Heat 26 - Evening

What a day! I feel drained. I feel ill prepared for what has occured. But, I get ahead of myself. I know that Elensul has penned his thoughts in our journal, so I will cover the highlights since he finished.

After the wagons were safely within the walls, Dorian informed us that there is one area we must check as it is a known staging area for marauding tribes of goblinoids. He led us a short way up the mountain to a gaping hole. We could see fine lines in the rock around the enterance leading into the cave. Dorian informed us that the official name is the Trollbridge Bore, but the colloquial name is the Troll's Arse Hole.

Passing inside, we made sure nothing was waiting to ambush the caravan below. As we investigated, Blackhawk found a small skull. Probably goblinoid. Dorian confirmed that it was a goblin skull moments later. Elensul and I had checked the rear of the cave and as he moved back toward the enterance, the ground broke beneath him. As this occured, my neck and wrists turned ice cold. It seems the items I wear are trying to convey some sort of message, but I lack the Wisdom and knowledge to know what it is. Anyway, back to Elensul's predicament.

His reflexes saved him as he sprang back. Then, much to our dismay, a huge troll clambered up through the dust out of the hole. The battle was short and vicious. Fortunately, we were able to quickly flank the beast. Elensul was raining blows on the thing with little visible affect when it reached over, grabbed Dorian and literally tried to rip him apart. Fortunately, he is made of stern stuff indeed. Once the Troll fell, we raced out of the cave and Jaden fireballed the cave.

We made our way back in and the thing was just starting to twitch. We poured oil on the thing and set it alight. Then we pushed it down the hole. It fell and fell. Dorian then herded us back out of the cave. We arrayed ourselves defensively while Raven patched Dorian's wounds. HE then used some ritual and hurried us back to the ruins when he was done.

On the way down, Dorian began explaining that our priorities had changed. He would guard the Bore with the caravan guards. The apprentices would make all haste back to Falling Rock Keep and we would escort the wagons to Ft. Vindemar. The breaching of the Bore means that forces from the UnderDark can make their way to the surface again.

As we reached the ruins, I asked Raven if there was any way she could get the wagons moving faster. It turns out there is! I misunderstood that Dorian meant we were to leave right away and we inadvertently talked him into changing plans. Around this time, we heard wails in the hills.

We arrayed ourselves in the ruins as best we could to prepare for whatever assault was about to befall us. At the last moemnt, we had two the the apprentices mount up and dash away North. Master Cymric must be notified so he can travel down here and re-seal the Bore. I dweomered an arrow with light and shot it a short way outside the walls to give us a little better range of vision.

As soon as we began to see shapes moving at the edge of vision, Raven let loose with a lightning blast. Then the suckers came charging. Goblins, about 30 that I could see. As they approached, Jaden let fly with a fireball. We started taking some out with arrows and then the next wave began to advance. As they got closer, Raven brought down and ice storm on another cluster. Around then, a fireball came streaming down toward the gate, where Elensul, Raven, Dorian, Hafez and I were. As it exploded around us, I twisted and danced as much as I could. Briefly, I could see Elensul doing some incredible acrobatics. Stifling heat for just the barest moment and then it was over. I've never been inside a fireball. Somehow, I managed to avoid being scorched. Elensul was fine as well. However, I could hear a cry of distress from Raven and a thud that sounded like somebody hitting the ground behind me.

No time to worry, we scanned the darkness for some sign of where the fireball came from as the last few goblins tried to scamper back up the hill. The last goblins fell to arrow shots and we sought in vain for the rest of the enemy. Raven took cat shape and darted out into the night to look around. I paused to give Hafez a bit of healing magic. It was a close call for him, but I could see from the expert bandaging that Raven had saved him before he passed toward a new mystery. Raven was a bit scorched and I called up some healing magic for her as well.

Since the battle, we have been debating the next course of action. Raven graciously accepted the responsibility to travel to Ft. Vindemar tonight and notify the Commander of the situation. As she prepared to leave, I was filled with a bit of trepidation. Even though most of her spells are expended, she is a doughty fighter. I find the prospect that she will not be with us to be distressing. As a team, we have overcome many obstacles and I wonder how we will fare without her come morning. I watched as she left, knowing that unless she encounters an airborne adversary, she will be safest of all of us this night. I hope that the vision of her flapping away in the night as an Owl wil not be my last memory of her.

We have been arguing back and forth since then what we should do next. I think we are reaching a consensus that we should depart with the wagons tonight. Apparently, the situation with the Bore is even more serious than I realized. Dorian says that the enemy is approaching and may ascend through the opening as early as sometime tomorrow. If we all split right now, we can get the rest of the apprentices on the road, get the wagons to Ft. Vindemar and hopefully prepare for an assault out of the Bore.

Blackhawk is convinced that we need to get Raven to Falling Rock Keep to warn Master Cymric. I am not sure that Raven can really make it there any faster than they possibly can, but I concede his point. We are placing a lot of trust in untested apprentices. What if something befalls them? What if they not make all haste? What if they have not received sufficient training to succeed? Yet, we were hardly any better prepared during the battle with the Dark Circle and we performed our duties sufficiently. When we left Seagate, we were hardly any better trained than some of the apprentices now. Should it not be enough to put our faith and well wishes on them and assume they will succeed? I don't know.

I feel ill-prepared. It seems that an unexpected enemy is trying to return to the surface world. If Cymric does not arrive rapidly, there may be a great deal of combat and death. Of course, Darkness would have it no other way. Still, I wonder how many will fall. What if Cymric arrives too late? What tragedy will then be upon my hands? What does the coldness from the Torc and Bracers mean? Is it somehow within my power to prevent an enemy from ascending through the Bore? Was it just a warning? Again, I do not know. So many possibilities that is almost meaningless to randomly guess. I can almost feel the wave of uncertainty assaulting me. Caused by the powers of Darkness? Possibly. I cannot succumb, to do so would mean tragedy. For now, I will concentrate on the task at hand. Get the wagons to Ft. Vindemar and then make it back here will all haste so we may help deny the Darkness coming out of the Bore.