As our kayaks bobbed in the increasingly angry sea, we decided to make for the nearby island to wait out the storm and explore the spire and garden that Jeck had spotted. The island is not labeled on our map, so we do not quite know what to expect. The spire provides us with a target for our investigation, so we point our kayaks to the northwest and paddle ashore. By the time we come ashore the storm is heavy enough that we hope that we may have escaped notice of any inhabitants of the isle. Upon approaching the shore we notice a slash in the cliffs, likely from a ravine cutting its way into the bedrock. There is a sandy beach at its base and we put ashore there.

Surprisingly, we were not met by a multitude of savage creatures; the storm was perhaps truly covering our presence. Blackhawk spotted a colorful object among the trees as he scouted ahead looking for a trail. While the remainder of us secured the boats, Blackhawk returned telling a tail of a giant floating fish. Stephen and I joined him to verify this vision. Upon our approach, we were unsure it was alive, dead, or some sort of construct. When suddenly it seemed to take notice of us, popped higher into the air and then dove straight into the ground. We could not see exactly where it disappeared to, but it seemed to have entered a hole or passed through the ground surface. We ran to where it disappeared but could find no sign of where or how the fish accomplished its disappearing act. We were brought running back to the beach by Raven’s cry of alarm.

It seems that the fish possesses the ability to traverse the subterranean world as easily as water. While we poked and prodded the forest floor, the fish managed to ‘swim’ over to our boats and surfaced just behind Raven. By pure reflexes she managed to avoid falling into the dimensional disturbance this fish seems to create in the ground surface. The fish again ‘submerged’ before the rest of us returned.

Nervous of being sucked under the ground, we tied ropes to each other. It one gets swallowed up the others might be able to pull them free. Upon reentering the forest, Blackhawk decided to climb a tree to see if the fish or any other creature were visible. Much to his surprise, eyes opened on the tree and it sneezed. Blackhawk half jumped half was propelled off of the Treant, never before had I seen a Forest Elder. It seemed to speak in a slow booming voice, but we had trouble understanding it. Raven cast Speak with Plants, which allowed her to understand its very slow speech. It was not violent toward us but it did not seem very friendly either. It mostly expressed a desire that we respect the surrounding forest by not lighting a fire. Blackhawk still expressed a desire to view the surrounding countryside, and the Treant grasped him with his branches/arms and raised him high in the air. Blackhawk taken by surprise by this sudden action managed to compose himself long enough to look around before being returned to the forest floor. He spotted nothing of consequence. Raven asked it one last question if there were any dangerous creatures on the isle and the response was negative. Of course, it could means that there is no creature that could threaten a Treant, but it was the best answer she could get from the obtuse creature.

We then moved on toward the spire. From up ahead we saw a small (1.5 ft) humanoid shuffling toward us. It wore oversized clothes including a fisherman’s jacket and a hat that covered its face. The group spread out upon its approach, but Stephen stood in its path, determined to greet it, but never did it slow its already slow pace or acknowledge him. We watched in amazement as the creature lashed out with a butcherknife as Stephen stepped out of its path. Stephen managed to attack back, but he had suffered a horrible gash to his leg.

The rest of us sprang into action to come to Stephen’s aid. Jaden launched a Ray of Frost but missed. Stephen tried to put it to Sleep, but it seemed to have no effect. I raced in tried to tackle him. I managed to grab him, but failed to pin him even with Raven’s help. Its diminutive size helped him slip from my grip and he continued on his slow steady pace. We began to realize that the creature was likely possessed. Blackhawk jumped in its path, dodged its knife, and stabbed with his rapier and connected. The creature emitted a grunt but continued on as always. Jaden stuck it with two Magic Missiles, while Stephen stepped on its coat holding him in place while his feet continued to pump in a vain attempt to continue forward. Raven made an attempt to remove his hat, but connected solidly with its skull instead, and the hat remained on. Blackhawk struck it again with his rapier without slowing it down. We paused to regroup as to what would be the best approach.

Jaden and Blackhawk continued to receive damage from the creature. We decided to give the creature some space while Lia healed Jaden and Blackhawk. Blackhawk tied a cord to an arrow and fired it through the creature’s hat. The arrow fell several feet from the creature, and Jotork dove for it. Pulling on the cord, Jotork lifts the hat from the creature’s brow revealing a wrinkled green countenance before he winked out of existence.

We again set out to investigate the tower. Along the way we encountered a dinner party of chimps wearing dinner jackets. We tried to get information from them, but they fled at the approach of a female chimp. We followed their example.

While hiding we saw an antelope-size creature, brilliant white with a blue horn. This unilope(?) launched its horn at raven which then returned to its head. Raven ducked back into cover and the boomelope(?) went on its way.

The last encounter was a series of figures, orgas, weasels, and dire weasles engaged in a fast pursuit. They seemed busy and did not bother us.

We reached the tower without further incident. It is a thin spire, 170 ft high, 5 ft wide,, covered in silvery runes. It resembles a giant wand. The runes are a mixture of magic and ancient elvish. Jaden, Stephen and I manages to read a few runes that hint to storms, lightening, power of storm, retribution, and destruction of enemies. A discernable energy radiated from the spire that even DeVal was aware of. I launched a javelin to land near the tower, but as if it was magnetized my javelin sunk into the tower and released a blinding flash and thunderclap. My vision eventually returned, I saw the javelin had turned to ash.

From the vantage of the hilltop upon which the tower sits, we saw the garden that Jeck had noticed before. We set off in that direction and soon came across a man carrying a two-story house on his back. Upon seeing us, he set the house down and we heard excited voices from inside. We decided to pass around the edge of the house at a safe distance. This proved wise when arrows started to fly out of the windows, but they posed no real threat since they seemed to be fired at random.

