Revenge and Lunacy

Most revered smith Nicolos, son of the forge, late of Kor Volcas:

  As you probably noticed I often write letters home to my mother, to let her know that I am well and some of the exploits I’ve been up to. While I will doubtlessly continue to write her, I thought it would be a good opportunity to write you as well so that you might be kept abreast of the goings on outside of Kor Volcas to better serve your charge as ambassador to the crown. I hope your foray to meet with Ozen goes smoothly and the emissaries are well received.

  Since we left things have been interesting, in our particular idiom. The first two days of our journey back to the Spartan high pass were uneventful, save for a general soaking on day two from rains that would not relent. Sadly, I fear that soaked the new cloths Lady Alexandra invested in along with her cunning new hat, but it apparently keeps the rain off her face and her hair is largely dry. A boon to be sure. I noticed that in addition to your own masterly crafted gifts, lady Thalia returned from a communion with presumably Aphrodite (I could smell perfume and incense),  a new ornate dagger. As I learn more of its function, I’ll endeavor to relay that to you, as you might find it interesting.  As we exited Kor Volcas, Silenos whistled for his companion and much to our surprise a massive overly large grey wolf appeared. Apparently, Perseus can change forms, hopefully the new form will prove as helpful as the latter did. I’m personally somewhat disquieted, but I think that came from my all too close proximity, even in dreams, to Hade’s hound Cerberus. If it wasn’t raining, I think I might have slept outside of Alex’s arcane hu; but given the choice I’ll just think bird and avoid the rain. On day three we entered the pass itself, somewhat removed from where we encountered the Ares cultists.  As we traversed the pass, we were met with a large roar and another of the fire giant kin lept down the slope.

This fellow was massive, easily again twenty-five feet tall, covered in dark iron armor, with a massive sword. This one also dragged a heavy set of chain links, culminating in 3 iron collars around the necks of a beast with the head of a lion, goat and dragon: not as large a head as Ozen, but still an impressive serpent. He roared something in giant before releasing his beast, I didn’t understand it, but the body language was very much “I’m coming to eat you”. Ouroboros immediately rushed forth, bounding up over the rocks and ledges to engage the beast.  He was holding that axe we found amongst the cultist’s bodies, the one Silenos initially picked up. He struck two hard blows against the creature, increasing its apparent ire.  Lady Alexandra stepped up and cut loose with the same grey purple ray of arcane energy striking the giant at the hip. It reduced the armor to dust and horribly rent the flesh that was exposed. It certainly got the giants immediate and full attention. Lady Thalia enriched and embolden several of us as is her way, then before moving up the slop further away, gifted me with an arcane shield of invisibility.  So embolden and shielded, I was able with my father’s timely gift to race to engage with the giant itself. Conveniently Alexandra left me a nice hole to work with and I was able to injure the fiend, but rather than stop, I moved slightly past the giant as its attentions were still focused on Alexandra. I thought it might provide me with an opportunity if rage clouded judgement.

At this point the creature, which I’m told was a Chimera, lashed out at Ouroboros. From my angle it looked like it was a most serious blow, but Ouroboros barely flinched, though I could see the ferocity in his face redouble. I thought nothing of it at the time, but that was a poor decision. The serpent’s head bathed our stalwart in a furnace blast of flame, leaving him singed, but even more angry if its possible. Noting the frothing rage, the beast also opted to fly out over the central trail in the pass. Once there it stared down with its lion’s head and roared staring at Perseus who had taken up guard near Lady Alexandra. With a roar of its own the giant took several strides forward, leaped, brandished its massive sword, and fell on its face dead at Lady Alexandra’s feet. It seems he may have made the error I hoped he would and ignore the cat at his back. Between my arcane vibration and deft strike, the giant had passed away even before making the fated leap. It apparently takes time for the brain to realize when you’re that big, good thing to know, and an important safety tip.

