Hero Wars
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Document I. Ubiquus the Skeptic's ReportOUR TEMPLE here in Raibanth is known for the fine training and preparation our initiates receive. With this in mind, I summoned young Ubiquus, one of our most promising staff members, and offered him the chance to perform field research on the subject of Skyfall Lake. This task was accepted with great enthusiasm, especially once the alternative was clear.Within four seasons he had returned, only a little worse for wear, bringing with him a veritable mass of raw data on the subject of Skyfall Lake, which I and other experienced members of our temple then carefully sifted and analyzed using our special techniques. Although Ubiquus belongs to one of the little cliques that often form in large temples like ours, he is basically a sound researcher, and I think you will agree that his work is excellent in terms of detail. Ubiquus took a position on board a troll fishing vessel and spent many weeks keeping a scientific record of events. Several of the most significant entries from his log of observations follow, all presented complete and unedited, and in chronological order. Ubiquus began his work on the first day of Earth Season, and ended his career as a fishermen on the 38th day of Dark Season. Note that all observations were made at night, using troll "Dark Seeing" magic. Since trolls are a primarily nocturnal species, fishing on Skyfall Lake normally occurs at night. My lord, I doubt you would wish to see the complete body of data that Ubiquus recorded. Most entries record events of little interest, and are, let us say. a bit overzealous as well. I am sure that so busy a member of the nobility as yourself has far more important work at hand. Nevertheless, the material is available should you have need of it. The Journal of Ubiquus the SkepticMany legends and reports are available concerning the magical body of water in Dragon Pass known as Skyfall Lake. However, we progressive and sophisticated scholars are not always satisfied with the quality of such documents. Rumors accepted as fact by laymen are often contradictory, and no attempt is made to reconcile the information in many of these documents. I need only to reference the "Jarasborn version" of the Skyfall Creation Myth to remind scholars that even we may be misled without careful attention to methodology.We of the Scribes of Ineffable Truth are famed for our courage and persistence in probing the deepest secrets of such legendary mysteries as Skyfall Lake. Our school of philosophy is known for its radical skepticism. Let those fools like Red Jarasborn proclaim that all doubt harbors God-Learnerism! In the spirit of the great tradition of Jornar Doubter-of-All I journeyed to Skyfall Lake, to reveal the truth about the lake for our temple and the further glory of our renowned school. Research ParametersThe period of my investigation was 13 weeks in duration. I interviewed 102 trolls, humans, trollkin, and other entities during the course of my stay at Skyfall Lake. I participated in 47 days of fishing on board the Wavecutter Granite, a ship owned and operated by trolls, keeping a diary of significant events and observations. I dissected 35 large specimens from the locality. I estimate that more than a third of these creatures will prove to be new and undocumented by our temple.Of especial assistance to my researches were the following individuals, to whom we of the Lord of the Light of Knowledge are most grateful:
Nature Of The LakeSkyfall Lake is a terrifying place. My researches, performed at great risk to life and limb, have confirmed that the lake stands on the boundary between our plane and the plane of gods and heroes. I believe that on certain days when conditions are right, the lake stands open to both worlds, and could be used as a pathway between them.Even the most basic facts about Skyfall Lake elude documentation. For example, both the outline and size of the lake were impossible for me to map in a precise fashion. I am quite aware of the size and shape that the lake is given on maps, and can only state that on several occasions I sailed far beyond those edges, based on painstakingly accurate estimates of our ship's speed and direction. It is true, however, that an observer walking along the perimeter of the lakeshore would believe the maps to be accurate. Luckily, we of the Scribes of Ineffable Truth are taught to check, test, and retest our observations of the world before committing precious ink to paper. The legends of Skyfall Lake that describe it as a place of awesome magic are accurate. The facts are in some ways less thrilling than the legends, but in many ways the magic is even more powerful than I would have dared to imagine. The tales in which trolls constantly dredge up magical items, gold, and other treasure were quickly proven to be exaggerated, for most of the troll activity on the lake is simple fishing, as would be done on any lake. On the other hand, the legends that talk of Skyfall Lake as a passage between this world and the world of the gods are accurate, perhaps even understated, judging by the remarkable phenomena I observed. Fauna And FloraThe denizens of the lake are so multifarious that I was unable to make even an attempt at cataloguing them. Many schools of large and beautiful fish flourish in the depths of the lake, and terrible monsters prey upon them. Even the least of the creatures are large, about the size of a warrior's thigh. Most are much larger. Though I hesitate to repeat legends, I should note that there are tales of creatures so large that they swallowed ships