Temple Archives
Temple of Corellen
The sixth day of Eleasias, 1372

The Elvin ruins offered the Wandsmen and I some challenges before we were able to recover the Easterling Moonblade. Far from being deserted, they were rife with roguish folk intent upon preventing us from our mission.

The Sarcrith were engaged in combat with a far superior foe. They were taking refuge amongst the ruins, taking feeble shots at a spell-jamming ship manned by angry Giff. Now I have no love of the Sarcrith or their phobias for magic, but their leave was necessary to finding the remaining sapphires that would release the Moonblade. So while the Wandsmen positioned themselves for the impending attack, I rushed forward to provide the Sarcrith the means to assault the spell-jamming ship. Positioning myself behind a ruined wall for cover I prepared to cast a spell. Two Sarcrith noticed my incantations and their fear over came their judgment as they lunged to attack me. I was able to avoid their blows and within moments a shimmering bridge appeared before us. Running up the bridge to the spell-jamming ship, I called to the Sarcrith over my shoulder to follow me in the hope that they could brace themselves enough to follow. When I reached the top of the bridge and looked down upon the deck of the Giff vessel, I paused for a moment to judge the situation. Before me were about twenty well armed Giff and the Wandsmen were no where to be found.

Taking a deep breath, I reflected upon the challenges of the faithful and prepared to meet my fate, what ever it may be. But before I could bathe Hoardmaster in the blood of the nearest Giff, they all suddenly crumpled and shriveled before my eyes. Was this some new property of Hoardmaster? Keeping something this powerful hidden from me would befit Gorgalund's wicked sense of humor. Relieved that I might serve the temple for one more day, I murmured a prayer of thanks to God and then smiling at the fallen Giff, I raced back to the Wandsmen to find out what was preventing their progress.

Good thing I did not terry upon the Giff's ship, for as I returned to the Wandsmen, a Magelord and some companions appeared and begun flinging all sorts of destruction upon Sister Primula's friends. The opening salvo struck hard and true upon the Wandsmen and it was all I could do to heal those that I could see. Kerith, the chosen one, was able to support the Ranger to the point that he was able to send a fusillade of arrows into the new enemy and they were soon reeling. The druid somehow managed to get behind the Magelord and reversed gravity upon him and his followers. This addled them to the point that they had no choice but to retreat behind a prismatic sphere. These Wandsmen are truly capable and I can see why Sister Primula has such high respect for them.

The mage recovered the Vondoni Stone and suggested that I raise one of the Giff so that he could question him. I was skeptical as I didn't see how this was going to help us recover more of the missing stones. Besides, the ranger had recently seen two Shadar-Haduk nearby. But the mage then confided in me that he had found orders from the Elvin Imperial Fleet commissioning the Giff to recover the Vondoni Stone. That was reason enough to seek more information before proceeding and so I quickly called upon the divine spirit to return one Giff's spirit. Upon questioning the Giff, the mage was able to confirm that they were indeed charged with recovering the Vondoni Stone.

The Giff was willing to accompany us as we tracked down the Shadar-Haduk. The ranger led the way into the underground passageway and soon returned to say that the Shadar-Haduk were at the end of the tunnel discussing what they had just found in a book. Apparently the Easterling ancestors had constructed a gate to the plane of shadows as a means to hide some things away. The gate was activated by the blood of a direct heir of the Easterling clan. This was confirmed when I walked into the room and the gate shimmered with purple light. The Shadar-Haduk had teleported away before I entered the room. Realizing that time was of essence, we stepped trough the gate.

On the other side we quickly learned that we were in a shade enclave as the room was upside down. What a fortunate find! We, until the Shadar-Haduk realize it, have access to one of the enclaves. As further proof that Illistreae smiles upon us, Daravis' sword and ring (witch we found in the shade enclave) along with his amulet provided me with a vision. For a brief moment, I was able to see Sister Primula trapped in what appeared to be an antimagic sphere. She was alive! My joy was soon eclipsed as I saw two Shadar-Haduk approach her with a dagger and a chalice. Their intent was clear to me. They intended to collect the blood of an Easterling.

Using Dravis' equipment, I was able to recover all but one of the missing stones necessary to recover the Moonblade. The last sapphire was on the Bedine rogue and he refused to surrender it. He spun a tale about us having to help him back at the Elvin ruins and that in return he would give us the stone. We were so close to recovering the Easterling Moonblade why were the vaunted Wandsmen so eager to trust this stranger when success was at hand? Did they truly desire to recover the Easterling Moonblade for Sister Primula? Or were they willing to make a deal with this stranger in the hopes of greater treasure for themselves? I was defiant to their schemes and willing to bathe Hoardmaster with the Bedine when the chosen one consoled me. Had it been any other, I would not have acquiesced. It was time once again to have faith.

The penitent sword of Illistreae,

Pellanistra Easterling