Silenos clambered up the slope to a ledge, gaining a good view of the chimera. Drawing an arrow onto his new bow, he pronounced the death of the chimera, which seemed to toll or echo slightly giving it added menace. With that he loosed and the arrow lodged in the body; a second much more carefully aimed shot pierced the lion’s head through one eye lodging somewhere behind.  The creature wobbled in the air, but I suspect having three heads makes for some versatility to those sorts of injuries.  Its at this time however, I learn an important lesson. Ouroboros was beyond rage into some sort of addled frenzy. He could no longer tell friend from foe. He charged me across the ground as I wasn’t too far removed from his position. He swung and connected once causing injury, thank goodness it was a glancing blow. His second blow didn’t land, thanks to Lady Alexandra. She caused him to appear as she did the dreaming giant, blinking and shimmering as if many days were passing for him suddenly. A moment later she also loosed a volley of brilliant motes that entwined themselves, but struck the chimera at different points, knocking it from the air. Given the opportunity I flee from Ouroboros’s proximity to hover over Alex and the guarding Perseus. Ouroboros rounds on those of us in the pass proper and leaps to the floor of the pass in one great bound. He proceeds to climb the lower limbs of the giant, froth speckling his lips, and a dull red haze visible in his eyes. With frustrated abandon he swings repeatedly at the giant’s corpse, causing blood red wounds to grow in his butchery.  Alexandra incants, and a wave of energy surrounds Ouroboros, slowly leeching the red aura from the axe, his eyes, and we can see the throbbing pulse cease.

  A few moments later, senses returning to Ouroboros, the party examines the outcome of the confrontation. Several items could be useful from the Chimera, but out of respect only the lion’s paws are removed, instead of the equally valuable goats head and hooves. Silenos looks relieved. The giant had a few odds and ends in a belt pouch. Much discussion surrounds Ouroboros, Lady Thalia is most upset and worried about future happenings. Lady Alexandra is pragmatic vowing to defend herself if need arises. It seems to me this object should go somewhere far away. Another partial day we descend out of the pass looking into the Spartan valley. Its then we feel the ground shake and tremble. We can see the seas pull back and a wall of water rise. The giant wave rushes forward to claim the port and valley, when it is abruptly sundered, sparing much of the port, thankfully.

  I decide to take this opportunity to let me fingers remotely releave Ouroboros of his bedeviled axe. While our companions consider the implications of the wall of water, I take a moment to becon little Hamila, my friend and familiar to me. She kindly consents to take a small parcel from me to Ozen. I send the axe off, so it is beyond our friend’s clutches. Hopefully this will set his mind right. If you happen to see Ozen, please warn her. I shared it was dangerous and needed to be destroyed, but I didn’t have time to relay the details of why. Its not long after that as the companions discuss the ramifications of the ocean’s upheaval, that Ouroboros finds the axe missing.  As he begins to search, he suddenly clutches his head and takes a knee in mental agony. I’m not sure what happened, but it feels like something is competing inside Ouroboros’s psyche for control and dominance.  I’m left thinking perhaps he could use something to serve as a distraction, and he did hit me. So I get out in front of him as he recovers and still searches. I smile and confess, “Who do you think could take it?” with that I run.

Not too fast, I need to keep him close enough, but enough to move him down to the port, where perhaps he might be useful or more easily distracted by the damage that must exist. The race is quite a bit less lopsided than I’d have imagined, Ouroboros has a degree of quickness about him. I’m able to guide him down to the port and put on a little extra speed at the end to let him see me fling “an axe” out into the bay. Ouroboros runs right to the dock’s edge and leaps into the water. He’s free diving into the water again and again, water I remind you recently stirred up by a massive wave, so it is cloudy and unsettled. I don’t know if he ever found the dagger I really tossed, but I couldn’t stay all day; there were many vessels including our own that needed mending. Lady Alexandra went aboard immediately, while I lingered watching Ouroboros dive. She started help move carpenter supplies in and about the ship. A quick glance around the port I can see a good deal of damage. Some ships are floundering, broken dock piles and scattered debris are everywhere. I can hear some laments, so I know some people died as well. I lend my aid by shaping the water to flow out from the holes, letting the patching crews do their work. It is a long day. While I move around the port, I can see an agitated Ouroboros moving about, he periodically approaches me demanding to know what I did with ‘it’, meaning the axe. I’m adamant that I’ll tell him once the people of the port have been helped; tomorrow. Hopefully the worst of the symptoms will be better by then. Silenos is looking after him, but he seems unhinged.

  I will write more in the coming days, to bring you up to speed to new events. Again I hope your embassy to Ozen goes well and that you bridge the worlds of Kor Vulcas and ‘the outside’ well my friend.

  Yours

   Gyasi