whole. Certainly my own diary records several sightings of such mighty creatures as whales, sea serpents, and water wyrms, few if any of which would be encountered on a normal lake. I also encountered or sighted beings that could only have come from a more magical plane of existence.Initially I wondered how such huge monsters such as water wyrms could live and find suitable prey in a body of water that is of such limited size, and I presumed, depth. To my awe, I was able to determine that Skyfall Lake is in some places, and on certain occasions, of unplumbable depth. I speak of distances greater than the entire width of the lake at its narrowest point. To venture an unprovable but intriguing speculation, it may be that the lake is bottomless in some places! The lake also seems to have boundaries that vary with the ebb and flow of strange, unearthly forces, sometimes extending into vast regions which I assume are the borders of the other world. It is possible that the more magical monsters of the lake swim between the planes, finding much of their prey in that other, far greater region. These mysteries of the lake are linked to its fearsome magical essence, which only one of the greatest of our cult could ever hope to penetrate. There is deadly danger on the lake, especially if one sails out of sight of land, into the mists and rain clouds. Even the boats that fish for ordinary catches, well in sight of the shore, often come to grief. Persons fishing for magical creatures or dredging the lake for treasure always use equipment ensorcelled by the local priests. Large, sturdy boats with spells and runes carved into their structure, grotesque enchanted hooks, massively thick fishing lines, and huge nets are all available from the priests of Skyriver Titan, in Crabtown. Ordinary fishing equipment is useless against even the more ordinary hazards of the lake, such as a lake crocodile. Whether the enchanted tools function more effectively simply because they are larger and better made, or because the spells cast upon them by the troll priests are useful, who can say? Certainly it is considered bad luck to fish with a line or net that has not been blessed by the priests of Skyriver Titan. I can only state that I personally have much greater respect for this odd god now than before my expedition. The trolls around Skyfall Lake often throw garbage or dangerous objects into the water. This contributes in many odd ways to the nature of the lake. The prevalence of huge aquatic spiders is certainly linked to this practice, given the method that the priestesses of Orani, the troll spider spirit, use to make away with unwanted giant spider hatchlings. A very large percentage of the items netted from the lake are worthless as a result of the use of the lake as a dump by these seedy trolls, who are not intimidated by the magic of the place. There is little in the way of plant life in the lake, though floating masses of water weeds were occasionally observed. I know not why this is so, except that the huge volume and swirling currents of water flowing through the lake might inhibit the growth of underwater flora. Mythos Of The LakeSkyfall Lake must have had a magical origin, but there is much disagreement as to the details of what must have been a truly stupendous event. I offer here those legends that seemed most coherent or consistent, with no guarantee as to their validity.One point of relevance to all those readers who hate and fear chaos: according to many tales, at the bottom of Skyfall Lake are the ruins of an ancient center of chaos, a city where foul and mighty beings of chaos once lived and may still lurk. These disturbing tales may have some basis in truth, for I personally saw several creatures of chaotic horror in my sojourns on the lake. The rain that falls over the lake is credited with the power to keep the vile chaotic forces under control, but anyone who dredges or fishes in the lake takes a risk of encountering chaos, perhaps in a virulent form. Let us hope that the rain never ceases to fall. The Legend of Skyriver TitanThe troll priests of Skyriver Titan, the sky god worshiped in Crabtown, were happy to tell me various tales of their god and the lake. Their creed seems to be that their god fought a chaos demon or monster on the site of the lake, which was at that time a place of chaos. This legend agrees with those described in our temple documents. The oldest priest I met, a gnarled curmudgeon of a troll who was always addressed as "Lord High Windbreaker," told me the central mythos of his god in the following fashion:During the War of the Gods there was one known as Korang the Slayer, who brought Death to many deities with a wicked spear of burning metal. Korang was tainted with the evil force of chaos, but had no shame in this, for his consciousness was too weak to understand any power but slaying and destruction. His path was strewn with his victims, and befouled with chaotic putrescence. Korang was strong in his ignorance, and full of a squirming chaotic vigor. He was so powerful that three gods joined to destroy him, among them Skyriver Titan, a god of the sky. Korang was afraid, and took refuge with other forces of chaos, who had a city called Refuge of the Hated. A terrible battle took place over that city of chaos. All three of the attacking gods were wounded unto death, and although Korang the Slayer was only disarmed, his spear was shattered for all eternity. Yet the monster still lived, albeit powerless. Skyriver Titan was the last to take his death-wound from monstrous Korang. With his remaining strength, Skyriver Titan fled up to the sky where was his