Before reaching the garden we also came across a drow elf singing to her self. I had no time to react to this possible threat, as it seems she had lost her mind. She did not realize that the sun was shining above her. We asked many questions but her answers seemed very confused. The one interesting item we gleaned from her was that she retrieved a ring from under a hill. She also said the wand has not been used in a long time, last by a man dressed in lilac. She can’t remember her name, but would like to be called Luna.

We moved on and eventually reached the garden. The garden is encased in a 25 feet thick stone wall pierced by a single 8 foot square opening. The opening passed through 18 feet of wall. It may have been gated at one point but that has since rotted away. It seems to be a very thick wall just for a garden. We paused at the formidable entrance, while I sneaked through the opening to scout around. What I saw was what was obviously once a carefully landscaped garden now overgrown. Bushes, flowers and trees obstruct the ground and views across the garden. It seemed safe for the moment and the others filed in. A dragon is carved on the inside of the wall and gargoyles line the top of the wall.

Lia made an attempt to detect magic and was nearly overwhelmed by the strength of the result. She also seemed pleased by the many rare herbs and plants that more immediately recognized by her. The thick growth within the garden made it hard to stay in eye contact as we pushed through the garden. I came upon an 18 ft tall metal statue of an armored elf or half-elf with sword and shield. By the style of the armor, it appeared to be very old. It was about this time that I heard a horrible scream.

Racing to the sound, I entered a clearing along with several others of the party. There before us was Blackhawk writhing on the ground in extreme agony. He was at the foot of an immense stone statue of a female angel kneeling with her head raised to the sky and a bowl of water at her feet. The water was puddled at the edge by Blackhawk, it would appear that he drank of the font and it did not agree with him. Raven heals him and slowly revives. He stated that upon drinking the water he felt incredible peace and a sense of power, but then he felt as if something was examining his soul and failed to find what it sought. Suddenly the water turned sour, then acidic, and then there was blinding pain. He felt the spirit of the water rejected him finding him unworthy due to his race, sex, or alignment. He felt if someone of a more good nature drank there might be good benefits bestowed by the water. Raven felt this might include her, so she drank and experienced similar results. A healing spell help her recover from the similar results.

We decided not to drink any more of the water, although Blackhawk collected a flask. The others then shared what they had seen. Raven told a hilltop that had a thin wedge removed from it as if cut. Nothing was in the cut.

Stephen remarked of seeing some stone slabs on a hilltop before Blackhawk’s cry pulled him away. He led us back to the spot and he approached the seven stones. The closer he got, the more they resembled tombstones, but they appeared to be very old and no markings were visible. Expect on what may have been the most recent. As he read it, he turned white and immediately started running. We tried to ask him what was the matter, but he just ran calling back for us to follow. It was also at this time that there may have been a rhythmic mechanical noise somewhere within the garden. We made it to the garden entrance without incidence, Jaden towing a reluctant Lia. As everyone filed through, I waited at the entrance, but there did not appear to be anyone or anything following us. Once outside, we got Stephen to slow down long enough to tell us the stone read “Ébrion”. Fearing an eminent attack by either Tenebrion or Umbrion we decided to hasten back to our boats.

During our decent we heard a horn and came upon a fox hunt in progress. We stayed to the trees as a fox pursued by 18 huntsmen in scarlet passed by. Members of the group drew comparisons to our current predicament and the blackcloaks.

We continued on, and many of us had the feeling that we were being watched. When Blackhawk finally caught sight of a stone slab behind us we paused. None of saw this stone as we passed, and there was some speculation as to whether it had to power to follow us. Upon examining it, there was no marking to be found. We had a very uneasy feel and decided to press on.

Upon nearing the boats, we saw him. Without introduction, we knew we were being confronted by Umbrion. With his red bushy beard and hair, his ruddy complexion and sky blue robes, he was nonchalantly leaning against a tree near our boats as if patiently awaiting our return. He stated that we shouldn’t leave our boats unattended. We immediately wondered what happened to McGuyver, but he continued. Umbrion seemed to snarl that he could sense his brother’s taint all over us, and that he will not permit us to interfere with his feud with his brother. As he stated that he wanted to teach us a lesson, we tried to sprang to action, but not before some magical energy knocked us unconscious.

As we awoke we became aware of the curse that Umbrion had bestowed upon us. You may have noted by now that the handwriting of this log does not have the same elven sense of flow that my previous entries have had. That is because I have been imprison within Lia’s body. She has apparently vacated to inhabit Jaden’s body. The six of us have all shifted bodies. The others include Stephen into my body, Jaden into Stephen’s and Raven and Blackhawk apparently switched between themselves.

We stumble about the clearing mostly in shock and wonder with many thoughts racing through our heads. Blackhawk and Raven continued on check on McGuyver and the boats, while I sat and composed these thoughts. Stephen and Jaden remained and tended to Lia who took the switch particularly hard, as she fainted. We switch gear with each other, as it seems that although I am in Lia’s body I do not possess her skills. I haven’t tested the limits of this body yet, and it may take awhile to fully adjust to its limitations.

As we await Raven and Blackhawk’s return many questions run through our minds. Are we suffering under an illusion? Is the entire island under an illusion? Why all the strange creatures and encounters? To what service does the wand perform? Why such a massive wall for a garden? Who built the statue and angelic shrine? Why does it appear that the Wizards’ family may be buried in the garden? Is there another brother, one who wears Lilac-colored robes? Why is one marker set outside the garden? Was it following us? Why was Umbrion waiting for us at the boats? What created the gash in the hilltop? What was the rhythmic noise in the garden? All these question bear some thought before we plot our next move.