the room, glowing with bioluminescence, seemed to dim notably from a sour...
09:04 pm - 26.09.2021Fierce Fishfolk & The Bubbling Depths
We awoke at the break of dawn with the song lapping of waves against the hull of the ship. Some of us collected our consciousness as we ate some breakfast, a couple of us hummed the melody to Drugog the Mighty’s song from the previous few nights. A catc...
08:54 pm - 12.09.2021To the Fangs of Wolfbron
08:50 pm - 12.09.2021To the Fangs of Wolfbron
08:50 pm - 12.09.2021Dealing with Drugogg
09:20 pm - 29.08.2021Drunken Duels and Seafaring Shanties
Some people have no self control. In a brash and possibly inebriated moment of wisdom, a certain artificer fired his pistol in the tavern, cutting everyone’s night short. THe crowd, wildly shouting and hollering, became instantly silent, all looking in ...
09:05 pm - 29.08.2021Dealing with Drugogg
04:51 pm - 29.08.2021A Fight at the Pit of Fools
04:48 pm - 29.08.2021Departing for the Fangs
04:56 pm - 15.08.2021The Pit of Fools
01:09 am - 09.08.2021Two Weeks and Twiddling Thumbs
Two weeks. It’s been a whole two weeks. I used to gladly and proudly inhabit the streets of Wallsard, but without Hinto every day has been grim. We wake to mornings with chirping and bustling town life, but everything appears in grey ever since. The bot...
09:18 pm - 08.08.2021The Pit of Fools
04:29 pm - 08.08.2021A new, less Blue, day
08:55 pm - 01.08.2021A new, less Blue, day
05:12 pm - 01.08.2021Assault on the Dayde Outpost
05:20 pm - 31.07.2021Assault on the Dayde Outpost
05:20 pm - 31.07.2021The Race to the Rescue
We immediately set forth for the Dayde Woodland. Kico and Blue took the lead, with Blue shoving money in the face of a local stablemaster, affording us the advantage to travel to our destination with haste and no delay. Magnus prompted Jakuul with the hoi...
09:18 pm - 25.07.2021Sailing to Wallsard
10:42 pm - 11.07.2021Twisting Tentacles & Torrential Tides
Tentacles waved towering in the sky far above the deck, a storm raging to mirror the creature's fury. They loomed threateningly for what seemed like eternity as we froze in terror unsure of our defense. Suddenly, the crew ran for the cannons and we releas...
08:10 pm - 11.07.2021Sailing to Wallsard
04:46 pm - 11.07.2021Fenburn and the Aurore
07:33 pm - 07.07.2021Fenburn and the Aurore
07:33 pm - 07.07.2021Hangovers and Handaxes
After a night of celebrating a successful battle, a rescued child in need, and new friends, we awoke with heavy heads from lack of liquidation. Guinevere's sobs persisted through the morning light, still processing the pain of loss, audible through the do...
08:54 pm - 05.07.2021Returning Nobles and Lost Children
07:45 pm - 28.06.2021Returning Nobles and Lost Children
07:45 pm - 28.06.2021Circling Caravans and Brazen Bandits
We continued to escort Eikellan Von Cuthbert along the main road back toward his home. We were suddenly jumped by a group of bandits camping near the road, and were quickly confronted by their bad intentions to make our misfortunate meeting their poten...
08:19 pm - 27.06.2021Delving into Mol'Hikeg
11:36 pm - 13.06.2021Tal-Higek and Tall Tales
We awoke in the morning in our temporary respite of a rundown fortress inside Tal-Higek. The stones were cold, warmed by the hearth and our short camp, thoughts looking ahead to the destination nearby and our hands slightly warmed up from battling the Gno...
08:10 pm - 13.06.2021Delving into Mol'Hikeg
04:11 pm - 13.06.2021Along the Ancient Outpost's Path
11:37 pm - 30.05.2021Dwarven Delvings & More Answers
Orianna's illusion now a close memory and fading just as quickly, she now presents herself as a 2 foot fae-folk. She describes her condition as a trapped predicament, lasting over a hundred years so far, and that the Aethershard mirror is the only device ...