home, with the blood rain streaming from his sadly wounded body. Skyriver Titan left this world, but his blood rain still rushed out from the sky, in a torrent so strong that the evil monster was inundated. A lake formed over the ruins of the evil city, and Korang was trapped and drowned in the boiling depths of this holy lake. Thus did Skyriver Titan, even in death, defeat the forces of chaos. The magical blood rain of our god still flows to this day, as anyone can see, preserving us all from the chaos that lurks below. We call the flow of his blood rain the Sky River, and it comes to us from the plane of the gods, bringing much that is good to aid his worshipers. The First RiverA simple but intriguing legend is told of Skyfall Lake and its relationship to the Creekstream River, one that I believe could very well be accurate. This legend is told both by trolls and by humans, as opposed to the legend of Skyriver Titan, which is almost entirely a troll artifact. Here is the way a worshiper of an obscure river-spirit cult living in Crabtown told the tale:In the Godtime, water was the most powerful force in the world. Mighty were those gods who sported amidst the force and majesty of the rivers and oceans. When the surface world was created, only the weaker gods participated, for they were bored and frustrated over their lack of power over the plane of the gods, and wished to create a new place to display their mastery. But their creation was incomplete and fruitless. One day one of the mighty water gods happened to perceive that the surface world had been created. He viewed the land, and saw that it was barren and dry. In his divine generosity, he raised his hand and channeled a path through the gods' home through which life-giving water could flow to the surface world. The water rushed through the channel and splashed onto the and, and there was much rejoicing. The water created first a lake, and then found its way through the land to the lowest portion, in the process creating the first River of the world. Water had come to the land, and the regions around the holy River grew fertile and green, and all praised the god and did obeisance. The Legend of Thog-donOne of the most interesting legends of the lake that I heard during my stay was that of Thog-don, a chaotic but sentient being who has supposedly been caught by fishermen several times during the last few centuries, with odd but consistent results. I was not able to find any actual evidence of Thog-don's existence, but talked to several older trolls who claimed to have seen him.According to these fellows, Thog-don is a huge, voracious aquatic monster with a taste for exotic bait, such as a gold statue or a dragonewt's head. The old troll fishermen were not able to agree as to the right bait to use when fishing for Thog-don, and spent several hours arguing about this point, growling and buffeting each other. Thog-don's exact form is also arguable, though he is always described as vast and bloated in size. He was most often described as a giant fish with two trolls' heads where eyes might be, and weird flailing limbs around his mouth, like whiskers on a catfish. If one should be so lucky as to hook or net Thog-don, it is believed that the creature will unfailingly beg for mercy and promise ransom. One old troll said that he had heard that Thog-don put up quite a fight before surrendering, while another claimed that the creature was an arrant coward, and howled for quarter as soon as he felt the sting of weapons. In any case, what all my sources agreed upon was that, should a fishing vessel be lucky enough to subdue Thog-don and drag him to shore, an even more vast monster, supposedly Thog-don's mother, will soon arrive to offer ransom for his release. What kind of ransom Thog-don's mother is likely to offer remains unclear. My questions on this score brought on such a spate of arguing and drunken brawling among the trolls that I left the scene of the interview in haste. Other Tall TalesThe fishermen who have ventured often into the central area of the lake claim to have seen many odd or impressive things, some of them ludicrous, like a floating town inhabited by sentient fish-men with purple scales, and some of them believable, like the rotting corpse of a giant. I enjoyed the story one seedy old gaffer told, in which he subdued a huge lake-spider with nothing but a wooden club and a supply of slingstones blessed by his mother. Trolls are as prone to exaggeration as humans, perhaps more so.One legend I was able to partially verify was that of the city of green glass. There seems to be a link between the city's appearance and sightings of the monster known as the Brown Shark. The trolls of Crabtown will tell you that anything is possible in Skyfall Lake. My own experiences indicate that there may be some sense to this attitude. A Catalogue Of Catches On The LakeMy old combat instructor, Saltinus Clippedtail, always said that the best scholars are not afraid to do a little first-hand exploration in order to confirm the truth or falsehood of what they have been told. With this wise dictum in mind, I chose to perform a survey of lake catches personally. Although I am a man of advanced years, the power of my magic and my god sustained me in this endeavor, and I am proud to be able to offer a series of definitive personal observations, with the vital stamp of authority that only authorship by a disciple of Irripi Ontor can offer. I have edited my journal as necessary to omit speculation and conjecture, and only the most rigid skeleton of truth remains for your perusal.During the greater portion of Earth Season, a time