Day 11 – Trip to the Great Crag

Where to begin but the beginning. This morning started out so wonderful waking up beside Tarryn after our touching evening. Bathing together and... well he is such a good man. Gentle and a little timid to the newness of whatever is happening between us. Anyways, it was very special to wake up with him there.
 
But then things started going oddly. First, a stranger named Hollis delivered a note that was apparently given to him by some goblins to give to us from Ice. Hollis the firbolg seemed like a nice sort, but he did not know anything about Ice or anything about his situation. He did tell us that he is also traveling to the Great Crag. So, we may see him there. The note read like a four-year-old would have written saying there was a big fight. He had to go fight people and that he was definitely not kidnapped, and he signed it Big Hairy Guy. The note seemed legit, though the signing it Big Hairy Guy does not seem right. So, I used my magic mirror to see if I could find out anything about Ice’s situation and got a few cryptic images from his past.
 
One, Ice in the middle of the Great War cleaving through a human enemy.
Two, Ice laid out in the back of the Edhellen in pain.
Three, Ice wandering looking lost in the streets of Sharn.
Four, Ice as a very young baby laying in a crib.
 
We went to check his room. All of his things were scattered around like a scuffle had occurred and he left his prized stuffed pink unicorn. Nee to talk to him about just leaving his stuff for us to carry and keep for him. He might not get that unicorn back.
 
Before leaving Ardev, I sent a message to Breeza to get another ring for telepathy commissioned with the hopes to have it for maybe a new traveling member aka Tarryn or whenever we have special guests we are working with in the future. I hope he sticks around once we get home again.
 
Note to self: Toox hates teenage magical students. They are lucky she is not evil.
 
I am unsure about this trip once we left Ardev. I was frozen in place at the strangest sight: a nine-year-old boy leading on a string a Pit Fiend. A twenty-foot-tall Pit Fiend emanating such evil I was almost sick. Tarryn and I were pretty shaken about it, but Toox talked to the boy finding out that the boy was just taking the family cow for a walk. The boy thinks it is a COW!! I am unsure what to think butI might be off milk while we are here. Simon suggested that it must be a cow with an illusion on it, but I know a bit about magic, and it had to be a very skilled caster to make me feel that level of evil an to have footprints of fire and sulfur smells. I had t o drink some fruity wine to recover a bit. I also felt a sense of revenge or anger coming from Ripper. I worry about Tarryn though, I could feel his discomfort along with my own.
 
About noon, we came to a fork in the road with merchants waiting, debating on which way to go. There was a sign pointing to the left saying to go this way indicating a rough road that seemed recently constructed and the there was the regular road off to the right. One of the gents arguing who seemed a bit cowardly said he had taken the left road already and it was safe, just longer. He was speaking his truth, and no one was taking bets on the argument the men were having. The crowd also indicated that this was not a new thing either. Roads keep popping up here and there with little warning and that this particular road had been there about two weeks at this point. Tarryn did not want to take the Edhellen down the left road as it was very rough, and the wagon is not built for off-roading. So, to the right we went!
 
Around five is when things got worse. A crazed man riding on the back of a wyvern flew at us yelling at us to get off of his land. We understood this to be the main road and tried to yell back at him that fact. Tarryn kicked the wagon into a higher speed trying to get us further down the road when the man cast an ice storm at us catching Toox and Ripper, though only Ripper got hurt. It was at this point that something in Tarryn snapped and, instead of allowing me to assist with the mage, he asks me in a not quite questioning tone if I can drive the Edhellen. Then he pulls out his bow and starts shooting at the man. Once again, I am driving in combat with a vehicle that no one has taught me to drive holding our lives in my hands. Toox and one of Ripper’s friends also shot at the mage while I am freaking out inside trying to keep us going forward. That is when the mage casts another ice storm just in front of us causing me to take the wagon off the road to avoid the storm, but I got hit with ice from the spell and lost control of the vehicle causing it to flip and throwing all on the outside free, but Simon was still inside the wagon. I immediately cast Mass Healing Word to heal anyone who was hurt like I was. Toox was able to land and shoot the mage who had come close to gloat not realizing that Toox was going to kill him. The wyvern seemed lost without a rider and flew off, though I think Ripper did something to it to make it go away. The Edhellen was damaged and on its side while Tarryn was beside himself saying frantically to get it upright. With a stroke of genius, Ripper used an entangle spell and speak with plants to get the wagon upright in less than 20 seconds. Tarryn was quick to point out an area of the damage that I was able to mend keeping it from exploding. Once we were out of immediate danger, Toox finds that Simon is unconscious and there is blood everywhere inside. I quickly heal him and am afraid that he would have been dead had I had not done the Mass Healing Word.
 