10:55 pm - 30.05.2021Along the Ancient Outpost's Path
04:40 pm - 30.05.2021Through the Fog and Fiends
08:32 pm - 19.05.2021Through the Fog and Fiends
08:32 pm - 19.05.2021The Windy Warrior and The Westward Journey
We defeated the armor being carried by the elemental wind. Magnus smashed him well, and he retreated as shards of his armor fell behind him. Blue investigated his remaining bits and seemed to kneel down and examined a bit, and messed with the dirt, perhap...
07:47 pm - 16.05.2021At the edge of the woods
08:17 pm - 11.04.2021At the edge of the woods
08:17 pm - 11.04.2021The Forest and the Fog
We started travelling through the forest with Blue in the lead. There are underbrushes everywhere. It doesn't seem normal, overgrown but everything seems to have a place or almost a design, a will all to its own. Something seems off though. There ar...
08:15 pm - 11.04.2021At the edge of the woods
04:49 pm - 11.04.2021Long Nap, Big Dreams...
We seem to have hibernated... Whatever this fog is doing is taking its toll on not only the countryside but our general constitution. We are awakened to the land unchanged, at least, and no time seems to have passed other than evidenced by the growth ...
06:05 pm - 14.03.2021The fog rolls in from the west, and covers everything in it's path. The mission my sponsor has given me lays in the same area, maybe answers will be in the Marsh of Woflbraun. Also, Man that was a long nap... perhaps the fog makes me more weary than usual...?
05:31 pm - 14.03.2021Bloodied leads
04:39 am - 09.11.2020Hey Blue, have you seen anything like this before? [Strange White Milky Potion]
04:27 am - 09.11.2020What is this strange potion? That's disguting, the bottle is an actual insect...!
04:11 am - 09.11.2020These Nul'drith Nerds need a noogie!
03:52 am - 09.11.2020Something feels off about these guards...?
03:07 am - 09.11.2020We need to get this poor woman an antidote!
02:46 am - 09.11.2020What in the world is this rash...? Oh nevermind I'll worry about it later...
02:19 am - 09.11.2020Bloodied leads
02:18 am - 09.11.2020Returning to Wallsard
05:08 am - 02.11.2020Potatoes.
05:01 am - 02.11.2020Oh thank the Hells, I was hoping we didn't have to do anything for that.
05:00 am - 02.11.2020We found Issica!
THINGS ARE HAPPENING!
04:59 am - 02.11.2020Returning to Wallsard
02:43 am - 02.11.2020The list of amazing people following the adventures of Anduro.
Social
Birthplace
Kutalla Keys
Current Residence
Southwest Galeaha Region
Contacts & Relations
Wealth & Financial state
Enough to get by... maybe more at times.
Family Ties
None, that he is aware of. Searching for belonging and otherwise assuming his 'being created' precludes ties to other creatures, but a thread he has never thought to pull. Perhaps one day...
Religious Views
Unfamiliar with the divine, and slightly skeptical of it's existence after spending his life escaping from some experiment, and the other remainder with pirates in the Kutalla Key's getting by with what skills he has.
Mannerisms
Generally stoic, owing to his general lack of attentiveness, or disconnection from normal social standards from being created rather than raised by a normal family. Not distrustful, but knowing how harsh the world and its judgements can be, is a bit dubious of people's intention until they have earned trust or shown their moral character through actions. Also, because of this, sometimes apt to say the right thing the wrong way, and be fully confident in his assertions, however positive his attitude.
Despite this quirk, he always means well and the first to support a good friend and cheer them up. This also comes in the shape of being gregarious to strangers, and inclined to either greet them warmly, or quickly turn a dire situation into a complete misunderstanding with a few boisterous words.
Hobbies & Pets
Various fish friends of varying shapes and sizes, usually by notable common names like 'Steve' or 'Jeremy', to which he reacts as if they are old friends he hasn't seen since childhood but recognizes instantly.
Speech
Sometimes can be heard wheezing on inhale, as a byproduct of his gills and hybrid nature -- but otherwise intelligible as the next tavern dweller, and surprisingly well spoken despite it.