when the lake is comparatively peaceful, I fished and dredged as a common seaman in company with a large and prosperous crew of dark troll fishermen. I made myself as useful as was feasible for a person of my advanced years and kept a diary of events, an edited form of which appears below. By the end of my stay, I was well known in Crabtown both as a successful fisherman, and also as a buyer and seller of odd bits and items gleaned from the lake. Excerpt 1:Commentary by Requiat: In this early entry from Ubiquus's journal, the second in the series, one can already see certain indications of the linkage I have discerned between storms localized to the north and the potential for dangerous or magical manifestations. Further perusal of the data confirms this hypothesis, as you will see.Date: Waterday, Disorder Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Powerful storms in the northeast. Heavy rains. As regards rainfall, a note on troll perceptions. The level of precipitation I consider heavy, based on accepted norms, is considered moderate by the trolls on board this ship. Luckily I have been trained in the standard techniques of objective measurement, and have brought a standard 100-ring beaker on board the vessel. Comparatively light rains though they may be, I note that the precipitation was still so strong that my heavy oilcloth windbreaker was soaked through by the end of the night. I am sure that other corrections to my preconceptions about the lake will be necessary. Odd yellow and blue lights in the south appeared during the later part of the night (total number sighted: 26). The trolls were uncommunicative about the meaning of these lights or their source. I deduce that beings of semi-intelligent nature inhabit the great marshes in the southern part of the lake. Further research will be necessary. Sailing Route: Followed the edge of the marsh to the south. Stopped several times for an hour or so while all the crew examined the water carefully. Apparently some sort of magical, green-colored ruins can occasionally be seen in the lake on nights like tonight, or so I was told by one garrulous dark troll fisherman. Fishing: Average. Unusual Creatures Caught: Many huge insects, of the water beetle variety (#3520-3528, New Jrusteli System), were present in our fishing area tonight. Distribution was approximately 3.2 insects per 100 Raibanth rods the ship sailed. Typical sample insect measured 1.35 rods in length. Unusual Items Netted: None. Notes: A little joke was played on me this evening, in which it was suggested that I be the bait for the Brown Shark, a legendary monster which the crew has apparently been trying to catch for some years now. They seemed to think it would be out and about this evening, and were looking around nervously. Trolls seem to take a joke a little farther than humans do. It was only when I had actually been tied to a huge rusted hook and tossed into the water that they relented. It is always important for a sage to remain calm and unangered in such circumstances. I must remember to give my two bodyguards a raise, considering the way that they maimed several of the most obstreperous troll humorists so suddenly and efficiently shortly after I was pulled out. The shark was not sighted.
Measured Data:
[Overall TGS grade: 91] Excerpt 2:Commentary by Requiat: Stasis Week of Earth Season was the most eventful week of Ubiquus's journal, with four major encounters with dangerous fauna. This entry is typical. Also see the following entry four days later. Note the caution and ritual activity displayed during this night's fishing.Date: Waterday, Stasis Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane. Weather: Very strong, warm rain tonight over the entire lake and the shore. Powerful storms in the northwest. Around midnight what appeared to be a tornado appeared, of great height and shot with lightning, lasting for only a few minutes. Its appearance and motions violated all normal weather patterns, and the ship stayed so far away that I was not able to make any accurate observations. Rain included a mass of various small snails, grubs and other squirming aquatic organisms too varied to classify. Most were unpleasant in smell and feel, although the trolls quickly devoured all within reach. Sailing Route: Stayed near shore. Crew very wary. Fishing: Plentiful, but almost all fish were an odd blue color. They seemed to slip through our enchanted nets without trouble until the captain brought out a small stone box, placed it in the center of the deck, and opened the top. I was not permitted to look inside the box. Unusual Creatures Caught: While netting fish we also caught a magical crocodilian with metallic skin. The creature was very difficult to kill, as its gleaming, silvery skin was as tough as bronze armor. One of our crew was lost during this battle. The body, from jaw to tail, measured 3.2 Raibanth rods in length. Other than skin, monster was similar to ordinary Crocodylus porosus in most respects (Classification 298 New Jrusteli System), but about 25/l00ths heavier. Metal in skin was not identifiable. Unusual Items Netted: One wooden idol, of a fish with a crown. Dated 3rd quarter of the 1st Age using Droffat's system. Sold to a trader that morning. Notes: Overall, a very notable and strange evening. Saw the Green Glass City clearly for the first time tonight. The trolls were very quiet, aware of even the slightest noise, during our passage over this eerie aquatic phenomenon. They all stayed away from the edges of the vessel, apparently in fear of the Brown Shark. When we returned to shore, I examined the metallic crocodile's body (see above data), and offered to contact an armorer in Aldachur, a friend of mine, whom I knew was capable of working with magical materials, suggesting that he fashion the skin into a magical set of scale or plate armor.