With our spirits low and tensions high, we decided to camp for the night. I created two two-story towers, one with a bunk bedroom for Toox, Ripper, and especially Simon and the bathroom and the other with the carriage room and a bedroom for myself and Tarryn. Comfort and rest are what we need tonight. After singing for Simon and Ripper, I went back down to sit against “my tower” and draw a little since I think Tarryn needs a little more time to regroup. It was about that time of me pulling out my sketchbook and starting on a drawing, that Toox just appeared out of nowhere and came over to me. She sat down and I could feel the turmoil within her. The remorse and confusion, but I continued my sketching and pretended that nothing seemed out of sort. She asked me about my drawings, and I explained that I don’t dream, not like most. I do not go to the land of dreams when I sleep. That instead I sort of relive the life of my symbiotic spirit and so I try and draw about the things I see. It gives me a closeness to that spirit since I cannot really communicate directly. It isn’t like a possession, just like having a stronger conscious than others. It was then that the conversation changed and, for the first time ever, Toox showed a bit of her soul to me. She asked how I could be so calm or collected after everything that had happened and wanted me to tell her how she could do that herself. Toox doesn’t seem to face her fears and instead pushes them down or covers them up. I did what I always do, put my walls up around me, speak obvious truths, provide what I think someone wants to hear, and advise like I’m some sort of mind doctor. This went on for several minutes, me using my skills of deception to hide my truth, performing to her to keep myself calm and controlled all the while she is being honest to me. I just couldn’t do it anymore and dropped my walls a little. With all the work we have done together and the many times that she has protected me, and I have had her back, we weren’t really friends. Other than Mom and Kana, I really don’t have friends. Tarryn is different though he is my friend and more to me than just a friend. I figured that if I’m opening myself to Tarryn at a romantic level... then I should be able to open myself up to Toox as a friend. I’m not heartless and I know it wasn’t easy for her. So, I stopped hiding and told her what I do to cope. How I write it all down as soon as I can feelings and all. So that when I’ve dealt with the strong feelings, I can read what I wrote and try to piece it together, to take action on what I can actually affect. And how something I want is what my parents had. That love and happiness and, even though I’m terrified, I’m opening myself up to that with Tarryn. I would have had to do so at some point in my life, so why not do it now when I’ve met an actual good man who I find attractive. It was at that point that I had to put my walls back up a little. I probably said too much, but I let Toox know that she could come talk to me anytime and I’d be there to listen and support the best I can. She just needs to figure out what she wants and what will work for her to sort through it all.
 
I have taken care of Simon and Ripper with singing restful music to help them heal. I left Tarryn to cope in his way as he laid on top of the wagon while I talked to Toox and tried to keep it together. Then after the hour was up, I coaxed him to bed and provided restful music for him and waited for him to sleep. Once I knew that he was safe, I have come to be alone with my thoughts and to let go of my own feelings. It is a little strange that I also now sit with the Edhellen in my own little corner to cope by writing this all down.
 
I do not like to travel in places I have not been. I am thankful to have met Tarryn Rowntree, but now I am worried about what I have gotten myself in to. He needs me now, I know. They all need me now more than I thought. Simon died briefly, Tarryn lost his damn mind a little today, Toox is in turmoil, and Ripper seems filled with anger and vengeance. People got hurt and it could have been so much worse. Tarryn has to teach me how to drive the Edhellen. He has to let me help him fix it and to learn how it works a bit to do so on my own if it comes to that. I want to help him, not just for my own safety, but for everyone else as well. I will help him, and I will keep these secrets no matter what. He will not get into any trouble for teaching me. My job through the Tyrants was not to learn about the Edhellen or its secrets and I am good at keeping secrets. Caring for someone is scary, but it can also be beautiful. He better be worth it!