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 93] Excerpt 3:Commentary by Requiat: The entry below, another from Stasis Week of Earth Season, is one of the most dramatic listings of magical events and encounters to be found in the journal. The description of the storms as "shifting" may have some special significance.Date: Wildday, Stasis Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Severe, gusty winds, rough water, and oddly shifting storms. Saw waterspouts for the first time: a disturbing experience. I doubt very strongly that most waterspouts have huge, murkily visible sea-beings rising up them as this one did. I noted that the captain stayed well clear of these phenomena. Sailing Route: Stayed in the southern part of the lake, avoided storms. Several rituals were performed at midnight. I was not permitted to observe any of them, though the trolls were polite. Fishing: Poor. Much damage to nets. Several lines, poles, and hooks taken. Unusual Creatures Caught: Fourteen huge, voracious lake sharks were taken with hooks baited with various offal. Apparently identical to normal salt-water Carcharodon. How such creatures can survive in the lake is beyond my understanding. Skins are apparently somewhat valuable to trolls, especially those that were striped with yellow and red. Largest measured 12.48 rods in length: unusually large for a shark. I must remember to keep my belt strap attached to the ship at all times. Unusual Items Netted: Six large, shimmering floating containers, made of a magical transparent substance, were snagged late this evening. They were formed of some sort of light protoplasm of unusually durable nature, and were shaped into a sack-like form. Each sack contained a myriad of odd blue and white crystals, which the trolls discarded before I could perform tests. The protoplasm that made up the sacks was extraordinarily non-porous, not even allowing the passage of air, as I was able to observe. One of the more playful trolls almost strangled a smaller one by pulling one of these containers over his friend's head. The captain took all these magical sacks for his personal use. Notes: Near dawn I had the alarming experience of seeing several huge eyes on stalks peer over the edge of the boat. The eyes appeared to be of great complexity, similar to those of a human. I estimate that their diameter was between .2 and .3 rods. The trolls seemed not to notice the eyes, so I restrained my outcries and said nothing. I have learned to control my normal survival impulses as a result of my experiences on the lake thus far.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 94] Excerpt 4:Commentary by Requiat: One of the more peculiar and imprecise entries from Ubiquus's journal. Nevertheless certain points are raised of possible interest. Ubiquus refers in this entry to a series of depth-soundings that he had been making for some weeks previously, with peculiar results. Accuracy of the results obtained seems highly doubtful.Date: Clayday, Movement Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Powerful storms. Warm winds. Very hot, even for this season of the year. Saw one whirlpool at close quarters tonight. Estimated diameter: over 600 Raibanth rods. Sailing Route: North. Much tacking. Fishing: Good. Many large creatures were caught, including giant crabs, several kinds of marine mammals, and some odd octopi with many extra tentacles. Unusual Creatures Caught: Tonight the lookout sighted a gigantic lake whale. We followed the beast cautiously at my request for a short time, and I was able to make a few observations. The colossal monster was similar to a sperm whale from the deep ocean, but with a different form of head. As it breached, one could see many odd crustaceans and other life forms writhing on its vast green back. I am reluctant to offer an estimate of this creature's size. However, we pursued and harpooned a much smaller whale that joined the first after midnight, whose carcass measured 32 rods in length. Unusual Items Netted: Several large pearls were found, to the excitement of the fishermen. I was not permitted a chance to examine these valuable items. Notes: Although it was a busy night, I made another series of soundings tonight, with so vast a roll of measuring cords that it took both of my great-troll guards to help me unroll it. One of the foolish trollkin slaves panicked and was crushed by the roll when the work crew loaded it on board, and the captain demanded a stiff fee from me. The expenses involved in this effort proved worthwhile, however. To my amazement, there were still several places where bottom was not touched. Unless some special event is occurring, this experiment indicates that the lake is deeper than it is wide at some points.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 90] Excerpt 5:Commentary by Requiat: Entry made for the High Holy Day of Kyger Litor. Note unusual events.Date: Godday, Disorder Week, Dark Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Heavy rains and strong wind. The severe thunderstorms and lightning experienced during the day interfered with my sleep, but by evening they had died down. However, vast, slow swells and surges of water were experienced tonight, bringing the ship up and down in a manner reminiscent of travel on the ocean. Both of my bodyguards and I became seasick. The rain at one point included finned eels, tiny blue flying fish, and various kinds of small hard-shelled mollusks, one of which stunned me slightly, even though I was wearing my armor as usual underneath my oilskins. Biggest shell measured was .23 rods long, weighted 1.28 RSB. Sailing Route: As has occurred before, tonight we sailed straight off into the clouds to the east. The ship sailed in a consistent direction for a period of five hours without reaching the marshes near the opposite shore of the lake. I was quickly able to estimate our speed over the water, which was enough to have brought us to the opposite shore in approximately 3.9 hours, based on standard maps. Yet the marshes were never sighted. Clearly there is powerful magic occurring on the lake. Fishing: Good. Several kinds of smaller (one rod or less) fish, many of unusual beauty. Unusual Creatures Caught: The tiny flying fish mentioned above were caught in hand-held nets by several of our crew. A closer examination showed that their wings were made of some mineral substance. Those trolls lucky enough to take any of the fish guarded their catches so jealously, growling and snarling, that I was intimidated from making further analysis. Nor could I purchase a specimen. Unusual Items Netted: An odd box made of some form of paper was dredged up. It was covered with garish colored symbols, and on the side was an odd rune of a whirlpool, made of black and white stripes. Inside was a disordered jumble of strange ritual objects such as small, distorted images of human beings. Notes: A day filled with interesting encounters and events. Godday of Disorder Week in Dark Season is the High Holy Day for the great troll cult of Kyger Litor, so much religious activity took place in Crabtown. However, in addition to the normal troll activities I expected to see this day, the fishermen performed a ceremony of their own. Perhaps it celebrated the beginning of Dark Season, which is odd, since by normal reckoning using the Theyalan system popular in Dragon Pass, Dark Season had begun six days earlier. The ceremony was identical to that performed on Clayday of Stasis Week last season, so I am in doubt as to the actual event being celebrated.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 87] Excerpt 6:Commentary by Requiat: This was one of the few entries that seemed to confound my theory of linkage between storms and monster sightings (see analysis following this section). I include it as a sample in order to demonstrate my commitment to the search for accuracy. One of our more speculative initiates used this entry and certain other data to come up with a ludicrous theory linking the level of magical activity on the lake to certain days and weeks during the season. This theory was quickly disproved, but certain points raised were intriguing. Further analysis of the pattern and frequency of magical events on the lake might prove rewarding, but would require a considerable amount of temple donations for proper efforts to be made.Date: Godday, Harmony Week, Dark Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Again, relatively calm weather for the lake. Sailing Route: North, circulated in area. The island was not in sight this evening, and I believe that the ship sailed over the area in which it would normally be found. The storms were not severe, and visibility was reasonably good. "Dark Seeing" magic is certainly a boon. It is clear to me, based on experiences like tonight's, that the bounds of the lake are not always limited by the marsh. Fishing: Average. Unusual Creatures Caught: The placid weather seems to be stimulating the larger creatures of the lake to more surface activity. Final analysis of these entries will clarify the situation, I hope. We sighted several monsters such as sharks, crabs, and water wyrms. Worst was a huge, hungry plesiosaur (Plesiosaurus) that attacked our boat just after we had netted a large shoal of fine blue swordfish. The monster was the first live plesiosaur I have ever seen (New Jrusteli System category #8700). Only one fisherman was lost to the monster, though many sling bullets and much magic were expended in the battle. Estimated length of the plesiosaur was 12 rods, far greater than the usual number recorded in my book. Unusual Items Netted: Nine hollow sea-metal spears, of some indeterminate ritual nature. Each spear tip was surmounted with an odd blue and silver device of some sort, such as a net or a brush-head.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 88] Excerpt 7:Commentary by Requiat: A typical entry during one of the five weeks in the journal with no dangerous encounters recorded. Note the relatively peaceful evening experienced by the crew during a period without storms. The mysterious ritual may have some importance to the absence of storm activity.Date: Windsday, Death Week, Dark Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Average. No storms. Very strong winds. Sailing Route: Stayed near Crabtown. Trolls performed a long, complex ritual tonight that seemed to involve the sacrifice of one of their number. Once again, I was not permitted a close look at events. I did note what appeared to be a large pool of blood on the deck soon afterward, but this evidence washed away too quickly for me to take a sample. Fishing: Average. Unusual Creatures Caught: None. Unusual Items Netted: Nothing but shards of some form of blue-green crystal that broke and shrank to nothing when exposed to sunlight at daybreak.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 94] Excerpt 8:Commentary by Requiat: Another uneventful evening experienced by crew, despite the decision to venture towards the center of the lake. Note once again the lack of storm activity which, this time, appears to have no relation to any trollish ritual.Date: Windsday, Disorder Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: A beautiful night. Strange, luminous colors tinged the water and the sky at sundown. The rain clouds moved off towards the mountains (to the north). The water was very clear. Black storm clouds and lightning were visible over the north shore of the lake, and the winds rushed powerfully from that quarter. Sailing Route: We sailed into the center of the lake tonight, for the first time. Several times during the night I caught glimpses of unusual underwater formations. "Dark Seeing" magic proving very useful. Again, it seemed as if the ship was going very slowly, based on our progress towards the opposite shore of the lake, yet objects sighted passed very quickly, as if our speed was quite good. Fishing: Excellent. Great masses of shining white fish were netted this evening, and the crew was in good spirits. Unusual Creatures Caught: None. Unusual Items Netted: None. Notes: No special events, but good fishing for the later part of the night. The captain had picked an area near a huge mass of floating water weeds, and luck was with him.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 96] Excerpt 9:Commentary by Requiat: Another entry which seems to contradict the theory linking storm activity to monster sightings. On this occasion, though, there was an interesting encounter with sentient denizens of the lake.Date: Godday, Disorder Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Hot, humid. Huge thunderheads, rainfall very heavy, with falling debris. Much minor damage to rigging. Sailing Route: Followed shore of lake north. Fishing: Good. Unusual Creatures Caught: This night a lake troll (a rare variant of the sea troll, New Jrusteli System #9602) made the mistake of biting our bait. After his friends had extracted the hook, he rose to the surface to complain and ask for compensation. Surprisingly, we were able to understand his crude language to some extent. The fishers were rude, and rejected his demands. He and several other lake trolls attacked about an hour later, but were driven off at the cost of much magical energy.
Unusual Items Netted: None.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 92] Excerpt 10:Commentary by Requiat: Ubiquus's enigmatic purple-spined creature, which will certainly merit further study by experienced researchers. Again, the priests' rituals coincide with a safe, or as safe as is possible, evening of fishing on the lake.Date: Freezeday, Death Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: A strong, fresh breeze blew up this evening out of nowhere, laden with mysterious odors. Everyone in Crabtown was out as soon as the sun had set, preparing traps, nets, or other items. No storms tonight. The priests of Aranea, Xiola Umbar, and Skyriver Titan all performed rituals of mysterious import. Sailing Route: Straight out into the lake. Fishing: Good. Unusual Creatures Caught: A small aquatic being was netted tonight, of apparent sentience and extraordinary interest. My judgement is that it hails from the plane of gods and heroes, based upon its characteristics. It is humanoid, child-sized, but strange in appearance, with webbed hands, purple spines, a tail and fins, and a vaguely human head. When netted, it appeared to be wearing a belt with something stuck through it, though this had disappeared by the time the excitement died down. Although the trolls wished to kill and eat the creature, I insisted that it be saved, healed, and treated politely. Apparently such tiny aquatic beings are caught occasionally, and usually dealt with as would be a trollkin or other small, weak creature of no importance. The hunger of the trolls never cease to amaze me. The little fellow is currently recuperating in a large tub of water near my shack on the lake shore, with one of my bodyguards in constant attendance. I have not yet succeeded in understanding its language. Unusual Items Netted: Two odd boats were found floating, very broken up, as if by vast forces. They were made of some kind of shell or bone, and were exceedingly tiny and finely crafted. I cannot help wondering if there is any connection between these boast and the purple-spined being we caught. Notes: I began fishing a bit myself tonight. The bait was quickly lost, no catch. The trolls were quite amused, and insisted that I not pay for the hook and broken line. No other events of note.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 92] Excerpt 11:Commentary by Requiat: Ubiquus appears in this entry to have neglected to keep accurate records of the heading and speed of the ship. This makes the accuracy of his observations somewhat doubtful. Nevertheless, Ubiquus has some interesting comments on the trading opportunities around Skyfall Lake.Date: Godday, Death Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Heavy rains. No storms. Vast, slow swells and surges of water tonight, bringing the ship up and down in a manner reminiscent of travel on the ocean. Both of my bodyguards became seasick. The rain included large eels and shells, one of which stunned me slightly, even though I was wearing my armor as usual underneath my oilskins. Sailing Route: A very alarming route today. Sailed due west into the clouds. Around midnight, I realized that the ship had not tacked or changed heading, yet we had not reached the western shore of the lake. I will have to do speed measurements and establish what is occurring here. Fishing: Poor. Two giant crabs attacked the ship this evening, but one was killed and the other driven off after a terrible fight that lasted almost an hour. The rest of the night was spent healing wounds and arguing about tactics, and little was caught. Unusual Creatures Caught: A colossal giant crab with several chaotic features was caught and killed tonight. Only after the battle was the chaotic nature of the monster established with certainty, at which point the hulk was tossed back to the lake with a chorus of angry growls and curses from our crew. Apparently the meat and shell of a normal specimen of these crabs is highly valued in town. One of my bodyguards was maimed in this battle, but strong healing magic is available in town, and I am happy with his performance thus far. Unusual Items Netted: None. Notes: Met with several scruffy human and troll merchants this morning, after the ship had docked and most trolls had gone to their rest. They mentioned that Sir Scissor, the priest of Argan Argar who seems so involved in all trade in the area, had suggested they drop by. We discussed my experiences thus far. Merchants were very impressed that I had survived several weeks on a troll vessel, and made offers for various odd items they seemed to think I had in stock, such as oil from the Pink-Spined Globefish, and shards of green glass from the Green Glass City. They were very disappointed to learn that so far I had gained only a few special items, none of any commercial value.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 85] Excerpt 12:Commentary by Requiat: Despite his encounter with a group of possibly-malicious limnades, which proved to be of little threat to a cautious and alert investigator, this was a relatively peaceful evening for the crew. Note again the lack of storms.Date: Waterday, Fertility Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Relatively calm weather today. No storms, though heavy rainfall occurred, and the wind changed directions 23 times during the night. Sailing Route: Again tonight we sailed straight off into the clouds for hours without reaching the opposite shore of the lake. This time my log and other equipment was on board, and I was quickly able to estimate our speed over the water. Clearly there is powerful magic occurring on the lake. Fishing: Good. Unusual Creatures Caught: None. Unusual Items Netted: None. Notes: An interesting encounter occurred tonight with some of the lake's intelligent denizens. A group of nine or ten beautiful but rather treacherous limnades (lake-dwelling naiads, New Jrusteli System #13c-92) offered our boat a chance to fish in a special, secret area they claimed to know of. "The best fishing is off near that fogbank to the north, dearies. Let us show you!" they trilled. I guessed that there was only a tiny chance that they were genuinely interested in helping us. The trolls said that they often lure fishers to a place where whales or lake serpents are active, then watch the fun.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 90] Excerpt 13:Commentary by Requiat: Powerful storms again seem to coincide with monster encounters on the lake in one of Ubiquus's more dramatic encounters. It is to be regretted that circumstances interfered with his gathering of statistics.Date: Clayday, Stasis Week, Earth Season, 26th year of the 7th Wane Weather: Powerful storms tonight, localized around the north-west marshes. Average rainfall, several rains of dirt and mud. Sailing Route: Sailed to the north, but then abruptly turned and sailed south again, unfortunately. Fishing: Average. Unusual Creatures Caught: A disastrous night for our vessel. All was peaceful in the area we chose to fish in, until 4 water wyrms appeared and investigated the boat. A troll whispered to me that they can be dangerous unless any lines and hooks are quickly hidden, or unless someone in the boat can communicate with them. This statement spurred me to a bit of rashness. I have some small ability in Old Wyrmish, and I foolishly though I could impress the fishermen by speaking to the wyrms in their own tongue. I was able to do so, but the first statement the wyrms made was to warn us to leave this area of the lake at once. I translated. For some reason, the trolls choose to laugh and reject this command, and the wyrms, offended, attacked us. Several things were revealed about water wyrms in the course of this battle. For one, the vicious monsters swim almost as fast in water as their land-based cousins fly. They can have powerful magic, a fact that proved a disastrous surprise to my troll companions. My guess is that many water wyrms in Skyfall Lake have strong magic, simply in order to survive in competition with even more dangerous monsters. After I and the other survivors had nursed our battered, blood-stained ship to shore, I asked why they had been so foolish as to provoke the wyrms. I was told that they had dealt with wyrms before, and found them not terribly dangerous. These particular wyrms, being magic-users, had proved tougher opponents. I was blamed for not warning them of this point, as if I could have gleaned the knowledge of the monsters' spells by simply speaking with them. Clearly these trolls had dealt with wyrms only a few times before. One would think that the fact that the wyrms could be spoken with would have alerted these arrogant trolls to their capacity for harm! A sage should never underestimate the idiocy of the average individual, especially if he be a troll. Unusual Items Netted: None. Notes: Obviously this is the kind of Skyfall Lake event that discourages anyone who is not foolhardy, or devoted to the search for knowledge, from continuing their voyages.
Measured Data: [Overall TGS grade: 86] |
